The next morning Jax sat at one of the shaded picnic tables, enjoying his late morning coffee and cigarette when he noticed Opie rolling into the lot. He jumped off his bike, moving with an unusual sense of urgency.

"Your sister never came home last night," Opie told Jax, his voice tinged with worry.

Jax scoffed, rolling his eyes dramatically, and dismissed Opie's concern. "She's probably off sulking, lickin' her wounds," he said. "She came by after work, saw you and Donna and she was pissed. It was obvious when we talked she was under a different impression."

"Shit," Opie hissed.

"Got something you wanna share?" Jax asking knowingly, his eyes on Opie.

Rubbing his hand down his face, Opie groaned. "No, there isn't."

"She's had a fucking crush on you since she was a kid," Jax explained the obvious. "Think she took the living situation as more?"

"No," Opie said sharply. "I know how she felt."

"How'd she get the wrong idea?" Jax asked, leaning forward, his eyes still on Opie with growing intensity.

"She doesn't," Opie told Jax. "Doesn't mean she liked seeing me with my ex. What did she say to you?"

"She didn't have to say shit," Jax snapped. "I'm not an idiot. I know you and Macy, I could see the flip."

"There's no flip," Opie said defensively. "I've...liked Macy for a while, brother. The move wasn't about that, for either of us, and I didn't cross any lines."

Jax rolled his jaw, chuckling ominously, as he got to his feet. "I fucking knew it."

"Nothing happened," Opie told him, "And nothing is gonna happen."

"Yeah," he smirked, "Not after this shit with Donna. Macy's pissed."

"She can get over being pissed," Opie said, "No bein' hurt, not like this."

Jax sighed, guilt creeping up on him again, and nodded ."She will, eventually."

"For the best," Opie said although his words lacked conviction.

"I think so too," Jax said with a nod. "How'd everything go with Donna?"

Opie smirked but just shrugged. "Fine."

"Still at your place?"

"Nah, she left last night."

Jax drew his head back with surprise. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Opie said simply. "We both know it's not gonna go anywhere."

It was such a departure from what Donna and Jax discussed previously that Jax knew Opie did or said something. The conversation flowed from contentious to peaceful rather quickly. By the time Gemma glanced outside the office, they were both smiling.

The office phone rang and pulled Gemma's attention back to her work. She scooped up the receiver and answered. "Teller Morrow."

"Mommy?" Macy whimpered

"Macy?" Gemma said in a panic. "Are you okay? Where are you?"

"I'm okay. I just need Daddy," she cried, "I'm at the gas station off 880, the Speedway."

"We're coming baby. Are you in danger?"

"No," she croaked, "I'm safe. Just hurry before these guys call the cops."

Clay and Tig raced out of the clubhouse and sped off, Gemma following behind in her truck, leaving the others in the dark.

Macy spent hours in the creek. She was dazed and hurting, then petrified and unsure of how to free her hands and feet or remove the sack on her head. Eventually, after doing more damage than her kidnappers had, she broke her wrists free with the help of a jagged rock, uncover her face then free her ankles. She climbed up to the side of the road and limped until she found what must have been the last payphone in California.

"Miss, are you okay?" An older man asked cautiously. "Come with me, I'm gonna call you an ambulance."

"No," she stammered. "No ambulance. No cops."

The man was suspicious but led her toward the gas station and allowed her to use their phone. Without her cell she couldn't call anyone, the only number she knew by heart was TM.

"Are you sure you don't need paramedics?" The man asked. "You're bleeding, you're soaked, it was freezing last night. You need a doctor."

"I'm fine," she said with a shaky voice. "My dad can come get me."

Macy made the call and within twenty minutes Clay, Tig and Gemma skidded into the parking lot of the gas station and ushered her out.

"Daddy," she sobbed, falling into Clay's arms. "I'm sorry. I should have told you.

"Told me what?" He asked, hugging her tight as they all stood, blocked from strangers' gazes by Gemma's truck.

Tig and Gemma made eye contact as Macy blabbered on about Dom and what had happened the night Wendy overdosed.

Clearly furious, Clay just nodded and helped Macy into Gemma's truck. "Take her to the clubhouse, Chibs can patch her up."

"I'm sorry I lied, Dad," Macy said sheepishly from the passenger seat.

Clay kisses the top of her head. "It's okay. We're gonna fix this."

By the time they returned to the clubhouse Jax and Opie were playing a casual lazy game of basketball. They stopped and turned when they heard the others approaching.

"You know what that was?" Jax asked as Chibs came out of the clubhouse toward him.

"Your sister," Chibs said. "I don't know what happened to her but Gemma called, said the lass needs some stitches."

Jax and Opie looked at each other then over to Gemma's truck as Macy was getting out of the passenger seat.

"Just sulking?" Opie spat bitterly, throwing the ball forcefully at Jax, and made his way over to Macy. His eyes met hers and he felt his heart begin to ache. "I'm sorry, Mace. I shoulda been here."

"It's fine," she said quietly. "It was Dom's friends. My dad is gonna handle it."

"What happened?"

"Did you know she didn't get home last night?" Gemma asked accusingly.

"I didn't know till this morning," he said.

"He was busy last night," Macy told Gemma. "I just wanna get cleaned up. Please leave me alone."

Opie stopped following them and watched as Macy disappeared into the clubhouse. Jax jogged over to him just then.

"Is she okay?"

"Why don't you ask her your goddamn self?" Opie snapped. "This is your fault. I was supposed to meet up with her here until you got in my goddamn ear."

Jax scoffed. "I made you go fuck Donna? Why don't you stop trying to blame me for this shit and we find out who the fuck hurt Macy?"

While they were outside fighting, Macy sat with Chibs, her arm stretched out on a, properly disinfected, portion of the bar. He was wearing his glasses as he studied the wound, a light shining directly down on them.

"How'd it happen? Looks nasty," he remarked.

"I cut it on a rock in the creek, I was trying to cut the tape on my wrists but I couldn't see so I got sloppy."

"Aye, sloppy," he said, looking over his glasses at her. "Your father," Chibs started, "You going to tell him everything?"

Macy looked at Chibs. "I don't know. It's more than just this shit, I'm tired of lying and pretending, but I don't want you and Ope to catch any shit," she paused, "Even though I'm mad at him."

"And why is that, love?"

Opie and Jax entered, Juice and Bobby with them, and went into chapel.

"We were supposed to meet last night but he left here with Donna instead," she admitted. Macy's fondness for Chibs made it easier to be honest with him, as did her exhaustion and yearning for unbiased advice. "I know it's not his fault but if he waited for me this wouldn't have happened."

"Maybe not," he agreed.

"Even if this didn't happen and he went home with her I'd still be pissed," she added.

Chibs looked at her with a frown but he didn't comment on her relationship with Opie. "Kitchen, I can't stitch this shite until I clean it, it's filthy."

Macy didn't say much else while he cleaned her arm, a few hisses, and groans from the pain but that was it. They made their way back to the bar and Chibs started to stitch the wound just as Gemma returned to her side.

"How bad?" She asked Chibs, draping her arm over Macy's shoulders.

"Bad," he said flatly. "It'll scar."

"Cool," Macy said sarcastically.

"No one's gonna mess with you now," Gemma told her.

Macy rolled her eyes. "About time, I'm tired of getting fucked with."

All Macy's concern over Chibs and Opie was unnecessary. As the club sat at the table, discussing what had happened, Opie spoke up about his role.

"Clay," Opie interrupted. "This is on me."

"How?" Clay snarled. "I know you knew she wasn't home. What are you hiding?"

"I went after Dom, he roughed her up and I went out on my own to take care of it. I shoulda brought it to the table, I shoulda told you. This is retaliation for that and it's on me."

Clay leaned forward, a familiar look of rage was on his face, his jaw tense and his eyes zeroed in, as he glared at Opie.

"She tell you to keep that shit quiet?" Clay growled.

"She did," Opie nodded. "I was wrong. I fucked up."

"How long?"

"How long what?"

"How long have you been beddin' my daughter?" Clay asked angrily. "That's the only reason I can see you being' this STUPID! You never keep shit from the club, ever, especially not when it's about my daughter!"

Opie nodded, taking Clay's fury in stride.

"Can't change this shit," Jax suddenly said. "I fucked up too. I knew she was gone but I thought she was pissed, keeping her distance."

Clay suddenly jumped to his feet and punched Jax in the face. "She coulda drowned in that goddamn creek all tied up!"

Tig suddenly interrupted. "Clay, let's deal with the assholes who did this first, then we work out the family shit."

"You know who it was?" Clay asked Opie, taking Tig's advice without acknowledging that he was right.

"No, but Macy might, it's probably the assholes he was training with at Lumpy's."

"I want names," Clay growled. "Now!"

The table dispersed quickly, both Chibs and Macy looking away from her arm briefly as the doors swung open.

"Hey," Opie said sheepishly. "I told Clay about Dom, that this was because I went after him," he looked at Chibs, "Didn't mention you."

Chibs nodded at Opie before taping a bandage over Macy's arm. "Keep it clean and dry, love," he said, kissing Macy's cheek.

"Thank you," she said sweetly before he walked away. "I'm okay," Macy said to Opie before he could even ask again.

"I'm sorry," he whinnied. "Jax was fucking talking, he got in my head, I wanted to wait for you."

"You were right," she shrugged. "Stupid crushes aren't meant to be."

"Macy this isn't a stupid crush," he said quietly.

"It is for me," she spat bitterly.

Opie nodded, dejected and hurting, and took a few steps to give her more space. "I still need a roommate."

"I still need a place to live," she finally cracked a smile. "Hopefully we can be friends again but right now," Macy shook her head. "No, you know what I think it's fucking funny," she was about to go off but stopped herself. Sliding off the bar stool she pushed by him. "Never mind. I'm out. I'll see you at home."

Leaving the others to clean up the mess, Macy had Gemma take her home but she did not invite her inside.

"I just want to sleep, Mom," Macy said sadly.

"You going to tell me about Opie?" Gemma asked, her manicured nails tapping against the wheel.

"There's nothing to tell," Macy shrugged. "I thought my crush was over but it wasn't after all this shit is now."

"I'm sorry baby," Gemma said, genuine in her compassion. "I know how it feels. It's not easy."

"I'll get over it," Macy said dismissively. "I don't think I want to be an old lady anyway, I couldn't deal with the bullshit."

Gemma didn't believe that but she didn't say anything. She and Macy half hugged over the console.

"Your father is sending Sack over," she said, "Just until Opie comes back."

"Babysitter?"

"Protection," Gemma corrected her. "Now go, shower and sleep, you need both."

"I love you, Mom," Macy said with a small smile. "Thanks."

Gemma just nodded and smiled in response. As Macy slipped out of the car, Half-Sack rolled up to the house. Sticking her head out the window, Gemma gave him a stern look.

"Don't even look at her," Gemma warned. "Just make sure she's safe."

Hours later when Opie arrived home Macy was relaxing on the couch, her hair still wet from her shower, with a beer and a joint. She glanced up at him, they made eye contact, and she turned back to her phone.

"Can we talk?" He asked her sadly.

"Say what you need to," she said curtly.

"I'm sorry, Mace," he said earnestly. "I'm sorry this happened but I'm sorry about Donna too, even if those assholes never went after you I'd still regret it."

Macy shook her head. "Jax was right, Ope. This is bad news, we are bad news and we won't work. We stood here, essentially admitting we have feelings for each other and wanting to see how that worked, and less than twelve hours later you're balls deep in your ex."

Opie let out a huff, surprised by her crass and blunt wording, but couldn't defend himself against the truth. He did like Macy, he'd been seeing her differently over the past year, but his uncertainty and hesitations allowed him to be easily manipulated.

"Jax was trying to wedge Donna in because he was suspicious and he shoulda been. Right?"

"Yeah, but it was too easy for him to push us around," Macy sighed. "LaRoy only called me in because of Jax, he said some shit and you had sex with Donna. Christ, Ope, what's he gonna do if we actually get together?"

"He's not gonna do shit," Opie snapped. "This is because of him," he said, going back to placing the blame on Jax.

Macy sighed and shook her head. "I have a headache, I don't wanna do this."

"Come here," he said, coming around the side of the couch and sitting next to her.

"What?" She asked, looking at him with annoyance.

Opie took her hand, giving it a gentle tug, and gestured for her to sit on the floor between his legs. "Which side?"

"The headache is from this," she said, placing his hand on the large lump on the side of her head. Opie hissed, knowing how painful it must have been for her.

"You should put some ice on that," he told her.

"Meh," she huffed.

Opie got up, swinging a leg over her head, and grabbed a frozen bag of broccoli from the freezer. Opie sat again and held the bag on the bump,

"Thank you," she said sweetly as she took over holding the bag herself, "But my shoulders are always tense, so I won't turn a rub down either."

Opie chuckled a little and gingerly rubbed her shoulders, something he'd done before, but he noticed she was tenser than he'd remembered. "This good?"

"It is," she sighed happily. "I'm still mad at you though."

"Yeah, I'm gonna be paying for this for a while now," Opie said knowingly.

"Mmm hmm," she leaned back. "Do you still love her?"

"Donna?"

"Yep."

Opie took his time trying to find the right words. "I think I loved the idea of Donna."

"Sucks, right? It's like two losses," Macy said. "First the relationship then the truth of the relationship."

"Yeah," he laughed. "Who is it for you?"

"You," she said sadly, glancing back at him. "When I first saw you and Donna I was crushed, Ope, but when I talked to Jax when I realized this is impossible and stupid I was devastated."

"Christ, Mace," he groaned, "I feel bad enough."

"I'm being honest, you asked," she shrugged. "I'm surprised you're even here. Isn't it all hands on deck so my dad can get Dom and them?"

"That's why I'm here," he explained.

Macy looked back at him again. "Oh yeah? Well, I don't know who they were just that they were Dom's friends. I haven't seen him either, he's been MIA."

"Alright," Opie said disappointedly.

"You can stop," she pushed his hands away and stood up, "You're not gonna massage any information outta me."

"That's not what I was doing," he said defensively.

Rolling her eyes, Macy tossed the vegetables into his lap. "I'm going to spend a few days with my parents until this blows over."

"Their idea or yours?"

"Theirs but I agreed, I think they're right," she told him.

"See? This is why we never shoulda started any of this shit," Opie huffed. "I knew this was gonna turn, now I'm out my best friend."

Macy pulled a face, "Dramatic."

"I'm dramatic?" He laughed. "You been walking around here begging me to fuck you for weeks and I'm dramatic?"

Macy was furious, if she stopped to think about it she wouldn't even know why but she was. Turning on her heel she shoved him. "Oh okay, so you don't want me then? This is alone-sided?"

"I didn't say that," he told her.

"Then what are you trying to say?" She asked him angrily. "Cause I don't even know what we're fighting about."

"Me neither," he said with a shrug and a loud sigh. "Easier being mad, I guess."

"Easier than being heartbroken," she agreed.

"Fuck it," he grunted.

"What?" She drew her head back.

"This is fucking stupid, Mace. You too pissed?"

"Too pissed?"

Opie grunted with frustration as he grabbed her and kissed her hungrily. She didn't push him away, obviously not too angry, but rather hooked her arms around his neck. As they kissed, Opie kicked the coffee table out of their way knowing they'd never make it to the second floor.

Their fingers worked at each other's clothing nimbly, carelessly littering the living room, their lips never parting once. Scooping her up, Opie laid her on the dining room table and guided her legs around him.

"Please don't let this suck," she whispered as he kissed down her body.

"Shut up," he groaned into her skin.

"Let's go," she said, slapping at his shoulders, "Foreplay is asking for another interruption.

Opie smirked and nodded, more than happy to oblige. Any guilt and concern he felt over his relationship with Macy gone as they finally connected in the one way they'd been yearning to.