Ch.29 (epilogue): Two years later

TOMMY'S POV:

I had finally gotten the call.

I was lucky as all hell that I didn't crash my truck as I pulled up to the entrance of St. Thomas hospital. I'd been working at Teller-Morrow, changing the oil in an old 95' Pickup, when Kenny sent word that it was time. The guys laughed at me as I sat up underneath the truck and banged my head on the frame, but at least three of them followed behind me on their bikes.

I guessed they were parking but it didn't matter. I threw my keys to the valet guy at the door, and hustled my way through the hospital and up to the birthing unit, a black leather vest clutched in my hands.

Kenny, Tig, Chibs, Ratboy, Montez and Chucky were already standing in the corridor. Ellie must've been at the clubhouse when it happened. That's the only way these guys could've beaten me here with the way that I was driving.

"Where is she?" I asked them in a half panic.

"Relax, Goldilocks," Kenny said with a smile and an arm around my shoulder. "The doc said he'd come out for you in a minute."

Kenny looked toward my hand and smirked.

"He forgot it again?"

I sneered and nodded my head as the I heard the heavy double doors separating the birthing unit from the rest of the hospital open again. I grip the vest tighter in my hand.

My parents, Nero and Wendy, sprint toward me with excited smiles and apparently, a group hug.

"I can't wait to be a Grandma," Wendy says into my ear before she pulls me back to look at me. "Jesus, Christ, Nero. Our boy's gone and grown up on us," she whispered with tears in her eyes as she looked me over.

"Come now, Ma," Nero consoled her. "None of that. This is a happy day."

My parents sold the farm and moved back home as soon as they heard that I was marrying Ellie and staying in Charming. They thought I needed looking after, I guess. Somehow word of what had happened with the Messengers got back to them, and they came to make sure I stayed out of trouble.

Little did they know, they couldn't keep me away from the club but I was as far away from trouble as I could be. I got enough trouble my first couple weeks in Charming to last a life time.

But these guys were as much my family now as they were. I might not have patched in, but I was a part of things in the safest way I could be- As a mechanic and confidant at Teller-Morrow, and the husband of the club Doctor.

Ellie's O.B came from a side door and all eyes turned his way.

"You can come back now, Tommy," he says to me as he holds the door open.

I looked back toward my people and smiled before taking a deep breath and following the doctor inside.

ABEL'S POV:

I got the call from Tig and headed straight toward St. Thomas. I was done with what it was that I had been doing anyway (a blonde stripper named Destiny).

I wasn't looking forward to seeing the faces of my parents who I knew would be there to support Tommy. Things between us have been strained since they came to Charming, to say the least. But I knew if I wasn't there when my nephew was born, I would only be adding another regret to my already too long list of them.

I tried not to think about that, though. My drama and self-hate would have to wait for another day to analyze.

Instead, I focused on the feel of the wind in my hair as my brand-new Harley took me flying as only she can.

I got stuck by a red light and put my foot down. I lit a smoke and looked to the car beside me; at a gorgeous brunette that can't seem to take her eyes off me and my bike.

I nodded for her to roll down the window of her car and she does quickly.

"Give me your number," I requested as I leaned forward and reach out to hand her my phone, my overgrown blonde hair falling just slightly over my eyes.

The girl bit her bottom lip and took my phone, quickly typing in her contact info. The light had since turned green and people were beginning to honk behind us, but I couldn't give two shits as I focused my attention of her. Chicks dig that.

She handed me back my phone and we both take off back down the road.

The first faces I see when I get inside the hospital are my parent's. I walked toward them with a grimace on my face. Wendy looked me over, at the slightly baggy blue jeans, the blue and black flannel, the pristine white sneakers, the knife at my hip. Her eyes glistened with tears and she turned toward Nero, burying her head in his chest while he looked at me as if he'd seen a ghost.

"They that way?" I asked, pointing toward the Birthing unit.

Nero nodded and I walked past them, not bothering to stop for another lecture.

I walk into the waiting room and my friends stand to their feet. I nod my hello's and sit beside Kenny. We start talking shit about chicks or whatever else strikes the mood when Tig came up to sit beside us.

"I know it's not a time to talk about Club business, but we gotta meet up after this is all done and get some shit squared away. Rico and his guys are looking to buy and we gotta strike while the irons hot. Make sure you're at that table."

Kenny nods his head and I stand up as Ellie's doctor comes back into the room.

"Family of Tommy and Ellie?"

The entire room followed me to their feet.

"You'll all be happy to know, Ellie has given birth to a beautiful baby boy."

TOMMY'S POV:

Jackson.

Jackson Harry Padilla.

My son, named after our fathers.

As I looked down at my child and his mother, I knew all was right in the world. As crazy as life could be sometimes outside of these walls, inside- It's perfection.

"Look what you did," I said to Ellie as I kissed the side of her head.

"What we did," she corrected with a smile.

"I never thought I'd be so lucky," I whispered as I ran my fingers over my sons blonde hair.

"I never thought you'd be so lucky either," Ellie replied with a wink.

A knock on the door stole our attention before it's opened to reveal our closest family and friends.

"The boys and I got you a little something," Tig said as he stepped forward with a small bag.

"You guys already did so much at the baby shower," Ellie said with a smile.

"Yeah, but it's been awhile since we've had a baby around," Tig explained.

Ellie reached into the bag and pulls out a little black sleeper, a grim reaper on the front.

Ellie laughed and shook her head.

"Thanks guys," she said as she handed me the sleeper and I set it next to the kutte on the ledge by the window.

"And don't forget the balloons!" Kenny chimed in as he came from the back of the room with a handful of 'Congratulations' balloons.

Everyone took turns holding baby Jax.

I could feel the tension between my brother and parents even through all the happiness. I could tell Abel was beginning to get a little stir crazy and I nodded him forward through the people.

He leaned toward me and Ellie, so that only we would hear.

"Guys, he's beautiful and I'm going to be the best Uncle ever, but I gotta get the hell out of here. I'm suffocating."

I clasped his shoulder with a nod.

"I get it, bro. Do you."

He nodded and ruffled the top of my head before he stood back up. Then, he leaned over once more to kiss Ellie's cheek.

He started to leave before realizing he was once again forgetting something important.

"Shit, Tom, man. Did you grab it?"

"By the window," I called out as baby Jax was placed back in my arms.

Abel nudged his way through everyone again and grabbed his kutte off the ledge, sliding it onto his shoulder.

Chibs phone let out a loud ring and all the boys turned their way. He nodded his head in their direction, cueing them in that was time for them all to leave. They throw out their goodbyes and I watch the collection of leather vests disappear from the hospital room, my brother among them.

My mother watches them leave with a worrisome expression on her face.

"You can't make him change his mind. Trust me, I've tried," I said compassionately to the woman who raised me.

"I know. I know," she said sadly with her eyes still on the door.

Nero looked angrier than concerned, but he knew that there was nothing he could do to stop Abel either. He's a stubborn man, just like our birth father. Once he's made up his mind, there is no going back.

"Well, at least one of our boys decided that the club life isn't for them. Jax and Tara would be proud of you," Wendy said as she leaned over us to get another look at their new grandchild.

As I look at my son, my wife cuddled in next to me, I think about my birth parents and wonder if that is true. These last two and a half years of my life had made me a completely different man. My wild ways have been tamed by the promise of a good life for my family. I'd put them before all else, which is why I decided I would not join the club.

Now if only I could get my brother to see that there's more to life than the club, weed and women. But as much as I've changed over the last two and a half years, he's changed more than anyone could've ever guessed.

All I can do now is be there for him while he fucks his whole world up, which I'm sure he inevitably will.

ABEL'S POV:

I joined up a little over a year ago, after a long- drawn out stint of depression that still lingers but isn't quite as debilitating now. Being a part of something like the Sons almost makes me feel whole again, makes me feel as if the shit I'm doing is actually worth something: Loyalty, Family and Truth.

The son's lawfulness has been overturned for a brusquer way of dealing with things once again. The idea that we were thought of as a group of washed up pansies was the beginning of the end of our legitimized ways. Strangely enough, I was cool with that.

I preferred it even. I reveled in the ability to get my hands dirty for the cause.

I follow my brothers toward the clubhouse and think about how I have gotten here. How on Earth have I become a carbon copy of the old man I never wanted to be anything like?

The answer to that question can't be answered in just a few lines or words. It's a whole other story. Just know that I'm determined to find a shred of peace as my life changes into something I can't recognize.

And I'm looking forward to watching this New Ride begin…Again.

(FIN)

A/N:

Dear friends and loyal followers,

This is the conclusion to Tommy's story. Depending on the response I get for this update will determine whether or not I delve into Abel's story and figure out how the hell he got himself patched in, and exactly why. So, if you want to know… Drop a line. Comment. And just because the story's over, don't stop following. If I do write a follow-up, this is how you will know.

Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it. I plan on doing some editing and revising in the future, probably before I start (if I start) Abel's story to make sure there's no plot holes or the like.. So if you have any unanswered questions- now's the time to ask.

Thank you all for reading. I appreciate you all. Until next time…