This one shot is based in the same time period as the last one, after chapter 3 of the reluctant lion heart during the 4 year gap. I thought up this story just last week and regret that is didn't make its way into the original story.
Disclaimer: do not own, not for profit
2001
Age 9
Gabby curled herself tighter into the corner of the checkered couch in the clubhouse as more and more Sons she didn't know piled through the door. Chibs had come to their door early this morning and spoken quickly and quietly to her mother before escorting them both to the clubhouse.
Her mother dutifully took her place behind the bar as Gabby sat quietly and not moving as instructed. She didn't like the clubhouse. It was dark and smelled funny. The men of SAMCRO always gave her strange looks and her mother always acted differently here.
She had nothing to do, no toys or books or even homework to keep her entertained. Instead she listened intently to all the conversations going on around her. The old ladies were talking about lockdowns. How long this one would last, who had been at the last one, if it would be safe for the kids to go to school on Monday. The men were discussing retribution, vengeance, and the horror when the bag of 'prospect parts' arrived at the clubhouse.
A Son she didn't know loudly announced that Tacoma had arrived and she waited with baited breath to see if Happy would be one of them. She missed him horribly. He hadn't even said goodbye to her before he left. If she had thought it would be the last time she would see him she would have gone with him like he'd asked. Or maybe that was why he had left. She had never gone against him before. But he and her mother had been saying such horrible things. Her mother had been screaming and Happy had been swearing back at her. And then the hitting. She saw her mother hit Happy first but Happy had thrown her into the banister. It was still cracked. A constant reminder of that day.
She watched a line of men come in and be greeted by all the other bikers. The only one she recognized was Kozik. Happy hadn't come. He didn't want to see her.
Kozik stood leaning against the bar nursing a beer. Clay was waiting for one more Charter to show before he called church. Lee snagged a beer and stood next to his newly appointed SAA.
"What fine lady has captured your attention?" Kozik simply nodded his head to the couch. Gabby was curled up in the corner starring at the floor. "Little young ain't she?" Lee teased.
"That's Gabby." Kozik hadn't yet gotten the whole story out of Happy. But he did know, as did Lee, that Happy hadn't made a trip down to Charming since. He was a different man these days. Brutal. In the 18 months Happy hadn't seen Gabby he had transformed from a soldier to an enforcer. He was up to 5 kills now, keeping track of each one on his own god damn body. He'd gotten into torture as well. Beyond roughing people up for answers, he had his own toolbox of torture utensils.
"I'm gonna talk to her." Kozik said as he finished his beer. Lee simply shrugged at the idea.
He made his way across the clubhouse slowly, getting stopped and hugged by a few brothers. Gabby barely looked up when he sat down next to her. He stretched his arm out on the back of the couch behind her and nudged her shoulder.
"Hey. You remember me?" He asked, ducking his head down a bit to be at eye level with her.
"Kozik." She responded with a single word and Kozik grinned. Just like Hap would have answered he couldn't help but think.
"You scared?" He asked after a minute when she eyed the new brothers arriving at the door.
"Should I be?" She asked, finally turning to him and making eye contact. Her bright blue eyes gave off an air of uncertainty and Kozik quickly back peddled, not used to making small talk with children.
"No, not at all hun. The Sons will keep you safe. I promise." He reassured her. She nodded but once again went silent.
At that moment Tig came out of the kitchen and happened a glance at the couch. He saw red. How dare that mother fucker think he could talk to Gabby.
Kozik once again tried a different approach. "You know, Happy really misses"
"YOU FUCKING SON OF A BITCH!" Tig interrupted him with a scream. "You don't fucking talk to her!" He finished before pounding his fist into Kozik's face.
Gabby's eyed went wide and she quickly scrambled to untangle her legs out from under her and was about to jump over the arm rest to get away from the fighting men when she was swooped up into the arms of none other than Clay Morrow.
"You okay? You hurt?" He asked Gabby. All she could do was shake her head. She watched as Tig screamed more obscenities at Kozik the two of them now stretched out over the couch where she had just been, throwing punches back and forth. Other men were now screaming at Tig and trying to pull him off of Kozik.
She clung tightly to Clay until she was pulled out of his arms by Chibs. "Aye, it's alright lass." He soothed her and carried her away from the fighting as he realized she was still watching with wide eyes. The old ladies were hording the children out of the room and Chibs looked around for Emily but came up empty.
He sat down at a table with an older Son, Piney, but kept Gabby on his lap. Most of the brothers had helped pull Kozik and Tig apart and Clay, now free of a child to protect, was screaming for them to be taken into the chapel.
"I'm sorry." Gabby whispered and Chibs looked down at her.
"Oh sweetie that wasn't your fault." He shushed her and kissed the top of her head.
"Tig told Kozik not to talk to me." Gabby managed to get out without sniffling.
"Kozik and Tig hate each other princess. If you hadn't been there Tig would have yelled at Kozik just the same for …for sitting on the couch. Okay?" Piney spoke up.
Gabby nodded her head and stared at the closed chapel doors. She could hear both Kozik and Tig yelling at each other and Clay and others yelling at both of them. She jumped at a crash coming from inside the room. Chibs rolled his eyes at what he just knew was Tig diving across the table to attack Kozik.
"Hey, I bet with your help we could find Bobby's cookie stash." Chibs smiled trying to distract the young girl. He picked her up and carried her into the kitchen as more crashing could be heard through the door.
The Charming Sons returned to the quiet clubhouse late. Everything had been taken care of and most of the out of town brothers left for home instead of returning to the clubhouse. Except for the 4 nomads guarding the TM lot there were no signs of life. The women and children were all in the dorms. Another nomad was asleep in a chair, a crow eater passed out on her knees in front of him. A few of the men chuckled at the lightened mood and grabbed beers. Bobby Tig and Chibs took seats at the bar to discuss the evening but as Bobby started to speak Opie laid a hand on his shoulder and silenced him.
The 3 men looked to where Opie pointed and spotted Gabby on the opposite corner of the couch from earlier today.
"Tig find her a bed." Clay instructed not bothering to look for Emily or even wonder where the crow eater was.
Tig scoffed. "Why the fuck do I have to do it?" Bobby and Chibs glared at him and Opie shook his head and walked over to the girl.
"Gabs." He squatted down and rubbed his hand over her hair to wake her but failed. She simply snuggled closer to his hand. He smiled and gently picked her up. She melded instantly to his chest without waking.
"Doubt there's any empty beds bro." Jax reminded him.
"You look good with her." Clay observed and smiled, gently rubbing her back as Opie passed him.
"Aye, nothing like a sleeping babe." Chibs smiled wide. Tig merely grunted at his brothers.
"Gotta get used to it I suppose. I'll put her down with Donna." Opie smiled as well and headed to the back. Jax stepped ahead of him stopping in front of Opie's door.
"Haven't really been looking out for you like I should sis." Jax whispered and kissed her head. Gabby stirred and yawned but didn't wake. Jax grinned wide before snagging Opie's key off his belt and opening the door. He set the keys on the desk right inside and closed the door behind his brother.
"Ope?" Donna stirred at the click of the door and sat up. "Are you okay? Did you…"
"Everyone's fine." Opie assured his wife. "Got you a bed mate." He laid Gabby down next to Donna and pulled the blanket up to her chin. He kissed her forehead and then walked around the bed, kissing first his wife's cheek and then her bulging 8 month pregnant stomach. "Night baby."
Kozik got back to the house late. Most of the Tacoma brothers had crashed at the clubhouse after the long ride home, but Kozik knew he couldn't do that. He turned the light on and walked into the living room. Happy was sitting on the couch drinking out of a glass.
"Hap." He greeted his brother.
"Koz." Happy greeted back.
"Everything good here while we were away?" Kozik walked around the couch and sat on the recliner.
"Yeah." Happy answered, taking another drink and never looking at Kozik.
"Good." Kozik nodded his head. "Good." He got back up off the recliner and started to walk out of the room.
"Gabby was there." Kozik called out, loud enough for Happy to hear.
Happy stayed silent but his arm stilled as he was bringing his glass to his lips once again.
"She looked good." Kozik said matter of factly and continued walking down the hall.
Happy sat frozen for a minute before bringing the glass the rest of the way to his lips. He downed the rest of the burning liquid and got up. He'd waited 2 days for Kozik to bring news back of her. She was good. Gabby was good.
Twitter: kiara8921
Thank you for all the comments! I'm starting to get back to more of you again. The holidays are over and work is back to it's normal level of crazy. I broke up with my boyfriend in december and i will be moving in the next 2 weeks. Been busy packing. I'm not sad, actually excited to finally be moving on, but anyway, i may not have internet immedietly so i will try to keep the next few posts to wednesdays but if one doesn't show up it simply means i'm still waiting to get online and i will post as soon as i get access.