Karla laid beside an unconscious Olin on top of the pool table. Not wanting to let go of Chief's hand, Johanna was thankful when he rushed to his son's side taking her with him.

Johanna reached out to Karla with her free hand. "Are you okay?"

"I will be once my son wakes up." Karla raised her head and looked at the flow of blood traveling through the tube from her arm to Olin. "I have the same blood type."

"He will get better. Olin is strong and stubborn." Johanna smoothed the hair from Karla's forehead. She hated calling with the news of the emergency and felt responsible for Nene terrorizing them. If she hadn't of called, she could've saved Karla from being frightened even more with Nene going off the deep end. "I'm so sorry about—"

"You couldn't have known." Karla closed her eyes an extra beat. "I can't even make sense of what happened."

"I know," she whispered.

The situation exploded with Olin coming back injured and hadn't ended yet. Skidd remained missing. Threats against Brikken remained out there. Chief was still in danger.

"Chief?" Karla lifted her gaze off Johanna and looked at Chief. "Who hurt our son?"

Chief's mouth tightened. Johanna squeezed his hand. A mother deserved to know what was going on with her son.

"Skidd," said Chief.

Karla's chin trembled but her gaze intensified. "Kill him," she whispered harshly.

Chief dipped his chin. Nausea closed Johanna's throat, and dizziness hit her. She turned her face into Chief's upper arm and closed her eyes.

"Bug?"

She couldn't swallow. "Chief?"

"Bug." He shook her body.

She lifted her head and blinked trying to keep her eyes open. "I don't feel good."

"Doc!" said Chief.

Her body floated, and her head landed. A familiar brush against her skin calmed her. Chief held her. His beard covered her.

"God damnit, bug. Stay with me." Chief manhandled her. "Doc, help her. She popped a couple pills."

"What kind?"

"How the fuck do I know? Her eyes are rolling back. Johanna, look at me. Come on, bug. Open your eyes."

She reached out and grabbed on to his beard. "I'm here. Just tired..."

"Watch out. Let me through."

"Do something now."

All the voices soothed her. Softness and comfort. Olin would be all right. Why couldn't they hear her?

"Open her mouth," said a male voice. "Swallow, Johanna."

Sweetness coated her tongue. She swallowed.

"Sit her up on your lap. Someone get a glass of water. She'll need to drink."

Jostled, her chin fell to her chest. She moaned, wanting to lay back down. Where was Chief? She needed him. He promised not to leave.

"What could she have taken?" asked the man.

She had to take the pills to save Chief. Johanna tried to reach out, but her hands weren't working.

"I don't know. There were lots of different medicine. She only took one pill," said Chief. "How does this fucking happen?"

"Depends on what kind of medicine was ingested. Heart medicine, seizure medicine, there are lots out there that would harm a healthy person." The calm male voice continued. "Let's hope the Ipecac will help and not do more damage."

"Johanna, drink the water," said Chief.

Coldness touched her lips. She swallowed, and Chief's voice urged her to drink again. And, again.

She struggled to open her eyes and failed. Her hand made contact with him. "No more."

"That's it, bug." Chief's arm around her tightened, and he put the glass to her lips.

Unable to stop him, she swallowed as the liquid poured into her mouth. Her stomach rolled, and she blinked her eyes open.

"Someone get a bucket."

She turned her head to see who else was talking. It was Doc.

"What did you give me?" Her throat spasmed, and she panted.

Her stomach gurgled. Chief shifted her on his lap, wrapping his arm around her waist. A bucket appeared in front of her. Her chest fluttered, and she vomited. The violent eruption kept coming. Unable to catch her breath, she held her stomach, fearing her insides were coming undone.

She kept retching. Tears streamed out of eyes, unable to breathe for the vomit propelled out of her mouth.

"Jesus, she can't take anymore." Chief hauled her up to her feet and held her mobile.

A warm hand landed on her forehead. Her back pressed against the front of Chief, her body bowed into itself as she dry heaved, over and over.

Unable to support herself, she hung from Chief's arm. Unable to control her stomach, her nose, her mouth, she used every speck of concentration trying to breathe. Finally, able to inhale, her aching lungs gasped for more as her stomach cramped. She waved her hand in front of her. Even that little of movement exhausted her.

Her body ached.

She was humiliated.

"Get her a towel." Chief straightened his body, bringing her upright. "Is it over, Doc?"

"Time will tell." The older man appeared in front of her, pressing his hand to her forehead and tilting her head. "There you are. She's more aware. Her pupils look better. Keep her up. Someone fetch her a cup of strong coffee, cold or hot, it doesn't matter. The caffeine will make her feel better even if she can't hold it down long."

Doc picked up her hand, pressing his fingers to her wrist. "A little better pulse."

"God damnit, someone hurry with that coffee," shouted Chief.

Doc slipped his hand, holding the end of the stethoscope, into her shirt. She whined. All she wanted to do was lay down.

"Chief?" She patted his arm that continued holding her up. "Home."

"You can't go home, bug. Not yet," he said.

"No." She shook her head, dizziness striking her. "You're home. Don't leave me."

"Not going anywhere." He kissed the side of her head.

"Her heart sounds good, so I think we can rest that she didn't take any heart medicine," said Doc.

"Heart?" she mumbled.

"Beta blockers, Nitrates, Statins." Doc patted her arm.

She groaned. "I don't... want to throw... up anymore."

"The drug is still in your system." Doc patted her arm. "Whatever you took had a sedative effect. You're a slim woman. It wouldn't take much for you to feel the effects. The caffeine and even vomiting will make you more alert. In a couple hours, I suspect you'll be fine."

Doc moved away from her and back to Olin's side. She caught Karla's concerned gaze. Whatever words and attitude they'd exchanged because of her relationship with Chief were only their hurt feelings coming out in the open. Underneath the disappointment, she loved Karla.

Chano put a cup of warm coffee in her hand. She looked at the dark liquid and her stomach cramped. "I can't—"

"Sip it," said Chief. "Or, I'll fucking force you to drink it."

"Don't be mean," she mumbled, bringing the mug to her lips.

Despite the bitterness, the warm temperature of the coffee soothed her raw throat. She breathed through her nose, afraid she'd throw up again. Her stomach muscles ached and the tiredness plaguing her remained. She wanted to go home and crawl into bed and forget today even happened. That Olin was uninjured and riding his Harley. That Chief laid beside her, holding her. That Nene...

"Are you riding out, Chief?" asked Chano.

"No." The instant tension in her body buckled her knees. "Don't leave me. Don't leave Olin."

Chief caressed her hip. "I'm staying here with my family. Put more men on the road and get the motherfucker."

His family.

She sipped more coffee, wanting to recover for him. He had too much on his plate to worry about her.

"How's Olin?" she asked.

Karla sat up, having been unhooked from the blood transfusion. She turned her gaze to Johanna. "The color of his skin looks better."

She looked over her shoulder at Chief and whispered, "He's going to make it."

Chief intense gaze spoke volumes even though his mouth remained closed and tense. She reached up and stroked his beard, understanding his worry about his son. If anything happened to one of his boys, it'd destroy him. Then, it'd kill him because he'd go after anyone who dared lay a hand on his sons.

"Let's get you walking around." Chief guided her around the room, holding on to her. She couldn't meet the eyes of the others. Embarrassed to have the attention when Olin needed everyone's strength pulling him through.

After making a complete lap around the interior of the clubhouse, her thoughts became clearer. She no longer yawned, and her stomach cramps eased leaving behind sore muscles and emptiness.

Away from the others watching over Olin, she said, "I’m so sorry."

"What are you sorry about?" Chief stopped.

She stepped in front of him and wrapped her arms around him. "For taking you away from Olin's side. I'm okay now. You should go over there and be with him and Karla."

"You took who-knows-what-kind of pills, bug."

Her stomach rolled but not from the medicine Doc gave her. She never would willingly take his attention away from his son. Believing Chief would be killed if she didn't do what Nene demanded, she'd swallowed the pills trying to save his life. "I'm sor—"

"You took fucking pills," he repeated, lowering his head and his voice. "Nene is dead on the floor back there, and you took the same shit she had."

She flinched. "I only took them to save—"

"It's not your fucking job to save me." He straightened and his gaze intensified. "That's my job to save you, bug. If something had happened to you..."

The deep-set wrinkles on his face from age and hard living deepened. She raised her hands, stroking his cheeks. "Stop. Don't. I'm here. I love you. I'm going to be fine. Olin is going to be fine."

The pain etched on his face remained. He closed his eyes.

She'd never seen him vehemently declare his love to the level he lost control of his emotions.

She pressed her head to his chest. His heart pounded. She'd loved him forever, to a depth that kept her alive. It wasn't about dependency. He heartened her very existence. No one filled every need she had, ones she never knew existed until they were there, the way he loved her.

Chief opened his eyes, leaned forward, and kissed her forehead. "I love you, bug," he whispered.

"I love you, too. Always have."

Voices grew louder in the room. She slipped her hand into Chief's at the change of mood inside the clubhouse.

Chief turned to the others and said, "Quiet down."

Karla, positioned beside Olin, raised her head. Tears watered her eyes. "He's rousing."

No amount of caffeine could compare to the burst of energy she received over the news. She walked with Chief to the pool table.

Olin rolled his head moaning softly. Chief put his hand on his son's forehead. "Be still, son."

Johanna looked up at Karla, caught her gaze, and nodded her head. Olin would survive.