* Please Review!*

Lyric stuffed as much of her stuff into her backpack as she could. She knew the sleep meds she had slipped them should have pulled them under but she still wanted to wait for a while before she made a move. Her doctor had given her the pills after Nick died. She waited an hour in the bedroom then crept out. She walked down the hallway quietly and looked into one of the rooms that had an open door. Connor was passed out spread eagle in the bed in the room, laying on his stomach with his head turned to the side. She smiled then moved to the railing. She looked over it and down into the living room. Murphy was laying on his stomach on the couch. His head was turned towards the fireplace and his right arm was hanging off the couch.

She took a deep breath and started towards the stairs. When she reached the middle of the stair case, Murphy let out a loud half sigh/half moan, freezing her movements. She waited to see if he was waking up but he didn't move so she started walking again. She quietly walked over to the couch and looked down at him. If he hadn't kidnapped her, Lyric might have thought he was hot. Well he was hot regardless of him kidnapping her. And he was just her type. Dark hair, stunning eyes, tall. She shook her head and moved to the front door. Weren't they going to be surprised in the morning?

" Going somewhere, Love?" Duce's patient voice asked from behind her. Lyric's heart dropped. She held her breath as she turned around. He was standing in the kitchen doorway with pipe in his hand. " I'm not as easily fooled as my boys are."

" You didn't drink the beer." She said.

" No, I did not. I noticed some unusual fizzing in it and dumped it out." He said. " Now, let's go into the kitchen, have some tea and a talk." Then Duce turned around and moved into the kitchen, without even waiting to see if she followed. Lyric looked towards the front door, dropped her shoulders then back at him. She chewed on her bottom lip and frowned. " Tea's made and hot, Love." Duce called out. Lyric sighed and followed his voice.

BDSBDSBDS

When Murphy woke in the morning, his head was pounding and he felt groggy. His arm and leg were hanging off the couch and he couldn't even remember falling asleep. He groaned and pushed himself up so he was laying better on the couch. He frowned and brought one hand to his head, turning onto his back. He shook his head to clear it. What the hell had happen to him? He had only drank one beer with dinner then had been so tired he couldn't think straight. He remembered walking over to the couch and then...there was nothing. Murphy brought both hands to his face and scrubbed them hard against his skin. Why wouldn't his head clear?

" Hey." Lyric's voice made his eyes open, drop his hands and look at her. She was holding a cup of coffee in her hands She smiled sadly as she walked around the couch. She slipped down onto the coffee table in front of him.

" Hey." Murphy answered. His voice was rough and still filled with sleep. She leaned forward and handed him the coffee. Murphy grabbed the back of the couch and pulled himself up. He turned, planting his legs on the floor hard. He took the coffee and brought it to his face. He closed his eyes and inhaled the dark, hot liquid's scent.

" I need to tell you I'm sorry." She said. He took a long hard drink of the coffee. Maybe that would clear his head. " I drugged you." Murphy choked and turned his head away from her so he won't spit the coffee all over her. He coughed and swiped his hand over his lips to clear it of any coffee that slipped out.

" What?" He asked with wide eyes when he looked back at her.

" Last night. I slipped some of my sleeping pills into yours, Connor's and your dad's beers last night." She dropped her eyes and closed them. " I intended the three of you to fall asleep and then I was going to leave. I thought it was going to work but your dad didn't drink his beer." She rubbed her palms against her legs then looked at him again. " He stopped me before I could leave."

" Murph!" Connor yelled as he came out of his room. Lyric looked up at Connor as he came to the railing.

" Shit." Lyric swore softly. Connor pointed at her with a anger filled eyes and one hand planted on the railing.

" You!" He yelled. " What the hell did you do to me!" Lyric bit into her bottom lip and stood up.

" I'm sorry." She said. She linked her hands together and pressed them against her stomach to calm it. " I drugged you and Murphy."

" You drugged us!" Connor yelled as he made his way towards the stairs. Duce came out of the kitchen and leaned against the door frame. " You fucking drugged us!" Connor yelled again.

" I did and I'm sorry." Lyric said.

" You ungrateful bitch!" Connor yelled. Murphy leaned forward and set his cup on the coffee table. He slowly stood up with a frown.

" Connor," Murphy started. He took a gentle hold of her arm and guided Lyric to stand behind him. He knew what Connor was like when he was mad. Connor wouldn't lift a finger to a female but Murphy didn't want his brother in her face, screaming either.

" Are you protecting her?! She drugged us! After all we have done for her this little bitch drugged us!" Connor was yelling as he walked down the steps.

" Connor." Duce said.

" Do you even know what we went through when Nick died! Do you even care!" Connor yelled. Murphy reached behind him to take a hold of her hip but Lyric moved away from him. Murphy looked at her as she came around to face Connor's anger on her own. " Do you know what it was like for us to see our best friend die?! We promised him we'd take care of you! YOU were his last thought! He begged us to protect you! He died in our arms! His blood was all over us!"

" I know." Lyric said softly.

" We were there when you IDed his body! Did you know that!" Connor was still yelling as he stalked up to her. " We were right behind you the entire time! We watched you cry while you did dishes! We watched you until I couldn't take it anymore! Murph followed you to work! He stayed up all night in the bushes to make sure you were safe! He bought you that fucking CD when yours broke! He called 911 when you tried to off yourself! He held your wrists while you bled all over him! Murphy ran himself crazy to take care of you! He hardly slept, hardly ate! For YOU! We took you when word got out that Nick's murderer had found you! We have done all this and you act like a bitch! A selfish, ungrateful bitch!"

" Connor!" Duce said, a little more sternly.

" You're right." Lyric said softly.

" That's enough." Murphy said.

" No, it's not! You tried to choke me! You have fought my brother! You have screamed at us!"

" I'm sorry, Connor." Lyric said as he stepped up to her. Murphy tensed up as his brother stared down hard into her face. Lyric swallowed. Connor was so angry at her she could feel it coming off of him in a hot wave. She swallowed again as her eyes stung with tears. " I'm so sorry, Connor." Her voice cracked as she started to cry silently. " I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry I choked you and I'm sorry I drugged you. I'm sorry I screamed at Murphy and fought against him. I'm just...sorry." She shrugged her shoulders then wiped at her cheeks. " I don't know what else to say or how to make it up to you. I was ungrateful." She whispered the last part.

Murphy glanced at his dad then back at Connor who had locked eyes with Lyric. His face was a mask of fury. Murphy couldn't see Lyric's but he knew she was crying. She was struggling to take deep breaths as she stared up at Connor and her shoulders were trembling slightly. The room was completely silent. Connor's face suddenly fell. He reached out for Lyric, making Murphy tense up even more. Connor's hand went to the back of her neck. He pulled her to him, wrapped his arms around her, and held her tightly. Lyric took a hold of his sides and hugged him.

" We tried hard to save him." He whispered into her hair. Lyric closed her eyes and nestled her face into his chest. Connor's eyes were closed as a few tears started to make their way down his cheeks. "We tried to keep him alive. We followed you everywhere after his death but I had to stop. You cried so much that I couldn't handle it. I let Murphy take over your care. I just couldn't watch it anymore. I couldn't deal with it. I couldn't handle my own grief and carry yours."

" I'm sorry." She whispered again because she didn't know what to say. Connor squeezed her tightly, making Lyric move into him more. Her tears wet his shirt.

" Nick loved you." He said, making Lyric nod. " We loved him." After a few minutes they pulled away from each other. Lyric wiped her eyes and forced a smile.

" Can we start over?" She asked. Connor smiled and nodded.

" Can you stop trying to kill us, Love?" He asked, wiping his own cheeks. Lyric laughed and nodded.

" I can work on it." She said, making Connor laugh.

" Well I guess that's all I can ask for." He said. " Tell me something. When will my head clear? Because I feel like shit."

" Few hours. When I first started taking the pills they made me weird the next day. You guys might need to nap a few times today." Lyric said.

" When we're napping, are you going to try and smother us?" Connor asked with a grin that made her smile.

" I will try hard an reframe." She said.