Flashback From the Future XXI

Joy gasped as she moved away in shock, her pupils widening with what she had just seen, she could not believe it at all.

Joy rubbed her eyes, thinking that maybe she was seeing things, maybe she had seen something that was not there, she was sure that she was day dreaming or something.

Joy moved closer to the door and peeked through again, only to see the same image but even clearer, Lia was holding a gun and she looked as if she was threatening her dad.

Joy was in a daze of confusion and shock, but she was quickly snapped out of it when she jerked at the sound of Lia's sharp voice as she was arguing with her father and Joy could not quite hear what they were saying clearly.

"Lia are you insane? Are you fine, are you being serious right now? Why would you do something like that??!" asked Dom as he was beyond shocked, betrayed, he was feeling a lot of emotions right now.

Now Joy was able to hear what her father had said clearly, and it only made her sure that her father was in danger right now.

Joy jerked again at the sound of Lia shouting the words "DO NOT ASK ME WHY!" she squeaked and quickly covered her mouth with her hands, she did not want to alert Lia that she was here, who knew what she could do to her?

Joy didn't know what to do, she was scared right now, and worried about her dad, her Aunt Lia was crazy, what was she doing threatening her dad with a gun?

It sounded like they were arguing about something, but Joy did not know what, but that was not important right now, she needed to do something.

Joy slowly backed away as she sneaked away carefully, careful as not to make a sound at all, she did not need to alert Lia of her presence, who knew what she would do to her as well?

Once Joy was a considerable distance away from her father's office she rushed off and rushed up the stairs and closed herself in her room, she paced up and down, thinking of what she could do, or who she could call.

Her dad was in his office, with Lia, which meant that he didn't have his phone with him to call for help, Alfred had already gone home since he no longer stayed in the house, and as for her uncles Michael, Nine and Charlie were not at home and she didn't know when they would be back.

Joy was unsure of what to do or who to call, until it finally hit her, she needed to call the police, they were the only ones who could help her now and then she remembered that the only phone she could use was in the kitchen, which meant that she had to go back downstairs.

Joy shook her head as she mustered all her strength and she snuck out of her room again, down the stairs as she almost fell when she flinched at the voices of Lia and her father arguing.

She quickly snuck into the kitchen, grabbed the phone and ran back upstairs as she locked the door of her room, she wanted to call the police, but she wasn't sure if they would be able to get here in time.

"Uncle Pete" said Joy in realization as it hit her, and then she frowned, she didn't know his phone number off the top of her head.

Joy frowned, thinking of what to do, until she remembered that he had given her his business card a while back, and she had it in her schoolbag.

Joy rushed to her schoolbag and quickly found the card and dialed his number as it rang.

"Come on, come on pick up" she said in impatience, who wouldn't be impatient, she didn't know if Lia would shoot her father any time soon right now, she was scared.

"Please pick up" said Joy as the sound of the phone ringing caused her heart to beat faster in fear that he wouldn't pick up.

"Please..." she said as in the moment the call was finally answered.

"Hello" came Pete's tired voice from the other side of the line as he ran his fingers through his already messy hair.

"Uncle Pete!" said Joy in a mix of relief and urgency.

"Joy?? Is that you??" asked Pete in confusion.

"Yes Uncle Pete it's me" said Joy as she nodded.

"Are you okay? Is there something wrong?" asked Pete as it was odd for Joy to call him with a strange number, she usually used Dom's phone.

"Yes there is something very wrong, very, very wrong, you need to come to the house right now, very quick please, my Aunt Lia is holding a gun at my dad, and I don't know what to do!" said Joy as she spoke quickly and she ran out of breath.

"Joy, Joy calm down please princess, calm down" said Pete as he was surprised by what she had said.

"Take deep breaths" said Pete as Joy nodded and took deep breaths.

"Now calmly repeat to me what is going on" said Pete.

"Uncle, I saw my Aunt Lia holding a gun at my dad, and they are arguing very loudly and it's bad, really bad" said Joy her tone etched with serious worry.

"Wait Joy, you mean you saw that?" asked Pete as he wanted to be sure before he jumped to conclusions, after all, it could not have been a threat.

"Yes I did" said Joy as she nodded and Pete sighed.

"Did you overhear what they are arguing about?" asked Pete as Joy shook her head.

"No, I only heard my daddy calling my Aunt completely insane and they are shouting at each other" said Joy.

"Uncle Pete, I'm scared, I'm home alone, and I don't know what's going on, please come over, please" said Joy as she pleaded with him, Pete could hear the desperation in her tone

"Alright Joy, don't worry stay calm, I'm on my way now" said Pete as he stood up and quickly grabbed his coat and keys.

"Yes" said Joy as she nodded.

"Where are you?" asked Pete.

"I'm in my room, I locked the door" said Joy.

"That's good, just stay there, I will be right there soon" said Pete.

"Okay Uncle Pete hurry" said Joy as Pete ended the call and Joy walked to her bed and sat down, she was only hoping and praying that Pete would get here soon.

...

"Lia look, this is not like you, the things you've said, the things you've done... all of that... I would have never expected that from you" said Dom, his tone laced with disappointment.

"Oh keep your expectations to yourself, I had several expectations and yet, I was left nothing but second best" said Lia.

"That's your problem Lia, it's not a competition it was never a competition!!!" said Dom.

"Maybe to you who was going to win regardless of what happened!!!" said Lia as she shouted at him.

"Lia you are not like this, you are not a vindictive woman, you are not a bad person, you are not crazy, come on put the gun down and let's sit down and talk like sensible people, please" said Dom as he honestly did not know what else to say, but he did know that he needed to get the gun out of her hands, she was clearly unstable mentally.

"Oh let me tell you one thing Dom, you don't know me at all, not at all, no one does" said Lia as she scoffed.

"That's a lie Lia, I know you very well" said Dom as he moved closer to her slowly as Lia looked at him, but he made the mistake of glancing at the gun as Lia realized what he was up to.

"You only think you do" replied Lia as she pointed the gun at his chest as Dom froze.

"Uh, uh, uh Dom, not so fast, another move from you and I might slip" said Lia as she smiled and Dom froze.

"Lia, let's just talk reasonably okay? You're not a monster" said Dom as Lia laughed.

"Oh are you sure you will still think that way when I tell you the second part of the story?" asked Lia as she laughed.

"What do you mean?" asked Dom as he frowned.

"For 10 years, I've been here, by your side, waiting for you to love me, which you didn't, and since you thinking Natasha betrayed you wasn't enough, I concluded that the only way to get you would be to get rid of Natasha once and for all" said Lia as a wave of realization hit Dom at the mention of her words.

"What are you talking about Lia? You don't mean what I think yo..." said Dom as he was cut off.

"Yes, yes I do Dom, I mean it every, single word" said Lia in anger.

"I was the one who killed your beloved wife Natasha" said Lia as she laughed maniacally while Dom felt his heart completely shatter once he heard her words.