Hi everyone. I have written this fic on this site before but took it down. I would like to thank elbeewoods for getting me to re-upload it.

I had the most part of this fic but I had lost the two one shots to start it off. This time the two one shots and the fic will all be in one.

This fic is set after Tara leaves Charming to become a doctor but before the show.

Disclaimer- I don't own anything

Song- Under the Bridge- Red Hot Chilli Peppers

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Tara had finally finished her internship; she was now a fully-fledged doctor. Tonight was the night all the interns in the hospital were going to celebrate. She was happy she was officially a doctor but she remembered what becoming a doctor cost her. You see 7 years ago she left Charming and the man she loved behind. It wasn't that regretted leaving, she had always wanted to be a doctor.

Jax Teller was her everything. They had that intense love, that she couldn't put down to a teenage romance. There love was like a total eclipse of everything else in their lives. It had at one point made her think he was all she needed, that staying in Charming was her life.

It was her final year in Charming that pushed her into leaving. Jax had become a full member of the Club. She thought after his year ended as a prospect, things would get easier, boy was she wrong. He now had Church, longer runs and was in more fights. She didn't know could she be the next Gemma. Gemma loved the Club, the life but Tara always wanted more.

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Walking into this posh bar, it was something she would never get used too. The other interns or a lot of them came from money. She had worked her ass off for her scholarship, while keeping a part time job at a bar. She was dressed in a pair of skinny black jeans, a black backless top that just covered her crow and black boots. Her style had never changed she loved her black clothes. Her style completely contrasted to her career as a paediatric surgeon.

"Champagne Baby. Here's to us being full-fledged doctors" Emily one of her fellow workers shouted. Champagne was something Tara was never interested in, give her a beer or a shot of whiskey any day. She guesses old habits die hard. She was sitting in this bar for about an hour when the champagne started to go to their heads. They had taken to the dance floor to some pop shit Tara would never listen too. It took her another thirty minutes before she decided to leave.

Sometimes I feel

Like I don't have A PARTNER

Sometimes I feel

Like my only friend

Walking past a small dingy Irish bar called Doyles, she decided to go in. It reminded her of Charming in so many ways. She was sitting at the bar some old Irish song her mother used to sing, she thinks it was called Danny Boy was playing. There were some guy's playing cards, other playing pool and some old guys drinking beers at the bar.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Tara looked over her shoulder to see a fair haired guy standing behind her.

"Just thinking about some old times." Tara smirked kicking the stool out a little offering him the seat. He was wearing some jeans which were ripped at the knee, boots and a black t-shirt. She could see tattoos peeking out from under the arms of his shirt. He reminded her of the man that she left seven years ago,

"Pretty lady shouldn't be sitting by herself. So what brings you here?" Kozik said ordering himself a whiskey and ordering Tara another.

"I'm celebrating" Tara clinked her glass with his. "I became a doctor today no longer an intern."

"Congrats Doc." It was Koziks turn to clink her glass. "Never been in the company of a doctor before, unless you know got to go to hospital."

"First time for everything right?" Tara laughed. This whiskey was going down way better than that stupid champagne. The mix of champagne and now the whiskey kind of got her buzzed. "I love this song. You ok with dancing or is that against this bad boy look you got going on?" Kozik chuckled before pulling her from her seat. They started dancing to Under the Bridge by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. It broth Tara back to the 90's back to the clubhouse. Kozik had the smell of oil and smoke. It reminded her of Jax. She didn't know what came over her but she lent up and her lips touched his.

"Want to get out of here?" Kozik asked between a kiss. They were against the wall of the hallway to the bathroom. He was tall maybe a bit taller than Jax, he was also more built but the smell reminded her so much of him.

"You guys got to get out of here." Tara could feel herself blushing she didn't think the guy could notice with the lighting in here. Tara turned to pick up her bag which had fallen in the heat of the moment. She felt her top get lifted off her back.

"Hey" Tara turned around to face the guy when she realised she didn't even know his name.

"You got something to tell me, old lady." His face was serious, he knew what her crow meant. Fuck was he some rival charter. "A crow ,fuck, a Sons old lady."

"How do you know what my tattoo means?" The drink she had drunk was starting to ware off and now she had fully come to her senses.

"Tacoma Charter" Tacoma was one of SAMCRO's brother charters. So this guy knew Jax? FUCK.

"Let go outside we got a lot to talk about. " He followed her out of the bar and onto the sidewalk. "You got time? And why aren't you wearing your Kutte?" If she had seen the kutte, she would have run a mile.

"Nomad" Kozik said taking a seat beside her on the bench. "You gonna tell me who you're an old lady too?"

Tara took a long pause taking the bud he had from him. "Jackson Teller, prince of Charming." Tara put her hands up to her face. "We haven't seen each other in seven years. We aren't together."

"Ah but you're still his old lady you trying to get me killed? He would have my head for this!" Kozik took the bud back from Tara.

"What's your name anyway? Not often someone leaves the club? What gives?" Tara looked over at him for the first time since inside. She saw the pain cross his face.

"Kozik and you're Tara right?" Tara nodded. "I left the club because I needed a break from everything. My personal demons keep creeping back up on me. Sometimes its best when I leave, hit the road. It gives me time to gain perspective."

"You sound like Jax." Tara said with a faint smile. "First time I had one of these since I left Charming." She said as she rolled the bud around her fingers. "Everyone has demons you know, just some of us are better at hiding it than others."

it's hard to believe
That there's nobody out there
It's hard to believe
That I'm all alone

"My time in the Marines gave me a few inner demons and an addiction to pain meds. PTSD, a shrink didn't work. Joining the Tacoma charter gave me a sense of a brotherhood again, it was what I needed. I got over most of it, thanks to it. Every now and then they come out to haunt me. Got shot in the leg about a month ago, got some meds, didn't end well. I hit the road when I got clean, gain perspective again. I'm heading back in a month. Riding cross country alone sure makes you miss a noisy clubhouse."

"I get it. It was weird for me when I first left. You get so invested in the club, its event, the drama. Returning to the normal world isn't easy. I miss it every day." She did she missed the sense of family it gave her. The club was noisy not that a dorm wasn't. It was just a lot different. "I'm sorry to hear about your demons Kozik. I hope one day you can keep them at bay."

"Thanks Doc. You ever think about heading back to Charming?" He had heard about the Prince having met the love of his life and that she had broken his heart. Since she left the prince had little to no heart. The only love he had was for the club.

"All the time but I wouldn't be a doc if I hadn't left." She had thought about what life would be like if she hadn't left. She thought about it a lot for so many years not so much now. "A son. You know in the seven years I've been gone you're the first biker I have met. I didn't even treat one in the hospital. Maybe this is faith being a bitch. The day I become a doctor, I meet a son."

"Faith has a funny way of messing with you" Kozik had been at his lowest when Bones, the Tacoma prez, saw some potential in him. He was in a bar and got into a fight. Bones and his wife Trish got him cleaned up and he started prospecting. The rest you could say is history. "You know you might be trying to avoid Charming and all things sons but maybe I'm a sign that, it's your future." Tara went to object but Kozik cut her off. "I meet you the day you become a doctor. You got to do what you want and now there's no excuse to stay away from Charming. You know Jax is still hung up on you, not that he would ever say it. I've been there he hasn't had a meaningful relationship since you've left."

"Jax Teller and Tara Knowles are finished. I don't think I could go back even if I wanted too. That's a hell of a lot of hurt to open back up." Going back there to a different Jax would break her heart. She liked her Jax before the Club truly got to him. What if he didn't want her? What if he liked his lifestyle?

"What if it was worth it? You'll always have that what if hanging over your head, the regret." Kozik knew first-hand about regret. He had a lot of thing he regretted.

Under the bridge downtown
Forgot about my love
Under the bridge downtown
I gave my life away

"Sounds like you're talking from experience. "

"You got me there doc. Jane, she was my everything. I signed up, got shipped out and she wasn't there when I came back. There was a crash. She was gone at the scene. I never got to say goodbye, never got a chance to live our life together. I'm just saying don't wait to get that call. You know the life Jax lives isn't the safest. Don't regret not giving it a chance."

"I'm sorry. It's just a lot to try take in it's been seven years, seven years trying to get over Jackson." Kozik made a lot of sense but there was a lot of shit he didn't understand about their relationship. "It's getting late. You got somewhere to stay?"

"No, you kind of got me distracted."

"You can stay at my place." Tara stood from the bench. "I got a spare room."

"Thanks Doc"

"Nice bike, it's been seven years since I've been on one, be gentle." Tara smirked taking the helmet from Kozik. Tara gave Kozik the directions to her house before they took off down the road. Her house wasn't far from the bar, they would have been able to walk. She just doesn't think Kozik would have been up for leaving his baby here.

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For a moment she wasn't cruising down the streets of Chicago but in Charming. There was a different man in front of her on the bike. He could still see his smirk from the first time he took her for a ride. The laugh at her expense when she gripped him tighter as the bike got faster. She felt the bike come to a stop, she released her slight grip on Kozik before dismounting the bike.

"Calmest girl I ever had on my bike." Kozik said as he followed her into her apartment. It was small but of what he knew about the doc, it suited her. It was a loft style very open but yet closed off all at once. The tones were neutral and brown throughout the apartment. "Nice place you've got."

"Thanks. It's been a real long day and I have a double shift tomorrow. I'm going to head to bed, feel free to take whatever you need, watch tv, there's beers in the fridge. We can have coffee before I go to work."

"Thanks for all this doc. I'm heading out early. I'm planning on going to Detroit next." Tara nodded before offering her goodnight to her new friend.

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Her alarm went off at 6:30am. She could already hear Kozik up. "Morning" Tara appeared working the complicated coffee machine that Kozik had spent the last half an hour trying to work. "You ready for the open road again" She put a cup down in front of Kozik, taking a sip from her own.

"I'm always ready for the open road." Cocky ass biker, Tara thought. "I'll be out of your hair in about fifteen minutes. I want to get out of this city before I hit traffic."

"I get that. That's why I got an apartment around the corner from the hospital." Tara explained as she watched as he packed his small bag. "You going to give me your number? I'd like to know you arrived home safe."

"You got it Doc." Kozik tossed his phone to her as she dialled her number, to get his. "You know Jax is/was a lucky guy. Just think about what we said."

"Of course I will. You be safe ok? Call me when you get to Detroit" Kozik nodded before engulfing her in a tight hug.

"Air Kozik, air."

"Sorry T. You be safe too." Tara watched as he mounted his and revved the engine pulling out into the little traffic. He watched her in his mirror as she waved. Yes, Tara Knowles was someone he needed in his life, a friend he had been missing.

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Reviews are much appreciated, I want to know what ya'll think!