๐‚๐‡๐€๐๐“๐„๐‘ ๐…๐Ž๐”๐‘

NOLA WAS SHAKING WITH anger as she followed Happy into the clubhouse, knowing Tara would be there after the heavily tattooed man had assured her that her car was parked outside. Oh, this was going to be fun.

"Hey", Happy turned to her again, causing her to almost run into his chest, sending a stern lookย  down at her. "Take it easy, okay? You're still pregnant, a good reason not to get into a fight."

"Iแ…ณ", Nola stopped, nodding as she took a deep breath. "I know, and, even if I would love to, I'm not here to throw handsแ…ณ I'm not gonna do anything that could hurt my baby. But I'm pissed, Happy."

"You can be. Hell, I'd be too", he grunted, genuine understanding in his gruff tone and his brown eyes, in which Nola lost herself for a second, for whatever reasonแ…ณ and Happy noticed it, but said nothing. "Still, just try to handle this one without getting hurt."

If it were up to him, Tara would've deserved to get her ass beaten, after all she had intended to harm a babyแ…ณ he would see red if it were his child. But it wouldn't help anyone if something happened to Nola's baby because of a stupid physical fight; it would only hurt the young woman more and throw her off track.

Nola shifted on her feet, chewing on the inside of her cheek as she listened to his strangely soothingly raspy voice, every word sending excitement straight to her core. Shit, pregnancy hormones really were no joke. Or maybe it was just the fact that Happy seemed to be genuinely interested in her condition.

She quickly shook any inappropriate thoughts off and cleared her throat as she finally managed to avert her gaze, which fell on Tara, the brunette sitting at a table with two children, only eliciting a scoff from Nola.

"She has two of them and wants to take mine away from me", the blonde spat angrily, a new wave of anger ripping through her. "What a bitch."

And with that, Nola crossed the room, feeling quite confident compared to the last years. For a moment, it felt like she was getting a piece of her former self back by standing up for herself and especially her baby.

"Nola, hey." Every muscle in Tara's body tensed immediately, her tight-lipped smile giving away how nervous she suddenly was when she noticed Nola's angry look. "Do you need anything else? Are you feeling better?"

"Do I need anything else?", the blonde scoffed as she slammed the box with the pills onto the table, startling the kids. With a soft sigh, Nola flashed them an apologetic look before glaring at Tara again. "You said they were safe! What's your fuckin' problem, huh?"

"Hey, what's goin' on here?" Jax, who had just been talking to an older woman behind the bar, came to the table, accompanied by the said woman, her dark brown hair with the blonde highlights perfectly styled. "Why are you talkin' to my wife like that, darlin'?"

"She has every right to, Pres", Happy interjected firmly before Nola could even answer. "Maybe you should ask your Old Lady why we're here."

Nola visibly relaxed knowing she had Happy's back, otherwise she would probably be thrown out of here within seconds. "Yeah, tell him what a great doctor you are, trying to kill babies."

"Okay okay, not in front of the kids", the older woman quickly interrupted the blonde with a sharp look, shooing her two grandkids from their seats to the back of the clubhouse, telling them she'd be with them in a moment. "You better have a good explanation for your little show here, sweetheart", the matriarch said firmly.

"Tara", Jax demanded, staring daggers at his Old Lady. "What does she mean? The truth."

Tara threw an unmistakable sleazy look in Nola's direction before she searched for the right words. "She was in a lot of pain, probably also had a concussionแ…ณ regular painkillers wouldn't have helped. That's all."

"Bullshit! I asked you if they were safe and you said yes, cold as ice! The doctor I saw today was shocked, told me that something serious could've happened to the baby", Nola hissed under her breath, her cheeks red with anger as she dug her fingernails into the flesh of her palms, stopping herself from lashing out. "Why do you have such a problem with me becoming a mother? You don't even know me."

"Wait", Jax interrupted, lifting a hand to silence Nola for a moment, his serious, still slightly confused gaze aimed at Tara. "You knew the pills could harm the baby and told her to take them anyway? Why do you even care what Nola does with her baby?"

"Jesus, is every single one of you out of touch with reality?" Tara stood up, her chair scraping across the floor with a loud squeak. "She'll always be tied to her husband with the baby, she'll probably even go back to him, like so many other women in such a situationแ…ณ and I'm supposed to be okay with a baby being born into such a mess?"

Tara shook her head, crossing her arms stubbornly in front of her chest. "I know you all always think of yourselves first, after all you are bringing children into the world even though you know how dangerous your life isแ…ณ so you won't understand me anyway."

"You want us to understand you?" Nola snorted bitterly. "After you hoped something would happen to an innocent child? What kind of twisted shit is that?"

"Oh please, open your eyes", Tara hissed disparagingly, eyeing the woman. "What can you offer the baby? A broken marriage, an abusive father. You're living with a stranger right now, someone you just decided to trust. And you have nothingแ…ณ no money, no job."

Nola inhaled sharply as an unexpected, cutting sound bounced off the walls as the hand of the still unknown woman hit Tara's cheek, slapping her right across the face. Wide-eyed, she looked up at Happy who stood unfazed behind her and just shrugged, but there was still some surprise in his stoic look.

Tara gasped at the sharp sting before placing her palm against her burning cheek. "What the hell, Gemma?!"

"Jesus Mom, what was that for?" Jax asked with a sigh, secretly already knowing the answer. To be honest, he wasn't even really angry with his mother, which he couldn't openly admit. "We could've handled this differently."

"No, enough is enough", Gemma replied, shaking her head furiously as she looked at the younger brunette with a huff, shoving a scolding finger in her face. "You know, I'm sick that all of us constantly have to listen to you accusing us of being selfish for wanting children despite this life. You're no better than us, Taraแ…ณ trying to kill a baby makes you a pretty shitty person to be honest."

"I'm the shitty person now?" Tara asked, a shaky laugh falling from her lips as she looked over at Jax for some help. "Are you just going to accept this?"

"What do you want me to say, Tara?", the blonde asked with a sigh. For the first time, Jax didn't side with Tara, his disappointment pretty big.

Happy had trusted him that Tara would help the young woman he had brought home with him and Tara had the nerve to embarrass him. "You really went too far with that one, Tara. It's not your decision what other people do with their kidsแ…ณ you were supposed to help her."

With disappointment written all over his face, Jax turned to Happy and Nola. "Look, man, if I had known that.."

"Not your fault. But I can't just accept shit like that", Happy grunted, suppressing the urge to put his hand on Nola's back when she seemed more nervous again. "You okay?"

"Yeah, it was just a bit much", she mumbled, forcing a small smile, earning a nod from the SAA in return.

"I'm really sorry, darlin'", Jax said sincerely, ignoring Tara's huff. He would definitely have another word with her later. "If there's anything I can do, let me know."

"Are you serious?!" Tara snarled, feeling quite betrayed by her own husband.

"Shut up, Tara. Don't you think you've done enough for today?", Gemma shot back before meeting Nola's gaze, a small smile forming on her lips. "Are you hungry, sweetheart? A pregnant woman shouldn't starve."

"Uh..well..", Nola looked up at Happy as if she needed his approval. She just wanted to make sure it was okay to accept the offer, that it was okay for him. When he nodded, Nola shot the older woman a friendly smile. "I'm a bit hungry, yeah. Do you need help?"

"Sure, always", hummed the matriarch. With a grin, she pushed a strand of her bangs from her forehead. "I'll prepare everything, just come into the kitchen in a few minutes, Happy can show you where it is."

"Okay, thank you", Nola answered eagerly. How long had it been since she cooked with someone? Generally, since she had anyone around besides Alden? Ages.

"And we'll talk about this shit", Jax seethed, his tone sharp as his cold blue eyes wandered back to his wife. "Now."

"And I'll show you around", Happy winked at the young woman, clearly seeing that stood in a conflict with herself, whereupon he leaned forward a little and lowered his voice. "Don't feel bad about Taraแ…ณ she should've never done this in the first place."

"I know, but she's just in trouble now because I'm here, because I came with you", she sighed softly, wringing her hands. "It's justแ…ณ"

"Nola?!"

The blonde immediately stopped talking when she heard the all too familiar voice call out her name. Her head shot to the side, eyeing the three men who had just come in. One with a funny mohawk, one with two long scars on either side of his face, and finally, in the middle of the other two, her father, his expression just as shocked as hers.

Not only Nola but Happy, Jax and Tara were dazzled, confusion and curiosity on their faces. Even Gemma, the matriarch herself, already on her way to the kitchen, stopped in her tracks and spun around.

"You two know each other?" Happy asked, his hand now actually placed against Nola's back as the blonde looked like she was about to pass out.

"Of course we know each other, that's my daughter." Bobby stormed towards Nola, concern etched into his features before he stretched out his arms and placed his hands against her arms. "How did you find me here? What are you even doing here?"

"Your father?!" Tara threw her hands in the air, snorting angrily through her nose when Jax just gave her a warning look. "This can't be true", she cursed under her breath before storming towards the dorms, anger building inside her.

It was enough that Happy had picked up a stray who seemed to get everything she wanted right away and was apparently even accepted by Gemma, now she was also the daughter of a member. Great. Fuckin' perfect.

Nola swallowed nervously, even leaning a little into Happy's hand, which hadn't moved an inch. Because yes, she felt like she was about to pass out, her mind almost exploding with all the things she had to process since three days.

"Iแ…ณ I wasn't looking for you", the blonde stuttered, her heart pounding violently. "It's a long story. But..what are you doing here?" Her eyebrows furrowed thoughtfully as she briefly examined his kutte. "I didn't know that youแ…ณ"

"I never told youแ…ณ that was your mom's only wish", he explained with a sigh. He had only followed his daughter's mother's wish not to drag Nola into his lifestyle so that he could still see her. "Why are you here then if you weren't looking for me?"

"Aye, ye' have another kid?" Chibs slapped Bobby's shoulder, his accent thick as he cast a friendly look at Nola. "Welcome in Charmin', lass."

"Thanks..", Nola replied shyly and with a small smile despite her nervousness and insecurities.

"Hey, why don't we give them a moment?", Jax suggested, smiling slightly as he saw the joy shining in Bobby's eyes. "Take Chapel, talk it out."

"You okay with that?", Happy wanted to know, not sure if Nola was ready. But he would find it good it if she had someone here who could support her and the baby in the future.

Hai face didn't give anything away but he was still surprised that Bobby was her father. Fate apparently had its ways of bringing certain people back together.

Nola hesitated for a moment, the big lump sitting in her throat growing. She just wanted to throw herself into Bobby's arms, use his shoulder to cry on and let one of his bear hugs that she had missed so much comfort herแ…ณ but it didn't feel right to just take what she needed, after all she had cut him out of her life two years ago.

But maybe now she could finally tell him why. That way there was a chance that Bobby might forgive her.

"Yeah, that's okay", she finally assured Happy with a weak smile. When he slowly pulled his hand back, the spot immediately feeling cold again, a sigh almost slipped past her lips. A sigh that she luckily was able to hold back. Then she quickly looked at Gemma. "Is that okay? I could still help you later."

"No, you talk to your father", Gemma hummed, a satisfied smile gracing her lips. "I think you have enough to catch up on", she added before disappearing into the kitchen, even though she was super curious and would've loved to be a fly on the wall during their conversation.

Chibs and Juice, after flashing Nola a quick but friendly smile, also left and decided to play a game of pool while Jax, with a final slap against Bobby's back, headed towards the dorms to talk to Tara, put her in place after the horrible thing she had done.

"I'll wait out here", Happy told her, giving Bobby a curt nod before joining Chibs and Juice.

Bobby smiled briefly, having a hard time hiding his joy and relief as he pointed a hand toward the two large wooden doors. "Shall we? I think we actually have a lot of catching up to do."

"Yes please", Nola simply murmured, a huge weight falling from her shoulders as she realized her father didn't actually want to send her away. "It's good to see you, dad."

"It's good to see you too, sweetheart", Bobby said sincerely, leading her into the Chapel. As soon as the doors were closed behind them, he sat down with her, leaning over the table a little while his daughter sat nervously in front of him with her hands folded in her lap. "First, do you wanna tell me why you cut me out of your life back then and why your face looks like I have to kill someone in the next few hours? And how do you know Happy?"

The corners of Nola's mouth twitched slightly upwards before a dry laugh fell from her lips, but immediately afterwards a certain sadness formed in her eyes again. "Long story, I hope you have time."

"I have enough time, darling, for you always. Come on, let me know what's going on", Bobby told her before he leaned back in his chair, preparing himself for a long story that would probably make his blood boil.

word count; 2607

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