CAUTIOUSLY, with his hands closed, Sawyer walked back into the house through the back door, his small body full of excitement as he made his way inside to show Tessa what he had just found in the garden.

Since they've been here in Charming, Sawyer has been different. He was still shy, but he slowly opened up to Maria. But the Lowman woman also had a lot of patience and knew that Sawyer simply had trust issues after living with people like Susy and Mike for years.

Maria also came to Charming alongside Tessa and Sawyer. Happy wouldn't have had a moment of peace if he had left his mother in Bakersfield while Mikael was still alive. The Killer was sure that his mother's ex wasn't that stupid and would risk getting tortured againᅳ but Happy still wanted to be on the safe side. As soon as Mike was no longer a problem, Maria could go back to Bakersfield, Happy had promised her that, since the woman was quite attached to her house.

"Mommy!" With small, quick steps, Sawyer ran through the living room and towards the kitchen where he heard something. However, he found Happy instead of his mom.

He cautiously looked at the tall man and had to tilt his head back to be able to look up at him. Silently, he sucked his lower lip between his teeth and tightened his hands around what he had found.

"Hey", Happy croaked, giving the little boy a small smile when he realized how reserved he was. "Your mom's on the phone."

Normally Happy would already be on his way to the clubhouse, but Tessa had gotten a spontaneous call and his mom was out in town with Gemma getting stuff for the next SAMCRO party this weekendᅳ and Happy didn't want to leave Sawyer alone in the garden unsupervised. So he had decided to wait until Tessa got back.

He hadn't spent much time with Sawyer, most of the time he was at the clubhouse and only came home for dinner and sleepᅳ for one simple reason. Happy wanted Tessa and Sawyer to spend time together alone, finally make up for the time that had been taken from them or reduced for years.

"Uh..okay.." Sawyer mumbled shyly, bringing his hands to his face to hide it a bit.

Great, awkward silence. But Sawyer was just too shy to start a conversation and Happy had never really been around kids muchᅳ but he couldn't just ignore the boy, right?

So, he looked around for some help, hoping that Tessa was already done talking on the phone, but he could still hear her muffled voice from the guest room. Of course he wondered who she was on the phone with, whether she was having problems or if it was just a friend on the other end of the lineᅳ but it was none of his business.

Sighing, he rubbed the back of his neck before crouching down in front of Sawyer and pointing his finger at the boy's closed hands. "What have you got there?"

"Uh...nothing special." Sheepishly, Sawyer looked at the man through his new glasses that Tessa had gotten for him as soon as they arrived in Charming a few days ago, not knowing if Happy was okay with him bringing animals into the house. But he really wanted to show his find to someone.

"Nothing special, huh?" The SAA raised both eyebrows in amusement. "Can I see?"

"Are you going to be mad at me?" Sawyer asked, slightly sounding like he was lisping due to the small gap between his front teeth. "I can take him outside again", he added quickly, whereupon Happy's features softened.

"Why should I be mad at you, buddy?", he asked surprisingly gently, but he could tell the boy was insecure, maybe even scared. "What did you find, huh?", he encouraged.

Sawyer timidly opened his hands, just a little so that the animal couldn't escape, and leaned forward a little towards Happy.

"A lizard! He was just sitting outside in the grass", Sawyer explained with a giggle, his shyness gone as quickly as it came. "Isn't that cool?"

As Sawyer's body jumped up and down excitedly without taking his feet off the ground, Happy just chuckled. He had never seen anyone so happy to find a lizardᅳ apparently not many things scared Sawyer.

"Wow, that's really cool", Happy replied impressively, which made Sawyer's smile grow even wider. "You like animals, don't you?"

Happy stood up again, pulled a chair back a little and picked Sawyer up to sit him down on the chair so the boy didn't have to let go of the lizard and Happy was able to escape from the uncomfortable crouching position.

"Yes, animals are great", Sawyer exclaimed enthusiastically, holding the lizard gently between his thumb and forefinger, making sure his body rested in his palm and he didn't hurt the animal. "I wish I had an animal tooᅳ but mommy says I have to let the animals go again because they don't feel comfortable in a cage."

"Your mom's right, buddy." Happy sat down on another chair and looked at the little boy. For his age, Sawyer was actually pretty smart and understanding. "What kind of animal would you like to have?"

"Hmm...I like all animals", Sawyer pressed a finger from his free hand thoughtfully against his lips before he looked up excitedly. "But I always wanted to have a dog the most."

"A dog, huh?" Happy asked with a wry smile. "Those are my favorites too. Maybe you can talk to your mom again when you have your own place."

"I will", the four-year-old said with a determined giggle, looking at Happy curiously as his short legs dangled above the ground. "Why don't you have a dog if you want one?"

"That's a good question", Happy uttered with an amused huff. He actually had no reasonable answer to the boy's question. "Probably because I don't have enough time for a dogᅳ but maybe I'll get one at some point."

Sawyer's eyes grew wide. "Can I play with him if you get one?"

"Sure you can", the SAA chuckled as the boy squealed with joy, being happy about the smallest things. "And you know what?"

"No what?" Sawyer excitedly looked at Happy after the man leaned forward as if he had to tell him a secret.

"You can then pick a name", the SAA winked.

"Really?" Sawyer gasped, almost dropping his lizard, but he remembered in time before he jumped from his chair, actually jumping up and down this time. "You're nice, Happy!"

"You're pretty cool too, buddy." The corners of Happy's mouth twitched up before he ruffled the little boy's hair. It felt good to hear that Sawyer didn't seem to be afraid of him anymoreᅳ Happy didn't know why he cared so much, but probably because he didn't want to scare away a four-year-old.

Sawyer giggled sheepishly at being called cool and swung his from side to side. "I'll take the lizard outside again", he raised his hands, showing Happy the lizard again. "Before his family misses him."

"Do that and wash your hands afterwards, okay?" Happy asked, earning a nod from Sawyer before he ran back into the garden.

"But wash your hands afterwards?", Happy repeated his own words with a scoff, shaking his head at himself. Since when did he care if someone washed his hands?

Apparently since just now. You just never knew and he didn't want Sawyer to get sick, who knows where the animal had been before.

"Happy?" Tessa rushed towards him, her palm placed on the speaker of her phone. "CPS is on the phone. They want to know where and how Sawyer is currently living and check the house. Is that okay with you?"

It was his house after all, she couldn't just decide that without his consent and Happy appreciated that she had askedᅳ although she didn't have to.

"Sure", he nodded, slightly worried and curious at the same time. "Your dad actually talked to them?"

Tessa nodded quickly, looking at him gratefully. "Yes, he did. Apparently yesterday morning. And now they want to check whether Sawyer is in good hands with me."

"Good", the Killer simply grumbled, satisfied with this. Apparently Mikael was smarter than expected and wanted to avoid another encounter with Happy.

When Tessa flashed him a smile before she started to talk again to the person on the other end of the line, he automatically smiled back. Plus, it felt good that he could help her, which he really wanted.

"Okay, the woman said she'll send someone over this afternoon", Tessa explained after putting her phone back on the table with a deep sigh. "Is that really okay with you?"

"Sure, but I have leave in a few, I can't help you clean up", Happy told her, taking the last sip of his coffee. "Want me to send someone over to help you?"

With a small smile, Tessa waved him off and strolled over to Happy, close to him so that she could reach the cupboard with the cups. He didn't move away and she had no problem with that. Somehow she even liked feeling him so close to her.

When she couldn't reach the cups despite standing on her tiptoes, she suddenly felt Happy standing behind her. Shortly afterwards, his arm reached up and took out one of the white cups, which he placed in front of her. Her breathing became shallower as his chest lightly brushed against her back and she could feel the defined muscles through his gray shirt.

God, she really needed to get laid soon if that alone caused a pool between her legs. No sex for months could do weird things to someone. Maybe she just needed closeness? But from Happy? That would be wrong. Right?

"You okay?", he rasped, his lips close to her hair. Apparently he didn't think about distancing himself again, after all the cup was already in front of her.

"Mhm..yes..", she mumbled, clearing her throat as her voice suddenly sounded two octaves higher than usual.

Oh, seriously, Tessa?, she told herself in her head as she rolled her eyes.

When she finally dared to slowly turn around, Happy was still standing behind her, his hand resting loosely on the kitchen surface. Their eyes met quickly as Tessa looked up at him. She was so close to dig her nails into the material of his shirt, pull him close and crash her lips onto hisᅳ instead she just cleared her throat and, luckily, Happy took a step back in time and leaned his body against the kitchen counter again.

Because he wanted to do the exact same thing and fuck, if he had known Tessa felt the same way, he might've done it. But it would be wrong. She was fucking hot and man, he would love to find out how her pussy felt around his cockᅳ but she was family, even if they weren't related. And she wasn't here for his pleasure but because he wanted to help her.

"I should get going", he grunted after looking at her for a moment, pushing himself off the kitchen counter. "Call me if you need help and I'll send someone."

"Uh, yes..thanks", the raven-haired woman awkwardly tugged at the lace appliqués of her black top, which revealed some of her pake skin, but it was just so freakin' hot in here and outside. "And it's okay, it's actually clean here. But I'll still check everything to be on the safe side. I don't want them to take Sawyer away from me because of a few little things."

Happy stopped in his tracks on his way into the hallway and shot Tessa a sincere look. "You're a good mom, Tessa, they won't take him away from you."

"You really think so?" There was only one thing that could unsettle Tessa, that could throw her off guardᅳ if she was really a good mother.

"I do", the SAA told her honestly before he stepped towards her again to tuck a long, black strand behind her ear, looking down at her. "Just be honest, tell them everything and just be yourselfᅳ then nothing can go wrong."

Tessa's breath hitched in her throat at Happy's kind words and his touch. It was frightening, even sad, how quickly such encouragement could throw her off course. Right now she would do anything for Happy because he gave her a little affection and was nice to herᅳ she needed that, no matter how hard her shell seemed on the outside.

"Thanks for everything, Hap", she murmured sincerely, a smile crossing her face.

"Stop thanking me all the time, Tess", Happy grunted, rubbing his thumb over her cheekbone. Why couldn't he stop touching her all the time?

When there was only silence for a moment, Tessa swallowed quietly to get rid of the lump in her throat before she dared to tilt her head up a little, resting her fingertips on Happy's chest. He didn't move, but he didn't pull away either. She noticed that he was in conflict with himself and before she could even touch his lips with hers, Sawyer's small footsteps could be heard.

"Mommy!" His childlike voice echoed through the house, causing Tessa to immediately back away and look at Happy apologetically, almost ashamed.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what that was", she apologized sincerely, hoping she hadn't destroyed anything between them.

Happy, still a little annoyed at himself at how stupid he must've looked, shook his head. "Don't worry, it's okay. But we shouldn't let this get any further", he croaked, not sounding entirely convinced himself.

But Tessa nodded immediately. "No, of courseᅳ you're absolutely right. Iᅳ I really don't know what that was."

"Like I said, don't worry about it", he assured her with the tiniest of smiles as Sawyer came running into the kitchen, a new animal in his hands, making Happy laugh. "Have fun with this one", he winked at Tessa to lighten the mood a bit.

Grateful for that, she just chuckled softly and cradled Sawyer against her, stroking his cheek. "Thanks. See you later, Happy."

"See you later", he finally replied and said goodbye to Sawyer before he left his house to head towards the club.

He definitely needed someone he could just fuck quickly to release the tension, hoping that this would take his mind off Tessa for a while.

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