For Lily the Sons' clubhouse had always represented a place of safety and joy. It had always been a safe haven to her; a place to go when the world around her had gotten to be a little too much to handle.

During her childhood and her teen years she'd often fled to the TM Auto lot and the SAMCRO clubhouse in times of need; mostly when life at home with the Unsers became too unbearable.

Back then Gemma and the Sons would always welcome her with open arms. Gemma would calm her down from whatever meltdown she was going through at the time. She would cuddle her and give her motherly advice. The guys would load her up with sodas and cheer her up.

When her dad would eventually show up Gemma would give him a piece of her mind and the cycle would start again.

It had seemed that the clubhouse and garage had been her home in those days. It had been the place where she'd felt love and a sense of belonging.

Tonight though the clubhouse felt different to Lily. There was a tension in the air, an uncertainty and even an air of fear floating amongst the mostly silent room.

The Sons busied themselves loading up a large stash of AK 47s. Gemma worked on making sure that the croweaters did as they were told prepping the place for tomorrow's crowd. Jax had left an hour before to gather medical supplies so that Chibs could patch up the wounded Irish man the Son's had placed in the chapel.

Chibs and Juice were currently locked up in the chapel working on the man. Lily was grateful that the chapel's walls were soundproofed. She couldn't even begin to imagine just how much pain the Irish man was in.

From what Chibs had said the Irish man Cameron had two bullets lodged deep into his backside. There was serious danger of possibly nicking an artery. Proper medical supplies were needed to insure that Chibs could pulled the bullets out without causing Cameron to bleed out.

Lily couldn't help but to wonder as to how Chibs was going to manage this. It was far beyond his skill-set after all. His training with the Queens Armed Forces as a medic was more suited towards patching up flesh wounds and broken bones. He had only dealt with a few gunshots wounds before, back in Belfast, though he'd never had to dig out a bullet without any surgical tools.

Lily sat on an old sofa the fingers on her left hand picking at a loose bit of seam on the sofa's armrest. Her entire body was filled to the brim with anxiety. Her thoughts seemed to be racing a mile a minute bouncing around her head feeding her worries.

As hard as she tried not to, she kept thinking about what would have happened if Clay had wanted Chibs to tag along with Tig and he to that Irish tavern tonight. It was a possibility that it might of happened.

After all Chibs was the in between man for the Sons and the Irish. He could have very easily been asked to come along and help with tonight.

Lily kept picturing Chibs dodging flying bullets, a stray bullet catching him right in the center of his head.

The thought made her feel like vomiting.

The thought of someone trying to kill Clay didn't make Lily feel any better. Even though she wasn't happy with Clay for straying on Gemma with Cherry not long ago, Lily couldn't deny that she felt love for the man.

He'd been in her life for as long as she could remember. He'd watched over her just as any of the other Sons had always done. He'd welcomed her into Gemma's and his home back when Lily had been a teenager.

At the end of the day Clay was family. Someone going after Lily's family made her feel so ill.

Lily knew what the assassination attempt on Clay earlier tonight meant. It meant the Sons were headed for a full on war with the Mayans.

There was more than likely no way of avoiding it. You didn't try to kill the President of the Sons and get away with it.

Lily had been just a child the last time there'd been a war between the Sons and the Mayans. She knew exactly what a biker war meant though; bloodshed and death. It would happen on both sides, Lily knew this.

Lily clung on to the hope that somehow the ones she loved would be spared from this bloodshed.

She didn't know what she'd do if the ones she cared for were lost to this. The thought made her heart race and her stomach twist.

She knew though that her beloved uncles were all at risk of losing their lives once this war truly kicked off. She knew that the man she loved more than anyone on this planet was just as at risk.

The thought terrified her; losing Chibs forever, never getting to experience what a life with him might be like. She had no idea what she'd do if Chibs was killed. She almost felt as though her heart would die right along with him if she were to lose him.

As hard as she tried not to think about it she knew that the people she cared for the most could very well not live through any of this. She was scared and she had no idea what to do.

Lily snapped out of her daze as a familiar voice sounded beside her. "Why don't you go to Chibs' room and try to get some rest baby."

Lily glanced up her dark eyes connecting with her godmother's. She stared up at Gemma her voice soft as she spoke ignoring Gemma's suggestion. "Is there anything I can do to help? Anything at all?"

"No sweetheart. I already got some of the croweaters on gathering shit for tomorrow. The only thing you need to do is try to get some rest." Gemma replied not helping to feel a little proud that Lily was still locked in good old lady mode.

Lily had helped Gemma get the croweaters to work prepping up plenty of food and booze for the crowd they were expecting sometime late tomorrow.

If a war was coming it meant that two of the closest Sons charters would be making their way to Charming and staying a while to help build up the Sons forces in Charming. Essentially SAMCRO was using their charter clubs to help build up an army of sorts.

Gemma wouldn't have expected anything less from her goddaughter than having Lily throw herself into helping out any way she could.

Gemma stuck to her guns refusing to let Lily work herself too hard. "Get some sleep Lil. It's been a long day. You look exhausted."

Lily reluctantly stood up from the sofa nodding her head in agreement. She started to make her way towards the dorms but stopped mid-step her Uncle Clay catching her line of sight.

Despite the little voice in the back of her head telling her to just ignore it and let it be, she found herself making her way towards Clay.

Clay peered up from the gun he was loading a clip into his goddaughter catching his eye. He spoke nodding at her. "You alright kid?"

Lily swallowed the lump in her throat the words spilling from her mouth. "I'm fine."

She paused her stomach turning the question that had been bugging her from the second she'd found out about the assassination attempt on Clay. She spoke struggling briefly to get the question out into the open "Did what I did to...Do you think what happened with Julio pushed the Mayans to retaliate against SAMCRO?"

Clay frowned knowing all too well that the Mayans had probably developed some sort of an idea of just what had happened to their missing member who'd been all too happy to harass a Son's old lady. It certainly was a possibility that the man's disappearance had played a small factor in the Mayan's decision to lash out and start this.

Clay did his best to bite his tongue holding in this information. He knew enough to know that Lily might not be able to handle this little piece of information. If anything he wanted the girl to remain calm.

If she was calm she'd be easier to keep in line.

Clay did love Lily of course, at least he loved her in his own way. He knew that Gemma loved the girl like she was her own. Clay wouldn't want to upset the Queen so he'd of course welcomed Lily with open arms.

As time had gone on though Clay had begun to see all the ways in which having Lily around might just work in SAMCRO's favor, at least when it came to Unser.

After all what better way to keep the sheriff nice and close than by having his little girl right under SAMCRO's protective wing.

This had become all the more apparent to Clay once Lily had moved in with Gemma and he back when she'd been only fifteen. It was all too easy for Clay to realize that anytime Unser tried to develop a conscience all Clay had to do was point out that Gemma and he were looking out for little Lily and loving her just like she was their own.

Clay had made sure that Unser's oldest daughter was taken care of and it had been all too simple to make sure that Unser took care of SAMCRO.

Of course Clay had kept this little technique of using Lily to keep Unser close, to himself. It had long ago become easy enough for Clay to use those around him to achieve his means. Lily had easily become another tool for Clay to use.

Lily being with Chibs had made this technique all the easier. Lily being an old lady kept her nice and close to the Sons inner circle. As long as Lily was close then Unser could be kept just as close as SAMCRO needed.

"Of course not kid. This shit has been brewing up for a long time." Clay remarked wrapping an arm around Lily giving her a squeeze.

Lily nodded her head her over worried brain becoming a bit quieter. She knew the truth though, what she'd done to Julio probably had contributed to this all. Still though it felt good to hear the opposite.

She knew that what had happened with Julio was over and done with now. There was no taking it back. If she were to take it back she'd wind up having been killed. Still though she didn't know what she'd do if someone got hurt or killed as a ripple effect of what she'd done.

She sighed as Gemma approached Clay and she a small frown on her face as she stared at Lily. "I thought I told you to get some sleep."

"I am. I swear. I'm just going to go check if Chibs and Juice need anything first." Lily blurted out pulling away from Clay before Gemma had a chance to scold her.

...

Lily entered the chapel shutting the door behind her. She tried to ignore the way her stomach turned at the sight of blood on her old man and Juice's hands and the sight of the wounded man stretched out on his stomach on the reaper table.

She tried her best not to cringe as Chibs poured a generous amount of booze over Cameron's bloodied wound sanitizing the area before he went to work with the meager bit of first aid supplies he had.

He glanced up at his old lady a sigh escaping his throat as he struggled to work without the proper tools. He was attempting to use a pair of needle-nose pliers to dig the slugs out of Cameron, but it wasn't working out as well as he'd hoped.

Right now it was just about keeping Cameron Hayes alive until Jax could get here with real medical supplies. That was turning out to be easier said than done though.

Chibs hoped that Jax would arrive with some tools soon. Chibs was beginning to feel the strain of working on Cameron.

"Ya alrigh love?" Chibs asked spotting the clear strain in his old lady's eyes. He was sure that his own eyes held the same look.

It seemed that entire night had been one hit after another. The attempted hit on Clay, a wounded Irish man, McKeavy's death, and the prospect of a war looming.

McKeavy's death had hit hard for Chibs. No McKeavy and him hadn't been the best of friends. Actually most of the time McKeavy had drove Chibs up the wall.

Still though Chibs was saddened to know that the man was dead. Chibs knew very well that he could have been killed right along side McKeavy.

After all he'd made more than a few treks up north with McKeavy, dealt with the port authorities himself.

If Chibs had the unfortunate task of being with McKeavy that night he could have been taken out as well. The fact made Chibs' stomach turn.

Lily nodded her head tearing her eyes from the wounded Irish man whom was thankfully knocked out on pills and booze, for now at least. "I'm okay...do you need any help?"

Chibs gave her a small tight smile not at all surprised that Lily would try to aid him in this even if there was nothing she could truly do. "Nah I'm doin fine fer now lass. Ya should try to get some rest."

"Are you sure?" Lily blurted out. To be honest she felt as though the last thing she could do at the moment was go and sleep. Her brain was buzzing with far too much activity.

She spoke again looking at the meager supplies Chibs had spread out beside him on the table. "What about that extra first aid kit in your room? Does that have anything that might help?"

Chibs sighed shaking his head as he went through a mental checklist of just what that first aid kit contained. "Maybe...I could use some gauze if ya can find any."

"I'll get it." Lily blurted out not giving Chibs a chance to persuade her to just go to bed.

She tried her best not to make eye contact with Juice. Despite the matter at hand she still felt a sense of bitterness towards the man.

Juice had to notice Chibs' old lady purposely avoid his gaze as she left the room. He felt his stomach turn guilt hitting him as it seemed to do each time he thought of the decline in his friendship with Lily and Jade.

He knew it was his own fault of course. He should have gone about letting Jade down easy a different way. Now he'd lost a friendship that he'd begun to value.

Juice couldn't stop himself from bringing this up to Chibs the worlds spilling from his lips. "She's still pissed at me huh?"

Chibs resisted the urge to roll his eyes at this speaking to the man as he continued to work. "Now aint the best time to talk bout this lad."

Juice's shoulders sagged a bit at this remark knowing that Chibs was right of course. Now wasn't the time to complain about Lily and Jade.

He couldn't help himself from speaking again though, needing to get his side of things out in the open to the one guy who knew would listen. "I know I screwed up brother. It was my fault, I mean...how shit went with Jade. I just...I guess I looked at what Lily and you have and I kinda wanted that too...ya know someone to come home to. I've never been good at relationships...keepin friends."

He paused Chibs glancing up at him a frown on his face. Chibs was partially tempted to tell Juice to shut it, but he bit the inside of his cheek his sympathy for the man winning out over his desire to avoid this conversation.

Juice spoke again a sigh escaping his lips. "I thought maybe I could have that with Rachel...I didn't think Jade would take it that bad honest...Like I said, I've never been good at shit like this...not screwing things up."

Chibs let out an exasperated sigh deciding that he might as well just tell Juice how it was. He knew that the Juice's sometimes neurotic nature would keep him obsessing over things until someone stepped in. "Aye I know lad. That shite with Lily and Jade...it's jus goin to take some time Juicey. As far as things go ya know I gotta back Lil on things. Jade's er sister. I gotta back her."

He paused a hint of guilt hitting him as Juice's shoulders sagged once again. He spoke nodding his head. "Like I said though, jus give it some time. Let er cool off."

Juice nodded his head agreeing. He knew Chibs was right, he'd fucked up and it was on him.

Perhaps he really did just need to give Lily some space, Jade too. Still though staying back and letting things play out made him feel like shit.

He missed the way things had been.

He didn't have a chance to press the issue as Lily returned a few items in hand. She spoke a sigh escaping her lips as she placed her findings alongside Chibs' other tools. "I found a bit of gauze and some Iodine. There's not much Iodine though. So I don't know how much help it'll be."

"Aye thanks lass. Any wee bit will help. It's better than nothin." Chibs remarked examining the bottle of Iodine in question.

Lily was right there wasn't much left in the bottle. Chibs silently cursed himself at the sight. He should have checked this kit a long time ago.

It was just that he hadn't had to use it in so long. It was more of a backup kit than anything.

The main kit held most of his supplies; bandages, pills of all sorts, supplies to stitch up shallow wounds, and a few other sorted bits of supplies that wouldn't help in this current situation.

Lily grimaced as the gauze Chibs was holding against Cameron's wound became almost totally soaked with blood. She acted quick opening a fresh gauze handing it over to Chibs.

Chibs held back his smile a bit impressed that his old lady was thinking quick. He pressed the fresh gauze to the wound trying his best to apply pressure to stop the bleeding for a moment.

He just needed enough time to dig the bullet out before Cameron lost way too much blood, or even worse developed an infection. Either scenario would kill him within hours or maybe days if he was lucky.

Lily felt her stomach churn as Cameron began to groan in pain at the pressure to his wound.

Chibs sighed as he picked up his pliers going back to work. It was going to be a long night.

Gemma held her lit cigarette over an ashtray her nerves on edge. It was way past dawn and Jax still hadn't returned.

No one had heard from him yet and everyone was beginning to grow a bit antsy.

Just like any mother would be in this situation, Gemma's guard was up and she was getting restless with the situation.

Her mind was going in a million different directions; had the Mayan's got a hold of her son? Was Jax in some sort of danger, was he hurt or worse dead?

What about Tara. Had that gash doctor had something to do with stalling her son in his task?

Gemma put her put her cigarette out her stomach souring at the though. She stared up at her old man as she spoke. "Where is he?"

Clay stared down at his gun loading it and cleaning it making sure that it was in peak condition, should he need it. "Relax."

Gemma glared up at Clay as she rolled a cheap plastic lighter in between her fingers. "Don't tell me to relax."

Opie spoke from his place at the table beside Gemma's own table. "I called his cell phone a dozen times, Tara's house...no answer."

Gemma slammed the lighter she'd been holding down on to the table as she shot up from her seat. "I can't just sit here."

Clay was quick to reach out and stop her from making her way to the front entrance. He spoke up his voice holding a hint of annoyance. "Hey. Til we see where this lands, you stay put, understand."

Gemma narrowed her eyes as she stared down at her husband. How was he not panicking right now? Jax should have been back hours ago. She spoke up all to quick to fire back. "What if they got to him?"

Tig spoke from his place behind the bar beside Piney, doing all he could to calm Gemma down before she and Clay had a full out raging fight. "Jax can take care of himself, Gem."

Opie stood up as he spoke knowing that he should step in before his best friend's mother threw a full on tantrum. "I'll ride out to the hospital, see if he's there."

Piney rounded the bar nodding his head in agreement. "I'll go with you."

Opie pressed a kiss to Gemma's cheek the woman having always been a bit of a maternal figure to him, especially given that his own mother hadn't been all that attentive before she'd just flat out left his dad.

Gemma spoke worry seeping into her irritation. "Take care of my boys."

Piney nodded his head as he placed his rifle down on the ground. "Always."

As Piney and Opie made their way out the front door disappearing from sight Chibs left the chapel a heavy sigh leaving his lips. "We gotta get the slugs outta this guy's arse. Infection's spreading... there aint enough of that Iodine Lil found to put a stop to it. He might be comin down with sepsis."

Clay nodded his head doing all he could to keep his cool in the situation. "Just do the best you can alright?"

Chibs nodded his head his eyes searching the room for his old lady. Gemma was quick to speak answering the question he wasn't asking. "Lil's still asleep sweetheart. Luann brought her a bag of some of her stuff this morning."

Chibs nodded his head relieved that his old lady was at least getting some rest. It was good that she was actually sleeping in and getting a good amount of rest for once. Especially with the difficulties she'd had with sleeping lately. He'd finally convinced her to go to bed the night before after she'd spent a long while by his side assisting Juice and he in way she could.

He swallowed his throat feeling like sandpaper his feet heavy. He'd drank more coffee this morning than he usually drank in a full day's time. He was doing his very best to keep up his energy. He'd spent the night attempting to remove the slugs from Cameron's wounds. It had been touch and go so far.

It was clear that he was running out of time though. He still couldn't find the damn slug. It was buried so deep and the pliers he was using were more likely to do more damage than anything. If Jax didn't hurry they'd be burying the Irish man.

He headed back to the chapel ready to get back to work.

Not long after he disappeared back into the chapel and got to work, Cameron crying out in pain as Chibs attempted to dig out the slug, a buzzer sounded out signaling an arrival at the clubhouse's backdoor.

Gemma frowned as she stared up at the television screen hanging over the bar which was currently tuned into the clubhouse's security system. She felt her stomach turn as she spotted a familiar face at the backdoor.

"Unser at the back door."

Clay turned to face the screen a curse spilling from his lips as Tig jumped into action. "Shit. Let him in, close those doors."

Tig did what he was told shutting the chapel doors hiding just what was going on inside as he spoke to Chibs and Juice. "Keep him quiet."

Gemma let Unser inside the man dressed in his uniform making it all to clear he wasn't just dropping in for a friendly visit.

Clay spoke as he checked the scope on his rifle. "What can I do for you chief?"

Unser held his arms out irritation and total exhaustion evident in his voice. "I need to bring you down to the station house, ask a few questions."

Gemma stood close by feigning total naivety as she spoke up. "Why? What happened?"

"Someone went after Darby last night, killed one of his guys, two women. It all happened at his house, in Charming." Unser answered turning his eyes back and forth between Clay and Gemma clearly not buying the naive act.

Clay and Tig exchanged a glance as Gemma made her way over to Clay's side. "You think it was us?"

Unser spoke up becoming more irritated by the second. "Lodi also found two dead Mayans in a ditch off 18, half mile outside of town. Last time I looked at the scoreboard Nords and Mayans were the away team."

Clay responded nodding his head at the sheriff. "Glad you're rooting for the home team, chief."

Unser began to move towards the chapel as he spoke to Clay. "Can I see you for a minute?"

Clay stood up joining the man as they stood in front of the chapel doors all too ready to deal with whatever Unser was going to throw his way.

Unser spoke sounding more as though he was scolding a child than trying to reason with an old friend. "This ain't funny...at all. Five dead bodies. Do you have any idea what kinda heat that brings?"

Clay sighed opening one of the chapel doors giving Unser a peak at just what they were dealing with at the moment.

Unser let out an exasperated sigh at the sight of his daughter's old man and Juice tending to a wounded man. "Jesus Christ."

Clay shut the door as Unser moved across the room the sheriff quickly becoming aggravated with the entire situation. Unser spoke wiping his face as he tried to come to grips with what he'd just seen. "Who in the hell was that?"

Clay spoke trying to smooth this all over. "A friend."

He spoke again leaning closer to Unser trying to make this all clear for the sheriff. "A friend with two bullets in his ass that were meant for my head. The Mayans went after me too."

Unser sighed his jaw becoming tight. "God damn it."

Clay spoke shaking his head. "We didn't have nothing to do with Darby. And the dead Mexicans were a result of their own stupidity. But I made sure that didn't land in Charming."

"Barely. My office still got the stink of ATF. This body count is going to bring that haughty bitch Stahl circling back to town." Unser spat out trying hard to piece together how he was going to handle all of this.

He paused for a moment his head spinning with all of this. The last thing he wanted was the ATF sticking their noses back in his town.

"I-I need you to come with me...alright, due process." Unser stated knowing that he had to stick to his original plan of bringing Clay in at least until this was all sorted out.

Both Clay and Unser stared off towards the dorms as a familiar voice joined the mix unaware of the conversation that had just taken place. "What's going on? Dad, what are you doing here?"

Unser cringed at the sight of his daughter dressed simply in just a pair of jeans and an old faded baggy black shirt that obviously belonged to Chibs.

He'd been praying that he wouldn't find his daughter here, but in hindsight he knew that he should have known better. Of course she'd be here.

His brain flashed back to all that Clay had just told him the need to protect Lily snapping into place. "You need to come with me Lily."

Lily frowned still shocked to see her father here. She stepped back her arms crossing over her chest as she spoke. "What? No I'm not going anywhere."

Unser spoke quick to move towards his daughter having had put up with enough irritation this morning. "Yes you are. I'm not leaving you here in the middle of this shit. You're going to come with me and stay at my place till this is all over and done with."

"I'm not going anywhere." Lily replied Gemma quickly moving to her side.

"She's just fine here Wayne. You know we wouldn't let anything happen to her." Gemma remarked rapidly joining Lily's side in this argument.

Unser shook his head his eyes growing narrow. "You won't let anything happen to her? Is that what you told your friend back there before those bullets landed in his ass."

"That's not fair. You know we love Lily. We can keep her safe. We've kept her safe so far haven't we?" Clay remarked quick to remind Unser of just who had been taking care of his daughter all those years.

Tig joined the conversation shaking his head. "I'll stay by her side twenty four seven if that's what it takes to keep her safe. You heard her though, she's not leaving."

Lily let out a heavy sigh knowing that she just had to get her father alone for a moment and explain her side of things to him. He just needed to calm down and listen. "Can I talk to you dad...in private."

Unser gritted his jaw annoyed that his daughter wasn't hearing him out on this. He was just trying to keep her from ending up like those two dead women he'd found at Darby's place.

He'd already seen enough dead bodies today and from Clay had told him there might be more to come.

He begrudgingly allowed Lily to lead him off towards the dorms not before sending a final glance Clay's way. "You stay right there. I still gotta take you in."

Clay held his hands up nodding his head. "I got nothing to hide."

Lily was the first to speak as her father and she made it to the back of the long hallway leading off towards the Sons' dorms. "I'm staying here dad. I'm a grown woman and I can make my own decisions."

Unser shook his head tempted to tell her that she was acting more like a petulant child at the moment than a grown woman. He held this in though as he spoke. "I don't want anything to happen to you. Shit is getting scary Lily. I won't have you stuck in the middle of it."

"I won't be stuck in the middle of it dad. I'll be right here with Gemma and the guys. I'm not going to go off by myself. You have nothing to worry about." Lily tried to reason.

She paused knowing that it was going to take a lot for her father to understand where she was coming from. "I know you don't like me being here...I know you don't like me being with Chibs. I trust him and everyone out there to keep me safe though. You have to trust that I know what I'm doing."

"You know what you're doing? What are you doing, hiding out here waiting for someone else to get killed? This isn't all just going to blow over Lilian. I'm not going to have my kid get herself killed just because she trusts the wrong people to keep her safe." Unser remarked

Lily spoke up her temper growing thin with her father's words. He was being so damn hypocritical at the moment and she couldn't stand it. "You've trusted them to keep me safe all these years. Most of the people out there have practically raised me."

"That was different. That was before dead bodies were landing on my front step and someone tried to put a bullet through Clay's head. I'm not leaving you in this clubhouse for a bullet to catch you." Unser replied his voice rising as he tried to make Lily see things from his point of view.

Lily spoke again her temper far out of control by now the words leaving her mouth without any thought. "That is such bullshit. You let me run in and out of this clubhouse for years. Why should now be any different? I am staying here with Filip. Like I said most of those people out there have loved me and protected me for years. They've always been there...even when you weren't."

Unser cringed at these words. He knew she was right of course. The Sons had played a huge role in Lily's life, more of a role than he should have allowed.

Lily spoke up shaking her head deciding to just come all out with it all of the crap she'd been bottling up for years beginning to spill from her lips. "I wasn't happy when I was a kid daddy...not when Della was around.. I loved spending time with you, but only when it was just you and me...Della couldn't handle that...she made me feel like crap my entire life and you knew it...Gemma and the guys, they kept me going. They were my safe place. I love you dad, I really do and I always will. I'm not going to lie to you though, I spent a long time wondering what was wrong with me to make Della hate me so much. I'm done with that though. I found a family here...one that loves me for who I am. I found Filip. I love him dad, I really truly do. I trust him to lay down his life for me if I was ever put into danger...He would never let anyone hurt me, ever...we're buying a house together, Filip and me...Jade too if she wants to come along. We're going to be happy dad. I'm going to be happy, completely and totally happy for the first time probably ever in my life. If you love me you'll let me make this decision for my happiness. Please."

Unser felt his eyes begin to well up with tears his daughter's words hitting him hard. He knew she was right. She was right about all of it, her childhood, her unhappiness.

He'd failed her in so many ways.

When Wayne Unser had first been given his terminal diagnosis of course there had been anger, denial, bargaining, all the damn steps of grief.

Once it had passed though, and he'd accepted that death would come for him, he had begun to think. He had done as many people would do when they found themselves faced with their own mortality. He'd looked back on his life and his wrongs.

The situation with Della and his wrongs towards his children had stuck out at him like a sore thumb.

He had failed all three of his daughters. He had failed Lily in all the ways she had described, he'd failed Kate by allowing Della to spoil her and make her so rotten, he'd failed Jade by allowing her to be ignored and allowing Della to make her so insecure.

He should have taken all three of his girls from Della. He should have been there for them. He shouldn't have hidden at work and ignored his issues at home.

Unser had spent so long ignoring the truth. He'd spent years in denial pretending that nothing was fractured in his family. He knew the truth though; his family was broken and it might be too late to make it right.

He had promised himself that he'd try to make it right even if it was too late. He just had no idea how to do it.

Now as his oldest child stood here on the brink of tears spilling her heart out to him, he decided just what the best course of action would be. He would have to man up and be honest with her. He had to be the one that started apologizing.

He spoke nodding his head an arm reaching out as he pressed a hand to her shoulder. "I know baby...I know...You're right. I-I've made a lot of mistakes...when you came into my life...it scared the shit out of me. I didn't have time to prepare for you and I tried to tell myself that I could make it work, that I could make sure I didn't screw you up. I failed though...I know that Lily. That's on me, not you. There's nothing about you that makes you unlovable baby. I'm so sorry."

He paused his throat tight his eyes still watering as he embraced Lily so thankful that she didn't shove him away. "I'm sorry about everything. Like I said it's on me. I never meant for you to hurt, but you did. I wish I could take it back. I should have stood up to Della, I should have been on your side. I know I don't have the right to ask for forgiveness so I'm not going to."

He paused pulling back from her needing to look into her eyes as he made this plead. "All I'm goin to ask is that we start over somehow...not that we forget the past, but just that we try to find some way to work on us...I love you Lily Pad. All I want in this world is for you to be happy and safe. If you being here is part of what makes you happy then...then I guess I'm just going to have to learn how to accept it...it doesn't mean I'll like it, but I'll try."

Lily choked a bit her eyes watering as she allowed her father to embrace her again. She hadn't expected to blurt this all out, not now.

She had just been so livid that her father didn't trust her to know that she was safe here. The words had just come out.

Unser held on tight to Lily his heart aching. He'd known that things with Della had been tough. He'd known that Lily had a hard time, he just hadn't allowed himself to realize just how hard it was for her.

He hadn't allowed himself to face just how painful things had been for her. Perhaps it had been denial, or perhaps just stubbornness to see the truth on his part. All he knew was that the pain would end. He'd find a way to be a better man for his children. He would try his best to be the dad they deserved.

Of course his heart twisted a bit at the revelation that his daughter and Chibs were finding a home together and taking Jade none the less. Unser knew that this was a sign that Chibs and Lily weren't just having some fling. This wasn't some rebellious phase of Lily's, a way to strike a nerve with him.

This realization made Unser anxious. It was a true sign that his baby girl was all grown up. He'd missed his chance to truly enjoy her childhood. He'd missed his chance to have her as his little princess.

She'd chosen Chibs much against Unser's will. Unser knew though that he had to keep his disapproval under wraps. He had to grin and bear it or lose his baby girl forever.

If tolerating the Scotsman would keep his relationship with Lily in a good place then Unser would try to deal.

As far as Jade went he would try to tolerate that as well. Perhaps Jade needed some time with Lily? Jade maybe needed a little time away from her mother, time to become the person she needed to be. Unser knew that Lily might be better off financially when it came to caring for Jade's needs. After all Chibs and she weren't drowning in medical bills like him.

He was willing to give it a try. He knew enough to know that denying Jade a chance to live with her sister would just drive a wedge between he and his girls. He was just going to have to grin a bear it even if it made his heart twist and ache.

She sunk into Unser's hold the two staying like that for a long while until the static on Unser's walkie talkie sounded out breaking the silence.

Unser pulled back wiping his eyes with the back of his hand as he spoke so reluctant to pull away. He knew that he had no choice in the matter though. "I better get going...stay safe kid. I love you. We'll talk some more later, I promise."

Lily gave her father a tight smile nodding her head as she tried to dry her tears. "Okay. I love you too daddy."

She watched him walk away her eyes still watering. This had to be the start of something better for them. This had to be the start of him finally understanding. She hoped it was.

Lily managed to clean up her face in the bathroom mirror making herself look a bit more presentable and changing into some of the clothing Luann had brought her over this morning.

She did her makeup and her hair hiding all signs of having cried at all. She managed to calm her nerves and put her emotions back in check hoping that no one had overheard anything that she and her father had said back there.

Lily was still in shock that she'd finally let it all come out, but she was glad that it had happened. Perhaps this was a sign that her father and she could start anew, at least with the problems in their relationship.

She frowned as she entered the main area of the clubhouse to find Tig following Gemma the woman heading towards the clubhouse's front entrance to gather her coat and purse.

Tig spoke his voice frantic as he tried to keep up with the Sons matriarch. "Gem, Gem, Gemma where are you going?"

Gemma spoke her voice tight. "To find Jax and Tara."

Lily spoke her stomach dropping as she picked up on this bit of information. "Jax isn't back from Tara's yet?"

"Nope. I'm going to go find him. We can't wait here for him any longer." Gemma remarked putting her coat on.

Tig moved in front of Gemma trying to put a stop to whatever plan she'd hatched up to go search for Jax, as he spoke. "No, you heard what Clay said. Family stays put."

Gemma spoke grabbing her purse from the coat rack. "You got two choices Tigger, tackle me or tag along."

Tig let out a sigh still blocking Gemma's way. "Now look Gemma you know I got nothing but adoration and respect for you. What do you give me such a hard time for?"

"It's my nature. I'm a giver." Gemma shot back shoving Tig rather roughly out of the way.

Tig grumbled to himself something about beating and hookers that Lily didn't quite pick up before he glanced up at Lily. "I'm going with her. You stay put."

Lily felt her stomach turn in on itself as she took this all on. Jax was still gone? He should have been back a long time ago?

Shit, this wasn't good at all. Where in the hell was he?

Sorry this took forever for me to get out, but things have been busy lately. I hope you enjoyed this. I had a bit of trouble getting my brain to corroborate. Anyway enjoy.

Reveiws? Constructive Criticism?