Title: Making Speeds

Author: Buffy

Rating: PG-13 (Strong language and some mature content.)

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters from TFATF, and I'm getting no money for this story.

Feedback: Yup

Archive: Ask me.

A/N: The movie didn't happen in this story.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The cool night air felt heavenly on her hot skin, she lived for these drives. Alone on a road no one traveled anymore, she felt completely alive. This is how she got away from all her troubles and worries. During these moments nothing mattered except her, her car, and the road.

Speed. The dangerous lover, the exhilarating high, the drug of all racers. She was an addict, and how wonderful it was…the speed. The feeling of utter freedom, the adrenaline, the creeping fear tugging lightly on her every nerve. Somehow 80 wasn't enough…or 90, 100, 110…getting closer to her ultimate high. Speed was the perfect drug, irreplaceable, and she would never get enough of it.

Her car was the perfect machine, with its powerful engine purring underneath the hood. The new paint job gleamed under the faint light of the moon. And the newly installed sound system blasted her favorite CD, filling the night with Eminem's angry raps. These drives were what calmed her down when Dom pissed her off and what made her feel better when he hurt her.

It was darker tonight…more deserted, but she didn't notice, and if she did, she wouldn't have cared. Nothing could ruin it for her tonight, she'd had a great day, and this was a great way to end it. There was a hint of salty, ocean air drifting in through the open window…

120.

130.

140.

150.

It was like she couldn't get enough of the drug…never enough. And then it was over, her high was gone, and everything was black.

************************************************************************

The phone rang the next afternoon. A loud, obtrusive echo through the big empty house. No one was around; everyone was out there…looking for her. Looking for the lost one. Answering machine, a dark gravelly voice broke the silence of the house.

We're not home, you know what to do.

Back to the inhumanity of a machine, a beep this time. A man with a low, somber voice spoke. There were sirens in the background…Fire? Police? Hospital, maybe. "Good afternoon, this is Detective Johnson from the LAPD; please call me back as soon as you get in. The number's 555-1225, thanks." A quick grumble and then a click. The house was dark and empty again, only the red light of the answering machine disturbed the peace…once every 10 seconds.

************************************************************************

They rushed inside, around midnight. First Jesse, then Leon…Vince…Mia. Dom didn't get back until half past. Mia didn't wait to badger him. "Are you sure? Are you sure you guys didn't have a fight or something?" She kept repeating it, are you sure? Are you sure? Are you sure?

Dom covered his face with his hands, and they slid off quickly, going limp and revealing an indescribable look of pain, anger, annoyance, and despair. "Yes I'm fuckin' sure god damn it! I'm fuckin' sure!" he screamed. He took a few breaths, a few moments to calm down and keep from losing it completely. "Did you find out anything? Has anyone seen her? Do they know where she is? Have they seen her! Anyone?!" Silence. "Answer me! Answer me for fuck's sake! Answer me!" Everyone averted their eyes. Still more silence.

He sank down to the floor, bitter tears running down his face. Very weakly he continued, barely whispering, "Anyone? Please…answer me. Anyone?" One by one they left him there, going upstairs or outside, leaving Dom by himself. Yet he still continued, not even noticing that he was alone. "Anyone? Has anyone seen her? Please…answer me, anyone? Anyone?...Anyone?...Anyone?..."

************************************************************************

The frenzied state they were all in kept anyone from noticing the little blinking light of the answering machine. Hours passed…and the sun rose…and Dom was still sitting in that same spot on the floor, repeating the same words. His eyes were swollen and bloodshot, his hands were trembling and for the first time in his life Dominic didn't know what to do.

Mia walked down the stairs and gasped when she saw him, "Oh my god…Dominic, get up." To her horror he did not seem to even hear what she had said. All he did was keep repeating those words…anyone? Anyone? Anyone? "Please, Dom, you can't stay like this. If you do…what good is it gonna be? Tell me, how are you going to find her going all catatonic like this?"

There was a pause and he looked up at her, sliding up to a standing position slowly, using the wall for support, "Did anyone see her? Do they know where she is?" he whispered, more than a little crazed.

She slapped him, "God damn it Dominic! Stop it! This is not like you. You can't just break down like this; you're supposed to be the one keeping me from breaking down for Christ's sake." Mia stopped and took a second to calm down, then continued in a more subdued tone, "Please Dom…please just calm down. Come on, I'll make you something to eat." Mia grabbed his hand and led him to the kitchen; he followed without a word, having stopped talking when she slapped him. "Sit," she motioned.

Dominic did as he was told and immediately buried his face in his hands. He had gotten absolutely no sleep, but even though he was tired it was still pointless to try. The minute he had begun to fall asleep that night the dreams came and he would be fully awake again. Somehow he got it through his head that him going crazy wasn't the best thing at the moment, and tried his best to sober up. "What time is it?" he rasped.

"Nine."

"Oh…did the others leave already?"

"I think so; I didn't see them in their rooms."

"Oh."

"You should take a shower…change. I don't think you should go out like this."

He frowned, "There's something wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"No. You know what I meant," she sighed.

"I'm fine. I'm going out now, I'll see you later. Be careful Mia."

"Always," Mia replied, and then Dom was gone.

************************************************************************

"God damn it!" Jesse yelled, hitting his steering wheel, "It would be me to get lost when I'm trying to do something important." It was 3PM and still they had found nothing, no one had seen her, no one had heard from her, no one had seen her car, no one had seen her drive by…nothing. They tried calling her cell phone for the millionth time, and it was turned off. They went to all the places she could possibly be. Called every hospital, every hotel, every police station. And still…NOTHING.

Now he was lost and it was the last thing he needed right then, Jesse breathed a sigh of relief when he saw lights flashing ahead. He was no lover of cops, but at least he wasn't doing anything illegal, and they would be able to tell him how to get back on a road he knew. As he got closer to the lights realization dawned on him and his heart sank.

Jesse brought his car to a stop on the left side of the road and got out, walking out to the middle and not being able to do anything more besides stare. There were police cars everywhere, the noise was deafening. Police cars and an ambulance…except there was no one to put in it. Jesse stared at the bent streetlight and the totaled car…Letty's car.

After what seemed like hours he managed to get his phone out of his pocket and call Dom. It rang once and he picked up, "Talk to me."

"Dom…" Jesse started, his voice already cracking, "Dom…" he broke down, unable to finish.

"What is it Jesse? What is it?!" Dom screamed frantically through the phone.

"It's Letty Dom. God…oh my god. Dom I'm so sorry. So sorry…so so sorry. I'm so sorry Dom." Somehow he managed to tell Dom where he was, with help from one of the policemen walking around.

Dom was there in less than 10 minutes, having driven at speed that couldn't be legal anywhere… But when he stopped his car and got out, there was no more speed. Everything had slowed down. Everything became unreal. Everything became too painful to believe.

Jesse came up beside him and put his hand on his shoulder, to let Dom know he was there. There were no words. Just pain, and tears, and disbelief. Jesse watched as Dom sunk to the ground, the sobs racking his entire being. He was crying too, and they didn't care who saw them, they didn't care who was watching and wondering. The only thing they could see was the car, and the broken and lifeless body lying beside it.

************************************************************************

She lived for these drives. Alone on a road no one traveled anymore, she felt completely alive. This is how she got away from all her troubles and worries. During these moments nothing mattered except her, her car, and the road.

She lived for those drives…she died for those drives…

THE END