The Final Ride

Chapter 1

"Mom, why can't I?"

Rory inhaled sharply as she cut Asher's sandwich in half, wrapping it up in tinfoil with purpose and unnecessary attention all to keep from snapping at her eldest child.

"Tomorrow is your first day of high school, Emma." She wrote his name on the Thomas the Train lunch bag. "I want to take you to school on my way to drop Ash off at his first day of first grade. Give me this. Please? Just don't fight with me right now."

Emma would not give her mother that tiniest bit of peace. She glared at her, arms crossed over her chest, and remained silent.

"Mama," Knox tottered into the room and held out his cup for more milk.

"Can you refill your brother's drink, please? Only half way, he's going to bed soon."

"He's not even my full brother," Emma spat.

"Go to your room," Rory grumbled through gritted teeth. "And I don't want to see you till morning."

"Are you for real?"

"Emma," Happy grumbled as he came down the steps. "Listen to your mother."

The girl's dark eyes flick to her father, who was not kidding, and she did not dare defy him. As she passed her stopped her and whispered. "You ever say that shit about him again, you won't see the outside of your room for a week."

"Fine."

She stomped up the steps and Happy found Rory crying as she hid her face in the fridge. "I'm fine," she sniffled as he attempted to comfort her.

"Oh yeah," he rolled his eyes. "You know she thinks it's cause you don't like Jax and the club."

"I told her why I don't want him taking her." Rory slammed the fridge shut and handed Knox his milk. "Bed time soon, bud." He laughed and ran away shrieking through the house. "It's her first day of high school," Rory whimpered. "Why can't she see how important that is to me?"

"Cause she's fucking thirteen, baby," Happy said with a little chuckle. "She ain't gonna get shit and then in like fifteen years she'll call you crying about how right you are."

"You do that with your mom?" Rory asked skeptically.

"Fuck no, but I know you said you wanted to once or twice."

"I'll believe it when I see it," Rory scoffed. "Run tonight?"

"You know it," he smiled. "I think I might miss it."

"Maybe you can use that extra time building our sex dungeon," she poked his stomach which had grown slightly soft over the years. "It's been three years since you promised me, Hap."

"We've only been married for two though, and it was supposed to be a wedding present." He laughed. "Cut me some slack."

Rory rolled her eyes and threw her arms around his neck. "I love you."

Slapping her ass hard he kissed her. "I love you too." Waiting a moment he decided to bring it up. "You know there's kind of a party tomorrow night."

"So you'll be later the usual?" She asked over her shoulder.

"I want you to come," he said flatly.

"No, Hap." She turned and shook her head. "I don't care if it's the whole 'end of an era' or if they're allowing me back cause it's been three years. They can take their invite and shove it up their asses."

"You know this is the one thing," he said coolly. "We had no problems since we got married again, cept this shit with the club." Trying to keep the anger from his voice, Happy breathed slowly. "I'm part of SAMCRO, Ror. I love them they're my fucking family. You gotta accept that."

"I've accepted it." She said without meeting his gaze. "But I don't have to be a part of it. I won't. Besides we all know the looks and the comments I'll get. No thanks."

"Fine," he snapped and Rory knew exactly where Emma got her favorite response. "I'm out."

"Be careful please," she hugged him tight despite the disagreement. "I love you."

"I love you so fucking much," he growled. "I wouldn't put up with this shit from anyone else."

Rory smiled at that. "Maybe the next one, okay? Just don't spring it on me like this."

"Alright baby," he kissed her. "I'll see you in the morning."

--

Usually on run nights Happy didn't wake her when he arrived home but this nighter was unlike any other. He checked the kids first and then shut their bedroom before flying into bed.

"Ror," he shook her. "Ror, baby get up."

"What?" She grumbled. "Hap I'm not in the mood for this shit."

"Tara's dead" he said solemnly, "And we can't find Gemma."

Rory's eyes popped open, now fully awake, and she could see how disturbed Happy was by what has happened. "Tara?"

"Yeah, right in their goddamn kitchen." He hissed. "Jax found her after the run."

"Oh my god," she gasped, clamping her hand over her mouth, and began to cry.

"They took him in," Hap said as he held her. "They fucking took him in and sent his kids to some fucking facility."

Rory found wave after wave of shocked as he hit her with more information. "Wait, they think he did it?"

"I don't really know shit," he shook his head. "I'm so happy you're okay baby. I was so scared."

"Yeah, I'm fine," she was still crying as she hugged him back. "Hap, this ain't the worst it's gonna get is it?"

"No baby, it ain't."