+++

"Put that down, Jax." Alex scolds, rolling her eyes at the biker who's holding up a pair of panties. The couple made their way to the lingerie section of Walmart and Jax is trying to convince her to get something for him. "I'm not gettin crotchless panties- especially not for you." He cackles to himself as he throws his arm around her shoulders.

"C'mon, try something new." He whispers obnoxiously into her ear, sending shivers down her spine. She elbows him away as she heads back to the food side. "C'mon baby."

"Shut up." Alex huffs, putting a bag of chips on the cart.

As her head is turned, Jax picks up a pair of crotchless panties and tucks them in his pocket with a smirk on his lips as he wraps his arm around her again. "Hurry up."

"Fuck off. I still gotta get a bed frame."

"Just ask Will. He'll make it for you." He mutters. "Bet he'd drop everything to help you."

She ignores him as she rounds the end cap to the next aisle. "Lexa, hey."

"Tara." She nods, leaning against her cart.

"You still owe me lunch." Alex suppresses an eye roll. "When are you free next?"

"I don't know. Sig's havin' me on notice for the bar."

"Well let me give you my cell so you can let me know when you're free." She forces a smile as Tara digs around in her purse for a scrap paper. "Talk to you soon, Lexa."

"What was that about?" Jax asks from out of no where. Alex jumps and looks around, not seeing the blonde until she hears a quiet laugh coming from the shelves of toilet paper.

"You built yourself a fort? Get outta there! I wanna be able to come back here again." Jax huffs as he makes his way out, fixing his cut. "You're such a child."

"Tell me about Will." He throws his arm around her shoulders.

"This ain't the time or place for that." He rolls his eyes. "You have such bad timin'." Jax sighs, tossing a twelve pack of Shiner Light Blonde in her cart. "You're buyin' those."

"Fine." He wanders off to a different part of the store as she continues shopping.

She's standing in line for the register, looking over her small list. Jax returns with a small basket of things. "Whatcha got?"

"Things." He responds, picking the twelve pack up. "Items." He gives her a goofy look as he goes to a self checkout. Alex laughs to herself as she empties her cart onto the belt. Her trip costs her less that $100 and she's relieved.

She's sitting in the truck as she waits for the blonde to join her. Jax shoves his groceries into the bed of her truck before sliding into the passenger seat. She starts it up and heads to her place.

+++

"Y'know, you didn't have to help bring things in." Alex says as she's putting away groceries.

"Now you owe me."

"Owe you what?" She asks with a little bit of sass as she pops a hand on her hip, turning to look at him with raised eyebrows. He holds up the pair of crotchless panties with a smirk on his lips. "You got those- Jax, I'm not wearing 'em."

"Bet you'd wear them for William." He mutters, tossing the panties on the couch.

"What's your problem with him? You don't even know him." Jax rolls his eyes. "Don't get an attitude. You're shittin' on him without actually knowin him!"

"We're not together so it doesn't even matter if you're with him or not." He growls. "You can go suck his dick for all I care-"

"Get out." He scoffs. "Now and take your stupid panties with you." She throws them at him. Jax just tosses them back on the couch before he slams the door shut behind him.

Jax heads down to her truck and grabs the bag he bought. It's full of little goodies he got for her since she can't afford much right now. He sets them in front of her door, knocks, then stomps down the steps to his bike, riding off.

Alex sighs to herself, shaking her head when she sees the paper bag full of thoughtful things. She sets it off to the side on the counter, running her hands through her hair. She jumps when her phone starts ringing. "Hello?"

"Hey how's it goin'?" Will asks around a dip pinch. She laughs weakly in response. "Bad day?"

"Somethin' like that." She tucks the phone between her ear and shoulder as she grabs a glass and fills it with cheap boxed wine. She sighs into the receiver as she sits on the couch. "Did you get the cows?"

"Yeah." He smiles. "What're you doin' in 'bout a month?"

"Workin probably. Why?"

"You uh want some company?"

"You have free time?" He chortles. "Sure! Yeah that would be so great. You can meet some of the uh... locals."

"Sounds good baby." He smiles. "One month, alright?"

"A month." She's beyond giddy as she hangs up after giving him her address. She sits up straight, realizing she has to bust her ass at the bar in order to provide meals for Will, probably Jax and possibly Donna and Ope. She dials Sig's number. "Can I ask a favor?"

"What's up, kid?"

"I have a friend comin out to visit me in a few weeks and I was hopin' that I could get more hours until he comes out."

"I can have you open and close." She won't have any free time but it's just for a couple weeks.

"That sounds wonderful, thanks." She hangs up and sighs.

Alex cheers herself, preparing for the following long days.

+++

"Boilermaker?" Alex shouts to a customer over the crowd. It's a Friday and they're slammed, like usual. "You got it, honey." She yawns as she makes the drink then hands it to him.

"Keep the change." He winks. She looks down and rolls her eyes at the hundred dollar bill in her hand. She cashes out his transaction and heads to his table.

"I can't accept this." She says, handing him his ninety four dollars back.

"It's a tip." He flashes his white teeth at her. "You've been busting your ass here, we've seen it." She looks down at her shoes. "Keep it."

She nods and tucks the money in her apron pocket. "Thanks. I really appreciate it y'all." Alex turns to the table of brothers in matching leather cuts. "Y'all are runnin' behind. It's nearly ten!"

"Got caught up, baby." Ope says. Alex's eyes land on a few hickeys on his neck.

"You still goin' out with Donna?" She asks as she puts her hand on her hip, the other pulling his collar away from his skin.

"Yeah. Things're going good too."

She smiles as she squeezes his shoulder. "Drinks? The regular shit?" She looks at each guy, distracted when she notices Jax is absent. "Wings? Those round fried thingys- pickles?"

Fried round thingys?

Seriously?

"A couple baskets of wings and a few pitchers, darlin." Clay responds, not even looking at her as he waves her off earning an annoyed, tight-lipped smile in return.

Alex has never been too fond of Clay, hell she can't stand his wife either. She got along real well with JT then he passed and that kind of kicked off her and Jax's relationship, a pity fuck type deal.

Alex gives the boys a smile then turns back to the bar. She dips into the small kitchen and drops herself on a stool. "You okay?" Melinda asks.

"Just exhausted." She laughs, leaning back against the wall.

Melinda looks through the cut out window out at the floor when the door jingles open. "That good-lookin blonde one is here, uh Jackson."

"Of course he is." She groans as she stands, peeking over the lip of the window. "Can you take a few pitchers and a couple wings out to them please?"

"Sure baby." She gives Melinda a thankful look before she heads to the bar. When she returns behind the counter, she uses Alex's shoulder to turn her so they're facing the wall. "Those guys are asking for you."

"Seriously?" She nods. "Fuck." Alex pours herself half a shot then knocks it back, inhaling sharply before clearing her throat. She heads to their tables with a fake smile on her lips. "Somethin' I can get all y'all?"

"Get me a Boulevardier." Jax demands, tapping his fingers against the table. Opie glances between the two. "What?"

"Dude." Ope mutters as Alex raises her eyebrows, crossing her tattooed arms across her chest.

"Get me a Bouldevardier." She doesn't move. As someone in the food service industry- and a fucking human being- she demands to be treated with respect.

Jax huffs heavily. "Fine. May I please get a Boulevardier?" Tig sniggers.

"Of course, honey." She plasters a sweet smile to her face. "Anyone else need anythin'?" No one says anything so she heads back behind the bar to make Jax's drink.

"You gotta watch yourself when you talk to her like that. She could spit in your drink, man." Opie says, Jax clenches his jaw. "You're lucky she gave you a second chance."

"She hasn't given me shit." He mutters, lighting a cigarette. Alex returns with the drink and an ashtray.

"Thank you, Miss. Miller." Ope says politely.

"You're welcome honey." Alex excuses herself and heads back into the kitchen to sit just for a couple minutes. She lets out a quiet whine when she hears her name being called. "What?"

"Can you take over for a sec? I gotta call my daughter." Melinda says as she looks down at the small watch around her wrist.

"Sure. Take your time." She gives her a small smile then turns to the bar, jumping when she sees Jax leaning against it. "Can I help you?"

"Come by later."

"No can do." She makes a Gin and Tonic for herself. "Got myself workin' like a dog for the next few weeks. I don't got free time right now."

"But from two in the morning to one in the afternoon-"

"No, Jax."

"Why not?"

"Because you're an ass." He scoffs. "Please just go sit down."

"Drea, c'mon-"

"Hey! I think the lady asked you to leave her alone." A very large man, probably half a foot taller than Jax and thrice his weight, says as he stands, towering over the blonde. "So leave her alone."

"She's my girlfriend."

"No I'm not." She dismisses. "But really, I can handle this, thanks." The guy nods as he sits back down.

"That's right. Stay the fuck outta our business-" Jax is cut off with a hefty punch to the jaw. He grunts as he hits the floor, landing on his back. "Fuck you." He gets to his feet only to be knocked by down again.

"Hey!" Opie shouts from the table before he stands and shoves the guy away from the VP. "What the hell?"

"He was harassing her." The guy says after he shoves Ope back.

"No I fuckin wasn't." Jax groans from the floor. Alex rolls her eyes and hands Opie a small bag of ice for Jax. He throws it back up to the counter before he gets himself to his feet.

Alex's jaw drops at the sight of his bloodied face. "Come on back here. I got a first aid kit." She shoves Jax down to sit on the bar stool in the kitchen while Ope leans against the door frame. "Thank God Melinda's here. Y'all're lucky."

"Whatever." Jax mutters. Alex presses her thumb against a cut on his cheek making him grimace and pull away. "Fuck."

"Sit still." She instructs, grabbing a cotton round and a bottle of rubbing alcohol.

"Son of a bitch." He grits his teeth, hissing at the sting. "Ow!"

"Ope, in Sig's office there's a roll of medical tape, left side top drawer of his desk. Can you bring that to me please." Alex asks. He nods and leaves. "What the hell is your problem?" He's quiet. "Like you keep telling me 'we're not together'-"

"Maybe we should be."

She laughs dryly. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Your lifestyle is so much different than mine." He clenches his jaw. "Plus you have Wendy-"

"She doesn't want anything to do with me." She sighs and drops her hand from his face. "We've gone out before."

"Not officially." He leans up and kisses her hard, his hand on the back of her neck. "Jax-"

"At least fucking think about it."

Opie returns with the medical tape and Alex starts bandaging up Jax's face. "He was wearing rings and that really fucked up your face." They lock eyes for a second, her heart and pussy aches for him but she shakes the feeling away. "That's the best I can do."

"Looks better than he usually does." Opie says, pushing Jax's shoulder. "Can we get a couple shots?"

Alex smiles as she pours a few shots, one for herself. They cheers then toss them back. "Two can't come fast enough."

+++

It's two-thirty in the morning when Alex is locking up. She hears a car slow down as it nears her but she shrugs it off as she fiddles with her keys. The car doors shut and catches her attention. "Sorry, we're closed." She says politely but that wasn't what they were looking for. "Can I help y'all?"

"Are you Alexandrea Miller?"

She shrugs, backing up to the door next to the Snake Pit. "I don't know who that is."

One guy lunges at her, grabbing her arm tightly as he drags her back to the car, pressing her up against the window as he cuffs her up. "What the hell!?"

"You're under arrest."

"For what!?" She yells as she pushed into the back seat. "Who the fuck are y'all?"

"ATF."