AN: Sorry this chapter took a bit longer than the others, but I try to wait until Tuesday before I start. ;) Fresh inspiration! I hope you guys like this one.
The ride back to Tacoma was a relatively easy ride. Harlie was exhausted by the time they finally made it back to Kozik's house. The two of them decided it would be a good night to just hang out around the house. "Okay, c'mon.. Let me fix this place up." Harlie pleaded, grabbing Kozik a beer from the fridge.
"It ain't gonna end up pink with flowery shit everywhere, is it?" Koz asked, popping the cap off the beer. He tossed it into the trash.
"Honestly? Pink? Flowers?" Harlie raised an eyebrow. "I'm not like your last ex-wife."
Kozik took a long sip of his beer. "Let's not bring that gash up."
She laughed to herself, kissing his cheek. "So, what's for dinner?"
"Pizza?" Kozik grinned.
"Lazy." She rolled her eyes, taking a seat on the couch. She grabbed the remote off the coffee table, finally settling on some stupid, cheesy Lifetime movie.
"You've gotta be kidding me." Kozik threw his arms up in the air, grabbing the remote. "No fucking way."
"Oh, c'mon!" Harlie pouted playfully. "It was just getting good.' She said sarcastically fine. "Fine, what do you wanna watch?"
"I know what we could watch.." Kozik smirked.
"Jesus Christ, Koz.." She placed her feet up in his lap. "We've been home for thirty minutes and you're already thinking about porn."
"Hey, hey.. Don't hate my amazing collection of girl-on-girl." Kozik grinned, resting his hand on her knee.
Harlie rolled her eyes. "Pick something. That's not porn. I remember the one night I spent with Tig. I'm scarred for life." She shuddered, shaking her head.
"Fine, fine." Kozik sighed, taking a sip of his beer.
"While you order pizza, I'm gonna get a shower and change. I smell like cigarette smoke and stale beer." Harlie stood up, stretching her arms and legs.
"You sayin' I stink?" Kozik crossed his arms.
"No, not always." She grinned, sticking her tongue out.
"Well, someone's not getting laid tonight." Kozik propped his boots up on the coffee table.
"Hey, you're gonna get grease all over that!" Harlie shoved his feet down.
"What the hell?" Kozik looked up at her in disbelief. "It's my fucking table."
"Someone's territorial. At least take your boots off, please." Harlie sighed, walking down the hall to the bathroom. She unzipped her boots, pulling them off her aching feet. Every bone in her body ached. She hadn't been on a ride that long in about four years.
She slid out of the rest of her clothes, wrapping a towel around her body as she turned on the hot water. She laid the towel on the counter stepped inside. She sighed in relief as she felt the hot water hit her sore muscles.
She heard a knock on the door before Kozik walked inside. "Mind if I get in?" He grinned.
Harlie blushed lightly, combing shampoo through her hair with her fingers. "Sure."
Kozik stripped down quickly, hanging his cut on the door knob. He slid into her shower behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. He kissed the tattoo on her shoulders before she started to wash the sweet-smelling shampoo from her hair. "I've always loved the way your hair smelled."
"It's called shampoo. You'd know if you used it." Harlie grinned, turning to face him.
"You think you're funny, don't ya?" Kozik smirked, pushing her up against the wall.
"Maybe." Harlie grinned, water dripping down her body.
Kozik kissed her deeply, holding her wrists in one hand up above her head. He placed his free on her thigh, bringing it up around his waist.
Harlie slowly pulled away from his lips, giggling. "Really, the shower?"
"You never had sex in the shower?" Kozik chuckled, letting her wrists go.
"Not yet.." Harlie blushed, wrapping her arms around his neck. She kissed his slowly, arching her back against his chest.
Harlie was lying in bed beside a sleeping Kozik. She rolled over onto her side, glancing at the clock. It was 2:30 and she couldn't sleep at all. They had gone from the shower and finally to his bed. She felt an overwhelming wave of guilt wash over her as she sat up. She felt his hand touch her wrist.
"Why you still awake?" Kozik asked quietly, sleep still in his voice.
"Just getting some water, baby.." She leaned down, pressing her lips to his.
"Alright." He gave her a small smile before rolling back over.
Harlie grabbed her phone off the nightstand, closing the door behind her as she left the room. She sat down at the table, looking through her contacts. She stopped on Happy's name, her finger hesitating over the send button. She took a deep breath before pushing her thumb down on the small green send button.
"Hello?" Happy answered gruffly, loud music in the background.
"Hey.." Harlie said quietly, surprised that he even answered the phone.
"What do you want?" He scoffed.
"Just wanted to talk." She frowned, tears pooling up in her eyes.
"Talk." Harlie could hear the shrug in his voice along with him taking a long drag off a cigarette.
"Where are you?" She asked, tapping the tips of her fingers on the table.
"Portland, doll." He sighed.
"I'm sorry.." She whispered, biting her lip.
"For what?" Happy asked, the music in the background getting quieter and quieter.
"Everything. What happened with Kozik, my dad-" She started, but was cut off by Happy.
"Shit happens.." Happy shrugged.
"Let me talk to my dad.." Harlie said. "Please.."
"Harlie.." Happy sighed. "Listen, I gotta go. I'll let you know next time I'm in Tacoma."
Harlie felt her stomach drop when she heard the line go dead. She held her in hands, sobbing quietly. She realized in that moment this wasn't the life she wanted. It was the life her father tried to keep her from. Getting used then thrown to the side. Getting caught up in the business of the club. The reason he always tried to keep her at an arm's length finally hit her.
She swallowed the lump in her throat, getting herself a glass of water from the sink. She took a long sip before picking up her phone again. She dialed Aimee's number, praying she would answer.
"Hello?" Aimee answered sleepily, yawning.
"Hey, Aims.." Harlie sat the glass down on the counter, sitting back down at the table.
"Harlie? Baby is everything alright?" She asked, sitting up in bed.
"Mind if I come over?" She asked, biting on her thumb nail.
"Don't you have school tomorrow, sweetheart?" Aimee asked, frowning.
"I can't sleep.." Harlie ran a hand through her hair,
"I'll see you in about ten minutes, alright?" Aimee sighed, pulling her housecoat over her shoulders.
"Okay.." Harlie hung up, grabbed her keys off the coffee table, and walked out the door.
"Who's calling you this late?" Glenn grunted, walking into the kitchen behind his wife. When she was awake, so was everyone else.
"Harlie." Aimee sighed, taking a drag off her cigarette.
"What's that kid doing up this late?" He asked, grabbing a beer out of the fridge.
"What do you think you're doing?" She snatched the beer from his hand, placing it back in the fridge. "It's three in the morning!"
"So?" Glenn rolled his eyes.
"Go back to bed, honey." Aimee frowned. "You don't have to be up too."
"Well, fine.." Glenn chuckled. "Girl time. I understand. I don't wanna hear conversations about doing each other's hair and nails anyway."
"Really funny." Aimee said sarcastically. "Grumpy old man."
"I heard that!" He shouted, walking back down the hall to their bedroom.
Harlie pulled up about five minutes later, her eyes red and swollen from crying. She walked in the house to see Aimee sitting on the couch. "Hey." She said gently.
"Come sit down." Aimee smiled, making some room for Harlie on the couch.
"Thank you for letting me come over." Harlie said, taking a seat beside Aimee. She put her feet up on the coffee table.
"No problem, baby." Aimee took a sip of her coffee. "Wanna tell me what's got you so torn up?"
Harlie shrugged. "Shit that happened over the weekend."
"Like what?" Aimee raised an eyebrow. She already knew because Glenn had told her earlier, but she needed to hear it from Harlie.
"Kozik found about what happened with Happy.. They got into a fight." She frowned. "They were both pretty beat up by the time it was over. My dad banned Hap from ever being patched into SAMCRO again or even returning to Charming.." She rubbed her arm gently.
"Is that it?" Aimee searched the girl's face for answer.
"I just.." Harlie started. "I don't feel like I'm in the right place anymore. This isn't the life I wanted."
"Life as Old Lady isn't easy." Aimee placed her coffee cup down on the table, rubbing Harlie's back.
"Whose Old Lady am I!" She sighed. "I'm not Happy's, I never was nor will I ever be. I'm sure as hell not Koz's either."
"That's a choice you have to make, but always remember Happy's never gonna change. Neither will Kozik, but he'll always take care of you." Aimee touched Harlie's hand gently.
"I know.." Harlie said, looking down at her feet.
"You've been living your life around all these men for too long. You need to be happy." Aimee pointed out.
"To be honest, I don't know how." Harlie confessed.
"You just have to let yourself. Yeah, these guys might be a hell of a lot different from the others out there, but never forget.. They're just men." Aimee laughed softly, bringing a small smile to Harlie's face. "Now, where do you want to be? Chasing Happy or here with Kozik?"
"I dunno.." Harlie's smile faltered. "I just.. Want a break."
"Then take one." Aimee replied, taking the last sip of her coffee. "Tell Kozik you're not ready for anything.."
"I think he knows." She bit her lip.
"Are you sure?" Aimee asked, putting her cigarette out.
"Not really.." Harlie sighed, glancing out the window. "But, ever since I got up here the feelings I had for Kozik started to change. I care about him, a lot. It's different than what I had with Hap."
"What you had with Hap was lust, not love." Aimee ran her thumb across Harlie's cheek gently. "I think everything will fall into place. Just give it time." She looked up at the clock. "Sweetie, it's almost three thirty, you need to get in the bed."
"Alright.." She grabbed for her keys, but Aimee was faster.
"You can sleep in the guest room." Aimee smiled.
"Koz doesn't know I'm gone.." She frowned.
"I'll take care of it, now go." Aimee rushed Harlie down the hall. "You know where everything is if you need it."
"But, what about clothes?" Harlie asked.
"I'll pick you some up in the morning." Aimee kissed her cheek gently. "Now, sleep. Or I'll your phone." She laughed, closing the door behind her.
Harlie slid out of her jeans and pulled her bra from under her tank top, tossing them both to the floor. She laid down, pulling the comforter up to her waist and closed her eyes. She barely had the chance to think before she fell asleep.
Kozik woke up the next morning, frowning when he didn't see Harlie asleep beside him. He remembered waking up in the middle of the night and her going to the kitchen. He sat up, pulling a pair of sweat pants off of the laundry basket beside the bed. He heard a noise coming from the living room. "Harlie?" He walked into the kitchen.
He was surprised when he saw Aimee standing into the living room with a bag full of Harlie's clothes. "Morning." She said, giving him a small smile.
"Where's Harlie?" He asked, leaning back against the counter to light a cigarette.
"My house. She came over and we talked for a long time." Aimee walked into the kitchen, getting herself a glass of water.
"Why? Is she alright?" His voice was laced with concern.
"She's fine." Aimee sighed. "Just take it a little slow, alright? She's still not over everything that's happened. She just needs time."
Kozik nodded, sighing. "I feel like I can't help her."
"We all feel that way, but you're helping her more than you think." Aimee leaned against the counter beside him. "She's healing."
Kozik frowned, agreeing silently.
Aimee touched his shoulder. "She really cares about you, Koz. You've done so much for her."
"I just saw everything that was happening. I knew this shit would Happy wouldn't end well." He sighed.
"Anyone could've told you that." Aimee laughed gently. "She's wise beyond her years, but she's still learning."
"She's just a kid.." Kozik flicked his ashes into the sink. "She's gone through so much.."
"More than most girls have, but she'll make it." Aimee took one last sip of her water. "I'm letting her sleep in today. She was up late."
"Good. We were up late." Kozik chuckled.
"I don't even wanna know.." Aimee shook her head. "I'm gonna get her to help me some today after she gets outta school. I think letting her take over in the office might help her take her mind off of it."
"Good idea." Kozik nodded, putting his cigarette out in the closest ash tray.
"Just keep what I said in mind, alright?" Aimee said, grabbing the bag of Harlie's clothes off the couch before walking out the door.
Kozik watched Aimee pull out of the driveway, her words swimming through his mind. He knew what she said was right. Everything she said had been the truth.
That evening Kozik was sitting outside the clubhouse waiting on Harlie to lock up the office. He took a long drag off his cigarette, looking up down at the chipped wooden picnic table.
"Hey." He looked up when he heard Harlie's soft voice from behind him, her small on his shoulder.
"Hey." He looked up at her, grinning. He wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her close.
Harlie blushed, looking up at him. "Ready to go home?"
"Yeah." Kozik leaned down, kissing her lips gently. "Takeout?"
"Sounds good." Harlie laughed, sliding her hand into his. "Meet you at the house?"
"You got it, babe." He walked with her over to his bike, placing his helmet on his head. He kissed her lips against before he pulled out of the parking lot.
Harlie watched him go, her cheeks flushed bright pink. Despite everything she'd been through, she was surprised there was a guy who could still give her butterflies. Everything would work out fine, she told herself. It would be alright.