A/N: Typed in a hurry so expect lots of mistakes… I hope you'll get the flow of things.
Chapter 7: Back Home
When life changing events occur, it has a reverse effect on people. And that was the case in the Toretto household that morning. Leon, who was usually the people person, was sulking in a living room corner, chewing the fuck out of a toothpick. Letty, who was usually out and about, was tucked away underneath a car in the driveway, tinkering with its engine. Vince, who was usually the grouch, was sitting at the backyard picnic table playing tic-tac-toe with Samantha and Amira, who was usually the active one, was hidden away upstairs in her room.
Mia shrugged her shoulders, sensing the tension in the house, and got back to the casserole that was in the oven. With Dom gone, she knew her responsibility and she felt that she owed it to her family to make everything right. She would need some assistance but she knew that she could make it work.
She closed the oven door and threw her dish towel on the bed, making her way out the kitchen and into the living room. Mia walked up the stairs and stopped in front of Amira's door. She knocked softly and when she didn't receive a response, she opened the door and found Amira still in bed.
"Do you remember that one time I caught you talking to Johnny Tran behind Vince's back?" She said, entering the bedroom and slamming the door shut behind her.
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Amira exited the room with a frown on her face. She knew Mia meant well but it didn't seem like she did today. Blackmail could be a bitch and that's the card that she had dealt Ami today. Amira walked down the stairs in jeans, a black tank top and black flip flops on. Her face was framed by a big pair of dark sunglasses and a black beanie was resting on her head.
Mia emerged seconds after her, a smug smile on her face. "Call me when you get there," she said in a sing-song voice. Amira headed into the kitchen and out the back door while giving her the middle finger. She walked over the two persons at the picnic table and groaned. "Mia wants me to run an errand," she growled, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Alright, I'll come with," Vince said, throwing the pen in his hand down and standing up. "Not today buddy. I gotta head over the border," she said, motioning for Sam to stand up. Vince nodded and sat back down. "You're coming back, right?" He asked, but kept his line of vision on Sam.
The small girl looked up her mom and stared her down. It was the few times that she resembled Amira and when she did it was scary. "My stare downs don't work on me, Samantha. We will return tomorrow, so don't freak," she said, walking towards the front of the house. The small girl smiled and walked around the picnic table, throwing her arms around Vince's neck.
"I love you," she whispered, kissing him on the cheek and running after her mother.
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Amira pulled into the hospital parking lot after passing by her house for a couple of things. She had called the school and explained that there had been a family emergency that required them to be out of the country and had packed a few more essentials. Half an hour later they headed to the hospital.
Samantha, with her school book bag in tow, climbed out of the car and ran towards the hospital's entrance, a few steps in front of her mom. Amira walked over to the reception area and chatted with the secretary for a couple of moments. She slipped her the lie that she was engaged to Jesse and that they were planning to adopt her foster care niece (Samantha) next month after the wedding. Moments later, she had his room number and was even informed that the officers on duty were in between shift changes.
The duo jetted towards the elevator and hurried towards Jesse's room before the next shift of officers arrived. When they entered the room, Amira was shocked and Samantha began to cry. Jesse's small body was covered his bandages and he was hooked up to all sorts of machines. I.V.'s and tubes were coming out of everywhere.
"Jess," Ami whispered, motioning for Samantha to sit down on the chair next to the bed. The body on the bed began to stir. "Don't move, hun. It's me, Amira. Mia sent me down here to see if you were alright. Don't say nothing to the police, Jess. They have no evidence against you. All they got is the racing and the beef between Tran and you. I will find a way to get you out of this. Just focus on getting better and I will handle the rest," she whispered, standing over the bed.
She smiled softly at his broken smile and motioned for Samantha to give her the book bag. She pulled out a camcorder and turned it on. "It's nice to see you, Ami. How's everybody? Did they make it alright?" He said, his voice cracking. "Everyone's fine, Jess. Mia is still trying to get Vince to clean up his room and Leon is still trying to beat me and my car. He just doesn't understand that ovaries make a big difference," she said, recording Jesse. "Say something for the folks at home."
"Umm…Hey dawgs…. Umm… Leon give up, she has you beat. Vince don't give into to Mia and her Swiffer. Mia do you think you can mail me some of your mashed potatoes with garlic? You're daughter is so cute, Vince," he said. Ami frowned and shut the camcorder off. "Very funny, Jess. Team Toretto is out to get on my damn nerves," she replied, stuffing the camcorder back into the bag.
She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and kept digging into her bag. She pulled out a laptop and placed it on the table beside the bed. "You'll figure out how to get in contact with me, won't you? Anything or problems hit me up, Jess. Don't forget you got a sister in me, no matter what," she whispered, closing the bag and motioning for Samantha to stand up.
"She's shy I see, just like her uncle Jess," he replied, waving her goodbye with his free hand. Amira nodded to Jesse and exited the room, running towards the elevator. As soon as they hit the ground floor, Amira spotted officers at the reception desk and walked rapidly the other way.
As soon as they hit the parking lot they broke out into a free run, but it was to no avail. When they reached the car, they found a suited male leaning against it. "Can I help you?" She asked, stepping in front of Samantha.
"I'm guessing you're the Amira Estevez that this car is registered to. I'm Detective William Lyons," the man said, stretching out his hand and smiling lightly. Ami stared at the hand in front of her and refused to shake it. Lyons cleared his throat and pulled away the hand he was offering, placing it in his pocket. "I see you don't plan on playing nice," he whispered, stepping away from the car.
Amira took the alarm off the car and glared at him. "Get in the car, Sam," she said, keeping her eyes on the detective. "I know you have ties to the Toretto hoodlums and I will find them. If it wasn't for that cute little receptionist I was seeing on the side I wouldn't have even thought to look into Mr. Vincent Casiano's past or even his banking records. Joint accounts at one time I see. Close? Murderers? Lovers? Parents?"
Ami took a step towards the detective and cocked an eyebrow. "You have no evidence and you sure as hell don't have a clue what you're talking about. I majored in law and minored in psychology, so whatever you got coming my way I'll gladly take on," she said. Lyons nodded slowly and took a step back, holding up his hands.
"Your reputation follows you. I was told you wouldn't be an easy cookie to crack and now I see. Stay in line and definitely in touch, Amira. I'll be keeping an eye on you," he said, before walking away. She waited until he was a few feet out of range before getting into her car and speeding off onto the highway. "Put your seatbelt on," she said, reaching under her car seat and opening her NOS tanks.
When they had reached desert road, she put her car to good use.
She had one more stop to make.
