AN: I knooooow it's literally been years. I had forgotten about this site and my stories until someone added my story to their favorites and I was notified. THANK YOU. I decided I want to try and finish this story because of you 3

Maddie's legs and arms were burning, her lungs struggling to pull air deep into them. She swung again; her glove covered hand slapping into the bag with a thunk before her other hand followed. Everything felt tired but she kept pushing through. It had been nearly two weeks since she had last been to the clubhouse and the reminder that she didn't belong in this life. It had been nearly two weeks since she had seen anyone other than her brother, mother, father, or the same patch they stuck on her every day.

"Maddie, your mom called. She wants to meet for dinner." Maddie rolled her eyes and kept throwing punches at the bag instead of answering. Her mother had tried to pull her back to the club a few times, promising Happy had been sent out on a run and wouldn't be back for a while. Maddie knew this was her father's way of keeping the Enforcer away from his baby girl and away from another potential fight. Jax hadn't confronted Happy about what happened at the club much to Madison's surprise. Actually, no one had mentioned it at all. Instead, they barely spoke to her except for her mother and the new patch they had tailing her everywhere. Between classes and hours spent at the boxing club, there was little time for Maddie to be caught up in the club life. Exactly how she wanted it.

Lyla and Tara had only stopped by a time or two but Maddie's persistence that she was too busy to talk had sent them away. Gemma on the other hand, could not be turned away. She was constantly hounding Maddie for lunches or shopping trips, asking her about classes and assignments which she had never done before. Maddie knew it was to keep her occupied and social.

"Maddie please, she will have my head if you blow her off again." With an annoyed sigh, Maddie stopped and turned towards the young man standing close by with a cellphone in his hand. "Please? I already tried telling her that you are busy and maybe ask again tomorrow but she said you either shower and meet her in an hour or she is coming here to drag you there in your "sweaty ass gym clothes". He used air quotes.

"Okay, fine. Only because I don't need you getting in to trouble for me." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "You know, I don't even know your name. You've been following me around for weeks now." Maddie began unbinding her hands, tossing her gear into the gym bag laying on the floor.

"Trent. Your mom said it didn't really matter if you knew my name, so I never bothered to introduce myself. Honestly, I am hoping that they will let me go on the next run if I do a good job with you." He looked a bit nervous, and Maddie wanted to tell him to go home before he got too deep into the club life. She knew she would be ignored so instead she nodded and headed for the locker room.

"I mean you could use a haircut, maybe some color?" Gemma sipped on her sweet tea and eyed her daughter.

"No thanks ma, I'm good." Maddie shook her head and ran a french fry through the ketchup on her plate.

"Come on baby, it would be good for you to give yourself a little tlc." She pouted and Maddie stifled a groan.

"Ma, I don't need tlc. I am fine, I promise. I am out of the house every day for hours. I shower every day, go to the gym every day and I eat, what more can I do to show you I am fine?" Maddie tossed the fry on to her plate and sat back in her chair. Gemma released her straw from between her fingers and crossed her arms.

"I don't see why you are being so mean to your momma. I know you are fine. We all do, okay?" The tone of Gemma's voice made Maddie feel instantly bad.

"I know. I just…. I feel like everyone is tiptoeing around me now. I really am fine. I only have a few weeks left of classes and I am in the best shape I have been in in a long time. What happened with Cameron, what happened with Happy…it's done. I've moved past it, and I want everyone to start acting normal again." Maddie released with a breath. Silence filled a few minutes as Gemma looked over her daughter.

"I know baby, I get it. And I am sorry for everyone's behavior. We just worry about you and the shit you have had to deal with. Jax feels responsible and your father, well you know him. He doesn't know what to do and has so much to deal with at the club. We are happy you are home and safe. It doesn't sit well with anyone to see you hurting." Gemma held her hand out on the table and Maddie slipped her own into it.

"Trust me, I know. What happened with Happy was just me blowing off some steam. I knew it wasn't anything serious. I was just pissed off when he invited me to the club to see that instead of just telling me he was done with our fun. I'm not some little kid that needs to be handled with care. Yea, I have been handed some really shitty cards, but I have come out stronger than ever."

"You have and we all see that, but we still worry. I know why you have been coming to the gym every day. I know why you were training with Happy. Let the club take care of it baby. Let your dad and brother take care of it." Maddie removed her hand from her mother's quickly.

"No. You know why I have to do it myself and how dare you suggest I let them do it? Seriously mom. Everything is always about the club, isn't it?" Maddie stood and grabbed her bag from the seat next to her. She could hear a chair nearby scrap as someone got up and she knew if she looked behind her she would see Trent getting up.

"It is a part of who you are too Madison Teller-Morrow. Do not act like it isn't. That's why you came home."

"No, it's not! I came home to be with my family. I came home to the family that caused all of this bullshit. It is because of this club that I got attacked. You get to live with that, I won't." Maddie turned on her heel before she started yelling and causing a scene. No one would ever understand why the club wasn't her family and why she needed to enact her own revenge.