Jason rode out with Nicky and Gunner. Jason knew of an abadoned farm about an hour outside of Outlaw Creek, they agreed to meet there. Jason, Nicky and Gunner rode in, they saw a black Cadillac and a black SUV parked already as the rode up. They got off their bikes as the car doors opened, Fast Eddie was there along with his usual security detail.

"I was under the impression that you were retired?" Eddie said shaking Jason's hand. "You'd be mistaken then wouldn't you" Jason replied with a grin. "You know Nicky, and this is my Sargeant at Arms, Gunner" Jason said as both Nicky and Gunner shook his hand. "So...you want to get back into business with us huh? Why'd you leave to begin with Eddie?" Jason asked. Eddie kinda shuffled in his shoes, "Well...I dunno how to say this....Merc scared me. I just didn't like the vibe I was getting from him, now you..or Nicky...I'm okay with, but I just didn't like Merc" Eddie said. "So business is based on vibes?" Jason asked. "It is when you're trafficking illegal weapons into the country internationally" Eddie countered back. "Fair enough" Jason said, "Well I'm back now...so if your vibes are all okay...we'd like to get back into business" Jason said as Eddie nodded. "What are you looking for?" Eddie asked. "Well right now I want to know what you can offer on a regular basis. Our clientele kinda dried up so we're going to have to go back and find some new customers...just want to know what kind of catalogue I can offer" Jason said. "The small arms are easy, Glocks, 9mm's, even Desert Eagles...no problem. AK47's...that's easy too. M16's and M5's get a bit tougher...they'll cost more obviously. And for heavy firepower, we can accomodate that too but it'd require a special arrangement" Eddie said. "Sounds good to me" Jason said. "There's one more thing...that one time in Dallas....I'd kinda like to avoid incidents like that in the future" Eddie said. "I understand, that was a mistake" Jason said, "Yeah well mistakes land you in jail in this business" Eddie replied. "When we start doing the shipments, we'll make sure we got a secure system in place...no more meeting inside big cities" Jason replied as Eddie nodded "Sounds good. Good to see you back" Eddie said as he shook Jason's hand "Likewise Eddie, we'll be in touch" Jason said as Eddie nodded and climbed back into his Cadillac.

"So this is the deal...with the 5 extra keys of coke we're getting from Lamar, we sell that to a guy who distributes stuff through the prisons. The money we get from him, should give us enough to cover the cost of the guns from Eddie. Then we turn around and sell the guns...and the guns end up being 100% profit for us as we have no expense. We essentially use the money Lamar's giving us for muelling the coke, to pay for the 5 extra keys" Jason said. Gunner grinned, Roach really was a genius. "And...cause it's all profit for us, we can undercut any competitors prices" Nicky chimed in. "It really is good having you back boss" Gunner said with a grin. They then got back on the bikes heading back to town, the next order of business would be finding customers for the guns.

-------

Jenni had to walk all the way back to town. The whole walk back she kept thinking of what happened with Maddy, she hated it. From what she could tell, Jason and Lolly really did love each other...and they had kids too, she didn't want to be the one to break all that up. But on the flip side, Maddy scared her, and she totally believed Maddy would sell her out as being a snitch if she didn't play along. Fuck Maddy was a real bitch. Jenni got to the club and was able to get one of the guys to give her a ride back to the studio and fix her SUV. While she was at the clubhouse she saw the poster for the community BBQ and party that weekend. That was the one day of the year the club opened the clubhouse for a big party. All the bike owners in the community were invited to come down to the clubhouse, there was a show-and-shine event, the club's own BBQ, free beer, it was a big deal...and she knew it'd be her best chance at getting with Jason.

--------------

A few days later was the Outlaw Creek Town Fair. The main attraction was the free BBQ for everyone in town, and as a club the KOA made sure they were in attendance. Remmy, Fat Bobby, and Reed had all volunteered to do the BBQ. Some of the Ol' Ladies and Mamas had volunteered to do face-painting and other things. This was a good way of getting positive exposure in the community, as long as the town felt that the Knights were the "Good Guys", they'd have a lot of freedom to do what they wanted.

It just so happened that Maddy was doing face-painting when Elly and Mireya came up in line to get their faces painted.

As Maddie finished up a painting, Mireya and Elly lined up. Mireya took a seat first which was fine with Elly because she knew full well her baby sister couldn't stand in line for the life of her. "Hi miss Maddie." Mireya chirped. "Hey Mireya, What would you like?" Maddie asked. "I want a Tiger. I love tigers! Can I have a tiger." Mireya said excitedly. "Sure." Maddie said and got started. Elly had her headphones on while she waited and Maddie saw this as an opportunity to have a conversation with Mireya. "So do you like Texas?" She asked her as she applied the face paint. "Mhm. I miss home though." Mireya said, "Aww, Why's that?" Maddie asked feigning sympathy. "Oh Just cause, I like to dance, Momma used to be a dancer there. I wanna be one too," Mireya said. Maddie looked horrified. "You wanna be a stripper?" Maddie asked, now it was a slip up really, she didn't know Lolly was a professional dancer in LA but she decided now was a good a time as any. "A what?"
"A Stripper is a woman, who dances for men, she takes off all her clothes for money." Maddie said and set down her brush. "All done." She said. Mireya was 12, not stupid. "That's not true." She said, bitterly. Elly was standing behind her so she couldn't see her face. Maddie began apologizing."I'm sorry, you said that, I thought you knew that was what you mother was." Maddie said. Mireya's breathing picked up. A panic attack was coming. So She got up and ran off looking for Jason.

To Elly it just looked like Mireya was finished and wanted to go some place else. She put her Ipod back in her bag and and took a seat. "Where'd Rey rush off to?" She asked. "I dunno." Maddie said. "So what would you like?" She asked. "Um...A flower, I guess." She said with a shrug. Maddie nodded and got started. "You have such straight hair." Maddie said, looking at Elly's long blonde hair, it was styled in a french braid, compliments of Lolly. "Thanks." "Mine is never that straight." Maddie laughed. "How does your mother do it?" "Do you want?" "Go from all of her curly hair, and Mireya's curly hair to yours. That would drive me nuts." Maddie said and could see Elly was insecure about her looks. Maddie figured she'd play with that. "I dunno, she's gotten used to it I guess." Elly said. "Well, I guess she had time to practice, Having 13 years to get used to it." Maddie laughed. Elly caught that. "She's not my real mom..." Elly said softly. "Oh?" "My mom died..." She said. "I'm sorry to hear that." "It's okay, Lolly's my mom now. She adopted me." She said. "Oh well that was nice of her...All done." Maddie said and Elly stood up. She didn't really know what to make of the conversation but it lingered on her mind how different she was. Suddenly, there was a lot of commotion a little ways away.

Mireya rushed around, hyperventilating looking for her father. She scanned the crowd for blonde hair and while she saw plenty, they didn't belong to her father. Which made her panic attack way worse. Lolly saw her, she was feeding Jack when the girls went to get their face painted. Handing Jack to Joey. "Mireya Mija, Just breath." Lolly said and tried to picked her up but Mireya pushed her away. She stumbled to the floor and began to convulse violently. "JASON!" Lolly screamed as loud as she could as Mireya began seizing. Mireya's never seizing before. The doctor's said it could happen but it wasn't likely. Lolly turned her on her side. Joey rushed over. "Where's Jason?!" Lolly asked. "I--I don't know." "Call him, tell him, Mireya's seizing." Lolly ordered and Joey got to it quickly as Lolly turned Mireya on her side. Praying it would end. Soon Elly appeared too. "What's going on? Where's Daddy?" Elly said tears running down her face. Joey pulled her into a hug. "Shh shh. It'll be alright.

Nicky was talking with some biker guys, not MC related, discussing bikes and stuff when he saw Joey running frantically through the crowd. "Where's Jason, something is wrong with Rey" Joey gasped, panicking herself. "She's seizing, over by the park...Jason needs to come now!" Joey said frantically. "Okay..okay...I know where he is...just calm down and go back with them...I'll go get him" Nicky said as he ran off to where he knew Jason was meeting with a potential gun customer.

-------

Jason was talking with a Japanese man, with Remmy and Gunner beside him. They were somewhat removed from the party in the main part of the town.

"I don't understand, you're here in Texas, we are in Los Angeles" the man said to Jason in a heavy Japanese accent. "We're in Texas right now...but...we're thinking of making a return to Los Angeles. A lot of the heat that was going on back when we left is gone, and we still got all our old contacts" Jason said to him. "I see...these guns...where would they come from?" the man asked. "Originally...I don't know. Russia, Israel, China, the Middle East...I care that my supplier gets me the weapons...not where they originate from" Jason said, "I suppose I need to be clearer...I mean once they enter the United States" the man said. "They come in wherever we need them to come in. Los Angeles is a port city so it's not that big of an issue". Jason said. "Well it sounds good so far, I believe the Chang Triad would be very interested in your offer. I will take it back to my father and we'll be in contact...." the man said as he was suddenly interrupted by Nicky.

"Hey...hate to barge in, but Rey's seizing right now in the park" Nicky said. Jason looked at the man "It's my daughter...I gotta go" Jason said, "Of course...family is always first" the man said" as Jason followed behind Nicky running to the park. "We'll be in touch" Remmy said, finalizing the meeting with the man, the man bowed "Yes we will" he said as he dsiappeared into a black Mercedes escorted by two black SUV's as the cars drove off.

----------

Jason got to the park and saw Mireya on her side convulsing. He got in beside her and Lolly, "Rey baby, Daddy's here okay" he whispered, stroking her hair, "Daddy's got you okay" he repeated as he held her shaking body. Eventually her shaking subsided and the convulsions stopped, she clung to Jason so tightly Jason probably didn't need to use his arms to keep her there. Jason looked up at one of the Prospects "Hey Hector...go get my truck, and I need it like NOW", he nodded as he took off sprinting for his bike. By this time Remmy and Gunner had gotten to the scene as well. "What the hell triggered this?" Jason asked Lolly, who didn't have any answers. "We just had Ms.Maddy painting our faces...Rey left and everything seemed fine" Elly said as Jason held Rey stroking her hair, he grinned as he finally felt her hands gripping his hair. "What kinds of things trigger it?" Remmy asked, Jason shook his head "Panic attacks, anything making her feel unsafe, or insecure...usually if me and Lolly get to her right away she's fine" Jason said. "I got no clue how a party and face painting would do this" Jason said shaking his head.

Remmy excused himself and went to find his wife. "Come with me" he growled as he grabbed his wife's arm yanking her to a spot by some trees where they could be alone. She asked what was wrong, "you better tell me the truth on this Maddy or so help me...did you have anything to do with that?" Remmy said trying to control his anger as he pointed to the group huddled around Mireya. Maddy tried stalling a bit, "Right after you paint her face she has a panic attack...now TELL ME you didn't have anything to do with it!" he growled shaking her. Maddy stammered, but claimed she had no clue what happened. Remmy stared at her, "if I find out different..." Remmy said as his voice trailed, he then walked off leaving Maddy alone.

-------------

Jenni had been doing some face painting as well, and now was just out mingling with people. Her phone went off and she saw it was a text, from Maddy. The message read "You fuck Roach at the party tonight! I don't care how, just do it or else!. Jenni sighed, she had thought for hours on ways out of this but couldn't find any way out for herself...she had to do it.

Finally Jason arrived as Lolly held her daughter on her side. Finally it subsided, and Mireya grabbed on to Jason, trembling as he stroked her hair. What the hell triggered this?" He asked. "I don't know. I was feeding Jack, they went to get their faces painted." Lolly said, she was pissed off and scared all at the same time. Mireya finally began twisting Jason's hair. Lolly smiled at her, able to relax that the attack subsided. Elly then explained what happened. Lolly looked at Elly and sighed. Maddie. Fucking figures. She'd find out what really happened from Mireya. Remmy was off and Lolly's eyes watched him as he found Maddie. She'd deal with that later. "What happened Mija?"She asked but Mireya hide her face in Jason's neck. Lolly was taken aback. That was new. She wasn't sure if she'd just imagined her pushing her away or not but now she knew. She knew Maddie would just lie to her, so she had to find this out. Lolly felt Elly's go around her waist. "She looked fine when she got up. I swear." She sobbed. "Shh shh, She's fine now, don't you worry." She said. Maybe Jason could talk it out of her.

Maddie didn't know what happened when she was snatched up by her husband. "What's wrong with you?"She asked as he took her behind trees. "You better tell me the truth on this Maddy or so help me...did you have anything to do with that?" He said pointing to the group. "I--I don't--""Right after you paint her face she has a panic attack...now TELL ME you didn't have anything to do with it!" He said shaking her. Maddie turned her head, "I-I swear, I don't know what happened. S-She was fine when she left." She said. "If I find out different." He said and walked off. As soon as he was gone, Maddie pulled out her phone and text Jenni. She'd have to get this heat off of her, if Lolly and Jason found out, she'd be dead.


Later that evening, Mireya clung to Jason and didn't speak a word to Lolly. When Jason tucked her into bed, she tugged his arm and sat up. "Daddy..." She said. "Is it true that Mommy took her clothes off for money." She asked. Jason looked horrified. He had two options, tell her the truth or lie to her face.

Jason was stunned when Mireya asked him the question. How the hell did she ever find out about that. However, Jason had been interrogated by FBI agents for hours on end...he knew how to work around answering a question directly. "Where did you ever get that idea in your head?" Jason asked. Mireya opened up, saying how she had told Maddy she wanted to be a dancer like her mom, and that Maddy had told her that Lolly was a stripper. She then went on to explain what a stripper was. When it was Lolly and Maddy...it was annoying but kinda funny at the same time. Now this involved his daughter, meaning he was pissed. However he had to give Rey an answer. Tell her the truth about Lolly, and damage her view of her mother, or lie to his daughter's face.

"Look at me" Jason said looking into Mireya's eyes. "This better not come back up till she's driving" Jason thought to himself. "Your mother never took her clothes off for money for anyone!" Jason said, he really was a natural at lying, even to his daughter. Mireya looked confused, saying Maddy told her she was. "You know how in school, they always have those videos talking about not taking drugs?" Jason asked, as Miryea nodded. "Well...Ms.Maddy used to do a lot of drugs, and when people do drugs as long as she did...it affects their brains a little. See, your mom got paid to dance...cause she was a professional dancer. She used to do ballet, and then later she got paid to dance at her school remember?" Jason said as Rey nodded along, "See now Ms.Maddy....cause of all the drugs....her brain doesn't really work that quickly, so when she heard that mom was a professional dancer...that's what popped into her head. So, next time you talk to Ms.Maddy...don't tell her I told you this, cause then she'll feel bad...but just like when Grandpa goes on about his old war stories...just nod your head, smile, but don't really pay too much attention cause she's not really all there sometimes" Jason said. Sure he just painted Maddy as coked out drug addict...but it was better than what he'd have done if she was there right now. "Understand now?" Jason asked, as Mireya nodded. She said she felt bad about thinking Mommy was a bad person. "You're mom is the best person I ever met....well until you were born" he said with a grin as Mireya laughed. "You like me better than Mommy" she taunted as she gave him a hug. "Have a good sleep baby" he said.

He walked out, Elly and Baby Jack were already asleep as well, he saw Lolly pacing outside. He walked out onto the deck, "So..." and he ddn't get anything else out. Lolly was into him immediately, accusing him of breaking his promises, saying he was too busy with club business to take care of his own daughter. Saying how everyone else in the club seemed to be able to spend time with their family, but when Mireya needed Jason he was nowehre around, off talking business with a bunch of strangers instead of trying to help his daughter, asking him what kind of father he thought he was. Jason was holding himself back...but in the back of his mind he was begging Lolly to slap him. Maybe she knew he was waiting for it. She blamed him for bringing them all down to Texas. Finally Jason had enough "SHUT UP!" he yelled, as that caught her attention. "Your 13 year old daughter just asked me if it was true whether or not her Mommy took her clothes off for money!" Jason said, which threw Lolly back. "And...being the horrible person you seem to think I am...I opted to lie to our daughter instead of having her think her mother was a bad person! That's the kind of father I think I am!" I he said turning and heading for the patio door, Lolly asked who had told her, "Who do ya think?" Jason yelled as he went inside the house. A short time later Lolly could hear Jason's bike rev up and drive off, no doubt heading to the party at the clubhouse.

Lolly was so pissed at this point she didn't even know what to do. She let herself believe in him. Let herself believe that he'd be here like he promised but who was she kidding besides herself. Jason wasn't going to change.
"So..." Jason started but Lolly didn't hear a thing. She turned to him. "Where the fuck were you? Huh? Mireya was seizing for fuck sakes and the one person in the world that could calm her down, was elsewhere. You lied to me, you promised me you'd be there for the kids but as soon as the opportunity arises where are you? How is it that the whole fucking club was at the party but you weren't? Fucking explain that, Jason. What kinda of father are you, Jason? You brought them down here, I thought you want to-" "SHUT UP!" He shouted and she stopped, scanning her face for somewhere for her fist to land. "Your 12 year old daughter just asked me if it was true whether or not her Mommy took her clothes off for money!" Lolly looked horrified, her heart was stuck in her throat. How the hell did she find that out? And...being the horrible person you seem to think I am...I opted to lie to our daughter instead of having her think her mother was a bad person! That's the kind of father I think I am!" He said and Lolly was silent. He started for the door "Who told her?" "Who do you think?" He said and was gone. A little while later, She heard him peel off on his bike.

She felt like a such a bitch. Jason just saved her from explaining that to her daughter. Of course she had plans on telling them, but not until they were waay older. All of that and he was keeping his promise to her. She walked into the house, kissed all of her...their sleeping childern before sitting down on the couch. She watched their wedding video. Both of them smiling and laughing, probably the happiest they've ever been. In fear of losing that, she may have inadvertently killed it. It was a good while before she rode over to the clubhouse. The party was still going strong but there were a good percentage of people drunk off their minds. She hoped to God Jason wasn't one of them. It was hard to get him to think about anything but sex or violence when he was drunk. She made her way through the throngs of people and to the President's suite. She opened the door. "Jason, Look I wanted to a-" Lolly's breath caught, she started trembling instantly. "Ja-" Her voice tracked. She felt like when she'd been shot. It was delayed. Time stood still before reality set it. There on the bed...their bed. Lay Jason and on top of him..some Mama, who's name she couldn't remember. Jason stammered something but Lolly bolted out of the room, she ran smack into Nicky. She looked up at him and sobbed hysterically. He knew her anger would come later, as he saw the girl come running out of the President's suite, looking scared for her life. Nicky was worried for her to as Lolly wept into his chest. He offered to take her home. "No." She said. "I need a drink." She said and made her way behind the bar. She just started knocking back bottle after bottle at a dangerous speed. Before long, Lolly was seriously drunk. Driving would have been suicide. Nicky took the bottles from her and drove her off somewhere to cool her head.

Once away from the bar, Nicky pulled over asking Lolly if she was gonna be okay. She turned to him and before he knew what happened, she was out of her seat, straddling him, her lips pressed against his as her tongue slipped into his mouth.

Jason got to the clubhouse and the part was in full swing. Coming in Nicky could tell something was up, but knowing Jason like he did he figured now wasn't a good time. Jason was in the hallway when he saw Remmy, before Remmy knew what was happening Jason had grabbed him and shoved him inside the church, closing the doors.

Once inside Jason was in Remmy's face, "Your wife is the reason my kid was lying on the ground having a seizure unable to breathe!" Jason growled. Remmy didn't even bother arguing, cause somewhere inside he kinda suspected as much already. "I got no beef with you...but you make sure you wife stays the FUCK away from my family...cause brother or not....nobody, and I mean NOBODY fucks with my family...we clear VP?" Jason said glaring at Remmy. Remmy just nodded, in reality he was relieved, he thought for sure, had he been right, Jason would have taken out his anger on Remmy. Remmy wouldn't have even blamed him, it was his daughter for crying out loud. Jason then stormed out of the church, leaving Remmy to catch his breath. He was alive and hadn't even been punched...this was by far better than the best case scenario he'd played out in his head. Now...he had to go find Maddy.

--------

Jenni saw Jason at the party, she was so nervous, she knew she couldn't do this sober. She went to the bar and had a few drinks, she wondered how many drinks she'd need before she willingly went ahead and attempted to ruin a perfectly good family. Eventually she saw Jason on his own, "please just give me a chance to make amends for this" she whispered a quiet prayer to herself. She then walked over to Jason, who was also somewhat drunk by then. "Hey there...why is the Pres all by himself during the biggest party of the year?" she said in her best flirtatious voice, playing with his hair. Jason saw her and just mumbled something. "Oh come on...you deserve to have some fun too don't you Pres? And well...I'd be willing to do...ANYHTING...to make sure our Pres was well taken of" she whispered into his ear. Jenni was a blonde bomb-shell and sober Jason had trouble not letting his eyes wander, now completely drunk...there was no hope. "Come on...let's go to the back and I'll take really good care of you....Pres" Jenni said in her most fliratious tone. Before he knew what was happening Jason was following Jenni into the back. They entered the President's room, and before Jenni knew what was happening her clothes were coming off. She focused herself as if this was a video shoot, just focus on the pleasure and put on a good show, she thought to herself. In no time, Jenni had straddled Jason on the bed, their clothes strewn around the room. Her lips met his and for a moment she forgot what exactly she was doing and was surprised at how skilled Jason really was. Jason's drunken state really only allowed him to focus on what was right in front of him, which in this case was a naked Jenni Starxx, there were a lot of guys out there who paid good money to see what Jason was witnessing...yet none of them had the opprotunity to experience it in real life like Jason was. Soon his body was just reacting on instinct, focusing on the woman ontop of him as they continued. It wasn't until the door to the room opened, interrupting the growing moans in the room as Lolly walked in.

And just like that the drunkeness was gone, as Jason realized the situation as Lolly stammered, shell-shocked at the sight in front of her. "Uhhhh....mmm...Lolly?..." Jason mumbled, his brain slowly coming back online. Jenni shrieked seeing Lolly. The plan was for Maddy to take a picture of them...having Lolly confront her wasn't part of the plan. Her life flashed before her eyes as she quickly grabbed her clothes making a bee-line exit from the room her heart racing. Jason tried to go after Lolly, but his brain wasn't reacting nearly fast enough to get him out of bed.

Nicky was coming down the hall when Lolly ran right into him, almost knocking him over. Lolly had looked at him before sobbing hysterically into his chest. He just held her as she sobbed. "Do you want me to take you home?" Nicky asked, and Lolly just shook her head. "I need a drink" Lolly said as she made her way behind the bar. She started pounding back the bottles at a dangerous rate, and it didn't take too long before she was seriously drunk. "Hey, how about we go somewhere so you can cool off a bit huh...I'll drive" he said as he helped her out to Jason's truck. They drove for a little while before Nicky pulled the truck over. "You going to be okay Lol?" Nicky asked. Before Nicky knew what was happening Lolly was straddling his lap and her lips were pressed against his as her tongue slipped into his mouth. Nicky hadn't had a lot to drink, but even sober this would have been a tough spot for him. This was Lolly after all, the girl he'd been chasing his entire life it seemed. Nicky hadn't even really kissed her back before she had already taken his shirt off. It was going so fast Nicky couldn't even keep up to what was going on.

It was then when Lolly placed her hands on his chest and something hit him like a brick...Jetta's face flashed vividly through his mind, and as if on instinct, he shoved Lolly back across the cab of the truck. He mumbled something as he stumbled out of the truck, gasping to catch his breath. He dropped to a knee as he shook, in three years he'd never experienced the loss of Jetta so intensely as that moment. At some point during his brief break down Lolly had come out of the truck and was beside him. She asked him what was wrong, he spun around suddenly "You're not her!" he screamed, punching the side of the truck hard enough to leave a dent. He then turned to Lolly grabbing her by the arm. "I finally found somebody to love...like you and Jason do...and she was taken in an instant" Nicky said, fighting to keep his composure. "I don't give a fuck what he did...I'd rather have had her sleep around with 100 guys and still be here with me than to have her gone...cause she'd still be HERE" Nicky said shaking. Nicky then called Ronnie, "Hey I'm on 102, get out here now and bring my bike" Nicky said. Lolly said something about not knowing the whole story, explaining her feelings seeing Jason with some Mama. "Hey I'm not saying he didn't fuck up....but you two...your family...is more important than to let anything screw it up. Jason was fucking hammered...that doesn't give him an excuse, but it explains it. Hell if he got drunk enough he'd probably take a mannequin back there...but at the end of the day he still loves you. I know...being angry....you just want to say fuck it. But I live every day of my life without the person I love....and trust me....as long as you two still have that....no fuck up is worth throwing it away. Cause life without it is fucking hell" Nicky said. Ronnie pulled up with his bike. "Ronnie will take you home" Nicky said, "Make SURE she goes straight home...she doesn't and it's your fucking head" Nicky said as Ronnie nodded. "You'll get through this alright?" Nicky said to Lolly kissing her forehead. Nicky gave the prospect the address.

He then hopped onto his bike as the Prospect got into the truck with Lolly. Once they were on their way Nicky fired the bike up and took off himself. Nicky rode for what must have been hours, Jetta being the only thing that flooded his head. He forced himself to keep riding, he knew if he'd go back to the club he'd start drinking to get rid of those feelings, and he knew how that ended last time...and he was determined not to drop the ball with Elly this time. As the sun was about to come up Nicky found himself in front of Jetta's grave site, lying down beside it. Eventually he passed out asleep, his arm over the grave site as if Jetta was lying beside him.

-----------------

Maddy was talking with some people when Remmy walked up to her "hey...come with me" he whispered to her. She grinned and followed him to the VP's Room, thinking that she was going to get laid, the perfect way to end her planned night. But no sooner had the door closed that Remmy had grabbed her and slammed her against the door. "YOU FUCKING LIAR!" Remmy shouted at her as she flinched. "I just had Roach up in my face because my WIFE was the one who sent his kid into a seizure! DAMMIT Maddy!" he yelled letting her go. "What the fuck is wrong with you! I can see you and Lolly having a beef, but now trying to hurt her 13 year old kid??? What the fuck is wrong with you!" Remmy shouted. Maddy just stammered. "I was entirely prepared for Roach to fucking kick my ass or worse tonight...and you know what? He'd have had every right to do it! I mean it's his fucking KID for shit's sake! Fuck Maddy! I mean I can guarantee you...this room...is on borrowed time, I guarantee tomorrow Jason calls a church meeting to vote me out as VP and when he gives the reason, there's not a fucking member in this club who will disagree with him. You do realize that I'M THE ONE wearing the VP patch, not you right? Whatever status symbol you think it is being the VP's wife...what kind of status symbol is it going to be being a single bar-tender?" he snapped. Maddy's eyes went wide. "I swear Maddy...I mean could you think about somebody other than yourself for one minute...you know, maybe like me, your HUSBAND! And think about what your actions might do to me? But no...the only one who matters is you. What happened to the girl I married huh?" Remmy asked, Maddy still just stammered. "Well do me a favor...if you do ever see her...let her know I miss her huh?" Remmy said as he stormed out of the room leaving Maddy alone.

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Jenni ran out of the room, she ran outside to the back of the clubhouse and started bawling. She'd just potentially ruined somebody's marriage, all because Maddy told her too. She felt dirty, out of all the movies she'd done, or questionable guys she had dated in the past, nothing had made her feel worse than this right now. She almost wished Lolly would have done something to her, beat her up, broken her nose, her jaw, her neck...anything. She was practically hysterical.

As she was sobbing Gunner had heard some commotion out back and walked outside to see what it was, finding Jenni a sobbing mess. "Hey you okay?" Gunner asked. "No...I'm definitely not okay...I'm a fucking whore" she sobbed. Gunner had no clue what was going on or had happened but it was obvious Jenni needed somebody to talk to. "Hey...I ain't no Dr.Phil or shit like that...but if you gotta vent, I got nobody to tell" Gunner said helping her to her feet. "I probably just ruined somebody's marriage...and they didn't even deserve it...and just because I can't stand up for myself" Jenni said sobbing. "Hey...if somebody's threatening you..." Gunner said concerned. "It's no use...nobody would believe me" she says sobbing. "Well, seeing as you're hunkered down out here alone sobbing like you just lost your best friend...you're either a hell of an actress or your telling the truth" Gunner said. For some reason she felt like she could trust Gunner, so she started laying out everything, how Maddy had threatened her, how she was afraid of the club getting rid of her cause she was snitch. "Well, the guy who usually deals with snitches would be the Sargeant at Arms...so you'd have to convince him" Gunner said, Jenni just whimpered, "And you just did" Gunner said grinning, tapping his "Srgt. At Arms" patch on his chest. Jenni looked up at him, not putting it together at first. "Don't worry...I'll make sure nobody hurts you okay?" Gunner said grinning holding out his hand. Jenni nodded as she hugged him, feeling just how big he was as her arms barely reach around him. "Hey...how about we go for a ride, clear your head...and maybe get some coffee to sober you up a little?" Gunner said grinning as Jennie nodded with a smile as Gunner led her to his bike.

Weeks had gone by. Lolly was a ragged mess. If she wasn't sobbing hysterically in her bedroom, she was passed out drunk. Thankfully, Beau was around to care for the kids else things would have been worse. They noticed too, Elly especially. She seemed to want to change her look. She'd even tried changing her hair. Imagine Beau's surprise when Elly came rushing in with a burn on her ear, half of her hair curled. He didn't know what to do so he had Joey rememdy that.

Jason had come around to see the kids but Lolly locked herself in the room by then and hadn't seen him. Beau surprisingly didn't do anything to him. Beau felt bad for Jason, He'd heard the fight that night and the story from Lolly the next day. He knew Jason. He'd never intentionally hurt Lolly besides. They were even now. He'd shot him before when Jason hadn't done anything, Not Beau took it as he owed him one free fuck up but next one would cost him.

One day, Beau had enough. "Get up." He told her, and Lolly just lay there. He snatched her by the arm and it was like carrying a rag doll. The kids were with Joey so it was just her and him. He sat her at the dining room table. There was a 9mm hand gun. Lolly looked at him confused. "What is this?" "You know what this is. Get to it." Beau ordered and with a heavy sigh. Lolly sat down at the table. She began disassembling the 9mm, then reassembled it in the matter of moments. Once finished, she looked up to see Beau with a stopwatch in his hand. "4 minutes. Do it again."
"Daddy, seriously?"
"At your fastest, You were able to do it in 46.6 seconds. Again."
Lolly groaned. And she did it again and again. It was nearly the end of the night before Lolly gotten down to 45.9. She smiled at that. Beau then took the gun away, see Lolly was back in a proper state of mind. "You ready to deal with this?" He asked. "No." Lolly said but all that proved to Beau was that she was. "He cheated on me, Dad, Why aren't you pissed?"
"Karma."
"What?"
"You heard, I said Karma. You've done it, and now it's been done to you. Deal with it."

Lolly was queit. Right. She had done it. It hadn't gone that far but still.

After musing over that, she looked up. "How am I supposed to let go. I mean every time I close my eyes, I see it." She said. She could still hear Jason's moans and to know she wasn't the cause. It was killing her. "I bet Nickie did too."
"That was..."
"What? A Mistake. I bet it was, because now, you're almost exactly in Nickie's shoes. Only it wasn't someone she trusted." He said and that hit Lolly hard. "I'm sure it was hard for her too but she forgave it. Why? Because she loves Deacon too damn much. Just like I know you love Jason." He said. Lolly was quiet again. "I do love him...That's why it hurts so much." Lolly said sobbing. "You know you can't heal a wound until you patch it up." Beau said just as Jason's bike roared up the driveway. "Dad?"
"I told him to come here." He said and took the gun. "Just so you don't get any ideas." He said and opened the door for Jason. Lolly couldn't look at him. It made her chest hurt, that and she felt ugly and unwanted. Her face was sickly pale, she'd lost some weight from not eating and her eyes were bloodshot. She was a wreck.

Jason walked in seeing Lolly, it was evidently clear that this whole thing was taking a toll on her too. He sat down at the table as they were both quiet for awhile, Lolly not really looking at him at all.

"Look, I won't try to defend what happened, I fucked up" Jason said, "I got drunk...and suddenly it was all happening" Jason said as Lolly looked at him as if she was going to smack him, "Hey I'm not saying that makes it right, I'm just saying what happened. It's not like I left here that night making the decision that I was going to go cheat on you, hell I wasn't even looking for it after I got drunk either, if Jenni hadn't come all up on me I probably would have passed out somewhere. I know it's not an excuse...but it's not like I was trying to replace you...I still love you" Jason said. Lolly told him she was coming back to apologize for being such a bitch, and how much it hurt her seeing him like that. "I know.....trust me, if I could take it all back I would, I'd do anything to erase it, but I can't. But that still doesn't mean I don't love you" Jason said, which was as close to an "I'm sorry" as he'd probably get. Lolly commented that he was right, he couldn't erase it, and said something about how now she'd never be able to be with him again without wondering if he was thinking about his blonde whore. "If I wanted her more than you I wouldn't be standing here talking to you right now. Hell Lolly, I lied to our daughter to protect your reputation with her." Lolly snapped at him saying it was her daughter. "You know what...when you really want to talk...call me" Jason said, he figured getting away was the best scenario right now, as her last comment was liable to set him off if he didn't. Lolly quickly apologized for the comment, trying to explain herself a little. Jason stopped, he saw an empty beer bottle on the floor lying next to one of Jack's toys. He picked it up, and set it down on the table, "You're right...their YOUR kids" Jason said looking at Lolly, "so why is somebody else raising them right now?" he said looking at her. That seemed to hit something inside Lolly. She then started crying, saying how horrible of a mother she was to be acting like this. Jason sat down beside her taking her hand, that's when she looked up at him and asked him to come back to the house. She said she wasn't ready to be in the same bed with him yet, but said their kids needed their parents. Jason just nodded as Lolly gave him a hug, it was a step in the right direction at least.

-----------

Jenni had started spending a lot of time around Gunner, mainly cause she was paranoid that Maddy would try hurting her or something. He didn't seemed pre-occupied with her body like most guys she'd dated, I mean he obviously had noticed, she'd caught him several times, but she thought it was cute that he was trying to hide it. Most guys found out about her job as a porn star and figured that meant they could treat her like a piece of meat, Gunner was actually treating her like a woman, which was something she didn't mind at all. One day she was leaving the XXX-Ray Vision studio and Gunner was waiting on his bike.

"What are you doing here?" she asked unable to hide her grin. "What do you gotta do to get an audition here?" he said with a grin as Jenni laughed. "Hey, I'd love to get paid to have sex with hot women" Gunner said laughing. She grinned walking over to him, "well...unknown to most people, for male actors starting out, a lot of them get the all-male cast films first" Jenni said with a grin, "Well...fuck that then" Gunner said with a laugh. "Oh come on...the Outlaw is passing judgement now?" Jenni said with a grin. "Hey...I got no problem with that...same-sex stuff.....as long as both the girls are hot, I got no issue" Gunner said with a smirk as Jenni laughed. "Wanna go grab something to eat?" Gunner asked as Jenni smiled climbing onto the bike, and putting the helmet on that Gunner passed to her. Gunner fired the bike up, then Jenni whispered to him "Maybe I can grab something else later" as she put a small kiss on his neck. Gunner just grinned as they rode off.

A few hours later, after they had gone out for lunch, Jenni was lying in bed beside Gunner in one of the guest rooms in the clubhouse. Gunner had pretty much passed out asleep after they were done. The fact that she initiated it without Gunner even pressuring her was something entirely new to her...he really did seem like a good guy, and truth be known she'd really brought her A game with him in bed, rather than some of the other guys she'd been with where she really didn't feel connected and just kinda moaned and groaned to make guys feel good...with Gunner she really wanted to make him happy, which was probably why he was passed out now. She put her clothes back on and headed out to get a drink.

As she was walking down the hall she ran into Maddy, she tried to avoid her but Maddy cornererd her. "What do you want?" Jenni snapped, "I did what the fuck you wanted me to do okay! His wife even caught us, so you should be really happy" Jenni said angrily. Maddy taunted her, wondering why she was so mad at being a whore when it was the only thing she was good at. Jenni glared at her, balling her hand into a fist. She wanted more than anything to punch that bitch in the mouth, but she was definitely no fighter, she knew Maddy could take her, and she'd probably enjoy kicking Jenni's ass too. Maddy just grinned at her, which made Jenni even more angry. Then Maddy said Jenni was going to do it again. "Do what again?" Jenni asked. Maddy explained that she had heard Jason and Lolly were trying to patch things up, she said she needed Jenni to fuck Roach again and make sure she got caught again. "Fuck you bitch, I'm done taking orders from you!" Jenni snapped. "They were perfectly fine and happy and you fucked it all up cause you're some crazy psycho bitch!" Jenni continued, if she had been drunk enough she may have actually killed herself that night, hating herself for what she had done. She didn't care about Maddy anymore, and Gunner had given her the self-confidence boost she needed to finally stand up for herself. Maddy made a comment about how she was a dead whore, saying they'd find her in a ditch with her legs open and nobody would care. As angry as she was, Jenni knew Maddy was trying to bait her into a fight. "If you don't leave me alone, I'll go to Roach and tell him the whole fucking story" Jenni said as Maddy glared at her, telling her Jason would never beilieve a whore like her. "You sure about that? Cause if he did...you might be the one they find in a ditch..." then Jenni grinned "But don't worry...I'd make your husband forget all about you...I mean he's probably my biggest fan...hell I'm probably the one he thinks about when he's fucking your crazy bitch cunt" Jenni said. Maddy grabbed her by the hair and threw her against the wall. Jenni was almost grinning, cause she knew she'd finally hurt Maddy back.

Suddenly Maddy was yanked backwards, "Something wrong here?" Gunner asked glaring at Maddy, standing between her and Jenni. Jenni could tell Maddy was pissed now, as she realized Jenni was no longer on her own but with Gunner now which complicated things, now she had somebody who Remmy would listen to behind her. "I think we're done...weren't we Maddy?" Jenni said with a grin as Maddy stormed out of the clubhouse. Jenni smiled up at Gunner "my hero" she said giggling giving him a kiss.

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Remmy had been in the office working. The vote as to whether the club would move to Los Angeles or not was coming up and he was getting all the info together. They needed a new clubhouse, and Jason had suggested a small city called Avalon Hills. It was just on the outskirts of Los Angeles, and nearby Malibu. Jason figured the smaller population would give them a chance to make some friends in the community, and keeping them out of the city of LA might keep the feds a bit more off their tail, but it was also close enough to Los Angeles that they could ride in and out of the city with no real problem.

As Remmy was putting some of the stuff together he heard Jenni and Maddy outside yelling. He was about to get up and break it up when he heard their conversation. He listened to the whole back-and-forth between Maddy and Jenni, and his anger was starting to rise again. Hearing that Maddy had orcheastrated the whole situation with Jason and Jenni, it was enough to make Remmy see red. He figured he'd stay put in the office for now, as he wasn't sure what he'd do if he saw Maddy at that moment. Then he heard Gunner's voice, and he wanted to punch through a wall. Jenni was with Gunner now, and no doubt she had told him what was all going on....if this got back to Roach, he'd for sure lose his seat, there was no two ways about it. But now he was stuck, if he tried convincing Gunner to be quiet it'd look like he was trying to help Maddy cover it up...and not only would he lose his seat, he may get his patch stripped from him. Remmy just sat down in the chair, he had to think this thing over cause it was all looking like it was going to end up badly for him one way or another.

"Look, I won't try to defend what happened. I fucked up." Jason started. Lolly just listening, her hands under her thighs, stopping herself from running to him and doing what she didn't know. "I got drunk...and suddenly it was all happening." He said and Lolly cut her eyes at him. Jason then went on to explain things. "I was coming back to apologize for being such a bitch to you, Do you know how much it hurt to see you with someone else after that. It literally felt like I'd been shot. I meam hell, I'd rather take another bullet then to go through that again." Lolly said, tears threatening her eyes.Jason went on to apologize in his own special way and Lolly looked defeated. She wanted to forgive him but she could still see it...him and her. "You can't erase this, Jason. You're right about that. I mean, I can't see you without wondering if you're thinking about her." She said and Jason went on to say if that were true he wouldn't be here. He then mentioned his conversation with Mireya. "She's my daughter." She muttered and regretted it the moment, it left her lips. Jason started to leave. The last time he told her to call him, like that, he was on a plane to Ireland. " No wait, Jason...I'm sorry. I just can't think straight anymore..." She said. Jason then placed a bottle on the table, asking her why someone else was raising her kids. Lolly looked at the bottle amd burst into tears. "Ugh God. I'm such a horrible mother...I have no idea what's happening anymore..." She sobbed and Jason took her hand, and it was like something broke through the fog in her mind. "Come home." She said. "I don't know if I'm ready for us yet but They need us both." She said and Jason nodded. With that, she slid her arms around him gingerly but once there she nearly melted into him. She didn't know how to get passed this but she loved him too much not to try.

Later that night, Lolly lay in bed. alone. Tossing and turning in her sleep with the strangest of dreams.
She was running through the woods, Her body was illuminating the darkness of the forest. Behind her a pack of wolves, snarling and snapping at her. She ran and ran as fast as she could until she approached a dead end. She pressed her body against the mountain that blocked her path. The Alpha stepped forward. Challenging her and she did as well. He snarled. Bright blue eyes that pierced her heart and she knew instantly whose they were. Just then the Wolf stepped even closer, circling her then stood up, and as he stood. He morphed into a human. It was Jason. He grabbed her arm roughly and she tried to pull away but he had her. Her only option was either accept that she was his now or fight. As she mentally battled over this, the wolves started howling, and snarling at him. He stood protectly in front of her, snarling at the wolves before shifting again. Suddenly, the wolves were all attacking him trying to get to her but he stopped them, defeating them all but not without a price. He was injured badly. For whatever reason, she dropped down, and pressed her hand to the wound, bathing it in light and soon it was held. When she looked up he was human again. With that, he pulled her into a kiss, trailing it down her jaw and lingering at her neck..."

Lolly woke up with a start. Her brow slick with sweat. She didn't know how to react to that dream but it started to clarifiy things. She keeps running from this life, this life that Jason is apart of but she knew deep down, He had her by the heart, and he wouldn't do a thing to truely hurt her and at the same time, in a way. She protected him, kept him from being a monster. She couldn't sleep much affer that.

A Few days later, Elly was at the drug store, in the hair isle. She was trying to find hair dye that matched Lolly and Mireya's when Maddie appeared. "Hey Elly." She said sweetly. "Hi."
"Whatcha lookin at?"
"Hair dye." She said. "Hair dye. What ever for?" Maddie asked. "I just wanna change my look, I'm tired of looking so different." Elly said. "Ah. Well. You know you can never really change the way you look. I mean so you're a little heavier then you're sister, a little paler. You are what you are. That'll never change." Maddie said and walked off. Elly stood trembling, she wanted to be like them. She wanted to change. Elly then bought the darkest brown hair color she could. She rushed home, and tried dying her hair. She knew Lolly was busy on the phone preparing them for a new private school and Jason was out working. She'd have plenty of time to do it before anyone knew what happened.

Little did she know. Her scalp was sensitive, and as soon as she started, it began to burn. She started to panic and being rising it out at fast as she could. Some of the dye already set, but she figured she could hid it with a hat or something. She threw the boxes of hair dye away and sat on the toliet defeated. Maddy was right. She was never going to change. She started crying silently. Not sure what to do anymore

Jason spent the next few days at home, he'd sleep on the couch but he was still around for the kids. He saw Jenni a couple if times and had the urge to talk to her about what happened but figured it wasn't a good time. he also had the vote on the move coming up and still trying to figure out this deal with the feds.

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Remmy kept his distance from Maddy, he never asked her about Jenni, the less he knew the less angry he'd be he figured. He decided to keep quiet, at the current rate Jason and everyone would find the truth soon enough, if he looked oblivious to everything than maybe the club wouldn't come down as hard on him. However he did worry about Maddy, she was never like this before and he had to wonder what had happened to turn her into this monster.

-------

A few more days had past and Jenni finally got up the courage to go and talk with Lolly. She rang the door bell and Lolly answered and she saw hatred flash in Lilly's eyes. "Please, I mean, you totally deserve the right to kill me, but I really need Cornell you what happened, there's mire to the story than you know" Jenni Saud rushed, anticipating some sort of attack. Lolly just nodded. "Thanks. I..." Jenni stopped to compose herself. "My dad left us cause if some other woman, I know how that feels. I don't use this as an excuse, but I never wanted to have sex with Roach. Maddy came to me a little while back, she told me she wanted me to sleep with Roach so you two would break up. I refused her, I'm nit that kind of person....then she threatened me. She Saud she'd tell the club I was a snitch. I'm not like you, nobody would care what I Saud, I'm just some Mama. I was so scared, I had nobody to go to. I don't expect you to feel any different about me, what I dud was beyond forgiveness, but I thought you should know the whole story. She actually tried making me do it again when she heard you guys were talking, but I refused, I don't care what happens, I can't live with myself being that kind of person." Jenni turned then nearly fell over when Lolly asked her if she wanted some coffee. "Ummm....really?" Jenni asked as Lolly opened the door fir her.Jenni nodded as she walked inside.

Lolly just got off the phone with the tutor that would be screening the girls for the private school in LA when the doorbell rang. She opened it only to find the woman Jason's had slept with standing there. Her first instinct was to punch her square in the face but no, this was her Karma. So she'd swallow it. "Please, I mean, you totally deserve the right to kill me, but I really need to Cornell you what happened. There's more to the story than you know." She said quickly. Lolly nodded, keeping her mouth shut. [b]"Thanks...I She paused, and Lolly caught the look in her eye. "My dad left us cause of some other woman I know how that feels. I don't use this as an excuse but I never wanted to have sex with Roach." Lolly flinched at that but kept her cool. "Maddy came to me a little while back, she told me she wanted me to sleep with Roach so you two would break up. I refused her, I'm not that kind of person...then she threatened me. She said she'd tell the club I was a snitch.I'm not like you, nobody would care what I said, I'm just some Mama, I was so scared. I had nobody to go to. I don't expectyou to feel any different about me, what I did was beyond forgiveness, but I thought you should know the whole story. She actually tried making me do it again when she heard you guys were talking but I refused. I don't care what happens, I can't live with myself being that kind of person." She said and Lolly saw it in her eyes. She knew liars when she saw one, and standing before her was a girl, just like she was, lost in this world with no control. just trying to find her place in it. "You want some coffee?"Lolly asked."Ummm...really?" She said looking shocked. "Yea, Really."Lolly said and surprised even herself. Once they were seated, Lolly spoke. "Look,,Jenni, I was pissed and I was hurt and I didn't want to hear anything out of your mouth but screams..." Lolly started and Jenni looked scared. "However, I've been a Mama, I know what it's like. Do I like that you slept with my husband. Fuck no. Am I still pissed and still hurt. Yes but at the same time, I know, I can see it in your eyes that you truly did not want to do this." Lolly said looking into her eyes. "You look like you'd been raped and I've been, I know what it's like, that feeling of hopelessness and it pains me that that memory comes from my husband, There is no feeling worse then that much lost of control. Losing control over something as intimate as your body." Lolly said and Jenni stammered how she was used to it, she was a porn star. "What you do elsewhere changes nothing, You did not want to do it right then, right now. That's rape Jenni, and I forgive you." Lolly said and Jenni's eyes widened and she bursted into tears. She hadn't considered that fact before. She ran around the table and hugged Lolly. "I'm gonna tell Jason you were forced, if that's okay." She said and Jenni looked confused. "I'm asking because sometimes you just don't want to talk about it." She said and Jenni answered. "Jenni listen, You could have told me. Maddie seems to think I hold a higher power then she does and in this case, she's right. I know how that bitch is, I would have believed you." Lolly said softly, feeling bad that this girl,was dragged into this mess. Lolly was dragged into this world too. "If you need anything. You call me." She said and Jenni looked hopefully, telling her she'd make it up to her as she pulled away and headed for the door. "And Jenni." Lolly said as Jenni opened the door. "Stay away from my husband." She said but smiled. Jenni knew she was serious but at the same time, Jenni wanted nothing to do with that anyway so she simply agreed. Lolly felt better after that, like a weight was lifted. She had hopes that she'd be able to forgive Jason...someday. For now, she had to meet with the tutor.

Jason was leaning against his bike waiting. And, on schedule, a black sedan rolled it's way along the service road running behind an old gravel pit about a mile off the main highway. The sedan rolled to a stop, and Nathan Sears climbed out of the car walking over to Jason.

"So Walker, I'm assuming you're getting ready for the move up to Oregon?" Sears asked. Jason grinned, "you'd like that wouldn't you? Funny thing is...you forgot to mention the fact that they're in the middle of a state-wide crack down on Outlaw motorcycle clubs" Jason said. Sears smirked, he figured that wouldn't have gotten past him, but it didn't raise any flags when he made the offer initially, so he thought there was a chance. "You've been doing some research" Sears said with a grin. "So what's the plan...stay in Texas?" Sears asked. "Nah, we're moving...just not quite as north as Oregon" Jason said. "And I can only guess where that would be..." Sears said shaking his head. "Don't you know the saying, 'You can't go home'?" Sears asked. Jason just grinned and shrugged. "Listen...the deal was Oregon..." Sears stated, "yeah, but that was before I knew you were trying to set me up. I did some more digging...what was the name of that task force you're the head of?" Jason asked. Sears jaw set, "I told you what my job title was" Sears said carefully, "You told me you were into an International crime ring...the Gothamburg Crime Syndicate? Tell me again how I get in contact with these guys?" Jason said. "Okay fine...look...I had to try right?" Sears said. "So what happens now? With Nicky I mean?" Jason asked. "Well...we can't throw him back in now, his whole case would have to go back to trial and just give your lawyers some more time to find loopholes...so I guess....we gotta let him go" Sears said with his jaw set hard. "Then I guess we're done" Jason said, "And thanks for the cash by the way". Sears set his jaw, "you know those documents won't necessarily hold up in court without an official on-going investigation" Sears said, "No, but I'm sure the FBI would still honour them if we asked them too...I mean they'd hate to have the news channels get wind that they were chanelling money to an Outlaw Biker Gang" Jason said with a grin. Sears shook his head, "One wrong step...and I take you down for a long time" Sears said quietly, Jason just grinned "Have a safe trip back" he said. Sears pursed his lips as he headed back to his car, and the sedan slowly drove off back down the service road.

Jason's smile faded as Sears drove off, "Fucking hell!" he muttered to himself shaking his head.

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Jenni had been hanging out at the clubhouse with Gunner. She felt better than she had in a long time, now not only did she have Gunner in her life, and the two of them were starting to become rather serious, but she also had an ally now in Lolly. She really did look up to Lolly, especially knowing she'd been a Mama, and been a stripper previously...and now she was married and had a great family. She was the hope Jenni had been lacking, the hope that she could become something more than just some porn star. She saw Jason walk in, she really wanted to talk with him...just to apologize, but she also told Lolly she'd stay away from him too. Besides as he walked in he seemed to be pre-occupied with something, she figured she'd talk to Lolly first, get her approval, before saying anything to Jason. Lolly was the friend she'd been lacking and now she wasn't going to risk losing that so soon. Some while later Maddy walked in looking for Remmy, she locked eyes with Jenni for a moment. Previously this would have made Jenni look for a corner to hide in, but now, thanks to Gunner and now Lolly, she had more confidence than she'd ever had before, and she just casually smiled back at Maddy.

She and Gunner talked some more, she knew the club was getting ready to vote on something, but Gunner said he couldn't say anything to her until after the vote. As they spoke, her cell phone went off, it was Lolly's number. "Ummm hey, it's Jenni" she said...feeling stupid right away "who else would she have been phoning moron" she thought to herself. Lolly said she needed to come talk with Jason at the clubhouse but the girls were busy with a tutor of theirs. She asked if Jenni could come and watch the kids, as her dad was gone and Joey was busy with Bailey who had been really sick. "Yeah...sure....I'll be right down" Jenni said, almost ecstatic that Lolly would trust her enough to leave her kids with her. "Lolly just asked me to watch their kids for a bit" she said to Gunner excited, "going to wear your naughty baby-sitter outfit you brought home the other night?" Gunner asked with a grin, "fuck you!" she said giggling as she grabbed her keys and purse, "well I was kinda hoping...but hey, no pressure" Gunner said laughing as Jenni gave him a knowing wink as she ran off out the door.

When she got to the house, Lolly explained the tutor was talking with each girl. She had spent time with both the girls together, and was now finishing up her first session with the girls. She had started with Elly first, while giving Mireya a book of word problems to work through. After almost two hours, she was done with Elly, and it was Rey's turn, and Elly was given some work to keep her occupied. Lolly explained that while the tutor was still here, all Jenni really needed to do was keep an eye on baby jack. She wasn't sure when she'd be back, but said the girls could pretty much do whatever they wanted so long as it was within the house. "Thanks Lolly...it means a lot...you asking me to do this...and I really do love kids" she said smiling. Lolly made some comment that it was only watching the kids for a little bit, "I know...I dunno...it just means a lot to me...most people don't think I'm good for anything than my job title" Jenni said with a nervous grin. Lolly gave her a smile, saying she had to start thinking of herself like that first before others would. Jenni gasped a little, she knew exactly what she meant, and she was right too. "Thanks" she said quietly. "Oh by the way..." she checked to make sure the coast was clear of little ears, "the Super Bitch just walked into the clubhouse when I was leaving" she said with a warning as Lolly walked out.

Jenni spent some time playing with baby Jack, he was big and could talk fairly well by now for a little toddler. Shortly after she heard talking in the other room, figuring it was the tutor. She then heard the girls chime in together "by Ms.Young", and an asian looking woman walked through the kitchen. "You must be the tutor Lolly was talking about...I'm Jenni...a friend, just watching the kids" Jenni explained. The tutor introduced herself, then waved to the girls as she walked out. Mireya started asking her who she was, "My name is Jenni, I'm a friend of your mom's from the clubhouse" Jenni said. Then Mireya bluntly asked "Are you a drug addict like Ms.Maddy?", to which Jenni burst out laughing. She didn't know where Mireya had got that idea from, but it was hilarious. "Ummm no...I don't do drugs" she said. Mireya asked her what she did for a job, "well, I'm an actress" she said, Mireya asked her what kind of movies she'd been in, "well I haven't been in any kids movies yet...just mostly movies for grown ups...so you wouldn't know any of them" Jenni said, cleverly side-stepping that potentially awkward situation. Mireya then asked if she was rich, because she was an actress, and if she lived in Hollywood, and dated rich good looking actor who had lots of money, and could drive fancy cars, and...finally Jenni had to cut the kid off, she was worried the kid would pass out due to lack of oxygen, "Not all actors and actresses make lots of money right away. Sometimes they have to work for a littl while before they get the more higher paying acting jobs. And I do have a boyfriend, but he's not a rich actor unfortunately" Jenni said. Mireya said she was going to be a dancer like her mom, and make lots of money, and have lots of boyfriends that she wouldn't tell her daddy about cause he might get mad and beat them up, and she would go around dancing all over the world and become so famous that everyone would know her and want to be friends with her on Facebook, and she even had some fancy moves worked out already...and with that she started posing and trying to emulate moves she'd seen her mom make. Jenni grinned, it was cute to watch this prima-donna in the making showing off...despite whatever it looked like. "Well you are just super talented aren't you?" Jenni said, to which Mireya just responded, "yeah I know", and with that she ran off into the living room. "Wow" Jenni thought as her mind took a much needed break after the flood of dialouge Mireya had thrown at her.

Some time later Jenni was sitting in the living room watching a video with Mireya, she kept looking at the bathroom door. Elly had gone in there a few minutes ago and still wasn't coming out. She got up and walked over to the door knocking on it, "Elly, is everything alright?" she asked. She heard what sounded like a coughing or choking sound, "Elly...answer me okay...are you feeling okay?" Jenni asked again, she heard the same sound. "Elly...can you open the door?" she asked....then her eyes caught notice of something down the hall. She quickly moved half way down the hall before she froze, "fuck!" she cursed under her breath. She quickly moved to the living room staying calm, "Rey, it's so nice out, how about you go practice your dance moves outside before it gets too dark" Jenni said. Mireya jumped up saying that was a good idea, and ran out the door. Once Mireya was gone Jenni slammed herself into the bathroom door as hard as she could popping it open. "Elly!" she cried seeing the girl on the ground. She was shaking and had obviously been throwing up already. There were several pill bottles spilled out on the sink and floor. Jenni rushed to her side holding her. "Shhh Elly it's going to be okay alright?" Jenni said as she dialed 9-1-1, telling them the address and that she had a 13 year old girl suffering from a suspected accidental drug over-dose. Jenni laid Elly down and raised her legs up a bit, remembering her first aid training all of a sudden. Elly looked dazed, Jenni loosed her jeans and her shirt, she also turned the fan on in the bathroom. She then dialed Lolly's number as she kept stroking Elly's hair, whispering to her until Lolly answered the phone, she sounded upset and started saying she'd it was a bad time, Jenni cut her off "I just called 911 for Elly. I don't know exactly what happened, but I found her in the bathroom with pill bottles lying everywhere...and Lolly...ummm....I don't know how to say this, but she left a note on your bedroom door" Jenni said softly. She heard a click on the other end and imagined Lolly was probably walking on air at that moment.

"Listen Elly...I'm just going to let your sister know the ambulance is coming...stay just like this, I'll be right back..it won't even be a minute" Jenni said kissing her cheek. She then ran outside, calming herself somehow. "Mireya, come here" she called, and Rey came running. "Listen...your sister is feeling really sick, and she's going to need to see a doctor okay?" she could see Mireya getting a panicked look on her face, "Shhhh...listen, she's going to be perfectly fine, I'm going to go back inside and make sure she's feeling good...but I need you to do an important job...can you do that?" Jenni asked, she was relieved to see the panicked look subside, she figured if Mireya had an "important job" it'd take her focus off of the crisis. "The doctor is going to send some paramedics to come drive her to see the doctor okay? I need you to wait here...when you see them, make sure you wave to let them know they're at the right place...then show them how to get to the washroom inside...can you do all that?" Jenni asked. Mireya nodded, "Good...cause it's a really important job, and I don't think anyone else but you could do it" Jenni said, Mireya piped up saying she'd make REALLY sure the ambulance knew where to come. Jenni then ran back inside to Elly, she could saw Elly's head laying to the side. "shit" she cursed under her breath. She tilted Elly's head, checked the pulse as she began giving her CPR, after a couple cycles, Elly coughed, Jenni turned her head to the side and let her throw up what was in her mouth. She grabbed a cloth, wiping the girl's face as she held her, "Shhh don't worry Elly, mommy and daddy are going to be here really soon, there's nothing to worry" about she said trying to sooth her.

It wasn't long before Jenni heard the siren of the ambulance turning down the driveway and the paramedics rushed in. Jenni had given the paramedics the couple of open bottles she had found, and gave them what info she could. Elly was sitting up and looking around a bit more now and talking a little. She was able to tell the paramedics her name and age, etc. Jenni knelt down beside Mireya "see...she'll be okay...her stomach just got really sick that's all" Jenni said stroking Mireya's hair, trying to distract her from the paramedics that were taking Elly to the ambulance. It was then Jenni heard Lolly's truck flying into the driveway, followed by the roar of a bike, she assumed to be Jason's. Jenni walked outside with Mireya as Lolly rushed to the ambulance with Jason behind her. Mireya immediately ran to Jason as Jenni filled Lolly in on what had happened. Lolly asked about Mireya's panic attack, assuming she'd have had one, "no she was fine...she looked like she was getting worried...so I told her she had the important job of waiting for the ambulance...that seemed to calm her down" Jenni said. The paramedics said they were leaving, and that one parent could go along. Lolly jumped into the ambulance as Jason had Rey already clinging to him. "I can watch baby Jack" Jenni said as Lolly just nodded as the doors closed. "Thank you" Jason said to Jenni as he rushed to the truck with Mireya. And as just as quickly as they had arrived, the ambulance and Jason's truck were gone down the road.

Ae-Jin had just finished interviewing and testing the two girls. They were brilliant and as sweet as can be. The eldest seemed a bit off though. but compared to her sister anyone would be. Ae-Jin was now to interview the parents. She'd already spoke to Mrs. Walker and she needed to speak with her Father and Step-Father. It was formality really, if the childern were good chances are the parents are too. But Protocol was protocol. She rode up to the place where they two father's worked. She stepped out of her Prias and looked around. There were men and women crowding around and alot of commotion. A blonde man rushed out and took one look at her and approached her. He asked if she was the tutor he was supposed to meet with today and she nodded, she was a bit curious but the man seemed to want her far from there. A fight, it seemed. Ae-Jin had been in plenty being a military brat and all. The man introduced himself as Nicky and asked/told they should talk somewhere quieter. Ae-Jin agreed. The less she knew the better. He asked her if she ridden a bike before and she smiled. "Yea but that may be a little inappropriate." She said but couldn't deny the offer was tempting. He was attractive. "How about we take my car." She said and Nicky agreed. He looked like he wanted to scoff at her hybrid. "I'm sorry, I like clean air." She said and he snickered some. Ae-Jin could see he was a little shocked at that. She could read his expression. She got that alot. It was that skilled that made her good at her job as admissions director. She knew the good kids from the bad. They drove off to a little bar a little ways away and figured they could chat there. "Alright." Ae-Jin said getting to business. "You are her Step father, correct?" She asked, getting out her papers. Nicky answered, sorta stammering over the question. "Mr. Rhodes. It's the actions that make a Dad. Not a lawyer not a court." She said and that seemed to strike Nicky. He then answered quickly and Ae-Jin smiled, revealing dimples in her cheeks. "Alright, well as a 'Legal' Guardian there are a few things you need to sign." She said handed papers to Nicky. Her almond shaped eyes flicked up at him wondering if he caught that. No he was evidently not legally her step father as her mother wasn't married to him but she could see he cared for Elly by the way he looked somewhat excited about signing these forms. It meant he was really her father. "This explains your relationship to Elly and what not, Mrs. Walker already signed for you so you are able to pick her up and drop her off at school, take her out as well. You've also been named as caretaker for Mireya as well. So should problems arises you are able to take them both out of school." She explained and Nicky nodded along. They then went into more and more about the school and Elly. "She seems like a great kid. She seemed a little distant though." He explained how shy she was. "No I've seen shy but this seemed...deeper then that. I don't mean to pry but...if you don't mind...when did her mother pass?" Ae Jin asked and Nicky looked down, and after a moment he told her. "Hmm. Maybe she's just down. Well-" Just then Nicky got a call. He answered and shouted some explicitives. Ae-Jin jumped a little. "What's wrong?" He told her he had to go. Elly was in the hopstial. Ae-Jin grabbed up her keys. "Let's go." she said and once they were in the car, she pushed her little hybrid to it's max. The girl could drive.

---

Lolly had left the girls with the tutor and Jack with Jenni. She heard Jenni's warning and kept it in mind as she made her way to the clubhouse.
Once there, she walked in melancholic but all that changed when Maddie crossed her sights. "You..." Lolly snarled and in a blink she had her by the hair. Maddie shrieked and Lolly dragged her across the clubhouse floor. "You fucked with my daughter, raped a girl using my husband, all to get my attention." Lolly said and threw her into the broad side of the bar. "Well, you've got it." She said. Maddie stammered, trying to pull herself from the floor. "Wait, Lolly, I-" "You told my 12 year old I was a stripper!" Lolly said and sent her booted foot into Maddie's rib cage. Maddie coughed. "And you forced a girl to slept with my husband!" She kicked her again. "She didn't have to!" "You threatened her!" Lolly kicked her again, by this point, A crowd had formed. Everyone knew Lolly's temper was legendary. It was nearly as bad as Jason's. Maddie choked out. "Don't kill me." She heaved. "Why not?" Lolly said, grabbing her by the throat. "You tried to my family against me, Joey. Mireya, Jason...Why should I let you continue to breathe?" Lolly whispered, clenching her hands around her throat. Suddenly, Lolly was grabbed from behind. She turned to see Jason behind her. "Let me go, Jason!" Lolly barked as Remmy grabbed up his wife. "This bitch was the reason why Jenni slept with you! She forced that girl on you! With a knife to her throat!" Lolly barked. (To be cont

Jason looked at Maddie, then Lolly, then back at Maddie. He let her go. Lolly cracked her neck. "Remmy, I suggested you take her out of here or move aside." Lolly warned and while Remmy decided. Lolly's phone rang. She answered, "Not a good time." She said and Jenni rushed the reason for calling. "What?! How?, Fuck, I'm on my way." She hung up. "Elly's being taken to the hospital. She tried to kill herself." She told Jason and Lolly was off. She didn't know nor care if Jason was behind her as she climbed in her truck and peeled off for home. The bike behind her she knew was Jason's.

Once there, Elly was being carted off and Mireya ran to Jason. "I'm scared Daddy, Ms. Jenni said Elly was sick." She said, twisting his hair trying to keep calm. Jason managed to keep her calm as Lolly made a beeline for the ambulance.

Shortly after, they were at the hospital and Elly was being wheeled to the emergency room to get her stomach pumped. Lolly was stopped at the door. Lolly watched in horror and soon felt Jason's arms go around her. Here she was wrapped up in her own shit not see any of this coming. She should have. Jenni had slipped her the note before they left.
It read:
Dear Lolly,
I don't belong here. I tried, but I don't look like you or Mireya or Jack and I even tried to change it but nothing worked. I should have been in that car that day, with Mom and Seth.
I love you, Lolly, thank you for trying.
Love always,
Elly.

Lolly looked up at Jason. "She tried to kill herself...." She breathed and Jason pulled her into a hug and she sobbed into his chest. It was then Nicky and Ae-Jin arrived. Beau as out with some fishing buddies that night but got the call from Nicky.

Blood or not, that was his grandbaby.
Now, they just had to wait.

Nicky was standing by one of the pool tables when he saw Lolly walk in...then he saw Maddy, "ohh shit" he said as he put down the cue, hoping to cut off Lolly before she got to Maddy, but he was way too late. Lolly was all over Maddy, he knew Maddy was a tough chick, but she didn't stand a chance in this fight. Just then Nicky saw a Prius drive up to the clubhouse...there was no way anyone assoicated with the club was driving that thing, so it had to be the tutor from the school in LA.

Nicky quickly moved himself away from the fight and met the woman outside in the parking lot. "Hey...I'm guessing you're the lady from the school that I'm supposed to be meeting with?" Nicky asked, the woman nodded. "Hey...the name's Nicky" he said shaking her hand. "Listen...we'll go somewhere else to do this, it's kinda crazy in there right now" Nicky said, "You ever rode a bike before?" Nicky asked with a grin. "I don't think that would be appropriate" the woman said "How about we take my car instead" the lady offered, "Well, why not" Nicky said with a grin as he walked with the woman. "Wait...sorry...you said you had a car somewhere?" Nicky scoffed as he saw her Prius. "I'm sorry, I like clean air" she said with a grin, "You're form Los Angeles, how do you even know what clean air is?" he said with a laugh. There was a bar a little ways down the road, they agreed to go there to talk.

"You are her step-father, correct?" she asked as she got some paper work together. "Well...I guess it'd depend on your technicaly definition of step-father" Nicky stammered. "Mr. Rhodes. It's the actions that make a Dad. Not a lawyer not a court. the woman said, and the words hit Nicky. "Well then in that case, yeah I am" he said as she handed him the papers to sign, it was just scribbling his name, but this was one of the first things he'd done since Jetta died that was actually "official" parent type stuff, which made him somewhat excited. They chatted a bit more, she explained about how he was given access to pick the girls up from school etc. Then Ae-Jin asked him about Elly, "well, she's always been shy" Nicky replied. Ae-Jin then asked about Jetta, Nicky looked down for a minute, even after all this time it still got him, "well...about three years now" Nicky said quietly. Just then his phone rang, it was Jason telling him about Elly, "Fucking hell!" he exclaimed, then relayed the info to Ae-Jin. She offered to drive him, and the jumped into her Prius as she flew towards the hospital.

--------

Today was a fucking bad day. That was the thought going through Jason's mind as he followed Lolly in the truck on. First the meeting with Sears, and that whole issue, that alone was enough to ruin his entire week. Then seeing Lolly kicking the crap out of Maddy...and now Elly. Fuck this day was just a really bad day. It was almost eerie Jason thought he rode right past the intersection where Jetta was killed "Don't let her follow you Jetta" Jason thought to himself as he flew through the intersection. Mireya was quiet in the seat beside him, which wasn't usual for her. They got to the hospital and Jason quickly found Lolly and put his arm around her. She started sobbing into his chest as she told him that Elly had tried to kill herself, and gave him the letter. Jason couldn't believe it, how...why...and how the fuck did they all miss it.

He sat with Lolly in the hospital room as Nicky and the tutor lady arrived. Lolly didn't say anything as she clung to Jason, as did Mireya. Finally the doctor came out, "She's going to be fine" the doctor said. "I don't know your babysitter is...but she's the reason your daughter is still with us right now" the doctor said, "right now she's stable...but only one parent can go visit her right now...the rest will have to wait till she's in her room, and uh...she was asking for you Mr.Walker" the doctor said. Jason nodded as he kissed Lolly then followed the doctor into the recovery room and saw Elly on the hospital bed.

"Hey baby" he whispered as she hugged him tight. After a few moments she lay back down, "is Rey okay?" she asked first, Jason chuckled, she was always worried about Rey. "She got scared...but she'll be okay" Jason said. She was quiet then asked, "did Lolly...I mean...mom find the letter?" Elly asked. "Yeah she did. You wanna tell me what that was all about?" Jason asked, Elly was quiet. "I don't belong...I'm so different than Lolly, or Jack, or Rey...I'm just the piece of the puzzle that doesn't belong" she said. Jason hugged her tight, "you know I love you just as much as Rey or Jack. And maybe you don't look like them...but you got my hair, you got my eyes....you read way more than either me or your mom so I got no clue where that came from" Jason said with a grin as Elly smiled. "And you see this here..." Jason said rolling the sleeve up on his arm, revealing a tattoo of some vines and the names "Mireya" and "Jack" tattooed in with the vines, "you've seen those before right?" Jason said, as Elly nodded. "Did you ever wonder why your name wasn't there?" he asked, she paused then nodded slowly. "Well...first I gotta warn you...the reason mom doesn't let me go bare-back around the house is cause I've had some accidents and stuff in my time, and I got some cuts that don't look really pretty, she was always afraid I'd scare you. But...you were first remember...before I knew about Rey or Jack, and well...I was kinda pumped to have a baby girl....so check this out" he said as he pulled off his shirt, tattooed in big letters across the left side of his chest was the name "Eleanor". "See...I got that right over my heart...every time I go to bed, or when I wake up...any time I look down...I got you right here" Jason said as Elly gave him a big grin. "You might feel kind of out of place....but if your piece was missing, I'd never be able to survive" Jason whispered to Elly as she hugged him again. "Now...where did all this not belonging stuff come from anyway...it never seemed to bother you before" Jason said softly holding her hand. "Ms.Maddy was talking to me at the park...when Rey had her panic attack. She told me I was different than Rey and Jack, like I wasn't really a part of them. That's why I tried dying my hair...but it burned....and Ms.Maddy saw me in the store and said the same thing....that no matter what I did, I'd never be like them" she said softly. Jason clenched his jaw for a second. That bitch had messed with Rey and had become Lolly's problem. But now, nearly getting Elly to kill herself...she was Jason's problem now. "Listen...I'll tell you what I told Rey....Ms.Maddy is a drug addict. She says stuff but doesn't really think...and she's all kinda messed up" Then Jason thought of something. "Does my hair look like Nana's hair?" Jason asked. Elly shook her head. "And the skin on her face...doesn't really look like mine either does it?" Jason asked, as Elly shook her head. "Wait...does that mean Nana's not my mom?" Jason said in a mocked shock tone, Elly laughed "she's your mom silly" Elly said. "But I don't look like her..." Jason said with a grin, as Elly smiled. "You know what family is baby? Family is the people who will stand by you no matter what. You know, even though we never got back together....I loved your mom a lot, and there's a lot of memories I had with her. And you may not look like Lolly...but you look exactly like your mom, and I think that's why it's not as hard for me...cause it's kinda like I get to see her everyday when I see you" Jason said as Elly hugged him again. "I'm sorry daddy" she whispered. "Don't worry...just never do this again okay" he whispered as she nodded and kissed him. "Now...you get some rest. There's a whole army of people out there waiting to come visit you when you wake up okay?" Jason said as Elly nodded, she then asked "can Mommy sit here while I fall asleep?" she asked. "Yeah...I'll go get her" Jason said.

Jason walked out the door and saw Lolly. "She'll be okay...but she's asking if you could sit with her while she falls asleep" Jason said as Lolly nodded. "Oh...and one more thing..." he said to her, "Maddy's not your issue anymore....that's my fucking issue you now. If Elly wakes up and I'm not back...tell her I'll be right back" Jason said. Lolly didn't know what he meant about Maddy, but she knew that look on his face...it wasn't one she saw very often...and usually something bad happened to somebody else when she saw that look. "Yo..." he called to Nicky snapping his fingers, "you're with me" he said. Nicky wasn't sure what was going on, but he saw Jason's look as well and knew whatever it was...it was better for everyone if Jason wasn't alone.

Lolly was beyond relived when the doctor said she'd be alright. Jenni wanted to make up, well she did in a way that almost made Lolly want to pay her back. Elly wanted to talk to Jason and that was fine with Lolly. What surprised her was that Jason, almost on instinct, kissed her before he left. Lolly realised this was ridiculous, She'd forgiven Jenni but not Jason. Yes, Jenni was a victim but Jasson was her husband. For Better or worse and this was about as bad as shit can get. They were so lost in their misery that they could have lost Elly and missed it. Lolly lay with Mireya on her lap, smoothing over her hair. Ae-Jin then took a seat beside her. "Guess they're not getting in." She asked and Ae-Jin frowned. "They're already in, all this proved to me as that they are in good hands at home." She said and Lolly smiled. "Thanks for coming." she said. "That's what guidance counselors are for." She said with a wink
Ae-Jin, looked over at Nicky. He looked sick and she gave him a brief but reassuring squeeze of the hand.

Soon Jason came back out. He told Lolly that Elly was asking for her and left with Nicky. Mireya crawled over to Beau and rested on his big chest. Ae-Jin sat quietly.

Lolly walked in. She'd only just noticed, Elly was thinner then usual, but a sickly then and some of her hair was darker then the other. She sighed. "Hey Elly Belly, how ya feelin'?"She asked as she took a seat on the bed. "Tired." She said and after a silence, Elly started to sob. "Oh, Mija, Don't cry." Lolly said and pulled her into her chest.
"I was scared, Mommy."
"I know baby, I know. Why did you try to leave us like that?" She asked. "Because I thought I didn't belong here. I don't look like you." Elly said. "Of course you don't you look like your dad and your mom but you know Mija none of that matters. All I care about is you. You are beautiful just the way you are." She said sobbing herself. Elly looked up at her. She hated seeing Lolly cry. "I'm sorry. Mommy." She said. "I know."
After a queit moment, Elly lay on Lolly's lap, as she stroked her hair.
Where'd you get this from?" Lolly asked. "Ms Maddy but Daddy said she was drug addict and not to listen to her." She said. Lolly sighed. "The truth is, and you're old enough to know this. Maddie hates me. That's why she did this." She said. Elly looked up. "Why?" "Sometimes bullies don't need a reason, the problem is, I can't be bullied, and she hated it. She hated that I was happy. She hated that I have you, and Rey, and Jackie. She hated I have your father. She wanted to take that from me." Lolly explained. "Wow...Why?"
"Because and don't tell your father I said this...or mine but. Maddie is a bitch." Lolly said and Elly started laughing. Hard. But grimaced as it aggregative her stomach. "Easy now.You know, those pills were for Grampa, he needs a horse tranquilizer to pill him to sleep, You need warm milk." She said and Elly nodded. "I'm sorry." "Just don't do it again." "I won't but um..." Elly paused. "What, mija?" Lolly asked. "Are you and Daddy gonna get a divorce?" Lolly was taken aback. Right, whose kids were these..."Rey was crying because she thought you were. I told her you weren't but is it true?" Lolly sighed. "We're not getting a divorce. We were just angry at each other but we're better now." She said and Elly smiled. She lay back on her lap and slowly went to sleep as Lolly stroked her hair.

---

Maddie sat trembling behind the bar. Hidden from Lolly or whoever else may come for her. Elly was in the hospital. Outlaw Creek was a small town, news got around fast. Overdose on prescription sleeping pills. She tried to kill herself. Maddie knew she was to blame. She had to leave. They'd kill her. She clamored to her feet, her ribs bruised badly, she knew at least two were broken but she'd rather deal with that then be killed. She made her way to the door before she heard Jason and Nicky pull him in a truck. Her eyes went wide. She started to run, limping down the way to get away from them but she stumbled on gravel and fell to the ground. She sobbed on the ground as footsteps approached her. 'What have I done?'

A Little while later, Jason and Nicky came back. Beau took Mireya home, and while Lolly wanted to talk to Jason.

Nicky wanted to talk to Elly but Ae-Jin was in with her. He stopped at the door overhearing the conversation "-I know what it's like to feel different. Both of my parents are white. I'm Korean." She said gesturing to her face. "I tried dying my hair, trying to make my eyes look a little less Oriental but nothing worked. I was tired of being different. All the kids in my school were white. All I did was burn my my scalp, walked around looking like a skunk about the head and gave myself Pinkeye somehow. It was hopeless but my parents told me something, I'm sure yours told you. You are perfect the way you are. They don't care what you look like." Ae-Jin said and Elly smiled at her. (To be contined again)

Elly looked up to see Nicky. She smiled at him and Ae-Jin turned around and smiled softly. "Welp, I'll see you later, kiddo. Don't think you're getting out of studying." She said with a wink and Elly giggled."Okay." she said sheepishly. Ae-Jin walked toward the door, Nicky was sort of blocking it. "Excuse me." She muttered softly. He caught her arm gently and thanked her. Ae-Jin had to swallow. "Yeah." She said and walked out, but not before passing Nicky a second glance.

Outside the hospital, Jason and Lolly stood silently beside the truck. Neither knew really what to say. They both fucked up big time on this. Lolly sighed. "I was scared." She said and Jason said something about Elly. "No, I mean I was scared for her but I mean before all this. I was scared." She said and Jason sighed asking her of what. "Of this--this life. I was scared of coming back and losing you to the club again but all I did was make things worse by jumping down your throat for every little thing." She said and ran her fingers through her hair. Jason was taken aback by Lolly admitted to be afraid like this, He let her continue. "I was afraid of who'd you become once you got back. I afraid of you." She said and looked down. Jason said something about how she didn't need to be afraid of him. He'd never hurt her. "But you did." She said softly. Jason had nothing for that. "But I realised that, I'd grown accustomed to who you were in Malibu, I fell in love with that man while he made me afraid of the Jason I knew before then." She admitted. "But I realised something...That man...the one in Malibu, he wasn't real." She said and stepped closer to him, she raised her hand to his cheek and smoothed it down his jawline. "But this one." She said looking into his eyes. "This is the one that's always been there for me. From the moment my eyes could even focus, he was there. Sometimes pushing me down..." She said with a small laugh. "but always picking me up. This one, who protected me, who was ready to label himself a rapist and took a shotgun blast to the chest so no one would know I slept with my best friends boyfriend, or who the one who payed back the people that took my eye." She breathed. Her hand dropped from his jaw to his chest, her eyes never leaving his. "Looking at you now. I see you, I see the violent, the dangerous man that I fell in love with. That I am still in love with. "She said softly. "I think you know that, I could never leave you. You have me by the heart and as crushing as it is, I can't breathe without it." She said and Jason was speechless. He'd have never expected this from Lolly. She'd opened her heart to him in a way, he'd never seen before. "But I need to know. I need to know why you love me." She said. "No jokes, No sarcasm, just the truth." She knowing how he gets when difficult questions come up.

Jason explained everything to Nicky, about how Maddy was putting the thoughts and ideas in her mind, how she was using Jenni, and the whole story. Nicky was just as mad as Jason was, maybe even more so as losing Elly meant even more to him than Jason. Not that Jason didn't love his daughter, but Nicky had lost his dad, he'd lost Jetta, he'd lost Seth...he'd lost anything that could resemble family to him except Elly, so losing Elly would have been too much to handle. They got to the clubhouse and saw Maddy, trying to make a get away to somewhere, although she was having a tough time with the beating Lolly had given her.

Jason and Nicky caught up to her as she stumbled, she looked up at them, pleading with them. Jason just grabbed her, brought her to her feet then dragged her behind to the garage. She panicked even more, she knew two things happened in the garage and she was pretty sure they weren't going to ask her to help fix a bike. Inside the garage Jason chained her hands to one of the lifts, she was going nowhere. "You have done nothing but fuck with my family since the day we got here!" Jason growled at her. She pleaded, begging not to be killed. "Give me one reason why? You've tormented my wife...tried to get me and her to break up...threatened to kill Jenni...tried to turn my one daughter against her mom, and then managed to put suicidal thoughts in my other daughter's head so she would over-dose!" Jason yelled. Maddy was hysterical, apologizing profusely for everything. Jason picked up a wrench, "sorry ain't going to do it today bitch" Jason said making his way toward her with the wrench in his hand. He brought it up and had every intention of smashing it into Maddy's head, no doubt fracturing, if not crushing, her skull in the process. Nicky then caught his arm, "Listen...this bitch isn't worth the heat bro. If this comes back on you...I mean you got a family...maybe there's times you gotta risk it, but this bitch ain't one of those times." Nicky said. He then pulled her cell phone out. "You call Remmy....you tell him you're sick of all this shit, you can't take it anymore, and you're gone. Tell him you're done with him, and you don't want to see him ever again...make the call or I let him go to town on you with that wrench" Nicky said.

Maddy nodded, she had anticipated things were over between her and Remmy anyway, at least this got her out of this alive. Nicky dialed the number, as expected it got Remmy's voice-mail. She left the message, making it sound really convincing too while she was at it. When she was done Nicky hung up. "We ever see your face around here again...you're dead" Nicky said in a cold tone. "To make sure you get out of town...I'll take you to the bus station over in Milner Station" Jason said, referring to a nearby town. "You'll get a one way ticket somewhere and never look back got it?" Jason asked. Maddy nodded, nearly ecstatic she was going to survive this ordeal. "You sure you'll be okay?" Nicky asked. "Yeah bro......I definitely see how things are now" Jason said patting him on the back. Jason unchained Maddy and led her out to the truck, he told Nicky he'd come back and pick him up on his way back.

As they drove Maddy continued to apologize, thanking Jason for not killing her, for letting her live. She said she saw how good of a guy he really was. Jason didn't respond, he just drove in silence. Maddy was almost able to relax when her stomach turned into knots as Jason pulled off the highway and onto a gravel road. She looked at Jason, "just a short-cut, that's all" was all he said. However, they drove for another 10 minutes before her blood ran cold as she saw the lonely gates of the abadoned coal mine not far from town. The place was shut down years ago, and as the road would bear witness to, nobody ever came up this way anymore, not even hunters or hikers had reason to come out here. She started pleading with Jason, but all he did was drive the truck till they were parked by the entrance of the coal mine. Maddy was sobbing now, "Get out" was all Jason said. Maddy begged him, but he pulled out his .357 Magnum pistol and pointed it at her, "GET OUT" he said again. He marched her inside the entrance tunnel and a little ways inside, still close enough to see the exit. He then stopped. Maddy suddenly realized she had to try to fight if she was going to have any hope of staying alive. She started clawing at Jason. Her fight ended when Jason immediately brought his knee into her stomach hard, she was sure breaking another one or two ribs. He then added to more knee shots for good measure. As Maddy dropped to her knees, Jason took out some nylon rope and tied her hands as tight as he possibly could. He then pushed her face down, and tied her feet together, also as tight as he possibly could. He then stood her up, he slapped her a few times to get her to stop crying.

"Listen bitch...I don't take kindly to people fucking with my family understand?" Jason growled. Maddy nodded sobbing silently. With that Jason shoved her backwards, she fell back and into the shaft Jason had uncovered. It wasn't deep maybe 15 feet. He heard her land on the floor at the bottom, he looked down and could see she was still alive, but the way she was crying and moaning, he knew she'd hurt herself some more. "Nobody ever comes up this way, so don't worry about anyone interrupting you. You'll be able to lie there and die...all by yourself...just like you nearly had my daughter do. With that he closed the metal grate and walked out back to the truck, leaving Maddy lying in the shaft with no way to escape.

When Jason got back Nicky hopped into the truck, "so you got her to the bus station?" Nicky asked, Jason nodded "Yeah...one way ticket...she's not an issue for us anymore" Jason said as they drove. Nicky didn't like the idea of Jason taking her alone, but there was no blood anywhere, "Let me see your gun" Nicky asked. Jason laughed "what are you a cop now?" Jason asked tossing the pistol over to Nicky, and he saw that it hadn't been fired recently. "Here how about my knife" Jason said showing him the clean blade. "Hey...I just didn't think we needed to extra heat on us, that's all" Nicky said trying to defend himself.

They got to the hospital. Jason found Lolly and Nicky said he was going to talk with Elly. He heard the tutor talking with Elly, she really was good with kids. As she left the room to pass Nicky, he caught her arm "hey....thanks for everything" Nicky said looking into her eyes, the tutor just smiled "Yeah" she said as she left.

Nicky sat beside Elly, he could tell she was tired. "Do you want me to tell you what happened?" Elly asked. Nicky grinned, "I don't care about what happened...just that you're okay" he said stroking her hair. She grinned, "I'm sleepy again" she mumbled. "Yeah, it's probably the medicine they gave you...but don't worry....you go to sleep, and I'll be right here. I won't move a muscle till you wake up" Nicky said kssing her cheek. She nodded and smiled as she snuggled closer to him and eventually drifted off to sleep.

Outside the hosptial Jason and Lolly stood by the truck. Neither one of them knew what exactly to say at the moment. I was scared Lolly said. "I know...when I heard about Elly..." Jason trailed off as Lolly cut him off "No, I mean I was scared for her but I mean before all this. I was scared." Jason sighed, "scared of what?" he asked. "Of this--this life. I was scared of coming back and losing you to the club again but all I did was make things worse by jumping down your throat for every little thing." She said and ran her fingers through her hair. Jason was taken aback by Lolly admitted to be afraid like this, He let her continue. "I was afraid of who'd you become once you got back. I afraid of you." she said. "You know I'd never hurt you" he said. "But you did." She said softly. Jason had nothing for that. "But I realised that, I'd grown accustomed to who you were in Malibu, I fell in love with that man while he made me afraid of the Jason I knew before then." She admitted. "But I realised something...That man...the one in Malibu, he wasn't real." She said and stepped closer to him, she raised her hand to his cheek and smoothed it down his jawline. "But this one." She said looking into his eyes. "This is the one that's always been there for me. From the moment my eyes could even focus, he was there. Sometimes pushing me down..." She said with a small laugh. "but always picking me up. This one, who protected me, who was ready to label himself a rapist and took a shotgun blast to the chest so no one would know I slept with my best friends boyfriend, or who the one who payed back the people that took my eye." She breathed. Her hand dropped from his jaw to his chest, her eyes never leaving his. "Looking at you now. I see you, I see the violent, the dangerous man that I fell in love with. That I am still in love with. "She said softly. "I think you know that, I could never leave you. You have me by the heart and as crushing as it is, I can't breathe without it." She said and Jason was speechless. He'd have never expected this from Lolly. She'd opened her heart to him in a way, he'd never seen before. "But I need to know. I need to know why you love me." She said. "No jokes, No sarcasm, just the truth.

Jason looked at her, holding her hand. She was right...this was who he was, trying to fake anything else was probably doing more damage under the surface than either of them had known. "With this life style....with ME....it would be so fucking easy for me to go off the deep end" Jason said looking at Lolly. "I've seen that dark side before...it's always right below the surface, and that will never change. And in certain times....like when those Russians took your eye" he said running a finger over her eye, "It needs to come out. But you're the one who keeps it below the surface...you're the person that keeps me human...without you, it'd control me....when you left, that's what happened and all hell broke loose. Without you, and now the kids, there'd be no reason to keep myself grounded...to keep that other side of me at bay. You're also the only one who's ever really seen me as something other than Jason Walker...son of Deacon Walker" Jason said looking into Lolly's eyes. He then pulled her in kissing her. They were going to be okay, and they both knew that.

"With this life style...with ME...it would be so fucking easy for me to go off the deep end." Jason began. "I've seen that dark side before...it's always right below the surface, and that will never change. And in certain times...like when those Russians took your eye." He said, running his finger over her blind eye. She couldn't even see it but her eyes still fluttered. "It needs to come out. But you're the one how keeps it below the surface...you're the person that keeps me human."
Human... Now her dream made sense. Why he'd changed when he was near her. He'd get a real kick out of that...if she ever tell him about it. After throughly making fun of her no doubt. [b]"Without you, It'd control me, when you left, that's what happened and all hell broke loose. Without you and now the kids, there'd be no reason to keep myself grounded...to keep that other side of me at bay. You're also the only one who's ever really seen me as something other thah Jason Walker...son of Deacon Walker." Jason said and looking into her eyes. With that, he pulled her into a kiss and Lolly practically melted into his arms. They were back, they were finally perfect.


A few weeks had gone passed and Elly was back home and today was her birthday, 14 years old. They'd thrown her a birthday party. Everyone was there, Joey and Merc with little Bailey, Nicky of course, Beau and Jenni, Even Ae-Jin, showed up with a gift for the birthday girl. A Kindle Fire. The girl lugged around so many books, She figured at this while she was out, she could have them with her.

She'd been hanging around alot more then she probably was supposed to. She knew Elly and Mireya were in good hands but couldn't reject an opportunity to see them.

They were all partying. A nothing to serious, just sodas and things, it was a kid's party though there was some alcohol. Elly and Mireya were dancing together, Jenni was dancing around with Baby Jack, they all were having a good time. Ae-Jin sat nodding to the music. Mireya turned and saw her. She ran over and grabbed her hand. "C'mon, AJ, dance with us!" Mireya said. Ae-Jin laughed at her new nickname. "AJ? I like it." She said as she was dragged out to the middle of the makeshift dancefloor which was really just Beau's backyard. Ae-Jin started dancing around with the girls. Lolly noticed something as she sat on Jason's lap as he and Nicky were talking. "She's a dancer." She commented and Jason and Nicky looked at her. Asking her how she figured that, she was only dancing around with the kids, that was hardly dancing. "It takes one to know one. Look at how she moves to the music. She's a dancer." She said and Nicky and Jason scoffed. Lolly rolled her eyes. "200 hundred says she's a dancer." She said and Jason and Nicky loved trying to Lolly wrong. Her ego kind of made them want to. "Each." She pointed at the both of them. They took the bet but asked how to prove it. "Nick go ask her to dance."She said. Nicky chimed in asking what would that prove. "We can help it, Dancers, she won't be able to resist." Jason added that Nicky can't dance. "Won't matter, neither can you." She retorted and Jason goosed her ass. "Jason!" She yelped and he just laughed. "Go on, if you win that'll be 400 out of mt pocket, you'll just love that." She said with a laugh, knowing she was right. She knew deep down Nicky was still hurting but she felt he needed to move on. Ae-Jin seemed a good way to start, even if it didn't work.

After a moment, Nicky said he'd bite. Even Jason knew he was gonna lose this bet, between Lolly's ability to read people and being a dancer herself, they didn't stand a chance.

As Ae-Jin was dancing with the girls, Nicky tapped her shoulder and cut in. "Oh, Hi." She smiled. Elly and Mireya giggled, looking at one another and back at the adults. Nicky asked her for a dance. Ae-Jin was surprised and she looked at Elly, who seemed all over that idea, nodding quickly. "O-Okay." she said and Elly and Mireya smiled and ran off.

Lolly and Jason watched as Ae-Jin took Nicky's hand and they started dancing, but it was really more like Ae-Jin was dancing around him. She moved her hips, subtly, not too much as their were kids all over the place, holding on to Nicky's hand. "You owe me 200 bucks." Lolly whispered to Jason, with a giggle. She could see Ae-Jin liked him but she could also see Nicky was struggling a bit as he held on loosely to Ae-Jin's fingers as she danced around him. Soon, Nicky let her hand go and walked off, leaving Ae-Jin alone in the middle of the yard Lolly shot up. "200 right?" He muttered as he walked passed. "Nick..." She said and quickly ran to the floor as Jason went to talk to him. "Okay guys. Party games!" Lolly shouted, as kids crowded around her, cheering. "Elly goes first then youngest to oldest." Lolly said. Ae-Jin looked a little embarrassed but she held it down and came over to help with the games.

After making the bet with Lolly, Nicky got up and walked over to Ae-Jin. "Mind if I cut-in?" he asked Mireya, who giggled and let him take over. Nicky took her hands in his as they started dancing. Immediately it felt foreign to him, to have another woman touching him, dancing with him, even if it was innocent. They danced a bit more but just like with Lolly earlier, he just got vivid flash backs of Jetta. He let go of her hand "umm I gotta go" he mumbled to her, and then walked off leaving her standing alone. "200 bucks right?" he asked Lolly as he walked past.

Jason got up to follow Nicky, but he knew what this was. Nicky walked over to the other side of the house, Jason watched him as he just paced around a little bit. Jason knew he and Nicky could talk about anything, but this was something they never really did. It was just too awkward, Jason didn't really know what to say to him. Plus with everything else that had gone on the last few weeks, Jason decided he'd just let Nicky have his time. The two of them would have a good talk yet, but that wasn't going to be happening now.

Nicky paced around trying to shake the visions from his head when Beau came up behind him. "You look like a man confused son" Beau said leaning against a tree. "I just wasn't in the mood to dance" Nicky mumbled. Beau was quiet for awhile, "funny thing huh...growing up you always picture them ghosts being ugly and scary...hell of a thing when you find out they ain't" Beau said. Nicky turned to look at Beau. "Don't think I don't recognize that look son...hell I got a lot more experience at it than you" Beau said walking over to Nicky. "What do you mean?" Nicky asked. "You're thinking about Jetta...if I were to guess...you keep seeing her popping up all over the place huh? Seeing the back of her head in a crowd...seeing her face behind you when you get of the shower...it's been what, three years right? Bet you can still feel her beside you in bed at night" Beau said. Nicky looked rattled, "How..." Nicky stammered, Beau laughed, "Son you know the answer to that question." Nicky was quiet, "Does it stop?" Nicky asked quietly. "Never" Beau replied, and Nicky looked at him. "But you gotta move on son. Take your old man, you and him were close, just as close as Jason and Deke...maybe even more, yet I don't see you crying your eyes out every day cause he's gone" Beau said as Nicky nodded. "I never had sex with my dad" Nicky said joking with a laugh, as Beau let out a loud laugh, "One of the few then" Beau said as both men got a good laugh out of the joke. "But you gotta let her go son, she can't be resting in peace if your heart won't let her. You gotta tell her your letting her go...you're moving on. And does it mean you forget her? Hell no. I remember my Maria every day, but you got the same advantage I had. See, it helped having a miniature version of her still around. Why do you think I was so protective of Lola....in her I got to see Maria everyday. And you got that with Elly, but it'll never happen if you keep clinging onto these ghosts. You got her inside son, and that won't be changing." Beau said as Nicky nodded. Beau patted him on the shoulder then sauntered off back to the party letting Nicky think things over.

Nicky eventually came back to the party. After a little while he drifted back over to Ae-Jin and tapped her arm, "sorry for before....it's taken some time getting over Elly's mom and all....just not used to touching another woman yet" Nicky said with a shy grin. He saw her smile and told him she understood. "Hey, seeing as you're not on official business....how about the bike ride I offered you the other day?" Nicky asked with a grin.

Ae-Jin watched as Elly opened up all her gifts. Her little sister bouncing around her like a firefly, telling her which one was hers. Ae-Jin smiled softly. She felt guilty, the poor man just lost his wife for all intent and purposes, hear she was flirting. She felt horrible about it. "Woah! A Kindle Fire! I always wanted one of these!" Elly squealed, breaking her from her thoughts, then read the card. Elly looked right at her and ran off nearly crushing her. "Thank you. Thank you. THANK YOU! AJ. I love it!" Elly squealed happily. "No problem Kiddo, but those better be books on that thing, I don't wanna see a whole bunch of useless apps." Ae-Jin warned and the crowd all laughed. "You got it!" She said and ran over to her friends.
Eventually, Nicky floated over and tapped her arm. "Sorry for before....it's taken some time getting over Elly's mom and all...just not used to touching another woman yet." He said with a bashful grin. Ae-Jin smiled. "I understand, It's quite alright." She said softly. She was relieved actually. It meant he took more from that then just a dance. She felt it too. "Hey, seeing as you're not on official business...how about the bike ride I offered you the other day?" He asked with a grin and a smile slide across Ae-Jin's face. How could she say no? "Sure." She said and just then. "Lookit!" Elly said brightly, holding up the tablet. "AJ got it for me. Isn't it cool!" Elly said hoping into Nicky's lap. Nicky made a comment. Elly beamed up at him. She looked from the two of them and then smiled softly. She hopped off of Nicky's lap, tucked the Kindle under her arm and pulled the adults to their feet. "C'mon it's time for Cake and Ice Cream." She ordered and they were soon at the mercy of the 14 year old. "After cake and ice cream then." She said to Nicky.


Once the party was over, Nicky offered to take Ae-Jin home. She said her goodbyes and they walked out. Ae-Jin loomed bashful. "Um, Nick, I sorta forgot to mention. I live an hour up." She said, sheepishly. Nicky looked shocked. "Well, I didn't want to rent a house and there weren't in vacant apartments. Hotels are just no." She said shaking her head. Nicky wondered how in the heck she could ride an hour up and back everyday. He's seen her nearly everyday since they met, he thought she lived close. "It's cheap in my Prius." She said with a sheepish shrug and a smile.

Nicky smiled at her, she drove two hours each day, he couldn't believe it. "Well then I guess I'll give you that ride next time" he said, then paused at the awkward innuendo, "I meant my bike" Nicky stammered, blushing a little shy. Ae-Jin just smiled as she said something about doing it together next time, then she was the one blushing and stammering at her own accidental innuendo. Her and Nicky both laughed a little nervously as she Saud goodbye and got into her car. Nicky sighed, he definitely had feelings there for her, he just wasn't sure if he was ready.

---------

Remmy sat on his couch with a beer, Maddy was gone, she had just up and left him. Not that he was overly surprised, things hadn't really been the same since he got to Texas. Things seemed to change with her, like she had to prove something. Then after what happened with Lolly, he could see why she'd leave town. He missed Maddy, but not the person she had become, he missed the old Maddy, the girl he had fallen in love with and married. He continued downing his beer, whatever they had was over, now it was time for him to move on from her, her actions had proven that she really had no desire fir him anymore anyway.

"Well then, I guess I'll give you that ride next time." Nicky said and then paused. Ae-Jin's brow shot to the back of her head. "I meant my bike." He stammered bashfully. Ae-Jin decided to ease his embarrassment. "Next time, we can do it together-I mean....Oh umm...Heh." Ae-Jin blushed red, soon the two of them nervously laughing. She whispered goodbye and climbed into the car. She started it up and pulled off before waving to Nicky. "Next time we could do it together...Smooth, Ae-Jin, real smooth." She sighed. She really did like Nicky but he was still grieving. She needed to stop this. It wasn't fair to him.

---

---

Maddie sat at the bottom of the mine shaft. Her legs broken, as well as about four ribs and her blood leaking down the back of her head. She was gonna die in here. Alone. She sobbed. Why couldn't Lolly just leave? Things would have been fine. None of this would have happened is she just left.

Maddie decided she'd just die. Fighting did nothing, all that got her was a violent knee to the ribs. She lay her head against the shaft wall and closed her eyes. Remmy's face passed before her eyes. She did love him, all this was for him. She wanted them both to stay where they were. Safe and secure, but surely Remmy would be kicked out too.

She focused on his face as she let herself go, her sobs echoing off the shaft walls.

"Yo, Bradley, did you hear that?" said a boy's voice. "Yeah, Is that crying?" said another boy. "Aww. Shit, That might be ghost." said the first one. "That ain't no ghost, Andy." said the second. "You're such a pussy."

"Help!" Maddie shierked, looking up. "He-Help Please, I'm not a ghost!" She said and soon two shapes hovered over the light at the top of the shaft. "Holy Fuck, There's a chick down there."
"I know I see her, Ma'am, We're gonnna get help." "Thank you so much!" Maddie cried as the one boy left. "Ma'am, I'm Andy, The boy that left, That's Bradley....Uh, What's your name?" he asked, trying to keep her focus on him. He had to be about 16, black by the sound of his voice.
"M-Madeline." She said. She knew if the world go news of this, Jason would come after her. So she figured the best thing to do was pretend she was someone else. "How'd you get down there, Ms, Madeline?" He asked. "I don't remember but I', hurt really bad, Andy."
The boy sucked in his teeth. "Okay, well, Bradley's gone to get help, You'll be alright." He assured her. "Thank you, Andy, You are a blessing." She said and Andy laughed. "Do you mind telling that to my mom?" He said and laughed, hoping to get her spirits up. "Absolutely." She said and tried to laugh but started coughing violently. "Woah, Easy. Bradley hurry the hell up!" He sighed, not sure what else to do.

A little while later, Emergency crews arrived, they lifted Maddy out of the shaft and she got to see the two boys. Andy, was a tall african american kid, with braids. The other, Bradley, white with shaggy blonde hair. They'd been trying to find a cool place to skateboard when they heard her. Maddie was thankfully as they wheeled her off into the ambulance. She was alive but her life was still over. That didn't change anything. But atleast now. She could atleast finish this.

Things were getting back to normal somewhat. Ae-Jin kept coming by for tutoring classes with the girls, but she was hanging around a lot more than just the classes. She'd spend as much time as she could around the girls and Nicky didn't mind too much. He was starting to get more comfortable with her around. It was a late evening and everyone had been hanging out by the fire at Beau's place. Beau had long gone to bed, but Jason, Nicky, Merc, and Gunner along with Lolly, Joey and Jenni were sitting around a fire pit, visting and having a few drinks. Ae-Jin had stopped by and joined the group as well.

The topic started to center around stupid things that they had done as kids and stuff. Ae-Jin was kinda quiet, but it didn't matter cause Jason and Nicky had more than enough. Lolly then brought up a time a bunch of them snuck out and drove to San Diego just to go party at a club that night, then come home the next morning to a pissed off Deacon, Nickie and Beau. Jason grinned "yeah too bad you're too old to have fun now huh?" he said with a smirk. Lolly asked what he meant, "Oh nothing grandma...hey it's past 9:00 isn't it time for bed?" Jason joked as Lolly slapped him in the head, telling him she was way more spontaneous and fun than he was. "Sounds like a challenge bro" Nicky said with a grin. "You sure you want to do this?" Jason asked with a grin, knowing he had her hooked, she told him to bring it on. "Okay...how about a dare. We all hop on our bikes, ride down to Dallas right now, party all night, then ride back." Jason said with a grin, and Lolly knew he'd baited her and she had just walked into it. She said the kids were sleeping, "oh...right...use the kids to chicken out" Jason said with a grin as she glared at him. Joey mentioned that Bailey was sleeping too. "Well Beau is here" Jason said as all the girls scoffed at that, "Ohhh I'll be sure to tell your dad what you think of his babysitting skills" Jason said laughing, Lolly commented that he had none. Then Ae-Jin said that she'd stay back and watch the kids, Jason grinned, "So what's the excuse now grandma?" he said. Lolly glared at him, and he loved it, she knew he had just played her, she mentioned it not being fair to leave Ae-Jin all alone with the kids, "I'll stay back too" Nicky said, giving Ae-Jin a slight grin. "Put up or shut up time Martinez" Jason said with a grin, and Lolly reluctantly agreed, not being able to give Jason the satisfaction.

With that, Jason, Lolly, Merc, Joey, Gunner and Jenni all headed to the driveway, within moments the roar of the three bikes were heard and shortly after that they had pulled out onto the road and were heading out of town. Nicky was left sitting with Ae-Jin, she asked him if he was sure he didn't want to go, "Nah...clubs aren't my thing...besides, I have to stay back and keep my eye on the naughty babysitter" he said with a smirk. He had expected her to kinda shy away like she had before, but this time she asked him if he was offering her a ride, saying it with a knowing grin. Nicky clearly remembered where he'd heard that line before, but this time there were no distracting flashbacks. "Well we can't take the bike out...but if you come over here I can probably find something almost as big for you to ride" Nicky said with a smirk, he then waited for her response.