jonlangston as Nick Miller

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The now blonde has herself straddling Jackson Teller's lap while he sleeps peacefully. Alex runs her fingers over his chest, pulling her sheets off his hips. He stirs, grunting when he can't adjust his position easily, a sly grin breaking out on his lips when he sees her still nude on top of his naked lap. He tucks his hands behind his head and smirks down at her. "Mornin'."

"Hi." She whispers back as she wiggles her hips, making him let out a sudden gasp.

"What're you thinking?"

"Somethin'." She gives him a flirty smile, sliding her hands over his chest again. She lets out a soft laugh when he wraps his inked arm around her waist, pushing her on her back. "What're you thinkin'?" He leaves wet kisses on her chest down her torso.

Jax slides her leg over his hips, chuckling against her lips. "I'm so fucking happy you're home." He tucks her hair behind her ear. "You're so beautiful." She rolls her eyes. "Why'd you change your hair?"

"I dunno. I got tired of the silver, it was a lot of upkeep so I just went back to close to my natural."

"It's been so long since I've seen you with blonde hair, since probably when you were sixteen." He says fondly as he plays with a few strands of her hair. She sighs, reaching up to run her thumb across his cheek. "What're you doing today?"

"Oh, probably talkin to Sig bout Nick, gonna see Ope and Donna, probably any plans you have for the two of us."

"Sig is going to be excited to see you again."

"Hopefully." She sighs, pushing her hair back. "I gotta shower and get dressed." Jax leans back and lets her up, watching her disappear into her small bathroom.

Soon Alex's on her way to Sig and Marge's while Jax is headed for the clubhouse. They have plans to meet up at Ope's and Donna's then alone time together.

Alex slowly makes her way to their front door and knocks nervously. "Alex? What're you doing here?" Marge answers, her hair wrapped in those big blue rollers with a robe around her old self.

"I decided to come back. Sig said my brother needs me and I kept thinkin' about y'all and I just missed y'all." Marge gives her a smile as she ushers her in. "Where's Sig?"

"Sig!" Marge shouts making Alex giggle.

"What!?" He shouts back, coming down the hallway with a newspaper in his hand. "Wh-Alex?" He laughs in disbelief as he hugs her. "What're you doing back in town?"

"Missed y'all." She smiles, sitting with them at their kitchen table. "So tell me 'bout Nick. Is- is he okay?"

"He's alright, I think." Marge makes her way to the table and sets a cup of coffee in front of her daughter figure. "He asked if I knew where you were- if you were around Charming. Then he asked if Lawrence had be around lately and I didn't know what to say so I just shrugged. He gave me his number and asked me to give it to you the next time I saw you." He stands and grabs a scrap of paper from his wallet. "So here."

"Does he look, y'know, crazy?"

"He actually looks normal, from what I saw."

She nods and sighs. "Do you know where he was?"

"No clue but I wouldn't wait too long to call him in case he left or something." She nods and rubs her face. "You did the right thing, kid."

"Thanks."

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Jax agrees to go with Alex to meet up with her brother. The two are sitting in a booth at the local diner, she's sick to her stomach with nerves. Jax puts his hand on her knee, squeezing it comfortingly. "Is that him?" She squints out at the parking lot, watching a tall handsome brunette step out of a car and walk toward the door. "That's him." Alex's is shocked at how much Nick looks like their father. She takes a shaky breath in as she waves him over. "Hey Nick."

"Wow. You look just like mom." She stands and wraps him an awkward sibling hug, sitting back down. "Jax, long time no see." Nick gives him a weird 'bro' handshake as he sits across from them. "So, uh, what's up?"

"In the last ten years?" She taps her finger against her lips. "Lets see." She really doesn't know where to start and she doesn't want to jump in with their dad passing.

"I-I'll start, maybe that'll be easier." Nick lets out an awkward laugh. "After mom died and dad left, I was arrested but when I was released, I went to Modesto for a while, met a girl there, Ada," Nick orders himself a cup of coffee. "We were supposed to get married but she left and pawned the ring. Then after she left me, I went down a really bad road and almost died from the drugs and alcohol. So after God gave me a second chance, I checked myself into a rehab place and got clean and I've been clean for two and half years." He gives her a big bright smile.

"That's amazing!" Alex smiles. "Good for you."

"Thanks. So what about you? What've you been up to?" He nods to his little sister.

Alex and Jax share a look before sighing. "Well after mom died and you and dad left, Sig and Marge Moore took me in and then after a few years I left too. I went to Huntsville."

"Huntsville?"

"Alabama."

"What's in Alabama?"

"A fresh start." She laughs weakly. "I lived there for like five years and then I came back. I'm working at the Snake Pit off Melrose and living in an apartment above the bar."

"Are you staying outta trouble?" Jax snickers earning a smack in the chest. "What did you do?"

"What didn't she do?"

"I got disorderly conduct, public indecency, illegal and underage possession of a gun and trespassing."

"Woah." Nick chuckles. "Those are better for what I've been in for. How was Alabama?"

"It was nice. I met a guy there and became friends with Will." Jax visibly tenses at the mention of the cowboy. "He's a sweetheart. He let me live with him when I went back a few weeks ago."

"So why're you back here with this jackass?" He jokes, poking at Jax.

"It's, uh, complicated." She clears her throat.

"Where's Lawrence?"

"Uh, he uh," Jax keeps his eyes trained on the floor beside him. "He died a couple months ago."

"Huh." Nick mumbles, zoning out. "How?"

"Someone shot him."

"Good. Asshole deserved it for what he put us through." Alex looks down at her lap. Yeah, he deserved it but he was still their father. "Sorry."

Alex nods and looks away with tears in her eyes. "He was a dick but he was still our dad."

She clears her throat again as Jax squeezes her thigh again. "How long're you here?"

"Until I leave." Nick shrugs. "What about you? You going back to Arizona?"

"Alabama and I don't know." She shrugs. "We'll see how life plays out." The siblings share a nod, the same understanding nod. They're both runners at heart, they get it from their father.

"How's the club business?" Nick asks in a hushed voice as he glances around. Alex takes the time during the boys' conversation to look her brother over. He's gotten muscular, stronger. His t-shirt is tight across his chest and arms and it shows off his tattoos. Those splotches of ink help hide the burns he had littered across his skin from the cigarettes Lawrence used to hold against him. The beard he's grown makes him look less like their ass of a father. He's taller than she remembers but the last time she saw him was ten years ago.

"You okay?" Jax whispers, rubbing her back.

Alex's eyes flutter up to his. "Huh? Where's Nick?"

"Bathroom. You alright?"

"Yeah." She sighs.

"I gotta get going. I got work in half an hour." Nick says as he slips his wallet out of his back pocket and sets a five down. He picks up his flannel and slides it on over his black t-shirt.

"You got a job? Where're you working?"

"The lumber mill down off 224. I started last week." He says as he fixes his collar.

"Wow." Nick gives his sister a hug before slapping Jax on his back.

"See you later."

She waves him off before turning to Jax. "He's doin real good. Guess I came back for nothin." Jax silently walks away, throwing his leg over his bike. "Hey! What's your problem?"

"You didn't tell me you were living with Will."

"Where else was I supposed to go?"

"You were supposed to stay here. You weren't supposed to leave."

Alex lets out a snort. "This shit again?" Jax rolls his eyes as he kicks his bike off the stand. "Whatever Jax." She shakes her head and slides back into her truck. She watches him ride off in the direction of the clubhouse while she drives to Opie and Donna's.

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Alex sits across from Donna out on the patio, the blonde has a cigarette between her fingers while the brunette has a glass of lemonade in her hand. "You talked to Nick? How'd that go?"

"Pretty good, actually. He's sober and has a good job." Alex puffs out a cloud of smoke. "He seems like he's doing really good."

"You don't seem too thrilled about seeing him."

"I pissed Jax off. He found out I lived with Will when I went back to Bama."

"Where else were you supposed to go?"

"That's what I said!" Alex huffs as she stubs her cigarette out in the ash tray. "I also said I came home for no reason."

"I mean you have a point but everyone missed you."

"It was just a month. I spent so much time and energy packing and unpacking then packing again. I could be back in Bama with Will, I could be living on that farm with him. Hell, I might've been married to him if I never left in the first place!"

"Really? You think you'd be married?"

"I dunno! Maybe!" She exhales heavily, running a hand through her hair. "I just can't believe that I busted my ass back out here to see someone that's completely fine. I left Will. I didn't even say goodbye." She stands and stubs out her second cigarette.

"Where're you going?"

"I'm going to take a trip back to Bama to spend time with William. I'll be back in a week or two." Alex slings her purse over her shoulder. "It'll be nice to clear my head and shit." She leans over and gives her best friend a hug. "And don't you have this baby until I get back."

"You better be careful, Alex!"

"I will, I promise." She shuts the door behind her, bumping into Ope on her way out. "Hey! I'll see you in a couple of weeks."

"What?" Opie grabs her arm. "Explain."

"I'm going out to see Will and his family. I don't like the way I left so I'm making it right." She says simply. "So, I'll be back in a week or two."

"Okay. You be careful, Lexa."

She clicks her tongue with a wink. "You got it, Hank."

Alex makes her way back to her place and starts packing a few things, her phone between her ear and shoulder as she talks to Marge. "I'll be back, okay? I just gotta see him, apologize to him."

"You're doing the right thing, baby." She nods. "Just be careful."

"You got it, momma." They chuckle before she hangs up. There's a knock on the door. "It's open!" She shouts, folding her old faded pair of work coveralls.

"Where're you going?" Jax asks as he finds her in her bedroom. "Are you leaving again!?"

"Chill, darlin." She says as she tucks a few thin tank tops in her bag. "I'm going out to apologize to Will and see his family."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously." She gives him a shit eating grin. "Just because you don't like him does not mean I'm gonna stop."

"No, I know but-"

"No buts, Jax. This is happening." He looks down at his shoes. "You're more than welcome to stay here if you want, okay?"

"Really? You'd let me?"

"Yeah. I think you forget how much I know 'bout you, baby." She heads out to her kitchen and grabs a basket from the top of her fridge. "Here." She says after digging through it, hanging Jax a spare key. "Just promise me something."

"Sure."

"Don't bring any other girls in and don't have anyone else over other than my family okay?"

"You got it." He snakes his arm around her waist. "I-I'm gonna miss you being a little shit."

"It's just for a week or so. I think you'll survive." He keeps his mouth shut, she's set on this trip so it's happening. He's always admired that about her. "C'mere." She grabs the front of his sweatshirt and pulls him down for a kiss. "I better not have to rush back because you've been an idiot."

"Hey, that only happened once." Jax can't help the smile on his lips. "You better be careful, okay?"

"Always am." She winks at him as she slings her duffle over her shoulder. "I won't get arrested, promise." He chuckles under her breath, following her down to her truck. "Look after my place, will ya?"

"I will." Jax leans in and kisses her again. She starts her truck up. "Hey."

"Yeah?"

"I love you." He says shyly, kicking his sneakers against the sidewalk.

"I love you too." Alex smiles as she pulls out into the road, preparing herself for the long trip ahead.