Chapter 18: Giving Up

Matty sat in the middle of her bed, cross legged, the folder her father had graciously thrown at her, in her lap. She sighed upon reading it's content, wishing she had never opened it and fell into her father's trap. He laid it out oh so carefully for her and she was foolish enough to fall for it.

Manuel had pulled Vincent's background records and printed them out for her. He was trying to change her perception of the man she told him she was going to spend the rest of her life with. The computer printouts depicted Vince as a mere number, a statistic in the system. He had a criminal record a mile long and by the looks of it, he was a bad boy at heart.

She flipped through the pages, taking in how many times he had been brought up for various charges like strong-arm robbery, aggravated assault and others, but the charges never seemed to stick. The witness and victims would always switch up their account of the incident at the last minute or just drop the charges.

She heard thundering feet come the stairs and instantly felt Vince's presence. He burst through the door and shut it firmly behind him, keeping his eyes on the floor. Matty closed the folder, sliding it underneath her pillow. "I think we need to talk," he whispered, walking over to the bed and taking a seat next to her.

Matty moved over closer to him, wrapping her arm around his but found him unwrapping himself from him. "When we first met we agreed that we would be open with each other. I loved how you would keep up with me and wouldn't mind giving me a piece of your mind. You were outgoing and fun and you loved life with a sarcastic passion. I feel like you've changed so much and I can't get a grip around you. I know things have been rough for you're the last couple of months, hell the last year, but I'm trying here. I'm dying every day that I see you walk away further and further from me. I need you to let me know that I'm not wasting my breath here. That you want to get things back to normal and that you want us to be the old Vince and Matty that we used to be," he said.

She heard the sincerity in his voice and saw the pain in his eyes. Matty knew that she had to tell him what was going on, he deserved it. He actually gave a fuck. She had written him off time and time again, but he stuck it out. She had now realized that he past the point of no return. He was seeking her out and if she didn't give him something to hold on to, then she would lose him forever- as a lover and as a friend.

"I'm pregnant," she said, the words lingering in the air. He stared at her, his brows furrowed together. "Are you sure?" He asked. She nodded. "I took one of Letty's left over pregnancy tests and then when that came positive I went down to the clinic and got it confirmed. I'm pregnant. 7 months from now I'll be a mommy."

"Do you know what you're going to do?" He asked, grabbing her hand and placing it in his. She pulled out of his grasp and shrugged. "I guess, stack up the money for now and get a real job. Maybe get a place of my own. Having a baby is a serious responsibility and I need to be ready," she replied. Vince nodded and smiled at her. "I guess I'm going to be a daddy!" He said, jumping up from the bed.

She grabbed on to the bottom of his shirt and dragged him back into bed. "Vince. Having a baby is a serious thing. We haven't been together forever like Letty and Dom. And I'm not taking the meds during my pregnancy. I think I should be alone during all of this. I think the best thing to do as of now is just go our separate ways."

V laughed and stood up from the bed, shaking her head. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" He yelled. She jumped at his voice and stared at him. "I want to be with you. With or without this baby. You should be happy. You should be jumping off the walls. I want to be father to some kid that isn't mine. I want this. You know you can't do this on your own. You just can't leave now and try to do this on your own. You won't be able to," he said.

She shook her head and stood up from the bed, her hands running over her stomach. "It'll be hard, but I know I can make it. I just need to get my priorities straight. All this running around partying, drinking and racing has to stop. I'll get a job and get my own place," she replied.

"A baby is going to need things. It needs to eat, it needs a home, it needs a family, Matty. How are you going to provide those things? What about when you need to stop working because of the pregnancy, huh? How about then? Whose going to pay your bills and keep food on the table? Me, that's who! Whether you want it or not, need it or like it, I'm going to be a part of your life and that's final!"

She stared at him, admiring the fact that he was willing to share his life with her, but deep inside she was scared. Scared of all that she had seen and read in the folder her father had handed her. What if a fight goes past the point of no return? He was a seasoned criminal that had a knack with getting away with things. Could she put her and her unborn child's life at risk like that?

Matty knew it was a lost battle, she could argue until the baby was due, but Vince was stubborn, just like her. She simply walked out of the room, refusing to argue with him anymore. V stared after her, slapping his arms down on his sides. He took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He threw himself on the bed and cursed himself.

As his head hit the pillow, he felt the object underneath it, drawing it out and opening it, finding the folder on his criminal life. He sighed, knowing that it was no use to argue with her. She had made her mind up.

---

As time went on, Matty found herself falling in step with the team. Although she was still having trouble dealing with the pregnancy and her lack of medication, she managed to stay strong. While she still could, Matty worked 16 hour days between the garage and Harry's Racers Edge. She was saving up, slowly building the courage to one day step away from the Toretto household.

Vince on the other hand didn't consider himself a part of the team. He would show up at the races and at the garage, but other than showing up for dinner and lunch, he didn't interact with them. Dom felt for his friend. He understood the feeling of joy at the thought of having a child, so he understood Vince's lack of understanding when it came to Matty's choice of leaving the house.

V couldn't stand to look at her. Any time they were in the same room and she would try to approach him, he would drop what he was doing and leave. No matter how many times Dom tried to bring his best friend to his senses, there was no getting through to Vince. The only time he would act remotely nice to her would be when he drunk as shit. And this usually led to eventful nights at the Torettos.

---

Jesse knocked back a shot, slamming it down on the table top and then rubbing Letty's and Matty's stomachs. The duo were showing a little belly, both of them receiving compliments from everyone. They were pregnant, but that didn't stop them from turning heads when they were at the races, glow and all. The trio of girls had bonded, seeing as Matty spent all her time attached to either one of them. She claimed she needed them to balance her out.

"Me and Leon are going to make some amazing uncles. I already have their first toy cars planned out," he said, fixing the beanie on the top of his head. Letty smirked and tapped him upside the head. "Anything except a skyline," she muttered, walking over to the kitchen table and sitting down. "Why not? Skylines not up to par for the next Toretto?" Jesse asked, pouring himself another shot. "No. We just prefer cars that are designed to drive on the right side of things," Matty said, trying not to offend anybody.

Letty scoffed and sipped on a Snapple, her new favorite non-alcoholic beverage, courtesy of Mia. Jess slammed back the shot he had poured himself and went over to sit down next to Letty, not before almost falling over the table. "Maybe you should cut back," Matty mumbled, putting the cap back on the bottle of vodka he had been drinking out of.

Jesse flopped into the chair next to Letty and grinned at her. "Oh boy. He's done," Letty said, smiling back at him. "No, the one that's done is Dom with you. He knows everything," Jesse said, slurring his words. Letty froze and grabbed on to Jesse's shirt. "What are you talking about?"

Jesse nodded and sighed. "The doctor's office returned your phone call about the paternity test you wanted more information on," he replied. Letty let go of him and slumped into the chair, shaking her head softly. Matty walked over to her and kneeled down to her level. "Tell him it was for me and that you wanted to see if we could catch the bastards who raped me," she whispered, placing a comforting hand on her thigh.

Letty shook her head and stood up, brushing past Matty. "I need to fess up. It's all going to come out anyways when this kid is born. I can't take the chance of having Dom think this is his baby and when it's born its an exact replica of Leon." She exited the kitchen, pushing past all the party goers and walked over to Dom, who was currently talking shop with Vince. "I need to talk to you. NOW!" She barked and walked towards the stairs.

She walked up to their bedroom and glanced around it. It had been her home ever since she could remember. It was Mr. and Mrs. Toretto's bedroom before Dom's and hers. She could picture it like it was yesterday. Mrs. Toretto would have Dom, Mia and her climb up on the bed and tell them some insane story of when she was growing up.

Letty frowned at the thought of having to give up her friends, family and home over something so stupid like a simple fuck, as Leon would refer to it. She heard Dom's heavy footsteps approaching, knowing that she would most likely meet her maker by the end of the night.

Dom entered the room, leaning against the door frame, crossing his arms over his chest. "What's going on?" He said. Letty look at him and she knew that he could see the fear in her eyes. It wasn't physical pain she was worried about, she was scared she was about to lose everything. Her body began to shake as tears ran down her face.

His face softened, but he didn't budge. "I slept with Leon. More than once. And now I'm praying to God with everything I have that this baby is yours," she sobbed out. He stepped towards her, coming face to face with her. "You what?" His voice was low, so low it sent shivers throughout her body.

---

"DOM NO!" Letty's voice was heard ringing through the house. Matty jetted towards the stairs but was stopped by Vince's strong hand. He shook his head no and glanced up the stairs, a worry look on his face.