The sunlight ripped through the room, searing Alyssa's tired, bloodshot eyes as she eased them open to survey the mess that was her room.

Damn I'm untidy. She thought to herself as she dragged her body into a sitting position. Her head was starting to pound as she grabbed a towel from the closet in the hall and stumbled into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.

She turned on the water and let it run, whilst she stripped off her clothes and threw them in the laundry basket for Mia to wash, dry and iron. Steam rose as the water heated and she stepped inside, sliding the glass panel shut and letting the water envelope her in its steamy embrace. It soothed her tired muscles and woke her up alittle more.

The ache in her head still persisted however.

Alyssa stepped out and wrapped the fluffy towel around her body, toweling her hair roughly and unlocking the door. When she pushed open her bedroom door, she gasped. It was tidy, and a note was pinned to the pillow.

Lys,

Gone to garage. Plz turn up today.

Love Dom xXx

P.S. There are headache tablets in the cupboard above the sink in the bathroom. Love Mia xXx

Alyssa grinned at how well her older sister knew her already. She dragged a pair of old denim shorts over her hips and pulled an old tank top over her head. Her ebony hair was scragged back in a very messy bun and her oldest pair of flip flops adorned her feet. Today, she started work in Toretto's Garage.

And she couldn't have felt worse if an 18-wheeler truck had smashed into her head. Because that was what it felt like.

She took two tablets and locked the front door behind her, with the spare door key Dom had given her till he had time to get another one cut.

It was such a nice day, Alyssa walked the four blocks to the garage. When she arrived, everyone was sitting eating sandwiches made by Mia and drinking Coronas or Pepsis.

"Hey 'Lys. How's ya head?" Vince smirked evilly.

Alyssa glared at him and stuck out her tongue. "It hurts like hell. But I haven't thrown up yet. That's gotta be good, right?"

Mia appeared from what looked like the office. "Hey lil sis. Did you take any tablets?"

Alyssa nodded and sat infront of Vince, watching him eat his chicken-salad sandwich. When he let down his guard, she snatched it away and began to eat it quickly. She hadn't had breakfast. She had known there was something she had forgotten.

"Hey! That's mine!" He growled menacingly.

"No shit Sherlock." She replied after she swallowed a particularly large mouthful.

Vince glared and lunged at her, trying to get his sandwich back. She danced tantalizingly out of his reach and shook her finger at him.

"Ah, ah, ah. Naughty boy, don't snatch." She smirked as Mia stood next to her with her hands on her hips and gave Vince her death stare.

It worked like a charm.

Vince huffed and sat back down, dragging a car magazine closer so he could read the print about the featured Nissan Maxima.

"'Lyssa, you ready for your first lesson?" Dom called from underneath a Mazda RX-5.

Alyssa raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow at her older brother. "What do you mean by lesson?" She asked frostily.

Dom rolled out from under the Mazda and got up. He wandered over and pulled her to the engine of a Ford Mustang.

"Im'a teach you how to change the oil and other jobs like that." He replied, handing her a bottle of oil from a shelf and twisting off the oil cap.

"Dom, I know how to change the damn oil. I'm not stupid." Alyssa snapped, walking away and lying on the skateboard that lay near the Mazda. She rolled underneath and surveyed the car's intricate workings.

"This needs serious work." She called. Rolling out, she grabbed a few of the tools lying within her reach and spent two and a half hours on the Mazda, only rolling out when she needed a different tool.

Finally, she rolled out from underneath the Mazda for the last time. "Finished." She said simply, smiling at Dom as he gawked at her.

He strode over to the Mazda, beckoning Jesse to follow. They inspected the car and found the problem to have been fixed.

Jesse felt a strange surge of pride mixed with jealousy as he watched Alyssa talking to Vince. Pride that she had done so well on her first day and jealousy that he might be replaced by her as the Mad Scientist. Also, rage bubbled beneath the surface as he watched Vince pat her playfully on the rear as she walked away, over to Dom. If they had still been going out, Vince would never have done that. Flirtatious man-eating bitch.

Alyssa watched Jesse out of the corner of her eye. He was bending down to pick up something. Again and again, she felt her heart drop if he happened to look their way and smile at one of the others. But all she received was his unawareness. She felt empty when she saw Brian and Mia together, Dom and Letty, Leon and a random skank. Even Vince had a new girl they hadn't met yet.

She heaved a sigh and wandered over to Dom. Her big brother and her protector, but also, her agony aunt.

"Dom, can I talk to you, in private?" Alyssa asked, slipping her small hand into his.

Dom nodded and led her to his little office, which was swamped in various files and papers for the cars in the garage.

"I did have a filing system, but it's kinda disappeared," He looked sheepish, "I tried to get Mia in here to help, but she refused. I wonder why?" He grinned and motioned for her to sit down. "What's on your mind sugar?"

"I want Jesse back." She replied, staring hard at him with violet orbs.

Dom sighed and scratched his bald head contemplatively. "'Lys, you called it off. What makes you think he wants you back? What makes you think you're good together?" Dom asked, trying hard to dissuade his little sister.

"One, I didn't call it off. Two, I haven't the faintest idea whether he wants me back or not. Three, I know we're good together because he makes me feel special." Alyssa retorted stubbornly.

"Looks like you're on a mission sweetie. Just don't hurt him, okay?" Dom relented and cuddled her close.

She nodded and grinned. "Sounds like Mission Impossible."