Author: Moon Roses or Moony
Rating: R for language
Disclaimer: Don't own anything.
Feedback: Not necessary but greatly appreciated.
Recap: "That sounds... thrilling. Wanna bounce before the clothes come off?" Shorty asked gesturing at the couple gyrating in front of them.

Chapter Twenty One

Vince grunted his assent and stood, pulling Shorty to her feet. They left the garage quickly and she slid into the passenger seat of Vince's Maxima. His engine roared to life and he whipped into traffic and turned towards home. He pulled into the Toretto's parking pad and they both stepped from the car and made their way inside.

"Wanna watch a movie?" Vince asked as he rummaged through the fridge.

"Not really."

"Wanna make out?"

"I don't think Leon would approve."

"Oh right. Hmm, wanna listen to music then?"

Shorty collapsed on the floor trying to get as far away from the heat as possible. She raised an eyebrow at the loud Caribbean music as Vince stretched out in the opposite direction of her. His head fell in line with hers and he brought a thin joint to his lips and lit it. They smoked it together and then lay and listen to the music around them.

"You wanna go on a holiday Lil' Coyote?"

"Sure."

"Good, you make the plans and pay too," he answered.

"Sure," she replied quietly. Now that she was relaxing she was starting to feel tired and the effects of the joint were not helping. She could lie there all day without a care in the world.

"What you thinkin' 'bout?" he asked as she fell silent again.

She wasn't sure she should tell him what she was thinking about. What Mia had told her and Letty about Brian was between the three of them. But she couldn't help but feel like she was betraying Vince by keeping the secret. She sided with Letty and the rest of the Toretto team who thought Mia needed to forget the cop, and the quicker the better. She also knew that at one time Vince had harboured some pretty fierce feelings for Mia and she wondered if he still felt that way.

"V?"

"Mhmm?"

"You ever been in love?"

He sighed roughly, "Really?" From his less than thrilled response she could tell what a sore subject she had brought up. She didn't think he'd answer and she was just about to broach a different subject when he surprised her, maybe even more so surprised himself. "Yeah. Seeing as I'm still single it obviously didn't end well."

"What happened?"

"She fell for another guy." She blinked back the sorrow she felt from her eyes and reached behind her to run her fingers through his hair. "I loved her since I was 19 but I was just the dumb asshole that hung out with her brother."

"Does Mia know?"

"Everyone knows, babe, it's not like I tried to hide it from them."

Shorty turned her head and watched the frustration wash over his gorgeous features. In another life she knew she could have fallen in love with him. Fallen hard and fast. Yes, he was angry, hostile, loud, obnoxious and violent. But around her he was also sweet, nurturing, protective, and soft. He was everything she needed. Someone who would butt heads with her and keep her entertained but also able to calm her down with a few choice words and a warm hug.

"Do you still love her?"

"Sometimes. I mean, no, I'll always love her but not like before. And I know the buster will always be the one that got away. How can I compete with that?"

"You're a fool if you think that. That guy tore your family apart and split to save his own neck."

"Yeah I know but it's not just him, I just don't really see her like that anymore. Things change, Shorty," he sighed closing his eyes and resting his hands on his chest. "What about you?"

She thought about it silently but couldn't place a time when she felt any strong feelings that would indicate she was in love. She'd had a few men in New York but none that she could remember much about. She certainly hadn't acted like her parents or Dom and Letty did, and for her they were what symbolized love. Now that she thought about it she couldn't help but see a little Latin fire in Dominic Toretto, the Italian King of the Streets. Latin heat must rub off on people. "Nah, maybe one day though."

Vince grunted and both fell silent, lost in their own thoughts of love gone or more specifically the absences of love in her case. She'd be turning twenty four in a little over a month and she still hadn't experienced what most people had experienced by the time they were twenty. Was she defective? Not able to cherish what others could base their entire lives upon?

They were still stretched out on the floor riding their high silently when the screen door swung open and the rest of the Toretto team barrelled in noisily. "You're fuckin' up my zen," Shorty muttered as she tried to ignore the stampede of feet around her.

"Please, boo, you can't even spell zen," Letty chuckled as she straddled Shorty's waist.

"Maybe not, but I can spell fuck you." Letty laughed again and moved off Shorty so she could stand. She reached down and pulled Vince to his feet as well before walking into the kitchen. She smiled when she found Leon nose deep in the latest car magazine. He glanced up and grinned at her before returning his attention the magazine.

Shorty crossed to the fridge and grabbed a beer, popping the cap and setting it beside Leon. He reached for it absently while she wrapped her arms around his neck from behind. She nuzzled her way into the crook of his neck and looked down at the page he was so concentrated on. "This kit is unreal."

"I like the way your baby looks. You put that thing on and you'll never be able to take her anywhere."

"Yeah I will. I'll take my two favourite ladies anywhere I want," he answered as she sat in his lap.

"Babe, if you lower her anymore she'll get road rash."

"No she won't," Leon said shaking his head to emphasis his point.

"Ok, if you say so, she'll be fine then. But don't come crying to me if she gets roughed up. And if you're takin' me somewhere I ain't sharing you with her, you gotta leave her here," Shorty replied and leaned forward to kiss him softly.

When she pulled away he blinked at her, "You drive a hard bargain baby. We'll take your girl, but I get to drive."

"No way in hell," she laughed and jumped out of his grip. "My girl's a lady; you'll get her all dirty."

He snorted loudly but followed her into the living room where the Letty and Jesse were playing video games. Leon sat in his chair and pulled Shorty onto his lap. He watched the action on screen completely enthralled while she played with the soft waves of his hair. She couldn't remember any man having such soft hair. He leaned into her touch and nibbled her shoulder absently.

She was leaning into his playful biting when Dom stomped down the steps. He was just sliding his cell phone back into his pocket when he stopped in front of the television. "Edwin's throwing a block party and told us to stop by. Who's in?"

Shorty shrugged and left the decision up to the Toretto team. She knew if Edwin had invited them than her family was also on the guest list. If she went home now she'd be stuck there alone and bored. She wouldn't mind going to a barbeque though; after all, free food was free food.

It didn't take long for the team to decide to attend. They had the same mind set as her, and hungry enough stomachs to not pass up a chance for dinner. It took less time to organize themselves than usual and within minutes she was sitting in Vince's car on the way to Edwin's. He was grinning from ear to ear and she couldn't help but laugh every time Leon's car pulled up beside his so he could mouth something rude. As they had been walking to their cars Leon and Vince had flipped a coin to see who she would ride with. Having won, Vince was now gloating.

When they reached Edwin's neighborhood they had to park on the next block over. The entire street was roped off with yellow tape and she could see multiple bounce castles for the children of the neighborhood. She stepped from Vince's car and fell in line with Jesse. She could hear Vince and Leon bickering behind her but she steered clear of their conversation. She knew they wanted her to pick who she would rather ride with but she really didn't care. They all ended up at the same place anyways so she didn't understand why it was such a big deal.

Shorty tuned out the bickering when they reached the block party. There were at least a dozen long wooden tables set up with empty and full chairs on either side. She could see a table near the barbeque where her team were each nursing a Corona. She ducked under the yellow tape and joined them. Her brother handed her a beer and gently pulled a lock of her hair. "I see you brought the human garbage disposal," he laughed nodding at Vince who had already filled a plate with food and was just sliding into the seat beside her.

"Never leave home without it," she answered affectionately.

She punched Hector's arm lightly and made her way to the tables laden with food. She followed Vince's cue and heaped her plate overflowing with food before returning to the table where the rest of the Toretto's were just sitting down with their own plates. She tried to maintain a dignified eating pace but her eyes kept shifting to the huge balloon bounce castle. She knew she was too old to want to "play" but she couldn't fight the urge to act like a child again. And she could see Jesse was fighting the same battle as his eyes trailed back and forth between his food and the castle.

Shorty caught his eye and motioned to the balloon bounce. He grinned around his food and together they each shoveled one last forkful into their mouths and took off before any of their teammates could ridicule them.

When they returned to their table an hour later they were glistening with sweat and wild eyed excitement. Their arms were locked around each other's shoulders and they were stumbling on knees not yet used to solid ground again. "That was fuckin' awesome!" Jesse shouted to the teammates still lounging around the table.

"I need to get one for the backyard," Shorty laughed when she fell into the chair beside Letty.

"You should come over tonight and we can make forts in the basement," Jesse replied his mouth gaping open in thought. "I can drag my mattress out and we can turn the couch over and take the cushions, I bet we can use the box spring too, and there are tons of blankets."

"Little old for that you think?" Dom asked.

"Huh?" Jesse replied looking up from the design he was drawing on an unused napkin. He had already sketched the foundation of the fort and was just adding the couch cushions.

"Just because you lack the capacity for childish innocence don't mean the rest of us do, you old fart." Shorty answered. She could see the relief wash over Jesse's face and he nodded his head enthusiastically.

"Yeah, exactly what I was gonna say."

Dom's deep baritone laugh spilled from his lips and he shook his head at them. Shorty knew he didn't lack that quality; she had seen him dance around his kitchen table naked and with his head stuck up Letty's shirt. He definitely harboured his own immaturity but he displayed it only around a trusted few. He would never admit in front of mixed company that he could easily have joined them if his size wouldn't have deflated the bounce castle.

"Where'd my man and the Coyote go?" she asked Mia who was watching Jesse sketch the rest of the fort on his napkin.

"They wandered off," Mia answered gesturing at a couple scantily clad girls sitting at the table beside them, "When they showed up."

Shorty turned in her seat to glance at the women behind her. She recognized the brunette as the girl Vince had spent the Saturday night with at Race Wars. Rolling her eyes she turned back to Mia, "V must have made a real good impression."

They laughed together at the unrealistic comment. Vince never made a good impression on anyone and they both knew the girl was trying to find a limb to latch onto and ride the wave to acceptance. It amused Shorty how often the girls figured they could secure a spot on the team if they just opened their legs. She wondered if that's what the chaser's thought of her and Letty but surely someone must have told them they had each been with their teams for a long time. She had spent a lifetime with Hector, Marvin, and Beto and Letty had been under the same car as Dom since she was fourteen.

"Come on girl, let's go find them," Mia said and tugged Shorty to her feet. "They're probably bickering over who gets to drive you back to the fort."

Mia looped an arm through Shorty's and led the way into the growing crowd. On the drive over Vince had told her Edwin held the block party every year, and every year it grew in attendees. As annoying and arrogant as Edwin was he truly appreciated the neighbours he had grown up around. When he had turned eighteen; instead of moving as far away from his parents as possible he had moved two houses down and set up fort with his team. The man with a bigger ego than Dom was a homebody, one who cherished family just as much as her own team did.

"How did all the skanks get here?" she asked Mia.

"I guess Edwin gave them the address."

"Really? I didn't think they could read," Shorty joked.

Mia groaned at the bad joke and pointed to a group of three women across the street. In the middle of their small group Shorty could see Vince smiling while a tall brunette fawned over his scars. It was obvious he was milking the situation and he grimaced painfully when she stroked near his elbow. Beside them she could see Leon speaking to the other two girls, one a blonde the other a brunette. He was looking incredibly uncomfortable while the blonde stroked his chest suggestively. He pointedly grasped her wrists and placed them at her sides. He was still telling her something when he looked over her shoulder and caught sight of her and Mia spying on them.

Shorty waved innocently and fished some money from her wallet. "Come on girl, let's play a game." They sat down in front of two of a long line of metal guns and waited for the game attendant to collect other players. Edwin really went full out with his annual barbeque and she was glad she wasn't the one fronting all the money for the event.

"You're not going to go over there?" she asked.

"Meh, looks like they've got their hands full," she laughed and gestured over to the group where Leon was again placing the blonde's arms by her sides. "That one sure has a thing for Leon."

"So do you, maybe you guys could share?" Mia laughed as the high pitched bell signaled the beginning of the game.

They aimed their guns at a miniscule hole and pressed the triggers. Water shot out in a course stream and the small monkey's sitting atop bikes rose from their slots and started traveling up their line. "I don't share," she snarled as she pressed the trigger down harder.

"Maybe you should tell her that."

Shorty glanced over her shoulder at the group again. She could see the blonde wasn't taking the hint and she was now batting her eyes up at Leon and trying to wrap her arm around his waist. She frowned and dropped her water gun; standing from the stool in one swift motion.

She could hear Mia sigh from beside her as she turned and strode away from the game. Mia fell into step beside her quickly and caught her arm stopping her in her tracks. "I didn't mean right this second Shorty. He's handling it by himself," she said as Leon's head swiveled in their direction and he caught sight of them.

Grabbing Mia's hand she dragged her towards the men and shook her head when she saw the panicked look in Leon's eyes. They stepped up beside the group just in time to hear the blonde purr "Leon baby, I promise it'll be a night you'll never forget."

"Trust me darlin', he'll forget, he has the memory of a goldfish."

Vince's gruff laughter boomed from behind the blonde but Shorty had to give credit where credit was due. The girl didn't flinch but rather faced her with disdain dripping from her eyes, "I wasn't talking to you."

"Oh maybe not, but I was talking to you," she replied casually.

"I appreciate that but I didn't come for you."

"Funny thing is," Shorty answered tapping her lips with her index finger. "He did," she finished indicating Leon who had taken a step back from the blonde and closer to Vince.

"Is that right?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Maybe he came with you but it doesn't look like he's leaving with you."

"Look Malibu Barbie, why don't you take your flunkies here and go back to the surgical table you crawled off?" she smiled sweetly as she shoved the blonde out of her way and wound her arm around Leon's waist possessively.

Leon snaked his arm around her shoulders and pressed a kiss into her hairline while the woman glowered at them. "You and that Letty bitch are ruining these guys," she cried and stomped away dragging her companions with her.

"Actually, we like to think of it as "rescuing" them," she called after the girls before stepping out of Leon's grasp and hitting his chest.

"What was that for?" he asked his hands in the air palms facing her.

"Way to put in no effort in getting rid of her."

"But baby, I knew you'd come and "rescue" me," he grinned, his eyes twinkling at her.

"Oh shove it," she laughed as he caught her around the waist and picked her off the ground in a crushing hug.

"You even saved V, brunette's aren't worth the trouble you know," he teased, ruffling her brown hair.

"Does anyone care that I was just fine with that situation?" Vince asked ruefully.

Leon set Shorty back on her feet before entwining his hand in hers. She smiled at Vince sweetly and answered, "Like you know what's good for you, homes."

Vince looked to Mia for support but she shrugged her shoulders in agreement. They all knew Vince had no problem with racer chasers. Since Mia had chosen Brian over him he saw no reason to change his lifestyle. And as long as he didn't knock up any skanks Shorty was more than happy to see him have his fun. However, scaring girls away from her boys was just too enjoyable to pass up. By the end of the block party he'd probably have another girl hanging off him.

The group slowly made their way back to their table to find the rest of their crew waiting impatiently for them. They were overrun by girls and in the midst of it Shorty could see a very angry Letty ready to explode. She nudged Leon and nodded to where Letty was staring daggers at the girls surrounding Dom. He had cheated on her once near the beginning of their relationship but had since become the doting boyfriend, albeit still a little flirty. However, like herself Letty felt the need to mark her territory. Truthfully, she was sure if they had been allowed they would have peed on their men.

"I'm gonna get Lett to drive me home, babe."

"I was hoping to drive you home," Leon grinned and pulled her hips against him roughly. "After I let you teach me a lesson for talking to strangers."

She raised her eyes to the sky and shook her head slightly, "Not tonight lover boy."

He captured her lips with his and released her slowly. He laid his forehead against her own and closed his eyes. "Fine Lett can drive you home. But I get to take you on a date this week."

"Hmm, let me think about it?" she whispered. "Mmm, I guess so, but it better be out of this world."

"Oh, I'll show you out of this world. How's Thursday?"

"Sounds like you got yourself a date."

A/N: Thanks to Reader28, Love Ink, and Rogue's Queen for the reviews. You three made me a little happier over the holidays. Shout out's to Brooke-Teretto Dom's Girl, arianna2, Rogue's Queen, Izzyybub, three days grace luver, and Twilight-lover106 for their favorites and alerts. Hope this chapter meet's your approval.

Please review. Cheers!