CHAPTER 6

Whole.

Murphey arrived at the local bar where she was meeting her friends for a girl's night out, entering the smoky haze to see Claire and Mary Rhodes, her close friend and assistant that practically ran her business for her. It was Mary who suggested the night out after hearing about the fight with Krista, and the quiet moment Murphey shared with Jem.

She walked over to her friends; taking one of the empty seats noticing the girl's had already started with a couple of rounds of drinks.

"I thought you were going to bail last minute," Claire joked.

"After the night I had yesterday, I wasn't going to pass up the offer to get a few drinks into me." Murphey smiled.

After spending some time together at Kaylee's grave the night before, Jem walked Murphey home. She invited him in and made them a quick meal to make up for them missing the barbeque. They ate and talked, catching up on the past few years and Murphey even showed off some of recent photos she'd taken. It wasn't until they looked at a clock and realized the hour was later than expected, and Jem left. But Murphey couldn't sleep; she just laid in bed staring up at the ceiling thinking about everything and anything that always led back to Jem.

"So, what did happen last night? You were a bit vague about it," Mary stated sipping her vodka and cranberry drink.

"And I tried to call you but I kept getting voicemail." Claire added.

"It was nothing really; I just had a run-in with someone that I use to know." Murphey didn't miss the glance her friends shared. "It's not a big deal."

Mary lightly shook her head causing her blonde waves to frame her face. "Yeah, sounds like it. Anyway, it's my round, what do you girls want?"

"Tequila shots and beer," Murphey replied.

"Really? You wanna start there?" Mary asked as Murphey nodded. "Alright, Claire?"

"Same for me too."

"This is going to be messy," Mary muttered walking over to the bar.

After a few too many tequila shots, and an uncountable number of beer bottles, Murphey didn't have a care in the world and her problems from the day before were long forgotten.

"Y'know what's fuckin' amazing?"

"What?" Mary asked clinking her shot glass with Claire's as their hips moved to the beat of the music playing from the jukebox.

"I'm still fuckin' standing!" Murphey laughed glancing at her feet. "What the hell? Where the hell is lightweight Caroline?"

"She has to work tomorrow," Claire stated looking at Mary. "You're taking her home tonight,"

"Yeah, as long as she don't throw up on my shoes."

Murphey drained her beer, slamming the bottle upon the table as a new song started playing. "I fuckin' love this song!" She started singing and dancing along until tripping over her feet, falling backwards into a woman at the next table.

"Watch what you're fuckin' doing!" She shoved Murphey in the chest.

"I can fuckin' dance where I want!" Murphey glared at her, Claire and Mary moving around the table to back her up. "Maybe your fuckin' fat ass shouldn't be in the damn way!"

"This ain't no strip club honey –"

"No bitch! Your dog face would scare everyone away!"

The women stepped threateningly towards each other but the bartender walked over, coming between them. "I think you need to take your friend home."

"Alright, we're leaving." Mary and Claire each grabbed one of Murphey's arms and helped her from the bar, but once outside in the cool early morning breeze, she stumbled away from her friends.

"C'mon, there's a cab," Mary reached for her elbow dragging her towards the cab pulling up at the curb.

Murphey sat in the middle of the backseat, between Claire and Mary, not really listening to their conversation. She felt the cab slow and stop before Mary was tugging her out and onto the curb. She blindly allowed her friend to lead her into her apartment, and to her bedroom where she sat on the edge of the bed.

"Drink this," Mary stated reappearing moments later with a large glass of water. "I'm crashing on the couch, okay?"

"Okay." She mumbled slowly drinking the water while Mary pulled off her shoes, and turned down the sheets before stumbling out of the room.

Murphey finished the water and clumsily placed the glass upon the bedside table, rising from the bed and walking out of the bedroom. She discovered Mary already passed out on the couch, and tiptoed pass her grabbing the house keys off the kitchen counter and walked out the door. The breeze blew in her face, sobering her up as her hands rubbed her bare arms; her feet walking through the quiet streets to a destination she couldn't stop thinking about, no matter how much she drank.

She managed to arrive safely and knocked on the door hoping the person she wanted to see would open the door. She continued to knock until the door finally swung open.

"Murph? What the fuck? Are you okay?"

"I'm drunk, I almost got into a bar fight and I miss you Jem." She shivered on his front porch. "I fuckin' miss you Jem, so fuckin' much."

Jem's eyebrows rose staring at the shivering brunette. She wasn't the type to get into bar fights after drinking too much that was his trait but regardless of what lead her here, he outstretched his hand.

"Come in," Murphey placed her hand in his, allowing him to pull her into the warmth. He led her through the living area and into his bedroom where he closed the door. "Are you okay?"

"I dunno," she squeezed his hand. "I don't know why I came here, but I wanted to see you…I needed to see you."

"You are fuckin' wasted," he muttered as she slipped her hand from his, awkwardly walking over to the bed where she dropped upon the tangled sheets. "You'll feel it in the morning."

"Can I stay here? I don't wanna be alone."

It was music to Jem's ears to hear those words come from Murphey. "Yeah, that's fine."

He grabbed one of his old Charlestown Townie t-shirts from the dresser and handed it to Murphey who instantly began tugging at her dress. Jem spun round, glimpsing over his shoulder to find her swaying slightly on the spot. He helped her into bed, climbing in beside her, planning on keeping his distance but she shifted across the sheets, snuggling against his side letting the heat of his body warm her. His familiar scent of cologne mixed with cigarettes and beer soon had her drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

But Jem lingered awake, staring down at the brunette beauty in his arms. He never thought he'd have this feeling again, or share a moment like this with Murphey. She looked so peaceful lost within her dreams, which was the opposite of what she was like during the day when her thoughts tortured her. Jem kissed her forehead and closed his eyes, feeling something he hadn't felt in a very long time – whole.