Chapter 5

Jess POV

The next morning, I'd driven over to the diner to have breakfast. I knew that there was a possibility that I'd run into my brothers but I didn't really care. I was hungry and excited that Ope would be home today. When I walked into the diner I found a booth and quickly sat down. The waitress came over and took my order. A couple minutes later, she brought me a cup of coffee. I sat there thinking about everything when I was pulled from my thoughts by someone clearing their throat. When I looked up, I saw my brother standing there. "David." I said.

He sat down across from me and gave me a small smile. "I'm sorry about Donna." He said.

"Thanks." I told him, taking a drink of my coffee.

"When did you get back?" He asked me.

"Night before Donna's funeral. I saw you there. I know you saw me. You tell Dad that I'm here?" I said. I didn't feel like making chit-chat with my brother.

The waitress came over. She sat a cup of coffee in front of David and refilled mine. "No. I figured, you didn't tell us when you left…why should I tell him that you're here now." David said.

"Thanks." I said.

"Where've you been?" He asked me after a couple of minutes.

"Washington. Been staying with some friends." I said. David didn't make a comment but just nodded. A few minutes later, the waitress brought my food out and sat it in front of me. David finished his coffee, before standing up.

"Just…be careful." David said before he left.

After finishing my breakfast, I headed back to Ope's house. I knew that I needed to talk to Hap about what was going on in my head but I felt like I needed to talk to Ope first. I was sitting on the couch in Ope's living room when I heard the bike pull in. I jumped up and went out to greet him. He had just taken his helmet off, when I walked into the garage. "You look good." He said.

"I'm hanging in there. How was your trip?" I asked him.

"It was good. Now, tell me what's going on with you." Ope said as he threw his arm around my shoulders and led me back into the house. I told him everything that had been going on, including my conversation with Jax about me and Hap. "Well…that's a lot of information." He said.

I nodded. "I know." I said.

"How are you feeling about it all?" He asked me.

I shrugged. I honestly didn't know how I felt about it all. Jax had been the one to break my heart but Hap had been the one to slowly put the pieces back together. "I'm not really sure." I said.

"Wanna know what I think?" He asked me and I nodded. Of course I wanted to know. Ope was my best friend. "I think that Jax really did a number on you, before you left. I think that Hap was the one to help you work through that. But the real question is if Jax wasn't in the picture… where do you see things going with Hap? Can you see yourself having a life with him. And if Jax is in the picture… where do you see that?" Ope said.

I sat there for a minute and thought about what Ope was saying. "Thanks Ope. I'll be back later. Mary has the kids." I told him, standing from the couch and making my way out the front door.

I climbed into my car and just drove through Charming. I didn't really have a destination in my, I just felt like driving and thinking.

Hap POV

I was sitting outside the clubhouse, when I saw Opie pull in on his bike. When he cut the engine and climbed off he made his way over to me. He gave me a quick hug. "How was it?" I asked him.

"It was good. Definitely what I needed." He said.

"That's good. Where is she?" I asked him.

"I'm pretty sure that she's driving around town, trying to gather her thoughts." He said.

I nodded at him and we both made our way inside. Opie hugged all his brothers who were happy to have him home.

After we'd been in church for Opie to talk to the club, I headed outside. I sat on a picnic table, lighting a cigarette and looking around. I scanned the parking lot, and saw the one car that I was looking for. I went in search for her. I checked in the office first knowing that she might check in with Gemma. Gemma said that she'd popped her head in but didn't stay long. I headed back inside the clubhouse, asking the prospect if he'd seen her. He pointed back towards the dorms. I headed back there. I found her sitting in mine. "Hey you." I said when I walked in and closed the door behind me.

She looked up at me from her spot on the desk. She gave me a small smile. "Hey. You guys just finish?" She asked.

"A few minutes ago. Walked outside and saw your car. Everything okay?" I said.

She nodded. "Been doing some thinking. You know, I was a mess when I left here. Hell you and Lee remember the state I was in when I arrived in Tacoma." She said and I nodded. "But after a while, you guys were able to cheer me up and get me talking about what happened. Then… then you and I started whatever this is. In the beginning, for me, I think it was about just forgetting everything that happened between me and Jax. But somewhere along the road… I fell. I realized that somewhere all the road, my feelings changed. I mean, hell we're practically living together in Tacoma. And then I got that phone call. I mean, even if it had been about one of the guys I still would've come back but it was about my friend. The one call I didn't wanna get. Lee tried to push me out the door, the second I hung up. You told me to go even though I know you really didn't want me to." She said.

"What are you saying?" I asked her. I really hoped that she wasn't about to end things with me because I had something of my own that I wanted to ask her.

"What I'm saying is that…I love you Happy Lowman. I love you so damn much that when we're apart it hurts." She said.

I closed the distance between us and I cupped her face. I leaned in and kissed her. When I pulled back, I looked in her eyes making sure that she could see that I was telling her the truth. "I love you, Jessica Hale. I love you so much that I don't want this to be casual anymore. I love you so much that I want you to have my crow." I said.

I knew that she would understand the weight of my words. She'd been around the club enough. Hell, Gemma and Clay had practically raised her. "You…want me to… have your crow?" She asked me.

I nodded. "Yes. I haven't been with anyone since you and I started this. But I know that somewhere down the road my feelings changed. I will follow you where ever. You wanna go back to Tacoma…we'll go. You wanna stay here… be closer to Ope. That's fine too. I'll put in the transfer. You wanna go somewhere else? That's fine too. I can go nomad. It doesn't matter. I just want us to do it together." I told her.

She grabbed my kutte and pulled me back in for a kiss. "I love you, you know that?" She said.

"So, is that a yes?" I asked, realizing that she'd never given me an answer.

She nodded. "It's a yes." She said.

I spent the next hour showing Jess just how much I loved her. When we were dressed again, we made our way out to the barroom. Everyone was there and a party to welcome Opie home had started. Jess was over in a corner talking to Gemma and Clay while I headed to the bar to get a drink. A few minutes later, Opie came over and joined me. "She looks happy." He said.

I looked over at Jess and she had this huge smile on her face. "That she does." I told him.

"Did you guys talk?" He asked me.

I nodded. "We did. She told me she loves me. I told her I loved her. We kissed. Then I asked her to get my crow." I told him. I knew that she'd want him to be the first to know.

"Wow. That's a big step." He said.

I nodded again. "Yeah. We eliminated the casual issue. Neither of us has really been seeing anyone else since we started but I needed to put it out there. When she got the call, I didn't like the idea of her coming. Not because I didn't want her to be here for you, but because I didn't want her to have to deal with his drama. I didn't want him to cause her any more hurt than he already has. That's why I sent Kozik down here. Lee and I told him that he was to stay by her side and guard her unless Clay needed him for anything. As soon as she saw Koz the day of the funeral, she immediately knew that I'd sent him. At the time, if I could have been here I would have but I couldn't." I told him.

He sat down sometime during my explanation and now he was nursing a beer. "Look, I've known you for a while. I know that you normally don't do the relationship thing so I know that this is a big deal for you. The only thing I'm gonna say is, please don't hurt her. She's had enough of that." Opie said.

"I would never intentionally hurt her." I said.

"Good." Opie said as we both we back to our beers.

A few minutes later, Jess came over throwing her arms around the both of us. "My boys." She said.

I turned towards her and kissed the side of her head. "You been drinking?" I asked her.

"Just a little, but it's a party right?" She said. I couldn't help but laugh. Jess was definitely fun when she'd been drinking.

"You should probably get her to bed. I need to head home." Opie said.

"Will do." I said.