Disclaimer: I do not own the Fast and Furious series, though I wish I did.
Summary: Luke Hobbs was more than just God's wrath. He was more than just a master bounty hunter. He was also a father. Samantha is his world, though many don't know it. But the DSS takes him from home far more than he wishes, so he has no choice to hire a nanny. Enter Amanda Wood. She's the perfect choice: charming, sweet, and Samantha takes to her almost immediately. Unfortunately, Hobbs does too. And she's not without a few secrets of her own. Oh, how the mighty fall in love.
A/N: So I won't lie…this came to me in a dream. At first I tried to ignore it but it wouldn't leave me alone. So I decided to just go with it. Besides, Luke Hobbs has to have some sort of soft side, right? This takes place after Fast 6, so it's a whole new plot. Well, here goes. Enjoy!
Chapter One
Six years ago…
"Hands up! I said put your hands up!" There were shouts of commotion as Amanda Wood navigated her way through the house, a SWAT team behind her making arrests as they searched for a well-known drug dealer: Sebastian Flores.
"He's not here! Wood!" She heard someone shout behind her and she lowered her gun, but before turning back, a small light caught her eye. Moving forward, she pushed the door to a bedroom open and gasped.
"No…"
"Amanda, we're pulling out! Amanda!" An officer joined her in the doorway and gasped before pulling her away, "Let's go Amanda, he's dead. Come on!"
The dead eyes of her baby brother, who had been missing for nearly a year, would haunt her dreams every night for the rest of her life.
One thing people did not know about Luke Hobbs was that he was a patient man. Of course, it's hard to believe when one is hunting down criminals on a strict time clock, but that's a different situation. No, in everyday life, Luke Hobbs is calm and patient. He has to be; otherwise he would have a very unhappy seven-year-old to contend with. Those were battles he would frequently lose.
"Daddy, do I have to have a nanny?" Hobbs looks down at the pouting brunette as they walk towards a large school building. He wants to tell her no, that she can come with home as he chases criminals cross the globe. It would certainly be easier than seeing the disappointment on her face for when he has to leave again. He'd caught a break after bringing down Owen Shaw, but he wasn't sure just how long that would last.
"Samantha, what has Daddy told you? When you're old enough, you can come with me. Until then, you need someone to take care of you while I'm out of town." This did little to appease her, but he knew it was a losing battle anyway. It always was.
"I wish you didn't have to go away…" Her words were soft but he still heard them and he had to fight with himself to not call the DSS right then and declare his retirement. He was making the world a safer place, he reasoned, he was doing it all for his little girl.
He stopped walking and knelt down, so that he could be eye level with her, "Baby listen, I know you hate it when I leave. I promise will always come back."
She nodded before reaching out and hugging him, and he returned the gesture, picking her up and carrying her the rest of the way. Once inside, he nodded to the receptionist who pointed him towards a room. Walking inside, he sat down, Samantha still in his arms. They waited for fifteen minutes before the door opened and voice caught their attention.
"She's having a hard time with it, huh?" Hobbs turned to see a young woman standing in the doorway. She had brown hair, green eyes, and a bright smile on her face. Samantha looked at her as well, her own face lighting up as she turned to her father.
"You didn't tell me she was going to be pretty, Daddy!" The woman chuckled as Samantha scrambled out of her father's arms and hurried over to her, "Hi, my name is Samantha. What's yours?"
"Wait a minute," Hobbs laughed, "Just a few minutes ago you were all upset about having a nanny." Samantha cast him a sly look before turning her attention back to the woman, "Kids…"
"That's my dad, his name is Luke Hobbs. He's a policeman." Samantha began to tell the woman and Hobbs couldn't help but be relieved as his daughter took to her almost instantly.
"A policeman, huh? I hope he can get me out of a few speeding tickets," The woman joked, "Amanda Wood, it's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Hobbs." She walked over and extended her hand for him to shake.
"It's just Hobbs, I'm not that old," He chuckled, "And you've met Samantha. I won't lie, she's a handful, but you'll get used to her."
Samantha huffed indignantly before catching Amanda's attention once more. They were to spend the day together before Hobbs had to catch a flight to New York City. He was only going to be gone for a few days but he wanted to make sure that Samantha would be well taken care of.
As they signed out with the receptionist, Samantha began to tell Amanda all of her favorite places in L.A. to go. Hobbs just followed behind them, ever watchful for any danger.
Her mother had been a good friend of his when he was growing up. One night they both had gotten a little too drunk, and nine months later Samantha was born. He had been so afraid to be a father, but when he first lay eyes on her, he knew that he could figure something out. He didn't see her often as his work with the DSS constantly had him traveling. Then her mother died in a car accident when she was four.
His whole life changed in that single moment as Samantha moved in with him and became an everyday part of his life. At first he would just leave her with friends to watch over her when he had to track a criminal down. But after being gone for several weeks to bring down Owen Shaw, he knew he needed a different option. So he turned to a nanny agency.
"Daddy! You're walking too slowly! Amanda and I want to go to the beach!" He rolled his eyes. How had he ended up with such a demanding child?
Amanda's heart warmed as she watched Samantha interact with her father. The girl had said he was a policeman but she knew that he was doing more than just menial police work. He had muscles for days, not that she was gawking or anything. She couldn't help but laugh at herself. Here she was, checking out her new employer. What was she? A teenager?
She quit the force the day after they found her brother. Her heart was shattered into too many pieces and she needed the time to pick them back up.
Being a nanny was only supposed to be temporary, just to pay the bills. But she fell in love with it; fell in love with the children. They reminded her of him, of what she had lost.
The day passed in a blur and soon, Hobbs was leading them towards a black SUV. Samantha was still talking nonstop and he shot Amanda an apologetic look but she waved him off. The girl probably had barely anyone to talk to, so she was happy to listen.
As they drove, Amanda felt a tendril of nerves. This would be her first time being a live-in nanny, and she hoped that it wouldn't be awkward. It was one thing for there to be two parents or even be dealing with a single mom. She doubted Hobbs would be around much, though. After all, he was flying out first thing in the morning.
"We're home!" Samantha announced when they pulled up outside of a building known for its expensive and luxurious loft apartments, "Wait until you see my room!"
Amanda laughed as she was taken by the hand led up the stairs until they reached the door of the apartment. Behind them, Hobbs jogged up the steps and handed her a key, telling her it was her copy. She opened the door and let Samantha lead her inside. The décor was simple, as she had expected the home of a man to be. However, the small flashes of pink and glitter gave way to Samantha's presence in the home.
"Sorry, we forgot to clean up before we left this morning." Hobbs shrugged as he set his keys on the kitchen counter, "Feel free to look around. Your bedroom is across from Samantha's. It's fully furnished and you have your own bathroom. If you need anything else, just let me know."
There was no way this guy was a policeman, she thought. Her pay had never been this good. As Samantha gave her a tour, she couldn't help but wonder if Luke Hobbs was really who he said he was. Of course, she had no room to judge. No one knew of her past, and she'd like to keep it that way.
An hour later, Samantha was made to put her pajamas on and was sent to bed, as she had school the next day. Amanda found herself settling on the couch as she listened to Hobbs tell his daughter good night. She could hear the sadness in the girl's voice when she asked her father about his imminent departure. He promised her that he would come back. Amanda's chest tightened at his words, but she pushed the sadness away immediately.
She tried to make herself look busy when he walked into the living area and sat in an armchair across from her. He sighed heavily as he placed his head in his hands.
"She doesn't understand it now, why you have to leave, but one day she will. It takes time for children to grasp things. All she sees now is that her dad is constantly leaving her, only giving the promise that he'll come back," She smiled sadly, "It's hard now, but it will become a little easier to bear."
"You sound like you know from experience," Hobbs' voice was soft, unguarded.
"I've been a nanny for some time now; I would hope I have a little experience." Amanda joked and earned a brief chuckle from Hobbs, "I should get some sleep. You should too; she's going to be waking you up early so that she can see you before you go."
"You came highly recommended," he told her as she stood to go to her room; "I'm beginning to see why."
"Good night, Hobbs."
a/n: now before anyone blasts me for making Hobbs OOC, please understand that he's a father in this fic. I would hope he wouldn't be an asshole to his daughter. He only reserves that for criminals. And Dom's crew. Alright…review! It makes me update faster.
