Fast and Furious Fade Away By: GypsyAnalea / 5

DISCLAIMER: I own no rights to the Fast and Furious Characters.

Language, Violence, Sexual Content

I had contacted my best friend of my impending visit two months ago. I would have came sooner but when your in the nut house you have to do things on their schedule. No I'm not crazy, my parents went mental after I was rescued. Say yo wish you were dead just once and they locked me up. The second they released me I grabbed my stuff and headed for the States. I was born in the US but have been traveling with my parents and the world help group they run. Most people would love to go to the places I have been to just not the areas I called home.

Sometimes you had to hide from members of the tribe who thought you were trying to poison them. My favorite was hide from the militia men. They were more apt to torture and rape you tan kill you. I found out first hand in Baghdad and have the scars to prove it. My parents weren't happy with me but contacted some people we had helped and arranged for a room at their motel. Nyemi and Dijimen were born in the states but lived with their grandparents. When their parents left they took the birth certificates with them, Nyemi and Dijimen were forced to go to Africa with their grandparents. Mom and dad helped them find records of their births and a new life in LA.

The cab ride from the motel to the Toretto's wasn't long and the closer I got, the more I began to fidget. Mia and I had been roommates our freshman year of college. We were like sisters and I kept in contact with her throughout my travels. I was released a month early and decided to surprise her. The diner and garage looked just like I remembered. Boy was I right about it needing an update. I entered and she was ringing someone up. "I'll be with you in a moment."

I sat my bag on the counter and waited for her to be free to talk. The place was practically empty but I could see the potential. She had turned back around to get her order pad. "Have you thought about what I asked you?"

She turned and looked at me. I knew she wouldn't recognize me. I pulled my hair up like it was in a ponytail. "Rhayne?" I nodded and she ran around the counter. "I thought you were coming in June?"

"I was but things changed and I couldn't wait to see you." We hugged and it felt good not to flinch. I have developed a lot of issues with personal space since Baghdad. "So is it a yes or no?"

"You know he will have a cow. He hates change and I hate dealing with his attitude." She tossed her long brown hair over her shoulder but her smile said she would give in with a little more pushing.

"This place could do so much better. Fresh coat of paint and a few modern touches." I looked at the menu and there was barely anything there. "Definitely a new menu. I will pay for the remodel since it would be promoting my business. The cooking you will have to pay me for." That made her smile bigger.

The door opened and two guys walked in. I recognized them right away fom the pictures she had sent me over the years. Leon had wavy light brown hair to his chin and Vince had darker hair and a beard. I could see that Vince still pined over Mia even though she and Brian were ow engaged. Vine was the only one of her family to visit her in college.

He sat a few stools down from me and I laughed. "I see you still haven't lost the food catcher." I used to give him so much shit about his beard and him being a messy eater. Mia just smiled as she took their orders. Last time he saw me my hair was permed and I looked like a poodle. I hated it and always kept it in a bun or ponytail. Plus I wore glasses ten times too big for mu face. One thing that hadn't changed was the baggy clothes.

He looked at me but couldn't place where he had seen my face. He would drive himself crazy soon enough. He went back to talking to his friend. I pulled out my sketch book and started to draw. I knew Mia would cave so I started to design a new menu. It had to reflect her bubbly personality with a hint of class. She came back with their food and was placing it before them. I knew Vince would want the Tabasco Sauce so I grabbed the bottle next to me and handed it to him.

Mia moved back to me and started to give me her two cents. "Do I know you?" He turned my stool so he could see all of my face. I pulled my straight black hair into a bun and held it there with one hand. With the other I grabbed his sun glasses. It took him a minute but he finally got it. "Rhayne?"

"Took you long enough." He pulled me into a hug as he got up and spun me around.

"What happened to you? One day you were going to school with her the next she's calling me crying. Why did you leave?"

"I had to help out my parents because they decided my college education was less important then helping the world. There comes a time when you just need to be around others that make you smile and not watching the hypocrisy of life." I know my voice sounded far away but my past was trying to creep into my thoughts.

"You know all those post card I kept getting?" He nodded. "They were from her."

"So you were Babs and she was Wile Coyote?" Before we could answer he smacked my arm. "Porky Pig! Couldn't you find a better name for me?"

I grabbed a napkin and wiped off his beard. "No it fits and before you ask Dominic is Road Runner."

"I think it fits." Vince started to chase Leon but he snuck behind me wrapping his arms around me. I had to fight my natural urge to fight because I didn't know him. "I'm Leon by the way."

Vince sat down but Leon stayed behind me. "Any chance I can convince you to loose a few layers?" Mia pointed at my cloths.

"What and loose my trade mark sumo look?"

"I know you have a body under there. You kept saying all you did was work out in your free time."

"I might loose all but two layers but you know I like to hide."

Leon leaned down to my ear. "Not if I can help it." He went back to his seat and Vince smacked his head.

"So you going to take a chance and live on the wild side?" I looked at Mia and she nodded yes. I stood and did a happy dance. "So I need a tape measure." I turned to Vince. He groaned and went to find one.

The second I had it I went to work measuring where I wanted my murals in each of the bathrooms. Plus they needed new flooring and sink basins. I spent all afternoon getting my measurements and dodging Vince and Leon's questions. I found Mia so I could let her know I was leaving. She was in the garage with the guys. " I'm leaving so no partying since your meeting me here at five am." I kissed Vince's cheek and left.

I spent the rest of the night calling plumbers and designing the new restrooms. I could have done the plumbing but she said she would pay for it since she knew all of it would need replacing. So while they worked on the restrooms I would fix the eating area. She was going to close the diner for a week so we could have a grand opening. She said she really wasn't going to loose money and that way she could help.

I was in such a good mood when I went to bed. I hadn't been this excited about anything in years. That's why I was surprised when I woke to my usual nightmare and couldn't fall back to sleep. I had arranged for everything to be delivered so I gathered what I needed and walked to the diner. I stopped at a few places along the way and bought some food. She didn't look happy to see me waiting outside. "How long have you been here?"

"Not long." She knew me well enough to know I was lying.

"You had another nightmare. I wish you would tell me what happens. Maybe I could help you get past it." I stood but didn't say anything. "Come on and dazzle me with your talents."

She was impressed with what I had done to the menu and the amount the changes would cost. She was expecting it to be expensive to make they types of foods I had added. If you know where to look you can get quality product at a decant price. The remodel took less than a week but she said she needed a vacation. Guess it helps when I can't sleep and spent forty-eight hours working on it. I even convinced the guys to clean the front of the building and help me paint it. I was pleased with my work and Mia learned the new receipts quickly.

The ladies restroom was now a light blue with a beach scene on the largest wall. A corvette was the only thing on the beach as the sun set. The guys was a dark blue representing night. There were two cars racing with bright colors. I used Vince and Leon's cars as models since they were available.

Mia may have taken a few days off but I spent that time preparing food. I wanted everything to be perfect opening day. I had hand delivered the new menus around the neighborhood and mailed out to businesses five miles away. I'm hoping that with the promoting we'll have a good turn out. If we don't impress Dominic with the changes he will never let her forget it.

Mia and the guys were on pins and needles waiting for Dominic to get back. I had stared down bigger and badder things and survived. To boost the chance of turnout I made sure the menus stated takeout was available. People like knowing there not stuck waiting for food. On the back of the menu I had put a add for the garage and they have already been getting calls.

Dominic and the rest of the team had been driving all over the US in legal races. He may never drive pro but he was still able to drive summer races for the less observed type. In other words it meant illegal betting and larger payout. From what we had heard they were making quite a haul. He made more during the off season driving illegally but that was who he was and the thrill was his high.

I had never met him but when I closed my eyes he was who I dreamed of. Okay when it wasn't a nightmare. Mia and Vince had convinced me to go to a race to meet her family. She knew that I had a crush on him just from the stories and the way I looked at his picture. I had a blast and she tried to convince me to stay but all I wanted to do was look at her brother. Unfortunately his girlfriend Letty wasn't afraid to tel you what she thought. She had caught me watching them a few times before she made a snarky comment. I got lucky and it was while I was taking a picture and Mia calmed her down.

We had reopened earlier in the week and word spread fast. Today was the day everyone returned home. We were so busy neither of us noticed their arrival. The place was packed and we could barely think let alone panic. "Rha can you watch things?" Mia was placing a new order and I nodded finishing up the orders I had. I was glad to see it was near the end of the lunch rush. I was delivering food as I saw her and Dominic go into the kitchen. His voice was louder than we expected. "I go away and you change things!"

"It was time for a change, look around it's working." He hit the wall. "Dom your phone has been ringing off the hook." She paused. "They are even willing to come when the summer circuit is over."

"I race to make us extra money so you don't have to work hard. Now you spent what I made on fru fru shit!"

"Two thousand." She said it a few times before she yelled it. "The only thing it cost us was two thousand. We had to redo the pluming and replace a toilet and sink. That is still half of what it could have cost. Oh and I upgraded the kitchen for a thousand. Nothing that didn't need done and the rest was free"

Something slammed and even Vince flinched. "You know nothing is free!"

I had my fill of him yelling at her. Vince tried to stop me but I had learned more than how to cook while I was gone. "He's right." He turned to see who had interrupted their conversation. "I get free advertising for the work I did. So it technically wasn't free."

"Who are you and why does your opinion matter?" Now he yelled at me and was moving closer. He looked better than he did the first time I saw him, even if he had a scowl on his face. If I wasn't careful he would back me into the corner and that would be bad.

"I'm your sister's friend Rhayne. We set up a contract that if any major things needed replaced she would pay. The rest was on me and trust me the minimum I would charge is fifteen thousand and that doesn't count the restroom or kitchen other than flooring." I grabbed the contract out of my bag and handed it to him.

"I know all of her friends." He still sounded pissed as he looked through the contract.

"She was my roommate freshman year." Mia smiled at me. "You were too busy to visit so Vince was the only one to meet her." He flinched at her last statement.

A timer went off and I pushed past him like he wasn't there. I pulled out the pies and danishes. I put them in the cooling rack because most of it was for tomorrow. I refused to look at him on principle and Mia had went back up front. He just stood there staring at me. I plated some of the beef and noodles with mashed potatoes and held it out to him. "Unless your going to prepare the twelve takeout orders that still need made." I turned to face him. "Get out!"

He took the plate but just stood there. I'm pretty sure he wasn't used to being treated like this. I went back to work but not before I noticed the three grinning fools behind me. After a few minutes he left with the plate. Which was good because I didn't have time to fight. I was leaving as soon as these orders were done. My father had set up a interview at a gallery. They might have cheated me out of my college years but they knew I had talent not to be wasted.