Chapter 1!
Letitia Lopez sighed as yet another customer approached the kiosk she was standing behind. 'Why do they shop at ten at night?' she wondered. 'Don't these people have lives?'
"Excuse me, Miss? Could I trouble you for a pound coin for the trolley?" An elderley man asked politely.
Letty relented. It wasn't his fault she was pissed off. "No problem." She pasted a smile on her face and beamed unconvincingly at him. "Just a minute."
"Sunita!" she shouted.
"Yeah?" replied her supervisor.
"Trolley for this...gentleman." The words sounded unfamiliar on her tongue. She wasn't used to being so formal, so polite.
Letty didn't think she'd *ever* get used to this country. England. It even sounded strange. Still Dom had thought it best to get as far away as possible. Farther than across the border. So they had come to England. Land of the pound currency, Royal family and constant crappy weather. Letty hated it with a passion.
She was so busy thinking that she didn't even notice she'd stooped cleaning her counter until someone coughed loudly.
"Staring into space agin, Letitia?" asked Carol, the manager, tartly.
"Sorry, I was just thinking."
"You seem to do that a lot Letitia." With a final raised eyebrow, Carol walked away.
Letty sighed. 'Why is that woman always on my back?'
Just then three youths approached her. Letty guessed them to be about seventeen, maybe a little older. One look was enough to convince her that they'd be trouble.
"Hey gorgeous, can I get a litre bottle of Vodka?"
"Sure," Letty smiled agreeably," Just as soon as I get a little I.D." She was finally getting used to the lower age restrictions in this country.
"I'm 19!" The guy eyed her angrily.
"Then you won't have a problem proving it."
"I don't have any on me."
"Then I can't serve you."
"For Christ's Sake, you stupid bitch!!"
"What'd you call me?" Letty was tired. It had been a long day and now this little punk was giving her attitude. She clenched her fists and was about to give him a mouthful when...
"Letty! Start stocking the shelves - I'll close up here. You boys - out! Store's closed now, I'm afraid." There was no arguing with Sunita.
Letty walked slowly into the back storage area and grabbed a cart piled high with toiletries and baby stuff. At least the store was closed now, just an hour until she could go home. Home - that was a joke! No matter how nice Dom fixed the place up, no matter how long they spent there, it would never be home to her.
She began stocking the shelves slowly and methodically, checking the clock every now and then.
It had been her idea to work. They weren't exactly short of money - Dom had seen to that - but they couldn't live off it forever. So Dom had gotten a job as a mechanic, along with Leon. Mia was waitressing in some greasy spoon café and Letty had taken the job at this supermarket, She hadn't wanted to but it made sense. She'd helped out at Toretto's before, behind the counter and stocking shelves. This was no different, and nobody asked too many questions. Just the way she liked it. The hardest thing she'd had to deal with was adjusting to using pennies and pounds.
"Hi Letty."
Startled out of her thoughts, Letty whipped around.
"Oh, hey Jamie."
Jamie worked on the checkouts and stocked shelves. He was about twenty and seemed to have a crush on Letty.
"How you doing?" she asked.
"I'm good," he paused. "Hey, Letty?"
"Yeah?"
"I was thinking, wondering, if you maybe wanted to go for a drink when we finish?"
There was such hope in his eyes that Letty almost couldn't bear to kill it.
"Oh Jay, I'm meeting my boyfriend."
"Oh, okay. Well, uh, I'll see you tomorrow."
Letty watched his retreating back and sighed again. Great, now she felt guilty. He was a nice guy, she didn't want to make him feel bad.
She brushed a few stray strands of hair out of her eyes and picked up a crate of hairspray, stacking it almost mechanically. At least she didn't have to think too hard in this job. Her head was so crowded with thoughts she didn't think she'd be able to work if she had to actually apply herself.
Sometimes the thoughts became nightmares. They were the scary times. She'd wake up covered in a cold sweat, shaking. Then Dom would wrap his arms around her and whisper sweet nothings in her ear until she was lulled back to sleep. She often dreamt of the crash. Her panic as she realised the trucker had a shotgun, Dom's failed attempts to rescue V. Her daring as she drove the car under the truck and out the other side. And then the feeling of utter helplessness as the trucker swerved and bumped her, running her off the road. Terror. Feeling as though she was being pulled in every direction as the Civic flipped over and over. Seemed as if it was never going to end. Lying there, aching and bruised, wondering if she could really hear Leon's voice or if she had died. All that and she'd escaped with a few broken ribs, and torn cartilege in her knee. Lots of cuts and bruises but they all healed without any trouble. Even the one on her cheek. Not even a scar now, well, not unless you looked close. Luckily for her nobody ever got that close. Except Dom. He seemed to spend a lot more time nowadays gazing into her face. Running his fingers gently over her scar again and again. Letty felt her heart twist painfully everytime he looked at her like that, for as she looked into his eyes, she'd see just how much he was haunted by that day. She knew he held himself responsible for her injuries, for V's capture. For Jessie's death.
Jesse. The knowledge that he was gone made Letty groan out loud with pain. The night Dom told her he was dead was the worst of her life. Dom had actually broken down and cried in her arms, shuddering with grief. And again when they'd heard that V had been arrested at the hospital once the police had known he'd survive. He was now serving 18 months at Lompoc. Letty didn't think she'd ever see the day when Dom cried. He wasn't that type of guy. 'But maybe he is now,' she thought. He'd changed, there was no denying that. Not in an obvious way, just little, tiny things. He didn't trust *anyone* anymore. Especially not Mia. He was so careful about everything now, never getting into fights, never getting on the wrong side of anybody. Except on the road. Letty shuddered as she thought of the last time they'd gone driving together. He was more reckless than ever, weaving in and out of cars, leaving skid marks everywhere, he barely drove below 70mph from the time he started the engine to the time he shut it off. Letty had tried to question him about it but he'd just shut her out, carried on as if he hadn't heard anything. His way of telling her to mind her own damn business.
And Mia...Mia troubled her. She carried on as if everything was fine but Letty knew her. She was sinking. The relationship between her and Dom that had seemed rock solid was now as fragile as glass. He still didn't believe that she hadn't known about Brian being a cop. Letty didn't even know if she believed her either.
And as for Letty. She was sinking too. She still had Dom and for that she would forever be grateful. But she had lost everything else. She missed her friends back home, missed her car, missed the house - the 'fort' as the guys called it. And she missed racing. Racing was something she'd lived for since the age of fifteen. It was in her blood like a drug. And going cold turkey was killing her.
"Letitia?"
"Yeah," Letty answered the ever present, irritating voice of Carol.
"Oh, there you are. Should have known you'd be skulking in the aisles. We don't have to have another talk about your responsibilities do we?"
Letty glared at the woman before her, someone she hated with a passion. Someone she wouldn't have thought twice about knocking out, six months ago.
"I..."
"Never mind that. I don't want to hear about any excuses you've got. You can leave now."
"Huh?"
"Go home." Carol looked at her as if she was mad.
Letty looked at the clock. It was, indeed, eleven. 'Guess time flies when you're thinkin',' she thought.
Wheeling the cart into the back of the store, she ran up the stairs and changed quickly into her own clothes and out of the uniform she detested so much. She heaved a sigh of pleasure as she slid on her favourite cream combats, a white wifebeater and her beloved boots. Shrugging into Doms denim jacket, which she'd sneaked out the house, she grabbed her bag and clocked out. It was going to be a long walk home, at least a coupla miles. She didn't usually mind walking it but for some reason tonight, the thought troubled her and she felt an uneasy feeling in her stomach.
She'd just stepped onto the car park when they surrounded her. The monkey's she'd refused to serve. 'Shoulda known Let.'
"Hey baby, fancy meeting you here," said the one as he came to stand toe-to-toe with her. He was at least five inches taller than Letty. 'If you think that's gonna psyche me out, you got another thing comin',' she thought.
"Yeah, real coincidence," she drawled, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
She moved to step round him but he pushed her back and she stumbled into the one standing behind her. Letty suddenley realised she was in real danger and her heart began to beat a tattoo against her ribs. She was tough but there was no way she could take on all three of these guys. She realised she had to make a decision there and then.
In a split second she had punched the guy standing in front of her with such force that he fell. She leapt over him and ran but she could hear him get up behind her, 'Damn, didn't knock the bastard out.' They were right behind her as she ran into the darkness. Suddenley a wall loomed up in front of her and she knew she'd run into a dead end. Cursing herself for being so stupid, she turned to face them as they closed in on her, like hyena's closing in on their prey.
A hand landed on her shoulder and she almost had heart failure in the instant before she heard the voice.
"There a problem here?"
The voice was deep, gravelly and very familiar. Dom.
He stepped out of the shadows and wrapped an arm around Letty. The sheer size of him made the three jerks back off immediately.
"No, man, no problem. We were just...uh, just..."
"Leaving?" Letty supplied helpfully.
"Yeah. Bye."
They disappeared so fast Letty could almost see the dust trailing in their wake. Like cowardly jackals with their tails between their legs.
Dom turned Letty to face him and she sank into his arms, snuggling against his chest.
"Well this is a surprise of perfect timing!" she said.
"Getting into a little trouble were you?"
"What? No! I was totally in control. Totally."
"Uh-huh." Dom remained unconvinced.
"Hey, there were three of them. Am I supposed to be able to take on three of the bastards?"
"No. And you shouldn't be walking home alone at this time either. Not any more."
"Not gonna argue there," Letty replied as she followed Dom to his car, a Honda Civic. Minus decals, plus rear-view mirror, minus NOS, plus speedometer. Things sure had changed for the Toretto team.
She sat in the passenger side and rooted around until she found a CD she deemed suitable.
"So," Dom said, as he peeled out of the car park, "You gonna tell me what that was all about?"
"Later," Letty waved a hand at him half-heartedly. "I'm tired."
Dom glanced at her and nodded. A few seconds later he looked back.
"Isn't that my jacket?"
Letitia Lopez sighed as yet another customer approached the kiosk she was standing behind. 'Why do they shop at ten at night?' she wondered. 'Don't these people have lives?'
"Excuse me, Miss? Could I trouble you for a pound coin for the trolley?" An elderley man asked politely.
Letty relented. It wasn't his fault she was pissed off. "No problem." She pasted a smile on her face and beamed unconvincingly at him. "Just a minute."
"Sunita!" she shouted.
"Yeah?" replied her supervisor.
"Trolley for this...gentleman." The words sounded unfamiliar on her tongue. She wasn't used to being so formal, so polite.
Letty didn't think she'd *ever* get used to this country. England. It even sounded strange. Still Dom had thought it best to get as far away as possible. Farther than across the border. So they had come to England. Land of the pound currency, Royal family and constant crappy weather. Letty hated it with a passion.
She was so busy thinking that she didn't even notice she'd stooped cleaning her counter until someone coughed loudly.
"Staring into space agin, Letitia?" asked Carol, the manager, tartly.
"Sorry, I was just thinking."
"You seem to do that a lot Letitia." With a final raised eyebrow, Carol walked away.
Letty sighed. 'Why is that woman always on my back?'
Just then three youths approached her. Letty guessed them to be about seventeen, maybe a little older. One look was enough to convince her that they'd be trouble.
"Hey gorgeous, can I get a litre bottle of Vodka?"
"Sure," Letty smiled agreeably," Just as soon as I get a little I.D." She was finally getting used to the lower age restrictions in this country.
"I'm 19!" The guy eyed her angrily.
"Then you won't have a problem proving it."
"I don't have any on me."
"Then I can't serve you."
"For Christ's Sake, you stupid bitch!!"
"What'd you call me?" Letty was tired. It had been a long day and now this little punk was giving her attitude. She clenched her fists and was about to give him a mouthful when...
"Letty! Start stocking the shelves - I'll close up here. You boys - out! Store's closed now, I'm afraid." There was no arguing with Sunita.
Letty walked slowly into the back storage area and grabbed a cart piled high with toiletries and baby stuff. At least the store was closed now, just an hour until she could go home. Home - that was a joke! No matter how nice Dom fixed the place up, no matter how long they spent there, it would never be home to her.
She began stocking the shelves slowly and methodically, checking the clock every now and then.
It had been her idea to work. They weren't exactly short of money - Dom had seen to that - but they couldn't live off it forever. So Dom had gotten a job as a mechanic, along with Leon. Mia was waitressing in some greasy spoon café and Letty had taken the job at this supermarket, She hadn't wanted to but it made sense. She'd helped out at Toretto's before, behind the counter and stocking shelves. This was no different, and nobody asked too many questions. Just the way she liked it. The hardest thing she'd had to deal with was adjusting to using pennies and pounds.
"Hi Letty."
Startled out of her thoughts, Letty whipped around.
"Oh, hey Jamie."
Jamie worked on the checkouts and stocked shelves. He was about twenty and seemed to have a crush on Letty.
"How you doing?" she asked.
"I'm good," he paused. "Hey, Letty?"
"Yeah?"
"I was thinking, wondering, if you maybe wanted to go for a drink when we finish?"
There was such hope in his eyes that Letty almost couldn't bear to kill it.
"Oh Jay, I'm meeting my boyfriend."
"Oh, okay. Well, uh, I'll see you tomorrow."
Letty watched his retreating back and sighed again. Great, now she felt guilty. He was a nice guy, she didn't want to make him feel bad.
She brushed a few stray strands of hair out of her eyes and picked up a crate of hairspray, stacking it almost mechanically. At least she didn't have to think too hard in this job. Her head was so crowded with thoughts she didn't think she'd be able to work if she had to actually apply herself.
Sometimes the thoughts became nightmares. They were the scary times. She'd wake up covered in a cold sweat, shaking. Then Dom would wrap his arms around her and whisper sweet nothings in her ear until she was lulled back to sleep. She often dreamt of the crash. Her panic as she realised the trucker had a shotgun, Dom's failed attempts to rescue V. Her daring as she drove the car under the truck and out the other side. And then the feeling of utter helplessness as the trucker swerved and bumped her, running her off the road. Terror. Feeling as though she was being pulled in every direction as the Civic flipped over and over. Seemed as if it was never going to end. Lying there, aching and bruised, wondering if she could really hear Leon's voice or if she had died. All that and she'd escaped with a few broken ribs, and torn cartilege in her knee. Lots of cuts and bruises but they all healed without any trouble. Even the one on her cheek. Not even a scar now, well, not unless you looked close. Luckily for her nobody ever got that close. Except Dom. He seemed to spend a lot more time nowadays gazing into her face. Running his fingers gently over her scar again and again. Letty felt her heart twist painfully everytime he looked at her like that, for as she looked into his eyes, she'd see just how much he was haunted by that day. She knew he held himself responsible for her injuries, for V's capture. For Jessie's death.
Jesse. The knowledge that he was gone made Letty groan out loud with pain. The night Dom told her he was dead was the worst of her life. Dom had actually broken down and cried in her arms, shuddering with grief. And again when they'd heard that V had been arrested at the hospital once the police had known he'd survive. He was now serving 18 months at Lompoc. Letty didn't think she'd ever see the day when Dom cried. He wasn't that type of guy. 'But maybe he is now,' she thought. He'd changed, there was no denying that. Not in an obvious way, just little, tiny things. He didn't trust *anyone* anymore. Especially not Mia. He was so careful about everything now, never getting into fights, never getting on the wrong side of anybody. Except on the road. Letty shuddered as she thought of the last time they'd gone driving together. He was more reckless than ever, weaving in and out of cars, leaving skid marks everywhere, he barely drove below 70mph from the time he started the engine to the time he shut it off. Letty had tried to question him about it but he'd just shut her out, carried on as if he hadn't heard anything. His way of telling her to mind her own damn business.
And Mia...Mia troubled her. She carried on as if everything was fine but Letty knew her. She was sinking. The relationship between her and Dom that had seemed rock solid was now as fragile as glass. He still didn't believe that she hadn't known about Brian being a cop. Letty didn't even know if she believed her either.
And as for Letty. She was sinking too. She still had Dom and for that she would forever be grateful. But she had lost everything else. She missed her friends back home, missed her car, missed the house - the 'fort' as the guys called it. And she missed racing. Racing was something she'd lived for since the age of fifteen. It was in her blood like a drug. And going cold turkey was killing her.
"Letitia?"
"Yeah," Letty answered the ever present, irritating voice of Carol.
"Oh, there you are. Should have known you'd be skulking in the aisles. We don't have to have another talk about your responsibilities do we?"
Letty glared at the woman before her, someone she hated with a passion. Someone she wouldn't have thought twice about knocking out, six months ago.
"I..."
"Never mind that. I don't want to hear about any excuses you've got. You can leave now."
"Huh?"
"Go home." Carol looked at her as if she was mad.
Letty looked at the clock. It was, indeed, eleven. 'Guess time flies when you're thinkin',' she thought.
Wheeling the cart into the back of the store, she ran up the stairs and changed quickly into her own clothes and out of the uniform she detested so much. She heaved a sigh of pleasure as she slid on her favourite cream combats, a white wifebeater and her beloved boots. Shrugging into Doms denim jacket, which she'd sneaked out the house, she grabbed her bag and clocked out. It was going to be a long walk home, at least a coupla miles. She didn't usually mind walking it but for some reason tonight, the thought troubled her and she felt an uneasy feeling in her stomach.
She'd just stepped onto the car park when they surrounded her. The monkey's she'd refused to serve. 'Shoulda known Let.'
"Hey baby, fancy meeting you here," said the one as he came to stand toe-to-toe with her. He was at least five inches taller than Letty. 'If you think that's gonna psyche me out, you got another thing comin',' she thought.
"Yeah, real coincidence," she drawled, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
She moved to step round him but he pushed her back and she stumbled into the one standing behind her. Letty suddenley realised she was in real danger and her heart began to beat a tattoo against her ribs. She was tough but there was no way she could take on all three of these guys. She realised she had to make a decision there and then.
In a split second she had punched the guy standing in front of her with such force that he fell. She leapt over him and ran but she could hear him get up behind her, 'Damn, didn't knock the bastard out.' They were right behind her as she ran into the darkness. Suddenley a wall loomed up in front of her and she knew she'd run into a dead end. Cursing herself for being so stupid, she turned to face them as they closed in on her, like hyena's closing in on their prey.
A hand landed on her shoulder and she almost had heart failure in the instant before she heard the voice.
"There a problem here?"
The voice was deep, gravelly and very familiar. Dom.
He stepped out of the shadows and wrapped an arm around Letty. The sheer size of him made the three jerks back off immediately.
"No, man, no problem. We were just...uh, just..."
"Leaving?" Letty supplied helpfully.
"Yeah. Bye."
They disappeared so fast Letty could almost see the dust trailing in their wake. Like cowardly jackals with their tails between their legs.
Dom turned Letty to face him and she sank into his arms, snuggling against his chest.
"Well this is a surprise of perfect timing!" she said.
"Getting into a little trouble were you?"
"What? No! I was totally in control. Totally."
"Uh-huh." Dom remained unconvinced.
"Hey, there were three of them. Am I supposed to be able to take on three of the bastards?"
"No. And you shouldn't be walking home alone at this time either. Not any more."
"Not gonna argue there," Letty replied as she followed Dom to his car, a Honda Civic. Minus decals, plus rear-view mirror, minus NOS, plus speedometer. Things sure had changed for the Toretto team.
She sat in the passenger side and rooted around until she found a CD she deemed suitable.
"So," Dom said, as he peeled out of the car park, "You gonna tell me what that was all about?"
"Later," Letty waved a hand at him half-heartedly. "I'm tired."
Dom glanced at her and nodded. A few seconds later he looked back.
"Isn't that my jacket?"