A/N: don't own don't sue

Lyrics at the beginning are from Maybe We're Already Gone by Daughtry

Set after Season One, before Abel is kidnapped and Gemma is raped and Jax turns into a jerk and the whole club hates each other. Generally back when the show had fun and all the coolest characters were still alive. Because I can, it's called artistic license.

Learn My Lesson

Chapter Eleven

Our time's just another let down
White lies tearin' up a small town
Lost cause, someone's gotta break through
Coin toss, give away your next move
So much talkin', left with walkin'
Is this really what we wanted?
I don't think we'll ever know
Know you're sayin' hell we're payin'
Everything we want is fadin'
Faster than you'll ever know
Can you see the signs? Have we lost our minds?
Looks like we've fallen, feels like we've fallen
Down and down we go
Never felt so low
Can't hear you callin'
So maybe we're already gone
Caught up, temporary meltdown
So what, it doesn't matter right now
Right now, anyhow
After somethin', all or nothin'
Goes right by ya, sends no motion
Why we let it take control?
Know you're sayin' hell we're payin'
Everything we want is fading
And all is lost and heaven knows
Can you see the signs? Have we lost our minds?
Looks like we've fallen, feels like we've fallen
Down and down we go
Never felt so low
Can't hear you callin'
So maybe we're already gone
We'll make it through
Yeah, there's nothing else that we can do

"We're only going to be away for a few days." Naomi pointed out mulishly. "And Chibs will be there."

"Stuff happens!" Half-Sack insisted without looking at her, rooting through his personal stash until he uncovered the small handgun he was looking for.

Naomi eyed it warily as he checked it over. Seemingly satisfied with its condition, he handed it to her and parked himself in the desk chair. Naomi dangled the gun between her fingers, looking at it queasily. Juice had scrounged up a backpack for her and she'd been packing up her meagre belongings when Half-Sack had marched into her room with a big trunk. He'd ordered her to sit down, he had something for her. Half-Sack patiently pointed out the different features of the gun; how to check it was loaded and how to load it, the safety catch and the trigger. Naomi nodded, holding it gingerly even though it wasn't loaded yet.

"Do I have to-"

"Yes." Half-Sack gave her his puppy-dog eyes and she scowled, handing it back so he could demonstrate loading it for her.

Naomi sighed, dropping the gun gingerly into her backpack. Half-Sack frowned but didn't comment, apparently satisfied that she'd at least agreed to take it with her.

"Have you got everything?" Juice asked, appearing in the doorway looking morose.

"I think so." Naomi held up the backpack to demonstrate and Juice took it from her, swinging it over his shoulder. "I'll miss you guys." She sighed, holding out an arm to each of them.

They were locked in a gangly-limbed three-way hug when Jax coughed from the doorway to remind them of the timeframe. He eyed them in amusement as Juice and Half-Sack nearly tripped over themselves backing away and Naomi grinned. She hugged Half-Sack, ruffling his hair.

"Don't work too hard." She scolded, tugging on a stray blond curl when he blushed. "And you, be careful." She warned Juice, pressing her lips to his cheekbone and squeezing his waist with one arm.

They walked her into the main area of the clubhouse, Chibs lifting his eyebrows at her entourage as Tig and Happy guffawed loudly. Clay took Chibs and Jax to one side for a murmured conversation and Naomi wandered over to the bar to get some provisions for the trip.

"Dirty weekend, huh?" Piney wheezed from his stool, sucking heavily on a joint and chuckling.

"Shut it, old man." Naomi laughed. "Ya just jealous!"

"Damn straight." He winked, watching as she gathered up some bottles of water and tucked them into her backpack. "You're a good girl, kid."

She blinked at him in surprise, a faint flush creeping over her freckled cheekbones.

"Are you feeling okay, Piney?"

His laugh turned into a hacking cough and he fiddled with the oxygen level of his tank.

"Just old, sweetheart." He winked again and she smiled, touching his shoulder on her way back towards the others.

"You getting soft, old man?" Opie murmured, watching Naomi hug a miserable-looking Juice again.

"Fuck you." Piney grumbled grouchily, glaring at his chuckling son.


Clay had decided that a Son's presence was one thing but hurtling around on a Harley was just begging for attention so Chibs and Naomi had commandeered a rusty old truck someone had reported as abandoned and they'd towed for Unser. They had been planning on stripping it down for parts but Naomi had begged them to let her play with it and Half-Sack had been helping her get it running again. Unfortunately they hadn't gotten around to fixing the air conditioning yet and the heatwave showed no signs of abating. Naomi had reclined her chair and was sprawled with her feet out of the open window, fanning herself with a magazine.

"These bandages are itching like crazy." She complained.

"Don't scratch." Chibs advised, sliding her a glance from under his shades.

"It's itchy!" She protested sulkily. "And I'm hot, can't we pull over?" She wheedled as they passed a sign advertising a gas station in a half mile.

Chibs frowned and she batted her eyelashes sweetly. They had been ordered to set off early and find a secure place to stay for the Irish; they had almost an entire day's head start to play with. Chibs didn't like the idea of stopping but she was right, it was goddamn hot even with all the truck's windows wide open.

"We need gas anyway." He mumbled, ignoring the look she shot him as he pulled into the gas station.

It consisted of two main rickety old buildings that looked as if a good shove would collapse them in on themselves. There was a fancy sports car by the air-pump looking ridiculously out of place amongst the ramshackle buildings and dusty equipment. Naomi climbed gratefully out of the truck and stretched. A loud wolf whistle made her start, and she glanced over the hood of the truck at the sports car. What looked like two college kids were hanging out of the back with shit-eating grins all over their faces. Naomi forced a smile and turned away, feeling intently uncomfortable. Chibs jumped down from the truck, his boots thumping on the dusty ground. He rolled his shoulders and cricked his neck, giving both guys a long assessing look. They stared challengingly back, talking between themselves without losing their smug grins. Even in this heat Sons wore their cuts but the sight of his shining dully in the bright sun didn't even faze the punks. They continued to jeer at Naomi as she circled around the truck towards him. He stared them down for so long that she started to get nervous.

"Come on." She put her arm through his, pressing briefly against his side and then linking their fingers to pull him towards the small store. She felt him tense as the jeering got louder and several age related insults were bandied around. Naomi locked her fingers to prevent him turning back. "Forget it." She paused in the doorway, turning to face him. "They could never score with a girl like me." She leaned in close enough for the intoxicating mix of her bodyheat and coconut shampoo to lap against his skin. "You, however, might just make it."

He chuckled but she'd already pushed open the rickety screen door and disappeared into the gloomy store. It was a small store as expected, only two aisles of mostly junk and not even any air conditioning to make the trip worthwhile. And everything seemed to be covered in a faint layer of dust. Naomi was happily trying on various dusty sunglasses from several decades ago and Chibs wandered back outside for some air. He lit up and used a disposable to check in on Charming while he waited for Naomi. He was filling up the tank when the hair on the back of his neck prickled. He glanced at the store, searching for a flash of scarlet hair. His instincts were chafing and he touched the butt of his gun in the middle of his back for reassurance. The screen door flew open and Naomi marched out, her face bright red and her mouth contorted. Her eyes were blazing and Chibs moved away from the truck. Two more college idiots bashed open the screen door and emerged behind her, one of them wrapping an arm around her waist. Chibs bristled jealously and stepped forwards. His friend was laughing himself sick behind them.

"You better take your hands off me right now." Naomi ordered, her voice trembling angrily.

The goon guffawed and hauled her closer. Chibs considered pulling his gun just to scare off the punk but he had a burning need to plant his knuckles in the pretty boy's face.

"Last chance." Naomi warned.

Pretty boy pressed his face towards her. Before Chibs could react Naomi clocked him, putting the entire weight of her body behind the punch just the way Happy and Half-Sack had been teaching her. The college kid was so surprised he lurched backwards and knocked into his friend. The two jackasses in the sports car shouted angrily and scrambled out of the car. Chibs could hardly keep the grin off his face as Naomi squared up against the kid again, looking perfectly ready to throw another punch. Blood was pouring down the kid's face from his broken nose. He snarled and lunged forwards. Naomi rolled her hip and swung at him again. He plunged to the ground howling and clasping his eye with both hands. His friend gaped at him in horror, their two buddies racing towards them. Chibs stepped between them and Naomi.

"Why don't you boys jump back in that pretty car." Chibs rumbled menacingly, folding his arms across his chest and giving them the full effect of his threatening eyes and scary looking scars.

For the first time they took full notice of the cut and their aggressive stances diminished a little.

"You heard him, beat it!" Naomi snarled, waving a bloodied hand for emphasis.

Swearing bloody murder, they gathered up their injured friend and made a hasty retreat. Chibs turned immediately to Naomi, utterly stunned to see her grinning like she'd just won the lottery. She jumped at him.

"Did you see that?!" She shrieked happily, clinging onto his arm and shaking him. "How cool was that! I totally broke his nose, the creep!"

Chibs laughed at her excitement, disentangling himself long enough to pay the owner, who'd emerged to see what was causing the ruckus, for the gas. Naomi had clambered back into the truck when he returned but her excitement was unabated.

"You coulda been hurt." Chibs tried to chastise as he guided the truck back onto the road.

"Pffft." Naomi scoffed, flapping her hand dismissively. "Because getting hurt is such an unusual event nowadays."

Chibs frowned at the carefree way Naomi tossed the comment out.

"Speaking of." Naomi grimaced and searched around the footwell for her backpack. "That jackass yanked my stitches." She dug out a bottle of water and her pain pills.

"Look on the bright side, he'll have some stitches of his own for a while."

Naomi cackled happily, wetting her fingers and wiping the blood from her knuckles.

"Right across his pretty face." She cackled smugly. She rolled her eyes at the concerned look Chibs gave her. "Come on! I've had the shit kicked out of me numerous times lately. Knocking some guy's lights out and hopefully making him think twice about putting his hands on some other girl is hardly a sign of a psychological break down."

"It's hard to tell with you, lass." Chibs laughed, dodging her swipe and nearly sending them careening off the road.


"So I left one lockdown for another?" Naomi complained, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring.

Chibs sighed and scrubbed his hands over his face tiredly. They'd been driving for the best part of the day and he'd only had time to grab a shower and a nap before he had to meet the Irish, arguing with Naomi was not in his timeframe.

"It's not a social event." He repeated.

"It's a bar!" Naomi leapt to her feet to pace angrily. Anticipating a night in a bar during a heatwave, she'd dressed appropriately in a pair of denim hotpants and backless multi-coloured halter top and every movement she made was making it harder for Chibs to concentrate. "I didn't think you'd be keeping me a prisoner away from Charming."

"You're still under the Sons' protection." Chibs argued.

"Why did you bring me here?" She snapped, her hands on her hips.

Chibs cocked his head and stared at her, at her long bare bronze legs and the curve of cleavage under the thin cotton of her top.

"I don't know." He sighed, getting to his feet and crossing to the window of the motel. He could see the Irish already filtering into the bar across the street. "Why did you come here?"

"You know why." She answered immediately, the dark lipstick on her mouth making her frown almost sensuous.

"You shouldn't have come." Chibs mumbled. They'd already had this argument when they'd checked in and she hadn't been allowed to meet the Irish, when she'd wanted to find somewhere to eat and he'd insisted on picking something up so they could eat in the motel and when he'd first told her to stay put while he was at the bar.

"I get that you're trying to keep me safe. And I'm grateful. But if I only have until I testify to live, I'm not going to be spending it in a crappy motel room." She pursed her lips thoughtfully for a minute. "At least… not alone."

Chibs shook his head reprovingly, heat flaring all over his body.

"I gotta go. Stay put." He ordered, slipping out of the door before she could argue.


Chibs and an older Irishman called O'Grady had just won a decent amount of cash on the pool tables and were at the bar when O'Grady whistled, jabbing Chibs in the side with an elbow. Chibs glanced up, following O'Grady and his brother-in-law McGarrett's appreciative gaze. He already knew what he would see. Naomi was leaning against the jukebox peering ponderously at the records. The position of her body emphasised the entire length of her taut thighs, the curve of her butt in the tight denim and her muscled bare back. Chibs swallowed.

She appeared to have made her selection because a minute later she was sauntering over to the bar, her boots clunking against the wooden floor in time to the sway of her hips. Don't Fear the Reaper started to play as she leant across the bar, giving her drink order to the mountain of a man behind the bar. O'Grady eyed her from top to bottom. Naomi glanced at them and then turned away disinterestedly, swirling her drink around in time to the music.

"They don't make 'em like that back home." McGarrett whistled, sucking back some of his beer.

Chibs shrugged, not trusting himself to speak when he was so goddamn furious. He'd told her to stay put. For her own safety, goddamnit, not for his own amusement. Yet here she was, swaggering around drawing all kinds of attention.

"She's looking at you, brother." McGarrett chortled, nudging Chibs.

"That's 'cause he's starin' at her." O'Grady pointed out with a bark of laughter.

Chibs laughed along with them. Naomi had stayed in her room for the brief time the Irish had been at the clubhouse, they'd never met her and had no reason to believe he knew her at all. She was clearly playing on that because she was giving them an annoyed frown as if she were unhappy about their stares. She pushed a hand back through her hair, necking the last of her drink and pushing the empty glass across the sticky bar. She cocked her head thoughtfully, shooting them another glance, then said something to the barman. He looked over at them and Chibs felt his skin prickle. He'd seen that look before. She accepted the drinks from the man-mountain and pushed away from the bar. She sauntered over, her hips swaying hypnotically and her eyes glimmering dangerously. She walked right up to Chibs, ignoring the surrounding entourage of Irish making appreciative noises as she approached, and handed him a fresh beer.

"When was the last time a pretty girl bought you a beer?" She asked coyly, tilting her head and eyeing him from under her lashes.

Chibs figured playing along would be his best bet. He took the beer from her with a smile and a little lift of his eyebrows.

"It's been a while." He admitted with a chuckle, gulping down some beer.

"Ooh, Scottish." Naomi sighed, flipping her hair in a gesture he'd never seen her use before. "You're a long way from home."

"That he is." O'Grady interjected, winking at her playfully. "Ain't we all."

"Irish?" Naomi pretended to guess, flicking a glance over the thugs surrounding them before turning her attention back to Chibs. "Care to ask a girl to dance?"

Chibs laughed in disbelief and looked at a thoroughly amused O'Grady and McGarrett. Naomi shot back her drink and cocked her hip teasingly towards him. O'Grady lifted her empty glass and sniffed the remnants of liquid at the bottom of the tumbler. Naomi wrinkled her nose in distaste.

"I'd take her up on it, brother. Any girl who drinks straight scotch shouldn't be refused anything."

Naomi cocked her finger and beckoned and, after a moment's hesitation filled with taunts from the Irish, Chibs slid off his stool and followed her onto the makeshift dancefloor. The jukebox stuttered into a slower country song and Chibs yanked her closer.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Chibs demanded, pressing his mouth against her ear as he circled one arm around her waist.

Naomi ignored him, coiling her arm around his neck. His grip on her other hand was almost painful in his anger.

"Chill out, they don't know who I am. They just think you're the luckiest man on the planet." She grinned, rolling her eyes at the scowl creasing his face. "I did warn you." She pointed out, a little sympathetically.

Chibs whirled them around roughly, putting his back to the Irish who were still half-watching them across the bar.

"Playing a dangerous game, lass." He hissed.

She drew away from just enough to look him in the eye. He stared at her, intently aware of each place her body was pressed against his. His mind was racing, adrenaline thundering through his body. He couldn't drag her back to the motel room like he wanted to, the Irish wouldn't believe he'd be distracted by a random sweetbutt when he was on Club's business but he couldn't let go of her when she got into trouble at every turn. The music changed and he let go of her as people filtered past them towards the bar or the bathroom.

"I'm going to have a few more drinks, and I'm going to dance some more. Then I'll go back to the room like a good little captive." Naomi cocked her head, tipping onto her toes and putting her lips against the shell of his ear. "And that's where I'll be. Waiting."

She slipped out of his grasp and vanished into the crowds like smoke.