Eight

Their kiss was quickly interrupted.

"Are you serious right now?" Roman shouted. "Is that the reason you two let him beat you in the quarter mile? That was a baby gift."

"No, that's messed up." Brian replied.

"No, it wasn't." Mia said.

"That was a baby payment." Roman continued. Tej grabbed Regan's hand, leading her over to Brian.

"No, you're not taking that from me." Brian pointed at Roman.

"Wait, wait, wait." Tej stopped them. "Hold on a second. So did he just smack the ass, or did he grab and hold onto it?" Tej asked Mia.

Mia and Brian laughed as Gisele and Han walked over to them.

"Congratulations." Gisele said to Mia. Mia thanked her has they hugged.

They all continued the happy conversation, Rae being dragged over to Dom by Brian.

"Baby gift, huh?" Brian asked.

"I have no idea what they're talkin' about." Dom answered.

"Regan?" Brian raised an eyebrow. The girl shrugged.

"No clue." She told her brother.

"Toast." Dom called.

Rae made her way back to Tej, his arm draping around her.

"Money will come and go. We know that. But the most important thing in life will always be the people in this room. Right here. Right now. Salud, mi familia!"

Salud! They all called, their beer bottle clanking.

"Tej, what is it with you and my sister?" Brian asked.

"Hobbs is on the other side of the city." Mia announced. "We're not gonna get a better window."

"Okay, guys, it's show time." Dom called.

"Looks like we have to go back to work, Bri." Rae walked away.

"We're talking about this." Brian called after her and Tej.

"First team in position. Let's go." Dom yelled.

Tej and Rae jumped into their car, speeding off.

"What are you gonna tell your brother?" Tej asked.

"What do you want me to tell my brother?" Rae replied. She shifted.

"Shit." Tej mumbled in the passenger's seat.

"Well, you invited me back to your home." Rae replied. "You kissed me on the couch. What did you expect to happen?"

"Forgot you were an O'Conner." Tej replied.

"Thanks." She responded.

Tej smiled at her as he wracked his brain for what to tell Brian.

"Well, we can both just say we don't know." Rae suggested. "Because we don't know."

"At least now he can know how Dom feels." Tej said. "Friend dating his little sister."

"Dating?" Rae asked.

Tej shrugged.  "I mean, it's only fair, really."

"It was already fair. Don't tell him, but Dom and I already leveled the playing field."

"What?" Tej asked.

"I slept with Dom. The day we found out Mia was pregnant was my 18th birthday. It was fitting, to say the least."

"So what's that mean?" Tej asked.

"It meant nothing. Was a one-time thing. It'll never happen again." Rae answered. "It was always meant to be a one-time thing."

"And us?" Tej asked.

"Don't turn this around on me." Rae replied. "I don't want this to be a one-time thing."

Double back. Dom's voice carried through on their radios.

"Guess we can finish this later." Tej mumbled.

"We need to move. We don't have much time." Dom said when he came back from Vince's body.

Rae hadn't been expecting the news when they came back.

"I got us a flight. We can leave Rio in the rearview in the next five hours." Han replied.

"Not to run away." Dom said.

"We have to finish this." Rae finished.

"Are you crazy, Dom?" Gisele asked. "We can't."

"It's a suicide mission." Roman agreed. "That's your man over there on the table."

"You all knew the risks." Rae argued.

"The plan is busted!" Roman told her. "This is bullshit, man. Reyes knows we're comin'."

"He's right." Tej agreed. "They tripled the detail at the police station. There's gonna be a wall of gunfire."

"Reyes doesn't get away with this." Dom replied.

"It's a trap, man. You know that." Han said.

"Dom, listen to them." Elena told him. "Run, before it's too late. Leave Rio. You can be free."

"Running ain't freedom." Dom replied. "You should know that. You know you're all free to make your own choices."

"I'm in." Hobbs announced. "I'll ride with you, Toretto. At least until we kill that son of a bitch."

"So what's the plan, Dom?" Brian asked. "We can't just go sneaking around anymore."

"We don't sneak. Only thing he cares about is his money. We pull that, we pull him." Dom answered.

"And we're back." Rae smiled.

Dom, Brian and Hobbs head off toward the vault, their part of the plan. Regan waits.

Call it out, Mia. Dom is heard on their radio.

You got a straight shot for two blocks. Go right. Mia answers.

Got it. Brian replied.

Well, the plan's working. You guys have every corrupt cop in Rio on your tail. Mia told them.

"Keep it going, boys." Rae said into the radio.

You guys have to move fast.

What's the best route?  Brian asked.

Okay, keep going straight another half mile onto Rua Fonseca and go left. Mia answered.

That ain't gonna work. Dom told her.

Spiked ahead, Dom, we got spikes. Brian warned.

We're going right. Dom told Mia.

It's too tight. We're not gonna fit. Brian told him.

We got no choice. Now! Dom replied.

"Shit." Rae mumbled to herself. Tej looked over at her.

Guys, I am hearing all this chatter. Did you just take out a bank? Mia asked.

"A bank?" Rae asked into the radio.

Two inbound. Dom said.

All right. There's an alley coming up on your left. Mia told them.

Yeah, I got it. Brian replied.

They were silent. Too silent too long for Rae's comfort.

"You think they're okay?" She asked Tej.

"They're okay. Don't worry yourself."

Guys, there's a big group coming at you from the south. Mia warned. You'll have to do something now.

Hey, go wide. Brian said.

"That doesn't sound good." Rae mumbled.

You're all clear on the left. Han told them.

We clear on the right. Roman announced later.

"This is working." Rae smiled.

Thanks, guys. Dom said.

Anytime. Han replied.

I'll see you on the other side. Roman said.

You guys just carved out a 10-second window. Mia told them. Make it count.

"Can we tell your brother we're dating?" Tej asked randomly.

"Is now the time?" Rae replied.

Hey, there's too many of them. We're not gonna make it. Brian said.

You're right. We aren't. Dom agreed. You are.

What are you talkin' about? Brian asked.

Just let the vault go. Get out of there. Mia told them.

You're a father now, Brian. Dom said.

No, I'm not leaving you. Now you stick with the plan. Bri replied.

It was always the plan. Dom said. Take care of Mia.

Dom, you listen to me now. Okay? You cut lose right now. Mia begged.

"Dom." Rae tried.

There wasn't an answer. Dom didn't reply.

"Rae?" Tej asked. She shook her head, closing her eyes. Tej pulled her as close to him as he could in the car, stroking her hair lightly.

"It's okay." Tej told her.

"I know." Rae replied. "I know Brian."

Mission complete. They all stood there, facing the vault. Tej worked his magic to open it.

"Come on, baby. Don't be mean." He said to the vault as he held up the print.

They all held their breath until it turned green.

Tej turned it open, showing the money. Rae walked over to him, meeting his lips in a quick kiss.

They all take their cut, most of them splitting up.

Rae had made her decision, she was going to head off with Tej.

"You sure?" Brian had asked her.

"If it doesn't work out, I'll call you, okay?" She replied. He'd taken the news well, not killing Tej.

"Hey, Tej. Be careful with my sister." He warned. So maybe he would kill Tej.

Now, Regan sat there, watching Tej work on a car as Roman pulled up.

"Motherfucker." She mumbled, hopping from her seat on the counter.

"This is your dream, huh?" Roman asked.

"Ha. It's enough for me, man. I got the garage and the girl. I take it that's your dream." Tej replied.

"Absolutely. What up, boy?" Roman walked up to Tej.

"What's goin' on?" Tej asked.

"You good?" Roman asked. "Hey, sweetheart." He greeted, hugging Rae.

"Yes, yes." Tej answered.

"Uh, you know what's crazy? There's only four of those cars in the whole world. Yeah, I got the only one in the Western Hemisphere." Roman told Tej.

"Oh, do you?" Rae asked.

"I made a sheikh in Abu Dhabi an offer her could not refuse." Roman answered.

"Huh. That's a nice lady you got there too." Tej said, looking over at Rae.

"Hey." She replied.

"Oh, absolutely." Roman said, waving at her. "Yo, we gotta go, man. Let's do this."

"Okay, I'll drive." Tej replied.

"I'll drive." Rae corrected.

"In that? Come on, man." Roman replied. "No- No way."

"No, no, no. Not in this. In that." Tej replied.

"Are you serious right now?" Roman asked. "Man this is crazy."

"Yes, I guess that means there are two in the Western Hemisphere, huh?" Tej asked, placing a hand on Rae's thigh. "What's your smart ass gotta say now?"

"Well, you know what? We can always shine together, baby." Get dressed, man. We got things to do." Roman replied.

Tej laughed, crossing his arms.

"Come on, baby. We got things to do." Tej told Rae.

Rae bit her bottom lip, looking up at him. She grabbed onto his shirt, pulling him closer.

"Things to do?" She asked before pulling him into a kiss.

Tej squeezed her hips, their lips moving in sync.