September 2008

"Tara!" The brunette turned sharply, hearing her name called. She hated how jumpy she'd become since Chicago. She relaxed seeing the blonde she'd spoken with weeks before and turned back to her grocery cart as the blonde caught up with her.

"Hi, I'm Sara… I don't know if you remember me…"

"From St Thomas, I remember."

"Ah… yes, but I mean from before… that." The blonde paused a moment but continued when the brunette's brow furrowed in confusion. "Back when you were in highschool, I came to visit from San Bernadino with my dad and brother… You were dating Jax at the time…" Tara finally relaxed her features in recognition.

"I remember." She finally stated, albeit a bit reserved.

"You're a doctor, right?" Sara asked, following alongside Tara in the aisles of the grocery store.

"Yes. Neonatal surgeon."

"Do you know anything about spinal cord injuries?"

"Uhm. A little from when I did my rotations. Why?"

"My brother, Jason, was just in an accident." Sara admitted with a small shrug.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Tara's features softened.

"I thought maybe… I don't know, maybe you could help?"

"I'm not sure what I can do…" Tara sighed, grabbing a box off a shelf, missing Sara's crestfallen face.

"Right… I'm sorry for bothering you." Sara meekly responded, moving to walk away. It'd been a long shot to begin with, but when she'd seen the brunette in the aisle, she'd hoped it was fate.

"Wait." She turned to face the doctor who looked unsure. With a sigh Tara shook her head, her desire to help greater than her desire to keep her head down. "What kind of shape is he in right now?"

"Still in the ICU with swelling. He's sedated."

"Keep me updated and I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you, Tara. I appreciate this."

"Gemma's throwing a fundraiser." Sara stated, curling her feet under her on Donna's couch.

"Of course she is." Donna scoffed, handing Sara a glass of wine.

"You should bring the kids. Could be fun." Sara mentioned delicately.

"Gemma tell you to say that?" Donna asked with a smirk and Sara giggled.

"No, but she said I had to go, and if I have to go, you have to go." Sara admitted with a pointed look.

"I'll talk to Ope." Donna sighed, shaking her head and fighting a smile when Sara let out a gleeful squeal.

"How's life on the straight and narrow?" Sara asked, sipping her wine.

"He hates it." Donna admitted. "But I need this. I need to at least try to get my family back on track. I know how much he misses it, but I can't have him going back to jail. I just can't do this by myself again. I just got him back, you know?"

Sara nodded sadly, knowing it was probably killing Opie to not be with the guys in Nevada. Donna had mentioned he was working at the lumberyard. It was hard for an ex-con to get a good paying job.

"The guys back yet?" Donna asked, changing the subject. She knew Donna didn't know the specifics of the run to Nevada, but Sara'd mentioned they were out of town.

"Due back today I think." Sara shrugged. "I think Hap needs to head up to Tacoma though, so he won't be here for the fundraiser. He might crash for the night and head out first thing in the morning. It's like I'm just a landing pad these days. Motel a la Sara."

"Do you need to get home?"

"No, he'll call if he gets there and I'm not." Sara shrugged before deepening her voice to impersonate him, "Tha fuck are you, bitch?" Donna choked on her laughter and Sara smiled, grateful to see her friend happy.

"I still don't understand how he doesn't scare the shit out of you."

"He's not as scary as he seems." Sara mused. "He's even kinda sweet sometimes."

"I don't see it." Donna said, shaking her head, her brown bob swishing around her face. "I'm glad you're happy though." Sara smiled as they both sipped their wines.

"You know I'm really gonna miss you when you move." Donna admitted, looking down into her glass.

"Aww, Donna. It'll fine. You guys can come and visit, or I'll come down here. Plus, we can just have our wine nights over the phone; free nights and weekends, right?" Sara teased, but her heart clenched at the thought. It hadn't really sunk in that she'd be leaving her friend as well when she left. Sara's phone started ringing and she giggled holding it up for Donna to see.

"Speak of the devil…"

Happy woke early, pulling on his jeans quietly trying not to wake the woman still sleeping. He winced as his heavy belt buckle jingled, sounding loud in the silent room.

"I'm already awake." She mumbled, rubbing her eyes and turning to face him, the sheet wrapped around her naked body. It was hiding all the fun parts, but he knew the landscape of her curves well enough he didn't need to see them to imagine them perfectly.

"You heading out?" She asked, her blonde hair splayed on the pillow. He nodded once, buckling his belt. "Come here." Her sleepy voice made the corners of his mouth curve up as she reached for him. He moved to kneel on the bed beside her, leaning down to kiss her.

"You taste minty." She giggled.

"Already brushed my teeth." He responded kneeling over her. She wrapped a finger in the chain that hung from his neck, holding him in place.

"Do you know when you'll be back?" She asked hopefully. He shook his head and shrugged. She nodded in silence, her face serious before she pushed whatever she was thinking about away and smiled up at him again.

"I'm glad Nevada went well." He snorted but nodded. It wasn't the smoothest, but he wasn't going to tell her about the shootout with the Mayans. She hadn't asked about the party either; but he knew she was itching to know about it from the way she'd brought up the Nevada trip a few times already.

"Gotta get going." He rasped quietly; his voice even rougher from a long sleep. They'd only had sex once the night before and had both dozed off reasonably early giving them both a long night of needed rest. She sighed again and nodded, dropping her hand from his necklace and running her fingers over his bare sides appreciative of all his hard, muscular ridges. He leaned down and kissed her again, deeper this time, and felt her body shift below, opening up to him.

"I don't got time for that." He chuckled as she tried to pull him down. "I gotta head down to Bakersfield before heading North." She pouted up at him and slid her fingertips across his spine sensually. He hung his head to her chest and grunted loudly in frustration.

"Sare…" he warned, although she knew there was nothing to back up that warning. Regardless, she dropped her hands with a sigh.

"Fine. I'll be good."

"First time for everything." He jibed and she smacked his arm.

"I'll finish this when I get back." He promised before kissing her again and rolling off the bed. She didn't miss him adjust his groin, but she stayed silent and bit her lip to hide her smirk.

"You want me to make you something to eat before you hit the road?" She offered, rolling onto her side and propping up her head to watch him gather his things. He slipped his wallet in his back pocket and clipped the chain to a beltloop as he shook his head.

"Nah, I'll grab something on the road." She pouted when he pulled a shirt on. "Back that shit up." He dissuaded, catching her eye.

"Not my fault you're so sexy." She shrugged impishly. He sat on the edge of the bed to pull his socks on and he glanced over his shoulder when the bed shifted behind him. He smirked as her arms encircled his shoulders and the warmth of her body pressed against his back. She tucked her head over his shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Come back to me?" She whispered into his ear, her breath warming him in all the right places. He reached behind him to caress her thigh, trying to ignore the feeling of her bare breasts pressing into his back and her knees on either side of his hips. Oh, she was a tricky little minx.

"I always do." He responded arrogantly. "Go back to bed. You ain't gotta be up this early." He encouraged, kissing her again. He didn't know when he'd become that guy; the guy that kissed his girlfriend nonstop and knew her schedule and shit. Then again, he figured there ain't nothing wrong with caring for his woman. It'd come back to him tenfold… and hopefully as tenfold blowjobs when he got back.

She released his shoulders and flopped back onto the bed dramatically. He glanced at her quickly before sighing and reaching over to her. He couldn't resist her naked body. His fingers skimmed her belly debating dipping south before caressing up and over one of her breasts. He didn't have time to get her all fired up, but he itched to dip his fingers and tongue into her. He paused to squeeze her breast affectionately before moving up to her neck.

"Gonna miss this body, woman." He mumbled, rubbing her cheek with his thumb. She turned and bit his thumb gently.

"It'll be here waiting for you." She mumbled around his thumb, her teeth still pressing into the flesh. She finally released as he leaned down to give her a searing kiss.

"Aight. I gotta go." Her mumbled into her lips.

"Mhmm." She responded, pulling him back for another kiss, ignoring his words.

"I mean it." Each word punctuated with a kiss.

"Ok." She answered kissing him again and giggling. He groaned in exasperation.

"See this shit right here is why I don't wake you up when I leave." He accused smirking down at her. She sighed and shrugged, an unapologetic smile on her pink lips. She glanced at the clock before giving him a look for faux surprise.

"Jesus, get on the road, stop wasting time; what's your problem?" She teased with a laugh shoving him as he rolled his eyes pushing off her to stand, grabbing his gun off the nightstand on his side and tucking it in his holster.

"Be safe. Let me know when you get in." She shouted as he made his way into the bathroom to grab the last of his toiletries that he needed.

"You call me if you hear any updates with your brother." He shouted back. "Have fun at Gemma's thing. Stay with Juice or one of the guys." He'd been on edge about her going places by herself since Elliott Oswald's little girl had been attacked and had been a point of contention on a few occasions when he felt she wasn't capable of doing anything by herself. Charming was a small town. The worst element in the area were the men he was telling her to stick with anyway.

"It's at an elementary school, Hap. I'll be fine. Also, I'm volunteering anyway so I'll be busy." She argued but he gave her a pointed look when he walked back in carrying his black toiletries bag. "Fine." She grumbled, laying back to stare at the ceiling and pouting. He rolled his dark eyes and shook his head wondering which job he'd done resulted in being stuck with such a mouthy woman.

"Aiight, I'm out." He stated, kneeling on the bed once more and appearing above her face; she averted her gaze away, annoyed that he felt she couldn't make decisions about her own safety. She was an adult after all.

"Gimme a smile." He urged and she gave him a fake peppy smile. He reached down and tickled her side. "Don't give me fake shit." He grumbled. To anyone else he would have sounded menacing, but she knew his humor and she fought a laugh, turning her head further away from him and biting the inside of her cheek, but he just tickled harder until she burst out laughing.

"Okay!" She shouted gasping for air as she giggled, turning to face him.

"Just trying to keep you safe when I ain't here to do it." He mumbled. She sighed and nodded, reaching to cup his face.

"Love you baby." She stated. He leaned down to kiss her in response.

"Keep this body ready for me; Imma lay waste to it when I get back." He teased arrogantly climbing off her. She had to give him that: he didn't like leaving her when they were on bad terms; sure, it had happened plenty but if he could be on her good side when he left, he'd do his best to make it happen. Enough of the other guys had told him their horror stories of pissing off their women and leaving over and over only to come home to some other dick inside her. It wasn't like he actually thought she'd do it—he'd made it clear there'd be graves if that happened—but the road fucked with your head. He couldn't be thinkin' 'bout that shit when he was on the job, so whenever possible he tried to leave her satisfied, sated, and smiling.

"Promises, promises." She sang, watching him leave. He held up his hand as a wave before heading down the hallway. She listened quietly for a few minutes before she heard the front door close and his bike fire up a few moments after that.

This was always the hardest part. The silence after he left; the emptiness of her apartment. Even though he was stoic, he still had a big presence that filled her space when he was here. When he was gone, the inactivity in her home made her feel even more alone. Maybe she'd get a dog or something to keep her company, she mused staring at her ceiling.

"Okay, you're gonna be helping with food." Gemma commanded once Sara was in her sights. Sara nodded, immediately regretting offering to help. "Just make sure everyone pays for shit. This is a goddamn fundraiser not a soup kitchen. The old people get here around 4; don't let them stiff you. We gotta get every last dollar out of them before they croak."

"Nice, Gem." Sara mused, pulling her long waves into a messy bun. Gemma showed her where everything was and introduced her to the crow eaters that were helping, giving Sara pointed, "You're in charge."

Sara was pretty sure this was what hell was like. The other girls gave her half-smiles, equally miserable. After about two hours, Gemma had returned to relieve her of her duties. Sara took off before the matriarch could change her mind. The crow eaters had been polite enough, but she wasn't really interested in getting to know them and they weren't interested in talking to her. After a few minutes she found Donna sitting on a haybale with Ellie.

"Where's Ope?"

"With Jax I think." She supplied, seeming distracted.

"What're you looking at?"

"See that guy over there? His name is Kyle. He used to be SOA but he's not now…" Sara followed her gaze to some plain looking guy doing the egg toss with a little girl. He kinda reminded her of Kozik but back when he'd been an addict. "That's his girlfriend over there I guess," she pointed to a skinny blonde in a lawn chair "Jesus, could she be any younger?" Donna grumbled and Sara elbowed her in the ribs.

"Hey. Don't judge a man for having a younger girlfriend." She teased, knowing Donna hadn't meant anything by it. Donna gave her an apologetic look anyway.

"I didn't realize guys could get out, just like that..." Donna murmured, and Sara could see the wheels turning.

"Donna, that's not usually the case… It's not like he got too old to ride or got injured or anything, right?" Sara pointed out gently. "You could always ask Opie."

"He wouldn't tell me anything…" She dismissed, still spying on the former member as Opie came over. He kneeled in front of Ellie and asked her if she wanted to do the egg toss, but the little girl got quiet.

"It's fine, we don't have to… You can go play with your friends." Opie said, watching as the little girl took off towards the bounce house. Sara kept her eyes trained on the people milling about, not wanting to draw attention to the self-conscious moment she knew Opie was having. It hurt her heart to see him struggle to reconnect with his kids.

"Ope…" Donna started but Opie excused himself, saying he needed to check on the fireworks.

"Sara!" The blonde winced, hearing Gemma's stern voice. "You're back on for food." Donna gave her a sympathetic look as Sara groaned.

"The Queen beckons…" Sara teased, squeezing Donna's arm comfortingly before making her way back to the tent.

"Oh, I meant to tell you. I'm directing some of your old girls now!" Luann stated brightly as she worked alongside Sara.

"Oh good. I'm glad that worked out." Sara stated genuinely, handing a man a hotdog before turning to face the older woman.

"I really think one is gonna be a star…"

"Who?"

"She used to go by Daisy, but she's taken a new stage name, Ima Tite." Luanna stated proudly. Sara fought back the groan at Daisy's name. She'd never liked the girl. She was a few years older than Sara and had always hated that someone younger than her was bossing her around. She was arrogant and lazy, but she was good with cock. She was definitely a diva, so maybe the silver screen would suit her better than taking johns in the backroom and fucking them for a few hundred bucks.

"Clever." Sara said indifferently.

"I thought so too." Luanna beamed, missing Sara's tone. "The men are gonna go crazy for her. I just know it… You know, I bet you'd do great too." Sarah chuckled and shook her head. "I'm trying to pair her up with another blonde, make them like a doubles deal. Call them sisters or something. Could do a whole series with them starring. Interested?"

"Sorry, Luann. Not my thing."

"If you're worried about your man, Otto used to love watching my scenes."

"Yeah… I don't think Hap would feel the same way…" Sara mused knowing full well that Happy would absolutely blow a gasket if he found her doing porn. She'd get a kick out of telling him about it later though. Luann shrugged. Sara saw Jax and Donna talking across the lawn and saw Donna look upset as Jax walked away.

"Hey, I'll be right back…" Sara stated, already walking out of the tent toward her friend. The brunette was clearly fighting back tears when Sara got to her.

"What's wrong? What happened?" The brunette sniffed and shook her head.

"N-Nothing. I'm fine."

"Donna…" Sara started sadly, taking the woman's hand and squeezing it. Sara, in her wedges, was towering over the petite woman.

"That Kyle guy is the reason Opie did five years." She admitted quietly, taking a deep breath. "And Jax just gave me a lecture about how Opie needs the club and we'll never really be able to break free." She scoffed and rolled her eyes before kicking the toe of her shoe into the dirt.

"Oh Donna..."

"Its fine. I mean, I knew he'd never leave. Not really. I just… I just really can't do this without him. We're broke, I mean like broke, and the kids don't even know him, and I just…. I want my family; I'm tired of this… life." Donna stated, shaking her head and biting back tears. Sara moved to hug her, but the brunette shook her head. Sara stopped, dropping her arms to her side, understanding that Donna was barely holding it together as it was. "Could you keep an eye on the kids… I just… I need a minute." Donna hardly waited for Sara's response before taking off towards the bathrooms.

Sara watched her go sadly. She'd seen this before, growing up. She remembered hearing the Old Ladies talking about women hitting their breaking point. She knew Donna wouldn't accept money from the Club to help them get back on their feet; she didn't like the idea of owing the Club anything. But chopping wood at the timberyard was hardly a lucrative job and no one was hiring ex-cons. She hoped that Donna and Ope worked things out. Opie was her highschool sweetheart; the father of her children. If they couldn't make it; who could?

A/N: Poor Donna. I just love her. Anyway, keep up the reviews! I love seeing them and they really keep me motivated to keep updating!