Since you guys have been loyal and VERY, VERY, VERY and VERY awesome with the positive reviews, here is FINALLY an update: )))
Sorry it's not up to standards, but this was really a filler chapter.
I'll try and get better with updates, but I can't promise anything.
And thanks once again for the AMAZING feedback. I write this for you guys!
Enjoy!
Ch 5 – Round Round
"That was a foul!"
"Say what?"
"Foul! That was a foul!"
"Psh. Not it ain't man. What you talkin' 'bout."
Evie collapsed onto the soft turf of the soccer field, amused at Earl and Twinkie's argument. "Relax girls." She got out between laughs. "You're both pretty."
The 2 boys shot her a look. "Shut up." They said in unison and continued to argue whether or not Twinkie had fouled.
"Hey, Han! Sort this wanker out!" Earl yelled.
"Oooh." Evie rolled onto her stomach. "Tatteltail" She said with a cheeky grin.
"A wanker?" Evie titled her head to see Han up on the balcony overlooking the field, grabbing a bottle of water from the cooler. "What do I look like, a zebra?" He then walked over to join Sean who was staring out over Shibuya Square.
Evie smirked and looked at Twinkie. "My, my. He sure did sort you out, huh Twink?"
Twinkie laughed while Earl lunged for Evie. "I'll sort you out, you little twit!"
Evie let out a shriek and jumped up off the ground. Earl chased her around the field in all directions, both of them laughing. One of the other guys they were playing with stepped out and grabbed Evie as she ran past him, grabbing her around her waist and swinging her up. "Ah!" She screamed. "Put me down!" She laughed, struggling against whoever had grabbed her.
"Hold her, man!" Earl caught up and started attacking Evie's sides, affectively making her burst out in a new phase of laughter.
"No! Earl, stop! Ah ha .. Earl!" Evie squeaked out. She tried kicking her legs out but Earl dodged them and her arms were pinned. "Ahh! No! Guys, come on! Help me out here!"
Earl didn't see the sneak attack. Twinkie grabbed him from behind and took him to the ground and Reiko pounced on him, tickling him with much more force than how he was just tickling Evie. Evie freed herself and bent forward, resting her hands on her knees trying to caught her breath.
"Stop! Reiko, stop! Twinkie, let me go!" It was Earl's time to laugh uncontrollably.
"Sucks, don't it?" said Evie, taking big gulps of air.
Everyone on the field and the spectators were all now laughing, and Reiko had given up her tickling. Twinkie stood up and let Earl get up as well. Earl turned to Reiko and captured her in hims arms and they walked off the field to the lounge area set up. Evie righted herself and took down her hair that had fallen in the small scuffle. She ran her fingers through her locks before sweeping it back up into a messy bun, slightly off to the side on the back of her head. She had lost her bobby pins somewhere, so the fringe of her side bangs tickled her cheek.
"Yo, E! You want a water?" called out Twink. He had somehow, in the short time given, had gotten up to the balcony and was digging in the cooler.
"For sure." she walked over to where she was standing below him and he tossed down a bottle. She twisted off the cap and took a deep swig. She turned around to walk to where everyone had seated themselves when someone called for her.
"Evie."
Evie stopped at his voice. She turned back around to see Han staring down at her from over the balcony. "Hmm?"
"Reiko told me you took interest into the black and silver RX-8."
"Sure did. Beautiful car."
A slow smile appeared on his face. "She also told me how the engine wasn't to your standards?"
"Now, I didn't say that. I said that -"
"There's a V8 sitting in my garage. Go knock yourself out." He reached into his pocket and threw down a set of keys. "To the car. Have fun with it."
Evie could have sworn that she saw a wink before he turned around and walked through the door to the stairwell. She picked the keys up off the ground and looked back up to see her brother leaning over the railing. "Ev, we're gonna head out for a bit. We'll meet you back at the garage. And don't mess up that car too bad, ok?"
Evie smiled up at him. "Suck it, big bro. I know what I'm doing." Sean followed Han out the door and Twinkie leaned back over the railing, calling to everyone one the other side of the field.
"Yo! Who's in the mood to fix up a car for E here?"
Evie turned and smiled at the cheers and whooping noises heard behind. Everyone picked each other up and walked out to the field in procession to the door. Reiko stopped next to Evie.
"About time he gave it to you."
"What?"
"I told him about what you said about the car. It took him this long to let you have it. He must have been waiting for the engine to come in for you."
"For me?"
"Sure. It's your car and you said you wanted a V8. So, Han waited until the engine came in and gave it to you. It's your little project now."
Evie grinned and spun the keys around on her finger. "Then I say we go get dirty."
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Stepping out from under her new RX-8, Evie wiped her arm across her forehead, trying to get ride of the perspiration that was beginning to gather. Her hair had begun to fall out of her messy bun and was sticking to the back of her neck and her face. The welder's apron she wore was starting to get way too hot and Evie undid the ties. She slipped the hot garment off and laid it across a near surface. She grabbed her bottle of water that she had set aside and sat down on a stool as she watched Reiko and Earl finish up the undercarriage of the car.
"So I heard Han taught you how to drift earlier." said Twinkie as he pulled up another stool next to Evie.
Evie took a drink and nodded. "Sure did."
Twinkie smiled. "And how'd you do?"
Evie laughed. "It took me long enough to get." She remembered how earlier in the day had Han taken her into the mountains. "But I got it, eventually."
"Gonna give Sean a run for his money?"
"Oh, hell yes."
"That's my E." Twinkie elbowed Evie in the ribs lightly. "Show him up, baby girl."
Evie replaced the top on her bottle and set it back down. "In time, Twink." She stood up and walked back to her car. "It's great to drift and be able to," she picked up a wrench and squeezed herself between Earl and Reiko, "but in order for me to race, it's gotta be for something important."
"That's interesting."
If it wasn't for Evie's quick reflexes, she would have dropped her wrench and would have instantly given herself away. She stepped out from under the car and saw Han standing on the middle ground of the garage and Sean coming down to see what everyone was up to.
"What is?" she asked, replacing the wrench back into the tool box.
"What you just said. You, Evelyn Boswell, are a piece of work." Han turned and walked up the stairs to the loft where Evie saw Natalia sitting on the couch. Evie watched him, her brows knitted together in confusion.
Behind her, Sean whistled. "Nice car, Ev."
Evie dropped her head and turned around. "Yeah." She raised her gaze to look at her brother who was inspecting the work his little sister had just finish. She smiled at Reiko and Earl who quit their job for the time being and walked past to talk with Twink. "Have fun?"Evie directed at Sean.
He nodded and reached up into Evie's car. "We're all going to the mountains tomorrow. Han's finally teaching me the art of drifting." He looked down at her. "Then I'll show 'em."
"Show who?" After reading Sean's expression, Evie placed her hands on her hips and gave him a look. "Sean. Please don't tell me you're going to race Takashi, again. No matter how long and hard your practice drifting, you'll never -"
"Hey, hey." Sean laughed and turned to face Evie. "Don't you think you're being a little too harsh on me? I am, after all, family."
"Someone has to be. And besides, isn't there a rule about no racing? I remember you telling me Dad flipped shit when you finally came home after the first night at the races."
Sean shrugged. "So? Look at what we've been able to pull off since then."
Evie scoffed. "My god. You really want to go to Juvi, don't you?"
"No I don't, Evelyn." Sean sighed. "Just listen. I'm not going to race Takashi."
"Promise."
"Promise."
"Good." Evie relaxed and let her arms drop back to her sides. "Then who are you planning to race? Who know, after you can drift without completely wrecking a car." Evie grinned at Sean.
"When I'm good enough, Morimoto." replied Sean.
Evie nodded her head and jutted out her jaw thoughtfully. "Hmm. Takashi's right hand boy." She reached out and patted Sean's shoulder. "Beat his ass, big bro."
"I sure will, 'lil sis." Sean wrapped an arm around Evie's shoulders and pulled her to him. Twinkie, Reiko and Earl had rejoined them and together, they all worked on the finishing touches on Evie's car.
Above them, Han leaned against the railing and had watched Evie the moment Sean went to talk to her. "That little girl," said Natalia softly, coming to stand beside Han, "is something to behold." Han just nodded and took a swig of his beer. Natalia studied Han's profile and after a while, her gaze bounced from Evie to Han. "You know," she started and reached out a hand to run through Han's hair. When he turned to face her, waiting for the next part of her sentence, Natalia simply smiled. "Nevermind."
The corners of Han's mouth twitched and he looked back down at Evie, who was laughing about something. He pushed away from the railing and shook his head. After taking a deep swig from his bottle, with pulled Natalia close to him and began to nuzzle her neck. She pulled away with a coy grin before turning and leading him to the back of the garage.
Evie felt a pang somewhere in her chest when she looked up to the loft to see Han pull Natalia to him. Natalia threw her head back and giggled, an image of perfection, just like how a supermodel should be. She swallowed the lump in her throat before turning her attention back to everyone around her and her car.
By turning around, she missed Han look back over his shoulder.
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Evie was dreaming – no doubt about it. If the fact that Takashi, Sean and Neela all stood in a group by Sean's new car didn't have her decided, then it had to be that Han wasn't surrounded by his usual legions of girls. Only Evie was standing next to him, both leaning against the hood of his car. Evie watched the friendly conversation between the odd trio in front of her and smiled, cocking her head to the side in amusement.
"Nobody would ever believe this." said Han, leaning over to whisper into Evie's ear.
Evie nodded and her eyes left the group to the scan the crowd in the parking garage. She smiled at those she made eye contact with and noticed the same people that came here regularly and the newbies. But when her eyes locked on a familiar face, her heart stopped.
Yep. She HAD to be dreaming.
Xander was staring right back at her. That's when all noise drowned out of the garage. She eased off the hood, stood on uneasy legs and made her way through the crowds to him. Finally coming to stand in front of him, everything around them stilled, as if someone had pushed a pause button on life.
"You're looking good, Evie-B."
Evie smiled at his, and only his, nickname for her. "I'm dreaming."
Xander laughed and dug his hands into his pockets. "Not shit, Shirley. You were always the one for pointing out the obvious."
Evie punched him on the shoulder. "Shut up." They stood staring at each other, both with smiles upon their faces. "I miss you, Xander." She whispered after a while.
"And you think that I don't miss you?"
"Well, I would hope so .."
Xander chuckled. "Don't worry, little Evie-B, I do. I miss the hell outta you." Xander looked around at their surroundings and over Evie's head to the group she had just left. "But I see you're doing great. But all the way in Tokyo? Whose fault was it?"
"You know damn well it wasn't me. I haven't really driven, let alone race since that ni -"
"Sean finally got busted for showing off his racing ability?" Xander interjected.
Evie nodded. "He is still has headstrong and as stubborn as ever. A bit more since you're gone."
"He's the only one to protect you now." Xander's gaze again went over Evie's head. "But I think someone else is wanting to protect you, but making it a whole less obvious."
Evie followed where Xander's eyes and fallen and turned around. He had looked at Evie's small group of close friends. With time stopped, Evie saw that Sean and watched Evie walk away from being near – just being the big brother that he was. Earl, Reiko and Twinkie were all laughing near Twink's van and Han was who surprised her. He was staring at her, clearly having watched her walk away to Xander. It was his eyes that had her dumbfounded. Han wasn't looking at her as if she was just someone walking away. It was the same look that Xander had always had on her when she was around Tony.
A strong look of caring and protection.
A look of ownership.
"Han."
"Han." Xander tested the name and Evie turned back around to him. "He's a good man. A little too old for you, but hey, I'm dead. Who am I to stop you. Wise choice."
"What?"
"I may not be apart of the living anymore, Evie-B, but I am still your best friend. Even if I was blind I could tell you have feelings for him." Evie's eyes widened and her jaw dropped to reply. "Don't worry, E-B. Everyone else is clueless. You're good, but you're not that good as to hide stuff from me. You should know that."
Evie looked up at Xander's smiling face and shook her head, laughing softly. "I never could."
"You never will." Xander's attention once again was pulled from Evie's face to above her head and his jovial expression turned grim. He reached out and pulled Evie close to him and leaned down to her whisper into her ear. "Things are going to get worse, Evelyn. You need to be extremely careful."
Evie was surprised at his sudden seriousness and at the fact that he fulled named her, but she shrugged it off. "If you're talking about Takashi and Sean, I know al -"
"Quite the opposite."
"Then what is it?" Evie looked at Xander and his gaze was still away from her. "Xander, please. Tell me."
Xander finally tore his gaze away from whatever he was looking at. "Your past is going to come crashing back to you."
Evie's heart dropped to her toes as Tony flashed through her mind. "No. You're joking. I haven't heard of him since the night you died. There is no way he knows me and Sean moved. For God's sakes, we're in a different country!"
Xander spun Evie around to where he was looking. "I'm not." He placed his hands on both of Evie's shoulders and held her. And if he hadn't, Evie would have fallen to the ground. Standing off in an isolated corner, stood Tony and a few people Evie recognized as being part of his 'gang'.
Evie looked eyes with him and a sinister smile stretched across his face. She gasped. "No .. No .."
Xander spun her around to face him again just as Tony started to walk towards them. "He's going to come for you. And this time, he's not going to give up."
Evie awoke with a sudden jolt. Her heart was pounding in her chest and tears were forming behind her eyes. She quickly looked around her and saw that she was in Han's garage. She laid there for a few moments to try and normalize her breathing. After a few seconds of deep breathing, Evie moved herself to a sitting position on the couch she had fallen asleep on.
She noticed that someone had draped a blanket across her at sometime, but it was now a tangled heap at the other end of the couch. Evie set her feet on the ground and placed her elbows on her knees. Evie rested her chin in her hands and stared off into space. The tears that were building behind her eyes started to fall and Evie sobbed quietly. She buried her face into her hands and cried helplessly into them.
"That can't happen." She said to herself between sobs. "He can't possibly find me."
Han watched from the his spot in the middle of the path leading to the back of garage and watched as Evie's back shook with each new wave of tears. He was about to walk fully into the loft to see what was the matter, but Natalia, who appeared from behind him, gently grabbed his wrist.
"No." She mouthed. When Han gave her a questioning look, she added on in a faint whisper, "She'll come to you when she wants to." She tugged his arm before letting go and walking back from where she came.
Han took a step in suit, but turned back around to see Evie still crying.
Right in that moment, he decided with himself that he would protect little Evelyn Boswell.
He would protect her right until the moment he died, just like how Xander did.