A/N - Look people, I'M BACK! For awhile anyway. First off, I'm so sorry. I'm truly sorry for taking forever and a day to post again. You should know that I've had some personal problems to deal with and I still don't have them all taken care of yet. But for the past six months, I have been working when I could. I have more chapters written, but only a few and I can't guarantee I can post them very quickly either. But, I will try my best.

Now for my thank you's: Maroonedpirate11, thank you. You kick-started me to post again. Feel privileged. To Stableperson and Penning Fantasy, thank you. You two are too sweet. And to all of you who still want to read this after so long, thank you. I appreciate all the reviews and hope to see more.

And finally my warning: Okay people, I truly hope you want to read my story after this chapter but this is how it is. In my story, Suki is going to be a lesbian. Sorry to all Suki fans but it is what I have decided for this particular story. In my next story, if I decide to post it, may have Suki totally into guys. But here's the reason behind my decision.

A truly good friend of mine is an author. I wanted her professional opinion of my story, so I let her read what I had. When she brought it back to me, the first thing she said was and I quote, "I want in it!" She then continued to tell me her opinion of my story. Now, out of gratitude for her opinion, I decided to grant her request and add her as a character. It so happens, she is a lesbian. So after thinking about how I could add her, this is what I came up with. I own the second movie and when I watch that first scene, to me, Suki's character could come off as either a lesbian or at least a bi-sexual. So, I decided that I could add my friend as Suki's girl. It's not going to be a major part, just something especially for her.

So, please don't be upset and I truly hope that all of you continue to read my story.

With that said, please read, review, and enjoy. Here is your long, long awaited chapter twelve.

Chapter 12: Remembering Her

After two weeks of being in Miami, Brian was finally settling into his new life. He had bought a houseboat and Tej had offered to let him dock it behind the garage on one condition, that he work for him. Brian had happily agreed. So now he had a car, a job, a place to stay, and he even had begun to make new friends with Tej, Jimmy, and Suki. But the one thing he still didn't have was a family.

Brian got up and stretched as he stepped onto the back deck of his houseboat in a pair of jeans. Must be early. It's quiet out here. He thought as he placed his hands on the roof and leaned over the edge to look up at the morning sky. Man, looks like its going to be a beautiful day. He thought. Damn, I wish I had my surfboard. I bet waves are perfect.

"Hey Bullet." Jimmy called as he stood on the dock near Brian's houseboat. He had just come around the corner of Tej's garage and had noticed Brian standing there.

Turning, Brian smiled. Tej, Jimmy and Suki had been calling him that for almost a week now. Ever since last Friday, when he beat Suki again after she had requested a rematch. Suki had made a comment that he had "flown by like a bullet" and the nickname had stuck. "Hey Jimmy. Wasup, bro?"

"I came to get a head start on that Mustang that came in yesterday. What are you doin' up so early?"

After glancing at his watch which read '7:30 am', he chuckled and said, "Damn, I didn't think it was that early."

"So are you gonna work in the garage today?" Jimmy asked.

Brian thought about it for a moment before answering, "Uh..no, actually. I think I'm gonna head down to the beach." He smiled. "It looks like it's going to be a beautiful day."

Jimmy nodded and turned to head into the garage.

"Hey Jimmy. Is Tej in?"

"Not yet, man. But he should be here in about half an hour. Why?"

"I need to borrow his truck. I wanna get something today and I know for a fact it won't fit in my Skyline." Brian smiled.

~~~~~ Hours later at the beach ~~~~~

"Hey Bullet! I thought that was you." Suki called out as she came walking up the beach toward Brian. Brian was sitting in the sand with his arms wrapped around his legs just staring out at the waves. The surfboard he had bought earlier that morning stuck in the sand not far from him. Lost in thought Brian didn't hear her approaching. "Hey Bullet!" Suki called out again. Still, no response. Suki slowly walked up, not wanting to startle him. She stood there watching him a moment before leaning over and softly cooing, "Bri-an." Brian suddenly snapped back to reality and noticed her standing a few feet from him.

"Oh, hey Suki. What are you doing here?" Brian smiled slightly embarrassed.

Suki smiled to herself thinking, must be a girl. "Oh not much, just came out here with some of my girls. We were hanging out, talking when I noticed you out there." She said pointing to the waves. "So, you really are from California then?"

"Yeah." Brian laughed.

"Mind if I sit down?"

"No, not at all. It might be good to have some company." Brian replied.

Suki smiled sweetly before lowering herself to the sand next to him and stretching her legs out in front of her. She then joined him in staring out to sea. After a few minutes of silence, she leaned back on her palms and smiled to herself as she said, "So, who is she?"

"Wha?" Brian asked turning toward her with a look of shock on his face.

She giggled at his reaction. "I asked, who is she?" She repeated.

"Who's who?" He asked, trying to sound like he didn't know what she was talking about.

"Come on, Bri. I know when someone is thinking about that special someone and you just were. So, who is she?" Suki asked him for the final time. But Brian didn't answer her. A few more minutes passed before Suki pushed, "Come on, you can tell me. I wanna be friends and friends talk."

Brian sat quietly trying to decide if he should talk to her. Suki sat quietly waiting for an answer. Both just looking out as the waves came in.

After awhile and nothing said, Suki decided he wasn't going to talk to her. So she stood up, dusted the sand from her legs and turned to him. "Well Bri, I'm gonna go. It was nice talking to you." She then turned and began walking down the beach toward where she had left the girls.

"Mia." He said quietly after Suki had only taken a few steps.

Suddenly, she stopped and turned back to look at him. She wasn't sure if she had heard him. Because when she looked, he was still staring out at the ocean. As if the girl was out there. "Did you say something Bri?" She asked.

"Mia Toretto." He softly replied still looking out at the ocean. Then looking directly at Suki, he smiled as he said, "Her name was Amelia Dawn Toretto."

Suki smiled sweetly as she walked back over to sit next to him. "Pretty name. What was she like?"

"Amazing." Brian smiled as he closed his eyes, remembering her. Her beautiful face smiling at him, her long dark brown hair, and her beautiful milk chocolate eyes. "She was everything I'd dreamt of. She was beautiful, smart, funny, and caring." He then remembered their one and only date. "She just pulled me in from the moment I first saw her and I told her that too."

"So, how'd you meet?" Suki interrupted, curious.

Brian thought for a moment on how he should tell this story. He decided to slightly alter the events surrounding the event. "Well, I had just moved to L.A. a few weeks before and had yet to find a job. I was driving around town, job hunting, when I stopped at this small luncheonette for something to eat. And there she was, leaning on the service counter, studying.

~~~~~ Flashback - months ago at Toretto's in L.A. ~~~~~

Brian pulled the Eclipse the FBI had just given him into a parking spot across the street from Toretto's. According to the files, Dominic Toretto, the King of the Streets, along with his sister Mia owned this small store/luncheonette. His assignment was to get accepted as a racer and find the team responsible for a series of truck-jackings that were taking place in and around L.A.

Taking a deep breath, Brian opened the door and stepped out into the blazing California sun. Stepping into the shade the building was creating, Brian stopped dead in his tracks. There, leaning over the counter studying a book, was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her really straight dark brown hair had fallen over her shoulders, the tips just grazing the counter. She had on a light blue tank top and faded hip hugger jeans with a two-inch-wide belt. God, she's beautiful, he thought as he slowly walked up to the counter. Brian had been so quiet that the girl had not heard him come in.

"Excuse me, can you tell me what's good to eat here?" He smiled as he took a seat on one of the stools near the counter.

Quickly looking up from the book, the girl finally noticed him. "Oh!" She exclaimed putting down her pencil and tucking some hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in. Can I get you something?" She asked stepping over to stand in front of him.

"What sandwiches have ya got?" He asked taking her in as she stood there. Mere inches in front of him.

"Just about anything, bologna, beef, ham, turkey, chicken, tuna, or I can get ya a pb&j." She replied.

"How's the tuna?"

"Well, actually," she smiled, "it's crap."

"Good, I'll have that." He told her. The girl raised an eyebrow and looked at him as if he were crazy. "What?" He asked a little worried as to why she was looking at him like that.

The girl shook her head. "Nothing. It's your funeral." Then she turned to prepare his sandwich.

Brian laughed a little at her comment. "Hey, can I get that on white? Oh, and could you cut the crust off that too? Please?"

The girl just smiled at him over her shoulder. She came back a few moments later with his tuna sandwich on a plate, just as he had ordered it. She sat the plate in front of him and asked, "Anything else I can get ya?"

"No, that should do it. Thanks, uh? Sorry, I didn't catch your name?"

"Mia. Amelia Toretto actually but everyone calls me Mia. And you are?"

"Brian," He was about to say O'Connor when he remembered his alias. "Brian Spilner." He finally answered. So, this is Mia, he thought. This is Dominic's sister. Suddenly remembering why he was there, Brian looked around the place. Casually looking to see if Dominic was there. But, there seemed to be no one else in the place. "Nice place. Get much business?" Brian asked her just before taking a bite out of his sandwich.

"Yes actually. It's a little slow now but I get a lunch rush and another small one after school lets out." She replied. "So, how is it? The sandwich, I mean." She asked pointing to the sandwich in his right hand.

"Not bad, actually. I may have to come around here more often." He told her smiling. Honestly, he really did think the sandwich was pretty good. It almost tasted like the ones his mother used to make for him.

Mia and Brian talked a little more as Brian finished the rest of his sandwich. Half an hour later, Brian looked at his watch. "Well, Mia, I gotta go. I'll be seeing ya around." He said as he got up and dropped a few dollars on the table. Smiling, he turned and headed for his car. Half way there, he called over his shoulder, "I just might hafta come back here tomorrow for lunch."

~~~~~ End Flashback ~~~~~

"And I went back, almost every day for lunch." Brian smiled. "And everyday, I had the tuna."

Suki laughed. "She sounds sweet, Bri."

"She was." Brian said looking back out to sea still smiling.

Suki watched as Brian seemed to drift on into his thoughts.

"So, then what happened?" Suki asked.

"Then one night, at the races, I lost my car to her brother. But before he claimed it, it got destroyed. So, I brought him a different car. He wouldn't accept it until I had it fixed. He let me use his garage and I somehow became part of his team after that. That's when I started getting closer to Mia. We saw a lot of each other from then on." Brian replied, his voice flat.

"Did you love her?" Suki asked as she gently touched Brian's shoulder.

Brian turned slightly and smiled at Suki. "Yeah, I think so."

Suki smiled softly, then her face turned to confusion. "Then, why'd ya leave?"

Brian's smile disappeared as he looked away from her. "Because I had to." He replied quietly.

"Why? What happened?" She asked confused.

"It doesn't matter. I just had to leave, alright! If I had stayed, she would've been hurt even more. And I care for her too much to let that happen." Brian said beginning to get upset. He'd started thinking of everything that had happened in L.A. and cursing himself for having lied to Mia and the rest of the team.

Suki remained quiet for a few moments. Not wanting to upset him. Venturing, she quietly asked, "Brian? If you love her so much, why don't you just go back there and try to work things out?"

"I can't." He told her still irritated.

"But, why?"

Suddenly, Brian snapped. "I just can't, Suki. Even if I could go back, I really don't think she would speak to me after what I did." He barked at her.

"What did you do Brian?" Suki pushed.

Brian just glared at her. After a tense moment, Brian turned from her and got up. He reached for his board and Suki realized he was going to leave.

"Brian, what did you do? Suki asked again wanting an answer.

"Nothing." He said pulling the board out of the sand.

"Bullshit!" Suki yelled. "Tell me what happened Bri."

"Nothing, just drop it. Okay?" He said as he began to walk away in the direction of Tej's truck.

"Brian, come back here and talk to me." Suki pleaded from her spot in the sand. When he continued to walk away from her, she said, "Please, Bri?"

"Why should I?" He barked over his shoulder.

Suki called out to him with hurt in her voice, "Because, her name was Kira!"

Brian suddenly stopped. As he turned back to look at her, he saw something that shocked him. He found her staring back at him with pain glittering in her eyes. In the two weeks he'd been in Miami, he had never seen Suki anything but strong. And there she sat, looking completely vulnerable and hurt. He stood there with a dumbstruck look trying to register what she had just told him.

"What?"

"You heard me, Bri." Suki said as she turned her head away from him. "I said her name was Kira."

Brian, still slightly confused, walked back over to where he had left Suki sitting in the sand. Taking the surfboard and putting it back in the sand, he took a seat next to her. As he turned to look at her she was the one now staring out to sea. Obviously reliving something that was a cause of some emotional pain.

"Who's Kira?" Brian asked after a few minutes of silence.

Still staring out to sea, Suki responded with, "Kira Ann Haruna." She paused a moment to take in a deep breath. "She was my best friend and the first love of my life."

Brian sat in silence as he absorbed what Suki had just said. And when it began to make sense, Brian opened his mouth to ask a question. But before he could speak, Suki continued and Brian decided to let her talk.

"I met her my first day of sixth grade. I had just moved to Miami from New York because of my father's job. And because we have money, Daddy put me into an all girls prep school. Naturally being at a new school, at lunch, I walked around the dinning hall not knowing where to sit. Kira was the first person to offer me a place. We became best friends after that. And we were best friends for years. Then one day, I realized there was something more. Or at least I felt something more. We were sixteen and had started dating guys. Kira was pretty and guys just practically hung all over her. I didn't realize why then but I couldn't stand any of her boyfriends. And every guy I dated felt like more of a good friend than anything else. Then one day, we were having a girls day out when it hit me. I loved her. And not just in the best friend kind of way. I mean I really loved her. But I was too scared to tell her. I knew she would never feel for me the same way. And I was afraid if I told her, things would become too awkward and I would lose her. So, I kept my mouth shut. I never told her I loved her, Bri."

"What happened?" He asked in Suki's moment of silence.

"The summer after high school graduation, she met a guy. By then, I'd been racing for some time. Kira never raced but she always came to cheer me on. Anyway, that's where she met him. Him and his cousin showed up one night. Apparently they were into the racing scene back in L.A. They had come to Miami with family. Partially for business, partially for vacation. Kira fell hard for this guy. And of course, I couldn't stand him. But it was more than just my jealousy. There was something about him that just creeped me out. I didn't know why then but I was soon to find out. At the end of summer, when it was time for them to return to L.A., Kira came and told me that he had asked her to return with them and marry him. Of course, I protested but still too afraid to tell her my real reason, I let her go. Before she left, she promised to write every week. She kept her promise, for awhile. In her letters, she told me how after they arrived, he changed. Said he became possessive and commanding, even violent. Near the end, she said she wanted to leave but was too scared." Suki became silent as a tear escaped from her eyes and slid down her cheek. She blinked hard to try and stop the rest from falling. "I should have went after her." After a few more moments of silence, she continued. "But when the letters stopped coming, I knew it was too late. I found out weeks later that she had been found beaten to death in an ally behind a restaurant." And with that said she began to sob uncontrollably.

Brian reached over and pulled Suki's shaking form to his chest, holding her. "Shhh, Suki. It's okay. You don't have to tell me anymore if you don't want to." He soothed as he gently rubbed her bare back.

After Suki had calmed herself slightly, she sat back away from him and began to wipe at her eyes. "He killed her, Bri. I know that bastard killed her." She growled, anger taking over. "I can't prove it, but I know he killed her. Him and that slimey taller cousin of his." Then with daggers in her eyes, she said, "I swear, on Kira's grave, that if they ever show their face in this town again...."

"I'll kill 'em."