lauren // tig trager

72. House plant

Chibs was up early, early to leave and earlier to just be awake for his last hour with her before his trip. It was best she was asleep, she couldn't be upset with him if she was. He kissed her forehead softly as the time came for him to leave the house.

"I love you, Filip" she whispered to him, eyes still closed.

"I love you too, darlin', always and forever" he said back to her.

"Be safe, come home to me" she reminded him as if he didn't know.

"Will do" he smiled, though she couldn't see it and left.

Tig and Lauren were up together, she made sure to be up for his departure. She made them coffee to keep him up for his ride. Gemma trained her well on how to care for her old man. Tig was Sargent at Arms now, next was VP and then president. Then it'd be her job to fill Gemma's shoes. She knew that they'd ride all morning and into the night to arrive in Arizona and coffee helped Tig. They had an argument last night, but it was nothing a little sex couldn't fix.

"I'm sorry about last night" she said to him as he was getting dressed.

"It's no ones fault, doll," he shook his head "if it didn't pass, Clay would do it anyways. It's safer if the club at least agreed"

"This can't follow us back, it can't blow back on us and our safety"

"It won't" he shook his head again, brows furrowed as he turned to her.

"I have a few houses to look at while you're away. I'll send you pictures and then when you get back we should choose one sooner than later"

"Of course, that's sound good, really," he nodded and kissed her "you gonna walk me out?"

"Yeah" Lauren nodded and jumped out of bed.

She walked behind him in his SAMCRO shirt and boy shorts on. Chibs, Jax, Bobby, Clay and Gemma were all outside and on their bikes or saying goodbyes.

"There's the lovely couple!" Chibs shouted as they walked out.

"Speaking of lovely couples, where's your lover, Chibby?" Tig teased as he got on his bike.

"At home, sleepin'. It's best she stays tha' way" he replied.

"Is she alright?" Lauren asked.

"Fine, just a little argument" Chibs shook his head, denying any big issues.

"Be safe, Trager and um, I'll text you pictures of the house and I'll call to check in every night. I'll see you in a few days" she smiled and kissed him hard, hands on either side of his face.

"That's hot!" Chibs exclaimed with a chuckle.

"Fuck off" Lauren said back to him as she backed away from his bike, near Gemma and they watched as they left.

"I'm gonna go see Tara today, go to the flower shop. Chucky is gonna come with. Piney can watch the shop if you want to check on Brea, look at your houses or anything else important"

"I actually fobhave some houses to look at today, for Tig and I" Lauren said, dazing off and imagining what it'd be like to actually have a house with Tig.

"Big steps, big steps you two" she nodded with a smile.

"Well, he's not one to take it slow" Lauren laughed as she started to walk to her car.

"I guess you're right" Gemma nodded slightly as Lauren got into her car.
*****
Lauren pulled up into Brea's driveway and made her way to the porch. She rang the doorbell and waited quietly. She heard Brea mumble something along the lines of "I'm coming". When she opened the door, Lauren was greeted with a very cozy Brea. Clad in sweats and a SAMCRO shirt, Lauren smiled.

"Morning" Lauren smiled.

Brea shuffled to the side so Lauren could walk in, going to sit at her kitchen table. Brea closed the door and stood against the counter with a mug of coffee.

"You see Tig off today?" Brea asked.

"Yeah, that's why I came" she nodded "and I have a house showing also"

"So, why'd you come?" Brea asked, not knowing why still.

"You didn't come to see Chibs off, I asked him where you were and he said 'you were asleep and it's better that way'" she spoke, leaning forward to hear the answer.

Brea scoffed up a laugh and ran a hand through her bait, eyes rolling to the back of her head.

"You know what he fuckin said? He brought up the drug shit, alright I was mad but then, then he says there's positives. He said we could save up to start a family! A family? I don't even have a crow, a ring or anything" her heated demeanor fell to sad, realizing the lack of commitment Chibs has shown her "you've got both, lookin at houses"

"I think he's scared, after Fio-"

"I'm not Fiona! I'm not third generation IRA, I'm not Irish and we're not in Ireland. There's no Jimmy O!"

"You can't blame him for how he feels. You may not get it but I do"

"You havin late night talks with Filip?" Brea snipped, raising a brow as she sat down.

"Don't do this, calm down. Talk to him if you're so worried" she tried to calm her down.

"I tried" she raised her voice again.

"Or did you yell at him?" Lauren tested her, she was in dangerous waters and she knew it "then go to bed afterwards? Lay down and give up?"

"He changed the subject, told me about Arizona"

"Since when did you let a man push you around like this?"

It fell quiet, tensions were high and both on edge.

"Oh yeah, Kasper beat you pretty good for a while last year" Lauren spit venom, hardly thinking about the impact of her words.

Brea was taken aback and swallowed hard. Thinking back on that time. She even thought about the dog, she should get him from Gemma's. She took a deep breath as she closed to eyes so she wouldn't loose her cool.

"You can see yourself out, I can't do this today. Look at your fuckin houses for you and your husband. I'll drop off a house plant at the house warming party" Brea told her and left to her room.

Lauren walked out without a second thought about what she had said.