Veronica awoke to find three pairs of strange eyes staring down at her. Immediate panic flooded her system, a jolt of fear sparking that fight or flight response all her psychology professors loved to drone on about back in college. Jumping up, Queen Klutz herself toppled over the edge of the bed and landed with a soft thud face first on the Berber carpet below. With a groan, she rolled over onto her back and prepared herself for the worst. However, when she opened her eyes she could only laugh at her blatant stupidity as the early morning grogginess cleared and she took in her surroundings. She was, in fact, not in her cozy one bedroom apartment back in Seattle but in her childhood bedroom at home in Charming. And the three skinny, tatted dudes were not crazed criminals, but Blink-182 circa 1999 staring out from the poster that still hung above the headboard.

Being in her old room was surreal whether she was half-asleep or fully awake. Everything looked the same as it did the day she moved out of her parent's house and in with Jax. Old stuffed animals still lined the top of the trunk over in the corner, some ratty old jeans were folded and stacked neatly in the top of the closet above the old prom dresses still hanging there, and a Statistics 101 syllabus from her first semester at the local community college was still sitting on top of the desk. Everything exactly where she left it.

"Your dad wouldn't let me touch anything," Gemma had told her the night before when she mentioned how surprised she was to find the room hadn't been redecorated, "said he didn't want you to feel unwelcome if you ever decided to come home."

Sitting there now, she couldn't help but feel that Clay's good intentions had gone to waste. She didn't feel welcome in this the world. In all reality, she felt downright uncomfortable. The room was like a shrine, a memorial to her teenage-self, preserved by a father grieving the loss of his only child. Except she wasn't even dead yet. Although, for all intensive purposes she supposed the girl that she'd been when she'd inhabited this space might as well be. She sure as hell wasn't that girl anymore, hadn't been that girl for a long time. In fact, she wasn't even sure she knew who that girl even was. Falling in love with Jax and walking away from him had definitely changed her. She just had yet to decide if that change was for the better or for the worse.

Determined not to start the long walk down memory lane, Veronica picked herself up off the floor and trudged over to her duffel bag. Grabbing a pair of black Nike running shorts and a teal sports bra, she quickly headed across the hall to the bathroom. After a quick change, she piled her long tresses in a messy bun on top of her head, laced up her tennis shoes and made her way towards the back door.

"And where are you headed so early in the morning," Clay, who was seated at the head of the over-sized table sipping his morning coffee, asked when she entered the room.

"Thought I might go for a run and clear my head," she responded.

"You plannin' on actually coming back this time?" he asked with a joking smirk.

"Ha. Ha. Very funny, old man."

Clay shrugged. "It was a valid question. Wouldn't want you getting into shit with Gemma because you're a no-show at her picnic today."

"Well, I was planning on running all the way to Florida, so I'm not sure I'll be able to make it back in time. Sorry."

"Sorry my ass. Thing starts at one, so you best be in the parking lot by 12:30."

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "And what time will you be arriving, Pops?" Veronica asked with a knowing scowl.

Clay shot her a what-do-you-think kind of look. "Picnics ain't my thing. Besides, someone has to run the garage."

"Because you don't have employees or anything like that who could cover for you," she replied. "Here's a thought, you go to the fundraiser and I'll handle TM."

"Not happening, but nice try," he said, rising to put his now empty mug in the sink.

"Oh come on, it'll be like old times! Me in the office doing all the paperwork while you guys are out goofing off and running amuck around town."

"Give it up kid, you're not getting out of it," he said making his way over to her and placing a kiss on her cheek. "Enjoy your run. And for God sakes, make sure you get there on time, otherwise Gem will have my head and yours."

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered with a wave of her hand as she headed out the door. "Whatever you say."

Veronica didn't have a specific route mapped out as she began jogging down the street, but she figured there were only so many places one could go in a town so small. As long as she avoided Grant Street everything would be fine. After all, there was no need to open up old wounds by stalking her and Jax's old house, even if she was hella curious to know if it looked the same and whether or not he still lived there.

Growing up she had never been much of a runner. In fact, she pretty much hated it. But after picking up and leaving everything she'd ever known, she, rather ironically, picked up the habit. At first there were a lot sleepless nights, her restlessness and worry practically eating her alive mentally, the constant question of whether or not she'd made the right decision always running through her head. Until one night she put on her sneakers and took off down the Burke-Gilman Trail and into Gasworks Park. She ran until she was exhausted, and, despite feeling a tad bit like Forest Gump, she felt better. And so she kept doing it until it just became part of her routine, her little break from the world and all the shit that came with it, a personal reminder that she had to keep moving forward.

She ran without direction, enjoying the freedom of having no expectations or restrictions placed upon her. Just her, the payment, and the open air until, somehow, her misguided path led her to the Charming Memorial Cemetery. She considered passing it at first, the creepy factor weighing heavy in her mind, but she was growing tired and it would be much shorter to run through the place than around it. So she swallowed her fear and took off. She made it half way through, when she felt the tug of a leg cramp pulling on her muscles, forcing her to slow down and rest.

While she waited for the ache to die down, Veronica found herself looking for a particular pair of headstones. She'd always found it weird when people visited the dead, how they sat and talked to a slab of stone like the person six feet under it was still alive. Although she wasn't sure how she felt about the whole afterlife situation, she figured if there was a heaven and people actually made it in then you could probably talk to them from anywhere. Why people felt the need to hang out in a place where rotting corpses laid under your feet was beyond her. So when she reached the tombstones of Thomas and J.T. Teller, she didn't pour her heart out and tell them how much she missed them. She just stood there and remembered how it felt to lose them, how that was the year that everything in her life changed.

She had just turned thirteen when Thomas' heart condition ripped him from the world and with him her own heart. He was her best friend, the last and maybe even the only person she ever trusted blindly and completely. Even though she was probably too young to understand exactly what love was in the romantic sense, she always thought she'd end up with Tommy, that had he lived they would have gotten married and had the perfect life. Of course, when you're that age, you think that way, that life will go exactly as you plan and that you'll get everything you want. Losing him had been a rude awakening, the catalyst that forced her to start growing up and face the fact that it really wasn't all rainbows and butterflies. Life was fleeting and some promises can't be kept, no matter how much you wish they could.

Veronica couldn't cry. She promised herself she wouldn't cry. Tommy wouldn't want that. He'd want her to be strong for him. So that's what she was going to do. For him, for their family, and, perhaps most importantly, for Jax.

To say her and Jax didn't get along was probably the understatement of the century, but she would never wish this on anyone, not even a jerk like him. She could only imagine how much he must be hurting right now. She had lost her best friend, but he had lost his little brother, the person she knew he loved more than anything in the world. Even if he didn't always know how to show it.

After the service was over, she held back as the crowd started to thin. It was like she was frozen, the weight of death holding her in place from the finality of it all. Even though it was futile, she couldn't bring herself to actually say goodbye. If she left then it would really be over, he would really be gone and she would be on her own.

As she began fighting a new wave of tears, she felt a comforting hand land on her shoulder. Expecting to find her father, she turned only to come face to face with a stoic Jax. And just like that the flood gates burst and all the strength she was trying so hard to summon dispersed immediately.

Without a word, Jax pulled her into a tight hug and held her, making her even more ashamed of breaking her no crying rule. Here she was trying to be strong so he wouldn't have to and he'd ended up being the strong one anyway. The realization of his simple act of kindness only made the tears fall faster, each saline drop staining the shoulder of his white cotton button up until there was one big massive spot. But Jax didn't complain and he didn't let go.

"He said he'd always be there. He promised me," she admitted through sobs.

"I know," Jax said as he began stroking her hair and she cried harder. "It's okay, I got you."

She didn't know how long they stayed like that, her crying uncontrollably and him holding on to her like his life depended on it. The two most unlikely people finding comfort in one another, pushing aside their roles as sworn enemies to be there when it mattered most. If she had to pin point it, she would say that was the moment when everything changed for her when it came to Jax, when she stopped seeing him as the stupid boy she hated and started seeing him for the person he tried so hard to hide from everyone else. Even after he became even more hateful towards her after his dad passed and Gemma remarried her father, she knew that he still had a good heart, it was just hurting so much that he didn't know how to deal with the pain any other way.

From time to time, she wondered what life would've been like if Thomas was still around, who she would be, who Jax would be. Who they would be to each other. But if ifs and buts were candy and nuts…point was things were the way that they were. And though she missed Tommy every day, it was never going to bring him back or make life any different. Everything happened for a reason, sometimes she just had to remind herself of that fact.

After stretching out her leg, she kissed the tips of her fingers and placed them on the top of Thomas's headstone. Then she turned and began jogging back home. On the way she ended up passing Grant Street, but forced herself to move on as if it didn't exist. Things happened for a reason right, so she was going to let it go and make it through this week. It was okay to remember but she was determined not to let the past pull her down. Constantly moving forward, that's what she had to keep doing.

When she finally reached the house she found no one home. Of course, that wasn't exactly a surprise given Gemma left hours ago to finish last minute Taste of Charming prep and her dad was working double duty at the Garage. Besides, it was nice having some time to herself. She loved her father and had missed him greatly, but he had kept her up for hours the night before talking about her childhood and law school and it was all just so exhausting.

Enjoying the peace and quiet she stripped from her sweaty attire and ran herself a shower. While waiting for the water to warm she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. If she was being honest, as a relatively confident appearing 26 year-old, she wasn't completely comfortable with her body. Growing up the residential string bean, the curves that she now possessed still felt oddly foreign to her. She knew people looked at her differently because of them, especially men. Since finally growing into her womanly body she felt like she had to work that much harder to prove that she was more than just an ass and a pair of tits. Sometimes she longed for the days when no one noticed her, because at least then it was easier to remember that her self-worth lied in her capabilities rather than her appearance.

And then there was the small crow inked in her flesh on her left side just above her hip bone. She'd considered having it removed a few years back because she was so sick of looking at every day. However, as a law school student, she figured it was better to save what little money she could rather than waste it frivolously on past mistakes. Then, after awhile she decided to keep it, tattoos after all are memories and memories were part of what defined her. It was up to her whether that would happen in positive or negative way.

Stepping under the stream, Veronica couldn't help but marvel at how truly therapeutic a simple shower could be. Yes, it physically stripped away the dirt and grime of the day, leaving one fresh and ready to start anew. But for her it always reached more than skin deep, calming her down and easing the stress of life. That was why her showers were never a quick affair, she never wanted to get out, just wanted to stand there until it all washed away.

Reluctantly, after at least 40 minutes, she turned the water off and made to get out. Reaching out for the towel rack and finding nothing, she realized she had neglected to actually grab a towel from the hall closet. Wringing out her hair, she gingerly placed one foot on the fuzzy red bathmat and then the other, before crossing the floor to the door and opening it. Peaking down both sides of the hall, first left then right, she found the coast was still clear. With her head turned to look behind her just in case someone should show up unexpectedly, she tip-toed quickly toward the closet. That is until she ran smack dab into a solid object and fell back on her ass with a loud "ommph."

Looking up her eyes landed on the last person she ever wanted to see while in such a compromising position. "What the hell are you doing here?"

When Jax showed up at his mom's place a tad bit later than he planned, the last thing he expected to find was the current bane of his existence lying naked in the floor before him. However, he couldn't help but smirk in satisfaction at the beautiful turn of events. Even if he did hate her, he was still a man and Veronica was very much a woman. A smokin' hot, sexy woman to be exact. God, what he wouldn't give to just pull her up against him and...

"Do you mind?" Veronica spat, pulling him out of his fantasy before it even got started.

Jax felt his grin spread wider despite himself. "Can't say that I do," he replied as his eyes raked over her appreciatively.

Veronica slowly got up trying to cover as much as she could with her dainty little hands. "Well I do, Jackass," she countered using her old nickname for him. "So if you're not going to tell me why you're here, can you at least move so I can get a towel?"

She made a move to push past him, but Jax was faster. "Ah come on Darlin'," he said, smoothly stepping in front of her and blocking her path. "No reason to act so shy. It's not like I haven't seen it all before, even if you have filled out a bit more since the last time." he replied, his eyes focusing solely on her chest this time. Damn she looked good.

"Fuck you," she said, going the other way only to find resistance once again.

"Been there, done that. And guess what? It wasn't worth it," he lied.

If memory served, and it did because Jax had an excellent memory, it had been very much worth it. Worth every second of the beating he received from Clay when he found out about them. Worth the questions and weird looks he got from people, not to mention the teasing he got from the club, for dating his step-sister. And, if he was being honest, it was even worth the heartbreak that came with losing her too. Sex with her wasn't like it had been with every other girl since then, it was a true connection, an act of love and absolute trust. When he took her virginity, she gave herself to him completely, a physical act signifying that she was his and his only. He held a piece of her that no one else could ever have and to this day he still cherished that first time and every time he was inside her after that.

"What is your damage Jax?" she asked in that annoyed tone of hers, a sure sign that she wasn't buying what he was selling.

Jax finally gave in and let her pass, his eyes following that marvelous bare ass of hers. "I think you and I both know the answer to that, Princess."

She stood with her back turned toward him as she reached for the red towel at the top of the stack and wrapped it tightly around her. But not before he caught a glimpse of his crow still inked into her side. He thought for sure she would have had it removed by now, especially after she seemed so hesitant to get it in the first place.

"I'm not sure I like the idea of being branded like cattle," she told him when he asked her to consider it, "I may love you but I'm not your fucking property."

"You know it's not even like that babe," he told her, "it's just a sign that you're my girl and I'm your man. Plus," he added, pulling her flush against him, "it's going to be so fucking hot to look at when we make love."

Seeing it now, he didn't know how to feel. It was a revelation that sparked a whole new wave of emotions he wasn't ready to process quite yet.

Veronica grabbed another towel and wrapped it around her long hair before twisting it over her head. "If you hate me so much, then why don't you just leave?" she asked her voice still even.

Jax, however, was not so lucky. "Because," he shot back his voice wavering slightly before he got his bearings and moved his eyes away from the spot he knew the crow was currently hiding under the towel. "Unlike some people I don't run like a fucking coward every time I get uncomfortable,"

Veronica turned and glared at him and for a second there Jax thought he was going to get the fight he'd been seeking. She opened her mouth like she was finally about to let him have it and then, much to his disappointment, closed it again before letting out a sigh. "Look Jax, I really don't want to fight with you."

Jax snorted and shook his head. "Of course you don't. Heaven forbid you actually deal with your feelings or bother to share them with anyone…"

"Me?" she yelled in disbelief. "You want to talk to me about sharing my feelings? Jax, you are the most cryptic son of a bitch I know. I spent most of my life trying to figure out what was going on in that thick skull of yours because you wouldn't talk to me. And now I'm the suddenly the bad guy because I don't want to hash out our old shit," she ranted. "Nice to meet you Pot, my name's Kettle. And guess what, we're both fucking black."

Jax actually had to fight the urge to smile for a second. Veronica's wit and knack for being a smartass had always amused him, admittedly at some of the most inappropriate times. She was clever as hell and her mind moved so fast sometimes he had to fight to keep up. Now was not the moment to break though. He'd waited six years to have this out with her and he wasn't going to let her weasel out of it this easily. He'd been looking for a fight from the moment she entered the clubhouse the day before, and he'd be damn if she didn't give it to him.

"We're," he said motioning between them, "not anything anymore remember? Because you," he continued pointing at her, "acted like a spoiled ass bitch and ran when things got a little complicated."

Her eyes widened at his words. "A little complicated? You call what we went through a little complicated? Jax we…"

She stopped suddenly and threw her hands. "No, you know what, I'm not doing this with you right now," she said, beginning to walk towards her old bedroom. "I'm sorry I hurt you, I really am, but I was hurting too. And if you want to put all the blame on me…"

"I'm not putting anything on you," he spat following her, "you put it on yourself when you walked out our god damn door six years ago."

Stopping in the doorway, she turned and looked at him with tear-filled eyes. "Yeah I did and not a day goes by that I don't wonder if I made the right decision, but it's over Jax," she yelled as she pushed against his chest, forcing him to take a step back. "It happened and I can't take it back. And I'm sure as hell not going to sit here and let you berate me so you can make yourself fucking feel better. You asked me to stay out of your way while I'm here and I very much plan to, so please just leave me alone."

With that she slammed door in his face. He tried to catch it before it closed but she put her body weight up against the other side and he hadn't initially applied enough force to counter it. When he made the move to go for the knob, he of course found it locked. Technically that wasn't a problem because he knew he could very well pick the lock, or just tear the door down for that matter, but he held back. For one thing, even though he was pissed as hell and wanted answers he didn't want to scare Veronica or worse accidentally physically hurt her in any way. Then there was the fact that his mother would kill him if he damaged her property, and he currently had enough on his plate without adding Gemma's wrath to the list.

"Veronica," he sighed in exasperation with knock on the door.

"Go away, Jax," her muffled voice sounded only to be followed by a few sniffles, giving him a major case of déjà vu.

They'd done this before, too many times to count actually, as kids and even a couple times as lovers. It always played out the same way, him egging her on until he made her cry out of frustration. Then him feeling bad for making her cry because deep down the only person he was ever really mad at was himself. This time wasn't any different, he knew that somewhere in the back of his mind, that all this hate he supposedly had built up towards her was a front. The real person he hated was himself, for not realizing that she was drowning back then, for not seeing that she needed more from him then he was giving, for not being there like he wanted to. He said he blamed her, but it was himself he truly held responsible. It was just easier to pin it all on her because he wasn't ready to face his own demons yet.

He leaned his forehead against the door and called out to her again. "I just want to know what happened, V. Don't you think you owe me that much?"

A loud thump sounded and his head was jarred slightly. No doubt she had thrown an object across the room, most likely a shoe, and he was feeling the reverberations of it making contact with the other side of the door. Suddenly he was thankful for the barrier between them. Otherwise she would have nailed him right in the head. "I don't owe you shit, Jackson Teller!" she yelled back.

Anger, the emotion that was suddenly starting to feel like the only one he experienced anymore, flashed within him yet again. He briefly reconsidered breaking the door down and forcing her to face him, but he knew that wouldn't get him anywhere. She was just as stubborn as he was when it came to holding her ground, a fault he both admired and hated.

"Fine," he yelled. "Hide in there like the fucking coward you are, but this ain't over darlin' not by a long shot. You're eventually going to have to talk to me, one way or another."

He waited for her retort, expecting some back biting comment that was sure to let him know how much of an asshole he was. However, when he heard only silence, he shoved himself back from the door and started making his way down the hall and out to his bike.

"See you at the picnic Sweetheart," he muttered, slamming the door behind him.

Once again thanks for all the follows and reviews. Someone actually asked me to clarify the relationship timeline for Jax and Veronica. They are a post Jax and Tara, pre Jax and Wendy coupling. They get together about one to two years after Tara leaves Jax for Chicago. However, they've always had an unspoken attraction for one another, it's just complicated by their age and the fact that their parent's wind up getting together. As for what exactly went down between them to make Veronica leave, that will come out in later chapters. Hope that clears things up a little and I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Until next time :)