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"Hello," Dom answered."Hey, was just calling to make sure you all got settled alright."It took Dom a second to recognize the voice on the other end. The voice sounded familiar, but completely different. There was no easy relaxed tone to it, it sounded tense and weighted down with something Dom couldn’t place.
I'm glad you called, first heard you talk took me a second because I couldn't hear your lazy Californian drawl.
"Brian?" Dom asked surprised."Yeah it's me," he said softly."We are doing good Brian, this house you set us up in is amazing, thing is huge. The garage is even bigger. I don't know how you managed to pull this off."Dom heard Brian chuckle but it sounded forced, "yeah Carter has a lot of connections, lots of money to throw around too."
And that don't sound like you.
Dom frowned at that, he knew Brian was with a drug cartel leader that he met in Miami. He hadn't met the man, but the thought of Brian being with someone else left a bad taste in his mouth.Dom was shocked at seeing Brian again when he showed up at their house in Mexico. Dom wanted to be angry with him for lying about being a cop, but he had done so much for them. Saving Vince, Jesse, and giving Dom his keys. It didn't hurt that he didn't show up empty handed. He had brought Mia down with him. Gave them some keys to a house in the Dominican Republic and the deed to it and a garage. Even had access to a private jet for them to use to get there. Said they would be safe, free, no extradition.It took a long conversation to get Vince to let off of him, stop accusing him of setting them up. Honestly Dom knew that Brian would never do that, he gave up so much for them to be free, there was no way he would turn them in and undo all of that.He stuck around for two days, helping everyone pack, catching up. Dom was surprised to hear that he got offered a job by the Feds to clear his record. Even more so to hear Brian asked for them to be pardoned in exchange. When the Feds wouldn't go for it, Brian decided to flip. Gave Carter Verone all the info the FBI had on him, a plan to get out of Miami, all in exchange for a safe place for the team.Dom knew there was more to it than that but Brian didn't share, and Dom didn't push. Brian had proved himself time and time again, he could keep his secrets.The whole team had thought Brian was going with them up until the day they left.Dom still remembers that day perfectly. It was hot as hell and Brian was wearing a long sleeve black shirt of all things. He was standing by the run way with no bags in his hands and that's when Dom realized it."You’re not coming?" He said, as a question, but it really wasn't he knew the answer."Nah I got to get back to Carter," Brian said rubbing his arm."Verone?" Leon asked, "the drug cartel leader, why?"Brian shrugged, "we're together.""Seriously?" Vince asked, "you’re shacking up with a drug lord?"Brian smiled but it didn't reach his eyes, "yeah, I know, long way from being a cop huh?"
No that don’t sound like you.
Vince nodded slowly, and Dom knew he saw the same thing he did. Vince might not be very good with emotions, but he could tell when something wasn't quite right with someone. That was definitely the case with Brian.That had been six months ago, and Brian hadn't had any other contact with them since. Dom thought about him every day, hoped he was good, happy."Are you okay Bri? You happy?" Dom asked, needing to know that he was alright. Wanting for him to be well taken care of, loved and not loved at the same time. It was hard to have such two conflicting emotions battling out inside him. He wanted Brian to be loved, because he wanted him happy. At the same time he only wanted Brian to be loved by him."Yeah Dom, I'm happy."
I know it's been a while, I don't mean to pry, but when I asked you if you happy I didn't hear a smile.
"You've been racing wherever you live now?""Uhh no, I'm too busy lately. Helping run a cartel is more work than you would think. Look Dom I have to go, Carter's coming," Brian whispered lowly.
And that don't sound like you, that ain't the guy I knew.
Dom hung up the phone and looked off to the side sadly. That didn't sound like Brian at all, not happy, not racing, working for a drug lord.
You always sounded like tires squealing on a blacktop road, laughing at the world, blasting your radio. Hands deep down in a motor, doing whatever whenever you wanted.
Dom knew that were was something off about Brian's relationship with man. When he was with them in Mexico Dom noticed, hell even Leon, the least observant of all them, noticed Brian flinched at any touch or sudden move.The constant long shirts bothered everyone as well, Dom had tried to catch him without it once, but Brian was always covered up completely. So Dom couldn't confirm his suspicions about what laid underneath.
What did he do, cause you don't sound like you, anymore.
Brian's shaved head was another problem he had. Brian always loved his hair, even with all the shit the guys gave him for it. Truth be told Dom loved it too. He didn't understand why Brian would just up and cut it.
Your curly blonde hair, you always loved it, guess he didn't like it. So you just cut it, and that don't sound like you.
Dom walked back into the garage and looked around."Who was that on the phone brother?" Vince asked."Brian," Dom frowned.Vince noticed the frown immediately, "what did he say?"Dom scowled, "that he was happy. That he wasn't racing anymore, working for Verone still."Vince pursed his lips, "the Buster not racing, and happy, yeah right.""Exactly," Dom said with a point. "We both know that was a lie."
No that ain’t the guy I knew.
"Brian is just like you, lives his life a quarter mile at time," Vince said."Verone showed up while he was talking to me, he whispered that he had to go."Vince's head jerked up quickly, "like he's not allowed to speak to you.""Or us," Dom shrugged, "not sure, could be why we haven't heard from him in six months.""The flinching," Vince said with a frown."The long sleeve shirts in 100 degrees."Vince shook his head, "the Buster isn't one to take a punch lying down. Do you really think Verone's been beating on him this whole time? I mean he's dangerous, but Brian hasn't ever been afraid of danger before. Letting someone abuse him doesn't really sound like him.”No it didn't sound like Brian at all. Dom knew there was something that he was missing; he just didn't know what it was.
You always sounded like tires squealing on a blacktop road, laughing at the world, blasting your radio. Hands deep down in a motor, doing whatever whenever you wanted.
He figured it out just in time for Brian's next call. The big detail he was missing, them. Of course Brian would give everything about himself up to keep them safe.He had done it before after all, wasn't that big of leap. Dom didn’t know how he missed it in hindsight. Replaying the conversations they had with Brian about Verone. Him saying he was a guy who saw something he wanted and used every means necessary to get it.Of course Brian had handed him that means when he asked for them to be moved somewhere safe. Brian stayed with Verone, because it kept them living comfortably away from the law.
What did he do?
Brian was a strong willed guy, one that didn't jump up to follow orders. Dom knew that for a man like Carter Verone someone who didn't give in to his every whim was probably taxing to him. He murdered people for living, beating a lover into submission wasn't a crazy theory to make."Hey," Brian said the sound of exhaustion creeping heavily into his tone."Brian," Dom breathed out, "you okay?"Dom could hear the heavy swallow on the other end of the phone. He could hear the tears in Brian's eyes when he spoke, "I miss you."
Cause baby you don’t sound like you, anymore.
"I miss you too Bri," Dom said. "Listen to me for a second okay?""I don't have much time, he will back soon," Brian said quickly."I'll talk fast then, I know what you’re doing Brian. I know why you stayed with him. No one wants you to give up so much of yourself for us. I talked to the team Brian, we are moving out of this house tomorrow. I've made my own connections here and we are flying out to the Canary Islands. If you can get to the DR my friend Mando had promised to bring you to us.""I've been in the DR this whole time," Brian whispered.Dom shut his eyes tightly, to know Brian had been so close to them, and they hadn’t seen him. "Why didn't you?""Carter knows," Brian swallowed again. "He knows how I feel about you. He doesn't want me anywhere near you.""How do you feel about me Bri?" Dom asked, hoping Brian felt the same way he did."I love you," Brian said with a sob.Dom took a deep breath, "I love you too Brian! I love you! Please Brian I'm begging you leave. Meet us at the airport tomorrow; come with us, with me! You could be happy Brian! We could be happy!""Okay," Brian said.Dom felt his stomach unclench for the first time in months. That was until he heard Brian on the other end saying Verone's name and the phone disconnected.
That town, that job, that guy, you can leave them behind. You know you better than that. If you want to come back, you can come back, baby come back to:
Tires squealing on a blacktop road, laughing at the world, blasting your radio. Hands deep down in a motor, doing whatever whenever you wanted.
They waited as long as they could at the airstrip, before they had to leave. Dom knew Mando was doing them a huge favor by getting them out of there. He was basically going up against Verone himself by giving the family a way out of the DR. Taking away the leverage he used to keep Brian with him. He couldn't put Mando and his family at risk by waiting around and chancing Verone catching them. It still was hard to leave Brian there, when he was so close, but still unreachable.Dom sat on the plane, and didn't speak the whole flight. Everyone knew about his conversation with Brian, they knew he was suppose to show up. They felt the same, about what that plane taking off was really was. It was leaving one of their own behind, behind with a monster.Leaving Brian to lose even more of himself, and possibly be lost to them forever.
What did he do? Cause you don't sound like you.
Dom worried about Brian nonstop for a month, he called Mando every week like clockwork to ask if he had heard anything. Saw Brian, found out any information about the man's whereabouts, but each time there was no news. It was two days before Dom was due to call again when Mando showed up at their house with Brian in tow. Dom was standing over a Cheville he won a week ago when he saw him.He dropped the wrench he was holding and moved to close the distance as fast as he could. "Bri," he whispered.Brian folded himself into Dom's arms and gave a happy quiet sigh. "Sorry it took me so long; Carter had me under his thumb after I called you. Only got worse when you left."Brian gave a shudder that said all Dom needed to know. He looked up at Mando who nodded in agreement. "It will be taken care of Dom," Mando promised. It was already decided on the plane ride to the Canary Islands, Mando had grown fond of the small blonde man. He had a lot of time to study the damage that had been done by Carter Verone's hand, and he knew he was going to kill the man for it. "I must get back."Dom nodded, "I can't thank you enough."Mando held up his hand, "no thanks needed, Brian here gave me a low down on every single detail of Verone and his business, and I now have more than enough information to take him down quickly and efficiently."Dom pulled Brian closer into his chest, "I'm so glad you’re here Bri."Brian nodded, "me too." He pulled back and looked at Dom sadly, "but I...I'm just, not sure I'm me," Brian closed his eyes. "The things he did..."
Give me the guy I knew, cause you don't sound like you anymore.
Dom looked over Brian closely for the first time; the man had bruises on his face, a split lip, hand prints on his neck. Dom knew that under that shirt he would find more, things that would make him angry. Injuries that would make him sick, but right now he knew Brian just needed him to concentrate on just him. He pulled Brian back into him, he didn't need Brian to finish what he had been saying, Dom knew what he was trying to say. "It's going to be okay Bri, you'll be you again." Dom felt Brian smile into his shoulder. "How about we start slow huh? Barbecue for dinner? Then maybe we get you racing again?"Brian let out a chuckle, a real one, "yeah, that sounds amazing."So does you sounding happy, Dom thought.