The Heart Leads

Chapter 8

The road stretched out in front of them, an endless stretch of black asphalt under the dimming sky. Dom's Charger hummed along smoothly, but inside the car, it felt like the air was thick with tension. Brian was doing his best to focus on the rhythm of the road, letting the engine’s steady hum distract him, but it wasn’t working. The dull ache in his stomach was getting worse, turning into something sharper, more demanding.

Then, out of nowhere, the pain hit. It was like a sharp, twisting band that wrapped around his whole stomach, squeezing tighter and tighter. It felt like someone was inside him, yanking and twisting, making it hard to breathe. Brian’s eyes went wide, and his breath came in shallow gasps. For a second, the world tilted, and the only sound he could hear was the rush of blood pounding in his ears.

Without thinking, his hand shot out and grabbed Dom’s arm like it was the only thing keeping him from slipping away. "Dom..." His voice was barely a whisper, shaky with panic. Tears started to spill from his eyes as the pain made him tremble. He hated this. He hated feeling so weak, especially in front of Dom, who barely knew him. But the pain was too much. His body had given out on him.

Dom’s eyes flickered from the road to Brian, instantly seeing how bad it was. He could feel Brian’s grip tighten, and the way his fingers dug into his arm made it clear this wasn’t just a normal pregnancy thing. "Hey, hey, I got you," Dom said, his voice low and calm, trying to steady Brian as he shifted gears with one hand while resting the other on Brian’s knee. "Breathe, man. Just breathe."

But it was harder than it sounded. Every breath felt like it was being sucked through a straw, and the tightness in his stomach wouldn’t let up. Brian hunched over, clutching the seat with one hand, his other pressed to his stomach, trying to breathe through the pain.

"I—I can’t…" Brian gasped, his voice breaking as fresh tears spilled down his face. His whole body was shaking, sweat dripping down his forehead. The pain felt like it was drowning him, and the fear of it all made him cling to Dom’s steady presence even more.

Dom’s jaw tightened, worry creasing his face. They still had a few hours to go, and Brian was already this bad. He reached over and cracked open the window, letting the cool air hit Brian’s flushed face. "Okay, listen to me, kid. We’re gonna get through this. But you gotta try to relax, alright? Tensing up is just making it worse."

Brian nodded weakly, but it didn’t feel like it was helping. The pressure in his stomach just kept getting worse. His body felt like it was losing control, like everything was falling apart.

Dom kept his eyes on the road, his mind racing. "Brian, if it gets worse, we can pull over, take a break. We can stop, man."

"No," Brian choked out, shaking his head. "We—We have to keep going." The thought of stopping, of being stuck on the side of the road, made him panic. He didn’t want to be seen like this, not vulnerable, not with his father possibly finding him, or anyone else.

But as the pain hit again, even harder than before, Brian bent over, pressing his forehead against the cool glass of the window. "Oh God… it hurts," he whispered, barely able to keep the words together through the pain.

Dom’s heart twisted at the sound of his voice. He gripped the steering wheel harder, fighting the urge to drive faster, but he couldn’t risk speeding. He needed to get Brian home, but the worry gnawed at him. "Hang in there, alright? We’re almost there. Just focus on getting through the next minute."

Brian tried, but it felt like time was moving too slow. The baby shifted in him, and with every movement came another wave of pain that left him gasping. He pressed his hand to his belly, feeling the tightness there, wondering if the baby was okay. That thought made his chest tighten with panic.

"Dom…" Brian’s voice cracked, softer now, filled with more fear than he cared to admit. "I... I think it’s happening."

Dom’s grip on the wheel tightened, but he kept his voice steady. "Okay. Okay. We’re gonna get you there." He took a deep breath, trying to stay calm even though his heart was racing. "Just hold on, alright? We’re too damn close. You’re not alone."

Brian nodded, barely holding on. The pain was all-consuming, taking over his body. As Dom’s house finally came into view, a small spark of hope flickered inside him. Maybe he could make it. Maybe he wouldn’t break before they got there.

But with every second, that hope felt more and more fragile, slipping through his fingers.