Dom insisted on going with Brian while he talked to Harry. The cops knew about his work with Harry, if they wanted to do more damage they'd know to find him there. Dom wasn't about to leave Brian unguarded and vulnerable; he could barely stand the thought that Brian had been beaten to hell and cut up without any of the team around to back him up.

"You're late Brian." Harry spoke without looking up from his desk, continuing to write whatever it was that he was working on.

"There's a reason for that." Dom's gruff voice didn't do much to hide the barely contained anger as he made his way into Harry's office behind Brian, shutting the door behind them and leaning against a wall.

At the sound of Dom's voice Harry looked up in surprise, which morphed into concern the instant he saw Brian's face. "Jesus Brian, what happened to you?!" he asked, rising from his desk and approaching the younger man. Brian stepped away from Harry before he could get too close, sidling closer to Dom. The fact that he wouldn't let the other man into his personal space stirred contentment and satisfaction in Dom's chest.

"I ran into some trouble." Brian started slowly. "It's going to be a while before I can work again…and the ones that did this know I work here. I'm sorry Harry but I've got to quit, if I come back they'll give you trouble."

Harry grimaced. "Hate to see you go, kid, you're bloody good around here. But I understand. If you change your mind, there's always a place for you here."

Dom smiled, glad to see that Harry appreciated Brian. "You'll still see him around Harry, once he's healed he's going to work in the garage."

"Good, that's good. The boys can watch your back there." Harry shook their hands and ushered them out of the office with encouragements to get Brian home to rest.

x x x

"Thought we were picking my car up while we were out?" Brian asked with a smirk when Dom drove past the diner and his car. He got the feeling Dom wasn't going to let him out of sight for some time; the beating had been the tipping point, the fact cops and FBI agents had done it had cemented the need to keep the blond close. To keep him safe.

"We were…" Dom admitted, grimacing as he glanced over at Brian. "But…they know your car. How do we know they're not looking to beat on you again today? Or shoot you? Vince and Letty will put it in the garage later today." He promised, knowing Brian wouldn't be content to leave his car parked in the street. Brian nodded, comfortable for now to leave Dom the room to be overprotective.

Dom parked the car at the back of the house but made no move to get out. When Brian moved slowly to open his own door, Dom caught his hand to keep him in place. "I know Vince thinks that if they don't want you here you won't be here, but that's not gonna happen."

Brian grimaced, staring intently at the older Torreto. "Dom, they're you're family, you can't disown them all just because of me." He pointed out quietly, no one had ever had his back like this before and he didn't know how to take it.

Dom shook his head. "I won't disown them, but they will get used to the fact that you will be staying. I don't care what they say or how they react, you're staying with us. I'd do almost anything for them, but I won't let them drive away the guy I want to date."

Brian's eyes widened and all he could do was stare. No sarcastic comment, no roll of the eyes or witty comeback. Silence and staring. He had worried that everyone would hate him when they found out he'd been undercover for the cops, especially Dom. But it seemed not only did Dom not hate him, he wanted to date him…and learning what Brian had been hadn't changed his mind about it.

"Come on, let's go see how Jesse's going in the argument." Dom grinned, finally let go of Brian's hand and getting out of the car. It took Brian a few more seconds to snap out of his shock and follow Dom's lead, walking slowly back to the house.

x x x

Brian sat at the kitchen table, listening to the argument in the next room. Vince seemed pretty pissed off, Letty sounded resigned though she was arguing that he should stay, Leon was arguing that Brian's wounds marked him out to be more loyal to them all than anyone else had ever been, Jesse, Mia and Dom were adamant that Brian was staying.

"He's a cop! He's been digging through our lives and feeding information back to the cops Dom! We can't trust him!" Vince roared angrily, pacing in the lounge-room. Brian had no doubt that if he were in the other room, Vince would have lashed out at him already.

"He was blackmailed to work undercover for the cops since he was nineteen." Dom corrected in the deep tone that brooked no argument. He'd obviously had enough of talking round in circles and was about to lay down the law, his law. "They beat the ever-loving shit out of him when he bailed on them, after making sure we were safe. You think that sounds like a cop? You're fucking confused. Besides, what gives you the right to demand he leave? I didn't say Letty had to leave when you decided to date her, you can't do that to me now."

Tense silence as everyone in the lounge-room realised what Dom had just said. Brian had been claimed and there was nothing any of them could do about it now. If they wanted to hate Brian, they would be hating someone important to Dom. Someone he had chosen to bring into the family even knowing about what Brian had been.

"Well…shit…" Vince grumbled. "Where is the Buster? Best welcome him to the family hey? Yo, Buster! Get in here brother!" Vince bellowed, knowing full well Dom wouldn't have let him stay too far away, given how protective he'd been since Brian had shown up wounded.

Brian made his way into the room and Vince pulled him into a tight hug. "Me and you are going to have words about your old line of work so I can set my mind at ease, but welcome to the family." He grinned when he pulled back. Brian nodded slowly, shocked at the sudden change in the man. Dom had staked his claim and Vince was apparently alright with that.

Mia gasped from behind Brian. "Brian…Dom really needs to see to your shoulders. You're bleeding through your shirt…" She murmured sadly. She hated to think of how badly it had hurt him to have those letters cut into his flesh. The agony he had been in, and thinking he would be cut off from everything he had ever know. Cut off and pushed away from them. And yet he had gone through with it all anyway, defending them and protecting them even if it cost him his place with the family.