Troubled Past to Perfect Future

Part 15

BRIAN'S POV

I wake up to the feeling of someone shaking me.

"Bri? You awake?" I hear Dom ask as I stretch and yawn.

"What time is it?" I ask, opening my eyes slowly.

"It is about three in the afternoon. You have been sleeping since noon," Dom says, brushing my bangs from my face.

"Are they back yet?" I ask, sitting up.

"They pulled in shortly before I woke you up," Dom says as there is a knock on the door. "We'll be down in a minute." The person at the door walks away, and Dom gets up before holding his hand out to help me up. I let him help me up, and Dom continues to hold my hand as we walk out of the room and downstairs. We see everyone but Harry sitting around the front room. Vince is in the armchair with Letty on his lap and Mia on the floor next to his feet. Leon is on the couch with Jesse, who appears to be asleep, in his lap. Carter and Owen are also on the couch, leaning against each other.

"Where is Harry?" I ask, sitting on Dom's lap once he sits in the other armchair.

"I'm so sorry, Brian," Owen says as Carter buries his head into his chest.

"What is it?" I ask, looking at everyone, who all looks away. I look back at Dom last to see him frowning.

"There was a small fight when we tried to arrest and kill your father," Owen says. "Harry saved Carter's life by stepping in front of him when your dad pulled out a gun."

"No," I say, shaking my head. "He can't be dead."

"I'm sorry, Brian," Owen says. Dom pulls me against him as I start to sob.

"He was the only true father I had," I sob.

"He gave me this," Carter says, holding out an envelope. I took the envelope and opened it to find a letter and a ring. The ring is silver with barbed wire carved into it. I try on the rind to find it is too big. Mia gets up and walks out of the room only to return in a little bit with a piece of black cord.

"Use this," she said, handing me the cord. Dom takes the cord and ring, slides the ring onto the cord, and ties it around my neck.

"I can't read the letter," I say.

"It's ok, Bri. We'll put it up with the one from your mom, and when you are ready, you can read them," Dom says as I lay against him.

"What will happen to his store?" I ask.

"We're going to become managers of it but keep the employees there," Dom says.

"Is my father dead?" I ask, looking towards Carter and Owen.

"Yes, he is as well as the others," Owen says.

"My mother's grave?" I ask.

"There is none," Carter says.

"What?" I ask.

"Where is her body?" Dom asks.

"It seems she was burned and then dumped into a hole with no markers," Owen says.

"I can't say goodbye," I say. Dom pulls me close and kisses my temple. "I didn't get to say goodbye to Harry either."

"It's ok, Bri. They both know you loved them," Dom says.

"Is Jesse ok?" I ask, looking over to where Jesse is still out on Leon's lap.

"He cried himself to sleep on the way home. Seeing his father killed affected him though his father did a lot to him," Leon says, pulling Jesse more against him. We all sit in silence for a while before Vince's stomach growls, which causes us all to laugh.

"Let's all go out to eat," Dom says.

"Where are we going?" Jesse asks, sitting up while rubbing his eyes.

"Let's go to Cha Cha Cha," Vince says.

"It's a Mexican restaurant," Dom says as he sees my confused expression. "Let's get you cleaned up, and then we'll all head out." I nod and stand up with Dom. I follow Dom upstairs to the bathroom, where he has me sit on the counter as he wipes my face clean of tears.

"So much has happened in such a short time," I say.

"I know what you mean," Dom says.

"I'm glad it happened though. I'm glad I met you and everyone else," I say, leaning forward and kissing Dom.

"I wish it hadn't been so harsh on you, but I wouldn't want it to change if it meant not meeting you," Dom says, kissing me again.

"I love you, Dominic Toretto."

"I love you, Brian O'Conner."