I own nothing you recognize. All original characters and storylines are my own.

Miss Independent

"What did you tell the retard?" I looked over at Tig and shook my head. I considered him a friend and respected him as SaA but I couldn't tell him what had gone down in the chapel. I was also struck dumb by the sight of Juice pummeling Sam. Soon it shifted and Sam started fighting back. Fuck, for as much raw power and street fighting skill as Juice had Sam had ten times that in combat training from a former Marine.

"Stop, you idjits just stop!" My Dad shouted before he entered the fray. Both men were larger than him, younger than him and heavily muscled but he was a wily old coot. With a well placed kick to the knee, de ja vu, and an elbow to the eye socket, both guys stopped and started nursing their injuries. Dad turned and looked at me. "Your turn to play ref."

I nodded as I walked to Juice and pulled him into a hug. His response was to pull me tight and bury his bleeding, bruised face into my neck while I rubbed his back.

"Its ok baby, I have you. We don't have to worry about him anymore. I was hurt but you're healing me." He held me tighter.

"I couldn't kill the thing that hurt you but he was here and available. Fuck baby, it's my job to protect you." I felt tears prick the back of my eyes. This was his way to show he loved me, to beat the man who hurt me into the ground.

"I love you baby." Nothing else needed to be said as he let me go. I looked over to see my Dad and Sam talking in hushed tones. Sam was too fucking calm after receiving the beating he did, especially since it seemed unprovoked. Juice kept an arm around my waist before he turned so that we were facing them and he walked us to them so that we had an insular little group. What he wanted to say he didn't want an audience. As we stopped in front of them Sam looked up and I felt myself smirk at his black eye, split lip and the bruises blossoming. He was definitely the worse off of the two.

"We're hunting this thing tonight and once it's done I want you gone. Don't call Ari, don't text her, email…any of that shit. She'll be out of your life for good." Juice sounded so deadly serious, so different from his usual carefree demeanor, I knew he would kill Sam if Sam did any of those things.

"Ari?" Sam asked and I looked him in the eye before I shook my head.

"He's right. I can't deal with you anymore. This was the last straw, knowing without a doubt that you don't care about me or my feelings at all. I still love you Sam, probably always will but I have a family to consider and you no longer have a place in that family. Juice has agreed to let me be bait so we'll take care of this thing, then I want you gone." I took a deep breath and looked at Sam who just nodded.

"Fine, when this is done I'll leave you alone. Now how do you wanna start this thing?" I stared at him with my jaw hanging. I was right, he didn't give a damn and from the look on Dad's face he was just as shocked. Juice shook his head and hooked his arm more firmly around my waist.

"We'll set her up in Pedro's house, there's surveillance set up and we can find different places to-" I shook my head and put my hand on his shoulder.

"No baby, too much movement, too many people and the aswang won't be coming. I've put a lot of thought into this and since most aswangs are opportunistic and love the water I'll be going to the creek on the edge of town. We should only have a group of six ready and armed. Any more than that and it will be too much." I looked between my Dad, Sam and Juice and saw Juice shaking his head while the others nodded. "I have complete faith in you and Dad baby, nothing will happen to me when you two are on the case."

Juice shared a look with my Dad and they nodded before he kissed my forehead and moved over to the edge of the room where there was a table with first aid shit on it. My Dad met my eyes and it was my turn to nod. I had to take care of my man.

I sat at the bar with a glass of orange juice and a glare. Most of the guys had gone to prep the creek, something I had told them not to do, and I was told to be a good Old Lady and stay behind. I was so angry I could've spit. As I was thinking of inventive ways to torture Juice for his machismo Gemma came up to me and put an arm around my shoulders.

"Wanna get out of here sweetheart?" At the question I rose automatically and she gave a small laugh, "I'll take that as a yes."

She chuckled and stood at my side as I hobbled out of the clubhouse beside her. I was sick of everyone helping me so I created a makeshift splint and it did its job, it evened out the weight distribution on my leg and I was able to walk again, albeit slowly and deliberately. Soon enough I was settled in her Caddy and we were heading down the street.

"I'm glad you made the right choice." Gemma said after a few moments of silence and I looked over.

"Pardon?" I asked as I raised my eyebrows and she smiled.

"Juice, that boy would be lost without you. Everything you've ever told me about Sam has had this awe around it. It was like you couldn't believe that that man had chosen you. It always sounded like he was indifferent and now that I've actually seen him I was right. He doesn't give a damn about you." It hurt to hear everything laid out like that.

"He wasn't always like this Gemma. I know he used to love me, there's no faking that look." I sighed before I continued. "If he would have come back even four months ago, before everything got intense with Juice I would have gone. Now I have a home, a family and a place in the world. Sam has no place with me anymore."

"Good, because you're right. You do have a place darlin' and that place is with us." She gave me a small smile and I nodded, yes my place was with them. I'd never felt more secure in my life.

"Ok, enough of the heavy shit, where are we off to?" I asked and Gemma smirked. She knew she'd gotten to me.

"We have to go to the butcher shop. Pedro's wife Marisol is a wreck so I put myself in charge of the wake." I nodded, typical Gemma move.

"What do you need me to do?" After Donna's funeral I had a good idea of what was expected of me.

"Just kill this thing, I have enough help." Her voice had a steely resolve to it, she trusted me to do what needed to be done.

We shared a comfortable silence for the rest of the ride and when we got to the shop I hobbled out of the car and allowed Gemma to hold the door for me. I could be reasonable from time to time.

"Welcome, how may we assist you today?" The man behind the counter asked and I smiled, he was one of those stereotypical "old world" butchers with the big mustache and jolly face.

"We'll take two pork loins, the three largest beef roasts you have and five whole chickens." Gemma listed off her needs and the butcher grinned widely.

"Of course, young woman would you like to add anything to the order?" He asked as I perused his meat, it was very good quality and looked fresher than it should have been in the case. I looked into his eyes and saw that my reflection was right side up, he wasn't who we were looking for but there was something about this place. I'd have to ask my Dad how thoroughly he'd scoped it out.

"I don't see any lamb, is it in the back?" I looked over the meat again, no veal or lamb, highly suspicious.

"I'm sorry, the last three shipments we received turned bad very quickly. I haven't been able to stock it. My assistant Pai can give you the names of some neighboring farms that could provide you with what you need." I looked up sharply at the name. Pai? A distinctly Asian name.

"I would love to talk to your assistant, is she in?" I was so sugary sweet that Gemma looked at me out of the corner of her eye, damn I forgot how perceptive she was.

"Pai! customer!" He yelled and a small Asian woman came from the back carrying a side of pork that was almost as large as she was, with no strain or even effort she hoisted it onto the block behind him and came up to us.

"How may I assist you?" She asked in a soft voice with a heavy accent as she nodded to Gemma and I in a polite semi-bow.

"I'm looking for a rack of lamb and your boss says that you don't have any. I would like to know how to get in contact with someone who could assist me." Pai nodded and grabbed a notepad from behind the counter.

"Sure, sure, there the Daniels farm at the edge of town. Here the number and address. Also Warner farm very close, good young lamb." I nodded and tried to get eye contact. She handed the paper to me and I finally got what I was looking for. Her eyes met mine and I saw my reflection…upside down. I had to school my face quickly, we had our aswang. I gave the monster a smile.

"Thank you, I'll be sure to contact them as soon as possible." I forced the smile to stay on my face and hobbled over to Gemma.

"Will there be anything else ladies?" The jovial man asked and Gemma shook her head.

"No just wrap it all up and we're ready to go." He nodded and had his assistant help him wrap it up and sooner than I really wanted we were in the car.

"What the hell was that?" Gemma asked as we pulled onto the road.

"I had to check something out." I had a plan formulating in my head, I wasn't telling anyone what I found out. I was going to prove that I wasn't helpless.

"Satisfied with the answers?" She wasn't going to let it go so I had to distract her.

"Who has Abel while you and Jax are here?" It had been bothering me for a while and this was the perfect time to vocalize it.

"Tara and Neeta are taking turns. If she's gonna be with Jax she has to accept her place in the boy's life too. You tell her I said that and I will tear you limb from limb." I smirked, she was sufficiently distracted and I could continue hatching my plan.

"Sephariel I call you to my aid." I said quietly as I lit the last candle. Suddenly the air felt heavier and I felt a presence behind me.

"You called Messenger?" I used the edge of the bed and got up from my position on the floor and half fell to the bed. Sephariel was at my side in an instant and helped me right myself.

"Yes Sephariel, I need you to heal me. I received an injury and need to have it fixed." She nodded and before I had a chance to react she touched my knee and all the pain and swelling was gone. God, angels got to do all the cool shit. "Thank you dear one."

"You are welcome. Whatever you are planning I would advise against it. The child you are carrying is far too important to risk." She spoke quietly while I undid my splint.

"You don't understand Sephariel I have to do this." I put the splint on the bed and flexed my knee, in her healing she'd even gotten rid of the scar tissue ridging my kneecap. I freaking loved angelic healing!

If you must then I cannot stop you. However, if you need my help call my name or dear brother Catiel's, we will do what we can. I must return to the fray." I nodded as she poofed out of the room. Now that I could move I had to put my plan into action.

"Baby, damn." Juice relaxed on the pillows while I rested my head on his chest. If things ended badly tonight I wanted him to have a good memory to go back to.

"You weren't so bad yourself stud." I moved my head and smiled at him before I kissed the heart he'd had recently inked onto his chest. My name was stylized at the top and there was plenty of room for whatever name we'd decide on for the baby. My chest felt tight as I thought of all the things that could go wrong with what I had planned but I pushed those thoughts away. It would work out; I just had to stick to the plan.

"Shit, we need to go to the creek, the sun's setting." He moved to get up and I held a hand to his chest.

"I need to take a shower first. If I smell like man the creature won't come near me." He nodded and kissed me gently and sweetly.

"You do that and I'll make sure everyone's ready out front." I nodded and quickly threw on one of his shirts before I grabbed the bundle of clothes that I'd prepped. I was always planning on using the shower the sex was just an added bonus.

I went down the hall and found the good bathroom. Once I was inside I gave myself a short preliminary dousing in coconut extract before I turned on the shower full bore. I'd scouted out the window earlier in the day and discovered that the drop was nothing so once I got dressed I pushed my backpack out the window and followed. Thank god I didn't have the bump yet. I dropped and grinned. Thanks to Sephariel my knee was better than it had been in years and I was able to land without any problems. Once I had my pack secured to my back I looked around and saw the weakened area of the fence. I smiled, just as the sun was setting I went through the flap and was heading toward the butcher shop. I had a plan, tonight "Pai" was going to die.

"Come out, come out wherever you are." I whispered as I watched from my position on top of a nearby dumpster. I was going to tackle her the second she came out and for the last two hours had been suffering varying levels of disappointment. The shop had closed soon after I'd arrived and I knew she hadn't gone out the front. I was usually the most patient one on hunts but this was too personal.

Against my better judgment I moved from my position and skirted along the shadows. I was going to get her. I saw a window at the back of the building and had my "ah-ha" moment. I moved to the window and glanced inside, there she was simply hacking at what looked like a lamb shank. So that's why there weren't any more dead pregnant women, she was using the blood of infant animals. I reached back and took out one of the long pins I'd stuck in my coat. Suddenly the air felt hot, heavy, tropical and I had just enough time for an "oh shit" before I felt a sharp pain to the back of my neck and the world went black.