An End and a Beginning
Life Unaccounted For Universe: Part 5
Summary: Part One of a series of one-shots in an AU setting inspired by a picture I found and put in the top corner.
Disclaimer: Hahaha, I wish! I own nothing.
"Letty, get your ass out of bed!"
"Ugh", Letty groaned into her pillow. "Mia, go away."
Mia went into the room and yanked open the blinds. "It's after one", she said sternly. "You know I'll dump water on you if you stay in bed. Go shower and act alive, would you", she demanded. "I'm declaring this the end of your weekend of moping. I'll call reinforcements if I have to."
"Have I told you lately that I hate you?" Letty muttered, yanking the covers over her head to block out the light, "Evil bitch."
"Do you want to show up at my dad's house with a hangover?"
"I'm an adult. What are they gonna do? Ground me?"
"You're not acting like an adult. You're hiding under the covers and playing opossum", Mia said flatly.
Letty cursed angrily, and Mia snickered.
"What?!" Letty snarled, yanking the covers back violently.
Mia grinned, "I just had a lump of blankets curse me out. See how you handle it if it happens to you."
Letty rolled her eyes. "Dinner isn't until six. Why are you dragging me out of bed now?"
"We're going over there at five", Mia reminded. "And you definitely need a shower. I didn't want to drag you over there looking like a wreck that needs to be committed."
"My life sucks right now, Mia. I just need a few days to not think."
"Less thinking, more drinking", Mia rolled her eyes. "You did that already. I told you. You're done. Last night you made me spoon feed you ice cream because you were too drunk to hold a spoon."
Letty cringed. "Shit. Okay. You made your point. I'll go shower – and shave", she grimaced. "Make me some coffee."
Mia grinned, "Already done and waiting for you on the breakfast bar."
"Yeah, and tone down the peppiness while you're at it", Letty muttered as she stumbled towards her attached master bathroom.
"I love you!" Mia called as the bathroom door swung shut.
"Bite me!" Letty hollered back.
Mia pulled out her phone and replied to her last text message from Susana.
Mission accomplished.
0
Half an hour later, Letty came out of the bathroom looking much more put together. Mia had already gotten quite sick of the older woman's grungy pajamas. 'Thank god for jeans' was something Mia never thought would cross her mind until now.
Letty went to the kitchen and reheated her cup of coffee. "Sorry… about earlier", she muttered sheepishly.
Mia smirked. "It's okay. It's not like you scare me – anymore", she laughed.
"Yeah, and that only took what? Five years?" Letty teased.
"You always looked like you wanted to punch someone in the nose and you glared at me because I liked to play with dolls", Mia said defensively. "That's probably why you and Vince get along so well. You always thought you had to be intimidating."
Letty rolled her eyes. "Clearly I've lost my touch."
"Only with your family", Mia shrugged. "We know you, Let. That's not a bad thing."
Letty scowled. "Hey, just 'cause I apologized for being a bitch when you rudely dragged me out of bed, doesn't mean I want a therapy session, thank you very much."
"Hey, at least I give you my advice for free", Mia grinned.
"Aren't I lucky?" Letty teased sarcastically.
00
Mia drove them to the Toretto household. She didn't want Letty making any impromptu exits, but it wasn't likely today, since was still feeling the after-effects of the previous night. Mia was still calling it a win though. She had gotten Letty to shower, dress, and do her hair and makeup. To her, that cancelled out the current hangover.
Mia let the engine of her car make the arrival of their announcement. They never bothered knocking anyway. The kitchen was full of people – Letty knew she was thinking the same thing as Mia did as they walked into the busiest room in the house: thank God for the remodel last year. The kitchen was twice as big now as it had been when they were growing up. As they got older, and more people came into their lives, the house seemed to get a bit smaller, even if it did get more vibrant as well.
When it had just been Tony, occasionally her mother, Letty, Mia, Dom, and Vince the house had enough space for all of them. But now there was Leon and Jesse – and Aiden. It was still cozy, but they all fit without feeling crowded now.
Vince saw them first and took the opportunity to make the first insensitive comment. "Hey, it's the Runaway Bride!"
Letty raised her eyebrows, lips twitching at the swat Tony delivered to the back of Vince's head. "I'm sorry; all I heard was 'blah, blah, blah, I love Julia Roberts movies'", she smirked.
He groaned. "I don't-"
"You do", Letty teased. "I bet you even cry."
Aiden looked up then from where he was sitting on the counter listening to Tony's cooking instructions. "Uncle Vince, you cried during a movie?" he asked curiously.
Vince scowled. "No, I didn't. Your momma just likes to be mean to me."
Letty grinned, squeezing his arm playfully as she passed. "That's 'cause you make it so easy." She kissed her son's forehead. "You were good, weren't you?" she asked seriously.
He nodded emphatically. "Uh-huh. I went to work with Daddy yesterday!"
Her mouth twitched. "So you had fun then?"
"Yeah, and Grandpa's teaching me to cook!" he pointed towards the pans on the stove.
"I see that! Maybe soon you can teach me how to cook", Letty teased. She reached for a side hug from the older man, "Hey, Tony."
He kissed the top of her head. "It's nice to see you, Letty."
She frowned slightly. "I see you at the garage."
"I still miss you around the house. You're always welcome here – no matter what. I want you to know that."
She managed to huff indignantly, blinking away the mist in her eyes. "Thank you", she said sincerely.
"Yo, Let! Are you coming into work this week?" Dom called from the living room.
"'scuse me", she muttered, heading towards the archway between the two rooms. She found Dom hunched over the coffee table with a few sheets of paper spread out. She leaned in the doorway and stared at his right ear. "Now, why wouldn't you do that at the kitchen table so you don't end up with a crick in your neck?"
He waived her off, not looking at her over his shoulder. "Work?" he repeated.
"Why wouldn't I come into work this week?" she asked evenly.
He snorted but said nothing.
She let out a sigh. "Just… put me in where you need me, and let me know. I went and got myself a fucking mechanics degree", she muttered under her breath. "I might as well use it."
Dom smirked, and then looked up at the sound of a car pulling up to the house. "Your mother's here."
Letty groaned. "I need a beer." She walked back into the kitchen, heading for the fridge.
He finished the few notes he needed to make before going back into the kitchen where the family was swarming the stove like vultures. His attention caught when he heard his son squawking. Dom grinned. Mia was holding Aiden upside down and Susana had bent over to blow raspberries on his stomach.
Letty looked in his direction and they shared a moment of amusement.
"Daddy, help!" Aiden called finally.
Dom put on a serious face and went over, making a big show of taking his son out of Mia's arms and set him on the floor. "Better scoot", Dom told him seriously. "Nana likes to pinch cheeks."
Aiden smacked his hands to his face and went to watch a few minutes of cartoons before dinner.
Susana was staring at him with a raised eyebrow, "Very funny, Dominic."
He gave her an exaggerated grin and kissed her cheek in passing. "I thought so." Dom was glad she was relaxed today. Susana worked in a law office downtown, and spent her workdays wearing suits and keeping her hair twisted tight enough to produce a headache. It was nice to see her wearing jeans and a semi-casual shirt with her hair down. He had honestly forgotten the last time he had seen the woman wear tennis shoes.
"Don't get sassy with me. I gave you a sound whippin' when you were thirteen, and I've got plenty of snap left in my wrist", she warned.
He groaned when he heard Letty and Vince laughing behind him. "I'm almost twenty-eight", he complained.
"Yeah, and you should know better than to be disrespectful", Tony muttered, shaking his head.
"I'd rather go watch cartoons", Dom grumbled irritatedly.
"Alright", Letty interrupted, voice tinged with laughter, "Everybody quit picking on Dom. He hasn't eaten yet."
Tony turned off the last stove burner. "Food's done. Everyone grab a plate."
0
It was nearing eight o'clock when Letty looked at Aiden calmly. "It's almost your bedtime", she said offhandedly. "You have school tomorrow."
"Can Daddy take me to school in the morning?"
Letty smiled slightly. "You know, I thought you might ask me that. Good thing your backpack is in the car, huh?"
"Thanks, Mama!"
"You're welcome. Go put your pajamas on and brush your teeth. If you get in bed on time, I'll read you a story."
She stifled a laugh as he scrambled up, turning off the television and she could hear his footsteps trampling up the stairs and down the long hallway to his bedroom. Susana had left nearly an hour ago, and Vince had gotten an unofficial booty call ten minutes ago, and had left after putting a game in the Playstation box that Aiden could play. Letty stood up from the couch and stretched.
She went into the kitchen where Dom and Mia were chatting with their father over coffee. She had spent the last forty-five minutes listening to Aiden recount his weekend in great detail. Her son hadn't gotten the chatterbox gene from her, but she was a good listener.
Dom had let them be when they settled in the living room. Not only because he had already had the conversation, but because they had both learned to respect each other's private time with their son.
They had decided early on, when it seemed that their separation would be permanent, that they didn't want to involve the court system. Neither of them wanted a custody battle in any shape or form. So the next best thing had been to get their relationship in semi-working order - and keep it that way.
It had been difficult for both of them. Luckily Aiden had been young enough that he didn't remember any of their heated arguments. They only blip in the last three or four years had been Trevor.
Trevor was gone now, but Letty didn't think they could go back to the way it had been. Things were still a little tense. And she got the distinct impression that the dysfunctional functionality that has made up their world, would soon crash and burn completely if they didn't make a new game plan.
She went to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water and took a seat next to Mia who was telling Tony about a chemistry class she had to take.
"Where's Aiden?" Dom asked her quietly.
"Upstairs getting ready for bed", she shrugged. "He asked if you could take him to school in the morning. I figured you wouldn't care."
He nodded. "I don't mind."
"His backpack is in the car. I'll grab it before we leave. I told him I'd read to him before he fell asleep. We'll get going after that."
Dom sighed. "You don't gotta rush outta here", he murmured.
She snorted. What? Like they could just hang out anymore? "What days am I working this week", Letty asked finally.
He raised his eyebrows at her abrupt topic change, but let it go, "You're off Tuesday and Sunday."
She smirked, "Not tomorrow, huh?"
"Yeah, well, you were bitchin' earlier", he rolled his eyes. "I didn't want to give you the impression that I was doing you a favor."
"Yeah, yeah, watch it", Letty buried a grin.
0
It was nearing nine o'clock when Letty left Aiden's bedroom, closing the door silently and going back downstairs. Dom looked at her for confirmation and she nodded.
"He's asleep. Mia, are you about ready to go?"
Mia waved at her distractedly and then looked up from an order list from their store. "I'm almost done with this. Give me a minute."
Letty sighed. "I'll grab Aiden's backpack. Then I'll wait for you in the car." She went to give Tony a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for dinner."
He nodded. "I meant what I said earlier. You should come around more often."
She smiled slightly, murmuring, "We'll see."
Dom was watching her when she straightened. "I'll come grab his bag."
Letty shrugged. "Whatever."
He followed her to Mia's car and waited for her to reach into the backseat and bring up Aiden's Superman school bag. Vince had tried to get him to buy one with the Hulk on it, but he had been vetoed. Dom took the bag Letty passed him and watched her lean tiredly against the car door.
"Thanks", he said finally.
She nodded distractedly. "It's fine. You know how I feel about 'weekend parents'. And you've never been like that." Letty smiled slightly then, looking a bit sheepish. "Besides, I have a bit of a selfish reason for it tonight."
Dom raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"
"I really don't want to deal with Mrs. Peterson tomorrow", she admitted grudgingly.
He blinked. "You're scared of Aiden's teacher? He's only in first grade."
"Yeah, well, she hates me", Letty muttered.
Dom frowned, "What for? She gave me a Tootsie Pop once."
"Of course she likes you. She's a crazy old bat", she glared. "She doesn't like that I'm unmarried, had a child out of wedlock- whatever. She'll see I'm missing a wedding ring, and make some snide comment."
Dom couldn't help himself, and started laughing. "Dammit, Let. You don't even go to school anymore and the teachers still hate you."
"Shut it, Dom", she scowled. "I did fine in my college classes."
He grinned, hearing the door open as Mia came out. "You'll be alright, Letty."
And then he went back into the house, pausing only to give Mia a hug.
Letty nodded at the younger woman. "Let's go."
00
A/N: Well, this took a bit longer than expected, but the good news is that I'm almost done with the next chapter as well, which is mostly a short flashback piece. And this is fairly long, so hopefully you'll forgive me for the wait. Thanks so much for everyone taking time to review. If I haven't gotten back to you, I still appreciate it! Reviews make me very happy!