CHAPTER 2

	"You two all packed?!" Dom yelled from outside the house. He was 
loading his stuff into the trailer on Tori's bed. They were all planning 
on using the trailer to sleep in at race wars. In the two weeks that Mia 
and he had grown to know Tori and Tai, Dominic had never felt closer 
to anyone before in such a short time except for his former friends now 
on permenent vacation in Mexico. And lately it was a blessing to have 
such friends...and more because of all of the trouble the last few years 
of his life had been giving him. Now here he was again, nearly four 
years later, racing again at Race Wars. He could still remember the last 
time like yesterday. After Jesse had stormed off....what had ended 
of him...

	"Alright, got the stuff. Ready to go, Dom?" Tori asked as she 
and Tai came out of the house. Tai darted around her and jumped up into 
the trailer. She had agreed that this one time he could sit in the 
trailer while she and Dom drove the cars. Tori was taking the RX-7 
which pulled the trailer and Dominic was taking his own Supra behind 
her. They had all agreed to sleep in the trailer. Tori said she would 
share her bed with Tai and Dom could sleep on Tai's bed, but Dom 
insisted the floor with his sleeping bags was fine and Tai completely 
disagreed for his own personal reasons to which Tori just sighed and 
mumbled 'men'.

	Taking the bags from here and coming out of his trance of 
thought, Dom lifted them up into the trailer, automatically 
laying them beside his in a neat fashion.

	Tai pulled the bags closer against the side of the camper and 
smiled at Dom who smiled back before closing and securing the 
camper door and making sure the canopy was securly fastened. Then, 
patting the side of the trailer loud enough for Tai to know they were 
ready to leave, Dominic got in his Surpa and started it up. Backing 
out far enough for Tori to pull out, he waited until she had the car 
and the trailer in the street completely before reving his engine and 
speeding up around to the left side of her car. Pressing the 
down button on the automatic window he leaned over. 

	"Alright, you just follow me, ok? Try and stay close, people 
on the highway can get pretty bitchy around this time of day." he 
grinned. It was actually morning, just after 7am and they were leaving 
to get there by 10am when the races began. 

	Tori laughed and rolled up her window, switching on the 
air conditioner and watching as Dominic sped up in front of them 
with easy movements. He was so at ease in his car. She followed him 
down the various to the nealy empty highway. 

	During the three hour drive, the road got more crowded,but 
Tori stayed up with Dom and the two took the offroads to get to the 
races. Dominic showed off by speeding up to around fifty down the 
stretch and stopping quickly at the gates. He got smiles from the 
gate guards who handed him a wrist band and took his admission money 
before letting him pass. Tori pulled up and rolled her auto window down. 
She took the arm band and started to hand him the money.

	"Oh, that guy ahead of you payed already." the guard smiled to 
her and waved her on through.

	Tori drove on with a look of shock. "That man, I swear." she 
laughed.

	Pulling the car up backwards into a trailer parking area, 
she quickly got out and unhooked the car as Dominic made his way 
over from his parked car. Once the trailer was unhooked from 
the car, Tori hopped back in the car and parked it beside Dom's, 
then headed back toward the trailer. By then he had opened the door 
and Tai had eagerly hopped out, helping Dominic pull out the 6 foot 
canopy stretch onto the ground. Tori started pulling out the hook ups 
and plugging up water and sewage along with a few other electrical wirings.

	The announcment came not an hour later, just after everone 
had settled that the quarter mile races were beginning. 
Patting her hand on Dominic and Tai's knees, Tori grinned. "That's 
my call. See you guys in a few."
	
	Tai stood up along with Dom. "Are you kidding? We're going to 
watch you!" he grinned and ran off to the sidelines excitedly. Dominic 
laughed and shrugged walking after him as Tori laughed and headed off 
to check the car, then get in line.

***

	Tori reved up her engine, looking to the meters, making 
sure everything was in working condition when she hear a whistle from 
beside her. Looking up and over she spotted the grinning face of 
Angela. 

	'Oh great' Tori thought, 'I have to race her.'

	"Like I said before, Good luck cause your gonna need it!" 
She yelled then laughed as she rolled up the black tinted window of 
her blood red Dodge Viper 2001. She also pumped her engine and turned 
back to switch on the little NOS tank in the back. 'No need for the larger 
ones, she thought, 'this is gonna be a breeze'.

	Turning up her stereo on the song 'Ready to go', Angela 
gleefully bounced slightly in the seat, gripping the steering wheel 
in anticipation.

	Tori on the other hand was now nervous as all hell and she 
knew that could cost her this race and Dom's two grand he'd loaned her 
for the race. She knew he wouldn't care about the money, but she 
did.  It had cost all of them togather two thou to get into the Race 
wars for each car racing.  That took enough off her hide as it was. 
Sighing in frustration, she turned on the small NOS tanks that Dom 
had reinstalled behind her seat. A sudden knock on her window made her 
jump before moving the window down to reveal Dominic's smiling face.

	"Jumpy today? Whatever could make you jumpy?" he laughed and 
leaned out of her swat range. "Listen, " he said leaning against 
the rim of the window and slightly inside the car, "Angela just does 
this to make everyone nervous-"
	
	"Well it's working." Tori groaned, looking over to him.

	"Tori, "he took her chin in his hand, "don't let her get to 
you. Angela is very predictable. She may seem like a bitch now, but 
if you win, she'll be pissed for a minute and then respect you the 
rest of her life. So win, Tori. Do it for yourself." he grinned and 
before she could protest leaned in kissing her quickly on her lips.

	Tori sighed as he left. He was right. She needed to win. 
She would win. She will win. Feeling herself start to pump up, she let 
her windows roll up and gripped the steering wheel watching the 
flagger as he waved his arms to signal the two to 'be ready'. Moments 
later the flags went down and the two cars, Tori's and Angela's burnt 
out, taking off at top speed. Down the quarter mile stretch the two 
sped, even with each other. Angela looked over angrily and pushed her 
first NOS, as did Tori who seconds before the end pressed her 
second release and gave out a whoop as she sped past Angela and the 
finish line. Angela watched as both Tori and hers cars came to a stop 
and she sat there a moment, not moving before getting out and walking 
toward Tori's car, which was farther stopped ahead that hers. Tori 
was leaning against her car, her eyes shut thanking whatever god or 
goddess was up there she had done it.

	"Well." Angela started, bringing Tori to look up at her. "That 
was refreshing. Never been beat so quickly before. I must say I'm 
impressed. But one of these days girl, I'm gonna beat you. "She smiled.

	Tori laughed. "You can try."

	"What'd you say your name was again?" Angela asked, sheilding 
her eyes and moving closer to stand beside Tori as Dominic and Tai 
made their way out to the finish line.

	"Tori. Tori Whitton." she grinned and took Angela's hand 
again. "and your Angela. Don't believe I got a last name..."

	Angela smiled. "Cause I didn't give it to you, but it's Mooreland."

	"Good to properly meet you." Tori laughed to which Angela gave 
a her own answering laugh.

	"See? I told you she was harmless." Dom laughed and 
greeted Tori with a hug. "Congrats. Won your first Race War race. 
That rarely happens. " he smiled into her hair as he lifted her, 
spinning her once, making her laugh before setting her back on her feet.

	"Hey folks, I'm gonna need ya'll to move your cars for the 
next race k?" the end flagger said before walking back to his post.

	The four got into their respective group cars and drove back 
around. Tori parked the car in the lot not far from the races beside 
Dom's for the later racing time before heading back around to the 
trailer and hopped inside with Dom, leaving the door open. Tai stayed 
outside the trailer, watching the racers as they drove up to the line 
to begin their quarter mile races. Tori had flat out refused his request 
to try the races, saying it was too dangerous and he wasn't ready. Yet 
she and Dom raced. He didn't get it. Sitting down in a wicker lounge 
chair, Tai sighed under the heat of the sun even though he was 
under a sheild. The temperature was an extra ten degrees or more 
due to the amout of hot metal and pavement roasting out in the 
sunlight. Looking back to the cars speeding down the quarter mile he 
stood, leaning against a canopy post. These were the races where you 
simply drove up with your wrist band and.....

	Tai looked over suddenly, remembering that Tori had layed 
her wrist band on the table just outside the door. If he could get to it....

***

	Dominic jumped off the step to the ground just outside the 
trailer. He had offered to go get Tori, Tai and him a drink because 
of the heat and there was a pretty cheap Pepsi machine around the 
corner from the trailer parking. The moment he stepped out of the 
trailer to ask Tai what he wanted, he realised the boy was missing. 

	Walking around the trailer, he called out for the kid. "Tai? 
Tai where'd you go to man?" Looking around the grounds he suddenly 
spotted Tai's RX-7 that Tori had used to race heading in line for the 
races. Gasping he turned to look back toward where the car had been 
parked beside his and sure enough it was gone. Turning to the table 
beside the trailer on instinct, he realized that Tai menat to use 
Tori's band to get into the races. 

	Dashing out toward where the cars were lined up, he saw he 
didn't have much time as Tai was only three away from racing. Darting 
between the cars and people, accidentally almost tripping over 
some trash a few times, Dominic finally made his way to the car and 
came skidding to a stop on the other side of it, banging on the 
roof of the car. 

	Tai jumped and rolled down the window, sighing in frustration as 
he saw Dom there.

	"What the hell do you think your doin?!" Dom yelled over the 
reving of the cars in front and behind of Tai's. 

	"What does it look like I'm doing Dom? I'm racing! Look, 
Tori's never gonna let me race unless I show her I CAN race! This is my 
chance Dom!"

	"Your chance?! To what? Get killed?!" he asked, moving with 
the car as Tai pulled up. Looking up he saw there was now only one car 
in front of Tai, waiting it's turn, then he was stuck. Sure enough there 
was no way that he could get out of it. A man with a metal clipper came 
over to the car, ignoring Dom and taking a look at the band on Tai's 
wrist before waving him on to let the flagger know this one was ok 
to go.

	"Dom, get back." Tai said lowly.

	"Tai-"

	Tai leaned out the side of the window, jerking on his buckle once 
more to make sure it was secure. "Forget it Dom, your not talking me out 
of this one. So just STEP BACK." Tai growled before rolling up his 
window, ignoring Dom's protests completely.

	Dominic, seeing that Tai isn't going to listen to him and has 
indeed already gotten into the races, runs toward the silver trailer 
that Tori was in. Apon reaching the trailer, Dom threw open the door and 
rushed inside, nearly scaring Tori into a heart attack.

	"Fuck, Dom, what was that about! You scared me!" Tori said, 
spinning on her heels with a cold look in her eyes.

	"Tai is out on the race field. He's up next. I think he's really 
gonna race. Just thought you might want to save his ass." he said, 
huffing from his mad dash to the trailer.

	"WHAT?!" Tori yelled, dashing out of the trailer to rush 
towards the drag track. 

	The engines of the cars reved as the prepared, then the two racers 
sped off at top speed as the markers arms came down, signaling the start 
of the quarter mile race. Tori ran to the side lines where the crowds 
were forced to stop and screamed out at Tai's car as it went racing by 
only ten feet from her. Tai, she could tell, saw, but couldn't stop now 
even if he wanted too. He had placed nearly a thousand on this one race. 
Most of their money.

	Dom grabbed Tori's arms to keep her from jumping over the 
rope as she struggled to get to her brother who was speeding away at a 
high rate. His grip was tight and he held her close, lest he loose her 
to the crowd or the security guards.

	"I'm gonna kill that boy." he heard her murmer as she calmed down, 
watching the cars get closer to their destination.

	Tai took a quick look over at his opponent as he sped up. They 
were nearly to the end. Neck and neck. Now was his chance. Pressing 
down on the valve release, he let loose with the first tank of NOS, knowing 
that was all he needed. The car jolted and picked up tremendous speed as 
it waifed passed the other and over the finish line. Letting out a 
tremendous whoop, Tai let the car slow, then applied the brakes till 
he came to full stop. Stepping out of the car, he watched in amusment 
as the loser slamed his fist into the steering wheel of his own car. 
Jumping up in excitment, Tai laughed and smiled as he saw his sister and 
Dominic coming toward him. His smile faded as he saw Tori speed up and 
the look on her face one the said 'You are so dead'. Jumping, he ran 
behind his car as his sister came around the other side.

	"Come 'ere Tai. Get your ass over here or I swear to God...!" 
Tori dashed after Tai, chasing him around his RX-7 , swiping for him on 
every turn. "Tai, damnit, stand still. I'm not going to kill you." she 
yelled.
	
	Finally giving in, Tai slowed to a stop in front of Dominic 
who had a 'you made a big mistake' smirk on his face. He quickly realized 
his mistake as Tori came around the back of the car and smacked him 
up the backside of his head, then got in his face.

	"Do you have any idea how many years you've just taken off of 
my life! Tenty one! One because he", points to Dom who puts his hands up 
in defense, "scared me shitless jumping into our trailer and the other 
twenty because of YOU! Do you realize how worried I was! You could have 
killed yourself! You've never done anything like that, you could have lost 
control!" she yelled.

	"But I didn't! I told you! I know what I'm doing. I've been 
watching you for so many goddamned years, I should know by now! You've 
been teaching me, so how could I have failed! I won! That's the point!"  
Tai yelled back.

	"He's right. He did win after all." Dom started to put in.

	"Shut up, Dom!" Tori yelled before turning back to her brother. 
"That's not important. Winning is not everything! If I've taught you 
anything, it should be that!"

	"If you've taught me anything, it's that winning is everything! 
Especially in the race!" Tai yelled before stalking off to grab his prize.

	Tori looked taken aback for a moment before standing and walking 
away, no expression on her face. Sighing, Dom followed them as Tai's car 
was pulled back to the after center for them.

***

	Tai plopped down in the lawn chair watching as the other cars started 
their own quarter mile drags. He paid no attention to his sister who did the 
same to him before walking back into their trailer and slamming the door shut. 
Dominic came up and placed a hand on his shoulder, patting it lightly 
before walking to the trailer. Cautiously opening the door, he peered in, 
suprised to find her sitting on the bed looking out the window at Tai, 
silent tears running down her cheeks as she watched her brother wallow 
in his anger. Dom sighed to himself, knowing how a sibling could nearly 
kill your nerves. Walking over to her, he sat on the bed, catching her 
attention. She quickly turned to him and wiped her tears. 

	"He just makes me so crazy sometimes, ya know? I mean, I try I 
really do, but he takes these things so carelessly. One of these days 
I just know he's..." Tori again broke down in useless sobs and Dominic 
pulled her against him, running his hand over her hair as he too looked 
out the window at Tai.

	"Guess he feels he has to prove something to you. That he's not 
little anymore. That's how guys are. I'm pretty much the same way with 
Mia, but I don't know what I'd do if I lost her either." Dominic 
tried to comfort her fears, but knew she had to face the risks her 
brother took sooner or later.  He understood the fear that she was going 
through having gone through the same with Mia, but also he knew he 
couldn't know it as well. He had friends to help him watch over her and 
she had been around them all the time during the years of training and 
learning. Tai however was Tori's only family. If she lost him, she lost 
everything that was worth living for. Tai was her life. It had to be 
tough.

	Squeezing Tori tighter in his grip, Dominic sighed, letting her 
know in his silent way that he wasn't going anywhere. Tori pulled away 
from him after a few moments and looked up into his soft brown eyes. 
Dominic stared into her own blue ones and searched, seeing her emotions 
through the pools. Unable to help himself, Dom leaned down and gently 
pressed his lips to hers, hearing her sigh as he moved closer after a 
moment. Her hand ran up his arm to his back and on up to his neck, 
pulling him in closer to the kiss. Tori felt like she were drowning in 
the kiss, loosing herself in the one man in all these years who wasn't 
intimidated or run off by her. Noone had ever gotten this close before 
and she'd be damned if she would loose the chance now. She felt his hands 
in her hair, pulling her head closer as he let his tongue gently flow 
into her mouth to dance with hers for a moment before they both reluctantly 
pulled away. 

	Leaning her head back to look into his eyes again, Tori smiled. 
"Thank you, Dominic. Don't know what we do without you here. Tai and me."

	"You two would be fine. You've raced before-"

	"But not like this. This is different. And with Tai out there 
now.....I need you around, amazing as that is, me needing anyone. I 
never thought I'd need anyone's help, anyone's friendship. Never 
thought I'd need anyone period. But here you are, and here I need you. I 
don't think I'd even know where to begin if we were alone in this." she 
said turning her head close to his chest to look back out at her brother 
who now stood near the edge of the canopy not far from the trailer, watching 
others race. "He's so young, but he's so old. Does that make sense?" 
Tori turned to look back up at Dominic.

	His smile was all the answer she needed as he ran his hand along 
the side of her face through her hair. "Yeah. I get ya." he said before 
kissing her again.

	"We'd better get back out there. The half mile races are coming up 
and I entered for that. And I know you did the same." Tori said taking his 
hand and pulling him with her to the door to the outside. He pulled 
her into his arms for one more brief kiss before they opened the door and 
made their way out into the sunny day, shades pulled down to shield their 
eyes.


	Tori came to stand beside her brother, neither looking at the other, 
but both knowing the other was aware of them. Tori sighed staring out at 
the racers walking, racing, talking....they were all so excited. Noone 
had a clue of the domestic problems of each other or of one anothers 
lives. 

	"I'm sorry." The words sounded so loud in her head, but in reality 
they were barely loud enough for Tai to hear. He heard them though. His head 
fell and he stared down at the dirt, kicking at it.
	
	"Yeah, well...." he started.

	"No, Tai, I'm serious." Tori turned toward her brother, her bare arm 
rising to place her hand on the faded white pole holding the canopy up 
from the campers edge. She looked at him through her dark sunglasses, 
lowering her face so he could see her eyes, then raising them again,
"I'm sorry. I should have thought about what I was getting you into. 
I didnt' think when I brought you along."

	"I had nowhere else to go. And I wouldn't have gone anywhere even if 
there were a place. I always wanted to stay with you. Your my family, Tori, 
that's why I came." Tai said, turning to her, suddenly looking much older than 
Tori remembered.

	"But I shouldn't have exposed you to this shit so early. I mean, 
damn Tai, your 15 and already your winning races. That's scary. Your 
supposed to have your whole life in front of you, but when you do this, 
what I do...you put your entire life on the line along with everything else." 
she sighed.

	"I know that Tor, but I don't care. It's worth it, for the speed, 
for the rush I get everytime that dial hits 90 and up, I feel like I'm the 
most powerful person in the world. Like noone can touch me. Hell, I 
don't even care about the money anymore, it's just the race. And you. That's 
all I need anymore. Without you two, it's not worth anything to be around." 
Tai said before walking into the trailer for water, shutting the door behind 
him.

	Again Tori was struck by what he had said. She had thought it was 
about the money for him. She had told him that was what she was in it 
for. And at first it was......but then...it just became the speed, 
the adrenaline. Everything else but the race and Tai was nothing to her. 
And now that Dominic was in her life, she had three things to live for. 
She completely understood what Tai meant when he said that otherwise it 
wasn't worth it. She knew he was ready...and that was the hardest part to 
come to terms with.

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