7:00 THAT NIGHT...
Jake was the last one to arrive. In truth he'd been the first one there, but he'd sat outside in the dark until he felt like he could look at these people again. Once he opened the garage bay door, he heard everyone's voices mingling together. Despite the size of the door, it was silent and no one noticed that he was there.
There was a table with all sorts of food piled on it. There was a large bucket with drinks icing down in it near by the table and everyone - including Frank himself - was lounging around in various chairs, automobile seats and etc. Off to one side were different cars that the owners had put in to George to have refurbished, repainted, rebuilt and so on... but there was one that was completely covered with a drop cloth.
Sara was the first to see him and she stood up with a bright smile. "Hey Jake!! grab a beer and have a seat, we were just about to explain what was going on here."
Alex and Monica scooted over on the pickup truck bench seat and made room for him. He still couldn't look Donny or Sweet in the eyes. Donny and Sweet just smiled and patted his shoulder on the way by.
Sara perched herself on the tail of Chevy Corvette and smiled. "You guys with Jake are probably wondering why this party is going on. Today was Fian's birthday."
Jake's eyes widened. Alex, Monica, Cody, and Frank all turned to look at him.
"Now, this isn't going to be morbid or anything. Fian's life was about pushing it to the limit and enjoying everything that came her way." Donny and Sweet smiled, watching Jake. He looked like he was about to burst out into tears. Alex had put one arm around his shoulders and was trying to soothe him a bit.
"So, in honor of Marissa Fian Randall, I say lift a bottle and have a drink on her." There were a few 'here here's and quiet cheers. "I also asked Agents Cross, Davis, Donovan, Shaw and Mouse," she winked at Cody, who grinned back at her, "to honor them. My sister trusted you with her life and you didn't let her down. She got one last chance to do what she loved and I know she died a happy woman. Agent Donovan, I know the strings you pulled for her and I thank you. She never would have taken the offer, but I thank you all the same. Agents Cross and Davis, you never looked down on her for what she was, instead you took what she threw at you and learned it. Fian loved cars, any chance she got to share that knowledge with someone else made her feel better about being her. Mouse... Fian didn't really talk about you except to say that if she had it to do over again, she'd handcuff you to the desk..."
Scattered laughter among the group turned Cody's cheeks pink. Frank chuckled and spoke up. "Sara."
"Yes Frank?"
"How do you know all this?"
"She called me. The night before the boost she called me to talk. She told me that Donny had paid her a visit after everyone had gone home. She needed to hear my voice one last time. Fian knew things instinctually and told me she had a feeling that things were going to be different when this was over. She also wrote a letter to me that night after she hung up."
Frank smiled and nodded. That sounded like Speed to him. He chanced a look at Jake, who was staring blankly at the floor.
"Which brings me to Jake. I need to talk to him alone."
Jake looked up at Sara, who smiled back kindly at him and offered her hand.
She pulled him to the side away from everyone else. "In that letter she wrote to me," her voice was hushed and she put him between herself and everyone else. "There was a letter to you." she pulled it out of her jacket and handed it to him.
"She instructed me to give it to you in the event that she died. It arrived the day after I got a call from George. She loved you Jake. She didn't realize it until that night when Donny told her things had changed. Until then, she chalked it up to a desire for revenge for putting her away. But in the end, she knew it was love. And it was love that put her in harm's way - not a promise she made to Agent Donovan. She told me about that too. Donny told me about her reaction when Switch said he had you. God himself couldn't have kept her from coming to help you. Jake, she wouldn't want you to go on like this. There is another envelope for you, if you want it."
She handed him the other envelope. It was a padded envelope and sealed with only his name written on it in Marissa's handwriting. After he'd taken it, she stretched up and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Life's for living Jake. Get busy living it." With that, she left him and rejoined the party.
She hugged George, Donny, Sweet and Flynn. George asked her something, Frank wasn't sure was it was, but as she answered, she motioned to the object covered by the drop cloth. Everyone was getting up to get something to eat as Jake opened the letter. It was in Marissa's handwriting too. He read it slowly, the other envelope in his hand forgotten as he did. The letter told him everything that Sara had said. By the time he'd read the letter, he was crying again. Marissa had said in the letter that she wouldn't change anything, that if something were to happen to her, she had no regrets and was at peace with it. She only hoped that Jake could find the peace he'd need in the end if something happened.
"What's that?"
Jake looked up to see Cody standing next to him with a beer held out. He was asking about the padded envelope. Shrugging, he folded up the letter from Marissa and opened up the other one. Out fell another letter, a locket and a pair of keys. Jake held up the locket as Cody bent to pick up the keys.
Sara heard the faint jingling and smiled. It was time. She blew a kiss towards Jake, then while everyone was busy talking to each other, she slipped out a side entrance. Jake didn't need her there anymore and he knew how to get ahold of her later if he needed to.
Cody looked at Jake, Jake at Cody. Monica and Alex stood up and inched over. They'd seen the keys hit the concrete floor and were just as curious. Frank however, remained where he was sitting next to Donny.
"Think he's got any idea?" Frank looked over at Donny.
"Not a clue." Donny clinked his beer bottle with Frank's and winked.
Jake opened up the letter and read it quickly. 'Jake, I'm sorry that this is the way I get to do this. But it's better than in private, less chance of refusal. The locket was Fian's as a child, she gave it to me when I left for California. I was going to give it to her along with the keys.'
Jake looked at the locket, then opened it. Inside was a picture of a younger Fian hugging a much younger Sara. His eyes welled up again as he finished reading the letter out loud. 'The keys were to be a birthday gift for Fian when she got out of prison. She fell in love only once before and it was with that beast she sacrificed herself for me over. When I came across this poor baby, I knew it was time. A lot of love and time went into this and I can think of no better lover to give this Lady to. She's yours. Tricksy (aka Sara)'
Alex and Monica both dropped their jaws and looked up at Jake. Cody still had the keys in hand and started burbling something that sounded like 'oh yeah baby!!' Frank and Donny grinned even wider as Sweet and George walked over to the drop cloth.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!! It's our pleasure to present to you the 1971 Plymouth 426 Hemi Cuda Convertible!"
There, glittering in the overhead flourescent lighting, was Christine. Well, another version of Christine. This one was icey silver with black and chrome detailing. Jake walked towards the car slowly, the locket dangling in his fingers. Cody squealed and ran over to it, Alex smiled, tears welling up in her own eyes as she hugged Jake. Monica grabbed Cody by the arm and dragged him off of the car. Frank stood up and pulled the keys from Cody's fingers to hand them to Jake.
"Like the lady said, she's yours. If you want her, that is."
Jake looked up. "You knew?"
"Yeah. When she got in contact with me a week or so ago, she asked a few too many questions and I had to pin her down. That was the phone call she got. Her ex-husband's little brother got the car delivered out this morning."
Jake smiled. This was Christine... "426 Hemi engine?"
George smiled and stepped aside. "Uh huh."
"Twin Carter AFB four-barrels?"
"490 torque, 425 horsepower and Tricksy added in a custom designed CD stereo and a LoJack system as well as a kill-switch. Guess it helps to have a boost design an anti-theft system, eh?" George laughed heartily, along with everyone else as Jake slid behind the wheel.
Jake looked back at Frank. Frank merely smiled a myterious smile.
"I'll see you in the office early tomorrow morning, right Agent Shaw?"
"Maybe." Jake grinned and turned over the engine. The 426 Hemi engine roared to life, snarling like a mythical dragon who'd been woken up.
****
Jake was the last one to arrive. In truth he'd been the first one there, but he'd sat outside in the dark until he felt like he could look at these people again. Once he opened the garage bay door, he heard everyone's voices mingling together. Despite the size of the door, it was silent and no one noticed that he was there.
There was a table with all sorts of food piled on it. There was a large bucket with drinks icing down in it near by the table and everyone - including Frank himself - was lounging around in various chairs, automobile seats and etc. Off to one side were different cars that the owners had put in to George to have refurbished, repainted, rebuilt and so on... but there was one that was completely covered with a drop cloth.
Sara was the first to see him and she stood up with a bright smile. "Hey Jake!! grab a beer and have a seat, we were just about to explain what was going on here."
Alex and Monica scooted over on the pickup truck bench seat and made room for him. He still couldn't look Donny or Sweet in the eyes. Donny and Sweet just smiled and patted his shoulder on the way by.
Sara perched herself on the tail of Chevy Corvette and smiled. "You guys with Jake are probably wondering why this party is going on. Today was Fian's birthday."
Jake's eyes widened. Alex, Monica, Cody, and Frank all turned to look at him.
"Now, this isn't going to be morbid or anything. Fian's life was about pushing it to the limit and enjoying everything that came her way." Donny and Sweet smiled, watching Jake. He looked like he was about to burst out into tears. Alex had put one arm around his shoulders and was trying to soothe him a bit.
"So, in honor of Marissa Fian Randall, I say lift a bottle and have a drink on her." There were a few 'here here's and quiet cheers. "I also asked Agents Cross, Davis, Donovan, Shaw and Mouse," she winked at Cody, who grinned back at her, "to honor them. My sister trusted you with her life and you didn't let her down. She got one last chance to do what she loved and I know she died a happy woman. Agent Donovan, I know the strings you pulled for her and I thank you. She never would have taken the offer, but I thank you all the same. Agents Cross and Davis, you never looked down on her for what she was, instead you took what she threw at you and learned it. Fian loved cars, any chance she got to share that knowledge with someone else made her feel better about being her. Mouse... Fian didn't really talk about you except to say that if she had it to do over again, she'd handcuff you to the desk..."
Scattered laughter among the group turned Cody's cheeks pink. Frank chuckled and spoke up. "Sara."
"Yes Frank?"
"How do you know all this?"
"She called me. The night before the boost she called me to talk. She told me that Donny had paid her a visit after everyone had gone home. She needed to hear my voice one last time. Fian knew things instinctually and told me she had a feeling that things were going to be different when this was over. She also wrote a letter to me that night after she hung up."
Frank smiled and nodded. That sounded like Speed to him. He chanced a look at Jake, who was staring blankly at the floor.
"Which brings me to Jake. I need to talk to him alone."
Jake looked up at Sara, who smiled back kindly at him and offered her hand.
She pulled him to the side away from everyone else. "In that letter she wrote to me," her voice was hushed and she put him between herself and everyone else. "There was a letter to you." she pulled it out of her jacket and handed it to him.
"She instructed me to give it to you in the event that she died. It arrived the day after I got a call from George. She loved you Jake. She didn't realize it until that night when Donny told her things had changed. Until then, she chalked it up to a desire for revenge for putting her away. But in the end, she knew it was love. And it was love that put her in harm's way - not a promise she made to Agent Donovan. She told me about that too. Donny told me about her reaction when Switch said he had you. God himself couldn't have kept her from coming to help you. Jake, she wouldn't want you to go on like this. There is another envelope for you, if you want it."
She handed him the other envelope. It was a padded envelope and sealed with only his name written on it in Marissa's handwriting. After he'd taken it, she stretched up and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Life's for living Jake. Get busy living it." With that, she left him and rejoined the party.
She hugged George, Donny, Sweet and Flynn. George asked her something, Frank wasn't sure was it was, but as she answered, she motioned to the object covered by the drop cloth. Everyone was getting up to get something to eat as Jake opened the letter. It was in Marissa's handwriting too. He read it slowly, the other envelope in his hand forgotten as he did. The letter told him everything that Sara had said. By the time he'd read the letter, he was crying again. Marissa had said in the letter that she wouldn't change anything, that if something were to happen to her, she had no regrets and was at peace with it. She only hoped that Jake could find the peace he'd need in the end if something happened.
"What's that?"
Jake looked up to see Cody standing next to him with a beer held out. He was asking about the padded envelope. Shrugging, he folded up the letter from Marissa and opened up the other one. Out fell another letter, a locket and a pair of keys. Jake held up the locket as Cody bent to pick up the keys.
Sara heard the faint jingling and smiled. It was time. She blew a kiss towards Jake, then while everyone was busy talking to each other, she slipped out a side entrance. Jake didn't need her there anymore and he knew how to get ahold of her later if he needed to.
Cody looked at Jake, Jake at Cody. Monica and Alex stood up and inched over. They'd seen the keys hit the concrete floor and were just as curious. Frank however, remained where he was sitting next to Donny.
"Think he's got any idea?" Frank looked over at Donny.
"Not a clue." Donny clinked his beer bottle with Frank's and winked.
Jake opened up the letter and read it quickly. 'Jake, I'm sorry that this is the way I get to do this. But it's better than in private, less chance of refusal. The locket was Fian's as a child, she gave it to me when I left for California. I was going to give it to her along with the keys.'
Jake looked at the locket, then opened it. Inside was a picture of a younger Fian hugging a much younger Sara. His eyes welled up again as he finished reading the letter out loud. 'The keys were to be a birthday gift for Fian when she got out of prison. She fell in love only once before and it was with that beast she sacrificed herself for me over. When I came across this poor baby, I knew it was time. A lot of love and time went into this and I can think of no better lover to give this Lady to. She's yours. Tricksy (aka Sara)'
Alex and Monica both dropped their jaws and looked up at Jake. Cody still had the keys in hand and started burbling something that sounded like 'oh yeah baby!!' Frank and Donny grinned even wider as Sweet and George walked over to the drop cloth.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!! It's our pleasure to present to you the 1971 Plymouth 426 Hemi Cuda Convertible!"
There, glittering in the overhead flourescent lighting, was Christine. Well, another version of Christine. This one was icey silver with black and chrome detailing. Jake walked towards the car slowly, the locket dangling in his fingers. Cody squealed and ran over to it, Alex smiled, tears welling up in her own eyes as she hugged Jake. Monica grabbed Cody by the arm and dragged him off of the car. Frank stood up and pulled the keys from Cody's fingers to hand them to Jake.
"Like the lady said, she's yours. If you want her, that is."
Jake looked up. "You knew?"
"Yeah. When she got in contact with me a week or so ago, she asked a few too many questions and I had to pin her down. That was the phone call she got. Her ex-husband's little brother got the car delivered out this morning."
Jake smiled. This was Christine... "426 Hemi engine?"
George smiled and stepped aside. "Uh huh."
"Twin Carter AFB four-barrels?"
"490 torque, 425 horsepower and Tricksy added in a custom designed CD stereo and a LoJack system as well as a kill-switch. Guess it helps to have a boost design an anti-theft system, eh?" George laughed heartily, along with everyone else as Jake slid behind the wheel.
Jake looked back at Frank. Frank merely smiled a myterious smile.
"I'll see you in the office early tomorrow morning, right Agent Shaw?"
"Maybe." Jake grinned and turned over the engine. The 426 Hemi engine roared to life, snarling like a mythical dragon who'd been woken up.
****