Tommy was thankful, but also ashamed. Honourable discharge. Why would someone do that? He abandoned his post. He left Manny after he had died in his arms. He still remembered their last conversation. Tommy had promised to take care of Pilar and the children. He hadn't done any of that. He didn't have any honour left. He lost Sparta. He lost Manny. He lost his mother. He lost his platoon. He lost the corps. Everything was gone except for this joke of an Honourable Discharge. He had left his court marshal a free man but he didn't feel free. And in all reality, he wasn't. You could only be free if you lacked inhibitions. Tommy couldn't figure out what his were exactly, but he knew they were there. Shortly after he made it back to Pennsylvania, he called up his brother. His brother had really gotten to him, even before the fight. When they talked about meeting up, Brendan suggested that they meet for coffee. They met about once a week for the extent of close to three months when Brendan finally invited Tommy to visit his home, Tommy went without complaint.

He was nervous. He had not seen Tess in fourteen years. And the last time he had seen her, she was crying because Brendan had told her he was leaving. Not that Brendan did, but he had intended to at the time. And then there were his nieces. One six, the other four. Tommy knew a little about them so he had gotten them gifts. Emily, the eldest, he got a book about some fairies or some shit. And Rosie, he got her one of those phonics things that the toy store lady told him made learning to count fun. Yeah, like learning to count is ever fun. Tommy rubbed his hands on his jeans and glanced at his brothers house. The thing he was nervous the most about was Tess. He had never actually hated her, just hated that Brendan had decided to choose her over him and his sick mother. Not that Brendan knew that mom was sick, Tommy didn't either. But he pushed all that away and got out of his car. Brendan had taken Tommy car shopping after the Corps paid him off. They gave him two hundred grand not to talk to the media about what he had experienced and Tommy accepted. He had never intended to say anything to the media but took the money as compensation for destroying what little of himself he had left while in Iraq.

When Tommy finally made it to the front door, he went to knock but stopped short when he heard Tess and Brendan yelling at each other.

'You invited him here?!' A female voice screamed. Tess.

'Of course I did! He's my brother!'

'He didn't mind that you were brothers when he was trying to kill you in the cage!' Tommy's throat clenched with guilt.

'He had every reason to be mad! He's a good man who has been through a lot! I abandoned him for you, the least you could do is accept him into our home for one evening! He doesn't have anybody else!' And with that statement from his brother, the guilt went away. Am I just a charity case to him?

'He's a fucking animal Brendan. Do you really thing the girls will be safe with him in the house?' And with that last statement Tommy turned to leave. He put the bag with the gifts for the girls down in front of the door and left. He got into the car and he was seething. She really thinks I would hurt those two girls? Tommy just wanted to cry. He slammed the steering wheel causing the horn to beep. He looked up and saw Tess open the door. Tommy started the car and pulled away not before seeing Tess look down at the gift bag and look at him in wonder. Tommy kept his calm as he drove away. When he looked in the rear view mirror, he saw Brendan at the curb in front of the house with his hands cupped over his mouth as if he were yelling. Tommy couldn't hear it over the radio but he was pretty sure the entire neighbourhood did as he saw people stepping out of their houses, staring at Brendan with curiosity. When Tommy finally reached his apartment, he went upstairs and collapsed on the couch. It was only seconds later that he broke into sobs with tears streaming down his face. Then his cell phone started ringing. Brendan.

Tommy contemplated whether or not to answer. Things could only get better so why not? Tommy cleared his throat and picked up the phone. Before he could say anything Brendan started talking.

"Listen, Tommy. I know what you heard must have sucked but Tess was only worried about the girls. You didn't need to leave like that."

Tommy grunted in response. I know I looked pretty scary… she must not think I can handle it. Why would she? It's not like I had any restraint during Sparta anyways…

"Tommy?"

"Yeah.."

"Listen, I think it's best if we just keep it between you and I for a while. Tess isn't to fond of you and we don't really know you all that well…"

"Excuse me? Did I hear that right?"

"Tommy. She's my wife. I have to look out for her and my kids. I just want to look out for them. You know…"

"And you think I'm some danger to your family?" Tommy audibly scoffed and Brendan didn't miss it.

"No… Well… Tommy, it's not like you're Tess's biggest fan either. I'm just saying that it would be best for everybody if you didn't come around them."

Tommy was angry. "You know what, brother" Tommy said with malice. " How about I just don't come around at all. I put a lot of faith in you and you're just like pops. Thinking you know me or some shit. How's this for you. I never hated Tess, I hated you. Tess didn't leave me to rub holy water on a battered and dying woman. You did. Not your kids either. If anything, I was excited to meet Tess. I wanted to know what was so great about her. And kids? You think I'd hurt your kids? That's fucking insulting. I may not love them like Manny's kids, but they are still kids. I would never hurt a child. Physically or mentally. Same with Tess. So take your noble family man bull shit and preach protection to someone else because it seems the only person hurting anyone around here is you."

"Tommy. I'm sorry.." Tommy cut Brendan off before he could finish.

"I don't want your apologies. Cut the crap Brendan. You can give 'em to someone who gives a damn because I sure don't. Anyways, I'm out. But thanks for sending Pilar that money. At least that shows you aren't a complete piece of shit."

"Tommy!" Tommy snapped the phone shut and got up. I need a drink. He walked over to change out of his lame dress shirt he had thrown on for the occasion. He threw on a random t-shirt and considered it fine. He wasn't trying to impress anyone. He walked out of his fifth floor walk up and walked down to the seedy pub down the street. When he walked in, he looked around. He hadn't been inside before and suddenly he felt shy. Everyone was speaking to each other in a friendly manner and he decided that it may look seedy but it didn't feel like it. The bar was along the back wall with the name 'Shady Hagan' painted along the front of it. At least it's an Irish bar. There was crappy incandescent lighting hanging over the pool tables in the far corner next to the bar and more intimate lighting by the booth. There were tables placed around in no particular order and only a few stools at the bar. All the stools were empty and he figured it must be because it was still early. He walked over to the bar and took up on one of the stools. There was nobody tending the bar. Odd… He sat there a few moments. He smiled a little when he heard the song 'Rose Tattoo' playing on the quiet speakers.

Tommy almost jumped when he felt a hand touch his back but calmed when he heard the woman's voice speak. "Sorry, at the juke box. What'll you be having?" The woman said in a thickly Irish accent. When she finally came into sight, Tommy took her in. She was wearing a form fitting black waist coat over a plain white v-neck t-shirt. Dark and tight jeans and white lace shoes that looked like they should be on a ballerina. Her bust was generous and her bottom when she turned around was shapely and tight. She had definition on her arms and shoulders but she still looked feminine. She had tattoos covering her upper arms and chest and he could only imagine her back. All together, she looked like a vision with a rough exterior but subtle softness in all the right places. "Jameson on the rocks. Double."

She nodded and gave him a look that he couldn't decipher. "That'll be all?" Tommy couldn't help but notice how angelic her voice sounded to him. He nodded and grunted in response. That seemed to put a smile on her face as she nodded back and began fixing his drink.

"There you go, Mr. Conlon." She gave him a wink. "First ones on me."

Tommy looked at her in confusion and then it hit him. He recognized her eyes first and then the mischievous look. "Bri? Brigid Hagan? Is that you?" Tommy was shocked to say the least.

She chuckled. "Took you long enough there Tommy. Can't call you Tiny Tommy anymore can I?" Tommy chuckled.

"How long has it been?" Tommy remembered back to the happy times in his life. Before things with Pops got worse. "Fuck. I was only eight when you came over. You living here now? In the states or just stopping through?" Tommy was surprised when her face deadpanned.

"No Tommy. Brigid Hagan is just stopping by while working at a place called Shady Hagan. I live here now. Came over about four years ago. Lived in the 'Burgh for a while but decided to go to Philly. Bought this place and been loving it ever since. It's all mine." She had a huge smile on her face.

"How's the old man?" At his statement, her face grew hard. Did I say something wrong?

"Six feet under. Has been for about two years."

Tommy instantly felt bad. "My condolences. Seems like it wasn't that long ago that you came over to spend the summer with him."

She smiled and nodded. "Well, it ain't so bad now. And my condolences for your ma as well. Heard about it from Brendan's girl not too long ago."

Tommy had to repress his anger. Tess has no business spouting shit across town. "So you own this place?" Tommy shot back the glass of whiskey and gestured for another. Bri poured it while giving him another odd look.

"I do. Bought it with the inheritance I got from when ma' passed… it was mine and da's project. Turned out good though." She smiled while she spoke about her mother and then turned to a stone hard look when she spoke of her father.

"So where you livin'? You in the neighbourhood or living all high and mighty like a business owner should." He joked. It felt nice to act this way with her. He didn't have many friends that had stuck around. He remembered him leaving them all and feeling bad. They had all said that they would be friends forever. He left them. They weren't his friends anymore. But Bri, she had never claimed forever. Just the summer. She told him she would leave and it gave him comfort that she didn't lie to him.

"I live above the bar." She laughed and rolled her eyes. "Although I can't complain about the money. I managed to keep Da's discounts from his old job so the beer and liquor are dirt cheap. I refuse to hire experienced waitresses and I'm managing the bar on my own so that cuts a lot of the money that has to be paid out. What about you? What are you doing for work?"

Tommy hung his head in shame. "Still looking. Been riding off my savings and a few other bags of cash I had. Not really in any hurry."

"So if I offered you a job, would you turn it down?" Tommy perked up at her question.

"I don't know. Depends on what kind of job it is."

Bri smiled. "Well, last night we had a little incident. I handled it as I always do but I could use your help. I'm thinking about hiring a bouncer. I can't tend bar, manage the employees and kick out the wiley drunks as well." Her smile dropped instantly. "But there are a few of assholes I will have to deal with myself. I'd just need you to make sure people are watching themselves and paying dues to my rules. Keep the employees in check when I can't see them. That sort of thing."

Tommy mulled it over. Something seemed off about her when she was speaking the last part. Was she in trouble? Before he could answer, he noticed her body go rigid and her stony expression turn to unveiled ferocity. For a moment he thought it was at him but when he heard the steps approaching behind him, he knew differently.

"Afternoon Ms. Hagan. How are you?" The voice sounded polite yet sly but had an undertone of fear in it. Interesting. Tommy was about to get up when Bri reached out for his arm and gave him a look that said not to do anything. This must be one of the assholes she was talking about. He settled back into his seat and listened.

"Just fine Mick. Where is Riley? To afraid to accompany you this time?" She said with a strange undertone that told him she knew exactly where Riley was. Tommy could feel the tension radiating off of the guy behind him but he couldn't determine whether it was hostility or fear. He knew for damn certain which one was coming off of Bri and it definitely wasn't fear.

"Let's just say that he can no longer make it thanks to you after our last efforts. The boss decided that a more… rational voice might be able to sway you." He could hear the hesitancy in the mans voice.

"Oh did he now? I can tell you with the most rational voice I possess that I still have a three strikes rule. You sure you want to be jumping into this baseball game? This is your second strike there, Mick." Bri had a sadistic smile on her face. Tommy was glad it was not pointed at him. Then he felt something else pointing at him, or more like in him. Is that a gun?

"It wouldn't be good for business if people started getting shot in your establishment, now would it Ms. Hagan."

Bri looked at Tommy and chuckled. Is she really laughing while I have a gun pointed at me? Tommy knew that he couldn't make a move or he'd have a bullet hole in his lung.

"Sorry, I don't mean to laugh, but you think it's wise to murder him? You know as well as I do that the shotgun under the bar is aimed right at ya. And this guy here, well, famous war hero. It wont be city cops looking into your little… indiscretion."

Tommy let out a breath. She had a point. The man withdrew his gun and Tommy could tell he was shaking. Fear. The tension was fear.

Bri started speaking again. "Well now we have a problem Mick. That was your third strike." Tommy looked at Bri as she had looked at Mick. She had a look of pure hatred on her face and when he finally looked at Mick, his face was white as a ghost. The two men behind him didn't look any better. "You see, you pointed a gun at someone very dear to me. That wasn't wise. Now things are going to get messy."

"Listen, we really don't want no trouble. The boss just wants what is owed. There don't have to be any more hostility. Just do what the boss says and we stay out of your hair. There don't need to be any more bodies." Tommy noticed that the man lost his sophisticated demeanour and Tommy noticed the accent. Pitt.

"Oh fuck off Mick!" Bri was losing her temper. "If I don't recall, it was your boss who started dropping bodies."

"Yeah, we dropped one. You've dropped seven."

Bri grinned. "Oh, is that what your boss told ya? It's a hell of a lot more than that Mickey boy. He's keeps on sending ya, and I keep on breathing much to his dismay. You got your answer Mick. Tell the boss to fuck off. You've got twenty-four hours."

"And what happens when the boss decides he has had enough and sends people with no intension of askin'"

Bri laughed. "Then the body count goes up. But I promise you, things aren't gonna change on my end. Nothing's gonna save you Mick. Body count goes up and soon you'll be in it. Twenty-four hours Mick. Keep wasting time here. You know what is going to happen. I'm starting to second guess my twenty-four hour rule."

"You're gonna kill me anyways, I'm not saying shit to boss. Just get it over with."

Tommy watched calmly as Bri stared at Mick. Was she really a killer? Like me? "Alright Mick. Tell your boys to head off and sit down. You know how it goes." Tommy watched as Mick nodded at his friends and sat down. When Mick sat down, he looked over at Tommy.

"Well shit. Tommy Riordan? Big fan. Caught you on Sparta. That shit was crazy." Tommy glanced at him and nodded. He looked at Bri and she was refilling his drink along with a drink of her own. Tommy noticed she had already placed a paper cup in front of Mick. What is going on here? Mick looked down at his cup and swallowed. "Thanks for giving me this. It's nice to know you have at least a little compassion." Mick said to Bri with resignation.

Bri nodded. "You know how it goes Mick. You wont see it coming. Go do something fun and take a load off. It doesn't hurt. You've seen it happen before." Bri was staring down at her glass. She didn't look at Mick until he raised his glass to her. She raised hers too and motioned for Tommy to do the same.

"So do I get the number now?" Mick asked Bri. Bri nodded before she looked at Tommy with a shamed face. What number? "And I have to tell you first?" Bri nodded again. "Alright then. Seventeen. Fifteen men and two women." Tommy almost choked. Is this some sort of ritual? Is that his death count? What the fuck? Mick looked over at Tommy with pain in his face. "And yours Mr. Riordan? Her rule. At the hour of our death, she repents with us. You joining in?"

Tommy didn't know what possessed him to do it but he joined in. "One hundred thirty six that I can count. Plus the people who died in explosions over seas that were by my hand. Seventeen of those were young. No women." His arm was getting tired from holding his glass up but he understood. He wasn't doing this to comfort Mick. He was doing this because it was never something he could say before.

"Eighty-four. Twenty three of which were women… well, I guess girls. Sixty one of them were men. Soon to be sixty-two. Drink up." Tommy was shocked. Was she crazy? Was she in the military? Nah. She didn't have that military air about her. But she did have something about her. Something he wanted to find out. They all threw back their drinks. She picked up the paper cup and looked inside. She motioned for Mick to do something. He opened his mouth and she looked around. Under his tongue and around the gums. She nodded her approval then poured them all a glass of scotch. Top shelf. She takes this seriously… she is one strange woman when killing a man. Is it wrong for me to let this happen? Or be calm about it? Should I stop it? No. They downed the drinks and Bri nodded at Mick. Mick then got up and left the bar.

"I'll take the job." Bri smiled at him and nodded.

"Listen, Tommy. I'm sorry you had to deal with that. But that's the kind of danger you will have to deal with if you take this job. I think you should think it over a bit before you give me an answer." Tommy nodded back. She had a point. This wasn't some random thing, he would be potentially getting in deep with these guys. But then again, Bri was already waist deep in this shit. He had so many questions. He looked around and noticed the bar was empty. Where has everyone gone? Oh well. He shrugged it off. "So people clear a room when they come in?" Tommy asked her. She scoffed at him and shook her head.

"No, Tommy. But I do close at five on Sundays and the customers knew when to leave. They don't have to be told."

"Then why you still drinking with me?" Tommy smirked. She smirked back.

"Tommy Conlon. I'm drinking with you because I haven't seen you in close to twenty years. Now shut up and lets finish this here bottle." She laughed pouring a couple more drinks and coming around the bar to sit beside him. He laughed and drank with her and soon they were both pretty buzzed. Tommy didn't usually get drunk but he decided he wanted to stay and see if she would tell him anything. Tommy knew that she knew what he was thinking and just hoped that she would clarify things for him. Sure enough she brought it up.

"Are you ever gonna nut up and ask me, Tommy?" Tommy scoffed jokingly at the insult.

"I believe my nuts are none of your business. And ask what? What your favourite color is?" He chuckled nervously. He didn't want to say anything and step over a line.

"About the Eighty-four." She was serious.

"I didn't want to nag at you. I know what it's like. Ain't none of my business."

"Well, Tommy, if you don't want to know, I wont tell you. But nevertheless, if we are going to be friends, there are certain things we do need to know. So when you want to know, ask and I will tell you."

Tommy nodded. "I wanna know."

Bri sighed. "Ever wonder why I didn't come back the next summer? Or the summer after that?"

Tommy shook his head. "Things changed a lot. Didn't see much of anybody after that. Guess you kind of slipped my mind." Tommy was reminded about how instead of a drunk Pops, there was a drunk and fisty Pops.

Bri was staring off into space or so he thought. "You never once slipped my mind, Tommy Conlon. After that summer, at the airport back home, I met somebody who changed everything in my life. And not in a good way."

Tommy felt uncomfortable. She had a thing for me? Weird. And what about this guy had anything to do with me? "Well… uh…"

"Don't worry Tommy. It's not what you think. You were my best friend that summer. Lots of good memories to hold onto. The man I met. He told me that my mom was running late and that he was picking me up." Tommy suddenly saw where this was going and had to clench his jaw to keep from freaking out. "He ended up taking me to his place. I was eight years old Tommy. I was nine the first time I killed someone. It was a girl, few years older than me. He used to put us in a cage and make us fight for his own amusement. When I turned sixteen, he switched me to grown men. Mostly vagabonds and tourists from other cities. Five years later, there was a raid. I wasn't fighting then, but I could still hear the people trying to escape. No one did. The man who took me and all the spectators, they were all taken in and all of the people he had captured were released. I was twenty-one. Seven years ago. I stayed long enough for the therapy, went to school and fast tracked my diploma and such but I had nothing to stay for. Turns out the guy killed my mum two days before I got back from that summer and decided to take the opportunity. But the one thing that kept me going was my memories from that summer I spent hanging out with you."

Tommy felt like he was going to be sick. Bri must have noticed and put her hand on his arm. He looked up at her and saw that she had a smile on her face. What the fuck? Why is she smiling? "How can you smile like that? After everything?"

Bri shook her head. "Because Tommy. Life isn't worth living when you aren't living at all. I'm okay now. I don't cry anymore. The dreams come but even they are starting to lessen. I'm strong Tom. You have to be too so quit with the crap and drink with me." She chuckled at him.

Tommy stared at her in awe. "You are… wow." Tommy threw back his drink. Before he could say anything, her face was right in front of his. He could feel her whiskey soaked breath on his face as she searched his eyes. He didn't move away but couldn't move toward her either. Is she gonna…

"You've seen some things Conlon. Don't let them hold you back." And with that she closed the distance but didn't close her eyes. They looked into Tommy's as she pressed her lips to his but her lips didn't move as if waiting for him to respond. It took a few seconds but he did. He closed his eyes and moved his full lips against hers. What is this woman doing to me?