The ride home was utter silence, but for once I welcomed it. I know its hard to communicate on the back of a bike but Igot the feeling that we could have been in a car with no radio and it still would have been this quiet. Happy just must be a quiet guy. Ope can be pretty quiet sometimes too so I was used to it. In a way though I missed Jax's random chatter. Even when we were on his bike he still would randomly turn around and talk to me. But that was just how he was. I sighed I knew I just plain missed Jax. I couldn't shake the image of him pounding into Tara's flesh. This was the first time I had seen him or Opie doing the nasty as they say. It wasn't likely a thing I was going to forget. Tara's loud moans didn't help the forgetting process much.I had a feeling deep in my heart that he was going to leave Charming. Life would be so weird without him. If anyone could make him go it was defiantly her. She has these mystical powers over him, that or her ass must be really good enough to blind him of everything else. I shrugged. Yeah that could be the case. My thoughts bounced to my other best friend. He's done a complete 360 on me. I swear I don't know if its the liquor or just him but for the first time in my life I felt like he was really into me. It was a nice yet surreal feeling. It sure didn't change anything. He's still getting married and having a kid. So why the change of heart now? Just when I decide that loving him is toxic to my health. Why couldn't he have shown interest a few months ago? I sighed, I was trying to look at the bigger picture but truth be told all I saw were negatives. Jax was leaving. Opie is getting married. So in a way I wouldn't be just without Jax. Opie was getting married, I would pretty much lose him too. I felt my body start to sag against Happy's back ask fought back the tears. They were going to leave me. What in the hell was I going to do? Would I be okay without my two best friends? I probably wouldn't go to the clubhouse anymore. I'd defiantly still go to Clay and Gemma's because they're family. I did not want to be pitied, which i know everyone will do.I hated that more than anything! It was time I learned to be on my own. So right here, right now I made a promise to myself. It was time to be more independent.

We pulled up in my driveway and I got off of the bike. I stood awkwardly next to it, unsure of what to say. In my emotional state I had turned to a complete and mostly silent stranger. But I really don't think it fazed him too much. He started to back out when I held up my hand to stop him. He removed his shades and stared at me. I swallowed back the tears and the massive lump in my throat because I wanted to thank him. He did me a great favor by bringing me home. I knew I couldn't hang around and listen to Jax's bullshit or watch Opie with Donna. Not tonight.

"I just wanted to say thank you. You did me a great favor by bringing me home tonight." He nodded.

"You look like you had a rough night. Did one of the croweaters getcha?" I scoffed and rolled my eyes. Much to my dismay the tears started rolling. Happy surprised the hell out of me by shutting off his bike and taking a seat on my porch. I got up and followed him, sitting next to him.

"Its okay kid. You win some, you lose some. Nothing to cry over. Trust me if I cried every time I got a black eye. I defiantly wouldn't be a member of Samcro. You're tough kid, I've seen it." I couldn't help but laugh. For some one who doesn't talk a lot, he sure knows all of the right things to say.

"No it wasn't a croweater. Its just been a really shitty night. I feel like both of my friends abandoned me in different ways tonight. And then the bullshit with Kyle. Its just been a long night." I couldn't believe I had almost told him about Kyle! What the hell! He was a complete stranger! Oh my god! Maybe he didn't notice.

"Are you trying to tell me that a man did this to you?" I shook my head quickly.

"No it wasn't like that! It was my fault. I tripped and ..." Happy stood up.

"Its never okay to hit a woman." He got up and strolled towards his bike.

"Happy no! Wait listen!" Surprisingly he turned around. "If I tell you this you have to promise not to bring it t the club. Not Jax not Opie, especially not Clay. It stays between us."

"You're not going to justify hitting a woman." I shook my head.

"I just don't want the guys at war with each other. The club is family and that's what matters. Kyle has been harassing me for weeks. He has this weird thing about us being together. He grosses me out Hap. In a way he also scares the shit out of me. Last night, opie and I sat outside drinking my bottle of jack. He went inside to get another one and I fell asleep. Well I woke up to Kyle proclaiming that I belonged to him and I was so scared Hap. So fuckin scared. I ran from him.I fell on my face a few good times but it wasn't cause he hit me. I was trying to get away from him. In my heart I felt if I didn't he would hurt me." He didn't say anything for a few minutes. Meanwhile, I'm on pins and needles waiting for his decision on what he was going to do. I bit my lip. He surprised me yet again by walking over and giving me a slight hug. At first it was kind of awkward but then it was nice. He pulled back and headed towards his bike.

"Go get some sleep. Everything will be fine." And just like that he was on his bike and gone.

I woke up the next morning hoping to avoid my mom. Granted I miss her like hell and I feel like I haven't seen her much. But I really don't want her to see my face looking the way it is. I also didn't want to explain that I was drunk off my ass when it happened. So I stayed in my room until after ten to ensure she was gone. I got up and went to the bathroom. I washed my face the best that I could. I washed the dried blood off and was thankful when I found that some of the swelling around my eye had went down but it was still discolored. My lips were still swollen but if I applied make up it should all be unnoticeable. I walked into the kitchen when a knock announced at my door. I rolled my eyes and shut off my eggs. I knew it was one of two people at my door and I didn't feel like being bothered with either of them this morning.

I opened up the door and there stood none other than Jax Teller. I moved out of the doorway and let him in. I returned back to the stove to finish my eggs. He walked up behind me and every hair on my body stood up. I looked up at him slightly and then quickly looked back towards the pan.

"Do you uh want some?" He took a step back from me and shrugged. I didn't turn to face him until he was sitting at my kitchen table. I took a deep breath, mentally preparing for the conversation that was coming. I threw my eggs in a bowl and made my way towards the table. I sat down and started to eat. I could tell he was struggling with what he wanted to say.

"I'm sorry that you walked in on me and Tara. I know you've never seen that side of me before and I apologize."

"She's your old lady. I understand." I said looking up at him. Whatever he had to say next was lost. He got up out of his chair and sat in the one next to mine. His fingers lightly stroked my eye and bottom lip.

"Luanne, what happened?" I pulled my face out of his hands and continued to eat my eggs.

"I fell," I left it at that. Yeah it wasn't the whole truth but I don't care. He sighed and looked down.

"I know you're upset and I'm sorry. Just don't shut me out Faith." I sorta felt bad. I was the one who walked in on him, not the other way around.

"Its okay Jax, its human nature. " He looked up at me and grinned.

"Yeah? You doing okay? Your eye looks nasty. Where did you fall at?" I shrugged.

"Outside of the clubhouse but I'm good." Jax's phone started to ring.I already knew he was going to walk out of the room so it didn't phase me. He was gone for no longer than five minutes. He came back in looking very much troubled.

"What's wrong Jax?" He just lingered in the doorway. He didn't say a word, he just sorta sat there. His eyes finally met mine and I seen the raw emotion in them.

"You haven't heard from Tara today have you?" I shook my head.

"Despite your strong influence, we're not really friends Jax. So no I haven't seen or heard from her." He rubbed his hand over his mouth. He looked towards the door and didnt meet my eyes for a few moments.

"I think shes gone. She's not at home. She's not answering her phone. Her cars gone and no one has seen her since last night." I got up to hug him just as another knock sounded at the door. I still gave him a hug and then made my way to the door. It was Opie. Was I having a friendship party today and I didn't know it? Opie came in and his eyes went straight to Jax as he cleared his throat. I looked from one of them to the other. The tension was high in the room but I was unsure why. These two had been best friends their entire life, so why was it so awkward? I cleared my throat causing both of them to look at me.

"Do you guys want me to leave or something? Cause if you need to talk that's cool." Both of them seemed to snap out of whatever trance they were in and shook their heads. Opie took a seat at my table,followed by Jax. It almost felt like I had done something wrong, like I was getting the 'you're in trouble' speech. Jax broke the silence by talking.

"I think Tara's gone Ope, I don't know what to do. She wanted me to run off with her but I kept putting her off. Charming is my home. The clubs my family. You know what I mean Ope. I don't know anything else." I felt like I was intruding on a private conversation between the two boys I had watched grow into men. My eyes watered up as I truly felt Jax's pain. Tara and I were never the best of friends, I had cursed her quite a few times since I found out that she was trying to take Jax. But watching him in so much pain, I was ready to call her and tell her to come get him. He was completely heart broken and that I couldn't handle. Ope stood up and walked to Jax's chair and gave him a manly kind of hug. They just held each other for a few minutes and Ope pulled back.

"I know it hurts man, but if she really loved you she wouldn't want you to change." I started to walk out of the room, to five them their moment together when Jax grabbed my arm as I walked past his chair.

"You leaving me too?" I shook my head and quickly occupied the seat next to him.

"No I was just giving you privacy I'm sorry. I'll always be here, even if I magically stumble onto . you both always have a place with me. Any man that gets to call me his needs to understand that. You guys will always come first." Jax and Opie locked eyes and both of them shuddered together.

"I don't even want to think about you with some guy I already want to ring his neck." Opie nodded in agreement with Jax's statement. I rolled my eyes.

"Its going to happen sometime guys!" I said throwing my hands in the air. "I'm cute, just because you guys aren't down with all of this don't mean some guy won't be." Opie roared with laughter.

"Yeah and that guy will probably end up dead." Jax laughed too

"Or looking like Kyle," Jax interjected. Huh? I looked between the two of them confused.

"What in the hell are the two of you talking about?" Jax lit up a cigarette and Ope stretched in his chair.

"Well Happy came in last night from god knows where," Ope began. "Were guessing he had a bad night ora bad lay. He walked right up to Kyle, he didn't stop and talk to anyone, he just walked straight up to him and punched him in the face! He didn't stop until Clay pulled him off of him. Oh it was great Faith. You missed it. By the way how did you get home?" I sat there stunned. I guess that was one way to handle the situation while respecting my conditions. I owed that man a big hug and a bottle of Jack. A smile crept onto my face.

"Last time I saw her she came into my room while Tara and I were uh busy." Ope roared with laughter until realization hit.

"If you didn't take her home and I didn't take her home. How in the hell did she get home?" Both of them turned and looked at me and all I could do is smile.

"Maybe it was that magical man I was speaking of." I shrugged my shoulders and got up. "Never know." I left the table and the both of them speechless.

a/n: Wow! I'm overwhelmed with the reviews I got on the last chapter! Thank u guys so much! 13 reviews! I promise guyss I know where I'm goi g with this and I know it seems slow but I have a lot of ground to cover! Donna and Opie getting married and having kids is just a stat I had to cover the loss of Tara and how exactly it affects Jax. Also adding some happy into the mix was a nice plot change. As always review I love hearing what you guys think good or bad