"Where's Bri been?" Jax asked as we sat at the table.

"She's been tending to personal business." Happy said. "Won't be coming around here anytime soon."

"Too bad, I'll have to pay her a visit." He said. "Anyways, we need to talk business, the Mayans are talking beef with black."

"That's our issue why?" I asked.

"We're cool with both brown and black. If they go to war, we're caught in the middle. We can't afford that, not enough bodies." He took a drag of his cigarette before stubbing it out.

"We talk to the Mayans then." Tig said. "Get them to hold off. Offer them some type of prize or whatever."

"What do we have to offer to keep the peace?" I asked.

"Calaveras." Bobby said. "Common enemy. They should be done with but they're resilient bastards."

"Think Bri can help us out with guns for that?" He looked at Happy.

"She's out of guns Prez. Her dad is in charge again." Happy looked at him and shrugged.

"Shite. She's leavin us high and dry." Chibs shook his head.

"She went through a lot of shit." I said.

"Can we not talk about her?" Happy asked. "This is a difficult situation for me, I'm not about to let Chibs talk bad about her."

"She's a gash." Chibs spat.

"She's my old lady." Happy stood up. "Respect her, like you respect Tara or Gemma."

"Alright, calm down killer." Chibs smirked.

"We need guns and we need them fast

I'll call her dad." Jax said. "We're done here." He banged the gavel.

Happy walked out, his fists clenched at his side. I followed after him as he stomped his way outside into the rain. It wasn't a standard happening for it to rain here, when it did we all enjoyed it. It wasn't cold it was warm and pleasant.

"Happy." I said.

"What?" He stared at me.

"We have to figure a way to keep Bri from being dragged back into this shit." I said.

"I agree." He nodded. "We'll talk later. I have to head out."

I stood and watched him drive off in Bri's beast of a truck. The engine sound ceased after a few minutes and I headed back inside to say my goodbyes and head home.

"I'm leaving." I said. "Got to check on my shop."

"Alright." Jax said. "I'll be in touch."

#

I parked my bike and headed to my apartment, outside my door was a bouquet of balloons, flowers and a box. I opened my door and carried the items inside. Setting the box on the kitchen counter I grabbed my knife and carefully sliced it open.

"No way." I pulled out a doll that resembled me slightly. He had the mohawk and tattoos, the cut, and the boots. I looked him over a few times before setting him aside.

'To Juan Carlos. Happy Birthday, hope you and Natalie have fun together. Enjoy the doll and the special gift beneath his cut.' - Bri.

"Wow." I smiled to myself as I slid the card into my pocket and picked the doll up and removed his cut. I laughed. A picture of Natalie and I was attached to his shirt. A picture I hadn't seen before. It was obvious it had been taken from a far when we didn't notice. We were looking at each other with adoring eyes and smiles.

I dialed Bri and she answered after a few rings.

"Ya?"

"Thanks for the present." I said.

"Glad you like him. Took forever to do his tattoos." She laughed. "Happy birthday."

"Thanks." I said. "Yours is coming up."

"Ew, I know don't remind me. I'm going to Russia this year to celebrate it."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah, really. I want to play in snow and wear my furs and not be judged." She chuckled.

"Those damn furs." I laughed.

"I love my furs. Especially the chinchilla. I gotta go though. I want to play in the rain with Tacoma." She said.

"Alright, bye Bri."

"Bye Juan Carlos. Have fun!" She shouted before she ended the call.

I placed my phone back into my pocket and walked over to the sofa. I placed the doll on the couch before putting the photo on the shelf above the TV next to the ones from the Walmart trip.

This birthday wasn't turning out the way I had expected it to. Natalie was due to be here any minute and all I wanted to do was smoke and play video games.

SOASOASOA

"Tacoma!" I yelled as the puppy took off running into the neighbor's yard. "Get back here." I chased after her to no true avail. She was faster then me but I had a secret weapon, her favorite squeaky toy. She couldn't resist it. I squeezed it and she came running towards me, her tongue hanging out of her mouth. I scooped her up and cradled her like a baby, while she gnawed on the toy with her cute puppy teeth. "So gorgeous but so bad." I looked into her piercing grey eyes that reminded me of my own.

I walked back into the house and set Tacoma down. Her feet leaving muddy paw prints on the carpet, but I didn't care in a week I would be moved into a new house, my dream house.

"Soon we'll have hardwood floors and I'll be able to stop fretting over your muddy paws Tacoma." I cooed as I walked after her, she and her toy were parked underneath the table in the corner. She yawned and I smiled as I heard Happy pull up, he couldn't sneak up on me in the truck and I was happy about that.

"Bri." He called out when he was inside. I heard his boots hit the floor with a thud and his wallet and chain soon followed.

"I'm in the kitchen!" I sat on the counter and started to rearrange anything I could find. It was in a state of disorder ever since Kozik arrived, he was more messy than myself or Happy and sitting in the kitchen now it was starting to get to me.

"Relax." Happy said as he snaked his arms around my waist and lifted me from the counter. "You can organize this shit later. We have to talk."

"Uh oh." I frowned up at him. "What happened now?"

"Jax is asking about you." He creased his brow. "Wondering about guns and shit because Mayans are going to war with black."

"I know. Esai told me about it." I shrugged. "Aleksandr made a gun drop for me this morning to Marcus."

"What?"

"Yeah, supplied the Mayans like usual." I smiled at him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing that concerns you anymore, Jax will just have to figure shit out." He picked me up and set me back on the counter before standing between my legs.

"Remember, my loyalty is to you, not Jax. I don't want to get involved, I'm free from it as far as I'm concerned. I am hanging with T and the boys next week sometime. She reached out."

"I know where your loyalty lays baby girl." He rasped as his hands traveled up my body to cup my breasts.

"Hap."

"Bri." He whispered as he pulled my shirt over my head only to be interrupted by the doorbell. "Really?" He pulled away and handed me my shirt as he stalked off to see who interrupted our moment. "It's for you!"

I hopped off the counter and went to the living room just as he opened the door. It was Natalie and behind her Juice stood awkwardly. "Hi."

"Hey." She smiled as they took off their shoes and walked over to me. "No party?"

"No friends." I shrugged.

"That hurt." Natalie frowned as she sat next to me. "I'm sorry I haven't been around for you, it's the whole pregnancy thing."

"Alright." I nodded.

"Don't be like that Brianna, you know I'm your bestie." She said. "I've been a lousy friend."

"Do you even know why I'm really upset Natalie? It's not because you're pregnant. I'm happy about that. It's not because you're dating Juice. I'm fine with that, I have Happy and he's the only man I want and need. I'm upset because you're treating me the way Juice used to. Like I don't matter or exist until I'm upset and giving you an attitude. Guess what Nat, you can't just keep picking him over me, like don't make plans with me then bail on me. Just think twice, if you want to spend time with him then don't tell me you're going to spend time with me."

"So you feel like I'm cheating on you?" She frowned. "Sorry."

I rolled my eyes at her. "Whatever." I shrugged.

"No, don't whatever me." She grabbed my shoulder. "We need to talk this shit out and go back to being close like sisters."

"I don't know what you want me to say." I looked at her. "Like Natalie I'm happy you're happy and in love or whatever. I just wanted you to be there for me when I got home. I needed you to be there for me. You gave me an hour and dipped. You left me with Happy and Kozik. They are cool and shit but I needed girl time and to cry and shit."

"I'm sorry Brianna, I fucked up. Can't we make up and move on?" She pleaded with sad eyes.

"Yeah. I forgive you." I gave her a hug. "I don't forget though."

"Seriously?" She pulled away.

"Yeah. I never forget lessons learned." I shrugged. "You taught me just where your loyalties are."

"I love you Bri."

"I love you too Nat." I smiled. "You two can go now, don't want to keep you from birthday plans."

"We came to talk and invite you two with us." Juice said.

"No thanks." I said. "I just want to be alone with Happy and Tacoma."

"Come on!" Natalie whined.

"No, I really don't want to go out in public with my face like this." I shook my head. "I'm sorry but you two have to leave."

"I'll call you later." She said.

"Alright. Have fun." I smiled and watched them pull on their shoes and leave.

"That was brutal." Happy said as he plopped down into his recliner and turned on the TV.

"It really was." I frowned. "You really think she'll call?"

"No I don't. You know as soon as they get home they're going to be too busy fuckin' like bunnies for her to call." He laughed.

"Yeahhh." I moved to sit on his lap. "My face better yet?"

"Nope." He touched my lips. "When are you going to the doctor?"

"Monday. It was the earliest appointment. I didn't want to walk in and have the nurses be like are you being abused and blah blah blah." I smiled.

"How come Kozik got a puppy and I didn't?" He frowned. "I want one too."

"I thought we'd share Tacoma." I smiled.

"Nah, nah, nah, I want my own puppy. A boy." He said. "Go buy me one."

"Right away sir." I laughed.

"This week I get one. You sad about leaving this house?" He asked.

"Kind of. Its been our home for awhile. I'll miss it but we'll make the new house our home. It has a garage big enough for you to work on bikes if needed."

"We can put in a weight room." He said. "Gotta stay fit." He rubbed his stomach.

"And I can watch you." I smirked.

"Last time you watched you passed out from all my sexiness." He laughed.

"I passed out from dehydration."

"Thirsty." He said. "You died of thirst."

"Omg." I squealed. "You've been paying attention to me and my music!"

"Yeah." He smiled and pulled me down for a kiss.

SOASOASOA

"Bowling?" I asked as I looked over at Natalie.

"It'll be fun!" She said as she walked into the building.

"I'm going to win." I said as I followed her to the counter. "You and Luna are going down."

"No way!" She chuckled. "I'm a master!"

"We'll see. I'm putting my money on me." I said as I paid for the rentals and lanes.

"I wished Hap and Bri would have tagged along." She sat down and switched her shoes for the rentals.

"I don't see either if them bowling." I shook my head. "Too intense."

"That's what you think! They're actually goofballs together. I've gone bowling with them and Kozik and we've even done mini golf." She said.

"No. I can't picture that." I said. "No way."

"Yes way. They're cute together." She smiled.

"I guess. We're cuter." I said. "Let's bowl!"

#

"I can't believe I lost." I said as I sat across from Natalie in the ice cream shoppe.

"I can!" She said as she licked at her ice cream.

"I demand a rematch, it was two against one." I smiled as I bit into a cherry.

"No, no. No rematch. We won fair and square." She smiled at me, her blue eyes twinkling in the light. "I'm stuffed, you want the rest of this?"

"No. I'm good." I waved it away. "Too much ice cream makes me bounce around."

"Good to know." She leaned over the table and kissed me.

"Let's go, we can hit the park or something." I said. "I stood and took her hand, dropping a tip on the table before we headed out to the car.

"Isn't that Bri's truck?" She pointed to a black truck surrounded by motorcycles in the parking lot across from us.

"I think so." I unlocked the car and got in. "I'm not positive."

"I am pretty sure it's her truck." She frowned as she sat down.

"Alright, I don't know what you want me to do in this moment Nat." I looked at her.

"I don't either but Bri said she wasn't going out in public but there she is!" She was getting upset.

"That's not public, public. She's obviously doing business. Those are Mayans bikes." I said. "Just call her and ask her."

"That's what I'm going to do." She pulled her phone from her bra and dialed Bri. The phone rang a few times before Bri answered.

"Hey." Her voice filled the car.

"What's up?" Natalie asked as we pulled away from the ice cream shoppe.

"I am out handling business why? You gonna try to invite me out somewhere?"

"No, we just passed your truck so I wanted to see what was up." She said.

"Alright, Natalie I have to go, so text me or whatever."

"Alright mamas."

"Byeee."

"See, she was honest about it babe." I smiled at her.

"Yeah I know." She laughed. "I thought she was going to lie."

"Park or home to cuddle?" I asked.

"Cuddle." She smiled. "I need cuddles."

"Let's get home then." I held her hand as we drove back to my apartment. We had spent more time there than we ever did at hers. Come to think about it I had only been to her place once.

"Cuddles with Juice!" She yawned. "You think we'll get the hang of raising a kid?"

"Yeah, if not we can always YouTube how to raise a baby. I'm sure there's tons of videos on it." I laughed and she smacked me playfully.

"It's sad because you're probably right. I learned how to do most of my hobbies from there." She smiled.

#

"You're so warm." I rubbed her back. "How's that even possible?"

"Fat people are always warm." She laughed.

"You're not fat, you're pregnant." I smiled at her.

"I know!" She whined. "I am getting stretch marks like crazy!"

"It's because you were all skinny and in shape so your skin was tight and the result of the stretching gave you all your stretch marks." I bit my lip. "I read it online."

"Figures you did." She kissed my hands. "You're hella sexy when you let your intellect show. You should do it more often."

"So should you. Cut the bullshit dumb blonde act. Intelligence is so attractive."

"Is that why you liked Bri?" She asked.

"Can we not bring her up when we're in bed?" I moved away from her. "We talk about her too much. I want us to focus on us and Luna."

"Sorry J." She moves and draped herself over me. "Luna May Monroe."

"Luna May Ortiz." I whispered. "I want her to take my last name. You too eventually."

"I would like both." She kissed my stomach. "The Ortiz Family."

"I wonder what color eyes she'll have." I hoped they'd be big and brown.

"I think brown like yours." She sighed. "My ex was Mexican, so she'll probably have all dark features."

"Blonde hair and brown eyes would be super cute." I said. "I wonder if shell even have hair. Some babies are bald!" I laughed.

"I hope she's born with a head of hair. I already ordered so many bows and such for when she's old enough." She yawned.

"I hope some of them are black." I yawned. "With reapers." I yawned again.

"I haven't found any of those yet. I may have to make some for her with a matching tutu."

"Put her in a baby leather jacket and boots with the tutu. I don't want her to be overly girly." I sighed. "I want her to be one of those women who can change their own flat tire and doesn't have to depend on a man to do it for her."

"So you want her to be a mix of us both?" She looked up at me. "All the girly parts from you and the manly parts from me." She howled with laughter.

"I'm such a man." I laughed.

"With really soft skin and perfectly manicured fingers." She examined my hands. "So pretty."

I yanked my hand away. "I rub hemp into my skin."

"I wanna try that lotion then. You're more soft than I am!"

"I'll share, only because I want you to be girly and me to be manly Nat." I closed my eyes and settled down on the pillows and pulled her closer to me. "Goodnight babe, goodnight Luna May."

"Goodnight love." She kissed me softly.

I drifted off to sleep with her on my mind and sleep came easier than ever as thoughts of little Luna May crawling around a house filled my dreams.

Thanks again for reviews! Favorites and follows. They're much appreciated. Chapter was sort of short but this and the next chapter will set up for a big event. (: