AN: So just to clear everything up so dates and ages are accounted for and are correct (if you find something off then please let me know.) Jax was born 1978 making him 35 years old. Maddie was born 1989 making her 24. Thomas was born 1984 and died in 1990 making him only 6 when he passed. Jax was 12 and Maddie was only 1 when this happened. John Teller died in 1993 making Jax 15 and Maddie 3. Madison graduated at the age of 18 and has been in school for six years so she is 24 in this story. She has been dating Cameron for three years. I hope this is okay for all of ya'll. I tried my best to make things cohesive and correct. And I'm just saying for sake of my story, this is taking place before Opie is killed and before Clay was dethroned. I know that changes sequence of events a little but pleeeease bare with me.
I love my story and I am going to keep writing despite the ones who don't care for it. Apparently I am not allowed to have an opinion but you can. WHATEVER. For those of you who reviewed, both good and bad, thank you. I appreciate your feedback a lot.
Madison had woken up on the couch alone the next morning. It had been a horrible thing to fall asleep on. Her sides hurt worse than the day before from the awkward positions and less than comfortable cushions. The smell of breakfast roused her from her tangled blankets. Slowly shuffling in rubbing her eyes Madison found her mother cooking enough food for an army.
"Ma, whats with all of the food?" She asked. Her eyes spotted the coffee pot still full and she headed straight for it. Thankfully the cups weren't high up and she was able to reach them on her own.
"Jax and a few of the guys are coming by and I figured it was only polite to feed them since I was already going to cook for you." She spoke with her back turned towards her daughter. Madison sipped on the hot liquid and watched her mother's movements.
"How many are supposed to be coming. It looks like you are cooking for the whole damn club." She snatched a piece of bacon off the plate on the counter, her fingers narrowly missing the spatula Gemma swung at them.
"Language young lady and it's only Jax, Chibs, Opie, Happy and I think Juice. You have no idea how much food those boys put away. Now why don't you go change and come back down for some breakfast." She stood gawking at her mother for a moment as she chewed slowly. Taking her cup with her she did as her mother asked knowing that arguing with her was a horrible idea. Slipping into a pair of dark blue jean shorts and a SOA tank top she let her hair fall down in waves before returning to the kitchen with her now empty cup. She heard voices entering as she started pouring her second cup. She leaned against the counter carefully as the guys swarmed in, all standing in a line to kiss Gemma on the cheek. Only Jax and Opie greeted Madison with a tentative hug. The others said hi or waved, Happy said nothing. Gemma started piling food on to plates, handing the first one to Madison who placed it on the counter as she filled mugs with fresh coffee. Handing one to each of the men she paused at Happy. His dark eyes moved along her body before locking on hers. He took the cup from her roughly before completely turning away. Feeling totally awkward she walked away and picked up her plate. She started for the living room but Jax stopped her.
"Ma will have a fit if you spill something on that couch. Besides I want ya to eat with your big brother." He smiled. Maddie couldn't help but smile back and let him lead her to the table where the guys handed over a chair. Jax pulled him close to hers and sat down with his own food. "So you sleep good?"
"Yea, wish I was in my own bed though. The couch did nothing for my ribs." She grimaced as she placed her left hand across where her ribs were hurting. She hated the look that crossed Jax's face. "It's not bad. Just a throbbing." She tried to shake off the pain and play it off as nothing. It seemed to have worked with the guys as they all continued their talking and breakfast. Her eyes slid to Happy's face. Surprisingly he was watching her. When her eyes caught his he gave a slight shake of the head before returning to his food. Frowning Maddie downed her coffee and stood for another cup.
"No, two is enough. Drink some juice or milk." Gemma snatched the cup from her hand and gently pushed her back down into the seat.
"Ma, I'm an adult. I think I know when I've had enough coffee."
"You're my baby and while you are here and healing I get to tell you when you've had enough. Did you take any medication this morning?" Her eyes were searching her daughters face and Maddie knew if she lied Gemma would know.
"No. I'm fine." She turned away quickly and filled her mouth with French toast. She could hear Gemma begin the say something but Jax cut her off.
"So whatcha plan on doing today?"
"Anything if I'm allowed to. Maybe we can talk about me returning to school so I can finish the year?"
"Absolutely not. No. Not after what happened there. The cops in Lodi are hardly even helping and…"
"Ma, relax. It's something we can talk about later. Maddie, ma might be right. Going back right now might not be in your best interest."
"Oh and staying here in Charming and missing four months of school is? It's almost summer break Jax! I can't just flunk out this semester because of this. Please, you don't understand how important this is to me."
"Maddie we just don't…" She didn't even hear the last of it as she shoved her chair back letting it clatter to the floor before stomping up to her room. Angry tears filled her eyes and she slammed her door shut. She didn't have to stay here. She didn't have to blow off school. Sliding on her flipflops she snatched her keys off the dresser and turned to leave. Stopping she found Happy staring at her from her doorway. Swallowing hard she found herself actually scared of him.
"What are you doing in here?" She asked praying her voice didn't show any fear or surprise.
"Cause I knew you would decide to take off." His voice was deep and gruff. Rolling her eyes Maddie tried to move around him. Happy none too gently shoved her back before closing the door. Fear crept up her back.
"Happy move."
"I don't think so." Madison's fear was slowly losing out to the anger which was a lovely trait picked up from her father. She stepped forward and much to her surprise Happy did the same. She quickly shoved the shock aside and made to go around him. His hand shot out and grabbed her arm. Instinctually Maddie grabbed his wrist and tried to pull his hand off her. Happy let out a grunt of a laugh. "And you think you'll be able to off that Irish scum?" Madison gripped her keys in her hand tightly and swung. One of the keys lashed out and cut Happy across the face but it didn't deter him in the least. In fact, he grinned as he brought up his free hand and swiped his fingers across the cut. When he saw the blood he just looked at her with an odd look in his eyes. She opened her mouth to apologize but didn't get the chance as he turned them and literally slammed her back against the door. She groaned in pain as her ribs screamed at her. The hand with his blood smeared on his fingers reached up and took her chin in his hand forcing her to look him in the eyes. His grip was tight enough to hurt and Madison held back a yelp as it got tighter. "That Cameron kid could have you any way he wanted you. Just like this." Happy leaned forward, his lip brushing hers. "And you can't do shit." An image of Cam just smiling down at her as she was beaten flashed in her mind and she tensed. Without warning she slammed her forehead into Happy's and followed through with a knee to the groin. Ignoring the dizziness in her vision she swung her keys and hit him right in the face again. This time on purpose. Without thinking she let Happy take two steps back, his hands now loose enough to move out ofSwinging her fist between them she got him in the nose and he stumbled a bit before standing straight up. She was expecting him to be furious, to attack her. Instead she found him standing there dripping blood from his nose on to her carpet smiling. "That a girl."
Madison sat on a lounge chair out back with her laptop in her lap typing away. Happy had left her room after their little tiff without a single word. Madison had been terrified to go downstairs and have to answer the inevitable questions everyone would have about his face. Eventually she did go down but much to her surprise no one asked a thing. Instead Jax and Gemma sat her down and told her they had called her school and explained what had happened, leaving out the bit about the MC and got permission for her to finish school here at home online. After thanking them profusely she called her professors immediately and began working. For the most part everyone had left her alone, Gemma only coming out to see if she needed anything. She heard the bikes start up in front of the house and drive off. Sighing in slight relief of not hearing them all talking and laughing loudly from inside she set the laptop on the chair and stood to stretch. A small sound behind her had Madison spinning around to find Happy's dark eyes on her. Her eyes automatically dropped to the cut on his cheek and she flinched. The skin around the small cut was red and puffy. "Sorry." She whispered. He didn't respond and after standing there for a few more silent minutes Madison sat back down and pulled the laptop back into her lap. Pulling up one of the assignments she tried to focus on what she was supposed to be doing but knowing Happy was standing there made her uneasy. "Can you, I don't know, go do something or sit down? You are making me uneasy." She tossed over her shoulder. After a few seconds she heard his footsteps coming closer and out of the corner of her eye she saw him sit down on the lawn chair close to hers. Instead of sitting in it like you are supposed to he sat down facing her, his hands clasped together, elbows on his knees. Madison's fingers were poised above the keys ready to type the beginning of her thesis. They stayed hovered as her mind fought for the words but all she could concentrate on were his eyes on her. With a huff she snapped her laptop shut and glared at him. "Can I help you with something?"
"Nope."
"Then can you please go elsewhere or stop staring at me? I can't concentrate." Happy didn't reply but continued staring at her. "Goddamnit Happy!" She snapped.
"I want to help you." He finally spoke. Madison's anger ebbed away slightly as she carefully shifted so she faced him.
"No offense but I hardly think you can help me type up a ten page thesis on parenting and its effects on the outcome in adulthood?" The look on Happy's face was not one of amusement. "Guess not."
"Taking out that Irish piece of shit." Madison froze in her seat.
"Why?" She asked. She had only been half serious about killing him. She had just been so angry and hurt about it all when she said she was going to kill Cameron. She had assumed the club would take care of him before she ever could.
"You have it in you. I want to see the life fade from his eyes when you do. A man doesn't hurt a woman like that." Madison almost snorted at the sound of Happy being upset over what happened to her. "Don't look at me like that woman. I may be a killer but a woman beater or rapist I ain't." If there were any laugh it died immediately. She had never given any thought to Happy's position in the club. Killer? Could this have been her father's Enforcer?
"Why wouldn't you just kill him?"
"Ain't my place. It's yours. He took something from you, not me, not the club, not even your daddy."
"He didn't…." She started but Happy cut her off.
"Your perfect little life. Don't say it wasn't." Madison gritted her teeth together, his hands clenching the seat beneath her tightly.
"Fuck you it was perfect. I had to live a pretty big lie at school. I couldn't be Madison Teller-Morrow. I could hardly be Madison. I hadda pretend that I didn't have a family full of crooks and bikers back home. I hadda pretend that the people visiting me weren't hiding cuts under their sweatshirts and jackets. I wanted a normal life here and I thought that I had gotten pretty close to it but would ya look at that? Another thing this MC took from me. Tell me, what did my daddy do this time? What could have been so horrible that I had a man pretend to love me for years before he finally took his revenge?" She was daring him, begging him even to tell her what the Sons had done to anger the Irish so much to beat and rape her. Happy shook his head slightly and she knew he wasn't supposed to tell her. It was just the way things worked in the MC. Her mother hardly knew half the time. "Pussy." She muttered under her breath and stood from her seat. Without a single warning Happy was on his feet and grabbing for her. Madison stumbled back as she began to lose her footing. She staggered back trying to find purchase but only felt herself being propelled further and further back. She knew it was only a matter of seconds before she plunged into the cool water of the pool. Her hands grabbed at Happy's write and cut as she tried to steady herself. Right as her heels dipped dangerously over the edge Happy pulled her to a stop.
"You better watch your mouth little girl. You should know better than to talk to a member like that. I don't give a shit if you're a fucking princess of not." His face was close to hers as he spat at her. Just hearing the word princess set her off and Madison tightened her hold on the biker.
"Fuck you." The smirk that cracked across his lips infuriated her and she titled herself back. With a sharp tug with her whole body she pulled them both backwards and into the water. She was released almost immediately as she kicked away. Breaking through the surface she turned to find Happy just coming up from underneath the office. "Madison two, Happy zero." She smirked at him.
