Part 1

*********

Dom lifted his head from under the hood where he was attempting to replace a faulty fuel injector. He'd been at what should have been a half hour job for double that time. He was distracted. And who would have thought Dominic Toretto could be distracted by something as simple and inconsequential as loud music. Loud might not be the right word, he thought, looking to the rattling windows in the garage. The steady thudding of heavy bass had him suddenly clenching his jaw mercilessly tight.

"That's a god damn nough," he growled, hurling the socket wrench in his hand, sending it skating along the cememt floor. He stalked out the garage and glared at the run down house across the street with its paint peeling, cracked windows and gutter sagging in places. It had been the same thing day and night for the past week, starting up just as the moving van had pulled out of the drive. Even from this distance he could tell it was some eighties crap. Not that he considered everything musically from that decade crap, but a large majority of it was.

Before he fully knew what he intended to do he was across the street and at the door, pounding. His fist slammed into the failing wood over and over and just when he thought there would be no one to answer to his anger, the door was jerked open. Blue eyes stared back at him, brimming with venom, ready to strike.

"What?" was yelled into his face, sending him into a fury born of constant aggrivation and at least one partially sleepless night. If for a moment he had slipped the bonds of that fury, he would have noticed the slight form in the doorway ... defient to the utmost with long coppery hair settling at her hips and high tan cheeks. Her heart shape face was turned upwards to look at him. But he had neither the time nor the inclination to give her a once over.

"Turn down that shit!" he yelled back at her, stepping farther from the doorway as she advanced on him.

"Go to hell! Stays where it is!" The battle of wills began, back and forth, their voices raising to rival the decibels of the music.

Across the street Mia stood in the yard watching the exchange that quickly degenerated into a screaming match. Her hand came up to cover her mouth as she giggled. Brian joined her shortly, staring with more than a little surprise. Dom had actually gone on the attack because of the music. They had all known how it was getting to him but none seriously thought he would make a move to do anything about it.

"I could call the cops!" He spat the empty threat. They stood toe to toe in the middle of her yard now, each one refusing to compromise or give an inch.

"Then do it!"

"That's fuckin it! You don't turn it down I will!" He pushed past her, moving to the door.

"Think again, son of bitch." She raced the short distance to the outside tap and turned it on full force just as Dom got within reach of the door.

The water flooded over him, soaking him from head to toe. He stood there for a moment, his mouth set in a grim line. Oh she's gonna pay for this, he thought. She seemed to know that she had gone to far, that this was likely to gain her some horrible form of retribution. She dropped the hose and sprinted around the side of the house but not before she shouted one last needling remark. "Get the hell off my property! You're tresspassing!"

Dom crossed the street fuming, noticing they had drawn a audience. Vince and Letty now stood in the yard gawking at him along with his sister and Brian. SHIT! Give 'em something to really talk about! He crossed back over the gooey summer asphalt, pinning them with a hard glare.

"Not one fuckin word," he growled, moving past them back to the garage.

Vince was laughing even before Dom was out of ear shot. "Guess this round goes to the babe with the great ass and amazing tits! Think he noticed?"

No one noticed the murderious glare that Letty leveled at him or would guess why.

***********

Another week crawled by and, if possible, the music got louder. More than once Dom wondered why none of the neighbors called the cops. But then he figured they were use to listening to car engines all the time. And to compound things, Mia seemed to be getting chummy with the the harrassing bitch. Of course she tried to hide it, tried to keep him from noticing. She would dash across the street when she thought he was busy, usually carrying something ... a plate or a bag.

He'd decided to say something to Mia, try and get her to stop taking in strays. He sat behind the thick metal cage in the back going over the books, telling himself he'd confront her just as soon as he was finished when a flash of movement caught his eye at the front of the building. He stood, rounding the wired enclosure, to see her, the nameless neighbor chick, bolt inside and around the counter where Mia stood. He watched as she immediatly hit the floor on her knees, back pressed against the counter. It was then he noticed it, black steel, clutched in her hand. Taking a step forward he intended to get her and the gun away from his sister. But the appearence of two men,hair pulled to the back of their heads, dark skin, suits. Ambling inside, trying to look casual, they hovered near the counter. He waited for the scene to play out.

"You seen my girlfriend? I think she came in here," the one closest to Mia spoke up.

"No, one one came in here," Mia smiled sweetly, moving over slightly to stand over the crouching woman.

"Ok. Thanks." They turned to go. "Puta," was hissed by one of the men. Dom made a move to go after them but Mia shot a warning glare over her shoulder.

**************

Cammie sat on the floor below Mia, the best and only friend she seemed to have. She shook as much from the exertion of her back ally sprint as from fear. But she knew it was more than fear ... she was terrified. So much so that she momentarily forgot the glock she clutched in her hand.

"Cam?" Mia was leaning near her.

"I'm ok," she whispered, tremors evident in her voice. It was then that she remembered the gun, glancing at it like it as snake coiled in her hand. Turning it, she hit the clip release and it clattered to the tile. Grasping the slide, she ejected the final round left in the chamber and slapped the offensive hunk of metal on the floor, shoving it away from her. Mia stepped away from her clearing her line of sight and, with a sinking feeling, she saw the gun come to rest under Dom's raised foot. A hard retort was poised on her lips waiting for him to make the first move when she began to feel the penetrating sting across her hand followed by a slick warmth.

"You're not ok. You're bleeding," Mia admonished, reaching for a towel and wrapping it carefully around Cammie's hand. She tugged the woman to her feet.

"I got it," Dom told his sister, leaning forward and picking up the gun. He shoved it into the back of his jeans and came towards her. She took a step back, instinctively. The man was big and imposing and if she had the home field advantage it wouldn't have mattered. But here, after dealing with the her latest round of trouble, she had to admit to being afraid of him. After all, he still owed her. Dom gave her a none too understanding smile, placing a massive hand on the small of her back and pushing her towards the back to the establishment.

The bathroom was cramped but it held them both as Dom shoved her hand under a stream of cold water. She cringed not only from the hard throb in the appendage but the quick image of the man beside her soaking wet.

"How'd it happen?" he asked, his voice short and impatient as he examined the laceration in the soft tissue between her thumb and index finger.

"I grabbed the barrel so, maybe it was the site," she shrugged, watching him probe the torn skin.

"It's not your gun?" He pinned her wanting answers.

"No, I hate guns!"

"For someone who hates 'em you seem to know somethin about 'em," he commented, dabbing away the slight trickle of blood.

"What's your name?"

"Cameron," She tried to extract her hand at that point as the conversation started to get a little to personal. He had a firm grip and she quickly realized she wasn't going anywhere unless he wanted her to.

"That's all just Cameron?" He cut his eyes to her and she had the urge to look anywhere but at him, at his eyes that felt like they could reduce her to rubble.

"Cameron Alexander," she stuttered. "Cammie to most or Cam. Doesn't matter to me."

"I'm Do......." he tried to introduce himself.

"I know. Your sister told me who you were." She wanted out of this room, the room that kept them touching at points along their bodies ... not intimate but not totally innocent either.

"What the hell did those two want with you?" he continued questioning her, not bothering to give her any more personal information about himself. Likely she would only use it against him next time they faced off, and they surely would again.

"They just loved my sweet disposition so much the wanted me to stick around. But I'm not much for parties." She actually managed to smile at Dom.

"Too bad. They could've been your next water torture victims," he replied, reaching into the first aid cabinet near the sink. He was quick and surprisingly gentle as he covered the wound with a sterile pad and tape.

Jerking her hand free, she glared, ready to go on the attack. "Yeah, well at least............" She suddenly dropped her eyes to her hand. The anger that was there seconds earlier drained away. Cutting her eyes up to him, she tilted her head, studying him.

"Thanks," she said with genuine feeling behind it.

***************

The next week brought a change to the neighborhood, to the fued between neighbors. Dom waited every morning to hear the blare of music and to see the rattle of glass in their panes, but it never came. Only occasionally in the garage did he hear the muted sound of music, so faint is was hard to tell if it was his imagination.

**********

Dinner had been over for more than an hour but Mia stayed in the kitchen occupying herself with small meaningless chores. Going to the doorway, that separated the kitchen from the group that more often than not occupied their house, she watched for her brother's complete distraction. But each time she peeked around the doorway he leveled a suspicious stare at her, leaving off trying to entice Letty up stairs. That was another oddity lately, Letty. The more Mia thought about the two, the more confused she got. Dom had been as attentive as ever but Letty seemed to be finding reasons to avoid him refusing the offers she had always jumped at before. With a sigh she turned back into the neatly arranged, thoroughly cleaned room, looking at the small brown bag waiting on the counter.

"Damn it, Dom!" she hissed, frustrated as she watched the clock on the microwave tick away the minutes. Going to the kitchen window, she craned her neck at an oddly uncomfortable angle tying to see the house across the street. She decided to wait five more minutes and then go over whether Dom was distracted or not. Finally slinking back to the doorway, she noticed Dom was gone and so was Letty. She breathed a sigh of relief and turned ready to pad across the street. Brian followed her back into the kitchen.

"What's goin on?" he asked, his easy smile lighting his face.

"I'm going over to Cam's. Where's Dominic?"

"I don''t know ... looked up and he was gone." He shrugged, sitting his beer on the counter and pulling her into the circle of her arms. His warm caressing lips descended on hers drawing a soft moan in response.

"Brian, I can't. I need to get over there before........." She was cut off by another promising kiss.

"Go." He turned, picking up the beer as he headed back to the other room to become absorbed in the fifth inning of the Dodgers and the Mets.

She smiled, knowing that tone. He wanted her to hurry and get it over with. He had other plans brewing. She hoped she was right about exactly what they were. Grabbing the bag, she dashed out the back door and almost made it past the garage.

"Going somewhere?" The hard edge of Dom's voice brought her to a sudden stop as he stepped out of the shadows. "There's not enough of us to feed? We have to start supplying for the neighbors too?"

"I.....She's.....Damn, Dom!" she hissed. "You always gotta be so fuckin harsh? You don't even know her. She's not the bitch you think she is." She turned back to the street.

"Don't assume you know what I think, Mia. It's dangerous." He intercepted her in three steps, taking the bag from her and forcefully turning her back towards the house. "I'll take care of this. Go. Brian's waitin."

She stared over her shoulder, jaw hanging loosely. Dom, the boy scout, being helpful? Actually, forgoing the first impression? Not like him at all. And where was Letty? She knew she wasn't with the others. Questions mounted in her mind as she marched back inside the kitchen.

**************

"SHHHH!" A hand came up covering the mouth that a series of low lustful moans were flowing from. "Someone's gonna fuckin hear and then we'll be in deep shit!"

"I don't care! Just keep....!" A whimper combined with the previous moans filled the space between the two bodies.

"You gonna care, girl! Known him awhile and he ain't into sharin! Now, shut the hell up!" The two came together hard and fast, hot sweat soaked bodies collecting a series of moments that should have belong to someone else.

***************

Dom knocked twice on the front door. Getting no answer, he turned ready to head home and tell Mia that there was no one there. But that was before he heard the barley perceptible strains of ZZ top from the side of the house. "Damn!" he whispered, rounding the house. He'd almost made a clean escape, almost. The driveway was deserted but beyond that he could see the lights in the garage blazing and the side door stood open. The music got louder as he moved closer, glancing inside he saw something he hadn't expected. Cameron had been living across the street for more than three weeks and he'd never seen a car come or go from the house. Now, standing there he was looking at a custom Camero, maybe a '77 or a '78 he thought as he stood appraising the car. He stepped into the garage to get a closer look and then another step until he was running his hand over the rear quarter panel, finger tracing the ghost flames below.

Cam had been searching the interior again for what she wasn't sure. Clues? Yeah, it was clues all right she told herself. Someone just doesn't disappear and leave their most prize possession behind without some sort of clue. Laying across the center console, she made one last attempt at reaching under the passenger seat. Giving up, she sat up in the driver side. From the corner of her eye she just happened to glimpse movement in the rear view mirror. Forgetting how low the roof of the Camero was she made to dart from the interior to confront the intruder. But it didn't happen that way. Her forehead made brutal contact with the door frame. She sat stunned for a moment, everything tilting around her at odd angles.

Dom's head twisted hearing the loud thud, even over the music, just in time to see Cameron's head snap back. It was hard as hell to hold in the laughter at the comical sight. Her sitting there, dazed, it was only to obvious what had happened. She shoved from the interior, one hand against her forehead the other clutching a tire iron.

"SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!" She stomped her foot, leaning forward at the pain.

"Saw the lights. Mia asked me to bring this over," he said, laughter lacing his voice as he sat the bag on the car.

Cam's eyes widened as she straightened enough to meet Dom's eyes. "Oh, we are so even now Toretto! Water nowhere compares to this! Fuck, that hurt!" She dropped her hand reveling a nice size bluish knot.

"Damn, you always this accident prone?" He moved towards her, eyeing her and the car equally.

"No, I just took it up recently as a hobby!" Her look said it all, the question was the most idiotic she'd ever heard. "What the hell kinda question is that? Besides, you scared the hell outta me." A loud sigh escaped her. "Man, someone needs to put some fuckin bells on your or something!" She dropped the tire iron and it clattered to the floor echoing in the garage.

"No one's had the balls to try yet." He moved around her to the hood of the car. "It yours?"

"Hey! Hey! There's a first time for everything!" She turned slamming the car door closed. "Well, lets see. That's sorta a tricky question. Yeah, technically she's mine. I have the title and all but I'm just hangin on to her for a friend of mine."

"She?" Dom's eyebrows raised as he turned his attention to her.

"Yeah, Nic calls her Darlene or some damn thing like that." She shrugged. "And before you ask, I have no clue why or even who Darlene is. That's just one of Nico's oddities. The one before this was Tiffany, before he scraped her after he blew the headers." She smiled a slight blush creeping into her cheeks. She wasn't used to offering up this much information. Usually she hid behind the total bitch routine, that seemed to do the trick and keep everyone at arms length.

"Mind if I take a look?" He nodded towards the hood. Just like a guy, gotta check out what's under the hood, she mused.

"Sure. Go ahead. " She walked to the opposite side of the hood and pulled forward in tandem with him. The hood and nose tilted forward to reveal the shimmer of the chrome intake and valve covers. Dom examined the engine compartment for what seemed like hours, saying nothing until they were closing the car up again.

"NOS," he broke off coming around the car to her. "Your friend into racing?" he asked. Reaching out, he planted a hand on her shoulder holding her in place as she tried to twist away from him he ran a less then gentle finger on the protrusion on her forehead.

"OUCH! SHIT!" she hissed, trying to bat his hand away.

"Racing?" he asked again.

"What?" she responded. "Stop!"

"Is your friend into racing the car?" He met her eyes with a questioning glance.

"No, at least not that I know of." She stepped away from him as he dropped his hand from her shoulder. "Why?"

"Seems a fuckin waste to drop green on something your not usin," he commented absently, his eyes straying over her shoulder to the tall tanks of oxy-acetelyne chained to the wall of the garage.

DAMN, if Cam isn't full of all sorts surprises!

"Yeah, Nico's a regular Sherlock mystery all by himself." She turned following his eyes. Turning back, she simply smiled ... no explanation was required. Dom was a smart man, that much was obvious, and he'd know what the bottles were used for.

"Better get some ice on that or it'll look like a baseball by mornin. Hell, probably gave yourself a damn concussion." He smiled in return, wanting to laugh as he remembered her nearly knocking her head off.

Cam had to remind herself to breathe for as long as the smile graced Dom's lips. Where the hell did that come from, she asked herself? "Ice is in the house. Least I can do is offer you a beer after Mia tricked you, or something, into bringing me dinner." She motioned towards the door.

"Mia doesn't trick me into anything. She doesn't have to. I told her I would bring this over." He reached out, snatching the brown bag from the back of the Camero .

She turned a confused look on him. "Well, I stand corrected. Thought hell would freeze over first but hey I'm not complainin." She turned her back on him, hitting the lights as she went ahead of him.

"Careful, you sound dangerously close to admitting the company's tolerable." A low rip of laughter came from behind her.

She glanced over to him as he fell in step with her. "Ok, the company is tolerable. Pleasant even." She rolled her eyes, trying to hide the flush that settled over her skin. "Don't let it go to your head, DOM. Cause I know I left that water hose around here somewhere."

They both fell quiet. Not an awkward silence that people usually found themselves facing, but comfortable, companionable, as they walked towards the front of the house. Pushing the front door inward, she reached for the light switch.

Dom glanced around the bright interior .. fresh white paint, plush blue carpet that looked and smelled new. He'd expected something similar to the exterior. The cabinet with the previously annoying sound system took up one wall of the living room. The opposite wall was lined with neatly stacked cardboard boxes, all oddly labeled, labeled by countries.

Cam stuffed her hands in her jean pockets, totally self-conscious now. Her sanctuary had been breached, willingly or not. It made her nervous. "Mi casa su casa and all that." She moved across the room motioning to him to follow.

Dom proceeded to the kitchen, leaning on the island bar, having a nice rear view as she leaned into the fridge. "So, what's for dinner?" She smiled, producing two domestic beers. He pushed the brown bag at her, wondering again why Mia was supplying her food. Glancing over his shoulder, he discovered the answer to that question. The stove was pulled away from the wall, disconnected, with more boxes taking up the top.

"Oh, chicken," she practically giggled, and then noticed where his eyes were. "Hey, sorry about the mess. I'm not one for unpacking."

"Noticed that. What's the problem?" He turned his attention back to her, watching her tear a piece of the chicken apart and pop the meat into her mouth. He noticed for the first time the high color of her pouty lips.

"Nothing. Just the gypsy in me, I guess.Doubt I'll ever really shake it." She smiled, shrugging.

"What's got you tryin to shake it? Not a half bad way to live if ya ask me," he replied, only half teasing. Straighting, he moved to the barstool beside him, never taking his eyes off her devouring the chicken.

"No, not you Dominic Terreto. You're the one that keeps eveyone around you grounded, centered. The one they come to when the shit hits the fan." She tilted her head, studying him, trying to read the emotion the flicked in his eyes. But it disappeared too quick for her to pin down. With a sigh, she continued. "But roots sound real nice. I've been on the move practically since birth." Smiling, she licked at her fingers. "Lived in seven different countries by the time I was 18. Iran, Turkey, Malasia, Thailand, just a few. We even lived in Bangkok for awhile."

"Who is we?" He shook his head, knowing it was a stupid question. But he suddenly had the urge to keep her talking. He had a feeling she didn't do it often.

She obviously didn't think the question was stupid, she answered it without missing a beat."My mom and me most of the time." Turning to the fridge, she retrieved two more beers sitting one in front of him.

"What's the story with Dad?"

Twisting the top off her beer, she took a deep breath. "Away a lot. Six months at a time to be exact. He worked the off shore drilling platforms. We trailed behind taking a place on the main land."

"What'd he do out there for six month stretches? Must 've been hard as hell being away from his family that long. " Dom took the offered beer, downing a quarter of it in one draw.

Cam watched the muscles along his throat work as he tilted his head back swallowing the beer, her heart speeding up to slam into her rib cage. "He was a deep sea welder, did a lot of casing repair, structure assembly, that sorta stuff."

Lowering his head to meet her eyes again, he saw the bright shine of desire flash there. It certainly wasn't the first time he'd caught a covert glance of attraction leveled at him but this one surprised him. He hadn't expected it from Cam. It took him a few seconds to shake the guilt he felt for loving that look in her eyes, for wanting to see it again. "So, that's what the acetelyne.........."

"Yeah, he taught me a thing or two when he had the time. Then got this damn idea in his head that I was going to be this renowned sculpter. He sent me to Florence as soon as I turned 18. Got accepted to a school there. That's where I met Nicola, Nic." She paused for a moment, her heart twisting painfully. "And I was there exactly three months, four days, and ten and a half hours when I got THE CALL. That call you know you'll get one day, one day in the distant future when it doesn't feel like some fuckin nightmare you just woke up from. There was an explosion 230 feet down. They said bleed back into the torch, new rig, shit happens. The bitch of it was, it wasn't the explosion that did it. Sudden decompression from a half mil ripped in his suit." She brushed away the tear that appeared from the corner of her eye. Turning to busy herself with cleaning the counter, her voice strained. After years of keeping it all buried, it was Dom she chose to confide in. "They said it was quick, he blackout after the explosion, that he didn't feel a thing. Think that's true?" She turned back to him, wanting him to answer the question, tell her what she'd know all along.

"No, I don't think it's the way things went down. You're dying, you fuckin well know it. I think he was probably thinkin about you when it happened. Hell, that's what I wanna believe about my father. Gotta believe he was thinking about me and Mia when he hit that wall ........" He quickly cut off the rest of what he had intended to say. He hated showing his pain and that was especially true with Cam standing across from him.

She came around the island, trailing her fingers across his back. "Come on, wanna show you something." She went to the back door pulling it open.

Dom was game. He followed and stepped out into a odd metal wonderland. There were metal creations, in various stages of completion, all around the back yard. Metal humanoid shapes were reaching for the sky, reaching for one another, bending and twisting into graceful forms. "He left me with something. That's something I'll always be grateful for." She smiled over her shoulder at him. "How 'bout you?"

He nodded his head, knowing exactly what she was talking about. His skill with cars, with speed, with winning, all a credit to his father.

Half an hour later Cam shut off the arch welder showing off a smooth seam in her latest masterpiece. Removing her goggles she smiled. "Not bad, huh?"

"Not bad, at all," he replied, gingerly touching the hot metal.

"Yeah, it gets me by. I take a few commissions a year." She turned as the doorbell echoed through the house, sprinting inside to answer it.

Dom waited, planning on watching her work as much as she allowed. When she returned, it was with a smirk plastered across her face. "Your girlfriend, and she looks mighty pissed, cheif." Whispering as she passed him, she hitched her thumb back towards the house. "From the looks of things, you're in for a real fun evening."

"Fuck!" he growled. His eye narrowed as he comtemplated staying and letting Letty do the wondering for a while. He moved towards the back door and just as he was about to disappear inside, he glanced back at her. "I'll take care of the stove tomorrow."

"Only if we're having dinner. Thai ok?" she called, snickering as she relit the torch.

**********************

Dom lay on his back staring up at the ceiling, sleep escaping him, his mind squarely on Cam. She peaked his interest. She'd obviously seen a lot, been a hell of a lot of places. She was honest, real. Granted, she tried to hide from most everyone, but he like the idea that she hadn't hidden from him. He knew more about her now then even Mia. A soft sigh drew his attention. Turning his head he, watched Letty squirm farther away from him in the bed. No surprise there. Her touch had become less and less frequent. But he'd adapted, saying nothing. He had his suspicions. He stood from the bed. Moving across to the window, he pushed the curtain aside. Bracing is forearms on the window frame, he stood staring across the street, stared at her house as if that could suddenly produce her.

Bad fuckin idea, Toretto.

**********************

There was ringing, she could hear it, from miles away she was sure. But slowly it was becoming louder and louder and suddenly she found herself sitting up in bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Reaching for the phone, her hand fumbled in the dark.

"Yeah!" she ground out finally pushing the receiver to her ear.

"Cammie!"

"What?......." She gasped, eyes widening as she reached over, switching on the bedside lamp.

"Please, Cammie! I need...........You have......They're gonna.....Oh GOD! They're gonna......." The phone went dead on the other end.

"NIC! Jesus, Nicola!" she shouted as if that would bring his voice back to her. She sat there, in the middle of the bed, shock filling her sleep fogged brain.

What the fuck is goin on, Nico?

She slipped from the bed padding across to the window. Her eyes traveled the yard beyond, but quickly she found that it was the house across the street that was her real excuse for being there, for watching.

********

Dom lay on his back matching up the fittings on the back of the stove. His eyes strayed to Cam every now and then. He'd know something was bothering her as soon as he walked in the house. Now she stood with her back against the fridge just watching him, her eyes seeming to stare right through him.

"Cresent wrench," he motioned towards the counter.

Blinking in quick sucession she cast her own engrossing thoughts aside. Nico would have to wait. Dom demanded attention just by simply being in the same room and she would concentrate on that, on him. She reached for the wrench and eased to the floor beside him handing it over, wrapping her arms around her knees.

"What's wrong?" He layed the tool aside and sat up leaning against the cabinet beside her.

"I got a call last night. Real weird shit." She paused laying her head on her knees, meeting his eyes.

"Collecting pervs already?" he laughed.

She lifted her head slapping at his arm. "NO!" Her nervous laugh hung between them. "I think it was.......NO, I know it was Nico."

"You sound like you're not happy to hear from him. He coming to get the car?" He watched the confusion play across her features.

"Normally I would but it wasn't him." She paused, correcting herself. " I mean, it was, but he was pleading and begging me. Wasn't making any sense at all. Didn't say one word about the car. He was scared, Dom. I've never heard Nico like that before." She lowered her head back to her knees and sighed. "He's no saint, created his own share of problems but......" She sighed, not sure what to say, what to think. "I guess, I'm just worried about him."

"Don't waste your time worrying until there's something to worry about, Cameron. It's just gonna drive ya crazy." He laid his hand over her as she raised her head, smiling, squeezing his fingers.

"You're right." She offered a wide relieved smile, praying he was right. "Thanks, I feel lots better."

"No problem." He stood and pulled her to her feet. "Gonna need new fittings ... these don't match up."

"Well, shopping it is then." She moved across the kitchen and grabbed up a set of discarded keys. She laughed, holding out the keys to him.

"You sure?" He cocked his head, eye brows raised.

"Positive. I mean, unless .....Well, unless you can't handle her." She knew how ridiculous the statment was but just couldn't resist baiting him. Mia couldn't seem to keep from recounting each and every one of her brother's wins on the street. Cam had heard them all at least once.

"If I can handle her? Me?" He pointed a finger at his own chest. "My skills with a car are legend around here, Cam. How about you. I think I wanna see how you handle a machine like that." He took the keys from her and placed his hands on her hips turning her towards the back door, closing it as they stepped through.

"No! Come on, you DON'T want me to drive," she replied, glancing over her shoulder, slowing just enough to keep his hands on her, liking the wide span of fingers splayed against her.

"Why's that?" They proceeded through the backyard to the garage.

"Umm.....Cause, you....." She began only to be cut off by him.

"This isn't about me. Why don't you wanna drive the car?"

"I don't like it. There's something......Something about....." She sighed, as he stepped away from her. "Besides, I can't navigate gears. " She blushed to the tips of her toes admitting to that little piece of information.

"You can't what?" he laughed, his eyes wide with surprise.

"You heard me! AND STOP LAUGHING!" She turned walking around to the passenger side, folding herself into the seat. "I shouldn't have said anything. God! It was hard enough admitting it without you pulling that shit!" she mumbled, cutting his eyes to him as he slid behind the wheel, her face holding a sullen frown.

Looking over at her, his gut twisted forcefully. He began to realize just what she could do to him with a look. "Hey, I didn't mean to embarrass you." He sobered, turning a serious gaze on her. "I can teach you if it's that important."

"Oh yeah, I'm gonna take you up on that after you've just laughed at me? No thanks, Dom. Think I'd rather not learn if it means being teased about it." She sighed, rolling her eyes. Before he knew what he intended she found her chin gently clasped between thumb and index finger, her face being turned, guided back to the intensity of his eyes. She found herself leaning in, wanting to be closer.

"I'm serious. I'll teach you. No more teasing." His thumb grazed her lower lips as he pulled away. She nodded pulling her lip between her teeth, the skin feeling scalded by his touch.

Dom's fingers tingled from the contact with her skin, tiny electrical pulses slithered along the nerve endings as he watched the uncertainly play across her face. "Think about it," he told her, not wanting to push.

"You've already done too much. I can't keep counting......" she lowered her head, feeling the hot flush crept back into her cheeks. "Shit! Dom, you've been feeding me for three weeks now. I'm feeling like a charity......."

"Fine. We do it like this. I have some chassis welds for you to do and I'll teach you how to drive." He turned the key in the ignition and the engine roared to life, settling into a smooth idle.

"Works for me." She jumped at the oppotunity, trying desperately to hide the flurry of excitment that took up residence in her stomach.

Across the street Letty stepped from the garage in time to see Dom backing out of the drive, obviously engrossed in what the girl beside him was saying. The camero rolled down the street and around the corner, out of sight and still she stared, rage boiled towards the surface damanding release.

"Easy baby, green ain't your color," came the familiar, distracting voice.

"Shut up! He's gonna fuck her. I know it," she hissed, cutting her eyes over her shoulder.

"Yeah, but it ain't nothing you haven't done first. He's being as true as you." Lips glided along the skin of her neck and then were gone.

**************

Dom came around the corner of the aisle, new fittings in hand. Cam had taken her own direction the moment they entered the hardware store. And now he was left to search for her. There she was just where he had figured.

"Ready?" he asked, as she lifted a wicked looking pair of metal sheers.

"Yeah, am now." She tucked the sheers under her arm as they walked towards the front of the store.

Watching Dom from the corner of her eye as the cashier went about her job. Cam smiled seeing the girl eyeing him appreciatively. He didn't seem to notice. Maybe he didn't care. The girl announced a total, breathless and blushing profusely. She withdrew the slim black credit card from her pocket at the same instant Dom produced a wad of cash, saying. "I've got it."

No. He didn't not this time. She turned slipping between him and the counter, facing him, smiling her most impish smile, sliding the card to the cashier behind her back. "Think again, Dominic."

"When I say I got it, Cam. I got it." He pulled her forward pushing a couple of bills into the back pocket of her jeans, nearly loosing his fingers to the tight fabric in the process.

"Fine, you're just gonna get it back. Slowly." Her grin widened, reaching to the deep abyss of her pupils.

His own pupils dialated with the warm roll of volcanic heat along his nerve endings. Cam was pressed against him all the right ways that Letty hadn't been for the last few months. But she wasn't Letty and with a sobering realization she knew it was a good thing. He would feel the cold creeping in again instead of this amazing heat from Cameron.

"Your damn right. I'm gonna work your ass off." He growled, there was no menace in his voice only teasing.

"Oh, BABY! Such sweet talk!" she laughed, rolling her eyes and tossing her hair over her shoulder, slithering away from him.

"Move." Grabbing the sack off the counter he took her hand as he moved around her, tugging her instep with him. Looking down, she thrilled at the contact, the slight contrast between their skin tones, his a shade only slightly darker than hers.

"You in a hurry?" She tried to sound causal, but she was too distracted by his nearness.

"You promised me dinner." He squeezed her hand slightly. "I'm looking forward to it."

She shook her head as they exited the store, looking across the street. "There's something you really should know." she adapted a seriously morose look.

"What's that?" His eyes narrowed, hiding a sudden nervousness.

There was a dramtic sigh, her lips trembled. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me." He tossed the bag inside the car though the open window, turning to her.

"Well.....You see...It's like this...." she paused. "I like my dessert before dinner." A long slow drawl came from her lips, her eyes shimmering with a mischvious light. She nodded her head in the direction of the ice cream store across the street.

"I can see I have more to teach you than driving," he told her as they walked across the street, stepping into the small store.

"Oh yeah?" She giggled. "Like what?"

"I am dessert." He leaned in whispering near her ear, palming the cheek of her ass.

"DOM!" she gasped, her giggles bubbling out of her.

"Well, play with fire little girl and you're gonna get burned." He laughed at her shocked expression, taking it upon himself to order her a plain chocolate.

"We'll see who get's burned," she replied, taking the cone he handed her. "My favorite."

"Figures."

"What's that suppose to mean?" she asked, her tongue swirling through the cold thickness as they walked back to the car.

"It's my favorite too," he said, feeling awkward for the briefest second. He was letting her in, letting her behind the walls that only Letty had seen past before.

Cam watched him round the front of the car, quivering from the need Dom seemd to create so effortlessly in her, the need to leave her seclusion behind, to have some fun, have the company and excitement of someone like Dominic Toretto. She turned into her seat as he eased into the interior. Sucking at her lower lip in uncertainty, she presented the chocolate ice cream to him. To her relief he cupped his hand around hers and pulled the chocolate to his mouth, licking at the sweet cold. She held her breath watching him, waiting for the wonderful warm pressure against her hand to ease, in the same instant wishing it never would.

The chocolate was good, but the only reason he'd accepted the offer was because it was Cameron who extended it. And as a melted trickle flowed across her fingers he turned his attention to that. With a measured leisureness he licked the milky chocolate from her fingers.

Without seeing his free hand move at all, she found it clasped behind her neck. Pulling her in close, his lips moved to met hers. He was a heart beat away from have a taste of what he really wanted. With startling clarity he realized he'd been biding his time waiting for this moment, had wanted it since she had the guts to turn a hose on him. His lips whispered across her just as a pair of hands clapped onto the window beside Dom.

"Damn it, Jessie." He growled, pulling back slowly and turning.

"Didn't see a thing, man." His grin was wide and playful, his attention quickly distracted by the car. "Sweet vintage."

Cam released a sigh of disappointment beside him, moving to toss the melting ice cream out her window. All she could think was she and Dom had been so close, maybe too close. She didn't want to remember, to think about the fact that he had a girlfriend. Someone who undoubtedly had a long standing claim to his affection.

"Cam, this is Jessie. He works for me," she heard him saying. Turning back to the two, she pasted a carefree smile on her face.

"Hi." They both responded at the same time. He gave a nervous laugh and she continued to smile.

"Hey Dom, headin to Harry's to pick up those valve covers. Wanna........" Jessie's eyes left her to settle on Dom, talking business.

"I'll follow you over," Dom told him.

***************

Cameron stepped out of the car following Dom and Jesse inside Harry's, listening with half hearted interest to their conversation until she heard her name.

"You the new chassis man then?" Jesse asked watching her over his shoulder.

"According to your boss," she countered, looking to Dom. He nodded his head in affirmation.

"Glad you got stuck with the chasie work. I almost got locked into it." Jessie smiled at her, stepping aside so she could take the place between him and Dom at the counter.

"She's better than you ever dreamed of being, Jessie. Girls got a real knack for it." He winked at Cam.

"Yeah, got a real way with HARD steel," she delievered, elbowing Dom in the ribs as she left the two noticing Mia and Brian across the store.

Dom shook his head and watched her go, watching that certain sway of her hips he had noticed was unique to her. Jesse's nervous laughter hung in the air like a warning, reminding Dom there were other people around, people that knew him, that knew Letty. Just as the thought materlized in Jesse's head Letty walked into Harry's, Vince and Leon trailing behind her.

Jesse could see it in her eyes, see the moment she noticed Dom and zeroed in on him. It was enough to make him sick. They had all seen the change in the two and there was enough speculation as to what was the cause. This could be real bad, he reasoned.

Mia had plied Cam with questions about what was going on with her and Dom, she'd noticed a change. Cam continually insisting she had no idea what Mia was talking about. Brian only smiled with that "your totally full of shit" smile of his, keeping an arm wrapped securely around Mia's waist.

"Dinner... Just dinner." Cam was responding to one of Mia's questions when she realized the other woman was distracted. Something over her shoulder had drawn her attention. Cam turned and watched the woman walk towards Dom and drap herself on him, whispering.

"It's a show. Letty's just trying to latch on now," Mia hissed behind her. "He sees it." Brian chimed in.

They couldn't tell what was said between the two but Dom's features were set in hard determination, hers slightly pleading. Then they broke a part Letty's eyes narrowing and her shouted "whatever" rang through the store. Dom turned, not giving her a reaction, dealing with Harry and his account at the store instead.

Then things took a real turn for the worse. Letty came towards them and Cam steeled herself for the inevitable encounter.

"Hey, Mia." Letty's smile was sugar sweet, a try at innocents. "Brian." She turned to Cam. "And who's this? Couldn't be......No! Not Cameron?" Her laugh was caustic. "Cameron that Dom calls hell bitch 24/7? He really hates you, know that?"

"Stop it Letty!" Mia sneered, trying to urge Cam to leave with a glance while she could. But she wouldn't, couldn't give in and walk away, never having learned to do that, never learning to retreat.

"Bitch, huh?" Cam laughed, the sound short and sharp. "Am I suppose to be offended? Should I cry now?" A self assured sigh signaled her pause. "Takes more than that to get under my skin. So, Dom dosen't like me, thinks I'm a bitch. I could care fuckin less, I'm not the one loosing anything. How about you, Letty?"

Letty's only responsed was to take a swing at Cam. But Brian grabbed her arm, shaking his head. "Not here. Take it somewhere else."

Cam knew this round was hers, she'd managed to push a few of Letty's buttons. It was almost worth the kick in the gut that it had been to hear that Dom had been calling her a bitch. Why did he even bother with her if he disliked her so much? She tried to tell herself it didn't matter but it did matter, probably more than it should. She left the store deciding to wait for Dom in the car. Taking the time to distract herself she searched the interior again. It had to be the dozenth time but she did it anyway, becoming a ritual for her raw emotions. Finally, she was fed up and slammed her palm against the dash.

"Damn it, Nico!" She sighed, confused and fustrated, not knowing who was the bigger thorn in her side at the moment. "And fuck, Teretto!"

"That a offer?" Dom paused beside the car, glancing curiously at her through the open window.

"No." She shook her head, more pissed by the second, then her eyes fell on a bright red object under her booted foot. Reaching down she picked it up, a card. Embossed across the front in wide block letters was Tiffany's, a club. The name sparked recognition in her and her heart sped up just a bit. Tucking the card in the pocket of her jeans, she smiled to herself.

Leaving clues now, Nico? Fine, I'm game.

***************

"Enough with the shooting holes through me. What's wrong, Cameron?" Dom cut his eyes to her as they pulled into the drive.

"Nothing." She leaned towards him in the seat. "It must just be my bitchy nature. That seems to be the popular opinion." She stepped from the car as soon as it rolled to a stop.

"What the fuck's that suppose to mean?" he growled, shoving from the camero to follow after her, grabbing her arm before she rushed through the back gate.

"Doesn't mean anything, Dom. Just gotta remember who I can really count on." She tried extracting her arm from his grip.

"Is it Letty? Mia told me she said some pretty harsh shit." He hesitantly dropped her arm, his hand going to her hip, covering and pinning her in place just as effectively.

"Just let it go, Dominic. I can take care of myself. That includes holding my own with your.....with Letty." She refused to look at him, instead she focused on putting some distance between them. But she was anchored in place, locked there in front of him.

"If she gets outta line again I wanna know about it, and not from Mia. Understand?" he told her, his finger pointed in her face, practically touching her noise.

"Sure," she snarled. "I'll run right over and tell you. Then what? I mean, come on Dom, your gonna get in the middle of this? I don't think so, It's between me and her......"

"I don't care who you think it's between. I wanna know." He started to pull his hand back and then paused. "Jealousy makes people say a lot stupid shit. I don't hate you, Cam. It ain't even close to what's goin on."

"Fine. Thanks for clearing that up." She was finally allowed to move away from him, realizing his hand was traveling slowly up her arm. This wasn't the the confrontation she'd imaged. Her breathing became a tad more difficult, her denim clad legs became elastic as slight tremors ran along her body. With a shaky breath she turned and opened the gate watching Dom throw up his hands in fustration behind her. But the second she turned back to the yard she froze in her tracks. Dom barely missed colliding with her so sudden did her momentum stop.

"Problem?" Dom's hands went automatically to her hips just before he looked over her shoulder.

All around the back yard the steel she had spent hours transforming into art, into something that reflected grace and beauty, lay toppled on the ground. Multi-colored smears and streaks lined the metal figures. Slowly she moved forward, her hand over her mouth curtailed the gasp of shock lodged in her throat.

"What the fuck?" Dom growled, surveying the destruction.

Cam simply shook her head and shrugged moving to the back of the house to something that caught her attention.

"............get Jessie, and Brian. We'll have 'em set back in place......" Dom was saying, noticing that Cam was moving to the house with single minded determination. With a quick sprint towards her he made to intercept her thinking the perps could in all likelihood be inside the house.

"Don't," was all he managed.

"No. No. It's ok , Dom. Look," she said, her head tilted oddly to the side, transfixed with what she saw. Touching his arm reassuringly, she moved up the back steps and traced the bright red letters sprayed across the door.

"Got any idea what that's about?" He came up the steps behind her, reaching for the door knob.

"No. S.C. Doesn't spark anything." She dropped her hand over his on the knob. "Don't bring Jessie or Brian over here. Don't say anything to anyone about this, not yet." She slowly exhaled.

"Tell me why I'd wanna do that." He twisted the knob, looking to her.

"Just a feeling."

"The hell with......" he started, but she refused to let him finish.

"Please. For me?" She only hoped it didn't sound as pathetic and desperate as it felt.

"That's what you really want?" he asked, searching the kitchen and then moving to the living room.

"Yeah, for now." She smiled, relieved. He wasn't going to make an issue out of it.

"I'll be keeping an eye on everything that goes on over here. Gotta problem with that, tell me know." He leaned on the counter.

*****************

Hours later Dom was finishing tightening the new fittings on the back of the stove as Cam came up behind him. Standing over him as he balanced on his heels, her hands went to his shoulders.

"We're still doing dinner, right?"

"Yeah, if you don't mind," he replied, turning his head to look up at her.

"Don't mind at all. Just thought I should ask before I go making assumptions." She smiled, kneading the tight cords below her hands, watching his reaction with something akind to fascination. Moving across to his neck she dug her thumbs gently into the muscles running along the vertebrae below the skin.

"Shit, that feels good." He let his head fall back against her thighs.

"Glad you think so." She continued working along his upper back until the doorbell rang. "Be right back."

Dom noticed the breathless quaility to her voice as her hands pulled back from him. Wondering if she was feeling even a fraction of what was tearing him apart, wondering if she was looking for any excuse to touch him, drawing out each minute to last as long as possible just to be with him, could he even hope that she felt the slow burn through her viens that he did. Standing he pushed the stove against the wall and rounded the door way into the living room as a delievery guy came though the front door.

***************

"Stop giving me that look!" Cam giggled. "I promised Thia and isn't this Thia?"

"Not quite what I had in mind." He pinned her with an amused half glare.

"Sorry, it's the closest I could scrounge up. You didn't think I was gonna cook did you?"

"Would have been nice." He shrugged.

She handed over a plate of food to him, dished out one for herself and then turned to retrieve the high point of the meal. She produced two Coronas from the fridge.

"Think I can over look anything now." He laughed accepting the beer.

"Good, cause I'll be lucky if I can manage to boil water without burning down the house." She joined in the laughter, watching the light leap in Dom's eyes.

Somewhere along the course of the meal they moved to the living room, falling into easy conversation ... Dom wanting more stories about the places Cam had called home and she wanting to know as much as he could pack into the evening about street racing.

"And you were surprised that Brian was the one that showed up? That he would lay his ass on the line to keep you outta trouble?" she asked, totally enthralled as he told her about Brian's first race and the aftermath.

"Yeah. Leon, maybe, Vince I expected. But not Brian." He let her take the empty plate from him.

"See, I would have pegged Brian right away. He just looks like the eagel scout type." She smiled, moving the plates to the table near the sofa and easing onto the floor beside him.

"And how would you peg me?" he asked, turning and pulling her across his lap, his arms winding around her.

"Leader always. Never follows. Probably wouldn't know how. Very giving. Doesn't matter what it is. It's there for the asking with you. Passionate........"

No sooner had she gotten the last word out of her mouth than Dom's lips were covering hers, demanding a response, pushing gently for entrance.

It wasn't planned, he hadn't set out to drive himself crazy with the question he'd asked her. But as he listened to her talk about him like he was something unique, worthy of admiration in her eyes, he gravitated toward her, toward the natural sugary pink of her lips. He had to see if they tasted as sweet as they looked, and he was amazed to find they did. When her lips opened enough for his tongue glide to the interior of her mouth he heard her moan, arching towards him.

Cam wanted to do nothing more than to rub against him like a cat in heat. When exactly had she started wanting this so badly, her brain demanded? She clamped down on the thoughts that filled her head instead preferring to ride the wave of tactile pleasure. Their tongues were intwined, gliding against one another, taking turns exploring the the warm wet interiors bared to them.

*************

The phone was ringing again, long shrill noise filled her bedroom. Cam was wide awake, the phone vying for attention with the distraction of her mind as she concentrated on replaying the taste and touch of Dom, the wet heat of his mouth and the hard lines of his body making her sigh with regret, when she sat up in bed and reached for the phone.

"Yeah?"

"Hello Cameron."

Her delicately arched eye brows drew together in confusion as she tried to place the voice, vaguely familiar.

"Who is this?"

"You still have my glock? I'm looking forward to getting that back." There was a malevolent laugh at the other end of the phone.

"What'd you want?" she stammered.

"Like the redecorating job we did this afternoon? It's just the beginning. You owe and now it's time to give it up."

"What the fuck are you talking about? I don't owe anyone anything." Fear was slowly starting to turn her limbs ice cold.

"NO? Nico does and you've just taken on his debt. He picked the wrong man to lift product from. Here's a name to remember, Sala Costus. He's gonna collect from you one way or another."

The S.C suddenly made sense and she gasped wondering exactly what Nico had gotten her into and, if they weren't collecting from him directly, what it meant. She was terrified to even think of the possiblities.

"Meet me at......." The voice at the other end began issuing instructions.

"FUCK YOU!" She slammed the reciever down shaking with the terror she couldn't seem to hold at bay any longer, made more acute when she realized she could have just ended Nico's life.

*************

It was becoming a habit with him, standing at the window watching her house, wondering if she were a asleep, dreaming. He saw it the instant the light flared in the backyard behind the house, the flood light. He hesitated, running his hand across his smooth head, a moment of indecision. He wanted to make sure she was ok, worried after the vandalism that afternoon. Would she even want him there? Turn on him for being to protective, like Mia? Glancing over his shoulder he took in the empty bed and realized it didn't bother him as much as it probably should. He was actually relieved when he finally decided he didn't care ... that he had to check, to see for himself that she was ok, and there was no one there to question him about where he was going or why. Shoving into his jeans he slipped from the house, bare feet, bare chest.

Across the street he pulled the key from its hiding place, having only learned about it hours earlier. He opened the door and returned the key. Moving through the house he navigated the interior without any lights. As he opened the backdoor he saw her standing there in the middle of the back yard, head tilted to the sky, arms wrapped around her.

Cam heard the moment the door opened behind her and for the space of a heart beat her terror returned, thinking it was the guy that had made the call. But just as quickly a warm calm settled over her and she knew it was him, it was Dom.

He stood there for a moment watching, her shoulders shook slightly below the T-shirt she wore. He moved across the lawn realizing she was crying or very close to it. Hoping like hell he wasn't the reason. He hadn't pushed her had he? Hadn't cornered her into something she didn't want?

The thought of the comfort, the warmth, and not in small part the security he could offer was to good to resist and when he stopped behind her she turned, eyes red rimmed from her tears, and eased against him absorbing it all. Her arms slipped around him and locked against his back.

Dom waited, waited for her to tell him. He wouldn't try and drag it out of her, wouldn't ask questions she didn't want to answer.

"Nico's in real trouble this time and he's drug me right along with him." She hiccuped as she fought the tears. "I don't think he's even....." Stopping she couldn't finish the sentence.

"I'm here, Cam. I'm listening." He ran a hand through her copper hair, massaging her scalp with each new pass of his fingers.

Taking a deep breath she told him about the phone call, about her fear, admitting she didn't begin to know where to start trying to get herself out of the shit she was in.

"It ain't your fault. Just got a fucked up friend. Sounds like he tried to save his ass by handing this guy, Costus, yours."

She pulled away from him slightly meeting his eyes. "I'm sorry, Dom. I didn't mean to drag you....."

"You didn't drag me into anything. I could walk away now if I wanted to. IF I WANTED TO." His lips were moving to cover hers again, moving to show her exactly where he wanted to be.

She opened her lips to met his thrusting tongue, enjoying the invasion, enjoying the pleasured tension relayed in the kiss.

Dom couldn't resist, his hands began to map her body, pulling her hard against him. His body responded immediately, hardening. His hand quickly came to the hem of the T-shirt and slipped beneath it. When he encountered nothing but the bare warm skin of her ass his lips crushed hers in a frenzy of hot need, tongue thrusting into her mouth only to withdraw, the same thing he was intent on doing to her body.

Cam tried to keep still not to be overly encouraging but she wanted it, wanted him so badly that her body took over for her, wiggling against him, his pulsing erection nesteled against her stomach. She found her hand traveling across the hard plane of his chest downward over his quivering stomach and lower still the button of his jeans. Her fingers didn't have time to finish their task before she felt herself being lifted against him, Dom encourgaging her to wrap her legs around him. That's when her conscious geared up and began warring with her body.

Dom felt her stiffen against him, felt her withdraw. He knew she wanted this as much as he did but here she was about turn cold on him. "Cam, something wrong?"

"Yeah." She broke from his arms and stepped away, arms going protectively around herself, draw on her what strength she had left, opened her trembling lips and said the one thing she didn't want.

"Go home, Dominic. You don't belong here. We don't have the right to do..." she paused, turning her face back to the night sky and then turned her eyes slowly back to him. "You have someone. The two of you have history. Go take care of her." Taking a deep shuddering breath she turned her back on him.

TBC