Disclaimer: I don't own SOA. I mean I wish I did, but I'm sure Kurt Sutter wouldn't be willing to give it to me. For now, I will just have to be happy borrowing his wonderful creation for my own dirty, little mind games.

"What have I become

My sweetest friend

Everyone I know goes away

In the end

And you could have it all

My empire of dirt

I will let you down

I will make you hurt

If I could start again

A million miles away

I would keep myself

I would find a way"

-Johnny Cash "Hurt"

I know Cash wasn't the first artist to sing this song, but his rendition breaks my heart every time.

Every instinct in Madeline's body was screaming for her to run—get the fuck out of dodge and hope Kellin eventually gave up. Even the idea of being in the same city, sent shivers through her body. She could still vividly remember every time he had penetrated her body, with the knife and his body, and every time he pushed that power tool through her flesh so her legs couldn't hold her weight if she tried to run. She could still feel the swollen, blackened flesh stretched across her body and the words he harshly breathed in her ear. No one will ever want you now, you fucking whore.

She had finally stopped shaking. Hap had held her the entire time. She could feel a shift in how they responded to each other—he wanted to be there with her and help her, keep her safe. And she was starting to want him there. She felt okay as long as he was with her, despite how close Kellin had gotten to them in the last 24 hours. Looking into his eyes, she whispered, "Make me forget."

Hap pulled her face to his by both hands, and kissed her with a care she had never felt in any kiss she had ever shared. One hand braced itself on the back of her head while the other traveled down her back to hold her in place. Under the pressure of his hands, she laid back on the bed, opening her thighs so he could settle between them. They fit perfectly—every part of them. Hap thought maybe she was designed specifically for him.

Breaking the kiss, Hap looked into her eyes to see her reactions as he brushed his fingers under her waistband = and found her bundle of nerves tucked between her thighs. She gasped and her eyes rolled back as though she were dying in pleasure.

Happy licked her throat, nipping just under her ear. She was wet and ready for him. Pulling back, Madie groaned before they began undressing each other. Completely naked, he settled back between her legs and began nipping at her nipples, giving each very thorough attention. Madie was arching her back into him. She needed to feel him, so she slipped her hands between them and grasped his naked, hard cock. Hap damn near jump out of his skin at the contact. She was being very bold.

Hap shuttered a breath in her ear, "If you keep that up, this will be over way too soon."

Madie purred back at him, "Then fuck me now, killer."

Happy shook his head, "I've fucked you before and fucked you up. Today, I'm gonna take my time and watch you come. I need you to feel how serious I am about us."

With that last word, he thrust into her, sheathing himself completely inside of her. They both groaned; foreheads together and looking into each other's eyes. Neither had ever been with someone in this way. I felt so much more like making love than an afternoon fuck. Madie closed her eyes and gave herself over completely. Happy stayed close to her, his hand braced behind her neck, while the other folded entwined with her hand above her head on the pillow. They moved in perfect synchronization.

Happy and Madeline were both coated in a thick sheen of sweat and thrusting their hips together in a slow, but tantalizing motion. They were building to an unbelievably intense climax that had even Hap's toes curling. In one last thrust, Happy kissed her passionately and they fell over the edge together.

Happy collapsed on top of her—neither able to move as they came down from such a hard high. When Hap began to feel his body again, he shifted to his elbows to look Mads in the eye. The words he was searching for alluded him, so he just kissed her, pushing all of his feelings into her lips and tongue. She understood completely—no words were necessary.

Madie wasn't about to try to put a title on whatever was happening. Happy, however, felt the need to claim her. He didn't want anyone else getting their hands on her. He was going to push, and hope she eventually caved. "I know you're into getting together officially. I am." Madie jerked her head around to look at him, confusion branded on her face. "I know my reputation precedes me, but I can't stomach the thought of anyone else having you. Call me a greedy prick, but I want you."

"If you had done this the first time I let you in my pants, we wouldn't be at this impasse. I would have taken a crow to my body immediately. But I get it—I feel things with you that I have been trying to avoid for the last decade. I'm not saying we're official, but I won't fuck anyone else until I decide what I want."

Happy could live with that for now. He figured if he fucked her hard enough, she would come to her senses and see how he was changing—just for her.

Madeline was serious about finding her own place, despite the upset of Kellin getting far too close for comfort. She had drawn Happy into the shower with her to wash off the sweat from their activities. He had ended the shower by taking her hard against the tile wall. She damn near conceded to a damn relationship because of how hard he made her come. The man obviously knew how to work his junk perfectly.

They had finally exited the bathroom to get dressed an hour later when the water had run cold. Madie figure, if nothing else, she was getting satisfied like she hadn't in years.

Clay and the boys were not very happy she was going to move out of the clubhouse, but she was adamant that Happy would be with her at a times, and she wasn't going to let Kellin take her entire life away from her.

Madeline had worked her ass of as a lawyer in SC, and had saved like mad to amass her bank account. It was a very nice chunk of change. Between her salary and some very wise and very profitable investments, she didn't need to work, but figured the club would need her services at some point. She did, however, run a website where people paid her to give legal advice. She had the money and wanted to invest in a house, not pay someone else and absorbent amount of money to rent some shithole.

Hap and Madie had driven their bikes side-by-side to a house that Mads had had her eye on since she was 12 years old. She had heard from Gemma that it had gone up for sale. And Gemma would know since it was directly across the street from her and Clay's house. Perfect for Hap to watch her as well because it was a 10 minute drive from the clubhouse at speed limit—Hap could probably make it in 4 with the way he drove.

Parking in her parent's driveway, they walked to the house. It was a gorgeous craftsman style house with character and beautiful, unique features that drew the eye in many different directions. A 12 year old Madie loved the porch—nestled under trees with flowers surrounding, the porch wrapped around the front of the house with a section on the front, right side that looked like a gazebo that housed a porch swing. It was a perfect little piece of heaven. She could imagine rocking in a rocking chair on the huge porch on a mild September day, enjoying a glass of iced tea.

Madie had never seen much of the inside, just what she could sneak in passing when she used to visit the elderly couple that lived there. When she stepped through the doorway, she felt at home immediately. There were archways with original detailed woodwork all the way around. Even the doorways to each room had custom doors that were wide and arched at the top. The rooms themselves that been updated with fresh paint and the kitchen had a new, old feel. It had been obviously remodeled, but with a rustic feel.

Hap was never interested in stuff like houses and picket fences, but it was a nice house. He knew she like it before she said it. "This is it. This is the house I'm going to spend the rest of my, hopefully long, life in." She smiled and continued, "I gotta call the realtor. I'm doing this today."

2 hours later, she had keys in hand. She had to pay a lot of money to speed things up this rapidly, but she didn't care. Madeline Elizabeth Morrow was home.

AN: This was a bit of a fluffy chapter. The next one will be as well. Then we can get back to the grit!