My first F&tF fic. Please be nice. I own nothing and mean no harm. Reviews are greatly appreciated. This fic will be Letty/Dom, but mainly Letty for now. I am fascinated by her strength. He has much to make up for.
Present Day
"Boots get over here."
Running daily had become required. Racing her shadow along the shoreline was her favorite time of day. Boots kept pace with her, yapping at every wave, and encouraging her to push with every wag of his tail.
Watching as he barked at a cocky crab she smiled. Glancing down at her watch she saw that she had some time before she was due at the diner. Relaxing back on her arms, her eyes drifted out over the horizon. Clenched muscles slowly eased and her mind began to drift.
18 Months prior
"What the hell are you doing?"
Pausing she didn't turn right away. She had hoped to get this over with quickly and quietly.
"Letty, what's with the bags?"
Turning she looked at her friend, sister and gave her a sad smile.
"I'm leaving Mia."
There, that wasn't so hard. Looking up she saw the confusion on Mia's face. Tossing an old tee into the trash bag, which was pathetically empty, she sat next to it on the bed.
"I'm confused."
Coming into the room Mia sat next to her, the bag and so much more separating them.
"6 months Mia. It's been 6 months and I can't do it anymore."
Mia turned and reached for her hand. It looked so foreign in her smooth, callous free palm.
"We have all been hurt Let, but it's getting better."
Smiling she turned her hand over and ran her thumbs over the knuckles.
"It is for all of you. Vince is healing. Leon is doing great with Rue. And look at you, back at school. Making us all proud."
Mia laughed.
"Sugar coated, but fairly accurate. But what about Dom?"
And there it was, the million dollar question. Rising, she walked over to the dresser she had shared with him and looked at herself in the mirror.
"Dom's great. Back to his oldself. Racing, partying, and taking care of you."
Mia could hear the sadness in her voice for sure, but it didn't embarrass her. It just didn't matter anymore if she was strong.
"What about you Letty. Dom takes care of you and the team. All of us."
Turning she fought the anger that was rising in her throat.
"Does he Mia? Throwing money at us and bringing home Corona does that count?"
Mia's jaw dropped. It would have been funny, except that it wasn't.
"But..."
Letty raised her hand.
"He started cheating on me again."
Mia couldn't hide the blush she could feel rising in her cheeks. She had had her suspicions.
"Staying out, flaunting them in my face at the races. But the other night was different Mia. I heard him. You know working his magic."
She was pacing now.
"Some new girl, didn't know the ropes. She saw a good looking guy and said what the hell."
"How...?"
Looking down she stuck her hands in her back pockets.
"How do I know? I had talked to her earlier. She was excited, all the cars, and then there was Dom and she was entranced. So I hear them talking. And she asked him Mia. Point blank asked him if he had someone. See the girls on the circuit, they know the deal. They may have him by the short hairs for an hour, but he comes home to me."
Snickering at the face Mia pulled she continued.
"But this time, this time was different. I could feel it, Mia I swear to God. She asked and he answered."
Heading to the closet she grabbed a few pieces, only ones she had bought. Others were carefully pulled from their hooks and dropped on the bed. She heard, but couldn't bear to see the tears Mia were shedding for her. There had been so many tears already.
"I didn't come home that night. Just drove around till sunrise. Had my phone on and next to me the whole time. Not one call Mia, not one fucking call. See when he told her he didn't have anyone. He meant it, truly and honestly. It's like I didn't exist."
Fingering a rare picture of the two of them she forced herself on.
"Never even noticed when he stumbled home and into our bed, this bed that I wasn't in it. 6 months Mia and I'm done. It just hurts too much."
Gathering her thoughts, attempting to absorb all that had been said she blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
"But he loves you Let."
Pissed off now she threw the picture across the wall. As the sound echoed in the room took a deep breath and walked over Mia.
"Loves me? I don't think so. Needs me, Fucks me, works with me, but loves me, no way. What do any of us know about love anyway. Jesse loved us and we let him fall away. You loved Brian and he betrayed us."
On a roll now she didn't care if it hurt Mia or not she was just tired of pretending everything was o.k. because of love.
"You have the love of a good man in Vince and you throw it away every time you talk about Brian. I have loved Dom most of my life. I broke myself for him and he throws my love away every time he hooks or looks at someone else."
Silent they looked at each other, both hurting.
"What do we know about love?"
Mia couldn't believe it. How could she have not seen the pain Letty had been in.
"I know I love you. And I know you can't leave."
Rising she grabbed Letty in a hug and held on tight.
"I have to Mia, it's killing me here. And be honest would anyone even notice?"
Mia laughed.
"Of course they would."
Pulling apart Letty reached in her pocket and pulled out her cell.
"It's Friday night. Races, parties and I'm here. Not one call Mia. Why were you here?"
Embarrassed Mia fumbled for an answer.
"I forgot my i.d., they wanted to hit some clubs."
Smiling she slipped her phone back into her pocket and continued folding her special stack of items on the bed.
"Where would you go? What would you do?"
She shrugged.
"Somewhere near the water. Get a job, I got plenty of money saved up."
Mia sensed the situation was slipping away from her. Her voice was choked with tears when she asked,
"Would you come back?"
Letty paused. Would she come back?
"Yes, I will come back sometime. I need to try and make a life for myself. I deserve that. I deserve better than this."
Pointing to the small pile of old tees and ragged stuffed animals. Confused Mia started to asked what it was, but got cut off.
"This is all the stuff he has bought me. Pretty pathetic huh? I know he's not that kind of guy, but still..."
Bending down she pulled a white box out from under the bed. It was almost time. Maybe having Mia here would make things easier after all.
"Letty wait. Dom's been an asshole I get that. But you don't have to go. This is your home too and they will notice you're gone. I bet."
Mia knew how to push her buttons. Letty had never backed down from a dare or welched on a bet. Piling each item in the box carefully she considered Mia's words.
"I'm leaving now Mia, I'll have my phone. If he asks about me, not needs me, but asks. You call and I'll come back."
Looking at her she knew she was contemplating the odds.
"I'll know if you're lying Mia."
Extending her hands she shook Mia's.
"He'll ask Let, I know it."
Letty smiled and wished she still had the faith in Dom that his sister still had. But she was afraid her illusion was about to get distorted.
"If there is no call from you by 2pm Sunday..."
"There will be."
Digging into her left pocket she wrapped her hand around the cool metal and pulled it out. Fighting back the emotion, she picked up the box and turned.
"If not then I need you to give this to him."
She handed over the box and Mia held it like it would shatter. Taking a deep breath she ran her fingers over them one last time before she handed it over.
"And this."
Mia looked up and saw...
"Oh, God! No Let you can't."
Dropping the keys into her hand she fought the tears, even as Mia spilled them. The keys held her link to this world. The house, store, garage, and her car. Closing her eyes she could feel the rush and power from the first time she took it out.
That car held her weight in blood and sweat, she knew every curve. Together they had built that car. Raced in it, made love in it and she had to leave it.
"It's behind the garage in the old shed. Please don't let him hurt it. Please Mia..."
At that Mia dropped the box and wrapped her arms around her neck, sobbing now. Letty let a few tears fall and knew she had to go.
"Mia please, I have to go. I love you girl. Look at me."
Cupping her cheeks she kissed them and smiled at her.
"It'll be o.k. I'll be back."
And she knew she would.
"Listen see what you have in front of you. It may be everything you are looking for, and if it is then don't ever let it go."
Giving her a final hug she let go and grabbed her one bag of belongings and headed towards the door. Picking up the broken picture she took the time to put it back on the night stand. Maybe he would see. Smiling she traced his smile and said a prayer. For him for her and the future.
Mia couldn't look up she knew her best friend was walking away but she just couldn't find the strength to look up. She wasn't smart enough to know the words to make her stay. Rocking in place as the tears fell on that white box, she listened to the footsteps leaving. The room, the stairs, the house.