Staring out of the bar window, I watch as Mouse escorts Astrid to the car, he's holding Liam in a baby carrier and he helps her to place is securely in the car.

She is smiling softly at him. Jealousy courses through my veins, I grip my glass of whiskey tighter and tighter until I hear a crunch and the shatter of glass.

A few seconds later my father is by my side, he gently takes the shards of glass from my palm. Blood is running down my arm where the skin has broken. I'm still watching the car drive out of the gates. I hope she's safe.

"She'll be alright son." My dad reassures as he picks out some of the glass from my hand.

"I know pa... but he's still out there."

"You heard from your brother again."

I frown, I hadn't. It was odd given how desperate he seemed, maybe he just found who he was looking for.

"You need some antiseptic and a bandage on that." I stand to go to the medical room where doc works, but my father stops me and reaches for the bar first aid bag. "I'll do it. I can still take care of my boy now and again."

I smile at him and he mirrors my smile.

"So, she the one?" My pa casually asks as he dabs at the cuts with a gauze pad soaked in alcohol.

"Yeah she is pa. I can't imagine life without her. It just feels right when I'm with her."

"I'm glad son, you need a woman to love. And by Christ that girl needs someone like you."

I nod in agreement, I just hope I am worthy of her.

Hacker plonks himself next to me on the bar.

"Dude," he chuckles at my bandaged in palm, "you jealous of some shit?"

"No!" I deny way too fast, both my father and Hacker look at me with an irritatingly knowing look. "Fuck off." I grumble, feelings are a private thing to me- they'd shouldn't be talked about.

Plus I'm ridiculously jealous and it's an ugly emotion for anyone to have, let alone their leader.

"So Astrid's parents were dicks as well, seems the poor girl can't catch a break."

"What do you mean?"

"I asked her if she wanted me to contact her parents and she basically had a panic attack until we told her we wouldn't tell them. They took her sister's baby man. They'll take Liam as well."

"So she's staying?" I ask slyly, unable to contain the joy I'm feeling knowing that her choose to stay or not would be easier without her parents complicating anything.

"She seems to be at the moment." Hacker replies as he orders a drink from the prospect who's working the bar.

"You help her, I know that much." Hacker mumbles to me.

I whip my head round and look at him, cool it... calm down... it's probably just Hacker being a dick.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, she was whispering your name to herself when I bought up her parents. She wanted you with her man, so why weren't you?"

I shrug nonchalantly, not about to tell them my ma kicked me out. Hammer walks into the bar after his shift of watching the artillery room. He joins us and starts talking to my father.

Oh great, I wanted a quiet drink with my pa and now it's turning into a fucking carnival!

My phone buzzes and saves me from the conversations, I stand and walk through the sweaty fog of the bar towards the fresh air outside. Picking up the phone I see it is Mouse calling me, panic grips me and my heart seizes.

"What's wrong! What's happened!"

"Nothings happened man, I swear. It's just... Astrid is really scared to go into the hospital. I thought it might be a good idea for you to be here incase she needs you."

"But why would she need me?" I sneer bitterly, "she's got you hasn't she." I hate myself as soon as I say it, jealousy is an ugly emotion.

"Fuck off bror and get your head out of your ass. She's just not used to people being kind to her, that's why she reacts like that to me. But you... she looks for you constantly. So come down here before I drag you here myself."

Like I said, Mouse is fearlessly protective once he's taken a liken to someone. Astrid will forever have his protection.

"Fine." I hang up the phone and make my way over to my bike.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The ride to the hospital takes only a few minutes on my bike, I cut and weave through traffic.

Pulling up beside the club car, I see Liam playing with Mouse, to be completely honest both of them look equally joyous at the entire situation. But Viper is on the phone, his face stoney with severity.

"Pres!" He calls out, looking relieved at the sight of me. "Somethings happened, she needs you."

I'm already running.

"Floor 16!" He hollers after me. Sprinting through the corridors I reach the elevator but decide against it, it will take too long. I take the stairs instead.

What a sight I must look like, a huge man in leather and biker boots running through a hospital at full pelt. In another situation I would chuckle.

Panting, I finally reach floor 16 of the stairs. My calves are burning and I'm pretty sure one more floor and I'd throw up.

My ma is waiting in the corridor as I jog slowly past the doors, looking into the ones I can, hoping to see her.

"She's in here Vi. She's terrified and keeps repeating 'not again. It can't happen again.' She needs you."

I open the door slowly and search for Astrid in the room. She's not immediately visible, not on the bed, nor the sofa. Snuffling and sobs fill the room, however so I know she's still here.

I find her crouched down, hidden behind the bed. "Hey baby." I murmur softly as I crouch down slowly beside her. She flinches slightly and looks up at me with tear streaked cheeks.

Cautiously I pull her closer to me, under my arm, curled up close to my chest.

"P-promise it won't happen again." She whispers.

"I promise baby."

I place a kiss to her forehead and then scoop her up into my arms. "Let's get you home, ok." She nods sleepily and snuggles her head under my chin, eyes closed with her face pressed into my T-shirt.

Gently, I rub up and down her back as we walk back through the hospital. Ignoring all the stares.