“Yay.”

“Yay.”

“Yay.”

“Yay.”

“Yay.”

“Yay.”

 

The table held their breath waiting on the deciding vote. Everyone turned their attention towards Otto, his face unreadable as he looked over the young man. He still had a grudge towards him but seeing him fight so hard for Harley seemed to simmer some of it.

 

Jax watched the Vice President, trying hard to read him, but there was only so much he could do with one eye still half swollen shut. That wasn’t going to be looking great for Gemma’s graduation pictures. He lowered his head, rubbing his hands anxiously in his lap as he waited for the answer. He’d taken that beating. They’d hashed it out like men in the ring. If he heard nay, he’d jump over the table and beat the shit out of him.

 

“Yay.”

 

Jax’s head shot up and the entire room took a breath of relief. They all stood, hugging him and Opie one by one before giving them their patches. All but one that is. Otto just grabbed his bottle from the table and headed out of the room.

 

“Don’t worry about him, kid. He’ll come around. Now, both of you – get out there, grab your old ladies, and have a good time. You deserve it.”

 

Piney said with a pat on the back. Jax winced from the pain but nodded. His old lady. It was finally official. He smirked as they made their way out, finding Harley by the bar in the midst of the large crowd. Her eyes immediately found his and she beamed with pride.

 

He laughed at her excitement as she pushed her way through the crowd and jumped into his arms, kissing him over and over, all he could do was lift her up in his arms and spinning the her around.

 

“I’m so proud of you baby!”

 

She yelled over the music. Jax smiled and kissed her forehead as he placed her back on the ground. The look on Harley’s face right then and there was something he knew he’d spend the rest of his life chasing.

 

Clay came over to the two, placing a hand on both their shoulders before pulling Jax in for a congratulatory hug. Gemma followed almost smothering him with kisses as tears filled her eyes. He couldn’t describe the feeling he had right now. It was almost euphoric. It was honestly one of the best moments in his entire life.

 

“Congratulations, son. You ready to wear that reaper permanently on your back?”

 

Jax nodded with a smirk. It was the one thing he had been looking forward to for as long as he could remember.

 

“Definitely.” He turned his attention to Harley and gave her hand a squeeze. “What do you think, Old Lady? You ready to permanently where my crow?”

 

Her wild blue eyes lit up brighter than he thought possible as she nodded without hesitation and he couldn’t help but throw his arm over her shoulder and pull her in for another embrace.

 

“Alright,” Clay nodded proudly. “I’ll have Happy and Mike set up.”

 

“Set what up?” Luanne questioned as she approached the group.

 

“Jax and Harley are getting their tattoos.” Gemma filled her in and her eyes damn near popped out of her head.

 

“A crow?! Harley honey, are you sure? A crow is permanent. What if things don’t work out?!”

 

Harley looked at him then at her mother, pulling his body closer to get own. “This is my old man, mom. Whether I got this crow the day we met, or 10 years down the line. It belongs on me.”

 

Damn he loved this girl. He watched as Luanne gave a hesitant nod before the two walked towards the corner of the bar, where Happy and Mike were waiting. Harley described the design she had in mind. A crow, perched on a branch that extended around her hip with Jax Teller written under it and laid back against the table, trusting Happy to work his wonder. He laid on his stomach, facing her as they held hands, fingers laced tightly together while the guys got started on their new artwork.

 

The initial pain soon faded into a dull vibration. Her tattoo took time, but not nearly as long as Jax’s. The men surrounded him, cheering and laughing while Harley grabbed a bottle from the back of the bar. She could tell he was getting uncomfortable and asked Mike to give him a second so he could have a drink.

 

In the background, they heard the arguing between Donna and Opie, causing the group to turn and face them.

 

“You’re my old lady, it’s only right you get your crow with me!”

 

“I can’t!” Donna shook her head but didn’t back down against the 6’4 giant.

 

“Why!?”

 

“Because I’m pregnant!”

 

Just like in the movies, the room went silent. All music and chatter came to a halt and you could hear a pin drop. They stared at the two lovers and Opie jaw dropped. He was speechless. They all were.

 

Donna must not have liked the reaction because she took off running for the doors. Biting her lip, Harley followed her out. She didn’t know what she could say to comfort her best friend. This was definitely not the way she had pictured Donna telling Op but at least the cat was out of the bag.

 

Jax leaned up on his elbows, wincing from the pain on his back. “Jesus Christ, you okay brother?”

 

Opie just stood there, staring at the door that the women had gone through. He didn’t know how he would have handle news like that. With so much going on, a kid wasn’t in anyone’s best interest. Op knew that too.

 

“Go after her, dumbass.” His dad yelled over to him from across the bar.

 

“Op?” Jax asked again but Opie just quietly walked over to the bar and told the girl to pour him a drink.

 

He wasn’t ready to face this. Nobody could blame him. There was a reason most of these men wouldn’t settle down. Jax thought he would have that same mentality until he fell for Harley, but Opie knew Donna was the one for day one. This was a shock there was no doubt about it, but it wasn’t a bad one.

 

---

 

 

“Hey.”

 

Harley heard behind her as she smoke a cigarette, sitting on top of the picnic tables. She turned to see Otto coming towards her. This time, his tone seemed different then the rest.

 

“So, you go his crow, huh.”

 

He sat down next to her, pulling out a stick of his own before lighting it. She nodded her head slowly, unsure of where this was going.

 

“I never wanted this for you, y’know, but deep down I knew this is where you’d end up.” He sighed, taking a deep pull from his smoke. “I tried to put an end to it but you’re an old lady now and you’ll make a damn good one. I got to respect that. Teller’s a lucky son of a bitch.”

 

She stared at her father in awe, slowly comprehending what he was saying. This was his apology. This was him accepting everything. It was about time the two of them patched things up. If not for the club then for their family.

 

“I love you, dad. It’s been hell fighting with you over this.”

 

She smiled, leaning into his side as he wrapped his arms around her. It felt good to be in her father’s arms again.

 

“You really love him, don’t you?” He asked, looking down at his daughter as she lifted her head to nod.

 

“More than anything. I’ve watched you and mom my whole life. I see how much you guys love each other and I would never settle for anything less. Jax is it for me.”

 

His lips curved into a smile. Her bad ass biker father would scare the shit out of everyone but when he was with his family that side of him didn’t exist.

 

“Then, I’m behind you on it.”

 

She smiled and pulled him in for a tight hug. “Thank God, now the holidays won’t be awkward. Thanksgiving is going to be at my apartment, Gemma’s going to help me set it up.”

 

He laughed as the two stood. Alright baby. Go check on your old man. That ink hurts like a bitch.”

 

Harley smiled and kissed his cheek, turning to make her way into the clubhouse when a black cutlass pulled into the lot. She knew the car well, it was Tara’s dad’s. He would drop her off and pick her up from school everyday, but this time it wasn’t hey dad behind the wheel. Harley watched as Tara got out from the car, adjusting her tank top before making her way inside.

 

“That’s never good news.” She heard Gemma’s voice from behind her, approaching her and Otto.

 

Harley smirked but it was more like a hungry snarl. Almost predatory with a hint of amusement behind it.

 

Tara was still after Jax. Everyone knew it, but she thought she was to good for all of this. She had even made it a point to call them all trash. When she started talking about leaving Charming, Jax ended it immediately but she hadn’t given up on taking him with her.

 

She’d been a thorn in Harley’s side since middle school and if Jax didn’t get rid of her, Harley would be more than happy to.

 

She followed her inside. At this point, Jax was drinking at the bar with Opie , shirtless aside from the clear film covering the entirety of the tattoo on his back. Tara made a beeline for him and Harley kept her distance to see how it would play out.

 

“Jax, you got a minute?”

 

She asked him, brushing her dark brown hair behind her ear.

 

Jax looked shocked before he smirked like the arrogant asshole he was.

 

“Well, look who it is. Anything you got to say to me you can say in front of my brothers, babe. If you haven’t noticed, tonight was the night we got patched in.”

 

Harley smirked, feeling Gemma coming up behind her.

 

“You okay with that?” the older woman nodded her head towards the scene playing it in front of them.

 

She watched as Tara turned bright red and nodded, “I think Jax has this one covered.”

 

“Jax,”Tara started again. “Please.”

 

“Please what.” He cut her off “What are you even doing here? Ain’t you supposed to be half way across the country by now? Isn’t this all beneath you?”

 

He was being a dick but everything he had to say was a lot nicer than what Harley would.

 

“Jax, it’s not too late for you to come with me. Please, you deserve more than this!”

 

He laughed in an exaggerated manner, making sure everyone could hear. “Get out of here, Tara. You don’t belong here. You never did. This is my life. This is who I am.”

 

“Please” She whispered. “This isn’t you. I love you.”

 

“You know, for the longest time, I thought I loved you. I thought you were the one. 3 years. 3 years I put up with you taking down to my club, my family. All because I thought I loved you. That wasn’t love. What I got with Harley, that’s love. You were just a filler ‘till I got to make her my old lady.”

 

Harley couldn’t stop herself from following her back out to get car, coming up behind her as she fumbled with her keys.

 

“Took some balls going in there like that.”

 

Tara jumped at her voice and dropped her keys.

 

“Jesus christ!”

 

She yelled, wiping the tears from her eyes as she bent down to pick them up.

 

Harley crossed her arms, leaning against the side of the cutlass watching her.

 

“Hope it gave you whatever bullshit closure you were looking for. Now, run away, Tara. Far away. Next time you’re on this lot, it won’t be so safe.”

 

She stood straight, taller than the brunette and met by her wide eyed stare. A smirk played on her lips as she took in the effect she had. Tara couldn’t get a word out, just got into the car and drove off the lot, avoiding all eye contact on her way.

 

“You can be a real scary bitch when you try.”

 

Opie came up behind her. Hands heavy in his pockets. He hadn’t started his tattoo yet, his mood had gone to shit. Mike would do it tomorrow, she assumed. Tonight, he had some thinking to do.

 

“You got to be to get shit done in this lifestyle.” She shrugged. “How are you feeling?”

 

“How long have you known?” He returned bluntly.

 

“A couple of days.”

 

“You wouldn’t think to tell me?”

 

“Why would I tell you Op? That’s not my business.”

 

He was mad, she could tell, but it wasn’t. Opie let out a heavy exhale, running his hands over his face and back through his hair.

 

“What do I do now?”

 

“You go home and you talk to your old lady. You show her that this baby will be loved. That he’ll have a loving mom and a dad and a shit ton of crazy aunts and uncles that would put their lives on the line for it. This kid is a blessing and right now that’s all she wants to hear you say.”

 

He grabbed Harley’s arm, pulling her against him into a warm hug. He needed the embrace and she obliged, softly rubbing his back up and down.

 

“It’ll all be okay, Op. Go.” She pulled away, gently pushing him towards the direction of the bikes.

 

With a nod, he turned and got on his bike. All this drama and her old man was obliviously enjoying himself at the bar. She smiled when she walked back inside but in the few minutes she had been gone he’d become a lot more intoxicated than when she’d left.

 

His eyes were glazed and he’d begun to lean on the person next to him. She caught streaks of a white substance in the bar and it dawned on her that he was high.

Kozik could see the concern in her eyes and patted her on the back.

 

“Oh he’s alright, darlin’. Just something to ease the pain from all that work on his back. Besides, let him enjoy himself. It’s his night!”

 

He shook her playfully before being pulled away by some blonde in fishnets and a leather skirt. Harley had never been against drugs. To each their own, she had always said, but seeing Jax like this didn’t sit well with her. It stirred an uneasy feeling in her stomach but the guys were known to dip into shit at parties.
Jax was a big boy. He knew when not to get carried away. Maybe she was just over reacting. This was his night. He was now an official member of the Sons. He deserved it. Right?