A/N: I'm baaack! So, so, so, so, SO sorry it's been so long. I could give you a huge list of reasons why it took so long, but I won't. I was all ready to start up before Christmas, but my Gramma, whom I loved very much, passed away suddenly, so I had to fly to Chicago and help deal with everything.

This chapter is short, more on par with the first few, and they're probably gonna stay that way. The theory is: Short chapters more often. Fingers crossed.

Also, my main writing buddy has gone off and joined the army (seriously, and good luck to her), so I could use all the input and feedback you want to give.

Thanks to: MUW D'Bellegirl, Straight Edge Queen, Special2, 2furious4u, Vinces-Girl, Lovecraft22 (about your PM: the thought had crossed my mind, minus the alcohol, but to be honest, I haven't the foggiest what's in that box yet), Running-Wild22, vinlovedroolwish, Sparkles2004, AngelRose82, Martell2981 and JENJEN87 for their reviews. Also a big thanks to everyone who has added me to their favs/alert lists.

As always, Review and Enjoy!


Dom looked down, watching the steady rise and fall of Jesse's repaired chest, listening to his young friend's heartbeat on the nearby monitor. He looked so weak. The doctors were saying her was going to make it, but he still looked half dead.

Not that Jesse had ever looked like an example of good, healthy living. He'd always looked a few meals behind and a few hits ahead of everyone else, but that was just natural Jesse. This – this was something else.

It was then that it finally hit Dom. He finally understood where Leon and Letty were coming from. It didn't matter that he hadn't forced them into anything, long ago he'd taken on the role of their leader, and it was his responsibility to look after all of them. It was the price of absolute loyalty. This was his fault. He hadn't forced Jesse to work the heists, hadn't force him to challenge Tran, but he should have paid better attention, and been more worried about finding his friend than pulling that last heist.

He finally realised that it wasn't that they had been caught; it was that he'd even suggested the idea in the first place. And it was the same with Letty. She'd given him everything, her body, her heart, her trust. He knew she'd never cheated on him, never been with any other guy. She's waited for him when he was inside, and had accepted that prison had changed him. He'd repaid that faithfulness by cheating on her, treating her like she was just some random chick. And still she'd stood by him.

He honestly didn't know if he could change. A wild part of him didn't want to. But he would try. For Jesse and Letty and Mia and the rest of them, he'd try. They deserved better. That first night at the races, O'Connor had said that respect was more important to people. Dom always thought he was one of them. But as some point, he'd gotten respect mixed up with worship. Things had nearly been fucked up beyond repair. He'd been given a second chance, and he wasn't going to let it pass.

The doctor had stopped the sedatives an hour ago, but warned that it might take Jesse a while to come 'round. Dom had been waiting, hoping that he'd have a chance to speak to the Jesse before the others arrived, but so far the young man hadn't stirred. Dom was beginning to think he wasn't going to wake at all when he noticed a slight twitch in Jesse's fingers.

"Jess? Can you hear me little brother?" he said softly.

"Mmmph."

Dom let out a shaky laugh, and didn't even notice the wetness in his eyes. "Hey man, how ya doin'?"

"Dominic?" Jesse croaked.

"Yeah, it's me. You had us scared for a while there, Jess."

"Wha…? Uggh. I feel like shit," he rasped, a shaky hand coming up to rub his face. "Did I get shot?" he asked almost disbelievingly. "Tran…?"

"Yeah, but we got him. He ain't gonna be makin' any more trouble. For anyone," Dom promised, taking Jesse's skinny-assed hand in his. "Forget about it."

"I'm sorry Dom. I screwed up bad," Jesse said, eerily remind Dom of the last time they'd talked, out on the front sidewalk, just before Tran had started shooting.

"No Jess, I screwed up. I messed everything up. I'll do better, I promise," Dom said, not even realizing how upset he was.

"It's okay Dom," Jesse mumbled, starting to drift back to sleep. The doc said he'd be in and out of it while he got his strength back. "It'll be alright…"

After a few minutes, Dom heard loud laughter coming up the hallway, and he ducked into the bathroom, splashing his face with water. When he came out, the others were crowded in the room, looking at him expectantly.

"He, uh, woke up for a few minutes." Everyone started grinning, and Leon let out a whoop before Mia shushed him. "Doc said he'd be in and out. You can stay for a while if you want. I've gotta get back to the shop. Let me know if he wakes up again."

He left before any of them could ask any questions, but only one of them followed him.

"Dom?" she asked quietly.

He turned, but he couldn't meet her eyes. "I gotta talk to the doc, let him know Jess woke up."

He felt a soft hand on his cheek, gently but firmly moving him to meet her dark eyes. She watched him for a moment, understanding flooding across her face.

"I'm sorry Letty."

She didn't say anything, but nodded, taking his hand and walking with him towards the nurses' station.


"Is this everything?" Vince asked, dropping another duffel bag on the hotel bed.

"Yeah, I think so," Rae shrugged, already unpacking Bella's clothes into one of the drawers. "Thanks for helping me, V."

He shrugged back, not really looking at her. "It's sorta my fault you're here. I ain't exactly been welcoming."

Rae sighed. "Vince, you're about the only person that has a reason to want me gone. And it's not because of that that I'm leaving. I swear, I thought living with a three-year-old was hard. But all of us in that house…it's too much."

Vince chuckled. "Yeah, I guess. But it's nice having everyone back."

"Even me?" Rae asked quietly, so quietly he almost didn't hear.

Vince sat abruptly on the edge of the bed, dropping his head into his hands. He didn't reply.

Rae leaned against the chest of drawers opposite him. "I'm sorry I screwed up. I didn't understand."

Vince looked up. "Didn't understand what?"

"The race with Tran. No one told me it was for pink slips. I thought you'd just loose a little money, and get knocked down a peg. I was so angry at being left out, I just wanted you all to see me," she explained. I just wanted you to see me. "I know that doesn't matter, it doesn't matter if it was pink slips or pennies, I betrayed the Team."

She was trying to hold back the tears, feeling the guilt as though it were yesterday, feeling like she was still a stupid naïve barely eighteen-year-old. She loved that the Team was almost back together, but she knew that once things settled down, people would start asking questions, questions she didn't want to answer. About that last race, about why she left, about Bella. She realised in was pure luck that Vince hadn't figured it out.

Vince was quiet, but when he looked up, Rae could see the muscles jumping in his neck. He was pissed.

"That's what you think all of this is about?" he said, gesturing widely. "The fuckin' race?"

She could only gape at him.

"Dammit, Rae! It was just a car! We've lost plenty of 'em since. Yeah, the Team woulda been angry, but we'd have gotten over it! O'Connor was an undercover cop for Christ's sake! You left us, Rae! With no word for more than three years! You abandoned us. You turned your back on us. They don't even know why." His voice quieted. "I'm the only one that does."

Rae and Vince just stood there, looking at each other. There was something in his eyes she didn't recognise. Something like anger. But he didn't seem angry with her, not really. Just tired of arguing.

"You left because of…of what happened that night," Vince forced out.

She nodded. They were finally talking about it. Finally dealing with the elephant in the room.

"You hate me," she said flatly.

He frowned, and opened his mouth to speak when a small rocket burst through the door headed straight for Rae.

"Momma! Momma! There a pool! I go swimmy?" Bella asked, jumping up and down, he pigtails bouncing. Alex came running after her, a sheepish look on his face.

Rae cleared her throat, feeling flustered by the sudden change in situation. "Um, ah, we can go swimmy later, 'kay Munchkin? And maybe this weekend we can go to the beach. Did you bring duckie?"

The little girl nodded, and began digging through the bags on the floor. "Bella!" Rae admonished as her daughter started tipping clothes all over the floor.

"Duckie!" Ella cheered, holding up a big, bright rubber duck that could give Binky a run for her money.

Rae sighed, quickly stuffing the clothes back into the bags. "I wanted to take Ella to see Jesse, do you think that would be okay? I don't want to wear him out."

Vince nodded and shrugged, running his hand over the back of his neck. "When will your wife get here?" he asked Alex.

"Friday, lunchtime." He gave a wide grin. "It'll be nice to see her."

"I'll bet," Rae said, rolling her eyes. Even after years of marriage, they still acted like newlyweds. "Come on sweetie, were going to see Uncle Jesse."

"Poor thing," she pouted.

"Not poor thing anymore, he's awake," Rae smiled.

"Jess Ella's friend," the little girl smiled.

"Give me a lift?" Vince asked. "I've got another appointment."

Rae nodded, checking her pockets for the keys. All her courage concerning Vince was gone for the moment. At least with Bella there they wouldn't be able to talk.


Vince watched her as she drove, the kid singing along to Disney in the back. He couldn't get his head around the fact that the reason she's been gone so long was her stupid guilt, not what he'd done to her. It couldn't be right, could it?

She was so damn frustrating. She always had been, 'cept back then she'd just been the brat that drove him up the wall. Now she was full grown, and he couldn't forget the drunken kiss he'd stolen all those weeks back.

He wanted her. He didn't know why. But he did.

But he couldn't forget what he'd done that night, or how she'd left them all afterwards. He didn't know what he was going to do. He just knew one thing.

He was well and truly fucked.