Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own OCs and storylines…

Just a quick note! For those of you who have read "Hands All Over" and "It Won't Be Soon...", Angela and Koz have known each other a lot longer in this story! 😉

She Will Be Loved

Chapter 17: Home

By Love Ink

Angela stared at the graduation cap in her hand. Miraculously, she'd been able to graduate early, something she credited to the combined efforts of Lino, Vanessa, and Juice. Lino and Vanessa had stayed with her for a few weeks in the beginning, distracting her by forcing her to show them around town and play tourist in the moments when she wasn't working or studying. Both of them helped her pick up the pieces of her broken life and put them back together. She'd felt better, happier with them there. Once they left, she struggled for a week or two, but calls from the couple and Juice helped her push through it. She'd thrown herself into her school work and internship. Working hard to make the time go by faster. And it did. Before she knew it, it was graduation day, and she was walking across the small stage to get the little piece of paper she'd worked so hard for, a year early to boot.

She flipped over the cap, rubbing her thumb over the name she had written there in silver Sharpie. Raj. He was the one who had pushed her to work so hard, who had been beside her every day. She wished he had been there to see her walk, wished he could be sitting in the crowd so she could blow him a kiss like they'd always planned. But he hadn't been. Instead, Kozik and Happy had taken the long ride over and were there with Ham and one of the Nomads she was familiar with, Quinn, all of them yelling and whistling as she got her diploma. As much as she hated being the center of attention, she was thankful they were there. It made the day a lot happier than she'd thought it would be. They'd all gone back to the clubhouse afterwards, though, leaving her alone in her little apartment with her thoughts.

There was a soft knock on the door, and she quickly set down her graduation cap on the coffee table to open it. To her surprise, Raj's mother, Suni, was on the other side. Angela blinked at her for a minutes, pain squeezing at her heart. "Suni. Hi," she said, trying her best to smile.

"Hello Angela," she greeted with a warm smile. "How are you?"

"I'm...I'm doin' okay," she replied, stepping back to allow her in. It wasn't strange for Suni to be there; she was the landlord, after all. It crossed her mind the older woman might've stopped by to make sure the apartment didn't look to bad…which still didn't make sense. The Sons were keeping the place, they just weren't going to have anyone living in it. "How are you?"

Suni sighed softly. "I have good days and bad. Much like you, I suppose."

Angela nodded, her mind going back to the time she'd spent on the couch drowning in a bottle of alcohol. After the funeral, Raj's family didn't reach out. She hadn't heard from any of them, which stung a bit. She'd known his parents had never approved of her, but she had always liked his sister, Priya. It'd been weird to have total radio silence from them. "Yeah, its been a roller coaster," she agreed on a frown. "Can I make you some tea or something?"

Suni's dark eyes fell on the graduation cap sitting on the couch, a sad expression on her face. "No, no, it's okay. I just wanted to stop by to...congratulate you. Priya told me today was graduation day, and I thought...thought I should say something."

Angela swallowed hard and nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Okay..."

"I wanted to apologize for not coming earlier, to start. You helped us so much with everything, and as soon as it was all over, we stopped talking. I know you were giving us space, and I was grateful for that, but I also knew you didn't have anyone here," Suni said, sitting down heavily on the couch. She picked up the graduation cap, smiling sadly when she noticed the name written on the bottom. "My Raj loved you so much. He would always tell me how smart you were, how happy you made him."

"I loved him too," she managed to get out around the lump forming in her throat as she sat down on the couch. "A lot."

Suni nodded slowly. "I know," she murmured, reaching out to take Angela's hand. "I should've treated you better. You were so good to him."

Angela felt a tear slide down her cheek despite her attempt to keep from crying. "He was...a great guy. I really...I miss him so much."

"Me too," she said, squeezing her hand. She let go, digging into her purse for a moment before presenting her with a small box with her name written on it in Raj's elegant handwriting. "I was going through his things, and I found this."

Her hands shook as she took the small box from her and opened it. It was a beautiful silver necklace with a delicate lotus flower charm at the end. "Its beautiful," she whispered, rubbing her finger over the charm.

"I don't know what occasion it was for or why he hadn't given it to you yet, but I felt you should have it. A lotus grows through the mud to bloom above the water as a beautiful, bright flower," Suni explained with a smile. "And so will you, Angela. It is a dark time now, but you will grow through it and bloom. Do not let this sadness overwhelm you or hold you back. Grow, bloom, find a new love. That's what my Raj would've wanted."

Angela stared at the charm feeling overwhelmed by Suni's statement. She wanted all of that. To move on and 'bloom', but the idea of it made her feel guilty as hell. Why should she move on when he couldn't? Shaking her head, she wiped at her tears. "Thank you," she rasped, sniffling a bit.

"Enough tears," Suni stated, wiping at her own eyes. "You're moving, right? Going home?"

She nodded, letting out a long sigh. "Staying here...its too hard," she admitted. "Everything here reminds me of him, and I just...want a new start, I guess."

"Good. Raj would be so proud of you," Suni told her, leaning forward and laying her hand on Angela's cheek and patting it softly. Slowly, she got to her feet, squeezing Angela's shoulder gently. "You take care of yourself, Angela. Thank you so much for everything you gave my Rajesh."

Angela nodded, wiping at her face again. "Wish I could've given him more," she replied softly, following her to the door.

"Good luck to you. I will have Priya keep an eye on you," she told her with a small smile. "Goodbye, Angela."

She laughed lightly and nodded. "Bye Suni."

Watching Suni leave, felt like the end of the chapter. Seeing Suni again, talking with her even just briefly had provided her with some closure she hadn't known she needed. She let out a long breath, feeling just a little lighter than before. Taking the necklace from the box, she put it on, setting her hand over the delicate charm and letting out a long breath. Sitting down again, she closed her eyes and leaned back against the couch, thoughts of Raj on her mind.

She must've fallen asleep because she woke up again to a loud knock on the door. She got off the couch, grinning when she looked through the peephole and saw some of her favorite people on the other side. "Hey Hap!" she greeted, giving him a quick hug.

He let her hug him for all of two seconds, kissing her temple before she gently pushed him away. "You looked good on that stage, kid," he said, giving her a rare smile.

"Real good," Kozik put in with a huge grin. He stepped in and swept her off her feet, spinning her around as he hugged her tightly. He set her down, holding her out at arm's length and taking her in. "Look at you! Our little girl is all grown up!"

Angela rolled her eyes and pushed him away. "Wow. Two men and a twenty-something. This the sequel to that movie, Three Men and a Baby?"

"Think that was Three Men and a Little Lady," Kozik said, ruffling her hair lovingly. "I'll be Danson. Hap, I think you're more of a Selleck."

She laughed at the disgusted look on Happy's face. "Fuckin' weirdo," Happy muttered under his breath. He opened her fridge, grabbing a beer, and taking a long sip of it. He eyed the boxes that littered the living room. "You all packed?"

Angela let out a long sigh, raking a hand through her hair. "Think so. You guys ready for a cross country ride?"

"Sure you don't want to stay an extra day?" Happy asked, toeing the corner of a box. She didn't have much stuff. Just enough to fit in the big, black van Kozik had driven over.

She looked around the little apartment and shook her head. "No, thanks. I think I'm good. Ready to move on and move out."

"That's my girl!" Kozik exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "Skeeter at the funeral home is excited. Said he talked to your old boss, who couldn't say enough good shit about you."

A blush colored Angela's cheeks as she remembered the way her boss had begged her to stay. He'd offered her a full time position and one hell of a raise, but she turned it down; she was ready to get out of New York once and for all. "Really?"

"Yeah," Happy said on a nod. "You earned this, kid."

She smiled a little despite herself; Happy didn't give compliments out randomly. He always meant what he said. "Hope so."

Kozik scowled at her, shaking his head. "Don't doubt yourself. It's unattractive."

Hap smirked, nodding towards her boxes. "We should get a move on. Quinn's waitin' outside. He's following us halfway."

Angela sighed, looking around at her life packed up in the little boxes. "You should get his big ass up here to help carry shit."

"You go ahead and tell him," Happy said, getting a heavier box.

Kozik grabbed another and together, they headed down the stairs where Quinn was waiting beside the big black van. The larger man grinned at her, stretching his arms wide. "There's the college grad!" he exclaimed.

Angela smiled; like Kozik, Quinn had been hanging around the house with Hap since she was about ten. Since he was Nomad, she didn't see him quite as much, but she still loved him like a brother. "Hey Quinn," she replied, putting the box in the van before stepping into his embrace.

He hugged her tightly, kissing the top of her head. "Good work, kiddo. We're all proud of you."

"See!" Kozik stated with a laugh. He gestured around to the group. "Three men and a little lady!"

Happy shook his head slowly. "Don't ask," he muttered heading back up the stairs.

Kozik chuckled as he followed after him leaving behind just Angela and Quinn. She stared up at him and nodded towards the building. "You gonna help?"

"Someone's gotta watch the van," he explained on a shrug.

"I got it," Angela said, sitting down on the bumper. At his questioning glance, she sighed, scratching at her eyebrow. "I don't...its hard to move everything out. Seeing the place empty. I said my goodbye to this place, these people. I don't want to keep ripping off the bandaid."

Quinn narrowed his eyes at her. "Is this your dramatic way of tellin' me you don't want to carry boxes down all those stairs?"

She scowled. That wasn't what she'd been aiming for, though she understood why it sounded like that. She'd opened up to him a bit, and he'd given her shit for it. That stung a bit. She knew Quinn was more like Happy than Koz. That she didn't have as close of a relationship with him, but she thought he'd be a little more understanding. "Not being dramatic. Just...being honest."

His look softened a bit as he set a heavy hand on her shoulder. "Sorry, kiddo, didn't mean to be so harsh. Thought you were tryin' to get outta work, but I get it. 's hard losin' someone."

His apology made her feel a little better. "Yeah," she murmured, wrapping her arms around herself. She took in a quick breath and tried for a smile. "But I'm moving on. I have to. Think being back in California is going to be good for me."

Quinn nodded slowly, squeezing her shoulder. "Think so too. Know Koz and Hap will be happy to have you back. Think another mohawked idiot will be too."

She rolled her eyes, pushing him away. "Shut up and go help."

He chuckled, tossing her the keys to the car and heading up to her apartment. It didn't take long for them to bring down all of the boxes, and before she knew it, she was in the passenger seat of the van heading west. She watched as the city passed by her in a blur, mentally saying goodbye to all the places that were filled with memories. Kozik looked over to her, catching her attention. "You good, kiddo?"

Her eyes fell on the crosswalk where Raj was killed as Koz drove by. A pang went through her chest, and she pressed her hand to her heart. The memory of Raj getting hit flashed through her head again. And just like that, they flew past it. It was gone. In the rearview with the rest of her life in New York. She nodded slowly, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "I think I'm gonna be."

Juice looked over his dominoes, aware of Elena Lowman's dark eyes on him. He shifted nervously under her gaze. Happy had called him earlier that day and insisted he take her to her doctor's appointment since Graciela had to work and he and Kozik were on their cross-country trip with Angela. Once the appointment was over, Elena insisted he stay and eat, cooking him a full spread. Elena cleared her throat. "Angela comes home tomorrow," she stated simply.

"I know," he answered, trying not to smile himself. He'd checked in with them the day before, and it seemed like they were making good time, stopping at different places and charters as they went. Not like his trip. He was fleeing for his life; he hadn't gotten to enjoy it like Hap, Koz, and Angela were.

"She's excited. Has a job in Charming pero no apartment," she said, looking over her own hand. "Oakland is such a long drive for her. It'd be nice for her to stay somewhere closer."

Juice smirked; he had a feeling he knew where she was heading with this. He had just started renting a little house with three bedrooms, though he was never really there. He hated being alone and preferred the chaos of the clubhouse instead. It would be nice to have a roommate. Especially if it was Angela; at least then he'd have a reason to see her every day. He could work and be busy as a prospect whenever they needed him, and come home to her at night. He kind of loved that idea. "Guess she could stay at my place while she looks for somethin'," he offered nonchalantly. "I'm hardly there anyway."

Elena gave him a satisfied smile just as the over time went off. "What a good idea!" she exclaimed as if she hadn't thought of it. "I like that plan. I think she will too, mijo."

The timer by the oven went off. Elena put down her winning domino and pushed away from the table to go tend to dinner. Juice's stomach grumbled as the smell from the kitchen wafted into the dining room. He recognized the smell and smiled; she was making the same thing she'd made for him the first time he'd shown up on her doorstep. Ropa vieja, Angela's favorite. His mouth watered at the mere thought of it. He got up from the table and headed towards the smell, leaning against the entryway. "Need help, Lena?"

Elena stirred the sauce, shaking her head. "No, gracias," she said giving him a warm smile. "I'm going to make you a big plate. You got skinny again, mijo. Too much time at the clubhouse."

"Yeah," he said on a light laugh. "They've been keepin' me busy over there. Barely have time to eat. This smells amazing. Ropa vieja, right?"

"Good nose. I thought I'd make it for Angelita. It keeps well in the fridge," she explained, stirring the pot. "I'll give you some to take home."

"Love that. Don't tell Gemma, but your cookin' is a lot better."

Elena gave him a big smile and kissing his cheek. "Of course it is! Mine actually has flavor," she told him on a wink. "Grab a beer, go relax in the backyard for a moment. You work too hard."

Juice chuckled, doing as he was told and heading to the backyard. He took a seat on one of the rusting patio chairs, sighing as he took a pull of his beer. It was a beautiful night, the stars bright in the sky over him. His mind drifted back to the night he'd sat out there with Raj and Angela, listening to her as she pointed out stars from her seat on Raj's lap. He'd had dreams where it was his lap she was sitting on instead. His hand would be resting on her thigh, left bare by her shorts, fingers lightly trailing up and down the smooth skin there as she told him about the constellations. They were innocent dreams, usually ending in a sweet kiss but nothing more. He'd never admit that some of his favorite dreams were of just being closer to her, holding and touching her in a way that had always been off limits. But they were just dreams. He'd always wake up with his heart aching, cursing himself for being so stupid and not calling her back when he should've the day after they first met.

He was so wrapped up in his own head, he didn't hear the door open, didn't realize someone was with him until a pair of hands covered his eyes. "Guess who."

His heart stopped in his chest; he knew that voice. He grabbed her soft hands, pulling them down and looking over his shoulder to make sure he wasn't hearing things before scrambling to his feet. "Holy shit, Angel!" he exclaimed before pulling her into a tight hug. He turned his head, burying his nose in her hair and inhaling her perfume. She smelled good. She hugged him back just as tightly, her body fitting perfectly against his as it always did. God, he'd missed her. So much. He let her go, taking a step back to drink her in. She looked absolutely beautiful, just like she did the day he'd met her. Her hair was a bit shorter, though, just a little past her shoulders. "You're early!" he managed to say with a smile.

She grinned back at him and nodded. "I know! Thought I'd surprise you, so...surprise!"

"No wonder Lena was cooking ropa vieja! I knew it wasn't just for me!" he said on a laugh. He wanted to reach out and tuck the stay hair falling in her face behind her ear, touch her skin in some way. Instead, he shoved his hands into his pockets, shifting awkwardly. "How was your trip?"

"So long, but it was fun, I guess. I mean, as fun as a road trip with Koz, Hap, and Quinn could be. Slept in a few questionable beds in a few disgusting clubhouses where I was largely ignored by anyone and everyone with a cut," she explained, rambling a bit. "It was a wild ride. I don't know how you did it by yourself."

Juice shrugged a shoulder. "I was running. Made it a lot scarier, made me move a lot faster."

"Makes sense," she said on a laugh.

He looked her over again, trying to see if she'd changed at all. She looked a little thinner, dark bags apparent under her eyes. "How are you doin'?"

Her smile faltered a bit. "Don't start. I just got home. I'm good. It's all good. I'm...movin' on and it's going to be good. Right?"

For some reason, he didn't quite believe her. "Yeah, 'course," he said on a nod. There was an awkward silence for a moment before he cleared his throat. "I like your hair. It's short."

He mentally smacked himself for such a stupid comment. What the hell was wrong with him? She smirked a bit and shrugged. "Told you I cut it. Not as drastic as you, but I guess it was time for a change."

"Looks good," he said, bobbing his head slowly.

Happy came outside, an unlit cigarette between his lips, lighter already in his hands. He nodded to them. "Ma wants help with the table," he told Angela.

"Guess that's my cue. Be right back." Angela rolled her eyes but headed inside anyway. "Those will kill you," she said, nodding to the cigarette.

"Somethin's got to," Happy shot back.

Juice's eyes stayed on her until she disappeared inside. "She looks good," he commented, trying his best to hide the smile on his face. At Happy's eyebrow raise, he backpedaled, "I mean, for someone who just lost someone they loved. She looks good, but not like in the attractive way. I mean, she's beautiful, always has been...but not...like she looks healthy."

"Healthy?" Happy repeated slowly.

Kozik chose that moment to walk out into the backyard, a big grin on his face. "Looks like someone's happy to see our girl!"

"What? Me? No. I um...no, I just...haven't seen her in a while. 's good to see her," Juice tried, scratching at the back of his neck.

"Idiot thinks she looks healthy," Happy said on a smirk. "You hurt her, you die."

Juice furrowed his brows in confusion. Hap wasn't necessarily telling him to stay away from her, just telling him not to hurt her. It was strange; he would've figured Happy wouldn't be too happy if they got together. "I'm...I'm not. We're just friends. I swear. In fact, I was gonna offer her a room at my place while she gets settled. Like a good friend would do."

Kozik and Happy exchanged a glance before the blonde cleared his throat. "Might work in our favor. Live-in babysitter for the kid. Don't got to worry about checkin' in on her all the time."

"This my Ma's idea?" Hap asked suspiciously, flicking the ash off his cigarette.

"Kinda," Juice replied honestly. "But I got the space, and if she helps with food and shit, it'll be worth it."

He smirked in response as he considered it. "It's up to the kid."

"What's up to me?" she asked, poking her head outside.

"Juicer's offering up a room at his place for ya 'til you can find somethin' better," Kozik told her with a smirk.

Angela looked from him to Juice, a confused look on her face. "Seriously?" she asked, looking just a little flustered.

Juice was surprised by her reaction; he didn't think his simple offer would make her blush like that. "Um...yeah. I got the space, and that way you don't waste money drivin' from here to Charming or spend money stayin' at the motel. It's real shitty over there."

"They didn't put you up to this, did they? You're not being forced?" she asked, looking between Kozik and Happy.

"Nope. Promise. If you want the room, its yours. Just gotta promise to bake for me sometimes," he said, giving her a grin.

She smiled and little butterflies fluttered in his stomach. "I can do that. Think I perfected those black and white cookies you like so much."

"Yeah, and you gotta bring some to the clubhouse for us," Kozik put in, seizing the opportunity while he could. "Bobby's bakin' is good, but he always makes the same special muffins and brownies 'n' shit. Gets boring after awhile. You're a way better baker."

She rolled her eyes at him. "You're ridiculous, Kozi."

"Not wrong, though," Happy agreed, a hint of pride in his expression.

"Thanks, Hap," she replied, looking a little surprised at his compliment. "Anyways, Ma wanted me to tell you guys that dinner's ready."

Kozik was the first to head inside, mussing Angela's hair as he went. Happy crushed his cigarette underneath his boot before heading towards her, stopping to drop a kiss to her forehead. "Good to have you home, kid."

She smiled warmly at him. "Good to be home."

Juice trailed after them, pausing in front of Angela. "I was going to say the same thing," he stated awkwardly. "Missed you. Wish I could've been there for you when everything went down with Raj."

She crossed her arms over her chest, effectively giving herself a hug. "You did plenty, Juice. Trust me. Just talking to you on the phone helped a lot. So thanks for that...know it was messin' with your sleep schedule a bit."

Juice had never minded the weird hours of Angel's calls. He'd be having the worst day at the clubhouse and just hearing her voice made it all better. "You're my best friend, Angel," he said on a shrug. "I'm here for you. No matter what."

Her responding smile made his heart skip a beat. The urge to kiss her was strong, but he resisted. Kissing her as they were talking about her grieving process over her dead boyfriend probably wasn't the best idea. As cheesy as it sounded, he'd waited so long to kiss her that he wanted their first kiss to be something unforgettable, and he wanted that to happen as soon as possible. He just wasn't sure she was ready for it yet.

"Thanks, Juice," she said, messing with the ring around her finger. "You're my best friend too, y'know. Missed having you around. And now you're stuck with me. You really okay with me moving in with you?"

Juice wouldn't describe the way he felt about her moving in as 'okay'; he was actually excited about it. He'd have a reason to see her every day and spend time with her whenever he wanted to...but he wasn't about to tell her that. "Yeah, 'course. It'll be fun."

"What about all your girlfriends? They going to like that?"

He rolled his eyes at her; as if there was another girl in his life. She was the only person he'd been thinking of ever since he heard she was single again. Kozik appeared behind Angela, a shit eating grin on his face as he said, "What girlfriends? He's a prospect; he don't got time for that shit. Now get inside. I'm fuckin' hungry and Lena won't serve us 'til you two get in there."

"You could stand to skip a meal, tubby," Angela teased.

In seconds, Kozik had her in a headlock while she fought against him. "What'd you call me?"

"Let me go!" she exclaimed as he practically dragged her over the table.

Juice watched the spectacle with a small smile on his face. He loved seeing the way Angela fit in with the family, loved seeing her smile as she, Koz, and Happy teased each other. With her there, he finally felt like he was home.

Angela's back in California! Woo! And living with Juice to boot!
Things might seem easy for these two to finally get together, but where's the fun in that? 😉
there's a certain Mayan that also wants a chance with her and he's not going to give up so easy...

~Love Ink