In a secret meeting, in the back of Felipe's shop, Emily and EZ sat on old milk crates, huddled closely. They spoke quietly with one purpose, to bridge the gap and bring peace between the cartel and Jax at EZ 's request.
"I think it's finished."
"She's got kids, Em, three little kids," EZ explained. "You think might not be enough."
"I know," she huffed. "I can't exactly ask him point blank."
EZ nodded. "I get that. What can you do?"
"I'll see what his alternate plans are, if he's set them into motion and I'll mention the children."
"Two boys, around four and two and little girl, 10 going on 35, I swear," he chuckled.
Emily smiled at that. "She's okay? The little girl?"
"She's got some healing to do but she'll be fine," EZ sighed. "What was that plan?"
"I don't know," she stammered. Emily was disturbed by Miguel working with Adelita but even more so by his heartless decision to include a child in their plans. "Miguel working with the Rebels was never our plan, but it happened. Anything he had her do in regards to this mess has been...necessary."
"Running over a little girl is necessary?" EZ asked her angrily.
"No," she said forcefully. "That was not a direct order from Miguel, he'd never do that." Nestor and Devante would but they were not the focus of that conversation.
"Well someone did," EZ told her.
"I'm sorry I can't be more helpful," she said. "Who is this woman?" It was clear she was someone or EZ would not be inserting himself into a bubbling war between Galindo and SAMCRO.
"Angel and Katie," EZ said with a sigh, "I've never seen her like this over anyone."
Emily smiled sweetly at that. "He deserves some happiness."
"She left him to go back to her husband," EZ said ruefully. "The one in ICU."
"Christ," she muttered. "He can't help getting in trouble."
"Never could," EZ laughed. "Thank you, Emily," he said sadly.
"Be careful, E," she sighed. "Please."
--
Angel couldn't get a word out of Katie. The silence was eating away at him, his worry increasing rapidly, but she just sat silent and calm. When they arrived back at the hospital she looked over at him and gave him a sad smile.
"Thank you."
"Anything for you, mi dulce."
"Angel," she sighed.
"You gonna break up with me again?" He asked, purposely goofy to ease her tension.
Katie actually cracked a smile. "Smart ass."
"What's up, what were you gonna say?"
"You and Adelita?"
"There was some...thing," he shrugged. "Flirting and shit, but," he shook his head.
"If you were Happy, if you were placed in his position with Galindo, what would you have done?"
He didn't like how intently she was looking at him nor did he like being asked if he'd lie to his club and make a deal with a cartel but he knew he'd done the less honorable thing before. Working with the Rebels was bad, it was dishonest, and he did it, even if he had good intentions. He knew deep down he wouldn't risk himself, knowing he had her and children at home, for a brother like Jax.
"Whatever I had to do to walk out of there," he admitted somewhat shamefully.
Katie nodded slowly. "I fucking knew it."
"Sorry," he said. "Probably not what you wanted to hear."
"I already knew it," she admitted. "I regret going home knowing it brought us back here for the same reasons as every other incident, the Sons of fuckin' Anarchy."
"Yo." Coco jogged over from where he'd been smoking. "Charlie's been asking for you."
"Okay," Katie sighed. "We'll talk, Angel."
He nodded and watched as she hurried into the hospital, dust still flying from her ponytail. "Girl needs a shower."
"You do too," Coco laughed. "
"Other Sons show up yet?"
Coco nodded. "A couple. Get outta here, get a goddamn shower, I'll keep an eye on them."
"I'll be back," Angel told him. "Thanks, carnal."
--
On her way back up to Charlotte's room, Katie ran into Opie in the hall. She stopped, wearing a small smile, and waved at him.
"Hey."
"Hey," he muttered. "You okay?"
She gave him a look, one of annoyance and exhaustion, but nodded. "At this point I think this is my baseline level of ugh."
"Yeah, I'm with you."
"Tara here yet?"
Opie shook his head. "She's not coming. She's safe, boys too, but she said she needed space and she wasn't kidding. She's way up north meeting with some new hospital. Gemma's with Jax now."
"She blame me?" Katie asked, less surprised by Tara's whereabouts than anything else she'd heard to seen that day.
"No," he laughed somberly. "I think she finally sees what's going on."
"I'm sorry, Opie," Katie whimpered. "I really am."
"No one blames you," he assured her. "I gotta get down there."
"I'm trying to get him moved up here," Katie told Opie. "It would be better to have them all under one roof."
"Maybe Tara is right, distance might be good. If the cartel still has it out for him it's safer to keep them apart."
Katie nodded. "Smart. You're right."
Without another word Katie visited with Charlie who was up, out of bed, and walking the halls whenever she was allowed.
"Daddy's really hurt?" She asked Katie out of the blue.
"He is," Katie said. "Hopefully he'll be 100% soon."
Charlie nodded. "And Happy? Will he be 100%?"
"I hope."
"Mom, I don't want to go back," Charlie told her.
Katie nodded. "I don't think we are. I think we're going to stay here, just about halfway between Charming and Santo Padre. Is that a nice compromise?"
"Really?" Charlie was clearly thrilled.
"Yes, really." Katie wasn't sure at first but seeing Charlie's excitement sealed the deal.
"Mommy thank you!" Charlotte roughly hugged her mother. "Thank you so much!"
"Happy might come," she reminded Charlotte. "Everything is still very up in the air. I'm giving him the option to join us here. You have to be okay with that."
Her excitement was doused but she agreed.
"Do you mind if I go up to check on him?"
Charlotte shook her head and nodded at the door where Coco lingered, his hair pointed chin visible through the tiny window.
"Oh god," Katie laughed. She opened the door and pulled him in. "Watching us?"
"Of course," he chuckled.
"Stay with her, I'm going to visit Happy."
"Got it."
When she walked into Happy's hospital room it felt surreal. While she'd been out following Angel and attacking Adelita he'd been there, fragile and hurting. She'd almost forgotten the extent of his injuries, her anger over his choices may have also been to blame.
"I can't believe you, Hap," she cried. "How could you? After fucking everything?"
"You knew," he uttered quietly.
Katie jumped back, terrified by the seemingly disembodied voice. "You're awake?"
"I been." His voice was weak and groggy but it was him. He couldn't open his eyes, they were too swollen, while bandages and casts immobilized the majority of his body. "I'm sorry."
"You shouldn't have heard that," she sniffled. "I meant it but now is not the time. Should I get the nurse?"
"No," he said as forcefully as possible. "I couldn't turn my back on Jax or SAMCRO."
"Clearly," she grumbled. "Now I have to serve this sentence with you in purgatory." Katie shook her head. "I love you. I gave you everything Happy and you couldn't just agree? No one would have blamed you. Jax did this to himself after he betrayed the club."
"I couldn't."
"No, you just wouldn't." She scoffed. "I can't believe we're having this fight with you in the fucking ICU."
He cleared his throat a little. "You think you woulda brought this up in a couple months when I'm whole again?"
She knew the answer was no and she knew he knew it too. Happy had a point. If it didn't come out right then and there it wouldn't for a long time.
"Probably not."
"I'm fine. I'll be fine."
Katie rolled her eyes. "You can't even see and you're still just so fucking cool about this."
"Go."
"What?" Katie laughed, sure the drugs were speaking for him. "They must have really shaken your brain up cause you're acting like a moron. I'm not leaving you here like this."
"Get out," he said clearly. "I don't need this shit."
"Happy you-"
"Get out," he said with surprising strength.
"Fine," she croaked. On the verge of tears she stormed out of the room. "Who the fuck does he think he is?" She asked herself quietly on the way back to Charlotte's room. "Kicking me out like I'm the wrong one? Fuck that."
Then it hit her.
Happy knew he was wrong, he knew he'd hurt her, and he was pushing her away rather than dealing with it or possibly hurting her even more.
"That fucking coward," she hissed.
"Hey." Angel caught sight of her as she stepped off the elevator. "E came by, Emily came through. Jax and the Sons are off his radar."
"Okay," she huffed.
"Thought you'd be more excited to hear that."
"No, I am," she shook her head. "It's been a bit of a day, Angel. I'm just tired."
"Oh alright," he nodded. "Lemme take you back to my place, you can shower and sleep. Be fresh and so clean for tomorrow."
"If I go back to your place I'll end up in bed with you," she said. It was something he would have loved to hear normally but her tone and expression proved it was for the worst reasons.
"I can take you back to my old man's," he said softly. "You can shower and sleep there, just don't seduce the old bastard."
"You're too sweet," she whimpered.
"You wanna talk?" He asked her.
Katie shook her head. "I can't right now. Galindo is done though? Seriously?"
"Yeah, he got his pound of flesh, he's moving on," Angel shrugged.
"Okay. Thank you."
They strolled over to his bike together, their hands brushing against each other's as their arms swayed with each step. "Come on mama," he cooed. "Lemme get you outta here."
-
If you haven't heard I started a solo Coco story called Mea Culpa, check it out! Xoxo