ANA's POV
"I thought you were supposed to be some great outlaw, Happy. My grouping is at least twenty percent tighter than yours." I dropped the empty magazine out of the new gun I had purchased on the way out to the range and smiled. Happy shook his head and pointed down range.
"Your grouping might be tighter but I'm still closer to target, brat. Let me shoot that." He handed me his precious Glock and started loading a magazine for my Magnum Research Baby Desert Eagle. It was by far the most pleasing handgun I'd ever shot. Happy fired off ten rounds in rapid succession before dropping the magazine. He turned the gun over in his hands and nodded.
"It's great isn't it? You can't tell me this Glock shoots any better than that gun. Your grouping actually got better with it." I pointed at the target as he hit the button for it to come back down the track.
"It's pretty nice. You can always hit somebody with it if you run out of rounds. Damn thing is a bludgeoning weapon." Happy smiled and put it back down on the table before taking his Glock back. I pulled the target off the hanger and folded it up with a smile.
"Thank you for this, Happy. I guess I needed it more than I thought." I secured my gun case in my saddle bag and smiled over at him. He nodded and buckled his bag closed. It was days like this, just hanging out at the range with no real worries that I missed the most. It was something that Brianna and I did at least twice a month.
"You don't have to thank me, Ana. You matter to me." He put his sunglasses and helmet on as I did the same.
"Love you to, Hap." I said with a laugh as he flipped me a leather gloved middle finger. He was like the brother I never had and regardless of what gossip was going around the clubhouse; I knew we both felt the same way.
I started my bike and smiled as the motor vibrated steadily. If you didn't know it already, looking at or even riding the bike, you would never imagine it had been totaled. I let Happy take the lead as we headed back into town. We were about ten miles out when I noticed something just didn't feel right about the car behind me. I sped up and rode alongside Happy. He looked in his mirror and then over at me, gesturing to pick up the speed.
I opened the throttle all the way and sped out in front of Happy. He sped up as well, but I could see him hanging back and switching from one side of the lane to the other. The car behind us was obviously getting agitated and started growing closer and closer to Happy's back tire. I knew he would be pissed at what I was about to do, but if I didn't do something they were going to wreck him on purpose.
Without hesitation, I grabbed my new handgun out of the holster behind my back and flipped the safety off. I waited until Happy was on the opposite side of the lane and braked hard while firing at the car's front tires. At least one round found its mark and the car spun around and only just avoided rolling over. Happy pulled up to where I had stopped and shook his head with a glare.
"Do you want to stay and see who they are or get back home?" I asked, gesturing at the wrecked car in the middle of the highway. Happy glanced back and nodded. We rode a little closer to the car and stopped, making sure to leave the bikes close in case something went south.
"Get out. Slowly." Happy growled as he yanked the driver's door open. I searched the rest of the car, but the guy was alone. I approached him at an angle and kept my finger just outside of the trigger guard, prepared to shoot the man at the slightest implication he made to hurt Happy or I.
"Why are you following us?" I snapped, training my sights to the man's chest. The man smiled and spit some blood at me. Happy drove the bottom of his gun into the guy's collarbone sharply. He buckled down to his knees and laughed.
"Stupid bitch. Go ahead and kill me, he'll just send somebody else and one day when you aren't expecting it, you and that kid of yours." The guy traced his finger across his throat and I shot him in the shoulder. Happy rubbed his ear and jumped back.
"Damn!" He yelled, trying to shake the ringing out of his ears. I was too pissed off to even notice the damage I had just caused to my hearing. It was one thing to threaten me, but no one threatens my daughter. I watched as Happy pulled out his phone and kicked the guy down to his stomach. The bullet wound in his shoulder seemed to put a damper on his sense of humor.
"As soon as the van gets here, I want you to get back to the clubhouse. Ride beside Chibs, no leading or following." Happy slammed his boot down on the man's back to keep him down. It was unnecessary, but the more pain the asshole was in, the better in my opinion. Moments later, the black van that the Sons used whenever they needed a cage and Chibs rode up to us.
"Go, Ana." Happy nodded towards the bikes as a couple of prospects hopped out of the van to get the guy off the road. Happy refused to let him up until I was on my bike and riding towards Charming beside Chibs. Something about the man threatening Harper kicked my maternal instincts into high gear and I got back to the lot as quickly as my Sportster would go. Chibs' Dyna struggled to keep up, considering the greater weight of both the rider and the bike.
"Ana, are you okay?" Tara handed Harper off to me and looked me over for any wounds. I nodded as I held my daughter against my chest, she was sleeping peacefully and was oblivious to the frenzy I was in. Tara rubbed her hand over my back to try and comfort me.
"I need Opie, Tara. There was a guy tailing us and he threatened both of us. Why would someone threaten a baby? She's innocent." I kissed Harper's tiny forehead and couldn't help but smile as she curled up against my chest. Tara bit her bottom lip and shook her head slowly. She knew there was nothing she could really say to help me.
"They're almost out, sweetie. In the mean time, you know they aren't going to let anything happen to either one of you. Happy will stand guard day in and day out before anyone even breathes on you or Harper." Tara gave me a weak smile and wiggled Harper's socked foot. She kicked Tara's hand away and I couldn't help but laugh and relax a little.
"Ana, ya got a minute?" Chibs asked as he walked inside and slid his phone back in the pocket of his jeans. I nodded and followed him into the chapel with Harper in my arms. I wasn't ready to let her out of my sight just yet. Chibs sat down at the head of the table and swallowed hard as he looked at the sleeping baby.
"Happy's findin' out who it is tha's behind what happened, Ana. We aren't about ta let anything happen to ya or tha little one. I promise ya, darlin." Chibs reached out and held my hand with a reassuring nod. I forced a half smile and nodded.
"Promise me that no matter what happens, Harper is always safe. She's the priority, Chibs." He frowned a little before nodding slowly.
"Aye, I promise ya. Nothin is going ta happen ta either of ya. I'm callin' some Tacoma guys down until our club is whole again." I let out sigh and nodded, feeling relieved to know that there would be more protection for Harper. She started stirring in my arms and looked up at me with sleepy eyes. I kissed her nose gently before shifting her over to my other arm.
"I love you, Fillip. Even after everything we put each other through. You're still family. Take care of yourself, okay?" I knew I didn't have to explain my feelings to him. We both knew that things could have been handled better, but it wasn't meant to be in the first place.
"Aye, I always do, Ana. It feels good to see ya happy, darlin. I'll always be here for ya." Chibs kissed me on the cheek and nodded before exiting the chapel and leaving Harper and I alone at the table. I looked over at the seat where I knew Opie to always sit and felt a sadness wash over me.
"You don't even know to miss your Daddy, do you baby girl?" She blinked as if to confirm that she didn't understand. I almost envied her lack of understanding. I moved over to Opie's chair and rocked Harper in my arms, thinking about how things would be once he got home.
TARA's POV
"They're asleep, Happy." I walked up and put my hand on his shoulder, pointing through the doors to where Ana and Harper were sleeping in Opie's seat. He glanced down at me before walking towards into the chapel as silently as possible. I watched as he looked down at the pair and frowned. There was an unusual softness to his expression.
"Can you come get the kid? I'm taking Ana to bed." Happy looked over at me expectantly. I nodded, knowing it would be better for both of them to be in a bed instead of a unstable chair. Ana moaned a little as I carefully pulled Harper into my arms. She stirred quietly and looked up at me.
"I'm going to give her a bottle. Do you need help with her?" I paused in the doorway and watched as Happy picked Ana up and out of the chair. She tucked her head into his neck and whimpered. I knew my sister well enough to know that she wasn't handling things as well as she tried to show.
"No." Happy didn't elaborate or say anything else as he carried her through the clubhouse. I noticed a couple croweaters watching and rolled my eyes. I had, of course, heard the rumors going around about Ana and Happy. Part of me even wondered if they were a little too close, but I knew Ana loved Opie and Harper too much to ever act on whatever feelings may be there.
"You seen Happy?" Piney asked as he walked into the clubhouse. Harper had just finished her bottle and I was trying to burp her before putting her down for the night. I looked up at the clock on the wall and realized Harper and I had been having a one sided conversation for over an hour.
"Not since he put Ana to bed. She and Harper fell asleep in Ope's chair. I wish I knew how to help her." I sighed and patted the baby's back as Piney sat down on the stool next to me. He smiled over at his granddaughter and then raised his eyes up to me.
"Both of you girls are doing a great job while your men are inside. Mary couldn't handle it when Opie was walking and feeding himself, and here you two are with babies and a toddler." Piney patted me on the knee as one of the croweaters brought him a tequila. I forced a smile and nodded.
It was hard to parent the boys and work without Jax being around, but for Ana it was something more. From the research I had been doing on PTSD over the last few months, I knew things could have a much higher stress level for someone like Ana. She managed it and handled more than I felt I ever could, but the effects were still there.
"Thanks, Piney. In some ways, I wish Ana never had enlisted. It's taken away so much of the person she used to be. Sometimes it seems like she's coming back little by little, but it never sticks. I'm going to go put this little one down with her momma before Ana wakes up and misses her." I stood up with a frown and Piney halted me with a hand on my shoulder.
"Give her time, Tara. She was gone for over six years. We can't expect her to get right in one or even two." I nodded and returned his smile with a hopeful one of my own. Harper was sound asleep and even looked to be smiling as I walked back to Opie's dorm.
I opened the door without knocking, hoping to avoid waking Ana up. I froze in the doorway. Ana was sound asleep and curled up against Happy's chest. His back was turned to the door and his arm was draped protectively around her, but I could see his body shifting with steady breaths and knew he had to be asleep to not jump up at the sound of the door opening. It was innocent. Ana was under a black blanket and Happy was uncovered and fully dressed, but it still seemed strange to see them together like that.
"I thought you were putting her down?" Piney asked as I reappeared at the bar with Harper in my arms. I shook my head and sat down on the couch, carefully shifting to get my phone out of my pocket. I needed to call Neeta to make sure she could watch the boys for a while longer.
"Is Ana okay?" Gemma asked, sitting down beside me and reaching for Harper. I nodded and passed the snoozing baby over to her, relieved to be able to move my arms a little. Harper wasn't big by any means, but holding anything for a prolonged period of time can wear your muscles down.
"She's asleep." I hoped Gemma wouldn't question why Harper wasn't sleeping in the bed with Ana like she normally did. It was one thing for me to know Happy and Ana fell asleep together, but I didn't trust for anyone else to understand. One of the symptoms of PTSD Ana had was sleeping problems and nightmares. I knew she slept better when she wasn't alone, when she felt safe.
"Happy could probably sneak this little one in there without waking her up." Gemma said with a smile as she stood up. I rested my head on my hand that was propped up on the back of the couch and looked up at her.
"He's asleep, Gemma. Neeta is going to stay with the boys until Ana wakes up. It's fine. She needs sleep." I yawned and smiled up at the sweet little baby that looked so much like my younger sister. I was young when Ana was born, but I can still remember how it felt when our parents brought her home, and she had looked just like Harper does now.
"They're sleeping together, aren't they? What's going to happen when the guys get out? The last thing this club needs is Ana causing more tension between them." Gemma scowled and shook her head with frustration. I rolled my eyes and massaged my temple with my thumb.
"It's not like that, Gemma. Don't meddle or make something out of nothing. You do that and it's just going to stir things up. For once, just leave it alone." I folded my arms across my chest and tried to make sure Gemma took me seriously. Opie would never be threatened by what Ana and Happy had, but if Gemma stirred things up, things could be taken out of context or misconstrued.
"I'm taking this little one to my house for the night. She doesn't need to sleep out here in the noise." I sighed and shook my head. Gemma would need to go in Opie's dorm to get clothes, diapers and formula for Harper and I knew better than to think she wasn't banking on that.
"No, I've got things for her at my house, Gemma. I'll take her home." Gemma rolled her eyes and passed Harper off to me. I had succeeded in angering her, because she didn't even offer to help me get her in the car seat. She shot a glare down the dorm hall before storming out of the clubhouse.
"Come on, Grandpa. You can learn how to work a carseat." I told Piney with a smile. He laughed and shook his head, but followed me outside anyway.