Leon My ears perked up at the sound of engine's pulling up in the driveway that afternoon. Setting Kyle Leon aside I stood. Two engines? Why were there two engines?

"Papi?" Kyle asked regaining my attention.

"Its ok peanut," I said using the nickname I'd come up with. " I'm just going to see if Mami is home," I said placing a kiss on his buzzed head.

I smiled at Amanda Jane Lein who was sitting next to Kyle coloring, oblivious to the rest of the world. She was so much like me at that age, withdrawn, and shy. The second I opened the door I felt instant relief at the sight of Ladie; But as our eyes met I knew something wasn't' quite right. Finally glancing away from her my heart skipped a beat

"Oh Ish!: I murmured seeing Spelnor step out of the Rx7 that had once belonged to Dom. DOm ! who was coming down the hall way! "Get Jesse," Lad mouthed springing me into action. Jogging over to the car I had Jesse half way to the house before the Ish hit the fan , and Dom exploded.

"F you Occonor/ Spelnor whatever it is you go by these days!" he yelled slamming him against the side of the door.

"Come to narc on us again?" "Report our location maybe?" he growled starring him in the eyes a mad look creeping into those brown orbs.

"Dom stop please!" MIa yelled staying on her side of the car. Usually she would have already been in the middle of it, was she scared of Dom now?

"Stop it!" Ladie yelled grabbing my attention as She tugged on Dom's shirt making him turn towards her.

"He helped us!" She siad inserting her body in between the two, making her appear tiny. She was so close to O'connor that she was actually pressed against his chest.

"And that washes away the past?" he spat voice still hostile, but more calm. My body tensing at how close he still was.

"Back the hell off!" V growled shocking us all. Turning my head I saw V bracing himself against the door frame, L supporting him.

"This time the buster brought Jesse back, and he saved both our asses, now its you who's embarrassing me." Something in the way V talked drove home the point penetrating through Dom's skull, and he backed off giving Ladie her room. I let out a breath and relaxed realizing I wasn't going to have to step in.

"Well damn," he said almost looking betrayed.

"Welcome to the family," he said turning to walk back into the house. I wanted to Kiss Letty for taking care of the kids the whole time. It was the only reason I had for why she wasn't out there watching the whole fiasco. I saw her head peek over V's shoulder after Dom. stormed in, and seeing her worry I knew everything would be ok. Lad Gulping in air I silently mouthed a thank you too V as I slumped as the tension was lifted. For a second there I thought Dom was going to rip through me to get to Brian. I felt Brian hug me, and I realized I was still leaning against him.

"Thanks bro," I said again as I kissed V's cheek on my way out.

"You know I gotta take care of my girls, " he said making me laugh. Rushing in the house With Leon's hand in mind I was filled with elation as my kids scrambled towards me.

"Mami!" Jumping on me as I laughed covering them in kisses. 4 days had been an eternity for me, who had never been away from them for longer than a day



(L)

The tension was so thick at dinner that you could have cut it with the knife. All of us ready for an outburst at any time. As if sensing what was going on the twins were un characteristically whiny, and fidgety, demanding all of their parents attention. I smirked as I heard my sister use the line she'd sworn she would use on her kids when we were little.

"Unless you're a mono, don't play with you're food." "La seinta mami." They said lips stuck out. "Its ok, come on , you guys aren't really eating any ways," she said pushing back her chair as she gathered them for their nightly bath. I loved watching her with the kids proud that she was every inch the Mother I'd thought she'd be. "I'll help you,'" Leon said taking their plates to the sink glad to have an escape from the tension filled room. " You want to tell me what the hell you're doing here?" Dom asked the second the bathroom door was shut. "I'm just here for Mia," Brian said refusing to look up from his food. "Who said you could still be with her?" He asked snarling. "Dom," Mia said her voice full of warning. "What Mia, he can just lie to all of us .. to you , and just come back like nothing ever happened." " It just doesn't work that way." "Just tell me what you want me to do Dom," Brian said his voice taking on an almost begging tone. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kick your ass out, and tell you I never want to see you again." "I'm pregnant, " Mia said in response. The clinking of silverware hitting the table was the only sound to be heard in the suddenly silent room. "I'm sorry Mia, what was that I thought you just said you were pregnant," Dom said turning to her, voice strangely calm as he struggled to control his murderous temper. "Dom," Letty said drawing his attention to her. "I think you need to come take a walk with me." "Not now Letty," he growled across the table bringing his gaze back to Mia, whose eyes were now shining with UN shed tears. "Now Dom," She said again in a tone that was only to be listened to. "Aight," he said angrily his chair falling to the floor as he stood violently stalking across the room, and out the door. Letty getting up slowly, and following at her own pace. I figured she wasn't looking forward to talking to him either. "You're pregnant?" Brian asked just as shocked as the rest of us. "We need to talk," Mia said pulling him up by the hand, and leading him to the bedroom she used in back. " I guess everyone in the team's been busy procreating," Jesse said from the couch where he was resting. "We're next man," V said smiling as he patted my thigh making me smile. "Oh God, One of you is enough," he said making us both laugh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lad's POV "Think the cost is clear?" I asked giggling as we dried the twins, and debated if we actually wanted to leave the room or not. "I say we make a run for it." He said his voice full of humor. "Ok, on three," I said pulling Kyle close. "One .. Two ... Three.. !" he yelled as we burst from the bathroom dashing for the bedroom like mad people. I laughed at the odd looks we received fro m the others as we laid the now giggling twins on the bed to dress them for bed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" When were you going tell me Mia?" Brian asked in the calm voice I had missed desperately the past few months. " I was just going to wait till you were settled Brian, you had so much to deal with, Dom, the rest of the team--" "Hey," he said pulling me to sit in his lap. "Shh, its ok, I would have wanted to know this Mia, screw them, and what they think, this is about me, you, and the life inside you." "God I missed you so much Brian," I said my body shaking as I hugged him to me, struggling to hold in the tears that still threatened to escape me. " I missed you too Mia, I thought of you the entire time, I wanted to come after you so bad; and I would have if they hadn't been watching me like a hawk." "You know Brian, even though I love you, and I have missed you like crazy I am still pissed as hell," I ground out letting him know all was not forgotten. "I know, and I'm ready to make it up to you Mi." he said making me smile evilly. The man had no ideal what he was in for. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Letty) "Talk to me Dom, " I said my voice soft as I gently turned his face toward mine. "What the hell do you want me to say Leticia?" " Do you want me to tell you I'm happy for them, and I wish them well? Want me to tell you I'm not mad as fuck!" "No." I said shaking my head as I looked into his dark eyes filled with hurt, and anger. The man he hated for his betrayal was going to be the Father of his nephew; I didn't expect him to be pleased. "Just tell me what's going on up there," I said gently tapping his baldhead. A month ago, I wouldn't have done that; but things have changed so much since the accident. He finally realizes that he can't carry the world on his shoulders. "Letty," he said voice full of anguish as he grabbed me pressing me into his huge body the way he used to after Doug had died; almost as if he could spread me around him; and keep away the out side world. "I want to hate him, God a part of me already does he almost got you, Vince, and Jesse killed." " I trusted him, brought him home to my family, and he betrayed me, how do I get over that?" " How can I be happy for him?" He asked adding after a second. " How can I not be happy for Mia?" "She deserves this." "I don't know baby," I whispered kissing the bowed head burrowed into my neck. "It'll work itself out, you just have to give it some time, let him earn your trust again." "I don't know if I'm strong enough too," he said surprising me by showing me his weakness. "You are," I said lifting his face to look me in the eyes. "Listen to me Dominic Christian Toretto, you are the one who has kept us all going, and you can do this, never doubt that, its all right to feel a little weary, we all have scars now." Nodding he kissed my lips gently before pulling back to stare at me. "What?" "I love you Letty. I really do, and one day I am going to marry you." He said refusing to break eyes contact even as the tears welled up in my eyes. Though I had never spoken the words out loud I had been worried about where we were going in our relationship lately. "I love you too Dom," I said as we came together slowly for a mind shattering kiss that felt like our first one all over again.

~~~~~~~~~ Leon I laid awake beside Ladie that night mind turning over an idea that had come to me when I talked to her a few days ago. It haunted me refusing to stay pushed in to the back of my mind where I would have preferred it to be. I didn't want her that far away from me again, but I wasn't sure I had the right to ask that of her. Sure, I was the Father of her child, and we still loved each other; but at the same time we were complete strangers. She had grown up in the years, and I had changed though not much. I wanted us to be the way we once were, it was still there, that closeness, the passion. I could see it in her eyes when she looked me over; hear it in her voice when she asked me how I was feeling. I saw it today when she cooked my steak med well at dinner knowing what I wanted without me having to ask. I wanted to know her that well again, It saddened me to think I didn't' even know her favorite color, or flowers anymore, had they changed? I could remember ever detail about her from the past, did that mean I loved a woman who no longer existed? "What's wrong?" she asked startling me. "I thought you were sleeping." " I can't sleep when you're like this," She said taking me back to that time three years ago. "Like what?" "Come on Leon," she said rolling over, and propping herself up on her elbow facing me. "I miss you Leaindra, I miss us, and I want to date you." "Leon. we're already living together, you see me every day honey," She said looking at me like I'd completely lost my mind. "I want us to do it right this time," I said gently entwining our hands. "I want to court you like I should have the first time, but I was young, and stupid then Lad, I didn't show you how much you really meant, I took you for granted." "No Le - -" "Shh .. " I said silencing her with a gentle kiss. " Let me do this Lad.. I need to do this, for me, for the kids, and you deserve this." "Ok," she said a slow pink flush creeping over her skin letting me know just how pleased she actually was.

mono- monkey La seinta mami - sorry mommy