Gabriella pulled up to the garage when she noticed a tow truck sitting in her parking place. She looked confused as she inched closer. That's when she saw the car.
"What the hell is this?" She asked causing Jesse to laugh. It had been three days since the party and they hadn't really talked since he told her he wanted to get back together.
"Brian found himself a car to give to Dom."
"Where?"
Jesse laughed as she pointed to the old Toyota Supra on the tow truck. "So he does know that he owes Dom a car that runs right?"
"He is going to rebuild it. Actually all of us are."
Gabriella looked around the room as everyone came out of the office. "So this is how you try to buy my brothers love?" She moved over to him as he came out of the office.
"I owed him a ten second car." Brian explained.
"And this one was the best one you could find?" She pointed to the car. "It's beautiful Brian, it really is."
"Okay okay." He laughed. "Once we get all the parts it's going to be awesome."
"Who's paying for this?" She asked. He pointed to everyone around the room. "Oh really?"
"He's racing. I have to make some money off of him if we are going to do this." Dom chimed in.
"You any good?" She asked.
He nodded his head. "Hmmm." She looked over at Dom. "I will be the judge of that."
"What does that mean? You want to race me?" Brian asked.
"I saw how you raced the other night. You were reckless. You didn't have a clue what you were doing. You just wanted to win."
Dom crossed his arms over his chest with a smirk on his face. "Okay, so when do you want to do this?" Brian asked.
"Right now."
"What?" Brian laughed. He looked back at Dom who just stared at him. "You are seriously going to let her race me?"
"You are good…" Dom said. "But she is better."
Brian turned back to her as she smiled at him. "Fine, right now. Let's go."
Gabriella nodded her head before heading out. "He can use my car." Dom replied stopping her in her tracks. She sighed before turning around.
"Fine, I will take mine."
"You have never beaten my car before Gab."
"All I need is one time Dom." She turned on her heel. "I'll meet you at the spot. Where the hell is Vince?"
"He called in today. He didn't want to be here." Dom replied. She shrugged her shoulders as she climbed into her Honda. She cut the car on and smiled at Brian before driving away from them. She was about to race Brian. She hadn't raced in forever, she wondered if she still got it. She smiled to herself remembering how he drove at the first race he went to. He was reckless. All he wanted to do was beat Dom. He didn't care how messed up the car got as long as he beat him. He had enough NOS in the car to blow up half of Los Angeles. She shook her head as she turned down the street to the empty parking lot. It was the spot they always went to when her dad would practice for his races. The parking lot was stripped with the beginning and the end of the race. Ten seconds. That's all that it took to cross the line. All she had to do was get there first. She heard the engine behind as she looked up in the mirror.
"You really want to do this?" He was out his car walking over to her.
"Are you scared you are going to get beat by a girl?" She smirked at him.
"Oh, I know I can beat you. I just don't want to embarrass you in front of your family."
"I've done that enough in my life, it shouldn't surprise them."
"Okay, listen up. This is how it goes. You start here, there's a red line down the way that's the end. The first driver to pass that wins. What are we betting?" Dom asked.
Gabriella looked over at Brian who shrugged his shoulders. "I just want to show him that cockiness doesn't get you too far." Gabriella smiled. Mia began to laugh as Brian shot a look at her.
"Your brother is cocky."
"My brother is the best driver is Los Angeles. He earned his right to be cocky. You on the other hand just started so I wouldn't be too cocky about it. Especially since your ass is about to be handed to you."
"Are we talking or are we racing?" Brian asked.
"After you." She pointed to the car.
'Alright, all this talk better be worth it." Dom approached her. "You know what I taught you. Just visualize it don't let it become you. You know how he drives, you saw him. So just let him do his thing and at the last minute you gun okay."
Gabriella nodded her head as she turned and walked over to her car. She looked over at Jesse who just nodded his head at her. "You got this." He replied. She smiled. Maybe his drunken self was right. She climbed into the car and started it before driving up to the line. She rolled down the windows and looked over at Brian. "You can back out anytime you want." She told him. He smiled over at her.
"And miss the look on your face when I beat you?"
"Oh you'll be seeing my face, right in front of you when I cross the finish line."
"Are you ready!?" Mia screamed. She caught their attention. Brian began to rev his engine as Gabriella looked down at the picture of her dad on her dash.
"Let's do this daddy." She whispered. She revved the engine letting her sister know she was ready.
"GO!" Mia's hand came down. They both stomped on the gas. Brian was ahead of her but she knew Dom's car. It settled down as he moved into second gear. She eased up next to him as she looked over at him. She saw the look on his face. He was determined to beat her. He couldn't be beat by two Torettos. It was embarrassing. The car shot forward. She knew he had pressed the NOS button. She shook her head. The end was near. She could see it. She closed her eyes as she pressed down on her NOS, her car shooting forward. She moved beside him as her car inched closer and closer to being in front until the front end of her car reached the finish line. She smiled to herself as she slowed down leaning her head back against the seat with a smile on her face. "Thank you daddy." She whispered. She got out of the car just as Brian came running over to her.
"Wow." He smiled her. "I really didn't think you had it in you."
"You press the NOS way too early. You have to give it time to adjust before you start doing shit to the car. That's how you tear things up."
Brian shook his head as her family all approached them. "I wish there was wager on this because you just got beat by a girl!" Leon yelled wrapping his arm around Gabriella's shoulder bringing her into his chest. "Wow, that is my girl!"
"You okay? You going to live?" Gabriella asked pushing Brian softly.
"I'm good. You really are a great driver." He eyed her. "Or maybe it could have been that piece of shit I was driving."
"Watch it." Dom snapped. Gabriella moved over to Jesse as everyone began talking to each other. She smiled at him as he held out his hand.
"You did awesome! I knew you would." He told her.
"You want to talk about last night?" She became shy as she moved over to him.
"I remember." He smiled at her. "And I meant what I said. I want to work on things. I have never been so alone in my life or missed someone so much before. I want you back. I need you back."
She nodded her head as tears filled up her eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she planted her lips on his, kissing him. She knew everyone was staring at them but she didn't care. She got the one she loved back and at that moment nothing else mattered in the world.
Brian sat down in the house as he waited for everyone to arrive. He was called into a meeting earlier that morning. He rubbed his hands over his face as her heard people begin to arrive.
"O'connor, nice of you join us from your split life." A black man approached him. "Give me an update on Toretto. Has he said anything about the trucks yet?"
"No. I am still trying to get in there with him. He doesn't really trust people." Brian replied.
"What about the sister? The younger one? You said she might know some things. Have you talked to her about it?"
Brian sighed. "No, she doesn't really seem to know a lot either. They might just be keeping her out of the loop."
"Well stay close to her. Try to get her her job back at Harry's. She is a young girl, I am sure she is full of secrets."
Brian nodded his head. "Is there anything else?" Brian asked. His cell phone began to go off in his pocket. "It's Dom, he wants to meet up."
"Go!" The man replied. "And Brian, don't screw this up. I have a lot riding on this. Don't let it cloud your mind. Get in there do your job and get out."
Brian nodded his head. He moved out of the house and onto the street before he leaned into his car. "Damnit!" He whispered hitting the top of the car. Was he getting too involved in this? He was already sleeping with Mia, not that anyone knew that. But he really cared for Gabriella, almost like she was his own sister. He shook his head of the thought as he climbed into the truck. His phone began to ring as he put the truck in drive and sped away. "What's up?" He answered. "Yeah…yeah…okay I am on my way. I had to make a stop first. I'll be there in a few." He hung up the phone as he looked in his mirror making sure he wasn't followed. He couldn't blow his cover right now. It was too earlier to let anything slipped. He had to find out if the Toretto's were one's taking over the trucks. He pulled the truck into the garage just as Gabriella stepped out. She smiled as she waved, he couldn't help but smile back. There was just something about her, he couldn't put his finger on it. He got out of the car and walked over to her.
"So…" He crossed his arms over his chest.
"You back for more? Isn't losing twice a little too much for one week?" She smirked at him.
"Oh you are funny."
"Dom is looking for you. They have the layout of the car ready for you."
"Awesome! Hey, I wanted to ask you if you wanted your job back at the store? Harry is having trouble keeping people so I told him I would talk to you."
"You are going to have to talk to Dom about that one. You remember I like to get myself in trouble at that place."
"If this is about Johnny, you know I wouldn't let him hurt you right?"
"I know, that's not it. There's just too much going on right now for me to get myself into trouble."
"Like what? Anything I can do to help?"
"Johnny is the first thing. I have an overbearing brother is the second. He won't let me out of his sight right now."
"Well what if I talk to him? Would you come back?"
She nodded her head at him. "Good, it's settled. I will talk to him today about it. Expect to be there tomorrow morning."
"You are so certain aren't you?"
"We are friends now, your brother loves me."
Gabriella began to laugh as she walked over at from him. "There you are!" Dom yelled walking over to him. "Where have you been?"
"Went to meet some of my surfing buddies. There is a tournament this weekend."
Dom just stared at him before shaking his head. 'You are going to have to give that up Brian. You can't be a surfer and work as a mechanic. That just doesn't go together. At all."
Brian began to laugh. "That's what I told them this morning. Don't worry Dom, I got this."
"What were you talking to Gab about?"
"Something that I need to talk to you about." Brian looked over at him as Dom stopped what he was doing,.
"No, she isn't doing it."
"You don't even know what I am about to ask."
"I do and I can't risk it. Not with Johnny going on this damn rampage. She got beaten up by his goons and he stood by and watched."
"I will protect her. I won't let her close by herself. She will be with me the entire time. She loved working there. She really did. I promise you Dom, I will not let anything happen to her."
Dom shook his head. "Brian, I know you are think we are friends. But I promise you this, if something happens with my sister I will kill you myself. To either one of them. I will break your neck."
"I would never do that Dom. I promise."
Gabriella arrived at the store ten minutes early, she banged on the door waiting for Brian to come and open it for her. "I still don't know how you did it." She replied as he locked the door behind her.
"What?"
"Get my brother to give me this job back."
"I am very persuasive."
"I see that." She smiled at him. "Thank you Brian, not just for getting my job back for me but for everything else. You have really become a great friend to me."
"You are welcome." He moved over to the counter and began counting the money in the register. Gabriella moved away from him as she went to open the store but stopped in her tracks when she saw the familiar box sitting onto of the table.
'What is this?" She asked lifting the box in the air.
Brian smiled at her. "Open it up and see."
"Brian, my brother will kill me if he sees this."
"You let me worry about him. I never sent it back. I know how bad you wanted it. It's yours Gab. You deserve it."
She shook her head. "He is going to kill you."
"You okay with this?"
"Yes." Her face lit up with excitement. She took the box in her hand and hurried into the office ripping it open. She was so excited they didn't get rid of her turbo. She heard the door open knowing Brian had opened the store. She put the box down and hurried back outside stopping in her tracks.
"Go back inside the office Gab and shut the door." Brian demanded.
"Johnny what are you doing here?" Gabriella asked.
"Go!" Brian yelled. Gabriella looked over at Johnny before nodding her head. "You can leave."
"What you her little bitch now? She does whatever you tell her to do?" Johnny asked. Gabriella closed the door behind her. "Gabriella!" Johnny yelled.
"Just leave her alone. You made your point with her."
"I would stop talking if I was you." Johnny threatened. Gabriella reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone.
"Shit." She whispered. She closed her eyes squeezing them shut before putting her phone back in her pants. Dom wouldn't let her come back if she told him. She couldn't tell him. She took a deep breath before opening the door and walked out. "What are you doing here Johnny? You have some parts you need to pick up?"
"I was hoping I could talk to you actually." Johnny moved past Brian with a smirk on his face. Brian moved with him making sure he didn't come near her.
"That's not going to happen." She told him. "So I would leave if that's all you are here for."
"I think it would be best if we talked about this Gab." He replied. He moved closer to her as Brian watched her.
"I don't care what you think anymore Johnny. You let two guys beat me up as you watched, then blew up Brian's car. I don't know who you are anymore and I don't care about this person anymore. So you can leave and only come back here when you have something you need."
He nodded his head. "I'll see you in the Desert then?"
"Sure." She turned her back to him walking into the office and slamming the door. She let out the breath she was holding in as she slumped over. She had finally stood up to him and it didn't hurt. Not anymore. She didn't feel anything. She smiled to herself. She was finally letting go and it felt great.