Epilogue

The Best Fuckin Life, Wife, And Kids, Thank You Rocky And Jax

War

We finally got here, sitting in the fucking hot seats at our fourth (undergraduate) graduation.  Our baby Tess is graduating from Cal, the same school her brothers and sister graduated from, she's moving to So Cal in a few weeks to start her grown up life.  The kids tease Shea that she's the crier, but fuck, it's all I can do to keep my face dry when I get my kids all together, or when I have to say goodbye to them.  I fuckin love my family.

We've had our hands full the past couple of years, Rock went pro with football, and he's living and playing in SF, Tell is creating his own financial empire, advising the club, in fact, he's a fuckin brother now.  Rock will probably join us when he retires, but that won't be for a few more years at least, so right now, I got my man Tell with me almost as much as I'd like.

Our Claire is an attorney, fighting hard to keep assholes off the street, god help those in her sites, because our girl is a brilliant and merciless with those who don't live up to her expectations.  She lives in SF too, and we catch up with her several times a month, though I know that she and Shea talk almost daily on the phone.  Our kids are independent, but we've built a strong family and we're all close.

Sweet little Tess is moving down to San Diego to be a nurse, I told her that there are plenty of hospitals in Nor Cal, but she said there are also too many brothers and club uncles, and she wants to go where there are a little fewer of each.  I heard her tell Shea that 'Cartwright', the asshole she's been dating the past few months is following her down there.  What the fuck kind of pretentious name is 'Cartwright'?  Fuckin idiot, he's an asshole, it won't take Claire too long to figure it out and kick him to the curb.  Fuckin Cartwright, Fuckin San Diego.

So it's gonna be just me and my girl living in the house.  Though the kids have been out of the house since they went to school, it always seemed like we had one at home still.  With Claire moving, it might be a little empty.

I'm good with it, I get Shea all to myself, and that is a big fuckin win for me.  My girl is still teaching, so she get summers off, and we try to travel to most of Rocks games, but the big summer vacations with all the kids don't happen anymore.  We all get together at holidays, and we go up to Tahoe a few times a year, but I miss having all my 5 together.  My girl gave me the best family, sweet and amazing wife, fun and wild kids, I can't imagine it being any better, and somehow, I got it all.

We talked a few times about having a baby, but Shea said that our family was perfect the way it is, that we didn't need another baby to complete us, and like everything, Sheas right.  All I ever needed anyway, was Shea, and whatever she brought into our world, I'm the luckiest fucker ever, I've never deserved all I've been given, but I've protected it like a mother fucker.  My wife and kids are happy and secure in the world we've given them, and I will protect them till I take my last breath, probably even after, just like Rocky and Jax have watched over us.  Those men will always be the best men I've ever known, they raised Shea, and in some respects me as well.  When they left this world, they left their babies, and those babies grew up to be the most important people in our world, Thank you Rocky and Jax.  I'll spend the rest of my life honoring theirs, by continuing to watch over their people.

Shea

Our baby is moving away, I know I should be happy for her, I am, I'm just a little (a lot) sad that she'll be so far away.  I won't be surprised though if after a few years she ends up back in the Bay Area, she loves it, and thats where we her family are, and our baby is a family girl.

Why she's wasting her time with Cartwright I have no idea, he's nice enough, but he's not 'enough' for her.  He's the kind of guy that follows her around, doesn't challenge her, doesn't excite her.  He's safe, and the boy that she really likes is anything but safe.  My guess is that Cartwright will be history by Thanksgiving.  Hopefully.

Claire is rocking her world in the city, she loves her job, she's had a few good boyfriends, and she has all her friends surrounding her.  Having her brothers nearby has been a mixed blessing, they are very involved, probably too much, but they are protective.  They get that from their dad, uncle and War, the boys have just amped it up in recent years, to the point that now Tess will be in San Diego, and Claire is getting more and more frustrated with her overseers.

Rock is thriving, he's passionate about his job, he plays for the team he grew up following, he lives in a city he loves, and he has his family nearby.  His friends are close and best friend is still Dog, and with Dog living  in the same building, they see each other all the time.  What he doesn't seem to notice, is the way that Dog watches Claire, that is a drama for another day.

The four kids and I were a team, the moment I got out of the hospital. The boys helped me when I was still in casts and stitches, and the girls were the team players they've always been. I had all the club and old ladies with me, but it was really the boys and me, taking care of the girls. We grew into a tight unit, and we were whole and we were good.

When War came back we kept him out, but he didn't stay out. He moved in where the boys needed him, and then he just melted into the rest of our lives. It took me a long time to let him back in my heart though. I forgave him for leaving me, but it took years for me to forgive how he left my brothers, and they never were able to reconcile with him. So for me, that was the sticking point, I couldn't let go of the hurt he gave my brothers.

Dev told me once, that if I'm looking for the perfect, bowed tied ending, then I'm never going to be happy. Life doesn't work that way, I had to decide if it was enough that War knew he messed up, hurt everyone he loved, and then apologized and has lived his life trying to give us all that we need now. I didn't want to dwell on the past, constantly throw out his failures, god knows he's more than aware of them, hell, I've got more than a few of my own.

So I decided to move forward, let the love grow bigger than the hurt, and restart our relationship.   We began fresh that afternoon in the house, the kids in our arms, laughter on our lips and love in our hearts, that's where we began, and that is how we continue.

For a long time I believed that the legacy my brothers left us was their children, but now I know that the true legacy is the love that they gave us, the lives they taught us to live, and the knowledge that our family is everything.  Rocky and Jax raised me, guided War, created and filled their kids with love, so we continue to live with Rocky and Jax every day.

I love my brothers, I reach out for Wars hand, never too far from mine, bringing to my lips, I kiss his knuckles, sighing.

"Yeah, I miss them too baby, they'd be proud of you, they're watching all of you now and forever."  War kisses his fingers and throws his arm up to the sky, releasing the kisses to our family up above.

Claire

I can't believe my sister is moving, I honestly thought she would change her mind, but damn, she is really leaving.  Freaking Cartwright is behind this, I just know it.  He's so intimidated by my brothers and War that he thinks that getting Tess away from them will make it easier for him.  It won't, Tess will see that he is nothing.  He shines in her reflected glory, Tess is special, and he thinks that by hitching his cart to her, he's special too.  He isn't, and I see Tess is getting a bit tired of his gluing himself to her side.  I don't think they'll make it to Halloween.

"Claire Bear, come over here, we wanna hear your opinion of Dickwright."  Rock grabs my hand and pulls me into the huddle along with Tell, Cam and Dog.  Freaking Dog.

"I don't know any more than you guys do, she's leaving in a few weeks, he's following, though if I had my way, he'd leave and she'd stay."  I sigh, and lean against Tell, he wraps an arm around me and holds me close.  He knows how difficult being around Dog is for me.

"We're placing bets on how long they last, you want to get in?"  Cam asks the question, but all the guys are laughing.

"Nope, not going to bet on my sisters relationship, that's pretty bad guys.  But I bet she's not wearing a couples costume at Halloween."  I smile, hoping that I'm right.

"Wars calling us, let's head back to the hotel now, I'm hot and ready to relax and celebrate our little Tessie!"  Rock and the guys turn around and head towards our family, I can see Pike and War signaling us to move ahead.

Following the guys for a bit, I'm suddenly pulled back and into a side hallway.  I know whose hand is on my elbow, his scent is in both my happiest and saddest dreams.

"Claire, baby, please talk to me.  I fucking miss you.   I've watched and waited, bided my time, long fucking years spent waiting for you to look at me the way that I look at you. Don't mistake my patience as disinterest." His dark gray eyes are burning with a fire that he usually tries to hide from me. His hands grip onto my upper arms and he gently pulls me upright, standing in front of him. My head tilted back so I can look directly into his eyes.

"I want to love and be loved Dog. You've kept yourself away from me for years now, dangled your interest in front of me like a carrot in front of a rabbit. I thought you wanted me, but I'm almost 25 years old now, and you have yet to show me any kind of a hint that you have any real interest in me. Just the same old years of occasional flirty looks. I've watched you parade around hundreds of women, whether it was in front of me, or just in photos on the gossip sites. Well, I'm done now. Go have fun with all your girls. I'm going to find a relationship that gives me everything I want. One where I get to touch, love and take care of a man who wants to do the same for me. I'm finished with you and your games." I try to pull away but he grips me harder, stepping into me so that our bodies touch, I find myself looking into his chest, watching his pulse throb in his neck, my heart beating in time to his.

His hold on my right arm disappears and before I can pull away, his fingers tilt my head up so I'm staring right into his blinding gaze.

"No, I've been patient, I've done not what I wanted, but instead, I've don't what was right. I waited for you to grow up, I promised that I wouldn't take you until you were ready, and whether you are ready or not, doesn't goddamn matter, it's fucking time." Bending down he softly kisses my lips, then with what I can only describe as a delicious assault, he takes fricking ownership of my mouth. His tongue thrusts in, out and around my mouth, teasing my tongue and my lips. I can only follow his lead because I am lost to the power of his kiss.

I've had good kisses before, even great ones, but this kiss, well damn, this is the kind of kiss that changes the course of ones life.

Breathlessly I pull back and look up at him, trying to see if this is another game to him, another time where he lures me in with fake interest then just leaves me to twist in the wind and wonder in his wake.

"Dad, War,  Claire and I have some things we need to talk about, we'll catch up with you in a few hours.  Claire will drive, I've had a couple of beers."

"What the hell Dog!  I didn't say I'd go with you!"  Jerking away from his grip I step back, he grabs my hand and thrusts his keys in my fist.  Looking in my hand, I gasp at the sight of his keys.

"Where did you get this?  Where did you find it?"  I'm stunned, holding his keys, on the ring, I see a few colored plastic beads.  They're old, chipped and faded, they're on a thin carabiner now, but when I last saw them, after dumping them in the kitchen trash, they were on a purple elastic cord.  'Dog and Claire', the letters are mostly rubbed off, but I recognize the bracelet from so many years ago.

"It was sweet then Claire, but I was a kid.  I embarrassed and hurt you, but I kept it with me, in a wallet, my car, but I always had it.  We're both adults now, don't you think it's time for us?"  He whispers softly in my hear, pulling me close and hugging me.  His lips brush over my hair, a soft caress.

"Oh Dog, I can't believe you kept this!  That's so sweet!"  I sigh, a smile on my face and in my heart.

"What do you say Claire?  You ready for an adventure?"  Dog holds my hand, and we head towards the parking lot.

Yeah, I think I'm ready for an adventure.

Thank you for reading my story (stories!) I can't believe that this is my fourth!  I hope you enjoyed it, I know that War was really frustrating for a very long time, but I think in the end, he showed his true worth!  The comments, stars, editing help, plot issues, all the feedback you give me is so truly appreciated!  Thank you again for sticking with me and I hope that you continue to read my stories!  Take Care!!!!