Nina stood out behind Estrella's Tavern standing out beside a row of dumpsters trying hard to ignore the smell of rotten garbage; her temper still flared so hot. She was beyond furious.
Nina was tied in a cocktail of emotions; anger and astonishment. Who in the fuck did Gemma think she was; walking into her bar like she owned the place and interrogating Nina?
What on gods green earth made Gemma think it was completely okay to just walk up to her an accuse her of such nonsense? What made the woman think that any of this was her business in the first place?
A huge part of Nina was tempted to march back into her bar and punch Gemma right in the face. Nina knew though that this wasn't the correct way to handle her rage. After all hadn't she grown out of getting into fist fights after high school?
What pissed off Nina the most was the fact that Gemma had the gall to insinuate that Nina was trying to use her daughter to get something out of Chibs.
The fact that Gemma had basically accused her of being some money-hungry bitch that was trying to drain Chibs for all he was worth had made Nina so enraged.
Nina couldn't remember if she'd ever been so offended and just flat out angry before in her entire life.
Nina knew that she would never use her daughter as some sort of pawn. That was more of the kind of behavior reserved for Nina's mother Miranda; being narcissistic enough to only see her little girl as more of a means to get whatever she wanted at the time than a child that she should love and protect.
Nina knew that she would never be heartless enough to try to take advantage of Chibs' kindness either.
To be honest Nina was still in awe over just how wonderful Chibs was turning out to be not only to their daughter but to her as well.
Chibs had taken on this entire situation with far more grace than Nina had imagined he ever would. He had been so sweet and so patient.
Chibs had been so willing to be there for both Sophie and she at her pace. Much to Nina's surprise he wasn't being pushy or demanding at all.
Most men would have handled this entire situation by being a gigantic asshole; by throwing her mistakes in her face and making her life miserable. Most men would have drug her straight to the courts; insisted on a paternity test and a custody agreement.
Not Chibs though; he was being kinder than he probably should be. Nina knew this. She knew just how lucky she was that Chibs wasn't making her pay for her errors, that he didn't hate her for keeping Sophie from him for so long.
Nina allowed her fury to take complete control as she reached into the pocket of the black fabric apron she wore around her waist taking a hold of her cell phone.
She dialed his number straight from her contacts barely giving Chibs any time to say hello as she spoke up her voice tense. "A friend of yours decided to pay me a visit today."
Chibs widened his eyes panic coursing through him at the clear annoyance in Nina's voice. He walked away from the wrecked bright red convertible he'd been bent over most of the morning.
He made his way out of the garage far from any prying ears and eyes as he spoke. "Who lass? What's wrong?"
"Don't lass me. I'll tell you what's wrong. Some bitch named Gemma showed up in my bar and decided to play twenty questions. She flat out accused me of using our daughter to take advantage of you." Nina spat out becoming angrier and angrier by the second.
Chibs let out a heavy sigh his stomach plummeting at this bit of information. Well shit. He spoke up struggling to smooth this entire mess over. "I'm so sorry...She's tha wife of my club's president and the ma of my VP...I didn't know she was goin to do that Nina...I mean I didn't know she knew anything bout us. What all did she say to ya?"
Nina clenched her jaw doing all she could to put a lid back down on her anger. This wasn't his fault she tried to remind herself. "She threw some shit at me about how you're a complicated man and she would hate for you to get taken advantage of by some gash. Like I said she basically thinks I'm using Sophie to push up on you...like I'm some sort of goldigger or some shit...She doesn't have the right to talk to me like that Filip...I don't give a shit who her husband and son are."
Chibs gripped down tight on his cell phone at the word gash. The thought of the slur being used in the same breath as Nina's name angered him. "Aye. Yer righ... I'll set er straight Nina...like I said I'm sorry. I had no idea she even knew about any of this."
Nina bit down on her bottom lip so tempted to ask him if anyone in his life knew about this. Were Sophie and she some sort of dirty little secret to Chibs? The thought hurt.
"I told the bruja to get out of my bar...told her she didn't know what she was talking about." Nina explained unable to work up the nerve to ask him about this. She was afraid of what the answer might be.
Chibs couldn't help but to smile upon hearing this. He had to feel a bit of pride knowing that Nina hadn't let Gemma disrespect her.
He knew he shouldn't be too shocked to hear that Nina had stood up for herself. She didn't seem to be the type of woman who took anyone's bullshit.
She wasn't the type to be anyone's doormat. That was part of what he liked so much about Nina. She was a spitfire.
"Aye...that's good lass...Yer righ, she didn't have a place sproutin that shite at ya...I'll set things straight with her. I promise ya." Chibs replied cursing Gemma for being so damn nosy.
Chibs knew that things between Nina and he were fragile to say the least. He couldn't risk Gemma sticking her nose in where it didn't belong and ruining any of the progress he had made with Nina and Sophie.
Chibs knew that he couldn't bare to lose Sophie. The little girl had come to mean so much to him so quickly. She was his baby girl. He had loved Sophie the very second he had laid eyes on her.
He had easily found himself planning little activities he wanted to do with Sophie; chances for the two of them to really bond.
He knew he wanted to build a little birdhouse with the little girl; any type of birdhouse Sophie's little heart desired. He knew that a birdhouse that she could hang outside at the bar/apartment would be the perfect way for Sophie to interact with her favorite animals without actually having a pet bird.
Chibs found himself wanting to build the girl a dollhouse too. He had planned on building Kerrianne a dollhouse years ago before everything had gone to shit. Not having the chance to follow through with that little dream had always bothered Chibs so much.
Chibs still planned on someday building Kerrianne that dollhouse even if she was far too old to really enjoy it now. Maybe he could build a dollhouse for both his girls; one each. He could paint Kerrianne's her favorite color: yellow, and he could paint Sophie's her favorite color: pink.
He knew he wasn't the best working with carpentry, mechanics had always been more his thing. He could learn though.
He was also so looking forward to being involved with those ballet classes he had agreed to pay for Sophie to take.
He could easily picture himself sitting the the audience of an old auditorium beside Nina a bouquet of pink daisies in hand as he watched their little girl dance in recitals.
He could picture himself taking both his girls out for ice cream after and taking a million pictures of Sophie in her little tutu and slippers. He could see himself irritating all his brothers by constantly showing off these pictures; wanting to show off his precious little ballerina to anyone who'd give him the time.
Chibs wanted so badly to be proud parents by Nina's side. He wanted Nina and he to find a way to develop a relationship of some sort.
Chibs also knew that he couldn't lose Nina. Despite their complicated past he found himself feeling something so unexpected for Nina.
As hard as Chibs tried to deny it he knew that Nina was easily becoming so much more than a friend and a co-parent to him.
Nina was a stunning woman, there was no denying that. The fact that she was the mother to his child only made her all the more appealing to Chibs.
She had done so amazingly with Sophie despite the fact that she had been a single mom to their girl for far too long. She had raised Sophie to be polite, creative, and so intelligent.
Sophie was a little gem and it was all because of Nina.
Nina was intelligent, talented, driven, an excellent mother, and she wasn't afraid to tell him when she thought he was full of shit. She was everything he liked in a woman; beauty, sweetness, and grit all rolled up into one.
It was frustrating realizing that he couldn't have more with Nina. That he couldn't have both her trust and her love.
She had so easily begun to invade his heart and she would probably never want him the way he wanted her to. It was like torture, a wonderful sweet torture he never wanted to escape.
His fantasies about the kind of life Nina and he could have together killed him.
He could imagine Nina and he making dinner side by side, joking and kissing as they worked him putting flour on her nose and her cheek until they finally just had a full on food fight. He could picture her forcing him to clean up afterwards scolding him for being so ridiculous. He could picture himself holding Nina close at night her hand running along his tattoos tracing the linework. He could see Nina and he at SAMCRO parties even; Nina under his arm smiling adoringly up at her man as he goofed around with his drunken brothers.
He could picture Nina finally finding her muse again and picking back up a paintbrush and a pencil. In his imagination Nina and he would sit up in their bed a drawing pad in her lap as she traced his form. He could picture himself driving her nuts by constantly making little faces and fidgeting while she was trying to get his features down. He could picture her finally giving up and tossing the pad aside as she pushed him down on the bed and had amazing sex with him. He could see himself holding her afterwards her drawings long forgotten for the moment, her laughing and teasing him about this being his plan all along when he'd agreed to let her draw him.
These little fantasies were all so pleasant to Chibs. But they hurt so much; just knowing that he would probably never have a chance to experience these little moments.
Although Chibs was beginning to feel like Nina and he were finally making progress despite the awkward tension that still hung around between them, he had the feeling that she would never see him as a lover ever again.
He knew that he was just lucky that at least she was actually able to look at him now without seeing him as the bastard who'd walked out on her that morning and shattered her heart.
She was beginning to see the good in him; the good Chibs didn't even realize he still possessed.
He had spent so many years now believing that there was no hope for a guy like him. He had convinced himself that all chances of some sense of stability and the love of a family had been taken from him the night Jimmy O' had scarred him.
But with Nina and Sophie he was beginning to see that there might still be a chance for him to find some happiness outside his life in SAMCRO. Maybe he wasn't so hopeless after all.
Nina and Sophie made him feel so content. He wanted to experience a life with the two of them. He wanted them to grow together and for Kerrianne to oneday join this mix. He could picture it now both his little girls together.
Chibs knew that he would never forgive Gemma if she ruined this for him.
Nina let out a heavy sigh as she stared down at the dirty pavement below her her anger finally starting to taper down.
She felt a twinge of guilt for allowing her irritation to sort of explode onto Chibs. He genuinely seemed unaware of what Gemma had pulled.
Nina struggled with the act of actually apologizing for calling him up and chewing him out like this. She had never been good at apologies. Her tendency to be a bit pigheaded often got in the way of admitting out loud that she'd done something wrong.
"Take care of it...please." She remarked her voice softening a bit when she added on the word please.
She grimaced at her choice of words knowing that she probably didn't sound even close to being as remorseful as she actually felt.
Why did she suck so much at saying sorry?
She let out a heavy sigh finally working up the willpower to swallow her damn pride as she spoke up knowing that he deserved an apology. "I'm sorry for calling you like this...for freaking out and chewing you out. I know you didn't know that Gemma was planning on doing this."
Chibs widened his eyes astounded that she was actually saying she was sorry. He hadn't expected an apology from her. After all hadn't her aunt told him just how stubborn Nina was.
"It's okay Nina. Ya had the righ to be angry. Trust me I'm not too happy righ now myself. I'm goin to fix this fer ya though. I'll make sure Gemma knows her place." Chibs blurted out feeling the need to assure Nina that there were no harsh feelings between them.
He knew that they didn't have the room for tension when it came to whatever this weird relationship between them was. Sophie didn't need tension.
Nina bit down on her bottom lip knowing that the dark crimson lipstick she'd put on this morning was probably all over her teeth by now.
She couldn't help but to be amazed once again at Chibs' behavior. He was turning out to be far sweeter than she'd ever imagined he could be.
He was much more patient than the badass heartless biker she'd made him out to be in her mind.
She let out a soft sigh feeling guilty for making all these assumptions about him once again. Apparently that old saying making assumptions makes an ass out of you and me seemed to ring true.
Nina spoke up needing to end this entire conversation on a good note. She owed that to him after being so catty didn't she? "Sophie really had a great time last night...so did I. She loved that restaurant. And I've been tasked with asking if you've put her drawing up on your fridge yet?"
Chibs smiled at this both the knowledge that Nina had a good time as well and the mention of that little drawing Sophie had drawn up on the back of her paper kids menu.
He had promised the little girl that he would hang up that drawing on his fridge back at his apartment the second she had given it to him. He loved the silly little drawing so much; the flowers Sophie had drawn, the sun he had drawn for her, and Sophie's little name written in a pink crayon at the corner of the paper.
Chibs instantly had the overwhelming desire to hang Sophie's drawings all over his refrigerator and along the mirror in his dormroom back at the clubhouse. He wanted to cover his fridge with drawings and pictures just like a proud poppa.
"I'm happy ta know ya had a nice time lass. It felt good goin out like that...jus the three of us. And to answer yer question yes that drawing is hangin up proud on my fridge." Chisb replied his voice so filled with complete adoration as he thought of his sweet little girl, of that drawing, of Nina.
Nina felt her heart flip at his statement It felt good going out like that just the three of us.
Shit she was doing a horrible job of pushing back any feelings she might be developing for him. Chibs made it downright impossible to ignore what she felt for him when he blurted out things like that.
"I hope we can do it again soon." Nina admitted her heart still dancing around inside her chest. She sighed wondering why did her stupid sentimental heart just had to flip and flop when she thought of Chibs?
Chibs grinned that comment making him feel like a champ. He was quick to respond to this not wanting this idea of having dinner together again slip away. "Aye we'll do it real soon Nina. Maybe next time Sophie and ya can come to my apartment...I can grill us up some steaks and some baked potatoes...we can watch a movie together."
Nina couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face at this idea. God she really was a sucker for him wasn't she?
"That sounds really amazing...I should go okay. I need to get back to the bar. We're understaffed and I mean it's really slow...annoyingly slow and dead in the bar... but I should be there." She blurted out needing to get off the phone quick.
She knew that if she stayed on the phone with him she would do something idiotic like blurt out that she still loved his eyes or that despite what she had said earlier she loved it when he called her lass.
If she wasn't careful Nina knew she would wind up telling Chibs just how much she was beginning to feel for him; just how sweet she found him when he was interacting with their daughter. She would tell him that he made her smile like a sap and he did wonderful irritating things to her heart.
She would tell him how she felt and it would open up a gigantic can of worms that neither of them needed. So Nina bit her lip and kept the words in.
This was getting too complicated too fast and Nina was terrified.
Chibs tried to ignore the way his heart sank knowing that this conversation between them was ending. He felt as though he could spend an eternity talking to Nina and he would never grow bored of it.
He cleared his throat pushing his disappointment back trying to hide just how she affected him. "If ya need any help with the bar ya know ya can always count on me lass...jus remindin ya."
Nina's heart did another somersault at his words and she tried hard to disregard it. She kept her voice monotone as she tried to sound like his words didn't mean a thing to her at all. "I know...Thank you Filip. Goodbye."
She let out a heavy sigh her eyes turning up to the bright blue sky as she shoved her cell back into her apron.
She leaned back against the brick building behind her unable to stop herself from feeling like shit.
Why was it she wanted the one thing she shouldn't have?
She couldn't have him, she told herself. It wouldn't be responsible getting into a relationship with him when Sophie was involved.
If things ever went south with Chibs it would be so hard on Sophie, Nina told herself. He was Sophie's dad and nothing could taint that relationship.
Nina kicked an empty beer can across the pavement wishing that the can held all these feelings swirlign around inside of her.
She had to snub the way Chibs made her feel. She had to find a way to move on from him.
Chibs frowned down at his cell as Nina hung up. He couldn't help but to hate how emotionless her voice had sounded with that little goodbye.
How had they gone from talking about dinner plans and sounding so thrilled to her shutting down on him?
Just how bad had he messed Nina up? That was why she was shutting down wasn't it? He had hurt her and she didn't trust him, right? She was locking him out and it really really sucked.
He shoved his cell phone back into his workshirt wondering why women had to be so damn complicated.
Of course he quickly came to the same realization that most men probably came to when they asked themselves that question; women were complicated but god were they gorgeous. They were just stunning and wonderful enough to make putting up with all their complicated shit worth it.
He shook his head as he began to trek back towards the garage. He just wished that he could find a way to break down Nina's walls.
He would give anything to make her trust him the way she had trusted him that night five years ago. He wanted her to have some faith in him, to know that he had truly never meant to hurt her so badly.
Chibs sighed knowing just how he could start the process of completely earning her faith.
He needed to keep his promise to her that he would set Gemma straight.
He had to make Nina realize that he would defend her even from Gemma.
The only question that remained for Chibs though was how in the hell was he going to get Gemma to back off?
Chibs avoided confronting Gemma through out most of the afternoon. He had seen her come back to the garage in a snit; a cigarette hanging out the side of her mouth a glare on her face.
Chibs wouldn't deny that he was impressed to see that Nina had done such a good job sticking up for herself that she had actually pissed Gemma off in such a way.
Chibs spent most of his afternoon bent over the convertible fixing the ruined vehicle. He had focused on his work ignoring the way bile rose up in his throat at the sight of matted fur in the grill of the car left over from the deer it had hit.
It seemed like every other month TM was brought a car like this; ruined from some dumbass plowing into a deer out in the woods. It was worse during the summer of course. That was when all the idiot yuppies came on up to Charming to camp out in the woods and escape the stress of city life.
Chibs thought about how he should best handle this situation with Gemma as he worked. He knew that he needed to sort through the anger he felt for what Gemma had said to Nina.
He had to keep a lid on his rage for the most part. If he pissed Gemma off she'd be more likely to screw with Nina. And he couldn't risk that.
Chibs knew of course that it would be impossible to completely keep full control over his fury.
Gemma had seriously crossed a line with him; referring to Nina as a gash, accusing her of being some type of golddigger who'd use her baby to ensnare his heart.
It pissed Chibs off. He was a little surprised at how mad he was at Gemma.
After all he'd always been so quick to protect the queen of SAMCRO. He'd even developed a little habit of calling Gemma mom.
Her being the mom of the Sons wasn't enough for Chibs to stand by her this time thoguh. She had screwed with the mother of his child. And though she had done it unknowingly Chibs wasn't ready to let her off easy.
Chibs kept his guard up as he walked into the office of TM Auto, knowing that he couldn't allow Gemma to manipulate him as she often found herself doing to those around her.
Gemma glanced up from the paperwork she was milling over her face expressionless as she played the innocent card. "You okay hon?"
Chibs narrowed his eyes at her not helping but to like the was she shrunk back at this tiny action. "No I aint okay...I jus got of the phone with Nina Franklin. What the hell do ya think yer doin Gemma?"
Gemma only stayed shrunk back for a moment. She recovered quickly as she stood up from her desk making her way over to him. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder as she spoke up. "I'm just looking out for you sweetheart. You've had a hard past few years. I don't want you getting attached to someone who isn't worth it."
"Ya don't know what the hell yer talkin bout Gemma." Chibs replied his voice thick with rage as he yanked away from her touch.
Gemma widened her eyes at this outburst astonished that Chibs would react in such a way over some gash. Just what kind of spell had that girl put on him?
She shook her head her chin held up high as she tried to deny that maybe he had a point. "I think I do. Just how much do you know about little miss chiquita banana huh? She just shows up in that bar years after being god knows where and your already right under her spell. What do you know about her really? I mean how do you know she's not just latching on to a good man knowing that you're sweet enough to give her anything she asks for? I don't want her picking out a weak spot in you and playing you for a fool honey."
"I know more than ya think...don't talk bout her that way. Her name is Nina." Chibs spat out not finding Gemma's little offensive comment the slightest bit amusing.
Gemma tightend her jaw annoyed that Chibs wasn't falling right into her words. What did he mean he knew more than she thought?
Gemma tried the sweet act once again placing a gentle hand on Chibs' arm. "I just worry about you sweetheart. I know leaving your daughter in Belfast wasn't easy for you. I know you look at this Nina woman's kid and maybe you see it as a chance to play daddy for a bit...to experience all those things you couldn't have with Kerrianne. Trust me though baby playing daddy won't work out for you. It can only end in heartbreak Chibs. Once that gash gets what she wants from you she'll pull away. I know the type hon...girls like that will suck the life right out of you and walk away without even looking back."
Chibs shook his head hating that Gemma was throwing this bullshit at him. He couldn't stop himself from replying to the playing daddy comment. "I aint playing daddy Gemma. There's more to it than you even know."
"Explain it to me then. Make me understand." Gemma exclaimed finally growing frustrated with Chibs' resistance to just listen to what she was trying to warn him about.
Chibs spoke up the words slipping right off his tongue so easily just like turpentine. "She's my daughter Gemma...Nina's child...Nina and I have a child together. Her name is Sophie. She's mine."
Gemma widened her eyes totally stunned by this revelation. She stepped back her jaw dropping a little as she took in these words; his daughter, that little girl she had seen was Chibs' child.
She pushed back her shock quick to jump to suspicions. "Are you sure honey? I mean...You've had a dna test. I just don't want you to let your heart speak up over your brain Chibs. I know you have a soft spot for kids honey. I don't want you to let that overrule common sense."
Chibs clinched his jaw not wanting to tell Gemma the truth; that he hadn't had a dna test and that he didn't have any desire to have one.
He wouldn't lie a tiny part of him was frightened that he would allow the dna test to be taken and the results would come back showing him that he wasn't Sophie's dad after all.
Finding out that extraordinary sweetheart of a little girl wasn't his baby would kill him. He had fallen in love with Sophie so quickly. It truly had been love at first sight just the way any dad fell in love with his child seeing her for the first time ever.
He didn't want to even think about the possibility of Sophie not being his flesh and blood.
The more rational part of Chibs' brain knew though that at the end of the day there was no need for a dna test. He trusted Nina when she told him that he was the only possible father.
He was the only man Nina had been with for months when she became pregnant therefore he was the only possible option.
It wasn't just that though. It was those dark exquisite eyes of Sophie's. Those dark brown eyes of hers were identical to his own eyes, to his Kerrianne's eyes.
Chibs held back the desire to just blurt all of this out to Gemma knowing that she would more than likely twist his fears against him.
As much as he loved Gemma he knew that she wasn't too good to bend people at her will when she saw it necessary.
"Aye I know she's mine. I have no doubt bout it. Nina and I are tryin to figure things out...She's been real patient and good bout lettin me see Sophie whenever I want. She hasn't asked fer anything from me...In fact she made of point of mentionin that she didn't want child support." He stated his voice far more sturdy than it actually felt.
Gemma let out a heavy sigh her head shaking as she spoke. "I hope you know what you're doing Chibs."
She was quick to speak up again scolding him a bit. "You aren't letting that little girl go without some sort of support right? No dadbeat dad shit?"
Chibs gave her a half smile knowing what she was thinking that he would take the route of most guys and relish in the joys of not having to pay child support. "No. I've made it clear to Nina that I'm goin to take care of our girl. I'm payin fer Sophie to take ballet lessons...I'll give that wee love anythin she needs."
Gemma nodded her head at this an approving look on her face. She spoke up again her voice holding a hint of danger. "Alright...but if Chiquita Banana fucks up I'll make her pay. No one fucks with my family."
Chibs twisted his lips wanting to scold Gemma for the nickname. He held back though knowing that sometime you had to pick and chose your battles.
"I wouldn't expect anythin less. Does this mean yer goin to give Nina some space." Chibs dared to ask knowing that he needed to make that speculation clear. Gemma had to back off.
Gemma crossed her arms over her chest her face fixed into a tight undreadable expression. Chibs could see in her eyes that the last thing on the planet Gemma wanted was to give Nina any space at all.
Gemma spoke up begrudgingly agreeing "Fine. I will have my eye on her though...like I said if she fucks up I'll make her pay."
Chibs let out a huff wanting to tell Gemma that keeping her eye on Nina wasn't backing off.
Pick and chose your battles he reminded himself but really was this a battle that he should avoid? He already knew that answer, no it wasn't.
He opened his mouth tempted to press his luck and demand that Gemma apologize, but he didn't have the opportunity to do just that as Juice stuck his head in the door speaking to Chibs. "We heard back from the Russians about Jimmy O'."
Chibs let the issues between Nina and Gemma fall back into the recesses of his mind as his need to put an end to Jimmy O' took over.
"Aye. I'm comin." Chibs replied as he turned from Gemma.
He couldn't help himself from speaking to her right as he reached the doorway. "Just back off Gemma. I mean it. I won't forgive ya if ya come between me and that child or her ma."
Gemma widened her eyes honestly a bit shocked by the intensity in Chibs' voice. She tightened her jaw knowing that she would have to watch herself when it came to this. Still though she didn't trust the gash.
Chibs made his way out of the office satisfied taht he had spoken his mind. He would have to leave his demands for an apology for a different day.
Right now he had to do just what he had promised Fiona and Kerrianne. He had to kill Jimmy O'. It was the only way for his girls to remain safe.
The hunt for Jimmy O' took three days, three long grueling days. By the time it was all over Chibs was left feeling drained.
Jimmy O' hadn't been the only causality. Opie had finally gotten his revenge on that monster Agent June Stahl.
Opie had taken his revenge for Donna's death and they had made both the deaths of Jimmy O' and Agent Stahl look like the work of the True IRA.
It was the perfect way to cover the truth after all Jimmy O' had ruined his ties to the IRA and was no longer trusted and Agent Stahl had been looking to bring down the Irish gun trade.
By the time Chibs, Opie, Piney, and Kozick had made it back to the clubhouse the rest of the Sons were being carted off by the police.
They would be doing short time. Jax had worked it all out in the end.
The ATF would be off their backs finally.
Chibs was so overwhelmed by the entire situation. He knew that with half the club locked up that the responsibility of keeping SAMCRO together would fall on those on the outside.
He knew that his life was about to become a hell of lot more stressful and busy.
He was confused about his reaction to Jimmy O' dying. Yes he felt relieved knowing that the man was dead. He was glad that he'd got his revenge on Jimmy. He was relieved knowing that Jimmy would never hurt Fiona or Kerrianne ever again.
Chibs had been dreaming of getting his revenge for so long now, not just for him but for Kerrianne losing him as her father, for Fiona losing him as her husband
Any time Chibs had pictured himself finally having his vengeance he always saw himself with Fiona and Kerrianne by his side the three of them finally a family again.
That wasn't possible though. Fiona and he just couldn't make it work. Yes they would always love one another, but that love just wasn't enough.
Knowing that his revenge had taken place so differently though made Chibs feel a little lost. He had avenged the wrongs Jimmy O' had cast upon him but he was alone. His Kerrianne was in Belfast and he was here in Charming oceans away.
What did that leave for him? Chibs had to wonder what came after revenge?
He tried hard to push away his fears and uncertainties knowing that Fiona and Kerrianne didn't need his worries weighting down on them.
Chibs found himself sitting on his bed in the clubhouse his cell held up to his ear as he spoke to the weepy woman on the other end. "It's over Fi. Jus like I promised. Jimmy O' will never bother ya or Kerrianne ever again. Yer goin to be safe."
Fiona let out a shaky gasp the realization that years of pain had finally ended hitting her hard. She was always such a strong woman; always keeping her sorrow and her pain buried deep.
It was just the way she'd been raised; a strong IRA Warrior. Years of being trapped by Jimmy O's side had only made her more intense; more trapped in the need to be tough for her daughter.
The realization that Jimmy O' was finally dead and gone had brought out her tears though. The monster was dead just as Chibs had promised her.
"Thank you so much Filip...thank you." She remarked her voice unstable and uneven as she tried to regain control of herself.
Chibs felt his own eyes water the knowledge that the man who'd so cruelly scarred him and taken his beloved family was finally dead his cheeks cut just like Chibs' hitting him so hard.
Chibs spoke up needing so badly to hear his baby's voice. He had to let her know that the danger was over; that da had kept his promise. "Can I talk to Kerrianne?"
"Aye of course." Fiona replied the phone pulling away from her ear the noise muffling as it was passed to their daughter.
Kerrianne spoke up her voice small. "Hi."
Chibs let out a heavy choked sob the sound of his baby's voice making this day so much more emotional. "It's all goin to be okay baby...I jus want ya to know that. Yer ma and ya don't have to be scared any longer."
He heard Kerrianne sniffle obviously just as overtaken by emotions as her parents. "Thank ya da...I know I've been a real brat lately...hangin up on ya."
"It's okay sweet baby. I know ya were mad." Chibs replied hating the guilt in his girl's voice.
Kerrianne let out a heavy sigh sniffling again as she spoke. "Aye I shouldn't have hung up on ya though da...I know ya didn't know bout this child until jus recently...ma and I talked. She explained it to me...I'm so sorry I was so mean daddy. I know I hurt you acting that way."
Chibs sighed the word daddy hitting him right in the heart. Kerrianne hadn't called him daddy since she was just a wee toddler. He thought he would never hear the word from her mouth again.
"Aye I forgive ya baby. I could never not forgive ya sweetheart. It'll be okay from now on I promise ya." He reassured her knowing that he was walking a thin line here.
He spoke again knowing that he needed to make this clear to her. "When you're ready I can let ya talk to Sophie...I want ya girls to find a way to get along...to be like sisters should. There's no rush though love. I'm willin to wait as long as ya need. I know this situation aint easy fer ya."
"Okay da...I need a little more time, but I promise I won't shut you out again. I promise." Kerrianne replied her voice still so small.
Chibs nodded his head knowing that he would wait however long his little girl needed.
"I love you baby. I always will never forget that." He remarked wanting to kill any jealousy or anxieties she might be experiencing over this new sibling; a sibling that would compete for her father's affections.
Kerrianne let out a shaky sigh as she replied to him "I know da. I love you too."
Chibs was reluctant when this phone call ended but he knew that he couldn't keep them on the phone forever.
They'd said what had needed to be said. He had let them know that it was all going to be okay. And it would, Chibs would make sure of that.
He tossed his phone over on to the bedside table his eyes hitting the thing he'd bought the morning after Nina, Sophie and he had dinner.
It was a large drawing pad; the nicest one money could buy. He had purchased it along with art pencils, chalks, and some weird oily crayons.
It killed him to know that Nina had walked away from art. She had seemed so passionate about it.
Chibs had wanted to help her find that passion again.
He stood up from the bed grabbing ahold of the large gift bag containing these items knowing that there was only one place he wanted to be right now.
He needed Nina and Sophie. He needed them right this second.
Reviews? Constructive Criticism?
Bruja= (spanish) witch
If you don't know Chiquita Banana is a marketing icon used for banannas of course. She's a spanish woman wearing a flamingo outfit with a bowl of fruit on her head.