Playlist: Juke Jam (feat. Towkio & Justin Bieber) - Chance the Rapper

6 YEARS OLD

"MAMA!" You screamed, running with tears spilling from your eyes.

Happy tore out of the room after you, swiping for your pigtails as they flew in the wind behind you. You ran into the kitchen were you found both your mother's sitting across from each other enjoying a warm drink.

"What's wrong baby?" Your mom asked.

You stopped dead in your tracks and Happy caught up, grabbing a fistful of your hair and tugging. Your head was yanked sideways and you screamed, arms flailing.

"MIJO!" Mama Lowman shouted, "Let go of her now."

Happy reluctantly let go of your hair and you spun around smacking him a couple dozen times. Happy yelled, shoving you backwards which caused you to fall onto your bum. You burst into tears and Mama Lowman grabbed Happy.

"What's the meaning of this, mijo?" Mama Lowman questioned her son.

Your mom helped you up and you began spilling the entire situation, "We were playing Barbie's and Happy got mad and ripped Princess Buttercup's head off." You flung the decapitated Barbie around as you explained, "He said it wasn't fair that he always had to be Princess Bubbleyum!"

Both your mothers widened their eyes at the doll in your hands. They couldn't decide whether it was hilarious or disturbing. Neither of you seemed phased by the beheaded toy. You flung it around like it was a rag and Happy seemed complacent with the damage he'd done. Mama Lowman glanced at your mom, worried that just maybe Happy was more like his father than either of them thought. Happy scrunched up his face and stuck his tongue out at you.

"I saw that little man." Mama Lowman warned, "Say sorry to Y/N. Those are her toys. Not yours."

Happy scuffed his foot along the floor and mumbled, "I'm sorry."

"Good." Your mom spoke, "Now you two go clean up the living room. It's almost time for us to go home."

You strutted away from your mother, head held high while Happy slumped along behind you. He always hated getting caught teasing you.

When the two of you entered the living room, you spun on your heel and pointed the headless doll at him, "You're not my boyfriend anymore."

You planted both hands on your hips and poked them out with added emphasis. He scowled and stomped down on Princess Bubbleyum. You gasped, surging forward and shoving him. He shoved you back and pulled your hair again. You screamed causing both your parents to dash into the room after you. Mama Lowman pulled Happy away from you and your mom pulled you away from Happy. Both of you were crying at this point and too angry to look at one another.

10 YEARS OLD

"Happy Lowman," Mr. Smith called from the front of the room.

Both of you snapped up from the piece of paper you were huddled around. You both fought the smiles on your faces, assuming you were about to be reprimanded for not paying attention in class.

"Lowman, the Principal would like to see you." The teacher informed him.

Happy glanced at you and you reached out, grabbing his hand. He clenched his teeth together but stood up, slinging his backpack over his shoulder and made his way to the front of the class. Every single student stared at him, whispering behind their hands. The rumours starting almost immediately. You jumped up, prepared to follow after but Mr. Smith stopped you.

"Sit down Y/N." He said in a stern tone, "Your name isn't Happy."

You gulped and sank back into your seat. All the kids in the class gazed at you, snickering and your face turned beet red.

~(xXx)~

You were the first one out of class, booking it down the hallway. Teachers and hall monitors yelled after you, telling you to slow down but you didn't listen. You skid to a stop when you reached the office and flung the door open. Puffing for breath you asked the secretary where you could find Happy. The old woman smiled at you, pointing you in the direction down the hall to the seats outside the principal's office. You spotted Happy immediately, slouching in the chair, his bag on the floor and his hand folded in his lap. You jogged over, slipping into the seat next to him. He didn't look up but you knew he knew you were there. You dropped your bag onto the floor at your feet and leaned in closer to Happy. In the background you heard a phone ring.

The old secretary answered, "Yes…. She's already here…. They really are joined at the hip…."

At the sound of the receiver being hung up the two of you glanced up to find the Principal opening his door.

"Mr. Lowman?" Happy stood up, "Y/N's mom is going to come pick the two of you up." Happy nodded and sat back down, his eyes cast to the floor. Then the principal addressed you, "Y/N? Happy's mom has fallen ill. You're both going to visit her in the hospital."

Your eyes popped open but you kept your panic to yourself. You nodded your understanding and the Principal turned around going to speak with the Secretary. You gazed at Happy, seeing the turmoil in his expression. You tried to remember something that his mother did to comfort him and could only come up with one thing. You reached out, wrapping one hand around his two folded ones. He peered up at you and you gave him a solid nod.

"It's going to be ok." You reassured him. He began to shake his head and you could see the strain in his eyes; the moisture welling. You squeezed his hands tighter, "You're my best friend Happy. I'll do anything for you."

16 YEARS OLD

You slammed your fists against the frame of the screen door. The sound of your hands hitting the door was keeping you from exploding from anger.

"Mija?" Mama Lowman's face showed from around the corner.

"Mama," You panted, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause so much ruckus." Without much of an explanation you broke down, a few tears spilling over.

Mama Lowman pulled you inside, "Nonsense, mija. You're welcome here anytime."

You sniffled as she hugged you but your moment was cut short when another set of footsteps came stomping down the hall.

"Ma?" Happy called, entering the front room from the hallway, "What's all that noise?"

He registered as his mother held you close to her and raised an eyebrow. You'd been here a few hours ago getting ready for a party. He couldn't figure out what you were doing back here. You spotted Happy and let out a deep sigh. You detached yourself from Mama Lowman and raced towards Happy, throwing yourself into his arms. He caught you, staring at his mother wide-eyed. His mother shrugged and tiptoed off in the other direction leaving the two of you alone.

"Y/N?" Happy mumbled.

Hearing him say your name caused you to break down even further. You squeezed your arms around his middle and wept. Feeling awkward and unsure of what to do, he patted your back with gentle taps, waiting for you to calm down. Once you'd gotten most of the stress out of your body, you glanced up and he motioned with a tilt to his head towards the living room. With his arm still tight around your shoulders, the two of you shuffled down the hall and fell into the couch. You curled your body against his, adjusting ever so slightly so that your head was resting just below his shoulder.

"Gonna tell me what happened?" He asked, loosening his hold around you, letting you get comfortable.

You sniffled, "Fucking Derek happened." You felt Happy's body stiffen. He hated your boyfriend. You burrowed closer to him, "Asshole hounded me for months to sleep with him…" You paused for a minute, worried that Happy might not want to know this but eventually pressed on, "I finally gave in. It was shitty too. I think he's lied to everyone about how many people he's slept with. I think we were both virgins." You heard Happy's teeth grind together and figured it was best to move on, "Anyways tonight at the party, not even a week later, and he had his tongue down Valerie's throat. She's supposed to be my friend!"

Happy remained frozen solid and you knew exactly what he was planning to do. Since his mother got sick in 5th grade, he'd been on a downhill slope. People still gave you strange glances when they saw the two of you together. The prep and the dropout. Not that he'd dropped out though, it was just a label they'd given him under the assumption he wouldn't make it to graduation. You got tired of explaining the situation to people and just settled for the rumours. He was your best friend and you didn't care what anyone else thought. The older you two became, the more he lashed out with violence. He was a teenager with a chip the size of North America on his shoulder. He started running with some bad kids and getting into trouble. You were always there to pull him out at the last second but it still worried you. The day you confided in him about liking Derek he blew up at you. Now you understood why he hated him. Derek was an asshole. Still though, that didn't mean Happy needed to add another person to his list of those pummeled.

You pulled back a bit, making him look at you, "Don't do anything drastic." He blinked and you narrowed your eyes, "Promise me Hap."

He didn't answer you, all he did was stare daggers at you. You shook your head, wrapping both your legs and arms around him, "I'm not going to let you get into trouble over me. I'll keep you stuck here on the couch." For a brief second you watched as his demeanour relaxed and he gave you one of his private smiles. You grinned at him, winning this round, "Up for a movie?"

He nodded and you untangled yourself from his body. He got up and picked your favourite off the shelf, pushing it into the VHS player. You grabbed the throw off of the back of the couch and Happy settled back into his recently vacated seat. You laid your head down in his lap and cocooned yourself in the blankets. Happy slouched back, straightening his legs in front of him and ran his arm along the back of the couch. You sighed, you loved Happy. He was the best friend you could ever have.

~(xXx)~

Happy glanced down and knew you were sound asleep. He manoeuvred himself around, catching your head in his hands and laying it back down on the couch with a tender touch. He knew you'd eventually fall asleep. Every time the two of you sat down to watch a movie it always ended this way. All he needed to do was wait out your eventual slumber. He stalked back down the hall, grabbing his boots and shoving his feet into them. His mom noticed his departure from her spot in the kitchen.

"Where're you going mijo?" She asked.

He swallowed, ready to kill, "To find her pendejo boyfriend."

His mother shook her head, "Be careful mijo. Derek is from the other side of town. You don't want his father coming after you."

Happy rolled his eyes, "He deserves hell."

His mother sighed as Happy stomped through the door and down the steps. She stopped trying to hinder him long ago. It was obvious from an early age that he was his father's son. He did everything in his power to keep the woman in his life protected. It was in his genes. She got up from her spot at the kitchen table and peered down the hall into the living room. She could see the light from the TV illuminating the dark room and your body resting comfortably asleep on the couch. She shook her head, wondering when the two of you would finally admit that you were in love with each other.

18 YEARS OLD

"Wrench." Happy called, his hand stretched out in your direction.

Without looking up you grabbed the wrench and placed it in his palm.

"How's this?" You asked, reading out the essay answer to one of the application questions.

He nodded along as you went, the sound of metal clanging against metal filling the garage. When you finished reading your answer you glanced up at him. His eyebrows were creased together as he concentrated on trying to build his motorcycle from scraps. You waited, knowing that he was focussing on the two things simultaneously. Once he was done he handed the wrench back to you and you placed it back in his toolbox. He grabbed the rag from his shoulder and wiped his face down.

"Sounds good." He comments. You stare at him, wanting to know if he had any edits. He gazed over at you, "Where's this one too?"

You pouted, "Nothing? No edits? Its fine the way it is?"

He smirked, "Stop worrying. It's fine."

You took a deep breath in and he raised his eyebrows up at you. You still hadn't answered his question. You averted your gaze, looking everywhere but at him and chewed on your bottom lip. You began tapping your pencil against the text book on your knees. It was your nervous tick and Happy knew it. He walked around his bike and laid his hand over yours, stopping the incessant tapping.

"What school is this application for?" He asked again.

You closed your eyes and bowed your head. "Seattle…" You mumbled the answer so low that you weren't sure he even heard you make a noise.

"What?" His fingers squeezed around your hand.

You sighed and looked up at him, "Seattle. It has the best Trauma program in the country."

He stared at you for a long moment and you fought with the frown that was trying to form on your face. You rolled your lips together, hoping it'd stop the muscles in your cheeks from drooping. Happy let go of you and you felt a chill hit your hand. This was it. This was the fight you were waiting for. The fight where he tells you you're abandoning him. You gulped but noticed as Happy opened up his arms.

"Come here." He demanded.

You shivered at his tone and stood. The two of you stood across from each other and he slouched, rolling his eyes. He waves his hands at you, indicating for you to come closer. You inched forward and wrapped your arms around him. He squeezed you back, tucking your hair behind your ear.

"You're my best friend." He murmured, "Nothing will change that."

Your entire body softened against his and you felt his smile against your head. All your worries washed away. He wasn't mad. You heard horror stories about people who were childhood friends but had irreparable falling outs when University came into question. Most people couldn't cope, or keep the relationship strong when they went off in directions of their lives. You were overjoyed that Happy wasn't going to make this harder for you. You felt as Happy ran a few fingers through your hair and reveled at the feeling. It brought you back to that awkward party a few months ago. The two of you had been incredibly drunk and enjoying one of the last senior parties there would be. You made the mistake of kissing him, thinking he felt the same way for you but he quickly shut you down. In this moment you were just happy to have him as your friend, if nothing else. You loved him, but maybe he didn't love you.

Startling you out of your thoughts, he let go of you and said, "Read your answer to me one more time."

~(xXx)~

He stood there with you in his arms and he fought the urge to place a kiss on your head. He was still pissed at himself for not pursuing you after you kissed him but he did the right thing. You were drunk and feeling nostalgic. He didn't want to complicate the friendship you had. He resolved to try if you remembered the night the next day but you never brought it up again, so he never made a move. He knew from the moment you told him about Derek that he was in love with you. It was why he freaked out but he also knew that you didn't see him in the same light. He resigned himself to that fact. If you didn't love him, that was fine. He was perfectly ok with just having you as his best friend. He'd take that over nothing any day. In order to stop himself from pining over you too long, he decided to have you recite your answers again. He wanted to make sure you got into the program you were gunning for.

21 YEARS OLD

"Tell me about the weather." Happy asked over the phone.

You rolled your eyes, "What's there to know? It's raining… again."

He chuckled into the receiver, "Come on. That's nothing. Go to the door, open it and describe the rain to me."

You groaned, "You're a pain in my ass Lowman." You peeled yourself up off the couch and trudged towards the door, "How is that you can annoy me from a thousand miles away."

"It's my job in life, Buttercup." He laughed.

You unlocked your door and pulled it open, "Whatever Bubbleyum."

Last year sometime – when he came to visit you – you spent the weekend reminiscing on when you were kids and he brought up the time you broke up with him over the Barbie incident. Since that day you'd taken to call each other the names of your Barbie's when he called.

You heard the roll in his eyes as he spoke, "So…. The rain?"

"You're being oddly persistent." You mentioned.

He shrugged, "It's been really sunny here lately. I need a change of scenery."

You shook your head and peered through your screen door, "Alright it's pretty dark out. Dark grey sky and also nearing 8 at nig – " You stopped talking noticing a dark figure standing at the end of your driveway.

"What's wrong?" Happy's voice sounded from the phone, noticing your abrupt stop.

You covered the receiver and whispered, "There's a man watching my house."

"What?" Happy raged, "Describe him to me."

"Hap!" You strained, "Why can't I just close the door and call the cops?"

"They'll ask you for a description, now tell me what this asshole looks like." He demanded.

You swore and then inched forward to try and make out the looming figure at the end of your driveway. You couldn't make much out.

"I can't really see him," You explained. "It looks like he's wearing a leather jacket or something and jeans."

"Turn the outside light on." He suggested.

Before you could reach out for the switch the man began walking up your driveway. You hissed into the phone, "He's coming closer."

"The light, Y/N." Happy persisted, "Get a good look at him."

You flicked the light on and screamed at the top of your lungs. You dropped the phone on to the floor and flung the screen open.

"YOU'RE AN ASSHOLE!" You shouted from your front porch.

You heard his laugh echo around you. He jumped up the steps two at a time and stood in front of you, soaked to the core.

"What the fuck Lowman? How long have you been standing out here?" You threw yourself into his arms, reveling in the feeling of his solid form.

He shrugged, "Since I called."

"That was an hour ago." You blanched.

He smirked at you, "You kept refusing to tell me about the weather."

You smacked his shoulder and ushered him into your house. You took off down the hall and grabbed two large towels. When you came back around, you tossed him one and he began drying himself off. You hopped up onto the counter of your open kitchen and noticed the leather vest he was wearing.

You lifted your finger and spun it around, indicating for him to turn, "Let me see."

He smiled and turned his back to you. You knew he'd been prospecting but you didn't know he'd finally earned is 'top rocker' as he referred to it. You gazed at the fresh leather and then read Sons of Anarchy Tacoma.

Your eyes widened, "Tacoma?" He nodded, gazing over his shoulder at you. You opened your mouth, eyes narrowed in the slightest, "What does that mean?"

He spun back to face you, "It means I'm part of the Tacoma charter. It means I'm closer to you."

You squealed and jumped off the counter and into his arms. You wrapped your legs around his hips and he spun around.

"Oh my god!" You grinned, "This is so exciting. What about Mama?"

He shrugged, "She's been in remission since 10th grade."

You clapped and slid back down to the floor, "I thought you were aiming for Charming."

He tilted his head, reaching for your hand and entwining your fingers in his, "Someone needs to look out for you, Buttercup.

27 YEARS OLD

You stumbled through the crowd, sweat droplets covering your forehead. You heard the shouts of the three men coming after you and you panicked even harder. Your heart thundered in your chest and you fought the urge to start crying. You needed to find a safe place to wait this out. You saw the line to the bathroom and completely bypassed it. You shoved the door open and kicked out the couple banging in the shower. They screamed at you but you continued to shove them out the door. Once they were through, you slammed the door shut and locked it. You crawled onto of the toilet seat and fished around in your handbag for your cell phone. You found it and dialed the only number you ever needed to memorize. You waited as it rang, tapping your fingers against the second storey window.

You mumbled, "Come on."

"Yeah?" He finally answered.

"Happy?" You whispered.

"What's wrong?" He sensed your tone immediately.

You started crying, your leg bouncing up and down, "Where are you?"

Whatever his answer was, it was drowned out by the pounding against the bathroom door. You squeaked in terror and dropped the phone. You swore, scrambling down onto the ground and pressing your back against the wall, picking up the phone and pressing it into your ear.

"What's going on, Y/N?" Happy's rage coming through the phone.

You gulped, "Some guy thought that because I came with him to a party it immediately meant sex."

"What did he do?" Happy seethed.

"Nothing! He and his friends tried to corner me and I ran away. I've locked myself in the bathroom." You explained.

"What's the address?" Happy asked. You gave it to him and we went silent for a moment before you heard as he ordered a few people around, "Good. Stay there. I'm coming to get you."

~(xXx)~

He had Donut and Lorca follow him to the address you gave him. It was some white collar household with a bunch of rowdy hospital residents hanging out the rafters. He parked his bike out front while the other members followed suit. The three of them stalked up the front door and kicked it open. Some drunk jock type blocked Happy and held a hand up.

"You can't come in here, its private property." The asshole slurred.

Happy pulled out his Glock and cocked it, "Try and stop me."

There was an immediate hush over the crowd and everyone gravitated away from the three Sons.

Lorca called out, "Where's the bathroom?"

A tiny woman next to him pointed down the hall and Happy stalked away in that direction. There was still a line waiting to get in and Happy was relieved it was still locked. He rapped against the closed door.

"Y/N." He muttered, "It's Hap."

Without a moment to spare he heard the scramble from the other side and then the door handle jiggle. You peaked through the door and he gazed at you. You ripped it open and ran to him. With his gun still brandished and you under his arm, he began leading you through the silent crowd. Donut and Lorca kept a secure perimeter around the two of you. Once he reached the living room he paused.

He looked down at you, "Which one was it?"

You glared at his gun and then nodded over to the asshole who tried to stop Happy from coming inside in the first place. You watched with sickening glee when Happy, Lorca and Donut all pointed their guns at him.

"So much as glance at her again and this won't be the last you see of us." Happy threatened.

32 YEARS OLD

Happy burst through your front door, startling both you and Derek. He scowled at Derek and then rounded on you.

"When were you going to tell me?" He bellowed.

You straighten up, sizing up to him, "When I thought you could handle it like an adult."

He scoffed, "Really Y/N? This prick? Don't you remember what he did in high school?"

"Hey!" Derek yelled back, "I'm standing right here."

Happy flipped him off and you screamed back, "We're in our thirties now Hap. You think people can't change? Derek isn't the same asshole sixteen year old – " You turned to him, "Sorry hunny." He shrugged and let it slide.

"Fuck that!" Happy shook his head, "You're just using him as a scapegoat. You're scared of being alone."

You pulled back and slapped Happy clear across the face, "How dare you. You're supposed to be my best friend."

Happy backed away from you, a look of pure fury on his face. He clenched his teeth together and you immediately felt the need to apologize. You didn't mean to lash out. He watched the words form on your mouth and he held up his hand.

"It's done." He announced.

You shook your head, "No. We need to deal with this like the adults that we are. Derek and I are getting married."

Happy rolled his lips together, his teeth grinding together. He shook his head, "I can't accept that."

You swallowed. You knew that would be his answer. It was why you didn't tell him. You knew he wasn't ok with the fact that you'd started dating Derek again. It was all you could do. Happy had never made any kind of move with you, always just treating you like one of the guys. It broke your heart and you moved on. Derek was nice, nicer than he was in high school. Happy turned around, stalking back towards your front door.

"If you walk out that door, you walk out of my life… forever." You warned him.

He reached for the screen and gazed at you over his shoulder. You gulped, seeing the resignation in his eyes.

"Hap." You whispered shaking your head. He pushed the door open and walked through. "HAPPY!" You screamed, tears falling from your eyes. You attempted to run after him but Derek grabbed your arm and pulled you into his arms. You wailed as you heard Happy's Harley roar to life and speed away. You just lost your best friend. How could he be so heartless?

Derek patted your back, "Don't worry about him Y/N. He was always good for nothing anyways."

You squeezed your eyes closed, pissed at Derek's comment but more distraught at the fact that Happy couldn't be there for you. He was your everything.

42 YEARS OLD

You dropped the ring into the envelope. Derek had asked for it back. You were perfectly fine with that. The papers had been drawn, signed and processed. It was over. You were officially divorced. You couldn't help the nagging feeling in the back of your mind, like someone was saying I told you so. The first few years had been amazing. Derek was loving, catering and attentive. It wasn't until you discovered his drinking problem that things got out of hand. The more he drank the more abusive he became. You warned him from the get-go that if he ever laid a hand on you, you'd be done with him. He heeded your warning, at least for a few years. About a year ago, he came home rip roaring drunk and found you going through an old photo album. One that was solely pictures of you and Happy as kids. Derek flipped. He always had an inkling that you and Happy had a thing, even though it was untrue. He yelled and screamed at you. You yelled and screamed right back. It eventually ended up with Derek hauling off and punching you in the face. He regretted it immediately but you warned him. You packed up your essentials and made a point to bring the photo album with you. You took pictures of the bruise on your face and filed for divorce the next day. Things had been quiet for you – up until you received a voicemail from Derek, saying he's found someone and wants the ring back. You didn't call him back. You knew he was still local, found his address and would mail it back to him.

You grabbed the nearest sweater to you and got into your car, setting the envelope down on the passenger's seat. You drove down your street to the mailbox and dropped the envelope in. Good riddance. Now it was officially done. No more memories of your greatest mistake. You got back into the car and turned on the ignition. For the last year, there was only one person you could think of. One person who you needed more than ever. You checked the level of your gas tank and hoped that ten years wasn't too late.

~(xXx)~

You drove around Tacoma with absolutely no idea where the clubhouse was. You were at a complete loss. Happy always came to you – you never went to him. You realized now just how much he did for you. You always knew you loved him but maybe, just maybe he reciprocated. You were an idiot. You drove around for another hour, mindless and gazing at all the shops when you spotted a line of Harley's parked outside of a bar. You inhaled, that could be them. You made an illegal U-turn and pulled into the parking lot. You were still donned in your scrubs, having never actually changed when you got home. You pulled your white knit sweater around you and walked up to the entrance.

When you got inside, the entire bar was empty, except for the woman at the bar. You paused in the doorway but ultimately decided to not back out now.

"Hi there." You greeted.

The woman stopped washing the beer glasses and peered up at you, "Can I help you?"

You furrowed your brow at the attitude in her tone but shook it off, "Yeah actually. I'm looking for Happy."

The woman's eyes lit up with what looked like jealousy and she narrowed her gaze at you, "Who's asking for him?"

You frowned, "Uh tell him Buttercup is looking for him."

Maybe if you used his old pet name for you he'd be more inclined to see you. The woman on the other side of the counter poked her hip out before sighing and sauntering off into the back room. You sat at the bar alone, staring at all the paraphernalia. This was definitely a biker joint.

"Hello?" A foreign voiced called out and you spun around.

You were hoping for Happy but you knew the voice didn't belong to him. You were met by a blond man with spiked hair. You visibly deflated at seeing the other man and he noticed.

He raised one eyebrow at you, "Buttercup?"

"Yeah…" You sighed.

He came up next to you and sat down. The woman appeared behind the bar again and placed a fresh beer in front of the blond.

"Hap's not here right now." He informed you.

You frowned, "Do you know where I can find him?"

He eyed you warily for a second, "He's been helping out down in Charming. Probably going to transfer Nomad soon to be closer to his mom."

You swallowed, "How is his mom?"

"Who are you?" The blond retorted.

You shrugged, "Just an old friend. Forgotten by now I assume."

"She's sick. Cancer." The blond divulged.

You ground your teeth together wondering how bad it actually was. You didn't know the kind of money that Happy made, but you knew it wouldn't be enough to cover the insurance costs for his mom. You folded your hand over your mouth and then flipped it the other way. You needed to help out. Happy may not want you back in his life, but Mama Lowman still meant a lot to you.

"I – uh – have to go." You stood up and made your way to the door.

The blond chased after you, catching the swinging door, "What about Happy?"

You shrugged, pulling the car door open, "He probably doesn't remember me. No big deal."

You slid into the driver's seat and turned on the ignition. You had anonymous bill payments to set up.

46 YEARS OLD

Kozik slung his arm around Happy's shoulders, "I can't believe this is it man." Happy gave him a shrug. "You're like my best friend.

Happy cringed at the expression. He had a best friend once.

"I'll be around, brother." Happy noted.

Kozik sighed, "I know… but Nomad? Really?"

"My ma needs me." Hap answered.

Kozik picked up his tenth beer of the night and downed it in a single gulp.

He slammed the glass down on the bar and gripped Hap's shoulder, "You're not gonna forget me right?"

"You're thinking of transferring to Charming." Hap raised an eyebrow, "You're not even giving me the chance to try." Kozik burst into laughter and Hap cracked a smirk, "What makes you think that anyway."

Kozik shrugged, "Some chick came looking for you a while back and mentioned that you didn't remember her anymore."

Happy's smirk dropped from his face and he fisted Kozik's shirt in his hand, "What did she say her name was?"

Both Lorca and Donut saw the altercation and came forward. They met the woman once, on the night they accompanied Hap to Seattle. They never got anything more out of him about her though. They did notice when he stopped making trips to Seattle, and how he buried himself in crow eaters. That woman meant something to him.

"Fuck if I know!" Kozik scoffed, "Uh – shit! Um – I think she said Buttercup?"

Happy let go of Kozik and Koz stumbled backwards, "What did you say to her?"

"Told her you weren't around, that you were staying closer to home because of your mom." Kozik shrugged, "She left almost right after she walked in."

Hap ran his tongue along his teeth, "How long?"

Kozik widened his eyes, "Fuck Hap! I don't… Four years or something."

Happy shook his head. All the paid in full bills finally making sense. You were interfering. He turned his back on his brothers, and stomped out of his own transfer party.

~(xXx)~

He pulled onto a residential street and up to your old house. He didn't see your car but he most definitely saw Derek's. He stalked up to the front door and noticed a package sitting on step. The address had been crossed off and the words FORWARD TO: and a new address and your name was written. Your maiden name. He snatched the package up and memorized the address. He drove down the street and across the city, finding the townhouse easily. He grabbed the package from the saddle bag and hopped the steps to your front door. He banged his fist against the door yelling your name.

~(xXx)~

You glanced at the clock and it flashed 2:30 AM back at you. Who the hell was at your door? You grabbed your house coat and bustled down the stairs turning on every light on your way. When you reached the front hall, you peered around the window and spotted the leather cut immediately. For a minute you were excited, until you realized that the way he was shouting your name didn't seem friendly. You immediately put your defenses up and it bothered you that he seemed to know where you lived.

You cracked the door open, "How'd you find me?"

He spun around and thrust the package towards you. You gazed down at it and swore. It pissed you off that things were still being sent to Derek's house.

"Why are you here?" You questioned him.

Your heart was thudding in your chest and you wanted to do nothing but throw yourself into his arms. You missed him. Now seeing him almost 14 years later, it physically hurt you not to touch him. You gulped and an awkward tension flowing into the air around you.

He chewed on the inside of his cheek, "You been paying for Ma's treatments?"

"That's why you're here? You're mad at me for helping you out." You demanded.

He hissed, "We don't need your help. You made it clear that I didn't mean anything to you when you married that asshole."

You ripped the door open and stood out in the cold night, "That's a lie! You walked away from me. I wanted to work things out, you didn't give me a chance."

He slammed his fist into the brick wall beside your head, "I didn't come here to fucking dredge up the past. As of tomorrow I'm officially Nomad. I'll be closer to Ma. We don't need your help."

An electric wave passed through the two of you and you scowled pissed off. He was being a petty child about this. You wrapped your arms around you and he stared down at you. You saw as the pain and hurt filled his gaze.

"Happy." You murmured, hoping it would calm him down.

At the sound of his name coming from your lips, his face immediately dropped into a frown and he spun around and jumped down your steps. You chased after him in your bare feet leaving your front door wide open.

"Don't do this Happy." You pleaded. "Don't let it end this way, not again."

He paused for a second, but shook his head and swung his leg over his Harley. You reached out and your hand connected with his bicep. He jerked away from your touch and your eyes welled with moisture. His reaction to you was a slap in the face. He turned the motorcycle on and flicked the kickstand up.

You burst into tears, "Please Happy." He pretended to not hear you and pulled away the curb, "Happy!" You cried out, "Don't leave like this. It's my fault. I made a mistake."

You could tell he heard everything you said by the tilt of his head. Without a glance back, he revved the throttle and soared down the street. You screamed his name incessantly, running after him. He never slowed down. You reached the end of your street, your voice hoarse from screaming and your eyes bloodshot from all the tears.

You gazed off in the direction he disappeared and whispered into the night breeze, "I love you.

49 YEARS OLD

You groaned, your hands in your hair and kicked the tire of your car. Worthless piece of shit. You knew you needed to buy a new one but had been pushing this one to the brink of its inevitable death. You glanced down at your phone and noted the time. There was only one shop and towing company open this late.

"Dammit." You exasperated, staring up at the night sky.

You'd been living in Charming for over a year now, having transferred to St. Thomas in order to be closer to Mama Lowman. You'd lived here all this time without running into any of the Sons. It helped that most of them were currently locked up. It frustrated you that it came down to this but you really had no choice but to call them. It was too far to walk home alone. You got back into your car and locked the doors, dialing the number to TM. You prayed that it wasn't Happy who picked you up.

~(xXx)~

Twenty minutes later, you spotted the large truck slowing down as it approached you. You got out of the car and waved him towards you. The guy in the truck reversed in front of you and then jumped out of the cab. You let out a breath of relief when you saw it wasn't Happy.

"What seems to be the problem?" The extremely tall and bearded man asked.

You gave him a strained grin, "It's a shit car. Probably should have scrapped it more than a decade ago."

The man glanced at the make and model of the car and shook his head, "Yeah. This might be beyond repair."

The tall man hooked up your car to his truck and the two of your climbed into the cab. You didn't say much to each other on the ride back into town. Once you passed the Welcome to Charming sign you turned to the man next you.

"You think you could drop me off at home." You instead, "I only live a block from TM. I can be there in the morning."

He shook his head, "Sorry ma'am but there's paperwork we'll need you to fill out."

You pleaded, "Please? I promise I'll be back in the morning. I'll even leave something valuable behind if you don't believe me."

He gazed at you for a minute, surprised at your unwillingness to go to TM. He pursed his lips, "I can't do that. Gotta take you back to TM."

You sighed and dropped you head backwards on the head rest, "Alright."

Shortly after giving up, you pulled into TM. Discreetly you peered around the lot and were relieved to see that it was mostly empty. No Happy in sight. You slipped out of the cab and the tall man pointed you towards the office. You breezed through the paperwork and by the time you were finished your car was only just being set back down on all four wheels. You began walking towards it to grab a few things before walking home when you spotted that familiar bald head. He was staring at your license plate. He knew you were here. He would've known just by the car model. You shook your head. You didn't need keys. You could sleep on the porch. You spun around in the other direction and began speed walking towards the back entrance of the lot.

"Y/N?" You heard his low tone call out.

You sped up, breaking into a small jog trying to get as far away as possible. This wasn't a meeting you were emotionally prepared to have. You heard his footsteps speed up behind you and you had to hold in your terrified squeal as you rounded the corner, speeding past the gate.

"Y/N!" He hollered.

You stopped immediately, not expecting to hear him yell. It wasn't something he did often. You faced front, waiting until he was directly behind you.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

You didn't turn, "My car broke down."

"No." He walked around to be face-to-face with you, "Why are you here? In Charming?"

"I transferred to St. Thomas." You noted.

"Why?" He pushed.

You creased your eyebrows together, "To be closer to you."

He licked his lips, "Why?"

"Stop asking why!" You stomped your foot in annoyance.

"Where's Derek?" He mocked.

You clenched your fists, "We got divorced, remember?"

You deliberately brought up your last meeting and saw the reminder flash through Happy's expression.

"Why" He asked again and then clarified, "Why did you get divorced?"

You didn't give him an answer.

Happy persisted, "Tell me."

You shrugged.

Happy seethed, "What happened, Y/N?"

"He hit me." You screamed, "Alright?"

"He. Hit. You?" Happy repeated through clenched teeth.

"I filed for divorce the very next day." You explained, "It was only the one time."

Happy took a few moments to compose himself and then lifted his gaze to yours. You remained steady, never backing down.

"Why are you in Charming?" He questioned.

You deflated a bit, "You've followed me everywhere Hap. It was my turn to follow you." Happy froze at your confession. Before he could argue with you, you spoke a sentence that you first said to him almost 40 years ago, "You're my best friend Happy. I'll do anything for you."

49 YEARS OLD & 3 MONTHS LATER

You had never been inside the Charming clubhouse before, but you obliged Happy. The two of you were trying. Your friendship wasn't going to rebuild itself overnight and you needed to put in the effort. That didn't mean you were comfortable. You'd both gotten to the point where you could easily talk to one another again. There were still subjects that were outright avoided, like significant others, but all in all it was progress. When he finally invited you to one of the infamous Friday night parties, you were skeptical. You heard of the debauchery they got into and you weren't entirely sure you wanted to be associated with all that. Happy didn't press the matter, he just let you know he would like it if you came. You gave in and showed up. Unfortunately for you – Happy was preoccupied with what you learned were crow eaters. You posted yourself up at the bar and nursed one beer for the majority of the night.

"Don't I know you?" Someone came up from behind you and asked. You turned around and noticed the familiar spiked blond hair. He nodded when you looked at him, "Buttercup, right?"

You sputtered, spitting out some beer, laughing. You completely forget you used your pet name when you went to Tacoma.

You smiled, "Yeah… Buttercup."

"Kozik." He introduced himself, stretching out a hand.

You took it and shook, "My real name is Y/N."

He nodded, "Where'd Buttercup come from?

"Inside joke with Happy." You mentioned.

Kozik nodded, sparing a glance to his brother who hadn't taken notice of the two of you talking just yet. Happy was clear with everyone at Church earlier in the day that they weren't allowed to hit on you. He was adamant that no one try anything. It made Kozik think. What was so special about this girl? When he saw you walk into the clubhouse, he had a bit of an inkling as to why Happy was so concerned. What he couldn't figure out was why Hap was ignoring you.

"So… You and Hap?" Kozik asked.

You sipped your beer, "Me and Hap, what?"

"Couple?" Kozik shrugged.

You chuckled, "Not anymore. I broke up with him when he ripped my Barbie's head off."

Kozik's eyes widened to the point of falling out, "How long have you known Happy?"

"Forever." You answered, "We grew up on the same street."

"Barbie's? Really?" Kozik seemed baffled.

You opened your mouth to clarify when Happy's reverb sounded from beside you, "No one wants to know that shit, Y/N."

You grinned, spinning towards him, "Aww, Bubbleyum. I think they'd love to hear who your favourite Barbie is."

Tig overheard the name and hollered, "Did you just call him Bubbleyum?"

Happy's nostrils flared and he leaned in closer, "I'm going to kill you."

You almost believed him until he pulled away and caught the ghost of a smirk on his face. A few of the boys started ripping on him while Kozik scooted in closer to you. His elbows were resting on the bar and they brushed against your forearms.

"Your single then?" He inquired.

You raised an eyebrow, "I guess."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He pushed.

You picked at the label on your beer bottle, "I'm not really all that interested in dating anymore."

Kozik smirked, "We don't have to date for me to show you a good time."

You giggle, "Are you flirting with me?"

"Maybe…" He pouted, giving his version of puppy eyes.

You slipped off your stool to stand in front of Kozik. You were about to tell him that you thought he was cute, but were cut off by a hand wrapping around your upper arm.

"Y/N." Happy's tone was harsh.

You gazed at him and he let go, stalking towards the door. You sighed – what did you do now? You followed after him and let the door slam shut behind you. As soon as you were outside, alone, he blew up.

"Every fucking time." He bellowed, "Every time we start getting to a good place, you pick up the closest guy and start pushing away from me."

You threw your hands in the air, "Oh and what do you call having all those women crawling all over you the entire time I'm here."

"Not that much different than you leading on one of my brothers." He shouted.

You screamed, "Kozik hit on me! Not the other way around." You sighed, "I can't keep playing pretend with you anymore Happy." He screwed up his face, trying to understand your argument, "I've been in love you since I was 17. Ever since that night I kissed you. You pushed me away and never looked back. I've been trying to fill that void. I just want to feel loved by someone, anyone, if that someone can't be you."

He froze, "What did you say?"

You rolled your eyes, "You heard me."

You turned your head away from him preparing to leave when his hands suddenly encased your face and his lips crashed down on yours. In your surprise you lost your balance and Happy shoved you up against the brick wall. Your hair fanned out around you and you gasped at the impact. Happy didn't give you a chance to recover, smothering you with his mouth. You moaned into him and ripped at his leather vest. You threw yourself into the passion of his embrace. You'd been dreaming about this moment for as long as you could remember. You hopped up, wrapping your legs around his hips and he grumbled with satisfaction. He pulled back briefly, both of you heaving for air.

"I love you, Y/N." He growled in your ear, "I always have."

"Shh…" You shushed him in a gentle tone, "Kiss me Happy. Love me. Be with me."

You felt the water leaking from your eyes and Happy raised a hand, wiping away the tears.

"You're mine little girl." He declared, "You've always been mine. I'm not going to waste any more time pretending that you aren't."

You yanked him closer to you, pressing your mouth against him. Every memory the two of you had together surged to the forefront of your mind. When you held his hand at 10 years old, when he held you at 16, your first and disastrous kiss, all the times he visited you in Seattle. You never dreamed in a thousand years you'd make it back to one another, you definitely didn't think you'd make it to this point. He was the love of your life. You were never letting him go.