Disclaimer: I own nothing but the characters you do not recognize.

Thanks for the reviews.

Warning: Talk of drugs and alcohol.

Chapter 14-Running

Jesse's POV

I groaned as I rubbed my aching back. I woke up on a dirty, rotten smelling mattress on the floor of a half-empty room. There was very little light peaking under the door. There were boxes stacked in the corner covered in dust and cobbwebs. The windows were borded up and I'm sure I saw a rat run across the floor. I pulled my long sleeve down and stood from the mattress, my pants falling to my ankles. I looked around the room for my belt, but felt it slide down my arm. Shaking my head, I put my belt back on and left the room. I knew exactly where I was, it was blantantly obvious.

I met Ralph Fuller and Jeremy Myers a few months ago at a race. I was facing Jeremy and some other guy, Ralph was the leader of Jeremy's team, the UnderDawgs. I beat Jeremy at least two car lengths ahead of him. Ralph said something about liking my style, and before I knew it, I was racing for him. He was nothing like Dominic. Although I had the utmost respect and love for Dom, he was stingy with the racing. I rarely got to race in L.A. But here in Miami on Ralph's team, I'm the king here. King Jesse, yeah, that has a nice ring to it, I thought. After a race one night, the guys from the UnderDawgs introduced me to the world of cocaine. Never in my life before had I seen drugs, let alone DID them. At first, I rejected the drugs. I didn't want any part of that lifestyle. But Jeremy's exact words were "It's just a little coke. Just try it one time, you won't get addicted". I wish I knew that was completely wrong. After doing my first line, I knew I was addicted. I craved more, I needed more. My addiction to cocaine became more intense. I did any and everything to get it. I even raced for it. I gave up my daughter's diaper and milk money for it. There wasn't a time where I hated myself more for that. But it was a part of me now and I wanted to kick it. But the more I drank and raced for the UnderDawgs, the more it was in my life. Worst came to worst when I got in too deep. We were losing the house because I couldn't pay the mortgage on it. I still worked at J&J's Mechanics with Jimmy in the mornings, but the good money I made from there was burned on drugs and booze. We were close to being homeless, but Ralph and Jeremy came through for me, for once. They paid for the house and gave me a little in interest. Can you say ironic?

I knew the drugs and drinking were the main reasons for the issues in me and Diana's marriage. Considering I was high more then I was home. She barely looked at me anymore. I knew she had some feelings for Tej and I knew he was in love with her. I've always known. I can't blame the man; she's gorgeous. She's perfect. I understood why she spent more time with him then she did at home. It was because he gave her more attention then I did. I wasn't giving her up to him though. She fell in love with me for a reason and I wanted to put that out there. I loved Diana so much and I loved little Jess so much too. I didn't want to lose either of them, but I had a feeling I was going too. I just wanted my family back, my old life back. I tried millions of times to back out of the UnderDawgs, but I couldn't. Ralph and Jeremy made sure that if I had any intentions of leaving, it'd be the last thing I'd do in my life. So now, I was stuck. Stuck in a gang affiliated with street racing and addicted to coke, not to mention I was on the brink of divorce. My life couldn't get any worse. Or so I thought.

Last night, I was introduced to something more extreme, way more intense then coke...heroin (the reason for my belt around my arm, by the way). Some guys we met at a deal brought heroin to the meeting, not coke. Ralph talked with the lead guy, making a deal with him. We would only pay half since he didn't bring what we were after. If I had a choice, I would have been home with my wife and daughter, not with these assholes. Of course, I was pressured into shooting the drugs into my arm. It gave me such a rush I could explain it. A lot different then racing. Hell, different from the coke. When it started kicking in, my eyes rolled to the back of my head and my heart raced, then slowed, then raced again. It's like I had no control over my body. It shook vigorously and I could barely breath. Once the high calmed, I felt suddenly ill. I puked on the floor of the dopehouse we chilled in. The guys didn't ask if I was alright or offered to take me home. No. They doped me up even more and tossed me in a dark, dingy room.

So here I am now. In the hallway of the dopehouse, which was on the other side of town. I looked at my watch; 7:23 a.m. Fuck, Di was going to kill me. But I'm sure she wasn't home anyways. Probably at Tej's. I walked into the living room (which smelled even worse then my room) and looked around. The other guys were lying around on the floor. I was sure they were sleep, so I decided to make a run for it. Here I am, a grown ass man, running from other men. All my life, I had been running. When mom died I ran; after I got out the hospital during the time of the hijackings I ran; and I'm running now. I felt like a pussy but I needed to be home with my wife. To make things right with us. I wanted too badly. And I missed Jessica so much. She was so much like me, it was scary. She was smart and sweet and so gentle. I wanted to be in her life again. I was going too, no matter what I had to do.

I crept to the door, the squeaky floors doing me no justice.

"Where you going?" Ronnie, one of the less intelligent guy of the group, asked.

"Um, I'm going to get some fresh air. It's kinda hot back there." I lied, knowing he would buy it. Just as I thought, he nodded and went back to sleep.

I shut the door quietly, waiting until I got a good distance from the house before I ran. Since my car was left at work, I had no choice but to run (I raced with Ralph's Thunderbird last night).I bolted with all my strength to the nearest phone booth. Finding one three blocks away, I dialed Diana's phone.

----------

"Ello?" She answered, her voice husky. I knew she was sleeping but I had no one else to call.

"Diana, please help me. I'm so sorry for everything. I just want help okay. I don't know what I was thinking, I'm stupid. Ple-" I rambled, nearly losing the little dignity I had left.

"Jess, Jesse! Where you at baby?" I could hear muffling in the background, I presumed she was getting up.

"I have no idea Di. Somewhere near the race site. By the bridge. Please help me Di." I was damn near in tears.

"I'm coming baby. What are you wearing?"

"Red beanie, jeans, red vest and a long-sleeve black shirt. Where you at Di?"

"Me, Danny, and Cupcake stayed at Tej's again last night. I get lonely staying home by myself. I'd like someone near my age group to talk to every once in a while." I could hear the venom in her words.

"Please baby. I don't want to fight right now. Just come get me."

"I'm getting in my car now. Where's the Jetta?"

"Work. After work I went to a race. Used Ralph's car. But I'll be waiting, so hurry."

----------

We said our goodbyes and hung up. I panicked as I paced back and forth by the phone booth. I was a good ways away from the gang, so I wasn't expecting them to come looking for me. Especially this early. I chewed my bottom lip as I watched over my shoulder for about the hundredth time. Finally, about fifteen mintues, I noticed Tej's NSX Acura come flying down the street. Burning up with anger, I calmed quickly. How could you be so selfish? At least she loves you enough to pick your sorry ass up, I fought with myself. Who cares what she's driving. She whipped the car around, doing a 180 in front of me. I jumped in the passenger seat and she sped off.

We returned back to our side of town and pulled over in front of a park. The whole ride had beem immensely quiet and nerve-racking. I knew she wasn't happy with me. A blind man could tell that. She got out the car and walked over to the swings. I exited after her, sighing deeply, following her to the swings. She sat on one, pushing herself slightly. I leaned against the pole, watching her face intently. First she frowned, then a smile came across her face. I looked at her confused.

"Why are you smiling?"

"Do you realize we had our first kiss at the park by my house? We were on the swings." I smiled after remembering it. That was the day my life had changed. We were silent for a while, living in our fantasy world of things being different again. "What happened to us Jess?" She asked, standing from the swing. She lingered over to the slide, looking like a child again. My smile faded.

"I changed," I admitted, feeling ashamed. Good, you have every reason to feel that way, asshole.

"Why?" She asked, sitting at the bottom of the slide. I sat in front of her, facing her.

"I don't know. I thought I was doing really well. I felt I was."

"You were. You were doing incredible. WE were doing good. Then you met Ralph and Jeremy, then you changed. WE changed." I thought deeply about what she was saying, I knew she was right. Because I changed, we as a whole, changed.

"I know. I'm sorry for it. But you gotta understand, I never meant to hurt you. Or Jessica. I never meant it." Tears were forming in my eyes again. I held them in, although the task grew harder by each passing second. She ran her soft hands threw my hair, her hands resting on the back of my head. Her fingers were tangled in my messing hair. The scent of vanilla lotion attacked my nose, sending me into a trance.

"I know baby. I know you didn't. But YOU need to understand something. The drugs, the booze, the disappearing acts; if we're gonna work, the shit needs to stop Jesse. You need to start being a father again. You can't do that if you're never home. The anger, hanging with Ralph and Jeremy and those thugs, it all needs to end Jesse Michael. I need you home. Jessi needs you home." By now, the tears were streaming down my face and hers. I was crying from the stupidity I've been showing lately. She was crying because I was.

"I can promise you something. I promise I'm done with the alcohol and the drugs, if I can get help. I know it won't be easy to just cold turkey it. So I'm gonna get help.. I'll try to be home as much as I can. But these guys, Ralph and Jeremy, they aren't going to just let go. They own me now. I can't get even out. Trust me Di, I've tried. I've tried everything. I'm the best aspect they have on the Team and if I leave, they start losing. No money for them, no drugs. They'll kill me and might even hurt you or Danny if I bail." I wiped the tears from my cheek, as the winds began to rush. I wiped her cheek too as her beautiful hair flew behind her. I could tell it was going to storm.

"I'm going to help you get help. But these guys don't own you. Nobody owns you. Not Dom, not Leon, not me, and damn sure not some crackheads. Now you are so bright and smart and I know you're better then this. Now what do you think Dom would do if he knew you were on drugs? If he knew you were running with bad guys?"

Dom had always been a father figure to me, so I avoided doing anything to disappoint him or upset him. I knew this would.

"Probably kick my ass from here to China," I joked, getting a chuckle out of her, "no he probably would. He wouldn't be happy at all. He'd force to me to get help. He'd probably sign me up for rehab without me even knowing."

"Exactly. So I'm going to tell him." My head shot to Diana. She had a smirk on her face. "I'm not kidding. He needs to know."

"Does Leon know?" I had a feeling he had to know by now. Everyone in L.A probably knows by now.

"Yeah. I told him about a week ago. He deserved to know Jesse. Please don't be mad."

"No, no. I'm not mad. You're right. I should call him." I hadn't talked to my brother in over three months. That's the longest we ever went without speaking. That broke my heart even more.

"Yeah. But first, we go get out daughter, you go home and get a shower, and we'll take a nap. How 'bout that?" I fell in love with this woman even more with every word she spoke to me. I smiled and nodded. I stood and helped her up from the slide. I wrapped my arms around her waist, hugging her tight. In return, she snaked her arms around my neck, her warm breath attacking my neck. Suddenly, the weather shifted, causing pounding thunder and rain. We dashed to Tej's car, trying our best not to get soaked. I know Tej was a man who treasured his cars, so I knew he wouldn't want us in his car soaked.

No POV

Diana and Jesse drove back to Tej's boathouse. By now, it had turned 8:45 a.m. and Jessica was probably just getting up. Since she was born, she had awaken around the same time every morning. Diana and Jesse didn't think much of it, except it was a little weird. Jess and Di walked into the boathouse, finding Cupcake at the door. Jesse smiled and rubbed her, despite her attempts to back away. Di walked to the back room where she and Jessica had been sleeping, only to find the bed empty. Panicking, she ran to Tej's room a few doors down. When she burst threw the door, she found the two sitting in front of the television, both eating; Tej a bowl of cereal, Jessi a bowl of Cheerios. Considering she was approaching her second birthday and had almost a full set of teeth, she was knocking the cereal back. Diana laughed as she noticed the mess of food on Tej's shag rug. Apon seeing her father, Jessica stood as quick as she possibly could and ran to Jesse. Laughing, Jesse lifted her up right away. "Daddy!" She squealed, hugging Jesse. Tej couldn't help but smile. He wanted that one day. He began cleaning the mess Jessi had made on the floor. Di thanked for him keeping her and the girls last night and exited the house. Jesse didn't leave so quickly though.

Tej and Jesse stood in the hallway, staring at each other. Tej with anger at how Jesse had changed, Jesse with gratefulness.

"Look, thanks man. Thanks for being a father to her when I was too stupid to do so." Jesse said, breaking the tenseful silence.

"You need to get your shit together, bruh. Keep fucking with them drugs, and you're gonna lose them both." Tej snapped, though keeping his voice low in case Diana was near.

"I know man. But I'm done with that shit." Jesse replied.

"Yeah right. That sounds familiar. Oh, maybe because you said the same thing two months ago. Like I said, get your shit together. Get your fucking priorities straight. Quit running, Jesse." Tej snapped again, walking away from Jesse.

Before Tej got too far, Jesse spoke again. "Thanks again Tej Parker. I owe you." Tej turned and looked at Jesse. He could see remorse and sincerity in his eyes. Lightening up a bit, he nodded.

Jesse left Tej's house and took his family home. He got a shower and bandaged up his arm. He shaved his face and went to the bedroom, where Diana and Jessica were already sound asleep. He climbed in with them and drifted into a deep slumber.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There's fourteen. I know it's taking me a while to get these up, which is causing me to lose readers. I'm sorry and I'll try to update as quickly as I can. Please read&review.

-Kita