Sorry for the long wait. I was away visiting family and didn't have computer access. Thank u for reading – I hope you like.

Chapter 4

Having only been a sleep for a few hours, Lux's internal clock kicked in causing her to stir. Stretching her arms above her head, Lux froze feeling a heavy hand resting on her bare skin. Not fully awake or thinking rationally, Lux did the first thing that came to mind – scream and scramble out of the bed.

"Wh-what is going on? Are you alright?" Dom's heart was beating so hard it felt like it would burst through his chest any second. Was this what a heart attack felt like?

"Dom?"

Dom looked confused as ever looking at Lux across the room and pressed into the wall. "Who the fuck else would it be?"

"I'm sorry." Lux made her way back to the bed. "I forgot you were here….or there in my bed and I just freaked."

Dom stared at Lux trying to understand what just happened. "Who did you think was in your bed? Did you think a rapist or murder is just going to suddenly decide to catch a few z's next to you?"

"I said sorry! Leave me alone I am going off of…" Lux looked at her alarm clock. "Going off of four hours of sleep and forgive me for it not being the norm to have a man in my bed." Lux mouthed off while grabbing a pair of sweat pants and pulling them on under her night shirt.

Dom watched as she turned her back to him and removed her shirt and replaced it with a sports bra and tank top. "…So when was the last time you shared your bed?"

Lux looked at Dom in the mirror as she brushed her blonde hair into a ponytail. "Hmm I think it was 3 weeks ago." Lux watched Dom's facial expression change, to what she didn't know. "When Ariana was sick and I was up all night trying to keep her fever down." Putting her hairbrush down, she picked up her toothbrush. "What kind of question is that? So when was the last time you shared your bed?" Lux mocked. "I won't even bother asking you that question. We all know you were a ladies man."

Dom stood in the doorway. "Letty was my one and only."

Lux dried her face and walked past Dom. "Of course she was." If Dom couldn't hear the sarcasm in her voice, he most definitely could see it written across her face. "I am going to pick up Ariana, I'll be back and make breakfast then."

Getting back to the apartment, Lux smelled coffee and something sweet. "Dom?"

"Dom?" Ariana copied as Lux set her feet on the floor the 3yr old ran inside. "Oooh yummy!"

Dom tapped Ariana's hand as she reached for the food on the table.

Lux walked further inside and saw her dining room table covered with food from one end to the other. "….What is this?"

"I think it's breakfast." Dom replied sarcastically.

Lux walked around the table seeing pancakes and French toast, bagels, fruit, eggs, cinnamon buns, coffee, and juice. "Did you…."

"You know I can't cook." Dom smiled and from the corner of his eye saw Ariana reaching for a cinnamon bun. Dom wrapped an arm around Ariana and scooped her up hearing her growl. Walking into the kitchen, Dom turned on the water. "I looked up some restaurants that deliver breakfast." Taking Ariana's hand's Dom stuck them under the water for her to wash them. Lux smiled and walked over to Dom, standing on her tippy toes, she kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

Ariana twisted around and dried her wet hands on Dom's shirt. "Thank you."

"Ariana, you know that was wrong." Lux shook her head as Ariana slid down Dom's side and to the floor.

"I eat now?"

"Don't touch the food." Lux called after her daughter as she quickly washed her hands. "You didn't have to buy breakfast…and so much of it. I don't mind cooking."

Dom shrugged. "I don't mind buying."

After breakfast, Lux was clearing the table when Dom touched her side to get her attention. "What's up?"

"This morning...what was that about?"

Lux shrugged. "I told you, it's been me and Ariana for the past...forever. I just kind of forgot you were here."

"Not that. The sarcasm when I mentioned Letty."

Again Lux shrugged. "Don't worry about it." Dropping the empty plastic containers into the trash Lux tried to walk out of the kitchen was blocked in by Dom's large frame.

"Lux."

"Dominic, if you don't know what I mean you obviously don't remember and I don't feel like travelling down memory lane okay?" Lux saw a space between the wall and Dom's arm, dipping under she found her escape. "Come on Ariana, time to brush your teeth."

"Coming!" Ariana skipped off behind her mother and to her bedroom.

Dom was naturally the silent type but this silence was scratching at his nerves. Lux did everything possible not to be left in a room alone with Dom, which wasn't hard with a hyper 3yr old needing her constant attention. After taking Ariana swimming, bringing her back up for a shower and lunch, Lux was finally winding down as Ariana was put in front of the TV.

Lux lay across the couch and sighed deeply.

"Do you see swiper?...Where?"

"There! There! Swiper no swiping! SWIPER NO SWIPING!" Ariana yelled while pointing at the TV. "Mommy swiper! You see swiper?" Ariana ran over and began hitting Lux's arm.

"I see him, I see him." Lux grabbed Ariana's hands. "What's he swiping?"

"He's….he's swiping Boot's…..boot." Ariana explained

Dom looked over noticed Lux was closing her eyes.

"And what do you say to stop him?"

"Swiper no swiping!" Ariana looked at her fingers and counted to herself. "Three times!"

"Why?"

"Cause he's bad." Ariana giggled and turned back to the TV.

Dom reached over touching Lux's leg. "Go to sleep. I'll watch her."

"I'm okay." Lux scooted further into her corner and out of Dom's reach.

"Lux. You're falling asleep."

"I'm fine Dom." Lux waved him off with her eyes closed. "What do you think I do when you're not here? This is every day for me, besides you really think she is going to let me sleep?"

"You're going to be tired for work."

Lux turned on her side. "I am always tired for work. Don't worry about it."

Dom didn't press Lux for the rest of the day, if she didn't want to talk about Letty fine. If she didn't want to take him up on his offer so she could get some sleep that was fine too. Dom could play the silent game too.

"Alright so uh I guess same as the other night. There is an extra key in the kitchen if you decide to go out. Food, TV, whatever you want is yours. I'll be home around 4." Lux scooped Ariana up in one arm and her bag in the other. "Say goodnight Ariana."

"Night night Dom." Ariana waved.

"Goodnight Ariana." Dom waved back.

Figuring he probably wouldn't be sleeping in Lux's bed that night, Dom went in search of blankets and pillows and set up the couch. Digging through his bag that Mia had packed for clean clothes Dom came across a set of keys with a note attached. His baby sister….always looking out for him.

Lux yawned walking into her apartment to see Dom waiting in the doorway.

"Wanna go for a ride?" Dom asked holding up keys

Lux dropped her bag. "Is that a good idea? It's almost 4am."

"That's why it's a good idea. You coming?"

Turning on her heels, Lux walked back out of the door she just entered and followed Dom. "Whose car?"

"Mine."

"Yours?" Lux pressed the elevator button.

Dom nodded. "I found the keys to one of my cars in my bag, Mia slipped it in there. I have it in storage, you'll need to drive there."

"Ahh so that's why you wanted me to come with you."

"I could've driven your car to storage. I wanted you to come with me, because I wanted you to come with me." Dom looked behind him at Lux trying to keep up. "Were you wearing that much makeup when you left for work?"

Following directions, Lux found herself in a part of town that probably never even heard of drag racing. "You left your car here?" Lux stopped in front of a luxury car shop.

Dom stepped out. "Nobody would think to look at a 93 Mazda Rx-7 in this part of town. I knew it'd be safe." Dom waited for Lux and led her around back to one of his many babies.

"Buckle up." Lux let out a shriek that turned to laughter, causing Dom to smile as he sped off pedal to the metal. "You never were scared to ride with me." Dom looked over at her.

"Why should I be scared?" Lux asked "I've known you forever."

"And I never scared you?" Dom shifted as he cruised through the streets.

Lux laughed. "I didn't say that. I was around a lot and I saw a lot, including your temper."

"It was never aimed at you."

Lux shrugged. "Eh…"

"It was never aimed at you." Dom looked over making sure he was understood. "You and Mia did some dumb shit and I let you know about it but I never went off on you." Dom chuckled a bit. "I don't think you ever went home."

"Your house was kind of the place to be when you felt you had nowhere to go."

Dom looked over remembering the nuclear fights Lux used to get into with her mother and how she would show up on the front porch at 2am crying and spend the next few nights in Mia's room. "Does she still live around here?"

Lux nodded. "Same house."

"You ever see her?"

"Nope."

Dom looked over to Lux seeing she was starting to shut off. "What about Ariana?"

"What about her?"

"She is her grandmother….you know family."

Lux turned in the seat a bit. "Dom I know you're this big family man but Mia and Brian are my only family. When Ariana was born my mother wouldn't even come to the hospital, she said she was too young to be a grandmother, especially to a bastard. Mia was the only one to stay with me. When my mother finally came to the hospital, she called me a slut in front of the doctors and nurses. Told me I'd never be a good mother and would end up on welfare because the dad wasn't around. She didn't even want to see or hold Ariana."

Keeping his eyes on the road, Dom reached over and draped an arm around Lux. Scooting in Lux rest her head on Dom's chest. "I would've been at the hospital with you." Leaning in Dom kissed Lux's forehead.

"I know."

Dom had originally taken Lux out for the drive to try and talk about Letty and her comments earlier in the day. The two girls once so close obviously had a falling out that Dom was unaware of. However one crappy relationship conversation was enough for the night. Dom saw no sense in bringing up Lux's toxic relationship with her mother and then Letty.

By time Dom got back to Lux's car she was passed out asleep and it was just after 5am. Parking, Dom managed to move Lux from his car to hers without waking her. Covering his Mazda he took the keys and phone from Lux's purse and started driving. Dom had no idea how Lux did it, he had been with her almost 3 full days and she barely slept. Once in a while Dom would catch her dosing but it never lasted long, not as long as Ariana had anything to do with it.

"Hello?" Mia answered the phone sleepily.

"Mia, you awake?"

"….I wasn't. What's wrong?" Mia sat up and rubbed her eyes looking at the clock. It wasn't even 6am.

Dom chuckled. "Nothing is wrong, I'm outside."

"What?"

"I came to pick up Ariana."

Mia walked over to the window and saw Lux's car parked on the street. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Yeah but I was out and figured why not. Now are you opening the door?"

Mia opened the door for her older brother and he walked in with a chuckle. "You look like shit."

"Yeah well I wasn't expecting to be up before the sun. Does Lux know you're picking Ariana up?"

Dom nodded to the car outside. "She's asleep in the car, figured I'd do her a favor."

Puzzled, Mia furrowed her brows. "I'm not going to ask…come on she is asleep in your room."

"I'll get her." Dom headed up the stairs and pushed open the door that led to his old room and saw Ariana looking like a baby doll asleep in the middle of his king size bed. Walking over, he pushed the hair from her face and smiled seeing her eye lid fluttering as she dreamed peacefully. Picking up the toddler, Dom's eyes caught sight of a picture beside his bed, a picture of him and Letty.

Mia looked up seeing her brother come down the stairs. "I'm making coffee if you want some."

"No, I think I should get her home but uh….."

"What?"

"After I left, did Lux ever say anything about Letty?" Dom asked adjusting a sleeping Ariana on his shoulder.

"Anything like what?"

"Anything. Did something happen…..a falling out. I mentioned Letty this morning and Lux's reaction wasn't what I expected."

Mia shrugged. "Lux is always sarcastic when she wants to avoid something."

"I know."

Mia tried to think. "I don't think anything happened between them, I mean when Letty came back before she….died, it seemed they were cool with each other. Lux even helped Letty work on your Charger. They seemed just fine to me."

Dom thought it over a bit. "Why didn't I see Lux when I came back for Letty's funeral?"

"She was there….you couldn't be there remember? You watched from a distance there was no way to see who was there or not. After the funeral you were here what 2 or 3 days and in hiding? Dom you're making a big deal out of Lux probably not getting enough sleep last night. You probably want to get her home before she wakes up on you." Mia motioned to Ariana as she lifted her head slightly, only for it to drop back against Dom's shoulder.

Dom nodded. "Alright." Leaning in Dom kissed Mia's forehead. "I'll see you later. Love you."