Here is Chapter 6 of Sainthood. Please keep your reviews coming guys, it really helps me, and it serves to let me know that people are actually reading and enjoying the story :D

Disclaimer: I don't own the "Boondock Saints", or any of its characters. There is no copyright infringement intended!

I do own the story itself and the characters of Ryn and Ayden McAllister, as well as other non-boondock saints characters.

WARNING: BAD LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE, ETC., SO READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL.

All reviews, and constructive criticism, gratefully received – but no flaming please!

Chapter 6: Blood and Tears

Ryn stood transfixed to the spot. The face before her was so familiar…what was he doing here? She felt a cold chill creep up her spine, as she turned around to look at Silas, his hands still bound. He hadn't been hurt, not yet that is. Turning back around to face the figure clad in black, her bright blue eyes took on a hard glint.

"You", she repeated, more loathing in her voice than surprise this time.

The man grimaced slightly, "Yes Ryn,… 'me'. Come now, shouldn't you be happier than that to see me".

David Lewis strode closer to Ryn, his black suit contrasting sharply against his winter-paled skin and blond hair. His gun was drawn, and a cynical smile was on his face as his hollow steps echoed off of the wood floors.

"Don't you dare hurt her", Silas spat out.

David laughed then, a cruel sound that made Ryn shiver involuntarily. "I hardly think you are in any position to tell me what to do Detective. Besides, didn't you just warn precious little Ryn here that we wouldn't hurt her, as it wasn't…let's see what were your exact words…ah yes, as it wasn't our style. Well now Silas, perhaps you shouldn't have been so quick to judge", he said, as he raised his gun.

The shot rang out so loud in the bare room, that Ryn dropped to her knees, her ears ringing incessantly. Looking back, she saw that the bullet had struck its intended target.

"Oh god…NO! Silas!" Ryn screamed, a blood-curdling cry as the man fell to the floor with a thud.

Silas lay on the floor, his life's blood spilling from the wound to pool darkly around his head like some sinister halo. His face was ashen, his breathing irregular, but not yet shallow.

Crawling on her knees, her eyes clouded with tears of frustration and fear, Ryn reached out to the man with trembling hands. But as she looked down at him, she saw the determination in his eyes. That's when she really saw his wound. It hadn't hit his heart as she had feared at first. In fact, it was even farther away from that area than she could have hoped. He had been hit though, and the wound in his shoulder blade was deep. It bleed profusely, staining his shirt so much, that it did indeed looked like he had been mortally wounded. From the wound he would survive, but only if the blood loss was stopped, and soon.

Silas winked slightly at her, and closed his eyes as his breaths became deliberately slower and shallower. Playing dead, hmmm. Well, she had to give it to the man, it seemed to be working on David.

"Aw now 'Little Sister', did I kill your poor little cop friend?" David stood only a few feet away from Ryn, his face set in a malicious grin.

"Come on, get the fuck up Ryn. I don't want to have to hurt you,… at least not here that is", another mirthless laugh. His hand snaked out to grab her, but she pulled back, spitting in his face.

"Fuck you, David. Just to let you know, you never were or will you ever be good enough for Ayden…Never!"

His face lost the grin, to be replaced by a violent frown, "That wasn't very smart of you Ryn".

She opened her mouth to say something, but never got the chance. The last thing she saw was that horrible scowl, before a blinding pain shot through her head, and her world was encased in total blackness.

Murphy and Connor entered the house cautiously. Everything seemed quite, but the one thing that being the Saints had taught them was that nothing was ever as it seemed. But this time,… well this time, everything was as it appeared. But unlike other times,… everything being quite, was not a good sign!

"Fuck it, Conn. What the hell is going on here", Murphy shouted, his anger rising. This had been their break, to find out the identities of this cop and those damned private investigators.

Connor ran a hand though his hair distractedly, he was just as confused as his brother. His cell phone rang suddenly, causing him to pull his hand out of his hair long enough to answer it.

"Aye", he said, his own temper as hot as Murphy's.

"Connor…This is Smecker. Listen to me, you two have the wrong friggin' house. It's not 305, you hear me, not 305 but 315 instead. Same street though. White house this time, green trim. Think you two can find it, its only down…"

Smecker's voice was cut off though, by a gunshot that rang out over the street. Flipping the phone shut, Connor jammed it into his back pocket, as he pulled his mask over his face once more and followed Murphy out the back door.

A scream trailed the shot. Loud, clear, and definitely a woman's. Murphy looked back at Connor, his face screwed up with even more rage. If there was one thing he hated more than Mafioso, it was those same fuck-ups hurting a woman. With even more resolve, Murphy's anger-darkened eyes scanned the neighborhood. Bingo! A house about four or so houses down from the one they were in; white with green trim. Stalking across the neighboring lawns, the two came upon the house. A white Escalade was parked in the back…Georgia license tags. Georgia? Wasn't Ryn and Ayden from Georgia? Putting a finger to his lips in silent warning to Connor, Murphy crouched down low, positioning his body directly in front of the back door. Connor followed suit. That's when he saw her. Huddled in a tight shivering ball, under a window. Her tears streaming down her face, as she clearly debated on whether or not to re-enter the house. Connor stood quickly, walking with a direct deliberation to her. Ayden,…his Ayden. Wait, what…his Ayden? The thought flashed in his mind, but he disregarded it. All he could see right now was her, never mind the fact that he was obviously having some pretty strong feelings towards the woman. Nor did he even stop to consider why the hell she was there in the first place. No, all he saw was those stunningly unusual green eyes of hers clouded with tears and terror. He reached out a hand to her, just as her eyes settled on his face. Only it wasn't his face she saw. It was that blessed ski mask he was wearing. Letting out a frightened scream, Ayden jumped up, brandishing that huge hunting knife of hers once again at him. Except she didn't know it was him this time.

"Stay back, damn you. Do you hear me? I don't care if you do have a gun, I will cut your ass up, if you take one step closer." Ayden looked at Connor before her eyes shifted to where Murphy stood just a few yards away. Staring back at Connor, her face took on a confused look. A look that scared him even more than the one of terror she had been wearing just a few minutes before. Glancing down at the bright chrome gun he clutched in his hand, her eyes suddenly lit with recognition. Ayden's hand flew to her mouth, as her eyes sought out his, finally connecting.

"Connor?", she asked softly, as her hand reached out to tug the mask gently off his face. A soft groan escaped her lips as she took in that familiarly handsome face of his.

"Oh Connor…what…I mean. What are you doing here? What are ya'll doing here?" Again, a sudden realization flooded into her eyes as the question he had been dreading for years in his life now came forth from her lips, "Who are you two…really?".

Connor could tell by the confidence in her eyes, that she already knew the answer.

"I think ye know Ay", he said quietly, as his eyes cast downward and his jaw clenched unceremoniously.

Again another sigh, but instead of what Connor had expected, he heard her mumble a prayer of thanks.

"You two have come at the right time. Look, there are obviously things we need to talk about, but later…", she said as she laid a finger against Connor's lips to silence his questioning. "Right now, Ryn is in there. Do you hear me Murph", Ayden called, "Ryn is in there, and so is the leader of the Guardians. I can't help her, but you two…well, you two can. Just please go save Ryn, save my cousin before its too late".

Ayden finally sunk back down on the ground, a sob forming on her lips, as the tears coursed down her cheeks. Murphy had run over by then. His eyes held so much fear and rage in them, that Connor laid a reassuring hand on his brother's tense shoulder in understanding.

Nodding to one another, no words even needed at a time like this, both twins pulled semi-automatics from their holsters, and entered the house with guns blazing.

Pain. That was all Ryn felt when she woke up. White, blinding pain that radiated from the back of her head to the front. Opening one eye cautiously, half expecting to see herself in some abandoned warehouse somewhere; or worse in the trunk of David's car, Ryn was surprised to see the white "sterile-ness" of a hospital. Craning her neck, Ryn was even more surprised to see the sleeping form of Murphy folded uncomfortably in one of those straight-back chairs that hospitals .

"Murphy", she sighed, her voice coming out as croak instead. She reached out towards him. For having only known Murphy a little while, Ryn was finding that she was beginning to need him more and more.

Murphy's eyes opened quickly, bloodshot and weary. "Christ Ryn!" He stretched his body out of the chair, and strode to her, placing a long, deep kiss on her soft lips. Wrapping his fingers through her curls, he pulled her even closer to him. "Ye fuckin' scared me. Don't ye ever do that again! Ye hear me, ever!"

Ryn smiled softly against his mouth, grimacing as her head pounded even harder from their efforts.

"What happened?", she asked. The last thing she remembered was David's looming face, but yet here she was, safe and sound in a hospital in Boston.

Murphy sighed, a sound that made Ryn wonder what exactly did all happen.

"We found Ayden and ye just in time. That's what fuckin' happened", he said, as he continued to play in her hair gently.

Ryn pulled away then, shaking her head gently, "No Murph, I mean…how? How did ya'll find us". Her luminous violet-blue eyes locked on his, and she suddenly felt that bottom-dropping out moment in the pit of her stomach. She continued to stare hard at him, she needed his reassurance, his strength right now. Instead all she got was another sigh.

"Ryn, please…now isn't the time to explain everything ye need to know. Ye have a concussion. Hell, ye've been pretty much dead to the world for the past three days."

Murphy looked away from her. Those damned eyes of hers were filling with more confusion, and distrust again, and he just couldn't take it.

"Three days", she finally said in a breathy moan, her hand going up to rub the large, bandaged knot on the back of her head. And in that time, it seems that way too much had happened for him to tell her. But there were things she had to know! And things he himself must be wanting to know, right? Like why was she even there to begin with…

Ryn's mind was fuzzy still, a side-effect from the concussion she reckoned, and her thoughts were not coming as easily as they should. But one thing was sharp in her mind, and that was blood. A huge pool of it; splashed on the floor and his body…

"Silas", she whispered, her eyes flooding with the memory, and those awful stinging tears of regret.

Murphy's head shot up, his navy-blue eyes cutting hard at her once again. The look in them was hard for Ryn to read through the haze of pain and medication that still clouded up the spaces of her mind. But, it finally dawned on her, just as plain and clear as if she had been expecting it all along.

"You know about Silas, don't you?"

The words were so low, so soft-spoken; but the weight of them was so heavy that it echoed off the walls with a reverberating authority.

Murphy nodded his head, "Aye. I do…we do, Connor and me that is. And he is fine by the way… and so is Ayden, just if ye were wondering".

Ryn just stared at him, "How did you know? How did you know any of it? Where I was? How to save me? Who Silas is? Damn it Murphy, what the hell is going on here?"

Tears of aggravation seeped from her eyes, as she wiped hastily at them with the back of her hand. This was not what she needed right now, nor what she wanted…crying like this, well, it seemed weak, and she hated looking weak. Murphy bent low, and slowly kissed at each salty tear, before bringing his lips back down on hers in one of the sweetest, soul-wrenching kisses Ryn had ever had in her life.

"I know Ryn… I know everything. Connor and Ayden and me,…ye see we all sorta had some explaining to do to one another. But since ye have been in such a state", he said, motioning to the hospital bed she occupied, "Ye obviously haven't been able to be informed of everything yet. But ye will,…just as soon as we get ye home."

"No!", Ryn shouted, causing Murphy to jump slightly, and her damned head to feel as if it were renting in two. "Murphy, No! I am tired of all these guessing games with you! I never know what to expect next out of your mouth, and when I do finally think I have some idea of what it is or brace myself for it, you fuckin go and change the subject. I want to know what the hell is going on here…with all three of you for that matter, since you so wonderfully dragged my cousin and your brother into this shit of yours as well."

Murphy jumped off the bed, his own temper flared to no end by this exasperating woman.

"Amaid!"

The word flew out at Ryn, as Murphy struck a hand out against a nearby wall.

"What did you just call me", she yelled, her pounding head forgotten as she jumped out of bed, her anger boiling more so than ever.

Murphy swung around, his face a mixture of regret, but mostly of his own rage.

"Ye heard me. Damn it Ryn! Ye don't even know the half of it! It's not all about ye, ye know…there are things bigger than ye here. Things I haven't told ye for yer sake, and for good fuckin measure too. I don't want to see ye hurt because of it. Because of me." He let out a loud rush of air, as he flopped down onto the bed, his head cradled in his hands, as his body shook from his anger and his grief.

Ryn just stood there, she knew what he had called her. If she knew anything it was her Irish Gaelic; "Foolish woman". Yet, now she truly felt foolish indeed; felt like she somehow deserved the insult. Slumping down softly beside him, Ryn pulled Murphy's head onto her shoulder, and gently stroked his messy dark hair.

"Trust me then Murphy. Please just tell me what is going on. I need to know, and soon", Ryn sighed, as she pulled his face up to meet hers, "I'll wait…for now,… for you. But don't make me wait forever to know the truth Murphy. I deserve to know …".

The last words were left hanging in the open, as she thrust her face upwards to meet his lips in a fiery kiss. This was not like their other kisses. No, this one held anger, and regret, and sorrow. It held all their trust and distrust of each other. But mostly, it held a taste of love in it. And that, was something that Ryn would never forget the taste of in all her life after that moment.

Ayden leaned her head against the cold post, and sighed to herself. She had intended to go in and see her cousin, but upon the scene she encountered…, Ryn and Murphy practically making out on the hospital bed, she had thought better of it. Now, she was standing outside the hospital, the cold air burning her lungs. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. She hadn't smoked in over 2 years, but since this mess with David, and Ryn's stint in the hospital, she had picked back up the habit. She took a seat at the bottom of the steps and took a deep draw from her cigarette, trying to clear her thoughts, when a voice startled her out of them.

"Smoking is bad for ye, might wanna think of quitin", Connor said with a devilish grin on his face, as he eased his long body down beside hers' on the steps.

"Gotta die some way, best to know what I am going to die of… or, at least have a fairly good idea anyways", Ayden replied, before taking another long drag. She knew that Ryn was going to have a fit when she found out that she was smoking again, but at this point it didn't matter anymore. Ayden felt herself falling into a deep depression because of all of the things going on. She blamed herself for Ryn getting hurt, for being involved in this whole situation at all. She should never have come to Boston. And Connor and Murphy…, she couldn't keep turning to them for protection. Guilt was becoming her new best friend. She didn't know how to stop these feelings. Her eyes began to sting from the cold and from the familiar tears of remorse. Connor finished lighting a cigarette, and looked over at Ayden. Not knowing why she was crying, Connor knew that now was not the time to ask what was wrong. He put his arm around her, and pulled her closer.

Resting his chin on the top of her head and rubbing the space right between her shoulder blades, he kept repeating, "It will all be ok".

After the third time Ayden looked up at him, "You forgot to click your heals together as you said it Dorothy".

Connor chuckled slightly at her comment. He was beginning to learn that this was how Ayden dealt with things, by being funny or sarcastic or whatever. It was something he had also noticed that Ryn and her had in common. He just continued to rub her back, choosing not to reply. Finally after a few more moments of silence between the two, Ayden sighed and spoke again.

"Connor, I… I don't know what to do. I need to get away from here. Away from everyone. So David doesn't keep coming after Ryn. I don't want you two involved either, this isn't your fight."

Connor pulled away from her, and looked deep into her jade eyes, "Ay, it doesn't matter if you want any of us in it or not. We already all are. Ryn is in this because of you. Murph is in this because of Ryn, and I am in this because of Murph. See how we all fit together".

Yeah, she saw alright. Ayden didn't know why, but that last comment he made hurt,… bad. He was only in it cause of Murphy.

'Oh come off of it Ayden', she silently chided herself, 'Stop being so damned naïve, of course he was only in this for Murphy. He couldn't be feeling anything for you'.

Taking a step further away from the man in question, as if the distance might help, Ayden continued to smoke her cigarette, feeling the tension ease a little with each puff.

What was it about Connor that made him seem different than all the rest? His eyes captivated her; Hell, everything about him did. She now knew he was a part of the Saints and so was his brother, and for some odd reason she didn't find it as bad as David being over the Guardians. Feeling confused, her cigarette finally gone, its butt now crushed beneath the heel of her boot, she reached for another cigarette. Pulling one out of the pack, Ayden looked up as Connor laughed at her. "What the hell do you find so damn funny?", she asked with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Why those are the shortest damn things that I have ever seen, no wonder ye need to smoke so many at a time." Ayden rolled her eyes, giving him a playful shove just as Murphy came walking down the stairs, a love struck grin on his face once again. "Give me a cigarette Conn….., Jaysus Ay! I didn't know ye smoked", he said with a bewildered look, his fingers fumbling around the lighter because of the cold. "I just started back when all of this went down. Ryn is going to kill me when she finds out that I started back. I quit cause of her. Well, because of her and David. They always harassed me about these damn cancer sticks, and one day I just put them down. I didn't want them when I bought the first pack, but after that I couldn't stop", her voice trailed off into nothing, as her eyes took on a look of remembrance. Neither twin said anything, they didn't have to, not to Ayden, that just wasn't how it worked with her."What did the doc say Murph" Connor asked changing the subject."He said they were going to run some tests now that she was awake. Try to find out how bad the damage was or still is. Said she should be able to come home tomorrow if all goes well." "I need to go back to the apartment then, and clean it a little. I don't want her coming home to a dirty place", Ayden said with a groan, having at last come out of her own thoughts. Connor laughed to himself and stood up. "Aye, lets go then. Don't want ye doing all the work by yerself", he said reaching out his hand toward Ayden. Ayden took the offered hand and let him pull her up. She smiled weakly at Murphy, before starting off down the sidewalk. Murphy looked at Connor with a smile, his hand on his brother's coat sleeve, holding him back. "Ye like her, don't ye Conn?" "I don't know what the fuck yer talking about Murph", Connor said, rolling his eyes heavenward.

Murphy took a drag of his cigarette, squinting his eyes slightly, as if assessing his twin. Pointing his index finger, the cigarette still clutched precariously in his other fingers, "I call bullshit on this one, Conn".

Letting out a groan, Connor ran his fingers through his hands. "Jaysus, Mary, and Joseph. Is it that fucking obvious Murph", he asked with worried eyes.

Murphy just raised one eyebrow, and continued to smoke his cigarette and stare at his brother in that calculating way of his.

"Damn it Murphy, there is something about the girl. I cant put me finger on. She is different than other girls that I have known. It's not just about fucking her. Not this time. Hell, it might be easier if that was all this was about. Get it over with, ye know…out of me system. But its more…! Ah, and those eyes, those damn eyes of hers, a man could get lost in them." "Yeah, ye like her", Murphy said with a laugh, as he blew his smoke out into a perfect ring. " I feel this strong need to protect her, like ye are with yer Ryn. But she is going through so much. She told me she wants to leave Boston because of this David fella being here. She doesn't want to put Ryn and us in danger. The lass is trying to take all of this on herself, and Murph, I'm scared she is going to get hurt if she keeps on like this, if she leaves, aye. I can't tell her how I feel…not now…not because of what that bastard did to her… hell, what he is still doing to her. Besides, I'm not sure she feels the same way…not yet. Its too soon, ye know." "Conn, ye worry too much. Not that I have any cause to say that to ye, when I'm the same fuckin way with Ryn", Murphy said, as he ground out his cigarette. Motioning towards the retreating back of Ayden, "Ye had better catch up with her, she is almost out of sight. We'll talk about this when I get Ryn home. I have my own shyte to deal with. Telling her and all", he said with a sigh. Connor nodded, laying a hand on his brother's back. "Aye. It'll all be okay. We have been through too much shyte now, for it not to be. We have always seen this kinda stuff, Murph. There has always been blood and tears in our lives, ever since starting the Saints. And there always will be, as long as we continue to live like this. But, maybe now…since ye have that wonderful girl of yours', who might I add is layin in a hospital bed because of all this shyte,… just maybe ye finally understand why I want out of this life. And why, I'm hesitant about bringing Ayden in on all of it".

With a final pat on Murphy's back, Connor locked eyes with his twin, both nodding in unison, no words needed for them to understand what the other was trying to say.

"Aye", was all Murphy said, before turning to head back into the hospital, as Connor started to jog off down the street, trying to catch up with the now distant Ayden.