ON THE WAY to his sister's ballet studio, Jax grabbed three cups of ice cream from the ice cream shop around the corner before he stepped through the large glass door with a wide grin, spreading his arms to the side as both of his nieces ran towards him.

Callie, dressed in a pink ballet outfit, wrapped her short arms around Jax' denim-clad leg while Alanna, her blue outfit the complete opposite of Callie's, wrapped her arms around his waist.

"There are my two favorite nieces", Jax greeted with a chuckle, placing a kiss on the top of Alanna's head before he crouched down to place a kiss against Callie's cheek. "You want ice cream?"

"We're your only nieces", Alanna mocked with the slightest grin before she cheekily grabbed a cup from her uncle's hand. The one with the strawberry ice cream and the white chocolate flakes, of course. "If you're looking for Mom, she's still getting dressed."

"Nah, it's okay, I can wait." Jax smiled up at Alanna, always amazed at how quickly his niece was growing. It felt like a week ago she was still the six-year-old girl who was adopted by his sister. "I wanted to ask if the two of you wanna spend the next weekend at Tara and my place?"

"Yes, please!" Callie let out a soft squeak as she jumped up and down, her, in soft fabric ballet shoes, covered feet tapping against the bright wooden floor with a soft thud. "Which ice cream is for me, Uncle Jax?"

"This one", the blonde winked as he handed the three-year-old the cup with the chocolate ice cream and the colorful sprinkles, knowing that this was her favorite ice cream. He lovingly rubbed a hand over Callie's no longer quite so perfect bun before he stood up again, looking at Alanna. "And you? Do you wanna come?"

"But what about Dad?" The nine-year-old looked up from her cup, uncertainty flashing in her brown eyes. "We're always spending the weekends with him."

"I know, sweetheart", the blonde hummed with a faint smile. Of course he had a reason why he wanted his nieces with him at that exact time, hoping that his plan would work out. "I need your dad next weekend for something important", he lied, even if he didn't like doing so. But he didn't want to give the kids false hope either. "I'll talk to your mom about whether you can go to him during the week to make up for the weekend."

"No, it's okay", Alanna declined with a strained smile. "A weekend without him is fine, we're used to it by now."

"Ally..." Jax began with a sigh, running a comforting hand over her hair, whereupon she ducked her head and dropped onto one of the beige couches with the soft pink pillows that stood against the wall. "Happy really tries to be there for you as much as he can."

"Sure", the nine-year-old snorted. Sometimes she got annoyed with herself because she knew she was probably being a pain in the ass, but she was just frustrated. "Whatever."

"Why are you sad?" Callie's childish voice broke the brief silence that had arisen, climbing onto the couch next to Alanna. Through her big brown eyes the girl looked up at her sister as she placed the ice cream in her lap. "Don't be sad. You can have some of my ice cream!"

Not only did Jax' lips curled into a smile as Callie held a full spoonful of her chocolate ice cream in front of Alanna's lips, but the older Lowman sister also cracked a smile.

"Thanks, Callie", Alanna said softly as she nudged the tip of Callie's nose with the tip of her index finger and then licked the spoon before grimacing. "I'll stick with strawberry", the girl murmured with a small laugh.

"That's okay", Callie chirped, shrugging her shoulders, followed by a giggle as her feet dangled from the couch. "Means more for me!"

"It's all yours", Alanna added, this time her smile actually reached her eyes.

Jax watched the scene in awe, his arms crossed in front of his chest so that he could still hold the last cup of ice cream. The other kids had already left, which meant that it was relatively quiet in the large room where every word spoken echoed off the walls.

Only the cleaning lady came through another door in the room and greeted Jax with a friendly smile before she immediately started wiping the many fingerprints of all the tiny hands from the mirror front, making sure that everything was shiny again.

Dull music came from another room, but not calming ballet music, but something Spanish, faster and livelier, which meant Amber was probably giving her dance lessons.

When June finally came out of yet another door after a few more minutes, which led to the changing rooms, Jax strolled over to her with his famous Teller smile and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek, holding out the ice cream to her.

"Sorry, it's already melted", he apologized with a grin, his eyebrow shooting up when he saw how the vanilla ice cream now looked more like vanilla sauce. "But you took so long."

"Well, I had to take a shower", June defended herself with a small smirk as she hopped onto one of the bar stools in front of the music desk and smiled at her children, who were busy with each other. "I see, you got them both some ice cream too."

"Yeah, I hope that was okay." Jax sheepishly rubbed the side of his neck as he sat down next to his sister. "I know I should've asked you first. But it's so hot, I thought it was a good idea."

"It's okay." June just waved it off with a soft hum, enjoying her own ice cream. Even though a healthy diet was important to her, she was the last person who would deny her children ice cream on a hot summer day. "What are we going to do now that you're here? I still have to buy the girls new shoes, but that shouldn't take long."

"Shopping for shoes shouldn't take long, who are you kidding?", the blonde asked with a cheeky grin as he wiggled his eyebrows. "I'll be lucky if I get home in time tonight."

June snorted a laugh. "Oh please, you act like women spend hours shopping."

"You wanna tell me you don't?" Jax asked with a hint of mockery in his voice, bumping his knee against June's before his features grew more serious. "Why didn't you tell me you wanted a divorce?"

Even though Jax made sure to keep his voice down, June glanced at her children again, making sure they were both still distracted before she sighed and pushed the cup of ice cream away from her and across the counter.

Shrugging her shoulders, the young woman fiddled with her hands. "As long as I'm still married to Happy, his whole plan to get rid of me to keep me safe is bullshit. I'm just giving him what he wants with the divorce."

"Yeah, well, he doesn't want a divorce, June", Jax countered seriously, his gaze still somewhat empathetic as his sister's whose eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "He talked to me earlierᅳ and he feels like shit knowing you want a divorce."

"But that was his whole plan, wasn't it?" June shook her head with a bitter laugh, running a hand through her freshly washed, still damp hair. "It doesn't matter now whether it was planned or not, things between us are..too fucked up."

"Are they?" Jax inquired, approaching the subject cautiously. "Are you really done with him? Completely?"

June didn't answer, instead she just lowered her head in silence, which was answer enough for Jax. His brotherly instincts hadn't deceived him after all.

"You still love him, and he loves you", he stated matter-of-factly. "Once the Argent Devils aren't a problem anymore, the two of you can start over."

"Bullshit." June's head jerked to the side, her dull gaze directed out the floor-length window as she blinked back tears. "When the next danger comes, he'll do the same shit again. Amber, Tara, Lyla, Momᅳ everyone's still alive, no Old Lady was kidnapped, killed, or whatever you guys expected."

Jax frowned slightly. Even though his sister had a point, he also could understand Happy. Hell, he had tried to push Tara away, too. "Amber lost her baby, June, isn't that bad enough?"

"Yes, and that's absolutely horrible", June shot back sharply, her blue eyes meeting Jax' also blue ones. "But that was because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time, not because they..whoever those guys are..were specifically targeting her", she explained, tapping her finger passive-aggressively against the wooden surface of the counter. "Happy could've protected us best if he had stayed with usᅳ probably much better than the way things are now. I know he panicked, that he only wanted the best for usᅳ in that moment, it just made sense in his head. But what he actually did to us is even worse."

Shaking her head, June swallowed the lump in her throat as a strangled sob got stuck in it, ready to fall from her lips. But June wasn't going to cry, not again.

"I've made my decision", she added quietly, looking over at her children. "A clean break is better for them and for me too."

Jax ran a hand over his face, letting his sister's words sink in. For a year, a burden had been sitting on her shoulders that he would gladly take on but couldn't. And he hated that he couldn't help his little sister.

He took her hand, squeezing it gently as his intense gaze met hers. "At least think about it again, please."

June sighed. "Jaxᅳ"

"Please", the blonde pleaded emphatically, earning a sigh from his sister in return, but also a weak, barely visible nod. "Thank you. By the way; I asked the girls if they wanted to stay with Tara and me next weekend."

"What, why?" Confusion crossed June's delicate features. "Happy has the kids on the weekend."

"I need Happy next weekend, sorry", he explained with an apologetic smile. "It's really important, please June. That's why I offered that they can stay with us so you still get some time for yourself."

June rolled her eyes, but she couldn't turn anything her brother suggested down anyway. Up until now she didn't know that he had a plan. "Fine, but only if it's also okay for Tara."

Tara, not only not a fan of the club and Gemma, was not a big fan of June either. In Tara's eyes, June was simply naive because she didn't take the chance to leave Charming and June was annoyed that the doctor constantly had to make snippy comments.

But since she knew how much Alanna and Callie enjoyed spending time with their uncle, Abel and Thomas, June didn't want to be the spoilsport.

"I'll sort it out with Tara", Jax said seriously. "If I want to have my nieces with me, then I won't let Tara take that away from me."

And as blind as Jax was sometimes when it came to Tara, he would never give his wife the power to drive a wedge between June, him, and his nieces.

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AFTER JUNE CLOSED the door behind her and exhaled deeply, glad to be back home after dropping the kids off at daycare and school, she slipped out of her black Converse sneakers, letting out another sigh. Balancing the two large grocery bags on her arms into the kitchen, she set them both down on the table before stretching her back.

Grasping Alanna's and Callie's cereal bowls from breakfast, she put them in the dishwasher along with some cups and plates that were still in the sink. Selecting the right program, June washed her hands in the sink and hummed to herself as she walked back to the bags, ready to put everything away before she'd have to be at the studio in an hour.

Just as she was done with the things for the fridge, the young woman groaned softly when she heard a car drive into the driveway and shortly afterwards heard heels clicking against the concrete.

Her mother.

Mildly annoyed, June left the kitchen and stepped into the hallway. Gemma flinched briefly as she swung the door open and glared at the woman. Like a pissed off teenager, June folded her arms across her chest as she watched her mother enter the house.

"I thought I told you to stay away for a while", June began, slamming the door shut with her foot. "Ah, right, Gemma Teller never listens to what she's told", she muttered under her breath as she made her way back to the kitchen.

"Can't a mother visit her child?" Gemma asked, something apologetic but also amusing in her tone as she slowly followed June. Humming softly, she began to help her daughter unload the bags. "I just wanted to talk to you for a minuteᅳ after that I'll leave again if that's what you still want."

Surprised that Gemma was being so cooperative, June glanced to the side, examining the woman with the dark hair and blonde highlights. "What is it? You need something?"

"No baby, I'm fine. I'm justᅳ I'm sorry about last time", Gemma said with a sigh, making an exarragtaged gesture with her hand. "I shouldn't have said the things I said."

June's eyebrow shot up in even more surprise, almost choking on the sip of water she had just taken from one of the newly bought bottles. "You sick or something?"

Huffing a snort, Gemma put her hands against her hips. "Why would you ask that?"

"Really mom?" June rolled her eyes with a low chuckle before she sat the bottle down, letting out a sigh. "You never apologize, that's why I'm so surprised."

Gemma Teller was stubborn, that was one thing Jax and June both inherited, but Gemma was a whole other level of stubbornness. Which is why June was sure someone must've talked to her, put her in her place.

"Because I don't usually regret things that I sayᅳ so I'm not apologizing", the older woman explained with a shrug as she grabbed two boxes of cereal. "But I haven't been entirely fair to you this past year", she added with a sigh, leaning against the table.

June studied her mother in silence, trying to figure out if she was serious or was just faking shit. "Do you mean that? Are you really sorry? Because I'm not sure I can believe you."

"I gave you every reason not to believe me." Gemma put the cereal boxes down next to her, slowly walking towards June, genuine honesty in her eyes. "You're my only girl and part of me always wanted you to follow in my footsteps. And when you married Happyᅳ I just knew this could be something for life."

"He pushed me away, Mom", June argued with a shaky breath. "And all I wanted was your support. Instead, you kept telling me how much I overreacted by leaving him because of a stupid kiss. You should've had my back. You're my mother, not his!"

"Happy would've never gone any further and you know that, June", Gemma replied stubbornly before lifting her hands, taking a deep breath. "But yes, I should've had your back. I guess I just didn't want you to end up alone with the kids."

"Maybe. He really wanted to push me away, but didn't have the balls to break up. So who knows how far he would've really gone." Scratching her eyebrow, June stepped aside a little and continued storing the rest of the groceries away. "Happy isn't stupid, he knew exactly what to do. I could forgive anything, probably really anythingᅳ but not that."

"He hasn't been with anyone else since you broke up, sweetheart. And I'm not just saying that to change your mind about him." Gemma placed a hand on June's shoulder and gently turned her daughter towards her. "You were always the only one for him and he knows what he's lostᅳ that's why I didn't want you to give up on your marriage so quickly."

Gemma's words tugged at June's heartstrings, rekindling her heartbreak. She quickly wiped the first falling tear from her rosy cheek, still facing away from Gemma while she stared out of the window above the sink.

"I can't just go back to him, even if I wanted to", she said with a soft sniff, finally turning around. "I'd always have that image in my head, Mom, and yes, maybe I'm overreacting..but loyalty is just the most important thing to me, even if it's different for you."

"It's no different for me, June." Compassionately, Gemma placed her hands against June's arms, squeezing them gently. "It hurt every time I found out Clay was eating out another cheap pussy while on a run. I just had no other place to go, you know? That's why I always swallowed everything."

"But that's not right, Mom", June said with a whine, grasping her mother's wrists. "Clay was an asshole and it's sad that he had to beat you black and blue until you finally ended things."

After more than a year, June was still full of anger towards Clay. The man who always claimed to love his family, who acted for decades as if he was the perfect step daddy, was ultimately the one who destroyed his family and his club.

Since the relationship between Clay and June was never the best, simply because the younger Teller always thought that Clay was never really interested in being part of her and Jax' life and only did everything to impress Gemma, June didn't find it difficult to accept Clay's fate.

"At least the whole thing finally came to an end", Gemma replied with a small smile. "Can you give me another chance, baby? I want to be the mother you can trust, the one you don't have to be annoyed by."

"I trust you, mom", June assured the matriarch before she dropped her hands and buried one of them in her reddish hair. "I don't want to hear another word about my failed marriage or how much you hate it that I want a divorce. Can you do that?"

"As much as I'd love to see you as an Old Lady again, especially by Happy's side, I think I can do that." Gemma nodded in affirmation before spreading her arms to the side, offering her daughter a hug. "I just want to be there for my baby girl."

Still a little hesitant, June released a fistful of hair from her hand and wrinkled her nose before finally snuggling into Gemma's arms. With unshed tears, she placed her head on her mom's shoulder and allowed herself to feel like a little girl again while her mother comforted her.

"I could really need your support", June murmured against the leather jacket Gemma was wearing, inhaling the familiar smell of it. "And I don't want to be a disappointment to you."

Gemma's motherly heart broke as June's words cut through the silence. "You could never, June, do you hear me? Even though it often seems otherwise; I'm always proud of you."

"Thank you", whispered the former Teller, snuggling closer to her mother while wrapping her arms around Gemma's waist. "I just hope I'm doing the right thing."

"You will do the right thing", Gemma replied confidently, rubbing June's back comfortingly.

In fact, Gemma was sure that June would ultimately make the right decision for herself and the kids. The matriarch would keep her promise and say nothing more, after all she wanted to remain a part of June's life and that of her grandchildrenᅳ but she hoped and believed that June would come to her senses and ultimately not be able to go through with the divorce.

word count; 3362

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authors note; I promise Happy will be back in the next chapter, I just didn't want this one to get too long! 🤎