Dominic Toretto had himself stretched out on a couch in his shrink's office and rested his folded hands against his chest. The doctor let him get comfortable before they started their session. She looked over Toretto's frame and saw him relax into the couch and then asked, "Are you ready to get started Mr. Toretto?"
Dom looked at the ceiling before he looked at his doctor. "I'm ready."
"All right. How are you feeling today?" She noticed that even with him looking relaxed on the couch that he was still full of tension with the set of his shoulders and how he kept his eyes on the artwork and other things in the room.
"I'm feeling," Dom paused and thought for a moment before he continued, "better. Brian wouldn't want me to not be happy and the last six months, I've never been happier, outside of being with Brian in my whole life." Dom hoped his explanation wasn't lost on the doctor.
"So, you're still seeing your friend?" She asked carefully.
"Yes. He's been great. We're taking things slow but I'm thinking of moving to the East Coast and am going work on my winter driving skills."
"Do you see a long term future with your friend?" The doctor asked feeling her professional nature slip as she was curious about the man who seemed to know how to help Dom feel loved and needed while dealing with the significant loss of his previous lover.
Dom's eyes snapped towards the doctor and away from the artwork and said, "He's my boyfriend, not a friend. He works on the East Coast so it's only fair that I pick up and move if I want things to progress."
"Why can't he live on the West Coast?"
"He works for the government."
"What does he do for the government?"
"He's an agent and that's all you need to know."
Dr. Conrad gave a mental sigh as she wondered what Dominic Toretto's attraction to law enforcement officers was all about when he was pardoned felon himself. The line he walked seemed too blurry for her to follow so she didn't even try to follow that path. It was treacherous enough when Dom had first started his visits with her. "You do know that the one year anniversary is coming up?" She asked instead to gauge his reaction with the topic switch.
"Yes and my boyfriend is going to come with me to finish my closure. Then we'll be discussing our future."
"It's good to see you looking forward to the future."
"I'm trying. My boyfriend and friends help and I've been doing a lot of soul searching myself."
"Will you like the East Coast?" She asked curious about whether he'd slip up and reveal more private information. Dominic was a hard nut to crack but even with as little as he had told her over the last ten months, she knew progress when she saw it - Dom was coming to terms with Brian's death as gracefully as a lover could and he had a support system he could lean on, on his bad days
"I've been a few times but I'll put up with it if I can have a second chance at happiness."
Dr. Conrad said, "You deserve it. Never doubt that. I wish you well but if you find yourself needing to talk you know where I am."
A few weeks later, Dom and his boyfriend were walking along the stretch of Mexican beach that Dom still owned that went with the house, and they watched the sunrise together. Dom laced his fingers with his lover's and said, "Thank you for your patience."
"Dominic, you've experienced one of the worst losses any human being could, and you've made it through."
"With your help and my friends and family."
His boyfriend blushed and squeezed his hand. "You're a strong man Dominic."
"I love you." Dom said as he slowed to a stop and he pulled his lover close.
"I love you too. We'll be okay and my friends and co-workers will love you."
"Are you sure about that?" Dom smirked against his lover's throat.
"I'm happy so they'll love you by default."
"Thank you for your confidence." Dom said and brought their hands up and kissed his lover's knuckles.
He'd always have a place for Brian in his heart but his new lover was filling up his heart and mind and the rest of his body - Dom enjoyed every healing moment he could spend with his lover. He looked out at the sunrise and he could feel Brian smiling down on him. The pain and mourning were dissolving as he looked forward to the future - he had a second chance at happiness and he was going to enjoy the ride. He hoped he made his lover as happy as his lover seemed to make him and the chuckle that sound in the air told him all he needed to know.
Life would be okay.