It was a blustering, boiling June day in Boston. Agent Paul Smecker had decided to go for a walk to clear his mind. He sighed sadly, looking down at the photo he held in his hand.
'Oh, my dear, sweet Marie...' he whispered sadly, 'where have the three years gone?'
Suddenly, he felt something run into him. He growled, turning around to yell at the person, but his expression quickly softened at the sight of who it was.
It was a young girl. She didn't look older than sixteen. She looked thin and malnourished. It was amazing how she was running. He slowly got down to his knees next to her.
'Are you okay?' he whispered softly.
The girl shook her head and continued to run. Paul shrugged, turning and walking towards the police station.
The girl continued down the street. She wasn't paying attention to where she was going, and she ended up colliding with something else. She saw stars as she fell down, barely hearing the sound of an angry voice.
'Fuckin' watch it, will ye?' growled the voice, 'she's pregnant!'
The girl shook her head to clear the fuzziness. She slowly got to her feet, stumbling off towards the alley. Connor shook his head.
'Some people's kids...' he grouched.
Rebecca gently placed her hand on her husband's shoulder. She looked in the direction of where the girl went.
'We should go check on her...' she said gently, placing her free hand on her round stomach, 'there's something wrong...'
Connor frowned.
'Are ye sure, love?' he said.
Rebecca nodded.
'I'm positive.'
Connor nodded. He took Rebecca's hand, slowly walking into the dark alley.
'OI!' he called out, 'where are ye?'
The girl slowly popped out from the dumpster. She had a bottle of water in her hand. She opened the lid, but Rebecca stopped her.
'You shouldn't drink that, honey,' she said, taking the bottle away from her, 'you don't know where it's been or who's pissed in it.'
The girl shook her head again. She stumbled past them, trying to run again, but Connor grabbed her by the waist.
'Yer no' goin' anywhere!' he said.
The girl cried out.
'LET GO OF ME!'
Connor growled. He lifted the girl's shirt up, gasping at the sight of the two large bruises that were located where he placed his hands on her.
'Jesus Christ!' he said, 'where tha fuck did ye get these?!'
The girl didn't answer. She tried to walk away, but she passed out before she was out of the alley. Connor threw his arms out, catching her before she hit the ground. Rebecca sighed sadly.
'Let's get her back to the mansion,' she said softly, 'she must be starving...and it's hotter than Satan's asshole out here...'
Connor nodded.
'Aye,' he said, 'let's go.'
The young girl groaned as Connor moved her. He gently cradled her against his chest, holding her the same way that he held Rebecca the day that he and his brother Murphy had rescued Rebecca and Emily from Giovanni Guadagnino. Her face pinched in pain. She opened her mouth.
'Please don't hurt me...' she whimpered.
'We're no' gonna 'urt ye, lass,' said Connor in a gentle tone, 'I promise.'
The girl groaned again. She opened her eyes slowly, looking up at him.
'What do you want from me?' she whispered.
'We don' want anythin' from ye, lass,' said Connor, 'yer sick. Yer starvin'. We jus' wanna take care o' ye.'
The girl mumbled. She gently turned, burying her face in Connor's chest.
'Everything wants something...' she muttered against his shirt, 'nothing's free...'
Connor gently placed his hand on her head. He remembered how he cradled Rebecca the same way, a sad sigh escaping from his lips.
'I promise ye tha' yer gonna be okay,' he said, 'we're no' gonna 'urt ye.'
The girl groaned softly as Connor jostled her. Her head swam as she tried to pay attention to where he was taking her.
'Me wife an' sister-in-law will take care o' ye,' said Connor, 'we're almost there.'
The young girl looked up at Connor. She shuddered at the thought of being locked up again, especially in a place where she didn't know anyone. Connor chuckled.
'Ye don' 'ave anythin' ta worry about,' he said, 'I rescued this one.'
Connoe indicated to Rebecca with a nod of his head. The girl sighed.
'Just make the world stop spinning...' she mumbled.
Connor growled softly. Rebecca opened the front door, stepping into the foyer. Her twin sister came into the foyer, gasping in horror at the sight of the girl.
'Oh, God!' she said, 'that poor girl...'
Connor gently handed the girl off to Emily. He walked over to Rebecca, wrapping his arms around her waist and cradling her belly.
'I tink she's dehydrated,' he said, 'she passed ou' when we found 'er.'
'Murphy's making some broth,' said Emily, 'we have a spare room that she can sleep in.'
The girl opened her eyes. She looked up at Emily, not surprised at the fact that he had broken his promise already. She turned her eyes, glaring at him.
'Don' ye look at me like tha',' said Connor sternly, 'I told ye abou' 'er. That's Emily. She's me sister-in-law.'
The young girl didn't say anything. She began to shake in Emily's arms, sweat pouring from her forehead.
'Jesus...' muttered Murphy as he joined his family in the foyer, 'she don't look good at all...'
The girl gently rolled over in Emily's arms. Her eyes rolled back in her head, sweat still pouring from her face even though they had the central air on. She groaned.
'I'm gonna get s-sick...' she groaned.
'FUCK...!' growled Murphy, ''and 'er ta me, Em!'
Emily handed the young girl to her husband. Murphy ran her to the kitchen, gently placing her over the sink.
'Let it ou', lass,' he encouraged, 'come on.'
The girl's entire body shook as she got violently sick in the sink. She was so weak afterwards, she could barely stand. Murphy gently supported her, trying his hardest not to jostle her too much.
'I go' ye, lass,' he said gently, 'yer okay.'
The girl groaned softly as Murphy gently scooped her up in his arms. He carried her up the stairs to the spare room. She rested her head on his chest.
'It hurts...' she whimpered.
Murphy sighed sadly.
'Those words sound all to familiar...' he muttered.