A/N: Don't get too used to the swift updates - real life doesn't normally allow for it, but I've got a little bit more time to write at the minute, so I thought I'd make the most of it. Call it a wee Halloween present, although maybe you won't thank me for it ... ;)


Fifteen

Slipping into the driver's seat of her car, Eden slumped forward until her forehead was resting on the steering wheel and took a long, deep breath. Day one done.

It had been a long day, full of routine admin stuff designed to allow those returning to work from a hiatus find their feet. But of course, she'd never really had time to fit in at St Thomas in the first place, having transferred there from San Joaquin General shortly after being cleared by the investigation that had gone on while she'd been suspended. She'd thought a fresh start would be for the best, but the job itself had quickly proved too much after everything that had happened and she'd ended up taking what had quietly been put down as a career break after just a few months in the post.

Some break, with her life seeming to fall apart at every turn and her brother in prison.

She forced herself to take another long deep breath and then sat back in her seat. That was all behind them now and she had to stop the past creeping back into her mind. It was long past time to move forward.

It was going to be tough when the real work started again, not letting everything that had escalated from that one terrible night knock her confidence anymore. But, actually, she'd rather get back to answering shouts, helping people – she wasn't cut out for an office job, not if her day of red tape and paperwork was anything to go by. At least a week or two of nine-to-five life would give her time to adjust though. And she wouldn't be too late spinning by the clubhouse to see what Chibs wanted. Not wanted … Needed.

Just need to see ya.

His words echoed in her mind, but the thought of that warm lilting accent for once only drew a faint smile that didn't quite take hold. Something about his request to see her felt … off. In a way she couldn't quite put her finger on.

Just need to see ya.

Need, not want.

Need could have been cause to feel flattered, she supposed – speaking of some kind of burning desire. But this didn't feel like the biker she'd somehow become entangled with reaching out with a social invitation. It felt more like being summoned by the Samcro president. Although she imagined there had been others who didn't get the luxury of a polite phone call …

Meeting her own gaze in the rear-view mirror, Eden reached up to pull her long hair free of the tie securing her high bun and raked her fingers through the tousled ombre waves to tame them. She'd already changed in the staff locker room into blue jeans, a soft white shirt, and stiletto-heeled red ankle boots, and now she added a subtle swipe of lipstick before deciding that would have to do.

She couldn't deny the thought had crossed her mind that her connection to the biker may force her to quickly decide just how close she wanted to get – to him and his club. She knew by now that he had medical training too, but her access to supplies gave her a definite edge. Was she prepared to let him exploit that though, knowing she was inadvertently already on shaky ground when it came to her career?

Could that be why he needed to see her? Something about helping the club? Surely not, not in a medical sense anyway, or it probably couldn't have waited until after she was done for the day. And if it wasn't medical, how else could she be of any use?

Starting up the engine, Eden sighed as she realised she hadn't answered her own questions about how deep she was prepared to get. And the simple truth was that she didn't know. She hadn't exactly paused to think it all through before ending up in bed with the rugged Scotsman. Although …

She was already starting to realise it wasn't quite true that she didn't know. Because her mind had already started to conjure up scenarios she didn't really want to think about, but couldn't seem to avoid – images of the scarred biker further down the line, shot or stabbed or having come off his bike. And she knew right then there was nothing she wouldn't do, no rule she wouldn't break, to help him.

And once you went down that road, it wasn't too hard to imagine saying yes to anything else he might ask. No matter how great the risk.


"The fuck d'ya want, prospect?" Chibs snapped, already knowing why Charlie would dare disturb them when church was in session, but feeling the need to maintain the pecking order. He couldn't let the lad have too easy a run through his year, even if he was still keeping a close eye to make sure no one went overboard on that.

"Sorry," the young man stammered, still bearing an impressive array of bruises in a variety of shades of green and purple from his ill-fated boxing exploits. "I wouldn't interrupt, only you told me to. When Eden got here. And, well, she's here. You want me to tell her to wait?"

The natural instinct to make the boy jump through hoops nearly kicked in, but actually, Chibs had to give it to him - he had asked to be told as soon as their visitor appeared. And, now that he knew she was right there on the other side of the door, his desire for answers was hard to put off even a minute longer.

"Nah, send her in," Chibs decided, countering the raised eyebrows of his men with a thump of the gavel on the table. "We're done here for now and I need a word."

With church dismissed, the gathered Sons rose from their places and headed for the door.

"Respect the reaper, brother," Tig, last to leave as he was, said in mock-warning. "No fucking on that table."

Chibs flipped him the bird with a smirk and then settled back in his chair to wait for Eden. He could hear her gently scolding Charlie for not icing his injuries enough and then she was hesitantly stepping into the room, letting the prospect who'd shown her the way close the door behind her.

"Hey," she said, looking just a little unsure. "Uh, should I be in here?"

"Church ain't in session," Chibs said, fishing his smokes and lighter from his pocket and setting about sparking up. "You're good."

"Am I?" she said lightly. "Because I have to admit … I kinda feel like I've been called to the principal's office."

Under different circumstances, he'd probably have enjoyed making her blush with a naughty schoolgirl joke, but for once, he had more pressing matters on his mind.

"Filip?" she prompted. "Has something happened? Is something wrong?"

He frowned at the anxious edge to her voice, hating to hear it and hating even more to be the cause of it. But then he let himself remember the clusterfuck that had exploded at the heart of his club once before, and all down to people who should have been able to love and trust each other completely, instead of getting twisted up and bringing a lifetime worth of pain down on all of them. She couldn't get a free pass. No one could.

"I have to ask you some questions," he said, steeling himself to keep his tone detached, his expression neutral. "And I'm gonna need the truth, lass. Take a seat."


For a long moment, Chibs thought she was going to defy him, but Eden eyed the table encircled as it was by vacant chairs and finally sat, taking what was Bug's usual seat and crossing those long, slim legs. She met his gaze with a coolness he hadn't expected.

"Who's asking these questions?" she asked evenly. "Filip Telford, or the Sons of Anarchy? The man I've been sleeping with, or the Samcro president?"

"There ain't no difference, darlin'. Sooner you learn that the better."

She raised her eyebrows at his short response and then folded her arms across her chest, a hard glint in her green eyes that he hadn't seen before.

"Eden …" he sighed, already regretting that he'd clearly pissed her off with how he was handling this.

"Just ask your questions, Filip. Unless you're waiting for me to call my lawyer."

He gritted his teeth, letting her away with the dig since he supposed he was probably coming across like an arsehole, given all that had transpired between them. That'd teach him to do his due diligence before letting his dick do his thinking. "Right," he said, hands braced on the table in front of him. "Shane Rockwell …"

Her double-take was obvious, even before she uncrossed her legs and leaned forward in her seat, a shadow crossing her face. "Where did you get that name? I didn't tell you Shane's last name."

"Any reason for that?"

"I didn't think it mattered," Eden shot back. "Don't try to turn this back on me. Why do you know his name? Why would you be digging through my life?"

"Oh, come on, you're smarter than that," Chibs shrugged. "Look around, darlin'. You think we let just anyone come and go round here?"

She supposed, if she was honest, she'd expected as much. But getting hit with such a personal connection so unexpectedly, especially one that had been the source of so much distress, had put her on edge. "If you want to get to know someone, it's traditional to just ask," she said tightly. "I don't have anything to hide, if that's what you're thinking. I told you as much as I did because I trusted you. If I held anything back, it was because no one wants War and Peace on someone's exes. Usually. I guess I should have realised you'd apparently want to vet anyone I've ever been with."

His patience with letting her paint him as the bad guy in this was starting to wear a little thin, but he forced himself to keep his cool for a change. "You know who I am, lass. What beings here means. But for the record, we weren't digging into you. No, your name cropping up like it did … Not something we saw coming."

"I … I don't understand," she said.

"Your boy Shane's connection to another MC-"

"Wait, what? That can't be right," Eden interjected, her tone incredulous. "Shane in a club like this? That's gotta be some kind of joke – there's no way!"

"Didn't say he was in an MC, just connected," Chibs corrected. But her reaction, total and seemingly genuine shock, went a long way towards already putting his mind at ease. Unless she was an Oscar-worthy actress, she had no idea of her ex's family ties. And, despite his obvious reasons to want to believe that, he didn't think he was wrong about her. He'd have known if she was acting.

He wouldn't have wanted to admit it, but he'd have known.

"Connected how?"

"You know his brother?"

Eden shook her head. "No. I mean, I knew he had one. Vaguely. They weren't close. From what little Shane told me, I could never quite work out which one of them was the black sheep of the family."

"Mackenzie Rockwell," Chibs supplied. "Sergeant for the War Boys MC. Equivalent o' our Happy – although I doubt the comparison's strictly accurate and I wouldn't want to offend Hap."

"The War Boys …" Eden repeated, sounding like she thought it might be familiar and putting him a little on edge again, until it dawned on her. "The fight night. They were involved. You fought one of them."

"Aye," he nodded. "That the only time you've come across them?"

"Yes. I had no idea … Was Shane's brother there? I don't know what he looks like …"

"Probably."

Eden sat back to consider that. "So you were actually digging into this other club? But how did you know the Shane you came across was the same one I told you about?"

Chibs looked away for a second, a flicker of guilty conscience making it onto his face before he could smother it down and meet her gaze again head on. "I know about the restraining order, love," he said gently.

She closed her eyes. "Of course you do. Jesus Christ."

"Eden …"

"Don't," she snapped, standing up suddenly, seeming torn between wanting to ask how and just wanting to put as much distance as she could between them. "Just … don't."

"Eden, wait," he tried, on his feet and grabbing her arm before she could reach the door, cursing having caused the look on her face when she was forced to turn back to him, shame clearly jostling with hurt and anger. "The order's lapsed and I know this guy's been hassling you with those messages. Let me-"

She pulled her arm free. "I'm not your problem, Filip. I have to go."

Left staring at the door after she had slipped through it and closed it in his face, Chibs slammed a hand against the heavy wood before tilting his head back and growling in frustration.

"Fuck."