Chapter 10

Nicole looked at the clothes before putting them in the washer. She had been asleep when Happy had finally arrived but this morning looking at his soiled clothes she knew what he had been doing.

Putting the clothes in the washer she grabbed a cup of coffee knowing that he would need it. As she walked passed he living room she came to a stop. Grabbing the remote off the arm of the couch Nicole turned up the volume.

"As far as the weapon goes we've identified it as an older pre- KG9 submachine gun to be modified to be fully automatic with a standard 10 round magazine. Because of the modification and the lack of serial numbers we know that the gun had to purchased illegally."

Nicole's attention was brought from the TV when she heard the creek of the door she looked down the hallway to see Happy.

He was dressed just in a pair of black sweats, his tattooed chest laid bare. He casually walked over to her his arm wrapping around her waist as she handed him the coffee which he eagerly accepted.

"Do we need to be worried about this?"

"This won't blow back on you." Happy answered simply before dropping a kiss to her temple and walking into the kitchen.

Nicole stood there for a moment before she followed him. Happy was in the fridge rummaging around. She watched as he pulled out some eggs which she quickly took them from him.

"Will it blow back on you?" There was a slight pause before he closed the fridge door.

"Maybe." Sensing her worry he moved closer to her. "You ain't got nothin' to worry bout Kid."

"I worry bout you." Nicole confessed looking into those dark eyes. "Did you kill her?" Nicole asked bluntly.

Happy took the eggs back off her and turned his back to her placing his coffee on the side before grabbing a pan and lighting the stove. He knew who she was referring to and he knew what the answer would do to her. It was all to close to home and Nicole was emotional right now and he got that.

"No." Happy added the eggs to the pan. "But she is dead." He looked over his shoulder. "OD'd."

Convenient Nicole thought to herself. "I've put your clothes in the wash." Nicole muttered as she walked over to him wrapping her arms around him leaning on her tiptoes placing a kiss on his shoulder. "I can't lose you Hap." She felt him tense beneath her kiss.

Happy turned so that he was facing her but as he was about to respond his cell rang causing them both to let out a breath of frustration. Stepping around her he grabbed his cell from the table where it had been on charge and answered.

Nicole took over the pan continuing with the scrambled eggs as she listened to the call. It was brief as always.

"Church." Happy explained as Nicole nodded. "You ain't losing me." Happy rasped against her hair as he returned to her.

"You got time to eat?" Nicole asked with a smile as she turned to look over her shoulder. Happy smirked that was his girl.

"Yeah kid, I've got time."

Tara pulled into T/M the words from the radio echoing in her car. It is my highest priority as your district attorney, as a proud resident of this county but most of all as a mother to find the people responsible for putting a weapon so deadly into the hands of a child so broken.

Tara couldn't help but look in the rear view at Abel. He had already been through so much.

Opening the door she let Abel out of his seat before going around the otherside and grabbing the car sit with Thomas.

She started to head for the office, Abel following behind her, when Unser approached them.

"Let me help you sweetheart." Unser reached for the baby carrier.

"Thank you." Tara spoke as a genuine smile graced her face. "Is Gemma here?"

"Not yet. But look if you've got to be somewhere I can watch these two."

"That's ok I can wait for a bit."

Getting the swing set in his sights Abel ran across to go and play, Tara and Unser watching him go.

"How's the trailer going?"

"It's what I always dreamed off." Unser replied sarcastically. Since leaving the force and his wife leaving him Unsers life hadn't exactly gone the way he hoped. But the Sons were also his family and they proved that by letting him stay. "How are you doing, you getting through this?"

"No choice right?" She looked over to where Abel was playing. "Plus it's not about me anymore."

As the words left her mouth the sound of a car pulling into the lot stopped any further conversation.

Gemma pulled her car into her usual spot, she didn't miss the fact that Tara and the boys were there. She was surprised. Tara hadn't spoken to Jax much during her stint inside but from some of Lowens questioning Gemma knew that Tara thought that it was her that had ratted and sent her to prison, Gemma gathered that this was probably why she had stopped speaking to Jax, but yet here she was.

Stepping out of her car she walked over to where Tara and Unser were standing. Gemma reminded herself to play nice, even if it was just for the benefit of her Son.

"Hey sweatheart." Gemma spoke pulling her into a quick hug which Tara accepted. But the hug was anything but loving on either parts. "You dropping them off?"

"Yeah if that's ok. I have an appointment at St Thomas to get my hand checked." Tara spoke raising her bandaged arm.

"That happen inside?" Gemma asked.

"Yeah, I tried to make friends the Gemma Teller way." Tara responded causing them all to smirk. "I'll be back in a few hours is that ok?."

"No problem sweatheart."

Gemma and Unser watched as she walked away sparing on last look across the lot at Abel.

"That's one worried mother." Unser spoke.

"Aren't we all." Gemma simply replied before heading into the office.

Clay sat there patiently. Yesterday he had been harder than he thought. He knew Gemma was trying to fight against his words, trying not to believe them, believe him, let him get under her skin but Clay knew he had. He meant every word he said. He loved her and he wasn't lying when he told her that he had never loved anyone like her. And by her reaction he could tell that there was something still there, she still felt for him and that gave him a bit of hope.

When Toric started pressuring him to rat, Clay knew how to play it which is why he made the demands. Jax, Nicole, Gemma. He wanted to see them he needed to see them speak to them. Try and make his mistakes right.

Today is was Jax.

As he walked in Clay could feel the anger radiating from him. The look in his eyes told Clay that he wanted to kill him, it hurt more than he thought but Clay understood it, the hate, he had done a lot of things to hurt him.

"I wasn't sure you would come."

"Well im here."

"Appreciate that."

Jax hated the man before him. He had done so much damage to him, his family, the club. He didn't trust him, and everything eight now was screaming inside Jax that Clay was up to something.

"Say what it is you need to say." Jax spoke bitterly

"I understand why you did what you did. Everything that wen..."

"You want to get to the point. I aint my Mom." Jax spat. He knew that Clay had tried to get under Gemma's skin. That was the only reason he was here, he needed to know if there was any weight behind Clays words. "What did you give the marshall?"

"I promised to give up the club if he let me see my family." Jax felt the anger in him burn but Clay continued. "I just wanted to let you know I'm sorry for everything.."

"You shedding your guilt before you rat?"

"I'm not seeing Nicole am I?" Clay asked looking down at his hands. Jax shook his head.

"Would it stop you from ratting?" Clay smirked.

"I'm not giving him shit." Clay admitted as he looked over to the glass momentarily before returning his eyes to Jax. "I'll go back to Gen Pop and that will play out as expected. I just wanted to say sorry to my family."

Jax understood and ignored Clays last words as his attention went to the mirror in the room. His chair scrapped across the floor as he got to his feet and closed the gap. He knew that Toric was on the otherside.

"I'm sorry about your sister. I can feel how personal this is for you. But Samcro didn't kill your sister. He acted alone. He is no longer a member, just a broken guy a few blocks from sane. I don't care what you do with him." Jax briefly looked over his shoulder. "But you come after my wife and try and tie her to this murder then you're gonna feel how personal this is for me."

Jax turned to walk away but as he reached the door he stopped as Clay spoke again causing him to stop.

"Is she going to come?" Jax looked back at Clay, he knew who he was talking about. Nicole. He wanted to say no but he was sure. Clay was dangerous, calculated. He said that he wasn't going to give Toric anything but that was only if he could see his family. Nicole was his family but getting her here wouldn't be easy.

The door opened and Jax looked away before walking out.

Happy ran his hand over her growing bump. They never made it to breakfast, before she could even plate up Happy pulled her to him. She came easily. He lifted her onto the kitchen table, pulling at her clothes and kissing his way over her body. They moved to the sofa and then back to the bedroom.

He loved fucking her. He loved the feeling inside of her and now he loved feeling his kid growing inside of her.

Her stomach was growing and Happy had to admit he found it pretty fucking sexy.

"How much longer do you think you'll be able to hide this?" Nicole smirked.

"Probably not to long. But im not sure I want everyone to know, plus it's not exactly the best time" Nicole admitted honestly and Happy had to agree the timing wasn't great.

"You al'right?"

Nicole nodded but she wasn't sure, something was different this time. Her hand came to rest on top of Happy's that was still resting on her stomach. She was about to say something when the sound of his phone ringing brought the attention away from one another. Nicole watched he roll away from her to grab his cell and answer it. Nicole got up and started getting dressed as she knew what the call was. Happy also started getting dressed.

"Jax is on his way to the clubhouse." Happy said as he shut off his cell phone. "And im already running late.." He spoke with a smirk. "What you doing today?"

"I might go and see Gem, she how she is doing after yesterday plus she mentioned the garage is getting a little backed up." Happy shook his head walking over to her.

"You ain't getting under a bonnet of a car." Nicole laughed as her hand went to her bump.

"Well given this thing I'll just be on paperwork duty."

"Alrigh't, I'll follow you to TM."

As she pulled into her usual space at TM, Happy lined up his bike. Nicole saw Gemma's car but she also saw Abel across the lot playing on the swingset.

Happy walked over to her his arm wrapping around her waist as he as he kissed her neck. "Behave." He whispered against her skin causing her to smile before he walked off into the clubhouse.

Nicole started to walk towards the office but stopped when she realised that Gemma was watching her from the doorway in the office. Nicole frowned there was something about the way that she was looking at her.

Nicole walked over to Gemma. "Hey baby." Gemma spoke as Nicole made her way over to her.

"Hey. How you doing after yesterday?"

"I'm good sweetheart." Gemma placed her hand on her cheek niece. "You ok? You look tired."

Nicole hated lying Gemma but she just wasn't ready to tell everyone about the about her pregnancy yet, although she wasn't sure how long it was going to be able to keep that secret.

"Im good."

"Everything good with your Old man?" Nicole frowned not missing the questioning in Gemma's eyes. Nicole saw the same questioning look the other day, Nicole had brushed it off but now Nicole was concerned especially with the secret she was hiding.

"He's good." Nicole walked over to where Thomas was in his baby carrier. Nicole cooed at him before looking back at Gemma. "There something you want to ask me Gemma?" She asked sparing a look over her shoulder.

Gemma knew the challenge. They had missed the signs with Ryan Gemma wasn't going to let this suspicion die.

"Those bruises.." Gemma pointed to her neck, causing Nicole's hand to automatically go to the bruises.

"They're just from the accident."

"You sure about that?" Nicole frowned at Gemma and suddenly it all became very clear she thought this was Happy.

"Jesus Gemma, you think Happy did this?"

"Did he?"

"No." Gemma moved closer to her niece.

"You know you..."

"Happy didn't do this Gemma. Now I came here to help so why don't you tell me what you want me to do."

"You can make a start on the scheduling." Gemma answered simply.

"Sure."

Gemma watched her niece as she took a seat behind the desk. Gemma couldn't shake it there was something off. If Happy wasn't hitting her she was definitely hiding something and Gemma was going to find out.

"Gemma." Nicole spoke as Gemma headed for the door causing her to stop. "I'd appreciate if you didn't feed this, Happy hasn't done anything to me ,I don't want you starting fires where there arent one."

"Clay swears he hasn't given Toric anything." Jax relayed to his brothers as he sat at the head of the table.

"You believe him?" Happy rasped.

The answer was he wasn't sure. He didn't trust Clay how could he. "Well he's suppose to transfer to Stockton today so I guess we see where he lands. If he's still in protective custody then he lied."

"And if he isn't he's dead." Tig spoke.

"Yeah." A silence fell between the brothers but Jax didn't want to take a moment of sympathy so he pushed on. "The school shooting. It's putting eyes on us. I need everyone on their best behaviour. With Toric around and this, we'll have eyes on us so I don't want anyone getting even so much as a parking ticket."

Everyone nodded around the table.

"Someone should reach out to Bobby let him know." Juice spoke knowing that it might be out of turn.

"Then tell him.

"You need to call Bobby." Chibs spoke from his left. "He needs to hear from you."

"If he misses me then he should have left." Jax hit the gavel signalling that the meeting was over. Everyone started to get up but when he noticed Happy move Jax spoke again. "Hap, you got a sec."

Happy nodded readjusting himself in his seat. "She's ain't seeing him." Happy spoke before Jax had even spoken the question. He knew what was coming.

"Look If Clay lands in Stockton then she doesn't need to see him but Hap, he sticks in PC the club is going to need this."

Happy nodded. If it was to help the club then Hap knew he didn't really have much choice and Jax knew that too that was why he brought it up.

"Let's see what happens." Happy rasped.

"Thanks brutha." And with that the conversation was over.