Another updated chapter! Sorry about the delay - things got very crazy with the holidays coming up! I hope that everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving!

Tommy words held true - the job was clean, even easy.

Unfortunately, Mac spent the better part of a day sitting in still silence, waiting for her moment. Which left her far too much time to just think.

Mac knew that Chibs was good, and knew that she was not. By some miracle, Chibs thought that she was wrong - he thought she was good, too. To accept her judgement of him would be to accept his judgement of her. Changing entirely her perception of herself.

That was the true heart of the problem.

There were other issues, too - accepting the danger that she would bring into his life, his wife and daughter, the way she'd insulted him last night.

But the danger wasn't going to hold out long under her growing feelings - Chibs could take care of himself, and even Mac knew when the gracefully accept defeat.

As for his family… Mac believed his story. She believed him when he said that Fiona was a wife in name only. That he still loved and fought for his daughter was another mark in his favor. And Mac wanted to help - wanted to do whatever it took to free his family.

Because Jimmy was his Peter.

It was so easy to see, from Chibs side. Easy to see that Chibs had been taken advantage of. Used in the worst way - just like Mac. It was so clear to her that Jimmy was the evil, and Chibs the good - Fiona and his daughter simply caught in the crossfire.

If Mac put Chibs in her situation, she found herself forgiving him immediately.

And that was the final straw.

Clarity came quickly, and it came with genuine relief after the emotional turmoil of the past few weeks. But with it also came an intense sense of anticipation; an impatiance that Mac had not felt in a long time.

The final hours were excruciating. And when Mac was finally done, she was back on the road in minutes. With that clarity, she wanted, desperately needed, to be with Chibs.

About half way home, her phone rang. Gemma.

"Hey Gemma, what's up?"

"Hi sweetie." Gemma said, and Mac immediately know something was wrong, just from her tone of voice.

"What happened?"

Gemma sighed.

"Look, there's been an incident of some sort. Jax, Chibs, and Clay are all on their way back to the clubhouse, but I got a call about gun shots an some sort of explosion. I'm a little concerned, and thought you'd want to know."

So Gemma clearly hadn't forgotten about that first party. But Mac ignored it, stepping on the gas and thinking only of Chibs.

"I'll be there in thirty minutes." she said shortly, and hung up.

He will be fine. He has to be, because if he isn't, I'll kill him.

He just had to, because he was right, and Mac knew that now, and she wanted her -

Damn it, what the fuck is his real name?

Another reason to make it back alive.

But Gemma had called, which wasn't a good sign. Gemma was not an anxious woman. Mac found herself pressing harder on the gas, willing the truck to go faster. She thought of nothing else until the TM gate finally came into view.

A hang-around shut the gate behind her, and Mac parked carelessly.

She was still dressed from the job, but it was nothing the guys hadn't seen, and she needed to find Chibs immediately.

Mac saw Jax first, and her heart stuttered in her chest at the soot that covered the blond.

"Where is he?" she asked, panting.

Somehow, Jax seemed to know exactly who she was asking about, and pointed. Mac followed the direction of his find, and out of the garage came Chibs - beat up, soot covered, but alive, whole, and smirking at her.

Tig followed him.

"G.I. Jane!" Tig called, but Mac only had eyes for Chibs.

He noted the wild look in her eyes, something like panic that was replaced with determination and lust the moment she saw him whole.

"Ya didn'a think I'd go so easily, did ya now, darlin'?" he asked. His grin was a wicked and a bit wild.

Mac swore viciously under her breath, and did not think before sprinting for him and throwing herself into his arms.

Chibs caught her under her ass, strong arms supporting her weight, laughing. She muffled with noise with her mouth, grabbing the sides of his face to steady herself. Her mental clarity ripped the damper off the heat she'd felt last night, and it's full strength ripped through her.

If he could, Chibs would've started to swear then. He realized suddenly that Mac had been holding back the night before - unrestrained Mac was searing, verifiably explosive in his arms. When she slipped her tongue into his mouth, Chibs briefly wondered if he could spontaneously combust from desire.

Wolf-whistling began around them, and when it became insistent, Mac pulled back slowly. But only just enough to see Chibs' eyes - brown, dark, and laden with desire… and something else.

She found herself chuckling as she listened to the noise of the Sons behind her. Chibs joined in, and Mac slowly slid down to her feet, breath hitching as she slid over his hard-on. His pupils flared, almost eclipsing that rich brown.

Chibs leaned in this time, responding to the insatiable hunger in her gaze, though the leering eyes of his brothers kept the kiss slightly more restrained.

When Mac tried to pull back for the second time, Chibs hugged her to him.

"You were right." Mac whispered to him. "You were right about everything. I just had to put myself in your position to believe it. It doesn't make anything okay, but it is a step forward. And I'd like you to be mine now, please. My outlaw."

She pulled back, still smiling, meeting Chibs dark eyes, where pride and lust burned together.

"Are you two quite done?" Tig drawled.

Mac flipped him off, turning around, still wrapped in Chibs' arms.

"Jealous?" Chibs asked him, wagging his eyesbrows.

Tig's face was just a shade to contemplative.

Mac shook her head.

"Everyone's okay?" she asked Jax, who nodded.

"Just a small scuffle." Clay said, stepping forward, still smiling.

"Unfortunately, gentlemen, Chibs," he continued, to general amusement, "we have church."

Mac turned to give Chibs a chaste kiss, which he quickly deepened. When Mac pulled away, he pretended to look hurt.

"Come back 'ere." he said, grabbing for her.

Mac smiled widely, dancing out of his reach.

"Later." she said. "Call me, baby."

She gave him one more wide smile, before turning to walk back to her truck.

Tig elbowed Chibs, whose eyes were firmly glued to Mac's ass.

"Call her, baby." Tig said, and Chibs thwacked him on the arm.

But underneath, he was grinning wildly.

Mackenzie was his, and he was hers.

—

Mac arrived home, a smile still on her face, to find Tara on the couch, looking completely wiped.

"Woah, Tara." Mac said, immediately concerned. She sat down next to her friend.

"What's up?" Mac asked. "Is it Abel? He didn't…"

Mac's heart seized.

"No." Tara said. "Abel's fine. He had another successful surgery today. He's a tough little guy."

"That's good, right?"

"Yes, but that's not what I'm worried about. Yesterady, I was the one to suggest moving up Abel's heart surgery, because he was doing so well. Unfortunately, I had to get a guardian's permission. Jax gave that to Gemma."

Mac sucked in a breath.

"Oh shit."

"Yeah." Tara said on a laugh. "Still as crazy as always, and more than a little scary. She, of course, thinks I'm living in the past, and have come to corrupt her son."

Tara rubbed her lower back, right over the tattoo Mac knew was still there.

"She doesn't want me anywhere near him, nor Abel, for that matter. She'd love to get me taken off the poor kid's care, but I know how to stay professional. She's a little crazy, Mac."

Mac chuckled, knowing that was an understatement.

"And then today, I saw Jax after the surgery." Tara continued. "When he finally - finally - came to see his son."

"And?" Mac prodded.

"And… I don't know?" Tara said, exasperated. "We talked. But what the fuck am I doing? Anything else would be proving Gemma right. What was the point of leaving all those years ago?"

"Well, for starters, if you hadn't left, Abel might not be alive right now." Mac pointed out. "But I take your point. I think the real question is, what do you want?"

Tara buried her face in her hands.

"What if I want him back, Kenzie?" she mumbled. "I think I do, but nothing has changed. Last verse, same as the first."

Tara sighed.

"Their lives can't support legitimate relationships. It's why I left in the first place. Jax wanted me to stand by him, to sacrifice for him, and you know what? I was fine with all of that. I would've happily done it all - those are the vows you make in a marriage."

She looked up.

"But vows to Jax also meant vows to the club. To stand by the club. To sacrifice for the club. That isn't just a tattoo on my back - old ladies hold an equal share of the risk. They become as much a part of the club as patched members. And some of those guys aren't good people. How can I get involved with that again? How can I even be considering it?"

Mac was quiet, thinking before she spoke.

"They aren't evil, Tara." she said eventually. "Some are worse than others, sure. And they have questionable morals, and rely far too much on violence, but mostly, I think they're… outlaws."

Tara snorted.

"This isn't the wild west, Kenzie."

"Isn't it, though?" Mac mused, and Tara laughed.

"No, seriously." Mac continued. "They live by their own moral code, and so what? Charming is a small town in the middle of nowhere. The laws of this world aren't one size fits all. I grew up knowing that, live my life knowing that. The Sons know that, too. They're carving their niche in this world the best they know how. Are you not the same?"

"That's not what I mean, Kenzie." Tara said quietly. "You're different from them."

Mac laughed.

"No, Tara, I'm really not. In some ways - in many ways - I'm worse. For most of them, the Sons are their family. This is all they know, all they believe in. If you saw that threatened, wouldn't you do whatever it took to protect it? Even act outside the law? They are, quite literally, brothers-in-arms. Of course they'll resort to violence to protect one another. There's more love in that group than I've seen in those so-called legitimate relationships. Don't discount that so easily."

Mac sighed.

"I'm not trying to excuse them. I know they're rough. I know they're criminals, I know they stray well over the line of the law. But Tara, so do I. If you were threatened, I move heaven and earth to make it stop. The Sons protect their own - they'd do the same for one another. So what if that makes them morally grey? Christ, Tara, how many times have you and I broken the law together? You think what I did to that guy outside the bar when we moved in was legal?"

Mac shook her head.

"If that idea bothers you, if that's what is keeping you from Jax - not the baby, not the baby momma, not the crazy fucking mother - if morality is what is stopping you from trying, then I have to move out. If you're going to dump the Sons in a basket and label it bad, you might as well do the same to me too."

There was silence.

"Kenzie, I don't think you're a bad person." Tara said, shifting closer.

"You should." Mac said. "I killed for the government. And when I left, I killed for money. Bad people, sure, but I still took the lives of other human beings. That stain will never leave my soul. And I've killed for the Sons, too. I am as morally grey as it gets."

There was a much longer silence. Mac knew that Tara, in theory, knew all of what she'd said. But it had always been a nebulous kind of concept - never confirmed, never spoken aloud.

"At least give the Sons a change, Tara." Mac said quietly, standing.

"I will." Tara said, as Mac walked to her room.

So quietly that Mac almost missed it.

—

The next week passed uneventfully.

With the Sons out of town doing only god knew what, it was almost quiet in Charming. After their heavy conversation, Mac and Tara spent most of the week together, talking. Mac, for her part, was certain that whatever was between Tara and Jax would come to a head, and soon.

Despite being out of town, Chibs had gotten her cell number from someone, which was how Mac received an invitation to Fun Town, and the lure of a ride, from Chibs.

She was waiting for him on her front porch, booted feet up on the railing. With nothing else to do, Mac was sharpening one of her knives. The rasp of steel was loud in the evening quiet, but it was quickly drowned out by the rumble of his Harley as it rolled down the street.

Mac looked up through her lashes, not moving her head. She watched as Chibs parked and swung himself up and off the bike.

Damn, does he look good.

The air had gotten warm enough for him to switch to a t-shirt under his kutte, and she could see the muscles in his arms move. He stretched, giving her an excellent view of a good few inches of flat tattooed abs. Mac smirked to herself, sure that it was for her benefit, and proceeded to ignore him.

Chibs walked up the steps, all swagger and cocky grin, admiring the way she looked, pretending to ignore him. Mac kept her eyes on her knife, and did such a good job ignoring him that his hand on her knee almost surprised her.

"You're a sight for sore eyes, lass."

Her eyes flicked up through lashes, and back down again. The smirk on his face was almost indecent.

She fingered the edge of the blade in her hands, allowing the now-sharp edge to leave a small cut on the pad of her thumb. Satisfied with her work, Mac set it down next to her, and met Chibs' eyes boldly as she sucked the blood of her thumb.

Chibs' eyes went dark. His couldn't stop his mind from replacing her thumb with his -

Fuck me, this woman.

He yanked her to her feet, pushing her back against the front door, and kissed her. Hard and controlling and hungry. The last time, when she'd attacked him in front of the garage, Mac had had the control. This time, Chibs wasn't willing to share.

Good. Don't you dare hold back.

It was the last coherent thought Mac had for a while, as Chibs' hands slide down to her waist, simultaneously pulling her into him and crushing her against the door. Mac buried her hands in his hair, pulling slightly, just enough to have him growling against her lips. His hands slid to her ass, encouraging her to hook a knee up over his hip.

"Chibs." Mac panted. "Chibs. This is a residential neighborhood. Every kid and their mother is watching."

His answering grin was dirty.

"They deserve a show, darlin'." he said.

Mac pretended to consider it. As much as she wanted to, it was probably best to not do too much damage to her and Tara's reputations.

"I think I was promised one myself." Mac said, poking him in the chest. "Games, clowns, junk food…"

She smirked.

"And you promised me a ride."

The innuendo was accidental, not that it mattered. But for Mac's hand on his chest, reminding him that they couldn't do much more in broad daylight, they'd've been naked in record time. As it was, Chibs forced himself to take a deep breath, and Mac slipped away.

He stood stock still as she stashed her stuff in the house, and grabbed a bag.

"Ya know, Mackenzie." he said, voice a drawl. "I have dreams involving you and ma bike."

He stopped her before she could walk down the steps, crowding her against the railing.

"Say somethin' like tha' again, and we won' ever leave the house, club be damned. I promise ya tha'."

Mac smirked, and nipped at his earlobe.

"How about I promise you one of those dreams later?"

Chibs' control went taut. He could just… No, Gemma would kill him if they were late.

He sighed, pressing his arousal into Mac, letting her know just how hard it was for him to pull away.

"I'll hol' ya to tha', lass." he said, teeth clenched. "Let's go."

Chibs led her to his bike, carefully strapping a helmet on her head before gesturing to the seat.

"Ladies first."

Mac's eyes narrowed at his smirk.

"You just want to watch me straddle the damn bike."

The smirk became a smile.

Mac scoffed, and gave him what he wanted. But he surprised he, grabbing her hand and pressing a kiss to her palm. She went warm.

"Been a long time since I've had a woman on my bike." he said quietly. "Wouldn't've wanted it to be anyone but you, darlin'."

Mac smiled softly, watching appreciatively as he swung himself back onto the bike. As it roared to life, Mac instinctively wrapped her arms around his waist, making sure to plaster herself to his back.

Something about hanging on to him as they sped down the street made that warmth grow stronger.

—

They pulled into a grass parking lot beside a bunch of other bikes.

Mac unbuckled her helmet, having only enough to time to set it on the bike before Chibs' lips were on hers, again. He didn't let it go on for too long, unsure if he would be able to stop himself if it did.

When he pulled back, Mac looked bemused.

"Sorry darlin', but ya were plastered to me the whole way."

Chibs grinned.

"Don't apologize." she said, smirking. "You just keep giving me better and better ideas."

Mac moved to walk towards the carnival, and Chibs grabbed her hand.

"You'll be the death of me, woman." he growled.

Mac chuckled.

They walked hand-in-hand up to a group of Sons, old ladies, and children. Tig noticed them first.

"Well!" he said, smirk on his face. "Don't you two look cozy."

Chibs tightened his grip on Mac's hand, but Gemma pulled her away as the guys converged on Chibs.

But before the razzing could escalate into brawling, the group managed to make their way into the carnival, teasing and laughing the whole way.

—

The evening passed pleasantly.

They played games, ate bad food, drank beer. There were a few rickety rides, children that ran screaming between their legs, and prizes that weren't worth the money they spent on tickets. Some clown in the dunk tank had been stupid enough to tease the guys - and call Mac a whore - before realizing who they were.

Mac had helped the guys dunk him again and again.

Later, as twilight faded into night, Mac hung around their tent with Gemma while the guys drifted off to deal with club business - "bloody micks," Chibs had said.

"How are ya, Mac?" Gemma asked. "How's Chibs?"

"Fine." Mac said, almost automatically. "Can't say much for Chibs; haven't really seen him all week."

Gemma smiled.

"Don't worry, sweetie." she said.

Mac, who was not worried, furrowed her brow.

"I've known that man a long time, and he's got it bad for you."

Mac just smiled lightly.

Gemma turned to the woman on her other side, interest lost, and Mac jumped as someone tapped her lightly on the back.

It was Chibs, his attention focused on the tattoo high up between her shoulder blades. It was rarely visible, usually covered by clothes. But the night had been warm enough for Mac to take off her jacket.

"What is it?" he asked quietly.

Mac shrugged.

"Just a reminder."

Chibs narrowed his eyes, but before he could question her further, there was a commotion across the field. Mac heard the screaming first - filled with true fear - and did not hesitate before sprinting over. The Songs were right behind her.

Mac shoved her way through the crowd, her eyes on the young girl that lay on the ground. Her clothing was torn, revealing bruised, bloody skin. She sank to her knees in front of the girl, suppressing the need to vomit.

One look, and Mac knew they would need professional help. She dialed 911, passing her phone back to Chibs before turning back to the girl. Beside her, a man and a woman fell to their knees, hands going to the girl's face.

Her parents.

"Tristen, my god, my baby."

Mac grabbed the man's shoulder.

"What happened?" she asked urgently.

"My daughter." he said, tears on his face. "She's only thirteen. Thirteen, for god's sake!"

Chibs passed her a blanket, and Mac used it to cover the girl. Behind her, she could hear him speaking quickly to the EMT operator. The parents were near shock now, almost entirely uncommunicative.

Mac looked back, noticing that the Sons had all gathered. Chibs said one last thing to the operator, and passed her the phone.

"Back everyone up." she said harshly, taking the phone. "No one needs to see this."

Chibs nodded.

Mac greeted the operator, who quickly had her review the girl's condition. She had a strong pulse, though she was still unconcious. She'd obviously been attacked, knocked out with a good hit to the face that had also split her lip. Mac hoped to hell that that was the extent of the attack, but she had a sinking feeling that it wasn't.

When she hung up, Mac stayed with the parents, still sobbing over their daughter. She watched quietly as the Sons kept the crowd back. The paramedics arrived quickly, and Mac stayed just long enough to fill them in before slipping away through the mess of the crowd.

"Mackenzie!" Chibs called and she walked away. "Mackenzie, luv', wait!"

She allowed him to catch up, but didn't stop until she was behind the brink building that housed the bathrooms, back to the wall.

Chibs took one look at her face, and stopped very quickly.

She looked almost inhuman, but cold. As if she'd pushed straight past the edge of her mercy and well into fury.

"Mackenzie…" he murmured.

"Don't." she said shortly. "Just - "

She growled, turned, and punched the wall.

"Mac!" Chibs shouted, reaching for her hand. She swore violently at the pain, but the tension in her face had softened slightly.

"Bloody hell, luv'." he murmured. She'd split three knuckles, but nothing looked broken.

"It's fine, Chibs." she said, taking her hand from his.

"What the hell, Mac?"

She shook her head.

"I want to…"

Mac paused.

"Promise me that you'll kill the sick bastard who did that." she said. "Promise me, Chibs."

"Well, the police will catch him - "

Mac laughed derisively.

"That was Elliot Oswald's daughter, Chibs." she said. "I'm not blind. I know what's between him and Clay. And that was his daughter. There's no way he doesn't ask Clay to step him. He'll want revenge, justice."

The tension reappeared in her shoulders.

"I would do it myself, but I can't afford the attention. Someone - some animal - assaulted that girl. Another innocent girl."

Chibs knew then that she was speaking of Peter's daughter. He sighed.

"If tha's wha' happens, we'll catch him." he said. "I promise ya tha'. I cannae promise ta kill him, no matter how much he deserves it. 's no' my decision, lass."

Mac was quiet.

Chibs found her, for the first time, truly terrifying. That brutal, terrible mask that had slid across her features, promising death to whoever dared cross her. It shook him.

But Mac found some outlet within herself, wrapped her hand back around that tether that she used to control whatever lethal force she commanded, and allowed the anger and tension to drain. To leave her pale in the dim light of the moon.

Chibs reached for her, cradling her face in his hands.

"Oh, darlin'." he murmured. "What has the world done to us?"

Something very tender crossed his face, out of place on the biker. Mac looked away, almost uncomfortable with the uncharacteristic display of emotion.

"Wha'?" he asked, curious.

Those green eyes snapped back, spearing him.

"What's your real name, Chibs?"

He chuckled, despite the sharpness of her tone.

"It's Filip, luv'." he said. "Filip Telford."

Mac did not smile.

"I don't want to do this part way, Filip." she said quietly. "I was slow on the uptake, but I'm all here now. I've seen the parties, I've seen the girls. I know what is offered to you. But I'm all in - if we're going to do this, you need to be mine, and no one else's. No croweaters, no random one night stands, and no secrets."

Chibs eyed her. Christ, he really, really liked this woman. Her confidence, the quiet steel in her voice, how straightforward she could be. How complicated she was underneath, how volatile, how faceted.

"I'm all yours, luv'." he said, gravel in his voice. "Truth is, I hav'na even looked at another woman since I first saw ya. You're the only one for me, now."

He stepped forward, walking her back into the brick, and placed a forearm on either side of her head.

"But if I'm all yours, then you are all mine." he murmured. "I'm gonnae lay you down, spread you out, and fuck you the way ya deserve."

Mac bit her lip. Chibs' eyes went dark.

Come here and let me do that for you.

He kissed her fiercely, and she tipped herself up onto her toes to wrap her arms around his neck. There was less teasing in this kiss, and more power. A promise of things to come.

"I'd take ya right here, if I didn'a think everyone would catch us." Chibs growled, breaking away.

"But I'm the only one who gets ta see ya like tha', splayed out like ma own personal feast. Ta hear ya scream my name when I fuck you up against a wall."

Mac's teeth bared, the flith he growled at her setting fire to her stomach. Urgency settled in her chest.

"Is that a - "

Chibs' phone rang.

He swore violently, shoving a hand into his pocket to pull out his prepaid.

"Wha'?" he barked.

Mac, sensing trouble, tilted her head back and began to calm to fire raging within her. Chibs gave a few short replies, and hung up.

He sighed.

Mac raised an eyebrow.

"I gotta go, lass."

Regret dampened Chibs' own arousal.

"I'll be on the prepaid if you need me."

She nodded.

"Bi sàbhailte agus a bhith spaideil, a leannan."

Scottish Gaelic was foreign to Mac, though it sounded similar to Irish. Chibs spoke it like a native - quick and dirty. She may not have been able to translate, but the message in his tone was clear. And the roll of his accent over the syllables hot as hell.

Mac kissed him once, quickly.

"Okay." she said, smirking. Mac reached down, and cupped him through his jeans.

Chibs swore again.

"As long as you think of only me while you're gone."

His hands turned to fists.

"Mackenzie."

Never before had Chibs been brought so close to the edge of his control. He was inches away from dragging her somewhere more private, club be damned.

Perhaps Mac saw it in his eyes, because she slid out from underneath him, and began to walk away.

"Don't stay away too long, Filip." she called back, throwing a smile over her shoulder. He had turned, watching her walk away.

And if she added some extra swing to her hips, well… It was worth the sound of his fist hitting his jean-covere leg. Hard.

"Bidh tu a 'bhàis orm, boireannach."

This time, Mac knew she understood.