Author's Note:
Hello Everyone. Thank you for your reviews.
I'd like to state that any and all references to repelling facts and equipment are made up.
I apologize to anyone who does repel. I'd like to try it one day.
This is a long chapter. So I won't be posting until Monday at least. I do have the next two written, though.
I hope you all like -- and if you do tell me so. =)
===========================================================
He'd taken responsibility for his actions...... hmmmmmm, how weird.
Letty thought, watching the team devour the food. Vince had returned a few minutes ago with Dom and Sonya in tow. They seemed to have talked and were now even sending smiles in each others directions.
Mia was quite obviously thrilled, she'd sighed contentedly when Dom had said grace a few minutes ago.
She didn't want to, but she couldn't help feeling a little sorry for Mia. Her heart would break yet again when Dom up and left.
And he would.
No doubt about that. No matter how much he'd changed, he would.
One day he'd get up, pack his bags, say 'see ya around', and walk out that door. He'd take the kid too. And Mia was already in love with the kid.
The kid.
The kid who'd walked up to her while she was sitting at the table and asked quietly, hesitantly, if she'd like to color with him later -- because he had a coloring book that had a lion in it.
She sighed, softly, taking a sip of her beer. He'd looked at her -- met her eyes.
What was it with the kid and the whole serious-as-hell shit he had going.
He spoke like every word out of his mouth was carefully measured and examined first, like he wasn't a kid.
She'd been speechless a moment, staring at him, assaulted by the strongest urge to pull him to her and tickle him -- tickle him till he was laughing uncontrollably, till he was laughing like a kid.
Instead, she'd said, just as softly, that she'd love to.
She wouldn't love to, though, she didn't want to. She just hadn't know how to say no.
But she'd learn.
Oh, yes she'd learn. She wasn't going to become as ensnared by the son as she'd once been to the father.
"Yo, earth to Let...." Leon said tauntingly, snapping his fingers in her face.
"Huh?" she gasped, startled into awareness, awareness that everyone at the table was staring at her.
"What?" she said a little defensively, picking at her mashed potatoes with a fork.
"Leon's asked you the same question three times already." Brian answered smiling.
"Oh. What do what?" she asked, staring at him.
"To know if your off for the whole day?" he replied smiling.
She sighed, nodded and smiling at the thought of an entire day of no office, "Yeah, I figured if the girls get a the day off so should I."
"Great." he said then bit into his chicken.
"Why?"
"We're headed to the club tonight." Vince answered, while Leon chewed.
"You know, welcome Dom home properly." Leon continued.
She shook her head, the last thing she wanted to do was spend the night at a hot, noisy, night club with Dom. "Naw, can't make it. Got to be in early tomorrow."
"When the warden coming back?" Mia asked.
"Not sure, Sunday or Monday probably." She answered sending her friend a side-line look.
"The warden is our nickname for Letty's boyfriend." Sonya said looking at Dom.
"I didn't ask." he snapped before he could stop himself.
Immediately, thereafter he winced, jesus he was already on the girls bad side.
It's just that he didn't want to know about Letty's boyfriend, or job, or anything else. Didn't want to get to know this new Letty that seemed to still fit in and yet shouldn't.
She shouldn't be able to just eat barbecue with them when she was wearing a sleeveless shirt that was a creamy peach color. She shouldn't be able to sit and drink a corona with the same casualness he remembered when she was wearing yet another amber necklace -- this one was different, less elaborate but still amber and it had a matching bracelet and anklet -- which she had on.
She shouldn't be able to make him fuckin notice that she had on matching necklace, bracelet, and anklet.
He didn't want anything to do with this new Letty. He wanted to get his apology out of the way and live in peace -- with Kara.
Sonya rolled her eyes at him, clearly not liking his response, "Forgive me." she responded sardonically.
He gave her a half smile, trying to make it seem apologetic. She ignored him shifting her seat to face Vince who was giving him a weird look.
Obviously his friend thought that his response had been -- odd.
And it had been.
" How longs the club been open?" he asked in general hoping to divert attention.
"Almost three years." Leon answered quickly, picking up the hint.
"It's really great Dom, wait till you see it. You'll love it." Mia continued smiling, then she added wistfully, "I wish I could go. I'm sick of this house." she continued after a moment, glaring at Brian and pouting slightly.
"That's not the place for you so late in the game." Brian answered smiling gently.
She rolled her eyes, as she bit into her chicken.
"We could go out later today." Letty offered, wanting to cheer her up.
"Before it gets dark..." she added quickly glaring at Brian, silencing him before he spoke, "We can go see a matinee or get ice cream or... both" she finished with a light shrug.
Mia seemed to light up, "Oh that's a great idea..."
"Yeah, as long as there's not too much walking or too much sun..."
"Oh shut up, Brian." Mia interrupted him, "Letty that's the best idea you've had all month..... but I'll need someone take responsibility for the girls." she added, looking around the table.
The table was silent.
Dom looked around, incredulous that no one offered to watch them, as far as he knew everyone at this table adored the girls. Frowning slightly at the others he stated, "I'll watch'm Mia you go see your movie." his tone reproached the others.
His sister smiled tenderly at him, "Watching them is not what I said, I said take responsibility for them. You see the people at this table have a tendency to... yes watch them but to not stop them. If the girls are bleeding, want to go somewhere, are hungry, everyone here can help. If they're throwing cooked oatmeal at the ceiling to see how long it sticks or repelling of the roof, no one does anything, they just watch."
"Mia that's not true..." Leon complained.
"Yeah, we're always waiting on the ground when they repel." Vince finished, to which Sonya elbowed him in the ribs.
Mia continued as if they hadn't spoken, "Then when I get home -- it's no one's fault. I need someone to take responsibility for the things they do."
Dom nodded, his eyes serious, it seemed his nieces were not to be trifled with, "I'll do it, sure. It'll give me a chance to get to them."
He grinned suddenly, "They repel off the roof?"
Mia just stared, then transferred her gaze to her husband a pointed look on her face.
"When ever they get the chance" Brian offered.
"Thanks to their father who bought them the equipment...." Mia responded looking at her husband, then at Leon, "And there Uncle who taught them how to use it...." And finally looking at Vince, "And there other Uncle who always waits at the bottom when they repel." she finished mimicking Vince's earlier words.
Dom grinned, "How longs this been going on?"
"About a year." Brian answered, "We were at an athletic equipment store and they wanted to know what it was for. When I told them they asked if they could have it -- I said yes."
Dom nodded, in complete understanding, "of course you did."
The other men nodded, also, all grinning -- the idea of the twins not getting what they asked for was -- ridiculous.
Mia scowled, "Stop nodding and smiling like it's one big joke, it's not funny. Your all gonna turn them into spoiled brats."
"Too Late, Mi," Letty said grinning, "on the bright side though, they're adorable spoiled brats, and that's all that matters."
"And your the worst of them all." She said with a tone bordering on contempt before turning her gaze to Dom. "If you get to bond with the girls, can I get Taylor for the day?" Mia asked.
Dom nodded slowly, the smile dieing slowly as he thought about what Mia having Taylor for the day would mean. He'd have to find Taylor, make sure the little boy understood that he had to be especially nice to his aunt.
"Of course." He answered softly. Trying to analyze why his child would have reservations with Mia.
It made no sense.
She had been nothing but kind to him and that response he'd given earlier.... he just wanted to be sure....
Yes. A long talk with Taylor, before giving him to Mia.
"Just let me know when your leaving, so I can... have a little chat with him." Dom added.
Mia arched an eyebrow, "Does the you-better-behave speech work on him?"
"It has so far." Dom said without thinking.
Mia stopped, the fork in mid-air, "You gave him that speech about us?" she asked her tone horrified.
Dom shrugged, looking a little uncomfortable underneath her gaze, she seemed upset... about what he couldn't imagine. Telling Taylor to behave was the only way to insure somewhat peaceful days.
"Well, yeah..." he began hesitantly, unsure of what the problem was, but was cut off.
Putting the fork down, Mia bit into him, "Why would you do that?" she was aghast. "Why would you tell him he had to be anything but what he is when he's here... with us." her tone was harsh. Reminding him of his mother, all those years ago when he'd been seven and broken the living room window with a baseball.
He opened his mouth to speak, to explain, but she didn't give him the chance, "We're his family Dom, or have you conveniently forgotten that. I understand that it's been five years so your memory may be a little hazy but perfect behavior is not necessary when among family or at least not this one. No one wonder the kid looks scared to breathe hard around here, how could you do that? How you could you make us scary to him?" She was on the verge of tears now, and without another word covered her face with her hands.
Dom shook his head, his eyes darting quickly to the others, looking for support, all he found were reserved looks and questioning glances, "I didn't... Mia... look at me..." he waited for her to lift her gaze to his, "I didn't make him afraid of you, I just.... Taylor can be... problematic..."
"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Sonya replied quietly, earning herself a glare from half the table and a nudge from Vince.
"What kind of problematic?" Mia asked wiping her tears, her voice a little shaky.
Brian continued to rub her back and Letty pressed a glass of water in her hands.
Dom shrugged, "He's been kicked-out of a few day cares, tends to get into fights; doesn't like being told what to do. He doesn't like being carried or petted, it's like the weirdest things will set him off."
"Set him off?" Letty questioned softly her eyes on his face.
He was concerned, she could tell, whether it was about Mia or his problematic son, she didn't know, but his concern was doing something weird to her, making her... feel something.
He nodded, "He throws tantrums. Bad ones. I had to..." he paused, looking at his hands, his discomfort obvious to everyone.
It hit her then, he had probably never discussed his son with anyone other than, maybe, his wife, and now he was here explaining his child to a table of silent people, who didn't really know anything about the boy or the boy's life.
The urge to reach out and touch his arm, to tell him it was okay, to tell him everything was going to be okay, rose up slow and strong in her.
A steady wave that made her shiver a little in her effort to hold it back. She wouldn't, though, not ever. She wouldn't offer comfort to this man, this man who had denied it to her when she'd been starved for it.
"I've had to take him to the emergency room a couple times 'cause he started hyperventilating and couldn't stop. Doctor said that he actually worked himself into a state of hysteria -- it can be dangerous."
"Dear God." Mia whispered.
"Does it happen often... the tantrums?" Letty asked again. Willing her stubborn tongue to shut the hell up. To act indifferent, to tune out this conversation.
But she couldn't...
... couldn't... because...
... Because the little boy had come to her and asked if she would please color with him.
... Because he walked around clutching that lion as if it were the most precious of gems.
... Because there was something so endearing about the little boy, that she couldn't escape it.
... the more she turned it away the stronger it was when it returned...
So she asked and waited for the answer and cared.
==========================================================
Her dark eyes were eyes were worried -- about his son -- a realization that formed a lump in his throat.
He had to swallow a few times to be able to speak, "There's no pattern to them... they just happen. So before getting here I warned him that people would be touching him and hugging him and that he was to behave himself. I didn't make him scared of you Mia, I swear." He added quickly at the end. "I just made it so our visit would be, uneventful."
Mia was silent.
The table waited.
Knowing that she wouldn't be for long.
"I want you to tell him he doesn't have to behave." she said, her tone brooking no argument. Her eyes focused on her brother.
It was at times like these, when her eyes were intense and her voice hard, that they could all attest to the fact that Mia was indeed Dom's sister -- and could be a obstinate as him.
He shook his head, "Mia..."
"I mean it Dom, tell him today, before I take him out."
Dom continued to shake his head, forcing his voice to be hard, he wasn't going to have Mia upset when Taylor shot off his mouth, "That isn't really a good idea Mia, the only woman he behaves for is his mother..."
She cut him off, "He'll behave for me..." then added a bit more softly, "eventually." Reaching out she placed her hands on his arm, "I want him to know this is his home."
Dom looked down at her hands, wanting to pull away, unable to do so. Without looking up, he started, "It isn't Mia, his home is..."
"It's here for now, Dom. And I want him to be himself." she wasn't going to back down.
He understood that then. She was serious and she wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer.
He lowered his head, running a hand over his bald head. Taking a deep breath he nodded reluctantly, "Kay, Mia, you win. I'll have a talk with him."
She smiled a little, but was still obviously upset, nodding she said, "Good, that's good."
When the atmosphere at the table seemed to continue plunging into the depths of depression. Leon spoke, "Great, now that that's cleared up. What time do you want to leave tonight Dom?"
Everyone had retreated to their own thoughts.
And no one's thoughts were untroubled.
In an attempt to return the table to lighthearted conversation, Vince, Leon, Sonya began a series of anecdotes explaining how they could easily write a book on the do's and don't's of opening and managing a nightclub.
Brian quickly joined in and soon Mia followed. Laughing was infectious, and he found himself unable to stop it as he pictured the scenes being told around him.
In the midst of his laughter, he glanced her way. He hadn't since the conversation about his son.
But he did then, and found that she wasn't laughing with them.
Wasn't even paying them any attention.
Her gaze was away from the table, beyond it.
Following it he found the girls, near the edge of the house -- looking up.
Vince grabbed his arm, gesturing for him to imagine what they were talking about. When he looked back, Letty was off her seat and headed in the girl's direction.
"She always does that." Mia said still smiling, when she noticed her brother's gaze and her friend's departure, "She much more prefers their company than ours."
The others laughed, Dom didn't.
Something wasn't right -- he felt it.
"Isn't Taylor supposed to be with them?" He asked seriously, effectively chasing away the boisterous laughter.
"Maybe he's inside." Vince said, but Dom was already getting up.
He could see that Letty had reached them, and she wasn't happy.
In fact she was as upset with the girls as he'd seen anyone get so far, and she kept looking up.
"Do the girls have access to the repelling equipment?" he asked moving around the table, his voice hard, even as his stomach dropped at the thought.
Mia paled, she got up from the table faster than she'd moved in months, the men were right behind her.
==========================================================
"They wouldn't..." Leon started, as they strode over.
"Hell yes they would." Vince cut him off, his words hard.
No use pretending, if the girls wanted to do something, they'd do it.
Screw all else -- it's what they'd been taught all their young lives.
If you want it -- you can have it.
And it was a lesson they'd learned well.
If they wanted to repel without supervision -- they would.
And if they wanted to repel their cousin -- they would.
"Oh, my god." Sonya exclaimed when a tiny little figure appear at the edge of the roof.
Mia stopped, her hand at her throat, unable to move forward as images of the tiny boy splattered on the concrete below flashed in her mind.
Brian reached her and took her other hand, squeezing it tightly before pulling her forward.
Dom had taken off at a run the instant the child had appeared. He now skidded to a halt a few feet away from the girls and looked up, "Taylor," he yelled, "... get down from there. What are you doing up there?" his voice strained.
"Re-pel-ling." the boy said carefully, sounding out the word, "Cousins say it's fun."
Dom glanced at the girls quickly, they looked incredibly subdued and he would wager a guess it had something to do with the very quiet, very still Aunt that stood between them.
"It may be fun but you're too young to find out." Dom stated, his voice a little calmer.
The others had stopped behind Dom and had a perfect view of the little boy hooked up to the equipment and set to jump off the roof.
"No, cousins say..."
"Cousins are wrong." Brian yelled up, "You're too little."
"And you might not know how to do it right." Vince called out.
"He's right, lil-T." Vince yelled up, using the nickname he'd thought of Taylor at the garage the day before, "Let us teach you."
"Cousins taught me how..."
"Taylor, just come down from there." Dom yelled up.
"But Daddy..."
"Come Down, Tay." Dom said, in his end-of-argument voice.
There was a pause as the boy seemed to consider not just the words, but more importantly, the tone, "Now?" he asked, looking down.
"Yes, now." Dom replied his tone a little testy.
Mia gave a breathy laugh, "What a question." she said smiling slightly, as she turned to head back to the table.
The guys too, turned, ready to head back to this... all too emotional barbecue.
Taylor shrugging his little shoulders, took one more look down, and jumped.
"Oh God!!" Sonya screeched as she saw the little spot fall -- quickly, too quickly -- down.
As if in slow motion Dom turned to see his son basically free falling from the roof. The girls hadn't been ready for it, the rope slipped right through their fingers.
He wasn't repelling, he was falling.
He was too far to grab it. His mind registered that instantly, even as his body refused to accept it and lunged for the rope.
It was Letty, though, who grabbed it. She'd been surprised when the child had jumped, no more ready than the girls.
But quicker and stronger she'd latched on to the rope swiftly, causing a jerking motion, after which the boy was suspended in mid air.
"Holy shit." Leon muttered, when he turned around.
Mia's heart jumped into her throat as she saw her nephew just hanging there, rather limply.
For a few seconds no one did anything, no one said anything, it was as if the world had frozen.
Then though, a piercing howl rent the air, as the shock passed, and the little boy realized -- that had not been fun.
Dom was at Letty's side in less than a second, taking the rope from her hands, slowly lowering his sobbing son to the ground.
Then just as quickly, he was scooping the toddler up from the ground, swinging him into his arms, holding him close, and whispering comfort in that deep, rumbling voice that could send shivers through you.
"It's okay buddy, I got ya, it's alright, your safe buddy, shhhhh, it's okay now, Daddy's got ya..." he murmured, rubbing the boys back. Slowly the sobs, turned to sniffling and Dom pulled him away to look into his face.
"You okay, bud?" he asked gently.
"That was not fun." the boy sniffled, new tears filling his eyes, "That was scary."
"I bet it was." Dom stated softly before scanning the child's body, "Does it hurt anywhere? Did you hit anything?"
Taylor shook his head, before burying his face in his father's shoulder, and wrapping his arms around his neck.
Dom took a deep breath and headed for the back door. Everyone followed -- silently.
Everyone except the girls.
They stood there as if made from stone.
No one was ready to deal with them, no one wanted to be the first one to ever punish them, but they all knew -- this required punishment, and one they'd never forget.
Fear made there steps slow as they followed their family. They knew they'd crossed a line -- what line they weren't sure -- but they knew they had. And the results would not be good.
Letty was the last of the adults to reach the back door. At the doorway she looked back and saw the slow approach of her nieces.
They looked so frightened, she wanted to wrap them in her arms and tell them everything was okay.
But she wouldn't because the truth was -- one instant of difference and things would never have okay again.
They looked up at her when they reached the door, just looked. She looked from one to the other, saying nothing.
No words were necessary.
The girls knew -- punishment, like they'd never known, was imminent.
Letty knew -- she would have to be the one to administer it.
==================================================================================
