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Warning: Long flashback in this one.
Chapter 65-Build New Memories
Sasha's POV
Two weeks later…
After the whole Carter incident, everything seemed to calm down almost instantly. Letty and Dom weren't fighting anymore, Brian and Rome were out of the water with the cops and Verone, Jesse was getting over the trauma from the setup, and Vince and I were finally working things out.
While he was in the hospital, it gave me time to realize what I needed to do. I needed to change myself.
I was a softy. I was becoming too sensitive about everything. Vince acted the way he did because back in the day, I loved him for that. I loved his fierceness and his no-bullshit attitude. I loved that he could drink almost anyone under the table and I adored his over-protective attitude.
Those were all the things I wanted him to change. I was basically telling him that in order for me to love him, he had to become a completely different person. Thinking back on it now, I needed him to become that person he used to be. I mean, yeah, sometimes he took things a little too far, but all in all, he meant well. Vince always meant well.
Now, we were starting over. He would be released from the hospital in about another week, and things were going to be different. We were starting over from phase one. We needed to find that love again and I was more than willing to do it if he was.
"Sasha, wake up baby," a gruff voice said, bringing me away from my thoughts.
I blinked and looked around, remembering I was still in the hospital. I looked over at Vince, who was smirking slightly. The bandage that had been wrapped around his head was now removed, with only a small bandage covering his wound. He had regained some movement in his legs, but now much. The doctors said he suffered only temporary paralysis and that he should be fully recovered in no time.
"What's on your mind?" he asked me, his eyes full of concern.
"You. And Dez. Our family," I answered, smiling at the small body curled in Vince's arms. Desmond tried to stay awake for his dad, but his slumber took over the second his eyes closed.
"You worried about anything? I mean, I thought we talked about everything," he replied, his voice soft and calm, a tone he rarely spoke in.
"Nope, just happy that we're back together. Vince, look, I'm sorry-" I said, trying to apologize for the umpteenth time.
"Sasha, shut up. I told you to stop apologizing. It's not your fault. I don't wanna talk about it anymore okay? Let's just start over," he moved his free hand to my hair, cupping the back of my head with his warm palm. I moved his hand to my lips, placing small kisses on his palm.
"Okay. You wanna call the Team? I'm gonna go get us some lunch," I said, standing from the chair. I grabbed Desmond from his lap and placed him in his carrier, which sat on a chair next to the bed.
"Sure, I'll call them," Vince said, grabbing the phone from the side of the table.
"I'll be back soon," I said, kissing his cheek. I turned and left the room.
Vince's POV
After Sasha left the room, I sat staring at the phone. I had no idea what I was doing. Over the past few days, there were many simple things that I couldn't do. It was so fucking frustrating. Leon would bring in the PS2 and hook it up to the TV in the corner, and I couldn't remember how to smoke his ass in Need for Speed. When the nurse wheeled me to the bathroom to brush my teeth, I just stared at the toothbrush for ten minutes. I tossed some water on my face to cover my tears and left the bathroom.
This whole incident was taking its toll on me. I continued staring at the phone until the door opened again. It was my nurse, who just happened to be in the family.
"How's it going Vince?" Senia asked, jotting down something on her clipboard.
"Well besides the fact that I still can't walk, I don't know how to fucking use a phone, and I'm starving, I'm perfectly fine," I spat, trying to blink back the tears of frustration.
I noticed the look of hurt on her face. I didn't mean to scare her. Senia and I were rarely alone together unless we had to be, and I could tell she was nervous.
"I'm sorry Senia. I'm just tired of being cooped up in this bed all day," I replied, sighing as I shifted under the sandpaper-like blankets.
She sighed a sigh of relief and injected me with another dose of morphine for the killer headaches and back pains I was still suffering.
"Trust me V, you'll be out of here sooner than you know it. All you need is a little support. And from the looks of it, you have it," she smiled, nodding to Desmond, who was now awake.
"Hey bud," I said, lifting him from the carrier. He looked at me with curious hazel eyes, wrapping his arms around my neck.
"Mommy?" he asked, looking around the room. Senia smiled and kissed his cheek, leaving us alone. Before it shut, Sasha slipped in, a budge under her jacket.
"There she is," I pointed to Sasha, who had a mischievous smirk on her face. "What have you got?" I asked, patting the budge in her stomach.
"Nothing," she said, moving her stomach away from reach. "Did you call the guys?"
I looked around nervously, trying to think of what to say. I had too much pride to admit that I didn't know how to use a telephone anymore.
"Yeah, no one picked up. Guess they're working. It's Friday, heavy traffic in the garage, you know," I rambled, obviously lying. Thankfully, she only shrugged and sat down.
"Got some Chinese food," she smiled, pulling the bag out of her shirt.
"You know if they catch that in here, they'll throw you out right?" I informed, grabbing the bag out of her hands. I lifted the trays from the bag, spreading everything out on the bed.
"You sure don't seem to mind," she replied, watching as I began to devour the food in the trays.
Dom's POV
We were working hard in the garage all day. Minus two heads, it would be hard for us to get all the cars that were coming in through by the end of the day. Letty was working on the paint job for a Grand Cherokee. Jesse was showing Brian the new layouts of his Evo improved. Roman was working under the hood of a BMW 335i. Letty, whom I tried to get to take a break from the cars since she was pregnant, was under an Acura RSX. I, myself, was stuck in the hood of a Mitsubishi 3000GT.
Diana was holding down the fort over in the café. I was thankful the children were in school, I could barely get anything done with them here. I had more time to myself to think.
I was glad that things were more calm now. Everything was straight. Vince would be out the hospital soon. Letty and I were done fighting. We wanted to be stable for the birth of our son. The Team was finally out of trouble. We were finally able to be able to enjoy life like we used to.
Flashback
Ages: Dom & Vince (19), Leon (17), Letty & Mia (15), Jesse (14)
"Guys, hurry up and load your shit in the cars!" I yelled, tossing my last bag in the trunk of Rx-7.
The Team was gathering up and taking a trip to our secluded beach house. It had been the middle of June and we were dying to get out of the house. The cops shut the races down for the past two weeks, so that left us bored and anxious. The beach house was built by my dad around a strip of road he used to race our relatives back in the day. We had just met Leon and Jesse a few weeks back, and figured since they were at the house more than we were, it was only proper that they come too.
"Dom, let's go man!" Letty yelled, slapping me on the back of the head.
"Fucking pest," I mumbled, running back to the house. I said goodbye to my dad, who was worried about letting us drive to the beach house alone.
"Don't worry Dad, I'll take care of them, even Letty," I smiled, placing my hand on my dad's shoulder. He gave me a stern look that told me to watch it.
I had known Letty almost all of her life, and I had always noticed her interest in me. I don't mean to sound arrogant, but everyone could see past the name-calling, the fights, and weirdness she had towards me. And as she started to grow, I was beginning to notice her all the same. She had been there for me throughout the years, even if she wouldn't admit it. She let me know everyday that she hated the girls I fucked, and that I deserved better. Now I was realizing, she was what I deserved. But I'd never let her know that.
"Dom, you leave that girl alone. She's the only friend that your sister can trust, you know that," Mr. Toretto said, his baritone voice almost identical to mine.
"Alright Dad. I have to go," I said, giving him one last hug.
"Stay out of trouble Dominic. I love you guys," he said, returning the hug.
"I love you two Pop," I smiled, kissing the top of his head. "Stop your worrying old man. We'll be fine," I said as I left the house.
We jumped in our cars; Vince, Letty, and Mia in the V's Maxima, Jesse and Leon in Le's Skyline, and me in my Mazda.
A few hours and stops to McDonald's later, and we were at the house. We parked on the sand, leaving our bags in the car. Mia drug Letty with her to the water, kicking and splashing like a small child. Jesse and Leon ran to the water to the join, stripping their shirts off. Vince walked over to me. I was sitting on the hood of my car, watching them.
"What's up Toretto?" Vince asked, taking a seat next to me.
"You think we could do this? You know, make a Team out of us?" I asked, nodding towards the others in the water. It was in our dreams to be one of the greatest street racing team ever to hit South L.A.
"V, brother, we already did. Leon and Jesse don't ever leave the house or the garage. Letty is stuck for life. And Mia loves cars just as much as we do. We are a team right now, it's just a matter of time before we get out on the streets and make it official," that was the most intelligent thing I had heard Vince say.
"Thanks brother," I said, slapping his hand. "Guys, let's go get set up!" I yelled to the water.
Two weeks later, we were all sitting out by the beach. Leon and Jesse were playing against Mia and Vince in a game of volleyball in the water. I sat on the beach in the sand, watching my little team interact. It made me feel good that they all leaned on me for support. Even Letty. Speaking of Letty…
"Leticia, where are you?!" I asked, walking through the beach house. She hadn't joined us down at the beach like she said she was, and I was beginning to worry.
She didn't respond, but I heard shuffling of feet on the upper level of the house. Climbing the stairs two at a time, I walked into the room Letty and Mia were sharing. Pushing open the door, my temper flared instantly.
There she was; standing in a black and red bikini, her body covered in bruises. There were hand-prints around her neck (which she kept covered with a hoody) and there were bruises down her arm. It was a large bruise on her stomach and her legs looked wounded too.
"Who did this to you?" I rumbled, trying hard not to smash my fist through the wall.
"It's nothing okay Dominic, I'm fine," Letty turned to me, tears in her dark eyes. She grabbed her beach towel and wrapped it furiously around her body.
"Don't lie to me Letty! Who the fuck did this to you?!" I yelled, snatching the towel from her body.
"Brandon," she whispered, the tears following down her face. Brandon. Her stupid boyfriend of a month. He went to high school with us, and didn't have the greatest reputation. He slept with whatever walked and treated girls like shit.
"It's okay Letty," I said, catching her body before it hit the floor. I sat on her bed, her body on my lap, brushing her hair back. "I'll be here for you, you don't need him anymore," I whispered, kissing her forehead lightly.
"You promise?" she asked almost child-like. She wrapped her arms around my neck, trying to suppress her tears.
"I promise," I said, looking in her deep chocolate eyes. For some reason, I felt so small under her gaze. Like her eyes could see into my soul, could see everything good and bad that's happened in my life. Letty looked at me in a way that most girls didn't. Other girls looked at me with hunger in their eyes, looking for a notch under my belt. But Letty didn't want to be just another under my belt, she wanted me for me. She wanted to be with the real Dom Toretto.
"Dom, do you like me? I mean, not in the way you like Mia, but in the way Vince likes Mia," she rambled, pushing her hair behind her eye nervously.
"I more than like you Letty. I love you," I said sincerely, crashing my lips onto hers.
For a second, she didn't react to my kiss. I lifted her from my lap and sat her on the bed next to me and stood. I was about to tell her to join us at the beach, but I was interrupted by her lips smashing onto mine. I kissed her back, a fiery passion igniting in us.
I lifted her onto my back and carried her out the room, and downstairs. We left the house, laughing and smiling on our way to the water. Vince and Mia looked over at us and smiled.
"Finally!" they said at once, congratulating us.
Flashback
"What the hell is your problem Dom? Have you even heard a word I've said to you?" Letty asked, standing in front of me with her hands on her hips. I completely spaced out.
"Honestly, no. You remember that time at the beach? When we first started dating?" I asked her, continuing to clean the inside of the hood of the car I was working on.
"How could I forget Dom, you took my virginity that trip," Letty replied sarcastically. I smirked, thinking of the first time Letty and I made love.
"Let's build one," I said out loud, speaking to the rest of the garage. They all returned curious glances.
"What Dom?" Letty asked, looking over at me.
"A beach house. Let's build a beach house," I repeated, looking at everyone.
"Dom, we already have a beach house that we haven't been to in almost twenty years!" Letty reminded me, cocking her head to the side.
"Let's build a new one. A bigger one to fit us all. Even the girls and Ricky and Charlie and Shaye!" I rambled, my excitement taking it's toll.
"Dom, breathe. Let's do it," Brian said, putting a calming hand on my shoulder.
"Fine, then let's do it," Letty agreed, rolling her eyes.
Vince's POV
It was growing dark outside, and sleep was trying to take over my body. Jayden, Sasha and Desmond were staying at the hospital with me. The doctor insisted that they leave so I could get the proper amount of rest, but Senia talked him into letting them stay with me.
They had already drifted to sleep, but something kept me awake. Something didn't feel right. I might just be delirious from the lack of sleep I've been getting, but I could sense something was definitely. I couldn't call the Team thanks to my little head injury.
I opened my eyes, waiting for them to adjust to the darkness. I heard the sounds of the door creaking as it opened. My head snapped to the door, watching the small amount of light creep into the room. I saw one footstep, then the door shut again. I sat up, feeling an unknown presence in the room.
"Who's there?!" I whispered loudly, trying to get my eyes to focus on the figure that entered the room.
"Time to finish what I started," a voice whispered as it got closer to my bed. I caught a quick flash of silver on a gun off the light that shone through the window. I felt hands wrap around my neck.
"No, please don't do this!" I begged between forced breaths.
"You lucked out buddy," the voice said again, pressing the cold steel to my forehead.
"NO!" I yelled, my whole world going black again.
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There's that chapter. You'll find out more about Vince in the next chapter. Don't panic ladies, please lol. I'll update as soon as possible. Read and review please.
-Kita