A/N: Hey everyone
For the past 29 chapters you've stuck by me, and I want to thank you for it. We've still got a bit more to go, but I think things are going to start speeding up plot wise. You may have noticed that everything thus far has been pre-FATF.
That's about to change.
I won't be spending much time on the events of the movie themselves, but we're nearing the end of our time together.
So pay attention now, because a hell of a lot can change in a quarter mile…
Chapter 30: The Fast and the Furious.
If anyone was surprised to see me come downstairs dressed only in Dom's boxers and now wrinkled dress shirt, they kept it to themselves. Yes, there were a few knowing grins and pats on Dom's back, but other than the huge ass breakfast Mia cooked for all of us; we just carried on because it seemed like the normal thing to do.
Obviously it wasn't perfect. It took a little time to sort out who was in charge now. For the last two and a half years I'd been the one everyone turned to, but before that it'd been all Dom. It helped that Dom was at the Garage and I wasn't. The Garage remained the center of our universe. Dom being Dom was the force that held it all together. Gravity.
Dom and I tried hard to make things work. For six weeks we walked around on eggshells, only challenging each other in bed.
Looking back now I wonder if things would have turned out differently if… There are so many things that I could fill in there. Shit I have so many what ifs in my life that its' like a fucking choose your own adventure book. But we can't change the past.
I asked Dom this morning what made him risk everything to do what we did.
He just smiled and kissed me. "You needed me."
We'd been in the middle of changing our dressings. This is our ritual now: him, then me.
"I'd begun to wonder if you'd ever need me anywhere but in the bedroom again."
I nod and wince as he applies the ointment to my stitches. Ointment. That's one fucking weird word.
There is no blame between us now. There's just this hard won trust.
If you saw us back then, during the heists, you would have seen that trust wasn't the strongest aspect of our relationship. We were getting there, but we were still a shell of our pre-lompoc selves.
I've grown up enough to take my share of the responsibility for it. I was empty and it wasn't Dom's fault.
We were late that morning. We were supposed to drive Abuela and Mama to Mass and then the four of us were going to have brunch. But we'd gotten back late from the races and we'd both been pretty high off Dom's win so we'd celebrated and celebrated till we finally fell asleep in the slowly growing warmth of the rising sun.
Mama had called us at 10:15 and just laughed when I'd answered the phone. It had only been six weeks since she'd pushed me out the door and back into his arms. We were still nearly happy then. Both she and Abuela were so pleased that Dom and I were together that she told us to just meet her at the Waffle House after Mass got out. She'd drive the two of them, she said.
I'd started to protest but stopped when Dom's hands began to wander. Hastily agreeing, I'd hung up and launched myself at him, not sparing them a second thought.
Mass let out at 11:45. We left the Fort right around then to meet them. The first half of the drive was fine but then traffic slowed down to a crawl about two miles from the restaurant. After a few minutes I knew weren't going anywhere. So I called Mama's cell.
It was an accident they said. The driver of the truck just hadn't seen them. It was hard to when he'd fallen asleep at the wheel. Been driving for 17 hours. Only stopped for gas. The rig he'd been driving was four months over due for service. He'd been on a deadline- needed to get the shipment to the Trans by noon.
If he'd gone for servicing, the truck woulda had new brakes…
Abuela had been fine. Except for the trauma she endured having to hold her dying daughter in her arms until the end had come.
Abuela told me that my mother had smiled. She took some comfort in that, she said. Mama had smiled and called my father's name with relief before passing on. I'd nodded numbly at the news and I'd nodded numbly again when Abuela told me she was moving to San Diego to help Tia with her growing family. I didn't react to much after mama died. I was empty.
I quit my job at L.A.X. Well not so much quit as just stopped going in. Stopped getting out of bed. Stopped caring.
Dom was beside himself. He did everything he could think of. He begged. He bullied. Finally he bribed.
"Letty, baby, if you come down to the Garage today, I'll do anything you want baby. You want that new stereo for your car? I'll get it for you. You want me to grow my hair back? I'll do it. You want to have that big wedding we can do that too. Anything Baby, just please." He'd been holding me tight and I could feel his tears on my cheek.
I'd nodded and squeezed his hand. I'd reached back and stroked his neck right behind his ear. "Don't cry Dommy."
Dom laughed and sniffed back his tears. "Yeah? You commin?"
I nodded and squeezed his hand again. "But you gotta promise me two things okay?"
"Anything baby." He rolled over me so he could my face.
"Number one," I say gravely as I look deep into his eyes. "Don't grow your hair back."
He blinked then smiled the biggest smile I've ever seen him smile. He laughed with relief and the sound filled the room, pushing some of the chill away. I hadn't realized I'd been that cold. I hadn't realized what I'd been missing till I saw it in his eyes. Hope.
"Got it." Dom kissed my forehead and stroked my damp cheek. "Number two?"
"Help me feel whole again," I begged, my voice cracking. "I want to make them pay Dom, but I can't think how. I just want to DO something."
Hugging me tight once more, Dom swore he'd find a way.
x x x x x x x x x x x x
Brian and the LAPD obviously thought Dom came up with the heist thing all by himself and just for the money. Bull shit. He did it for me. They all did it for me. The months of planning and practice, all of the last 18 months.
What Brian never realized was that I was lost and that the Team was trying everything they could, legal or otherwise, to help me find my way back to them. Back to Dom.
Everything they did was for me. When they "offered" Dom other girls, it was to make me react. I'd lost so much, I wasn't going to loose Dom too. Jealousy may burn green, but at least it lit a much needed fire under my ass.
I wonder now what Brian must have thought when he saw us together. Here was Dom, the King of the Streets. Every girl wanted to be with him, every guy wanted to be him. And here I was, some bitchy caricature of the jealous latina girlfriend.
I wonder if he knows that the only reason Dom broke up his fight with Vince that first day was because I said something. Play that scene over in your head. Mia's already falling for the Snowman. She wants Dom to step in. But he doesn't. Not till I say something. Not till me.
How you like me now O'Connor? You thought Mia was your key in. Naw man, it was me. For Dom it was always me.
x x x x x x x x x x x x
After Dom was done rewrapping my arm he went to the kitchen to get me some OJ on ice. It was weird that Vince, Dom and I al had fucked up arms, but there you go. Vince's wounds had been obvious, as had Dom's. Mine had been more complicated. All I know is two days after the last heist I felt like shit and couldn't hold anything down. Four days later I wake up to my own screams as Leon and Dom hold me down while some woman was digging around in there with a hot scalpel.
I wake up again a few days after that as Mia was giving me a bath and a very drunk Dom serenades me from outside somewhere. Well not so much serenades me as pours his heart out to Leon understand in long, loud, rambling words I can't make sense of.
"Mia?" I moan as I try to sit up.
"Hey Letty. No, don't try to move yet. You gave us a scare you know," Mia coos.
"But I'm fine." I mumble to the chaotic world. "Vince and Jesse- Dom's charger. It was only my ribs." I pause while I try to make the world stop spinning.
"You were so busy taking care of everyone else you didn't notice your own arm got infected. You got busted up too remember? You were bleeding when Leon helped you into his car?" She steadies me as it slowly comes back to him.
I grimace. "Fuck. Now I owe him another set of floor mats."
"You know he said the same thing?" She gives me this look that says whoda thunk it? Usually she saves that look for try-hards who order tuna.
I'd flip her the bird but I think it'd hurt me more than it would hurt her. I try to move but I'm so weak I'm pretty ineffectual. "Dom's drunk," I murmur.
Mia wipes my brow and dips the cloth she's using in a basin and rings it out. "Yup. Leon's idea. If we got him drunk, Leon thought Dom might pass out. He's been up since you got sick. He's gonna make himself sick at this rate and that is the last thing we need right now."
I nod, then shiver. "Tell him to come upstairs and lie down with me," I mumble drifting. "I can't sleep unless…" I didn't finish the sentence but succumbed to the power of suggestion and passed out myself.
x x x x x x x x x x x x
That brings us to today and Dom getting me the orange juice. He went outside and talked to Mia briefly, the oj in his hand. I watched from the window before sitting on the bed and resting my head against the wall.
"You look like shit baby." There's a smile in his voice and it brings one to my lips as well.
"Love you too Dom," I croak without opening my eyes. "I feel like shit, that's for sure."
"Yeah? Don't go getting sick on me again. You know my liver can't take anymore of that." Dom scolds as he sits besides me. "You probably shoulda staid in yesterday."
"Had to go. Know that." I grunted as I tilt my head back and let Dom put the straw to my lips.
"I know." Dom sighs. "He wouldn't want you getting sick because of him."
"Know that too." I nestled against Dom. "Stay with me?"
"Forever." He kisses my head and just holds me for a long, long time.
I drift in and out of consciousness, vaguely aware that Dom is content to sit here with me and just watch me sleep. Makes me warm and happy.
"Movie?" I ask Dom some time later, handing him the remote.
"I'm okay. You?" He's speaking quietly as if he doesn't want to ruin this moment, to break the spell of our happiness.
"No," I mumble as my eyes get heavy again. "Tired."
"You didn't eat yet. No sleeping till you eat something," Dom scolds again.
"Mia said she'd make me a smoothie," I yawn, stretching my back carefully.
"Mia is on a mission right now," Dom teases. "Want me to make you one?"
"With rum?" I ask hopefully.
"Once you're off the meds I will," Dom growls. "You haven't gotten to take advantage of the drinking age down here yet, have you Mira? Little Letty Latch on don't need to be 21 to have a drink with her man in a club down here in Mexico."
If he'd teased me like that before Lompoc, I would have rolled my eyes and given him the finger.
If he'd said it right after he got out, I woulda dropped him like a sack of shit and left his crumpled ass on the floor to get his last corona out of his fridge for myself.
If he'd said it before Mama died, I woulda bit my tongue and ignored him.
If he said it when Brian met us, I woulda flared my nostrils and smirked before taking four shots of Cuervo without blinking.
Now, I just smile and lace my fingers thru his. "You gonna take me out, big man?"
"Gotta show off my trophy," he says, pressing a kiss to my knuckles.
I blush a little, then narrow my eyes. He's trying to distract me. "You gave Vince 2 beers yesterday," I grumble.
"He's been off the painkillers for two days chica. Fast healer."
I want to go back to sleep but I know Dom won't let me just yet. It's getting hot in here so I don't really mind that much. "Can I go downstairs with you while you make my smoothie?" I never thought I'd be that girl who asked her boyfriend for permission to do things. Gotta say though, it ain't as humiliating as I thought it'd be.
"Sure mija. But only if you let me carry you downstairs."
"I'm not four." I frown. Maybe I spoke too soon about that whole being coddled thing.
"Oh I know." That charming bastard is wagging his eyebrows at me. "Believe me, I know."
I feel a flicker of interest start to surface. Unfortunately my man knows me too well and pulls away. "Not yet mami. You gotta get healthy first."
I growl but don't protest too much. He's right. I frankly don't have the energy.
We end up walking downstairs together. Dom made me put an arm around him and he had one around my waist in case I needed his help. I didn't, but I leaned on him just a little cause it felt nice and I wanted him to feel useful. I think it helps him, gives him a purpose. Makes him proud.
I sit outside on the porch swing watching the waves crash while Dom uses the blender to make me something yummy.
Vince comes out and sits next to me. He's lost some weight in the weeks since the heist, but he's doing better.
"How's Leticia today?" he asks all effeminate like he's my girlfriend or something.
I know it ain't pc, but I smile. Vince does a great mo. You'd never know it cause he's so macho, but Will and Grace is one of his favorite shows. Probably comes from the fact that his big brother's gay.
Kevin used to be an All American Football player and he took good care of Vince when their step-dad was drunk and shit, but deep down, we always knew. No body ever talks about it, cause we don't want people to say something stupid and piss Vince off. He took it hard when Kevin moved away. Got real angry for a little while too and made like he hated gay people. He doesn't, not really. He was just, I don't know, hurt.
It's Kevin's house we're staying at now. He's not here- he and Jeff are in Jackson Hole skiing or something, but he's letting us use the place.
"Now, now Leticia, you've got to focus girl. I know that man of yours has a cock like a race horse, but please honey, try to focus on Ms. Thang for a moment, m'kay?" Vince's voice cuts through the cobwebs.
I laugh a little as I focus back in on him. "Yes ma'am. I'm sorry. I was just thinking about tasting Dom's race horse like-"
"Oh you shut your dirty mouth Letty. I don't need to hear about that shit." Vince cuts me off. There's nothing Mary about his voice now.
"Can't take the heat Ms. Thang?" I tease.
Vince flips me what I assume is the bird using his cast clad arm. "You's a bad bad girl."
"Been worse," I wink. "But I've been better too. What about you Coyote? You doing okay?"
"I don't have no one making me smoothies, but I can't complain." He takes a swig of his corona and puts his knee up on the swing between us. "Wish we were here under better circumstances." Vince tilts the bottle at me in invitation.
I look through the window to see where Dom's at. I can hear him pouring the smoothie into a glass for me so I shake my head no. "Better not. Dr. T and Nurse Ratchet would flip their shit if I did."
He smirks and takes another drink as Dom walks out with two tall glasses, one in each hand. "Move your ass away from my girl Dawg." Dom uses his hands to emphasize his point and waves Vince away.
Vince laughs and mutters something about Dom being pussy whipped under his breath as he moves to another seat on the deck.
Dom gives him a look that says at least I get pussy. It's amazing how much that boy can say without using his words.
"Miss me?" I ask, as I take the glass with the straw from my man.
"Yup." It was only fifteen minutes and one word, but I know he meant it cause he pulls me to him so that we're molded together stretched out on the swing.
"Gracias," I say simply as I take a sip.
"Denada."
"God you two are so… wholesome these days," Vince laughs as he watches us.
"Regular Bonnie and Clyde Cleaver," I sneer and roll my eyes, which makes them both laugh.
"You think we're domesticated kah-yot?" Dom asks lazily. "Maybe we should write a book, hmm baby? How to build a healthy relationship in ten crimes or less?"
We all laugh, and it feels good.
"I'm serious though guys," Vince says as he watches us. He finishes off his beer and tosses the empty into the crate. "I was sweating it for the two of you for a few months there. I mean you couldn't be in the same room together for a while. I thought Dom would end up back in jail when he picked up Mia's pictures from the store and saw those of you and Leon working on your car Let."
"What's this?" I ask, perking up. "Dom you thought that me and Leon? You never-"
"You have a big mouth Dawg and you need to shut the fuck up now." Dom pointed a finger at Vince.
"I wanna hear about this," I say turning to look at Dom. "You were jealous of Leon?" I can't picture it. "Leon?"
"It was a long time ago," Dom says gruffly. "Forget it."
I smile when I see how red Dom is getting while he shoots Vince the look of death. "You know I've never even thought of Leon like that right?" I rub the back of Dom's neck.
Dom turns a little purple and looks away. "I didn't know that then. I get it now."
I kiss his temple and turn around. "Good. Cause if you're going to worry about me cheating on you, I'd like to be given a little more credit than that. Leon's so not worth it. Now Jesse…"
Dom sputters and chokes on his smoothie.
"I'm kidding! I'm so kidding!"
All of a sudden there's a thump and I see Vince rolling on the floor holding his gut with his bad arm and cradling that arm with his good one. There are tears streaming down the side of his face, he's laughing so hard.
Dom gives me a squeeze and growls at me that I better be kidding. "I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt chica, and assume that it was the pain killers talking."
I stand up and wink at him, blowing a kiss before picking up my now empty glass and walking inside. I hear the door slam behind me and I know Dom's followed me.
"Leticia," Dom says softly as he walks up behind me. I watch was his reflection grows larger in the kitchen window.
"Dominic?" I reply angelically, turning slowly to face him.
He stands directly in front of me and reaches past me to put his glass in the sink. He takes his sweet time and lets his body rub up against mine. "The kitchen is a good place for you," he says solemnly in my ear.
"Yeah?" I ask, playing along. "Why's that?"
"You always look beautiful to me, but somehow, I can never et enough of seeing you in a kitchen. You remember that night when I first kissed you?" He's teasing me now.
"Mmm. Vaguely." I smile into the crook of his neck.
"I made you come that night." Dom states. His voice makes my pulse jackknife.
I nip at his neck and put my hands in his back pockets like I did that day so many years ago. He lifts me onto the edge of the counter top, replaying slowly our first moments together as Dom and Letty. I pull my hands out of his pockets and put them around his neck.
"You need me to refresh your memory some more, Mrs. Torreto?" He smiles into my mouth and kisses me.
"Please do, Mr. Torretto," I sigh as the delicious sensations roll over me.
Dom pulls me forward and wraps my legs around him. He's careful with me, which makes my heart swell with love.
"Take off your shirt?" I ask breathlessly between nibbles on his ear. "I want to touch you."
He shakes his head no. "I'm still ugly. Purple and yellow."
"I'd love you if you were red and green," I tease and tug on the edge of his shirt. "Besides I'm all busted up too. I start to get self conscious and fidget a little.
"No, don't. You're beautiful." Dom's voice is fierce. To make me smile he raises his eyebrows and grins slyly, "especially in kitchens."
I laugh and give him a playful shove.
The door opens behind us and Mia groans when she sees us. "I have to cook there people." She sets down the two packages she's carrying and gives us a dirty look. "First off that stuff belongs upstairs in your bedroom. Secondly you shouldn't be fooling around till the doctors give you the green light."
"Yes mom," I say rolling my eyes and yawning. "God if it isn't one Torretto interrupting the kitchen nookie, it's another."
Mia stares at us for a second before declaring very very slowly. "I. Don't. Want. To. Know."
It's a good thing Dom and I are wrapped around each other, cause we start to laugh so hard Vince wouldn't have been the only one who fell on the floor.
Finally Dom ruffles Mia's hair and picks me up off the counter. I expect him to drop me on the ground but he starts toward the bedroom.
"What are you doing?" I ask, staring down at him.
"Time for your nap," Dom says. "And don't get horny, you're sleeping on your own."
"How about you at least spoon up to me?" I suggest as he takes the stairs two at a time.
"What, you in love with me or something?" Dom says as he opens the door and gently places me on the bed.
"Something like that, yeah." I pat the side of the bed, inviting him to occupy it.
He sighs and gets in next to me. "I knew it. Can't live with out me, can you?"
"Don't even want to try," I say thru a yawn.
We talk for about twenty minutes about a mix of things, some important, some not. We've been talking a lot since the last heist. Even in those first two days when we weren't sure how we were all going to regroup or if Jesse was going to make it.
It's been three weeks now and things are great. Jesse staid state side till yesterday, but Brian's brought him down last night. That's the reason I'm so tired today- went to visit him at the private hospital he got transferred to. They say he's getting stronger everyday.
Brian had to go back to Cali to tie up some loose ends. Gonna put this all on Tran and since dead men tell no tales, it'll probably work. I have no problem with it since it was a Tran owned truck that we were avenging in the first place.
Mia managed to get Vince out and join us just as I was at my worst. Mia and Leon had their hands full keeping the three of us healthy, but they managed, thank God.
Dom was up and out of bed before I woke up from this latest nap. I could hear him downstairs talking to Leon about the merits of various cars. Boys will be boys.
I got up and looked in the mirror. My hair was a mess and my skin tone was absolute shit. The bags under my eyes didn't help. Great. I brushed my hair quickly using my good arm and flexed and stretched my bad one to get the circulation going. It was starting to heal pretty nicely but I was going to have a pretty hard core scar. My ribs were getting better, slowly, but like Dom I was still discolored. Yummy.
I walked downstairs and found the boys playing poker. Vince was down to his boxers and Leon wasn't clad in much more. Dom was winning of course.
"Morning sunshine," Leon winked as I sat down on Dom's lap.
Stealing a pretzel from the bowl, I smiled sweetly. "What time is it?"
"Hey, that's the pot man! Dom, tell your girl not to eat my winnings!" Vince yelped all indignant.
"I thought you were playing strip poker," I said taking another pretzel and eating it while staring at Vince.
"Naw man. Guys don't play strip poker unless girls are around," Leon snorted. "Vince is just naked cause he's a heathen."
I stare at the two of them for a second and then just shake my head. Woooh, dizzy. Maybe I'll just lay my head here on Dom's chest. Mmm, nice.
We spend a lot of time cuddling now. We didn't before the heists, not even during that pseudo-honeymoon period before my moms died.
"You hungry?" Dom asks, grabbing some pretzels from the bag and putting them in front of me.
"A little, actually," I say thru a yawn.
It's relaxing sitting here listening to the three of them talk shit to each other. I stretch up slowly and whisper in his ear that I love him. I'm a little shy about since I don't usually tell him that in front of other people.
I can feel him smile. "I love you too baby," he says in Spanish.
I'm surprised because he's said it loud enough for the guys to hear him.
They're both obviously surprised by the profession. They know of course, but like I said, Dom and I have never been big on public pronouncements. PDA maybe, but not the words.
I eat some more pretzels and sit quietly while the game continues. When I've eaten all the pretzels I can stand, I walk to the fridge to look for something a little more exciting.
Mia's in the kitchen reading a magazine. She looks up at me and I swear, within two seconds the concern in her eyes is replaced by thoughts of how she wants to do my hair and what she wants me to wear.
"Don't even, Mia. I'm too tired to play dress up. What's there to eat?" I ask as I poke at the various things in the fridge.
"Left-over lasagna, some chicken, I don't know what else." Mia closes her latest fashion mag and pushes me into a chair. "I'll make you a plate."
"Thanks. I'm sorry I'm such a baby. I'm just so tired all the fucking time."
She glances at me over her shoulder and smiles. "Whatever Let, you deserve to take a little time and be taken care of. You wouldn't let us do shit for you when your mom died and before that you took care of all of us while Dick head was in jail."
"It's not his fault Mia." Even if he wasn't my husband, I'd defend him. "You know he did it all for me. He was just trying to give me something to live for. If it's anyone's fault, it's mine."
"You all told him not to go on the last run," Mia argued.
"Yeah, well, we didn't stop him either, now did we? Sides, it had to end. What we were doing, it was fucked up. I see that now. It may have taken me longer than it did you, but I do see that now."
She rolls her eyes. "No wonder you had to stay back a year. You slow chica."
"Fuck you," I say with affection. "Where's my food bitch?"
"I'm working on it, Jesus. Hold your horses. Why does everything have to be a race with you people?"
"Fast good," I ape. "Speed good."
"Grease monkey."
"Fashion zombie."
"I missed this," Mia says suddenly, giving my good shoulder a squeeze as she put the plate of food in front of me.
I smile and nod, unable to say anything since I've already stuffed my mouth full of chicken. After I finish chewing and finally swallow, I ask her something I know will make her day. "Wanna do my hair for me?"
"Sure. But let's do it on the porch, there's a nice breeze out there."
Mia and I sit out there for almost an hour. My hair didn't take that long normally, but Mia was distracted. She didn't say much, and I didn't push her. I felt bad. This whole thing was tough on her.
"I am sorry Mia. I know this wasn't how you wanted to spend your summer vacation. They did it for me, you know that right?" I finally say. "You shouldn't blame Dom for us being here."
She sits beside me. "We all make our own choices."
I nod but persist. "The whole thing started cause I wanted revenge Mia. Dom did it all for me. They all did. When my mom died- I just lost it. I needed something. We thought this was it."
Mia stares at me like I'm crazy. "Letty you should have known better. There was no way you could have thought this was a good idea. What were you and Dom thinking?"
"He was desperate Mi. I was in a bad way. You said so yourself." I bite my lip and look out at the water. "I'm sorry."
"You were worse than Dom was after Daddy died."
I put my head down on her lap and curl up on the swing. "I was. At least Dom could get angry. I just- I wanted to kill myself Mia. I just didn't have the energy for it. I didn't tell Dom, but I'm sure he knew. He cried Mia. I made him cry…" I let her stroke my hair like my mom used to.
"At first, I think I wanted something to go wrong with the heists so I would just-. But then the thrill was addictive. I never got to be bad before Mia. Sure I act all tough, but shit. I was fucking upstanding, regular G.I. Jane.
"Do you know how addictive being a hard core bad ass was? Racing was fucking pansy ass shit compared to the rush I got when we jacked those first few trucks. The faster we ran, the more furious I got. And all that anger made me so hot that slowly I could feel myself starting to thaw out."
"So those heists, they were like therapy for you?" Mia says slowly.
"Yeah. I guess so." I close my eyes. "I didn't mean to make a mess of things Mia. I'm sorry."
"It's fucked up, but it makes sense. If anyone deserved it, Tran did." Mia nudges me lightly. "But next time Letty- just paint a picture or something, 'kay?"
I nod and smile. "I'll do that."