Title: Just Across The Hall

Author: Desi

Rating: M+ (as usual)

Summary: Semi-AU. Mia and Letty are roommates and sparks fly when Mia's brother, Dominic and his best friend, Brian, move into their apartment building. Just across the hall. Dotty & Bria. Definite M+ for lovin' and language.

Disclaimer: If they're familiar to you, I don't own them.

A/N: This story is the I have four other stories in progress right now. Feel free to check those out as well. Also, for the sake of time and immature relationship activities, I've made the team younger (they should probably thank me). Enjoy, munchkins. (:

Chapter 1: Moving In

Saturday, mid-June, Los Angeles, 9:23AM

Rhythmic thumping and shouting had awaken Letty on her day off.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Letty grumbled, annoyed.

The brunette pulled one of her pillows off of her head and then squinted at the harsh sunlight that filled her room. She sat up and pushed the black duvet off of her body as she slipped her legs over the side of the platform bed. Goosebumps immediately prickled her tanned, olive skin, thanks to the air conditioner on full blast.

In black boxer shorts, a white, V-neck t-shirt and her hair in wild curls, Letty struggled to make her way to her bedroom door. Opening it, the noises got louder and Letty's hangover seemed much worse. As she made her way down the short hallway, she peeked in the kitchen to see Mia, her best friend of 15 years, drinking a cup of coffee and surfing the internet on the MacBook in front of her.

"What the fuck is going on?" Letty demanded.

"New neighbors." Mia answered. She drank from her coffee mug and then offered it to Letty. "From the yelling, I'm pretty sure they're moving a couch and it accidentally fell on someone's foot."

Letty accepted the offered mug and sipped from it, gratefully. "Who moves at nine a.m.?"

"Normal people." Mia replied, distractedly. Leaning closer to her computer screen, she muttered, "Alexander McQueen, available only in mustard and charcoal. Pass."

"Who's moving in next door?"

"Two guys."

"Gay?"

Mia laughed. "Not as far as I know."

"Well, I'm gonna tell 'em to keep it down." Letty headed to the front door and Mia jumped up from the table to follow her.

Unlocking and opening the front door, Letty began, "Hey guys, could you keep it-."

In her line of vision stood Dominic Toretto, Mia's older brother. In just a tank top and sweatpants, the Italian's muscles rippled, damp with a light sheen of perspiration. He was lifting one end of a large, black leather couch. Letty's brown eyes flashed towards the white boy that carried the other end.

"Down." Letty breathed out.

"Sure thing, Let. Sorry for being so loud." Dom replied.

"Letty, you remember my brother, Dom, and his friend Brian, right?" Mia smirked, gently pushing her shoulder.

"Uh... yeah. Hey." Letty replied. Suddenly, her wild bedhead was making her a little self-conscious. And her boxers were a little too revealing.

What the hell was she thinking? It was only Dominic! He wasn't anybody special! Besides, Dominic Toretto had seen her in much less.

"Hey." Dom smiled.

"What's up, Letty?" Brian greeted.

"Rough night?" Dom asked as he turned and manuevered the couch into the door of their apartment.

"Always." Letty grinned.

"Hey, you guys should come by for a couple of beers tonight once we're all moved in." Brian offered.

"Sounds like a plan." Mia said. "In the meantime, do you guys need any help?"

"We need all the help we can get. My buddy, Vince, was supposed to be here at nine, with Leon and Jessie, but apparently, they had a rough night too." Dom explained.

The two men backed further into the apartment before setting the couch down.

Mia looked at Letty, before whispering. "You might want to take care of that, uh... issue in your bedroom."

Letty's eyes widened. "Oh, crap. Here." She thrusted the steaming liquid into Mia's hands before heading back to her bedroom. She climbed back onto her bed and pushed the brunette hair out of her sleeping companion's face. Letty kissed the cheek of the exotic woman in her bed.

"Gisele, wake up." Letty prodded, gently. "I have to help my friend's brother move into his apartment today."

The gorgeous, tall woman twisted in her semi-asleep state, stretching languidly. "Okay. Okay, I'm up," her accented voice announced. She turned to face Letty and smiled. "You're cute in the morning."

Letty laughed. "So are you."

Pushing back the sheets and duvet, Gisele exposed her nude body, tempting Letty. She grabbed Letty's hands and placed them on her naked breasts, prompting Letty to squeeze them. Letty leaned down to kiss Gisele's cheek.

"Mm. I would love to continue this, but I have to go help. Maybe I'll see you later." Letty told her.

"Fine." Gisele acquiesced. She got up, peeling her strapless bandage dress off of the floor and pulling it over her head. She grabbed her platform-pumps, wallet and keys from various places in Letty's room and started towards the front door. Letty followed.

The front door had been left ajar, and Letty could see Mia placing a box down on the floor across the hall. Gisele turned around and planted one last kiss on Letty's cheek before she headed down the stairs. Letty turned on her heels, pushing her hair back and headed back to her room to get dressed.

Just across the hall, Dom had caught the fleeting moment between Letty and Gisele. He smirked and shook his head before ripping open a cardboard box.

Noon

Dropping a box on the floor, Letty twisted side-to-side, stretching her back.

"Lift with your knees. Not your back. Otherwise you'll pull something." Dom told her.

Letty turned around to see Dom setting two iron and glass side tables by the couch. As she pulled her hair up into a messy ponytails, she nodded her head.

"Good to know."

"The calvary has arrived." Leon's voice said. He, Jesse and Vince walked through the open front door.

"Letty! It's been too long, girl. Get over here." Vince laughed.

Hugging each of them, Letty began to feel like she was at home again.

Flashback, 10 years ago, (2003), Los Angeles

Running as fast as her feet could take her, a fifteen-year-old Letty headed down the street, fresh tears flowing freely. Her low-top Chuck Taylor's pounding against the pavement as she made a sharp right, taking the cement stairs two at a time.

"Mia!" Letty yelled, her small fist pounding on the front door. Her chest heaved and her thighs ached. Her head whipped over her shoulder to make sure the coast was still clear.

Before she had a chance to bang again, the front door flew open and Anthony Toretto stood there, as tall and strong as he could be, commanding respect. He looked down at the toned teenager on his doorstep and his face changed from annoyed to concern.

"Letty, wha-."

"Hi, Mr. Toretto. Is Mia here?" Letty asked, quickly through a set of sniffs. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, her mascara smearing.

"Letty! Letty, get your ass back here!" A loud voice yelled down the street.

Letty and Tony turned in the direction that the teenager had came to see her stepfather heading down the street.

"Get inside now." He said. He pulled Letty into the house. Eighteen-year-old Dom and Vince, hearing the commotion, came around from the detached garage.

"Pop? What's going on?" Vince asked. He and Dom were covered in engine oil and dirt.

Mia had run down the stairs and she'd pulled Letty into a hug. Pulling back, Mia pushed Letty's hair from her face, noticing the reddening cheek. "Jesus, Letty. Come on. Let's put some ice on your face."

While Mia led her best friend to the kitchen, Tony, Dom and Vince walked down the stairs as Letty's stepfather walked up.

"You are not welcome here. Turn around and go back home, Marc." Tony told him.

"I'm not leaving here without Letty. She's a minor and she'll do as I say." He wiped his lip, wincing at the sharp sting. Despite the situation, Dom smirked. Letty had clearly fought back and gotten a few good hits in.

Stepping toe-to-toe with Marco Parrilla, Anthony Toretto was never one to back down.

"Listen, Marc. You reek of bourbon and you've been hitting on that girl. If you step foot back onto my property, I will not call the police. I will personally handle this. And if you ever decide to call the cops, we'll have a dozen photos showing just exactly what you've done to her. Furthermore, she does not live with you or her mother any longer. We have plenty of room here." Tony looked him up and down in disgust. "Get yourself some help, Marco."

End of flashback

7:01PM

"I totally remember that. I thought Mr. T was going to kick Marco's ass." Vince laughed.

"So, did Marco ever come back for Letty?" Brian asked.

"He tried once. And he got my mother to try, too. Mr. Toretto had even offered to legally adopt me." Letty replied, drinking from her beer. "He was an amazing man."

They'd finished unloading the U-Haul truck and it wasn't long before they'd noticed that the sun was setting. Cracking open a few beers, the small team started to unpack a few boxes as they sat around the newly-furnished living room.

Dom cleared his throat and drank from his Corona. Conversations about his dad still saddened him. He was the best man that Dom had ever known; he'd taught Dom how to be a real man.

Mia patted her brother's knee and then looked back down into the box she'd been looking through. The gesture didn't go unnoticed by Letty. Using the couch for leverage, she pushed herself off of the floor and moved onto the black, buttery-smooth leather. Dom watched from the corner of his eye as Letty pulled her knees up, rested them against the arm of the couch and released her hair from its elastic prison.

"I'm starving. Anyone want a pizza?" Jesse asked, grabbing his cell phone off of the table.

"Will you order pizza and Chinese? I want shrimp fried rice and a slice of mushroom pizza." Vince announced.

"That sounds so good. Count me in." Letty added.

"Same." Mia and Leon said in unison.

Looking over at her childhood crush, and first lover, Letty took a personal note that he was already looking at her.

Up Next: A little too much comfortability.

A/N: Feed the writer. Reviews are extra healthy treats.