A/N: The end of this chapter is NSFW. And, I'm only half sorry that this chapter is so long. (: But you've all successfully made it to the end of Part I. Chapter 11 will start Part II. Enjoy!

Chapter 10: A Helping Hand

Tuesday, July, DT's Auto Shop, Los Angeles, 2:19PM

"And I was just standing there butt-ass naked with this fucking feather duster in my hand." Vince finished his story.

The team laughed hysterically at his latest antics. The day had was flying past and before they knew it, the Thai delivery guy had arrived. Sitting around the garage, eating and conversing; it was a much needed break.

Letty hopped off of the hood of the car she'd been eating on. Pulling her ringing cell phone out of the cargo pocket on her pants, Letty was confused at the blocked number.

"Yo." She answered. "Yeah... What?!... No, I'm on my way. I'm on my way!"

Letty shoved her phone back into her pocket and rushed around the garage in a panic. "Where the hell are my keys?" She yelled at no one in particular.

"Letty, calm down. What's wrong?" Dom asked, sitting down his food container.

"I need my damn car keys."

He stood up and grabbed Letty's arm as she rushed past him. "Hey. Hey, talk to me. What's going on?"

"That was a nurse from Mercy West. My mom's in emergency surgery. And I can't find my goddamn keys."

When Dom saw tears begin to brim in Letty's eyes, he couldn't handle it. "Come on. I'm taking you. You shouldn't be driving right now." He turned to his team. "Vince, lock up?"

"Yeah, of course. Don't worry about anything. Just go." Each hugged Letty and assured her that everything was going to be okay.

Together, the two walked out of the garage, heading towards Dom's Chevelle. Letty climbed into the passenger seat and closed the door. She used her fingertips to squeeze her eyes, wiping away tears before they spilled down her face. Dom started the car, pulling smoothly out of the parking spot. Flying down the street, he pulled Letty's hand from her lap and rested it upon the center console, and interlocked his fingers with hers.

"She's a fighter, Letty. She'll be alright."

Flashback 10 years ago (2003), Los Angeles, early-June

"Did anyone do the reading last night? Anyone? Mia?"

The entire class was silent, most students avoiding the teacher's gaze. Not a single hand was raised. No one wanted to be called on. They just wanted to sit in the class, texting or studying for another subject, for the next forty-seven minutes.

Mia stopped doodling hearts in the corner of her notebook long enough to look up at her literature teacher and confirm that she, in fact, had not read the assigned chapters. Letty chuckled, shook her head, and continued writing VANDALISM IS WRONG on her desk.

"Letty? Is there something you wanted to add?"

"Yeah, uh-."

Before a sarcastic remark could escape Letty's lips, a knock on the classroom door made everyone's head turn.

"Saved by the knock." Mia muttered, bumping fists with Letty.

A security guard walked into the classroom and handed her a slip of paper.

"Letty Ortiz, apparently there is a family emergency. You're wanted in the main office."

Letty looked quizzically at Mia, who simply shrugged. "What the hell?"

"Text me when you figure out what's going on."

"I will."

Letty grabbed her favorite pen and her backpack, swinging it over one shoulder as she headed out of the classroom with the security guard.

In the main office, Letty was greeted by her mother. She hugged Letty tightly with tears in her eyes.

"Ma, what's wrong?" Letty looked around, embarrassed by the office staff staring at her mother's affections.

Lana Ortiz sniffled and wiped her nose with the crumpled tissue in her hand. "It's your father. He's had a heart attack."

"My father died when I was a baby. That pathetic excuse for a man that you married is not my father." Letty hissed, keeping her voice down. She looked around again and pulled her mother out into the hallway. Classes were still in session and the hallways were a ghost town. Nothing but silence.

"Letty, you can be so mean sometimes."

Letty sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. "Is he alive?"

"No." Her mother's sobs shook her upper body uncontrollably before she pulled Letty in for another embrace. Half-heartedly, Letty patted her mother's back. She knew her mom loved Marco. But she didn't. And she wouldn't pretend otherwise. The only thing she could do was be there for her mom.

End of flashback

3:26PM, Mercy West Hospital

Standing at the admittance station, Letty cleared her throat loudly to get a nurse's attention. The redhead looked up from her computer, obviously annoyed with the interruption. She popped her gum in the side of her mouth.

"Hi. I'm looking for Lana Ortiz. She was admitted for emergency surgery." Letty explained.

"And you are?"

Letty took a deep breath. Snapping on the woman now wouldn't get her any information. "Her daughter, Leticia Ortiz."

Dom smirked. He knew Letty hated her full name; she rarely ever introduced herself as 'Leticia'.

Turning back to her computer, the redheaded nurse clacked away on the computer searching for Lana's room information.

"Your mom's just gotten out of surgery. She's in the intensive care unit." She offered.

"And where's that?" Letty's irritation was apparent. If the woman would just give all of the information at once, Letty wouldn't have to play twenty-one questions with her.

She sighed, exasperated. "Third floor. You'll need to check in with the nurse's station up there to find out what room she's in."

"Thanks." Letty said. Turning around, she muttered under her breath. "Bitch."

"Letty." Dom warned as the pair headed to the elevators.

On the third floor, the nurses at the reception desk were much sweeter. The blonde that Letty and Dom spoke to found her mother's file immediately.

"She's in room three, two doors down as soon as you turn the corner. There's a strick family only policy in the ICU." She looked to Dom. "I know she's Ms. Ortiz's daughter, but-."

"I'm her son-in-law." Dom interjected.

The blonde nurse quickly perked up again. "Oh, that's so sweet of you to come with your wife! Go right in. She needs her rest, though, so keep your voices down."

"Will do. Thank you." Dom added. He pulled Letty's hand towards her mother's hospital room.

"Your wife, huh?" Letty smirked.

"Shut up."

Walking into her mother's room, Letty's voice caught in her throat. This wasn't the woman that she remembered. She was still beautiful, but there were bags under her eyes and it looked as if she had cut her long, dark hair into an assymetrical bob. Lying in the bed, there was an IV in her left hand and the machines around were beeping rhythmically.

"Mami." Letty breathed. She moved to stand by her mother's side. Picking up her mother's right hand, Letty kissed it, gently. Dom stepped further into the room, finding a seat in a spare chair by a window. He watched Letty's interaction with her mom. It was the most vulnerable he'd seen her in a long time.

"Leticia?" A soft voice inquired. Letty turned around to look at the intruder in the doorway. A short, blonde doctor stood with her hands in her labcoat. Dom stood up and walked to Letty's side, placing his hand, protectively on her lower back.

"Dr. Victoria Torelli." She introduced herself, shaking Letty's hand.

"Letty, please." The Latina replied, holding her hand out. "And this is Dom Toretto."

Dr. Torelli shook Dom's hand, greeting him with a basic Italian phrase. "Ah, piacere di conoscerti." (Pleasure to meet you.)

"Il piacere e tutto mio." He responded. (Pleasure is all mine.)

"So, how's she doing?" Letty asked.

"The surgery was a success. She had a half-inch rupture in her appendix. When she arrived, she was rushed to an OR and we were able to remove it without a problem. We'll want to keep her for about two days to minimize the possibility of infection or stitch splitting. She made us promise to call you immediately, and I'm glad you were able to make it so quickly." Dr. Torelli explained.

"Thanks for calling me. Uh, how long will she be asleep?"

"She should be awake in an hour or two. There's a cafeteria on the first floor and vending machines down the hall to your left. Page me if you need anything." Dr. Torelli looked specifically at Dom.

When she was gone, Letty looked up at Dom who's facial expression read confusion. He shook his head and kissed the crown of Letty's curls, her dark hair tickling his nose.

5:31PM, Mercy West Hospital

"Letty?" Lana's voice was groggy. Her throat was dry and she was light-headed, but she was over the moon happy to see her only child.

Letty stood up and quickly made her way to her mother's bedside. "Hi, Ma. How are you feeling?"

"Necissito agua, por favor." She confessed. (I need water, please.)

Dom poured ice water into the pink plastic cup the nurses had set out. Walking to the opposite side of her bed, he helped Letty prop her mother up. Lana's eyes squinted.

"Dominic Nero Vincenzo Toretto." Lana started. Letty snorted her laughter. It was no secret that her mom was never a fan of Dom. When he deflowered her one and only daughter, he went from 'that sweet boy who loved cars' to 'the pendejo that took Letty's innocence'.

"Ms. Ortiz. Always a pleasure."

She drank from the cup of water he offered. "Hmm. I wish I could say the same."

"Ma, be nice to him." Letty told her. "Dom brought me here, mami. He wanted to make sure you were okay."

Lana patted Dom's hand, gingerly. Dom was a nice boy. He had a few hard knocks, but he made himself a nice business and was a family man. Still, Lana wasn't so quick to forgive his indisrections with her child.

Fifteen minutes later, Dr. Torelli had checked Lana's stats, cleaned and rebandaged her incision with the help of a nurse, and left them alone again. And the next three hours sailed by with Lana's recanting embarrassing tales of Letty's childhood.

"All I'm saying is that in my day, a girl became a woman with her husband on her wedding night." Lana shrugged, nonchalantly.

"Ay, Dios. Ma, stop. We are not having this discussion."

"What? You're too grown to talk about sex with your mama?" Lana questioned.

"Yes. Yes, Ma. It's weird."

Dom chuckled as he flicked through the crap television stations. Every ounce of him wanted to remind her that it took two to tango, but he knew better than to argue with women, especially a mother and daughter.

"Oooh, Letty, I just rescued a puppy from a shelter. He's so sweet but he's never been alone for longer than a few hours."

"Well, we're going to swing past your house to get you some clothes, so we'll check on him."

"No, Letty. You have to stay there with him. He needs to be around people."

"Ma." Letty sighed, exasperated. She closed her eyes for a split second. When she opened them, Lana was looking at her with big, hazel eyes. "Ugh. Fine. Me quedaré con tu perro." (I will stay with your dog.)

Lana smiled graciously at Letty. "You're my favorite daughter."

Letty laughed. She leaned over and kissed her mother's forehead. "I'm your only daughter. You have no choice."

"Dominic." Lana's sweet voice became commanding.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"You stay with her tonight, young man." She gestured for him to move closer. When he did, she put her hands on his face, kissing both of his cheeks. "But you keep your hands off of her."

"Yes, ma'am. You just get some rest." He told her.

"Yeah, yeah. I love you kids." Letty tapped her morphine drip twice, before kissing her mother's forehead.

"I love you, Ma."

Lana Ortiz's house, Los Angeles, 9:52PM

Unlocking the door to her mother's house, Letty and Dom were greeted by a blue-nosed pitbull puppy. He wagged his tail and barked happily.

"You're cute." She picked him up while Dom shut and locked the door behind them. He headed into the den, too lazy to turn on the lights, before turning on the TV to check the sports scores.

After feeding the dog, Letty headed upstairs, stopping in her tracks when she saw her mom's bedroom door was open. She entered and turned on the floor lamp by the door. Surprisingly, the light illuminated majority of the large room.

Lana's bed was made, there were fresh vacuum marks on the tan carpet, and the room smelled vaguely of her mom's floral perfume. Amongst the jewelry boxes, perfume bottles and loose change, Letty found an old birthday card that she'd given her mother. Her handwriting confirmed that Letty must have been in elementary school when she'd signed it. Letty smiled. A wave of nostalgia washed over her and she started out of the room and down the steps to show Dom her treasure.

In the den, Dominic hadn't moved from his seat on the couch and he paid Letty no mind when she entered the room. Clearing her throat loudly, Dom raised his eyebrows in question, but never glanced her way. She stood in front of the television, and he moved his head to the side, trying to see around her.

"Let, come on, I can't see."

Letty crossed the room and stood in front of him. "What you gonna do? Oh no, you're gonna miss the game. Who won? No one knows."

"Get over here." He growled playfully, pulling her towards him. She laughed, heartily, and without thinking, Letty straddled his lap.

"Look what I found. My mom kept it all these years."

Dom took the card from her and skimmed its contents. "She loves you."

"Yeah." Letty pulled the card out of his grasp and sat it on the table next to the couch. Her voice softened, "Hey. Thanks for coming with me today. I was going out of my mind."

"Of course." His hands fell, instinctively, to Letty's hips. She angled in, placed her hands on either side of his face. Before her lips touched his, Dom reminded her, "Your mom said we have to keep our hands to ourselves."

With her face still only centimeters from his, Letty removed her hands from his face. And then she removed his hands from her waist before their lips touched. From sweet to rough, it was a challenge for both of them to refrain from using their hands. Smiling into the kiss, Letty uncharacteristically giggled her victory when Dom's hands settled onto her ass.

"You lose."

Dom stood up and placed Letty on the couch. Kneeling in front of her, Dom unbottoned and unzipped her jeans in the blink of an eye.

"Dom," warned Letty, grabbing at his hands to stop him, but it was too late. He was already pulling them off. Dom spread her legs and rested them on his shoulders.

"Shh. Stop." He replied, moving her hand. "Let me love you."

Dom looked into her eyes as he pulled her closer to the edge of the couch. When he lowered his head between her thighs, Letty gasped. And when his tongue found her core, her eyes closed and her back arched slightly. He dove deeper, licking up and down her wet pussy before pulling her clit into his mouth, sucking loudly.

"Hunnhh! Fuck!" Letty groaned. Her right hand found the crown of his head, pushing him further against her. Dom gripped her thighs so tightly, Letty knew there would be an imprint for a few days. But she didn't care.

The only thing she cared about at the moment was the finger that Dom was pushing inside of her. Followed by another. And then another.

"Oh god!" Was all she managed when Dom stroked his fingers in and out as fast as he could. Sucking, licking, flicking and gently biting her clit, he took his brunette lover to paradise. Replacing his tongue with fingers, he played with her clit and shoved his tongue as deep as he could within her wet core. Letty's juices drenched his mouth and chin, but Dom wanted more of the creamy liquid.

"Ohmygo-! Dom! Please... don't... stop." She moaned. With one hand pushing his head deeper, Letty's other hand dug into the couch. Her back arched and her hair fanned out. And Dom knew she was close when her muscles clenched around his tongue. Her hips bucked against his face and her left hand scratched at his back so hard, she drew blood.

"Uunnnhhh! Shitshitshitshit!" Letty moaned. Her body erupted, sending her over the edge into a euphoria. Still on the floor in front of Letty, Dom kissed up her shaking body, resting his head on her stomach.

"Letty, I don't want you with anyone else."

Her breathing slowed. And her eyes brimmed with tears. Her voice got caught in her throat so she simply nodded, sniffling. "Okay."

Up Next: Things get hotter. Things get heavier. Things get... well, you'll see! (: