More kudos then you can possibly imagine to the wonderful fantastic
marvellous super nova that is my beta reader!! Jessie I love you! She
helped me SOOOOOOOO much with this story and practically re-wrote the
entire first paragraph for me! Praise to all the deity's for the wonderful
Beta that is Jessie! Check out her site and her own FF's at
Chapter 1
20th May 1999
She looked up from the TV, listening in terrified silence as the rattling grew louder and louder. She listened intently as the car outside rattled noisily, chugging, and stalling as the driver seemed to be grinding the gears, then suddenly with a backfire and a loud clunk, the noise was silenced. Just outside her house.
Quickly turning the TV down. Slowly she crept to the window, warily drawing back the sheer white curtain to peer out at the empty street; Hoping the clunking and grinding of the car she heard approaching wasn't an indication of how badly the driver himself was hurting.
Her fear and curiosity piqued she slowly walked out onto the small, broken- down porch as his dying car lurched into her drive. The formerly beautiful piece of machinery seemed to be past due for a trip to the junk-yard; the hood was crumpled up toward the wind shield like an accordion that's been pressed closed, the wind-shield itself was cracked in multiple spots, the fender and bumper were dangling off, and she didn't want to contemplate why there were bullet holes clearly visible in the body of his car. It scared her too much.
When the car finally stopped growling and sputtering, she cast a worried glance back into the house, then ran through the wet grass in her old slippers and tugged open the rusty driver's-side door. "Are you all right?!" She croaked, leaning into the car interior, trying to make out his face in the poor lighting.
Her face was tight with concern, he hated the way her eyes ceased to shine as she looked him over. He knew what she was seeing as she scanned his frame with her tender hazel eyes. His right eye was black, his lip was crusted with blood, he knew his ribs were most likely cracked - his breathing was painful and raspy. "Leon, are you all right? Please...answer me..." She ran her fingers over his face, trying to bring him back from the daydream - or nightmare- that currently captured him. "I'm okay, 'Nita." He whispered, covering her hands with his larger ones. The blood from his hands that smeared across her cheeks nearly made him sick. "I'm sorry baby, I'm so sorry..." He tried to wipe the blood away with the tears that slid down her face. "Leon stop, stop!" She shouted as he tugged her into his lap. "I'm all right, Anita. I'm all right..." He whispered stroking her silky, red hair.
He knew she was fighting back tears by the way she was shaking and sniffling in his arms. Carefully he wrapped his arms around her, drawing her face to his shoulder, giving her a moment to cry with dignity. Gently he stroked up and down her back, not trying to stop her tears, just trying to comfort her somehow and letting her know he was near. "Come on," She whispered, hastily wiping the tears away after a moment, "let's get you inside an I can clean you up." She got off his lap and tried to help as much as she could while he slowly made his way out of the car. Using all her strength to slam the car door shut, venemously. Then letting him throw his arm across her shoulder, and she wrapped an arm around his waist. "Slow down, you're bleeding, don't add insult to injury." She hissed, listening to his labored breathing. After a few careful minutes, they made it to her living-room.
She ran off to the bathroom gathering things to dress his wounds walking silently back to dump it on the coffee table and sit on her knee's beside it, looking Leon over, with a sick feeling of fear still nestled in her stomach.
Taking his bloodied hand first, she doused it in antiseptic cream rubbing it gently across his hand, jumping as he winced.
Silent minutes later when she'd bandaged up his hand and tended to the cuts and grazes on his face, she looked him over, poking him in the shoulder, watching him jump with concern. "You should go to the hospital, to the emergency room. I'll drive you." She offered softly.
"No. I don't need to go to the hospital. I just need to rest." Leon sighed and grunted in pain, avoiding her eyes' that looked just as in pain as he felt. "It's just a coupla cracked ribs, sweetheart. I promise I'm okay. If I still feel this bad tomorrow. I'll. I'll think about going to the hospital alright?" Leon asked trying to wipe that. expression off her face. That. shuttered, pained, confused look.
Anita nodded, and stood up holding out her hands to him, helping him up, walking him through the house to her bedroom, helping him un-dress, impersonally, helping him into bed, looking down on him worried.
"Come to bed baby. I'll be fine." Leon held his arm up to her.
"I'll sleep on the couch tonight. get some rest." Anita muttered, running a hand over his head still concerned as she wandered out of her room, closing her bedroom doors behind her, grabbing a pillow and a blanket from the hall cupboard, setting herself up on the couch for a restless sleep.
~~~ Flashback~~~
18th May 1999
"Street racing? Are you joking?" Anita asked as she stirred the white sauce, she was making for her lasagna.
"No." Leon said leaning back on the kitchen table chairs comfortably, watching her prepare dinner.
Anita stopped stirring the sauce to look at Leon, surprised, to say the least. "Isn't street racing illegal?" Not to mention dangerous?
"Yeah. it's illegal but it's all organized down to the last detail. there's hardly ever been a crash. We perfectly safe." They'd be lucky to have one a night really.
"But it's dangerous!" Anita declared lifting the sauce off the hot plate, stirring in the cheese, as she kept throwing looks of concern at Leon. "It's illegal because it's dangerous! What happens if you happen to be one of the people that crash? You call it safe then?" Anita demanded.
Leon snorted and shook his head in amusement at the thought. "I won't crash! You know how long I've been doing this? At least 5 years. at least. baby it's all right. I know what I'm doing. No problems." Leon smiled as he scratched the back of his neck lazily.
Anita stirred the meat sauce, frowning at Leon, as she started to layer the lasagna, she shook her own head, "No. Not no problems. I have a problem with this Leon. A big problem. and it's not just one of those little. differences of opinions. this is." Anita stopped what she was doing as she spoke earnestly at him.
Leon shook his head and raised a hand, his face slightly less amused, because of the heavy routine she was playing. Anita's eyes went back to her work as Leon said, "This is nothing. This is nothing to worry about. If you really don't like it, then we just won't talk about it. I thought you mighta liked to come for a look, but if it's a problem..." Leon said off- hand, he tried to share one of his interests with her and she didn't like it. fine. Not just and interest a way of damn life. But fine.
"What about Ricky? Huh? You think it's just that easy to say to a 2 year old, it's not big deal. Leon's doing something dangerous and illegal, and mommy doesn't like it at all, but we aren't going to talk about it so Mommy doesn't have to ever worry that he'll get hurt. Or worse hurt someone else!" Anita sighed as she closed the oven door on her lasagna. She looked at Leon with trouble eyes, hands on her hips.
"Ricky? This is about Ricky? He doesn't even know what street racing is! You think I'd tell him? Ohh no being the criminal reckless bastard that I am, I may as well just take him to the races, be a really bad influence on the kid! I don't know your problem!" Leon said hurt that she would think he would do anything to hurt the little tyke. He stood his arms crossed defensively over his chest.
Anita gasped at him, shocked that he even considered that was what this was about. "I NEVER said you were a bad influence. But. but." Anita tried futilely to control her quick temper. "You KNOW what my problem is Leon! You know!" Anita shook her head.
Leon opened his mouth to reply, but Anita held up one hand, wiping the other on a tea towel, "Look. I have to pick up Ricky now. We'll just. just talk about this later tonight." Anita muttered throwing the dishcloth on the counter, rubbing her forehead.
"Nah, why don't we just leave off for tonight. I don't wanna do this shit any more tonight. I'm gonna go home." Leon said abruptly. needed some time with the boys, 'stead of all these over-dramatic women. Well woman.
Anita looked up at him hurt, "Fine why don't we just leave off for the next week! Or month! OR DAMN FOREVER!" Anita finally shouted.
Leon grunted in frustration, "Fine by me!"
"Fine! You know the way to the door. GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" Anita carried in a high-pitched wobbly screech.
"FUCKING FINE!" Leon snapped back grabbing his keys and storming out of the house.
"GOOD!" Anita threw after him.
"GOOD!" Leon said.
Anita threw the dishcloth at his retreating back, vengefully, as she snatched up her purse and keys and slammed the front door closed.
Chapter 1
20th May 1999
She looked up from the TV, listening in terrified silence as the rattling grew louder and louder. She listened intently as the car outside rattled noisily, chugging, and stalling as the driver seemed to be grinding the gears, then suddenly with a backfire and a loud clunk, the noise was silenced. Just outside her house.
Quickly turning the TV down. Slowly she crept to the window, warily drawing back the sheer white curtain to peer out at the empty street; Hoping the clunking and grinding of the car she heard approaching wasn't an indication of how badly the driver himself was hurting.
Her fear and curiosity piqued she slowly walked out onto the small, broken- down porch as his dying car lurched into her drive. The formerly beautiful piece of machinery seemed to be past due for a trip to the junk-yard; the hood was crumpled up toward the wind shield like an accordion that's been pressed closed, the wind-shield itself was cracked in multiple spots, the fender and bumper were dangling off, and she didn't want to contemplate why there were bullet holes clearly visible in the body of his car. It scared her too much.
When the car finally stopped growling and sputtering, she cast a worried glance back into the house, then ran through the wet grass in her old slippers and tugged open the rusty driver's-side door. "Are you all right?!" She croaked, leaning into the car interior, trying to make out his face in the poor lighting.
Her face was tight with concern, he hated the way her eyes ceased to shine as she looked him over. He knew what she was seeing as she scanned his frame with her tender hazel eyes. His right eye was black, his lip was crusted with blood, he knew his ribs were most likely cracked - his breathing was painful and raspy. "Leon, are you all right? Please...answer me..." She ran her fingers over his face, trying to bring him back from the daydream - or nightmare- that currently captured him. "I'm okay, 'Nita." He whispered, covering her hands with his larger ones. The blood from his hands that smeared across her cheeks nearly made him sick. "I'm sorry baby, I'm so sorry..." He tried to wipe the blood away with the tears that slid down her face. "Leon stop, stop!" She shouted as he tugged her into his lap. "I'm all right, Anita. I'm all right..." He whispered stroking her silky, red hair.
He knew she was fighting back tears by the way she was shaking and sniffling in his arms. Carefully he wrapped his arms around her, drawing her face to his shoulder, giving her a moment to cry with dignity. Gently he stroked up and down her back, not trying to stop her tears, just trying to comfort her somehow and letting her know he was near. "Come on," She whispered, hastily wiping the tears away after a moment, "let's get you inside an I can clean you up." She got off his lap and tried to help as much as she could while he slowly made his way out of the car. Using all her strength to slam the car door shut, venemously. Then letting him throw his arm across her shoulder, and she wrapped an arm around his waist. "Slow down, you're bleeding, don't add insult to injury." She hissed, listening to his labored breathing. After a few careful minutes, they made it to her living-room.
She ran off to the bathroom gathering things to dress his wounds walking silently back to dump it on the coffee table and sit on her knee's beside it, looking Leon over, with a sick feeling of fear still nestled in her stomach.
Taking his bloodied hand first, she doused it in antiseptic cream rubbing it gently across his hand, jumping as he winced.
Silent minutes later when she'd bandaged up his hand and tended to the cuts and grazes on his face, she looked him over, poking him in the shoulder, watching him jump with concern. "You should go to the hospital, to the emergency room. I'll drive you." She offered softly.
"No. I don't need to go to the hospital. I just need to rest." Leon sighed and grunted in pain, avoiding her eyes' that looked just as in pain as he felt. "It's just a coupla cracked ribs, sweetheart. I promise I'm okay. If I still feel this bad tomorrow. I'll. I'll think about going to the hospital alright?" Leon asked trying to wipe that. expression off her face. That. shuttered, pained, confused look.
Anita nodded, and stood up holding out her hands to him, helping him up, walking him through the house to her bedroom, helping him un-dress, impersonally, helping him into bed, looking down on him worried.
"Come to bed baby. I'll be fine." Leon held his arm up to her.
"I'll sleep on the couch tonight. get some rest." Anita muttered, running a hand over his head still concerned as she wandered out of her room, closing her bedroom doors behind her, grabbing a pillow and a blanket from the hall cupboard, setting herself up on the couch for a restless sleep.
~~~ Flashback~~~
18th May 1999
"Street racing? Are you joking?" Anita asked as she stirred the white sauce, she was making for her lasagna.
"No." Leon said leaning back on the kitchen table chairs comfortably, watching her prepare dinner.
Anita stopped stirring the sauce to look at Leon, surprised, to say the least. "Isn't street racing illegal?" Not to mention dangerous?
"Yeah. it's illegal but it's all organized down to the last detail. there's hardly ever been a crash. We perfectly safe." They'd be lucky to have one a night really.
"But it's dangerous!" Anita declared lifting the sauce off the hot plate, stirring in the cheese, as she kept throwing looks of concern at Leon. "It's illegal because it's dangerous! What happens if you happen to be one of the people that crash? You call it safe then?" Anita demanded.
Leon snorted and shook his head in amusement at the thought. "I won't crash! You know how long I've been doing this? At least 5 years. at least. baby it's all right. I know what I'm doing. No problems." Leon smiled as he scratched the back of his neck lazily.
Anita stirred the meat sauce, frowning at Leon, as she started to layer the lasagna, she shook her own head, "No. Not no problems. I have a problem with this Leon. A big problem. and it's not just one of those little. differences of opinions. this is." Anita stopped what she was doing as she spoke earnestly at him.
Leon shook his head and raised a hand, his face slightly less amused, because of the heavy routine she was playing. Anita's eyes went back to her work as Leon said, "This is nothing. This is nothing to worry about. If you really don't like it, then we just won't talk about it. I thought you mighta liked to come for a look, but if it's a problem..." Leon said off- hand, he tried to share one of his interests with her and she didn't like it. fine. Not just and interest a way of damn life. But fine.
"What about Ricky? Huh? You think it's just that easy to say to a 2 year old, it's not big deal. Leon's doing something dangerous and illegal, and mommy doesn't like it at all, but we aren't going to talk about it so Mommy doesn't have to ever worry that he'll get hurt. Or worse hurt someone else!" Anita sighed as she closed the oven door on her lasagna. She looked at Leon with trouble eyes, hands on her hips.
"Ricky? This is about Ricky? He doesn't even know what street racing is! You think I'd tell him? Ohh no being the criminal reckless bastard that I am, I may as well just take him to the races, be a really bad influence on the kid! I don't know your problem!" Leon said hurt that she would think he would do anything to hurt the little tyke. He stood his arms crossed defensively over his chest.
Anita gasped at him, shocked that he even considered that was what this was about. "I NEVER said you were a bad influence. But. but." Anita tried futilely to control her quick temper. "You KNOW what my problem is Leon! You know!" Anita shook her head.
Leon opened his mouth to reply, but Anita held up one hand, wiping the other on a tea towel, "Look. I have to pick up Ricky now. We'll just. just talk about this later tonight." Anita muttered throwing the dishcloth on the counter, rubbing her forehead.
"Nah, why don't we just leave off for tonight. I don't wanna do this shit any more tonight. I'm gonna go home." Leon said abruptly. needed some time with the boys, 'stead of all these over-dramatic women. Well woman.
Anita looked up at him hurt, "Fine why don't we just leave off for the next week! Or month! OR DAMN FOREVER!" Anita finally shouted.
Leon grunted in frustration, "Fine by me!"
"Fine! You know the way to the door. GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" Anita carried in a high-pitched wobbly screech.
"FUCKING FINE!" Leon snapped back grabbing his keys and storming out of the house.
"GOOD!" Anita threw after him.
"GOOD!" Leon said.
Anita threw the dishcloth at his retreating back, vengefully, as she snatched up her purse and keys and slammed the front door closed.
