The Reaper's Angel

Chapter 10

It would be weeks after Thomas' funeral that JT would finally reappear. Angel refused to greet her uncle, still too angry at him for leaving when he was needed most. She was never outright rude to him, she vaguely understood the reasons for him not being there, but in Angel's mind - family came before club business. When JT returned, he didn't return alone.

Angel sat at one of the clubhouse tables with Bambi, Jax, and Opie as they all worked on things for school. Each kept glancing over as JT went around introducing the man he brought with him - Filip. Angel tried not to eavesdrop but she was curious to know why this man was so important that JT had been gone for so long. "Don't let them catch you staring. They'll kick us all out and we won't know what's going on," Jax mumbled under his breath as he lightly tapped Angel's leg. Angel turned her attention back to the work in front of her. Math. This was a subject that came easy to Angel. Any time she had an issue figuring something out, Bobby had been there to help her find the solution on her own. Usually this would be easy work but today, the numbers made no sense.

"And these are the SAMCRO kids," JT's voice boomed close by. "This is my son, Jax. That's Piney's boy Opie. Bobby's girl, Angel. And Tig's baby, Bambi. These are the futures we're working toward making better and safer."

Angel glared up at her uncle, taking notice that he didn't mention Tommy. "He's still your son!" she thought angrily to herself, "how can he not mention Tommy!" Angel was pulled from her thoughts when she heard Bambi cry out. "Bad Uncle JT!" Bambi screamed louder as she kicked JT in the shins repeatedly, "You weren't here! BAD!" Jax and Opie turned away to cover their laughs as Tig rushed forward, scooping Bambi up and taking her out of the room. Bambi pushed against her father, screaming louder into his ear. "NO! Put me down Daddy! NO!" She screamed more and flailed in his arms as he took her back towards the dorms. "Daddy! No! Put me down! Let me go! I'm NOT done!"

Angel smirked at the confused and hurt look on JT's face. Packing up her and Bambi's schoolwork, Angel gave a smile and shrug to Filip. "It was nice to meet you Sir. I'm going to check on Bambi. Make sure she has bitten Tig's face again." Angel left towards the dorm and giggled when she could hear her little sister yelling.

"Why? Why is she like this?" Tig muttered toward the ceiling as he tried to keep a hold of the child in his arms and protect his face from her tiny fists.

Angel stood in the doorway to Tig's room with a wide smile on her face. "It's because you let Happy babysit her the most."

Tig turned and stared at his niece before groaning and nodding his head in agreement. "And why aren't you like this then? Huh Miss Smartypants?"

Angel shrugged and put Bambi's bag on the chair before walking over and sitting on the bed. "Because Happy doesn't babysit me. I stay with Uncle Otto and Aunt Luanne!" She stuck her tongue out at Tig before turning her attention to the red-faced girl in his arms. "Hey Bambi," she spoke softly, pushing the girl's curls out of her face, "You know if you keep screaming, Uncle Happy will find us and we can't scare him!"

Bambi continued to glare but nodded. "I got her Uncle Tig. We'll be out soon. I'm sure you're needed out there more anyway." Angel wiped the tears from Bambi's face and helped her sit beside her.

Tig pressed kisses to the top of both girl's heads before heading back to the main room. Angel wrapped her arms around Bambi and rocked her slowly. "I'm mad at Uncle JT too, Bambi. But we can't just hit him. We have to tell him that we're upset and explain why. Otherwise, he can't work to make it better."

Bambi remained silent and shook her head. "He should have been here Angel. Tommy needed his daddy. I miss Tommy, Angel..."

"I know Bambi. But he had all of us. We made Tommy so happy." Angel held the younger girl tighter and sniffled. "I miss him too. I wish he was here."

The girls sat in silence as they struggled to regain composure. It was Bambi who spoke first, "Is Uncle Happy really here?" Angel shrugged and gave a small smile.

"I duuunnooo. My daddy did say he was on his way back earlier. So, he might be back. How about we go check?"

Bambi jumped down from the bed and was out the door before Angel even stood up. "Hey! Wait for me Bambi!"

Angel chased the giggling Bambi down the halls and toward the main room again. "UNCLE HAPPY!" Happy turned and knelt down, opening his arms and preparing to catch the little girl determined to knock him back. "Come here little girl! Ah! I missed my partner in crime!"

Later that night as Angel set the table, she couldn't help but think back to the day. "So, gonna tell me what happened today?" Bobby didn't bother to look back at his daughter.

"Nothing to really tell. Met the guy Uncle JT brought back."

"And that's all?"

"Yep. Oh! I finished my homework already. You just need to have a look over it. It was super easy!"

Bobby served the food and just sat watching his daughter. JT and Tig had already told him what happened earlier in the day. He had just hoped that Angel would tell him herself.

As they finished getting ready for bed, Bobby stood in the bathroom doorway watching Angel brush her teeth. She was growing so fast and becoming her own independent person. Bobby thought that if he blinked too much, he would miss the rest of her childhood. "You know you can always talk to me, right?"

Angel smiled and hugged her father. "I know Daddy." Bobby pressed a kiss to the top of her head and waited, knowing she would say more. "Will...w-will you tuck me in tonight Daddy?" Bobby nodded as he guided her toward the bed and pulled the blankets back for her.

"Daddy?" Bobby looked down and was amazed at how tiny his daughter looked at the moment. "Why-why was JT gone for so long? I mean, he knew Tommy was sick. A-a-and he missed the funeral. And today, he says nothing about Tommy. H-he just acted like nothing happened and like Tommy never existed. He seemed more worried about what Fiilliip thought of the club," she sneered at the name.

Bobby took a seat on the bed and pulled his daughter onto his lap, cradling her to his chest. "I don't know sweetie. Everyone deals with pain in their own way. Uncle JT's way of grieving is to not acknowledge anything happened. At least in front of everyone."
"But that's not right Daddy"

"I know Angel. I can tell you're upset and you have every right to be. We're all going to deal with this in our own ways. Let JT deal with it how he wants and needs to. You deal with it the way you want. I won't judge or be mad. Just remember, Respect."

"Yes Daddy."

"Now get some sleep. We still have to plan our vacation. Remember, just you and me."

"I love you Daddy. Will you sing to me until I fall asleep?"

Bobby nodded and tucked the covers under her. He reached up to her shelves and pulled down the stuffed puppy from when she was a baby. He tucked it under the covers with Angel before placing a kiss on her temple.

"Love me tender. Love me true. All my dreams fulfilled, For my darling I love you, .And I always will....Love me tender, love me long, take me to your heart, for it's there that I belong, and we'll never part"