Author's Note: Daughter graduates from college. This is from her PoV. Father/Daughter moments included. Sappy bits. You have been warned! But then, if you don't like sap why are you reading this story? Hehe

A Graduation

As she slipped the black, slightly shapeless gown over her head it was hard to believe she'd come this far. Graduating college.

It seemed just yesterday was the first day of kindergarten.

Okay, maybe not, but it suddenly seemed like everything had gone so fast. And even though she was proud of herself and happy with the direction her life was going, a little part of her felt the fluttering of nerves within her chest.

She'd already moved out. She was engaged. Life had already changed.

But she couldn't help but feel she was losing something as she looked into the mirror of her old room. She'd come to her parents' place to get ready. Her room had been left alone since she'd moved out, always there for her to crash in when she came home to visit.

But this summer she'd be moving in with Ty, emptying a lot of the stuff from both her apartment and this room. Her mother was already talking about making it into a guest room. It made her feel a little sad, even though she knew that was silly.

She knew she'd always be welcomed home again. She'd always feel like this place was home, no matter what the room looked like.

1327.

She'd come home to this house when she was born. She'd grown up here. Her dad and aunt had grown up here. She was certain her mom and dad would live here for the rest of their lives.

Speak of the devil.

She looked up at the knock on her door.

"Come in."

Her dad filled the doorway, taking up the space with his broad shoulders. She smiled at him as he looked at her. His eyes had fallen on her gown, drifted to the cap still sitting atop her dresser. She could tell he was having the same thoughts she had moments ago. For some reason it was always hardest on Dad to watch her grow up.

His eyes dropped down to her shoes, her favorite beat up old red converse.

"I don't think those meet the dress code," he said, grinning.

She reached over to hold up the strappy red heels sitting on her bed. "Gonna put them on when we get there. Minimize my suffering."

He laughed and she smiled, stepping forward to wrap her arms around him.

"You clean up good, Dad."

He made a face at her, but he did look nice in the black tailored suit and white shirt. If she had to guess she'd say Aunt Mia had taken him to get it.

"Not every day my little girl graduates from college."

She grinned at him. "With honors, no less."

He smiled back, and she could see the pride in his face, and the set of his shoulders. It caused warmth to bloom in her chest and she squeezed his hand.

"Where's the rest of the clan?"

"Aunt Mia and Uncle Brian just arrived, so we're just waiting on Vince and his girlfriend, and Ty."

"Aunt Mia is always criminally early to everything," she reminded, reaching for the simple red studs she wore in her ears.

"True," he agreed. "But she wanted to help your mother do her hair."

"I'm sure Mom's thrilled," she laughed.

"She'll let Mia do it anyway. It makes her happy."

She nodded in agreement, grabbing her cap and tassel from the dresser. She took that and her shoes and followed her father downstairs. Uncle Brian was in the kitchen putting something in the fridge. Probably food her aunt had brought for the celebration afterwards.

He straightened up and grinned. "Look who it is. The graduation girl," he said, moving to hug her in greeting.

Aunt Mia had gotten him into a nice grey suit and a blue shirt that made his eyes stand out. Unlike her dad he'd even put on a tie. She tugged at it with a smirk.

He pulled a face. "Mia insisted."

"And no one is surprised," her dad replied, leaning back against the kitchen counter.

When the doorbell rang she grinned. "I'll get it," she said, ducking into the living room.

She heard her father saying "She's probably hoping its Ty," as she departed.

"You mean the fiancé?" Uncle Brian replied, and she could tell he was grinning, giving her dad a hard time. Dad still seemed to be in denial about the fact that his little girl was engaged.

Shaking her head she tugged open the door to see Vince standing there with his girlfriend Hye-Su. He looked like his dad, sun-bleached blonde hair and a lean, muscular build. Unlike his dad he sported the dark eyes he'd inherited from Aunt Mia, and wore only a pair of khaki dress pants and a pale blue button down.

Hye-Su was wearing a dress and the yellow silk would have been delicate except that it was accented by silver zippers instead of straps and two zippered pockets in the skirt.

"Awesome dress," she told the Korean girl, who grinned and tucked her hands into said pockets, doing a spin.

"Thanks. Sorry I couldn't get Vincent here into something more interesting than his detective clothes. But some people have no sense of fashion."

The girls laughed as Vince rolled his eyes. She liked Hye-Su. Vince had met her years ago now, the night they'd both gotten arrested racing. Apparently she'd been impressed enough to get past that. Or something.

She personally didn't think her cousin was that impressive.

She laughed as he grabbed her into a tight hug. "Congrats little Cuz," he said, before setting her down on her feet. "I can't believe you're graduating from college already."

"Look who is talking Mr. responsible-job guy working on his pension and 401k." She smirked. "You're like a full-fledged adult now."

"Looking forward to joining me?" he asked, wrapping his arm around Hye-Su.

"I dunno," she mumbled. "I mean… I did the school thing… I'm engaged. I could probably keep working at the garage till I find a job, or just you know… just stay there. It'll be my place one day."

"You seem unsure," Vince's girlfriend said. "A little freaked out?"

"I guess I mean… I'm only 23. Shouldn't I… do something more exciting than just stay in LA, have a job, get married and start popping out babies?"

"Ew, no way girl. You got years to do that." Hye-Su shook her head. "Go have some adventures."

"Yeah take a road trip," Vince suggested. "Drive down to South America, like our parents did."

She smirked at him. "You mean when they were on the run from the law?"

"Well… skip that part," he said. "There's only so much trouble I can get you out of."

"Who's getting in trouble?" Letty's voice drifted as she came down the stairs with Mia at her heels.

"No one, Mami," her daughter replied with a grin. "At least not yet."

"It won't be long though," Aunt Mia said with a laugh, moving to hug her niece. Then she looked down at her feet. "Please tell me you aren't wearing those shoes…"

"My heels are in the kitchen with Dad and Uncle Brian."

"I hope neither of them is wearing them either," Aunt Mia replied.

"Now there's a horrifying image," her mother said. "We just waiting on Ty now?"

"Yeah," she frowned. "It's not like him to be late though…"

"He has plenty of time," Vince said. "Don't worry."

They gathered in the kitchen where they found her dad and uncle in a deep discussion about engines. Surprising no one. Also surprising no one they were soon all involved in the debate, not hearing the sound of Ty's car pulling up to the house.

Of course, his arrival wasn't to be missed when he walked through the back door, carrying a huge bouquet of flowers. His fiancée abandoned her family at the table to hug him, taking the flowers.

She smirked at him. "How traditional of you…"

"Should I take them back?" he asked with a grin but she smiled and took the flowers from him, a brilliant burst of red lilies and blue dahlias.

"Don't be silly," she said. "I'm just teasing."

Aunt Mia got out a vase for her to put them in, while her mother joked that this was the first time she was getting flowers from a boy and she was already engaged to him.

"That's because on our first anniversary he bought me new rims," she explained.

"The true way to our girl's heart," her father put in with a laugh.

"Or anyone in this family," Mia added.

"Except maybe you," Vince told his mother.

"I'm a girl who would be happy with flowers," she agreed, smiling as she helped her niece arrange hers.

They soon headed out to the cars to make their way over to the college. Dom hung back, waiting for his daughter as she ran upstairs to get her camera.

She smiled at him as she stepped into the kitchen. "Ready Papi?"

"Yeah…" he agreed, wrapping one arm around her. "I'm proud of you, baby girl, you know that, right?"

She smiled. "Always. You always made sure I did." She hugged him tight. "Where I am now, who I am… I owe it to you and Mami. I know not everyone gets great parents. I know not everyone gets chill parents. I got it all. You let me misbehave when I needed to… you always supported me. Believed in me. You pushed me in the right direction."

She stepped outside with him. Ty was waiting for her at his car and she signaled him to wait a minute.

"Dad I know it feels like time's flown by sometimes… and things are changing. It scares me a little. But then I remember, no matter where I go, what I do… I'll always have you and Mom. I'll always have my family. So I'm going to go out there, I'm gonna walk across that stage… then I think I'm going to go have an adventure."

He laughed, tweaked her nose like he used to when she was a little girl. "You do that. Just try not to get into too much trouble doing it."

"Well… I am a Toretto," she said, winking as she strolled down to the car where her fiancé was waiting.

Yeah… that probably meant there was trouble in her future.