"Knock-knock. You decent?"
"Ticia!" Roman said enthusiastically as Letty pushed into his hospital room.
"Hey," he stopped the nurse before she left, "Can you bring me some real food? No more of that soup or salad shit. I need a big ass burger, or some hot wings. Please."
"He'll take whatever is on the menu today," Letty told her with a smile. She turned back to him, "Are you giving these poor ladies hell over food, Rome?"
"I've been awake for a week and still haven't seen any beef, or steak. I haven't tasted real ribs or fried chicken. Letty, do you understand what I just said?"
She rolled her eyes at his whining, "It'll do you good, going a little while without clogging your arteries."
"So says you," he pouted, "What's up girl? Dom OK?"
"Yeah, he had physical therapy today, so I figured I'd bring him. I was starting to worry Oz was letting him play hooky," she pulled a seat next to his bed, "And I heard someone was getting sprung today. How'd you swing that?"
"Mia gave the doc a call and she's gonna hook me up with some connections in Washington to finish my recovery. Man, I can't wait to get out of here. I mean, look how skinny I am? Doc says I lost fifteen pounds just laying here."
"Relax, Sally. You'll get your muscles back," she teased. "So Seattle, huh? That's a little down-low for Mr. Pearce isn't it?"
"Yeah, but Brian isn't gonna let me out of his sights anytime soon. And I could use something a little low-key. That loud brashness was what got me kidnapped and tied to a jet in the first damn place."
"Hey," she said softly, "Don't do that. Don't change who you are. Especially not over Verone. If you do, he wins."
"He's already won, Letty. He took my dad, he took my girl. He took my dignity."
"And he's rotting in hell for it as we speak."
"I should've never agreed to do that job in Miami. My life has been a fucking wreck ever since."
"Your life was a wreck before that, or has all that money given you amnesia, too?" she bit back. "You'd still be living in that trailer, driving those shit cars for chump change if it wasn't for that job. And look at you now - on top of the world with millions to your name, free to go wherever you want."
"Yeah, with a dead dad and a dead girlfriend. How do I just up and move on from that?"
"With the love and support of your family. With us."
"When I got locked up, Dad was so disappointed in me. He flew to Florida and sat in that courtroom with disgust on his face while the judge sentenced me to five years in prison. After that, I didn't see him. He didn't visit in jail, didn't call or write. I was so bitter and pissed off that when I got out early, I didn't even tell him. After the Miami job, I went to Barstow to see him. Just to let him know I was alive and well, but I could still see that disappointment clear as day on his face. He reached out a couple times after all that, trying to get me to come visit. I always found an excuse, any reason not to come anywhere near that house. I couldn't stand to see that look one more time."
"You felt abandoned, Roman. I know that feeling."
"Yeah, but look now. He's gone. All I had to do was swallow my pride and go see him, and I couldn't even do that. That makes me as much a coward as it does him for ditching me."
"So what now? You wallow in guilt for the rest of your life? Or are you gonna get out of this bed, get back on your feet, and make something out of your second chance at life?" she snapped at him. "Rome, you stepped up and risked your life and freedom to help your friends get home. You might be an expert heistman Roman Michael Pearce, but you're also a damn good brother."
Rome nodded and blinked away tears, "You're right. I was the brains of the operation to get you back, y'know."
She chuckled, "I know it's really you running the show, Ro. That's why you gotta grieve and heal, from all your wounds. Take advantage of this second chance, like I am. A lot of people took bullets for you, man."
Rome nodded, "That's why I love you Tish. You're the only one who gives it to me straight. "
"And I always will. Now what time are you being discharged?"
"Three this afternoon says Doc. I should be good to travel in a few days."
"Good. I gotta go downstairs and sit with the brat. I'll see you at home, brother."
"Alright Mr. Toretto, you ready to start another tantalizing day of therapy?"
"For the last time - call me Dom. How many more of these sessions do I have to do, Doc?" he asked his physiotherapist.
"For the last time - you can't be cleared until me and your doctor feel you're out of the woods. Once we are confident that your leg is healed, you won't have to see this face again, which will be your loss," Levi laughed. The two men had developed a witty rapport after a few weeks of therapy, which made Dom one of his favorite patients.
"I've been getting around just fine, Doc."
He wasn't lying. Dom had gone a few days without the crutches in an effort to will his way around without assistance. Unbeknownst to Letty, Dom was back to crawling under chassis' and inside hoods.
"I'm sure you are, but until I can prove it without a shadow of a doubt, you're stuck with me."
Dom groaned inwardly. Levi was a bubbly, flamboyant, annoying twenty-something whose zest for life irked Dom to no end. Toretto despised these sessions, which consisted of plenty of walking, stretching that teetered on the edge of yoga, and listening to his doctor ramble endlessly. Dom chose to use it as motivation, putting in the extra effort in the exercises to get back on his feet and away from Levi as quickly as possible, and today was no exception.
"First, let's do some stretching."
Dom immediately tuned out Levi's ridiculous show-tune singing and got to work. He would never verbally admit how much he enjoyed the stretching; it did help, and he usually left therapy in a better mood than he arrived. He just had to survive Levi for another two-and-a-half hours.
"Can I ask you something personal, Dom?" Levi asked after an hour of silence from his patient.
"Shoot."
"Are the urban legends about you true?" Dom gave a small smirk. "Working in LA, I've dealt with a lot of celebrities, but none nearly as infamous as you, and frankly I'm fascinated by your story."
Dom didn't indulge much about his personal life in these sessions, but he wasn't surprised that people knew of him, and his story. "What do you think?"
"I think if I heisted a hundred million dollars, I'd be covered in diamonds, the latest fashion, with a gigantic house in St. Lucia with island boys fanning me and feeding me grapes. But I don't get that vibe from you."
"You're right about that," Dom laughed.
"So why on Earth are you here in California, wearing cheap tank tops and boots?"
"This is my home. I grew up in the house I live in now, the same house my father was raised in. I don't like being away from it," he shrugged, "And I like my boots."
"Oh please, nobody likes those boots," Levi said, looking down at the atrocious oiled-covered work boots at the door. "But rich and humble, that's rare around here. What does your wife say?"
"What makes you think I'm married?"
"Your paperwork says you were initially brought in with your wife."
"Not married," Dom said, his mind surging back to the DR when he so desperately wanted to make his longtime girlfriend his wife. He knew it'd be selfish to ask her to make it permanent when he knew their paths would soon split off course.
"Oh come on. An extremely good-looking, incredibly fit bad boy with a bank account in excess of millions? Even with your bad style, you are the epitome of what women - and many men, I'm sure - want."
Dom chuckled, "I'm flattered, Doc. I didn't say I was single, just not married. Almost though."
"Lemme guess... You got cold feet?"
"Something like that."
"Well what happened? Where is the almost Mrs. Toretto now?"
At that moment, she appeared outside his hospital room, giving them both a wave.
"Somehow she's still here," Dom said, returning a smile and nod her way. "I won't make that same mistake twice."
"You better not. She's beautiful, and if you don't appreciate her I have a few girlfriends who would love a shot with that little woman," Levi whispered while waving Letty inside.
She entered with a smile and propped herself up against a table. She could tell Dom was holding in a chuckle, "What's so funny?"
"Doc here says if I don't act right he's gonna set you up with one of his girlfriends," Dom said with an amused smirk.
Letty grinned while raising brow, "Oh really? Are they cute?"
Levi got a kick out of this, letting out a boisterous laugh.
"Hardy-har," Dom rolled his eyes. "How's Rome?"
"Still feeling cruddy but he's excited about getting out today. How are you feeling about Brian and Jack leaving tomorrow?
He shrugged while taking a rest from the treadmill, "Glad. I don't like my sister being up there alone. It hurt more that Tej went back to Miami yesterday, 'cause he could actually work. Brian's idea of help was standing over Oz and correcting his work, so that won't be missed."
"I'm not just talking about the shop. B is your best friend and he's going home again. No more Batman and Robin adventures... you gonna be okay without him?"
"You make him sound like my boyfriend."
"Well..." she trailed off with a grin.
"Oh I like her," Levi laughed, "She's fun."
"Don't encourage her, Doc."
Letty sat with Dom through the rest of his session, watching and laughing occasionally at how awkward Dom looked in those yoga positions. Levi coached Dom and quizzed Letty simultaneously, curious to know any and everything she could tell him about their exciting lives. Normally Letty wasn't privy to telling her business to strangers, but today, she didn't mind.
"I gotta say Dominic, your scans are looking really good, and after our session today, I think you'll get your wish pretty soon."
Dom and Letty shared a look of relief, "That's great, Doc. You think I'll be rid of the crutches before next month? Got a big event coming up and I need to start training."
"Honestly, I think at your pace you'll be out of therapy and those crutches before next month. Just keep hydrated, don't push yourself too hard, and most importantly," Levi glanced at Letty, "no more thrill rides. Even the luckiest man runs of out luck sometimes."
Dom stood from the bed and reached out his hand, "Thanks for everything, Doc."
Kelly, with the help of Oz and the twins, was in the process of holding an 'everything-must-go' yard sale to start her transition to Seattle. Mia was thrilled of the idea of her coming up, so she immediately began setting up to get rid of her life in California and start anew. Though she was saddened to let go of her longtime home, she was excited to be around her family in a new environment.
She was finishing up in her bedroom when she heard bickering from the front room. She found Oz and Neil struggling to get the sofa through the threshold, and Brian standing close-by giving helpful tips.
"Blondie if you don't get the fu-"
"Language please!" she interrupted Oz, motioning to Jack sitting nearby. "Brian, take Jack and go sit somewhere please. I love you both, but if you keep micromanaging Oz, I'll let him rough you up," Kelly said, wiping the sweat from her brow.
"But Mom-"
"No buts. If I want this done today, I need you and the kid out of the way," she reached up and kissed his cheek before pushing him toward the side door.
"Come on, buddy. Let's go play in the dirt so Nana can clean us up later," he said with a sinister smile for his mom. He found a clear spot on the lawn that was out of the way of browsing neighbors and set up an array of toys to keep Jack busy. He looked up from his son at the sound of a purring engine closing in on the house. Leon's black Skyline stopped on the curb.
"Hi Uncle Brian!" Jess said as she headed their way.
"Hey guys. Jack, look who it is buddy."
"Jessie!" he gushed. At that time, Ginger came barreling from behind the house to greet the guests, sniffing her way around Jess and Leon before turning her nose on the car, clearly looking for Frankie.
"Sorry Ginger. Ever since Kara got pregnant, Frankie won't leave her side."
"What's up brother?" Brian said.
"Nothing much. We heard you guys were taking off tomorrow, so I figured I'd play hooky and let Jess spend the day with her cousin," he joined Brian on the grass, looking around at the bustling yardsale, "Lett said you guys were having a yard sale, but damn. Is she keeping anything?"
"Not much. She wants to start completely new."
"Can't blame her. How's Roman?"
"Better than yesterday. Dude's a powerhouse physically. He'll be on his feet in a few weeks."
"Good to hear. How about with everything else? I heard he took the news about his dad pretty tough."
"Those wounds will take a little longer to heal, for me as well. But like I said, powerhouse."
"Understandable. What about you, how's the arm?"
"Should be free of this thing in a week or so," Brian said, showing off the brace.
"Good. I assume since Dom's kept you around that your driving has improved, so I don't want any excuses come RaceWars if you get your ass kicked."
"That ain't gonna happen. Besides, I've beat Dom a couple times."
Leon scoffed, "I find that hard to believe, Buster. "
"I have, just don't ask Tej or Rome about it. They refuse to let me have those wins."
The two men carried on for a while, talking about the upcoming RaceWars event, their kids, and of course cars. Brian even got a few helpful tips pertaining to his future shop.
Brian and Leon didn't have much of a rapport in the old days, but they shared a mutual understanding. For Brian, the understanding quickly grew into respect. The street kid who loved ripping the streets with his friends had become a successful businessman, and did it legally.
"What's next for Leonardo Diaz? Ya know, after Racewars?" Brian asked curiously.
"Start prepping for next year," he laughed. "Maybe after the kid is born, I'll take the girls on a trip. Jess has been reading up on the Bahamas and she's been begging me to take her. How about you?"
"Hopefully get this garage up and settle into some domesticity. Maybe knock Mia up a few more times to lock that down," he joked.
"Oh please. That was locked down the moment you walked those gorgeous curls into the cafe," said Leon. "She's not going anywhere, and you better not either. Just because Mia and I have had a few rough years doesn't mean I wouldn't still murder for her, because I would."
"That ain't gonna happen. All this craziness here just solidifies what I already knew - it's time to hang it up. I'm tired of losing people, and Rome was too close of a call. I want to raise my son better than my dad raised me, so I have to stay alive and out of prison to do that. I'm done."
Brian had thought the words before, but never truly believed them until he said them aloud. It was a step on the right path, realizing the ridiculousness in his reckless ways and how close to death he had actually been chasing thrills. The idea of making Mia a widow and Jack a fatherless child nearly brought him to his knees.
"I'm glad to hear that, O'Conner," Leon patted Brian's back, then stood to his feet. "Now, tell me she didn't pack up all the food yet?"
"Should be some sandwiches left from lunch. C'mon."
While Brian helped Leon find his way to food, Brooke was doing her job away from work - helping buyers and making sales. She initially came to help move boxes with Oz, but after learning of their addition to the family days earlier, he insisted she take care of the lightwork.
"Oh thank god!" she exclaimed when Letty's Camaro pulled up to the house. She anxiously waved her over.
"Guess you got the easy job," Dom said, watching as Sonny and Neil both loaded up the U-Haul with heavy boxes.
"I can't lift a finger with you-know-who around. I seriously, literally cannot move from this spot without him knowing," Brooke whined. "It's like he jammed a damn tracker inside of me."
"Tell me about it," said Dom, receiving a light punch from Letty. "I'm gonna look for Brian, figure out his itinerary for this week."
Letty pulled a bare table close and hopped on it to keep Brooke company.
"I see you and Toretto are getting close," Brooke said with a smirk, watching Letty whose eyes were glued on Dom.
"He's more fun than I remember. Ya know, without all the guns and police chases."
"I guess you made the right choice to rob Bobby that day, huh? Think about it; if you hadn't flipped out that day, we wouldn't have left the state and ended up here. I wouldn't have met the sexiest cowboy, and you wouldn't have met your true love again."
Letty rolled her eyes, but deep down knew she was right.
"You wouldn't have your memory back either," Brooke said matter of factly.
"That I'm grateful for. It wasn't the worst decision I've ever made," she smiled.
Dominic ditched the crutches and made his way around the house, finding his brother-in-law in the garage with Jack, rifling through old boxes in awe.
"Uncle Dom!" the tot barreled to his favorite uncle.
"Jack, careful!" Brian warned as Jack crashed into Dom's legs at full speed. Dom grimaced slightly but in seconds was hoisting the boy into the air.
"No worries, Jackie. I'm damn near a hundred percent, buddy."
"I take it therapy went well today?"
"Doc says I should be good in a few weeks. What're you doing out here?"
"Mom kept a lot of my things when I was a kid - clothes, toys, posters. I was just seeing if anything is worth keeping. Wanna take a look in case you're next in line?" he grinned.
"How 'bout giving Ozzie first pick," Dom chuckled.
"He's convinced he's having a girl. Says he can feel it."
"Maybe he can. He's an intuitive little bastard."
Dom found a stool to rest on, watching Brian rustle through old Led Zepplin shirts and every sports ball imaginable.
"So... you just about ready to head back north?"
"Just about. Gonna give Rome a day or two to rest, then we're flying out. Oz agreed to drive mom up in the U-Haul. You sure you and Lett can't come up for a while? You gotta see Seattle, man. And I know Mia would love to have you there."
"Soon, brother. I'd love to beat you on your own turf, but I gotta make sure I'm done with these sessions first."
"Don't count on too much racing. Mia's pretty uptight about it, and so is Seattle PD."
"Now when have I ever listened to my sister, or the police?" Dom said with a grin.
"That's easy to say when you're not the one she's holding out on."
"Good point." Dom swallowed the lump in his throat that appeared every time he thought about his friend leaving. Dom was used to having Brian and Jack around now and the loss would be tough. "It's been nice having your ugly mug around, O'Conner. It was good looking in my rearview knowing you got my back."
Brian chuckled, catching the underlying insult, "Asshole. I always miss this place when I'm gone. Sorry I couldn't be much help at Torrettos."
"Well just make sure you make yourself more useful at the new place."
"Thanks for not letting me get myself killed," Brian said more seriously.
"Imagine the griping I'd get from my sister if I did. I did both of us a favor."
"Well do me another favor - don't let her out of sight again."
Dom smiled, "I can guarantee that."
"Alright brother, I gotta get Ro," Dom stood to his feet and the two men embraced. It was meaningful, and almost felt like goodbye. Neither hurried to pull away from the tender moment, until...
"You two dancin' or huggin'?" Oz said from behind them.
Brian gave him a quick flip of the finger before turning back to Dom.
"You look after Letty, Dom. She better still be here when I come back to LA. And you better had put a ring on her finger before I snatch her up and make her my sister-wife."
"Oh, please, O'Conner," Oz interrupted, "Letty would eat you alive. You couldn't handle that firecracker."
"He you can get rid of before I get back," Brian said with a grin, slugging him on the way past.
"You alright boss?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"C'mon man. Blondie's the Robin to your Batman. I know you got me, and Sonny and Neil, but I also know it's not the same. He annoys the hell out of me, but he's a good man. I'll even admit that I'll miss him a little."
"I don't know who's worse - you or Letty."