"Shh… Mia… It's okay," Tara said quietly against my hair. "Just breathe in slowly through your nose and let it out just a slowly through your mouth. That should help to calm your tears a bit. Here… shh… It's going to be okay."

I took a couple of tissues out of Tara's hands to dab at the moisture leaking out of my eyes. As I continued the breathing exercises she described to me, my tears and breathing actually did start to slow down and calm down.

"There you go," Tara praised in a soft, motherly tone.

I completely forgot about dabbing gently at my eyes to try to save my makeup and just rubbed the Kleenex against my eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Tara. I really don't know what the hell has come over me."

Tara pulled out some paper towels and then let the cold water run for a few seconds before she let it cascade over the folded paper. While she wetted the compress down, she motioned with her chin towards the countertop, so I eased myself onto it and sat down.

"You don't need to apologize for the tears, it's completely normal."

She held my right cheek with her left hand so that she could start to wash my face. At first, I was going to complain that the paper towel was scratchy against my skin, but the coolness of it was very comforting. She must have known that the paper towel wasn't the best thing to use because she kept her touch as light and gentle as possible.

"Normal? Blubbering like a little bitch all over Lieutenant Roosevelt when he told me some good news is normal?"

"Absolutely. Here… Tilt your head back to keep this on your eyes, it'll help with the puffiness." I did as she instructed and only moved to reposition the cold cloth. "You see, what happened out there was just an adrenaline crash, which is more than expected after everything you've been through."

"Adrenaline crash?" I sked when she exchanged the cloth on my face with a new, colder one.

She manipulated it so that it molded itself against my eyes as she explained, "Even though you may not have noticed it, you've most likely been unconsciously stressing out about the possibility of charges being laid against you. Now that Roosevelt has told you the final resolution, your body is finally allowing itself to process everything and that can get overwhelming."

"And processing means I start crying?"

"Sometimes… because it can be overwhelming. In all honesty, there have been a few times that I've had a good cleansing cry after a prolonged surgery."

I pulled the cloth off my eyes so that I could see her face. "Shut up. You're lying."

She drew an invisible cross over her heart then held up two fingers in a solemn salute. "Scouts' honor. Like I said, it's just an unconscious reaction, no thought required." She took the wet paper towel out of my hand and placed it back over my eyes. She must have been able to tell that I wasn't completely calm yet because she squeezed my knee and said, "Take your time in here, Mia. I'm going to get you something to help to calm your nerves even more."

"Thanks, Tara, but…"

"Don't worry about your dad. I'll tell him you need a few minutes to yourself. Doctor's orders"

I laughed so hard at that that the paper towel fell off my face. I caught it before it could fall to the floor which made us both let out an uncomfortable chuckle. Our eyes met as I turned to rewet the paper towel and we shared a warm smile.

"Thank you, Tara. I really do appreciate everything that you've done for me."

"You are more than welcome, Mia. And I mean it… Take your time."

I don't know how long I sat on the countertop in the bathroom, but I think I might have actually fallen asleep for a little bit. The paper towel no longer felt cool against my skin, but I made no moves to remove it right away. I kept my head and back resting against the wall and just reveled in the feeling of tranquility that had washed over me as I remembered my pep talk with Tara and the reason that she had felt compelled to give it to me.

"Mia? Are…? Are you asleep?"

I couldn't help but to laugh at JC's timid sounding tone. "No, Baby, not anymore."

He moved silently to stand in front of me. The only way I knew that he was standing there was that he had gently pulled my knees apart so that he could stand in between them. To an outside observer it might have looked like he was making a move on me, but his touch was purely comforting and not the single bit sexual in any way.

That's when a thought hit me and it made me start to laugh again. When Tara said that she was going to get me something to help to calm my nerves, I thought that she was going to bring me something like a tumbler of Scotch or a shot of tequila. I never would have thought that would be sending my boyfriend to me to continue the work that she had started.

I felt him start to remove the drying paper towel from my eyes, so I threw my hand up to keep it over my eyes.

"Don't, JC," I quietly pleaded. "I must look disgustingly horrible after all of that crying."

He persisted and kept trying to remove the paper towel from my face saying, "I already told you, you look beautiful covered in grease from head to toe. I know you'll still be beautiful with all of your makeup washed off."

"JC," I tried to chastise him, but there was no heat in my tone.

He pulled my hips closer to the edge of the countertop so that he could kiss me. He used me being distracted by his lips as an opportunity to remove the paper towel and toss it into the trash can. Despite my previous protests, I did nothing to stop him. My attention had been quickly refocused on devouring his lips and tongue.

JC seemed absolutely content to just kiss and caress my hair with is hands, but that wasn't enough for me. My legs wrapped themselves around his waist to make she that he stayed as close to me as possible in this position. He kept his hands mostly on my neck and back. Mine didn't behave them quite as well as his did. Mine went to his belt as if there was some kind of magnetic pull between the two of them.

I managed to get his belt undone before he noticed what I was doing. "Mia," he cautioned with a hiss as he tried to still my hands.

"What?" I questioned innocently as I popped the button on his fly open. "Tara said that she'd run interference with Dad."

"Yeah, but…"

"But what?" I sat back so that he could see me pouting at him more easily. "Haven't you missed me?"

"Mia! Of course, I have! But, Baby…"

I maintained a wounded look in my eyes as I undid the clasp at the back of my neck to completely undo the top of my dress. The two straps that had been cover my chest fell down to my waist. His eyes widened and I had to force myself not to smile so that I could continue my plan.

"Holy shit! You aren't wearing a bra!"

"Very observant, mi Osito. But you didn't answer my question," I countered as I reached under my shirt to slowly shimmy out of my panties.

He let out a low groan then answered, "Yes, of course I've missed you. I almost stabbed myself with a screw driver this afternoon after I left you in here to nap."

"Aww… Baby… Come here and I'll kiss you all better."

I tugged on his belt loops to bring him even closer. He still looked like he was going to try to resist me, so I quickly worked to try to distract him. First, I placed his right hand onto my naked breast and forced his fingers to squeeze it a few times. He still looked more stunned than aroused, so I skipped everything else I could do and jumped right to one of my more dramatic ways to push his buttons.

Normally I used my own fingers to do this, but tonight I wanted to keep both of my hands free for other activities. His right hand remained still against my right breast as I gripped his left wrist tightly. I could see all of the questions he wanted to ask form in his yes, but I just gave him a wicked smile as I moved his hand under my skirt. His eyes finally fell to where our hands were covered by the black fabric when he felt his fingertips brush against the coarse, short hairs that formed my own landing strip.

"See? I've really, really missed you."

The fingers of his left hand started to spread my wetness around, so I released his wrist. His middle and ring fingers started to penetrate me, which caused me to throw my head back and let out a throaty moan. As I started to get louder under the ministration of his fingers, he swallowed the noises I was making with a kiss. Now that he was concentrating on working me to orgasm with his fingers, I made easy work of liberating him from his jeans without any further protests from him.

"Mia," he moaned out once I had my hand wrapped around his length. "Oh God… Mia… We HAVE to stop."

"You better fucking not," I growled out into his ear before I playfully bit his earlobe. "I'm so close and it would be cruel and unusual punishment if you stopped now."

"But we have to. I… I don't have any protection with me."

"Don't worry… I'm on the pill… We'll be fine."

"Yeah… but… mi Abejita, we're in the men's room. You deserve better than a quickie in the fucking men's room."

"You bet your ass I do. But, think of it this way. This is just us scratching an itch until we can properly take care of each other. Or more importantly, until you can pleasure me until I pass out from bliss."

"Mia… that sounds… But… your dad…"

"I already told you, he won't be an issue. That is, unless you insist on stalling even longer."

I pressed my heels into his buttocks, but he wouldn't move. Well, he wouldn't move anything but his left fingers.

"Please, JC? Please? I don't know when we'll be able to get some alone time again. Please? I love you so much, JC. Please let me make love to you."

"Mia…"

That's when I pulled his left hand out from under my skirt and pressed his fingers to his lips. He started to suck on them without hesitation like they were the best tasting lollipop he had ever eaten. Just as I hoped that it would, and just like it always did, JC became completely task driven to cleaning each digit thoroughly.

That gave me a chance to scoot myself forward until I could ease myself onto his length. We both gasped in a breath as my body stretched out around his girth to accept him into my awaiting warmth. I tried to take fistfuls of his vest into my hands, but leather with his rockers stitched to it weren't really all that malleable. My hands then quickly dropped to his ass cheeks instead. Although his glutes were toned… well were very well toned… they still had a cushiony pliability that allowed me to dig my fingers into them.

He gave me a couple of seconds to readjust before he pulled his hips back and then snapped them forward. I nearly screamed out my pleasure, but thankfully I remembered where we were and our need for discretion, especially now. To stifle my desire to scream out in ecstasy, I bit down onto JC's shoulder. No, I'm not a sadist or a masochist, I don't really like causing pain or having it afflicted on me (roughness during sex or foreplay is a whole other story. I just mean no unpleasant or unnecessary blood shed and pain). The great thing about his leather vest was that I could use it to gag myself and no one would be the wiser. Tooth marks just added to the distressed look all of the guys loved for their leather goods to have because they all seemed to think that it made them look tougher. Plus, I got a little flutter of butterflies in my stomach whenever I saw the indents I had made in his leather.

JC's pace started to quicken as my nails started to dig further into his flesh. I was starting to get lost in the blissful pressure he was building with his masterful movements when suddenly he stopped completely. Once his hips were stilled, he pinched my right nipple causing me to sit up uncomfortably straight and cover my breasts with my arms.

"What the fuck!?" I snapped out as I gently massaged my right breast to ease the sting.

He moved my hand aside to kiss the tip of my nipple. His tongue followed with a couple of slow, lingering laps before he started to kiss his way up my chest. My hands move to the back of his head as if I was getting ready to guide his path of kisses, not that he needed a guide.

Once his lips reached my ear, he whispered, "Sorry, Amor, but if you break the skin there everyone will wonder why I can't sit down for like a week."

"Oh… shit… Sorry, Baby," I gasped out under a fresh onslaught of near punishing thrusts.

I guess that was his way of ceasing the rest of our conversation. Which made sense, because who want to be talking during really great sex? Personally, I found it too hard to get enough air in my lungs to moan appreciatively, let alone to form full words or coherent sentences.

His thrusts somehow quickened until he felt me start to tighten around him. As he pushed me over the edge, I pulled him impossibly closer so that I could bite down on his vest again. I felt him huff out a breath of a laugh before he gave one last hard thrust that almost lifted me off the counter top.

"Baby… That was so good," I praised as I hugged him into my still naked breasts.

"It always is the best when I'm with you," he replied reverently before he placed a soft kiss on my lips.

JC appeared behind me to help to straighten out the top of my dress while I washed up. All of my makeup was long gone, but that was fine by me. Everyone in the club was used to seen me at work au naturel, so I had no issues with going back into the party without taking the time to reapply my makeup.

"Ready to head back out there?" He asked as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

I leaned back in is arms to rest my head on one of his shoulders. "Can't we stay in here a little bit longer? I'm not ready to be finished with you yet."

"Mia…" he cautioned with a slightly sad tone.

"I know… I know. We're lucky he hasn't stormed in here already. But… I really have missed being able to have you all to myself, mi Osito."

He turned me around so that he could give me a proper kiss. "I've missed you too. Can I ask you something?"

I stood still while he straightened out my dress. Now that he knew that I was going braless, he seemed to be overly concerned that a halter styled dress might not last through the rest of the night. It was as if he thought that now that he knew that bit of information that my straps wouldn't be able to contain me any longer. I guess he was forgetting that before my meltdown I was dancing without anyone being the wiser or concerned with what I was, or more importantly, wasn't wearing.

But him doting on me was very sweet, so I didn't do or say anything to discourage him. "I'm an open book. What is it that you want to know?"

"Earlier when you were trying... uhh... when you seduced me into succumbing to your womanly wiles," he started with a playful glint in his eyes. "You said something... I just wanted to make sure I heard you right."

"You were making me work really hard, so I said a lot of shit. Could you be more specific?"

He finally finished fussing with my dress and wrapped his arms around my waist again. I moved my arms to encircle his neck so that I could look up into his face more easily while we talked.

"You said something about loving me so much and wanting to show me. So...? I mean... were you just saying it or is that really how you feel?"

My cheeks heated up and I must have been turning a vibrant pink or red color. I'm sure that the sheer look of embarrassment should have been enough of an answer for him, but it wasn't. I hugged his neck more tightly and burrowed my face into his chest to try to hide the fact that I was blushing so profusely even though I knew that he had already seen it.

"Mia?" He persisted as he squeezed his arms around my waist.

I kept my face buried against his chest as I answered, "That wasn't how I wanted to tell you that."

I wasn't certain that he would be able to hear me, but I didn't do anything to try to change the position of my head. He then took a step back while simultaneously pushing me to an arms-length away so that he could see my face. We were still standing close to the counter so him shoving me back turned into him accidentally throwing me against it and the edge of the counter digging into my back.

I didn't get a chance to stumble or fall because JC was there catching me. "SHIT! Shit! Mia! Did I hurt you? Fuck! I'm so sorry! I swear I didn't mean to do that."

"I'm okay," I replied as I let him help me straighten out. "Really, I'm fine. You startled me more than hurt me."

"Thank God. Because I would never hurt you intentionally because I..."

I clamped my hand over his mouth to silence him there. "Don't finish that thought yet." I didn't move my hand, so JC could only scowl his questions to me. "Like I said, that wasn't how I wanted you to hear that from me. You don't have to feel like you HAVE to say it back, okay? And I sure as hell don't want to be in the men's room of the clubhouse the first time you say to me. Please? I already screwed this up, please don't make it worse?"

I held onto his mouth until he gave me a very deliberate nod. When he was able to speak again, JC replied, "That makes sense. But before we rejoin the party...? Did you mean it?"

I went up on tiptoes to kiss him before I stated in a firm, resolute tone, "Yes, I did."

"Good." He smiled then added, "Me too."

He then wrapped an arm around my shoulders and hugged me into his side to lead me out of the room. We had to separate briefly at the door because it wasn't wide enough to allow us to exit side by side. But as soon as we were through the door, I reclaimed my spot at his side.

While we were gone, the party had resumed as if we hadn't been interrupted by Eli's visit and was now back in full swing again. The dancefloor looked more crowded even though there were less people dancing. The music was a fast tempo dance track that I couldn't name even if my life depended on it and the girls flailing... I mean dancing around took up more room than all of us did during the songs with a slower beat.

We stood by the table with our mouths practically gaping open as we watched them. We were so transfixed by their erratic movements that we didn't notice anyone step up behind us until we heard Tara ask, "Feeling better?"

Yes, I did jump at the sound of her voice. However, I did NOT yelp or cry out in surprise. I'm pretty sure that sound came out of JC's mouth.

We turned to face her before I answered, "Much. Thank you for giving us some alone time. But...? I have to ask... How did you do it? Where's my dad right now?"

She smiled and stifled a laugh as she pointed towards the bar area. When my eyes first landed on where she was pointing, I couldn't immediately tell what she thought was so funny. All of the guys from SAMCRO were either sitting on a stool or standing nursing a beer, but that wasn't all that unusual and it really shouldn't cause Tara to laugh.

WAIT! I silently yelled at myself. I then did a quick mental count of everyone I could see. Even with adding JC into the total, I still seemed to be coming up one member short.

"Okay... Seriously? Where's my dad?"

This time it was JC who answered, "Look at the bar beside where Tig is standing."

"Holy shit!" I gasped out as I ran towards that very spot. "What did you guys do to him?

"Nothing, Mia-Luv," Chibs answered as he draped himself over my shoulders from the back. "Hap did that all by himself."

I could tell from how his thick accent was made worse by slurred speech that Chibs would be joining my dad on the bar top soon. But he was willing to answer my questions right now, so I tried to get as much information out of him as possible, while he was still upright... Well while he was still conscious.

"And who was pouring the shots tonight?"

Chibs released his hold on me went he felt me try to turn around to face him. Once we were face to face, he grabbed my left hand and swung it softly from side to side as he spoke. "Twas the man who is still holding the bottle, mi cardo escocés."

I raised an eyebrow at the nickname that had been used exclusively by my dad. Even then, he had used it so rarely that I had thought he had completely abandoned using it for me ever again. But then again, he had been drinking heavily, so maybe he just let it slip tonight. Chibs continued to smirk at me while I tried to come to terms with hearing my long-lost nickname again, so I checked over my shoulder to see who the culprit was that got the whole MC completely hammered.

"Of course," I quietly grumbled when I saw an empty tequila bottle in each of my dad's hands. I turned back to face Chibs and really didn't care if he heard a whine in my tone when I said, "I thought you guys knew better than to let him be in charge of the shots. They always end up being two to one for him when he is."

"Aye, we know that, Mia-Luv. But we needed to keep him busy and away from the loo, now didn't we?"

I felt my cheeks heat up and I shyly replied, "Right. Of course, you did. Was he really mad?"

"We kept him distracted, so he never got a chance to notice Juice slipping into the restroom," Jax answered from behind me. I turned to face him because he sounded much more sober than Chibs. I figured that would mean that his information would be more reliable too. "But don't worry about him, Mia. We'll make sure to tuck him into bed in one of the rooms here."

"You will? Wait! Then that means..."

A knowing smirk spread across Jax's face when he noticed JC wrapping an arm around me. "That it does. And don't forget what the doctor at the hospital said..." He paused there while JC and I gave him a confused look. "Head injuries can be unpredictable, so you shouldn't be alone?"

Although he formed it as a question to tease us, neither JC nor I answered him. Well at least not right away. JC shared a look with me before he turned to Jax and said, "I'm all over it, Pres."

He then almost dragged me to Jax's room to grab my backpack so that we could head over to his house.