Tig crossed his arms and kicked is feet up onto another chair as he watched Chibs enviously. Nina sat beside him, her head on his shoulder and her arm looped through his, watching carefully as Happy bounced the little girl up and down on his lap, making her laugh with every single little move. Kaya seemed fascinated with him, her wide green eyes staring up at him with intrigue as Happy conversed with Chibs, catching up on news.
Nina seemed distracted as she stared at Kaya. Even though Happy was being so careful with her, Tig could see she didn't like him holding her, not for a second. Wondering if it might help, he planted his boots heavily on the floor as he got to his feet and sauntered over to her. He could see her scratching absently at her wrist, she needed nicotine or alcohol, he could tell. He knew her too well.
"You still smoke?"
Her eyes flicked towards him and he shrugged, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and offering one to her. Chibs could feel her drawn to the offer and he nodded, nuzzling her shoulder.
"You'll be alright with him?" She nodded and he looked at Tig for a moment before murmuring, "Go. Have one."
She kissed the scar on his cheek, whispering, "Look after Kaya." Uncertainly, she followed Tig as he led her out to the front. Tig beckoned to a sheltered bench and sat down, patting the spot beside him as he did. Nina wrinkled her nose and hesitated.
"I don't bite," he shrugged, a little offended that she wouldn't take the seat beside him.
"Forgive me for my concerns," she replied quietly, taking the cigarette he offered and begrudgingly sitting down. She shifted away from him, sliding her ass across the bench to put a good couple of feet of space between them. "Just because I was gone, doesn't mean I've forgotten."
Tig sniffed, knowing full well what she meant. It was about Emily. It was about their daughter, the daughter that he had executed in a moment of blind loyalty to the club. He looked out at the empty parking lot, watching as the rain began to fall on the tarmac, and muttered,
"Not like you've wasted any time with a replacement, baby."
She started to her feet in an instant, flicking the cigarette at him. She wasn't going to take that, not from him, and Tig grappled to push the hot butt away from his hand as he got up to follow her. Catching her wrist roughly, he yanked her towards him. Her clothing was already wet from the rain and he felt her nearly slip from his grasp.
"Don't you be like that," he demanded. Nina wasn't accepting that and, without a second thought, punched him hard in the nose with her free fist. Tig yelped at the impact and staggered back a step, holding onto his bridge as his eyes began to tear. "Motherfucker."
"You don't touch me, and you don't touch my family." Her face was in his, her eyes full of rage, and Tig whimpered to see the harder, more defensive side of her. He sighed.
"Nina, please. I didn't mean to-"
He was interrupted as the bright headlights of a car shone onto him, highlighting the two of them in the darkness as the vehicle drew up in front of the hospital entrance. It was a neat black saloon with tinted windows, and Tig stepped away from her with his hands up as he saw Dmitri Pelekov step out of the driver's seat.
Dmitri studied the two of them for a moment with a slight smirk. "Time passes, and nothing changes." Nina was about to object when she saw him circle the car and open another door. She could feel her heart racing as she recognised her daughter stepping out, her head covered with a hooded jacket in the rain.
"Natasha." Nina had rushed forward before Tig could even see her, scooping her daughter tightly into her grip and squeezing her with all her might. Natasha, now eighteen and looking more like her mother than ever, threw her arms around Nina and held her lovingly.
"Hey, Ma." She stroked Nina's hair and kissed her forehead. "I got here as soon as I could."
"Myshka." Dmitri smiled graciously at Nina as he dropped his arms around the two women's shoulders. "Let us get inside, out of the rain. There is no point causing more illness, surely?"
Tig could feel his fists tightening and unclenching as he watched the Russian ushering the two inside. Goddamn it, he was sure he could never win if both Chibs and Pelekov were here, and they'd both be equally difficult to get rid of.
"How have you been?" Dmitri asked quietly as he followed Nina's lead towards those in the waiting room. She shrugged a little, dipping her head shyly.
"Keeping busy. Babies do that to you." She looked at Natasha as the eighteen-year-old flushed red with embarrassment.
"You brought Kaya?"
Nina nodded. "I had no choice, we got straight on the first flight out." She stopped for a moment and tangled her fingers with Natasha's, kissing her forehead as she did. "He doesn't know, Tash, and he can't. Remember that."
She had only just managed to finish her sentence when they rounded into the room to see Happy whirling Kaya around the room, making her squeal with excitement as he did. It was impossible to ignore the guttural growl that escaped Pelekov, and he possessively took Natasha's hand, holding it tightly in his own.
Happy was just lifting the baby to a new cycle of spinning around when his eyes caught on the new entrants to the room. He froze, assessing the new entrants before starting towards Natasha. Dmitri side-stepped him quickly, blocking his way and offering his hand.
"Mr Lowman. It's been a while."
That it had. Jax had been careful to ensure distance was kept between his Sergeant at Arms and the gun supplier: while Happy should have been with every meet with Pelekov, his personal hatred would have been sure to get in the way. And if Happy hadn't had Kaya in his arms, he would have ploughed straight through the guy the second he laid eyes on him.
He looked distastefully at Dmitri's hand before flicking his eyes back to Natasha. She stood demurely behind the Russian, staring guiltily at the baby balanced in Happy's arms. She tucked the hood of her jacket back, pushing it away from her hair to reveal her face, and Happy felt himself melting. She was eighteen now, her hair longer and a little lighter than when he had last seen her. He was sure she was taller, the curves of her chest fuller with age. He swallowed, looking at her perfect pout as she rested her hand on Dmitri's arm.
"Don't," she murmured softly. "It's okay."
The look in her eyes seemed to assure him, and Dmitri forced a smile as he nodded. He rested his hand on her ass with deliberate delight, much to Happy's chagrin, and leaned across to tickle Kaya's chin.
"She is beautiful, myshka. Looks just like you."
Without asking, he put his arms around Kaya and prised her away from Happy. Kaya babbled for a moment, twisting around to look for her new friend, but she soon wailed for Nina when she couldn't find him. Nina sighed a little, seeing the desperate way Natasha started to move, and took her back.
"She's a little unsettled," she tried to explain, starting to walk Kaya around. "She's not a good flyer."
Happy's brief interest in the little person had waned. All he could do right now was stare at Natasha. He wanted to touch her, hold her hand. He wanted to apologise for landing her in all of this mess in the first place but it was impossible with so many people here. Instead, he ventured quietly,
"How are you?"
Natasha smiled brightly, reaching for Dmitri's hand as he conversed quietly with Nina. "We're good," she said, a firmness in her voice that denied Happy challenging her in public. "We're just… getting on with things." She had no idea what to say to him, just eighteen months away made her feel like the whole world had changed. The secrets she was holding within her chest weren't helping either. "And you?"
"Same old." Happy was abrupt as ever, shoving his hands awkwardly in her pockets. "Been painting." They exchanged a quiet look and Natasha could feel her cheeks flushing. "Your sister is cute."
"Isn't she beautiful?" Natasha stared at Kaya as Nina passed her over to Chibs as she began to settle, trying to keep her eyes peeled for a doctor with more information on Nero's status. "Ma, she sends me pictures every day. I don't really get to see her much."
There was something in her tone that was off. Happy could see she was sad, but it was Tig that heard the uncertainty in her voice from his spot on the fringe of the group. He stared at the baby as Chibs draped her over his foreram, swinging her back and forth in a gentle rhythm to make her fall asleep.
"You used to be cute. Like that," Happy added, pointing to Kaya. "Never saw you that small though." He wrinkled his nose. "Never seen anyone that small. Except Jax's boys. But little girls like that." He rested one hand on his belt as he looked again. "Something about them."
Natasha didn't comment as she realised Dmitri was looking at her, waiting for her to speak. She blushed as he squeezed her.
"We were thinking of New York," Dmitri continued, angling Natasha away from Happy and into his conversation with Nina. 'When we do move. It's so much easier to… disappear, in a big city like that."
"You're leaving?" Happy could barely believe what he was hearing, there was too much information whirling around the room for him to be able to process it all. "You can't. When?"
Natasha blinked at him innocently. "It's not like we see each other any more anyway, Hap." There it was, that gaze, the one that had caught him in the first place, when that little sensible girl had found an odd connection with such a serious Son. It was the same gaze that told him now that she had seen him on every visit he had made to the house. "Dimi's looking at expanding networks. We'll be back and forth."
"Or I can just leave her in a penthouse under lock and key." Nobody could tell if Dmitri was joking and he chuckled. "Russian humour, it doesn't translate well, I think." He leaned in, nuzzling Natasha gently with his nose. Nina swallowed and eyed Chibs, trying to keep him at bay when she knew all he wanted to do was tear Pelekov's face on for touching his daughter that way.
The ill air between them was disturbed as a nurse poked her head around the corner, glancing at Tig first before turning her attentions to Nina. "Your father is coming around," the nurse called, motioning to Nina. "Family only, please."
"Keep hold of her," Nina nodded to Chibs, motioning to Kaya. "He'll only try and take her otherwise. Come on," she added, easing Natasha away from Pelekov. "Come see your Grandda."
Natasha followed quietly behind her and the two made their way down the hall to Nero's recovery room. The young woman's feet dragged behind her mother's, despite the delicate heels she wore, and the moment the door shut, Natasha let out a petulant whimper. Nina closed her eyes and shook her head.
"You can't, Tash, you know that." She hugged her daughter to her. "Dmitri made it clear-"
"Did you see him hold her, Ma?" Natasha sat down on the edge of Nero's bed, tapping his knee but seeing he was still pretty out of it. "I've got to tell him."
"He'll kill her, Tash." The words were blunt and ugly, but Nina knew she had to say them. "Kaya's safe with me and your Da. Don't make this more complicated than it is."
"But she's mine," Natasha whinnied softly, tears forming in her eyes as she said it. It was too difficult to even begin to get her head around any of it, but seeing Happy with Kaya had made everything so much worse. It was the family Natasha had always longed for, the one that she had had to sacrifice for the Russian. Nina dropped down beside her and rested her arm around her shoulder, leaning her head on top of Natasha's.
"I know, love." She pressed her lips to Natasha's temple. "And it'll come out, at the right time. But not now." She squeezed Tash's hand. "I'm sorry. I know this isn't easy, it isn't for any of us. But right now? We just have to keep Kaya safe." She could see her words weren't sinking in and she grimaced. "I promise you. Hap'll understand, when it all comes out."
A/N - One of you out there knows me too well! ;) Hope you enjoy, can't WAIT to hear your thoughts on that chapter. Poor Natasha... and poor Happy! So clueless! S x