Darlin, I fall to pieces when I'm with you: an SOA fanfiction

Chapter Eight -

The shift felt like it dragged on forever, it was Thursday before payday, the diner was almost empty. Cleaning the counter to keep herself busy Lana couldn't help but think about how she'd have to explain the crappy trailer park, why she couldn't drive, her mom... shit her mom, what if she was home? Maybe she could text Filip and make up an excuse, like Patty was dropping her home? He wouldn't buy that, maybe lie and get him to drop her somewhere else? Knowing her luck he'd wanna wait for her to get through the door safely, she didn't know anyone else in town.
"You sure you know what you're doing Bambi?" Asked Patty as she poured coffee for the regular at the counter, pulling Lana from her worries. "Uh yeah, spray the counter, wipe the counter?" She responded confused.
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph" Patty muttered, "I meant with the biker"
"Filip? He's sweet Patty, he looks tough but he's a softie" Lana responded, thinking about how he defended her, how concerned he was for her safety, his question about her nails, his moments of pure, unfiltered honesty.
"Sweet? Doll, I watched him headbutt a guy and knock him to the floor" Patty said dryly, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm not some naive kid, I know what he did, the guy was a douchebag he deserved it" Lana retorted defensively, she wouldn't let Patty make Filip out to be a monster. "Uh huh" Patty seemed to be biting her tongue, her face softened slightly as she looked Lana in the eye "listen, I'm only asking because I care, they're dangerous those guys, the sons, I just want you to be careful" Lana was taken aback by Patty's concern, she hadn't seen this side of Patty before. But it was misplaced fear, Filip would never hurt her and just because there was some rumours about the Sons of Anarchy, didn't mean they were true. "Thanks Patty" Lana smiled warmly, her customer service skills coming in handy.

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Chiba pulled into the lot at TM and parked up his bike, he pulled his sunglasses off and tucked them into his pocket and made his way over to the clubhouse. Once inside he found Tig, Bobby, Opie, Juice and the prospect hanging out at the bar, he took a seat next to Bobby "sack, beer" he ordered. While the prospect began sourcing Chibs a drink Bobby piped up inquisitively "where have you been brother?" He wasn't ready to mix his club life and Lana together, this life wasn't right for her, he couldn't get her involved, the less she knew the safer she was. "Why, ya missed me Elvis?" He joked as he accepted the beer from the prospect and took a swig. "Just curious, you've been disappearing off, should we be worried?" Bobby queried, studying Chibs' face, looking for signs of deceit. "Well I went to get some more cigarettes, got a burger, took a shite, went to ma apartment, opened some mail and now I'm back here wi you lot, ye should definitely be worried, I'm boring as shit" he spoke, looking Bobby in the eye. "That's so sad man, you gotta get a life" spoke Halfsack, engaging in the conversation to which he wasn't invited. The sons all turned to look at him, and then towards Chibs waiting to see how his anger would emerge like usual. "Aye, maybe I'll start working behind the bar, as we don't have a prospect anymore" he smirked over at half-sack. "Wait nah man I was just playing, you're seriously cool" said half-sack, clearly concerned for his place in the sons. "You hear that Chibs, he's totally into you" joked Tig. "Who isn't?" Chibs laughed along, taking another swig of his beer. "That waitress sure was, you called her yet? I wouldn't leave her waiting, she's a serious 10, and not just cuz she's a fellow east-coaster" joined in Juice.
"What waitress?" Bobby asked. Chibs held his nerve, not wanting Lana involved in their dumb chatter, "Tig and Juicey were having me on" he laughed, avoiding Bobby's eye. "Bro, I don't wanna admit it but she wasn't interested in me, or juice, or as a matter of fact anyone else in that diner, just you, we weren't messing with you" Tig spoke, a level of seriousness in his voice, "but hell if you're not interested, I'll go shoot my shot" The thought of Tig getting anywhere near her made his blood boil, he slammed his fist down on the bar before he'd even realised what he was doing "like hell ya will, leave Lana alone ya hear me?" The words fell out of his mouth before he could stop them, his feelings for her evident in every word. An awkward silence hung in the air until Bobby spoke "well I guess that answers where you've been disappearing of to, and why you've not touched a croweater in days" well fuck, there's no denying it now, his stupid anger had fucked him again. "I don't wanna talk abou it" he said dryly. Bobby raised his hands in a defensive style "I get it, we won't press you for the dirty details, yet" he laughed.

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Finally 6pm rolled around, Lana had cleaned and re-cleaned the empty tables more times than she cared to count. Trying anything to stop her panicking about how the ride home would unfold. "Bambi, it's gone six and we're dead, you can clock out" Patty said as she approached Lana, pulling the dishcloth and spray from her hands. "Oh okay thanks" she responded and headed out the back to get cleaned up. She took off her uniform and apron and replaced it with her usual clothes, this morning she'd opted for a baby pink velour juicy shorts, a lilac cropped tshirt and a matching juicy velour cropped hoody. Suddenly incredibly self-conscious of her outfit choice, she hadn't wanted Filip to see her in this, this was just comfy to wear for the walk to work. Cursing herself she pulled out the hairband and ribbon keeping her hair in place and shook loose her curls, she topped up her lipgloss and grabbed her backpack, heading back out to the diner.
As she entered through the kitchen doors she spotted Filip, sitting outside on the picnic bench, smoking a cigarette, waiting for her. "Bye Patty, see ya tomorrow" Lana called as she headed towards the door. "Be careful, Bambi" she responded.

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Taking another drag on his cigarette Chibs contemplated the days events, he hadn't anticipated getting in a fight to defend Lana and confessing his dating life to his brothers when he woke up that morning but life had a funny way of doing that, always catching him off guard.
He heard the bell of the diner door ring and got up to turn towards it, speaking of catching him off guard he wasn't expecting Lana to be dressed like that. Her long legs even longer in those shorts, the cropped tshirt showing off her tiny figure, the baby pink making her even more adorable, her long hair flowing behind her in the gentle breeze. 'fuck' he thought 'why the hell is she interested in me?'
"Hey" she called as she approached, he opened his arms to embrace her, slipping his arms into his favourite position, around her tiny waist, she initiated the kiss this time, her soft lips, slightly sticky with lipgloss, she tasted of cherries and bubblegum. "What the hell d'ya think ya doing, dressin like that" he growled playfully. "Uh don't, if I knew you were gonna see me like this I would've picked something nicer" she complained. "You're mad" he laughed, there's no way she didn't realise how fucking good she looked in that outfit. "No seriously, I swear I dress better than this okay" she looked up at him, embarrassment in her eyes. "Lana, ya look fuckin good, real fuckin good" He had really tried to reassure her but he couldn't find the words. "C'mon let's get ye home" he said as he kissed her forehead.

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Great, he definitely hates the outfit. Note to self Lana, never wear this again. She allowed Filip to guide her over to the parking lot, suddenly realising that giving her a ride meant on his bike, a rush of excitement and panic swept over her. "Ye ready for me ta pop your cherry?" He winked at her as he handed her a spare helmet. "You're baaaaaaad, Filip" she giggled as she placed the helmet on her head, "how do I look?" She asked him, "like a badass biker I don't wanna mess with" he teased as he climbed on the bike. Taking a subtle deep breath she climbed on the back and wrapped her arms around him. "Ya all good back there?" He asked, "uh huh" was all she good managed to get before he roared the engine of the Harley, making her jump and cling onto him which made him laugh. "Right ye gotta tell me where I'm goin, I hope yer good with directions" he spoke loudly over the roar of the bike. "Head towards town, then keep going until you hit the garage out on 19th, it's not far from there" she spoke, trying to prolong having to explain she lived in the trailer park. "Yes ma'm" he teased as he set off.