Skeletons

Falyn was in the middle of serving breakfast when the doorbell rang. Her father got up from the kitchen table to answer the door while she filled all their plates. He returned less than a minute later and casually slid into his seat at the head of the kitchen table, looking up at his daughter as he shoveled a fork full of eggs into his mouth. "It's for you."

"It's not Gemma again, is it?"

"Nope. Jax."

"Jax? What the hell would Jax want?" she muttered to herself as she quickly made her way out of the kitchen and through the living room to the front door. She stepped outside, making sure to shut the door behind her. Jax was leaning against one of the columns, his arms crossed over his chest and a cigarette hanging from his lips.

"Those things are gonna kill you, Teller."

"I'm too stubborn to die."

"I don't disagree with that. What are you doing here at 8 o'clock on a Saturday morning?"

"I'm here to an extend an invitation."

"An invitation to what?"

"Small party. At the clubhouse tonight," he told her, tossing his cigarette onto the ground and stepping on it.

"Oh, God. It's been a long time since I went to one of those. I'm not sure I can handle it anymore."

He chuckled. "Come on, we're not so bad."

"That's what you think," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Just say you'll come. You can catch up with all the guys. Meet the new ones. It'll be a good time and you know it."

She rolled her eyes at the smirk on his face. "I'll think about it. I'm not guaranteeing anything though."

"That's all I ask. See you tonight!" he added with a grin.

She watched him mount his motorcycle and speed back down the driveway toward the road before she returned to her family in the kitchen. As soon as she sat down at the table across from her father, he quirked an eyebrow at her. "What'd he want?"

"There's a SAMCRO party tonight and-"

"You should go."

"I should?"

"I don't see why not. It's been a long time since you really talked to any of 'em. Get out and enjoy a party. I daresay you haven't been to one in about eleven years."

She shot a glare at him before looking over at her daughter, who was completely oblivious to the conversation considering she had her green earphones stuck into her ears. When she noticed her mother looking at her, she raised her eyebrows and yanked the earphone out of her left ear. "Did you say something to me?"

"Nope. Just admiring how beautiful you are, doll," she replied, stroking her daughter's cheek.

Savannah rolled her eyes playfully and replaced the earphone, again tuning out the adults at the table.

"I haven't, but that's beside the point."

"Falyn, I love you, but since you became a mother, that's all you are. Your whole life is that girl, and I'm not saying that's necessarily a bad thing. But you deserve to go out and have fun every once in a while. Now, it's unfortunate that it's with a bunch of bikers, but that's who you chose to be friends with so-....."

"But, a party? A SAMCRO party at that? You know how those things can be."

"Diving right back into the Charming life all at once."

"I'm not sure I'm quite ready to dive in yet."

"It's up to you. I think you might as well get it over with now. They're not gonna stop inviting you."

"True." She groaned, dropping her head into her hands. "I guess I'll go. But only for a little while."

"Stay as long as you like. The munchkin and I are gonna have some quality time."

"Are you sure? I feel like I'm always putting her off on you to go out."

"Falyn, I love every minute I get to spend with that kid. Eleven years is a long time to make up for. And you're still young. Like I said, I want you to get out and do things for yourself."

"If you're sure....."

"I am."

"Alright, fine. I guess I'll go."

She wasn't sure she should be going to the party, but she said nothing else on the subject. She hoped that she wouldn't regret it later.

The rest of the day she spent half dreading the evening and half hanging out with her daughter. Around four, her father left the house with Savannah to go to the movies, which left Falyn alone to shower and change for the party. She pulled on a simple outfit of black jeans, a blue top, and some black heeled ankle boots. It wasn't cold enough for a jacket so with one last look in the mirror, she left the house and set off for Teller-Morrow.

Jax was lying when he told her it was a small party. There were easily a hundred people just outside when she arrived. She pushed her way through that crowd only to be met with another crowd when she got inside the clubhouse. Her name was shouted from somewhere in the huge crowd and her eyes scanned the room for familiar faces. She finally found Jax standing next to the pool table, waving her over. She weaved her way through the mass of bodies and finally came to a stop when she reached Jax and his stepfather, Clay. "Glad you could make it," Jax grinned.

"Gemma said you were back in town," Clay said. "It's good to see you again, kid."

"You too, Clay."

Jax threw a heavy arm around her shoulders. "Come on. Let's find the others."

He pushed through the crowd and she stayed very close so as not to lose him. He took her around to see Tig, Bobby, and Piney and formally introduce her to the new (to her) guys of SAMCRO- Juice, the prospect Half Sack, and the Scotsman Chibs.

After a very very very long hug and conversation with her old favorite Tig, Jax led her to the bar for a drink. In the back of her mind, she knew she shouldn't drink, but she did anyway.

"So where's Op?"

"He's, uh, probably not coming."

"Why not?"

"Things are a little strained right now. He just got out of Chino so it's just kind of a weird time."

She detected something more in Jax's eyes but she nodded anyway and took a sip of her drink. "Understandable."

"Well, I gotta go talk to Clay. You alright here?"

"At the bar? Of course I am," she joked.

He chuckled, laying a hand on her shoulder and leaning down to kiss her forehead.

"I'm glad you came, Fal."

"Me too, Jax."

"I'll catch up with you later, okay?"

"Sure."

As she watched Jax walk away, she caught sight of the Scotsman she had met earlier. Chibs. She wondered where he'd gotten the scars that earned him the nickname. He was probably ten years her senior but there was something about him that she found intriguing. His dark brown eyes were on her as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and turned back to her liquor.

A few minutes later, the older man slid onto the bar stool next to her, ordering the young blonde prospect to get him a beer. Falyn paid him no attention as she took a sip of the Jameson cradled in her hand, her dark purple nails tapping a soft rhythm against the glass. He said nothing to her, but he couldn't help watching intently as she raised the glass to her soft pink lips. She could feel his stare on her as she set her glass back on the bar and slid it toward the prospect, who refilled it with a smile.

"How long have you been a prospect?" she asked him.

He looked at her with wide eyes, obviously surprised that she bothered to talk to him. It was apparent that SAMCRO's party guests usually didn't even look his way unless they were barking at him to get them more alcohol. "Um, it's been almost a year."

"So you'll be patched in soon?"

He sighed. "Hopefully. But who knows."

"What about you?" she asked, turning to Chibs. "How long have you been in SAMCRO?"

"Since '97. Belfast Chapter before tha'," the Scot answered, quickly downing the rest of his beer. "I'll have wha' she's havin'," he told the prospect.

"Belfast, Ireland? What the hell brought you to California then?"

"Long story," he told her as the prospect set a glass in front of him and poured some Jameson into it.

"You came to Charming right after I left."

"Why'd you leave?"

"Long story," she said, echoing his answer. "Maybe someday I'll tell you."

"Maybe someday I'll tell you."

"What's your name?"

"You forgot already?" he asked, chuckling.

"Uh, no, I mean your real name."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Wha's it matter? Everyone calls me Chibs."

She briefly glanced at him, a small smirk playing on her lips as her caramel colored eyes locked with his dark ones. "Exactly. I'm not everyone else."

She turned back to her glass of Jameson and they sat in silence for a few moments. The prospect behind the bar had been listening to their conversation and was trying not to smile as he turned his back to get someone else a beer.

"It's Filip."

She glanced at him with raised eyebrows and nodded once before turning back to her drink with a grin.

The next few hours they spent talking and drinking. Having abstained from alcohol for so long, Falyn could feel herself quickly becoming intoxicated from the liquor that kept being replenished by the prospect.

"I should get going," she sighed, sliding off the bar stool she was sitting on. Her legs felt numb as she almost lost her balance, but she stopped herself by grabbing onto the bar.

Chibs chuckled and stood up as well, grabbing onto her and winding his arm around her back to keep her steady. "I don't think ya oughta be drivin', love. I'll take ya."

"I'm fine," she told him. "Besides, you've been drinking too."

"Aye. But I can hold my liquor."

"Give me a break," she laughed. "It's been over eleven years."

He slowly led her through the crowd to the door and out into the lot, where a few people were out talking and drinking. "Juicey boy!" he called out into the dark.

The man with the mohawk she'd met before came running toward them at the call.

"Yeah, man?"

"Falyn, ya got your keys?"

She dug into the pocket of her tight jeans for her keys, dropping them into his open palm and he immediately tossed them to the other man with a command. "Follow us."

Juice nodded and hurried over to Falyn's car while Chibs led her over to the Club's van and helped her into the passenger seat, strapping the seat belt over her body and shutting the door before going around to get into the driver's seat.

Halfway through the ride back to the house, Falyn started laughing. Chibs glanced at her obviously amused at her drunken state and she sighed, leaning her head back against the seat. "I am so gonna feel this tomorrow. Why'd you let me drink so much, Filip?"

"Entertainment."

"How rude!"

"You're a fun drunk, love. Now tha' I know, it's gonna be hard not t' do it again."

The grin never left her face. "Better not. I'm not very well behaved when I'm drunk."

"Not surprised," he chuckled. "But I can't wait t' see it."

"Who says I'll be getting drunk with you?" she asked jokingly.

"I do," he said simply.

"Well, if you say so."

When they finally pulled up to the house, Chibs quickly got out of the van and went over to the passenger's side to help Falyn out. It wasn't easy for her to walk properly up the front steps considering her intoxication level combined with the heels she was wearing. Juice rushed to bring the keys to Chibs and he unlocked the front door, following her inside just in case she lost her balance. The light was on in the kitchen and when Chibs shut the door behind him, the kitchen door swung forward, revealing her father, who squinted to see in the darkness.

"Chibs?"

"Aye, it's me. Just bringin' 'er home. She was in no condition t' drive."

"I would've been fine," Falyn protested weakly from where she'd flopped down onto the sofa.

Craig chuckled as he turned on the lamp next to the staircase and took a good look at his daughter, who could barely keep her eyes open. "Apparently not."

"I had Juice drive her car so it's out there too."

"Thanks for getting her home."

"O' course. Night, brother."

Once Chibs was gone, Falyn sighed and kicked off her shoes to lay down. "I'm gonna have the hangover from hell tomorrow."

"Probably," her father agreed.

"What time is it?"

"Ten til 4."

"Shit. Did you wait up for me the whole time?"

"I napped on the sofa."

"Oh, Daddy, I'm sorry."

"It's fine, Fal," he chuckled. "Now it looks like you need some sleep even more than I do. You want to try the stairs?"

She thought for a moment before shaking her head. "Hell no. That wouldn't end well. I'll crash right here."

"That's probably best. See you in the morning."

"Night, Daddy."

"Goodnight, sweetie."