The Scottish Thistle and The English Rose by HaylsValo

Chapter 38:Revel In The Moments

As the clubhouse came into view, Chibs turned to his Ol' Lady – who was asleep and leaning against his shoulder – and pressed his lips to her forehead, took her hand and gave it a little shake.

"Boo?" he muttered softly in her ear. Boo gave a soft, sleepy moan and turned away from Chibs, swiped at his face like he was a noisy bug that was flying around her head and keeping her awake. Chibs chuckled at that and shook her hand again, moved his lips close to her ear once more. "Wake up lovely." He drawled, a little louder than before, sterner. Boo groaned again but this time she opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him. Her blue eyes were dull and heavy with sleep and she looked a little confused, like she wasn't quite sure where she was. Chibs chuckled again and gave her a tender, brief kiss. "We're almost home." He explained when he pulled away, nodding his head out the club van window as he spoke, through which the Teller-Morrow compound could be seen. Boo groaned and sat herself up, stretched her stiff and aching limps, rubbed her sore eyes.

"Already?" she asked, barely stifling a yawn. It felt like no time at all had passed since they'd gotten on Oswald's plane in Manchester, England – where Boo and Chibs had said a long, loving and rather tearful goodbye to Kerrianne, who'd accompanied them, along with Luthor, to the airstrip they'd left from – and Boo couldn't even recall it landing in Charming, nor could she recall getting off the plane and into the club van. "Why aren't we on the plane?" she asked Chibs wearily as she tried to recall if she had gotten off the plane and just not realized it because she was so tired – her sleepless night's in Ireland had caught up with once they'd gotten on Oswald's plane and she'd practically passed out an hour after it had taken off, she just hadn't been able to keep her eyes open despite Chibs' best efforts to keep her awake and amused.

"I carried yeh off it." Chibs explained with a tender smile. "Didn't want teh wake yeh; yeh looked so peaceful and contented asleep." He added with a soft chuckle. Boo had spent most of the flight home curled up at his side, her head on his shoulder, both hands clutching at one of his, fast asleep and muttering incoherently to herself. She'd looked so fucking adorable with her sleep-tousled falling about her face and a soft, little smile on her lips that grew and shrank occasionally in reaction to whatever she was dreaming about that Chibs hadn't wanted to wake her, so he'd gently eased her into his arms once the plane had landed and carried her to the club van. She'd not woken up once, not even when Opie had slammed the driver's door on his hand by mistake and cursed loudly as he shook his aching hand.

"Chibs, can I ask you something?" Boo asked a moment later, just as they were pulling into the lot. Chibs nodded head and Boo went to ask her question, however she seemed to have trouble getting her words out for she stopped and started a few times, barely making more that a 'Hmm' or 'ah' sound each time. Chibs arched an eyebrow and gave her a curious look; why was she struggling to ask him a simple question? What could she possibly be trying to ask him that had her so fearing for his reaction that she couldn't get her words out? Didn't she know that she could ask him anything? "Did you… I mean you said you were going to but you haven't yet mentioned…" Boo finally rambled, her words hurried and running into one another, her cheeks pink. "Did you ask Fiona about divorce?" she asked eventually, averting her eyes from Chibs as she spoke. The Scotsman had promised her that he'd ask his estranged wife about divorce once again while they were in Ireland and she likewise had promised not to bring the matter up until they were home. Boo had been driven insane by the uncertainty, but the not knowing. She had no idea if Chibs had even asked Fiona for a divorce and if he had, she had no idea how Fiona would have responded to his request; even if she and the older woman had managed to part ways on the best terms they possibly could, considering the circumstances.

Chibs sighed heavily at that, nodded his head. He'd been both expecting and dreading the moment that Boo brought up the subject of divorcing Fiona because he couldn't give her the answer she wanted to hear.