Chibs woke to the sound of the apartment door closing and hushed voices. He listened for a minute and then identified the voice other than Aoife's – Gemma. As he listened, Gemma spoke. "Nice work you did with the cops. Unser told me that if it hadn't been for the roses and book of Scottish poetry on the doorstep, he would have bought your story hook, line, and sinker."

Chibs could tell from the sound of her voice that Aoife had shrugged. "I didn't know Chibs had them when he got here. Otherwise I would have taken care of that little detail."

"Wouldn't worry too much about it, baby girl. You can trust Unser to keep his mouth shut most of the time. Hale's the one you have to watch out for, and from the way he was talking when I ran into him in the grocery store, he doesn't suspect a thing. He was worried about how having to shoot a man was going to affect a pretty little thing like you. You must have really charmed him." There was a pause. "Probably doesn't hurt that you have a nice rack." A smile played across Chibs' features. Classic Gemma, right there. He hoped that Aoife wasn't too offended. There were a few more words, too low for Chibs to hear, and then Gemma's heels clicked on the hardwood floor and her voice was outside the door. "

"He was sleeping when I checked on him just before you got here," Aoife cautioned. Chibs closed his eyes. Aoife had to learn to deal with Gemma to be with him, and he wanted to give her a chance to assert herself with the older woman on home turf. If he made his consciousness known, it would change the playing field. He heard Aoife step in front of Gemma, and peeking through his eyelids, he realized she was blocking Gemma's way. "I don't want you to disturb him." The two women stared one another down, both standing with their arms crossed in the doorway.

Finally, Gemma relented - somewhat. "Look, Mama Bear, I will be quiet as a little mouse, but I'm not leaving until I see Chibs." Aoife stood in her way another minute longer before stepping aside to let Gemma in the room. Gemma put a duffel bag on the dresser and then pulled the chair from the vanity over next to the bed. She put her hand over Chibs'. "You fixed him up pretty good," Gemma said in a hushed tone.

"You're welcome," Aoife said. Chibs hid a smile. Some people didn't understand that Gemma didn't use the words "thank you," but Aoife seemed to have already figured it out. That exchange diffused the tension. "Would you like some coffee or tea?"

"Just some water, baby girl." Chibs heard Aoife leave the room. "Ok, Chibs, you can stop playing possum now," Gemma said with a smirk. "I'm not fooled, and I don't think your nursemaid is either."

Chibs opened his eyes and gave Gemma a grin. "I didn't want to interrupt the pissing contest."

"No, you wanted to witness it," Gemma corrected him. "Well, it's over for now." Gemma glanced over her shoulder in the direction of the kitchen. "You always did have a thing for spitfires. She's tougher than she looks."

"Aye," Chibs agreed. He struggled into a sitting position.

"So how are you feeling, baby?" Gemma asked.

"Sore. Hungry. Still a little weak."

"He lost a lot of blood," Aoife added from the doorway. She carried a tray with a glass of ice water and two steaming mugs of tea. "You're going to feel weak for a few days, sweetheart." She put tea tray down on the nightstand.

"Stay home tomorrow," Gemma instructed. "I'll split your jobs between Tig, Juice, and the Prospect."

"Gemma, I'll be fine," Chibs protested.

"You haven't taken a sick day in five years, Chibs. You're taking one. It's your choice whether you take one the hard way or the easy way."

Aoife snickered. "I don't mean to interrupt, but I'm really curious. How does one take a sick day the hard way?"

"That's when this Scottish fool shows up for work tomorrow and I have the other guys at the garage bodily carry him to his room and tie him to his bed." Gemma sipped her water. "Not that I think Chibs has an aversion to being tied to the bed, but he'd prefer if Juice and Tig weren't the ones doing it." Chibs choked on his tea. "Maybe you could find out since the coffee shop will be closed tomorrow," Gemma added with a wink, and both Chibs' and Aoife's faces went red. Then Gemma's cell phone rang, and she answered it. She murmured in agreement a few times and then ended her call. "Ok, baby, I've got to go. Jax needs me. You need anything; you don't hesitate to call. Gemma leaned over to give Chibs a kiss on the cheek and receive one in return. She put her purse over her shoulder and then turned to Aoife. "Walk me out?"

"Thank you for bringing Chibs' things over," Aoife said when they reached the door.

"Are you in this for the long haul?" Gemma asked suddenly.

"I've only known him a few weeks. But he's definitely something special." Chibs wondered if Aoife knew how well sound carried in her apartment.

"He's a complicated man," Gemma said.

"I'm a complicated woman," Aoife countered. "Uncomplicated people are boring."

"And the club? Can you handle that he's a Son?" Gemma challenged.

Aoife had heard a fair bit about the Sons of Anarchy in the past few weeks waiting tables at the shop. A lot of people treated her apron like an invisibility cloak – if she was wearing it, they couldn't be bothered to notice her. Most conversations about the MC were thinly veiled speculation, but there were some common threads. Everyone was pretty certain the Sons were involved in criminal activity, but no one seemed to be quite sure what that was. And people generally respected them, even if they didn't like them, because the Sons kept drug dealers and other criminal elements from gaining a foothold in Charming. "I don't know much about the club," Aoife answered evasively.

"I'm giving you a friendly piece of advice, sweetheart. You love the man; you learn to love the club." Chibs had heard Gemma use those same words with at least two dozen women over the years. Most of them never learned to love the club and, in turn, left the man. Chibs growled in his head at Gemma. Jesus, why was she bringing this up so soon? It had only been six hours since he'd convinced Aoife he wasn't an IRA assassin here to kill her. Discussing love seemed like jumping the gun. Was she trying to scare Aoife off? "If you can't, this whole thing – it doesn't work. You might as well walk away from Chibs now and save you both the heartache."

"I think I can learn," Aoife replied, her voice defiant. "But aren't we rushing things a little asking me if I can love the club when I don't even know if I love him?"

"I don't know that I am. I don't usually have this conversation so early, but you're the one who already lied to the cops for him and has him recovering in your bed from a knife wound he got protecting your ass. How uncertain are you really, baby girl?" Gemma replied. Chibs suspected Aoife said something after that, but he couldn't hear it. "Sunday night is what we call a family dinner. The entire club is invited, and they bring their wives or girlfriends and their kids. Be there at six."

Once Gemma left, Aoife didn't come back into the bedroom right away. Chibs heard the clatter of dishes and then she came into the room with a microwave TV dinner. "I heard you tell Gemma you were hungry again. It's just a microwave dinner. Sorry it's not fancier."

"I'm no gourmet, lass." He patted the spot next to him on the bed. "I'd sure like it if you'd sit down beside me." Once Aoife had settled in, he spoke between bites. "Sorry about Gemma. I should have warned you. She's a damn freight train."

"She's not so bad. She reminds me of Aunt Rois."

Chibs remembered something from the conversation that surprised him. "Why did Gemma say your shop would be closed tomorrow?"

"Oh, aye. The cleaners that the Chief recommended were busy, so Gemma put me in touch with someone she recommended. They couldn't be here until tomorrow, so I guess I have a day off. I already called Della off, even if I did have to give her the day with pay to do it. I don't even know what I'm going to do with myself. I haven't had a day off since I moved here."

Chibs bit his lip. Gemma had hinted at it, but Aoife hadn't commented. "Since I have the day off tomorrow and you have a free day tomorrow, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to spend the day together?" He fumbled for his words, feeling like a teenage boy asking a girl to a dance.

"Chibs, are you asking me out on a date?" Aoife asked, smiling from ear to ear.

Chibs' face colored a little. He was not a blushing man, but Aoife was changing all the rules he thought he knew about his heart. "Aye. I think I am. I haven't been on a date in about 20 years, so I'm pretty rusty at it, but I can't think of anyone I'd rather spend tomorrow with."

Aoife blushed back, and Chibs felt less self-conscious. "Okay, I will go on a date with you on two conditions."

"And those are, my lovely?"

"Number one is we need to go see Aunt Rois tomorrow. I want her to meet you, and I don't know how much time she has left. Number two is that you have to take it easy. We're taking my car. No bikes."

Chibs tried to hide his surprise. She wanted him to meet her aunt. He had heard a lot of Aunt Rois stories in the preceding weeks, and he didn't think there was anyone alive in the world Aoife loved more, including her own mother. And she wanted to make sure her aunt met him before she died. Chibs heart soared. "Your wish is my command, lass," he whispered as he placed another sweet kiss on her lips.