Disclaimer: I don't own anything Boondock Saints! Also, I apologize for the accents. I've been struggling to make them as realistically Irish as possible.

"He did no'!" Nora gasped, eyes wide and jaw dropping.

Nidra nodded as she rested her chin on her palm, elbow resting on the counter in the store. "Tried to get me to stay and talk it out, too. As if I would listen." Two days later and not a word from Aidan other than some texts apologizing and begging her to talk to him, but only when she's ready. Luckily he wasn't confrontational, so he wasn't going to hunt her down. He was going to give her space… which is actually what she hated, but in this case she was okay with it.

"Wha're ye goin' ta do?"

"I dunno." the brunette shrugged. "What should I do? I mean, once a cheater, always a cheater. I can't marry him, not now that I know. How many women, that's what's bugging me. Has he been cheating the whole time? Was it just one woman, or a number of them?"

Nora placed a comforting hand on Nidra's back, rubbing it as she frowned. "Ye have to break it off. Call off tha weddin' and tell the wanka ta go snuff himself."

Nidra chuckled, looking over at the red-head. "Yep, and lose my job, and my source of income, and the only person that actually hangs out with me besides you."

"Could be werse," Nora smiled, "ye could be ugly." The two laughed and Nora slapped Nidra's back. "Come on, we're goin' ta tha pub!"

"But, the store…"

"Yer still part owner, shut it down early and le's go drink away yer sorrows!"

Nidra paused, thinking it over. "Nah, go ahead. I'm gonna stay here. Milk this place for every penny I can get. I'll close and maybe join you for a beer afterwards."

"Ye sure?"

Nidra nodded. "You were off an hour ago, anyways. Get outta here." Nora hopped off of her seat and went straight for the door.

"If I don' see ya at tha pub later, I'll be comin' by yer place with some whiskey."

"Deal." And with that, Nora was gone.

Nidra fought off boredom and her thoughts by re-shelving books, counting inventory, and reading.

Finally eight o'clock rolled around, and Nidra flipped the sign on the door to closed, not bothering with the lock as she planned on leaving in a minute anyways. She started towards the back shelves, rearranging some of the books as the door opened. Rolling her eyes, she expected Aidan to come in begging her to forgive him and yadda yadda. But he came in silently. Listening intently, Nidra heard the door to the store click as it locked. Her heart started to beat a bit faster as she inched towards the end of the bookshelf as if she were going to peer around to see if Aidan was upset, or what he was doing.

But when she didn't hear anything, she poked her head around the corner only to find Murphy standing there. Her jaw dropped slightly, and immediately her eyes welled up with tears.

"Before ye say anyt'in', I jus' wanted ta let ye know tha' the feeling was mutual. Connor tried ta stop me from comin', but I couldn' go any longer wit'out saying it, jus' once."

"Please-"

He shook his head, standing his ground. Nidra ducked back into the aisle between the shelves, moving towards the other side as Murphy came around the corner. "I loved ya. I did, and I do… Still. I love ya. And I know t'at ya want no'tin' ta do wit' me, but I felt tha' I should get ta say it once, since ye did."

Nidra shook her head, as if God himself had just sent her a sign. Nidra watched as Murphy squirmed, like he wanted to say something else, standing there between the two heavy bookshelves, glancing from his feet to her, hands fiddling in front of him.

"Please…" She paused as he looked across the aisle at her. Her voice was quiet, small, and weak. "Just kiss me?" Murphy's brow furrowed, and he opened and closed his mouth a few times as if to say something. But no words came out, and as soon as it registered, he closed the distance between them, grabbing her by the cheeks and pulling her lips to his hungrily.

Nidra inhaled sharply, throwing her arms around Murphy's neck as she saw colors exploding behind her eyelids. There was no hesitation between them, her allowing him complete access to her mouth, his hands hooking behind her knees as he lifted her and pushed her back against the bookshelf. Nidra let out a muffled moan as she entangled one hand in Murphy's hair, tightening her grip on him as one hand rested on her waist, the other travelling up to her hair. He tugged it just right and she rolled her head back as he began kissing the sweet spot on her neck, nipping at her flesh.

A moan escaped her lips, and Murphy's body reacted with a shiver. She moved her hands to the bottom hem of his shirt, and she eagerly pulled it up and off, dropping it to the floor before locking her lips with his in another passionate kiss. In a split second they were on the floor, and Nidra was straddling her former lover. He sat up, hands at the small of her back and pulling her hips into his. Another moan escaped Nidra's lips as she felt him growing stiff against her.

She pulled her own shirt off over her head, dropping it beside his on the floor. Murphy took a few seconds to look her up and down as she sat in her bra.

"W-what?" Nidra's cheeks flushed pink just from the way he was looking at her.

"Yer even more beautiful than I remember."

Nidra rolled her eyes, unable to stop herself from smiling. "Thanks. You still take as long to kiss me as I remember."

"Yeah?" Murphy laughed as did Nidra, and he rolled her over, now hovering over her as he kissed her and bit her lower lip.

"Yeah," Nidra cleared her throat as she looked up at him, "but you're a better kisser than I remember."

"Been practicin'." Murphy paused only long enough to see Nidra's expression shift to one of, almost anger. "Wit' da mirror in me hideout. And me hand."

Nidra rolled her eyes, scoffing as she playfully smacked him. She giggled as he kissed her again, somewhat softer but just as passionately as their previous kisses. It seemed to calm down between them, and Nidra felt safe again, something she hadn't really felt since they'd last parted ways.

She pulled her lips away for just a moment, "Murphy?"

"Yeah?" He looked down at her as she shifted beneath him.

"I can't lose you again. So, if you're just going to disappear after this, I'd prefer you stop now." She reached up, hands wrapped around his neck as the fingers of her right hand toyed with the back of his hair. "I never really stopped loving you, and I know that I said a lot of really terrible things before. But I nearly died the last time you left. And if I had to go through that again, it would-"

Murphy interrupted her with a very soft, very gentle kiss. He broke it, only to kiss away the few stray tears that escaped her eyes. "I'm no' going anywhere, ever. I'll stay wit' ya til I die, or take ya wit' me wherever I have ta go." He cracked a tiny smile. "And.. Ye still talk as much as I remember."

Nidra bit her lower lip, grip around him tightening. "So shut me up."

Murphy let out a chuckle, leaning down and into her. "Gladly."

The bell above the door chimed, and Nidra's eyes shot open. Lifting her head, she locked her gaze with Murphy's, wondering what time it was and when they had managed to fall asleep on the floor of the bookstore. In a silent panic she untangled her naked self from him, hurriedly attempting to put her clothes back on.

"Nidra? Eh, you here?"

Murphy was in the middle of buttoning his jeans back up when Nidra turned to him, gesturing for him to be silent as she straightened out her clothes and ran her hands through her hair.

"Nora?" Footsteps headed her way, and Nidra stepped out from the aisle quickly.

Nora stopped in her tracks, furrowing her brow. "Ye look like Hell. Ye didn' fall asleep here, did ye?"

Nodding profusely, Nidra quickly pulled her hair back and into a messy ponytail. "Yeah, I did. Sorry. What time is it?"

"Tis one in the mornin'. I wen ta yer apartment, but ye wern there. Wha' in werld happened?"

She glanced back into the aisle as Murphy furrowed his brow at her, moving silently towards the other end of the aisle. "Um, I just, was upset. I got lost in my feels and ended up falling asleep mid shelving. Sorry."

"Oh," Nora stepped toward her to comfort her, "Aiden didn' try ta apologize again, did he? He should know be'er, just take off with that little tart of 'is."

"Tart?"

Murphy's voice shocked the two women, and Nidra cringed as he moved towards her, stepping out of the aisle. When she opened her eyes, Nora's mouth was agape, hands held out as she took in the sight.

"Um… Nora… This is Murphy…"

"Who is a tart? What is she talkin' about?"

"Sorry…" Nora let out a giggle. "I didn' realize I was interuptin' somet'in."

"No!" Nidra chuckled nervously, shaking off Murphy's question. "It's not what you think."

"I tink tha two of ye had sex inbetween tha bookshelves."

Pausing, the brunette nodded. "Okay, then, it's exactly what you think. But! I know him."

"I'd say ye know 'im really well." Nora began laughing, actually clapping her hands together as she looked between the other two.

"I mean from before!"

"Who is a fuckin' tart?!"

Nidra looked over at Murphy, an intense anger in his eye. She'd seen that look before. She wanted to avoid telling him what had happened, but Nora had other plans.

"She walked in on 'er fiancée and another gal a couple nights ago."

A look of understanding suddenly crossed Murphy's features, and Nidra dropped her gaze.

"Das why ye didn' run me out?"

She nodded, glancing up at him. "I didn't really… Um… Find the right moment to tell you."

There was a sudden gasp of realization, and the two looked at Nora. "Oh… Ye know him… As in… He's da one from yer past?"

Nidra let out a nervous chuckle, nodding. "He's the Jameson guy."

"Ah." Nora put her hands up in surrender. "Right. Well, if ye don' mind, I'm gonna take me leave, and I will see you in da mornin." She waved. "Murphy, nice ta meet ya." And with that she turned, not being able to get out the door fast enough.

Nidra let out an exasperated growl, rubbing her face with her hands. "So…" Dropping her hands to cross her arms, she turned to Murphy. "Yeah, um. P.s. I'm not engaged anymore." She flashed him her left hand, void of a ring, before nodding. "I guess when you showed up last night I took it as a sign."

"A sign?" His expression was mixed of different things, nearly impossible to tell what he might be thinking.

"Sure, yeah. Like, ya know, from God. Or something. I just… I wanted a second chance with you. I have wanted a second chance with you for years. But then I was engaged and I felt like I was betraying Aiden by just being happy that you were alive. So I said those terrible things to hurt you so you'd leave me alone. But watching you walk out of here that night…" She paused briefly as the feeling of loneliness crept back. "It was like I died all over again. And I thought I could get just go back to thinking that you were gone for good, because I had made a promise to Aiden. But when I caught him, I felt less angry, and more relieved." She shifted and dropped her arms, picking at her nails before she continued.

"I was relieved that I was no longer obligated to marry him, ya know? Like, I was only doing it because I wouldn't ever find someone to make me as happy as you did. Someone who wouldn't run out on me or hurt me or make me feel alone." That wasn't a personal stab at him, but she watched the twitch in Murphy's eye as he listened. "I thought he was safe. But I never really wanted safe. I just wanted you. And because that was a betrayal I shut you out, protecting myself from doing anything that would hurt him." Nidra locked her gaze with Murphy's wanting to reach out and touch him. "I didn't tell you last night because I-" She sighed. "I didn't want to think about him. I just wanted to be with you again. I didn't want to see the look of anger in your face, or to feel like you might just be obliging me to make me feel better. I didn't want you running off to go kill him, either. If… You even cared enough to."

Murphy raised a brow at her as she cleared her throat. "O course I want ta kill 'im. Nidra… I left ya to protect ya. No' ta hurt ye. I'd never do tha'. He's a gobeshite and if he ever shows his face 'round you again I'll read 'im our prayer meself." He earned a light chuckle from her before he stepped over to her, wrapping his arms around her. "Come home wit me."

Nidra wrapped her own arms around him, nuzzling into his chest. For a few seconds she thought about what the future might hold now. Was his home going to become her home again? Were Connor and Romeo going to accept her back as easily as he had? Was it going to be fire-fights and car chases and bloody rooms again? Pulling back, she looked up to meet his gaze, Murphy stroking her cheek with his thumb. The future didn't matter anymore, as long as she was with him. He was home.

"Okay." She smiled. "Let's go."

That's the end! Please Review! It's going to be a little bit before the next chapter gets out. So I could use all the feedback that you can give. Thanks!