A/N - Well hello you lovely people. It's a double update day, and it's also coming around to a real crux so hope you will enjoy! I'll post this chapter and then, shortly after, the next. Because, believe me, you'll want it all in one piece...

"Do you think he's alright?"

Bobby was leaning on the bar with Happy and Juice, their voices low as they watched Chibs stride out of the apartment in just his jeans, pick another crow eater and literally drag her back in there behind him. The girl in question looked delighted but none of them felt any excitement for her, Chibs was in a destructive mood. He would fuck her sore and kick her out, just like the last three girls, in a bid to exercise some sort of control. He would barely want to, but he'd do it anyway, just because he was so angry.

"Nothing we can do," Happy shrugged, watching the last girl who had come out. She was clearly in some sort of pain, trying to look proud but feeling nowhere near so. Bobby wound his ponytail around his finger and frowned.

"There's got to be something. We talked to Nero?" He looked at Happy expectantly, but Hap just shook his head, disinterested.

"What's Nero going to do?" Juice asked quietly, looking nervously at Bobby. That Bobby didn't know, his dealings with Nero had always been relatively limited. Jax was far better placed to answer that question but he didn't want to have to ask. He shook his head and took a sip of beer.

"I'm not sure."

As if Jax heard his hesitation, he separated himself from Tara with a wink and patted her ass as he crossed over to join them. He looked around, that golden boy smile as he raised an eyebrow and lifted his chin assertively. "What a night, huh?" he laughed, commanding their attention in that charming way he always did. "Poor Prez, he's a mess."

"He'll be fine," Happy murmured. "Let him get it out of his system."

They all looked up as the girl Chibs had last called in suddenly came shrieking out of the apartment, holding her shirt against her bare top half. Happy grinned and nodded towards her, standing. "Looks like my kind," he winked, slipping away to pick up the pieces. Juice looked like he might go but Jax shook his head and patted him to sit down again, all too willing to go and control the damage just the way he wanted to.

He knocked twice before he slipped into the apartment. Chibs was sitting on the edge of the bed, his bare feet poking out from beneath his jeans, his stomach and chest, soft but showing signs of promise, bare as he hunched over and stared at the floor. Jax glanced around for a moment before coming over to sit beside Chibs. He plonked himself down on the mattress, the whole room smelled of sex and sweat and cigarettes. Jax sighed, he kind of missed that smell.

"Here." He lit a cigarette and held it out to Chibs to take. Chibs gingerly took it between his teeth and nodded as he took a drag.

"Thanks, Jackieboy." He glanced over at him and shook his head. "Feels fucked up, all of it. All a goddamn mess."

"How were you meant to know?" Jax asked. He tried to sound sympathetic when all he wanted to do was gloat, Chibs couldn't deal with his position of power and he was sure of it. "You trusted her, you thought you could trust him too. He's a wildcard, we've always known that."

Chibs chuckled darkly. "Maybe I thought he was better than that." He looked at his hands. "And her? I'm just about at peace with what happened in that place, that wasn't her fault. But with him? The man who raped her?" He shook his head. "She should have told me. It's not right, none of it was right."

Jax nodded supportively, trying to ensure Chibs kept talking. He rubbed his back and started to look away when Chibs suddenly sobbed, a huge sound that came out from his chest in a broken roar. His eyes were wet as he cried into his hands, his hair falling into his eyes. How had this all gone so wrong? He had been ready to tell her he would have that family with her, the one that had been imposed on them in a way he never expected.

"Gemma told you? About the baby?"

Chibs nodded. "Aye. At least someone did. Heard it from Nero." He sighed. "My own brother didn't even bother."

"That girl probably told him not to say anything," Jax murmured with a sinister smile. He needed to break Chibs down, he needed him to keep pushing Nina away from him. The lonelier her felt, the better for Jax, it was perfect to convince him he'd be happier back in line as just another SAMCRO member. Hell, he'd give the guy VP if that's what it took, as long as Jax got his President's seat back. "Pussy, man, you know that Tig's a sucker for that shit."

Chibs laughed at that, Jax was relieved to see him smile. He patted him again and bumped his shoulder playfully. "Let's not worry about it, aye? Just get on with what we've got to do." He gave Jax a tight smile. "That last one was a mess, go find me a good one?"

Jax grinned and bounced to his feet. "Sure thing, brother," he laughed. "Just... don't worry. About the club. We've all got your back."

"You sure you don't want anything?"

Nina was lying on the couch, watching the ceiling fan spin around and around absently. Her hand was on her forehead, the only bit of cool skin she had to hold on her burning temples. She didn't even look at Tig at his offer, she just felt sick in her stomach at the events of the past week. When she didn't answer, Tig huffed and came over with a grilled cheese. it was the only thing he could make, but he wafted it in front of her nose to try and convince her.

"You haven't eaten in a couple of days, Nina," he frowned. "You've got to keep your strength up."

"I'm not hungry," she murmured. It was always the same three words, Tig was tired of hearing them. Since the day she had left the clinic, since that night when Chibs had kicked her out, she hadn't wanted anything. He sank down onto the edge of the couch next to her.

"Come on, you've got another little life in there. What if the bump's hungry, huh?"

She closed her eyes, hating to think about it. "It's not, it'll be fine."

Tig pouted, his lower lip sticking out, and leaned his head on her stomach, looking up at her with his wet blue eyes. "No seriously, Nina, come on. What if Emily wants a grilled cheese? You can't deny her that, she's gotta develop a taste for them now, it's the only thing I can make."

That made her laugh a little and she gave him a shove, annoyed that he still knew how to make her laugh. Her feisty little push only gave Tig further strength, and he hopped up to lie on the sofa beside her. Nina didn't push him away and he slotted onto the edge beside her, wrapping one leg over hers to anchor himself in place.

"You sure you won't eat?" he asked, breaking off the tiniest bite-sized piece for her. He put it to her lips and, very slowly, she ate. He smiled, pleased to have convinced her and sure that she must be hungry. He gave her a little more and felt his confidence grow. He could do this, he could look after her. He gazed around the living room apologetically, looking at her hold-all shoved in the corner. "I'm begging you to take the bed tonight, baby. You can't do a fifth night on this thing."

She shook her head. "Honestly, it's fine." She bounced a little and winced as one of the broken springs poked into her back. "I - we - aren't going to be an inconvenience. It's just while Daddy has those Vegas girls visiting the club, that's all." Neither of them were convinced by her words. Nina refused to let Tig give up his bed for her, she didn't want him to feel like she owed him. She didn't want to give him the ammunition to hold over her.

Tig finally gave in and groaned, nuzzling her ear gently and kissing her cheek before he got up. "Fine," he muttered. "But if the bump has a wonky spine when it comes out, it'll be your fault." Nina laughed.

"That'll be the smallest of my problems," she murmured, drumming her fingers on her belly. Tig rested his hand on hers.

"Our problems," he said assuringly. "We're in this together." Nina laughed and drew his hand to her lips to kiss it.

"At least I've got someone," she murmured. "Believe me, if you weren't here..." She stopped herself, she was pretty sure she would be a drunk, drug-addled self-harming mess without his little, constant ray of support. She hated knowing that she felt that weak. "Just, thank you." She gave him a smile. "We'll try and find a way."