This one shot takes place between chapter 7 and 8. It refers to a short comment made in chapter 8 when Gabby goes to Fresno for the first time. I put it here so those of you that are like me and obsessed with detail wouldn't feel the need to go back.

Happy had gone Nomad several months ago, not able to deal with the new drugs SAMCRO was mulling. Happy hated drugs. It was one of the few times he had told her about club business. The night he showed up, shortly after Kozik's memorial service. He couldn't be a part of it, and he needed her to understand why he would be gone more. He didn't want her to feel abandoned.

Okay, here we go, short and sweet this week.

Disclaimer: do not own, not for profit

2011

Age 19

Happy and Gabby sat quietly on her couch. He had called her yesterday, asked her to arrange her schedule to see him. He had said he had something important to discuss with her. And now he sat. He was 4 beers into the 6 pack he had brought over. Gabby sighed once again and Happy sat up taking his feet off the coffee table. He set down the now empty beer and rested his forearms on his thighs.

"Kozik." He said, finally breaking the ice. Gabby had attended Kozik's memorial service with Happy. No one had told her how he died or who was responsible. She resisted the urge to sigh again as she waited for him to continue.

"Charming got into drugs." He finally spoke again and Gabby's brow furrowed in confusion.

"We needed cash after prison. Got hooked up with a cartel." He sighed and wiped a hand over his head. He hadn't been able to look at Gabby all night, not even during dinner.

"We were gonna sell them hardware. They made mulling part of the deal. We ended up in the middle of a fucking cartel war." He blew out a breath and went silent again.

"Kozik." Gabby finally spoke, repeating Hap's earlier line.

"Kozik." Happy nodded his head. "He wasn't the only one since this shit started. Don't think you ever met any of the others." He snagged a fresh beer off the table and swallowed half.

Gabby was at a loss. Her father never shared club business with her. She understood he was grieving and maybe needed to get stuff off his chest; but it seemed very odd that he would turn to her.

"It's just Charming." He added before finishing his 5th beer. He eyed the last. He didn't usually drink more than 3 in an entire evening with Gabby.

Gabby carefully studied his profile. "You're leaving Charming. Leaving SAMCRO."

Happy closed his eyes in relief as he nodded his head. He couldn't get the words out himself. He froze again when Gabby got off the couch. He dared a glance up when he didn't hear any doors slam and found her facing the window, her arms wrapped around her, her head down.

He studied her. He had always found it fascinating the amount of his personality traits she had picked up over the years. She was perfectly content to sit in silence with him. She was much more internal than external. Always studying people and places. Of course, when she got mad she was a whole different beast. Thinking went right out the window; just like Tig.

"SAMTAC?" She finally asked, still facing the window. She was contemplating if she would move with him. She wanted out of Charming but she'd never really been anywhere else. Would following him to Tacoma make her a pathetic hanger-on?

"Nomad." He answered her and got up. He walked over to her slowly and when she didn't turn around he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the top of her head.

"It will be like it was before. I'll visit you every chance I get. Make this place my home base." She nodded but stayed silent. "If I ever do settle down somewhere would you come too?" He whispered in her ear. He was trying hard to read her expression in the mirror but the glare from the sunset made it difficult.

He felt her shift and loosened his hold to let her turn around and face him. "Would you want me to?" She asked and the amount of emotion in her eyes made Happy nearly shutter.

"I'd expect you to." He answered and smoothed his hand over her hair. "I'm all you've got Gabs. And like it or not, you have to have family."

She gave him a half smile and leaned her forehead against his chest. She understood his need to leave drugs behind. But she'd watched him walk away so many times not knowing when or if he'd ever come back. The thought of living like that again made her sick to her stomach.

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Thanks for reading! and thanks for all the comments and favs. i'm back to getting back to most of them, at least the ones that ask questions, but i love them all! it makes me so happy to see people still showing up reading and commenting after so long with this story. i was worried it might start to get old to people before i ever get the final Gabby story out.