Please note this is nothing to do with the Forever series. This is another fic that I've had floating round on my computer for a few years now. I've always found Vince a hard character to write for some reason so I'd be interested in your opinions on whether this captures him correctly.

Vince Chapter One

By Rosa241

Driving down an open road is always where I've felt the most at home, the most at peace. Sitting behind the wheel with nothing in front of me but concrete made me feel so relaxed. It was nice. It's really no secret that my temper is much worse than Dom's which is saying something. Being a hothead is something I've always had to contend with, something I've tried hard to reign in over the years to varying levels of success. On the open road I feel like I can clear my head and actually think. Driving has always been peaceful…but now…

Now I've got something so big on my mind that even an open road can't help.

It's been almost a year now since my accident. Almost a year since I was hanging off the side of a truck, since the buster risked his neck to save mine, since I was fighting for my life…since we lost Jesse. My heart still aches at the thought of my lost brother. Losing the kid tore us all apart. Honestly I don't know if we'll ever be able to get past that, not really, not fully. You don't just get past loosing family. You never get past it.

Three weeks in hospital recovering had taught me two things. Number one I really fucking hate hospitals (don't get me wrong I knew that already but still) and number two cops are stupid. Someway, somehow they didn't put my accident together with Dom and they believed my bullshit story about a carjacking. Quite how I came up with it on the spot is beyond me. Evidentially the trucker didn't come forward so maybe they really did believe my story. Either way it was easier than expected for Leon and Letty to bust me out of there. Coming back was too risky for Dom, no matter how much he wanted to it wasn't worth the potential of getting seen.

Those first couple of months after the break out was a blur. Most of my energy went on recovering and surviving so I didn't pay a huge amount of attention to what was going on around me. When the blur cleared we found ourselves running again. Honestly we've been running nonstop ever since that day.

None of us liked the idea of running but what other choice did we have?

We couldn't stay around and wait to see if the cops decided they had enough evidence to press charges. So far we hadn't come across any clear indications that people were searching for us but it wasn't a risk we could take. The effects of running however was beginning to take its toll on us all.

Dom was getting more and more stressed as the days flew by. His temper was growing more and more out of control. He hated running, he hated being on the back foot but more importantly he hated feeling like he'd let us down. It wasn't his fault and we all know it but he couldn't see that. We're all adults, we all made the decision to get involved with Dom and we all knew the risks. Even Jesse. My brother just couldn't see it.

Letty was at her wits end. She just didn't know what to do anymore. I know more than anything it's her worry that's killing her. Worrying about what the future holds, worrying about whether there's cops at the next turn, worrying about how long Dom can hold on…

Leon simply didn't know what to do. Ever since he'd come to join our group he'd taken his cues from Dom. We both did. Dom made the decisions and we made it happen. Something inside both of us knew that we could trust him to make the right choices when the shit hit the fan. The problem is that Dom isn't thinking clearly right now, he's scared, he's angry and he's hurting. All these choices he's making aren't being made with a clear goal in sight, he's just trying desperately to keep us all safe.

As for me…

Well the whole thing is getting to me too but there's something else I can't keep out of my head.

Brian.

The buster has been on my mind pretty much every day since I last saw him.

He saved my life.

He risked his own life to save mine.

He could have been shot or run over but he did it anyway.

He avenged Jesse.

He let Dom go.

He's a cop.

And that last one was where all the problems revolved. Brian was a cop. I was right. Not that I wanted to be of course but the fact is that I was. He was a cop. Part of me still hates him for that but the other part of me…

Another part of me still loves him.

That's right. Love.

I still love him after everything.

Thinking back over our first kiss it still makes me smile.

Flashback:

Slamming him up against the wall I can't help the growl that rips from my throat. For the first time since he showed up he actually looks scared. I know I should feel bad about that but I just can't.

Ever since he showed up here it's like everything's started to change and I don't like it. Our lives were fine before he showed up. I don't trust him.

His eyes flicker around the room briefly before settling on me again. There's no one around of course, it's just the two of us. I can feel the nerves radiating off of him and the thought of his fear makes me smile. Good. He should be afraid. Busters messing with my family and that's not something I take lightly.

"Something wrong Vince?" Naturally he's trying to be cocky but he can't hide the shaking in his voice. He's afraid.

"You are what's wrong." I grind out after a few minutes of complete silence. "You show up here and start messing with my family. You don't get to do that. You don't get to hurt my family cop. I won't allow it."

"I haven't hurt any of them!" He yells as he tries desperately to escape my grip. The arm across his chest doesn't move and, as he squirms again, I slam my free hand hard on the wall next to his head. The loud bang echoes around the room causing him to go rigid.

"Yet!" Snarling at him I lean in closer. "But you're going to and I won't let that happen."

"Vince please listen to me. The last thing I want is to hurt anyone." Something in his voice throws me a little. If I didn't know him any better then I'd say he was actually serious. Apparently he senses my hesitation because he continues. "I haven't come here to hurt your family, I wouldn't actively go out of my way to hurt them…any of them. I promise you."

What happens next I can't explain. Something inside of me just urges me to surge forward. If it wasn't for exactly what I'm doing then I'd find the look on his face comical. As I press my lips to his an electric shock passes through me. The sensation of his lips on mine is something I'll never be able to forget no matter how long I live. In all it only lasts for a few seconds but it feels like a lifetime.

Pulling away I half expect him to try to kick my ass or at the very least punch me in the face. Taking my arm off of his chest I step backwards, my eyes never leaving his. For a few minutes we both stand there just staring.

What the hell did I just do?

Where did that come from?

His fingers twitch as they rise up to brush against his lips. The actions causing a shot of something straight through my body and down to my groin. I can't stop my eyes following the path of his fingers as they trace his lips. As he drops his hand I shoot my eyes back up to his.

Suddenly he presses forward, coming to stand just centimetres away from me. I can feel his breath on mine and again a jolt goes straight down to my groin. Something inside me is urging me to react, to bridge that small gap and reignite that electric feeling. I can't though. I want to but I can't. Taking the decision away from me he closes the distance and presses his lips against my own.

Instantly I wrap both arms around his waist and press him back against the wall. He grunts slightly as he hits the bricks but doesn't break away from the kiss. When his hands move to lie on my chest I almost think he's going to push me away. He doesn't. Instead he grabs two fistfuls of my t-shirt and pulls me closer. My body comes to press against his as our kiss deepens.

As my tongue touches his lips he takes the hint and opens his mouth. A groan releases from my mouth as I feel my tongue finally touch his. As our kiss continues to deepen, more and more passion pouring out of both of us, his hands slide up my chest and wrap around my neck. It's like we just can't get any closer but we're both trying to.

Quite how long we spend pressed up to the wall I don't know but I know I don't ever want to part from him. Our make out session halts merely to take in air, we don't stop however. I don't think I could even if I wanted to. Not that I want to. I don't ever want to stop kissing him. Eventually though we're forced to part when the familiar sound of my cell phone blares through the empty garage.

We jolt apart like someone's lit a fire between us and for a moment neither says a word. As I answer the phone I turn my back on him but I can still feel his eyes trained on me. By the time my conversation with Dom ends my body has calmed down. We work in awkward silence for the next ten minutes before an excitable Jesse enters. As he takes Brian off to one side I breathe a sigh of relief and lean back against the car I've been pretending to work on.

What the hell did I just do?

End Flashback

Despite the awkward tension that settled between us in the days following the kiss we'd somehow worked our way through it. For the next week we tip toed around each other, sharing confused glares across the garage, before finally everything exploded. In the end Dom had gotten so sick of the tension that he'd actually locked the two of us in the basement and told us (in no uncertain terms) to deal with our shit.

I still remember the way that he practically launched himself at me as the door slammed shut. For a split second I considered pushing him away before wrapping my arms around his body and pulling him ever closer. Something inside of me settles into place as our lips move together. It feels like this is exactly how things should be, him and me together. That was the moment when I'd realised just where this tension came from, just why I hated him so much.

His flirting with Mia was pissing me off so much, not because of her, but because of him. I was attracted to him. Now that I allowed myself to think about it I know that I'd felt some sort of pull towards him from the moment I first met him. Since the first day I felt something.

Following the night in that basement we both jumped head first into our relationship. No one seemed surprised that we were together, apparently they'd sensed it from the beginning. Would have been nice if someone had told the two of us that. Dom had a slight issue with Brian having apparently led Mia on. Thankfully after the blonde pulled her aside and had a lengthy conversation they'd made their peace with each other. After that Dom had come round pretty quickly.

For the few weeks we were together things progressed so quickly. Neither of us was open to one night stands, if we were doing this then we were going to do this for real. Something inside of me clenched at that thought.

It wasn't for real though was it?

He played you.

He played you are you're still in love with him!?

My heart clenches painfully at the reminder. I was just a means to an end for him. It didn't matter that I'd fallen in love with him, he was just using me. Thinking about it makes me remember the moment I realised just how badly I'd fallen for him.

Flashback:

For a moment I almost think he's passed out before his eyes flutter open and he huffs out a small laugh. Rolling onto my side I turn to face him, smiling at the content look he's got on his face. Pressing a kiss to his lips he returns it and for a moment I loose myself in this feeling. The feeling of his lips on mine, him lying here with me, the feeling of his body next to my own. Pulling away I roll over onto my back, not surprised when he shuffles closer and presses himself into my side. I've never been one for cuddling but just like with everything else he breaks the rules again.

"This feels nice." Whether he's referring to the wonderful afterglow, my fingers running through his curls or the fact that we're together I don't know. Something in me hopes it's the last one.

I say nothing to his words but press a kiss to the top of his head and tighten my grip on him. It's been only three weeks since that night in the basement but I feel like we've been together for so long. I've never felt like this before. I've never felt like I do when I'm with him. He's different than the others that I've been with.

As he slowly begins to drift off, his head cushioned on my chest, something in my mind finally clicks.

There's a reason why things feel different with him…

Why I feel so comfortable?

Why I feel so at home with him?

Why I feel so drawn to him?

I'm in love with him.

End Flashback

I'd never told him about my realisation. It was too soon. Telling someone you were in love with them just a few short weeks after you got together was asking for trouble. There was no way that he could possibly feel the same way. But what if…

What if he did?

What if I'd said something?

What if he wasn't a cop?

What if he hadn't abandoned me?

It had been three months now since Dom had finally called Mia, having decided that enough time had passed that it would be safe for her to join us. Leaving Mia behind hadn't been easy on my brother but he wasn't nearly ready to risk her safety. He knew that she'd end up being watched, he wanted to wait long enough to let things die down before he brought her out here.

When he'd taken me aside and told me what he wanted to do half of me thought he was crazy. I mean I was seriously tempted to send his ass to the nearest hospital to get checked out. Bringing Brian here?

What the hell would that achieve?

Dom was convinced that Brian was for real, that he had been trying to help us all along. I didn't want to believe it but part of me hoped. He just knew that for some reason the younger man had tried to help us. Thinking about it now still confuses me.

Brian risked his life to save me from that truck. He didn't do it because he was a cop or because he wanted to arrest me, he did it to save my life. That trucker could have easily killed him but he did it anyway.

He blew his cover to get that copter to me. If he hadn't…

I don't even want to think about that. He didn't know how Dom would react, for all he knew the guy could have killed him on the spot.

He avenged Jesse. After my brother had been killed he wasted no time jumping into a car and racing off after them. He could have arrested them, brought them in but no. No he killed him instead.

Then he let Dom go. The police were minutes away, Dom couldn't have run and Brian had a gun trained on him but he let him go. The guy handed over his own car keys and let a known criminal escape.

Cops don't do those kinds of things because it's part of their job.

Those kinds of things….those are the things you do for family.

That's why I'd agreed with Dom's plan. His plan to have Mia extend an invitation to my boy. She'd go to Brian before meeting up with them and give him the opportunity to join us. The truth is I think we all wanted him here with us. Of course we were still a little mad at him, he lied to us after all, but somewhere along the lines he became family. The fact that neither Letty nor Leon argued with us when we explained our plan clearly told us how they felt. I still swear that I saw Leon breathe a sigh of relief when we told them.

For ten glorious days I'd allowed myself to believe that he'd join us.

For ten days I held close the belief that he'd just drive up with Mia. That I'd wrap my arms around him and we'd be okay. That we could just pick up where we left off.

Life however had different plans.

When Mia had stepped out of that car alone and sent me a sad shake of the head I knew.

I knew there are then that it wasn't real.

He didn't love me like I did him.

He didn't feel the same way that I did.

It wasn't real.

I hope you enjoyed that. I know that this is my favourite of the two fast and furious stories that I've got and I really like the ideas that I've got planned for this. I hope you do too.