Author's Notes: This is a fic done to the lyrics of "No Ordinary Love" by Slade. The bits in italics are flashbacks ;-)
Disclaimer: I don't own them, I just take em out for a spin once in a while :)

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A single tear trickles slowly down my cheek as I sit under the stars, thinking of the past and everything I had. Slowly an image forms in my mind; the face of a beautiful woman, a woman I haven't thought about for many years. Ameret, my first love, the woman I loved more than anything in the entire universe. A sad smile tugs at the corners of my mouth as I allow the memories of her to surface, the way the day seemed brighter every time she smiled. Another face comes to mind, that of Marcus, and I breathe a heavy sigh, remembering all the good times I had as a young man, before the weight of the world finally caught up with me. Marcus and I were friends even before I knew Vince, our fathers raced on the same circuit for many years. We were as close as brothers as kids, got into trouble together as teenagers and we just grew closer as we got older.

Another tear falls unnoticed as I recall the day Ameret, his older sister, came to live with them for the first time. Their mom had been sick for several months and, when she finally succumbed to her illness, Ameret was sent to live with her brother Marcus and their father, James. The first time I saw her, I knew I wanted to spend my life with her, but she saw me in the same way she saw Marcus, as a younger brother. I chuckle softly as I remember the first time I told her I was in love with her...

********

Angry black clouds move overhead as I run up the long driveway, towards Marcus' house. I skid to a halt, my chest heaving as I try to catch my breath but the air is heavy and I can't seem to get enough oxygen into my lungs.
"Sure sign a storm's comin!" I mutter wryly. I spin around at the sound of soft laughter, the brewing storm forgotten as I come face to face with the object of my recent fantasies.

"What's the matter Dom? Don't you like storms?" she quizzes me, her silky voice bubbling with amusement, pale blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Nah, I prefer nice sunny days," I respond, keeping my tone light as I struggle to make sure she doesn't hear in my voice just how nervous I am suddenly. My heartbeat sounds overly loud in the stillness of the morning, as if the world has paused while it waits for me to confess my feelings. The woman before me has been the center of my life since she walked in three months before; she's all I can think about during the day, and she haunts my dreams at night. The logical part of my brain tells me that she can't hear the thundering of my heart against my ribcage but logic is something I don't seem to be able to grasp at this moment.

"Why? So you can show off your muscles for the girls?" she laughs, winking seductively. My heart leaps as I see that wink, suddenly sure that she feels the same way about me that I feel about her.

"No, so I can take you for a walk along the river and tell you how much I love you," The words spill out before I know what I am saying and my breath catches in my throat as the seconds tick by slowly. The silence lengthens and I feel a distance beginning to form between us as her smile slips, her eyes no longer filled with laughter, as they had been moments before. My chest tightens as she shakes her head, the luscious mane of golden hair moving like waves on the ocean with every movement.

"Dominic... I..." She hesitates, but her denial of my love is obvious and I turn away, not wanting to see the pity in her eyes that I'm sure is there. Without letting her say another word, I walk back down the driveway, my heart breaking with each step.


********

The first rays of sunlight begin to slide over the empty landscape around me, ushering in a new day. It's one more day I'll spend alone, with only my regret for company. My hands, resting limply in my lap, are wet with my tears but I don't care any more. It's been eight months since the day Tran killed Jesse and the pain of that day grows with each day, as I try to come to terms with the fact that I've lost everything. More memories of my youth pour into my mind as my grief threatens to consume me completely...

********

"Shit!" I curse quietly as I sit in my room, staring out of the window and watching Ameret leave the house with her brother. It's been six weeks since the day I screwed up, and I know that my dumb confession is the reason she's been avoiding me.

"The Valentine's card probably didn't help matters, ya idiot!" I berate myself, knowing those two things were the reason for the strain on my friendship with Marcus. I still can't believe I was stupid enough to write that dumb message in it either... "Ameret, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Your sweet smile brightens up each and every day. You are the only woman for me. Since you came my way, no one else can compare. Be mine". Sighing angrily, I grab my jacket from the chair and storm out of the house, hoping a long walk might help to cool the emotions boiling inside me.


Darkness descends around me, the deep red colour of the sky sending shivers down my spine as the sun sinks slowly behind the horizon. I don't know how long I've been walking or, I realise suddenly, where I am but I don't care. Silently, I curse myself again for my stupidity.

"You should have asked Marcus to drop some subtle hints, find out if she was interested" I mutter to the darkness, knowing he would have done all he could to help me. He knew I loved his sister, he'd sensed it from the beginning, and all Marcus ever wanted was for me to be happy. And now it's too late; Ameret hates me and my best friend is avoiding me, both hurt by a single moment when I acted without thinking of the consequences. Slowly, a smile spreads across my face as an idea comes to mind, a way for me to repair the damage I've done. If I apologise to both of them, they might find it in their hearts to forgive my indiscretion, and maybe we can all start anew! Turning on my heel and ignoring the sudden pain in my chest, I begin walking back towards home, hoping I'm not too late to undo the harm I've caused.


Walking all night, the pain in my chest coming and going, I finally get back to town as the sun begins to rise on a new day. Smiling broadly, I'm in good spirits as I hurry back to make amends, dismissing the slight feeling of foreboding, thinking it is simply worry that my apology will not be accepted. I break into a run as I turn the corner into our road, reaching her house and taking the steps two at a time as I hurry to try and make things right. Gasping for breath, I knock twice on the door, composing myself as I wait for either of them to answer. Seconds stretch into minutes as I wait and fear begins to build as I start to panic, wondering where they are.

"Maybe they've gone into town?" I tell myself, quashing the fear as I bolt down the steps and head towards town. I take only a few steps before I see her, the woman I love, walking slowly down the street towards me. My soul sours as I see her, my smile widening as I rush up the road to her. As I get closer, my heart sinks; I can see she's been crying and the pain on her face terrifies me. Shivering in dread, I stop a few feet from her.

"Ameret?" Calling her name softly, I wait for her to close the distance between us. She stops in front of me, her eyes read and puffy as she looks up at me, taking a few moments to focus.

"Dom?" she breathes quietly, her voice filled with agony and sadness. "I've been looking for you all night. There's something I need to tell you..."

"Me too. Where's Marcus? I need to talk to both of ya. It's really important," I tell her, trying to keep the fear from my voice. As she begins to answer, everything around me suddenly falls out of focus...


I stand there, unable to comprehend what is being said to me, not wanting to believe the words I'm hearing. Ameret looks at me, tears running down her cheeks as she tries to make me understand what has happened.

"Dead? How?" I manage to whisper, my eyes filling with tears as my world collapses around me.

"It was an accident. A hit and run. The driver didn't even stop..." Her voice breaks as she tries to explain, her own grief finally overcoming her. My body aching with the pain of our shared loss, I draw her into my arms, stroking her hair gently in comfort, our sobs mingling as we both allow ourselves to grieve. Her sobs slowly abate as she tries to regain her usual composure, and she draws away from me slightly. Without thinking, I lower my lips to hers, kissing her gently. She stiffens in my arms, pulling away and staring at me in disbelief, a mixture of anger and disgust on her face.

"How dare you?!" she screams at me, slapping me hard across the face. With a disgusted shake of her head, she turns away from me, stepping out into the road as she walks out of my life forever...


********

"No!" I beg quietly to the emptiness of the desert, not wanting to have to see this again, but the memories won't stop now. As the sun sets and the night draws its dark veil over the sky once more, the events of that fateful day force themselves back into my mind, leaving me no option but to relive the last time I lost everything I cared about...

********

The screech of car tyres catches my attention and my head snaps round just in time to see a dark blue ford swing into our road. Misjudging the corner, the driver loses control and the car skids sideways for a few feet before it flips. Rolling over and over, it barrels down the empty street... right towards Ameret. Before I can even open my mouth to shout a warning, the car ploughs into her, throwing her into the air. Her body falls into a crumpled heap a few feet from where the car has finally come to a stop, and she remains there, unmoving. I race to her side, my feet slipping on something wet on the road and causing me to fall beside her. As I look around, bile rises in my throat as I realise that it was blood I slipped on... her blood, pooling around her and inching slowly outwards in an ever-increasing flood.

"Ameret?" I call to her softly, desperately wanting her to answer me. She doesn't reply, she just remains still on the tarmac and, with my heart in my mouth, I reach out and lay my hand on her shoulder. Tenderly I turn her over, fighting hard to suppress the scream of denial that fills my lungs as the cold, hard truth hits me.

She's dying; there's nothing I can do to stop it and nothing I can do to save her.

I gather her broken body into my arms, not noticing as her blood seeps into my shirt. Stroking a lock of blood soaked hair from her face, I murmur incoherently, incapable of forming the words to speak properly. Pressing my lips against hers, I hold her. I'm desperate to close my eyes, not wanting to watch her die, but I'm unable to tear my gaze from her face as her life ebbs away...


********

My heart contracts as I see her again, cradled in my arms, as she draws her last breath and slumps back against my blood covered body. It's a sight I have seen many times in my nightmares, but it never gets any easier to see. It was a sight I swore I would never see again, and it was a promise to myself I had managed to keep... until the day I tried to pull off one last big hijack and messed up everything. And now it's happened again; the woman I love has died because of my actions and I'm the one to blame.

"I'm sorry Letty. I gave you all that I have inside, and you took my love. But my stupidity and arrogance cost you your life." More tears fall as I see your beautiful face, the way you try to fight a smile when you're trying to be serious but your eyes shine with laughter.

"Did I ever tell you what I believe Letty? That there's nothing like you and me baby? Even the love I felt for Ameret doesn't match what I feel for you," I sob, curling into a ball in the dirt of the Mexican desert as I finally see what I've done. Marcus once told me that he believed every person had a soul mate, someone they were destined to meet, and love unconditionally, in each lifetime.

"I know now that was what you were. You were my soul mate baby. Happy Valentine's day Letty," I whisper into the night, hoping you can hear me in Heaven. My tears flow freely and I know I'll keep crying for you, because this was no ordinary love. The love we shared was a love that only happens once in a lifetime, and I will never again know that love. I loved Ameret with all my heart; but I loved you with every fibre of my being. Mind, body, heart and soul were yours, and will be yours forever...