Ok-so a lot of you guys didn't like the fact Laura confessed her love for Brian so early in the relationship but you shall see that even she realises she jumped the gun a bit. Keep reviewing and if any mistakes come up let me know…oh and there was a part in Chapter 15 were Mia is supposed to be in the store but I've got her in the garage too, and we all know she can't be in two places at once, so I've went back and fixed that. Keep reading and reviewing people. Enjoy…

Chapter 18-

Laura sat beside Brian as the ambulance sped up the highway towards LA. She watched as the paramedics dressed his cuts and injected him with something. She couldn't believe what had just happened, it was like she was outside her own body, floating above everyone, watching. It wasn't fair, she and Brian had got on so well, really clicked, and this had to happen. She sat, surprisingly calm now, and thought about the guys and how they had just kept kicking Brian, it didn't affect them at all, they didn't even blink an eyelid! It just showed how many people had a conscience now days.

She thought about what she had said to Brian as she had sat there on the cold tarmac and watched him slowly deteriorate. I love you… Was it true? Could she really love him so quickly? Maybe it was way too early to be thinking about that. Sure, when she was around him it felt like nothing she had ever experienced before, but they had really only known each other a week, and even then she had only had a few meaningful conversations with him. Of course she always did this…when she felt something for a guy she'd automatically think it was love…but she'd never actually felt these feelings before, they were so intense, ten times stronger than the ones she'd had with Leon or even Jerry.

As usual her confusion got the better of her and she pushed all thoughts to the back of her head. The ambulance pulled up outside the hospital and the paramedics rushed Brian in through some double doors and into a theatre of some kind.

"Sorry you can't come in here." A nurse pushed her back and closed the door in her face.

She stood in shock as she watched the team of doctors and nurses in the room apply sticky pads to Brian's chest. She didn't even realise she was crying again, until a nurse walked over and handed her a tissue.

"He'll be all right hun. Don't you be worrying now…he's in good hands."

Laura smiled weakly and nodded at the nurse. It was then that she realised Dom and the rest of the team didn't even know this had happened. She found it hard to pull herself away from the window looking into the theatre. She ran outside and dialled Dom's cell number,

"Hey, what's up…"

"Dom, it's Laura…I…" she burst into tears again. She couldn't stop herself.

"What is it…what's happened?"

"Dom you all need to get down to the hospital, in the city, it's Brian…" she trailed off. She couldn't bring herself to tell him what had happened. Every time she thought about it, it felt like she was reliving it.

"Laura, what about Brian! Calm the fuck down and talk to me girl…"

"Look please…just get down here."

With that she hung up and ran back inside towards the room Brian had been in. When she realised he wasn't there anymore she panicked. All sorts ran through her mind as she looked around in a daze. She could feel herself hyperventilate. She felt a hand on her shoulder,

"It's Ok hunny, calm down, he's been taken to a ward upstairs. He needs observed but he'll pull through." It was the nurse that had comforted her earlier.

Laura followed the nurse to the lift and listened carefully as she explained where the ward was.

"Thanks…" Laura managed to mumble as the lift doors closed.

It seemed to take forever for the lift to reach the fourth floor and she luckily found Brian's room no problem. She walked over to his bed quietly and saw he was sleeping. Was he unconscious? In a coma? Sedated? Just then a doctor followed her in.

"You can't be in here now miss…he's heavily sedated to stop any pain he may be in."

"I'm his girlfriend, I came in with him…"

"Oh, well in that case you can stay…but I must warn you when he comes round he'll be very disorientated. He has a few broken ribs, and heavy bruising to his abdomen. His left arm is also broken in three places. Nothing that won't heal but it'll take a while and he'll be in a lot of pain for a long time."

Laura stood, trying to take it all in. At least he wasn't dying… The doctor left and Laura sat quietly beside the bed watching Brian as he breathed steadily. She didn't take her eyes off his chest, rising and falling. She held onto the sight, scared that it would stop if she looked away.

About twenty minutes later Dom came racing into the room closely followed by the rest of the team. As soon as she saw them a huge weight lifted from her and she burst into tears again. Mia hugged her and Dom looked impatient,

"What happened?" he spat out as he looked at Brian and anger filled his eyes.

"He…we…" Laura tried to calm herself, she had to tell him, "we were in the car park…down the coast, when a black Honda S2000 pulled up behind us and blocked us in. Three guys got out…all Chinese or Japanese, and they made Brian get out of the car. They…" she burst into tears again. It was just too hard to think about.

Laura took a deep breath and finished the story, "They dragged him out of the car and started kicking him. I tried to help…I tried to stop them but one of them held me back. I was screaming for help...but there wasn't anyone around…not one person. They finally stopped. I thought he was dead. As they ran off one of them said Brian would regret touching his brother or something like that. I didn't have a clue what he was on about… they just drove off and left us Dom. They left Brian for dead…"

Laura felt her throat seize up again and her eyes fill with fresh tears. She silently cried as she watched to see what Dom would do. He stood for what seemed like forever, staring at Brian, then at her. She could see that the rest of the team were as angry as he was. Laura suddenly filled with anger as she thought about the whole incident in a new light,

"I'll kill them Dom. I'll kill all three of them. And I won't look over my shoulder…I'll leave them for dead…just like they did with Brian…and I won't look back. They can't get away with it Dom…they won't, I swear it…"

Dom looked at her and nodded, "I know. But not yet. I'll sort something out. They'll pay Laura…but right now we all need to concentrate on Brian. He has to get through this."

They all nodded and that's when the doctor Laura had spoken to earlier came waltzing in,

"I'm sorry, but you can't all be in here. It's only close family or friends and there are too many in at once anyway. If some of you could leave and come bac…" the doctor trailed off as Dom looked round and gave him the most intimidating look Laura had ever witnessed.

The doctor sighed impatiently and walked out of the room shaking his head. Laura looked back round at Brian, realising she had taken her eyes from him. She panicked as she watched for him to take a breath…finally he did. She noticed he was breathing very slowly and she wondered how he could live on so little oxygen. The rest of the team settled on seats and on the floor around the room and no one spoke. There was nothing to say… Brian was sick…hurt… and no one could do anything to make him better. This thought brought a tightness to Laura's heart and she fought for control of her emotions. She couldn't cry…not again. She had done enough crying for all of them.

Laura sat awake the whole night watching for any sign that Brian might wake. The rest of the team snored quietly around the room as nurses came in and out checking his vitals and that his drip was working fine. She could feel her eyes drooping as the sun began to rise and she got up to stretch. She walked over to the window and watched the huge orange glow of the sun rise over the horizon. A new day… she couldn't understand how the rest of the world could carry on like everything was ok. She wanted the whole world to stop…to see what had happened to Brian and to help. She wanted the whole world to search for the guys that did this and to kill them. All her morals on taking someone else's life didn't exist anymore.

She heard movement behind her and looked round to see Brian grinning at her. He winced at some pain she could not feel and she rushed over to him,

"Oh God Brian…" was all she managed to say before the tears ran down her face again. He watched her as she cried. Her sight may have been blurry but she kept her eyes pinned to Brian's the whole time. He looked as though he could have cried too but the pain must have been too much for him to bear tears as well.

"It's ok Laura…" he whispered as she held on to his hand as if the world was about to end, "I'll be Ok. But I do have one request…"

"What?"

"That we don't go to deserted car parks on our dates anymore."

She laughed and dried her eyes. He could always manage a joke.

Dom came up beside her and smiled down at Brian,

"I'll second that… You Ok man? You had us all worried for a while. Just think of the fun we can have when you get outa here. Those Trans won't know what's hit them…"

Brian nodded and winced again, "We tried to get away. But they threatened to hurt her…" Brian looked at Laura, a new kind of pain filling his eyes, "It's a small price to pay."

Dom nodded and it took a while for Laura to realise what he had meant. Her heart filled with something she had only felt a few times before. She smiled at Brian. She probably owed him her life. If he hadn't have got out of the car they would have shot her. Brian had known what would happen when he opened his door…but he did it anyway.

"Once you're feeling up to it man we'll pay them a little visit."

Brian nodded at Dom and closed his eyes. Laura realised he had fallen back to sleep. Dom held her shoulder for a minute and then went back to where he was sitting. The team certainly weren't planning on going anywhere…and neither was she. It didn't matter how long it took for Brian to get better…she would be here the whole time, waiting…and then things would get interesting.