Title: A Time For Vengeance

Summary: Everyone knows that Dom and Brian killed Johnny and Lance, but what will the return of a powerful ally, and a team to back them up from the Tran's mean for the team who's barely finished picking up the pieces from the last heist?

Disclaimer: I don't own Vin Diesel, or any of the characters from TFATF. I also don't own much of Team Vengeance (anyone who's identity I used, you're your own person, lol).

Quick note: Melanie is 21, Dominic is 24, Mia is also 21, Brian is 23, and Letty and Leon are both 23 as well.

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*Mel's POV*

I opened my eyes and shut them again as the sun blinded me. I turned around, and was greeted by a single, deep red rose on the pillow beside me. This is what I loved about him. He'd always leave a sign that he loved me, maybe a note one day, a rose on another. I snuggled into the blankets, smiling as I thought about last night. The date, dinner, dancing, and then walking along the old ruins of Rome…it was all so perfect; so much like a dream.

But where was the man who'd caused this sweet dream?

I sat up slowly, still not quite awake, and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I took a step out of bed, slipping a silk robe on as I moved. I was living with anything I could ever need. He'd made sure of that. I was his princess, his one love. And he was mine. My dark Prince Charming, I guess. There was no way that he was the guy I could bring home to mommy and daddy, but he'd saved me nonetheless. Gave me my freedom, in a way. I knew I'd never be here without his help.

I heard a sound outside and I glanced out. There he was…Dominic, the man I'd been living with for the past two years. He was climbing out of the pool and sitting on a lawn chair. He looked so good…

I walked out to where the fine Italian man was resting with eyes closed. I stopped for a second, remembering the events of all the past years.

As soon as we'd arrived, Dom went out and got us a little villa out in the suburbs. 'I'll take care of you, ok? You're the only part of my family left now. I can't lose you, love.' That's what he'd told me when I saw the house. He said he loved me, and we'd patched everything up, somehow, working with each other to make the pain of losing our home in LA subside.

At first, we barely talked, just sat there in our little embrace, not wanting to let go for fear of falling away from each other into the wide world around us.

I'd never realized how scary it was out here on earth. The development frightened me and reduced me to a crying child in Dominic's arms. It passed, though. Just like the constant, relentless dream of Jesse being shot by the Tran's. That sweet boy who could light everything up with a tiny smile. We'd loved him so much, everyone had. But he was gone now; the bullets tearing through him couldn't have spared him.

I felt those bullets just as much as he had inside me, inside my head. I lay there at night, my mind working, the life inside myself being torn around. I should've died. Dominic should've let me go in place of the others. I'd paid the worst price for my life; it was my entire fault.

Dom's voice rippled through me as I sat, gathered in thought.

"Morning, baby."

Grinning, I returned, "Same to you, Dommy. Aren't you getting burned?"

"You'll take care of me, won't you? I mean, if I get burned?"

"Of course I would, but you're not getting burned…here." I said to him, taking a bottle and rubbing sun block onto his chest and over his arms.

He smirked and joked, "I could get burned in…other places too, you know."

"Keep your pants on, buddy," I laughed.

"I was talking about my nose, you dirty girl!"

"I'm so sure you were, Dom…"

"I was," he said, sitting up after I'd finished and pressing his lips to mine. I kissed back, admittedly wanting more than he was giving, but it didn't matter whether I got what I wanted or not. It'd probably happen later tonight anyway.

He pulled back, a smile playing on his lips. "I love you, Mel."

I gave him a smile back while saying, "I know, and I love you too, Dom."

A sad look flashed over his face. "Remember when we fought so long ago?"

"Of course I do…how could I forget?"

He opened his mouth and closed it again, like he was thinking of what to say. "Have I ever told you I'm sorry for that?"

"Not exactly…I thought we'd just buried it, you know?" I told him, getting sad at what I'd said. We should've talked those problems through.

"I'm sorry. I really am. I was scared back then. I mean, it seems like everyone leaves me…mom, dad…my family- I've never met them, they never wanted anything to do with Mia or me. I didn't want to get close to you when I knew you'd probably just leave me."

"Oh Dom…I'd never leave you, I promise," I murmured giving him a soft kiss on his parted lips. I pulled back, letting him finish.

"I don't think my dad meant to leave us, either," he whispered back to me, putting his head on my shoulder and burying his face into my hair.

I didn't know what to say, but I let him stay there for the moment, just resting. He sat back up after some time and asked, "What's for breakfast?" He was back; the moment of darkness had passed.

Smiling once again, I reached for his hand, pulling him up and saying, "Whatever you feel like making for me, mi amore."

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Mia sighed softly, looking at a picture of the Toretto team. Before everything happened. Even before Melanie and Dom broken up. It was so long ago now…over three years. There they were, Dom with an arm wrapped around Melanie's waist, Melanie was smiling, laughing actually, at Leon, who was also standing with his arm wrapped around Letty's shoulders. Leon was telling jokes again, and the whole team was laughing. Jesse was grinning widely, a bit of hair that had strayed from his beanie was in his face, and he was leaning on a car next to Vince, whose attention was being showered on Mia. There they stood, like fictional characters from a movie with a happy ending. We should have had a happy ending, Mia thought to herself.

Leon, Letty, Dom, and Melanie were all gone, scattered around different countries. She knew that Mel and Dom were living together in Italy- Melanie had called six months after all that had taken place from a payphone, making sure that Mia knew that they were alright. Mia hadn't heard a word from Letty or Leon at all. She could only guess that they'd moved to Mexico and left the others behind, in the past.

"Mia? You in there?" Vince called softly from outside of her room.

"Yeah, I'm here V."

Vince walked in and sat on Mia's bed next to her. He looked at the picture and understood. He'd always understood Mia, even when Dom couldn't guess what was going through her head, Vince could always tell. Of course, this was because he loved her. He loved her so much, but she'd never know. All his attempts at making her his own had led up to failure. She loved Brian. Brian was the only man for her, and in God's own cruel little gesture, Mia was the only woman for Vince.

"Why?" She asked him now, falling into his arms and sobbing. "Why did they all have to go? We're all alone now…you, Brian, me…Jesse…he's…he's not here, he can't talk to us. It's like he disappeared. He won't open up to anyone. He's so quiet now; I can't take it!"

Vince held back his own tears so that he could be strong for Mia. "Shhh, don't cry, Mi…just don't cry. Jesse's going to be back in no time…He'll return to himself, I know he will."

"No time? What's no time, Vince?" Mia pulled back, screeching. "It's been 8 months now! Eight months, and he doesn't say a word except for 'good morning' or 'thank you' whenever I give him something! If he's not back now, than what exactly do you call no time? Eight months is definitely some time!"

Vince moved further away from her. He hated it when she screamed at him. It only beat it in further that she'd never love him. He was only her big brother's dumb friend. Vince shuddered to himself and backed out of Mia's room, leaving her in her broken state; backing away from yet another failure.

Down the hallway, inside a room, a blonde boy sighed. They were talking about him again. Not talking, fighting. I wish I didn't cause them so much pain…it would've been better if I hadn't survived. These were the thoughts constantly orbiting his mind, filling voids here and there. He was useless, unloved. He looked down at his chest, at the scars where the bullets had flown through him. They hurt, even after two years, like phantom pains that a person without a leg or an arm might feel. Except, for Jesse, the phantom pains were in his heart and soul. He'd wake up in the middle of the night, and he'd still feel the shame and disgust towards himself as he came to Dominic on that day, begging for help, because of his own foolishness.

He should have known not to bet the pink slip; should've listened to Brian. Brian was smart, unlike him. Brian was handsome, also unlike him. Jesse wished that he could have the same self-confidence as Dom, the power and respect that Dom had and received. He wished he had Vince's quality to never give up, and Leon's sense of humor. He wished that he could be smart like Melanie. 'She was such an amazing girl…' he would think to himself, often, as he lay in bed, thinking of the team. She'd been a perfect friend for him: funny, loved computers and cars…his idea of a perfect person. I'll bet that Dom's having the time of his life with her right now… He stopped his train of thought; Dominic was the lucky one, not him. Dom had managed to catch her before a single person could even touch her. She loved him. Not Jesse. It was never Jesse.

Always the Mad Scientist, never the Oh-girl-will-you-check-him-out guy. If only… If only he were better, then he could have the love he always searched for…

Jesse lay back on his bed, imagining himself as a better person than he was, missing the fact that he was already an amazing sort of guy, without even needing muscles or looks. He was adorable as he was. He just lay back and hated himself for being himself.

This is what the great, unbeatable team had come to. This is what had come from the famed Toretto Team. If only the other four knew…

TBC