A.N. Warning that this chapter hints at childhood/spousal abuse.

Bilkins had called Special Agent Max Penning to the federal building. He needed to get all the information he could on Brian O' Conner that he could. He wanted to be as prepared as he could to bring down O' Conner and Toretto. Max walked into the meeting room that held an oval table and four computers with printers attached to them. He noticed Bilkins pacing and asked, "What's so important that you call me at nine o' clock at night?" He was a little pissed because he'd been able to get home at a decent hour for a change.

"LAPD officer Brian O' Conner and a criminal he was supposed to bring in Dominic Toretto are on the run. No one's heard from them at all and I'm getting the runaround from his boss Sgt. Tanner. I want to know what we're dealing with since they're obviously crossing state lines or possibly moved into Mexico undetected."

"You want information on a highly trained undercover officer?" Penning asked trying to wrap his mind around what Bilkins was saying.

"Yes. That's what I want. He's dangerous."

Penning snorting in disbelief as Bilkins decided to zero in on O' Conner, "Listen to me, O' Conner is very good at his job. He's brought in most of the bottom half our top ten. He is not someone to mess with."

"If he's working for you why is he only an LAPD officer?" Bilkins asked confused.

"Part of his genius. He knows how to play the game according to his rules and he gets results." Penning rubbed his hands together and grinned.

Bilkins rubbed his face and mumbled, "What the hell have I gotten myself into."

"You don't worry about any of this." Penning reassured Bilkins. "We'll take care of O' Conner and his friend Toretto."

"What's your plan to take care of them? Give them a five star suite and thank O' Conner for doing a good job once again?" The anger radiated out of Bilkins as he yelled at Penning. "They should be rotting in Lompoc!"

"Nah a Five Star suite sounds right. They deserve it." Penning replied cooly letting Bilkins anger blow by him. He knew that Bilkins didn't understand half of what Brian did for the FBI by just walking that very fine line between law and lawless.

Bilkins just shook his head and said, "You're making a big mistake." His piece said he stormed out of the room in a way unbecoming of an agent - Penning would take pleasure in picking that up soon enough.

After Dom got comfortable in his bed he kept an eye on Brian even though all he could see was Brian's back. Dom wished he had both arms working so he could hold Brian and be strong for him so that for once he could rest and relax. Dom never let new people in but in the last six weeks he had managed to let Brian slide passed every one of his defense mechanisms and into his heart. He knew he should've listened to Vince but if he did then Vince and Jesse would be dead and he'd be right back where this whole fiasco started - Lompoc Maximum Security Prison.

Dom thought about the rough kiss and how Brian seemed to enjoy it before that switch clicked back into place and he jerked away. The sparks and emotions that he could feel fly between them was something that he'd never felt - not even with Letty. Brian saying that he couldn't right now almost made him want to growl.

He wanted to grab his curls to pull him back but he remembered that Brian had cut all of his curls off. He couldn't believe he was sad over curls and on a guy of all things but he'd try and talk Brian into growing his hair out just enough for a wispy curl to appear if he wouldn't grow all of them back. Dom sighed and laid back further into his pillows and closed his eyes. Sleep would hopefully help him sort through some of what he was feeling.

An hour later he was jostled awake hearing Brian talk. He glanced at Brian's bed and saw him tossing and turning. It looked liked Brian was trying to get away from something or someone. Dom swung his legs over the side of his bed not thinking of his arm when he saw Brian grab his own wrist and press it into the mattress by his head. "...no..no." The quiet wail brought Dom to his feet albeit unsteadily and he went to the other side of the bed Brian was in. "I promise Owen...please don't..no..." Brian let go of the wrist he had pinned but it didn't move and he tried to roll away but couldn't with the invisible weight on top of him. His head kept moving side to side like he was avoiding hits or was getting hit. Dom caught his breath when Brian hissed and went for his side like he had been punched and he couldn't handle watching him relive whatever horror was going on in his mind.

Dom carefully leaned over Brian and shook his shoulder strongly and said, "Brian wake up! You're having a nightmare!"

Brian jerked awake and pushed Dom away from him not registering anything until it was too late. Dom landed against the wall by the bed, luckily it wasn't that far from the bed but that just meant the power of the shove travelled down his body and he groaned before he could stop himself. Brian, while he initially skittered the other side of the bed in his haste to get away from who he thought was Owen, looked at Dom clutching his arm and leaning against the wall with his head bowed catching his breath. Brian kept his distance but moved closer to Dom and he didn't know whether to be angry or concerned. He settled for cold, "Don't try to do that again."

Dom looked up and he yelled, "I ain't going to let you have nightmares especially of that caliber. You're a fucking masochist wanting to relive all of that."

"It's mine to relive." Brian said quietly as he glanced down at his lap.

Not the reaction Dom was going for and he crumbled hearing the quiet acknowledgement. He moved over to the edge of his bed and sat down. He asked hoping he conveyed a calmer voice, "Let me see your wrists?"

Brian was still in the middle of his bed when he heard Dom's question. He looked at his wrists first and then eased over closer to Dom. When he was close enough he held his hands out and Dom took them one at a time in his good hand. Dom looked over both his hands and noticed small scars on the outsides of his hands and a couple of fresh fingernail indentations from where Brian grabbed his hand in the nightmare.

Dom asked gently while rubbing the wrist with the most scars, "Did this Owen guy do this to you?"

Brian looked into Dom's eyes and swallowed hard. He didn't try to jerk away - all he did was nod.

Dom ran his hand over Brian's palm and laced their fingers together. "He won't hurt you ever again." Dom made the vow in his heart and knew if they crossed paths with this guy that Dom would not even have to think about it - Owen would be dead.

Brian heard the conviction and knew that Dom wouldn't lie to him on that matter. He didn't know when Dom had slipped into his heart but he did and Brian wanted to welcome him into his arms but they needed to get out of the country and stay safe and he couldn't do that being all wobbly with emotions that once before hurt him beyond even his imagination.

Brian nodded once and pulled his hand away from Dom's but ran his fingers over Dom's as a show that he wasn't jerking away but they needed to take things slow. Dom returned the nod and they both got back into their own beds and laid there quietly the rest of the night - neither sleeping but neither wanting to break the tenuous bond that was exposed.