A/N: Sorry! I realized after I posted that I got the dates wrong. Just reposting to make the flow better. My bad!
Original A/N: It's official. The laptop is fried worse than Brian's Eclipse was. It's all gone. I had planned on taking my 'puter with me to Aus, but looks like it ain't to be. What this means for you: I'm going to try to finish this story by July 7th and try to update as often as possible. If I can't get it done by then, I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update. Wish me luck!
The Facts.
Knowing what I know now, I wish I... But I can't change the past. I can only make sure it doesn't repeat itself.
It's frustrating sometimes to listen to Jesse tell a story. He'll jump from here to there to God knows where and back in under thirty seconds. Jesse once told me that having ADHD was like standing in a stream and trying to catch a fish with only your bare hands. You run around chasing flashes of silver as they catch your eye and then suddenly you realize you've followed not one but a dozen different fish and you don't know where the fuck you are or how you got there.
Whenever I look back on the last five years and try to make sense of what's happened, I get this paralyzing feeling like I'm the one standing in the stream. I can see the memories dart past me in my mind, but I can't catch them. I can't make things sit still long enough for them to make sense to anyone, including myself. And if I can't understand what happened, then how will he?
From March 3rd till September 3rd of that year, my life was the sweetest dream. I had an amazing present and a promising future. I had a supportive family and a loving boyfriend. Palmdale changed all of that.
It should have been a great weekend. Tia Maria and Bobby were getting married in San Diego. Tony was in the biggest race of his career. Dom had saved up enough money so that he could catch a plane after the race and be in San Diego in time to be my date for the wedding. But after waiting at the airport for him to fly in for two hours I realized that something just wasn't right. When I called the fort, Vince picked up and...
I knew I wasn't in any condition to drive back to L.A. so I could be there for Dom and Mia. So I flew. I pulled out all of the cash from my savings account and bought a ticket on the first flight out. The shit fucking wiped me out- I had to fly first class and spend more money than- but it didn't matter. What mattered was that less than three hours later I was there. I got out of the cab. I ran up the stairs. I walked in the house. And I staid.
Everyone thinks they know what happened next. They know Dom tore his own rotator cuff to shreds while beating the shit out of Linder. They know he got banned from the tracks for life. They know he spent 2 years in Lompoc. That when he came home he took up street racing. That he became the King.
They Don't Know Shit.
These are the facts in black and white:
On September 3rd, 1996, Anthony Torretto died on the tracks.
On September 9th, 1996, part of Dominic Antonio Torretto died when he encountered the man who caused Tony's death, Kenneth Linder.
Dominic used a stilson wrench on Linder with such force that Linder now catches the bus to his job as a high school janitor.
On September 12th, 1996 Dominic turned himself in to the police.
On March 6th, 1997 as part of a plea bargain arrangement, Dominic entered a no-contest plea and received a two and a half year sentence.
Dominic was allowed four days to get his affairs in order and to make arrangements for someone to take custody of his
minor sister, Mia Elizabeth Torretto, age 15.
On March 10th, 1997 Dominic began serving his sentence.
On March 12th, 1999 Dominic was released six months early for good behavior.
On March 12th, 1999 Dominic came home to Mia, Vince, Jesse and Leon.
On March 12th, 1999 reports indicate that yet another part of Dominic Antonio Torretto died when he realized I wasn't there.
I wasn't there. I didn't know that he- I mean I wanted to be there but- I. I wasn't there. God forgive me, please, please forgive me. Because if You can, maybe Dominic can too.