AN: Thank you so much to the brave few who read our first collaborative effort. And a huge, all caps THANK YOU to the fantastic handful who reviewed and kept us going! We appreciate it, ladies!

This is the end of Sturgis, but the beginning of all that's crazy to come. Next we'll be posting "We Are Young": a look at the ups and downs, dramatic turns and successes of the Charming and Tacoma charters. Family, blood, and club work together in strange ways, and we're excited to bring the kids to life from beginning to end.

Thank you, again. Reviews are absolutely lovely!

…

14. Black Hills Souvenirs

The morning that was their last in Sturgis, South Dakota dawned cloudless, though all Cass could tell from her makeshift bed was that the very first rays of light were probing at the window panes in the front room of the cabin, quietly asking if they could come in and warm the world around them. Everything was a muted, perfect blue. And as she lay with an arm propped behind her head, she thought it was a nice parallel to her situations – all of them – because things were back to good.

If Sturgis had been meant as a test, she'd struggled, but ultimately, she'd passed. Her closet door had come bursting open and all her skeletons had danced their jig for all – all – to see. Whiskey Purcell didn't have her son. Her mom and Luc were still safe back in Tacoma. The niece, and subsequently the whole of Charming, didn't hate her, and best of all, her man still wanted her. Loved her despite the bullshit. Mine. His declaration still echoed in her brain. It warmed her just as much as the feel of his hand, that was now sliding up her side and pulling her body closer to his.

Safe. Happy. Loved. Even with a rogue mattress spring from the sofa bed jabbing her in the ribs, even with the numerous bumps, cuts, scrapes and bruises, split lips and partial shiners…life was beautiful.

"Mornin', gorgeous," Koz's first-thing-in-the-morning voice was gruff against her neck. His lips and short growth of stubble tickled her skin. "So," he drawled. "Heard talk that the club may take another run at Sturgis next year."

"Hmm." She turned, repositioning herself so she was lying on her back, looking up at him. He was propped on his elbow, disheveled, but sexy as hell. Of course he was. "You're telling me this, because? You plan on still having me around this time next year and you, what? Want to tempt fate again?" His soft chuckle and grin was enough of an answer. She smiled; she couldn't bite it back if she'd wanted to, which she didn't, but was about to tell him that he could have a free pass to attend the pussy parade, that she had no plans of returning to Sturgis – The Fifth Ring of Hell – ever…

But the front door of the cabin banged open and two figures rushed in.

Cassie yelped involuntarily as with one quick, fluid movement, Koz moved over her and positioned himself between her and the intruders. In the process, he'd managed to liberate his gun from beneath his pillow and now had it aimed at the interlopers.

"Holy fuck! Don't shoot us, dude!" she recognized Carter's voice as he stepped in front of the other figure. Over Koz's shoulder, she took in the kid's blonde head, and the darker, long locks of the girl behind him: obviously his T-shirt girlfriend, Mia.

"Ever heard of fuckin' knocking?" Kozik hissed, lowering his weapon.

The commotion in the main room had the doors to both bedrooms opening. Juice with Ava tucked behind him stood at the threshold of one. RJ and Tux stepped out of the other.

RJ had his gun in hand. "What the shit's goin' on out here?"

Cassie sat up, sheet pulled up to her chin, and saw Juice make another fruitless stab at keeping his wife behind him. He looked still half-asleep, whereas Ava had figured out the noisemakers were non-threatening. "Carter?" Juice asked. "You been gone for, like…three days. Shit! Where've you been?"

The Charming member's smile was priceless: a mix of joy, pride, and terror. "Um…we kinda just got married."

-O-

Ava spat her toothpaste in the sink and then moved aside so Juice could run his razor under the tap again. Shared bathroom time had seemed really cute…the first week they'd been married. Now they had their morning routine with one sink down to a science at home, so they'd decided to save some time in the cabin and go it together.

"You haven't said much," Juice said as he dragged the razor across his cheek again.

She popped her toothbrush back in its plastic tube and shook her head. "About Carter?"

"Yeah."

"Not my place."

She could tell he tried not to laugh, but he couldn't help it, chuckling quietly. "O-kay."

Ava frowned at her reflection as she uncoiled the towel she'd wrapped her hair up with and finger-combed the snarls from the wet strands. The older she became, the more she was realizing that, though Gemma had sage advice, she wasn't always the best person to emulate. Her explosive opinions weren't beneficial to anyone: and she knew there'd be no changing Carter's mind. "It isn't," she insisted. "He can marry whoever he wants."

Juice laughed. "That's like sticking a cork in a volcano. You might as well let it out now before you say it in front of him." He handed her the tube of vitamin E enriched lotion and presented her with his tattoo. "Do my back?"

"I'm not gonna pass judgment," Ava said, taking the lotion and squirting a dollop onto her fingertips. She frowned to herself as she rubbed it into the newly-inked skin on her Old Man's back. "I've had my share of issues and it would be wrong for me to -," he was still laughing. "Oh, for Christ's sakes, they've known each other a week, Juice! A week!"

"Shit," through the mirror, she saw him physically wipe away his smile with a hand across his mouth. But it came back anyway. "Maybe now I won't be the biggest dumbass in Charming."

She had to grin, shook her head a fraction. "You were never that." Ava capped the lotion and he turned around. He had a terrible poker face, and while that was a dangerous weakness out there in the big world, she appreciated that fact at home. She got to see the sparkle in his eyes when he was complimented.

The air shifted between them and she knew the Carter and Mia issue had been put off on some obscure back burner.

"So," Juice said, his smile shifting gears, becoming the one she knew was just hers. "Worth the trip?"

"Jesus…overall? Yeah, I guess. But I will not miss Sturgis."

"So that's a no on next year?"

"Definitely."

She stretched her neck as he leaned down and smiled against his lips when they kissed. "We made it, though," she said quietly as they pulled apart.

He rested his forehead against hers a moment. "Yeah we did."

Because no matter how crazy the week had been, that was the important thing.

-O-

Cassie had no opinion whatsoever about Mrs….well, she didn't know Carter's last name, but Mia seemed like a sweet girl. She didn't have a thought in her head about the young couple, aside from thanking Mia for helping her pack up the foodstuffs. The lanky brunette seemed a little anxious about their departure, and Cass had long ago learned that staying busy was the best cure for that.

"Is this all its stuff?" Leon asked as he picked up the plastic shopping bag that contained Nikki's litter pan, dishes, kitten formula and food. The scruffy-looking prospect had the orange kitten held in his other hand and it was a comical, but cute image.

"Yeah," Cassie stepped forward to give her new baby one last scratch on top of its head. He was going to ride in the truck with Leon and Cappy back to Tacoma.

Koz snorted as he came into the cabin. "Anything happens to that cat on the way home," he warned the prospect, "and you might as well just keep on driving till you hit Canada."

"Aww," Cass welcomed her man with a grin as Leon took his charge out with a stiff nod. "You do love him."

"Not exactly, but chasing two assholes through Canada would be a handy excuse to steer clear of the meltdown you'd have."

She rolled her eyes and handed him the saddle bag she'd crammed full of her belongings. All their souvenirs save his sweatshirt were in shipping boxes on their way back to Tacoma. She and Ava had gone to the post office the day before and had gone through Ava's cell phone photo gallery – since she was using the cheap replacement cell Koz had bought as a holdover till they got home – while they waited in line, talking about their sons, trading stories. Then they'd typed their respective numbers and email addresses into one another's phones.

"This it?" Koz asked, shouldering the bag. "You wanna do one more check?"

For an outlaw, the man could be downright motherly at times. She smirked. "I've checked five times and – ,"

"Morning, all!" Janine Devine was much too loud for eight a.m., but that wasn't going to stop her. She had arrived in the doorway and her pose screamed of Hollywood and all things dramatic, booted feet planted on the hardwood, arm thrust in the air with a camera clenched in one hand. "I'm cataloguing memories, so if you could all step outside, please."

RJ was coming out of the bunk room, cigarette held between his teeth. "And if we don't?"

Janine's smile never wavered. "Oh, it's not up for negotiation, sweetheart."

-O-

They were a ragtag group that posed in front of cabin six. Juice had two black eyes and a busted lip left over from his fight with Roman. Koz was a little busted up thanks to Tig. Cassie had one shiner, scratched up arms and a knot on her forehead – mud wrestling, Ava's nails and the blonde bimbo. Ava knew her scabby knees were visible through the holes she'd torn in her jeans. Carter had a bruise hidden under the sleeve of his shirt where one of the Top Cays had slugged him, and his…wife…had a distinct hickey on her neck.

"You know, I think I'm the prettiest one here," RJ commented.

"Dunno," Tux said, "I'm kinda pretty too."

"Yeah, you are."

"Alright, y'all," Janine snapped her fingers to capture their collective attention. She stood on the gravel drive, camera in hand, trying to arrange them all. "Squish together a little bit…there, like that. Mayday, you're gonna have to duck down, honey. I'm cuttin' off the top of your head."

"She reminds me of Gemma," Carter said in a stage whisper, "on a whole bottle of Prozac."

"I heard that!" But the Tacoma queen didn't sound angry. "Okay, everybody say 'Sturgis'!"

There was a resounding chorus of "Sturgis!" and the camera went off with a flash.

"I'll email everyone copies," Janine promised as she headed toward the next cabin and the next group of photographic victims.

As they disbanded and went back to their separate tasks, Ava was struck, for the first time, that the week had come to a close. Admittedly, there wasn't anything to miss about this raucous little town – she had her own raucous little town back home, with her own home, own space and decidedly fewer drunks wandering the streets. But having everyone together like this had been, mostly, fun.

She found Cassie beside Koz's bike, and took a deep breath as she approached. Wow, she was really bad at this whole friend thing, wasn't she? But she was trying. Because she wanted to, and that felt like a big step.

"Hey."

Cass had been stowing something in the Dyna's saddle bag and glanced up. "Hey." She stood and brushed her hands off on her jeans. Her smile indicated she wasn't quite sure how to handle this either. "We got our deposit back. The girl in the office said she was pretty sure the place was cleaner than when she rented it out to us. I worried about the picture frame, but Mayday did a good job with the super glue. Deft fingers for a large man…God, I'm babbling. I hate goodbyes."

Ava did too. "I'm sure we'll talk again."

"I hope so." Cass toed at the gravel, glanced across the drive to where Ava knew Koz was standing. Even if she didn't need his help or company at the moment, her eyes wanted to follow him. It was one of those unconscious, honest reflexes you couldn't fake. And Ava knew that all these boys had tons of fake at their beck and call, but that real was rare and to be revered.

She took a deep breath – she wasn't sure she'd ever expected to say this to anyone. "You've got him hooked: line and sinker all that fishing metaphor shit." The other girl's eyes came back. "And I'm glad. He needs someone to keep his ass in line. Too long alone and they turn into…Tig."

Cassie choked on a laugh. "Not sure time was a contributing factor there, but yeah, I'll try my best."

"Well…" Ava was determined not to let it get too awkward. "You guys have a safe trip back to Tacoma, okay?" She was the one who initiated the hug, and Cass returned it.

"I'm really glad I got to meet you."

"Me too."

"Look at this. Hugging and everything." Ava pulled back and saw that Koz had joined them, looking smug. He dropped an arm across both their shoulders. "I can't decide if it's a miracle or some kinda evil spell."

"Ha," Ava pushed at him, but he wasn't letting go. "You know you're glad."

"Never said I wasn't."

When she glanced up at him, she saw that he was smiling like she hadn't seen in a while – maybe not in years. And any woman who could tap into the younger, less-troubled Koz of her youth was okay in her book.

"Hey," she heard Juice's voice behind them. "You know your mom's gonna want a picture. Turn around, you guys."

"Ah, come on, bad as Janine," Koz grumbled, but he pivoted around anyway, both his girls under his arms. Juice had his phone out, grinning like…well…an idiot, and it made Ava grin too. Until her face hurt.

"Smile," Juice instructed, though they already were. "Say 'can't wait to get the fuck home from Sturgis'."

The Long Ride Home…

Ava was pretty sure the Redwood clubhouse was a ghost town tonight: everyone was partied the hell out and just wanted to be at home. She leaned back on her mom's couch and hugged a sleepy Sam against her chest. It was late, but everyone was fighting yawns.

"He missed his mama," Maggie said. She had finally parked it on the loveseat after insisting they all have a snack and a drink. Ava knew that she and Juice and Sam and Chibs had all collectively become "her babies", and she was beaming to have them back.

Ava pressed a kiss to the top of her own baby's soft, downy head, breathing in the familiar smell of his Johnson & Johnson shampoo. "I missed you so, so, so, so much," she told him, and heard Juice chuckle beside her.

"She was having nightmares about him forgetting who she was."

"Aye, he looked real confused," Chibs said with a laugh. Sam had practically launched himself into her arms when they'd walked through the door.

"Is he gonna have a little brother or sister to keep him company?" Maggie asked.

Juice groaned. "There's something fun to discuss with the in-laws..."

Ava crossed her fingers and held them up for her mom to see.

-O-

It was the absolute dead of night when Koz let his knees buckle and fell back across Cassie's bed. The mattress made a soft sound as he landed in the middle of it, and it cushioned his fall with heavenly softness. It was a big, soft marshmallow of a cloud compared to the pull-out sofa shit they'd spent the past week on, which, he couldn't help but chuckle, inspired visions of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters.

Cassie had been setting up the cat's litter box in the bathroom and emerged at the sound of his laugh, head tilted in question. She looked exhausted, but not disheveled: the girl always had an air of composed elegance about her. "You alright?"

He nodded. "Never better. Why?"

"Just checking." She reached down and wearily began removing her boots, had to brace a hand on the arm of her chair to keep from toppling over. She set them off to the side, shimmied out of her jeans and climbed onto the bed beside him with a grateful sigh. "Oh, it's good to be home."

Koz rolled his head to the side and watched her stretch out next to him. Her face was still a mess of bruises that had made her mother gasp, but she looked content. Sleepy. He grinned. "My tough, rough-and-tumble girl, huh?"

She hiccupped a laugh. "That description should make me cringe," she popped up on one elbow, "but it makes me proud." Another laugh. "Or maybe I'm just crazy."

"Crazy yes – you fit right in – but proud's good. Everybody can see sexy, they can tell if you're smart, but the other shit takes a while to shine through."

"Other shit?" she asked with raised brows.

"The tough part. Not everybody's cut out for this life."

Cassie snuggled in closer and propped her chin on his chest so that he was now looking up at her. Again, he took a mental step back and marveled at how entangled he'd become, on so many levels. Thankfully, none of his married brothers had forced him to eat the big helping of crow he was due. "Did I thank you for taking me along on a run yet?" she asked in a low, sultry voice full of genuine gratitude. She'd known all along it had nothing to do with concerts, beers and bad sleeping arrangements – 'cause who in the hell would thank a guy for that?

Koz smirked. "You thanked me before we left." Her eyes danced and he knew his decision had been the right one. He looped an arm around her shoulders, pulled up along his chest until he could kiss the top of her head. "I'm gonna need two closets minimum."

His Old Lady bolted upright, one of her hands planted on his chest. Her eyes went saucer-wide, lips parted, but she looked like she was afraid to speak, for fear she'd misinterpreted. Finally, because he thought she was holding her breath, he nodded.

Cassie blinked a few times, her lips trembled, but there was no overkill emo bullshit – he hadn't expected any and would have been really disappointed to see her get overly emotional about this. Thankfully, her composure held. She nodded. "I've been meaning to pare down my wardrobe anyway." Her smile was excellent. "Thank you, baby. I'll make you happy, Koz, I promise."

Two Weeks Later

"So you survived your first kid party," RJ snickered as he took a seat next to Koz on the garden bench in Cassie's back yard.

Koz shot his friend a flat look. "Yeah, I did. Come to think of it, so did you."

"On into the fires of Mount Doom, I would follow your lead, Frodo."

He rolled his eyes. "You showed up for the beer and free food. Don't kid yourself."

RJ shrugged. "Cass can cook, I'll give her that. And then there's the entertainment; let's not forget that." The two shared a look - both knowing the subject of discussion being when Cass, her friend Sonia and a few of the other grown girls had taken a turn at the moon bounce. "Shonn and Byron were tossin' around the idea of buyin' one of those things for the club house. Co-Ed drunken bouncing – sounds kinda hot."

Koz nodded in agreement.

A beat passed in silence. "Hey, you doin' a'ight?" a serious note of concern edged into the biker's voice. "This whole takin' it up a notch thing. Co-habitating. It goin' okay?"

"What the fuck kind of TV are you watching? Co-habitating? Christ, what ever happened to good ol' shackin' up?"

"You're a dinosaur, Kozik."

"I fucking feel like one." He shook his head, leaning forward to brace his forearms on his knees because, how appropriate, his back hurt. "I don't think I mapped out this play very well. Maybe cause her mom's still in town…I don't fuckin' know. I mean, she was right, I was practically living here anyway. But making the actual jump to officially living here…I'm claustrophobic or some shit."

"Don't go there, brother."

"Nah, nah, just hear me out." Because now that he was talking, he realized he needed to. "Last night I came home and Cass and Dinah were up to their eyeballs in party shit. Probably cooked all goddamn day with Luc's dairy allergy – Cass don't like to buy food for the kid, don't blame her…but, whatever. Anyway, they had the old man's jukebox on, both of them singing along to Croce."

"Not 'Time in a Bottle', right?"

"Nobody likes that shit. Nah, 'Bad, Bad Leroy Brown'." He glanced over at his club brother. "You think Jack would actually waste space with 'Time in a Bottle'? The fuck, man?"

RJ nodded in agreement. He knew that Jack Kozik's most cherished possession had been his vintage Wullitzer jukebox. He'd kept the thing in mint condition and stocked with classic 45s. It had been housed in a storage unit away from his wife, known for her fly-off-the-handle-and-break-shit rages. It was the only thing Koz had left over from his old man. It, Mistress and his cut were, in no particular order, the things Koz most cared about – at least as far as inanimate objects went – and then there were his guns, but those he thought about as living extensions of himself. But the Wullitzer was near and dear. Cassie had loved it and he'd seen the beast of metal and glass sticking out like a sore thumb amid the chosen decor of her family room off the kitchen. Then again, it could only have blended in at a retro diner...

"It was funny as hell," Koz continued. "Then I asked Cass how she knew the song and she said she used to listen to it with her dad all the time. When Brig was messin' around in the garage."

"And?" RJ prompted.

"And suddenly I felt real fuckin' old. Every single day of the seventeen years between us was staring me right in the face. You wanna take a stab at how old Papa Brig would be if he was still kicking?" When RJ didn't venture a guess, he frowned. "Fifty-three. I'm six years younger than her dad."

"So you're robbin' the cradle," he said. "It ain't the worst age gap we've ever seen."

Koz sighed, getting the hint, but shook his head. "I can't get it out of my head. I don't know what I'm doin' here."

"Look," RJ took a deep, tired-sounding breath and let it out in a rush. "My ball bustin' aside, this thing you got goin' on with Cass, it's a good thing, brother. You deserve this, you need this. 'Amazing Grace' didn't save wretches like us - the love of a good woman did. I don't need to tell you I learned that lesson half-past too late. Don't fuck this up. Cassie, her bat-ass crazy kid, they are the right kind of drama. "

Koz wasn't sure if he should be amused, worried his friend had been abducted by body-snatchers, or grateful. "You done?"

"Yeah. I'm gonna head out, before I get harassed into helping to clean up."

He watched him go, listening to the blessed quiet of a yard no longer teeming with children, then scooped up the handful of paper plates he'd been collecting before this much-too-revealing, slightly-womanish conversation had happened and went into the house through the back door. He passed Cassie on his way in who told him there was an industrial garbage bag waiting for him inside.

The women had made fast work of the interior and the kitchen was almost back to its original order. Dinah was at the sink, rinsing out serving bowls and spoons.

Koz trashed the plates and lingered. He knew it was stupid, but he couldn't shake what had been troubling him since the night before. The age thing bothered him – but only to a degree, he didn't exactly seek out women his own age at club parties – but it was something more. He hadn't been introspective enough throughout the course of his life to be able to label it properly. RJ had been helpful, but maybe he needed further reassurance. "Hey, D. Ask you something?"

Her eyes cut over and crinkled at the corners when she gave the smallest of smiles. The look said a lot. "I'd say you've earned the right, dear."

"Cassie's dad... I've seen the pictures... I know the pertinent shi... stuff... I know for a fact that... " what? He couldn't put together the words he needed to without sounding like some kind of asshole.

Dinah cleared her throat. "That you're closer in age to Brig than Cassie?"

She'd hit the nail on the head. He shrugged, scratched at his eyebrow with his thumb.

She made a tsking sound against her cheek. "Cassandra doesn't have 'daddy-issues', I think it's the women who had horrific fathers who try repeatedly to 'find and fix'. Luca was a wonderful father - so no. Everything is fine. There are a lot of similarities, but I think it happens quite often or they wouldn't say 'a girl will either marry a man just like her father or his polar opposite'." Dinah laughed. "Guess, come to think of it, she's chosen to explore both extremes. Lord knows Purcell wasn't a shred like Brig...but you…that goes well beyond the good looks and motorcycles." She shook her head and turned back toward the sink. "Both Marines, neither of you believe in half-measures."

Koz nodded, twitched a half-smile. "Both known to go by the motto 'sometimes it's entirely appropriate to kill a fly with a sledgehammer'." Dinah smiled and he snorted a laugh. "Cassie's words – I kinda like 'em."

"She knew she could always count on her father: Brig had her back. Loyal and fiercely protective. I believe Sturgis proved the same of you." Another of those pointed looks came his way, like the woman could see all the way through him, and somehow approved of what she found there. "Luca would like you."

The back door opened and Cassie poked her head in. "Koz, will you help me with something?"

"Sure." Dinah had been reassuring, but too much mother time made him itchy.

Cassie eyed her mom. "Ma, leave the dishes, I've got them and you've had a long day."

Dinah shook her head. "They're done anyway, sweetie. I was just rinsing out the sink." She turned off the tap as if to prove her point. "I think Lucas had a blast with his friends."

Cassie opened the door a little bit further, leaning against the frame. "Yeah, made out like a bandit. We will be up to our knees in Legos. And I think the holsters were his favorite," she glanced his way as she said it, her eyes sparkling with a tired warmth. Koz knew she was remembering her kid's reaction to the child-sized shoulder holsters she'd purchased at a South Dakota tannery: "now I can be just like Koz." She turned her attention back to her mother. "You want to go out for breakfast before your flight?"

Koz left them to discuss their morning plans and returned to the back deck, enjoying the late summer night. Cassie joined him a moment later, passing him and flicking with her fingers for him to follow her across the lawn. "What's up?"

Cassie smiled at him over her shoulder as she headed for the hulking behemoth that had provided the day's entertainment. "Your assistance is required down at the moon bounce."

"Thought the guy was coming tomorrow to tear this monstrosity down." He eyed the inflatable beast – fucking thing had to be half a football field long. Green, red and yellow, it was comprised of three separate bounce areas, slides, a rope-net climb, a ball pit and God knew what else. And it was admittedly encroaching on the neighbor's property.

"They are. Bright and early," Cass assured, hoisting herself up and turning to sit on the inflated entrance. "But it's still here now..." Her hand was on the hem of her t-shirt and she tugged it over her head, her skin silvery in the moonlight this recessed area of the backyard afforded. "Wanna bounce with me, baby?"

When she looked at him like that he didn't feel so damn old. The love of a good woman. He breathed in and the smell of the late summer honeysuckle mixed with the scent of her perfume tickled his nostrils. In a really good damn way. "Yeah. I do," he answered with a grin.

Four Weeks Later

Three minutes had never seemed so long. Ava clicked her nails against the bathroom floor tile; she was sitting with her back against the doorjamb that separated bed from bath, and stared at the two test sticks sitting on the counter. A cocktail of anxiety, excitement and nervous jitters was churching through her bloodstream, spiked with adrenaline as the egg timer counted down the seconds.

Juice was sitting on the edge of the tub, elbows on his knees, one bare foot bouncing up and down. The change in his pocket jangled. And instead of watching the sticks, as she was, he watched her, like the magical sign would come from her somehow when the timer went off.

"I'm only a week late," she reminded, even though she'd already said it a dozen times.

"Four weeks since we left Sturgis though."

She nodded and nibbled at her bottom lip. They had talked, dreamed and planned, had hoped, but now the moment felt heavy. In a good way of course, but heavy nonetheless. If the clear plastic window showed a plus sign, and she was…this changed things forever.

Ding!

They started at the sound of the timer, shared a look, and Ava was the one who stood up to check the sticks. Both were the same, so she only picked up one as she turned to Juice at the bathtub. He sat back a little, head stretched up on his neck.

"Is it…?"

"Positive." Ava put a loose hand around the base of her throat as currents of emotion ran like electricity down her limbs, making her weak. "It's positive."

"Wow," Juice said after a long moment of silence.

She'd already had one baby, but this was different. This was her baby with Juice, and Ava was without words to even process all the ways that carried meaning with her. She needed to go to the doc, get a confirmation because it was still early…God, it was so early. But now, her eyes welled up and she couldn't hope to contain her tears.

When she glanced down at Juice, he looked shaky. His eyes seemed huge and maybe a little shiny. This was his first baby, biologically speaking, this was huge for him. They had Sam, and he was her first born and her link to Hap and the most special thing in her life. Juice adored Sam, loved him like he was his own kid…but this span of time in the bathroom was just about the two of them, and the tiny fetus that was theirs.

He took gentle hold of her hips and pulled her in to stand between his legs. Ava's tears threatened to turn into sobs when he leaned forward and kissed her still-flat belly through her t-shirt. Then he laid his cheek over her womb and wrapped his arms tight around her waist. Ava sagged and leaned down so she could hug his neck, and set her chin on top of his head.

"You happy, Mama?" he asked, voice muffled against her middle.

She nodded, his mohawk prickling against her skin. "So happy, baby."

Two More Weeks

Poor Mia Michaels – Ava had no idea what her maiden name had been, but now she was a Michaels – had been the subject of every Old Lady's scrutiny during dinner. It was a Sunday night at Gemma's and the young, pretty new wife had made her first appearance in front of Gemma and Maggie. It hadn't been pretty.

"Um…" she stammered now as every set of eyes at the Morrow dining room table stayed glued to her.

Gemma, who'd asked if they were looking at houses, tossed her bangs with a haughty shake of her head and snorted. "Well you can't just shack up at the clubhouse permanently."

Mia blushed and glanced down at her plate. Carter's hand landed on her wrist in a silent show of comfort, but he didn't dare say anything that might get him in trouble with the once and always queen.

Ava felt Juice lean into her side. "Brutal," he muttered under his breath and she nodded. Though it wasn't really in her nature, she hated to see the girl suffer under such scrutiny. Maybe because she was hoping her own suspicions about the inevitable breaking apart of Mia and Carter's one week courtship wouldn't happen. And maybe because she knew what it was like to be nineteen and stupidly in love. But whatever the reason, she cleared her throat loudly, gaining Bobby and Tux's attentions.

"We have some news," she said, and that got her the rest of the crew.

"News?" Juice asked. "Oh, ohhhh…" he chuckled. "Okay."

From down the table, Carter mouth thank you, and she gave him a nod. Then felt an excited smile bloom across her face. "Sturgis was successful." Maggie gasped, but most everyone else seemed confused. "I'm pregnant."

The dining room erupted with what could only be described as a vocal bomb: everyone started talking at once. Chairs were pushed back and food was forgotten as the two of them were hugged and congratulated. Maggie squeezed her the hardest and when she whispered, "I'm so proud of you," in a choked voice, Ava knew she wasn't just talking about the pregnancy, but about so much more; about her personal triumph after all she'd been through. Juice's too.

When the walls started to close in on her, she slipped out onto the back patio with her cell phone. "Gotta get on the horn to Tacoma before they hear it secondhand," she explained to Juice and then shut herself outside in the dark quiet of night.

With a sigh, she plopped down on one of Gem's chaises and began scrolling through her contact list. She hit send when she found the number she was after and listened to the other line ring twice.

"Hello?"

"Cassie? It's Ava."

"Oh, hey!" Ava heard voices in the background, one distinctly male. She felt instantly guilty: it was dinner time. "Hold on a sec."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt -,"

"It's fine…it's Ava," she was obviously explaining to Koz, then the sounds receded. "Okay. No big deal – I was happy to be pulled away from the what-happens-after-you-catch-the-fish explanation."

Ava chuckled.

"So what's up?"

They'd communicated mainly through email since Sturgis, but the phone calls had been happening, slow but sure. Ava was coming to realize she did in fact like having another female presence in her life who she wasn't related to. "Family dinner at Gemma's."

"And that's Jax's mom, right?"

"Yep. The Queen Mother. Her royal highness, and the like." She picked at the inseam of her jeans. "I sprang big news on everyone and figured I'd pass it along before the rumor mill got to churning down here."

There was a quick pause. "Big news as in…"

"I'm pregnant!"

"Oh, that's great!" Cassie sounded genuinely excited. She was glad for her and not just saying things. "I'm so happy for you guys. Really, Ava, congrats. Tell Juice I said so too."

"I will." She heard the door open and close behind her and a quick glance over her shoulder showed that Juice had come to join her. "Speak of the devil…" she grinned.

Cassie chuckled. "I'll let us both get back to our menfolk. Keep me posted?"

"Absolutely."

They traded goodbyes and she had disconnected the call by the time Juice was sitting beside her on the chaise. "Who'd you call?"

"Cassie."

"Before Janine?" his smile spread, teeth gleaming white and dazzling in the light thrown by the decorative sconces. His brows scaled his forehead in mild disbelief. "You guys are friends, aren't you? It's okay, you can admit it."

"Would you grow up?" she rolled her eyes, but leaned into his offered shoulder, welcoming the warmth of his arm across her shoulders. "She said congrats."

He chuckled. "So does…everyone in there."

"Surprised you're not in there hamming it up."

"Me too."

A soft breeze came rippling across the patio, bringing with it the first hint of fall. Ava reached for his hand where it dangled over her shoulder, laced their fingers together. He felt solid and sturdy around her – not the tallest man to ever come into her life, or the most shocking, the most daring…but in so many ways, he was the strongest. He'd sat with her on the end of the bed the night of September first, in the dark, not having to say a thing when the brave front she'd put on that day had come crumbling down and she'd succumbed to the tears that had been threatening. He'd let her cry for the anniversary of Hap's death.

But each time she thought about the new life growing inside her, when she held Sam and knew she had another on the way, her gut didn't fill up with dread or grief. This pregnancy was going to be so different than the last.

She didn't realize she was smiling until he kissed her temple and asked, "what?"

"Nothing," she assured, turning her grin up to him. "Just…happy." His face looked ready to split in two. "What about you?"

"Proud," he said with a self-assured nod. "I knocked your cute ass up on the first try, baby! My shit works!"

The End