AN: I love this show. The writing is amazing, Kurt Sutter is a freaking genius, and the characters are absolutely great. My writing is nowhere near as good as Sutter's, but I hope I've captured the characters well enough.

Opie's one of my favorites and I felt so bad for him since season one. Poor guy gets dumped on all the time so I wanted to kind of give him something good. I know there's a lot of fics out there like this I'm sure, but let me know what you think. Set just before season 4 begins and it will move along with the show after that. Comments are appreciated! Enjoy!

Chapter 1

The remaining crew sat around the club house, each sharing a shot in respect for those that were no longer with them, but were coming home soon. The rest of SAMCRO was going to be getting out of prison in about a week. Everyone was excited, they couldn't believe it.

Tara had her two boys with her. Gemma played with Thomas while Abel colored near the pool table. Lyla was sitting with Opie, while everyone told stories about their excitement.

"I heard congratulations are in order."

The new voice sounded loudly to the crew. It was foreign and it was feminine. They all turned to see a young woman walking through the front door. She smiled kindly as she pulled her sunglasses up to the top of her head, resting them in her ebony hair. Her brilliant green eyes scanned the crowd of misfits as she approached.

"Can a girl get a drink?"

"Jesus Christ." Chibs breathed in relief as he stood. "Alex girl, that you?"

Her smiled broadened and a soft giggle left her lips.

"Hey, Chibs." She laughed.

The Scot walked up to her and hugged her tightly. Alex returned the affection easily.

"Aren't you a sight fer' sore eyes." He chuckled, still squeezing her strongly before pulling back and kissing her on each cheek. "Come back at a hell o' a time."

"So I heard."

Smiling warmly, Piney approached her, too. He looped his arms around the young woman and hugged her tighter than the old man should have been capable.

"Damn it's good to see you." He chuckled.

"How's it goin', dad?"

He sighed and pulled back, kissing the top of her head and still smiling affectionately.

"Been a long time since you've called me that." He mused.

"Yeah well, blood or no." she smiled.

"Holy shit." Gemma grinned as she walked up with her hands on her hips. "The prodigal daughter returns."

"Mama Gemma, hey." Alex laughed.

"Jesus Christ," Gemma sighed. Like everyone thus far, she hugged Alex too. "It's good to see you're alive."

Alex's smile was weak, but she nodded into the woman's hair.

"Yeah. You too." They parted. "Heard about that shit last year."

"Which part?" Gemma asked sarcastically.

Alex nodded. She'd been keeping track of everything that happened with SAMCRO the past few years -at least the members she knew- and it wasn't inspiring. It did nothing but spur her desire to return home as soon as she could. It pained her that it took so long to come back, but her happiness melted it away quickly.

Gemma wrapped her arm around Alex as she guided her deeper into the bar. It was on the short trek when Alex finally looked up into the space. Her eyes fell to Opie standing near the door leading to the back rooms. His face was blank. She shifted uncomfortably for a moment. Her hands slipped into her pockets as Gemma branched off and walked over to the other 'old dogs'.

"How you been, Ope?" her nervousness touched her words.

He was stock still, more shocked it seemed than the others at the young woman's random appearance. He was about as dazed as Tara, but for a different reason. Lyla looked from her man to the stranger and back again. She was completely lost.

Opie had seen Alex come in. Recognition took hold the second he saw her eyes. Alex had changed so much in the passed few years, but not her eyes.

She was taller now, something he attributed to her boots hidden underneath her faded and torn jeans. She had the same slender build as before, the same heart-shaped face and the same dark hair, but he could tell she was different, he just couldn't pinpoint why. It was always strange how someone could look different and the same all at once.

His head was filling with conflicting thoughts, questions, and other things that threatened to give him a headache, all of which was making him do little more than stare.

"Are you just going to stand there and stare at me or something?" she asked with an uncomfortable grin.

Her words seemed to be what snapped the man out of his stupor. Without warning, the giant moved forward, pushing a chair aside on his way and grabbed the young woman. He wrapped his massive arms around her, engulfing her completely.

Opie stood upright. Alex's feet left the ground from the height difference. She hugged him tightly. She closed her eyes as tears of joy began to grow within her lids. Piney, Chibs and Gemma smiled knowingly as Opie held the young woman. Lyla, on the other hand, didn't like it at all. opie wasn't one for emotional displays, and this was that. Worse yet, it -to her- was with a stranger.

"I never thought I'd see you again." He finally sighed. Opie set Alex down, but didn't relent his hold.

"I can't run from Charming." She laughed weakly while gently held the back of his head. "Born here, die here."

He gripped her tighter than before and made her wince.

"Ope sweetie, I can't breathe."

The ones that knew the situation laughed as she patted his back and tried to get him to let her go. Reluctantly, he seemed to do just that. Before he pulled away, Opie held her cheeks in his hands and kissed the top of her head, something that made Lyla even more uncomfortable.

The large young man held his lips to her floral-smelling hair for a moment or two, filled with more relief than he'd felt in a long time. When he pulled back she smiled wide with tears lingering on her cheeks.

He took a step back from her as she wiped them from her pink cheeks. She felt infinitely better now after hugging Opie. It was after she parted with him, however, that she noticed the blond woman staring at her. Lyla had taken a few skeptical steps forward, almost reaching Opie's side completely before Alex spotted her with a glance. Her advance stopped immediately.

"Hi," she smiled warmly, "I'm Alex."

"Lyla," was about all she could manage.

"Lyla here's gonna be my daughter." Piney chimed, stepping forward and looping his arm proudly over the small woman's shoulder.

Alex looked surprised, but the smile never faded. Her attention shifted to Opie who was still stunned she was there and smacked him in the gut hard enough to make him grunt.

"Why didn't you say anything?" she scolded lightly. He didn't reply, and she didn't expect him to. Instead, Alex approached Lyla. "Congratulations."

Without warning, the young woman reached forward and hugged Lyla. Hesitantly and unsurely, the blond returned the action before Alex pulled back. Alex was smiling genuinely and warmly to her, both almost as disarming as everything else that had happened thus far.

"Congratulations again." She smiled before turning and noticing Tara. Her smile immediately turned forced. "Tara."

"How's it going, Alex?" she asked in the same relatively forced tone.

"Good. You?"

"Good." She shrugged.

It was obvious -even to those who didn't know- that the two didn't seem to like each other very much or they were skeptical and suspicious of the other.

"Well come on then," Chibs chimed, grabbing Alex and pulling her into a seat. "Tha hell ya been up to for tha las' fuckin' decade?"

"Where's the ol' man?" Piney asked.

"Uh… gone." She answered reluctantly with a forced smile. "Run off somewhere or something. I don't really know."

Opie twitched for some reason, an involuntary reaction to her words while the others offered condolences. She tried not to show how little she cared that her husband was gone and took their kind words in stride.

Alex seemed to feel Opie looking at her and glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. The two seemed to share an unspoken understanding. He could tell she knew he was giving her his silent sorrys and she nodded quietly to him.

They used to do that when they were children, speak silently to one another. They seemed capable of speaking without words, and now was no different. Alex knew Opie was offering his condolences for her husband leaving, while she did the same for Donna.

"Sorry to hear it." Chibs told her.

"I've had time to adjust." She replied in a voice that let them all know she wasn't too broken up about it.

"Apparently." He smiled.

"So how 'bout someone fill me in on why the hell half of SAMCRO got sent away?" she asked before glancing around. "And from the looks of it, the good half."

They smiled and laughed, giving her shit for her comment. As they did, something slammed into Alex's leg, causing her to jump from the shock of it.

"Oh Abel sweetie…" Tara gasped as she nearly jogged forward to catch him

"It's okay." Alex laughed as she slid out of her seat to look at the little boy. "Hi."

He waved and continued to chew lazily on his finger as he looked at the pretty stranger.

"Abel, say hi to Alex." Gemma said kindly, stepping up behind the little boy.

"Hi." He muttered quietly.

She laughed warmly at the little boy.

"Come on baby. Come sit with grandma."

"Whoa, what?" Alex asked as Gemma lifted Abel into her arms.

"Oh yeah." The matriarch smiled. "Him too."

Alex looked over and noticed Tara lifting a baby into her arms. Her face was almost blank as she stared at Alex. Alex's expression, however, shifted into disbelief.

"Yours?" she asked, pointing to Tara.

Tara nodded. To her, both boys were her sons.

She took delight in the shock that stretched across Alex's face.

"Jesus... I did miss a lot." Alex sighed as she fell into her seat.

Gemma took Abel over to Tara and Lyla to play while the others went about filling the newcomer in on what happened in her absence. Alex couldn't believe her ears. They told her everything they could in front of Lyla and Tara, not knowing what either knew, but it was still substantial.

"Jesus Christ," she sighed as she ran her fingers frustratingly through her hair. "I leave you guys alone for a few years and everything goes to hell."

They smiled at her smartass remark before Chibs noticed something.

"Oi!" he called, turning in his seat. "Let's get my girl a drink, yeah?!"

Chucky moved quickly and grabbed a beer, scurrying to bring it to her. She was about to take it when she spotted his nubs.

"Holy shit!" she declared loudly. Alex shot back from the shock of it. She wished she hadn't reacted as she had, but she'd been so surprised, she couldn't hold it in. "Who'd you piss off so bad they'd do that?"

"Chinese." Piney replied in his gravely, smoke-induced voice.

"Damn," she muttered, "They're vicious anymore."

"I accept that." Chucky replied.

A weak, half-smile touched her lips at his strange comment. She nodded unsurely to him before popping the top of her beer and taking a drink.

"So how long's this trip gonna be, hm?" Chibs asked. "Ya jus' gonna run off again?"

"No." she replied with her ever-present grin. It was painful at this point, but she just couldn't stop. "I'm here for good. Just started renting a house off Harper."

"What happened to your dad's place?" Piney asked.

"I sold it years ago, after he died." She said softly, feeling a twinge from the memory of her father. "Honestly, didn't think I'd be coming back after that."

"Yeah well, you're here now." Piney said, patting her shoulder gently.

She looked warmly to the old man, holding his hand when she looked up at Opie. His expression still hadn't changed. To be honest, he was happy she was here, he just didn't believe it. Alex let a light grin touch her lips, her face shifting into mild discomfort. She was beginning to wonder if he'd suddenly gone mute.

Opie still didn't move. He was having trouble focusing on anything other than the young woman that had vanished from their radar five years ago. She'd suddenly dropped off the face of the Earth one day, returning no calls, no letters, nothing. Her random appearance was welcomed, but off and confusing. But, just because he was silent, didn't mean the others were. They all fired questions at her one after another, all of them too distracted to notice Lyla walking to Tara.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Lyla whispered.

"Yeah." Tara nodded. "Can you watch them?"

"Of course, honey." Gemma replied, taking the baby while Abel went about playing again.

Opie watched as the two young women moved into the back to talk, but didn't react. He was still a little shocked to really think anything of it.

Tara and Lyla walked into the back apartment. Lyla glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one was behind her before closing the door for privacy. Tara could see her moving uncomfortably and assumed she knew where the conversation was going. Sure enough, she was right.

"So uh, who's this Alex girl?" Lyla asked.

Tara was kind of surprised she had asked so bluntly, but if someone she didn't know came up and hugged Jax like that, the doctor would probably be just as worried. Besides, there wasn't another way to really come out and say it other than blurting it out.

"She's an old friend of Jax and Opie's." she said, taking a seat on the bed. "Her dad was part of the club too, so they all kind of grew up together."

Lyla nodded absently as she asked something that had been praying on her mind.

"Do I have anything to worry about?"

Tara looked up to see Lyla staring at her nervously. She forced a smile and shook her head. Lyla didn't have anything to worry about, probably… most likely… well, maybe…

"No." Tara felt like she was lying. "She's like their sister."

Lyla seemed to breathe a little easier, but it was Tara that remained unnerved. She didn't lie to the young woman, not really at least. Alex really did grow up with Jax and Opie. Her dad really was apart of SAMCRO back in the day. And Lyla didn't have anything to worry about for the most part, but Tara did.

It wasn't a secret that Alex was livid with the way Tara and Jax broke up. Tara was the girl that broke Alex's brother's heart and Alex was immensely protective of the two. While the two were together, Alex was so relieved to have another girl around and began to love Tara like a sister, but the betrayal was too much for her, hence their uncomfortable greeting.

"What about you?"

Tara looked up and realized Lyla was looking at her with genuine concern. The doctor forced another smile and sighed.

"That's another issue all together." She replied.

Lyla was slightly confused. Tara only stood and brushed it off.

"Don't worry about it." She smiled.

Lyla nodded slowly and eventually the two filed back out into the bar. When they emerged, Opie and Alex were sitting off in the far corner talking alone. Lyla didn't like it.

"I heard about Donna." Alex said softly. Her brow creased. "I'm sorry."

Opie nodded slowly. His eyes fell once more to the ugly tiled floor.

"It's been taken care of." He answered in a thick voice.

She smiled as best she could.

"I wanted to be there, at the funeral, but I just couldn't make it."

He shrugged slightly before looking back at her. A weak smile tugged at the corner of his lips briefly. Still leaning onto his knees with his hands clasped together, Opie let his gaze dance over her.

"You look good, Alex."

She smiled warmly.

"You too." She replied before grabbing his beard and tugging on it lightly. "All grown up."

He chuckled and batted her hand away, scratching his chin to rid himself of the random tickle that her contact left behind.

"And congrats on the engagement."

"Thanks." He nodded. His gaze traveled into the room and landed on Lyla in the distance.

"She seems nice." She continued, glancing to the young woman before back at Opie.

"She is." His attention went back to her. "She helped me out a lot after Donna, with the kids and stuff."

"That's good." Alex lightly took the man's hand in hers. He cupped it, and patted the back with his free hand. "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks."

She smiled again and squeezed his hand gently before leaning forward and hugging him. Opie returned the affection. After a moment, she pulled back and kissed his cheek before they joined the rest of the people in the bar and continued to talk and laugh.

Tara wanted to call Jax immediately and tell him who she'd just seen, but she couldn't. The thought weighed heavily on her. Lyla was still kind of unsure of what had just happened; confused about the entire situation while the guys were just happy the young woman was back. They felt it was good news they needed.