Chapter VI

He could see her further ahead in the distance standing towards the creek that flowed through the area. The sounds of the water falling over the rocks filled the night as if it were a serenade for the lovers. The moon illuminated the night sky, its prisms of light reflecting off the water cascading around her. He had never seen such beauty as the sparkling lights of the water reflected off of her porcelain skin, the light penetrating the sheer fabric of her short white sundress, outlining her body as if the light were sketching her for a drawing. Her hair long blonde hair flowed down the nape of her neck upon her shoulders. He stopped for a moment taking in the image on display before him before proceeding; he could feel his heart race in his chest even standing completely still. The beat so strong the pounding noise was echoing in his ears, and he was sure the sound could be heard by her. It was uncontrollable the rapid beating of his heart, and uncontrollable response to the breathtaking image before him. An image that looked as if it were a piece of fine art work that been created to be on display in a museum, and he knew it would forever be etched in his mind, until the day he died.

No longer able to deny his urges he approached her covering her upper arms with his own. Slowly she turned to him her lips full and welcoming. The light of the moon reflecting the gloss she had carefully smoothed upon them earlier that evening, the glistening beckoned him to come closer. He lowered his lips to hers, ravaging her mouth. It was no ordinary kiss but one that said, "you are mine" a kiss that claimed, a kiss that owned. Her mouth answered to the response by submitting to him as his tongue continued its exquisite assault upon her, caressing, exploring, and pushing them both beyond the brink.

Reaching down he grabbed the hem of her short sundress, the fabric little protection for his advances upon her, as his hand traveled up her outer thigh, before moving to her inner thigh, her skin so smooth the sensation his finger tips were experiencing was indescribable. They moved fluidly upon her flesh finally coming to rest in the moisture, and warmth that was already present between her legs. Letting out a deep sigh from his touch she allowed her head to fall upon his shoulder, her breathing becoming sporadic gasp at times from the surges his touch was creating.

Her body clenched in response as his hand slowly began traveling away from the inviting warmth, and moisture it had found between her legs. A soft groan of protest escaped her delicate lips, vibrating off the t-shirt covering his muscular chest, but still the sensation could be felt upon his flesh through the fabric. He felt his body responding, the need becoming so demanding it was a feeling of both ecstasy and torture for him as he reached up placing the finger tips of both hands under the spaghetti string straps of her dress. Slipping each strap over her delicate tanned shoulders the dress falls to the ground finding a home down around her bare feet.

His breathing becomes heavy, a sound escaping from his lips that is almost primal as he gazes upon her bare breast, her nipples a perfect soft pink color, call to his mouth. His lips tingle in response to the beckoning, and he is drawn to her flesh, his lips hot and moist as they brush from her well defined shoulders down her chest, first traveling to her right side. He takes her pert nipple into his mouth, rolling it around with the tip of his tongue as if it were a sweet candy treat, and to him it is, the sweetest most delectable substance his mouth has ever feasted upon. Moving greedily to the other side he begins to consume her as if it will be the last encounter he will ever have, the last meal.

The excitement builds as her pert nipples harden in his mouth becoming so full, so erect; they feel as if they will burst. He can feel a surge of primal lust course through his body settling in the crotch of his jeans which have expanded to accommodate him in ways he didn't think were possible.

Stepping back for a moment to allow his breathing to steady his eyes roam her body, the beauty of her standing before him in only a pair of pale blue lace panties, is mind boggling. The soft harmony of the water filling the air, and the moon light cascading around her creates an image that is truly exquisite, dreamlike, as if she is a water nymph, something from a fairy tale that simply doesn't exist. He reaches out to touch her warm flesh to ensure she is real, a breath of relief escaping him, vibrating upon his lips as he feels her warmth upon the pads of his calloused fingers.

Knowing the need building within him can no longer be contained he reaches down unsnapping his pants and opening the zipper, he can feel himself almost brimming over begging for freedom, begging to be buried deep within the depths of her warmth. He stepped towards her closing the gap, very roughly cupping the back of her head with both hands, his fingers drifting through her blonde locks of silk, intertwining, tangling, and pulling her lips back into his own. They meet once more with an urgency that is full of demand, his tongue plunging into her mouth, as he feels a soft moan from her vibrating against his lips. It sends a rippling wave of sensation through him like the creek water that flows along the banks. He pulls her lips into him with even more demand his tongue plunging into her again in a sweet symphony of love, desire, and lusty need.

Reaching down he slips his finger tips on both sides of the lace panties moving them freely down her legs until they are upon the ground. She stands before him completely naked now, and once again his eyes drink in the beauty, his eyes lower to the of the fine blonde tuft of pubic hair that is now on display. His cock pulsates with its own need in response to the image his eyes are beholding. He reaches around her waist lifting her up into him, his arms finding refuge in the curvature of her back just above the cheeks of her ass. Her legs wrap around his waist clenching him tight and he thinks momentarily of her pussy and how it clenches around his cock when he enters her. His body aches in protest to be inside of her.

Stepping forward few paces he leans her into a large tree his mouth once again devouring her, ravaging her. His lips break from hers reluctantly as he reaches down adjusting his pants to finally give his demanding cock the freedom it has been screaming for. He can feel the surge of blood pumping, pulsating within him, as he drips in anticipation of being within her. Pressing her up against the tree harder, the tip of rigidness can sense her warmth is close, can feel the moisture she is emitting just for him.

He loves her but his needs are now more primal as he moves guiding himself into her, pressing the back of her body even firmer into the bark of the tree as he enters her completely. He pauses only for a moment to gaze into her eyes before he begins his delicious assault pulling himself back slightly before plunging into her depths, repeating the action, over and over again as their breathing synchronizes as well as the rhythm of their movements. She buries her head deeper into the side of his shoulder her moans filling the night air drifting above them up intermingling with his own before floating upwards towards the heavens.

His movements become more rhythmatic more purposeful with each plunge, their bodies both have a goal to receive the delicious sweet release they can only receive from one another. He can feel her body giving way with each plunge into her wet warmth. He continues to bury himself deeper within her with each plunge, her own body clenching around him, the resistance so sweet he feels himself pulsate on the brink of spilling into her. Her heart beats rapidly against his chest as her moans grow more frequent, and her entire body glistens with moisture. He can feel the change and buries himself deeply into her once more as she gives way screaming his name, clenching him so tightly he can't pull away from her. He feels the pulsing, the stirring in him as he releases himself into her, the wave of ecstasy overtaking his very soul as he groans out loudly the sound deep, and primal. Collapsing upon her, pushing her back against the trunk of the tree he stands for a moment, burying his head in her hair, his senses filling with her. She whispers words in his ear he can barely comprehend.

{Charming, June 1995} Aiden awakened startled bolting to an upright position his body drenched in perspiration, and the sheets around him thrashed and tangled from his dream. He blinked numerous times allowing his eyes to focus, eventually recognizing the surroundings he had passed out in the night before as the clubhouse apartment. He couldn't remember much about the evening as he looked around the room several empty beer bottles scattered about, along with a couple of whiskey bottles. Glancing over at the nightstand he saw his pack of Marlboros. The ashtray next to the package was overflowing with extinguished cigarette butts, as well as a blunt lying to the side. He reached up with this hand running it through his untamable curls, his hand drifting down over his face to the thick stubble that would be a much fuller beard than he normally wore if he didn't shave soon. His head pounded as if large boulders were rumbling around inside, the pain radiated to his temples which pulsated in response.

He struggled to recall the events of the previous night, but it was extremely blurry. Aiden recalled some of Luann's women flirting with him at the bar, but fuck he couldn't even remember if he brought them back to the room or not. He knew the percentages that he had were pretty high. Lying back upon the lumpy mattress he stared at the old dingy ceiling above him. The water stains from the leaky roof they had fixed just last year glared back at him. It had been two weeks since the cabin, since Tara had slipped and told Amelia about the club business the boys had been involved in with Nomads, and SAMREN Charter. It had been two weeks since she had run out the cabin door with a look of fear in her eyes. He had found her by the creek, the one in his dream, the dream that had just startled him from his drunken slumber. They had not made love as he had just envisioned in his dream. Christ he would have given his soul to the devil for eternity if the dream had been real. When it was playing in his mind it had seemed so real to him, he could almost smell her all around him. The scent followed him wherever he went and it was tormenting. Even more tormenting then her scent was the look of fear that had been in her eyes, followed by the eerie blank expression that took over and never left.

Aiden felt those looks would haunt him for the rest of his life. He never touched her by the creek, not even a kiss. Amelia had demanded that Opie bring her back to Charming, and before Aiden could even get to her she had disappeared. Vanished without a trace into thin air, two weeks and no word from her, it was as if Amelia Tate had never existed. He had spent hour's pleading with Marie, doing everything short of getting on his fucking knees and begging her to tell him how to find Amelia. Christ he had no self respect left and if Marie had been willing to give him the location he would have gladly begged on his knees.

His eyes squinted for a moment from the pain, not the discomfort from the hangover that had been ongoing since she had disappeared, but from the pain of his heart that was breaking more and more with each passing day. He rustled around the bottles lying around; they clattered sending piercing noises into the air making his temples throb harder. Finally he found what he was looking for a bottle of Whiskey that actually contained some of the precious liquid brown contents within. Placing the bottle to his dry lips he turned it up feeling the liquid burn as it traveled down his esophagus to his empty stomach. Then he plopped back on the lumps of a mattress allowing the amber fluid to go to work on him. Numb that's what Aiden wanted to be numb. It was another fucked up day in the paradise that was his fucked up life and he intended to spend it just as he had every day for the last two weeks drunk. Being inebriated equaled numbness, numbness equaled temporary relief from the pain that ripped through him.

Amelia stood on the bank of the creek watching the water ripple by her, as hot tears flowed down her cheeks. The pain ripping through her chest was indescribable as if her heart shattered into a million pieces. She knelt down to attempt to catch her breath, and control the hysterical sobs that kept coming. The water looked cool and inviting as if it welcomed her in promised her a peace that she so desperately needed.

She felt his hand rest upon her shoulder. His smell penetrating the air around her and she desperately wanted to turn around, and beg him to take her into his arms, to make love to her, and make the last few weeks disappear. Amelia couldn't though the only strength she could muster was remaining frozen in a crouched position by the creek, the incidents of the last weeks running through her mind screaming at her. Aiden yelling insanely in the parking lot when Donna had gotten sick at one of the other charter members who had attempted to help, grasping her arm and hurting her, and pulling the gun on guy. His demeanor, his stance had been foreign to her, like someone she didn't know. They had been together just a little under a year and he had never behaved so erratically as he had the last few weeks.

Tara's look when she had asked if Aiden had killed one of the men found in the mysterious murders replayed in her mind. The arrival at the cathedral, the shirt that was wet with a substance she thought was blood, and Aiden staring blankly at the tile wall of the shower. All of the signs that she had chosen to ignore were starting to add up. Aiden's insistence that she stay away from the TM, locking her away from his life. Even though he had banished her for whatever bullshit reason he had given at the time she knew there was a war with the Mayans. That much she had overheard. All the men found in the mysterious murders were Mexicans. He was killer; the man she loved was killer. Even if he hadn't killed all of them he had been present, been an active participate. The sobs became uncontrollable again; he had promised her he was leaving the club in a year. How did one leave and live a normal life after taking another life? Amelia couldn't wrap her mind around it. She looked up to the night sky which had been so beautiful and enticing to her even an hour ago. One hour, sixty minutes, three thousand six hundred seconds ago her life had been perfect. Aiden had been perfect, there love had been perfect. Now she was crouched before a creek bank, nothing but despair and anguish pulsing through her. Amelia looked up at the night sky and began screaming. She could feel Aiden kneel down to wrap his arm around her, she hugged her own arms around herself pulling away from him.

"Baby, please I don't know what's going on with you. Please talk to me, please." He pleaded with her, terrified at the emotional breakdown that was occurring, even more terrified at not knowing why it was occurring.

Aiden knew she had, had issues in the past, she had shared a lot of very personal situations with him when they had first met. He also knew she was really encouraged take medication to stabilize her moods since the suicide attempt the year prior to their meeting. She refused to take it claiming it made her feel devoid of emotions. Honesty he hadn't seen any reason she needed it, she was one of the happiest, most loving, carefree persons he had ever known. The only thing she suffered from was a mother that was a complete fucking bitch. Amelia was stable, had been stable the last year, at least he had thought she was until now. Christ he had just walked into the kitchen with Jax to help them carry the beers out that Donna had said they had gone to retrieve. Now he found himself before this creek with Amelia refusing to even look him in the eye.

He continued to coax her until Amelia finally rose and turned facing him her mascara streaming down her face in black streaks, her hair a tangled mess, her beautiful blue eyes already becoming blood shot, and swollen.

"Have you killed someone Aiden?" She continued to glare at him, "The night you showed up at the cathedral, the night you disappeared into the bathroom. Was that blood on your shirt? Did you kill someone?"

His eyes grew wide, "what in the fuck", his mind felt as if a hurricane had just hit, he couldn't understand where she would hear such a thing, and then his mind reverted back to the image of Tara and Amelia in the kitchen. God damn it what had Tara heard, and what had she shared with Amelia. The very thing he had tried to shield her from, shield them from had just slammed into the shoreline like a god damned typhoon breaking down the levies he had so statically placed.

"Amelia, please baby let me explain," He stepped closer to her, knowing if he could just touch her, kiss her, and make contact that all this could be solved. He could make her understand.

Amelia watched him step towards her and immediately stepped back almost tripping in the creek. She could feel the cool water rushing along her bare feet, the sharp rocks underneath the pads of her feet.

"Baby, please be careful you're going to fall into the creek some of the areas aren't stable. Its dark you could ….." He paused in an attempt to get control of his quivering voice, "the current baby, please take my hand Amelia, please…." He pleaded with her stretching his hand out to reach her. She was so close he could almost feel her warmth emitting through the air yet she felt a world away from him.

"NO! Don't touch me!" She backed up feeling more of the cool water on her feet the unsteady rocks making a crumpling sound as they pressed against the pads of her feet, "Are you a killer? Are you Aiden?" She screamed the words praying he would lie to her, do anything to make her believe otherwise.

Aiden watched in terror as she moved even further away from him into the water. He debated on just reaching out and grabbing her, deciding against it afraid she would jerk away. He stepped back from her holding his hands up hoping she would feel more comfortable to step forward, anything to get her away from the water.

"Amelia, please baby, please I am stepping away from you ok, moving back," He took more steps back to show her, "I won't touch you unless you want me to I promise, please step away from the water, please Amelia. It's dark and those rocks are not steady under your feet. You could fall hit your head please come toward me. Please."

She watched as he continued to step away from her holding his hand partially up in the air as he did so. Slowly she walked forward towards the firm ground, her eyes never leaving his as her body moved.

"Aiden," She sobbed for several minutes after speaking his name, "Did you? …. Did you kill someone? Please tell me the truth," She paused for a moment she could feel her control snapping as her voice began to raise in volume, "I already know the truth … Tara told me so don't look me in the eyes and lie!"

"Just come back to the cabin with me, come back sit down and we will talk about everything." He looked her in the eyes pleading, "Please, A, remember you and me, you promised to stick by me, just a year baby please."

"I didn't promise to sit beside you while you murdered people for the entire year," Her eyes grew wide with horror as she spoke the words.

"Please, A, God, please I am begging you just come back to the cabin with me," Aiden stepped towards her," Please I'll walk away from the club tonight if that's what you want, but please come back to the cabin so we can talk. I'll do whatever I have to, baby. Please." His voice began to quiver as he spoke the words he noticed she began to take steps back in response to his advances once again she was headed back towards the unsteady creek bank of rocks.

The story of Hamlet he was forced to read during his time in school flashed into his mind. He thought of the character Ophelia, the one whose body was found drowned in a creek, and the familiarity and symbolism of the situation sent shivers down his spine.

"Everything ok?" Opie slowly approached he had heard Amelia's scream and Donna had begged him to go see what was happening.

He had been in the shadows for several minutes, he was both shocked at the words he had overheard, and embarrassed that he had remained in silence like a petty ease dropper. He had debated about going back to the cabin at one point to get Jax. Amelia had obviously found out about him putting a bullet in one of the Mexicans head, Opie closed his eyes for a moment knowing Aiden didn't have a choice. If he hadn't shot him, he would have been dead. Looking at Amelia he knew she didn't understand that, he decided to remain where he was too concerned for both of them to leave long enough to even get Jax for help.

Opie glanced from Aiden back to Amelia who looked almost comatose. Opie didn't like the fact she was standing so close to the water. The creek was swallow in parts, but deeper in others, it did move with a current over the rocks, and at night it was dangerous to walk around the rocks were slippery and unsteady, one could easily fall and hit their head. There had been a few people found dead that had met that fate over the years. Piney had always warned them about it as children.

"Amelia, I want you to do me a favor honey," Opie spoke the words calmly but ready to grab for her if needed, "Just walk over to me, ok? I won't hurt you, you know that."

Aiden dropped to his knees in shock and a feeling helplessness washed over him, only breathing a sigh of relief as Amelia slowly began walking towards Opie away from the creek bank.

{Laguna Beach, June 1995} Amelia rose up from the beach towel she had fallen asleep on tears streaming down her cheeks. Every time her eyes closed it was the same dream that haunted her over and over, the horrible night at the cabin two weeks ago. When she had discovered information about Aiden, and the club activities she could have lived a life time without knowing. She had fled the kitchen of the cabin, and Aiden had followed her. Amelia had wanted to run into his arms so desperately and forget the look of truth that had flashed across Tara's face when she had asked about Aiden's involvement in the murders of several Mexican gang members around Charming. The same look of truth that had been in Aiden's eyes when she asked him if he was a killer. She couldn't though, she couldn't shake the fact that the man she loved had murdered someone, self defense or not.

Aiden had begged her to just listen to what he had to say, even Jax interjected on this behave trying to explain to her that it was a self defense move. That Aiden had no choice in the matter. Too Amelia though he had, had a choice, a choice not to be there. He could have been with her, in bed with her. It wasn't as if he didn't have a refuge from the club, he could have quit the club at anytime, and just been with her. She only had a year until her trust fund activated. They could have ridden that year out in a different manner than he had decided.

Amelia knew she had been cowardly begging Opie for a ride back to Charming. She had known Aiden wouldn't be far behind, so she had quickly packed a bag, begged Marie to say nothing, grabbed the keys to the beach house in Laguna and driven from Charming without looking back. She needed time to sort the mess that had occurred over the last few weeks, starting with the incident in the TM parking lot up to learning about Aiden putting a bullet in a man' s head.

She looked out on the horizon, the sun began to set casting it's hues of orange, pink and purple across the natural canvas. The sound of the waves against the shoreline was peaceful. Amelia desperately wished she could bottle that peace, and inject it in little doses as needed. She stood collecting her items throwing them carelessly into the large beach bag as she made her way towards the vast winding stairs leading up to the cathedral of Laguna. This Cathedral was special, different from all the rest, because when she turned eighteen it would become hers.

Amelia's sperm donor, even though he had never been in the picture must have known what a bitch her mommy dearest could truly be. The house had originally been a wedding gift to her mother when they had married, but when they divorced shortly after Amelia's birth one of the stipulations to her Mommy Dearest demands had been the monthly dividend payment when she turned 18, the signing over of the Laguna Beach house, and when she turned 25 years old full access to her exuberant trust fund, an amount that would make Amelia an obnoxiously rich young lady.

Amelia paused to look once more upon the horizon, despite the fact her heart was breaking she did feel a certain ease being in the surroundings. Since she was a very young girl she had always felt as if there was something calling her to the house. Even now that she was older Amelia still felt the house called to her, as if there was something, perhaps a reason for her to be near it. She let out a heavy sigh as the sun appeared to touch the water. She had really thought this would be where she made a future with Aiden. A life away from the MC but now she didn't know, she didn't know anything.

"Is he awake?" Clay leaned up against the bar looking towards the hallway that held the apartment room that Aiden had been holed up in drunk for damn near two weeks.

"Aye," Chibs answered nodding towards the door, "Tig is talking to him now."

Just as Chibs spoke the words Tig appeared in the hallway shutting the apartment door behind him.

"Clay, man he is already drunk again, fuck ain't even 10:00am yet," Tig shook his head as he walked from the hallway towards the bar, "There ain't no way I can get him on the bike today for that run to see his old man. You want me to drive him out there?"

"GOD DAMN IT!" Clay pounded his fist down on the clubhouse bar, he had hoped sending Aiden to see his father, Lenny would straighten him out a bit. Remind him of the commitment he had to the club to his old man who was serving time for his beliefs. They had all tried to talk some common bullshit sense in him since they had all returned from the cabin abruptly two weeks prior.

Clay felt as if he had reached his boiling point with the whole situation the future of SAMCRO club sitting in a room for two weeks drunk over a fucking girl. Fuckin' shit!

"Clay, baby, let me go talk to him sweetheart," Gemma walked up behind Clay laying her hand over his shoulder in an attempt to calm him.

"You know that may not be a bad idea, Clay."Tig interjected, "Gem, ya know she has a way of handling those boys." He glanced over sneaking a peek of Gem tits bursting out of her tight shirt; he wished she would handle him in a way. Tig thought Gemma was the hottest piece of ass he had ever laid eyes on, and he just imagined the woman could suck a dick. He felt a tingle in his pants at the thought.

"Go, see what you can do for him, baby" Clay shook his head a look of irritation on his already serious face, "You tell him I am not one bit fuckin' amused about this shit either, damn him! Kid has always been right as rain, serious minded, directed, good head on his shoulders, damn pussy! It's got him all fucked up."

Gemma kneaded her hands into Clay's large muscular shoulders, "Clay, in his defense it was all Tara Knowles fault this occurred to begin with. He had his business under control, his girl under control; he was following your guidance and advice. It was Tara who mouthed off about things she had no business discussing. Tara's been hanging around the clubhouse listening to gossip and then passing it on to Amelia, that's on her. Aiden's situation is on her."

Clay took in a deep breath as Gemma spoke the words, feeling a little more relaxed as she kneaded away at the weeks of tension that had built up within him. Her touch could make even the largest problem dissipate into thin air, and her mouth well holy fuck it could perform miracles. He turned to face her kissing her lips lightly.

"Ain't Tara's fault baby, she didn't mean any harm. These young girls they just need a little guidance is all." Clay looked at Gemma as he spoke the next words, "Seems apparent Jax is pretty fixed on her, and she's a decent girl. Loyal to our boy, seems to love him. Ain't stuck up about the other club members or thinking she's too good to sit around us. Perhaps it's time for you to take her under your wing Gemma, make the girl feel more welcome. Teach her, that way this shit doesn't happen again."

Gemma could feel every fiber of her being tense up into a huge knot of tension as he spoke the words. School Tara? To what take her place one day? She had to hide her true feelings on the words Clay had just spoken. Gemma knew his riding days would end earlier then need be due to the arthritis setting in, but if he thought her plan was to be the retirement Queen by his side he was sadly fuckin' mistaken. She would never step down as Queen, Jax was next in line to the Kingdom and she would rule by his side. The only woman he would have standing next to him would be one that she could control, and command to do her bidding. That girl certainly wasn't Tara Knowles. She could already see the defiance in her eyes when it came to Jax, the loyalty, and the unconditional love. Gemma had seen it before and she knew Tara would fight, fight to the death if necessary to keep what she felt was hers. Since they were at impasse about who Jax truly belonged to she knew the situation would eventually boil over like a kettle upon the stove. The best thing Tara Knowles could do for herself was tuck tail and run. Run as far as she could in the opposite direction.

"Sure baby," Gemma spoke the words the urge to scream in outrage began to build in the very pit of her dark soul, "I'll sit her down have a motherly talk with her as soon as possible. Help her out; show her the ropes a little."

"That's my Queen," Clay gave her a hearty smile as she walked off towards the apartment room.