A/N: So this is a tough chapter that I keep scrapping and re-writing. I figured I'd just shorten it, and put this version out. I need to move past it and get on with the tale. I actually wrote an epilogue already, and am thinking of doing some interludes until I can get the next 2 chapters just right. That said, thank you to all my peers and those supporting and continuing to review this.

Last thing, once again, I'm not knowledgeable about cars/action sequences/stuff like that, so sorry if that stuff sucks. Just pretend! HA! Here we go!

Chapter 10

Mia Flashback

"Hold it straight. You have to make sure to hold tight. And make sure that you know that 'up' means safety 's on, and 'down' means you're ready to unload." She advised, face stone serious.

"I got it, Letty, down means shoot." I sighed, raising my hands up again, aiming at the man on the paper.

"Make sure you follow through, Mi. When you squeeze the trigger, make sure you anticipate the back-kick. If you don't, shit can go bad really quick. Especially if you're holding something that can take your arm off." She lectured. "Now look at your target, and you squeeze when you're ready."

I stood for a few moments, exhaling, and breathing evenly. The air around me calmed and it was almost like a white noise enveloped me. I exhaled, slowly, my finger pulling the trigger and a solid 'Boom' sounded as red flashed before my eyes.

"Good one Mia." Letty praised, walking over to the paper to see where I had hit: In the chest, better than my last 20 rounds.

"So why am I learning to shoot again?" I sighed, reloading my own clip the way she had showed me.

"Because Mia, I want to make sure that you can handle yourself. Us girls have to look out for each other now." She smiled, but I knew she really meant since my brother had left her and because she was up to something that had her missing from the house through the night. When she had arrived back in the states a month ago, I hadn't expected her. She looked tired, miserable and completely heartbroken. I can recall semblances of those emotions after Brian and I had split that first time after finding out he was a cop. Letty never cried about Dom to me, and when we talked about him, she always spoke as though she knew he was going to come back, and she couldn't wait to make him pay for leaving her in the Dominican Republic.

I never told her anything different, although I knew in my heart that Dom would never come back for her; not if he had made the decision to leave her to protect her. I knew that to him, because of all the things he could never offer her, her safety was something he could control, so he would keep his distance. I know she never looked at it that way. How could she? She was in love, completely, unconditionally and unabashedly.

"OK, but unless you think someone's going to come blasting down my door, bullets flying everywhere, I don't think this is needed."

"Humor me." She replied, dead-panned, as I reassumed my position and began another round of shots.

"Also Mia, make sure you can always get to your gun. Make sure that should you need her, she's ready and willing to dish out your damage." She nodded, and I shook my head, clenching my teeth as the bullets rang out.

Mia POV

The memory of Letty and I at the shooting range that summer made me grateful for the sister I had lost. Hearing the incessant knock, I reached into the drawer on the coffee table and retrieved Trixi, my 40 caliber Glock, and wiped my hands on my floral apron. Brian would probably faint at the idea of me owning a gun.

As I stepped into the foyer, ready to confront my visitor, I was grabbed from behind, my arms kicking and flailing like fish out of water. I was immediately quieted when I saw Giselle shush me with her finger.

"What the hell is going on?" I whispered harshly, maneuvering to see Han, crotched down and surveying our surroundings.

"There are men out there, sent to kill you. We have to get out of here." She whispered as I looked at her as though she had grown two heads.

"What in the hell do you…" and I was cut off by Han this time, who looked at me sternly to keep quiet.

He glanced around the corner, realizing that men were now trying to peak through the windows.

"We've been trying to call you." Han offered, grabbing my hand and pulling me back towards the window they had climbed through.

"I lost it." I answered, "Wait, I can't fit my ass through there." I hissed.

"Unless you want a bullet in your ass, I'm sure we can manage." Giselle whispered back, covering Han as he slid through the window first. I went next, sliding heavily into Han's arms, but not without scraping my arm on the window sill. Giselle climbed out after, falling gracefully beside us and I wondered how many windows she had climbed through in her day. As we turned to run up to the street where they parked the car, we heard the force with which my front door was kicked in with and gun shots rang out, as men yelled, probably scouring the rooms for me. I gasped, realizing how close to death I was, and wondered what in the hell Brian and Dom had gotten me into.

As we threw ourselves into an Infinity G35, Han smashed on the gas as Giselle grabbed for his phone, fumbling the device. She pressed 'send' just as we were spotted fleeing and instantly became targets. There were so many shots; it sounded more like the makings of popcorn as we sped away.

"Brian, we got her. No! She's fine, just barely. Ok, we'll meet you at the landing strip." She answered, nodding her head, and then ending the call.

"They just landed. We'll meet them at the air strip." Giselle advised, as Han swerved cutting around a corner, dodging bullets as they chased us through the air.

"Can somebody tell me what the hell is going on here?" I yelled, irritated at the fact that everyone seemed in on my attempted assassination but me.

"I think it's best if we let Brian and Dom fill you in." Giselle answered, glancing back to make sure we hadn't been followed.

Letty POV

When I suggested to Dom that I go with Mia, he immediately refused, and attempted to avert the discussion, end of story. I sighed, knowing that this was going to be a battle. It was a unanimous decision to make sure Mia was safe and as far away from this fiasco as possible, and I wanted desperately to go with her.

"Look, I know that you don't want to be apart. But we need to make sure Mia is protected. I know a place we can go to lay low until you come for us. You know Mia is already scared, Dom. She'll want one of us with her." I pleaded, trying to make him understand that this was a great idea.

"No." he replied evenly, making me fume.

"Look, I'm not asking your permission. Just like you did what you thought was best for me in the DR, I'm doing what I think is best now!" I argued, knowing I was hitting below the belt. I guess we had some issues to work through still. His eyes flashed at me then, and I immediately regretted what I said.

"I'm sorry, Dom. I want to make sure that Mia isn't alone. Make sure that she is safe. Before all this stuff happened, she and I had a real strong bond. We took care of each other." I admitted, trying to make him understand that I wasn't leaving him, per say.

"She doesn't know you're alive, Letty." He admitted, sighing. "Brian didn't tell her what we were doing in case the lead on you was fake or…"He trailed off.

'…Or they weren't able to save me'. I figured. He took my hands in his then.

"Look, I agree that I'd feel a lot better knowing one of us were with her until this is settled, but you're just as much a target as she is." He reasoned, trying to make me understand his side. I, however, had another agenda.

"You not being with me isn't an option." He cemented, and I almost growled at him.

"This is your sister, Dom. She's pregnant and if she can't have you or Brian with her, when she sees me, she's not going to want to not have one of us. I'm going with her, that's final and you're going to be okay with this decision." I asserted, hoping that my false bravado worked. I knew in my heart he had every right to stick to me like glue. He sat for a minute, deep in thought.

"Fine, but I won't compromise with you on this subject again." He huffed, looking at me plainly. I nodded, surrendering the war to him, although he gave me the battle. I couldn't begrudge him his wishes, not when we had both lost so much.

"Any ideas on where would be a safe place?" He asked, starting what I knew would be a long stream of questions.

"Seychelles." I replied, waiting for the next question.

"Who's in Seychelles?" he asked, eyes brows rising in shock. 'Here we go' I thought.

"Leon. He and I ran into each other after you left. I went to Spain to look into some imports for Hector and to check out the racing scene. I was hoping to run into you." I began."Anyway, I found Leon at a street race, and we've never lost touch. He's there now, and he'll make sure we're safe. No one knows he's there." I summed as Dom nodded.

"I need all of the info on this location. Give me the abbreviated version. We're pressed for time." He said a bit aggravated. I leaned over and kissed him squarely on the mouth, licking my lips to remember the taste of him.

After this was all over, and he found out the rest of the story behind Leon being in Seychelles, I could very well end up on the opposite end of his fury.

He reached up, caressing my cheek and I turned to kiss his palm. He grabbed my hand pulling me towards Brian, to relay the plan.

Brian Pov

When I got the news from Giselle, I physically sighed in relief. My family was safe. I stood on the asphalt of the strip, the loud sound of the plane engine roaring behind me. Monica was talking loudly with Roman, although I couldn't make out what they were saying. I had asked that the plane be re-fueled as soon as we landed, because I was sticking Mia on it and sending her somewhere safe until all of this was finished. The fact that all of this was coming back to haunt my family was sickening to me. I wanted Verone dead. I looked at Dom, who was standing, talking with Letty, their bodies almost touching and he brought his hand to her cheek, as she turned to kiss his palm. She nodded, as they turned, walking hand and hand towards me.

"Letty and Tej are going to go with Mia. She knows somewhere safe to take her, and he can fly. We'll meet them after this is over." He summed, my eyes darting to his, and I could see the anguish there. I knew it was because he didn't want her out of his sight, let alone back in the world without him. I looked at Letty then, who, smiled small and then leaned her forehead against his bicep, kissing it softly. He turned then, walking with her back onboard the plane, probably to make sure they had everything they needed.

Just as they ducked into the cabin, I saw car lights speeding towards us. My heart immediately soared; it would be seconds until my world lay in my arms again.

Mia POV

As the car neared the plane, I could see the guys standing outside and my eyes immediately flew to Brian. He was ok, but looked relieved to see us approach. As soon as the car stopped, I almost pushed Giselle out of the car trying to get to him.

"What in the hell is going on?" I yelled, throwing my arms around his neck. He took a moment to squeeze me, and then kissed me soundly, his hands roaming down to massage my tummy.

"Mia, there's just so much to say. We don't have time. If we don't get to the house, the guys that came for you will be gone and we'll never get them." He sighed. "But I do have news, great news, Mia." He began, but I saw my brother coming off the plane and I immediately wanted to run to him first, to hug him and let him know I was ok. As I pulled away from Brian and started towards him, I was blasted at the sight of Letty; her hair much longer, almost to her waist, and her frame a bit more womanly than I remember. This couldn't be. Letty was dead. I watched them lower her casket into the ground. I watched my brother grieve for her, watched him almost destroy his life to avenge her.

I think I'm screaming and now I think I'm running to her as I shoot past the guys and some beautiful Latin chick. She sees me then, and brushes past Dom as she runs down the steps and we meet in each other's arms as I collapse into a heap of tears and joy.

For a small second, I forget that I was almost toast at the house back there, and I forget that I was angry at her for going undercover and leaving me like everyone else in my life had. I was just happy to have my best friend back. She pulled away from me, her own face wet with tears and she put her hands on my tummy, smiling from ear to ear.

"Hey Mia! See the buster finally trapped you, huh?" she laughed and I threw my arms back around her, laughing. I had so many questions and so many thoughts that I didn't know where to begin. She took my hand and we walked like two school girls towards Dom and I launched myself into his arms, smiling happily that he would become whole again. When I let go, he had managed to feel the gun in my back pocket. Pulling it out, he eyed me shocked. Letty broke into a throaty laugh, pointing at me, taunting 'Told you' and I avoided Dom's eyes.

He looked back and forth between the two of us, wondering what secrets we kept, and smiled lovingly.

I would get my old brother back.

He stepped to the side so that we could walk onto the plane, and greeted Brian coming up behind us, shaking his head with a smile.

A/N: Next we get a one on one talk with Letty and Mia, and some action. Review please and everyone have a good weekend!