This chapter shifts the dynamic between Bri and Juice, sprinkled with some Natalie and sets up for a huge homecoming next chapter. So enjoy!

"Nooo!" Brianna's voice carried down the hall and into my room. I laid there for a moment and tried to listen to their conversation. Natalie, apparently wanted to know more about Jax, and Brianna's first instinct was to say no. I laughed at that.

I got out of bed, the pain still hitting hard and walked into the living room to find the two women sprawled on the floor like teenagers, an assortment of junk food strewn across the coffee table that had gotten pushed against the wall.

"Juice!" Natalie chirped. "Is Jax a good guy?"

"Yeah." I nodded and took a seat on the sofa. "He is."

"I don't know," Brianna began. "He seems like you can only trust him as far as you can throw him, and I'm not able to throw him too far."

I looked at her puzzled. "But, you're working with him."

"Because it's what my dad wants me to do. I trust Alvarez more than Teller right now. He just seems like he'd turn on me for his best interest."

I just listened. I didn't tell her she was right, that his track record of keeping his word and truces has gone to shit lately.

"Want some?" She held a tray of cupcakes out to me and I took one. Vanilla, my favorite.

I watched her peel the liner off the cupcake and toss it on her nightstand. She licked a little icing off the top, then turned it upside down and began to eat the bottom.

"What are you doing?" I laughed at the sight.

"I like saving the top for last." She smiled, crumbs dusting her lips. "It's the best part."

I shook my head and continued to watch her eat.

Her method hadn't changed. Adult Brianna still ate her cupcake bottom to top.

"Juan don't stare." She spoke. "Not nice."

I laughed at her as she stood up. Her shirt rode up when she stretched, giving way to a hint of ink.

"You have a tattoo?" I just blurted out.

"Yeah, you know, gang ink." She smiled and winked at me. Making me wonder just what the tattoo was of.

"Gangsta." I nodded at her as she walked out of the room.

"You know it bruh." Her voice was deep. "You guys want any drinks?"

"I do!" Natalie yelled.

"Me too."

"So you and Bri?" Natalie moved to sit at my feet. Her piercing blue eyes searching my brown ones.

"That was a lifetime ago." I shrugged and finished off my cupcake.

"That means nothin'." She rolled her eyes at me.

"She's off limits, my brother's lady." I hated hearing that out loud.

Brianna appeared, two beers and a fruit punch in her hands. I took mine and nodded a thanks, Natalie took hers and smiled.

"When do the guys get back?" I asked her, I was unconscious when they had left for the run.

"Wednesday."

"Holy fuck." I couldn't stay here that long, it didn't feel so good. I felt like I was in Happy's territory.

"I get to babysit you until then." Her voice was neutral. I couldn't detect any emotion.

"I can take care of myself." I sat up straight and looked at her.

"I can take care of myself." She mimicked my voice to the best of her ability. "I'm so capable of taking care of myself I get in the boxing ring with a guy nicknamed Killer and get the sense beat out of me."

"That's not even what happened." I laughed.

"Oh, dish." Natalie poked my knees with her nails that resembled bloody talons.

"He told me to protect Bri, and I told him I knew her better, then I guess Jax was no fighting here, take it to the ring." I gave them the story of how I remembered it. Honestly that night was a big bloody blur.

"So, Jax is at fault." Brianna sounded irritated again. "He's a head case too." She shook her head.

"A hot one." Natalie added.

"Yeah, but that's not the point. He threw the lamb into the Lion's den."

"I can take care of myself. I'm not a little lamb." I stood up and stormed off to my room. Slamming the door behind me and watched as the pictures on the wall shook.

The door swung open, and Brianna floated through it. Her eyes dark and her fists clenched.

"You're soft as a newborn's head Ortiz. You cannot fool me." Her voice shook with anger.

I stared at her, she was right. I couldn't fool her. "I'm not soft."

"Whatever. You have nothing to prove to me. I know you! I can read you from a mile away!" Her hands gripped the front of my shirt. "You're not Happy, Juan. Shit, you're not even half of what Jax is. You're a goldfish, in an ocean of sharks. You don't fucking belong. Why are you trying so hard?!"

"I wanted a family!" I pulled her hands of my shirt and stepped back. "I needed a place to belong!"

"You had a family you belonged with. You fucked that all up Juan!"

"You don't think I realized that? Even my mom reminded me of my fuck up, even on her deathbed!" I was breaking. "I disappointed her, I disappointed you, and I disappointed myself."

"You think this life is going to have a good outcome for a guy like you?"

"What about for you?" I retorted. "How does this life end for you? You think he's going to marry you? Have kids with you? You think he's going to love you?"

"This life ends with me being on top, I don't expect him to marry me, I don't even think I want kids, and as for the love thing, I'm sure he will love me a whole lot better than you did."

"I just didn't want to be alone." I broke. Tears fell from my eyes. She wiped them away, her gesture reminded me of an older sister taking care of a younger sibling.

"Now you're in too deep? You can't get out now can you?"

I just shook my head. She looked at me, her eyes bright and brilliant again. She was no longer mad, but concerned.

"Out of all the lives to pick, you picked the life of an outlaw." She laughed. "You felt bad after killing a snail on accident, how'd you think this would work out?"

I chuckled and ran a hand over my head. "I didn't think I'd have to do what I've done, I just thought I'd skate by with just showing up and backing the others up."

"Not to state the obvious, but we just went from full on yelling to talking calmly. We're weird." She smiled.

"It happens, always has." I stood and pulled her into a hug, she squeezed back before pulling away.

"Get your head right, I'm not sure if I'd be happy if you got killed while I was around."

"I don't know how to." I admitted.

"We'll figure it out together." She walked towards the door. "We're friends now Ortiz, I moved on from the old shit, you should too."

"You said you'd never forget all that though." I looked at the fluffy silver carpet.

"Oh, I didn't. I just choose not to dwell on it and ruin new relationships." She left me alone.

I fell back onto to the bed, pulling the pillow over my head. She wanted to be friends. I felt like I could deal with that but I still loved her. How was I going to balance that out?

SOASOASOA

"Happy." I spoke into my phone.

"Bri, I miss you."

I felt my heart flutter. "I miss you too."

"I'll be back soon. I gotta go, bye."

"Bye." I waited to hear the line go dead before pulling the phone away from my ear.

I walked into the steamy bathroom and sat on the sink. Listening to the water run, Natalie was showering. She had been in there for the last thirty minutes.

"Natalie." I said. "You ok?" No answer. I slid open the door and found her sitting on the floor, crying. "What's wrong?" She still didn't respond.

"My doctor called." She finally choked out. "I'm pregnant."

"Oh, shit." I shut off the water and pulled her into a hug. "I'm here for you."

"I think I wanna keep it. I haven't been healthy though. I've been drinking!" She sobbed into my chest.

"Your doctor works on Sundays?" I shook my head. I worked on Saturdays because I was the new kid and they gave me the bitch work at the practice, but Sunday, that was for myself and Netflix.

She laughed. "No, she called Friday, but I just listened to the voicemail before I stepped in."

"I personally never had a pregnancy scare or pregnancy, so I don't know how you're feeling. I'll try my best to help you."

"Never?" She looked genuinely shocked. "Really?"

"Really. I'm responsible and afraid of my dad. Fear of being shipped back to the homeland is the best reminder to take the pill." I stood and pulled her up with me. I grabbed a fluffy towel and wrapped her in it. "You'll be a milf."

"Oh God." She groaned.

SOASOASOA

It was seven at night and I was following Brianna and Natalie through Walmart, the cart half full of junk I was sure they didn't need. I didn't want to tag along but I was bribed, they told me I could pick out food to last me until Wednesday, so here I was.

"Juice!" Natalie shouted from the aisle over. "Come quick!"

I jogged over the cart in tow. "What the hell?" I shook my head at them. They were pedaling little bikes down the aisle.

"We're bikers." Brianna declared as she steered her bike towards me.

"What's your club's name?" I decided to entertain their nonsense, mostly because it was a nice change. If felt good being in a light and goofy presence.

"Um." Natalie bit her lip and stared at Brianna.

"The Rowdy Rebelles." Bianna laughed. "A hybrid of the Mayans and Sons, without the testosterone." She stood from her bike and kicked it towards me. "Your turn!"

"No, I'm good." I kicked it back to her. "I got a reputation to uphold."

"We're in Oakland. No one knows you." She had a point.

"Fine." I walked over to the bike and sat down. Struggling to place my feet on the pedals. It was harder than it had looked.

"Yes! You're our prospect now." She pulled her phone out and snapped a few pictures. "Here, take mine." She handed me her oversized phone and sat on the back of Natalie's bike. They were smiling and I took a picture, and when they fell off I took another.

"You two are insane." I handed her back her phone and grabbed the cart. "Do they even sell groceries here?"

"Yes! It's a super Walmart. Haven't you ever been to one?" Brianna cocked her eyebrow at me.

"I've been to Costco." I grabbed a bottle of hand sanitizer from a near by shelf.

"Well it's like that but better. When did it get that bad?" She pointed at the bottle.

"It gets bad when I stress." I placed the bottle in the cart.

"Let's go get you some food." She walked off towards Natalie who stood in front of a display of baby clothes.

I followed them and watched them closely, their arms hooked together as they pulled off a blue and then a pink onesie from the display. Once again Bri had her phone out snapping pictures of herself, her and natalie, just Natalie, then of me. She even got one of the three of us wearing matching beanies and flannels.

"You two go ahead. I'm gonna print these pictures." She was standing in front of the photo department.

"Alright." Natalie said as she grabbed my arm and helped me find the grocery section.

When we got to it, it was bigger then I had pictured in my head. A bakery, produce, meat, it was a whole store within a store. I went right for produce, picking out the freshest looking vegetables and fruits while Natalie was placing donuts in a box.

"You really eat all that stuff?" Natalie pointed at my arm full of vegetables, her face scrunching up.

"Drink it. I like living healthy." I dropped the bags in the basket and moved to grab more. "You should try it."

"Nah, I'm eating for two now, so I'm going to enjoy the junk cravings." She took a bite out of a brownie and walked off.

SOASOASOA

I waited for the pictures to print, thanking man for inventing automated machines. I pulled out my phone and unlocked it, scrolling through my apps, I tapped on Pandora and slid the phone back in my pocket, letting the music fill the quiet area of the empty photo department.

"Finally." I bent at the waist and collected the pictures, smiling at each one. I printed triples, a set for each of us. I grabbed three envelopes and filled them, gripping them lightly I walked towards the grocery department to find Natalie and Juan.

It was a little after nine when we finished putting the groceries away. Juan looked happy with his healthy choices while Natalie looked downright ecstatic while she ate another brownie. Her cravings developed fast, so I assumed she was being dramatic about the growing situation.

"I'm beat." I laid on the plush white carpet of the living room, frowning at the boot prints that never got cleaned. I pulled the envelopes from my hoody and placed them on the table. "Pictures."

Natalie tentatively opened her envelope while Juan tore through his. Smiles spread across their faces as they looked at the pictures.

"Oh lord." Natalie said, holding up the picture of us on the tiny bike. "Rowdy Rebelles."

"Woo!" I let out a tired holler and sat up looking at Juan who was studying the picture of him on the bike.

"I look happy." He spoke. "Actually happy." He finally smiled again.

"Yeah." I nodded. "Happiness comes from having weird friends and trips to Walmart. It's trending."

"Ha." He said, dropping the pictures to the table. "I like having weirdos as friends."

My phone rang.

"You and that rap." He scoffed.

"Don't forget where you came from kid." I grabbed my phone and answered it.

"Hey."

"Brianna." His voice was gruff and he sounded irritated.

"What's wrong?"

"I got hurt, I'll be home tomorrow." I felt my face fall and my heart slow down. "I'm not gonna die, relax."

"I'm relaxed." I lied.

"Don't lie, I can hear it in your fuckin' voice. Relax."

"Hap, I'm going to try to." I pulled on the strings of my hoody. "I thought I told you to be safe."

"I was safe, the other guys didn't get the memo."

I chuckled. "Well, next time I'll tell them as well."

"I'll be home tomorrow, I love you Bri." Before I could return the sentiment the call ended. I thought about calling back but the number had been blocked. He just told me he loved me and I couldn't say it back. I fingered the chain around my neck and smiled before going back to Natalie and Juan.

"Was it Hap?" Juan asked.

"Yeah. He'll be back tomorrow, he got hurt." I dropped on the sofa between them and let my head drop into my hands. "You don't have to leave yet, if that's what you're thinking."

"I can take care of myself." He blew out an angry breath.

"So we've heard." Natalie gave him a look. "What's so bad about letting someone take care of you for a little while?"

"I don't know." He stood and walked off. "I'm going to shower."

"Can I join?" Natalie asked, catching us off guard.

"Are you serious?" He looked back and forth between us. I shrugged.

"I wanna see if you have any tattoos hiding under there." She sipped her apple juice and laughed. "But I guess I can let you shower alone. This time." She winked at him.

"You better go before she changes her mind. She's a head case too." I rolled my eyes and watched him walk away very uncomfortably.

"Aren't you curious?" She shot me an innocent look.

"No, actually I'm not. Even if I was I wouldn't ask to shower with him. You're a slag." I smiled.

"So be it." She laughed and stretched her legs over my lap. "Did he always have those head tattoos?"

"No. 90% of the time I dated him, he had a full head of soft, shiny black hair. It was pretty."

"Why'd he shave it?"

I tapped her thighs. "I have no clue, I guess he was starting a metamorphosis." I really never asked why he had shaven it, just accepted it. He loved it, so I had no reason to bash him on it. Although he was getting a little too old for it.

"Any pictures of the old him?"

"Maybe in storage, I have high school stuff in boxes. Yearbooks and dance pictures. Shit my dad and Ingrid never let me trash."

She smiled at me. "So scary face got hurt?"

"Yeah, no details. Just that he was hurt, he also told me he loved me and I freaked out inside. I swear, it was like fireworks went off behind my eyes!" I knew I sounded like a teenager but I didn't care, I just needed to say it out loud.

"Whoa, did you say it back?" I shook my head no. "Why the fuck not?!"

"He hung up before I got the chance to!" I pinched the bridge of my nose and dropped my head back against the pillows. "Frustrating."

"At least he'll be here tomorrow."

"I know! If he's not too hurt, I'm taking him for a ride." I winked at her.

"Juice is here!" She smacked my stomach.

"Oh fuck, I forgot that already." I pushed her legs off my lap and stood. "Cock block."

"He's a cute one."

"Hush. You're a maneater, stay away from him, or I'll break your nose in a way that cannot be fixed." I chuckled, but I was serious. "I still can't believe you asked to shower with him, you're pregnant!"

"But I'm not fat yet. I can hang." She stood and lifted her shirt. Exposing her tattooed abdomen.

"The only thing that's going to be hanging after this is your tits."

"Ugh." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I'll buy new, young ones."

"I'll put them in." I grabbed my phone and walked towards my room. "You sleeping over again?"

"Yeah, too tired to drive."

SOASOASOA

I don't know how long I was in the shower, time seemed to be getting away from me these days. I wrapped the black towel around my waist and stepped out of the shower. Walking to the mirror I smiled, it wasn't fogged up. I looked at my reflection and ran fingers over the two skulls tattooed on my chest.

"What the…" I didn't continue my sentence. I eyed the clothes on the bed, they looked new and freshly laid out. There was a note placed on the shirt.

'Hope it all fits'

I dried myself off and pulled on the tank, it fit me perfectly, as did the boxers and sweats. I'd have to thank them for the clothes in the morning. Tossing my towel in the hamper I walked out to the living room, everything was dimly lit. I walked to the coffee table and grabbed the pictures. Walking back to the room I flipped through the pictures, searching for the one of the three of us. I found it and smiled. Bri was right it was fun having weird friends.

I picked up my cut from the chair in the corner and slipped the pictures into the inside pocket, and draped it back over the chair.

"Thanks." I said to the girls, knowing they couldn't hear me. I hopped in bed, pulling the fur blanket over me as I settled in. For the first time in a few weeks, sleep came easy.