GAH I KNOW...it has been FAR too long since I've updated, and I apologize. I got sidetracked with some work drama and real life!
But THANK YOU for waiting and for all of your kind words! I got back to most of you but thanks also to: Sabrina, Brittany, and Telarni Goodwin.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but Angela, Evie, Lino, and Chloe. The rest is all from the mind of the brilliant Kurt Sutter. :)
Overexposed
Chapter 13: Useless
By Love Ink
"Charlie Lin," Juice stated, putting his computer on the small table in front of Happy and Marcus. Lino, Raffa, Tig, and Quinn all leaned in to see what he was showing them. No other Sons were invited to their little meeting. President or not, Juice refused to have anything to do with Chibs. He was only helping the Sons because he loved Chloe and Dia and wanted them home safely. Fortunately, Happy respected that and kept the Scot far, far away.
"Lin's brother?" Happy asked, narrowing his eyes as he studied him.
"Sister," he corrected, smirking to himself as he remembered how cocky his wife had been about getting it right. "Charlotte Lin. She's been running heroin around SoCal and in and out of Lompoc for years. Also in charge of moving guns down there. No one's ever seen her. Goes by Charlie so everyone she works with thinks she's a man. Her and Henry worked together under their Uncle who ran the rest of Cali. Now, with him and Lin gone..."
"She could run the whole damn state by herself," Lino put in with a grin. "Holy shit, man. You think she's the one doin' all this?"
Juice nodded emphatically. "Dunno who else it could be. She's power hungry, smart. Knows the value of family 'n' that people will do anythin' for 'em. I mean, she must've gotten the Niners on her side or somethin' to boost numbers, but I got a feelin' its her. Gonna do some more digging. See if Henry had any more property in his name here in the Bay. Somewhere she'd be holding the girls."
Marcus nodded, standing up from the table slowly. "Good job, mijo. Keep on it," he said, giving Juice's shoulder a squeeze. "Heard our girl's gettin' out of here today."
He glanced at Happy, noticing the way his jaw ticked at Alvarez calling Angela 'their' girl. He wasn't about to touch that argument with a ten foot pole though. If Hap wanted to fight Alvarez's claim on Angela, he was welcome to, but from what Juice knew of Marcus and Angela's relationship, the Mayan President had a right to call Angela his girl. Clearing his throat, he scratched at the back of his neck. "Yeah, she uh…they're doin' tests now, then they'll remove the tube, 'n' then I'll meet up with her for an ultra sound. See our new additions."
Tig, Quinn, and Lino all cheered with excitement. Tig ruffling his hair lovingly. "Atta boy, Juicy. Make more of those pretty babies!"
Juice ducked away from Tig, slapping his hand away. He couldn't help but smile at the praise he was getting from his former brothers and the Mayans. It lifted his spirits a bit, made him feel just a little safer. They wouldn't joke around with him if they were going to kill him. "Yeah. 'm just happy she's alive."
"We all are," Marcus agreed on a nod. "Once she gets out, I'll have a few of our guys follow you to my place and post them there. Lino will stay with you. Place will be surrounded."
"She's ain't goin' anywhere," Happy said, standing from the table. "Stayin' right here. We got 'em."
"Your numbers are down. You don't got the manpower to spare to watch out for them, " the Mayan President shot back with his eyebrows raised. "We got the Stockton Charter and some brothers up from the border to protect them. Most of our families are takin' a vacation outta state to stay safe, so we don't gotta worry about 'em. They will be our soul focus. That something you can do?"
Happy stood taller, puffing out his chest a bit. "She'll be safe at the clubhouse. We got it locked down."
"Might be best if ya'll just get outta here. Go back to Texas, to be honest," Lino suggested, glancing in between them before nodding to Juice. "What you thinkin', Tonto?"
Juice grimaced at the nickname but was thankful someone thought to ask him. He thought about the best way to answer the question without pissing Happy off even more. "Can't go back. Angel came here for Lena 'n' there's no way in hell she'll leave now. Not until we get the girls back. As for where we're stayin'...I don't want my family anywhere near the clubhouse, Hap. Not after the hell that club put us through. Neither of us would feel safe there," he said before quickly adding, "Not sayin' we wouldn't be, I'm sayin' it wouldn't feel like it, and she don't need that kind of stress."
Hap's jaw ticked angrily, before he nodded. "One of our guys is goin' with."
"Fine," Marcus conceded on a shrug; he didn't give a shit, he'd gotten his way. He waited until the Sons had all walked away before turning to Juice and the other Mayans. "Lino, you drive 'em back. Make sure Santo Padre's there to watch 'em. Taino knows the drill. I'm sure Angel will be happy to see Angelita. Yuki too."
Lino chuckled at that, shaking his head. "Sounds like a party. Is it okay if I set Soli up in the guest bedroom? She didn't want to leave with the rest of 'em since she's got the baby 'n' all."
"Ha!" Raffa exclaimed, grinning like a fool. "Angela and Soli in the same place? They're gonna kill each other! Might as well throw my sister in there and have it out for reals."
He scowled in response. "They're grown women now. Ain't no cat fightin' goin' down. They're too old for that shit. Right?" he asked, looking to Juice.
Juice chuckled, holding up his hands. "Know Angel won't start shit. She's thankful Soli saved our kid. Never really seen her throw a punch to be honest. Usually, I get there first."
"She ain't ever punch you?" Raffa asked, rubbing at his jaw as he shook his head.
He furrowed his brow and shook his head wondering why they were all so surprised. Sure there were times he knew she wanted to punch him, but she'd never gotten violent with him. The worst she'd ever done was physically push him away. Those shoves were always strong, though. Just another reminder of her strength. He couldn't imagine the kind of power her punches had. "Not that I can remember."
Both of the younger Mayans laughed while Alvarez just shook his head. "Bro, you'd remember," Lino said, nudging his arm with his own. "That shit hurts."
"Bueno. Enough fuckin' around," Marcus stated, slapping Juice on the back. "Go check on your wife. Make sure she and my grandkids are doing okay."
Juice smiled a little, excited at the prospect of seeing his babies on the ultra sound screen. He knew from seeing Evie at such an early stage that there wasn't going to be much to see. Still, he couldn't wait. "Yeah. Will do," he said heading towards Angela's hospital room. Lino stuck by his side, his hands deep into his pockets as he walked behind him. Juice raised an eyebrow at him. "You followin' me now?"
Lino shrugged a shoulder. "Yeah, dude. You heard 'im. I'm your personal bodyguard. We 'bout to be best friends," he told him with a cheesy grin.
"Weren't you Esai's prospect?" Juice asked, wondering why Lino was being so nice to him. "Shouldn't you hate me?"
He scoffed in response, shaking his head. "Nah, dude. Ang and I have been best friends since we was three years old. Our Ma's met at some Dead Husband support group, and they became best friends, so we became friends. Dead Dad Club. Our Ma's always wanted us to get married, but we ain't ever seen each other that way. She's always been my sister, y'know? None of that unrequited shit like in the movies. Just friends," he told him, waving his hands as he talked. "So you keep treatin' her good and makin' her happy, and I'm good with you. 's long as you don't hurt her or fuck over my club, we won't have any problems. We gonna have problems?"
Juice chuckled; Lino's rambling was worse than Angela's. "Not from me. Apparently, she's more likely to hurt me with that right hook than I am to hurt her."
"Yeah. She must really like you if she hasn't punched you yet. Even I have been on the receiving end of one of those."
Juice barely heard the end of his comment; he was more focused on the nurse standing outside Angela's door. For some reason the sight of her made him nervous. Was she there to give him some bad news? Was Angela back in surgery? The doctor had said the removal of her chest tube could result in her lung collapsing again which meant more surgery and more time in the hospital. Something he knew Angela would hate. "What happened? Is she..."
"She's fine," the nurse said quickly. "Chest tube came out perfectly. She's all stitched up and doing well. I offered her pain meds, but she..."
"Refused," Juice finished, rubbing a hand over his face. He wished she'd listen to her nurses for once in her life. "Of course."
"She just wanted a shower, which she can't really have for another day or so, but Graci helped her wash her hair in the sink. Gave her some soap and a sponge so she can freshen up a bit, too," the nurse explained before frowning. "Her incision is numb now, but it's gonna hurt once that wears off. We'll give her drugs for that, but taking them is up to her. Also she'll have antibiotics to make sure she doesn't get an infection. Wounds needs to be cleaned and re-dressed daily. We're gonna set up weekly check ups because of her injury and the twins. She should stay in bed. No heavy lifting, nothing strenuous because she could pop a stitch. No exercising because her lung could collapse again. She doesn't seem the type to listen to my instructions, so if you could..."
He nodded slowly. "I'll take care a her. The pain meds, they okay for the baby?"
The nurse gave him a small smile, setting her hand on his arm reassuringly. "We wouldn't give them to her if they weren't."
"Right, right. Can I…" he gestured to the door. At her hesitation, he smirked. "I've already gotten her pregnant. Twice. Nothing I haven't seen before."
She stepped to the side and gestured to the door. Juice glanced over his shoulder at Lino who backed up. "I'm good, bro. I'll just chill here. Thanks," he stated on a shrug.
"Wasn't an invitation," he muttered to himself before walking into the room. He was met with Angela's bare back as she pulled her pants up. He took a moment to drink in the sight before him, his heart beating fast in his chest as he watched the tribal lines inked across her back move with her muscles. He loved those tattoos despite the way they reminded him of their past, they were also a symbol of her love for him. That and they were sexy as hell. Definitely looked much better on her than on him.
"You enjoyin' the view, goofy?" Angela asked without turning to look at him, her arms slipping through the straps of her bra.
"You know it," he answered, smiling a little. He let her struggle with her bra clasp until she hissed in pain. He quickly crossed over to her, trying to help her with it. "Let me."
"Don't. I got this," she said stubbornly, waving him away.
Juice swatted her hands away, taking the bra strap and clasping it easily. He dropped a kiss to her bare shoulder, sliding his arms around her waist. "You gotta let me help you, Angel," he murmured against the skin of her shoulder. "You always help me, let me help you for once."
She leaned back into him, her hands settling on his as she let out a long exhale. "I hate this. Feel so fuckin' useless."
"You're not, baby," he assured, his hands stroking over her lower belly. "You're the one that suggested to go looking into the women. Without that, we wouldn't a had any kind of lead."
Angela sighed softly, hanging her head a bit. "At least there's that." She stepped away from him, grabbing her button down shirt off the bed and carefully pulling it on.
She grimaced in pain, and he wanted nothing more than to step in and help her, but he knew better; she needed to feel like she could take care of herself or else she'd hurt herself trying to prove that she could. "We're going to be staying in Oakland," he told her, watching her nimble fingers as they snapped the buttons closed. "Marc said he's got some of his brothers coming from down south for guard duty."
She smirked, shaking her head slowly. "The Santo Padre charter?"
"Dunno. Mentioned something about another Angel? Reyes?"
"That's them all right," she confirmed, a blush coloring her cheeks. "Crazy crew, that one."
Juice raised an eyebrow at her blush, wondering what had brought it on. "Something I need to know? Is one of the guys one of your mysterious two?" he asked, his arms crossed over his chest, slightly amused. She'd told him once before that she'd slept with only five people in her lifetime. He knew three of them, but she refused to tell him the other two. No matter how hard he tried to weasel them out of her, she always flipped the script and asked him to list his partners first, a feat she knew he couldn't do.
"Nope," she insisted, though the blush lingered. "Told you, those two had no club affiliations. My attempt at normal."
The door opened a crack, Lino's hand waving in. " 'ey! You decent?" he called, waiting until she answered him before stepping inside. "Look who's on her feet and lookin' strong as ever! Blushin' up a storm there, chiqui. What were you two doin'?"
"Nothin'. I mentioned that Angel guy, and she just…blushed," Juice explained, hoping Lino would explain what was up.
Lino chuckled, ignoring Angela's glare as he cleared his throat. "Esai Alvarez was a jealous dude pero there was only one guy he thought could actually steal his girl and that was Angel Reyes. Home girl had the fattest crush on him."
"Did not," she denied, rolling her eyes at him.
"Did too! I remember," he insisted around a laugh, dodging her fist when she swung at him. "You liked his hair!"
She grinned and shrugged. "He did have great hair," she mused, zipping up her pack before turning to her husband. "But you got nothing to worry about because yours has always been better."
Lino chuckled. "You do remember he used to have a mohawk, right?" he teased, reaching over to grab the open container of Jell-O on Angela's side table and taking a spoonful of it. "Plus, Reyes was never into her. He always said he liked his girls with more meat on 'em and less drama. Ang was too complicated for him."
"I like complicated. Makes things exciting," Juice stated, setting his hands on her hips and dipping his head to catch her lips in a quick kiss.
She laughed, rolling her eyes at him. "Goof," she murmured, moving to grab her bag off the bed. Lino was faster, though, grabbing it before she could and slinging it over his shoulder before stepping out of her way so she couldn't try to get it back. She sighed in defeat, raking her hand through her wet hair before saying, "We got an ultra sound, then I'm gonna visit my Aunt before we leave."
"Ang…" Lino started, hesitating a bit. "We got escort services waitin' on you, chiqui. Makin' the cops awful nervous all them bikers out there."
Juice watched her square her shoulders, chin jutting up defiantly, preparing herself for a fight. She narrowed her eyes, pointing a finger in his face. "The only reason I came back was because my Aunt is dying. You've got another thing comin' if you think I'm not going to see her before I leave or that I won't come back and visit."
"Tonto, you just gonna let her…"
Juice held up his hands. "I don't let her do anything," he said, earning him a little smirk from his wife. "Also, kind of agree with her. Only reason we're here is for Lena, remember?"
Lino sighed, rubbing a hand over his head. "Always gotta get me in trouble, huh, Ang?" he sighed to himself as he got to his feet. "All right, lemme just alert the masses. Tell 'em to hold on."
"Thanks, Lee," Angela said, kissing his cheek quickly. "Love you."
"Uh-huh, sure you do," he muttered as he walked out. "Lemme know when you're ready to go then, crazy lady."
Juice slid his arms around her as she flipped off her friend's back. He moved his hands over her lower belly, smiling at its firmness. Those were his kids in there. "You ready to see these little bugs?" he asked her, nuzzling her ear with his nose.
She laughed, turning her head to kiss him. "Yeah, goof. Let's go see Thing One and Thing Two."
Charlotte Lin sat at the beautiful, antique desk that had once belonged to her brother, Henry, looking over his books and notes. It was a total mess. Evidence of their ups and downs in the heroin trade and his constant loss of territory to the Mayans and Niners. Then the Sons went and screwed him over by taking out his men one by one before finishing him off and letting the Mayans and Niners take over their turf. Once Teller bit the dust though, the Mayans slowly but surely pushed the Niners out and took over. They were running Oakland now; on top of the heroin trade and the guns. Not for long, though. She was going to get their piece of the drugs and the guns back and revive what her brother had run into the ground. She already had their old massage parlors up and running again, but she wasn't going to start moving their product. Not yet. Not until she was sure the Mayans and Sons wouldn't come stomping in at the first sign of it. Her crew wasn't strong enough, and she didn't trust the Niners she was working with any more than she could throw them.
They were doing their part, though. Tyler, their leader, was a spineless little fucker. Probably why he and his crew had lost their footing in Oakland. She didn't mind; it only made it easier for her to take over and run the show. Tyler had almost seemed relieved to hand over the reins even if he didn't exactly know who he was giving them to.
"Ms. Lin," Johnny, one of Lin's old cronies greeted catching her attention. "We got the goods."
Behind him was one her enforcer, a small tupperware container in his hand. If she looked hard enough, she could make out just the smallest drop of blood on his shirt. He was silent, though his distaste for Johnny was evident on his face. She nodded to him. "What'd you bring me, Shang?" she asked him.
He smirked at the nickname given to him because his resemblance to the animated character in Mulan was uncanny."Pinky toe, Mulan."
If anyone else her called her by the name, they'd get a quick bullet between the eyes, but Shang was allowed. After all, he was fantastic in bed and didn't mind getting his hands dirty when she needed him to outside of the bedroom too. "Excellent," she nodded in approval. "Johnny, see that it finds its way into the Son's hands. With Shang's number to arrange a meet."
"The tape'll be easy to deliver. They're all at St. Thomas," Johnny scoffed as if the idea of all of them in one place was idiotic. "Don't gotta go too far to get them."
She raised an eyebrow at him, intrigued. "What are they all doing at a hospital?"
He shrugged, checking the time on his phone. "Think they're there for that girl that was in the accident with the nurse chick."
"You told me she was dead," she stated calmly, doing her best not to get angry. "That she was just a nurse and didn't matter to the club. Are you saying now that she not only survived but is affiliated with both clubs?"
"Apparently," Johnny replied, sending out a quick text. "Who knew, right?"
Charlie slammed her hand on the table in anger. "You should have! Do you have any idea how valuable that woman would be to us? She's brought together the Mayans and the Sons, got them to stay in one place to protect her! Clearly, she's a little more important than 'just a nurse', you moron! Who is she?"
"I dunno. Just some chick, I guess."
"Useless," she growled at him, pushing back from the desk as she grabbed her gun. She walked confidently down the stairs to the basement of the little warehouse in Richmond. The women were locked away in what once was a supply closet. Peering through the window, she saw that two out of the three of them were asleep. She knew it was the stronger two that were taking the time to rest while the weak ones were both still sniffling as they stared at their wounds. "Good evening, ladies," she greeted, waiting until they were all awake and alert before looking over at the nurse. "Apparently, we made an error and left one very important woman behind when we caught you, Ms. Braun."
The fear in Chloe's eyes told her she'd known what a mistake it'd been leaving the other woman behind. "What?" Chloe asked, trying to play it cool. "No, she's just a nurse. My best friend. No one important."
"Why would you lie to me, Ms. Braun? You had to know we'd find out. My cousin and his comrades are morons, but us women, we're a little smarter than that," she said smirking to herself. "You see, your boys all went to protect her at the hospital. The Mayans and Sons together in one place? Big red flag that someone important is there. Now, who is it?"
Chloe's jaw clenched as she tilted her head back to look up at her. "She's alive then?"
"Oh, she's alive all right. Who is she?" she repeated, tracing the gun over Chloe's cheek and noticing how she flinched away. Clearly, she wasn't as tough as she looked. She stayed quiet, though, an obstinate look on her face. Charlie cracked her across the face with the gun. "Who is she?" she demanded, louder this time. Again, she remained silent. So she smacked the other side of her face. She hit her again and again until she drew blood.
"Stop!" the youngest of the bunch, a Mayan named Lupe, shouted out. "Don't hurt her no more!"
"Lupe, callate," Diana Alvarez hissed in her direction. (Shut up)
Chloe didn't make a sound despite the way her cheek was badly cut, blood oozing from it and trailing down her face. Charlie hit her once more for good measure before turning towards the weakling who'd cried out. "Do you have something to say?"
"N-no, I wasn't there, I swear. I dunno who you're talkin' about," Lupe tried, tears already filling her green eyes. "I just...no more blood. Please. No more blood."
Charlie raised an eyebrow, so the little girl was afraid of blood. "All right. I can do that," she said, turning towards her and walking over. "Now, you seem to be a smart girl. How 'bout you tell me, and I'll go away. No more blood. Just a nice conversation, huh?"
"I don't know," Lupe sobbed in response. "I wasn't there."
She pressed the nose of the gun into her forehead. "Think harder. A woman with Mayan and Son connections. There can't be more than one."
"Lupe," Diana warned, an admonishing look in her eyes.
Charlie cocked the gun and the younger girl's eyes went wide. "I suggest you tell me. You're dispensable, you know. More so than any of the other women here. I have no problem pulling the trigger."
Lupe swallowed hard before nodding. "A-Angela Ruiz. She's...her cousin's a Son a-and M-Marcus loves her l-like a d-daughter."
She let the gun dropped to her side, sighing softly. "Thank you. That's all I wanted to know."
"Don't fuckin' touch her, you bitch!" Chloe spat out, her teeth red with blood from her split lip.
"Don't you worry your pretty little head about it," she replied with a sickly sweet smile. "By the time we get to hurting her, you'll already be dead."
With that, she walked out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Johnny stood in the hallway, leaning against the wall without a care in the world. "So?" he asked, arms crossed over his chest. "You find out who she is?"
"Oh, I did. Ms. Angela Ruiz. She has family in both clubs," she answered simply. "So the girl you left to die could've been the only girl we ever needed."
"Oh shit, my bad," he said around a laugh.
"You're bad," she repeated, chuckling softly. She glanced over at Shang who was blocking the stairs, the only way out. In one quick movement, she raised the gun and shot Johnny quickly between the eyes. Stepping away, she exchanged a smirk with her enforcer. "My bad."
Shang shrugged a shoulder. "Guy was a moron anyway."
She smiled at him, handing him the gun and lovingly patting his chest. "Clean this up. Then find me everything you can about Angela Ruiz."
Juice walked out of the obstetrician room pushing Angela in her wheelchair down the hall towards Elena's room. The hospital had insisted Angela use a wheel chair for her own safety. She wasn't fully healed and the more time she spent off her feet, the better. He was grateful for it and had no problem pushing his wife around. What did bother him was the way his wife who had once refused a wheelchair after being shot and stabbed had sat down in the chair without so much as a complaint. For her to show weakness in front of him like that was a sure sign she was in a lot of pain and knew her injury was serious, knew she couldn't just power through it this time. And that scared the shit out of him.
Angela tilted her head back, smiling at him. "I'm okay, baby," she assured him.
" 's not like you to be okay with this wheelchair shit," he said, leaning forward to kiss her temple. "It hurt a lot?"
"Nah, I'm just tired," she answered on a shrug. She looked down at the little ultrasound in her hand. "Think these little bugs have something to do with it."
Juice smiled at the little picture. His little twins were healthy and strong, growing at a normal rate despite everything Angela had gone through. "Double the trouble right there."
She laughed lightly, her fingers tracing over the little images. "Double the fun."
"All right, let's see that ultrasound!" Lino exclaimed, unhitching himself from the wall where he'd been waiting for them. Angela handed it over to him with a smile, and he looked over the picture with a laugh. "Aww man, that's nothin'. Check this out; my baby's got feet!"
Juice watched as he dug the ultrasound out of one of the inner pockets of his cut, handing it over to them. True, his baby was a little larger than there's, but it was also older. "Yeah, but we got two," he pointed out.
"Yeah, but mine doesn't look like a fuckin' spot. That's a strong boy right there," Lino countered, jabbing his finger at his sonogram. "My future soccer star."
"You can't even tell if it's a boy!"
"I just got a feelin', all right?" Lino insisted with an excited grin. "Gonna be the next Messi or Beckham, promise you that."
Angela laughed, shaking her head at him. "If he doesn't become a Mayan first."
Juice was surprised by the way Lino considered the comment. Almost as if he didn't mind either way. There'd been a time he'd felt the same way about the Sons, but he couldn't imagine it now. His future children would never be a part of the club, any club. "That's up to him," Lino said indifferently. "He'll still be good at soccer, though."
"You'd be okay with him becoming a club member?" Juice asked, eyebrow raised.
"Sure. Why not?" he shot back on a shrug. "Mayans ain't like the Sons. When we say familia, we mean familia. Shit that went down with you? Woulda been totally different if you were in our club, 'mano."
Angela rolled her eyes. "You do remember what happened to Esai, right?"
Lino grimaced, scratching at his elbow. "Shit, yeah. That wasn't great."
Juice wrinkled his nose at the name; his skin prickled every time Angela said it. It was a reminder she hadn't always been his, and it drove him nuts. Even more so now that they were staying in his goddamn bedroom. "He got what was comin' to him," he muttered more to himself than to the other two.
If she'd heard him, she didn't reply, her dark eyes were affixed to Elena's hospital room door. "Is Evie in there?" she asked, her hand going to her belly.
"Yeah. Think Ken's at the funeral home with the rest of the Scooby gang. There's a prospect with 'em though. One of ours," Lino explained proudly. "Mayans are gonna be the ones protectin' the Ortiz fam. Here, in Oakland, everywhere. Hap might put a Son on you while you're here, pero I'll be with you too."
"Fan-fuckin'-tastic," Juice said on a sigh. He was grateful to hear it'd be Lino shadowing them instead of a random Mayan or Son. No way could he handle a Son watching out for them. Not without being in constant worry that one would stab him in the back…literally.
Angela wasn't really listening though. She was laser-focused on the door in front of her. Slowly, she put her hands on the armrests, pushing herself to her feet. A pained gasp escaped her hold as she quickly sat back down. "Shit," she groaned, raking a hand through her hair. She held the other one out to him. "Help me up."
He walked around the chair, hesitating. "Ang, you really shouldn't be..."
She shook her head. "No. I'm fine, I swear. Just help me up," she insisted, her dark eyes pleading. "Juice, I don't want her to see me like this."
He fought the urge to grin; there was his strong wife. As much as he hated to let her stand, he felt a little relieved that she was insisting on it. "All right, baby," he conceded, grabbing her hand and gently pulling her to her feet. He cringed at the way she winced with the movement. "Sorry, Angel."
"Don't be," she said, trying her best to smile. "I'm okay. I got this."
He took her face in his hands and kissed her softly. " 'course you do."
Leaning in, she kissed him again, her hand brushing over his cheek. "I love you."
He felt his heart flutter in his chest as it always did when she said those three little words. "Love you too, baby," he replied, leaning into her touch. "You got this."
She nodded, pushing open the door and taking a step inside. Evie spotted her before Elena did, and she perked up immediately. "Mama!" she exclaimed, scrambling down off of Elena's bed and running for her.
Juice was thankful Angela didn't try to catch her and swing her up in the air like she usually did. Instead, she dropped to her knee and caught Evie that way, hugging her close. "Hey, baby girl," she murmured, burying her nose in her hair as she kissed her temple. She let her go, ruffling her hair as she straightened up.
Evie tugged on her shirt, looking up at her with a pout. "Up, Mama! Up!"
Angela hesitated for a brief moment, her hand running over Evie's soft hair. They'd been told hours before she was not supposed to do any heavy lifting, and while Evie was still little, she wasn't exactly light. Still, Juice could see Angela about to cave into her daughter's puppy dog stare and quickly intervened, sweeping Evie up off her feet with a playful growl. "No way. Daddy's got dibs on this little monkey!" he shouted, hating the sad look on Angela's face. Evie's giggles filled the room, lightening the mood significantly. Setting her down on the edge of Elena's bed, he leaned over to kiss Elena's cheek. "How you doin', Lena?"
Elena gave him a smile and a shrug. "Good, mijo. Very happy to see you. I thought I wasn't going to get the chance again."
Juice's shoulders sagged guiltily as he hung his head. "Yeah, 'm sorry about that."
"Don't be. I am so glad you're here now. It is so good to see how my Angelita's family has grown! And how happy she is. You make her that way, and even though you take her away to another state, I'm happy porque I know she is."
He grimaced at her words, his heartbeat kicking up just a little bit. He stared down at the floor, doing his best not to dwell on Elena's words though. He took her away. He took her away from the place that she loved, from the people she loved. It was all his fault. Swallowing hard, he nodded slightly. "S-sorry," he managed to get out, though his head was spinning.
Angela's hand slid into his and squeezed, its presence warm and reassuring. "Don't go there, goof. Everything's okay," she whispered softly, kissing his cheek. "We're okay."
He nodded, rubbing a hand over his face. "Yeah. Okay."
"Eva, how about you and your Papi go see if you can find some Jell-O in the cafeteria, huh?" Elena suggested with a warm smile.
"Yeah!" Evie exclaimed, jumping down off of the bed and running to the door. She stopped there, bouncing on her toes as she waited for her dad. "Come, Daddy!"
Angela's grip on his hand tightened, that worry wrinkle appearing between her brows. She knew better then to send him away when he was on the brink of a panic attack. "Wait a second, Eves. Juice, baby, look at me."
Juice barely heard her, his thoughts were way too loud. His mind was traveling down the well-worn path of guilt, sadness, and regret that it usually did when their move to Texas was brought up. He pressed a hand to his chest, feeling like he couldn't breathe as everything he'd had to deal with in the short time he was back in Charming hit him and hit him hard. He'd taken Angela away from her family, the job she loved. She was happier here in California with her family, the funeral home, but he'd taken her away from that. Now they were back, and he'd talked to Chibs and she'd mentioned moving back and Chloe, Lyla, and Dia were gone and Elena was in the hospital and then Angela was in the hospital and Evie had almost been taken and they were going to have twins and…it was all too much.
"Juice!" Angela's voice called, breaking through his haze. Her hand curled around his neck as she stood on her toes to press her forehead to his. He focused his eyes on her face, her dark eyes as they searched his. She gave him a reassuring smile. "Hey, breathe. C'mon. In and out. With me."
He followed her lead, breathing with her, comforted by the feeling of her nails raking over the back of his neck. He hated how worried and almost fearful she looked. Hated that he'd made her feel that way after everything she'd been through. She didn't need that shit. He needed to get it together and soon. "I'm good. I'm good. I got this. I'm okay," he said, nodding quickly. "Sorry. 'm sorry."
She gave him an understanding smile. "Nothin' to be sorry about, baby," she assured him, pecking his lips quickly. "Go take a walk. Eves can stay with us here."
"No! I want Jell-O!" Evie whined, seemingly oblivious to the panic attack he'd just gone through. "Pleeeeease."
"We'll get some later, Eves," Angela promised, her dark eyes leaving his to look over at their daughter.
Juice sniffed, running a hand over his face as he let out a long breath. He had to be strong now for his daughter. No way was he going to let her down. "No, I got this. I'm okay," he rasped, trying his best for a smile and failing.
He went to move away, but she grabbed his arm. "Juice…"
"Don't worry. I got this," he assured her, kissing her quickly. He moved away from her before she could catch him again. "C'mon, Monk. Let's go grab some Jell-O. They might even have green!"
"Yay, Daddy!" Evie exclaimed, reaching up to him.
Juice picked her up again, cuddling her close for a moment before opening the door. He could feel Angela's concerned eyes on his back as he walked out of the room, but he ignored her and pushed forward, listening to Evie as she jabbered on and letting her little voice ease his nerves. As long as he focused on her and what she needed, he wouldn't be drowned by his own thoughts. Evie was his little lifesaver, and he held onto her as tightly as he could.
Angela closed her eyes as Elena's hands smoothed through her hair, expertly weaving the wet strands over and under each other as she braided it. Juice's little panic attack was weighing heavy on her mind. He'd powered through it, but she had a feeling it was going to be the first of many.
"You're worried about Juancito. I can feel it. That was a panic attack, no?" Elena asked, a worried note in her voice.
She sighed heavily and nodded. "Yeah. He gets them every once and a while. Anytime anyone brings up Charming or something reminds him of it. Part of his PTSD. We've gotten better at working through them, and he's hasn't had one in a long time, but I know physically being here isn't going to help him."
"Juancito's strong. He can push through it."
"Has nothing to do with his strength, Tia. He's the strongest man I know. Its his head. He can't control his thoughts sometimes, and he gets lost in them. They pull him under until he can't breathe. The first time it happened, I almost drove him to the hospital. I didn't know how to control it, what to do," she explained, shaking her head. "I want him to get help, but so much of what haunts him is illegal, that he doesn't want to risk it, so I researched it. Watched videos online, read books, read every article I could find to help him."
"And is it working?"
"Yeah, thankfully. I mean, I think professionals could help more, but we found what works for him. Its easier for him if I'm there, and if the kids aren't around. Its when I'm not that its harder for him to work through. He...he doesn't do well on his own. And I'm worried that he's going to push me out now that I'm pregnant, 'cause he thinks it stressed me out, but he's so wrong. Him pushing me away stressed me out more than anything. Makes me feel totally useless. I hate that."
Elena tugged a bit on her braid. "You're not useless, mi amor. Let him take care of you. That in itself should help him feel better. If he focuses on you, he won't think about all of that craziness, and he'll relax."
Angela laughed; she wished it was as easy as that. "He shouldn't have come back. He should be back in Texas. Working. Thinking about anything but freakin' Charming."
She pulled forcefully on her hair in response making her cringe. "Don't say that! I think it is very honorable that he risked his life para venir to take care of his pregnant wife. That's what a man should do! That's why I love him. He puts his familia first. Always." (to come...family)
"That he does." She smiled warmly at the thought of her loving husband. In the silence that followed, she was keenly aware of how labored and wheezy Elena's breathing was. The sound of it made her own chest hurt knowing how bad Elena's illness was starting to get. "How're you feelin', Tia?"
"I'm okay, mija," she said simply, patting her shoulder before picking up the remote. She turned it on and smiled at the bedazzled man in sitting in his throne yelling in Spanish. "You be quiet now. Walter Mercado's on. Vamos a ver tu horoscopo. He'll tell us how our weeks will be like." (We're going to watch your horoscope)
She rolled her eyes at her Aunt but smiled anyway. Elena and her mother were both avid believers in astrology, and while she only half believed in it, Angela enjoyed watching the overdressed man on the television yell the week's horoscopes. It brought her back to her childhood when she'd sit in the kitchen after school with Elena playing dominos while her aunt helped translate the harder Spanish words in her horoscope and helped explain what they meant. She stretched out next to Elena, resting her head on her shoulder, grateful for just this little moment of peace with one of the people she loved most.
She must've dozed off because the sound of the door slamming jerked her awake. Lino rushed in, his eyes wide. "Angela, we gotta go. They know we're here," he exclaimed, rushing towards the bed.
Angela sat up and looked over at Elena, hating the mix of pain and worry on her face. "Lino, you need to relax," she said, slipping to her feet with a grunt. She kissed Elena's cheek, squeezing her hand gently. "I'll see you manana, Tia. Te quiero mucho." (tomorrow, Aunt...I love you a lot)
Elena nodded slowly, waving her away. "Love you too, mija. Now go, my favorite novela is going to be on y Lino makes too much noise."
"Typical Aquarius," she teased, winking at her aunt while Lino made a sound of protest. She shoved him out of the room before he could defend himself. Once they were outside of the room, she grabbed him by the ear, tugging him away from the door just in case Elena could hear them. "What the fuck was that? Lena is fuckin' sick and you come in there with that? This better be super important. What's going on?"
"It's Lyla this time. We got a video and an…appendage," he replied, scratching at the back of his neck. "The note was for both clubs. Delivered here. With instructions for a meet. They know we're here, and if they know we're here, that means everyone is in danger. We gotta go. Lock down. Now."
"An appendage?" she asked, still trying to comprehend all of the information he'd just laid on her.
"Yeah. Could be a toe…or a pinky. I dunno, I didn't get a good look," he explained, grabbing her arm and practically dragging her down the hall. "They set up a meet for tomorrow. Gonna try to see if they'll bring the girls down to it so we can get them back once and for all."
Angela winced as Lino walked a little too fast, the movement pulling at her stitches, a painful reminder that she was not functioning at one hundred percent. "Slow down, Lee," she said, slowing her own pace and pulling him to a stop. "Does Kenny know?"
"No. We're keepin' the kids out of this shit. Less people that know the better."
"Bullshit. That's his stepmother. He needs to know what's going on!"
Lino shook his head slowly. "Nah, chiqui. We're not doin' that," he said, starting to walk again, slower this time. "Sons think its what's best for him and the other kids."
Anger swept through her, her hands clenching into fists. "Fuck them! He is my son. I get to decide what to tell him," she seethed, scowling at him.
"Why you gotta rock the boat, huh? The kid's already got a lot on his plate. He don't need to know this shit."
Angela stopped again, making Lino stop. "Yes, he does! Ken has been lied to by the Sons for his whole life, and I will not be a part of that."
"Woah, woah! Okay, crazy," Lino said, holding up his hands in defeat. "Tell him whatever then. Piss off the Sons. Ain't like you haven't done it before. Just chill. You're gonna pop a stitch or somethin'. Keep the damn hormones in check, lady. Damn."
She gave him a quick shove. "Shut up. This is insane, Lee. We came here for Elena, not to be kidnapped or run off the road. Just for my aunt. So all this craziness…is fucked up. We shoulda just stayed home."
Lino moved his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side. "Well, I know Lena's glad you're here, and I am too. Everyone was stoked to hear you were comin' back. And I know you love bein' home too. 'cause Cali's your home. 's always gonna be."
Angela grimaced, thankful Juice wasn't around to hear him. After the mini panic attack he'd had in Elena's room a few hours before, she knew hearing Lino reinforce his feelings would send him into another one. "That's not true. Juice is my home. Wherever he is, that's home.
"Whatever you say, chiqui. Just glad you're here. Right in time to see me become a Daddy."
She smirked at him, rolling her eyes. There was no way she was going to be there for months. As good as it sounded to her, Juice wouldn't be able to handle that. Their life was in Texas now. That wasn't going to change. "Lee, we're definitely not gonna be here that long."
"Uh-huh, that's what you think," Lino said, kissing her temple. "You gonna be stuck here for a long time, yo."
Angela smoothed a hand over her stomach, hating how much she liked the thought of staying in California. With SAMCRO knowing Juice was alive, it was a possibility now. They could move back. Not to Charming, of course, but maybe an hour or so away. She could commute to Charming, work in the funeral home again, and they could be close to her Mom and Aunt and Hap and Chloe and the Alvarezes. It wouldn't be so bad. She shook her head. No. It was impossible. It would do Juice more harm then good. It wasn't worth it. She gave Lino a small smile, shaking her head. "I wouldn't bet on it."
:)
Thank you all for being so patient with me! I know I've been really bad about updating, but there's been some craziness at work so I've been a little distracted. Hope you're all doing well!
Also I threw the names of the Mayans from the new Mayan show they're making in there for kicks. ;) Not sure when the new show will be airing or what the characters are like, so I kept it a little vague. But I thought making the connection would be fun!
Please let me know what you think! I love hearing from you all! :)
~Love Ink