Making Memories V "Innocence"

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Thank you again for reading and reviewing :)

By the time Dom pulled into the driveway of his home, the sun had gone down and the neighborhood was quiet. He'd needed to be alone, gather his thoughts, trying to figure out this curvy road he and Letty were on. He had understood everything Mia had said, but that didn't change the fact that he worried about her every day. He worried something would happen that would snatch her away from him again.

He saw the garage light on, the charger peering back at him from where he parked his car. He climbed out of the car, curious as to what Letty was working on. As he entered the garage, he spied four empty Corona Extra bottles on the workbench, next to a wrench, and a towel dirty with grease. It was quiet except for the radio playing very softly in the background.

At first he didn't see her, and he was about to go inside the house when he spotted her dark hair through the back window. Upon closer inspection, he found her curled up in the passenger seat, her head resting below the head rest, her knees hugged to her chest. Her wild hair was down against her shoulders, a few pieces covering her pretty face. One hand was grasping her cross that rest around her neck, a half-finished Corona sat next to the emergency brake lever, a picture in her other hand. Dom watched her for a moment, afraid to disturb what peace she had found. She looked free of stress and pain, her face clear of creases. He could see a grease smudge across her right cheek, and her hands were still dirty from the day.

Dom pulled open the heavy door slowly, trying not to make much noise, and settled down beside her in the driver's seat. She didn't move, and he suspected the several Coronas she seemed to have had were having something to do with that. He took in her beauty, her innocence while she slept. Gently, he lifted the picture from her hand, and found that it was one he'd kept in the car since her 'death'. He couldn't remember who had taken it now, but the youth in their faces reminded him how many years it had been. He tried to think back, she must have been twenty when the picture was taken. It was from Race Wars, a couple years prior to meeting Brian. He had lifted her up, her chest flush with his, her legs wrapped around his trunk, her face toward the camera, a large smile covering her pretty features. He'd always liked the picture because she didn't catch him looking at her, admiring her, as his face was turned toward her, a relaxed smile on his lips. He suspected Mia had taken the picture. It was right after he had won a race. He studied the picture, its dull spots from wear, the small crinkles in the corner. After her 'death', he'd found it in a box of her things. He took it and kept it in the Charger, a constant reminder of all he'd lost.

He looked back up at Letty and studied her, taking in how much she had changed, and yet how much she was still the same. She was thinner than he had remembered in the Dominican. He wasn't complaining, she'd simply grown into her body. She was fit, healthy. Her hair was long, her waves drawing him in. He moved a few pieces from her forehead and she shifted slightly. She let out a small sigh and her eyelids lifted a little, a haze covering her dark eyes. She saw him leaning over her, but she didn't move. She gave him a small, sleepy yawn that she tried to cover with the back of her hand and he couldn't help but smile. She looked like a child in the passenger seat of his big ole' car.

"Hey," he offered, the deepness rumbling through her body, sending shockwaves through her belly. She captured his eyes, and he took in her sleepy ones.

"Hi," she replied, finally shifting herself to a more seated position. She rolled her neck, and rubbed her eyes. He tried not to laugh as she smeared the grease farther across her face. "How long have I been out?" She asked curiously, wondering how long he'd been staring at her for. He gave her a small smile in response.

"I'm not sure, I just found you a few minutes ago. Judging by the beers you've had though, I'd say quite some time." He gestured toward the warm beer in the center console and she looked down at it, recalling the day's events. She chewed on her lip for a moment.

"Yeah…" she drifted off, looking back up his strong arm to his jaw and then his eyes. She could tell how he had aged since the picture she'd been holding earlier. She looked down at her hands, and around the seat. "I had a picture in my hand. Do you know—" He held it up, and she stopped.

"This one?" He asked, handing it back to her. She smiled a little in thank you.

"Yeah, that one." She replied, taking it in again. "How old was I when this was taken?" She asked curiously, studying the picture. He leaned closer, looking at it as well.

"About twenty, I think. It was taken at Race Wars," he explained. "That's your black and red Torino Cobra in the background. Before the retaining wall, of course," he chuckled, as he pointed out the old car. She grinned, taking it in.

"I remembered something from Race Wars today," she offered, for a moment forgetting their previous argument from earlier that day. "Well, I didn't know it was from Race Wars until after I told Brian, but anyway, I was driving a purple Nissan 240sx, racing someone. It's really nothing, but I'll take anything." She had watched the gamut of emotions cross his handsome features as she spoke. When the moment settled, he was again simply just Dom. She was sure she saw a look of pure joy cross his face at one point.

"Really? You remembered that?" A grin told her he was pleased. She nodded, then shrugged.

"I mean, it's not much. I had to confirm with Brian to make sure it really happened." Dom tried to contain the hope, the joy he felt at her remembering something from her past, from their past.

"When did it happen?"

"Today, when I was driving Roy's Chevelle. I was coming around this corner and it just hit me."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" He asked quietly before he could stop himself. He knew why.

"Seriously, man? You were too busy chewing my head off for going out in the first place." She gave him a dubious look and he nodded, looking away out the window of the car.

"Yeah, about that…" his voice drifted off and he was silent before he looked back at her. His eyes were sad. "I'm sorry, Let. I overreacted."

"Yeah, you did." She snipped. "You can't keep treating me like a child, Dom," Her words were pointed, crystal clear. He nodded.

"I know," was his only response.

"I might remember more if you let me do things on my own. Driving today was amazing. I felt more….free" she stressed the word, her expression far off, "today than I've felt since I've been here." She watched a small expression of hurt cross his features, but she questioned whether she'd imagined it, because it was gone in a flash. "Driving is something I love, Dom. Imagine if someone took that away from you. What would you do?" Her words rang true-he had definitely had that taken away from him before, while he was at Lompoc. The thought made him sick to his stomach. And struck a cord.

"You're right. I was just trying to keep you safe," He rubbed a hand over his bald head and turned to look at her. "I lost you once. I don't think I can do it again," his confession was true, honest. She felt her chest tighten at his words. She rested her hand on his strong forearm in comfort.

"You know me better than I know myself," she smiled a little at how ridiculous it sounded, but she knew it was true, and he laughed lightly in agreement. "I'm not going anywhere. But if you keep holding me down, I'm telling you…." She drifted off and they both laughed. It felt good to laugh together. They needed it.

"You love to threaten me, huh?" He raised an eyebrow at her, his voice carrying into that deeper tone that gave her goosebumps. She tilted her head to the side with a grin, her eyes squinting a little.

"Someone has to put you in your place," was her witty response, her eyes playful. He looked back at her, his eyes drinking her in. He took a chance, leaning across the gear shift, placing his lips to hers. It was light at first, but the fire grew quickly as the tension of the day relieved itself, feeding their need for release.

Without breaking contact, she climbed up onto her knees and slid over console into his lap, either leg sliding into place beside his hips. His hands landed on her hips, his large hands covering much of the skin on her waist, his thumbs pressing gently into her. It wasn't long before his hands slid lower, gripping her from behind, and his mouth found her neck. He took in the sigh she let out and ravaged her further down to her collarbones. He kissed and nibbled along her shoulders.

Letty was having a hard time thinking about anything between the combination of his hands and his mouth, and all the feelings coursing through her veins. She was melting into him, and fast. Her heart was racing against her chest, and she so badly wanted to remember having been with him before, to make this moment less unprepared. She pressed her fingers into his large biceps, his muscles flexing underneath the taut caramel skin, and this fired her up even further.

Her skin was on fire as his hands slid up under the back of her tank top, and he couldn't get enough of the feel of her soft skin under his palms. He pulled her closer, and she slid farther into his hips, sucking in a sharp breath at what she felt beneath her. She gripped the back of his neck with one hand, deepening the kiss as best she could with the angle they were at. He obliged, wrapping one hand in her hair, the other arm around her back, pressing her to him. He was dying, so many things he wanted to do to her, and his restraint was failing.

The moment was broken when Letty attempted to rise up on her knees and reposition herself, her head banging on the metal door frame. "Shit!" She exclaimed, Dom's head shooting up to catch her pained expression as she crumpled into his lap. He was immediately concerned, wrapping his arms around her.

"You okay?" He attempted to find her face buried in his chest. When she finally looked up, he could see the tears in her eyes, and the laughter that bubbled from her lips, her cheeks pink from embarrassment, her lips pink from his assault on them. Her hand was planted firmly over what would become a bump on the right side of her head.

"Shit, that hurt!" She laughed, and cried. He tried to pry her hand off the wound.

"Let me see it," he spoke soothingly, that gravel in his tone. He moved her hand, and parted her soft hair as she whimpered in his lap. He smirked at her noises. "What happened to tough girl?" He remarked, as he found the red bump. "Good one, Ortiz," he joked, getting a smack in the chest in response. He laughed, pulling her head up, both hands on her cheeks. "Prognosis is you'll live. Nothing a beer and a bag of ice won't cure." He kissed her forehead as she smiled ruefully. She kissed his lips in return, before wincing at the throb that was beginning atop her head. He laughed, before nudging her gently out the door of the car, standing up after her. She shut off the fan and the lights, as he closed the large door behind them. He took her by the hand and lead her inside, their moment of heat gone but not forgotten. She followed behind him a little, relishing in the feel of his large hand holding hers tightly. She settled at the kitchen table as he flicked on the lights, opening the freezer and grabbing a handful of ice and putting it in a zip lock bag. He placed it gently on her head as she ducked automatically, the bag cold as it settled on her bruise. She flinched, holding it in place, as he opened a beer for each of them. He sat down next to her, taking in her pained eyes.

"Thank you," she spoke softly, a smile playing at her lips, "Sorry I ruined the moment…" she drifted off, her cheeks a little pink again. He laughed lightly with a shrug.

"Don't worry. You just owe me now," Dom gave her a wink as he took a sip of his beer. She knew he meant it. And she knew it was only a matter of time before she was ready to pay up.

How'd you guys like it? Please leave a review and tell me what you think :) She'll remember more soon, don't worry ;) Aladyfish, don't worry, I haven't forgotten about Letty and Mia, I have a good scene coming up. Trying to decide what Letty's next memory should be…any suggestions?

Thank you again for reading and reviewing! Means so much! XOXO