Title: This Life Up Close, and Personal
Rating: M (for language mostly, plus adult themes and drug references.)
Time: Before the movie.
Disclaimer: I don't own the movie, or anybody in the movie. I do own Cassie, please don't copy her. I'm not making any financial gain from this fic – don't sue.
Summary: This is the story of my OFC, Cassie. She started out as a role-play character, but I wanted to explore her character more. This is just basically her life with the team.
Note: This is my first REAL story that I've written – the only one I'm happy with. I started it about 2 years ago, so the chapters may be a little sketchy from the beginning but hopefully it gets better as my writing goes on. I love feedback so don't hesitate to tell me what you think. LOL.
Note II: This story started as an independent, but as 'Reconciliation' (joint fiction with onyxwaterfall) started to be written, concepts of this story showed in 'Reconciliation' (it was only loosely based on this story). If you read 'Reconciliation', 'This Life Up Close, and Personal' will just help you understand Cassie and her role in the Team.
Note III: This story contains quite a bit of profanity, so be warned. It also contains some smut towards the middle, and drug and alcohol references throughout. If any of this offends you, please don't read – if you continue to read it, do so at your own risk.

Sorry, I'm a bit long winded with this bit, but I'm just trying to be thorough. Now on to the story. Enjoy.


Prologue

"Cassandra Imogen Margaret Dunn. Yup, that's my REAL name. Sad, huh? I think that's only half of it too." I sat precariously on the edge of the wall, I didn't want to get too close to him, and if I sat on the edge, I could run away easily. My feet were flat against the floor, keeping me steady, and I clasped my hands together leaning my elbows against my knees, slightly leaning forward.

"You didn't take my name?" He said, calmly, but still as though he was expecting something.

"Was I meant to?" I raised an eyebrow questioningly. Was he really expecting something from me?

He looked away to the cars parked in the lot. I really had hurt him, but I really didn't care. I looked at him. Observing the way he sat, what he was wearing and the way he carried himself.

He wore a black Armani suit, with black leather shoes which were obviously new and still hadn't been broken in. He had short grey hair, and was slightly thinning, but he kept it gelled back, and neat. I looked out of place sitting there, in my low riding Levi's which were worn out at the hems, my orange spaghetti top, piercings, tattoos and extremely long brown hair in a messy, last minute ponytail. He sat the same way I was sitting, legs apart to steady himself, leaned over slightly supported by his elbows with his hands clasped together.

"CASSIE! GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE!" His view shot over to Letty, who was leaning over a white metal fence.

"That's Letty, my best and longest friend. She's gonna be the best female mechanic one day" I looked over to Letty and smiled. Thinking about the years we'd been together, and all we'd been through.

"What kind of name is Letty?" He turned back to face me, and then looked back to Letty, studying her. I noticed him look her up and down, and scowl. But he tried his hardest not to show his abhorrence.

"It's her name"

"It's a stupid name. Wait, did you say she's gonna be a mechanic? That's hard to believe" He snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Why's that?"

"Women can't be mechanics"

"Yes they can" I spat back.

"No, they can't. They're way too feminine for all that"

"You don't know Letty" We both watched Letty for a few seconds, noticing the way she held herself. She definitely was not like most other girls.

"I still don't understand why a parent would name their child Letty"

"Her real name's Leticia, we just call her Letty because it suits her more"

"Wait, Leticia? You mean Leticia Martinez?"

"Yeah...?" I raised my eyebrow and looked at him.

"She used to live down the street right? Her mother had that drinking problem"

"Ok, now you're scaring me. Have you been stalking me all my life?"

"No, I knew the family, that's how the two of you met"

"But, I met her through mum"

"How do you think your mum knew them? From me"

"CASSIE!" Letty yelled again and I stood up quickly.

"Ok, I really should go. It was ... uh ... nice to meet you" I said hesitantly, not knowing whether to shake his hand, give him a hug, or just walk away.

"We should do this more often" He said hopefully as I slowly turned to leave. I didn't answer him, just looked back and nodded a little. I definitely did not want to do this again.

………

That was 2 years ago, and I'd never heard from him since. I was glad in a way, but still I felt like something in my life was missing. I never knew my father, he left when I was 3, and then when I finally did meet him, we were strangers. I didn't know him, and he definitely didn't know me. I was glad I looked nothing like him, but I acted like him and I wanted to kill myself because of that. Whenever I wanted to forget about him I'd do something that would imitate his actions and then I'd be reminded of him all over again.

I still thought about him though. Thought whether things would have been different if my parents hadn't split or if I still kept in touch with him after he moved.

It was too late to think about those sorts of things. Even though I didn't have a family with him, and my mother had already passed away, I still had people who cared for me and that was more important to me.

I had been with the Torettos for as long as I could remember. We had grown up together, and couldn't be separated from each other.

I watched as everybody ate at the table. We sat outside at we always did, Dom serving his gourmet meal. Which was only barbequed meat, but he definitely cooked it the best. The music pumped from inside the house, a variety of rock and RnB. The sky was clear and blue as far as the eye could see.

We crowded the small wooden table, filling up every space. Dom at the head of the table, Letty sitting next to him, me sitting next to her with Mia on the other side, opposite Letty; Jesse sat next to Mia, with Leon next to him, and Vince opposite him, next to me.

These people were my family.

Food was everywhere. There were bowls of salad, casserole dishes filled with meat and sausages. Corona and soda bottles placed in the middle of the table, next to the basket of bread and other assortment of food. I laughed as I watched everybody grab their portion after we said blessings.

"What are you laughing at?" Dom asked, his voice playful and filled with curiosity.

"Me? I'm laughing at how much food you cook when you know we're not going to eat it all" I pointed out everything on the table.

"Of course we're gonna eat it" He laughed.

"Yeah..." I mocked him "...that's what you said last time" I put a selection of food on my plate and started eating.

Afterwards, while Mia, Letty and me cleaned up, the guys went to rent a movie. Mia washed, I dried and Letty put everything back.

"They were playing footsie under the table again" Mia said with a huge grin on her face. Letty looked to me and feigned shock.

"Who was?" I asked confused.

"You and Leon"

"What are you on about?" I said rolling my eyes. I could feel my face turning bright red.

"Look, she's blushing" Mia squealed.

"Oh c'mon, you really think we're that stupid? Especially when you kick poor Jesse—"

"That was an accident!"

"Yeah coz you were aiming for Lee" Letty snorted and waved the knife she was putting into the drawer around in the air. I rolled my eyes again and grabbed the plate Mia handed me, drying it off.

"You can think whatever you wanna think"

We heard the guys walk through the door and we all stopped talking immediately. Letty yanked the plate out of my hands and put it away with an evil smile on her face. I threw the rag at Letty's head and walked into the other room.

"What'd you guys get?"

"Some scary movie" Jesse took the video out and handed me the cover.

"The Ring?"

"Yeah, it's meant to be really freaky" Jesse seemed almost excited as he sat on the floor in front of the TV and made himself comfortable.

"Yo dawg, move over" Leon sat next to him, while Dom made himself comfortable on the one seater and Vince on the couch with his feet up on the table.

"I guess I'll go make the popcorn" I walked into the kitchen as Letty and Mia went into the living room.

I stuffed the bag into the microwave and grabbed some drinks, taking everything back when the popcorn was done. When I walked back into the living room, Mia had taken her seat next to Vince and Letty sat next to Mia with her legs propped up on Dom.

"Where am I supposed to sit?" I handed everybody a drink and slapped Letty's legs. "Go sit on Dom"

"I don't wanna sit on Dom. Sit on the floor" Letty stuck her tongue out and winked at me. I sighed and climbed over everybody, then finally flopping onto the floor next to Leon and Vince's legs. Leon wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and the next thing I knew I had fallen asleep with my head on his shoulder.