"Go to the clubhouse, get something to eat," Gemma urged, watching Regan pace. Since Chibs was admitted the woman hadn't stopped pacing the waiting room.
"Regan. He's not going to wake up anytime soon. Go get a shower, eat, check on the guys. Just go take a break," Tara continued to urge her.
All Regan wanted was to sit at her Uncle's side and wait. The women were right, though, she needed a break from the hospital. So, with a nod, Regan took her bag and went home. The shower was much needed, as was the lunch she had made up for herself before she made a few sandwiches for the guys that she figured would be at the clubhouse and left her home.
Her eyes fell on the van still smoldering in the lot, heels clicking softly on the asphalt. Just as she passed the mess, an Irish tilt caught her ear. Clay was talking to a young Irishman about shipment or something like that before the voice dawned on Regan just who it was.
"Eddie?" she breathed, gasping when he turned around to face her, her eyes dragging along the man she had once been friends with. Edmond frowned, realization washing over his face when she lifted her sunglasses to perch on the top of her head.
"Jesus Christ, Mini?!" He shook his head, stepping forward a bit until Clay snapped something.
"Great!" the Presidents voice was booming with annoyance. "A reunion, just what we fuckin' need."
Regan frowned at Clay, turning to Eddie quickly and scribbling something down on a piece of paper. "Here. Be there. 30 minutes. Don't. Tell. Anyone."
Edmond nodded, exchanging a few more words with Clay before the IRA dealer left. As Re turned back to Clay, he was going off about cleaning the crap up while Unser went to go move his guys.
"You! What was that?!" Clay pointed at Regan, getting up in her face a bit more than she approved.
One thing Regan didn't approve of or tolerate was people in her face. Stepping up to meet Clay, her jaw set tightly and even flexed a few times as she kept a hold on her anger.
"Eddie's a friend, Camy a cousin. Grew up-"
"Yeah, well now you're gettin into our business with that shit-"
"Ah ain't gettin' into no one's business except for me own! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to go check on me Uncle and possibly see an ol' friend."
"Who's related to our business." Clay leaned forward and pointed at his chest.
Re's anger flared and she couldn't keep her mouth shut any longer.
"Ain't givin a shite about ya business, Clay! That's yer club's business, I'm a club lady and that's it! I will NEVER get involved in club bullshet. Step down off ya migh'y powah trip and go handle ya business like the President you are. I ain't gonna do nothin' ta jeopardize you or anyone else in this club. Ya forget where Ah was raised."
A tense moment passed between them as Clay seemed to mull her words over. Stepping back, he barked off a few more orders before leaving. Regan eyed Juice before rushing over to her Jeep and rushing home.
Edmond was witing for her in hte shade of the tree in front of her home, back face the street so he wasn't easily seen. Nothing was said between them until they were in her living room having somewhat of a silent stand off. Edmond reached forward suddenly and just hugged her suddenly, tightly to his chest, crushing the breath from her lungs.
"Oh my God, Re. How are ya alive?! The hell ya been!?" his voice was deeper than she remembered but at the same time, sounded the same to him.
Regan looked up at the Hayes boy, studying his features with a sigh. Could she trust him? Could she believe Eddie would put friendship before business? Before Jimmy? Considering he had always kept their secrets before, there was no reason for her to think he wasn't trustworthy now.
"Eddie. Ya can't tell anyone. No' a soul, no' even ya Da," she shook her head, hands holding onto his upper arms. "Jimmy can no' know I'm here or tha' I'm alive."
"Mini..." Edmond frowned, obviously disappointed in what she was suggesting. "I won't tell a soul, ya know tha'! Shite, it was me Da who helped ya ou'a Ireland. Go' ya a plane ticket. We just thought you were...gone."
"I've been bouncin' around the states, making my was here. I got here about five months ago or somethin' like tha'." She paused, attempting to think through what she was having to say to Eddie. "When did ya start in the guns ovah here?"
Edmond moved to sit down on the couch, Regan getting them drinks before sitting on her chair.
"Well. Da took ovah awhile ago and he brought me in no' long after. Been runnin' with him back and forth from Dungloe."
"Oh, Eddie," she sighed with a deep frown. A part of her knew he had, in a way, been forced into working the IRA trade, but now he was more than likely enjoying it. That saddened her quite a lot, especially because she hadn't been there to talk him out of doing the work for his Dad or the IRA. It sort of surprised her that Cameron Hayes had pulled his son into the business but at the same time, the man was so dedicated to supporting the cause that he was going to make sure anyone who could better the cause would be utilized.
Eddie shook his head some, looking down at the mug in his hands.
"I couldn't get out, Regan but...it's for a greater cause."
Oh Lord he had sounded just like his Dad there, justifying blood baths by claiming a 'greater cause'. No war had been won with their cause, just precious lives lost. Edmond knew her stance on the IRA and just what they could do with their beloved cause. Instead of fighting with her lost friend, Re decided to play catch up.
"How's Mau? Trinny? The boys?" Regan didn't want to ask about Padraic, she wasn't sure her heart could handle it.
The question brought a smile to Edmond's face, "Maureen and Trinny are fine. Mau's still a bitch. Trinny's gettin just like her. The boys are well...the boys. I don't get to see them much though."
Regan smiled since the rowdy Belfast men never seemed to change their ways. They were always beating the shit out of one another or playing some kind of roulette. Roulette was always an interesting thing to watch them play, and always funny. Damn, she she missed them.
"Padraic?" she suddenly blurted out, looking up at Edmond. "The truth, Eddie."
Edmond stared at her for a long moment before gathering his thoughts enough to speak. He knew Regan wasn't going to enjoy this, she could see that on his face.
"He's good, Regan. Has really come into bein' a son," he nodded, the look of pride on Regan's face saying he had given her some of what she wanted to hear, but he knew there was more she wanted. "There's a girl, yeah. Been datin' her for a year just about. First one since ya left."
Regan looked down at her shaking hands, slowly sliding the ring around her finger, hiding her sadness.
"Is he happy?"
"As happy as he can be. No one will ever hold up to you, Regan. You know that."
She smiled at that, being able to be content as long as Padraic was happy.
"Good, I can live with it as long as he's happy."
Edmond smiled at his friend, standing from his seat.
"I've gotta go, Mini. I'm glad you're doin okay. No one will know, a'right? You're my secret."
Re nodded, sending Edmond on his way before deciding to go back to the hospital.
Anything to keep her mind off of Padraic. It was rather hard to get over your first love, even if it had been years since she had seen him. Knowing he was happy was the only reason she hadn't started crying or getting or getting upset over it. More than she was anyway.
The hospital was busy for mid-afternoon. Regan stepped around a doctor in too much of a hurry and not looking, which caused her to nearly run into an opening door and the bounce into a rather heavy-set woman who wasn't pleased that someone ran into her.
"Sorry," she managed before Gemma came into view. "Hi, Gemma."
"Hey baby, back so soon?"
"Yeah," Regan laughed a bit. "Can't stay away."
The pair shared a laugh as they pushed into her Uncle's room before stopping short when the sight of Fiona Larkin perched on a chair caught their attention. Re stepped closer, heel clicking softly before the pair hugged tightly.
"Aun' Fi..." Re breathed but Gemma's voice broke them apart.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
Regan looked between the women, not listening until Tara came in. The doctor seemed confused for a moment before her training kicked in.
"I'm sorry, this is for family only-"
"She is family," Gemma sighed and Regan shook her head. "She's his wife."
Tara lifted an eyebrow in curiosity, looking between the two.
"Aun' Fiona's in from Irelan'."
Fiona gave Regan a look that made her shutup, and internally shrivel up.
"Well..."
"I was jus' leavin'. Regan, we need to talk." Fiona didn't have to say anymore, Regan gave her the address before the woman stopped to cup Regan's chin lightly.
"Bain usáid as do chuid focal, grá, agus a choinneáil shúile ar oscailt."
Swallowing before nodding, Regan knew the second part of her statement was a warning. Someone was here, an undesirable, and Regan had to be careful. Following the remaining two women into the hallway, Regan heard Gemma say something about fearing Fiona and she shook her head.
"She'll be tha last o' our worries..."
Tara and Gemma both looked at Regan, then to one another, then back again.
"Agus a choinneáil shúile ar oscailt..." Re looked at the women with a sigh. "Means 'Keep your eyes open'. Used it in Ireland...meant daner was close by or someone we didn't want to see us was in range. Aun' Fi just gave me a warnin..."
The knock on the wall was unexpected and made Re nearly jump off the couch. Of course, none other than Fiona Larkinstood above Regan's head, looking down upon her unofficial GodDaughter. It made Re think of a time when Fiona had picked Regan up...
. . .
"Child, why are ya laying on tha dirty ground?!" Fiona scolded, bent over a giggling six year old Regan. "Look a' ya, Re! Your dress is all dir'y!"
Fiona held Regan in front of her, the tot squealing and grabbing hold of the purple skirt, flapping it a bit.
"Aun' Fi! I p'ayed in tha san' an' dere was a bufferfly!" she giggled sweetly, and all Fiona did was scoff.
"Lets go ge' ya clean..."
. . .
Regan sighed as she sat across from Fiona, staring at her Aunt. It had been seven, maybe eight years sinceshe had seen this woman and the last place Re had thought Fiona would be was in Charming.
"Regan Aislin, what in God's name are you doin' in Charmin'?! Ya were runnin' away from this shite an' now you're in tha middle of it! Charmin gets their guns from-"
"Jimmy. Ah know. Uncle Fil tol' me." Regan sighed, leaning her arms on the table, hands folding together. "Jimmy is here, Aun' Fiona. An' you bein' here, only makes i' worse."
Fiona seemed to take offense to that, her eyes deceiving her characteristically stoney appearance. In the tense moment that followed, Regan never faltered in her gaze. Long ago Fiona had taught her how to keep a straight face and aboutabout now, the woman was probably regretting that lesson.
"Aun' Fi. You were takin' by Jimmy. Uncle Fil left because of Jimmy an' ya came to Charmin' in a dangerous time. Ya led Jimmy righ' ta the shet."
Fi sat back with a hard sigh as Re stated the absolute truth, the hard truth. What Fiona didn't like was the smug look that crossed Regan's face quickly.
"Regan McElvy, don't you get cocky on me. Listen up," Fi leaned forward. "I'll be leavin' tomorrow mornin'. But you need to be careful. You're no' protected here, not enough protection. These men are dangerous."
"Like I had protection in Ireland?!" she snapped angrily, shaking her head at her Aunt. "Ah know, Aun' Fi. I worked for them-"
Fiona shook her head.
"Worse than they were, Regan," she sighed and stood, taking Regan's face in her hands. "I love ya, Mini. Stay safe." Fiona pressed a kiss to Regan's forehead before stepping out of the house.
Leaning her arms on the table, Re took a deep shaky breath while thinking over all that Fiona had just said. And suggesting. A shit storm was brewing between the Irish and SAMCRO, one that was going to hurt everyone involved and then some.
Notes: Hey guys, I'm sorry this took so long! Work picked up quite a bit! Thanks for reading, subbing, and reviewing!
Bain usáid as do chuid focal, grá, agus a choinneáil shúile ar oscailt - Use your words, love, and keep your eyes open.
