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Brian picked up his phone, recognizing the number. He wandered a little ways away from the store to hear more clearly. Dom watches him go from his place in the office with guarded eyes. This was not good.          “Hello?” A familiar voice comes through the speaker.            “Brian? This is Brian right? I mean if you’re not than sorry, but I couldn’t get you to pick up at home and I didn’t know what to do to find you so I got Willow’s computer and I may or may not have borrowed one of her old hacking programs to find this number and I know you’re busy a lot and I need to talk to Brian and….” Brian interrupted his half sister’s anxious babble.          “Hey, hey, Dawnie. It’s me. What happened? You ok?” He ran his hand through his hair worriedly. Now was really not a good time for his little half sister to be calling. He was on his first undercover assignment and he’d only just started working on getting the Torettos used to him. He was only a few days into his assignment.          Besides, he hadn’t talked to Dawn since Joyce died and dad didn't even bother to call. He heard a muffled half sob come through the phone.          “Dawn, tell me what happened.” He ordered. The music was off now, and the whole group was eyeing him oddly. If he wasn’t careful, his annoying youngest (as far as he knew) half sibling was going to blow his cover.          “Brian? Oh, goddess. God. I… I….” She sobbed into the phone.          “Dawn.” He snapped. He rubbed his hand through his too long hair again. It would be good to get a haircut after this case.          “Yes?” Her voice was just so small . Vulnerable. He felt bad for snapping at her.          “Dawnie, you gotta tell me what’s wrong. I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what’s happening. Tell me what’s wrong.” He says in a much gentler tone. He hears sniffling before she replies.          “Brian, I don’t know how to tell you. But, oh god .” Brian freezes. Even though he wasn’t moving. Suddenly he doesn’t want to hear her talking anymore.          “Dawn?” His voice is quiet. The sobbing on the other end makes his knees buckle, and suddenly he’s sliding down against the hot metal of a car. He feels a warm hand on his shoulder, and he can’t bring himself to look up at whoever it was to check on him.          “Brian, Buffy, god, Brian, Buffy’s dead.” The phone clattered out of his hand. Sound came to him through a wind tunnel, and suddenly he couldn’t feel anything. Something had torn away and left a hollow hole in his chest. He wasn’t even aware of the tears falling down his face until someone crouched next to him, a soft hand brushing against his face. Mia Toretto was crouched next to him, handing his phone away.          He glanced up to see Letty Ortiz with his phone in her hand. She looked at him, her hard face just a little softer than it had been a moment before. She waved a hand at a grumbling Vince, the other man backing away at the expression on her face.          “Kid, where are you now? Anyone with you?” Her rough voice asked. Dominic Toretto had finally emerged from his office, standing in the storefront with his arms crossed, watching the whole scene.          “Ok kid. Big brother is coming up tonight. I’m sorry for your loss.” Letty hung up, tucking the phone back into his hand. The tough mechanic dropped to her knees next to him and Mia.          “Get it together. You still got a living kid sister who needs you. Go now.” Brian nods and pulls himself onto his feet on his own.          “I have to go.” He muttered before leaving the store in a daze. He doesn't even notice the approving look on Dominic Toretto's face as he leaves.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Brian stepped out of the garage when he heard the fight, trying to see what the trouble was and if he needed to stop it. There was muffled shouting, and an odd snarl when a large thing flew out of the alley. It had to be eight feet tall, with weird blue ridges running along its’ face. Wicked looking claws protruded from its stubby hands, and sharp teeth flashed in the light. If that wasn’t weird enough, a tiny blonde person came flying out of the alley after it. A second monster lumbered out after them both, but in a flash the blonde woman was on her feet, a wicked looking red scythe in her hand. Brian froze as he recognized the woman who was fighting the two massive monsters with a predatory grace.          “Buffy?” The woman turned at the sound of her name, and Brian wished he could take the sound back. Because as soon as she was distracted one of the monsters got a lucky shot, large claws swiping at her and she stumbled, a hand going to her side. Brian surged forward, wanting to do something, anything, to help his miraclulously ressurected baby sister. But before he could take a step, she was back on her feet, and with two elegant sweeps of the scythe in her hand both monsters were dead, and weirdly enough, melting into goo.          “Hey Brian.” Buffy panted. He felt like he was moving through molasses as he got closer to his dead half sister. He reached forward and gripped her shoulders, turning her small body left and right. She’s standing and alive and breathing and moving and small and tough and blonde and fucking alive . He thinks he stops breathing for a minute as he looks into the green eyes of his dead sister.          “Am I crazy?” He whispered. “Are you here? God, please, god let this be real. Fucking melting monster hallucinations and all. God Buffy .” He fell to his knees, dragging her small body down with him as he hugged her tightly. He felt her breath tickle the back of his neck, her heart beating against his chest.          “No Bri, I’m here. I’m really here.” She murmured back; her small, bloody hand stroking his cheek when he pulled back. He looked into her eyes, bright blues meeting shattered shadowed green.          “How? When? How? Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked, utterly confused and happy and angry and overall just relieved . Buffy pulled away, looking sad and tired and old. It looked wrong on his little sister’s face and every protective instinct inside him wished to God that he could fix it.          “We don’t have time for that right now. I need you to go Brian. More of them are coming, even though it’s daylight and I need you to be safe ok? Find me where we met the first time in a few days. I promise to explain then, but right now I need you to leave. It’s not safe.” She was gentle, and her voice soft but firm and Brian is in shock. She starts to push him away and he manages to pull himself together enough respond.          “No, Buffy if there are more of those coming let me help you. You can’t fight more of those by yourself. I won’t, can’t , let you die. I won’t survive that again.” He tried to insist, but his half sister was much much stronger than him. She steered him to the cars and pushed him into the garage.          “Brian, go.” This was an order. Dom stepped outside, wiping his hands off on a rag.          “Brian, who the fuck is this?” He asked, his voice it’s usual gravelly rumble. Buffy hardly gave him a second glance.          “I’m Buffy. How stable is that cover?” She asked, pointing to the heavy metal doors that they only closed at night.          “Very.” Dom answered, looking a little annoyed. Buffy nodded and dragged both Brian and a shocked Dom back into the garage. And how the hell did his tiny little supposed to be dead sister shove two large, well muscled, grown men inside?          “OK, here is what you are going to do. You’re going to close tight, lock up and stay inside until I come to get you. Or the screaming stops. Clear? Clear. Good.” She didn’t wait for a response before shoving them both inside. Brian turned around in time to see her leap up and drag the heavy doors shut with a clang. Almost immediately they heard horrible screams and screeching. A loud bang rattled the heavy duty doors and Brian turns to get out through the office, his hand already reaching for his gun. Half his head goes to wonder if he should blow his cover with the Torettos to save her. He’d been on the case for a few months now, and he’d finally gotten in with the Toretto family. But it was Buffy . His kid sister, who was three years younger, and for all his efforts as a cop and all his warnings about causing trouble, never could stay out of it herself.          Dom’s low voice rumbled from behind him.            “Woah, woah. Where do you think you’re going?” Brain glared at his friend.          “That’s my sister out there, fighting those things all alone. Now I have no fucking clue how the hell she’s alive. But I need Buffy to stay alive for me to get answers. Family, Dom. She’s my family.” And with that Dominic Toretto let go of Brian’s arm and followed him to the side door that would let them outside.          But when he stepped outside, all he found was carnage and an empty street.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Brian swore. Then he heard a light chuckle from behind him. He turned around to see Buffy leaned against the side of the alley she had first emerged from, only slightly out of breath.

“I told you to stay inside Brian.” She said lightly, her tone teasing even as her eyes blazed.

“And I’m older and the one who thought you died so I can overrule you. God Buffy, you were dead! I went to your funeral! I help carry your fucking coffin!” He yelled as he stormed up to her. Dom followed behind him, his large presence looming at his back.

“Brian, that’s a lot of blood.” Dom muttered. Brian froze for a moment, taking in his half-sister’s disheveled appearance. He took in the blood that was dripping down her side, the livid bruises decorating her arms, her slightly too skinny frame and the dark circles under shattered shadowed eyes. His sister looked tired, and not from just fighting. He sighed and without another word he swept her up into his arms and marched her over to his beat up truck.

“Put me down Brian.” She ordered. Brian ignored her and instead tightened his grip around her squirming body.

“You are going to a hospital.” He said stiffly. Buffy let out a squeak of fear and began to thrash in earnest, and Brian struggled to hold onto her. Buffy was really strong. She twisted out of his arms, landing with cat like grace on the pavement.

“Brian I don’t need a hospital. What I need is a phone. I forgot mine back at the hotel.” She holds her hand out, looking and sounding for all the world like a California Barbie Princess, even as blood dripped out of her side, the wickedly dangerous looking axe propped against the ground next to her.

“You’ve been in L.A. all this time?” Brian asked her dangerously. Buffy raised her eyebrow at him.

“You saw what happened to Sunnyhell a week ago right? I’ve been in town a week. But I have to be in Cleveland in…” She trailed off to glance at her wrist. The silver watch that sat there was smashed to pieces. She sighed and looked over at Dom.

“Muscles, what time is it? Oh and what day? Is it still Sunday?” She asked casually, her brow furrowing in mild confusion. Brian practically snarled as he stepped forward.

“You are going nowhere if you don’t even know what day it is.” Buffy shot him a cold glare.

“Look, you can be pissed as all hell at me. I get it. I messed up big time Bri. I should have told you the truth a long time ago. But the shit show that was my life this past year? It wasn’t safe. It

isn’t

safe. Trust me. The only reason I didn’t send Dawnie away earlier was that when I tried she tased her bodyguard and just came back anyways. So time. Date. Now.” She ordered. Dom gruffly cleared his throat.

“It’s Tuesday. Four o’clock.” Buffy’s eyes widened.

“Shit. I needed to get to Cleveland, like yesterday. Phone Bri. Now.” Her voice brooked no arguments. Brian pulled out his phone slowly.

“Get in the car. I drive, you call.” He said. Buffy sighed and carefully slid into the front seat.

“Head for the Hyperion. Angel will get me a car, and I’m pretty sure Wes or Gunn will be able to fix my torn stitches. The others are gone by now.” Brian immediately got back out of the car.

“No way in hell am I unleashing you onto some innocent car. Or letting you go within fifty feet of that bastard.” His

living

half sister snorted. He was pretty sure Dom raised an eyebrow at the idea that his sister couldn’t be trusted with a car.

“Well, unless you can find a way to get me to Cleveland in less than forty eight hours that doesn’t involve an airplane, I need Angel. Besides, I hear he’s doing something stupid again, I was going to knock some sense into him.” Brian shook his head vehemently.

“No, I’ll take you.” He insisted. He didn’t even care about his case. If his sister needed help; he was going to help her. Buffy’s eyes widened dramatically.

“No. You are

not

going to Cleveland. Ever. It’s too dangerous there.” Brian was about to respond to that absolutely ridiculous comment, when she stepped out of the car herself, muttering to herself dangerously. He warily watched as she twisted the axe around in her hands with lethal ease. Buffy glanced up suddenly, her small hand out towards him.

“Phone.” Brian immediately reacted to the predator in his sister’s eyes, handing it over. She snapped it open and wandered a few paces away.
    “Faith? Faith it’s me. I’m still in LA; there was another nest of them here, tell Willow I have the heart.” She paused for a moment nodding along to whatever this Faith was saying. Dom wandered up next to him.
    “This is Buffy? The dead one?” The racing king’s voice rumbled quietly, even as Brian drank in the way Buffy paced fluidly as she barked sharp orders into the phone.
    “I thought so too.” Brian said, dazed. It was washing over him all of a sudden.

Buffy was alive

.
 
    “I remember you getting that call. How is she here?” He asked suspiciously. Brian shook his head, running a hand through his too long hair.

“I have no idea man. You saw me. I have no idea how this is possible. But right now, I don’t care. She’s my kid sister Dom. And by some insane miracle, I get to have her back. God, Dom.

She’s alive

.” Brian wasn’t sure what he should feel; but the turmoil racing through his body was irrelevant as he circled back to that final thought. Buffy was alive and breathing and

hurt

. Brian strode forwards just as Buffy hung up, a look of determination sketched across her face.
    “Look, Brian I know I have a lot to explain. But I don’t have time to deal with this right now. Either you help me, or I have to find someone else. It’s now or never big brother.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It was never even a question in his mind. Of course he was helping Buffy. But to his surprise; Dom wanted to help too.

“Where you headed?” Dom rumbled even before Brian could answer.

“Cleveland. I need to be there in under forty eight hours. Faith is holding everything together with nothing more than sheer willpower at this point.” Buffy hefted a bloody fist, clutching a blue green slimy

something

.
          “If this isn’t in Cleveland by this time Thursday, the world is going to end.” Dom frowned, evaluating her and the fist full of slimy multicolored something that Brian is ninety percent sure was ripped from one of the melted goo monsters, before saying a word.          “You the same chick who helped out Anne Steele a few years back?” Buffy nodded slowly, a wariness in her eyes fading slightly.          “She still using my name then?” Dom nodded shortly. Brian was completely confused by the conversation his sister was having with his pseudo friend, and potential suspect. Brian wondered how the hell his kid sister was connected to Dominic Toretto. If she was involved with the... He shook his head. No it had to be Johnny Tran. Not Dom.          He really liked him. He knew that his superiors were planning on moving on Tran later that week. Hopefully that would let him wrap up this investigation without betraying the Torettos who were beginning to take him in. And if he was honest with himself, even if they were the hijackers; they were good people. He wasn't sure he had it in himself to turn them in.           “You got Leon out that night. My crew owe you. We’ll get you there in time.” Dom glanced back at the garage briefly before looking towards Brian.          “Besides. The Supra could use a test drive.” Buffy smiled; a real honest to god smile that nearly reached her eyes. It managed to chase away some of the shadows that haunted her, bringing back a sliver of the sunny girl he remembered as his kid sister.          “Grab what you need. We leave in an hour.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Brian settled into the seat of the orange Supra, his hands fitting onto the worn steering wheel. It was a surreal feeling; knowing that he and Dom were finally test driving the car. As his baby sister settled inside, the only things she carried with her being the red axe, the slimy something locked inside a box and a new phone, Brian realized that the sister who had returned to him from the dead was completely different from the one he’d lost.
        The Buffy he’d known a few years ago wouldn’t have travelled without at least two bags of belongings and would have wrinkled her nose at the sweaty and grease stained clothes Brian was still wearing. She would also have been laughing and gossiping and flirting with Dom just to irritate Brian and her bright green eyes would sparkle and he wouldn’t be carrying this tight lump of dread in his chest every time he looked at Buffy and her shattered, shadowed eyes. Brain wondered what could have happened to her to put that tired tired look on her face. He scowled as he wondered if it was a boy. If it was, cop or not, the kid was dead.         Now that the three of them were sitting in a too small car together, he was wondering if it had been the right choice to test the Supra with a third passenger in the two seater car. But he knew the car was fast. And Buffy needed fast. Dom had called Leon and Jesse, who would make arrangements for them to switch cars instead of stopping to refuel.         He revved the engine, as Dom slid in next to his sister, pressing her tightly between the two men, her tired eyes focused on the road ahead of them. The engine growled comfortably, the deep purr music to his ears. Buffy glanced over at him, the ghost of her old smile on her face.        “I remember when we first met, and you pointed to that big rumbly car that drove past that stupid restaurant. You told me you would have a car that was even better than that one someday. I guess one of us finally got a our wish, huh?” Brian smiled back at her, even as an odd expression of mild panic crossed her face.        “You’ll get yours too Buff, all you gotta do is work for it.” A strange shadow crossed her face at his words, but a moment later it passed. Brian stepped on the gas, and they roared down the road. The rumble of the engine almost completely drowned out Buffy’s whispered words.        “I don’t think there is a car rumbly enough in the world to get me my wish.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

They were a few hours into the drive, the speedometer never dipping below ninety miles an hour. Buffy had dropped off to sleep, her head resting easily on Dom’s shoulder, golden yellow hair spread like a halo around her too thin face.
         “So what’s the story?” Dom asked, glancing from Buffy’s sleeping form to Brian. He sighed. He knew what was coming, that Dom would ask about her. He prayed that Buffy wouldn’t blow his cover, and at least he could tell the truth about why their names were different.         “Look, Hank wasn’t a good dad. Never around as a kid, just popped up every once in awhile before vanishing completely. When I was eighteen I hunted him down, wanted answers. That’s when I found out that the reason my dad wasn’t around for me was because he was married, and he had other kids; only a little bit younger than me. I met his wife before I met Hank, and it’s because I went to their house while they were in the middle of their divorce and I didn’t know that he was living with his much younger secretary girlfriend during the proceedings. I met Buffy, and Dawn, and Joyce and they were family to me in a way Hank never was. I try to look out for them, but up until last year, when Joyce died, they were better off than I was. Joyce tried to help me as best she could, but they also had other problems. Dawn had sticky fingers when stressed, Buffy got into more trouble than I ever did, even burned down her high school gym once, and then Joyce got that tumor...” Brian shook his head, pushing his dark sunglasses up his nose. He knew Dom was eyeing him out the corner of his eye. He sighed before continuing.         “I don’t know why she’s back or how. All I know is a year and a half ago, Dawn was kidnapped by this doomsday cult; tried to sacrifice her to their god. Buffy intervened, saved Dawn’s life. But in those last moments, she somehow got thrown off the building they were doing the ritual on. Six story fall. Broke her neck. Doctors said it was fast, not too much pain. But, after I couldn’t help but wonder, what that fall was like. She would have known as she went over it was a one way trip. It had to have felt like forever in an instant.” Brian sighed, glancing out the window to blink away the tears that had formed. After he was sure his eyes were clear again, he looked down at his sleeping half sister, her face twisted in pain. Brian reached up and gently smoothed away the worry lines.         “But, I don’t I care about the how or the why, all that matters is she’s back. Her and Dawn, they’re all I’ve got in this world.” And Brian knows those are the truest words he’d ever said in his life.         After a moment Dom nodded solemnly.
         “Family first.”
         The car was quiet after that. It was all that needed to be said.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

A few hours later Buffy woke up with a start; her arms clawing at the air, shattered green eyes flying around the car. Her body was coiled and tense until her eyes landed on Brian’s face. Her fist clenched tightly around the red axe before everything in her body released, the tension vanishing quickly.

“How long?” Buffy asked quietly. Brian shrugged glancing down towards his sister.

“A couple hours.” Buffy nodded stoically, looking oddly disappointed. He rushed to reassure her.
          “It’s no big deal Buff, just a couple hours. Only thing we had to look at was the open road.” That didn’t seem to reassure her much. She shook her head before looking out the window.
          “In another hour or so, we need to pull over. I have to do something.” Dom glanced down at her confused.

“I thought you’re on a time limit.” Buffy nodded, her eyes dark as her brow furrowed.

“I am. But Sineya waits for nobody. I wouldn’t talk to her if it wasn’t urgent.” A cold look fell across her face, and her voice went completely toneless as she talked about Sineya. Brian’s mouth tightened. While it would be good to stretch his legs; the Supra

really

isn’t built for three people, he couldn’t help but worry about his sister. It didn’t sound like this Sineya person would bring good news. He resolved to call Dawn as soon as he could to ask about what happened with Buffy.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Brian pulled over where Buffy pointed. The blonde scrambled out of the car, grabbing only her scythe and a water bottle from the car before turning to face the desert.          An odd expression crossed her face, bittersweet and determined and hopeful and Brian noticed a definite sense of longing as she turned slowly until something inside her clicked and she started to walk into the desert scrub. Brian and Dom followed behind her more slowly. But as soon as their feet stepped off the concrete of the highway shoulder Buffy froze.          "She won't come if you're there. Stay put." Buffy ordered her voice dull and distracted. Brian ignored her, continuing to follow behind her until she turned around. He recoiled at the pain and anger rolling off his half sister in waves. There was something else too; buried under the agony, a predator was glaring out at him from his sister's shattered shadowed eyes. A cornered, injured, desperate, predator. Brian slowly stepped back. Dom did too.          "Buffy, what's going on?" Brian asked softly, holding his hands out in front of him as he tried to creep back forwards. Buffy's broken gaze froze him in his tracks.          "Brian, I just. I can't. Not right now. I swear I'll explain everything to you when I can. But right now I have to do this." Brian nodded slowly, noticing how twitchy Buffy was.          "Fine. But if you aren't back here in an hour, I swear I'll come after you." Buffy nodded in agreement, her eyes vacant and mind already far far away. Then she turned and gracefully ran off into the desert scrub, vanishing into the rocks and dunes. Brian growled, turning to slam a boot into the guardrail. No way was he hitting the Supra. It didn't really help, but he did it a few more times anyways. Brian dropped to the ground, head in his hands.          "God Buffy. What happened to you?" He muttered. Dom dropped to the ground next to him.          "Well, I can't say anything about following her. Or what the hell is going on. But she called someone on your phone. Someone who does know what is happening." Brian glanced up to see the phone held out towards him. Brian gave the racer king a grateful glance before hitting redial, then placing the phone on speaker.          The phone rang for what felt like forever. Finally a rough voice answered the phone.          "Hello?" Brian cleared his throat. Suddenly his words got stuck in his throat, and he was unsure what to say.          "My name is Brian and… " The voice on the other end let out a husky laugh.          "You're B's big brother huh? Where is our Queen right now anyways?" Brian frowned.'Queen?' He thought to himself. He shook himself out of his daze, responding to the woman on the other end of the line.          "Look, I'm just trying to help Buffy, and she said she needed to be in Cleveland in forty eight hours, but just now she woke up and now she's…" The voice cut him off.          "How long?" The voice demanded. Brian was completely taken aback.          "What?"          "How long did Buffy sleep?" The voice demanded. Brian glanced over at the equally bewildered Dom.          "A few hours, two maybe three tops?" His words came out almost like a question. The woman swore softly before sighing.          "Tell B that Faith and the rest of the Scoobies want her to sleep more. She's got to sleep more. Buffy needs to be well rested for this shit show. Can't have the Queen Slayer go down right after we smacked down the biggest bad of all. But she ain't gonna survive this kiddie sized trainwreck if she won't sleep." Faith, as the woman seemed to be called, grumbled into the line. While it seemed callous, Brian could tell that this woman was worried about his sister for more than just handling whatever it was she was involved in.          Her voice also had taken on a familiar tone, so similar to how Buffy spoke when barking out orders. But Faith seemed less sure of her orders; like she wasn't really in charge. Brian also noticed how Dom went pale at the mention of the slayer queen.          "Well, Buffy woke up and said that she needed to talk to a, uh, Sineya. So we pulled over and now she's off wandering the desert. But there's nobody here. We would have seen them." Faith made a sputtering noise.          "Sineya? Buffy went to talk to her? Oh fuck that shit. Get her ass to Cleveland. I don't care what that old bitch has to say. Last time her and Buffy had a heart to heart, she got her ass launched off that fucking tower. You tell Buffy not to let that old hag get under her skin." There was shouting in the background, and sound of an explosion and Faith started to swear a blue streak. Even Dom looked mildly uncomfortable with the flow of violent words flowing easily from the woman. Heavy breathing and pounding feet crackled through the phone speaker.          Brian glanced out towards where his sister had wandered off concern burning through his gut. Based on what Faith was saying, this Sineya had something to do with Buffy's supposed death last year. A cold anger began to burn through him, even as he wrestled with going after his sister to lock her inside his nice safe apartment in LA. Or even hiding her inside the Toretto house. Anything but whatever it was his sister was involved with. It sounded dangerous, and possibly illegal.          "Get B here pronto big brother. The situation is escalating. The local Grox'lar clan is siding with the fucking Sisterhood of Jhe, who've made a serious comeback since the last time Buffy dealt with them. Kennedy is trying to break away from under B, and if she does, that bitch is going to get another mini killed. I know she can feel them, and she doesn't need that shit fucking with her head on top of everything else. We need that Falanjoid heart she went and got. If there are more nests have Angel deal with them. We need Buffy in Cleveland. I'm not the Queen, and I'm not going to be able to stop this shit on my own." He felt anger surge inside him, as he ran through all the information he'd been given. Not that he understood half of it, but he got enough to know that whatever was happening was dangerous. So dangerous that people were dying. He knew he couldn't, wouldn't let Buffy get hurt. Not on his watch.          "What the hell is going on with my sister? I'm not putting her in any danger. I won't." Brian growled at the phone. A throaty laugh sounded from the phone.          "Well, aren't you a breath of fresh air? The rest of Buffy's family did her dirty last week with that shit in Sunny-D. She'll need you. I ain't enough, even with our chosen two, sister slayer shit going on. But don't you worry big brother, just get Buffy here; the rest will sort itself out. I'm sure Giles will be able to give you the Talk." With that parting shot, the woman hung up; leaving Brian with more questions than he started with.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The car was silent. When Buffy had returned, Brian had been ready to interrogate his sister on exactly what in the hell was going on. Then he'd gotten a good look at her face. Whatever it was that Buffy had been looking for out in the desert, she hadn't found. The expression on his sister's face was heartbreaking. So instead of asking the relevant questions, he just silently got into the car with his sister and Dom before starting the engine and driving off.
He roared down the freeway, sneaking small glances at his baby sister whenever he could. Buffy just stared out the window, a blank expression on her face. He let out a small sigh and faced forwards. It had been hours, and the tension in the car just seemed to grow with every passing town.
The Supra roared through a small town near Las Vegas and Brian stopped at a red light. He heard the soft growl of a well cared for engine and glanced to his left. A young couple in a Ferrari Spyder had pulled up next to them. He and Dom exchanged a short glance over Buffy's head, the blonde just staring out the front window. The soft rumble of a powerful engine was music to his ears. Rolling down the window he called to the other car.
"Nice car. What's the retail on one of those?" He asked. Buffy roused herself enough to look vaguely interested. The man in the other car sneered.
"More than you can afford pal. Ferrari." He revved his engine loudly. Buffy huffed.
"Doubt it." She muttered under her breath, so quiet that if she hadn't been plastered between him and Dom, Brian never would have heard her. Dom and him just stared dumbfounded at the asshole. Dom turned and looked at his sister for a moment, an evaluating expression on his face. Buffy glared up at his friend, a silent conversation occurring right in front of him. He wasn't sure how he felt about his sister and one of his suspects sharing secrets. They seemed to come to an agreement, because Buffy smiled slightly before facing forwards again. Dom looked at him.
"Smoke him." His friends ordered. Brian felt a surge of adrenaline pour through his system. Suddenly every statistic he'd ever learned to about car crashes vanished. Every cop instinct in him turned off. He just wanted to win. To let go and live life by that quarter mile. He revved his own engine in return. He focused on the red light, the warmth of Buffy's small hand resting on his knee acting like an anchor. For a few tense moments nothing happened.
"Go." Buffy breathed out. And Brian obeyed. His tires were screaming against the pavement in the split second the light changed. He didn't question his sister's reflexes in that moment. He just let loose on the throttle and flew.
The cars roared, and soon enough there was nearly nothing but him, the long highway and the security of a good car. He wasn't thinking, just reacting. The anchor at his knee an early warning system, guiding his movements; but even if she hadn't been there Brian knew that the Supra would have trounced the rich asshole's Ferrari any day. He had the better car, and he was the better driver. Wind blew through the car, and Brian let out a delighted whoop. The sound tore away from him, abandoned a three quarters of a mile back before he'd even finished letting it go. Soon enough, the Ferrari wasn't even a speck in his rearview mirror. He eased up on the gas, bringing the car back down to a more reasonable speed. He glanced to the side to see a small smile on Dom's face, and Buffy's eyes glittering with something.
A smile of his own spread across his face. No matter what it was that had shattered Buffy; she could get better. She would get better. He'd make sure of it.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

A few hours later, he pulled over; the car needing gas, and the three of them needing to eat. The three of them sat awkwardly around the table in a small diner in the middle of Nowheresville, America. Food sat in front of all of them, but nobody did anything but uncomfortably pick at their meals. Finally Buffy sighed, sitting back in her seat.

“Just ask. I’ll make with the ‘splainy as much as I can. I can’t tell you everything now, but I’ll do my best.” She looked up at Dom and then at Brian. He felt a slight twinge of guilt at the resigned fear in her eyes, but he leaned forwards anyways. He started off slow, trying desperately to assuage his own guilt and concerns. Nothing so far that his sister was involved in seemed even remotely legal. And if Buffy

was

in trouble of the illegal kind, Brian needed to know. He would betray the badge in a heartbeat for his sister. But he needed all the facts first. He started off slow.

“While you were in the desert, I called the last number you dialed. Someone named Faith picked up. Who is she?” Buffy glared at him halfheartedly before picked at her food a little more.

“Faith is… well Faith is Faith. She’s complicated, but right now Faith has my back. And she’s important.” Her not-an-answer answer irritated him. Buffy had always known that she could trust him, knew that he would always help her. The fact that she seemed so uncertain of that fact now stung. Dom broke in.
         “The underground is talking a lot about new slayers popping up everywhere; you have something to do with that?” Dom rumbled softly. Buffy gave his friend a hard look, green eyes calculating something.         “You know about that?” Dom shrugged.         “You grow up on the rough side of LA, you see things. Hear things. We keep our ear to the ground. Something big happened when Sunnydale went down.” Brian was completely and utterly bewildered by the conversation between his sister and his friend. Buffy seemed to come to a decision, and she slowly nodded while answering.         “Yeah, I had everything to do with all the newbies popping up. We’re taking care of them though, we’re going to do it right this time around. If you can, try and help get them to the Hyperion. Angel will help them until we have time to get them ourselves.” Brian finally broke in.         “What the hell are the two of you talking about? Newbies? Slayers? How do you two know each other?” Buffy shook her head.         “We don’t know each other. But Brian in my world, I’m…. it’s complicated. Once you know about it, I'm hard to miss. Look, I can’t tell you everything. Partly because it’s dangerous, partly because I never wanted you to learn about this part of my life. And the rest of it? Well my work is so classified, that the organization that I work for doesn’t technically exist. I promise you’ll get a full explanation once we are in Cleveland. But I’ll tell you what I can now.” Brian tensed at the word classified. Somehow his little sister had gotten mixed up in something dangerous. Something that government was afraid of. Something so dangerous that she didn’t want to tell him about it, so dangerous that it was it’s own ‘world’ and had an underground. or was one. Brian wasn't clear on any of it; only that it sounded dangerous. It was world where Buffy clearly held a prominent place in, and he had no idea if that was good or bad. He flashed back to the phone conversation with the mysterious Faith. She’d called his sister her queen.         A Queen.         Like it was a title Buffy had earned. He had a bad feeling that complicated didn’t even begin to cover it. Brian picked at his own food before asking his next question.         “Faith asked how much you slept. Then told me to tell you to sleep more, that you won’t survive quote, ‘this kiddie sized trainwreck if she won’t sleep.’ Buffy what is happening? What happened last year? Who is Sineya? Why did you stop us in the middle of the road to talk to her? What are you involved in? Buffy do you need help? I can get you out of this I swear to god. But you need to talk to me.” Words just suddenly poured out of him, begging his sister to let him in. Begging her for answers, begging to be given the chance to protect her. Keep her alive. Buffy snorted.         “Faith has a big mouth. And she should mind her own goddamn business. Everything else.... god, I don't even remember the last time I had to give this talk. Giles. You need to talk with Giles, he can explain everything.” Brain fixed his sister with a glare. He latched onto the first problem, dismissing the rest of her statement for the time being. But he wasn't going to forget the name Giles. It kept coming up.          “Buffy, even I could tell from that car ride that you need to sleep more. Especially if what you’re doing is dangerous.” Buffy sighed, rubbing her temples. Shattered green eyes looked up at him.         “This last year, the past few months… it’s been a world of badness Brian. We’ve been dealing with a lot. I’ve been dealing with a lot. And it’s not something you can fix, or change or get me out of Brian. Even though you’re-” Brian interrupted before Buffy could accidentally blow his cover.         “There’s always a way out Buff. Is it money? I can get you money, I have a few savings, I could race and try to get some more. God I would even hunt down Hank and get some from him.” Buffy was already shaking her head.         “It’s not money Brian. Not anymore. No, this is just something I have to do. It’s important; lives are at stake.” Confusion whirled through him, as he tried to put pieces of a puzzle together even though he had no idea what the picture was supposed to look like.          “Buffy you said you would explain, but you aren’t actually giving me any answers.” Buffy shook her head, tears swimming in her eyes.         "Brian, do you remember when I was seventeen and Mom kicked me out? So I ran away to LA and you covered for me even though I didn’t tell you everything? I need you to trust me now like you did then ok? It’s similar, and I just can’t explain everything by myself, or right now. If I try, I’ll just screw it all up and you’re going to hate me.” Brian stood up and moved to the other side of the table, wrapping up his half sister in a tight hug.
         “Ok. I can wait until we get to Cleveland to get the story.” Buffy nodded gratefully into his shoulder.

“Thank you.”
         "And Buffy?" He asked her gently. She pulled back, turning her broken shattered eyes towards him.          "Yeah?"
         "I could never hate you." Buffy just hugged him tighter.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Buffy slipped into his motel room, the soft click of the closing door the only sign of her entry. Brian glanced up in shock. When had his sister learned to be so quiet?

“Buffy?” He asked softly, getting up from where he’d been lounging on his bed, idly watching the news. They’d all needed to stretch and sleep, and having made it just under half of the way to Cleveland, Buffy had paid for them to stay in a motel for the night while Dom arranged for them to use a different car for the rest of the trip. The two seater Supra wasn't going to cut it another day. He wasn't even sure how they managed it for more than that first couple of hours. Brain also vaguely wondered where Buffy's money came from, but decided not to ask. What he didn’t know about couldn't be used to hurt her.

He resettled himself against the headboard of his bed, patting the spot next to him. Buffy sat down next to him cross legged. She leaned forward, running her fingers through his hair briefly.

“God, what did you to yourself Bri? You need a haircut. And a dye job. Stat. This is

awful

.” She murmured. Brian batted her hand away, a rueful smile plastered across his face.

“Well you gotta do what you gotta do Buff. It’s for the job.” He replied easily. Buffy’s eyes hardened.

“The job. Brain, why are you here? You’re a cop, but I found you working in a machine shop with someone who obviously lives on both sides of the law. And somehow you were able to drop everything to take me to Cleveland without calling anything in.” Brain forgot sometimes, that beneath his sister’s ditzy blonde princess act, she was actually incredibly observant and smart in her own right. Brian groaned, running a hand through his poorly bleached, too long curls before answering her.

“I’m undercover.” He admitted. Buffy sent him a sharp glance through her shadowed shattered eyes.

“With Dom? Or investigating him?” She asked quietly.

“What do you think?” He snapped at her crabbily.  The stress of the past year was catching up to him. His opinion on the Toretto clan was turning and he wasn’t sure what he was going to do about it yet. The crew had become his friends, and Mia…. she was quickly turning into something even more than that.

Bilkins had green lighted a SWAT operation on Johnny Tran’s warehouses. That had happened earlier that day. Brian would learn the pertinent information gathered, receive all the details later on, once everything was processed. He had originally been annoyed when he was told to stay out of the arrests. But now he was grateful to have been kept out of it; otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to help Buffy. He wouldn’t have

seen

her if he’d been busy prepping for the bust.

“Brian.” Buffy said, a soft warning filling her voice. He sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair.

“I know. I’m sorry Buff. It’s just…. This all started out as just a case, but now? I don’t know… They’re my friends now. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I don’t know what I

can

do.” Buffy sighed.

“You’re too close to him now Bri. He trusts you. And even worse; you trust

him

. You’re on the same side now. I can’t bring you with me to Cleveland with this between the two of you. Whatever it is you’re investigating, whatever you think he might have done. Let it go, or arrest him. Because I can’t have him trying to kill you for betraying him while we’re there. It’s too dangerous otherwise.” Brian’s heart froze.

“Buffy…”

“Brian. Either you tell him that you’re a cop or I cut you both loose. An apoc-

Cleveland

, is not the place to be dealing with those kinds of problems.You have to pick.” Buffy stood up, heading for the door. Brian stood up to follow her, to do what, he didn’t know. But he had to do something. The case was important, but so is helping his sister.

Buffy turned around to face him from the open doorway.

“If it were up to me, I would have left both of you behind in LA. If it were up to me, I would ditch the two of you tonight; make my way to Cleveland by myself. But I'm going to leave it up to you Brian. Either you clear the air between you two, or I leave you behind.”

“Buffy, I can’t do that. I can’t do either of those things.” Brian tried to reason with her, but she just cut him off.

“And Brian?” He looked her in the eyes. Something inside her broken shattered eyes glimmer back at him. Like diamonds; strong and unbreakable.

“Yes?”

“In my world, I am judge, jury and executioner. My word is more than law. I don’t give the people around me these kinds of choices often. Choose carefully.” With those final words, Buffy finally left, the motel room door clicking shut behind her. Brain collapsed onto his bed with a loud groan. He had a lot to think about.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Buffy

Buffy slipped out of her brother’s room, ultimatum delivered. It wasn’t fair, and it wasn’t exactly right. But it had to be done. Brian couldn’t balance the two lives anyways. And an apocalypse is always the worst and best time to deal with personal issues. Buffy could tell her brother and Dom were real friends. And Brian was a little bit like Xander, a bit of a white knight syndrome and loyal to a fault. Or at least, Xander used to be. Buffy’s jaw clenched as she recalled the echoes of that night last week when her own friends, her own

sister

had thrown her out of her house.

“I’m trying to see your point here Buff… but I guess it must be a little to my left, because I just don’t.”

“...It makes you luckier than us....”

“...Maybe we need a vote… to see who wants Faith to have a turn in charge….”

“...Then you can’t stay here...”

Buffy shook her head harshly, trying to dislodging the voices that were overlapping in her brain. Everything here was too loud. Too much of everything really. She was torn down from heaven and thrown straight into an apocalypse. And not just any regular old apocalypse; but one that was being carried out by the origins of evil.

The First followed her back onto the mortal coil and from the moment she clawed her way out of her grave she’d been fighting non stop. First the nerd squad and Warren, her dying a third time, and then Willow's addiction before going dark and then the Bringers came and Spike getting his soul and the Turok Han attacking and Potential slayers invading her home and Faith breaking out of prison to help her and the slayer scythe. Something was always going on. Buffy hadn’t had a chance to stop and catch her breath for even a second since her resurrection. She felt robotic, dreaming every night of the peace she’d lost before the dreams of terrors that she’d experienced or prophetic dreams of horrors yet to come invaded her shattering mind. She rarely slept anymore. Buffy opened the door to her room, grabbed the slayer scythe and Mr. Pointy and turned to leave.

The acrid stench of cigarette smoke assaulted her nose. She glanced down the row to see Brian’s friend Dom leaning against his car, parked outside Brian’s room. The end of the cigarette glowed red as he took another slow drag. Buffy pursed her lips tightly before choosing to ignore him, making to move past him.

“I always thought the Slayer would be taller.” Buffy snorted.

“Everyone says that.” She muttered darkly, continuing to walk. The big racer tossed the not even half smoked cigarette to the ground, stepping on it to put it out before following after her.

“So your brother’s a cop.” The words are snarled out, thrown down like an accusation. A curse. Buffy froze. She turned on her heel slowly, her eyes narrowed.

“You were listening?” She asked carefully, her voice cool. Dom crossed his arms tightly.

“You two weren’t exactly quiet, and the walls are thin.” Buffy set the scythe down and leaned against it. She coldly appraised her brother's criminal friend.

“He won’t turn you in. I asked him to pick and he’s made his choice. Brian’s always been too loyal to the wrong people for his own good. Give him half a chance, and he’s the guy you want in your corner. And trust me, he’s in your corner.” Buffy said icily. Dom’s expression didn’t change, rage still flicking across his face.

“The people he’s looking for? His

bust

? That’s my family. I can’t let him screw with that. Family first, and Brian isn’t family. Not anymore.” Dom snarled back at her. Buffy snorted.

“Hmmm. So it is you." Buffy mused. Dom tensed, his eyes narrowing in anger as he realized his mistake.

"He's convinced himself that you're innocent. But I have a good feeling that he knows the truth deep down. He just doesn't want to admit it yet. Brian isn’t completely stupid. And he’s let you keep going for how long now? I guarantee you that he already thinks of you as family, and Brian takes that as seriously as you seem too.” She continued. Buffy sighed, twisting the scythe around in her hands anxiously.

“Look, an apocalypse,

Cleveland

, is the worst place for you two to deal with this. If you can’t handle this? Leave. Leave now. I don’t have time to babysit two testosterone fueled idiots. You have the same choice as him now. Be honest with each other, work it out and stay. Or leave.” Buffy started to walk away again, the slight tingling in the back of her head warning her to a few vampires in the nearby cemetery. It was why she’d picked this motel; Buffy needed to patrol. Go through the motions. Prove to herself that she could still be The Slayer, even if she wasn’t the only one anymore. It was the only thing giving her purpose anymore.

“Where you heading?” Buffy stopped at the gruff question. She didn’t turn around.

“My job. Make your choice Toretto. Good night.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Brian lay in his bed, staring up at the dark ceiling. Dom was right. The walls

are

thin. And apparently none of them a particularly capable of being quiet.

Dom knew now.

Knew that Brian was a cop, knew that he’d been lying to the family for months, had been flirting, joking, racing and partying his way closer and closer into the fold to bring them down.

Brian knew that Dom was guilty. That the family, the Toretto crew, were the real hijackers, even before he’d gotten the text from Bilkins and Tanner that Tran and his crew were clean. And Buffy has been right, he’d known that all along. Otherwise he would have worked his way into Johnny Tran’s good graces rather than Dominic Toretto’s.

He’d also heard Buffy talk about going off to do her job, and something about an apocalypse. He’d caught her slip earlier when she’d been talking to him too.

Apocalypse?

Just what in the hell was Buffy involved in? He’d promised to wait on his answers until after they’d arrived in Cleveland, but Brian wanted to be a detective. Tanner had even told him he'd make a damn good one. part of that was because he couldn’t help but try to put the pieces together, from the hijackings to Buffy. However, no matter what way he looked at it, no matter how he tried to jam the edges of the puzzle together, it nothing made any sense.

So he returned to the more currently pressing matter; Dom

knows

. There’s a reason why undercover cases are only given to a very specific subset of cops. It’s dangerous, and the ones who get caught tend to die ugly. He doesn’t think that’s Dom’s style, in fact, he’s almost certain of it. But, he also knows that there is no way he’s coming out of this unscathed.

There was a knock on the door. Brian grunted vaguely in invitation. The door creaked open, Dom’s bulky form silhouetted by the light outside his dark room.  The racer king flicked on the lights and stepped inside, arms folded firmly across his chest. Brian sat up.

“Dom.”

“Cop.”
Well, it was better than he’d expected. Dom hadn't thrown a punch yet. Then again, there was still plenty of time for that.

“I knew

Earl Spilner

was a fucked up name.” Brian snorted, recalling the time Dom had asked him if he was a serial killer.

“It’s O’Conner. Officer Brian O’Conner. Or it used to be. Not so sure anymore.” Dom just raised his eyebrow, in his usual reticent way. Brian answered the unasked question quietly.

“We raided Tran. He’s clean. Soon pressure’s going to come in from the top brass to bring you in. Don’t know how I’m going to swing it for you yet.” Dom nodded once, his expression the same stoic look he’s worn the first day he’d met him in the store. It was look he wore when watching an outsider. It hurt more than Brian would ever admit.

“Race Wars are coming up. You and me? We’re done by then. I respect your sister, what she does. So I’m seeing this through, and after that I’ll let you walk away clean. It’s the last favor I’m doing for you,

cop

.”

Cop is spit out like a slur. It’s a filthy contaminated word to Dom, just like it had once been to Brian. But Brian is no longer the angry, drifting kid he used to be. He grew, and through Buffy and Dawn, grew a respect for the rules, for protecting angry kids like himself. Even if they hate him for it. So now the accusation only stings because he just lost his closest friend, and the rest of the crew in one fell swoop.

Besides, Brian knows, deep in what’s left of his heart, that if he’d been forced to choose between the badge and Dom, there was enough of the hell raising, carjacking, thrill loving, street loyal kid left inside to pick his friend over the law.

Brian leaned over and picked up the Supra’s keys, examining them in his hand. He’d poured a lot into that car, not just time and energy, but everything he had started to build with the Torettos. He might have had Buffy and Dawn, he’d even had Joyce, the Torettos had shown him what family could really look like. The Summers family always had some trouble brewing, and regardless of their intentions, they’d held him at arm’s length. Like Buffy was now, protecting him from whatever it was that put that shattered shadowed look in her eyes. That car meant a lot to him.

He tossed the keys to Dom.

“I owe you a ten second car.” He said simply, before laying back down on the bed, resolutely not looking at the retreating back of his friend. The soft click of the door shutting echoed in his mind; the imaginary sound a deep, bone rattling boom. An ending.

He closed burning eyes against the lights he couldn’t bring himself to get up to turn off.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The next day, they loaded into the Supra in a strained silence. Buffy moved stiffly into the middle again, one hand tucked tightly to her side to protect her side from getting jostled. Brian suspected that she’d gotten hurt, or at the very least strained something last night. The clatter of her axe against the tile floor in the room next door had woken him up, alerting him to the fact that she’d gotten back well past four in the morning. But she looked just as alert as she had yesterday. It worried him how easily Buffy hid her problems, how if he wasn’t looking for them, he knew he would have missed them entirely. 
Dom slid into the driver’s seat, and moments later they were tearing out of the parking lot. The road flew by, and the car settled into the mild discomforting silence. 
“I thought I told you boys to choose.” Buffy spoke up. Brian flinched in surprise at the sudden break in the quiet.

“We came to an agreement.” Brian answered, exchanging a short glance in the mirror with Dom.

“No.” She said shortly. 
“Buff-” Brian tried to plead his, their, case to his sister. But she ignores him, flinching slightly at the nickname, and talks over him. 
“Instead, I come back to two testosterone fueled idiots who seem to think that a lack of bruising means anything. The only thing I see any progress with is that nobody is lying to anyone anymore.” Brian and Dom both scoffed at the same time. The tension in the car shifted higher, but they were unfortunately pulled onto the freeway, leaving them no escape from his younger sister’s uncompromising glare.

Brian sighed heavily, giving in first. He knew from experience, that the Summers girls were as stubborn as they come.

“I’m not turning them in. He’s letting me walk away clean, cover intact. Its a good deal for us both Buffy.” He said shortly. Buffy snorted but let it go. Brian felt a prickle of fear creep down his spine. If his sister is letting something go now, that meant there would be even more hell to pay later.

Almost like he can’t help himself, he glanced at Dom through the mirror, eyes wide with panic. Asking his former friend for help. Dom sighed through his nose, but gave him a minute shrug he barely caught. At least they still had that in common; younger sisters who utterly baffled them.

Buffy leaned her head against his shoulder, and her eyes drifted closed. It didn’t take long for her breathing to even out. Brian looked down at her for a long moment, her honey blonde hair more natural looking than he’s seen since he’s met her. Her eyelashes fluttered slightly at the movement of the car, but she settled back down again.

“Dom… I trust Buffy, but I gotta know. This stuff she’s wrapped up in… how dangerous is it?” Brian had managed to surprise himself with how causal the question came out, considering the stranglehold anxiety had over his throat at the moment. The racer king sighed heavily, not looking over at him.

“She’s the best in the business, from what I know. And I don’t know that much, just enough to stay out of the way and to keep me and mine alive. She’s lasted the longest that I’ve ever heard of. Most of ‘em die after a few months, maybe a year. She’s been in the gig for as long as I’ve known about that part of the world.” Brian shuddered. Dom’s answer only confirmed one thing; whatever Buffy was part of, it was going to get her killed.

“Can you tell me what she’s involved in? Dom, I gotta know. She my sister.”

“She’s your sister, let her explain it to you in her own way and time. Besides, you’ve gotta see it for yourself. I barely believe it, and I’ve seen some of that shit before.” Dom rumbled gruffly, but not unsympathetically.

The car fell back into silence, but it was far less awkward than it had been before. Brian wasn’t sure how, but he knew it had to do with Buffy. Both of their hard edges were smoothed over by worry, and their sharp edges blunted by the blonde sleeping squished between them that the boiling hot anger from the night before and simmered lower.

Buffy whimpered in her sleep. Brian carefully cradled her body, one hand soothingly tracing circles on her knee. Her whole body convulsed once; hard. Brian’s heart sped up, his thoughts wrenched back to reality as he looked down at his younger sister with worry. Buffy spasmed again, a low whine torn from her throat. She started to shake, the tremors in her body matching the uneven staccato beat of his heart. 
“Dom, pull over.” Brian ordered. The bigger man glanced down towards them once, and his eyes grew wide. The car lurched sideways, and they pulled off to the shoulder of the empty highway. Brian threw the car door open and pulled his sister out. She let out a wail and abruptly sat up, her hands immediately scrabbling at the asphalt and her legs kicking wildly. One of her feet lashed out and got Brian in the shin. He was knocked back several inches, practically down on one knee from the force of the blow.

How is she so damn strong?

Brain didn’t have anymore time to think because Buffy had shot awake, her eyes wide and unseeing as she stared at the world around her uncomprehendingly. Her mouth was hanging open in a broken wail, that had been abruptly cut off. She let out a sob and curled protectively around her abdomen, but nowhere near where she’d gotten hurt two days before. His sister hadn’t let him look at the wound at all, insisting it was nothing more than a scratch and would heal just fine on it’s own.

“Buffy, wake up. Wake up, it’s just a bad dream Buff.” Brian tried shaking her, but Buffy just let out another thin wail with her eyes still firmly closed.

“Buffy.” He called to her again, his heart beating wildly in his chest. His palms grew sweaty as uncomfortable flashbacks to a phone call on a hot day played in the back of his head. He did not want to have to call Dawn with the same crushing message she had once delivered to him. Hot and cold sensations flashed through him as he leaned over his younger sister, calling her name, shaking her shoulder, begging,

begging

her to wake up.

Buffy’s eyes however, remained obstinately shut, tears pooling under her closed lids and slowly dripping down her cheeks. The shaking and flailing had stopped, but Buffy was still letting out little moans and whimpers, reacting to whatever scene was playing out in her head. Brian pulled her into his lap, cradling her close, desperate to protect her from whatever demons haunted her sleep.

“Buffy, please.” His voice cracked on her name, the sentence trailing into a hoarse whisper.

A large hand settled onto his shoulder. Dom stood behind him, eyes trained intensely on his sister. Brian didn’t know what to make of the man anymore. All he knew was that Dom would help Buffy;

was

helping Buffy. And at the end of the day, that was all that mattered. 
“Dom… I, I don’t know what to do.” He admitted quietly. His former friend just stood there silently for a moment. Then he crouched down next to him and shook Buffy’s shoulder. 
“Come on Slayer. Get up, job’s not finished yet.” Buffy’s eyes snapped open, and she lunged forwards. Her arms shot out in front of her, clawing at the air. It was eerily similar to how she’d woken up in the car the other day. It was like she need to be sure that she wasn’t trapped by something.

Buffy’s shoulder shook as her chest heaved with the force of her breathing. She let out a broken sob, the sound cut in half and choppy.

“Not another one.” She murmured, wrapping her arms around herself. Tears fell down her cheeks, and Buffy flinched away from the hug Brian tried to wrap her into. His fist clenched tightly, even as he stored the word

slayer

away n his mind for later.

“Another what?” He asked her gently. Buffy just shook her head, visabely retaking control of her emotions.

“Just get me to Cleveland.” She ordered shakily, her tears drying.

“Buffy-”

“I don’t want to talk about it Bri.”

“Why do you look so trapped?” The question left his mouth before he had fully formed the thought. Buffy turned away from him, her face several shades paler than it had been a moment previous.

“There are some questions you don’t want the answer too Brian. Trust me, this is one of them.”

“Buffy, tell me. Let me in.” He begged her. He needed to understand, to know. He was so damn tired of feeling useless, of being dead weight. Buffy needed his help, and he needed to know what was wrong with her.

“Brian… You really don’t-”

“Tell me.” She sighed heavily, turning away from him. She leaned against the hood of the supra, still painted an unmistakable shade of bright orange. The hood should still have been burning hot, but Buffy still pressed her palms flat on the surface of the metal and leaned against it. Brian opened his mouth to warn her, but Dom beat him to it.

“That’s hot.” The taller man stated calmly. Buffy ignored him. Her shoulders shuddered, and she bowed her head. It was like her whole person was sagging deeply into the earth, and the only thing anchoring her here was the hot car against her hands.

“Earlier this year, I was.. I was…” Buffy started to say, her voice trailing off as she stared at some point in the distance; seemingly ignoring her hands. Brian was sure she has sustained some serious burns at this point. He stepped forward but at Dom’s rapid head shake aborted the movement.

“I woke up inside a coffin. Underground.” She admitted. Buffy spoke so quietly, Brian nearly didn’t catch the admission.

“Now… every time I wake up, for just a moment, I think I’m back in that box.”  His heart pounded heavily in his ears. His chest burned, and he absently rubbed a hand over the feeling. The world had gone silent, and there was nothing but Buffy’s words and his heart beat hovering in the air between them.

Coffin. Alive. Underground.

Brian stepped forward but his knees buckled under him, sending him to the ground with an

umph

. He pushed back to his feet and managed to cover the distance to his sister. Everything inside him wanted to envelope her in a hug, but Brian hesitated. If she woke up trapped, then wrapping her into a hug, trapping her in his arms, was probably a bad idea. And Brian didn’t want to scare her. So instead he settled for setting on hand on her shoulder, shifting to the side so she could feel the wind on her back at the same time. He leaned his head against the top of hers. He just stood there, being there for her. She had deflected the topic, and Brian

knew

that there was more going on than PTSD from what had to be one of the most horrifying scenarios he couldn’t imagine being done outside of a gritty crime drama, but for now this was enough. Buffy had bared her soul, or at least part of it, just now and Brian wasn’t going to dismiss that cost. His sister needed him, no matter what else she was hiding from him.

He felt it, the moment when Buffy leaned against him, rather than the car. He moved his hands slowly, from now on he would always move slowly with her, and covered her hands with his. Gently he pried her grip off the car and folded her hands gently into his own. If nothing else could hold her up, the Brian would.

Faith had hinted to some bad things, not just with whatever was going on in Cleveland, but Dawn and with Buffy’s friends. His sister would never be aimless, or friendless with him.

If there was one thing he’d learned at the table of the Torretto clan was that family is everything.

He’d lost Buffy once. He wasn’t about to lose her again. Not even to herself.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Buffy bolted out of the car the minute they pulled over, scrambling over Brian and heading straight to the pay phone. Dom groaned as he stretched, arms pulled high above his head, working out the kinks in his shoulders. Brian also stretched, his back, shoulders, and legs cramped from being crushed into the tiny Supra for hours on end. Apparently fast cars don't just get delivered in the middle of Nowhere, Colorado. The three of them had spent almost six hours crammed shoulder to shoulder in the two seater car for a second day in a row.He couldn't imagine how uncomfortable the overcrowded car must have been for Dom, who towered over most people, and was built like a brick shithouse.He makes uncomfortable eye contact with Dom. For a second he considers saying something. Dom glared and looked away, staring off at the heat waves shimmering off the hot asphalt. Brian bit back a sigh and glared at his boots.What was there to say? Brian had lied to Dom and his family for almost a year, working a case that would get all of them thrown into prison. And considering what the Racer King told him the night Brian helped him "escape" from the police, Dom would sooner drive off a cliff than go back to prison.And on the other side of that, Dom was a career criminal. He and his family - because there is no way the de facto leader of the Toretto house would trust anyone else with the heists - hijacked trucks and fenced stolen electronics. They definitely used the auto shop as an illegal front for the racing scene. Brian had enough evidence to bring them down on money laundering, possession and sale of stolen car parts, and highly illegal under the table car modifications. And there was definitely a bunch of other stuff Brian probably never even came close to.All of which Brian deliberately ignored. He'd gone in to stop the truck heists. The only evidence he and his superiors have are for the highway truck robberies. And most of it was circumstantial at best.He'd turned a blind eye on the rest of their illegal activities for months. He'd ignored crimes that would cost him his badge if the Torettos get caught. Brian could get charged with aiding and abetting if top brass one how much he'd ignored.He'd ignored all of that, risking his job, his life, his freedom. Excluding the highway heists, just the money laundering busts alone would have gotten Brian his promotion. But he risked it all anyways; all for goddamn Dom Torretto who couldn't even look him in the eyes.Brian took a deep breath, clenching his fists. He turns away from Dom, facing the other direction. He needs to get away before he does or says anything he'll regret.He and Dom have a good deal. He'll find a feasible cover for the Torettos, and the highway robberies with the fast flashy cars will stop. Dom lets him walk away clean.It's a good deal.It doesn't really feel that way. He turns away from his case - because that's all Dom could be now - and looks towards his sister. Buffy was standing in the clear glass booth, one hand braced against the glass as she listened to whoever was on the other end of the line. He moved to walk towards her."Don't." Dom's gravelly voice froze him in his tracks. Brain turned back towards the other man."Why not?" He tries not to snap. It only sorta works. Brian mostly just comes off as tired. They still have another five hours or so to go before they would reach Cleveland later that night. Brian doesn't have the energy to worry about Buffy and put up with another long tense drive with Dom."Because I've seen that look before. In Lompoc. That's the look of someone you don't fuck with. Not if you want to live." Dom's voice could almost be called gentle, if it wasn't for the content of the message. His tiny, blonde, California Barbie Princess sister, has the expression and demeanor of a criminal that Dominic Torretto would be afraid to mess with."But… it's- she's, she's just Buffy. Dom, that's my sister." He doesn't think he's ever felt so helpless in his life. Some detective he'd make - unable to solve the mystery of his own sister, unable to protect her from the things that have clearly scarred her."Look, Brian. Your sister, you want to know what the underground calls her? The Slayer. You don't get a name like that without being dangerous. She's seen and done some serious shit. There's a good reason why me and mine stay away from her part of the world.""Slayer?" Brian's mouth is dry. Dom nods stiffly, turning away to refill the tank."Somebody call?" Brian jumps, Buffy's voice bright and cheerful right next to his ear. His sister stood on her toes, arms slung lazily around his shoulders in a forced imitation of nonchalance. Brian grinned, the expression strained and foreign on his face. He playfully shrugged her off, turning to catch her in an awkward side hug."Hey Buff." Buffy grinned tightly, bouncing on her toes. Every move she made was practiced in it's carelessness. It seemed that was all either of them were doing. Pretending that everything was fine."Just talked to Faith. We really need to get to Cleveland. Giles put in a call to local law enforcement, so no worries about getting pulled over for speeding or anything. We're running out of time." Brian bit down on his own tongue, desperately trying to keep his own questions wrapped up tightly inside. Buffy squinted at him shrewdly."The…. people, I work for. We have some pull with the government. Uh, it's kinda… classified?" She offered weakly. Brian and Dom both shot her incredulous looks."Sure Blondie. But one of these days you're gonna have to give us a straight answer." Dom warned quietly, but without the malice that seemed to lace his tone whenever he addresses Brian."In Cleveland. Swear." Buffy raised her hand in a salute. "Scout's honor." Brian scoffed, and nudged her with his hip."You weren't in the Girl's Scouts Buffy." His sister shrugs with a breezy laugh."Well, close enough. C'mon, Faith says the fort is crumbling around her ears so we gotta get a move on. Giles called in a favor so the locals should clear the way for us, so if we really step on it we can get to Cleveland before it gets dark." Brian and Dom shoot each other another incredulous look.Somehow, Brian had a feeling that whatever Buffy's explanation was, he wasn't going to like it. But it looked like Dom was on his side, at least when it came to Buffy related insanity. He was just ready to stop spending so much time in the cramped car.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Driving into Cleveland, Brian suddenly understood why Buffy had insisted on driving instead of hopping on a flight. A wide dome of yellow crackling energy covered the city, staining the sky an ominous green color. 
 
“What the hell…” He muttered lowly, head ducked to stare out the windshield. The car slowed, as he and Dom took in the eerie stillness. They’d spent the last hour driving through the outlying suburbs surrounding Cleveland, and Brian had thought it was weird how few people were out and about, even in the middle of a Thursday afternoon. But seeing this… 
 
“Buffy, what in the everloving

fuck

is going on?” He demanded, turning to his completely unphased sister. 
 
“The end of the world. Or at least, it’s trying to end. I’m going to stop it.” She told him matter of factly. Ignoring the two dumbstruck men, Buffy twisted around to reach behind the seat, pulling out the slimy thing she’d ripped out of the

thing

back in LA. 
 
“Dom, you need to speed up if we’re going to breach the barrier. We’re pretty small and low down - relatively speaking - so Willow thinks we’ll make it through. But uhh, you guys may want to unbuckle.” Buffy glances at them both guiltily. “In case we have to bail out of the car.” The engine revs, and the sudden jump in speed presses all three of them back into their sears. Dom and Buffy both reach for their belts, but Brian is still stuck staring at the energy field covering a major American city. He feels like he just hallucinated his way into a si-fi movie. 
 
“Why would we have to bail?” He managed to stutter out his question. Buffy’s small hand covered his, clicking open his seatbelt. 
 
“If we can’t get through, the car might catch on fire.” Buffy answered, shifting her weight to kneel in the seat as she peered at the rapidly shrinking amount of road in between them and the crackling energy barrier. 
 
“On FIRE?!?” Brian threw his arm out in front of Buffy just as they slammed into the yellow energy. Metal screeched and all three of them jostled as the car both abruptly slowed down and was dragged up into the air, wheels spinning against the yellow barrier. Sparks flew, and Brian’s brain stalled as he got a glimpse inside the city. 
 
Hordes of the same weird blue monsters that Buffy had fought two days ago were swarming the city.

There was a whining shriek of metal, the frame of the car stressed by the strange surface of the barrier it was being yanked around by. Buffy’s hand tightened, her knuckles white. The leather seat creaked under the force of his own grip, Brian’s stomach left about a quarter mile behind them, and his heart lodged firmly in his throat. 
 
Then with a deafening roar, the car smashed through the barrier, the Supra’s engine howling as they smashed back down onto the cracked asphalt of Cleveland’s desolate streets. Brian barely managed to keep his grip on the seat as Dom wrestled the steering wheel to maintain control. Buffy was hardly jostled, and entirely unphased.

“What the hell just happened?” Brian shouted, his voice barely audible over the screech of tires and the cacophony of distant screams.
“We got in,” Buffy said tersely, her knuckles white as she gripped the dashboard. Her green eyes scanned the chaotic streets ahead. “Dom, keep driving. Straight toward the square.” Dom’s jaw clenched, but he nodded, his focus razor-sharp. 
“What’s waiting for us there?” Buffy shrugged.

“The rest of my team. And the source of all this badness. Don’t worry about.” She hefted the oozing organ. “There’s gonna be a whole lot of ugly on our way there, but as long as we can get this to the Hellmouth within the next hour, everything is going to be fine. Just another Tuesday.” The car rattled ominous as Dom wrenched the steering wheel to avoid a fallen light post. Brian twisted in his seat, his gaze darting between the carnage outside and his sister’s determined face.

“Buffy, you’ve gotta give us more than that. What the hell are we dealing with?”She shrugged.

“Not the way I was going to tell you, but technically this is an apocalypse. I’m going to stop it.” She shot him a wry look. “You know I’ve been busy these last few years. It’s not the most lucrative job in the world, but someone’s gotta do it.”

If it weren’t for the fact that Dom was flooring the car to mow down a couple of gigantic blue monsters, and they’d driven through some kind of bizarre glowing energy barrier, Brian definitely would have thought Buffy needed to get sent back to that facility she’d spent a couple months at in high school.

“Apocalypse?”

He managed to ask, his voice high and strangled. Buffy didn’t answer. Her eyes remained fixed ahead, her grip tightening on the scythe resting between her knees. Dom glanced at her through the rearview mirror, his expression unreadable. For a moment, the tension in the car was palpable, the roaring engine the only sound.

The closer to downtown they got, the more full of monsters the city became. Buffy eventually squeezed her way over his lap to roll down the window, and started hacking at the nearest available body part she could reach, even as Dom unrepentantly drove right over the creature’s bodies.

“Dom, take that alley on the left,” Buffy said suddenly. Dom obeyed without question, the car skidding as he made the sharp turn. The alley was narrow, debris-strewn, and flanked by crumbling buildings.

“Faster,” Buffy urged. Brain didn’t like the look on her face.

“This thing’s not a tank,” Dom muttered, but he pushed the accelerator harder. The Supra roared in response, weaving through the obstacles with practiced ease. Brian’s grip on the door tightened.

“Buffy, you can’t just—” The words died in his throat as Buffy threw herself out the window, breaking her fall by crushing on of the blue monster’s heads with the scythe.

“Buffy!” he shouted, fumbling for his seatbelt. Her scythe glinted as she sprinted toward a group of creatures blocking the alley’s exit, she turned back for just a moment.

“Keep driving!” She shouted back at them. “You need to get as close to the city limits as you can make it!” Loud snarling erupted from outside the alley, and Buffy’s attention snapped back to the situation. With one last shouted

“GO”

she vanished out to who-knows-where to fight who-knew-what.

The snarl of the engine would have been a thing of beauty, and a point of personal pride, if he didn’t need to get the hell out of the car.

“Dom, stop the car!” Brian barked, his heart pounding. He was reaching for the door handle, even though Dom was reversing them out of the alley.

“No,” Dom growled, keeping his hands steady on the wheel. “She said to get out.”

“She’s my sister!” Brian snapped, his voice raw. Dom’s jaw tightened. For a moment, he said nothing, his dark eyes focused on the road. Then he slammed the brakes, the car skidding to a halt.

“Family,” Dom said simply, turning to Brian. “Go. I’ve got your back.” Brian didn’t wait. He just snatched the crowbar he left under the seat and leapt out of the car, sprinting in the direction Buffy had gone. Dom followed, hefting a heavy wrench in one hand.

Buffy was already in the thick of it, her scythe a blur as she cut through the advancing horde. The creatures snarled and lunged, but she moved with deadly precision, each swing leaving nothing but a trail of melted blue-green goop.

What the fuck!?!

Brain’s brain continued to chant in loops, like a mantra.

“Buffy!” Brian called out as he reached her side, swinging his crowbar at another of the weird goop monsters. He has absolutely no idea what’s going on, but his brain can only handle so much at once, and he has pretty much reached his limit.

“Brian, I told you to stay in the car,” Buffy snapped, grabbing him by the arm and yanking him out of the way of a blow. Brian rolled out of the way, popping up behind her in time to catch a kick to her head with his crowbar.

“Yeah well, I thought you were dead. So excuse me for not letting you out of my sight in the middle of a fight from the Black Lagoon.” An unfamiliar female voice laughed. Brian’s head snapped up.

Six young women, all outfitted in tactical gear, and armed with medieval weaponry stood arrayed at the end of the block, easily slicing through the melee like a hot knife through butter.  He’s seen SWAT teams with less cohesion than these women.

“Hey there B.” The woman at the head of the team wore her tac gear like something out of a teenage boy’s comic book wet dream. Armored cat suit that looked painted on, and a vest that was unzipped just low enough to show off cleavage, and lips painted a dark red, her brown hair was swept away from her face. A light sheen of sweat covered her face, and even the dirt and blood smudged on her face didn’t take away from the femme fatale/black widow vibe she had going for her.

“Faith.” Buffy’s expression was flat, but Brain knew his sister well enough to recognize the relief in her voice.

“You got the goods?” Faith cocked her head to the side. Buffy rolled her eyes. She tossed the dripping bag at the other woman, who caught it easily.

“Right on time,” Buffy finally smiled. She nodded at the other women, striding forward to join them easily. The women closed ranks around her, and the formation shifted so that he and Dom were in the protected center.

“Rona, status report.” Brain watched, amazing as his sister transformed into someone he’d never seen before; a superior officer, a leader. She nodded seriously as she listened to reports of what was occurring around the city, and as soon as she was handed a comms unit, she was snapping off orders to organize the other teams around the city.

“Someone needs to clear my path,” she snapped into the unit. “I have the heart and two civilians. Cleveland can’t take much more of this, and frankly it’s a bit late in the year to still be dealing with an apocalypse of this scale. Let’s get to work people.” Faith just laughed when Buffy yanked the comm out of her ear, easily beheading another of the monsters in their path.

“Good to have you back B.” Buffy rolled her eyes.

“Five by five, right

F?

” Buffy emphasized the other’s woman’s initial, and Brain abruptly realized how much of a life his sister had built away from him. He knew, when they moved away that their lives had diverged. But this… this is something else. She’s not even someone he recognizes.

It’s not a bad thing. But… he’s let time slip away from them. Too much time. He’s not going to make that mistake anymore.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Brian sat slumped in a chair, his head resting against the cool stone wall of Buffy’s headquarters. The city was eerily quiet now that the crisis was over. He could still hear echoes of the chaos from earlier—shouts, monstrous roars, and the occasional explosion. Even though they’d shut down the city and kept people out of the way, a fight like that isn’t exactly quiet. Now, the silence felt almost oppressive. It gave him too much space to think.

Buffy’s world was something out of a horror movie, layered with a pseudo-military operation and sprinkled with just enough reality to be believable. Now that he’s seen it. Monsters, vampires, magic, apocalypses—it was real. And his sister wasn’t just a part of it; she was the

center

of it.

“You look like your brain’s short-circuiting,” Dom said, leaning against the doorway with his usual unshakeable calm. He had a bottle of water in one hand and an unreadable expression on his face. Brian gave a weak laugh.

“Feels like it. Fuck, this… this isn’t what I signed up for.”

“You didn’t sign up for this. And from the sound of it, neither did your sister,” Dom said, walking in and dropping into the chair next to Brian. “But you’re here now.” Brian shot him a skeptical look.

“I’m not sure I am. My little sister’s been…

this

for

years

, and I had no clue. I thought she’d burned down her high school gym because she was a troublemaker. Turns out she was saving the world. Since she was

sixteen

.” God what kind of brother was he to have never noticed, not once, all these years? Dom nodded slowly, his dark eyes fixed on Brian.

“You’re beating yourself up over something you couldn’t have known. Buffy’s tough. She’s been dealing with this her whole life. She doesn’t need you to fix it; she just needs you to have her back.” Brian exhaled heavily, rubbing his hands over his face.

“That’s the thing, Dom. I don’t know if I’m ready for this. None of this crap; magic, vampires, apocalypses… it’s like i’m living out a conspiracy theory. I’m used to normal shit. Crime rings. Murderers. Jaywalkers.”

“ Buffy, Dawn, the team she’s got… they’re your family, Brian. Just like my crew is mine. You figure it out for family.” Dom shrugged. He was taking it much better than Brain was. Brian tilted his head to look at Dom.

“What about you? What’s next?” For a moment, Brain didn’t think Dom was going ot answer. Dom’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, the room was thick with the tension that had always existed between them, from the moment he’d walked through the doors of his family’s shop and he’d ordered that tuna sandwich. But there are somethings that you go through with another person that bind you together. That can overcome any difference. That change you.  Then Dom sighed and looked Brian in the eye.

“You lied to me. To all of us. But you’ve been honest since Cleveland. You showed up for Buffy when it mattered. I don’t know what’s next. But so long as you leave the badge at home, you’re welcome to stop by the shop anytime.” Dom swallowed hard, his throat clicking. “Mia’d probably appreciate it.” Brian nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat.

“Thanks, man. That means a lot.” The door creaked open, and Buffy stepped out, a tablet in one hand and a narrow expression of concentration on her face. With a sigh and a quick swipe, she closed whatever it was that she’d been looking at. The shadows and the exhaustion that had lined her face for days seemed lighter now. Something about the fight seemed to chase away the worst of the demons that were hovering over her shoulders. She looked between the two men, her green eyes glinting with something like relief.

“You two playing nice?” She asked.

“Something like that,” Dom said, leaning back in his chair. “He’s not bad in a fight. Maybe needs to work on his form, though.” Brian scoffed.

“Next time, I’ll just let the monsters eat you.” Buffy rolled her eyes but let a smile spread across her face.

“I just wanted to thank you both. Couldn’t have saved the day without either of you.” Dom gave a small nod, and Brian ran a hand through his hair, feeling a mix of embarrassment and pride.

“As a small token of my appreciation,” Buffy continued, holding up the tablet, “because God knows I understand how thankless this job can be, I have a little something for you both.” Dom raised an eyebrow, and Buffy handed him the tablet. Brain peered over his shoulder, unashamed of his nosiness.

“On behalf of the United States Government,” Buffy said. “Both of you are off the hook. Brian isn’t in trouble with his superiors, and Dom, you and your friends are no longer considered persons of interest.” Dom stared at the screen for a long moment, his jaw tightening.

“How?” Buffy shrugged.

“Saving the world has its perks. Of course, it does mean you have to stop committing whatever crimes it is that you were about to get caught committing. But you’re free.”Dom’s hand tightened around the tablet. His voice was quiet when he finally spoke.

“Thank you.” Buffy smiled, her old confidence up in full force. Brain knew better than to believe it now, but he was still relieved to see her smile.

“Don’t mention it. Just make sure to keep your crew out of trouble. This is a one time thing. Unless you want to come join us white hats in the saving the world business. But the life expectancy for shop standard humans in my world isn’t very good, and you still can’t commit crime, so…” Buffy trailed off, wincing a bit. Chronic foot-in-mouth syndrome, fully back in action. Brian watched the exchange, a sense of finality settling over him. He glanced at Buffy, then at Dom. This was a fresh start for all of them. And he knew what he had to do.

“Buffy,” he starts quietly, “thank you. But, I think I always knew this was going to be my last case. And with you back… ” Buffy blinked, her surprise quickly giving way to a warm smile.

“You sure about that?” Brian nodded.

“I’d like to stay. I’ve missed too much of your lives, both you and Dawnie. I want to be here for my family.” Buffy hopped off the table and pulled him into a hug.

“Dawnie is going to be thrilled.” Judging by the way his ribs were creaking, Buffy was happy too. Brian hugged her back tightly, feeling lighter than he had in years.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Brian felt like he was exactly where he was supposed to be.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The sun was setting over the California coastline, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink. Brian stood just off the back deck of the LA slayer house, the sound of waves crashing against the shore filling the quiet evening air. A light breeze carried the salty tang of the ocean, mingling with the faint aroma of the barbecue sizzling on the grill he was nominally supervising. It's nice to be back home after so nearly a year of traveling the world with his sisters, learning about what their world was like. Dawn perched on a wooden bench on the deck above him, flipping through some demonic reference book, occasionally glancing up to tease Brian about his uneven tan. Buffy stepped out from the kitchen, a bowl of salad in one hand and a mischievous grin on her face.

“Alright, who’s ready to eat? And by ready, I mean who’s prepared to praise my incredible grilling skills?” Brian smirked, leaning back in his chair.

“Didn’t Dom teach you how to use that thing last week?” Buffy placed the bowl on the table with an exaggerated flourish.

“Correction: Dom gave me a master class, which I have now perfected. Prepare to be amazed.” Dawn rolled her eyes, closing her book with a soft thud.

“I’ll settle for not having to use the fire extinguisher again.”

“Hey, that was one time,” Buffy retorted, jabbing a finger in Dawn’s direction.

"Four,"

he and Dawn corrected in synch. Buffy flailed in their direction, mock indignation pouring out of her mouth. Dom’s familiar voice rumbled from the side of the house.

“Careful, Buffy. That’s my reputation as the grill master on the line.” Brian turned to see Dom walking up the path, a six-pack of beer in one hand and a relaxed smile on his face. He wasn’t alone. Mia followed closely behind, carrying a dish covered in foil. Behind her was the rest of the crew, even Vince, his glare still firmly on his face even as he hauls a cooler down the path to the house.

"Nice digs." Letty said. Her expression was a flat as a shark’s, and Brian knew he still had a ways to go to earn back to rest of their trust. Dom had kept his time as a cop between the two of them, but it wasn't like everyone else didn't know something had started to go wrong between the two of them. Stopping an apocalypse may have smoothed those edges over between him and Dom, but the others weren't there. They have no idea, which was how it was going to stay. For now, Brian is just happy to be back in sunny California, and that he was being stationed at one of the quieter Slayer houses in the city.

Mia greeted Brian with a warm smile that sent a pang of something unspoken through him. They'd kept in touch while he'd been gone, but he only realized the spark of something between them was still alive when he'd finally seen her in person again a few weeks ago. He quickly stood to help her with the dish.

“What’s this?” Brian asked, peeking under the foil as Mia handed it over.

“My famous potato salad. You’d better appreciate it—I don’t make it for just anyone,” she teased, her dark eyes sparkling. Brian grinned.

“You’re really spoiling us, Mia.”

“I should have brought you a tuna sandwich,” she said, laughing at him. He quirked a smooth smile at her.

“I like tuna sandwiches.”

As everyone settled around the table, the atmosphere grew lighter, filled with laughter and easy conversation. The tension that had weighed heavily on all of them only months ago seemed like a distant memory now. Buffy’s world had been chaotic and dangerous, but here, in this moment, everything felt normal—or as close to normal as it could get. Dom raised a bottle, his voice steady and warm.

“To family.” Everyone raised their drinks, echoing his sentiment. Brian’s gaze drifted to Buffy, who was smiling softly as she clinked her glass against Dawn’s. Then his eyes found Mia’s, and she returned his look with a quiet, knowing smile. From the other side of the table, Buffy quirked her own eyebrow at him, even while Dawn managed to tease out startled barks of laughter from both Vince and Jesse.

It's good to be home.