Belfast - Ireland
Kerrianne Larkin-Telford sat in an unfamiliar room on a hard, wooden chair listening to her iPod as her mother and Father Ashby talked about Jimmy and all that had happened that night; the young boy that had turned up at the compound, bleeding, in agony and desperate need of medical attention after being caught out by one of Jimmy's bombs. Her mother had done all she could for the lad, taking him to Maureen Ashby after the guards that normally protected them changed shifts and one of Father Ashby's spies took over, allowing the trio to escape. The teenager shuddered softly at the memory of having that boy – who was younger than she was – slump against her as her mother frantically drove them through the streets of Belfast. He'd looked up at her through those bloodied, deformed eyes the entire journey leaving Kerrianne feeling sick to her stomach. She'd always been squeamish but years of leaving under Jimmy's rule had taught her to stop herself from vomiting at the sight of blood and gore. She was glad, relived to be at St. Matthew's rectory with Father Ashby and her mother, a place she knew she'd be safe, a place Jimmy O wouldn't dare to attack. Now she longed for nothing more than for the awful thoughts and memories that were plaguing her to leave her well alone, she wanted to forget all that had happened that night, the night before and indeed, every night since… well since her father had been forced to leave. Things just hadn't been the same since he'd been forced to leave and she longed to have him back every minute of every day… However it'd been nearly 8 years since Kerrianne had last seen her father and she was certain he'd forgotten all about her.
"How are you settling in Kerrianne?" came Father Kellan Ashby's soft and soothing voice over the sound of Kerrianne's music, startling the teen and jerking her from her thoughts. She gave a weak, barely there smile as she tugged her headphones from her ears.
"Good." She whispered emotionlessly, despite feeling awkward in such an unfamiliar place, out of place and like she didn't belong. But then that was nothing knew, she'd felt like she didn't belong since the day Jimmy O had moved into her home and taken her fathers place in her mothers bed. The awkwardness that she felt in his presence that first day had never, ever gone away. In fact it'd gotten worse the older she'd gotten. At least in the rectory she felt safe, something she had never felt in all her years living with Jimmy O. "Thank you Father." She added hurriedly after a moment's silence, for she'd been brought up to be polite and respectful of her elders – something her father had instilled in her from when she'd been very young – and Father Ashby deserved her thanks after all he'd done for her and her mother.
Father Ashby nodded his head at that. He could see how shaken up and scared Kerrianne was, how nervous she felt. He wanted to talk to her about all she'd seen in the last few hours, and indeed months, but he knew better than to push her. Jimmy's constant presence in her life, the threats he'd made against her and her parents (both the ones she knew about and the ones she didn't) as well as all he'd done to her father had left Kerrianne a sullen and withdrawn teenager who seemed far younger than her 18 years. She kept to herself and wasn't one for sharing her feelings, preferring to disappear into her own little world with her headphones in rather than communicate with those around her. Father Ashby knew to tread very carefully around her if he wanted to get her talking, knew he had to let her speak up about all that was happening at her own pace.
"What you saw tonight, the condition that young lad was in…" Father Ashby said, slowly and warily, his words chosen with care. He didn't want to mention the blood, the horrific state the lads face had been in, the obvious agony his wounds were causing him. Kerrianne was horrified enough by what'd happened, he didn't need to add to that by giving her yet more reminders of all she'd seen. "It must have been very traumatic." Father Ashby concluded, tilting his head sympathetically. Kerrianne had remained still and emotionless as he'd spoken, her eyes fixed on a spot around about his left elbow. She too seemed to be carefully considering what she was going to say and Father Ashby was certain the teenage was going to hide behind a mask of false assurances and promises that she was okay. He could see a war raging in her eyes however, could see in them how much the nights events were affecting her and hoped she'd find it in herself to speak up before what'd happened ate away at her until the point where it destroyed her forever.
"Aye, but I've seen worse." Kerrianne said wryly, words sharp with disdain, her eyes dulling and darkening as she spoke, much like her fathers did when he was distressed. She shuddered softly as she spoke and Father Ashby felt his stomach contort painfully at that. He hated to think what poor, young, innocent Kerrianne had seen in her time, things that would have undoubtedly scarred her for life. "This isn't the first time one of Jimmy's recruits has shown up on our door." Kerrianne admitted, looking Father Ashby in the eye for the briefest second before dropping her head low again. She had paled considerably; her eyes were glazed with tears. "Most are so badly injured he just…" Kerrianne didn't finish her sentence, she merely gulped uneasily and shook her head. Jimmy's young, naive requites often showed up on their door believing Jimmy cared enough for them to help them and treat their wounds. He never did however; he just swore at them and told them to get lost. If they were badly injured however, he'd take them somewhere and…. Well, they never ever returned so Kerrianne could only assume he'd killed them.
"Well you're safe here Kerrianne." Kellan assured the teen upon realising that it was far too soon to get Kerrianne talking about all that had happened to and around her in recent months. She needed time to process all that had happened, to get over the shock she was in and get past the horrors and had taken over her life. Kerrianne nodded her head at that, but didn't say a word. She went to put her headphones back in her ears but Father Ashby stopped her. She needed to know that within a matter of hours, members of SAMCRO would be landing in Ireland. She needed to know what her father and his new lover would soon arrive in Belfast. "I just thought I should let you know; some boys from Charming's Redwood Original's are headin' over." He said softly, the faintest smile appearing on his lips as he was certain that this was news that would delight Kerrianne and put a smile back on her despairing face. Kerrianne however, scowled in confusion so Father Ashby made himself clearer. "That's another charter of the Sons of Anarchy child; I think your father will be among them." At that, as he'd expected, Kerrianne beamed. It was a nervous sort of smile, riddled with uncertainty and contained hope. Clearly she was excited at the prospect of seeing her father, yet nervous too but didn't want to let herself get too hopeful encase he wasn't part of the crew that came over from Charming. Or encase something terrible happened to him on route. Father Ashby knew she had right to fear that something could happen to her father once he arrived in Ireland and before he got to Belfast; if Jimmy O got wind that the Sons of Anarchy, Redwood Originals were coming across the pond he would do everything in his power to stop them and to prevent them messing with his business.
"Da is comin' to Ireland?" Kerrianne asked uncertainly, hope in her voice, joy. She'd hoped, believed even, for many years that her father would return to her life, that one day she would get to see him again. But she'd always assumed that day would come when Jimmy O was dead or when she was old enough to get away from Jimmy's controlling ways. She'd never dared to hope that he'd show up when Jimmy O was still alive, still a threat. After all that man had almost killed her father once, had driven him out of Ireland and had the power to keep him away for good or to kill him whenever he saw fit. Jimmy would most certainly kill her father if he dared to return to Ireland and yet her father was coming anyway, with the support of the Sons of Anarchy in Charming. If they were anything like SAMBEL then they'd be a force to be reckoned with; powerful, beloved and yet feared. Which meant Jimmy couldn't just take him out, which meant that maybe, just maybe her father would kill him instead and would return to Ireland and to his family for good. As much as Kerrianne didn't want to be filled with such hopes that could prove false, she couldn't help herself. The idea of having her da back, of getting rid of Jimmy O and being safe again, a family… it was everything she wanted and more. "Fer good?" she asked Father Ashby, her eyes twinkling hopefully as she dared to believe she'd get her da back.
Kellan immediately shook his head and hated himself for it. Kerrianne's face fell at once, she dropped her head again but not before the priest saw the light, the hope vanish from her eyes. She had to be told though, the truth, and all of it too. She had to know that her father was settled in Charming, that he was with another woman.
"No; they are comin' here on business." Father Ashby said, careful not to say too much on the matter. Even if he'd said something about Jimmy O and the reasons for SAMCRO's visit it wouldn't have mattered; Kerrianne wasn't one for questions and she didn't like to brood on the awful things that happened around her. She preferred to act as though they hadn't and weren't happening. "He has a new life in Charming Kerrianne and he's with a new woman." He continued through pursed lips. He didn't like the fact that Filip was living in sin with another woman – a woman half his age no less -, that he was committing adultery and wanting to divorce his wife so that he could marry another. The good priest was in no place to pass judgement on the matter however, no matter how much he wanted to, not really. Filip Telford was no longer park of his flock, nor a member of SAMBEL or the IRA. Besides after all that had come to pass between Filip, Jimmy and Fiona, Kellan Ashby knew that the Scotsman wasn't going to return to his wife. Even if he didn't have a new woman in Charming he still wouldn't return to Fiona; too much time had past between them, too much betrayal. Despite this Father Ashby, as a firm believer in the idea that marriage was for life, would deny Filip a divorce if he asked for it. "It's likely she'll be headin' to Ireland too." Kellan added, lips pursed thinner still. Kellan believed it was wrong of Filip to bring his new woman to Ireland and parade his new found happiness in front of his estranged wife and daughter.
Kerrianne didn't say anything for a while as she took in and processed all that Kellan had said to her. The news that her father with another woman, a woman that was not her mother, came as quite a shock to the teenager despite the fact that it had been nearly eight years since her father had left Ireland and thirteen since he and her mother had been together. She'd never really thought much on her what her fathers life was life in America, she had just hoped that he was happy and that he throught of her as often as she thought of him. The fact that he had found love again was proof to her of the former, if not the latter. Her father was always happiest when he was in love. Kerrianne recalled the days her father had been happiest during the years he had been part of her life – Valentine's day, her parents wedding anniversary, Christmas. On all those days her mother and father seemed far more in love with one another than they did on any other day of the year and it was on those days that her father seemed happiest, when he wore a smile on his lips from morning till night. Kerrianne couldn't help but wonder what this woman was like. She had to something special after all, to steal her fathers heart away after all he had been through, after what had happened with Jimmy O and his many years longing for his family. The teen expected her to be Irish – in order to remind her father of his former home, of his family – and to bear many similarities in appearance and personality to her mother. Her mother and father after all, had been deeply, head-over-hells in love before Jimmy had come along so it made sense to Kerrianne that her father would end up with a very similar woman. If nothing else she knew this woman would have dark hair. Her father had a weak spot for dark-haired women, something he had told his daughter many times when she'd been young. 'I took one look at yer mother, at her wild, dark curls.' He would say. 'And I knew at once we were meant teh be. Dark haired women are my weakness sweetheart and yer mother is the most beautiful one I've ever seen before. Besides you of course!' Kerrianne would always smile then and kiss her fathers cheek, then he would tell of how he had met her mother, how they had fallen in love and of the day they'd discovered they were to have her.
"So he's… happy out there?" Kerrianne asked, needing confirmation from Father Ashby before she could truly believe that her father had found happiness in Charming. "And okay after… after what happened?" she added, voice shaking so much she had to trail off and avoid mentioning the explosion. Since Jimmy and her mother had returned from Charming, she'd heard little about her father's condition. All she knew was that he'd been released from the hospital but that didn't always mean a person was fully recovered or in good health. The explosion, the one that had almost robbed her father of his life, it was the only news Kerrianne had received about her father since the day he'd left Ireland. It had been awful to receive such news, after seven years of hearing nothing at all. The news had greatly distressed Kerrianne and she'd spent the weeks her mother and Jimmy had been Stateside in pieces, convinced they'd return with her fathers ashes. After all, she heard about car bombs all too often – a nasty side effect about being the daughter of someone that was third generation IRA – and it was a very rare occurrence indeed to hear that someone had survived… Kerrianne had been so overjoyed to discover that her father had indeed survived being blown up. She began to wonder if the belief she'd had as a child – that her da was invincible – was true after all. After all not many a man could survive being blown up as well as being so viciously cut up as her father had been up by Jimmy O.
"He is; happy and fully recovered." Father Ashby confirmed with a nod of his head. Kerrianne smiled then, a full on beam which stretched from ear to ear. Her chocolate brown eyes, the ones she'd inherited from her father, sparkled in delight and melted with warmth, love and happiness. Her da was okay, healthy and happy! Kerrianne couldn't have hoped for better. Kellan put a hand on Kerrianne's shoulder then, tilted his head in question. "Now do you want to see him while he's here?" he asked softly. Some of the boys from SAMBEL – including Filip's nephew Padraic – had already asked Father Ashby if a meet between Filip and his family could be arranged. The priest had already set things in motion, organised transport and protection. It would be one hell of a job, what with Jimmy O likely to be gunning for the Redwood Originals as well as Fiona and Kerrianne, but Father Ashby was more than willing to take that risk if it meant Kerrianne could see her father. "It'll be a risk, takin' yeh teh the clubhouse, but if you want to see your Da, I'll arrange somethin'." Father Ashby added, not wanting to let Kerrianne know he'd already made the effort to arrange something for if she didn't want to see her father, she'd still say yes for otherwise she'd feel guilty that he'd gone to so much effort for nothing.
Kerrianne remained silent for a long time. She had no idea if she wanted to see her father, despite the fact that she had longed for years to see him again, to have him back in her life. The prospect of seeing her father again, it honestly scared her. It had been so long since they'd last see one another and in the thirteen years since he'd been forcibly removed from her life, from the family home, she'd see him just the once, when he'd come to her school to see her the day he'd left Ireland for Charming. Things would undoubtedly be as awkward and uncomfortable between them as they had been on that day. What would they have to say to one another after so many years? Years in which Kerrianne had been forced to call Jimmy 'da' or risk a slap round the face. What if he'd forgotten all about her, or didn't want to see her at all? What if she showed up at the clubhouse and he simply ignored her, acted like she was nothing to him? After all she'd been through, Kerrianne didn't think she could handle that, being rejected by the one person she loved and adored more than any other. Despite all that, he was still her father, he was still the man that Kerrianne had and still did worship. And she missed him, missed him more than words would ever say. She'd hate herself forever if she passed up the chance to see him again. He was her da after all, the man that had given her life, the man who long ago had called her his 'sweet, wonderful little girl'. Even if he did want nothing to do with her, at least Kerrianne would know and at least she'd get to see him one last time. And who knows, maybe to her da she still was and always would be his 'sweet, wonderful little girl'.
"Father Ashby?" Kerrianne said, her words a nervous whisper that somehow still managed to echo a little in the small stone room in which she sat. Kellan looked at her expectantly, smiled softly in encouragement. "Aye, I want to see him." She whispered, smiling herself. She was going to get to see her da! The priest nodded his head at this, promised he would set things in motion and let her know when her father arrived in Ireland and when she could make her way to the clubhouse to see him. Kerrianne thanked him for that, more enthusiastically that she meant too and then allowed him to lead her to the rooms at the back of the rectory, to where the room she'd be staying in. It was next door to her mother's room and simple and plain: a bed, wardrobe, drawers and a desk but it'd do. Kerrianne had her iPod, laptop and a hoard of books to keep her entertained. After the teen settled herself in, unpacked the few clothes she'd managed to bring with her, she dug around in her bag and pulled out a small, slightly worn looking, teddy bear that wore a kilt and was waving a tiny Scottish flag. Years ago, mere months before her father had been forced out of her life, Kerrianne had given it to him for Christmas. He'd treasured it, kept it close for months but it'd become lost after all that had happened with Jimmy. A few weeks later, Kerrianne had found it and, like her father, she treasured it and kept it close (although out of sight) as it reminded her or her da. Kerrianne promised herself that she would return that bear to her father, its rightful owner, when she saw him again.
SAMCRO
Chibs grinned as Boo wandered out of the clubhouse, backpack in hand. He was so pleased that she'd decided to join him and the club in Ireland. He was hopeful and in good sprits about the trip, certain that when he returned he'd have his daughter at his side and the divorce that would allow him to finally marry the woman he loved. Shit was going to be bad in Ireland of course, there was no denying that, and the club would struggle to come away whole and intact but the Scotsman was certain they would come home on top, with Abel in their arms, Jimmy O dead and the threats against them and their livelihood snuffed out.
"Here." Boo grinned, handing Chibs her bag as she drew level with him. The Scotsman took it and groaned when he realised how heavy the bag was – Boo had 10 books in there – he then pretended to collapse with the weight of it. He dropped it to the floor and acted as though he could not pick it up again, rubbed his back as if his efforts to do so had strained it. "Haha, very funny! Just you put that in the back of the van Filip Telford." Boo drawled with a roll of her eyes as she gave the bag a kick and nodded her head towards the club van, which was currently being filled with the clubs bags. Chibs tutted but did just that, picking the heavy bag up with ease before throwing it in with all the others.
"I told you to pack light." He said to Boo, tapping her on the end of her nose with his fingertip, pretending like he was scolding her. Boo beamed at him, swatted his hand away. "That wasn't light!" Chibs chuckled as he grabbed ahold of Boo's hands and pulled her closer.
"It is for me." Boo insisted with a grin, which was true enough. Normally she'd pack far more books than the ten she'd shoved in her bag, but as Chibs had requested that she 'pack light' she'd only taken half on the books she wanted to take with her. "And it doesn't matter anyhow; you're the one who'll be carrying it." She added, grin widening as she gave Chibs a chaste kiss on the lips before breaking away from him and heading towards he van.
"Oh gee, thanks very much. What am I to yeh, a packhorse?" Chibs drawled with a shake of his head. Boo just stuck her tongue out at him before hopping in the van and sliding over to make room for Chibs. He joined her a moment later after checking to make sure that everyone's bags were in and that everyone was ready to go. Boo snuggled into him at once so he put his arm around her, captured her lips with his and kissed her deeply, passionately as they waited for Opie to join them so they could be on their way. His free hand at first, cupped her cheek, fingers trailing meaningless patterns across her skin, but soon it started to travel south. The Scotsman slipped it into Boo's shirt and squeezed her bra-clad chest, causing her to groan into their kiss, to bite down on his lip. Chibs chuckled and did it again, knowing that Opie would be getting in the van within a matter of seconds and that Boo would be highly embarrassed when he caught them all over one another. It was Chibs own little way of getting revenge for the heavy bag that Boo had just decided he was to carry. A moment later, while Chibs was still groping Boo's breast and making her moan, Opie clambered into the driver's seat.
"Hey, save the sex for your room in Ireland!" Opie chuckled, shaking his head wearily as he shut his door and tried not to look at the couple that were well on they're way to fucking right beside him. "I don't want a live show guys." He added as Boo shrieked softly as pushed Chibs away from her. She was bright red and couldn't even look at Opie, clearly utterly mortified just as Chibs had expected. He chuckled at that; revenge was sweet, but it was also utterly hilarious.
"Suppose I can control myself until then brother." Chibs said to Opie as Boo straitened out her shirt and tried to cool her flaming cheeks. "Don't know about this one though, she can hardly keep off me fer more than a few minute's." he added as gestured towards Boo, whose cheeks were still a brilliant red, before shaking his head at her and tutting like he couldn't quite believe she couldn't go a few hours without being all over him. Despite her embarrassment, Boo arched her eyebrow, scowled and gave Chibs a cynical and appalled look
"Yeah, because you're such a great catch old man." She drawled sarcastically as she ruffled Chibs' greying locks, lips perking upwards a little when Opie chuckled. Chibs, despite previous insecurities about his silver-streaked hair, was unfazed by Boo's comments because he knew that the grey hairs that started to invade his previously black hair meant nothing to her.
"Yeh can make jokes lovely, but this thing right here speaks fer itself." He said, grinning as he poked his finger over the crow that was inked on her chest which was visible through the top of her shirt, which was unbuttoned. They travelled to Oswald's airstrip in relative silence, talking of little other than how uncomfortable it would be to travel all the way to England hidden away in a cargo plane. "So what the fuck do yeh have in there then darlin', rocks?" Chibs asked as he hauled her bag out of the club van upon their arrival at the airstrip. Boo shook her head and took Chibs bag from the van, which was far lighter, and slung it over her shoulder.
"No, books, but don't worry, I only packed ten." She said matter-of-factly, like she believed that taking only ten books on a trip that would last no more than a week was something that everyone did. Chibs shook his head in disbelief, gave Boo an amused sort of look before kissing her forehead and wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "What? I'm going to need plenty to keep me entertained on the plane." Boo said as they started to make their way towards the others, who were milling around and waiting for Clay, Jax and Tig to arrive. Tara's car soon pulled up in front of them, but Tig wasn't in the car; Gemma was. "Gemma!" Boo gasped in surprise. "What on earth are you doing here and where's Tig?" she asked for a now fully recovered Gemma should be on her way to jail. Boo wondered momentarily, with a smile on her lips, if Tig had disgusted himself as Gemma and switched places with the matriarch so that she could go in search of her grandson. She could almost believe such a theory to be true for to her, Tig had always seemed like the sort of man to dress up like a woman when he thought no one was looking…
"Hey sweetheart." Gemma smiled as she embraced Boo. "Let's just say he's a long way from here right now and taking every cop in Charming right along with him…" she said, before giving Boo a brief and hurried account of her escape from St. Thomas and the car switch with Tig so that he could lead the cops away and allow Gemma, Jax and Clay to get to Oswald's plane.
"I'll bet he's enjoying that." Boo chuckled. Tig loved tormenting people, especially cops, so he was undoubtedly getting quite a kick out of leading the cops away from Gemma and to god only knows where. Moments later, Oswald gave the nod that it was time to get on the plane.
"Come on darlin', time teh go." Chibs said as he steered her towards the awaiting plane. Boo nodded her head but didn't say a word, suddenly very nervous about going to Ireland. Chibs soon picked up on this for he kissed her cheek and said "Nervous huh?" Boo nodded.
"Yeah…" she admitted. "I mean it's your daughter Chibs, what if she hates me?" she asked frantically, desperately even. Despite all Chibs assurances that his little girl would adore her, Boo couldn't help but fear that Kerrianne would loath and resent her. She was her fathers 'other woman' after all, the woman who would prevent her parents from ever getting back together, the woman who would stop them from becoming the family they had once been once Jimmy had been eliminated. "And Fiona? She already hates me." Boo rambled on without pause to catch her breathe. She knew that nothing good could come out of her and Fiona meeting once again. "Then there's Jimmy O and who knows what he has planned for us! W-" Boo continued, quickly becoming out of breathe as she contemplated just how terrible things would become once Jimmy O discovered they were in Ireland. She couldn't even begin to imagine what horrors he would have in store for the club, for her, for Filip and for Kerrianne.
Seeing that Boo was getting worked up and distressed, Chibs cut his girl off by kissing her on the lips, stealing her words away before she had a chance to say them. She soon shushed and kissed him back and appeared noticeably calmer when he pulled away a moment later.
"Calm down Hen, we'll be fine; I just know it." He promised her, as he was certain that with SAMCRO and SAMBEL behind him, as well as those within the IRA that wanted Jimmy out, the McBastard wouldn't have much of a chance to hurt them and wouldn't have a hope in hell of avoiding the grisly demise that Chibs had planned for him.
SAMCRO
Much to Chibs annoyance Boo spent the majority of their flight to Manchester, England with her nose buried in a book. The closer they'd gotten to Manchester, the more nervous and anxious he'd gotten. He was likely going to see his little girl again for the first time in nearly eight years, in fact in some ways, for the first time in thirteen years. Their brief encounter outside her school the day Chibs had left Charming could hardly be counted as seeing each other; they'd said so little to one another, had both been nervous and uncertain and in many ways, it had merely been their chance to say goodbye to on another so that they could move on with their lives. Only Chibs hadn't moved on with his life, he'd thought about his little girl every single day and had been constantly of the belief that one day, he'd return to her life, that one day, he'd get to be her da again. Jimmy may have been powerful enough to steal Fiona and Kerrianne away from him, to have him excommunicated from the IRA, then cut his face open and drive him from Ireland but he was also the sort of man to let such power to go to his head. Chibs had always known he'd take thing too far one day, that he'd have to be stopped by the IRA, taken out before he destroyed the Cause and it's true meaning. Now that time had come and Chibs had realised that years of thinking about it, fantasising what he would do to Jimmy, what he would say to his daughter when he saw her again were all for nothing. He was terrified, totally unprepared for what lay before him and he didn't know what he was going to do.
Boo thankfully, had had enough sense to know that Chibs wouldn't have the best flight, to know that he would be nervous and uneasy the closer they got to Manchester. She'd packed sleeping tablets and an hour into the flight, when she noticed how anxious and tense Chibs seemed she'd given him one. Chibs had been reluctant to take it at first – what if something happened while they were in the air, what if the plane crashed or worse? – but in the end his nervous got the better of him so he'd taken it and spent the rest of the flight fast asleep, his head in Boo's lap, one arm around her waist, his other hand resting on her knee. Chibs remained awake during the trip between Manchester and Ireland, but was suitably distracted as Clay called church on the ferry (which they held in the corner of the bar onboard) to talk with the club about what they could be walking into and whether or not they believed that Jimmy O knew they were coming. Church didn't conclude until after they pulled in at the docks in Ireland and by the time they got off the ferry, SAMBEL's road captain, Luthor Barkwill as well as a few other members that Chibs did not know were waiting for them with their loaner bikes and a van to transport Gemma and Boo to Belfast. A few miles from the city, the convey of bikes pulled over by a large farmers field where McGee, Liam O'Neill and Padraic Telford were waiting for them. Greetings were made and Chibs practically jumped off his bike while it was still moving he was so eager to see his nephew and former SAMBEL comrades. He paused briefly to turn to the jeep and gesture for Boo to join him but then his attention was back on his brothers and nephew. Boo hopped out of the van and took in a deep gulp of the clean country air, took a moment to calm her nerves. Chibs had told her so much about Padraic over the years and Boo was nervous about meeting him. She wanted all of Chibs family, not just his daughter (Fiona not really included) to like her and that included Padraic. Thankfully however, she knew he'd not hate her for being Chibs 'other woman' because while Chibs had been in Ireland, it had been Padraic that had urged him to find love again, to move on from Fiona whom he deemed unforgivable for what she'd done to Chibs. She cautiously approached the group of Sons as Chibs embraced first SAMBEL's Sergeant at Arms and then his nephew.
Chibs chuckled and jeered happily as he walked towards the bothers he'd not seen or spoken too since he'd left Ireland almost 8 years previously. Liam looked pretty much the same as when he'd left, aside of course from the Sergeant at Arms patch that was proudly displayed on the chest of his cut. The Scotsman wasn't surprised to see Liam as such a high-ranking member; even in his prospect days he'd proven to be a loyal, brave and dedicated member. Chibs put all uncertainties about the man aside as he embraced him like a brother, pulling him into bear hug that swept him off his feet. He turned to his nephew next and almost recoiled in shock at the sight of him. The boy was all grown up, looking less like the boy he had known and more like a man. He was the spitting image of Chibs' sister Cait and was grinning the same goof grin at his uncle that he'd had as a child.
"Look at you; yeh little bastard! Come here!" Chibs roared happily as he held his arms open for Padraic. Padraic embraced him at once and uncle and nephew held one another tight, patted one another of the back. "Grand teh see yeh son!" Chibs said. He was elated to see his young nephew again after so many years and at once they'd slipped back into the same, easy going, brother like relationship they'd had all those years ago. If it wasn't for the obvious fact that Padraic had grown into a man, it was almost like no time had passed at all since they'd last seen one another.
"Uncle; really glad yer here mate." Padraic grinned. He was as pleased to see his uncle as Chibs was to see him. Times had been tough, lonely in the years after the Scotsman had gone to Charming. He was one of the few people Padraic had left in his life after the death of his mother. His father was an IRA man and once Chibs was out of Ireland, he seemed to throw himself into the Cause even more so, leaving his son home alone for days, and sometimes even weeks, on end. It had been a relief at 17 to prospect for the Sons. The club was welcoming and friendly and many remembered Padraic from when he'd hung around the clubhouse with his uncle as a boy. They'd given him a rough prospect year, but Padraic had been well prepared for it by his uncle and so had gotten through it with no real problems. Padraic's proudest day was the day he'd been formally presented with his uncles old cut by McGee; the day he'd patched into SAMBEL. Five years later he still wore his uncles cut with pride and rode the Harley that Chibs had left behind.
"The last time I seen this wee shite he was in nappies." Chibs teased as he gripped Padraic's chin between his fingers and gave it an affectionate little shake, ignoring the way his nephews cheeks flushed ever so slightly and the way he muttered 'Oh Jesus' in embarrassment and looked away awkwardly. Everyone roared with laughter at that; most knew the tale of how young Padraic had 'borrowed' Chibs bike, crashed it into the side of the SAMBEL clubhouse and ended up incontinent because of the medication he was put on after the operation to repair the damage from the crash. Chibs hoped his nephew was long past that now; wouldn't be much fun going on a run with the boy when he was pissing himself halfway to Dungloe!
"I was 15 at the time." Padraic chuckled, deciding it was better to laugh along with the others than get himself all embarrassed about what'd happened. It was then that Padraic noticed the twenty-something year old woman hovering nervously behind Chibs. She had ocean-like blue eyes and dark curls that tumbled down past her shoulders. She was wearing what could only be Chibs' reaper jacket with the rank-identifying purple strips on the sleeves to ward off the cold, for the Scotsman was missing his and was chewing her lip so hard Padraic was certain it would soon be bleeding. The Irishman suspected she was Chibs' Ol' Lady. He'd heard that his uncle had met a woman stateside but that was as much as he knew on the matter. He'd always hoped that rumour was true for he felt his uncle deserved to find love again after all that had happened with Fiona and Jimmy. "So, who's the girl then uncle?" he asked, sly grin across his lips as he nodded his head towards the girl, who blushed at being acknowledged. Chibs grinned, he'd momentarily forgotten about Boo while greeting his brothers but now he was eager to show his beautiful wee Hen off. He turned to her and held his hand out, which she took at once, stepping forward to be at his side in the same instance. Chibs kissed her forehead tenderly and snaked an arm around her waist. Boo, who had been trembling nervously up until that point, stopped shaking as soon as Chibs arm was around her, finding comfort and courage from the contact.
"This is Boo; my Ol' Lady from back in Charmin'." Chibs drawled proudly as he rubbed her back soothingly and nodded his head at her. Boo smiled and waved a greeting at Padraic, who smiled right back at her. The young author couldn't help but notice how similar the lads smile was to his uncles and how they had the exact same warm, brown eyes. "Boo, darlin', this is my nephew Padraic." He added, easing Boo forward as he spoke, encouraging her to probably greet his nephew. Boo took the hint and extended a hand, which Padraic readily shook.
"Hi; nice to meet you." Boo grinned, finding herself being put at ease by the fact that Padraic shared Chibs' warm eyes and smile. His handshake was firm and gentle and Boo was immediately certain that Padraic was trustworthy and friendly; not something she'd picked up from any other members of SAMBEL other that Luthor, who she'd been getting along with well. They'd talked near non-stop as they'd followed the club to the meet-up point. The man had more than a fair share of embarrassing stories about Chibs to share with Boo, which Boo of course paid him back with, using her own embarrassing stories of the Scotsman. Chibs wouldn't be best pleased when he found out. "Chibs has told me so much about you!" she added, to which Padraic chuckled.
"Pleasure's all mine love." He said. He'd taken to Filip's Ol' Lady instantly, she seemed sweet and friendly and Padraic could see just how in love she and Chibs were. He looked forward to getting to know the girl over the next few days, to getting reacquainted with his uncle. He hoped to talk to Chibs about transferring stateside when things with Jimmy and the IRA had settled; he was growing bored of Belfast and wanted to see a little more of the world. "I hope uncle Filip has only been tellin' yeh good things about me!" he added, grinning at his uncle expectantly. He knew of course, that Chibs would have shared with Boo and his SAMCRO buddies nothing but mortifying childhood stories about his nephew.
"What good is there the say about yeh lad? Yer nothin' but trouble yeh little shite!" Chibs roared mockingly as he patted Padraic on the shoulder. He chuckled heartily as Padraic laughed and gave a half-hearted shrug of agreement. Knowing that they soon had to be on their way to Belfast, Chibs turned serious in an instant. He placed a hand on each of Padraic's forearms and looked him dead the eye, smile falling away from his face as he did so, replaced by a tight-lipped frown. "How's my little girl Paddy? Fiona?" he asked, voice soft and serious, bordering on anxious. He'd not heard from Fiona since he'd reached out for information about Jimmy the day before. He had no idea if Father Ashby had gotten them to safety or not, or if Jimmy had realised they planned to escape and just put an end to them. His worries were put at ease in an instant when Padraic smiled, which made his heart flutter happily.
"The priest stashed them down at St. Matt's rectory." Padraic assured Chibs, for he himself had been down at the rectory to check on the girls, to assure them that SAMBEL would protect them and that Chibs was on his way to Ireland. Kerrianne had seemed elated to know her father would soon be in Belfast and Padraic knew reunion between father and daughter would be a happy one. The Irishman didn't see much of his young cousin, but he knew she adored, loved and missed her da, even if she could never say it or even talk about him. "They're safe." He added as he patted the Scotsman's shoulder reassuringly.
"Meet's bein' arranged." Liam quipped in before Chibs could react much to Padraic's words. Chibs gave a happy sigh and looked between Liam and Padraic, a smile on his lips. It was official, his sweet, wonderful little girl was safe and well and soon, he'd get to see her again. The fact that SAMBEL had arranged a meet proved to Chibs that his little girl wanted to see him too for they wouldn't have organised it if she didn't want to see him.
"You're good boys!" Chibs cried joyfully as he embraced both Padraic and Liam at once, smile on his lips becoming a full on grin as he did so. He sensed the both of them were a little uncomfortable with his sudden, enthusiastic show of affection but he was far too happy to care. "Good, good boys." He added as he patted them both on the back, voice becoming tight with emotion as the joy he felt at knowing he'd get to see his beloved daughter got the better of him. "Thank yeh, thank yeh." He said, letting Padraic and Liam go before embracing Liam one last time, then Padraic. He turned to Boo, who'd waited patiently at his side, as they returned to their bikes. "I get to see her Hen; my little girl!" he said excitedly as he took both of Boo's hands in his own and brought them to his lips. He couldn't stop beaming and his cheeks ached for the effort to keep such a huge grin on his lips but the Scotsman didn't care; all that mattered was that he got to see Kerrianne. He was looking forward to the meet immensely and couldn't wait to see his daughter, to introduce her to Boo. He hoped his two best girls would get along; he'd be utterly devastated if they didn't.
"I know! I'm so happy for you." Boo grinned as she slipped her arms around Chibs' neck and kissed him. Chibs obviously wanted to put on a little bit of a show for his Irish brothers, for he deepened the kiss at once and slipped his hands down her sides and to her ass, which he cupped and squeezed. At once all the Sons present clapped and cheered, wolf-whistled and chuckled in amusement. Boo felt her cheeks redden and pulled away, giving Chibs a playful smack on the arm for his efforts. "You're a cheeky bastard Filip Telford!" she scolded as she walked off. Chibs merely chuckled at that, played up to his jeering and clapping brothers more by smacking Boo's ass as she walked away. Boo wanted to scold him so more, to yell at him even, but the damn Scotsman was in such a good mood that she just didn't want to spoil it. He was still grinning from ear to ear and was practically glowing he was so damn happy and even though he had his sunglasses on, Boo could see his eyes twinkling in delight, could see they were warm with love. She'd never see him so happy so she just carried on walking and got back into the jeep without another word.
The convey of bikes soon got on their way but got less than a mile down the road before they were stopped by two police vans and a group of heavily armed officers. Boo's stomach contorted uneasily and she and Gemma exchanged nervous looks, both of them clearly concerned about what was going on, certain it was more than it seemed. Luthor assured them that as long as the club had some form of ID things would be okay, that they were too out of the way for the police to bother contacting Interpol about the American Sons. Gemma and Boo exchanged another, equally nervous look. Neither of them was reassured by Luthor's words and both watched the police approached their men filled with a mixture of dread and uncertainty. Within moments, the head officer was walking down the line of bikes singling out all the members of SAMCRO while his lower-ranking officers gestured for them to get off their bikes. Boo gulped uneasily, bit down on her lower lip as it and she alike started trembling.
"Something doesn't feel right." Boo whispered as the police literally snatched the passports from the members of SAMCRO with grim and determined looks about their faces, looks full of disdain for the men in front of them. To Boo it was like the cops hated and distrusted them already, which didn't sit well with her. This was just a random check, tourists on their way through the countryside to Belfast as far as anyone but the club was concerned; why was there distrust there already, hatred? Boo couldn't help but wonder if Jimmy O had figured out that they were coming, that he'd set up this little sting operation to take out the threat of SAMCRO before it was even a threat. He had enough power to do so, had enough money to have the local cops in his back pocket.
"I know; this is bad!" Gemma agreed as SAMCRO hovered nervously on the side of the road as they waited for the cops to check out their passports. She, like Boo, believed that Jimmy O had worked out that they were in Ireland. She wouldn't be surprised if the whole of SAMBEL was in his back pocket, if they had informed Jimmy of SAMCRO's trip to Ireland so the McBastard, as Chibs so callously called him, could take them out as soon as they arrived in Ireland. Gemma didn't trust a single one of the Irish Sons. Not after all that had happened with John in Ireland; the other woman, the other life and the daughter he'd had with a 19 year old girl while his youngest son had been dying back home in his mothers arms. John Teller had always liked his girls young, barely legal, tight and virginal. It took mere seconds for the cops to check SAMCRO's passports, too little time it seemed. At once they pointed their guns at SAMCRO, walked towards them and barked orders. The Sons, Belfast charter included, put their hands in the air and looked between one another uneasily, clearly shocked and troubled by the sudden turn of events. Boo, Gemma and all those in the jeep watched in horror as all of SAMCRO, as well as most members of SAMBEL were forced to the ground at gunpoint, some physically forced to the ground by the police. Clearly, these cops knew that most members of SAMCRO present were out on bail for the church assault and weren't meant to have left the country. Opie and Chibs however, were not out on bail and were free to leave America if they wished, yet they too were being threatened by the cops, forced to the ground.
"Oh god!" Boo gasped, clapping her hand to her mouth as she watched all that unfolded before her in horror.
"Don't make sense; they wouldn't be able to get the Intel, not that quick." Luthor drawled uneasily, looking between the chaos out in front and the women that sat beside him. This only confirmed to Boo and Gemma alike that these cops were in Jimmy O's pocket, paid off to detain them and do god only knows what to them when they had them on their own and away from any place the public might see them. But Boo didn't have long to dwell on that horrible though, for as Luthor spoke the head copper had approached Chibs who, despite the threat of a gun, wasn't getting to the ground like the others. The idiotic Scotsman was going to stir up trouble, Boo just knew it.
"Jesus Christ Filip; don't be an idiot." She muttered under her breath. Chibs, as Boo predicted, seemed bent on causing trouble for he slowly removed his sunglasses, revealing the way his face was marred by anger, loathing and a complete lack of respect for the authoritative figure in front of him. He drawled something at the officer, something no doubt that was highly insulting and crude, before spitting in the coppers face. Boo cried out in horror when he did that certain the repercussions would be bad. "Oh fuck!" she shrieked when the disgusted officer smashed Filip in the face with the butt of his gun, clearly using as much force as he could muster for Filip was taken right off his feet and toppled to the ground, grimacing in pain as he went down. At once SAMCRO and SAMBEL started attacking the cops but Boo wasn't about to sit around and wait to see who came out on top; Filip was hurt and after what he'd done, he was probably going to just be shot, something the cops could play on the violent tussle they were having with the Sons. She had to get to him, had to protect him somehow. She didn't know how but she'd figured that out when she got there!
"Jesus Christ, keep her in the fuckin' car!" Luthor cried frantically to Gemma as Boo unbuckled her seatbelt and grabbed the door handle, a grim look of determination about her face, her eyes on Filip. "She'll only make things worse." He added for if the girl got herself involved, the Sons would try and protect her, they'd get sloppy and lose control of the situation and then she'd probably get shot by the cops for sticking her nose in where it wasn't wanted. These men weren't good guys; they abused their power for the highest bidder and placed the blame for their misdeeds elsewhere. They'd probably blame the Sons for the girl's death; use it as an excuse to gun them all down. Thankfully, Gemma got a firm hold on Boo, preventing her from leaving the jeep. Boo stopped struggling against Gemma almost at once, knowing that Luthor was right and that she'd make things worse for the Sons if she got involved.
"Oh shit!" Gemma cried as she, Boo, Luthor and the others watched the brawl worsen. The Sons seemed to have the upper hand but the cops were heavily armed and all knew it wouldn't be long before the tables turned. Before long the head cop had had enough, he aimed his gun in the air and fired off a few shots in warning; the Sons, knowing they'd be shot if they didn't back down, stop brawling and put their hands in the air. Padraic and Juice helped Filip to his feet as the police started herding the guys from SAMCRO into the back of their van, violently shoving them towards it before cuffing each of them in turn. Boo couldn't help but notice that, despite the fact that SAMBEL had been involved in the brawl, they weren't cuffed with the others. Sure, they hadn't jumped across the pond while out on bail, but neither had Chibs and Opie and they, like the rest of SAMCRO, were being bundled into the back of the police van. Some members of SAMBEL it seemed, were in Jimmy O's pocket. Boo doubted that they all were, but was certain a few of them must be. "Where they gonna take them?" Gemma asked frantically, eyes wide and focussed firmly on SAMCRO as they disappeared into the police van.
"Jesus after that ruckus these assholes will probably just shoot 'em and dump 'em; blame it on the life." Luthor drawled dejectedly eyes narrowed, scowl on his lips. Something really wasn't adding up; where had the police got the Intel on the Redwood Originals from and how had they gotten it so fast? Boo and Gemma looked at one another at that, both pale with horror, shaking with the shock of Luthor's words. Something needed to be done to stop the police getting away with their men and they both knew it. Gemma mumbled wordlessly to herself for a few seconds as she tried to think of what to do while Boo massaged her aching temple and did much the same; time was running short however as the club were all in van, which was down driving down the road and towards the van in which Gemma, Boo and the others sat.
"Step on the gas!" Gemma ordered, pushing her sunglasses onto her face as she took ahold of the dashboard and held on tight. These coppers might not mind taking a bunch of men out into the wilderness and shooting them just to fill their pockets but they probably would mind being hospitalised or even killed by a head on collision. If Luthor drove at the van, they'd no doubt turn off the road and end up stuck in one of the ditches that ran alongside it. Luthor gawped at Gemma like she was crazy but didn't do as she'd asked; they'd all end up dead if they drove at that van, and what good would that do anyone?
"You heard her; step on the fucking gas!" Boo barked, buckling herself in before bracing herself against the dash, like Gemma and turning to shoot a look of warning at the members of SAMBEL in the back of the jeep, a look that told them they'd better hold on. All of them got the message for they all looked terrified and all had braced themselves for the inevitable impact.
"Jesus I'm not gonna-" Luthor began, tone horrified and slightly angry. He didn't like being ordered around by two women he'd known less than an hour and being ordered to something so crazy and dangerous no less! Did those idiot broads want to get them all killed or something?
"You heard the ladies Luthor!" said O'Connor, another member of SAMBEL, as he gave Luthor a nudge. Gemma Teller's plan made perfect sense, these cops wouldn't risk they're lives to detain a bunch of Americans, even if they were getting paid handsomely for it. Luthor just needed to grow a fucking pair and drive at the van before it was too late.
"I ain't gonna broadside no police –" Luthor began, eyes wide and frantic as he looked between Gemma, O'Connor and the police van that was barrelling towards them. Before he could finished speaking however, Gemma shoved him aside and clambered into his seat. She pushed his hands off the wheel and slammed her foot down on his, on the gas, sending the jeep surging forward at high speed.
"Run them off the road!" Gemma yelled as the jeep headed forward, right in the path of the police van. Boo and the SAMBEL members in the back of the jeep held on tight, prepared themselves for the collision with the police van.
"Jesus, mother of God! Are you bloody women out of your fucking minds?" Luthor barked in fear as he clung to his seat for dear life, convinced his life was soon about to end. Ol' Ladies, fuck, they really weren't worth the fucking trouble they caused!
"No, but we've got more balls than you!" Boo spat angrily, voice shaking, fingers white where they gripped desperately at the dashboard. As much as she liked Luthor she couldn't help but be maddened by his inability to do something to help SAMCRO. This was just yet more proof to Boo that some of SAMBEL – Luthor included – were in Jimmy O's pocket. Luthor should be willing to risk anything and everything for the lives of his brothers and yet he'd not done one thing that would save SAMCRO from whatever hideous fate was waiting for them after the police took them away to god knows where.
"Holy shit!" Luthor cursed, screaming out the words as thy came within inches of hitting the police van. Both Gemma and the driver of the van swerved in the nick of time, avoiding a dangerous and potentially fatal collision. Gemma managed to halt the jeep just in front of the line of bikes that was still sitting in the road while the police van drove straight into a large rock with ear-shattering smash, sending both the cops in front flying forward into the windshield, knocking them unconscious. SAMBEL had the van surrounded before it'd even stopped moving, all members had their guns pointed at the cops. The ones out of the van fled at once, leaping into their car and driving off as the Sons in the back of the jeep started jumping out, weapons drawn, fists clenched in preparation for a fight.
"Take it and come on!" Gemma said as she shoved a gun in Boo's hand, knowing that she'd not bothered to bring one of her own. Boo took it with a nod and a firm understanding of what to do, glad that Gemma had enough good sense to always carry around a spare gun (or three) in her purse at all times. She and Gemma cambered out of the jeep and aimed their weapons at the police van, at the weary, bloodied officers. Luthor surprised Boo by jumping out of the jeep and firing without hesitation at the officers that were fleeing. She wondered if maybe, he wasn't in Jimmy's pocket after all and simply just a bit of a coward.
Amidst the chaotic ruckus that followed, Boo noticed that Padraic was searching for the keys to the guys' cuffs in the pockets of the police who'd been unfortunate enough to be in the front of the van as it had crashed. While the officers were pretty much out of it, bleeding from the head and barely able to move, they still could prove a threat so Boo pointed her gun at them as Padraic got ahold of the keys.
"Get them?" she asked Padraic as he moved away. The Irishman grinned and nodded his head, waved the keys at her. He was startled to see that Boo had backed him up, that she had a gun in her hand and was pointing it at the cops in the van as calmly as if such a thing was an everyday occurrence to her. Most SAMBEL Ol' Ladies would have run for the hills at the first sign of trouble. Padraic could see what had attracted his uncle to her now; she was a plucky young thing, sweet and beautiful to boot. His uncle was a lucky man indeed.
"Aye I've got 'em, thanks for havin' me back love." Padraic drawled a cocky smirk on his lips and a glittering in his warm brown eyes that reminded Boo of Filip. Boo couldn't help but chuckle a little when she realised that Padraic was flirting with her! The boy obviously had a similar taste in woman as his uncle and Boo was willing to bet that he was a bit of a heartbreaker at the SAMBEL clubhouse. He had his uncle's charm and was a good looking lad; he probably had croweaters falling at his feet, desperate to get into bed with him, desperate to become his Ol' Lady. "Come on." Padraic said to Boo as he headed towards the back of the police van where the rest of SAMBEL were helping those in back get out. Filip was one of the first out and as soon as he appeared, Boo stuck Gemma's gun down the front of her jeans and placed her hands on his elbow, helped him down from the back of the van.
"You okay?" she asked as Chibs jumped down to the ground, grunting in pain as he did so. There was a vibrant red mark on the side of his face where the cop had hit him with his gun, but other than that he seemed fine.
"Aye darlin'." Chibs said with weary smile and a nod of his head. He wanted to embrace his girl but his wrists were still bound, so he looked for his nephew who seemed to have the keys. When Padraic spotted him, he jogged over, cuff keys in hands. "Get these cuffs off me lad." Chibs drawled s he turned so that his back and bound hands faced Padraic. His nephew laughed but nodded and unlocked his handcuffs. The Scotsman sighed in relief and rubbed the reddened skin on his wrists; the damn cops had put the cuffs on far too tightly! "God that's better." He groaned, nodding his head in thanks at his nephew before Padraic went off to realise the others from the confines of their handcuffs. "Come here lass." Chibs said as he turned back to Boo, holding his arms open for his wife who although appeared calm on the surface, was clearly as shaken by what had just happened as everyone else was. Boo fell into his arms at once, wrapped her arms around Chibs' waist and buried her face in the crook of his neck as Chibs enveloped her in his arms. She was trembling ever so slightly and taking deep and very controlled breathes as she battled to keep herself together. "It's alright; we're all okay." He assured her as he rubbed her back and pressed a kiss into her curls. Of course now they were all okay, they'd avoided this danger and come out of it whole but who knew what lay ahead? Jimmy O obviously knew they were in Ireland and that was a dangerous thing indeed for the Sons of Anarchy. Who knows what he had planned for them, what lengths he'd go to in order to take them out.
"Holy shit; what the hell was that?" Jax drawled as he looked between his Irish brothers after having his wrists released. Most of the SAMBEL lads chuckled at that, while Padraic placed a hand on Jax's shoulder with a wily grin.
"Welcome to Ireland." He chuckled, obviously tickled by the joke and far less threatened and unnerved by what had just happened than his SAMCRO counterparts. The Redwood Originals looked at one another uncertainly, trying their best to smile along with the others. It was obvious however, that they were all angry and suspicious about what had just happened, anxious to talk about it so they could determine what was going on.
"Don't you mean welcome to hell?" Boo spat bitterly under her breathe. She was still shaking softly and suddenly felt incredibly uneasy around SAMBEL. She wondered which of them were in Jimmy's pocket and which of them had just been victims in what'd happened, same as SAMCRO. Chibs looked down at her quizzically so Boo took his hand and walked him a short distance away from the others. She didn't want anyone in SAMBEL to overhear what she was about to ask and she was willing to bet Chibs didn't either. "Jimmy knows we're here doesn't he?" she asked in a hurried whisper, looking from side to side as she spoke for fear that one of the Irish Sons could be listening in. Chibs scowled and nodded his head at that, which filled Boo with a horrid sense of dread.
"Aye darlin', I think so." Chibs confirmed, his voice oozing certainty. The fact that many of the coopers had fled proved they'd been paid to detain SAMCRO – if they were detaining them legally, they wouldn't have fled at all, but shit had gone south and they didn't want to get caught out doing dirty deeds for the highest bidder – and there was only one man in Ireland who'd pay the high asking price of the Irish police to detain, and possibly kill, such a large group of armed and dangerous men. Jimmy O'Phelan. The Scotsman pulled Boo back into his arms then, after seeing how upset she'd become by his confirmation that Jimmy knew they were in Ireland. He felt how intensely she was shaking and knew she was both threatened and worried by Jimmy O. He wouldn't let her be though, wouldn't let Jimmy scare her so. He and the rest of SAMCRO were going to take care of the Irish prick before he did anything else so his girl had no reason to worry. "Don't fret so Boo; we'll handle that fuckin' O'Phelan bastard, I promise yeh." Chibs muttered in Boo's ear as he held her close and tight. "I won't let him lay a finger on you Hen; I'd rather die before I let him touch you." He assured her before looking down at her and cupping her cheek in his hand; he kissed her tenderly, slowly, massaged her lips with his own at a lazy pace, pressing his lips against hers and pulling them away again sporadically until he felt her trembling stop. He kissed her one last time, quick and chaste and caressed her cheek with the back of his knuckles, a smile on his lips, eyes staring right into hers.
"I know." Boo nodded before taking Chibs hand and kissing it. Before she could say anymore, Liam O'Neill wandered towards them, he was looking at them curiously and seemed to be paying close attention to what they were saying. Chibs smiled at him before kissing Boo's lips again, making Boo aware that it was time to change the subject lest Liam overhear. "So; young Padraic was flirting with me back there; just a little." Boo said, chuckling as she took Chibs hand in hers once again and allowed him to walk her back to the jeep, where Gemma, Luthor and the others were already stood waiting to get on their way. "It was cute." She added for the whole thing had been totally endearing. Boo felt like a teacher, receiving an apple from a schoolboy with a crush.
"Was he now?" Chibs asked, chuckling despite the fact his scamp of a nephew had been flirting with his wife. He knew Padraic didn't mean anything by it, even as a young lad he'd playfully flirted with any and every woman, no matter who they were or who they belonged too; something that had gotten him in a fair bit of trouble over the years. Old habits it seemed, died hard! Padraic would flirt with every woman he came across until the day he died, Chibs was sure of it. Boo nodded her head at that, making Chibs roar with laughter. "The wee bastard!" he said as he wiped tears of mirth from his eyes. "I'll have teh get him back fer that." He drawled with a mischievous smirk. Chibs was determined to get his young nephew back for flirting with his wife before he returned to Charming, one way or another. He'd find some way to embarrass the lad in front of some croweaters maybe, or he'd do what his brothers had once done to Juice; make him pass out and leave him in Belfast city centre wearing nothing but a diaper, that'd certainly teach the little shite for flirting with his wife.
SAMCRO
While the others were inside talking with their Irish brothers, Juice and Boo sat outside the SAMBEL clubhouse talking, both wrapped up against the cold afternoon air. Juice was meant to be keeping an eye out for trouble as SAMCRO had become very untrustworthy of some of their Irish brothers since their arrival in Ireland. Someone had clearly tipped off Jimmy and let him know they were coming. The cops that had tried to arrest them may not have given names but Chibs recognised Jimmy's handiwork anywhere and he'd let it be known to Clay, and indeed all of SAMCRO, that he felt certain that Jimmy had been behind the incident. Clay readily agreed and so now the Redwood Original's were dealing with the fact that Jimmy knew they were in Ireland and what they could mean for them. The very real threat that Jimmy posed to the club, to her, was exactly what Boo had feared before they'd left for Ireland. She had a feeling the club wouldn't come away whole and hated to think who they'd lose in the war against Jimmy O and the few IRA buddies he had left, some of whom were clearly members of SAMBEL. A war was being waged in Ireland, between the Sons, Jimmy and the IRA and SAMCRO were caught right in the middle of it all. Wars cost lives; people were going to die before they returned to Charming. Boo could only hope and pray that neither she nor Chibs lost their lives in Ireland. She'd be saddened to lose any member of the club, but she was selfish and in love and when it came down to it, she only cared if she and Filip survived.
"What the hells this?" Juice whispered worriedly as a dark car and a black van started driving down the road that lead to the SAMBEL clubhouse. Both were clearly heading straight for the clubhouse and to Juice and Boo, there was something suspicious about both vehicles. Worried that it might be Jimmy O or some of his cronies, Juice leapt to his feet and started heading towards the clubhouse. "I'm getting the others." He called as he dashed inside, looking over his shoulder at the car and van a final time before he disappeared.
"Don't get distracted by Trinity Ashby Juicy!" Boo called after him, giggling despite how uneasy she felt at the sight of the black van. Juice had been telling Boo about how cute he thought Trinity Ashby was. He was clearly quite smitten with the girl but despite all off Boo's encouragement and insistence that she thought they'd look good together, Juice had decided not to make a move on the girl. He claimed it was because she was too young but Boo wasn't stupid; it was because Trinity only had eyes for Jax and Jax, despite having an Ol' Lady in Tara, had eyes for her right back. Juice didn't want to stand in his VP's way, even if he was more deserving of the girl at stake.
Soon the entirety of SAMCRO and SAMBEL came pouring out of the clubhouse and onto the lot. For a few moments they stared at the car and van uncertainly, nervously, looking between one another as if to find the answer to the presence of the vehicles on someone else's face; many even pulled out their guns. Both vehicles soon pulled to a stop and the sharply dressed men in the car got out and headed towards the van without bothering to acknowledge the gathered Sons at all. As soon as they opened the back of the van, it became more than clear to everyone – including Chibs and Boo – who was hiding back there. Fiona appeared first, looking dishevelled and anxious. She was soon followed by a teenaged girl that Boo knew had to be Kerrianne – even from a distance, she could see the girl had her father's eyes. Kerrianne was holding her mothers hand tight, she looked utterly terrified and like she'd rather be elsewhere but once she caught sight of her father, she didn't look away and a hint of a smile appeared deep in her eyes.
"God, it's my girls!" Chibs gasped, his words anxious, timid and excited all at once. His eyes were wide and warm, sparkling with joy, but the look on his face made it more than apparent that he couldn't quite believe that his little girl was before him. The Scotsman dashed past his brothers, past Boo, and towards his estranged wife and daughter, his mind on nothing but getting to them, on speaking to his daughter for the first time in eight years. Chibs didn't know what to do or say as he drew close to Kerrianne and Fiona, he didn't want to push the boundaries with his daughter and scare her away from him forever and nor did he want to give Fiona the impression he wanted her back, especially with Boo behind them, watching everything that was unfolding fretfully. At the same time, he wanted to hug his daughter and tell her that he loved her, that he'd missed her. He just wanted to jump right back in where he'd left off with her, wanted to just go back to being her da. He couldn't though, so he merely stopped a few feet from Kerrianne and Fiona and smiled, his eyes never once leaving his little girl. Chibs was pleased to see that his little girl couldn't help but look at him too and that behind the obvious fear that marred her pretty little face, she looked happy to see him. "Hi" Chibs said to Fiona, nodding his head at his estranged wife as she stepped forward to greet him. He gave her arm a tender squeeze but then he turned his attentions back to Kerrianne. His throat suddenly felt tight, sore, words clustered there and for a long moment, he was unable to say a thing. Eventually he managed to nod his head at Kerrianne, who ducked her head at the attention, blushed. "Hey; how're yeh doin'?" he asked, smile breaking onto his face, his heart pounding madly as he waited for Kerrianne to reply. He wished he'd been able to say something more than just 'Hey; how're yeh doin'?' for it sounded so casual, so impersonal, but he'd been unable to think of what else to say and after so much time away from his daughter, it was probably the only thing he could say.
"Hi…" Kerrianne whispered in reply, rushing the word out and sneaking a glace at her father as she spoke. Her father looked so different from the man she'd once known, he was heavier with a fair few more wrinkles and a dusting of grey hairs but one look into his eyes told the teen all she needed to know; that he was still her da, that he was still the man she'd loved and worshiped since she'd been a little girl. The scars on his cheeks were less obvious that the last – and only – time she'd seen them and were faded even more so by the facial hair that peppered his cheeks. Kerrianne was thankful for that, she didn't like those scars, didn't like to see them. They were a reminded of the horrible things that had happened to her father, the awful years she'd spent calling Jimmy O 'da' and of the fact that her father had been snatched away from her for so very long. Those years had left a distance between Kerrianne and her father, whom she'd once been so very close too, and the teen felt that distance now. She hated it, was too scared to push past it and just embrace her father despite how much she wanted to. Too much time had past, she didn't know the man in front of her any longer; he was her much loved father and a complete stranger all at once. Before Kerrianne could say another word, her father took a tentative step towards her.
"Jesus look at yeh." Chibs gasped as he moved closer to Kerrianne, smile widening and heart warming when she looked up at him again and managed to smile, if only for a moment. Chibs wanted to cry for joy in that moment, he could feel the distance between them closing already, but instead he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around his daughter, giving her a loose and nervous hug. He wanted to pull her close, to hold her like he had when she was young, but he knew it was far too soon to do that. Kerrianne was soft and warm in his arms, shaking nervously and when she didn't hug him back straight away, the Scotsman feared he'd gone too far in hugging her and decided to pull away. But then finally, cautiously, Kerrianne hugged him back. Her arms remained loose at first but then they tightened slightly as the familiar and comforting feeling of her fathers arms washed over her; Kerrianne felt, for a moment, like she was five years old again and like her father had never been taken from her. She smiled as he too, tightened his hold on her then kissed her cheek, a happy little sob escaping his lips as he did so.
Neither father nor daughter noticed when Fiona wrapped her arms around them both, they were too lost in one another, but Boo did. Until that moment she'd watched Chibs and Kerrianne reunite with delight, smile on her face, and tears of joy in her eyes. She was so glad to see her man reunite with his daughter, something he'd wanted since before they'd even met, and was utterly overjoyed for him. But at the same time she was dismayed and heartbroken for with Kerrianne, came Fiona and the Irishwoman was now embracing Chibs and Kerrianne, her family, like nothing at all had past between her and Chibs, like they were still the much in love couple they'd once been. Boo didn't want to stick around and watch as Filip included his estranged wife in his hug with Kerrianne, didn't want to stand there helpless as he kissed her too, first her cheek and then her lips as he realised that back in Ireland was his wife and daughter was where he wanted to be. As the tears in her eyes turned to ones of sorrow, Boo turned on her heel, determined to return to the room she and Chibs were sharing and drink herself into oblivion with the bottle of whiskey Chibs had brought from Maureen Ashby. Before she could take so much as a step however, Juice grabbed her arm.
"Boo wait!" Juice said, tightening his grip on the authors arm when she tried to break away. He could understand why she was upset but could she not see that Chibs had barely thrown his estranged wife more than just a look? He was entirely focussed on his daughter and it was like Fiona was invisible to him, not even there. Juice knew that once Chibs had gotten over the shock and joy of seeing his little girl again, he'd drag her over to meet Boo. Since the club had discovered Abel was in Ireland and decided to fly out there, the Scotsman had talked of little more than of seeing his daughter