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

Lyrics at the beginning are from 'Used To' by Daughtry

Set around 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 Twenty Seven

You used to talk to me like
I was the only one around
You used to lean on me like
The only other choice was falling down
You used to walk with me like
We had nowhere we needed to go
Nice and slow, to no place in particular
We used to have this figured out
We used to breathe without a doubt
When nights were clear, you were the first star that I'd see
We used to have this under control
We never thought, we used to know
At least there's you, and at least there's me
Can we get this back?
Can we get this back to how it used to be?
I used to reach for you when, I got lost along the way
I used to listen
You always had just the right thing to say
I used to follow you
Never really cared where we would go
Fast or slow, to anywhere at all

He really was trying, she had to admit that. He brought her coffee in the mornings, made sure she didn't skip lunch when she got caught up with whatever project she had going on. He brought her books and magazines to keep her occupied. He asked how she was and he actually listened to her responses. However, he still hadn't apologized. She puzzled over his contrariness as she accepted the sandwich he'd had delivered for her. It was nice that he was being so attentive, but it wasn't what she wanted. He knew what she wanted. Was it really so hard?

She turned back to Happy with a frustrated sigh. He blinked at her impassively, eyeing her sandwich. She broke it in half and handed him half. He grunted a thank you and wolfed it down.

"Okay. Question Five." She straightened out the magazine on her lap and ran her finger over the question as she read. "You plan a date for your partner. Do you A. take them to an expensive restaurant B. head over to the local bowling alley C. plan a romantic picnic in the wild D. book a hotel room and bring champagne?"

Happy frowned in concentration as she chewed on her half of the sandwich. Eventually he chose B and she marked his answer on the quiz sheet, trying to imagine Happy doing anything as normal as bowling.

"Things are getting serious. To prove your commitment to the relationship, do you A. buy a promise ring B. ask them to move in with you C. get a puppy together D. have "the talk"." Naomi wrinkled her nose at the options. "Sorry matching tattoos isn't on the list."

Happy gave her a look and she laughed, taking a swig of her soda. She marked down Happy's response, puppy, and moved on. They were still working through the questions when Clay and Chibs approached them, deep in conversation. Clay raised a questioning eyebrow.

"What Kind of Partner Are You in a Relationship." Naomi read the title of the quiz as explanation, waving the magazine at them.

Happy peered at Clay without a word, apparently not in the least bit put out about spending the afternoon doing ridiculous quizzes from trashy magazines with her. Clay jerked his head for Happy to join them. He paused only long enough to squeeze her shoulder and glower at Chibs, before he departed. Chibs slid into his abandoned seat.

"A relationship quiz?"

Naomi shrugged, pushing the magazine away.

"I don't think you want to find out what kind of partner you are, Scottish."

Chibs frowned but didn't take the bait. He had been swallowing his pride for days. He did not chase women, he never had, but he was willing to try for her. She was nervously clicking and unclicking the pen in her hand, her fingers twiddling it anxiously. He pulled the pen from her grasp and took her hand in his. She flinched slightly, but let him hold it. Which was progress.

"Can I take you somewhere, lass? Tonight." He leaned towards her across the table. "Just us."

She considered for a moment. A date? Is that what he was asking? Well, he had been trying.

"Okay."

Chibs briefly flashed her that grin that made her loins dissolve, squeezing her hand gently. She kept her face blank, she was still pissed at him. He let her know what time to be ready and took his leave. She watched him go with a mixture of emotions.

"Still want his dick, huh."


She jumped about a foot in the air as Tig appeared beside her, his face uncomfortably close. She shoved him away and he chortled as he dodged her punch.

How was she supposed to know what to wear if she didn't know what they were doing, she thought grumpily as she scrubbed every inch of her body in the shower. She was positive she wasn't going to sleep with him tonight, even as she made sure everywhere was smooth and clean. She had used the peach scented shampoo Juice had got for her and spritzed on the pricey perfume that had appeared in her room somehow, so every movement released a soft scent that she knew would drive him mad. She played it safe with tight (indecently tight) jeans with a pretty lacy vest top tucked in that did wonders for her cleavage. She only had boots so her Docs would have to do. She threw on some eyeliner and mascara and painted her lips a deep burgundy red. She looked damn hot, and it served him right.

Wolf-whistles and howls echoed around the clubhouse as she stepped into the main area and she rolled her eyes. She sashayed across the room deliberately, tossing her hair over her shoulder. Tig's eyes lit up as she approached but she gave him a quelling look that prevented him from trying to touch her. She threw an arm around Half-Sack's shoulder and gave him a squeeze, since he was looking glum again.

"Cheer up, Kip." She whispered, not wanting to draw attention to him and trigger more ribbing from the guys.

"Have a good time." He said sadly. "Be careful."

She smiled affectionately at him. He was just the sweetest thing.

Sensing Chibs behind her, she turned to face him. He gave her a long lingering look from her toes up and she couldn't help but shiver at the look in his eyes. They left the clubhouse to a whole array of animal noises and bawdy jokes, heading over to the truck. She wondered briefly why they weren't taking his bike, but decided he probably didn't want to be conspicuous.

"So where are we going?" She asked politely once they had set off.

"It's a surprise." He teased, shooting her a glance as they pulled up at a red light.

She rolled her eyes but she knew she was grinning. They chatted as he drove, the barrier that had been between them steadily dissolving. It was strange to be alone together without flirting, without touching, without looking at each other with the promise of being naked as soon as possible. They were adjusting though. She was just about in a good mood when he swung the truck into the parking lot of a hotel.

Admittedly it looked like a nice hotel. But it was a hotel.

She turned and stared at him. He was smiling at her hopefully. She just stared at him. Was he joking? He seemed to sense her mood shift and he hurriedly convinced her to get out of the truck and trust him. She seemed to skip anger completely and go straight to icy indifference as she followed him into the foyer of the hotel. It was nice inside, lots of marble floors and expensive looking paintings on the walls. She stayed silent as they were checked in and shown to their room, politely thanking the bell-boy. The room was pretty too, big and airy with delicate furniture and powder-blue sheets on the huge four poster bed that was swathed with frothy white pillows.

Chibs took her unresponsive hand and led her over to the chaise lounge in silver grey velvet by the window. The view was also pretty, sprawling desert blooming in yellows and oranges in the setting sun. She looked at him and he looked back at her. This was officially it. She had given him a chance to repair what he'd broken, asked only one thing of him, and this was his solution.

"I know I fucked up."

She lifted her eyebrows expectantly and he took a deep breath. He had seated her on the chaise lounge and then sat on the soft cream carpet before her.

"I really fucked up." He admitted sheepishly. "I hurt you, I know that."

She looked down at him impassively.

"I need to apologise."

"And you thought a hotel room was the best way to do that."

He shook his head, scrubbing his hands over his face.

"I just wanted some privacy, somewhere just for us." He glanced around at the expensive room. "I probably should have explained that before we got here."

She cocked her head, although her posture had relaxed a fraction at the explanation.

"I'm not good with words. Or apologies."

They sat in silence for a moment, before he dug into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. It was a bit grubby and creased, looking like it had been refolded several times. He held it out to her and, after a second of consideration, she took it. She unfolded the page and smoothed it out. The page was full of spidery writing and for a moment, she didn't understand what he'd given her. Then she saw her name at the top, and his name at the bottom and realised it was a letter.

An apology letter.

She read it carefully, her heart thumping painfully the entire time. She knew what it must have cost him to sit and write this, it was very vulnerable. He explained his reasoning for trying to distance himself, touched on his fears of failing to protect her as he had his family in Ireland, explained his feelings for her and how complicated they were. Clarified how frightened he'd been after they'd made love in the forest, the intense sense of connection that had triggered his relationship fight or flight mode. And he apologised, sincerely, for how he'd treated her.

She sniffled to stop from crying, her hands trembling a little as she clutched the page. She knew immediately that he had spent days putting this together. The type of ink changed in different parts where he had put it away and gone back to it. This wasn't something he'd thrown together to calm her down, he'd thought about it and opened himself up to it. She glanced around at the fancy bedroom. Admittedly, he hadn't gone about it the best way, but he'd tried.

She realised he must have left the room while she was reading. She carefully folded up the letter and tucked it into the pocket of her jeans, checking her makeup in the big ornate mirror on the wall to make sure she hadn't actually started crying while she was reading. When she pulled the door open, he was leaning against the wall looking like an expectant father whose wife was in labour.

She gestured for him to come back in. He followed her warily, she wasn't giving anything away. They stood in the centre of the room and looked at each other. She took the letter from her pocket and held it up.

"Did you mean this?"

He nodded solemnly, wondering if he'd managed to mess the letter up and offend her again. She stepped towards him and she looked so beautiful, her brilliant eyes highlighted by the makeup and her sumptuous mouth a tempting crimson pout.

"If I take you back…" She held up the letter and waved it at him. "IF. If I do that… will you freak out again if things get intense?"

He rolled the question around in his mind. He couldn't lie to her and say he wouldn't panic again. So he didn't. She contemplated his answer for a long time, and he could see the cogs turning behind her eyes. She was figuring out whether to take the risk on him again. Eventually, her face softened and her posture loosened and he knew he'd been forgiven. Mostly.

"Really, Scottish? A hotel room?"

He laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"Your first thought for privacy was a hotel room?"

He groaned in embarrassment as she burst out laughing.

"At least it's not a sleazy motel."

He watched her as she circled the room to look at it more closely. Those jeans should be illegal, they clung so tightly he could barely look away. Would it be incredibly inappropriate to make a move? Would that ruin everything again? She glanced over her shoulder and caught him staring at her butt like it was water and he was in the desert.

Honestly, she had not intended to sleep with him tonight even if she did forgive him. She had intended to make him earn it. But there were other options. Chibs felt a simultaneous shiver of lust and trepidation slither down his spine as her red lips curved into a dark grin over her shoulder. She beckoned for him and, against his better judgement, he moved helplessly towards her. Her mouth was soft and teasing as it always had been, her tongue flickering wickedly against his. Her body slotted perfectly against him and he groaned as she shifted her thigh slightly to rub him through his jeans.

"You're sorry?" She asked between kisses, stripping him of his jacket.

"Yes, lass." He breathed, too worried of destroying the moment to move.

"You're going to make it up to me?" She teased him, nipping his lower lip with her teeth.

"Yes, lass." He repeated, letting her strip him of his shirt between kisses.

"You'll do anything I ask?" As she spoke she snaked her hand between them to palm him through his jeans and he groaned helplessly.

"Yes, lass."

She drew away from him suddenly, a dangerous smile on her face.

"Good."

He wrinkled his brow in confusion but didn't have time to reply because she gave him a hard shove that sent him reeling. He fell backwards onto the plush bed in surprise. He goggled at her in confusion as she quickly stripped him of his boots and jeans. When he was naked, she positioned him properly on the bed. He eyed her a little nervously, this wasn't going at all how he'd expected. His nervousness shot through the roof when she unhooked the curtain ties from the four poster and dangled them in front of him.

"Uh, lass? I don't-"

She held a finger to her lips reproachfully.

"You said you'd do anything I ask." She murmured seductively, peering at him from under her lashes.

Chibs stared at her helplessly. She rarely took control in the bedroom, preferring to be tossed around and made to feel small and delicate. This was new ground. As she tied his hands to the bed-posts, he had a genuine moment of fear that she was going to punish him for how he'd hurt her. When she had him secured, she looked down at him for a long time. His hair was ruffled from their makeout, his tattoos stark on his pale skin, his erection huge and proud. Her red lipstick had smeared all over his face, his cheeks were red from the shock of his current position and his eyes were glazed with lust.

"Lass…"

She cocked her head to the side and he wondered how he had lipstick all over him but hers had barely smudged.

"Do you trust me, Scottish?" She asked sweetly, in a voice like honey.

He swallowed hard, contemplating how he'd ended up tied to a bed in an expensive hotel with a dick as hard as granite and wondering if she was going to leave him there.

"Yes."

Her face split into a beautific smile and she fluttered her lashes at him.

"Good answer."

He licked his dry lips as she turned away, panic surging that she was actually going to abandon him, until she started to strip. He let out an involuntary squeak as she wriggled out of the extremely tight jeans and vest, exposing the barely there scrap of white lace between her legs. He twitched violently at the sight of her, naked apart from the tiny thong, bathed in the faint light from the sunset.

"Hmmm, surely a room this nice has candles." She pondered, turning away from the bed to search.

"Candles?" He repeated nervously, wondering if he was about to be tortured.

She found some candles and matches in a drawer, as expected this was a romantic suite with all the trappings. She took the candles and set them by the bed, the warm light suffusing the room with a sexy romantic glow. Chibs relaxed a little when he was sure she was going to start flinging about fire or hot wax. When she had enough light to work with, she crawled onto the bed and knelt beside him.

"Tonight, as part of your apology, you're going to lie there and let me do whatever I like." She informed him sweetly, tracing the tattoos on his chest with her fingernail. "Do you consent to that, Scottish?"

He stared at her. He was concerned at how vulnerable he was, how out of control, but he was also more turned on than he'd ever been in his entire life.

"Yeah, I consent, lass." His voice was gruff with arousal and she smiled, leaning over and placing a kiss on the centre of his chest.

"Good boy." She whispered, her breath warm against his naked skin.

He had never in his life surrendered control to a woman in bed, he liked to be in charge and to know she was in his power. As edgy as this made him feel, he trusted her. And to be honest, after over a week of not touching her, he needed her any way he could have her. She ran her nails along his bare skin, his chest, his belly, his thighs which tensed at the contact and his shoulders. She traced patterns into the sensitive skin of his navel, blowing lightly in the wake of her fingers. Every single touch had him twitching his tied hands convulsively, determined to touch her. She covered his tattooed body in kisses, swirling her tongue around his belly button.

She blew on his erection teasingly and he trembled, the bed posts creaking as he strained to move. She was remarkably good at tying knots, it seemed. He squirmed as she took him in her mouth, putting both hands on his thighs to keep him still. He wanted to touch her desperately, he wanted to put his hands in her hair, he wanted to stroke her shoulders. He wanted to connect. He didn't know if it was being tied up or just her, but she was blowing his mind right now, her tongue was turning corners he didn't even know existed and her sexy doe eyes peering up at him through her lashes. Fucking Christ. He couldn't do anything but lie there and groan in delight as her tongue worked on his dick while her clever fingers massaged his balls. Unfortunately, when he didn't think he could take another second, she stopped.

He stared at her. She smiled daintily back at him, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand and streaking her lipstick. She went back to caressing his body, scraping her nails down his chest just hard enough to leave faint red marks on his skin. She nipped his nipples with her teeth lightly, the faint scratch of pain tortuously pleasurable.

"Naomi…" He managed weakly, peering at her imploringly.

She shook her head, flashing him a devious smirk.

"The only words you're allowed to say tonight, are 'please' and 'no'." She informed him smugly, running her tongue along his throat. "If you say no, I'll stop of course."

He glared at her. He didn't want her to stop, he wanted her to finish what she started. She lifted her eyebrows tauntingly and he jerked against his restraints.

"Be a good boy." She ran her tongue along his earlobe until he shuddered.

She sank her teeth into his neck sharply, then soothed the skin with a kiss. Her fingers were dancing along his navel, teasing the sensitive skin there unmercifully. Before he could complain, she kissed him. His mouth moved almost violently against hers, the only protest he could make. She bit on his lip, almost hard enough to draw blood.

"Ready for the next part of your apology?"

He glowered at her, his face flushed from desire and his eyes dark and needy. He nodded, not trusting himself to speak. She gave him another lingering kiss, then moved up on the bed so she could straddle his face. He lapped at her eagerly, desperate to regain some control. She gave a little sighing moan at the first touch of his tongue and he felt a surge of pleasure shoot through him. She swirled her hips in time with his tongue, wrapping her hands into her hair and her eyes fluttering closed. He tried to move his hands again but he was as secure as ever. He wanted to run his hands over the curve of her waist, dig his fingers into the swell of her buttocks. He had to hand it to her for her inventiveness, this was pure torture.

"Chibs!"

She was making the little mewling sounds she always made before she came and she fell forwards, her hands clutching at the embroidered headboard. She stared down at him beneath her, her pupils huge with pleasure and the pretty rosy flush on her chest and neck she always had when they were in bed. Her whole body shook as she came, her thighs tightening reflexively around his head and her eyes snapping closed. He felt inordinately pleased with himself, he never went down on croweaters, it wasn't worth the risk, and he'd only done it to her as foreplay before now. Breathlessly, she slumped down beside him. He squinted at her hopefully, very much wanting her to return the favour.

After a while she seemed to catch her breath again and she leaned over to give him a kiss on the cheek. He stayed silent, letting her take the lead again. She kissed her way down his body, pressing a little kiss on the head of his erection. He grunted. He was so swollen with need now, he was sure he was about to go off with the slightest touch. She caressed him lightly, stroking him so gently he could hardly bear it.

"Lass." He ground out, swallowing his pride and resolving to beg. "Please."

She smiled sweetly at him, dropping kisses on his belly in time with the strokes of her hand.

"Please, what?"

He glared at her, his mouth drawn into a scowl. She was unaffected, continuing her ministrations. She brought him right to the edge again, and then she let go. He almost wanted to cry in frustration. She straddled his stomach, running her hands over his chest. He could feel how warm and wet she was and he growled in frustration. She put her hands on the pillows beside his head and leaned over him. He peered up at her, knowing she could see the raw desperation in his eyes. She smiled again, but this time it was genuine, and he knew she'd decided he'd suffered enough.

"I'm sorry, lass. I really am."

She grinned, hovering her mouth over his.

"I know."

He couldn't help but let out a deep groan of relief when she sank onto him. She sat astride him for an endless torturous minute, and he almost thought she was going to leave him hanging again. Then she started to move.

"Fuck." He grunted, unable to help himself.

Her ministrations had left him ridiculously sensitive, and he could feel every inch of her as she rocked slowly.

"Did you miss me, Scottish?" She purred, her voice low with arousal.

He could only nod, watching the tempting sway of her breasts in time with the rocking of her hips. Her hair was tangled over her shoulders and he twitched to bury his hands in it. He wanted her to pick up the pace so he could finally get off, but the slow steady rocking was so delicious. As if she could read his mind, she increased her pace slightly, putting her hands on his chest for support. Confident she wasn't going to punish him again, he lifted his hips in time with her rocking and she groaned.

He really wasn't going to last much longer. After her working on him for so long and his heightened senses from being unable to touch her, he was ready to explode. She leaned over him, her taut nipples brushing his chest, and the angle change made her gasp.

"Chibs." She whimpered, and he increased the pace of his thrusts. "Oh God."

She dug her nails into his shoulders painfully as she came, clenching down on him mid-thrust until he finally exploded.

"Jesus fucking Christ." He howled as she clenched her thighs tightly on his hips to hold him in place.

He could feel her panting breaths on his neck, her trembling body resting on his. She clung onto him as they rode it out, a helpless puddle of sensations. Eventually, she rolled off him to lie there while she caught her breath.

"Whoa."

He looked at her, too exhausted to respond even though he thoroughly agreed. He knew it was a punishment, and the beginning really had been, but it had been worth it for that ending.

When she could feel her limbs again, she forced herself to her knees and untied his hands. His arms flopped onto the bed, aching from the position they'd been held in and the struggles he'd put up to release himself.

"You took this room for the night, right?"

He nodded, already half-asleep.