Brian burrowed back under the covers, nuzzling his face into the warmth of Dom's neck. He'd been tense after they got home from the races the night before, and Dom had brought him to his room so they could talk. So he could calm the blond down from his anger and hold him through the night. Dom had been happy to find out that although Brian was still wary of instigating touches in the open, he was more than happy to cuddle up against the big man under blankets.

"Worrying isn't going to do shit about whatever it is Rome's come to say, so could you please relax a bit? A tense pillow is an uncomfortable pillow. It's not even light out, way too early to be awake." Brian grumbled into Dom's neck.

Dom tightened his hold around Brian's waist, chuckling. "You haven't even cracked your eyes open, how do you know it's not midday?" he asked, hoping to take both their minds off of Brian's childhood friend and might have brought him to LA.

"It feels like night-time, and the house sounds like night-time." He felt Dom look down at him. "I worked undercover for years Dom, knowing how a place sounds at all times of the day is important. Sometimes it gives you that split second longer to get your ass out of a bad situation because you heard the sounds were off."

Dom considered his words for a moment, wondering whether this was dangerous territory he was about to venture into. "Were all of the places that dangerous all the time?" He felt Brian shake his head against his chest.

"Not all of them, but most of them were. And the safe ones weren't really safe because if someone found out who I really was I'd be dead. I had to keep an ear out regardless of whether or not I felt safe, cos that could change in a heartbeat." He hummed happily against Dom's neck. "And then I came here and it was family and you guys accepted me."

Dom pressed a kiss into the blond curls. "Still sucks you had the crap beaten out of you just so you could join us properly, but I am glad you chose us." He still couldn't believe that Brian had gone against the cops and the feds so he could be a part of their family. That he had willingly taken a beating for them.

Brian finally lifted his head and stared intently at Dom. "It was totally worth it." Someone banging on their door had him twitching in a way Dom would have found funny if he didn't know about Brian's past.

"Yo Dom, Mia says to tell you breakfast is ready." Vince yelled through the closed door. "Hurry it up guys, we're hungry!" loud footsteps down the stairs told them he'd gone back to the kitchen.

Brian sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Breakfast is not usually this early…is it?" he'd gotten used to the hours everyone kept over the last week, but realised they could have just been trying to accommodate him while he was healing. He hoped to the car gods that this was no their usual breakfast time.

Dom chuckled, shaking his head as he dug out an old shirt for Brian and tossed it to him. His smile slipped from his lips as he watched Brian remove yesterday's wrinkled t-shirt to pull on the fresh one. He was a rainbow of bruises of varying colours, not to mention the angry mess his shoulders were while they struggled to heal against the damage done to them. Brian glanced up in time to see the haunted look in Dom's eyes and was standing before the big man quicker than he thought possible.

"It'll all fade in time, some of it will scar but there's nothing that will hurt me once it's healed." He stepped in close and wrapped his arms around Dom's waist. "I happily took this on, all of this, when I thought you all would want nothing to do with me after I told you. Instead, you lay claim to me, Letty stitched my shoulders, Jesse argued with the others for me to stay and even Vince came around. You see how this is far better than anything I'd hoped for? I thought I'd be healing up in some flea town motel."

xxx

Everyone was in the kitchen when they walked in. "Good, now we can eat and head into the garage early in case the grinner from yesterday shows up early." Vince said eagerly.

Jesse watched Brian for a moment before stepping in closer to him. "He won't cause you any trouble…will he Brian?" he didn't want to see Brian hurt in any way, he'd already been injured and mistreated enough through his life, he didn't deserve more.

Brian shook his head. "Rome is more the beat-you-to-the-ground-when-he's-angry type, and if he's still angry and wants to beat on me…he won't do it while I'm this injured."

"Won't do it at all you mean." Leon grumbled from the other side of the table. Brian was starting to move easier, he didn't want that progress taken away anytime soon. He sure as hell didn't want some stranger from Brian's past screwing things up.

"Whatever he came here for, we'll all be there." Mia piped up, laying food on the table. Bacon and eggs, pancakes and waffles, toast, Brian had never seen so much breakfast food in his life as he had in the last week. Dark, emotional eyes held his pale blue gaze. "You don't have to go through this or anything else alone again Brian. You have family now."

xxx

It was almost midday and Jesse and Vince were getting antsy from waiting on Rome for so long. "I told you all before we left the house that he doesn't wake up til noon." Brian grumbled from an office chair in the corner of the garage. As soon as he'd been able to convince Dom earlier in the week to let him come into garage during the day, he'd taken up residence on the chair, pushing himself around on the tiny wheels so he could watch and chat to different members of the family as they worked.

Before either of them could reply, there was a noise from the front of the shop. "Hello? Anybody home?!" Rome yelled from the diner entrance.

Vince stormed into the diner, and came back into the garage just as quickly with Rome following along like a curious puppy. By the look on Vince's face, Brian was surprised he didn't have Rome by the ear. "Now B, I can totally get behind this! Cars and food all in one location, man have you got it made!" When he made a move to get into Brian's personal space, probably for a hug, Dom got in his way.

"Want to explain what the hell you're doing here, homeboy?" his tone did nothing to mask the anger boiling in his eyes.

Rome glanced from Brian to Dom and back again, surprised that the big guy was protecting Brian so obviously. "I bumped into a fed in Miami, said he was looking for you, said he could get your record wiped clean if you'd do a job for him. He seemed to think you've never been a cop, and that cops in LA have it out for you."

Leon was the only one to react, a harsh bark of laughter. "No shit, dumbass. He never was a cop, never ratted on you, and the LA cops sure as shit have it out for him. Fuck man, his face alone can show you that."

Rome turned wide eyes back to Brian. "This true B?" a slight nod. "Then what the hell were you doing with them cops in Barstow after I got arrested?"

"He was working on a deal for you, you dumb fuck!" Letty burst out angrily, taking an angry step toward the man. "You got arrested and he was left to clean up your mess in the hopes you wouldn't get life. He's been forced to work undercover since you were arrested until he quit, a week ago, and got the shit kicked out of him for his efforts."

Shocked, Rome sank down onto his knees, staring at Brian. "Is that true Brian? They've had you by the throat all these years, cos of me?"

Brian offered a shaky nod. "Yeah man, I'd finish one job and they'd throw me in for the next. I found out a while ago that what they'd told me in the beginning, about being able to pin you for murder, was a load of crap. But I didn't have anything else to do or anywhere to go, so I kept at it. Then they sent me in against these guys," he waved a hand to show he meant everyone around them. "…I couldn't do it. Just…the thought of it made me sick. So I checked they were safe and I told the cops to shove it. They shoved alright."