Thank you for reading this! Sorry it's taken so long to post.

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Tara let a giggle as she stared Tig down across their makeshift table. The guys had started a game of poker and she's asked to join. The men agreed knowing she's need the distraction. Tig shook his head at the strong jawed little girl. She looked just like her Momma.

"I call." Tara stated with a playful grin. Piney turned their last card over and her smile grew. Tig could help but chuckle. Girl didn't know how to bluff.

"Check" Tig let out sternly.

"Raise" Tara said sliding out half her peanuts.

"Fold" Tig said.

Tara smiled and started scooping the peanuts into her house pile. The sliding glass doors opened and two blonde headed boys wondered in.

"Tara!" Thomas called.

"Tommy! Jax!" Tara jumped up and barreled into the boys sides wrapping her arms around them.

The guys laughed and Tig grabbed Tara's cards that U.S. Been left on the table. Nothing... That little girl had nothing. She'd bluffed him. Bobby tilted his head over and looked at her cards.

"She's smarter then she looks man."

The guys couldn't help but laugh at Tig's crestfallen expression.

Gemma stood in front of Tara.

"Hey baby." She said softly holding her arms out to the girl that had begun to grow like a weed. Tara wrapped her arms around her and for the second time that day tears began to fall from her eyes.

"It'll be okay baby. We're here for you."

Tara never said a word just held on to Gemma as tightly as her little arms could. They stood like that for what seemed like ages.

"Hey... Ma. You can't hog Tara." Jax said elbowing his way between the two. And throwing his arm over Tara's shoulder.

"We brought your favorite sandwich from Boogie's." He said dragging her away to the bags that had been set on one of the chairs.

"Hey..." Jax whispered in Tara's ear. "I'll always be here for you." He kissed her forehead and released her so he pulls grab their food.

They'd snuck off. Tara and Jax. To some supply closet down the hall. They sat with their backs against the door and their food by their feet. Mostly untouched.

"You know..." Jax said with a grin. "The last time we were in a closet together-

"Shut up Jackson!" Tara spat hitting him in his shoulder with her arm.

"Owe..." Jax said rubbing at his arm.

"That did not hurt!" Tara stated rolling her eyes.

"I'm placating you."

"Wow Teller, I didn't realize you knew such a big word."

"Haha... Not everyone can be as smart as know-it-all Knowles." He said swiping the pickle of her plate and taking a bite.

"Hey! That's mine!" Tara spat reaching for her pickle back.

"Says the girl who hasn't touched her sandwich. I'll give it back if you actually eat something."

"Watch me." Tara spat grabbing the pickle that was on Jax's plate and taking a large bite. They are in relative silence for a while till they heard a knock on the door.

"Thanks for ditching me guys." Thomas said through the door. "Open up."

Tara laughed as they slid out of the way and opened up the door.

"How is it you always seem to know where we are without even looking?" Tara asked smiling.

Thomas shrugged "I just know... It's like my sixth sense."

Jax let out a laugh "he's a freaking ninja babe. He could find us anywhere."

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Tara sat quietly with her legs crossed under her. She was hiding in the coat closet at the funeral home. The shell of her mother in that coffin made her nauseous. That was not her complexion. Not the fullness of her finger that she'd run through Tara's hair. That quietness that stillness wasn't her mother. Her mother radiated energy. She just couldn't do it anymore. She tucked her head into her knees and willed herself somewhere else. She looked up when she heard the door opening fearful it was someone to drag her back to that coffin.

"Tara?" Came Thomas's soft voice. "Hey." He said sitting text to her and wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "Whatcha thinking about?"

"Wanting to be anywhere else in the world right now."

"Well... There's supposed to be like the best beach in the US in Hawaii. White sand blue clear water. You can see the fish swimming by."

"That would be cool." Tara said with a soft smile.

"Right? I could burry everything but your head in the sand. Wait for crabs to get you"

Tara giggle "or I could hurry you in the sand and right before high tide. See how long you could hold your breath."

"That's evil."

"You know I'd save you."

"Please... Teller's do not need saving."

"Oh yeah?" Said Tara giving Thomas a stern look.

"I heard your dad tell your mom she saved him."

"He was being nice."

"Nope." Tara said sternly "her love saved him. And besides I'm no damsel in distress. I can save myself"

"That I don't doubt. But isn't it nice to know you don't have too?"