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The drive from the professional complex to the small house that Dom had packed them all into was torture, pure hell. It was like wading through sludge, everything slowed to a crawl. Letty pushed the accelerator a little harder, glancing in the mirrors for any signs of flashing lights. Hearing a siren would have been impossible with the blare of music from the car's speakers. She knew she could get stopped, likely would, but she had to get home, had to get to Dom. He'd make this all okay. Tell her everything would be fine.

Twenty minutes later she pulled into the drive. The car's tires protested the sudden stop, leaving thick black rubber laden lines in their wake. She couldn't bring herself to get out, to pull herself from behind the wheel and actually walk in the house. She trembled thinking of the reason she had been to the office complex in the first place.

**********

The doctor was good. Dom had made sure of that after her stay in the hospital, after her insides had ended up scrambled from their last job. Subjecting herself to monthly pokes and prodes innocently known as check ups had become a way of life. Hell, she even started to look forward to them. That wasn't as odd as is seemed. She was counting down, six months under her belt and only two more to go, and it would all be over. No more blood sucking nurse that came in to take vats of her blood, no more staying perfectly still while the doctor tried to push her stomach through her back. It would all be over and she could get on with her life and forget about the accident. But today had been drastically different. The exam was the same, the nurse handing her their usual fake cheer. What was different was the doctor calling her into his office after the exam.

"Miss..... Ummm....Letty, there's something that I'm very concerned about, something that I noticed during your exam" She listened carefully, the news slamming into her harder than the pavement that had nearly ended her life.

"But, you said.........." She stuttered, paling.

"Yes, but there of course was no way to determine........" the doctor kept on, throwing techincal terms at her. Giving her precentages and quoting research studies. "Of course, you should speak to your partner........but please, understand there is a greater risk to you if nothing is done......." She'd finally had enough and stood on legs as elastic as rubber bands.

"I'd like to reexamine you in a week."

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

Now she sat staring at the garage, doors open, and suddenly Dom's head appeared. He pinned her with a curious stare, a stare that was all Dom. That spurred her into action, probably the wrong action. Instead of running to him she shoved herself from the car and sprinted across the lawn and into the house.

PLEASE GOD! Not now! I'll tell him later! Just give me a little more time before I HAVE to tell him!

Mia had just cleared the table of the last of the breakfast dishes when Letty rushed into the room, tears streaking her face. Mia's first thought was it had been Dominic who had put them there. But then she remembered that the other woman had been out most of the morning ... doctor's appointment.

With a dawning unease, Mia realized this was a far different Letty than usually came home from the doc's. She was most always in a euphoric mood, relieved another month had spun past, one less visit to concern herself with. So what could have her in tears today? GOD! It had to be bad news. VERY bad news. Mia shuddered.

She followed into the kitchen where Letty leaned against the refrigerator, arms wrapped tightly around her middle.

"I can't tell him, Mia. I just can't," a raw sob radiated from her throat.

"Tell me what?" Dom strode into the kitchen, arms crossing over his wide chest.

Mia knew when three was a crowd. Obviously what Letty had on her mind involved Dom and that was none of her business, not now anyway. She pushed past Dom and up the stairs.

Dom turned his attention back to Letty after Mia's exit. "What the hell's goin on?" he asked, concern masked as impatience created a palpable aura around him.

The heel's of her hands went to her eyes scrubing at the tears, erasing them from her face. She turned with a hard won smile on her face, fake but real enough, she hoped. "Nothin, just tired of these goddamn doctor's appointments. I hate 'em." She sighed, trying Mia's escape route but was thwarted as Dom's hand closed around her arm, pulling her around to face him.

"I'm not buyin. What's with the water works?" he demanded, tensing with every passing second.

She was frozen on the spot, anchored by her own fear. But when she spoke, it was the truth, and it slipped past her lips like the days weather forcast.

"I'm pregant."

He stared at her sorting through the dozen possible reactions he could have to the news, the news that Dominic Teretto had managed contribute enough DNA to start his own pack of rug rats. Father! That one word made him weak in the knees. Him, Dom, turning soft at the thought of fatherhood.

"You sure?" he finally asked, for lack of a better response, dropping her arm.

"No, Dom. The doc was just bullshittin," she hissed. "Of course, I'm......We're sure." She turned pacing the small kitchen, tossing a wary glance at Dom every few seconds. He was processing it, she told herself.

"Why the cryin?" he ask, hoping he was wrong about what he was thinking. "You don't wanna have a kid? Have our kid?"

"No!.....I mean, yeah..........Fuck! I don't know! I'm just scared as hell right now," she turned tears starting anew.

Two steps and Dom had her wrapped in his strong arms. Arms that were strong enough to carry the weight of all their problems but gentle enough to comfort and hold her. "Damn! A kid, huh?" He smiled, tilting her face up to his.

"Yeah," she sighed as his lips contacted with the gentlest of pressure. Then it all came rushing back to her and the moment was shattered like glass on asphalt. She pulled quickly way from his lips, sick at the thought that was paramount in her mind.

"Dom, the doc said.....something that...." She tried to push the words past the lump in her throat that was slowly closing off her airway. "He said there's problems."

He leaned away searching her eyes for meaning, quickly giving up he finally asked. "What kinda problems?"

"The roll over? All the damage it did?" she prompted.

"Yeah."

"The doc says that it's just not one thing, it's a combination. With the scar tissue inside I might not be able to carry the baby at all. That I'd miscarry."

"The other?" Dom wanted to cringe, hearing the first obstacle was bad enough ... what else could possibly rip the family he was just warming to the idea of apart.

"The damage to my kidneys is too bad to have kids. They might shut down all together while I'm pregant." She died inside just a little more that moment seeing the flash of pain in his eyes. Dom, always the strong one, never let anyone see that he was hurting, that his heart was being ripped apart with every word she said.

He knew what that meant, he could loose her and the kid, could loose everything. No, he couldn't let that happen, not now, not ever. He knew he could live without kids, hated to but could do it. If he lost Letty that was it for him, nothing would matter after that.

"No. Your not havin the kid then. We'll just tell the doc that we decided it's not worth the risk. Hell, that's probably what he wants to hear anyway," he said, holding onto her, dragging in the feel of her with the passing of every second. And he knew when she stiffened against him there was trouble, big trouble.

"Fuck that, Dom! I want the kid! I wanna try!" She shoved away from him shouting. She hadn't realized just how badly she wanted, how she needed, this baby until Dom had put his foot down. Had proclaimed she wouldn't stay pregant. He was doing it for her, to keep her safe, she knew that, but she still couldn't accept it.

"I'm havin this kid! I'll do it with or without you!" She continued her tirade, shouting down the house around them. If Mia didn't know what was going on before she sure has hell would now, he thought.

"For christ sake, Letty. Even if it kills you? What about going through the hell of losing the baby? We get down the road a few month and something happens. You ready to deal with that?" He slammed his fist against the counter, causing the wood to shudder under the force.

"I don't.....YES!" She threw up her hands, fustration and not a small amount of fear etched on her face.

"That's just fuckin great, Letty. Just fuckin fantastic!" he replied. Turning, he stalked out of the kitchen, out of the house. The scream of rubber was heard on the street moments later.

Letty raced to the door but she was too late, he was gone. Her throat constricted with hot scalding tears. And in that moment of all the things she could have screamed about ... the unfairness of life, the harshness of death looming near by ... it was his name that ripped from her throat. His name that would linger in the mid morning air long after he was gone, long after the fate of their child was decided.

**********

Fini