Hi my lovely readers. I just wanted to apologise for the delay in posting this chapter, real life work has kind of got in the way. Anyway I hope you enjoy it and I just wanted to say a massive thank you for all of your continued support on this story.

Family Dinner

Sam had to admit it felt pretty good to be home. Riding past the Charming sign and through the streets, he had missed the town that he had grown up in up and it was that thought that made him think of the child he had just lost.

He remembered riding around with his Dad, playing in the park with his Mom. He was taken aback at first with the realisation that he was going to become Dad he freaked out but he knew he had to step up and even with the mess between himself, Chrissie and Haley he was looking forward to becoming a Dad. It was the best part of the whole situation but that was gone now because of Chrissie's lies.

Sam placed his foot to the floor as the light turned red. Waiting for the colour to change he looked around and that was when he saw her.

She was smiling and he swore he almost saw a laugh as she placed the food on the table. Two thoughts popped into his head. When did she start working at Al's and god she was beautiful.

The smile he was admiring fell from her face when their eyes connected. He watched her head move ever so slightly and that was when he realised she wasn't looking at him any longer. Glancing over his shoulder he saw that Jax was looking back at her.

When their eyes connected Jax looked forward and with the rev of the engine Sam saw the light had turned green. He took one last look at Haley where she gave him a tight lipped smiled before revving his engine and pulling away.


Haley placed her apron on the hanger before reaching for her backpack but she froze as she did. Her eyes ran over the badges and she thought of Sam. Seeing him today it felt strange. She knew that he knew about her and Jax and she didn't quite know what to make of that. She thought it would always be okay, Sam was in Tacoma but now he was back in Charming for good and she wondered what that would mean.

"You heading out Haley?" Haley jumped. Her hand going to her chest. "Sorry didn't mean to scare you."

"No It's okay." She said with one of her famous smiles. "And yes I am unless you need me to do anything?"

"No you get off."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

And with that Haley stopped thinking about Sam and grabbed her things, but when she walked out of the deli an easy smile fell onto her lips. Well that was until he removed his sunglasses revealing the bruises. She didn't need answers to know where they came from.

Jax sensed her uneasiness as the smiled faded from her pretty face. He understood it. But seeing her, all he wanted was to be close to her and see that smile.

"I don't bite...Well unless you want me to." And that was when he saw the corner of her mouth curl into a smile. "Come here." She did and as soon as she was in touching distance he reached for her small waist and pulled her flush against him. "I missed you."

"I missed you too. What happened out there?"

Jax shook his head. "Chrissie lied. The baby, its not Sam's."

"Oh my god. Is he okay?" Jax swallowed down the jealously he felt rise with her concern.

"He will be."

"So has he left her?"

"Yeah their done. He got voted back into to Samcro." Jax watched as her eyes left his for the briefest of moments as she nodded her head. Instead of jealously he now felt fear. He hooked his finger under her chin causing her to look back at him. "What are you thinkin?"

"I just feel bad for him." Jax nodded because he did agree with that. Seeing Sam go through that with Chrissie as his older brother it was hard to see and he felt protective of him which is why he had been at his side in Tacoma even after their fight. "And looking at your face I guess the conversation about us didn't go very well."

"We didn't really do a lot of talking."

"Jax..." He felt her try and move away from him but he stopped pulling her close.

"Look I'll sort this okay."

"Maybe I should talk to him tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Family dinner. Your Mom invited me."

When he and Sam arrived at the Teller residents Gemma embraced both of them. He knew she noted the bruises on both of their faces because she looked pissed. But knowing that they were both tired she said nothing. Sam and Jax smelled the familiar smell of one of her roast cooking as they moved further into the house and that was when she confirmed they would be having a family dinner however she left out the part where she had invited Haley.

But hearing Haley say that she was going to come and speak to Sam he didn't like it so the words NO were leaving his mouth before he could stop them.

"No?" Haley pulled away again but this time Jax let her.

"Hales..."

"No Jax. I'm in this to. Sam was my best friend."

"I know."

"So if your conversation ended in this." She pointed to his face. "Then maybe I should try."

"Hales..."

"What, it's not like he's going punch me."

"He'd need to go through me first if he did." Smiles returned to both of their faces and Haley moved forward returning their closeness as she pressed the palm of her hands on his chest before kissing him. Jax brushed his thumb over her flushed cheek. "So family dinner."

"Family dinner."


Clay lent against the door frame as he watched his wife getting ready. He was home on time just liked she had asked, even if he wasn't sure that this family dinner was for the best idea.

"So how bad are they?"

Gemma stopped what she was doing an turned to look at her husband. "Not sure. Sam has been sleeping and Jax went out."

Clay walked over to his wife wrapping his arms around her. He could see the concern in her eyes. The look was something that she never often expressed but this concern was for her sons. And he knew how much she loved them.

"Gem they will sort this out."

"You haven't seen their faces. Now that Sam is back where he belongs this is going to get ugly Clay."

"So what do you need me to do?"

"Keep them close in the club."

"Done. And what will my queen be doing?"

"I will work on Haley."


"5?" Gemma looked up at Sam as she laid down the cutlery.

"Yes."

"Who's joining us?" Gemma stopped so she could study her youngest sons reaction.

"Haley." She watched him carefully but he gave nothing away so went with a more direct approach. "You okay with that baby?"

"Sure." Sam walked around the table and grabbed the rest of the cutlery from her and continued placing them on the table.

Gemma was surprised by his blasé attitude. "Your really okay with them."

"That's a different question. Looks like dinner is ready." Gemma looked over her shoulder towards the kitchen where the buzzer was going off. When she turned back around Sam was gone.


Haley squeezed Jax's hand as they stood at the bottom of the driveway. She was nervous. Her Dad had tried to convince her not to go, even Jax was having doubts but Haley knew she needed to do this. She was going to have to face Sam at some point.

"You okay?"

"Yeah."

"You sure because your kind of crushing my hand here."

"Sorry..." Haley quickly released his hand but Jax just laughed and pulled her to him.

"Anyone ever told you you're cute when your nervous." Even with the dusk skies her saw her blush. He'd always liked that about her but even he knew the seriousness surrounding this dinner, surrounding their relationship. So he pulled her back to him "We can ditch this if you want."

"No we've got to do this. I need to see him."

Her words hurt him but he wasn't going to dwell on that because he had spent to much time worrying about the what if between his brother and Haley. To Jax she was his.

"Okay." He dropped a kiss onto her forehead before grabbing her hand again and leading her up the drive.


Sam sat back and watched the interaction. Clay was the first to great them, followed by Gemma. Clay was fine no tell as to what he was thinking but Gemma he sensed the reluctance. And then he saw her. It was the first time he had been in a room with her since the last time he came to Charming. Her face wasn't resembling the bruises it once was although her hand was still in a cask.

But then there was something new. Jax had always been around her but this time it was different. The way his hand rested on the small of her back, the way Haley was glued to his side, embracing his touch, Sam felt winded.

Jax had confessed his love for Haley when they were in Tacoma but he didn't believe it, he didn't want to. So he approached the new couple.

"Parker." Using an old familiar nickname he could tell it caught her off guard and he liked it.

"Sammy."

Sam watched as she looked back at Jax. It pissed him off, like she had to seek his permission or something. Sam shrugged it off because this was Haley, his Haley. "You gonna give your best friend a hug."

Again he watched as Haley looked back at Jax, hut she came to him and he had to admit he really had missed being that close to her. As he hugged her his eyes met Jax's over her shoulder and he could tell he was pissed.

"Everyone take a seat dinner is ready." Gemm'a words drew all their attention and Haley pulled away from Sam and went back to Jax.


Haley could feel Sam's eyes on her, she was trying to ignore it but for some reason she found herself unable to. He looked sad and Haley couldn't help but feel empathy for him but she just didn't know what to say to him because she knew that some of the sadness was caused by her.

"So Hales...heard that your not going to UCLA."

"Um...no." Haley answered surprised by the question.

"How come? I remember that day in my bedroom when we we're on the bed and you told me it. You were so excited I could see it in your eyes."

Haley looked at Jax, and as she expected he looked pissed. Sam had picked his words carefully and she knew that he was trying to get under Jax's skin.

"Well with what happened with my Dad, I just wanted to be here for him."

"So can you go next year."

"Um I don't know I might just go to Sacramento." Haley spared Jax a smile as she placed a hand on his thigh.

"Haley you know you're to smart for that place. You should be in an Ivy League College. Don't you agree Jax?"

"I think Haley can go wherever she wants."

"Yeah, I guess she can." Sam took a forkful of food, he's eyes not leaving Jax's until he heard Haley speak.

"Are you glad to be back in Charming?" Haley asked trying to move the conversation along.

"Yeah Charmings home. Lots of memories, in fact just before I was thinking about the the streams..."

"The streams where you abounded her." Jax quipped before taking a swig of his beer.

"Jax..." Haley whispered know what his words would do to Sam and she was about to be proved right.

"Biggest regret of my life but that wasn't the memory I was thinking of. See there were other things that we did up at those streams, if you know what I mean."

"You son of a bitch.." Jax spat at his brother as he shot to feet causing his chair to hit the floor and his beer to spill. Sam shot to his feet too causing his plate of fry across the table.

"ENOUGH." Gemma shouted causing both of her sons to look at her.

Haley grabbed her napkin and placed it on the table, joining Sam and Jax as she got to her feet. "I should go. Sorry Gemma."

"I'll drive you." Jax offered before Gemma spoke again.

"No. You two stay here and clear this shit up. I'll take you home sweetheart."

Haley nodded before grabbing her bag. Before she could leave Jax captured her arm. "I'll call you." Haley just nodded before leaving with Gemma.

Jax looked back at Sam. "You're a dick, this really how your go to do this. I thought you were okay with this."

Sam laughed but there was no humour behind it. "You think im okay with you two. You've lost your god damn mind." Sam shook his head in disgust. Seeing Jax with Haley tonight had set something off in him. He was jealous. "Im out of here."

Jax watched as Sam stormed out of the house his hand running over his face. He looked to Clay who had been silent during the whole dinner. But he didn't need Clay to say it because he knew what he was thinking.

"I know what you're thinking..."

"I told if he wasn't okay with this..."

"Yeah well I've decided I don't give a shit." Jax snapped before he too stormed out of the house.


Gemma parked her car outside of Haley's house. "I'm sorry about your dinner Gemma."

"It's okay sweetheart." Gemma shifted in her seat so that she could look at Haley better. "But you saw what happened tonight. You and Jax. Sam is never going to be good with that."

"Gemma..."

"You need to make a choice sweetheart."

"I'm with Jax."

"You think that's the right choice?"

"Are you saying I should pick Sam?" Haley asked confused.

"No i'm saying you should pick you. Haley, things are never going to be the same between my sons while they're fighting over you."

"Gemma."

"I know you love Sam, I saw it tonight..."

"I love Jax."

"You love them both." Haley shook her head because she couldn't speak. She reached for the handle wanting to get of the car away from Gemma and this conversation but before she could leave Gemma reached out and caught her arm. "I love you sweetheart. And I love my sons. Haley you are the only one who can stop this. I don't want to lose my sons. Do you understand what I'm saying."

"Yeah I hear you Gemma." Haley removed her arm from her grasp.

Gemma watched the young girl disappear and she hoped that she understood what she was saying. Haley Parker was the only one who could make this right.