The Fast & the Furious *Rose*

[ROSE MERCER]

"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." Rose watched in horror as he rattled off various things about her, backing away. She hated his smile right now. "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."

Rose's breathing sped up, as she looked at him angrily. "So you know some shit about me, big deal. And if it's so unhealthy, then stop. It's not like I've been forcing you to screw me, alright." She started removing the jumpsuit, finding it horribly heavy for the first time in her life. "And I can deny it, Thank you very much, Guillermo. I'm just not dignifying it with an answer because this entire conversation is the most ridiculous one I've ever had in my life." She threw the jump suit towards the lockers. Trying to catch her breath, she stared at him, and his stupid, beautiful, stupid smile. "QUIT smiling like that! I don't- I- I just don't!"

Throwing her hands up in the air, she went and grabbed her coat, tying the belt shakily around her hands. "I'm going on break. Don't light the place on fire." She snapped at her coworkers, who were too immersed in their own drama to give her a response. She looked at Guillermo, quivering in her anger. "I swear to God... don't follow me." She didn't know what she would do if he did.

She stormed out, cussing under her breath, trying to get her mind sorted out. As she crossed the street, in her fluster, the contents of her pocket spilled out. "SON OF A BITCH!" She screamed, picking them up and shoving them back angrily. So distracted in her anger, she didn't see the mustang barreling down the street.

At least, not until it was too late.

Rose didn't see it happen. One moment she was okay, and the next she felt only a crushing blackness. It was like being... in the middle of a tornado! The breath was ripped out of her, the pressure built up in her ears. She tasted blood in her mouth, as she laid beneath the car, her legs laying in the cold late November air.

Rose tried to scream, but only blood came out of her mouth, and for the first time she understood what it meant for a life to flash over ones eyes.

Getting in trouble with Stinky and No-Good.

Hiding from her Father, during one of his drunken rages.

The time Seth made her a makeshift swing on her old apartments roof.

Seth being carted away to jail.

Getting accepted to college.

Poker with Hiro, Stefano, and Misa.

Smoothies and shoe shopping with Mallory.

Meeting Guillermo. Kissing Guillermo. Talking with Guillermo. The feel of him holding her after a nightmare, him punching her Father in the face, a peanut butter jelly fight they had, laughing, screwing, fighting, him drunk and belligerent, him telling her that he loved her.

And then nothing.

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

"So you know some shit about me, big deal. And if it's so unhealthy, then stop. It's not like I've been forcing you to screw me, alright."
She started removing the jumpsuit. He felt frustrated by her assumptions.
"And I can deny it, Thank you very much, Guillermo. I'm just not dignifying it with an answer because this entire conversation is the most ridiculous one I've ever had in my life."
She threw the jump suit towards the lockers. Trying to catch her breath, she stared at him angrily.
"QUIT smiling like that! I don't- I- I just don't!"
He only smiled wider. She was so flustered, it was cute.
Throwing her hands up in the air, she went and grabbed her coat, tying the belt shakily around her hands.
"I'm going on break. Don't light the place on fire."
She turned to him, shaking with rage. He backed away a pace or two.
"I swear to God... don't follow me."
Rose stormed out and he sighed. She needed some time to herself. He shook his head, looking up to find the two guys arguing loudly.
He chuckled lightly.
"SON OF A BITCH!"
He heard Rose from outside. Her voice was full of frustration. He bit his lip worriedly.
Was she really that angry at him.
Screeching tires sounded on the road outside. The was a noisy thunk against metal and he moved to the doorway, peering out.
"NO!"
Then he ran.
The distance between the shop and the road was far too long.
Underneath the magenta car, a pair of work boots were visible.
Rose.
Tears streamed down his face for the second time that day.
He knelt on the ground in front of the car as the driver got out, nearly as frantic as he was.
Blood trickled down Rose's chin. He couldn't tell if she was breathing.
He gasped, crying out in horror.
Looking up, he saw a familiar face, shocked and guilty.
Mallory.

[MALLORY TORRES]

Mallory had always been the one with impeccable timing, like she'd get to a store moments before a big sale. She was lucky to an extent, because her timing always made something good. Occasionally, the good never just showed up, but there down the road people would thank her. She was on her way to Rose's house to formally invite her to a party that her parents were putting together for their return. She needed a date, and Rose was the only person that could keep Mallory sane while around them.

Her timing was impeccable, but highly inappropriate. She was being a responsible driver, you know seatbelt, speed limits, however she wasn't trained to avoid a suicidal pedestrian that walks out into oncoming traffic. She panicked and hit the brakes, but to no avail. She heard bone and metal collide, and the girl disappeared under her car. "Oh Fuck. Shit! Dammit. Fucking Shit Fuck!" Mallory screamed as she put the car into park and practically jumped out the car. Her eyes met Guil'...Wait....Why was he crying?

"Rose!?" Mallory screamed as she got to her knees to look under her car. Her eyes were filled with tears as she looked to Guil. "You!" Mallory stood up and ran at Guil. "What did you do you piece of shit?!" She screamed as she kicked high-heeled shoe into Guil's ribs. She heard and felt her foot make contact. "Get the fuck away!" Mallory screamed at him as she slumped to her knees and tried to punch him, but her hands went limp while her voice turned to sobs. "We...we...we have to ca-ca-call the police!" She managed to breath through her sobs as her head slumped into the car. What had she'd done? The bitch had finally earned her title by killing someone.

[ROSE MERCER]

Rose could hear talking, but not what they were saying. She couldn't see anything, she couldn't move. She felt like she was choking, and it occurred to her that it could be her own blood that was the noose. Her fingers twitched weakly at her sides, unable to do anything productive. Why weren't the voices helping?


Hiro and Stefano were out in a flash, forgetting their squabble. Stefano already had his phone out, calling 911. Hiro went to assist Guillermo with the familiar looking driver, but she fell sobbing before he could actually do anything. "ROSE?" He hollered under the car. "Don't you die, Bruja, Stef is calling for help." He looked at Guillermo, "Uh... uh... someone should call Fernando."

Stefano came up behind him, looking under the car. "They're coming." His light brown eyes looked at the crying Mallory, unsure if he was supposed to comfort her or not. "Should we pull her out from under there or something?


"I think... maybe. Isn't there a rule against not moving someone?" Stefano shrugged, trying to get a better look under the car.

Stefano pulled out his car keys, where a flashlight was attached, and flashed a light. "Shit, I don't see her mo- wait, her fingers just moved. Rosie, baby, they're coming. Just hang on." He scratched his head, looking at Guillermo, then at Mallory. "Baby girl, are you hurt? Hiro, go get her a blanket or something." Hiro complied, running back into the shop. The sirens got closer and closer, until they saw them coming around the corner. Two men charged out of it.

"Is she responsive."

"Who was driving?"

The men reached in, lifting her back like a spatula lifts a pancake, guiding her out. Instantly upon her being pulled out, they got to work, checking her pulse, trying to get her to respond. "Dan, her air way-" They opened her mouth, blood dripping out. "Turn her on her side." Dan assisted, and the blood poured out of her mouth, as she coughed it out.

A sharp inhale came from her, as her body shook. "¡Ayúdame! Por favor!" She whispered, her eyes falling shut.

"She's going! She's going! GET THAT GURNEY OVER HERE!" Dan the paramedic yelled over his shoulder, as another two charged forward with it.

"I can't get a pulse from her..."

"We have to get her to the hospital now. Whose riding in the bus?"

A woman paramedic went to Mallory, hoisting the girl up. "Ma'am, were you driving? You need to come with me..." They strapped Rose into the gurney, her lips twitching a little, as if she were trying to talk.



Rose was... in a waiting room. She looked around, confused, not quite sure what to make of this. Looking around, she listened to the slow playing elevator music, looking for a sign of life. And she found it. In a green skinned woman, sitting behind a counter, glaring menacingly at Rose. "Um... Hi."

"Hit by a car. You truly are a stupid girl." Rose blinked, not sure what to make of that. "You're going to die, you know that right?" Fear pierced her to the point she didn't bother asking where she was. "I can help you though... if you help me."

The Green skinned woman in her black pants suit glowered slightly, and Rose wondered momentarily at something. "Are you the Devil?"

The Woman cackled slightly. "He wishes. No, Dear. I'm a witch."

Rose considered for a moment, raising her eyebrow. "I'm listening."

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

"Rose!?"
Mallory spotted him and charged.
"You! What did you do you piece of shit?!"
She kicked into his ribs. He couldn't even feel it, although he was sure he would feel it later.
"Get the fuck away!" Mallory screamed at him as she slumped to her knees and tried to punch him, but her hands went limp while her voice turned to sobs.
"We...we...we have to ca-ca-call the police!"
Hiro knelt beside the Guillermo.
"ROSE?" He hollered under the car. "Don't you die, Bruja, Stef is calling for help."
He looked at Guillermo, "Uh... uh... someone should call Fernando."
Guillermo stood, his eyes glazed over.
While the others checked on Rose, he pulled out his phone, calling Fernando.
"¿Señor? Tienes que venir rápido. Rose es muy mal herido. ¿Cómo? Bueno, estábamos luchando y corrió hacia la carretera. Ella fue golpeada. No sé qué tan grave es. ¿Por qué luchamos? Le dije que la amaba. Solo tiene que venir rápidamente. Los paramédicos están en camino."
He hung up the phone as the ambulance neared.
"Is she responsive."
"Who was driving?"
The men reached in, lifting her back like a spatula lifts a pancake, guiding her out. Instantly upon her being pulled out, they got to work, checking her pulse, trying to get her to respond. "Dan, her air way-" They opened her mouth, blood dripping out. "Turn her on her side." Dan assisted, and the blood poured out of her mouth, as she coughed it out.
A sharp inhale came from her, as her body shook.
"¡Ayúdame! Por favor!" She whispered, her eyes falling shut.
Guillermo's eyes filled with guilt ridden tears. It should have been him.
"She's going! She's going! GET THAT GURNEY OVER HERE!" Dan the paramedic yelled over his shoulder, as another two charged forward with it.
"I can't get a pulse from her..."
Guillermo's own heart nearly stopped at hearing this.
What? She was..
"We have to get her to the hospital now. Whose riding in the bus?"
Guillermo looked around at the others.
"We are," he said, indicating Hiro, Stefano and himself.

[MALLORY TORRES]

The rush of people and the mass amount of noise was just a buzz in the background of Mallory's mind. It was weird what had happened, because this happened a few months back to her. Dorothy and Mallory stood hand in hand in front of an open book that towered way above them. The book's pages were empty, until Dorothy took a step into it, then the pages turned to reality. The first time this happened Dorothy told Mallory that it was the Land of Oz and pretty much about what had happened. However, Mallory would only dream about these events with Dorothy. Yet, twice, Mallory had been sucked into the little fantasy while wide wake.

The first time it happened Dorothy and Mallory were walking along the yellow brick road in the forest. Dorothy informed Mallory of the Lion that lived there would attempt to scare them with his new found courage, but when they walked nothing jumped out. However, Mallory found a note that read:
"Locked away in a sullen boy who fears the most in life. Shall return when thy work is done, and the boy shall fear no more. Signed, The Cowardly Courageous Lion"
Now Dorothy wasn't sure what that meant, but not soon after TCL had awakened in Tyler.

This time was different much, much different. When they walked into the story book, they had come to Munchkin Country, home of the Munchkins and once ruled by the Wicked Witch of the East. However, the munchkins were no where in sight, the only movement was that of a piece of parchment playing in the light breeze. Dorothy ran to it and it read: "I have died, yet I shall be born again. Her eyes the brightest of blues and her life tortured. I shall get my revenge. Signed, The Wicked Witch of the East"

Dorothy turned to Mallory wide eyed and frightened.

"Ma'am, were you driving? You need to come with me..."

Mallory heard those words and she gasped for air went she finally came to. "I need to be with Rose! She is my friend." Mallory mumbled to the woman. Her eyes found Guil, with Hiro and Stefano. They were going with Rose and leaving Mallory to wonder. "My head. I need to go with her to the hospital. I hit my head." The woman nodded and allowed Mallory to get into the ambulance first. Mallory's eyes were on Rose the whole time. *Remind me to buy you Shoes for Thought.*