Friends of Rihanna and Chris Brown 'Terrified' Over Possible Reconciliation

Wonderwall, Thursday, February 23, 2012, 9:22am (PST)

By Kat Giantis

• The heart wants what it wants, even when it shouldn't. Just days after Rihanna and Chris Brown released two sexually suggestive (and, let's face it, nausea-inducing) remixes, friends say they are inching "dangerously close" to a reunion, reports TMZ. And given his brutal 2009 assault on her, that has their nearest and dearest (and the rest of us) very worried.

  The former flames' respective inner circles are supposedly "terrified" they'll reconcile and are trying "everything" to stop it from happening, including forcefully cautioning them both that it's a "terrible idea" that could be a disaster personally and professionally.

  The two have reportedly been spending quality time together: Brown, 22, attended Rihanna's recent 24th birthday bash, and later sent his birthday wishes via Twitter (her reply: "Thanks!").

  "Chris was a strong first love for her that she wants to hold on to," a RiRi confidant tells Us Weekly. "They had a violent, stormy relationship. Her friends obviously think this reunion is crazy, but nobody can tell Rihanna what to do."

  According to TMZ, the main roadblock preventing Rihanna from reconciling with Brown is fear of a backlash from fans and the media.

  As for Chris's current girlfriend, Karrueche Tran, whose face he recently tattooed on his arm, she doesn't seem to be much of an impediment.

  "He will always love Rihanna," a source tells Us. "If she were like, 'I want you back,' he'd drop Karrueche in a heartbeat."

  Besides, Radar Online claims his relationship with Tran is an open one, with no questions asked, which sounds a lot like how one spy describes Rihanna's connection with Brown.

  "She likes the loose nature of it, and she doesn't want a boyfriend," explains the insider. "This is dangerous, and she likes playing with fire."

  This might be a good time to remind the chanteuse what she told Diane Sawyer nine months after the assault, when she admitted it was "embarrassing" that she fell in love with someone like Brown.

  "So far in love. So unconditional that I went back," she said. "It's humiliating to say this happened. To accept that? It's a traumatizing experience."

  But, Rihanna added, "It's completely normal to go back. It's not right. I learned the hard way, but again, this is what I want people to know. When I realized that my selfish decision for love could result in some young girl getting killed, I could not be easy with that part. ... Even if Chris never hit me again, who is to say that their boyfriend won't? Who's to say that they won't kill these girls? These are young girls, and I just didn't realize how much of an impact I had on these girls' lives until that happened."

• But as one resigned source sighs to TMZ, "You can't hold back love."

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