Jo was a little surprised when Dino came home from work without her brother in tow. He was always at their place since he said his was too quiet with his family gone. She was thankful for it, it made it a lot easier to watch out for him and make sure he didn't do anything stupid. The fact he wasn't there the very same day Angela revealed they were expecting was a huge red flag. Jo had been elated when her sister-in-law had called to tell her the news, and then her elation became fear. She knew exactly why Angela had called her. She had to keep Juice in Texas, a feat she knew would be easier said than done. She figured her husband would do his best to help her, but now, she had a feeling she was mistaken. She raised an eyebrow at him, taking a sip of her wine as she watched Dino kiss each of their sons before going to the fridge for a beer. He leaned over to kiss her cheek. "What's up, buttercup?" he asked, popping the top off his beer.

"Nothin'. Where's my brother?" she replied suspiciously.

Dino shrugged a shoulder, refusing to look at her as he inspected what she had cooking in the big pot. "At his place, checking on Rigs."

She crossed her arms over her chest, not buying his answer in the least. "Uh-huh. He wouldn't be...packing for a trip now, would he?" she questioned, smirking when Dino shook his head. "Look at me, Dean. Where is my brother?"

Dino scowled, lifting his head to look at her. "He's at home packing, all right? Because his wife is pregnant, and I totally understand his need to be with her right now because if it were me, I'd move hell and earth to get to you."

Jo tried to be mad at him. Tried to work up the anger to yell at him for being such a moron and letting her brother think it was a smart move to go back. She couldn't, though, because deep down, she understood that kind of love and loyalty. "Ugh. You suck."

" 'cause you know I'm right, right?" he said with a huge grin.

She did, but she wasn't about to admit it. "No, because now I gotta go fix this," she shot back, sticking her tongue out at him. She pecked his lips quickly before gently slapping his cheek in a loving way. "Feed your children, I'll be back in a minute."

Dino waved her away, calling to the kids to get their plates while she rushed out the back door towards her brother's house. She loved how close he was to her now. Loved that the only thing separating their houses was the wooden fence with the cute little door in between. The kids went freely between backyards during the day, laughing as they ran through with Rigs tailing them. It was perfect, everything she had always wanted. She'd missed her brother the few years they'd lost contact. She'd only kept her distance to keep from bothering him. She regretted that now. Maybe if she'd intervened earlier, she could've saved him some heartache. Sighing, she opened his back door, stepping inside and grinning as their big dog ran to her. "Hello handsome," she cooed to Rigs, leaning over to kiss his head. " 'm here to stop your Dad from making the worst decision ever, then I'll come down and give you some love, okay?"

She scratched him behind the ears one last time before climbing the stairs and going to the master bedroom. The door was open, and she leaned against its jamb watching her brother neatly put things into an open suitcase. "Where ya goin'?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Charming to be with my pregnant wife," Juice answered without looking up.

"You know you can't do that, Wonka."

He glared at her for a moment before throwing the shirt in his hand back into the suitcase. "Try to stop me," he dared, mirroring her stance. "This is my wife. I need to be there for her. I'm not gonna let her do this alone again."

Jo had to fight the urge to laugh. She'd seen this obstinate look on her brother's face many times when they were growing up and it never lasted long. He'd always been a bit of a pushover. "Don't be stupid, Juan," she said on a scowl. "She's gonna be fine. You go and you're puttin' your life on the line, ya idiot! Ain't gonna be useful to her if you're six feet under."

"Club's not even gonna know I'm there, Jo. I already talked to Dia 'n' she said I can stay in Oakland with them and we'll find Ang a good hospital out there to go to so I don't have to go to St. Thomas and it'll be fine. I'm gonna be fine," he insisted, going back to packing. "I'm not going to let her down this time, Jo. I won't do it."

"You're not letting her down if you stay. In fact, you'd be doing exactly what she wants."

"I don't give a fuck what she thinks she wants," he said, shaking his head. "I know what she needs and she needs me and I...I need to be there."

Jo tilted her head to the side, studying him and trying to gauge his emotions. He was breathing harder than normal, like was on the verge of having a total panic attack. That worried her; Angela was the only one who knew how to calm him down when he got all worked up like this. Without her there, Jo didn't know what to do. "Chill, bro. She'll be home before the baby is born. Probably before she hits her third trimester. Just stay. Hold out 'til then. You won't be missing anything, I swear."

"Fuck that!" he spat in frustration. "You don't get it! I gotta be there because I wasn't with Evie! I have to...I have to prove to her that I'm not the same guy I was back then! She was pregnant and I...I cheated on her and I fought with her and called her names and didn't go to appointments and then I just left! She was months away from having my child, and I left! Who the fuck does that? And then...then, I wasn't even there for the birth 'cause I was with the fuckin' club killin' people and shit! But this time...this time, I was supposed to be there! I was supposed to hold her hand and buy her all that weird shit and I can! Jo, I can do all that now and she won't...she won't let me."

She stared at him in disbelief, still trying to wrap her head around everything he'd said. She known he'd been in some deep shit, but she'd never heard anything about him cheating on his wife or killing anyone. "Jesus Christ, Juan..."

"I know. I fuckin' know," he said around a sad laugh. "I promised her I'd be there for this kid. That this time would be different. How can I stay here and leave her to do it alone all over again? I don't want to fail her again. I can't. I don't want to be like our Dad. I want to be there for her. I'm not skipping out on her."

Jo felt her own resolve soften when she saw a tear roll down his cheek. She'd surprised him a few months before when she'd invited their father to dinner. He'd walked in and had all but punched the older man in the face. He'd fought with everyone that night. It wasn't until later, when he'd calmed down a bit and explained it all to her that she realized just how badly their father's absence had impacted him. She could see the fear in his eyes, the worry that he'd end up being exactly like him. "Oh, Juan," she murmured, pulling him into a tight hug. "You're not our Dad. You are an excellent father. Kenny looks up to you and Evie adores you. You're only missing the very beginning of this new kids' life. Dad was there for that with you. It was the rest of the shit he missed. Remember that."

Juice shook his head slowly. "I don't want to miss any of it. Not when I don't have to."

"Yeah and what about the club? Chips and all them?"

His whole body seemed to tighten at the mere mention of his past life. "I'll deal with that problem when I get there." His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. "Please, Jo. Let me go. I need this."

She looked up at him, smoothing her hands over his arms like she did to her boys when she was comforting them. How could she say 'no' to him when he was looking at her with those big, puppy dog eyes? "She's gonna flip when she sees ya."

His shoulders sagged in relief, a soft sigh escaping his lips. "Thank you," he breathed, pulling her in for a tight hug.

Jo laughed, standing on her toes to kiss his cheek. "I love ya, Wonka. Just want you to be happy. You been a mess since she left 'n' I hate seein' you like that. If you think you can work it out and stay safe over there, 'm not gonna stop ya," she explained, squeezing his arm. "But if she asks, I didn't know anythin' about this shit."

Juice chuckled, pulling her in for another hug. "I won't say anythin', I swear."

"Good," she said, patting his cheek lovingly. "When's your flight leave?"

"In three hours. It's the first one I could get."

Jo smirked, knowing her husband had some kind of involvement in this. "This one of Dino's company charter flights?"

He shrugged a shoulder and grinned. "He may have arranged it. Technically, I'm goin' there on business, so..."

"I love that man, but I'm gonna kill him," she stated, shaking her head at him. "Pack fast and then come over 'n' eat. Don't want you goin' over on an empty stomach."

-------------------

Chibs always went to the Charming cemetery with a bouquet of a dozen roses. He'd leave three behind at Luann's grave, three at Gemma's, Tara's, and then finally Donna's. He always ended at the Winston graves, contemplating the two headstones with a heavy heart. He could still see Opie's bloodied face in the moments before he died, still remember the last look he shared with Jax, see Donna bleeding in the street, Tara laid out in her casket...all these horrific images were on a daily rotation in his mind. Bloody reminders of the reasons why he had to steer his club in a new direction. Keep them from repeating those same mistakes that had killed so many.

He wandered away from them, heading to the big oak tree at the end of the row. The big tree brought with it memories of another tree, the one he'd caught Juice underneath as he tried in vain to hide the thick chain wrapped around a branch, to get rid of the evidence of his suicide attempt. Since there was no official resting place for Juice, this was where he went to pay his respects. Setting his hand against the old bark, he looked up into the branches thinking of the lost brother he had failed. Juice had been his prospect, his responsibility. He'd been like a son to him, and he had rejected him when he'd needed him the most. Letting Juice go that day in the diner, agreeing with Jax that he needed to die, was one of his biggest regrets. Hindsight was twenty-twenty, and in hindsight, he realized Juice hadn't betrayed the club until he was at his wit's end. Until he was cornered with nowhere else to go. All he'd wanted to do was get back to his girls, a sentiment Chibs was familiar with. A sentiment he should've understood. He'd almost made a deal with Stahl to keep his girls safe, but he was never punished for it. No one ever said a word about it. Not like Juice. He'd done his best to protect SAMCRO and his girls and they'd killed him for it.

Now the Ortiz girls were back in Charming and Chibs wanted nothing more than to apologize to them. To find some kind of closure in telling the dead man's wife and daughter just how sorry he was for what happened to them, how he wished he hadn't been blinded by Jax's rage, by his need for revenge. He'd been a fool not to stand up to younger man, a fool to think what Juice had done was any worse than what he and his other brothers had done in the past.

He glanced towards the funeral home in time to see Kenny and Angela walking towards it, each of them holding one of Evie's hands, swinging her up off the ground as they went. They made a perfect little group, the three of them, but he knew Juice's absence was felt. Kenny had told him as much the last time they'd seen each other. He hated himself for depriving little Evie of a father who would've loved her to pieces. But he and the club had taken him away before he'd even got the chance.

Taking in a deep breath, he looked up through the branches once more. " 'm sorry, brother," he murmured, tapping his knuckles against the bark affectionately as he said a prayer that Angela would be open to talking to him. Hap insisted he stay away, but he couldn't. He needed to make things right.

He walked into the funeral home, smiling to himself at the sound of the little girl's laughter coming from the office. The bell over the door must've alerted them to his presence because he heard Angela shush them. He braced himself as she entered the foyer.

She didn't see him right away, so he took the time to look her over. The last time he'd seen her, she'd looked gaunt and desolate, crushed by the weight of losing her other half. Now, she looked healthy, strong. Her head was held high, shoulders squared confidently. He knew from experience Angela Ortiz was a force to be reckoned with, that she would fight to the death for the people she loved. And she'd loved Juice. He'd known that since the very first time he'd seen them together. She'd been good for him, supporting him, giving him strength when he needed it, and calming him down when his head got too crazy. Chibs had seen the change in him almost instantly. She'd made him stronger by giving him a support system to fall back on outside of the club. Juice had been happier because of her, and Chibs would forever be thankful to Angela for that.

Her dark eyes narrowed when she finally spotted him, the murderous look in them mirroring one he'd seen in Happy's eyes as he zeroed in on his kill. "The fuck are you doing here?"

His lip twitched into the smallest hint of a smile at her attitude; some things didn't change. He covered his smile with a cough, knowing if she caught it, it'd only enrage her more. "Good to see you too, love," he replied cordially. "Heard you and the little one were in town. Wanted to stop by, see how you were. 's been awhile."

A look of disbelief passed over her face before she hid it. "There's a reason for that. You killed my husband, remember?"

Her blunt words were a stab in the gut. He blinked at her for a moment before clearing his throat. "Wasn't what I wanted. He put himself in that position. Juicy--"

"Don't say his name," she interrupted with a glare, taking a step towards him. "You lost that right the day he came to you for help and you turned him away. You knew something was up, and you did nothing. You pushed him away when he needed you the most, then signed his death warrant. So excuse me if I don't want to talk to you or even see you."

"I did what I could," he lied, a lie he'd been telling himself over and over again. "Didn't want it to end that way."

She snorted derisively, shaking her head. "That's fucking bull shit," she said around a laugh. "Fuck off, Chibs. We're done here."

Chibs wasn't done, though. He had so much more to say to her. "No, we're not. Wanted ye ta know..."

Evie's loud giggles filled the room, Bones' heavy footsteps falling behind her as he chased her into the foyer. Chibs felt guilt fill him when she stopped in front of him, craning her neck back to look at him. "Hi!" she greeted with a big grin.

He swallowed a lump in his throat at the sight of that familiar smile. The little girl could've been Juice's twin with her big eyes and bright grin. Before he could reply to her greeting, Angela's assistant swept her off her feet with a loud growl. "Caught you, Monk!" Bones exclaimed, exchanging a glance with Angela. She jerked her head to the side, signalling for him to get out of there, and he nodded, quickly carrying Evie out of the room. "We're gonna stay far, far away from that bad guy."

Evie's eyes stayed on him from over Bones' shoulder, her head tilted to the side. "He bad?"

Bones nodded in response. "Yeah. Like Scar from the Lion King status, Monk. Killin' Dads 'n' stuff," he muttered, the rest of what he was saying lost as he went into the other room.

Chibs scowled, his hands clenching into fists in anger. "Now tha's not fair," he said, pointing towards where Bones had left.

Angela smirked in amusement, her eyebrows lifting slightly. "Why? He's just telling her the truth. I don't like lying to my daughter. 'specially when it comes to her Dad."

"You forgave the rest of 'em, didn't ye?" he asked, saying what really was bugging him. "Hap, Tig, ye had no problem lettin' 'em back in."

"They're family," she replied easily. At his unconvinced look, she shrugged, "I don't have to explain myself to you."

Chibs frowned, looking down at his scuffed boots. "Was a time we were family."

"Yeah, was a time when Juice was alive too," she shot back ruthlessly. "Save your apologies, Chibs, they're not going to change anything."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair feeling defeated. "Guess not," he murmured, hooking his thumbs in the pockets of his cut. "Ye got a beautiful little girl there, you know, and Kenny's grown into a fine young man. Know that's a lot of your doin'."

She crossed her arms over her chest, obviously trying to hide a smile as she thought of her kids. "I like to think so. Amazing what getting away from this cesspool can do to you."

Chibs ducked his head, wishing there was something he could say to make her come around. Unfortunately, his burner went off before he could say something more. The sound of it made both of them cringe. "I got to take this. Was good to see ye, Angie-girl," he told her, watching as her jaw ticked angrily. "You 'n' the little one. She looks just like him. Give her love from her Uncle Chibs, yeah?"

Angela's dark eyes narrowed a bit, her chin lifting a bit confidently. "Fuck no," she spat. "She will never call you Uncle."

"Yeah. Right." He felt the blow of her words and took a step back. There was a fire in her eyes that warned him to stay away, and he listened; he had other shit to do anyway. Nodding, he set a small wad of bills on the small table before heading out the door.

He could hear her footsteps following after him. "Hey! You forgot this!" she shouted, tapping his shoulder.

He turned, holding his hands up; he wanted her to have the money. It was the least he could do. "Keep it. Put it towards somethin' fun for the kids. Can't be easy being a single Ma."

Her fist hit his face before he ever saw it coming. He staggered back, cursing her up and down while he clutched at his jaw. "I don't need your fucking hand outs," she seethed, throwing the money at him and forcibly pushing him away. "Stay away from my family, asshole!"

Chibs heard the door slam and cringed; that had not gone well. He didn't know what he'd expected when he'd walked into the funeral home to talk to Angela, but it hadn't been that. Happy had been right when he'd said to stay away. Though, he had been happy to see that losing her other half hadn't doused the fire within her. She was still the same, snarky little spitfire as before. His only wish was that he could share in her new life with her, know her kids. Have them call him Uncle the way Abel and Thomas did. After all, that's what he and Juice used to joke about. But that would never happen. He'd made his own bed and now he had to sleep in it.

-------------------

Angela's knuckles were throbbing as she drove towards the Alvarez house. She felt physically and emotionally drained from what had turned out to be an awful afternoon. She'd been having a great day working at the funeral home until Chibs decided to show his ugly face. That had thrown her for a major loop. Worse was Evie constantly asking questions about the "bad man Scar" and why no one liked him. If Juice could hear her, he'd have a heart attack. Hell, she was having a hard time being patient with her inquisitive daughter. The more questions she asked, the harder it was to put the whole exchange behind her. She was just glad Evie hadn't seen her hit him. That would've been bad. Evie wasn't a hitter, her first reaction when she was mad was to cry, but Angela had a feeling if she saw her own mother hitting when angry, they'd have some major problems in the future.

Unlike her daughter, Angela tended to get physical when she was angry and seeing Chibs had brought up a fury in her she hadn't been expecting. She'd thought knowing Juice was alive and well would've calmed her anger some, but clearly, she'd been wrong. She'd kept her distance in an attempt not to hit him, but when she saw the pity money he'd left on the table, she'd hit her limit. Regardless of whether she was a single mother or not, the idea that Chibs thought she couldn't provide for her own family had made her see red, and she couldn't stop the fist that went flying at his face. Looking at her hand, she grimaced at the bruises already appearing on her knuckles, wondering if she could hide them from Dia and Marcus.

"Mama, Auntie Jojo's car!" Evie exclaimed from the back seat, pointing at the big SUV in the driveway. "She here?"

Angela groaned when she saw the car. Worse than having to explain her bruised knuckles to Dia and Marcus was going to be explaining them to Lino. "No, baby girl. That's the same car, though! Good job!" she explained, pulling in next to it. She contemplated turning around and going to stay at her Mom's place. Not only did she not want to see Lino, but the fact he'd driven his cage instead of riding his Harley meant he probably brought his baby Mama with him. She cringed; he'd been trying to force her to talk to Sol ever since she set foot in California, and she really wasn't up to it. She'd had enough confrontation for one day. "That's your Tio Lino's car."

"Tiooo Leeeeeeeeno," Evie sang, her little feet bouncing up and down as she did. She held up her Little Mermaid doll. "Ariel likes Lino!"

"I'm sure Lino likes Ariel too," Angela replied around a laugh, glancing up at her daughter in the rearview mirror. For a brief moment, she tried to picture another carseat next to her with a tiny baby inside of it. Evie would love that. She'd been asking for a sister since Christmas the year before. Angela put her hand on her lower stomach, rubbing it over the smallest hint of a bump. It was unnoticeable to everyone except for her, and she wanted to keep it that way. No use in alerting the masses before she was showing. It would mean Bones, Skeet, and Kenny would keep her from working at the funeral home, and that had been the silver lining to the whole damn trip. She wasn't about to give that up, not until she absolutely had to.

Evie waited patiently for her mother to unbuckle her before jumping out of the car and running to the front door, her little fingers reaching to ring the doorbell over and over again while she laughed. Lino opened it with a big grin already on his face. "There's my little sirenita!" he exclaimed, swooping her off her feet. "How you doin', linda?" (Little mermaid...pretty girl)

Evie grinned, hugging Lino around his neck and kissing his cheek. "Good, Tio Lino! I played with Nana Lena 'n' she gave me this doll! Its Ariel! Do you like her?"

Lino pretended to be fascinated by the little doll in her arms. "Like her? I love her, chiqui! She's gorgeous! Just like you!"

"You're silly, Lino," she said around a giggle.

He chuckled, kissing her cheek again. "Veni, linda. Me 'n' Tessa were just gonna play some Candyland. You wanna play?" (Come, pretty girl)

"Yeah!" she exclaimed, her whole face lighting up in a way that was so like her father's, Angela had to look away. God, she missed him.

Lino smiled, setting the little girl down on her feet. "Go 'head. Be right there," he told her, pushing her towards the living room. Once she was gone, he turned to her mother. "So, if I have a baby boy and you have a baby girl, and they, like, get married, will we be like officially related?"

Angela's eyes widened in shock; had Dia told everyone her little secret? She smacked him gently. "Shut up. It ain't gonna happen," she said, trying to fight a smile. She'd love to raise her kids with Lino's. Despite the fact he was having a baby with someone she hated, she really missed having him in her life. She had no doubt their kids would be good friends if they lived closer. "Soon as I can, I'm going back to my husband in Texas."

A strange, almost guilty look crossed his face before it was gone. "Uh-huh. Whatever you say, Mamacita," he shrugged off. " 'ey, go upstairs 'n' relax a bit, change out of those work clothes 'n' shit. Take advantage that I'm practicin' my fatherly skills."

She sighed heavily. "You don't know how good that sounds. This day has been insane," she breathed, running her hand through her hair. He tried to hide his guilty grimace, but she caught it. "What the hell is that face for, Lino? Makin' me feel a little nervous."

"Nothin', nothin'," he assured her on a shrug.

"Lee, I've known you since you were three. I know when somethin's up. What's goin' on?"

"Nothin', I swear. 's just that...Soli's here helpin' Dia with dinner 'n' I...didn't want you to freak out," he answered, scratching at the back of his elbow. "Pero if you don't want her near your kid, like, I'll leave."

Angela rolled her eyes exaggeratedly. "Whatever, Lee. 's long as she's nice to my kid, I don't really care. Just...don't expect me to have some long, deep talk with her. 'm not up for that. 's been a long day."

"Fair enough, Mami," he said around a laugh, leaning over to kiss her temple. "Go, relax, 'fore dinner's ready and Dia freaks."

She kissed his cheek, patting his shoulder as she headed up the stairs, undoing her braid as she went. With another tired sigh, she opened the door to Esai's room and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw there was someone else in there. Someone very, very familiar. She stared at his back, her eyes tracing over the movement of his muscles as he rummaged around in his suitcase. Closing her eyes tightly, she willed him not to be there when she opened them again; there was no way he was dumb enough to come to Charming. No way. She opened them again, and he was still there. "Fuck," she murmured, alerting him of her presence. "You have got to be kidding me."

Juice held up his hands as he turned around. "Don't get mad."

Angela stared at him disbelief. She thought she'd explained why he couldn't be in Charming. She thought they had an agreement. She wanted to be angry with him, but after her conversation with Chibs, all she could feel was fear. "Jesus Christ, Juice. What the fuck are you doing here?"

He crossed the room to her, his big brown eyes wide with worry. "What's going on? What's wrong?" he asked, his hands rubbing over her arms.

"You're here. That's what's wrong!" she exclaimed, stepping away from him. "You...You're not supposed to be here! It's not safe here, Juice! We talked about this!"

"I know! But, I want to be here for you, for the baby! I couldn't...how was I s'posed to stay in Texas while you're here? Pregnant and...and alone? We've been trying for his for...for months now, and its finally happening and you expect me to leave you alone?" he demanded, his hands balled into fists at his sides in an attempt not to keep his hands off her. "Baby, I can't do that. I wasn't there for you with Eves, and I want to make up for that...be there for this one. Every step of the way."

Angela swallowed hard, feeling frustrated and angry all at once. How could he do this? Frustrated tears filled her eyes as she struggled with what him being there meant. She'd just run into Chibs, and she could tell it wouldn't be the last time. How was she supposed to keep Juice hidden when the man who had wanted him dead wanted to be in her life? In their children's? "No," she choked out around the lump in her throat. "Don't you get it, Juice? They'll take you away. I can't lose you. Not again."

Juice looked confused by her reaction, but he stepped in closer, brushing a stray hair from her cheek and tucking it behind her ear. "You won't, Angel. I swear to you, you won't," he promised, his eyes big and sad as they looked at her. "This was the right thing to do. I'm not going anywhere, Angel. Shoulda come over with you to begin with. I'm your husband. You need me now more than ever, and I'm not goin' anywhere, okay?"

His eyes were so honest, urging her to understand while his whole demeanor radiated strength. A strength she desperately needed now more than ever. "Okay," she breathed, defeated. He was there. There was no turning back now, no way for her to convince him to go. Leaning forward, she slid her arms around him, burying her face into his neck. "I love you."

Juice relaxed, moving his arms around her and squeezing her tightly. "Love you more," he murmured, kissing her temple. "It's going to be okay, Angel. I swear."

"Mmm," she hummed, feeling at peace in the safe circle of his arms. As scared as she was for him, she couldn't say she wasn't happy he was there. It wasn't until she was in his embrace that she realized just how much she'd needed him. With his arms around her, she felt calmer than she had in days. She tilted her head back to look up at him. "Just don't die again, okay?"

He chuckled, catching her lips in a quick kiss. "Not gonna happen," he swore, his hand moving to rest on her stomach. "I want to meet my new little bug."

She smirked; it seemed like their new kid had a nickname of their own now. She kissed him again, harder this time. "Missed you," she told him, her hands moving underneath his shirt. "So much, baby. You have no idea."

His hands slipped down to her ass, squeezing it lovingly as he walked her backwards towards the bed. "Oh, I think I do. All those texts 'n' pictures. So fuckin' hot," he replied, his mouth slanting against hers, tongue slipping past her lips to taste her. She sat on the bed, smiling when he dipped his head to kiss her again, climbing over her as she laid back. Then he stopped, his nose wrinkling for a brief moment. "This isn't where you...had your first time, is it?"

Angela laughed, shaking her head. "No, goof. Not my first time," she assured him. He seemed appeased by that, moving his lips to her neck. She moved her hands into his hair, closing her eyes at how good it felt to have his lips on her skin again. "Some other times though..."

He groaned, lifting his head to meet her eyes. "Shit, Angel, way to kill the mood," he muttered, leaning back away from her.

"Hey, you asked!" she stated around a laugh. She sat up, grabbing his face in her hands. "Juice, I love you more than I have every loved anyone, okay? Don't let all this Esai shit get you all twisted up. He's dead. Not comin' back. Even if he wasn't, I'm your wife. The mother of your kids. Stress less."

Juice's responding smile showed his relief. Leaning forward, he pecked her lips. "Love you, Mama."

"I know," she answered, kissing him again. She pressed her forehead to his, looking into his eyes. "We're having another baby, Juice."

His grin could've lit up a dark room. "I know," he replied, dipping his head to kiss her lower belly. "I'm not surprised. I've got a magic penis, remember?"

She rolled her eyes, laughing when he blew a raspberry into her stomach. "Goof!" she exclaimed, wriggling as he tickled her sides. "Stop!"

He kept tickling her, his laughter joining hers just as there was a knock on the door. " 'ey, whatever it is you're doin' in there, stop!" Lino's voice came from the other side. "Dia's got food!"

"We'll be right there!" she shouted back, pushing Juice away. He held out a hand to help her off the bed, catching her lips with his once she was on her feet. She smiled, brushing her thumb over the scruff on his cheek. "C'mon, I know someone who is going to be very, very happy to see you."

He followed her out of the room, her hand entwined with his. He seemed to be doing his best to ignore the many pictures of Esai that littered the hallway. "How's my baby girl doin' with Lena? She understand what's going on?" he asked, clearly wanting some kind of distraction.

"Nah. She knows she's sick, but she doesn't get how sick. Thinks the hospital's fun, so far. Loves the lime Jell-O," she said, smirking as she remembered the way Juice would whine for the lime dessert when he was stuck in St. Thomas after his stabbing.

"She clearly gets her good taste from me," he told her with a wink.

Angela rolled her eyes as she stepped off the bottom step in time to hear Lino exclaim, "Hey! Someone's cheating! Who moved my little dude?"

Tessa and Evie giggled as if it were the funniest thing in the world, probably because Tessa did move his piece; the youngest Alvarez hated losing. Juice walked in, put his hands on his hips and shouted, "Who's cheating?"

Angela felt her heart do flip flops as Evie screamed in delight, jumping to her feet and running towards Juice. "Daddy, Daddy!" she shrieked, throwing herself at him.

He caught her easily, sweeping her up in the air and twirling her around. He placed a loud, smacking kiss to her cheek. "Hi Monk!" he greeted around a laugh.

She hugged him back just as tightly, kissing his cheek. "Missed you, Daddy! You stay here?" she asked, her dark eyes wide and a little worried.

Juice nodded, kissing her nose. "Yeah, baby girl. 'm stayin' here with you 'n' Mama. Gotta take care of my girls," he said looking back at his wife with a grin. "Right, Mama?"

Angela smiled back at him, her heart feeling full as she nodded in response. As worried and scared as she was about him being there, she also felt a sense of reassurance and a renewed feeling of strength. This was all going to work out. It had to.