A few days had passed and things had begun to turn around. Wendy was awake, vowing to remain clean, Dominic hasn't been seen since Opie and Chibs pain him a visit at Lumpy's and Macy was finally totally moved in.

The sound of a bike called Macy's attention from her laundry but she didn't check who it was. It was common, almost comforting, and she assumed it was simply Opie. That was until there was a knock at the door.

Macy answered, finding Jax on the front step. "Oh."

"We gotta talk," Jax snapped, barging into the house.

"What?" She asked, drawing her head back as he glared at her.

"What's this shit?" He growled, whipping a plastic bag with her bloody pen inside out of his cut.

"Fucking Tara," Macy snarled. "Fucking bitch."

"She tried to cover for your ass," Jax told her. "You weren't mugged, were you?"

Macy inhaled and met his angry stare with one equal intensity. "No, I wasn't."

"The boyfriend?"

"Ex," she corrected him.

"Opie know?" Jax asked her accusingly.

Shaking her head, Macy took a giant chance and lied boldly to her brother. "No. I told him the same shit I told you." When she saw in his expression that he hadn't yet spoken to Opie she relaxed a little. "I'm surprised you didn't go to him first."

"I thought you'd both be here."

Macy looked him in the eyes. "I'm sorry I lied, Jax. Ope told me what happened with Wendy and I didn't wanna put my shit on you. This was my fault, my bad judgment, and my irresponsible actions. No reason to have you clean it up."

"You practice that little speech?" He asked her, less anger in his voice now.

"Shut up," she groaned. "I'm trying to be serious."

"I appreciate you looking out for me, kid, but that's not your job."

Macy looked away from him and nodded. "Okay. Next time I almost get strangled to death I'll let you know."

"I'm going after him," Jax warned her. "Just so you know."

"What?"

"I'm not letting this shit slide, Mace."

"Jax," she pleaded, "Listen, I think me stabbing him is punishment enough. I took care of it, like the feminist bitch I am. If he comes back around, you'll be the first I call, okay?"

He didn't like it and the look on his face told her as much but Macy didn't back down and Jax relented because she was his sister and she had a point.

"Anything I gotta worry about here?" He asked as Opie rolled into the driveway.

Macy huffed and shook her head. "I'm not some dumb kid anymore, Jax," she told him. "I grew up and out of it, I promise."

"Cause I'll kick your ass," Jax said, "Then his."

"You just wanna fight someone, don't you?" Macy laughed.

"I got psyched to beat down that prick."

"What prick?" Opie asked, stomping into the house. "Me?"

Jax turned to look at him. "That piece of shit boxer, Dom. Mace, you tell him the damn truth," Jax said expectantly.

"Uh, I lied about being jumped. I got in a fight with Dom and uh, I stabbed him with my own to get away."

Opie tried to look angry but it was more surprised, which also kind of worked. "Why did you lie?"

"Cause of Wendy," she shrugged. "It was dumb. I'm sorry. I won't do it again."

"Your dad is gonna be pissed," Jax teased her.

"Oh come on, don't tell him!"

"What's it worth to you?" Jax smirked.

Macy looked at him, head cocked to the side, and waited to see if again he'd relent. "Jax," she said slowly.

"Oh fine," he scoffed. "No fun."

"I'll see you later, brother," Jax said as he and Opie hugged.

"Yeah, I'm just gonna eat," Opie said. "I'll see ya back at the clubhouse."

As soon as the door shut again Opie looked at Macy. "How'd that come out?"

"Tara," Macy rolled her eyes. "I covered for you. Obviously. So you're welcome."

"Thank you," he said with a sweet smile. "How'd you keep him from going after Dom?"

"Pulled the whole I took care of it I'm a feminist and I stabbed him card," she laughed. "You know how you guys hate when I start going on about my feminist rage."

"Don't fucking start with that shit," Opie shook his head. He opened up the fridge and moved some stuff around. "We got anything?"

"I can make you something," she offered. "Grilled cheese or BLT?"

"Push that shit together, grilled cheese with bacon."

Macy nodded and pulled the few simple ingredients out onto the counter. "Why'd you come here for lunch?"

"I dunno," he said, lighting a cigarette. "Guess I was kind of hoping you'd be here to make me a sandwich."

He watched her body move as she laughed, her back to him while making him his lunch. "Shit, don't the sandwiches usually come after sex?"

Opie was taken aback by her boldness. "Bacon always gets me hard," he joked.

Macy slapped the sandwich down on the frying pan and turned to look at him. "I used to have a crush on you, one of those stupid older brother's best friend crushes."

"And then?" He asked, leaning forward with his elbows on the table.

"Then I got older and I learned how to hide it, which you are not good at."

"Me?" He scoffed. "You think I like you?"

Macy rolled her eyes. "I see the little glances, the way you brush against me even when there's enough room to pass by without touching. Oh and this, me making you lunch," she added as she flipped the sandwich.

"I think you're imagining things," he said bluntly.

"Denying it is your choice," she giggled. "I just thought it would be less awkward to put it out there since we're living together now."

"You're like my little sister," he said defensively.

"Okay," she turned around to check his lunch. "I'm trying to have a mature conversation about this."

"There's nothing to talk about," he huffed.

"Okay," she said again. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

Macy plated his sandwich, grabbed a beer, and placed them on the table in front of Opie. "I'm going to run upstairs. I have a job interview this afternoon."

"Where at?" He asked, swiftly turning around as she hurried toward the steps.

"Some bar and restaurant," she shrugged. "Hanna's was just so I could say I technically have a job but we both know I wasn't making shit."

Macy took the steps two at a time leaving Opie to contemplate her words while he ate. He never thought she had any interest but when he really thought back on it, he saw some clues. Her disapproval of Donna was the first he thought of and the most glaring in retrospect. There were other things, of course, although they were friends he could pinpoint more than a few times she had laid on the charm and asked him for certain favors, rides or company for certain tasks. The biggest clue was her calling him, not Jax or Clay, the night Dominic attacked her.

"I'm an idiot," he groaned.

As Opie ate his lunch, overthinking their previous conversation, while Macy got changed. It wasn't until she bounced down the steps again that he was pulled from his own thoughts.

"How was it?" She asked, completely casual.

"It was perfect," he said. When Macy went to clear the table, Opie gently pushed her hand away. "I got it. Shit, Mace, you're not getting a tip, stop trying so hard."

"I'm just being nice, besides you're not the best housekeeper," she laughed.

"Why'd you bring that shit up earlier?" He asked apprehensively.

"Just to clear the air," she shrugged. "I don't want things to get weird since I'm living here now."

"Not weird," Opie said as she washed the frying pan. Getting up from the table, Opie crossed the kitchen, tossing his empty bottle in the recycle can. "We could try to break the tension," he said with a shrug.

"There is no tension," she laughed, drying the pan quickly. Macy placed the pan down, tossing the towel over her shoulder and turned, surprised by how close he was standing. "Shit, now there is."

Opie's mouth turned up into a shy and embarrassed little grin that made her stomach knot up. "Now we gotta break it," he said seconds before kissing her.

His strong arms pulled her close, one around the small of her back and the other cupping the side of her face. Macy leaned in, pressing her body against his, and tiptoed up to snake her arms around his neck.

Macy was the one to pull away once she felt the kiss was growing much too intense. Pressed between him and the fridge she felt her cheeks flush red when their eyes met.

"At least we know now there's no spark," she shrugged. "Weak kiss, right?"

"Yeah," he said as he cleared his throat. "Nothing special," he shrugged.

They stood there, still so close that they were almost touching until finally, the sound of the mailman cut through their moment.

"I should go," she said about to step away when Opie grabbed her. "What?"

He didn't answer her question verbally. Instead, he kissed her again, with more urgency and hunger than before.

"Ope," Macy said breathlessly. "That one was even worse."

"Definitely," he mumbled. "You want a ride to your interview?"

Shaking her head, she snatched her keys and bag off the table and left him with nothing more than a quick wave.

Later that evening Macy arrived back at the clubhouse feeling pretty good about herself. So good that the confusion and intensity of what happens with Opie were long forgotten.

"Drinks are on me boys!" She announced proudly waving a wad of cash at the Half-Sack behind the bar.

Jax looked at her dubiously, grabbing the cash to see if it was even real. "Where'd you get that money?"

"My new JOB!" She laughed. "I'm bartending now, Hanna's is history."

"Where at?" Clay interjected.

"You gonna roll by?" She asked with annoyance. "My friend lives a few blocks away, it's in Oakland."

"Oakland?" Clay and Jax both asked simultaneously.

"What?"

"Oakland is dangerous," Clay growled.

Her face scrunched up. "Oh my god, it's not that bad. Besides, it's a Niner bar so I'll be safe."

Clay slammed his fist down on the bar and turned away from her.

"Are you stupid?" Jax asked angrily. "A Niner bar?"

"You're cool with the Niners!" She huffed. "LaRoy was at my goddamn graduation party!"

"That was different," Clay snapped. "Our turf, our invite, it was a respect move, we just made a new deal. This is dangerous."

"I didn't know," she said defensively. "I thought it would be cool."

Macy caught Tig staring at them and shot him a dirty look knowing he was annoyed and disappointed too.

"And what's that? Bonus?"

"No," she snapped. "I worked for a few hours, like a training on your feet kind of thing. The people there seem like pretty amazing tippers."

"This might not be the end of the world," Bobby said sagely. "Talk to LaRoy, discuss the mixup, see if there can't be some kind of-"

"I'm not quitting," Macy said defiantly. "He didn't even mention the club. I told him my name, he asked if I was your daughter, I said yes and explained I didn't know it was his bar then we moved on. He was really cool."

"I wasn't going to say quit," Bobby told her. "I know you, sweetheart. You won't quit."

"Fucking right," she huffed.

"Reach out," Clay ordered Tig, "Let's try to talk it out," he said with annoyance.

"Fucking buzzkill," Macy grumbled quietly to Half-Sack. "Lemme get a beer and a shot."

"You could always bartend here," Tig teased her.

"You don't even tip your strippers, I know you'd never tip me," Macy said quickly.

"I'd overtip," he teased, "All that money I saved not tipping strippers."

"You guys really know how to bring a mood down," she complained.

Downing the shot first, Macy contemplated just leaving but she stayed, drank her beer and tried to salvage some of her excitement.

"Thanks, Sack," she said as she handed him a twenty and slid off the barstool. Macy waved at Jax on her way out, thankful not to see her father as she left.

"Mace," Jax hollered as he followed her outside. "I'm sorry we burst your bubble."

"No," she huffed, "I kinda get it, I guess. I would have told you before if I knew, I had no idea it was a Niners bar."

"We'll see what we can work out," he said with a pout. "I do wish you'd just quit."

"Sorry, VP," she winked. "You know where Ope is?"

Jax nodded. "He went with Chibs."

"Went where?"

He gave her a look and Macy knew it was something club related. "Ohhhh. Okay." She was relieved not to have to be confronted with that emotional mess when she got home. "I'm beat. I'm going home. Good night."

Jax gave her a quick hug and kissed her cheek, "Night sis."

When Macy got home she showered, throwing on a tank top and a pair of short white cotton shorts afterward, and rolled a joint. She smiled it leisurely while flicking through the channels and fiddling with her phone. She hoped the weed would help quiet her mind so she could sleep, which it did, but she was sleeping for long.

"Mace?" Opie's voice woke her. "You up?"

"Huh?" She sat up. "Yeah. What's up?" She asked through the door.

"Can I come in?"

Macy sighed heavily. "Yeah. Sure."

The door opened slowly and Opie poked his head in. "You okay?" He was disheveled, sweaty and looked exhausted but there he was to check on her.

"I'm high, so I'm pretty good," she laughed. "You okay? You look like shit."

"Long night," Opie sighed. "Jax told me about the job. A Niner bar? Really?"

"I'm a grown ass woman, I can make my own decisions. Besides, it was a mixup but I wanna see how it goes," she explained.

"You be careful," he said, beginning to yawn.

Macy nodded. "We cool?

"We're cool," he assured her. "I'm getting a shower and going to bed," Opie yawned again. "You good?"

"Yep," she nodded. "I know where to find you if I'm not."

Chuckling, he left and did as he said he would, leaving Macy confused again. Her loneliness didn't seem so oppressive until she moved in with him and knew what his constant presence felt like.

Once the shower went off Macy waited, giving him time to get dressed, before creeping down the hall to his bedroom.

"Opie?" Her voice was mousy and quiet as she called his name. The door opened to reveal Opie in a white T-shirt and sweats. "I couldn't fall back to sleep."

"Sorry I woke you up," he said.

"Can I just hang out with you till I get sleepy again?"

Nodding, he stepped aside and let her into his room. "Jax said you made money tonight?"

"I did," she laughed. "It was one of those learn on the fly things."

"Did you like it?" He asked, getting into his bed and sitting up against the headboard.

She smiled and nodded enthusiastically. "I really did."

"Good," he shrugged. "Guess that and the money are the only positive things."

Macy perched on the far end of the mattress and looked at him. "So?"

"What?"

"Nothing," she laughed nervously. "I should go to bed."

"Come here," he said, holding out his hand to her.

"I don't know, Ope," she said.

"Alright." His pride was bruised but he also felt bad seeing her so anxious. Opie didn't even know what he was expecting, not sex, but her refusal to even come closer stung. "I'm gonna get some sleep."

"I should too," she nodded. Macy flicked off the light and left, instantly regretting her refusal once she walked back into her room. "I should just do it," she said to herself. "He won't be mad," she added.

Boldly Macy went back to Opie's room and slipped under the covers facing him. "Hi," she whispered in the darkness.

"Hey," he said quietly as he pulled her closer. "I just didn't want to be alone."

"Me either," she said sadly.

Macy kissed him, her leg wrapping around his they held each other right. It was short, both separating at about the same time, and Macy quickly rolled over.

"Night," he whispered as he laid his arm around her.

Macy moved closer and grabbed his hand, knitting her fingers in his, as it rested against her stomach. "Good night, again."