There will be two more chapters and then I will start Part Two. This is just a short chapter that sets up the next chapters. Please review though. Reviews help me to write faster.

Chapter Twenty Four- It's a Dangerous Life

January 1st, 2004

I was sitting on the counter top in the kitchen while Maria baked, I had offered to help her but she insisted that I should relax. Happy was out the back fixing up his bike.

"Are you sure you don't want my help?" I asked her, "I feel bad just sitting here"

"I'm fine" she said, "You should relax, you had to put up riding with Happy for hours"

"It wasn't that bad" I said but she raised her eyes, much in the same way Hap does, "Okay, he's not the easiest to be around"

"But you put up with him" she said, "Tell me, how strong are your feelings for my son?"

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped, I froze as she stared at me intently. Before I had the chance to reply Happy walked inside.

"You got any beers?" He asked walking over to the fridge

"In the back fridge" she said looking over at me, "I'll go get them"

"She being nice to you?" He asked as soon as she had the left the room, moving to stand between my legs

"No, she's wonderful" I said, wrapping my arms around his neck

"Ain't ever brought a girl home" he said pulling me into a kiss, "Didn't know how she'd act"

"Glad I'm your first" I said smirking at him

Happy returned my smirk before moving his lips down to my neck, biting a little bit. I was too caught up with the feel of Happy's lips on my neck to hear the door open, but I did hear the sound of someone clearing their throat.

"Hap" I said, pushing him away as my eyes moved to Maria

"Thanks Ma" he said, taking the beer from her and sitting down on the couch

"Are you his Old Lady?" Maria asked me

"No, we're...not together" I said, looking down in shame

"He wouldn't have brought you here if he didn't care" she told me, "He has feelings for you"

"Trust me, I know" I said, hopping off the counter and walking over to Happy, sitting down beside him

I knew that Happy had feelings for me, that was what started all of the trouble.

"We gotta head back tomorrow" he said, not looking at me, "Lana said something but a funeral, for the, you know"

"Okay" I said, nodding my head as tears came to my eyes

I quickly got up and made a dash to my room, collapsing on the bed in a fit of tears. For a second there I thought I was okay. But I wasn't. I was not okay and wouldn't be for awhile.

I could faintly hear yelling but I paid no attention to it; I just played the 'incident', as I had come to call it, over and over in my head. How could I go to my child's funeral? No mother should have to bury her child. My son. My beautiful baby boy.

I heard a knock on the door but I ignored it, just continued crying. I tried to ignore the door opening and the bed sinking.

"Valerie" said Maria, "Happy told me what happened"

I sat up, wiping away my tears before tucking my legs up against my chest, my arms wrapped around them.

"I'm very sorry about what happened" she told me, "No one should have to lose their child. Especially someone so young"

"Thank you" I said, nodding my head.

I had never really thought about my age. I didn't feel like I was eighteen. And my life certainly didn't seem like I was barely even an adult.

"Have you ever thought about leaving?" She asked me

"What?" I said, confused

"You're young, you have your whole life ahead of you" she said, "Maybe, this was meant to happen to give you a chance to go out and live your life. Away from the club"

"Away from Happy" I said, starting to get angry, "You just don't want me around him"

"He's my son and I love him, but he wouldn't be good for you, at least not now" she said, "You need to go out and have fun, do something with your life. Don't let the club drag you down. You could be so much more than just an Old Lady"

I just stared at her, letting her words sink in. I knew she was right. Deep down I always knew that I really didn't want to be just another Old Lady.

"How do you know all of this?" I asked

"Because I was an Old Lady once" she said, a forlorn look in her eyes, "Happy's dad was about of a club, he died before Happy was born"

"I'm sorry" I said, mirroring the expression she had on her own face just minutes prior

"Nothing good comes from being an Old Lady" she said, "Your Old Man will either end up dead or in jail"

I looked away from her, I had already thought about what she was telling me. I knew the risks of this life. I knew what could happen.

"I know"