Author: Moon Roses or Moony
Rating: R for language
Disclaimer: Don't own anything.
Feedback: Not necessary but greatly appreciated.
Recap: Shutting her bedroom door behind her she turned on her music softly and changed into boxers and a tank top before falling into her bed and pulling the duvet around her chin. Staring at the ceiling she grinned to herself before sighing and turning onto her side. Green eyes lingering in her thoughts, and later in her dreams when she fell asleep.

Chapter Ten

Shorty had been back in L.A. now for four months and had settled in nicely making a name for herself quite quickly. Not the kind of name Dominic Toretto had mind you, far from it, but a name all the same. When racers wanted a fresh look for their car they came to her for the design. At first it had been a trip to see so many people enjoying her drawings. Now that it had settled into a steady business she could not understand how she hadn't thought of it while living in New York. Sure, back then she had designed the decals for the boys she was running with but she never imagined what a lucrative business it could be. So lucrative in fact that her body was tired, physically and mentally. Regardless of her exhaustion she was still swimming in pleasure.

Work was the easy part of her life however. Dividing her time between her team, the DT team, and surprisingly Spence's crew was becoming a chore. She had grown to enjoy Spence's company and had avoided any illegal activity they took part in. She knew they were into dealing heavy items, drugs, guns, and any stolen goods they came across. Shorty also knew if she could continue to avoid any shady transactions she would be home free. However, Hector was still riding her ass to stop spending time with them. Perhaps she had become more attached to them than she had intended.

Vince had quickly become her best friend. She found it hard to explain to anyone, let alone herself how they had become so close so fast. They were like two peas in a pod. When you saw one you could guarantee the other was not far behind. She had somehow managed to calm him down. Of course he was still the same man; quick to anger but it took much more for him to throw a punch. And he had wormed his way into her heart as well. When she saw her future, she saw him in it. Simple as that. They had gone from strangers to soul mates. 'Ol Coyote and his 'Lil Coyote.

Through the horror of splitting her time with family, friends, and work Shorty had somehow found time to squeeze in a few dates. Of course, none of them had progressed farther than a second date. Male suitors were just not all that eager to deal with Hector, her team, or Vince. The few men who plucked up enough courage to ask her out also had to pass an informal inspection. An informal inspection that seemed terrifying and daunting when Letty also appeared, completely stone faced, to question the suitors. If possible, she was blindingly frightening. She never found any man good enough for her boo. And Shorty did not mind in the least. She was comfortable being single and had few hours to spare anyways.

Hunching over the engine block of the 1999 Supra she was working on she rubbed the back of her neck absently. The June sun beat down heavily on her and she could see a filmy layer of sweat had settled over her skin. Spending the first nine years of her life in Mexico had acquainted her with real heat. However she knew when to admit that L.A. heat could be just as brutal. Wiping the sweat from her hands on a rag she straightened and swept her hair up onto her head. It was just after ten in the morning and already wisps of hair were plastered to her face. Irritatingly brushing them back she glanced around at her team hard at work. The heat was not bothering them like it was her and she mused that having a bald head might make her life much more comfortable.

The workload for the last week had been more than heavy in preparation for Race Wars. In fact it was downright hellish. Shorty's anticipation for the event had kept her sane through the long days as the team worked overtime daily. Four weeks remained before the competitions and her thoughts constantly ran rampant with daydreams of winning. Or even losing. It was all she could think about. This was her first time to experience the thrill but she had heard all about it from her brother and team. Every year she would receive a phone call for every win. It had dug at her heart to hear them having so much fun without her. It was times like that; that made New York feel like a continent away instead of states away. All she had wanted then was to be beside them, laughing and talking about cars. The last couple of weeks the team had noticed a slight bounce in her step and could not wait to show her.

Checking her watch she realized it was almost twelve thirty. She had been daydreaming again and had completely lost track of time. "I'm gonna go get some lunch at Mia's. Want anything?" Shorty grunted as she heaved a couple tires onto a nearby table.

"Nah. Be back in an hour. You got a meeting with a client and you're starting the interior on the Corvette today," Hector called from the office where he was pouring over paperwork.

Shorty washed her hands and slid her coveralls off before sliding into her car. The drive over was typical, lots of weaving through traffic and horns blaring at her back bumper. Reaching the store she was surprised to see that Vince was nowhere in sight. Stepping from her car her stomach rumbled at her and she could swear it demanded it feed her now. Pushing her sunglasses onto her head she could see Mia bent over a magazine reading. She entered the store quietly and sat at the counter. "S'up girl?" she asked as she swung her stool in circles until she was dizzy.

"Not much, just waiting for the team. What can I get you?"

"Turkey on brown please," Shorty replied and lightly patted her stomach. Flipping through the car magazine Mia had left on the counter she had to laugh. "If only guys knew just how much you take after your brother. You'd be just as dateless as I am."

Mia set the sandwich down in front of Shorty and added a Pepsi and bag of chips before taking the magazine and placing it back on the stand. "They do know. That's why I am as dateless as you," she grinned.

"Yeah yeah," Shorty laughed and took a bite of her sandwich. The sound of thrumming engines drew both their gazes to the end of the street. Shorty swung around on her stool and leant against the counter as the team slammed to a stop.

They all looked famished when they finally slid from their cars and she had to admit it was sort of cute. The team was so in touch with each other they were starving at the same time. Vince collapsed in the stool beside her and dragged her into his lap. He rested his scruffy chin on her shoulder and closed his eyes. Shorty was shocked to see how tired he was and scratched his scalp soothingly before ordering him a ham and cheese on white. "Sleep," he yawned.

Leon sat on her other side with Letty and Jesse following suit. All three of them watched with faint smiles on their faces before Letty asked "What you doin' tonight Boo?"

"I'm gonna come over, if Dom don't mind," she grinned and glanced at Dom a few stools away. He was reading the paper while waiting for his sandwich but sent a smile her way when she addressed him. He had finally learnt to sort of trust her in the four months she had spent with his team, and she suspected that he had even grown to maybe like her just a little bit.

"Yeah, come on over. We'll play cards or something," he said and returned his attention to the paper.

When Mia handed the sandwiches out a few minutes later Vince transferred Shorty back to her own stool. She opened her chips and dumped them onto the plate beside her sandwich. "How's work going today Miss Shorty?" Leon asked as he took a bite of his sandwich.

She glanced his way and shrugged. "Same ol' same ol'. Doing an interior today and got a meeting with a client for some sketches."

His smile was tired and she knew the team must have been suffering the same workload as her own. Probably more, due in part to their figure head's popularity. His attention returned to the food in front of him and they ate the rest of the meal in silence. When she had finished she thanked Mia and pushed herself off the stool. "I gotta head back. See you later." Grabbing Vince's head she planted a kiss in his sweaty hair before exiting the store.

The rest of the day went by in a flash. It helped that the client she had met with kept her busy for over three hours finalizing everything. He was a nice guy; with tons of money to waste and a build that rivalled Dom's. As the meeting concluded he asked her on a date to which she declined. Mixing business with pleasure never led to anything good. When he left she set to work on the interior of the Corvette, but was unable to finish much. She was in no rush and the job was likely to take a week at least. So instead of being productive she wasted her time daydreaming about Race Wars again.

She had been sitting in the driver's seat staring into space for quite some time when her brother snapped her leg with a rag. "Jesus girl, get outta here already."

Shorty smiled gratefully and rushed out of the car before he could change his mind. She peeled her coveralls off her body even as she was stumbling to the back room. Racing home she made a beeline straight to the shower and only emerged when her fingers and toes were unrecognizably wrinkled. Throwing on a pair of loose jeans she pulled a black wife beater on and pushed her hair into a messy bun.

When she pulled the screen door open and stepped into the Toretto household she was surprised to find nobody sitting around the television. Although her surprised vanished a second later when she recognized Vince's deep laugh coming from the kitchen. Taking her time she made her way to the kitchen to find the entire team sitting around the table, all in various stages of nakedness. Jesse was almost fully clothed and grinning from ear to ear as Letty peeled her shirt from her torso. Dom was sitting in just his boxers and Mia was nowhere in sight. Shorty was having a hard time believing her eyes; Dom did not seem the type of man to play such a juvenile game. Not that she was complaining, partial nudity didn't bother her whatsoever, especially when the players were as beautiful as they were. "Start the party without me hey?" she laughed as she sat beside Vince.

'Couldn't wait, and boo – you better catch up," Letty grinned at her and threw her shirt at Jesse.

"I'm gonna sit this one out," she replied. "Just waiting till Dom loses."

And soon enough a wide grin spread across Dom's face as he tore his boxers off and paraded around the kitchen booming Eye of the Tiger. When he had circled the kitchen a few times he returned to the table and stood looking down at her and the team. Laughter erupted from Shorty until she was breathless. Two tears rolled down her cheeks as she fought to catch her breath. She would never have though it possible for Dom to overtly display his hidden immaturity. When she brushed a tear off her cheek and sucked in a shaky breath Leon grinned at Vince, "Shit V. I think she's been spending too much time here. She's turned Dom into, hell I don't even know what the..." Leon's raspy voice trailed off and he watched her try to regain her composure.

Vince nodded his head and looked from Dom to Shorty with amusement, "That's for sure."

When Shorty heard a squeal just over her shoulder she turned to find Mia standing there, her face a beautiful shade of burgundy. She covered her eyes and quickly retreated from the kitchen, shouting "Dom, put some fucking clothes on for Christ's sake."

Shorty groaned loudly emphasizing her obvious dislike of the situation. Letty's smoky laughter washed over her and she turned to Mia's retreating back "Damn Mia, why you gotta kill all the fun? It was just getting good. Real good," she purred and winked over at Dom.

'Poor Mia," Vince laughed as the table redressed themselves slowly. "I think you scarred her Dom. She ain't never gonna recover."

Dom shrugged and planted a kiss on Letty's forehead before sitting back in his chair fully clothed. He gathered the cards from the table and shuffled them. "You wanna order some food?" he asked as he handed the cards to Jesse.

'Yes please!" Shorty answered quickly. 'I'm starving."

"I'm in," Jesse followed. "What do you wanna play now?"

"Go fish!" Letty shouted and slapped the table excitedly.

"Strip go fish?" Vince rumbled, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at Shorty.

Shorty shook her head in amusement and took the cards from Jesse's hands to pass around. When the team vetoed Go Fish Dom called and placed an order to a local pub that served traditional Italian pizza. By the time he finished his call the team had decided on Rummy and she quickly dealt out the cards. The game was just as amusing as she had remembered it from her high school days of sitting around the cafeteria table avoiding class. Attending an all girl's school was torture but she had soon found ways to keep herself entertained. Gambling. She had wounded many a pride and won a lot of money. She had a knack for making money and gambling became extremely profitable for her.

As the game wrapped up Dom informed Shorty that he was "voluntelling" her to go pick up the order. She shrugged and stood from the table as Dom handed her the money. She had no problems going to get the food. She spent a great deal of her time here and it was the least she could do. Especially since Dom was paying for dinner that night. "Be back in twenty," she called as she pushed open the screen door.

Shorty was just starting the car when the passenger door opened and a body slid in. She did not have to see him to know who it was, his smell was unforgettable. "Leon, I think I can handle a few pizza's and salads," she laughed as she faced him.

"You'd be surprised just how heavy a veggie delight pizza is," he joked while he snapped his seatbelt into its buckle.

"Seriously. I got it."

"I'm just comin' for the ride. I can't lift the pizza's anyways, you're gonna have to do that for me."

"Suit yourself," she replied and pulled away from the curb. The drive to the pub and pizzeria was quiet and within ten minutes Shorty was pulling into a small parking lot in the shadiest area of Echo Park. Parking between two black Land Rovers she turned the car off and the lot fell into shadow. A tingle of apprehension shivered down her spine as both occupants slid from the car. Crossing the short distance from the car to the door Shorty looked up at the building. A small Italian flag hung proudly by the door but did little to fight off the ominous appearance. The building was slightly run down with the sign above the door almost burnt out. Across the parking lot stood another sign proclaiming vacancy for the small motel located above the pub.

"It looks shady but the pizza is unreal," Leon remarked as she gazed through the cracked door window.

"Better be out of this world," she replied and pulled the door open. Two staircases nestled together lead to the motel above and the pub below. Choosing the latter she descended into a dim room with loud music drifting to her from a mini jukebox perched precariously on the bar directly in front of her. Shorty was walking towards the bar when she was grabbed around the middle and hauled backwards roughly. "What the shit?" she snapped and tried to wiggle out of the iron grip.

"We gotta get out of here now," Leon's anxious voice hissed in her ear as he lifted her off her feet and turned towards the door.

As he turned the world seemed to slow down for Shorty and she could see what had rattled the man. To the right side of the bar housed two pool tables and a plethora of high bar tables and stools. However, the furniture was not the reason for Leon's anxiety.

Her mind understood what was happening. And yet she was in awe of the situation. It was surreal and as she focused on the people in front of her she was rooted to the spot. There was mayhem before her eyes and the scene seemed to slow down as the faces began to clarify. Faces that she recognized. Faces that she liked. Faces that shook her out of her trance and forced her to break roughly from Leon's grasp. Her only thought was of the men in front of her and helping in any way she could.

Eyes as light as the sky caught hers and emotion after emotion tumbled through them. Anger. Confusion. Recognition. Relief. Then panic as she raced towards the man that held them. She could faintly hear a scuffle behind her but she continued on towards Spence. The man who had accepted her that first night at the races. The man she had slowly come to call friend. The man who was in much deeper than he had explained.

Shorty lunged towards the attacker that had Spence pinned against the wall. One hand tight around his throat, the other curled into his fist aiming directly into his gut. She imagined she could hear the dull thud of flesh connecting with flesh and she saw Spence double over breathless as the man who held him relinquished his hold. Without a thought for her own safety she brought her fist up and swung directly between the man's shoulder blades. She could feel her knuckles split from the force but she ignored the pain as the man crumpled to his knees.

"You gotta get out of here girl!" Spence cried as she brought her knee into his attackers face. She could feel his nose break and he landed roughly on his back.

"No," she answered simply and glanced around for Leon. She found him across the room hauling another man off Levis. He was engaged in a wild dance of round house kicks and hard punches. He was so agile and beautiful that Shorty felt her breath catch.

"This isn't your fight Shorty!"

Shorty looked at Spence. Really looked at Spence and realized for the first time everyone she loved had been right. His shady business dealings had finally caught up with him and she could see he knew it too. She had worked so hard to avoid becoming what she had been in New York; a thug. And all her hard work had not meant a thing as she looked towards the men she had befriended. "It is tonight."

She sprinted away from Spence grabbing a pool ball as she passed the table. She could hear him calling her name desperately but she ignored it as best she could. Ben and Jimmy were both fighting off two men each and she swore fiercely in her native tongue. She could see that her friends, although tough, were having a hard time dealing with the unfair advantage of their attackers. Shorty quickly planted her feet and hurled the pool ball pitcher style at the head of one of the men. It hit with such a force that it knocked him out cold and he collapsed to the ground blood trickling from the wound onto the floor. Continuing towards the men she took a flying leap onto the back of one of the men fighting with Jimmy. Her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs around his waist. Not exactly what she was going for but it drew the man's attention from Jimmy.

He whipped around trying to get her to loosen her hold and when it was obvious she had a tough grip he slammed her into the wall. Her head knocked against the cement painfully and she saw little lights dancing in her vision. Her grip loosened enough for him to pry her arms and legs off and drop her to the ground. "Fuck," she moaned as she was hauled to her feet and slammed against the wall again.

The man in front of her pulled back his right fist and released it, connecting with her cheekbone and sending off another flash of lights. His left fist landed in her gut and she doubled forward unwillingly. She could hear Leon screaming her name over the rushing sound in her ears but she paid him no heed. Shorty pushed at the man in front of her trying to force him off her. He was massive and completely blocked her view of the rest of the bar. As he pushed her against the wall holding her in place with his body a smile spread across his face.

"Baby, I like my women to fight," he groaned and rubbed his erection against her thigh. "You're gonna fight ain't cha?" he snarled and pressed his erection closer to her and trailed his tongue across the cheek that he had bruised. Shorty could not believe he was getting off on this, but pushed it aside quickly. She knew she would have time for disgust later but she desperately needed to get away from this man.

Shorty's hallow laugh escaped her parted lips before she clenched her jaw. "Well, I like my men to fight too," she snarled and threw her head forward. Connecting with his head was an experienced she never wanted to relive. She grabbed her forehead and grimaced at the pain that exploded in her skull as she lightly felt her way across the skin to make sure she wasn't bleeding. The last thing she needed right now was her vision clouded with lights and sticky blood.

He stumbled back and clutched his own head. Sadistic fuck had not been expecting a girl to be packing such force behind her. She dropped into a crouch and kicked his feet out from under him. "You're gonna fight ain't you?" Shorty grunted as she straddled him. His erection was an ever-constant reminder the she was a female in a man's world. She sat back on his erection and laughed when she heard him moan from the friction. "This what you wanted?"

Shorty's disgust bubbled up inside her until she could stand it no longer and she raised her right fist and brought it down with all the power she possessed. The thud of the bones in her hand connecting with the bones in his face sent adrenaline pumping through her body. The rush left her feeling high, and the high led her to land punch after punch anywhere she could.

Her knuckles protested every time she lifted her arm to take another hit. She knew they had split and she just hoped they hadn't been broken. "SHORTY!" Her silent reflections were brought to a sudden halt when Leon screamed her name from somewhere behind her. She had no idea what the hell his problem was. Looking down she expected to see the man beneath her rearing a second head or at least raising his hand to hit her but he was out cold, blood seeping from the gashes she had inflicted across his face.

Her annoyance did not last long as she was hauled off the man roughly and spun around quickly. Shit. So this was what Leon was yelling at her about. Oops. She was supposed to be paying attention. But there he was. The huge man she had pulled off Spence. He had come back for his revenge and she knew she was in a world of trouble.

His fist slammed into her face sending her flying backwards towards the pool table. Her skull connected with it and she could feel the skin by her left eyebrow split and the blood start to drizzle down her face. Worry clouded her thoughts and she had trouble focusing on anything. Standing on shaky legs she had little time to recover as the man backhanded her. Evade and escape thoughts sprouted up in her mind the minute he hit her.

When Shorty's feet left the ground she knew she was in trouble. The big man held her above his head trying to decide the most painful way to set her down. When he seemed satisfied with his decision he slammed her down on the pool table. A single ball dug into her back on impact and she knew it would leave a pretty brutal bruise tomorrow. But she needed to get out of this right away or she would not be feeling anything tomorrow.

Rolling away from him before he could grab her again she fell off the pool table with a thud and crawled under it to think of her next move. Fuck it. She had no time to think of a plan. Scooting back out from under the table she jumped up and looked at the man across from her. He was grinning from ear to ear at her and she could stand it no longer. He thought he had her. And he was going to be sorely mistaken. Snatching a pool cue from the table she whipped it up and listened as it whistled through the air and brought it across the side of his head.

Big guys fall hard and this was no different. Shorty let go a sigh of relief when his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed. Spitting a mouthful of blood onto the ground she fisted blood out of the crease in her eyelid.

"SHORTY!" Leon screamed her name again and she wondered why he was calling her this time. She was still wondering this even as he hoisted her into his arms and ran towards the stairs with Spence and the rest of the team following behind him. His breath was hot as he looked down on her face resting against his shoulder. Why put up a fight when a big man was carrying you? She was going to enjoy the fact that she did not have to walk. And boy was her head ever dizzy. "Jesus Shorty. What the fuck was that?"

The fresh air was the most beautiful thing she had felt all day, "Huh?" she asked him. He sighed heavily and placed her in the passenger seat of her Altima and buckled the seat belt around her curled form. Sliding into the driver's seat he started Shorty's car and peeled out of the parking lot. "Where we goin? We forgot the pizza".

"Motel 6. Spence told us to lay low. He'll call your cell," he spit at her. He was mad at her. He seemed to physically pulsate in anger.

Shorty sat up and rubbed the blood from her face. "Leon, I'm sorry," her voice cracked as she faced him.

"Jesus. Are you fuckin' nuts girl? We wouldn't be in this situation if you would just listen!" He rubbed a hand down his face in frustration and murmured "Hector is gonna kill me. By the way, you passed out".

So that was why he had picked her up and carried her out of the bar. Now it all made sense. Why he had picked her off the floor. Why she was on the floor in the first place. "I'm sorry."

A/N: Here's another chapter even though no one read and reviewed the last. It was a little disheartening and I was a little sad. But I'm over it now! Be sure to check out Love Ink's TFATF fics if you haven't already. They're stellar!