Saving Jane

Chapter Five: "So Ugly…"

A/N: Okay, so I totally had this thing on my computer for like ever and had no idea. Sorry. Haha. Don't hate me.

I would now like to give a special shout-out to GypsyWitchBaby for reviewing on every single chapter thus far. I really appreciate your support. This chapter is dedicated to you.

~ Jane

Jane-G

Jane felt warm and comfortable. How odd, she thought, her brow furrowing. Am I dreaming?

Jane opened her eyes, but was forced to squint against the piercing sunlight that was attacking her vision. She lifted a hand to block out the light, and it registered in her mind that she had fallen asleep with the window open last night. Wait, the window?

Jane shot up in bed. Bed! What the hell!

It began to come back to her in bits and pieces. The diner. Hulk. Three gigantic sandwiches and more milk than one human being could consume in a lifetime. And Dom. Sweet, muscle-bound, over-protective Dom.

Jane fell back against the pillows, smiling comfortably. She still couldn't believe that people like the Torettos existed. That there were people who were caring and kind for no other reason than to be caring and kind. Jane didn't care that it was too soon for a sensible person to trust so quickly. Sense had gone out the door when Dom had opened it for her in his gentlemanly fashion. And they said chivalry was dead…

Jane rolled over and curled up comfortably. Her eyes flickered open slightly, and she caught sight of the alarm clock on the bedside table.

"3:48?" Jane cried out, flying upright.

"Why didn't somebody wake me up?" she muttered as she flew about the room looking for a change of clothes. She eventually found them draped over a chair in the corner with a note pinned to a large black t-shirt with a Harley Davidson logo on the front. Jane unpinned it and read the masculine writing.

You seemed pretty wiped out so I thought I'd let you sleep. Brought you these for when you wake up. Come down whenever you feel up to it.

Dom

P.S.
I hope you're hungry. Mia's already been shopping and by the looks of it you'd better have a garbage disposal for a stomach. See you later, Janie.

Jane smiled at the nickname and Dom's consideration. He treated her like she was a part of the family and he didn't even know her.

Laying the note on the dresser next to the chair, Jane tentatively picked up the shirt, revealing a folded up pair of jeans that had to be Mia's. They would be too big for her. The last pair were. Still, it was very kind of Mia to let Jane borrow her clothes. Jane made a mental note to thank her later. She made another mental note to find something to keep Letty from becoming a permanent enemy. She would have to figure out some sort of peace offering or something.

If I'll still be here, Jane thought, her heart dropping to her stomach, forming an uncomfortable lump there. Would she still be there when such an opportunity arose? How long before she had to move on? And she did have to move on. She couldn't stay there forever. Could she? It wasn't a really big area. He might not even be looking for her. After all, for all he knew, she was dead. He'd certainly done enough to try and ensure her demise. But she wouldn't think of that now. She had to get to Mexico. She couldn't leech off the Torettos forever, no matter how kind they were. She wouldn't take advantage of people like them. There were few enough of them in the world as it was, she wasn't about to give them any reason to change.

Jane sighed and told herself that she had best get changed and get downstairs. When she finished changing, she passed by the dresser, catching her reflection in the mirror above it as she went. She stopped and turned to get a better view of herself. Letty's words rang across her mind.

"Do you really think he'd pass me up for a walking skeleton like you?"

I really am a skeleton, aren't I? Jane thought, running her fingers across her hollow cheeks, the dark circles under her eyes, and her cracked lips.

"So thin," she whispered, tears forming in her eyes. "So gaunt. So ugly…"

Jane wasn't naturally vain, but she was just enough aware of being female that her pale, gaunt features disheartened her. Her current looks were also a stark reminder of better times when she had been a lovely little girl, plump and happy and loved.

And yet, she already looked better than she had a few days ago. The dark circles weren't quite so dark. Her face was a little less pale. And although it would be a while before she was noticeably healthy, Jane could swear that she looked a little less thin than she had the day before. The differences in her appearances were subtle, but they were there, and that was some small comfort to her.

Pushing aside the ache in her heart, Jane dried her eyes and opened the door that led to the hallway. Dom was waiting for her.

Dom-T

Dom had been pacing the floor for hours. Jane had slept for so long that he was scared that she might not wake up. He had already scheduled a doctor's appointment for her for the next day. He would've liked to get her in that very day, but Mia had insisted that it would be better to wait. Dom hated waiting. He'd spent two years waiting in Lompoc. He'd had enough of it to last a lifetime.

And yet, he now found himself pacing in the kitchen while Mia cooked more food. She had been nearly as bad as Dom had, but in a significantly different way. Her concern showed in the massive amount of clothing, accessories, other girl products, and food she'd brought home from her shopping trip. Dom had specifically instructed her to spend as much as she felt was needed to make Jane feel at home and to stock up on healthy, nourishing food, but even he hadn't expected the mass of things Mia had brought home, or the amount of food she had cooked since being home. Soup, stew, cookies, pies, cakes, pot pies, anything that could be reheated was cooked.

The boys showed their concern by hovering all day and Letty hadn't come back since he'd laid into her about what she'd said to Jane. She had admitted to what had happened after he confronted her with her lie. He still couldn't believe she had been jealous of Janie. She was sick and homeless for cryin' out loud! The poor kid needed someone to take care of her was all. Dom didn't have the slightest idea why he felt the need to be that person, but at least he could say he wasn't alone. Between him, Mia and the guys, Janie would never want for concern or caring for again.

"I can't take it anymore," Dom said suddenly, startling Mia into dropping the egg she had been about to crack into a bowl for the cake she'd been baking. "I'm going to check on her again."

"Yeah, I think I'll go with you," Mia said, ignoring the raw egg on her formerly spotless floor.

Dom didn't protest. He knew that she was almost as worried about Janie as he was. They walked quickly out of the kitchen and into the living room where the boys were pretending to watch tv, while they were really just anxiously watching the staircase for Jane.

"You goin' to check on the kid again?" Vince asked Dom, getting up off the couch.

"Yeah," Dom said shortly, not bothering to even look at Vince. He was focused on one thing and one thing only: making sure Janie was alright.

"I'll come too. Wanna make sure she's alright," Vince said. Leon and Jesse rose from their seats too, mumbling something like what Vince had said. It seemed as if the whole household was going to be checking on Jane, when Jane herself walked down the stairs with a bright smile on her face.

"Good morning," she said brightly. "Or is it afternoon?"