AN: Umm.. thanks for the reviews, I like knowing you're out there, and hopefully enjoying the fic. :) I love hearing from you all - so drop me a review any time, even just to chat :)
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Chapter VI: 'Expectations fall'
Brian stared up at the board walk in disbelief.. that definitely was not how he had pictured it. "ROME!" he shouted at the top of his voice, spitting sea water from his mouth again. He slipped beneath the waters surface, then reappeared flicking his hair back from his face.
"You have 2 minutes to get your white ass outta my water, and off my property." Tej looked down over the edge of the boardwalk at Brian.
Brian slipped beneath the water once more, then lunged up at the board walk. He grabbed the boards tightly then hoisted himself out of the water and onto the warf. He lay there a moment, completely soaked, flat on his stomach and still catching his breath. He could faintly hear conversations around him - centred on him. He sighed and pushed himself up to his feet, taking a quick look left and right, while people smirked at him. He turned on his heel and pushed through the crowd, humiliated.
Brian finally broke through the last of the crowd, and stalked down the side of garage towards where he had parked the Newport. He pulled the keys from his completely soggy jeans, and jammed them into the lock, yanking open the door violently.
"And what the HELL is that..?"
Brian stopped midway into the car, and turned "SHIT!" he hissed as he banged his head on the door frame. He rubbed his forehead and turned fully to regard the voice.
Rome stood a few feet away, arms crossed over his chest, eyeing the Newport, and a sodden Brian.
"It's a Newport... ROMAN" Brian answered, emphasising his full name, as he wasn't 'allowed' to call him Rome anymore.
Rome rolled his eyes, "I know what the hell it is, you forget I've been around cars all my life cuz?" he took a step forward.
Brian raised his eyebrows, "Cuz? CUZ?! A moment ago you socked me in the face and pushed me into the water, now suddenly I'm your CUZ?!" he demanded, folding his arms over his own chest.
Rome ignored him, "So what'chu doin' with a nasty ride like this? You were always the one for the flashy wheels."
Brian sighed, "It's a rental, if you must know."
Rome raised his eyebrows, "They don't make rentals like they used to.." he snickered.
"Yeah, well Crazy Bob didn't exactly have the largest collection." Brian answered, stifling a laugh.
Rome laughed at that. "I see that hasn't changed... always cutting corners Brian."
"HEY! Never heard you complain when I got us a good deal!" Brian protested, a grin taking over his face.
Rome shook his head, laughing lightly.
"Why'd you diss me like that out there?" Brian suddenly spoke up, stepping closer.
The grin left Romes face, "Why'd you leave me to rot in jail?"
The tension thickened once more.
Brian shook his head, with a weary sigh. "Man.. you know.. YOU KNOW if there was ANYTHING I could've done, I would've!"
Rome shook his head now too, "Oh.. yeah, anything huh? That's why you just left me.. and stayed your ass away from the joint, went off to L.A without a word. I did THREE years... didn't hear from your ass ONCE!" he spat, stepping forward again, it looked like there'd be another fight.
"Rome.. there was nothing I could've done! They were pulling me away for undercover prep. I had no choice!" Brian tried to rationalise.
Rome shook his head, not saying a word.
"I wasn't the one in possession Rome.. YOU WERE. You have to take responsibility for that.. man, you did the crime - like they say, you gotta do the time."
Rome stepped forward and shoved Brian back against the car, "Go home Brian." He warned.
"WHY?!" Brian roared, grabbing at Romes shirt, fully prepared for a fight this time.
"There's NO place for you here! Just go!" Rome shoved Brian back again - this time not as hard.
The two of them glared into each others eyes, breathing hard and holding each other by the shirt - neither one willing to back down.
"I TOLD YOU Brian. You're not welcome. You're not my boy. GO HOME." Rome shoved Brian once more, and now Brian had had enough.
He shoved Roman back violently using one leg to hook underneath his knee so he fell backwards. Roman hit the ground startled, about ready to jump up and lay into Brian when Brian beat him to it - by pouncing on top of Rome and forcing his arms underneath Brians knees. Brian hooked the left side of Romes face, and pulled back to deliver another when Rome freed one of his own hands used that to deliver a blow to Brians face. Brian was thrown off balance and Rome took that opportunity to roll them over so he was in control, this sent them into a wrestling frenzy on the ground - brut strength against brut strength.
Brian gained control once more, sitting over Rome - yelling obscenities at each other, and grabbing at each others clothes, limbs.. anything to try and dominate the other - until Brian was suddenly and quite violently yanked off Rome and thrown to the side.
Brian hit the ground so hard it knocked the air out of him, he looked up - breathless and shocked to see his attacker. Tej.
Brian tried to gasp for air, but it wouldn't come. 'Relax.. Relax' he tried to remind himself, as he awaited precious oxygen.
"I TOLD YOU - you had two minutes to get your ass off property. You now have two seconds before I beat you down."
The air hit Brians lungs once more, and he jumped to his feet, giving Rome one last look over his shoulder. Rome was staring at him, breathing hard, still laying on his back. Something passed between them, but was cut short as Brian got into the Newport hurriedly.
Tej keep an evil eye on Brian as he started the Newport up and reversed out of there as if he was driving a much more powerful machine.
And then he was gone. Brian O'Connor had left the warf... withouth what he'd come for. Without Rome. Without friendship. And one more crucial thing... himself.
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Ooh okay.. so, hope you all don't hate me for that. Well.. even if you do - you can just let me know via review.
~Ice
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Chapter VI: 'Expectations fall'
Brian stared up at the board walk in disbelief.. that definitely was not how he had pictured it. "ROME!" he shouted at the top of his voice, spitting sea water from his mouth again. He slipped beneath the waters surface, then reappeared flicking his hair back from his face.
"You have 2 minutes to get your white ass outta my water, and off my property." Tej looked down over the edge of the boardwalk at Brian.
Brian slipped beneath the water once more, then lunged up at the board walk. He grabbed the boards tightly then hoisted himself out of the water and onto the warf. He lay there a moment, completely soaked, flat on his stomach and still catching his breath. He could faintly hear conversations around him - centred on him. He sighed and pushed himself up to his feet, taking a quick look left and right, while people smirked at him. He turned on his heel and pushed through the crowd, humiliated.
Brian finally broke through the last of the crowd, and stalked down the side of garage towards where he had parked the Newport. He pulled the keys from his completely soggy jeans, and jammed them into the lock, yanking open the door violently.
"And what the HELL is that..?"
Brian stopped midway into the car, and turned "SHIT!" he hissed as he banged his head on the door frame. He rubbed his forehead and turned fully to regard the voice.
Rome stood a few feet away, arms crossed over his chest, eyeing the Newport, and a sodden Brian.
"It's a Newport... ROMAN" Brian answered, emphasising his full name, as he wasn't 'allowed' to call him Rome anymore.
Rome rolled his eyes, "I know what the hell it is, you forget I've been around cars all my life cuz?" he took a step forward.
Brian raised his eyebrows, "Cuz? CUZ?! A moment ago you socked me in the face and pushed me into the water, now suddenly I'm your CUZ?!" he demanded, folding his arms over his own chest.
Rome ignored him, "So what'chu doin' with a nasty ride like this? You were always the one for the flashy wheels."
Brian sighed, "It's a rental, if you must know."
Rome raised his eyebrows, "They don't make rentals like they used to.." he snickered.
"Yeah, well Crazy Bob didn't exactly have the largest collection." Brian answered, stifling a laugh.
Rome laughed at that. "I see that hasn't changed... always cutting corners Brian."
"HEY! Never heard you complain when I got us a good deal!" Brian protested, a grin taking over his face.
Rome shook his head, laughing lightly.
"Why'd you diss me like that out there?" Brian suddenly spoke up, stepping closer.
The grin left Romes face, "Why'd you leave me to rot in jail?"
The tension thickened once more.
Brian shook his head, with a weary sigh. "Man.. you know.. YOU KNOW if there was ANYTHING I could've done, I would've!"
Rome shook his head now too, "Oh.. yeah, anything huh? That's why you just left me.. and stayed your ass away from the joint, went off to L.A without a word. I did THREE years... didn't hear from your ass ONCE!" he spat, stepping forward again, it looked like there'd be another fight.
"Rome.. there was nothing I could've done! They were pulling me away for undercover prep. I had no choice!" Brian tried to rationalise.
Rome shook his head, not saying a word.
"I wasn't the one in possession Rome.. YOU WERE. You have to take responsibility for that.. man, you did the crime - like they say, you gotta do the time."
Rome stepped forward and shoved Brian back against the car, "Go home Brian." He warned.
"WHY?!" Brian roared, grabbing at Romes shirt, fully prepared for a fight this time.
"There's NO place for you here! Just go!" Rome shoved Brian back again - this time not as hard.
The two of them glared into each others eyes, breathing hard and holding each other by the shirt - neither one willing to back down.
"I TOLD YOU Brian. You're not welcome. You're not my boy. GO HOME." Rome shoved Brian once more, and now Brian had had enough.
He shoved Roman back violently using one leg to hook underneath his knee so he fell backwards. Roman hit the ground startled, about ready to jump up and lay into Brian when Brian beat him to it - by pouncing on top of Rome and forcing his arms underneath Brians knees. Brian hooked the left side of Romes face, and pulled back to deliver another when Rome freed one of his own hands used that to deliver a blow to Brians face. Brian was thrown off balance and Rome took that opportunity to roll them over so he was in control, this sent them into a wrestling frenzy on the ground - brut strength against brut strength.
Brian gained control once more, sitting over Rome - yelling obscenities at each other, and grabbing at each others clothes, limbs.. anything to try and dominate the other - until Brian was suddenly and quite violently yanked off Rome and thrown to the side.
Brian hit the ground so hard it knocked the air out of him, he looked up - breathless and shocked to see his attacker. Tej.
Brian tried to gasp for air, but it wouldn't come. 'Relax.. Relax' he tried to remind himself, as he awaited precious oxygen.
"I TOLD YOU - you had two minutes to get your ass off property. You now have two seconds before I beat you down."
The air hit Brians lungs once more, and he jumped to his feet, giving Rome one last look over his shoulder. Rome was staring at him, breathing hard, still laying on his back. Something passed between them, but was cut short as Brian got into the Newport hurriedly.
Tej keep an evil eye on Brian as he started the Newport up and reversed out of there as if he was driving a much more powerful machine.
And then he was gone. Brian O'Connor had left the warf... withouth what he'd come for. Without Rome. Without friendship. And one more crucial thing... himself.
----
Ooh okay.. so, hope you all don't hate me for that. Well.. even if you do - you can just let me know via review.
~Ice