Disclaimer: Yeah…. yeah…. yeah. You get the point.

Summary: Connor and Murphy go after a well known drug dealer who was linked to a 15 year old kidnapped case. But when they find him and the girl, they realize that their trouble has just begun and that as long as they have the girl, they have a price on their heads as well.

A/N: Hey everyone!!!! Thanks for reviewing my story!!!! I extend a special thanks to Saoirse Dirscol who gave me some pointers to my story. Sorry about the long wait but it takes time to write and this weekend was hectic for me!!!! I hope this next chappie is awesome and kick-ass!!!! If it's not then hey, maybe third time will be the charm but let's hope it doesn't get to that! I will be revealing more of Jo's past--- she isn't just an innocently kidnapped girl like you think! Well, okay, not so much revealing but there will be a few subtle hints about it.


Chapter 2: The Short Girl With the Big Glasses Ain't Telling The Truth:

Jo was gone.

Murphy leaped out of his bed, taking the sheets and the blanket with him. He stood in the middle of the room for a moment, pushing the sheets off him with such ferocity, one would think he was on fire. Finally wrestling the sheets to the ground, he stood dumbfounded for a few seconds, not knowing which way to go or where to look first. Connor was still slightly confused from being ripped out of sleep suddenly that he just stared blankly ahead into the eyes of his twin.

"Murph---"

A loud bang cut Connor's sentence off and both men jumped and turned to look in the direction of the bang. Standing there, on the other side of the streaked glass that led to the balcony, stood Jo. She had been sitting on the grey stone ledge and looking down at the passing traffic of the morning when she lost her balance and fell backwards, crashing into a potted -- but dead-- plant that had been there for only God knew how long. It had smashed into a million pieces, sending chips of ceramic flying all across the small balcony.

Jo looked like a little girl that had been caught doing something that she wasn't supposed to do. She sat in the middle of what was left of the plant with her legs sprawled out in front of her and her arms crossed over her chest. She glared down at the remnants of the plant as if it had tripped her and broke itself. Her hair was messy and stuck out in a few different directions, even some pieces of ceramic in a few of the strands. Her glasses had fallen down to the bridge of her nose and her bag and all it's contents were strewn all over the balcony.

When she looked through the window and saw Murphy laughing at her, she fumed even more. He was nearly doubled over, slapping his thigh with one hand and wiping the tears that streamed down his face with the other. Jo growled and stood abruptly, brushing herself off and storming into the apartment. Connor was fully up now and he stared at her with an amused expression, one corner of his mouth twisted up and his right eyebrow lifted.

"You think that's fuckin' funny do you?" Jo asked, her different coloured eyes blazing. If looks could kill, they'd both be ashes.

When she realized the only answer she would receive was Murphy's loud laughter --which Connor had now enthusiastically joined in on-- she pivoted on her heel and returned to the balcony, slamming the sliding door shut and stepping over the broken pot to lean against the ledge. As she gazed out at the busy streets of early morning Manhattan, she contemplated her life--- or the pathetic excuse of a life that she had been living. It seemed like the events of her past was more like a story; something so fantasical that it had to have come from someone's imagination. Could this really be her life? Why would God permit anyone to have such a crappy existence?

Jo shook her head while simultaneously running a hand through her hair. Sometimes when she was younger, she used to wish that she could just close her eyes and shake her head and when she opened her eyes again, the world would look right and everything would turn out okay. But as time went on and she got older, her naivety and innocence slipped away and she realized that life couldn't and would never be easy or perfect. The final realization of it had chased the last of her childhood dreams away and hardened her heart in a way that she had come to hate.

A sudden cry grabbed her attention and she shifted her eyes slightly to watch a grey dove fly from building to building. It seemed to be searching for something or someone and it intrigued Jo. It was the reason that she didn't hear someone come up behind her. Suddenly a hand came down on her shoulder and she tensed up quickly, spinning around and pushing the arm away so fast, the person went reeling backwards into the glass door. She heard the man grunt and curse loudly. When her breath began to slow and she realized who was on the ground, she swore herself.

"Oh shit," she said quickly. She looked like someone had just tried to throw her over the balcony. Fear was clearly evident on her face. "Are you all right?"

Murphy lay on the cold ground, scrunched against the closed glass door. His legs were twisted beneath him and the bewildered expression on his face made Jo feel bad about nearly flattening him. She offered her hand and he took it, standing up and rubbing the spot on his back that had connected with the door. Jo avoided Murphy's intense gaze as he studied her intently. Finally after regaining her composure, she looked up at him and snapped.

"What the fuck are you starin' at?"

Murphy stuttered for a moment. "I--I-- well ye looked pretty freaked out." The small glimpse of fear that had lingered on her face was long now, now replaced with a stoniness he couldn't read.

"Whad'ya expect?" Jo said, her voice slightly rising hysterically. "You fuckin' sneak up on people like that, you'll scare them!" She turned away from him, looking to the street below while trying to calm her racing heart. She heard Murphy shifting his weight behind her and a few moments later, he came up beside her.

"Sorry," he said. His face was a little red with embarrassment. He smiled in hopes that Jo would see it as a peace offering. "I didn't meant to scare ya. Just wanted to tell ya me and Con were sorry for laughin'." A smile threatned to appear on his lips and Jo knew he was reliving her fall no doubt.

"Yeah---" She shook her head and stared at him with no expression. "Apology accepted I guess." She looked back to the scenery but muttered under her breath, "Asshole," just loud enough for Murphy to hear.

He laughed and pulled himself up to sit on the ledge, his back against the wall that separated he and Connor's apartment from their neighbour's. Jo remained the same, her face turned away slightly from Murphy. He watched her, taken in by her. She was a pretty little thing, despite the hardness in her face and eyes that sometimes made her look older than her years. But there was something about her, something that Murphy could place quite then, that enamoured him.

"So," Murphy said, eager to shut off the silence that threatned to consume them. "What's with the glasses?" That caused Jo to fully turn to face him.

"What?"

"The glasses--- why are they so fuckin' huge?"

"Oh," Jo said, reaching up to touch the big horn-rimmed things as if she forgot she was wearing them. Her lips twisted a bit; the closest thing to a smile. "I like Buddy Holly."

Murphy titled his head to the side for a moment, looking much like a confused dog.

"Who?"

"Oh you gotta be fucking kidding me?!" Jo was looking at Murphy like he had been living under a rock. He had to laugh at her expression. Her eyes were bulged out which made them look even scarier and her eyebrows were arched so high, it was almost like she was a cartoon character come to life.

"I ain't kiddin'. I mean I heard of him I think but…."

"He was a singer," Jo explained animatedly. She spoke a mile a minute, barely stopping to take a breath. "He was one of the greats-- from the '50s! And he had amazing songs and he influenced the Beatles and so many other people. But then he died in a plane crash at 22 years old with two other rock stars but he's still amazing today and-- he's the one who made these glasses famous 'cause he's just-- well, like--- he's just awesome."

"Oh," Murphy said. It was all he could utter in his shocked state. Jo, it seemed, was very much a split-personality. One minute, she'd bite your head off and then some and the other minute, she was talking incessantly and happily like a normal teenage girl. He finally just nodded and chuckled. "Well--- seems like ye are obsessed with the past."

"Yeah…." Jo said, nodding happily. She loved losing herself in movies, books and music. Sometimes it made life easier. "I like it that way," she muttered, more to herself than to Murphy. He had jumped off the ledge and now stood less than three feet away from her.

It was then that she turned to look at him; to look at him and actually see him. His brown hair was shaggy and tousled from just waking up. His eyes were a deep blue and had a little bit of grey in them, making him look mysterious. His face had early morning stubble and Jo noticed a few tiny scars on his chin and left cheek, no doubt from one of his 'Saints' missions. And for the first time that morning, she noticed that he stood before her wearing nothing but faded blue track pants. An unfamiliar feeling stirred inside of her and she turned away, trying to ignore it. It embarrassed her; she wasn't used to it.

Murphy noticed.

"See somethin' ya like?" he asked with an amused smile.

Jo scoffed. "Oh right! Fuckin' conceited!" But her tone betrayed her and it didn't come out as strongly as she intended. Murphy didn't push it.

A knock on the window made them both turn around. Connor stood on the other side, wearing boxers and an open robe. An unlit cigarette dangled from the corner of his mouth and he looked tired. Quickly he nodded to Murphy who thought a moment and shrugged. Connor nodded more emphatically and continued on his way to the bathroom. Jo watched all of this with a slightly confused and slightly amused expression.

"Twin speak?" she asked with a slight smile. Murphy chuckled and slid open the door to walk back into the apartment.

"Somethin' like that," he replied and stepped in. He waited for her to follow and then shut and locked the door behind him when she did. "Get dressed," he said before beginning to get ready himself. "We're goin' to get somethin' to eat."

"At a restaurant?" Jo asked, her voice a bit timid.

"Aye." He pulled his navy blue t-shirt over his head and substituted his track pants for well-worn blue jeans. He obviously didn't mind dressing in front of her but Jo tried not to look anyway. "Got a problem with restaurants?" he asked.

Jo shook her head. "No. Can't a person ask a fuckin' question anymore? Jesus!"

Jo hastily grabbed her bag from where she dropped it and barged into the bathroom just as Connor was coming out. He looked down at her but she snapped at him and disappeared into the small bathroom, slamming the door loudly behind her. Connor joined Murphy and began dressing. It only took them a few minutes but they spent the next fifteen sitting at the table and smoking.

Neither of the MacManus brothers had any experience with living with women, especially young teenage girls. At their childhood home in Ireland, it had only been them and their mother. They may be the Saints of Boston, the fierce killers that got rid of all the evil men who threatened society, but when it came to women, Connor and Murphy were nothing more than fluffy little kittens.

"Shit, Con," Murphy said, flicking the ashes from his cigarette onto the table. "What the fuck is she doin' in there?" He was always the impatient one and sitting around waiting made him nervous.

"Who knows?" Connor took one last extremely long drag on his cigarette and then blew a few smoke rings before throwing it into a glass of water that had been sitting there for days. "Women are fuckin' weird."

"Aye," Murphy agreed, pointing his cigarette in Connor's direction. The smoke he blew out framed his face for a minute before rising up and disappearing. "But this lass is a bit fuckin' insane ain't she?"

Connor nodded. "More than a bit, Murph." He sat forward then, leaning close to Murphy's face. He turned to make sure Jo wasn't near before speaking. "I don't like it, though."

"What?"

"Her," Connor said in a whisper. "I still say she ain't tellin' us all there is to know. Some things don't make any fuckin' sense, y'know?" Murphy agreed as he paused for a moment before continuing. His eyes twinkled as his brain kicked in overdrive. "Like how she was kidnapped and how she lived with a dealer for so long. And I saw how she nearly threw a fit when you touched her. I'm tellin' ya Murph, somethin' just ain't right."

"Aye," Murphy said. "We'll find it out, Con. She can't go on keepin' shit hidden."

The resounding click of the bathroom door filled the room and both men turned to her. She had completely changed her clothes from the previous day but she still looked like a cross between a hippie rocker and a tom boy. She wore tighter-fitting black jeans with a white tank top with a black vest over it; the kind that belonged to a man's tuxedo. Hanging from her neck was a metal peace symbol on a string and dangling from her ears she had small peace symbol earrings to complete the set. Her shoes were another pair of converse, this time older-looking ones, that were tie-dyed an array of different colours. Her hair hung straight down and she wore little make-up on her face. She caught Connor and Murphy's stares and put her hands on her hips, staring straight back with her lips pursed.

"Oh, now what?"

Both said nothing and put their jackets instead, Jo following suit. She watched them both, amused at the way they both put their jackets on the same way and straightened them the same way. It was like they were two parts of the same person and everything they did, they did perfectly in sync. As far as she could tell, though, the twins were different in only two ways. In looks and in personality. Connor was more easy going but also the more intense one. Murphy was a little bit uptight and a tiny bit of a worrywart but also kind of funny.

"Hey," Jo said after she had slipped into her own coat. One of her buttons had begun to pop off so she fixed it as she spoke. Connor and Murphy turned to her. "Which one of you is the older one?" she asked.

Her question had caused both of them to chuckle. "If only we knew," Murphy said.

Jo's face crinkled in confusion. "You-- don't know?"

"Aye, that's right, we don't," Connor replied with a chuckle. "Our mother won't tell us."

"That's fuckin' retarded!" Jo cried in disbelief. She smiled, though and shrugged. "It's fine. I think I know anyway."

That was enough to catch their attention. Both spun around and walked over to wear she sat at the table, re-tying her left shoe. She smiled at both of them who were know staring down at her, the curious expression evident on both of their faces.

"Who do ya think is older?" Murphy asked, the eagerness making his voice slightly higher.

"Yeah, who?" Connor followed, his voice sounding just as eager. Jo openly laughed. For two men who were said to be merciless killers, they could sure act like five year old boys sometimes.

"Sorry," Jo said. She stood up, staring into both of their faces before continuing. An impish smile was on her lips and her eyes twinkled with laughter. "From what I've seen--- I think Connor's older."

Qucikly, she walked out of the door, hearing Connor's loud triumphant laugh behind her followed by Murphy telling him to fuck off. She laughed and waited at the elevator for the boys to catch up. When they finally got there, Jo noticed that their coats were a bit ruffled and that both of them were slightly out of breath. She shook her head at them, much like a mother would when reprimanding her children.

"What?" she asked, looking from one to the other a few times before settling on Murphy. "You guys have a fight?" Murphy didn't answer but Connor's smug smile was enough to tell her that they had fought and he had won. "Idiots," she muttered to herself and pressed the down button.

After a ten minute walk down the busy Manhattan street and after Jo breaking up a mini fight between the brothers, they arrived at the small coffee shop that Murphy and Connor frequented since arriving in New York almost a year before. Jo had seen it only in passing and this was the first time she would actually enter it.

It was a nice little place that was decorated like a normal coffee shop, with warm, dark colours and tables with comfy chairs around them. On the left side of the coffee shop were booths, the kind with the stuffed, couch-like backing like most restaurants had. On the far wall was the counter where you'd place your order and receive a number to put on your table. After a while, the waitress would bring your food over and after you were finished, you'd go and pay at the counter.

It was more than just a coffee shop though, as it sold more than just coffee. People came for the all day breakfast and bakery-style pastries. Connor and Murphy had stumbled upon it one morning while they were exploring their new surroundings and ever since, they made it a ritual to eat there at least 3 times a week if not everyday.

Jo walked in ahead of the twins and walked over to a corner table, plopping into the plush, dark green chair beside the window. She shrugged out of her pea coat and threw it over the back of the chair. Connor and Murphy sat in the adjacent chairs and followed Jo by picking up the small plastic menu on the little brown table.

"Well, what do ya want?" Connor asked, his eyes scanning the menu quickly. He looked up at Jo, who apparently didn't hear him. He snapped his fingers in front of her face and she finally looked up.

"Yes?"

"What do ya want?" Connor repeated. Jo just shrugged and threw the menu down a bit too harshly. It bounced off the table and hit the floor.

"I don't know," she replied, retrieving the menu. "There isn't much I can eat."

"Whad'ya mean?" Murphy asked. His brow was furrowed in confusion.

"I have certain allergies," she explained with a wave of her hand. She had said it so many times before that it now it sounded rehearsed. "I can't eat eggs because it would kill me so I can't eat anything made with eggs, which is like basically everything here so I can't really eat much."

"Oh," Murphy said, a bit baffled by the way she could say things in one breath. Connor just nodded in her general direction, his attention now averted back to the menu. It had been a while since they had eaten good food and he wanted to make the most of it.

"All right," Jo said as she put the menu down, slowly this time, and leaned back into the chair. She pulled her legs up underneath her and looked at the patiently waiting Connor. "Get me a bacon sandwich with a black coffee with two-- no-- four sugars," she said.

Connor smirked but turned to Murphy. "And for ye?"

"Same as fuckin' always ye eejit," was his answer, followed by a smack to his brother's head.

Connor got up and taking some money from his brother, made his way to the counter. There were five people ahead of him line and judging by the looks of it, there would be a pretty long wait. Murphy took the opportunity to get some answers out of Jo, figuring it would be less likely for her to throw a tantrum in a public place. Then again, with a girl like Jo, it seemed like anything could be possible.

Murphy leaned forward, looking into Jo's eyes. "I never seen anyone with two different coloured eyes before," he finally said. He had been searching for a way to initiate conversation and her bright eyes caught her attention first. They stood out on their own but her big glasses magnified them slightly.

"Yeah, well, I'm different," Jo said in a matter-of-fact tone. "There isn't sense in denying it." She smiled but the twist in her lips made it look like a smirk instead. "My eyes may be interesting but I don't think that's what you really wanted to say." She sighed and sat forward again, her legs still underneath her. "Go ahead," she said. "Ask away, Sherlock."

"Aye I will," Murphy said, holding back a smile. He turned serious a second after, much like someone flipped a switch. "You gotta tell us stuff-- we hardly know anythin' about ye."

Jo nodded, her face turning to stone almost immediately. She tensed up and shut her mouth tight like a clam. It suddenly seemed like she had turned into a cold, alabaster statue and nothing, much less no one could move her. But she relaxed a moment later as she pushed the fear out of her body and forced herself to remain calm. She usually wasn't one to offer information, especially about herself. But if she expected Connor and Murphy to help her, then they had to trust her and if she wanted them to trust her, she would have to volunteer information, no matter how much she hated to.

Murphy waited, sitting with his arms crossed as he intently watched the changes in her expression. It was clear on his face that he would wait as long as he had to for her to give him answers. He looked quickly over to Connor who was now next in line.

"What?" Jo asked, sighing. She didn't have as much bite as she intended. "You know all the facts already. You guys are like the fuckin' hardy boys or something." Murphy didn't laugh and more irritably she snapped, "What do you want to know?"

"How did that drug dealer kidnap ye?" Murphy asked. "And why?"

Jo tripped over her words for a moment before pausing to take a breath. When she met his eyes again, she had a different look in her eyes. A look that suggested that her past was something horrible and something that would kill her to talk about. But as much as Murphy didn't want to see this girl hurt, he knew the mission mattered more sometimes. He made sure not to let his feelings show on his face as he knew Jo was doing as well.

"Look," Jo finally said in a voice that betrayed nothing. "It isn't something I'm used to fuckin' telling people, y'know?" Murphy nodded quickly and she continued. "I lived at that--- orphanage all my life, obviously, and like all orphanages, people come to look at the children. Like fuckin' window shopping," she muttered.

Connor had just finished placing their orders and made his way back to the table, slipping into his seat as Jo continued talking. She paused briefly to look at him and then continued. She avoided eye contact as she spoke, nervously biting her nails and pulling at strands of her hair.

"So one day he came," Jo said bitterly, the words as sharp as knives. "He pretended to be looking to adopt but as he left--- he grabbed me. I was in the foyer, waiting to be yelled at by the headmaster for doing something or another. And-- he just put me in his car and took me away."

"Aye," Connor said, a deep look on his face. "We figured as much. But what happened after?"

"After?" Jo asked. She seemed to choke on her words again as if she was unsure about what to say. She racked her brain, trying to force the words to come out in a way that made sense. "He took me back to his place first," she explained. "And then he dragged me all over the goddamn world! First to Boston, then to Jersey and then even to Canada before coming back here."

"And he kept ye?" Murphy asked. Jo nodded.

"Yeah he fuckin' kept me," she spat and her lips twisted into a sneer. "I was his little drug runner. I did the stuff he couldn't be seen doing. I've been to so many fuckin' places in my life that nobody should ever see. Oh sure, he bought all the shit I ever wanted and more, but it still doesn't change the fact that I was a fuckin' drug runner. But," she concluded, shrugging, "that was my life and I ain't gonna get anywhere now by griping now am I? No," she answered, shaking her head adamantly. "I'm not."

Connor and Murphy stared at her, both unsure of what to say. Jo stared back, her body slightly shaking with anger as she undoubtedly ran over the events of her childhood in her mind. Angry tears threatened to escape her eyes but she held her head back and shook them away. She hadn't cried in a long time and she wasn't about to start now. Murphy caught Connor's eyes and nodded toward Jo. Connor understood and he leaned over the table.

"Did he ever--?" Connor began but stopped when the waitress came by. She placed their food in front of them and after throwing a wink Connor's way, went back to her post behind the campus. Connor began again. "Did that bastard ever--- ever touch ye?"

Jo stiffened so much, so fast that it appeared that her spine was made of elastic. The smouldering look in her eyes and the way her knuckles turned white as she gripped the chair handles was answer enough. Murphy realized at that moment why Jo had reacted so strongly when he had come up behind her on the balcony. As if her body language wasn't enough, Jo explained, the words so bitter they left a sour aftertaste.

"He was a fuckin' dirty man," she said, biting at her nail so hard it began to bleed. "He thought he could touch me and get away with it. He did for a while. I was a fuckin' kid, I didn't know what the hell was going on! But when I turned fifteen, he tried to do more but I shot him in the foot, thanks to the gun he forced me to carry." She shrugged, picking up her coffee and carefully sipping it. "Needless to say, he never fuckin' touched me again."

Once again, she found herself being stared at by Connor and Murphy. They both went through a range of emotions that flashed across their faces at rapid speed. First came shock then pity then finally anger. If they were dogs, they would be foaming at the mouth. It made Jo almost smile.

"That bastard!" Murphy swore, slamming his fist down onto the table so hard that she flinched at the imagined pain.

"There's no point in getting mad now," Jo said as she closed her eyes and massaged her temples. "Besides," she continued with a smirk, "Whad'ya guys gonna do? Shoot his already dead body? Make him more deader?"

Connor didn't smile. "No. But I'm sure we could have done much worse."

"Listen," she said, throwing her hands up in a dramatic fashion. "It's fine, all right? It happened a long time ago now and it doesn't matter anymore." She couldn't ignore the fact that she was trying to convince herself more than she was trying to convince them. "Can we just forget it now?" she asked, picking up her sandwich and biting into it. "We have more important things to worry about like-- who the people are who are coming after me…. y'know?"

"Aye," Murphy said, taking a whole strip of bacon and stuffing it in his mouth. "That's what we plan to do."

Jo looked sceptical. "Whad'ya mean 'that's what we plan to do'?" She had unsuccessfully tried to imitate his voice, accent and all but it came out half-British and half-Australian instead.

"Just that, lass," Connor explained. He had already downed his coffee and eaten half of his stack of pancakes drowned in syrup. "We have somethin' to follow up today."

"Like what?" Jo asked. An eager smile crept onto her face. "Do I get to come?"

"No," Connor said bluntly, but the firmness was there. Jo's smile disappeared as quickly as it came. "We can't risk ya right now," he explained in a no-nonsense tone. "If we run into whoever's after ye, ya can't be there."

"I guess fuckin' not," Jo agreed, albeit petulantly, like a child who was told to stay inside on a sunny day. "But where you gonna leave me? Aren't you afraid I'll run away or something?" There was a mischievous glint in her eye suggesting that she just might try.

"Aye, we actually are," Murphy replied, a full smile dancing on his lips. "We ain't leavin' ya alone if that's what yer worried about."

"A fuckin' baby-sitter?" Jo exclaimed loudly. Some people turned to look at the table. She stared at both of them like they had sprouted wings and flew away. "A fuckin' baby-sitter?" she repeated in a lower tone of voice. "I'm 19 years old and you dicks get someone to watch me?"

"Relax!" Murphy said, unable to keep himself from laughing at her incredulous reaction. He had to stop drinking his coffee for fear of spitting it across the table. "You said yerself--- ya might run away!" He roared loudly and Connor joined him, tears streaming down both their cheeks as Jo glared at them angrily.

"Are you fuckin' done?" she asked, still glaring. When they finally stopped and wiped their dripping eyes, she relaxed. "So," she said, "who's this baby-sitter? The old lady from across the lane?"

Murphy chuckled. "No-- our friend, Al."

"Al?"

"Aye," Connor replied. "He's a good guy, a good friend."

"Is he like you?" Jo asked hesitantly.

"Irish?" Murphy offered.

"A man?" Connor followed right away.

"Hahaha, cute," Jo said sarcastically. "I meant--- does he help you do what you do? Y'know-- Saints stuff?"

"Oh! No," Connor said, shaking his head. "Al's--- well, he's a bit of a real good guy. He doesn't approve of what we do."

"But he doesn't tell the police or turn you in or whatever?" She finished the last bite of her sandwich and drank the last of her coffee before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Most people would, y'know."

"Thankfully not," Murphy said with a smile. He finished his breakfast but left one slice of bacon on the plate. Jo snagged it quickly and stuffed it in her mouth, chewing and throwing a smirk Murphy's way. "He's a real good guy, though." Murphy said again. "Kinda like Roc."

Connor didn't reply. His face had turned sad and almost a little angry at the mention of "Roc." Murphy's face revealed pure hurt and sadness while his eyes burned with unshed tears for the friend they once knew and lost. Jo sat still, unsure of how to react but her curious nature tugged at her mind, for she was sitting there wondering who this "Roc" person was and why the mention of his name had caused the MacManus brothers to stop in their tracks.

Tentatively she asked, "What's the matter?"

"Nothin'," Connor mumbled and got up quickly to pay the bill at the counter. Murphy stood and began to put on his coat, his eyes gazing at the floor and avoiding Jo's curious eyes.

"Well?" Jo asked, following suit and slipping into her own coat. "Who's this 'Roc' guy?"

"Ye lost a button," Murphy replied instead of answering her question. It seemed to avert her attention and caused her to forget her query.

"Ahh shit," Jo cursed. There was an empty spot on the right lapel of her coat where the button once resided. "I lost the Magical Mystery Tour button!" She fell to the floor in a flash, looking behind and under the chair. A few seconds later, she popped up with a triumphant smile on her face. "Aha! Got it!"

"Come on," Connor said as he appeared next to them. He crumpled the receipt in his fist and threw it onto the empty plates they had left behind. He slipped into his coat and buttoned it quickly. "Al's meetin' us outside in ten minutes," he announced. "We better go wait for him."

"You guys go ahead," Jo said. "I gotta go to the bathroom first." She rolled her eyes toward the ceiling and sighed exaggeratedly when she was given twin looks of suspicion. "I am not going to fuckin' run, dammit!" she cried, throwing her hands up in desperation. "Here," she said, taking her iPod from her pocket and throwing it to Murphy. "Now you know I'll come back."

"Hurry up!" Connor called after her and in reply, he received a flash of her middle finger before she disappeared around the corner. Chuckling, he and Murphy made their way outside to wait.

The small bathroom was brightly lit with white fluorescent bulbs that buzzed and flickered when you turned them on. It was a singular bathroom, meaning that only one person at a time could use it. The walls were painted a dull brown and were chipping in certain places. The sink and toliet looked like they were once shiny white porcelian but now they looked caked and gross from years of wear and tear. Lowering the toliet seat, she sat on the lid, putting her head in her hands and groaning loudly.

She was angry for letting Murphy force her into talking and furthermore, she was even angrier at herself for spilling so many of the details of her past that she had swore she would never let anyone know. How could she have been so stupid? Why did she tell her business to two guys she had just met the day before? Maybe it was because she felt something strange inside every time she looked at Murphy. When she looked at him, she felt a weird calm wash over, something that she wasn't used.

"Uggh!" she groaned loudly, standing up from the toliet and spinning around to face her reflection. She didn't like what she saw. Sure, on the outside she looked normal. But it was what she saw in her eyes that she hated. The utter disgust that she felt at the moment overwhelmed her and she stopped to catch her breath.

"Get a hold of yourself," she chastised her reflection, staring at herself with a cold, dead expression. "You better watch yourself."

After one last glaring look at the mirror, she ripped open the metal door and stalked out of the coffee shop. Before joining the twins on the busy street corner, she forced a semi-happy look on her face so they wouldn't suspect anymore than she wanted them to. They waited on the street corner just to the right of the coffee shop where a few benches were placed; adjacent to the bus stop. Connor was looking through a newspaper and Murphy, much to her disdain, was looking through her iPod. Both were smoking and when Jo approached, she plucked the cigarette from Murphy's mouth and put it in her own.

"Hey!" he cried out in surprise but didn't move to take it from her. She squeezed in between them, facing Murphy. "Shit," he said, lighting up another cigarette. "Ye got a lot of fuckin' music on here don't ya?"

Jo shrugged and puffed on her cigarette, deliberately blowing a smoke ring in his face before replying. "I like a lot of different stuff. All '50s & '60s mostly."

"Yeah I can see that," Murphy replied, his attention now returned to the small iPod in his hand. He clicked onto a play list and rolled down the list to see the songs. Jo leaned in close, her hair grazing his cheek. She was so close that he could smell her sweet vanilla scent. For a moment he had been so enthralled that he didn't hear when she asked a question. "What?" he said.

"I said, deaf boy-- 'can I have my fuckin' iPod back now?"

"Oh shit, yeah." He smiled sheepishly and handed the device back to her which she safely pocketed. He threw a sidelong glace in Connor's direction who had been watching the exchange from the corner of his eye. His lips held a knowing smile which only made Murphy turn a darker shade of red.

"Hey Connor, Murphy!" said a voice off to the left.

All three heads turn to see Alfred Mollier, really better know as Al, come up toward them. He nearly crashed into a newspaper stand after jumping out of the path of a bike messenger. He finally managed to get to them, knocking Connor in the head with his knuckle as he passed by and then bumped fists with Murphy. He stood in front of them, with his hands on his hips as he stared down at Jo. He had shaggy blond hair, the colour of fresh wheat that hung into his almond-shaped brown eyes. He wore dark blue jeans and a faded Rolling Stones t-shirt. Plain black runners adorned his feet and his leather jacket hung open, the buckles clinking in the winds. A flash of dark passed over his eyes for a moment when he looked at Jo before returning to their natural twinkle.

"And who's this little lady?" he asked with an impish grin that reached his eyes.

Jo huffed and met his eyes with a glare. "I ain't a fuckin' 'little lady', buddy."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Al cried out loudly, his hands sweeping up in a dramatic gesture. Connor and Murphy chuckled but Jo still kept her glare.

"Al, this Jo," Murphy introduced. "She's our---- friend."

"Charmed, my dear," Al replied in a faux British accent, taking her hand and going down on one knee to kiss it. She yanked her hand back but smiled.

"Al here is an actor," Connor said after finally looking up from the newspaper. He folded it and lay it next to his leg. "Or at least his tryin' to be."

"Do not jest with me, good sirs," he said when the twins laughed, still with the accent. He had his hand on his chest and his other in the air like he was making some great announcement. "I assure I am more than an actor but an artist!" Finally he laughed himself and leaned against the light post in front of them. His happy expression turned a bit darker as he looked over his friends. "So--- are you guys going to do a job today?" The way he said the word 'job' made his mouth twist in disgust.

"Yeah," Connor replied with a tired sigh. He rubbed his face vigorously before looking back to his friend. "Don't worry about nothin', all right?" He stood and motioned to Murphy who follwed his lead. "We gotta leave now." He made his way to the car and got in without another word.

Murphy lingered behind, casting a smile on Jo. "Be good now. Don't cause any trouble for Al," he playfully warned, clapping Al on the shoulder.

"Fuck off Murphy," was Jo's reply.

After the car sped off down the cluttered Manhattan street, Jo felt strange sitting there with a man that she just met. Al stared down at her, the dark look that had passed through his eyes before now returned. He had a suspicious feeling ever since he first laid eyes on her. At first he thought he was crazy, that no, it couldn't possibly be her. But once he heard her voice and saw those eyes, he knew that he had finally unwrapped the mystery that had plagued so many important people for the last fifteen years. He had hit the mother lode.

"Are we gonna sit here all fuckin' day?" Jo snapped, breaking Al out of his epiphany. She stared up at him with her arms crossed across her chest and taping her foot impatiently.

"Yeah," Al replied, a bit distractedly. "Yeah. Come on." He led her to his car parked across the street, an old and beat-up '95 Honda Civic.

As she got into the car and buckled herself in, she felt a strange feeling wash over her. She didn't know but she began to feel that something was terribly long. Little did she know, she would find out within the next five seconds. Al took a while to get into the car and buckle himself in. It was as if he was taking a long time on purpose. He slowly took the key out of his jeans pocket and took time finding the key in the mess of the two dozen keys on the chain. And when he finally put the key into the ignition and started the car, at least ten minutes had passed.

As they were driving down the street for the short drive to the twin's apartment, Al turned casually toward her and dropped the biggest bomb that cause Jo's hear to fully stop and then start up again.

"What the hell are you doing, Josephine?"

Jo spun around quickly, her eyes betraying her. "W-w-what?" she finally managed to sputter out. Al smiled but it was a smile without feeling.

"Is that all you can say?" he asked, a cruel tone lacing his voice. "After all these years? I thought that you were kidnapped, living a horrible fate with a scum-of-the-earth drug dealer?"

"I was," she said, looking down at her lap. This was just the things that she didn't want happening. And now it was all coming down around her.

"Oh come now," he said with a chuckle. He swerved out of the way of an on-coming car and took a sharp right turn into the parking lot of the apartment building. He parked in an empty space near the back and then turned off the car. But he kept the door locked, leaving Jo with no way out.

"What do you want?" she pleaded, the toughness leaving her for the first time. She was more scared than ever now.

"Don't plead with me," Al warned, the mocking smile disappearing. "I don't want to turn you in--- yet. I just don't appreciate you using my friends."

"I'm not using them."

"Oh the hell you're not!" Al snapped, slamming his fist down onto the steering wheel. Jo jumped in spite of herself. "Don't give me that crap," Al said, pushing a finger into Jo's shoulder. She didn't push him away.

"I'm not using them," she said in a meek voice. "I swear I'm not. They found me by mistake. And now they're helping me. Can you blame me for taking protection when I need it?"

"Protection?" He let loose with a mocking laugh. "You don't need protection, little lady. You need exactly what they want to give you!"

"Fuck you!" Jo spat, turning to stare out of the window. She spoke in a softer tone now, her whole body shaking with the anxiety. "Nothing was my fault. I wasn't the one who came up with the plan. I don't have to own up to anything."

"Maybe so," Al agreed, unlocking the door. Jo bolted out quickly but still stood by the open door. "But it doesn't change the fact that you're living a lie and that now you have my friends wrapped up in it."

Jo didn't answer but looked away instead, the tears threatening to spill more than ever before. Al let himself out of the car and came over to Jo's side, shutting the door for her. He grabbed her shoulder and spun her around until her back was up against the car door. He put both arms on either side of her so that for a few moments, she was trapped. He leaned close so that his face was over hers.

"Listen to me, Josephine," he said, his tone slightly mocking. "I said I don't appreciate you doing this to Connor and Murphy. But I won't tell them--- not yet. I'm gonna give you the chance to." He leaned in closer, until she could feel his breath on her face. "Don't fuck it up."

He stayed the same for a moment longer, his eyes burning holes into hers. Then with his smile returning, he spun around and walked into the apartment building. For a few seconds, Jo stood there, deciding if she should take off now or follow Al into the building. She sighed, furiously swiping at the fugitive tear that escaped from the corner of her eye.

A little while later she sucked up all the courage she had deep inside herself and walked towards the door that led to the apartments. Perhaps she was choosing her fate right then, she wasn't sure but there was one thing she knew for certain. She was totally, all around and one hundred percent screwed.

And that was a fact.


A/N: Well…. There is the long-awaited (well I hope it was) chapter 2. Tell me what you think!!!! I hope I made it interesting enough and I hope the little twist was a good one. Anyway, please give me a nice lengthy review!!!!

- Addie

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