Not necessarily a new story! Ties in heavily with my other fic "Hands All Over" so you may want to give that a read before delving into these little snippets... ;)

I've been promising to post these for awhile and just got this to where I liked it. :) Since I kind of hit a bit of a block with "Hands All Over" I figured I'd post and let y'all know that I'm still working on it, I swear! Its just taking longer then expected! Sorry!

I'll be posting random stories about Angela, Hap, and Kozik's past set before "Hands All Over" here! If there's anything you want to read or any ideas you have feel free to put them in a review! I love adding onto these character's pasts! :D

The ages are going to be all over the place. I am in no way trying to keep these in order. But here Happy is thirteen and Ang is...well, just being born. :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Angela and any other character's you don't recognize! :) The title of this story comes from another Maroon 5 album. ;)

It Won't Be Soon Before Long

Chapter 1: Welcome to the Family

By Love Ink

Happy Lowman sat in the hospital waiting room next to his mom, bored out of his mind. At thirteen, he felt too old, too cool to be sitting there surrounded by baby toys and old people magazines waiting for any news about a baby he couldn't bring himself to care about. Whatever baby his aunt pushed out only meant that his uncle's attention would be divided, and Happy wasn't stupid, he knew he'd get the short end of the stick. As much as his Uncle Victor said he loved him, he wasn't his own flesh and blood like the new baby would be. Whatever free time Vic had would now be spent on the little brat which sucked because Vic had just started taking him to the range and teaching him how to shoot.

He tilted his head back against the wall, letting his eyes fall shut. Maybe if he fell asleep, no one would bug him. He awoke with a start when his mother hit him as Victor came bursting into the room, cigar in hand. "It's a girl!" he shouted grinning from ear to ear. "A beautiful baby girl!"

Happy pulled a face. Great, just what he needed, a spoiled little princess in his life. At least if it'd been a boy, they'd have something in common. A girl with all her pink shit and glitter was something he'd never understand. He grunted as he got up, hugging his Uncle just because his mother had given him a glare that told him he had to. His Uncle and his mom chattered excitedly about the new baby on the way to the room while Happy trudged after them, dragging his feet.

Once inside the little hospital room, he greeted his Aunt with a kiss, all the while ignoring the little plastic crib in the corner his mother and uncle were hovering over. "Hap, mijo," Victor called, waving his nephew over. "Come meet your cousin."

He sighed heavily and crossed the room to approach them. Leaning over the plastic crib, he stared at the squirming baby inside. Her dark hair and dark eyes showed the strong genes running through their mother's side of the family. One of her tiny little fists swung past his nose, just barely brushing against it, her dark eyes on his face. He smirked in response; girl was a fighter. He glanced up at Victor who was beaming at him proudly. "She getcha?" his uncle asked. At his nod, Victor's grin grew wider, his hazel-green eyes glinting in the hospital lights. "Kid's a little fighter, huh? Got her dad's genes."

Happy nodded in response; he and his uncle always thought alike. "She got a name?"

"Angela Ines Ruiz. My little angel," he replied, stroking a hand over her soft hair. He carefully lifted the baby into his tattooed arms before nodding at his nephew. "Want to hold her?"

"Why?" Happy replied looking confused. He knew most people would beg to hold a newborn, but he never saw the point; he could see her just fine from where she was nestled in her father's arms.

Victor shrugged a shoulder, rocking Angela gently in his arms. "She's your little girl, too, son," he said, gesturing for Happy to sit on the couch. "You should get acquainted."

After receiving a quick glare from his mother, Happy reluctantly sat down on the couch. "All right," he said on an annoyed sigh.

"Angie, sweetheart, this is your cousin, Hap," Victor murmured to the tiny baby before carefully placing her in Happy's lap, reminding him to support the head. "This guy here is gonna take care a ya when I'm not around. 'Cause there's gonna be some times when you won't want your Old Man's help. You're gonna want your brother to help you out, aren't ya, kid? And he'll teach you cool things, protect you, and make sure nothin' bad ever happens to you. Right, Hap?"

Happy glanced down at the baby who seemed to be looking right back up at him, expecting an answer. He liked that Victor had called him her brother. Often times, he forgot that Victor wasn't really his dad. If taking care of the little girl in his arms made him her brother, he'd do it. Maybe he could teach her not to like pink or glitter, maybe he could teach her to shoot and play with cars. That wouldn't be so bad. "Yeah," he answered on a nod, he carefully touched her little fist with a finger, his heart twisting almost painfully when her tiny fingers wrapped around his like a tiny pinky promise. "I'll always take care of ya, kid."

Victor rubbed a hand over his nephew's dark hair, a proud smile on his face. He'd watched Happy grow up, had helped mold the young man into who he was. "Don't let me down, Hap. I can't always be there for her."

Happy's dark eyes lifted from the baby and locked onto Victor's green ones. He nodded once, a serious look on his face. "I won't. I promise."

Happy walked into the house, not at all surprised to see his Uncle on the floor with the big camcorder in his hand trained on Angela. At eleven months, the baby wasn't doing much, just crawling on the ground, every so often lifting herself up using the edge of the table. "Hey Tio," he greeted, walking into the living room. "What's goin' on?"

"She's going to do it this time, Hap! I know it! My little girl is gonna walk!" Victor announced, his gigantic camcorder trained on his daughter.

Angela's dark eyes turned to look at Happy and she smiled, showing off her tiny baby teeth. "App!" she exclaimed, letting go of the table and taking a shaky step towards him. "App!"

Victor grinned from behind the camera. "There she goes! Come closer, mijo! Let's see how far she gets!" (My son)

Happy walked a bit closer, crouching down so he was at level with her. "That's right, kid. Keep goin'," he coaxed, beckoning to her with his hands. She took a few more wobbly steps before falling right onto her butt. Her bottom lip stuck out in a pout for a second. He shook his head, taking a step closer to her and holding out his hands. "None of that. C'mon, Ang. Get up."

As if she understood, she stood again and took a few more wobbly steps before Happy swept her up into his arms. Tossing her up into the air, grinning as her giggles filled the room. He pressed a kiss to her cheek as he settled her on his hip. "App!" she said, patting his cheek with her hand. "My App."

Victor chuckled, turning off the camera. "That's my girl. She loves her big primo. Doesn't she? Give him besos, Angel." (Cousin...kisses)

Happy smirked, holding onto the kid tighter as she pressed a big sloppy kiss to his cheek. After having her around for eleven months, he was starting to get used to her. Like her even. She didn't cry as often as most babies, but man, could she babble up a storm. "Thanks, kid."

He watched as she tugged at the bright pink bow clipped into her dark hair. A serious expression on her face as she worked to take it off. "Ow," she stated. She wasn't whining or complaining, just stating a fact. The bow in her hair hurt, and he was willing to bet his Uncle Vic had been instructed by his aunt not to let her take it off. He, however, didn't give a shit what his aunt thought. If the bow was hurting her, it was gone.

"Yeah, ow," he repeated, carefully moving her hands away and taking out the bow. He tossed it onto the table before pecking her little chubby cheek and setting her on the floor. He heard the sound of a Harley in the distance and smirked. "That Uncle Cheeks?"

Victor nodded, rolling his eyes as he stood and headed to the front door to greet his cousin. Chico Villenueva was still sitting on his Harley looking every bit the badass biker he'd always wanted to be. His chest puffed out beneath his Sons of Anarchy cut. Victor loved his cousin to death, had even contemplated joining the club alongside him. That was until he saw the kind of stuff they were starting to get into. Selling guns illegally was not something he wanted a part of. It was dangerous for both him and his family. "Cut comes off. I don't want that shit around my kids," he ordered.

"I know, I know. Chill, Vic," Chico replied, pulling his helmet off of his slicked back hair and hooking it around the handlebar of his bike. He got off his bike and shrugged off his cut, tucking it gingerly into one of his saddlebags before pulling Vic into a tight hug. "How's it going, primo? How's the little one?"

"Good, good. You just missed her first steps. Walked straight to Hap," he stated proudly as they walked into the house together.

"Eso! That's my girl!" he exclaimed, trudging into the house. "Where's my favorite niece and nephew?"

Happy stood up off the couch, going over to hug his pseudo-Uncle. His Uncle Vic was like a father to him, sure, but he wanted to be his Uncle Chico. That guy was all sorts of cool; a damn superhero on a Harley. "Hey Cheeks. How's it goin'?"

"Wonderin' when you're gonna stop by Charming to hangaround, kid," he teased, grinning at the dark look Vic sent him. Though Happy didn't know the significance of "hanging around" the TM lot, Vic did. "I'm kiddin', I'm kiddin', cuz. Relax. Good to see you, Hap. Stayin' in school and shit?"

"Doin' my best," Hap replied, though his contempt for school was obvious. As soon as he could, he was going to get his GED and bail. He'd promised his Uncle, he'd stay in school until he turned seventeen and then, if he passed that damn test, he wouldn't have to go anymore. He'd be free to do whatever the hell he wanted.

Chico looked proud as he nodded in approval. "Good. Now where's my Angel?" he asked, looking over at the little girl who was currently playing with an ugly, gigantic stuffed alligator. His present to her. He swept her and the stuffed animal off the ground into his arms. "There you are, tesorito!" (Little treasure)

Angela laughed with delight, her chubby fingers tugging at his beard. "Chee!"

"Dame un beso, hermosa," he said, grinning as the baby kissed his cheek. "She's smart this little one. She'll go far. Huh, niña?" (Give me a kiss, beautiful...girl)

Happy smirked as Angela just babbled back at the big biker holding her, not at all afraid of him. The little girl was used to being held in big, tattooed arms since both her father and Chico both had them. Chico set her down, running a tattooed hand over her head. "Vic, gotta question to ask ya. Need some help for the club," Chico said, studying his older cousin's face.

"Happy, you mind keeping an eye on Angela for a sec?" Victor asked, grabbing two beers from the fridge.

"Yeah. 'course," he replied, sitting down on the floor next to Angela. The baby crawled over to him, using his shoulder as leverage to stand. She patted his cheek, babbling to him in her baby talk. He nodded along, pretending to listen as he watched the television screen.

Angela crawled into his lap, trying to get his undivided attention. With a chuckled, her grabbed her under the arms and lifted her up, making airplane sounds as the little girl giggled and screamed. When he heard the backdoor open, he quickly put the kid down, straightening himself up. He didn't want to look like a pussy in front of his uncle. Angela's bottom lip started to tremble.

Chico immediately swept the little girl into his arms, taking a seat with her on the couch. "What's going on, mijita? Hap hurt your feelings?" he asked, tickling her. He looked down at Happy who was staring straight at the television in front of him trying not to ignore the sniffling baby. " 'ey, kid."

Happy looked up at him. "What?"

"Playing with the baby like you were don't make you less of a man. Ain't nothin' wrong with showin' love for your family. Makes you a better man. Don't stop 'cause you think your bad. You ain't shit without your family," the big man explained, chuckling as Angela tugged at his beard. "End of the day, they're all you got left."

Chico stood with a grunt, setting Angela down on Happy's lap. He rubbed a hand lovingly over Hap's head. "Love you, mijo. You take care of her."

Happy looked down at the baby standing on his legs. Angela grinned back at him. He nodded in response. "Yeah. Always."

So there's the beginning of Hap and Angela's story. :) Chico Villenueva is one of SAMCRO's Original 9, and I felt adding him in would be a good way to show how Happy got involved in the club. The timeline might be a bit AU, but I think it works. ;)

Let me know what you guys think/what you want to read more about! I have a few more already written so if this gets a positive response, I'll add those on too. And of course, "Hands All Over" will be updated sometime this week as soon as I work out a few issues I have with it...

Thanks for reading! :)

~Love Ink