Chibs' motorcycle sped down the street through the city of Charming the city lights shinng down on him. He hadn't really wanted to take this run in the first place, but he knew that he really didn't have much of a choice in the matter. He couldn't ignore his loyalty to the Sons.
He'd spent a week up in Oregon with Happy and Jax paying a visit to the Sons MC there. They'd had hopes of talking the Joliette Oregon charter into taking over the gun trade, but it hadn't gone the way they'd been hoping.
So far SAMCRO was still in the gun business and there seemed no way of escaping it.
After a week of sleeping up in SAMJOl's clubhouse Chibs was exhausted. The crappy bed in the dorm room he'd had hadn't been even close to being comfortable.
His stomach ached from bad food, his body ached from the road, and his head ached from days of drinking.
The croweaters in Oregon had tried hard to service him, but he'd stayed true to Molly.
Chibs knew that he had something incredible with his old lady and he would sooner cut his own hands off than ruin it.
He'd hated being away from her. After all that had happened he was more sure than ever that Molly Dupuis was the love of his life.
The plan to get married and find a way for him to adopt Mason was still in tact and Chibs couldn't wait.
He'd worried himself sick about Molly and Mason in his time away.
Brian Parker had been taken care of just three weeks before. Molly had only been home for two weeks now counting the week he'd been forced to spend away.
To be honest he was irritated with Jax for pulling him from his family. Molly and Mason were still so terribly fragile.
The miscarriage had taken such a toll on Molly. She fell apart at the drop of a hat. Mason was too young to understand his mother's sorrow.
Chibs felt so shitty leaving his family alone at a time like this.
He had tried to argue with Jax; tried to refuse going away on this damn run. He knew though that he had no place to refuse though. Club business took a backseat to no one.
Chibs had left Bobby to watch over Molly and Mason. He only hoped that both his old lady and his boy had fared well in his time away from them.
Chibs waved a hand to Happy and Jax as he switched lanes and made a turn separating from the two other men.
He twisted the throttle speeding up his bike more than ready to get back home to the farmhouse.
He was just thankful that at this time of night the streets were practically vacant. Charming's nightlife was located clear on the other side of town.
He let out a relieved sigh when he finally turned down his street. He turned up his headlight needing it on his street given the lack of development around the farmhouse.
It was his main reasoning for picking the farmhouse in the first place; the privacy.
He reached into his kutte pocket pulling out the garage door opener pushing the open button and safely pulling into the garage beside Molly's old blue bug.
He wasn't too entirely shocked to hear that the television was on in the living room as he walked through the door connected to the kitchen from the garage.
He silently greeted both Moose and Rocket grateful that the Border Collie and the old Pug hadn't bothered to bark or throw a fit once they'd realized that it was him and not some intruder.
Chibs shoved his leather gloves into his jeans pocket ignoring the way his body ached. He tossed his keys on the kitchen cabinet and placed his luggage on the floor as he made his way to the living room. He widened his eyes shocked to see Mason sitting up on the sofa watching tv Bobby fast asleep snoring in the recliner.
He let out a huff at the sight. It was past two am and far past Mason's eight pm bedtime.
Chibs was just relieved to see that the big flat-screen television wasn't locked on anything inappropriate. The tv was tuned into one of those channels that played cartoons twenty four hours a day. The paticular channel played vintage cartoons; Looney Toones, The Smurfs, Tom and Jerry, and such.
Mason was wearing his favorite alligator pajamas Molly had bought him for his birthday, mesmerized by an episode of the Flintstones.
Chibs was thankful to see that at least there was no junk food nor soda sitting out on the coffee table. The last thing he needed was to try to get Mason to bed while the boy was on a sugar high. The only thing that seemed to be sitting out was a plastic water bottle that was only half full.
Mason tore his eyes from the tv a smile spreading across his face as he spotted Chibs. He jumped off the sofa running to Chibs his voice ecstatic the smile not leaving his face. "Daddy."
Chibs wasted no time scooping the boy cup allowing him to rest on his hip. He held Mason close to him a tiny part of him never wanting to let go of the child ever again. He couldn't help but to smile at the word daddy. Each time Mason called him dad was better than the last.
He knew that in the boy's eyes he would forever be his father; biology didn't mean shit. Brian Parker would never be thought of as Mason's father ever again as long as Chibs lived and breathed.
"Hey lad. Did yer Uncle Bobby fall asleep?" Chibs asked peering over at his sleeping brother.
Mason wrapped his arms tight around Chibs one of his little hands reaching up to toy with Chibs' hair. "Uh huh. He snores loud."
Chibs chuckled at the comment not helping but to agree. Bobby sounded like a lawnmower. "And what are ya doin up my wee night owl?"
"Uncle Bobby was going to let me watch one more cartoon before bedtime, but he fell asleep." Mason explained his fingers still twisting around Chibs' hair.
Chibs chuckled at the tiny action. The boy had been begging Molly and Chibs to fix his hair just like Daddy Chibs. It seemed that the child wanted to be just like him in every way.
Molly however wasn't too big on the idea of putting pomade in the boy's dark hair every single morning knowing very well she'd have to negotiate with him for bathtime to get the pomade out every single night. Little boy's weren't exactly huge on bathtime.
"Where's yer ma?" Chibs asked his stomach rolling as he realized she was no where in sight.
Mason let out a tiny sigh a frown appearing on his face as he replied. "We were watching TV while we ate pizza and a commercial made her cry. So she decided to go to bed. Uncle Bobby gave her one of the brownies with caramel to make her feel better."
Chibs nodded his head his heart twisting at this explanation. He had a feeling there was only one type of commercial that could upset Molly; something to do with babies.
She hadn't even been able to step into the nursery since she'd gotten back home.
He gritted his jaw cursing Jax for forcing him to go on that waste of a run once again. He should have been here for his old lady. Molly was falling to pieces and she needed him.
He had a feeling that the brownie Molly had been given was one of Bobby's special baked goods.
Bobby had been smart enough to add caramel to the pot brownies knowing that Mason would stay far away from them; the little boy despised caramel. He hated the way it stuck to his teeth.
Chibs had no doubt that Bobby had been smart enough to bring over a batch of safe plain brownies for Mason, just to ensure that the boy stayed out of trouble.
Mason was quick to speak up again the frown disappearing his eyes widening a tiny bit. "Will mommy be mad that I stayed up late? I was going to go to bed when I was suppose to but Uncle Bobby wouldn't wake up. I'm sorry."
"It's okay lad. I aint mad at ya. And I know yer ma won't be either." Chibs reassured him not surprised to hear the worry in Mason's voice.
It was just another sign of how delicate Mason was. Brian Parker really had done damage to the child; making him second guess every move he made. Lord knows how many times the bastard had scolded the boy for things that were probably not even his fault.
He pressed a kiss to Mason's cheek as he spoke again. "Come on let's get ya to bed."
He made his way upstairs carefully not willing to put the little boy down just yet.
Chibs entered the boy's room flipping on the light switch, relieved to see that Mason had kept it clean. The last thing he needed was to trip over some toy while carrying the child.
He managed to knock the cat Pixie out of Mason's bed the white cat glaring up at him the black in her green eyes narrowing. He still couldn't stand the damn cat. The only reason he tolerated the cat was because Molly adored her so much.
He placed Mason in bed the little boy reluctantly letting go of him. He wasn't surprised as Mason clutched onto Max his beloved stuffed penguin.
Chibs pressed multiple kisses to Mason's cheeks and forehead causing the boy to giggle. Chibs tucked Mason's Spiderman comforter around him as he spoke. "Now ya get ta bed. Tomorrow when ya get up we'll make yer ma french toast."
"With bananas?" Mason asked his eyes already getting heavy.
"Aye with lots of em and powdered sugar." Chibs agreed as he reached down smoothing the boy's messy hair out.
He felt his heart twist once again as Mason became a little more alert his voice suddenly taking a serious tone. "Is mommy sad because she misses the baby?"
Chibs felt his breath catch in his throat at this tiny statement. How could one little sentence make him feel like someone had stabbed him in the heart with an ice pick.
He pushed back the desire to just let himself fall apart as he forced himself to speak. "Aye she misses the baby a lot lad."
"Do you miss the baby too?" Mason asked struggling so hard to stay awake his mind filled with so many little questions.
Chibs felt that ice pick dig into his heart even farther as he managed to speak. "Aye I do."
Mason nodded his head snuggling his penguin even tighter. "Me too...The baby probably misses us too...even though we never got to meet it... is it happy in heaven?"
Chibs took a deep breath finding it so difficult not to fall completely apart. He held it together reminding himself that this was a conversation Mason needed to have with someone.
This was all part of the grieving process. The child needed to know that it was okay to talk about being sad. He needed to know that it was going to be okay.
He knew Molly wasn't stable enough to have this talk with Mason. Chibs knew he needed to take this on for her.
"Aye I bet the baby misses us a lot. I'm sure it's happy. Yer ma's da and my ma are probably takin real good care of it." Chibs assured the boy not helping but to pray that his assurances were all true.
"I don't like it when Mommy is sad." Mason mumbled his eyes growing heavier and heavier.
"Aye me either sweet lad. We're goin to take care of her though jus me and you." Chibs promised Mason as the boy finally drifted off to sleep.
Chibs stayed knelt beside the boy for a long while after Mason had fallen asleep. He allowed his mind to drift over all that had taken place these past few weeks.
Killing Brian Parker hadn't alleviated any of the pain Molly felt and it hadn't made Chibs' anger disappear.
The only thing that relieved Chibs was knowing that the bastard would never have a chance to hurt Molly or Mason ever again.
Chibs knew that eventually Brian's family would realize the man was missing. Chibs just hoped that they stayed in the dark about what had really happened to Brian.
As far as anyone could know Brian had just disappeared in thin air.
Chibs pressed a kiss to Mason's forehead as he spoke again needing to say the words. "We'll be okay I promise ya. I've made sure that ya and yer ma are never goin to hurt again. I'm goin to take care of ya. I promise a leanbh."
Chibs left Mason's bedroom and shut off the overhead light after turning on the rocket ship nightlight. He made sure to leave the bedroom door cracked knowing that both the dogs had a tendency of milling in and out of the child's room during the night.
He made his way back downstairs to the living room rolling his eyes at the sight of the still slumbering Bobby.
He went over to the coffee table grabbing a hold of the remote and shutting the television off before tossing the remote on the sofa.
He hesitantly made his way over to Bobby shaking the man on the shoulder before jumping back out of reach.
He hopped out of reach just in time as Bobby awoke swinging his fists ready to fight off an intruder.
Once Bobby became aware of his surroundings his fists finally lowered. He frowned up at Chibs letting out a sleepy huff as he spoke. "What time is it?"
"Two thirty." Chibs replied nodding over to the clock on the dvd player proving his statement.
"Shit...Mason was still up when you got here?" Bobby asked as he reached up running his hands along his eyes trying to wipe the sleep from them.
Chibs nodded his head as he spoke. "Aye. He probably won't be goin to school tomorrow."
Bobby cringed at this statement. He knew for a fact that Mason was struggling in school as it was. All the stress of the past few weeks had been hard on the kid. That along with his math issues was making it tough for him to keep up with the other kids.
Molly had spent these past few days trying to find a tutor for the little boy so he wouldn't be held back in the first grade.
Bobby spoke up as he tried to adjust himself in the recliner as he spoke up quick to apologize. "Sorry. I meant to get the kid to sleep but I guess I fell asleep first."
"It's alrigh...How's Molly? I heard she had a tough night." Chibs replied hating to ask. He knew he had to know though, he needed to hear it.
"She's been real quiet...She seems gloomy. She hasn't said much. She spends a lot of time with Mason you know, playing with him. She's been hovering over him a little kind of like she's afraid he'll disappear if he gets out of her sight for even a second. We were watching some kids movie with Mason and she saw some commercial for diapers...hit her hard. I sent her up to bed with a brownie." Bobby explained being honest.
After seeing Molly sob tonight he'd understood just why Chibs had asked him to stay with Molly and Mason this week while he was on a run in Oregon.
Bobby had a feeling that it would be a long while before Chibs' old lady was back to her old self.
Chibs nodded his head that stabbing feeling in his heart returning. He took a deep breath as he spoke up. "Thanks brother. Feel free ta sleep here tonigh."
Bobby nodded his head letting out a heavy sigh as he watched Chibs leave the room disappearing back upstairs.
He frowned wanting to say something, but what could he say really?
Molly hadn't been the only one to lose that baby. He couldn't help but to wonder how long it would take for Chibs to fall apart.
Chibs entered Molly and his bedroom his body finally realizing just how tired it really was.
He still had to completely love their bedroom; the one sapphire accent wall behind the bed, the big king sized bed, the family photos above the bed, and the soft gray rug over the dark wood floors. He loved that the room always smelled like vanilla.
He loved that his old lady had created their home. It was the first time in such a long while since he'd had a place that he considered a real home.
He always found himself feeling totally relaxed the second he walked into the bedroom.
Chibs stared at Molly's sleeping form in the center of their bed his heart twisting again. She looked tiny curled up in their bed in one of his old t shirts.
The shirt was from when he was a bit heavier it was a somewhat worn out long sleeved purple shirt. He hadn't worn it in years. Molly must have dug out of the bottom of his dresser.
The pot brownie Bobby had given her sat half eaten on the bedside table.
Chibs wasted no time to kick his boots and socks off as he made his way over to the dresser. He removed his rings lining them up along the dresser just as he usually did every night.
He placed his kutte and all his weapons along side the rings before he chucked all of his clothing off tossing it in the wicker laundry basket by the closet.
He manged to slip on a clean pair of black cotton boxer briefs before he finally made it to Molly and his bed.
Molly awoke as she felt the bed shift beside her. She peered up at Chibs through heavy eyes as she spoke up a tiny smile on her face. "Hey."
He returned her smile his a bit tighter and sleepier. "Hey sweet lass."
"When did you get home?" She asked turning over on to her back the pot brownie she'd eaten before she'd fallen asleep still making her feel relaxed.
"Jus now. Bobby's sleepin downstairs. I figured we'd let him spend the nigh and hope that it would maybe butter him up enough to make him want to make us breakfast." Chibs replied as he reached down pushing a few stray locks of her honey blonde hair off her forehead.
She let out a drowsy laugh as she responded to him. "He's been doing all the cooking. I'm going to get fat if he keeps it up."
"Impossible." Chibs remarked as he settled into bed beside her relaxing underneath the heavy gray comforter.
He snuggled close to her his arm encircling her waist careful to not put any pressure on her fractured ribs. Her ribs wouldn't heal for about six weeks.
She turned to face him her hand reaching out to caress his cheek. "How'd the run go?"
Chibs let out a tired huff as he replied. "Na well...guns are still on SAMCRO."
Molly nodded her head the realization that things hadn't gone the way Chibs had been hoping they would making her feel anxious.
She knew from hearing Chibs talk that the gun trade was so dangerous. It was getting the Sons killed.
Chibs leaned against Molly's hand her touch soothing his worry filled mind.
He took a deep breath hating to ask but he knew they needed to talk about this. "Bobby and Mason said ya had a tough nigh?"
Molly let out a soft sigh her throat growing tight as she thought to her tears earlier that night. "I saw a commercial...for diapers. You know that really annoying one where the babies are clapping along to if your happy and you know it? I guess it was just seeing all those babies and thinking about diapers...It just hurt."
She paused her eyes growing a little misty. "I didn't mean to fall apart like that...Mason didn't...he didn't take it hard right? I never wanted him to see me like that. He's scared...and I didn't want to make him feel worse."
Chibs reached out wiping her tears as he spoke. "Oh a thaisce. Mason is okay. It's okay to fall apart lass. Yer a human bein. Mason needs to know that ya aren't made of stone."
He pressed a soft kiss to her damp cheeks as he spoke again. "I know ya've been havin a hard time Molly. I have been too. I was out on my bike when I was up in Oregon and I passed the grocery store...I saw this ma...she was with her kids a little lass and a baby boy. She was puttin her baby in a stroller and I...It hurt seein her...seein that baby. It didn't look all that old...jus a newborn."
Molly closed her eyes his words making that pain deep inside of her grow. The pain had been there since the doctors had told her that she'd miscarried and as hard as she tried she just couldn't push it back.
She wrapped her arms around Chibs everything within her hurting. It felt as though it stung and ached just being in her own skin.
"I just want our baby." Molly stated her voice so weak.
"I know. Me too." Chibs said holding her tighter against him.
He did his best to rock her against him as she finally allowed herself to let it all out. He closed his eyes his own tears finally falling.
This was the first time he'd allowed himself to cry since that night in the hospital; the night he'd first found out that their wee love was no more.
He didn't speak again for a long while until a sudden thought entered his mind. "How bout we get away from this all Molly. Go somewhere fer Christmas...just me, you and Mason. It'll be good fer us...a vacation. I promised I'd take ya somewhere one day...any place ya want to go."
"Where would we go?...I mean I can you even get away from the club for a trip?" Molly asked her mind so thankful to have something else to focus on.
Chibs let out a heavy sigh as he searched his mind for the perfect place. They needed somewhere familiar; somewhere to heal, somewhere that would be good for Molly.
He frowned as he realized the perfect place; Louisiana.
It might not be such a wise idea showing up in New Orleans so close to all that had happened with Brian Parker.
Chibs knew though that Molly and Mason needed this. They needed to go back to where it all began.
"Aye I can get away. Jax'll have ta understand that we need this...we can go see yer family in New Orleans...ya can show me all those things ya've been wantin to show me...yer grandma's house, yer favorite restaurant. We can have a big family Christmas. We can go get a tree and ya and yer Nana Rose can make dinner...we can drive out there...like a family roadtrip...I've never taken a roadtrip...well a roadtrip in a car at least...This will be good fer us lass. We can clear our heads, get away from all the shite goin on here." Chibs stated knowing that despite the risk this would be perfect for Molly and Mason.
And Chibs could admit that he wanted this. He wanted this family Christmas he was telling Molly about.
He wanted so badly to see the place his old lady had been raised, the place his boy had been born.
"Are you sure...I mean are you sure it's safe...after everything." Molly asked torn about this idea.
Part of her wanted so badly to visit her family back home. She wanted to show Chibs this part of herself. She wanted to have to have the holiday Chibs was describing.
She knew that he was right a trip to New Orleans would be good for the three of them.
Molly couldn't lie though she was afraid of what might be waiting for them in New Orleans. The Parker family would connect Brian's disappearance to her.
She was afraid of what the Parker's would do if they figured out the truth.
"Ya know I'd never let anyone hurt ya or Mason lass...never again. Yer family too. I'm goin to protect my family. We're goin to have a good holiday. It'll be perfect I promise ya." Chibs assured her just happy to see that she was no longer crying.
He spoke again knowing just what he could say to completely sell her on this idea. "Besides ya and Rose need ta get started on that wedding dress. Gotta get ready fer this summer."
She gave him a soft smile his words soothing her. She knew he was right they really needed this.
Molly was beginning to realize that at twenty seven years old she had no idea who in the hell she was. She'd spent six years of her life married to a abusive son of a bitch who had molded her into his ideal wife.
She had never had much of an identity outside of being Brian Parker's wife.
Hell she'd barely known who she was before she had met Brian. She had never had much of a chance to find her way. Her childhood; the loss of her beloved father, her depression; it had created a scared little girl susceptible to a monster like Brian.
She'd spent most of her life being that scared little girl.
She had been through so much in the past few months; escaping the marriage from hell, falling in love, losing a baby, and killing a man. She felt her stomach churn at that last thought; she'd killed Marcus Morris in self defense, but still she had killed him; shot him dead.
Molly took a deep breath knowing that she couldn't change the past.
She would find herself; or at least she hoped she would.
Molly wanted to know just who she was outside of being Mason's mother and Chibs' old lady.
New Orleans would be just the place to find that out, or to at least begin to find it. After all it was where her life had begun; where this all had begun.
She just prayed that when she came to understand just who she really was that she would like the person she'd become.
Going to New Orleans would be a good start to discovering just who Molly Dupuis truly was.
Molly wouldn't lie the idea of this trip excited her. Molly knew that she was just like any other girl on the planet; wedding talk got her excited. She wouldn't miss the chance to make her dream wedding gown for anything. "Okay."
Most importantly of all Molly knew she was done letting fear rule her. She had lived for years in fear of Brian Parker and his family.
She was finished with that way of living.
They would go to New Orleans and they'd have the good time Chibs was promising. If Molly was sure of one thing it was that no one was going to come near her family.
That was that they were going to New Orleans.
Reviews? Constructive Criticism?
A Leanbh= (Scottish Gaelic) Little One or Baby
A Thaisce= (Irish Gaelic) My Treasure