Disclaimer: Not Mine

Author's Note: Hello, everyone.

Lots of things happen in this chapter. I considered dividing it in two. But changed my mind. I hope you like and don't forget to review! =)

Nikki:

I won't kill anyone important. =)

Greenglowchaissis:

Thank you for the input. I do like to take things slow, I'm glad you like it. I consider it one of my problems actually, but I'm working on it. For instance a week will go by in this chapter.

Three Sisters:

Angelo has returned from his business trip! He's not in much in this chapter but he will be later. Tell me what you think of him. =)

La Mamacita Loca:

lol! any excuse to watch the movie again is good one.

Starshine2212:

Thanks, I wanted the girls to learn a lesson and to show that they can be serious sometimes.

Joani, Truemarine88, Ranger Webb, and Mailie:

Thank you for your words of encouragement.

Thanks for everything.

Enjoy.

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Shit, I need to pull over, Letty realized as yet another car honked at her. So she'd run a couple of stop signs, at the moment that was the least of her concerns.

Pulling over to the side of the road and killing the engine she tried to control her breathing, to stop the shaking, but...oh god.

Was that a kiss?

Had she just kissed Dom?

Shaking her head she took a deep breath, "no, no, no..." she muttered to herself, this couldn't be happening to her.

She couldn't have just kissed him, frowning deeply she laid her head on the steering wheel.

It hadn't been a kiss... it had been... his lips on hers....

Which is the definition of a kiss, idiot.

It had only been a second, a nanosecond...

Still a kiss.

No

Yes

No

Oh God I'm sitting here arguing with myself, she thought frantically, lifting her head, squinting her eyes against the lights of oncoming traffic.

"He's gonna drive me crazy..." she said to herself, her voice shaking. She hated that he could have this effect on her. She could hardly draw in a breath, she was so agitated.

How had that happened?

One minute they'd been arguing and then... suddenly... she was in his arms. And the worst part was, she hadn't even noticed!

Not until she'd actually felt his lips had she realized exactly what was going on. How can that happen?

It was as natural as breathing, that's how.

Oh, shut the fuck up, she growled at the part of her psyche that kept interrupting her perfectly good rant.

With a meaningful twist, she fired up the engine and flicked the radio station on -- no more little voice, telling her crap she didn't need.

Checking for traffic behind her she pulled back onto the road, "Just breath," she told herself softly.

Her plan was to go home, pull off her jeans, and climb into bed with a big, big, really big bottle of McCarty.

Unfortunately, those turned to ash the instant she walked through the door.

"Where the hell have you been?" Angelo DaSylvia demanded, as she entered the two floor apartment they shared.

He's early, was her only thought as she faced him.

Angelo.

He'd picked up the pieces.

He'd put her back together after she'd shattered, and if only for that, she owed him.

But that wasn't all he'd done.

No.

He'd given her a life, one that didn't revolve around the garage and the team.

They'd been at a restaurant one night, waiting for their dinner when he'd gotten a phone call. While he talked she'd drawn on a napkin, she'd drawn this woman a few table over who'd been wearing the most hideous hat.

It was doodling only, but he'd seen potential.

It was amazing really what a person could do when someone believed in them. Angelo believed she could design, and amazingly -- she could.

At least draw the designs anyway. She could look at any item of apparel and find a way to add a twist to it.

Then draw and color it.

He loved it; called it her gift. Then he'd turned around and found a way to market her gift.

He had shared with her that he owned a modeling agency and would love for her to design clothes for it.

With this new development in their relationship, what would probably have only been fling, turned into something more.

They became business partners, and somehow as time went by, things turned serious, somehow they were suddenly, seriously involved in a monogamous romantic relationship.

It surprised the shit out of Letty, but she didn't really mind. He was kind to her, treated her well.

He turned her into his right hand. Taking her to meetings and dinners. And for that he'd trained her.

Teaching her etiquette and urging her to dress modestly.

She owed him so much; he'd taken a racer chick and turned her into a fashion icon.

And she'd relished it.

At first….

Then she'd begun to miss Mia. To miss the guys. To miss L.A.

She'd only mentioned it lightly one day. Two days later, he'd packed her up and taken her home, where he opened up the business for her.

She owed him so much.

Mia and the guys, they didn't really understand why she put up with his crap. Why she let him grill her over every hour she spent away from him. Why she let him pick out her wardrobe and jewelry. Why she allowed him to rule over in a way she hadn't even let Dom do.

Truthfully though, how could they?

How could they know she'd been living in a hole in the wall infested with rats when he'd found her?

That she'd been working, just barely enough to pay for it and clothes, at some low-down, dirty bar.

She'd met him by chance -- she'd been crossing the street and he'd almost run her over. He'd insisted on taking her home, she'd flirted, he'd asked her out.

Simple as that.

But it hadn't stayed simple. Quickly, he'd wanted more, and she'd given him everything he'd wanted -- her body, her talent, and finally her love.

She loved him.

How could she not? After everything he'd done for her, how could she not?

"Leticia, he-l-lo... I'm talking to you..." his annoyed voice broke into her thoughts.

She smiled weakly, "I'm sorry Angelo, I... just... I'm a little surprised to see you is all; thought you weren't due back till Monday at the earliest," she said, walking up to him.

She kissed him lightly -- on the cheek.

No more lips tonight.

"I can see that," he exclaimed, "Where the hell have you been? It's almost three in the morning!"

"I babysat for Mia." She said lightly, heading for her bedroom.

He followed her, his green eyes narrowed, "I didn't realize Mia was staying out till early morning hours in her condition."

Normally, she'd begin an argument about how he didn't trust her.

But tonight, seeing as how he really couldn't trust her, she refrained from doing so.

Instead, in a calm voice she explained, "She was technically home, but asleep. It was Brian who was out with the guys. I offered to stay so Mia could get some untroubled sleep. The girls woke up around eleven-thirty and I entertained them until they fell asleep," she paused a moment under the pretense of taking off her sneaker, "I fell asleep with them and didn't wake up until Brian came home. Is that acceptable to you?" She added, after a moment. Her voice tinged with sarcasm.

"Don't take that tone with me." Angelo roared at her. Then walked into her bedroom and without so much as a by-your-leave pulled her to her feet and kissed her.

She would normally, respond readily. Tonight, she had all she could do to endure it without stiffening and not wipe her mouth when he was finished.

"I was worried when I arrived and you were not in," he said, his tone conciliatory, still holding her close to him. "You left your cell phone," he added nuzzling her neck.

She remained still and didn't respond. Mostly because he wouldn't like her response -- she'd been with everyone she'd want a phone call from.

After a moment, when he realized she wasn't going to react to his advances, he continued speaking, pulling away and smiling stiffly, "I missed your company... so I did only the necessities in Tokyo and promised to fax, e-mail, and e-conference to their hearts content."

She smiled slightly, lowering herself to the bed again, "I missed your company also."

That's a lie.

The annoying little voice was back.

"Yes, I'm sure you did." As usual there was no emotion in his voice, so she wasn't sure if he was being sarcastic or not.

The only emotion that was ever easily identified in his voice was anger.

"Go take a shower, I'll be waiting," with that he turned and headed off to his bedroom.

It had been something she'd insisted on when he'd asked her to move in with him -- separate bedrooms.

Sighing, she headed for the shower. It was requests uttered in those tones that made Mia and rest dislike him. Even when he added a 'please' to it, it still sounded demanding.

Requests that sounded more like orders, that's what Sonya said, usually followed by some smart ass comment from Vince.

How you put up with it is beyond me, Mia often added.

But then again Mia didn't know.

Didn't know how much she owed Angelo.

Didn't know that he was very caring with her, despite his brusque mannerisms.

Didn't know that he loved her.

As no one ever had... he made her feel loved... and not just when they were having sex...

...when she produced a new sketch, he loved her...

...when she strode down the runway in place of a missing model, he loved her...

...when she conversed with his associates at dinner about styles and fashion, he loved her...

She stepped into the shower, relishing in the cool liquid. Wishing it would rinse tonight away, knowing that it couldn't.

She and Dom had kissed tonight.

In two months she would be Mrs. Angelo DaSylvia.

And...

She and Dom had kissed tonight.

Dom was a married man -- with a son.

And...

She and Dom had kissed tonight.

Two rooms over her fiancée waited for her, so she could give him welcome-home sex...

And...

...all she could think of....

...all she could feel...

She and Dom had kissed tonight.

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"Ms. Medina, Mia's here to see," the intercom rang out, in the silent office.

Letty had been running her eyes over some paper work, looking at it but not really seeing it.

"Mia?" Letty said softly, jumping up to go open the door.

As Mia walked into the large, airy office with bay windows on the far side, Letty began her assault, her brows lowered in confusion, "Mia, what are you doing here? Is everything okay? Does Brian know you're here? Sit down, what's in the bag? How did you get here? If you tell me you took a bus I'll strangle you..."

Mia laughed, sinking gratefully into the plush sofa Letty indicated, "A quick hug and a hello would've been nice Let."

Letty stopped and stared down at her. Then grinning she sat down next to her reaching out to give her a hug, saying dutifully, "Hi Mia."

"Hi Letty." Mia replied, smiling.

"Okay..." pulling back she began, "...let me hear some answers... most importantly though, what's in that bag..." she added, eyeing the bag Mia had in her hand.

Mia laughed, "No, I didn't take a bus, Sonya brought me over. Said she'll pick me up in about half an hour. No, Brian does not know I'm here and there is no reason why he should ever find out. And these are brownies that I made last night, and thought someone might appreciate."

"ooooh," she said grabbing it.

"So what's up?" Mia asked, as her friend began stuffing her face.

Letty shrugged, answering, "Nothing much," with her mouth full.

Mia waited until she'd finished chewing, "You haven't been to the house in a week Letty."

"I was just..."

"Today is exactly one week since the barbecue, Letty. The girls are upset they think you're still mad at them, or to quote Dolly dispointed in them."

Letty frowned, "I call every night."

"And that's very nice." Mia said cordially, her tone saying that was completely not the point, "Why haven't you been over in a week?"

"It's been busy."

"Not only is it amusing that you're not meeting my eyes right now, but I recall you telling me few days ago that things were pretty smooth right now. That the show had gone well, that you'd finished your sketches for the next one."

She paused waiting for Letty to say something when she didn't, only continued eating, Mia added tauntingly, "...of course that was before you knew that my beloved big brother had decided to visit us."

Letty nearly choked, swallowing quickly she put the bag on the coffee table, "Mia, this has nothing to... me not going... some things have come up unexpectedly, that's all."

Mia nodded, her eyes sharp, "Oh really," she said warily, "...what kind of things?"

"Well... for one, Angelo came home early."

"Oh isn't that nice," her tone indicated otherwise, "...but wouldn't Angelo being here free up more of you time, since that means you'd have to here less?"

Letty nodded, avoiding her best friends eyes', "That's one way to look at it but... well...he likes me to be with him... when he does things so... really it... I still have to handle the things that come up... just, with him."

Again Mia nodded, "Oh, I see... okay sure -- Angelo the mega business man that he is, demands that you be there to hold his hand during all his dealings. Is that right?"

Letty scowled, "That's not what I said..."

"Then what is it you said Letty?" Mia cut her off.

Letty was silent.

Mia waited.

After a moment, she sighed gently, "This pregnancy is messing with my powers of keeping tabs on all you people," she said gently, capturing Letty's attention, "You see I've been pounding my brain all week long trying to figure out why you've been avoiding us... and you HAVE been avoiding us, Letty." Mia inserted firmly, when Letty opened her mouth to argue.

"Anyway, for days now I've been going over what happened last time you were at the house and could find nothing, and mean NOTHING that could bother you enough to keep you away for so long."

She paused here and said gently, "It hit me last night though, like a ton of bricks -- Brian asked Dom to walk you out that night."

She stopped there and said nothing more. Letty waited for her to continue when she didn't she looked over at her.

She tried to stop herself, told herself it was exactly what Mia wanted, that she'd be walking right into the trap -- but she didn't listen to herself very well.

Mia met her gaze then asked softly, with that sweetness that only Mia had, "What happened that night, Let?"

It was the sweetness, the gentleness, the knowledge that Mia would understand, that she always did,that drove her up to her feet.

She got up and walked to the windows; sighing she made a shrugging motion, "You ever do something really stupid, Mia, without even realizing you were doing it?"

Mia didn't answer.

"I don't know how it happened. But..." she trailed off here, not wanting to continue.

Then suddenly she whirled on Mia, "Oh it's your fault anyway..." she cried glaring at her, ignoring her shocked expression, "Yours and Brian's! Who in their right mind leaves me and Dom alone together!"

After an instant of shock, Mia glared back, "Well excuse me! I happen to have heard from both your mouths that it's all in the past, that everything is fine. So why wouldn't it be fine for you to be left alone together!"

"Because... it just isn't," Letty stated, beginning to pace, her voice low and frantic, "because things are fine, when we're not... alone. But... when we are... it's... he's... he's..." she stopped and faced Mia.

"He's Dom," she finished quietly, her expression so vulnerable it broke Mia's heart, she looked to be on the verge of tears.

Mia sighed, "...and you're Letty," she added softly.

Letty nodded, miserably, "Yeah," her voice broke and Mia was sure she was going to burst into tears.

But she didn't, instead she began to pace again.

"So what happened?" Mia asked, after a moment. Her tone tense, she was nervous, Letty was obviously very upset.

"The most horrendous, most terrible, most fucked up thing that could have happen, Mia that's what. I don't even know how it happened. It just did. By the time I realized it, it was over. I know you're thinking how can something like that just happen? But it did, Mia, it did. And it happened to him to. I saw it in his face; he was as shocked as I was. So how the hell am I supposed to be around him when I end up... you know... with him without even realizing it -- "

"Letty exactly what happened?" Mia interrupted a little more harshly then she meant to. She was sitting on the edge of her seat, her eyes wary, her mouth drawn in a tight line.

If her best friend and her brother had had… god she couldn't even think it. It would be horrible; it would definitely excuse Letty for avoiding them for a week. God, she was practically married! And he was!!!

Letty hadn't stopped pacing and her words were coming quickly and almost slurred together.

She had yet to state exactly what she was talking about, though.

Letty stopped and faced Mia, her face a mask of horror, "I... we... we... kissed Mia, Dom and I kissed," she whispered the word as if it were an abomination to mankind.

Mia stared at her a moment her eyes wide, before she succumbed to uncontrollable laughter, "That's it!!" she exclaimed when she could get a breath in, leaning back against the sofa.

Letty glared at, fury in her eyes, "What the fuck Mia, are listening to me! I just told you Dom and I kissed!!!!!"

She nodded, "Yeah, I heard that part. It's just I thought it'd be something worse, something..." she cut herself off, she was still laughing so hard.

"Worse!?!" Letty cried, walking over to where Mia sat, "What could possibly worse!!?"

"You could've dragged each other out back and had passionate, illicit, unprotected sex all night long." Mia said, still grinning, "Shit, girl, you scared me, talkin bout how it was the worst thing ever and stuff..."

Letty sighed, "But, Mia, we kissed."

Mia nodded patting the sofa, "Yeah, yeah, but come on don't you think you're exaggerating just a little..."

"Exaggerating..." Letty repeated as she sat.

"Yeah, I mean you and Dom may not be together any more but you were for a long time..."

"A long time..."

"Yeah, so it was probably just habit, you know..."

"Habit..."

Mia rolled her eyes, "Would stop repeating every thing I say!"

"Sorry, I just..." she shook her head as if trying to clear it, "...you really think so?"

"Tell me exactly what happened and I'll tell you." Mia said, pulling one foot underneath her.

Letty nodded doing the same, "Okay, he and Brian came in and we all went up to put the kids to bed..." she paused and scowled, "In the hallway Brian made that stupid joke about the bed warmer..."

Mia laughed, "In front of Dom?"

"Yeah, he didn't get it though."

"Didn't get he was your bed warmer?"

Letty shook her head, "Anyway we went downstairs and I tried to leave but he wanted to talk. So we went to the kitchen and he made a sandwich, actually I made the sandwich, you know Mia the guy still can't take two slices of bread and stick stuff between it. It's ridiculous, you'd think that at some point in his road trip he'd have learned -- "

"Letty," Mia interrupted.

She drew a breath, nodding, "Right, sorry. Anyway he thanked me for helping Taylor and I told him he didn't have to. But he did anyway and then I was leaving again… and he... he apologized and it just..." she shrugged again, "I don't know Mia, we got to talking about Jesse and... things just got... personal, really personal, you know… it hurt. I think I might have cried and he touched my hair or I touched his arm." She sighed, frustrated, "I don't know how it happened, it just did. And then I turned around and... ran. Literally, I turned around and ran, I don't think I even closed the door, I just wanted to get the hell away from him."

Mia nodded, her dark eyes tender as reached out to take Letty's hand, "You were just comforting each other, honey, which is okay with people who've known each other for as long as you two have. Just because you two aren't together anymore doesn't mean you're not family anymore, Let. Whether either of you likes it or not, you'll always be family. So maybe the comforting went a little further than you meant it to, like I said, it was just the force of habit."

Letty sighed after a moment, "When you put it that way...." she said lightly, a small smile touching her lips.

Mia grinned, she couldn't resist adding dryly "And what's a little kiss between friends, anyway."

Letty glared at her.

Mia laughed, squeezing her hand, "It's just a joke, relax. A kiss is no big deal, Let. Only you would work yourself into hysteria without consulting the family therapist first," she said referring to Sonya's term for her.

Letty laughed, reaching for the brownie bag again, "On these gift from chocolate heaven I sweareth -- never again shall I plunge headfirst into hysteria unless you tell me tis okay to do so."

Mia laughed again, "Shut up and stuff your face."

"Don't have to tell me twice," she said biting into one, her eyes closing, "This should be illegal."

Mia smiled, "Thank you." After a moment she added, thoughtfully, "I guess this explains Dom's behavior all week too."

"What ya mean?" Letty asked, chewing.

"He's been... I don't know a little distant. I get the feeling he doesn't want to get attached, cause he plans to jet the second I push this little bugger out of me."

Letty arched an eyebrow, "Wow, how'd you get'm to stay till the baby?"

Mia smirked, "I cried and pulled some guilt. Anyway, Taylor says his dad's been trying to call his mom all week with no luck."

Letty paused, then added almost hesitantly, "How is Taylor?"

"He's perfect," Mia replied instantly, her eyes shining, "He's so... adorable. I mean he's serious and all but... I think it's starting to wear off a little. He's laughing more and he plays with the girls for hours at a time and he loves the garage and he Dom are putting together an engine and..."

"And you're in love with him."

"He's just so precious."

"He's not yours Mia," Letty said softly after a moment, wanting to prepare her friend, "He's not going to stay here, he's just visiting. Take Dom's approach and don't get attached."

Mia glared fire at her, "He's my nephew. I'll get attached if I damn well feel like it, she snapped.

"Fine. I just don't want you fallin apart when they leave," Letty snapped back.

"I'm not gonna fall apart, geez, Let, you make me sound like a mental patient."

Letty shook her head, "I didn't mean it like that. It's just I know how much you missed Dom, and how happy you are to have him here, but... he's not back Mia. He's just visiting and I don't want you to... feel unhappy, when he leaves."

Mia sighed, it was impossible to be angry at Letty when she spoke to you in that concerned tone, "Don't worry about me, kay. I'll be fine."

She paused then added smiling, "So what exactly did Brian say about your bed warmer..."

The two continued to chat for awhile; laughing so hard Mia had to get up to use the bathroom -- twice. God she couldn't wait till the baby was born.

When Sonya showed up it turned into a verifiable party.

The three got a long well and when they left Letty felt as though the world had been lifted off her shoulders.

Tonight she'd wheedle herself away from Angelo and his entourage of smarmy fashion men.

Tonight she'd hang up the evening gown and pull on jeans; wipe off the make-up and shove the high-heels in the closet.

Tonight she was going to visit her ladybugs and assure them that she wasn't dispointed -- only busy.

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She was coming over later. The girls wouldn't stop talking about it. Hell, even Taylor was excited about it.

He sighed, forcing himself to focus all his attention on the engine in front of him -- or on top of him, since he was under the car.

Kara hadn't wasted any time.

The divorce papers arrived on Tuesday. He thanked all the gods in existence that he'd been alone in the house with Mia -- and that she'd been taking a nap.

The guys and Taylor had been at the garage and the girls had been at school.

He'd been trying to get in touch with her, to tell her what she could do with her fuckin divorce papers, ever since; but it was like bashing his head against a brick wall.

Her mother, her sister, hell even her counselor refused to give him the number to where she was.

It seemed -- they all agreed -- that for her to continue to do well, she needed to stay away from him.

Apparently, he was the cause of all her problems.

"Arrrgggg," he growled as he rolled out in search of a different tool. That wasn't exactly what was said. More like they had co-dependency issues and needed space in order to move forward.

Her mother had told him that he reminded Kara too much of everything that had gone wrong.

Well, too fuckin bad.

She was his kid's mother and he wasn't gonna let her just up and leave.

If he had to hire a freakin detective he was gonna track her down and tell her he wasn't divorcin her.

He'd already called a lawyer and had him start drafting a document to dispute the thing.

And then there was Letty.

He thought sourly, as he slid underneath the engine again. Just one more thing to add to the rising pile of manure he had going in his life.

He'd kissed her.

How that had happened he wasn't exactly sure.

He was, however, sure that it scared the shit out of him.

It terrified him because...

...it had been easy…

...too easy.

It terrified him because…

...it had felt right...

... too right.

So right, he hadn't even noticed what the fuck he'd been doing.

Her smell, the feel of her skin, her hair... it had felt too... familiar.

Like the barbecue... too familiar.

"Daddy?"

"What?" he nearly growled, realizing an instant later who he was talking to. Sighing, he rolled out to see his son, taking a few cautious steps back.

"Sorry, buddy, didn't mean to snap at you. What's up?" he asked wiping his hands on a rag.

Taylor nodded, accepting the apology, as he always did, "It's okay. Auntie Mia wants you to knows we're having another barcue, and she wants you to manner the gr-w-ill."

Dom's brows furrowed "To what?"

"To manner the gr-w-ill," he repeated, "You know watch the food."

Dom nodded, standing, his eyes flashing a little, "A barbecue? Is Mia crazy?" he said mostly to himself, "After last week?"

Taylor shrugged, "It is not the messenger's fault. So no biting heads, kay."

Dom paused, then kneeled down in front of his son, "What did you say?" he asked smiling.

"Sonya said that you bite people's head off, she said that she hope-ped you didn't bite the messenger's head off. And everybody laughed and Auntie Mia was kissin me again -- " he paused here, and cocked his little head to the side, "…she does that alots. How come?"

Dom laughed, "It's just the way she is, Buddy."

Taylor shrugged, "Okay,Uncle Leon said we should send lil T and that's me. Which makes me the messenger, and I don't want you to bite my head, even though I don't think my head would fit in your mouth, but just in case you know."

Grinning he scooped his son up into his arms, silently marveling at what one week here had done to him. Taylor was turning into the male counterpart of his vivacious cousins.

He chattered more and more, repeating almost everything he heard. But whereas the girls carried with them an aura of lightheartedness, Taylor proceeded as if each word out of his mouth was founded in concrete.

At the house, he headed directly to the kitchen to see Mia. As expected she had several bowls out and was in the process of making some type of salad, the girls were helping her.

"Uncle Dom!" Jessa cried, when he walked in. As if she hadn't seen him all day, when he'd been here when she and her sister had gottten home from school.

He found that whereas his son was loath to cuddle, the girls actively sought it. They liked hugs and tickles and being picked up. He liked hugging, tickling, and picking them up. So it was a win-win situation.

He set Taylor down, who immediately headed out back, and walked over to his blue-eyed niece, marveling yet again at her beautiful she was, how beautiful they both were.

"Hey sweetie..." he said hugging her, where she stood a stool.

"Me too, me too. I'm a sweetie too," Dolly cried from the other side. He grinned, reaching out and plucking her off her stool.

"You absolutely are," he said pressing a kiss to her silky hair.

"Where have you been?" Dolly questioned, her dark eyes glimmering.

"At the garage, I hear we're having a barbecue," he said and only Mia who had yet to turn around to face him heard the displeasure in his tone.

"Yep," Dolly confirmed, "we're gonna pretend this is the first one."

"Yeah," Jessa affirmed, "cause the other one was a disaster."

"Mommy said so,"

"And me and Dolly and Taylor have to sit at the table the wholes time… and eat all our corn and potatoes, not just the chicken, for good measures."

"Yeah, cause if we pull a stut likes that last one we'll's never sees the l-w-ight of days again."

Jessa nodded, her eyes serious, "I guess that means mommy's gonna blind-folded us forever."

Dolly laid her head on her uncle's shoulder, saying plaintively, "That doesn't sound very nice, does it Uncle Dom?"

"No Dolly it does not," he answered in all seriousness.

"You wouldn't let her do that would you, Uncle Dom? You wouldn't let Mommy blind-fold us forever?" she continued, her blonde head moving under his chin.

He shook his head gravely, his eyes glimmering with laughter, "I can honestly say girls, that I would never let anybody blind fold you forever."

Dolly sighed, "Great."

"Yeah, great." Jessa confirmed.

"Girls, go outside with Taylor and your Uncle Leon, please." Mia interrupted the scene, her tone not crisp but definitely cool.

The girls didn't question there mother, but moved to do her bidding, albeit reluctantly.

The kitchen was silent when they left. Mia continued to work at the counter chopping something green into little slits -- with more force than necessary.

Dom just waited, he didn't know why she was angry but Mia had never kept her anger quiet for long.

"What the hell is wrong with you Dom?" she whirled on him suddenly, her eyes flashing, her hands on her hips – she looked like their mom.

He shrugged, smirking, "A lot of things but I'm not sure which one your referring to."

She glared at him a moment, before saying angrily, "Don't mess with her Dom, she doesn't need any of your shit; and I won't stand by and watch you ruin everything she's worked hard to build."

The smirk left his face.

He didn't even pretend to not know what she was talking about, "It wasn't like that, Mia."

She made a slashing motion with her hand, "I don't care what it was like. I care about the fact she wasn't talking to me, that she was making herself sick with stress over it and that she wasn't coming over."

"Until you lied to your husband and went to see her so you could beat her with your ageless wisdom?"

She had the grace to look a little shocked, "How did you…"

"You'd be amazed at the progress I've made with Sonya," he cut her off, smiling a little.

Mia's eyes narrowed suspiciously -- oh god not that.

She was about to open her mouth when Dom cut her off, his eyes dark, "Mia if you say something stupid like she's Vee's girl I may just be too upset to finish this conversation."

Mia blinked a little, that was exactly what she'd been about to say. She'd been about to warn Dom to stay away, to keep his distance, to keep his hands to himself – essentially – to not fuck his best friends girl.

Why?

Because even though he loved Vince like a brother, even though he was committed to someone else, even though he would never intentionally break up their relationship…

Sonya was pretty.

And Dom was, as Letty had said, Dom.

Things happened with Dom and pretty girls.

"Christ Mia, what do you think I am?" he said suddenly, wearingly; running a hand over his face. "I'm not a monster."

Her anger faded, "Oh Dom, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that," she said softly, regret tingeing her words.

She sighed too, making a shrugging motion with her hands, "It's just you're so impulsive sometime... always have been. And it just... it scares me, the things that happen when you let your impulses win."

He didn't speak for a moment, just looked at her. She looked nervous and suddenly he remembered the words Sonya had flung at him last week, Your sister has been worried sick for YEARS about you.

Kinda hard to be mad at your sister for thinking your an ass when you'd made a point to act like one for five years.

He smiled a little, "And they did win a lot didn't they?"

She sighed, relieved, he wasn't angry.

"But they don't win often anymore, Mia," he added after a moment. He went to her, wanting her to see his eyes, so she knew he wasn't lying.

"I've actually managed to grow up a little," he added ruefully.

She nodded, "So I see,"

"What happened with Letty… that was a... a hiccup in the time and space continuum."

Mia smiled a little. He continued, "We were alone, and it just... happened. But I promise you, Mia, it won't happen again. I love my wife, and I'm dad's son. I won't cheat on my wife."

"She was so upset and I convinced her it was just a… a habit; and then I got home and got to thinking what if… what if you meant for it to happen? What if you wanted to… to have some fun or something? The what if's just never ended."

She sighed, "I guess I got carried away."

Gently she touched his cheek, "Of course you wouldn't cheat on your wife. I know that. I don't think you're a monster Dom."

He smirked, taking her hand in his, "Just unable to control myself."

She arched an eyebrow, "I work on experience. You'll have to prove me wrong."

He grinned pulling her into a hug, "I will, Mimi Mia, I will."

She let him hug her for a second before pulling back and slapping his shoulder, "puh-leeeeeeeeese don't call me that."

He grinned, "But it's so cute,"

She turned back to the counter, "Get out of my kitchen… Dommy."

"Ouch," he said grinning, his hand on his heart, "haven't heard that one in... decades."

She smiled, looking down, "That musta been some talk dad had with you that day."

"He whipped me so hard I couldn't sit for a week."

Mia stopped chopping, "You deserved it."

"Mia it was humiliating, thirteen year olds do not get whipped."

"They do when they sit at the dinner table with their family and ask their father if he'd ever cheated on his mom."

Dom shrugged, "It was just a question. He didn't have freak out like that."

Mia grinned, "I thought, yes, I'm gonna be an only child."

Dom laughed, "Thanks."

"So what'd he say? You never told me, cause it..."

" ...was a man thing," Dom finished for her, smiling.

She nodded, her attention back on the food.

Dom spoke tenderly, his eyes glimmering as he saw his father in the garage, the light fading as the sun set. His tone serious as he imparted to his son a life's lesson, "He said Torreto men were known for being drinkers, fighters, hot-tempered, adrenaline addicted, never-faithful-to-their-girlfriends, assholes; but we don't cheat on our wives. He told me home-life was sacred, not to be messed with, whatever we did on the street was on the streets; at home we were loving husbands, caring fathers, and said grace at the dinner table. It was what would keep us alive. A wife was the mother of my children -- and there was nothing more special than that," he paused here and smirked, "To which I asked what if the mother of my children wasn't my wife, and he gave me this look, Mia, you shoulda seen it, than he said, 'If she gives you a kid, Dom, she sure as hell better be your wife.'"

Mia laughed, "Sounds like sensible advice."

"Yeah, he finished up by telling me he was Torreto so, no, he did not cheat on his wife, ever. And I was a Torreto too, so I would not cheat on my wife, ever, either."

"That was a warning if ever heard one. So did he whip you before or after all that."

Dom smirked, "Before, to make sure I'd be listening."

Mia grinned, turning to him with two large bowls in her hands, "Well big brother, I take it you were. Take these outside, please."

He nodded, taking them for her.

"And watch the grill. Vince says he's doin it but Sonya's out there and he hardly knows when he's standin or sittin if she's around."

"You got it...." he was at the door, and couldn't reisist, "Mimi..."

She tossed a carrot at his head, it missed of course, but the point was made.

The door shut and she started cleaning up the kitchen. She couldn't wipe the smile off her face. For several reasons, number one it was a beautiful day, number two her brother was home, and number three... Dom and Letty had kissed.

She chuckled to herself, there were times when she agreed with her family: Pregnancy made her weird.

On the drive back, she'd sat in Sonya's passenger seat and sashayed between the fear that Dom was playing some twisted game and excitement that they'd kissed to begin with.

Her rant at her brother had been sincere. She didn't want Dom coming into the picture and destroying everything Letty had built -- unless of course he was going to build something new with her himself -- that would be entirely acceptable.

Who was she kidding? Ever since they'd first started going out she'd wanted nothing more than to be maid of honor at their wedding. To make Letty her sister-in-law.

For a long time she'd held that dream, but she'd had to let it go; let it go because it shattered.

Now though, against all odds, she was feeling hope again. The dream was coming back.

Logically speaking Dom had just put the final nail in the dream's coffin - he wouldn't cheat on his wife.

Letty was getting married approximately one month after the baby was born.

And yet she couldn't help it...

...they'd both pretty much said that they couldn't be left alone together; that things just happened when they were alone.

She started humming to herself, her smile sweet -- it could be just a hunch, but it was beginning to look like all her brother and friend needed was a little push...

... and she'd be more than happy to provide it.