Brea stood in front of the kitchen sink filling it with hot water. She squeezed the dish soap bottle a little too hard without realizing it. She knew she was being watched. Supervised like some damn kid who couldn't be left alone. The front door of the house led straight into the small living room, which connected to the dinning area, and finally straight back to the kitchen. The whole space was actually one big room with the stairs off to the side of the living room. She could hear Stacy and Conner talking but by the time it reached her ears it was just mumbles. Murphy stood leaning against the counter watching her. He knew Brea had been hurt terribly but he couldn't figure out why she was acting out so childishly. He understood that women could be irrational when they were angry, but this was a whole new level of 'fuck you.'
He had actually had a lot of fun getting to know his nephew last night. Patrick had taken to Conner quickly, calling him Dad as soon as Stacy told him who he was. He had taken Conner by the hand begging him to come see his room. There was a bunk bed, a dresser, and various junk cluttered around but Patrick was proud to show it off. After he had stayed up for hours, Conner finally got him to go to sleep with the promise that he would still be there in the morning. Conner had even slept on the lower bunk bed so he could stay close to Patrick. Murphy had slept downstairs for a few hours on the couch.
When morning came Patrick woke Conner up asking if he would have breakfast with him. Conner got up and made pancakes for him. Conner had never felt so proud of doing anything in his life. He knew there'd be hell to pay when Brea finally woke up, but sitting down and watching his son eat a breakfast he had made just for him… Nothing could have spoiled the moment for him. He helped Patrick get his school things together while Patrick told him about a science project he was working on, the main reason he didn't want to miss school. And he even sat on the front porch and waited with him for the bus.
Murphy had seen all of this before finally passing out on Stacy's bed after she had come downstairs. Now as he watched Brea scrub the few breakfast dishes he started to understand why she was so angry. Brea had been making Patrick's breakfast for eight years. She had packed his school bag for him a million times. She had done all she could to shield him from the violence in her life. She had searched for a father figure for him and had her own soul damaged in the process. Now along comes Conner, with a violent life of his own, suddenly expecting to just pop in and be a dad.
"You do know it's not just about Patrick don't you?" Murphy asked causing Brea to look up.
"Excuse me?" She had said it politely. Murphy had expected sarcasm but instead she looked at him really wanting to know what he meant.
"The reason he stayed. It wasn't just for Patrick. He loves you too ya know. He talked about you a lot while we were… Away."
"He knew me for one night eight years ago. How is that love?" She spoke quietly not wanting Conner to hear.
"Well, you certainly fell in love with him. Otherwise you wouldn't be hurting so much." He paused for a second. "Do ya hate him now?"
"That's the problem." She stopped what she was doing and wiped off her hands. "I can't bring myself to stop loving him long enough to hate him. And when he leaves again… I can't handle that. And now Patrick has to feel it too. That's why I'm so pissed. Patrick…"
"Conner doesn't plan on leaving you here. You or Patrick, he loves you both." He stepped closer to her. "You can't see that? Or are you gonna run away from it because you can see it and it scares you?" They heard a cell phone ring. Brea turned and saw Conner fish a phone from his pocket and flip it open. "Listen, when all this I over, we'll be a proper family. You can come back with us and…"
"Murph." Conner cleared his throat. Without looking at Brea he addressed his brother. "Rome just called. We're meeting with his uncle in twenty minutes." He turned back to Stacy. "Can you give us a lift?" Stacy nodded then glanced at Brea before going to get her coat. Conner moved towards Brea and Murphy went to stand by the front door. Brea backed up till she hit the sink. He had such a serious expression on his face that it scared her. He stopped only inches from her and took a deep breath. His hands caressed her face gently and his forehead touched hers. She closed her eyes. "I'll come back for you. I promise Brea." He kissed her lips softly. "Please keep safe." She didn't open her eyes again till she heard her door open and close.
"You better come back." she whispered.
/
Stacy fought against the ropes binding her. Her wrists were tied to the arms of the chair and after she had kicked some guy in the balls, they had tied her ankles to the legs of the chair. She could hear the shooting going on and knew Conner and Murphy had finally come. She didn't know how long she had been locked in the damn closet but she wasn't about to let the boys leave without finding her. She screamed into her gag and did her best to scoot the chair as close to door as she could. When she got close enough she leaned forward and banged her head against the door. Afraid they hadn't heard her she did it several more times.
"What the fuck is that?" Murphy asked as they finished placing their pennies on the eyes of the men they had just slain.
"What?" Conner looked around.
"Listen." Murphy got up and moved towards a door. Conner joined him and they could clearly hear something banging against the door. "Rome, get over here and open this." Conner and Murphy both stood away from the door pointing their guns, ready to fire. Romeo opened the door and quickly moved out of the way. Stacy, and the whole chair, lurched forward out of the closet causing Stacy to land on her head. She groaned and managed to roll to the side. Murphy dropped his gun and pulled out a knife to cut her lose. "Rome, search the rest of this place, make sure no one else is here!" Conner was already searching around. Murphy helped Stacy to her feet.
"They're not here." She said slowly. She looked straight at Conner. "They took us… The day after you guys were at our place. They took Brea and Patrick somewhere else. I heard him," she pointed at Yakavetta, "say something about taking them to 'the old man.' Because he wanted Patrick… They're gone…" She sobbed and leaned against Murphy.
The boys took Stacy to Doc's and she passed out on a recliner in the room upstairs. She had been out for maybe fifteen minutes when the sound of gunfire jolted her awake. She grabbed the .45 Murphy had left with her to make her feel safe, and ran down the stairs. She got there just in time to see an old man walk through the door towards a Hispanic guy. She recognized him as the one who had taken Brea and Patrick by gunpoint from the Prudential building. Murphy and Conner jumped out from behind the bar and rushed to a man on the floor covered in blood. As the scene unfolded before her, she realized that the older man was Conner and Murphy's father. Her vision blurred and she nearly fainted when she saw the Hispanic go down. How would they find Brea and Patrick now?
Conner, Murphy, and Noah sat at Brea's kitchen table. Stacy was asleep upstairs. Noah had just finished explaining to his sons why he had been in prison.
"Why ya didn't flip on him Da? The guy fucked ya." Conner said angrily.
"He had just learned of the birth of my sons." Noah replied.
"Speaking of…" Murphy looked at Conner.
"Da, this man has my son and his mother." Noah's eyes widened. "Eight years ago, before all this started… I met a girl. Brea… After we left she found out she was pregnant. I only met him a few days ago. His name is Patrick. This old friend of yours has them both."
"Well," Noah leaned forward and rubbed his palms together. "Then it's time Louie and I settled this."
/
Noah sat across from his old friend.
"Hello Louie."
"Noah." Louie answered him.
"You haven't got much time." Louie said something about his garden. No doubt to stall.
"You were born a killer. It is in the blood."
"No." Noah refused to let Louie get to him.
Downstairs Conner and Murphy found their father's rosary hanging on the stair post. They signaled Romeo. "Find Brea." Conner whispered. Romeo nodded and the boys made their way up the stairs.
Brea had tried for the hundredth time to break the rope that tied her to the chair. Patrick was beside her. He had stopped crying hours ago. Now he only stared at the floor sniffing.
"Baby look at me." He looked up at her with puffy eyes. "No matter what happens, I love you."
"I love you too Mommy." His voice cracked. Brea tried no to let the tears run. She couldn't let Patrick see it. But they came. Anguish built up inside her and she let out a wail.
"Did you hear that?" Conner asked in a hushed tone. Murphy nodded. They headed back down the stairs. They could see Romeo headed towards a staircase that led to the basement. All three of them rushed towards the sound of the shouting.
"Let us go you sons-a-bitches!" Conner couldn't help but smile at the sound of Brea's voice. They were alive. "Let us go!" When Conner reached the bottom Brea had her back to him but Patrick saw him.
"Dad!" He shouted excitedly. "I knew you'd come for us!" Brea whipped her head around so fast it hurt her neck. She could feel someone cutting her lose. She saw Murphy run to Patrick's side and cut his ropes. Strong arms helped her to her feet and held her for a second. The brief hug was broken by Patrick silently demanding his own hug. Conner picked him up and squeezed him.
"Listen," he said setting Patrick down. "Go with Romeo and get the hell outta here. There's a van nearby to get ya to safety. Where Stacy is. Go now." Brea didn't move.
"What about you?" She demanded.
"We'll be right behind you." He bent down and hugged Patrick again. "You take care of your ma now. I'll see you soon, I promise." Conner took his father's rosary and put it around Patrick's neck. "Hold on to this for me kay." He kissed him in the forehead and he and Murphy made their way back up the stairs.
A.N. I know this was short but the whole fic was meant to be kinds short anyways. I'm wrapping it up, maybe 1 or 2 more chapters. The last will be the longest. I just didn't want to write out the whole movie. (which I don't own by the way) Thanx for all the reviews!