Authors Note/POSSIBLE SPOILERS: I am so thankful! THANK YOU everyone for taking time out of your day to review. Seriously, they all made my day. A few people said that they don't normally like these stories.. I'm going to try to make it as different as possible than the "typical" de-aged fic. This story is going to be completely Club-central, and you can expect to see a lot of issues that will have to be dealt with: more problems with the Niners, probable retaliation from the Sons, the return of Clay and Opie, the real IRA, maybe some romance, etc, all while have having to deal with their brother who is now a four year old. Sounds fun, eh?

Anyways, I've got up to chapter seven drafted, so the updates will be fairly frequent as long as people are still enjoying it. Christmas for Cowboys will be updated next, followed by Man of Mayhem. I'm on break at the moment, so expect these chapters soon :)

Alright, enough ranting from me, enjoy!

Sweet Child O' Mine

2: The Long Road Home

All Chibs could do was stand there, legs planted in the ground in shock as he stared at the boy and his tattoos; the verse around his wrist, the clown on his right forearm, the reaper on his left, the cross on his bicep - they looked so unequivocally exact that the resemblance almost couldn't be coincidence. It became apparent to him that Jacky was thinking the same beside him.

"What the hell - "

Chibs swallowed, locking huge eyes with Gemma. "Juice?"

"What the hell is this?" Jax said, eyes wide with shock and confusion, because there was no way in hell that this kid was one of their brothers. He took two steps forward, surveying the boy, then looked up at his mother accusingly.

"This is your goddamn brother," Gemma whispered firmly, "And we just got him to stop crying so I suggest you quit the attitude."

"Is this some sort of sick joke?" Chibs finally spoke, his voice rough and cracking. His tired, bloodshot eyes moved from the kid to Gemma.

"No, it's not," Gemma said.

"She's right," Tara agreed, and all eyes turned to her. The gravity of the situation turned, because Tara was a doctor, and there was no way in hell they could argue with that.

Chibs took in a shaky breath, feeling anger enter his heavy heart, feeling it bubble in his chest. His boy had just died! His voice rose with every word he spoke, "This shit doesn't happen. It can't happen. This ain't some goddamn fairytale! My Juicy died, and you all are standing here like - "

"Chibs," Tig interrupted, and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Look." He walked over to the boy, who at his approach, huddled deeper into Gemma's arms. With a slow hand, he pulled the strings on the back of the gown, exposing Juice's back.

Chibs looked closer, and found his chest tighten as he saw the scars from Stockton.

"Jesus Christ," Jax murmured beside him. "This can't be happening."

"That's not all," Gemma said, "Kid's got fresh scars from today."

Silence over took them, and Juice clutched Gemma's sweater when he realized all eyes were on him.

"Well, what happened?" Jax asked Tara, feeling suddenly overwhelmed and defeated. She looked just as confused as he did.

"After I told you he had," She paused, "died, I went back in the room to remove his intubation tube and IVs. I turned around to pack them up, I heard a noise from back on the bed and," Tara gestured to the boy, "He was there."

"She's right," Gemma added, "I heard her yelling and I went in the room. He was still hooked up to all the wires, dried blood on his chest from the bullets. Now whether you like it or not, this kid is your brother. He's alive, honey. Be thankful."

But Chibs couldn't find himself able to be thankful, because his boy was somehow four years old. And that four year old wouldn't stop staring at him.

Tara looked up from her gaze at Juice, and just as she did, caught the scrutiny of an old nurse staring down the hall at the group. She lowered her voice, "You should all leave before anyone starts asking questions. You'll never see him again if the staff find out what happened," She paused, "I'll clean up the mess and meet you back at the clubhouse. My shift ends in fifteen minutes."

Gemma nodded to her, acknowledging the warning, and turned to leave the waiting room. However, as soon as she took her first steps, the kid in her arms made a sound for the first time that night, and struggled against grip; his arms undoubtedly reaching for the Scot.

For the second time that night, Chibs stood frozen in spot as Juice's imploring eyes locked with his. Seeing that he wasn't going to move, Gemma walked over to him and placed the boy into Chibs' arms. Juice's anxiety decreased tenfold, and Chibs looked at him, stunned.

"C'mon old man," Gemma smiled thinly to Chibs, and patted his back, "Let's get him back to the clubhouse."

In silence, they drove back TM. Tig and Jax rode their bikes in back of them as Gemma drove Chibs and Juice in her car.

Street lights lit up the inside of the car as they drove, casting a warm glow the small boy in his arms, who refused to let go. Such a small body felt unfamiliar; it had been years since Kerrianne had been so tiny. The kid was all skin and bones, so much so that he was afraid the kid would break if he held him wrong. The thought had him terrified. Another pass under a street light, and Chibs caught a glance of the scars from Stockton under his hospital gown, and he winced, remembering how many sacrifices - physically and mentally - the boy had made for his club.

The boy.

He was a boy now. Instead of defending himself, Juice had run for the safe to help arm his brothers, had taken three bullets, had died, and now looked more like a doll than Juan Carlos Ortiz.

Chibs sighed somberly, feeling himself hold the boy a little tighter. It was only then that he felt the shivers coming from him, and startled, remembered that he was only in a johnny.

"Jesus," He said, and caught Gemma's gaze in the rearview mirror, "The lad needs clothes, he's shivering."

Gemma nodded and turned up the heat. "Abel's clothes will be too small for him. We'll be passing Vince's in a minute, want to stop there? Wouldn't hurt to get him some food either."

The boy shifted against him, and grasped Chibs a little tighter. Unexpectedly, warmth filled his chest, and the realization hit him like a ton of bricks that regardless of whether his boy was thirty years old or three, he would never let him go again.

"Chibs?" Gemma asked.

Remembering their conversation, Chibs said, "Aye", and returned his attention to Juice, who cooed softly in his arms.

Next chapter will be much longer, this chapter was just a transition of sorts.

But did you Like it? Hate it? Please let me know.. I'm going out on a limb, not sure whether or not to continue.