Chapter Text
2025, rural Tennessee.
An old brown Corvette rolls to a stop at the edge of a junkyard. Out of the driver’s seat stands Gregory, a rather unpleasant looking middle aged man with greasy grey hair and a constant frown. His stepdaughter, Rosie, steps out of the passenger’s seat looking much more put together. Her curly brown hair is pulled into a ponytail with a frilly pink bow, and she’s wearing an equally frilly dress to match. The two make their way through the yard to the auto shop in the middle of all the cars and trucks, and Gregory walks up to the desk up against the side wall of the garage. The man sitting at the computer is Noah Diaz, a handsome man who looks to be in his 50s, his dark hair sprinkled with shades of silver. His posture suggests a military history but his eyes tell a different story.
“Where’s Scott?” Gregory asks.
“Scott retired a few weeks ago. Left me the shop.” Noah replies shortly. Rosie waves at Noah quietly, and he nods at her. She occasionally would hang out with him during Gregory and Scott’s conversations. Gregory’s frown deepens at Noah’s reply, and the two begin bickering about some parts he had asked Scott about.
Rosie wanders off through the large open garage door in the back, not wanting to listen to the cat fight she’s sure Gregory is going to start. He does every time, even with Scott. She scans the cars that are parked there. Most of them are junk cars but she does recognize Noah’s old Porsche that he’s rebuilt from the ground up more than once. She wonders what could have possibly happened that he totaled his car more that once, but she doesn’t get to finish her thought. Parked a short distance away from the Porsche is an even older Mustang convertible. The purple paint on it is dull and scratched, and the interior needs washed and condition, but the car looks fine otherwise.
Rosie glances back at the garage where Noah is sitting at his desk, then looks at the car again. She quickly heads back inside.
“Hey! Is that purple Mustang for sale?” She calls out as she approaches Noah’s desk.
“What’s your offer?” Noah asks, glad to talk to someone other than Gregory.
“I have $7500.”
Gregory scoffs at her.
“You don’t have that.” He says. Rosie’s face falls into a neutral expression immediately.
“I’ve been saving every penny I can. Last I checked I had $7500 in savings.” Rosie turns back to Noah. “Can I have the car?”
“You can’t buy the car. You don’t have the money.” Gregory says again, more annoyed this time.
Rosie pulls her phone out of her bag, and Gregory rolls his eyes. She pulls up her bank app to see that her savings is gone.
“Where’s my money, Dad?” She asks firmly.
“It’s gone, Rosie! Shit happens!” Gregory is getting more and more agitated as Rosie glares at him.
“You spent my money?” She asks, the heat of anger and anxiety bubbling in her chest and throat.
“Shit happens and you don’t have the money, Rosie. End of conversation!.”
Noah looks at Gregory with total disgust as he realizes he stole his stepdaughter’s money. Rosie’s poker face is breaking, giving way to distress and anger.
“You’re constantly complaining about how you have to drive me places. You knew that money was for a car. You whine about how your family kept screwing you over and stealing your money only for you to do the same shit to me again. You’re nothing but a selfish asshole.”
“You should be grateful!” Gregory snaps back, “I’m putting a roof over your head! I keep food in the fridge!”
“Food that you don’t let me eat because I’m fat!”
“GET BACK TO THE CAR.” Gregory screams. Rosie stomps away in tears, and when Gregory finally leaves Noah buries his face in his hands.
“No wonder Scott never called him back.” He mutters. There’s the sound of metal banging and scraping together.
“Did you see that shit? What an ass!” A voice behind him says. Noah turns around to see Mirage crouching in the garage door. “I bet he says that to her all the time. Fuck that guy.”
Noah nods, then glances behind Mirage to see the purple Mustang has disappeared.
“Jewels?” He calls out. Mirage heads back outside.
Mirage finds Jeweltone on the roof. Their blue finials move up and down as they watch Gregory’s car drive down the road and out of sight. Jeweltone jumps down and walks straight into the garage, squatting down in front of Noah’s computer.
“I want to go with her.” They say. Noah looks up at them but says nothing. He starts typing on the computer instead.
“Big guy won’t be happy about you leaving.” Mirage warns. Jeweltone looks at him, then back at Noah who is very invested in the computer.
“… You two don’t seem to be doing anything to stop me.”
“Yeah, well...” Noah starts, flipping the computer screen around. It’s Gregory’s customer profile, complete with his home address. “We don’t exactly have a history of doing what Prime says.”
---
The following morning, Jeweltone sits and waits in hiding until they see Gregory is gone. Once he’s gone they pull into the driveway. A set of keys and an envelope sits in the driver’s seat.
Now they wait.
A few hours pass and Rosie finally steps outside. Her phone falls out of her hand when she sees the Mustang. She’s frozen in shock for a moment, then she scrambles to pick up her phone and run up to the car. The windows are already rolled down, and she reaches in for the keys and the note on the seat.
Fuck that guy. Enjoy your new car. Runs great, just needs a good bath and a paint job. -Noah
Rosie is confused, reading the note again and again. She tries to convince herself she’s not dreaming. It takes several minutes, but she eventually squeals in delight and pulls the car into the garage.
She takes the morning to look the car over. Like Noah said, the car is perfect. Good tires, good brakes, even the windshield wiper fluid is full. She’s even more confused now, but so grateful to Noah that she nearly cries standing over the engine.
A man who looks a lot like Rosie walks in, and whatever thought he had is gone when he sees the car. Rosie looks up at him. It’s her brother, Connor. He’s younger than her, but his short dark hair and beard have specks of white coming through.
“What’s up, Connor?” Rosie asks.
“… Is that yours or did Dad blow all his money again?” He asks bluntly.
“It’s mine!” She answers. “Noah, that guy who works at Scott’s shop gave it to me.” She can’t stop smiling now. Connor raises his brows in surprise.
“Damn, okay.” He replies. “Anyway, do you need anything from the store? I’m making meatballs tonight.”
Rosie tells him to pick up some stuff to wash the car, and he leaves without another word. She closes the hood of the car and heads back inside, leaving Jeweltone alone. They laugh to themselves. They have a new friend, and they can help spite Gregory. Everyone wins.
That evening, Gregory comes home to the Mustang in his garage, and after he goes back inside Jeweltone can hear muffled yelling from across the house. He’s yelling at Rosie again, and Jeweltone vows right then to never let Gregory even touch them, let alone drive them.
So when Gregory comes into the garage the next morning with Jeweltone’s keys, the car doors won’t unlock. He pulls at the door handle and it still won’t open. He keeps trying, and the car’s alarm goes off. Twice. Gregory is fuming. When Jeweltone gets bored, they unlock their doors and lets him in, just to see what would happen. He angrily shoves the key into the ignition and Jeweltone thinks his head is about to explode when the car doesn’t start. He tries again, and again, and again, nearly screaming when the car alarm goes off again.
Gregory finally pulls his phone out of his pocket and he’s calling Noah when Rosie stumbles in half asleep and half dressed.
“What’s going on in here?” She asks.
“There’s something wrong with your car.” Gregory hisses.
“What?” Rosie asks, confused and sleepy. Gregory doesn’t answer her.
“Hey, Noah, it’s Gregory… Yeah, this car you gave Rosie is busted… I don’t know. I think it’s electrical. The door wouldn’t unlock, the alarm keeps going off, and when I finally got in the car wouldn’t start. It just keeps clicking.”
Rosie takes the keys from Gregory and slips inside the car. It roars to life with no problem. It practically purrs around her. Jeweltone is smug and holding back a laugh.
“… Yeah, it just started just fine for her…” Rosie cuts the engine and steps out. Gregory looks flabbergasted. “… What do you mean it doesn’t like me?! It’s a car!”
Gregory and Noah bicker again for a couple minutes, and he hangs up with a loud huff.
“What do you need my car for?” She asks.
“I’m taking it back to Scott’s. You don’t need that.”
They start arguing again, both getting louder and louder. And Rosie doesn’t beg for him not to take the car back. No. She fights. Gregory takes jabs at her that Jeweltone can only assume are all her insecurities, and Rosie reminds him of his hypocrisy again. She comes back with point after point while Gregory can only scream insults at her.
Jeweltone would roll their eyes if they could in that moment. They have enough of Gregory, and they set off their alarm again in an attempt to break up the fight. It works, and he stomps back inside.
Rosie is crying while she washes her car. Jeweltone wants to transform and comfort her, and maybe break Gregory’s jaw, but they know they can’t for now. For now, the only comfort they can give is being there. Eventually Rosie is able to calm down, and Jeweltone is able to enjoy their bath. Rosie is thorough. They haven’t been this clean in a long time.
When the exterior is finished, Rosie pulls the car back in the driveway and just sits in the driver’s seat for a while.
“Everything is going to be okay.” She says to herself. “This is the start of a new life.”
‘You have no idea.’