Hey guys! There's a couple of things that I need to say and they're kinda serious/sad/angry/whatever so I thought I'd get them over with at the beginning, and then my authors note at the end would be a happy one :) So if you guys wanted to skip forward, totally understandable.

The first thing; there's been some real negative reviews going around. Everyone gets them, it's going to happen. It totally sucks, but it's unavoidable. But some people have been going out of their way to leave insanely long, detailed descriptions as to what they hate about stories and, come on, that's just unnecessary. I try to just delete flames and not think about them, they suck and sometimes I get a little pissed off and discouraged, but I try to ignore them. Sometimes it really gets to writers though, and they get mental blocks and choose to stop writing. Can we please just be nice? Constructive criticism—absolutely, but there's a difference. Remember we write for free, and for fun! Come on, everyone!

The second thing; I try not to mention world events on here or even on my social media account for several reasons. But I did want to say I was so upset when I heard about Christina Grimmie dying! I have listened to her on YouTube for years, and I was actually listening to her the morning that I found out she was shot. It's so horrible. I think what freaks me out is I've just listened to her for so long, and she's the same age as me, and it just so scary...It's just not okay :(

Only three chapters left, guys!

"So she's over there right now?" Mia asked, the anger on her face clear.

"Calm down, Mi," Letty gave her a half smile. "She's Hadley's mother. You must've known that she was going to reappear in their lives."

"Uh, in all honesty? No," Mia muttered. "She was always hare-brained, and it was a miracle that she managed to stay clean for the time she was pregnant with Hadley. Probably the only good thing that she had ever done with her life. I was hoping that I would never see her face again." Letty swallowed hard, forcing back what she really wanted to say.

That she agreed.

That she didn't want Elena around.

But she said she would support Dom, and that meant even when she was talking to someone other than him.

"She doesn't deserve to have anything to do with Dom or Hadley," Mia grumbled as she turned toward the sink, scrubbing at the dishes inside. Letty followed after Mia, picking up up a tea-towel and waiting for Mia to put the clean dishes on the drying rack.

"I guess life's all about second chances, right?" She shrugged. Mia rolled her eyes and snorted, looking over at her best friend.

"Since when are you so PC?" She mocked lightly.

"Well, I'll have you know that I actually grew up," Letty shot back with a jab of her elbow to Mia's side. "I'm not all about running my mouth and getting myself in shit when like when I was eighteen." Mia laughed and turned back to the sink. "Anyway, life is all about second chances, right? If I didn't get a second chance, I wouldn't be with Dom right now, and honestly I..." Letty almost balked just at the thought. "Honestly I couldn't imagine a life without Dom and Hadley now." Mia was quiet as she cleaned down a glass oven tray that she had cooked dinner in the night before.

"You and Dom were always going to find a way to each other," Mia murmured after a few minutes. "Even when I was younger I always knew you guys would. You're meant to be together." Letty narrowed her eyes and then let out a laugh.

"Shit, Mi," she grinned as she picked up another plate and began drying it down. "Someone's become a hopeless romantic since finding a certain curly haired blonde."

Dom shifted on the couch, watching Elena and Hadley. He thanked God for the hundredth time that Hadley was such a happy toddler and took well to strangers, because there was no way that she knew who Elena was. She hadn't been happy when Elena had walked in, because it was clear she was expecting Letty or Mia or one of the boys when she got excited at hearing a car outside. But she settled down after a few minutes, and the two of them had been sitting on the floor on one of Hadley's play mats for the past hour or so.

Things had been a little stiff to begin with, but Elena had picked up one of Hadley's favorite teddy bears and danced it around in front of the little girl, and Hadley's eyes had brightened and she grinned, watching it bounce around. Dom had seen Elena's shoulders relax and he was glad. This wasn't going to work if Elena was tense and second guessing every movement she made, it would just confuse Hadley. She wasn't used to people being uncomfortable around her.

As it got closer to two, Dom noticed Hadley's eyes starting to droop and the little girl giving out yawns.

"I think it's probably time for her nap," he said quietly. Elena looked over at him.

"Does she do that a lot?"

"What? Sleep?" Dom held back the snort of disbelief at her words, although the look on his face was clear enough for Elena to see. He pursed his lips and refocused his eyes on his daughter. "Yeah. Not as much as when she was a baby, although at least now she sleeps through the night." Hadley let out another yawn, her eyes almost closed now. "Um," he glanced back at Elena. "Did you want to go and make us some coffee or something? I'll put her to bed."

"Can I come?" Elena asked eagerly. Dom stared at her before nodding slowly. Elena picked Hadley up, but she straight away started grizzling, tugging away from her and reaching out for Dom.

"Sorry," Dom gave her a tight smile, actually feeling a small tug of sympathy for her for once when he saw the crest-fallen expression on her face. "When she's tired she just wants people that she's comfortable with." Elena nodded jerkily as Dom took her from Elena's arms. Hadley immediately settled, resting her head against her fathers chest and gripping his shirt in one of her tiny but surprisingly strong fists. Dom automatically hummed under his breath, soothing her as they walked up the steps, toward Hadley's room. He checked her diaper, and then laid her down to change her onesie, given the one she was wearing now was a little damp from drool and her drink that she had spilt on herself. As he put her into her cot, Elena walked slowly around the room looking at everything.

"I can't believe you even have these photos," she murmured as she looked at the two photos of herself.

"Mia took the first one, and your sister gave me the second one," Dom told her, keeping his voice hushed as Hadley settled down. Elena nodded and then looked back at the photos on the walls. There was one of Hadley, Dom and Letty, the three of them all sitting in the backyard of Mia and Brian's, and Hadley was cradled in Letty's arms with Dom's arm thrown around her shoulder. He wasn't really smiling, but he was content.

"So this is your new girl, is it?" Elena's voice had a flat tone to it now and Dom sighed. It's not like he didn't know this conversation was coming, it was bound to, but it didn't mean he was looking forward to it.

"I think we should move back out to lounge," he said, leading the way out of the room. Elena followed after him, and he took them down the stairs, through the lounge and into the kitchen.

"Is that the girl you were with the other day?" Elena asked.

"Letty," Dom nodded.

"Letty...Oh, right," Elena's lips quirked upward slightly. "Letty."

"The same one," Dom confirmed as he saw realization in Elena's eyes. He had told Elena about her, on one of the bad trips they had gone on, and Elena hadn't been surprised that there was someone serious before her. Dom had never been with her because he wanted a relationship, he just wanted a distraction.

"So she's back then, huh?" Elena tilted her head to the side as Dom pulled two mugs out of the cupboard and flicked on the coffee maker. "Is she back for good?"

"I think so," Dom said. He thought about it for a moment before correcting himself. "I hope so."

"And what? She's Hadley's step mum?" Elena sounded bitter. "You guys just going to play happy families and I'm going to be on the outside, looking in?" Dom frowned at her words and turned around to face her.

"I don't know, Elena," he told her, his voice firm. "I don't even know if you're still going to be here in six months—"

"I am," Elena interrupted.

"Well, I don't know that, Elena," Dom snapped. "I hope that you are, but I don't know that."

"I'm clean, Dom," Elena insisted. "And I'm going to stay that way."

"Good," Dom told her seriously. "Because the second I even think that you're using again, you're out. You're gone. I'm not having someone like that around my daughter."

"You seem to forget that she's our daughter," she reminded him.

"No, I didn't forget," Dom narrowed his eyes at her. "She might be your blood, but you're not her mother. Not yet. That's something that you have to earn, being in her life, playing that part."

"Oh, and you suppose that Letty might want that role?" Elena was getting more and more annoyed by the second. Dom knew this was a bad idea, continuing this conversation when it was such a touchy subject for both of them, and they didn't have Hadley here to force them to play nice with each other.

"Me and Letty are none of your business," Dom bit out.

"If she's going to be playing 'mummy' in Hadley's life, that is my business," Elena fired back.

"She has never tried to replace you," Dom growled, taking a step toward Elena, his eyes fiery as he glared down at her. "When you came around here, and you wanted to be a part of Hadley's life, she didn't tell me to say no. She didn't say not to give you a chance. In fact, she's part of the reason that I told you to come here." Elena blinked, at a loss for words. "Letty is a better person that you and me combined, and if you have something to say against her, then you can leave, and don't expect to be invited back. Because she's been nothing but fucking amazing to me and Hadley." Elena swallowed visibly and they just stared at each other until the coffee maker suddenly beeped, indicating that it was ready.

"I think that maybe I should go," Elena said quietly, her voice strained. Dom just stared back at her, not bothering to say anything to stop her. "Thanks for letting me come by." He continued to watch her with a steely gaze until she was backing out of the room, and walking toward the front door.

He heard the door shut a couple of seconds later and Dom took in a deep breath, scratching a hand over his bald head and dropping his head to look down at the ground. He really wasn't sure if what he had done was the right thing, letting Elena back into his and Hadley's lives. But then he had to think to himself that this was only the start, and things were always going to be rocky when they were trying to find their rhythm.

Dom walked over to the table to pick up his phone, and speed dialed the first number. Letty picked up on the second ring and her voice instantly calmed him down.

"Hey, Dom. Are you okay? Is Hadley okay?" She immediately asked.

"Hey, babe," Dom breathed, leaning back against the table, already relaxing as he heard her voice.

Happier authors note! I promise! A lot of people keep recommending War of Hearts by Ruelle in the reviews. I do love Ruelle, and I love that song, although it's not my favourite by her. Thought that I would just recommend it though, since obviously lots of you guys love it! Other ones that I'm in love with at the moment Ritual by Adam Jensen and Rust by Stalgia. Also a cover of Justin Bieber's Sorry by Our Last Night.

Let me know what you guys are listening to! I want to know!

Also, there's been a few more questions about my updating schedule. It's on my profile, people. Check it out.

Leave a review, make my day,