Dawn Trager is Tig's black sheep daughter. She hasn't done much with her life, hopping from one bad decision to another. One fateful decision will change her entire life and bring her into direct contact with the enforcer of SAMCRO. Will they be abl...
Dawn sat outside of the clubhouse on one of the picnic tables smoking a cigarette when the door opened and Gemma stepped out. Dawn sighed and looked down at the table bench under her feet. So far, she had been able to avoid Mother Gemma but it looked like her luck had run out. Gemma sat down on the bench by her feet and looked over at her as she lit a cigarette of her own.
"So your dad says that you're clean. That true or just a bunch of bullshit that you're feeding him and Harmony?"
Dawn cracked a grin and shook her head. "No, it's true. Been clean two months now."
Gemma lifted a brow and grinned as she blew smoke out. "Wow, I'm impressed." She must have read the look on Dawn's face because she reached out and patted her leg. "No, I mean it. That's fucking impressive, especially considering how you looked the last time that I saw you. And you did it on your own, without help from the family, which you didn't have to do by the way. We would have helped you out."
Dawn nodded. "I know that, but Harmony helped enough just taking Max. I didn't feel right asking for more than that at the time."
They were both silent for a moment before Gemma spoke again. "About Max... you planning on trying to get him back?"
Dawn shook her head and grinned. "Nah, he's good with Harmony. I may be his mother, but she's his mom now. That's the important part. I'll always love him, but he'll just know me as Aunt Dawn, and that's the way it should be."
Gemma just nodded as Dawn lit another cigarette. "School?" Dawn nodded. "What for?"
Dawn blew out smoke and shrugged bashfully. "I want to be a social worker. Help people like me."
Gemma's eyes widened and she smiled approvingly. "No shit?" When Dawn just nodded, Gemma slapped her on the leg and chuckled. "Well, good for you, baby. If you need a job in the meantime, I can always use help in the office. I can work around your school schedule."
Dawn nodded and smiled. "I would like that, thanks."
Gemma stood up and nodded. "No problem, sweetheart. If you need anything else, you tell us, ok? You can start tomorrow or the next day if you like."
Gemma leaned over and kissed her on top of the head before walking back inside. Dawn sat staring out into the dark of the lot, lost in thought. She knew better than anyone else what kind of mess she had made of her life, and now she was trying to clean it up.
Dawn shook her head at herself. No, she was going to clean it up. No more trying. She was ready to learn from her past mistakes and history, and move forward a better person for it. She blew out a slow breath as she looked up at the stars overhead. She was so intent on the constellations that she didn't hear the clubhouse door open and close, or the footsteps coming closer to where she was sitting. She didn't know that she was no longer alone until she heard the now familiar raspy voice of the club enforcer.
"You ok? Making a lot of changes."
Dawn grinned over at the taller man as he sat down beside her and lit a cigarette. "Yeah, I'm good. Change is a good thing."
Happy just nodded and stared out at the lot for a while before finally looking her way. "What was your drug of choice?"
Dawn lifted a brow and looked at him, wondering where that question had come from. Since they met, this was the most he had talked to her and she was a little surprised. He came off as a man of few words, but Dawn would bet anything that there were a million things running around in his mind. She was reminded of a saying that her mother used to say-"Still waters run deep."
"Heroin."
She watched as Happy winced and whistled through his teeth, making her smirk. "Damn, little girl. That's some heavy shit." He motioned to her flannel covered arms. "Got scars?"
Dawn nodded but crossed her arms over her chest almost protectively. "Yeah, but I don't show them to anyone."
Happy looked at her and she felt like he was trying to prod his way into her soul. "Why? You ashamed of them?"
Dawn's lips twisted into an uncomfortable smile. "Wouldn't you be?"
Happy shrugged and removed the toothpick from between his lips and threw it on the ground. "Nope. Look, I can cover them for you with tats, or you can wear them with pride. I'd pick the latter myself."
Dawn looked at him wide-eyed. "You'd be proud of being a junkie?"
Happy gave her a small smirk and shook his head. "No, little girl. I'd be proud that I survived that shit and came through to the other side. That takes balls, Dawn. You don't ever have to be ashamed of who and what you are, not with me and not here. We all have our own scars." He tilted his head toward the clubhouse. "Go get the keys off your dad and I'll give you a ride out to Harmony's place. It's a nice night for a ride in the country."
As Happy pulled up in front of Harmony's house and cut the engine, Dawn found herself sorry to see the ride end. She didn't really want to admit to it, but she liked the feel of Happy in her arms. She shook her head at her own foolishness as she got off the bike. He was a friend of her dad's and just being nice. She needed to remember that.
She turned to the door but was stopped by Happy speaking from his position on his motorcycle.
"Gem said you're gonna work in the garage office starting tomorrow. I'll pick you up around eight."
Dawn tilted her head and gave him a small grin. "You don't have to. I'll just get a ride in with Harmony."
Happy just shook his head and smirked as he hit the starter. "I got you, little girl. Eight o'clock. Be ready to go."
Before Dawn could offer another protest, he roared away from the house and was soon out of sight. She shook her head and sighed to herself as she unlocked the front door and stepped into the dark house. Apparently, she now had an escort.
