A/N - Sorry it's taken me so long to get this written, guys! I've been away on holiday but I'm back and will be updating everything ASAP!
SAMCRO parties were never planned, they tended just to evolve as an evening went on. With Chibs back in the building, there seemed to be good cause for celebration and the mood was light, even with the guest of honour sulking over being manhandled in front of their impromptu Russian guest.
The others, on the other hand, were in good spirits and quite fancied an excuse to just keep up the drinking until the early hours. Happy was feeling bright and excitable, his hands constantly tangled with Natasha as they chatted away with the rest of the club like nothing had ever changed. Chibs kept his eyes on them the whole night, debating with himself about Dmitri's offer. Should a man sacrifice his wife for his daughter's happiness? To him, it was no worse than giving into the demands of a terrorist but as he heard a joyful giggle escape Natasha, drawing his attentions back to her, he couldn't help but wonder whether the negotiation would be worth it.
Kaya began to cry in the other room and Natasha started to her feet, but Nina pressed her shoulder to encourage her to sit down again, equally eager to encourage Tash to remain with Happy. She padded into the apartment and, within a moment, Chibs put his bottle down on the table with a thump and went to join her.
"Nina." He shut the door behind him and as he turned, he saw Kaya wrapped up in a blanket in Nina's arms. Her eyes looked up at him with a determination.
"I want to do it," she said. "Dimi. I want to give him whatever it is he wants to let her be happy again."
Chibs was knocked back. For some reason, he had felt that the whole deal was about him agreeing to Dmitri's ludicrous demands but here was Nina, offering herself.
"You what?" He had been about to tell her to do it, but he didn't like the way she wanted to. Nina's affection had been hard-won by him, not through her fault but his own, but now they were finally okay and he refused to have that broken. "You want to?"
"For her." Nina's eyes were adamant. She kept her voice soft as she walked the room with Kaya, her hand supporting the baby's ass as she carried her back and forth. Chibs wrinkled his nose.
"And how does it work, huh? You're just going to, I don't know, go over there, say 'how d'ya do' and fuck him?" Thinking through the practicalities of it made him sick. "What, and then you'll come back here to me? Pretend it didn't happen?" He shook his head, the more he thought about this, the more he hated it. "And what happens when he turns around and wants more, hm? Because no way will be satisfied, he'll always want more. He'll drag the fuckin' deal out to make you stay." He shook his head, pointing to Kaya. "We're dealing with enough, Nina."
Content that Kaya was quiet enough, Nina put her down and turned with fierce eyes towards Chibs. She walked towards him and jabbed her finger into his chest. "Your pride getting the better of you, old man?"
Taking his hand, she led him back to the door and opened it just a little way. She gestured out, and Chibs followed her eye to see Natasha, smiling and laughing and leaning into Happy's arm with not a care in the world at that moment.
"Look at her, Filip. She's the happiest I've seen her in far too long. I have to give her that chance."
Chibs was growing frustrated with the whole conversation. Of course he wanted Natasha to be happy, but he didn't want to trade his wife in like some sort of whore for the opportunity. "He's treating you like a goddamn hooker, Nina." She laughed.
"Probably from the circumstances we met in, Filip." She shut the door again and leaned up, pressing her mouth to his. After all of the trouble they had gone through to be together, the fights and the stand-offs, she loved him with all of her heart and that would never be sacrificed. "You have to trust me. I know what I'm doing."
His eyes darted back and forth across her expression, she was really going to do it. His heart dropped to the pit of his stomach and he stepped into her, looming over her as his arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her tight to him and kissing her again with a more insistent hunger.
"You're my old lady," he said with a firmness to both convince himself as well as her, and she nodded. The thought of Tig's threat dangling over her head was still bothering her, and while she wanted to tell him, she knew better than to in these already precarious circumstances.
"Yes, I am." She nuzzled his nose. "You know I wouldn't do anything to hurt our family, Filip. I just have to be a mother right now instead."
Parting from him, she rubbed her hand through her hair, trying to get her head straight. She should go now, do whatever it was that Pelekov wanted and make a deal. Thinking about it for a moment, she gave Chibs a little smile and said,
"Could you do me a favour? Ask Tig to come in here for a minute?"
Chibs raised an eyebrow. "Tig? Why?" The look in her eyes shot him down, it was clear she wasn't intending to explain herself to him and he rolled his eyes. "Alright…"
He gave her one more kiss before leaving her. Nina sat down on the bed, her mind buzzing with intent, and she rested her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands for a moment to try and collect her thoughts before Tig bounded in, slamming the door with excitement.
"You want to get down to business, baby?" he teased. His voice changed, however, when he saw the stress etched on Nina's face. "What's going on?"
"I need something from you," she said firmly. "No questions asked." He raised an eyebrow.
"Okay. Anything," he added with a sincerity that surprised her. Nina rubbed her hands together slowly and stood up, she couldn't even believe she was about to ask him for this sort of help.
"That first night. When we…" She cut herself off, not wanting to say it, but she lifted the back of her shirt a little to show him the reaper engrained into her. "Tell me what you used."
Tig frowned, he hadn't exactly been expecting that trip down memory lane. He itched at his head before resting his hand on his hip. "I don't know, it was a long time ago. Roofies, coke, a bit of E." When he said it aloud it made him feel a little sick. "Why?"
Nina glanced at Kaya, she had fallen asleep again and she lowered her voice as she stood up. "I need you to cut me the same again," she murmured softly. He started to object and she shook her head. "No questions, Tig, you promised."
He frowned but slowly nodded. "Okay. For when?" He could see from her expression she meant right now, and he rummaged in his pockets. "I got a stash at home, if you want to come with me?"
The offer made her uncertain but Nina was determined in her task. She pulled a face. "No funny business. Not tonight," she said assertively. "I'll give you what you want, Alex, but you help me tonight. Whatever I need."
A mischievous smile crossed his lips. "Yes Ma'am."
Arrangement agreed, Nina picked up her things and headed through the club. She paused by Chibs, pushing a kiss onto the top of his head. "I'm going to go sort a few things out," she said coolly. "Tig's going to be my escort. He's too selfish to let anything out of sorts happen," she added with a little smile. "You'll be okay here with the boys?"
There was a huge roar that caught their attention and she looked over to see Natasha had been drawn into a game of pool that she was set to win against Jax. Chibs nodded idly.
"Aye, I will. You don't want me to come?"
She shook her head. "Best not to," she said softly. "I'm going to make all of this better, I promise you." She tilted his head up, her hand grazing gently against his throat, and she kissed him once more before nodding. "I'll see you in the morning," she promised. "And nothing will have changed between us, I swear."
Tig was already waiting outside on his bike, and Nina slung her leg over it with the familiarity of an old pro. Her arms found their place around him, just where they had been comfortable for too many years, and she gave him a squeeze to instruct him to go. They drove the few blocks away to Tig's house, and Tig smiled as she followed him in, just like she used to.
"Talk about some déjà vu shit," he teased, heading straight into the kitchen and reaching for his rusty old tin from the shelf above the fridge. He whacked it open on the table with a clatter, pulling out her required ingredients. "You gonna tell me what's going on?"
"No questions," she reminded him. Dutifully, he nodded and set about combining what she wanted while she watched his strange mastery. He tested the concoction, rubbing a fingertip's worth against his gums and he groaned with pleasure at the sensation it sent through him.
"Is it for you, at least?" He stuck out his tongue. "You and Chibs into some kinky shit now in your old age?"
She couldn't help but laugh, she had to give him that, he'd always known how to make her smile. "Sort of," she murmured. After a moment, she said, "I need you to take me to Dmitri Pelekov's place."
Tig stilled, unsure if she had just said what he thought she had. His eyebrows furrowed. "The Russian?" He knew exactly who she meant but she had to be kidding. "Why?"
"Which part of this no questions thing don't you get?" she asked, pulling her jacket back around her and zipping it up, ready to get going. "You're going to run me there, wait, and then bring me back."
He laughed, sure she couldn't be serious but soon realising that she really, really was. "Ah Jesus." He held up the bag of powder he had just cut together. "Is this for you or him?"
"Both." Pelekov would be so out of it by the time he took a couple of lines, he wouldn't be able to function, she was sure of that. It would be easy to convince him of what they might have done, and twist his arm to strike a deal, sign Natasha's life back to her. Tig seemed hesitant and she shook her head. "Come on, Alex, this isn't your business. I just need you to support me on this one."
There was something in her eyes, a passion that Tig missed so much. He stepped up to her, cupping her face in his hand and pressing a hard, loving kiss onto the corner of her mouth. "Okay, baby," he said with a nod. "Whatever you need, you know me. I'll do anything for you."