Disclaimer: Not Mine

Author's Note: Sorry I took so long... School has started and with a vengeance... I got so much homework the first day my head was spinning!! lol!

I have the rest of the story outlined... I'm going to do my best to work on it at least twice a week.

I know... that doesn't sound like much... but really it's a stretch... I have like hours of reading to do every night.

On the bright side... like I stated before things are on the move.

Once again I'm not going to respond personally... (it's late) but I'm going to say a general thanks to all and state some things.

-- Special thanks to the people who email me (I'm sure you've noticed that usually works ;)

-- Taylor and girls come back soon

Thank you all!!

I hope you enjoy!!!

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"Hey! I was drinking that!" Vince whined as Mia took the beer out of his hand.

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhh" she hissed, glaring at him.

She'd been home for three days -- and had been putting this off for just as long. It was four o'clock on a Monday, the guys had spent the almost the entire weekend over... with Sonya dropping in every hour or two.

The garage was in the hands of the hired mechanics today, because none of the three guys felt like going back to work after the new addition. They were acting as if they'd been the ones to deliver her.

Mia was grateful though, with them around their was always someone to pay attention to the girls, so they didn't resent the amount of time their mother was spending with their little sister.

All three kids had been note-fully quiet and withdrawn around the baby. They didn't mention her or ask to see her... they kind of ignored her.

It was something to worry about... but not now.

Now she had bigger things to worry about...

She'd told Letty she'd take care of it.

And she'd meant it too.

With the wedding two weeks away Letty was swamped with work. Plus the woman didn't particularly want to face the team with the news of her departure. It had been so hard telling Mia, and afterwards she'd been exhausted. So she'd gratefully agreed when Mia had offered to break the news to the team. Then she'd mentioned a little sheepishly, that Dom already knew.

That had surprised Mia, it was both a good sign and a bad one.

It meant Letty and Dom were talking, that she trusted him, that he'd kept her secret...

It meant they could expect no arduous reaction from him that would cause her to stay.

"Brianna's asleep you idiot, and I need you focus on me, not the beer," Mia continued.

Leon and Vince just stared at her, their expressions blank, telling her this better be good. After all she'd pulled them away from the PS2 for it. Sonya was sitting between them, a small smile on her face. She always loved watching Mia treat them like five year olds.

Mia sighed, sitting down across from them, "I have news," she said gravely. Not stating what type of news, just news.

And the blank expressions turned serious and concerned.

She was silent a moment, trying to figure out if she should just say it or prepare them a little first.

"What is it Mia?" Leon asked.

And looking into his anxious green eyes, she decided to extend to them the same courtesy Letty had given her, "Letty's moving to Chicago after the wedding," she said quickly.

They stared at her.

Sonya was the first to speak, "What do you moving?" she asked warily.

Mia shrugged, "I mean - going to live there - permanently."

The blank stares were back.

"That means she's not going to live here anymore..." she continued since apparently they couldn't comprehend what that meant.

They jolted up a little, "That's impossible," Vince stated firmly, "This is her home."

Leon nodded his agreement.

"She told me she wants to do it," Mia continued, "Angelo's opening up another boutique and she's gonna run it."

The guys were silent.

Sonya shook her head, "No way," she stated, her hair sliding off her shoulder, "... nope, I don't see it happening."

Mia stared at her, "She's going to run that boutique. She told me so and she meant it when she said it."

The silence stretched.

"Okay so what's the plan?" Vince asked scooting forward, towards her a little.

"What plan?" Mia asked, pretending like she didn't know what he was talking about.

"The plan..." he answered, "... the plan to get her to stay..."

"... there's always a plan," Leon finished for him.

Mia sighed, looking down, "There's no plan," she murmured.

"What!"

She nodded, "I have no plan..."

Again the silence.

"Alright, that's no problem, you've been busy. Sonya can come up with one, right babe," Vince offered.

"No Vee, she can't. Cause Letty wants to do this and we're gonna let her," Mia said as firmly as she could manage.

"We are?" Leon asked.

She faced him, "We are."

Again the silence.

"No," Sonya said again, "I just don't see it happening. I don't see her leaving everything she has here, for the big, fat nothing she's got in Chicago."

"She'll have Angelo," Mia said quickly, then regretted it.

Leon's eyes flashed, "The assholes forcin her to do this, ain't he?"

"I'll kill'm," Vince stated, standing, his fists clenched.

"Sit," Mia said firmly, pointing to the spot he'd just vacated. When he did, she continued, "She says he isn't. She says she wants to do this because it'll make him happy."

"I don't care what she says, I know she doesn't want to go," Sonya stated confidently, she may not be an original member of this Team, but she was one now... and knew them well.

Mia sighed, acknowledging that Sonya was right, "So do I. But I also know that in the end she will go. Not because she doesn't have enough balls to tell Angelo she 'no', god-knows she does, but because she doesn't want to. She doesn't want to tell him no, she wants to make him happy and this will make him happy."

"But we still have to try Mia," Leon stated, "We can't just let her up and leave."

"It's Letty," Vince continued, "We need her here... who the hell's gonna fill in when I screw up the schedule?" he asked.

"And she needs us," Leon added, upping the sales pitch. Mia felt pride swell in her heart -- she'd taught them to manipulate like that...

"... we're her family..." Leon finished.

Sonya nodded her concurrence.

Mia studied them, all three pairs of on her. She'd always been they're schemer, they're strategy-coordinator... but this time she couldn't be.

She told them as much.

"But why..." Vince whined.

"We can't just let her leave..." Sonya added.

And Mia agreed.

Silently at least.

She couldn't let her best friend move states away without fighting for her.

She at least had to give it a shot.

Making the decision she took a deep breath, before smiling slyly, "I can't do anything. I told her, 'okay'. I told her I'd accept it," she paused, a twinkle in her eyes, "However, I don't have any control over you what you guys do, right?"

The guys stared at her blankly, Sonya blinked a little, before a grin bloomed on her face, "No you don't," she answered.

Mia nodded, "Right, so even though I can't do anything. I can't stop you from doing..."

"But if you could do something..." Sonya prompted her eyes smiling.

"If I could - I can't of course - but if I could. I'd take into account that the only person influential enough to get Letty to change her mind would be my brother. Who already knows about the move... but who has had pretty much no reaction," she paused, "So if I could, which I can't, but if I could, I'd gently, in a very forceful manner tell him to get his ass into gear and do something before it's too late... heavy objects may be required at this point... to instill in him a proper sense of gravity. This means bashing him over the head with the reality of how quickly the wedding is approaching. Then I'd tease, prod, provoke, and manipulate him into being alone with Letty. With me so far?" Mia questioned.

The guys shook their heads, Sonya nodded.

"Good, then if I could, which I can't, but if I could -- I'd convince him to actually tell her in plain English what it is he wants - namely her. And I do believe when Letty hears it, she won't be going anywhere..."

She studied them a moment, "But of course I can't do any of this, I told her it was okay for her to move away."

Sonya nodded, "We completely understand, don't we guys," she said looking over at them.

They looked at each other.

"Uh...yeah...

"... sure... of course..."

There was a pause before they said simultaneously, "No clue."

Mia laughed, "I'm going to check on the kids. Good luck,"

"Good luck with what?" Vince called after her.

"We have to work on a plan, girl," Leon reminded her.

But Mia kept walking, her laughter trailing after her.

"She gave us a plan," Sonya said softly, after she left, "All we have to do is work it out."

Vince frowned at her, "Baby, where did you hear a plan? All I heard was she would do if she could - "

At Sonya's pointed look, clarity visited the two men on either side of her and they grinned.

"I love that woman," Leon stated emphatically.

Sonya laughed, for twenty minutes they bashed it out on who was going to go talk to Dom. Vince claimed he'd already done his time and wasn't going near the guy -- his face was just starting to take on a normal color.

Leon stated he had no desire to end up looking like Vince.

And Sonya added that she didn't know well enough for it.

-- They played rock, paper, scissors --

Sonya lost.

"I don't know him well enough to give him this type of advice..." she whined again.

The guys smiled, "Just pretend like it's me," Vince said helpfully.

"And he doesn't hit women so you don't have to worry about that..." Leon offered.

"... well don't really pretend like it's me..." Vince continued, frowning, "... don't kiss him or anything..."

"Just talk to him..." Leon picked up.

Sonya glanced from one to the other, before sighing heavily... "Only 'cause Letty gets me free clothes..." she stated getting up.

They laughed.

Mia was the manipulator... she could get you to do anything she wanted 'cause she knew what buttons to push.

Sonya though -- Sonya got you to do anything she wanted simply 'cause she told you to -- and when she said -- you wondered why you'd considered doing anything else in the first place.

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She found him upstairs in the nursery, baby Bria in his arms.

"She was waking up when I walked by," he said quickly when she walked.

Sonya smirked, she highly doubted that.

One thing she'd learned about Dominic Torreto since their talk on the porch the day of the real first barbecue -- when it came to his family he was a softy... but when it came to the females in his family -- he was mush.

More likely he'd been in here watching her sleep and had scooped her up the instant she'd twitched or something.

"Of course," she said just as quickly.

Another thing she'd learned - he didn't like his mushiness mentioned - ever.

"She's pretty now," he said suddenly and she burst out laughing.

"What?"

"Now?" she asked, giggling still.

He shrugged, "now as in.... prettier..."

"Sure, sure, don't let Mia hear you say that..."

He nodded looking back down at the baby in his arms, her dark eyes studying him. She looked a lot like his sister. More than either of the girls. The girls were mixes of both Brian and Mia.

Brianna was all Mia.

"So what do you want?" he asked Sonya, "Or are you just standing there for fun?"

She glared at him, remembering why she didn't like to talk to him, "Letty's moving," she spit out and then realized, Mia would probably have been more subtle. Oh well, subtlety was not her strong suit.

Dom nodded without looking at her, "Yeah, she is,"

"Is that all you have to say?"

"Kind of, yeah. What do you want me to say?"

"To me nothing. To her... please don't... would be good."

He looked up, those dark eyes shuttered, "I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"I can't ask her to stay, when I'm not going to," he stated.

She rolled her eyes, "Give me that baby," she stated, frowning, "I don't want your stupidity to rub off on her." Taking Brianna, she gently laid her in the crib. Then turned back to the infant's uncle, "Do you or do you not love this woman?"

"It's more complic - "

"Answer the question."

Dom sighed, "I do... but..."

"That's it, Dom. That's all that matters. You do."

"No Sonya, that's not all that matters. Trust me, I've given it a lot of thought. I've spent the better part of a week acting on my feeling for her, I've let myself ignore the fact that she's engaged, that she's moving, that I don't live here... all I have to say is -- thank god she didn't."

Sonya growled as she turned around, Dom followed her. They sat across from each other at the small circular table Mia had set up in corner.

"I was under the impression that you'd decided to try with Letty," she said, her frustration thinly veiled.

Dom eyed her a moment, deciding whether or not she had the right. Making his decision, he sighed, "I had, I did, it's just - "

"Dom the wedding is in two weeks... actually forget two weeks it's more like ten days."

He glared at her, "It's not like I haven't been trying! Hell! I kissed her for godssake!!"

Her eyebrows arched, that was new news...

"A kiss isn't enough. If you want her you have to tell her," she stated point-blank after a moment.

He shook his head, "What am I supposed to do, walk up to her and tell her I love her. That I don't want her to marry that loser. That I want her to come to New York with me."

Sonya frowned intensely at him, "Of course not, you idiot. You want her to live here with you... you both want to live here."

Dom rolled his eyes, "I have a business in New York - "

"Sell it..." she stated simply, "... give it away... hire a manger... do something with it, anything but moving back to New York."

He stared at her a moment, "I thought you were sweet, when I met you..."

Sonya smiled brightly, "I am... most of the time... So what's the deal muscle-man, you gonna grab her and kiss her or what?"

"I did that already!"

Sonya stared at him skeptically, "You grabbed her... like grabbed her... by the shoulders... and kissed her. I mean really, really, kissed her," she infusing her words with melodrama.

"Well... no... not like that... but - "

"Well - nothing. Do that - just grab her and kiss - a kiss that makes up for the last five years.... And tell her you want her to stay. Tell her you're going to stay. And tell her you're doing it for her," Sonya stated confidently, standing up.

Dom began shaking his head again, "I'm not going - "

"You know, I expected a lot more assertiveness from the King of the Streets, I really did," she said softly, looking down at him from where she stood.

That did it.

She saw it.

Saw the anger and determination flood his gaze. Saw the ego take over all other mental functions.

He stood towering above her.

She glared up at him now.

"And you can say the same to Letty. Tell her the Queen of the streets ought to be more bitchy bravado and less the complacent dish-rag she's become lately..."

With that she turned and left him standing in the nursery. Hoping she hadn't gone too far. And praying he wouldn't actually tell Letty she'd said that... 'cause the girl could pack a helluva left-hook.

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"If you want her you have to tell her..."

Yeah, sure a lot easier said than done.

Assertiveness -- she thought he'd be more assertive.

He had been.

Once.

Was still -- About most things... but about this... about Letty... there was so much at stake... so much emotion...

"If you want her you have to tell her..."

He did want her. He wanted her so much it hurt inside. But if she said no... if she didn't want him... he didn't' think he'd ever recover.

You're never gonna know until you give it a shot

The voice at the back of his mind told him. And it was true...

...he had to try...

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"Mia where does Letty work?" he asked as he barreled down the back stairs. Mia had Jessa on the counter and was tying something into her hair, looking up she smiled widely.

"20087 Sunrise Dr. 11th floor," she spit out instantly, "Huge building, tell the girl at the front desk, Liza, that you're Mia's brother," she finished happily.

Dom blinked a little, taking that in, before nodding and heading towards the back door.

"Uncle Dom," Jessa called.

He paused, "Yeah, sweetie,"

"Tell Auntie Let to come play wit us," she said sweetly.

Dom smiled at her, "You got it babe," he said as he walked out the door.

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"Hi," she said as he walked in.

She was standing in front her desk, wringing her hands and asking herself what the hell he could be doing here...

Liza had buzzed her a few minutes ago, telling her that there was a man who wanted to see her... a man claiming to be Mia's brother, but that he looked nothing like her... that he was rough and tough looking - should she call security?

It had taken a moment for the words to sink in... Mia's brother...

When they had she'd nearly screamed NO into the phone, and then taking a deep breath had informed Liza, in a semi-normal voice, that he could come in.

And he had.

He was in.

He stood there, in a pair of jean, boots, and a t-shirt stretched across his broad chest, examining her office.

Finally those dark eyes landed on her, "Not bad, Lett," he murmured.

And her heart skipped a beat at the sound of his voice. It was like being 11 again and having that sweet, agonizing crush every young girl goes through on their quest for womanhood.

"Thanks," she murmured back, before asking more firmly, "So what's up?"

He was silent, studying her, his eyes thoughtful.

"The girls want you to go play with them," he finally said softly.

She smiled, "I wish," she stated her voice wistful.

"Can't?" he asked.

She shook her head, "Naw, I've got a lot of things to do."

He nodded, "Your wedding's coming up," he stated, she answered anyway.

"Yeah it is."

"You wanna sit, Dom?" she asked suddenly, forcing cheerfulness into her voice, motioning towards the sofa's.

He nodded, they sat facing each other.

"Did you come here for something, Dom?" she asked him suddenly, breaking the silence.

His gaze sharpened, "For you, Letty," he said simply.

She looked away, her fists clenching as a wave of exaltation coursed through her... he wanted her...

She pushed the moment away though -- it was too late -- she was happy...

"Dom don't, please... I... just don't," she stuttered, refusing to meet his gaze.

"It's still there Letty," he continued, his soft voice going right through all her defenses and piercing her heart, "I know you can feel it. I see it in your eyes."

She shook her head -- standing -- turning away from him, "You shouldn't have come."

"I should have come sooner," he corrected standing also, moving in behind.

Running his hands over arms, feeling the silky skin... the scent that drove him mad...

"No, Dom," she said pulling away, still not facing him, "... you need to liste - "

"....just grab her and kiss her..."

The words rang out in his head, as reached out and seized her arm, turning her to face him with such alacrity and ease, she never saw it coming.

"No," he said heatedly, "YOU need to listen... listen to this..."

Lowering his head he determinedly captured her lips with his, the gentleness evident in his last kiss was gone. The purpose of this kiss wasn't tenderness, it was memory... this kiss was firm and steady.

This kiss was suppose to make up for that last five years...

With that thought he deepened the experience. Molding his body against hers, his tongue sliding into her - tasting her. He moved against her, pushing her up against the wall as his arms wrapped around her, his hands splaying out across the small of her back.

There was a moment of no reaction, a moment when his heart stopped beating...

... before suddenly, almost violently, she jerked; her body reacting to him.

Remembering him....

Arching against him, she pressed herself closer; working on pure instinct... every thought dashing from her mind as her senses overloaded with the taste, feel, and scent of the one man who'd ever really owned her heart.

Heat suffused them as a they frantically began to tear at each, trying to get closer to each other... both knowing there was only way for that to physically happen...

Together, separating only for instants to draw ragged breaths, they moved to the sofa.

Dom going down first, Letty on top of him, his hands sliding underneath her blouse, pulling the buttons free. Her nails digging into his back, claiming him as hers. His hands moving down - caressing the curve of her hip, as his mouth slid to the arc of her jaw.

"mmmmm," she moaned her eyes closed, her breathing uneven.

"...are you... listening..." he gasped out, unable to form complete coherent thoughts, his mind focused on the vixen atop of him.

She was off him in an instant, leaving Dom with nothing but air to hold.

Moving away from him, her hands outstretched as if to protect herself. In her haste to get away as fast as she could, she was stumbling backwards, tripping over her own feet and nearly falling flat on her ass a couple times before she reached the other end of the room.

Her eyes wide, her lips swollen, her hair undone, and her clothing wrinkled beyond repair she eyed him with so much anger and fear, his stomach knotted.

The ardor slowly leaving his muddled brain.

He sat up taking a few deep breaths, "Letty - "

"I want you to leave," she interrupted, her dark eyes blazing, trying fiercely to hide how much that had affected her.

He stared at her, his surprise evident, "What?"

She glared at him, "I can't believe you just did that!" She accused, trying to work up some anger, trying to drum up some rage. Needing it to get her mind off the humming of her body, off the sweet delight of feeling him again...

He stood angrily, "ME?!?" he yelled, "You were a pretty active participant there Lett!"

She stared at him, the fire leaving her eyes, the glimmer of tears replacing it, "Dammit Dom! can't you see I'm a basket case right now! Can't you see I have no idea what to do or where to go or even what the hell I want!!" she was yelling now, "You kissed me so I kissed back!! Because that's what I do... I'm your freaking dish towel... you pick me when you want and stick me in drawer when you're finished!!"

"That's not true!!"

"FIVE YEARS DOM!!" she yelled, her voice breaking with pain.

She would've continued, but the door opened then, cutting off her angry words, "Is everything alright in here? Should I call... that person I mentioned earlier?" Liza asked, eyeing her boss askance.

They both turned at the interruption, Letty remembering who the "person" was shook her head and said dismissively, "Everything's fine."

The woman looked at her skeptically for a moment before nodding and closing the door on her way out.

Letty took a deep breath, as she turned back to Dom, "...five years and not a word from you," she continued, he opened his mouth, she cut him off, "Yeah, we broke up, I know, but it just... it didn't..."

"...feel real..." he finished for her.

She met his gaze, "It must've felt pretty real for you... you got married."

"I didn't think about it - ever," he said softly, pausing as walked towards her. She tensed, "Thinking about it complicated things. Thinking about it made me realize it was still there."

He took her chin in his hand, "It's still there Letty, you can't deny it... not after this..."

"What do you want Dom? What do you want from me?" she asked desperation tingeing her voice.

"You," he answered, "All I want is you and I think we still have something, I know we still have it..."

She stared at him, before a small, bitter smile touched her lips, "It's not enough Dom. I want more. I want it all, not just the sex. I want a relationship, someone I can count on. Someone who'll give me the place and respect you never did. I want to be someone's right girl, not just there right-now girl," she finished coldly. Referring to the day, years ago when he'd stated cockily at the garage that there was a big difference between the right girl and the right-now girl.

He hadn't been talking to her, but she'd felt the words smack into her. Had wondered which she was... had cried when she'd found out...

He said nothing.

She pulled herself out of his grip and walked to the door, holding it open.

"It's real now, Dom. I'm getting married. And I need you to leave, okay. Just leave."

It took a lot of energy to keep the quiver from her voice, but she managed it. She managed to look cool and composed even as her lips still throbbed from his kisses, even though she could still feel his hands on his skin.

Dom studied her a moment, before leaving, without saying another word.

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She could still taste him.

It was almost midnight and she was sitting in her kitchen, letting the waves of misery descend over her.

How her life got so screwed up she wasn't sure... in fact - it hadn't... it was practically perfect...

... still... here she was miserable.

You want him...

The voice had been telling her that since he'd walked out of her office.

She'd lost herself there for a moment, had let passion take hold. A few more minutes and she'd have christened her office sofa the love couch.

If he hadn't spoken...

...if she hadn't realized that he was making a point...

... showing her he was right...

.... she would have gone through with it...

And what bothered her the most, was that instead of being grateful that he'd spoken, that she'd realized before it was too late.

She was furious because he'd opened his big, fat mouth!

Then there was the small problem of his being -- right.

It was still there.

And she knew it too, could feel it, had been feeling it since she glanced up at him in Mia's kitchen.

Still though, she need more than it now. She wasn't willing to settle for any less. Not anymore.

She heard his footsteps and braced herself for another argument. After all, all they did was argue now... about everything...

He sat across from her, she lifted her chin, preparing for battle.

What she found were the gentle green eyes that had encouraged her throughout her career.

"Are you okay?" he asked gently.

She was going to say yes, but a small "no", was out faster.

"I know we haven't been getting along lately... I'm sorry for that..."

"It's my fault too," she said, her voice still small. She felt tears sting her eyes suddenly.

It was late and she hadn't slept in a week and her wedding was coming up and she'd made-out with Dom at the office and it was too late...

The tears spilled.

His eyes became concerned as she lowered her head, tenderly he reached out and lifted her face to meet his eyes.

"If you tell me what's wrong... I'll fix it Letty, I promise," he said softly, his tone sincere. His eyes telling her he'd do anything.

He'd said that to her once before.

When she'd been homesick and crying for Mia.

She'd told him and two days later he had them on a plane to L.A.

"You can't," she whispered.

"I can try," he continued, "...tell me and I'll do my best to fix it."

I want him...

She lowered her gaze, fearing he would read it in her gaze.

"There are some things that can't be fixed Angelo."

"Only death," he responded, patiently waiting.

Instinctively she looked up, her eyes meeting his, "Sometimes things die, pieces die," the words slipped out, before she got a chance to ponder them, to examine what she meant by them.

It didn't matter though, he understood, he read it in her eyes.

She told him, with her gaze, with the tears that pooled in them again -- that she wanted him.

He released her.

"But we get things in return Letty," he offered her, "... we get other things, things that aren't the same, but still good."

"Sometimes we can be happy, even if pieces die," he continued.

"Yeah, I guess so," she said slowly, her heart throbbing with sorrow.

He was silent, a moment, then said resolutely, "We'll be happy Letty, I know we will."

She smiled at him, as best she could, "I know we will," she whispered gruffly.

Not completely, you'll never be completely happy...

The voice said, and she felt the truth of those words, felt them deep inside her soul; understood them as her fate, as the finality of her life -- she would never be truly happy.

And the reflection of that understanding glimmered in her eyes.

And he saw it.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, reaching out to gently touch her cheek, "I'm so sorry, I can't fix it."

She nodded, keeping her face composed, the tears dry.

He stood and walked around the table to her. Gently, he brought her to her feet, drawing her to him, into an embrace.

She craved the tenderness suddenly, and clung to him.

"I'm sorry I can't make it right," he whispered to her and she responded, her eyes closed, "It's too late."

Neither slept much that night. Both were lost in the contemplation of their future.

He wanted to give her so much -- but realized that in the end it would mean nothing to her. No matter how much he gave - it would never be enough. He would never be enough for her.

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