Warning: There be smut below!
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~'~'~'~

Angela wandered through the halls of St. Thomas, heading towards the baby ward. She'd had a long day at work, and she should've gone straight home but something brought her to the hospital instead. She knew she technically wasn't supposed to be there, but she just wanted to check on Abel. Jax was still avoiding her, and she had yet to work up the courage to ask Gemma about him. She was pretty sure Gemma would tell her it was none of her business again. Sighing, she looked in the small neonatal intensive care unit that was mostly empty save for one tiny baby in what looked like a large plastic incubator. She knew she could use the keycard she'd been given by the hospital to go in there, but it felt like it would be overstepping her boundaries.

"He's due for surgery later today," a familiar voice came from her side.

Angela tensed at the voice as she usually did. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Gemma standing there looking at Abel. "Oh. Is this a good thing?"

"Think so. Your best friend is going to be helping with it. You trust her?"

"Not my best friend," she corrected softly. Yes, she and Tara were friends, but she'd never say they were as close as best friends. It was a semantic thing that felt a little high school to correct, but if Gemma was going to hate her for her relationship with Tara, she should at least know the extent of it. "But yeah, I trust her. She's a good doctor."

Gemma nodded her head slowly. "Jax thinks he won't pull through."

"Moron," she muttered before she could stop herself. She grimaced, turning to Gemma with wide eyes. Gemma was looking down her nose at her, a look of disapproval Angela was all too familiar with. "Shit, I'm sorry. I just...this is his son, and he should want him to be okay. He should be praying for Abel to pull through. None of this doubt shit. That's fucking stupid. And Abel's gonna be fine. We all know that. At least, I believe that. Been praying my ass off for this kiddo. He's going to be fine," she rambled before taking a deep breath when she realized what she was doing. "And, I'm rambling..."

"You are, but you're not wrong," she conceded with a nod. "You visit the junkie?"

"Yeah, no. Not planning to either," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "Got nothing nice to say to her."

Gemma smirked, the smallest hint of approval in her expression. "Jax talk to you at all?"

Angela sighed. "Pretty sure he's avoiding me," she answered honestly. They didn't have the type of relationship where they called each other. They usually caught up when they were both in the same place at the same time, or he would come to her at the funeral home to chat. With Opie out of prison, those visits were few and far between, and at the party, he'd dodged her whenever he could. 

"He's avoidin' everythin' lately," she muttered, shaking her head. "Dunno how to get through to him."

She had a feeling if anyone was going to get through to Jax, it would be Tara, but she wasn't about to tell Gemma that. "He'll figure it out. Think it's all a little overwhelming. He was supposed to have more time to figure his shit out, and then this happened."

"He'll be just fine."

"I don't doubt that," Angela said on a nod. "He's got a big ole family to fall back on."

"You a part of that?"

She shrugged a shoulder, not wanting to push it with how nice Gemma was being. "Sure. Love babies. Babysit anytime he wants."

"Oh yeah? That mean we're gonna have some little brown babies runnin' around soon?"

Angela grimaced; her mother and aunt had been asking her that question since she and Juice got together. When's the wedding? Where are the grandkids? Over and over again. Thankfully, they hadn't mentioned it in front of Juice, but it was only a matter of time. She was convinced the two of them had already planned their damn wedding and were buying baby shit. To be honest, she loved the idea of marrying Juice. Of having babies and making a family of their own, but what they had was so new, she didn't want to jinx it. "Only time will tell," she replied evasively. 

Gemma looked her up and down again in a way that made her shift uncomfortably. She swore sometimes Gemma could read her thoughts. "Juice is a good boy. Take care of him."

"Always have, always will," she replied on a nod. She checked her watch and smiled. "Speaking of, I gotta go. He's in charge of dinner tonight. Gotta make sure the house is still standing."

"Got him cookin' for you, huh? Impressive."

Angela shrugged a shoulder. She was pretty sure Juice would just order out, but she didn't want to give his secrets away. "We switch off. Keeps things exciting. See ya later, Gemma," she said starting to walk away.

"Hey undertaker!" Gemma called after her, making her stop in her tracks. She raised an eyebrow at the older woman. "Doin' dinner. Not tomorrow night but the next. Getting everyone together. You and Juice should come."

She did her best to hide her shock; it was rare Gemma had included them in on family dinners especially after the last time when she'd been so busy at the funeral home that she'd come to the dinner late and empty handed. Juice was supposed to have at least bought a bottle of wine, but he hadn't been able to. Then the boys had to leave, leaving her alone with Gemma and some Croweaters. She'd helped Gemma clean, clenching her jaw as she listened to Gemma make veiled, mildly insulting comments. Did she want to subject herself to that again? No, but it was important to Juice. "Oh, yeah. Sure. Love that. Thanks."

Gemma nodded in response. "Good. Bring dessert. Don't forget this time."

There was that little dig. Angela fought the urge to flip her off. "Go it," she said, tapping her temple as if she was locking it in as she walked away. Her mind was already working on what she could make to appease the queen. She sighed, dreading it a little. She should've just told Gemma 'no'. Save herself the work and the stress. But Gemma was important to Juice, and she knew being included in the dinner would mean a lot to him, so she would suck it up, make some kind of delicious dessert, and put a smile on her face for him.

~'~'~'~

Juice stared at the cartons of Chinese food sitting on the counter with a frown.  It was his night to make dinner, and he'd wanted to cook something. Had pulled a recipe out and everything, and then he got the call that they'd be leaving earlier than expected to head down to the Mayan warehouse in Oakland to get their shit back. He knew he could get to Oakland faster than what they'd planned, but he also knew they were going the long way to avoid getting spotted by Mayans on their way in.

He heard the door open, heard Angela sigh as her bag hit the ground. Peeking out of the kitchen, he watched her take off her boots before straightening to pull the hair-tie out of the end of her braid. She raked her fingers through it with a tired sigh. She looked exhausted. "Long day?" he asked.

She must've known he was watching because she didn't startle. "Mm-hmm," she replied, crossing the room and sliding her arms around his waist as she leaned into him, burying her face in his chest. " 'm tired."

He smiled, wrapping his arms around her and moving his hand into her hair. He massaged her scalp as she'd done moments before, pleased with the happy moan that escaped her hold in response. He buried his nose into her hair, kissing the crown of her head as he did so. He loved the smell of her shampoo that lingered in her hair. It was a floral smell with a hint of something sweet. It was hard to put a name to it other than it smelled like her. It was the same way she'd smelled since he first met her. A smell that was comforting and warm, like home. His hand moved to her ass, slapping it gently. "Go shower. Got dinner ready whenever you are."

"Chinese?" she asked, standing on her toes to peer over his shoulder at the white cartons on the counter.

He hung his head a bit and nodded. "Yeah. Was gonna cook, but we gotta head out earlier than I thought for some shit."

Angela's face fell as she dropped her arms from around him. "Oh. Okay," she said, taking a step away from him. She tucked a hair behind her ear. "Um...when do you gotta be outta here by?"

He shrugged a shoulder, glancing at the clock on the wall. "Like an hour or so."

She frowned, sighing in disappointment. "Okay. 'm gonna go shower," she said, kissing his cheek before heading towards their room.

Juice hated letting her down. Knew he'd been doing it more often than not lately. He'd just come home from a run, now he was leaving her early. He set the table for them before going to the door, grabbing her bag off the floor and hanging it up then putting her boots neatly beside his. Angela had always been a bit messier than he was. Case in point, when he went back to their room, she'd left a trail of her clothes from where the bed was to the bathroom. He picked up her clothes, carrying them towards the hamper.

She must've taken the world's fastest shower because she was just getting out of it when he walked into their bathroom, a towel around her torso as she dried her hair with another towel. The smell of her shampoo and body wash filled the steam filled room, and he inhaled it deeply, enticed by it. She was beautiful. Stripped free of makeup and freshly clean, her skin still just a little damp. He dropped the clothes in the hamper before moving behind her, slipping his arms around her waist and pressing a kiss to her bare shoulder. Her skin was warmer than usual from the scalding hot water she had no doubt showered with. "That was fast," he murmured, nuzzling his nose against her skin.

"Yeah. Wanted to spend some time with you before you left so I tried to be quick."

He loved her for that. Loved that she actually wanted to spend time with him and found any excuse to do so. He tugged at her towel until it dropped to the floor, letting his hands skim down her sides, over the flare of her hips. She leaned back into him. "Don't start what you can't finish, Ortiz," she said, her eyes dark with lust as they met his in the mirror.

"I don't plan to," he shot back, spinning her around in his arms. Leaning down, he grabbed her thighs, lifting her off the ground. She laughed, her legs moving around his hips as he carried her towards the bed. He caught her lips in a kiss, swallowing her laughter. He set her down on the edge of their bed, letting his hands roam all over her soft skin, his lips following their trail while he gently pushed her so she was on her back, legs dangling over the edge of the bed. He traced her koi fish tattoo with his tongue, enjoying the way she shivered beneath him, goosebumps rising along her skin. Kissing his way back up to her lips, he moved a hand between her legs loving the way her breath hitched as he teased her folds. Kissing his way back down her body, he bit hard at the inside of her thigh, smirking when she cursed in response. It was a mark that would stay there for awhile, one he often left behind for her to think of him when she saw it.

Moving her legs over his shoulders, he knelt down at the edge of the bed and buried his face between her thighs. She surged against him, her hand going to his head, fingernails digging into his scalp, encouraging him. He stroked her with his fingers, loving the soft gasps and whimpers the addition elicited. Peeking up at her, he felt a sort of pride to see her head thrown back, her hands fisted in the sheets. He loved that he was the first man to ever taste her like this. With one last suck and a crook of his fingers, he watched her come undone, her back lifting off the bed as she cried out his name.

She laughed afterward, a soft, breathy sound of disbelief, her breasts bouncing in the best way as she did so. "Fuck, you're good at that."

Juice chuckled, moving over her when she reached for him. Leaning up, she captured his lips with her own, her hands framing his face. He savored the kiss enjoying it for a moment as her hand slid underneath his boxers, gripping his already hard member. He bucked his hips into her touch, feeling her lips curve into a triumphant smile against his.

His phone chirped from his pant pocket. An alarm reminding him he had to go soon. Angela huffed in frustration, hooking her ankles behind his knees and pulling him closer. He smirked, turning off the alarm as he pushed down his pants and boxers, stepping out of them in one swift move. "Gonna have to make this quick," he said, taking off his shirt as she reached for the condoms in the bedside table. She gave him a wicked grin as she nodded, taking the condom and slowly sliding it on him. Hooking his arms underneath her legs, he pulled her to the edge of their bed and plunged into her in one quick thrust.

"Oh fuck!" she exclaimed, her head falling back. He took a moment to enjoy the feeling of being inside of her. The perfect way her wet heat felt around him. It was absolutely incredible. She wriggled her hips a little, frustrated again by his pause. "You gotta move, Juice. Please."

A thrill went through him at the sound of her pleading. He pulled all the way out of her before plunging into her again, taking pleasure in the way she gasped, her back arcing off the bed as he did so. He waited there, buried inside her as she tried to undulate her hips against his, dying for some kind of movement. "Tell me what you want, baby," he urged.

"Move! Please!" she begged, panting slightly. He moved his hips, pumping into her just a few times before he stopped, pulling out all the way, making her she whine just a little. "C'mon, Juice. Please."

The wanton need in her voice unleashed something inside of him, and he snapped his hips forward, thrusting into her, hard. "Yes!" she gasped, her eyes fluttering closed as she covered her breasts with her hands. He pounded into her, moving one of his hands to the small little bundle of nerves at the apex of her thighs. She clenched around him, her thighs moving more tightly around his hips as she came. He rode out her climax, continuing to thrust into her until he reached his own with a shudder.

Juice lowered himself on top of her afterwards feeling total spent as he buried his face into her neck. Her arms moved around him, fingertips trailing down his spine, her chest rising and falling against his. They were both covered in sweat and breathing hard, skin sticking where they touched. "Holy fuck," she said on a breathless laugh.

Slowly, he lifted his head to give her a lazy kiss. "Like that?"

"Uh-huh." She sighed happily, her ankle sliding up and down the back of his leg. "Think I need to shower again."

He slowly picked her up, loving the way she tangled herself around him as he walked them towards the bathroom. He got into the shower, with her still wrapped around him, her mouth searing whatever part of his skin that was in reach. He reached over to the faucet, turning on the water and soaking both of them. "Let's get you clean, pretty lady."

Angela's laughter filled the small space whiled she untangled herself to stand in front of him. Standing on her toes, she kissed his nose in the sweetest way. "Goof!"

~'~'~'~

After their shared shower, Angela had forgone all thoughts of eating and had climbed into bed by the time Juice's second alarm went off. It wasn't a wake up alarm, just one to remind him he had to leave. He'd gotten in trouble several times before for getting so wrapped up in her that he was late for church or a run or whatever trouble they were getting into, so he'd started the practice of setting alarms to remind him to leave on time. He was already getting ready, though, which meant he was making good time.

A small bubble of anxiety filled her stomach making her feel nauseous; she hated watching him get ready to leave like this. He pulled his pants up with a little jump, securing his belt with its usual skeleton hand buckle. He put on the shirt he'd discarded earlier before sliding his bulletproof vest on over it, strapping it on tightly and patting down the Velcro. Then he went to the nightstand and put on his rings. Every move was confident, ritualistic almost. Like he was getting dressed for work. Except he wasn't. He was getting ready for something much more dangerous. She watched him shrug into his cut, the Reaper on the back grinning at her mockingly.

He went to the closet, sliding open the door and considering what was in front of him. "You got any of my hoodies handy?"

She had all of them, and he knew that. Most of them were in the wash since neither of them had bothered with it for the past few days. She nodded towards the coat rack on the wall where there was one she'd been wearing solely at home. "It's pretty clean. Haven't worn it outside the house," she said, sitting up slightly and sliding under the bedsheet, her knees bent up to her chest.

He put it on over his cut, bringing the fabric to his nose and sighing contently. "Smells like you."

"Sorry," she replied on a shrug. "I swear I wasn't wearing any perfume."

He shook his head. "Smells like your shampoo or something," he explained, smelling it again with the cutest smile on his face. "Don't be sorry. I like it. Like having you with me."

Juice and his smells. The sweatshirt, her panties, hell she'd caught him smelling her pillow on more than one occasion. It was a weird almost fetish of his, but she found it turned her on a little bit. She sighed a little, keeping her mind from going down those paths; he definitely didn't have time for it. He didn't even have time to eat. "You should eat before you go."

"I'm good. May have snuck in a potsticker or three before you got here," he admitted on a little shrug. "You should eat, though. Plenty of food."

"I will, I will," she said, rolling her eyes. She pinched the sheets between her fingers and moving the fabric between them. The movement was somewhat soothing, though she still had that sick feeling in her stomach. "What are you guys doing again?"

He shrugged. "Getting our guns back from the Mayans in Oakland."

She didn't like the sound of that. Not one bit. Going anywhere in Oakland was dangerous for any of the Sons, but especially for him. It wasn't so long ago that Esai had sent people out to kill him. He was willingly walking into their territory making it all the easier for Esai to pull some stupid shit and make it look like an accident. "Mayans? Juice..."

"Nothin' to worry about. They won't even be there, promise," he assured her as he dug through his drawer for a moment before pulling a beanie with a little brim on it and putting it on.

She recognized the beanie as one she'd gotten him for Christmas one year when they were just friends in New York. He'd worn it a lot during those cold New York winters, and she'd always found it looked sexy on him. "You still have that old thing?"

His nodded as he rounded the bed to her side. " 'course I do. You got it for me. Kept everything you've given me," he said as if it was a stupid question. Leaning over, he tucked a stray hair behind her ear before catching her lips in a soft kiss. "I'll be probably be back late."

She grabbed the front of his sweatshirt to keep him from moving, seeking out another kiss. He obliged, his hand sliding into her hair as she deepened the kiss. His phone buzzed again, his third alarm. He had to set more than one for this very reason. He pulled away with a soft curse which made her smile. "Come home to me, Ortiz."

"Always do," he replied, kissing her forehead before heading out the room. "Don't wait up for me," he called as he closed the door behind him.

He always asked her not to wait up for him, but she rarely listened. With a sigh, she fell back onto her pillow and stared up at the ceiling. It was going to be one long ass night.

~'~'~'~

Juice walked back into his house feeling exhausted as he took off his hat, sweatshirt, and cut, hanging them all up by the door before untying his boots. He made his way to the room, not at all surprised to see the light on. Angela was sitting up in bed with a book open in her lap. Her hair was in the process of drying in its natural wavy state, and he could just make out a few red marks he'd left behind on her chest and neck. "Hey beautiful. Thought I told you not to wait up," he greeted, going over to the little jewelry plate she'd bought for him and taking off his rings. He made it a point to take them off the second he got home after he accidentally cut the inside of her thigh pretty badly with one once. She'd told him it was okay, but he didn't like the idea of hurting her again. Especially when he could still see the small scar there when the light hit her skin just the right way.

"Who said I was waiting?" she replied without looking up from her book. "This book is just really good."

He smirked, walking around the bed to the bathroom to throw his dirty clothes in the hamper. He pulled on a fresh pair of boxers, then crawled on top of her, holding himself up to peer over her book, intrigued. "What's it about?"

"Just another romance," she answered on a sigh. She closed the book, putting it on the nightstand beside her. He leaned in, catching her lips in a quick kiss. She smiled softly in response, tracing her fingers across his cheek. "How was your...thing?"

He sighed heavily, lowering himself on top of her so his head was in her lap, his body covering her legs. "Successful," he replied on a sigh. Her finger traced lazily over the tattoo on his scalp. He loved the feel of it, loved that he had her full attention. Loved that he could unwind with her this way, trust her with the absolute truth to get it off his shoulders. "Found out the Mayans are working with the Aryans, which doesn't exactly bode well for us. Blew their warehouse up just like they did ours."

"Shit. Everyone okay?"

"Mm-hmm," he replied, trailing his fingers over the outside of her thigh. He didn't tell her they had to kill a Mayan or two in the process knowing she'd ask him who. He didn't know who they were, and he didn't want to freak her out. She moved her hands to his back, massaging gently. "Jax took a shot in the vest though, but he's fine."

"That's gotta hurt."

He nodded in agreement, though he didn't know from experience. She yawned, her stomach rising and falling against the top of his head as she did so. For some reason, the movement made him smile. He found comfort in the simplicity of the small movements, in just being close to her. "You gotta be up early tomorrow?"

"Mmm. Not too early. I'll be fine," she assured him around another yawn.

"Nah, you gotta sleep." Despite how comfy he was in their position, he knew Angela needed to sleep. With their late night out, Clay didn't mind if he came in late to the garage, but she didn't have the same luxury. He rolled off of her onto his back on his side of the bed. "C'mere, baby."

She adjusted her pillows so they were flat before foregoing them all together and laying her head on his chest. He buried his hand in her hair, lightly rubbing her scalp. Her eyes closed, and she hummed happily. He kissed her forehead as she moved her leg over his, tangling their limbs. He loved the way she wrapped herself around him before they went to sleep. Eventually, they'd move and shift in their slumber, and she'd wind up on her own side, on her own pillow, but he loved that they started together. It was what he missed the most when he was away on a run. "Night, goof. Glad you're home safe," she murmured, kissing his pec.

He squeezed her gently, kissing her forehead. Home. This was his home. Here with her in his arms. He couldn't think of a better place to be. "Glad to be home."

~'~'~'~
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