Rebel Heart
Chapter 3: Ship of Fools

Reighn winced as the sound of tires squealing against breaks filled the air and watched as a beat up Honda pulled into the garage. The guy got out of the car and walked over to the only visible person that wasn't working - her. He was tall, lanky, and scrawny all put into one, with messy red hair and black sunglasses. She wiped her hands off on a rag nearby, "Can I help you?"

"Yeah, I got a problem," the guy said in a southern drawl, "I gotta get this car in shape for race wars."

Reighn raised an eyebrow, "You're taking that hunk of junk to Race Wars? Yo, Jesse! Get out her and take a look at this Honda."

Jesse bounded out of the office and stopped in his tracks as his eyes landed on the poor car, "That ain't no race car, that's scrap metal waiting to happen."

"He wants her ready for Race Wars. What does she need, and how much money is it gonna cost?"

Jesse popped the hood of the sad looking car and gazed at the engine intenetly for a moment. "Uh, 'bout a month to get the body in shape and pull the engine apart. Overnight parts from Japan. About 10 grand, maybe more."

The guy gaped at him, "Whoa."

"You were expecting less?" Reighn asked with a raised eyebrow. "We fix cars to race. That thing doesn't race, but she will when we're finished with her."

"Who takes care of prices and stuff?"

"Dom! Get yo' sorry hide out here!"

Dom walked into the room, grumbling, "What?!"

"Dom, this is - uhhh..."

"Derrick."

"Derrick, thank you, he's got scrap metal for a car and wants us to make her race." Reighn said before walking off and dissapearing under the hood of a nearby car.

Leon appeared next to her, "Who's the freak?"

"Wannabe." She replied, giving Leon a look.

He shrugged, "Ah, well, that's not why I came over anyways."

"And why did you come over here?"

He shifted his wieght from foot to foot and mumbled, "Iwaswonderingifyou'dgotolunchwithme?"

Reighn looked up, "What?"

"You want to go get something to eat with me?"

She smiled softly, "You asking me Leon Thanos?"

"Uhhhh..."

She laughed a little and hugged him, "Of course I will."

Leon sighed in relief and yelled at Dom, "We're gonna go get some grub man!"

"Whatever," Dom yelled back, waving his hand in the air in a dismissing manner.

~ * ~

"So who was that chick last night anyway?"

"I dunno." Leon said around a mouthful of food. He swalloed and looked up at Reighn, who was playing with her shrimp, "What's wrong Ray?"

She shrugged, then dropped her shrimp in the sauce that came with the meal and gazed intently at it before stuffing it into her mouth, "I dunno. I guess I'm a little depressed."

"Over what?"

Reighn shook her head vigorously, indicating that she didn't want to talk about it. Leon shrugged and signaled for the waiter. He paid the bill and pulled Reighn out the door and to his car, opening her door for her and running around the car and getting in. He peeled out of the parking lot and pulled out onto the highway, heading away from the city.

"Where are we going Leon?"

"You'll see."

She quieted as the scenery whipped past and L.A. dissapeared behind them. Every now and then Leon would steal a glance at her as she gazed out the window. The sun was fading over the horizon, casting red and purples hues over the California sky. The highway was barren except for his smiley-face-yellow Skyline. He glanced over at her again and smiled, she'd fallen asleep against the window, giving him the opportunity to call Dom. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed the number.

"Hello?"

"Hey man."

"Leon? Where the hell are you guys?"

"Uhm, actually, on the way to San Fran."

"You're kidding?"

"Nope. I got lots to face up to, and she needs something to keep her mind off the Puck thing. She can be my moral support."

"You've been gone for what? Five, six years? I'll bet you that your entire family knows that you street race by now."

"It's not like I have a record or anything," Leon retorted.

"Your father is a cop - so's your sister."

"I know."

"And both of them are under the same roof for Christmas man."

"And?"

Dom sighed, "I wish you luck man."

"Yeah, thanks." Leon didn't know what compelled him to face his past, and all the cops in it, but he was going to. He just hoped that both he and Reighn survived.

~ * ~

Leon stared up at the house for a minute before stepping out of the car, followed by Reighn. Her gaze shifted to him, "You don't have to do this Leon. We can turn around and go home."

"I know." he replied, "But I need to."

Reighn nodded and wrapped an arm around Leon. His arm came up across her shoulders instinctively and they climbed the steps to the typical San Francisco home, stopping to stare at the door for a minute. He finally got up the nerve to ring the doorbell and waited. He heard footsteps walking to the door, and it opened, light flooding out onto the walk. A young woman stood there, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. She blinked and then her mouth fell open, "Leon?"

Leon swallowed, "Uh, hey Kym."

She stared at him before letting out a squeal and throwing herself at him. He caught her and they hugged before she abruptly pulled away and smacked him upside the head, "Where have you been?"

Leon rubbed his head, "L.A."

"For six years Leon? What have you been doing?"

Leon swallowed and glanced over at Reighn, "Uh, I got a job at a garage in town. Been working there ever since, got a freaky make-shift family type thing too."

"You've been fixing cars? Dad is going to kill you when he finds out that you didn't join the force!"

Leon winced visibly and his sister noticed Reighn, who was standing off to the side, "Who's this?"

Leon looked over at Reighn and his eyes softened, he wrapped and arm around her, "Uh, Kym, this is Reighn, my, uhh..."

Reighn looked up at him, raised an eyebrow and caught the disapproveal in Kym's eyes, "I'm his fiancé."

Leon looked at her with a startled look, she gave him a look that told him to play along. Kym's eyes lit up, "Wow. Leon's getting married? I'm Kym, it's nice to meet you."

Reighn shook her hand, reching behind her and pulling a silver ring Leon always wore off his finger and placing it on her left hand quickly. Kym was grinning from ear to ear, "Well, at lease Leon can do some things right."

"Uh, yeah..."

Kym pulled them into the house and Leon was amazed at how much nicer Kym was being to him. He leaned over and whispered in Reighn's ear, "What?"

"Play along Leon. It'll make the fall a lot easier if they think you're making something out of your life." She whispered back at him before placing a nervous smile on her face and grabbing his hand.

Kym left them in the living room and she diassapeared into the kitchen and Leon sat down on the edge of the couch nervously, clasping his hands in front of him and concentrating on the coffee table.

~ * ~

Kym dashed into the kitchen with a smile a mile wide on her face. Jason and her father looked up as her mother gazed at her intently from her place by the stove, "What is it Kym? Who was at the door?"

"You'll never guess!"

Jason rolled his eyes, "C'mon sis, we hate guessing."

Kym grinned wickedly at her little brother, "Leon."

"Leon?!" Mom looked faint and Dad looked a little pissed, "That little idiot has no right being here! After what he pulled, he's probably a hobo."

"Nuh uh." Kym said, "He's got a job fixing cars in LA."

"He didn't join the force?" Kym shook her head and Alex Thanos continued, "Then his life is going nowhere."

"Wrong." Kym said, bouncing in place, "Daddy, Leon's starting a family! He's getting married!"

The three others in the room stared at her, Monica Thanos started at her daughter, "My little boy is getting married?"

"He's not so little anymore Mom." Kym said, "He's quite the looker. And his fiancé's not all that bad either, though, she is wearing his clothes for some reason."

Monica set her towel down and moved to the door, "None of you come out, I want to talk to him alone for a minute."

~ * ~

Leon looked up as the kitchen door swung open and stared as his mother entered the room. Reighn squeezed his hand and he stood, shoving his hands in his pockets. She stopped in front of him, "Kym was right. You are quite he handsome man now."

He met her eyes and smiled nervously, but hugged her when she hugged him. A real smile graced his features, "Hi Momma."

Monica pulled away and looked over at Reighn, "Hello dear. I'm Monica, Leon's mother."

"Nice to meet you," Reighn said with a smile. Monica hugged her and then stood back and looked at them, "Are you staying for Christmas?"

"Uh, I dunno. Depends on how Dad reacts to me." Leon replied. Monica grinned and pulled them into the kitchen.

Jason stood and embraced his older brother immediately, then welcomed Reighn into the family. She shrugged it off, knowing that they were digging themselves into hot water when his parents found out that they weren't really engaged.

"Why are you wearing grease covered clothes?"

Reighn grinned wickedly at Jason, "Because I was working when Leon decided to come."

"Were not."

"Was to! I was buried elbow deep in that Impala." Reighn retorted.

"Well, you're wearing my clothes anyway!"

"So?"

Leon sighed and shook his head, "You have plenty of your own clothes Ray."

"I know. I like yours better."

Kym's eyebrows shot up, "You guys are acting like an old married couple."

"We are?" Reighn asked, "Great. So when do i start metapause? I'm only 23."

Monica laughed, "You have a long way to go dear."

"Leon."

Alex's voice cut into the conversation and Leon met his father's gaze. "Dad."