*Disclaimer*
Own nobody, but Emmy
(9 months later)
It was almost noon when Emmy heard movement outside her bedroom door. She and the boys had gotten a nice apartment in the same neighborhood as their old one. The boys were just glad the kitchen and their room were seperated.
She quietly got out of her bed, crept up to her door and very slowly turned the knob. When she felt the knob turning opposite, she quickly jabbed the door open.
"Dammit Em!" She heard Connor growl.
"Dude, your fault". She wiped her eyes, then felt guilty after seeing a card in one hand, tiny little cupcake in the other. "Connor." She cooed.
"Yeah, yeah. Happy birthday, asshole." He joked while handing both items to her.
She grinned as she followed him out of the hallway and into the kitchen. She glanced to her left, into the living room, and didn't see Murphy.
"Out". Connor caught her looking while pouring setting a cup of coffee in front of her.
"Huh?" She asked while pouring creamer into hers.
"Murph, he's out. Not sure where".
She sat on one of the stools at the sink/island.
"What do ye want for breakfast? Ya only get tis once a year, make it good". Connor rested his hands on the counter, smiling at her.
"Hmm". She thought. "How about some chocolate chip pancakes?"
"Dat's it?"
"I was gonna say crepes, but..."
"Pancakes it is". He got out the mixer and ingredients.
As she finished reading the cute birthday card, she heard Murphy bustling through the living room door.
"Connor, bedroom. Now!" Murphy barked, not even acknowledging Emmy as he passed her to their bedroom.
"Aye! Get back in here!" Connor yelled at his brother, who was now in their room.
"We've got..."
Murphy hadn't even finished his sentence before Connor interrupted. "
NOW!"
Murphy stepped into the kitchen, glaring at his brother. Connor glared back then pointed to Emmy.
"What?"
"You know what day it is". Connor couldn't tell if Emmy was more angry or disappointed.
Her heart felt heavy as she watched Murphy glance to her, confusion written on his face. It took a long moment before it kicked in, seeing the cupcake and card laying on the counter.
"Emmy, I'm so sorry. Today has been..."
"Just peachy". She shot back before heading to her room, slamming the door behind her.
Connor turned to his brother.
"Aye, gimme your ear. We got problems." Murphy dead-panned.
A few minutes later, Emmy was applying some eyeliner when she heard a knock at her door.
"Don't open it this time!" Connor shouted from the other side of the door.
She slipped on her grey and crimson Etnies before sitting at the edge of her bed.
Connor carried in a plate and a shot of something.
"I thought you weren't supposed to mix alcohol and pancakes". She smiled at her best friend.
"Think we Irishmen give a shit?" He joked while handing her the shot first. "Happy 21st, babe".
She eyed it, then him. In one quick motion, the drink was down her throat and she scrunched up her face.
"That's definitely not vodka".
"Nope. That be rum".
"NIce" She said sarcastically before digging into her pancakes. "What are you guys doing tonight? You gonna go to McGinty's with me?"
"Uh, Em. Somethin's come up with our Da".
She stopped mid-chew. "What's up?"
"He wants me and Murph to move back home with him".
"You're shitting me, right?"
He looked to ground while shaking his head. "Afraid not, lass".
"What're you gonna do? Are you guys gonna go?"
"We don't want ta". He brought her close to him. "We really don't. But it's our Da".
"I understand". She finished her pancakes, excused herself and flew into the bathroom so Connor wouldn't catch her crying.
She stared into the mirror, reapplied her make-up then took a deep breath.
"I'll see ya guys later". She told both boys, who were in the kitchen, as she left the apartment.
Around almost midnight, Emilea stumbled into the apartment. She wasn't drunk, but she wasn't sober either.
She was sure nobody was home, so she stripped off her vodka-stained pants and headed to the laundry room.
"Come on, Em. Put some pants on". Murphy scrutinized as he rinsed a cup out.
"Fuck you, asshole". She threw a load in with her pants then headed for the fridge. "Can't even remember my birthday". She said under her breath.
"I told you Emmy..."
"Yea, yea. Whatever". She grabbed a Smirnoff and headed to her room.
She walked into her room to find a ribboned box on her bed. She went to look behind her and yell to Murphy, but he was right behind her. He had a smug look on his face as he crossed his arms over his chest and kicked one leg over the other, leaning against the doorframe.
"What's this?" She glared at him, trying to slyly keep her balance.
He just simply shrugged.
She didn't want to seem too eager so she went to her closet first and found some sweats. After she sluggishly pulled them on, she sat next to the box.
"If this is one of those boxes with a punching glove or powder shoots out..."
"Christ Emilea. Just open it!"
She sat the box on her lap and slowly pulled the ribbon off. She looked up to him, and he rolled his eyes.
"Emmy, I dun got all night".
She opened it to find a picture frame with a few pictures in 3 seperate sizes. One was of her and Connor at McGinty's. The other was her and Murphy eating at the diner down the street.
The last picture took her breath away. It was of her and the only brother she ever had. Judging from the distinct church behind them, she was probably around 8 and Roc was 13, maybe 14.
"How'd you get this?"
"Your ma". He answered while sitting next to her. "She mailed it to us so we could make this for ye".
"Both you and Connor?"
Murphy shook his hand a little. "He wasn't into this so much".
Emilea stared at the picture for what seemed like forever. Her gaze was only broken once she realized a tear was falling from her left eye.
"Emmy, what's wrong?"
She took a deep breath before slightly shaking her head. "It's still hard, ya know? Knowing I'll never see him again".
He cradled her face in his hands. "You'll see him again eventually. If he was here, he'd tell ya to enjoy yer life and not dwell on him".
She sniffled for a short second. "You think so?"
"Roc was... stupid". He grinned, thinking of his dear old friend. "Stupid, but meant well and had a good heart".
"He sure as hell did". Emmy tore her eyes back to the frame.
"Just like you".
She turned back to him, beaming. She rested her head on his shoudler. "I hate how you piss me off, then make up for it. All the time".
He wrapped an arm around her.
"Murphy, we do need to talk. Connor here?"
"Nah, he's at the bar with his date or somethin'. Why?"
"Are you guys gonna leave me?" She stared into his eyes. "I don't know if I can survive without you two".
"We're not really sure Em. We dun wan't to, we really dun".
"Then don't". She pouted.
He placed his left hand on her cheek. "He's our family".
"And I'm not?"
He shot her a contradicted look.
"What?" She questioned, not sure how to take the look.
"I dun really consider ye family".
She went to pull her head away from his grip, but he tightened it.
"Murph, don't". She tried to break away.
"I can't consider ye family".
"Why?" Tears were welling up as she was trying to tear away from him.
He pushed her face to his, placing his mouth on hers. Before she could register what was happening, he turned his body completely towards hers and grabbed both sides of her face.
After a long, breath-taking moment, he pulled his mouth away and rested his forehead against hers, hands still engolfed on her face.
"Understand?" He whispered, eyes closed.
"I guess so. But if you care for me, it shouldn't be such a big decision". She said bitterly, getting up and leaving the room.
She didn't feel like sitting around the empty apartment, feeling possibly uncomfortable around Murphy, so she left for a nice walk.
Murphy sat still, waiting until he supposed was the apartment door closing. He picked up the picture frame and stared at the one of her and Rocco.
"Can't say I didn't try, Roc".
She headed down a dark alley, not really caring where her feet took her. She just wanted to fresh air, and clear her mind. She still felt a little tipsy, which didn't help with the millions of thoughts running through her head. Emilea was so busy thinking, she didn't see the huge man walking up to her.
"Sorry". She barely moused after walking into him. She tried moving past him but he stepped to block her. "Dude, really. Just leave me alone".
"I don't think so, Emilea Rocco". He grumbled before picking her up by her throat, walking over to the closet building.
She started coughing violently, shaking her legs and hands. Just when she was losing conscious, she felt her limp body hit the ground.
Connor was picking her up bridal-style, while Murphy pistol-whipped the guy, who must've been twice Murphy's size.
Emilea caught her breath and patted Connor's chest, letting him know she was okay. He let her down, waiting until she stood on her own for a good minute before taking his arm off her waist. She then screamed once she heard gunshots.
They must've wrestled at one point because the huge man was laying on Murphy. He tried to push him off but couldn't.
It was only after Connor pushed the man off for him, that he realized his brother was bleeding from his stomach.
"Hang on, Murph". He whispered to his brother, helping him up and into the apartment.