Title: A Slightly Different Rush

Summary: Carter's niece and Lee's nephew meet up, and the adventures continue!

Disclaimer: Rush Hour, Rush Hour 2, and the characters do not belong to me in any way.

Authors Note: Forgive me, readers, but because my knowledge of Chinese culture is not satisfactory enough to place the setting in Hong Kong, most of the action will take place in L.A. Enjoy!

PROLOGUE

"Kiara!" Mrs. Johnson called from the bottom of the stairs. "Kiara, get down here! You're going to miss your flight!"

Kiara Johnson appeared at the top of the stairs, laden with suitcases, and looked sullenly at her aunt. "Mama, I don't wanna go!"

"For the last time, Kaye, honey, your uncle and I both agreed that it's best for you to have some fun this summer. You spend so much time studying and practicing those silly martial arts...you should be having fun! And where could you have more fun than in L.A. with your Uncle James." she winked. "And you know he's wild." Kiara allowed a small smile. She'd only met her Uncle Carter twice, and each visit had been a memorable affair.

"But what I am I supposed to do, Aunt Sarah?" Kiara wined once again. "I mean, Uncle James is an LAPD detective! What am I gonna do?"

Her aunt looked smug at being able to provide an answer for her quick-witted niece for once. "Your uncle said that he's taking a vacation." She smiled and embraced Kiara before shooing her out the door and into a cab. "He's thrilled to be having you over for the summer", she said reassuringly.

~___________~

"Damn! What the hell you doing, sending that girl over here?" LAPD Detective James Carter shouted into his cell phone. Lee looked up from his menu. They were at McDonalds, or "Mickey D's" as Carter had put it. Lee was still trying to figure out the menu. He would have asked Carter for assistance, but he was busy swearing at the on the other line of his flashy-looking cell phone.

"No...Jeez, listen, it's not as if I don't like Kaye-"

A pause. "Yes, but I'm on vacation, dammit! And it's the last one that I'm gonna get for a while. I need my paycheck, too, you know."

Another pause.

"Well, why didn't you say so? I'll be glad to have her over. What time, did you say? Okay. I mean it, Larry. If I don't get that check, I'm gonna bust you once and for all...Yeah, bye."

Lee gave up on contemplating why his hamburger was "Happy" and looked at Carter. "Who was that?" he asked. Carter shrugged and grabbed one of his French fries. "That was Larry", he said. "He wants me to take care of our niece for a month." He sighed. "She arrives tomorrow at noon"

"I did not know that you had a niece."
"And I didn't know that you had a thing for little cheap plastic fast food toys." Lee quickly dropped the little racecar that had come with his Happy meal.

"Some things are better left unmentioned, Lee."

"My nephew, he is also visiting LA. That is a coincidence, yes?"

"You have a nephew? I didn't know you had a nephew."

"He is not really my nephew. He is the son of one of my good friends who...passed away a few years back. I am fond of him."

"Sorry about that, bro. Well, that's all good. Your nephew can teach Kaye Kung Fu, and Kaye can teach him that in America, you don't eat French fries with chopsticks! Good God Lee, you always embarassin' me!"

"No, you are embarrassing me!" Lee hissed.

Carter sighed. "C'mon Lee, let's go back to the hotel. The game's about to start." He got up from the booth. Lee started to follow. He hesitated, then grabbed the small red plastic racecar and hurried to catch up to Carter.

Well, that was just an introduction to the whole story. In Chapter 1, everybody meets Kiara.

~Marisa.