The Fast & the Furious *Rose*

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

He hadn't showered.
He looked like a mess.
Because he was a mess.
Tear tracks lined his caramel face.
Dark hair stuck out in odd tufts.
His eyes were red from crying.
Fuck, his head hurt.
He shook it a little, popping a pain reliever into his mouth.
He would never get drunk again. He felt horrible.
That is not because of the alcohol, a voice in his head told him.
He stopped, feeling a bit confused. That wasn't his thought. Was it?
Guillermo shrugged, then flung his door open.
He remembered the night before, although it was entirely hazy and mixed up.
He had been a. Mother. Fucking. Jerk.
Be home, he willed her in his head. He needed to see her. He had to apologize. She didn't know why he had done those things, and she deserved to know. He ran his hands through his hair, sighing as he banged his head gently against the door of his apartment.
Rose hated him. He could see in her eyes that she was hurt and scared and angry.
He couldn't blame her.
But she would run away again. And never look back.
Guillermo squeezed back a sob threatening to issue from his mouth.
Rose, I love you.
Look, you've got to understand, I wasn't trying to be a prick-
I'm sorry about what happened last night, but the thing is, I love-
I love you, Rose. I know I was stupid last night, but my dad died and I-
I'm sorry.
Don't hate me.
Rose.
I love you.
His mind whirred through options of how to tell her as he paced nervously.
Then the doorknob to Rose's apartment clicked unlocked.
She was coming out.

[ROSE MERCER]

Rose had two types of anger. The first one, you knew she was angry. It was as plain as day, and she would tell you exactly what she thought was wrong with you. Her temper would flair, things would be said.

And then there was the worse one.

The one where she didn't act angry at all.


She awoke on the couch, face sore from the crying she had done, before sleeping. Looking around, she viewed all the things she had. And how had she gotten them things? By herself. Rose was a creature of independence. As the scene from last night replayed in her head, she felt a twisting knot form in her throat. She didn't need that two-faced, stupid, drunk, hurtful, passionate, beautiful-

NO!

It had all been lies. She was a piece of ass to him, and he made that perfectly clear last night. Best friend, her Ass.

Things had been so crazy lately. Why had she let him in so much? Rose felt stupidity bash into her brain like a hammer. She had trusted someone, unlike she had trusted before. And it came back to haunt her.

Rising from the couch, she went to the bathroom, putting the shower on straight hot. As the slow hot water began to build, she looked in the mirror, pulling her hair out of the braid it had been in last night. "You don't need him. You don't need anybody." Her face was smooth, indicating zero emotion. She was done crying.

She was just done.

So she showered, her fair skin turning beat red under the heat of the water, and not really caring. And she washed quickly, and got out, waiting for the steam to fade before applying her make up. And then she dressed, her cloths simple and un-cumbersome, so they would work well beneath her work jumpsuit. And she combed her hair and let it fall down her back, deciding she would throw it up when she got there. Wrapping the coat around her slim body, she skipped breakfast, and instead headed out the door.

He was there.

Yesterday, had he appeared in the morning, she would have been concerned at his state. And though she ignored it, the same concern was there. But instead, she gave him a blank look, before turning to lock her door. "Good morning." Her voice had no trace of familiarity. It was cold, polite, professional. "Hows your head?"

Without waiting for an answer, she started down the stairs, not giving him the benefit of eye contact. If he was here to apologize, she had no interest.




OUTFIT OF RAGE

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

She exited her apartment, then turned to look at him.
"Rose."
She stared at him momentarily, before turning to lock her apartment.
His confidence faltered drastically.
Her eyes were cold and indifferent.
Hollow.
"Rose?"
"Good morning."
She spoke as if she had never seen him before.
The pain in his chest deepened.
"Hows your head?"
He stared at her, longing for her to turn off the robotic state.
She began to walk down the stairs and he followed.
He'd rather that she hit him. Hurt him. Yell. Anything.
Just not this.
"Rose, please wait. I really need to talk to you."
He ran down the steps, jumping into her way.
"I'm sorry, Rose. So sorry. Those things I said last night- I never meant.."
His voice cracked with emotion.
She had to believe that he never meant what he said, right?
He loved her.

[ROSE MERCER]

Eyes forward, be strong. They always apologize. Just ignore him. Don't melt into those eyes. Don't be a sucker. Don't listen to the tragic way he says your name. Full of confidence and hope and....

"Rose, please wait. I really need to talk to you." She did not stop, at least until she was cut off. She crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows, waiting impatiently. "I'm sorry, Rose. So sorry. Those things I said last night- I never meant.." She held back any sign that her resolve almost faltered at his cracking voice.

"Don't worry about it. It's not the first time I've had to deal with a drunk asshole." Her tone was light, flippant; but anyone who knew Rose knew she was a creature of semantics. She had not said he was acting like a drunk asshole. She had said he was a drunk asshole. She looked around, giving him a brief two fingered salute. "Well, I have to go to work, so I'll see you around." With that, she walked past him, continuing down the stairs. God, she needed a place on the ground floor.

As she moved down the stairs, she spoke in a still flippant voice, not bothering to look back. "But for the record. You didn't have to pretend to be a nice guy. I would have fucked you anyway." The icy stab did not go unmissed by passerby, who gave Guillermo a quizzical look before continuing on his way. Her foot steps quickened, just wanting to get to her car.

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

"Don't worry about it. It's not the first time I've had to deal with a drunk asshole."
Guillermo felt as if he had been slapped. His head dropped abashedly, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He couldn't meet her icy eyes anymore.
"Well, I have to go to work, so I'll see you around."
She walked around him. His face was one of hopelessness and disbelief at her tone.
"But for the record. You didn't have to pretend to be a nice guy. I would have fucked you anyway."
His heart almost stopped.
A person walking past shot Guillermo an alarmed, inqusitive look.
He ignored them and ran to Rose.
His chest was stinging as if she had just branded him with fire.
"Rose, please. You've got to believe me-" His voice was choked by the strangled cry attempting to release itself from his body.
Two tears ran steadily down his face, before he wiped them away with his fist. Rose didn't like crying.
He gasped slightly, watching her walk away.
He sat back down on the steps, another tear releasing.
So this was how his father had felt when his mother left.
He gulped back another sob as she drove away.

[ROSE MERCER]

"Rose, please. You've got to believe me-" She kept walking, staring determinedly forward. He didn't continue to follow her, which was a relief as well as a sting. She got into her Baby, newly restored, and sped off before he could change his mind.

As she drove, Rose let out a few tears, wiping them away before they could mess up her make up. He looked so sad... maybe his regret was genuine. But... no. No! Her Father had been genuine, how many times? As many as Rose's Mother had black eyes and busted lips. Rose wasn't her Mother, she REFUSED to do this stupid dance. Guillermo could be racked with as much guilt as he likes.

Apart of her understood. His Father just died, his sister had vanished, he never knew his Mother. But Rose had had a hard life, and she wasn't being a drunken asshole...

Well, she wasn't drunk anyway.

She pulled into her Uncle's Motor shop, seeing a busted Volkswagen Beetle, that was beyond repair. And when you could tell something was beyond repair at first glance, that was saying something. She walked in, Hiro and Stefano passing the clipboard back and forth, neither wanting to do a scrap job. It was a stupid thing, to Rose, that her Uncle had a side scrapping thing. Something about not wanting broken down cars on the corners. She took the clip board in passing, looking it over briefly. "I'll take it." Both looked at her perplexedly, but she moved to the lockers before she could endure the stares longer.

She was sick of staring, and it wasn't even ten yet.

As she climbed into her pale blue jumpsuit, Stefano and Hiro hovered tentatively. "Everything okay, Chica."

"Yep." She answered, not looking up.

"You and Guillermo get into a fight."

Rose flinched at his name, but finished buttoning up. "Nope." No, they weren't fighting. They weren't anything. They were nothing. "Pull the hunk into the back, I'll get started." She went to the back alley, digging the sledgehammer out of the shed, putting on the protective goggles. The boys brought it back to her, as she blasted her Hollywood Undead CD, cracking her neck.

The metal made harsh noise, as she swung it like a battle axe. So, what? Why was she feeling guilt? SMASH! He should feel guilty. SMASH! He tricked her! SMASH! And now he sees that she's done with whatever mindfuck he was up too- SMASH! and he wanted to apologize? SMASH! SMASH! SMASH! And think that everything would go back to normal? SMASH! FUCK HIM! SMASH!

Chunks of rusting metal rained around her, but the hood was broken enough that she could simply rip it off. Flinging it aside, she got back too it.

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

After what seemed like hours, Guillermo stood and took the steps one at a time, back to his apartment.
His face was raw and stung from the salt water.
He entered his apartment and stepped into the shower, washing quickly. Then he stood there until the water got cold.
Suddenly, his head snapped up.
He was NOT going to sit here and whine like Seth fucking Foxworth.
He was going to tell her how he felt, goddamnit, whether she wanted to hear it or not.
A man wouldn't just sit here and do nothing.
Dressing in fresh clothes quickly, he ran out the door.
Guillermo went down to the garage, seeing Hiro first, not exactly comforted by the anxious expression that crossed his face when he saw Guillermo. "Dude-"
"Hey man, is Rose here?" Guillermo asked urgently, not bothering with niceties.
Hiro nodded slowly, tugging the collar of his jump suit. "Uh, yeah, but I don't think you want to see her right now. Are you guys fighting?"
"Why? Did she say something?"
Hiro was instantly torn between not wanting to be involved, and wanting to be in on the scoop. His nosier side kicked in.
"Nooot exactly. C'mon, you should see this."
He handed Guillermo a pair of protective goggles, bringing him back to the vacant lot. As they got closer, Guillermo's stomach flinched unpleasantly when his ears were filled with what could only be described as 'angry chick music'.
"See, we got this old car in today. Not to fix, but to scrap. And Rose offered to rip it apart, which is weird, since her nitch is more repair, but..."
Hiro cracked the back door open just in time for Guillermo to see her slam a sledgehammer violently against the metal like a pissed off viking from hell.
"She says she's fine, but... well, we have a hunch."
"Good hunch." Guillermo said, wincing as he watched her strike another blow.
"Uh, I really need to talk to her."
He looked a bit more nervous now, watching her closely, gulping slightly. But he couldn't help but notice she was even pretty when she was mad.
And boy, was she pissed.
"Rose. Can we talk?"

Thanks to Katie fucking Fitch and Disney's Brother Bear for the awesome lines. ^^

[ROSE MERCER]

Between the music and the sound of abused metal, she was surprised she heard when someone shouted at her. "Rose. Can we talk?"

Turning, she saw Guillermo, and that TRAITOR (who was completely unaware of the situation) Hiro standing their, seeing her. Her jaw squaring, she slammed the sledge hammer into the open hood, various chunks flying everywhere. Leaving it in their, she went and turned off the music, pulling the goggles up. "What?" She asked, a little short, wanting to get back to smashing things. Her eyes turned on Hiro, who stepped back quickly. "Don't you have work to do or something?"

Hiro held up his hands, not appreciating the lash out. "What the fuck did I do to you?" His eyebrow raised at Guillermo, before heading back in.

Rose pulled a cigarette out of her front breast pocket, looking for a lighter. "So... are you just going to follow me around until I accept your apology?" She found the lighter behind the radio. "Cause... Ok. Fine. I accept your apology. Conscious cleared." Taking a long drag, she pulled the goggles back down. The sledgehammer was jammed in the innards of the car, prompting her her to use her whole body, foot up on the bumper.

Seeing he was still there, she yanked him out of the doorway, closing the door behind him. "What?" She asked, breathless in her own burning anger. She tossed her goggles aside, kissing him hard, unbuttoning her jump suit. "¿Es esto lo que quieres?" She breathed into his ear, letting the jumpsuit fall and revealing the cloths underneath. It was a bit cold, being late fall, but she didn't care. Rage made her warm. Her blue eyes stared at him hard before dropping the cigarette and kissing him again, pinning him against the door.

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

"What?"
She glanced at Hiro.
"Don't you have work to do or something?"
Hiro held up his hands in surrender, turning around to exit.
"What the fuck did I do to you?"
Rose pulled out a cig.
"So... are you just going to follow me around until I accept your apology? Cause... Ok. Fine. I accept your apology. Conscious cleared." She lit it and took a long drag
Seeing he was still there, she yanked him out of the doorway, closing the door behind him.
"What?" She asked, breathless. She tossed her goggles aside, kissing him hard, unbuttoning her jump suit.
What the hell was she doing?
"¿Es esto lo que quieres?" She breathed into his ear, letting the jumpsuit fall and revealing the cloths underneath. Her blue eyes stared at him hard before dropping the cigarette and kissing him again, pinning him against the door.
He pushed her off gently, pinning her arms to her sides. He pulled the jumpsuit back up and over her shoulders.
"Rose, no. That's not why I came. I really want to talk to you, you have to listen-"
His eyes were somewhat insulted at the way she was expressing her anger. She thought he didn't care about her.
Wait.
She was angry... because he didn't care about her.
That meant that she cared about him.
She cared about him.
His eyes widened.

[ROSE MERCER]

He pushed her away, pinning her arms against her sides. "Rose, no. That's not why I came. I really want to talk to you, you have to listen-" She pulled away, scoffing loudly. Oh, now she was suppose to make sense? Because any of this made sense?

Picking back up her cigarette, she scowled at him deeply. "Si no está aquí para tener relaciones sexuales, entonces ¿por qué estás aquí?" It even stung her, to repeat those hurtful words he said to her last night. "Like, really, what are you doing here? Okay, cause, you made everything real fucking clear last night, so just go." Rose buttoned her jumpsuit back up and opened the door behind him, not wanting to listen to anything he said, going back inside.

Hiro and Stefano were muttering softly, silencing almost instantly as they saw Rose reenter. They must have been trading ideas as to what was happening outside. Her eyes stung a little, but she pushed the tears back. "Did you fill out the paperwork for the Hansen car yet?"

"Uh, no, not yet."

Rose's black mood was not reacting well, as she spoke in a sticky calm voice. "Great. You know, if you could actually do your job, that would be fucking great." She stared at some paperwork, unable to focus on what it actually said. "That is, if you two don't mind breaking up your little tea party..."

They exchanged glances, as Hiro asked in a quiet voice:"You two kids have a good talk then?"

She still did not look up, speaking in a gentle, tired, voice. "Blow me." She took the clipboard, and entered the supply closet, sitting on the floor and resting her head on her knees. Taking a deep breath, she groaned as heard the door open. "Came in here to be alone. Please go away."

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

"Si no está aquí para tener relaciones sexuales, entonces ¿por qué estás aquí? Like, really, what are you doing here? Okay, cause, you made everything real fucking clear last night, so just go."
He felt the sting of her words echo in his mind. God, he was such an ass.
She slipped past him, going back inside.
Hiro and Stefano stopped talking when Rose walked in.
"Did you fill out the paperwork for the Hansen car yet?"
"Uh, no, not yet."
"Great. You know, if you could actually do your job, that would be fucking great. That is, if you two don't mind breaking up your little tea party..."
Hiro apparently tried to lighten the mood.
"You two kids have a good talk then?"
"Blow me." Rose's voice said tiredly.
Guillermo grimaced at Hiro and Stephano. They both shrugged.
She passed over to the closet and went inside, bewildering him.
"Rose?"
She closed the door.
He went over and yanked it open, to find her sitting on the floor with her knees drawn up.
"Came in here to be alone. Please go away."
He crawled in beside her, shutting the door. He kneeled there, watching her.
"Look, Rose. You have to let me explain, please. I didn't mean anything that I said to you last night. I was angry and trashed and I don't deserve for you to even speak to me."
He swallowed, wetting his lips as he straightened confidently.
"The thing is, I love you, Rose. And whether or not you like it, it's true."
He sighed, wanting her to at least respond to him.

[ROSE MERCER]

Guillermo didn't listen to her request to be left alone. Instead he sat in front of her, as she pretended to ignore him. "Look, Rose. You have to let me explain, please. I didn't mean anything that I said to you last night. I was angry and trashed and I don't deserve for you to even speak to me." Hindsight is always 20/20. She waved her hand, not even driven enough to give a whatever. "The thing is, I love you, Rose. And whether or not you like it, it's true."

What? Slowly, her face looked up, looking like he just confessed to being a serial killer. "Wha- Are... are you still drunk?" Her heart began to race, and it took every bit of her focus not to hyperventilate on the spot. Why would he say that? What was he thinking? Taking a deep breath, she looked at him sternly, but without the anger. "Guillermo... you don't love me, okay. You're just... confused." She had never noticed how small this closet was. It was suffocating. "Confused and vulnerable about your Dad, and I get it. Okay. But don't... don't say that. Because..." Because why? She was unsure of how to finish that sentence.

He certainly didn't look confused.

She had to get out of here. "I have to get back to work. I'll... I'll talk to you later." She tried getting around him. "And we'll pretend last night... and this..." Especially this. "... never happened. I just need you to..." He needed to move. She had to leave, she couldn't keep looking at him after that. How could she look at him again? He literally just ruined everything.

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

Rose's face was horrified.
"Wha- Are... are you still drunk?"
He tilted his head to the side confusedly.
"What? Of course not!"
"Guillermo... you don't love me, okay. You're just... confused. Confused and vulnerable about your Dad, and I get it. Okay. But don't... don't say that. Because..."
Guillermo shook his head, his eyes soft.
"I have to get back to work. I'll... I'll talk to you later."
She tried getting around him.
"And we'll pretend last night... and this...... never happened. I just need you to..."
She kept struggling to get out, so he moved aside to let her, stopping her once they were out of the closet.
"Please, Rose. This doesn't have anything to do with my dad. I love you. I really love you. And I'm willing to bet that you love me too. Just look at me and try to tell me that you don't."
He touched her chin, lifting it to look in her wide, frightened blue eyes.

[ROSE MERCER]

He moved aside, letting her past, but stopped her before she could get far, touching her chin. "Please, Rose. This doesn't have anything to do with my dad. I love you. I really love you. And I'm willing to bet that you love me too. Just look at me and try to tell me that you don't."

Rose shook him away, taking a few steps back. "I said to stop saying that!" She ignored his request for her to say she didn't love him back. "This is stupid! You're being stupid right now."

"Dude, kiss her!"

"Hiro! Shut the FUCK up!" Rose said, a little relieved she look away from Guillermo.

"And you said one would come out bleeding. Pay up man." Stefano laughed, making her blood boil. They were taking bets now. Hiro sighed as he handed Stefano a twenty.

Rose looked pointedly at Stefano, whose eyes grew weary as she scowled. "Hey Hiro. Stefano's been screwing your sister for six months."

Stefano's mouth fell open, as Hiro turned like a horror movie villain. "Dude, what the shit?"

While they sorted that out, Rose looked back at Guillermo, crossing her arms. "You do NOT love me Guillermo. Why are you ruining this. We have a good thing! A GREAT thing! I told you from the get go what I wanted, and you said you wanted the same thing." She buried her hands in her hair, trying to make sense of this mess.

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

"I said to stop saying that! This is stupid! You're being stupid right now."
Guillermo's heart leapt in hope.
"Dude, kiss her!"
"Hiro! Shut the FUCK up!" Rose snarled.
"And you said one would come out bleeding. Pay up man." Stefano laughed. Hiro sighed as he handed Stefano a twenty.
"Hey Hiro. Stefano's been screwing your sister for six months."
Stefano's mouth fell open, as Hiro rounded on him.
"Dude, what the shit?"
Rose looked back at Guillermo, crossing her arms. "You do NOT love me Guillermo. Why are you ruining this. We have a good thing! A GREAT thing! I told you from the get go what I wanted, and you said you wanted the same thing."
"I DO love you, Rose! You're favorite color is green, but you think you look better in blue. You love kung fu movies more than any other person I have ever met, you put honey in you coffee instead of sugar. You want to learn to speak Italian, even though you think Italian cars are tacky. You love spaghetti, but think goulash is disgusting., even though they are basically the same thing! You wanted to play baseball as a kid, before you got into cars, and have a piece of teddy bear sewed into the back of your pillow. And this isn't great, it's not a good thing. Unhealthy, even."
He began to look positively gleeful.
"I love you. And the best part is you can't deny it. You can't even look me in the eyes and tell me you don't."