Description: You are Opies neighbor and you help him with the kids after Donna passes away.

I stared out the window wondering what all the commotion in the street was from. I sighed a little and sat back down on the couch, figuring I'd just resume my movie.

A few minutes after I sat down someone was knocking on the door. I grabbed my pistol and walked over towards the door. As I walked up I heard his voice.

"(Y/N)," Opie, my neighbor, yelled. "It's me, Opie. Open up." I sat the pistol down and ran to the door.

"What's up Opie?" I asked. His face was red and he had tearing rushing down his face.

"Can you go sit with the kids?" He asked. "I'll explain everything I promise."

"Yeah, are they in bed?" I asked. He nodded and I locked my door, grabbing my keys so we could head back to his house together.

"Go, I'll be here when you get home," I said.

I'd only moved to Charming about six months back, but Donna and I became fast friends and I babysat for her and Opie on occasion. I was definitely worried about why Opie was looking for my help and where Donna was. I sat down in the living room, trying not to notice that everything was packed in boxes. I sighed a little and ran a hand over my hair.

The longer I sat in silence the longer I worried about the fact that my pistol was still at home and that Opie and Donna still weren't home.

After about an hour, I heard footstep in the hall and it was Kenny.

"(Y/N)?" He asked. "Where's Mom?"

"I don't know buddy. I think she's with your Dad," I said.

"She never made it home," he said.

"What?" I asked as I stood up.

"Mom stayed to help Miss Gemma clean up the party," he said. "She didn't come home with us."

"I'm sure it's all okay bud. How about I walk you back to bed?" I offered. He agreed and I walked him back to his room, standing with him until he appeared to fall back asleep.

I returned to the living room and immediately started searching the web to see what had happened in the last couple hours. I couldn't find much. Dang small town didn't have constant coverage like the cities.

After a while I heard a couple of bikes and a car pulling up out front. I headed to the door and Opie and Jax were walking up. The guys on their bikes just turned them off and sat waiting for Jax to return to them.

"(Y/N)," Jax said as I opened the door. I nodded as he led Opie off to the bathroom. I stood awkwardly, not wanting to leave as Opies father arrived.

"Piney," I said softly.

"Sweetheart," he said. "You know what happened?"

I shook my head no. "Kenny said Donna stayed behind to help Gemma clean up a party but that's all I know."

"Donna was killed in a drive by," he said. I swallowed harshly and nodded a little before he pulled me into a hug.

"'M okay Piney," I said. "But I should probably be heading home. I'll swing by in the morning and check in but if you need anything I'm right next door."

"Opie wants you," Jax said, stopping me from leaving.

I nodded and walked down the hall, pausing long enough to hug Jax quickly. He and Opie had been best friends since high school.

"Ope," I said softly, pushing the door to his bedroom open gently.

"(Y/N)," he said. I walked over to his bed and sat down beside him.

"Piney explained everything," I said. He nodded and started to cry again.

"She was my whole world," he said. I nodded a little and let him continue talking. "We've been in love since we were 16. She even put up with my dumb ass going to prison and she stuck around. The last few months she's been wanting to leave but she didn't because we were always meant to be together."

He paused to take a deep breath.

"I can't imagine what you're going through Opie," I said. "But you don't have to do it alone. I'm here and your dad and the guys are here. Whatever you need from us you've got it."

He nodded a bit in response as I rubbed his shoulder.

The next few months were Hell on everyone. Opies parents helped as much as they could and I babysat the kids whenever he needed me to. I loved being around the kids and they seemed to like being around me too.

Eventually Opie started to heal. We all knew he'd never really get over losing Donna, but he was starting to heal from it. He was able to do more for his kids and Mary and Piney started to be around less and less. He wasn't getting drunk or high constantly and he was working fairly normal hours at the garage again.

With the amount of time I'd been spending around the Winston family, I quickly developed feelings for Opie. I kept them suppressed for a long while, knowing he may never be ready to love another again.

For a while after Opie still needed my help, he and I managed to keep my Saturday night dinner making continuing. He claimed that the kids should get to eat something decent and not frozen at least once a week although Opie wasn't as bad in the kitchen as he let on.

One Saturday night after I'd made dinner and we'd watched a movie with the kids, Opie and I were talking. The kids had fallen asleep watching the movie so Opie took them both to bed and returned to the living room to talk to me.

"I know I've said it before but thank you for everything you've done for the kids and I," he said.

"You're kids are amazing Ope," I said.

"They're more resilient than I am if nothing else," he said. I smiled softly and he returned it. It fell silent for a while before Opie offered me a beer. I took it and we continued talking.

"There's something else I wanted to talk to you about," Opie said.

"Hmm," I responded.

"I know everyone thought that I'd never get over Donna, and honestly I didn't think I would either. But, you, you came in here and stepped right up to help with the kids and whatever else I needed so I could drink and smoke and get into fights and whatever else I was doing," he said. I stared down at the bottle in my hands not thinking that this was where he was going.

"Ope," I said. "It's only been a year. You don't need to move on if you aren't ready."

"I am ready. I've been talking to my old man and Jax and honestly we all think Donna would want me to be happy. I've seen the way you look at me and the kids. We're already your whole world."

My heart stopped a little at that. He was right.

"Because I care about you Opie. I have for a while. I care about your kids too."

"They're lucky to have someone who cares as much as you do," he said.

"I'm lucky to have all of you, Ope. All three of you have taught me so much," I said. "And you're right. I want to be with you in every way."

"That what I want too," he said.

"Slowly," I said. He nodded in agreement and closed the distance between us on the couch, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. I rested my head on his chest and he kissed the top of my head. I felt truly at peace for the first time in a very long time.