𝑴𝑶𝑻𝑯𝑬𝑹 𝑫𝑬𝑨𝑹𝑬𝑺𝑻; 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯. 𝘖𝘤𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘴.

[sorry for the bad gif quality, idk what happened during editing!]

JUST AS JUNE was pouring herself a glass of wine after a long afternoon at the ballet studio, she put the bottle down with an annoyed groan when there was a knock on her door. Since she wasn't expecting anyone, she considered simply not opening the door and ignoring the mysterious visitor.

Happy was still at the lake with the kids, which Callie had informed her about over the phone just twenty minutes ago because she really wanted to tell her mother something exciting and begged Happy to let her call. She found a pretty stone, that was the exciting news and June couldn't help but chuckle again as she remembered how excited Callie had sounded.

Amber, with whom she shared the dance classes at the ballet studio, still has two dance classes to go and it also couldn't be her brother or one of the other club members either, since she knew from Jax that there was a party tonight.

But curiosity got the best of her. Only wearing an oversized shirt that she still had from Happy, her feet carried her towards the door and shortly afterwards June's surprised gaze met her mother's.

"Wow, Mom, a visit from you when your grandchildren aren't here?", she mocked as lovingly as she could, an exaggeratedly sweet smile on her lips as she stepped aside. "What brings me the honor?"

"Don't be a bitch", Gemma chuckled as she stepped into the house, the sound of her heels muting as she stepped from the concrete outside the house onto the carpet inside. With a lifted brow, her brown eyes settled on June's shirt. "Was Happy here?"

June rolled her eyes as she closed the door behind Gemma and gently pushed the older woman into the kitchen. "Yeah, to pick up his kids. The shirt is oldᅳ that's what this is about, right?"

"So what? Just wanted to know", Gemma hummed with the slightest grin as she noticed how stressed June instantly seemed. "He still gets under your skin, doesn't he?"

"Are you really here to talk about my failed marriage?" June got on her tiptoes, the curse of being too small, and fished a second wine glass out of the cupboard. "Because if so, you can leave again."

"What's gotten into you?" With a soft snort, the matriarch stepped next to her daughter and filled the glasses with the red liquid. "I just wanted to check on my daughter", she added innocently.

"Sure", the younger Teller mumbled under her breath, clutching her wine glass tightly as she shuffled towards the table and plopped down on a chair. "Why are you really here? Did something happen? Do you need help?"

"You act like I don't care about you." Gemma joined June in the chair opposite and crossed one leg over the other before letting her gaze wander around the kitchen. "I've always loved this house. It's great that it's yours now."

June just sighed quietly when Gemma avoided her question, but then nodded as she let her own gaze wander around the spacious kitchen. "I've always loved Jax' house too."

Before the Teller family moved in after Abel was born, June and Jax had always joked about living together one day and never go separated ways. The siblings had always talked about how difficult it would be for them if everyone had their own lives.

When the house was renovated while Wendy was pregnant, June knew that she would soon have to share her brother. And no one knew that Tara would be coming back. From the moment the doctor returned to Charming and simply sneaked back into Jax' life, Jax and June's relationship changed quickly.

The siblings hardly spent any time together anymore and ultimately June got to know Happy properly after the former Nomad joined the Redwood Original Charter. And faster than expected, both Teller siblings led their own lives, starting their own families.

Of course it hurt that her relationship with Jax was no longer what it used to be, but after the break up with Happy, Jax at least tried to be there for June as often as possible and to comfort her by simply sitting with her all night while she was hiding under a blanket on the couch while she was full on ugly crying.

And when Tara found a house that was more in line with her expectations about ten months ago, Jax agreed to move and offered June to take over the house. This way Happy no longer had to live in the clubhouse and could go back to his house and she had enough space here with the kids and was closer to Alanna's school and her ballet studio.

"I'm glad he didn't sell it", Gemma said contentedly before falling silent for a moment, closely studying June. "When are you coming back, baby?"

"Back where?" June asked confused, running the tip of her index finger over the rim of the glass. "I'm here."

"You're here, but not where you belong." Gemma leaned back with a sigh, her gaze hard and stubborn as always when she wanted something. "You're a Teller, SAMCRO's princess, and you haven't been seen in the clubhouse for a year."

"Here we go", June muttered with a snort, dropping her head into her hands as she exhaled loudly. "Why are you alle so hellbent on me not coming over regularly? Happy said the same thing earlier."

"Because he misses you, baby", Gemma replied with a shrug, as if it was obvious how much the SAA was suffering under the breakup. "And I think it's time to finally stop pouting, sweetheart. Are you really going to throw your marriage away because he made one mistake?"

"You don't fuckin' understand, do you?" June's head snapped up, the muscles in her jaw twitching as something dangerous flashed in her eyes. "That's exactly what he was trying to do, Mom. Happy apologized but never asked me to forgive him", she explained, her tone sharp simply because she was sensitive when it came to that subject. "And even if he did, making out with another woman is the worst thing he could have doneᅳ and something I can't forgive. Not even if it was just to push me away."

The last words, just a bitter whisper with a hint of pain in them, left Gemma speechless and thoughtful while June emptied her glass in one go.

"I love him, mom, more than I've ever loved a man and it still hurts", she continued, her voice cracking. Shaking her head, June rubbed the tip of her nose with the back of her hand. "But it is what it is. Happy made his choice."

"That's not how I raised you", Gemma muttered, pushing her upper body forward. "We Tellers don't just give up. You want your husband back, fight for it."

A humorless laugh vibrated through June's chest as she tilted her head back, staring at the ceiling. "No, you want me to get my husband back. I made a clean cutᅳ Happy and I aren't going to work out, no matter how much I miss us."

Gemma shook her head, pointing a finger at June. "Bullshit! You didn't make a clean cut, otherwise you wouldn't constantly avoid the club and every family dinner I host!"

"It's none of your god damn business, mom!" June's upper body also shot forward, now face to face with her mother. "I'm done with it, can you please just accept that?"

"Is that why you haven't given Happy the divorce papers that have been sitting in the damn drawer for months?" Gemma asked, her tone challenging as she pointed to a specific drawer in the kitchen. "That says more than you think, baby."

"Howᅳ?" Heat rose in June's cheeks as a wave of anger ripped through her, causing her to stand up with a loud squeak of her chair. "Why are you snooping around in my things?!"

"Jesus, I was just looking for a pair of scissors and found the papers by accident!" Which was a flat-out lie. Gemma, being the way she was, always had to stick her nose into other people's opportunities. "Sit down! We need to talk about this, this can't go on like this."

"We don't need to talk about anything!" Her child-free evening definitely ruined now, June made a hand gesture towards the hallway. "Please just go. Maybe it's better if we don't see each other for a few weeks."

"Are you serious?" Acting all offended, Gemma grabbed her bag and stood up, the scratching sound of the chairs sliding across the floor echoing through the room.

"Yes, I'm serious. Learn to finally stay out of mine and Jax' business, we're not your little babies anymore", June hissed as her fingers, shaking with anger, slid through her reddish hair. "You need to accept that I'm not the Old Lady you always wanted me to be."

"This is how you thank me for everything I've done for you?" Swinging her bag over her shoulder, Gemma stormed past June. Stopping in her tracks, Gemma's brown eyes stared into June's blue ones. "I know you're my daughterᅳ but you're nothing like me."

"Well, thank God", June added coolly, swallowing softly as she saw the brief shock cross Gemma's face before the matriarch stormed out of the house without another word, slamming the door behind her.

A sound almost like a whine fell from June's lips as she slid down the wall and let the back of her head fall against it, her legs stretched out in front of her. Why did an argument with her mother always have to escalate this quickly?

She was used to it, that was probably just how it was between mothers and daughters, and both women were stubborn as hell. But what really bothered June was the fact that Gemma had hit the nail on the head with her words.

Until now, the former Teller woman hadn't been able to give Happy the divorce papers, but she guessed that had to happen if she wanted closure.

ᅳ

JUNE CRADLED ALANNA against her chest and placed a kiss on the top of the nine-year-old's head as her arms were wrapped around her mother's waist. June had never made a distinction between Alanna and Callie, the former as much her daughter as Callie.

When she met Happy four years ago and he had his daughter with him, she was immediately smitten with the then five-year-old, who was shy at first but an absolute sweetheart as soon as she opened up to people.

June had never had a problem with Happy already having a kid, Alanna was a part of him from the start and June immediately included her in the relationship. When she then became pregnant with Callie and Alanna was afraid of being second, Happy suggested that June could adopt her.

Of course they had asked Alanna before making a decision, and when the Lowman girl had immediately agreed, the glow in her brown eyes still burned in June's memories, they wasted no time and got married so that June could adopt Happy's daughter.

"How was the weekend, baby?", June asked as she lovingly stroked Alanna's hair and looked down at the girl.

"It was okay", the nine-year-old mumbled with a wiggle of her nose. "Can I go to my room? I still have homework to do."

"Yeah, sure, I'll be right with you." June looked after her daughter for a moment before she looked back at Happy, who was still standing in the doorway. The dull expression in his eyes as he looked after Alanna, who had only waved goodbye, made her sigh. "Did you talk to her?"

"I tried", he grunted, pushing himself away from the wooden frame, burying his hands deep in his pockets. "But she didn't want to talk, instead she just hid in her room for half the weekend."

While Callie was happily playing in the living room and had already said goodbye to her father, dull rock music sounded from the back of the house, probably from Alanna's room, which used to be Abel's room.

June just sighed again, already used to Alanna's current mood swings. "She's at a difficult age, I think we just need to be patient with her."

"She was never like that, not untilᅳ not until I left." Happy shook his head, hating the conversations at the door. He just wanted to come in, be with his family.

His eyes scanned the woman in front of him, June chewing on her lower lip, her pretty face perfectly framed by her chin-length, reddish hair. And the innocent expression on her face still drove him crazy.

"You knew it wouldn't be easy", she said softly, bringing a hand to her mouth to chew on her nail next. The woman shifted nervously on her feet. "You got a minute? We need to talkᅳ about us."

For a moment, hope flashed in Happy's eyes. Yes, he wanted to push her away, but the time without her, waking up and falling asleep without June every single day, had shown him that he had made a big mistake. Probably the biggest of his life.

And June had noticed the hopeful expression, which made her feel even more guilty towards him when, after Happy had followed her into the kitchen, she held out the divorce papersᅳ already signed by her.

"What is this?" Grimly, the SAA looked down at the papers that now lay in his hand, his firm grip crumpling the paper on the edges as he read the first words. Happy's eyes suddenly darkened, filled with nothing but anger and disappointment. "You want a divorce? Are you fuckin' serious, woman?!"

"Don't raise your voice, not with the kids in the house", June warned with a hiss, tears of her own shining in her blue eyes.

"Then fuckin' explain this", he demanded with a low growl, clutching the papers harder as he waved them around.

"We broke up a year ago, Happy, what are we waiting for? All you have to do is sign and we'll go our separate ways", she tried to explain calmly, but her voice failed and so did her ability to hold back the first tears that now rolled freely down her rosy cheeks. "That's exactly what you wanted."

"I'm not signing shit", Happy barked at her as quietly as he could, waving the papers in front of her face as he got dangerously close. "You're my wife and that's not goin' to change, June."

"Your wife?" June snorted through her tears, hundreds of emotions pooling in her eyes. "I was your wifeᅳ until that one night you humiliated me in front of everyone, hurt me like no one else ever had before!"

Happy let out a low growl before he ripped the papers in half and threw them onto the kitchen counter. "If you want me to sign this shit, get a lawyerᅳ because I'm not goin' to do it willingly."

"Fuck you, Hap!" June, hot-headed as she was, grabbed him by the sleeve of his hoodie as he made his way to the front door. "What do you want from me, huh?!"

A gasp slipped past her lips as Happy spun around and shoved her against the nearest wall, both hands placed next to her head, his gaze intimidating and full of pain at the same time.

"You. My family. Get this in your freakin' brain, woman", he snarled, his voice deep and hoarse as his face hovered inches from June's. "But you're safer without me, that hasn't changed."

"Sign the damn papers." Instead of sounding determined, her request was nothing more than a plea, while she hardly dared to breathe under his intense gaze. Shit, why did he still have to be so fucking attractive? "If you still think that we aren't safe with you, then let me go."

"Is that what you really want?", he asked, still keeping his voice low without taking his eyes off her for even a second. "You want me to let you go?"

"Yes." No, she didn't want to. But she didn't want to keep playing this stupid game either. "I want you to let me go."

The desire to snuggle her body against his as he pushed her deeper into the wall with his weight cost a lot of self-control. Her pulse rose rapidly and her breath quickened, especially when he clamped her chin between his thumb and forefinger.

Bringing his lips close to her ear, she felt a small smile forming on Happy's lips as her breath hitched in her lungs before he whispered his next words against her ear, his hot breath brushing her skin.

"Then get a lawyer", he repeated his words from earlier, abruptly letting go of her, his dark but sincere gaze back. 'Cause I'm not letting you go."

And with that, he left the house, gently closing the door behind him so he wouldn't startle the kids, leaving a completely bewildered June.

What the fuck was that? And why did she suddenly feel the urge to run after him and jump his bones?

Amber, her best friend and biggest support during the last few months besides Jax, was right when she recently said that she needed to get laid before she'd lose her sanity.

But as sweet as June was, she couldn't bring herself to hunt men down to sleep with them just because she missed sex. The only one she wanted but couldn't have was Happy; the only man she would ever be able to love with her whole heart.

word count; 2929