Everything He's Never Had
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8
Part 9 of an Animal Kingdom x Sons of Anarchy Story
Andrew had been planning his escape for days.
Smurf had been drugging his food—he was sure of it now. The way his thoughts felt sluggish after meals, the way his body felt heavy and disconnected. She wanted him compliant. Wanted him under her control.
He was done.
He waited until she left for one of her meetings, then grabbed his jacket and walked out the front door. He left the phone she'd given him on the kitchen table—let her track that all she wanted.
The car was exactly where Deran said it would be: two blocks over, parked behind an abandoned warehouse. A beat-up Jeep with the keys tucked under the driver's seat.
Andrew slid into the driver's seat and pulled out the phone Deran had left in the glove compartment.
No passcode.
He unlocked it, and the first thing he saw was the photo album.
His hands were shaking as he opened it.
The first picture was of a little boy—maybe three years old—grinning at the camera with a gap-toothed smile. He had auburn curls that caught the sunlight, ocean blue eyes that were unmistakably Andrew, and a pair of small blue glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, Y/N's nose. But everything else—the eyes, the mouth, the shape of his face—was pure him.
His son.
Andrew scrolled through more pictures, his vision blurring with tears. The small boy at the beach, building sandcastles. A little boy with a stuffed dinosaur almost as big as he was. He was laughing, running, playing.
And then he found the NICU pictures. His breath caught.
The baby was so small—impossibly small—surrounded by tubes and wires and machines. But he was lying on Y/N's bare chest, the gown barely covering her breasts, just her and the baby, skin on skin, and the look on her face— God, the look on her face. Pure happiness. Pure love. She was crying in the picture, her hand cradling the baby's tiny head, and Andrew couldn't stop staring at it.
He'd missed this. He'd missed all of it.
His hands were shaking as he set the picture as the phone's screensaver.
Then he started the engine and pulled out onto the road. He was careful—checking his mirrors, taking side streets, making sure no one was following him. Smurf had eyes everywhere, and if she figured out where he was going— No. He couldn't think about that.
He had to get to Charming. He had to find his family.
Andrew’s POV
By the time I rolled into Charming, my back ached from the drive, and my nerves were stretched thin. That's what almost five hours on the road gave a man too much time to think.
The town was smaller than I expected. Quiet. The kind of place where people sat outside hardware stores drinking coffee and somehow knew everything about everyone before noon. Oceanside had always been loud—tourists everywhere, traffic, strangers blending together. But here? Here, I could feel eyes on me the second my truck crawled down Main Street.
Stranger, that’s what I was.
I parked along the strip and stepped out, boots hitting cracked pavement. Across the street was a little diner squeezed between a feed store and a barber shop. A neon OPEN sign flickered in the window. It looked old enough to have been there forever.
A bell chimed overhead when I walked in. The smell of bacon grease and burnt coffee hit me immediately. There were maybe three people inside, all of them old enough to collect Social Security. A waitress behind the counter glanced up at me, then smiled politely.
“Sit wherever you’d like, honey.”
I slid into a booth near the window, keeping my back to the wall out of habit.
The waitress came over with a coffee pot already in hand. Older woman. Gray curls. Reading glasses hanging around her neck.
“What can I get ya?”
“Just coffee.”
“Passing through?”
“Something like that.”
She poured the coffee and gave me a curious look before setting the mug down. There wasn’t much happening in the diner, and apparently I was the afternoon entertainment, because a minute later she sat down across from me with a sigh.
“You ain’t from around here.”
I almost smiled. “That obvious?”
“Honey, in Charming, we know everybody.”
Yeah. I’d already figured that out.
I wrapped my hands around the mug. “Actually looking for someone.”
Her eyebrows lifted immediately. Curiosity lit her up like a damn Christmas tree.
“Oh?”
“Old friend.”
“What’s the name?”
I hesitated for half a second before saying it.
“Y/N.”
The reaction was instant.
“Oh, sweetheart,” she said with a grin, “I know that girl very well.”
My stomach tightened.
“And her cute little boy too.”
Cute little boy.
The words hit harder than they should’ve.
I kept my face neutral, even though my pulse had started pounding in my ears.
“Yeah?”
“Mhm. Good girl. Strong-headed, though.” She pointed her finger at me like she knew exactly what she was talking about. “Gets that from her mama.”
I swallowed hard and leaned back slightly. “We knew each other years ago. Back when she was in school.”
“Well, I’ll be damned.”
“She used to talk about Charming a lot,” I continued carefully. “I’ve been thinking about moving somewhere quieter. Figured I’d come see the place for myself.”
The lie came easier than it should have.
Miss Shirley nodded like she bought every word.
“You lookin’ to surprise her?”
“Something like that.”
“Well…” She leaned closer conspiratorially. “She’s probably either at home or over at the club.”
“The club?”
“The Sons motorcycle club.”
That caught my attention.
I tried not to react, but she noticed anyway.
“You didn’t know?”
“No,” I admitted.
She laughed softly. “Well, now I understand why she probably didn’t mention ’em much.”
I filed that away carefully.
A motorcycle club.
Perfect.
She grabbed a napkin and scribbled down two addresses for me before sliding it across the table.
“That’s the club address.”
I looked down at the handwriting for a long second before folding the napkin carefully and slipping it into my pocket.
“Appreciate it.”
I pulled cash from my wallet and set it on the table.
Her eyes widened. “Honey, this is a hundred-dollar bill.”
“Keep the change.”
“Well aren’t you sweet.”
I stood, giving her a nod before heading toward the door.
But the second I stepped back outside, the air felt heavier somehow.
Like something was waiting for me.
Y/N’s POV
I didn’t have to work that day, which meant I’d gotten dragged into helping around the garage.
Not that I minded.
I was sitting on the concrete floor beside Colten’s sandbox, grease smudged on my hands while I sorted tools for Opie. My son was completely content beside me, making dinosaur noises under his breath while tiny plastic T-Rexes battled in the sand near a row of parked bikes.
I smiled watching him.
“Buddy,” I laughed, “your dinosaurs are louder than the motorcycles.”
“No they not.”
“Yes they are.”
“Nope.”
I nudged his boot with mine, earning a giggle.
That sound owned me completely.
Gemma’s voice suddenly echoed from the office.
“Y/N!”
I looked up.
“There’s a phone call for you.”
I pushed myself to my feet, wiping my hands on a rag as I headed inside.
“Who is it?”
“Miss Shirley.”
I frowned immediately.
The second I picked up the phone, I smiled.
“Hi, Miss Shirley. Your car break down again?”
She laughed warmly. “Not this time, sweetheart.”
Something in her tone made my stomach tighten.
“There was a man in here earlier askin’ about you.”
Every muscle in my body locked up.
My grip tightened on the phone. “What?”
“He said he was an old friend.”
My blood ran cold.
“How long ago?”
“Oh… maybe twenty, thirty minutes.”
Too recent.
Way too recent.
“Did he leave a name?”
“No,” she admitted. “But Lord, he sure was handsome.”
I stopped breathing for a second.
Andrew.
“Alright,” I said quickly, trying to keep my voice steady. “Thank you for tellin’ me.”
“You okay, honey?”
“Yeah.” Lie. “Miss Shirley… if you see him again, can you call Clay or Jax?”
That got her attention.
“…Sure thing, dear.”
“Thank you.”
I hung up slowly.
Gemma was already watching me carefully.
“What happened?”
“There was a guy asking about me at the diner.”
She snorted softly. “Maybe Shirley’s finally losin’ her damn mind.”
I almost answered her.
Then she stepped sideways.
And suddenly I could see out the office window.
Everything inside me stopped.
Andrew was crouched beside Colten’s sandbox outside.
Talking to my son.
I didn’t even remember moving.
“JAX!”
My scream tore through the garage so violently that every head snapped toward me.
Outside, Colten looked up immediately.
“Mommy!”
I ran.
Pure panic ripped through me so hard my vision blurred. I heard boots pounding behind me—Jax, Opie, Chibs—all rushing out after me—but I got there first.
I dropped to my knees beside Colten so fast it hurt.
My hands grabbed his face immediately.
“Baby, are you okay?”
Colten blinked at me, confused. “Yeah”
Gemma was beside me seconds later, checking him over too.
Behind us, chaos exploded.
Jax and Opie grabbed Andrew and slammed him backward away from us hard enough to rattle the fence.
“What the hell are you doin’ here?” Jax roared.
Andrew barely had time to react before Chibs punched him square in the jaw.
I pulled Colten against my chest; he started crying from all the commotion happening around him. I kissed the top of his head over and over.
“It’s okay,” I whispered shakily. “You’re okay.”
He clung to me; I handed him to Gemma carefully.
“Take him inside.”
Gemma nodded immediately.
“Happy. Juice. Go with them.”
Neither of them argued.
Jax shouted toward the gate, “Half Sack! Close it!”
The sound of metal rolling shut echoed through the yard. Andrew spat blood onto the concrete while the guys held him pinned. If looks could kill, he would’ve been dead already.
I stepped toward him slowly, fury vibrating through every inch of me.
“Let him go.”
“Y/N—”
“I said let him go.”
Reluctantly, they loosened their grip. Jax still got one more punch in before stepping back. Chibs landed another directly into Andrew’s ribs.
“Jesus Christ,” Opie muttered.
I ignored all of them.
I grabbed the bottom of Andrew’s shirt and yanked it upward hard enough to make him stumble. He stared at me while I checked his waistline.
“No gun.”
His voice was rough when he finally spoke.
“You done?”
I looked him dead in the eye.
“Not even close.”
Before anyone could stop me, I grabbed his arm and dragged him toward my truck.
“Y/N,” Jax warned sharply.
“I got it.”
“You sure?”
No. But I nodded anyway. Because my son was safe. And there were things I needed to hear from Andrew without twenty Sons trying to kill him first.
I drove straight to my house and pulled the truck into the garage before shutting the door behind us. I didn’t want anyone seeing him there. Didn’t want half the club barging in before we even had the chance to talk.
For the first time since he showed up in Charming, it was just us. Silence filled the garage while the engine ticked as it cooled. Neither of us moved right away. I climbed out first.
“Come on.”
Andrew followed me inside quietly, blood still smeared along his mouth from where Jax and Chibs had gotten their shots in. His eye was already bruising. I went straight to the freezer and grabbed a bag of frozen peas, tossing it toward him.
“Here.”
He caught it with one hand before pressing it against his face.
“Thanks.”
“Yeah,” I muttered, grabbing the bottle of Jack from the top of the fridge. “Least I can do.”
My hands shook slightly while I poured two glasses over ice. I handed him one, then immediately drank half of mine in one swallow. The burn steadied me a little.
Andrew sat at the kitchen bar, watching me carefully while I rounded the counter and sat beside him. I kept my eyes fixed on the whiskey in my glass. I could still feel him staring.
“You’re staring.”
When I finally looked up at him, a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth despite the bruise forming there.
“Yeah,” he said softly before taking a sip. “Kinda my thing.”
I laughed quietly before the sound died just as fast as it came.
The weight between us settled again. Heavy. Familiar. Dangerous. I tightened my grip around the glass.
“Andrew… why are you here?”
He didn’t hesitate.
“I wanna be in your life again.” His voice cracked slightly. “I wanna be in your guys’ life.”
My chest tightened instantly.
“I wanna be a dad to our son.” His eyes locked onto mine desperately. “I’m not missing anything else.”
I looked away before he could see my expression break.
“I already missed so much,” he continued quietly. “I wasn’t there when you needed me most. I didn’t know.” He swallowed hard. “I had no clue, Y/N.”
Tears welled in his eyes.
“And I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”
The pain in his voice nearly destroyed me.
“I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to make up for every stupid mistake I made.”
I just sat there staring at him. At the man I had loved longer than I wanted to admit. The man I knew I would probably never fully stop loving. Even after everything. Especially after everything. Tears blurred my vision, and suddenly I couldn’t sit there anymore. I stood abruptly and disappeared down the hallway before he could stop me.
I heard him stand halfway like he wanted to follow me but thought better of it.
In my bedroom, I dropped to my knees beside the closet and dug through the bottom shelf until my fingers brushed worn leather. The photo album. I stared at it for a long moment before exhaling shakily and carrying it back to the kitchen.
Andrew sat exactly where I left him, shoulders tense, staring straight ahead like he was afraid to touch anything. The second I touched his arm, he jumped slightly before realizing it was me. His entire body relaxed immediately. I grabbed his hand gently.
“Come here.”
We moved into the living room and sat on the floor beside the coffee table. Andrew quietly set coasters down for our drinks out of pure habit while I drained the rest of my whiskey. I placed the album between us.
For a second, I just stared at it. Then I looked him directly in the eyes.
“His name is Colten,” I whispered. “Colten Cody Teller.”
Andrew’s face crumpled instantly.
“He was born January tenth. Four pounds, three ounces.”
The tears in his eyes spilled over immediately.
I opened the album slowly. The first picture was Colten in the NICU. Tiny. Covered in wires. Andrew sucked in a sharp breath beside me.
“Is… is he okay?”
I nodded slowly.
“He was born two months early.” I swallowed hard. “I had a really stressful pregnancy. My placenta tore, and I started bleeding pretty bad.”
Andrew closed his eyes briefly like the thought physically hurt him.
“They induced early, and he was there later that night.”
I flipped through more pictures. Tiny hospital bracelets. Colten sleeping against my chest. His impossibly small hand wrapped around my finger.
“He spent two months in the NICU,” I whispered. “Worst two months of my life.”
Andrew stared silently at every photo like he was trying to memorize all the moments he’d missed.
“He’s been fighting since the second he got here.”
My voice softened as I smiled faintly at another picture.
“He’s got bad eyesight and a little speech delay. Doctors said that can happen with NICU babies.” I looked over at Andrew. “But speech therapy’s helped a lot.”
Andrew wiped at his face roughly.
“He’s got your eyes, hair,lips, he’s basically your carbon copy..”
That broke him completely. Tears slid freely down his face while he stared at the pages.
Then quietly—so quietly I almost didn’t hear it—he asked:
“Is he normal?”
I frowned immediately.
Andrew kept his eyes on the album.
“He’s not like me… is he?”
My heart shattered. Without thinking, I reached over and grabbed his face, forcing him to look at me.
“There is nothing wrong with you.”
His eyes widened slightly.
“There never was.”
My thumb brushed tears from his cheek.
“You grew up in a horrible environment with no love and no stability. That doesn’t make you broken.”
His breathing shook.
“And yes,” I whispered firmly, “our son is perfect.”
The second I pulled him into my arms, he broke. Completely. Years of guilt and grief came pouring out of him all at once while I held him against my chest, rubbing my hand slowly up and down his back.I let him cry. I think he needed someone to let him.
After a while, I laughed softly through my own tears.
“You know, he reminds me of you.”
Andrew looked up slightly, confused.
“How?”
“He’s obsessed with animal documentaries,” I smiled. “And dinosaurs right now.”
A watery laugh escaped him.
“And he hates sleep.”
That earned a real laugh. Small. Broken. But real. I stood slowly and held my hands out toward him.
“Come on.”
Andrew took them immediately. I led him down the hallway, but halfway there, he stopped suddenly. I turned to find him staring at the pictures scattered along the hallway.
More specifically, one picture. Me sitting in his lap beside a beach fire years ago. His lips pressed against my temple while I smiled at whoever took the photo. Deran. I remembered him laughing after snapping it. Andrew stared at the frame like he couldn’t believe it was still there. squeezed his hand gently.
“He’s always known about you.”
Andrew looked at me slowly.
“I was never gonna deny him knowing his father.”
Emotion flickered across his face so intensely it almost made him look hurt. Still holding his hand, I led him the rest of the way to Colten’s room.
The second he stepped inside, he froze. The room was pure Colten. Dinosaurs were scattered everywhere. Tiny shoes were kicked under the bed. Stacks of books. Toy trucks.
A little pair of extra glasses folded neatly on the nightstand beside a framed beach picture of me, Deran, Craig, and Colten, soaked in ocean water with surfboards beside us.
Andrew slowly sank down onto the floor beside Colten’s bed like his legs had stopped working. He just looked around quietly, taking everything in. Every milestone. Every memory. Every moment he’d missed.
I turned slightly to leave, but his hand wrapped around my thigh quickly. Like he was afraid I’d disappear. I leaned down and kissed the top of his head softly.
“I’ll be right back.”
He finally let go.
I changed into shorts and an oversized shirt before grabbing my phone and calling Chibs Telford. He answered immediately.
“You okay, lass?”
“We’re okay.”
Silence.
Then cautiously:
“Where are ya?”
I took a deep breath.
“You’re not gonna like this request…”
Twenty minutes later, headlights flooded through my front windows.I sighed the second I saw how many bikes pulled up.
“I said I didn’t want the whole damn club here,” I muttered while opening the door.
Gemma stormed past me immediately.
“Tough shit. Where is he?”
“Mo—”
“No.”
She turned on me so fast I stopped talking. Her eyes were furious. Protective. Terrified.
“He hurts you again, I swear to God—”
“Mom.” My voice cracked enough to finally get her attention. “Please.”
That stopped her.
“He’s here on his own.”
“That doesn’t mean anything.”
“Yes, it does.”
She stared at me for a long moment.
Finally, I said quietly:
“Colten deserves to meet his dad.”
Gemma looked like she hated every word I just said. But eventually she nodded once. Barely.
“He’s in Colten’s room,” I told her carefully. “Say what you need to say, then it’s just Chibs and me here. Nobody else.”
Reluctantly, she agreed.
I stepped outside while she went down the hallway. Colten was already overwhelmed by the yelling and bikes. I lifted him into my arms, adjusting his little glasses while wiping tears off his cheeks.
“It’s okay, baby.”
“I don’t like yelling,” he sniffled.
“I know, mommies, sorry.”
I kissed his forehead repeatedly until he calmed slightly.
Gemma came back outside a few minutes later, looking murderous.
“I still don’t think this is a good idea.”
“I know.”
But I carried Colten anyway and walked back inside with Chibs following behind us. He settled onto the couch silently while I led Colten toward his bedroom. Andrew was sitting in the rocking chair now, flipping slowly through the photo album. The second he heard us enter, he stood carefully.
Slowly. Like he was afraid sudden movement would scare Colten. I sat down on the bed beside my son and brushed hair off his forehead.
“There’s someone really important I want you to meet.”
Colten looked curious immediately. Andrew knelt down in front of us.
For a second, nobody spoke.
Then Colten smiled shyly, his tiny body smushed against mine. Trying to hide the best he could.
“Hi.”
Andrew’s entire face softened.
“Hey, buddy.”
Colten tilted his head, warming up more towards Andrew.
“We look the same?”
Andrew looked up at me helplessly.
I nodded once. He looked back at Colten, eyes already filling again.
“We look alike because…” His voice cracked. “Because I’m your dad.”
Silence.
Then:
“I’m sorry I haven’t been around.”
Andrew’s tears finally slipped free again.
“But I’m gonna be around a lot more now.”
Colten stared at him for one long second before suddenly launching himself off the bed and wrapping his arms tightly around Andrew’s neck.
Andrew caught him instantly. Like instinct. Like he’d been waiting his whole life to do it. I covered my mouth with my hand as tears blurred my vision again.
Because looking at them together— There was no denying it now. This wasn’t going to be easy.
Nothing about this would be easy. But somehow, watching Andrew hold our son for the very first time, I knew we’d figure it out.
For Colten.
A/N: Thank you for all the love and support. Comment if you'd like to be added to the taglist. I did complete the story over the weekend, so stay tuned to see how the rest of this story plays out.
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