AN: Okay so I just deleted this story from my list and I'm republishing it because it's being revised... Now, I think it's going to be better. If you don't agree that it's better, that's okay too.

Here it is!

PROLOGUE:

She watched as her best friend put the car in neutral and began to push it down the driveway. "Robbie! What about your brother? If Gabe wakes up and finds you gone, he'll worry."

Robbie grinned. "Relax, Lil. He knows what I do."

"So you're going, then?" Lillith asked. "And I can't say anything to stop you? You know how I feel about street racing…"

"So come with me. You double majored in computer sciences and anatomy, right? If I get hurt, you'll be there."

She thought for a moment, analyzing Robbie. By the big smile on his face, she could tell he didn't think he'd get injured. It was probably best she went.

Just as she was about to nod her head and help push the car, a voice sounded from behind her, "Uncle Eli know you're borrowing his car?"

"Why aren't you in bed, boy?"

Gabe smirked. "Bed's for people who aren't taking honors classes, who don't have soccer practice, who don't want to go to college. So why aren't you in bed?"

Lillith tried to hold back a laugh, but Gabe noticed and gave her a small wave.

Robbie grinned a little, "business opportunity."

Gabe frowned and looked at her. "He's racing again?"

"What can I say? This cholo's like an ATM." Robbie shot Lillith a wink and gestured for her to get in the car. She sat down on the leather seat and listened to the two brothers. "I won a grand off him last week. Now he wants a rematch."

"Is that the guy with the Fifth Street? There's a reason they call them the Locos."

"Nah," Robbie responded, shaking his head. He was still smiling. "He ain't like that. He just likes to race."

Gabe rolled his eyes and glanced towards Lillith in the passenger seat. She just gave him a small shrug and a thumbs up.

Robbie grinned, "you want to come?"

"No, I can't. Got to finish a lab report for science."

"'All work, no play…'" Lillith chimed in, sticking her head out of the driver's side window. Robbie smiled at her and ran his thumb across her cheek.

He was about to say something but Gabe continued, "gets me into Stanford or Berkeley."

"Yeah, I know." He sighed. "But will it make you happy? I mean, look at Tío. He's got all those degrees, bought this sweet car, and never has time to enjoy it. All he does is work. You want to be like him?"

"My brother," Lillith interjected, "He went straight from school into the military. He figured he'd have time for fun later on in his life. We haven't heard from him in a year. He's 'missing in action' they say. Don't miss out on the fun you can have like he did. I'm not saying get into drugs and alcohol, but… Live a little, you know?"

Robbie placed his hand over her own and squeezed it tightly. He shot a small smile at Gabe. "Come on… Live a little. I'll help you with your homework when we get back."

"Okay, but you are not helping me with my homework."

Robbie laughed and Lillith grinned, moving to the backseat. "Don't worry. I'll help if you need any. Letting Robbie help with anything academic would be a big mistake."

"Yeah," Gabe grinned, getting into the front seat. "Need to get an 'A.'"

"Hey," Gabe started, talking over the radio, "so how fast are we gonna go in this race?"

"We?" Lillith piped up from the backseat, grinning. "No way in hell am I racing…"

"First of all, we aren't racing, all right? I am. You two are gonna watch."

"Thank God."

"Secondly," he continued, "it's not about fast. It's about torque."

"Quarter mile, zero to sixty, max acceleration… Right?" Lillith stuck out her tongue at Robbie in the driver's seat. He just smiled.

"Right." He saw the smile on Gabe's face and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"You have a smart girlfriend."

"Trust me, Gabe, I only know that stuff from Robbie saying it. I may be smart, but I don't really know much about cars or racing."

Gabe looked thoughtful for a moment before looking at Robbie again. "How come you didn't go back and finish school?"

"You know why."

"That was then. We're doing okay now. I mean, if you went back, maybe you could be an engineer like Tío."

"Gabe," he replied, "I love what I do, man. I'm good at it. Besides, I'd rather be working on cars than getting worn down in an office."

"You notice that Tío's been acting different lately?"

Robbie sighed, his smile momentarily gone. "Yeah."

Lillith placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "I'm sure it's just the project he's been working on. I remember the other night he said his boss is acting out of control like —"

"—like he's gone power mad or something," Robbie finished. "See that's another reason I like what I do. Only power I got to worry about is horsepower."

A van pulled in front of them just before the traffic light turned green. It didn't move.

"Ah, come on." Robbie honked at the van. "Andale, viejo! We got some money to make."

The three of them grinned at each other right as the back of the van opened and a man threw fire at them.

"Fifth Street!" She yelled.

"Just stay down! We'll get out of this!" Robbie put the car in reverse and quickly backed into the car behind them, finally going forward and around the van. He turned left onto the bridge and the van followed.

A car pulled up next to them and the guy pulled out an assault rifle. Lillith quickly yanked Gabe's seat back to help him avoid getting shot. However, a bullet entered her shoulder as she blocked him from the onslaught. She watched as he got shot twice in the chest and felt the car swerve towards the cement railing of the bridge.

They crashed and the car flipped a couple times. Lillith watched as Robbie flew out of the car and heard someone scream her name. The car finally came to a halt, completely upside down and in pieces.

Her vision began to fade rapidly and the last thing she saw was Gabe lying unconscious, blood running down his face.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Lillith opened her eyes only to shut them again quickly. Everything was a blinding white. She heard someone give a shaky breath of relief and squeeze her hand. She slowly opened her eyes again and saw a blurry face hover over her own.

"Robbie?" She asked as her eyes adjusted.

"Yeah," he gave her a sad smile. "I'm here."

She grinned, trying to ignore the pounding in her head. She sat up, despite the protest her shoulder gave. Lillith looked around the room and recognized it as a hospital. Her smile slipped. "Gabe… How's Gabe?"

"He…" Robbie's voice broke. "He's alive, but… He's paralyzed."

"Oh… I'm so sorry." Lillith placed a hand on his arm. "It's not your fault."

"Yes, it is! It's my fault that you were in a coma and Gabe will never walk again and Uncle Eli's been arrested and —"

"Wait… How long have I been out?"

Robbie looked away from her. "A week."

"Good thing I already graduated then."

"Yes well… That's not all that happened."

"What happened with your uncle Eli?"

"He was arrested for attempted manslaughter. But that's not what I meant."

"Then what do you mean?" Lillith watched as Robbie finally looked her in the eye.

"Your grandfather is sick. He wants you to go back to living with him. In New York."