A/N - Okay, so I may have got a little obsessed with this plot and literally spent the last, like, three hours sitting here writing because I just couldn't stop the muse. She's keeping me awake, I swear it's not my fault! So, um, yes. Chibs-centric but... Enjoy!

"Sarge."

Chibs hadn't slept, not for a second. His stomach had been bubbling with an acidic hatred all night and it had kept him awake, lying beside her as she slept, almost unconscious from the mix of pain, drink and exhaustion. His feet were up on the table as he stared aimlessly into space, frustrated and trying to regulate his breathing. Jax tapped his good knee as he dropped down on the table, he waved his hand in front of Chibs' eyes with amusement.

"So you don't want a muffin?" Bobby asked, leaning back and offering the last of the batch to the Scot. He didn't answer and Jax chuckled.

"Just give it to Hap if he doesn't want it," he said with a shrug. "You get laid last night, Chibs? Haven't seen you this spaced out in, I don't know, years?"

Chibs shook his head as he snapped out of his strange trance. He just kept thinking of the way Nina had insisted on him dropping her on Main Street, all she had wanted was to sit and get a coffee on her own. He had offered to stay, he'd tried a few times, but she simply refused. After his reticence the night before, she had distanced herself from him completely and he felt awful about it.

"Telford." Jax frowned, he had zoned out again. He tapped him and Chibs swung his feet down to the ground, slamming his boots on the floor.

"Alright, alright," he muttered, standing up and grabbing his crutch to assist his movement as he limped to the bar to fix himself an Irish coffee. Bobby watched him carefully as he put a liberal dash of bourbon into his mug.

"Strong breakfast," he commented quietly. Chibs grunted and drank it quickly, scalding his throat but it didn't matter. At least he was feeling something, even if it was a burn that ran down through his chest and made his heart ache with the heat.

"Sometimes you need it."

Jax joined them at the bar and looked between them now that Chibs seemed a little more talkative. "So I need you with me today, I gotta go and talk to Nero about clearing Lin's little bill from last week."

Chibs groaned, that was the last thing he needed today. "I'm not feeling great, Prez, can you take someone else?"

Jax laughed outright at that and slapped his back. "She really get her nails into you?" he joked. "It's on you, Hap's at St Thomas, keeping an eye on the boys, as soon as Tig gets in, I need him in TM. That chick's coming to pick up her Cadillac, you know how she likes him."

Bobby grinned and even Filthy Phil, the prospect behind the bar, giggled a little bit, nervous but eager to get in on the joke. Chibs ruffled his hair beneath his hands and shrugged, he'd have to. "Aye, okay," he muttered. "Whatever you need, Prez."

He sloped out to go and test his weight on his bike, he'd be damned if he drove that damn pick up truck. Bobby watched him go and frowned after him before glancing at Jax. "He okay?"

"Rough night, probably," Jax shrugged. "He'll be fine."

"And how was your night?" Bobby asked skeptically, looking at Jax over his glasses carefully. "You sort your shit with Tara?"

Jax pulled a face. "Would you believe me if I said my Mom was handling it?" he laughed. Bobby raised an eyebrow.

"That's a risky play."

"I got a lot of risky plays right now," Jax replied, he didn't have a lot of options. He rubbed his hands together and glanced at the clock. Nero was going to be another one, it was going to be an uncomfortable ask but Jax was pretty sure he'd win him around. "Speaking of which, you ready to go face another one?"

Chibs revved his bike, he had just enough strength in his leg to last the ride to Nero's. A dose of prescription pain killers would get him home, probably, or a good slug of whisky. He could make that work too, it seemed like a perfectly viable answer to everything at the moment. He was just reaching for his helmet when he saw Tig pulling in. He had that usual, self-satisfied smirk on his face as he pulled the Harley to a grinding halt and hopped off.

"Morning smiley," he muttered as he saw Chibs' judgemental gaze staring at him. "What's wrong with you?"

It took every ounce of self-control Chibs had to not lose it. He gritted his teeth and muttered, "Didn't get a lot of sleep. Had that girl crying her eyes out all night."

Tig's nostrils flared for a second and he avoided Chibs' eye as he put his helmet in its spot beneath the handles. "Stupid bit of gash, I didn't realise she couldn't handle her shit. She was so into it last night, I thought she was a pro."

Chibs could feel himself winding his jaw back, he was desperate to slam Tig against his bike and beat the shit out of him. He flexed his fingers, his rings clinking together as he reminded himself that he had promised her not to say anything. He wanted to break him, he wanted to smash his jaw to pieces and break his fucking ribs, he was lying, even now he was still lying and he hated it. Why was he meant to be protecting a brother who couldn't even be honest with his own club members?

"Aye, I'm sure you did," he muttered coldly, shunning Tig by turning his shoulder to him. Tig frowned, wondering what she might have said but laughing to himself at the thought that Nina would confide in someone like the old Scot.

"You riding again?" Chibs ignored him and Tig gave his tire a kick. "Hey brother. I'm talking to you."

Chibs turned, grabbing Tig by the scruff of his neck and pressing him back against his bike. Tig put his hands up in an instant, his eyes wild as they looked over Chibs' face. Chibs was gritting his teeth tightly, trying to hold his tongue but it was proving difficult. He wanted to rip into Tig's goddamn face but, even though his fingers flexed on the edge of his cut, he let go and gave him a hard shove.

"I ain't got shite to say to you, brother," he muttered as he saw Jax and Bobby heading out of the club towards the bikes. He got onto his Harley and took the time to pull it back before waiting for Jax. Tig dusted himself off in confusion and spat on the floor in Chibs' spot, annoyed at being roughed up without reason. He watched as the three left before heading towards TM, bothered by his lack of a welcome.

They drove in formation towards Diosa. Jax kept a careful eye on Chibs, but he seemed to be keeping up well. When they pulled up, Chibs was the first off, resting his weight on his good leg and trying to stretch out his injury. Jax opened his mouth to speak but Chibs shook his head.

"It's fine."

It was clear he was in a mood, Jax would just have to forgive him. Probably a bad hangover, maybe some chick had gotten too toothy on his cock, it could be any number of things. Bobby smirked as he moved close to Jax as they walked in, muttering, "Time of the month, probably."

Nero was sitting in the bar, waiting for them. Jax had texted ahead and Nero already had coffee and bagels waiting for his guests. Jax gave him a tight smile, trying to forget the state Nina had been in the night before. That was her shit, he wasn't about to bring it into business, especially when they needed a favour.

"I should thank you, for your custom the other night," Nero smiled as he hugged Jax tight. "Your Chinese friends, they made my girls a lot of money. Above board, every single one of them safe and home." He looked Jax in the eye as he said, genuinely, "Thank you."

Jax felt his heart sink. Business for Diosa was business for Nero and business for Sons, but they were all going to have to take the financial hit to keep things strong. "Yeah, about that. That was... quite a bill you sent through."

Nero smiled. "Seventeen girls, all nighters. I took off twenty-five per cent. Kind of a... reciprocal thanks," he beamed, looking at Chibs. "I know you guys are taking care of my Nina for me, I appreciate that."

Chibs felt bile surge up into his stomach and he excused himself quickly. Jogging to the bathroom, he had barely closed the stall door before he vomited into the basin. He had never felt so guilty in his life, alcohol and coffee coated his tongue as he poured his guts out. He was meant to be looking out for her, instead he was having to keep his damn lips shut to her own father. Tig had shown no remorse, not even a little bit. Why should Chibs protect him? What was the point? It didn't feel right to know it was all a lie, to keep justice out of Nero's hands.

Sure there was nothing left in him, he gathered his breath and stood up, steadying himself against the wall. He swilled some tap water around his mouth and spat into the sink before rubbing some water through his hair and over his face, trying to pull himself together. As soon as he was out of here, he had to go and find her.

He returned to the bar to find Jax and Nero in the middle of a heated argument. Nero looked seriously put out, his arms were crossed as he stood, his feet square to his shoulders as he stared Jax down.

"I know we're business partners, but I don't get a sniff of the money your club gets from the Chinese, ese. You can't dip out of that bill, I already got the girls to agree to cut it down a little as a gesture." He looked at Chibs, as if somehow he might volunteer something useful, but he kept his silence. Chibs' mind was busy enough. Jax shoved his hands in his pockets and swung his hips forward defensively.

"You just gotta halve the bill again. For now. We'll pay it back."

"I got new girls starting, you know the cost of promotion for that?" Nero was shaking his head. "You can't just make decisions, Jackson, we're meant to be partners in this."

"Partners help each other out," Jax muttered, frowning. "Come on, it'll be a couple of months. We just don't have that cash up front right now."

Nero was shaking his head. "I suggest you find it," he said firmly. "Or I'll take it back out of your monthly cut."

Bobby leaned into Jax and motioned for him to step back. He lowered his voice as he whispered, "We can't do that, Prez, that money funds too much. We need the regular income from here to keep our noses out of the damn dirt and keep the feds off our books."

Jax nodded and stepped out of their huddle to look Nero in the eye. "There must be something you want that I have?" Nero could hardly believe his tone, he already knew what Jax was angling towards and he shook his head.

"Your mother is not a whore. She's not a piece for you to bargain with, mano." He looked at Jax in disgust, his expression changing as he looked over him. "Now I think you and your friends need to get out of my club, you got twenty-four hours to come back to me with a more reasonable proposition to pay that bill off."

Jax rolled his eyes dramatically and headed out. Bobby peeled off behind him but Chibs stayed rooted to the spot for a moment. Nero looked at him expectantly, waiting for some sort of excuse, but Chibs swallowed and took a deep breath.

"I need you to come with me," he said quietly. Nero laughed

"Oh yeah? And why would I do that?"

Chibs knew if he didn't do it, he would regret it all his life. Keeping his eyes on the ground, he shifted his feet uncomfortably. "It's about Nina," he said. "You need to come with me and you need to talk to her."