This is going to be a fly by the seat of my pants update. I haven't planned anything out, really. So I guess I'll just see where my mind takes me. Sorry for the hiatus, been involved in work, getting ready to go back to school...plus being a mommy...a lot of stuff.
Yay!
Getting Jax had been more complicated than originally planned. He was set to be released, but with the bust out of two well known criminals, it was hectic inside the prison. Brina kept her head down and tried not to look at the place, knowing she would be busted if it was found out. A taller man with shoulder length dirty blonde hair came walking out with the older man, Clay. There was a few moments of hugs and hello's from his brethren, then it was on the road. She checked her watch and saw it was closing in on 5 in the afternoon, slipped her helmet back on, and climbed behind Chibs. It was scary riding on a bike, but somewhere between the fear and the speed, it drifted away into freedom as they sped down the highway.
Closer to 3, they stopped in Pittsburgh, staying with some men of the same group. After hours of riding non stop, she awkwardly climbed off the bike, giving her helmet to him. They walked inside, following Clay, and Chibs left to go make nice with his brothers. An older guy they all called Tank approached her. "Hey sweetheart." He slung an arm around her shoulder. She slightly cringed and tensed up, not used to a guy doing this to her. "Who's old lady?" Chibs walked up, took his arm, and slung it off, playfully pushing the guy back. Tank chuckled and pointed at Chibs. "Yours?" Her riding partner said nothing, only stared at the man. He raised his hands and walked away. "You alrigh'?" It was one of the few times he had spoken to her since they got on the bike. She nodded, keeping her words to a minimum. "Come on. I'll show ya where you're stayin'." She followed him up a flight of stairs, down a small darkened hallway and walked in behind him as he opened a door.
It was like a small motel room. A bed, dresser, mirror, a lamp giving off very little light, a closet door, and a bathroom. "If you need anything, I'm next door. We're heading out at noon." With not another word, he left, shutting the door behind him. A heavy feeling weighed on Brina. Here she was, with bikers, in a smelly would be room. She sighed and turned around, falling onto her back on the bed. She lay there for a few moments before her phone rang. She reached into her pocket and pulled it out, not recognizing the number. Cautiously, she flipped it open and listened. There was only silence at first, then a voice spoke. "Mo cuishla?" A broad smile crossed her lips as she recognized it. "Hey Murphy." She looked around the room and listened to him as he spoke to her. "I don't have long, darlin. Where are ya? Are you going to make your plane day after tomorrow?" She sighed, reality catching back up with her. "Uh, about that. Um..I can't make it, baby. When you guys pissed off that Russian in the prison, when I pissed him off in the hospital wing...he put out a hit on all of us. You two are gone, so you're fine. Me, I'm.."
She almost felt angry at them for leaving. But redirected her anger towards Smecker. It was all his fault. "Brina, you're what? Where are ya?" She felt the familiar prickle starting in her eyes. "I'm in Philadelphia." She heard Murphy give a small scoff. "What the hell are ya doin there? How the hell you'd even get there?" She laid back and took a deep breath, explaining everything to Murphy. Irate was the minimum amount of word to explain how angry he was. "And you just left with them? No fuckin questions asked? Christ, Brina. Where's your head?" She heard a small commotion over the phone and then Connor's voice. "Go smoke you a fuckin smoke and calm the fuck down, brother." A brief second in silence again. "I'll let you talk to her again once you're calmed the fuck down! Now, go!" A distant door slam and more silence.
"Brina, it's Connor." She grinned and gave a small chuckle. "I see you found that Murphy is in an exquisite mood. Though I can't blame him. But Smecker called me and told me to go with them. I figured he knew what he was talking about." She heard a flick of a lighter on the other end of the phone, feeling in the mood for a cigarette herself. She grabbed her pack and a lighter, walking out of her room, and retracing her steps outside. "Brina, he's just worried about ya. Won't shut up, even ma's gettin annoyed by it. She threatened to conk him over the head with her good skillet next time he said your name. Listen, I heard about what you were tellin Murph. And I get it. Boy-o, Murph's gonna give a good ass chewing to Smecker next time he talks to him." Murphy and Connor had warned her about their mother. Crazy, psychotic, and a bitch. But she loves them, that was the important thing she held on to. "Connor, how's he been?"
"Who, Murph?" She took a long drag from the cigarette and nodded, knowing he couldn't see her. "Yeah. Is he...is he okay?" Connor let loose a loud round of laughter. "He's fine, darlin. Skippin through the clover with the leprechauns. Oh..that's...that's just Aunt Bess. Yeah, he's okay. Just bitchy, moody...either his Aunt Flo is on the way or it's the lack of sex, but either way, he's moody. He just misses ya. Me too. He's back, and calmer, aren't ya Murph?" She heard the phone switching hands and Murphy talking again. "Aye, go fuck yourself, Connor. Let me talk to my girl." She couldn't hold back the smile when Murphy called her his girl. "Babe?" The sting in her eyes was back, threatening to spill over at any moment. "Yeah, I'm here, Murphy." She bit her lip to keep from crying. She didn't want Murphy to know she was just as upset as he was.
"We'll figure out somethin. I promise." She ran her fingers over her forehead and through her hair. "Yeah. Yeah, I know we will." Taking a deep breath, the tears slowly started slipping down her cheeks. "Brina, if shit gets rough with these guys, just remember what i taught you." She wiped one cheek with the back of her hand, switching to wipe the other. "Get a gun. Don't back down. See ya soon." She repeated the little mantra he had taught her. She remembered instantly everything Murphy had taught her about a gun. How to dismantle and clean one, how to put it back together, and how to fight the kick when you fired. "That's right. I don't want to, but I gotta go. Ma's got breakfast on the table, she'll kick my ass if I don't come down." She nodded her head, the most she could manage at the moment. "Okay." She was quickly losing her grip on the tears. They poured down her face, dripping from her cheek. "I love you, Brina." She took a deep breath and as calmly as she could responded. "I love you too." The phone disconnected and she watched the screen turn dark before stuffing it back into her pocket.
She looked around and saw a darkened alcove, running to it as a small sanctuary. She pulled her knees up to her chest and buried her eyes into her knees, letting her emotions flow from her eyes. He was so far away. It had been too long. There were worse things in life than a distance between two people, but to her, he might as well have been in space. She let herself cry until there was nothing left; all the fear, hate, and anger were gone. The clouds grew darker against the sky, the feeling of rain blowing in the breeze. She wanted to call him back. Wanted to cry to him and tell him that she couldn't do it. She couldn't miss her flight and she was going back to Boston. But she knew Murphy's 'fuck that' attitude would end her up at the same point she was at. With the Sons of Anarchy on a cross country motorcycle trip.
The rain started as a small drizzle, then grew to a full thunderstorm. Pausing from their game of poker, Chibs stepped outside to clear his head. He stood under the overhang, lighting a cigarette and sitting down at one of the small picnic tables the Philly boys had set up. He watched the lightning flash, listened to the thunder rumbling after. It was a calm storm to be in. Flicking his butt towards the grass, he stood up and something caught his eye. Taking a couple steps closer towards the edge of the overhang, he saw someone sitting in the garden alcove. He stepped into the rain and walked over, kneeling down next to the girl. He reached out and touched her arm, her head jerked up, eyes brimming with anger. She jumped to her feet and pushed him as hard as she could. He walked back towards her as she raised her fists and started hitting at him. She screamed repeatedly, "It's your goddamn fault!" as her fists collided one after the other on his chest.
She tried to turn and walk back to the alcove, but Chibs grabbed her again. She slipped her arm from his grasp, and as he tried to grab her once more, she sank to her knees, burying her face in her hands, sobs escaping from her, the tears lost in the streaks of rain that ran down her face. He kneeled down to her, wrapping an arm around her back and helping her stand, he walked her back into the room. The five other men around the table looked at him and he said, "Deal me out." as he ushered the girl back to the room. He disappeared for a few moments, leaving her sitting on the bed. She was cold, shivering; but emotionless. When he finally returned he tossed some clothes on the bed and stepped out of the room. She continued sitting. Brina had lost all sense of energy. The door slowly opened as Chibs poked his head in and saw she hadn't moved. He walked in and closed the door, locking it behind him.
He knelt down before Brina, looking into her eyes. "Lass, I know you can hear me. I'm not angry, or pissed off. But you gotta get out of those clothes before you get sick. You need sleep." She moved her eyes, looking into his, seeing he was worried and concerned. He gave a small sigh and stood up. "Don't try to hit me again." He sat down beside her and unbuttoned her shirt. Slipping it off, he tossed it into the bathroom where it landed with a loud splat against the tile floor. He grabbed the spare shirt he had brought in and slipped it over her head and arms. "Can ya stand?" She obliged, standing to her feet and resting a hand on his shoulder as he unbuttoned her pants and, with difficulty, pitched them to join her shirt in the bathroom. She stepped into a pair of shorts, then continued standing. He motioned towards the bed with his head. "Get some sleep." He walked into the bathroom and picked up the shirt and pants, then made his way to the door when she spoke. "I can't."
He stopped dead in his tracks and turned around, walking closer to her. "What do ya mean you can't?" She slowly shook her head back and forth. "I can't. I'm too tired." Chibs sighed and walked back to the door, closing it behind him. All hope had left her. Murphy and Conner were gone. God only knew when she would get back to their side. And now, her only hope for surviving a mafia hit, was pissed off at her. She looked up as the door opened again. Chibs flicked the light switch and killed the lights. He didn't say a word as he picked her up bridal style and carried her to the bed, tossing the covers back, laid her down, then covered her back up. He pulled his gun from the back of his pants and laid it on the dresser beside him before laying down, on top of the covers, beside Brina. "Sleep."
She lay there, tossing and turning thoughts in her head, counting sheep, missing Murphy and Connor, until she finally dozed off around 6. The sun was blinding as it shone through the cheap blinds and onto the older man's face. He sighed, wishing he had been able to get more sleep, then deciding to go to his room and go back down. He went to get up, then noticed an arm across his waist and a head on his shoulder. He gave a small chuckle and laid back, closing his eyes, deciding it was better to not disturb her.
And that's that, folks! I know it wasn't a lot. But it's all I could do in the time that I had. I've got to be up at 7 for work in the morning and it is now, 12:36. So..that sucks. But I am glad I busted through this hiatus. Hope you enjoy, and as always, Read and Reply...please!