To Be Needed
Part 1
"You really should move on, you know. There's no use being in love with her when she doesn't love you. She left you. You need to let it go, Dom."Dominic stared at the blonde; he didn't even like her all that much. "You don't know anything!" he snapped at her.
"Get the fuck out and don't come back!"
The blonde collected her clothes in a huff and left his room quickly.
Dominic sat on the edge of his bed, his hands covering his face. Heather was right, thou. Letty may have left him, but he still loved her. It was almost a year ago, but he could remember like it was yesterday.
"Dom I need to talk to you."
He looked up to find Letty staring at him intently. He frowned. "What's the matter baby?" he asked concerned.
He stepped forward, reaching for her, but she backed away. Dom froze. Something was wrong he could feel it.
"I'm not going with the team back to LA. I'm staying here," she stated.
Dom's body relaxed, as he smiled. He understood now. She wanted to be alone with him. "All right, Let' we can stay behind for an extra couple of days. We'll catch up to the team later," he said softly.
Again he reached for her and again she backed away.
"That's not what I mean. I'm stayin in Mexico by myself. I'm not going back to LA ever. I don't want to be part of the 'team' anymore. I don't want to be with you anymore," She stated, looking everywhere but at him.
Dom's jaw dropped. For a brief moment his heart stopped beating, at least that's what it felt like to him. What did she mean she didn't want to be with him anymore?
"Letty what the hell is you talking about? That's crazy." He scowled, starting to get angry.
Letty sighed. It spoke to him more than words ever could.
He understood the look in her eyes now. She was leaving him for good. "Don't you love me anymore Letty?" He sounded like a small child begging for affection, but he didn't care.
"I do love you, Dom. Just not in that way, not anymore. I tried to tell you before, but every time I tried you wouldn't hear it." She explained.
Dom didn't even notice the tears running down his cheeks.
"I'm so sorry, Dom. But I just can't go on pretending to be something you want. I just can't." She said as tears fell from her eyes.
Dom stood up abruptly from his bed. He wouldn't think about it anymore. It's been a long time. He just pushed it firmly to the back of his mind. Letty would come back. He just had to be patient and wait. At least that's what Dom kept telling himself. Deep down, though, he knew he was lying to himself. She snuck out that night. So she wouldn't have to face the 'team' and tell them she was leaving. She left without telling anyone good-bye. That's what hurt the 'team' most of all, and in turn hurt Dom.He frowned darkly when he heard a knock on his bedroom door.
I swear to god, if that's Heather…
He yanked open the door. "What!" He snapped, but then immediately regretted it. It wasn't Heather standing in front of him, like he thought.
"You okay?" Ashby asked.
Dom looked at her. He should have figured she would have heard him. Her room was right next to his. He didn't know how to answer. He didn't know if he was okay.
Ashby has been like a mother to all of them. Letty wasn't with the 'team' when they came back from Mexico. Dom was a mess. He was irate and short tempered with everyone. Mia was pregnant and no longer with Brian. She couldn't forgive what he did to her family, even if he helped them in the end. Vince and Jesse were a mess. Leon tried to help, but he was a terrible nurse and an even worse cook. Mia tried, but she was already five months pregnant and huge.Ashby was Mia's friend that she knew from high school. Ashby had been going to a college out of the city. Mia had asked Ashby to take care of the house while they were away. When the 'team' returned Mia asked Ashby to stay with them to help Mia out when the baby was born. She hesitated at first, but then Ashby agreed.Ashby was true to her word. She helped Mia take care of little Maria and took care of everyone else in the house. After the baby was born Mia went thru a slight depression because she was still in love with Brian.
Ashby turned into the mother, taking over Mia's role because the others needed someone to be there, when Mia couldn't do it.
Dom was surprised by how quickly the 'team' took to Ashby. She babied Vince, who secretly loved it. Dom wouldn't be surprised if Vince developed a crush on her soon. She fussed over Leon and Jesse like they were kids.Dom knew that Ashby was taking care of everyone better than Mia could. It wasn't to insult Mia. Mia did the best she could. Ashby is just more like a mother figure than Mia.
Dom remembered all the late night talks he had with Ashby. Keeping her up until the early dawn, even thou he knew she would have to get up early to take care of Maria. After Mia feeds her before going to the garage early with the 'team'.Ashby knew Dom was still in love with Letty and she understood that.
"Come on down to the kitchen. I'll make you some tea." She instructed, and then turned away.
Dom followed her wordlessly.
"Sit," she commanded, once inside the kitchen.
Dom sat, watching her set the kettle to boil. She pulled open the cabinet to get the tea bags. She let loose a muffled curse when she realized Vince had put them up high again. He was always putting up things he knew she would use up high. Because she was five two in height she would never be able to reach. Dom smiled when he saw her pull herself up onto the counter. She looked like a kid trying to reach something she wasn't supposed to have.
"I could have gotten it for you," he told her once she was back on the ground.
Ashby collected two coffee mugs from the other cabinet grateful they weren't up high.
"Yeah, but getting them myself builds up my need for revenge against, V." She said, reasonably.
Dom laughed softly. He pitied Vince. Whatever Ashby thinks up, as revenge would be a lot worse than what he would expect.
There was a brief moment of silence. Ashby stood by the stove staring at Dom. Waiting.
"Do you think I was too harsh on Heather?" He asked, hesitantly. He didn't really want to know.
"Do you think you were too harsh on Heather?"
Dom frowned at her. "I'm asking you, Ash. Do you think I was too mean? Should I call her tomorrow and say sorry?" He asked her.
"No, you're not asking me. You want me to tell you what to do. I'm not gonna do that. You need to make up your own mind. If you feel like you've done something that you need to apologize for, then that's what you should do. I've never told you what I think you should do and I'm not gonna start now. Why don't you tell me why you're mad at Heather? Are you mad because you think what she said is true and you don't want to face it? Or are you mad because she was talking about something that she has no business talking about?" Ashby asked him.
Dom glared at her. Sometimes he hated that she was studying psychology in school. She just started, but she already sounds like a damn shrink.
"Both I guess. I mean I know it's been a year, but I can't help that I'm still in love with Letty."
Ashby wanted to cry for him. She knew what it was like to love someone and think that they love you too. It's hard to just accept rejection from someone you love. It took over a year before Ashby was over it herself.
"I know. Whoever said time heals all wounds was a damn liar and has never been hurt." She replied.
Dom looked at her weird. The look in her eyes said she's been thru a lot. He never knew she had been hurt before. He felt guilty. All this time of talking to her and not once has he asked her about her life before she came to live with the team. It never occurred to him to even ask.
Before he could ask her about her past the teakettle started to whistle, causing the both of them to jump slightly. Ashby quickly went to turn it off before it woke up the baby or anyone else in the house.
He watched her prepare two cups of tea quickly. By now she even knew Dom liked a little honey in his tea to sweeten it a bit. She set the steaming mug in front of him.
"Drink," she commanded. She sat across from him with the other cup sitting in front of her.
Dom blew on his tea before taking a sip. He glanced up at her. "Why aren't you drinking yours?"
She smiled slightly. "Because it isn't for me."
Dom frowned. "If you didn't want any then why did you make a cup?"
Just then there was noise as someone came down the stairs. When Vince walked into the kitchen Dom knew what she meant.
"I have a headache again." Vince told her, before seating down next to her. He was giving her his best puppy dog eyes.
Ashby looked at him in concern. Ever since his accident last year with the truck heist Vince hadn't been the same. His leg twitches and he's not supposed to drive. In Mexico he didn't listen and drove anyway. He got into an accident and had severe head trauma. He now suffers from occasional headaches. Sometimes they are severe, but are usually pretty mild.
"How bad is it? Drink this." She said pushing the cup of tea toward him.
Vince shook his head. "I don't want tea. It won't help. It wasn't too bad earlier, but it keeps getting worse. I took some pills after dinner, but they're not working." He explained.
"Well I better go to bed. Night you two. I hope your head gets better V." Dom said, as he stood up.
"Night, Dom." V responded.
"Night, D." Ashby responded as well, but she was still staring intently at Vince.
Dom took his tea and went back to his bedroom. It never ceases to amaze him how well Ashby knew them.
"It's one of the bad ones, huh?" she asked softly. She knew that look on Vince's face. He was trying to mask the pain.
He nodded. "That's why I came down here. I was trying to find you." He said.
"I'm sorry, V. Come on. Go get into bed. I'll come massage your head until you fall asleep." Ashby said, sounding like she was speaking to a child.
Vince stood up, pulling Ashby along side him, and went up to his room.
They were in his bed with Ashby on her back and Vince wrapped around her middle. His head was resting on her stomach. He wrapped his arms around her tightly. If anyone else saw them, they would think the two were lovers, but it wasn't the case.
Ashby would massage Vince's head to help make the headaches go away so he could sleep.
Her hands combed thru his hair. Her fingertips rested on the base of his neck for a moment. Slowly she began to massage his scalp in small circles.
Vince wanted to moan, but didn't. He didn't want Ashby to get the wrong idea. Her hands felt so good on his head. He didn't know when his feelings for her changed.
One night she was massaging his head like she always does. Then the next night when she touched him his body reacted differently. His body tingled with the need to kiss her. Then his manhood grew hard instantly and he had to turn his body away from her before she felt it.
He was embarrassed. How could he be excited at Ashby's touch? He's grown so use to her next to him at night because of his headaches, that he started to make them up when he didn't have one. Just so he could sleep next to her.
He tightened his hold on her body, wanting her closer.
Ashby mistook it as a sign that he was having a really severe headache. She increased the massage, moving all over his head, and then to his neck. Trying to get him to focus on something else so he could relax.
This time Vince did moan out loud. "Oh god, Ash don't stop," he mumbled.
The way Vince said it caused Ashby to freeze. Her hands stopped. She looked at Vince in shock.
Vince lifted his head to look up at her face, and then realized his mistake. "Oh I'm sorry. I didn't meant to… Shit you don't have to stay. I'll be okay by myself." He stumbled over his words, slightly.
He hadn't meant to say that. He didn't want to scare her away.
To his surprise Ashby smiled. "Never had someone so excited by one of my massages before. I'm not leaving you. Don't worry." She replied.
Vince sighed inwardly. He laid his head back in his previous position. "Thank god," he muttered into her stomach.
Ashby felt her body heat rise. She never thought about Vince in that way before. Sure he was handsome and was wonderfully built, but so were Dom and Leon. Jesse was too much like a kid for her to even consider thinking about in that way.
Not once, since Mia asked her to move into the Toretto household, had Ashby thought of any of the men in a romantic manner.
It never even occurred to Ashby to consider it. She knew Dom was still in love with Letty so she didn't have to worry about him.
Jesse was way too young for her. Leon was cute, but he was too much of a player. He likes to play the field. He was always with a different girl. The others were always asking Ashby the name of the current one since she was the only one who kept track.
Vince was in love with Mia. Or at least he had been before the 'team' went to Mexico. Mia had told Ashby everything about that. So Ashby assumed it was still true now. So being attracted to Vince never came up. But now…I don't know what the hell is going on now.
Ashby woke up the next morning to find Jesse staring at her. She flinched, but then relaxed. "What's the matter, Jesse?" She asked softly so as not to wake Vince, who was still wrapped around her body.
He shook his head. "Nothing. I wanted you to come look at a new car I designed, but I didn't want to wake you." He explained.
"What time is it?" She asked in between a yawn.
"It's just past six. Will you come look now, since you're awake?" He begged, looking at her and pouting.
Ashby smiled softly. She never could deny Jesse anything he wanted. He was just so precious. He always wanted to show her things to get her approval. He was never happy with something unless Ashby was happy with it too. "Yeah. I'll be down in a minute."
Jesse bounced out of Vince's room excitedly.
Ashby looked over at Vince. She tried to leave the bed, but his grip tightened around her, preventing her from moving.
"Vince, let go," she said into his ear.
"No," he whined.
"V," she said in a warning tone.
This time his head came up, so he could look into her eyes. He still hadn't loosened his grip. "Will you go out with me tonight?"
Ashby rolled her eyes. "No. Now let me up."
Vince frowned at her. "Why not?"
"There are lots of reasons, but I'm not going into them now," she replied.
Vince stared at her, quiet for a moment.
"It's because of Dom, isn't it? You like Dom." He said defeated.
Ashby's eyes widened. Why the hell would he think that? Dom is completely in love with Letty, she thought.
Vince misunderstood Ashby's reaction as confirmation of what he said.
"Oh god, Ash' don't fall for him. He'll only hurt you. He's still in love with Letty. You'll only be second best to him. Don't do that to yourself. You deserve more." Vince pleaded with her.
Ashby was shocked. She knew the 'team' cared about her. She never realized how deeply their friendship went. She smiled at Vince. It was nice to know someone was looking out for her.
"V, I appreciate your concern, but believe me. It's nothing like that. I'd rather not talk about it. Now let me up." She informed him.
Vince didn't believe her. He should have known she would fall for Dom. All the girls do.
He unraveled himself from her body, slowly. He really didn't want to let her go. He wanted to stay in bed holding her body close, for as long as possible.
Ashby left Vince's room quickly. She couldn't look at him. It wasn't Dom she was falling for. She sure hoped it wasn't Vince either. Otherwise she would be in trouble. The last thing she needed was to get involved in another relationship. It was hard enough getting over the first one.
