Okay, so this is a really long one shot and needs some explanation. Some of you may remember my ranting on twitter that chapter 7 of the reluctant lion heart just wasn't working. Chapter 7 of course was the chapter where Gabby's mom died. I ended up fixing it, and obviously Gabby tells Happy in prison that Emily died after some prompting and no one else knows….chapter over. Well, that's not what was supposed to happen. As I mentioned in my a/n for that chapter I deleted an entire scene and pushed some events up.

Originally Gabby was to go and see him in jail and he was going to know that something was wrong but he wouldn't get it out of her and he didn't find out until he got home from prison that Emily had died and the club hadn't been there. Happy was then supposed to go to the club furious and a very important speech was supposed to be given by Piney that explained what Gabby tells Tara later, about Gemma using Emily and Gabby as a lesson to the other sweet butts. Well, the conversation for Gabby and Tara happened but never the important scene with Piney and I always hated myself for giving up and just 'making do' to finish the chapter. I altered a few things so this would fit the main story even with what I changed and it seems to slip in just fine. And hopefully it explains why Gabby stayed in Charming after she graduated, why she chose to go to college even though she told Charlene no, how she knew what she knew about Gemma, and just generally tie up a whole bunch of loose ends that probably seemed like I just did shit to make the story plausible.

Disclaimer: do not own, not for profit

2010

Age 18

Opie sat across the visitors table from Jax. He had been surprised by the request. Jax reserved nearly all his visits for Tara and the boys. Opie usually met with Clay or Bobby to discuss the club.

"You got any idea why I brought you down here?" Jax spoke first, no greeting.

Opie regarded his best friend carefully. "No."

"Happy's out of the hole." Jax gave him a clue. Opie simply waited. He wasn't the 20 questions kind of guy.

"He got a visit from Gabby." Opie simply nodded his head. "You got any clue what's been going on with little sis?"

"Hap put Kozik in charge of her. I've been a little busy running a severely undermanned club and garage."

"Kozik been keeping up with her? Say anything about her?"

Opie thought hard, "just that she got an apartment. Above Floyd's. Piney talked to Floyd about her. Made it known she was a friend."

"Anything else?" Jax asked, crossing his arms. "Anything about Emily?" He got more specific.

Opie caught on a bit and shook his head. "Emily stopped coming around."

"When?"

"I don't know a couple of months ago."

"A couple of months ago? Right around the time she died?"

"Shit." Opie ran a hand over his beard. "Jesus."

"How the fuck do you miss something like that?" Jax yelled across the table. He nodded to a guard that gave him a warning look.

"I've been a little busy running a club. An extremely undermanned club. What happened, I didn't hear shit about it. How'd she die?"

"Hap said she tried to contact you guys, got no response. She took care of everything. Emily OD'd."

"I didn't know man. You know Gabby ain't a fan of the club. She never comes around. And Gemma hates her, girl was never family in your mothers eyes." Opie closed his eyes and took a deep breath before continuing. "I didn't know she used…how pissed is Happy?"

"Pissed. And worried. He's got no idea what she's doing for cash he's worried she's gonna drop out of school."

"Not gonna happen. Tell Hap I'll take care of it."

Jax shook his head. "Haps back in the hole. He and Tig got into it over something. Tig made some comment about Gabby; Hap wasn't in a patient mood."

"I'll take care of it Jax. I'll take care of everything."

Opie got back from Stockton and sat down in the chapel. He was too angry to go over and talk to Gabby yet. Angry at Kozik for not keeping a better eye on her, angry at himself for the same reason. He and Jax had always had the best of intentions when it came to Gabby. But nothing ever seemed to go right. Emily stopped bringing Gabby to the clubhouse after JT's death; Gemma kept her relegated away from the men at all family gatherings. They had made a few attempts at visiting Gabby at home but she was usually never there. The last time they spent any real time with her was her 3rd birthday when he and Jax cleaned up his old bike and taught her to ride it. It had taken all day, she had been too small for the bike, but she had never given up, and neither had they.

"Ope." Chibs called as he knocked on the door. Opie cleared his mind and nodded for Chibs to enter. "Just wondering if there was a problem; Jax given up a visit with his kids an' all."

"Had something he needs me to take care of." He stood and went to the safe pulling out a few bundles of bills. "Kozik around?"

"Yeah, he's out in the garage." Chibs eyed him sticking the money in an envelope and putting it in his cut. "You need an escort I'm free brother." He offered.

Opie walked out of the chapel, Chibs hesitated but followed behind. "Opie…what's going on?" Chibs didn't like being ignored.

"You got a thing for Emily Duncan, don't you Chibs?"

"Yeah, I guess, I mean, we all got our favorites."

"You know she was using?" Opie stopped walking and turned around to face Chibs, crossing his arms.

"Shit, she's used on and off a few times I know about. That bail money?" Chibs nodded to Opie's cut.

"You knew Emily was using and you didn't say shit?" Opie asked suddenly furious.

"I told Gemma I suspected it, a few years ago maybe. Gemma didn't run her off so I assumed I was wrong."

"Gemma." Opie ground out and wiped a hand over his head. "Fucking bullshit game playing." Opie yelled and punched a wall.

"Ope?" Chibs took a step towards him.

"Emily OD'd. Couple of months ago. Gabby…shit..." He threw another punch at the wall and Chibs grabbed his elbow waiting for answers instead of more hitting. "Gabby couldn't get a hold of any of us. Took care of everything herself."

Chibs' eyes narrowed. "Jesus." Opie tore his arm away as Chibs just stood there. He went storming through the clubhouse door and towards the garage.

"KOZIK!" Opie screamed still some 30 feet away.

Kozik popped up from under a civic and started to walk out onto the lot towards Opie. As soon as he got close Opie wailed on him. A sucker punch to the jaw while he was unprepared and then another to the kidney to make him fall. Chibs came running and pulled Opie away before he could start kicking.

"What the fuck man?" Kozik pushed himself up to his knees as he asked, pausing to spit out a good amount of blood.

"How the hell do you screw up looking out for Gabby? It ain't a hard fucking job! Have you spent one god damn minute with that girl since Hap went away?"

"I took her to see Hap twice. I'm gonna take her tomorrow. Jesus man." Kozik slowly made his way up to standing. The sudden fight had drawn a small crowd, the sweet butts were patiently waiting to take care of Kozik, Gemma was running out from the office and Piney was slowly making his way across the lot as well.

"You ain't taking Gabby anywhere tomorrow, Happy's back in the hole." Opie snapped at him.

"You're pissed I didn't get Gabby there in the 3 fucking days Happy managed to behave himself?"

"You need to keep your fucking mouth shut and listen for a change Kozik!" Opie lunged again while he yelled and Chibs grabbed him again.

"What the fuck is going on?" Piney yelled at his son as he reached the group.

"Emily Duncan died. And apparently this genius didn't notice." Opie pointed at Kozik.

"Jesus Christ, when?" Gemma stepped closer to the group. The women of the club were her responsibility, whether she liked them all or not.

"A couple of months ago!" Opie yelled at Kozik instead of Gemma. Curses came from everyone around; those who had noticed Emily had stopped coming around assumed it was because there were so few patches left in Charming. A lot of the women had drifted away.

Opie took a few breaths to compose himself. "Gabby went to Stockton yesterday, alone. Told Hap everything. Apparently she couldn't get a hold of you." He pointed at Kozik, "or the rest of the club when it happened so she just took care of it all herself."

"A couple of months Kozik?" Gemma stepped forward and glared at him.

"Jesus…she moved a couple of months ago. I didn't think anything of it. She was 18. I was surprised it didn't happen sooner." Kozik ran a hand through his hair momentarily forgetting his throbbing jaw. "Hap's gonna kill me."

"Well within his right to." Chibs mumbled and Kozik glared at him.

Opie shook his head at the man and started to walk away from the group. The money in his cut suddenly clicked for Chibs and he followed his interim president to the line of bikes.

"Going to see her?" He asked while mounting up.

"Yeah. We screwed up Chibs. All of us. We were supposed to be taking care of her since the beginning."

"Shit happens. Gabby is on all of us."

"Shit happens for 18 years?" Opie asked.

"She slipped through the cracks Ope." Chibs shrugged. Opie responded by revving his bike and pulling out of the lot. Gemma watched as Chibs followed suite. She didn't quite know how to feel about all this. If it weren't for her actions Gabby would have been closer to the club and surely someone would have taken notice. But now that she was 18 and Emily was dead the only thing pulling Gabby into the club was Happy. Surely Gemma could break that bond while Hap was locked up.

Opie and Chibs parked their bikes in front of Floyds and climbed the outdoor staircase to Gabby's door.

"Why the hell isn't she answering?" Opie mumbled as he continuously knocked on the door.

"Cause she's not in there." Gabby answered him. Both men turned around and found the girl standing a few steps below them, book bag on one shoulder, arms crossed.

"Gabs!" Opie moved to hug her but she dodged him and made her way to the door.

"Did something happen to Hap?" She asked while opening the door.

"Hap got himself in the hole again lass." Chibs answered her.

"Okay." Gabby pushed the door open, "thanks for letting me know." She went to close the door and Chibs grabbed it.

"That's not why we're here." Gabby eyed Chibs, her eyes flared in a gesture Chibs couldn't help but recognize. She let go of the door and walked inside assuming correctly the men would simply follow her.

Opie and Chibs shared a look as they walked into the tiny studio that was no bigger than the dorm rooms at the clubhouse. Gabby set her book bag on her bed, removed two books and a folder and turned back around to face the men.

"I have to be at work in 30 minutes. What's up?"

"Gabs." Opie took a step forward. "We heard about your mother." He took another step closer ready to comfort her at the sensitive topic.

"Hap went ballistic after I left, didn't he? Damn it. I knew I shouldn't have told him." Gabby slammed her school work back on the bed.

"Gabby." Chibs stepped forward now as well. "I'm sorry we weren't there for you. You shouldn't have had to do that alone."

"I wasn't alone. Charlene went to the funeral home with me." Gabby crossed her arms and stared blankly at the men.

"Sis…" Opie trailed off and took a step closer. "We…I should have been there. Tell me what you need; I can take care of it for you."

He pulled the envelope of money out of his cut and held it out to her. She simply stared at it. Opie sighed and threw it on her bed.

"I don't want you to worry about anything. Clubs gonna take care of you."

"I don't need anything. I can take care of myself guys, been doing it for a long fucking time. I'm good. I don't need you."

"Gabby, shit Gabs... look I get that you're mad. I get that you probably hate the world right now. But we didn't know. If we had something would have been done." Opie assured the girl.

"If you knew?" Gabby emphasized.

"You should have told us lass." Chibs added.

"Right. 'Cause this is all on me. I should have asked for help. I should have said something. I should have told someone."

"That's not…" Opie tried to interject.

"I should have known at 3 years old that mommy wasn't sick, she was shooting up. I should have told you she was making crank in the kitchen till she set the damn house on fire. I should have told you she couldn't hold down a job because she was high all the time. I should have been the one to tell you all that because even though you took turns fucking my mother none of you actually paid any god damn attention to her!"

"Gabby…" Opie reached out to grab her but she pulled back.

"No. The best you could do was pimp her out to other men around town for favors."

"Okay, yeah, that looks bad. But your mother was a sweet butt. You're a club kid Gabby." Opie hated seeing Gabby this upset. He was furious at himself for not paying more attention to her.

"Don't. Don't club kid me Ope. My mother was a club whore. My father wouldn't eve admit that I was his let alone actually step up and raise me or at the very least pay some god damn child support." She swiped the envelope off the bed and pressed it to Opie's chest. "I'm not a club kid. I don't want your club. I don't need your club. Get out."

"Gabby." Opie pleaded.

"GET OUT!"

"Okay lass." Chibs grabbed Opie's shoulder and pulled him back. "You calm down you know where to find us."

The two men made their way quickly out of the apartment. "Never seen her so mad before." Opie observed looking up at the door.

"Aye, temper like her father that one." Chibs shook his head and revved his bike.

Opie and Chibs pulled into the TM lot looking defeated. Gemma smiled, a mourning 18 year old completely alone in the world with a chip on her shoulder wouldn't be hard to push away. She ducked out of the office and got in her SUV as the men went into the clubhouse.

Piney and Kozik were sitting at the bar. Piney with his ever present tequila, Kozik icing his jaw.

"How's the jaw?" Opie offered by way of apology.

"Not broke." Kozik shrugged. Violence between brothers was nothing to get worked up over. "How's Gabby?"

"Pissed." Chibs mumbled taking a beer from behind the bar. "Kicked us out of her apartment. Wouldn't take the money Opie brought. Pretty much said fuck the club."

"Shit." Opie remembered the envelope and pulled it out of his cut. "Don't know how she's paying her bills. I'll give it to Floyd. Pay her rent for a while."

Piney stood up and grabbed the envelope and counted it. "$2000. What the fuck is wrong with you boy?" Piney hit his son over the head with the envelope and disappeared into the chapel.

Opie rolled his eyes at Chibs and followed his father. "Pops what the hell are you doing?" He watched his father stuffing the envelope full of cash. "Pop I skimmed that $2000 off the top. I can't take that much out."

"This ain't off the top. It's Tig's share." Piney jammed the full envelope in his cut and slammed the safe door shut. "You boys get ready to go!" He yelled at the other men at the bar before going back to one of the dorms.

"Tig's share?" Opie murmured before going back to the bar. "Fuck, Chibs, Tig is Gabby's father?"

"Holy shit." Kozik murmured.

"Yeah, keep it quite though will ya, don't think Gabby knows." Chibs answered.

"Alright let's go!" Piney walked back out to the bar.

"Gabby said she was going to work." Opie shot back.

"It ain't like we don't know where she works." Piney grumbled as he charged through the door.

Opie Chibs and Kozik followed him out. "Phil, Miles, get on your fucking bikes!" Piney yelled to the prospects in the garage just before he pulled off the lot.

"Looks like your old man has a plan." Chibs yelled over the noise of the bikes to Opie.

"Wouldn't be surprised if he tied her up and brought her back here against her will." Opie answered before pulling out to follow his father.

Gemma parked her SUV and stormed into the gas station. She walked up to the counter interrupting Gabby talking to Leon, her manager.

"We need to talk." Gemma struck her biker bitch pose and crossed her arms.

Gabby took a deep breath and rolled her eyes at Leon. "I'll be in the back." Leon said and walked to the coolers to continue restocking the pop.

"Yes Gemma?" Gabby asked as politely as she could.

"Heard about your mother. Certainly not surprised. You seem to be doing fine though."

Gabby sighed. "Thank you?" She asked more than answered since she wasn't quite sure how to respond. The roar of motorcycles didn't faze the women in the store as they were both desensitized to it but the sudden slam of the door made Gabby flinch.

"You get the hell away from the counter!" Piney yelled at Gemma as soon as he walked in. Leon came running up to the front of the store thinking they were being robbed. The rest of the available SOA brothers came running in behind Piney.

"Piney what the hell has gotten into you?" Gemma snapped backing up only a foot from the counter. Piney didn't answer, just pushed her to the side and walked up to the counter.

"You think you're not a club kid?" Piney asked harshly.

"I…"

"You shut up and listen to me young lady." He interrupted her and slammed a pile of photos down on the counter facing her. "You on JT's lap the day you were born." He lifted his hand to reveal an old picture. "That would be JT the president and founder of this club. JT the man who wouldn't let your mother abort you." He lifted it to reveal another picture. "Otto." And lifted another, "Chibs, Bobby, Clay, Jax and Opie, Lenard, Luanne, this one would be Quinn you know who Quinn is, right? Nomad president and little 4 month old you sound asleep in his fucking arms." He went through the stack of pictures one by one naming the Sons and other people in each one.

"JT declared before you were born that you would be raised a club kid. And had he lived that would have happened. We fucked up; we let politics get in the way of family. But don't you think for one god damn second you don't belong to this club."

Gabby stayed silent as she looked at the pictures spread out on the counter. She'd never seen any of them and there were still more in the stack of her with men she barely recognized.

"So here's how things are going to work." Piney continued. "You're gonna come to every family dinner and holiday. One or more of these boys are going to stop by twice a week to check on you till Hap gets home. You're gonna quit this job, finish high school and go to college, for something, anything." He pulled the envelope, packed full of cash, out of his cut. "This is for your bills and school. Consider it 18 years of back child support." He slammed it on the counter on top of the pictures Gabby had just stacked back up.

Gabby bit her lip to stop from asking about her father. As badly as she wanted to know she didn't think it a good idea to interrupt Piney's rant.

"And you," Piney turned to Gemma, "are going to leave this girl the fuck alone. You got heat for letting Emily get pregnant. I get that. But you took it out on both of them instead of admitting your mistake. Sweet butt or not you did this girl wrong. She's club and blood." He yelled at the queen while pointing at Gabby. "You think her mother didn't take your punishment out on her?! You think Gabby didn't get blamed for your harsh treatment of Emily? I don't have to ask, I know I'm right, look at her. Look at her Gemma and tell me she had a happy fucking childhood."

Gabby and Gemma both dropped their eyes at the harsh reality of Piney's words.

"You understand me?"

"Yes." Gemma answered him with an eye roll.

"And you understand me little miss I'm not club?" Piney turned back to Gabby.

"Yes sir."

"Great. Guardian, take the kid home." He snapped at Kozik.

Gabby looked at the five other silent bikers for the first time. "I'm in the middle of a shift." She said hesitantly.

"You quit, remember?" Piney yelled over his shoulder before storming back out the door.

Gabby looked to Leon who just shrugged his shoulders. He'd gotten a few lectures from Happy over the years and had been in Charming long enough to not question what had just gone down.

Gabby stuck the pictures and envelope of cash in her folder and picked it up along with her school books. She walked out of the gas station followed by the bikers then Gemma.

"Come on." Kozik swiped Gabby's school books and walked toward his bike.

"You don't have a bitch seat." Gabby stopped walking.

Kozik looked up but Gemma and the other men had just pulled off the lot. "I can go get the van." Kozik offered lost on what to do at the moment.

"It's fine. I'll walk. I walked here." She snagged her books back and headed toward the sidewalk.

"Wait! Fuck" he cursed under his breath. "I'll walk you, okay?" Kozik swiped the books back but Gabby didn't answer him as they walked in silence.

The walk was short and it wasn't until Gabby's apartment was in sight that Kozik figured out something to say. "If you want your job back I can talk to Leon."

"No that's okay, I've got another one."

"You're working two jobs?"

"How'd you think I was paying rent?" She asked sarcastically not bothering to look at him as she headed up her stairs.

"Guess I didn't really think about it." He followed her inside and sat next to her on the couch where she plopped down and put her books on the coffee table. "Where else are you working?"

"The boutique across the street." Gabby answered as she pulled the pictures back out to look at. She went through the ones Piney hadn't shown her and showed one to Kozik who was awkwardly sitting next to her not sure if he should leave or try to talk. "Who's this?"

"That's Jury. Shit." He took the picture and looked at it. "JT took you to Indian Hills?" The picture was of Jury Jax JT and Gabby. Jury was holding Gabby on his hip while JT and Jax took a show bike off a flatbed.

Gabby shrugged. "Not like I was old enough to remember. I don't remember JT either." She took the picture back and looked at it again. "The man who apparently saved my life." She mumbled under her breath.

The only thing that makes this not fit into the main story is that she probably would have been invited to Opie's wedding after Piney's speech. But I think it explains everything else including why Gemma wanted Gabby at the holiday dinners even though she still didn't like her, guilt trumps all. It also explains the job switch that probably confused all of you. I forgot that part of this scene had the intro to Gabby working at the boutique not the gas station and then the next chapter had Gabby in Fresno and her job didn't come up. I didn't catch that mistake till I read through the story long after I had posted it all.