Not a lot of people understand the position Brian O'Connor has found himself in over the years. Sure, by now he has proven himself as a member of the so called gang and is finally happy with the life he has built. But sometimes late at night when Mia is asleep and his newborn son Aaron is in his arms Brian wishes things could have been different. He sometimes wishes he could have had all of this and still be a cop. He knows if he mentions this to anyone none of them would understand. None of them know the satisfaction of putting the scum of the Earth in prison, the adrenaline rush of trying to solve a crime, and the knowledge that somewhere out there was a person who you had helped some way or another. None of them know the loss he mourns each day and that he still carries his badge around with him at all times in his front right pocket. It reminds him of who he was and who he could have been. None of them understand. But she does. She knows because she herself left it all behind as well.
If someone were to look at the pair of them they would say that Brian O'Connor and Elena Neves would be friends. He is a Cali boy born and raised in the school of hard knocks educated in foster care and the penal system which ironically ended up with him becoming a cop. She is a girl born in a favela who made it through university with a BA in Accounting of all things before her husband and childhood sweetheart was shot and killed inspiring her to continue on his mission. They both left behind the lives they had made for love. Both still harbor the desire to do good in the world. And most surprisingly of all both of them are Journey junkies who shared the favorite song.
Brian remembers the days he discover Elena shared his passion and weakness. He was in the garage they were hiding out in two months after the whole debacle in Rio. Elena, who had joined them to simply catch up aka to hop into bed with Dom, was sitting on a nearby table cleaning her gun. Everyone else was out catching a bite to eat. Brian has the radio on turned to an old classics station and suddenly it starts. The keyboards and the guitar and the voice of Steve Perry carrying him away and before he knows it he begins to belt out those old, familiar opening words of Don't Stop Believing.
And then he hears a laugh and drops the wrench in his hand as he sees Elena struggling not to laugh even louder. He feels his face flush but before he can open his mouth to say another word Elena opens her own mouth and begins to gently sing along as well. She sounds better than him, but not by much, and soon the pair returns to their tasks screeching away to the notes of the song. When the others get back Brian and Elena are thicker than thieves laughing so hard tears are in their eyes as they tell each other stories about all the stupid criminals they have arrested. From that day on Elena has become like a sister to Brian. Rome is his best friend hands down. Dom is his brother. Elena takes the place of sister.
It is Elena Brian talks to when things with Mia begin to sour. And it is Brian Elena calls when she dumps Dom after discovering Letty is alive. It is Brian whom Elena calls one night when mere a month after returning to Rio she meets a young father with children who stomped on her foot one day at the beach. She tells him that it annoyed her but Brian knows different. And it is Brian who walks her down the aisle in place of her dead father and brother a mere four months later. Brian asks her if he is sure. And Elena looks at him and says she is. Watching them during the wedding reception as she goofs off with the two year old girl named Molly and the six month old baby boy named Jamie and watches as her clumsy and bumbling accountant husband Alexander tries desperately to dance with the graceful and beautiful and glowing Elena. And it is then Brian knows that she has found love again. And when Brian and Mia finally agree to separate but live somewhere close together so that Aaron will still have both of his parents it is Brian who calls Elena a year and a half after her wedding and announces due to the pardons he will be back in the States soon and asks her if she minds if he and Aaron maybe crash on their couch for a few days in Miami.
Yes Brian and Elena may look like unlikely friends. But they are bonded by something no one else understands. And so when Elena calls Brian sobbing begging for help it does not hesitate to grab Aaron jump on the next plane to Miami leaving nothing behind but a note for Mia and Dom who do not even know Elena is married let alone that she is now almost six months pregnant.
And deep in his gut Brian knows his peaceful life in LA is over. What worries him now is what lies ahead.
********Main pairings will be Brian/Monica and Dom/Elena. Sorry but I don't like Letty that much. All will he revealed soon. This is a series of drabbles so don't