Chapter 12:
Thanks for the reviews, alerts and faves! They help so much!
I have never pretended to follow Seasons or storylines, so if anything appears "off" to you, this is why.
HaylsValo receives a special shout out for sticking with the story-I hope I do not let you down!
I do not own SOA or any characters of SOA.
What the fuck? One minute she was punching a bag, laughing at the sexy Irish biker as he gave the prospects and his brothers' hell and jokingly told them to get back to work and the next she was flying out of the ring in horror to get to him. The blast had catapulted him at least fifteen feet where his head smacked the pavement. She had seen it, not heard the smack because the blast had deafened her and everyone around the compound.
"Fillip! Fillip! Oh God, please," Chloe was beside him, touching his face, somehow knowing not to move him, but needing to touch him. Her knees were in the pooling blood around his head as her face was inches from his, "Fillip!" she screamed again. Heavy hands gripping her shoulders and pulling her away from him were making her very angry. She had begun moving against the hands until she realized it was Opie and there was no use, she'd never outlast his strength.
The shouting for Tara by Jax and the sounds of prospects being ordered to hurry with blankets and towels to, to what? Soak up blood, wrap his head? She didn't know. Next she heard police and ambulance sirens, saw the ATF cars and that is when she was released from Opie's large hands and given over to Gemma. Chloe looked into Gemma's shocked eyes hoping for answers, but not finding any. She did, however, find sympathy and a hug from a woman who was aware that her worry for the Irishman was more than just that of a club kid wondering if an adopted uncle would be alright.
When Tara joined Gemma and Chloe with Jax and some of the others that were not running intel and working towards answers, she began to speak, then saw the blood, having dried in long streaks on Chloe's legs and hands, getting a "Go On" look from Gemma, she continued. "They are getting him to St. Thomas where they will try to keep the swelling in his brain to a minimum in order to keep any damage from occurring. He lost a lot of blood, but we were able to contain the bleeding and I think that will work to his advantage."
"Can we follow? Are you going over to the hospital now?" Chloe asked, eyes looking almost feral, as she glanced between Jax and Bobby.
"Darlin', I think you need to clean up before you go into the hospital," Jax said tenderly, yet honestly, a little confused by her veracious concern for his brother.
Chloe looked at her limbs and clothing and it hit her hard. Gemma saw the fear and sorrow in the girls' eyes. "Come on, baby, we'll get you cleaned up and by the time we get over to St. Thomas, they'll be able to give us more information." Tara allowed a small smile, but with the same confusion, spread on her face as she touched Chloe's arm gently. Chloe just nodded at Gemma and followed her to Chib's dorm where she got her a towel. While Chloe showered, Gemma got one of Chib's SAMCRO t-shirts and had a couple sweetbutts on the hunt for clean shorts or jeans that might fit Chloe.
The water ran red, then pink and finally clear as the soap bubbles rid her skin of Fillip's life. Sons got hurt often. Hell, her dad had taken a bullet before going to prison and been shanked while in prison. She knew they got hurt. But, not him. Not her Son. Her hand went to her mouth as she sobbed. After a few moments, she pulled herself together, washed her hair and rinsed off her body resolving to be strong. For Fillip. For the club.
"Shit." Gemma looked into the room seeing for yet another night Chloe had not left his side. This morning she was actually in the damn bed with him. Chib's arm was around her, though, that had to be a good sign, she thought. Pushing the door all the way open and clearing her throat to wake her, Gemma touched Chloe's jean clad leg. When the young woman raised her head, wearily, Gemma nodded to the bag she'd placed on the chair. "I had LuAnn put some things of yours together since I figured you hadn't taken your ass home for a shower or change of clothes yet," Gemma smirked. Chloe knew she was kidding, being as maternal as she could muster. It was her third night in the room.
"Thanks," Chloe looked next to her and shrugged out of Chib's grip. "Doctor said he came through the surgery great and they might take him off the critical list tomorrow," Chloe stretched and pushed her hair out of her face.
"That's wonderful, baby," Gemma hugged her to her side and then looked at her sleepy eyes. "Have you eaten anything since the sandwich yesterday afternoon?" From the look off to her left, Chloe gave herself away. "That's it. Go get freshened up and change out of the croweater clothes and get yourself some coffee and something to eat." Chloe was about to protest and then saw how futile it would be against Gemma with her hands on her hips, stiletto clad feet dug into the floor and she grabbed the bag and headed into the bathroom.
"Evryone figured't out yet?" Chibs' croaked, his eyes still closed, mouth dry. Gemma got a glass of water for him quickly.
"Those that haven't are definitely puzzled," she said smiling as she touched his arm to make him aware of the cup she was offering. She helped him sip the water and he held her hand longer than necessary as he opened his eyes, offering his wink of thanks.
"Shyte. Clay? Jax?" he asked, shifting in the bed a little.
"Jax knows. I haven't confirmed or denied a thing, but the way she has reacted, baby- a blind man could see something. Of course, saying that, I think my husband is the one blind man who has not. But, Tig, Opie, they see it, too. No one has said anything to her. Hell, they've been scared to, I think," she snorted. He wrinkled his brows at her.
"Aye?"
"She's been like a fucking feral cat around you, baby. I'm surprised the doctors were able to perform the god damned surgery." He chuckled as much as he could, then coughed a bit when the bathroom door opened and she stood in her snug, dark jeans and fitted, pink top smiling at the sight of him sitting up and talking. She moved to the bed, quickly, placing her hands gently on his face.
"I thought I lost you," she whispered, her eyes tearing up as she leaned in to kiss his dry lips, softly.
"Ye can't get rid o' me that easy, lass," he said pushing her hair from her face with a smile and a returned kiss.
"I'm going to get you coffee and breakfast. Keep a listen for the door you two," Gemma smirked and left.
Chloe had been fairly together since the initial attack. Aside from not leaving his side, she hadn't shown much emotion to anyone, not even allowing herself time to cry when no one was watching. But, seeing him talking to her, smiling and chuckling with Gemma-she broke. Tears streamed down her face, soaking through his hospital gown to his chest.
"Oy! What is this, girl? Aye!" he said pulling her up and moving the tear soaked strands of hair off of her face. "Stop it. I'm right 'ere. I ain't goin' no'ware," he smiled, but saw the sadness in her eyes.
"Fillip, Jesus Christ! I didn't know what to fucking do. Oh god, I'm so happy that you are here with me," she was telling him while wiping the tears from her face and pushing her long hair back behind her ears. He helped her wipe the tears from her face and tugged her a bit; giving her the okay she needed to crawl back into the bed with him. She wrapped her arm around his middle and laid her head on his chest, "Is this okay? Are you okay?" she looked up at him.
"I fuckin' hurt, but I'm fine, lass." He kissed the top of her head. "Gem said ya ain't been out'ta room. Said ta boys figure somethin's happenin' 'ere," he said cupping her chin so she couldn't look away.
"I'm sorry. I needed to be here. I needed to know you were going to be back, be you when you came to-I-" he cut her ramblings off by lifting her chin and capturing her mouth. This time, the kiss was not gentle. It wasn't rough, but it was one of the most passionate kisses of her life. She'd spent years with Scott and never felt this way. This kiss sent charges through her entire body to include her heart. It was, at that moment, she knew she would never leave again-he was hers, whether he or anyone else cared to protest.
Chibs held her face in his hands at the end of their very emotional kiss and told himself he didn't give a fuck if he had to take a beating or another god damned bomb to the head, he loved this girl and he was not letting her go-no matter what. "I love ya, lass. Once I'm healed up, I'm sure ta get ta shyte kicked outta me by e'vry brutha out there, but I fuckin' love ya," he said kissing her again-or trying to, it was a little difficult to kiss her properly while she smiled the toothiest grin he'd ever seen on her.
"I love you, Fillip," she said in almost a whisper and the passionate kiss was back on with her nearly climbing on top of him. "When I get you home-"
"I want a naughty nurse uniform in my future, puppet," he smiled hungrily and grabbed her ass as she squealed and laughed. She kissed his neck and face, her hands moving down his chest. "Aye, lass, yer stirrin' things I don't think can be accomplished right now," he chuckled as she grinned.
"My first stop when I leave here will be the adult store in Lodi," she smiled, pushing her index finger in his chest, lightly.
"Hey, word to the wise, let's take this coffee to go. I don't know what the hell is going on, but Fiona is coming down the hall," Gemma hadn't even knocked, just burst through the door holding the coffee and a bag Chloe presumed was her bagel "to go". Chloe shot a look to Chibs who had an unreadable face at the moment. He patted her backside and nodded for her to go with Gemma, which she did.
As they left the room, they walked right into the black and silver haired devil herself. "Gemma," she greeted the taller woman, "You look well," not even a smile. Fionna then proceeded to size up Chloe, without trying to disguise her actions in the least.
"Fionna," Gemma greeted the woman, similarly. "What brings you across the water?"
Looking directly at Chloe, she spoke. "I had to check on me husband after hearing how Charming dropped the ball, aye," and she walked past the two women into Chibs' room.
Gemma pulled Chloe down the hall and around a corner before sitting in the lounge. "Jesus Christ that woman is evil," Chloe said taking the coffee Gemma offered.
"There are only two women that have ever scared me, my mother and that bitch," Gemma told her as they saw Jax, followed by Opie and a few others walking towards them.
"Was that Fionna I saw going into Chibs' room?" Jax asked hugging his mom, then Chloe. Gemma nodded. "What the fuck is she doing here?"
"Jimmy O can't be far behind," Bobby said quietly, as if speaking his name too loudly would cause him to appear. Others nodded. Chloe wasn't 100 % clear what all the insinuations meant, but she knew enough about Chibs and the Irish connection to know Jimmy was bad news.
"I'm happy to see you've come back to the land of the living, kid," Opie whispered in Chloe's ear, nodding to the bagel she was eating and squeezing her to his side. "You and Chibs, huh?" he smiled at the discomfort showing on her face with his whisper. "How long?"
"Long," she smiled awkwardly. "I don't want him to be in trouble with all of you," he could see she was concerned.
Opie stepped a few feet further away from the group with her. "Were you legal the first time?" he asked with as harsh a look as he could have with Chloe.
"Oh my god, Opie! Yes!" she laughed as he shrugged.
"Had to be sure, kid," he hugged her. "No one's going to hurt him. Especially now," Opie told her. Chloe smiled. She had not been sure what she wanted from Chibs before, but this incident allowed her the opportunity to consider how she really felt. Fillip was hers, regardless of what any old Irish bitch had to say, and she wanted him and everyone to know.
I know this is more of a filler chapter, but it needed to be done to move everything along.
