Chapter 32: Reunions

It was the first time in 7 months, Liv had set foot in her house in Charlotteville. Hell, it was the first time she had been back since the day after she found out about Juice and Natalie. She had Jax take her home and she packed the things she needed and that very evening she turned around and went back to Portland. The pain of losing her best friend still burned deep within her, how could she forgive Nat for such a deep betrayal? She was so angry with Nat; Olivia couldn't wrap her head around why she would have slept with Juice when she knew they were still together; especially after she knew what happened with Matt.
For the first few months Natalie tried calling Liv daily but Liv let her calls go to voicemail and never thought twice about it; Chase graciously deleted the emails for Liv. Eventually the calls started to become fewer and fewer between until eventually the ceased all together. Liv had just moved on with her life, pushing forward; she was grateful she had classes to distract her and her roommates to make her laugh. But none of them were Natalie; the only person who had been with her through the hardest times in her life.

Liv's first 'year' of school had just come to a close which meant summer break. Chase offered to let her come home with him and Reese but she felt like a burden to them. Bri and Sam were off planning their wedding; Liv was looking forward to their bachelor/bachelorette party that was a few weeks away. She couldn't wait to get out and just let go. When was the last time she had actually let go? It was long before Juice walked into her life and it was flipped upside down. Chase made her promise she would end her Sahara desert dry spell when they went out. Liv told him if she found someone who fit the bill, she would be all about it. That was still two weeks away, so for now she was in Charlotteville to close that chapter of her life; she was going to move her stuff to storage and sell her parents' house. Charlotteville held nothing for her anymore other than heartache. Liv had talked to Big Jim and he agreed that if Liv wasn't happy at home anymore she should move on and make a life for herself in Portland or anywhere else her heart desired. Liv's heart desired Charming…but that was out of the question.

Liv's phone rang pulling her out of her head, "Hello?" She answered without looking at the number.

"Liv?" It was Natalie. Pain surged through Liv's body. It had been so long since she had heard Natalie's voice; she had spent the last seven months without her. "Please don't hang up." Natalie sounded slightly panicked. Liv didn't hang up, hearing Nat made her realize how much she missed her. Was a guy really worth their friendship? Especially one who no longer meant anything to Liv.

She was brought to the moment that she found out why Juice had run away from Charming, to the reason why her life had become a mess.

It was the night she found out about Natalie and Juice. Jax didn't want to leave her when she was so torn up and he thought that hearing the truth about Juice might help her.

"Liv?" Jackson followed a silent Liv into her house. "There is something you should know. It might make things a little easier on you."

Liv whipped around, "What is it Jackson? What do I need to know?" Her voice was angry and full of venom. Liv didn't mean for her hurt and irritation to be directed at Jax. If she had been thinking clearly she would have seen he was trying to help.

"I know you have had a shitty night but listen…" His voice showed his exasperation with her. Liv took a deep breath and sat down on the couch waiting for Jax tell her what he needed to. For the first time in her life she wanted to leave her home and never return. "You need to know why Juice ran from Charming and why he was excommunicated."

Liv rolled her eyes, after all this she was finally going to get some truth from someone but it was too late she already knew why. "I already know Jax, my dad told me why he left Charming."

Jax shook his head, "No, you only know part of the truth Liv. Juice started all of this. He could have prevented everything you have been through. It all started because of him and the lie he set in motion. My wife, Tara was murdered and we believed it was the Triads because of the lie that Juice and my mother came up with. That wasn't the truth but I believed it because it was such a brutal murder. Tara's death was ruthless which lead me to believe, it could have only been retaliation. The reality was my own mother murdered my wife. I don't know why Juice helped her out but he ran after that. That set into motion everything that has happened to the club, to Bobby, to you and to Juice."

Liv sat in silence, stunned and shocked but glad the truth finally came out and even if wasn't from the person who should have told her. "Thank you, Jax. All I ever wanted from him was the truth…"

"Liv are you there?" Natalie's frightened voice called out to her, pulling her from her thoughts.

Olivia swallowed hard before answering, "Yes."

Natalie stifled a cry, "I overheard Big Jim and Mia talking about you coming back into town…I…Ju…I can't get ahold of anyone else…my water broke and I am in labor."

"Where is Juice?" Liv asked coldly, wondering if they were still together or if he had cheated on her as well.

"He's on a…" Natalie gritted her way through another contraction. Liv's cold heart melted a little bit when she heard Natalie's pain. "…he's out of town at a conference. I am a month early…God this can't be happening. I wouldn't have called..." Another contraction riddled Natalie's body.

Olivia took a deep breath, the time away from Natalie had been the hardest in her life. She often found herself found holding her cell phone wanting to call Natalie but never did. She was too stubborn, too unwilling to forgive her. Now Natalie needed her, she couldn't turn her back on Natalie even if she was going to have Juice's baby. "Okay, Natalie. I'll be there in a few." Liv grabbed her keys off the table where she had thrown them and started towards the door.

Natalie sobbed on the other side of the phone, she never thought Liv would be willing to help her. She had tried to reconcile with Liv since the night she walked out of her life. "Thank you."

"Of course." Liv had tears falling from her face. "Wait, where are you?"

"I'm at our house…Juice's house." Natalie said quietly.

Natalie was in labor for 10 long hours, all of which Olivia spent by her side. Liv was shocked when she went to pick of Natalie. Natalie had let her hair grow out and it was cut in a choppy bob which suited her high cheek bones and she was extremely swollen with a baby. Liv didn't know why but she had expected to see Natalie her normal slim self so it was a shock to her system when she looked so different.

"Hello?" Juice's voice was on the other line finally. Liv had been trying to get a hold of him for at least 5 hours.

"It's about time you answer your phone." Liv scowled him.

"Liv?" Juice sounded confused.

"How dare you leave Natalie alone when she was just about to give birth." Liv growled into the phone. He should have been home where he belonged, with Natalie. However if he would have been Liv wouldn't have been there for Natalie and they wouldn't have reconciled to a point and she would have gotten to witness the birth of the most beautiful baby in all the world.

"Why is that any of your business? You haven't been around for the past seven months." Juice bit back.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "That doesn't matter anymore because I was here for Natalie when she needed me the most and you were not."

"What do you mean by that Olivia?" Annoyance oozed from Juice's voice.

Was he really that dense? "Natalie just gave birth to the most beautiful baby girl I have ever seen." Liv's mood lightened and she smiled at the thought of the sweet little baby. How could she hate either of them after seeing Avery?

The other line was silent, "I missed Avery's birth?" Juice was disappointed but glad that Liv was there to take care of Natalie.

"Yes, hurry home so you can see your daughter. She is perfect especially since she has my name." Liv gushed.

"That was all Natalie's idea. She still loves you even though you haven't talked to her for months. She was devastated over the idea that you wouldn't be a part of Avery's life." He couldn't believe that Liv was actually talking to him, he had hoped that she would at least speak to Natalie someday but never thought she would utter another word to him.

"I will always be a part of her life, even if I have a problem with how she was conceived and who her father." Liv said sharply.

"Listen, Liv I don't blame you for hating me but don't hate Nat." He plead Natalie's case to her.

Liv let out an annoyed laugh, "I don't hate Natalie. I could never hate her, I realized that today when she needed me. I don't hate you either Juice but I don't really like you either. Jax told me everything…how could you hide his wife's murder?" She had to ask, she needed to know that Natalie was going to be in good hands. She needed to know for closure, that everything she went through over the past year was not for nothing.

"Fuck…" Juice muttered under his breath. He knew Liv would find out the truth from SAMCRO sooner or later but he was hoping it was down the road years from now when the pain wasn't so fresh. "I did it to help Gemma. She saved my life and I saw her there after she had killed Tara and I knew I needed to help her." He remembered the look of helplessness and confusion on Gemma's face that day. She was rambling in coherently; he knew he needed to help her.

"Finally some truth from you." Liv said quietly. "Natalie and Avery are in room 145 when you get back into town."

Liv took the picture that the nurse took of her and Avery and texted it to Chase Lyla and her dad.

Avery Olivia Ortiz
5 lbs 8 oz
18 ½ inches long

They all knew what was going on between her and Natalie, so the photo of her and Avery would be a shock, but Liv was a proud auntie and she couldn't help it. Liv's phone pinged immediately.

Chase responded: Scared the girl into labor? You bitch. Kidding that is one cute kid. Glad you made your peace Oliver. See you in a few weeks can't wait for you to get your freak on. ;) xx

Liv laughed loudly at Chase's text. She missed him already so much, in so many ways he had taken Natalie's place in Liv's life. He had become one of her very best friends and she couldn't see her life without him, just like she couldn't see her life without Natalie again. She knew their relationship would never be the same but her friendship with Natalie was something worth saving.

Avery was a breathtaking little miracle, Liv thought to herself. She looked like the perfect mixture of Natalie and Juice. Liv couldn't help but wondered what her child would have looked like if Happy would have knocked her up. It would have probably had his dark chocolate brown eyes, his tan complexion and of course it would have had his temper. She didn't know if she could have dealt with two people with that temper. Liv would have been lying if she said she didn't miss Happy still, and at times she longed for him, especially when nightmares ravaged her sleep. How could she have let such an important person in her life go? And how could she just go back to Charming and expect him to still miss her after all that time? Happy was not the kind of guy who allowed his feelings to linger; to care for too long.

Liv smiled sadly at Avery, "If you ever need boy advice don't come to me little love. I have the worse luck in men. I want you to know you deserve the very best in life. God I am going to miss your cute little face."

Natalie had been listening outside of the door of Avery's nursery to Liv talk to her. Liv had come over to help her out during the day while Juice was at work. The fact that the child who tore them apart had brought them back together warmed Nat's heart. "You know she is going to miss you too." Natalie walked through the door.

"I wish I didn't have to go back to Portland so soon but I cannot miss that party. Chase would hunt me down and pull back to Portland by my hair." Liv smirked at the thought as she stood and handed Avery over to her Natalie. "There's your mama." She planted a kiss on the top of Avery's head. "I'll talk to you soon Nat." She gave Natalie as much of a hug as she could because the baby was in Nat's arms. Their relationship was nowhere close to what it used to be but both girls were making an effort to work things out. They knew from their time apart they needed the other just as much as the other needed her.

Happy

The music was too loud but the go-go dancers were decent to look at. He was on his way up to Tacoma with Montez and some of the members of Rogue River and Joliette charters. They had some business to take care of with Tacoma and some of the other local clubs which seem to have some issues with SAMCRO. The club they were at was owned by one of the members of Rogue River and his ex-old lady; he needed to stop by and assess his assets. A majority of the members decided it was a good place to stop for the night; Happy just wanted to keep pushing through to Tacoma. However since he was stuck in the god forsaken city he would make the best of it and at least fine some whore to give him a blow job.

"You want another beer Hap?" Montez yelled over the music as he rose from the table.

Happy nodded his response, it got the same answer across whether he said it or not. With Montez gone it gave him a good view of the dance floor and what options were out there. He watched the bodies moving with the beat of the music, there were plenty of attractive women out there but most were with guys. Happy allowed his eyes to wander lazily across the crowd when he saw a dress that caught his eye. It brought back memories instantly. It was short, strapless and black sequenced; it caught the light from time to time making it shine almost blindingly. Happy's heart jumped, it was the same dress Liv wore on her birthday. The girl had her back to him, as his eyes slowly traveled up the girl's body to her shoulders which were bare, then moved to her neck which donned a necklace of some sort. He took a deep breath, could it really be Liv? He had heard that she was in Portland for school but that was about the extent of it. He was actually nervous about looking at the girl's hair. He had missed Olivia more than he let on and often thought about her even after being apart from her for almost a year. But she had Juice and he thought he had heard something about a baby. She had the family she deserved, even if he wasn't okay with her having a kid with Juice or being in a relationship with him for that matter but, she deserved her bit of happiness.

Happy took a sharp breath as he willed his eyes to travel up the girl's neck to her hair; it was a lovely shade of deep, dark brown and curls cascaded around where they were pinned up. It had to be Liv. He willed the girl to turn around but she looked like she was having a conversation with guy with light brown hair. Happy felt a twinge of jealousy from deep within his gut. The guy took her by the shoulders and turned her to face the dance floor. Those piercing blue eyes, the eyes that haunted his dreams. Liv.

"Here's your beer, brother." Montez placed Happy's beer in front of him but he seemed preoccupied with watching someone on the dance floor. Montez turned in the direction that Happy was looking, "Is that Olivia?" He was surprised and relieved to see her moving towards the dance floor with guy who was obviously not Juice. He wouldn't want to be around if Happy had seen Liv with Juice. He was sure that was still a sore spot with Happy.

"Yeah, it's her." Happy said as he watched Liv and the guy out on the dance floor. She smiled happily at the guy, Happy wondered who the guy was and why she was out with him and not at home with Juice and the baby. More people gathered around the couple, Liv laughed gleefully as a red head hip bumped her. She had made a new life for herself, Happy was glad to see that. He felt like such an outsider in her life now but he was glad he had been able to be a part of it, even if it was a short time. Happy was sure this was the first time he had ever seen her look so carefree and relaxed. No….his mind was immediately brought to the times they spend together when Marks and Juice were not on either of their minds; that was the Liv who was the most carefree about life. The Olivia that loved his hard to live with ass. It was then Happy realized how much he had missed Liv. It had been almost a year and Happy still felt the same way about Olivia…he loved her.

A/N: Note I do not own any of the rights to the original SOA characters, I only claim my o/c s.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter, Liv and Natalie have reconciled…and maybe Liv and Happy will in the next chapter ;p I hope you enjoyed the chapter, let me know what you think….Cheers!