lauren // tig trager

96. I owe you

The boys who came back, came back in one piece. Opie was missing, the rest were roughed up. Lauren saw Tig and ran to him without hesitation. As he was hanging his helmet, she was wrapping him in her arms. She held him tight and he held even tighter.

"Are you alright?" She asked into his shoulder.

"I'm fine, doll. What about you?"

"I'm alright, too. Where's Ope?" She now pulled away to look him in the eyes.

Tig shook his head, stroking her back, "didn't make it" he said with tears in his eyes.

"You sure you're alright?"

"Just, it should've been me. I got us here and he took the fall. The whole club is taking the fall" Tig blamed himself.

"Tig, it wasn't intentional. You did that not expecting this. You went to kill and killed the wrong person"

"But I did what I did! It was Popes daughter and now he's gonna come down on us, my family and my club. I don't know what to say, you keep trying to make me feel better. Hate me, Lauren! Fawn can do it, so can you" he snapped, running his hand through his hair.

"Tig, please, stop. Don't say that"

"I said it and I mean it" he lit a cigarette as he walked away from Lauren.

Chibs walked to Brea and Juniper, kissing each of them.

"Told ya it'd be quick" he smirked.

"Not in one piece. Ope, dead?" Brea asked, raising a brow.

"Aye, I know" Chibs huffed and pushed his hair behind his ear.

"That could've been you" She growled through grit teeth.

"But it wasn't and I'm here now"

Jax walked to Chibs family with a mission to ask of Brea.

"Hey, darlin'" Jax smiled and hugged Brea.

"Hey, I'm sorry about Ope. If you need anything, we're here"

"Thats why I came over. I need you to tell Lyla, check up on her for me. County called her this morning, let her know about the funeral tonight. I thought as my right hands old lady, you could help me out. Tara has the kids and stuff already, she could watch Juniper for you" Jax spoke with his hands in his pockets, sympathy on his face.

"Yeah, of course I can" Brea nodded with a serious expression, letting Jax know he can trust her.

"You're the best, I love you, Brea. Don't go anywhere just yet, we need you" Jax hugged her again.

"I'm not goin anywhere anytime soon" she sighed.

*****

Lauren stayed back at TM, she ended up being the one to watch Juniper. She offered to help, bond with her best friends daughter and keep the weight off of Tara's shoulders.

When she saw a truck pull into the lot on a closed day, she was confused. She approached them with Juniper, too young to leave alone. She was nervous but wasn't just gonna sit by and watch.

"Excuse me, we're closed today" she called out as two people stepped out, man and woman.

"We're here to see Jax, we don't want no trouble" the man spoke, raising his hands.

Gemma had seen Neros truck from inside the clubhouse and was making her way out. She saw Lauren approaching them looking confused as well.

"Lauren, it's alright, I know him" Gemma intervened.

"Hm, yeah" Lauren scoffed.

"I sheltered your novio when he was runnin' from cops. I'm no enemy" he defended himself to Lauren who was still skeptical.

"How do you know Tig is my old man? Huh?" Lauren grew hostile and Gemma had to put herself between them.

"You were with him on the sofa, the two of you kissed god dammit. Calm down, Lauren" Gemma told her.

"I don't want some wetback pimp just rollin up onto our place with kids around. We've a bad history with them, I've my rights to be suspicious" Lauren growled.

"No bad blood here, I'm Nero Padilla. I'm no pimp, I'm a companion-ator, all about the love" he swooned, his hands raised.

"Stick to it. I'm Lauren" she introduced herself with a nod of her head.

"That your girl? She's beautiful" Nero stepped closer to her.

"No, it's Bre-, my friends, daughter" Lauren shook her head.

"Ah, she's with the Scotsman? They've matching scars, yeah?" He raised a brow, motioning to his cheek where the scar would be.

"That's her" Lauren nodded, squinting from the sun.

"They're a cute pair. You two, you and Brea, both very hostile and protective. Not a bad trait to have these days"

"Yeah, I've adapted," Lauren smiled, taking it as a compliment "I'll go now, leave you guys to your shit"

As she turned to leave, Chibs and Jax rolled up on bikes. Waving to acknowledge Lauren and walking to Nero with a blonde girl. She rolled her eyes and continued back to the office.

*****

As the day rolled on, the funeral rolled closer. The casket had been delivered, Brea and Lyla had arrived. All the boys were there and everyone dressed. Croweaters brought flowers and food to help ease everyone's loss.

Jax pulled Brea aside after the came with Lyla. He grabbed her before she could say hi to anyone else. Tig and Lauren sat at the picnic tables together. Despite their argument earlier, it was like it never happened. Right now wasn't a time to pull apart, they needed to come together. Lauren had handed Juniper off to Chibs, per his request.

"How is she?" He asked her.

"Medicated, weed, maybe prescription pills. She's just not, present" She struggled to find words.

"Alright, thank you, I really do appreciate it" Jax said, a hand on her shoulder as reinforcement.

"Anything, Jax. I owe you guys"

"What do you mean?" He scrunched up his brows.

"I mean you guys, just changed my life I guess. Taking Lauren and I in. Helping us with jobs and our car. I'd never see myself with a kid until I met Filip. You guys did that. We, at least I, owe my life to you guys"

"We aren't all rainbows and sunshine, darlin" he smirked.

"I know that, don't get me wrong" she laughed.

"Go see your family" Jax smiled, seeing the longing in her eyes to be with them.

She nodded and did so. Running over with arms open to Juniper. Jax smiled as he watched her do so. Embracing her in her arms, Chibs kissing her as she sat next to him. Lauren starting up a conversation with Tig holding her waist. This is what she was talking about, this family, in this moment. Together and happy, that's why she owed him.