This is my first ever fic that I am putting up here. It is done in collaboration with Quaker nuts :) who kindly agreed to co-write with me.

We own nothing of Need for Speed Carbon and are not making any money off of this story. This is for entertainment only.

Please, enjoy and reviews are welcome with cookies and milk.

Also this is NOT going to be a 'love' story. There will be no romance, friendship only.

The Story of Nikki and Alex. Carbon continued

By KFF and Quaker nuts

Chapter 1 the remembrance

It was over now. I had won the city from Darius. It had been a hard battle to win, but in the end, I had done it. I stand watching where Darius had driven into the distance, almost picturing his face, the scowl in place, the thoughts of revenge fresh on his mind.

I know I haven't seen the last of him.

"So man, what are you going to do now that you own the whole city?"

I hear Sal's voice behind me. I keep staring ahead, not answering out loud, but his question vibrates in my head. What am I going to do now I am boss of all the races in Palmont City? I slowly turn to face my crew. They helped me get where I am. Without them I would still be struggling to beat Darius and his crew of ex bosses.

I look at both Yumi and Sal. They are great scouts and I now know where all the secrets of Palmont City are for a quick route during a race. Samson and Neville had been great blockers. Neville may have his moments but I now considered him a good friend. He stuck by me when I first got here and was alone. Colin, he was good at what he did as well. Won plenty a race with his help. The final member of my crew, she was a different matter. Nikki. I can hear her words when she first saw me as clear as if she were saying them to me now,

"How dare you show your face here" rings in my head whenever I look at her.

Once, before this whole mess started, Nikki and I were close. We were the best of friends and I thought I could always count on her to be there at my side, through thick and thin. I guess I was wrong. One word from Darius and she was against me faster than a dime hitting the floor. I had lost all my trust in her. I didn't say anything while I was trying to defeat Darius, and yes, she did help me. But the fact she chose to believe him over me, who had been her friend since we were kids. That hurt and I would never forget.

"So, who here is hungry, cause I am starving!" we all hear Neville say.

"You're always hungry Neville" Samson says and we all laugh, "I can't help it, I have an upper digestive problem." Neville replies. "What?"

Samson says in return. "Everything I eat gets digested to fast, I think that could pass as a problem." Samson just sighed.

"I could do with some food." I say at last and they all nod. We start heading towards our rides and I see Nikki approaching me from the side. She has a strange look on her face, one I don't recognize. "Hey Alex, um, we need to talk, just the two of us" she whispers to me when she reaches me. I stare at the keys to my Porsche Carrera GT and let out a slow sigh. "Not now Nikki." I say and slowly lift my head up to look at her. She has a look of mixed sadness and hurt on her face, the look she got when she broke up with her first boyfriend back in high school after finding him with another girl.

"Will we ever talk?" she says and I don't know what to say. I don't want to talk about how her betrayal hurt me; how I felt our friendship would never be the same no matter what she said. "We will talk, just not now." I say and start heading towards my Porsche and hear her following me. The others are already at their cars. Samson shouted out, "we'll all meet at Footy's Dinner." and the others agreed. I recognize the name of the place he and I first met, after I had defeated Angie. Then Colin yells out, "Last one there pays the bill!" Everyone does a burnout and leaves, leaving just Nikki and myself walking towards my car. As I reach my car she puts a hand on my arm.

"Alex, I am sorry..," she starts to say but I cut her off. "Not here or now Nikki, please." I say and she lowers her hand. "We're not going to talk about this, are we." she says with sadness and weariness in her voice.

"I'm not ready to hear you say you are sorry yet Nikki, but give it a little time, time to get over it and forget. Time to let our friendship heal Nikki." I say and she nods. "I still want you on my team though." I say and she gives a small smile. "Well we'd better follow the others, don't want them getting any wrong ideas now would we." she says and walks towards her car. When she reaches it she turns and says to me,

"What will it take to fix what I have done?" We stand in silence for 5 minutes before I answer. "We'll know when it happens." I say back and get into my Porsche Carrera GT, "Besides, now you're going to have to pay the bill!" She runs to her ride and I start driving in the direction of Tony's diner, a small smile on my face. Maybe, given time, things will work out between Nikki and I, then we will face Darius and whatever he has to throw at us together, as a team and with our friends.

Well that is Chapter 1 done. I hope you enjoyed it and let me know what you think. Chapter 2 is in the works already so might post that one soon.

Oh and yeah Darius will be making a comeback in future chapters, I just don't know how yet.