Chapt VI A Funeral for a Friend and Cat's Mercy

by wanderingchat

Cat is confroted by unusual behaviors in the funeral home and by a jealous KD, brining old fears back to the surface. The Sons and Otto say goodbye to LuAnn and come to terms with Otto's return to jail and Jax going nomad.

DISCLAIMER

The following is a work of fiction.

The characters and events involving the Sons of Anarchy are the creation of Kurt Sutter.

No copyright infringement is intended.

Any use of lyrics and the mention of songs and performers in this text is also not intended to infringe upon any copyrights held by any of the artists.

All original characters that are not part of the SOA universe are products of my own imagination. Any similarities to real persons are purely coincidence.

Much thanks and love go to:

My DH (who is thankfully very much alive!), for taking the time to offer insights. Also for having the love in his heart to allow me all my little obsessions and not feeling threatened by them. We've had 15 great years together; here's to many more!

My best friend (who does live in FL) for kicking my ass when needed and for love throughout these many years. My unofficial 'Godchild', her daughter, for her love as well.

The Indy Tarts and Tartans fan group, for giving encouragement, even though there was little GB involvement. Tignation, Samcro forums, SOA /Kim Coates /Tignation Yahoo Groups, Facebook Sons of Anarchy Forever and Sons of who also took an interest and added their encouragement.

Kim Sisk (Sisko44 on , check out her SOA/Tig Story called 'Sapphires and Whiskey'. It rocks!) for the wonderful cover art. I love it!

Mr. Johnathan Frid for bringing the character of Barnabas Collins to life, making him my first favorite pain in the neck; and to Mr. Dan Curtis for Dark Shadows and Mr. Robert Cobert for the music he made for the program, which is referred to in this chapter.

Finally, much thanks to Mr. Kurt Sutter for creating the SOA universe in the first place, and to Mr. Kim Coates for his excellent portrayal of Alex 'Tig' Trager.

Charming Pawse

Book II

Chapter Six

Funeral for a Friend

and a

Cat's Mercy

Cat closed her eyes and leaned her head against the pillows. "Six long, weary days later, we arrived and set up residence at a hotel. I studied the business area, determined the combination coffeehouse/bookstore would work, and bought the house and the store front. The rest, as they say, is history." Telling the story had tired her. Alex asked for full disclosure and she'd given it. It was the first time she'd thought about the events in detail for some time.

"I knew there was more to it than you let on! It never made sense to me that you'd make such a radical change in your life over a break in. You're not the type to turn tail and run." He pulled over to lean against him, cradling her head against his chest. She sighed tiredly and relaxed against him.

"That's one Hell of a sacrifice to make to protect the people you love," Otto added from the doorway.

She opened one eye and snarled, "Bullshit! Do not put me on a frackin' pedestal! I did it because I was damn tired of lookin' over my shoulder, wonderin' when Mother would launch another unprovoked attack! That's a pretty damn selfish reason, bucko!"

Alex laid his palm against her cheek, turning her head so she could see him. "Baby, you're anything but selfish. You wouldn't have chosen to leave everything you knew if you were. You always do what you think is right and don't give a rat's ass what other people think or what's in it for you. Hell, you've never asked for anything in return for the things you've done for the club!"

"That's something that's not normal around here, and I don't just mean the MC," Otto interjected. "Most deals are made so that someone gets an advantage. What you do for Tig and the club and have done for me are the exact opposite. If we seem surprised, it's because we're not used to it."

"I'll be glad when all y'all do get used to it," she murmured tiredly.

Alex stroked her hair as she spoke. 'I never thought of it from her perspective. She just acts the way she was brought up. To her, it's natural as breathing. We're not used to it; that's why we act surprised about it.'

She sighed contentedly under his ministrations. "It's just that all y'all make such a big deal out of it, and it's nothin' special."

Alex leaned over to kiss her. "It is special, baby. You're special. Whether you like it or not. I'll just try not to put you on a pedestal from now on."

She smiled up at him. "OK. Sorry if I came on too strong, guys," she added.

"No offense taken, Lady Cat," Otto replied. "You're right. We shouldn't be so suspicious and surprised when someone like you does the right thing."

Cat drifted off to sleep as Alex continued stroking her hair. He was proud of her; he'd asked a lot of her, and she'd delivered just as she always did.

"Y'know, Tig, I still don't understand why she chose you, especially after she had so many years with someone like Bill. He sounds like the anti-Tig. But I know why you chose her. You need her decency."

"She makes me feel safe, man. She gives a shit about me, not about the size of my dick or my wallet. Can't say the same for sweet butt. For all their youth and boobs, it always seems fake with 'em; like all they care about is being seen with me. To be honest with ya, sometimes the way I feel about her scares the shit out of me. But I wouldn't trade my life with her for all the sweet butt in California."

"I know the feeling. That's how I felt about LuAnn. You have a reason to get up in the morning and someone who appreciates you. It really makes a difference. Enjoy what you have and cherish it, man. You never know how long you have."

Otto took the coffee cups back to the kitchen to secure refills. There was still plenty of time before the service, and he felt Cat needed the rest. 'I hope telling the story helped her,' he thought. 'Listening to Cat reminded me a lot of the way LuAnn often reacted to some things. Women are definitely alike when it comes to protecting their nest.'

He smiled at the memory of the many times he had caught Hell from LuAnn, and just not about some aspect of club business. She'd not been real happy about the event that landed him in prison, but had stood by him. To the best of his knowledge, she'd never invoked the 'prison clause'. 'If she did, I don't want to know about it.' He returned to the bedroom and handed Tig his cup, then settled in the chair near the bed.

"Any more Snicker muffins?"

"You ate 'em all, brother." Otto grinned. He'd just snarfed the last one while getting the refills. 'What Tig doesn't know won't hurt me. Those are damn good! Wonder if she can send some to me. Maybe she can supply the prison commissary. She'd make a mint!'

Cat slept on, her head and body had shifted from Tig's chest to his lap. He had one arm wrapped protectively around her.

"Should we go into the living room to talk? I don't want to disturb her."

Tig shook his head. "Nah. She'll sleep as long as we keep our voices down," he wasn't willing to leave her alone anyway.

That was enough to convince Otto the two were not 'just living together'. 'They don't want to go public with it for some reason. So be it.' He sipped his coffee and asked, "What do you think about this peace rally she's hosting? Are you concerned that LOAN will retaliate?"

"I'm more worried about how Zobelle will retaliate. I'm surprised that he or Weston haven't tried to stop her already. She's stubborn and won't back down from it."

"The club's going to be present?"

"Hell, yes! It's the only way I can make sure she's safe."

"You've got your hands full with this one, Tig. She's got a lot of stubbornness and spunk to go along with that decency. Sure as Hell isn't afraid to stand up to you."

Tig looked down at his wife, still idly stroking her hair. "Tell me something I don't know."

"Take a lesson from me. If you're ever in a position where you can't watch over her, make sure there's someone on the outside who can and will. Don't leave it up to chance like I did."

He cleared his throat and replied in a gruff tone, "I intend to." He slid out from underneath her, propping her head on some pillows. He had to clean up for the service.

Otto used the time alone to reflect on everything Cat had shared with them about her move and came to a decision about the house. He walked into the living room and used the landline to call Gemma.

"Cat, is Otto all right?" Gemma's voice was full of concern. Obviously she'd spotted Cat's phone number on the caller ID.

"It's me, Gemma. Otto. I've decided to get the house packed up before I go back to prison. Think everyone will be up to a packing party after the dinner? I know it's short notice --"

"Sure we can, honey," Gemma interjected. "Clay and I discussed the possibility last night. There's a storage room at the garage for your things. With a large group of us working, it won't take long."

"Great. See you shortly. Thanks, Gemma."

After showering and dressing, Alex retrieved a cup of coffee before waking her. "C'mon, baby, time to get up," he shook her gently by the shoulder.

She moaned, then stretched and opened her eyes. "How long have I been out?' she murmured sleepily.

"About an hour. Feel better?"

She sat up and accepted the cup of coffee he held out for her. "Some. This will help." There was a tired and sad note in her voice that her smile didn't completely hide.

He felt a twinge of guilt for putting her through the ordeal, but felt confident that it'd done some good for her. He waited with her until she'd finished her coffee, then they walked out to the living room where Otto was waiting.

"You don't have to wear your helmet today," Alex stated grandly, acting as if he were an Oriental potentate granting a behest upon his loyal subjects. "None of us are wearing helmets."

"Got news for ya, love, I wasn't goin' to wear it anyway!" she grabbed the bag of coffee and darted out the door, pulling Otto along in her haste to get to her bike before incurring Tig's wrath.

"Damn it! You'll pay for that, woman!"

"That remains to be seen!" she replied with a laugh while steadying Blackie II for Otto.

"Get a room, you two!" Otto smiled a little at their banter. It reminded him so much of the way he and LuAnn had teased each other.

"Don't forget to lock the door, love!" Cat added.

Alex glared over his shoulder at her, but he was glaring at an empty driveway. She was already racing up the street without him. 'If she's feelingthat frisky, she's gonna be OK,' he thought, straddling his Harley and tearing out the drive in pursuit.

Cat felt overdressed in comparison to the scanty attire barely covering the Caracara actresses. Wherever she looked, her eyes were bombarded with bare midriffs, micro-mini skirts that barely covered butt cheeks, and cleavage that looked more appropriate in a stripper bar. What bothered her more than the outfits was the lack of decorum shown by some of the actresses and out of town riders.

'Gawd! I thought Jax and Tara swappin' spit at Donna's graveside was out of place! That was tame compared to this shit!' She guided Otto from the entrance towards the parlor where the service would be held. She was grateful that his vision was limited. 'I wish mine was just as limited at the moment!'

She tried to ignore the more blatant displays going on in the coat rooms and other presumably deserted areas of the funeral home. 'At least they're tryin' to be discreet and not goin' at it in the main passages! I don't expect weepin', wailin', and gnashin' of teeth, but I sure as Hell didn't expect to be wadin' through a frackin' orgy!'

Certain kinds of reserved public displays of affection were OK in her book. What she saw seemed more suited to the bedroom than a funeral home. She felt angry over the disrespect being shown Otto and half expected someone to break out the booze and weed at any moment. "It makes my hair hurt," she muttered.

"Did you get it caught in something, Cat?" Otto inquired. He thought she kept her hair too short to get caught in anything. "Can I help?" He sounded genuinely concerned.

"No, nothing like that. Just an expression I picked up to describe thinkin' too hard," she replied airily.

Her casual tone of voice belied the tightening muscles under his hand. Despite his limited sight, Otto had a good idea about what was distressing her. "You sure you're OK?"

"Sure. Just had a little too much coffee," she replied. "Do you mind if I leave you with Gemma for a bit?"

"Nah. Take your time," he said, giving her arm a reassuring squeeze before accepting Gemma's arm.

"Thanks, Otto," she scurried towards the parlor entrance and disappeared in a matter of a few seconds.

"What was that all about?"

"Cat's feeling a bit uncomfortable, Gemma. If it's OK, I'll just hang with you awhile."

"Sure, Honey. I think I know what's upsetting her. I don't blame her!"

Otto nodded. "She's not used to people treating a service to honor the recently departed like a wrap party."

"I've spoken to a few of 'em, but it obviously didn't register!" Gemma replied, glaring at some of the more flagrant offenders.

Time for both of us to lay down the law. There's plenty of time for that shit later," They moved quietly through the funeral home, Otto grimly reminding the miscreants of the reason they were there, and putting a stop to most of the shenanigans.

Cat hurried into the women's room, intending to rinse her face and regain her composure. She started to reach for the faucet when she heard the unmistakable sound of a male voice moan in ecstasy, "Oh, yeah, baby! Suck it!" followed by a feminine giggle coming from a stall where two stiletto heels peeked out from under the door.

'Oh my Gawd! I can not handle this!' She quickly and quietly retreated from the bathroom, her mind racing. 'Outside. No one ought to be screwin' around out front!' She headed for the front doors but found her way barred by a trio of scantily dressed young women. She recognized the one in the middle as the young girl who'd been leaning against Alex's bike when she and Otto left the clubhouse after the potluck.

"Excuse me, please," she murmured pleasantly.

"Fuck no! I want to talk to you, bitch!" The blonde hissed. 'I offered Tig everything I had, and he turned me down for that bitch! That was the third time he did that! I'm gonna get her out of the picture!' she thought angrily, sizing up the competition and finding her lacking in all areas of what she thought were Tig's interests. "You're not going anywhere!"

Cat glared at the younger woman, who glared just as balefully back at her. The girl wore a tube top that barely covered the essentials and a tight black micro-mini. High stiletto heels completed her hooker outfit, which made Cat wince.

She stepped to one side, intending to go around the group, but they fanned out, blocking her access to the door. "I don't know who y'all are, but I know that you're trouble," She calmly addressed them. "There's a time and place for everythin', but this is not the time nor the place for callin' people out. When you can address me politely, we'll talk. Until then, I have nothin' to say to you." She turned and headed to one of the side exits. "I'll just take the long way around to the front. The walk will do some good.'

The trio followed right behind her, muttering unkind comments loud enough for her to hear. "You might not have anything to say to us, but we have plenty to say to you!" the blonde taunted her. She kept moving, doing her best to ignore the taunts that reminded her of the schoolyard bullies that used to make her life Hell.

The blonde hissed, "You think Tig really wants a wrinkled, gray-haired, four-eyed, fat hog like you? Coloring your hair won't make up for your saggy boobs and wrinkles, bitch. He's a man-whore who prefers young, perky, skinny, and pretty gals like us, with boobs that don't drag the floor like a gorilla's arms!"

Her friends laughed nastily, making monkey sounds at Cat. "Yeah, gorilla tits! He probably has to vomit after fucking you!" One of her friends continued.

She refused to acknowledge their comments. 'That's the kind of thinkin' a barely 20 year old anorexic with a false boob job and IQ to match would indulge in. They mean nothin' to you. Keep walkin'.'

The third added her own invective, "Just wait, girls! He'll get tired of this smelly old broad and her aroma of cat piss, and come back to KD where he belongs!"

The blonde, KD, laughed nastily. "Cat Piss! Purrfect name for her!"

The trio followed her from the side exit and on around to the front, chanting "Cat Piss! Cat Piss!". They fell mercifully silent when they spotted Tig and Clay standing out on the front drive, talking and smoking with the officers from the charters.

"Let's go! We don't want Tig to see what we're doing! It'll piss him off!" The blonde hissed at her buddies. "We will finish this later, Cat Piss!"

Cat felt some satisfaction from their hasty retreat; it supported what she knew in her heart. 'Frackin' bitches." She stalked past Alex and Clay without a glance or greeting. Her hands were shaking from the unexpected and unsolicited verbal assault.

Clay could tell the three women were harassing Cat. 'They're definitely giving her a rough time,' he thought. He knew from her bearing that she was bewildered and hurt. He nudged Tig, whose back was to the trio, gesturing with his cigar at Cat. "Your lady's hissed off. Better check it out. One funeral's enough today!"

Tig glanced in the direction Clay's cigar pointed, taking note of Cat's rigid posture as she rummaged in the Yamaha's trunk. "Baseball bat won't fit in there," he remarked reassuringly. 'But she could be going after the gun.' The matter obviously required his attention, so he sauntered causally to the opposite side of the rice burner, stopping directly in her line of sight. He knew from experience not to come up behind her when she was 'hissed off'. "You planning to take out someone with the gun?"

She continued pawing through the trunk, giving Alex 'the look'. "Definitely a good place for it, if I were so inclined," she replied dryly. To his relief, the gun was lying in plain sight in the trunk, she was obviously looking for something else. She finally found what she was looking for in her tool kit, withdrawing a very squashed and battered package of cigarillos.

"What's wrong?"

She shook her head, still rummaging in the trunk. "Where in the Hell is my lighter?"

Alex reached out to take her hands in his. "You can use mine. C'mon, let's walk, you can fill me in."

"Fine!" She extricated her hands from his and put the package in her shirt pocket before locking the trunk. She fell into step beside him but didn't take his arm or hand and didn't speak until they'd gone around the corner out of sight of Clay and the charters. "You didn't have to leave your buddies on my account," she stated acidly.

Alex reached into her pocket, deftly removed the package and fished two cigarillos from it. He put both in his mouth and lit them, handing one to her as he inhaled and choked. "Shit! How old are these things?"

"Umm, a few months? Brought 'em back after Mother's funeral and threw 'em in the trunk," she replied, inhaling deeply from hers.

To his surprise, she didn't choke from the acrid smoke nor grimace at the stale taste. He shook his head. "Hate to tell you this, babe. Tobacco doesn't age well!"

"Don't recall invitin' you to take a hit," she snapped, inhaling deeply on her own smoke.

'Whew! Something's put her in a dangerous mood!' He took another hit off the stale cigarillo. "What's up, baby? This is the first time I've seen you light up. I thought you weren't a smoker."

"I'm not. Gave it up cold turkey years ago. I restart whenever I get real stressed."

"What's got you stressed?"

She indicated her outfit. "I feel like a penguin in the desert, completely out of place!"

"That has you needing one of these nasty things?"

She grinned in spite of her dark mood. "They're good when they're fresh. Stale as it might be, it's helpin'."

"What can I do to help?" he asked, laying a hand along her cheek, his thumb caressing her bottom lip. "Tell me what's wrong."

She sighed and gazed up at him, her eyes reflecting her confusion and hurt. "Where I come from, we dress modestly for events like this, and behave with more decorum! We sure as Hell don't start cat fights in the lobby over who belongs with whom!"

His thumb continued to caress her bottom lip and chin. 'Shit! I bet that bitch KD got on her ass; that's what she means about cat fights!' He knew her temper well enough to let her vent. He usually learned what was bothering her and what he could do about it.

"We don't show our boobs and asses in front of the deceased and their family," she continued angrily. "Nor do we make out in the coat rooms or get/give blow jobs in the bathroom! Hell, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that someone's gettin' it on in the embalin' room!"

Alex choked on the cigarillo hanging from his mouth. 'Dammit! I was thinking of getting off a piece with her in one of the prep rooms or some unused office. Guess that blows that idea!' he pretended the stale tobacco made him cough, but it wasn't a convincing show.

"Aw, shit! Not you, too!" Her eyes blazed with anger and she felt betrayed. "What is it about you people in this state?" She jerked away from him and stalked off, the smoke from her cigarillo billowing behind her like steam from a train engine.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!" He caught her in just a few strides, grasping her arm and forcing her around to face him. "At least I was thinking of getting a piece of you and not one of the actresses!" he said, holding both her arms as she struggled for her freedom.

"That's supposed to make me feel better?" she snarled.

'Shit!' He held her tighter as she continued to try to escape. "Quit wiggling and listen for a fucking minute!" He snapped. "That came out wrong."

"No shit!" She spat out the cigarillo filter, smashing it under her boot to extinguish it and trying to reach the packet in her pocket. "I need another smoke!"

He dipped his head to her. "Take this one, it's already lit," he muttered. 'If I let go of her, she's likely to slap the stale taste out of my mouth!'

She took the proffered the cigarillo out of his mouth and inhaled deeply. "Yeah, I've heard all about it! What should a body expect from a man-whore with a healthy appetite for unusual sex?" Her voice reflected the pain KD and her friends had inflicted, even though she knew their comments held as much water as a leaky sieve.

Each word she spoke was accompanied by a puff of exhaled smoke, a feat that fascinated Alex. 'For someone who doesn't smoke often, she's really skilled.' He kept his thoughts to himself; she was meaner than a panther with a thorn in its' paw and just as unpredictable.

"I can handle some of your more intense and perverse stuff, but not here! You – got - dat?" The last was delivered in true 'Victor Newman' style, complete with low growl and the most blistering version of 'the look' she'd ever mustered.

Alex fought to keep a wide smile from showing on his features. He knew she was seriously upset and could appreciate her feelings. Her temper was also making him hot for her. 'Dammit! She just doesn't know how desirable she is when she's pissed!' He stretched both hands out to capture her face, his thumbs caressing both cheeks in a soothing gesture.

"There are some major differences between what you're used to and this. But it's not normal for MC funerals!" His voice was low and soothing, nearly like the growl of a large feline. It was the best tone to use when she was angry and upset, and he put it to good use. "The porn girls don't know any better; LuAnn dressed the same way all the time. Hell, she's prolly having a good laugh about it!"

"It's not just the girls' outfits, Alex! I can't tolerate all the open sexual advances! Maybe what 'they' said about me is true; I'm just a fat, old, four-eyed party poop."

'Damn that gash, anyway!' Alex's heart skipped a beat. Cat had just echoed KD's diatribe from the night before. "You're wrong, baby. You're what the old detective movies call a 'classy dame'. You're sexier by showing less," he assured her soothingly. "Hell, I don't think I could handle it if you wore more revealing stuff! I wouldn't be able to be with you; I'd have a permanent address at the SJCCF!"

His eyes roamed her body in a way that made her blush. The fact that she could blush endeared her to him and often aroused him more than any revealing outfit worn by KD and her bunch. "I'm not gonna apologize for having impure thoughts about you. If I were a true man-whore, you wouldn't have been the only woman I thought of 'getting it on' with inside!"

Cat continued to glare at him, but her anger was losing steam. 'He's just given you quite a compliment!' she mused. 'Maybe a little backhanded, but a compliment.' She took another deep inhale of the cigarillo before treating it to the same treatment as its' cousin.

"I'm sorry for takin' out my frustrations on you, love. What I said about you was below the belt and uncalled for," she replied contritely. 'Damn heifers! I let them get to me!'

"You didn't pull that out of thin air," he replied. "I know who you're referring to as 'they'."

She sighed and looked away. "Let it go, Alex. Please. If you say anything to them, it'll just make things worse. Otto doesn't need that."

He looked intently at her. "Are you sure, baby?"

She nodded. "They're not worth the effort."

"If you insist," he replied resignedly. 'But if they pull anything, the gloves come off!'

"I insist," she replied with a small smile. He took her hand in his as they walked back to the front entrance.

"You gonna be OK in there?"

"I'm not gonna go in preachin' 'Hell fire and damnation', if that's what you're worried about."

He grinned. "I wasn't, but it's good to know. Ready to return to the den of sin? I'll protect you from all the perverts - except me!"

"Guess chivalry isn't dead, after all!" she simpered, putting her hand in the crook of his arm and allowing him to escort her back inside the building.

"Just remember, I'm no knight in shining armour," he whispered as they passed through the front entrance.

"That's true," she whispered back. "Your amour is a bit tarnished. I like it better that way."

---

To her relief, the memorial service was like any other she'd attended. Gemma had set up various photos of LuAnn throughout the room. During the memorial service, several people got up to share their memories of LuAnn. No one spoke of sex or porn videos.

Cat and Alex sat together towards the rear of the room. His arm was draped casually around the back of her chair and his hand possessively caressed her arm from time to time.

KD and her crew chose to sit in front of them, turning their heads every so often to glare venomously at them. Tig grew annoyed enough at their constant attention that he finally growled softly, "Turn around and face front if you don't like the view."

Otto sat stonily silent through the memorial. He wasn't able to share his memories of LuAnn with the gathering. 'I just can't speak about her to this group; my memories are too private. They mean too much to me.' It was difficult enough for him to maintain control without trying to talk about his life with her.

Gemma chose to be the last to speak of LuAnn. She stood at the lectern a few moments, her face mirroring her anguish. "LuAnn was my best friend. We met on the first day of school and remained friends until I left town. We lost touch for awhile, as friends do in life, but when I returned with John Teller and Jax, it was as if we hadn't been separated," her voice was soft and thick with grief. "She was my sister, even though we weren't related by blood or marriage. We liked many of the same things; clothes, boys, music, cars. We dreamed and played together as children. We learned how to smoke and drink and play cards. She treated Jax like one of her own. When we lost Tommy, she was there to help me through the loss. She was there again when John died. I stood with her when she and Otto married, and she did the same for me when I married Clay. Sure, LuAnn had her faults. We all do. No one's perfect. But she was the perfect friend. I loved her dearly and I'm gonna miss her. LuAnn was the sister of my heart, and I'll love her forever."

The service came to an end after Gemma's tribute. The gathering began to move towards the exit and their vehicles. Tig was serving as a pallbearer, along with Happy, Jax, Bobby, Opie and Clay. Piney turned up, not completely sober but fairly cleaned up, and served as an honorary pallbearer with Kip.

The casket had been closed for the service, but was opened long enough for Otto to say a final, private goodbye. When he signaled the funeral director that he was ready, Cat silently moved beside him to walk him to her bike. She felt the slight tremor run through him as he took her arm, and squeezed his hand in comradeship.

They walked quietly behind the coffin and waited until it had been loaded into the hearse. Cat then guided Otto to her bike, mounted, and held it steady for him to get on behind her. Clay's engine roared to life, followed by Jax's, then Tig's, and on down the line.

When it came her turn, the rice burner's engine purred loudly, contrasting slightly to the Harley roar. The hearse's power plant rumbled behind her, then more Harleys answered the hearse. Slowly, the line of vehicles moved onto the street, heading for the cemetery.

Otto sat straight behind her with his head held high. His unbound hair blew in the wind behind him. He'd put on sunglasses, as had many of the riders. Clay set a steady pace as the motorcade rumbled through town. A few car alarms were set off from the vibrations of the Harleys as they traveled down Main Street, passing 'Impeccable Smokes', Floyd's barber shop, the ice cream parlor, a video store, and approached 'Charming Pawse'.

As the motorcade neared the coffeehouse, Cat saw her employees standing on the sidewalk. Miss Anna held a bouquet of roses and stepped out onto the street as the motorcade drew near. Cat pulled up and stopped to allow Miss Anna to place the bouquet in Otto's lap. She bowed and stepped back to the curb. Cat gave a thumbs up to her employees as she pulled back in front of the hearse.

When they stopped at the cemetery, Otto's only comment about the floral tribute was a husky "That was nice of them," as he inhaled the fragrance of a red rose bud from each of her employees.

Cat opened her trunk and removed a single red rose tied with a black ribbon, the traditional farewell gesture of her fan group. 'LuAnn was as red blooded as every other woman, she may have known of Gerry and appreciated him. I'm sure she's watching and knows what this means.' She also pocketed the portable cassette player.

She and Otto walked to the back of the hearse and stood to one side while the pallbearers removed LuAnn's coffin, then followed it to the grave. Once the coffin was in place, she guided Otto to it so he could place the coffeehouse bouquet on top of it. Her black-ribboned rose joined it.

Cat led Otto to a chair in the middle of the first row, facing LuAnn's casket then moved away to stand off to the side. She watched as the Sons filed past to lay a blue carnation on top of the coffin and walked behind the single row of chairs where Otto, Gemma, and others who were close to LuAnn were to sit.

Cat felt it wasn't her place to sit in that row; she didn't know LuAnn well enough. When he placed his carnation on the casket, Tig saw her standing and waiting off to the side and motioned for her to stand with him. She shook her head slightly in response. She wasn't a voting member of the club and was satisfied to stand at the very back.

Tig swiftly walked up to her, took her hand and led her to stand next to him behind Otto and Gemma. "Today, you're one of us," he whispered, keeping her hand imprisoned in his so that she couldn't move without causing a scene. He could tell from the heat of the 'look' she gave him that he'd hear about it later. "I'm looking forward to it, baby," he whispered in her ear.

KD and her friends sat in another set of chairs on the other side of the coffin. They spent the entire service glaring daggers at Cat and whispering to each other. Cat and Tig ignored them. 'They need to get over whatever has their thongs stuck up their asses,' he thought.

The minister spoke the traditional words of comfort for the bereaved. In moments, the service was concluded, and individuals and groups started moving to their vehicles. Otto and Gemma remained seated. Clay stood behind her, Cat between him and Tig. They were waiting for the crowd to clear out.

Tig wondered if KD and her friends would try anything, but they flounced off to their car after the other actresses. He knew they hadn't seen the last of the trio; there was going to be another dinner at the clubhouse that was being catered by one of the local restaurants. The Caracara actresses were invited.

Otto had his head bowed; Gemma's hand rested on his arm. Leaving LuAnn was proving to be harder than he expected. 'I know that's not her in that box. The essence of LuAnn left this earth for a better place.' His life as he knew it was ending, another chapter beginning. He wasn't sure he was ready to embrace this new life.

Otto gently removed Gemma's hand from his arm and stood up. His shoulders straightened with resolve and he moved the few steps to the coffin. He laid both hands on top of it and rested his forehead between his hands.

Cat reached into her pocket, withdrew the portable cassette player and turned it on. The volume was already set. An upbeat blend of guitar, drums, and organ reminiscent of 1960's bubblegum pop broke the silence, then a deep, baritone voice spoke above the music:

"I'll be with you always

Ever

Forever

I'll always be near you

Though far away

With my love beside you

You won't be lonely

We'll meet again, dear

Some distant day

So don't be afraid

Of the future unknown

For I am at your side

You are never alone

I'll be with you always

Ever together

Eternally bonded

Never apart

The music changed to a haunting melody in a minor key with strings and horns, while the same male voice intoned:

"O Earth, lie heavily upon her eyes;

Seal her sweet eyes wear of watching,

Earth;

Lie close around her;

leave no room for mirth

With its' harsh laughter,

nor for sound of sighs.

She hath no questions,

she hath no replies.

Hushed in and curtained with a blessed dearth

Of all that irked her from the hour of birth;

With stillness that is almost paradise.

Darkness more clear than noonday holdeth her,

Silence more musical than any song;

Even her very heart has ceased to stir;

Until the morning of eternity

Her rest shall not begin nor end,

but be;

And when she wakes

she will not think it long.

There was another change in timbre of the music. The male recited the final words Cat had chosen:

We are such stuff

As dreams are made of

and our little life is rounded with a sleep."

She turned off the tape player and slipped it back into her pocket. 'I'll give it to Otto later. I just hope it helps him.'

When they first heard the music, Alex and Clay had looked around with surprise. Alex then saw the small tape recorder in his lady's free hand. He squeezed the hand he held captive, conveying his approval.

Clay nodded as his hands clasped his wife's shoulders. He could see that the music and words touched Gemma. Tears streamed down her face as she watched Otto bending over the casket.

Gemma stood up when the tape ended. She moved forward and laid a hand on the lid of the coffin, caressing the smooth wood under her hand. 'I can't begin to imagine how lost he feels.' Her other hand rested on his back, moving slowly up and down in a comforting manner.

Otto was touched beyond words by the recording. 'That was perfect. Luann and I are bonded; I'm not alone. I think wherever she is now, LuAnn will be watching out for me.' Otto straightened from the casket, his face pointed towards the heavens. The sun warmed his face as he inhaled deeply. "I'm ready," he announced calmly.

Alex released her hand so Cat could assist Otto. She placed a gentle hand on his arm as she stepped up to him. Otto's hand gripped her elbow and they walked back to the parked vehicles, Alex following behind them. Clay moved to stand beside Gemma, his hand encircling one arm. Gemma covered his hand with hers as they walked away from the grave.

Alex waited with Cat and Otto while Clay escorted Gemma to her car. Cat removed the tape player from her pocket and placed it in Otto's hands.

"I thought you might like to have this, to play when you needed to hear it. But if you'd like to leave the tape with LuAnn, we can take it back there and I can make another for you." she said softly, closing Otto's fingers over the device.

He slipped the player in his cut pocket. "I think I'd like to keep it. Thanks. The first piece really helped me, and the second one described LuAnn perfectly. That last part was from Shakespeare, wasn't it?"

"Yes," she replied a bit huskily. "The 'Epilogue' from 'Tempest'. The middle portion is called 'Epitaph', a 19th century poem by Christina Rosetti."

Where'd you find that, baby?" Alex asked gruffly. He'd never admit it aloud, but the selections had touched something inside him. "The music's familiar, so is the speaker; can't place where I heard it all before."

"It came from 'our' library, love, a vinyl album of the original 'Dark Shadows' television series. The speaker was the actor Johnathan Frid who portrayed Barnabas Collins. All the music came from the series and that album."

"Dark Shadows! I remember!" he exclaimed, his voice less gruff. "It was one of the few things I would watch with my mom. It was cool; all those vampires and ghosts and werewolves and magic shit!"

"I recall it, too," Otto commented. "I'd run home from school in order to watch, the whole thing fascinated me. Course nowadays, the so-called scarey effects would be laughable, but it sure scared the shit out of me back then."

"Yeah, pissed me off when it was canceled," Alex added.

"It pissed off a lot of people, love. It was something I watched with Mother every day. It's one of the good memories I have of her," Cat replied quietly.

"Count me in on being pissed about the cancellation," Otto said. "Nice to know we three have something else in common besides bikes."

Clay walked up to the trio. "Are we gonna stand around and yak or are we leaving?" His voice was gruff from the reason for the day though he'd been touched by the tape as well. He was on edge, nervous that Jax might say something about Donna's death in front of Otto. 'I can deal with his knowing grins as long as he keeps his yap shut.'

"Is Gemma OK to drive?" Cat inquired worriedly. She knew the service had to have been as hard for Gemma as it'd been for Otto.

"Yeah. Are we ready?"

They nodded assent. Alex watched as Cat mounted her bike and held it steady for Otto. Once he was settled behind her, she motioned Alex over to her. "I'm goin' to follow Gemma, keep an eye out for her," she whispered to him. "If it looks like she's in trouble, I'll let loose with two longs and a short on the horn."

He placed a hand along her cheek, his eyes showing the pride he didn't always admit to in public. "Good thinking. Ride safe."

"See ya in a bit."

Clay and Alex saddled up and started their Harleys. Gemma's Escalade pulled even with Cat's bike. She waved Gemma forward and pulled behind the sport utility vehicle. With Clay and Tig leading the way, the small motorcade pulled away from the cemetery.

_________________________________________

The small group was the last to arrive at the clubhouse. The restaurant had delivered the dinner and set it up buffet style on a long table. Before the dinner commenced, Clay stood at the front of the table and announced, "Otto has decided to put the household items in storage; so any of you who have time to spare are welcome to help us pack. We only have tonight. The more hands on deck, the less time it'll take."

Clay's announcement made the riders painfully aware that Otto would be returning to Stockton in a matter of hours. Both Otto and Gemma were quiet; any actresses and riders who were interested in 'knocking boots' knew without being told they needed to find private places to hook up.

KD and her friends sat with a group of other Caracara actresses. KD's eyes were glued on Tig. Much to her disgust, he never gave her a glance. 'He keeps giving that fat old skank his attention when he should be watching me! If he's not hanging around her, he's with the guys!' KD wanted to make a move on Tig, remind him she was available, but she didn't want to run the risk of being publicly humiliated.

"I've had enough of this!" she snapped to her friends. "C'mon!" She grabbed her purse and flounced outside, her friends following on her heels.

'Good riddance!' Tig thought, a sentiment that Cat shared a little more vocally. "Don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way out," she muttered. If Gemma or Tara overheard her, they didn't say anything, though they did exchange knowing glances.

It looked to them as if Cat was up to the challenge KD presented. It was becoming a tradition for the 'old ladies' of SAMCRO to have to face down a local challenger. Tara had passed her baptism of fire with Ima. Now it appeared to be Cat's turn.

KD stormed out of the clubhouse, heading directly to the black Yamaha parked next to Tig's Dyna.

"What are you going to do, KD?" Lanai asked.

"Watch and see," she replied, removing a screwdriver she'd put in her purse. She dropped her purse to the ground and held the tool in her clenched fist and jabbed it into the leather saddle. She continued her attack on the saddle to the laughter and applause of her friends, punching holes, slashing the leather, and pulling out padding.

"You think that's something, watch this! I've just gotten started!" She attacked the gas tank, scratching the word 'piss' next to the C design. She went over the word several times, scratching down to bare metal. She moved to the back of the bike and scratched out 'Tig's Lady' on the trunk until the words were completely covered over by long, deep gouges.

Unable to contain themselves, her friends joined in, using the pointed heels of their shoes to break the head and tail light covers on the bike and to smash the cover of the instrument panel. One of the girls used her nail file to poke several holes in the front and back tires.

Kenny Winston was tired of watching TV and had wandered outside to find something more interesting; maybe one of the employees was working on a car or bike and would talk to him if he promised to stay in the doorway.

He heard the girls' laughter and was horrified to see that they were damaging one of the parked bikes. 'That black Yamaha belongs to Miss Cat. She's always nice to me, even though Daddy's mad at her. She always lets me play with the kitties. What they're doing isn't right She needs to know!' He ran inside the clubhouse to tell her.

He found her sitting with Gemma, Tara, and Lyla. They were planning the packing at Otto's house while the men, including his father, were playing poker. Kenny rushed up to Cat and tapped her on the shoulder to get her attention.

Cat looked to her side and grinned at the flushed youngster. "Well, hello there, Kenny! What's up?"

"May I speak with you alone, Miss Cat?" He asked. "It's important." He knew she wouldn't brush him off like most adults did. 'Miss Cat always listens to me, like what I have to say is important. She's gotta know this, even if it makes me a rat.'

"Sure, darlin'." She rose from her chair and followed the child a few feet from the adults. She squatted down to his level, surprised by his intensity. "What's the matter, honey?"

"I dint wanna tell in front of everyone 'cause they'd get mad. You oughta know some of Lyla's friends are bashing up your bike!" he explained.

She lay a reassuring hand on his shoulder, concerned to find the child was shaking. "You did the right thing in tellin' me this, honey."

"You don't think I'm a rat?" he asked, his eyes wide.

"No, baby. It's not rattin' to tell someone their property is bein' messed up. That was a very good and brave thing to do." She hugged him, relieved to feel the shaking grow still. His arms went around her neck and held on tight for a few moments before he broke the hug. "I'm proud of you, Kenny. You go find your sister and stay with her, OK?"

Kenny nodded and ran off to the television area where his sister and Lyla's child were sitting. Cat watched the little boy's retreat then turned and walked causally to the front door.

Tig witnessed her conversation with Kenny end with the child wrapping his arms around her neck. 'That kid really likes her. Too bad Opie's still pissed at her.' He wasn't concerned when he saw her walk out the front door. She wasn't upset like she'd been at the funeral home. 'Prolly just want's some fresh air and space,' he thought, taking a pull from his beer. He turned his attention back to the poker game. He had a good hand and a chance of winning a substantial pot.

Gemma had also watched Cat's conversation with Kenny and wasn't fooled by the woman's nonchalant demeanor. 'Something's up. Looks like Cat's gonna have to send a message of her own. If Tigger gets wind of it, he'll intervene and that can't happen. I'd better keep an eye on him.'

Cat slipped out the front door, keeping alert for trouble. She heard high pitched female laughter and saw the assault on her bike. 'All that work Alex did shot to Hell!' she seethed, watching them at work. She pulled out her personal cell and dialed 911, informing the operator of the vandalism taking place at the Teller Morrow lot.

"We're sending a car," the dispatcher assured her. "Don't confront them, Ms. Marshall."

"I don't intend to," she replied dryly. 'The gun's locked in the trunk and the baseball bat's at the coffeehouse. Three against one ain't my kind of odds.' She watched from the shadows behind the boxing ring as the blonde and her two friends continued the assault on her bike. 'Damn! Wish I had the digital camera, or at least a phone that takes pictures! Maybe I need to get a phone that does more than just makes calls!'

She briefly considered using the two-way to alert Tig, but nixed that idea. 'That's what the little chits want, especially the blonde. No way in Hell am I givin' them what they want!'

KD looked up and over at the clubhouse entrance. She wasn't sure, but thought she saw someone lurking near the boxing ring. "I think we have company," she whispered to her friends.

"Should we scram? Is it Tig or one of the other guys?" Kalai hissed.

"No. I think it's Cat Piss. Let's just act like we're walking to the car. If she follows us, we should be able to jump her. It's three on one, and she's too old to do anything about it!"

"I don't know, girl. She did pretty well in that basketball game last night. Maybe we should quit while we're ahead."

KD glared at Lanai. "What's the matter, you afraid of the old skank?"

"No-o-o-o. I just don't want to get Tig and the guys pissed. They like her, y'know."

"Fine, two against one works just as well! I knew you couldn't be counted on!" She stalked away towards their car, Kalai following right behind. Lanai appeared to 'tread water' about joining them, but hurried after the pair as she didn't want to be left without a ride home.

Cat watched the trio walk to a vehicle parked closest to the entrance. She had to move quickly and stay within the shadows to get close enough to see the license plate. She was so intent on her errand that she didn't notice KD and Kalai creeping up behind her. They'd removed their stilettos so the heels sounding on asphalt wouldn't give them away. Before she knew it, a pair of arms grabbed her from behind and her arms were locked behind her back. Someone had slipped their arms behind her elbows. She was trapped.

The poker hand ended with Tig raking in his winnings, a smug smile of satisfaction on his face. He looked up to share his satisfaction with Cat, but she wasn't in the main room. A frown replaced the smile. 'She's been outside too long. I've got a bad feeling about this.'

He slipped the two-way into his hand, but the message indicator was blank. He glanced up at the monitors and saw nothing amiss there. The nagging feeling that something was wrong didn't go away.

He got up, stretched, then walked casually over to the TV area. He squatted next to Kenny Winston. "Hey, Kenny. I saw you talking to Miss Cat earlier. It looked pretty serious. What'd you two talk about?"

Kenny gazed owlishly at him. 'Mr. Tig don't usually notice me! Should I tell him what I tole Miss Cat? He might think I'm a rat and get mad!'

Tig sensed the child's uncertainty. "It's OK, Kenny. You can tell me what you told Miss Cat. She's my lady. She's been gone quite a long time. I'm worried."

Kenny swallowed and replied in a rush, "Some of Lyla's friends were tearing up Miss Cat's bike. I tole her about it. She said I did right. Did I?"

Tig placed a gentle hand on the child's shoulder. "Yes, you did. Miss Cat was right about you. You did exactly the right thing. Thanks." He stood up and stalked to the door, his brow furrowed with concern and anger.

Gemma had watched Tig's interaction with Opie's son, and moved quickly to intercept the SAA when he started towards the clubhouse door. "Where you going, Tigger?"

"Outside. Cat's in trouble. KD and her friends are messing with the bike. She'll be next."

"Let Cat handle it on her own, Tig. She has to send a message."

Tig glared angrily at her. "What the Hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I knew that some girl would eventually challenge your choice. Cat has to make it clear she's due the respect of being your old lady. If you intervene, she'll never be left unchallenged or respected."

"Fuck that!" Tig tried to move past Gemma, but she blocked his path. She was one of a very select few who could get away with it.

"You're not going out there on your own! I'm coming with you to make sure you don't interfere!"

"Then get a move on!" he snarled. He stormed out the door and hurried to the line of bikes. The sight of the wrecked rice burner stopped both of them in their tracks.

"Holy shit!" Gemma gasped in alarm. "This is insane!"

"I tried to tell you, dammit!" Broken glass littered the ground, the leather saddle was torn in several places with padding sticking out, and both tires were flat. What angered him most were the ugly words scratched into the gas tank. He instantly knew who was responsible. "I'll kill that gash!" he growled. His sharp eyes roamed the parking lot and caught a flurry of activity near the gate. 'The one part of the entrance where we don't have surveillance! Shit!'

Tig strode angrily across the lot, Gemma scrambling after him. They stuck to the shadows and were shocked to see Cat's arms imprisoned behind her by Kalai, while KD stood in front of her, a sneer of derision on her face.

"I'm not happy about this, Gemma," Tig growled. "Three on two isn't good."

"Our presence makes things even, should we have to step in."

"Whaddya mean should we have to step in! You saw what they did to her bike! You want them to do the same to her?" Tig glared angrily at his best friend's wife. "No message is worth Cat's safety!"

Gemma placed a restraining hand on Tig's arm. "Easy, Tig. From what you've said about her, Cat can handle them. Let's wait and see what happens."

Tig stared at Gemma and his expression chilled her to the bone. He crossed his arms over his chest and stood still, waiting. 'I'm not waiting long, Gemma. If I have to go through you to protect her, I will."

---

"Hello, Cat Piss! I told you we'd finish this!" KD snarled triumphantly.

Cat glared at the blonde while trying to get her arms free. The girl holding her arms behind her possessed more strength that she expected for an actress. "Just what the Hell is your problem, kid?"

"You're the problem!" KD raged, her eyes wild with jealousy. "Because of you, Tig won't give me the time of day! I plan to change that."

"Really?" Cat replied coldly. "How are ya plannin' on doin' that? So far, all you've done is flap yer jaws and bore me to tears!"

"I'll give you something to cry about!" KD viciously backhanded her on each side of the face, nearly knocking her glasses from her face.

The blows hurt, but she laughed the pain away. "I've been bitten harder by mosquitoes, chick. Though you are more annoyin' than a swarm of 'em!"

The third girl moved up to Cat's other side, grabbing her arm and holding it out to the side. Having her arms held in that manner gave her a little more mobility. She began to form a plan to get free.

She focused on the girl who'd slapped her. The slap had stung the girl's hand; she was rubbing and blowing on the appendage. "What's the matter, dearie? Does your iddle bitty hand hurt?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "For all you talk about how you're better for Tig, everything y'all say and do says the exact opposite! It's no surprise that he won't give y'all the time of day!"

"What the fuck are you talking about, Cat Piss?"

Cat smiled ferally, relaxing against the hands holding her captive. "Honey, Tig's a grown man. If he had any interest in you, he'd certainly not let me stand in his way! And I wouldn't try."

Lanai nodded in agreement. "Tig's definitely not pussy whipped."

KD felt confused. The last thing she expected was for her nemesis to speak reasonably to her. She was used to girls cutting each other down, calling each other 'skank' and 'bitch'. 'This doesn't make sense! Why would Tig continually turn me down for that old bitch, especially if she wouldn't stop him?' She shook her head and snarled, "You talk a lot, bitch, but you don't know shit."

Cat smiled grimly. "I know more than you think, honey. If you really think that I'm keepin' Tig from hookin' up with you, you don't know him at all. If he wanted sweet butt, nobody would keep him from it. You sell him short if you think I control him."

All three women looked at her as if she'd just sprouted another head, but she didn't let that stop her. "Did you ever stop to think that there might be some other reason Tig doesn't want to be associated with you? Your selfishness is one big turn off."

"What selfishness?"

"All y'all trashed my bike without thinkin' about Otto! How's he supposed to get back to where he's stayin'? Was he just supposed to hang around the clubhouse while Tig and you got it on? Didn't you stop to think that the Feds might be watchin' Otto? And, if they are, they'd use his failure to return to where he's stayin' as a reason to raid the Sons?"

The two sisters looked at each other in dismay. They'd never considered the consequences of what they'd done. They'd been content to follow KD's lead. "Oh, man!"

"Fuck that! She's full of shit!" KD replied angrily. "That fat old hag is playing you!" She kicked Cat savagely in the stomach.

'Thank God she took off the heels!' The kick knocked the wind out of her. She was surprised that it actually hurt.

"I'm gonna do what Tig should've done about you a long time ago and get you out of the way. Once he's bathed in Clorox and had a Purell rubdown, he'll be free of your stench and never think of you again! You're just a fat, nasty freak! He'll thank me for freeing him from your wrinkles, Cat Piss! Tig belongs to me! He loves me, he told me so at Bobby's party! He doesn't want you! He's mine!"

Cat shook her head, trying to clear the haze. 'This chick is fruitier than a nutcake and just as dangerous!' She acted as if the blow had winded her, allowing her head to loll on her shoulders. 'I've had enough of this shit!"

It took every ounce of self-control Tig possessed to keep from leaping to Cat's defense when KD slapped her. His anger grew as he listened to KD's rant. 'This woman is warped! All this from a stupid comment at a party? Shit!'

He and Gemma watched as one of the twins, Lanai, took Cat's left arm in both of her hands, so that the twins were holding her arms spread out. He nearly lost it again when KD kicked his lady in the gut and Cat looked like she was hurt. Gemma held him back. "She's playing a bluff! KD can't kick the feathers out of a pillow! Cat's gonna kick some porn ass, I know it!"

Tig looked on, his muscles bunched with tension. 'Forgive me, baby. I'm watching your back, even though it might not look like it.' He winced when he heard KD mention his comment at Bobby's party. 'That means I'll have some 'splainin' to do!'

---

Cat felt the girl's grip on her left arm ease, though the one on her right still held her tightly. 'Doesn't matter. It's now or never.' Without warning, she grabbed the girl's arm that had been holding her on the left and and propelled her into her look-alike. Both collided with a loud "OOF!" and tumbled to the ground.

Her arms free, Cat dropped into a defensive crouch. She waved her hands in the 'cloud hands' pattern and moved sideways until her back was to the garage wall. "If you wanna have a cat fight, darlin', I'm game. I prefer one on one to three on one. Ready to put your money where your foul mouth is?"

KD let out an enraged scream and ran at Cat, her arms and hands held straight out, intent on wrapping them around her nemesis' throat. Cat maintained her stance, her hands raised protectively in front of her. As KD rushed her, Cat moved to one side and tripped the girl, using KD's own momentum to send her crashing to the ground on her face.

"My nose! You broke my nose, you bitch!"

KD's two friends staggered to their feet, winded by the maneuver Cat had used to gain her freedom. "You two want a piece of me, bring it on!" she hissed. 'I just hope they think I'm preparin' to let loose with a Bruce Lee style ass whoopin'!'

While she was moving to put the garage wall to her back, she noted Tig and Gemma were standing behind the trio. Tig's arms were crossed but his eyes were glinting like cold blue steel. His expression and posture displayed his anger though he was smiling sardonically at the plateau. Gemma stood slightly in front of the SAA, keeping him from joining the fray while nodding encouragingly at her.

She didn't acknowledge their presence, unwilling to let her adversaries know the odds had changed in her favor. She had an idea why they hadn't come to her defense, but didn't have time to give it much consideration.

The trio lined up in front of her, just as they had at the funeral home. 'This time I can and will fight y'all, whether Tig intervenes or not!' She continued drawing deep breaths, her eyes watching the trio to determine their next move.

"Fuck this!" Lanai snarled. "I didn't know she was into Karate! I'm not getting my ass kicked on KD's behalf! Let's get out of here, sis!"

"We can't leave without KD!"

"Then get her the Hell out of here!" Cat hissed angrily, her hands locked in a defensive pose. She caught movement from the corner of her eye and hoped it didn't mean reinforcements coming to help KD and her gang.

"What the fuck is going on!" Clay bellowed, rushing in between Cat and the actresses. His icy glare took in the sardonic smile on Tig's face and Gemma standing in front of the rider. "Why the Hell are you two just standing there?"

"Cat's got things under control, Clay. I was just watching her back," Tig replied.

"A little bit of education in treating one's elders with respect is what's goin' on, Clay," Cat added, never taking her eyes off KD, whose nose was skinned but obviously not broken. The girl's eyes lit up to see Tig standing behind her, then clouded when he averted his eyes from her.

"Consider class dismissed!" Clay glared at the entire group.

"Don't be yellin' at me, Clay! I'm not the one trashin' other people's property, slingin' insults, and assaultin' people while they're bein' held down!"

Clay noticed the angry red palm prints on both sides of her face. "What the Hell happened to you?"

"Miss KD doesn't like the fact that Tig chooses to be with me. She and her buddies trashed the rice burner and tried to do the same to me. Cops are on their way, so y'all might wanna hide anything CPD shouldn't see."

"Shit! Did you have to call 'em, Cat?"

"It was the logical thing to do since they wanted Tig's attention," she snarled. "I sure as Hell wasn't gonna reward their bad behaviour with what they wanted!"

Clay shook his head and turned back to the actresses. "Get the Hell out of here, and don't ever come back!" he roared, throwing up his hands in aggravation.

The two sisters helped KD into the back of their car and piled inside. Kalai started it and rushed away as sirens rapidly approached the lot.

"I'll handle the cops, Clay." Cat said, letting her arms down and leaning shakily against the wall.

"Goddamn women! Can't live with ya, can't live without ya! Fightin' over dick!" Clay stomped off to the clubhouse, waving the gawkers back inside, Gemma following close behind. "Show's over! Get back inside. CPD's on it's way! Shit!"

As Clay and the gawkers returned to the safety of the clubhouse, Hale's Jeep pulled into the driveway, lights flashing and siren blaring. He pulled to a stop close to the wall Tig was leaning against and turned off the siren.

Cat walked over to the Jeep before Hale could get out, blocking his exit from the vehicle. "Great timing, the vandals just left." She tersely described the vehicle. "I want to file charges for the vandalism, so suggest you go after them before they get too far away. I'll be there to fill out the paperwork once I get a ride."

Hale gazed at the battered Yamaha along the row of bikes, then at the welts on her face. "The bike damage isn't the only thing you'll be filing charges over!" He put the Jeep in reverse, backing quickly from the drive onto the street. He turned the siren back on and raced off in pursuit.

"That's why I want you to keep a clean record," Tig remarked. "Hale would never move that fast on my say-so."

Cat was shaking and nauseous. She held her hand up in the classic 'talk to the hand' gesture. "Yeah, wh-whatever," she stammered. The adrenaline rush that had sustained her was gone. Reaction to her close call was setting in.

Tig was enjoying a soothing smoke. He was inwardly relieved the fight hadn't been any worse, though it pained him that Cat had been KD's target and that his lady had suffered some physical harm. "C'mere, woman," he growled.

She glared in response to the male chauvinistic tone in his voice. "I-I'm not someone y-you can order about, Tig! Es-especially after y-you let her s-slap me around!" she wrapped her arms around her aching pouch. 'God, everything hurts! Who knew such a little slip could pack a whollop like that!'

Tig tossed his cigarette to the asphalt, detached himself from the wall, and walked over to her, placing a hand behind her neck. Her skin was colder than usual and he could feel her shaking. "You OK, baby?" His voice was less dictatorial and more concerned.

"S-sure. Just d-dandy!" she snapped, angry at herself for sounding like a scared little girl.

He guided her head to his chest, enfolding her in his arms. "I'm not mad at you for getting into a fight."

She tensed in his embrace. "G-gee, th-thanks! As i-if I w-were worried! Wh-what the Hell wh-was I s'posed to do? L-let her k-kill me?"

"Damn fearless little spitfire! You didn't let me finish!' He growled. "You had no choice; you had to fight! It hurt to stand by and watch her hit you."

"Then wh-why did y-you?" she cried.

"Because you had to stand up to them on your own. Believe me, if that bitch had tried to kill you, I wouldn't have stood by and let it happen!" He pleaded with her, his voice low and soft. "If I'd have stepped in, she or some other predatory female would keep at you. I'm sorry about the bike and that you were hurt."

Cat rested her head against his chest, unable to

stop shaking and crying. "It's not y-your fault, love. Th-that gal's a real n-nut job! Dammit! S-some fearless spitfire!"

"Sssh. It's OK, baby," Alex murmured, running his hands up and down her back. "You're safe now."

He was worried. 'She's never reacted like this to a confrontation. Not after Zobelle; not even after that fight we had about Prospect! It's the first time I've seen her get in a physical fight. Nice to know she can handle herself when push literally comes to shove.' What surprised him most was that she hadn't descended to the screeching and name calling most women used in a cat fight. She had maintained the upper hand in more ways than one.

His hands grasped her shoulders, holding her at arms' length so he could examine her injuries. His hands moved to both sides of her face, his thumbs brushed the tears away. "I'm proud of the way you handled yourself, baby."

She drew a deep, shuddering breath. "I'm willin' to fight for what's mine, until the day comes that you don't want me."

"That's not gonna happen, baby. I'm in this for the long haul, too."

She fought to get herself back under control. "Gawd, I hate actin' like a girl!" She murmured into his shirt.

"Baby, there's nothing you can do about that. You're a girl, sometimes you're gonna behave like one! It's kinda nice to see your softer side," Alex replied with a small laugh. Before she could respond with a suitable cutting remark he added, "Do you feel up to riding? I'll take you to the police station."

"Yeah. Let's get it over with."

He walked her to his bike. "Wait here. I'll be back." She leaned against the Dyna, watching him move her battered rice burner into his bay of the garage. He then went into the clubhouse to advise Clay of his intentions.

"Cat OK?" Clay asked gruffly. "Gemma filled me in. Sorry I jumped her shit."

"It's a'right. The bitch got in a couple of licks, but Cat got the best of 'em. I'm taking her to CPD to file charges. Hale's in pursuit of 'em."

"Must be nice to have four women fighting over you," Clay joked.

"I can do without it," Tig replied sourly. "We'll join up with the packing once we're done at CPD." He turned away and walked over to the computer area, sat down, and logged into the internet.

He wasn't as experienced with computers as Juice, but he knew how to make online purchases and accessed the website Teller Morrow used for motorcycle parts. He ordered a replacement trunk, saddle, gas tank, lamp covers, and instrument panel for the Yamaha and paid for overnight shipping. 'It's worth the expense. I wanna get it fixed tomorrow, to Hell with the insurance adjuster!"

He next accessed a site he often used to obtain security and surveillance equipment. He ordered another camera to go with the ones already in place on the lot. He'd have Juice install it in that blind area near the lot entrance. 'This proves we need surveillance there. Too much of a chance someone else could cause trouble there.'

He stalked out of the clubhouse and back to his bike where his lady waited. She was more subdued than he'd ever seen her. She didn't even smile at him as he walked up to her.

Cat was quiet during the ride to the police station. Her stomach still hurt from the kick KD had given her and her cheeks stung. She should have enjoyed riding behind Alex, but her mind was running in overdrive.

She decided she wouldn't file charges if the trio agreed to an offer for a second chance away from Charming. 'Alex might not like it, but he'll just have to deal with it. They didn't trash his bike or smack him around. It's my decision! If KD goes to jail, she'll just come out lookin' for retribution, and the whole shit storm starts all over again. I don't wanna deal with that; I just want her gone.'

---

Hale caught up with the actresses not far from Teller Morrow. The trio was being booked when Cat and Alex walked in, so she didn't have a chance to discuss her plan with him.

"Why can't I file charges against that fat smelly skank for hurting me?" they heard KD whine from the booking room.

"Shut the fuck up, KD!" cried another female. "She never laid a hand on you; you tripped over your own feet!"

"Rats jumping the sinking ship," Cat smirked to Alex.

"Sure sounds that way," he replied.

Hale walked up to her as the injuries to her face were being photographed. "Are you ready to give your statement, Ms. Marshall?"

She nodded. Hale led her to a chair next to one of the uniformed officers' desks. She gave a clear, concise report of the vandalism and the assault, including how she got free from the women who'd held her while KD hit and kicked her.

When the officer handed the statement to her to review and sign, she surprised both Hale and Trager by refusing to sign it.

"What the fuck do you mean, you're not signing it?" Tig roared.

"I mean," she replied calmly, "that I'm not signing until I speak to those three. You two can watch through one of those two way mirrors if you want. But I intend to talk to them. Tonight."

Hale and Trager exchanged glances. "Is she always this hardheaded?"

Tig nodded. "Better let her have her way, man. She'll wait us out the entire night, and she's gotta get Otto back to Stockton in the morning."

'I almost feel sorry for him,' Hale recalled his last encounter with her in headquarters, when she'd been just as stubborn. "It's not orthodox, but nothing around here is these days!" He escorted her to an interview room which had a table and four chairs. He watched as she put three on one side of the table and one directly opposite.

A large window took up an entire wall. "Tig and I will be on the opposite side of the mirror. I hope you know what you're doing, Ms. Marshall."

"I do. Thanks, Hale." She remained standing so that she'd be hidden behind the door until the girls were inside. The rattle of the doorknob alerted her to impending company. The door opened to admit the actresses and a uniformed officer.

"Sit down and remain quiet," the officer tersely ordered them in a no-nonsense tone of voice. The girls weren't cuffed, and their stilettos and jewelry had been confiscated. The actresses settled into the chairs across from the door and remained silent until their visitor was revealed.

"Well, if it isn't Cat Piss!" KD sneered. "I knew I smelled something rank! Why'd you have us brought in here? So you could gloat?"

"Shut up, KD!" Lanai hissed.

"I agree with your friend, KD," Cat added. "Put on your listening ears; you might hear something useful."

KD glared angrily at her, but remained quiet.

'Ah! The blessed sounds of silence!' Cat glanced at each of the trio, then over at the mirror before sitting down across from the girls. "You were picked up because you and your buds trashed my bike. You, KD, are gonna be the one responsible for payin' my insurance carrier for the full cost to repair it."

"Hah! Good luck!" KD huffed.

"Won't be a problem, doll. Insurance companies are very good about collecting what they're owed. You might consider working something out with your buds to get reimbursed for their two thirds."

"You can't prove that I had anything to do with the damage!" KD replied haughtily.

"That's where you're wrong, dearie. Clay has security cameras all over the lot. You and your buddies are on tape committing the vandalism and the assault. Hale is reviewing the tapes as we speak."

"No, I'm not!" Hale murmured.

"Man, you don't play poker." Tig replied with a wide smile. "She's bluffing and she's good at it!"

KD's smirk disappeared and her face turned pale, making the bandage on her skinned nose stand out. 'Lyla mentioned the clubhouse has monitors!'

"Payin' for the damage is the first step towards makin' things right," Cat continued, knowing that KD had fallen for her bluff. "As for holdin' me down, slappin' and kickin' me in the gut, all y'all have two options. I'm only gonna say this once, so speak not." She glanced again at the observation window. "Option one; I press charges for vandalism, assault, and harassment and you get to spend some hard time at the SJCCF."

Kalai and Lanai both shuddered at that thought. "What's the other option?" Lanai inquired.

"Option two; I drop the charges. In exchange all y'all leave Charming and never return. If y'all do return, either alone or in a group, I press charges and you go to the SJCCF."

"But where would we go?" Lanai wailed.

"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn," Cat replied. "Timbuktu sounds good. Go to LA, or Vegas. No matter which option you take, be advised I'll still obtain a restraining order. That way, if you get the idea to come back, you'll think a second and third time about it. Violatin' the restraining order would land you in jail."

She remained silent for a moment, watching the girls reaction. She could see that the sisters were giving her offer serious consideration. "Think on this. The only other porn producer around is Georgie Caruso, and I hear he's not the best person to work for, providing he ever returns. Caracara isn't going to rise from the ashes. Unless all y'all wanna work as hookers, I'm givin' y'all a chance to start over. I'll give y'all a few minutes to talk it over."

She was surprised that she hadn't heard any noises from the other side of the wall. 'Maybe Hale's sittin' on Tig,' She paused at the door and added, "Oh, I forgot to mention that this is a package deal. All y'all have to agree. If you can't, I'll make the choice for you."

She opened the door and walked out – right into Tig's unyielding, angry chest. He grabbed her by the arms and nearly threw her into the adjoining observation room. As soon as the door shut behind them he roared, "What the fuck do you think you're doing, woman!"

"Let go of me and quit yellin'!" she snarled back, wrenching free from his grasp.

Tig released her, but was still angry. "What the Hell are you thinking? Don't you want them to pay for what they did?"

"If you'd been payin' attention, you'd have heard that they will pay for the bike and hittin' me! Christ on a crutch!" She walked to one of the chairs and sat down, glaring daggers at him.

Hale ignored the bickering going on beside him in favor of the bickering taking place in the interview room. He knew Cat could handle Trager on her own and didn't need or want his help.

She took a deep, calming breath and added, "Think about it, Tig! What good will it do to put 'em in jail? KD would simmer and be a big pain in the ass when she gets out. Payback can be a real bitch!"

Tig glanced over his shoulder at the trio who were talking animatedly in the interview room. 'I don't know about the other two, but KD is definitely the type to hold a grudge. Maybe Cat's right. It's not like she's letting them off the hook.'

"I don't care for the idea of having to watch my back, waiting on them to pull something. Been there, done that, and don't intend to do it again. Remember?"

"I remember," he replied quietly. "Why didn't you let me in on your plan?"

"There wasn't time, love. The idea came to me on the way here, and the Dyna ain't exactly the best place to hold a conversation!" Her expression clouded over as she added, "I would've thought you'd give me more credit for havin' a brain, Tig!"

He spread his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I do, babe. I over-reacted again. Seems I do a lot of that where your welfare is concerned."

"It's that over-protective streak of yours," she replied, oblivious to Hale's presence. She stood and moved forward to circle her arms around his waist and lay her head on his chest. "You responded to the situation as it appeared to you, that's all." She glanced at the interview room and added wryly, "Looks like they're really goin' at it, doesn't it?"

---

While Cat was explaining herself to Tig, the three actresses were discussing the merits of her offer. The sisters, Lanai and Kalai, wanted to get out of town. KD didn't like either option, and made her displeasure evident.

"We all have to agree, KD. Your damn obsession with Tig is what caused all this! If not for you, we wouldn't be here now. We could've hooked up with some of that imported beefcake from the charters!" Kalai spat.

"I'm not going to the SJCCF for you!" Lanai added with a wail.

"The old skank is bluffing! She's not going to send us to jail just because I won't agree to either offer. Lyla says she's got a reputation for being nice. I say we call her bluff!"

"We say we don't, and majority rules!" Kalai snarled. "We're taking the offer. You can go to Hell!"

"Fine friends you are!" KD huffed. "You heard her, it's all of us agree or none of us agree. I don't think she can be mean enough to press charges! She's too soft! You'll see I'm right about the skank!"

---

Cat, Tig, and Hale watched the debate through the observation window as she signed off on the statement. She handed the paper to Hale and asked, "May I fill out a temporary restraining order request on KD and her friends? It might come in handy."

Hale nodded. "I'll get the application. Course, a judge has to grant it to make it official."

"They don't know that, I'll bet," she replied with a grin. Her eyes gleaming with amusement. "I intend to use it as a bargainin' tool."

Tig smiled grimly. "Woman, you have a definite mean streak about you!"

"I have a good teacher," she replied with a saucy wink at him. "Gives you more incentive to stay on my good side!"

Hale returned with the application and she quickly filled it out. "I think they've had enough time to discuss things. They're not comin' to any agreement tonight. If I don't press charges, how long will it be before they're released on bail?"

Hale smiled as he retrieved the application from her. "I think we can manage to 'misplace' the paperwork and keep them here until morning."

"Good. Maybe a night behind bars will bring them closer to an agreement."

Hale winced in sympathy for the trio. Tig snickered and briefly placed his left hand along the bridge of his nose, his eyes closing in amusement.

She sauntered to the door and threw a sly grin over her shoulder at them. "Gentlemen, I'll be back!" She walked out with her head held high and shoulders straight.

Tig and Hale exchanged amused glances and sat down to watch the proceedings. "KD is in for a nasty surprise," Tig observed dryly.

"I agree. Your lady's a decent sort, but I've been on the receiving end of her temper. It's not something I to encounter again."

"It's an awesome tool, and she knows how to use it," Tig replied, his eyes glued on the window.

Cat strode through the door of the interview room and resumed her chair across from the trio. She displayed a calm, determined attitude. "What have you decided, ladies?"

"As if you weren't watching on the other side of that mirror, Cat Piss!" KD sneered defiantly.

"Not the entire time. I had to fill out the application for the restraining order and sign the statement about your antics." She gazed earnestly at the three. Only KD returned her look with one of sheer hatred.

"My sister and I want to take your deal," Lanai said. "You're right. There's nothing for us here. Can't you let the two of us go whether KD agrees or not?"

Cat pretended to consider the sisters' request. 'The sisters are sheep followin' the leader. It won't hurt to have them put a little pressure on her tonight.' She stood and gazed sorrowfully at the trio. "I'm sorry, that's just not possible. What I can do is give you the rest of the night to discuss it. In the meantime, y'all are gonna get to enjoy the departmental accommodations. Sleep well, ladies."

Cat walked to the door, paused, and looked over her shoulder at the trio. "I forgot to mention, y'all are sharin' one cell, complete with toilet. CPD doesn't have enough cells to let you each have a single. Consider it a sample of what you have to look forward to." She closed the door behind her and leaned her head against the wall.

Tig and Hale looked at each other as Cat threw her final comment at the actresses. "She's a quick learner," Hale commented.

Tig shrugged. "She didn't learn that from me, man! I wouldn't be so forgiving."

"No, you wouldn't. They can thank their lucky stars she's calling the shots."

Tig stood up, his face set in grim determination. "I'm going to talk to KD myself. Give her something to think about overnight."

"Tig, that might be not be such a good idea," Hale replied warily.

"Yes it is. She needs to understand she doesn't stand a snowball's chance in Hell with me."

Alex stepped into the hall from the observation room. None of the uniforms were around so he laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Go on in there with Hale. There's something I've gotta do," he murmured. "I'll be back shortly."

She gazed at him, wondering what he was up to.

"Please, baby. Just do it," he pleaded softly.

She nodded and walked into the observation room without protest.

Tig took a deep, cleansing breath from the Tai Chi she'd taught him. He set his features into a cold, unfeeling mask before opening the door and stepping into the interview room.

"Tig! I'm so glad to see you!" KD cried joyfully, getting up to embrace him.

He held up a hand to stop her. "Sit. Do not even think of touching me!" he growled.

KD pouted at his greeting. "Oh, Tiggy! You don't have to put on an act any more! Just take me away from here!"

'Cat's right. This chick is delusional!' He glared coldly at the actress. "Shut the fuck up and sit down!" he snarled. "Get this in your head. I do not love you. I don't even like you! I don't wanna see your face – or any other part of you – again! You can take everything you said about my woman and apply it to yourself. You need to do everyone a favor; leave town and don't come back!"

He turned and stalked to the door, opened it, then looked back at the shocked actress. "If you ever lay a hand on my woman again, you won't be given a choice like she's giving you." He stormed out the door, slamming it behind him.

Cat met him at the door of the observation room, her arms encircled his waist as her head rested contentedly on his chest. Her embrace told him she understood and accepted what he'd done. He looked over her shoulder to see KD was sobbing heart-brokenly. Her friends looked on but did nothing to comfort the girl. "Do you need her for anything else, Hale?"

"Not until morning." He turned his attention to Cat and added, "You won't mind coming here as soon as you get back in town, will you, Ms. Marshall?"

She shook her head.

"The judge will hear your request for the restraining order tomorrow afternoon. You'll have to appear for that."

"Fine."

"I'll see you tomorrow, Ms. Marshall," the Deputy Chief replied, nodding dismissively at Tig. He turned and left the observation room, gesturing to a uniformed officer to take the trio to a cell.

"Do ya really think she'll agree to leave?" Alex asked when they were alone.

"She may be more willing to consider it, now that you've made it clear that there's no hope."

"I never led her on in the first place!" Tig protested. "I was drunk, woke up to find her laying on top of me. I tossed her off and the comment just slipped out!"

She laid a consoling hand on his arm. "I know, love. She's young and fixated. It's more than a crush, but I don't think she's so obsessed that she can't see reality when it smacks her upside the head."

He held her close. "She's been obsessed enough to go after you. I'm sorry I questioned your plan and didn't go along with it."

"Guess you gave me a taste of what I put Bill through."

"And like Bill, you understood that I was upset with the situation, not with you. Guess that sorta makes you even with him, don't ya think?"

She smiled slightly. "Maybe. C'mon, we've got some packin' to help with."

---

A line of motorcycles, Gemma's Escalade, the garage van, and a few other cars lined Otto's street when Alex and Cat pulled up. A lot of progress had been made on packing the Delaney's possessions, but there was still much to do.

About time you two turned up!" Happy called in greeting from the garage. He and Bobby had packed all the tools and other items stored there. Now they were stacking boxes according to the rooms they came from based on their labels. The gas and oil related items were already loaded in the van and would be taken to Teller Morrow for disposal.

"Took longer at CPD than we thought," Tig replied gruffly, his tone not inviting further inquiry.

"Best check in with Gemma," Bobby advised as Clay and Opie walked in with more taped and labeled boxes.

"She's got everyone and everything well organized," Clay added. "You OK, Cat?" He placed his burden on the floor and walked over to her.

"Ready to put my packing expertise to work," she replied.

"Sorry I yelled at you, kitten," he added gruffly, placing an avuncular arm around her shoulders. "You've been good to us. I shouldn't have gone off on you."

"Clay, you didn't know what was goin' on and reacted accordingly," she replied, slipping her arm around his waist and returning his brief embrace. "No hard feelin's."

"Just don't be surprised if some of the actresses give you the cold shoulder," Opie suggested quietly, gazing somberly at her. "Lyla and some of the others are tight with KD."

She gazed at him in momentary surprise, then smiled warmly. 'It's a step towards forgiving and forgetting.' She nodded at the rider. "Thanks for the heads up, Opie."

Opie returned her smile with a slight nod. 'She's been decent to my kids all this time, never took it out on them for my being mad at her for stupid shit. Kenny likes her a lot. I owe her. Lyla will just have to get over it.'

"A'right, enough of the mutual admiration society," Tig muttered "Let's get this show on the road!"

"These are your brothers, love. No need to get all green-eyed," she murmured. "I always go home with the one I rode with!"

"Make sure you do!" he growled warningly.

They walked inside the house to find it buzzing with activity. Women were working in the kitchen, bedroom, and the bath, packing items in boxes and labeling them. The men were carrying the packed boxes out to the garage to be stacked. Non-perishable foods had been boxed and set aside to be delivered to the local food pantry. The perishables were being used for snacks. Gemma ruled over the organized chaos, murmuring to Otto for his input.

LuAnn's opened cosmetics were tossed while the opened perfume bottles were packed with the unopened ones. LuAnn's jewelry and clothes had been packed in plastic bags and then boxed.

"Do you want her clothes to go to Goodwill or the Salvation Army, honey?"

"I just can't decide, Gemma. Each thing we pack makes it seem that much more final. I just don't know!" Otto replied hoarsely.

Gemma placed an understanding hand on his shoulder. "It's all right, honey. No one expects you to decide now. We'll keep things in storage for now." Her expression warned the women that it was prudent not to press him about it.

Just as Opie had warned, some of the actresses glared at Cat for the incident with KD and the other two actresses. Even Lyla gave her the cold shoulder. She ignored the glares and dived into work, taking on the job of packing the Delaney's music and video library.

She barely glanced at the covers of the porn videos, though Tig enjoyed watching her blush at the sight of the more graphic covers. Her blush made his desire for her as strong as ever.

Gemma waited until she was sure that Cat was occupied before she pounced on Tig. "What happened at CPD?" She planted herself firmly in his path in the narrow hallway, just beyond the entrance to the front room. She left him with no escape route.

Tig pinched his nose with the fingers of one hand. "Don't ask. I'm still trying to figure it out."

That wasn't good enough for her. "Spill it, Tig."

He glared at her, but she wasn't the matriarch of the club for nothing. She stared at him until he caved and told her everything that happened at the police station.

"I'll be damned!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah," he replied wryly. "But she's got a point. KD's the type to stew if she did time. Cat has her reasons for not wanting to have to look over her shoulder."

"You think I don't know about that?"

Tig started in surprise. 'It shouldn't surprise me that Clay had her checked out. I just didn't think he would've shared it with Gemma.'

"Don't get steamed, Tigger. Clay and I are the only others who know. Juice isn't the only one who knows how to work the internet. If you support her, so do I."

"I s'pose you're gonna talk to her about this shit later tonight."

"Of course. Someone's gotta get Otto back to your place. Might as well kill two birds with one stone, so to speak."

Tig glared at her. "Whatever you plan to say to her, better go easy. She's been through enough shit for one night."

"Take it easy, Tig. You know me!"

"That's why I'm asking you nicely," he replied, brushing past her to enter the room where Cat was working. He wordlessly picked up a box and carried it to the garage.

Several combs and hairbrushes of LuAnn's had turned up and were brought to Otto. He felt over each accessory and then tenderly removed the hairs captured in them and added them to the ones he'd collected previously, tucking them in his bandanna.

Half-Sack watched Otto collect the hair and had an idea why he was saving the strands. "Hey, Otto, I learned macrame in Afghanistan. If you'll trust me with 'em, I might be able to weave LuAnn's hair with some wooden or plastic beads, make a keepsake that should pass with the prison officials."

"You can do that with hair?"

"Sure. LuAnn's was pretty long and you've collected quite a bit. It won't be very big, but it'll be better than staying typed up in a bandanna. I can get it done in a couple of hours and bring it over to Cat and Tig's later."

"Just call before you come out, Kip," Cat advised wearily. She'd gone out to the kitchen for a drink of water and overheard the Prospect's offer. "I'd hate for you to come all the way out and find the place shut down for the night."

"'K," he replied, blushing that Cat had heard him.

"That's a very nice thing to do for Otto, Kip. I didn't know you were talented like that. Takes a lot of patience to work with knots," she added, putting the young rider at ease.

Otto handed over the bandanna to the Prospect. "Thanks, Sack. I appreciate it."

The group kept at the work until after nightfall. The garage was full of boxes and the house looked more like a model ready for an open house. It was still furnished, but it no longer possessed a soul. Everything that made it a home and gave it life had been packed and was ready to be moved to storage.

Alex walked up to her and draped a casual arm around her shoulder. "You ready to go home?"

"Yeah, but how is Otto gettin' to the house?"

"Same way he got here," Gemma replied, walking up behind Tig. "I'm driving him over."

"Thanks, Gemma. I'm sorry that you have to go out of your way like this."

"As you've said many times, it's what we do for family."

"Thanks for helping, everybody!" Otto called out to the various individuals who had helped out. The group called out various good nights as they walked to their vehicles. Harleys roared and car engines cranked over as the men and women took off in ones, twos and groups to pursue their own interests; the night was still young.

Alex mounted his Dyna and waited for Cat to climb behind him. He felt her arms around his waist and squeezed her hands before he started the bike. They pulled away and headed for their own home.

Cat was tired. The fracas at the clubhouse lot and confrontation at CPD with KD and company had worn her down. She had a feeling Gemma had an ulterior motive for bringing Otto to the house, as whoever had driven the garage van could have brought him. She really wasn't up to another confrontation, but knew Gemma had something on her mind and planned to have her say.

Alex pulled the Dyna to a stop in its' usual place in the drive. Cat dismounted and he shut down the bike, then they walked to the porch. She curled up in a chair as he lit up and leaned on the porch railing. 'Except that it's darker, this is just like that Sunday he planted that first kiss on me,' she recalled.

As if he read her mind, Alex put his cigarette in the ashtray she kept on the porch and leaned over her chair, placing his hands on either side of her. Unlike that first time, he didn't grip the arms of her chair as if he was trying not to strangle her. He slowly brought his face on a level to hers then covered her lips with his, capturing her in another kiss that took her breath away.

A powerful set of headlights bathed them in their white glare. "Fuck!" he muttered.

She grinned against his mouth. "Not in front of company, hon!"

"I'll make an exhibitionist out of you yet!" He reluctantly moved away to lean against the rail, retrieving his cigarette from the ashtray.

"Not in your lifetime, buster!" She watched as Gemma went around the SUV and walked with Otto to the porch.

"We going inside or staying out here?" Otto inquired when he and Gemma reached the porch.

"Inside. There's some beer with our names on 'em. The women can stay out here and talk," Tig replied, resting a hand on Cat's shoulder for a moment.

"Chicken shit," she muttered just loud enough for him to hear.

He bent to nuzzle her neck and whispered, "Not chicken. Just clearing outta the way. Gemma's not gonna tear into you, trust me. Keep in mind that you are gonna pay for that remark!"

"Bring me one of those beers, Tigger. I'm sure there's one with my name on it, too," Gemma called out while she lit up a smoke.

Cat stared out across the lawn, not looking at anything in particular. She knew Gemma would start the grilling would start once she got her beer.

Tig returned long enough to deliver the beer. "We'll be out back if you miss us," he said cheerfully before going back into the house. "Enjoy yourselves!"

Gemma sipped at her beer and glanced over at Tig's wife. The red welts on her face were clearly visible in the dim torchlight. "Those are going to hurt in the morning," she observed dryly.

"It doesn't feel all that great now," Cat replied.

"Tig filled me in on what happened at CPD. Have to admit that I thought you were nuts."

Cat smiled wryly. "Wouldn't be the first time this evenin' my sanity was questioned. Tig must've also told you that I don't like havin' a Sword of Damocles hangin' over my head."

Gemma nodded. "Don't get hissed off at him. I didn't give him much choice."

Cat glanced over her glasses at Gemma. "All y'all seem to have a thing about persuadin' people to do things yer way," she mused. "I heard you two talkin' in the hallway, didn't figure y'all were talkin' about the weather."

"If it were anyone else, I'd think they were showing off. You and I have more in common than you think, Cat. We share the same upbringing, I just never gave up my wild side."

"What makes you think I have?" There was a challenging note in Cat's voice that made Gemma smile.

"Because I wouldn't have shown mercy to those bitches. They were out of line. No one would blame you for leaving their asses in jail and throwing away the key."

"Lyla and some of the other Caracara girls would," Cat replied dryly.

"Lyla still has things to learn about the MC, things you accepted without question. You've managed to maintain your sense of decency and integrity while accepting the MC for what it is. It's one Hell of a balancing act, kitten. I wonder how you manage it."

"Sometimes I wonder, too. As for the trio, I just don't think doin' jail time will do them – or me – any good."

"Consider this, kitten. To the town and the club, you're not just Cat Marshall, owner of Charming Pawse. You're Tig Trager's old lady. You're owed respect not just because of who you are and what you've brought to this town, but also because of Tig."

Cat's eyes narrowed and her mouth formed a grim line. "Are you sayin' I have to press charges to protect Tig's rep?"

"No, and don't go getting hissed at me! I'm saying that you do what is best for you. Tig trusts you. He wouldn't have chosen you if he didn't. Just because you're a decent person doesn't mean you have to take shit from any of those broads. I saw Lyla give you the evil eye; you ignored her and the others, went on about your business, never brought up the incident. That made them think. That's good."

"There's an old sayin' I picked up about always keepin' your enemies guessin'."

Gemma crushed out her cigarette in the ashtray and stood up, placing her empty bottle on the rail. "I didn't get a chance to tell you how lovely that music and poetry was today. I don't understand all that highbrow shit, but what you played was fitting. Give Otto my love; I'm not going to be at the coffeehouse in the morning."

"You generally don't come out until the afternoon anyway. Somethin' goin' on I don't know about?"

"Tig didn't tell you? The guys are going to be at the coffeehouse about 630. They want to give Otto a proper send off."

"Holy shit! I wasn't plannin' on wakin' up before 7! Thanks for the heads up!"

Gemma leaned down and hugged Cat. "Good night, kitten. Don't forget, I'm on your side."

"Nite, Gemma. Be safe goin' home."

Cat heard the landline ring and went inside to answer it. "Cat here."

"Hey, Miss Cat. It's Pete. Have I called at a bad time?"

'Damn! I forgot!' She ran a hand through her hair and carried the portable to the couch. She usually kept a pad and pen on one of the tables. "No such thing, Pete. Let's talk."

"Well, like I said this morning, we're getting a lot of interest. Whole families and lots of groups are planning to attend, and that means three times as many people as the coffeehouse can safely accommodate."

That was a problem all right. "Weather's still good, maybe we could close off Main Street and hold it outside. Not like it's that busy after 6pm."

Pete mulled that over for a bit. "Why don't I talk

with the police chief about it? Man to man type of thing. He's always in for a coffee and cookie in the afternoon, I can talk to him then."

"You're a gem, Pete. Just in case, maybe we should plan on talkin' to the city about the park. Maybe consider a school auditorium or talk to one of the churches about using a fellowship hall."

"Always have a backup, right Miss Cat?"

"Right, darlin'. That was sweet of y'all to give that bouquet to Otto, he was very touched by it."

"It was Miss Anna's idea, we all chipped in. We wanted to let the club know we appreciate their support and protection."

"I'll see you tomorrow. The Sons are seein' Otto off and plan to be there at 630. Be sure to get a lot of the whiskey blend brewed."

"See ya in the morning, Miss Cat."

"One other thing, Pete. Be sure that there's no music playin' that has anything to do with jail, doin' time, prison, or anything like that. The motorcycle music tape would be OK, or Journey or early Mellencamp, but definitely no 'Jailhouse Rock' or 'Prisoner of Your Love'."

Pete laughed in response. "I get what you're saying, Miss Cat. Don't worry. G'nite."

That reminded her of another bit of business. She looked up attorney Rosen's number and called his office line, as she didn't want to bother him at home.

"Hey, Mr. Rosen, Cat Marshall here. A trio of Caracara actresses were picked up for trashin' my bike and smackin' me upside the head. I offered not to file charges if they leave town and never come back. Tig and Hale witnessed it, but I'd like something in writing. Give me a call in the mornin' and I'll fill ya in. I have to get Otto back to Stockton by 8, so I'll be available on the cell. Much thanks," she left the cellphone number to make it easier for him to return the call.

She returned the phone to the charger and went outside to join Alex and Otto. They were sitting in the chairs out back, drinking beer and smoking. She walked over to join them, intending to sit on the ground.

"Uh, uh," Alex growled. "No woman of mine sits on the ground. C'mere." He grasped her hand and pulled her into his lap. She lay her head on his shoulder, sighing in contentment. "Who called?"

"Pete."

"Why was he calling this late?" His voice held a note she knew meant he was getting possessive.

"Because I forgot to call him," she replied simply.

Tig's nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed.

"Watch the green-eyed monster, love. He mentioned this mornin' that we needed to discuss alternate venues for the rally. The coffeehouse is too small to hold all the people that say they're comin'. He wanted to run some ideas by me, and is gonna follow up tomorrow."

Otto grinned at her admonishment. Tig certainly did sound over possessive and jealous. Reminded him even more of the way he and LuAnn often interacted. He'd felt just as possessive of her. "Gemma leave?"

"Yeah. She sends her love, Otto. She won't be comin' to the coffeehouse to see ya off in the mornin'."

"Shit! I forgot!"

"Your mind was otherwise occupied, love," she replied wryly. "I warned Pete to expect a run on the whiskey blend, and to watch what he puts on the stereo." She yawned mightily. "If I've gotta get up at oh dark thirty, I need to think about gettin' to bed."

Alex smiled wolfishly. "Sounds like a good idea. Can you find your way back inside on your own, Otto?"

"I think I can manage without knocking things over," he replied. "Go have some time with your woman. Don't mind me."

"I never have," Alex replied. "Not gonna start now." He pushed Cat off his lap and pulled her along after him.

"Good night, Otto!" she called out.

"Good night," he smiled and turned his face up to the stars, thinking of LuAnn as he exhaled smoke and sipped his beer.

---

Otto managed to get back inside the house without knocking into the furniture or allowing Ebony to escape. He even went so far as to secure the back door lock and turning out the kitchen lights before settling in a chair near the phone so he could answer it when Half Sack called.

"Is it too late to come out?"

"C'mon out, Sack. Cat and Tig have called it a night; I'll be waiting on the front porch."

He set the phone back on the charger and listened for sounds from the back of the house. Apparently the couple hadn't heard the phone ring. 'I suspect Tig's keeping her too busy!' Otto slipped out to the front porch and felt his way to a chair to wait for Prospect; Ebony was too busy knoshing on kibble to try to make an escape. 'I doubt I'll be lucky the third time!' Otto mused.

He didn't have long to wait. The young rider's Harley pulled into the drive a few minutes later, bathing the porch in its' headlights. Half-Sack dismounted and walked up to the porch, quickly taking in the domicile Tig now called home.

"First time you've been here, Prospect?"

"Yeah. Nice lookin' house. I've been to the coffeehouse several times. Cat's a good friend to the club, and always treats me like an equal."

"She's good people. Take a load off your feet awhile."

Prospect sat gingerly in the other porch chair. He'd just prospected the club when Otto went to prison, and he was a little uneasy around the former rider.

Otto sensed the younger rider's unease. "Relax, kid. I'm not gonna bite you. Will you be prospecting much longer?"

"A few months. I like it. The club reminds me a lot of my old unit."

Otto nodded, letting a stream of smoke out through his nose. "You don't mind the less than law abiding activities?"

"The Sons aren't as hardcore as some bike clubs, but they're no wusses, either. I like it that they're not into drugs and shit like that. I like Charming as it is and like helping the club keep it that way."

Otto nodded. 'At least the kid doesn't have some fantasy in his head about the Sons. He seems pretty well grounded.'

"Mind if I ask you a question?"

"You want to know what it was like when I prospected," Otto replied with a grin. "I fucked up a few times. Made a few mistakes that embarrassed the Hell out of me. John Teller was President back then. He put up with a lot from me during my prospect year. I lived to tell about it. You will, too."

"I hope so," Prospect replied. "I've fucked up royally a few times. Really stupid shit."

"We all did. Don't sweat it. I could tell you stories about some of the guys when they were prospects, including Tig."

Kip's eyes lit up at the idea of hearing the kind of antics Tig got into as a prospect, but darkened just as quickly. "It wouldn't be fair to tell me and not share it with Cat. She's the type who would get a kick out of hearing about them. Did Opie and Jax have to prospect, since their fathers were part of the original nine?"

"Not as much as others, but they had to do their time. Just because you're a son doesn't make you a Son."

Kip started to relax in Otto's presence. The older man was treating him like an equal, not like a kid. 'If this is what I have to look forward to, getting through this prospect business will be worth it.'

---

The first thing Alex did when they entered the bedroom was unplug the landline so they wouldn't be disturbed. "I've waited all day, baby. I'm not taking the chance of anyone or anything interrupting us," he growled, shutting the door on the cats and unbuckling his belt.

Cat smiled wearily. She was tired, but not so tired that she wasn't interested in what he had to offer. They quickly undressed and lay on the bed. She tried to relax and enjoy Alex's ministrations, but she couldn't close her mind from the nasty words that KD and her friends had used on her. When his head got near her crotch, she tensed; the ugly, hurtful words about her hygiene reverberated through her head, drowning out Alex's well loved voice.

"Baby, please, don't do this to us! You're letting them win!" he murmured, moving his face from her crotch to rest on her thigh while his hands kneaded her breasts.

"I'm sorry, Alex. It's just that --"

"The wounds run deep," he interjected, running his hands up and down the inside of her thighs. "Do you think I'd stick my face here if I didn't want to? I enjoy the taste of you; the smell of you makes me hot. There's traces of lotion and that bit of perfume you use. Soap. OK, you've been active today, but it's not fucking unpleasant!"

He inhaled deeply, pressing his face back into her crotch, but before he could do more, he felt her hands on either side of his head, lifting him away. He looked up into her face and saw tears running down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, love. I know you want to. I want you to get your pleasure, but I can't do it!" She cried unhappily. She was letting him down. She knew it and couldn't do a damn thing to change it.

"Shhh, baby. It's OK. I'm not mad at you," he kissed her, deeply and hungrily.

When he broke the kiss, she maneuvered him onto his back and rained kisses down his chest and stomach, then to his cock, using her tongue to trace the tip. She heard his sharp gasp and felt his hand on the back of her head. Before she could do more, he growled, "Do you think I'm lying here worrying about odor when you suck me?"

She shook her head. "You smell like a man should. I enjoy sucking you, because you like it."

He pulled her face up to meet his, gazing intently into her eyes. "The same goes for me about eating you. Lie back, relax, and close your eyes."

He kissed her again, wishing he could make her forget the harmful words that had brought her former fears back to the forefront. He took his time about traveling down to her pussy. He could wait to get his own enjoyment in order to help her enjoy receiving oral sex.

She lay back and inhaled deeply, keeping her eyes shut as he had asked. 'He's not asking for the world. He wouldn't do it if he didn't want to.' She willed herself to relax but she couldn't enjoy it like she had before. She just lay quietly and waited for him to finish. Tears leaked from the corners of her closed eyes, despite the pleasurable feelings his lips and tongue stirred in her. Even when he brought her to climax, her cries were more from guilt than from pleasure.

She tried to make up for her perceived failure by working her mouth and tongue over his shaft, taking it in as far as she could and then slowly pulling it out, back and forth, over and over until he was writhing and groaning from desire to possess her.

He rolled her over to her back and entered her, slowly sliding in and out of her wetness, savoring her heat. Soon they were in perfect synch with each other's rhythm, and both cried out their release.

When they were spent and drowsy, Alex sensed she was crying and knew why, even though her back was turned to him so he couldn't see the tears, he could feel the tell-tale tremors in her body. He snuggled up against her, breathing in the assorted scents of her body and hair. 'Poor baby, that bitch managed to undo in one day every bit of progress she's made in the last few months! She let me do what I wanted because she wanted to please me.' He felt helpless and frustrated for her. He swore he'd do everything he could to help her over the phobia, no matter how long it took. He drifted off to sleep on that thought.

"I take it you saw a lot of action in Afghanistan," Otto continued.

"Yeah. It's hot and dry over there all the time. The fleas and sand flies are the worst. People laugh at the idea of us wearing flea collars on our ankles, but those really helped keep us from getting bit. The toughest thing about being over there is seeing the kids. They'd come running up to us, begging for candy. To watch their faces light up at the sight of a simple bar of chocolate makes you really appreciate what we have here."

Otto quietly considered the young veteran's comments. "Too true, Kip. At least for this war, no matter if people think it's right or not, the nation does a great job of showing support for the service people. We've definitely come a long way from the days of Vietnam."

"Yeah. Guess we have. I have that keepsake for you. I did the best I could." Kip handed over a leather pouch. He'd been able to weave the strands into a small braid, but it didn't work with the beads like he'd hoped. In order to keep the braid from being lost and keep it from being construed as a weapon, Prospect had purchased a round plastic case, placed the braided hairs inside, and punctured holes in the top that would enable Otto to hold the plastic to his nose and inhale the scent of LuAnn's perfume and shampoo.

Otto opened the pouch and removed the case, feeling the plastic and the holes while listening intently to the Prospect's explanation. "You did good, kid. You're right, it's better than having them bundled up in a bandanna. At least this will keep them safe. Thank you."

Half-Sack flushed a little at the other man's praise. He'd feared he'd fucked up again, and was pleased he'd been able to give Otto a small measure of comfort.

"Guess I'll see you in the morning, Otto," Kip replied, rising from his chair.

"Can you do me a favor, Kip? Cat's got a large black feline who likes to escape, and I don't want to be the one responsible for him getting out in the dark. I managed the back door OK, but he likes to escape out the front. Would you stand by the door and catch him if he tries to get out?"

"Yeah, sure. I guess so. Does he bite?"

"Cat says he can strike without warning if you touch him below the neck. Be careful, he's big, but he's fast."

"Sure thing."

"Thanks. Ride careful back to the clubhouse."

Otto was able to get into the house without Ebony pulling an escape. Prospect had noticed the empty beer bottle on the railing and chucked it in the trash can before he left.

Otto locked the front door, then went around the house, making sure lights were turned off. Then indulged in a shower before heading for bed. He fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Alex was sound asleep when she awoke a few hours later. He was lying on his side, snuggled up against her back, his arms locked around her.

Cat lay in the dark, listening to the reassuring sounds of his breathing and the nighttime sounds of the house. She slid out from under his embrace, drew on a robe, walked silently to the door and opened it.

The house was dark. None of the lights were on. 'Bless you, Otto. You didn't have to do that.' She crept down the hallway into the front room and checked the door to find it was locked. The cats were curled up on the couch and yawned at her. Their flipping tails registered their disdain and seemed to say "You locked us out of the bedroom, so we're going to snub you!"

She checked the back door and was reassured that it was locked securely. She walked back towards the bedroom, pausing long enough at the sofa to lavish some love and attention on the felines, who rewarded her efforts with the promised snubs. "You'll forgive me in time for your breakfast!" she laughed softly.

She moved back down the hall and paused again in front of the library. Light snoring from the other side of the door confirmed that Otto was safe and soundly asleep.

She returned to the bedroom and ventured into the master bath, shutting the door behind her. She decided to get her shower; there would be little time later before they had to get to the coffeehouse to meet the club.

She winced at the welts on her cheeks that were starting to turn blue and black when she gazed at her reflection. She showered and cleaned herself thoroughly, making liberal use of soap, hot water and the washcloth.

'I know those bitches are full of shit, but they brought back so much unpleasantness, I couldn't help not enjoyin' Alex tonight! I hope he understands.' she thought sorrowfully. 'Who in the Hell does one talk to about this kind of problem? I can just see tryin' to explain to a shrink that I can't let my husband go down on me! Sex therapy ain't exactly advertised in the yellow pages!'

She used the blow dryer on her hair then pulled a nightshirt over her body and turned off the light. The night light in the wall gave a dim illumination to the bathroom. She allowed her eyes to adjust, then opened the door and stepped out into the bedroom.

"Well! You forgave us sooner than I thought!" she whispered with a small laugh. All three felines were curled up on the foot of the bed, purring contentedly. Alex had turned so that his bare back faced her side of the bed.

She slid into bed, snuggling up against his back and sliding her arms around him. Though asleep, his hands entwined with hers. A few moments later, her breathing joined his soft snores in perfect harmony.

The alarm was loud and annoying at six in the morning. "Ain't no such hour unless you stay up for it!" Cat grumbled, sliding out from under Alex's arm. She stumbled across the room, her eyes barely open, to turn it off.

"Wasn't so long ago that you were getting up a lot earlier than this," he reminded her.

"Yeah, then you entered my life and changed all that," she groused, tossing one of the decorative throw pillows at his head. "Haven't had to be up at oh dark thirty in some time!"

"Thanks," he shoved the small pillow under his head. "Just what I needed to be comfortable."

Cat glared at him from across the room. "Oh, no you don't! If I've gotta be up this early today, you're gettin' up, too!"

"What makes you think I'm not?" he grinned mischievously, entwining his hands behind his head.

She glared at the tell-tale hill under the covers. "I meant up and about, lover, not up to your usual tricks! Not that I'm not interested, but we are on time constraints this mornin'."

"Damn! I can think of some very pleasurable things to do this early with you."

She pulled a long sleeve shirt over her head. "Duty before pleasure. Otto has to be back by eight."

"Don't remind me. The guys are prolly already heading to the coffeehouse," Alex mused, rising from the bed and stretching before pulling on his jeans. "Does your face hurt as bad as it looks?"

"Don't mind my feelin's, love!" she winced at the comment, but knew he wasn't being mean by it. "It's tender." She examined the purpling palm prints in the bathroom mirror. "I'll live. It looks worse then it feels. Still, can't have the prison folks thinkin' Otto did something to me." She disappeared into the linen closet and Alex could hear her rummaging around.

'What in Hell could she be looking for?' He walked soundlessly across the room and leaned against the door frame to satisfy his curiosity.

"Ah, hah! I knew I still had it!" she crowed triumphantly.

"What's that?" he asked.

She didn't answer, but stood in front of the mirror holding a small bottle of liquid in her hand. She put a dab on her finger and gingerly spread it over her face, covering the palm prints.

"Is that what I think it is?" he asked, his eyes widening with surprise.

Her reflection glared at his. "Hey, it's not that old! It's more subtle than the number seven pancake I used in drama club!"

He grinned sardonically. "Damn, woman! I didn't think you knew what that shit looked like, much less how to use it!"

"Laugh it up, fuzzball! Just don't go lookin' for me to turn into June Cleaver."

"God, no! Not June Cleaver!" his eyes widened in mock horror as he brought his forefingers up in the sign of the cross, as if warding off evil. "Though the idea of you wearing pearls, a dress and heels is kinda hot!"

She rolled her eyes at him. "You would think that! Unfortunately, you don't have the 'Ward Cleaver' look about ya!" She returned to the job of covering the damage KD had inflicted. "Why don't you make yourself useful as well as ornamental and see if Otto is awake?"

"No need!" Otto called from the library. "Who could sleep through your banter?"

She grinned and patted Alex's butt. "Everyone's a critic!"

"Yeah, right," he grumbled. He pulled a clean shirt from a drawer and pulled it over his head.

Otto sat in the living room, dressed and waiting for his hosts. He felt reluctant about having the club see him off. 'I really wish they weren't coming out. A quiet breakfast here is more to my liking, having the club out just makes going back that much more difficult.'

Cat fed the felines then entered the garage to open the cat run to the coffeehouse. Misty was in a bit of a decline over the missing Chibs. She would eat, but she didn't stay in the cat room long without her morning cuddle with the Scottish outlaw. "He'll be back in his corner before too much longer, little girl. He misses you, too." The little cat wound herself around her mom, rubbing her whiskers against Cat's legs before she rushed off to join her brothers.

Tig removed his gun from the bedside table and slid it into the holster. He put on his cut as he walked into the living room. The holster and cut effectively hid the gun from casual view.

"Morning, Tig."

"Hey, brother. Sorry we weren't able to be more help last night. Took longer at CPD than we expected."

"No problem, Tig. Cat comes first. Are you really going to let those girls off easy?"

"No. They're not getting off easy. They have to pay for what they did to the bike," Cat replied. "And the other part of the bargain is that they get out and stay out of town."

"What are you going to do if they refuse?" Otto was intrigued by her compassion to the trio. LuAnn would've had them drawn and quartered instead of sending them out of town.

"Figure out a way to send them packing anyway. I'm hoping that a night in close quarters may have done a lot to change their minds."

Tig walked to Otto's chair and held out a hand to his friend. "I'm gonna spare you a public goodbye for a more private one. It's been good to have you with us, brother. Wish it hadn't been for the reason it was."

Otto stood and the pair indulged in the 'bro hug double back tap combo.' "Thanks, Tig, for everything."

"Anytime, brother. Watch your back in there."

"I will. Remember what I told you; take care of your lady."

"I always do," he replied quietly. He walked over to Cat and embraced her. "I expect to hear from you when you reach Stockton, before you leave there, and at least a couple of times before you get to CPD," he kissed her hungrily, already wishing the trip was over and she was safe home again. "Do not disobey me."

"I won't, love. See ya in a few minutes."

He kissed her again. 'Damn! Wish we'd had a little more time this morning! I can never get enough of her.' He turned abruptly and walked out to his bike. He rode it around the block so he could meet up with the rest of the club. Just as he'd expected, they were already present and waiting for Otto.

"He'll be here shortly," he announced, in answer to their unspoken question, stepping up to the counter to order a large black coffee. "They're coming through the back." He grinned at Pete, who'd put Cat's 'motorcycle music' tape on the stereo when the Sons came in. George Thorogood's "Bad to the Bone" had ended and Alice Cooper's 'No More Mr. Nice Guy' was starting, making him grin at the timing. 'She wanted him to play something appropriate!'

The only thing to load into the PT was a small carry bag that held a few items of underwear, sox, bandannas, and the keepsake that Half Sack had made for him. The tape player and tape Cat had given him was also in the bag.

"I know this is gonna be difficult for you, Otto. It's just as hard for the guys. They just want a few more minutes before you have to be apart from them for who knows how long."

"I know, Cat. That still doesn't make it any easier. I've had too many goodbyes over the last few hours. What did you and Pete decide about a venue for the rally?"

She accepted the change of subject without question. "Pete's gonna talk to Chief Unser about letting us close Main Street for the few hours the rally will last. If he says no, there's the park or maybe a school auditorium or a church fellowship hall."

"Any chance you can tape it and send it to me? I'd like to hear the finished product, after hearing all about it these last couple of days. It's like reading a mystery and not knowing how it ends."

"I'll see to you it you get a tape," she promised.

"How long does Tig think it'll take to get your bike back to working order?"

"He seems to think it'll be fixed in a day or two. I think he's optimistic. The insurance company wasn't in a hurry to get an adjustor out. He said he's already ordered the parts and they're due today, including a replacement gas tank and trunk. Guess he figured there'd be no way to cover the scratches."

They were standing in the back area. She understood why Otto kept asking her question; he was delaying going into the front. She could sympathize with his reluctance. "I'm not much on goodbyes myself, darlin'. But the guys mean well."

She placed a comforting hand over Otto's and gave it a gentle squeeze. She wished there were some way to ease his emotional burden, but knew from experience that each person had to come to terms with loss in their own way, at their own pace.

"Something you should think about that might help your bottom line is seeing if you can supply the commissary with your baked goods, especially those Snicker Bar Muffins."

"Really? You manged to get one out from under Tig's nose without losin' a hand?" She laughed in astonishment.

"Took some doing, but they're worth the risk to limb! Don't know who you'd talk to about it, but I know the guys in the joint would go for all your baked goods."

"I'll certainly look into it," she replied. She had a feeling that if the state couldn't afford an escort for an inmate to his wife's own funeral, there would be any money awarded to a new concession for the commissary. 'Maybe I can send him a care package and he can use them to make deals.'

Otto squared his shoulders. They stepped into the coffeehouse proper and Otto was swept into a sea of hugs and good wishes from his brothers. The club kept their voices low so that the regular early morning clientele wasn't distressed.

Cat walked to stand next to Tig in front the cat window. He was drinking a large black coffee.

"What's up, babe?" he asked quietly.

"Just wondered if you'd mind bringing the PT around. This little shindig is a little hard on Otto. Since we're leaving before all y'all, might as well leave from here instead of the house."

"'K," he replied, handing over his coffee cup and using it as a shield to caress her hand before heading out the back of the store. Moments later, the MF6 was parked across the street from the shop, its' nose pointing toward Stockton. Tig strode back inside to be rewarded with a refill of black coffee, a Snicker Bar Muffin, and a smile of thanks.

He was further amused by the song playing on the tape. Michelle Pfeiffer, the 1980's Catwoman, was singing 'Cool Rider' from the Grease 2 movie. 'The movie was dumb, but that song's not bad. Wonder if that's what Cat thinks of me?'

Cat herself was mortified. She'd meant to re dub the tape and take that particular song out. The Sons didn't seem offended by the piece. 'Tig certainly seems to be enjoyin' my discomfort! Bet he things that song was written about him!' she grimaced at his smug expression.

The Sons were partaking of the whiskey blends and talking quietly with Otto. She made up a large, non-fat/no-whip white mocha for herself and a cinnamon dulce latte for Otto for the trip. She munched on a blueberry muffin while she watched the men.

There was one area of the store that she avoided looking at; the empty corner where Chibs usually hung out. She missed the rider's presence. From what Tara had reported, he was recovering rapidly now that Margaret Murphy wasn't playing mind games.

She capped the drinks and loaded them in a drink carrier, along with a box of assorted baked goods she'd packed in the back. She left the items behind the counter and walked over to lean against the wall next to her man. "Tig, I don't see how you can get the rice burner fixed today. The insurance guy won't even come look at it until tomorrow at the earliest."

"No worries, babe. I'll take pics of the damage. I won't let your insurance hit you for betterment. I am replacing the gas tank and trunk. Don't want you haunted by reminders." He swallowed some coffee and glanced at his watch. "The paint guys will be getting the trunk and gas tank as soon as they open. They're gonna redo the designs. Blackie II should be ready by the time you get done with the hearing."

She glanced over her glasses at him. "Please tell me you didn't use your powers of persuasion on the contractors!"

He grinned at her. "Didn't have to. Don't you trust me?"

"When it comes to things you want done your way, only as far as I can throw you."

"If the moves you put on those girls are any indication, I'd say you trust me pretty far," he smirked, munching on his muffin.

The music tape had moved to some instrumental cuts and Jan Hammer's 'Crockett's Theme' was playing, putting the riders in a wistful mood. She glanced at her watch and muttered a whispered "Damn," then moved to the group of Sons and laid a hand on Otto's arm. "Sorry to have to break this up, guys. All good things must come to an end; we've gotta hit the road."

One by one, the Sons performed the 'bro hug double back tap combo' on Otto. Clay was the last to say goodbye. "Give Gemma my love, Clay. Keep in touch."

"You know I will. Watch your back, man."

Cat picked up the drink carrier and pastry box, while an updated version of the theme from 'Once Upon a Time in the West' that had played on an episode of 'CSI Miami' whistled through the speakers. She allowed Otto to take her arm. The Sons walked out the door behind them and stood next to their bikes as the two walked to the MF6.

Otto settled himself in the passenger seat while she placed the cups in cup holders and the box in Otto's lap. She rolled her eyes at the sight of the seat belt hanging from the door frame where it belonged. 'He obviously doesn't want me foilin' the sensor!' She glanced over her shoulder and saw Tig was watching her intently. She shrugged her shoulders and settled into the driver seat, drawing the hated belt across her chest.

'That's my girl!' Tig thought with a sly smile, tipping one finger to his forehead in a small salute. She returned his gesture with a one-fingered salute of her own, which made him smile wider. "Anytime, baby!'

The Sons watched as the PT pulled away, Dire Straight's 'Walk of Life' from her tape of travel music drifting back on the light breeze. They watched until the Cruiser was out of sight, then mounted their bikes and headed to Teller Morrow.

Though they were sending one brother back to the big house, the Sons were looking forward to another brother coming home. Chibs had called the prepay while Tig moved the car to announce his release from the hospital later that day. Tig had waited until Otto was in the PT to share the news with the club.

Once they'd reached the outskirts of town and Cat was assured that Tig wasn't providing a discreet 'escort', she moved the shoulder harness behind her back. She reached for her drink and took an appreciative swallow. Dire Straights had given way to The Wallflowers 'One Headlight'.

"I take it none of the guys are following us?"

"They went off in the other direction towards the garage."

"And you moved the shoulder belt behind you, didn't you?" Otto grinned.

"Know it all!"

"I told you I'm observant!" He patted the box on his lap. "Are these what I think they are?"

She smiled. "I dunno. What do you think they

are?"

He opened the box and took an appreciative sniff. "Snicker Bar Muffins!"

"I raided the supply in back. I just hope you can have them in your cell. I wrapped each one in plastic and used a little heat to seal each one, but one never knows what will and will not pass muster."

He unwrapped one and chewed with delight. "If I can't keep 'em, the guards will be very happy guys!" He reached over to turn down the stereo. "I need to ask a personal question, Cat."

"You can ask. I can't promise an answer. Just depends on just how personal the question is."

"Fair enough --"

Gerard Butler's singing 'Point of No Return' interrupted him. She pulled off the road and glanced at the caller ID. "It's not Tig, it's a hospital number. I hope it's not bad news about Chibs or Juice. I gotta take this, Otto."

He nodded in understanding. He could hear the concern in her voice. Juice should've been released days ago, but there had been a continued problem with blood in his stool. Otto also knew of Chibs' set back thanks to the hospital administrator. 'Best for her to take the call and not worry.'

"Cat here,"

"Mornin', lassie! It's me, Chibs! I'm gettin' sprung today!" announced the Scotsman.

"That's great! You're 100% recovered?"

"Sure am, darlin'! Doc's amazed by me powers o' recovery!" he replied with a laugh.

"You didn't have to fake symptoms, Chibs. That Murphy bitch didn't have a legal leg to stand on to have you moved."

"I know, darlin'. But she 'ad the transfer papers in 'er 'and. I panicked, didna have time ta think or plan. I jest reacted."

"Nothin' to be done about it now. You need me to come get you? It'll have to be after I get back from Stockton." She put the phone on loudspeaker so Otto could talk to the Scotsman.

"Oh, yeah. Yer takin' Otto back this mornin'. 'Ow's 'e doin'?"

"I'm fine, Chibs. Sorry I didn't get the chance to come see you, brother," Otto replied.

"Otto! Man, I'm sorry to 'ave missed ya and the funeral!"

"It's OK, man. Glad to hear you're getting out. Always said you were hard headed."

"You bet, brother! Be safe back there."

"I will, Chibs."

"Cat, I'll call the garage and have Sack or someone pick me up. Don't worry. I'll see ya later."

"OK, Chibs. Misty has really missed you, but I have a feelin' she'll snub you the first time you see her."

Chibs laughed heartily. "Ach! She'll be eatin' oot o' me hands in nae time, Lady Cat!"

"Especially if you're holdin' a few treats in that hand," she laughed. "See ya later!"

"Love ya, sis!"

She turned off the phone and pulled back onto the road. "One more concern eliminated. Now if Juice gets released, the club'll be back to full strength. Almost."

He smiled at her for including him. "That reminds me, how much did the memorial donations net the fund?"

"The bank called last night while I was otherwise occupied at CPD. Two grand was deposited in the account. Thanks for agreein' to that. Though I wish Tig hadn't asked ya."

Otto grinned at her. "Like he said, he knew you wouldn't. That brings us back to my personal question. I know why Tig chose you, but why did you choose him? From what you shared, he's the opposite of Bill."

"And you want to know if that's the attraction."

"That's part of it."

She stayed quiet for a few moments. "I can't blame you for being curious. While Tig may be the opposite of Bill in many ways, he still has a heart and soul. That's what drew me; the man that he is, not the bad ass persona he presents to the world."

They rode in silence awhile before she added, "I don't want to call it being soul-mates. That phrase gets overused. It's not the thrill of bein' with a 'bad boy'. Went there, did that decades ago, much to my emotional and financial detriment. That's another story for another time. I want to give him a sense of security, stability, and belongin'. He means as much to me as Bill did. That's the best I can do, Otto. If it's not good enough, that's your problem."

He smiled at the 'if you don't like it, screw you' attitude in her voice. That told him what he wanted to know, and it was good enough for him.

They rode the rest of the way in companionable silence, broken only by the travel music. When they reached the parking lot, Cat stopped the car and shut off the engine. "I'd walk though fire for Tig if it were necessary, but I also love him enough to let him go if he ever wants his freedom. I'm not out to 'tame' or change him. When he's with the club, Tig is a different person than when he's with me. I wouldn't have it any other way."

"That's why you're good for him, Cat. You accept him, warts and all. He needs you, and I know he loves you. Why are you two keeping your marriage a secret?"

She glared at him in surprise. They were always so careful in public! How did he know?

Otto sensed her concern. "Relax, kitten. Your secret is safe. I'm observant. You can't hide something like that from someone who has experienced the same thing. Especially someone whose other senses are enhanced. Yesterday morning, I overheard how you two greeted each other. The casual observer would never suspect."

She sighed with relief. "It was my idea. At the time, the club had enemies in the Nords and Mayans. With his position as Sergeant at Arms, it made sense to be known publicly as his 'old lady', making me less of a target to be used against him. Only Clay and Gemma know, and now you."

He nodded. "You're smart, Cat. Another good thing that Tig needs. You do realize that he's worried about your safety from this rally against LOAN?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "But I have to do this, Otto. To stand idly by and let LOAN take root in Charming isn't my way. The more people who wake up and smell the bacon burnin', the better."

"He knows that. It doesn't keep him from being worried about you. You probably worry just as much for him. You balance each other well. I'm glad you have each other."

"That makes two of us, brother."

She exited the car and removed the carry bag from the hatch while Otto extricated himself from the passenger seat. They walked into the area where she'd picked him up two days earlier, reporting in with 10 minutes to spare. "I'll wait around a little, in case there's anything we've brought that they won't allow. I'll take the stuff back and keep it for you until you're released."

They embraced and he kissed her cheek. When he released her, he whispered, "Take good care of Tig. He'd be lost without you. And thanks for taking me in."

"You're welcome, Otto. You're family. And remember, you're not alone."

"'Ever together, eternally bonded, never apart'." He kissed her cheek again and stepped back, accepting the guidance of the waiting guard.

Cat settled in a chair and pulled out the two-way. There was already a message from Alex, telling her that Chibs was being released from the hospital. She pressed 'send' and was rewarded with a growl, "It took long enough, woman!"

"We just got in, love. Thanks for the info on Chibs. He called to share the news and got to talk to Otto. I felt bad that we never got them together."

"Not your fault. Chibs had that set back, visitors would've been limited to family. That damn hospital wouldn't have looked at Otto as family."

"I know. You keepin' out of trouble?"

He sidestepped the question. "Working on the rice burner. The insurance adjustor's been out and left a check for you."

"You and your powers of persuasion!" She groaned.

"It wasn't that hard. I showed him the damaged parts, and he agreed that replacements were necessary, that's all. The new tires are balanced and on the wheels, and the lamp covers are replaced, so's the instrumental panel cover. Just waiting on the tank and trunk. You heading back?"

"I'm waitin' to see if anything Otto brought gets denied, then I'll be headin' back."

"Call me when you hit the half way mark."

"Past the point of no return, no backwards glances," sang Gerard Butler on her personal cell.

"There goes your boyfriend, again," Alex growled.

"Our games of make believe are at an end." She glanced at the caller ID. "He's just alertin' me that Rosen is callin', love. I called him last night about that offer. Gotta take this, talk to ya later." She switched phones before the call went to voice mail. "Hey, Mr. Rosen, thanks for callin'!"

"I got your message Cat, and checked with Charming PD about the incidents. I need to know the details about your offer to the women."

She gave him the basics and her stipulation that they not only never return to Charming, but that they all accept the offer. I suppose you think I'm nuts to give them a break."

"No. I understand your reasoning. One, or in this case, three less things you have to be concerned with. The biggest obstacle I can see is this 'all for one or none for all' corner you've painted yourself into."

"I don't see it as a problem. KD was the only hold out last night. Considerin' the trio spent the night in very close quarters – one cell with one bed to it – she might've had a change of heart. If not, well, SJCCF gets three new inmates."

Rosen smiled at his client's tenacity. "You still in Stockton?"

"Yeah. I'll be hittin' the road back to Charming shortly."

"Stop here before you report to CPD. I'll have the paperwork ready for you."

"See you in a few, then," she replied, turning off the personal cell and digging the two-way out of her jacket pocket. She pressed 'send', and was rewarded with Alex's voice mail. "Sorry I had to cut our conversation short, love. Rosen is writin' up an official version of the agreement and needed details. I'll be stoppin' at his office before goin' to CPD. I'll call ya later."

She waited a few more minutes until the guard behind the glass walled information booth signaled that she could leave. She asked where she could leave commissary money for Otto, the guard accepted her $50 for Otto and gave her a receipt along with a booklet pertaining to care packages for inmates in response to her inquiry.

She returned to the car and left a message for Alex that she was heading back to Charming, waiting until after she was off the voice mail to return the seatbelt the way she had it. 'I'm not lookin' forward to seein' those girls this mornin', but it has to be done.' She slipped her 'hissed off' cassette into the player in order to help her get psyched up for the encounter and drove out of the prison parking lot.

Clay had been sitting in the chapel for several minutes, discussing Jax's transfer to the nomad charter with their president. He didn't want to allow any more time to pass now that LuAnn's funeral was behind them. 'Jax has been making it clear for some time he isn't happy. The more delay, the harder it's gonna be.'

The nomad president was surprised by Clay's announcement. It was very rare for a top officer of a charter to want to go nomad. This was the second in command of the mother charter! "Jax will have voting privileges, but as far as we're concerned, he'll be just another rider."

"Doesn't really matter to me, I just wanna know if you'll take him."

"Sure, a good man is always welcome, even a soon to be former VP of the mother charter. Don't worry, anyone asks why Jax is joining us, it's none of their business."

"Appreciate that brother. Vote's tonight, we'll let you know." Clay walked out of the chapel with the phone still to his ear. Except for Jax and Piney, the rest of the club was gathered around the bar. Bobby was hitting the whiskey. The others weren't drinking but looked just as uneasy about the upcoming vote.

"I'll send the transfer document over with Happy," the president replied.

---

Once it was clear that Jax's transfer was in the works, Tig drove the garage van out to the paint contractors to pick up the trunk and gas tank. He figured he could save money and time by picking up and installing the new accessories himself.

He'd ordered the tank and trunk in black. The only thing the contractors had to do was add the lettering. As opposed to just one color, Tig had opted for silver lettering for the 'C' and whiskers/ears emblem, while the 'Tig's Lady' on the back of the trunk was colored cream and crimson. 'Those were the colors for her wedding to Bill. If this doesn't convince her I'm not jealous of his memory, nothing will.'

Tig returned to the garage in time for Sack to take the van to get Chibs from the hospital. Jax and Bobby were going along in order to give Chibs a proper escort home.

"Clay, you think it's a good idea for Bobby to ride after all that whiskey?" Tig murmured quietly. "We really don't need another brother in the hospital."

"See for yourself, does he look incapacitated?" Clay replied.

Tig watched Bobby walking towards his bike. There was no unsteadiness to denote he'd been drinking the hard stuff. He shrugged and turned towards the back of the van, unloaded it, and stored the trunk and gas tank on his workbench with the saddle. He wasn't going to install them until he'd checked out the engine. "I might as well take advantage of the opportunity while I can," he explained to Clay. "Haven't had a chance to check it out since the bad tires were replaced."

"Mind if I take a look with you?"

"Nah, another pair of eyes is always welcome," Tig replied.

"She takes pretty good care of her machines," Clay mused, looking over the clean engine. "Looks like there's only cosmetic damage to the body."

"I don't wanna take any chances."

Clay nodded wisely, and the two went over the bike with a fine toothed comb. They were interrupted by the arrival of Happy and Bobby, minus the van and Jax.

"Where's the van?" Clay inquired gruffly.

"Made a detour towards Galt. Jax went after it," Bobby replied. "That's all I know."

The riders milled about the bay, discussing whether they should go out to the Hayes military surplus store or wait for a call from Jax. The decision was made for them when the van turned into the drive followed by Jax's Harley.

Chibs got out of the van to be met by the club. The regular 'bro hug double back thump combo' was given and received. Gemma walked out from the office, holding a paper in her hand. If she heard Chibs' comments to Clay, she didn't let on.

Tig noticed Gemma's presence and reminded the others that they were discussing club business. The conversation came to an abrupt halt.

Chibs embraced Gemma, who welcomed him home and then announced they'd received a repo order. Sack and Opie chose to go after the repo, while the riders went into the clubhouse with Chibs to bring him up to speed on business. 'Guess the Yamaha can wait a little bit," Tig thought.

As Clay started to follow the group into the clubhouse, he murmured a warning to Jax to tell Gemma of his intentions to go nomad or he would tell his wife.

Tig checked the two-way as he entered the clubhouse and found there was a message showing. He listened to it and smiled briefly. Cat was on her way back to Charming.

The PT cruised across the county line towards Charming's town limits. The weather was good and traffic hadn't been a major problem, so she made good time. Keeping Alex's instructions in mind, she called the two-way when she reached the town line, only to get his voice mail again.

"Hey, love. Back in Charming and on my way to Rosen's. I'll be there, then at CPD. See ya when I see ya."

Traffic was light enough that she quickly noticed she'd picked up a tail in the form of a weather-beaten older Ford pickup truck. It was taking every turn she took. 'I suppose it could be a co-incidence, but it feels creepy at the same time.' She drove with one eye on the rear view mirror as she continued towards Rosen's office.

She pulled into the parking lot and cruised it for a bit. Sure enough, the Ford pulled into the lot and headed straight for the back, parking directly across from the building, it's front end pointing out as if the passengers inside were planning to watch the entrance.

There was no public parking in the back, that was gated and card-access only for the building's tenants, making the idea of going in the back way out of the question. She continued to cruise the parking lot, going past the Ford once to scope the occupants, but they had already disappeared. "This doesn't feel right," she muttered, guiding the PT to a parking spot as close to the front entrance as possible.

She kept a careful eye on her surroundings as she walked into the building and took the stairs to Rosen's office. No one followed her. Rosen was waiting in the lobby when she entered.

"Hey, appreciate the service, but you could've left this with the front desk," she said.

"That's OK, you don't walk on the wrong side of the law like the Sons, and it helps to keep clients like you happy," the lawyer replied. "Are you sure you want to do this, Cat?"

She favored the attorney with 'the look'. "Why in the Hell does everyone ask me that? Hell, yes, I'm sure! Do y'all think I'd waste your time and mine if I wasn't sure?"

Rosen held up a palm as if he were a crossing guard signaling traffic to stop. "Sorry, Cat. It's part of my job to ask. I have to say that you're being pretty decent to that girl, considering what she did to you. Aren't you afraid that this will send the wrong message?"

"Let's see, trash my ride and bust my chops over the fact that Tig chooses to be with me and get a one way ticket out of town. I don't think that's tellin' any future opponents that I'm a wuss to be walked all over."

"OK, OK! I get your point. Good luck with it."

"Thanks for doin' this, Rosen. I appreciate it. I hope you'll be at the rally, providin' I can get a venue for it."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world. Let me know if you need any help."

She nodded and stuck the brown envelope in her inner jacket pocket and headed back out to the PT. She scanned the parking lot out of habit. The weather-beaten Ford was gone. There was another Ford, a dark green Bronco parked in the same spot where the pickup had been. She couldn't see anyone sitting in the vehicle. 'Two uninhabited Fords in the same far off parking spot gives me a bad feelin'.

She had her keys in her hand as she walked to the car, and didn't press the unlock button until she was right on the door. She got in and closed the door after her, locking it immediately.

She watched the lot and the Bronco as she backed from the parking space. There was no movement in the Bronco, but she still had a feeling that she was being watched.

As she approached the entrance/exit of the parking lot, she kept one eye on the rear view mirror and saw a bald appearing head suddenly pop up in the Bronco. 'Obviously lyin' in wait. The fucktard.'

The green Bronco started moving along the parking lot towards her. She reached behind her for the semi-automatic and put it in her lap as she pulled onto the street. Sure enough, the Bronco did likewise, not even checking to see if the way was clear.

If she had any doubts that the Bronco's presence was a mere co-incidence, the driver's reckless and abrupt exit from the parking lot dashed them. She drove with both hands on the wheel, one eye on the road, and one watching the rear view and all sides for trouble. It didn't take long for trouble to find her.

She pulled to a stop behind another Ford, a newer SUV, at a red light. The weather-beaten Ford pickup that had followed her to Rosen's office pulled up on her right side. The green Bronco pulled up right on her back bumper. 'They wanna box me in'. She'd left space between her front end and the SUV's tailgate. The junkie boyfriend had taught her to always leave escape room. It was one of the few good lessons he'd taught her. 'At least there's no concrete divider on the left,' she took in the situation at a glance. The reverse lights on the SUV flashed on at the same moment the Bronco driver, who had close cropped hair, opened the driver side door. 'This is definitely not good," she thought.

AJ Weston opened the door of his Ford and jumped out, his intense features more so as he closed the door and started towards the Cruiser. 'Now's my chance to do something about that rally, and that Marshall bitch!'

Cat wasn't going to wait around to chat. As soon as the Bronco's door opened and the SUV's reverse lights flashed, she pulled the steering wheel to the left and hit the accelerator, pulling into the lane next to her. There wasn't an oncoming car and she kept moving on into the intersection as her horn warned approaching drivers of her presence. Her move was rewarded by squealing tires, loud honks, but no collision.

Her sudden move caught Weston and the SUV driver by surprise. Weston had to jump out of the way to avoid being run over while the SUV driver barely managed to stop in time to avoid striking Weston's Bronco.

She kept going after clearing the intersection, leaving a surprised and frustrated Weston behind. She was shaken, but more angry than scared. She recognized Weston from Hale's description. 'Guess he's making his opinion of the rally and my opposition to LOAN clear! They give me another good reason not to like Fords.' She considered calling Alex, but needed her full attention on driving. She'd have to pull over to use the two-way, and that would enable Weston and his cronies to catch up with her. She'd wait until she got to CPD to call.

"Damn bitch!" Weston shouted, scrambling out of the way of the backing SUV. He'd obviously underestimated the woman. He braced for the impact of a collision, then relaxed when his cohort in the SUV stopped a few inches from the front of his Bronco.

The two men in the weather-beaten pickup climbed out to join Weston on the street. "What are we gonna do now?"

"We have no choice," Weston grumbled. "We go after her as soon as the light changes."

The men returned to their vehicles and sped away when the light changed. They had their cellphones open, despite laws against the use of cellphones while driving. "We'll split up, divide a nine block area into thirds. Call as soon as you find her!" Weston ordered his henchmen. He wasn't willing to give up the chase.

---

Chibs' head was spinning with all that he'd learned since leaving the hospital. He'd known about LuAnn's murder, it had been gossip amongst the orderlies and other male staff. The destruction of Caracara and Jax going nomad had been unwelcome surprises.

He was further distressed to find out that Lady Cat's bike had been trashed. When he learned the ones responsible were Caracara actresses who had physically attacked her over Tig, he nearly went ballistic. "What the fook 'as been goin' on around 'ere? Let me get a crack on the noggin and thins go ta 'Ell!" He glared at the men gathered around the bar, an untouched shot of whiskey in front of him bore witness to his distress.

Clay grinned sarcastically at the Scotsman's ire. "What can I say? Without you around to keep us in line, everything goes to pot."

"Bullsheet!" The Scotsman threw back his shot and glared at Tig. "Whot's the beeg idea, 'avin'

three girlies fightin' Lady Cat over the likes 'o ye?"

"Wasn't my idea brother. I don't need the drama or the actress. Cat's taking care of it. I trust her to do what she feels is right." Tig's expression was dark and forbidding, the others knew not to push. Chibs ignored the look, he cared for Cat like family and wasn't willing to let it go.

"I'm sure ye trust 'er. Ye prolly got off on 'avin' all those luvlies fightin' o'er ye, whether ye wanna admit it or not!"

"Fuck you, Chibs! I'm glad you're back, but you're talkin' out your ass!" Tig snarled, storming out the door and back across the lot to his bay. He pulled the two-way out of his pocket, the message indicator was blinking. He smiled with relief to hear she was back in town and en route to CPD via Rosen's office. He returned the two-way to his pocket.

There was a momentary, uncomfortable silence following Tig's angry departure, then Chibs glared at Clay and asked, "So we're gettin' back inta guns?

"We've set up an agreement with the Chinese to run guns through their Hammas pipeline. The guns are a little jammed up right now, but we'll be back in business before long." Clay glanced around the bar, then growled. "OK, break's over. Get back to work!"

Clay walked across the lot to find his SAA hard at work on the Yamaha's engine. Without a word, he hunkered down on the opposite side. The others returned to their interrupted assignments.

Chibs walked into Tig's bay and leaned against the door to watch. "I'm sorry, brother. Ye know Lady Cat means a lot ta me, too. Kin I 'elp?"

Tig looked up from his work. "Yeah. Cat will appreciate it. C'mon over."

Cat pulled into the drive to CPD and sat in the parked PT. She was still shaken from the near encounter with Weston. Part of her wanted to call Alex about it. 'Problem is, he'd be right over, and that'll just stir KD up. Don't need that right now. Maybe Weston got the message by my abrupt departure.' She lowered the vanity mirror and wet some napkins with water, then carefully cleaned the makeup off her bruises.

She got out of the car and laughed mirthlessly. 'And maybe the Cubbies will win the pennant this season.' The way her team was playing lately, the chances of that were slim and none. She had the feeling the same could be said of Weston and LOAN.

'Can't think about that now, gotta go deal with these kids,' she told herself, breathing deeply and squaring her shoulders. 'One problem at a time.' She pulled out the two-way and was rewarded by a welcome voice.

"You at CPD?"

"Yeah. Rosen got the agreement written up nice and tight. Just about to go in."

"Chibs is here; he's helpin' on the bike," Tig replied gruffly.

Cat could tell by his tone of voice that he wasn't in a good mood. "I guess your legend grew a little from last night's fracas. Hope the guys aren't givin' you too rough a time of it."

"Nothing I can't handle," he replied in the same gruff manner. "You gonna be OK?"

"Sure, love. Best if I handle this myself. Doubt KD and company are goin' to pull anything in front of a bunch of uniformed officers." she fought to keep her voice light and unconcerned. Tig knew her moods too well.

"You're nervous. Don't be. You've got the upper hand. Best of all, you've got me."

"With incentive like that, I can't lose!" she laughed. To her ears, the laugh sounded a little forced, but it must've sounded normal to him.

"That's my girl," he said softly. "Where you going after you're done?"

"Have a nervous breakdown!" she quipped.

"Fun-nee."

"Just go home, work on a presentation to the city if we can't close Main Street for the rally. There's always something to do."

"Call me when you get home."

"Will do, love. See ya when I see ya."

Hale met her at the door of CPD. "I was wondering if you were getting cold feet," he grinned at her. "But considering that you're Tig's old lady, I knew that couldn't be the case."

"Glad I didn't let you down," she replied wryly. "How's the girls this mornin'?"

"Grumpy and out of sorts. They didn't sleep well at all."

Cat smiled grimly. "Poor babies! If I had one, my heart would bleed poisoned purple Koolaid for them."

Hale's lips twitched in amusement. "I know you have a heart, Ms. Marshall, otherwise you wouldn't be giving them a break. The interview room is all ready for you."

They walked to the same room she'd used to speak with the actresses only a few hours before. This time, the lone chair was on the opposite side of the table, facing the door.

"I thought you'd like to have a solid wall at your back when they come in," Hale explained. "I'll have your back as well, this time. I'm not standin' in the next room."

"Especially since you don't have to keep an eye on Tig for me," she supplied, her right eyebrow rising up her forehead.

Hale didn't get an opportunity to respond, as the door opened to admit a bedraggled trio of young girls accompanied by a uniformed officer. They settled into the indicated chairs without a word. The sisters moved as far from KD as they could in their own seats.

'Dissension in the ranks. This may go well,' she was seated with her hands clasped in front of her. "I'd say 'good mornin'' to y'all, but don't want to make ya more miserable," she stated quietly, not wanting to appear as if she was enjoying their discomfort.

"They had a very long and uncomfortable night, Ms. Marshall," Hale offered, a slight smile on his face.

None of the girls looked at him or responded to his comment. "Quite a difference from last night!"

Cat had similar thoughts in her head. So far, not one single demeaning comment had come from KD's usually foul mouth. The girl looked haggard from a lack of sleep, along with red and puffy eyes from crying. 'I could almost feel sorry for her. She brought Alex's ire on herself by her behavior.'

"Y'all know why we're here, ladies. The offer is still on the table. I had my lawyer draw up a written agreement, so nothing is left in doubt. The ball's in your court."

She reached into her jacket and withdrew the brown envelope, laying it on the table in front of her. The girls eyes followed the envelope's path, but never met Cat's gaze.

"Rosen has put the first offer in writing. It allows you to leave CPD today, and gives you 72 hours to pack up and leave town. If you're still here at the 73rd hour, I press charges. That's all there is to it." She withdrew a pen from her jacket pocket and laid it next to the brown envelope. "What's it gonna be, ladies?"

The three Fords fanned out from the intersection, looking for the red PT Cruiser, roaming up and down the side streets and coming up empty. "It's like she vanished!" One of the LOAN men called out on the conference call.

"She's not supernatural. She's been coached by the Sons," Weston replied. "We'll find her. Widen the search. Check the coffeehouse and her home. Check Teller Morrow as well. She might have run there to alert the Sons."

They continued their search. The weather beaten pickup cruised past her home, but the drive was devoid of vehicles. "She's not at her house or the coffeehouse," the pickup driver reported.

The SUV driver pulled into the Teller Morrow lot on the pretense of having the air pressure checked. The woman's Cruiser wasn't there, but the distinctive motorcycle was sitting in one of the bays. The driver reported his finding after he left the lot.

Weston played a hunch and drove by CPD to confirm it. "I found her. She's at police headquarters."

"Probably reporting us," the pickup driver worried.

"It's possible," the SUV driver agreed. "We'd better give up."

Weston's brows furled in anger. 'Is everybody in this town chicken shit where dealing with this woman is concerned? Zobelle won't stand up to her, and now these guys are bowing out! Do I have to do everything myself?'

"Weston?" called out the SUV driver.

"Go ahead and flee if you want to," Weston grated. "I'm not giving up."

"Your funeral," the pickup driver retorted. "See ya around."

Weston toured around the block housing CPD and the impound lot and parked on the side street where he could watch the entrance without being easily seen. 'That Marshall bitch doesn't have good eyesight, even if she sees the truck, she won't be able to tell it's me. There's more than one green Bronco in town!' He settled down to wait.

---

Chibs, Tig, and Clay had checked over the engine and transmission of the Yamaha, satisfied that the mechanical parts were safe. They had replaced the tank and the saddle.

Chibs stood up from the wheeled stool he'd been using and stretched. "Where's the trunk?"

"Over on the workbench," Tig gestured with his head.

Chibs gazed at the nearly restored bike. The gas tank shone like black satin, and the silver C with ears and whiskers was a bright highlight. Chibs retrieved the trunk, which also glistened like patent leather, while the cream and crimson 'Tig's Lady' set off with cat ears at the top of the words and whiskers at the side in silver made striking contrasts. "Looks gud, brother. Better than tha last detailin'. She'll luv it."

Tig grunted and tightened another bolt. "Wanna hold the trunk steady?"

"Shure." Chibs held one side of the trunk, Clay the other while Tig tightened the bolts that fastened it to the frame. Chibs was getting winded from the small amount of work he'd done. Sweat started to break out on his forehead.

"Sit down before ya fall down," Clay rumbled. "Don't need you relapsing."

Chibs left Tig and Clay to complete the work, slipping into his own empty bay. He sat down on a similar wheeled stool with relief just as his cellphone went off. There was enough noise from air compressors and other tools that he felt assured his conversation wouldn't be overheard. The caller ID showed Fiona was calling. 'She hasna called or visited since tha relapse. Hope everythin's a'right.' He flipped open the phone. "What's up, Fi?"

"Filip. I need ta see ya." Fi's voice sounded frightened, something she didn't show often.

"Where? When?"

"As soon as possible," she replied breathlessly, giving him the address of a bar in Galt, not far from the Hayes' store. Not the safest place for him, but definitely not a safe place for Fi. "I'm on my way."

Cat gazed across the table at KD, Lanai, and Kalai, the brown envelope and pen resting on the table in front of her. None of the girls had spoken. She was willing to wait them out, though she could tell that Hale was growing restless.

"OK. Hand over the paper. You win. I'll leave," KD muttered brokenly. "Tig doesn't want me, he made that pretty clear last night."

Cat removed the document from the envelope and pushed it and the pen across the table to KD. The girl signed it without so much as a glance.

"Shouldn't you read that first? Make sure there's no hidden agenda to trip you up?"

KD shook her head. "No. I realize you don't pull that kind of thing. If you say we have three days, we have three days. There's nothing left for me here but heartache." The girl scrawled her name across the bottom of the last page and dropped the pen like it burned her fingers.

Kalai and Lanai were both a little less trusting, taking the time to read the entire document before affixing their signatures to the last page.

Hale stepped forward and opened the door to the interview room, signaling to a uniformed officer. "The girls are being released, take them through the process, but they're not to leave the premises until Ms. Marshall has left."

The uniformed officer nodded and gestured for the actresses to follow her. The girls stood and left the room without a word.

"Well, Ms. Marshall, I'm surprised at this. Guess your strategy worked after all. I take it you're still going to follow through with the RO?"

She picked up the document, folded it and returned it to the envelope. "Yup. Always have a back up." She put the envelope back in her inner jacket pocket. "Speaking of which, thanks."

"I had an ulterior motive," Hale smiled wryly. "To show you I'm not as bad as you think I am."

"Never said you were bad, Hale. A little tunnel visioned, maybe, but not a bad guy," she replied. "I was followed from the town line to Rosen's by a beat up Ford pickup, then a green Ford Bronco followed me from Rosen's. A third Ford was stopped at a red light, the Bronco stopped on my rear bumper, the pickup suddenly appeared on my right. Weston was in the Bronco, got out about the same time the newer Ford tried to complete boxin' me in. I got out of it in a hurry."

Hale nodded. "We got a couple of complaints about you running the light. Now I know why. Think Weston was trying to intimidate you about the rally?"

"Do pigeons drop on newly cleaned cars? Dunno if there's anything y'all can do about it. I don't wanna make an issue out of it; no need for a lot of drive bys and the like."

"We'll keep our eyes open. If he gives you any trouble--"

"CPD will be my second call," she assured him.

"We should be the first."

"I know, Hale. But you know Tig. He'd have a fit if he didn't get first notice."

"Yeah. That's true. Be careful out there, Ms. Marshall."

"I will be."

Instead of leaving her to walk out on her own, Hale walked her out to the PT. They both scanned the lot and the surrounding streets, but didn't see Weston's Bronco or his companions. "Looks safe for now, " he observed.

"Appearances can be deceiving," she replied with a grim smile. "And bad pennies have a way of turning up. I'm sure Weston and his buddies are around somewhere. I have a bad feeling that I'm being watched."

"I can have a uniform trail you," Hale offered.

She shook her head. "Not what I call a good use of taxpayer money. I'll be OK, goin' back to the house. I'll see ya later, and thanks for your help today."

She held out her hand to Hale, who clasped her hand warmly after he got over his initial shock at her overture. "You're right; you're not as bad as I made you out to be. Next time you're at the coffeehouse, your drink's on me!"

While he waited for her to leave CPD, Weston entertained the thought of what might happen if one of the uniformed officers noticed him sitting in his parked vehicle. He didn't want anyone to draw unnecessary attention to his presence and decided to move his Bronco to a less noticeable parking spot. Then he walked along the street near the police station. He stood in front of a store window, pretending to admire the display. The entrance to CPD, though angled, was reflected in the window, so that he could keep his back to it and still see who entered and who left. 'When that bitch leaves, I'll have plenty of time to get my truck and follow her.'

His vigil was eventually rewarded with the sight of his quarry walking out of CPD along with the Deputy Chief. Weston watched as the pair shook hands and the woman walked to her car, Hale keeping a watchful eye on her.

Weston walked back to his parked Bronco, keeping an eye open for the Cruiser. He had parked in such a way that he could follow her back to the coffeehouse or her home, whichever she chose. 'The only other place she might go to is Teller Morrow. I can easily catch her before she gets close to it.'

He watched the red PT pull from the driveway and turn to the right. He turned right and allowed a couple of other vehicles to get between him and the Cruiser. 'I'm not making the same mistake Charlie made of staying right on her. That's what got her spooked in the first place. Make her think she's safe, then strike when she least expects it.'

---

KD, Lanai and Kalai signed for their few possessions and were escorted from CPD by Hale. "I'm sure Ms. Marshall's lawyer will have copies of the agreement delivered to you before the day is out. Stay away from her and from the Sons and we'll have no trouble. I suspect you have enough to do with packing."

None of the three looked at him, nor did they acknowledge his comments. They walked quietly to their car and left the lot, turning left towards their apartment.

"Three days to pack and leave town. Three days. That's not much time," Kalai complained.

"If it hadn't have been for KD and her damn obsession with Tig, we wouldn't have to leave!" Lanai grumbled, looking into the rear view mirror and casting a baleful glare at the quiet and depressed actress.

"It's all past history now," KD murmured. "We all signed the agreement. Guess we pack and decide where we're going."

"We?" the sisters replied in unison. "What makes you think we're going with you?"

KD shrugged her shoulders. Friendship amongst entertainers, especially porn entertainers, was a fleeting thing at best. Alliances could change at a moment's notice. The sisters were obviously going to 'kick her to the curb' over the incident with Cat Marshall. 'Well, I've been on my own before, I can do so again. I don't need them. I don't need Tig; I don't need the sons and I don't need California!'

KD had family to return to on the East Coast. A complete change of scenery and getting back to familiar things might be a good thing. She decided she'd go home, see her parents, and then decide what to do from there. Her parents still loved her, even if Tig didn't. She would go home and recover, then forge a new life somewhere else.

Cat turned to the right from CPD's lot, heading towards home. Though neither she nor Hale had seen the green Bronco anywhere around the premises, she still felt she was being watched or followed. Occasional looks into the rear view didn't confirm nor deny her feeling. She thought she saw a green Bronco a few vehicles behind her, but couldn't be certain it was Weston. She continued to watch the rear view with one eye as she drove towards Main St.

Lady Luck smiled on her as two of the vehicles behind her turned off, leaving the green SUV and its' driver clearly visible in her rear view. 'Weston! I should've known! No time to call Alex, much less wait for him. Not goin' to let Weston corner me at the house or the store, but there's one place I can go and get him off my back!'