*About 3 weeks later*
"How long are you going to wait?" Katie asked Happy as he strolled into their bedroom, completely naked, still dripping wet from the shower. "Hey, come on, dry off first."
He smirked, enjoying her presence more than he ever had before and grabbed a towel off the back of the closet door.
"I don't know," he mumbled. "I gotta see how he is."
"He's fine," Katie said with a frown. "He wouldn't make his triumphant return if he wasn't, you know that."
Happy nodded, "Prolly."
"So?" She asked expectantly.
He turned to see her sitting cross-legged on their bed, almost fully healed from the bullet wound, in nothing but a raggedy old t-shirt.
"You're gorgeous," he said, looking at her for a long moment.
"Shut up," she laughed.
"I mean it," he smiled. "But about Jax, I dunno." He pulled on a pair on boxers and tossed the damp towel in the laundry. "We're doing that whole honesty bullshit, right?"
"Uh yeah," she sighed, "We are."
"Cause I been thinking, I don't know if I wanna leave," he shrugged. "Since he's been gone I see shit clearer. Chibs, Ope, the other guys, I don't wanna leave my brothers, this house," he looked distressed as he explained himself.
Katie nodded a little. "There's a lot of baggage here too, Hap."
"Yeah," he sat next to her on the bed. "I never let that shit force me anywhere though."
"Yeah, but he's back now, babe, and things are going to change. We've had a really great month together here, adjusting and settling in but this isn't our reality. Jax, in our lives, every single day, is our reality."
"You made peace with him," he said, looking at her with a sad expression.
Katie shook her head. "Not fully, I don't want to kill him anymore, I've accepted part of the responsibility for Ryan, for what has happened since I came here, but I don't think I will ever feel the same way about him again. I considered him one of my best friends, shit he was my only real friend, but," she shook her head. "I can't really verbalize it."
"Yeah, I get it," he nodded.
"This is, ultimately, your call, Hap. I'll follow you wherever you go, wherever you lead our family." She moved toward him, wrapping her arms around his neck from behind, and nuzzled his ear. "I'm here, I'm not going anywhere."
--
Katie didn't want to go to the clubhouse, she didn't want to step anywhere near it, but she had to support Happy and she needed to set an example for Charlotte. The girl was still struggling with the move and her negative feelings and Katie had to help her work through it, but missing her father's party wasn't going to happen.
"Beer?" The newest prospect asked Katie in a hurried tone but she shook her head and wondered how much he knew.
How much did any of the newcomers know? The narrative was easy enough to change with her being gone. Maybe they weren't told Charlotte was Katie's, they certainly weren't told how she was conceived, or maybe it was one big mystery no one explained to anyone who hadn't lived it.
"Hey," Katie called out, grabbing the prospect and pulling him back. "What do you know about me?"
"Uhh, you're Happy's old lady," he said nervously.
"What about Charlotte?"
"You and Jax's daughter," he was clearly waiting for some trick or attack by the way he looked at her. "Is...is that it?"
Katie realized what she was doing and how ridiculous it was so she let him go and sent him on his way. She left the clubhouse, heading outside to see how the kids were doing with the new nannies when Jax cornered her by the boxing ring.
"Welcome home," she said with a forced but convincing smile.
"Yeah, thanks," he huffed. "What's going on? Hap is acting weird."
"Why don't you ask him?"
"Cause I'm asking you," Jax said forcefully.
"Maybe because he almost killed you last time you guys were supposed to talk?"
"You're real smug," he said with annoyance.
"What do you want Jax?" She asked, already tired of their spat.
"Are you planning something?"
"No," she sighed.
"Does Hap still wanna leave?"
Katie shuffled her feet, "Jax, I don't know. Why don't you ask Happy?"
"Figured this was less volatile," he admitted. "Can you get him to stay?"
"No," she shook her head. "I am no longer involved with club business or any issues between you guys. I'm officially the know nothing housewife and mother. I'm here to support my husband and because Charlotte wouldn't have come if I didn't."
"Yeah she won't really talk to me," he huffed.
"Give her time," Katie said without any anger in her voice.
Sensing her softening, Jax followed her lead. "Can you please talk to Happy about what he's doing?"
"No, I cannot, I'm sorry."
"He knows we slept together when you first came back? After Charlie was born?"
Katie tensed. "You gonna try to hold that over my head?"
Jax shrugged. "Just wondering."
"Well," she huffed, "He does. I told him when we got back from Santo Padre. You can't play us against each other anymore. You gonna have any problems having his back? Keeping him safe?"
"No," Jax shook his head. "I want him here, I need Happy."
Katie nodded. "I'll keep that in mind." Gesturing to the clubhouse where his party raged on she smiled and said. "Have fun."
--
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