Juice blinked his eyes as he left his bedroom and was greeted by Skye's tight ass. Her yoga pants were hugging her cheeks in the most perfect way, although the sight of it didn't call up any feelings. Not anymore. Nevertheless, it wasn't the worst thing to look at, so early in the morning. As he passed her, he playfully slapped her ass. "Mornin' Mouse."

Skye raised herself again, fluently taking another yoga pose. "Morning!"

He walked over to the kitchen, where a smoothie was already waiting for him. Bringing the glass to his lips, he turned around. Like every morning, his presence didn't bother Skye and she calmly completed her yoga session.

Routinely, he made two grilled cheese sandwiches where after he took the plates to the dinner table. By now she was sitting on her knees, her upper body bent back while her hands were resting on her heels. Her soft purple hair waved down like a waterfall pooling around her feet. The countless earrings were clinking when she sat up straight, got up and sat down next to him.

He was probably the only person on earth who voluntarily lived with his ex. It had been a year since they had broken up in good consultation. Without drama, without tears. He told her he considered her more like a friend than a lover, and she had felt the same about him.

There had been no hard feelings, and things had gone back to normal immediately. Before they started dating, they had been best friends for years. They had been so close that Juice believed he felt more than friendship alone, but in the end he was proven wrong.

Mouse was the most relaxed person he had ever met. He couldn't even remember they had ever been in a fight and he knew her for more than ten years. When their relationship had ended, it didn't even occur to him that it might be weird to keep living together. They were like a perfect clockwork, they sensed each other's needs like there was telepathy between them. There had been no need to live apart. He liked having her around and since they were just friends, neither of them had felt the urge to kiss the other.

"You going to the hospital?" she asked, starting to eat her sandwich.

Juice glanced at the clock. Within 30 minutes visitor hour started. It wasn't like he hadn't been able to go earlier; two prospects had stand guard all night, but he didn't want to show the others how shook up he felt about the whole situation. "Yea, you need a ride?"

She shook her head. "There won't be a puppet show until Friday."

Skye was a volunteer from an organisation organizing kids entertainment in hospitals. She was involved in it for as long as Juice could remember and it was one of the many things that made her so special.

"They don't know yet when he can go home, right?"

Sadly, Juice shook his head. His brother had been shot in the chest two days ago. They didn't even know who had done it. It was gnawing at him – he wasn't used to not knowing where the threat was coming from.

"Poor guy. If he's still there Friday, I'll drag him to the show."

Juice laughed quietly. "I think he would be happy with a bit of distraction."

He could already picture Chibs, sitting between all the little ones. Most of the puppets shows Sky wrote herself. She practiced them at home and most times he was the one who should tell her if her jokes were too bad. By now, she was so skilled she barely needed his feedback.

Lifting his plate, he put it in the dishwasher and put on his shoes and kutte. "I'm heading out." He kissed her goodbye and grabbed his keys and wallet.

"Give Chibbies a bear hug from me!"

"He won't expect any less," he winked. "If you're bored you should stop by."

"I wish I could. But no, Max claimed my whole afternoon. Can't think of anything more fun than tutoring that kid in calculus."

Smirking, Juice shook his head, then he headed out. His grin faded the moment he stood outside. The weather was terrible. It was raining like hell, the sky was lighting up and there was a strong wind blowing. For a moment he considered to change his shirt for something warmer, then he shook off the cold. It was only a short ride to the hospital.

Juice regretted his decision as he reached the hospital. He was soaking wet, even his boxers felt sticky. There wasn't a dry piece of clothe to wipe at least the drops from his cheeks. With a grumpy face he walked over to the lift. Impatiently he pressed the button, much more often than needed.

It was quiet in the building, he was the only one entering the lift. Pressing the button for the third floor, he leaned against the wall waiting until the light of the first floor switched on. The door glided open.

Juice glanced briefly at the newcomer and tensed when he saw the man's kutte. The two stared each other in the eye. Thousands thoughts crossed his head. Had it been the Mayans who had gunned down Chibs? Was that guy here to finish the job? Juice's hand moved to the gun behind his waistband.

"You're gonna put a bullet in me or do you think we're gonna survive sharin' a lift for a few seconds?" the man asked. His voice sounding a bit mocking.

Uncomfortably, Juice shoved his foot across the floor. As indifferent as he could, he shrugged his shoulders. The man stepped inside, pressing the button of the forth floor. Juice's hand didn't move away from his gun, and the stiff movements of the other told him he was also on guard, ready to pull a weapon.

It felt like these were the longest seconds of his life. Painfully slow the doors closed. Although Juice pretended to look at them, he studied the other biker from the corner of his eye.

He wasn't wearing a prospect patch. Although he was from Oakland, Juice doubted he had ever seen him before. Juice estimated they were of the same age. The way his muscles tensed beneath his tattooed skin and the alert look in his eyes however told Juice he shouldn't take him for a rookie.

The tension between them was intense and almost visible. Juice was aware of his heavy breathing, of every heartbeat. Man – how long could it take before that lift reached the next floor?!

As if the lift could neither bear their tension any longer, the small cabin shook. Juice's shoulder slammed against the wall, and the Mayan grabbed the railing on the wall to keep himself from falling.

Then, the lift no longer moved.

"You gotta be fuckin' kidding me," Juice grunted. His eyes flashed to the biker, who stared coldly at him as if he had been the one stopping the elevator.

This could only happen to him. Being stuck in a fucking lift with his arch enemy.