Going Home.

Chapter 2

After spending Saturday packing and cleaning my apartment, we spend Sunday sightseeing before getting ready for the truck to arrive. Both Kitty & Roo wanted to get home quick, they love to come visit me but they miss their home and the club all the time. I can understand why, it has been theirs and my life for as long as we can remember.

As the moving truck pulls away, I take one last look at my place and feel Roo slipping his his arm around my shoulders.

"Where one journey ends, another one starts."He says as we both take one last look and make our way to the car. Eddie is bawling his eyes out, while Evie is trying to keep up a brave face while Roo is helping Kitty into the car.

"Now, don't you two be strangers." Roo says as he hugs Evie and tries to shake Eddie but it looks like I am going to have to pry him off. I put my purse in the car and make my way over to them.

"I'll miss you guys. I promise to still be ready for Milan and I'm only a phone call or Facetime away." I say as I feel my tears coming on. Evie starts a quiet blubbering as she hugs me and then Eddie can't wait, as he crushes us both from the side. 

I hear Roo clear his throat and I give them both a quick kiss as I make my way back to the car and jump in.  As we head out onto the road, I look back at them both, waving like lunatics from the sidewalk.

#####

As we cross the boarder into Queensland, I start to feel nervous, we only have 2 more hours until we get home. There are so many thoughts going through my mind. I know Roo had said that literally not much has changed but it has been a few years and I wonder how this will all play out.

My mind drifts to Ryker, the man that I left behind and I start to internally feel myself get worked up. I had had many discussions with myself on what I would do when I first see him. I even practised with Eddie and Evie on how to keep tabs on my facial expressions. They had been pressuring me to come home with me but their lives are in the city and as much as I am already missing them, I'm turning over a new leaf and following through on my plan.

I take a few deep breaths and take in all the scenery while scrolling through my emails. I think a lot of people are a bit shocked as after my last show, I had advised that I was going to take some time off. I've been getting constant emails, well wishing me along with some brands wanting a few 'one off' jobs but I need to focus on my career right now, maybe later.

"Look up Honeybear!" Roo shouts as we pull off the highway. I see the 'Welcome to Redland Bay' turn off sign with a larger billboard of the current town mayor, letting everyone know that she is running for the hot seat again.

"OMG, it's elections already. I swear the Mayor has her own private fountain of youth. She never looks a day over 30." I say as I keep my eyes out for all the signs.

We drive through town and Kitty is pointing out all the changes that had happened since I had left.

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As I enter the club house all the memories of this place come flooding back. I see that Roo must had been keeping in contact with Xavier as he has made sure that everyone is here.  Ariel, my best friend in the whole wide world, springs from her chair and rushes over to me. She has always been hesitant with initiating hugs as she lacks the ability to pick up in social cues, so I grab her and hug the shit out of her.

"OMG Ariel, I have missed you so much." I say to her.
"How? We only spoke like 3 times today?" Ariel replies "but I did miss you being in person in frount of me."

She always comes out with the most honest answers probably why she is one of the best lawyers in the state. Ariel moves away so that she is clear of the onslaught of people who are about to tackle me.

"Mia, oh how I have missed you." Carrie says as she grabs me. She is in tears. Where Ariel lacks in emotions, Carrie makes up for it. Slater, her husband, comes up behind her and tries to give me a hug while prying his wife off me.

"Carrie, I'm sure that Mia is not going anywhere, so you don't have to root her to the ground." He says as he struggles to pry her off. "Welcome back Princess." He adds. Bastard always calls me that. I stick my tongue out at him but I say "I missed you too." He smirks and then directs Carrie over to a table.

I sit at the bar next to Ariel. She has her arms on a tea towel and as I touch the bar I can see why, they must have had a big night last night cause the bar felt a little sticky.

"Hey Ariel." Xavier says coming over. "Here is the money I owe you. Thank you so much for helping Brett. His kids are all set up now with his mother."

"No worries at all Xavier. Did you want to hold onto this in case we need it again? I have more trust in you guys then I do my local bank." Ariel replies.

I hear a chuckle and see Blaze is behind Xavier.
"Seriously love, if you keep throwing your money around, people might start to talk." Blaze says directed at Ariel.
"Why? What will they say?" Ariel says she starts to panic.
Blaze just laughs and replies. "Ariel, you are one clueless person."
"That's a bit harsh, you don't know me Blaze. Why would you make that assumption?" Ariel is starting to get agitated. Xavier pushes Blaze to go away saying "go and cause trouble somewhere else" and then he turns back to Ariel.

"I've told you before Ariel to not listen to him, you know he doesn't think before he speaks." Xavier looks like he wants to comfort her but he knows better than to out rightly touch her without asking.

"I just don't want him to start insinuating that it's bribe money or that I'm paying you guys off. This club has a reputation to uphold and it does not need people making assumptions." Ariel responds.

"Oh Ariel, I don't think anyone would believe Blaze even if he did go and spruce to the cops." I jump in. Last thing we need is Ariel panicking that something she is doing would affect the club.

Xavier then gives me a big hug which lifts me off my feet and says "I'm so glad that you are back kiddo."
I actually start to feel some tears coming on. I grew up with the Tanner boys being my pseudo big brothers and I start to realise how much I've missed of them. I squeeze him and say "I'm glad to be home". He puts me down and heads over to his brother.

I catch up with everyone and as the night goes on I find that I've had a few drinks and really need to use the bathroom.

I push past the line up for the local bar toilets and head to the ones out the back near the compound rooms that I know are hardly used due to the fact that they are in a hidden part of the compound that connects to the clubhouse.

As I go in I catch Blaze walking back up to his room with a pretty little thing that he has picked up from the bar, he gives me a wink and then continues down the hallway towards the single rooms.

####
I come out of the bathroom and as I raise my head I run smack into him - Ryker Mason.

I step back and take him in.  In the couple of years that I had been away, he has not changed, just kind of filled out. His hair is still a sandy blonde, short back and sides and his eye, his eyes are still as blue as the sky that I feel myself getting lost in them again. I shake my head to snap myself out of it. He hurt me, he left me, he IS HOLDING A BABY.

"Mia, welcome back." Ryker says in a sheepish voice.
I don't acknowledge what he says. I can't take my eyes off the child. He is small, probably no older then 2 and he has the same sandy blonde hair. The boy stirs and opens his eyes. His eyes are blue, the same blue as Ryker.

My mind is swimming. Is this boy Rykers? Maybe he is a nephew or cousin's child. But the more that I try to rationalize this in my head, the more that I realize that this child could quite possibly be Rykers child.

I turn in my heel and run back down the hallway. I can feel the tears running down my face as I exit the clubhouse and turn up the street.