Author's Note: I'm sorry it's been so long since I updated this story. I've had to really step up at school and now I'm working too. It's been hard for me to find time to update, but here it is! I haven't given up!
"If you're so worried about something happening to me, I'll take the damn Escalade." Krys huffed, trying to get her bags packed for the next morning. She hated arguing with him over it, but she was going to see her daughter and he wasn't going to stop her.
Clay sighed, taking a seat on the bed. "Goddamnit, Krys.. Why did you keep pushing this? This is club business." He didn't want her getting caught up in the middle of the shit they were knee deep in now.
"This club business involves my daughter. I get it, you're President. Big fucking deal." She whirled around to face her husband. "Do you think I don't know what I'm getting into?"
"Fine." Clay ran his hands down his face. "Get your shit together. I'm getting a shower."
"I love you." Krys grinned.
"Yeah. That love is gonna kill me." Clay shook his head, walking into their bathroom. He turned to face the mirror, barely able to recognize the man staring back at him.
Harlie tapped her pencil against her desk in anticipation. She was ready for the bell to ring. She stared intently up at the clock, keys already in her hands. She knew the guys would be outside waiting for and that her principal would be watching her. She jumped when her phone started vibrating in her pocket. She pulled it out, hiding it underneath her desk. She flipped it open and pressed okay. The text was from Happy. 'We're waitin' on you, baby doll.'
She felt an odd sense of comfort sweep over her. It was a feeling she couldn't explain. She was out of her seat as soon as the bell rang. She waved at a few of the girls from her last class. She'd never really paid any attention to the girls she went to school with, but it was a good feeling knowing she had a few friends here in Tacoma.
Her eyes brightened when she saw Clay, Happy, Kozik, and Tig parked down near her car at the end of the parking lot. She smiled, running into Clay's arm. "Dad!" She whispered, her face buried against his chest as he lifted her off the ground.
"Hey, baby.." Clay pushed a piece of her hair behind her ear. "Miss you."
"I miss you too." She sighed, kissing his cheek. "How's mom?" She asked.
"She's good." Clay smiled slightly.
"Did you forget about Uncle Tig?" Tig crossed his arms with a smirk on his face.
"Uncle Tig? Seriously?" Harlie raised an eyebrow, looking back at him.
"Yeah, you gotta problem with it, kid?" Tig didn't realize what he'd said until after he'd said it. He was surprised when she threw her arms around him.
"I miss you too, Tigger." She kissed his cheek as well, smiling up at him.
Harlie made her way over to Kozik, a genuine smile on her face. "Hey."
"Hey.." Kozik leaned his head down, pressing a kiss to her lips. He pressed his forehead against hers. She giggled slightly, kissing his cheek.
"Which one is he?" Happy cleared his throat. "The principal.."
"Yeah, save that shit for later." Tig laughed.
"He's the one in the middle. With the dark hair." Harlie glanced in the direction of her principal who was staring straight back at her. "Grigori Vans."
Clay clapped Happy's shoulder. "I need as much information on him as you can find."
Happy nodded silently, straddling his bike. "See you guys at the clubhouse."
"Bye." Harlie waved slightly, starting to dig through her purse for her keys. "See you guys there."
"We'll be behind you, baby." Clay said, starting his bike.
Harlie slid into her car, tossing her things into the passenger seat. She quickly pulled her long hair back into a ponytail. She couldn't help but smirk when she saw the girls looking in their direction. All of them eyeing Kozik and Tig. She started the car, pulling out of the parking lot with two in front of her and Clay behind her.
Aimee laughed, wrapping an arm around Krys's shoulders. "It's been way too long." She smiled. "I missed you, honey." Her eyebrows furrowed in concern when saw the hand shaped bruises wrapped around her wrist.
"I missed you too, Aims." The blonde woman wrapped her arms around her friend. "Let's go inside. I need something to drink." Krys turned to walk inside.
"Wait.." Aimee grabbed her arm. "Are those bruises, Krys?" She pulled up the sleeve of her leather jacket. "What the hell happened?"
"Nothing.." Krys jerked her arm away. As much as she loved Aimee, it wasn't any of her business. Things between her and Clay were strained. They were fighting more now than they did when they were newlyweds. Things got a little out of control sometimes with Harlie being gone. The only one who knew the truth was the only person Krys felt like she could trust, Tig. "Clay and I got into argument, it ended badly."
"Sorry.." Aimee held her hands up in defeat. "That's not like Clay, though."
"Trust me, I know." Krys placed her sunglasses on top of her head, walking into the clubhouse. She took a seat at the bar. "Prospect, give me a beer."
"Yes, ma'am." The young man said, grabbing a bottle from the fridge.
"Toad, get me one too." Aimee sat beside Krys, pushing her hair out of her face.
"Toad?" Krys laughed quietly.
"Blame Darren. The poor kid told him his name was Todd, but Darren decided Toad sounded better." She said as Toad returned with their drinks. "He's good kid though. Thanks, sweetheart."
"How has Harlie been?" Krys asked, swishing the brown liquid around in the bottle.
"She's been good. She's doing great in school and works with me in the afternoons. Sometimes she even works in the garage with Glenn." Aimee pulled her cigarettes out of her purse.
"I remember when she was little and Clay would carry her all over the garage on his shoulders." She smiled at the memory.
"Isn't that how she cut her eyebrow?" Aimee handed Krys a cigarette.
"Nope, that was Tig's fault." Krys took a drag off the cigarette, handing it back to Aimee. She looked back towards the door as she heard the rumble of motorcycles. "I'm guessing they're back."
"She doesn't know you're coming, does she?" Aimee inquired as she took a sip of her beer.
"Not yet." Krys sat the bottle down on the counter, sliding off the stool.
"Wait here! She'll be so happy to see you." Aimee smiled, walking out of the clubhouse. "Hey, boys.." She earned a look from Harlie. "Okay, and girls."
"That's better." Harlie grinned, shutting her car door. "Do you need my help this afternoon?" She asked.
"Nah, I think I got it. You go relax." She nodded towards the clubhouse.
"Aimee." Tig smirked, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "How are ya, darlin'?"
"I'm good, Tigger." Aimee smiled. "C'mon, let's all go inside and have a few drinks."
"C'mon!" Tig grinned. "I'll carry you."
Harlie smirked, jumping onto Tig's back. "Now onward!"
"Remember, you're on my back." Tig chuckled.
"Just don't drop her.." Clay shook his head, laughing.
Harlie squealed as Tig started to run, wrapping her arms tighter around his neck. Her eyes widened as they entered the clubhouse. She couldn't believe her mom was here. "Mom!" She slid down off Tig's back, running into her arms.
"Hey, baby.." Krys relished the feeling of having her daughter in her arms again. "How are you?"
"I'm great." She whispered, not ever wanting to let go. "I've missed you so much."
"I've missed you too." Krys pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek.
"I didn't know you were coming." Harlie laughed, hugging her again.
"I wanted to surprise you. Aimee told you've been working with the guys." She smiled.
"Yeah. They've been teaching me how to tune up the Camaro and a few of the bikes." Harlie nodded, pushing her hair out of her face.
"She's been doin' a damn good job, too." Kozik wrapped an arm around Harlie's shoulders. He'd been trying as hard as he could to keep her happy. He decided to let her fix the house up so she could keep her mind off all bad things; it seemed to be working.
"Does this mean we can have a party?" Tig beamed.
"Do you think we need an excuse to have a party?" Aimee asked, crossing her arms.
"You should know better, Tiggy." Harlie placed her hands on her hips. "We're SAMTAC." She shoved him playfully. "Who else is here anyway?"
Clay snaked his arms around Krys's waist. "Jax, Opie, Juice, and Chibs. Bobby and Piney are watching the garage."
"Where are they?" Harlie posed, glancing around the clubhouse.
"Club business." Clay spoke, pulling Krys closer to him.
"Maybe we should go get settled in." Krys turned around to face him, kissing his lips.
"Sounds nice." Clay looked her up and down.
"Oh, good lord!" Harlie threw her arms up into the air. "You guys have been here how long?"
Aimee snickered. "Hey, you'll understand one day."
"Who says I don't?" She asked sarcastically.
"Alright, alright.. Enough of that." Tig expressed, stepping between Harlie and Kozik.
"I'm going out to the garage." Harlie shook her head, kissing her mom on the cheek.
"We'll leave you two alone." Aimee teased. "I'll be out in the office if you need me, sweetheart."
"See you two later!" Harlie shouted, making her way out to the parking lot with Kozik beside her. "You got a cigarette?"
"Since when do you smoke?" He raised an eyebrow, pulling his cigarettes out of his front pocket. He tossed them to her.
"Since now." She took on out of the small box, placing it in her mouth. She watched Kozik pull his lighter out of his pocket and light it for her. "Thanks." She took a drag, leaning back against her car. "Share it with me?"
"Of course." He took it from between her fingers, flicking it onto the ground. "How are you, baby? Honestly."
"I'm fine." She smiled up at him, leaning on his shoulder. "I'm happy."
"Good, good.." He leaned down, kissing her lightly. He chuckled when he felt her pull him closer by grabbing onto his cut.
"Thank you, Koz." Harlie sighed softly, resting her head on his chest.
"For what?" His fingers played in her hair, curling and uncurling the red strands.
"I think coming up here has been one of the best decisions I've ever made." It was the truth. She felt free up in Tacoma. She wasn't being held down by Clay, Jax, or the rest of SAMCRO. She discovered more of herself every day. She figured out she was a great artist, how good at math she really was, and how she wanted to help people.
"I think so too." The bond between the pair was growing stronger. They cared for each other. Not just physically, but in every other way possible. "How do you feel about Happy being here?" He asked a moment later.
"I'm fine with it." She shrugged her shoulders. Honestly, it made her nervous. She was surprised she could even look at him. In her head she wondered why Clay kept him around. For Christ's sake, if it had been up to Jax or Opie, he would've been beaten severely. These were thoughts she kept to herself. She had mentioned it a few times around Aimee, but she always told her not to worry about it. "What about you?"
Kozik sighed. "I'unno yet." He took another drag off the cigarette.
"I should head home real quick and change." Harlie took the cigarette from him, putting it out on the ground.
"I'll head back with ya." Kozik smirked.
"You really wanna wait on me to get ready for forty five minutes?" She crossed her arms.
"It's worth it in the end." He let out a dramatic sigh. "Wanna ride?"
"Sure." Harlie grinned, grabbing her helmet out of her car. For a split second she questioned her decision. Jimmy O was still out there. Harlie and Kozik alone wouldn't be seen as threatening, it would be an easy attack.
"Hop on." Kozik straddled his bike, patting the seat behind him.
She slid on behind him, hooking her arms around his waist. "Let's go." She kissed his cheek. Hell, why not? She had to live a little.
I hope you guys liked it! Please review!(: