Hide and Seek
"Do you remember which alley my Civic is in?" Tianna asked as she slipped her arm into Dom's as they headed down the sidewalk.
"Yeah, it's this one right up here." Dominic pointed at the alley about ten feet in front of them and to the right.
Tia's blue eyes darted about, not much of this looked familiar, "How do you know? With all the commotion, and cops, and chaos...."
Dom shrugged, "I'm not sure how I even found you actually. So, I couldn't tell you how I'm sure this is the alley." They walked into that alley and stopped.
"Well, the skid marks and blood, might be a clue." Tia said casually and headed further into the alley toward her car.
Dominic hesitated, remembering the violent scene from the previous night. When he saw them shoot her, he was overcome with a sense of loss that he couldn't explain. He shook the thoughts from his head and followed after her, she was alive, last night didn't matter today. "Holy shit, Princess. How'd you do that?"
Tia was crouched on the pavement in front of her car, with her hands in her hair, and curses spewing out of her mouth, "I can't believe it's this fucking bad." Both ends were fairly crunched up, the paint job was practically destroyed. To her it looked not repairable.
"You turned the car all the way around-- with out getting yourself killed, or blown up."
Tia gave Dominic a pathetic look, "I can't fix this, Toretto."
Dom chuckled, "Have some faith. I'm sure the car will be fine, but you don't believe me do you?" When Tia shook her head no, Dom continued, "Then we'll take her to Harry's and if he says when can't fix it, then you can complain, but not until then. Okay?"
"Okay."
"Lets go then," Dominic climbed into the car, and Tia followed, climbing in throughout he passengers side window. Once she was situated, Tia handed Dominic the keys. Dom expertly maneuvered the Civic out of the alley with out further damaging the exterior.
When they reached The Racer's Edge, Harry looked the car over and determined that the damage was solely exterior, and could be fixed easily within a couple days. This of course was the same thing Dominic had told Tia on the way over, but she had insisted on the second opinion. After telling Harry to put the cost on Dominic's tab, they headed off again, this time to see Mia.
As they were walking along, Dominic wrapped his arm around Tia's shoulders, edging her a bit closer to him. "I told you so," he teased lightly.
Tia turned her nose up snobbishly, and smirked, "You told me nothing Toretto. I always knew it would be okay."
Dom stopped, and stared after Tia as she kept going, both brows arched. "Oh yeah?" He said, "I don't believe that for a second."
She turned and faced him both hand on her hips, "There was never a doubt in my mind. I told you that car could be fixed," Tianna grinned in a challenging yet, playful way, at Dominic.
"Oh you little--" Dom accepted the challenge and made a grab for the pink haired imp, but she dodged. Swift as a rabbit she weaved her way in and out of the crowd. Dominic kept up, a task he found surprisingly difficult considering she was injured. The two were oblivious to anyone else besides themselves.
"Oh, daisies," Tia stopped abruptly, to grab a daisy from a vendor's bucket. Almost directly after she brought that daisy up to her nose was she snatched up by to strong arms and twirled about in the air. "Put me down!" She squealed through a fit of giggles.
Dominic stopped twirling and turned Tia so that she was facing him, still up in the air, Tia would ask, "Please, put me down? It's weird not touching the ground." She scrunched her nose up in a cute way.
Dom slowly set her down, their bodies sliding together as the action was done. Dominic hands lingered low on Tia's waist and her own were brought up the rest around his neck. They both leaned in toward each other, and it seemed they were going to share a kiss when the purr of a car nearing, caused Tia to focus all her attention toward the sleek black Porsche driving slowly down the road.
Dominic watched, though without an understanding, what was going on. Whoever was driving the vehicle seemed to be looking for something though the windows were tinted so he couldn't be certain. Worse was his observation of the girl. She trembled visibly and the daisy in her white knuckled fist, was broken. His friend's blue eyes were wide, with what he thought was fear, and turned, with and unblinking gaze, on the black Porsche.
They car drove on, without seeming to notice her and Tia let out the breath she'd been holding, and looked down at her hand upon noticing the stickiness there. She frowned at the broken flower, reached in her pocket and pulled out a dollar for the man, "Sorry about the flower." Then she started walking again.
"Who was that, Princess?" Dom asked as he regained his place at Tia's side.
Tianna offered Dominic and apologetic gaze, "We have to be getting to the shop. We have to tell Mia about what you told Romeo."
"You told Ro that, you were sick and I asked Tia to stay with you? All because you let her sleep late, and made her late for work, like I told you not to."
"Yeah basically," Dominic said with a boyish smile.
"So now you want me to continue this lie for you, which, if I do, and you get caught, then I'll be going down in flames with the two of you. It'd be easier just for me to tell him and keep myself safe."
"No! Please, Mia, don't tell Romeo. He's such a pain in the ass." Tia pleaded, adding in the whole pout and puppy dog eyes.
"Fine. I will. It's a one time only deal though. Got it?"
"Yeah."
"We got it."
"Good. Now leave. I can't lie for you if you're here, and he usually comes to lunch around now."
"Really? It's kind of early."
"No I mean now. He driving here now. You guys have to hide. He's coming, I can see that Mustang of his now."
"Shit!" Dominic cursed and jumped over the counter to hide on the floor behind it.
"What are you doing, Dominic?" Tia climbed up in her stool, to lean over the counter and peer at Dom, but as soon as she poked her head and shoulders over the counter, Dom grabbed her and pulled her down on top of him. Tia squealed and giggled, and Dom was forced to cover her mouth, until she quieted.
"Hey Ro. How's it going?"
"Not too terrible considering my best worker is baby-sitting you brother."
"He was sick, Ro, what was I supposed to do if he started puking his guts out all over the place?"
A look of disgust graced Romeo's features, "Lovely, Mia."
Mia grinned, "What can I get you for lunch?"
"Turkey Club, and a Corona."
"Coming right up." Mia fixed the sandwich and pulled the beer out of the refrigerator and started to make it to go.
"That's okay Mia, I'm eating here today."
Mia glanced down quickly, and saw Tia and Dom curse silently, then smiled cheerfully at Romeo and set his food and drink on the counter. "There you go."
Romeo tossed six bucks on the counter for Mia, and began to eat his sandwich, "So how badly off was Tia when Dominic found her?"
"Well she was sh--" Her words were cut off when Tianna smacked her in the leg, "She was a little shaken up, had a couple scrapes and bruises, a twisted ankle. She said she was doing pretty good."
"Well considering some of the things she's been through with her dad, a couple scrapes and bad ankle, is nothing to her."
Dominic looked questioningly at Tia, and when she turned away to hide the memories in her eyes, his hand lightly dragged along her jaw, to turn her back to him. "Your dad?" He mouthed. When she stared into his eyes, Dominic knew she was trying to decide if she could trust him. So when she nodded, he could practically see her heart breaking in those eyes. Dominic wrapped his arms around the girls and just held her. It was a silent vow of protection.
"Well, that's none of my business so I wont ask. Though I'm not entirely sure that, that makes me feel better about her situation."
"It was just a poorly given, and entirely unnecessary, insight into a life I don't expect anyone would understand." Ro finished off his sandwich, and stood. I should be getting back. Charlie's the type to burn a place down if he's not under constant supervision."
"A pyromaniac?"
"No," Romeo laughed, "An idiot."
"Do you remember which alley my Civic is in?" Tianna asked as she slipped her arm into Dom's as they headed down the sidewalk.
"Yeah, it's this one right up here." Dominic pointed at the alley about ten feet in front of them and to the right.
Tia's blue eyes darted about, not much of this looked familiar, "How do you know? With all the commotion, and cops, and chaos...."
Dom shrugged, "I'm not sure how I even found you actually. So, I couldn't tell you how I'm sure this is the alley." They walked into that alley and stopped.
"Well, the skid marks and blood, might be a clue." Tia said casually and headed further into the alley toward her car.
Dominic hesitated, remembering the violent scene from the previous night. When he saw them shoot her, he was overcome with a sense of loss that he couldn't explain. He shook the thoughts from his head and followed after her, she was alive, last night didn't matter today. "Holy shit, Princess. How'd you do that?"
Tia was crouched on the pavement in front of her car, with her hands in her hair, and curses spewing out of her mouth, "I can't believe it's this fucking bad." Both ends were fairly crunched up, the paint job was practically destroyed. To her it looked not repairable.
"You turned the car all the way around-- with out getting yourself killed, or blown up."
Tia gave Dominic a pathetic look, "I can't fix this, Toretto."
Dom chuckled, "Have some faith. I'm sure the car will be fine, but you don't believe me do you?" When Tia shook her head no, Dom continued, "Then we'll take her to Harry's and if he says when can't fix it, then you can complain, but not until then. Okay?"
"Okay."
"Lets go then," Dominic climbed into the car, and Tia followed, climbing in throughout he passengers side window. Once she was situated, Tia handed Dominic the keys. Dom expertly maneuvered the Civic out of the alley with out further damaging the exterior.
When they reached The Racer's Edge, Harry looked the car over and determined that the damage was solely exterior, and could be fixed easily within a couple days. This of course was the same thing Dominic had told Tia on the way over, but she had insisted on the second opinion. After telling Harry to put the cost on Dominic's tab, they headed off again, this time to see Mia.
As they were walking along, Dominic wrapped his arm around Tia's shoulders, edging her a bit closer to him. "I told you so," he teased lightly.
Tia turned her nose up snobbishly, and smirked, "You told me nothing Toretto. I always knew it would be okay."
Dom stopped, and stared after Tia as she kept going, both brows arched. "Oh yeah?" He said, "I don't believe that for a second."
She turned and faced him both hand on her hips, "There was never a doubt in my mind. I told you that car could be fixed," Tianna grinned in a challenging yet, playful way, at Dominic.
"Oh you little--" Dom accepted the challenge and made a grab for the pink haired imp, but she dodged. Swift as a rabbit she weaved her way in and out of the crowd. Dominic kept up, a task he found surprisingly difficult considering she was injured. The two were oblivious to anyone else besides themselves.
"Oh, daisies," Tia stopped abruptly, to grab a daisy from a vendor's bucket. Almost directly after she brought that daisy up to her nose was she snatched up by to strong arms and twirled about in the air. "Put me down!" She squealed through a fit of giggles.
Dominic stopped twirling and turned Tia so that she was facing him, still up in the air, Tia would ask, "Please, put me down? It's weird not touching the ground." She scrunched her nose up in a cute way.
Dom slowly set her down, their bodies sliding together as the action was done. Dominic hands lingered low on Tia's waist and her own were brought up the rest around his neck. They both leaned in toward each other, and it seemed they were going to share a kiss when the purr of a car nearing, caused Tia to focus all her attention toward the sleek black Porsche driving slowly down the road.
Dominic watched, though without an understanding, what was going on. Whoever was driving the vehicle seemed to be looking for something though the windows were tinted so he couldn't be certain. Worse was his observation of the girl. She trembled visibly and the daisy in her white knuckled fist, was broken. His friend's blue eyes were wide, with what he thought was fear, and turned, with and unblinking gaze, on the black Porsche.
They car drove on, without seeming to notice her and Tia let out the breath she'd been holding, and looked down at her hand upon noticing the stickiness there. She frowned at the broken flower, reached in her pocket and pulled out a dollar for the man, "Sorry about the flower." Then she started walking again.
"Who was that, Princess?" Dom asked as he regained his place at Tia's side.
Tianna offered Dominic and apologetic gaze, "We have to be getting to the shop. We have to tell Mia about what you told Romeo."
"You told Ro that, you were sick and I asked Tia to stay with you? All because you let her sleep late, and made her late for work, like I told you not to."
"Yeah basically," Dominic said with a boyish smile.
"So now you want me to continue this lie for you, which, if I do, and you get caught, then I'll be going down in flames with the two of you. It'd be easier just for me to tell him and keep myself safe."
"No! Please, Mia, don't tell Romeo. He's such a pain in the ass." Tia pleaded, adding in the whole pout and puppy dog eyes.
"Fine. I will. It's a one time only deal though. Got it?"
"Yeah."
"We got it."
"Good. Now leave. I can't lie for you if you're here, and he usually comes to lunch around now."
"Really? It's kind of early."
"No I mean now. He driving here now. You guys have to hide. He's coming, I can see that Mustang of his now."
"Shit!" Dominic cursed and jumped over the counter to hide on the floor behind it.
"What are you doing, Dominic?" Tia climbed up in her stool, to lean over the counter and peer at Dom, but as soon as she poked her head and shoulders over the counter, Dom grabbed her and pulled her down on top of him. Tia squealed and giggled, and Dom was forced to cover her mouth, until she quieted.
"Hey Ro. How's it going?"
"Not too terrible considering my best worker is baby-sitting you brother."
"He was sick, Ro, what was I supposed to do if he started puking his guts out all over the place?"
A look of disgust graced Romeo's features, "Lovely, Mia."
Mia grinned, "What can I get you for lunch?"
"Turkey Club, and a Corona."
"Coming right up." Mia fixed the sandwich and pulled the beer out of the refrigerator and started to make it to go.
"That's okay Mia, I'm eating here today."
Mia glanced down quickly, and saw Tia and Dom curse silently, then smiled cheerfully at Romeo and set his food and drink on the counter. "There you go."
Romeo tossed six bucks on the counter for Mia, and began to eat his sandwich, "So how badly off was Tia when Dominic found her?"
"Well she was sh--" Her words were cut off when Tianna smacked her in the leg, "She was a little shaken up, had a couple scrapes and bruises, a twisted ankle. She said she was doing pretty good."
"Well considering some of the things she's been through with her dad, a couple scrapes and bad ankle, is nothing to her."
Dominic looked questioningly at Tia, and when she turned away to hide the memories in her eyes, his hand lightly dragged along her jaw, to turn her back to him. "Your dad?" He mouthed. When she stared into his eyes, Dominic knew she was trying to decide if she could trust him. So when she nodded, he could practically see her heart breaking in those eyes. Dominic wrapped his arms around the girls and just held her. It was a silent vow of protection.
"Well, that's none of my business so I wont ask. Though I'm not entirely sure that, that makes me feel better about her situation."
"It was just a poorly given, and entirely unnecessary, insight into a life I don't expect anyone would understand." Ro finished off his sandwich, and stood. I should be getting back. Charlie's the type to burn a place down if he's not under constant supervision."
"A pyromaniac?"
"No," Romeo laughed, "An idiot."
