Dom had half an eye on Cale as he worked the crowd. He noticed her desire to stay away from the close huddle and found that just as odd as her cool, polite attitude towards him. He wasn't used to girls who didn't fawn over him and he had to admit, it was kind of nice. He frowned slightly as a guy joined her, but he didn't sit close enough for it to mean anything. A quick conference with Mia verified that as she helpfully told her brother the guy was a good friend of Cale's, nothing more.

And then, their eyes had locked and her lips had hinted at a smile. Dom had felt a slight tightness in his chest at that and he couldn't help but smile back at her. And then Hector had to fuck it up by blocking his view.

Dom didn't have a chance to find her again until after the race. He barely noticed the crowd, really, as he tried to look for Cale. He knew she was there. He had seen her as he drove up to the line before the race, standing with her friends. But now that it was all over she was nowhere to be found.

Hector demanded his attention and pressed Dom's winnings into his hand. Dom absently passed it off to Mia and then tried to turn around so he could search some more. That was when the gorgeous blond had sauntered up to him and gifted him with a kiss. Oh, she was definitely good-looking and those lips were certainly inviting...he would be stupid not to accept what they were so plainly offering...

To everyone's surprise, including his own, he merely lifted her out of his way and resumed looking for Cale. As he finally fought free of the crowd he caught a glimpse of Cale's Mustang as it turned down a side street.

------

Cale took her time driving back to Mia's so the team would have enough time to get there before her. There was, of course, the off chance that they'd run a couple more races, since the lack of sirens in the area meant that they were still unnoticed by the general public. Cale was willing to take that chance, and compensated by taking one of the more scenic routes back to the neighbourhood.

As she drove down the darkened street towards the illuminated house, she noticed someone get up from sitting on the top step and head towards the door. Whoever it was paused as she pulled up behind the Integra and looked back.

Cale blinked. What the...? Was he waiting for me?

She locked the car and headed up the lawn, giving Dom a curious look. "Too noisy in there for you, Toretto?"

"Something like that." He smiled at her. "Couldn't handle the crowd back there, Kincaid?"

Bah! There he goes making me smile again, Cale sighed. "Something like that."

He pushed the door open for her, letting her enter first before following behind. The noise hardly bothered her, having experienced this crowd already. She nodded greetings to people and watched Vince pound out a few riffs on his guitar as she hovered in the entrance to the family room, looking for Mia.

Dom's hand bearing a bottle of Snapple appeared from over her shoulder, and she turned, accepting the drink. "Mia's waiting for you upstairs," he said, nodding in the general direction.

Cale had never been this close to him before and, while it was disconcerting, she could almost understand why so many girls wanted him. No, damn it! He's an asshat just like all the other male racers. We don't like him!

She wasn't sure who her internal monologue was supposed to convince, though, so she decided to beat a hasty retreat with a partial smile and a soft, "Thanks."

Cale ducked under Dom's arm and jogged up the stairs to join Mia in her room, where she sagged gratefully into a chair, much to her friend's amusement.

"He likes you," Mia said, without preamble. She was laying on her bed, book opened in front of her.

Cale snorted. "I'm sure."

Mia's smile widened. "And you like him."

"No, I don't. You're brother's not my type." She tried to hide the blush by turning away to grab her textbook. She flipped it open. "Where are we?"

Mia closed her own book and put her pen down. She regarded Cale carefully. "You know, I don't get you, Cale. We've been friends for a few months, now, and not once have you tried to hook my brother."

"I told you, Mia. He's not my type." Cale sighed and closed her own book.

"Liar."

Cale closed her eyes. She knew this would happen. She knew it and still she let things get this far. "It's complicated, Mia."

"Try me."

"Can you keep a secret?"

Mia blinked at that. She got up and sat on the edge of her bed. She gave Cale a hard look. "I can if it doesn't endanger my brother or the team in any way."

Cale nodded. "I can appreciate that." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Listen, if you want me to leave after you hear what I have to say, I'll understand completely. Believe me when I say that I have done everything in my power to prevent this, and it'll only be natural for you to want me out of your lives for good."

"Cale, you're scaring me."

Cale smiled ruefully. "You don't know the half of it." With another deep breath, Cale plunged into her story. "See, a while back..."