Upon realizing that he wasn't imagining this, that AJ was really here, Jax quickly stood and closed the space between them in a few strides. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight embrace. "It's about time you came back" Jax told her. "Yea, it's been way too long" Opie replied, picking her up in an Opie-sized bear hug. AJ responded the only way she could "I really missed you guys, all of you", making a pointed look at Chibs and Tig.

Once the reunion greetings were done in the clubhouse, Jax, Opie and AJ found themselves sitting at a table, enjoying a beer, like it hadn't been 5 years. Juice couldn't help but notice from afar at how blue her eyes really were, and the way she used her hands to talk. She was exactly the way he remembered her, before she left, outspoken and friendly, not at all the way one would expect the daughter of an outlaw biker to act. Juice remained in his seat at the bar for a few minutes longer, before deciding to head to his dorm room and try to get some sleep. Closing up his laptop, Juice grabbed the remainder of his beer and muttered a quick "Goodnight" to Tig and Chibs. He walked across the room to let Jax know that he would have the information needed in the morning. AJ looked up at him, expectantly, so he leaned down to hug her. She smelled amazing to him. A scent that was a mixture of honeysuckle, orange blossom, and something he couldn't quite scent. It was a smell he knew he wouldn't easily forget. She almost called him prospect, before she realized that he was now a fully patched member. "Goodnight Juice" she told him. The way she said his name made him nervous and excited, like he was a teenager all over again. He was sure that he would dream of her tonight, if his ADHD didn't keep him awake.

"I've got to get home, to the kids" Opie told them as he finished the last of his beer. "Me too" Jax said, as Opie stood to leave. "Got any bags you need help with?" "Just a few" AJ responded to Jax's question. "I'll get them for you. You can stay in my room, if you want". "Thanks Jax. " Once her few bags were carried into Jax's dorm room, Jax took off for home. As AJ sat down on the bed, she realized how tired she was and how ecstatic she was to be home. Whatever happened tomorrow, whatever hell she had to pay in penance for leaving, she would gladly do so, with a smile on her face and her fuck you attitude. AJ knew that Gemma wouldn't be as easily forgiving as the boys were, and that it was likely to get heated tomorrow, when, or better yet, if she decided to face Gemma. Rolling over onto her side, AJ drifted into a dreamless sleep.

Never one for sleeping in, no matter how little sleep she had, AJ was up soon after sunrise. Quietly making her way into the kitchen, she checked the fridge for any kind of caffeine, other than coffee. Grabbing a Red Bull, she made a mental note to replace it for whoever they belonged to. Coming back around the bar, she was almost knocked off her feet by a bustling Bobby, bringing in his homemade muffins. "AJ, girl, when did you get back?" "I got in last night, around 10". "Well, it's good to have you home, and in 1 piece. Grab you a muffin, might not be any left when the rest of these assholes wake up." AJ sat down at the bar, with her muffin and her pilfered Red Bull, when she heard movement from the back. She looked up to see Juice making his way over. "That wasn't the last one, was it?" he asked, nodding toward the blue and silver can she was currently holding in her hand. "No, but I'll buy some more. I didn't know they were yours, and I don't like coffee. Too bitter, no matter how you make it." "It's no problem" Juice said as he grabbed the last can from the fridge.

Sitting down on the bar stool next to her, Juice grabbed a muffin from the basket between them and began to eat. He watched her out of the corner of his eye, noticing the way her slender fingers picked the muffin apart and the way her full lips parted when those same fingers moved toward her mouth with a piece of the breakfast. Juice thought to himself that his noticing her was all a product of him not getting laid recently, and knew that Friday was only a day away. The crow eaters would be out in abundance tomorrow night, and one was sure to catch his attention. Juice and AJ were well through with their breakfast before Jax made his first morning appearance. "Good, you're still here. Gemma needs some help in the shop office today." "Jax, come on, you know I hate office work, and you know that Gemma isn't going to be as forgiving or friendly as you were". "AJ, you can't avoid her forever, eventually, she's going to notice that you're back. Better to get the blow up over with now, than to wait. It'll only get worse, and you know it as well as I do." "Alright Jax, you're right, but remember, whatever happens is your fault." With that, AJ exited the clubhouse and made her way across the lot to the Teller-Morrow garage.

Gemma was just pulling up in her blacked out SUV, looking every bit the biker queen she was. When she saw AJ leaning against the office door, Gemma took off her sunglasses and dropped her cigarette. "AJ Delaney, if that's you, you better get your ass down here now. You've got some serious fucking explaining to do" Gemma bit out at her. Sensing things weren't going to get better, AJ walked slowly down to where Gemma had parked and waited at the edge of the curb. "Hi Aunt Gemma". "Don't you give me that Hi Aunt Gemma shit. Where the hell have you been and why didn't you bother to call? Do you have any idea how worried I've been, how worried the guys have been? I should just beat your skinny ass right now, but I'm feeling charitable today, so I'll let you explain before I beat your ass." At a loss for words at the moment, AJ closed the gap between them and hugged her "Aunt" Gemma. She would suffer the repercussions, but she didn't realize until now, how much she missed this woman's snarky, take no prisoners attitude. Gemma returned the hug, and kissed AJ on the cheek before unlocking the office door and walking inside. "You've still got some explaining to do." "I know, and I've got all day to do it. Jax says you need some help in here, with paperwork." "Yea, not much paperwork to do, but I do have a lot of repossessions the guys are behind on. Maybe you and the idiot can go pick a couple of them up." "Sure Gemma, and I'm really sorry about not calling you. I just needed some time to figure things out."

It was the truth, mostly. AJ had needed time to figure things out, but that had happened in the first few months she had been gone. After that, it was more about her own, foolish pride that had kept her away. She felt embarrassed and betrayed by Happy's actions toward her. Her dad knew all about it, as AJ had visited him at least once a month, every month, since she had been gone. She had explained the situation to him, and while he was sympathetic toward her, he also told her that she knew what she was getting into, that Happy wasn't a nice guy, and he wasn't the relationship type. Looking back, AJ knew it was true, but it was too late to dwell on the past. AJ told Gemma about her just driving around from place to place for the first year, and that she had spent the next 3 years in an apartment outside of Tacoma, Washington. She told Gemma that Kozik knew she was there, and spent many nights crashing on her couch, more out of comfort for AJ than for Kozik. She told her how Kozik made the promise not to tell anyone that he knew where she was, after she threatened to cut off his favorite body part if he did. And then AJ told Gemma how she had spent the last year slowly making her way back to Charming, spending weeks at a time in one seedy motel or another, missing home more and more. Once Gemma was satisfied with her explanation, she handed AJ a stack of repo papers. "Alright, that'll do for now. Go grab Juice, and pick up some of these repos." "Yes ma'am" AJ said as she walked out the door, relieved that the blow up hadn't happened, at least not yet.

"Juice, Gemma wants us to go pick up a couple of these repos." Juice felt his pulse quicken at the sound of his name on her lips. If she was having this effect on him just saying his name, Juice dreaded what it was going to be like spending the day in the tight confines of the tow truck with her. He saw AJ rounding the hood of the car he was working on, with a stack of papers balanced precariously on one hand, with the keys to the tow truck dangling from her index finger on her other hand. "Yea, ok, just let me get my hands cleaned. I'll meet you in the truck." AJ turned to walk toward the white Teller-Morrow tow truck, and Juice stood, watching the way her jeans hugged the curve of her ass in just the right way. After his hands were sufficiently clean, Juice made his way toward the driver side of the truck. He was surprised to see AJ sitting behind the wheel when he opened the door. He looked a bit shocked to see her trying to take charge like this, but there was no way he was going to let her drive. He remembered how reckless she could be and gave her a knowing look. She politely obliged, not wanting to injure his ego, and slid over to the passenger seat. Juice climbed into the truck, started the engine and pulled out of the lot. The first repo went easier than expected, after AJ turned on the charm and basically melted the poor sap into a puddle of drool in the driveway when she smiled and leaned over to talk to him, giving him a decent view of her ample cleavage.

Once the vehicle was hooked to the tow truck, AJ climbed back inside and readjusted her shirt. Juice couldn't help but notice the way her chest was rising and falling with every breath she took. He thought to himself, as AJ reapplied her lip-gloss in the mirror, that this was going to be a long day.