Author's Note: I had no business writing this (especially with all of my WIP's), but that scene from the first episode of the Mayans pulled on my heart strings.

Missed Opportunity

He figured it wouldn't have been worth it.

Why delve over a past he could have never again? Why waste his time mulling over and over about his mistakes, about the life he could have had. A college degree from a top California school. The woman he loved for so long in his arms for the rest of his natural born life. The family he could have had; it wasn't going to be his. It hadn't been his when he had been sentenced to twenty years in prison for killing a cop or when he had been able to get out earlier than expected. All because he had decided to become a snitch.

He didn't want to think about the deal he had made with the devil. The DEA. One of these days, they were going to get their heads out of his ass so he could finally breathe. Finally live. Maybe, somehow, miraculously, fix everything.

"Hope is cruel."

He remembered telling Emily that. He had a sinking feeling that he would always remember that damning sentence. And her reaction. And that sonogram picture she had slammed onto the table.

He hadn't been fair to her, but he still maintained it had all been for a better good. He had been serving a twenty year sentence. Why have her wait for him? Why have her hold onto something that would most likely never work out? That had been the reason why he had constantly denied her visitation. He had wanted her to move on.

Apparently, she hadn't.

Never in an infinite amount of years did he expect to see her again.

In Mexico.

Just standing across the street with a small child at her side while he waited on his bike for his brother to return.

He had looked her way by accident. Perhaps by instinct, after all, he was on the clock. He had to salvage his reputation with the MC; he had to keep on the lookout.

He hadn't been searching for her because he had accepted she would be gone forever.

But there she was, and he couldn't keep his eyes off of her if Bishop punched in the face again.

"Promise-Thomas."

She looked so different, yet the same. Her hair might have changed colors and gotten shorter. Her clothes might have been more glamorous. But her eyes—those beautiful light blue eyes that he had the pleasure of looking into during the happiest three years of his life—they were still the same.

She recognized him.

He'd like to think he heard her heart stop when she laid her beautiful eyes on him. He'd like to think that she remembered everything, even after eight years.

In a moment of madness, he considered hopping off his bike and rushing across the street. Traffic, be damned. He considered wrapping her into his arms, no questions asked, no words exchanged. Just the both of them in a warm embrace. Just like how it use to be. It wouldn't matter if there were bodyguards around. It didn't matter if the MC would flip their shit if they found out—

But then common sense returned home. He couldn't help but laugh at himself. What could he have done? What could he have said to her?

He was already in hot water because of his "memory" stunt. Rushing after her, like he had tried to do back in prison was out of the question.

And then, just like that, she was gone.

Angel had questions, perhaps even concerns, but his older brother had always been gracious to him. He didn't say a word, just buckled the helmet strap under his chin and revved up his bike.

"You alright?" Angel would ask later, studying his brother's moves with concern, squeezing his shoulder to show that he would be there for him.

EZ nodded. He considered forcing a smile, but then realized that Angel would see it and demand something out of him. "Yeah."