April 2, 2011

Vienna, Austria

Letty sat up slowly, her hand caressing the leather covering the backseat. It was expensive. The purr of the car was a surprise. You didn't normally hear the sound of a V12 in the European streets. But it was the smell, purely and simply her husband's, that made her look up. They made eye contact through the rearview mirror. She didn't smile, neither did he.

"You've just declared war on one of the most formidable men I've ever met," she told him.

His eyes closed briefly as he savored the sound of her voice. His temperature rose, his blood rushed to his cock, and his heart began to pound furiously. He drove through the streets quickly, skirting traffic, speeding excessively. He had to get them somewhere where they could be alone and safe for at least 24 hours. He tossed his phone back to her, the video of Anthony and Christian on the screen.

Letty pushed play and felt her throat constrict as she watched her son, not even walking even she'd last held him, now talking clearly. And Mia had a baby boy, a little cousin who was being raised side by side with Christian. Her heart hammered and her eyes filled. She didn't cry but she felt the stress of everything she had been through being released as she now knew that it had kept her son safe and happy. He was with his aunt. The only other person Letty trusted one hundred percent with him aside from herself and Dom, who would love him unconditionally if anything happened to them. And then that quickly she was so fucking mad that she could barely breathe.

"Let me out," she whispered the words.

Dom's eyes caught hers in the rearview mirror again, "what?"

"Stop the car and let me out," she repeated.

"Letty," he shoved his foot on the brake as she began to open the door. He pulled the car behind some trees beside one of the long tunnels and turned off the lights. He definitely hadn't gotten them as far away as he would have liked them to be. But she had looked like she was going to jump out if he didn't do as she said.

When he turned the ignition off and looked back she had the door open, one foot on the ground outside. She was looking outside, refusing to make eye contact now. He felt his blood boiling, "so what are you going to do?"

"I want to get the fuck out of this car and walk away from you as cavalierly as you always leave me," she replied, her voice soft but unmistakably pissed off.

Dom shoved against the wheel, angry with her and angry with himself, "it has never been as easy as you've always thought it was. But either way, I was wrong. Okay? I was wrong to leave you every time, most especially in the Dominican."

Letty looked up in surprise, had she just heard a legitimate apology from Dominic Toretto? He was studying her through the mirror, his face was tense, his eyes were watchful but also completely full of love.

"When I decided to become a dead woman I knew it would kill you to think I was dead. I don't regret my decisions but I do regret you hurting like that. I regret you not being there when Christian was born and his first few months. I'm sorry."

"So now what," he asked. In his own stupidity he thought that none of the old bullshit would matter once he had her. But how could it not? There were years of bereft, anger fueled, pain between them. There were also countless years of unending love and one handsome baby boy between them. So how would they get to a point, in the middle of all of the current bullshit, where none of it mattered?

"Now you fill me in on what your plan is to stop Lukas from killing us; which should also include how to stop him from attempting to destroy the free world for a few billion dollars, and introduce me to the team that you've pulled together."

4444

The new base was in the basement of the Historic Centre of Vienna in Michaelerplatz; a planned change to avoid being spotted in until they were ready to move back to Berlin where the final convoy with the final package had to go. Although Dom didn't know what he had expected when he finally got Letty back he knew that it hadn't included walking into a room full of people within hours.

As they walked through the darkened basement corridors they stood apart. Never had there seemed to be such a distance between them. He had never felt closer to her yet so far away. She held herself aloof. Anger and sadness emanated off of her. But it didn't detract from how beautiful she was. Her hair was in waves and curls down her back and her face was as perfect as ever. She walked with purpose in her black skinny jeans and fitted black leather jacket covering her silver slinky tank. Just the slip of cleavage with the gleam of her gold cross nestled between her breasts had him hard all over again. Despite Elena's beauty he had never responded to her the way he had always responded to his wife.

Finally they made it to the old wooden door. Dom pushed it open allowing her to enter first. Immediately her right hand shot out and was pushing on his chest as she aimed her gun at Hobbs standing across the room.

"Nice to see you again too Letty," Hobbs told her, a patronizing smile on his face.

"You raise your weapon in my husband's direction and I'll take you out," she replied quietly, serious as a heart attack.

Dom took her right hand and kissed it briefly before entering the room, "we're all on the same team at the moment."

She turned incredulous eyes in his direction, "since when?"

"Since stopping Lukas became more important to the U.S. government then us," Dom replied.

Letty took her time lowering her weapon and slipping it in the back of her pants. If Dom was saying that they were cool then she wouldn't shoot him…yet. Her eyes were weary as she began to look at the rest of the faces. She grinned despite herself and found herself wrapping her arms around Andre. She pulled back from their hug, "thank you for everything. Christian and I wouldn't have survived without you."

Dom frowned at that comment and watched as Andre grinned sheepishly, "I told you that you would always have family in Madrid."

"You probably recognize Roman, he's Brian's old friend, and of course Han, Giselle, and Brian. That's Tej over there, our tech expert. They're family. They've all met Christian."

Letty smiled at them all. If Dom had let them anywhere near their baby then must trust them implicitly. She couldn't help herself as she turned to Han, "I swore I had seen you and Giselle in Berlin."

Han grinned at his old friend, happy she was alive and safe, "we were as surprised as you were. We thought you were dead."

Brian stepped forward and hugged Letty. She returned the hug wholeheartedly. He had finally done right by Mia and had made a gorgeous baby boy with her. How could she possibly be angry with him? It was water under the bridge, they'd all done reprehensible things.

"Anthony is so handsome," Letty commented, "and I love that you named him after Tony. He would be so proud."

"He would," Dom agreed.

"We didn't expect you back until tomorrow night," Roman, never one to be bashful, noted.

Letty glanced back at Dom, "there are bigger fish to fry."

Dom thought that was debatable but it was obvious that she wasn't planning on having any type of reconciliatory conversation until they had a plan of attack. Which suited him because he was just as confused as she was. They had been fighting to get back to each other, to make one another safe, for so long. They had left, died, returned, killed, robbed, and everything else in between. And now they were weary of one another. It was completely new for them to show this much restraint around one another.

"That's where you come in actually," Hobbs took a seat at the table. He explained the pressing need to get Lukas before Lukas stole the final package.

She glared at him, "you persist in thinking I can help you capture people. I think you should just get better at your job."

"That's what your husband says too," Hobbs replied with a grin.

Letty glanced back at Dom. Her husband. Standing aloof at the head of the table, watching her with his dark eyes. There was no doubt that he was hungry for her. It was obvious in the way that he looked at every inch and part of her that he wanted to put his mouth on. And in response she dropped her gaze and took measure of every part she wouldn't mind getting her hands or mouth on. Their heady sexually chemistry wasn't gone, not by a long shot. His hands clenched and then he shoved them into his pockets. It was as if he couldn't be touching her then he needed to restrain his wayward hands.

"See this is the shit they do. We're in the middle of a conversation and now they're in the middle of some mental sexual encounter," Brian mentioned to Roman, as if they had been discussing it previously.

Letty shook it off, forcing herself to remember waking up in the hospital after being shot wondering if she had failed to protect Christian as she had their first baby. She forced herself to remember waking up in the DR alone and setting a whole house, their home, on fire. She was at her most destructive when Dom made bad choices. He still hadn't proved that he made better decisions.

Dom watched her whole demeanor change and forced himself to back off and take a seat at the table. He wondered if she regretted being with him. If she did, could he blame her? Even if it would break him if she did?

"There is one more package. One more chance to stop and capture Lukas. If we can, then you'll all be free," Hobbs reminded everyone, subduing them with those simple words.

"What do you mean," Letty asked suspiciously.

"We all get pardons if we can complete the mission," Tej replied.

Letty looked to Dom, silently asking, then what?

May 1, 2011

Unknown Location

It was so hot out that Letty felt a fine sheet of sweat cover her freshly showered body. She walked around the punching bag in the outdoor gym in the desert. They had moved to this ultra secret base to train for their final mission. They drove on a loaded up track. They practiced shooting. They prepared their cars. They did everything they could to prepare themselves to win and to not die in the process.

And in between Letty and Dom were waiting. It wasn't something they had planned. It wasn't a game. They were just getting their thoughts together and waiting for the right moment. It was understood that whatever the outcome of that conversation was would dictate the rest of their lives. For the first time in her adult life Letty was seriously considering having Dom in her life in some capacity other than her lover. It was Tony who had said, sometimes great love is not right love.

At the facility they were all adhering to the separated barracks. Giselle and Letty were roommates on the female side. On the guys' side Roman and Brian were sharing and fighting every night. Tej and Hobbs were getting along, and Tej was teaching him a thing or two about the pluses of illegal activity. Han and Dom were roommates, like back in the day before they started raking in the big money at the underground races of Le Mans. But the distance didn't diminish the tension between Letty and Dom. His eyes were always on her. And when he was in the middle of some sexy MMA style fighting practice she couldn't tear her eyes away to save her life. But this wasn't real life. Every night when Dom and Letty sat in the huge kitchen and Skyped with Mia and Christian was real.

At first Christian hadn't understood. Why couldn't he go to Daddy if he could see him? And the first time he had seen Letty he had cried with big fat tears streaming down his face, Mia had to take him away as he called out for his Mami. Letty had turned her face into Dom's neck, trembling. She was so happy he remembered her and so upset that he was crying. Dom had held her to him, enveloping him in his muscled strength. After they had signed off with Mia he held her to him for a long time.

"Thank you for Christian. For doing what it took to keep him safe. I love him more than my life," he admitted.

Letty nodding, knowing he would. Tony had instilled loyalty and love of family in Dom. Looking at a miniature version of himself how could he not love Christian? But those thoughts led Letty back to a concern she'd had back when she and Christian had been sneaking out of Madrid. Would Dom love Christian enough to stay when he had never loved her enough to stay? And was that acceptable for her? Those were the questions that she still couldn't answer that stopped her from going to him and figuring all of it out.

"It's hot as balls out here," Giselle mentioned as she stepped up beside Letty, pulling her from her thoughts.

"What's good," Letty asked. She began to punch the bag in earnest. If someone was stupid enough to try to go hand to hand with her she had enough pent up sexual tension and anger to take them out.

"I'm glad you asked. We've been cooped up too long in the middle of this desert. And you've been cooped up too long in various prisons. We're going out tonight. To a race."

Letty stopped and smiled at her friend, "that is exactly what I need."

"The only question is which car are we going to bring," Giselle wondered. She tapped her chin, pretending to ponder the question.

Letty grinned, "is there really any question?"

4444

Later that night Giselle and Letty quietly crept to the huge garage where all of the cars were locked. The lock was a non-issue as Giselle picked it expertly. They strode toward Letty's 1972 Dodge Challenger, loving redone by her own hands. She kissed it gently on the steering wheel, welcoming it. After Christian, this was her baby. They drove off the compound with the head lights off and when they hit the highway Letty grinned at Giselle. This was exactly what she had needed.

Like every race scene across the globe there were half naked chicks everywhere, basses vibrating the very air as they spat out the newest, hottest club music. Giselle and Letty stood beside the car appreciating the freedom of being at a race. Letty noted the ring leader, a kid who had to be at least ten years younger than her. He almost made her laugh out loud as tried to hit on her. She tossed him a roll of bills and grinned back at him, "we'll see how much you like me after the race."

Giselle was grooving to the music when she spotted the Chevelle backing into a spot. As Letty walked toward her Giselle motioned behind her. Letty turned, immediately spotted Dom as he stood from the car, and groaned out loud. She walked to Giselle, "so much for a good race."

"I wouldn't say that," she replied, motioning once more toward Dom. He was handing the teenager a stack of bills and staring right at Letty. Giselle grinned at him in greeting, "I think that's a challenge Letty."

Dom strode toward them, his swagger out in full force, women began to follow him. Letty stepped forward and looked at every one of them, her nonverbal communication was astoundingly clear, they vacated.

"You were gonna race without me," he questioned as he stepped up into her breathing space.

"Well you weren't invited were you," she replied. Letty knew what that type of response her comments would cause. She didn't back down when he stepped even closer to her.

Dom lifted her up briefly before sliding her down his body and to the ground. Letty's heart began to pound and she found herself clamping her legs together, "what do I get when I win?"

"You might ask yourself what you stand to lose," she was still standing chest to chest with him.

"Baby you know better," his voice dropped an octave, "I don't lose, not when it counts."

They both pulled up to the line. Dom looked over at his wife and felt himself reacting to her all over again. This last month had been a test of patience for both of them. They could lose everything if they didn't do this whole thing right.

"You might lose your car," she told him with a smirk.

"Is that all? You might lose your heart," he replied.

She looked right at him, her dark eyes hiding nothing, "that hasn't been mine for decades."

"Diddo," and then he gunned his engine as the race began.

It was a clear dirt street shaped in a horseshoe, no street lights, no pigs. Just them, and their cars, and their passion. Letty slid ahead, slipping into the third gear with ease, her foot barely tapping the clutch. They approached the turn and Dom gunned into fourth before taking the turn in a quick second gear before flying back into fourth. He got ahead. Letty barely missed him as she tailed him by an inch. And then she pushed her NOS button and flew just a touch too early and Dom got ahead. Even as she lost Letty grinned, she was going to beat his ass in a race one day. As they slowed he motioned for her to pull over out into the wild, empty desert.

They got out of their cars, both of them breathing wildly as they stared at one another. There were no words this time. There wasn't a need at that moment for them. They met each other in the middle. Letty wrapped her arms around his neck and their mouths fused together. After all the distance they remembered exactly what they were doing. Their tongues tangled, they fit their bodies together, and Dom dropped his hands down to her ass, lifting her to him. She wrapped her legs around his hips grinding against him desperately. He ripped his lips from hers, using a free hand he pulled her tang top off and with infinite finesse unclipped her bra and dropped it to the ground. With care he gently lowered her to the hood of his car. She laid back, comfortable, after all this wasn't the first hood she had laid on waiting for him.

He stripped his jacket off followed by his wife beater. Then he was bending over her lapping at her nipples, kissing each and every barely there stretch mark that served as a reminder that this woman had held his son inside of her. He pulled the skin tight leather skinny pants from her. He looked up to see her face. She was looking at him, her eyes hooded as she bit her lip, waiting for him.

"I need you. It's been too long," she admitted.

He obliged, dropping his jeans and pulling her to the edge of the hood. It was torture. It was perfect. It was what it always had been and better. Dom met her gaze again, "I've loved you every single day. Even when I was fucking up I loved you. I may have left you but you have never left my heart."

Letty reached up to him, cupping his face, and pulled him down to kiss her. And then he was pulsing inside of her and they were connected. There were no edges. There were no explanations necessary in this moment. They were one. He kissed her cross, snug between her breasts, and took them both into heaven.