Chapter Two

Dom had been in the living room with Brian and his
friend Rome, when they heard Mia scream. They had been
sitting there, Brian explaining himself and his actions,
while Dom sat there trying not to become extremely
angry, hearing the events that taken place a couple
years ago. Brian immediately stopped talking, and
looking at each other, got up and rushed outside to see
what had caused the sudden shriek from Mia. As he got
to the door he stopped and stood still in the frame.
Mia was hugging someone he hadn't seen since she was
fifteen, and he was twenty. His baby sister was finally
home.
As Mia released her from the hug she'd had Antoinette
wrapped in he got to take a better look at her. She
looked the same in some ways, but he could tell she'd
changed. Still standing at five feet six inches her
hair was longer reaching the bottom of her shoulder
blade in a ponytail. Her muscles were more toned and
she'd filled out in places he wished she wouldn't of.
She was wearing a pair of black French terry shorts and
a white tank top that said 'Playboy' across the chest,
and white converse tennis shoes with black stars on
them. Walking up next to Vince and standing next to him
he asked,
"Is that who I think it is?"
"It sure the hell is," Vince said smiling, "And I'm
guessing you knew she was coming?"
"Yeah I did. I'm the one who asked her to come back."
"And you didn't tell us?!?"
"I figured I would surprise you guys. Which, if Mia's
screaming was any indication, I was successful in
doing."
"Yeah dawg, it was definitely a shock to see Tiny here
again."
"Well man, I'ma goes see my baby sister." And with
that Dom walked away so he was standing a few feet
behind Antoinette before he said in his loud, booming
voice with a smile on his face,
"I see how it is the brother don't get a hug, he just
gets ignored."
This caused Antoinette to turn quickly and face him,
tears of happiness in her eyes. Suddenly, after just
staring at him for a few seconds, she ran from the spot
she'd been standing in, talking to Mia, closing the few
feet between the two of them and jump into her big
brother's arms. She hadn't realized just how much she'd
missed everyone until she had seen them all. It was at
this moment she realized just how happy she was to be
back. Her emotions getting the better of her, something
that rarely happened; she burst into tears and cried
into Dom's shoulder.
"Dommie," she sobbed, causing him to cringe at the
old nickname, "I missed you so much. Why couldn't you
get over your temper tantrum, and call me sooner you big
ass."
"Shhh. Tiny don't cry, you know I hate it when you cry.
I didn't call you sooner cuz I figured you just might
decide that you weren't gonna forgive me. I know hold
you hold grudges girlie, and I just wanted to make sure
I was on your good side again. You're pretty damn scary
when you're pissed off you know." After he said this
she pulled away from him and looked him straight in the
eyes as he put her down, wondering how he could think
she was still mad at him after all this time had passed.
Thinking he had just signed his own death certificate,
and that she was getting ready to go off on him, he
braced himself for the worst. That was why he was in
total shock when she said what she did next,
"Dominic Anthony Toretto! Don't you ever say anything
like that! And take that look off your face I'm not
gonna hit ya, dumbass. I wasn't ever truly mad at you.
I know you were just disappointed in me. I know you
didn't mean any of it, you were just caught up in the
moment."
Dom had a look of total shock on his face. 'Maybe
motherhood's been good on her,' he couldn't help but
think, 'She seems to have learned to control that temper
of hers.' His jaw was still hanging open a second
later, when Antoinette decided that she would close it
for him. So, taking her index finger, she put it under
his chin and pushed up. After his mouth was closed she
looked up at him, and with a mischievous little grin
known to cause trouble, said,
"Ya know Dommie, the fish look really doesn't work for
you." And tried to take off running, but was stopped by
Vince and Leon, who grabbed her arms and held on to her
until Dom got to them. Then grabbing her around the
waist, and lifting her over his shoulder, Dom walked
down the steps and around the house to the pool they had
just had installed a month before. Seeing what he was
about to do, Antoinette struggled against him even more.
"Dom, No! Please? Don't, pretty please?!? Dom?!?" She
begged, hoping he'd put her down.
"And what's in it for me, huh?" He asked her, not
thinking she'd be able to come up with anything.
"I'll let you meet your niece." She said smiling
triumphantly. She knew she had won. 'Damn it.' Dom
thought. She had him and she knew it. He couldn't wait
to meet his niece, he'd seen her on the porch and
couldn't help letting his heart grow warmer looking at
her; she was adorable.
"Alright, you win." He said relenting, adding as he sat
her back on the ground, near the edge of the pool, "But
you know that was low, using my own niece against me.
"I'm sorry, but I had to save myself. You were gonna
throw me in the pool." She said as everyone else came
around to the back of the house to see what was going
on, Thalia in the arms of one of the men who had walked
out with Dom, when Mia screamed. As Dom stood there,
his back to the pool, Antoinette came and stood in front
of him. Looking at him she stood on her tip toes,
kissed him on the cheek and said 'I love you', and
pulled him into a hug. After a few seconds she pulled
away from him, and with laughter in her eyes, said,
"But I still gotta do this." With that she pushed him in
the pool, ducking and stepping back before he could grab
her to pull her in too. Turning on her heel she ran
towards the group, who had been standing behind her
laughing. Then hiding behind Vince and Leon she said in
a voice, that was threatening to lose control and burst
with laughter,
"Hide me." Then Thalia, who had gotten out of the man's
hold, came and stood next to her as Dom walked up to
them, water dripping off him every time he moved. This
caused a whole new fit of laughter from Antoinette,
Letty, and Mia, even Thalia was giggling. As the guys
struggled to keep straight faces and not fall over
laughing, Dom said,
"Really funny, Antoinette."
We thought it was." She said, grinning at him from her
place between Leon and Vince's shoulder. Then picking
up Thalia, she walked in the house, and a few minutes
later came back out with a towel and handed it to her
brother.
"Here, you look like you could use this."
"I wouldn't need it if it weren't for your ass." And as
soon as that left his mouth you could hear a sharp
intake of breath. All eyes turned to Thalia, and
looking up at her mother innocently, she said,
"He said a bad word." Causing everyone, except for Dom
Antoinette, and Thalia to laugh.
"But your mommy said a bad word earlier." Dom reasoned
with his niece.
"She's mommy though. Mommy's allowed to say bad words
sometimes." The small girl said looking at her uncle
with a serious, albeit innocent look on her face.
Antoinette, deciding now was as good a time as any,
interrupted the two from continuing their conversation,
saying,
"Talli I want you to meet your Uncle Dom. Say 'Hi'."
"Hi Uncle Dom." She said looking up at him shyly.
"Hey there cutie. What's your name?" He asked her.
"Thalia Arianne Toretto." She said in a voice that made
Mia and Letty say 'Aww', pronouncing her L's and R's
like W's, and looking proud about knowing her full name.
Then getting down from her mother's arms she walked
over to a man and looked back saying with an excited
look about her, "Look Mommy! Uncle Room is here!"
This caught Antoinette's attention immediately, and
looking up at the man that her daughter was standing
next to, found it actually was her best friend.
"Roman Pierce! What the hell are you doing here?!?" She
said walking up to him and hugging him.
"Tiny, you know him?" Dom asked his baby sister, eying
the man she was hugging suspiciously.
"Yeah, he's one of my best friends. I met him when I
moved in with Uncle Robert and Aunt Marissa."
"Oh, right."
"God Dom, you really should think about not shaving your
head anymore. I think the baldness is making you lose
brain cells daily."
"Ha-ha, Look at that guys we got us a comedian here."
"Aww thanks bubba," she said, calling him bubba, because
it had been her first word when she was a baby and she
knew it got on his nerves, "But really, I'm not that
talented."
"Damn that was harsh Anni, no one's called him that
since he got back from Lompoc." Vince said, chuckling.
'Dom hasn't realized how much he's gonna have to deal
with now," he thought to himself, 'She's definitely got
more attitude now. I pity the person who pisses her
off.'
"It's about time someone knocked him off his high
horse," she answered, "And I think I'm the perfect
person to do the job. I need to get him back for all
the years of teasing I had to put up with."
"I never teased you," Dom said defensively, "I only
tormented."
"And dictated, and yelled, and ordered, and chased with
worms, and I could go on but I think that proves my
point." She shot back.
"Who killed spiders for you, huh?"
"Fine, ya got me there, but it wasn't always you.
Sometimes Daddy did it for me, so HA!" She said sticking
her tongue out at him.
"True but you know I was easier on you than I was on
Mia."
"Only cause mom and dad yelled at you every time you
made me cry. And they were easier on you when you
picked on Mia."
"Exactly. So thank you Little Sister for hand over your
share to me." Mia said putting her two cents in.
"You're so very welcome Big Sister dear."
"You can tell that they're siblings," Rome said
listening to them, "The bicker at each other."
"Shut up, Roman! I do not bicker. Old people bicker and
I'm not old." Antoinette said to him.
"Fine you don't bicker. You bitch."
"Uncle Room!" Thalia exclaimed with wide eyes.
"Sorry Lil' Bit." He said, looking sincerely apologetic.

"It's Otay. I forgive you." She answered and hugged him,
to show she was telling the truth.
"So girlie, what's been up with you lately?" Letty asked
putting her arm around Antoinette's shoulders.
"Oh not a whole lot. Go to work, pick up Talli from
Aunt Marissa's, go home, cook dinner, get her ready for
bed, and go to sleep. Then I get up and do it all over
again."
"Damn, you got your hands full. How do you manage?"
Letty asked looking at her.
"I just do what I gotta do. Ain't much else for me to
do."
"I got ya. It's great to have ya back though. We all
really missed you. It just wasn't the same without you
around."
"Aww that's sweet Let. I missed you guys too. I don't
even know how many nights I cried myself to sleep
wishing I was back here with you guys."
"There was no need for that girl. We all knew you'd be
back sometime."
"Yeah I know, but this was my home and-"
"It still is your home, Tiny." Dom said from behind
them.
"I know Dom, it's just that well-" she began.
"Just what?"
"I don't know. I just got used to calling Barstow home,
you know? It's kind of weird calling L.A. home."
"You're still moving back aren't you?" He asked her.
"What?!? You never said anything about moving back!"
"I figured you'd want to come back." Dom said, looking
hurt. This made Antoinette regret her words
immediately.
"That's not what I meant, Dom. It's just I didn't
expect you to want me to come back."
"Of course we want you back," Letty said, "Did you not
just hear what I said?"
"I'll think about it alright. I'm not promising
anything though." And with that she walked over to Leon.
She had been meaning to talk to him just hadn't gotten
the chance. So walking up behind him she tapped him on
the shoulder and said,
"Hey boy, how ya been?"
"Good and you?"
"Oh you know, living and loving it."
"That sounds like you. I can't believe Dom didn't tell
us you were coming."
"I know I would have thought he'd have told you all."
As they talked Antoinette could feel her old self
beginning to show through. She loved being around
everyone again. They were her family and she'd always
felt as one with them. She couldn't help it. These
were the people she had grown up with and she knew just
being here had made her the happiest she'd been since
Brian had left. Just thinking about that day upset her.
She couldn't believe he'd left her like that. It hurt
her to know that he left her like that, and the most
painful part was that he had never come back, never
called, never even written her. He didn't know he had a
daughter, nothing. She didn't understand how someone
could do that to another person that they had supposedly
loved. Getting lost in her thoughts, she was suddenly
pulled from them by Leon.
"Hey Anni? You there babe?" Leon asked waving his hand
in front of her face. Shaking her head she said,
"Yeah, hey I'm gonna go talk to Rome and see Talli."
"Alright, I'll talk to ya later then girlie."
"Alright Le." And with that she gave him a hug. Just as
she was pulling away she felt like someone was watching
her. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and
flashed a smile at him before turning around to go see
Rome and her daughter. As she focused her eyes in the
direction she'd felt the attention coming from. As she
located the person who'd been watching her, the smile
she'd been wearing slowly fell off her face. There
standing in front of her was the one person who'd caused
her so much misery and pain. There was the one person
who'd she ever given her heart to, just to have it
ripped in two. There standing in front of her was the
one and only..... Brian O'Connor.

A/N: Hey guys. Just to clear up a few things when Talli
calls Rome 'Room' that's just how she says his name.
Cut her a break she's only 22 months old. Now to my
reviewers....

Stableperson- Thanx for being my first reviewer! You
rock for that!!

Scottish lass2- I'm glad you like it. Thanx for reading.

Cheerthis95- Girl thanx so MUCH!!! Like I've said before
this fic wouldn't have happened without you girl. Your
input means soo much to me. I can't wait for your
'book' review.Lol. Oh and thanx for the advice I
promise I'll be patient. I'm sure it'll help if I get
discouraged about not getting a lot of reviews. I love
ya girl!!

AngelRose82- I'm happy you like the story soo much. I
love writing this fic and knowing you all appreciate
what I'm doing means so much to me.

Well those are all my Reviewers so far. Again THANX SO
MUCH for reading this. And for reviewing. If you have
any advice or constructive criticism let me know. I
wanna make you guys happy. I've gotta go. Hope you
liked this chapter I worked really hard on it. Love ya,

~*~ Jess ~*~