To Be Needed
Part 10
For the next couple of days, things returned to normal in the Toretto household. At least as normal as the 'team' can get. Ashby should have known something was bound to happen. Things never stayed normal for too long. When it rains it pours, at least Ashby seemed to think so.
Sure enough, less than a week after the Letty fiasco there was a knock at the door, late one afternoon. Ashby assumed it was Mia since it was near three o'clock.
Holding Maria, Ashby made her way to the front door. "What's the matter Mia? Did you forget your…" she trailed off when she saw it wasn't Mia. The smile left her face.
"What the hell do you want David?" She snapped, angrily.
Ashby stared at the man, that she once thought she was in love with. She felt nothing for him now, and for that she was thankful.
"Watch who you're talking to." The six foot four man snapped back.
Ashby glanced the screen door, noting it was locked. She raised an eyebrow at him. "You better watch it. I'm not that scared young girl anymore. You can't order me around. I'm not your punching bag anymore." She told him firmly.
All he did was roll his eyes at her, as if to say 'whatever'. Ashby looked at him. He was mixed. He looked more Latin, then what he actually was. His mother was African American and his father was white. She used to think his unique coloring was special. Now she just wished he would go away.
"What do you want David?" She demanded again.
David held up a white envelope. "I brought this."
Ashby eyed him wearily. "Slip it thru the side of the screen." She instructed. There was no way she was letting him any where near her or Maria. Ashby grabbed it and opened it, glancing thru it quickly.
"What the hell is this?" She demanded.
"A court order, for you to get a DNA test for your daughter. I want proof she isn't mine. I know you were fucking someone else." He stated, matter-of-factly.
"I don't want you tryin to ruin my career later on or tryin to get money out of me for a child that isn't even mine."
Ashby read the court order again and began to laugh. She laughed so hard she had tears in her eyes.
At first David was confused, but he quickly schooled his face back to indifference.
"You're so fucking stupid, David. Get the hell out of here and don't come back!" She told him angrily, but kept a normal tone. She didn't want to upset Maria.
"You better go Ashby. The hearing is tomorrow. They'll take your daughter away." David told her confidently, glancing at Maria.
Ashby saw the smug look on his face. She knew he thought he knew everything. He thought Maria was her daughter. Ashby wanted to smack the hell out of him and herself for thinking he loved her. She knew now he never did love her. If David really wanted to know about his own child he would have tried sooner. There was something he wasn't telling her, she could feel it.
"Go away David. If you come near me again, I'll have you arrested for stalking."
David glared at her. "You're such a bitch Ashby!"
"Well then it's a good thing I'm at the point in my life where I no longer care what you think. Why are you all of sudden concerned about your child? And she was your child."
"I got a job offer from the NBA when I graduate Stanford. I don't want you milkin me for money for a child that isn't mine. I don't want you tryin to start a scandal later on in my career."
Ashby laughed again.
That pissed David off. "What the fuck are you laughin for?" He demanded loudly.
Maria started to whimper.
Ashby glared at David. "You keep your voice down. If you've got nothing else to say then I suggest you leave before it's too late." She said venomously.
This time David laughed. "Too late for what? What are you gonna do?" he asked sarcastically.
Ashby glanced at the watch on her wrist. 'It's almost three," she said smiling.
David looked confused, until he heard a loud roar coming down the street.
Ashby grinned, knowing it was Vince. He started driving Mia home at three and taking Ashby to school. He told the others it was to watch out for Ashby in case Letty tried something. The team agreed it was a good idea.
David watched as what looked like a blue racecar pulled up in front of the house. He saw Vince in the driver seat and turned back to Ashby quickly.
"You better be at the hearing tomorrow with your kid." He told her viciously and headed for his own car. He drove off before Vince had a chance to walk over and say anything to him.
Mia walked up to the front door, with Vince close behind. "Who was that?" Mia asked casually.
Ashby unlocked the screen door, to allow them in. "No one important." She said as she handed Maria over to her mother.
Mia looked at her curiously, but Ashby wasn't worried about Mia. Ashby was more concerned with the look on Vince's face. He was angry. Ashby could tell he was barely holding his temper in check. His face was turning red, and the vein at his temple was pulsating.
"I'm gonna go get my stuff," Ashby said and then ran for her room. She wanted to hide the envelope before anyone saw it.
In the car Ashby kept glancing at Vince. He still hadn't said a word since he picked her up. Ashby took a deep breath.
"V, what's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing," he snapped, refusing to even glance at her.
Ashby glared at his profile. "Oh really? Then why won't you talk to me?" She demanded.
"I am talking," he growled.
For the second time that day Ashby wanted to smack someone. "We're not dating, V. We're not seeing each other. You have no reason to be mad. It's not like I'm cheating on you." She said.
This time Vince did look at her.
Ashby flinched at the look in his eyes.
"You lied, Ash. You said you didn't want to date anyone, but that wasn't it was it? It was just me you didn't want. Why didn't you say so instead of letting me think that maybe I had a chance? Has he been coming over everyday while we're all at the garage? That's fucked up, Ash. You're supposed to be taking care of Maria, not tryin to get some ass." He snapped angrily.
His head hit the back of his seat with a thud after Ashby slapped him across the face.
"Pull over!" she yelled. Ashby glared at him, more hurt than angry.
"Pull the fucking car over, or I swear to god I'll jump out!" She yelled again when Vince hadn't stopped the car.
Ashby unlocked her seat belt and unlocked her door, ready to open it, when Vince grabbed her wrist.
"Ash! What the fuck! All right! All right! I'm pulling over! Wait damn it!" he yelled at her, panicking because he was afraid Ashby would jump out before he had a chance to stop.
When she was ready to throw herself from the car Vince realized he said the wrong thing. He fucked up big time. He had no idea if Ashby would ever be able to forgive him.
Ashby grabbed her purse and leaped out the car once it stopped. She left her school bag behind. She had no intention of attending class today. She started walking down the street. She pulled out her cell phone and called Jesse. She couldn't call Dom because she didn't want to bring more problems to him. He had enough to deal with without having to deal with this too.
Vince jumped out his car and ran after Ashby. "Ash, wait!" he grabbed her arm.
Ashby pulled out of his grasp and continued to talk on her cell phone. She looked around to see where she was. "I'm on the corner of Ellwood and Silver Avenue. Thanks, Jess." She said and then hung up her phone.
She continued to walk down to the corner she just told Jesse about on the phone. Vince walked next to her.
"Ash, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I just…" he trailed off. Vince knew why he was angry, but he couldn't bring himself to admit it out loud to her. How stupid would he look saying he was just jealous?
Ashby shrugged. "It doesn't matter, V." she replied, dully.
Vince looked at her sharply. "Yes it does. Fuck, Ash! You were gonna throw yourself from my car. It means something to you." He said incredulously.
Ashby stopped walking and turned and faced Vince. "No it doesn't. I told you we wouldn't work. You didn't even ask, V. You have no idea how far off base you are. All you had to do was ask and I would have told you." She said, sadly.
Ashby was hurt. How could he think that of her?
"I've never lied to you or the 'team,' not once. I've never given any of you a reason to doubt me or my word." She said, close to tears, but she held them in.
Vince reached out to put his arms around her, but Ashby stepped back, holding up a hand to ward him back.
"I don't want you to touch me right now. Go away, Vince. Jesse is coming to get me."
Vince dropped his arms to his sides in defeat. Yep, he fucked up big time.
He couldn't stop himself. He saw that guy talkin to her and once the guy got one look at him he turned and left. Vince couldn't stand the thought of Ashby being with someone else, not when he wanted her so much.
"I'm sorry, Ash." He repeated, and then turned and went back to his car. He would sit and wait until Jesse came for her.
"Oh fuck,' he muttered when he saw the red Mazda RX 7 pull up beside Ashby a few minutes later.
Ashby's eyes widened when she saw Dominic's car pull up along side her. She climbed in, but was afraid to look at him. She hadn't wanted to burden him with her fight with Vince.
"I'm sorry. I didn't want to give you more crap to worry about. I told Jesse not to tell you." She said, lowly.
Dominic sighed. "Ash, honey. I forgive you this time, but don't ever do it again. We're a 'team'. We're always there for each other, no matter what. Now, tell me what happened?" he said seriously.
The tears Ashby had been holding back finally broke thru. Seeing David again was more than she could bear. All the memories she's been trying to bury for the last year were all coming back to her. Vince thinking the worst of her only added insult to injury. She couldn't take it anymore. She sobbed against Dominic's chest.
"Shush, Ash. It'll be okay," Dom whispered as he rubbed her back gently.
After a while, her crying finally stopped.
Dom looked down at her face and wiped her tears away. "Feel better now?" he asked gently.
Ashby shrugged. "I guess." She replied.
"Come on. Let's get you home, Jesse's probably having a heart attack by now." Dominic announced as he settled himself back in his seat.
They headed back to the Toretto house in silence.
