Take 6

"T, you okay?" Leon asked, looking up from the fire he was building on his knees at the campsite.

"I don't know….you guys really thought I brought all those stupid reporters to sell you out." Trynten folded her arms in a hostile manner, not letting them get off so easily, her long lashed eyes eyeing each of them, her gaze resting lastly on Jesse.

"Well, what would you think?" He asked, putting his laptop on the makeshift table he had made from the sawed off tree stump he had found.

"Uhhh, I'd trust my friend a bit more than all of you trusted me put together." Trynten sighed, looking for Lace and Vince to give them the proper thanks they deserved.

"Look, we're sorry." Leon got up, walking over to her, handing her a corona as though a peace offering.

"Coronas are valuable. I'd take it." Letty laughed, whispering in Trynten's ear, making her laugh in amusement. Trynten glared at Leon, her hand outstretched as if she was debating on whether to take it to or not and with an attitudish air about her. Leon shook his head, irritated, and started to walk away and then Trynten broke into a huge smile.

"Thought you were nice and naïve but every day you seem to prove us wrong." Leon laughed, amused and shocked by her fake out.

"She learns from the best of 'em." Lace smirked, walking up with Vince behind her.

"From who then? Couldn't be you." Brian joked, scooting back to miss the expected pop he knew was coming. He misjudged and sure enough, received a thump from Lace on the forehead.

"Blondes don't know what they talk bout anyways, all that babbling." Lace rolled her eyes, getting a look of 'oh no you didn't' from Brian.

"They do know how to run." Brian jumped up, taking off after Lace, who had given chase and headed in the opposite direction of him. Jesse headed her off and the two cornered her, making her laugh and inch backwards.

"I said nothing to you, Jess. Why you gotta sell me out like this?" Lace asked as Brian tickled her in the ribs.

"I'm blonde too, ya know. Us blondes gotta stick together." Jesse walked away, laughing as Lace made a scream for mercy. She stopped laughing to meet Brian's crystal blue eyes, turning serious.

"Shouldn't be so mean, you know." Brian winked at lace, making her burst into laughter and she took her chance. She broke free and got up, dusting herself off indignantly.

"Yeah, yeah." She laughed, looking at Letty, who was getting some lip-gloss from Trynten. She found this odd, as Letty never dressed up or wore lip-gloss, especially at Race Wars.

"You sure you'll be okay?" Trynten asked, a line of worry etched in her forehead.

"Yeah, I run this place, no worries." Letty laughed, closing the lip gloss and throwing on her black leather coat as Lace walked up.

"Out for a midnight run of sorts?" Lace put an arm around Letty and smiled wickedly.

"I'm gonna go into town and have some fun. Shh." Letty laughed, making Lace nod.

"Yeah, I got your shush." She pretended to make a fist and then laughed too. "Have fun." She nodded, walking back to the campsite. She ran into Brian, it being dark. "Sorry." She said, giggling of sorts.

"No problem." He grinned, looking her up and down, though not noticeably. He kept his intentions and feelings quite close to him, making it hard for anyone to know what he really thought of Lace, though the group had their suspicions.

"SO, what you doin out here?" Lace asked, seeing Letty almost walk up and quickly turn the other way. She darted across the midnight shadows and was still in midst of being found out so Lace put her arm around Brian, walking with him as she did so.

"I was just getting in a few bets on the races tomorrow." Brian grinned, looking shy in the silver casted glow of the moonlight.

"Uhhuh." She nodded, leading him in front now, by the hand.

"What you doin out here all alone?" Brian asked, his feet dragging as he liked being pulled by her. He gave up resistance, her pull being harder since he had originally resisted and now he was inches within her face. He took a deep breath and breathed in her Tommy girl perfume, loving how she smelled. His heart was thumping hard as he stared intensely into her eyes, not letting her look away by grabbing her chin and making her look at him.

"What pretty blue eyes you have." She cooed, almost as though under a spell.

"You're pretty period." He whispered, his hand holding the back of her hand and ready to move in for a kiss. She smiled, not wanting to move away or out of his arms.

"You're a sweet talker, Mr. O'Connor." She laughed, trying to pull back. He had anticipated that and didn't let her. He just kept staring at her intensely, his look of longing making it known at that very moment what his feelings were.

"You should know me by now." He said, his voice a whisper.

"Ohhh.." Lace said, pulling back, her pull more of an attempt this time, sighing.

"What's wrong?" Brian sensed her change of heart and looked at her, a worried expression on his face.

"I can't do this. I want to, don't get me wrong." She sat down on the concrete bench that was near the concession stand they had walked upon. He rubbed her shoulders, knowing exactly what she was going to say and why. Ever since Mia had died, nothing was the same.

"Yeah, no, I know, it's fine." Brian sighed, running a hand through his hair and sitting beside her. He was quiet.

"No, it's not. I …if things weren't so strained with Dom…If I wasn't always on his bad side and I knew he could handle what ever it is we were bout to do, trust me, I would tell him in a heartbeat." Lace sighed, her sigh now one of annoyance.

"Yeah, but Dom's gotta know that some of it was for the greater good and I miss her too and …." He put his head in his hands, his heart truly tormented.

"Yeah, I know what you're getting at. I didn't know her too well but Dom's still hurting and so is the team. You and me start something, it'll be the end of you and me." She looked at him, his pitiful looking self and rubbed his back.

"If I woudla…" he said, his voice thick with emotion and she put a finger to his lips.

"No, you can't do that. I could do that on a daily basis." Lace played with his golden hair, hugging him from behind as he tried to choke back his tears.

"Two years and all this still ruling us. It's sad." Brian's watery eyes looked into Lace's, who gave a nod.

"One day it'll be the past and it'll be put to rest." She said confidently. "That's what I'm here for. To help out you guys, not be causing issues." Lace said, almost mad at herself. Every day the attraction to Brian had grown, and she knew it, though she was unsure how to fight it. At least now they were able to talk it over and they both felt the same way.

"Yeah." Brian answered his ringing phone and nodded, listing to the other line. He grinned, hung up and looked at Lace. "You ready for a a party?" He asked, his grin back and his stare in her eyes filled with respect and something else she couldn't figure out. That understanding, his warmness, his genuine manner had been what had attracted her to him in the first place, she realized, scolding her self mentally as she shook her head.

"Parties are nothing new. Why you so excited?" She asked, feeling her own anger at herself coming out at him.

"My boy, Rome, the one I told you all bout. He's here and he's not alone." Brian laughed, putting an arm around Lace, this time in more of a teammate fashion and heading back to camp.

"Company, huh?" Lace asked, intrigued for his benefit. She licked her lips, breathing in his rough smell and again felt herself almost resenting Mia for being the reason they couldn't be together. Then she felt guilty, knowing Mia was dead and not able to come back.

"Three kegs and a Miami businessman." Brian laughed at his own name he gave his friend. They walked up to see a tricked out ford truck the campsite, completing the open circle Letty's car had left open around the trailers. "Tej Parker." Brian took off running, tackling his friend.

"Whoa there, boy. Mess me up and I'm not gonna roll on yo side tomorrow,." Tej threatened, acting angry then broke into smiles and pulled Brian into a half hug.

"Uhhmmm." Roman coughed, not liking being left out, his childish side coming out in him.

"Mr. Roman Pearce." Brian laughed, mocking his name and sounding authoritative.

"What up, Brah?" He asked, knocking his knuckles with Brian's. "Who's the girl?" He asked under his breath, his eyes on Lace.

"Not up for grabs." Brian laughed, his eyes not meeting Roman's as he turned serious.

"You always did suck at lying." Roman accused, shaking his head as though disgusted. The two broke up into laughter.

"Come on, Man, I'll introduce you to them all." Brian said, watching Tej mess with the kegs. "This is Lace. Well, she was here." Brian said, looking confused.

"Told you, boy, stay off the crack. You wouldn't hallucinate as much. Tej teased, shaking his head with a deviant grin.

"Not funny." Leon walked up, though laughing. He looked at Brian. "You seen anyone? I can't find Let, V, or Trynten" he said, his frown one of annoyance.

"Nah, man. They're around. Lace just went missing to." Brian said, still looking around and slapping Roman, who was as well looking for her.

"What? Man, I didn't do anything." He said guiltily then moved out of hitting range, knowing Brian could read him just as well.

"Yeah, whatever. You two need to grow up." Tej threw a stick at them, grunting as he carried the keg, nodding towards the truck. "Get busy, slackers, there's one for each of us." He said, following Leon.

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Can I help you?" The concession lady asked, putting up the closed sign as Trynten stared at the menu.

"Don't you know it's tradition not to eat the night before wars?" Letty asked, tossing a stick at her, with a smile. Trynten turned around and smiled, half scared and half relived that it was someone she knew and not a reporter.

"Really? They are closing anyways." Trynten nodded, thanking the lady and walking away, closer to Letty.

"You are so naïve." Letty said, sounding disappointed in an affectionate way, making Trynten stick out her tongue in retaliation. She got closer to Letty and Letty seemed a bit nervous. She was standing in front of a bush; her hands in her pockets, making Trynten give her an odd look. Letty never acted nervous. "What?" Letty asked as Trynten circled her vulture style.

"Nothing. You're just acting odd, is all." Trynten smiled, giving up and sitting down to take a deep breath. She loved being out here, the pine smell of the tress was so enticing and almost had it's own drunkenness effect on her. She loved the smell of burning wood, the sound of tires squealing every so often and the whole scene was just almost overwhelming. She wanted to stay here forever.

"You're the one staring into space, miss personality." Letty countered and laughed. "You heading back yet?" She asked, her body shaking from the cool desert wind that had a hint of mist from the overhead clouds looming over the moon now as they blew past.

"No. I'm gonna enjoy the silence, the peace, the smells." Trynten smiled, laying on her back on the table. She didn't think too much of it being weird, being that the concision stand people had already left. She took in another deep breath and watched the clouds assemble and reassemble as the winds drove them across the midnight blue sky, creaking a picture perfect image to relax with.

"What you doing out here all alone? Where did your girl Letty go?" A voice asked, making Trynten jump up. He smiled, his corners of his eyes creasing as he did so. He sat down beside her.

"How'd you know Letty was just here?" She asked, not knowing who the guy was.

"I was just behind her and I…" he trailed off, letting the remark go as Trynten waited for the rest of his answer. He grinned. "Never mind, it's nice to meet you." He held out his hand, making her look at him in the eyes, her big eyes not sure why she didn't feel right with him. He was almost creeping her out. "Johnny Tran, and you are?" He asked, the name not registering to her as she took a deep breath and sat back down. He looked pleased at this and continued to stare at her.

A/n: Shout out to Penny, thanks for always being so chipper and 'honest'. Heheh, and to miss Megan, OKC BLAZERS rock the hockey sticks your boys try to play with, lol. You know I love ya, lol. To the rest of the readers, sorry it's been so long for me to update and I hope you'll be really really kind and shoot me a review! Who knew that a little button that small could make someone's day go so hugely good, lol. Thanks for reading and I'll see you in an update soon! Love, cheer girl