Buffy pulled her car up to the line, waiting for Dom, or whoever he chose, to pull up next to her. She didn't have to wait long. Two other cars pulled alongside the GT-40, a blue 1997 Nissan Maxima and yellow 1996 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II. Buffy noted that both drivers were men. One was tall, with a heavy beard, and an arm full of tattoos; while the other was smaller and clean shaven. They had an hard-edged look about them that told Buffy they knew how to drive. She gave them a jaunty smile before turning to watch the flagger tell them when to start. The flag went down and the cars went tearing off down the road.
Mia held her breath as she watched Buffy race down the straightaway. She knew that her friend could drive, but she didn't trust Vince and Leon. It wouldn't surprise her if Dom hadn't told the boys to frighten Buffy a little. Mia just hoped that no one got hurt.
Buffy kept her cool when the race started. She steadily accelerated, not allowing the others to get ahead of her. Watching the other cars, she realized that they were here to test her, and not in a straight race. She saw it coming seconds before the yellow Nissan drifted over into her lane. Breaking quickly, causing the car to shoot all the way over into the blue Nissan's lane, she shot by them, forcing them to throw on their breaks to keep from bashing into each other. They straightened up, coming around after her, pushing their cars to the limit, to catch her. She grinned in her rearview mirror when she saw them catching up with her, then shoot by when they went on the bottle, hitting the Nitrous Oxide. A predatory gleam entered her eyes when they left her behind, or so they thought. Pushing down the accelerator further, she inched forward as the NOS started running out for the other cars. She opened a panel on her dash and flipped a switch, injecting NOS into her own engine. The GT-40 zoomed between the two cars, and across the finish line with a flourish. Buffy slammed on her breaks, spinning the car around, and headed back toward Dom for the verdict on her driving.
Dom stood with his arms crossed over his chest. His face exhibited no emotion and his eyes were cold. Mia kept glancing over at him, trying to catch his eye, but he wouldn't look at her. She didn't know if she should try to speak to him, or leave it alone. Taking the chicken way out, she decided to let Buffy and Dom settle this. The red and black GT-40 slid to a stop mere inches from Dom's feet. Buffy climbed out, coming around the car with a wicked smile on her face. She walked over until she stood directly in front of Dom, crossing her arms in imitation. Not saying a word she just stared at him, waiting for him to speak to her.
"Drive okay, for a girl," Dom said, his eyes traveled up and down her figure. "Driving in a straight line doesn't mean that you can do it under pressure."
Buffy leaned forward, her breath teased the skin on his neck. "You'd be surprise what I can do under pressure. I'm even good at applying pressure, if you catch me in the right mood," her voice went low and husky as she looked up at him from underneath her lashes.
"We'll see about that, won't we?" he said, backing away, something about this woman set his radar off. He wasn't about to allow her in, not after what happened to Letty. He didn't think he would ever let anyone else into his inner circle again.
Vince and Lean drove up, and Jesse came over to join in on the conversation. Mia introduced everyone to Buffy. She smiled, graciously shook their hands. Buffy kept an eye on Dom, understanding that she'd only taken the first step in being accepted by Mia's big brother.
"Where did you learn to drive like that?" Jesse, the small mechanic that worked for Dom, asked.
Buffy smiled at him, liking the openness she saw in his face. "Mr. Toretto taught me when I was fifteen. He showed me how to work on cars, then he taught me how to drive."
"You mean Dom's daddy?" Jesse's eyes went wide with wonder, glancing from the small blonde to the tall, bald street racer.
"Yep, Pops was the best. He taught me everything I know," she said proudly.
"Enough of this, I've got a race to win, and money to take." Dom walked away from the group.
They watched him join a group of racer, shake hands, then crawl into his car. Before the race could start, someone ran out to announce that the police were on their way and that was that. People sprinted to their cars, speeding away from the darkened area as fast as their high-powered vehicles could take them.
Dom drew up to the his crew, "Well, don't just stand there, get moving. Meet me back at the house, and for the love of Pete, don't get caught." He stared at Jesse, giving him a menacing glare.
"Dom, it was only one time, and I got off with a warning. They didn't even know that I was with you. I didn't tell them anything," he whined, fidgeting in place when everyone turned to look at him.
Mia grabbed Buffy's arm, pulling her toward the GT-40. "Get to the house. Take the back roads, and I'll meet you there in thirty minutes."
"Sure, Mia, be careful. I don't want to have hurt anyone my first day here." Buffy smiled at her best friend before starting the engine, and pulling away into the night.
"Get moving, Mia, now!" He didn't like that his sister had waited for Buffy to leave first. She should already be gone, friend or no friend.
"I'm going, no need to yell at me!" Mia shouted back at her big brother.
Angel sat watching Cordelia's still body, never moving from her place on the bed. As the new CEO of Wolfram and Hart, he had the best specialist in the medical and magical fields working around the clock, trying to find a way to wake her. He brushed the hair away from her face, searching for a sign that she was still his Cordelia, and not the creature that took over her body. The nurses had dyed her hair back to its original brunette, so that she looked more like the woman who had become his best friend. She was starting to become more than that to him before she was taken away and Drusilla decided that he needed to take a dip in the ocean.
Standing up, he thought about everything that had happened to his small family in the past year. He still couldn't believe that the he hadn't known that the Cordelia who returned wasn't 'his Cordy'. He should have known, shouldn't he? They had seen each other every day for the last four years. She had been there through everything he had suffered, always pulling him up by his collar, not allowing him to brood over past mistakes. He smiled to himself thinking about what she would tell him if she were here right now. "Get over yourself, brood boy, and figure out a way to get me out of this mess." Yep, that was his Cordy, always saying precisely what she meant, no matter how much it hurt to hear. Angel liked that about her, he knew where he stood. She didn't play games or back down when she believed that she was right, which face it lots of the time she was.
"Aw, isn't this sweet, the Prince of the City watching over his Sleeping Beauty, pining for her to wake up. Have you tried a kiss?" Lilah Morgan's saccharine sweet voice came from the doorway.
Turning around with no emotion showing on his face, he asked, "Lilah, to what do I not owe this pleasure?"
"Don't be that way, Angel, you know that you look forward to my visits. Come on, admit it." She smirked at him, sauntering into the room. Lilah walked over to stand next to Cordelia's hospital bed. Reaching out a hand to touch the seer's face, she found her hand caught in a vise-like grip.
Angel moved across the room with blinding speed, his face morphed without conscious thought. "Keep your hands away from her, if you don't want to end up like your buddy, Lindsey." He shoved her hand away, as if touching her was repulsive to him, which it was. Moving to stand between the bed and Lila, he forced the evil lawyer to back away.
An angry spark entered Lilah's brandy colored eyes. Her lips turned up into their usual condescending smirk as she said, "My, we are protective of her, aren't we. You would think that you actually are lovers from the way you behave, when everyone knows that isn't the case. What happened to the real love of your life, the Slayer? Buffy, isn't that her name? I thought she was the one that you did all this for. Wonder what she would think about you sitting here pining over your seer?"
"Buffy isn't any of your business. If I learn that you are even looking in her direction, I will find out just how well those stitches hold." His eyes wandered to the scarf around her neck. "Did you come in here for a reason or just to harass me?"
Lilah's hand drifted to the scarf concealing the scar where the Partners had reattached her head. Gulping at the thought of losing it again, she unconsciously caressed the edge. "There are some artifacts that we are having problems obtaining."
Angel lifted a hand, cutting her off mid-explanation. "Lilah, I'm not interested in artifacts that are no doubt evil. I wouldn't have approved them, anyway. Tell me the real reason, or leave."
"If you would've allowed me to finish, I would've told you that the mages think that they could help Ms. Chase. We keep ordering them, but the shipments are being hijacked. I require your endorsement to send in security to ensure that trucks can get through."
"What artifacts? Why haven't I heard about this before? How many shipments have been lost?" The questions came shooting out in rapid fire succession, one on top of the other.
"The mages are too afraid to tell you anything in case it doesn't work. You weren't exactly kind to the last one who failed. So far, we have lost two shipments, and have another one coming in on Friday," Lilah explained. She waited for him to take the bait, hoping that his current obsession was similar to the one he had exhibited in his pursuit of Darla.
"Do whatever it takes to obtain the shipments. And, Lilah, I want to be kept apprised of this, ever detail. Are we clear?" He allowed his eyes to flash amber at the sophisticated brunette.
She nodded, trying to appear unphased by the demonstration. "Wouldn't think of doing anything less. You're the boss after all." She slithered from the room in that uniquely Lilah way.
Angel turned away, already forgetting about the creepy lawyer as his eyes once more fell on the still face of Cordelia Chase. His fingertip traced over her brow, running down a smooth cheek. "I will find a way to get you back. We will have the life that we planned to start that night on the beach. I promise, Cordy."
Everyone returned to Dom's house without any problems. Buffy parked her car, walking up the drive to the house she'd spent many happy hours in her childhood. It upset her that Pops Toretto wasn't there to grab her up in his large arms for a hug. He was the type person that welcomed everyone into his home and heart. She envied Mia for the bond she had with her parents while they were alive. They were open, loving, and strict when they needed to be. The house was full of people, music blared from the stereo, and laughter could be heard along with the clinking of bottles. Straightening her shoulders, she walked up the steps, opened the front door, and entered a piece of her past. It surprised her that the place still looked the same as it did when she was a little girl.
Mia walked in from the back and found Buffy standing there looking lost in thought. "Place looks the same, huh? Dom didn't want anything to change after Mom died, Dad didn't care, and I didn't have the heart for it. It's been this way so long that it would seem wrong for it to look any other way," the brunette explained, brushing her long hair away from her face in an age old habit.
"It feels like coming home. I'm glad that you didn't change it. Reminds me of all the good times we had here. I remember Pops sitting in that chair," she pointed to a large easy chair, "and telling us racing stories. I wanted to be the first woman to win Indy."
They traded smiles at the old memory. Mia dragged Buffy into the room, introducing her to people as she worked her way toward a secluded spot where they could talk. Hearing the crowd get loud, she knew that Dom had arrived. A soft sigh escaped her lips, allowing her to relax and enjoy the evening.
"Tell me what you've been up to the last few years. No offense; you look great, but a little too thin for my taste. What's up with that?"
Buffy laughed, knowing that Mia would call her on the carpet the instant she got her alone. The brunette was a straight shooter who spoke her mind. She was able to convey her thoughts in such a manner that it normally didn't result in hurt feelings.
"I have lots to tell. Some of it'll have to wait until later, when we can't be heard, if you know what I mean. For now, let's just say that I was in a bad place for awhile and eating wasn't a top priority. I've gained back some weight and am working on getting back the rest. You can help keep me on track while I'm here."
"You know I will, girlfriend. There's no way that I'm going to allow you to come help us out, and not make sure that you're taking care of yourself too. We're family, and family comes before anything else. Remember that." Large dark eyes sought Buffy's face to see if the Slayer was taking the words to heart.
"I feel the same way, Mi. Don't worry about me, I'm taking care of myself, and being here with you is already helping. Now, explain what's going on with Dom."
She unconsciously searched the room for the street racer. Her hazel eyes easily picking him out. Dom stood out in the crowd, dominating everyone else with his presence. She allowed herself to take a good look. The baldhead fit him perfectly; his physique was something from a Muscle magazine, but what caught and held a person's attention were the deep brown soulful eyes. They showed this man was more than just muscles or good looks. It was easy to see why he'd been crowned the king of the streets.
Speaking of him seemed to catch his notice, because he set his beer down, smiled at the person he was speaking to, then headed straight for the corner where the girls sat. They saw him approach, unsure what he would have to say. He propped a foot on the arm of Mia's chair, which caused his upper body to lean close to the girls.
"Be here tomorrow at noon. We eat together out back. If you're interested in helping out, then we'll go over the plans after we eat. Are you sure that you can do this? We don't have the time to start this with you, only to have you chicken out at the last minute," his tone clearly said that was precisely what he expected her to do.
She narrowed her eyes at him. She wanted nothing more than to get up, go over, and wipe the smirk off his face. Keeping her cool, she gave him an innocent smile. "I'll be here with bells on. Do you need me to bring anything for lunch?" She turned to Mia for a response. Mia shook her head, not sure that she wished to enter the battle of wills going on in front of her. He pushed off the chair, turning to leave them to resume their talk. "Oh, Dom," Buffy called, causing him to stop in his tracks, although he didn't turn back around. "I never chicken out. You'll learn that about me." He nodded his head before continuing back to his place at the center of the room.
Mia explained most of what had happened without getting into the finer details, since she couldn't be certain who was listening. When she spoke about Letty's death, it took her a while to get the words out. She waited patiently understanding that Mia needed to talk about this as much as she needed to know what had occurred. Something about Letty's death set off her Slayer senses, she didn't want to say anything until she could explore it more. She listened to everything that Mia said and didn't say. Deciding it was time to call it a night, Buffy stood up, stretching out her back not realizing that a pair of dark eyes watched her every action.
Buffy thought about everything that had happened since she got to LA. Letty's death still bothered her. There was something about it that didn't sound right to Buffy. She had an impression that it was relevant, but wasn't sure where to go to find what she needed. The only person she knew who could help her was Angel. Asking her ex for aid didn't sit well with her. She would wait until after learned about Dom and Mia's plans, before she went off to investigate on her own. Hopefully, by then she could think of another source of information. If not, she would swallow her pride and ask Angel for help.
She had decided to stop by a bakery to pick up dessert, even though Mia said she didn't need to bring anything. Pulling in to her favorite bakery, Buffy jumped out with her mouth already watering from the aromas wafting out into the street. Once inside, she took in the homey feel, wonderful smells, and rows of yummy treats before the perfect dessert caught her eye. It was a layered strawberry cake dripping with fresh berries and loads of whipped crème. Just the thing for large appetites, and it would go with any meal. After paying for her purchase, she practically skipped as she left the small shop, happy with her decision. She got to the house a little before noon. Knocking on the door, no one responded so she let herself in, careful not to drop the heavy cake.
"Hello, is anyone here?" she called out.
"We're back here, come on back," Mia yelled from the backyard.
She walked through the kitchen, out the back door, balancing the cake box as she went. She saw Mia, Dom, and the others from last night setting out food around a large picnic table. Smiling, she stepped lightly down the stairs into the medium sized backyard. She crossed over a well trimmed yard to the large picnic table. Seeing an empty spot, she sat the box down, opened the cover, and slid the cake out, shoving the box away with her elbow, replacing it with the beautiful strawberry cake. Loud whistles greeted the sight of the cake that appeared.
"That's a mighty fine looking cake, ma'am," Jesse said, licking his lips just thinking about the red berries and sweet cake.
"Buffy, you shouldn't have," Mia scolded, but the happy gleam in her dark eyes showed that she didn't mind.
"I wanted to. Plus, I've been yearning for fresh strawberries. This way all areas are covered. Can I help with anything?"
Dom interrupted. "No, we're ready to eat. Since you're the last to the table you have to offer the blessing." He lifted a dark eyebrow challenging her to argue with his decree.
Smiling sweetly, she took Mia's hand and Jesse's who sat on her other side before closing her eyes. "Please, bless this food we are about to eat. Watch over us in the days to come, keep us safe from harm. Amen."
Amens chorused around the table. Hands immediately went to the food, serving themselves before passing to their neighbor. The table was quiet while everyone filled their plates with fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, salad, and rolls.
After taking her first bite, Buffy turned to Mia. "This is great. Did you cook it? It tastes just like your mom's."
"Mia's a great cook," Jesse answered, shoving mashed potatoes into his mouth. "She can cook anything." He continued, ignoring the mouth full of food.
Dom threw a roll at him. "Don't talk with your mouth full, moron."
Jesse ducked his head in embarrassment, swallowing before he continued. "Mia should be chef or something. Open a real restaurant not just the diner, she'd make a mint." He beamed at the brunette, his puppy love showing clearly on his face.
"Down boy," Vince growled, not liking anyone moving in on what he regarded as his territory. He and Mia dated off and on, but she wouldn't commit to him, even though he was crazy about her.
Mia scowled at the overbearing large man. Vince believed he had a claim on her, and no matter what she did to try to get him to back off, he wouldn't accept it. "Leave him alone, Vince." Turning to Jesse with a brilliant smile. "Thanks, Jesse, that's sweet. I'd love to have a real restaurant, but that's for people who have money to back them."
Buffy heard the wistful note in her best friend's voice. She looked up to see Dom staring at his little sister. He must have heard the same longing. A frown creased his brow at the idea that his baby sister wished for a life that he couldn't offer her. Large hazel eyes caught and held dark brown ones, understanding passed between them in that moment. They may not agree on many things, but the one thing they both cared about was Mia. Buffy nodded her head, telling Dom that she would help him in anyway that she could to make Mia's dream a reality.
Everyone sat around the table with large slices of cake, prepared to listen to Dom lay out the plan for the next job. The man in question stood up, searching the faces around the table before he spoke. "There's another shipment scheduled for this Friday. It's with the same company as before. I finally moved the remainder of the last shipment and have someone interested in the next one. We'll use the same setup. A car out front while the other two force the truck off the road. It's a quick in and out job. Are you boys in or out?"
"Count me in," Vince was the first to speak. He immediately turned to see Mia's expression. Disappointment showed on his face when the brunette beauty didn't acknowledge him with even a glance.
"Me too," Leon said, getting up from the table. "Just let me know when and where, and I'll be there." The slender, lanky, man exchanged looks with Dom that told the larger man that he could depend on him.
Buffy waited for the others to stop talking before she gave her answer. "Me too. The only question that I have is, who's the company that we're going after?"
Silence met her question, leaving her wondering if she'd asked the wrong one. A sigh of relief escaped her lips when Dom started talking. "Some big company called Wolfram and Hart. They're a law firm. Not exactly sure, why they transport so much loot, but it's good business for us."
"What's the cargo? Electronics?" She stared up at him, waiting for an answer.
"Noo," the answer hung in the air. "There's all kinds of stuff. Surprised us the first truck we popped. Boxes full of gold cups, swords, beads, and books. Took me a while to find someone who would want the stuff. Turns out there's a real market for it, something to do with occult historical relics, or some kinda crap like that."
Her eyebrows rose, almost hitting her hairline. She quickly schooled her features, hoping that everybody hadn't seen her shocked reaction. "Uh, did you keep anything? I know a little about that stuff. Mom owned a gallery and she was into the historical and occult." Mia grabbed her hand under the table, almost reading Buffy's mind. "That's if you want me to," she offered with a smile.
Dom thought over what she said, although he caught the shocked expression that she quickly hid. "Sure, I have a few pieces that I kept. Maybe you can tell me if I got a good price for the other pieces." They searched each others faces trying to feel the other out as to where they stood, each uncertain of the other.
"That's great. Isn't that great, Dom? I told you that Buffy could help out. Not only will she be able to help you with the job, she can help in other ways too." Mia gave them both a happy smile.
Dom led Buffy into the house. They silently ascended the stairs. He opened the door to what could only be his bedroom, waving his hand for her to enter. She walked in, looking around at a space that could belong to nobody but Dom Toretto. He had painted the walls a deep red, which seemed to be his favorite color, a black and white spread patterned similar to a racing flag covered the bed, while autographed photos artfully decorated the walls. It revealed his enthusiasm for racing without looking cheesy. Yep, the room was pure Dom.
"Nice room," she said after finishing her perusal.
"Gets the job done." He shrugged, moving toward a tall highboy to remove several articles from the top drawer. He laid them on the bed, backing away so that she could offer her personal opinion.
She felt her breath hitch as one particular piece brought memories crashing back. Walking to the bed in a daze, her fingers shook as she reached out touching a large bejeweled gold cross. The instant she came in contact with it she knew it was the same one that Spike used on Angel to heal Drusilla. She promptly scanned the other pieces, sighing when she saw that she didn't recognize them. Picking up a chalice that fit her hand perfectly, she turned it on its side, noticing intricate writing and an engraving that looked like - Angel. Buffy shifted the golden cup around where the other side revealed a woman carrying a stake. Peering closer, rubbing her thumb across a small figure trying to view the features more clearly, but it wasn't as refined as the carving of Angel. The woman, obviously a Slayer, had long hair. Without being able to interpret the words above her head or see her face better, she could be any Slayer, even Faith. She sighed in irritation. The words were naturally in Latin, so not her language.
"What do you think?" Dom interrupted her inner musings. His dark eyes bore into her as he waited for a response.
"Was the entire truck full of the same stuff?"
"No, mainly some boxes of books, and there were some cool weapons. Weird thing was that the guy was more excited about the books than anything else." He scratched his head remembering the strange man he'd found to unload the cargo with.
"How much money did you get for the truckload, if you don't mind me asking?" She knew how much a single book was worth, and to have an entire truckload boggled her mind.
"He gave us $100,000 for the first truck and $200,000 for the second. Why? Did we get ripped off?"
"Boy, did you ever. Hate to tell you, but he played you for a sucker. Sometimes, depending on the book and how rare it is, a single book will cost that much," she said, glancing up to see his face pale as he took in the information.
"Then you're saying that cargo was worth an easy what, five mill?" He threw out a ballpark figure.
"How many boxes of books were there?" She asked before giving him her answer.
"I guess at around forty or so, half the cargo at least," Dom told her.
"You price just doubled, if not tripled, depending on what books were inside the boxes. Going by the shiny stuff on the bed, I'd say triple would be a closer bet. Who's the generous fellow that doubled your fee for the second cargo? Didn't that tell you that you had something good?" She tilted her head, peering up at him, trying to read his expression.
Unused to anyone questioning his decisions, he took the money because he didn't know where else to offload the merchandise. The takedown was easy and the payoff was good. "I'm not sure that I like your tone, little girl. This is the way I run my crew. You want to be part of it; you have to fall in line," he growled, shoving his chest out.
Buffy bristled at the rebuke. She took her index finger, jabbing him in the pectoral muscle, not too hard, but hard enough to sting, getting his attention. "You listen here, mister. I came here to help, not be bossed around. If you're not man enough to admit when you messed up, then maybe I was wrong about you. I know Pops taught you better. The reason I was asking for the name is because Mom unfortunately dealt with some not so honest dealers, and I wanted to see if I recognized him. You put your guard up before anyone takes a swing at you, Dom. I didn't come here to take over or get in your way. I came to help. I care about you and Mia. You're still family to me, whether you want to be or not. So, if you'll pull your head out long enough to listen to me, maybe I could actually help." She was breathing heavily from shouting at him.
Dom rubbed his chest; for a little woman she sure could poke hard. He couldn't stop the wry grin from blossoming across his face when he looked at her standing there breathing hard, cheeks flushed, looking like an angry kitten.
"What are you grinning at?" Buffy glared at him, putting her hands on her hips.
"You." His grin grew large, showing white teeth against his mocha skin. "You sure have a big temper for such an itty bitty girl." He chuckled when he heard her growl, saw her fists clench, and she took a step forward. Dom threw his hands up in the air. "Wait, wait, I'm sorry okay. I realize you're trying to help. It's just that I'm used to being the one in charge. No one's ever questioned me, but Let… Well, no one ever questions me, so it took me offguard."
She let his dropping of Letty's name pass without comment. Now wasn't the time to bring speak to him about it, but she planned to talk to him about it later.
"I can understand that, Dom. Sometimes it takes a person from the outside looking in to see what you can't. That's all I'm trying to do." Buffy's eyes pleaded with him to believe her.
"You really have grown up, haven't you." He gave her a gentle smile that reached his eyes this time. Pulling out his wallet, Dom withdrew a business card, handing it to Buffy. "That's the guy's name. He's kinda weird, but he'll back down if you don't take his bull."
She read the card, then read it again. There in expensive typeface read, 'Ethan Rayne's Antiques'. After seeing the cross and chalice, she should have expected this. What was the old saying? It happens in threes. This proved it was true. She wondered how Ethan escaped from the Initiative, although knowing how inefficient that group was, it shouldn't have surprised her.
"This is not a nice man. Can I keep this card?"
He nodded, seeing the anger flicker in the large hazel eyes. He felt sorry for the slimy Rayne guy, even if he did rip him off for the cargo. Buffy appeared ready to tear the guy apart. Who knew the tiny kitten could be so lethal?
"Sure, I know where to find him. What are you going to do?"
"Pay ole Ethan a little visit. We're gonna reminisce about the good old days. Dom, if I can find you a buyer that will pay you top dollar, would you have a problem going to them, rather than Ethan?" Buffy asked the last with a hopeful expression on her face.
"Who could you find that would take a truck off our hands in just five days?" His brows rose in question, wondering about her past for the first time.
She gave him a sphinx-like smile. "I have some friends that are into this type of stuff. Let me make a couple of phone calls, and I'll have an answer by the end of the day, deal?" She put her hand out for him to take. He engulfed the small hand with his much larger one, giving it a firm shake in agreement. Picking up the chalice from the bed, she turned back to him. "Can I take this with me? I'll bring it back. I just want to take some pictures to send to my friend. It will let them know the type merchandise that he's dealing with."
Eying the chalice thoughtfully, his finger came out to brush over the Slayer figure. "Sure, just bring it back. She's kinda comforting, ya know what I mean? Like a good luck charm or something." He glanced away embarrassed for telling Buffy the way the cup made him feel. He had spent several long night staring at the small golden figure pondering why it had such a calming effect on him.
She smiled at him in understanding. "Don't worry, everyone has one. Sometime, I might show you mine. It's weird, but it comforts me all the same." Her smile grew even brighter, thinking about the day that Kendra gave her Mr. Pointy.
"From that smile, I'll look forward to seeing it." His voice went lower, gravelly, causing tingles to race down her spine.
Mentally shaking herself, Buffy worked hard to keep Dom from seeing how he affected her. She turned toward the door, hopefully in a nonchalant manner. "I'll give you a call tonight if I learn anything. If not, it won't be later than tomorrow. Mi said that you took over Pops garage while she runs the Diner. Do you need help with either?" She offered, hoping he wouldn't say the Diner.
Watching her face, he practically read her mind. "Did you do the work on the GT-40 yourself?" His face revealed his skepticism about her ability.
"Every nut and bolt," she told him proudly.
"In that case, could use a hand at the garage. We're backed up, and Leon has to take his Mom to the Doc tomorrow. Sure you don't mind getting dirty?" Dom asked sarcastically
Buffy glared at him. "Don't worry about my hands. You need a motor fixed, I can do it. I had the best teach after all." She walked from the bedroom, slamming the door behind her, the chalice clutched in her hand, with fire in her eyes.
Mia stood at the bottom of the stairs anxiously waiting to hear about the meeting. Seeing Buffy's face, her shoulders sagged, thinking her best friend and big brother hated each other.
"Cheer up, Mi, it's not that bad. We're still walking and talking." She grinned at the pretty brunette as she hopped down the steps. "I didn't even leave any marks, promise."
The youngest Toretto couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled up, Buffy's smile was infectious. "So, everything's okay with you two?"
"Yep, big brother's even gonna let me help him work on some engines tomorrow," she bragged, blowing on her nails then rubbing them on her shirt.
"Wow," Mia exclaimed, making her eyes go wide and clapping her hands to her cheeks, "you sure that you didn't rough him up some?"
"Very funny, Mia," Dom growled from the stairway, his arms crossed over a massive chest as he glared at his sister.
The girls traded glances and broke out in a fit of giggles. He walked by them, concealing his own smile. He couldn't recall the last time he had heard Mia laugh like that. Dom admitted that Buffy was good for Mia.