Their idea to move Brian in next to Lance was a good one, but taking him in for paying for Letty's kidnap was better. Bilkins just finished taking him into custody and was now headed for the hospital with a police escort.

No matter the hospital, Bilkins had been to so many that he could navigate them easily. He found Hobbs standing guard at Letty's room.

"Report," he asked first thing.

"This is Toretto's ex-girlfriend. She took a good amount of punches to protect him and O'Conner while the people in custody asked about the hijackings."

Bilkins looked in and caught sight. There was a bandage over her nose that was only done when it was broken.

"Ex-girlfriend? The woman O'Conner moved out?"

Hobbs scoffed with humor. "The one and the same."

"I'd be surprised if Toretto didn't do anything against Tran for this. When we let her go, both hotheads might give us reasons to take them down."

"And then you'll offer Toretto a plea deal if he confesses to the hijackings and returns the payload? Sounds like a nice case closed."

"Maybe…but while they're protecting Tran and she's protecting Toretto, this hijacking case is going to linger on. Will the Assistant Director still want you around?"

It was odd that he was even in on this in the first place.

Hobbs shrugged, because he really wasn't bothered either way. "No skin off my back if he doesn't. O'Conner believes it all will last until Race Wars day after tomorrow, anyway. Tran's case is open, though. They'll just get someone like you to cover it if I have to leave."

That was a low blow to Bilkins, who only heard, Someone with a cheaper salary.

Bilkins had to let it slide. Hobbs in general was a thorn in the side of the whole case, he had leverage, though. His willingness to use O'Conner had come up with good enough info to bag Johnny with enough time. Not for the truck hijackings, which was the whole point of Bilkins being there. Hobbs seemed to be firing on all cylinders now that he had a dock to pinpoint against Johnny's overseas exploits.

"Things wouldn't have worked out this way if it wasn't for O'Conner staying on at the Toretto house…pushing this woman into Lance's firing lane. And now with Lance taken into custody with the confession of paying off those thugs, Tran is going to unpredictable. We have the opportunity to have both him and Toretto incited to make a stupid mistake so we can take them down."

"Something you don't know," Hobbs said darkly, lowering his voice. "They weren't just there to beat on this woman to find out who was hijacking the trucks…This girl got them talking about other things."

"Like what?" Bilkins urged.

A frown formed by Hobbs' mouth. "They were Lance Nguyen's initiation crew into the gang. Lance was going to have all of them jump our officer with a nice little gang rape scenario if they could prove it wasn't him hijacking the trucks."

Bilkins shook his head. "And now they're all going to prison. We owe her for playing the damsel. They know nothing if they think it was O'Conner, but it was good you were there to stop them. Keep your eye on following Tran's movements and keeping O'Conner…motivated."

The way he said it made Hobbs smirk. He asked coyly, "Do you think he needs motivation? You think he's lost sight of the goal?"

Bilkins looked pained. "Really want my input on this? Your UC is keeping the other side of Toretto's bed warm, that's all I have to say about that."

Now Hobbs was openly grinning. With pride, he said, "He's a natural. Guts to high heaven. He'd have played Lance and probably have taken the initiation to get in with him if either Toretto or I would allow that. At some point in time maybe that'll be necessary for the mark, but not one as low as Lance…I'll save the officer's virtue for someone higher up the food chain. He has something to prove and I won't get in his way while he does."

Bilkins eyed him seriously. "You're thinking about taking him on as someone on your team?"

"Just look at his skills. He'd have some major training to go through, but I think after this is finished that I'll set him up for the tests."

"He has problems," Bilkins said plainly. "I can't quite see exactly where he fit among all of us, or even that he is a cop at his core. He had a weird way of needing to fit somewhere, though. With Toretto's gang, with Tanner, with Pierce, with us…He's a chameleon. Partly it's the kid's backbone that makes us lucky we had him as a backup plan when Pierce fell through. But the kid has this knack of following his dick."

"He's swooned for Toretto," Hobbs agreed. "I think he really has fallen for the guy and is in for a major wakeup call. So what? I don't need to tell him what's right and what's wrong. The point is he's getting the job done. Hiding out there knowing it's going in the official record, outing him publicly when this is all over…he's throwing his career away one way or another. I'm curious how he'll take it when it all comes to an end. Maybe it isn't Toretto, right?"

"There's no clear evidence yet that says it is, but it's him," Bilkins was sure. "And that's a little rash. Not every precinct is as homophobic as that."

"This one is. Looks like when it all falls apart he'll be looking for one that isn't, huh?"

"You're really rooting for his life to fall apart?"

"O'Conner's a gay cop. Toretto's a convict. They won't last. And I could use a guy with guts like his. I can see him working out," and now Hobbs weighed a little of the private investigation going on under the radar, the one in file X. "Do you have a reason to believe I should drop him right here, right now?"

Bilkins didn't just toss his answer around. He thought about it, but there was no doubt.

"Want to know what I like most about him?" Bilkins finally replied. "It's that he swallows his pride when he's given less than his share. In a white guy, that's endearing. Disregards himself for the job. He's a realist. Soldiers like you like guys like that because they fit your mold."

Hobbs nodded along. "I like moldy. Grows on you."

If there was a god, it was laughing at Bilkins.

Outside Letty's hospital room, when Tanner showed up, Bilkins and Hobbs talked quietly about the next steps to take. Tanner had come around to watch over Letty as the doctors checked her over. Bilkins was the middle man at the moment, keeping the FBI with a low profile in public. They sent Tanner in to answer her questions and assure her she wasn't being held by the cops on any official level. They wanted her back in Toretto's camp, shoved into the fray with Brian removed so Toretto could plot his move on Tran or on the truck heist with his full crew and without Brian there to interfere. They'd put Brian back the next day for Race Wars.

Tanner was fully aware of his position in the plot. First, he offer her their protection if she wanted, knowing she'd ardently refuse. And she did. Secondly, he'd tell her that she wasn't going to be released with those injuries without a next of kin. The hospital had called and left a message. It was luck on their side that it had gone to voicemail. Now, Tanner had more time to gently interview Letty.

"Dom answer his phone yet?" She muttered to Sergeant Tanner who sat by her bed side for the past hour.

"Not yet, Miss Ortiz."

She gritted her teeth and rolled her eyes, which made her a bit dizzy. The hits to her face were one thing, but that broken nose was another and was tender. They'd hooked her to a few IVs after some scans, finding no internal bleeding, just cracked ribs that were causing her grief. Finally, after a few shallow breaths, she spoke past her busted lip and reset nose.

"Probably with your cop slut. Why not call that piece of shit to put Dom on the line?"

Tanner was willing to wait for her to ask, though. He stalled to cover his tracks.

"The hospital isn't trying to push you out. And if you are refusing the police's help then when you do leave we won't be there for you. I've set up a guard on this floor and another in the lobby to keep a watch for any other of Tran's gang. Wouldn't you like to just sleep here tonight?"

"Hell no. And why should I worry at all? Those cops who arrested the guys who grabbed me were witnesses, so it's not like they will get out of custody. The doctor's cleared me to leave so I want to leave. Just try calling Brian. His number's in my cell."

"It's in mine, too." Tanner did feel something personal when he told her, "I've been Brian's sergeant for the past year. Would you let me ask him to keep his eye on you?"

She winced because there was a knee jerk reaction against that idea. Her throat felt thick.

"No way!"

Tanner went on, "He's moonlighting at your work, isn't that right? You were friends with him once. He's on a leave of duty because of Tran also. Looks like you two have something in common."

"More than necessary in common," she said humorlessly.

"Johnny Tran seems to have it out for your group of mechanics. He's looking for reasons why he was arrested last week. You don't have any information for me about that, do you?"

Letty kept her facial movements minimal, but there was scorn to be seen. "Tran's a piece of shit and probably is just making all this fuss to throw you off his trail as a cover, because I bet the psycho really is the one you're looking for and he's making a show of being offended."

Tanner looked her straight in the eyes and said, "Or maybe not. Maybe Tran has some reason to move in on you."

Letty got defensive. "Does this theory include your cop friend? You want to bring him in for questioning? None of this shit started happening until he showed up!"

Tanner pursed his lips. He knew damn well Brian had nothing to do with the truck robberies. He just couldn't let on how far back his interest in joining with Toretto was. Tanner was a bit proud of her for holding her own during the questioning, though.

"Brian just came off of a case that very well could have been the reason you were put in harm's way, Miss Ortiz."

"Maybe that was it, then," her teeth were clenched, "but you won't be putting a tail on me. I can take care of myself."

"With the help of your friends? You'll need more help than that. Brian is a trained policeman and is still issued his side arm…I might suggest you stay close to his side throughout the - "

"Would you drop it?" Letty interrupted with a growl. "Your cop came into my life and set himself right alongside the man I've dated since high school! I won't be going to him for anything! And I hope that isn't news to you, but if it is I'll spell it out: your cop is a fairy. Turns out my ex is, too."

Letty closed her tired eyes and fell into a moment of silence. She'd be more pissed…except that Dom had come to her and told her the scoop about as civilly as was ever possible with this situation. He didn't wait, didn't question, didn't hesitate. Didn't string her along. He told her he was trying to do this the right way. How that was ever possible was beyond human knowing. So, she should have been more pissed, except she was glad Dom had told her.

Was she even really sorry? She'd not felt replaced. Not even when Dom was starting to just humor her presence in his bed. She felt him pulling away and looking over his shoulder at the greener grass. She hadn't talked about it or fought too hard…maybe their relationship in bed had run its course. For sure it wasn't over for the two of them as friends, though.

Letty also needed a chance to think. It was looking like Tanner knew things that could probably put her in a world of hurt. If this was about the truck hijackings, then she was on the level again of needing to divert attention away from herself and Dom. Tran's guys would have been on the phone telling Tran to move in and take their form of revenge against Dom if she'd let anything up. Even now, Tanner would do the same. He probably wouldn't take automatic weapons to their bodies, though.

"Damn it," Letty muttered, opening her eyes and looking back at Tanner. "…you've got no reason to sit there feeling sorry for me, Sergeant Tanner. That's what you're doing, isn't it?"

"If I'm feeling sorry for anyone, it's not you, Miss Ortiz. It's not like Brian ever came to me to ask my opinion about his relationships outside of work, but if he had I'd tell him to find someone lower key than Tran's rival. And I'd tell him to keep them well away from the eyes and ears of his fellow officers. It's not exactly going to be a welcome party when he returns. I'd just as soon have preferred none of this mess had Brian involved at all."

"Your cop moved in on us. Anything as a result of that is his own doing and he deserves whatever he gets because of it."

"Even your boyfriend?" Tanner knew that comment would sting.

She sucked in a big breath, her eyes like lightning. "No one owns anyone. You don't own your cop. I don't own Dom. I don't owe your guy for getting me away from Lance's guys. Clear?"

"Maybe," Tanner agreed, although kept his voice even and his eyes steadily on her. Tanner mused, "Although if there's one thing about Brian you should know, it's that he keeps score on those who he owes and who do him favors. He'll pay them back in full. You really…really don't mind that he's staying at your ex's house?"

"I mind that my ex isn't picking up his phone. When are you going to make that call to Brian?"

Tanner leaned forward and pulled out his own cell from a back pocket with a sigh. "If you're sure? Brian will feel he'll owe you something more if he takes it that he's the reason your boyfriend missed the calls."

"Once again, he's not my boyfriend! Just call!"

She closed her eyes. She felt like if this was food, it was raw and tasted gross.

Tanner called Brian.

Letty could hear the words coming from the crappy receiver.

"Sergeant?"

"Officer O'Conner. Is Dominic Toretto in your vicinity?"

"Yes, sir."

"Have him pick up his cell and check his messages."

"Shit. Dom? Check your phone! Sarge, what's going on?"

"I've got Letty Ortiz at Hollywood Medical. Agent Hobbs and his team escorted her here after she had a run-in with five of Lance's guys. And here's an update: Lance is in custody, too. Bilkins had men on standby and they went in the moment they had something indicting on him In this case, what he paid some guys to do to Miss Ortiz. She needs Toretto to sign her out of medical."

There was a moment as the man on the other end took that in.

"Tanner…we'll be there in ten minutes."

Letty glared at the receiver in Tanner's hand. "Keep him away from me. Just Dom comes in."

Tanner was already given that directed before she had to spit the request.

"Agent Hobbs is coming to get you, so just stay behind and collect your stuff. We're moving you out."

"Sergeant - ?"

He interrupted. "That's an order. Miss Ortiz is refusing police surveillance and I don't want her body showing up in a ditch tomorrow if Johnny Tran is looking for a quick hit. Tell Toretto to keep his eyes on her and not just leave her at her apartment alone. We're pulling you out so she'll have somewhere to go, and the only reason she won't go there is because of you. You're coming back to base. Clear?"

At the door, Hobbs tapped Bilkins' chest then turned around and left, now on his mission to collect Brian.

Brian pulled his mouth away from the line and chatted some, then finally brought it back. "Yes, sir. Dom's on the way. I'm staying."

"He'll be there soon."

Overall, Brian sounded morose.

"Yes, sir. Dom will be there soon, too. Tell her…he's sorry he missed those calls."

"I will," Tanner said, then cut the line. "You're not going to thank me?"

Letty tisked loudly, looking angry again and looking away.

Bilkins took a step into the room. "Mind a word in the hall?"

Once outside, Tanner felt he had to say, "You know, playing Toretto's crew like this might just backfire."

"Or it will get us what we need to put someone behind bars."

"If this woman here was part of the truck heist, then they won't be rolling out again until she's feeling better."

"There were only ever three Civics," Bilkins pointed out. "Who's to say she was part of it, or replaceable with one of his other crew? We're working on taking these criminals out, now or later they'll make a mistake and make it easier."

The promised departure of Brian weighed on his mind as he drove to get Letty. Nothing was sensible about this moment as he considered how much of the future was unknown to him. He believed had no reason to wonder where the line between taking Brian on would cross karma's sickly path and backfire on him. Day one was a bit of a kick in the pants. He had to trust that time might make this easier. How much time was another concern. It would not be fair to question everything between him and the cop right now…they'd only just met, really. Dom's friends, his life, his heart…they'd all find a way to work Brian into some level of steadiness. It had been an arduous month, Letty ending up in the hospital was by far the most unexpected outcome but not the worst case scenario; he was going to bail her out, not identify a body.

Mia and Vince had heard the commotion and joined in the living room, with Brian coming down not long after with his bag, gun, and badge. Vince was sitting on the couch, leg up and twisted so he could keep a look out the window. His phone was gripped in his lax hand. Mia sat behind him, both legs curled up and doing the same.

Brian didn't know what to say and just set his bag on the floor by the door. He sat on the arm of the chair and sighed.

"How long will you be away?" Vince wondered.

"Let Letty decide. My sergeant said she needs to be watched out for, but I know she won't want me around…" if it meant Letty's life or staying away for a few days while this thing with Lance and Tran settled down, then he'd choose Letty's life. He hardly knew it was a question, really. "I'll know more about what they'll be doing for this case soon."

"So, all we know is that Letty's in the hospital?" Mia asked.

"And Lance is in custody."

That was a fair bit of good news, all around.

"Will they question Dom while he's there?"

"Not that he'll have to answer anything, though." Brian said. Then he reached out and clasped Vince's shoulder. "You keep your eyes on Dom while I'm away. Don't let him plan anything against Tran, don't let him leave the house, no matter what happened to Letty. You just let me take care of it. Tran's not to be messed with because he has so much heat on him that it'll just come back and hit you all. Got it?"

"Would you just stay here?" Mia pled, glancing down to the gun that rested atop his duffle bag. Brian saw where she was looking.

"Have the guy who Dom left her for here?" He shook his head. "That's not what my sergeant ordered. She didn't want surveillance, so she's getting Dom instead. You might even call Leon and Jesse to come and stay by…I know they're in the Airstreams watching out for the cars, but if they picked Letty up they might do the same to those two."

"I'm going to call them now and let them know what's going on," Mia said urgently, getting up and going to the phone on the wall in the hall.

It was just Vince now, who took to staring at Brian. Feeling like the look on the scruffy, petulant man wasn't malicious or impending conversation, Brian's eyes drifted to the window.

There were bars on the outside of the glass. Stylish bars. Designs on the ends, not just cut rebar. It reminded him of his cell he walked in those ten years before. Juvie taught him a lot, including how to keep his face firm. Right now, he looked distant, longing and sad. Bars reminded him of empty places, confused him, too, so that he'd have to struggle to remember that there was sometimes more to life than an empty cell. The bars reminded him of a place where he once felt just as lonely as he did right now. He was back to a t-shirt and jeans, his Chucks, but Dom had stripped him completely down and had slowly felt over his body before that call came in. It was difficult to remember loneliness when sadness was more prominent.

And that was a first. He used to long for Rome - like seriously pine for him - to finally roll off that top bunk and slip down to his level, lay over him and make his loneliness fade. He would lie awake for hours thinking of all the ways he'd show Rome how good it would feel…how he would make the disgust or shame or whatever Rome might feel when he touched him disappear. But in no scenario did he ever make Rome compromise himself and actually come down off that upper bunk. Rome wasn't into changing teams and he knew that. Brian would never ask him to do anything he didn't want to, not even wish it silently while lying in bed below him.

Dom pulled him close. Held him. Kissed him. Bit him. Yeah, all that stuff he would dream about having a muscular man do to him while growing up. It was so new and so precious that Brian was afraid to even move sometimes or he might startle reality to return him to his empty room in his empty house. Even now he held so still, just letting his mind wrap around his life in this moment.

Vince had seen that hard look on a few others. He'd done a few overnighters, but no big deal like Dom. But that look was one that he'd seen Dom wear, too. It was the look of someone on the inside, which was stupid because Brian was here in their home.

"If it's Letty, man…I think she'll be okay," Vince told him.

Brian looked away from the bars on the windows. Vince didn't play with the law if it was risky. The truck hijacking was low risk with high reward. It was all planned so perfectly. Thinking about it now, Brian could see the trail of events that led up to this moment for the team. That man Han had taught Dom how to rob trucks, Hector had the means to fence the goods, and the heists took place in broad daylight quick as lightning. Someone - more than likely Vince - would jump onto the rig, tranq the driver and park the truck off the beaten path where this team or Hector's would quickly off load the merch.

Vince was in the deep end now. He sat there with Brian tonight and both of them wanted to ask questions about what the other really knew. Vince wanted ask what the cops and Feds knew, about Letty and more about Hobbs, but all of that was in that too-risky category. Keeping Brian in the dark was the best plan to take. Same with Brian…he didn't want Vince to self-incriminate himself.

"What do I know, though?" Vince added when Brian didn't reply.

That got him to wake a little.

"A cop when you see one?" Brian muttered.

He offered Brian a sneaky little smile, then said, "Even Letty can't hate you as much as you think, because you never hid or lied how you felt about Dom. And Dom never pushed you away. He's the only one who can choose who he's with."

"You're cheering me up?"

"I can make my own choices, too," then Vince suddenly wondered, "and this guy coming to get you…your new handler. Hobbs. How much do you know about him?"

"If you ever cross him, he'll take you down like a freight train hitting a nuke. He's awesome, Vince. A serious Good Guy. Like, someone you read about and think is some made up superhero, but you're reading official documents signed by the government. In the past few days I got to hear him and his guys talk about cases they've worked. They are out there. Hobbs is not someone to mess with…"

Vince was thinking to himself that their cover as just a group of mechanics was starting to feel a little thin.

Brian stood up. Vince looked out the window at a pair of uniquely bright lights that turned towards the house.

He blurted out, "Want to go to the gun range when this is all over?"

Brian had just reached for his duffle bag when he felt a double beat in his chest. Brian made sure to phrase for Vince how frightening Hobbs was to scare him off a little. Vince - the brick wall - was leaning forward now, looking at him with all honesty and no fear.

"I'm just thinking you'd maybe want to go with me?" He said again.

He'd never been asked that before, and never in a million years expected it to be a more welcome request from Vince. He was by the door, but then suddenly he was gathering Vince in a tight hug, pressing his cheek against his scruffier one.

"Yeah, I want to go. Fuck yeah!"

"Get off," Vince wasn't angry, he did push, though. "You're probably covered in sex and need a shower."

Brian went back grinning and chanced a sweep over Vince's brown hair.

"Probably," he said with a blazing grin. His blue eyes were right in front of Vince and he confessed, "You're a good friend. Better than I've had in a long time."

He didn't get a reply and hardly needed one. The idiot was chow for dogs if he ever got caught by Hobbs. Brian couldn't say that, though. He gathered his bag and rushed out to the Hummer that had just stopped in front of the house, packing in and off they went. He was going to find a way to fix this. For Dom. For Mia. At this point for Vince, too.