I forced myself to catch my breath as we stood there in silence. My arms still wrapped around him forcing him to hold me as his tears ran down his cheek his chest rising and falling as he continued to sob. I had heard his plea for me to stay but I couldn't bring myself to respond.

After all we had been through I wanted to stay. If this had of happened a few weeks ago I would have most likely had no issues forgetting our past and would try to step back into his life but things were different now. I was still that girl who had once and always would love Opie Winston but I was different now.

I had met Juice. I hadn't expected to fall for him but it had happened. In the short time we had been together he had changed everything. I was no longer the girl who would put up with anything to be with the man she loved. I was now with someone who treated me right and always would.

I was torn between staying with Opie and holding his hand through the hardest time in his life or leaving to be with the man who had shown me how great a real relationship could be.

Before I could have the chance to make up my mind I felt his arms pull back slightly forcing me to look at his face. My heart broke again seeing the agony splashed across his face, his eyes swollen from the tears.

"Holly, please tell me you will stay I need you" he begged his hands now finding their way to my hips, his eyes locked on mine.

"Opie, I cant. You know I cant" I responded my voice cracking as I felt my own tears slowly slip down my cheeks.

"Why? I need you. How am I going to get through this by myself?" he questioned pulling away from me before he threw his hands up in frustration.

"You are not alone. You have Jax and Gemma"

"I don't need them Holly. I need you. Who is going to help me plan her funeral? Who is going to help me pack up her things? Who is going to help me take care of the house? I don't know how to do laundry. How am I going to get the kids ready for school? Oh god, how am I going to tell the kids?" he wailed as he walked back up the driveway he had come down to meet me and sat on his front step his face now buried in his hands.

I silently followed him up the driveway and stood in front of him as I let him vent before I knelt down in front of him taking his large hands in mine forcing him to look up at me.

"Opie, I will help you I promise. I can help you do laundry or help you grocery shop. I will help you with as much as I can but you know it wouldn't be right to step into your life right now. I will be your friend but I can not be Donna" I said trying my best to keep my voice steady as I continued to cry.

"Give my your phone. I am going to call your mom. She can help you with the funeral and the kids" I said as he passed me his phone.

I was quick to look through Opie's contacts knowing his mother would be the last person he asked for help. She had basically abandoned him when he was young but as he grew she tried to step back into his life. Now without Donna she was the only woman in Opie's life would could be there for him and her grandchildren. Gemma would help him but she also had her own family to worry about.

I hesitated for a moment before I pulled the phone the to my ear. It had been years since I had last spoken with his mother. Most of our conversations would involve her giving me messages for Opie or Piney because most of the time neither of the grown men could bare to hear the sound of the woman's voice. I thought this woman was going to be my mother in law one day and now I was calling her to tell her that Donna was dead. I cringed at the thought, my stomach turning as I heard the familiar sound of ringing in my ear.

I took a deep breath as she answered and forced myself to get straight to the point. I spent twenty minutes explaining to her that her only daughter in law had passed away leaving her son a widow with two children. I tried to comfort her as she sobbed into the phone. Once she had quieted down I was quick to tell her Opie needed her. Thankfully she was more then happy to come to Charming and help her son. I arranged for her to get to his home in the early morning hours so she would be there when the children woke up and she would be by Opie's side to help him break the news.

I sat next to him as I hung up the phone and slipped it back into his hands.

"Thank you for calling her"

"No problem. I figured if I didn't it would most likely be Piney calling her and that wouldn't end up good for anyone"

"That's true. I haven't called anyone yet. Her parents don't know"

"Opie, go inside. Have a drink and try to get some sleep. Your mom will wake you in the morning. She can help you call everyone" I said in almost a whisper not knowing what else I could do or say to help him.

"Come with me"

"Opie you know I cant"

"Why cant you?"

"It doesn't look good. Your wife passed away a few hours ago and your inviting your ex to come into her home. It's not right" I said dropping his hand as I stood from the step and moved in front of him, knowing if I didn't begin to move in the direction of leaving his tears and pleas would convince me to stay right beside him.

"Leave Hol, your getting pretty damn good at that" he muttered under his breath as he looked up at me.

"What does that mean?"

"You left me before why would I be surprised that your doing it again"

"Opie, I am not leaving you. I left you then because you cheated on me. I am not leaving you now. I am going to go back to my house for the night and if you need me tomorrow I will be there for you. If you need me at the funeral I will be there. If you need me to help babysit I will. I am not leaving you but I will not step back into your life as if I were Donna. I am not your wife Opie"

"You could be" he said our eyes locking now.

"Don't do that"

"Do what Holly? Im telling you I want to be with you. We can get back to together. We can move out of this house, out of this town and just be together. We can wake the kids and go now. We can get married on a beach some where in Mexico like you've always wanted. We can be happy"

"Opie, please" I begged him to stop.

Before I could say anything else or even think about the current situation I was in he darted towards me. I felt his arms wrap around my waist and pull me close to him. He held me for a moment our eyes locked on each other before he pulled me into a deep kiss. The minutes our lips touched it brought back a million memory's. I could admit to myself that I had missed the sensation of his lips on mine as I couldn't help but grab his shirt and pull him closer to me as our kiss deepened. I was over come with my deep need for him that I had held on to for years. I wanted to be with him. I wanted to let him take me away. I wanted to be his but I couldn't. I forced myself to pull away from him, my hands still grasping on to his shirt as I looked up at him.

"Opie, we cant do this. Go inside, be with your kids" was all I could manage to say as I let go of his shirt and stepped back forcing a gap between us.

"Don't you want to be with me?" he asked.

"I don't know Opie. If I do I don't want it to be like this" I said knowing no matter how confused I was at the moment that was the one thing I could say that I was one hundred percent sure about. I did love Opie and part of me would always want to be with him but I also loved Juice and I wasn't about to give up on him just yet.

"I am sorry for your loss" I whispered as I stood on my tippy toes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before I turned and headed down the drive way. It was hard for me to admit but I wanted to stay with him. Even after everything we had been through and he had put me through I wanted to be there for him. I wanted to get him through this and part of me wanted us to be together again.

I felt the tears slide down my cheek as I walked away from him and turned down the driveway towards the street when I heard his deep voice call out my name.

"Holly, please" he called out sending shivers down my spine as it took all of my strength to not run back to him.

After a few minutes he voice faded out as I walked in silence towards my parents house. I couldn't help but cry as the stress of what had happened that day piled on my shoulders. It felt like I had only been walking for a few minutes when I heard the familiar sound of a motorcycle. The sound of the engine grew louder as Juice's bike came into view.

I stopped standing alone on the side walk, tears sliding down my cheek as my chest moved with every sob. I wasn't sure he would see me considering it was so late in the night the only light seemed to fall from the dim street lights. I watched him park the bike across the street. He threw his leg over the bike and jogged towards me.

"Holly" he called out as he pulled me into a hug. I felt an instantly relief as Juice's arms wrapped around me. I buried my face in his chest and lost control my silent cries now turned into heavy sobs. I felt his hand slip under my chin forcing me to look at him.

"She is dead Juice" I muttered in between cries as I saw in his eyes he already knew.

"I know Holly, I know" he whispered running his hand over my cheek as he brushed away my tears.

We stood there in silence as he held me close until my heavy sobs turned back to silent tears. Without a word he kissed my forehead softly and took my hand leading me towards his bike. He handed me over his helmet and climbed on. I didn't know where he was taking me at this point I didn't care. I climbed on behind him and wrapped my arms tightly around his chest as he pulled away from the curb. I was more then happy to stay on his bike let my thoughts disappear holding him, my hair blowing in the wind but I was disappointed when he pulled in the drive way of his house and cut the engine. I threw my leg over the bike and slipped off the helmet and sat it on the bike seat as followed behind me.

"You brought me to your place" I said slightly surprised that he didn't drop me off at my parents. Anytime I had been with Opie and was showing any sign of being emotional he was quick to leave or pass me on to my mom. It was surprising to have Juice want to be with me well I was upset.

"Yeah, is that okay?" he questioned with a raised brow.

"Yeah of course. I just wasn't sure if you would want to deal with me tonight. It's been kind of a crazy day"

"Holly, one of my best friends lost his wife tonight. I don't know what happened or who shot Donna. All I know is that Opie lost the woman he loves because of someone. I am very aware that it could have been you. I don't want to scare you but I think you know that to. I am very lucky that the woman who I love is standing in front of me now. For that reason I can not bare the thought of you not being with me tonight. I need to fall asleep with my arms wrapped around you so when I wake up I will know without thought or hesitation that you are there" he said slipped his arm around my waist as he pulled me close to him. He softly touched his lips to mine before pulling back.

"I love you Holly, I always will" he said in almost a whisper still holding me.