Welcome to Gaia! ::

Grace leaned against the counter with her hips, letting her eyes roam around the room and over all of the faces of the people she'd grown to know and love. Though, she couldn't help but think about what would happen when they found out about the circumstances of this pregnancy. Did the baby belong to Orion, or did it belong to Mendez? Were they going to think that she was a whore or something? Maybe that it was her fault? She wasn't sure, and just thinking about it brought a small sigh out from between her lips as she dropped her eyes to the floor for a moment. It wasn't until Jasper moved into the kitchen and grabbed himself a beer that she brought her gaze up to him, and gave him a small smile. If there was someone that she knew who wouldn't ever think different of her, it was him. "Hey, Jasp. Wanna join me outside for a bit?" The smell of the food was beginning to make her stomach churn again, and it was a nice night out. They'd gotten a really nice patio set, complete with a porch swing and tables and chairs galore. Mostly because of the fact that the club was like family, and she was sure there were going to be many cookouts over the summer.

Once she led Jasper outside, Grace moved and sat down on the swing, patting the seat next to her before folding her legs beneath her Indian style. "I thought I wanted Chinese food, but I guess I really didn't." She turned to him and took a sip from her ginger-ale, before putting it back into the space between her legs. "I told him." She wasn't sure exactly what Orion thought about her, or any of it. All that he had told her was that he was going to take care of it, which made her feel somewhat better, but there was still the lingering question in her mind about what he really thought about her, and the baby. "He was shocked. All he really said was that he was going to take care of everything. I just -- I don't want something like this to ruin our marriage. I could go and get an abortion, but even now I don't know whose baby it is. By the time I do now, I'll already almost be halfway through the pregnancy and I just--." She could feel the panic and stress starting to rise again, along with the slight burning sensation of tears in the back of her eyes, so she breathed out a shaky sigh and shook her head. "...I wouldn't have the heart to do that. Does that make me a bad person?" She'd turned to face him now, sitting sideways on the swing with her head leaned against the backrest.

Killian showed up at the party and did some mingling. Next he did a couple of shots with his buddies. Orion was busy playing host, so he didn't notice when Joshua stepped out front to take a call. As soon as he heard Joshua say Lena's name he went out to smoke. Or so that was the reason he went outside it seemed. He lit up and stuck close enough to hear Joshua and snatches of what Lena was screaming at he ex. Mainly he got Joshua's side of the conversation which wasn't much since he couldn't seemed to get much in.

When the call ended Joshua looked over toward Killian. Killian continued to smoke his cigarette pretending not to notice Joshua's sudden interest. After a minute he finally looked over at the older man.
"Problem old man?" Killian asked as he drop the cig and ground it out under his boot.
"I know you and Cadence are close."
"Hardly."
"Spare me the bullshit boy." Joshua spat out.
"I hear the talk. I know you are protecting her for whatever reason." He did not want to say why he thought Killian was protecting her, because he of course had heard Cadence was briefly with Jasper. He did not want to believe she was sleeping her way through the Club.
"I would check in on her if I were you, and deal with your rogue member. He is looking for her." With that Joshua went back inside the house.

Killian sighed and rubbed the back of his hand with one hand. Black and Ben were in prison as far as he knew. He wasn't sure who else would be and could be hunting Cadence. As far as anyone else knew she wasn't in town. Not to mention no one would be dumb enough to go after her after Orion had thrown Black out for it.

He went back into the party and did his best to appear as if he was having a good time. After another ten minutes he decided his forty-five minute stay had been sufficient. He needed to go find Cadence and see what mess she had gotten into now. In order to to that he had to find Jasper to retrieve his friend's purse with the special surprise in it.

He had wandered about the party looking for Jasper. He was just about to give up when out the corner of his eye he spotted Grace and Jasper out back. He thought it was odd, and a bad look but he said nothing. He opened the back door and stepped out into the yard.
"Sorry to interrupt, but Jasp. I am heading out and need her bag." He stuffed his hands in his pockets and did not look at Grace. He wanted to pretend he was not seeing whatever the hell was going on here. He needed no more trouble with any of his brothers, or anyone else in reality.

Jasper nodded to Grace as when she asked him to follow her outside. At her request, he sat next to her on the swing. He didn't didnt back in the thing,but more on the edge, bent slightly over his knees so that his arms rested on his thighs as he looked out across the yard, drank his beer, and listened tot he woman next to him. For the moment, as she began, Jasper let the woman talk. She had to get it out, that he knew. Jasper turned to Grace,grabbing her hand, her eyes looking ready to overflow just like he had thought from the emotion in her tone. Gently he told her,"No Grace.That's exactly what makes you a good person. Don't think about getting rid of this baby. It's happened; you're meant to have another. Orion will handle it as he said, and then he will damn well get over himself and love this child. Don't you worry." Jasper leaned over and kissed the blonde's forehead,
"It'll be ok Grace. I promise."

Jasper's blue eyes looked up to Killian when the man came out on the back porch with them. He stood at the man's request and finished his beer,"I'll get it for you then." Before he left to move back through the house to the front, Jasper, turned to Grace, "Want me to get you some plain rice to eat? Or need a refill?" He knew she wasn't feeling good due to all the smells, but she also had to eat something. At least the ride would be plain. After hearing her answer, he walked back through the house with Killian and to his bike out front. Opening one of the bags on his bike, Jasp took out Cadie's purse and handed it to Killian. "She sounded like she was going to come back for it, just couldn't take it in with her. Of course she said not to touch it without gloves or what not. I didn't waste time to ask what she's using it for. " He told the instructions to the other man with a shrug.

'Cause sometimes you just feel tired,
Feel weak, and when you feel weak,
you feel like you wanna just give up

~Cadence Jaycey Sinclaire-Caine~

It was much later when Cadence left the hospital. She ended up walking because she didn't think to get her car when she was at her place earlier in the day. She had no desire to call her Mother or anyone else for that matter. She was inner turmoil and trying to figure out how to make sense of everything she was feeling.

When she stepped into her place the mess from earlier was clean. The kitchen seemed so much bigger without her table in it. She heard a door nearby open, but wasn't alarmed for once. She knew it was only Ethan.

She turned to find him leaning against the door frame, uncertainty written all over his face. He was wearing only a towel about his lean hips. His wet hair slicked back as if he had already combed it.

The heat seeped into her cheeks and she looked away. Suddenly all too aware of just how sexy Ethan truly was. He was a delicious looking man, and made it know he was into her. After everything that had happened she had never imagined any man being interested in her again. However Ethan was, and the way he looked at her damn near made her melt. His bedroom eyes, and hard tattooed body. She moved to the counter and set her things down. She kept her eyes downcast, on her things. Trying her best to appear at ease in the situation.
"Do you mind if I stay the night?" She said without looking at him. She did not want to risk her eyes roaming over his body, and him taking that as a cue to make a move. Ethan pushed away from the wall and started toward her, he had seen the spark of lust in her eyes.
"Your place." He replied.

He came up behind her, stopped and just stood there a long moment. Debating on whether or not now was the time and place to make his move. He could sense something was up. What he didn't know exactly but it was definitely something. He gently turned her around to face him, deciding to go for it. He would solve whatever problem needed solving after he took care of his own physical needs.

He lowered his face toward hers and kissed her. The kiss started out more of a question on his part. A question he hoped she answer, which she did. She answered timidly, unsure but he pushed on. Deepening the kiss, and demanding that she respond more intensely. He wanted an explosion of want. The kiss started to really heat up between them until his hand moved under her shirt, where he cupped one of her breasts. Abruptly she pulled away and turned her back on him, suddenly feeling terrified. She did not want to be intimate with this man. She wasn't ready for that with anyone, but especially not Ethan. Not with his reputation of being a dog. She had simply been swept up in the moment.

The months of attraction, the awkward sexual tension. He had been kind and sweet to her when she had come to expect nothing but pain and punishment from men. He had made her feel pretty, and desired when she believed no man could possibly love her after everything she had been through. Ethan had slowly helped her regain some of her confidence, and feelings of security.

Ethan mentally cursed himself. He should have worked his way up to that. He was sure he could have won her over completely had he moved slower. Had he not touched her immediately. He watched her struggle not to react too harshly. He took her hand, and pulled her closer.
"No...."
"Hey, hey. It's okay. Shhh! I'm sorry." He cooed though he was now fully erect and frustrated with her rejection. He wanted her something fierce, and he was unsure if it was only about sex anymore. He had been trying to understand some of the things he was feeling in regards to the pixie brunette.

Slowly he could feel the tension draining from her body. She was beginning to relax against him. He moved his hand up over her hand, and it stopped at her wrist. A finger caught under the wristband the hospital had put on her.

He examined it seconds before he spun her around to face him. He looked her over, checking for any new bruises or cuts. He didn't see any but she did look a bit paler then usual. She stepped back, and leaned against the counter.
"I'm fine." It wasn't convincing but what could he do if she didn't want to talk. That was totally fine with him, not to mention he currently was flustered. Wanting her to fulfill his physical needs but stuck having to deal with her emotional issues. Usual when it came to her, though he wasn't sure why he cared. No other woman had ever made him care like she did.
"Please just get dressed." She said as she moved toward her living room. His interest in her had been very obvious in nothing more than a towel, and it was making her very uncomfortable. First it was pressed against her, then it was just inches from her.

By the time he came back out to join her she was in the shower. He could hear the water running. The thought excited him again and he groaned. There would be no satisfaction tonight. At least not the kind he wanted. He could already feel the ache beginning and he adjusted himself. It was still clear he desired the young woman.

Cadence was in the shower scrubbing furiously at her skin. Trying to wash away both the hospital and the memory/feel of Ethan's hands on her. She wanted to wash away the physical attraction between them as well, but she knew that was impossible. She had been trying to for months. She was thankful she was in the shower, and her tears were being washed away as they fell.

She was so confused by everything she felt. She had never ever stopped loving Jasper. The only man she had ever loved, though at the time she had not realized it was real love she felt. She wanted to keep her baby because she felt the urge to protect the life growing inside her. She knew by choosing to keep the baby she was forfeiting any chance she would ever have with Jasper. She could keep her baby and be with Ethan. He would protect her, and would not hurt her. She didn't love him though, and he didn't love her. It was simply lust between them.

When she stepped out of the bathroom she was wrapped in her bathrobe. She felt much more in control of what she was feeling.The wet strands clinging to her face. He was on the couch watching TV. Feet resting on the coffee table. He decided to ignore her. Let her come to him, that way she was in charge and therefore less likely to scare. If that's what it took to get her, well he could play along for a bit.

She sat herself in the armchair and pulled her feet up. She draped the blanket on the back of the chair across her lower half. Trying to keep space between them, and keep herself covered. She didn't really have anything that would fit her in this place. She would have to look but she was just to exhausted to do so that very moment. She finally was feeling the day, and it had hit her hard.

~Candie~

Lena stomped out of her house angrily. She came to stand beside Archie. Laying a hand on his shoulder. She knew the rogue Angel had royally ******** up. Archie was pissed, she was pissed. Those two were probably two of the worst people to infuriate.

She took a few calming breaths, fighting the urge to get in her car and hunt the b*****d down. She envisioned running the man over, backing up to run him over again, and then shifting back to drive to run him over one final time. It was no wonder her children were so damn violent when their Mother could be quite sadistic when pushed to be.
"Arch....come inside." She leaned down and kissed his neck. Mama Bear was trying to calm down, but she would only successfully do that with her mind shifted to something else. She was trying to divert her attention to Archie currently.

Archie Thompson

Archie felt inclined to make sure that not only Lena was safe, but Tyson as well. If the man was a rogue angel, then that meant he was willing to do anything and get away with it. He could have easily shot Tyson and no one would have ever known who it was. That infuriated the older man, and he was about to move from his chair and go hunt the a*****e down himself but Lena came outside. It was her soft voice that lulled his thoughts back to the present, and her lips that calmed the rage within him. He had not been having the best day with everything, and getting on his bad side now would be bad for anyone. "I'm staying the night." Not because he wanted a piece of Lena -- though he would gladly accept -- but because he wanted to make sure that they were safe. With that he stood and re-holstered his gun before following the petite woman inside, locking the door behind himself as he did so.

Jasper smiled a little seeing Grace eat some. She needed to now.
He looked back over the yard, taking a drink as she asked about Cadie.
"Yea... I saw Cadie on my way back over actually." He looked down at his hands, shook his head, and took another drink."She was scared about something, Grace. Had blood down her legs again." Jasper rubbed a hand over his head, rubbing his neck, "I just took her to the hospital. Didn't really say much I guess."He finished the small story. There really wasn't much to say. She had needed help, and he did so. Perhaps the whole fact that she was pregnant again, avoiding them all, and then losing the baby just had him in a bad place. One he had to get out of. Tomorrow.

He took another swig of beer finishing the bottle. He glanced around the yard, before looking to Grace. "This will be a great yard for the kids.Even a dog. Perhaps you should get one. I'll get you some sort of playset in the works after the beds".