The Heart of a Broken Soul

Of Prison and Precious

A/N: Venetiangrl92, ILoveAnime89, chibslover (yes; Filip felt pretty bad about it; also, we shall see), Dahlia Rose-Marie, otte1978. Thanks for all your reviews!

Gabby stared around the room. She had never before been in a building that was so impeccably white. Everything from the lightshades to the chairs were snowy. It was enough to send anyone blind. Next to her, Lucy sat, picking at her cuticle until they bled. She glanced nervously up each time one of the nurses came out, as though when her name was called, she'd go off and never be seen again.

In all honesty, Gabby was a little disappointed in her. Not because she was getting an abortion. Not because she rarely had the time for Gabby anymore. No, it was because Gabby thought, deep down, that Lucy wanted this baby. Like, really wanted it. And she thought that it was only her love for Cole that had bought her here; if she had the baby, not only would she get into trouble, but Cole would too. He might even go to jail.

Lucy had always been the strong one out of the two, Gabby wouldn't deny it. Now it was almost as though their roles were reversed; Lucy had become the doormat, and Gabby was slowly getting stronger, more confident. That was all thanks to Filip; Lucy's problem was due to Cole.

"Are you sure about this?" Gabby asked.

Lucy nodded slowly. "I'm... I'm sure."

Gabby wasn't convinced, but she didn't say anything else. She'd promised Lucy she'd come along, that she'd be there for her, and that's what she would do. It had been hard enough for her to push the worry for the boys out of her mind, or her anger at Gemma.

The boys had been granted bail – if they could scrounge up the money – but they were all looking at 14 months, at least. They were being charged with carrying a loaded firearm in public, and being felons, with guns. Tig had said that it was 'a good thing they didn't actually search the building'.

Tig, Ope and Juice had been lucky; not realising that their brothers had been caught, they'd fled. When Clay found out, he said it was just as well, because someone needed to run the club while the rest of them rotted in jail.

"Anyway, Cole says it's probably the best idea," Lucy told her.

Gabby sighed. "I'm sure he thinks that."

"Lucy?"

The nurse was a young woman with a kind face. She beckoned for Lucy to follow her. "I guess I'll be back," she said, glancing at Gabby.

"I'll be here," Gabby promised, as Lucy's back disappeared from view.

How long did it take? A few minutes? A few hours? Gabby supposed she'd find out.

Lucy reappeared less than a minute later, her face streaked with tears. Gabby blinked; surely it wouldn't be over that quick. "I can't do it," Lucy told her. She shrugged, wiping her eyes. "I can't. I...I got in there, and they started explaining how it was going to work and I couldn't. I'm sorry. I dragged you here for no reason."

"It's okay." Gabby suppressed a smile. At least one good thing would happen in the next year. "So you're sure about this?" She knew the answer would be yes, but she knew Lucy needed to hear herself say it.

Smiling through her tears, Lucy said, "Yes. Mom's gunna shoot me."

"You're free to go boys; for now, at least."

The words were like music to Filip's ears. Gemma had put together enough money to bail them all out, so they were free until their trial.

The trial was in two weeks, and he knew as well as the rest of them that they were screwed. There was no way they could worm their way out of the felon with a firearm charges, because they were all felons, and they were all carrying firearms. Rosen was going to try and fight the other weapons charges though; there was no way Darby was going to charge them with trespassing, so they could argue the fact that they weren't in public; they were on private property.

Even so, Filip didn't like their chances.

One year, minimum, was what Rosen had promised them. Maximum? Well, that depended on whether or not the judge was willing to drop the second charge. That was, what, four years? Six?

Would Gabby wait for him if he was locked up for six years? Did he expect her to? Did he want her to? Gabby would be pushing 25 by the time he got out. How much in life would she miss out on if she waited for him? Filip liked to think that she would wait, but on the same token, didn't want her to have to.

He worried about this all the way to the clubhouse, where Gabby was sitting at one of the benches, waiting. She hadn't noticed him yet.

The rest of the boys were heading inside, in search of some alcohol or pussy or something. Filip crept up behind Gabby. He wasn't too good a stealth, but even so, she didn't notice him until he snuck a hand around her waist and lifted her into the air.

Gabby let out a small squeal of surprise as Filip laughed. "Filip! Put me down!"

Filip set her on her feet, and she spun around to hug him, stretching on her toes to place a kiss on his lips, before burying her face in his shoulder. "Tig told me you were all arrested," she mumbled.

"Aye, tha' sounds abou' right."

"You're going to jail, aren't you?" Gabby asked, making eye contact with him.

He didn't even need to answer. The look on his face was enough confirmation for Gabby. She loosened her hold on him, dropping her head. They were all going to jail, because of her. If only she could take it all back. If only she hadn't told them who'd attacked her, none of this would have happened.

Filip grabbed her by the shoulders, pushing her back a bit. "Wha' are ye thinkin'?" he asked, watching her closely.

Gabby shrugged.

If she told him, he'd just reject, say it was bound to happen anyway, even if Jeremy hadn't happened. He'd say whatever he had to so she would feel better, and then they'd all be locked away anyway. They wouldn't have killed Jeremy if he hadn't attacked her, drugs or no. They'd have given him a beating and sent him on his merry way.

"Tell me," Filip pressed.

"Alright, fine," Gabby said, seeing no way out of it. "I'm thinking maybe I said too much back in the hospital."

"Gabby..."

"If I hadn't said anything, none of you would be in this situation..."

"This isn't yer fault, Gabby."

Gabby talked over him. "You're going to jail, Filip. You all are. And that wouldn't have happened if Jeremy wasn't killed. And he'd still be alive if I hadn't told you what he'd done, wouldn't he?"

"Don't do this to yerself."

"Wouldn't he?"

Filip sighed. "Aye, probably."

"So whose fault is it, then?"

"I don't know," Filip said with a shrug. "But I know it isn't yers. Ye can twist it whatever way ye want, but it'll never be yer fault. We were bound to get caught with guns at some point, anyway."

Of course they were; Gabby knew that. She wasn't talking so much about the guns, though. What was it that man had told her the other day? If Samcro didn't deliver, bodies would start dropping?

Surely the boys would be safe in jail, so that left, who? Her, Gemma, Tig, Opie and Juice. Maybe with the others in jail, Tig and Opie would decide to pay the money. If they patched Juice in while Clay was in jail – which was probably the only way the boy would ever be patched in – he'd vote to pay, wouldn't he? All they'd need then was the money.

A new thought struck Gabby. If – no, not if, when – Bobby went to jail, how was she going to live? Where would she live? If the boys couldn't pay off their mortgages, what happened to their houses?

Gabby knew what had happened to their house after her parents died; it had been sold off, and the money split between her and her siblings. The same had happened with most of their parent's belongings. Yes, Gabby had a small fortune in a bank account that was inaccessible until she turned 18. She frequently forgot about it because she couldn't access it, but it was there, waiting to be spent. She figured she could live off that once she turned 18.

When the boys got out of prison, she could move in with Filip. Well, if he wanted her to; she'd have to ask, first.

Filip was still watching her, so she figured now was a good a time as any to ask. "CanImoveinwithyou?" she gushed.

Filip blinked. "Ye wha'?"

"Can I move in... with you? When you get out?"

"Uhh... If I'm still alive after Bobby's through with me, then I guess ye can."

"Well, Bobby's already teaching himself how to cook, so he's pretty much ready for it," Gabby said, smiling. She kissed him again, running her fingers through his hair. There was one thing she wanted before he went away, and she was going to try her best to get it.

As the boys had planned a party for that night – one of the horrible, drunken, naked-women ones that Gabby refused to attend – she had the house to herself. She made lasagne, which always tasted better the next day, and snuggled in her bed with a book.

Reading always took her mind off things, no matter what it was; Gemma, the boys going to jail, Gemma, Lucy and her growing bub, Gemma, her brother and sister, or Gemma. She still hadn't talked to the woman. With everything that was going on, she figured it was a good time – it was never a good time, but now was less the best time than usual. The boys had important things to do such as getting laid, and Gemma needed time to mourn and yell and complain about the justice system.

These were the times when Gabby was glad she wasn't directly involved with the club; she didn't have to worry so much, and wasn't expected to cook and clean for the boys when they had get-togethers.

Gabby had just reached the last page of her book when there was a knock at the door. She considered ignoring it, but reasoned it might have been important. Putting her book and dinner down, she went to answer it.

The man was unfamiliar to her. His hair was short, is eyebrows bulging over his dark, narrowed eyes. An assortment of tattoos covered both arms. Obviously, he was looking for Bobby.

"Um... Bobby isn't home right now," Gabby told him. "Do you want me to-"

"I'm not here for Bobby," the man said.

"Oh." It was only then Gabby noticed the butt of a gun poking out his side, and the way his booted foot was already in the doorway, in case she tried to slam it shut. "Um... who are you looking for?" she asked, because she liked to hope she was wrong.

The man's face broke into a sneer. "You, girl."

He shoved her in, clamping a hand over her mouth as he pulled the door closed. "One word and you're gunna wish you'd never been born," he snarled.

Gabby's heart thumped in her chest. What was she going to do? What was he going to do? If he was going to kill her, why didn't he do it now?

Oh, God. He was dragging her into one of the bedrooms; the spare. Throwing her heavily on the bed, he pulled out his gun, cocking it. "Jeremy never could do a good job of things. He was a useless little fuck, and now I've got to clean up his mess."

He took a step toward Gabby, and she shrunk into the wall. He was blocking the doorway, but if she smashed the window, she could get out that way. She looked around the room for something to break it with. Nothing; she'd have to punch it or something.

"We told you to pass on that message; if Samcro didn't deliver, people would get hurt. Obviously you don't make too much of a dent in their minds and hearts. Maybe the queen bee will. What's her name again? Gemma? She'll be next." He took another step forward. "But then I thought, even if your death doesn't worry them, maybe they'll worry for their precious mother Gemma if they think the same thing that happened to you, will happen to her."

He was at the foot of the bed now, looming over Gabby as he loosened his belt. Before he could grab her, Gabby lunged for the window, striking it with her elbow. The glass smashed as pain shot up her arm, and she was halfway out of it when a hand caught her ankle, hauling her back in. Gabby screamed, but he just clamped her mouth shut, and started tearing at her clothes.

Gabby had never been so frightened before. Not when Jeremy was around, not when he tried to kill her. Never. He was going to rape her and kill her, so Bobby could find her naked, mangled body, just weeks before their trial. Would they be able to attend her funeral? She didn't want to think about it. She didn't want to think about the look on Filip's face, but she couldn't help it.

She remembered something very stupid; childish even. When she'd forced Filip to promise he wouldn't die. He never once mentioned that it was stupid, or childish; he'd just promised, and that was that. Maybe he was going to jail, but at least he was still alive. The least Gabby could do was be alive as well.

The man weighed her down, and though she kicked and hit and squirmed with all her might, she couldn't get him off her. She grabbed the hand that was over her mouth, pulling at it. Not enough to completely remove it, but enough so that she could bite into his finger, hard.

He screamed, trying to pull it away from her, succeeding with a loud crack. Gabby scrambled out from underneath him, kicking out at him as he tried to get a hold on her. His ragged nails scraped her bare legs as she fled into the hall.

A hand caught her hair, throwing her painfully to the ground, and the weight was on her again. Gabby saw a flash of silver as he went to aim the gun at her head.

Grabbing his hand, she twisted it, headbutting him in the nose. They struggled, him tearing at her hair as she held firmly onto his other hand, trying to keep the gun pointed away from her.

There was a loud bang, which Gabby knew must have woken at least half the country, followed by a ringing in her ears. She crawled backwards, away from the stunned man, but he didn't chase after her. He didn't move, didn't speak, didn't do anything. Gabby watched him for a moment, as a pool of red seeped out of his neck, slowly growing.

She screamed, clapping her hand over her mouth. "Oh God, oh my God. I didn't... I... didn't... God..."

The man still didn't move, not even when Gabby scurried to grab the phone. She dialled the number, keeping as far away from the body as she could while she sobbed.

"Yeah?"

"Tig?"

There was a pause. "Gabby? What's up?"

"Can you... I need... help."

"What's wrong, what happened?"

"It was an accident; I didn't mean to I swear, please help, OH MY GOD!" Gabby screamed, as the man's arm twitched. "He's moving, it's moving... oh God, Tig you have to help me, please help me Tig!"

"Alright, just calm down; I'll get Bobby and-"

"No! No, don't get anyone Tig please just help me!"

"Okay, I'm on my way now, alright?"

"He's dead Tig, he's not moving. Oh my God, I killed him!"