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Stay Safe, Stay Home Writing Challenge - (Call me if you need anything) @waiting4inspiration
Genre: Romance
Pairing: Modern Ivar x OC
Warning: Language, strong sexual content
Rating: M
A/N: Sweet Jesus, it's been a long time! Years even. I never gave up on this story; I just hated the way I ended it. Luckily, I finally figured it out, and because I don't quit, I have decided to finally post the endings! I'm sorry it took so long, but the last chapter will be coming up soon.
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Ubbe had told Ivar to stop thinking. But how was he supposed to turn off his brain and just concentrate on her? There was no way he just focus on the time they were spending together, when it was their last night in Vienna. Of course, he should he should only been thinking about the beautiful woman beside him however the thought of tomorrow and everything it would bring kept creeping back into the forefront of his mind.
It wasn’t fair.
There were so many things that he and Cash hadn’t done. They still hadn’t made it to Salzburg. He hadn’t gotten the chance to dazzle her with his culinary skills. He hadn’t even taught her basic Norwegian yet. Still, somehow, she was flying back to the States in the morning?
When would they see each other? Would she want to make a long-distance relationship work? Would she be willing to come to Norway? If he went to the States, would Ubbe make one of his brothers travel with him?
This was going to be a fucking disaster!
He was deep in his musing when he felt Cash’s lips on his neck. His head turned toward hers. “Hey, where are you?”
Lowering his eyes to her mouth, he smiled at the slight pout on her lips. He was going to miss her kisses the most. Her lips were always so soft and warm. Whatever the lip stuff she was wearing had the faintest taste of vanilla and gave her lips a smooth, balmy feel.
He found himself rubbing his lips together after they kissed and smiled, “I like that flavor.”
“You like the flavor of everything I wear,” she said, snuggling up to him.
Nodding in agreement, he held his hand up to the back of hers and interlaced their fingers. “You smell and taste better than me.”
Pulling her arm over to his mouth, he gently held her wrist and licked her hand, smiling at her giggle. As his tongue ran up the center of her hand to the length of her middle finger, he felt a familiar tingle in his groin. Slowly, he took her finger in his mouth and gently sucked it before repeating the action on the rest of her digits.
By the time he was done, Cash was no longer giggling.
“See...absolutely delicious,” he smiled softly before turning over and closing his mouth over hers.
Cash tried her best to keep her fingers laced with Ivar’s, but it was hard. She took slow deep breaths, looked at the ceiling, and tried to concentrate on everything else but the velvety softness of his tongue and those piercing blue eyes staring up at her.
Every time she looked down at him all she wanted was to run her fingers through those gorgeous chocolate locks. But, whenever she tried, he’d stop his exploration. “Ivar,” she panted breathlessly, determined she was going to smother him with her thighs if he stopped again.
“Okay, okay,” he laughed, enjoying the look of frustration on her face. Releasing her right hand, he pulled his hair over his left shoulder, “Do you trust me?” When she nodded, he nibbled her thigh before placing a gentle kiss there.
Ivar had always hated his hands. All of his brothers had such long slender fingers, but he was plagued with thick, meaty paws. It didn’t make sense. Yes, he was the shortest of his brothers, but he was still easily six feet when standing. Yet, his hands and feet were short and fat. His fingers looked like they belonged to someone short and stumpy, not someone as tall, slender, and muscular as him.
However, this was the first time ever that Ivar didn’t hate his hands or the fingers that were attached to them.
“Jesus Christ,” Cash squeezed his left hand tighter as her hip raised off the bed. Where in the hell had he been hiding that little trick? Were his fingers always that long and thick?
Shit.
How many was he using? Everything about him was amazing. It was like he listened to each noise she made, and he adjusted his ministrations accordingly.
He was mesmerized by the way her body moved. Though, she didn’t seem to know what to do with her right hand. One minute it was on her belly, then she would grip the sheets – that is, when she wasn’t grasping at the air in an attempt to reach his shoulder. Then there was the vice grip she had on her own hair. He was sure she going to pull it out at the root.
He wanted to watch her. He wanted to listen to her. He wanted to kiss her. Ivar wanted to stop his musings to concentrate solely on everything she was doing, but there was a curiosity in him that wanted to know if he could take her farther.
He had to know if he could. It was plausible. At the frenzied state she was in, he could take her there, couldn’t he? Should he dare to even try?
Cash now understood what sensory overload meant. When his lips touched hers and moved and the same incredibly slow pace of his hands, she forgot her name. She wanted to say something, but it was a little fucking hard to talk. Besides, she doubted she could hear her own voice over the sound of her heart pounding in her ears. All she knew that there was a tickle in her nether regions that felt like she had to pee. But she would be damned if she asked him to stop so she could run to the bathroom.
No sooner did the thought leave her mind, did her entire body start to grow hot and taut.
The grip on Ivar’s hair was tight, but the way her nails scratched his scalp and the sound of his name on her breath made his crotch ache. As she held his head, she released a strangled cry and her body shook, back arching off the bed.
When her limp body fell back to the mattress, he kissed his way up to her face, placing his forearms on both sides of her head. With tears in her eyes, Cash pushed his long hair behind his ears and leaned up to kiss him.
“You just...I just...oh fuck,” she couldn’t finish talking. Her brains hadn’t yet returned to working order. All she wanted to concentrate on was how soft his lips felt. They smelled like her. They tasted like her. Would he think she was weird if she told him how turned-on she was by that?
Ivar was smiling so hard his face hurt. “Did you?” He watched her nod her head vigorously. “Good,” he kissed her before sitting up and reaching for the bottle of water on the nightstand.
“You are amazing,” he took several big gulps, before handing her the bottle, “and beautiful.”
Handing the bottle back to Ivar, Cash bit her lip. She ran her fingers through his hair as she placed a gentle kiss on his shoulder. He ignored her eyes on him, as she placed another kiss on his neck. As her kisses continued on his jawline, her hand made its way over the expanse of his chest and down until she felt his stomach flinch as her fingers brushed over his navel. By the time her hand made it under the covers, she had captured him in a searing kiss.
He closed his eyes at the sensation of Cash’s delicate fingers as they swept over his thigh with a feather-light grace. If the situation were different, it would tickle, but right now, it was anything but funny. And when the warmth of her hand traveled toward his groin he felt a thin layer of sweat form on his upper lip. He didn’t know how she did it, but her slender fingers provided a grip that wasn’t necessarily tight, but firm enough to elicit the most exquisite tingle that he swore he could feel in his normally numb toes.
Cash hoped that Ivar couldn’t tell what she was debating. She had only done this to one other person before - her ex...the one that after 5 years together, decided to break it off and up and married some other chick.
It was one of two sexual acts that she put a lot of meaning behind. To Cash, it meant trust and commitment - that this wasn’t just some random encounter. If she was going to do it, then she had to do it right.
But fuck, she wasn’t an expert. What if she wasn’t any good at it? And she didn’t have any experience with an uncircumcised one before. It looked different, what if there were different rules for one?
Where the hell was Glenn when she needed him? Having a gay best friend should pay off in situations such as these, no?
Ivar sucked in a breath, “Ingen...stopp,” he had temporarily forgotten how to speak English.
Her index finger gently pressed against his lips before he inhaled and laid his head back on the headboard.
He couldn’t look at her, could he?
No. He shouldn’t.
You weren’t supposed to, right?
Shit. What did Ubbe say about that?
Fuck, he couldn’t remember. He knew that Hvitserk would have told him to watch. He would have said something stupid like that’s what you have eyes for, or they love being watched, or you should record it.
That’s why he didn’t talk to Hvitserk - because he was a fucking idiot.
Wait...why was he think Hvitserk right now?
She didn’t know what Ivar liked or even if it felt remotely pleasurable to him. He didn’t make the same types of noises that she did. And when she happened to glance up at him, he had this weird look on his face that seemed more uncomfortable than anything.
Was she hurting him?
She knew she should have watched more porn.
He was completely powerless, but he had to touch her. His hands gently found their way into her hair and he unconsciously massaged her scalp. She had no idea what she was doing to him, and she was leaving him in just a few short hours. It wasn’t fair.
Cash nuzzled into the feeling of his palm on the side of her face, gently guiding her movements. She found herself making silent promises to him each time she bobbed her head.
She wanted them to last. She was going to do everything in her power to make this work. This was her pledge to him.
When their eyes met, he guided her up and settled her onto his lap. Thus far, it hadn’t been difficult for them to find a rhythm that suited them. With his back propped against the headboard and his hands on her hips to guide her, it was easy to help fall into step with him.
However, even moving in tandem, this time they both needed something more.
Their lips on each other weren’t enough.
It was as if they needed to be closer - if that were humanly possible.
Ivar wasn’t sure how it happened, but he found himself on his side facing her, moving with her.
They hadn’t tried this position before. He couldn’t quite figure out where to place his one leg, but it worked - he could feel her. All of her. He could hold her close, caress her and kiss her as much as he needed to. And when he felt like he needed more of her, he pulled her leg higher over his hip.
She couldn’t understand the words he was saying, but it sounded beautiful. When she got home, she was going to make it a point to download Bable and study Norwegian.
He rolled them once more until he completely covered her.
Normally, he hated being on top. It reminded him too much of being with his ex.
That bitch was always so happy to just have him there rutting away until she got what needed = then she would push him off of her, always leaving him feeling completely unsatisfied.
That was one of the great things about Cash. She seemed to enjoy being on top. Not only did he not have to do anything but watch her, but even though he didn’t finish he still enjoyed himself immensely.
Being with Cash was nothing like what he thought about sex. In fact, being with Cash didn’t feel like sex at all.
It was making love.
She could see on his face that he was searching for something, only he didn’t know how to find it. What was he thinking about?
“Do you trust me?” she whispered holding his face in her hands, feeling him nod against her palms, “then let go.”
He lowered his head to her shoulder and tried to concentrate. God, he wanted to let go so bad, but he didn’t know how. He felt like he never had control over anything in his life - he had to rely on people to take him places. He couldn’t do anything without permission or help.
Hell, he didn’t even have control over his body. His stupid legs didn’t work and wouldn’t do what he told them to do. Now, he couldn’t even control this.
It was so fucking frustrating.
“I can’t,” he looked at her with embarrassment and shame in his eyes.
She hadn’t noticed that his movements had stopped when she repositioned herself to plant her feet on the bed and tilt her pelvis forward. “I want to do for you what you did for me.” She wrapped her arms around his back and held him close to her. Pushing her waist against his, she moved slowly.
“Just look at me,” she whispered in between kisses to his chin, “stay here - with me.”
How could he resist her anything? She could have asked him to walk to the moon and he would have.
His big cerulean eyes locked on her brown orbs and didn’t move. Every time he found his mind drifting off onto some other place, he would lose himself in her eyes again.
“Cachet,” this was the first time she’d ever heard him say her name. It sounded weird coming from him, but she liked it.
The room erupted a fit of giggles, “I am sorry,” he apologized by kissing the space on her shoulder that he had bitten down on when he lost all bodily control, “did I hurt you?”
She shook her head. “I didn’t know you were into that kinky biting shit,” she said as his head rested on her chest and he held onto her tight. “I kinda like it.”
“How did you know to do that?” When she didn’t answer, he looked down at her, “Hello?”
She stopped the lazy path she was tracing up and down his arm and looked at him, “Hm?”
“How did you know to do that?”
She gave a quick shrug and a half-hearted smile. “You know how they say mother’s can pick up a car to save their babies? I guess I didn’t know my own strength.”
He nodded absently, paying too much attention to the distance forming behind her eyes. “Hey. We promised. Remember?”
She nodded quickly and tried to turn her head before he saw the tears starting to pool just below her lashes.
“We will enjoy today. And worry about tomorrow, later.” He kissed her quickly.
She sighed, “But what about everything that happens after tomorrow?” Why couldn’t she turn her brain off? Why did she have to think about everything and always have a plan? This couldn’t be the last night she would spend with him. They just found each other, really found each other and in a few short hours it was going to be over? How the fuck was she supposed to act like everything was going to be just fine now? Especially not after what they just shared.
Ivar rested his head on her shoulder and enjoyed the feeling of her fingers on his scalp. He wasn’t going to tell her that he was worried about it, too. He wouldn’t upset her more. Especially not when she looked like she was going to cry a second ago.
The only thing he did know was this couldn’t be the end of them. Not yet. They were on the verge of something really good. But how did he get there? Short of her giving up her life and moving in with him, he didn’t see a way.
paul just being absolutely whipped for a quiet, antisocial reader | @sethsclearwater
Imagine | @/sethsclearwater
Paul’s girlfriend/imprint finding out about imprinting for the first time and being upset because she thinks it means he was kinda forced to ask her out
Emily’s cousin!reader | @/sethsclearwater
Imagine | @/sethsclearwater
clingy Paul | @/sethsclearwater
Grumpy | @/sethsclearwater
Colourblind | @come-on-darling-honey
based on this post of how the shift Paul and the others experience would give them physical attributes akin to a wolf, which is being colourblind. Which Paul finds himself in, until of course, he sees you for the first time in months on the first day of summer.
Little critters | @trumpkinhotboy
Being Paul Lahote’s Imprint Would Include | @inscribeddiatribes
Masterlist | @findmeinforks
I Don’t | @/findmeinforks
Understanding | @/findmeinforks
Not Letting You Go Easy | @/findmeinforks
Imprint, part 02 | @stylesluxx
in which y/n thinks it’s just the imprint talking
Waiting | @/stylesluxx
in which y/n is tired of waiting for paul
9:41pm | @/stylesluxx
in which y/n distances herself from paul in an attempt to protect him
She’s Always There | @fangurk
Masterlist | @clearwater-hoe
Home sweet home | @/clearwater-hoe
reader found out they were pregnant, decorating the nursery, first scan and bringing the baby home for the first time
Sharp accidents | @/clearwater-hoe
“They’re good for each-other.”“Are you hurt? What happened?”
Total Opposite (part 1) | @szchaql
(Y/n) Swan is Bella younger sister. She lives with their mother until Charlie request her to move to Forks to lighten up Bella, who currently in the stage of breakup after Edward left her.
Paul Lahote Masterlist | @fatiguing-thoughts
Pre-Phasing High School Boyfriend | @/fatiguing-thoughts
Disappearing | @/fatiguing-thoughts
Trust in the Tide | @thewulf
where Bella goes to the cullens house and drags her sister Y/N along with. Paul isnt happy about this at all and gets very possessive of Y/N.
Forever Yours | @/thewulf
reader is Bella’s (fraternal) twin sissy. She moved to Forks with Bella and the whole first book happens WITHOUT her knowing what’s going on. She’s just as in the dark as Charlie is….
Adding One | @/thewulf
eader finds out she’s pregnant but is worried how Paul will feel because they’re still young and all the werewolf and vampire stuff is going on
Tickles | @readingwithlemons
Paul’s Lullaby | part one | @imaginingmanyfandoms
Awkward Situation | @chloe-skywalker
Bella slaps Paul and her little sister is their w/her Paul imprints on the reader and jacob isn’t happy about it
Lack Of Sleep | @/chloe-skywalker
Bellas screaming effects readers sleep to and Paul finds out
Paul Lahote’s Reaction to Having an Imprint Headcanon’s: | @imlostinsantacarla
“Jealousy” | @simplyy-imagine
The reader and Paul make up after a blowout caused by Paul’s jealousy.
PDA with Paul Lahote would include: | @/simplyy-imagine
When you found out about the wolves and having a soulmate, it seemed that for once in your life things were finally looking up. But not everyone is grateful for the imprint, and eventually all the resentment and anger comes out leaving you devastated and wishing that you never even met the asshole Known as Paul Lahote
The Right Track | @/pretty-restless-insomniac
After the night of which you and Paul’s arguements reached a new low, you deal with the aftermath in your own way. What will happen when your imprint appears and you must now face the anguish the both of you have suffered from a 'needed’ time apart.
Issues | @ineedmorefanfics
Fem!Cullen!Reader
Imprinting, part 02 | @wolfpack-imagines
Undercover | @shoot-the-oneshot
“you’re never going to let that go are you?” “I don’t believe you”
“Lash out” | @everlesslahote1
Jake made a couple comments that Paul didn’t like, what happens when you have to leave home at 2 AM to calm down your hotheaded husband
Sister Problems | @happys-crazy-queen22
Road trip to Fate | @volturiwolf
Boundaries | @samblackblog
A Paul Lahote short story, in which the reader finds themselves as Paul’s imprint and things spiral.
Dating Paul Lahote…. | @blackgirlfandomwriter
Imprinted | @pennylanefics
Our Daughter | @/pennylanefics
Change | @/pennylanefics
Love & Hate Masterlist | @im-a-wonderling
Sick of his life being dictated by the wolf inside, Paul Lahote is determined to keep one choice for himself and never imprint on anyone. But the universe has different plans, and when Paul imprints on a fierce doctor who has plans of her own, the two desperately try and find a way to break the bond. But is it even possible to break a kind of love so innate? Or will Paul and Y/N be stuck as each other’s soulmate?
Opposites attract | @it-was-all-a-beautiful-dream
Thunder & Lighting Series | @atlas-of-a-human-soul
In search of her father, Arya stumbles upon a life-changing secret. Little did she know she’d not only find family, but her soulmate as well. The problem? Her soulmate is already taken.
Imprinting on his high school crush who hated him was the last thing Paul expected to happen as he’s nearing his thirties. But what truly unnerves him is the sequence of their future he sees - unlike his pack brothers, Paul doesn’t see a happy ending.
Jacobs cousin | @refiwrites
The Imprint Saga pt. 1 | @fanficimagery
Imagine finding out the supernatural exists. You manage to keep a level head and even give the whole Imprint business a go, but your poor wolf had no idea just how stubborn you could be when you felt he or anyone else was in the wrong.
Meeting his friends pt 2 | @/fanficimagery
Imagine being Bella Swan’s cousin. Pt 1 | @/fanficimagery
Imagine being Bella Swan’s cousin. You’ve noticed the odd going on’s of those Bella tries to keep close, but keep your nose out of it. However, she drags you to La Push to confront one of her friends where you end up meeting their resident hot head. Only he’s not a hot head.. and it’s totally love at first sight. Or something
Be Somebody to Someone, part 02, part 03, part 04 | @/fanficimagery
You’ve lived your entire life in Forks, Washington without anyone paying too close attention to you. Then you befriend the new girl and suddenly you find yourself friends with the unexpected. And maybe even something more if a certain shapeshifter stops denying the Fates.
Endangered Masterlist | @randomwriting-misc
Vampires and wolves are not the only supernatural creatures to walk the earth, and they are certainly not the only ones in Forks, Washington when Charlotte Annabeth Swan, "Anna", moves in with her uncle after the unfortunate demise of her parents.
Lost control | @ravencrawls
you help billy around the house when bella storms in and confronts the pack out of his house and paul being super fluffy and clingy till bella slaps him in the face
Showtime | @wordofthewicked
A chance meeting one sunny afternoon on La Push brings you face to face with Paul Lahote. Your strange connection with him, and the fact that it was his soccer ball that broke your nose, you were wrapped up into an unseen world that lived in tandem with yours. How far are you willing to go for true love? How far are you willing to go to protect the people you love?
Bella Swan was a disaster when Edward had left. Deciding she needed a little help, Charlie Swan receives with open arms his younger daughter (Y/N) Swan. She helps Bella during her depression and becomes inseparable from her long-lost friend Jacob. What she didn’t expect was falling for a hotheaded short-tempered silver wolf.
The Pull | @elivanah-writes
Y/n, does her best to keep her friend Bella from doing stupid things, even if that means she has to get into a fight of her own with the big cocky hothead Paul. But what if that very man she dislikes imprints on her? Can they lay their difference behind them?
i can’t keep doing this | @leviathanspain
befriending the new girl in school was supposed to be a fresh start, but all it did was lead you back to square one
Destiny, part 02, part 03 | @lunajay33
Paul has just shifted to his new life as a wolf and feels empty without his imprint hoping he finds her soon, y/n just moved to forks to live with her sister Bella and decides to go to the bone fire to make new friends
Why Me? | @/lunajay33
Bella and Y/n are twins but when Bella and Renee moved away you stayed with Charlie always growing closer with the people around La push, but when Bella comes back it’s like everything is flipped around, Bella becomes distant obsessed with the cullens, you find solace with the guys at the beach but things change after the first year and suddenly you’re all alone, will anyone come back, will Paul your best friend, your forever crush come save you from depression
Paul phases and hurts the reader… angst asf | @daryldixonsdoormat
Second Chances | @the-wolf-moon-diaries
Enemies to lovers + soulmates + dating bet.
Paul’s Imprint | @blackbirdie1234
What being Paul’s imprint would be like.
Rowdy Neighbors | @prettypinkporkchop
you moved into your own home. Your life has turned calm and easy. One day, the empty house next door became occupied with Paul Lahote. His friends are always there and they're loud! They keep you up sometimes. You and Paul do talk often. He brings your mail to you on rainy days. He comes over to see if you're okay. He imprinted on you, but you have no idea.
A Werewolf | @thequeendesi
after growing up in Forks with your dad, your sister coming to live with you two, and the entirety of the Cullen drama, a wedding, and a life or death situation, your twin comes back home but different. And after seeing her, you become painfully aware of what really happened to her and leave only to realize you fit into her new world more than expected.
Secret | @fashionteahouse
distance makes the heart grow fonder | @ervotica
A study of wolves | @aliesbienish
A relocation to La Push brings more than just a new career.
AN: Better late than never, eh? Welcome to Sundew, the long awaited sequel to Sunflower! This series will include adult content, infidelity, the rocky road that is marriage and international relationships, abusive behavior, custody issues and international travel.
Just a thanks to my beta @nyx-umbrakinesis who's been so kind as to cross fandoms to make sure my American ass doesn't look a fool while writing scenes on the other side of the universe from me.
Summary: With Mia and Tom settling into the reality of marriage comes untold new obstacles. Between Tom's busy career and Mia's insistence on being financially independent, something has to give. In the chaos of travel, in-laws, potential moves- stress fractures abound. Will the pressure of custody questions or an unexpected memory hiding in the shadows be what fractures their new marriage or can they weather the storms? And if they can't, can they heal? Or will all their hopes and dreams be devoured by the darkness?
The only thing for certain is the way the sun sparkles on the morning dew on a crisp English morning.
CW: None
“What’s that?” Sally asked as Mia opened the envelope and dumped the contents onto the counter in the bright, sunlit kitchen.
“A surprise,” Mia answered, leaning down as if she was sharing a secret with her young daughter, “for Tom. Little books that will let us travel really far away.”
“Like to where Tommy’s from?”
“Yep!” Mia nodded, the motion exaggerated for the child, shifting the waves of brown hair over her shoulder. “Go pick up your blocks and we can pack this up for Tom.”
Sally ran off to do as she was told, leaving Mia with the task of checking their flight information and hotel reservations for the hundredth time that day alone. Travel wasn’t something Mia was well versed in, let alone traveling with a small child. But Sally wasn’t all that small anymore- she started school and was very much a big girl, seemingly growing bigger by the day.
The stress would be worth it too, for the chance to do something for Tom. To Mia, it felt like there were so few ways for her to show her trust in the relationship or her devotion to Tom. She’d spent what felt like months resisting him, and now she felt the need to undo that.
“All done?” Mia asked, setting out the small cardboard box she snagged from the resort she worked at. While Sally put the last of her blocks away, Mia set out an assortment of tissue paper, ribbon, wrapping paper, and markers.
“All done!” Sally clapped her hands once, as if the sharp sound would banish any lingering blocks.
“Good!” Mia cheered. “Now get on up here and help me pick the papers!”
Sally was a whirlwind of excitement, drawing on the tissue papers, littering them with hearts, stars, and who knows what other shapes–Mia certainly didn’t know- that bleed through the thin tissue onto the thicker newspaper below. While the tiny artistic terror put the final touches on the papers, Mia wrapped the little blue books in clean tissue paper to protect them from any marker bleed through after covering the exterior of the box and lid with wrapping paper.
“All done!” Sally declared when she finished her masterpiece, complete with stick figure drawings of a family of three.
Together, they stuffed the box with layers of tissue, both as a bed for the books and as a blanket to cover them.
“What next?” Mia booped her daughter’s nose.
“Glitter!” Sally cheered, slipping off the stool and running to the unapproved craft closet holding hell’s sparkle dust.
“Okay,” Mia couldn’t help but laugh as sally grabbed the too big bottle of green glitter. Sparkling in the bottle were black shiny circles and bright golden stars, making a green cosmic mix that floated on a sea of fine, dark green glitter. “Just a little.”
‘Just a little’ ended up being quite a lot of glitter dumped into the box. Mia made a mental note to double or triple bag the box before putting it in her carry on. The last thing she wanted was to have the sea of hell sparkles spilling onto what little clothes she was bringing.
Tom’s picture flashed across Mia’s screen, a smiling man framed in a circle with his name displayed, followed by a little heart. It still boggled her mind that a man like Tom somehow belonged to her.
“Tom’s calling!” Sally cheered.
“Remember,” Mia said as she leaned into Sally’s space, only to see glitter somehow in her hair. It would be there for at least a week, Mia was sure. “Tom doesn’t know we’re going to visit him. It’s a…?”
“Secret!” Sally finished.
“Good girl,” Mia patted her daughter on the head and directed her to hurry and go get changed for bed before she turned her attention to answering the phone.
“Hey,” Tom’s voice gave away how tired he was. For him, it was a long day, starting with early morning meetings to go over promotion plans before running to filming. It was all worth it to be done in just another week or so.
This was one of the silly things that Tom insisted on doing a few times a week when he was able. He would call and have at least a short goodnight conversation, a check in with Sally and, when possible, reading her a bedtime story. It was so important to Mia that he and Sally have a good relationship.
“How’s it going?” Mia always felt so unsure how to open conversations without feeling awkward. “How’s New York?”
“It’s good. Hustle and bustle of the large city. You know how it is.” On the other side of the country, Tom pinched his phone between his shoulder and ear as he worked the buttons of his shirt free. He was tired and wanted nothing more than to just be done with the day. “What are my girls up to?”
His girls. Mia wondered when it would feel less surreal to hear someone say that, for someone to want her and Sally. Could she get used to being Tom’s to the point where it was just normal?
“We’re good.” Mia ran her hand through her hair, pushing the wavey brown strands back from her face. “Just finished some crafts.”
“What did you make?” Tom’s question was cut off by sally’s eager reentry into the room, now clad in a fuzzy nightgown and big puffy slippers. Most importantly, she had the blue New York City bear Tom gave her wrapped in her arms and brought a distraction with her.
“Teeth, missy!” Mia called.
“I’m just in time for bedtime.” Tom’s voice drew Mia back to the phone call as the water ran in the bathroom. She knew better than to trust the small child with the task unsupervised. That was asking for the job to be half done with at least twice as much toothpaste as needed. Somehow, the bathroom would also get flooded in the process.
“You are.” Mia leaned against the doorway and watched her daughter see to the task of cleaning her teeth, feeling so much less alone than she would have a year ago.
Tom came into their lives and changed everything. To this day, it still scared her.
“I’m going to have to order more books,” Tom said as he picked through the ones he had stacked on his desk, all for children and all matching ones on a shelf on Sally’s little bookshelf dedicated to bedtime stories with Tom. “We’ve almost gone through them all.”
“Kids do reread books,” Mia teased. She always tried to provide a plethora of reading material for Sally, but historically, money prevented any large collections. Now? Sometimes, a box would just show up with a few more books to be added to the remote bedtime story collections.
“We reread,” Tom protested, earning him that musical laugh that was so unique to Mia. It was one of his favorite sounds.
He was right; they did reread books. The stack wasn’t tall enough to even give a fresh book every night for the month at the frequency of his calls. That didn’t change how good it felt to tease him.
“Yeah, yeah.” Mia made a show of rolling her eyes, not that Tom could see it before turning her attention back to Sally. “If you want Tommy to read to you, you better go hurry and pick out a book. He’s going to fall asleep if we keep him waiting much longer!”
“Yep,” Tom yawned on the other side of the country. For Mia and Sally, it was just about bedtime, but for Tom, it was getting late and his morning run was getting closer and closer. It was worth it to him, though. These moments where he could bond with his stepdaughter and wife came far and few between, at least in his opinion.
“This one!” Sally picked out a rhyming book for Mia to tell Tom the name of.
In a few moments, the little girl was tucked into bed, leaning into Mia’s side as Tom read the book to them through the phone. Mia traced the path of the words with her nail, smiling down at the child at her side, sagging more and more as sleep pulled her under.
Before the book was finished, Mia was closing the book and working herself out from under Sally as Tom’s voice carried on reading a world away. She clicked off the lights as Tom’s reading came to a close.
“Good Night, Sally,” he said softly in closing. “I love you.”
“She’s asleep,” Mia whispered into the phone, stepping out of the darkened bedroom and softly closing the door behind her.
“I’m glad.” Tom tossed the book onto the desk in his hotel room, redirecting his attention back to the task of changing for bed. “What are you up to for the rest of the night?”
‘Packing’, Mia almost said before catching herself. “Just relaxing. It’ll be an early night- I’m working an early double shift tomorrow.”
“Shit,” Tom mumbled as he stepped on the belt buckle, failing to navigate changing into shorts to sleep in with any grace. “That sucks, darling.”
“It does.” Mia almost felt bad for lying to him.
“You don’t have to keep working,” Tom reminded her. “I can get it all.”
“Tom,” Mia sighed. She knew it was coming. It was an argument they would always have when she was tired or work was wearing down on her.
“I know, I know.” Tom sighed into the phone as he discarded the idea of sleep shorts, instead climbing into the lonely bed in just his boxers. “You don’t want to depend on me that much.”
“It’s not that,” Mia said, knowing full well that was exactly what her issue was. “I just- baby steps, okay? I’m trying.”
“I know,” Tom sighed again as he laid back in the bed, enjoying the embrace of the bedding.
“What are you up to?” Mia tried to redirect the conversation.
“Just getting into bed.” Tom shifted, looking at the wide empty space next to him where his wife should have been. “I wish you were here with me.”
It was bait. Mia knew it and failed to take it, just like he expected. Baby steps, that’s what they were needing to take. Eventually, one of these nights, he hoped she would take the chance to make their phone calls a little more flirty.
“What’s tomorrow’s plan?” Mia felt bad, leaving his invitation hanging. He was always reaching out to her, offering her some thread of connection and intimacy. She was just not ready to make herself vulnerable in that way yet, not when he wasn’t physically there with her.
“Morning run,” Tom let the m sound drag out, sounding more like a sinful mix between a moan and simply an exhausted man. Mia didn’t know if he knew the way her heart beat faster when he would do things like that. She didn’t know if she’d ever tell him. “After that, we’re going over the promotional schedule some more before costume and makeup. We’ll probably be filming for the rest of the day, but I should finish earlier for the rest of the week.”
“Good,” Mia said absently, checking the open bag on her floor one last time to make sure she had everything. Of course, she would check again in the morning, but her anxiety had her checking, anyway. “I’ll let you get to sleep then. We’ve both got big days.”
“Right.” Tom didn’t want to hang up, but knew she was right. They both needed their rest. “Good night, Mia. I love you.”
“I love you too,” Mia always felt weird saying it. She did love Tom, but it felt far too soon still. “Good night, Tom.”
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Alright- posting this on mobile. I left my computer at work. I'm also struggling because it doesn't allow for special characters, so the Spanish is wrong, and I apologize. The good news is that I have found a way to possibly shorten the wait time between chapters doing it this way. I have a new toy that allows me to convert my handwriting straight to text! All that I've gotta do after that is format!
Now that that's outta the way. Official shit - don't steal my shit. Especially now. I'm struggling. Don't make it worse.
Warnings: cursing, talk of guns and shooting, Happy Lowman (hey- he's a Warning.)
I apologize for the wait, but without further ado - Chapter 31
They talked themselves in circles pretty quickly and realized that nothing was getting solved this way. Creeper- ever the voice of reason- called a halt to the discussion.
"We ain't gettin' anywhere right now and it's lunch time. Time to feed the little princess. Give us time to think."
Angel nodded while the tios sighed heavily. "It's waited this long. Another few hours won't make a difference," Megan pointed out.
"Alright. Fine," Bishop agreed. " Let's see what we can find for lunch."
Megan laughed a little. "Spaghetti or mac and cheese?" she asked. "One or the other was the plan today anyway."
Angel perked up a little, but was interrupted by Marcus. "You don't have to cook, Poquito. We could order in..."
"Psh. I've already got everything thawed. If I don't use it, it'll just go to waste."
Bishop grinned. "C 'mon, then Poquito. I'll help you chop. Let's make spaghetti."
In the kitchen, Megan put Bishop to work chopping onion and bell pepper. She asked Hank to start the pasta and put the garlic breadsticks from the package into the oven. While they worked, she started making meatballs. She grinned as Creeper leaned on the counter next to her to ask about what she was doing.
Marcus sat in a chair nearby to chat to all of them and help where he could. Angel, on the other hand, answered his phone religiously. The big man seemed to be texting someone a lot.
About the 5ᵗʰ message that came through drew Bishop's attention. "You good, Angel? Your pop need you or somethin"? he asked as he started on the sauce.
Angel started a bit-surprised to be addressed. "Yeah. I'm good, Bish. It's Adelita wanting to set that meetup is all."
Marcus nodded. "Go if you need to. We can call you if we get anywhere later."
Angel glanced down as his phone buzzed again. "You sure? Cause the meet up is later, but it's further out than last time."
Bishop waved him off. “Go. Don't screw it up by being late.”
Angel looked to Megan with a grin. “Save me some leftovers, Shorty?"
She laughed and finished the last meatball before popping them in the oven. “Maybe. If you behave."
Angel scoffed. “Fat chance."
A few seconds later he was out the door and they heard his bike start up. Hank frowned a little. " He seems to be in close contact with the LO..."
Taza shrugged. “I think he's just petrified of screwing it up."
Once the food was done, they settled around the table to eat with Rex laying under the table with his tail wagging. They were discussing Megan's quince again when Taza's phone rang. It was his burner so he quickly answered it. After what sounded like a brief explanation, he laughed a bit."Yeah- Send him out here." He grinned as he hung up.
"What was that?" Hank asked as he slid his arm around the back of Megan's chair.
“That was Gilly. He got a call from the Reaper. Apparently, Happy is in the area and was giving a ride through call to stop in at the clubhouse," Taya explained.
Marcus frowned. “Isn't he supposed to be up north on business?"
Tazs nodded again with a shit eating grin. “He was. Apparently he ended up with Samdino and decided to check-in."
"On what?" Creeper asked."His president was just here..."
Marcus suddenly caught on and laughed, too. "Exactly. The Scot was here and so was Tig- for Megan's party." He looked at Bishop amused. “The Tacoma Killer seems to have adopted our princessa."
All of the men chuckled as Megan looked on in pure confusion. “What do you mean, Tio Marcus?"
Marcus smiled at her and lit himself another cigarillo. "Nothing bad, Poquito. Just amusing is all. Happy is known for being standoffish at best and often downright hostile. But when it comes to you- he just seems to have taken a liking to you. That's all, Babita."
Hank grinned and guided Megan to sit on his knee before pressing a kiss to her head. “As he should."
Megan shook her head and stood to start tidying the kitchen. “I think he's nice."
Creeper snorted softly and glanced around the table. "I vote we don't tell her," he said, quiet enough that Megan wouldn't hear over the clanking of dishes.
Since they were expecting company, the discussion of what to do about Galindo was tabled for now. Instead, after lunch, they all moved back out to the round pen. Taya saddled Rocket again so that Megan could ride while they all waited on the Sargent at arms of SAMCRO to arrive.
Once she was back in the saddle, Megan completely relaxed again. The men either sat in the patio furniture or leaned against the cattle panels to watch her and chat.
Creeper and Hank were talking about the next run as they leaned on the fence, when the big buckskin suddenly startled at something on the ground. He crow hopped and spun on his hind feet before rearing to stomp something in the arena sand. They both froze. Megan clung to his back and brought the squealing gelding back under control with the reins and her voice as all the bikers started to barrel towards her. “Stop!" she yelled, making them freeze a second. “There's a snake in here. I think Rocket got it, but be careful coming in."
Hank started forward anyway with Creeper right behind him, but was stopped by Taza's outstretched arm. “You okay, Chica?"
Megan sat up straight in the saddle from where she'd been soothing her horse. “Yeah, Papa. I'm good. Not sure if it got Rocket though."
Taza nodded. “Alright- Ride him to the gate. We'll check him out once you're on the ground."
“Yes, sir." Megan rode the shivering animal to the gate in the round pen where Bishop stood to open it for her. As soon as she was officially out of the round pen, Hank was right there reaching to pull her from the saddle. Megan allowed it when she saw her father with the horse's bridle in hand.
Her feet never touched the ground. In a few strides, her caballero had her sitting on the patio loveseat as he visually checked her over. “Are you alright, mi reina? Does anything hurt? Did you pull your collarbone?" he asked as he ran gentle hands over her.
Marcus stood just to the side listening intently as Bishop and Tazs checked her horse.
Rex padded up to sniff her all over as well and she soothed the giant dog with pets as she answered. “I'm fine. My saddle is made for me to be able to hold on when my horse rears or moves quickly. Besides, I had the reins in my bad hand. I caught the saddlehorn with my left."
"Are you sure, Babita?" Marcus asked.
“I'm sure, Tio. All good."
Hank sank to his knees in front of her and laid his head in her lap as he caught his breath. Megan gently ran her fingers through his hair and leaned down to kiss the back of his head. “Easy, Baby. I'm alright. Breathe."
Hank found himself shaking a bit as he attempted to ground himself in her touch. “That was terrifying, mi amore."
“I'm sorry. I didn't think anything about it. A horse spooking is natural. Especially at a snake." She kissed his hair again. “I really am alright, though."
Hank nodded and sat up as Creeper approached with the stomped carcass of the snake on a shovel. “Good thing you stayed up, Little Princess. It was a rattlesnake."
"Shit," she sighed before raising her voice to catch Taza's attention. "Did it get him, Papa? It was a rattlesnake. We'll need the vet if it did."
Taza stood from checking the horse's legs and hooves. "Nah. I'm sure it missed or Rocket got it before it got a shot off. No swelling or heat. We'll keep an eye on him for the next thirty minutes or so just in case though." He patted the gelding. "You alright?" he asked-trying to be casual.
"I'm fine. Caught the horn with my left. I'll probably be a little sore from the jostling, but no damage." She smiled.
"Good, but I think you're done riding for the day. Don't think any of us can take another heart attack." Taza took her bridle off her horse to replace it with the halter and lead before tying it off to a hitch nearby. By the time he and Bishop made their way back to the patio, Hank had gotten himself settled down and now firmly had Megan in his lap.
They kept it casual, and talked about the bar and the scrapyard for about a half-hour before Taza confirmed that Rocket was fine and went to turn him out with the others. Before he returned, Rex- who had been just as firmly attached to his mistress as Hank- perked his ears up. A few seconds later, the sound of a bike in the distance cut through the conversation.
Megan grasped Rex's collar to keep him from going to investigate as Creeper stood. “Probably the Reaper. I'll go get him. Bring him back."
Marcus nodded and lit a cigarillo while Bishop sipped on the beer he'd just retrieved from the fridge. “Good. Let's see what Happy has to say about la princessa's CEO problem."
It wasn't long before Creeper returned with the other bald biker. Greetings were exchanged casually, but Happy's shrewed eyes kept coming back to Megan. "Outta the sling, Little Girl."
She smiled. “Yeah. Just yesterday. Down to a soft cast too."
Happy grunted. “Good."
Megan released Rex so that he could go greet the Son. He bounded forward to have his ears scratched.
After several minutes of casual conversation between the two clubs, Bishop sat forward. “We've got ourselves a bit of a conundrum, Happy. Wonder if you've got any insight to help us out.”
Happy chewed the toothpick between his teeth a moment and just nodded. He was sipping on a cold beer and perched on the patio table.
"We've got a problem with Galindo. He's way too interested in la princess. He keeps breaking protocol and seeking her out. Even interfered with her date last night," Taza explained.
"He been warned?" Happy growled.
"Several times," Marcus said.
Happy looked carefully at Megan. "How bad?" he grunted.
Megan shrugged a bit uncomfortably. “I'm okay."
Hank pressed a kiss to the side of her head where she was still perched on his knee. "Bad. He scares her."
Happy nodded and sipped his drink. "Time for a show of force. When do you see him next?"
Bishop shrugged. “We could call a meet."
"Do that. Got somewhere you can shoot without 5-oh on your ass? Meet there." Happy drained his beer. and looked at Megan again." You and me- we're going shooting."
Taza grinned at his friends before clearing his throat. "We can do that. Any particular reason?"
Happy tapped his kutte. "Sometimes they've gotta fear the Reaper. Sometimes-" he smirked "-they need a dose of the Unholy."
Creeper chuckled and looked to Marcus and Bishop who both nodded. "I'll make the call."
Marcus ashed his cigarillo. "Let him know I need a conversation."
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Ugh. Struggling to make my ADHD having ass type anything. This may be shorter than normal. To be honest... I didn't check. Do me a favor and let me know if I'm actually still doing this or if I should just quit and save the rest of the story for myself?
As always - please don't copy, translate, or in any other way steal what I've done. I'll lose my shit. Honestly.
Warnings: none except maybe some cursing. Foreshadowing. Normal shit.
Please reblog?
She met the men outside at the pasture fence. Taza was taking the time to fully explain what Hank could expect to see that morning.
“Chances are - we’ll have a calm time. Megan will get to ride a bit in the round pen and we’ll put you up on Trucker for the first time. But - there is the possibility that we get a bit of a rodeo as well. They’ve been in the pasture too much with all the Galindo shit. They’re what we call barn sour. They won’t like being put back under saddle for the first bit…” he said.
Hank nodded. “Alright. But Megan won’t get hurt, right? She won’t be dealing with the rodeo.”
Taza chuckled. “I highly doubt it, even with the bad wrist. Remember, she did this shit for a living at one point.”
Megan laughed and leaned on the fence next to them. “Weren’t you the one commenting on my perfect balance? I’ll be fine. I’ve got a pretty sticky seat. Besides, Papa’s arena is all soft sand. Much nicer to land on.”
Hank grimaced at the thought of her landing on anything.
Taza patted his shoulder in sympathy. “C’mon, Chica. Let’s go get the hay burners.”
Hank trailed behind the father-daughter duo as they headed to the barn. He watched as Megan chatted animatedly with her father about the last time the ferrier had been out to trim the horses feet. Taza tapped an empty feed bucket and all three horses trotted in through the open pasture doors in their stalls.
Taza swiftly haltered Sugar and Trucker and tied their lead ropes while he approached where Megan was in the stall with Rocket. The tiny girl was scratching under the buckskin’s chin and talking to him in a soothing voice as she did. “You wanna try to halter him, Chica, or would you rather I do it?” Taza asked.
“Which style does he use- clip or rope?” she asked as the horse nuzzled closer to her body for more scratches.
“Clip, but he’s a bit touchy about his ears.”
“I’ll do it. He’s a good boy. I think he’ll be okay for me.” She reached as took the blue halter from Taza before swiftly sliding it over his muzzle and up over his ears one handed. He threw up his head and snorted in surprise, but that just let Megan catch the jaw clip and snug the halter into place. Her dad handed her the matching lead and smiled proudly as she snapped that in place one handed as well.
“Nicely done, Chica. You ready?”
“More than,” she assured him before smiling over her shoulder at Hank.
“Why don’t we get Rocket into the cross ties - you can groom him - while I saddle the other two and then we’ll get your new tack fitted to him,” Taza suggested.
They attached the crossties in Taza’s open stall to either side of Rocket’s halter and he pointed out the brushes and things nearby, before taking Hank with him to get the other two horses set for the day. He led the mare and gelding to the arena and tied them before bringing Hank to the tack room to help carry out the two larger saddles and tack sets.
“That’s a lot of straps - how do you keep them straight?” Hank asked, hanging his load on the arena fence next to where Taza put his.
“Same way you keep track of all the pieces of a weapon - experience and training. Some of it is just common sense though.” Taza laughed. He patted Trucker’s neck. “You’ll be fine, hermano. Trucker is steady. He’s generally so easy going that I wouldn’t hesitate to put a kid on him. Let’s get him tacked up.”
He walked Hank through taking up the massive paint gelding. He explained that the tack didn’t hurt the horses at all as long as they’re fitted properly. He taught him to tie the girth strap properly and made sure that the chest strap and tie down on his larger saddle were properly fastened. Once both horses were properly tacked up, Hank smiled. He was still nervous, but he was a little more comfortable around the big animal. He patted his horse and smiled.
“Ready to go help Megan?” Taza asked. “All her straps will need fitted to Rocket. She’s probably ready for it by now.”
“Do we just leave them here?” Hank asked.
Taza checked that their reins were tied off to the saddles and that both horses were tied to the arena tie downs. “They’ll be fine. They’re used to waiting a bit.” He patted them once more and then led the way back to the barn.
They found Megan waiting patiently with the buckskin already in his new bridle. It was fitted perfectly and the saddle pad and blanket were already positioned on his back.
Her father laughed. “At least you left me the saddle to lift, Chica.”
Megan cracked a grin at him over her shoulder as she fussed with the horse’s dark forelock. “Only because you came when you did, Papa. I was a few seconds from trying it myself.”
Hank shook his head in exasperation.
Taza just laughed and lifted the saddle to start adjusting the fit. Between him and Megan, the saddle was quickly perfectly fitted to the young horse.
Hank marveled at the way the two of them moved in sync. As Taza tied the girth, Megan adjusted the stirrups. Once all the straps were fastened, they stood back and checked each other’s work the way he did when checking his brothers’ kevlar.
“Alright, Chica. Mount up so that I can check the length of your stirrups. I’ll lead him out after,” Taza said.
Hank eyed the height of the stirrup compared to Megan warily. “Need a boost, mi Princessa?”
Megan grinned. “I think I’ll be alright. Thank you, though.” She gripped the high saddle horn with her left hand and put her left foot in the stirrup. Her knee was basically against her chest.
Hank braced himself to jump forward to catch her in case she needed it.
To his absolute shock, Megan bounced twice on her toes before kicking off hard with her right foot and swung into the saddle in one smooth motion.
“Holy shit, mi amore… how the FUCK -”
Taza laughed a little in disbelief, but shook his head as he checked his daughter’s stirrups. “You forget, hermano, that she rode bigger horses than this for years.”
“Maybe so - but that was one hell of a height difference!”
Megan smiled and leaned down out of the saddle to kiss Hank softly. “It’s all about momentum and leverage, Baby. That’s all. I couldn’t do it with Trucker, but Sugar would be an easy mount.”
Hank laughed. “Well, don’t expect me to follow that. I hope there’s some help for me to get in the saddle.” He stood back and admired the way Megan seemed to move so naturally in the saddle as she settled in.
“Don’t worry, Hank. I’ve got a mounting block in the round pen. But first…” Taza smiled up at Megan. “You ready, Chica?”
“More ready than you know…”
Taza unclipped the buckskin for the crossties and led him towards the round pen. Once inside, he reminded Megan that this was only to be a gentle ride. Something to let her get back in the saddle. Then, he unclipped the lead and let Megan take full control.
The bikers retreated to the fence where Taza quickly untied Sugar and mounted himself, but kept her still by the fence. He only wanted to be able to pull Megan off the younger colt if things got hairy.
They watched as Megan got a feel for the horse and adjusted her reins and seat until she was moving with Rocket in sync. She put the skittish horse through some smooth paces and had him listening to her heels and hands beautifully.
Once Taza was certain that she had him under complete control, he dismounted Sugar and ground tied her before joining Hank leaning on the fence.
“How does she do that?” Hank asked quietly.
“Do what?” Taza crossed his arms and kept his eyes on Megan.
“That horse is massive, but she’s in complete control of every move he makes. And she’s not even thinking about it. Look at her face-”
Megan’s dad chuckled. “She was born to ride. Her grandfather called it being horse-hearted. Watch her hands. The reins are one way to steer - like the handlebars on a bike, but much more delicate. Megan barely has to move them because she’s also telling Rocket where she wants him to go by shifting her weight and nudging with her heels. If she had spurs on - we probably wouldn’t even see her feet move…” He grinned. “She’s a pro. And it’s a damn shame her career got tanked. She’d probably have made a million dollars by now. Easy.” He shook his head. “I’d kill to see her on a horse that’s trained for her riding style and not just for trails and minor cow work.”
Hank marveled at the easy smile on her face. “She’s so happy…”
“Yeah. She is…”
They watched Megan ride for a good while before she brought Rocket to a stop in front of them.
“Having fun, Chica?” Taza asked.
“So much. I can’t wait until we’re both back in shape and I can really let him move.” She grinned easily. “I think it’s time for Hank to try, though.”
Hank chuckled. “You just can’t wait to see me on a horse.”
She laughed in a way that made his breath catch as she threw her head back. “Come on. Papa can guide from the ground and I’ll ride along side you.”
Taza guided Hank through the basics and led him to the mounting block. While Rex lolled in the shade, Hank got his first horseback riding lesson. Trucker was a big horse, but he was steady and patient enough for a beginner rider.
By lunch, he was guiding the big paint on his own at a walk around the round ring with Megan and Taza cheering him on.
Rex suddenly took off for the front of the house and Taza swung down from the ever patient Sugar as he heard the sound of bikes in the driveway.
“Papa?” Megan looked uncertain.
“Easy, Chica. Probably your tíos. I’ll check.” He patted her calf gently and then turned to follow the giant dog around the corner of the house.
Megan looked to Hank for reassurance.
“He’s right. He texted Bishop this morning about what Galindo pulled. They probably just want to check on you and talk.” He smiled. “Now - how exactly am I supposed to get down from here?”
Megan giggled and urged Rocket up next to Trucker to grab his bridle. “Just swing your right leg over and get down. I’ve got him.”
Hank was shocked to discover that his thighs were sore when his borrowed boots hit the arena sand. He groaned and straightened slowly as Megan giggled at him.
“You’re saddle sore. You’ll get used to it just like I did the bike.” She smiled at him from her saddle before leading Trucker over to be hitched next to Sugar.
Rex trotted back around the corner of the house panting happily, and was followed by Taza, Bishop, and Marcus. Surprisingly, they were also accompanied by Creeper and Angel.
Megan frowned a little and leaned down to pat Rocket’s neck. The horse was dusty, but not sweaty. She looked to Hank. “All the officers? That can’t be good.”
“Easy, mi reina. Don’t jump to conclusions.” Hank stood where she could reach him from the saddle if she needed to.
“Poquito! Look at you! Couldn’t wait to get back in the saddle, huh?” Bishop asked cheerfully as they got closer.
Megan smiled at her godfather. “Hey, Tío. Papa said I could as long as I took it easy.” She looked over the gathering. “What requires an officers meeting?”
Marcus lifted a snake skin booted foot to put it on the lowest rung of the cattle panel and leaned on it. “Ah, Bebita. You know we can’t let what happened last night stand. We need to talk through our options.”
Creeper nodded. “He can’t be allowed to try to intimidate an officer in this town, Little Princess. He knows better. We don’t respond - he won’t respect your rank or your kutte.”
Angel lit a cigarette and nodded along. “Besides, Shorty - what if he decides we aren’t protecting our women? That can’t stand.”
Megan sighed but nodded. “I get it. Let me get down and get the horses taken care of…”
Rex’s ears perked again as gravel popped under tires in the driveway. Taza grabbed his collar.
“That’s Evan with the feed delivery,” he told her calmly. “Let him take the hay burners while we deal with this. Besides - it’s lunch time, Chica.”
Hank tied Rocket next to the other horses and raised his hands to lift Megan down from the horse. She turned side saddle and let him lift her down before going to pet Rocket’s nose as Evan came around the corner.
Once the teenager assured Megan that he would take care of the horses and tack, they all headed inside to the dining room table. Bishop sat at the head of the table while the rest of them arranged themselves in Templo order out of habit.
“Alright you two. We need a full report of the encounter with Galindo so we can decide how to handle this…” Bishop said.
Hank sighed and reported as if they had been on a fact finding mission instead of a date. Megan chimed in when necessary, but other that that, she stayed quiet and spent the time rubbing Rex’s ears.
After the entire night’s encounter had been recalled, Marcus sat back with a sigh. “Who’s the current liaison with Galindo?”
Creeper raised his hand. “It was Riz, but when we stripped his rank, I took it since Angel already had the LO to deal with.”
Bishop nodded. “Anything from them today?”
Creep sat back in his chair and rubbed his head tiredly. “Not a fuckin’ word. He don’ seem to be in any hurry to connect with the little princess.”
Taza ran his ringed fingers through his long hair. “Let’s keep it that way. I don’t want him anywhere near Megan. Especially with the Feds on his ass.”
“Agreed,” Bishop said. “How do we respond though? He already ignored the warning the other day about not going through the liaison.”
Marcus lit a cigarillo. “He’s spiraling. Devante kept him contained. Kept him focused. Without his consejero - he’s a spoiled child looking to pull the wings off of flies.” He watched his embers burn a moment. “I’m going to have to join him sooner than expected to keep him from spiraling too deeper.”
“Tío Marcus - you can’t. You haven’t even been able to meet up with him to discuss terms,” Megan pointed out.
He smiled. “You’re right Poquito, but I’ll remedy that really quickly after this meeting. We can vote to pause my patch as early as tomorrow if we can come to terms.”
Megan shook her head. “But you said you weren’t ready…”
“That was before he decided to involve my family, Bebita.” He drew on his smoke as his eyes hardened. “Now, he and I have some things to make clear.”
Bishop nodded. “We still need to react as a club though. We can’t make this all personal. We’d do the same for any member.”
Angel nodded. “I agree. And so does Adelita. We spoke earlier. We’ll be meeting up this evening if all goes well to talk more over shipping details. She agrees that the move he made last night could be a violation of the contract already.” He tapped the table with his index finger and his rings caught a gleam of light from the kitchen window.
Hank frowned. “Why did you tell her what happened? It’s a club matter - nothing to do with the alliance.”
Angle shrugged. “I didn’t. She already knew. Said a little birdie told her. She also said that one of the men from the market was in the restaurant as well.”
Taza groaned. “A tail? Guess that rules out those guys belonging to Galindo.”
Megan frowned. “But who was he following? Us? Or Galindo?”
Here you go! If you haven’t read the first one, this won’t make much sense yet. Read Lost Princessa or search for #masterlist on my blog.
This picks up about a week after the accident. Megan and our favorite Mayans have a new adventure ahead of them that involves Charming.
There will be warnings on each chapter. This is not intended for audiences under the age of 18. I never know what I’m going to end up writing so let’s get that out of the way right now. If you’re under 18 - scram.
Enjoy and be responsible for your own media consumption.
Tagging a few people who might be interested. @drabbles-mc @jemmakates @iamthegraham @delightfulheroshoeflap @xeniarocks (it won’t let me tag you for some reason)
@maysdigitalarts did these banners a long time ago and put them out there for people to use. I just found where I had saved this one to use in my next fic, but it won’t let me tag them. They may have changed blogs.
Also- please feel free to use this as inspiration for whatever medium of art you do. If you do fan art or moodboards, please feel free. I’d love to see what everyone else sees when they read my work.
SUMMARY: everything changes for you when snape gives you a certain memory. will you be able to do the task that dumbledore has given you?
WORD COUNT: 2.2K
GENRE: angst-ish (but not really)
CONTENT WARNING: soulmate & time travel au, english is not my first language
IB: people who used to make this wattpad stories, i used to ate those upppp🫣 & i love the tom hughes, tom riddle smmm
The air was thick; it smelled like blood and burning wood everywhere. The echoes of the battle were ringing faintly in the distance. Hidden away from the chaos, Severus Snape lay crumpled on the cold floor, his body slick with blood, life slipping away from him with each passing second.
Voldemort had left him to die, discarded like a broken tool. Nagini’s venom coursed through his veins, its poison cruelly efficient, and yet Snape’s eyes remained sharp. His gaze was fixated on Harry, standing just a few steps away, his face pale with shock and confusion. Snape’s focus wavered as he turned his eyes weakly, finding you—your form trembling as you knelt beside him, your heart shattering at the sight.
You might not have the best bond with a teacher like him, but never would you wish death upon someone.
“Take it… you both…” Snape rasped, his voice a whisper and urgent. Deep within his cloak, he pulled out one small vial and one small potion-like bottle. His hands shook as he reached for his own tear-streaked face. Slowly he collected the silvery drops that clung there, memories shimmering with an otherworldly glow.
Harry knelt down beside you now, watching in silence, his confusion giving way to a deeper understanding. Snape’s dark eyes locked into yours as he extended the vial towards you.
“You need to.. know the truth.”
Tears of your own spilled down your cheeks as you took the vial from his trembling hand. “You… were meant to change it all,” he whispered hoarsely.
“You can save him… save everyone. But only if you understand what must be done, the sacrifices you’ll have to make.”
The weight of the vial suddenly felt heavier than before, as you sat beside Snape’s lifeless body, his final words echoing in your mind.
Harry’s face was pale and grief-stricken. His eyes met yours and for a moment, neither of you spoke.
“We have to go,” Harry said, his voice hoarse, snapping you out of your daze. He looked down at the vial of silvery liquid in your hand. “The Pensieve. We need to see what he left for us.”
“Yeah,” was the only thing you could mutter out, your throat tight with a mixture of fear and urgency. Without another word, both of you scrambled to your feet.
Fires flickered in the distance, casting eerie shadows across the grounds and hallways as the final battle raged on.
Harry led the way, his steps quick, with you right behind him, clutching the vial so tightly in your hand that you thought it might shatter at any given moment.
“We have to hurry,” he urged over his shoulder. “Whatever’s in these memories, it’s important. Snape wouldn’t have—” his voice caught in his throat.
You only nodded, your mind spinning with Snape's last words. “You can save him… but only if you know what must be done.”
Save who? Harry? Voldemort? Was there a part of Tom Riddle still left inside the monster he had become? And how were you connected to him? Why you in the first place?
You reached the stone gargoyle guarding the entrance to Dumbledore's office. Harry barely paused to spit out the password.
“Sherbet lemon!”
The gargoyle sprang to life, and the two of you rushed up the spiral staircase, out of breath.
Dumbledore's office had a heavy scent of old parchment and burning candle wax filling the air. You and Harry stood side by side, breathing heavily from the sprint through the castle. The weight of the vial, now emptied, felt almost meaningless in your hands. Your heart pounded in your chest.
Harry held your gaze briefly, his eyes filled with an emotion you couldn't quite place. “Let's do this,” he said, his voice straining slightly. You nodded in return, your throat too tight to speak. Together, you leaned over the Pensieve, letting yourselves be pulled into the swirling memories.
The world around you started shifting, and suddenly, you were in the same office, just a few things placed differently.
Before you could take in your surroundings further, you noticed him—Severus Snape, somewhat younger, his dark hair still hanging around his face. You and Harry exchanged a look. Snape stood rigid before Dumbledore's desk, his expression (as always) unreadable.
“This is madness, Albus,” Snape spat, his voice low and venomous. “You're going to send her back in time, knowing she will not be able to return? She will be trapped there—forever. A time-turner can not help her.”
Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, a quill in his hand as he gazed at Snape with a somber, almost mournful expression. “I understand your anger, Severus, but there is no other way.”
You took note of how Snape looked younger but not that much younger. You saw the gash in his leg and guessed this would've taken place during first year.
“She doesn't know, does she?” Snape's voice cut off your train of thought. “No, she does not,” Albus replied softly. “And it is better that way, for now.”
'She'—that was you. This memory was about you. You felt your heart skip a beat.
“You're asking her to do the impossible—to change him. Tom Riddle cannot be saved. He was already lost when you met him in the orphanage.”
“Perhaps,” Dumbledore replied. “But she must try. If there is even the smallest chance to alter the course of his soul, it is through her.”
Snape gave a slight scoff. “If she is to succeed, she must know everything!” You never realized how much he cared for you and your friends.
“But you told her nothing of this?”
Dumbledore's eyes flickered towards the parchment in front of him. “When the time is right, she shall know what to do.” Dumbledore sighed, rising from his chair. “And do not worry, she will know, Severus, but not before the right time.”
Snape's face twisted in frustration. “And if she fails? What then?”
“Her connection to Tom Riddle is delicate, and should she go back into the past with full knowledge, it could endanger everything. The balance between them is fragile,” Dumbledore explained.
Harry's hand clenched beside you, his breath quickening. “Go back in time?” he whispered, echoing the questions that were swirling in your own mind. Snape turned sharply, “You're asking too much of her,” he said through gritted teeth. “Sending her back in time, to Tom Riddle's fifth year... If she doesn't succeed in making him—”
“—experience love,” Dumbledore finished. “Love is the key, Severus.” You felt as though the ground had dropped out from beneath you. Tom Riddle—love? That would be impossible. Is this what Dumbledore had planned for you all along? To go back into the past, to love a young Tom Riddle before he became Lord Voldemort?
“How... how could anyone make Riddle love someone?” you whispered to Harry.
“You are condemning her to live out her days in a time that's not her own! She won't even be able to return! You've bound her to the past,” Snape stressed.
The headmaster's gaze grew sharper, though there was still that calm weight behind it. “She is connected to Tom Riddle in ways we cannot fully understand. If there is hope for him, it lies in her hands—her influence. But no, Severus, she cannot come back. The magic involved in sending her back is... irreversible.”
“You will send her to a monster! To a boy who will grow to become the Dark Lord,” Snape sneered. "What happens if she doesn't succeed in her task?”
Dumbledore's eyes closed for a moment. “If she cannot reach him... if his heart remains as closed as it is now, then yes, Voldemort will rise like he did. And our fate is sealed.”
Snape looked up at him. “You truly believe she can save him?”
Dumbledore's eyes glinted, the faintest trace of hope dancing behind them. “I believe she is the only one who can.” His voice dropped to a whisper, “She will remain in that time. She will live there, bound to the past...”
After the sensation finally stopped, you and Harry found yourselves back in the present. The glow of the Pensieve slowly faded, leaving only the silence of the room.
You stood frozen for a moment, trying to process what you had just witnessed — the conversation between Snape and Dumbledore. The weight of it hung heavy in the air, pressing down on you both.
“If you go, you can't come back,” Harry whispered, almost to himself, as though saying it out loud would make it reality. His face was pale. “Once you go back into Riddle's time... you're stuck there. Forever.”
“And if I fail...” your voice shook as the truth finally settled in. “If I can't change him, you'll have to battle him. Harry, you'll die.”
His eyes snapped to yours, and for a moment, he seemed as lost as you were. He ran a hand through his hair, pacing in front of Dumbledore's desk. “I don't understand, Dumbledore... Snape... they planned all of this—” he stopped, turning to face you. “How are you supposed to change Tom Riddle?”
You shook your head. “I don't know, Harry. I don't know how I'm supposed to make him love or... stop him from becoming Voldemort. What if I can't even do it?”
Harry stepped toward you, his expression softening, though his own fear was palpable. “You've faced worse, right? You've fought Death Eaters. You survived this war with us. If anyone can do it, it's you,” Harry finished saying. “But I hate that it has to be you.”
The weight of his words hung between the two of you.
“I don't—Dumbledore said we were connected somehow, that we're soul-bound, basically... but what if that's not enough?”
Harry's jaw tightened, frustration breaking through his calm. “It's unfair! It's always unfair with him!” Harry raised his arms. “He expects too much. First me, now you! He's always asking us to make these impossible choices.”
You nodded, and your heart ached at Harry's raw emotion. “I can't let you die, Harry,” you stated softly. “I can't stand by and watch that happen.”
He shook his head fiercely, stepping closer so his hands gripped your shoulders. “And I can't let you go back in time, knowing you'll never come home.”
For a moment, the two of you stood like that, caught between the devastating choice laid before you. You could feel the pull of what needed to be done.
“If this is the only way, then we'll find a way to make it work. We'll figure out how to change him, how to make him love. We'll do it together,” Harry nodded, sure of his plan.
You smiled through tears. “Harry, once I go, I'll be alone.”
His grip tightened on your shoulders. “You won't be alone. You've never been alone in this. You'll have everything we've ever fought for — the memories. And more than that... you'll have hope.”
Tears were threatening to leave your eyes, but you swallowed them back. You nodded at Harry.
Harry took the small potion out of his jacket pocket. The liquid inside was an ethereal, shimmering gold, glowing faintly in the dim of the room. The potion, the one that would send you back in time — and trap you there.
Your hands shook as you took the potion from Harry. The glass felt cold in your palm. The moment had come, and it was terrifying. Once you drank it, you knew there would be no turning back, no returning to the world and people you once knew. No more friends, no more future. Only the past, which would become your future.
Harry shifted beside you. “Are you sure about this?” he asked, his voice low. There was a plea in his words, though he wasn't trying to stop you. He couldn’t. He knew as well as you did that this was the only way.
“I don't have a choice,” you whispered back, your voice shaking. You gave him a small nod, though your heart still pounded in your chest. You uncorked the bottle. The faint scent of something sweet filled the air. The liquid seemed almost alive, swirling around.
You took one last look at Harry, locking in the image of his face — strong, determined, your best friend. This might be the last time you'd ever see him.
“I'll miss you,” you whispered, barely able to say the words. Harry's eyes glistened, but he gave a small, resolute nod. “I'll miss you too.”
With a final breath, you raised the vial to your lips. The liquid was warm, surprisingly smooth as it slid down your throat. At first, it didn't feel like anything was happening, but then the warmth began to spread, starting in your chest and slowly moving through your body.
The world around you started to blur, and a dizzying sensation took over. Harry's voice was distant now, “It's happening.”
Your vision blurred, and you could feel time itself shifting, bending, pulling you away from the present and hurling you backward into the past.
It was overwhelming, as though your existence was being unraveled and re-made on a different planet. You feared you might lose yourself entirely.
And then, everything came to a hurtling stop. The warm feeling of the potion faded, replaced by a cool, crisp breeze against your skin. You opened your eyes, heart still pounding, and took in your surroundings.
It felt so familiar, yet completely different. Hogwarts stood tall, the grounds more pristine, untouched by the war, by the battles you had grown so accustomed to. The castle's windows shimmered, and the air smelled fresh.
“Anakin was still alive in Obi-Wan’s mind. Obi-Wan was engaged with him so intensely that he expected his apprentice to walk over one of those shifting sand dunes and grin at him again. Or scowl. He’d take anything. Any mood, any defiance. Just to see him again.” Jude Watson’s The Last One Standing.
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Some time ago my best friend/ sister passed away. She was a big Snape fan and I promised her to write a Snape one shot for her with her as the main character. But I never had the inspiration for it. Now since she passed I really want to keep my promise even if that means asking for help from a fellow writer. So please is there someone who can/ want to help me write this one shot? 🥺 She really meant the world to me.
Summary: Imprinting on his high school crush who hated him was the last thing Paul expected to happen as he’s nearing his thirties. But what truly unnerves him is the sequence of their future he sees - unlike his pack brothers, Paul doesn’t see a happy ending.
Well... here it is guys. The final chapter. I do have an epilogue planned, but the story is finished. I may write small one shots in this 'verse later on. Right now I'm just riding the high of having finished my first chaptered piece of writing in 18 years!
Thank you to @drabbles-mc, @jemmakates, and @xeniarocks. You guys have stuck with me through all of this and I really appreciate you. More than you guys know. Because of you, I've got my writing back. You'll see more from me.
Please do not copy, translate, or duplicate my work. BUT please DO feel free to reblog it, comment on it, message me about it... ANYTHING like that. If it inspires you - all the better! Just please tag me in things so I can see how amazingly talented you all are.
Warnings: Hospital stuff, cursing, feels, panic attack, I don't like doctors much... As always, let me know if I missed a warning.
And here it is. The FINAL chapter to Lost Princessa.
The first thing she noticed when she woke up was the floaty feeling of medication and the beeping of a heart monitor. She was in a hospital then. She struggled to wake up and remember what could have put her there, but the medication fog was so heavy.
She must have made a noise or a face. Gentle hands smoothed over her hair while another rubbed her shin. “Shhh, Chica. Shh. Papa’s here, Sweetheart. Shh. No more bad dreams. Papa’s here.”
Hank’s gruff voice answered him. He sounded further away. Why was it so hard to open her eyes? “Should I get the nurse? She could be in pain.”
“No. They’re trying to let her wake up. She’s just coming down off the stuff that’s keeping her asleep.” He stroked her hair again. “It’s okay, Chica. Rest a while longer. We’ll be here when you’re ready.”
She faded back into unconsciousness.
Megan had settled back into the drugged sleep and Taza sat back in the uncomfortable hospital chair. At least it reclined and was big enough to hold him. Hank was in a straight backed chair from the waiting room down by the end of the bed.
Ever since Taza had abandoned the run to return when he had called Bishop back - he knew Hank hadn’t slept or eaten. He kept making sure that Taza did both though.
“Hank, brother, you need to rest. Eat. You’re no good to her in the hospital next to her,” Taza pointed out.
“I’m fine, man. Just need her to be okay,” Hank sighed. They’d been having the same discussion for an hour.
“She’s okay. The doctors say she’s going to be as good as new in six to eight weeks. A broken collar bone, broken wrist, and concussion - scrapes and bruises - she’s alright and she's going to need you to be alright too.” He gave Hank a significant look.
“I know.” Hank watched Megan’s face carefully. The bruises there made him cringe. “Taza… how can you even look at me? She was taken on MY watch.”
“No. Don’t do that. She was taken on everyone’s watch.” He gently rearranged the blankets to free up her left hand. There were IVs in it, but her right arm was in a green wrist cast and sling for her injuries. He slipped her hand into his and squeezed it gently. “She was willing to sacrifice herself for Letty. For her family. That has more to do with the love you’ve shown her than anything. She loves you, Hank. You gave her the confidence to do what she felt she had to do to protect her family. She’s going to need both of us when she wakes up. We may have to start from the beginning again. She’s going to be drowning in guilt and we’re going to have to keep her head above water. Don’t take some of her stability away already by dwelling on the things we all did wrong.”
Hank nodded. “I know. I just need her to forgive me. I promised no one would hurt her. No one would make her leave us. I broke those promises.”
“There were broken promises on all sides. She promised things too. Do you hold it against her that she broke them?” Taza asked logically. He knew the answer, but Hank needed to say it before he could forgive himself. The truth was, he’d had the same argument with himself on the long drive back from the abandoned run.
“No. Never. She was fucking kidnapped. Why would I hold that against her?” Hank looked offended that Taza would even suggest it.
“Then why are you holding it against yourself? You did everything you could to protect her, brother. Some things are just… out of our control. Megan’s got a big heart and she couldn’t let someone else be hurt on her behalf. He knew that and played on it. Don’t let him win now.”
“Yeah, but I wasn’t even the one to rescue her. Happy was.” Hank shifted again in the uncomfortable chair.
“Bishop said that you got to her even before the damn ambulance did, Hank. Happy didn’t even have her out of the damn truck yet when you got there after his call that he’d spotted them. Stop it. She’s safe now, and between us - we’ll keep her that way.” Taza stood and stretched. “Now. I’m going to go sweet talk that nice nurse at the nurses station into putting a cot in here with her for you to sleep on. Who’s in the waiting room?”
Hank checked his watch. “EZ’s on shift, but everything I’ve gone for coffee, most of the damn club has been out there. I don’t think any of them have left. Bishop and Marcus haven’t left except to sleep in the nearly two days we’ve been here.”
“Alright. I’ll get someone to run to Patty’s for food. You’re going to eat and at least take a fucking nap. I’ll get someone to get both of us clothes too so we can shower.” He patted Hank’s shoulder as he slipped out of the room.
Hank moved up to sit in Taza’s abandoned chair and placed a careful kiss on Megan’s fingers and then another one on her head. “I need you to wake up soon, mi princessa. I need to see those pretty eyes to know you’re okay.”
Megan twitched again and made a little whining sound that Hank associated with her beginning to wake up in the mornings. Her breathing hitched a bit and she groaned as she tried to move.
“Easy, Princessa. Easy. Don’t try to move too much.” Hank tried to keep his voice level. “You gonna let me see those gorgeous brown eyes? Hmm?” He gently cupped her cheek in his massive hand as she blinked her eyes open. “There you are. Thought we’d lost you to dreamland forever.”
Megan groaned again. “Hank? Did you get him?” she asked raspily.
Tears gathered in Hank’s eyes as he pressed his forehead to hers and breathed her in. “He’s dead, mi princessa. He broke his neck in the crash. You’re safe, baby. You’re safe.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead.
“And Letty? Letty’s okay? He wouldn’t let me check on her.” Her breathing started to pick up.
“Si. She’s okay. Probably in the waiting room right now terrorizing everyone in the club.”
Megan teared up. “Oh thank God. She’s safe.”
“She’s safe thanks to you.” He sniffed and wiped her tears. “Shhh. Crying probably hurts. Your ribs are bruised.”
Megan sobbed softly. “Do you all hate me? Does Papa hate me?”
“Oh baby. No. No one hates you. Shh. Taza just stepped out to ask one of the guys to do a food run. Shh.” He carefully shifted to sit on the side of the bed and stroke her hair. He wanted to hold her and rock her, but he didn’t want to hurt her. “Easy, mi princessa. Shhh.”
“I’m so sorry. Brandon didn’t give me a choice. I couldn’t let him take Letty. I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to lie to you, but I couldn’t let him hurt her.” Megan’s breath stuttered and an alarm went off as her heart rate picked up.
“I know, Princessa. Shhh. You gotta breathe baby or they’ll make me leave.” He pressed her uninjured hand to his chest. “Feel me breathing? Breathe with me, Princessa. Breathe.”
A nurse rushed in and silenced the alarm before trying to get between Hank and Megan. “Sir! You need to step back. You’re upsetting her!”
“NO!” Megan gasped for breath and fisted her hand in his button down. “Don’t go! Don’t leave me! I’m sorry!”
Hank stood his ground and gently fended off the overzealous nurse. “No ma’am. You need to step back. She’s having a panic attack caused by her PTSD. I’m not going anywhere, Princessa. I’m right here. And I’m STAYING right here because her normal coping mechanisms aren’t possible with her injuries. Step back please and let me talk her through this.” Without waiting for the nurse to answer, he turned his full attention back to Megan. “Shhh. That’s my girl. Breathe with me, Princessa. Good.” As Megan started to calm a little, the nurse stepped back. “No one blames you, mi princessa. No one is angry at you. We love you. You’re safe now. We’re right here and we aren’t going anywhere.” He glanced at the nurse. “Her father, Che Romero, stepped out to the waiting room to ask our brothers to get some food for us. COuld you get him please? It’s easier for her with both of us here.”
The nurse nodded, but looked to Megan as if worried about leaving her with Hank. “Would that help, miss?”
Megan nodded and choked on a sob.
Hank shifted her gently and raised the head of the bed so she was sitting up more as the nurse horrid out the door. “Easy, Princessa. Keep breathing. Your Papa will be right back.” he slid to sit next to her on her good side and let her lean on him. Once she was in position, he stroked her hair and pressed kisses to it letting her soak up his warmth.
Pounding footsteps outside the door announced Taza’s arrival.
“Papa!” Megan sobbed and tried to reach for him before whimpering in pain.
“Oh Sweetheart! Shhh.” Taza hurried and sat carefully on her injured side before pressing kisses to her forehead and face. “Easy, my sweet Chica. Papa’s here. We’re here. You’re safe with us.”
Hank caught his attention and muttered “she thinks we’re mad and we hate her…”
“Oh, Chica. Shhh. You did so good. We’re not mad. You did so good. You saved Letty, Sweetheart. No one is mad at you for doing anything. There now. Breathe. Deep breath for us. That’s a good girl. I know it hurts but you have to breathe. Again.” Taza coaxed Megan into calming enough for the residual sedative to take effect.
Megan was leaned against Hank’s chest on her left and clutching Taza’s hand when she gave in and laid her head on Hank’s shoulder to rest drowsily.
“Good girl. You just rest now. Papa and Hank are right here.” Taza murmured comfortingly as he stroked her knuckles and straightened her blankets.
The nurse had apparently followed Taza back in and cleared her throat delicately. “Is there anything I can get her to make things easier? Sorry. I just came on shift when I heard the alarm so I haven’t read her chart yet to know the situation.”
Hank stroked Megan’s good arm soothingly as she twitched at the unfamiliar voice. “Some very cold water or even ice chips would help. I’m sure one of our guys is outside the door by now. If you could let him know what’s happening, that’d be great. Her godfathers are probably in the waiting room too. They would appreciate an update as well, I’m sure.”
“Of course. I’ll get some ice chips. Should I send anyone in? Since she’s awake, more visitors can come in as long as she’s kept calm.” She smiled gently at the huge bikers doting on the tiny girl in their arms. “Looks like you’ve got that part well under control.”
Taza spoke up. “I’ll ask her padrinos to come in. We don’t want the whole crew in here right now. She needs to rest.”
“Of course, sir. I’ll be right back.”
Taza pulled his phone out with his free hand to dial Bishop. “Bish. She’s awake, but panicked. Could you and Marcus come back to help reassure her that we aren’t mad at her?” Bishop apparently hung up very abruptly because Taza just set the phone down. “There, Chica. Your tíos are coming back.”
“What’s wrong with me?” Megan asked quietly as her adrenaline burned through the left over dregs of the sedative.
“What do you mean, Princessa?” Hank asked as he stroked her hair some more.
“Why am I in the hospital? How long have I been out?” she clarified.
Taza chuckled. “Because you are a very smart Chica. You apparently were wearing your seatbelt when the bastard wrecked the truck trying to escape. The truck rolled down an embankment, so you got pretty banged up. Lots of bumps and bruises. Your ribs are one big bruise. Your right wrist and collar bone are broken and you have some major head trauma. They knocked you out for about thirty-six hours for observation and tests. That’s why you’re so groggy.”
“And Brandon?” Megan looked to Hank again.
Bishop answered from the door. “In true cop fashion, he thought he was immortal. No seatbelt. He was ejected from the car and crushed by it - if he didn’t break his neck on impact. Hey there, Poquito. Feeling better?” He stepped inside with Marcus right behind him.
All the men looked as if they hadn’t slept, but had at least made an attempt at it - fully dressed by the look of the wrinkles. Even Marcus who was usually so clean cut looked like he had been through the wringer.
Megan cringed. “Not really. I hate the floaty feeling.”
“That will pass soon, Sweetheart.” The nurse was back with ice chips for her and handed them to Hank. “Try some of these. I’ve let the doctor know you’re awake so he should be by shortly.”
“Thank you.” Megan tried to smile for the nice lady.
“Just buzz if you need us.” She smiled and beat a hasty retreat. One biker was scary, but four were terrifying.
Megan looked at her godfathers sheepishly. “Are you mad?”
Marcus gave a gentle smile and sat at the end of her bed. “No, Poquito. No one’s mad.”
Since she was calmer, she cracked a small smile and joke. “Not even Letty?”
The men chuckled tiredly. “Well… maybe a little. She keeps muttering about screwdrivers…” Bishop winked.
That made Megan giggle. “Keep her out of the toolbox for a bit then.”
“I think Coco has her handled,” Taza said with a smile.
They chatted quietly, doing their best to keep her calm and slightly giggly. They told her about Chuckie’s offer to sneak her cooking and Angel being turned down flat by the pretty little nurse who was keeping them updated overnight.
There was a gentle knock at the door, which opened to reveal a young, blonde doctor. “Miss Morales? I’m Doctor Worthall.”
Megan smiled awkwardly and shrank down before forcing herself to sit up straight and raise her chin.
“I’m going to do a few tests, just to see where you’re at and then we’ll see about getting you out of here. I’m sure you’re eager to get home.” The man smiled in what he seemed to think was a reassuring manner. “We just want to be sure everything is still on the right track. If you… gentlemen… will excuse us…”
Megan flinched. “No. Don’t go anywhere.”
Hank kissed her hair. “Not going anywhere, Princessa.”
Taza nodded. “Right here, Chica.”
Marcus and Bishop both nodded. “Sorry, Doc. You’re stuck with us. Until our god daughter asks us to leave - we go nowhere,” Marcus said confidently.
The doctor looked mildly offended. “Very well. Miss Morales - do you know what day it is?” Dr. Worthall asked.
“I know that the wreck was after lunch on Tuesday. I would assume, since my father mentioned that you had me drugged ‘for observation’ for thirty-six hours - I’d assume that it’s late Wednesday or possibly early Thursday. I can’t tell for sure since I was knocked unconscious without consent,” Megan said as she squeezed Hank’s hand.
“It was what was best for you…” Dr. Worthall started.
“No. It was what was best for you. You didn’t even wait for me to regain consciousness to talk to me about my condition.” She looked at Taza. “Did they ask you if they could knock me out?”
Taza shook his head. “No. You were already under when I got here. I don’t think they asked anyone…” He looked at the men around him who all shook their heads.
“And being as there was no life threatening injury or swelling… there really wasn’t a reason to put me under for ‘observation’ except to keep me quiet,” Megan said. “I don’t like it when doctors decide to play God, Dr. Worthall. I don’t like it at all.”
The doctor tried to change the subject. “Cognitively you seem fine. We’d like to get some more scans and tests…”
“No,” Megan said.
“Excuse me?” The doctor was absolutely shocked. He looked to Taza. “Please talk some sense into your daughter sir!”
“I said no. No more tests. No more drugs. If it’s a concussion - I’ve dealt with them before. Broken bones - I’ve had more of that you can count. I want to go home.” She looked at Taza. “Papa, I’d like to leave.”
Taza nodded. “Of course, Chica.” He pressed a kiss to her temple before looking to Bishop. “Who’s on shift outside?”
“Creeper. He’s on guard and EZ’s on shift in the waiting room. Should I send him for something?” Bishop asked.
“You heard la princessa. She wants to go home. Would you send someone for clothes?”
“Course.” Bishop gently patted Megan’s shin. “Just going to the door, Poquito. Be right back.”
“I really advise against you leaving before we complete our tests -” the doctor tried to reason with them.
“You can ‘really advise’ all you’d like. Bring me the AMA paperwork please. I don’t like hospitals. I don’t like doctors. My father and my boyfriend will keep an eye on me. Bring me the paperwork or when my family brings my clothes, I’m leaving anyway. And I’d REALLY like to see you try to stop me…”
Hank smiled a bit. “I’d do what the lady says.”
The doctor swallowed hard and nodded. “I’ll have the nurse bring you the paperwork.” He stood and left the room abrupt, passing Bishop talking to Creeper who was on the phone on the way out.
Megan deflated and rested against Hank again shuddering and shaking.
“Easy, Poquito. What was that about?” Marcus asked gently as he smoothed the blanket over her legs.
Megan shuddered. “I hate doctors. They don’t help people. They say they do but then they just put you right back where you started if they’re given enough money.”
Bishop came back in and stood at the end of the bed with his arms crossed across his chest. “The doctors in Tennessee? They knew about Jimmy and just kept sending you back there…”
Megan nodded.
Taza patted her knee. “We get it, Chica. We’ll get you home where you can rest.”
A short while later, Creeper peeked his head around the door. “Hey Little Princess! I got you some clothes. Letty picked them out, but she said there wasn’t a lot she could do about it being easy to put on.” He smiled and brought in Megan battered black leather backpack.
“Thanks, Creeper.” Megan gave him a smile as he put her bag down. She looked at the men surrounding her. “Anyone know where my jewelry is?”
Taza pulled a baggie out of his kutte. “Right here, Chica. I got it. Your clothes ended up having to be cut off in the ER but I’ve got your boots too.”
“Thank you, Papa.” Megan smiled.
The nurse from earlier knocked gently. “I’m here to take your IV out, sweetie. And I’ve got the paperwork you asked for.”
A few minutes later, Megan was unhooked from all the monitors and piles of paperwork were signed.
“Alright, sweetie. You’re all set. You need anything else? Some help changing maybe? I know that sling and cast will take some getting used to.” She smiled kindly.
Taza looked at Megan sheepishly. “Sounds like a plan. One of us could help if you’d rather, Chica, but…” He grinned.
Megan smiled. “Alright, Papa. I’ll save you the embarrassment for now.”
“Good girl.” He kissed her forehead. “We’ll be just on the other side of the curtain.”
A few minutes later, Megan pulled the curtain back. She was now dressed in Hank’s soft colors and a pair of leggings, sling in place. She looked at the nurse. “Thank you for your help.”
“Of course.” She smiled. “If you are careful and only take the sling off to bathe and change, I’d say you can take it off in about three weeks. I’d say two, but with the weight of the cast it’s better to be safe than sorry. I know you won’t come back here - but please follow up with your GP in a few weeks. Or at least call me-” she handed Megan a slip of paper. “I’m not a doctor, but I’m trying to get my nurse practitioners license. I’ll help where I can.”
Megan’s smile widened. “Thank you.”
Taza smiled too. “We’ll take good care of her ma’am. We’ve dealt with a lot of minor injuries. Thank you for taking care of her. We’ll call if we have questions.:
The nurse nodded and smiled before slipping out the door.
“C’mon, mi princessa. Let’s get you home.” Hank helped her into her boots and they walked out to meet the family.
Outside, all the club was waiting by the van, hooting and hollering as Megan walked out with Taza, Hank and the Padrinos. Megan laughed at their antics. They acted as if they’d just pulled a jailbreak.
“There she is! Whooo - nuestra princessa is back!” Gilly called.
“How ya feelin’, Ma? You good?” Coco asked sincerely as he lit a new cigarette.
“I’m okay, Coco. How’s Letty?” Megan leaned against the side of the van.
“She’s good thanks to you. A little banged up, but nothing we can’t handle.” He smiled a little. “Thank you. What you did for us… you need ANYTHING you call.”
“I’m just glad she’s okay. I’m alright. Promise.” Megan gently knocked her good shoulder against his. She looked around. “Who was the guy who found me? I didn’t know him.”
Marcus chuckled. “Ally from another club. Old friend of mine from Northern Cali. He had to head back, but I made sure he’ll be back for your party when you’re all healed up.”
Megan groaned. “Shit. It’s going to have to be pushed back now. After all your work…”
“Ah. Don’t worry about it, Poquito. Just gives us time to make it bigger,” Bishop said with a wink and a pull on a cigarette. “Something truly worthy of la princessa de los mayas.”
Angel grinned. “Hell yeah! Going to be one hell of a party!”
Megan smiled and had to laugh. “I can’t wait.” She looked up at Hank with a tiny grin. “Ready to take me home, Caballero?”
Hank stepped closer and placed a kiss on the back of her good hand. “Always, mi princessa.”
Taza grinned and patted Hank’s shoulder. “C’mon. The lost princessa has been found. Let’s take her home.”
Don't kill me. Here it is. I got it out as fast as I could!
Please don't duplicate, translate or transfer my work in any way. There's only one of me and this is the only place this is published.
Thank you to @drabbles-mc, @iamthegraham, @xeniarocks, and @jemmakates. Love y'all.
Warnings: kidnapping, guns, swearing, insults to Megan, threats to Megan, bodily harm... this is the WORST chapter that I have had to write. Let me know if I missed anything.
Megan put the phone down for a second and fought for breath. Brandon had Letty. She picked the phone back up slowly and cleared her throat. “Brandon - is Letty okay? I need to know she’s alright.”
Brandon laughed. “She’s fine. Not really able to come to the phone right now though. I dosed her pretty good.”
Megan took a deep breath. “What do you want?”
“What I’ve always wanted, Megan. You to come back to Tennessee with me. I’ve got a friend to introduce you to. He’s paid a lot of money for you already and I’d hate to disappoint him.”
“I won’t be sold again, Brandon. I’d rather die.” Megan felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest. She couldn’t catch her breath.
“Such a pity. I always thought you were smarter than that. I’d do better to sell your little friend. Letty’s a lot younger than you. More trainable when you get them younger. Probably a lot more money in her anyway. I’m sure my buyer can be pacified if I let him be the one to break her. You just stay safe and sound with your little biker gang. She can take your place just fine. I’m sure her daddy will be fine with it too. She seems like a lot to handle.” Brandon chuckled evilly.
“Wait! Prove she’s alive. Prove she’s okay first. Then we’ll talk…” Megan couldn't stand the idea of Brandon touching Letty. Letty who had done everything possible to help Megan since they’d met. Letty. Sixteen years old and already with so much ahead of her. Letty.
“There. I sent you a video. She’s out cold, but you can see her breathing.” Brandon now just sounded bored out of his mind.
Megan pulled the phone away from her ear to see the video Brandon had sent. It was definitely Letty. Hogtied and gagged on a dirty mattress somewhere. Megan muffled a sob with her free hand.
“Now. Are you ready to cooperate, baby sis? Or do I need to move to plan B and take this little bitch in your place?” He paused. “Tick. Tock. Clock’s ticking. Once she’s awake the choice is no longer yours.”
“What do you want me to do?” Megan asked quietly.
Hank knocked on the bathroom door. “Princessa? You okay in there?”
“Shit,” Megan hissed. “Yeah. Be right out!” she called.
“There’s the Megan I know and love. Listen close - you have two hours to ditch the apes in leather. Throw out that phone too. If you’re not at the local high school, underneath the bleachers, in two hours, little Letty’s going on a long ride with me. See you soon, sis.”
The phone cut out and Megan choked on a sob. She had two hours to escape the loving and watchful eyes of Hank and Bishop. Two hours before she gave herself up to a fate worse than death. A fate she’d do anything to spare Letty from.
A few minutes later, Megan came out of the bathroom fully dressed. She had watched her face to get rid of any trace of tears and hoped that would excuse her flushed face and red rimmed eyes. She tucked her phone into her gym bag and dropped it behind the bar so she could honestly say she didn’t have it if pressed. She had to keep it together. For Letty.
Hank looked up from his perch at the end of the bar. “All good, mi princessa?” he asked with a slight frown.
“All good. Just got soap in my eyes when I washed my face. Sorry.” Megan tried to give him a smile. It wasn’t a very good one, but it was there.
“Ahh. Okay.” He opened his arms to offer her a hug and she gratefully took it. Just the scent of him steadied her. She was about to break every promise she’d made him and she hated it, but she’d savor these last few minutes as long as she could.
Hank ran his hands over her tense back and shoulders rubbing gently. “Easy, Princessa. Just a few more hours. I’ve got you.”
Megan swallowed hard and nodded. Only Hank would assume this was residual tension from Taza’s run. She couldn’t think about her papa right now. Couldn’t think about his request that she not let Brandon take her away from him. If she did, she’d break.
Could she tell them about Brandon holding Letty? Maybe they could help. But no. She only had about an hour and a half left. She thought back to their unwillingness to even use her as bait for Jimmy. They’d never let her trade herself for Letty. She was on her own.
Hank pressed a kiss to her head. “C’mon, mi princessa. Let’s get some lunch. Maybe El Padrino will be back by the time we’re done and he can give you another salsa lesson.”
He led her out to the pit where Bishop was waiting for them. He shot a worried look at the president before guiding her to her rightful perch behind him. What could have triggered her? He could feel her breathing stuttering and the tension she carried even if she tried so hard to hide it. Megan was right on the verge of a panic attack and he didn’t know why.
They stopped at the diner and Megan’s plan solidified. She knew the school was just a few streets over if she cut through the back lots. EZ had told her stories of ditching study hall to go get milkshakes. All she’d have to do is get out the back door without them suspecting anything and run.
Inside, Hank and Bishop say where they could see the front door and the entire restaurant except the service hallway where the bathrooms were. They were on home turf and trusted the kitchen staff to alert them if anyone tried to sneak up on them from that way. Megan snuggled into Hank’s side and tried to control her breathing.
“Poquito? You alright, Sweetheart?” Bishop asked.
Megan nodded and tried to smile for him. This one was even more unsuccessful. “Sorry. Anxiety.”
Bishop nodded and reached across the table to pat her hands. “You’re alright, Poquito. Breathe for us, hmm? You want me to order for you?”
“Yes, please.” She buried her face in Hank’s side as he pulled her closer with the arm around her shoulders.
“Do you want me to take you home, Princessa? Maybe some barn time? Go see the horses?” Hank asked. He rocked her gently and glanced at Bishop again. Something was off, but maybe it was just because Megan was trying so hard to hold off her panic attack and control it this time.
“I’ll be alright. Just anxiety. I’m going to go splash some cold water on my face.” She firmed her spine and pressed a kiss to Hank’s lips shakily. “Be right back.”
Both Mayans nodded and Hank kissed her knuckles gently. “Take your time, mi princessa. Call out if you need me.”
Megan nodded and headed shakily down the hallway. She glanced at the clock. She had less than an hour left to make the meeting and save Letty. With one last glance over her shoulder, she slipped out the back door and took off running.
After about ten minutes, Hank and Bishop started to worry. Megan hadn’t returned to the table. Hank went to check on her. He knocked on the door to the women’s restroom. “Megan? You alright, Princessa?” There was no answer, so he tried the knob. It turned easily and opened onto an empty bathroom. “SHIT!”
Bishop’s head popped up from where he was checking his phone. “She alright?”
“She’s gone!” Hank went to the back door to find it unlatched and poked his head out. No sign of Megan and nothing looked disturbed.
Bishop was by his side immediately. “No sign of a struggle? Bastard must have caught her unaware…”
“Or he had a gun to her head to keep her quiet. Fuck! I should have cleared the building before I let her go to the bathroom alone.” Hank ran his hands through his hair in frustration.
“This ain’t all on you, Hank. I was here too. Can you track her phone? Maybe he hasn’t had time to ditch it yet,” Bishop said.
“No. I’m not on the same phone plan yet. Only Taza’d be able to do that and he won’t answer right now because he’s on the road.” Hank sank down to sit on the threshold of the back door of the diner.
Bishop nodded. “Alright - start calling. Everyone. I don’t give a shit WHAT they’re doing. I want Miguel fucking Galindo himself out combing the streets. We find her. NOW.” He pulled out his phone and dialed Marcus.
Megan sobbed quietly as the school came into view. It looked deserted - as it should - with all the students on break. The actual size of the school shocked her. It was so much bigger than the one she had attended.
Past the buildings, she could see the sports fields and she started walking towards them. She knew where Brandon would be waiting. He’d be waiting for her under the bleachers on the visitor’s side of the football field. It was where he always had cornered her in high school when she was forced to attend games in the name of ‘school spirit’. She just hoped Letty was okay.
She rounded the corner of the bleachers and ducked under them. About halfway down stood Brandon with a gun to an upright and hooded Letty’s head.
“Ah. There she is. Cuttin’ it close there, sis. I was beginning to think you’d decided to let your little right rot.” Brandon smiled indulgently at her.
“I’m here. Let her go, Brandon. You have to let her go.” Megan held her hands up as if surrendering and took slow steps towards him. If she could just get a better angle, she would have a shot at him when he took the gun off Letty.
“Oh I don’t HAVE to do shit.” He pressed the gun tighter to Letty’s temple. “Stop where you’re at and keep your hands where I can see them, Megan.”
A muffled grunt came from Letty and she started to struggle until Brandon smacked her over the head with his pistol. She didn’t go limp, but she stilled.
“Hey! Don’t hurt her. Brandon, you’ve got what you wanted. I’m here. Let letty go. She’s got nothing to do with this. She’s just a kid. Please. Just let her go,” Megan begged as tears rolled down her cheeks again.
“I have every intention of leaving your little friend here. But first - you’re going to VERY slowly - and with your LEFT hand - throw that gun that I know you’ve got at the small of your back away. Very slowly. No sudden movements and no funny business or I’ll paint these bleachers with her brains.”
Megan flinched but followed his instructions to the letter. She didn’t want to give him any excuse to get twitchy with his gun still so close to Letty. She threw away the 9mm that Hank had given her and felt like she was ripping her own heart out at the same time. There went the only chance she had of making it out of there.
“Good girl.”
Megan flinched again. The words of praise that she had so enjoyed coming from Hank or her Papa or even Bishop and Marcus felt like a physical slap coming from him.
Brandon transferred the barrel of his weapon to point at Megan and she breathed a little easier. At least it wasn’t pointed at Letty anymore.
“Now…” he tossed a set of zip cuffs at her. “Put ‘em on.”
Megan picked them up and tightened them.
“Good.” Brandon shoved Letty to the ground and took large strides to reach Megan’s side. He grabbed her arm and jerked her around. “Time to go home, sis.”
Megan struggled briefly. “Wait. Just let me check on her! Please. Let me know she’s okay.”
“You’re done making demands. Shut the fuck up and move before I shoot you and take her anyway.” He shoved Megan hard towards the side of the bleachers where he had apparently parked a small pick-up truck.
Megan craned her neck to see Letty struggling and getting one hand free to pull off the hood and reveal her bruised and battered face. She was trying to pull the gag out of her mouth too when Brandon shoved Megan again.
“I said move. No one is coming to save you, bitch.”
The truck was a common silver color and had nothing to make it stand out. Brandon pushed her into the cab across the bench seat from the driver's side and Megan quickly scooted over to huddle against the door. She tried to discreetly try the door handle only to have Brandon laugh at her.
“I’m not that stupid. You aren’t the first one to take a ride with me like this. Child locks are a bitch aren’t they?” He slid his gun into the door pocket next to him and started the truck. “Get comfortable... It’s a long drive.”
The Mayans quickly congregated at the diner. No one had called Taza yet - or any of the guys on the run. Bishop had left a text to have Taza call him at the next stop. It had been forty-five minutes since they discovered Megan was missing.
Coco was pacing. He’d only found an empty house when he’d gone to check on Letty. Her phone was smashed and he’d found a blood smear near the door. “He has to have Letitica too. That’s the only explanation. Bestard’s trying to pull a two-for-one special.” He took a hard pull on his cigarette and ran his hand through his disheveled hair.
“We don’t know that yet, Coco. We DO know that Megan is in danger. Hopefully we find them together,” Marcus said. He’d showed up with half of Miguel Galindo’s security team in tow - including Nestor, the head of security for the cartel.
Hank had gone from worried to pissed. Unlike Coco who seemed to be in perpetual motion, Hank sat stock still. You could barely see him breathing. His hands were clenched into fists on the table in front of him with the knuckles white.
EZ came hurrying in the door of the diner with a phone in hand. “Megan’s phone was in her gym bag. I checked when I got the call that she was missing. Anyone know the lock code? It could tell us something.”
Hank finally spoke. “91518,” he said quietly. “The date she found Taza.”
Bishop took the phone and put in the code. It opened to the text chain Megan had with Letty. The last message was a video and when he played it, it revealed the proof of life video Brandon had sent. “FUCK. He’s got both girls. Took Letty and used her as leverage. She probably walked right out on her own to save her. Last call was from Letty’s phone.”
Hank ran his hands down his face in pure frustration. “She must have got the call at the club house. It’s what set her off. Why didn’t she tell us?”
Angel had been silent this whole time. “Why would she? Think, man, how we reacted to the last threat to Megan. We locked her ass down. We refused to let her help catch him. Bet he gave her a short ass time limit too. Princessa figured we’d waste time arguing and get Letty killed.”
Gilly nodded. “What was it she called it if Jimmy took her? A no lose situation for the club? Bet she traded herself for Letty…”
Marcus’ burner phone rang. He stepped outside to answer it.
“Alright. Here’s how we start. The video of where he had Letty looks like an abandoned space. Dark. Concrete floors and fluorescent lights. How many local places do we know like that? How many of them do we not control? We find where he had Letty - we’re one step closer to finding Megan,” Bishop said.
Coco was on the laptop looking up abandoned places in the area. Nestor had his own tech guy on it too.
“Bishop, can I see that video again? There’s something familiar about it…” EZ said.
“Sure, Prospect. Do your thing.” He handed over the phone. “Gilly - call Frankie. We need check points on highways.”
“On it, Bish.”
Marcus came back inside. “One of the Sons was nearby. Stopped at the club house looking for you when no one answered his ride through call. I explained the situation. He’s on his way here to help.”
“Which one?” Bishop asked.
“Happy. He’ll be here in a few minutes. He’s got a unique skill set that might help us out,” Marcus explained.
“OH SHIT! Bishop! I think this is the old weight room at the high school. You can see part of the mascot painted on the wall,” EZ exclaimed.
“Go! Coco, go with him. Letty might still be there,” Bishop said.
“I’m going too,” Angel said, heading out the door after EZ and Coco. Their bikes roared out of the diner parking lot.
A few minutes later, another bike pulled in. Happy strode inside pulling his gloves off. Bishop nodded at him. “‘Preciate the help. Sorry for the craziness.”
“No problem. Alvarez filled me in. Do we have a starting point?” Happy asked moving his toothpick around in his mouth.
“My guys have gone to check a lead now. We should know in a few minutes.” Bishop lit a cigarette and wished they were at the bar so he could have a whiskey.
“Good.” Happy nodded and sat himself in a booth nearby.
Everyone kept looking. The Oakland Mayans were out scouring the streets physically while the SanPAd guys were trying to pick up his train from the diner. Gilly had finished with the call to Frankie and went to check the security tapes from the diner’s back door.
Patty had sent her staff home and closed to let the club use the diner as a base of operations. She stayed though and poured coffee for everyone.
Bishop’s phone rang. “Yeah.” He answered it. Everyone froze. “Good. You guys stay with her. Get what you can out of her, but get her to the hospital to get looked at. She’d our only lead to find Megan.” He hung up. “They found Letty. She’s disoriented, but pissed. A little banged up, but overall alright.”
Hank sat up straight. “She say anything about Megan?”
“Says he’s got ehr. Thinks he’s driving a pickup truck. He dosed Letty with something so she’s not always making sense.:
Hank nodded. He had nothing he could do to help Megan at the moment, so he waited.
The new information set a fire under everyone. Nestor had his guy hacking the security cameras at the high school to see if they could find a shot of the truck leaving. Happy pulled up a map on the laptop to check for exit routes.
“If he’s in a truck, it’ll blend in. He’ll take something besides a highway and want to get out of dodge quick. Even a cocky son of a bitch like a cop won’t hang around after kidnapping someone that connected. I got four routes out of her. Three are pretty good bets. The fourth is a long shot, but doable.” Happy pointed them out to the gathered men. “He won’t speed. He’ll go at a normal pace. He can only have gotten so far. We can cut him off.”
“Good.” Bishop nodded. He assigned Hank one route, gave one to Marcus, and took the third himself. Each of them took a few men. “How unlikely is that fourth route?” Bishop asked, looking at the number of men he had.
“Pretty unlikely for someone who’s not local or at least a frequent flier. I don’t trust that he won’t take it enough to bet the girl’s life on it. I’ll take it alone. Send me a picture of the girl.” Happy started pulling on his gloves.
“Got something!” Nestor’s tech guy called out. “Silver S10 pickup truck. Only vehicle to leave the high school all day. No view of the plates but definitely two people inside.”
“What direction?” Nestor asked as he checked the magazine of his pistol.
“Looks like South, but we lose it right off school property. No traffic cams in the area.”
“Alright. Let’s move.” Bishop headed for the door.
Megan stayed huddled against the door of the truck with her fingers tangled in her papa’s necklace. They’d been driving for a while. Megan didn’t recognize anything. They weren’t on the highway yet either. Silent tears ran down her face. Her nose was so clogged she could barely breathe.
“Oh stop sniveling like a child. You’re giving me a headache. There wasn’t shit for there anyway. You should be thanking me,” Brandon growled.
“No. You took me from my family. You’re going to SELL me as a slave to some sick bastard. The only thing I can hope for is that my papa hunts you down like a fucking dog,” Megan cried.
“Your ‘papa’ doesn’t give a shit about you, Sweetheart. He left you alone. You don’t have a family. You never have and you never will.” Brandon took a left turn onto a larger road.
“You’re wrong. My papa loves me and when he gets back tonight he’s going to call in every favor he has to find your ass and make you wish for death.” She gave a watery chuckle. “You have no fucking CLUE who you’re up against, Brandon. I can only hope I’m around to see your end.”
Brandon laughed. “You think a lot of yourself, don’t you? No one WANTS you. I sold you once before and no one even batted an eye. They won’t this time either.”
Megan wiped her shirt as best she could on her shirt. “You are so screwed. Should have done your research, ‘big brother’. This time, I’m not a fucking no name waitress. No. This time - you just kidnapped the princessa de los Mayas. My god fathers are the president of the Santo Padre Mayans and the founder of the club. My father is a founding member and vice-president. And you - big brother - just pissed off the biggest motorcycle club on the west coast with ties to the cartel.”
“I’m not afraid of a bunch of apes in leather. Nice try.”
Megan glanced in the side-view mirror and saw a bike in the rearview. She felt her heartbeat jump. She reached and put on her seatbelt. If that was a Mayan scout, they’d stop this truck however they had to. She had to keep him distracted and talking. “You may not be now. That’ll change real fuckin’ quick though. Because that ‘ape in leather’ you took me from - he’s gonna take it real personal. And Hank eats little bitch cops like you for breakfast,” Megan growled. She had gone from scared to pissed the more she talked and the closer that bike got.
“Shut the fuck up,” Brandon back handed her hard across the face making her nose bleed.
“Why? Scared of the truth? Or just don’t want to think about my boyfriend removing your balls from your body to make me some earrings?”
A second, harder hit made her ears ring. Movement in the mirror caught her eye and her eyes widened. The lone biker behind them had pulled a pistol from his kutte. She folded forward and covered her head as bullets started to fly.
Glass from the rear window showered Megan as Brandon swerved hard cussing and reaching for his own weapon. In his haste to return fire he overcorrected and the truck hit the gravel on the shoulder of the road.
The next thing Megan knew she couldn’t tell up from down as the truck rolled. When it finally came to a stop, Megan was upside down with only her seatbelt holding her in place. She groaned and coughed hard to clear her lungs. Her ears were ringing something fierce and something wasn’t right with her right shoulder.
A quick glance showed the driver’s seat was empty. Brandon hadn’t been wearing a seat belt.
Gravel crunched under heavy boots and a bald head poked through the broken window. “A lot of people are lookin’ for you, Little Girl.”
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First of all... don't kill me. This one ends in a bit of a cliffhanger. You can cuss me all you want though in the comments.
Thanks to @drabbles-mc, @xeniarocks, @iamthegraham, and @jemmakates. You guys are so patient! You always let me bounce cryptic ideas (or not so cryptic ones @drabbles-mc) off of you and I love you guys for it.
Please don't copy, translate, or replicate my writing anywhere else. If you see it somewhere else... it's stolen. I only post on tumblr.
Warnings: cursing, feels, cliffhanger, mention of human trafficking and sex slavery... let me know if I missed anything.
Megan woke up curled with Hank against her back. No sunlight got through her blackout curtains, but it was definitely morning. As she laid there - heaviness seemed to settle into her bones. Today was the run. Her papa would be six hours away and she REALLY had a bad feeling about it.
“I can hear you overthinking, Princessa. Breathe for me please,” Hank said quietly in her ear.
Megan took a deep breath and felt a little of the weight lift.
“Thata girl. Would you rather Taza stay with you and me go? It’s not too late to swap it out, Princessa. I’ll go in his place if you’d rather.” Hank tightened his grip on her gently. “You won’t hurt my feelings baby. Anything to make this easier for you.”
Megan shook her head. “Wouldn’t help. Either of you leave and I’ll be a wreck. You leave and I’ll be a wreck with no possibility of sleeping.”
“Okay, mi princessa. Just keep breathing for me. He’ll be gone thirteen or fourteen hours tops. And I’ll be with you the entire time, okay. Never more than a few feet away. I promise.” He pressed a kiss to the back of her neck.
“I know. It’s just my brain over reacting.”
“C’mon Princessa. Let’s get up and moving so it doesn’t have time to mess with you too much. “ He patted her hip gently. “Let’s go make breakfast. I’m sure Bishop will gladly wear you out with another boxing lesson this afternoon too.”
That got a bit of a smile out of her. She sat up and slid out of bed. “You think he would?”
“Of course. Any time he gets a chance, he’ll have you in the ring.” He chuckled. “I bet he upgrades the equipment by the end of the week.”
Megan giggled. “I doubt he’ll go that far…”
“I don’t. Bet he’s already started,” Hank teased.
Megan looked down at her leggings and tank top. Hank must have removed her sweater for bed. “Where’d my sweater go?”
“Probably in Taza’s room. We took it off before he carried you in here to tuck you in. He was worried you’d get too hot.” Hank pulled a t-shirt over his bare chest and sweatpants.
Megan laughed and pulled a cardigan from the closet and slipped it on. Now that she could see the clock and feel the chill in the air, she could see that it was VERY early for the bikers. Five a.m. to be exact. “Shit, Hank. What time did you go to bed? You don’t have to be up yet just because I’m antsy as hell.”
That pulled a full laugh out of him. “I went and got you from Taza at about 12:30. You fell asleep talking to him so I finished my report for Bish before bed.”
“Shit. Go back to sleep. You’ve only had like four hours.”
He grinned at her horror. “Easy, mi princessa. I’m fine. I rarely sleep more than that.” He pulled her close as he chuckled. “I’m all good. Let’s go eat.”
In the kitchen, Megan started to make coffee while Hank checked the fridge. “What sounds good? We’ve got just about everything,” Hank said.
“Since it’s so early - what if I make those sticky buns I promised? We can take some to the club house later too.” Megan smiled and started pulling out the flour and yeast to make the dough.
“That actually sounds amazing. How can I help? Is it complicated?” Hank stepped to the big basin sink to wash his hands.
“Decently. Did you ever make homemade bread? It’s basically the same base.”
“I helped Mama make pan de muerto when I was a kid, but I’ve never done it since,” he admitted as he watched Megan slip into a very concentrated mode.
Over the next two hours, Megan showed Hank how to make her sticky buns. He had no idea how she did it without a recipe - but she never looked anything up. While the dough was rising, they sipped coffee on the patio. During the second rise period, Megan put him to work juicing oranges while she prepped the rest of breakfast. When it was time, she slid the rolls into the oven to cook next to a pan of biscuits. Then together, they cooked the eggs and bacon.
The smells coming from the kitchen were glorious, and that’s what woke Taza. It was nearly seven, so he went ahead and got dressed for the day before slipping out to investigate. He couldn’t help but chuckle as he watched Megan chasing Hank away from the oven with a flapping dish towel.
“They’ll never cook if you keep letting the heat out1 Go set the table. They’ll be ready soon if you’ll just leave them alone,” Megan scolded through her giggles.
Hank kissed her smile gently while snitching a piece of bacon from the platter behind her. “Alright, alright mi princessa!”
“You better watch him, Chica. He’s sneaky,” Taza said, pointing out the bacon.
“Hey! Snitches get stitches, Taza,” Hank said as he dodged out of range of her flying dish towel.
Megan giggled. “Good morning Papa. We didn’t wake you, did we? We tried to be quiet.”
Taza laughed. “Good morning, Sweetheart. Not with noise. I couldn’t resist the smells any longer. What is Hank trying to get early access to?”
Megan poured him a cup of coffee. “Well, I couldn’t sleep this morning so we made sticky buns. There should be enough to take to the guys too.”
“You really are an angel, you know that Chica? They smell amazing.” Taza kissed her head and took the coffee cup from her.
“She’s also made eggs and bacon and homemade biscuits, Taz. All she’d really let me do was make juice. La Princessa can cook,” Hank bragged.
Megan blushed and muttered something before turning to glance through the oven door. She grinned and pulled the pot holders from the drawer to remove both pans from the oven. She quickly flipped the biscuits onto a plate. Then she flipped the sticky buns onto a cookie sheet and let the homemade caramel from the bottom of the pan drip down to cover the sides of the buns.
She suddenly had all of both Hank’s and Taza’s attention as she lifted the pan and put it in the sink to soak with a satisfied smile. “Voila. Homemade sticky buns. As promised.”
Hank tried to swipe through the caramel sauce with a finger for a taste and ended up blowing on his finger to cool a minor burn.
“You know, if you burn your tastebuds you won’t know what they actually taste like, right?” she asked with a giggle.
“Worth it. That shit’s amazing.”
Taza smiled. “I think I’ll wait a few minutes. Need me to help carry anything, Chica?”
“Sure. I think we’re all ready…” Megan checked to be sure everything was done.
“Good, Princessa. Go sit. Let us bring it in at least,” Hank nudged her towards the table he had set. “I’ll bring you some more coffee.”
“Alright, alright I’m going.” Megan sat and found herself having a heaping plate made for her.
After breakfast, they were finishing their coffee when a knock sounded at the front door. Whoever it was didn’t wait for an answer and just let themselves in.
“Anybody awake?” Bishop called.
“In here, brother,” Taza called back.
Bishop made his way to the kitchen after dropping something heavy in the front hall. “Morning. Thought I’d run something by for Poquito on the way to the club house. From the smell, I’d say I made the absolute right choice…”
Megan smiled. “Good morning, Padrino. Would you like some coffee? There’s sticky buns if you want them.”
“What the hell is a sticky bun? And sure, Sweetheart.” Bishop sat lacrosse from Hank as Megan hopped up to grab him coffee from the stove. She came back with a place setting for him.
“They’re kind of like a cinnamon roll…” Megan answered but was interrupted by Hank.
“Only ten times better. Seriously, Megna could put Patty out of business. Try one,” Hank urged, throwing a proud smirk at Megan.
“Don’t mind if I do..” Bishop winked at his blushing god daughter and took a bite. He groaned. “Poquito, these are amazing. Please tell me there’s more?”
Taza chuckled. “She made enough for an army. We’ll bring the leftovers to the club house. There’s eggs, bacon, and homemade biscuits too.”
Bishop chuckled as Megan took his plate to fill it with the other food too. “You feed us like this too often and we’ll roll more than our bikes.”
Megan smiled shyly. “I cook when I’m anxious.”
“Well, maybe what I brought will make you less anxious. Or at least give you another way to channel it,” Bishop told her with a grin. “I brought the stuff to set up a speed bag and a punching bag in your papa’s barn. That way you can train whenever you feel like it, Poquito. I’ve got the Prospect upgrading the stuff at the club house too.”
Hank chuckled. “And you were worried about if he’d be willing to give you another lesson today.” He slipped an arm around the back of her chair reassuringly. “Told you he’d upgrade the equipment…”
Bishop winked again as he bit into his second sticky bun. “Of course. Only the best for la Princessa.”
Taza smiled proudly as he watched Megan relax slightly in the presence of her godfather and his best friend.
Bishop finished his breakfast while gently teasing Megan. “We need to get you a locker at the club house for a gym bag. Then you won’t have to steal your man’s soft colors every time you want a lesson or a workout.”
Megan faked offended. “Excuse you! I didn’t steal anything. It’s not my fault he decided I looked better in his clothes.” She grinned at Hank.
“Well, she’s not wrong.” Hank smiled down at the top of her still sleep ruffled head.
Taza grinned. “Alright, Love Birds. Why don’t you go get ready to face the day. Bish and I will pack up the leftovers and do the dishes.”
Hank stood and pulled Megan up too. “Sounds good. C’mon mi Princessa. I’ll check your tattoo for you and we can pack you a gym bag for later.”
“Okay.” Megan went and hugged Taza’s shoulders from behind. “Love you, Papa.”
Taza squeezed her hands gently and cleared his throat. “Love you, Megan.”
She kissed the top of his head and followed Hank down the hall to their room.
Taza took a moment to breathe. She’d said it.
Bishop gave him a moment and started clearing the table. On his second trip, he grinned. “First time she’s said it? Nothing quite like it, is there?”
“Yeah.” Taza stood to help. “You’ll keep an eye on her, right? I know I won’t be gone long… but she’s super fucking nervous about it. Like - I rocked her to sleep last night because she was so nervous about me being gone.”
“You know I will, brother. I know Coco is supposed to be the second tonight because she’s comfortable with him, but if it looks like she’s still nervy when they come home, I’ll come too. She won’t be alone.” Bishop patted his shoulder. “She’s a strong girl. She can handle this run. We’ll limit your runs too for a bit after this. Riz and Creeper can cover what I can’t take.”
“Thanks. She’s trying so hard. She’s twenty-six - but she also never really got to be a kid. She told me last night that she started putting herself to bed at seven…”
“Family first, brother. We’ve got your back. And hers.”
Bishop went out to the barn to set up the boxing gear he’d brought while Taza finished up with the kitchen. Hank came out and joined him in cleaning.
“Megan okay?” Taza asked.
“Yeah. She was showering. Her tattoo is healing nicely. I told her she could probably wear her regular clothes today except her bra. I think that will still rub too much.” Hank started putting tupperware in bags and noticed a smaller box of sticky buns set to the side. The condensation on the inside said it had been there awhile. He chuckled. “She never forgets Mama, does she?”
“Nope. That was already packed when I started clearing. I’d bet it’s got the very center ones in it too.” Taza grinned but sobered a bit. “You keep her close, Hank. I don’t like leaving with this bastard still on the loose. You take care of my little girl for me.”
“I will. I won’t let her out of my sight. This bastard is too sneaky.”
Taza nodded. “ I don’t care if Galindo’s entire cartel falls down around his ears. Don’t even let her out of your sight for Templo. You proxy that shit.” Taza pointed a finger at Hank’s rank patch. “That applies to her now too. Don’t forget it.”
“I won’t Taza. She’ll be with me the entire time. I promise you.”
Megan poked her head around the doorway to the kitchen. “Papa, do you still have my jewelry?”
“Of course, Chica. C’mon, we’ll get it.” Taza smiled and led her to his kutte where he pulled out the jewelry he’d kept for her the night before.
“Thank you.” Megan took it and immediately fastened the necklace around her neck over the Mayan green top with the lace back that he had bought her. She had her wrist cuff on too, he noticed. And her black jeans and boots.
“Would you like some help with your hair, Chica? We’ve got some time before we have to leave.” He tugged gently on a loose strand.
“Please? Doesn’t have to be fancy. I’ll be in the ring later to work off nerves though. Need it out of my face.” She smiled up at him and led the way to her dressing table.
“Two braids then?” Taza asked as he picked up her new brush and ran it gently through her hair.
“Yes please.”
A few minutes later, Taza had her hair braided tightly in two warrior braids. He tied them off and indicated for her to wait a moment before she got up. He went to the wooden jewelry box and pulled silver feather clips out and slid them around the hair ties at the end of her braids hiding them. “These won’t get messed up if you leave them in for training. They’ll actually weight the braids down so they don’t swing as much.”
Megan laughed and pulled one around to look at it. “Grandmother did a lot of fighting, did she?”
Taza chuckled a bit. “Not exactly. They were mine as a teen. She just kept them for me in her jewelry box.” Then he reached up and unfastened one of the necklaces from around his own neck and fastened it around hers. It sat higher than her crown and was on a cord so it wouldn’t get tangled.
Megan looked down at it. It was the one he always wore. The silver symbol that looked like a partial circle with the turquoise stone at the crest. “Papa?”
He kissed her head. “Perfect. Wear that for me until I get back, okay? It’ll help remind you that I AM coming back. I’m not abandoning you, Megan. I know that’s where this anxiety is rooted. I won’t leave you, I promise.”
Megan swallowed hard and blinked away her tears as she touched the warm, worn silver around her neck. “Thank you, Papa.”
“You’re welcome, Chica. C’mon. It’s nearly ten. We gotta go.”
They arrived at the club house with Megan riding pillion behind Taza instead of her normal perch behind Hank. She just wasn’t ready to let him go yet. Hank had her gym bag stashed in his saddlebag though.
Inside, they put the leftovers on the bar, and they were immediately swarmed by the bottomless pits that are the Santo Padre Mayans. Creeper and Marcus sat back shaking their heads at the younger men.
“You’d think their mothers never taught them manners,” Creeper muttered.
Marcus agreed. “It’s like feeding time at the zoo…”
Megan giggled as she slipped over for a hug. “Morning Creep. Morning Padrino. Not hungry?”
Creeper chuckled as Marcus wrapped his arms around her. “Mornin’ Little Princess. I’m just not willing to lose an arm for my breakfast.”
Marcus hugged her close and could feel her tension. “I’ll wait until the feeding frenzy ends.”
“So… I could tempt you if I, say, had a reserve container of sticky buns for those who actually have manners?” she teased and pulled a separate tupperware out of the bag she was carrying. She winked and set it on the table between them.
“You’re not a princessa, you're an angel. I swear.” Creeper laughed and took a pastry.
Marcus agreed as he bit into his breakfast. “Poquito, promise me you’ll teach your tía how to make these?”
Megan winked again. “Of course tío.”
The guys prepared to head out shortly after the food was consumed. They would stop by the warehouse to pick up the truck and Galindo’s men and then drive straight through to Vegas.
Megan clung to Taza tight, trying to control her emotions in front of the visiting charter. Her face was buried in the front of his shirt and Taza held her tight, letting her take her time. “Shh Chica. I know. Breathe. I’ll be back tomorrow morning. I’ll even wake you up when I get in if you want me to. I’ll call at every stop. Breathe, Sweetheart.”
Megan took a deep breath and subtly wiped her tears. “Ride safe, Papa. Be safe please?”
“Of course, Chica. I promise.” He cupped her face in his big hands. “Stay with Hank. Don’t leave his side. Stay right with him and your tíos. Be safe. Follow the rules. Don’t let anything that bastard may try take you from me, you understand? I’m coming back. You be here when I do.”
“Yes, Papa. I love you.” She swallowed hard and gave him a small smile.
“I love you too.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead and breathed a prayer before he handed her over to Hank so he could mount his bike. With a last wave, the Mayans rolled out.
Hank held Megan tight while petting down her back and rocking gently, making soothing noises the whole time.
The Oakland Mayans split off to go take shifts on the perimeter or to check in with contacts they’d made trying to find Brandon. His badge had been revoked and SPPD was looking for him too. He couldn’t be too far away.
Coco slipped into the club house for a cold bottle of water for Megan to drink once she had calmed. Angel and Gilly stood helplessly with their hands in their pockets. EZ went inside to clean the dishes from the breakfast Megan had brought.
After a few minutes, Megan calmed. Hank felt her start to relax into his arms and gave Bishop a reassuring nod.
“Angel, Gilly - go check in with Frankie. Find out what SPPD knows. Wherever they’ve already combed, do it again. This bastard is sneaky and we don’t know if he’s got allies or not,” Bishop ordered quietly.
Marcus nodded. “I’ll go meet with Galindo’s guys. See where they’re at with this.”
“Sounds good. We’ll keep in touch on the burners,” Gilly said. He was relieved not to be on Megan duty. Crying women were not his strong suit. He and Angel headed to the pit and rode out the gates with Marcus not far behind them - a few of his crew at his back.
Once they were all gone, Bishop gently urged Megan to look at him. “Alright Poquito. You ready for lesson two?”
Megan cleared her throat. “Of course, Padrino. Just let me go change.”
“Take your time, Sweetheart. And tell the Prospect to get his ass in the ring.” He winked at Megan’s watery giggle. “Gonna need a moving target this time.”
Ad promised, Hank shadowed her as she went inside to change for her boxing lesson. Only once she was in the bathroom behind the bar did he relax a bit. “Prospect! Get your ass in the ring! Bishop wants Megan to practice on a moving target and you’ve been volun-told,” he called.
Coco burst out laughing. “What’d the Boyscout do to piss off the Prez? Gotta be something if he’s ordering him to get his ass beaten by a girl.”
“Dunno, but I plan to watch,” Hank answered with a smirk. “Maybe even record some of it for Angel as future blackmail material.”
“Fuck yes! Where’s my phone?” Coco started searching through his pockets. When he found it, he glanced at the screen. “What is it with teenagers sleeping all fucking day? Still no call from Letty. She's supposed to call when she wakes up so I can send Chuckie for her.”
“Dunno man. I never did it. Even hungover I barely slept over five hours.” Hank shrugged. “She’ll call - or we can swing by and check on her at lunch.”
“Yeah.”
Megan came out in tight black leggings and a long tank top that she’d pack to work out in. She even swapped to tennis shoes.
Hank stared a moment before clearing his throat and smacking a still staring Coco in the back of the head. “Ready, mi Princessa?”
“Yeah. I need to get a case or something for my jewelry so you guys don’t always have to hold it for me.” She smiled a little.
“I don’t mind. Need me to take the feathers out of your hair?” Hank asked, holding his hand out to take the crown necklace and earrings from her.
She added her wristband to the pile. “No. Papa put them in so they’d keep my braids from bouncing too much in the ring. I’m not taking Papa’s necklace off either. I promised I’d wear it ‘til he got back.”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine, Ma. Taza’s worn it in the ring a million times. Shouldn’t be any different for you,” Coco assured her while still rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head.
Megan held up her bag. “Bish said something about a locker for this…”
“We can put it in mine for now. Get you assigned your own later today. C’mon. Let’s get you taped and ready to beat on the Prospect.” Hank took her bag and led the way out the back door to the bank of lockers just outside the ring. He opened the third one and put her bag inside before pulling a roll of white tape from the shelf.
At the ring, Bishop was waiting. He had EZ in his undershirt waiting on the sidelines. “There she is. Get taped up, Poquito. Today you learn where to hit on someone bigger than you.”
Coco chuckled. “That’s just about everyone…”
Megan flipped him off. “You know… Bishop would probably let me swap you out for EZ. I can always ask…” Megan teased.
“My bad, Ma. I’m good.”
Hank chuckled. “That’s my girl. C’mon, let’s get you taped, Princessa.”
After a half hour of warm up with the pads, Bishop started guiding her through the first punch to EZ’s body. He outlined where he wanted her to punch to land at the larger man’s diaphragm. “Hit them here. Not much higher or you’ll hit ribs and that’ll hurt you too. Go for soft spots. You hit them here - they won’t have the breath to keep fighting.”
Megan nodded and absorbed the information while bouncing on her toes. “No breath means even if they do swing, they can’t put power behind it.”
“Exactly. Good girl. Now… hit the Prospect.” Bishop grinned.
Megan froze. “What?”
“Hit him. You need to know how hard the hit needs to be to do the job. Go ahead. Won’t be his first time as a punching bag.” He patted EZ’s shoulder. “He doesn’t mind. Do ya?”
EZ gave her an easy grin. “Nah. Go ahead Megan. You gotta practice on someone.”
Hank called from the fence, “You’re alright, Princessa. You can do this.”
Megan nodded and psyched herself up to take the swing. The first hit made him grunt a little, but didn’t penetrate the thick muscle EZ had shielding his abs.
“Good. Gotta hit harder though, Poquito. Put your body weight into it,” Bishop coached.
Megan nodded again. She landed a second punch and EZ’s breath whooshed out. He doubled over briefly.
“Thata girl! Good one!” Hank cheered.
“Nice shot, Poquito!” Bishop was proud. He continued to coach her to get more power into that hit. She took the shot four more times before BIshop declared himself satisfied and dismissed EZ. He moved with Megan to the new punching bag hanging nearby.
EZ climbed out of the cage and collapsed onto the picnic bench making Coco chuckle.
“You alright, Boyscout?” He handed him a bottle of water.
“Yeah, man. My abs are gonna be bruised as hell, but I’ll live. La Princessa throws a mean punch.” EZ gratefully gulped water.
Hank kept his eyes on Megan, but glanced teasingly at the prospect. “Give you more of a respect for our bartender, heh?”
“Dude, she may look fragile as hell, but that’s one tough chick. You’d never think it, as much as she lets you guys baby her…” EZ crushed his bottle and threw it in the recycling bin nearby.
“We don’t baby her…” Hank protested. “There’s nothing wrong with treating a woman right, Boyscout. It’s called manners.”
Coco snorted. “Besides, the girl could use some babying. It’s no fun in the system and you pretty much end up raising yourself. And that’s in the best case scenario.” He lit a cigarette and took a long draw.
“Whatever, man. I’m just saying, Megan is stronger than you guys give her credit for. You're gonna have to give her a chance, when it’s safe, to figure out where she fits with the club.” He leaned foreward and watched her whale on the punching bag awhile. “You’ve built her into la princessa de los Mayas, but what does that mean? She can’t be JUST Hank’s Ol’ Lady. She’s going to need a job - and I don’t mean bartending.”
Hank nodded. “We know. It’s being discussed. Right now, her safety is priority though. And then her party.”
Megan had been working out for over an hour when Bishop called her off. “Alright, Poquito. Time to cool down. Don’t sit still or you’ll cramp, but you need to drink some water.”
Megan reluctantly stopped and started pacing the yard as she unwrapped her hands and calmed her breathing. “Thank you, tío Bishop.”
“You’re welcome. Feel better?” he asked, handing her a towel and a water bottle.
“Honestly - not really, but I don’t have the energy right now to self-destruct.” Megan sipped her water and wiped her face.
“Then I’ll call it a successful lesson.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her head. “You’ll be alright, Sweetheart. C’mon. Let’s get over to Hank before he has tantrum from Megan-withdrawls.”
She giggled tiredly, but let herself be led.
Bishop flamboyantly delivered her back to Hank. “Here she is, Caballero. Safe and sound.”
Hank flipped Bishop off with a grin before gently kissing Megan. “Good lesson, Princessa. You landed some good ones once you got the hang of it.”
“Thanks.” She turned to look at EZ. “You alright, Prospect?”
“Just fine, Princess.” EZ grinned at her and saluted. “Human punching bag at your service.”
Coco checked his phone again only to see no missed calls. “Hey, Ma? You got any calls from Letiticia today? She’s supposed to call me when she wakes up.”
“Lemme check.” Megan slipped to Hank’s locker and got her phone from her bag. “Nope. Nothing from Letty. Taza and the guys left the warehouse about thirty minutes ago though. They’re on their way.”
“Alright. That’s it. I’ma go roll her ass outta bed. Be back soon.” Coco sighed.
“Be sure she ain’t got a screwdriver handy, dude,” EZ warned. Coco just flipped him off and headed for his bike.
“Well, Poquito, that means you’re stuck with me and Hank for a bit. Let’s go get lunch, huh?” Bishop offered.
“Sure tío. Let me get changed back into real clothes.” Megan pressed a kiss to Hank’s lips and grabbed her gym bag. She headed inside with Hank while Bishop looked to EZ.
“Thanks, Ezekiel. She needed that.” He patted EZ’s shoulder.
“No problem, Bish. I’ll clear her a locker and find her a decent lock. Just leave her gym back behind the bar and I’ll take care of it while you guys are at lunch.”
“Thanks. We’ll do that.”
Inside, Megan's phone rang while she was changing. Letty’s caller ID made her grin, so she picked it up while pulling on her jeans. “There you are! Coco is on his way to roll you out of bed, girl. He’s worried.”
An unexpected mal voice answered her. “He should be. Bad idea to leave pretty girls unsupervised when I’m in town. How much do you think I’ll make selling your little friend as a sex slave, sis?”
Here's part 27! Beware, parts of this are so fluff filled you may get cavities just from reading.
Please do not duplicate, translate, or otherwise copy my work. Just don't be an ass.
Thank you to @drabbles-mc, @iamthegraham, @xeniarocks and @jemmakates. Y'all are seriously my cheerleaders and have kept me sane despite COVID, Pneumonia, and craziness with real life.
Warnings: cursing, cage fighting, Season 3 spoilers (maybe... but not really), FLUFF and Taza being the bestest Papa to ever live. Oh and mentions lots of kisses.
Megan came out tying a knot in the bottom of the borrowed shirt at her hip. She quickly finished and smiled up at Taza and Hank - one of which was completely enchanted by the sight of her in his soft colors. “Papa, Bish says that I need to take off all my jewelry. Will you hold it for me?”
“Of course, Chica. Here, let me help you with the necklace.” Taza unlatched the dainty chain and slid the combs out of her braids. He slid them into the inner pocket of his kutte and held his hand out for her earrings. Once she had them off, he put them away too. “There we go. All good?”
“Si, Papa. All good.”
Hank cleared his throat. “Alright then. Let’s head out to the ring and get your hands wrapped.”
At the ring, Hank started showing Megan how to wrap her wrists and hands to protect herself while training.
Bishop stripped and hung up his kutte and overshirt, He tucked his wallet, watch and ring into the pocket of his kutte. He watched Hank teaching Megan and couldn’t help but smile. Even if Megan only ever got into training fights, she’d be able to wrap Hank’s hands for the cage. “You ready, Poquito?”
“I think so.” She flashed him a smile as Hank checked her wrappings one more time. Hank nodded - finally satisfied - and kissed her wrapped knuckles.
“Into the ring, Princessa. Have fun.” He winked and let Megan climb into the cage.
Bishop walked his god daughter through a few very basic punches, much to the amusement of a few visiting patches who were hanging around chatting and having a smoke. He held the pads and let Megan practice. As she got more excited, she started naturally bouncing on the balls of her feet.
“Good, Poquito! Move those feet. You’re a natural, Sweetheart,” Bishop praised. “Keep some flex in your wrist. Let it bounce back. Good girl!”
“Watch your breathing, Chica. You’re holding your breath,” Taza called from the sidelines where he stood with his arms crossed over his chest.
Megan nodded and adjusted her breathing before getting back into the rhythm of the exercise.
Bishop watched her carefully and when she started showing signs of fatigue he stopped her. She’d had a long day, despite her nap earlier. “Good girl, Poquito! Good girl. That’s enough for tonight. We’ll have you fighting for the belt in no time.” He dropped the pads and offered her a hug.
Megan took it with a grin and tucked herself under his arm as they climbed out of the ring. “Thank you, Padrino, for teaching me.”
“No problem, Sweetheart. We’ll have lessons regularly. Get you training.” He kissed her hair. “Something we can do together, hmm?”
“I’d really like that.” She smiled up at him. “Can’t wait, Tío.”
“Good girl. Now, go wrap Hank’s hands. He’s got an Oakland patch to pound into the mats.” He released her with a grin and watched her skip over to the picnic table where Hank had been sitting, tensely watching the lesson.
As much as he hoped she’d never have to use the knowledge Bishop was giving her, he could see that she had lots of fun with her padrino. “How was your first lesson, mi princessa? Did you have fun?” Hank asked as she got closer.
“It’s fun. Bishop says we can train more too.” Megan flashed him a grin that made him catch his breath in the best way. Sometimes, she shocked the hell out of him when she smiled like that at him. He couldn’t believe that he was her choice. “Can I try to wrap your hands? Wanna see if I am doing it right.” She smiled innocently up at him and rocked back and forth on her heels.
“Sure, Princessa. C’mere first though.” He was perched on the top of the picnic table with his feet on the bench, so he pulled her gently to kneel between his feet where he could kiss her with a soft smile.
Megan giggled and balanced herself with her hands on his shoulders. She gave him his kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck to pull herself closer.
Bishop chuckled as he redressed when he saw Hank pull Megan in for a kiss. He outright laughed at her response. His god daughter was feeling invincible right now and it showed. “Alright, alright. I thought you had a plan for the night, Tranq. You got business to handle before you go romancing my favorite student,” he called out.
Megan snorted in laughter and pressed her forehead to Hank’s as she bit her bottom lip teasingly. “He’s got a point. You promised me a surprise. I promise I was very good all day.”
“That I did, mi princessa.” He pressed another kiss to her lips before reaching for the roll of tape for his hands. “Wrap me up, baby. I’ll take care of our rude friend and then we can head out.”
Megan was very concentrated on wrapping Hank perfectly. Bishop and Taza watched from where they were leaned up against the back of the club house wall. Bish lit a cigarette and couldn’t help the smile on his face.
“Our girl is a fast learner, Taza.” Bishop flicked her ashes and chuckled as he watched Hank’s face as he mooned over Megan.
“Yes. She is.” Taza chuckled too. “Next time she hits someone, she’ll break more than their nose.”
Bishop looked around and saw that they were out of ear shot for most of the people in the yard especially if they were quiet. “My jeweler sent me a picture today. He finished Megan’s Quince ring.” He pulled his phone out of his kutte and pulled up the picture before handing it to Taza with a grin.
On the screen were several angles of a dainty Mayan signet ring like the one Marcus wore - only this one was crowned. It was silver colored and matched the style of her necklace and the earrings Hank had bought her.
“That’s beautiful, brother. Silver?” Taza asked with a small smile.
“Tungsten. Safer than titanium, but still harder than silver.” He kept his eyes on the gathering crowd and his voice low.
Taza handed him back the phone. “Her tiara will be done in a few days. How’s Marcus coming with the watch?”
“I know he’s got it ordered. Knowing him - it’s over the top.” Bishop chuckled.
Taza laughed outright. “And you aren’t?”
“Maybe a little bit.” He looked at his boots with a sheepish grin.
Marcus joined them with fresh beers. “Taking bets on how long Carlos lasts against Tranq?”
“Nah - discussing our progress on la princessa’s Quince gifts.” Bishop pulled the picture back up and showed his cousin.
“Beautiful, Primo. Was that done here in town? I may need to get one for Tessa to grow into.” He grinned at Bishop.
“Yeah. My guy just across the border in Santo Madre made it. Based it off a picture of yours.” Bishop sipped his beer and noted that Hank’s hands had been wrapped for a while now and the giant man had resumed sneaking kisses from a slightly giggly Megan. “We need to get this fight going before Tranq forgets that he’s pissed off.”
Taza looked over and grinned. “Believe me. Carlos steps out, he’ll get riled up real fast.”
Marco and José brought the loudmouth from that morning to the side of the ring. He’d wrapped his own hands and stripped off his kutte and shirt for the fight. He looked scared out of his mind.
Marcus sighed and shook his head. “I honestly thought Carlos was smarter than this. He’s got a good head on his shoulders in Oakland, but this is his first ride with my crew. Let’s hope Hank can educate him on how to behave when visiting another charter.”
Bishop grinned. “He’s about to get VERY educated, Padrino. Very educated.”
Creeper joined them shortly and looked to Bishop. “How’re we doing this?” Normally Hank was the ref, but Creep was the best second. Bish indicated that Creep should wait a moment and Creeper just nodded.
After stepping to the side of the ring, Bishop let out his high pitched whistle and everyone got quiet. Megan slid out of Hank’s lap and tucked herself against his side. “Alright. We’ve got a cage match that’s been called by Tranq. Carlos spoke rashly this morning about la princessa de los Mayas causing major offense to her, her father, her padrinos AND her caballero. Now, he pays the price. Tranq… teach him some manners.”
Hank was all serious now with a fire in his eyes. He took his kutte off and wrapped it around Megan’s shoulders before stripping his shirts and laying them beside her. “Be right back, mi princessa.” He pressed a kiss to her still wrapped knuckles and one more to her lips as he tugged his kutte closer around her. Then he made his way into the cage with Carlos and shut the door, decisively, behind himself.
Taza moved to sit on the bench by Megan’s feet with a grin. “This shouldn’t take long, Chica.”
Megan snuggled into Hank’s kutte and nodded, but pressed her knee against Taza’s side.
At Bishop’s nod, Creeper fired his pistol into the dirt.
The fight was certainly quick. Carlos tried to land blows on Hank, but they were mostly glancing blows. Hank was very quick on his feet for such a big man and he was even pulling some of his punches. Carlos was a lot smaller than him and he didn’t want to severely injure the guy for being an idiot. He also couldn’t go too easy on him or he wouldn’t be defending Megan’s honor properly though. So, Hank thoroughly tenderized the poor man.
He took a few glancing blows to the body while watching Megan out of the corner of his eye to check on her. She sat where he’d left her with his kutte around her shoulders and her eyes glued on him. She looked damn good in his kutte.
Carlos was getting winded - the blows to his ribs and diaphragm didn’t help. After Hank threw a right hook to his jaw, Carlos hit the mat for the first time.
Hank looked at Megan again. She was biting her bottom lip again. Nervous. When Carlos stood back up, Hank turned back to the fight.
Taza grinned. He knew what Hank was doing. The bigger Mayan was completely ignoring Bishop. Not looking for his cues like he normally did in a cage fight. “Well Princessa? Has your honor been avenged? Hank will keep going until you give him the sign to stop.” He gently jostled her knee.
“Is that what he’s waiting for? He’s not going full out either, is he?” Megan asked quietly. “What’s protocol here, Papa?” She glanced down at him but quickly went back to watching the fight at the loud ‘OOOOH’ from the gathered crowd. Hank had busted Carlos’ nose pretty solidly.
“No he’s not Chica, but I imagine that’s what he’s waiting for. Bishop usually calls a fight, but Hank isn’t watching Bishop for the signal. He hasn’t glanced at him once. He’s watching you.”
Bishop chuckled from a few feet away. “Whenever you’re ready, Poquito, just give him a little nod and he’ll end it.”
Megan sat up a little straighter and slipped her arms into Hank’s kutte properly before nodding nervously at her godfather. The next time Hank looked her way, Megan gave a deliberate nod of her head.
Hank nodded back with a small smile and turned back to Carlos. “Are you ready to publicly apologize to mi princessa? If not, I can do some more damage,” he called out.
“Yes! I will apologize,” Carlos answered after spitting a mouthful of blood onto the mat.
“Good. You can do it when you wake up.” Hank threw a true right hook - without pulling his punch this time - which landed perfectly to plant Carlos on the mat, out cold.
Creeper fired his pistol again to signal the end of the fight and people started to drift away to get drink refills or settle bets.
Megan met Hank at the cage door to be scooped up in his arms and held tight against his bare chest. “Alright, mi princessa?”
She nodded and pressed her face tight between his neck and shoulder, clinging to him like a koala.
He hoisted her higher and guided her legs to wrap around his waist. He kept her close and moved to reclaim his perch on the picnic table. “Take your time, Princessa. You’re doing good. Breathe.”
Taza gently rubbed her knee. He knew this wasn’t a panic attack. She was just overwhelmed. It had been a very long and tiring day for her. “Just breathe, Chica.” Marcus and Bishop stood nearby, ready to help if they were needed.
Hank ran his hands firmly down her back and smiled. “You know, I thought you couldn’t look better than you do in my shirt, Princessa. Proved myself wrong when I saw you in my kutte. Gonna have to let you keep the shirt though…”
Megan giggled and sniffed a little before loosening the stranglehold she had on him and sat back. She wiped her face and laughed again. “Like you could stop me.”
“Thata girl,” Taza chuckled.
Hank smiled. “Truth.” He kissed her gently. “Better?”
“Yeah. No one’s ever stood up for me before. Not really.” She smiled shyly.
“I told you, Princessa. I’m all in.” He pressed his forehead to hers with a smile. “Arthur and Guinevere.”
“Arthur and Guinevere,” she repeated.
“And just like Guinevere - my lady needs to choose a second knight for her escort for the evening…” Bishop said with a laugh. “You two have a ‘date’ to get to.”
Hank laughed and pulled back to look at Bishop. “Gilly’s going to be our escort until Taza comes home. We already arranged it while the Prospect was putting shit together. Everything’s all set.”
“Good. Then maybe it’s time to get Poquito somewhere more comfortable, hmm? Take her home, Hank.” Marcus said with a smile. “And you better treat her right, eh, or she might try out those new punches.”
Hank grinned and tucked a stray hair behind Megan’s ear. “I think I’m safe enough.”
Megan grinned back.
“C’mon, Princessa, let’s go home.” Hank smiled and helped her to stand and say her goodbyes. He led her away after waving Gilly down and headed for the pit.
Back at the ranch, they went inside and Hank sent Megan to get changed for their movie date.
“What should I wear?” she asked him with a grin.
“Warm and comfy, Princessa. We’re going to be outside.” Hank pressed a kiss to her hand and smiled as she turned to go change. “Take your time.”
“Please tell me there is at least food involved? That poor girl hasn’t eaten since the diner,” Gilly mentioned.
Hank chuckled at Gilly’s mother henning. “Yes, I’m feeding her. You - on the other hand - better raid the fridge for leftover chicken salad.”
Gilly laughed. “Ouch, hermano. No love for the chaperon? I’m hurt.”
“Yeah well you better be ‘hurt’ in the fucking livingroom. We’ll leave the patio doors open so you can hear if anything bad happens, but she’s getting a damn date one way or another.” Hank shoved him playfully and went to heat up the food he’d picked up from Mama earlier in the day. When he’d mentioned wanting to do this, Mama had told him she’d make them dinner so that they weren’t eating take out.
He heated up the barbacoa and rice while being sure all the toppings were ready. Hank COULD cook. Mama had made sure of that. But his shift at the yard today prevented him from being able to devote the time he felt the first meal he made for Megan with his own hands needed, so he loved the fact that his mama wanted to help.
Once everything was out on the patio, Hank slipped into the bedroom to change himself. The fight had been short, but he’d worked up a sweat anyway.
He found Megan in a pair of black leggings and an oversized gray sweater. She was taking down her braids carefully. She hadn’t reclaimed her jewelry from Taza and she’d washed her face. She looked entirely too innocent for him, but the smile she flashed him was so worth it.
“Gonna get changed too?” she asked.
“Yeah. Going to rinse off real quick. Get a real shower later.” He leaned in the doorway watching as she sat at the new dressing table EZ had put together that day at Taza’s behest. Megan smiled at him again in the mirror as she finished unbraiding her hair.
“Okay. Need me to do anything?” she asked as she reached for her hairbrush.
“No, mi princessa. Everything is taken care of. Stay in the living room or even in here for me though. No peeking.” He grinned and went to press a kiss to the top of her head before grabbing some clean clothes and slipping into the bathroom.
A few minutes later he came back out in his sweats and a long sleeved white shirt to find Megan curled up in her arm chair with a book from her new shelf. It made him smile again. Megan returned his smile and placed a bookmark in her book. “Ready, Princessa?”
“Whenever you are. Figured if I stayed here there was less of a chance of Gilly getting his ass kicked.” She put her book on the little side table and stood. She had added fuzzy socks which made her look even tinier.
“Probably a good idea.” Hank shook his head with a laugh before wrapping his arms around her. She snuggled into him with a sigh that sounded like pure bliss. “Not exactly how I wanted this date to go, but I’ll take it. C’mon. Dinner’s getting cold.
He led her down the hall and out to the back patio where a white screen and projector had been set up courtesy of Creeper so that they could watch a movie. The patio love seat was covered in cushions and the fuzzy blankets she loved. Dinner was on the patio coffee table. “Not quite the dinner and a movie I promised, but the best I could do under the circumstances.”
Megan’s eyes twinkled up at him under the fairy lights the guys had helped him string. “I love it. What are we watching?”
“Well you have a few to choose from. I asked Creeper to download a variety that wasn’t too heavy. We’ve got a few superhero movies and Incredibles 2 - the new Disney movie,” Hank said with a smile. “Nothing too drama filled. Just fun stuff.”
“Can we really watch a Disney movie?” she asked as she snuggled into his side excitedly.
“Absolutely. I’ve even got candy for after dinner too.” He held her close and kissed her forehead. “C’mon, Princessa. I’ll put it on. Let’s eat.”
After dinner, Megan was curled against his side giggling at the movie when Gilly poked his head out of the patio doors. He quietly snuck out and grabbed the dishes off the coffee table. On his way back inside, he spoke quietly to Hank. “I’ll run these through the dishwasher. Taza should be home before the end of the movie, so I’ll just slip out when he gets here.”
“Thanks, ‘mano,” Hank whispered.
Megan looked up at him with a tiny smile. “Thank you, Gilly. See you tomorrow?”
“Of course, Short Stuff. See you tomorrow.”
After he was back inside, Hank pulled Megan closer and tucked the blanket up around her shoulders. “Warm enough, Princessa?”
“Mmmhmm. Maybe we should talk Taza into a patio heater for this winter. I know it doesn’t get that cold here, but it would be nice.” She tucked her head down against his chest with a smile.
“We’ll get one. Anything to be sure you’re warm enough.” Hank pressed a kiss to her forehead and let her go back to watching the cartoon.
When the credits started rolling, he glanced down to find Megan yawning into the blankets. “Sleepy? Ready to call it a night?”
“Nuh uh.”
He laughed. “You’re practically asleep in my lap, Princessa. Why don’t you head inside. See your papa for a few minutes. I’ll clean up out here and meet you inside, hmm?”
“Papa’s home?” she asked quietly.
“Yeah. He pulled in a few minutes ago. He’s probably packing.” He nudged her gently. “Go on in.”
“Okay.” Megan stood up taking her blanket with her. “Sure you don’t want me to help out here?”
“I’m sure. I’m just bringing in the pillows and blankets and the electronics. Go.” He kissed her gently and shooed her inside.
Megan made her way to Taza’s bedroom door and knocked tentatively. “Papa?”
“Come on in, Chica,” he called through the door.
Megan found him throwing a change of clothes and a few toiletries into a backpack. He intended to turn around and come straight back after the drop, but had been caught too many times in freak weather or something not to be prepared.
“Did you have a good time on your ‘date’, Sweetheart? Hank really wanted you to have something fun.” He smiled and opened his arms for a hug.
Megan gratefully took the affection. Seeing him packing made his leaving too real. “Mmmhmm. We watched the new Incredibles movie from Disney. It was fun. We need a patio heater so we can do more out there even after it gets chilly.”
Taza kissed her hair. “Of course, Chica. We’ll look at one later this week, okay?”
Megan nodded and buried her face in the front of his button down. “I wish you didn’t have to go,” she said quietly.
“I know, Chica. I hate that I have to go so soon after you got here. But I’ll be back before you wake up day after tomorrow.” He held her close to him and stroked her long hair. “Hank will be here with you and I asked Coco to be your second here tomorrow night. You’ll be perfectly safe with them.”
“I know. I just really don’t like being separated from you for that long.” She squeezed him and tilted her head to look up at him.
He kissed her forehead. “I know. I know. Just this run, Sweetheart. Then I won’t have to go anywhere without you for a few months.”
“Sorry. I’m being a baby. I know.” She sighed.
Taza sat in his rocking chair and pulled Megan into his lap to tuck her under his chin and rock gently. “You aren’t ‘being a baby’, Chica. You’re telling me how you feel. And everyone knows first runs are always the hardest for those left behind. Truthfully, I hope you never really get used to me being gone. I kinda like that you want me around.” He rested his head on hers.
“I don’t want to go to bed. Means it’s closer to you leaving,” she said with a quiet sniffle.
He smiled a little and rubbed her back. He may not have gotten to experience her separation anxiety on her first day of school or daycare when she was growing up, but it looked like he was making up for it now.”What if we do like we did the other night, hmm? I’ll start the fireplace and we can do stories again until you fall asleep.”
“I don’t want you to be too tired tomorrow when you have to ride, though.” She sighed.
“I promise, Chica. It’s only a six hour ride. We’re leaving at eleven. I’ll get plenty of sleep if you promise not to fight sleep too hard.” He chuckled and kissed her hair again. “I’ll bet you were an anxious little thing who didn’t sleep the night before big events, weren’t you?”
Megan giggled. “Drove my foster families nuts until I got old enough to be left to put myself to bed at like age seven or eight. Almost never slept before a rodeo either. I run mostly on caffeine and nerve.”
“Mmmm. From what I remember, you mother was the same way. Big runs drove her crazy.”
Megan waited a beat as Taza rocked her and played with a button on his shirt. “Taza?”
“Yes, Sweetheart?”
“Were you in love with Gabriella?” she asked quietly.
Taza thought about his answer carefully. He wanted to be honest with her, but he also had things that he wasn’t ready for her to know just yet about his past. “Maybe. In a way.” He never stopped rocking her or stroking her hair. “Your mother was beautiful, Megan. You got your looks from her. Size too. Definitely got my coloring though. I know you only ever saw her as an addict, but she was beautiful and kind. She was so sweet when she was younger. There was another boy that we were very close to, your mother and I. David.” Taza smiled softly. “We were an inseparable trio at the VM parties and even outside them. At one point we even all lived together. We were young, Chica. And dumb. Very dumb sometimes. But I did miss her when she disappeared. We looked for her for days. When we couldn’t find her and no threats came through for the club, we gave up and just hoped she’d come home.”
“You mean when she left to have me?” she asked quietly.
“That’s what it looks like now, Chica.” He cuddled her close in his lap like a child. “I’m still not sure why she ran. I’d have loved you even as young and reckless as I was. I always wanted a family. David would have loved you too. Maybe if she had stayed, you’d have grown up very differently. Been a little more spoiled, but you would never have had to doubt that you were loved, Chica. That I AM certain of.”
Megan was quiet for a few minutes, just enjoying the comfort that her papa offered her. “Papa?”
“Yes, Sweetheart?”
“Did something happen to David? Is that why you left the VM? You keep talking about him as if he were gone.”
“Yes, Chica. Once there was no David and no Gabriella - there was nothing holding me there anymore. I no longer agreed with the direction the club was going. So… I left. And it was the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“Because then you met my padrinos?”
Taza laughed. “I sure did. I met your tío Bishop first and he introduced me to your tío Marcus. Marcus sponsored me and when Bish moved down here to start the new charter, I followed. The rest is some very inappropriate history.”
He glanced down to find Megan asleep in his lap. She really did hate to sleep. At least she was getting some rest between the naps in his or Hank’s laps and having her very own giant teddy bear in Hank at night.
Taza heard a chuckle from the doorway. Hank stood there watching as Taza continued to rock. “She really is like a toddler. Falls asleep at the drop of a hat when she gets still,” Hank said quietly.
Taza stroked her hair back out of her face. “I used to do it too right out of the service. I’d run myself ragged until my body forced me to sleep. She comes by it honestly. Hopefully, once things calm down and she feels safe, she’ll be on a more normal sleep schedule.”
“Hopefully soon. She’s not doing her body any favors pushing like she does. You gonna keep her for a bit? If so, I’ll go get a real shower. Maybe write that armory report for Bish real quick,” Hank whispered.
“Yeah man. Go on. I’ll bring her to bed in a bit. I’ll read for a while. It’ll let her get some time before the run,” Taza said, but he didn’t reach for his book. He was too lost in the past and the memories the conversation with Megan had brought to the surface.
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