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Consequence

…

Blink and you miss a beat
Keep one of your eyes open at all times
Think that you're on the brink
The shit hasn't even begun to hit the fan
Consequence you'll see will be stranger
Than a gang of drunken mimes
Situation has a stink
Better clear the air before your son becomes a man

Before your son becomes a man

Blink everything's been augmented
You've been left so far behind
I think for sure next time
You should wear a pair of eyes
In the back of your head
Consequence you've seen
Has been stranger than sci-fi of any kind
Situation baffles me
I guess it's true you too are one Of
The walking dead

You better think fast, think fast
Cause you never know
What's coming around the bend
You better not blink
oh blink
The consequence is a bigger word than you think

It's bigger than you or me
You or me
You or me

You or me -Incubus
…

Belfast

Milla sat in Maureen's kitchen with a stack of money in front of her. She couldn't believe she was so close to having her life make sense again. She only wished that Charming hadn't gone noncom in the days since she left, it was never good and it pointed to their being a problem between Charming and the True IRA. Milla only hoped that the problems wouldn't amount to war.

"Ya shoulda gone with 'er. Taken Clay and maybe even Kerri with ya, gotten out of the six counties for a while. Give ya perspective." Maureen said as she poured Milla some tea and handed her some bands to place around the money.

"I couldn't, I have to be by the phone in case things get worse in Charming. The last I heard they moved my Auntie Lu off the critical list and someone else got sent home. Still, I can't help but think that things have just gotten astronomically worse." She placed the bands around the first batch of money and Maureen sat to help her.

"Tha's usually the way it goes. Ya wan' me ta get ya a money bag from below? I think it would be a good idea ta keep it all together." Maureen asked and Milla observed her. She was being kind and generous and she didn't trust it.

"Why are you doing this Maureen? We both know you hate me and, for some reason, hate my family." Milla asked Maureen and vocalized thoughts that had been going through her head for a long time.

"I don't hate ya love. I just wish ya woulda stayed in yer world. Ya were never meant ta come here; it's why ya never really made a life. No, I don' hate ya and my issues with yer family are jus' that, my issues, so let it go. As fer why I'm doin' this...well yer goin home. Tha's all I've wanted since the beginning. It's where ya belong." She sat back and let Milla digest the information.

"You're right, it is where I belong." Milla said as she put the money into neat stacks. It was so much easier to flee with cash.

…

Charming

Juice couldn't believe what he'd heard at the meeting. Keegan had not only been in town for weeks under their radar but he'd also worked with Zoebelle to bring down the Club. He was going to be a dead man as soon as they could deal with him, first they had to take down Zoebelle and once that was done the Council had given them leave to get Keegan for that "chat" about loyalty and family that had been years in the making. Juice hoped he got to pay the little bitch back for all the pain and suffering he'd been put through.

As soon as Edmond saw the rats in the crate he knew that they were fucked beyond saving. Not only did Jimmy know about the deal with the white hate sons of bitches, he knew about his dealings with the ATF and was going to do something about it. With a deep breath he made a call to Keegan, hoping that the hatchet-faced agent would take the prick over his Da, they were just the middle men in this. Keegan was the one who started it all. If he played it right he could have Keegan, Jimmy and Clay all out of the way and he and his father would be free men.

…

"What da ya mean there were rats in tha crate?" Keegan asked as Edmond related the situation to him.

"Jimmy knows and he's pissed as shite. Our only chance is ta split the money an' run. Ya have that place in Costa Rica, right?" Edmond asked, hoping to throw his former friend off enough to get him to slip up and give Stahl what she needed.

"He can't know, not with everyt'ing the way it is. Where's yer da? He'll know." Keegan was in denial, no way would they know because if Jimmy knew then that meant the Club knew and Keegan was a marked man, especially if they learned about his call to break the matriarch.

"Tha's what I'm trying ta find out. After the last shipment he's in the wind. Ya at the Marina?" He asked and Keegan heard a crackling in the line. The bastard was bugged.

"Too hot there, ATF nosin about. Ya wouldn't happen ta know 'bout that would ya Eddie? ATF knowin about the Marina?" He didn't even give Edmond a chance to answer as he hung up and called his Separatist sugar daddy.

"Now isn't a good time Mr. Rafferty." Zoebelle said into the phone as he stayed securely in his "panic room" that he had outfitted in the back of the shop. If he was in hiding SAMCRO wouldn't be able to find him and exact justice. He nervously licked his lips as he thought about how badly things had gone. He never should have underestimated the outlaws, they were far from the white trash thugs Jacob Hale Jr. had so denigrated.

"I need ta' know. Are we compromised?" He asked and Zoebelle grimly chuckled.

"Compromised was several days ago, now we are in the path of vengeance. It was lovely doing business with you Mr. Rafferty but I'm afraid I have to sever this relationship. Perhaps we can do business again in a few years, if your father-in-law doesn't gut both of us like fish first." He chuckled humorlessly before he said his parting words. "Godspeed Mr. Rafferty, he's the only one that can save you now."

After Zoebelle hung up Keegan was seized with blind panic. If they got to Zoebelle, it would be nothing to get to him. As he hyperventilated he called a cab, he was going to go to the Marina and get out before ATF knew what was happening, it was his only chance. He'd have to forego his plans for vengeance and his wife's shallow grave but that was fine, he had enough money for a cushy life in Costa Rica, he'd planned on the Hayes's taking the fall anyway so he was clear. He just had to stay away from any areas where the Sons had charters, otherwise he'd be fucked.

…

Later that night Juice sat at his computer looking over the surveillance they'd gotten from Jimmy's men as he nursed his newly stitched wounds. There it all was evidence enough to bury everyone, Cameron, Edmond...Keegan... He stared at the picture of Keegan shaking hands with Zoebelle. He knew in his heart that it was Keegan who set everything in motion, Keegan who ordered them to "break the queen". He'd told his theory to Clay and after the man swore he agreed and agreed that when the time came they'd all have a piece of the Irish bastard but Juice would get the first, and the last hit in and when the time came he'd call Milla and let her know she was free. That was one phone call he was nearly desperate to make.

…

The Next Day...

Cameron looked at the bundled up little boy next to him and felt tears pouring down his face again. A son for a son, it was in the Bible. You take back what was taken from you and she'd taken his boy so he took from her boy. He felt no shame in taking him but he did feel shame in drawing a blade on him. This was a baby, an innocent life and he'd threatened it. He'd say his Hail Mary's when he was back in Ireland, after he'd explained himself to the Council, after he'd made things right. Now he had ta get out of there and he knew Keegan hadn't taken the boat, he still thought Zoebelle would save them. Well, he wouldn't so now it was Cameron's duty to save himself and get his revenge. A son from a Son, it was the only way.

…

Keegan paced on the boat as he contemplated taking off. He'd thought about it the night before but came to the sobering realization that he didn't know how to run the damned thing. That meant that he needed Cammy, and just as he took out his phone his prayers were answered. Cameron came running down the gangplank carrying a bundle, while the sound of motorcycles could be heard close on his tail. Keegan stood straight and as Cammy ran aboard he saw what was in the bundle, it was a baby and from the look of the Reaper on his head it was Jax's boy.

"Shit Cammy, ya can't do this." He said and grabbed Cameron's hand as the older man pulled out into the harbor and pushed Keegan hard enough that he fell out of the boat.

…

Juice pushed himself harder than he ever had as he followed his Pres and VP down to the docks. The Irish prick had taken Abel, a boy that was his family, and that meant that he had to do everything in his power to bring him back. He had to push even harder. In what would seem like no time to the casual observer, but what had felt like years later they made it to the dock in time to see Cameron pull out far beyond their reach. As Jax screamed and sobbed in Clay's arms Juice caught his breath and cursed Hayes for doing this to his family.

There was a spluttering noise to his side and he saw a sight that filled him with renewed rage and a vindictive sense of satisfaction. Keegan was near the dock struggling to stay above the water and as his eyes caught Juice's they filled with fear and if the man could have swam he would have went the other way. Juice straightened up and went to get something to pull the man in closer when Hap handed him a pole used for pulling nets in. With a nod of thanks Juice proceeded to latch the hook onto Keegan and hauled him over.

"Clay, we've got something." He said as he turned to his President who still held Jax. As Clay's eyes lighted onto his son-in-law they filled with a rage so burning hot that Keegan felt as though he was burnt.

"He's not leaving here. Get a confession outta him, then we take care of it." Clay said with a finality that caused Keegan to loose his bowels as Juice got on his belly on the dock and gripped the shifty Irish prick by his lapels.

"Tell us everything and we make this painless, jerk us around and Hap will try out his new toys." Juice commanded and Keegan felt fear. It was far from the first time the Latino had threatened him but this time it felt different. This time he wasn't risking getting roughed up a bit, no, this time he was going to die. Well if he was going to die he was going to hurt as many people as he could.

"Tell ya what? Tell ya how I arranged with Zoebelle ta supply him weapons? Tell ya how I planned on killing Milla with my bare hands the second I got the chance? Tell ya how I arranged what happened to dear Gemma? I knew ya wouldn't want a used abused minge, make her used goods. At least Gemma fought though. Not like her daughter who spread her legs for any man in the six counties. That's what ya want boyo, a little whore-" Hearing him confess to Gemma's abuse and insult Milla cause something in Juice's head to snap and he let go of Keegan's lapel, only to dunk his head under the water. As the rage took over he forgot he was supposed to interrogate him and as the bubbles came up less often the memory surged and he brought Keegan up and the man spluttered and gasped for breath. "That all ya got boyo?"

Keegan laughed and Juice took a deep breath. He had to finish this, do right by his President. He was Intelligence Officer; it was his job to gather intelligence.

"Did you help set up the bombing that almost killed Chibs?" Juice asked out of curiosity more than anything else.

"Yeah, even showed 'em how ta do the bomb. I did it all and I'd do it again, only this time I'd have them give Milla a little party too, show her how whores are supposed ta be treated. She's already like her bitch mother, give them more in common." That was it; the threat to Milla was all it took to give him tunnel vision. Keegan had to die. He pushed him under the water again and held him as he struggled. It felt good but then the realization that he was taking another life hit him and even though Keegan deserved it a small voice in his head started shouting at him to stop and he found that he couldn't but he also found that he didn't have to when Hap tapped him on the shoulder.

"Let me finish this." The enforcer said and Juice let go of Keegan and all of the men watched as Happy held the man underwater until the struggling stopped and continued to hold him until all the bubbles stopped, only when Keegan's hands began to float in the water like seaweed did Hap let go and stand up. He stood with his brothers as the bastard who had caused so much trouble floated to the top of the water and his body was pushed against the deck to the rhythm of the current. They may have missed Zoebelle but someone had paid and they felt some vindication.

"Make the call." Clay commanded as he held his distraught stepson and looked at the dead body of his son in law, the man who had arranged the defilement of his queen and defiled his daughter. It was done.

Juice took off his gloves and took out his phone. He dialed the number he knew by heart and waited for her to answer as he stared at her husband's body and felt a rush of satisfaction. It was done and she was free.

"Juice? Is everything ok?" Milla asked in a panic and he felt his heart go to her, the only woman who he loved and now the only woman who would have his crow.

"It's done, he won't hurt you anymore. He won't hurt anyone anymore." Juice said in an odd voice and he heard Milla's breathing increase and he knew she was crying.

"No more obstacles?" She asked and Juice felt a grave smile light his face and he knew his eyes were hard.

"None." He said before he hung up, they could talk more later. They had a body to dispose of and a Council of Irishmen to call.

…

Author's Note: There you have it, the end of The Scars of Your Love, the second in the Brath Trilogy. I want to thank everyone for reading, reviewing and supporting me. Without all of you I doubt I'd be able to write a single word. Thank you all so much!

Special Thanks: I would like to take this time to offer a special, heartfelt, thank you to Verda Napoli for helping me every step of the way. She's offered so much constructive criticism and wonderful advice. I don't feel like I could have done this without her help. She helped me work out plotlines, work on my characterizations and was an amazing sounding board. I can't possibly thank her enough for everything she's done and I now dedicate this story to the amazing Verda Napoli. Thank you Verda you've helped me more than you know.

P.S. Read EVERYTHING Verda Napoli writes. She's an amazing writer and you will not regret starting her stories.