"Shit!" I hissed through clenched teeth as smoke billowed out from under the hood of my flat black Dodge Powerwagon. I eased the truck over to the side of the roadway and punched the steering wheel. "Dammit." I popped the hood and got out, glancing around at my surroundings as I made my way to the front of the truck. I was still a few miles from Charming on the back county road, with the sun setting.

Lovely….

I was not looking forward to trying to strut my way into town at night. Every perv in the area would be stopping for lil ol' me in my tank top and shorts.

I propped the hood up and was met with a cloud of smoke and hissing. I coughed and wafted the smoke out of my face. Stepping up onto the bumper, I put my knees up on the frame around the radiator, leaning my whole body over into the engine compartment. I must've been quite a sight. Little 5'4" me with my cut-off shorts high in the air over my truck's front end.

After a moment of assessment I hopped down and wiped my hands on a rag before kicking the front tire and dropping my head onto my forearms on the fender.

"Baby, you choose now to break on me?! We're almost there!" I sighed as I pushed off of the fender.

It was nothing I could fix on the side of the road so I decided to just make the call for a tow. I scrolled through my contacts and dialed.

"Teller morrow garage." I was greeted by a male voice I didn't recognize.

"Hey, yeah I need a hook."

"Alright, where abouts are ya?"

"Up north on county road couple miles out. Head gasket went on me." I stepped towards the back of my truck, running a hand through my dark hair.

"Aw. Alright, be there in a few. Sit tight."

"Thanks."

I hung up and decided I had about twenty minutes or so…might as well soak up the setting California sun. I dropped the tailgate and laid across it. The black metal was warm against my back as I shifted my shoulders against it. I bent one knee up, propping my boot on the tailgate and dropped the other one off the side of it, dangling in the slight breeze.

My thoughts wandered. What was I doing? Was coming back the best idea? Of course everyone would welcome me…but was I ready to explain why I was back after all of these years?

Minutes passed and after a while I heard the rumble of a bike coming up in the distance. First sign of life on this stretch of roadway. Maybe I wouldn't be stranded out here for the buzzards to pick at me after all.

I heard the motor decelerate. Whoever it was, was stopping to help….or murder me if they were a serial killer. Either way… I slowly reached my hand around to grip the handgun in the back of my shorts as I turned to look at the biker.

A man about my age pulled up and kicked his bike a few feet behind the truck.

My breath hitched in my throat a moment as I caught the patches on his cut.

SAMCRO… I was definitely home alright.

"Need some help?" The man's voice called as he made his way up towards the back of my truck. He removed his helmet and eyed me, giving me a friendly 1000 watt smile.

Ho-ly christ he was gorgeous, sporting a buzzed mohawk and tribal tattoos on each side of his head. Definitely not a guy that I recognized from the club. It had been a long time since I've stomped these parts so it's only natural that there'd be some new blood.

My eyes darted over him, lingering on his muscled arms before I caught myself and snapped out if it.

"Damn head gasket," I said as I sat up and jumped down from the gate.

"Oof," The man clicked his tongue. "That's a bitch." He shook his head.

His smile was killer and knee weakening, as was his gaze. The same gaze that had given my body a once over that he wasn't discrete about.

His eyes met mine again as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"You need a tow?" He asked.

"I already called for one. They should be here any minute."

"Which shop?"

"TM."

The man laughed lightly as he stepped up next to me at the tailgate. "Yeah? That's where I'm out of."

"I know." I smirked, nodding to his cut.

His eyes flicked over to me quizzically as he cocked his head.

"You from around here?" He asked, eyeing the skulls on my tattooed sleeves.

"Not for a few years." I shook my head. "I know the sons run outta there."

He holds my gaze a moment, trying to read me. I shoot him a smile and push off of the tailgate as a wrecker pulls past my truck. "Speaking of."

The truck eased onto the shoulder up in front of my dodge. A blonde curly haired guy about the same age as me and HotPants gets out. Damn, guess its been longer than I thought….don't recognize either of these guys.

"Hey, Juice." Blondie called and waved towards us.

HotPants nodded and waved back.

I turn back to HotPa-…Juice…when an idea popped in my head and I smirked to myself. "Say, you headed back to the shop by chance?"

"Yeah." He eyed me as I stepped back to him.

I nodded to his bike. "Been a while since I went for a ride." I said as I cocked a hip against the rear quarter of my truck.

He smiled, chewing on his lower lip and went to hand me his helmet. "Let's go then."

I put my hand up and pushed the helmet back against his chest. I backstepped to my drivers door and reached in for my back pack. After retrieving my helmet I walked back to meet him. He gave me an appreciative smirk and called to the other guy, "I'll see ya back at the shop!"

Blondie nodded and waved us off.

I gripped the tailgate and slammed it back up into place before stepping over to Juice, already on his bike. His eyes locked on the Reaper airbrushed in the center of my gate. He let out a slight laugh.

"Who the hell are you?" He asked as I put my helmet on.

I chuckled as I got on the bike behind him, steadying myself on his shoulders. I leaned in next to his ear as I eased into the seat. "You want me to tell Gemma you asked too many questions and wouldn't give me a ride?"

His shoulders stiffened and he cocked his head towards me. "Fair enough!"

I snaked my arms around his waist and he cracked the throttle, sending us back onto the road towards town.

After a few minutes we pulled into the all too familiar Teller-Morrow lot and Juice eased his bike in line with the others. The tow truck pulled in past us as I glanced around the lot. My eyes caught on two men standing at the front of the bike line watching us.

Opie and Jax.

My heart began to race. Their attention went from me and Juice to the truck pulling in and they froze. Their faces dropped. Jax tapped Opie's arm with his fist as they watched my truck being towed into the garage. Of course they'd recognize it immediately…I had that truck since I was sixteen. Their heads snapped back to me as I stepped off of Juice's bike and removed my helmet. I shook my hair out and stepped into the aisle in front of the line of bikes. I smiled over at them and threw my arms up in the air as their faces broke out in huge grins. Opie hollered and barked out in laughter as he ran to me. I closed the distance between us and he caught me in his arms, spinning me around in a tight bear hug. His loud laughter echoing in the lot.

He set me on my feet and gripped my shoulders, smacking my arm.

"Jesus Christ it's good to see you, girl!"

I beamed up at him, his face lit up like a kid on Christmas. "Missed you too, Ope!"

Jax joined us and I quickly threw my arms around him. "God it's been too long, Jackie!"

"Good to see ya, kid!"

I released Jax as Juice walked up next to me. Opie turns, his face going cold as he grabbed Juice's cut, yanking him towards him.

"What the hell are you doing with my sister on the back of your bike, prospect?!"