Chapter 1- Running

The Japanese had a saying about relationships; Split water will not return to the tray. This was exactly how Peyton O'Connor felt as she put down the paint brush. She had been physically repainting a desk for Tej, but her mind had been thinking about Dominic Toretto. It had been a week and a half since he had saved her from Verone, but she hadn't heard from him. Hell, she hadn't heard from his team or his sister who just so happened to be dating Peyton's brother. She wondered if things were still weird because of the whole having sex incident. Peyton was not the type to worry about problems, but Dom was another story. Could they never go back to what they once were? She picked up her brush again unaware of Brian standing in the doorway.

"You know any more paint on the spot and you're not going to have enough for the rest of the desk," Brian told her. Peyton smiled half-heartedly. Brian knew she was still hurting. He'd be lying if he said there had never been anything between her and Dom. He didn't think Dom was capable of seducing her either. Dom had cared about her from day one.

"I'll just make Mike go out and buy me more paint," she replied as she tossed her blonde hair (which had specks of paint on it) over her shoulder. "It'll keep him out of trouble."

"Running an errand for you will be trouble," he countered. "You know he has one more year of school before he can graduate, right."

"I thought he was eighteen."

"He got left back in kindergarten." Peyton laughed so hard she had to put the brush down.

"How do you get left back in kindergarten?" Brian sat next to her on the floor laughing as well. He searched his sister's face and found bags starting to form under her blue eyes.

"Listen Peyton, I know we really haven't been able to talk much this week with the custody being straighten out and everything, but you know you can talk to me. Even about girl drama and boys and even having sex…"

"Stop before I go deaf," Peyton teased covering her ears. He knocked her in the head with the papers he held and she smiled. It lasted a moment but her face then became seldom once more. "I do know though. I'll always bother you with girl drama."

"Lucky me." Peyton held up the paint brush threatening him. "Alright I'll let you get back to work. The reason I came over was to give you this. It came in the mail earlier." Peyton took the envelope from his hand recognizing the hand writing at once. Peyton got to her feet and headed out the door.

"What about my desk?" Tej asked as she passed him. He had been ease dropping as per usual.

"I'm letting the first coat dry," she replied. Peyton made her way to the back and plopped into one of the many lawn chairs. Usually Tej's place was buzzing this time of day, but he had declared today a work day. There would be a party after the race tonight, but for now Peyton could enjoy the silence while reading her letter.

Dearest P,

I know I should be all like 'yea there's still hope for this guy' but after hearing your mom tell me the unbiased information you wanted me not to know well…. You can see my problem. Of all people it had to be Dom Torretto. He's an ex-FBI fugitive and the street racer/ king from California. Why do you do this to me P? Do I have to keep you locked in a closet?

The best I can say is give it time. Time is the only thing that can sober you up and in this situation you need some major sobering. Know that my love is in these pages and that we all are thinking of you and your prison lover. Speaking of convicts, you know a certain someone's parole hearing is coming up soon. I know he'd love to see you. I know you'd be in school down there by then but it's right by your birthday. Are you coming up for the weekend?

All my love,

~IT

Peyton held the letter close to her chest thinking about her friend's words. Would he really want to see her after the past two years. Maybe he would apologize. He could also just dismiss her like he had during her second visit. And since when was IT no help when it came to boys? It was the girl's favorite subject after sex.

"Watcha reading?" Peyton looked up to see Suki take the seat next to Peyton.

"A letter from a friend up in New York."

"Really?" Peyton nodded as she folded the paper back up and put it in the envelope. Suki watched her with a look.

"Just say it Suki."

"We're friends, right?" Peyton nodded. "As a friend I'm worried about you. I know you and Dom were intimate, but you need to get over him girl. He wasn't healthy." Peyton grinned.

"Didn't you feed Brian that line about Monica?" Suki gave Peyton an innocent smile. "Thanks for checking up on me Suki, but I'm fine. We have the races tonight and I have a car so I'll relax there." The girls heard a familiar grumble. "And you can tell Rome that he doesn't need to ease drop on my conversations to check on me!"

"I thought you were already used to it PC," he told her. Suki shook her head.

"Never mind him. I had an idea last night and tell me what you think. Your birthday is only a week after school starts an parties are always the way to go for making yourself known…."

"No parties, Suki," Peyton ordered as she got up. "I think I can make friends easy enough without having to worry about prancing around in a big poofy dress."

"Peyton," Suki whined as the blonde left. Peyton made her way back over to the shop hoping for some privacy. She forgot, however, who worked for her brother.

"Freeze!" the blonde guy behind the counter ordered. He tossed his copy of Racecar Engineering on the counter. "What's wrong love."

"Nothing Colin," Peyton said.

"What do you think, Mike?" the blond asked the raven headed guy appearing from the back.

"I think she doesn't want to talk about it," Mike replied. He looked at Peyton. "Someone do something?"

"Just Suki trying to get me to have a sour seventeen party," Peyton told him. He laughed.

"Parties are the way to get known quick," Mike informed her.

"Not that that's going to be a problem for a pretty thing like you," Collin added with a wink. Peyton rolled her eyes.

"Yes I'm going to come home drunk every weekend."

"Give it time," Mike said. Peyton rolled her eyes as Colin eyes went from her to the window. Peyton followed his gaze and saw a familiar blue supra pulling in. Peyton looked to the passenger side secretly hoping Dom would step out of it. Leon stepped outside instead and Vince stepped out from the drivers side. Peyton looked to Mike who nodded toward a box behind the counter. Colin lifted it on the box on the counter and Peyton saw it bore Dom's name on it.

Peyton took the inventory clipboard from Mike's hand and ducked behind the counter. She kicked Colin off the computer and opened up Microsoft Excel. Since the finalization of Brian having custody of her, Peyton had tried to help out at the shop as much as she could. Since Brian was not computer savy, she had taken it upon herself to set up spreadsheets for the shop. The one she had been working on for the last couple of days was a detailed report of the shop inventory. She typed in the new shipment as Vince and Leon came in. She hoped by typing they would leave her alone, but they weren't that smart.

"Don't you have school?" Vince grumbled when he saw Peyton.

"I start next Thursday," Peyton answered.

"Don't remind me," Mike ordered.

"You only have to go in on Friday," Peyton reminded him.

"Senior privilege baby." Mike turned to Vince. "We just got a shipment in if you want to take a look for Dom and order…" Mike stopped and looked and Peyton expecting her to flip out on him. Peyton ignored him and continued to type in the data.

"Sounds chill," Vince said not wanting to piss Peyton off as well. The two went into the backroom.

"What you working on, baby girl?" Leon asked her as he leaned over the counter.

"Computer spreadsheet using the recent amount of product sold to estimate a set time rate when we should order to another shipmen." Leon gave her a confused look. "I'm figuring out how long until we need to restock." Collin rolled his eyes.

"You just like to speak brainiac," Leon accused. Peyton looked into his green eyes.

"No I just like to keep busy." Leon stared back into her baby blues and Collin cleared his throat to remind them they he was there.

"Holler if a customer comes in," Collin told Peyton. "I'm going to go help Mike." Peyton nodded not trusting herself to speak. She resumed typing and Mike practically ran to the back.

"Peyton." Peyton looked up at Leon. "You know we're all…"

"Don't you dare feed me that line." He looked taken back by her comment. She logged off the computer not wanting to deal with the BS. "I thought you respected me more than that." She went to the stairs and bumped into Collin. "If Brian asks I'm laying down." She went up the stair without another word.

When she opened the door to her room she hit a pile of boxes. Brian had insisted on re-doing the second floor so she could make it her room. For the last two days the designers had been in the main room converting a corner section into a closet. Peyton had thought it unnecessary, but Brian thought it was needed. Peyton looked for her futon and found it buried in a corner. She grabbed her keys from her pocket and headed out of the apartment using the back door so she didn't use the shop exit. She went to her Acura that Brian had bought to serve as her "around the town" car. Peyton was content with the Cobra Mustang that her and Peter had been rebuilding with the help of Jimmy, Rome, and Suki, but Brian wanted her to have a car that drew less attention for school. Peyton peeled out of her parking spot wanting nothing more than to drive away from her problems.

AN- Please review and tell me what you think

~Lyn