Disclaimer: Not Mine.

********************************************

Quietly she got out and opened the door for them. The girls slipped out quietly. She reached in and shook Taylor lightly, "We're here." she whispered.

"mmmmmm" he said his little brow furrowing as his face turned away from her.

"I thinks you gots to carry him agains. Lil kids can be such pains." Jessa told her helpfully.

Letty sighed, oh what the hell, she thought, she'd already done it once. It wasn't that big a deal. He was just a kid.

....Dom's kid...

Pushing the thought away, she lifted Taylor as gently as she could, doing her best not to wake him. He stirred against her and buried his face into her neck, murmuring something fretfully.

"Shhhhhh, sweetie, its okay..." she responded automatically from years of dealing with the girls.

Absentmindedly, she noticed he still hadn't released the lion.

"Alright girls. Let's go." she said smiling slightly.

*************************************************

"They're here." Mia said quietly from the same living room window where hours earlier her girls had awaited Letty.

"About fuckin time..." Dom exclaimed getting up. He'd been more than a little upset that his son was out this late without him. It was a feeling he'd never experienced before. He'd been out this late without his son but never the other way around. He didn't like it.

"Relax, Dom." Brian told him, "everything's fine."

"Don't speak Dom, let me handle it." Mia said sternly. Knowing that if he had his way the children would be privy to an indoor display of verbal fireworks, one they could do without.

Opening the door before they even made it up the stairs, Mia glared at her best friend, who simply smirked in reply.

"Girls go upstairs with your dad and get ready for bed." Mia said the moment they were inside.

"...Mom we had so much fun..." Jessa began smiling, Dolly nodding in confirmation.

"tomorrow we talk, now we sleep." Mia said ordered sternly.

The girls nodded, turning to Letty they looked up and smiled, "'night, Auntie Let, thank you."

Letty blew them kisses and they returned them.

A moment later Brian took their hands and led them upstairs.

"Is he okay?" Dom asked gruffly as soon as the girls were out of sight, his eyes glued onto the sleeping form of his son.

Studying the way his son's face was buried in her neck...

....he used to put his face there...

"Yeah," she answered softly, meeting his eyes, looking as if she could read his thoughts, "...he just fell asleep."

"Should I even bother..." Mia asked, her voice a little weary. It had been a long day.... very long. It was late. All she wanted was to sleep.

"Naw." Letty said grinning, "I know the speech..."

"by heart I'm sure." Mia said wryly, sighing she continued, "I'm goin to bed. Dom lock up." then headed for the stairs.

"No school tomorrow." Letty said softly before she began her assent.

Mia shrugged, yawning, "whatever." was her response.

Her foot steps as she went up were the only sound in the living room.

Letty was looking everywhere but at Dom and was painfully aware that not only did she hold his son in her arms but his eyes were examining her again, like he'd done earlier.

"He was good for you?" he asked her softly, taking a step forward.

She nodded slightly, "best behaved three-year old I ever met."

He was still walking towards her and she had to resist the urge to take a step back.

"Good, here, let me take'm." he rumbled out, reaching for the boy.

In turn Letty held the boy out, as best she could, anyway, considering his little arms were wrapped around her neck.

"Got'm?" she questioned after a moment. He was trying to disentangle his son without actually touching Letty, something she appreciated.

When he was close enough for her to smell his after shave, Letty practically shoved the boy into his arms, not caring if he woke or not.

"Yeah, come on buddy..." he murmured as he attempted to pull his son from Letty, but the boy was latched on tight.

"Mmmmmmmm...." he whined as he tightened his hold on Letty, his eyes squinting, his brows drawing into a frown.

"Its okay buddy, daddy's got'ya." Dom soothed. And Letty felt a ripple of some indescribable emotion filter through her at his tender tone.

....He'd never spoken to her like that....

"Daddy?" Taylor questioned opening his eyes slightly. Confirming that it was his father he allowed the transfer to take place.

"Did you thank the lady, Taylor." Dom asked when his son's head lay on his shoulder.

"thank you." he whispered, his eyes closed.

Letty nodded taking that glorious step back she'd wanted earlier.

The more space between them, the better.

Her eyes resting on the boy a moment before rising to meet Dom's gaze.

His eyes were serious and she knew hers must be too. So much they should say...

....could say...

....wouldn't say.

They were silent. The sleeping boy in Dom's arms forgotten.

Both were aware that this time there was no Mia to smooth things over, no nieces to interrupt, no guys to joke with.

This time they were alone.

"Thanks for takin'm with you." Dom said, finally. Completely clueless as to how to handle this.

What did you say to the single person who'd once had complete power over you...

...the one you'd of given anything for...

...the one who'd shredded your heart into a million pieces.

She smiled slightly, still taking slow steady steps backwards, "don't mention it." clearly she was intent on leaving.

"Let me know how much the ticket was, I'll pay you." Dom said firmly.

Dealing with concrete issues was the thing to do.

No emotion.

Business.

"No you don't have to do that - "

" - I want to." he interrupted her.

"It was my treat."

"...for the girls. Not for Tay."

"It doesn't matter, I take the girls' and their friends out all the time."

He raised an eyebrow, "All the time?" he questioned skeptically.

A smirk touched her lips before she could stop it, "...occasionally, when I've broken a promise and need major bribes to get back into their adoration."

"And they do adore you." he said warmly, remembering the look on the girls faces as they looked up at their beloved Auntie Letty.

"The feelings returned in spades." Letty said smiling.

A real smile.

It caught her off guard. Quickly she wiped it off her face, "I have to go." she murmured.

He nodded, walking towards her, meaning to lock up after she'd gone, "how often do you come around." he asked her as casually as he could. While he asked himself why the hell he cared.

She shrugged, "once a week at the very least."

He grinned at her and she felt her pulse go up a notch.

She hated that grin...

...the fuckin things that grin could cause....

...the memories it evoked...

"V's right, you a hotshot now." he said his voice gently teasing, "got no time for engines and friends."

Smiling, despite herself, she replied, "you ask V who the hell saves his ass when he's so plastered he gives both mechanics the same morning off."

Dom laughed, "sounds like him."

She continued smiling, speaking a little slowly, wondering what the hell was happening, "Yeah well, believe me there are some thing's that..."

"...never change." he finished for her, his eyes suddenly darker, more intense.

Focused directly on her...

...questioning her.

She was a silent moment, meeting his look, "and some that do." she whispered, unable to tear her gaze away.

She stood absolutely still as that dark gaze dropped and blatantly studied her, noticing every detail, every curve...

She almost started when his eyes met hers again - there was something familiar in them, a look, an emotion she knew...

"yeah..." he said breaking into her thoughts, "something's do." the deep voice was too familiar, the eyes too intense....

Desperately she broke the eye contact. She needed to get out, NOW.

Nodding at his statement without meeting his gaze, she whispered, "Don't forget that Dom... I'll see ya around."

*****************************************************