Disclaimer: As always, I own no part of SOA. All characters and settings belong to Kurt Sutter / Sutter Ink. However, those characters that are a living breathing product of my imagination belong solely to me. Song lyrics are by Bruno Mars and not me.

Chapter 9

Katie and Amanda's Apartment (around midnight):

Amanda had been sleeping for nearly half an hour. She snuggled in tight against Abel's bare chest; her head resting against his shoulder – her hand resting just above his beating heart. Abel knew he should be sleeping, but he simply could not take his eyes off Amanda. She looked so young and peaceful sleeping next to him. Her long dark hair spread along her pillow, had Abel itching to play with it, to run his fingers through the long cool silky strands. Watching the gentle rise and fall of her chest, Abel felt like a real bastard. "I deserve to go ten rounds with Happy or Tig," he thought. Tonight was about friendship – catching up on each other's lives. Abel knew she was still suffering from life in Tacoma. Tonight he just wanted to comfort her – ease her load. He felt all of his honorable intentions going right out the window as he laid there with raging hot emotions. "I'll stay for just a little while longer and then I'll go" thought Abel. He thought about leaving at least three times, each time he was unable to force himself from the bed. Holding her close felt to good – to right. He came here tonight to make her feel better – to comfort her. He couldn't decide when he crossed the line from friendly comfort to this needy, achy, raging, almost painful emotion he was left within.

Amanda and he had been best friends since the eighth grade. There was no one he trusted the same way as Amanda. He would willingly put his life in her hands any day of the week. She deserved a best friend who could be there for her. She was a woman who deserved more than a horny bastard. Frustrated, Abel sighed, forcibly closing his eyes; he tried to will himself to sleep. After a while, Abel felt his body slowly begin to relax. A feeling of peace he rarely enjoyed washed over him as he felt himself drifting off to sleep.

Amanda's Room (nearly 5am):

Amanda awoke with a start. She looked around the room momentarily confused. The feel of Abel's arms around her a strange welcome sensation. Looking at the alarm clock, Amanda realized this was the first time in nearly two weeks that she had slept this long without a nightmare. Turning just a bit Amanda looked in to Abel's peaceful sleeping face. He looked so much like his father these days.

His hair hanging shoulder length and loose around his face. Smiling, she loved his long hair. She liked it when he wore it loose, but if she were to tell the truth – her favorite was when he wore it tied back in a ponytail. She had always thought there was something extremely sexy about watching Abel tie his hair back with a length of old black leather cord. She remembered when he first started letting his hair grow out. As if all the girls at school needed one more reason to follow Abel Tellar around like love sick pups. Stifling a slight giggle, Amanda remembered the first girl she caught playing with Abel's long hair – Cam Jenowitz. Although she was not ready to admit it – the jealousy Amanda felt was overwhelming. She was so upset that day; she faked a stomach ache, just so she could go home early and not face either of them.

Why couldn't Abel look at her the way he did other women? What made her different from other women? Maybe she and Abel were just better left a young girl's daydream. They both carried a lot of baggage. He lived and breathed the MC life. She fought every day to not let her baggage consume her. If Abel were to ever hear the truth, would it destroy their friendship? Would he begin to look at her with pity or disgust? She trusted Abel with her life. She could and would tell him anything, but she could not tell him this. Despite her ugly secrets, deep down she still longed for Abel to kiss her, to hold her as more than a friend – as 'his' woman. She smiled; it felt good to actually sleep for a change. Knowing that her alarm would go off in roughly an hour, Amanda decided to enjoy the moment and get a little more rest. Turning her body slightly, she burrowed in tight against Abel's warm bare chest. Tucking one hand up near her face, she wrapped the other around his midsection. Laying this close she could feel his feel his heartbeat even and strong. Pushing aside the unfamiliar wants and needs of her body, she closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep.

It was nearly six-fifteen when Abel woke up. He was lying flat on his back with Amanda sprawled out across his body; her knee pressing intimately against his groin. He could barely breathe all tangled up in her. Her body, her scent, her touch, simply being in her personal space; it was all working to over load his mind, body, and senses. A large part of him hungered to take this all a step further. He cursed himself seven kinds of bastard, before he could put any weight behind that thought. Abel knew that he had to move, he could not continue to lay here like this with her for much longer. Slowly, as not to wake her, Abel slipped from bed grabbing his sweatshirt off the back of the door; he headed to the shower.

Without Abel's warmth Amanda woke up soon after he left the bed. Hearing the shower, Amanda was relieved to know that he was still there. Getting up, Amanda made her way to the kitchen. Sneaking a peek into the living room, Amanda noted Katie still sacked out on the sofa. Heading into the kitchen, Amanda started a fresh pot of coffee. After covering Katie with a warm quilt, Amanda headed back to the bedroom. Facing her closet, Amanda rummaged for something to wear. Stretching, Amanda reached for her ripped jeans from top shelf of her closet. Abel stood in the doorway, a towel around his shoulders, sweatshirt in his hand, he stood silently watching Amanda as she turned and stretched. He couldn't help admiring her curvy form and long legs. Clearing his throat, Abel made his presence known. Turning Amanda found she couldn't take her eyes off him. The fuchsia colored towel out of place across his wide shoulders. His hair still wet from the recent shower. His chest still bared for the world to see.

"Good Morning," she whispered as she came to stand in front of him, placing her hand lightly against his damp chest. Covering her hand with his he whispered "Morning darlin'" Stepping back from him she noticed for the first time the little tribal sun tattoo that circled his belly button. "You did it!" she exclaimed. Moving to sit on the bed…Amanda giggled her hands covering her mouth.

Abel smiled; he never tired of Amanda's playful side. "Did what?" he asked unclear exactly what it was he had done. "I can't believe you really used my design!" cried Amanda, as her fingers brushed against the red and gold tribal sun encircling his belly button.

Abel laughed, the memory of senior year math class coming back clear as a bell. "Mr. Rivas, Algebra" he smiled. "Shit that man could talk for hours and never really say anything you ever wanted to hear" he laughed. Amanda sat back on the bed smiling ear to ear, giggling happily. "You and my artsy doodles were the only things that ever kept me awake and listening – I hated math – still can't balance my checkbook with a damn."

"I know you said you thought it would make a nice SOA tat, but I never actually thought you would get it done. My little doodle a SOA tattoo – who knew?" she replied once the giggling subsided. Sitting down on the bed next to her, Abel couldn't help but smile. He knew the moment he saw her doodling the little tribal sun that he wanted it permanently on his body. Abel just let her smile and giggle – enjoying her happiness. He saw no reason to share that he had the tattoo done because of her the very night she left Charming almost four years ago.

Shrugging into his sweatshirt, Abel smiled "I told you before – you got talent darlin'" Amanda's mood grew somber, almost as if someone had flipped a switch. The change in the room was instant. Abel didn't understand "Amanda what is it?" he asked with obvious care and confusion.

Looking into his clear blue eyes she replied "I'm glad you finally idea it done. Listen I need to get my butt in gear, your mom and Rachael are probably waiting for me. I don't want your sister to be late because of me." Moving Amanda stood from the bed and started to walk past Abel heading towards the shower. As she came close to him – reaching out he took hold of her wrist drawing her to a stop. "I'm glad I got it too – I just wish you had been the tat artist to do it." Smiling sadly, Amanda touched his cheek, before turning and heading back to towards the shower.

Driving to Charming Elementary (later that morning):

Rachael and Amanda had the radio cranked sky high. Sitting at a red-light, windows rolled down, singing along to Bruno Mars; 'Today I swear I'm not doing anything – no nothing at all." An older gentleman pulled up next to them in traffic and watched them with mild curiosity. As the light turned green Rachael noticed their older fan and burst into a fit of giggles so strong she was crying as they entered the school parking lot. Pulling to a stop in front of the school, Amanda watched Rachael gather her backpack and other things. Opening the truck door, Rachael went to climb out. Changing her mind at the last second she scrambled back into the truck. Dropping her pack on the floor board, she reached over and hugged Amanda tight. "Love ya Manda," she cried before grabbing her stuff once again and jumping out of the truck. As she slammed the door shut, Amanda smiled joyfully at Rachael using Abel's common nickname for her "Love ya rug-rat, see ya this afternoon." She called out. Rachael waved as she darted into the school.

Pulling out of the parking lot, Amanda eased back into traffic as her cell phone began to ring. Pulling her hand bag closer she dug one handed searching for her phone. Finding it at the bottom of the little blue bag – she yanked it out "Hello" she answered tartly. "Amanda Lynn you're a hard a woman to track down" came the icy reply. Amanda froze, hearing her full name spoken in that icy cold voice. Sitting at a red light, she stared at her phone as if it had mutated into something poisonous. "What do you want Dean?" she asked with a certain icy calm she did not feel.

"What do I want? Amanda Lynn I think that would be obvious, I want my fiancé to come home where she belongs." Amanda cringed "I'm not your fiancé Dean. I never was and never will be!" she cried before hanging up the phone and chucking it to the floor board of the truck.