All of the original SOA characters belong to Kurt Sutter, and I make mo money off this story. I only own the characters I created, Esther, Everett and Jack, and Adara Munson, tough I tweaked her background story a little bit, was created and is owned by Nixie De Angel.

Oh, I know I messed up the name if Simply Red's singer. It's because Happy just doesn't give a damn.. I own none of the music mentioned.

At the first red light, Adara extends a hand towards him from her father's bike, she has a smile on her face. That girl was always like a little sister to him, he musters a smile, takes the hand and leans sideways to kiss her knuckles, her lips move to form a sentence he can't hear over the loud rumble of their bikes. "I'm glad you're coming home, Hap. I missed you."

He nods, lets Bobby cut in front of him before he goes again, he falls behind the pack with Montez, Domino and Jax, who blows a kiss to his old lady as she passes them, where everyone branches off towards Nevada, he goes towards Los Angeles, Jax, Montez and Domino in tow. Their only stop is for gas, and he's made clear he wouldn't walk in the diner and get food, he was on a fucking mission. And he would not wait on them. They'd get something to eat once they got in the LA area.

They stopped at a diner off the highway as they got close, he wasn't hungry, but the guys had nothing to eat since breakfast. So he sat on his bike and chain smoked while they went to eat inside, took a few minutes to fill everyone's tanks, before looking up Gardena on Google maps, after connecting to the WiFi. By the time the guys paid for their food and came out, he knew where she lived.

A few minutes away from her house, he got Montez and Domino to take off, find a place to sleep, Jax tagged along to head to Daphne Street. Ben was sitting in an unmarked van a few houses down, himself couldn't help but slow down when he saw the house. Attached garage, garbage on wheels neatly rowed between the garage door and the main door, beige screen door, neatly trimmed bushes, colorful flowers, well lit, white house with blue shutters and clapboard trimmings. In the driveway, a beat-up Honda Civic and a newer but still used Accord, both dark colored. She still drove her Honda.

-Hey, what's cracking, guys?
-She in there?
-Hm.

Ben looked at the dashboard, he was eating a sandwich, and listening to some country music, his seat bent back, he had one bare foot against the heater vent, elbow on his knee. It was going on eight thirty.

-She's about to take off for work. He got in about three hours ago. She has to be at the bar by nine.
-Thanks, Ben.
-Take my bike? I'm gonna tail her.

Jax's face read as a big, fat "No.", but his own helmet was already off, and Ben was already putting bis boots back on, he'd been sitting in this van for weeks, he would not say no. Jax cussed, parked his bike behind the van and hopped in with him, as Ben left on Happy's bike.

-That's a bad idea, brother.
-Why do you think I wanted Tig and Rat?
-Shit...

As Ben has predicted, it wasn't very long that she came out of the house, wearing heels, skinny jeans and a patriotic tank top, a big dark purse hanging from her elbow, keys in hand and her hair in a messy bun, she unlocked her car, it struggled to give a start, but gave in to her, and she pulled back sharply, heading south towards 141st street. He started tailing her all the way to a bar, it looked semi-popular and successful, a sign on the sidewalk announced wing night, and the marquee promoted Karaoke Night with Esther Fridays, Twofer Saturdays and a pool tournament on Sunday afternoon. She went to park in the back, himself pulled a little down the street after making a u-turn, and watched her walk from the back and into the bar, her hair was now down.

Half an hour was enough of a wait for him, Jax followed suit to walk up to the bar and come in. His ears were assaulted by a terrible rendition of Bed of Roses, the accompaniment was live, a drum, a guitar and a bass, she was playing chorist until the poor sucker got off the stage. Himself and Jax sat down at the bar and ordered beer, as she took the microphone, thanking the poor sucker. She sung Amanda Marshall, the bass man and guitar singing her backups. The crowd was a lot more into her than into karaoke. But each time someone wanted to karaoke, she would step back, and try to carry them as much as she could.

The beer felt good in his mouth. Refreshing. His first beer in nine years. She didn't have her tongue piercing anymore, for what he could tell. Nor did she wear her nose one, just her eyebrow one. With the light and her makeup, her eyes looked so pale they looked gray, stretching on white, a little bit. Silvery. And she still had a good set of pipes on her. And her band was ok. Drummer was excellent, bass was ok, guitar had to be a recent addition, he wasn't on point. Still got people on their feet and dancing.

He still had to get a hold of himself when someone came up to the stage saying it was their birthday. All her sex appeal got put into her birthday routine she had perfected when she worked the stripper scene. Pony by Ginuwine. She still had toned it down because this bar wasn't a stripper club, she didn't tear her shirt in half, or let the guy touch her, but she still got upside down to shake her gash at his head. Whoever that guy was wouldn't live to see the next sunrise.

After taking care of that guy in the alley and tossing him in the dumpster, he got back in for a second beer, and her singing Easy Lover with her best friend Kary. Kary who was now a redhead, but still rocked a bigger set of pipes than his ex. What was that bitch doing here?

Playing the guitar. Since when did Kary play lead guitar? And she played a lot better than the other sucker who had been struggling through the evening so far.

He knew for sure that she hadn't changed that much when she turned up her bluesy side to sing a Frank Zappa song, her favorite, Kosmik Debris. It was the only thing her father had left her when he left her mother, an overly scratched vinyl with only that song still playable on it. The pout on her lip is desirable, she knows how to play her best features, that bitch. And fuck Kary who's good with her guitar. He hated having to give that gash of all people some credit for her talent.

After a guy destroyed Wild World from Cat Stevens, he knew Jax had to get him out of there, when he heard the first measures of Stars. Definitely not ready for that. She always lowered her register to sing it, taking sexy morning voice, no thanks.

Back in the truck, he drove back to her house. Front door was locked, lights were out. Jax followed him to the back, door locked also, he reached for Jax's knife to pop the lock, the metal screen door was locked, but not the inside wooden door.

Ok, so that's what you get for tonight! If you want to read more, you better put a review, because right now, it may not be much, but I have just written the most amazing, nice and juicy chapter, and I am dying to post it. But if you want to read it, haha! You better review, because that is going to be chapter 5! :D :D