A/N: Should be writing my Walking Dead fanfic… Instead I'm writing this.
This was inspired by many different songs. But the song that first got me writing was 'Holy Ground' by Taylor Swift. Other songs that influenced this was 'In Another Life' by The Veronicas and 'I Almost Do' by Taylor Swift. Basically, I heard almost all of Taylor's new album as Boondock Saints inspiration.
Falling Back in Love
/\/\/\/\
"A tall peppermint mocha, please." I ordered my usual with a small smile at the Starbucks barista. She happily took my money and cheerfully wished me a good day. I muttered a 'you too' back as I moved down to pick up my drink.
I would have been much happier if it hadn't been eight years since I last saw him.
Murphy MacManus had come into my life at an early age. He was my brother's best friend, along with his twin, Connor. My brother… David Della Rocco. He was never the brightest of the bunch, but he had good ideas from time to time. Until he was murdered. I could never forgive the bastard who shot him. I was so grateful to Connor, Murphy, and their father. They killed him in cold blood in front of a crowd.
I had watched from the balcony. That was the last time I saw Murph.
I never even considered a relationship until I met Murph. I'd always been too busy, too tired, too wrong for every guy I met. So I gave up trying. But then that asshole had to come along and ruin everything.
/\/\/\/\
"Anna! You home?" Rocco burst through my front door.
"Oh, please come in. Thank you so much for knocking!" I yelled sarcastically at my brother as he helped himself to some leftovers in my fridge. He laughed and went to my bedroom. My tiny one room apartment was very open. The kitchen and living room was one wide space divided only by a change from carpet to hardwood floor in the kitchen. The two doors led to the only bathroom and only bedroom, leaving little else to the imagination.
"Anna, put this on. We're going to McGinty's tonight, lil' sis. I lost a bet to the MacManus brothers, and now I gotta introduce you to them." Rocco threw a silver sequined top at me. I raised an eyebrow.
"You made a bet about me?" I asked, eyeing the top critically. I've heard a lot about these brothers, and I wanted to make a good impression. They saved my brother's ass a million times.
"Shut up and get ready." He rolled his eyes, moving out of my way as I went into my room. I shut the door as I heard Rocco flop onto my pathetic couch and start to flip though the TV channels… all four of them. There was no way I could afford satellite TV.
"How's this instead?" I ask as I stepped out. I changed out of my oversized sweatshirt and into a tight black turtleneck sweater. My sweatpants were exchanged for skin tight light gray jeans. I slipped into a pair of heeled boots and shook out my long brown hair. Rocco whistled and pumped his fist.
"They're going to regret winning that bet!" He smirked, holding out my coat for me to pop into. I rolled my eyes, just glad I wasn't spending another Friday night watching TV and eating the last of my ice cream.
/\/\/\/\
I took my peppermint mocha and sat outside the Starbucks, basking in the warmth of the sun in the middle of December. Sure, I was shivering outside even with my winter jacket, gloves, and hat, but the warmth of the sun on my face was almost worth it.
I smiled, remembering Murphy's face when he first saw me. I never believed in love at first sight, but I think he did in that moment. He never took his eyes off me.
/\/\/\/\
"Hey fuck-ass, get me a beer!" Rocco burst into the Irish bar with a gleeful yell. I laughed, knowing where the endearing nickname came from.
"My dearest gentlemen, and Connor and Murph," Rocco teased, throwing them a devilish smirk. The two laughed as he moved aside to allow the bar to see me. "May I introduce my dearest, darling sister, Anna."
Every eye in the bar was on me and I felt like throwing up. I was never good being in the spotlight. I fumbled for a moment trying to come up with something witty to say.
"Regretting that bet yet?"
/\/\/\/\
"Hurry up, Haley. We're going to be late to church." A mother bustled past me with her daughter, making my eyes snap open. Was today Sunday?
I stared at the large church across the street as the mother ushered her daughter in.
Of all the Starbucks I had to stop at on a Sunday morning… It was the one across the street from that building.
I knew that church. Almost too well.
/\/\/\/\
"What the hell do you mean?" I snapped as Rocco woke me up the next morning. He crashed at my place, being too intoxicated and injured to go home alone. I remembered only bits and pieces of the bar fight. I had leapt over the bar and hid with Doc until the boys were done 'making new friends'.
"Murph and Con are at the police station." He repeated slowly for me. "They turned themselves in after getting into another fight with those damn Russians." He spat and moved to take my car keys. I sat up and shook my head.
"I'll go too." I pulled on a fresh shirt, not bothering to change the jeans I slept in. I slipped into my most comfortable flats and shrugged on a light jacket. First we drove to the boys' apartment to get fresh clothes, then we arrived in front of the police station as the chief was giving his official statement. When he was done, a suited man allowed us into the station. He showed us to the holding cells and left us alone.
"Hey Rocco!" I rolled my eyes as an inmate yelled at Rocco. Of course my idiot brother knew people in jail. The last cell held our boys, both jumping up yelling our names.
"It's good to see ya 'gain." Connor winked at me and I laughed.
"You're only glad to see clothes." I remarked, taking in their bloodstained, dirty robes. I shook my head and passed over the clothing. Murphy took it from me with a smirk.
"Like what ya see?" He asked, his Irish accent making my heart flutter.
'Stop that.' I thought furiously. I stuck out my tongue, but said nothing.
"Sis, I gotta go talk to the boss… Can I get a ride?" Rocco whispered in my ear as the boys appreciated their clothes. I sighed, but nodded.
I hated that he worked for the mafia, but at least they kept him busy with only delivery jobs. We said a hasty goodbye and shuffled back out to my car.
/\/\/\/\
Swallowing the last of my coffee, I stood and stretched. I tossed out my cup in the trash can and jogged across the street.
I went purely on a whim. I hated church. I hated the silence, the crowds of people, the rules that you had to obey. I hated being confined by any means.
I slipped into a pew in the very back, bowing my head respectfully as the priest came in. I stood as everyone sang a song I didn't know. I moved with the herd as they sat after singing. Almost as soon as the priest opened his mouth, I felt my eyes start to droop.
"Why do I have to go with you?" I whined, tugging on the hem of the stupid maid outfit Rocco forced me into. He pinned a nametag over my heart that read 'Jasmine'. I snorted as I read his name tag saying 'Jaffar'.
"Because I want to show you that your big brother is really cool. Look," Rocco pulled a tiny six-shooter. "Boss said there'll be two guys. Get in, get out, be the hero." He looked so proud, I couldn't bear to share the bad feeling I had in the gut of my stomach.
"Okay… Why don't I have a gun then too?" I asked, suddenly feeling insecure without a weapon. Rocco opened his mouth, then shut it thoughtfully.
"Because I don't want my baby sister to hurt herself." He smirked, wheeling the food cart he was supposed to 'deliver' in front of us.
"Rocco, remember when Dad took us hunting that one time?" I asked, crossing my arms in front of my chest. Rocco snorted and brushed some of his hair out of his face. "Who exactly shot five squirrels? And who was it who shot Dad in the foot playing around?"
"It was one time."
/\/\/\/\
I leapt to my feet as the mass moved again. I glanced around to make sure no one noticed me dozing off. Just my luck, some snot-nosed kid was snickering at me. I tried not to give a seven-year-old the finger.
'Oh crap.' I moaned in my head as the priest started to pass out communion. It felt wrong to go up there, but it'd be embarrassing to stay behind. When the ushers finally reached my pew, I stayed back, trying to ignore the dirty looks from the others leaving my pew.
I couldn't go up there even if I tried.
/\/\/\/\
"A fuckin' six-shooter, Roc!" I shouted at my stupid brother in the alley with Connor. We had agreed that there was something just too fishy about sending Rocco into a job with a six-shooter when there were nine men. I knew that Yakavetta wouldn't have gotten the wrong information, so he must have lied to Rocco.
"Bury the fuckin' cat." He yelled crossing the street, furiously walking away from us. Murphy yelled something after him, but I didn't listen. I was too busy running back to Donna's apartment to grab my stuff.
After our heist, we crashed at Rocco's on-and-off girlfriend's place. Rocco was excited about the boys' plan, but I was skeptic. And not just because whenever Murph looked at me and winked, my heart beat faster and I forgot what they were talking about. No, I just didn't believe that this mission was from God.
Of course Rocco was behind it 100%. He'd follow those two to the ends of the earth.
The phone rang, startling everyone. Murphy grabbed the phone after one ring. Connor and I sat anxiously listening to one side of the conversation. As he hung up, Murph looked at us in total confusion.
"I think he fuckin' lost it."
"Never had much to being with…"
/\/\/\/\
I tried to be patient as everyone slowly shuffled to the front of the church for their tasteless wafer and warm wine. I tried, I really did. I sat up as straight as I could, pinching myself whenever my head would flop to one side. But even that couldn't keep my tiredness away.
So I got up and slipped into the confessionals. No one would bother me there and I could nap in peace.
Quietly sitting on the bench, I shifted so the beam of sunlight that was streaming in would hit my face. Not directly in the eyes, but warm my cheeks. I smiled softly, feeling content for the first time in a while.
/\/\/\/\
"Fuck, we gotta go!" Rocco burst into the apartment and started throwing shit in bags. I was trying to clean up the mess he had made with poor Skippy, while the boys lounged whispering to each other in what I suspected was Gaelic.
"Rocco, what happened?" I asked, standing. I raised an eyebrow as he stuffed an iron into his bag. The boys leapt up, trying to pry information from him like me, but also packing quickly. Donna and her slutty friend Rainie, as I thought she slurred at me, screamed Rocco's name, making him stop.
"Where's my cat?"
I had to stop myself from throwing the bloody rag in my hands at her. How did she not see me cleaning up the bloody remains of her precious cat? But then, I was surprised she even remembered she had a cat. So was Rocco.
"I'll shoot myself if you can tell me its fucking name." He said, holding his gun to his temple. I bit my lip, hoping he wasn't serious. Donna and Rainie stumbled over sounds until they put together the right name. I rolled my eyes as Rocco shouted something about its color before turning to me.
"Why the fuck are you just standing there? Come on!" He shoved past me, thrusting the bag into my arms. I decided to humor him, stuffing a couple shirts I brought with me into the bag along with my spare jeans. I moved on to the gun Connor and Murphy gave me reluctantly.
They didn't want me armed, but I assured them I knew how to use it and wouldn't be a stupid with it. I stuffed it in my bag, making sure the safety was on. I glanced around for anything else useful, but found that the boys had cleared almost every surface.
/\/\/\/\
The loud bells woke me with a start. Signaling church was over, the bells rang loudly as everyone shuffled out of the building.
I shifted back into the sun and closed my eyes again.
The worst that would happen is someone opened the confessional and woke me up… and what could they do? Besides, I had a feeling that the dream I was jerked out of, was one worth returning to.
One with piercing blue eyes.
/\/\/\/\
"That can be me! I'm your guy!" Rocco shook the whole car in his excitement. He smushed me in the back seat as he leaned forward to tell them of Vincenzo Lipazzi, his boss's right hand man. Apparently, he liked to jerk off at a dingy place called the 'Sin Bin'. I rolled my eyes and edged away from my brother.
"We still need a place to crash. Mine's open right now." I suggested during a lull in the conversation. I was pretty desperate to change the subject from a mafia underboss's 'extracurricular activities'.
"Where's that? Wanna drive? Ya seem desperate fer some air." Connor laughed at me as I shoved his seat forward. He got out, passed me the keys, then climbed into the back, shoving Rocco over. I started the car and pulled from the curb. I lived only 20 minutes from Donna's so the trip was fairly quick. I took the bag I filled from the packed trunk and led the three men up four flights of stairs to my cozy apartment.
"It's not much, but its home." I smiled at my flat. "The couch pulls out into a bed if you two don't mind sharing." I nodded at the two brothers.
"What about me?" Rocco asked, looking around. There wasn't much extra space when the bed was pulled out.
"You can share with your baby sister," This earned me a look of disgust and two of amusement, "or the bathtub." I shrugged.
"Bathtub sounds good." Rocco threw his shit into the bathroom and shut the door.
"That's the only toilet, so don't hog it!" I yelled through the door. I heard Rocco snort before moving away. The two boys were still looking at me with amusement. "What?"
"Would ya really 'ave let him sleep with ya?" Connor asked, sitting on the couch and turning on the TV. He seemed content with cable, much to my relief.
"Sure. He's my brother." I shrugged. "Beers?"
Both agree simultaneously and I open my mini-fridge and bend over to look at my vast array of booze. Which means the last four bottles of Miller Light I have. I glance behind me to find both of the Irishmen staring at my ass. I take all four bottles and stand up, making sure they knew I caught them staring.
They didn't even look ashamed. Their matching smirks widened as I handed them their beers. Rolling my eyes, I knocked on the bathroom door.
"Roc, want my last Miller?" I asked, knowing he was only sulking in there for being the only one without a bed. The door opened quickly and he joined us happy once again. We laughed and tried to prolong our beers as the sun sunk behind the city skyline.
"Anna?" Rocco took me by the shoulders and turned me to face him. "We're going on a mission tonight. I want you to stay here. Please."
"What? Fuck you, no way. Someone's gotta save your asses. What do you guys think…?" I trailed off, seeing the unsmiling faces of the twins. "No! You can't leave me!"
"Anna, we'll be back before ya know it." Murph tried.
"Ya won't even know we left." Connor supported, a smile on his face again. I longed to smack the charisma out of him.
"… I don't like it at all." I said, but sat back into the couch with a sigh. "But I guess there's nothing I can do then." They all let out a collective sigh of relief. I was surprised… Were they that worried for me?
"We best be goin' then." Connor stood and walked to my small kitchen table where our guns were spread out. He and Murph loaded their weapons and stuffed their masks into pockets in their jackets. I watched from the couch, Rocco still sitting beside me.
"Anna… nothing's going to happen. Its one dumb fuck we'll be catching with his pants down… Literally." He laughed at his own dumb joke and I punched his arm.
"Can't help but worry." I told him, smiling. He leaned over and kissed both my cheeks, and stood to join the boys. Connor stooped over and kissed my forehead, treating me to another smirk as I flushed red. I turned hesitantly to Murph, his blue eyes betraying the internal debate I was sure that was going on in his head. He leaned over, and I expected another forehead kiss.
But that asshole kissed me full on the mouth.
/\/\/\/\
"Excuse me, Miss?" I woke with another jolt as a hand gently shook me. I blushed as I was face to face with a kindly old priest. "You can't sleep here."
"Oh, sorry." I mumbled, wiping some drool off my cheek. How fucking embarrassing.
"If you'd like, we have a few cots in the back for sickly or… homeless." He told me, unsure if he would be insulting me or not. I bit back a laugh.
"No thanks, I really should be getting home…" I stood up, the priest holding out a hand to help me. I nodded as I passed him, heading to the door.
But two people dressed in black, kneeling near the front of the church, made me freeze in my tracks.
No. Fucking. Way.
/\/\/\/\
"Listen. This was the worst night of my fuckin' life, man." Rocco and Connor sat across Murph and me as we ate some lunch in a diner.
They'd been doing hits for a while now, cleansing the city of criminals. Every time they went out, they'd make me promise to stay home, or stay in the car as getaway. I hated it, but agreed.
My thoughts wondered as Rocco described the night. I thought of how different Murph was acting toward me. After he kissed me, he started ignoring me. I was so confused. Avoiding eye contact and physical contact, it was like I suddenly had the plague. The only reason he was sitting next to me was because Connor stole the spot next to Roc before either of us could.
"Well, I'm convinced." Murph smiled at Connor as they decided to take on the job. I quietly excused myself to the bathroom, not needing to hear plans of a hit I wasn't going to.
"Anna." I had just come out of the bathroom, wiping my still wet hands on my jeans. Murphy was standing outside the door, a guilty look on his face. I stopped surprised.
"Uh, yeah?" I responded, prompting him to go on.
"Sorry fer avoidin' ya. In our line of work, attachments can be… dangerous." He said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow.
"You know I can take care of myself, right? I'm not some fucking damsel in distress." I snorted and walked past him back to our table. Inside, I was relieved that Murph was just being an idiot.
"So, should I order pizza for myself tonight?" I asked, wondering when they'd do the hit.
"We're not goin' 'til Saturday afternoon." Connor smiled at us knowingly. "But ya can order pizza for us all tonight."
"Well you better be helping me pay for it then. I have rent due this week." I stuck out my tongue at them.
"Are ya havin' financial issues?" Murphy asked, sitting next to me again, but this time putting his arm behind my chair. I sighed and shrugged.
"The job I have at the library is fine, I guess, but minimum wage isn't cutting it. I think I need to find a second job. I was thinking about asking Doc if he needed help in the pub." I smiled, sipping the last of my coffee.
"Ya know, we can always help ya out. Our job has many… other benefits we can share with ya." Connor winked at Murphy. I knew they were referring to the black case filled with hundred dollar bills. I shook my head.
"I'd rather pay with honest money, thank you." I insisted, but let them pay for my sandwich and coffee with their stolen money. My morals weren't perfect.
Saturday came sooner than I hoped. The boys spent the entire morning planning and prepping. I just moved around the kitchen in my pajamas drinking coffee and staying out of their way.
"Anna, we're gonna to need ya to drive the van." Connor called over to me. I swallowed the last of my coffee slowly.
"Okay…" I wasn't expecting the invitation, but I was glad to be involved. The only thing keeping my excitement back was the horrible feeling I had in my gut. I slipped into my room and changed into black jeans, a black t-shirt, and pulled my hair into a ponytail. My door opened quietly and I turned to see Murphy slip in.
"Something wrong?"
"I don' want ya to go, but we need a speedy getaway." He confessed, stepping up to me. I wasn't a short girl, getting my tall genes from my brother. But Murphy still had a good two or three inches on me. I looked up at him, getting nervous.
"I have a really bad feeling about this whole thing." I told him as he took my hands into his. Dipping his head, his lips brushed mine.
"Then don't go." He whispered as he kissed me gently.
"Only if you don't." I pulled away defiantly. He needed to stop making me fall in love with him at every touch.
"Lass, I can't." His stupid accent, his stupid smirk, his stupid face. Everything was drawing me in, despite my head screaming at me to stop. Before I could stop myself, I attacked his lips. His hands went to my face, cupping my cheeks as he deepened the kiss. His tongue flicked across my lips and I happily complied.
"Wait. Murph." I muttered, pulling away slightly. He paused, his eyes boring into mine intensely. I nodded my head in the direction of the door. "Twenty bucks says they're pressing their ears against the door."
Removing himself from me, Murphy quietly walked to the door, and pulled it open quickly. The two men tumbled into the room yelping.
"Let's just fucking go." I laughed at them, also annoyed that they could have potentially destroyed whatever it was that Murph and I were doing.
"Okay Miss Prissy-Pants." Connor teased, righting himself and sticking his guns in the bag with all our weapons.
I drove the van as casually as I could, parking it across the street and a few houses over from the target. I shut off the engine, but kept the keys in the ignition. Shifting in my seat, I watched as Murphy, Connor, and Rocco loaded and checked their guns.
"Do I get something? For back-up?" I asked, looking expectantly at Connor. He managed the ammo and weapons. All three exchanged looks, then looked back at me.
"We got ya a little somethin'. Call it a gift." Connor smirked and tossed me a small pistol. I checked the balance and ammo, satisfied. "But yer still stayin' here."
"I know, I know. There's the kid. Hurry up." I looked out the windshield just in time to see the kid take his bike down the street. The three men climbed out of the van, each smirking at me in turn. Just as Murph was about to go, he turned back and pecked me on the lips.
"We'll continue soon."
/\/\/\/\
I probably stared at the two men for five minutes. It was nearly impossible for me to tell if it was them or not unless I got closer. The priest coughed awkwardly next to me.
"Sorry, sorry… I think I know them." I said slowly, hesitantly walking forward. If it wasn't them, I'd just be an awkward girl with dried drool on her face. It if was…
I couldn't take the chance of not seeing them again.
/\/\/\/\
It seemed to happen in slow motion. I was reading an old novel when I heard the first gunshots. Dropping the book, I leaned forward to see what was happening. Connor, Rocco, and Murphy were standing in front of the door, guns out and firing at an old man dressed in all black with sunglasses and a black pageboy hat. He was firing at them nonstop, their shots seemingly having no effect on him.
"Shit!" I screamed as I fumbled with the ignition. After gunning the engine, I looked up to see the boys had all dove into the bushes for cover, except Connor. I saw his blood splatters on the white porch and nearly threw up.
I hit the gas and lurched forward, speeding to the house, and slamming on the brakes to give the boys cover. The old man seemed surprised, even more so when I pulled out my gun and shot through the passenger window at him.
A shot grazed his shoulder and he took that as a sign to flee. I turned to the house frantically. Throwing open my door, I ran out to make sure they were all okay.
"Murph!" I called, trying to refrain from screaming. His head popped out of the bushes, holding his arm in pain. Rocco was screaming something about his finger and I saw that his pinky finger on his left hand was gone. Connor was limping, but he was lucky the bullet only grazed him. I herded them into the van after spraying ammonia on their blood. I drove as fast as I could back to my place, trying to swallow the tears threatening to spill over.
"On the table." I said, taking charge as we entered my apartment. I swept everything off my small kitchen table and dumped Connor there as I rifled through Roc's bag for the stupid iron I saw him stuff in it as we fled Donna's.
I turned on my stove top, and set it on top. Turning to my 'patients', I ordered them to clean the wounds with alcohol. I passed around the whisky I had bought for Rocco's next birthday. Now was as good a time as any to use it.
"G-Gag him." I stumbled over my words as I turned to Murphy. Connor and Rocco took hold of him and laid his left arm out on the table. I bit my lip as I lowered the red-hot iron onto the wound. I held it to his skin firmly while he writhed in pain. We bandaged it up quickly, then restrained Rocco, his hand against the edge of the table. I reheated the iron and pressed it to what was left of his finger. He would have screamed bloody murder if it wasn't for the gag. Last was Connor. He sat on the table perfectly still, Murphy holding the gag in his mouth. I looked from brother to brother, the iron ready in my hand. I pressed it to his skin quickly, holding it firm as he tried to kick.
It was easily the hardest moments of my life.
/\/\/\/\
I walked slowly to the front of the church, my anxiety rising with every step.
Each centimeter closer revealed details I couldn't see from further back. Dark brown hair, scruff on their cheeks, sunglasses indoors.
I stopped right next to them.
"Jesus Christ."
"Lord's name."
/\/\/\/\
"You're doing what now!?" I screamed at my brother. He was running around my apartment stuffing things in his bag again.
"We're going to hit Yakavetta at his own home tonight." He told me again, loading his gun and sticking it in his pants. I stood up and slapped him across the face. Murphy and Connor, watching from the doorway, winced at the sound.
"You're fucking kidding me. I had to burn you boys because of your last goddamn hit. Are you stupid?" I yelled, my fists clenched at my sides. I was ready to take a swing at the Irishmen too.
"No, Anna. Listen, we have to hit him now, or never. We'll be fine." Rocco took hold of my wrists, keeping me from throwing any punches. "I'll be home before you know it."
"You're fucking stupid if you're going to leave me. I'm coming with and there's nothing, abso-fucking-lutely nothing, you can say that will convince me otherwise." I snapped, wrenching myself from his grip. I bent down and pulled my gun from under the kitchen sink.
Saying nothing, all four of us piled into my car and drove in silence.
Parking a block from Yakavetta's mansion/house, we quietly walked the rest of the way. In the back of the house, Connor kicked in a window to the basement.
"Sneak in through the basement, jus' like the movies." He smiled at us. He jumped in first, then Rocco, then they handed me in, careful not to cut me, and Murph brought up the rear. Suddenly, the light in the basement came on and we turned to find four large men staring at us.
Then the world went dark.
When I came to, Connor, Rocco, Murphy and I were all tied to chairs. The boys were struggling against our captors, but I stayed still because I knew that getting out of this wouldn't be achieved through brute force. Yakavetta sauntered in and walked right up to my brother.
Time slowed as his gun raised and fired. I screamed, reminding everyone that I was indeed in the room. I thrashed around, falling over with my chair. I scooted over to my brother, who was struggling to breathe. I sobbed into his shoulder as he took his final breaths.
"Rocco! No, you can't leave me! No! Brother!" I cried, struggling to loosen the handcuffs. I felt the skin on my wrists breaking, but the blood only made them easier to slip out of which was good for me. I thought I heard Murph tell me to stop, but I couldn't. I needed to escape. To kill that son of a bitch.
My hands slipped free with a sickening 'pop' as my blood covered my hands. I pushed the hair out of Rocco's face as Connor and Murphy were maneuvering themselves. I finally looked away from my brother when I heard the snap of Murphy's wrist. He twisted out of the cuffs and broke the chair.
"Hey, wha-" One of the fat-fuck underlings came in and I watched in almost sick pleasure as Murph and Con beat the shit out of him. They helped me sit Rocco up on the chair and cover his eyes with pennies. I knelt before my brother, my head bowed as the boys recited their family prayer. All three of our heads snapped behind us at the sound of the un-cocking of a gun. The old man from earlier came in, finishing the prayer. My mouth dropped slightly, unsure of what that meant. He put his hands on the shoulders of the two boys and they looked at him like seeing a ghost.
"Da?"
/\/\/\/\
"It can't be." I stammered, sitting in the pew across the aisle. They both looked at me, identical trademark smirks spreading across their faces. They took off their sunglasses and I felt like crying.
"Anna."
"You know it's been eight f- just eight long years?" I quickly censored myself. They snickered and stood.
"We're here on business."
/\/\/\/\
"You're all fuckin' crazy." I whispered to the three men in the back of the police van. They all laughed quietly and checked their weapons for the millionth time.
"Anna, go to the courtroom." Noah MacManus told me. I huffed at him, but obeyed. He was as much as a father to me now as he was to the boys. In the few months after Rocco's murder, we all sold my tiny apartment in favor of a larger townhouse where we could have more privacy and room. We lived together, laughed together, drank together, and I truly felt as though I had a family again.
But now they were going on another stupid mission. But this one I had pushed for. Finally, the man who murdered my brother in cold blood would be dying.
I hopped out the van and nodded at Detective Greenly, who was very jumpy.
"I'm going to watch from the courtroom."
"Be careful. Don't get caught." He yelled after me. I laughed and waved as I rounded to the front of the building. In the courtroom, I tried to keep my anger in check as Yakavetta laughed and spoke as though he was carefree. Suddenly, the boys were in the room, guns out and yelling. I pretended to be scared, ducking down behind the railings of the balcony. The gave a lovely speech, one I helped write, and then spoke their prayer.
Yakavetta was dead before he hit the ground.
And then they were gone. Never to be seen of heard from again.
/\/\/\/\
Until now.
"Business?" I asked, still sitting. Murphy held out his hand and helped me back to my shaky feet. I cursed the heels I decided to wear today.
"Don' worry, love. For now, we need to catch up." He smiled at me, my heart melting. Dammit, I promised I would never fall in love again.
Or was I falling back in love?