JAX LOOKED AROUND and smiled at the people who were gathered to watch Opie and Lyla get married. The ceremony was set to start in five minutes. Opie was standing at the head of the makeshift altar. They were getting married outside and it had turned out beautifully. Gemma had had a big hand in setting it all up, along with Lyla's friends and Opie's daughter.

People were taking their seats in the outdoor chairs. Opie was standing with his son and father at the altar for a moment before they took their seats. Jax locked gazes with his mother and she smiled at him. He returned it and then went to stand with Opie.

"You ready for this?"

Opie smiled and said, "Sure as hell hope so." Jax laughed and they both turned their attention down the aisle, when music started. It wasn't the typical wedding march, but that surprised no one. Lyla wasn't a typical woman.

Jax watched his best friend's expressions and couldn't help but smile. He could tell how happy he was. And that made Jax happy.

Lyla reached Opie and they shared a smile. The priest began and everyone focused their attention on the happy couple. But halfway through the ceremony, Jax felt awareness prickle the back of his neck. Turning his head slightly, he saw why.

She was a vision, absolutely gorgeous. She was wearing a one-shoulder dress, showing off her toned arms. The color blue was absolutely stunning with her blonde hair. And of course, the beige heels showcased her spectacular legs. She took his breath away.

His attention was only brought back to the wedding when Opie tried to cut his vows short without saying what he knew he had to say.

"Come on Ope!", All his brothers said at the same time. Opie sighed, looking at Jax, who smiled and nodded in agreement with the other guys.

"And I promise to treat as good as my leather…"

The other men in the room joined in for, "And ride you as much as my Harley."

Everyone began whooping and clapping as Lyla laughed. They were pronounced husband and wife then and shared a kiss. The guests applauded and then Lyla announced that it was, in fact, time to party.

KRIS FELT HER pulse spike as she watched his gaze land on her again. What was she going to say? Usually she felt so at ease talking to people, giving them a presentation. But Jax was different. This situation was different. She felt like an awkward teenager. She needed to get some control and get it fast.

"Say what feels right, sweetie."

Kris smiled as Natalia squeezed her shoulder from behind. Her best friend also added a wink and then went off to join Juice for a drink. Taking a deep breath, she met Jax in the middle.

At first, they just stared at each other. As usual, the sexual tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. But that had to wait until later. There were things that needed to be said and done first.

"Didn't expect to see you here."

Kris nodded. "I know. That was kind of the point. I had some business to take care of."

Jax raised his eyebrows. "Did you? And what business would that be?"

Before she could answer, Tig came up and hugged the hell out of her.

"Knew you could do it, girl! I knew it!"

Jax looked at her. Tig grinned. "She didn't tell you? Otto's getting it out in a year, thanks to this girl."

Jax couldn't believe it. She had actually done it. Otto wasn't going to spend the rest of his life in Stockton, like he thought he would. She must be so proud of herself.

"Tig?"

He looked back and forth between the two of them. "Oh, was I interrupting something? Shit, I'm sorry." He held up his hands and backed away.

"Congratulations…Ann. You must be proud."

Kris grinned. "I am proud. I'm glad that I'll get to spend time with my father. Time that we both need to mend some fences that definitely need mending."

Again, Jax was confused. "How are you gonna do that, exactly?"

Kris shrugged. "I'm moving back to Charming."

He felt the wind had been knocked out of him, but in a good way. She was moving back here? Back to him? Wait, she didn't say that. She just said she was moving to Charming. She never mentioned a future for the two of them.

"I never should have left the way I did. But, in a way, I'm glad. It took a really frustrated Russian and some serious self-examination to realize that what I had done was wrong. And it was. I'm sorry Jax."

Jax didn't know what to say. She had anticipated that. The two of them had definitely followed the old adage of "actions speak louder than words".

So, she took him by the hand and led him away from the group. Once they were safely a distance away, she lifted up the right side of her dress so that he could see the inside of her hip. There, tattooed in black ink, was a crow.

Jax swallowed a lump in his throat. Did this mean what he thought it meant?

"Really?"

Kris smiled coyly. "Well, it is permanent. So…"

Jax wrapped his arms around her and leaned his forehead against hers. "You have no idea how badly I wanted you to come back. So bad it hurt. Actually hurt."

Kris nodded, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I have some idea, believe me."

Jax tipped her chin up toward him and placed a kiss on her lips. At that moment, Kris realized she was right where she was supposed to be, with the man she was supposed to be with.

"Come on."

Eyebrows raised, she followed him as he led her back to the party. "Wait here."

She did and watched him go to the makeshift bar. When he returned, he was with the priest that had just married Opie and Lyla.

Jax got down on one knee, right there, in front of all of Opie and Lyla's wedding guests.

"Fight with me for the rest our lives, Kris. And then make up with me over and over…and over." He added a wink with that. Then, for good measure, said, "Marry me."

Kris had not anticipated this. She was so good at knowing the outcome to almost every situation, but she hadn't expected this. That was why she loved this man. He kept her on her toes.

Kris looked at the priest and said, "Hit it Padre."

So he did. The short, abridged version. In less than five minutes, they were married. There was applause and whooping and whistling. Opie and Lyla didn't care a bit that they had to share their day.

"Are we crazy?", She asked, breathless from the kiss she had just shared with her new husband.

Jax nodded. "Absolutely. Have been since day one."

Kris laughed. That was very true. Their relationship had been anything but normal from the beginning. This seemed more than fitting.

"Think anyone would notice if we cut outta here?"

Kris smiled. "Yes, I think they would. We can wait. We have quite awhile, you know?" Jax nodded, smiling and taking her hand.

"Yes we do. We have the rest of our lives."

TO BE CONCLUDED IN THE EPILOGUE... :-)