Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing from Sons of Anarchy. I only own my own characters and plot.
I've had the idea of this story in my head for awhile and I decided to finally try writing it. The story takes place in the year 2006, so two years before the show starts. Some events may follow along with the show but I can't promise that it will completely. Constructive criticism is welcomed as well as your thoughts in general. I'd love to hear about what you like about it, what you don't and everything in between. I hope that the characters will come off as true to the natural forms. Thank you!
Chapter 1
On a Friday evening, the one stoplight in the town of Charming was always busy with rush hour traffic. It was a beautiful day, only 75 degrees with no clouds in sight. It would have been a great day to spend time with family, maybe go to the beach or have a picnic. That would have been ideal, instead Nora Teller found herself on the way to Teller-Morrow Automotive Repair. It was time to bring her children to their father for the weekend. Unfortunately, they wouldn't be back home with her until Sunday evening — unless something came up with their dad's club.
Nora watched as the light switched from red to green and as she was letting her foot off the break a loud honk could be heard from the vehicle behind her. She sucked on her teeth as she scowled at the vehicle through her rear-view mirror. It was a late model, blue Chevrolet truck and she could see the driver, Ernest Darby, smirking.
Fucking Darby, she thought to herself as she shoved her hand out of her open window and flipped him the bird. She knew he had seen it when she heard him rev his engine.
"Piss off, old man!" She heard her ten year old son shouting from the backseat.
Her eyes widened as she whipped her head around to see him hanging out of the back passenger window with both of his middle fingers aimed at Darby's truck.
"Charlie Nathaniel Teller! Get your ass back in that window, buckle up, and watch your mouth!" Her face was red as she clenched her jaw, the knuckles on her left hand turned white as she gripped the steering wheel harder. She tugged the fingers of her right hand through her wind-blown hair and grimaced when they snagged on the tangles.
The click of a seat belt caused her to take in a small calming breath. She glanced at the time displayed on the radio, the green light let her know that it was 4:30. She sighed, she only had thirty minutes to make it to the scheduled meeting with her lawyer.
If I don't make it, God only knows when I will be able to secure another appointment. She thought as another sigh left her lips.
The song 'The Best of Both Worlds' by Miley Cyrus came on the radio eliciting a scream from her ten year old daughter who was seated right behind her. The shrillness of the scream caused Nora to wince.
"Turn it up, Mom!" Claire Teller screeched as she started whipping her head back and forth in her attempt to dance as much as her seatbelt would allow. "This is my song!"
Nora glanced into the rear-view mirror just in time to see Claire's long, strawberry-blonde ponytail smack Charlie right in the face.
"Ow!" Charlie Teller yelped as his hand reached up to rub his left eye. "Chill out!"
"Sorry." Claire stopped tossing her head around. "Can you please turn it though?"
"Don't turn it up!" Charlie crossed his arms over his chest, "If I have to listen to this song one more time I'm going to barf!"
"Shut up!" Claire scowled at her brother as she smacked his arm, "You're just mad because you have sucky taste in music!"
"You shut up!" Charlie smacked his sister's arm, "How's my taste in music sucky? You're the one who likes listening to fake Barbie sluts!"
"Mom, he hit me!" Claire shrieked as she scowled at Charlie.
"She hit me first!" Charlie fired back, "Don't dish it out if you can't take it."
"That's enough!" Nora scowled at her children through the rear view mirror. "Stop hitting each other!"
Charlie pulled the black hood of his jacket over his disheveled, shaggy blonde hair before crossing his arms. He sent a scowl at his sister, "She started it."
"No, I didn't!" Claire glared back at her brother, crossing her own arms.
"Well, I'm ending it!" Nora reached over and turned the radio off hoping it would quell anymore arguments.
"Mom!" Claire protested as Nora held up her hand to silence her.
"I don't want to hear it." Nora rubs her right hand through her hair agitatedly, "We're almost there. Please, no more fighting."
The tense silence that fell over the vehicle lasted the ten minutes it took to make it to Teller-Morrow. As she pulled her black Range Rover onto the lot, she couldn't ignore the clench in her heart that she always felt when it came time to tell her children 'bye' for a few days.
The gravel on the lot crunched under the wheels of her SUV as she slowly parked. Looking out of her window, she saw that six motorcycles were in their normal parking spots — including his. The blue building had two of the three bay doors open, the office door was wide open as well causing Nora to frown as she silently prayed 'God, please don't let me run into Gemma today.'
"There's Dad!" Claire squealed as she rushed to open her door causing Nora to turn her attention towards the Clubhouse.
The Clubhouse proudly had the image of a Grim Reaper on the side of it. In one hand, the Grim Reaper is holding a crystal ball with an Anarchist circle-A symbol. In the other hand is a scythe although the handle is replaced with an M16 rifle. The words Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original surrounds the Reaper. Nora couldn't help but glare at the logo, it was a representation of a lifestyle that was a big part of the reason that her family was in shambles.
Nora's eyes focused on the figure of Jackson Teller as he swaggered his way over to her SUV. She took in a deep breath to try to calm herself down as she climbed out and made her way to the trunk. She popped the trunk and leaned in to retrieve the two overnight bags — one purple with black zebra stripes, the other black with a damn Sons of Anarchy logo on it. She could vaguely hear him greet the kids before sending them to see Gemma. Her body tensed as heart pounded against her chest, she knew that he was behind her. She could feel heat creeping up her neck as she turned to face him with both bags in her shaky hands.
There he was standing before her, his hands in the pockets of his baggy blue jeans. His stance never changed, it was always demanding attention with his towering height and his self-assured smirk. His shoulder length blonde hair was still wet from the shower he had taken; his white t-shirt was slightly wrinkled underneath his black leather kutte. The Vice President patch taunted her as it sat proudly on the right side of his chest. Her eyes met his blue ones briefly before they darted down to the ground. She knew her resolve might crumble if she looked into those eyes for too long. Jackson Teller always had a way of getting what he wanted, it had been that way since they were sixteen.
Not this time, Jax. She thought bitterly to herself.
His idea of personal space when it came to her was non-existent. If it weren't for her holding her kids' bags between them, their chests would have been touching. She swallowed thickly trying to dislodge the lump in her throat, her heart felt like it was going to pound out of her chest at any given moment. She cleared her throat before greeting him, "Jax."
He gave her a half smile before taking the bags from her and placing them on the ground. He closed the distance between them and placed his hands on either side of her face forcing her to keep eye contact with him. The rings on his fingers felt cool against her skin. Her nose was assaulted by the smell of his Axe body wash as well as leather and the faint smell of cigarette smoke.
"It's been four months, Darlin'." His breath fanned across her face as he spoke. His thumbs gently caressed her cheeks. "I'm sorry for what happened, I promise I'll make it up to you. Let me come back home."
She knew that he was sorry that he had hurt her, but she also knew that it wouldn't change anything. They had been doing this for the last twelve years. The issues were never fixed, he simply got better at hiding them. Her mind knew this, but that didn't stop her heart or her body from reacting to him.
She sighed as her face leaned into to his right hand practically cradling it between her cheek and shoulder. Her eyes closed as she inhaled his scent, hoping to calm her racing heart. Her body was hyper aware of his touch, an aching need filled inside of her — she was well aware that it had been four months. 'It doesn't matter how long it's been! He's a cheater! Don't give in!' She let out another sigh before opening her eyes again.
She could see it in his eyes that he thought that he would be coming back home today… that he thought he had her again, just like every other time. He smiled at her before he leaned in to kiss her, only to be disappointed when she turned her head.
"Jax, I've got to go." She stared towards the office to avoid looking at him. She locked eyes with Gemma who was standing in the office doorway, even from a distance she could feel the heat from the glare that was being sent her way. She rubbed her hand through her hair as she turned back to face Jax; he was the lesser of the two evils when it came to his mother.
Jax had distanced himself from her, his arms crossed and legs spread apart. He scowled at her, not getting his way was a foreign concept to him — especially when it came to her. "I've given you time and space… what else do you want?"
She rubbed her hands down her face as her body slagged slightly. A long sigh released itself from her lips. "Jax, please. I don't want to fight with you."
His hard eyes stared at her for a moment before they finally softened. He bobbed his head as he uncrossed his arms and placed his hands back into his pockets.
"Let me know if you want to talk. Otherwise, I'll bring the kids home on Sunday." He looked towards the office door before looking back at her, "Ma wants you to come to the family dinner."
"Hell would have to freeze over first." She scoffed shaking her head as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I would rather spend time with my gynecologist."
He grins like the cat that ate the canary, "I may not be a gynecologist, but I do know a lot about pussy. So if you'd like to step into my office…" His eyebrows wagged suggestively as he gestured towards the Clubhouse.
Nora's stomach dropped as she clenched her fists. She gave him a tight lipped smile, "Your vast knowledge of pussy is the reason we're separated."
Jax ducked his head as he reached up to rub the back of his neck, a frown tugged at his lips. "What do I have to do to make this right?"
She refused to look at him, instead she focused on the kids making their way to them. "I don't think you can."
Jax didn't get a chance to respond before Charlie and Claire were standing next them.
"I love you both. Be good." Nora told their children as she hugged them and planted a kiss on their foreheads, "I'll see you guys on Sunday."
"Love you, too." Charlie kissed Nora's cheek before reaching down and grabbing his bag.
"I love you, too. Bye." Claire squeezed Nora tight before releasing her.
Nora could feel her eyes starting to water, she gave them one last smile before making her way around the vehicle. She had just sat in the driver seat and was about to close the door when Jax's hand grabbed the door startling her.
His eyes pleaded with her, his voice low so that the kids couldn't hear, "Please don't give up on our family. On me. I swear that I'll fix this. I just need the time to do it."
She wanted to believe him and in a way she did. She knew that he'd make sure that any other crow eater that he fucked on the road wouldn't make the mistake of following him home. Hell, she wasn't even sure if the one that showed up on their doorstep four months ago was still even breathing. The only thing she did know was that the whore had been 'dealt with'. Whatever that meant, she didn't know nor did she care. Problem was, she no longer felt compliant with the status quo of 'what happens on the road, stays on the road'. Oh no, she was done with it all.
She sighed as she rubbed her hands down her face. She reached over and turned her key in the ignition causing the SUV to start. Looking at the clock on the radio, she noticed that she had twelve minutes to make it to her appointment causing her anxiety to rise.
Jax watched as she started to fidget and her eyes shifted around anxiously. She was up to something, that he knew without a doubt. He placed his hands on either side of the door opening as he peered at her with his head cocked to the left side. He didn't even attempt to keep the accusational tone at bay when he asked, "Where are you going when you leave here?"
Nora's stomach felt like it was in knots, but she'd be damned if she let him know that. She scowled at him as she scoffed, "That's none of your business."
Jax let out a humorless laugh before he leaned in closer to her. His hard eyes met hers as he gave her a cocky smirk, "It is my business when it concerns you. We are married after all."
Not for much longer, Nora thought angrily but held back from retorting. She knew that if he had even an inkling of what she had planned that it would be game over. He'd make sure that there wouldn't be a single divorce lawyer in California that would be willing to represent her. So instead, she took in a deep calming breath and did her best to school her features.
"I have an appointment, Jax. That I'm going to be late for if you don't let me go now."
Jax studied her face, he didn't trust the innocent expression that she was giving him. He didn't believe that she was lying per se but he did believe that she wasn't telling the whole truth. He glanced down to see her hands wringing in her lap before his eyes met her hazel ones once more. He didn't know what she was up to but he'd find out.
Nora's breath caught as Jax reached his hand over to push some of her copper colored hair behind her ear. She felt the pads of his fingers trace along her cheek and down her jaw before he leaned in and placed a kiss on her cheek. The stubble on his chin tickled her cheek but she bit back a smile. 'Don't give in. Don't give in. Don't give in.'
She let out the breath that she had been holding when he pulled away and shut her car door for her. He smirked at her, a knowing glint in his eyes.
He tapped the roof of her vehicle twice, "Be careful, Darlin'."
Nora's eyes narrowed as she watched him swagger away from her SUV, every now and then he would look back over his shoulder at her with a sly smirk. Once he made it to the shop, he immediately started talking to a tan guy sporting a kutte with the word Prospect patched on it. Every now and then they would both look in her direction, she knew that they were talking about her.
'Whatever.' She thought as she rolled her eyes. 'I don't have the time to worry about this shit.'
The gravel crunched as she drove across the lot and she could hear her tires throwing loose gravel as she quickly made her way onto the main road. She reached over to the radio and turned it on. The song Pocketful of Sunshine by Natasha Bedingfield came through the speakers and Nora immediately started singing along as she danced as much as her seatbelt allowed. She was so into the music that she didn't even notice the prospect that was tailing her on his motorcycle.
Five minutes later, she found herself parallel parking in front of a small, red bricked building. The big glass window had the words 'Charming Law' written in bold white colors. She turned off the SUV, and pulled down the visor so that she could see herself in the mirror. Her wavy hair was windblown causing her to frown as she did her best to get some of the tangles out with her fingers. Realizing that this was a lost cause, she dug in her center console and grinned triumphantly when she found a black hair tie. She quickly threw her hair up into a messy bun and applied some pink lip gloss to her lips. She smacked her lips together before giving herself a small reassuring smile. "You can do this. It's for the best."
She shut the visor and took a deep breath before climbing out of the vehicle and making her way to the sidewalk. Standing in front of the office door, she dusted off invisible dirt from her black skinny jeans and smoothed out her white blouse. Her black heeled boots clicked loudly as she quickly entered the building before she could lose her nerve. 'Here goes nothing.'
