Juice stood behind Roman Becket pinning the younger mans arms behind his back and holding him in place as Chibs delivered a swift punch to Roman's gut. Roman let out a cry the action sending a jolt of pain throughout him.

Chibs glared down at the man rage rolling through him. It took everything he had to pull away and resist delivering another punch.

Juice and Chibs had taken Becket out to an old warehouse on the outskirts of town. A lumber mill had once owned the brick building, though that was long ago. It had sat empty for at least a decade.

The warehouse was far away from any prying eyes. It was far from Charming's city limits meaning that the police didn't pay it any attention. The nearest neighbor was a mile away.

The Sons had bought the property long ago; long before Chibs had come to Charming. It wasn't a big building and it was only used when they had too many guns to store them all in the other warehouse they owned.

At the moment the warehouse was sitting empty. Chibs had taken extra precautions to be sure that Roman had no idea where he was. He'd used a bandana as a makeshift blindfold tying it over the man's eyes keeping him in the dark and clueless as they'd driven down the old dirt pathway to the warehouse.

Now the blindfold was gone and Chibs was ready to get down to business. He took a deep breath still resisting the urge to punch Roman again as he spoke. "Did ya go out with Clara a few nights ago?"

Roman stared up at Chibs his eyes wide his mouth turned into a grimace. He was still reeling from the punch to the gut the Scot had given him. He took a shallow breath his ribs aching before he spoke. "Please...I don't know what I've done. Don't kill me."

Chibs shook his head frustrated with the man's refusal to answer his question. He decided it was time for more dire measures as he reached underneath his kutte his hand sliding across the leather holster he wore.

He took a hold of a sharp dagger pulling it out making sure to allow the bright lighting above to catch the blade making it shimmer.

Chibs had just sharpened both of his knives this morning. He hadn't planned on using them but he knew that desperate times called for desperate measures.

He was going to get his answers one way or another.

He held the knife against Roman's throat digging it in a bit making it obvious that the blade was sharp, as he spoke again. "Why did ya put somethin in Clara's drink?"

Roman let out a whimper his bladder threatening to empty as he did his best to lean away from the dagger. Juice pushed forward not allowing Roman to get far from Chibs' knife.

"I was angry." Roman cried out his body beginning to tremble. His bladder leaked a little wetting his gym shorts.

All Roman could think of was his obvious soon to come demise. He could picture the police finding his body torn and bloodied dumped off in the woods. He could picture the police hitting a brick wall unable to solve his death.

He could picture his funeral his drunken mother sitting all alone in the funeral home. Roman wondered if his twin sister would bother to attend. She'd long ago washed her hands of the family deciding that they did more harm to her than good.

Roman took another shallow breath struggling not to hyperventilate as he prayed that these men would spare him. Perhaps if he was honest they'd have some mercy on him.

He spoke again too terrified to struggle against Juice's hold any longer. "I've liked Clara since high school. She never paid me any attention though. She was a stuck up bitch. I thought that maybe this was finally my chance."

Roman let out a cry of pain as Chibs' dug the knife in a bit enraged by the stuck up bitch comment.

Chibs struggled not to give into the urge to just let his rage fly and slice Roman's throat. He took a deep breath remembering his promise to Clara don't let it get out of hand.

His grip on the knife grew tighter as he spoke up. "So what happened? She didn't wanta go home with ya? Did ya decide ya'd take what ya wanted yer own way?"

"She only went out with me because she was mad at this other guy. She still had feelings for him. I guess you're the guy she was talking about aren't you?...shit... I didn't like that she used me. She thought going out with me would be a good way to get back at you I guess. I was pissed." Roman admitted closing his eyes for a moment no longer able to handle looking into Chibs' intense glare.

Chibs clinched his jaw finding it so difficult not to just let go and lose himself in his rage. He spoke up his voice revealing just how disgusted he was by Roman. "So what ya thought ya'd drug her an take her home. Thought ya'd have yer way with her while she couldn't fight ya?"

"No! I swear to god. I wasn't going to do anything like that. I just thought it would make Clara sick. I thought it would be a good way to get back at her. I freaked out when I saw you show up." Roman insisted the knife stinging as it made a shallow cut against his neck.

Juice spoke up just as disgusted as Chibs by Roman. "And what you just so happened to have the pills? Why were you waiting out in the parking lot for her huh?"

Roman spoke up finally loosing control of his breathing as he began to cry. "I got them from some guy I work with. He just gave them to me. I...I...It was stupid. I wasn't going to do anything to her I swear...I just wanted to see her fall or her face or throw up or something. I swear I just thought she'd get sick. I thought seeing her suffer would make me feel better."

"That coulda killed er ya prick. She coulda passed out and stopped breathin or she coulda vomited in her sleep and choked. Anything coulda happened ta her. Did ya even think bout that? Ya mighta not been plannin on takin advantage of her state, or at least ya claim ya weren't. I don't believe ya. Even if ya didn't it doesn mean someone else wouldn't. Ya left her out there like a lamb to tha wolves." Chibs spat out.

He took a deep breath as he spoke again pissed that Roman's eyes were still closed. "Open yer eyes and look at me like a man."

Roman did just that fearing what the bikers would do to him if he refused. Chibs narrowed his eyes as he spoke. "What if I wasn' a friend huh? Look at me, Do I look friendly to ya? I coulda been some monster preyin on an innocent lass. What if I was some sick prick that was plannin on raping her huh? What if I was takin Clara some place to hurt her? Ya didn't even have tha balls to get outta yer truck and try ta stop me from takin her anywhere. Yer a fuckin coward."

Roman began to sob as Chibs spit in his face having no mercy for him. Roman had put Clara's life at risk and because of this Chibs saw Roman as being garbage.

Chibs finally pulled his knife away wiping the bit of blood he'd managed to produce from the shallow cut on Roman's neck, on Roman's white work polo.

He kneeled down staring the man in the eyes as he shoved his knife back into his kutte. Roman let out a shakey breath as he realized Chibs' hand remained out of sight underneath his kutte.

Chibs spoke up keeping his hand out of sight. "Yer a lucky prick. If ya'd messed with a less sweet lass this mighta cost ya yer life. Clara's too kind fer er own good. She wouldn't like me killin ya. She wanted me ta teach ya a lesson. I promised her ya'd live ta remember this. Trust me if I didn't care bout the lass and wanta keep er trust then I'd put a bullet right between yer eyes."

Chibs ignored the relieved look on Roman's face as he spoke up again. "But don't forget this ya bastard. If ya go to tha police...if ya let anyone know who did this to ya. I'll come fer ya. I won't let Clara's mercy cloud my judgment if ya tell who did this to ya."

Roman let out a pained cry as Chibs delivered a swift punch to the man's face. Chibs let himself lose a bit of the hold he'd had over his rage as he allowed his fists to rain down upon Roman.

He didn't stop until Roman had finally lost conscious the biker's trained fists too much to handle any longer.

Chibs spat down on Roman's unconscious body as Juice finally let go of the man allowing him to fall a crumpled heap on to the ground.

Chibs shook his head realizing that he had to let go of the rage. He'd hoped that beating the man to a bloody pulp would be enough to release the anger and the fear but he'd been wrong.

"Let's dump him out near that old gas station on the way back. The old man is familiar with tha Sons. He's a friend of tha club. He won't let the police get involved. He'll fix the prick up and make sure the fear of God is inta him." Chibs remarked knowing that he had to keep the promise he'd made to Clara.

She wanted Roman to live in fear. Chibs itended on making sure the man lived.

It was over Chibs told himself. He'd made this right for Clara.

Now it was time to move on.

Clara had quickly realized that she'd made one mistake in her grand exit from the office at TM. She had forgot her purse.

There was no way in hell she was going back in to fetch it. She had a feeling scampering back in to grab her purse might completely kill any point she'd possibly made to Gemma.

So she'd done the only thing she could think of. She had gone to the clubhouse sitting outside on a picnic table. She had bummed a cigarette from some thankfully polite croweater and waited for Gemma to leave the office. She'd hoped Gemma would leave long enough for her to sneak in and retrieve her belongings.

Yes it was more than a little pathetic, but it kept her exit dramatic.

She didn't regret speaking her mind to Gemma. She'd resented Gemma's accusations.

Clara was no croweater. Just the idea of being a croweater made her feel sick to her stomach. She pictured herself in the clubhouse acting foolish hoping to be picked up for a night by a drunken biker who she may or may not want to even touch. She would never do anything like that. Just the notion of it made her feel as though she needed a bath.

Clara was also pissed at the way Gemma had spoken about Tammy Munson. Clara knew that her mother wasn't perfect. Her mother had admitted to Clara that she hadn't been the smartest nor the most virtuous woman when she was her age.

Clara wasn't ashamed of her mother's wild past. Hearing Gemma talk about her mother with such judgment though had played a hand in setting Clara off.

She realized of course that her blowing up at Gemma might have some repercussions.

Pissing off the Queen of SAMCRO wasn't a smart move. It might cost Clara something more than her job.

Clara could just picture how Bobby would react. She tried to hold on to some hope that Bobby would be just as pissed at Gemma for talking about Tammy, but Clara knew her Uncle Bobby's loyalty to the club ran deep.

She knew that her outburst might of reflected badly on Bobby. He might not be too pleased that she had brought tension within SAMCRO.

Clara felt her stomach plummet realizing that Chibs might not be entirely pleased with her either.

She rolled her eyes torn about how she felt about this realization. Part of her wanted to tell Chibs to man up and back his woman up. But part of her realized that it was probably her place as his old lady to get along with everyone within SAMCRO.

Clara shook her head knowing that it was what it was. She was too stubborn to forgive and forget what had happened with Gemma.

Clara finally came to the conclusion that if Chibs couldn't see things from her perspective then perhaps he wasn't boyfriend material.

Thankfully she had managed to slide into the office and grab her purse the second Gemma had gone to lunch.

Clara was thankful that the woman hadn't approached her to continue their blowout from this morning.

She had gone back to the picnic table after she'd retreieved her things. She didn't want to risk running into Gemma in the office.

She was unsure if she even still was employeed here. She didn't want to know, not now.

Clara decided that she was best off just sitting here and waiting for Chibs to show up. She was anxious to know how things had gone with Roman Becket.

It was now three pm. Chibs and Juice had been gone for most of the day now. She worried that something had gone wrong.

Clara almost fell off the picnic table as she heard a familiar voice. "Clara Munson. Christ kid you grew up."

She turned a smile appearing on her face as she spotted the owner of this voice. She stood up giving the man a gentle hug as she spoke. "Uncle Piney. How have you been?"

"Oh ya know. Still dragging this damn thing around." Piney stated nodding down to his constant companion; his oxygen tank.

Clara nodded her head as she pulled away from the hug. Piney had been hooked up to Oxygen long before Clara was born.

She was unable to wipe the smile off her face as she stared at the older man. She had always been fond of Piney Winston or as she'd grown up calling him Uncle Piney.

Unlike Clay, Piney had actually paid her attention when she was a little girl, though most of that attention was scolding Opie and Jax for being little jerks to Clara.

Of course Jax and Opie had probably had a good reason for avoiding Clara. There was a seven year age difference between Clara and the boys. They didn't want a little girl hanging around them constantly trying to join in on their fun especially when they'd become preteens.

"Uncle Bobby said you've been in the hospital?" Clara asked concerned to hear this.

She had wanted to go visit Piney in the hospital but Bobby had reminded her that the man was more irritable than usual when he was in the hospital. As much as she adored Piney she didn't want to put up with him when he was bad-tempered and without his beloved Patron.

Piney shrugged his shoulders trying to play off his latest hospital visit. "Damn blood pressure keeps rising. That idiot doctor wanted to keep an eye on it. It was a waste of time if you ask me. They wanted me to stay for another week but I told the doc where he could shove it."

Clara did her best not to chuckle at this response as she spoke up. "Well I'm glad to see you're back up on your feet."

"You up for joining an old man for a drink or two?" Piney asked more than ready to crack open a bottle of Patron.

Clara nodded her head knowing that she didn't have many other options. She did really need a drink. "Of course."

She was relieved to find that the clubhouse was practically vacant. She wasn't ready to have a run in with Emily Duncan.

Clara dreaded ever having to face the croweater after taht day at the garage. She was only comforted by the fact that she had technically won in the end. Clara had won Chibs' heart and Emily was still a croweater.

She knew that thinking this way was childish and bitchy, but she couldn't help it. Emily had looked so smug that day. It felt good to know that Emily hadn't gotten what she'd wanted out of Chibs.

It felt even better for Clara to know that she was the only one who would be getting anything from Chibs from now on. Emily and the other croweaters could just shove it. As she thought about this she quickly realised she might have some jealousy issues.

The tall redheaded croweater behind the bar gave Clara a curious glance as Piney and she sat at the bar. Clara avoided meeting the woman's eyes in no mood to deal with anymore bullshit at the moment.

The redhead kept her lips sealed as she sat a bottle of Patron up on the bar along with two shot glasses. She already knew that was the only thin Piney drank.

Clara clinked glasses with Piney trying not to cringe as she took the first shot. Piney gave her a grin as he spoke nodding down to her empty shot glass. "A girl after my own heart. If I was a younger man I'd make ya wife number two."

She shook her head chuckling at the little joke. "No offense but I don't want to be Opie's new mommy."

Piney chuckled as he poured two more shots. Clara did her best to delay taking this shot shoving it away from her. She'd never been fond of tequila unless it was mixed with orange juice.

She spoke up knowing that Jax didn't seem to want to discuss this, and Piney was the only other available person to ask. "How's Opie?"

"Doing what he can. He gets out soon. He's worried about Donna. This hasn't been easy for her having him locked up so long." Piney confessed as he placed his shot glass back down.

Clara nodded her head knowing taht she had always been fond of Donna. Opie and Donna had been together since middle school.

Unlike Jax and Opie, Donna had at least had some sympathy for Clara. Clara could remember how the older girl had French braided her hair and painted her nails. She had looked up to Donna, thinking of the girl as an older sister.

She hated that she had lost touch with Donna. She hadn't even been able to attend Opie and Donna's wedding. Mitch had insisted that they jet off to New York for some event, she couldn't even remember what it had been for.

"How is Donna? She and Opie have anymore kids? Donna was still pregnant with Ellie the last time I visited." Clara asked curious to know what the woman had been up to over these past years.

"Okay. She and Ope had a boy, Kenny. The kids are good, they're a bit of a handful though. I'm too old to be much help. Donna needs help but she's too proud to ask for it. Donna isn't taking any of this well. She's got beef with the club over what happened to Opie. She'd probably like to hear from you. You two were close. She hasn't got many friends." Piney explained as he snatched Clara's full shot glass downing it.

Clara nodded her head unable to even imagine how difficult things must be for Donna at the moment; having a husband in prison and two kids at home.

Clara couldn't help but to wonder if this was the life she was setting herself up for with Chibs. She pictured herself in Donna's situation. She imagined being stuck home with Chibs' and her children trying to keep everything together while Chibs was incarcerated.

She shook her head not helping but to wonder where that image had even come from. Kids, kids with Chibs? It was a little soon to think about that scenario. They hadn't even had a date yet and she was picturing being a mother to their hypothetical offspring.

Still though it troubled her to imagine living that way. Could she handle it? Would her love for Chibs be strong enough to endure such a thing.

She didn't have long to contemplate this as a very exhausted looking Chibs and Juice entered the clubhouse.

Chibs grinned despite his exhaustion as he spotted Clara sitting at the bar with Piney. He made his way over to her more than ready to share the good news about the Roman situation.

He knew she'd be so relieved to know that it was over now, that he had avenged what had happened to her.

He was proud of himself. He had done his old lady well.

Piney almost choked on his drink as Chibs leaned over pressing a quick kiss to Clara's lips.

Piney stared down at his glass unable to stop himself from mumbling to himself. "How long was I in the damn hospital?"

Chibs spoke up making a joke as he ignored Piney's shocked expression. "Yer sharin yer Patron with my girl? Ya won't even share it with me."

"That's because you like that Irish swill." Piney replied raising an eyebrow at the term my girl.

That was a story he wouldn't mind hearing.

Chibs let out a gasp pretending to be offended as he replied. "That swill is Jameson. It's the only think worth puttin down yer throat."

Clara smirked amused by Chibs' obvious love of Jameson Whiskey.

Chibs leaned down pressing another kiss to her lips as he spoke up. "I gotta go talk ta Clay fer a bit. Then ya and I are goin out."

"Where are we going?" Clara asked a little puzzled by this statement.

"Figured I need ta take ya out on a date." Chibs replied hoping he'd come up with the perfect date idea.

He had come up with the idea on his way home. He was sure that Clara would love it. It seemed like the perfect date.

She cleared her throat unable to hold back her curiousity any longer. "Is it taken care of?"

"Aye ya don't gotta worry bout it ever agiain." Chibs replied as he pressed another kiss to her lips.

Piney frowned completely taken off guard by this entire exchange. What had been taken care of? And more importantly when had Clara and Chibs become an item?

He had a feeling that Bobby was in the dark about this. He knew that if Bobby knew just who his niece was running around with he would throw a huge fit.

Piney shook his head dreading the day Bobby came home from Lake Tahoe.

This was going to get messy.

Clay looked up from the paperwork he'd been going over in the chapel. With Bobby gone for these two weeks it left all the clubs' treasury duties up to the club president.

Chibs cleared his throat as he took a seat in his usual seat at the table. He wasn't shocked as Clay spoke up peering at him through his reading glasses. "Are you going to tell me what the hell you've been up to these past two days. Where's your brain?"

"I can explain it all." Chibs replied knowing that this would probably go over like a lead balloon.

He took a deep breath knowing that he might as well just jump right into things. There was no use beating around the bush about this. "Clara needed me."

"Clara Munson?" Clay asked though he knew that the only Clara they knew was Clara Munson, unless some croweater had shown up with that same name.

"Aye. We're together." Chibs admitted hating that he was having to reveal this to Clay before Bobby.

He prayed Clara wouldn't kill him for dropping this bomb without her around.

"Christ...please tell me you aren't just getting your dick wet. I know you're smart enough to take care of that shit with someone other than Bobby's niece." Clay exclaimed a headache beginning to form in the base of his brain.

Chibs shook his head trying not to be offended by the suggestion. He'd never use Clara in such a way. He knew better than to lose it with the club pres though.

"She's my old lady." Chibs explained his fists clinched as he tried to remain calm and collected.

Chibs had to admit that despite his irritation and anxieties he was on cloud nine. It felt so good to say the words out loud. Clara was his old lady. The words were beautiful.

Clay shook his head knowing that was going to become someone's mess to clean up once Bobby found out. He assumed the man didn't know about this.

There would have more than likely been someone with a black eye if Bobby knew by now.

"Bobby aint going to like this. This girl mean a lot to you?" Clay remarked knowing that this would cause tension in the club. Tension was the last thing they needed right now.

Chibs nodded his head as he spoke up. "Aye she does. She's a special lass. We didn't plan on this happenin, but we want this. I know Bobby is goin ta have concerns. I'll handle it."

Clay frowned wanting to tell Chibs what he really thought; that the Scot should drop Bobby's niece before the shit hit the fan and fell back on the Sons.

Chibs should just forget whatever it was he was feeling for the girl for everyone's sake. The girl was stirring up too much shit.

He knew Chibs well enough to know that he wouldn't take kindly to that suggestion. The man was too valuable to the club to piss him off. They needed his connection with the Irish.

"You better handle it. Tell Bobby quick. I don't want this shit to blow up on anyone." Clay ordered deciding that he'd just keep his opinion to himself.

"Aye. It won't. Trust me Clara and I aint goin to let that happen." Chibs replied taking a few more deep breaths.

He could see the cogs turning in Clay's head and he didn't like it.

Clay stared down at the books again as he spoke up. "I'm not going to ask what Clara needed that van for. I don't want to know. Just keep it from falling on us."

"I will." Chibs insisted.

He just hoped that Roman was scared enough to keep his mouth shut. The last thing he needed was Juice and he getting the club into shit because of Roman.

Chibs shook these thoughts from his head. He knew he'd scared Roman enough to keep Juice, Clara, and himself safe. The coward wasn't man enough to cross a pissed off biker.

Chibs stood up from the table knowing that at least this was done and over with. He just hoped that Clay didn't decide to let Bobby in on any of this before he and Clara had the chance to explain themselves.

He doubted that would happen though. Clay seemed to be willing to let him handle this himself.

Chibs shoved all this back to his head as he left the chapel. It was a problem to be handled for another day.

He smiled as he spotted Clara still sat at the bar laughing at something Piney was saying as Juice and he took some shots of Patron.

Chibs knew that whatever happened, Clara was worth it all.

His alainn lass was worth everything to him.

Reviews?

alainn = (Scottish Gaelic) Beautiful (pronounced yAW-lun(y)