So I wasn't going to post this till tomorrow, but this is my favorite chapter in the story so far, and it's makes me too happy, not to post.

Abel sighed as he cut his car engine, and got out. Quietly, he made his way across the lot and into the clubhouse. He froze in his tracks at the sight of Jax sitting at a table, his body slightly slumped, but otherwise still awake.

He wasn't sure what to say or do, he hadn't intended to see anyone here, that's why he had come so early, he had come back for the prepaid phone, and that was it. He had thought the clubhouse was empty.

"Jax." He said slowly when he realized he wasn't going to say anything first. Jax stood up and tossed the phone at him. Abel caught it on instinct, and stared at it wearily.

"If you really think you can do this by yourself, then you can take that, and you can go," Jax said seriously, "But if you don't, then put the phone on the table, and take a seat."

Abel didn't think about it, he dropped the phone on the table, and he sat down quietly. He was tired, and hungry, and he had spent the night sleeping in his car wearing the same clothes he had been wearing for over two days.

Abel didn't have any fight left in him, he was plain and simply resigned. Jax stared at him for a second before nodding and sitting back down in the same seat as he had been in before.

"Why are you here?"

Abel waited for a snappy retort, he waited for Jax to say something like this was his clubhouse, except he didn't. "I was waiting for you."

"Would you do it for Thomas?" Abel asked before he could stop himself, "If he snuck out would you stay up all night waiting for him?"

"In Charming, in this family, in this life, there's no such thing as sneaking out, somehow someone is always going to know where you are," Jax explained, "But yes, in theory, if Thomas were to sneak out then I would stay up all night waiting for him, and then I would I kick his ass."

Abel almost smiled at that. Almost.

"My dad's never around," He blurted out for some reason that he couldn't explain, that was a fact he usually kept to himself, "Don't get me wrong, when he's around he's a decent dad, but mostly he just isn't around."

"And your mom?"

Abel struggled for a moment trying to find a decent explanation that encompassed the complexity of his relationship with his mom.

"I love my mom," He said finally, "But I take care of her more than she takes care of me."

"I'm sorry."

"They're my parents," He shrugged.

Jax nodded like he understood all the underlying meanings of such a simple statement.

"We settled the gun deal between the IRA and the Niners."

"And Cassie?"

"The run isn't happening till we get proof Cassidy is okay."

Abel nodded slowly, "I'm not used to people telling me what to do."

"Yeah no shit," Jax laughed softly.

"And I'm not used to you."

"I know."

"It wasn't fair of you to put me in a position where my life has turned out like this," Abel said quietly, "But it also wasn't fair of me to barge in here all guns blazing. You guys aren't used to me either."

It was the closest thing Abel could offer in terms of an apology, and by the look on Jax's face, it was enough, maybe even more than that.

"What I said to you yesterday, about leaving, it still holds true, you are welcome to leave whenever you want, as long as you know, you are always welcome back."

Abel nodded but didn't let himself think too much into that statement because then that would lead to a whole new set of questions that he didn't think he could handle the answers to just then.

"Come on."

Abel stood up confused, "Where are we going?"

Jax looked at him, "Home."

"Home" turned out be a simple one story house resting in a perfectly normal looking neighborhood, and so, it was only natural that is was the most terrifying place Abel had ever seen in his entire life.

"Mom, I'm going-" A guy who could have only have been Thomas trailed of in the middle of his statement as he caught sight of Abel, and Abel caught sight of him.

His hair was blonde – a little darker blonde than his and Jax – but his eyes were Tara's green. He was probably about the same height as Abel, but whereas he was leaner from years of soccer, Thomas was more muscled.

"Tommy, wait, oh-" Tara froze.

It was like some kind of bad TV drama. Abel was staring at Thomas, Thomas was staring Abel, and Jax and Tara were looking between themselves and the brothers like they didn't know what to do.

"You look like shit," Thomas said finally, "You should borrow some of my clothes."

Abel nodded slowly as Thomas turned to Tara, "What is it, Mom?"

"Where are you going?" She asked in a slightly dazed tone.

Thomas smirked, a mischievous glint lighting up his eyes, "I'm going to crash Alena Rincon's party."

Jax laughed breaking the slight tension that was left, "When are you going to get it through your head, Thomas? Alena Rincon will never like you."

"Just wait and see old man," Thomas laughed snatching Jax's keys out his hand, "Persistence is key."

"Hey I never said you could take my bike," Jax called as Thomas mounted it.

"Then get me a car," He called over the roar of the engine.

"Little shit," Jax muttered as Thomas disappeared down the street.

"Baby, we really do need to get him a car," Tara pointed out thoughtfully.

"I'll get to it eventually," Jax brushed it off.

Abel was suddenly hit with a sense of discomfort, he didn't belong here. He didn't grow up in this house, or know how to drive a motorcycle, or know who Alena Rincon was, he didn't know these people, he didn't know anything.

He didn't know this town, he didn't know this life, he just didn't know.

That seemed to be his life now, everything was based on uncertainty, everything revolved around what he didn't know, rather than what he did know.

"Abel," Tara said softly as her hands raised into the air and then moved them towards her face like she wasn't sure was to do with them.

Abel sighed to himself, he was going to fucking regret this. He stalked forward and grabbed her hands, it wasn't a gentle movement nor was it a rough movement, and pulled her into his chest. He held her tightly for a moment, letting her wrap her arms around his neck, her small frame molding against his own.

This was the best he could do for Tara as far an apology went, for now, this was all he could give her. He couldn't listen to any of her explanations, and he wasn't too sure he could tell her about himself, even this was a lot for him, but this was all he had to offer her for now.

"What was that for?" She asked as he pulled away wiping at her tears.

"I guess I was just tired of being angry," He shrugged offering her half a smile.

"Well if you need to be angry, feel free to be inside," She nodded, "You will come inside won't you?"

"Sure." He nodded back.

Abel stared at the hand Tara grabbed as she pulled him inside the house, for a brief moment he considered pulling away, maybe he would, later.

The house was simple yet had the feeling of warmth surrounding it, she led him into the kitchen, and pushed him towards a wooden table sitting in the middle but still pushed out of the way.

"Alright what do you want? A sandwich, a salad, pasta, I think we have some leftover chicken, or I can even make some chicken, anything you want." She called over her shoulder as she pulled open the refrigerator.

Abel open his mouth to reply when a pair of clothes and a towel were tossed in front of him.

"Here, those are Thomas' but they should fit you, there's a bathroom right at the end of the hall, so you can take a shower after you eat."

He stared between Jax and Tara with a dumbfounded expression before shaking his head, "Why are you guys being so nice to me? I wasn't exactly all that nice to you."

"You aren't a parent, Abel," Tara said slowly, "And as much as we aren't your parents, Abel we're your parents, and that's not something that we can ever turn off. And if Jax told me right, then you haven't had much taking care of, so just let me get you something to eat, okay? And take a god damn shower."

Abel scoffed in disbelief and turned to Jax, "You're a gossipy old lady."

"What did you just call me?"

"I told you that all of a half an hour ago, how did you even manage telling her that already?"

"You better watch yourself kid."

"Watch myself?" Abel half-laughed, "I'm not the one whose pussy whipped."

"First of all you are too white boy to use the word pussy, and second of all, I am not pussy whipped." Jax laughed.

"Bro," Abel shook his head holding up a hand in front of his face, "Don't say the word pussy, you're my-"

Abel trailed off the smile leaving his face at the same time as it left Jax's, he wasn't sure where he was going with that statement, but he sure as hell wasn't about to say the word 'dad.'

Even if he was thinking it.

"How about a chicken salad with a sandwich on the side?" Tara asked breaking the tension filled moment.

"Babe that's chick food, make him a burger or something."

Tara rolled her eyes and spoke in a bored tone, "Abel, Jackson here would like to have a burger, are you going to agree with him or are you going to crush all his hopes and dream?"

"Hey," Jax grabbed a carrot that she had been cutting up and chucked it at her, "I didn't ask for your sass, woman."

"I am an old lady," Tara grinned ducking despite the fact that the carrot still hit her shoulder, "It comes in the job description."

"Being your husband should come with a job description," He grumbled.

"Watch it," Tara pointed the carrot she had picked up off the floor at Jax, "Or maybe you just might find yourself with your own Alena Rincon."

Abel didn't get the reference, but it still made him smile.

"I shouldn't stand for this," Jax glanced at Abel whose small smile was slowly starting to grow, "Do you let Cassidy treat you like this?"

He shook his head playing along, "I got the reins on my girl. Where did you go wrong?"

"Abel Teller!" Tara shrieked tossing the carrot at his head, "You treat women with respect, and oh my god."

Tara's hand came to her mouth as she shook her head an apologetic look taking over her features, "Abel I am so sorry, I didn't mean to say that."

"It's okay." He said gently, but really, it had thrown him off. First he had nearly referred to Jax as his dad – which he wasn't – and now Tara had called him Abel Teller – Teller.

"It's Petrie, right?" Jax asked carefully, "Abel Petrie."

Abel nodded slowly, but for the first time in his life, his own name sounded awkward, Abel Petrie didn't quite have the same kind of sound as Abel Teller.

"How about a burger?"

Abel figured it was his turn to break the tension, and who was he to deny a perfectly good burger? Or to deny his father of one?

Tara nodded as she shot him one more apologetic look before pulling things out of the fridge.

"So who's Alena Rincon?" Abel asked when he realized that both Jax and Tara had no idea what to say to him. He figured they had a good reason, twelve hours ago he probably would have gone bat shit crazy if someone had called him Abel Teller, he was still debating it, but he was really trying to make an effort here.

An effort for Cassidy, and if someone got him drunk enough, maybe he'd be able to admit that maybe he was making an effort for himself as well.

Jax laughed as Tara started to scold him despite the fact that she was laughing too.

"Alena Rincon is the girl your brother has been in love with since like the fucking third grade."

"And?" Abel raised his eyebrows.

"I don't even think she knows Thomas' name," Tara laughed.

"And we find joy in his misery?" Abel clarified.

"He's not miserable," Tara waved him off, "I'm pretty sure he's more in love with the thrill of chasing her, more than he is actually interested in her."

"That girl is too damn smart for him." Jax added.

Abel looked between Jax and Tara before adding quietly, "Sounds like a couple I know."

"Oh yeah, Cassidy beat your SAT score?" Jax shot at Abel's not so subtle reference at Tara's brains, and Jax's lack of it, at least in the book smart department.

"Hell yeah she did," Abel owned up to it. His girl had gotten a nearly perfect score on her SAT, and he wasn't even ashamed of the fact that he was fucking proud of her.

"Hey Abel," Jax said softly and for the first time since Abel had met him, Jax sounded hesitant, "About yesterday? Anyone who is important to you, is important to me, is important to this family, anyone."

"What Jackson has so eloquently put is that, you are important to us," Tara said firmly, "I know it doesn't make sense to you right now, but you are important to us, that means Cassidy is important to us, that means we'll do whatever it takes to get her back, no matter what."

"I know I'm asking a lot," Abel said quietly as he looked down at his hands.

"You know kid, if you had come here asking me for twenty million dollars I would have found a way to get you it," Jax said dropping a hand on his shoulder and crouching down in front of him, "If you had come here for a cup of coffee, I would have found a way to get you that too. Nothing you ever ask of me, will be a lot, if you can man up and ask for help, then I will always give it to you."

"Hey Jax?" Abel asked suddenly feeling like a little kid again, "Will you help me find Cassie? I know I didn't ask before, I just demanded, but I'm asking you now, please, help me find Cassie."

"You got it buddy," Jax smiled before standing up and moving towards Tara who was unsuccessfully trying to hide her eavesdropping by flipping burgers, and sliding his arms around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder, as he playfully kissed her neck, making her laugh.

And for just a brief moment, Abel could picture what his life would have been like with these people, all three of them, Jax, Tara, and even Thomas. Just for a brief moment, he could imagine that he would have been happy here, with them.