"I'll be right back." I said as Katerina and Kiara played with the puppy on the living room floor. Juice looked up at me and nodded as he got up and followed me out to my truck. He was smiling like an idiot as I pulled the pink and purple box out from under the seat.
"She's going to strangle you, Hap." Juice said with a chuckle as I pulled the second box out from under the seat. I smirked and shook my head.
"Nah, she's crazy enough to love me." I said as we headed back inside. Juice followed behind me and put the second box inside his kutte. Katerina smiled up at me as I walked in and handed her the bigger of the two boxes.
"I thought we said no gifts, Happy." Katerina teased as she started meticulously unwrapping the box. I sat down on the couch and wrapped my arm around Harley's head. He rolled over on his stomach and pawed at my arm like he always did.
"Happy! This is beautiful!" She said as she pulled the dress out of the box. Her eyes started watering when she realized there was a matching dress for Freya underneath. I kissed her forehead and smiled.
"Ma helped me pick them out. I figured you and Freya might need something to wear on vacation." I nodded at Juice who passed the small box over to me. I took a deep breath and handed it to Katerina. I knew she was going to start crying so I went ahead and prepared myself.
"What vacation? Oh my god, Happy." Her voice faded out as her tears started falling. She forced herself up off the floor and into my arms. I smirked and ran my hand over her back.
"Our honeymoon got cut short and I figured you'd like to take Freya with us, baby." She nodded and pulled back to look me in the eye. I kissed her nose and she ran her hands over my scalp.
"I love you, Happy. You're going to love Australia." She kissed me forcefully and I couldn't help but growl into her mouth. Kiara giggled and Katerina looked back over at her. I smiled and let her up from my lap. She flitted into the kitchen and grabbed some muffins that Bobby had dropped by yesterday.
She handed me one before sitting down next to me and started sharing part of hers with Harley. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. Juice stood up and nodded towards the door. Kiara smiled and gave Katerina and I a kiss before following Juice outside.
"Later, Hap. We'll see you two at Gemma's dinner, right?" I nodded and pulled Katerina closer to me as the door started closing. She pinched a piece off of my muffin since Harley had eaten most of hers. I laughed and gave her the rest of it.
"Katerina! Come in here and get off your feet, sweetheart." Gemma said as we walked inside. I gave the matriarch a nod and followed my wife inside. Kiara and Juice were in the backyard with the kids that seemed to love running around with the new puppy. I smiled and thought about how Freya would probably ride Harley around like a pony.
"I love you, Kat." I kissed her deeply before she sat down on the couch. She rubbed her stomach and scrunched her nose and I knew she was being kicked and punched from the inside. Tara walked up and gave me a nod before sitting down with Katerina.
"Merry Christmas, you two." She said with a bright smile. I nodded and gave her a half grin. Katerina gave her a hug before getting back to trying to calm Freya down.
"Happy Christmas, Tara. Did the boys get everything they wanted from Santa?" I heard Katerina ask as I walked into the kitchen to get a beer. Jax gave me a brotherly hug and then grabbed himself a beer as well. Chibs walked in with Laruen behind him and everyone called out their welcome to them.
"Happy Christmas, brotha." Chibs said as he gave Jax a hug. I smiled and accepted his hug next. Lauren came over and handed Ryder off to Chibs so she could go grab his bag from the car. "Here, ya need ta get some practice."
"He smells like shit." I turned my head and tried not to smell the laughing baby in my arms. Chibs laughed and gave me a shrug. I looked down at the little boy and laughed at how oblivious he was to his own stench.
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"Look, Kat." Kiara said as she nodded back towards the kitchen. I turned around to see what she was pointing out to me and smiled. Happy was holding Ryder and making faces at him to get him to keep laughing. I giggled and rested my hand on my stomach.
"He's going to be a great father." Gemma said as she put some non-alcoholic cider in front of me. I nodded in agreement and took the warm mug in my hands. Happy had Ryder laughing loud enough to carry through the whole house.
"He definitely won't let anything happen to either one of you. He's called the nurse every other week just to make sure he has all the updates on the two of you. Carlee isn't even afraid of him anymore. At least when it's just a phone call." Tara said with a laugh as I rolled my eyes.
"I tell him everything I know but he doesn't think the nurse tells me enough. You know he hasn't missed a single doctor's appointment since we found out it's a girl?" I told Kiara with a proud smile. She nodded and pointed over at Juice.
"He filled me in and said that any time Jax tries to schedule shit at the same time as your appointment Happy either pulls out of it or gives Jax this look and they change the date." Kiara smirked at Gemma's widened eyes. I felt Freya kick at the mention of his name. I let a sigh out through my lips and rubbed at the spot she'd kicked rather forcefully.
"She's already a daddy's girl. Anytime his name is mentioned she kicks or hits the hell out of me. I swear this kid is going to come out with boxing gloves." I joked as the all too real pain started again as she kicked harder. Tara gave me a concerned look and moved her hand towards my stomach. She paused and looked at me for permission. I hated when anyone but Happy or Kiara touched my stomach.
"Go ahead, Tara." I managed to get out as I tried to breathe myself into comfort. She put her hand over the spot Freya was assaulting and left it there for the duration of her little fit.
"You okay?" Happy asked as he walked up behind the couch. I leaned my head back to look at him and shrugged my shoulders. His eyes moved up to Tara as he waited for an answer as to why she was feeling my stomach.
"She's okay, Happy. I'm going to go ahead and suggest bed rest until delivery, Katerina. I know you've been against it but we're getting to the point that it's no longer debatable. Any undue stress will just make it even more painful. You aren't exactly built for having tall children, sweetie." Tara was looking at me again as I curled my lip up and narrowed my eyes. I'd refused to go on bed rest for the past four months and it was an argument Happy and I came back to every so often.
"Fine. I give up. If laying my fat ass up on the couch or in the bed will make the pain decrease then I'll do it. If you say I told you so I will have your balls, Happy." I snapped at him as I recognized his gloating expression. He put his hands up in mock surrender and I rolled my eyes.
"I'm also going to have to suggest limiting sexual activity. Sorry." Tara said with a shrug. Happy narrowed his eyes at her and shook his head.
"Christmas dinner ain't the time to talk about what I can and can't do with my wife, Doc." I shook my head and waved him away. I could see his eyes rolling as he bent down and kissed my forehead. He had been limited to blow jobs and I could tell it was a sore subject for him. He was pretty agitated that I didn't really want him to try and please me.
"What do you want to eat, Kat?" Happy asked once Gemma had announced that dinner was ready. I sighed at his insistence that I not strain and reach for anything.
"Vegetables and chicken." I said as he raised a brow at me. He started filling my plate and I heard Laruen giggle. I narrowed my eyes and looked over at her.
"You going to have him cut it up for you to?" She asked with a smirk. I flipped her off and grabbed my plate from Happy. He looked across the table at Lauren but didn't say anything. I didn't really say anything during dinner and felt relieved when I retired to the couch for the duration of the night. Kiara sat down next to me with her new puppy, Mozart, sleeping in her lap.
"I'll come over and help you with Harley if you want. I know they've got that run next week." Kiara said as she played with the puppy's ears. I nodded and gave her a little smile. Being on bed rest was already disagreeing with me.
"Here sweetheart. I know the princess isn't here yet but I didn't want to wait until the shower." Gemma said as she handed me a gift bag. I smiled up at her and pulled the tissue paper out. I laughed as I pulled the onesies out. Each of the five onesies were a different pastel color, but they all had the club's patch and top rocker. Instead of California, the bottom rocker said princess. I giggled and shook my head.
"These are perfect, Gemma! Thank you!" I said before calling Happy over. He handed me his beer as he looked at the baby clothes. He smirked and ran his thumb over the graphics.
"Cute, Gemma. Thanks." He said with a nod. She smiled and excused herself for a smoke as Happy took his beer back. He kissed my neck and tickled my skin with the short goatee he was growing before biting my shoulder and heading back outside with the rest of the guys.
"He doesn't even act like a Son anymore." Lauren said with a laugh. An uncomfortable silence fell over the group as Lyla, Tara and Kiara looked from Lauren to me. I glared at her and continued carefully folding the little outfits. "I'm just saying, he used to be tough and scary and now he's just not."
"How about you stop worrying about my old man and worry about why you aren't an old lady yet." I snapped, having had enough of her mouth. Kiara let out a low whistle as Lauren's jaw went slack and her brows rose.
"Just because I don't have a crow doesn't mean I'm any less of an old lady." She snapped back as Juice walked across the living room on his way back out to the patio. I shrugged and rested my back on the couch pillows.
"I'm just saying, you don't see any other old lady being a jealous bitch. If you're so damn insecure then deal with your shit, don't take it out on me and never fucking question my husband's role in the club." I was sick of the little pokes and prods that my best friend had been giving me over the past couple of months. I'd been doing the books for the bar from home just to avoid this type of argument.
"What's going on?" Happy asked as he and the rest of the guys walked inside. I didn't know if our voices had carried or Juice had alerted them to the brewing fight. Either way, I didn't want them involved.
"Laruen is just going through some jealousy issues right now. I'm fine, Hap." His eyes turned black and he looked over at Lauren for a minute. It was obvious that he was getting more and more protective of me as the weeks went by.
"I've got this, Hap." Chibs said as he motioned for Laruen to join him in the kitchen. Kiara cracked her knuckles and shook her head.
"I don't give a kangaroo's dick who she thinks she is. She keeps talking shit about my family and she's going to need another nose job." Happy's eyes shot over to her and I watched his scowl soften and his lips turn up in a smirk.
"A kangaroo's dick? Really, Kiara?" Juice said with a megawatt smile and a laugh. Tig snorted and shook his head as he ruffled my hair.
"Look, Katerina. She keeps running her mouth you just sit on her." I reached around to slug him but he backed away too quickly. Happy slapped him on the back of the head and shook his head. I couldn't help but laugh. I yawned and stood up carefully.
"I'm going to talk to Lohen about either buying the bar out or selling my half." I told Happy as we walked back inside our house. He tossed the keys in the metal bowl on the coffee table and nodded.
"If that's what you want to do, Katerina." He always kept his opinions about the bar to himself whenever I brought it up. I appreciated the trust he had in me but I really wanted a sounding board.
"I don't know what her problem is. We've been friends for years and the first time I'm completely happy she gets catty and jealous? What the fuck?" I grumbled as I crawled into bed after brushing my teeth. Happy rolled his eyes and pulled his shirt off.
"You're not letting this go, are you? Kat, most this shit has more to do with her and Chibs than you two." He grumbled as he slid into bed. I looked over at him and narrowed my eyes.
"What do you know?" I pried as he ran his fingers through my hair. He shook his head and kissed my shoulder.
"She wants information he can't give her without making it official. He don't want to give her a crow cause he can't marry her. So, she doesn't know shit about the club or what's going on." Happy said with a less than interested tone. I sighed and put my forehead on his chest. I immediately felt bad for responding to her snide remarks. I should have known something else was going on.
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"If this phone rings and you don't bust through those doors before the first ring ends, I'll make sure no one finds your body." I growled at Phil as I handed him my burner. We were going into church and Katerina was four days past her due date. He nodded enthusiastically as I turned to walk through the double doors.
"We've got Feds crawling up our asses again and brown's getting a little nervous about it. We're going in to lockdown at the first sign of trouble. Get your family's go bags packed because it could be a long one. I don't want anyone else getting hurt." Jax said as he looked over at Juice's wounded shoulder. He'd taken a bullet on his last shift out at the warehouse and we still weren't clear if it was brown or some unforeseen enemy.
"I'm clear brother but if Freya comes during lockdown, Quinn is coming down and posting the Nomads at the hospital 'til they come home." I said as we stood up to adjourn. He nodded and gave me a smile.
"Don't worry, Dad. We've got a contingency plan for you and the girls." I gave Jax a hug and nodded my thanks. I grabbed my phone from Phil and turned to leave as soon as we got out of the chapel. I caught Chibs grabbing Jordan out of the corner of my eye and gritted my teeth. I didn't know if it was Katerina's endless talking about him and Lauren or my new outlook on club whores but it bothered me none the less.
"You're out of church?" Lauren said as she opened my front door. She and Kiara had been switching out shifts to stay with Katerina when I wasn't home.
"Obviously." I growled as I tossed my keys into the bowl and caught Harley's front paws as he jumped up to greet me. He was driving himself crazy checking on Katerina every five minutes. I took his tennis ball from him and threw it across the living room.
"Is he in his dorm with some whore?" She spat as she walked back down towards my bedroom. I groaned and shrugged my kutte off.
"I liked it better when you and Katerina were fighting. Hey Kat. How are you?" I asked as I walked into the bedroom. She whimpered and shook her head as she shifted around on the bed. I frowned and brushed some of her hair out of her face.
"I can't get comfortable and I feel like she's right over my bladder. I don't have to pee but it's so uncomfortable." She said as I kissed her forehead. Her skin was warm and I pulled back with a frown.
"Lauren, call Tara and have her get over here." I said as Katerina whimpered again. Harley put his head on the mattress by her arm and whined quietly. She scratched his head slowly and lethargically. I twisted my mouth and headed into her closet.
"Hap, come back." Katerina said as I found her hospital bag I was looking for. She raised her brow as I put it down over by the door. Her skin was more red than gold like it normally was. Tara arrived a couple minutes later.
"Woah, how long have you felt bad, Katerina?" She asked as she got her stethoscope and thermometer out of her bag. Katerina hitched a shoulder weakly and kept gently scratching Harley.
"This morning, I guess. Why, what's wrong?" She asked as Tara started checking her vitals. I twisted my wedding band and waited for Tara's answer.
"You're having what's called preeclampsia, Katerina. Your blood pressure is getting dangerously high and we need to get you to St. Thomas so both you and Freya are okay." Tara tried to sound calm but it wasn't exactly fooling anyone.
"She coming home before the baby gets here?" I asked as I helped her out of bed. She was in one of my hooded sweatshirts and she was still shivering. Tara shook her head and I nodded in response.
"I'll call Kiara." Lauren said as she grabbed Katerina's hospital bag and headed towards the door. I picked her up, not willing to risk her losing her footing or passing out. Harley started whining loudly and followed right on my heels.
"Grab my keys, will ya?" I asked as Tara walked in front of me. She grabbed them and went ahead and got the Armada's doors open and the engine running.
"Pull into the ambulance zone when we get there. They're expecting us." Tara said as she ended the call she'd been on and headed over to her car. I nodded and got into the driver's seat while Lauren rode in the back with Katerina.
"I'm sorry I was such a bitch, Kat. You're my best friend." Lauren said as she held Katerina's head in her lap. I looked at her through the rearview mirror and narrowed my eyes.
"She ain't dying, Lauren. Kat, you're going to be fine, baby. I'm about to shoot your damn dog if he don't quit whining though." I growled and shot Harley a look as he continued to look back at Katerina from the passenger seat. She'd made me promise he'd be with us when we went to the hospital. I had a feeling he'd destroy the house if he was alone at this point so I didn't argue.
"When are we going to know something?" Kiara asked as she paced back and forth. I looked over at Juice and then back down at my boots. I was pissed off about the doctors throwing me out into the waiting room until the delivery started. Tara had to pull strings to keep them from calling security on me.
"Kiara, stop pacing, babe. All you're doing is tiring yourself out and pissing Killa off." Juice said as he caught her small waist and pulled her into his lap. I bounced Harley's ball over to him and watched him catch it before bringing it back and lying down at my feet. He was even too anxious to play.
"Hey, brother." I heard Quinn's familiar voice from behind me and stood up. I looked at the three Nomads that flanked his sides and nodded at them before giving Quinn a quick hug.
"Thanks for coming up her, Quinn. I don't want her to take any chances." Jax said as he gave the Nomad President a hug as well. Quinn nodded and smiled.
"Not a problem, Jax. SAMCRO is family and Happy's a true brother. I wouldn't stay away if you told me to, Prez." Quinn spoke honestly as always. Jax smiled and nodded before going back over to his seat by Chibs.
"Happy!" Tara only had to say my name as she burst through the doors. Harley stood up and moved to follow me with lightening speed that no one ever expected from him due to his size. I looked over at Tig who nodded with a smile. He had a way with dogs so I was betting Harley would be less likely to bite him before his panic subsided.
Katerina was covered in sweat and her face was red with tears and straining as I ran into the room. Her eyes locked onto mine and she started breathing like she'd practiced during the classes she'd told me about. I smiled as I laced my fingers in with hers and kissed her forehead.
"You're doing great, Kat. I love you, baby." I tried to keep the pain of her squeezing my hand off my face as she started pushing again. I realized why most brothers didn't make it a point to be around for the delivery of their second and third kids. I wasn't going to be able to ride without feeling that pain in my hand for at least a week.
Fifteen pushes after the first, one more push, Katerina gave it one last try with the rest of her energy. Her head fell back to the pillow and her eyes closed as screams of our newborn daughter filled the room. I lost any bit of control I was clinging onto and bent down to kiss my wife that had just suffered so much. She was crying and breathing hard but she managed to kiss me back while they cleaned Freya off.
"Congratulations, Katerina, Happy, it's a girl." Tara said with a little smile as she passed the little burrito of a blanket over to Katerina. One look into our daughter's blue eyes and I was gone. I sat down on the bed next to Katerina and stared at our child in awe. Her skin had a warm, tan color and her hair was dark brown. I smiled as her eyes looked around the room, taking the world in for the first time.
"Happy birthday, Freya." I kissed her forehead as Katerina gently moved her into my arms. She smiled up at me and kissed my cheek.
"She's finally here." Katerina said with a relieved smile. I nodded and wrapped an arm around her as I held Freya close to my chest with my right arm. There was nothing or no one that I would ever let get close to hurting my family.