Finally.
Finally the day had come.
She'd been inside for 18 months — and now, she would finally get her freedom back. Although she had been able to get some air, the air seemed to feel different now she had gathered her belongings and left the building.
It was strange to know that she had met Juice in front of a similar building, almost 30 months ago. Back then, she had been a prospect, he a Son.
Now, he was waiting for her. Officially, she was still a prospect, but he was no longer a Son.
It had been a turbulent year, with another change of power within the club.
Jax was in prison, and he would stay there for a long time. Alex wasn't an easy one to dumbstruck, but when Juice told her that Gemma had stabbed her daughter-in-law in the head with a fork, she really hadn't known how to respond. Let alone when Juice told her that Jax murdered his own mother in retaliation.
It was crazy, fucking crazy.
From what she understood, Tara wanted to make a deal with the cops to get custody of Jax's kids so she could take them away from the gang violence — and her insane husband.
Juice believed that Jax hadn't forgiven him, nevertheless there had been no sanction from the club; they allowed him to hand in his kutte and to black out his tattoo.
Juice had refused to tell her a lot about that conversation — at least in prison — and by now, so much time had passed that she believed he found peace with his departure.
She returned her attention to the people who were waiting for her. Juice was there, of course, his hand on the stroller. His face told her he wanted to run towards her, but he was afraid that she rather wanted to hold her son in her arms.
Alex had been allowed to keep her child for two months, where after she had been forced to hand in him over to Juice. Since then, she'd only held Flynn in her arms during visiting hours. However, she hadn't hugged Juice in 18 months, so she postponed her reunion with her child for one more minute by wrapping her arms around Juice.
"Finally." His voice was shaking. He held her tight, burying his face in her neck. She shivered when his warm lips touched her skin. Pulling back a little, she ran her hands across his face and gave him an intense kiss.
"Hey, get a room," a teasing voice sounded.
Letting go of Juice's lips, she looked to the side. Mila and Kozik were standing next to her; Kozik was standing with help of a prosthesis. On Mila's hand, an engagement ring was shining. She answered their wide grin, but leaned over her little man before she would greet them.
"Mommy's back, little one." Lifting her son from the stroller, she held him in her arms, her thumb brushing his cheek. His eyes were closed, his thumb in his mouth.
Juice came to stand next to her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pressing a kiss to her temple. "Our family's finally complete."
Their little moment was quickly disturbed by Kozik and Mila who were demanding a hug, followed by the new president of the Sons — Bobby — and Rat and Tig.
"Good to see your ugly face again." Tig smirked, slapping her ass. "You proved to be a hell of an impostor."
She smirked.
It was good to be back.
Alex was standing with her back against the wall. The room was much more crowded than it had been the past months; today, Happy, Chibs and Greg had also been released. Meanwhile Rat had earned his patch too and there was also a giant with dark blond hair.
"Shane..." Chibs spoke. "Ye like surprises, eh?"
She shrugged. "I'd like to think I like challenges."
There was a hint of a smile on his lips. "I won't deny tha' I've been very mad with ye. But as ye know, I had plenty of time to reflect on everythin'. In the end, I learned tha' my respect for ye outweighs my hurt ego, and as yer sponsor, I'd like to see ye become a full patched member." He held her glance. "But, circumstances have changed — you became a mother and your boyfriend is no longer a member. You still wanna be patched in?"
Alex hesitated.
The temptation was still there.
She had stabbed herself for this, had Miles rape her, had been in prison.
But those things also showed her how crazy this life was, and that she could never call herself a good mother if she kept doing things like that. Alex herself had missed a strong mother who helped her through difficult times. Giving Flynn one felt like the most important thing in the world.
"No," she said eventually. "I wanted to follow the same path as my baby brother to honor him and I reached my goal. Now, I want to give my son a stable life, and I wouldn't know how to do that as a Son."
Chibs gave a nod. "Understood. Ye will be missed. Know that yer always welcome in our clubhouse."
Alex showed him a grateful smile. Taking off her kutte, which she had worn for the first time in a long time today, she placed it on the table. There after, she turned around, leaving the men alone.
Alex rolled up her sleeve, laying her arm on her knee, the inside turned upwards. The buzzing of Happy's tattoo machine was only audible when a song was followed by the next. The pin pricks in her skin didn't bother her; patiently, she watched how he tattooed her brother's date of death in the dog tag.
Not much later, the date disappeared underneath a band aid. She gave Happy a grateful nod. It felt like a mission accomplished. She finally found closure. There was still a hole in her chest, but she was no longer freezing on the inside. There was also love.
She had gotten something in return.
Juice's arms glided around her and he turned her around, his forehead resting against hers.
"No regrets?" he asked quietly.
She shook her head and kissed his lips. "No. It's time for a new adventure. With you, and with Flynn."
"And the many other babies we're gonna make."
Teasingly, she bit his lip. "I don't wanna think about that anytime soon."
He chuckled. "As long as you want to practice."
She laughed, slipping her hands underneath his shirt. "Wherever you like."
"On my Harley. We still haven't done that."
She looked into his sparkling eyes. "What about Flynn?"
"He will be fine when we leave him a little longer with Uncle Kozi."
Smirking, she pulled him towards the exit. "It's that you're always finished so soon..."
Their laughter filled the room when he slapped her ass.
Hand in hand, they left the clubhouse.
The end
