Dom walked out of the hospital side of Letty, who wouldn't stop pausing to bend her leg periodically. "If you do this all the way out to the car it may be midnight before we ever get home."

"It's been awhile since I've been able to do this, give me a break."

"Yeah, well you can bend your leg as you walk… all the way to the car. Let's go."

"Why the rush?"

"I'm not rushing."

"Got a hot date? Am I in the way? I'm sorry that my medical well being is getting in the way of your social schedule."

"Letty… it's not like that."

"Sure it's not."

"Let…" Dom stopped, Letty trailed a few paces behind him. "If you don't hurry your scrawny little ass up, we're going to be late."

"Late for what?" Letty smiled.

"It's a surprise."

Letty let loose a shrill scream and launched herself at Dom. Wrapping her legs around him, she continued to scream as he carried her the rest of the way to the car.

Dominic was all set to throw Letty the mother of all parties, and she didn't even know it. Mia had planned the food, and Mr. Toretto kept her away. He had her working at the store, while Dom put the finishing touches on her car. Dom had invited most of the school and even had a DJ coming. Letty didn't know shit. Strings of lights and balloons were everywhere, the entire fort was lit up. Since Letty was about to get her hardship, it was planned for Dom to take her to the hospital, for a final checkup and to have the cast taken off her leg. Then he would drive her to the garage where he had conveniently forgotten some things. There, it was planned for Mia, Mr Toretto, Leon and Jesse to meet her with a cake and the car and their various presents.

Leon, Jesse, and Mia would steal away to get the party started and have everyone surprise her when she got there. There would be barbecue, punch, a stream of food, and everything one could possibly imagine.

"Do you mind if we stop by the garage first? I need to pick up some shit before we head back to the fort. It'll only take a few minutes."

The garage was dark, so Letty didn't see her car as she walked into the office where everyone jumped out at her.

"Holy Mary, Mother of Jesus!" she shrieked as they all busted into laughter.

"Happy Birthday!" Dom grinned, wrapping his arms around her so she couldn't back out of the room.

"My birthday isn't for another week."

"We know, but we wouldn't be able to surprise you then." Mia asked, Handing her a party hat. Letty smiled and placed the hat on her head. She ended up with two, making her look like she had multicolored horns growing out of her head.

"We also wanted to celebrate you getting that smelly cast off." Vince grinned handing her a soda.

"Make a wish girl." Leon announced, bringing the cake out.

Letty closed her eyes at the sight of the candles and blew them out with one fell swoop. "This is great!" she smiled.

"we're hoping you won't be upset.. and will realize that it's the thought that counts… but we all chipped in and just got you one present this year." Mr. Toretto said handing her a box.

"What's…?" Confused, Letty removed the flame keychain from it's box.

"God Letty, for being a smart kid you're dense." Dom announced and promptly scooped her up and hauled her out into the garage. There parked in the middle of the garage, was a crimson Nissan 240SX.

Dom set her down. "Mine?" she asked in whispered shock.

"Yours." He whispered back in her ear.

She walked toward it in a slow revered awe, open the driver's side door and popped the hood.

Mr. Toretto laughed. "Girl knows where to look." The hood popped, and Letty freaked.

"Jesse designed it, Leon did the electronics, Mia did the paint job, Dom and I took the engine" Mr. Toretto explained, walking over to her. She shrieked again and launched herself onto Mr. Toretto.

The team finally headed back to the fort a few hours later. Already from a night of screaming, Letty screeched again. The entire block was lit up, with tables littered in food everywhere. Letty wanted nothing else than to be in the middle of the action, but first Mia dragged letty upstairs, claiming there was no way Letty was dancing at her own birthday party in a grungy hooded sweatshirt.

There was much bickering upstairs as Mia wanted to deck Letty out in girlish items, and all Letty wanted was a tank top and cargo pants. They finally reached middle ground over a pair of faded ripped to shreds low rise jeans, and a silky red spaghetti strap top.

"Hey Let, hold on I have something for you." Dom called before she could walk back downstairs.

Curious, Letty took the wrapped box and sat down on the top of the stairs.

"I know we all pitched in for the car, but I wanted you to have something else from me."

"Shit." Letty said, for not the first time that night.

"Do you like them?" Dom asked, uncertain.

"Like them? They're awesome!"

Peeling off her normal tennis shoes, Letty took the black boots out of their box and pulled them on. Grinning at the flames that etched the sides, she smiled at Dom.

"Thanks. This has been the best birthday….. I can't even describe it."

"We like to see you happy." He replied, kissing her forehead. "Come on, let's get you to that party. I'll even carry you."

"really!"

Dom nodded and she jumped on his back.

"MAKE WAY!" Dom bellowed through the crowd "BIRTHDAY GIRL COMING THROUGH!" Depositing her in the middle of the moving crowd, Dom started to move away. Letty grabbed his hand, and shook her head. Pulling him back to her, she started moving. The first dance had to be with Dom. Dom grinned and let her move against him. She was not uneducated by any means, and knew how to keep him moving. Somehow his hands found her hips, and he was regretting when the song ended. Vince came to claim her next. She just smiled and let V take her, while Dom walked away fuming. Dom watched her that night, nursing his Corona. After V, Leon took his turn, then she danced with them both at the same time. When they left trailing after some hoes from school, she and Mia twirled and danced by themselves, laughing without a care in the world. No other male from school dared dance with either of them. They were somehow marked by Dominic Toretto's intense reputation.

Letty made her way out of the group later, smiling something fierce. She was sweaty but she was happy. "Dom! Why aren't you dancing? This is a PARTY." She grinned and drank from his Corona.

"I guess as an extra birthday present I should stay away from all the whores I'm usually associated with."

"oh, so you admit you date skanks and whores?"

"Letty…" Dom cocked an eyebrow at her.

Turning serious, she cocked her head at him. "I've been meaning to ask you.. do you want your dog tags back? I don't even know how I got them.. and I know they're your dad's and they mean a lot to you." She trailed off.. not knowing where to end.

"No, you keep them. They look good on you."

"Thanks." She smiled. "Come dance with me. The night's not over."

"No.. You go. Have fun. Tonight's your night." Dom said quietly; then without thinking, he leaned in and kissed her.