Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

-W. Shakespeare

Before…

Tig didn't open his eyes when he felt the growing urgency in his groin. He reached under the sheet that covered his lower body and tried to squeeze away the tension that had started to build there. After a moment he felt himself relax that is until he felt movement next to him. His first glance after opening his eyes was of the slender curve of Venus' bare back. Her hair was draped over the pillow her head rested on giving him perfect access to the nape of her neck. He had kissed, nuzzled and bitten that very neck some hours before.

He grinned and moved towards his beauty, bringing an arm around that waist he loved so much he saw something; something that reminded him that as much as he wanted to feel normal and to have what was considered normalcy…it just didn't fit into his crazy world. Shaken, he swallowed hard, pulled his arm away and slowly slipped out of bed. Thankfully Venus didn't stir as he moved about the bedroom picking up his discarded clothing. With one last look back at her he fled the room and headed for the bathroom.

Once the door was closed he dropped his clothes and fell back heavy against it, rubbing the stress from his temples. Another new sun and for the first time since he and Venus had become whatever they were, he hated the morning. No, it wasn't the morning he hated; it was himself. Last night had been something he yearned after for months and in the moment he reveled in it. Every kiss, every touch had been lovingly given...something that he never even gave his ex-wife Coleen.

Emotion never played a part in his dalliances with past lovers. He learned early on not to love too hard, to never get attached; because everything he loved he lost. And with each loss a part of him crashed and burned. Tig's life didn't allow room for such happiness. His love for his club was the only thing that stood the test of time and even that love had been betrayed several times and cost him his baby girl.

He sank to the floor and hung his head; 'You can't feel this, man…you can't!' He pleaded with his heart. His mind went back to what he saw when he looked on her that morning. It wasn't actually what he saw but what he felt when he looked at her. Love…pure and unyielding love; to any other man this might be something to celebrate but Tig wasn't just any man. He was a Man of Mayhem, a Son, a bad guy and bad guys they didn't get happy endings.

Only misery, loneliness, and death; the moment the Reaper was placed on his back his fortune was foretold. Death surrounded him though never touching him only his enemies and those he loved. He couldn't love Venus because death would come swiftly for her just like it had Dawn, just like Amy and their unborn child, just…like…Teresa. Tig knew what he had to do, he had to end it; he knew she would hate him especially after what they had shared but it was better that she was alive and hating him than to love and die because of him.

There he had made up his mind; coming to terms with his decision he stood and walked to the shower and turned the glass knobs. He bathed quickly and was pulling on his pants when there was a knock at the door. He grabbed his shirt and placed a hand on the door knob. He knew he couldn't look at her; he might falter from his resolution. He quickly opened the door made a flimsy apology for taking so long and eased pass her and headed back to the bedroom…he needed a drink if he was to get through the morning.