This one takes place when Angela's seven and Hap's about 20 years old.
This one's for @hopelessangelxxx who wanted a look into Angela and Happy when they were younger...and there's some Kozik too just because...
Also, big change from "Hands All Over" in that Angela meets Koz when she is a lot younger than the other story...
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~'~'~'~

Happy pulled up to the curb in front of his Ma's house with Kozik close behind him, foregoing the driveway where his seven year old cousin was riding her little purple bike with the glittery tassels and plastic training wheels up and down the sloped pavement. Sidewalk chalk was littered on the ground with hearts, stars, and other figures covering the driveway. Angela's little legs were working fast as she sped towards them, helmetless, her braided hair a complete mess, colored chalk on her cheeks. She stopped just before them, throwing down her bike and racing towards him. "Hap!" she exclaimed, running at him.

He just barely managed to dismount his motorcycle when she jumped on him, throwing her arms around his neck. Normally, he would've told her not to jump on him, but they'd just lost their Uncle Chico, and he knew the affection she sought out was part of her grieving process. She was much more touchy-feely since Chico died, and he was trying to help her through it in anyway he could. If a big hug was gonna help, he could forego his own annoyance to give her the love she needed. He hugged her tightly, aware of his brother's curious eyes on him. He didn't really give a shit. Not in front of Kozik. He'd see the blonde asshole on his hands and knees covered in puke as he detoxed. If he gave him shit for loving his family, he was going to give him shit for being a junkie dick head. Kissing her temple, he gently pushed her away and set her down on her feet. "Where's your helmet, kid?" he asked, passing his hand over her messy hair.

"Dunno," she replied on a shrug. " 'm fine. I don't need it. Look how good I am!"

Happy knew she was trying to be tough, but he wasn't going to let it go. He stopped her from getting on the bike. "I wear mine, you gotta wear yours, or 'm throwin' the bike away."

She rolled her eyes at him, setting his hands on her hips in a posture that was way too old for her. "You're riding a motorcycle. This is a stupid bike with training wheels. It can't even fall over no matter how fast I go!"

He heard Kozik chuckle behind him at her sass and turned to glare at him. "She ain't wrong," the blonde said with a shit eating grin.

Angela glanced over at him as if finally noticing he was there. "Who's he?" she asked, craning her head all the way back to look up at him.

"This is my pal, Kozik," he said, gesturing to his club brother. "Came over for dinner. Koz, this is my cousin, Angela."

He caught the way her nose wrinkled at her own name; it was rare he ever said it, and she clearly wasn't used to it. Kozik squatted down so he was even with her. "Nice to meet you, Angie-pie," he said, offering her his hand to shake.

She looked at his hand than at Happy as if she were surprised by the adult-like greeting. "Nice to meet you, Kozi," she replied, shaking his hand. She glanced up at her cousin. "Hap, can you take off my training wheels?"

He inwardly groaned at the idea of taking off the training wheels and having to teach her how to use it with Kozik there. "Kid..."

"Please Hap! Rosa and Lino got 'em off, and I'm the only baby that has 'em on! Tia won't do it because she says she can't teach me how 'cause she can't run fast! You can run fast! Please!" she pleaded, her dark eyes wide, little hands pressed together for effect. "You don't even have to teach me! I can figure it out, but I can't get them off! I tried everything! And Tia won't let me touch Papi's tools!"

Happy had no doubt that his kid had probably kicked, pulled, and taken a hammer to the poor training wheels. She had a stubborn streak a mile wide. Thankfully, while she knew how to wield a screwdriver, she didn't have access to them. He hesitated, knowing that most of the time she was on the bike, she wasn't supervised. His Ma would open the garage door and just let her play while she cooked or cleaned inside the house. Without training wheels, she could fall more easily and no one would be there to help her up or take care of her. "Kid..."

"Let's see 'em," Kozik said, gesturing for her to bring the bike to him while he went to his saddle bags to grab a tool kit. Angela skipped away to get her bike. At Happy's glare, Koz shrugged. "What's the issue?"

"She's gonna hurt herself."

"Nah, I get the feelin' she's a smart kid. 'm sure she'll pick it up real fast," he said, grinning at Angela rolled the bike to him. He flipped it over onto its handlebars so the wheels were up in the air. "I'll do it, but you gotta promise me somethin', all right?"

Angela nodded enthusiastically. "Anything!"

"You can only ride it with a helmet. No trainin' wheels means it ain't gonna be stable, so you can fall easier. You don't want to crack your head open do ya?" he stated, messing with the screw driver.

"Crack my head open?" Angela repeated, aghast.

She glanced up at Happy as if she didn't truly believe the other man. Happy smirked and nodded. "Wide open. Brains everywhere."

Her eyes widened, and she nodded enthusiastically. "I promise! Pinky swear, Hap!" she exclaimed, holding her pinky out to him.

Happy chuckled at the childish action but curled his pink around hers just the same. He squatted down beside Kozik, smirking at the dents in the metal holding the training wheels; Angela hadn't been kidding when she said she'd tried to take them off herself. She leaned into his side as they watched Kozik work, moving her arm around his back. He slid his around her waist, feeling his cold heart warm when she tilted her head against his shoulder.

It took Koz a few tries, but he was eventually able to pry them off. Angela cheered, clapping her hands and jumping up slightly. "Hap, can I try now?"

"Go get your helmet," he ordered, thankful she listened the first time and skipped off to get it. She ran back, the blue skater helmet already latched under her chin. "Ready!"

He flipped the bike over, holding it steady while she got on. "It ain't gonna be easy, kid," he said, holding the seat of it firmly.

"I can do it, Hap," she shot back, that stubborn look on her face. "Just push a little."

Taking a deep breath, he started to push, holding the bike steady while she pedaled. He ran alongside the little bike, surprised by her speed and how well she was balancing on it. He had a feeling she'd probably taken Lino's for a spin once or twice. "Slow down, kid!" he commanded, finding it hard to keep up with her.

"No! Let go, Hap!" she exclaimed, no signs of stopping. He didn't want to let her go, though. This milestone was just another sign she was getting older, and he hated that. He didn't want her to grow up so fast. Older kids were more difficult to handle; he'd seen that first hand watching Jax and Opie running around the SAMCRO lot. She was a few years younger than them but just as wild. He wanted her to stay his little girl. She looked over her shoulder at him. "Hap! Let go!"

He let her go with a little push, watching with pride as she stayed fully upright down the block. She turned at the end, speeding back towards them, all the while whooping and cheering. Kozik chuckled at his side. "She's a cute kid. Smart."

"Too smart," Happy muttered, watching her size up the drive way and the little curb. He saw where her little daredevil brain was going. "No jumps, kid! Figure out the bike first!"

She rolled her eyes but kept riding, around and around. "Daredevil, huh?" Kozik asked, amused by it all.

"Yeah," he answered, watching Angela like a hawk knowing the second she thought he wasn't looking, she'd try to ride off the curb in her attempt to get some air. "She's a good kid."

"Kozi, look! Look how fast I'm goin'!" Angela exclaimed, racing past them.

"Good job, kiddo!" he shouted at her back. There was a big, proud smile on his face that Hap hadn't seen before. He took that as a sign he'd made the right decision in bringing him there.

"Dinner!" his Ma shouted from the porch. "Angelita, veni! Come wash up!" (Come)

Angela stopped the bike with a skid that left her giggling. She took off her helmet, hooking it on the handlebars like he and Koz did with their bikes. She got off the little bike, letting it fall to the ground before running over to hug Kozik's legs. "Thanks, Kozi!" she said, hugging him tightly.

Happy could see his friend soften as he patted her back lovingly. "Don't mention it, kid. Go wash up 'fore your aunt gets mad," he said, gently pushing her towards the house.

She ran up the front walk, yelling for her aunt as she went. Happy smirked, picking up the bike and carrying it with him towards the house. He set it down just beside the front door before entering the house. The place smelled amazing as it always did when his Ma cooked. His stomach grumbled at the familiar smell of spices as he hung up his cut, gesturing for Koz to do the same before they both headed towards the kitchen. His Ma was at the stove, stirring something in a sauce pan. "Ma, this is Kozik," he said, gesturing to the blonde behind him. "He's part of the club."

His Ma turned around, sizing Kozik up for a moment before she gave him a warm smile. He'd told her all about Kozik, and his addiction. She'd been the one who suggested he bring him over for dinner. She'd wanted to meet him, help him. Happy had a feeling it was because his situation was so close to his father's. A veteran junkies trying to do better, be better. Only it didn't work so well for his father who'd died of an overdose in the bathroom of their home. Maybe his Ma wanted to right that wrong, fix Koz in a way she hadn't been able to fix his old man. "Welcome, Kozik. Good to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, Mrs. Lowman," he replied, ducking his head, his cheeks turning a bit red. "Can I help with anythin'?"

Happy couldn't help but smirk; that was a sure way into his mother's heart. "Please, call me Elena," she corrected before gesturing towards the cutlery laid out by the sink. "You can put out the forks and knives. Happy, mi vida, get the plates for me, please."

Angela came skipping in, looking a little cleaner than she had earlier except for her wild hair. She glanced up at Kozik curiously, now able to focus on him since she'd gotten what she'd wanted before. "Are you Hap's best friend?" she asked, following him as he rounded the table with the cutlery.

"One of 'em," he answered easily.

"I have two best friends," she stated, moving the knife he'd placed to lay next to the fork like his mother preferred it. "Lino and Rosa. We play a lot, but Lino has other friends for soccer. I'm his best one, though. He promised."

"You're real lucky, kid. Best friends are hard to find."

Angela nodded in agreement as if she knew exactly what he was talking about, though Happy knew she probably didn't get it. "Rosa's my best friend a'cause I broke Ben's arm when he called her fat."

Kozik chuckled at that, glancing over at Hap for a minute in disbelief. Happy nodded slowly; Angela hadn't meant to break the bully's arm, but she'd pushed him to defend Rosa, and he'd fallen wrong. "Accidentally," Elena corrected as she walked in, giving Angela an admonishing look.

"Accidentally," Angela repeated glumly. Happy knew his cousin was pretty proud of breaking the kid's arm, which was in part, his fault. When he'd heard what she'd done, he'd gotten a good laugh out of it and told her she'd done a good job standing up for herself and her friend. Then he told her not to do it again. "Hap, did you get any new ink?"

"Nothin' new," he answered on a shrug.

"Kozi, I drew Hap's smiley face tattoo. He got one for me," she told Kozik, looking as proud as ever. She was bragging, trying to earn Kozik's favor, and Happy fought the urge to tell her to calm down a bit. "Hap, what are the other ones for?"

"Don't worry about it, kid,"

"That's real cool, Angie," Kozik commented, sitting down when Elena told him to do so.

Angela climbed into the seat beside him. "Kozi, you have a lot of tattoos," she stated, poking a finger into one of the tattoos on his arm. "But not as many as Hap."

"Nah, can't find any good designs. Maybe you can draw me one someday," he replied on a shrug.

Angela's dark eyes lit up, widening slightly. "Really? I'm a good drawer, I swear! Right, Hap?"

"The best," Happy stated, wondering if Kozik knew what he was in for; she wasn't likely to forget a promise like that.

Kozik shrugged again. "Sure, kiddo. Give me a few years, though. My arm still hurts from the last one," he said, winking at her.

"Tia, Kozi said I can tattoo him!" Angela exclaimed as Elena walked in with plates piled high with the best smelling kind of food.

"That's nice, Angelita," Elena said, sitting down next to her. "Comer or you're not going to get big and strong like your cousin." (Eat)

Angela kept a constant chatter with Kozik the whole time, enjoying his attention. To Happy's surprise, Kozik seemed to be enjoying the conversation too. He was patient with her, listening attentively to every story and commenting on it. Happy hadn't seen him smile so much since he'd gotten clean. The easy friendship made him realize he'd made the right choice in bringing his blonde brother into the mix.

Elena caught Angela trying to stifle a yawn and stood slowly. "Time for bed, mi vida," she told the little girl.

"But I'm not tired," she said around a yawn as she rubbed at her eyes. "I'm talkin' to my new best friend."

Kozik grinned at her, reaching out to rub his hand over Angela's hair. "Go 'head, Angie-pie. I'll come visit again."

Angela's dark eyes went to her cousin; when he was home, he was the final word for everything. "Go, kid," he said, nodding towards the stairs.

"Can you tuck me in, Hap?" she asked as she got down from the chair.

He nodded slowly, standing from the table. "Say bye to Koz."

"Bye, Kozi," she said, standing on her toes to hug him. "Thanks for fixin' my bike."

Kozik smiled warmly at her, squeezing her tighter. "Any time, kiddo."

Angela kissed her aunt goodnight before heading to the base of the stairs. His Ma nodded towards her. "You go. Make sure she brushes her teeth. Kozik is going to help me clean."

He knew what that meant. This was her way of getting to know the strange man, of seeing if he was worthy to bring into their family. He followed Angela up the stairs and into the little bathroom in her room. He leaned against the doorjamb, watching as she brushed her teeth. "You have fun with Koz?"

"Uh-huh," she said, pink foam covering her mouth from her pink toothpaste. "He's cool. He's my new best friend with Ro and Lino."

"He's a good guy," Happy agreed with a nod. He helped her take out her braid, scratching at her scalp for a moment. " 'm I still you're number one?"

Angela nodded exaggeratedly. "Of course! You're always number one, Hap. You're my favoritest person in the whole world."

"Good," he stated, grabbing her pajamas from underneath her pillow and throwing them at her.

She grinned, closing the door so she could get dressed. "Am I still your number one?" she asked, opening the door and gazing up at him with curiosity in her dark eyes.

He picked her up and into his arms, smiling when she hugged his neck tightly. "Always, kid," he promised, kissing her cheek before dropping her down onto her bed. She giggled with delight, throwing the covers over herself. "You been good at school?"

She nodded, rubbing at her tired eyes. "I got all the answers right on my spellin' and my math test. Tia put them on the fridge."

"Saw that," he said, sitting on the edge of the bed by her hip. "Not gettin' into trouble?"

"No, I just play with Rosa and Lee all the time. More Rosa because Lee has friends that are boys, but he's still nice, and he makes sure the boys play nice with me and Ro."

He wasn't the biggest fan of her and Rosa being friends since Rosa's father was an officer in the Oakland Charter of the Mayans, but the two girls were inseparable, and he knew the cut didn't matter to the little girls; they probably didn't even notice them. He wasn't about to take away Angela's only friend because of his club shit. That wasn't fair to her. "That's good," he said, starting to tuck the blankets in around her. "How's your Ma doin'?"

"I dunno. She still works a lot. She doesn't come help in class like all the other Mom's. I don't think she likes me very much," she admitted, frowning a little. "I dunno why."

Happy's heart hurt at seeing her look so sad. "She loves you, kid. Just doesn't know how to show it."

"If you say so," she murmured, yawning again.

He leaned forward to kiss her forehead. "G'night, kid."

"Night, Hap," she replied on a sweet sigh. "Love you."

He leaned forward to turn off her light. "Love you too."

He closed the door behind him before walking down the stairs. He was aware of Kozik and his Ma talking in low tones by the kitchen sink. He caught his Ma's gaze before nodding to the backdoor. She nodded back, and he headed outside, grabbing a cigarette as he went. He sat down on one of the rickety chairs in the backyard, enjoying his cigarette as he glanced up at the sky wondering if his uncle could see what a spitfire his little daughter had become. He was sure the man would be laughing loudly at her antics and telling anyone within earshot how proud he was of her and her tenacity. Happy liked to think he'd be proud of him for the way he was taking care of their family, the way he was keeping them all together as best as he could.

~'~'~'~

Kozik's heart felt warm, full for the first time in a long time. Being with Happy's family had filled the void he'd been trying to fill with drugs before, filled the emptiness he'd felt since he'd gotten sober. Over washing dishes, he'd gotten to know Elena. He shared his story with her. His time in the Marines, how difficult it was to come back, how he'd turned to drugs to quiet his mind, how his family had abandoned him when he'd sought their help, and how Happy had all but locked him in the shittiest room in the clubhouse to get him sober again, throwing Gatorade bottles at him and giving him food while he detoxed. Elena smiled just a little at the description of Happy's tough love. "His father was an addict too," she told him softly. "I worked so hard to get him sober, pero he died when Hap was ten. Happy saw everything. When times were good, they were so good, we were so happy, and then he'd go back to it, and things would be bad. So bad that they ended up killing him. Happy found him in our bathroom, needle in his arm. That's why Hap fights so hard against it. Why he wants to help the people he cares about so it doesn't happen again. He must see potential in you if he brought you here."

"Guess so," Koz muttered; he'd never heard about Hap's old man. The Tacoma Killer didn't mention him ever. " 'm tryin' to stay sober."

"And we will be here to support you, mijo. Hap, me, even Angelita. You want to go back to that poison, you come here. Spend some time with her, she will keep you busy, and I will make you food, and you won't even remember the drugs," Elena promised, lifting a hand to pat his cheek lovingly. "Deal?"

He didn't know what he'd done to earn the woman's trust or affection, but he was grateful for it. "Yes, Mrs. Lowman."

"Elena, mijo," she corrected again with the smallest smile. "I'm going to check on Angelita. I doubt she's actually asleep. You go with Hap. I'll see you later."

He surprised the older woman by pulling her into a tight hug. "Thanks, Lena," he murmured, feeling even better when she hugged him back just as tightly.

"De nada," she said, patting his back before heading towards the living room. (You're welcome)

He watched her disappear up the stairs before he heard the smallest giggle; clearly, the older woman had been right and her niece hadn't been asleep. He smirked; he liked the little girl's spunk. Shaking his head, he walked to the backyard, taking in the small, grassy area. It was well maintained with nice potted flowers and even a smaller garden. Happy was sitting in a lawn chair, a soccer ball under his foot that he was rolling back and forth as he smoked.

He sat down in the chair beside him, looking around the yard. "So this is where the Tacoma killer grew up," he stated, smirking as he looked over at him. Happy just shrugged in response, letting out a long exhale of smoke. Kozik wasn't surprised; Happy was known for his short answers and gestures. "Your family is...kinda amazing."

"Yep," he replied, nodding his head.

"Why'd you bring me here, Hap? Get the feelin' not many of our brothers know you got a kid."

Happy didn't correct him when he called Angela his "kid"; Koz had a feeling Happy saw her as more of a daughter or sister than a niece anyway. "You need a family. I got one. Kid needs more guys in her life so she don't wind up with fuckin' daddy issues," he explained on a shrug. Kozik knew what he was getting at. Happy was a great protector, and it was obvious he loved that little girl something fierce, but she clearly sought out love, affection, and Happy wasn't the best at that shit. "You start up with that junk again, and you ain't comin' back."

He hadn't known Hap's family for very long, but the idea of not being able to have one of Elena's homecooked meals or listen to Angela's happy chatter made him a little sad. He already felt drawn to the two of them in a way he couldn't quite explain. "You tryin' to give me somethin' to lose?"

Happy looked over at him. "Somethin' like that," he answered on a shrug. "It gonna work?"

Kozik thought about it for a long moment. Thought about the love he felt inside of that house. The way Elena's food had filled him with warmth from the inside out, the way Angela's sweet innocence made him feel young again. He loved those feelings. It'd been a long time since he'd felt anything like them. "Think so."

"You hurt 'em, and I hurt you," he threatened, the dark look in his eyes telling Koz he wasn't kidding.

"Never gonna hurt 'em, Hap. Promise you that."

"Good."

Kozik grinned, he couldn't help it. "This mean I'm officially part of the Lowman clan?"

Happy chuckled, shaking his head. "Don't push it," he muttered. There was a soft giggle from behind them. Koz looked over his shoulder but there was no one there. "Upstairs."

He glanced up to the second story to see a little face looking out from the window there. "Can she hear us?"

"Not really," he stated, before looking over his shoulder at her and yelling, "Go to bed, kid!"

She giggled again, waving her little hand at them. "Night Kozi! Night Happy!"

"Night, Angie-pie!" Kozik sang back to her while Happy just waved her off. He turned back around, still smiling and for the first time in a long time, feeling genuinely happy.

~'~'~'~
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I loved writing this one!
Hopefully y'all enjoyed reading it!!
Let me know if there's anything more you'd like to read!
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