Hi...so I wanted to apologize for the absence BUT I wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten about you. However, think of this as the beginning of the end. Yes, I am going to be ending this series very soon, but fear not,for it will have a proper ending within the next month. I want to thank every single one of you who has read this and left your kind words. You're the only reason I've kept doing this story and I owe it to you to give a proper send off. I can't thank you all enough and I love your reviews. So if you see this, thank you for the follows, the love, everything.

It was the middle of the night when Tig was startled by the sound of Mina's screaming. Last he remembered, they had concluded an otherwise successful fuck fest to the point where the two of them passed out and now, here was his woman, screaming and covered in sweat.

"Babe, BABE,..." He shouted to grab her attention. When he finally caught her gaze, Mina's eyes were full of fear. Her face was beat red as she tried to steady her own breathing. She began to sob uncontrollably into Tig's neck as he attempted to "shh" her. There was a rather loud crash as Chibs knocked through the door with Molly. The two stared at Tig and Mina's slumped over form and tried to step into the room before Tig put his hand out to stop them. "Babe, it was a nightmare. I'm here. I'm here,' he cooed as Molly and Chibs stared at the two in confusion. Tig waved the couple away and mouthed, "I got this." Chibs nodded but Molly moved forward towards the bed. Chibs grabbed her arm to stop her, but Molly violently pulled her arm away from him to join her terrified friend.

Placing her arm around her, she whispered something into Mina's ear, and Mina nodded before sobbing even harder. Molly hugged her friend tighter before looking into Tig's eyes. His gaze demanded information and Molly blinked slowly as if to say, "later." She hugged her friend tighter before letting her go and making her way back to Chibs. Chibs, who was entirely clueless as to non-verbal conversation that he just witnessed, looked to Molly for some answers but was instead gently tugged by his arm to follow her out of the bedroom. Tig continued to hold Mina as she sobbed, her breathing slowly evening out as she drifted back to sleep. Tig knew that, whatever Mina was dealing with, Molly had the answer and she'd spill it soon enough. Right now, though, his goal was to make sure Mina knew she was protected and that he wasn't going anywhere.

…..

The clubhouse had been quiet now for the last hour or so. Molly sat on the couch crocheting as Chibs lay asleep across her lap. Molly heard noise coming from the back of the clubhouse and could tell the inquisition was coming by the scuffing of his soles; she braced herself. She didn't look up from her latest project when the curly headed biker stopped at the chair facing her. "His name is Quint."

….

Mina awoke the next morning frozen. She only had a brief moment of solace before remembering the nightmare she had the night before.

She remembered the smell of smoke and ash filling her nostrils, she could make out the faces of those she loved laying around her feet, covered in charred debris of the now demolished clubhouse. One face she couldn't find was Tig's. As Mina stumbled through the rubble in the hopes of finding her man, she could see a figure in the haze. She couldn't make out his face, as his figure had changed drastically since she had last seen him, but she knew it was him.

He was bulkier now, like one who had spent a majority of his confinement working out. He kept his hair short, a buzz cut, like of someone in the military. She remembered how he had wanted to join the Marines so badly but he chose a different path and that made this impossible. He was covered in hateful tattoos, symbols usually associated with hate groups, ones that mark you and tell of your place within the iron yard hierarchy. Yet, in the midst of that hatred, there was a picture of a clover, similar to the one she had on her wrist. This was the first one she had ever received,...and he was there when she got it.

The sight of the tattoo became clearer as the figure moved closer to her making her more and more ill. Finally, he came into view, but not before he was stopped by another figure. Though it was merely a silhouette, she knew it was him, her knight in black leather. She watched as the men fought, trying to scream but no words came out.

She tried to move towards them but was stuck to the spot in what felt like quicksand. She reached out to touch Tig as he continued to fight but couldn't reach him. She saw him turn to her as if to say something before he was murdered before her eyes by the other figure. She watched as the color drained from his face and his eyes roll into the back of his head, her figure covered in his blood. Mina collapsed to the ground, crawling to try and reach Tig who seemed to slowly vanish before her eyes. The other figure moved closer and reached down to pick her up. When she saw his face, it was no longer that of the boy she once knew but of a demon. "You're mine," it said as it began to choke the life out of Mina.

Mina grabbed at her throat as she remembered this horrible dream and she immediately searched for Tig but he was nowhere to be found. She remembered the two had made up, so he couldn't possibly still be mad at her. Her thoughts were on the brim of turning against him when he walked in with a paper cup of coffee and a brown bag. He stopped and looked at her before smiling, "Bagels?"

…

"Whatcha got," Clay asked as his ashed his cigar into the ashtray at the head of the table. They had called church rather early this morning.

"Hap talked to the Mayans who swear up and down that it wasn't any of their guys that tampered with the shipment," Jax said lighting a cigarette, "and I know for a fact the Niners weren't in on it."

"What about the Chinese?"

"Nope," Juice chimed in, "we haven't been in contact with them in a while and, even then, there's no beef."

"Yeah," Chibs interjected, "and th' Irish say tha' they knew nothin' 'bout the Jasper's death. Though, they were more concerned with tha state of the guns." Tig chuckled to himself.

"Darby?"

Jax chuckled, "Yeah, it's definitely not those guys. There hasn't been a skinhead in sight these last few months, let alone sellin' in these parts," Jax sat back in his chair as he fondly recalled a time where the Sons annihilated Darby's neo-nazi shitshow after a brief run in.

"Alright, well if we ain't got no beef with anyone, who the fuck tampered with the fucking shipment?"

"I," Chibs spoke up, "I migh'have an idea."

…..

As church was adjourned, Clay asked Bobby to hang back alone with Jax.

"Bobby," Clay said as he put out his cigar, "Twice now, our club has been in jeopardy because of your niece."

"Clay, I-"

"Bobby," Clay sighed, "she needs to go."

"What?" Both Bobby and Jax became concerned at this sudden declaration.

"She needs to go. I know you're fond of her and I know Tig's taken a shine to the kid, but I need her to take her shit and her baggage and get the hell out of Charming before some other boyfriend or whatever gets us into some serious shit."

"You think she asked for this," Bobby asked, "you think she asked for this fucking prick to come find her or to be used as an 'in.' She's a good kid,"

"I know she is, Bobby, so just think of this as protecting everyone. She needs to leave."

"Clay," Jax said trying to relieve the obvious tension in the room, "she needs our protection, maybe now more than ever."

"She's a liability. She needs to go, end of discussion," Clay looked Bobby in the eyes, "I'm sorry Bobby."

Bobby stood there doing everything he could to not murder his President. Mina didn't ask for this. As he white knuckled the chair in front of him, Bobby spoke with shaky breath. "When would you like her to leave, President?"

….

As the three men left the clubhouse, Mina could see Bobby visibly upset. Bobby walked to the back of the clubhouse with Jax in tow. Clay, looking as satisfied as ever, walked past her to the bar to beckon for a beer. Mina turned and looked at Clay before walking to the back of the clubhouse to see Jax and Bobby. Molly looked to Chibs, who was seated next Penelope on the ground watching her as she colored, and nodded at Clay. Chibs shrugged and focused back on Penelope.

…

"There's no other way Bobby. You know I don't agree with him either, but what he says goes. You know we will protect her-anything she needs."

"What she needs, Jax, is to be here. She came here to get away from all the bullshit. She can't help it if it seems like that shit is following her."

"I know, Bobby, but maybe this is what's best for he-"

"Don't you fucking try to tell me what's best for her. She's an adult and she's family. I know you're my VP and I got nothing but love for you brother, but Mina is family. I can't just kick her out." Bobby looked away from Jax who sat on the bed looking at the door. In the frame, he watched Mina walk over to Bobby and place her hand on his shoulder. He turned to face her as she moved to embrace him and cry into his chest.