A/N- Here's a new fic for your reading enjoyment. This one isn't related to the last one, but for those of you who did read Making A Mess of Things, you may notice a lot of similarities in dialogue and my interpretation of the characters. One difference to keep in mind though is that Letty's full name in this piece is Alicia, not Leticia. I had to differentiate somehow- ;-)

STABLE

It's not who you know, it's what you know, but it doesn't hurt to know people neither.

That's what my father used to say all the time.

I didn't know he was my father back then.

I'm glad I know who he is now.

Some people are born into perfect families.

My family was born when I walked into Dominic Torretto's garage.

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It was raining. I was cold and the door was open so I crawled in.

I was careful not to make any noise. I didn't want to have to go back.

Someone was singing along with the radio. They weren't very good.

I inched closer and saw a bald man bent over a car. He was the only person there.

He had a plate of sandwiches sitting on a table near him.

I was hungry so I ran out to grab one.

The man stood up just as I did it. He looked at me and smiled so I knew I was okay.

I smiled back at him and took the sandwich while looking him straight in the eye.

He said something to me but I didn't understand. I didn't understand most of what people said here. It was different from where I came from.

I smiled at him and had another sandwich.

He bent down to talk to me some more but I still couldn't understand him.

Finally he gave and said a word that angry people say.

That I understood. My face must have perked up cause I giggled cause I knew he said a bad word.

He laughed and ruffled my hair.

Then the man went to the phone and called someone.

He sounded angry, but he came back and tried to smile at me.

It was still raining so I staid. He let me eat all the sandwiches and he gave me a soda.

He changed the station so I understood the music. I liked that.

I was tired. He saw me yawn and went into the lockers and got a blanket. He put it over me on the sofa I was sitting on. I fell asleep.

I woke up cause I heard a car door close.

Some lady came into the building. She was angry.

I could hear it in her walk even before I heard her voice.

She argued with the man. He pointed at me but I was hiding under the blankets.

Her face softened and she walked over to me.

"Mucho gusto me llamo Alicia. Como estas?" she said softly looking down at me with gentle eyes. I can see the rain on her. It must still be raining hard outside cause she has some on her face and her hair and her clothes.

I pulled the blankets down and looked at her. "Me llamo Roberto."

She smiled. "Roberto? That's a wonderful name. That man over there- that's Dominic. Can you say Dominic?"

"Dominic." The name sounded funny to me.

"He's my friend," she said sitting next to me. She smelled nice. She was wearing nice clothes too.

"But you were fighting with him," I tell her. "I heard you."

"Yes. He makes me angry sometimes. But it's okay to fight with people you love sometimes." She looks at Dominic and motions to him to come over. "Dom."

"Hola," he says waving. He talks funny, but he's trying.

He asks her something and she frowns but nods.

"Dom wants to know if you want to stay here or if you need to go somewhere after the rain stops." She is careful to sound like either choice is okay.

I know I should be careful too, but I like this place and that man. I shake my head. "I want to stay here."

She nods and tells him for me.

He looks sad for a little bit but nods and smiles. He talks to her again and she sighs.

"Dominic wants to know if you are still hungry and would you like me to cook for you."

"What can you cook?" I ask.

Her nose flares but I can tell she's not really mad, not at me. "Anything. Pasteles, quesadillas, picadillio, arepas, tostones, spaghetti, beans and rice, scrambled eggs- anything. I'm a good cook." She winks at me and nods her head at the man. "How do you think he got so fat?"

I looked at the man. He was big, but he wasn't fat, not really. He just looked really strong. "Can I have some quesadillas please?"

She nods and asks Dominic something.

He laughs and says in broken Spanish, "Good choice kid. She makes the best quesadillas."

She gives him the finger and takes my hand.

"Would you like to take a shower while I cook Roberto? Tio Dominic has a nephew your size. You can have some of his clothes to wear when you're done and Dominic can wash and dry your wet clothes for you."

I nod and she passes me to the man.

"If you need anything Roberto, I'll be in the kitchen. Dominic will help you as best as he can. Remember, he can understand you better than you'll probably be able to understand him."

She's laughing at him, but he doesn't know it cause he doesn't understand her.

She looks at him with a hard look on her face, but when she sees he's not looking back at her, her face gets girly. "He's a little slow, but he… he's a good man."

xxxxx