A little irriatated by Jack's behavious and the tone of his voice Brian gave the man an apologetic smile. "Thanks, Bob. See ya."
Then he pushed the glas door open and followed Jack with the six pack in his hand.
He pulled one out of the pack and held the cooled glass against his nose. "Ah, yes."
When he fell in step with his brother he asked. "So are you going to tell me what's gotten up your ass? I mean it's kind of hard to miss."
At first he hadn't noticed but it became more obvious the longer he was around his brother.

"Huh? Nothing's gotten up my ass, bro." He mumbled, shooting Brian a look while he kept up his pace. He didn't know what his brother was talking about, or maybe he did.. either way, he didn't want to elaborate on it in front of Brian, or anyone for that matter, not now that his mood had bettered slightly.

"Don't worry about me, man. Probably got hit in the head one too many times.. I'm fine." He forced a smile on his face to emphasize his words before he pushed the garage door open with one hand, holding the two bottles with the other. Oh yes, he was the epitome of fine, drinking whenever he thought she didn't see. He hesitated for a moment before he turned around toward Brian.

"Got anything else that needs done for tomorrow? Consider it my payback for.. You know.." He shrugged. He knew if he went home now, he'd be hitting the bottle before he'd even parked the car on his drive way. Any distraction or way to postpone his close to alcoholism habits were welcome, especially if he didn't want to become a true alcoholic.

Brian had a hard time keeping up with his brothers fast pace but he did. Quickly he noticed that Jack wasn't going to say anything.
"I know you don't like to talk about your shit but you know you can tell me anything, right?"
He followed his brother back into the garage that wasn't much cooler than outside since it only had a ceiling fan.
"If you want to help you can paint that fender there and put it back on when it's dry."
He twisted off the top of the beer and tooka drink. "Are you looking for a job?"

"Yesssss, I know.. I appreciate it, but just leave it alone, ok?" He muttered as he turned to put the alcohol in the fridge.. until he changed his mind. He screwed the top off one of the bottles, took one long ass gulp before he dumped the rest of the bottle in the sink. He hesitated with the second one before he repeated the action, emptying the bottle in the sink. He'd pay his brother back when he had money again.

Running a hand through his hair, he let out a heavy sigh before he turned toward Brian once more, shrugging at his words. Painting a fender he could do, the job part though.. He wasn't too sure about that. Him and his brother seemed to clash more rather than cooperate nowadays, just like they had years back.

"I don't know, maybe.."

"What are you doing, bro?" Brian tried to grab the bottle before Jack could empty it but didn't succeed.
"Why did you do that? You just dumped 20 bucks."
Brian shook his head and let himself fall into a chair.
"You have issues, man. Go paint that fender before I kick your ass again."
He really shouldn't have offered Jack a job-his brother was trhouble, or maybe troubled, or maybe both.

"AGAIN he says! You gotta have kicked my ass a first time before you can say 'again', bro!" He shook his head, laughing as he headed toward the equipment. This time neither of them had won, just a small show of blowing off steam, which was fine by him. He really didn't like the uptightness that crept up his ass every time someone said or did something he didn't appreciate.

"And you'll get your 20 bucks back, scouts honor!" His hand made whatever sign he felt fit over his shoulder before he bent down next to the fender. Hell if he knew anything about scouts honors, it was the gesture that counted, right?

He prepared the fender like he had done the Evo and a little over a half an hour later it was sandpapered, cleaned and fully primered. He sank down in the old chair next to Brian, leaning back and folding both hands behind his head before he glanced at his brother.

"So uh.. I guess I should apologize for being such an asshole.. again." He smirked before wiping it off his face. He really was serious with his apology.

Brian returned from placing the new orders and sat down next to his brother.
"No problem." He raised his hand to shake Jack's.
"I know you don't mean it."

He leaned forward and put his hands on his thighs. "You wanna hear something cool? I have two employees now. Walters is working here and a chick called Angel, she broke down at your BBQ, remember?"

"Uh, yeah.. I don't think my memory stretches that far back anymore." He grinned, keeping his hands folded behind his head while he shrugged. His brain had been shabby before the blow to his head, and it was even worse now. He could vaguely remember something about a BBQ at his place, but details? Nah..

"But two employees, huh? That's awesome news, and I'm sure they are more reliable than me, right bro?" He joked, nudging his brother before he stood up to grab the both of them a cold one. He tossed one of the bottles toward Brian, twisting the cap off of his own before he walked toward the Evo. His fingertips gently brushed over the paint here and there, checking if it had hardened out completely while he took a sip of his beer. Satisfied with the result, he returned back to the chair, parking his ass down once more.

"Guess I should be heading home soon." He lifted the beer in his hand. "After I finish this one." He mumbled, taking another sip.

Brian took the beer from him and twisted the top off.
He wrinkled his brow and looked at Jacks forehead. "Do you have problems..with your head?"
He never really found out how Jack was after he needed to have brain surgery. Who knew whether there was any permanent damage.
"Are you a dummy now?" He teased.

He lifted the beer to his lips again but let it sink down again. "You know I'm joking, right? Not about the job though. I can always use a hand. You're good at painting."

"Ask me that question again when I start drooling sporadically.." He laughed before he shook his head and shrugged. "Nah, it's just my memory, and sometimes moods that are shabby.. All part of the turf, or so I was told." He mumbled, taking another drink from his beer. He had already accepted he wasn't completely the same as he was before all shit went down, but then in a way, none of them were.

Brian's next words had him furrow his brow and smirk all at the same time. The way his brother always tended to backpedal after an 'insult' never ceased to amaze, nor amuse him. Either deal it, or don't.. but never take it back was his opinion, not when it was only meant to pull a leg anyway.

"Yeah, yeah..I can still take a joke, man. They haven't whacked that out of me just yet.." He smiled before glancing at his brother. "So you're serious about that job, huh? You sure you wanna go down that road again?.. Not that I'm saying 'no' this time." He added before Brian could change his mind. God knew he needed to get out of the house and actually do something before he went completely nuts from boredom.

Brian looked at his bottle as if all answers were inside of it.
"I really don't know why I'm this stupid but I'll never give up my hopes in you." He looked up at his brother and a smirk started to play on his lips. "Plus you're a pretty decent mechanic and nobody entertains me the way you are."
He neglected to say that Faye had told him all about their problems and he felt the need to lend his little brother a helping hand in a difficult situation like this- especially with Jack's tendency to get really stupid ideas in these kind of situations.

"It's the O'Conner blood, man. Makes us stupid as hell." He smirked, draining the last of his beer before his brow furrowed slightly when he glanced at Brian. Again with the sticking feathers up his ass.. not to mention the look of guilt, or was that pity? on his brother's face. His fingers drummed on his leg while he contemplated.. ask, or don't ask? Eh.. Curiosity killed the cat, but what did he care?

"Alright, bro.. Who died? Cause really, you didn't hit me that hard.." Aside from that, he had been the one who had thrown the first fist, there was no reason for Brian to look like a sourpuss even if he had hit him hard. He could still take a punch or two, even though he still considered one of them a cheap shot, the sore spot near his ribs being a silent reminder of that.

"I didn't?" Brian proceeded to punch Jack in the arm without warning. "Better?"
He smirked a little lopsided.
"No, it's cool..."he lifted his bottle to clink with his brother."Okay, Faye talked to me. But whatever, man. You guys sort out your stuff and you and me sort out ours...so you#re going to come and work for me every now and then?"
He leaned his back against the cold brick wall behind him.

"Ey! What the fuck, man!" He grinned, rubbing a hand over his arm before he whacked Brian upside the head in return. Two cheap shots in one after noon..Damn, his brother was on a role and not one he really appreciated all that much.

When Brian lifted his bottle, he kept his own rested on his knee, his grin fading. There was something about the tone of voice he didn't like, and it was only confirmed when Faye's name fell. 'Stuff'.. now there was an easy way to put it.

"Yeah.." He mumbled, nodding slightly. He didn't want to go further down the road of women trouble, and he was glad when Brian seemed to think the same when the subject was changed straight after. "As long as you keep the emphases on 'every now and then', I think we'll be good, bro." He smirked once more, this time actually clinking his empty bottle against his brother's as he stood up. He really ought to get home.. But did he want to?

"I think I'm gonna take the Evo for a spin now, paint's dry.." He shrugged, placing the bottle next to the coke can on the fridge before he pulled his keys out of his pocket. "By the way, you want me to come in and finish that fender for you tomorrow?"

Brian took the slap like a man. "Gahh, you hit like a girl, when are you going to paint your fingernails?"
The rest of the beer was downed quickly and the bottle thrown half way across the garage into a bin.
"5 points."

Brian stood up and straightened out his legs. "I couldn't bare having you around more than 'every now and then'. So get out of here!"
He slapped the back of his brothers head when he turned his back on him.
"Tomorrow morning, 8 o'clock sharp." He laughed as he closed windows and doors to go home ...well, to his car, as well.
The old Chevy without any grace , charme or power soon rolled down the street to destination nowhere.
When he was alone again the loneliness hit Brian and reminded him just how much he missed Mia and Tyler.
Maybe he should find a bar.