Chapter 45
Ellie stood next to Tara on the TM lot, waiting for the guys to come. Jax had called the night before to let them know they'd be out in the morning so they had left the kids at Tara's house with Neeta. Ellie grabbed Tara's hand as the sound of bikes approached, letting out a sigh of relief when she finally saw Chibs pull into the lot. Releasing Tara's hand, she didn't wait for him to get to her, running the rest of the distance. Chibs face crinkled into a grin as he wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up off the ground. When he set her back down, she pulled back and looked at the gash above his eye, her brow creasing as she gently ran her fingers over it. "I'm fine love."
Leaning up to kiss him, she nestled her face in the crook of his neck and let her worried tears from the last days go. "God Chibs I was so scared."
"It's alright Ellie, I'm here."
"I'm so sorry about Opie."
"I know love, I know." They stood there holding each other, savoring the feel of being in each other's arms again.
"Are you coming home to me tonight? I need you with me."
"Aye love, I'll be sleeping in my bed next ta ya." He pulled back, looked down at her upturned face and gently wiped her tears away with his thumb. Planting a gentle kiss on Ellie's lips, he said "I have church first. We'll have Opie's wake tonight here then we'll head home, yeah?"
"Yeah, I'll go relieve Neeta for a while since she'll have the kids tonight at Tara's."
Ellie spent the afternoon at Tara's with the kids enjoying the normality of the kids running around playing and Patrick resting in her arms smiling and laughing whenever she tickled his tummy.
"Everything's all set for tonight" Tara said, taking a seat next to her on the couch.
"How's Lyla taking it?"
"Hard. Jax is on his way with Chibs and Happy to tell Opie's sister."
"Can I do anything to help?"
"Just be there for Chibs. It's hard on them losing Opie, he's been with them since he was 18. Even before then Jax and Opie grew up around the club."
That night Ellie stood by Chibs' side in the comfort of his embrace, only leaving him when he went to pay his respects to Opie who was laid out in church. It was late in the night when she rode with him home to their quiet home since the children were spending the night at Tara's. She followed behind him upstairs to their bedroom as he wearily took a seat on their bed and began to undo his worn boots. Standing in front of him, she took his face in her palms and forced him to look up at her. "I love you Chibs. I'm here with you, you and the kids are it for me." As she leaned in to kiss him, she was relieved to see some of the sparkle return to his eyes. Her hands went to work unbuttoning his shirt, her fingertips dancing over her name inked on his chest. She leaned in to kiss the letters, then pushing herself back from him, she toed off her black pumps and released the zipper of her black dress. Lowering her arms, she let the dress fall to the floor, leaving her in just her black silk and bra. The bikini bottoms cut low on her abdomen, revealing the ink she had gotten for him. It was still healing but she watched as his eyes took in the sight before him then looked up at her.
"What have ya done lass?"
"Happy did it while you were inside." Her voice caught, "I was afraid I was going to lose you, wanted you to have something to prove my love for you if you made it home to me; prove I'm all yours and I'm not going anywhere."
"Ya didn't have to do this love" he said, his eyes returning to the ink. "And you're not going to lose me, I ain't done with ya yet."
"Do you like it?" she asked, unsure.
"Aye, it's beautiful." His ringed fingers softly traced the raised skin that etched out his name. "Oh my sweet good girl" he said, looking back up at her and helping her into his lap and continuing the kiss she had started earlier.
It wasn't long before he was rolling them over onto the bed. He hooked his fingers in her underwear and tugged them off of her, before scooting back on the bed and watching her unclasp her bra. He crawled up her body giving her his cheeky grin. Letting out a laugh as he attached his lips to her neck, she said "Be careful of the ink Hap said he doesn't do touch ups."
"Aye, I'll not want to ruin it then." Running his hands over her thighs, he swiftly entered her, his eyes fixated on her ink as he snapped his hips against her. "I love you Fillip Telford" she said, smiling when his eyes went to hers.
"And I you Elizabeth Morgan."
Hovering over her, he captured her lips in his, the sweet sound she made, erasing all the shit from the past days gone from his mind. She was his escape from the pain of losing Opie, his guiding light as shit hit the fan with the club.
Nestled in bed sleepy and satisfied, Chibs ran his hand softly up and down her bare back as her head nestled in the crook of his neck, her fingertips tracing his tattoos on his chest. "Chibs?"
"Aye love?"
"I want your crow."
With her words, a smile crossed his lips. "You are making an old man happy tonight love. We'll have Hap do it tomorrow."
"No time to waste huh?"
"I've been wanting ya ta get it for two years love, don't want ya changing your mind on me."
"I'm not going to change my mind I'm in this with you."
"Where should we put love?"
"I don't know, where do you want it?"
"Right out in the open I want everyone to know who my beautiful girl is."
"You don't want it someplace secret that's just for your eyes?"
"No, I already have my name on ya just for me." Grabbing her delicate hand, he kissed the inside of her left forearm. "I want it right here, that way it leads ta your heart."
"You're a sweet man Mr. Telford."
"Only for you my love."
The slow calm happy times were few and far between but Ellie intended to enjoy every minute of them. Chibs was sitting at the breakfast table with 4 month old Patrick nestled in his arms while Katherine created a mess of her breakfast yelling "I do" every time Chibs reached over to help her. Ellie topped up his cup of morning tea. "Thank ya love" he said, grabbing her arm and kissing he recently healed crow.
"You keep doing that and the ink's going to wear off" she remarked.
"Can't help it Ellie, I love seeing it on ya." It was his new obsession ever since Happy had put it on her, he'd kiss it whenever she was near. Her crow showed the bird in flight and spanned the inner part of her forearm in dark greys and blacks.
"So what are you up to today?" she asked, sitting back down at the table with a cup of coffee in hand.
"The usual."
"I'm not even sure what that means with you."
"Jacky wants to check on Diosa."
"Ah the whore business. Not sure if I like you hanging around hookers all day."
"Escorts Ellie and they don't hold a candle ta ya" he said, getting up and handing her Patrick as he shrugged on his kutte and planted kisses on his small family.
It was later that she got the frantic call from Tara that Gemma had been in accident with the boys and that she, Jax and Chibs were on their way back from the cabin. Ellie waited for Neeta to arrive and then rushed to St. Thomas. The sun was beginning to come up when she got there. Eyeing Chibs standing outside smoking with Tig, she rushed to Chibs. He started talking, seeing the worry on her face "They're fine, Gemma's banged up so they're keeping her overnight and Thomas is fine. Abel got a bump on his head and his heartbeat was sporadic. They're fixing it right now so he'll be just fine."
She let out a sigh of relief. "What the hell happened?"
"Someone ran Gemma's off the road. You'll have an escort till we find out who."
"Why the fuck would someone run Gemma off the road?"
"Don't know yet love."
"Had to be the same fuckers who shot at you and Jax" Tig commented.
Ellie gasped. "You were shot at?"
Chibs rolled his eyes at Tig and his big mouth. "I'm fine love, no holes in me" he soothed, putting his arm around her and walking into the hospital with her.
"I guess when you said you were up to the usual today, I should have known it'd involve you getting shot at" she sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. "It seems to be the usual lately."
"We'll find who did it and then it will be back to the usual, dealing guns, muling drugs, and whores."
"Well that makes me feel a whole lot better!" she joked, poking him in the side. "I'm going to regret saying this but I'd rather you spent your day with the whores."
"Whatever you want love" he said, giving her a wink.
"Watch yourself Telford."
As they stepped off the elevator, Tara came around the corner. Pulling Ellie into her arms, she sighed. "Abel just got out of surgery he's okay he's going to be fine" she said.
"Thank god."
"I'm headed to go sit with him in recovery" Tara said, relaxing her hold on Ellie as Chibs and Jax approached the women.
"Ellie ya stay here with Tara, we got a lead we're going to run down."
"Yeah okay, any chance you're going to get shot at again?" she asked, grabbing onto his kutte.
"Chances are slim but no promises" he grinned leaning in and kissing her.
"Just be safe and come home to me."
"Always love."
She sat with Tara holding her hand as she watched over Abel, relieved when the boy opened his eyes, smiled at his mother then drifted off back to a drug induced sleep. She remained next to Tara, starting to doze as day gave way to dusk. She jumped when Jax came in.
Seeing Jax's tired face and the worry in his eyes, she stood up, suddenly feeling panicked. "Where's Chibs?"
"Fuck Ellie I'm sorry." She stood there as Jax explained what had happened at Diosa. Frankie and the nomads had been behind the home invasions and had taken the money and Chibs with him.
"Do you think Frankie will kill him?" her voice quivered.
Jax wanted to give her some reassurance, even though he had no idea. The situation had spun out of control so quickly, it was impossible to predict what would happen. "We'll find him Ellie."
"That didn't answer my question Jax."
"I promise you Ellie we'll bring him home whole" he said, hoping his face didn't convey that he had no idea, what Frankie would do to Chibs.
When her tears started to fall, Tig stepped into the room and took her is his arms. "Doll we're going to find him, he's a tough old bastard."
"You promise me Tig."
"Yeah I promise."
"Ellie, Tig is going to take you home and stay with you while we find Chibs."
"Jax you fucking find him and you call me as soon as you know something. Even if it's bad, you fucking call me."
"I will Ellie."
Tig put his arm around her shoulder and walked her out of the room. They passed Gemma on her way in, and she stopped to give Ellie a silent nod and a soft shoulder squeeze. By the time Tig got Ellie home, Neeta had fed the kids and put them to bed. Ellie went upstairs to check on her babies and when she came back down, Tig was sitting on the couch watching TV. She slumped down next to him, his arm going around her shoulder when he heard her heavy sigh. "What am going to do Tig if he doesn't come back alive?"
"Don't even think that he's not coming back Ellie."
"What the fuck is going on Tig? These were patched members, how does this happen?"
"I don't know, they were nomads."
"So? Happy was a fucking nomad and he'd never do anything like that. What happens when you guys can't trust other charters?"
"You can trust me and the rest of the guys, we'll figure it all out how this happened. We'll find Frankie and we'll find Chibs" he said, holding her tighter. "Don't worry doll I have you."
He held her next to him, and eventually felt her relax and drift off to sleep. Ellie and Tig were startled awake by the ring of his phone. They had fallen asleep together on the couch, Ellie's head laying in his lap as he slept sitting straight up. Ellie pushed herself up as Tig answered his phone. "Yeah?" Tig said, clearing the sleep from his voice. Ellie eyed him carefully for any sign that the call was about Chibs, anxiously watching him pace giving one worded answers. He snapped his phone closed and turned to her with a smile. "They found him doll. He's fine, got a nasty bump on the head, Rat's bringing him back to TM."
"Oh thank god" she said, her hands going to her mouth.
"I'll stay with the kids and you head over to TM."
"Don't I need an escort? Did you guys find out who ran Gemma off the road?"
"The issue is resolved, Gemma lied. No one ran her off the road, she was fucking high as kite and crashed the car herself."
"What the fuck was she thinking?"
"Don't know Ellie, but she's in a mess of trouble with Jax and Tara."
Ellie raced upstairs to wake up the children and change them. Katherine was delighted to see Tig in their living room and went directly to him, taking a seat in his lap. Ellie passed off Patrick to Tig and gave him his bottle. "You sure you can handle these two?"
"Yeah I got it, go see your old man."
"Thanks Tig" she said, kissing him on the cheek.
Chibs was perched on the benches outside of the clubhouse. She immediately stopped her car and ran to him as he began to stand. Her arms wrapped around him and he heard her breath hitch. "It's alright love I'm fine. I'm here."
"Chibs I can't do this again. Don't you ever leave me."
"I'm sorry love" he sighed, knowing she had probably been through hell in the last 24 hours. Holding her close to him, he kissed the top of her head. "I won't leave ya again okay lass?"
"That's something you can't promise Chibs." When he pulled back from her, he saw the true worry on her face. "You fucking mean everything to me, I can't lose you."
"Oh Ellie love I don't want ya worrying about me, I got a hard head remember." Giving her a grin, he didn't have the heart to show her the stitches he had received from Frankie's blow to the head. Nor did he want her to know that he'd thought he was done for as well, and that his mind had only thought of the pain she'd be in at the loss of him. He'd always been okay with the death that being in the club might bring him, but the thought that it would break his girl's heart made him worry for her. The frightened look on her face only served to drive home the fact that it wasn't just him in this anymore, he had a family now and someone who loved him. It scared him more than waiting for Frankie to shoot him in the back of the head.
"Chibs, this isn't a fucking joke!" she shouted at him.
"Alright love ya got yourself all worked up, everything turned out fine in the end. I wasn't in any danger, Frankie let me off at the side of the road. Took my phone so I couldn't call or I would've let ya know sooner that I was fine." He took his hands and wiped her tears away. "Now no more of this love, no more tears" he soothed, giving her a soft kiss. When he saw Jax pull up on the lot, he said "Ellie why don't ya go on back home? Make a big breakfast for me and I'll be home just as soon I talk with Jax yeah?"
She nodded to him. "Yeah okay, I should get back anyway. I left the kids with Tig."
"Aye ya should then, don't want our little girl ending up on the pole" he deadpanned, giving her another kiss.
When it was just him and Jax, he showed him the fresh wound on his head. "You know Jacky, I thought the bastard was going to shoot me right in the back of the head. And for the first time since I've been in the club, I was afraid to face death. Not because of me, I've always been prepared for it. I know this life, it's all I've known but I've got Ellie now and she's not prepared for me to go."
"What are you saying Chibs?"
"I'm not talking about getting out if that's what you're thinking but I need to make sure Ellie's ready for it when my time does come."
"She's you're old lady. She's family, we'll take care of her."
"Aye I know that brother but I'm not talking about financially or someone to come over and fix a leaky faucet. I'm talking about her not coping with losing me. She's seen a lot the past year, more than I wanted her to. I jumped in with being with her and she's a good old lady; she loves the club but she's not ready for the other part of it. I see Tara and she's strong, she loves you and you're part of her but she'd not fall apart if the day came and ya didn't come home. I'm afraid in my love for Ellie that I've let her lose her way, who she was before she met me."
"What do you need brother?"
"I need to pull all this shite back from her, let her stand on her own two feet for a bit. I need to know she can do this on her own, I need her to have that faith in herself."
Happy Friday! So sad this week that the journey of SOA has ended not sure what to do with my Tusday nights now, I guess I'll have to spend that time writing:)
