A/N 9/18/2018: I wasn't going to have Bella and Chibs sleep together so soon, but I figured at this point, they'd known each other about 3 weeks...which for a Son is quite a while. Besides, it's just sex for now. They like each other, yes, but it's not love. Good relationships have started with less. lol Lemon Alert for this chapter, peeps!

Donna was waiting at the checkout with her groceries. The clerk had told her to wait for the manager, and she couldn't help the fear that coursed through her veins. It wasn't fear of anything like being shot or being cut off while driving. Those were momentary fears with a shot full of adrenaline running through your system, and then they are gone nearly as quickly. No this fear was the creeping, slow, all encompassing fear of not being able to feed your kids. Something much more frightening. The manager finally approached.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Winston. We can't take your checks anymore. The last two bounced," he tells her.

"Okay. I, uh- I'll just pay cash," she stuttered, knowing she didn't have enough with her to pay for everything. She started taking things out and placing them in a nearby basket, trying with everything she had in her not to start crying. This was a terrible feeling for a parent. Not being able to afford to feed your kids.

Bella and Gemma were waiting in line a few customers behind her. And Bella couldn't help but feel for the woman. She didn't have kids, but she knew the feeling from when Renee would forget to go and buy her own food. That was how Bella go so good at shopping.

"I'm going to get those for her," Bella said.

"Are you sure, sweetie? I can get them," Gemma asked. Bella nodded.

They made it out of the store in time to see that Donna was still loading her car. She looked up and saw the two women, the younger holding the things she had to put back.

"What's this?" she asked, shutting the door of her truck.

"The rest of your groceries," Gemma said. Donna shrugged.

"Opie's out now. We don't need any more charity. Thanks," she said, trying to turn down the bag, even if she really wanted to take it.

"It was never charity, Donna," Gemma said. "It's what we do. You're family."

"I have my family back. I don't need yours," Donna said, stepping up to Gemma. Gemma put the bag down at Donna's feet.

"Look. I know what you went through. Been there- with two husbands. Lose your man. Kids lose their dad. You get pissed off. Want to blame the club. But Sam Crow is not the enemy. It's the glue- The one thing that will always be there… to pull you through the ugly shit. Gotta stop fighting us, Donna. You need us."

"I married Opie. I didn't marry the club. You have no idea what I need," Donna said, her voice trying to remain strong but it wavered.

"Donna," Gemma said, gaining her attention again. "We're having a little family dinner tonight. You and Opie should come. Bring the kids. You might actually have a good time. Don't say anything else. My Martha Stewart's wearing real thin," she said as Donna went to say something. "You know where we live." Gemma turned and was going to leave.

"Would you mind waiting for me, Gemma. I need to speak to Donna as well," Bella said, as she pick up the bag Gemma put down. Gemma smiled and nodded at the young woman before she continued to her car.

"I love the woman to pieces, but she's wrong," Bella mused as she watched Gemma.

"Wrong?" Donna asked. Bella turned to her, and smiled.

"About the club being the glue. It is for some people, but in the puzzle that is Opie's life. The club isn't the glue. You are," she said. Donna looked surprised.

"Me?" Donna asked.

"Is that so surprising? You married the man. He's a sweetheart. But Donna, you aren't going to like what I'm about to say," Bella said honestly. Donna squared her shoulders, readying herself.

"Opie is loyal to you. Completely and without reservation. However, he holds the same loyalty to Sam Crow. You either need to convince him to leave the club completely and become an inactive member, or deal with him being in it full stop. If you don't, that torn loyalty? That torn focus? It will get him killed and maybe even your family." Donna looked at her defiantly, but nodded. Bella held out the groceries.

"And these really are yours. I bought them. It's not charity, I promise. Opie is doing some roofing work for me, and we haven't crossed paths again so I can pay him. Here," she said, giving an envelope of money to Donna. "The door knob was supposed to tell you." Bella chuckled. Donna looked at the young woman in surprise.

"You're Izzy Swan?" Donna asked. Bella nodded.

"So he did tell you! This is great. Now you can call and tell him that I paid you. I'll tell him next time I see him, just in case, but since you are here, and you obviously need it yesterday-" Donna took the bag of groceries and the envelope with tears in her eyes.

"Thank you. Thank you, so much," she said with a cracking voice.

"It's no problem. And I'm going to go against Gemma in one more instance. You should have dinner with Opie and your kids tonight. Observe him a little while he is with you. You'll see everything I just told you. And remember. You need to make the choice as well as him. It's dangerous to be so torn." Donna nodded and unexpectedly hugged the young woman. Bella froze for a heart beat, then patted Donna on the back with a smile.

Bella got into Gemma's car minutes later, after seeing Donna off. "Everything good?" Bella nodded.

"Yup. Just had to convince her not to leave the bag where you left it. Also had to pay her for the work Opie is doing on my house. Since she seemed to have a need for it now that Opie will later."

Gemma looked at Bella. "You're a good girl, Izzy," she said.

"So you all keep telling me," Bella said.

~~~~~~~~~)O(~~~~~~~~~

Gemma knocked on Jax's dorm, unaware that he was on the roof reading his father's memoirs.

"Jesus," she says as she enters. "It smells like old socks and pussy in here." She looks to the bed to see an old white box on it with the lable, John Misc. on the front. She opens it and gently fingers through the folders, looking for something. It was then that Jax entered with a bottle of beer, a binder, and a lit cigarette.

"Oh. Hey, darlin'," Gemma said when she saw him, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "They're having a sale on toiletries, so I picked you up some 'thangs'." She placed the bag she was holding on the bed, as he fell onto it.

"Thanks, mom," he says.

"You okay, baby? You look exhausted."

"Long night," he sighed.

"That your dad's stuff you found in storage?" she asked, indicating the box.

"Yeah," he said, snuffing his cigarette butt.

"Some pictures, a few Harley manuals. Bunch of Nam shit," he jokes. Gemma chuckles, and then sighes as she sees a few old photos.

"Oh. Wow. 80's hair. How hot was I?" she asked rhetorically.

"Smokin' hot," Jax said. She looked into the box again.

"You said you read something?" she probed.

"A few journal entries. Nothing much," he shrugged.

"Oh. I'd love to read it. Your father- he was a real good writer. Always had a knack for it. You know, I'm the one who bought him that old Selectric," she tells Jax.

"Didn't know that."

"Yeah."

"Jax! Clay wants you!" the heard from the hall. Jax got up off the bed, taking the binder he had come in with with him.

"Custom job," he tells her over his shoulder, holding it up. Gemma closes the door as he leaves, and immediately begins snooping around, looking in drawers and cabinets, but she doesn't find anything. She even looks into the box again, but stops once she sees her wedding photo of her and John. It takes everything in her not to break down.

~~~~~~~~~)O(~~~~~~~~~

Bella walked into the office and sits down at the desk, only to see a small, folded slip of paper. Opening it, she sees it's from Chibs. She smiles, because she hadn't had the chance to see the Scot today. He was late coming in, so she assumed he had a late night. Possibly with a lady friend. Her smile dropped a bit at the thought, but she pushed it away and read his note.

Lass,

I was hoping to catch you this evening, but it seems you either went home, or Gemma dragged you out. Either way, I'm sorry I missed you. Just wanted to pop in and say hello. If I don't see you in the morning, I will catch you at Gemma's dinner tomorrow night.

Chibs

Bella was slightly confused as to why the Scot would leave her a note just to say hi, but smiles all the more at the gesture. The man really was a big teddy bear...if that teddy carried unregistered guns, rode a Harley, and had a penchant for smoking and drinking too much. Bella heard a knock on the door and looked up to see Charlie smiling at her.

"Ready to go to Gemma's dinner?" he asked. Bella nodded.

"Yup, just wanted to make sure I didn't leave anything important here," she said, tucking Chibs's not into her bag. She followed Charlie out and locked the door.

~~~~~~~~)O(~~~~~~~~~

Gemma and Clay's home was a hive of activity as nearly every patched in member currently in Charming was in attendance. The girls were setting out the supper things and the men were joking around with beers in their hands. Bella smiled at the familiar scene. She would momentarily miss the La Push pack in moment's like this, but then she thought of the actions, or rather, the lack of action they took when she got hurt, and she hardened her heart to her old friends. She had a new family now.

Everyone sat at the table when Gemma deemed that everything was ready, and, after a mandatory grace, they dug in like animals. Bella chuckled at the spectacle.

"Gemma, what the hell did you do to this mac and cheese?!" Clay yelled. "It's amazing!" Everyone nodded their agreement. Gemma shook her head.

"I didn't make it," she said pointing to Bella. Everyone looked at the brunette, who gave a light blush at the attention.

She shrugged before answering. "I only added bacon and Jack Daniels. Figured you couldn't go wrong adding the two things nearly everyone likes."

Everyone stared for a moment or two. All but Charlie, who was already used to Bella's cooking. Slowly, everyone began to laugh again, Clay being the loudest.

"Any chance you can share the recipe with Gemma? Would love to have it again," Clay asked. Bella nodded.

"Sure thing. I put the Jack in the fudge for dessert as well. I'll give it and the mac and cheese to Gemma," she said, going back to her plate.

"Marry me!" Tig demanded of her. Charlie leaned around Chibs and smacked him upside the head, not seeing the glare the Scot sent to the blue eyed man. Once that was done, Chibs gave his own hit upside the back of his head.

"Ow. Shit! Fuck! What the hell, you guys?" he asked.

They only shrugged, before ignoring the man. Bella chuckled at the scene and looked to Gemma, who had a look of knowing in her eyes. Bella ignored the look, not wanting to break the happy atmosphere by over thinking.

"So, dad. When are you leaving to be a free Nomad again?" Bella asked.

"Trying to get rid of me so soon?" he asked.

"Yup. How am I supposed to have a life with my pops cramping my style?" she joked. Charlie held up his hands in surrender.

"Fine. Fine. I see how it is. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that. I got to talking with Happy on the way down here-"

"The man actually talks enough to hold a conversation?" Bella asked in surprise. Chibs chuckled, hearing the question.

"Aye, just gotta find a topic he finds interesting. Usually about different ways to kill someone or his mother. Woman is a saint," he said. Bella smiled, somehow not all that surprised the man was close to his mother. It fit, somehow.

"Anyway, he invited me down to visit Tacoma with him. Maybe do a bit of contract work on the side," Charlie said. Bella nodded, not wanting to know what kind of contract work.

"Cool. And when would you leave?"

"Ah, that's the thing. I'd leave in the morning," he said sheepishly.

"In the-?!" Bella growled and rubbed her temples against the oncoming headache. She took a few deep breaths to steady herself. "In the morning then. And everyone wonders how I got to be the responsible one. Didn't have a fuckin' choice!" she said, muttering the last bit so Charlie wouldn't feel upset about what she said. Though it seemed Chibs did hear her, and he gave her a small smile of support, which she returned.

The rest of the night went rather smoothly, and everyone was in high spirits. Charlie called it a night after dessert, wanting to be rested for his morning ride, but he didn't want to miss out on Bella's Jack Daniels fudge. He asked her if she would like to ride home with him, but she shook her head, saying she'd bum a ride from someone. She wanted to stay a little longer. They said their goodbyes there, wanting to get them in, seeing as he would more than likely be gone when she woke. It had been a dinner turned into an impromptu party, and it was close to 2 am when she decided to call it a night.

"Ready to go, lass?" Chibs asked. Bella looked at him questioningly. "Heard you tell your da, you'd get a ride home. Only you didn't ask anyone, so I figured I'd offer."

Bella nodded. "All right. I'm ready then."

They went out to his bike, Bella running her hands down it like she did every time. Chibs growled lowly and thanked the stars she didn't hear. The woman was driving him mad, and she didn't even know it.

"Can I ask you a question, Chibs?" she whispered, diverting her gaze from his bike. He nodded. "What's your real name?" she asked.

"My name?"

"Well, it's not really Chibs, is it?" she asked with a smile. Chibs shook his head, with a small smile.

"Nay, lass. It's Filip. Filip Telford," he tells her. She tilts her head to one side as she thinks the name over.

"Filip," she says in a near whisper. And that does it. Whatever control he had, when it came to this petite woman in front of him, snapped, and everything he held back came to the fore. Everything, first and foremost, was clouded by lust. He needed her. Growling audibly, he stepped up to her, lifted her onto the seat of his bike and stepped between her legs, claiming her lips in a hot, needy, demanding kiss.

Bella was surprised, but elated at what this man was doing to her. She still hadn't figured out how she felt for him, but she for damn sure knew it was more than friendship. One of the roadblocks she had come to about pursuing him was that she feared he may not feel the same. Or if he did, he would feel that she was too young. Thankfully, that seemed to be a non issue. Bella fisted her hands into his shirt, pulling him closer, so they were chest to chest and he was rubbing deliciously against her core.

Bella moaned at the sensation, and Chibs held tighter, kissed her harder. Almost as if he were trying to fused them together. But being human, they both eventually needed to breath. Chibs released her lips and began kissing, licking, and nipping down the column of her neck, as she took in air in heaping lungfuls. She gave a particular keen when he nibbled on a soft spot just behind her ear that had him starting to thrust against her.

"Chibs," she barely managed to get out. He paid her no mind. "Chibs," she tried again. He growled this time.

"Use my name when we are alone, lass," he said as he continued his assault on her neck.

"Filip," she sighed. Chibs groaned, and kissed her lips once again. The sound of his name coming out of her mouth, had him harder than he had been since his teenage years.

"Filip. Take- take me somewhere," she pleaded. Chibs growled and thrust into her jean covered center once more. Bella moaned and threw her head back at the sensation.

"Now. Please, Filip. Take me anywhere, just do it now!" Chibs gave her one last nip to the neck before he threw his leg over his bike and kicked it to life. Bella hopping on behind him. The vibrations of the bike were torture to her oversensitive core, and she held onto Chibs for dear life. Though not without causing him the same torture as she ran her hands over his chest and stomach and then running her neatly trimmed nails over the same paths.

"You keep doing that, lass, and I'll pull over and take you right out in the open," he warned. Bella whimpered in need at his warning, but stopped what she was doing. Chibs blew through every stop sign, red light, and caution sign to get back to the club house in record time. Tearing off their helmets, Chibs picked Bella up and carried her into the bar, and through to the dorms, all without separating his lips from hers. He only just remembered to lock the door before he had her on the bed, as he hovered above her.

"Wait! Wait, Filip. Wait," Bella said, pushing on his chest to get him to halt his attack on her lips. He growled and pulled back.

"You had better not be having a change of heart, woman," he said roughly. Bella shook her head.

"Not fucking likely," she said with equal gruffness. "However, I thought you might appreciate knowing what the hell you're getting into."

"And that would be?" he asked, running his hands on her stomach and underneath her top.

"I'm a virgin," she said bluntly. Chibs froze and then looked up at her.

"How the bloody fuck is that possible?!" he said in astonishment.

"For being in an MC, my ex was a prude," she told him. "Wanted to wait until marriage."

"Perhaps you should-"

"Don't you even fucking think about it!" she snapped, pulling him to her and biting hard on the juncture of his shoulder and neck before pushing him back again.

"My virginity has been more trouble than it is worth. I don't care how much pain I'm in, Filip, you fucking take me like you paid for it!" Bella demanded.

"Izzy, I don't-" Bella didn't give him time to finish. She flipped them over and began kissing him again, demanding without words that he kiss her like he had the first time. She broke apart from him only long enough to take off her shirt before she attacked him again. Chibs, a little in awe at the tenacity of Bella, reached for the button of her jeans.

"Do you like this shirt?" she asked.

"It's just a shirt," he said, and she grunted as she gave a sharp tug, and it ripped right down the middle.

Bella's hands began exploring his chest with her hands, loving the feel of it. Chibs had almost effortlessly gotten the button of her jeans undone and slid his hand in and running his fingers through her heat. Bella gave a strangled moan at the sensation, and she began moving her hips against his fingers. Chibs's other hand undid her bra, and immediately went to work on her pert little nipple. Chibs couldn't believe how responsive she was. As a rule, he tended to stay away from virgins. More trouble than they were worth, always wanting it to be special and full of romance.

Not Bella. She was happy, it seemed with a hot and hard shag in the back of a bar. Deciding he wasn't going to waste anymore time fretting about it and just take the unbelievable pleasure she was offering, Chibs once again rolled them over, taking the opportunity to pull both their jeans off. The sight of Bella laid out before him was a massive turn on. He spotted a scar on her hip, and figured that that was where her ex had hurt her. Burned her, by the looks of it. It was huge though. Half the size of her fist. Too big for a cigar or anything. Shaking his head to get back to the task at hand, Chibs settled between her perfectly toned thighs, his eyes rolling back at the heat he could feel coming off her.

He kissed her, demanding entrance once again, and she gave it. Her hot little tongue darting out to play with his. She tasted like sin. Sweet but slightly tart at the same time. Like blackberries. Running out of patience, Bella decided to take matters into her own hands. Literally. She reached down to Chibs's rock hard cock and stroked it a few times to get his attention. She could hear his breathing choke as she pumped him and when he brought his gaze up to meet hers, all she could see was pure, unadulterated want. Bella then guided him into her.

Chibs's eyes once more rolled to the back of his head as he felt Bella's walls clench around him. Tight wet heat surrounded him and he groaned in sheer pleasure. He could feel her barrier and looked once more into her eyes to make sure she wouldn't regret this. She only kissed him hard. Taking that as invitation enough, Chibs thrust through, and didn't even stop. It was the best feeling he had ever had.

The pain wasn't what Bella expected it was barely there at all even. She supposed, after everything she had gone through that had been painful, this was rather low on the list. It wasn't painful so much as just odd. But when Chibs refused to stop and just kept thrusting into her, Bella moaned like a wanton porn star at the feelings he was giving her. As he continued to piston his hips into her over and over again, Chibs leaned down and took one of her dusky nipples into his mouth, rolling the other between two fingers. Bella fisted the bed sheets in ecstasy, and he could feel herself come close. Oh, so close. Chibs shifted his angle just a bit to the left, and that did it.

He began hitting her g-spot head on with every entrance, and it took only a few more thrusts before she exploded around him.

"Oh. Oh! AAAAHHH! Filip!" she exclaimed as she clawed at his back, leaving finger nail gouges in her attempt to ground herself to something.

At the feeling of her tight, fluttering walls clamping down on his cock like a fucking vice, he sped up his movements, becoming erratic as he chased his own finish. He groaned as his body stiffened as his orgasm was ripped from him, her name on his lips. He continued to thrust into her as they rode out their climaxes, until finally, he collapsed to the side so he didn't squash her.

"Gods above, lass. You're fuckin' perfect," he said to her softly. Bella huffed.

"I wish people would stop saying that. I'm far from it, and putting me on a high pedestal is only asking for me to fall," she murmured tiredly, as she cuddled into his side. "I'm cracked and damaged."

"The most perfect people are," he said as he kissed her temple. "Sleep, lass. We'll talk later."

"Why talk? That was fun. We should do it again. Talking is boring," she said, slightly slurring her words. Chibs chuckled.

"Aye, but it is important. Sleep, lass. Sleep."