Here is the longest chapter so far! I hope you like it :)
Brian absentmindedly rubbed his thumb back and forth along his mother's hand as they both stared at the television screen. He had gone to the hospital every day since his arrival and found himself regretting his absence more and more. He should have been there for her more and tried harder to put aside his problems with his father. As their only child, Brian could only imagine the loneliness Grace must have felt as she battled cancer. He only hoped that she would pull through and win the war once and for all.
"Okay Mrs. O'Conner, its time for lunch," a voice said, breaking the previously silent atmosphere.
Brian got out of his seat and adjusted the table that was attached to the bed. It was only when he looked up that he saw Mia. Taken aback by her presence, he eagerly asked, "What are you doing here?"
Grace glanced at her son and then at Mia, who was wearing light pink scrubs and white trainers. "What does it look like? She's my nurse!"
"Oh." He nervously ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry, I didn't realize you worked here too. How are you?"
Mia placed the food in front of Grace and smiled at the older woman's disgusted expression. Then, she addressed Brian. "I'm good! I'm a student nurse here when I'm not trying to run the diner or raise that crazy son of mine. This was my last task of the day."
"Now I know why you're always so busy," he noted.
The creaking of the door caused them to all turn their head in the other direction.
"Miss Toretto," John observed as he walked into his wife's room. "To what do we owe the pleasure?" There was sarcasm in his voice and Brian noticed. His blood boiled as he then saw his father eye her down in his disapproving manner.
"Um," she started, obviously caught off guard by his tone. Mr. O'Conner was never particularly friendly towards her but he always managed to be civil when others were around. "I just came to drop off Ms. O'Conner's lunch."
He raised a brow. "Well, then I highly doubt this hospital is paying you to stand around and flirt with my son."
"Uh…uh I wasn't…" Mia had an exasperated look on her face. She was at a loss for words but luckily Brian spoke up.
"Dad, what the hell is wrong with you?"
John turned to Brian and gave him a warning. "Shut it. I wasn't talking to you."
"John…" Grace began, although she did not seem shocked by his sudden outburst.
Brian moved forward and stood between Mia and his father. "Don't you ever speak to her like that."
"Or what?" John challenged. "She's nothing but a slut with a bastard son. I can talk to her however I damn well please."
Without an instant to prepare, John felt Brian's fist collide with the side of his face.
"BRIAN!" Mia and Grace shouted at the same time. Mia saw that the young blonde was going to attempt another hit so she immediately wrapped her arms around his chest and attempted to pull him back. "Stop! He's your father!"
As John struggled to get up from the floor, Brian breathed heavily. "He's a jerk."
"You just made a big mistake!" the older O'Conner screamed, pointing a finger straight at his son while using the other hand to nurse his jaw.
"You're damn right I did," Brian fired back, grabbing his jacket from the chair he previously sat in. "I made a huge mistake coming back here in the first place." With one last look at his parents, he turned to the nurse. "Lets get out of here."
XX
"So Ken doll is back in town?" Leon chuckled. He hadn't heard anything from Brian since he left and was excited to see his old friend once again.
"Better and blonder than ever," joked Letty as she adjusted the engine of an old mustang. A typical day at the garage often included many wisecracks amongst the gang but today the topic mostly revolved around Brian.
Dom's head instantly shot up from under the hood and he looked at his only female coworker. "What do you mean by better?" A hint of jealousy was evident in his voice.
Letty just shrugged. She knew she was getting under Dom's skin and she enjoyed every second of it. "He's hot."
"Excuse me? I wasn't aware that he was your type!"
Jesse observed the pair in amusement. Their regular banter had intensified over the last few months and he was aware of the change. Something was different, but he just couldn't figure out what it was.
"He's not my type." Nonchalantly, Letty then picked up another wrench and continued her work. "But I'm not blind man. A girl can appreciate his fine assets."
"Maybe this Brian will be the answer to all your prayers Letty," Jesse insinuated. As the rest of the crew worked on their individual cars, he played around on the computer so he could digitally create an ideal engine for their next race.
Leon chuckled, earning himself a glare from both Dom and Letty. However, that did not intimidate him from finishing Jesse's thought. "Yeah, maybe you'll finally get laid!"
Dom, who had been watching the encounter, felt his face burn. Quickly, he reached for his water bottle and chugged.
"That's it!" Letty screeched, taking the wrench in her hand and throwing it across the room. She was inwardly relieved when Leon ducked but charged in on him anyway. "What makes you so sure that I'm not capable of finding someone to have sex with me?"
Jesse's eyes widened and he leaned forward, knowing the next few minutes would be full of entertainment.
"It's been a year since you dumped that Dylan guy," Leon shrugged. "We haven't seen you with anyone since."
"Well, maybe because my sex life is none of your business!" she exclaimed, poking Leon in the chest. "Maybe I don't talk to you guys about it because you're all a bunch of sexist monkeys!" She turned to Jesse. "Next person to make a joke about me is going to wake up tomorrow morning with some missing body parts!"
Jesse gulped while Leon just rolled his eyes. "Women…"
Dom set down the water bottle and stared after Letty, who had stormed into the office and slammed the door shut. He knew she wasn't really mad but she was definitely riled up. Being around her when she was like that was so intense he had trouble controlling his desire. "Alright guys, pack it up for the day," he found himself saying. "Go home a little early and get ready for dinner tonight. Mia's really excited about it."
"Don't have to ask me twice," said Leon, cleaning the grease off his hands and then grabbing his car keys. "Come on Jess."
Dom wiped the sweat from his forehead and then quickly locked the doors after hearing their cars exit the parking lot. "You can come out now," he bellowed, making his way over to the office. When Letty didn't immediately open the door, he knocked.
After a minute, she came out in nothing but her underwear and a tank top. "So," she said, placing her hand against the frame and leaning in. "Apparently I need to get laid and Brian O'Conner is just the guy to help me out."
He took in the sight in front of him and licked his lips. "Why would you want blondie if I'm right here at your service?"
She tapped her fingers on her chin and pretended to think. "You make a good argument there, Toretto,"
He heard her yelp as he placed his hands on either side of her hips and swiftly lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around him and reached to lift his shirt over his head. "So where would you like to do me this time, Ortiz?"
Letty looked around DT's and her eyes fell on Dom's prized possession. Without even saying a word, she felt herself being set down on the hood of the black car and Dom hovered over her.
"You better be gentle this time," she warned, gripping the back of his neck to bring him closer. "I don't want to dent MY car."
Dom narrowed his eyes. "YOUR car?"
"MY car," she confirmed, and pecked at Dom's lips. "At least for the rest of the week…"
XX
"You really shouldn't have gone off on your father like that," Mia said to Brian as they stood beside her car in the hospital parking lot. "I don't want to be the reason for any tension in your family."
"I would never let him, or anyone for that matter, talk bad about you Mia. Besides, there's been tension between us for years."
Mia smiled sadly. "I appreciate the backup."
"Any time," he smiled back. He couldn't explain it, but he found himself drawn to the woman in front of him. When he left town, she had been a kid and his best friend's little sister. However, as he looked at her now, it was obvious she had grown up.
They stood in silence for a few minutes before Mia intervened. "I got to get going. Aiden finishes school in half an hour and then I have to pick up grocery for tonight. You're still coming, right?"
"Yeah, I wouldn't miss it," Brian confirmed. He reached over and opened the driver's side door for Mia. "I guess I'll see you later."
Mia got in and then faced him. "Did you drive here?"
He shook his head. "No, I took cab."
"Well then, get in! I'll drive you home."
"No, don't worry about it," he said, gently shutting the door after making sure she was safely in. "I don't want to be a bother."
"You'd actually be doing me a favour. I may need some help carrying the food to the car." Mia titled her head to one side. "I thought you wanted to catch up? As long as you don't mind the addition of a seven-year-old, I would really love the company."
Brian smiled. "Well then, how can I refuse?"
XX
"Blondes or redheads?" Letty questioned aloud. She sat on a spinning chair and observed Dom as he searched for his discarded clothing.
"What?" he glanced up and saw her expectant gaze. Already fully dressed, it was obvious to him that she was letting her mind wander to random thoughts.
She picked up his muscle tee from the floor and threw it in his direction. "What's your type?"
He walked to her direction and slightly bent down so that their faces were parallel. "Is that a trick question?"
Letty pursed her to keep from smiling. "Come on Dom, we both know you've slept with half those bimbos who hang around the racing circuit. You must have a preference."
Dom pretended to contemplate what she said but he knew exactly what his type was. She was sitting right across from where he stood. "I don't like a woman who watches from the sidelines. I prefer someone who goes after what she wants and isn't afraid to get down and dirty."
"Good luck with that," Letty snorted. "Most girls these days are scared of the applying their own nail polish."
He laughed at that before leaning in grazing his tongue along her collarbone. "But not you?" Feeling her soften under his touch gave him immense satisfaction.
"I'm not scared of anything," she groaned. But in truth, she was terrified. She was letting Dom in more than she knew was safe.
XX
Aiden ran to his mother's car as soon as the school bell rang. It was rare that she was able to pick him up but he understood that she had to work a lot to give him a good life. She was a mom, a nurse, a waitress, and sometimes even a mechanic. It made the boy proud.
"Hi baby!" Mia grinned as the seven-year-old opened the back door. "How was your day?"
"Good. How was your day Momma?" It wasn't until after he spoke that he noticed Brian. "Brian!"
Brian twisted his body so he could high-five Aiden. "Hey buddy. How's it going?"
"Awesome! I had six home runs at recess today. Everyone wants me on their team tomorrow!"
"That's great," Brian remarked. As Mia drove to the local supermarket, the two continued to talk about sports and although she would interject every so often, she was pleased that they seemed to get along so well. Aiden often had a hard time opening up to others.
"So Momma, what's for dinner?" Aiden pondered aloud as Mia held his hand to cross the street and Brian grabbed a cart. "I'm already starving!"
Brian chuckled and Mia playfully rolled her eyes at her dramatic son. "Brian's the guest. He gets to decide."
"Me?" Brian pointed to himself. "I'm not picky. I'm fine with whatever."
Mia just smiled and walked over to the produce section where she began selecting a variety of vegetables. She figured it would be best to get the rest of the weeks grocery too so she wouldn't have to make another trip.
Aiden tugged on the blondes arm and looked at his mom before whispering to him, "My mom makes the best spaghetti."
Brian stopped the cart. "Is that right?"
"Uh huh," Aiden nodded. "Everything she makes is really good! Except for her tuna sandwiches!"
"What's wrong with her tuna sandwiches?"
"Trust me, its disgusting" continued Aiden.
"Excuse me?" Mia startled them. "Are you to gossiping about me?"
Brian gave her a knowing look, causing her to grin. "So, I think we've decided on spaghetti."
"Of course," she laughed, taking the cart from Brian's grip and walking to another aisle. She briefly turned around to giggle at the man once more. "You better be careful O'Conner. Pretty soon my son is going to have you wrapped around his finger."
Brian just looked down at Aiden, who was smiling up at him. "Your mom is so silly."
XX
"Yo my amigos," Leon shouted out when he arrived at the Toretto residence. "The life of the party is here!"
"Really?" Letty said with a straight face as she looked around the family room. "Where?"
"Uh…here!" Leon answered, pointing to himself.
"You're not fun," Aiden stated. "Aunt Letty is fun!" This earned him a high five from the female mechanic.
"Watch it boy," Leon teasingly warned. "Or I'll convince Mia to send you to boarding school."
"That won't happen," Letty said, staring at the young boy adoringly. "I'd kick Leon's butt before he tried to pull that."
Aiden cheekily grinned. "I have a lot of people who love me Uncle Leon. More than the zero people who love you!"
Leon lifted him above his head and twirled him around. "You're supposed to be my friend kiddo."
XX
"So the table is set and I took the garbage out," Dom said, peeking over his sister's shoulder to see what she was cooking on the stove. "Spaghetti?"
Mia nodded to confirm. "It was your nephew's idea."
"That kid is persistent, isn't he?" Dom laughed, remembering how Aiden had been begging for the dish for over a week.
"Yup," Mia smiled, adding a bit of spice into the sauce. "He's a lot like his uncle."
"Lucky kid," Dom remarked before placing her a kiss on the side of her head. "Speaking of kids, have you seen Jesse?"
"He called and said he'd be a bit late," she replied. She turned around to face her brother and raised one eyebrow. "He also mentioned that you let him and Leon go home early today. What's up with that?"
Dom just shrugged. "It was a light load. I thought I'd give them a break."
"And that uncharacteristic thoughtfulness didn't carry over to Letty?"
He began to fidget with some nearby utensils. "What are you talking about?"
She motioned for him to sit down. "I drove past the shop on my way to pick up Aiden from school and I saw her car outside. I didn't see yours, so I assumed you left but I thought it was interesting that she was still there. Aren't you the only one with keys?"
"Yeah," he lamely replied. "But you're forgetting that Letty and I switched cars this week. She was long gone and I stayed back to work on some paperwork."
"Really?" Mia challenged, a slight mischievous grin forming in knowing that her brother wasn't telling her the truth. "Then its funny that neither of you answered your phones but still managed to arrive here at the exact same time."
Dom narrowed his eyes. "Drop it Mia."
She crossed her arms. "I know you Dom and I know Letty. You wouldn't give her your car just because you lost a bet. There's got to be something else."
If Mia actually knew what was going on with her brother and her best friend, Dom knew she wouldn't be pleased.
XX
"So Brian, what happened to you after you went all ghost town on us? No calls, no visits, what's up with that?" Leon quizzed. They were all hanging out in the family room as Mia put the finishing touches on dinner.
"I don't know," Brian shrugged. "Truthfully, I just tried to convince myself that I was better off never coming back."
"Because of them?" Jesse pointed to his friends. He hadn't met Brian until tonight but he had heard his name mentioned a couple of times throughout the years.
"No," Brian instantly shook his head. "These guys are great! My father, on the other hand, is a different story. I think he was put on this earth to make people miserable."
"Amen to that," Dom saluted, raising his beer in the air. He had never been a fan of John O'Conner and as the years grew on, his annoyance turned to hatred for the way he treated his family.
"So what did you do when you left LA?" Leon continued with his questions, eager for answers to how his friend had held up.
"I lived in Miami for a bit before finally settling in New York. I worked some odd jobs and met a couple of good friends. We were actually in the process of opening a nightclub when I got called back home."
Dom looked down. "We're sorry to hear about your mom. My prayers are with her."
"Thanks man," Brian appreciatively said.
Mia walked into the room with a beer in hand and Aiden on her trail. "The bread is just in the oven. It should be ready in a few."
"Well sit down girl," Letty ordered. "You work too hard."
Mia obliged and watched in curiosity as her friends haggled the new presence in her home.
"So are you married? Or in a relationship?" It was Letty's turn to ask. She sat next to Dom and he casually rested his arm around her shoulders. They had been friends for so long that nobody questioned it.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Jesse cut off Brian's rely. Even after getting a death stare from the brunette, he didn't stop. "Did you know Letty wants to bang you?"
"WHAT!?" Brian exclaimed, obviously bewildered by the comment. Mia had chocked on her drink and Leon quickly covered Aiden's ears, knowing Letty's wrath would be disastrous.
"That's enough Jesse," Dom warned, moving to pat his sister's back repeatedly so she would stop coughing from the shock. He wasn't as mad as he was jealous.
Just as Letty was about to move in on the teenager, the timer for the stove went off.
"Saved by the bell! Lets eat!'
XX
"So now that I know Letty secretly wants to do unmentionable things to me, I think its only fair that the rest of your share your relationship status," Brian joked, attempting to break the awkward tension that had been carried over to the dining room.
"Don't flatter yourself O'Conner," Letty mused. "No offence, but I'm not really into the whole Barbie fantasy thing."
"Then why haven't you and Dom got together? He's about as opposite to me as you can get."
Dom and Letty exchanged glances while Mia answered for them. "Dom and Letty fight like cats and dogs. Its amazing that they've managed to be friends." Letty held Dom's eye contact as naively Mia spoke about the two. "Besides, I've never met such commitment-phobic people in my life."
Leon snickered. "I think we're all guilty of being allergic to the "C" word Mia. Why settle down when there are so many possibilities out there. Right Brian?"
"Wrong." His refusal surprised them all. "Once you find the right person, I can't imagine anything better than being with them forever."
Jesse slurped a string of spaghetti. "So you found the Juliet to your Romeo?"
Brian looked down at his plate. "I thought I did."
"What happened?" Dom's interested had peaked. He wasn't usually so curious about other people's personal lives but the whole point of the dinner was to catch up and he wanted to make an effort.
"Oh, the usual," Brian remarked. "The second I gave her a ring, she transformed into someone I didn't like or recognize. I mean I put up with a lot of things but there were some deal breakers. I had to call off the wedding."
"Was she psycho?" Leon wondered.
"No," Brian shook his head. "She was fine but she refused to give me the one thing I wanted."
"Which was?" Mia has remained silent up until that point, but finding out Brian had been engaged was unpredicted.
"Kids," he answered, looking the young mom right in the eyes. "A family…. stability. All the things I never knew I wanted until I left home."
XX
"Can you read me this one?" Aiden begged after picking a book off his overcrowded self. He had taken after Mia in that regard; he loved books and he loved learning.
"Sure," Letty agreed and gently grasped the young boy around the waist so she could put on his pajamas before he ran off again. "Lift your arms up."
Aiden obliged and hugged his aunt tightly. With her parents now living in a different country, Letty considered the Toretto's her family.
"I like when you tuck me. Its fun," the kid complimented, pulling the covers down and getting in. Letty tried her best to snuggle in beside him despite the tiny amount of space the bed allowed. She had offered to take on the responsibility of his bedtime ritual not only because she loved spending time with him, but also because she thought Mia needed a break. She couldn't even begin to imagine the amount of stress her best friend was under and deserved to spend the rest of the night with her friends.
"I love you kid," Letty kissed the top of his head before opening the book. "You want to read 'Cars' again?"
"Its my favourite!" Aiden revealed.
Just as she was about to begin, Dom quietly entered the room. "Are you taking it easy on Aunt Letty?"
The boy smirked. "What are you doing here?"
He ruffled Aiden's hair and sat down on the already crowded bed. His arm crossed over Letty's sprawled out legs. "Leon and Jesse left and your mom wanted me to make sure you weren't driving Letty crazy." He looked at the woman in question and smiled.
"I would never!"
"Yeah!" Letty giggled. "Aiden here is a perfect gentleman. He's nothing like his uncle."
Dom retaliated by pinching one of her toes, earning himself a kick in the side. She would never admit it, but his muscles probably hurt Letty more than her action affected him.
"Are you going to read me a story or are you going to keep making googly eyes?"
"Googly eyes?" Letty gagged. "The only person your uncle makes googly eyes at is himself…in the mirror."
"Jealous?" Dom laughed.
"You two are totally going to get married," Aiden declared, no thought given to how awkward him statement made Dom and Letty feel.
"Why would you say that Aiden?" Letty questioned. "Me and Dom are not even together."
"Yes you are," he affirmed. "I always see you kissing!"
"Buddy," Dom started, moving closer to his nephew, which in turn brought him closer to Letty. "Letty and I are just friends."
"Friends don't kiss each other," Aiden protested.
"Yes they do," Letty persuaded. She put her hand on the boy's head and affectionately ran her fingers through his hair. "Sometimes a kiss is the only way you can express to someone how happy you are or how much you appreciate them. Not all kisses mean that you're in love."
Aiden's mouth formed an 'O' shape. "So you don't love each other?"
"Of course we do," Dom defended. "I love Letty a lot because we've been friends our whole lives. We've been friends before you were even born!"
"Wow, that is a long time," Aiden acknowledged.
"It is," Letty agreed. "But our love doesn't mean we want to marry each other. Does that make sense?"
"I guess. But am I still suppose to keep your kisses a secret?"
"Most definitely," she replied. "No one else needs to know."
"Alright," Dom suggested, taking the book away from Letty and turning to his nephew. "I'll read you this book and you'll stop making inappropriate jokes about me and your aunt. Got it?"
Aiden could only smile in response.
XX
"Need some help in here?" Brian asked, poking his head into the kitchen and seeing Mia slave away at the sink.
She turned to acknowledge him. "No thanks. The guest doesn't get stuck with dish duty."
He ignored her refusal and grabbed a towel. "Neither should the cook."
"That would be an all too perfect world," she sighed. They worked in a comfortable silence for a few moments before she spoke up again. "Would you like some wine?"
Brian set down the last plate in the cabinet and turned to face her. This was the first time that night he was truly able to take in her appearance. She was wearing a light pink dress, similar to the colour of her scrubs earlier in the day, which fell past her knees. There was hardly an ounce of makeup on her skin but she absolutely glowed. "Sure," he finally answered.
"Okay," she awkwardly took the towel from him to dry her hands and reached into another cupboard. "I hope reds okay."
"Yeah, like I told you, I'm not picky," he chuckled. He sat down and watched as she opened the bottle and poured the beverage into to glasses.
"I don't get to do this often," she admitted. "Its kind of nice."
"What is?"
"Just being able to relax," she shrugged. "I know it probably sounds pathetic to you, but I enjoy the quietness."
"No, I don't blame you at all. You have a lot to deal with Mia."
"Yeah," she smiled sadly. She walked over and offered a glass to Brian. "So you really broke up with someone because she didn't want kids?" Leaning against the counter, she sipped and waited for an answer.
"It would have been worse if I married her and had to pretend to be happy," he explained. "Happiness is important."
"It is," she agreed.
"Are you happy?" he couldn't help but ask. "I mean I know you have school and work and a supportive family but do you…have someone else?"
"Like a boyfriend?" she clarified. "No, Aiden keeps me pretty busy. I haven't even been on a date since before he was born."
"I'm not judging you," he began, reaching for the bottle to refill his glass and then offered it to Mia. "But I really think the male population is going to miss out if you keep hiding yourself from the world."
She blushed. "You don't have to say nice things to me Brian. I know I'm a screw up."
"You're beautiful," he declared. "And you're smart and from what I can see, you're an amazing mom even if the circumstances were less than ideal. How can you equate yourself to anything less?"
"You weren't here Brian," stated Mia. "You didn't see the destruction I caused. If it wasn't for me, Dom could have been so much more. He could have been in the professional racing circuit instead of working in a garage and illegally street racing for an adrenaline rush. I brought a child into this world with absolutely nothing to offer him and it was years before I was finally able to get my life back together. And its my fault Vince can't show his face around here."
By this point, tears were streaming down her cheeks. Brian rushed up and gently wiped them away with his thumb before bringing her into an embrace.
XX
"You want to know something?" Letty whispered after Dom had shut the door before them. They stood in the hallway and he looked at her expectantly. "I think you're going to make a great dad someday."
"I don't know," he breathed, signaling for her to follow him to his room. "Unlike Brian, being a father isn't really a priority for me."
She sat on the edge of his bed and patted the spot beside her, wrapping her arm around him once he sat down. "Because of Mia and Aiden?"
He nodded. "They're everything to me and I need to focus being there for Aiden. He doesn't have a father and if I start having kids of my own, I won't be able to be there for him like he deserves. No woman is ever going to accept their place in my life."
"I get it," Letty confessed.
"Yeah," he chuckled. "You've been there through it all, so I guess you do." He was just about to lean in and connect their lips when the doorbell interrupted them.
XX
"Sorry," Mia said as she pulled out of the hug upon hearing the doorbell. "I'm not usually this emotional."
"Don't apologize." He followed her to the front of the house, where she opened the door.
"Vince…" Mia muttered when she saw who had caused the disturbance. "You can't be here!"
"Move out of my way bitch. I'm here for my son!"
Okay, so what did you think!? Are you shocked that Aiden is Vince's kid or was it kind of obvious? What do you think about Dom not wanting kids? Is Mia suspicious of Letty's relationship with her brother? Why exactly is John O'Conner such a horrible man? Does Mia feel something towards Brian and does he feel something towards her? What will happen when he finally goes back to New York?
