A/N - Just a little note to say thank you to everyone for the feedback recently, it really helped me shape this chapter and I needed the guidance! So heaps of love and thanks for all the support, you guys really shaped this chapter with me!
Nina was beginning to get used to the bikes. She held on tightly to Tig as they sped across to Gemma's, anxious about the decision she had made to square up to Gemma's actions. It was never going to make her popular with the old matriarch, that was clear, but some things were more important and Tara's safety was one of them.
"She's going to kill me," Nina murmured nervously as Tig stopped the engine. "Can I stay here?" As Tig climbed off the Harley, she shifted forward to his seat and caressed the handlebars, finding some sort of comfort in them. Tig watched her running her hands across his bike and shivered.
"Come on, you're tougher than that," he insisted. "She'll respect you in the end." His playful smile convinced her and she took the hand he offered to climb off. They walked up to the house still holding hands, without really realising, and Nina broke it off as she hid behind him a little when they knocked.
"Hey baby." Gemma smiled warmly as she saw Tig at the door. He leaned in and kissed her lips gently, just like he always did, before he pulled Nina in behind him. It only took Gemma a second to realise why they were there. She looked at Nina dismissively. "Can't keep your mouth shut? No wonder they like you."
"Ease up, Gem," Tig said, giving her a look. He could see Abel sitting at the table colouring while Tommy kicked about in his seat with a little toy turtle. "She needed some... advice."
"So she asked you?" Gemma chuckled. "Old man not good enough, sweetheart?"
Tig started to open his mouth but Nina stepped up, irritated at being talked down to so condescendingly. "Chibs is trying to be a good President for this club," she frowned. "He's trying to mend all the shit your son kicked up. I'm supporting him in the best way I can."
Gemma stared at her in a mixture of surprise and contempt. She glanced at Tig. "Little bitch has a mouth on her. Bet you like that, Tiggy."
"I'm standing right here," Nina said shortly. "I'm not going to be beaten into line by you, I'm not one of those girls you can control." Tig giggled a little at her firm tone and looked down at his boots to avoid Gemma's eye.
"Who the hell do you think you are?" Gemma demanded. Nina matched her, squaring up opposite her.
"I am Chibs Telford's old lady," she said sharply. "And I am not going to let this club go to the dogs because of some personal shit you've got with that woman downstairs. Now I'll help fix this, if that's what you want, otherwise I'm going straight to Jax right now and you two can sort your own crap out."
Gemma swallowed, put out by Nina's tone. Nobody ever spoke to her like that, not even Tara when she was in one of her moods. "Like you want to help Jax."
Nina shook her head. "No, I don't want to help Jax. But I will do anything for Chibs, including play nice over dinner with your manipulative, megalomaniac psychopath of a son. I see where he gets it from now." Her eyes were fierce and Gemma scowled, furious at being challenged in her own home. "You want me to call him now?" Gemma didn't answer and Nina held out her hand to Tig. "Give me your phone."
Tig hesitated, unsure about getting between the two of them but eventually pulled it out. Nina was about to take it when Gemma snatched it out of her hand.
"Fine. Fix it." She pouted petulantly and motioned to Tig. "Help her. But she's not taking my grandkids."
"You can sort that shit out." Nina motioned for Tig to come with her as she headed to the basement. "I'll correct my mistakes, you and your family can correct your own."
Nina stroked her hand over Tara's head as she settled her in her bed. Tig sat at her feet, watching Nina tending to her. Tara was fast asleep, it had been easy to transfer her to her own home once Gemma became a little more cooperative and was assured responsibility for the children until Tara awoke.
"So what's the story again?" Tig asked as Nina relaxed back against the headboard, stretching her legs towards him. He caught her foot in his hand and rubbed it softly.
"She collapsed," Nina said. "Arguing with Gemma. I was there, I saw her, she won't remember but that doesn't matter. Hopefully she'll panic about being alone with no family support and stay in town."
Tig smiled a little as he tickled her toes. "You're a good girl," he said. "Well done for standing up to her, that can't have been easy." Nina nodded.
"Needed to be done." She pressed an ice pack against Tara's bruise on her forehead, hoping it would reduce enough before she awoke. Tig watched her tending to her carefully, a little smile on his lips. "My Daddy wasn't around a lot when I was a kid, it's hard growing up without your parents around. I'm not going to let those little boys go through that." She glanced at Tig for a second. "Do you have kids?"
"Daughters." Tig felt his eyes well up. "A daughter, I guess. Lost one of them recently."
Nina could tell from the look in his eyes it had been club business. She swallowed and shifted down the bed to sit beside him. She leaned her head on his shoulder gently and kissed his temple.
"I'm sorry."
Tig shrugged and fiddled with his rings awkwardly. "I was a shitty father anyway," he admitted. "Barely saw them. Gave them money when they wanted it and hoped they wouldn't bother me. I wish I could have done it better." He laughed at himself darkly. "I didn't deserve them, either of them."
Nina's arms around him brought him a strange sense of comfort. Tig hated himself for what had happened to Dawn but he felt a sense of forgiveness as she held him tightly. He sighed and put one arm around her, pulling her closer as he rested his head on top of hers, drawing strength from her presence.
"Tara?"
Jax came hurtling through the house at speed. Nina looked up quickly, drawing herself apart from Tig as Jax came in. He looked at them both in confusion as he sank to his knees by the bed.
"What the hell happened?"
Nina swallowed and parroted the perfected lie to him. "She just collapsed, at Gemma's. They were arguing, she just fainted. Knocked her head on the counter," she added as she saw Jax examining the bruise on Tara's forehead.
"Jesus." Jax was holding Tara's hand in his and kissing her knuckles softly, as if it might rouse her. "I am so sorry."
Nina motioned for Tig to leave the room. Jax hardly noticed them go, furious at himself for letting anything happen to her. This was his fault, they shouldn't have argued, he never expected her to find out about Ima and he hated himself for putting her in that position.
"Tara, I'm so sorry," he whispered. Climbing on the bed beside her, he curled up, leaning his head on her pillow and taking over Nina's place as he pressed the ice to his wife's bruised head. "I never meant for any of this to happen."
She looked so beautiful asleep. Her face was calm and at rest, he hardly ever saw her like that. Tara always seemed so stressed, so upset, and that was Jax's fault, he did that to her.
"Everything's changing," he promised her softly. "The club, Chibs having the head of the table. It's not my responsibility now. I can be here more, for you, for the boys." He put his arm around her waist and leaned into her. "I love you, I'm so sorry, none of this was supposed to happen." He nuzzled her gently. "I love you, you and me, we're okay, I promise."