"Your foreheads already a big enough target Rome."Tej's voice echoes through Roman's car from a tech device linked up to the cars radio. I chuckle, looking to the seat next to me seeing Jośe out cold.

"Shut up!" Rome scoffs, offended at Tej's comment. Tej's laughs,only to be quickly cut off by Roman slamming his hand on the radio.

"Rome? Is she okay?!" Another voice sounds through the radio, the shock almost making me swerve. A voice that triggers emotions within me that I can't explain.

"Yeah man, she cool." Roman smiled cheekily. It all feels so wrong, off. Did they even want to help me? Or are they just doing it for Brian's sake.

"Thanks guys, I gotta head back with this asshole." I nod toward Jośe, unsure of what else to say.

"Not even a hello.." Roman scoffs, rolling his eyes. My eyes flicker to the car on my other side... Letty, and by the look on her face. She's fuming.

***

I do what I can to preserve Jośe, and save his arm. Not that he at all deserves it. The drive to catch up with Dom would've been a long one if i hadn't been 20+ miles over the speed limit. After a while i finally manage to catch up with them at the same place this all started yesterday. I pull up, i can see John and his group standing in front of a few cars while Dom and Nick get out of the truck. I follow helping Jośe out of the car earning a few confused looks from Dom as I hand him over to his group before walking over to Dom.

"There are people in the back." Dom whispers carefully. I had a feeling that was the case, i just didn't want to admit it. Dom sends me a look, as of to tell me to end this now. He's right, we can't let them get away with these girls. We have the chance to help them, now.

"I'll call you two when i need you again." John shrugs, face emotionless. I hold my car keys in my hand contemplating for a moment before pressing the panic button. They'll come.

In a matter of seconds intelligence rounded the corner; Jay, Antonio, Kevin, Adam, Kim, Voight. Guns raised and pointed toward the smugglers. Both Dom and I raise our guns to help intelligence free the people.

"Chicago PD! Hands up!" I yell, my voice stern and cold as the revving of cars gets louder... 6 cars sped into the area, skidding to a stop. And I know instantly.
The group of smugglers give in to intelligence and i don't dare turn toward the six cars.

I pass one of the men Antonio is arresting and through my peripheral vision I can just make out Hobbs walking towards voight. I know who's behind me. I swallow the lump in my throat trying to keep my composure when Jay runs towards me.

"Are you okay?" He questions, arms wrapping round me. The feeling almost makes me want to cry, I know i can't enjoy it for long.

"Yeah, I'm good. Help me get these truck doors open..." I break the hug, head turning towards Kim, "Kim call an Ambo!"

Jay and I make our way towards the truck doors, we strain trying to open them but they seem to be stuck. Dom instantly makes his way over helping us pry them open, and between the three of us, we manage. The second the doors open the stench hits me in the face, a wave of nausea rushes over me. Easily, 36-40 young women malnourished and shoved inside.

***

I waited for all the women to be taken to chicago med by ambulances, quickly thanking brett and dawson as they checked over the women before glancing over at voight who was still talking to Hobbs.

Glancing over to the cars, just for a moment. I spot him, leaning against Lettys  Dodge Challenger SRT. He hasn't aged a day, he's still just as beautiful as the day I met him. Yet there's a difference, his smile is no where to be seen. His hair is shorter, a lot shorter... he catches me looking at him a flicker of hope showing in his eyes for a fraction of a second.

In a panic, I begin walking back over to jay only for a hand to fall on my shoulder stopping me.

"I get you don't want to tell me, but he deserves to know. Just speak to him." Dom says, almost begging me. My chest burns as I look back to Brian.

"I don't know if I can." I say weakly, breath catching in the back of my throat.

"Try." I sigh, looking over at Brian and my old family. The ache in my chest is raw, excruciating. I take a few steps toward him.

Hope flickers across Brian's face as he watches me approach. A pained smile grows on his face, almost as if trying not to cry. The second I reach him, he wraps his arms around me pulling me into a hug we clear both need. The emotion is indescribable and so intense that tears threaten to spill down my cheeks. The hug shocks me, surprised he even wanted to be close to me. I thought he'd hate me. I expected shouting cursing, this is the opposite. I hug him back enjoying it, taking him in for just a second before I break the hug.

"Are you okay?" Are the first words to leave his mouth. His hands lingering on my upper arms as I stare at him.

"Yeah, I—" i can't. I don't know what to say after being gone for so long. Seeing him is like no time has past at all and it feels like my chest is about to explode.

"Look, Ashley... whatever happened back then." He takes a breath, pain evident in his voice, "maybe we can meet up tomorrow, just us. And talk?"

"Quinn! Let's go!" Voights voice echoed through the lot, breaking me away from the moment and opening me up to waves of pain.

"Uh yeah— there's a bar, Molly's. I'll be there at eight tomorrow night. We can talk." Is the last thing I say before rushing off to intelligence, hoping for a moment alone to control my thoughts.

***

"I'm glad you're okay." Jays voice is almost silent as we sit in Molly's. I nod gripping my corona bottle tightly in one hand while I hold jays hand in the other.

"Thank you." I smile. Jay's damn beautiful, tall, freckled, he's strong and brave too but so is Brian. But right now, in this moment I have jay. And I have done for the past few years. His thumb caresses my hand gently as he admires me, and my heart skips a beat. I know it's bad, awful to even say... but jay has helped me through what happened, without even knowing it. Brian hasn't, and that's not his fault, it's mine. I never gave him the choice to be here, to help me.

"I've been thinking a lot about us Ash. I know there's a lot about your past you're not ready to talk about. I respect that. And I appreciate you telling me what you have. I know you might not be ready for other things too. But when you are... I'm here. Waiting." Jay offers me a small smile, hand reassuringly squeezing mine as he finishes his sentence and it's as if he squeezed my heart with the same hand.

"Just come and get me when you're ready. I meant what I said before..." He reiterates, pressing a kiss to my cheek before he stands up walking over to the bar to join his brother. I know I can tell him, he's learning, he wants to help me, he wants to be a part of my life, all of my life. But he already is.

As I sit in silence for a moment, kelly and Kim join me at the back Table in Mollys.

"You scared the shit out of me. That box— I'm glad you're okay, hard ass." I chuckle at Kelly's words with a soft smile, he knows me well enough to know I don't dwell on danger.

"Well, I'm back. And I'm good as always. I'll get that shit sorted this week." I shrug taking a sip of my beer as kelly does the same.

"That guy, Dom. all those people at the scene today. They're your family?" Kim questions, my jaw ticks, not out of anger but sadness.

"Yeah technically.. apart from Brian, He's my Ex..." those words break me further as they leave my lips.

"So Brian's the Mysterious guy who broke your heart?" I'd almost forgotten i Briefly spoke to Kim about Brian being my ex. And the way she words that kills me, because I know, he didn't break my heart. I broke his, and my own.

"I guess." There's no need for me to fill in details, not anymore.

"And he shows up, while you're with jay?" Kim questions almost unsure of the situation. I sigh, I wish I wasn't sure. But I am.

"Yep." Could my life get any more messy?