A/N 3/4/2020: Shorter chapter, but seeing as how I wrote myself into a corner, I think I did ok. Most of this episode was obsolete since I didn't do write the Lumpy scene and made the Jacob Hale's story line moot. Anyway, I'm just trying to wrap everything up, and stick to the style of the story and not make Bella too goody goody at the end. Also, not a lot of Bella, Donna, or Angela this chapter. I'll put them in more in the next one though. Promise. Thank you for being so patient with me though. And sticking with it. Y'all are the best. ~Angel
The fight was brief for a work over. Though Clay put up a fight, it was only a token. One to show that, yes, he was sorry, but he also knew this was needed to clear the air. Didn't stop Charlie from sporting a busted lip and a black eye, but as the saying goes, 'you should see the other guy.' Clay left the fighting ring with a busted nose, a couple of chipped teeth, a busted rib or two and the most painful, hurting kidneys. He'll be pissing blood for the next week.
At the end of the fight, he and Charlie shook hands. Knowing that all around, everyone got the closure they needed, and it was gained the only way those in the club knew how. With their fists. Clay also couldn't deny that he loved that he got Gemma to play the naughty nurse as she patched him up.
The next morning, they had a small impromptu church. Just SAMCRO and a few friends in the main gathering space of SAMBEL.
"We need to find a way to get Jimmy to us," Jax said. "We need to get this done quickly. Hopefully wrap it up nice and quick with Chib's and Izzy's wedding tomorrow."
"Even money on the bastard showin' himself before we even get the chance to follow through with a plan," Chibs put in.
"Nevertheless, it's good to have a plan in place to at least go off of in case he doesn't. Any ideas?" Clay said.
"The priest," Bobby said after a small silence. "He's in with the Cause, right? But also has that confidence thing most of the clergy stand by. Unless it harms someone someway, he won't say a word outside of the confessional, right? What if we get Liam to lean on him. Get him to make a call?"
"Could work. But we would need to be sure that Jimmy wouldn't smell a trap. We'd need to make the bait really sweet to make it believable," Chibs said.
"And not let Kellan in on it either," Jasper said. "I don't know about y'all, but the man screams secrets. He sets off every instinct I have not to trust him."
"It'd be a true idiot that went against you, Major," said Tig with a respectful smile. Jasper nodded in his direction.
"What if we told Kellan that the Cause still wanted Jimmy because of his reputation and contacts. Plausible, given how long he's been in the fray. That because of this, the kings were willing to set him up in a safe house until things blew over, given that he drops his current path of pursuing Izzy and Callum," Opie put in.
"We'd have to get the okay from the kings. Even name dropping them is a big deal," said Chibs, pulling out his phone and texting Liam, who had stayed behind with Siobhan and Izzy.
"It's as good a plan as any. At least we have something to work from should things take a turn," Clay said.
Chib's phone beeped and he read the text. "Liam said he'd have an answer for us in 10. But it looks promising. The kings want Jimmy out of the picture now more than ever."
"And SAMBEL? Are they going to cover us when we ambush Jimmy?" Juice asked.
"No. They're just getting used to the idea McGee isn't president anymore. We don't need to add to their plates," Jax said.
"Belfast has a run this afternoon. Gun shipment. I got conflicting stories. McGee and Ryan tell me Jimmy will not be there. O'Niell, under my watchful eye and Jane's loving mercies, he will be at the pick up in Dungloe. Never misses one," Bobby said.
Chibs shook his head. "Trap. He's set to blow it, IRA style. It's all the bastard knows," he said. "My advise, none of SAMCRO rides with. If they do, at all cost do they stay away from any buildings or vehicles. Less chance of being blown sky high."
Clay thought it over. "Tig? You, Happy, Jasper, and Chibs. The rest stay here. Keep an eye on the fort."
The four men nodded, accepting the orders. Jasper then cleared his throat. "I have a request if you'd hear me out," he said softly, but with conviction.
"Go ahead, son," Clay said.
"I've spoken with the Volturi, and have been granted the ability to patch into the SOA, provided I gain permission from SAMCRO and Izzy."
Clay looked at the former sniper hard. "Reasons?" he asked.
"Are twofold," Jasper replied. "I vowed to keep an eye on Izzy until my slate with her is wiped clean. That is easier done if I'm more around. Change my loyalties to revolve around her life. The second is more personal. Layla. She's pregnant and I want to be able to take care of her and the family we are building."
Clay shook his head. "Another kid," he said bemusedly. "We'd have to put it to vote. Get an official written okay from the Volturi, letting us know that they are passing us the reigns. An official written okay from Izzy too. Also, you'll have to prospect again. Since you're already a member, albeit, an inactive one, of another MC, you know most of the ropes. This'll just be so you get to know how we do things. Four to six months tops, and we'll have another vote to patch you in," Clay said, running down the process.
"This fly with you?"
Jasper nodded. "More than reasonable."
o0o o0o o0o
"Jax," Gemma called to him as the others left. "A word."
Jax made his way to his mother. "We need to talk."
"Okay. About what?" he asked curiously.
"About family. Turns out, there are more Tellers than we believed."
Jax just looked at her uncomprehendingly for a moment as she went on to clarify. "Trinity Ashby."
"The girl that's been making doe eyes at me since we got here?" Jax asked startled.
Gemma nodded. "Your father, it seems, found his second chance here in Belfast with her mother Maureen. She was born in '88 while J.T. was here on club business.
Jax, again, gazed at her in shock. "You and dad really were heading different ways towards the end, weren't you?" he asked.
Gemma nodded. "By that time, we had drifted so far apart due to your brother's illness, and shifting blame. I found comfort with Clay. He found it here with Maureen."
Jax saw the sadness on her face. Sadness of a lost love, and the fact that, though she too wasn't faithful, she couldn't hold on to the man she had committed herself to. He stepped forward and took her into a firm hug.
"I have no doubt that, though his focus shifted, he still loved you, ma. You gave him Thomas and me. Trust me. I speak from experience. I care for Wendy for giving me Abel. And I would be willing to help her to a certain extent. But my love. My heart. That belongs to Angela," he said.
"When did you get so smart?"
Jax snorted. "Survival instinct. I'm surrounded by you, Angela, and Izzy. I'm strapped for testosterone in my immediate circle until Abel gets a little older."
Gemma laughed outright and hugged Jax tighter.
o0o o0o o0o
"The kings are willing to work with you, Jimmy," Kellan said through the phone. "And I think their terms are more than reasonable. Stop all of your pursuit of Filip and his family, and they are willing to see that you are comfortable and safe until everything blows over. This is coming from Liam himself, lad."
"And how do we know he's not pulling my chain and tying a rope to hang me with at the same time, Kellan?" Jimmy asked.
"Come on, Jimmy. You think Liam wants that kind of heat on him. You know what would happen to him if this information was fabricated. Just mentioning the Kings to get a rise, will see him even more hunted than anyone on this earth bar you with the Volturi. The Kings can't lose any more good soldiers, nor can they afford to just lose all of your contacts. I assure you. This offer is genuine," Kellan said convincingly.
Jimmy took a moment to think everything over. "All right. I'll come in. We'll meet there at St. Matt's."
"That's good to hear, Jimmy. I'm glad you're willing to move on. The last thing we need is more bloodshed, son."
"Aye. I'll be seeing you tomorrow then. Just past noon."
"Tomorrow." Jimmy hung up and looked to his passenger.
"Arrange things at the barn," he said monotonously.
"Are you sure about this, brother?" Donny asked. "You just agreed to their truce. This may set off a chain of events that ends in you hanging yourself."
Jimmy gave him a look of impatience. "Aye," Donny said with a sigh. "It'll get done."
o0o o0o o0o
The parking lot of the SAMBEL lot was a hive of activity once again as the club plus the four from SAMCROW, got ready to leave Chibs was laughing with his nephew, Padraic, and giving Izzy a deep, love filled kiss in farewell. McGee was kissing Maureen as Jax did his best to ignore the uncomfortable attention from who he now knew was his half sister as he was talking to Jasper and Tig. All the while, the remainder of the club was setting up for their run across the country side for the Cause.
In all of this activity, Kerrianne and Izzy were getting to know each other above Maureen's shop with Callum. Sirius and Remus were busying themselves in the kitchen with Gemma.
"You mean right by her?" Gemma asked Sirius. The Marauder looked at the Queen of Charming.
"Kerrianne?" he asked. Gemma nodded. "I have no ill advances planned, if that's what you're asking. I originally got to know her because I thought she had balls of steel."
Gemma smiled. "That's her father in her."
Sirius smiled. "Yup. From the way she talks her mother wasn't anyone to aspire to. Now. Now, I'm getting to know her because I see with those balls of steel comes a genuinely sweet girl."
"You do anything to hurt her, and you'll have the whole of the Son's of Anarchy hunting you. We protect our own," Gemma threatened.
Sirius snorted. "No need to tell me twice." They heard the door fly open as Casey, a surrogate son to Kellan Ashby, was led into the kitchen and small dining room at gunpoint.
"This is bad, Donny," he said. Donny pushed him into a chair.
"Shit!" Gemma exclaimed.
"Sit down, Casey," Donny ordered. Jimmy then walked in.
"Find the boy and his bitch of a mother," Jimmy ordered.
Donny left down the hall to Trinity's room, where Izzy and Kerrianne were.
"You're dead," Gemma said calmly.
"Not as dead as a few select people in this shithole," he said before he put a bullet into Casey's head.
"Shit!" Gemma repeated.
Izzy was ushered into the kitchen by Donny. "Where's the boy?" Jimmy demanded.
Bella looked at him defiantly and with a smirk. "Remind me never to bet against my man again," she said to him.
Jimmy pointed his gun at Izzy. "THE BOY!" he shouted at her. The next thing he knew, he felt the barrel of a gun behind his own head. He had had his back to the door, and the connecting hall, which was a big mistake. In the time they heard Gemma exclaim her first 'Shit,' Bella had place Callum in the closet, sound asleep, and dreaming his baby dreams. Kerrianne had taken the .9 mm her father had given her and slipped her way to the bathroom across the hall. Standing behind the open door to fool Donny into thinking the room was empty. She then tiptoed her way down through the living room and the connecting hall, right behind Jimmy.
"Drop it," Kerrianne growled impressively.
"Balls of steel," Sirius murmured in awe.
"You don't have the nerve, lovey," Jimmy taunted. Kerrianne took one look at Casey, dead on the table, paled, and refocused on Jimmy. He had turned around to face her. Give me the gun, Annie."
Her body relaxed and she lowered the gun. Jimmy had thought he had won this one, but Sirius, who hadn't taken his eyes off her, notice her eyes harden. The gun had lowered, but not completely, fired, and it took out his knee. Jimmy dropped screaming, and Sirius, using the distraction, used a knife from the table and drove it into the base of Donny's skull.
Gemma had grabbed Donny's fallen gun and was now pointing it at Jimmy. Izzy noticed the look in her eye.
"Gemma. You gotta lower the gun," she tells the older woman.
"I ought to kill this son of a bitch," she said lowly. Izzy shook her head.
"You can't. We need him."
"He threated my family."
"Aye. He did. And he damn near killed me and Callum. But we need him to end things back home. It's the only way to lure Stahl into the open. You know this."
Gemma slowly lowered the gun, and Remus went to Jimmy. Patting him down before tying a tourniquet above his knee. The man's screams got to the point, he slugged him hard enough to knock him out, just to get some quiet.
"Well, seems we need something to restrain him," Izzy said thoughtfully.
Sirius beamed. "I have just the thing!"
o0o o0o o0o
SAMBEL and the four from SAMCRO greeted those of Jimmy's circle at a farm.
"Jimmy's guys?" Jasper asked.
"No. Real army men keeping tabs," McGee said. "These are Jimmy's boys." He pointed to a car with four literal boys, just out of childhood looking into the trunk of a car.
"Boys is right. How old are they?" Jasper asked, appalled.
"15, maybe," Padraic tells him.
"That's who Jimmy's recruiting?" Tig asked.
"Aye. I was there," Padraic affirmed.
"Where's the guns?" McGee asked.
"Inside," the overseeing SAMBEL member answered. The three of the four from SAMCRO heeded Chib's advise. They stayed outside. Chibs, however, braved the threat of exploding and went with his nephew into the barn. They looked over the merch, and saw how it was transported.
"Just another farmer bringing the food back to the horses," said the club member of the wooden crates disguised as bales of hay. "Never been stopped yet."
"Let's hope we can keep that streak going," Chibs said.
"Once we're loaded, Army will drive the lorry. We'll ride ahead and scout," Ryan explained.
"We'll pick up the rear. Makes sure we stay clear," Chibs says.
"Aye."
"Where to?" Chibs asked.
"It's another barn in Hannahstown, just outside of Belfast, uncle. Then the Army takes it over from there," Padraic explained.
"Come one, then. Let's get some muscle," the SAMBEL member said, as they started moving boxes.
Once they were loaded and ready to move out McGee's phone range. He excused himself and went off to the side. Chibs called the other three of SAMCRO over and they started talking about the route and the plan of the run.
"Just give me a moment," McGee said to the Army member before turning and walking towards Chibs, hanging up the phone. "That was Mo. Jimmy's in Belfast. He was after your Izzy and Callum."
"Why. What happened?" Chibs asked urgently.
"It's alright. They're all okay," McGee assured. "Except Jimmy, who won't be walking anytime soon thanks to your daughter."
The two remaining members of SAMCRO that were just inside the door were suddenly shoved forward as the door was slammed shut and locked from the outside. Every man within screaming bloody murder to be let out.
It was then they heard the engine of the lorry turn over.
"NO! Don't you start that!" Chibs yelled at the driver. But it was too late. Once everyone understood that the truck wouldn't blow, Padraic, who was in the back, started pounding on the roof and yelling for the driver to go. All of the SOA were yelling at him to ram the doors.
So he did. The SOA then scattered and ran for their lives. The truck, made it, maybe, 20 feet from the barn before it was blown sky high. Club members and army men still too close flying from the concussive force.
Everyone was knocked for a loop and in shock. They were taking stock of everything. Tig was checking on a SAMBEL member face down in a small crater. Presumably where he had fallen. There were limbs strewn about. But it was Chib's voice that caught the ears of SAMCRO.
He had walked sluggishly up to the prone body of his nephew and fallen to his knees.
"Paddy!" he groaned, reaching for him. "No, Paddy. No, Paddy! No. Paddy, Paddy boy." He began to weep over the burned and broken body that was his nephew. "Paddy boy. Paddy! Paddy boy."
He cradled the boy as he did when he was a toddler after having a nightmare. Running his fingers through his hair, to calm him back to sleep.
"This was Jimmy," Tig said with venom.
"Good thing we have him then," McGee said.
"And he's mine to deal with," Chibs said in a quiet deadly calm.
"We need to go. That explosion was seen for miles," Jasper said to Chibs, his hand grasping his shoulder firmly. "We'll take him with us. See that he's given a proper send off."
Happy joined Jasper in lifting Padraic into a nearby truck. It took a little hotwiring, but it ran.
o0o o0o o0o
Gemma was currently at St. Matt's. She wasn't one to pray, but by God did she have something to get off her chest. She had a lot to be thankful for, this was true. But half of those things wouldn't be necessary if God had just decided to off Jimmy in an tragic accident a year ago. Izzy wouldn't have been taken. They wouldn't be here in Ireland. Chibs wouldn't have had to even face Fiona again. Though she was glad he got Kerrianne back.
"Something on your mind?" she heard from her left. She looked up to see Kellan Ashby looking down at her.
"Just thinking about just desserts."
"Needing to ask for absolution?" he asked.
"Not so much," she said airily. "What about you, father?"
"What do you mean?"
"If you knew that Izzy was attached to SAMCRO. If you knew the life she lead. Would you have helped her deliver Callum and just walked away? Or would you have taken an infant boy from his loving mother's breast?"
"I would have done what was best for the boy," he said.
"I thought as much," Gemma said with a purse of her lips. "You would have taken a boy I consider a surrogate grandson, and made him disappear."
"You and your family are caught up in a very chaotic world. We both know this. But the things I do are not just about my Irish loyalty. They're about keeping promises to your family," he explained.
"To my family?" she asked bewildered.
"John and I grew very close while he was here. I loved him dearly."
"Guess you're the one who granted him absolution from adultery?"
"No," the priest said. "He struggled greatly with his love for you."
"John bailed on his family," Gemma bit out. "I watched my baby slip into a coma while he was here playing house with your sister. So don't tell me how he struggled."
"I didn't mean to be dismissive of your pain. I understand you feel-"
"You don't understand shit!" she cut him off. Gemma shook her head and got up. "Hypocrites. All of you."
o0o o0o o0o
"How's the family?" Gemma asked Chibs.
"Yeah, they're okay. Sirius and his boys, and Juice are on 'em. If I'm not there, I want a patch on them from now on," he demanded.
"You got it," Clay said.
"We got one half of the equation. Time to get the other half."
"I'll make the call. Set up a meet within the next week."
"Done deal. Our problems are solved and we're riding the gravy train on biscuit wheels come this time next week," Clay said.
o0o o0o o0o
Stahl was guzzling down two fingers of whiskey when her phone rang. She didn't recognize the number, but answered anyway.
"Hello?"
"Got a proposition for you. But I'm going to need a couple of things from you first," Jax said into the phone.
"What do you have that I could possibly want?" she sneered.
"Jimmy O'Phalen."
The line went quiet as Stahl was shocked into speechlessness. "I can get him to you. Alive. But I need amnesty. I don't care about the club. I just want to raise my son in peace."
"And why the change of heart?" she asked skeptically.
"I'm in Belfast. We had a run today. Jimmy tried to blow us sky high today. Most of us made it out. Four others are spread out over a farm outside Dungloe. I don't want this for Abel. It's too dangerous for me, let alone my kid."
Stahl thought for a moment. She could swing Jax. Only Jax. Lucky for her it seems that was all he was asking. "You get him back in one piece, I'll see your terms are met."
"Five days from now. On 18 just past the third mile marker outside of town," he said. Stahl nodded.
"Why so long?" she asked. She needed career boost ASAP.
"Gotta get him stateside without being caught first. Also, we have a wedding to go to," he said before hanging up.
Stahl looked at her phone, stunned before putting it down. He must be talking about Izzy and Chibs. Only engaged couple in the SOA. Must mean they found her. Stahl shrugged her shoulders. She'd give them this. But once they returned state side and she had both Jimmy O and her career back, she would get that smarmy uppity bitch for the headaches she caused her. For the first time in months, Stahl slept peacefully.