Author's Note - Welcome! Welcome, wonderful readers! This story is the sequel to Family Ties - so if you're not following us over, hello and hope you enjoy! I love your feedback, it helps me shape everything and I truly appreciate you guys reading, so thank you in advance.

And to those die hards joining us here - oh you're in for a treat. This is set about two and a half years after Nina left, so there'll be a few changes in Charming but nothing too extreme. Except a leadership change in the club... but you'll learn more about that in a bit ;)

Please read, enjoy, review. I can't wait to hear what you think about Tig...!

Sara x

Tig wiggled his hips against the dirt as he tried to get as flat to the floor as possible. He loved a stake out more than the rest of them put together, it was always a good way to get his mind off whatever was bothering him. He pressed himself flat and streaked a bit of wet mud in lines across his cheeks as he waited, one eye fixed on the sight at all times. He was sure these Niners were getting worse, the money that Damien Pope seemed to be funnelling them was making them cockier every week. They had been edging over their own borders for far too long, the Mayans hadn't wanted the fight about it the Biz Lats were a different question.

Damn Biz Lats. Tig wrinkled his nose as he closed his eyes, not wanting to think about it. The whole reason he'd volunteered to come out tonight was because he wanted to be the one distracted from his personal shit, but his mind was already straying. He hated them, he hated all of those Latino types. Just seeing them reminded him of her, of both of them. He swallowed and glanced at his watch to check the date. It would be her birthday today. She would be two.

A gunshot brought his attention crashing back to the scene at hand. He looked back down toward the sight to see a couple of Niners testing hardware. He groaned, they looked like a pair of idiots, prospects probably, goofing around as they waved the pistols in the air and pretended they were in some sort of cop show.

"Morons."

He was pretty sure he wouldn't be the only one reacting to the sound. It was pretty bold to come into someone else's territory and use it for firing practice, that was for sure, and the Biz Lats were sure to hate it. They were volatile at best, they'd be there within an hour and these two black idiots would be dead. Tig reached down for his pocket to grab his phone and sent a message straight across to the club, they wouldn't get there in time but at least he was doing what he had to. He kept glancing up as he kept an eye on the location, Juice was too far away to call to without raising suspicion, he was on his own here.

The last thing they needed was dead Niners. Maybe he should go down to them, but then it would be clear he'd been watching. He started to get up, wiping the mud away from his cheeks, maybe he could just say he was doing a routine drive around and heard them testing. He'd get attitude, though, and he didn't really want that without some back up. He jogged the route to Juice's lookout spot but Juice was nowhere to be seen. Irritated, Tig kicked the dirt and headed back to his Harley.

He was about to kick the start when he heard raised voices. "Shit." Had Juice gone down there? It seemed unlikely, he was more of a pussy than Tig was when he was alone. Tig sprinted towards the clearing to see a guy in a hoodie shoot one of the Niners dead without hesitation. The second was cowering fearfully on the floor, sobbing pathetically, and Tig growled as he lifted his shirt and pulled his handgun from his waist. How were they meant to protect these guys when they were being so moronic?

Without hesitation, he took a shot at the attacker, sending him sprawling to the floor as the bullet slammed into the back of the guy's knee. He collapsed to the floor with a rough bark which Tig recognised instantly. Jesus Christ, that was Nero. He put his hand to his mouth and started towards him, only for the second Niner to suddenly stand up and take a shot at Nero's torso. Not even thinking, Tig raised his gun and shot the Niner straight between the eyes. He watched as his body crumpled down on top of Nero's before he pushed across.

"Shit, shit, shit," Tig muttered as he prised the dead body off away from Nero's. He bent down, pressing his fingers against Nero's throat to feel for a pulse. It was weak but there, this was no club patch up job. He was bleeding heavily from his chest, Tig realised as he pressed the heal of his palm to him. "Shit."

Juice suddenly skidded down the bank. "What the hell did you do?" Tig's eyes widened.

"Nothing, man. I just dropped him back, that idiot came and shot him in the goddamn body." He raised his gloved hand, even in the dim light the red blood glistened on his leathers. "We gotta do this properly, call an ambulance. We can ditch the Niners, sort them out later. We've got to get Nero to St Thomas."

Chibs sat with his head hung low as he waited in the sterile waiting room of the hospital. He hated this place, it was always miserable in here. Tig was pacing the floor, scratching at his rough stubble with one hand while the other sat on his waist, unsure as to whether he should come clean with Chibs about his part in Nero's impromptu check in to the hospital. This was a bad news kind of day, two dead members of a SAMCRO-protected club and another affiliate laid up in the hospital.

"They were on Biz Lat ground?" Chibs asked, glancing up as he ran it all around in his head again. Tig nodded.

"Yeah, testing." He rolled his eyes. "They were a couple of kids, Prez, fucking around like a pair of stupid shits." Somehow that didn't surprise Chibs, the Niners seemed keen on recruiting anyone right now, regardless of intellect.

"Picked the wrong day," Chibs chuckled. He rubbed his hands together and looked up as he heard heels clicking through the corridor. He stood, expecting Tara to wheel around the corner, but he heard the footsteps stop at reception. Tig looked idly round the corner, it was probably one of the Diosa girls coming to check on the boss. He let out a low whistle and winked at Chibs exaggeratedly as he admired the girl's leather pants as she leaned on the counter with her back to him.

"Never the wrong day, brother," he grinned, dusting his shirt off as he straightened himself out. He started across to see if he could get in on the action, it wasn't unlike Tig to try at least. Chibs chuckled and dropped back down into his seat, lost in his own thoughts as he waited for news.

Tig ruffled his hair beneath his hand as he started over towards the reception desk. The woman was leaning heavily on the unit, exasperatedly trying to get the attention of the nurse on duty who was on the phone. Her long nails drummed constantly and she sighed as she heard the sound of a plastic cup crunching beside the water machine. She pinched her nose, annoyed, and called out,

"Come on now please, Emily, put that down now and come here."

Tig froze as he heard her voice, his feet rooting to the spot. He leaned around the wall and peered at the little girl by the water dispenser. She was a cute little thing, raven black hair and blue eyes that stared at her mother questioningly before she giggled and tottered over. She wrapped her arms around the woman's leg, cuddling her tight. She received a gentle hair ruffle and the woman bent over to pick her up, hoisting her onto her hip and balancing her there as she finally leaned over the unit and hung the phone up, irritated.

"I'm here for Nero Padilla," she said, her tone clipped. The nurse shrank down in her seat and stammered an answer, all too aware that the SAMCRO members were hovering for the same man.

"Nobody's allowed in," she replied nervously. "There's a waiting room, and a coffee machine-"

"Do I look like I want a coffee?" The woman looked furious as she adjusted her daughter's weight on her body. "I'm his daughter, you have to let me see him."

"You'll have to wait." The nurse shook her head. "I'm sorry, please take a seat. I can call you when I can, what was the name?"

"Nina Padilla."

She hadn't even managed to say it before she heard it. Nina turned around to see Tig standing behind her. She felt the colour draining from her face, her tongue and lips going dry as she saw him for the first time in too long. Tig stared at her, unable to break his gaze from her and the shy little girl peeking over her head to try and get a look at him. Nina tried to wet her mouth, swallowing to try and lubricate her throat enough to say something. Anything.

"Alex." Finally, she smiled a little and put Emily down on the floor as she stepped in to hug him. Her arms wound around him for a long moment, squeezing him tight and sighing as she felt his arms fit around her in that perfect way they always did. Tig didn't want to let her go, he couldn't believe for a second that she was there. He kissed the side of her head once, twice, breathing her in like he might never see her again after this moment. When she released him, she stepped back. "Is my Daddy alright?"

"Daddy!" The loud little voice behind her made her remember Emily was even there, Nina bent down and scooped her up instantly. Tig watched as she squirmed a little in her arms, trying to get a better look at him. Nina rested her hand over Emily's ear and pressed her head to her shoulder.

"Sorry," she whispered. "It's her birthday, she's still a bit high on cake." She let go and bounced her. "It's okay, Emmy, we're here to see Grandpa, we can go back to the party soon, I promise."

Tig stammered awkwardly, unsure of what to say. "He's, uh, he was shot. Twice. One in the body, not sure where, we're trying to get some answers too." He peered around her, trying to get the answer to the real question he had as he reached for Emily. He stroked her cheek with his rough thumb ever so gently, terrified of hurting her as he caressed her. "Happy birthday, Emily."

She giggled and hid her face in Nina's shoulder. Nina laughed, feeling relieved to have a little company here with her, and bounced her. "Say 'thank you, Alex'," she instructed. Emily beamed.

"Thank you Alex," she chirruped.

Tig felt his eyes well up as he heard her speaking to him. That was her, that was his daughter. His beautiful little girl, and she was beautiful, glowing, with wide, curious eyes. They were crystal blue, peering at him questioningly. There were so many things he wanted to say, he wanted to ask. This was her, this was the bump he had been so close to losing, and she was smiling at him adoringly.

"Ms Padilla?" Nina was finally dragged back to reality with a bump as the nurse called to her. The reception girl beckoned her over. "I can take you through now." Nina nodded anxiously and gave Tig's hand a squeeze.

"Let me check on him," she murmured gently. "Then maybe we can talk, if you're still here."

Tig didn't want to let go and he held onto her for as long as he could. "I'll wait," he promised. He watched as Nina followed the nurse anxiously, and Emily twisted on her shoulder to look at him and wave as they retreated. Tig could feel his heart beating faster and he waved back before he closed his eyes to thank his lucky stars for letting him see them. He paced back to the waiting room to see Chibs resting his hat on his face as he had a nap in the seat. He didn't want to wake him, not for that, and he simply dropped down in his seat, waiting anxiously for them to come back so he could see his daughter once again.