AN: Thank you for all the reviews! I really enjoy writing this story so I hope you guys enjoy reading it. Jesse just dug himself a hole, but you guys might like how it ends up. Heres another one for you!

Gabriella just stood there as Jesse backed away from her. She was holding onto the counter as if it was the only support she had to hold herself up. She looked at the ground as Jesse backed away from her.

"I'm going to go." Jesse replied quickly as her turned around and walked out the backdoor. Gabriella breathed in as she put her fingers to her lips. Did that just happen? Did Jesse really just kiss her?

"Gabby!" Vince yelled. She jumped grabbing hold of the counter again. "What is wrong with you? Are you okay?"

She nodded her head at him unable to respond. "Are you sure?" He looked beside her at her cell phone. "Have you been on the phone?"

"It was ringing, I answered it." She breathed out.

"Who was it?"

"Johnny." Gabriella moved away from him as he walked over to her. She felt like he knew.

"Gabriella…"

"I told him I was grounded and that I didn't have a phone. That was it. I promise."

Vince nodded his head at her grabbing the phone off the counter. "So you want to talk about what happened with Dom today?"

"Well let's just say that I am happy there was glass between us." She smiled at him. "I told him I was angry with him. He still doesn't want me coming up there."

"You understand why right? A prison is the place for a sixteen year old girl."

"I just really wish that he was home."

"Me too." He walked over to the refrigerator taking out a beer before turning back to her. "Do you want to learn how to drive?"

"I'm sorry?"

"I will teach you if you want to learn the right way. There is no racing involved in this, this is for you to get your license and that only."

Gabriella nodded her head. "You would teach me?"

"Yes, I will. Starting tomorrow, when you come home from school everyday instead of working at the garage, you will come to the garage and we will learn the basics. Until I think you are ready you will not be on the road for a while, you have to learn these things Gab and no use them as a game. You can get yourself killed."

"Thanks Vince!" She rushed over to him wrapping her arms around his waist.

"You're still grounded." He smirked putting the Corona to his mouth walking away from her. She stuck her tongue out at him before going back into the living room. She threw herself on the couch as she looked out the window at Jesse. What caused him to kiss her? Was she okay with you? She shook her head of the thought as she turned the TV on.

Moments had passed before Gabriella got bored and went upstairs. She slowly walked into her room closing the door behind her. She walked over to her dresser slowly opening it and pulling out the letters Dom's had written her. She took a deep breath as she brought them over to her bed. She ripped the first one open and began reading it.

Gabriella,

If only words could express how deeply sorry I am to be in here. I wish more than anything that I could change the outcome. I wasn't thinking when I did it, it just happened. You are by far one of the most important people in my life and I am sorry I let you down. I love you so much Gabby and I want you to know that I am always here. I am not going anywhere. Vince is also there for you, to teach you things, to help you with things. Let him Gab, let him help you. I know you are probably angry, I can see you right now with your fists clenched and tears streaming down your face, but it's going to be alright. I will be out in no time. Watch out for Mia, I know you guys don't get along all the time but it's now time for you both to grow up. You are my life Gabriella, I love you and I hope to see you soon.

Love always

Dominic.

Gabriella let the paper fall to the bed as she wiped the tears from her face. She took a deep breath as she opened the second one.

Gabriella,

It hurts me to not have received a letter from you. I understand though I really do. I just want to know how you are doing. If you are okay? Vince says that you aren't handling this very well. I know I told him not to bring you up here, if you are mad about that it's okay. I can't stand to see you upset or in a place like this. You are my baby sister Gabby, I will love you until the day that I die. Know that, it sucks in here, I made a couple of friends but it's not the same as being at home with you guys. I am trying to get by, I am going to be here a long time. I love you Gabriella, I will talk to you soon.

Love always,

Dominic.

She threw that one aside not wanting to read anymore. She had hurt him. She couldn't help but feel bad for him, as mad as she was at him it hurt her to know how sad he is. She wiped her face again as she heard a soft tap on her door. "Yes?" She responded. The door slowly opened as Jesse appeared. Her heart stopped.

"Are you okay?" He asked closing the door behind him.

"I was just catching up on some reading." She gave a soft laugh.

"Tear jerker?"

"Yeah." She wiped her face again. "It's just Dom's letters."

"Yeah those can tear at your heart strings."

"He seems so sad."

"Well I know one thing is for sure, he loves you. A lot. We all do."

She looked up at him. "I mean…you know that."

"I love you guys too."

She stood up grabbing the letters off the desk. "I just read two of them, I think that's enough for one day."

"Gab…" He stopped himself.

"What is it?"

He shook his head at her. She laughed as she opened the drawer. "You are…" She was in his arms again. This time up against her dresser. His lips were on hers in a second, this time again she didn't push him away. Instead he stopped himself and walked out the door leaving her there dumbfounded. How did this happen…again?

Jesse had managed to avoid Gabriella the rest of the night, she tried and failed multiple times to talk to him. She finally gave up and went to bed. The next morning she expected him to be waiting for her outside but instead it was Vince waiting. 'What are you doing? Where is Jesse?"

"He had to go to the garage early this morning, he said something about he needed to finish something for a customer."

She shook her head as she climbed into his Nissan. "What? Let's be a little more excited about me driving you to school this morning."

"Oh I am ecstatic!" She smirked at him. She put her seatbelt on and waited for him to start the car.

"So what did you do to Jesse?"

Gabriella began to laugh. "Why does it have to be me? You should be asking him what he did to me…"

"And what does that mean?"

"Ask him." She remained silent with a smile on her face. The car pulled up to the school.

"Hey, don't do anything stupid today."

"Vince, it's always so nice riding with you. It really is." She shut the door.

"I love you!" He yelled. She shook her head as many people stopped and stared at her.

"So thanks for checking and making sure I made it home okay, which I did by the way don't worry." Brianna walked up beside her.

"My phone is gone, I am grounded for a month. Every day after school I have to go to the garage with them and work, I guess. The upside to that is Vince is going to teach me to drive but I doubt I will be getting a car any time soon and probably as my punishment he won't take me to get my license anytime soon either."

"Well at least he is helping you."

"I'm glad you got home safe."

"I really like Jake. We have been talking every day since Saturday night. I know it's only been two days but I really do like him."

Gabriella smiled at her friend. "I got to talk to Johnny for a little bit yesterday and that's only because Vince left my phone out."

"You guys okay?"

Gabriella just nodded her head as she let her mind wonder to Jesse. She sighed as they arrived at her locker.

"Look who is finally here!" Johnny was behind her with his arms around her waist. He kissed her on the cheek before turning her around. "It's been absolutely nuts not talking to you."

"Your face looks better." She smiled at him putting her hand up to him.

"I can take a punch." He smirked. "So Brianna, how are things with Jake?"

Brianna blushed as she shoved him aside. "I am going to class, I will see you two at lunch."

"She does like him right?"

Gabriella began to laugh. "Oh yeah."

"Everything okay at home?" He grabbed her hand bringing it to his lips.

"As good as it can be. I slapped Mia in the face, they took me to see Dom in prison. He threatened to kill me if he could, they took my phone, I am grounded till whenever, and I have to go to the garage that I haven't been to since my father died. And to be honest I really don't think that I did anything wrong."

"You didn't."

"Then why am I being punished so bad?"

He shrugged his shoulders as he stared down at her. He went to say something but the bell rang causing him to let go of her hand. "I will see you beautiful self at lunch. We can talk more than okay."

She smiled at him nodding her head. He leaned down softly kissing her on the lips. She smiled at him when he let her go, but a feeling came over her she hadn't experienced….she thinking about Jesse.

School finally ended which meant it was time for Gabriella to go to the one place she didn't want to ever go back to. She took a deep breath as Vince pulled up in his Nissan. He had the window rolled down with a smile on his face.

"I really don't want to go to the garage." She blurted out shutting the door. "I haven't been since he died and I just don't know…"

"Gab, are you okay?"

"You told me to be honest with you so I am being honest. I will freak out Vince, I will freak out if you make me go back in there."

"This was the deal Gab."

She nodded her head. "You have to do this sooner or later."

"I choose later." She mumbled sticking her head out the window. It was silent. She knew he didn't want to make her do something that she didn't want to do, but he had no choice. The family voted. She had to go to the garage after school. The car slowly pulled up as Gabriella straightened herself out.

"I think Mia has some paper work for you to do in the office." Vince told her putting the car in park. "This is going to be okay Gab, I promise."

"You guys keep saying that, but you don't see it. Either you ignore it or you just don't see it, I am not ready for this." She opened the car door slamming it behind her. She leaned against crossing her arms over her chest and Vince slowly made his way over to her.

"I don't think you will ever be ready for this Gab, but we have no choice. Life goes on. This place and the store are the only things we have left your dad."

"I closed with him every night Vince, that was our thing."

"You don't have to close."

She shook her head at him as she walked away. It took her a moment at the door to even open it. She knew Vince was watching her but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Her heart was racing as her hands began to shake. "I got it." He whispered behind her opening the door. He gave her a little push as she stumbled into the garage. The smell hit her…she wanted to throw up.

"Hey girl!" Letty walked past her with a smile. Gabriella tried to smile as Vince shoved her more inside.

"You have got to move." He told her. Mia approached them with papers in her hand.

"Hey, how was school?"She asked.

"Fine."

"Well I have some work already on the desk for you to do. It just needs to be logged into the computer and separated into the filing cabinets. It should take most of the day…." Gabriella looked around the room. It all looked the same to her, but it was so different. The air smelled different, the atmosphere was just…different. "Gabby!" Mia yelled causing her to jump. "Are you listening?"

"I need some air." Gabriella replied as she walked out the door.

"What is she doing?" Mia asked.

"Give her some time. This is her first day back."

Gabriella rushed outside to the side of the building sliding down the wall trying to catch her breath. She her head in her hands as she heard footsteps coming closer to her. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Just give me a minute."

"Just take a moment Gab, don't let this overwhelm you." Letty sat down beside her. "The day we opened back up after your father died was horrible. Everyone said it was a good day but it wasn't. Vince was the first one here, I found him in Tony's office crying like a baby. I believe that's the only time I have ever seen him cry. Me and Mia walked in, Mia couldn't even step foot into the office to make sure he was okay, so I had to do it. Mia disappeared for a little while. She was out back, when I finally found her she had one of your dad's shirts up to her face with tears streaming down her face. Its hard Gab, I know it is. Man, I couldn't think straight that entire day. It just doesn't seem real you know, there are times where I think it's just a dream and he is going to come walking through the door with huge smile on his face. But he's not. And it's not just a dream. This is real and you have to accept it. You have to stand up from here and walk into that garage and embrace the reality that your father isn't coming back. I know it is hard, I know you don't want to do it but you have to Gab. You have to or you will go through life regretting every decision you make because you felt like you couldn't do something."

Gabriella nodded her head at her. "Give me your hand and we will do this together." Letty stood up giving her hand down to help Gabriella up. Gabriella took a deep breath before nodding her head and putting her hand in Letty's. The girl pulled her up bringing her into her arms. "You are going to be okay, but you have got to stop flipping out like this."

Gabriella began to laugh. "I'm a girl what do you expect?"

"Oh yeah, a letter came in the mail for you today from Dom. He wrote in mine that I better force you to read this one." She laughed.

"I read two of them, they made me sad."

"Yeah they make me sad too, but at least he is still writing."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Are you going to wait for him?"

There was silence. Letty looked over at her and smiled. "I will wait for him for the rest of my life."

Gabriella sat down at her father's desk putting her hands slowly on top and closing her eyes.

"That paper work isn't going to finish itself!" Tony yelled.

She smiled as she remembered her father.

"It's your job to do!" She yelled at him.

"I don't know how to read or write."

Gabriella opened her eyes with a smile on her face as she looked down at the computer. Her father would tell her that every time he wanted to do something.

"You good?" Vince asked walking in. He had two bottles of water in his hand. "I brought you some just in case you get hot."

"I'm fine and thank you. Just about to get started."

"Do this for an hour and then come outside and we will work on the car thing."

She nodded her head. "Here." He pulled something out of his pocket and placed it on the desk. It was her cell phone. "You can have this back."

"Why?"

"I'm trying really hard to not make your life a living hell. I want you to be happy and I want you to be able to come to me…to any of us with anything. I want to be able to trust you and you trust me…"

"I do trust you Vince."

"I just want to see you smile again Gab. That's all that I want from you."

She nodded her head as she took the cell phone from him. "I love you Vince." She turned back to the computer and started working on the reports that were sitting in front of her. An hour passed by quickly as she took one last look at the report she had finished before putting it away in the filing cabinet.

"Gabby!" Vince yelled. She jumped letting the drawer close on her finger.

"SHIT!" She yelled jerking her hand back.

"Oh wow are you okay?" A man rushed into the office over to her. She nodded her head holding onto her hand.

"Yeah, I am going to kill him."

"Here let me see." He took her hand in his and smiled. "Well it's not broken so that's a good thing."

"I'm about to break it on Vince's face."

The man laughed. "I'm Leon by the way, I just started working here about a week ago."

AN: LEON! I know some might be wondering where he is, well he is here now! REVIEW!