A/N: Watching this week's episode has given me a brilliant idea. For those who have not seen it yet, I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I see this story being an intense showdown between the three strong women in my stories. This chapter starts to show how each woman handle a crisis; very differently which will set the stage for other things to come. I see this story being a bit longer than Nobody's Fool but I really hope you all stay with me. I am on bed rest for the next week and hope to spend most of the time working on this story and getting some much needed rest. Thanks all.

Marissa knocked twice on the door and waited for someone to answer. When the door was pulled open, Gemma was standing in front of her, looking less like a murderous fugitive and more like the queen she was. Gemma hugged Marissa tightly before ushering her in the home.

"I thought Tara was coming with you."

"Work stuff." Gemma placed her hands on her hip.

"Shit." Marissa raised an eyebrow at Gemma's reaction. "Tig got shot."

"Shot? How the hell did that happen?" Marissa exclaimed. This place hardly seemed like a danger zone unless you were a sex-crazed teenager working at Camp Crystal Lake in a Jason movie. Gemma rubbed her forehead.

"If there is pussy, Tig will cum….literally. He was banging Dad's home nurse and Dad thought it was my Ma….so he shot Tig in the shoulder." Marissa tried, she really did. But the harder she tried, the more she failed. Before she knew it, she was crouched down on the floor with tears running down her face as she laughed hysterically. Leave it to Tig to almost die while waist deep in pussy. The mental image alone would have Marissa laughing for days. She finally composed herself enough to stand back up.

"Oh God, I needed that laugh. Well, if it's a clean shot, I may be able to help. I have a couple of pain killers in my purse. It should hold him over until Tara gets here." Gemma nodded and hugged Marissa again.

"I'm real glad you're here baby girl. I'll go make us some coffee while you check up on Tigger. He's in the back room on your left." Marissa followed the directions and knocked twice before opening the door. She leaned against the doorframe with a smug look on her face. Tig raised a finger and pointed it at her.

"Don't start." Marissa smiled big as she walked closer to inspect his shoulder.

"You do realize that I have about a million jokes running in my head right now, right? And most of them have to do with the beautiful silk, pink robe that you are wearing?" Marissa ran a finger over the robe and chuckled. She got a better look at the wound and realized that it had been a clean shot. She pulled out her cell phone and hit speed dial.

"Hello?"

"Hey chica. Did you have your meeting yet?" Marissa asked Tara.

"No. In another hour or so. What's up?"

"I need you to walk me through removing a bullet with limited supplies." Marissa heard a pause.

"Do I even want to know?"

"I'll tell you when you get here. Trust me; it will have you laughing for days." Marissa placed the cell on speakerphone and listened carefully as Tara instructed her on what to do. About a half an hour later, Marissa thanked Tara and told her to get to the cabin soon. She handed Tig two Tylenol 3's and watched as he swallowed them dry.

"So any news?" Tig asked as he tried to get comfortable on the bed.

"They think the shooters were some Mayan patch-over shit and they were waiting for some word on Abel the last time I checked. Everyone is hoping that he is still somewhat local."

"How's Jax holding up?"

"The man has murder in his veins. He is ready to strike but I just hope that he can try and remain level headed." Marissa played with the comforter before looking at Tig. "We need to tell Gemma the truth."

"We can't do that, Hurricane." Marissa rolled her eyes.

"I hate to play devil's advocate but just hear me out. What if we can't find Abel in time or god forbid, what if he's hurt? Then we will have no choice but to tell Gemma and in giving her possibly the worst news of her life, she was also have to deal with the fact that EVERYONE knew what was going on but her. Whether or not the reasons were justified, she is going to look at it as a betrayal and we will just be destruction in her path."

"Dramatic much?"

"Tell me I'm lying." Marissa challenged. Tig wanted to counter with an argument but he knew it was pointless.

"Just give it some time, see what the guys can come up with. No sense in making SAMCRO look for Abel while trying to keep an eye on Hurricane Gemma." Tig yawned and grabbed Marissa's hand. They continued to make small talk until Tig fell asleep.

"So is he going to live?" Gemma asked as Marissa poured herself a cup of coffee before joining the older woman at the kitchen table.

"For now. Besides, I think a sexual transmitted disease will kill Tigger before any bullet gets a chance to." The pair smiled at each other and sipped from their mugs.

"How's your Dad?" Gemma shrugged.

"He's getting worse and worse. There are moments where he looks at me and I know that he knows I am his daughter that he is talking to and other times…."

"He thinks Tig is banging your mom and pops a cap in him?" Marissa offered.

"Yeah." Gemma trailed off as she tried to gather her words. "I think I'm going to have to put him in a home. If Rose isn't here, I can't see him being able to handle being here all by himself and there is no way I can take him back to Charming." Marissa looked around the room.

"Where is the nurse? Was she freaked out by the bullet and left or something?" Marisa looked at Gemma who had the nerve to try and look sheepish. "Jesus Christ, Gemma, what did you do?"

"Nothing." Marissa shot her a look. "Nothing." Gemma stood up quickly and went to pour herself another cup of coffee. "I caught the bitch doing some research on me. Apparently there is a nice cash reward for anyone that has info to my whereabouts. She pulled a gun on me, but she obviously was not experienced with it cause I was able to grab the gun and pull mine out." Marissa rubbed her temples.

"Please don't tell me that you killed her and we have to go out and dig a grave." Gemma shook her head.

"I tied the bitch to a post downstairs in the basement. I didn't know what else to do." Marissa closed her eyes as she tried to process all the information. She went from one extreme to the next. Now instead of kidnapped babies and dead prospects, she had to deal with demented fathers, wounded sergeants and a tied up home nurse. Marissa could not decide which side of hell she wanted to be on right about now.

"What do you plan on doing with her, Gemma?"

"I have not gotten that far in my plans."

"Jesus Christ." The two women sat for what seemed like hours before they heard an incessant car honking. They each ran to the front door to see Tara's Cutlass slam on its brakes and Tara damn near rushed out the car.

"I just saw an old guy driving a truck as I was coming up. Was that your dad?" Gemma turned pale as she ran back in the house screaming her father's name. The commotion woke up Tig who stumbled out of the room still clad in his pink robe. Gemma ran back in the living room.

"He left and he took the rifle with him."

"Shit. Where could he have gone?" Gemma shook her head frantically.

"I…I don't know. I haven't been up here in so goddamn long, I wouldn't even know where to begin." The two women looked at each other as they both came to the same conclusion. Marissa turned towards Tara.

"Tar, can you look at Tig's wound to make sure I cleaned it properly? Gemma and I are going to search the property for any clues." Tara looked skeptical but nodded as she ushered Tig into the bedroom, who was still trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

Marissa and Gemma made their way down the basement steps. Marissa's heels caught the young woman's attention whose eyes were blindfolded and her hands and legs were bound. Marissa shared a look with Gemma of disbelief.

"I hear someone. Please let me go." The young woman begged.

"What's your name?"

"Amelia." She answered while frowning. "You're not the daughter. Who are you? Please help me; she is going to kill me."

"If she was going to kill you, it would have already been done." Marissa walked a little closer but still kept a bit of distance between her and the woman. "Do you want to get out of her alive, Amelia?"

"Yes."

"Then I suggest you help us. Nate has disappeared. Now being as though you are his caretaker, I am sure you would know of some places he would venture out to; places that make him feel safe." Amelia remained quiet. "This is not the time to keep your mouth shut little girl. This is the time where you start talking."

"How do I know that you just won't kill me anyway?"

"You don't. You have to trust me that I will let you go but only after we find Nate." Gemma and Marissa both knew that there was no way there were going to allow the woman to walk out of here alive, there was too much at stake.

"I want to make a phone call." Marissa found herself getting agitated and her fuse was about to blow.

"Bitch, this isn't prison or a game. There is an old man wandering aimlessly somewhere who can barely decipher what decade it is. He could potentially harm himself or someone else and I can promise you that if something happens to him, you will die. So either you start talking or you die; it's your choice." Amelia began to cry.

"Roses. Nate likes to be around roses. Now PLEASE let me go." Amelia's cries got louder.

"What the hell is going on?" Both women turned around to see Tara standing at the bottom of the steps. Gemma turned towards Marissa.

"There are two places that are not far from here that have rose gardens." Marissa nodded her head.

"Okay. I'll take one and you take the other." Marissa grabbed Tara's arm and pulled her to the side. "Whatever you do, no matter how much she begs and pleads, do NOT let her out of those restraints. I will explain everything later, just please do this Tara." Tara nodded her head as Gemma and Marissa ran up the stairs.

Less than 20 minutes later, Marissa walked back in the log cabin frustrated. She had not been able to find Nate and she was praying that Gemma was having better luck. She walked past the kitchen and was getting ready to open the basement door when she heard someone running up the steps. She pulled her knife out of her boot just as the door swung open and Amelia came into her view. Damn you, Tara. Marissa thought to herself. Marissa saw Amelia try to lunge for her and Marissa jammed the knife into the young woman's chest. She watched as the woman fell to the floor and sputter for a few moments before taking her last breath.

High on adrenaline, Marissa ran into Tig's room slamming the door open in the process. He jumped up at the noise. "Long story short, there is a dead chick in the kitchen. I need you to stay with her while I try to find Tara." Marissa ran over to the bed and help Tig get to the kitchen quickly as possible. Tig saw Amelia and went to ask a question but Marissa had already run downstairs. She made it to the bottom of the basement steps just as Tara was starting to come to. Marissa noticed the oxygen tank lying next to her best friend. She knelt down and looked for any blood.

"Are you alright?"

"That bitch knocked me out."

"I told you not to let her out of the restraints Tara. Jesus Christ." Marissa helped Tara up the steps and Tara turned pale when she saw the dead care taker still lying on the kitchen floor.

"What the hell happened?" Tara asked as she sat down while Marissa started searching for an ice pack.

"Self defense." Marissa answered unconvincingly. She was more than a little pissed off that Tara had let the woman go and she was trying to pat down her anger. She heard the tires of a car pull up and she went outside to see Gemma and Nate get out of the truck. She waited until they were close and Marissa whispered to Gemma to make sure Nate avoids the kitchen. Gemma took Nate to his bedroom and gave him his medication, allowing the older man to sleep instantly.

Gemma went back to the kitchen and saw Amelia dead on the floor. She looked over at Tig who was still in that god forsaken robe looking like he was trying to come up with a plan, Tara sat at the kitchen table with a ice pack to her head and Marissa was at the sink, cleaning her knife off with bleach. It didn't take long for Gemma to put the pieces together.

"So does anyone know what we are supposed to do with the body? I'm skillful in a lot of shit but grave digging has never been my specialty." Marissa quipped, suddenly exhausted now that her adrenaline was wearing off.

"I didn't do anything." Tara stated and Marissa found herself pissed the hell off. She turned from the sink as she glared at her best friend.

"You let her go after I specifically said not to. Do you think the bitch was tied up for the shits and giggles of it? She was going to turn Gemma in, cash in on some fucking reward and if that bitch would have escaped, she would have mentioned ALL of us. That includes the pretty little brunette who let her go. We are all accessories to this shit, so don't give me this 'I didn't do anything bullshit', Tara." Tig placed a hand on Marissa's shoulders.

"Okay, everyone calm down. I know a guy."

"What guy?" Gemma asked.

"There is a cleaner in Crescent City named Bachman. He can come in; fix the problem and no one will be the wiser."

"How much is he going to cost?" Tig shrugged. Marissa reached in her purse and pulled a wad of cash out from a side pocket.

"Here's five grand. See if you can get in touch with him."

"Tell him that he can also take anything he wants from the house." Gemma offered. Tig nodded as he left the room to grab his cell phone and make a few calls. Marissa continued to glare at Tara before shaking her head. She hugged Gemma tightly for a few moments.

"I need to head back. If you need anything, make sure to have Tig call me." Marissa turned towards Tara. "Since the danger has been taken care of, I'm assuming you can take care of things here." Marissa didn't even try to hide her distain as she walked out of the house, ignoring Tara's pleas to come back.