A/N: Hi! Apologies for the crazy long time between updates! This story has completely escaped my grasp and gotten away from me with these next two chapters, so please bear with me! Much love. -L


Once the nearly painful laughing fit had loosened its grip on her, Collynn followed Chibs out onto the concrete pad outside the shop where there was a pair of picnic tables that miraculously garnered some shade from the slight awning of the shop's roof.

Collynn climbed up onto the picnic table to sit on the table, resting her feet on the bench. Chibs joined her, sitting so close they were nearly touching, but not quite. The companionable silence grew inevitably into an awkward silence. Collynn had taken to nibbling on the edge of her lip again.

Chibs, acutely aware of the way she was mangling her beautiful lower lip, grasped the hand that she had left resting on the table between them. Collynn released her lip in surprise and chanced a glance at him, needing to finally put a major concern to rest.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" The words were accusatory, but her tone was soft. "Is it because of my dad and some kind of loyalty thing?"

Chibs squeezed the hand that had curled around his and ran his thumb over her knuckles that still bore traces of healing defensive scrapes. "No, love. It's no' because of yer da."

Collynn felt heat climbing from her chest to her cheeks, and in that moment, she damned her pink-ness straight to hell. She hummed in response and closed the few inches that were between them, resting her head on his shoulder, hands still clasped. The silence became comfortable again.

Her eyes slipped closed for a moment while she soaked in his steady presence. He was so even keeled that it acted as a balm to her frazzled nerves. Her brain was giving off major "danger, Will Robinson!" warnings, but she ignored them, choosing to be content in the moment.

They remained that way, her leaning against him, him stroking the back of her hand with careful, gentle movements, until Maggie pulled against the leash that Collynn gripped with her left hand and whined. As if electrocuted, she and Chibs sprang apart from each other. He hopped off of the picnic table to see who, if anyone, was coming.

Collynn was at the same time relieved and terrified to see that it was her dad and Tig approaching them. Collynn slapped a brilliant smile on her face and stood to meet Bobby. That's right, all smiles, no fraternizing with deliriously handsome older men happening here!

While it truly was none of her father's business who she was interested in, Chibs was his friend, and she knew it would not go over well at all. The club was so tight knit, and she did not want to drive a wedge between Chibs and Bobby. She also had no idea what she wanted, but she knew she didn't want to figure it out with an audience.

"Hey, dad!" She pulled him into a tight hug, and he took a moment to survey her. Beyond the healing bruises, Bobby noticed how much livelier she was. When approaching the pair seated on the table, he'd had to forcibly wipe the thunderous expression off of his face before Collynn could see it. And, while she was fortunate enough to miss it, Chibs got the full picture. His friend looked ready to kill him in that moment.

"Hey, pumpkin. How's my little girl?" Bobby laid it on thick, flitting his eyes to Chibs for a moment to drive home his point.

"I'm doing okay, actually. Just ready to get these stitches out." She gave him a toothy grin, hopefully masking whatever "hand caught in the cookie jar" feeling her face may have been betraying.

"Well, you picked a hell of a weekend to come down, Kitten." Tig piped up with a mischievous smile. Collynn raised her brows at him to continue, the sensation odd considering the stiffness of the thread in her forehead.

"A few of the Nomads are in town, and we like to pull all the punches in showing them a good time." Tig's smile turned into a grin, and Collynn's fell into a grimace.

"Oh, I did not plan for that." While Collynn enjoyed a good party as much as anyone, the past weeks had left her feeling completely drained and raw.

"Don't worry, Kitten, a few drinks will soothe your nerves." She only scowled at the nickname he gave her.

Chibs ducked out of the conversation, not showing any weakness toward Bobby. "I really need ta get back on this job. Collynn, I'll come an' find ya later, an' we'll get those stitches out." They exchanged small smiles, but nothing beyond the scope of propriety.

Having been ignored long enough, Maggie pawed at Bobby's foot, politely asking him to acknowledge her. Bobby immediately bent down and dissolved into baby talk with the wiggling dog.

Tig also bowed out, bidding her a quick goodbye, and giving Maggie a scratch behind the ear before disappearing into the shadowed garage. It felt like her life had become one long shuffle of people coming and going.

Shaking her head to rid it of the beginnings of an existential crisis, she grinned at Bobby. "So what is your plan for this beautiful Saturday?" He looked up from where he was crouched, being thoroughly tongue bathed, and thought for a moment.

"Well, I really need to stop at home to get ready for later tonight, and then I have some work stuff to handle. I didn't know exactly when you'd be making your way down today, or I'd have planned it better."

Collynn shrugged easily. "That's okay, I can find something to get into while you're working on stuff." She flashed him a smile, and he looked relieved.

"Thanks, pumpkin." He stood, brushing the dust from his pants. "I think Gemma is in the clubhouse getting things squared away for tonight. I'm sure she'd love to have you, if you're feeling up to it. You can put your stuff up in the apartment you stayed in last time, if you want."

She nodded. As much as she loved her dad and he loved her, they hadn't quite worked out a daily, run of the mill, father-daughter relationship yet. Typically, they only spent time together on birthdays, holidays, and funerals. She was more than okay with poking around the clubhouse while he took care of what he needed to.

"That sounds great." Her face immediately reddened in remembrance and mortification. "Uh, she's actually not in the clubhouse. She's in the office. But I'll go wait for her in there."

Bobby was confused but nodded in acceptance. He gave her shoulders a squeeze before taking off to go back to his apartment. Collynn had never been in his apartment. He'd never invited her, and she'd never asked. It was, once again, the preference of neutral territory that usually won out.

Collynn ran a hand through her hair to smooth the frizz while simultaneously fluffing her curls as she entered the clubhouse with Maggie in tow.

Bobby had assured her that Maggie was fine to be in the clubhouse, so long as she was kept out of the kitchen. Collynn made a beeline for the bar, where a slip of a woman wearing a style of bandana shirt that Collynn hadn't seen in years, was washing pint glasses. She had dyed black hair, and she appeared to be about ten years older than Collynn.

Feeling oddly social, Collynn climbed up onto a barstool near where the woman was working, and Maggie curled up at her feet.

"What can I get you, darlin'?" The bartender greeted Collynn with a smile, silently appraising her. It wasn't in a critical way, but more in the "you're a stranger" way that Collynn had just sized her up as well.

"Whatever dark beer you guys have. I'm not real picky." Collynn smiled back, pulling a small amount of cash out of her pocket. She really needed to start carrying a purse again.

The bartender placed a tallboy of Guinness in front of her, popping the top before resuming glass washing.

"How much do I owe you…?" Collynn trailed off, not knowing the woman's name.

"Andy. And you don't owe nothin' sweetheart. Club and family drink free."

Collynn smiled warmly at her, and laid a five on the bar, nonetheless. She didn't even question how she knew that Collynn was family. Everyone seemingly knew everything in this clubhouse, and her arrival this time had been planned rather than asylum. It was odd, but people knowing who she was gave her the slightest feeling of belonging. Like they knew who she was and didn't reject her anyway.

"Well, thanks, Andy. I'm Collynn." Ah, androgenous name meets androgenous name.

"Oh, don't mention it. Will you be hanging around for tonight? It might get a little crazy." Andy sent her a smirk.

"I will be, but I think my definition of crazy and yours are incredibly different. We'll see if I can keep up." Collynn smiled over the top of her can of stout. Whenever she knew she would be drinking, she always tried to lay down a nice layer of stout prior to drinking any liquor. It always seemed act as a sponge to soak up whatever part of the liquor triggered the puke reflex.

The two women chatted for a long time and Collynn found herself enjoying Andy's company. She wasn't particularly good at making friends, so this felt like she could finally put a tally in her W column for the first time in a long time.

Collynn was on her third beer and was about to shoot some of it out of her nose as Andy shared some of the funnier highlights of weekends past when Chibs entered the clubhouse, pushing his hair back off his face with his sunglasses. He had showered and changed since the last time she'd seen him. The small trace of stubble from that morning had been removed, and he wore a long sleeve black t-shirt beneath his kutte. In one hand, he carried a small leather bag.

Collynn's giggles faded and she smiled broadly at him. He returned it, his dimples making an appearance, and causing Andy to glance between the two of them. Chibs was always polite to her, and a great tipper, but a smiler he was not.

"Hey! Are you going to un-Frankenstein my face now?" Collynn wasn't tipsy, or even buzzed, rather she was content, having been able to lock away her troubles with the help of a little alcoholic lubrication.

"Yes, love. Sorry it took me so long." He came to sit beside her, raising a brow at her drink of choice. He hadn't seen too many women sitting at this bar drinking stout. Although now that he thought on it, many of the Old Ladies didn't like to spend much time at the clubhouse outside of what was required, aside from Gemma. For the most part, the women who frequented this bar were Crow Eaters or Sweetbutts and they usually favored the sweeter drinks.

She caught his expression and pursed her lips in mock offense. "Guinness is a sponge that lets me unlock my true potential. Everyone keeps talking about the rager happening tonight, so I figured I'd prepare."

He chuckled, the sound causing a chill to course down her spine. "No judgment here, lass. Andy, can I get tha same, please?"

Andy gave him a polite smile and slid a can in front of him, popping the top like she did for Collynn, before moving to juice limes at the other end of the bar, preparing for the evening crowd.

The companionable silence had resumed, and the awkwardness never encroached on it. They each watched the other out of their periphery, stealing glances here and there. Collynn hummed as she tipped her head back, finishing what was left in the can. Chibs had to tear his eyes away from the pale column of her neck.

"I'm so ready to get these damn stitches out. You have no idea." She brushed lightly against the threads in her forehead.

"I believe it, love." He was also ready to get rid of them, he didn't like the marring of her skin with such harshness. He followed her lead and downed what was left of his beer. Gently, he led her to the apartment that he typically used at the clubhouse and that she was currently occupying. Maggie followed closely, her nails clicking on the wood floors.

Silently, he guided her into the bathroom where she sat on the closed toilet lid. Her face flamed. The last time she'd been in here with him, she'd tossed her cookies like a coed on spring break. And now he's going to be pulling sutures from her face. Just how sexy can I get? She muttered inwardly and groaned to herself.

Chibs placed his bag in the sink and carefully extracted all of the supplies he'd need. After slipping on a pair of gloves, he positioned her head to get the best light, dabbing the area where the sutures were with alcohol.

"Alright, Mr. Doctor, make my face better, please." She smiled impishly at him, and he couldn't help but let out a belly laugh.

"O' course. Although, I don' think it can get much better." Her face reddened at the compliment and she averted her gaze. He took this as his cue to start snipping the sutures in her forehead. He was secretly very pleased with how well he was able to place the stitches, considering how frazzled everyone was when she came in. At the time, his main focus was on getting the wound to stop bleeding. Once the scar had time to heal, he was confident that it would blend in nearly completely with her hairline.

Collynn had to close her eyes. The odd tugging sensation was nearly too much for her. Instead, she focused on the warmth of his body, standing inches away from her. She was able to smell his cologne, something spicy and herbal, mixed with the leather of his kutte. It was far more intoxicating than anything downstairs at the bar.

When her forehead was done, he smiled at her, admiring his handiwork. "Feelin' alrigh', love?" He knew it was an odd sensation, he'd felt the urge to gag having his own stitches removed a time or two.

She smiled serenely. "Peachy." She was so wholly content to have someone take care of her in that moment. The way he touched her with care and spoke so affectionately was going to turn her to goo in any moment. She'd never had that. The only relationship she'd ever been in, she'd had to fish for compliments and could never rely on anyone other than herself for her needs. Chibs would need to be careful, or else he'll never be able to get rid of her.

Gently, he ran his thumb down the side of her face, stroking her cheekbone for a moment, before turning her head to see her left ear. Her wild curls fell away, and he saturated the sutures there with alcohol as well. There were significantly fewer stitches in her ear, so it was over relatively quickly.

"Good as new, love." He declared, placing a hand on her should after removing his gloves. She looked up at him, gratitude swimming in her eyes. Collynn stood and looked in the mirror. She was so happy to see those damned threads gone that she could very nearly start crying.

"Thank you." Collynn turned to him. The space between the sink and the bathroom door was fairly tight, and she found herself mere inches away from him. She looked at him meaningfully, hoping to convey the things she couldn't put into words, things she didn't even know she felt. He gazed back at her, his dark eyes thoughtful and warm, like pools of molten chocolate. They looked at each other for a long moment, both seeming to hold their breath. The close quarters were nearly overwhelmingly silent.

Unable to stop herself, Collynn rose onto her toes, one of her shoes squeaking lightly on the tile, and pressed a kiss to his lips. She surprised herself nearly as much as she surprised him. He froze under her kiss, and, just as she was about to pull away in resignation, he returned it.

Their lips moved together needily while Collynn wrapped her arms around him. One of Chibs' hands came up to cup her jaw, while the other sank deeply into her hair. The feeling of his nails on her scalp made her gasp against him. He took the opportunity to explore her mouth as he leaned her back against the sink.

Chibs tasted mildly of beer as she nipped his lower lip with her teeth, earning a growl that sent a bolt of lightning through her, ending at her throbbing core. She was thrilled to feel his body against hers, and she came out of her haze just long enough to notice that she felt something stiff against her hip. She could not have been more delighted. She had thanked whatever god was listening that she wore an unlined bra that day and was able to feel his broad chest against hers with only minimal clothing between them.

Collynn ground her hips into his, and the hand grasping her face pulled her tighter to him and gripped her possessively. Collynn genuinely could not remember a time when she'd felt this much desire for someone, especially after only a kiss.

The moment came to an end all too quickly after she tilted her head in an attempt to deepen the kiss and searing pain shot through her face, radiating from her nose. She didn't realize that her nose would press against his until it was all too late.

She let out a yelp and pulled her face back instantaneously. Collynn covered her face with her hands, covering her surprised tears, accidentally nudging her glasses, and setting off another round of fireworks behind her eyes. Chibs jumped off of her, nearly stumbling backwards in fear that he'd either hurt her or caused some kind of trauma.

"Collynn, love, I am so sorry. Tha' never should have happened. Shh, love, please don' cry. Please, lass." Chibs mistook her tears for regret and rubbed her upper arms soothingly.

She pulled her head up with a watery, sheepish smile. "It's my nose. I bumped it and it surprised me. Please don't be sorry. I wanted that to happen." Perhaps she was intoxicated with his presence because she would never have been so forward in any other situation.

Chibs heaved a sigh of relief, glad to know she didn't think him to be a lech. However, he was slowly regaining his common sense, and realized that he almost just fucked up in a big way. If it had gone on any longer, with her squirming beneath him like that, he would have taken her right there, against the bathroom counter, all thoughts of propriety be damned.

He took a deep breath, pleading, threatening, and damn near negotiating with his cock to deflate. He had to start all over again when he noticed that her nipples were straining against the fabric of her soft gray t-shirt. It took a moment, but he was finally able to regain use of all of the cylinders in his brain. He was fucked.

Chibs truly liked the girl. She'd found the hole in his armor and had taken up residence. Collynn made him softer. He'd never smiled that much at one single human being that wasn't his daughter, nor had he ever freely shown affection the way he had with her.

She was beautiful, even if she wasn't shaped like the women who were the usual preference in this club, and she was incredibly smart. He'd yet to say something to her that she wasn't able to volley. As stupid and cliché as it sounds, she was an old soul, so the age difference had already melted away to the back of his mind.

Bobby would probably need to go straight to an ER with the massive coronary he'd have if or when he found out about this, but his friendship would weather that storm, so his reaction wasn't even what bothered him the most.

What bothered him the most was that she was going through a traumatic experience, and he wanted her to heal as best she could. He wanted her to be whole on her own as a person before attempting to tie herself to him. Collynn needed to know both him and herself better before he'd let her make that kind of decision.

Chibs would wait to see what she'd decide. He was a patient man.

Collynn bit her lip, waiting for him to say something. He'd been standing there wordlessly for too long. He sighed again, running his thumb over her bottom lip, releasing it from its torture. She pressed a small kiss to the side of his thumb, and it sent a shiver through him.

"We need ta talk abou' this, lass." When the words left his mouth, her stomach dropped. She fought to not jump to any conclusions and nodded, keeping her gaze on the floor. They left the small bathroom and sat next to each other on the foot of the bed, shoulders pressed against one another.

"I'm sorry if you didn't want that to happen." Her gaze was still glued to the floor. Guilt was starting to creep through her. She'd just jumped him with zero warning. Her mind spun back to the several seconds he stood in shocked stillness and wanted to scream at herself for throwing herself at him. She felt like an awkward teenager again.

"Hey, stop tha'. I can practically hear tha gears whirrin' in there." Chibs tilted her chin up so she would meet his gaze. She was met with warmth. The heat from a few moments before still hadn't dissipated and it reassured her.

"I really like bein' around ya. But ya don' know me, lass." A frown creased Collynn's brow and she opened her mouth to argue, but he hushed her. "I want nothin' more than to finish what ya started in there, but ya need to think about this."

"I know." Collynn sighed. Chibs was surprised. He thought he'd have to really work to get her to see things his way. It was not that he didn't want her, because, fuck, he wanted her badly, but they needed to be smart about it.

"I'm not in any place to drag you into my train wreck. But I do know you. I may not know your life, but I know you. I hope to eventually know your life, if you'll let me."

At that, Chibs smiled and drew an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close. "I'd like tha' love." The heat of the moment had dissipated, leaving behind an air of comfort.

"Well, I do recall you knowing quite a few sordid details about me, but I know none about you." Collynn settled comfortably against his chest, sliding her glasses off in an attempt to avoid another mishap.

"Aye, Miss Collynn Mickey Rourke. I suppose I do." She poked him in the ribs at the light teasing. He took a deep breath before continuing, knowing that he'd have to share himself with her if he'd ever hoped for this to work out. "I have a daughter, Kerrianne."

Collynn smiled up at him. "I didn't know you had any kids. Tell me about her." She wasn't exactly surprised. He was a little more than twenty years her senior. She'd consider herself stupid if she expected him to not have lived his life up until that point.

Chibs, however, was shocked at her lack of reaction, and she noticed, giving a dry laugh. "I am living in the Twilight Zone, remember? I'm kind of immune to shock anymore. Tell me more about Kerrianne, if you feel comfortable?" She smiled at him encouragingly.

He was sort of at a loss. Not many of his brothers even knew about his daughter, let alone asked him about her. He supposed his relationship with his daughter was similar to Collynn and Bobby's. He didn't get to see her nearly as often as he'd like, but she knew he was there for her should she ever even hint at needing him. He always tried to keep her as insulated as possible from the hellscape of their world and could only hope that her mother was also holding up her end of the bargain.

"Well, she's fifteen, an' lives with her mother, my ex-wife, back in Belfast. She's smart as hell, an' can be an absolute terror when she wants ta be." Collynn's heart swelled at the happiness on his face. "She's an amazin' artist, too. Wants ta go ta school for it."

"She sounds wonderful." Collynn hummed. "Thank you for sharing that with me." She winced a little, realizing just how much like a therapist she sounded, but it was too late now. And it was true, she appreciated that he let her in on what seemed to be a part of his life that he typically kept very private.

"Honestly, love, I think I'd tell ya anythin' you ever wanted to know." She smiled contentedly and basked in his comforting presence, her mind as quiet as it had been in days.

"I'm gonna hold you to that one of these days."

"I'd expect nothin' else."