Disclaimer: I do not own SOA nor any of the characters except Krys and Harlie.
Author's Note: This is just a short little one-shot I had floating around in my head. I'm trying to get back into writing but it's been difficult. I hope everyone enjoys this! Please review, fave, and follow! I appreciate all my readers. And, to those who read Monster's, I've got another chapter coming up soon! Thank you guys, Jinny.
There is a house in Charming Town,
They call the Rising Sun
It's been the ruin of many a poor girl
And me, Oh God, I'm one
"Hey, hey Krsys... Wake up." Krys heard the voice in her head, pulling her out of a fitful sleep. Jax? What the hell was he doing here? "What the hell happened?" What was he talking about? When he lifted her off the cold tile floor, she felt her whole body throb. The memories came rushing back. Clay did what he always said he wouldn't. She tried so hard to fight back but he was too strong to fight off.
"I just... Fell." Krys lied, though she knew Jax wouldn't believe it.
"Bullshit." Jax sat her gently in one of the chairs at the large dining room table. "Clay did this, didn't he?"
"Yeah, baby..." Krys laughed bitterly. "Clay did this."
"Let's get you cleaned up." Jax's brow furrowed in frustration. How could Clay do this to her? She stuck by him through everything, even when she knew it was wrong. He'd seen bruises on her arms before but nothing this bad. "Can you open your left eye?"
Krys shook her head. "I'll be alright. Just don't tell Harlie." She frowned as she watched him make her an ice pack. She held it to the left side of her face, letting out a groan of pain. If someone had told her twenty years ago that Clay would've done this, she would've laughed in their face.
October 1990
"You ready, baby girl?" Gemma placed the silver tiara on Krys's head. She'd insisted Krys wear some sort of color besides he silver zippers of her leather jacket and her red lipstick. This girl was like her third child. She always hated the thought of motherless children so she took Krys under her wing. She'd raised her the only way she knew how, which was the same way she'd raised her boys.
"Yeah, Gem. I'm ready." Krys couldn't hold back her smile. She took one last look at her reflection in the mirror. She wore a black dress that stopped mid thigh with black fishnet stockings and heels. She grabbed her leather jacket off the back of the chair and threw it over her shoulder. "Dad's gonna shit when he sees this dress." She scoffed as she closed the door to Clay's room. It wasn't going to be anything big, just a small wedding at the clubhouse. Though, Krys and Gemma had worked hard getting everything ready. They'd luckily had the help of Precious and Luann.
"You look beautiul." Gemma squeezed her hand. "Look at me, sweetheart."
"Yeah, Mom?" Krys laughed.
"You know this life, it ain't easy. Being an Old Lady is hard work." Gemma pushed a stray blonde curl behind the young woman's ear. It really was a hard life, but she was going to do just fine. "But, I got faith in you. Remember, total disclosure. You deserve to know everything."
"Thank you for everything." She threw her arms around Gemma, tears threatening to fall.
"Mess up your makeup and you won't make it down the aisle." Gemma threatened. "Let me go get Piney."
"No need. I'm right here." Piney was standing at the end of the hallway, staring at his baby girl. He wasn't happy about her being with Clay, but he could never tell her no. No reason to try now. She looked beautiful... And happy. "Wow, Gem. You did a great job. You looked beautiful." He wrapped his daughter in his arms, kissing her forehead. "I want you to know that I'm proud of you. He's a lucky man."
"He is, isn't he? I love you, daddy." Krys leaned her head against his shoulder. "You ready? Let's do this." She took him by the arm. She could already hear the intro to Hell's Bells playing from the speakers. She kicked off her heels once Gemma wasn't looking and tossed them in the corner. She grinned when she saw all the bikes parked in two columns. In the middle was a long red strip of silky fabric. Clay always made sure she got what she wanted. She saw the crowd turn to face her and she started to get nervous. Her hands shook slightly.
"Don't fall." Piney chuckled as he kissed her forehead.
"Thanks, Dad. That makes me feel much better." Krys scoffed as he started to lead her down the aisle. She felt the butterflies fluttering in her stomach until she caught Clay's eyes and a smile spread across her face. She'd never been more sure of anything in her life. It seemed like it was taking forever to finally get to him, but soon enough she was standing in front of the love of her life. He looked great. He was dressed in a pair of dark jeans with a white dress shirt and his cut.
"You look gorgeous, baby." Clay couldn't help the grin forming on his face. He should've known she'd be barefoot. She wasn't one for shoes, unless they were boots.
"Hey, you better take care of her." Piney shook Clay's hand. "I won't hesitate to kick your ass, man. She's my baby."
"I'll be okay, Dad." Krys kissed her father on her cheek, leaving a red lip print. She took Clay gently by hand.
"Let's get started, shall we?" John stood behind the two of them, a Bible in his hands. The song by ACDC still played quietly in the background. "We're here today for the blessed joining of Clay and Christine. Before the two of them share their vows, I'd like to share an old Irish blessing. May joy and peace surround you both, contentment latch your door, and happiness be with you now, and love be cherished evermore."
Clay squeezed Krys's hand lightly as he turned to Otto. "Got the rings?"
"Here ya go, man." Otto pulled them out of the pocket of his jeans and placed them in Clay's hand.
Krys took one form his palm and let out a sigh. She slid it onto his finger. "With this ring, I vow my love. I promise to always be a faithful and loving wife. And Old Lady."
Clay chuckled to himself as he slid the other ring onto her small finger. "With this ring, I vow my love. And I promise to cherish you.. And protect you." He paused as he heard cheers coming from the audience. "And treat you as good as my leather... and ride you as much as my Harley." The crowd joined with the last line, all clapping and hollering. He watched as he face turned bright red.
"Well, according to the laws of the state of California, I now pronounce you man and wife. Do your shit." John clapped his best friend on the shoulder.
Krys let out a squeal as Clay dipped her back, pressing his lips to hers. "I love you, baby."
"I love you too, Clay." She giggled as he threw her over his shoulder and carried her back down the aisle. He walked into the clubhouse, the crowd following behind them. "You better be glad I'm wearing underwear, Mr. Morrow."
"Nothin' I haven't seen before, baby doll." Clay sat her down on the bar. "Hey, prospect. Get my wife whatever she wants." He called to Kyle Hobart who was working behind the bar.
"You got it." Kyle nodded. "What can I get for ya, Krys?"
"Unless you got a change of clothes for me back there, then nothing at moment." She leaned forward, kissing Clay. Music began to blast throughout the clubhuouse. "Since the party is about to start, wanna sneak off down the hallway? As long as there's alcohol, no one's gonna care where we went."
"Make sure no one disturbs us, Prospect." Clay demanded as Kyle handed him a beer. He threw his wife over his shoulder again and carried her down the hallway.
Present
Krys stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, astounded by the damage her husbnd had done to her face. She'd put up with a lot of shit and just let it slide, but this wasn't okay. She couldn't forgive him for this or for stealing from them. That extra money wasn't money Krys used to shop with or spend on the house, it was for Harlie. After she dead and gone, she wanted her daughter to have enough to not worry about anything. She didn't want her daughter to struggle. She wanted her to be able to do what she never did... Escape.
I'm staying here to end my life,
Down in the Rising Sun
