Summary: Before TFATF. Before the racing, the heists, and the hype. This is the story of the team, and how they became the team they ended up as. This is the story of the blossoming relationship between Letty and Dominic, the friendship between everyone, the introduction of Jesse, Leon, and Vince. AU in the sense that Dominic and Vince have not been friends since third grade.
Disclaimer:I don't own the characters… blah blah.
Chapter Five. Daddy.
"That's my dad," Dominic said as he and the gang sauntered up the stands surrounding the track.
"Which one?" Jesse asked, confused, as he looked at the cars on the track.
Dominic pointed to the car at the head of the pack, as the race had already started. "The lead car," he added with admiration in his voice.
Jesse nodded as the gang took their seats, Letty and Mia on either side of Dominic, Jesse to the right of Mia, with Leon and Vince sitting behind the foursome.
Letty snuggled up against Dominic as he intertwined their fingers and smiled without looking at her. She smiled back and turned her attention to the race. "Your dad's really kickin' some ass, Dom," she said giggling.
"Daddy always does," Mia responded for Dominic, admiration also apparent in her tone of voice.
"That's a nice car, D. What's it running?" Leon asked from behind.
"You're looking at a nine and a half second car, boys," Dominic puffed his chest out in satisfaction as he spoke. "That's the first car he and I built together."
"Beautiful," Vince added. Everyone laughed.
"Heading into the last lap of the race," the announcer's voice boomed out of the speakers above their heads. "Tony Toretto leads by inches, Linder following close behind, with Evert and Kane battling for the third and fourth places."
Dominic and Mia's faces beamed with more admiration as they heard their father's name over the speakers. The two had been coming to races since they were in diapers and their mother was still alive. They grew up around these men and women, their cars, and this track.
"Come on, dad," Dominic growled under his mouth as the racers closed in on the last turn of the race. Dominic's jaw dropped in horror. "He's too close!" he screamed as Linder's car crept upon his father's back bumper. A tap of Linder's front end to Toretto's back end sent Dom's father's car crashing into the wall at a hundred twenty five miles per hour. Dominic leapt to his feet and jumped out of the stands, bounding over the barricade to his father's car.
"Dad!" Dominic kept screaming, hoping his father would get out. He ran to the side of the wreckage as EMT's and the rest of the gang pulled him back. Other EMT's raced to the car, trying to pull Tony out. Dominic heard screams ringing through his ears as he fell to the ground with tears in his eyes. He looked on at the wreckage and people trying to rescue his father from the mangled car. Suddenly, the tanks exploded and the whole entire car was engulfed in flames. Dominic's sight went black and he heard nothing but screams as he fell onto the ground into a heap.
"Baby," Letty cooed as she softly caressed the side of his face. Dominic heard her, but couldn't open his eyes. He used all his strength and might to try to open them; but they wouldn't budge. A warm water drop hit his face, then another, and another. Then he heard it. He heard the crying and sobs around him, and the gentle hum of a car underneath him. He slowly opened his eyes to see Letty's tear stained face looking down at him.
Dominic shot up from her lap and looked in front of the car at the driver, Leon, and the passenger, Jesse. "Where is he?" he asked quietly. When he got no response, his eyes flashed with fury. "Where the fuck is he?" he screamed.
"Dom…" Mia said quietly. Dom turned to his left and faced her, seeing the wet path of tears on her cheeks and the new tears glistening in her eyes threatening to spill from their banks. "Dad… well, daddy died, Dominic. He died."
"No," Dom screamed as he punched at the roof of the car, denting it with each swift motion of his fist. "No!"
"Dom," Letty said soothingly. Tears were now streaming from his own cheeks as he looked at Letty and broke down harder. She cupped his face to her bosom and stroked his head as he cried. "Sh, baby… go ahead. Let it out," she whispered into his ear.
"Come on in, boys," Letty said as Vince, Jesse, and Leon arrived at the Toretto household in their rented black tuxes, black ties, and white shirts, with their newly shined black shoes. Letty smiled weakly as she smoothed down her modest black dress. "Dom's in here," she said as she headed towards the kitchen door, her black high heeled shoes clicking on the wood floor.
Vince caught her wrist and turned her towards him. "How's he holding up," Vince asked, concerned.
"Like a brick wall," Letty mumbled. "He's doing it for Mia, I'm sure. But he'll break, V. He'll break soon enough."
The three nodded as Letty spoke, already knowing this – but feeling they had to ask. The four headed into the kitchen, where Dom sat at the table in his black suit and tie. He glanced up from his coffee cup and newspaper at the gang.
"Hey guys," Dom said, almost cheerfully.
"Hey D," they all said in unison as they sat around the table, pouring their own cups of coffee.
"Where's Mi," Dom asked in Letty's direction, but not looking directly at her. He hadn't looked her straight in the face since Tony died. Letty couldn't figure out exactly why, but she had an idea.
"She's still getting ready," Letty sighed as she took her seat next to Dominic. She patted his thigh, and then cradled his hand in hers. He smiled and squeezed her hand. Everyone sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity.
"What times the service?" Mia asked as she came down the stairs. Her hair and makeup was done, but she was dressed in shorts and a tank top. No amount of makeup could cover the dark circles under her eyes or the red that covered her eyeballs.
"You've got ten minutes before we leave without you," Dom said without looking up from his place.
"Alright then," Mia said as she went back upstairs.
Fifteen minutes later, Mia came back into the kitchen wearing a long black skirt, a lace embroidered tank top, and a sheer black jacket. Everyone was standing at the door waiting for her. They all filed out into their cars in silence, and drove to the cemetery in even quieter silence.
When they arrived at the cemetery after the viewing, they sat in their cars until everyone else was standing around their father's casket, ready to be placed in the ground. Vince, Leon and Jesse walked with Mia. Dom stayed back a few steps until Letty finally persuaded him. "You've got to, babe," she said as she clasped his hand in hers. "And I'm right here with you every step."
Dom nodded as he stared at the ground and walked slowly towards his father's cemetery plot. The minister had already begun. "Tony Toretto was a fine man that would give anything for another person. Here we are giving our tears for this man that gave us everything he could, but he would not want us to grieve. He would want us to remember the good times, and rejoice that we had the time with him that we did. May he rest in peace," the minister said. He looked at Dominic, and Dominic nodded. "Dominic Toretto would like to say a few things."
Dominic stood in front of the people; his aunts, uncles, cousins… friends, fellow racers, and everyone who had ever stepped foot into his father's garage. They were all brought together to show their respects to his father. He took a deep breath and finally locked eyes with Letty, who sat stunned, as no one knew he was to speak at the cemetery.
"I'd like to share a poem that my father read to me after my mother died. I know he felt this way when she passed, and I'm sure he'd want us to follow it now: 'Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free, I'm following the path God's laid for me, I took His hand when I heard His call, I turned my back and left it all. I could not stay another day, to laugh, to love, to work or play. Tasks left undone must stay that way; I've found that peace at the close of day. If my parting has left a void, then fill it with remembered joy. A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss - ah yes, these things I too will miss. Be not burdened with times of sorrow, I wish you sunshine for tomorrow. My life's been full; I savored much - good friends, good times, a loved one's touch. Don't lengthen it now with undue grief. Lift up your head and share with me, God grant me now; he set me free.'"
With that, a single tear slid down his cheek. Dominic took a rose and set it upon the casket. He kissed his hand and touched the top. "I love you, papa," he said as he turned on his heel to walk away. He walked over to Letty and took his hand in hers. Mia placed a rose on the casket, followed by the rest of the gang. Everyone else followed suit, and left one by one.
The gang stood there, silence so thick you could cut it with a knife. Mia was the first one to break the silence with her sobs. Dominic took her in his arms and kissed her forehead. Letty joined the two, matching Mia's sobs with her own. Jesse, Vince, and Leon also joined and made a group hug. They stayed that way for a while, until the sun finally set. Mia collapsed exhausted, and Vince carried her to the car.
"Goodbye," Dom whispered as he and Letty were left at the gravesite. Letty nodded and wiped her own tears from her cheeks as the two walked away hand in hand.