A/N - Oh Jax, you played that really, really badly... Thank you as ever for reading, please let me know if you're loving it and if there's more that you want to see, your wishes are my inspirations!

"Jesus."

There was no way of escaping the police intrusion. The shots had been heard from miles around, and even though gun fire on the lot wasn't uncommon, it was pretty clear that there needed to be some sort of report now there was a dead man on the front tarmac. Chibs stood back by the building, his arm around Nina, as he watched from a distance. Nina was chewing anxiously on her nail as she leaned into him.

"You're okay though?" she asked, running her hand up and down his arm. Chibs nodded.

"Aye, just interrupted the vote, that's all." He kissed the top of her head. "Don't worry about it." He gave her a gentle pat on the ass to shoo her back inside as the rest of the club started making their way back towards the building, waiting for the inevitable inquest from Roosevelt's lot. Happy was already wiping over his gun and replacing his fingerprints, just in case, knowing they'd probably take it in for analysis.

"What happens now?" Filthy Phil asked, looking at Jax for an answer. Jax glared challengingly at Chibs, waiting for him to state the obvious. When he didn't, Jax took great pleasure in spitting it out.

"We've got no President. Bobby's in charge until we vote."

Bobby was already shaking his head, his wild hair bobbing around his face as he did it. "No way, we do this vote before they get here, I'll take VP but I'm not dealing with Prez while we've got good alternatives."

"We can do this now," Clay said, pointing towards chapel. "Everyone in, we got four minutes before the county sheriff swings by to check in on... proceedings."

The Sons piled into chapel and Bobby looked around, waving indicatively towards Chibs. "Where were we?"

"Yes," Happy grunted with certainty. Tig was already nodding and raised his hand, as did Clay.

"Yay."

"Yay."

Jax felt all of his machismo dropping away as hand after hand lifted in support of Chibs taking his seat at the table. All that he had worked for, all that he had lied and twisted and manipulated for was being undone in an instant. Seeing Tig vote against him made him seethe, Tig of all people was the one vote he had forced to have had at his back and it had gone. Chibs smiled confidently, nodding to each with gratitude as they voted.

Bobby nodded as he tallied them up and looked at Jax. He picked up the badges that had been left on the table and handed them to Chibs. "All yours, brother."

Jax grunted and kicked his chair back, storming out of church. Chibs looked proudly at the others and nodded gratefully. "Thank you, all of you. I'll do it right, I swear. For the club," he added.

"Ignore him," Clay added, pointing towards Jax. "Always stings when things change." He stood and gave Chibs a huge hug before taking the patches and pushing them into his top pocket. "You got your first duty to deal with out there," he added as he heard one of the police cars pull up at the front. "Good luck."

"Throw me in the deep end, hey?" Chibs smiled as the others came to congratulate him. He managed to squeeze in a hug with every single one of them before he headed out, standing tall and ready to face Roosevelt.

Roosevelt sauntered in with his usual look of distrust. He started towards Jax at first but soon paused, seeing Jax's wounded body language as he leaned over the bar, frustrated. Chibs stepped up.

"Afraid there's been a change of structure," he said with a smirk. "How can I help you?"

Roosevelt scowled as he looked around and pointed out to the front of the lot. "You've got a dead man on your front court," he said, as if Chibs didn't already know. Chibs shrugged.

"Self-defence. Bastard shot up the building with an automatic, you're welcome to come take a look."

He motioned to chapel and Roosevelt sneered a little, irritated. "Self-defence?"

"Aye," Chibs said. "Didn't know what else he'd do. Hap took the shot, here's the weapon." He motioned to Happy to hand it over, he'd spend twenty-four hours in local lock up and he'd be out, there were no concerns on anybody's part. "Do your homework, we weren't doing shite, just having a wee chat. Ask her," he added, pointing towards Nina. "She was sitting out here with the girls, weren't you, love?"

Nina blushed and stood awkwardly, moving towards Roosevelt. He could see her limp, she was in pain in her torso but he hardly dared ask what from. "That right, miss?" She nodded.

"They were all just sitting inside," she said supportively. "I'm happy to make a formal statement if you need one."

Roosevelt hated this, he looked around at the others but everybody was clearly in agreement. Maybe, for once, they were telling the damn truth. "And you know him? The guy outside?"

Jax finally stood up and pushed out his lower lip, shaking his head as he crossed his arms. However pissed he was with how things were going down, this was still his club and he had a duty to protect his father's legacy, whether he wanted to or not. "Nope, just a crazy, I guess," he offered. "Sorry we can't be more helpful."

Chibs gave Roosevelt a smug smile and motioned for him to leave. "I think we're done. Jackieboy here'll be in touch about an insurance claim once you've done your paperwork, aye?"

The sheriff hesitated as he looked again at Nina. She was new in town, he was sure of it, he hadn't seen her around but Chibs' deference to her made him think she might be suitably exploitable. "You should swing by," he suggested, calling across to her. "To the station, to make that statement."

He left, feeling like he had no more answers than what he had come in with. He huffed a little as he stormed back to the car and frowned as he saw Tara pulling up, her car trawling slowly around the area already cordoned off with police tape and cones. She took off her sunglasses as she stepped out of the car, shielding the boys' eyes from the sight as she ferried them into the clubhouse. She stared accusatorially at Jax and crossed her arms.

"What the hell happened?" she frowned. Jax shook his head.

"Not now," Jax said shortly. "There's club shit going on."

"Is there?" There was a look on her face that made Jax inexplicably nervous, she looked like she might explode at any second as she stared at him. "That club shit involve you fucking around with that porn pussy Ima?"

Tig swooped in quickly and grabbed Abel from her hold, covering his ears as he carried him to the far side of the room. Bobby carefully slipped away with Thomas' rocker on his arm as Tara squared up to Jax, her face in his as she backed him up against the bar. Jax put his hands up defensively.

"What are you talking about?"

"That nasty little mess? She got herself in? It's contagious if it's not treated immediately, Jax. Now I'm not really one to sleep around, but you?" She was almost spitting now, she was so angry as she thumped his chest hard. Her voice dropped to a harsh whisper that everybody could hear. "You gave me a goddamn STD from a hooker."

Jax was shaking his head as he looked desperately at Chibs. "No, I can't have, I took shit for it straight away, it should have been clear." Chibs had to do everything he could to suppress the grin that spread across his face, he grabbed Nina and buried his head in her shoulder to try and hide his wicked glee. "Oh Jesus, you fucking asshole."

"We should go," Chibs said quickly, giving Nina a tug. "I promised you lunch." He waved at Jax as he skipped out towards the door. "Sorry, Jackieboy, must have been the wrong packet."

Tara slapped Jax furiously, unable to even express the rage in her body. She twisted his ear beneath her fingers as she stepped into him.

"We're done," she said. "You promised me we were good, that you weren't fucking around. I hope your goddamn dick rots off," she added. She looked to the others for her boys. "Put them in the car please, now."

Jax tried to grab her arm, rooting his feet to the ground. "Come on, Tara, please, it was for the club."

"For the club?" That was the last thing he should have said. Tara turned and decked him, her fist colliding furiously with his face. "Take this, for the goddamn club." Jax staggered backwards from the unexpected impact, smashing a dozen glasses to the floor as he collapsed against the bar. "Me, and my boys? We're leaving and we're getting away from you. You can have your goddamn club, it seems to be the only thing you give a damn about."