So here's the next chapter, sorry it took me so long to upload computer crashed but it's fixed now (thanks god ;) lol) big thank you to all those who reviewed the last chapter :D I appreciate your feedback, and this will probz be the last update until the New Year so I hope you enjoy it xo

Chapter 10

Dinner was a quiet and awkward event. After everyone had gathered around the three pick nick tables that had been covered with food by the women no one seemed to be in any mood to be social. Even though everyone seemed to be eating, to me it seemed as if everyone was just going through the motions rather than savouring anything they were eating. As I ate I noticed how that every so often one of my brothers, Gemma or even on one occasion Tara would quickly glance over at Claire as she ate with a look of worry, while the sympathy swirled in their eyes was also obvious.

"I promise ya' the next person to stare at me is gona' get shot," Claire spoke rather coldly all of a sudden, even surprising me as I hadn't realised she had noticed the stares she was getting. As Claire answered she never looked up from the plate of food that was sitting in front of her, instead she pushed the food around her plate with her fork. At Claire's words I watched with a smirk as Chib's and Tig started to choke on the food they had just swallowed, serves then right for staring at her, I thought possessively.

"Shit," Tig muttered as he tried to take a drink from his beer in order to try and break up his coughing fit, "You have eyes on the top of your head or something kid? Next time warn a guy!"

"Nope," Claire answered plainly before she finally stopped playing with her food and threw down her knife and fork and looked up at the entire table. "I just hate the feeling of everyone's eyes burning into my head, makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end." Claire spoke directly at Tig but everyone knew that they were included in her outburst and that it was only because she had caught Tig that she was taking out her anger on him. I watched as Claire gave a slight shrug of her shoulders at the questioning look Tig threw her after she finished speaking.

"Yeo! We need to start moving out," Koz yelled out causing all of us to look up at him as he came running out through the doors of the club house.

"Why? What happened?" Claire asked standing instantly from her seat and waiting for Koz to close the gap between them and start talking to her.

"Just got a call from Fish, he's sitting up there at the border line, he's being look out." Koz paused in his explanation to talk a deep breath, fucker needs to stop chain smoking if he can't even run ten metres, I mentally growled to myself slowly losing my temper. "Jimmy and his boys just showed up, they've parked up their cars and they don't look like they'll be moving anytime soon." Even though Claire and Koz stood a few metres away from the rest of us at the tables we were all still able to hear them clearly as they spoke.

"Fuck! Fuck! He ain't meant to be there for another half an hour! Shite!" At Claire's words, I flicked my gaze up to lock it with Clay's and with a tight nod from me he began to talk.

"We leave in five minutes," Everyone turned to look at Clay as he spoke, all the women were wearing the same worried look on their faces while my brothers all wore solid masks that hid any chance of letting me see what they were feeling. Bet they're not feeling as shitty as you are, my mind said starkly and I had to agree. My stomach felt like a lead weight was sitting in it, my throat felt like sand paper and my chest seemed to be tightening more and more with every passing second. "All of you grab your shit and get ready to ride out." At Clay's order every brother sitting around the tables stood immediately, some kissing their women as they stood to leave while some simply gave their woman a nod as they went to gather their stuff.

"Happy," At the sound of my name I turned round and as I looked over I saw that it had been Tig who was speaking to me. "Claire's in the clubhouse, go talk to her." Tig was already walking towards his bike when his words sank in. Tig showing care towards someone rarely happened except for his girls so the fact that he had noticed Claire caused dread to seep through me. I gave a quick nod in his direction as a thank you for the heads up before looking around the yard as I made my way towards the club house doors. Stepping into the club house I was greeted by the sight of Claire sitting alone on one of the stools in front of her, on the bar, two shot glasses were sitting, a bottle of Jack sat behind the two shot glasses.

"Is there a reason why you're setting up shots darling?" I asked gently, trying in vain to swallow the lump that had abruptly formed in my throat.

"Tradition," Even though Claire's words were blunt she spoke with a slight chuckle, but even to me it was hollow. Claire turned her stool slowly so she was looking at me before she spoke again, "Come over here, I'm gona' let ya' in on a secret. It's one of the only traditions my ma' actually approved of in this shitty MC life." I walked slowly over to the bar, feeling as though I was walking into the unknown and I'll be honest it scared me, I never did like being unprepared for things. Claire would be letting me into the past she had kept well under lock and keep, a past that only Chib's seemed to know about and I knew it was a big thing, for both of us that Claire was letting me in.

"You don't have to talk about your mother if you don't want to." My voice was gruff when I spoke but it couldn't be helped. I knew how hard it was to talk about mothers, epically dead ones, well you're definitely living proof of that one aren't you, my mind mused harshly.

"Nah," Claire said with a sigh as she shook her head at me, her accent deepening as her emotions became more and more hectic. From my new spot standing beside her it was obvious she was trying to hide her emotions from me, she isn't over her mini break down from earlier, I thought sadly. "Might as well start telling ya' 'bot myself seein' as you're gona' be stuck with me if we make it through this shite," At the negative tone in Claire's voice something within me snapped.

"You need to stop talking like that! And the sooner you do the better!" The growl in my voice was something I couldn't control but at the confused and saddened look that spread over Claire's face I softened my tone slightly, trying to control my rage as I continued, "Nothing is going to happen to you! I won't let it! I can't have anything happen to you Claire, do you understand that?"

"You can't promise me anythin' Hap' but thanks for tryin' lov'," She paused briefly but not long enough for me to argue back at her as she continued quickly, standing from her stool and pulling me closer to the bar in the same moment. "Back home us Northern Ireland lot lov' our whiskey," And as Claire spoke I noticed how a sweet smile appeared on her lips and the smile tugged at my heart. "My ma' was no different," Claire suddenly started chuckling softly, turning to me she explained her sudden chuckling outburst, "When I was little, my ma' used to put whiskey in my bottle to put me to sleep, always said I was born a night creature. When I got older and started learnin' 'bot SAMCRO and the club my ma', she taught me that whiskey was a drink not to be abused and that it could even turn the best of men cruel." Claire let out a deep sigh that seemed to rock through her whole body, looking away from me she lifted the bottle of Jack from the bar and started to fill both of the shot glasses in front of her. I was fighting against the instincts that boiled within me to wrap my arms around Claire and hold her tight to me, protect her from everything around her as she lifted the Jack bottle with shaking hands but I knew at that moment it wouldn't help the situation or Claire in anyway so I restrained myself, even though it wasn't easy for me to fight against the instincts that I lived by. "I couldn't find any Bushmills but Jack'll do," Claire said as she flashed me a small smile before she continued, "My ma' said that the taking of a life was one of the worst things a human being could ever do, yet that if it was for the protection of those ya' loved then god should forgive ya'." She paused again as she handed me one of the shot glasses now filled to the brim with the amber coloured liquid before she lifted her own. "There's a good chance I'm gona' be killing a good few people in the next couple of days, same for you I'm guessin' but the tradition my ma' taught me was always salute your dead and those ya' kill by your own hands with a shot of whiskey. She always said the burn was there to remind you that the loss of a life is never easy whether it be natural or at otherwise." Tears were streaming freely down Claire's face as she spoke and her voice with raspy and even though I was never one to show emotion, I could feel the tell tale signs of tears starting to prick their way to the surface of my own eyes. "To dead, both our own and those we choose to get rid off." With Claire's simple words said she threw back her own shot of whiskey and I followed her actions implicitly.

"So what do we do now," After a short silence had passed between us I spoke as I watched as I rolled the shot glass in my palm, not trusting myself to look up at Claire.

"We do what we gota' do and we don't think too much 'bot it." Claire's words might have been harsh and even though I couldn't find a fault with them I didn't think I would ever be able to follow them because contrary to what everyone, both within the club and out of it believed, I really did have a conscience.

"When we do this I'm not going to be able to stop thinking about you whether it's the right thing for me to do or not, if I don't know whether you're safe or not, and just so you know you aren't safe until you're with me, I'll always be worrying about you." As I spoke I lifted my head so I could look straight into Claire's eyes so she could see the honesty behind my words. Honesty had never been my best characteristic, it never really helped in my club business so I never saw I need to brush up on it but the longer I was with Claire the more it seemed right to be completely honest with her. An Old Lady can make or break a club, my mind pointed out, that's because they're a brother's weakness, the one person they can truly be themselves with, and to tell the truth to and not get judged because of it and their actions.

"You make it sound like I some kinda' bad omen," Claire spoke with a chuckle though I saw that it never reached her eyes, "I won't be able to forget 'bot ya' Hap' but that don't mean I'm gona' be this weak little girl. I gota' be a cold hearted bitch if I'm gona' pull this off. I have a job to do and I gota' do it right and if that means I need to pretend you don't exist for a while then so be it, I'm sorry lov' but that's the truth." I could see the pain in Claire's eyes as she spoke and I felt it as if it was my own.

"As long as you promise to remember I exist once this is over and you swear you'll be mine, I don't really give a shit about the stuff in the middle as long as you don't get hurt."This time the smile that spread over Claire's features was one that did reach her eyes and it warmed me to see it.

"Look at my big bad biker goin' all soft on me," Claire teased me and it was my turn to smile at her words, they might have been true, but she was the only one ever going to see this side of me so I could live with being less guarded around her.

"Tell anyone else and I'll have to kill you," I spoke with my best killa' face in place but the only response I got from Claire was a knowing smirk and I knew she saw straight through my facade.

"Whateva' ya' say killa'," Claire threw a wink at me as she pushed herself away from the bar and started towards the door of the club house. I watched over my shoulder as she paused on her way to the door to call to me, "Hap'," Claire's voice held an air of uncertainty as she turned slowly so that she was facing me, "If this all goes bad I just wana' say thanks, you didn't need to handle all my shite but ya' did anyway, so thanks." I never got to reply to Claire's words of gratitude as she was already walking out the doors of the club house before I even had a chance, hanging my head low I rested my weight against the bar on my forearms. My mind was swirling as it tried to process everything that had just happened, from Claire finally letting me in, even if it was only a little, to Claire's unexpected thank you. You could never just fall for a simple chick could you, my mind challenged. My answer was a resounding, fuck no. I liked a girl with a bit of bite to her, and Claire, well she had enough bite to drown in. Girl knew how the SAMCRO life was, had killed enough people for the club that I was seriously going to offer to tattoo a couple of smiley faces onto that perfect skin of hers yet she was still human enough to bring out the side of me that I thought I had a lost long ago.

"Yeo Hap' Clay says you need to get your ass out here now, direct quote, you're about to get the order to ride." The prospects voice brought me back to reality harshly, it was time. Letting out a short curse I shoved myself of off the bar and headed out into the lot, where I was greeted by the site of all my brothers that were present sitting waiting on their bikes, a black SUV sitting in the middle of them all. I watched as Claire threw her duffel into the boot of the SUV, closing it with a loud thud and how Gemma was walking across the lot, keys in hand only to watch as Gemma ended up sitting in the driver's seat of the SUV while Claire ended up in the sitting in the passenger seat.

"What the fuck is Gemma doing?" I growled at Clay as I stormed over to where he, Tig and Koz where standing.

"What?" Clay asked with a confused expression on his face.

"She's sitting in the driver's seat of the fucking SUV while Claire's in the passenger seat! What the fuck is going on?" I was tired of bullshit I wanted a clear answer for once.

"What does it look like asswhole, she's driving." Clay snapped back at me but I couldn't care to shits if he was pissed, even though some part of my mind tried to point out that Clay was probably freaking out as much as I was inside.

"I thought we didn't bring Old Lady's with us," I barked back at him, not caring how disrespectful I sounded.

"You're really going to question me on Old Lady's when that we shit of yours is the reason we're in this mess?" I snapped, Clay might be stressed but he owed Claire.

"You don't have the right to speak about Claire like that! Not after the way she's saved your ass! She deserves a hell of a lot more respect than that!" With that I lunged at him, the only reason he didn't end up being pummelled on the ground was because at the exact moment I went for him, two arms suddenly locked themselves tight around my waist.

"Happy, brother, calm the fuck down!" Chib's Scottish accent spoke gruffly at me as I continued to struggle in his hold, trying in vain to reach Clay. "And Clay, really, ya' know he's gota' point if Claire hears ya' talking 'bot her like that she'd rip ya' a new one before pointin' a few people ya' never wana' meet in your direction." I felt smug satisfaction wash threw me as Clay's face paled slightly and didn't bother hiding the smirk I knew was growing on my face. Shaking Chib's off me I turned to speak to Clay.

"Be grateful that she's helping us out, she could have easily run and left this behind her." I paused to glare hard at Clay, making sure he was listening, "She chose to stay and help this club! That deserves respect, respect at the moment you aren't showing enough of!"

"So this is what happens when a killa' finally finds an Old Lady," Clay snorted out, still missing the point and causing a growl to fall from between my clenched teeth, but it was Tig that spoke up against Clay.

"No that's what happens when you don't show the right amount of respect to someone this whole club it grateful to." Tig words were like a hard pill for Clay to swallow and I relished the look of pain Clay wore as he realised he'd lost. Clay never spoke just simply strode over to his bike and saddled up.

"Let's ride!" Clay ordered and the sound of bikes starting up filled the lot, followed quickly by the rumble of the SUV starting.

The ride to the Charming border would only take twenty minutes seeing as we only had to travel for one side of town to the other but the whole journey felt like an eternity to me. I felt numb the whole ride there, even though I should have been able to feel every dip in the road, every vibration of my bike, I couldn't. All I was focused on was that as soon as we arrived at the border I would have to let Claire go. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a possessive fucker but the thought of letting Claire go voluntarily to those assholes was making me feeling like I was about to be physically sick. As I glanced down and looked into the mirror of my bike I saw that the SUV was about five metres behind me, but I wasn't allowed the relief of knowing the Claire was even actually in there as I couldn't see through the blacked out windows. We were now on the last hundred metres of road that lead to the Charming border and I could just about make out the solid shadows of the Irish through the darkness. With one handle signal from Clay our convoy slowly came to a stop in front of where the Irish pricks had set themselves up. We had blocked up most of the road and I knew that this would have to be quick as someone was bound to notice us and call the cops.

"Glad ya' boys finally showed up," Jimmy said with an amused smile, I could feel the sneer that sat on my face at his words grow as he continued to speak, "I was worried ya' all weren't gona' show," His Irish accent called out across the road to us.

"You're an actual retard if ya' think we weren't gona' show." Claire's voice called back as the sound of the SUV door opening sounded throughout the silence.

"Now, now Claire, is all that name callin' really necessary," I heard the snort that Claire let out at Jimmy's words and couldn't help the small smile that it caused to pull at my lips for a few seconds before I quickly hid it.

"You're a bastard at least wear your title with a little bit a self respect," That's my girl, I thought proudly, but at the sound of the boot of the SUV opening and closing dread started to fill me. I felt like at that moment my life was on the brink of destruction and that my one hope of survival was walking into the obis, one that it wouldn't return from.

"Claire leaves with you and you leave Charming for good," Clay spoke as he rose off his bike, me, Tig and Koz doing the same thing.

"I promise ya' when Claire is safely with me, me and my men we'll leave your hick town," Jimmy spoke snidely.

"You're promises are worth shite Jimmy," Claire spoke as she came to stand between me and Clay, "Swear on somethin' that's actually worth shite to ya'." Claire's words made sense and they caused Jimmy to pause, his cocky expression faltering slightly.

"Aye," Chib's deep voice grumbled from where he sat on his bike, "Like the one thing ya' can't live without if ya' lost it." Chib's words confused me but from the small chuckle that came from Claire I knew that whatever Chib's was talking about must be of great importance to Jimmy.

"Aw Jimmy ya' ain't scared are ya'?" Claire's voice was sarcastic and cold and as I a looked at her quickly I saw the mask she had put up should how cold she could be.

"Fine," Jimmy rushed out as if it pained him to speak, "I swear to ya'." Looks like the rest of us are going to be left out of the Irish secret, my mind spoke accusingly.

"It's settled then you leave as soon as you get Claire?" I heard Clay speak but to be honest I wasn't paying him that much attention. The blood was hammering in my ears and my chest felt so tight that I feared that my heart would be crushed. The time had come.

"Aye," Jimmy's cocky voice was back in place again as he spoke, "Claire I'm waitin'." At Jimmy's words I turned to watch as Claire bent over to lift her duffel from off the ground. With a small nod at Clay she hefted her duffel high up on her shoulder and straightened herself as she made to walk across the gap between us and them. I felt my control over everything I had come to care about slipping and I pulled Claire to me not caring who saw my moment of true weakness. Crushing my lips to her I forced my tongue into her mouth, trying to memorise how she tasted as I pulled Claire hard to my body, trying to mould her body into mine, pulling myself away from Claire was the most painful thing I had ever done and as I looked into her eyes I finally spoke.

"Remember you're mine, don't let them break you. You are so much stronger than them Claire. Promise me you'll come back to me, I don't think I can be the same person I am at the moment if you don't." It was the closest thing I could ever give Claire to a declaration of love and as a single tear ran down the apple of her cheek she spoke.

"I promise ya' lov', I'll be back," And with that she ripped herself from my arms and crossed the distance to where Jimmy stood smirking at me. I stood there until the tail lights of the Irish trucks started to become faint and it was only the sound of Chib's deep accent that managed to pull me out of my darkening thoughts.

"We have a job to do brother, get your head in the game or you'll lose her for good." The thought of what life without Claire was enough to have be saddling my bike and preparing for whatever hell I had to go through to get my woman back.

So seeing as your all in the giving holiday spirit, review and let me know what you thought :) sorry if you find any errors and other than that have a great Christmas ^^ thanks for reading xo