A/N to follow. Enjoy::::

Chapter 17

"Alexis." Mom said, dragging my name out. I ignored her and hurried into the kitchen, hoping she'd follow me instead of going to look for Happy. I started measuring out coffee and ignoring the elephant in the room. Mom stayed right on my heels. "Is that Happy's bike in the driveway? I felt the exhaust, Alexis. It's too cold for him to have gotten here recently."

"Yeah, it's Happy's bike. Do you want some coffee?" I asked, refusing to give her anything else. She scowled at me so I just turned away and got two mugs out of the cabinet. "What happened to eight-thirty?"

"You know how security can be at the airport, Alexis. I don't want to miss our flight. I didn't know I'd be interrupting." She spat. I rolled my eyes and poured a generous amount of sugar into my usual mug. "I thought you two were going to take things slow."

"It's none of your business, Mom." I said under my breath as Happy walked into the kitchen. He was completely dressed, a benefit of him beating me to the house and taking a shower last night. I could tell that he was tired. "Hey, the coffee is almost done."

"Good." He grumbled, leaning back against the kitchen island and folding his arms across his chest. Mom looked him over but didn't say anything. Had it been any other Son, she may have tried to pull information out of him. It wasn't though. It was Happy. "Morning."

"Morning." She said, brow raised. I sighed and pulled the coffee pot off of the maker, pouring two very full mugs. I offered Mom coffee again but she turned it down. "I'm going to step out and have a smoke while you two figure out your story."

Happy waited until she was outside before he set his coffee down and groan. I laughed a little and kissed him on the cheek.

"Imagine her waking you up for seventeen years." I muttered. Happy pulled me into a hug and shook his head, finally resting his chin on top of my head. "I'm sleepy."

"You can sleep on the plane. I hope she knows I'm driving." I laughed and stepped away, eagerly grabbing my coffee and taking a big drink. "Lexie, I've seen both of you drive. It's terrifying."

"You're so dramatic. I'm an excellent driver." I pouted. He tried to hide his laugh behind a cough unsuccessfully. I shot him a bird and headed down the hallway. "You can deal with Mom. I'm going to go take a shower and get dressed."

My stomach felt uneasy and I tried to tell myself that it was just something I ate. It was a mix of heartburn and a little nausea that wouldn't go away. I made some toast for the road but even that didn't help. The closer we got to the airport, the worse it got. As if the ride wasn't awkward enough with no one really speaking, I was eating ant-acids like candy. Happy glanced over at me from the driver's seat a few times but didn't comment.

"Your glocks are in my checked bag, right?" I asked Happy as we unloaded the luggage. He nodded and put his hand on my lower back.

"Are you okay?" He asked quietly. I shrugged a single shoulder and gave him a half-hearted smile.

"Not really. I'll be fine though." I grabbed my bag and put it on my shoulder. Happy shook his head and took the bag from me. He then took the handle of Mom's suitcase. All that was left for Mom and I to carry were our purses.

"Thank you." Mom told Happy. He glanced over at her with a quick nod. "Let's get going so we can get through the security. I have a feeling one of us may be searched carefully."

"You get used to it." Happy said with a smirk. I laughed and the two of us fell into step behind Mom. She led us into the airport, we picked up our tickets and checked our bags, and then it was on to security. Sure enough, they pulled Happy aside and patted him down. He wasn't amused. "Need me to squat and cough?"

"Sir, this is just a random search. We want to make sure the flights are safe for everyone." The TSA agent said, picking up Happy's kutte that they had made him remove. The agent started checking the pockets and I saw Happy start to tense up. The agent emptied the inside pocket and Happy's fists clenched.

"Random my ass. That shit ain't going to make anyone unsafe." Happy said motioning towards the envelope that the agent had taken out of his kutte. I couldn't see what was in there but I could see the veins starting to pulse in Happy's neck.

"We have a flight today." Mom said with a scoff. The agent looked over at the two of us. We were standing a few feet away, both of us with our arms crossed over our chests and scowls on. I didn't want to admit that we probably looked pretty similar. The agent sighed and started putting things back in Happy's kutte.

"That's not where you got that from. Move." He said, walking to the table. The agent hesitated but then he stepped back from the table an motioned Happy on. After quickly restoring his kutte to it's original condition, Happy stepped back into his boots and walked out of the search area. "Let's go.."

"Have you flown before?" Mom asked Happy as we sat and waited to board the plane. He nodded but didn't say when or where he flew to. He stepped away, explaining that he needed to make a call. "He's talkative today."

"Mom, you've known Happy for years. He isn't the type to strike up a conversation." I said, leaning back in the chair. She shook her head and checked the time again.

"So what do you two do then? Hook up and then stare at each other?" Mom asked with a laugh. I rolled my eyes and looked over at Happy. I could tell he was either talking to his mom or his aunt by the way he was standing, one hand in his pocket and the arm holding his phone propped up against the wall. He was more relaxed than he would be if it was club business.

"We haven't hooked up since I met Hank, Mom." I didn't want to elaborate on our some-what relationship. She looked surprised and I couldn't help but take some joy from that. "Yeah, he's not just trying to get in my pants."

"So, he was who you were always sneaking off before you left for Duke." I blinked, shell shocked. "I was a teenager once to, Lexie. I always thought it was Opie that you were sneaking out with though. It's probably a good thing I didn't know it was Happy."

"Exactly how old were you and Dad when you got married?" I asked Mom, knowing it would shut her argument down. She smiled and patted my leg. The attendant called for us to start boarding the plane and I started feeling sick again. Mom squeezed my hand and gave me a reassuring smile. She knew what was bothering me, even before I did. It wouldn't be until after a long flight with a crying baby and a moody Happy that I would realize it was returning to Georgia to uproot my old life that had me feeling sick. I was sure about my decision, but that didn't make it any easier.

"Shit." I said with a groan as I pulled into what was Hank and I's home. The realty sign was out front in the yard and my mother-in-law's car was in front of the second garage bay. I told her when I would be getting into town, not to invite her over but to make sure she wasn't startled to see a rental car in the driveway. Happy was tense, scanning the area and keeping his hand close to his Glock concealed in his waistband. When the front door opened ahead of me unlocking it, I thought he was going to draw his gun on Martha.

"Alexis, I'm so glad you made it in okay. Your car is in the garage. Hank Sr picked it up from the airport so you wouldn't get charged for storage." Martha said, yanking me into a hug. I stepped back after the hug got awkward and introduced her to Mom and Happy. "Gemma, of course. It feels like ages since I met you at the wedding. You don't look like you have aged a day."

Mom and Martha probably couldn't be more polar opposite. Mom was a biker queen that was usually dressed in dark colors with some type of lace cutouts, studs or leather. Martha wore brightly colored floral prints and always looked ready for a Southern Living photo shoot. Her hair was a light blonde, almost gray color where Mom kept hers dark with chunky highlights. They had their similarities too though. Both of them loved their children and would do anything for them without hesitation. It was something I always respected Martha for, despite our differences.

"Thank you for looking after the house, Martha. I know it upset you when I put it on the market." I said, remembering how she'd cried and hung up on me when I told her. She took a deep breath and nodded slowly. She kept glancing over at Happy nervously as we walked inside the house. He probably noticed but he didn't comment on it. He just kept surveying his surroundings.

"I hope you don't mind but I went ahead and changed the sheets in your room and the guest room. I can make up the couch as well if you'd like." She was fishing, obviously. I hesitated and noticed Happy finally looking at Martha. I opened my mouth, only to close it again. Mom looked from Martha to me.

"Martha, I've got things from here. You've done so much already." Mom said with a polite smile. Martha's scowl slowly faded. Happy cracked his neck and glanced around the living room again. I saw him looking at the pictures on the mantel and realized that Mom may have been right about him being uncomfortable. He turned away from it and pointed towards the front door.

"I'm getting the luggage." He said to no one in particular. I watched him walk out of the front door. I bit my bottom lip and tried to decide if I should follow him or let him have a minute. Mom put her hand on my shoulder.

"Sweetheart, can you go get my purse? It's under the front seat and he may not see it." She said, motioning towards the door. Her purse was laying on the back seat where she'd been searching through it. I didn't argue though. That was her telling me to go follow Happy. He was standing at the back of the car, smoking a cigarette.

"Can I bum a smoke?" I asked, leaning back next to him. He pulled the pack from the front left pocket of your jeans and opened the top towards me. I pulled a cigarette from the center and placed it between my lips. Happy put the pack back in his pocket and then flicked his zippo lighter open for me. I leaned forward and lit the cigarette. My eyes were closed, enjoying my first cigarette of the journey, but I didn't miss the metal on metal sound of the lighter being flipped shut. I could recognize that noise easily, thanks to both Dad and Jax using zippo lighters religiously.

"That your husband's mother?" Happy asked. It wasn't like him to ask rhetorical questions, so I knew he was aggravated. I blew out a trail of smoke and nodded.

"She was." I didn't really know how to put it. She was still Hank's mother, that would never change. He wasn't my husband anymore though. The way he worded it made the question difficult to answer.

"Nice house." It should have been a compliment but his tone made it feel like I should be ashamed. I took a long drag from the cigarette, trying to figure out what he expected me to say. I wasn't going to apologize for the life or things I had shared with Hank. They were some of the best years of my life to that point. "Does you couch pull out?"

"Would you stop?" I said, flicking the cherry off my cigarette forcefully. He looked over at me and blew smoke upwards. "You're not sleeping on the damn couch, Happy. What do you want me to do? You knew I was coming to the home I shared with the man I was married to for years. Why did you even come if it was going to bother you this much?"

"I came because I knew you would be upset. I came because I didn't want you to be alone." He snapped, throwing his cigarette onto the driveway. I sighed and pushed my hair out of my face with both hands. "I thought if you came here alone you wouldn't come back."

"Happy. What do I have to do for you to believe that I'm not going anywhere? You shouldn't have put yourself through this if it was just going to piss you off." I said, tossing my cigarette and turning to him. He shook his head and cupped my cheek with his hand.

"Lexie, I'm not pissed off. I'm jealous of what he had with you." Happy snapped. His shoulders dropped and I felt like I was going to cry. It was the first time I had seen him that vulnerable in a very long time. He hated showing that side of himself, even with me.

"I can't apologize for the life we had, Happy. That doesn't have any affect on what we've had in the past or might have now." I laid my hands on the front of his kutte and sighed. "Thank you for coming with me."

"You don't have to thank me, Alexis." He said, all anger and frustration out of his voice. I offered him a small smile and he ran his thumb over my bottom lip. "Let's go before Gemma comes out here."

"Are you afraid of my mother?" I asked with a laugh as I opened the trunk. He nodded seriously.

"We all are." He informed me. I rolled my eyes and grabbed my bag as Happy got his and Mom's. He closed the trunk and put his free hand on my lower back, guiding me back into the house. Mom was in a very involved conversation about petunias when we came back inside. I knew she was just distracting Martha and I made a mental note to thank her for it later.

"Martha, I really appreciate you being here. We're exhausted from the flight though." I said, trying to be as polite as possible about kicking her out of what was still my house. She seemed a kitten taken back.

"Oh. Right, I'm sorry. I will call you tomorrow. We should all have dinner before you leave." She said, picking up her purse. I hesitated before nodding with a tight smile. Mom waited until Martha was in her car to comment.

"If I never hear about petunias again it will be too soon. Lexie, where is your guest bedroom? I need a shower before we eat." I motioned down the hall.

"Follow me." I said, leading her down the hall. Happy followed along with our bags in hand. I showed Mom the guest room with the attached bath. Happy handed her suitcase off and then stepped back in the hall. I suddenly realized that if Mom was staying in the guest room, that was going to leave Happy and I in the master bedroom. I regretted not putting a day bed in the office like Hank had suggested.

"What's bothering you?" Mom asked, opening her suitcase and pulling out toiletries. I swallowed the lump in my throat and shook my head. It didn't fool her but it did let her know I didn't want to talk about it. "I'll be ready in about an hour. Pick where you want to go eat. It will be my treat."

"Thanks, Mom." My voice was softer than I intended. I pulled the bedroom door closed as I left her to shower and get changed. I found Happy back in the living room, staring at pictures on the mantle. Both of his hands were shoved in his front pockets. He reminded me of a little kid that wasn't allowed to touch anything.

"When Jax found out you were getting married he drank for two days straight. He said he wasn't ready to lose his little sister." Happy said, looking over at me. I remembered getting a call from a very intoxicated Jax telling me just that about a week after Hank and I got engaged. He told me that he wanted me to come home and that he wouldn't come to the wedding. He said I was his little sister, not somebody's wife. Jax eventually sobered up and apologized but I still feared he wouldn't come to the wedding until I actually saw him that morning. He walked me down the aisle. It was the picture Happy was looking at.

"Hank was terrified of Jax but he did his best to never show it." I said, smiling at the memories. Happy nodded and turned away from the mantle. "Are you afraid of him to?"

"Nah, just your Mom." Happy said with a smirk. I laughed but it fell short. I was still uneasy about the sleeping arrangements. He must have picked up on it. "I don't care to sleep on the couch, Alexis."

"I was just thinking that I might." I admitted. He shook his head and pushed my hair out of my face. I looked up from the hardwood floor and saw his eyes were that warm chocolate brown that I so seldom got to see. I felt tears start to build up in my eyes until he leaned down and pressed his lips onto mine. I let myself get lost in the kiss, letting go of every other feeling and emotion that had been swirling around inside of me. I deepened the kiss, savoring the taste of smoke and mint. I pulled back after feeling my entire body heating up.

"If you sleep on the couch then I will to." Happy whispered. I gave him a peck on the cheek and shook my head while I took his hand, just enjoying the feel of our fingers intertwined. I knew I could get through packing things up and saying goodbye to the house and Georgia because of both his and my mother's support. I wasn't sure how I was ever going to be able to thank them enough for putting their lives on hold and traveling across the country with me.

"Do you like Thai food?" I asked, breaking the silence after a few minutes. He gave me a suspicious look, like I was trying to trick him. I laughed. "Happy, it's like Chinese food but better. You can get it super spicy."

"If it's not good, I'm blaming you." He muttered as Mom walked into the living room. I wasn't even aware that she'd had enough time to shower and get ready, yet there she was. She was fully dressed, her hair was done and her makeup looked professional. I stood up from the couch, slowly releasing Happy's hand, and announced where we would be going for dinner. It was my favorite restaurant and Hank had never liked Thai food so I thought it was safe from any memories and I could probably force myself to eat something since it tasted so good.

After dinner, which Happy devoured and Mom enjoyed, we headed back to get some sleep before a long day of sorting and packing. I had managed to eat enough to satisfy the hunger pain in my stomach and keep Mom from worrying but I still didn't have much of an appetite. I didn't speak much at dinner or during the car ride back but neither of them pushed me on it. When we got back to the house, I pulled the SUV in the garage next to my car. I was glad to see that Hailey had taken Hank's car like I'd told her to. She always loved his Camaro.

"Goodnight, Mom." I said when she told me she was going right to bed. She said it was because she didn't have the energy of someone my age, but I had a feeling she was giving some of us privacy as well. "Are you tired?"

"Lexie, I can sleep on the couch. I get it." He said, leaning against the kitchen counter. I sighed and bit my lip. It was hard, thinking about someone else being in the bed that Hank and I had shared. I knew he was gone and that it was just a piece of furniture, but it was still hard.

"I haven't slept in there since the funeral. I either slept on the couch or in the guest room." I said quietly. I took a deep breath and looked up to see Happy looking at me with a small frown. "We've got a long couple days of packing ahead. Let's go to bed."

He could probably feel me shaking as I took his hand and led him down the hall. As we got closer to the bedroom, I slowed down. Happy slowed as well, not pushing me in the slightest. I opened the bedroom door and stood in the hall for a minute, just looking inside the room I had avoided the last time I was in Atlanta. After being unable to stay in there the first night back, I didn't go in the room again. All of my clothes were in the office closet. I closed my eyes and walked inside. There was no lightning strike coming down through the ceiling, no quaking earth beneath my feet. All of the anxiety that had built up inside of me washed away.

"You okay?" Happy asked from the hall. I nodded and turned back toward him with a smile.

"I'm good. Come on. I'm sleepy." I said, stripping out of my jeans. Happy walked inside the room. Instead of looking around and surveying the room, he kept his eyes on me alone. He set our bags down at the foot of the bed and I saw his chest rise and fall with a deep breath. I unzipped my bag and slipped a SOA t-shirt over my head. It was oversized and soft, exactly the kind of shirt I liked to sleep in. Happy slowly stripped down to his boxers and joined me in the bed. I turned over onto my side and let him wrap an arm around my waist. It took me a little while to fall asleep since it wasn't my usual side of the bed, but when I finally did, I slept surprisingly well. I realized that maybe I was finally ready to move on.

a/n: So, what did you think? I thank you all for the reviews. I'm working on the next chapter and look forward to Haxlie's progression as a couple. I'm still trying to work out an idea on how to add in some more Jax/Tara going forward. Anywho, please review :) each review I get means so much to me and I enjoy hearing from you all.