Thanks for the reviews. Vinces-Gurl, I'm glad you're coming out of your shell. You used to praise me with "KEEP GOING!" but now you're saying more lol. Thanks. And I understand what you're saying. You'll have to read for that information though.
P.S.: Happy Birthday to Michelle Rodriguez!
Warning: Long, slightly sad chapter. I cried writing it :(
Chapter 60-Our Rock, Our Brother
Leon's POV
After I hung up with Sasha, I closed the hood of the Nissan Altima I was working on. I cleaned my hands and changed clothes, not bothering to answer the questioning looks I was getting from Dominic. I slipped my red sleeve flannel on over my beater and grabbed the keys to the Skyline.
"Where ya going, dawg?" Jayden asked, running to my car before I could pull out.
"To find your uncle. Get in," I said, allowing her to jump in before I reversed out of the lot.
I drove a while, knowing where I could find Vince. I was the only one from the Team who knew where to find Vince when he was upset. By the looks of Dom's cuts, he was most likely pissed off. I decided to take the shortcut to the beach. I parked on the sand and jumped out, not bothering to shut the door. I looked around behind my shades. I didn't see him anywhere.
I ran back to the Skyline and pulled back onto the road. It was then that I heard two gun shots. It didn't surprise me, we did live on the bad side of L.A. Gunshots were heard every day. Though something told me that these gun shots had some significance. I took the long way this time, driving out on the road. I was driving when I noticed a dark Cadillac Escalade pulled on the side of the road. There was a group of men standing around something on the ground. There was another gunshot, afterwhich all the men jumped back into the Escalade. It was then I got a good look at the figure on the ground.
"VINCENT!" I yelled, my tires squealing as I came to an abrupt stop next to his body. I yelled at Jayden to stay in the car. She didn't need to see this.
My face cringed as I stepped out of the Skyline. The bloody sight in front of my made my stomach churned as I fought to get my stomach where it belonged. I barely noticed the people around me panicking as they ran around the scene. There was a faint sound of the ambulance in the background. I kneeled next to Vince's body, afraid to touch him. I literally stood in a pool of blood as I examined his body. There was two shots in his chest and...and one in the middle of his head. Tears sprang to my eyes as I touched his hand.
"V, come on dawg. You're gonna be alright. Don't die please," I held my ear to his chest as the tears began to fall. I heard the door to the Skyline open. "Jayden, I said to stay in the fucking car!" It shut again.
"SOMEBODY GET HELP! HELP ME!" I yelled as loud as I could, my voice cracked from the tears. "Jay, call the garage! Call the Team!" I yelled, looking back at the car. She was crying hysterically. Just then, the ambulance pulled up, two medics jumpiung from the truck.
"What happened here sir?" a woman asked me.
"I-I don't know. I came looking for him and I saw a group of guys standing over him. I heard a shot and they all jumped in a car and drove off. Please help him," I begged her, my eyes flooding with tears.
"We'll do everything we can sir. Just step back please," she said sympathetically, pushing me a little.
My body shook with sobs as I walked back to the Skyline.
"They're on their way. Uncle Le, please tell me he's gonna be okay," Jayden said, breaking down in my arms. I tried hard to seize my crying, but it was no use.
"Coyote's gonna be alright. He'll be okay," I said, unsure of the real outcome myself.
The paramedic walked over to us, a look of sympathy and sadness on her face.
"Are you two immediate family?" she asked, a clipboard in her hand.
"Yes, I'm his brother, Leon. This is our niece, Jayden," I semi-lied.
"Nice to meet you. Sir, we're taking your brother to the Cedar Sinai Hospital immediately. We'll only one of you to ride in the ambulance with him," she said, waiting for a response.
"You go, I'll follow," I said, pushing Jayden towards the ambulance. She nodded, jumping in the back of the truck as they sped off down the road.
Dom's POV
After the call from Jayden, we immediately closed the garage. Everyone jumped in their cars, speeding off towards the hospital. We all were doing at least one hundred in a fourty-five speed zone, but we didn't care. This was all my fault. If I didn't take him out there and piss him off, he'd be in here right now, smiling brightly at the engine of car.
Speeding down to the hospital in my truck, I decided to make a call. I put my cell phone on speaker and left it in the holster.
"What is it now Dom?" Sasha answered, her voice annoyed.
"You and Charlie need to get down here quickly! V's in the hospital," I said as calm as my voice would allow.
"What?! What happened Dominic?" she asked, her voice full of worry and panic.
"I don't have time to explain it Sash. Just get down here alright!" I yelled, shutting my phone off as killed the engine to my truck.
I jumped down from my vehicle as I noticed the rest of the Team pull up to the hospital parking lot. I was sad to see all the children were still present. I wished someone had taken them to Aunt Leslie's so they didn't have to see this. I noticed Ricky and Chrystal pull up in the Focus. Everyone rushed into the hospital behind me, where Leon was pacing frantically in the lobby. Jayden was crumbled in a seat, staring aimlessly at the ground.
I put my hand on Leon's shoulder, trying to turn him to face me.
"Le, what happ-" before I could finish my sentence, I was being pumbled by Leon's fists. He had knocked me to the ground and was standing over me, pounding in my face.
"This is all your fault you bastard! You cocky son of a bitch!" Leon yelled, kicking me in the side. Before he could get any more blows in, Jesse lifted his brother from above me and pushed him away.
"Go get some air bro," he said, walking Leon out the hospital.
I saw another shadow step over me and I prepared for another ass-whooping. Instead, a dark hand reached out for me, helping me from the floor.
"You're lucky Leon got to you before I did," Roman said, glaring daggers at me as he walked out of the hospital.
I wiped the blood from my face and walked over to the clerk, who had been watching the scene play out.
"Are you okay sir?" she asked me, cringing at my face. I presumed it looked pretty bad; this wasn't the first scuffle Leon and I were in.
"I'm fine. My name's Dominic Toretto. We're the family of Vincent Palmeriti, he was brought in about fifteen minutes ago," I said, squeezing my left eye shut. I knew it was swollen and would soon be of different colors.
"Yes, the medics brought him in a while ago. Right now, he's in emergency surgery. It may be a few more hours until he will be out. I'll get you and your family set up in a waiting room. You can fill these out," she said, handing me a handful of clipboards. I wanted to bitch at her, but I knew she was just doing her job.
I walked back over to the Team, where Mia was holding Letty as she broke down in her arms. Chrystal and Jayden were holding each other, crying their eyes out. Lillian was being held by Brian as he just glared at me with angry eyes. Senia and Diana were keeping order with the children.
Look at your family Dom. They are falling apart. You're supposed to be their rock. You're supposed to hold them together when things get tough. You're supposed to yield their cries and tell them that things will soon get better. Yet, all you've done was break them apart further. this was your fault. Vince could be dying, and it was all your fault.
The truth was, I wasn't the rock. Vince was the actual rock of this family. He brought everything together. During the heists, Mia told me he as the one putting the family back together. He insisted that they stay and not run away like I had. He was the peacekeeper.
I snapped out of my thoughts as a nurse approached me.
"Mr. Toretto, I'll show you and your family to your room."
Brian must have heard her, for her gathered the rest of the family and led them with myself and the nurse down the hall. We stopped at a large room equipped with two snack machines, a soda machine, a few chairs and a TV in the small corner. Everyone filed into the room, the adults filling the chairs while the children play with the toys in the centre of the room. I sat outside the waiting room, filling out the information on Vince. Most of the things Sasha would need to fill out.
Sasha's POV
After Dominic hung up the phone, I felt my heart drop to my toes. Vince was in the hospital. He was alone in the hospital. But what had happened? What was wrong with my husband? I felt tears prick my eyes at the thought of Vince in agonizing pain.
"Sasha, you alright girl?" Shaye asked. She had become more talkative now that we were more acquainted with each other.
"Vince is in the hospital. I have to go," I said, standing from her sofa.
"I'll come with you," she said, slipping her sleeveless button-up top over her body.
She grabbed Desmond and I grabbed his things as we ran out of the house.
"Hey, you just go, I'll meet up with you," she said, buckling Desmond in the back of her Tahoe.
I nodded and ran across the street to my Porsche, the doors opening before I made it off the lawn. I slid the key in the ignition and started to speed off, before I forgot I had no idea how to get back to Los Angeles. Remembering the GPS system Dom installed, I turned it on.
"Yeah, I need directions to the Cedar Sinai hospital in Los Angeles," I said, my foot tapping frantically.
After receiving the directions from the computer-generated woman, I sped off down the block. I broke every traffic law in the book as I topped speeds of 120 mphs. Just as I made it into L.A., I barely noticed the red and blue lights shining behind my car. For a split second, I thought about fleeing, knowing I had to get to Vince soon. Instead, I pulled over on the side of the road.
The officer who approached my car was a familiar one.
"Rodriguez, what a surprise," Officer Bryant Lent, Vince's high-school-rival-turned-cop, said sarcastically, taking his hat off his head.
"Look Officer, I don't have time. Vince is-" I started, trying to get to Vince as soon as possible.
"You have time for what I say you do. License and registration please," he growled, holding his hand out. I bit my lip to prevent from saying something I'd later regret. I reached in the glove compartment and pulled out my papers, handing them to him.
"Look, can you just give me my ticket so I can go, I'm in a hurry," I asked, running my trembling hands through my hair.
"I realized that. What's the rush Rodriguez?" he asked, handing my papers back to me. I just tossed them in the passenger seat.
"Vince is in the hospital. I think he's in a lot of pain and I really need to be there," I said, finally breaking down.
"Vince is in the hospital?" he repeated, his voice uncertain.
"Yes, so if you could please speed this up-"
To my surprise, Bryant tore the speeding ticket and handed it to me.
"Go be with him. I know how hard it is to deal with something like this. I'll alert the other troopers to let you go," Officer Lent said, nodding at me. I smiled weakly at him as I sped off, heading for the hospital.
Twenty minutes later, I finally made it the hospital. I noticed the Team's cars and Dom's truck parked across the lot. I got out, watching as Shaye's car pulled up beside mine. She carried Desmond as we walked inside the hospital, the smell of ammonia and sickly people burned my nostrils. I walked to the clerk upon not seeing any of the Team.
"Excuse me ma'am. Hi, I'm Sasha Rodriguez-Palmeriti, I'm Vincent Palmeriti's wife. Um, I guess he was brought in here about half an hour ago," I said, looking around frantically. I vaguely remembered my way around the hospital, though you'd think I know it by heart as many times as I visited.
"Yes, Mr. Palmeriti is still in emergency surgery. The rest of your family is on the fourth floor in the waiting room," the clerk smiled politely at me. I nodded and led Shaye with me to the elevator.
As we stood, waiting patiently to get to the fourth floor, I couldn't help but panic. My body was trembling and my heart was pounding. Tears threatened to fall, but I tried my damnest to keep them inside. I needed to be strong for Vince. And for our two year old son. I looked over at him, smiling at his peaceful, sleeping face. He was so innocent. To be brought up during such a hectic time in our family had to have been hell. I reached over and ran my hand smoothly over his soft, curly hair.
We finally made it to the fourth floor. We didn't need to ask for the waiting room, for Dom was sitting outside the room. A part of me wanted to give Dom the worst beating he'd felt in his life. A part of me wanted to blame whatever happened to Vince on Dom. For it was partially his fault. Instead, I choose to ignore him.
As we approached the room where the gang had been waiting, Dom stood to face me. His face had been battered and bruised. He had his hands shoved into his pockets and his head lowered. For once, the usual arrogance Dom carried in his aura was gone.
"Sasha, I'm so-" he started, his voice low and weak.
I held my hand up to silence him, my gaze on the floor. I felt my inside whimper as I just wanted Dom to make everything better. He was our rock, of course.
"Don't Dom. Nothing you can say will repair whatever is wrong with Vince," was all I said before I disappeared behind the doors that held my family.
Dominic followed behind Shaye into the room. Questioning looks shot to me, I assumed, which were about Shaye.
"Guys, this is my friend Shaye from Pasadena. Don't bother trying to have a conversation with her 'cause she ain't one for talking," I said, my voice cold.
I took Desmond out of Shaye's hands and went to a corner of the room, sitting down on the floor. I just wanted to be with my son. I wanted to be alone. I didn't even know Vince's condition, but from the way the Team looked, I knew it couldn't have been good. The room was silent, with the exception of the cartoons on the television, more than likely on to quiet the children.
Finally, the door opened, revealing an attractive male doctor. He looked to be in his early 50s with grayish-blonde hair and dull brown eyes. He wore slim glasses over his nose and had a slight bulk to him.
"Hello everyone, I'm Dr. Arthur Daniels. I presume this is the family of a Mr. Vincent Palmeriti. Is his wife present, Sasha?" he asked, looking around the room. I stood as quickly as I could, walking over to the doctor.
"I'm Sasha. What happened to Vince?" I asked, not wanting to hear it from the Team. I wanted to know from a professional.
"Well ma'am. You may need to take a seat," I kept my eye contact with him, showing that I was in no mood for sitting. "Very well then. Mr. Palmeriti-"
"Call him Vince," Dom said, interrupting the talking doctor.
"Very well. Vince suffered three nearly fatal gunshot wounds- two to the back and one to the head," at his words, I felt my knees buck beneath me, but somehow God gave me the strength to keep standing. "I assumed he had his back turned when he was shot, as the bullets entered his back and exited through his chest."
"Wouldn't the shot to the head have killed him? I mean, I saw the wound Doc.," Leon said, his usual laidback demeanor dismayed. His face looked rugged.
"Well I agree, the wound should have killed your brother. But from some act of God, the bullet was lodge in his skull sideways, therefore, it didn't make it's way fully to his brain," I sighed deeply, feeling a small amount of faith rejoice in my body. Thank God for his thick head, I said to myself.
"Well, is he okay? Can we see him?" Jesse asked, his eyes full of tears.
"Not exactly. He's not out of the clear yet. Because of the shot to the head, some of his memory may be off. He might have trouble doing simple things such as tying his shoes or making a phone call. Things you and I take for granted, may come as a difficult task for him. Also, because one of the bullets in his back grazed his spinal cord, he may have paralysis," Dr. Daniels said, flipping through his clipboard.
Things can not get any worse for me.
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Vince isn't dead! I love him way too much to kill him off. All in all, he'll come out okay. You just have to read for all the obstacles the family goes through. Read & review please.
-Kita