A/N: Tupac's Dear mama inspired this chapter. You may want to take a listen before reading. As always please review.

"Do you think it's bad we don't know our anniversary?" Letty asked. She and Dom were watching television cuddled up on his couch.

"I know our anniversary. You just won't except the date."

"The day in the car that time shouldn't be our anniversary."

"Then when should it be?" He said with a light laugh.

"I don't know. Maybe it doesn't exist. Everything was pretty gradual when it came to us."

"Maybe we should appoint one."

"Nah that's too much work. Birthdays, Valentine's Day, and Christmas are enough for mandatory gift giving."

"Damn Let you're such a romantic."

"Don't you prefer when we do things spontaneously? I hate when shit's expected."

"True."

"I love it when you surprise me." She said leaning into a kiss.

"Yea?"

"Yes."

"Wanna go to the gun range? We can play with that AK 47."

"Ooh, I like that idea. Wanna buy me one?" He laughed slightly.

"Maybe one day. I don't trust with a gun yet."

"And why is that?"

"You're a hothead."

"And you're not?"

"Not as much as you."

"This coming from the man who did actual jail time?" She said it without much thought, but soon realized the insensitivity of her words. "I'm sorry. That was stupid."

"Nah it's cool. You're right." Their light mood had completely changed. Dom had stiffened somewhat and receded into his own thoughts. He did not want to be mad at her but he was. That was the peculiar thing about Dom and Letty. They fought loudly all the time, but true arguments were rather quiet until they exploded.

Dom had been battling with himself internally since he got out of Lompoc. Though he had been out a few months shy of a year and had made good progress in his life, the memories of life behind bars still haunted him. He hated that his felony charge prevented him from enrolling in education programs, or limited his career options. It killed him that he would never realize his dream of going pro. If it had not been for his father insisting he get his mechanic license before he worked for him full time, he would not have been able to open the garage. There were times where he would find himself angry at no one in particular, and no matter how hard they tried no one could get him out of his head.

"Dom?"

"I'm gonna go for a drive." He said getting up, not giving her the opportunity to say or ask anything else. He got in his new '93 Mazda RX-7 he had recently won at one of the races. The car was nowhere near race ready. He almost felt bad for taking the pink slips from the poor sucker who previously owned the car. The race was anything but fair. However, he saw great potential in the ride and felt he would do it more justice than the poor excuse for a driver who lost to him. He found himself on the highway thinking heavily of the different avenues his life could possibly take.

Mia had graduated high school about a month before he got out, but was currently taking only one college course because they simply did not have the extra money to fully enroll her. Dom wanted to do right by his parents and make sure his sister realize her dreams of medical school since he himself could not be what he wanted. He only wished he could do the same for his girl. It angered him when Letty refused to move forward, but something told him he was a major reason behind why she would not.

When he got back to the house Letty was right where he left her in front of the television. He did not say anything to her not out of anger, but because he was still deep in thought.

"Dom?" He looked behind him as he made his way up the stairs. "Don't you think we should talk about it?"

"Not right now."

"How long are you gonna shut me out for?" He did not respond. She walked up to him. "You need to stop doing this. You used to tell me everything and now it's like I can't get shit out of you."

"I'm gonna take a shower."

"You know, hiding is just as bad as lying, and you shouldn't live a lie."

She told him looking him square in the eye before he walked away. Letty went home. She hated to leave things so unsettled, but there was no dealing with Dom when he chose to be unresponsive. She regretted her small comment, but words were not retractable entities. She got home to an abnormally quiet apartment to find her mother pacing around the living room.

"Mami que tu tiene?" (What's wrong with you?) Ana turned to her looking slightly nerved.

"Estoy embarazada." (I'm pregnant.)

"Que?" (What?) She asked in disbelief.

"I know I'm gonna be a mom all over again. I haven't told Lute yet, but-"

"You shouldn't be having more children." Letty blurted out.

"Excuse me?"

"I-I"

"Was I that horrible?" Ana yelled at her.

"Mami it's just that-"

"This baby will love me. You didn't but this baby will." She said with a slight crack in her voice.

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't know what I did that was so terrible that made you hate me so much."

"I don't hate you. I may be angry but I don't hate you."

"Porque!?" (Why?)

"Mami I basically raised myself! Where were you ninety percent of the time? Huh?"

"Oh please I did a great job raising you. You're not swinging on a pole, or prostituting yourself, or behind bars."

"What do you mean? I've been arrested countless times! It just hasn't happened recently. They almost took me away like they did Mia."

"That doesn't count. It was for stupid shit, and no one was gonna take you. We would have moved before that happened. So, you stole a few things its not like you committed murder."

"You're crazy! How do you expect to raise another child? You couldn't raise me!"

"You look pretty grown right now."

"Yeah and you still depend on me to pay bills!"

"It's the least you can do. You're grownass woman living with her mother."

"I'm only here because you wouldn't let me leave! What, now that you're gonna have another kid you just gonna get rid of me and start a fucking new family?"

"Maybe this time this kid will appreciate all I do! You never went hungry, you-"

"I went hungry all the time! There were times you would finish the food because you forgot I even existed."

"That's not true!"

"Yes it is. You never put me first! You were always more important than I was! That or whoever was in between your legs!" Ana smacked her with as much force as she could muster.

"Get out! Get out!"

"Well isn't this familiar!"

"Vete!" (Leave!)

"Con placer!" (With pleasure!) Letty said storming out. She was so angry for many different reasons. She could not pinpoint just one thing anyone did. She drove off hitting 100 miles per hour on the highway and before she knew she found herself in Malibu. There was something about the beach that always calmed her. She'd get lost in thought watching families play together, or the ocean rise and fall. Letty had always been a solitary person, but for some reason she felt more alone than ever. She missed Simone because it seemed like she was always the person who understood her best. They lived similar lives and her absence was more than felt. Letty stayed in her car all night and awoke with the sun. She made her way back to LA just in time for her shift to start.

"Where have you been?" Mia asked her as soon she walked through the door.

"She called you didn't she?" Letty responded.

"Of course she called me. She was a mess."

"You see that's not normal. Can't she find adult friends to cry to?"

"I'm an adult, and I know the two of you fairly well so I think I'm a pretty good choice with this drama."

"Mia I don't wanna talk about this."

"Why didn't you come home?"

"She kicked me out. Did she forget to mention that during her dramatic display?"

"You didn't come to our house so where the hell were you?"

"Out."

"I think you should apologize." Letty scoffed.

"Fuck that. She needs apologize to me! You always take her side!"

"She's trying and you don't give her a break."

"Maybe it's just too late for us. We can't all be the fucking Partridge family Mia."

"She's pregnant. Can't you be happy for her? I think you may be a little jealous."

"Jealous? I am not jealous!"

"I think you think she's gonna love the new baby more than you."

"That's not a question. She told me she is."

"I'm sure you misheard."

"Whatever man I'm gonna go get some oxygen." Letty went outside to smoke a cigarette. She had recently picked up the bad habit and found it made her feel better in times of stress.

"Hey." Vince greeted her. She looked up at him silently. "Can I bum one?" She through him her pack and he lit up a cigarette. "Got pretty tense in there, huh?"

"She doesn't understand. She had great parents and believes all children should treat their parents the way she did hers, but that's not always the way shit goes down. Mia wasn't there when shit was really bad, you know? She was only there for two out the twenty years I've had to suffer through."

"Yea it's hard for either of them to understand. I love my dad, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit I hated him most days."

"Yea. It's like, am I supposed to applaud her for trying to be a parent now that I'm grown despite the fact she wasn't there for me when I needed her most?"

"No, but sometimes coming to terms with shit is the only to let it go."

"I wish it were that easy."

"Don't we all."

"My dad called me about a year ago, and I told him not to contact me ever again."

"Why?"

"It's complicated. We got into a fight. It doesn't matter he has his own family now, and it's not like he was ever in my life anyway. We don't know each other."

"Yea, but you shouldn't turn your back on fam Let."

"He's not family. He's a sperm donor. Now that she's pregnant she's gonna do the same thing."

"What same thing?"

"She's gonna run off with her knew family."

"I doubt that."

"Everyone always leaves V, or dies."

"Damn Let, that's grim."

"It's the fucking truth. Look at how we live. Life's never been ok, and it won't ever be. We don't want to live a miserable existence so we make the most of it; we crack a few jokes here, drink a little there, and then we work until our fingers fall off and we die."

"There's more to life than that man."

"Yea well, I don't see it."

"I think you should talk to your mom."

"I'm not ready yet."

"I'm not saying do it now, but make sure you do it. It'd be kinda fucked up for shit to stay like this."

"I think I'm gonna take off. "

"You're not gonna work at all?"

"Nah, tell Dom I don't feel well when he gets here."

"Ok" He responded with a nod before heading back inside. Letty took for the park. She loved watching parents play with their children. All she ever wanted was something all those kids before her took for granted; a safe and happy home. She finally decided it was time to speak with Ana and went to their apartment. When she opened the door Ana was sitting pensively by the table. She looked up at Letty and began to cry.

"How long are you gonna punish me for, huh? What happened with Telo was eight years ago!"

"It's a hard thing to forgive when you include everything else."

"I've tried to make it better and you just got worse. I didn't know what to do. You just kept rebelling!"

"You didn't change. You kept bringing guys over. You just ignored it and so did I."

"I got him arrested!"

"He should have never lived with us in the first place!"

"What do you want an apology?"

"No Mami it's too late for that. I'm gonna move out on my own, it's time." She attempted to say calmly.

"Don't do that." She said weepingly. "It's always been you and me. How are you just gonna leave like that?"

"It's long over due, and you need room for your new family."

"A baby doesn't take that much space."

"We both know that's not true." Ana abruptly hugged her, catching Letty off-guard. She was heaving, and Letty did not know what to do with herself. She could not remember the last she had shared an embrace with her mother.

"You don't understand how much I love you!" Ana sobbed into her chest, as she clung to her. Letty slowly wrapped her arms around her.

"Ma, you gotta let me go. I can't grow into my own person if we continue like this." Ana pulled away from her.

"Are you leaving tonight?" She asked wiping her tears away.

"No, I have to find a place first."

"You're not gonna live with Dom?"

"No. I want to live on my own for a little bit. I think I need the space."

"Esta bien? (Ok) Am I ever going to see you again?"

"Why are you so dramatic? I'm staying in LA."

"Well you never know with you! You can live in this city and never come here!" Letty rolled her eyes. "Bueno?" (Well)

"Si Mami, I'll visit you!" Letty answered exasperatedly. A smile came over Ana's face.

"You hungry?"

"Not really."

"Mira tu, tu vas a comer coño porque yo cociné!" (You're gonna eat God dammit because I cooked!)

"Ok, ok."

"Además a ningún hombre le gusta una mujer sin cuerpo. Ellos nesesitan algo con que agrar durante la chakachaka. Como tu te piensa casar si tu sigue así?" (Men don't like woman with skinny bodies. They need something to hold on to during chakachaka. How do you expect to marry if you continue this way?)

"That's disgusting; and I think I'll worry about that when the time comes." A few hours later Dom called her home. He wanted to meet up to talk. He seemed a bit off to her, and she was not wrong. Dom had had many things on his mind including she. He had heard of the drama she had had with her mother that day and feared it may hinder the decision he had come to.

"So what's going on? You sounded mad weird on the phone." Letty said arriving to at the small out door bar he had told her to meet him at.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that question?"

"Not really."

"Then why is everyone worried about you?"

"Because everyone decided to put their noses where it didn't belong."

"So you're cool with your mom?"

"As cool as we can be. What is this about?"

"I wanted to apologize for not being there for you today, and storming off yesterday."

"It's ok."

"No it's not. I know I haven't been the best boyfriend lately, and I don't think I can be."

"What are you saying?" She interrupted.

"I don't think I'm right for you anymore. I'm not the same guy I was almost five years ago. A lot of shit has changed, and I don't think I could ever be him again. You know?"

"None of us are who we were five years ago, and don't you think I should decide who's right for me?"

"Not when it comes to me. You don't make good choices when it comes to me."

"So we're breaking up? That's what you're telling me?"

"I can't be who you want me to be."

"That's bullshit because I never asked you to be anyone else!"

"Let-"

"You know what?" She said whipping a tear from her face. "It doesn't even matter. I can't force someone to be with me if they don't want to, and you've been doing that for a while now."

"I don't want you to think that I don't love-"

"Love has nothing to do with it! Your fucking head isn't letting you see what you're doing. You're fucking up a good thing, but I'll let you live with those consequences because I can't do this anymore."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too Dom, me too."

"I still need you in my life. You're my best-friend."

"You decide that. I still need my job."

"Of course. I don't want this to be one of those bitter break ups. You weren't some short term girlfriend, you're fucking family. I could never repay you for all you did for me. Aint nobody ever gonna be down like you." Letty nodded.

"Happy to know you see that." She said bitterly. "I hope you're happy with your skanks."

"It's not about that."

"But it will be."

"I just want you to do you, you know? I don't wanna hold you back."

"You're not, but I can't convince you of that. Is that all you had to say?" Letty was desperate to leave. She felt tears coming on and did not want to shed them in front of him.

"Yea."

"Ok, then I'll see ya around."

"You're taking this calmer than I thought."

"I'm exhausted Dom. I don't wanna fight anymore, with anyone. I gave you all I had to give you."

"Yea I get you. I think the space will do us good, maybe we'll be back together soon. I just gotta figure some shit out."

"We'll see if I'm ready for that when your dumbass wakes up." She got up and left.

"What the fuck did I just do?" Dom muttered to himself. He could only hope he made the right decision.

Don't hate me! lol