"I'm here. I love you. I don't care if you need to stay up crying all night long, I will stay with you...There's nothing you can ever do to lose my love."
―Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

Marceline spent the next few weeks at Zane's house in San Fransisco and she felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders being away from the Sons; she even moved Diesel in much to Zane's happiness because he never had pet before. Since she was staying with him, Zane made an appointment for the house to get wired with security cameras and there was a tablet in the bedroom that controlled them all.

They went to Clarion Alley a few times and Marci managed to find a few spots to add her tag to, then they usually went to get something to eat afterward. For the most part, she was content with her daily routine of checking in with Phil and Jasmine, then spending the rest of the day taking pictures with or of Zane. He showed off his impressive new tattoos and took her to a tattoo parlor to let her watch him get more ink.

~.~.~.~.

Zane opened his eyes and was met with the semi-darkness of his bedroom. Marceline picked out these blackout curtains that was supposed to help people sleep by keeping light out and reducing noise; they certainly helped him at night. He glanced at the tablet perched on his nightstand and and saw that it was 2:45 in the morning. He looked at each quadrant, but saw nothing out of the ordinary on the security cameras. He let his head hang off the bed a bit, just to see the other end, and spotted Diesel's back paws sticking out from beside the bed frame. He was about to close his eyes again when he heard something, a little gasp.

Zane quietly, but quickly sat up on his forearms and turned to Marceline's side. She was on the very edge of her side of the bed with the blanket bunched in her fists and clutched to her chest. She was on her side, so he could see her face and her knitted brows, watched the tears run down her cheeks.

Zane didn't react immediately, he waited for a moment to see if he could hear her talk in her sleep. Marci continued to cry, but he heard her mumble 'Don't leave' and 'Please' a few times. After that, he figured he wasn't going to hear a name, but guessed that Marceline was likely dreaming about her Dad. She could probably be remembering something from her childhood or it could be something from recent events. After everything that's happened to her, it was hard to pinpoint what was the most troubling for her at the moment.

Zane slid over to Marci and pulled her on the bed more, beginning to hear her whimpering, started to feel her tremble. He securely wrapped her in his arms and kept her pressed snugly to his chest as stroked her hair. His lips went to her ear and he hushed her, told her that she was alright and that he wouldn't let anything happen to her.

For a minute or so, Marceline didn't settle, but Zane didn't worry because he was used to it. He continued his attempt at soothing her with his words and he felt her trembles settle, then her whimpers were silenced. He felt her hand let go of the blanket to slowly reach for his chest and he pressed her smaller mitt over his heart, so she could feel its beats. With a final sniffle, Marceline seemed to be calmed down, but Zane watched her for another couple minutes to ensure she was pacified. When it seemed like she was settled, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head before turning away to yawn.

~.~.~.~.

"Marceline?" Zane called as he entered the house, kicking the door shut behind him.

In the time she's been with him, he took her out shopping a few times and she found all sorts of things to decorate the house with, making it feel more like a home. He didn't see her in the living room and the kitchen was quiet. He was about to go upstairs when he hears her calling from somewhere. He went into the kitchen and found a door next to the fridge that was opened and leading to a staircase, so he went down them and found her with Diesel.

"I didn't know we had a basement."

"Really?"

"Seriously. What're you doing down here?"

"I was looking for the laundry room and Diesel helped me find it." She told him as she grabbed the basket of freshly dried clothes and they went back upstairs to the living room.

"Can I talk to you?" He asked as she began folding the clothes, making her stop.

"Are you in trouble?"

"No, it's not anything bad. It's just about us. I wanted to talk to you about relocating."

"You wanna move?" She questioned and he nodded. "We just got settled here. I thought you liked this place."

"I know and I do. This house is perfect and it actually feels like a home. I'll keep the place, maybe rent it out to make a profit. I was just thinking that we could go somewhere you actually want to be, like New Orleans."

"Zane, what's going on?" She asked him seriously. "Where's this coming from?"

"You've been here for a while and nothing's happened since then, but I'm always thinking about it." He sat down on the sofa and she took a spot next to him with Diesel laying at their feet. Zane paused for a moment, then let out a sigh and look her in the eyes. "Marceline, I don't know what I'd do if I came home and you were missing or hurt because of Gage. I know you're safe here with Diesel, the security system and cameras and me checking-in, but I don't feel like you're as protected as you could be. If he sends another Drifter, we won't know until it's too late and if I can't protect you again..."

Zane trailed off, but Marceline knew what he was going to say. If Gage sent another Drifter into Charming with intentions of kidnapping her, he'd probably be successful and Zane wouldn't be able to do anything about it and they'd be back at square one.

"I just think it'd be best for us to get away from California entirely." He honestly told her. "I know you've got family and friends in Charming and I don't want to take you away from them, but...I worry about you...a lot."

Zane was never good with expressing his emotions to women and that's likely why he tended to avoid relationships, but there was something about Marceline that made things easier for him. Just being around her made his nervousness back down and release him from its hold, to let him spill his guts. He could tell her something incredibly sappy like how every time he left the house, he'd ride by this fenced backyard and a grey cat would slip through a loose board then, an orange cat and seeing them just made him think about her, about them. How was he supposed to explain that to her?

"The Warehouse District." Marci said, confusing Zane, so she explained, "In New Orleans, that's a neighborhood with college kids and condos and apartments all over the place. Then, there's the Lower Garden District. It's quieter down there and the apartments have high ceilings with French windows. Either way, we're gonna be flashing people and getting beads on Mardi Gras." She smiled. "Should I start packing now? We don't really have a lot of stuff."

"You're fine with this, with suddenly uprooting and moving away from home to a new place?"

"We've done it before."

Zane stared at her for a moment and began smiling at her as he did. At this point, Marci didn't care if Zane wanted her to get on a spaceship to Mars, she'd go so long as he'd be there with her. He brought her peace and happiness, so moving was something she could do for him to try to repay him for everything he's done for her since they met.

"You should tell your Dad. And no, you can't call him or write a letter." Marci groaned at him, making him smirk. "I already looked up visiting hours for Stockton. If you wanna get it over with, we can go see him tomorrow afternoon."

"Fine."

~.~.~.~.

"Imagine my surprise when the guards tell me my daughter came to visit." Chibs smiled as he stood up from the table, Zane and Marceline coming to sit with him. He held his hand out for Zane to shake. "Nice to see ya' again, Zane."

"Mr. Telford."

"Marceline." He greeted his daughter, but she simply stared at him. "How've you been, dovey?"

"Fuckin' aces." She grumbled.

Zane nudged her in the arm and quietly scolded her, "Marci."

"It's alright." Chibs chuckled, knowing when his daughter was in a mood with him. "I'm guessin' a cordial visit isn't the reason you're here. Am I finally gonna be a grandfather? Is the wee one already here?"

That statement made Zane stand as he nervously looked between father and daughter. "Uh, n-no. I wouldn't- it's not- she's more- we just-"

"Relax, Zane. That's his version of a dad joke." Marci told him as she tugged on his arm to get him to sit down again.

"Didn't mean to scare ya', lad." Chibs apologized, though he had a smirk on his face due to getting a rise out of the younger man. "So, what's this visit about? You both look alright, hope nothin's wrong."

"We're leaving."

"You just got here."

"Zane and I are leaving California to go someplace safe, somewhere far away from bad parents, bikers and blood."

Chibs got serious then, demanding, "The hell are you goin'?"

"Far away from you." Marci spat, pinning her eyes on her Dad. "I really thought things would be different with you, Da. All those years you were gone, I was dreaming of the day I'd meet you so I could tell you how much I missed you and that I loved you. And now that I think about it, you couldn't have ever given a single shit about me because you never came back to look for me. You knew Rosemary was a Tweaker, you knew she was fucked in the head, but you left me with the crazy bitch anyway. I suffered because of you."

"Marceline Caitríona Telford, you are not leavin' the damn state." He forbid.

"Instead of a happy ending, I found you in Charming with your stupid club and I got lies and blood and pain and tears. If I wanted more of that, I'd have stayed in Scotts Valley with Asher." She continued, undisturbed by him trying to forbid her from doing anything. "I have been through more than enough bullshit for one lifetime. I deserve to be happy and I'm gonna be with or without you."

And with that, Marceline stood and left the table, going back to the gate and being escorted out by a pair of officers. Zane and Chibs watched her go, but Zane's focus was on Chibs' reaction and how the man ran his hands over his face in distress.

"If it's any consolation, I'll write you when we settle." He told Chibs, getting the man's attention. "I'll make sure she's taken care of and when she calms down, I'll try to convince her to come visit again before we leave."

"You love her, aye?"

"Mr. Telford-"

"Answer the question."

"Yes, I do." Zane admitted, locking eyes with Chibs to show how serious and honest he was being. It was the first time anyone asked him about his feelings towards Marceline, but he's known that he was in love with her for a long time now; it had to be the reason why he wanted to keep her safe. "I don't think I can...function normally without her around. She's the only normal thing I know...kinda like a moral compass."

"If ya' truly did care for her, you'd keep her right here 'cause everythin' she needs is in Charming."

"I'm the only good thing for her, Mr. Telford. Don't think I'm being arrogant. This is something that's been proven to me since I met your daughter. Something wanted me to find her to protect her and following that feeling was the best decision of my life."

"I am her father and that is my last child." Chibs said in a hard tone. "It's been a rocky road with Marceline since she came to Charming, but I love that kid and she knows it. She knows I've been tryin' so hard to make up for lost time and right my wrongdoings. I can't do that if she's halfway across the fuckin' map."

"But I listen to her, I take care of her, I keep her calm, I protect her and I try to give her whatever makes her happy. When she came here..." 'Her life started a downwards spiral that almost turned her into an emotionally wrecked alcoholic.' Zane was a second away from voicing his thoughts, but thought that it would do nothing other than upset the Son, so he refrained. "Over everything, I just want her to be okay and that's why I have to get her out of here."

"Just got my little girl back and someone's stealin' her away from me." Chibs grumbled in annoyance. "My brothers warned me about outsiders when we were talkin' about what to do with ya'. Most of 'em advised me to send you packin' or put a bullet in your head. Triad blood makes you a natural enemy."

"And that tainted biker blood she got from you ruined your daughter's life." Zane shot back. "Maybe you weren't meant to be in her life. She was right, you never came back for her. Year after year, I'd sit with her on Christmas day and she'd have a present for you. She really thought that if she just stayed where you knew she'd be and waited, you'd come back, but you never did. Instead, you left her with Rosemary and she tortured her day after day. She could've killed her."

"That's a damn good mistake I made and I know it, gotta battle those demons every time I look at Marceline. She knows I'm sorry about not comin' back and she knows why I didn't, but I've been tryin', since the second she came here, to make up for that lost time."

"By inducting her into your biker gang, letting her get kidnapped, making her have Panic Attacks, allowing one of your members to use her like some pass-around and getting booked for twenty years." Zane reminded and that made Chibs go silent for a moment before he began frowning at the other man. "Yeah... you and your Sons have been doing a great job with her."

"I ever see you again, I'll break your fuckin' neck." Chibs growled through his teeth.

"You'll never see me again." He assured as he stood. "Or her. And that's what she wants, so I'm gonna make it happen. That's something you do when you care about someone."

~.~.~.~.

"Hey, Phil." Marceline greeted the Son as she came into the clubhouse with Diesel at her side.

"Welcome back." He smiled. "You planning on going AWOL with Zane again?"

"I need a favor."

"Anything, Marci."

"Can you take care of Diesel for me?"

"You don't want him anymore?"

"No, I do, I just..." She looked down at the dog and his sweet eyes as Diesel wagged his tail at her. "He's a sweetheart and he's a great lookout dog. He's really obedient too. And he likes nighttime walks. And peanut butter. Oh, and flip-flops. He'll tear them apart. If you don't want him, I'm sure Happy will take him or maybe Kozik. Just please don't make him go back to a shelter."

"I'll take him, no problem. The boys'll probably want him to hang around the clubhouse." Phil said and pat the dog on the head. "Marceline, what's going on?"

"I gotta go, Phil."

"What do you mean?" He asked, but Marceline just stared at him until realization dawned on his face and made Phil get serious. "Marci..."

"I can't, Phil. I wasn't supposed to find this town and I shouldn't have come here."

"You can stay with us, Marci. We're not going anywhere."

"I went to Stockton and told Chibs off."

"Jesus Christ." He sighed as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Zane's getting out of whatever ties he has with the Triad, then we're leaving."

"You call me...every day, you hear me?" Against everything, Phil was tearing up a bit because he knew that Marci was leaving for good and that it was likely he'd never see her again, that this was the last time they'd be around each other. "I want updates on everything. On where you're living and what the neighborhood's like and if you get knocked up and married, all of it. 'Cause if you don't, I'll be waiting in your goddamn living room for you to come home."

Marceline hugged him tightly, trying to keep her own tears from falling. "I will, I promise."