Fate of her Fathers Crimes

Riding through this world...

She hadn't seen her family in six years, nor did she want to. Ever since she had discovered the truth about her biological father, she had steered clear of the entire west coast. Leaving the small town of Charming, California with nothing but her beat up volkswagen, a couple hundred dollars in cash and a duffel bag of her personal belongings. Not knowing where she would end up as long as it was far away from there. At the ripe young age of eighteen Lilith Donovan-Morrow was living every teenagers dream now. No parents to rule over her with an iron thumb, no rules, no curfews, nothing. She could do whatever she wanted to and no one could say otherwise. But this wasn't /her/ dream.

Her dream was simple, well simple to her at least. Ever since she had been a little girl she loved baking more than anything. Cakes, pies, cookies, crepes, cupcakes you name it. Any type of baked good and she could make it from scratch and it would taste as good as food from the finest restaurant in New York city. This all began under the unfortunate circumstances when her mother became more and more addicted to crank.
After preparing their normal meals she would find solace in baking. Having her mind busy on making the cake or pie just right would allow her to forget for a short time about her pathetic excuse for a mother. She never told her though about her dream of opening a small bakery, because she knew the damned crow eater would just shut her down. She had heard that term used alot when others spoke of her mother, but she never knew what it meant until later on.

Annabelle Donovan had slowly went downhill into a spiraling druggie binge not long after her seventh birthday. It seemed like every time she saw her mother, she was with a different man and high as a kite. Never having someone to call daddy. And she never really asked, until she had to endure that dreadful sexual education class freshman year of high school. After that she questioned her mother constantly on the subject, but rarely got any straight answers. Finally at the age of eighteen, just days after she graduated high school, her mother showed her a photograph. Saying she was old enough to know now. It was labeled July 4th 1984, Me and the boys. Looking at the photograph showed her mother arms around an older looking man sporting a kutte. The patches saying Vice President, First 9 and Redwood Original. So that was it, the truth was...she was a bastard child. Clearly because she had never once heard about this man. Her mother informing her it was a one night stand after a party, stating that the man never knew about the pregnancy either. That revelation was enough to push her over the edge. She had been inching closer and closer to it for years now, having to work under the table jobs and sell her baked goods just to provide for them. Now, she had no reason to stay in the hellhole that was Charming. Leaving town without looking back, she left a note for her mother though. Nothing sentimental about it all just. Just the truth.
Mom, I don't know where I'm going. I'm just going. Don't come looking for me. I won't live your life too.
She knew her mother would probably get higher than snoop dog on April twentieth after she read that but she didn't care. All she cared about now was getting out of California.

After hours of driving on the interstate, pushing the limits of her old volkswagen, she knew she wouldn't get far in one day. Speeding out of California limits and flying into Nevada, deciding to crash at a roadside motel for the evening. Thankfully she was eighteen and didn't have to lie in order to rent a room. Paying the office manager with cash and taking her room key, scoffing softly at all the advertising for Las Vegas in the office. Posters of scantily dressed women and extravagant casinos enticing the eye. Avoiding the needy eyes of some burly truckers watching her as she walked down the balcony to her room. She had been called beautiful plenty of times and she knew it, but she wasn't about to flaunt it now. Once inside she quickly locked the door and deadbolt. Putting a chair in front of it for extra measure too. Not trusting the men in the parking lot she passed.
Tossing her duffel bag onto the bed, collapsing beside it with a tired sigh escaping her pink lips. All the emotions of the day hitting her now that the adrenaline and anger had faded. Salty tears brimmed at the corners of her pale blue eyes, threatening to spill over. Fighting the urge for several minutes until she couldn't any longer, the dam breaking quickly. The tears streamed down her cheeks as her body shook with the sobs of a lonely, broken girl. Hell the people in the next room probably heard her but she didn't care. Wrapping her arms around herself as she sobbed well into the night. The pain ceasing as she cried herself to sleep atop the bed bug ridden mattress.

When she awoke the next morning she barely remembered falling asleep the night before. Grumbling as she washed herself up in the dank bathroom, reapplying some makeup just for the hell of it. Knowing she'd look terrible without it from all that crying. Exitting her room quietly and making her way to her car. Pulling the map from her glove box before she set out. And that's the way she lived for weeks. Stopping in small cities and getting a room, or finding a bed and breakfast, offering to work for free in exchange for a bed and food. Most other teenagers would probabaly hate it, but she absolutely loved it right now. Everyday was something new for her. Back in Charming it was same shit different day kind of stuff. Now she saw new people and places every single day. Who wouldn't want a life like this?

But her high on life feeling soon crashed when she had to stop in New Orleans, having run out of gas and she only had thirty dollars left to her name. It was late in the evening, thirty dollars definitely wouldn't get her a room, so she decided to go to a bar. Hoping maybe her looks and flirting could get just one drink from an oblivious bartender. As she walked inside she immediately felt many eye's on her. The eyes of drunken, lonely men. But she ignored them as she made her way to the bar. Before she could wave down the bartender a young man took a seat beside her. His soft green eyes locking on her face, not her chest unlile most men. He ran a hand through his slicked back brown hair before speaking to her.
"Can I buy you a drink...?"
She just smiled softly at him, nodding once.
"You sure can... Lilith.. "
She held out her hand for a shake, surprised at his gentleness when he shook her hand.
"Bryan..." He replied softly, nothing but sincerity and kindness in his voice. Not that of a needy man just seeking companionship for the evening.
"Nice to meet you Bryan.. "
"You as well Miss Lilith.."

That evening was the single best evening of her life. She sat with Bryan for hours at the bar, just talking. He never bringing up sex one. Only commenting on her appearance once when he complimented her eyes. It getting even better when he offered the couch of his apartment to her for the evening, a kind gesture from a stranger. Something she most definitely was not used to. Normal parents would have taught her to deny such offers from total strangers, especially men, but the way he spoke to her made her have no doubts.

What had started as the best night of her life with a round of beers with a stranger in a bar in New Orleans, turned into what she hoped would be the rest of her life. Within a year she and Bryan were a couple. Madly in love with each other despite their hard childhoods. That just brought them closer together really. Sharing in the comfort that the other understood their emotional baggage. Moving into his apartment permanently was an amazing step for her. Knowing without a doubt this would be her home now. Even better when she got herself a job at a small bakery-sandwhich shop within walking distance. It felt like she was getting further away from her past and ever closer to her future.

But she knew that some things were just too good to be true. And her worst fears became a reality six summers later. She and Bryan were taking a walk through the town. Window shopping ,chatting about maybe painting their bedroom. The sound of motorcycles approaching from behind was the last thing she heard before the gun fire. Screams of panic from other civilians echoed out as well. Bryan pulled her down quickly shielding her with his own body. And just as it began, it had ended. But something wasn't right... Bryans shirt was now soaked in bright red blood now. His skin pale and eyes empty and cold.....he was dead.

It felt like her entire world had come crashing down all around her. When the police asked her for her statement, all she could utter was "He.. Saved... Me.. " Knowing that he sacrificed himself so she could live. It shook her to the very core of her being. When she fled Charming she had a sense of loneliness, but now... She was truly lonely. Knowing that Bryan was never coming back, changed her into an entirely different person. As soon as she heard the police mention gang drive by she knew deep down this was a repercussion of her old life. Just a bad gut feeling because people had always claimed SAMCRO was just another motorcycle gang.
Allowing herself time to bury Bryan and pack some belongings, she made her mind up quickly. She would have to return to Charming to get some answers.