A/N - Oh, how a lovely night can descend into a complete and utter mess...! Jax is up to no good, and it's getting really bad. Start getting your ideas for comeuppance in on a postcard, kids, because it's gonna hurt like hell when it happens...!

"You were right."

Nina winked one eye open as she stood crushed against Chibs' chest as they leaned against her car in the darkness. Chibs motioned behind him through the window to Emily, who lay, passed out with exhaustion, in her little car seat. Her feet were splayed disgracefully in both directions and her snores, small as they were, could be heard even through the closed door. Nina couldn't help but laugh at her daughter and Chibs squeezed her tighter. Her giggle echoed through the silent park as he drew her against him and lifted her, turning her around as he seated her on the bonnet and pushed her legs apart to press his torso to her.

"So what happens now?" Nina asked softly. Her hands rested on the buckle of Chibs' belt, he growled as he thought on what he really might like to do. He allowed his fingertips to sneak up her thigh and Nina tapped them away. "Not like that. I meant with us."

"Me too," Chibs teased as he tried again but she knocked him back a second time. He pouted petulantly and pressed a possessive kiss on her mouth instead, holding the arch of her lower back so she couldn't get too far from him. Nina tugged at the collar of his shirt as their tongues pushed together and she ran her fingers into his hair as they separated.

"Seriously, though," she whispered. "Does it all, you know, fall back into place? Us?"

Chibs rested his hands on her knees gently and tickled behind her legs to try and relax her. "I know you need to trust me, Nina. I swear, forget everything bad that happened. You and me, it's plain sailing, all of that shite is done." He sucked on her lower lip playfully. "Come on, I can even take you to the clubhouse right now. Guest of honour."

Nina gave Chibs a smack and he grinned, whisking her up and spinning her around before allowing her to slip down his body. He squeezed her ass as he dropped her down and pulled the car door open for her. She gave him an innocent kiss as she slipped into her seat and Chibs jogged around the car to drive.

It didn't take them long back to the club but what they saw did not fill either of them with hope for a good end to the evening. Half a dozen police cars were out on the front, and Chibs felt his heart sink.

"Shite." He glanced behind him at Emily. "I need you to get out of here, get straight home. I'll send one of the boys to you as soon as I can. Just go."

Nina ran her hand over his cheek. "Is everything okay?" Chibs was sure it wasn't, cops on a drug run night only meant one thing, they had been caught. He smiled and toyed with her hair.

"Of course," he said. "It'll all be fine, love. Get back to Tig's, someone'll be with you in fifteen, max."

He slipped out of the car and watched as Nina clambered over to the other side and drove away. He sighed, running his hands through his hair, and paced up the lot. Bobby caught up with him quickly, whispering in a low voice.

"Shit's hit the fan, brother." He looked panicked. "Roosevelt pulled over the van. Snap decision made Jax load differently, it's just a bit but Tig's got possession priors coming out of his ass. He's gonna get time."

Chibs couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Jesus Christ, I leave you guys for a few hours. Did we deliver?" Bobby nodded. "At least we've got that."

"They're going to question you, where you've been," Bobby informed him. "Clay's being held, Lowen can get him out but they haven't even set bail on Tig."

Chibs nodded slowly and patted Bobby's arm. "Get someone to Tig's, have them stay with Nina and the girl."

Bobby moved away and went to task Happy with that particular job. Happy set off in an instant as Chibs came into the club to see Juice, Jax, Rat and Quinn all conferring quietly. The prospect, Snag, was running beers across to them. Jax stood instantly and offered Chibs his hand.

"We got lucky, brother," he said. "Just had this bad feeling, had everything switched. Idiot prospect left one block behind," he added, tossing an empty bottle at the kid. Snag ducked behind the bar and grabbed a brush to clean up the broken glass.

"Did they know?" Chibs asked, rubbing his jaw. Jax shook his head.

"Didn't get a chance to tell them. Cops got between us before Juice joined the tail. It's bullshit." Jax put his hands in his pockets. "They're keeping them separate, talk about holding Tig at Stockton."

"On his own?" Chibs looked mortified. "That's bullshite, he can't go in there with no protection."

Jax shrugged. "Ope did five alone."

"Things have changed." Chibs pinched his nose. "Pope won't get us protection for Tig, if anything he'll isolate him and kill him. He can't go to county." He thought about it for a moment. "I'll reach out to Nero, Alvarez, see if we can get some brown support."

The others nodded. Jax tried to hide his smile, this was all falling into place. He patted Chibs' arm as he walked away and headed out to his bike. He had a meeting to make and he wasn't about to be late.

Galen stood, fiddling with his shirt sleeves as he waited impatiently for Jax. His cohort of Irishmen were all mucking about as they passed the time, but the second they heard the Harley in the distance, they fell into line.

Jax climbed off his bike and tossed his helmet down on the seat. He held out his hand to Galen, who shook it with a morbid sense of curiosity as he saw the Vice President alone.

"Just you?" he frowned. "What are you up to, Jackson?"

"Just clearing up some loose ends," Jax shrugged with a cool smile. "You know me, I like to make sure things are tidy."

"You like to make sure you're in top," Galen corrected. He laughed as he looked around at the others. "Don't worry, I do too. No Chibs tonight?"

Jax motioned for Galen to take a step away with him. Galen nodded to the others as he paced away with Jax, and Jax leaned close as he lit a cigarette and paused just far enough away that they could no longer be heard.

"You and me have always been straight with each other," he said quietly. "Trade between Sons and IRA was always good when we worked together."

"Aye," Galen nodded. "It's slower now but the traffic's still steady."

"I want to increase it," Jax said. "All of it. But that's my choice, not Chibs'. I got a deal on the table, channeling more hardware through black distribution. But it's my deal, not his." He smiled. "More money, and lots of it. Fund your cause, the Kings'll love it."

Galen nodded slowly. "What do you need?"

Jax smiled, these Irish pricks were always eating out of his hand when mentioned their damn cause. "There's this girl, Nina Padilla. Latina, an OG's kid, hooked up with Chibs. Has a daughter, thought you could maybe show her your neck of the woods for a while."

Galen laughed at that. "Aye, we are good at that, as you know." Jax felt the bile burn in his stomach, losing Abel had almost killed him but he didn't care to spare Nina the same pain.

"Take her for a couple of weeks, then demand Chibs steps down in exchange for her return. You want to restore the old order, deal with me." He took a drag. "No way Chibs won't do it."

"Any untoward distractions?" Galen asked with a frown. "Kid's father?"

"Stockton," Jax answered bluntly. "Won't be out until she's back, he won't be a problem. The OG's in St Thomas, won't be an issue." He extended his hand to Galen. "We can all win here. You know as well as I do Chibs is much better in the ranks than at the head."

Galen pulled a face and then nodded, shaking Jax's hand. "Where's the girl? Got a plane on its way back tonight. I can take her."

"Tig Trager's," Jax said. He scribbled the address on a piece of paper from his pocket. "The Mom is an easy target, pretty little thing. Easy enough to knock out." He smirked. "I've done it before."

Galen nodded and handed the paper over to Connor with a low, whispered message. Connor grinned and motioned for a couple of the lads to leave with him. Jax watched them go and Galen looked at him for a long moment.

"You missing that patch that much, boy?" he asked. Jax smirked as he finished his cigarette and walked back towards his bike, flicking the butt away.

"Like you wouldn't believe."