Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Brian stared at the doctor blankly.

“Now this isn’t entirely uncommon. You know the rates of male pregnancies are increasing. It’s been in the paper the past three years.” She said kindly. “And you’re young and healthy so you shouldn’t have any problems. If you want to keep them, it’s good that we caught it this early.”

“I wanna keep it.” Brian jerked forward frantically.

“Of course, sir.” She soothed. “That’s perfectly Fine Mister O’Conner.”

He rubbed his head. She leaned back and gave him a second.

“How old is it?” Brian asked.

The doctor nodded amicably. “About three weeks.”

“I’ve probably had a beer or two in that time period.” Brian admitted weakly, feeling sick.

She nodded. “Many people do before they know they’re pregnant. The research is still up and down on a little alcohol consumption during pregnancy. The safest thing is no alcohol. But I highly doubt you’ve hurt them.”

“Them.” Brian rubbed his finger. “Holy shit I’m pregnant.” He grinned, staring off into the distance.

“Congratulations Mister O’Conner.” The doctor smiled.

She listed off several things, like dates, medications and what he should look for but Brian was gone, zoned out. Finally, she shook her head and handed him a stack of papers. Brian jammed them into the bag in the back of his car. He slid into the driver’s seat.

“Holy shit I’m pregnant.” He said with a crack in his voice. “I’m pregnant with a criminal’s baby.”

Brian paused.

“Fuck you Lady Gaga! This is nothing to romanticize!” He hollered and punched the ceiling. “Ow.”

He brought his hands down in front of his stomach. Brian leaned back, feeling utterly drained. It was like someone was hitting the space bar in his brain between thoughts.

 Dom loved kids. He loved kids.

But Dom hated cops.

And he just so happened to be a cop.

Brian drove back to the house where everyone was prepping for the barbeque. Thank God the clinic was open on Sunday. Brian twitched thinking about every drink he’d had in the past month. He would never forgive himself if he hurt the kid.

“Brian!”

He nearly jumped out of his skin as Jesse hollered for him. He dropped his bag next to the back porch.

“Hey Jess.” He grinned.

“So, you dyin’ on us anytime soon Spilner?” Vince raised his beer to his mouth.

Dom looked over from the grill. Brian walked over and leaned his hip on it.

“Can’t get rid of me that easily Vince. Sorry man.”

Vince shrugged.

“They figure anything out?” Dom asked over the sizzle of meat.

Brian shook his head. “Nah. They ran a couple tests and came up with nothing. They said. Well she said. Best damn doctor I’ve ever had, I think. She said we’ll keep an eye on it. I’ll go back a couple times. In the meantime, no alcohol and I’m supposed to eat healthier.”

“Fuck that man! Docs don’t know nothing!” Leon hollered, leaning back so two of his chair legs were off the floor.

“Excuse me?” Mia snapped.

“Shit.”

Brian laughed then realized Dom was staring at him. The brown eyes were furrowed.

“You actually okay?” Dom rumbled lowly.

Brian shrugged. “I mean. I’m. You know.”

He clenched his hand over his chest. Scared.

He was scared. Brian tucked his chin to his chest. Why couldn’t Dom just be a normal guy. He’d be all over this staying around and starting a family shit if the dad wasn’t a fucking suspect! Holy shit was he crying? Brian touched his face and his fingers came away wet.

“Brian?”

He turned away from the family and faced the driveway. Get it together O’Conner. Something flopped across his shoulder and he looked down to see Dom’s grilling towel. Or rather the other one that he wasn’t using. Dom was looking pointedly at the grill. Brian dabbed his face so he didn’t leave angry red streaks on his cheeks.

“We’re not gonna let you die. You’re not doing this alone.” Dom said as he closed in on Brian.

He put a hand on his hip. Brian leaned into it. The chatter from Leon and Mia getting at each other’s throats died to the background just for a second.

“You think you can keep down barbeque?” Dom asked.

Brian snorted, eyeing the drool worthy, sizzling chicken. “You know damn well I’m gonna try.”

Dom laughed, clapping him on the shoulder and holding for a second more than socially acceptable. “That’s what we like to hear Spilner.”

Brian kept down dinner thanks to the hefty dose of that anti-nausea meds. Mia insisted on reading the bottle, nearly ripping it out of his hands.

“Like you would know what it says.” She quipped when he held his hand out for it.

Brian sighed. “No but I’d still like to take it first.”

She measured him out a dose and handed it to him, keeping the bottle.

“Thanks mom.”

She flicked him off.

Brian stared into the tiny plastic cup. The medication smelled overly-sweet in a fake way and he pulled his lip up at it until a cold bottle tapped his hand. Brian looked up to Dom.

“Bottoms up!” Dom smirked cheerfully.

Brian raised the liquid medication in a mocking toast and gulped it down. It burned a little and he nearly gagged.

“Well that’s the opposite of what it’s supposed to do.” Brian coughed out, grabbing at his glass of lemonade.

The citrus washed away the chemical sting. Even Vince winched in sympathy.

“Gross.” He made a face.

“Better or worse than puke?” Jesse asked, leaning over the table.

“No Jess.” Letty threw a napkin at him.

“Hey! Only I’m allowed to throw napkins.” Vince banged a fist on the table.

Brian moved immediately, against even his own better judgement. Dom grabbed his wrist to stop him but it was too late. The balled-up paper towel they were using as napkins sailed through the air and bounced harmlessly off Vince’s nose.

“Buster!” He roared.

Vince grabbed him by the hair and rubbed his face on his plate. He let go and Brian came up sputtering, wiping noodle salad out of his nose. The entire table cackled. Leon nearly fell out of his seat. Dom tightened his fist. Brian could see the rage boiling behind those eyes. He touched Dom’s hand. He glanced over and stared at Brian. Brian grinned, relaxed. Dom sighed and sat back.

“Hey man!” Brian turned back around and scrubbed uselessly at his face, “I’ve already had food on me all week! Don’t need anymore.”

Leon hit the ground laughing and pulling a few, thankfully empty, plates with him.

Dom handed Brian the roll of paper towels but it was nearly useless. He ended up with drying barbeque sauce in his hair while he washed the dishes and handed them to Mia to dry.

“I’m saying it’s not a bad look, maybe you should just go totally red.” Mia teased.

“I’d be willing to help with that.” Vince piped in, putting a lid on the noodle salad.

Brian purposefully tipped a spoon the wrong way and splashed water over Mia’s shoe.

“Hey!” She hit him with a towel.

“Ow!” Brian complained.

“You earned that one Buster.” Vince laughed at him.

“Don’t team up on me.” He whined.

Mia shouldered Vince lightly, still cackling.

Dom shook his head fondly from the doorway. “Go wash, Brian.”

The blonde waved and meandered upstairs to get the crap out of his hair. Using Dom’s bathroom because it was all his fault in the first place.

Chapter Text

It was nearly the middle of the night, and here he was, not sleeping. He could feel his own chest rising and falling under his palms. The window was open so he could hear the chirping bugs, far off  traffic. Someone running red lights in the night.

But no one out there was jacking semis off the freeway. The truck jackers were all asleep and the one in charge was sprawled next to him. And dammit if it wasn’t killing him. He wanted to grab Dom up by the front of his stupid white wife beater and shake him. He might have. Might’ave spilled everything right there, convinced Dom to stop and just let the case go cold.

But he found the cars.

Brian had stumbled upon the semi jacking cars and like an idiot called them in. Proof. There was proof. Weeks had passed since Brian had received his sentencing; parenthood and now, he had something to give Dom his.

Brian tipped his head back toward the window. He could just feel all the tension he was storing up. Like a pressed spring. He couldn’t see the moon through the window, but it was full. Everything was crystalline blue broken up by the gold of streetlights. It looked magical. Make something fucking magical happen, Brian pleaded with the night. Vanish those cars like they never existed. Erase the past.

Because.

Because he couldn’t put Dom back in jail. He couldn’t do that. He couldn’t. He couldn’t do it. Even if he wasn’t rounding out with Dom’s kid, he still wouldn’t be able to. That meant the cars had to vanish. His brow furrowed. And if the night couldn’t do it, then he would. Make the cars, the charges go away.

“Hey.”

Brian almost jumped straight out the window with the mixture of tension and the realization.

Dom blinked at him slowly like a cat. “Hurtin’ you?”

“Huh?” Brian answered brilliantly.

Dom pulled his face out of the pillow and nodded toward Brian’s middle. “Your stomach. Is it hurting?”

Brian shrugged and nodded at the same time.

Dom inhaled deeply into a yawn. “Did you take something?”

“No.” He answered.

Dom nudged his shoulder. Brian stared at him hard. Dom frowned at the intensity. Brian kept at it. Like he could bore into his skull and stop him from going after semis. Finally, he rocked himself up from bed and stood unsteadily. Brian dragged his feet to the bathroom. He still needed to pin it on someone. Not Trans. That would be obvious.

Brian glared at the bottles on the counter. He glared at the two toothbrushes in the cabinet. He glared at the clean towels that he had insisted on folding a certain way. And they were all folded that way. He glared at the piece of embroidery Dom’s grandmother had made and that Brian had found, fixed, and hung up earlier this week. He tipped the anti-nausea bottle back and swallowed a gulp immediately chasing it with water.

Brian fell back into the bed and glared at the ceiling some more.

“Not just your stomach then,” Dom spoke back up, “You’re over thinking something. I can see it.”

“I’m just thinking. Not overthinking.”

“Uh huh.” Dom sighed at him. “I don’t get it Bri. You’re all cool and sharp edges during the action but when the dust settles, you’re as wired as two pots of coffee.”

Brian chuckled. “My specialty I guess.”

“Brian. Use this.” Dom tapped his blunt fingertips to Brian’s chest.

Brian squinted at him, wishing he could see his eyes in the dark. Dom tapped his chest again and sighed, laying a palm over his heart.

“Papa Toretto use to say, sometimes you can overcomplicate the simple shit. Just find where this is going and track it. Ten seconds, ten steps, ten miles at a time.”

“Damn.” Brian whispered, re-lacing his hands over his abdomen. A breeze floated in from the window. Dom could have grinned at the way it rustled Brian’s blonde curls.

“Your father. What was he like?”

“Hm.” Dom huffed. His mouth twisted up to a sleepy smile. “He was a great man. A great dad. You know, the kid-on-the-shoulder type.” Dom rolled so he could get a hand up to wave it. “He and mom were such a team. And they were, you know, there for us. Like. So there for us. Mia talks about dancing once and suddenly she’s in classes. I talk about thinking about college and bam! College pamphlets everywhere.”

Brian turned on his side half-grinning while Dom sketched out the stacks of paper he came home to. How his dad packed him and Vince into a car to drive to look at a university campus once. How Mama Toretto had known more about the local college sports teams than any of them.

“You ever want,” Brian flushed and waved a hand, “You know. Kids. A nine to five or something like that? Bread and butter life?”

“I dunno about bread and butter but yeah. Kids. Fill this house back up.”

There was a pause.

“What about you?”

Brian had to look away. “Yes.” He answered almost reverently. “My parents were shit. Never saw ‘em. They didn’t know me. Would definitely need a good partner to keep me from messin’ ‘em up.”

“I uh-“ Dom stopped.

Brian looked over.

“I went through your bag. I mean. It was open and things just kinda. Fell. And. Are you? Like. You know, pregnant.”

Brian sighed trying to cover up the way his heart was pounding. Think fast think fast think fast.

“I’m on pills.” Not a lie. He was taking pills. Not birth control though.

“I wanted the info though.” Truth.

“I know I can… Carry.” Truth.

“I wanted to know if like, in the future. You know.” Kind of a truth?

He was flushed. He knew he was.

“You can? You would wanna?” Dom sounded fucking hopeful.

Resolve Brian. Resolve God dammit.

Brian smiled in the dark and turn his head. “Yeah.” He sounded like a twelve pack a day smoker. “Yeah I would.” He tipped his eyes back to the window. “After whatever the hell is wrong with my stomach fixes its fucking self.”

Brian touched his midsection gingerly.

 “C’mere.” Dom tugged at his arm.

Brian moved over toward him but Dom kept prodding until Brian rolled, then he spooned up to Brian’s back. He slid a hand under the front of his shirt. Brian stiffened with the illogical fear that Dom could feel the baby under his skin. The hot, worn hand started tracing patterns across his stomach.

“Does this help at all?” Dom murmured right into his ear.

“Yeah.” Brian admitted, letting the tension in his shoulders drop. “Where’d you learn to do this?”

“Uh. Letty’s periods.”

“ ‘M not on my period.”

Dom paused for a second. “The fact that that implies that you have periods disturbs me.”

Brian snorted. Dom kept stroking his stomach skin quietly.

“Wait do you get periods?”

Chapter Text

It was too fucking early to be alive, but Brian hauled himself up with minimal grumbling from Dom. Thankfully he stayed asleep. What the hell. The sun wasn’t even up. Why was he awake? Brian stumbled to the bathroom dropping one hand to the counter with a gaping yawn.

He froze stock still with his jaw jacked open.

Holy shit. He could see it. His fucking belly nearly hung. He was so fucking pregnant. Oh my God. Had Dom noticed? Had anyone?

He dove through his memory as quickly as possible. He didn’t think anyone had but holy shit. He needed to move those cars and get outta here. Now.

“You okay?” Came a mumbled voice from the bed.

Brian froze, trying to engrave that voice into his memory. “Yeah. Early appointment.”

“Mmh. Gotcha.”

“I’m gonna stop by the garage.” Brian said, pulling on his pants over the boxers. Tight.

“Why?” A deeply tanned hand appeared from under the covers, reaching for him.

Brian took it with a sigh. “Need to calm down.”

“Need company?” Dom offered, stroking the back of his hand. “I’ll get up. Or you can say no. Sometimes the garage just needs to be empty. I get that.”

He squeezed the hand and brought it to his lips. “I’d prefer the silence. Thanks. I’ll be back.”

His heart wanted to beat out of his chest.

Brian walked into the shop anxious and angry at the same time. Fucking Dom and stupid trucking heist and the God Damn COPS.

He stopped. Frozen in the middle of the garage he was about to never come back to. ‘Cause that was what he had to do. Clear the family then book it across the country. Or maybe to another country. He could have thought of a thousand instances. He could have thought of Dom bending him over a car or that one time with the chains and the couch.

Instead his mind wandered to Vince throwing a wadded-up cloth at Jesse, both laughing so hard they couldn’t stand. He could picture Letty and Leon playing a video game on the shop TV in the corner when there wasn’t anything to do. Mia walking in the door and dropping her textbooks on the shop table to startle all of them. In the seconds he blinked he could see Dom looking over at him from a creeper cart under a Chevy.

Dammit. No crying O’Conner. Get it together.

God, he didn’t want to do this. Brian knelt by the car panel and pried it open until he saw the sets of keys. Brian stared at them, hating their very existence. Carefully folding them into paper towels to get rid of the noise, he tucked them in his jacket pocket.

The door to the shop clicked as someone unlocked it. Brian shoved the panel back on haphazardly and rolled to the other side of the car.

“Yeah but seriously.” Vince, Brian identified.

He froze where he was, determined not to make a sound.

“Dude yeah. Such a sweet ride.” Oh, good Leon was with him.

“Okay but this next semi is gonna be the money maker.” Vince said.

Brian’s mind came to a screeching halt. He could have choked on his own heart. They were talking about the truck raids! In the garage! In the BUGGED garage! He was going to knock both of them out and leave them to rot! Goddammit!

“Okay, but when the hell are we getting it?”

Brian looked at the wrench next to him. He couldn’t let the cops know when the truck raid was before he moved the cars! Too much evidence.

“Lemme see.”

Shit shit shit.

“The next-”

Brian kicked the wrench hard. It hit the ground with an eardrum shattering sound. He could hear the feet on the pavement as Vince and Leon ran over. He put a groggy expression on his face.

“The hell are you doing Buster?” Vince looked concerned.

Brian blinked at them like he was just waking up. “Uhm.” He shook his head, and propped himself up.

“I have an appointment—” He mumbled off. “And I couldn’t sleep. I could so I came to—" He waved at the car and wiped his face.

“Well it looks like you could sleep.” Vince teased and grabbed his arm.

“Anyway. I was saying the next semiautomatic in GTA is like here on the map.” Leon pointed to his phone but Vince didn’t look over. “We can probably unlock it on Sunday.”

Brian could have cried. They were talking about their dumb video game. The whole damn time.

“Sweet. Semi Sunday it is.” Vince nodded. “Yo Bri, c’mon. Up you go.”

Vince hauled him. Damn he was even worried about the kid. Looked all pale and such. Even when he got Brian to his feet he kept a hold of his arm. Brian swayed.

“How the fuck did you fall asleep in the garage?” Leon laughed.

Brian rubbed his face and nearly fell over when he reached for his jacket. Vince make a discouraging sound and picked it up for him. Brian cuffed him on the shoulder gratefully.

“What time is your appointment anyways?” Vince asked.

Brian glanced at the clock and his eyes went wide. “Oh fuck!” He actually did have an appointment this morning. He was so fucking stressed out and now he was late. He grabbed his keys and sprinted out the door.

“You want someone to drive you?” Vince hollered after him.

There was no answer, but Leon cackled.

“Damn. You do actually adopt everyone after Dom picks ‘em up.” He teased.

Vince smacked him over the head. “Yeah well that kid doesn’t watch his own ass so I gotta watch it for him. Something happened to him it would just about destroy my brother.”

“You sentimental piece of shit.”

Vince and Leon pushed each other around teasing about the other’s Race War car until Vince’s cell went off.

“What’s up D?”

The voice on the other side sounded worried. “Get your asses over here, we’re not opening the garage. We’re about to get slammed by this storm.”

“Yeah. We’ll be over real quick.” Vince answered.

“Damn right! I ain’t getting caught in no storm!”

“Easy Leon.” Vince grabbed his arm.

Leon yanked against the grip. He hated storms. Hated hated them. With a passion. Vince man handled him into the front seat and they pulled on the road. Vince was getting Leon to the house. Dom was calling trying to reach Mia at school. He still needed to call Jesse.

Brian walked deeper into the no-signal zone of the hospital

Chapter Text

A motherfucking TWO DAY long storm struck the west coast.

Streets were flooded. Roads had collapsed. Houses fell. Power came and went and came back again. Phone service was about the same. It took three days to get to the garage. And Dom was going crazy.

“I’m freaked man.” Leon rubbed his head. “The keys, the cars. They’re straight up gone! Like that storm straight up hocus pocused them.”

Jesse was staring at the wall. “Do you think we’ll at least be in the same jail as my old man?”

“The cops ain’t coming Jesse.” Dom said. “We know it had to be Brian that took those cars.”

He flipped his phone open then shut it. He felt empty, like the pit of his stomach had become his entire being. The person who had fixed his grandmother’s artwork, worked the garage, slipped into the team like a fucking snake through the grass, and eventually landed in his bed, was a traitor.

And Dom hadn’t seen any of it coming.

Vince came in, looking shell shocked. He just looked at them all for a second, then threw the newspaper on the table.

Truck Jacking Ring Busted During Mothertrucker of a Storm

Jesse snatched it up. “After a harrowing six-month undercover operation, Officer Brian O’Conner busts seven people responsible for the truck jackings.”

Dom gripped his phone with gritted teeth.

“Thankfully this case went down before any casualties on either side as drivers took their safety and the safety of their cargo into their own hands. With the truck drivers witnessing and the evidence stacked against them –blah, blah, blah—Wait, what?” Jesse lifted the page. “Officer Brian O’Conner is now on maternity leave after completing the case and was unavailable for interview.” Jesse read.

Dom’s ears started to ring, he flipped his phone around again and again.

“Maternity?” Vince leaned over. “You mean paternity.”

Jesse frowned and shook his head. “No. It say maternity.” He mumbled over the word for a second then popped his head back up. “Mighta explained his mysterious stomach issues. And the sudden alcohol-freeness.”

Dom slammed a hand to the table and stomped out the door.

“Well he’s pissed.” Letty sighed. “Blondie shouldn’tave lied this much. Maybe if it’d stopped at cop. But carrying a kid?”

“He wouldn’t hurt a, uh pregnant, well, pregnant person, would he?”

Letty snorted. “You think he could? You know how bossman feels about kids. Besides, Brian probably jumped town.”

Dom came storming back in, grabbing his keys off the counter. “Goin’ to the station.”

“What?” Mia barked out. “The hell you are!”

But Dom was out the door.

“Shit!” Vince grabbed his keys.

Everyone scrambled after Dom, nearly getting stuck in the door frame. With a cacophony of car doors, they all got on the road driving a terrifyingly normal speed. Dom was the first one out at the station.

“Dom, hey!” Vince grabbed his arm and tried to keep him from going inside. “Listen man is this that important? We’re all good!”

Leon tugged on his other arm. People inside the office were shifting around nervously. A couple officers were moving to the desks and gesturing for the clerks and secretaries to leave. Dom shook his head. He whipped his shoulders back and flung off both Vince and Leon. Then he muscled through the door. Everyone flooded in behind him.

“I need to speak to Sergeant Tanner.” Dom said flatly.

“Right here Mister Toretto.” An older officer in full dress uniform waved. “What can I do for you?” He asked through gritted teeth.

“Tell me where Brian O’Conner went.”

“I can’t do that son.”

A couple officers reached for the tasers on their belt. Another went straight for his gun.

“I have to know where he went.”

Tanner waved. “Clearly you don’t. Now you’re making the precinct here nerv-”

“I can’t leave until I know where to go find him. Where’s his home? Why do you have his phone?” Dom waved.

“He was in deep cover and the tabloids blew his name all over the place and I haven’t even told him that yet. He left his cover phone here. He’s probably not coming back. Even if he did, it wouldn’t be as Brian.”

Dom’s ears rang almost deafeningly loud.

“Why can’t you just leave him be?” Tanner asked wearily.

“ ‘Cause I’m the stupid fucker who knocked him up!” Dom roared. “Now he’s out there doing GOD KNOWS what kind of dangerous shit that kid pulls and he’s doing it alone!”

There wasn’t a single eye that didn’t bulge at those words.

“Jesus Dom really?” Letty gaped.

Dom rubbed the back of his head. “Let’ c’mon. You knew you and I were just temporary.”

“Fuck Dom I know. I just can’t believe you find someone to carry your kids and immediately lose them.”

Dom opened his mouth to respond then shook his head and sat heavily on one of the side benches. Tanner was still blinking rapidly. The officer were just sharing glances, relaxing into a more “this is awkward” than “this is dangerous” kind of way. Vince glanced at Mia who was fuzzy out, staring into space.

Tanner sighed. “I still can’t get you to him.”

Dom dropped his head to his hands.

“But.” The man pulled out a stack of sticky notes. “Here’s his,” He paused, writing, “New number. It’s up to you to get him to not hang up on you.”

Dom stood up slowly and took the paper. Tanner didn’t let go and they locked eyes.

“Thank you. Uh, Sergeant.”

The old blue eyes drilled into his skull. “You’re a good man, Toretto. Keep it that way.”

Tanner stalked back into the hallway he came from. Dom stared until Tanner went through a door. The other officers shifted awkwardly, nervously. Dom turned and shuffled out the door.

“Good God Dom.” Mia pushed her hair around in frustration. “My niece or nephew’s out there and you never told me?”

“I didn’t know!” He hollered back. “He lied straight to my face Mia!”

“He said he wasn’t pregnant?”

Dom sputtered. “Fuck! No! Not exactly. But he said pills. Future. He made it like-”

“Dawg,” Leon tugged his arm, “I know you prolly don’t wanna even hear this but are you sure it’s even yours?”

“He’s been in my bed the past five months.” Dom growled defensively.

“And he wasn’t showing so the next fucking generation of Torettos is just out there somewhere.” Mia waved her arms angrily.

“Mister Toretto!”

Dom jerked around.

The cop skidded to a halt and he huffed. “Ah. Mister O’Conner was my mentor of sorts and he’s a super great guy so really I mean it, treat him right but uh.” The guy glanced around and pulled out a thumb drive.

Dom stared.

“Take it.” The young cops pushed it toward him. “You can track his number. Just once though!” He glanced around again. “Please Mister Toretto. Go find him. He deserves better than to have to uproot entirely again.”

Dom took it gingerly. “Thanks kid. I’ll grab his stubborn ass, I promise.”

“Good.” He grinned. “Oh, and uh. Congratulations?”

“Thanks.”

The kid sprinted back to the station. Dom gripped the number and the drive like his last two lifelines.

“Buster had a rep with everyone.” Vince muttered. “Well let’s go get ‘im.”

“Shoulda fucking seen this!” Mia nearly hollered.

“How the hell would you have?” Dom shoved both into his pocket.

“There was every fucking sign!” She stomped through a puddle, shouting. “Is the kid even gonna be okay? He had to be fucking stressed to hell!”

“We’re worried about his stress?” Vince growled.

Mia got right up to his chest and Vince dropped his arms and backed up. “When you get PREGNANT we’ll worry about you too.”

“Let’s just shut up and go home why don’t we.” Dom looked like he could pound in a guy’s face.

“What, so you can just call your baby momma and coax him home to take the kid? Or chase ‘im down and drag him back here?” Letty huffed. “He was smart enough to keep this lie going this long. You don’t even really know him. And he’s certainly not gonna let you have that baby.”

If Dom had hair, he would have yanked it out of his scalp. “We gonna do this right here in the damn parking lot? I did know him!”

“You don’t know jack-shit!” Letty screamed.

“I know…” Dom paused in his yelling and froze for a second. “I know a lot about him. I know a lot ‘cause he never really lied. I’m just  figuring that out.” Dom leaned back against his car. “I know him and I know I want him in my life. Kid or not I would wanna go after him.”

“Did kinda save our asses.” Vince mumbled reluctantly. “What with the drivers ‘taking safety into their own hands’.” He put in air quotes.

“Fuck.” Dom swore. “I need him back.”

Mia and Letty glanced at each other.

“Let’s go get him.”

Chapter Text

He paced the length of the kitchen, up and down while Jesse set up the software.

“Almost got it I promise. Just got to subroute the firewall then I can key into this satellite that the USB lets us get into.” Jesse babbled away.

Honestly Dom found it soothing. Normal. The only thing that would complete the moment would be meeting Brian’s eye over the kid’s shock of mussed hair.

“We’re good!” Jesse tapped his laptop. “Hot and live!”

“Nice Jesse.” Vince clapped him on the shoulder.

Dom could barely get his fingers to be steady enough to dial the number. Everyone was leaning in anxiously. Letty was almost falling off the counter. Jesse was stroking his computer.

It rang once.

Then.

It rang twice.

And a third time.

Halfway through the fourth there was a click.

Then a snuffling sound like someone waking up.

“Don’t hang up.” Dom said as gentle command. “Brian?”

“Dom?” The rough voice grated. Brian cleared his throat and snuffled. “Wait how-”

“I’ll tell you. I promise. Just stay on the phone Bri.”

“Okay.” Sheets rustled on the other side. “Wait! No! I’m. I shouldn’t be.”

“Easy O’Conner. Relax Brian. I know everything, the cop stuff. I’m not mad.”

“O’Conner? You know? Like hell you’re not mad.” Brian accused.

“I mean. Fuck.” Dom rubbed the back of his neck. “Look Brian I’m pissed about all the lying but. I’m more pissed you ran.”

“The hell else was I supposed to do? Look Dom I did the best I could by you and your family.”

“Yeah.” Dom nodded. “Okay yeah. You did. And we’re grateful Bri. We are. Look everybody’s sitting right here bobbin’ their heads with me. You got us out of spot when we did something stupid. When I did something stupid. Somehow that blonde airhead of yours kept me out of jail.” He sighed. “And yeah. Thank you.”

There was a pause and Dom rubbed his neck anxiously.

“I couldn’t let them take you back.” Brian huffed.

“Yeah.” Dom’s voice warmed. “I guess I must be pretty important you or something like that.”

Dom nearly closed his eyes to bask in the warm laughter.

“Something like that.” Dom could hear the shifting in the background. “It’s been like what five days but fuck I miss the house.” Brian admitted quietly.

“Just the house?” Dom teased, leaning against the wall, totally oblivious to the gagging sounds Letty and Leon were making.

“Might be a few people I’m missing too.”

“A few?” Dom pressed, grinning.

“Yeah.” Brian laughed. “A few.”

They got quiet for a moment. Dom had to stop himself from counting the seconds between breaths. Jesse made a circular motion with his hands. More time.

“Where’d you go during that storm, I kept calling.” Dom asked in a murmur.

“Well they tucked us pretty deep in the clinic. Then the raid. You know? I had to—set everything up. Drivers to meet with. Goods to move. I stole the cars. I stole those cars Dom. I’m sorry.”

“I know Brian. It’s okay.” He soothed.

Brian swallowed with click. “Yeah. Set up. Arrests. Processing and paperwork. They moved headquarters to a house for a bit just for this mission.”

“Huh.” Dom tapped his jaw thoughtfully. “Didn’t know they did that. Makes sense but huh.”

“Yeah pretentious house they chose too.” The sheets rustled some more then there was a dull thunk. “Ouch.”

“You okay?” Dom asked grabbing the phone with both hands.

Brian groaned. “Yeah. Didn’t actually hurt just a knee jerk response.”

Dom tightened his grip thinking about all the shit the kid could hurt himself on out there.

“Brian.”

“Yeah?”

Dom paused. “Come home.”

“I don’t.” Brian swallowed. “I don’t think I can.”

“Brian. Come home. Baby and all. We’ll figure this out.”

There was a small gasp. “How?” Brian’s voice shook. “How did you-”

Dom hunched over the phone protectively. “The uh. The newspaper. They said you were on maternity leave.”

“Newspaper?” Brian nearly hollered.

Dom jerked the phone away from his ear.

“The fucking newspaper said what now?” Brian screamed loud enough everyone could hear even over the phone.

“Brian. Take it easy.” Dom tried to calm him quickly. “It’s gonna be okay. Just come home. We’ll leave together. Or tell me where you are. I’ll-”

Dom froze hearing a wet sniff.

“Bri?”

On the other side of the line there was a click like someone swallowing, trying not to cry. Then a second click as Brian hung up. Dom froze for a moment. Then slowly lowered the phone.

“Uhm.” He swallowed hard. “Jess. Didja. Didja get it?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” He waved them over. “He hasn’t gotten too far. Like a, literally, a few hours’ drive. And he’s actually in a motel parking lot. Not the motel, just the lot.”

“That dumb piece of shit blonde.” Vince swore.

“Watch your mouth.” Dom growled.

“Easy Dom. You know you’re thinking the same thing.” Mia chided.

“So how do we run this?” Leon asked. “Who are you taking? Vince obviously. Mia?”

“I’m going.” Jesse said solemnly.

“Like hell are any of you coming with me.” Dom said.

“Dom, this is family.” Mia said. “We all love him. We just need him to know that.”

“He knows that Mia. I know he does. He just needs me. Needs to know I’m not mad.” Dom sighed. “ ‘Cause first and foremost he trusted all of you. I need to go earn him back.”

“Plus, it sounds like a damn ambush with all of you going.” Letty supplied. “He probably still has his handgun on him. I wouldn’t put it past pregnant boy to shoot his way out of somewhere that felt dangerous.”

Jesse paled. “Yeah I’ll stay then.”

“I’m not just gonna let you walk in alone.” Vince crossed his arms.

“V, I have to go get him. And I need him to want to come back here. Not that he doesn’t love you, but I need him to come back because of me. Everything else seems like a cheap cop out.” Dom waved a hand.

Vince sighed and grabbed both sides of Dom’s head. He kissed the top of Dom’s head. Dom tapped his knee.

“I might ask you to go get his car later. I’m gonna see if I can’t get him to ride with me.” Dom got up and climbed the stairs. “Can someone go grab some water bottles from the fridge. And Jesse, get that route ready for me wouldja?”

Dom dragged the blanket off his bed and jammed it into the car.

“Damn, are you nesting or something?” Letty nodded toward the blanket and held out the two water bottles.

Dom half grinned. “I got a lovely pregnant boy to seduce. Hopefully this face will capture him because this blanket has no chance.

He didn’t know how long he had had it. But he knew it still smelled like Brian.

Chapter Text

Dom waited. It was a few hours but. He’d wait a lifetime at this point. He could see the car shift as Brian slowly woke up. Dom remembered that. How Brian looked when he was stretching himself awake in the morning. How sunshine couldn’t glow any brighter than when it was trapped in those blonde curls at dawn. Dom wondered how he would look now with that kid in his stomach.

Beautiful was the answer.

The door opened the Dom’s breath caught in his throat. Brian looked out toward the sun, squinting at it, one hand on his now slightly hanging belly. His kid was in there. Brian rubbed at his bulge and yawned. He closed the door behind him and leaned on it.

“Brian.” Dom called, trying to keep a calm tone.

He jolted fully awake and in seconds Dom had a gun pointed straight at his head.

“Dom?” Brian growled.

Dom stepped closer with his hands up. Brian stepped back, pressing his back to the car.

“Back. Up. Dom.” He said through gritted teeth.

“Okay. Okay.” Dom stepped back keeping his palms open and his voice down. “Breath Brian. Calm down.”

“Don’t tell me to-” Brian had an arm protectively over his stomach. “Just-” He looked panicked, glancing at the car behind him.

“Brian.” Dom pulled his attention back then slowly lowered himself to the ground. “I’m not here to hurt you. Vince isn’t waiting around the corner or anything. I had Jess track your number and ‘m sorry.” He sat down on the asphalt.

Brian’s voice made an unintentional whine, gun still pointing steadily at Dom’s head.

“It’s okay. C’mon Bri. You know how this family works. Did you think I wouldn’t come find you?” Dom coaxed. “Just give me an hour at most. No hanging up, no running, just. Just stay. Be here with me like you were in the garage. Just stay. It’s okay.”

“I dunno if you’ve noticed but I’m not real great at staying.” Brian muttered, lowering the tip of the gun. “Never have been.”

Dom noticed his finger wasn’t on the trigger. He wondered if it ever had.

“I noticed. Noticed more than you think I did. Most people haven’t given you much of a reason to stick around. You been through some rough shit Brian, I don’t need a fake story to tell me that.”

Brian snorted and the gun came all the way down. “You bought it though.”

Dom sighed. “All my instincts were telling me to trust you. Everything sounded honest. All that shit I bought, probably ‘cause it wasn’t too different from the truth was it? Maybe it even was the truth.” Dom met his eyes. “Tell me I’m wrong.”

Brian slid down the car to the sit propped up against it on the ground. He set the gun aside. The safety was still on. He looked worn out already and Dom itched to grab him. He didn’t know where the road was going but damn it if he was gonna lose Brian following it.

“Yeah. Not really that different.” Brian admitted, looking away. “You feed people most of your life with name changes, dates, times. That’s what makes solid undercover story, when they believe it because you believe it. Because it’s not too far off.”

“Mmm.” Dom hummed watching a hand stroke the stretched t-shirt. “Speaking of far off, how far off is the kid?”

Brian looked down at his stomach startled, as if he’d forgotten it was there. “Oh.” Brian half smiled. “I’m. Well. We’re.” Brian glanced into his eyes to check the reaction. “We’re about halfway Dom. This is week twenty-three.”

Dom’s hand twitched to reach out. “Uh. So. Halfway. That’s like twenty more weeks. If I actually learned anything from Mia.”

Brian nodded and looked away. His hand reached out toward Dom. He caught it and shuffled over to Brian. The blue eyes met his shyly and their hands went together to bulging stomach. Dom exhaled shakily.

“Holy shit my kid’s in here.” He rumbled.

“That’s what I said the first time they told me.” Brian hummed. “Then I punched the car ceiling.”

Dom squeezed his hand. “Well don’t do that. Hey punk.” Dom rubbed bump softly.

Brian chuckled.

“I think it’s a good name.” Dom stared at how his hand sat on the curve.

“They like it. They’re moving.”

Dom looked up, startled. “Moving. You can feel…. Can I feel?”

“Not yet.” Brian laughed. “It’ll be a little while before you can but. I can.”

“Not yet.” Dom repeated making it sound like a promise.

Brian laughed and his eyes sparkled.

“Oh shit, Bri. Don’t do that to me.” Dom grinned feeling his own eyes burn.

Brian laughed again and tears leaked from his baby blue eyes. Dom wiped at them with the pad of his thumb even as he felt himself cry too. Brian pulled him in. He tucked the blonde’s head under his chin and they laughed through their tears. Dom clutched at him with a bit more force than necessary but he could feel Brian doing the same right back.

They jumped apart to the sound of sirens as a police car came skidding into a parking lot. They blinked at it in shock. After a second, the siren cut out and an officer climbed out of the car. She looked as shocked as they did. Brian sniffed and wiped at his nose.

“Uh.” The officer stuttered. “I got a call of someone threatening a pregnant man. Are we all good here?”

“Oh my God.” Brian laughed and covered his face.

Dom chuckled and put a hand on his shoulder. “Technically the pregnant person was threatening me. But yeah. I mean yeah. We’re all good.”

“And someone’s got a license on that gun?” She nodded at Brian’s handgun.

Brian nodded. “Yeah.”

He pulled his badge out of his pocket and flipped it open. She picked it up and looked it over.

Her partner got out of the car. “Everyone okay here?” He asked. “You alright sir?” He asked Brian politely.

“I’m okay now.” Brian answered glancing at Dom dopely.

Dom nudged him trying not to grin.

The first officer nodded over the badge. “Alright. Sorry about that Officer O’Conner. Maybe try not to pull a gun on your hubby in the future.”

The other officer snorted.

Brian laughed. “I’ll give it my best but he’s so damn trying.”

They all laughed as the two officers went back to the car. They radioed in an abnormal domestic and rolled away. Dom stood up and shook his head. His life was crazy. They needed to figure out where they were going. Brian couldn’t go back. He knew some people on the east coast. Mexico?

“Dom.”

“Yeah B?”

Brian looked away, flushed. “I can’t get up.”

Dom smiled happily. “I’ve gotcha.”

He pulled Brian to his feet and held him

“Are you ready for this? It’s gonna be a lot.” Brian asked.

Dom blinked at him. He could hear the subtle ‘I’m a lot’ in Brian’s tone. “Yeah. I’m ready. Having you there is good for me.”

Brian blushed.

Dom laughed. “Hell, you made the whole damn house calmer just by being there. Maybe it’s your turn to cause a little chaos.”

Chapter Text

It was nearly the middle of the night, and here he was, not sleeping. He had more important things to  see than the inside of his eyelids. Like the chilled rain hitting the roof. The way the streetlight, distorted by the water on the window, fell on Brian’s face. Jesus. Or the way that he was here at all.

That any of them were here at all.

That now nestled on the East Coast was the entire Toretto clan. Plus, one on the way.

“Yah okay?”

Dom looked up.

Brian blinked at him, squinting in the dark. His long limbs were curled up against the near mountainous heap of blankets to escape the winter cold even this far south.

“Are you okay?” Dom shot back.

Brian scootched forward until their foreheads could lean together. “I asked first.”

“I’m good.” Dom chuckled. “Now, how are you?” He ran his hand over the back of Brian’s head.

He hummed and leaned into the contact. “Tired and sore. But I’m good.”

Dom stroked his head. He coulda lost this. He almost did. The fucked-up years in jail, the semi jackings, and this fragile thing right here. Anything coulda tipped all this the wrong way. Shattered.

“Now who’s thinking too hard.” Brian murmured.

Dom clenched his hand and pressed their heads together tightly for a second. “I love you.”

Brian inhaled sharply. His eyes came open. Damn those beautiful blues.

“I love you too.”

They stared, locking eyes like they couldn’t look away.

“Shit.” Brian swore suddenly.

He started struggling and Dom grabbed him and hauled him out of the bed with grunt. Brian paced around the room contorting himself with gritted teeth.

“Are you sure this many Charlie horses are normal for pregnant people?” Dom check again.

Brian nodded. “Yes.” He sighed as his cramped foot finally relaxed. “Ouch.”

Dom blinked at the realization the Brian was wearing the massive hoodie Dom had had on all day.

“We need to clean the house t’morrow.” Brian mumbled, rubbing his face.

“Why?” Dom almost moaned.

It felt like they’d cleaned the house three times a day for a week or two now. Brian froze and got one of those looks on his face. Dom could have punched himself and it would hurt less.

“I don’t know. Nevermind, sorry.”

Dom hauled himself into a sitting position and grabbed Brian’s hips. “I gotcha. I gotcha. Tomorrow it is.”

“Thanks. Jesus fuck I never used to-” Brian gestured to his face.

Dom nodded. “The doc said hormones and all that. You’ll come back to yourself. Or maybe not. Maybe we’ll both be something new. Or whatever comes along. You know?”

Brian pressed his face to the top of Dom’s head. Dom ran his hands over the tight skin of his stomach and down Brian’s back, pressing into the tight muscle. Brian moaned.

“Still sore?”

“A little.”

He held out a hand and Brian took it tiredly.

“C’mere.” Dom helped him down onto the bed.

Brian grumbled and tucked the blankets back around himself. He prodded at Dom until the man had shifted to exactly the right spot. Which was apparently propping up his back tonight. Dom reached over and ran a hand over Brian’s stomach.

Their kid was in there.