It was supposed to work. She was just supposed to slip in. She wasn't supposed to get caught, and she wasn't supposed to be standing in front of Bengino Yakavetta as he smirked at her, walking forward.

"What exactly were you expecting to do?" He asked, trailing his finger down the side of her face. She turned her head away from his touch. She felt nauseous. "Waltz in here and shoot us all? Have your little friends help?" She stiffened even further in the grip of the two burly men holding her. What was it with mob guys and huge muscles? Insanely large muscles weren't even that fucking attractive.

"Ah yes. We caught your little fucking friends trying to sneak in through the basement. Not very imaginative, are they?" He cupped her chin with his hand. "Not like your sister, of course. No. Your sister has tried some very creative ways to escape from us." He smiled, and nodded to the guards. "Take her away. I have some fucking annoying Irish pricks to take care of." With her hands tied behind her back, and the men holding her so her feet weren't touching the floor (God, how she hated being short!) She could do little to escape.

Murphy and Conner fought the handcuffs they were in, cuffed to the chairs, their holsters emptied. Bengino Yakavetta stood in the doorway, grinning at them.

Conner had a split lip. He'd tried to bite the man who put the gag in his mouth, and the force of the punch had been enough to split his lip, and knock his chair over.

Murphy on the other hand, had tried everything humanly possible to get himself out of the handcuffs, and there were bloody red lines all over his wrists, and a shallow cut on his forehead from his attempts.

Bengino nodded to the men behind the boys, who removed their gags.

"I'm goin' ta fuckin' kill ye!" Murphy spat out. To their surprise, Yakavetta smiled.

"I am going to ask you boys a question." He said, his Italian accent thick. "And I want you to answer me truthfully. Okay?" They glared at him. "Have you ever known a woman who has been raped?" They froze. "Because I just found an Irish beauty trying to sneak into my house and take her sister from me. Imagine!" Murphy pulled at the handcuffs again. "And if you two try to escape. . ." His grin right then would have been out of place, even on a shark. It was the most evil grin in the history of the universe. At least in Murphy's opinion. "I may not be able to control several of my men. And she is a beautiful woman."

"You fuckin' bastard!" Murphy cried, and began shouting curses at him in Italian. Every single one he knew. Yakavetta walked straight up to him and landed a solid punch to his cheek. Murphy's chair skidded about a foot to the side before sending him sprawling on the floor with a crack. Conner let out in incoherent shout when his brother didn't try to get up. He didn't even move, and Yakavetta seemed perfectly all right with him.

"Come." He said to his men. A sudden image of what had happened the last time they were caught like this. Rocco.

He was not about to let that happen to Keeva. And they would do worse to her. He knew Murphy cared deeply for Keeva, maybe even loved her, and if Yakavetta went through with his threat, it would break Murphy, completely. He heard a strangled sound from his brother and jumped his chair closer. Murphy's eyes were open, and his jaw was set firmly.

"Why the fuck did ya do that?" Conner asked. Murphy didn't answer, just lifted his head off the floor, and spit out a mouthful of blood. "Murphy!" His twin's eyes lifted to his own, and he felt himself snap. "Damn it Murph! We're goin' ta get out o' this!"

"All of us?"

They opened an door and threw her inside. She landed awkwardly, sending pain racing up her arm. She heard loud shouts from the room next door, but ignored it. A red-haired woman was lying stretched out on the bed, facing the wall. From the deep, even breathing, Keeva could tell she was asleep.

"Brigh!" She couldn't get up by herself. "Brigh, wake the fuck up!" Her sister rolled over, her eyes widening like a cartoon's when she saw Keeva.

"Kee!" She flung herself off the mattress and wrapped her arms around Keeva's next. "I knew you'd come!"

"Yeah. Fat lot o' good it did us." She said Brigh shifted her grip, and Keeva cried out as her shoulder cried out in pain. "I can't move me shoulder."

"Oh God!" Brigh sat up and froze, holding her arms up.

"Would ya just fuckin' untie be already?!"

"Shit! Oh, right!" She moved around behind Keeva and moments later Keeva was rolling her shoulder, rubbing it with her other hand, a painful grimace set on her face. She stopped trying to move her shoulder. Keeva bit her lip as she turned and looked at her sister, a deadly serious look in her eyes.

"Brigh."

"What?"

"Are ya hurt?" Brigh shook her head. "They didn't do anythin' ta ya?"

"No. They just shove food and water through that small door twice a day. I've got a bathroom in here with a sink and a fuckin' toilet. I haven't seen anyone. How long have I been here?"

"A fuckin' week."

"A week?!"

"Aye."

"It took ye a fuckin' week ta find me?!"

"No. It took Agent Smecker a fuckin' week ta find ye. He didn't want me anywhere near the search."

"How's John? And my kids?" Keeva shook her head, getting to her feet. The room spun, and she dropped onto the second bed along the wall.

"I don't fuckin know. He didn't want me near them either. I got caught once trying to find you about five days ago."

"What happened?!"

"Not important." Keeva stood again, and this time the world stayed still.

"Keeva-"

"I'll tell ya after we get the fuck out o' here." She moved over to the small flap-like section of the door, and inspected the hinges.

"It doesn't move." Brigh said. "I already tried it." Keeva nodded.

"Well, it's not going ta. Not right now anyway." She sat back on the balls of her feet, using her good arm to hold herself up, and thrust her foot into the door. There was a sharp crack, and they could hear footsteps coming. "Brigh! On the bed! Pretend ta be asleep, but if they try an' wake ye, get up!" Brigh nodded and quickly lay down, feigning sleep. A key rattled in the door, and one of the large men stepped in, clutching a ring of keys.

"Why're ya kickin' the fucking door?" He asked. Keeva glared at him.

"Why the fuck d'ya think ya pig? I'm tryin' ta get out o' here." He seemed confused by her bluntness, and that was just the opportunity she needed. She spun, slamming her heel into his gut. He doubled, and the rammed her foot into the base of his skull. He dropped instantly.

"Brigh! Get his gun!" She grabbed the key ring, which had fallen from his grip as he'd gone unconscious. Her sister pulled the gun from his holster, and they moved out into the corridor, closing the door behind them. It would hold off suspicion for a few extra, precious seconds.

"Murph, pull yerself the fuck together!" She paused in front of the door next to them. "Murph, if they touch her, we'll fuckin' kill 'em, now-"

"Conner?!"

"Keeva! Would ya please tell Murph they didn't fuckin' touch ya!"

"Hang on!" She rifled through the keys, trying each one to see if it would fit. The fifth one did, and she pushed open the door. The handed the keys to Brigh.

"Uncuff him." She said, pointing to Conner as she righted Murphy's chair. He was staring at her like he didn't believe she was real. "Murph!" She grabbed his face with both hands. "Ya need ta keep yer fuckin' head!" He just made a small sound. She turned to look at Conner. "What the fuck happened?"

Conner rubbed his wrists as Brigh freed him. "Yakavetta told us that if we tried ta get out, his men would. . ." He took a deep breath, but Keeva held up a hand. She turned back to Murphy, and grabbed his face again, forcing him to look at her.

"Murph, they didn't touch me. They jus' threw me in a room and fucked up me shoulder." Brigh had uncuffed Conner, and he was now trying to get the gun from her.

"No!"

"Give me the fuckin' gun!"

"No!"

"Stop fuckin' arguing right now!" Keeva ordered. "Brigh, give him the fuckin' gun! He knows how ta use it, and he's not going ta go shootin' us. Now unlock him!" Brigh handed the gun to Conner, then hurried over to Murphy, and uncuffed him. He stood up and immediately pulled Keeva into a tight hug. She swallowed, fighting the urge to just stay there and let him hold her. Even if she felt safe, they weren't.

The gunshot proved it. "Fuck!" Conner said, looking at the guard he'd just shot. Murphy let go of Keeva, and took the dead guard's gun.

"Let's fuckin' go." Keeva looked at him.

"Murph, get Brigh out o' here." She said. He stared at her.

"What? There no way I'm goin' ta fuckin leave ya here!"

"I know what ya said ta John. Now you're goin' ta get her out o' here. I'm going to kill the figlio di puttana." She turned and followed Conner down the hall. Cursing under his breath, Murphy looked to Brigh.

"I promised yer husband I'd get ya back, and Smecker'll kill me if ya wind up dead, so stay close. I don't even want ta think about what Keeva'd do ta me. So come on."

Keeva chanced a glance behind her and saw Brigh moving in the opposite direction with Murphy. Conner passed a closed door, but it didn't stay that way. As she walked in front of it, a guard stumbled out and froze at the sight of her. She didn't think, just rammed her elbow into his nose. He hit the floor in a faint, and she took the gun from his holster, flicking the safety off.

They reached Yakavetta's office, and Keeva felt energized by the look of pale shock and panic on the Mafia Don's face as they strode into his office, and took out his guards with two shots.

He opened his mouth, but Keeva leveled her gun at him. "Shut yer fuckin' mouth Yakavetta." She said angrily, stepping around his desk. He didn't move as she placed the barrel of her gun to his head.

"You're not a fucking killer." He said. She set her jaw.

"I could become one, right now." She said, and both men in the room believed her. Then she lifted the gun from his head and took a step back. She had a decision to make. Reaching up to her neck, she lightly fingered the cross hanging there.

A peaceful, sudden calm came over her. She knew what she was going to do.

"Oh, grazie!"

Conner put the gun to Yakavetta's head. "On yer fuckin' knees." Yakavetta sunk down, and Conner chanced a glance up at Keeva. She didn't even bat an eye as he began to speak. "And shepherds we shall be. For thee my lord, for thee." She stepped forward, resting the barrel of her gun to his head. Conner paused, and looked at her, his eyes asking if she were sure. She nodded, and he continued. "Power hath descended forth from Thy hand, our feet may swiftly carry out Thy commands. So we shall flow a river forth to Thee, and teeming with souls shall it ever be."

"In Nomeni Patri, Et Fili," Keeva finished, locking eyes with Conner.

"Spiritus Sancti." They said together, and they pulled the triggers.

"Keeva, where are we?" Brigh asked wearily as Conner and Keeva helped her walk into the apartment.

"Home." Keeva said, shoving open the door to the MacManus's apartment. "Of it feels like it anyway." Da looked up as they came in, getting to his feet, vacating the sofa. Brigh was deposited there, and Da sat down on the end. Murphy collapsed into the armchair, and Conner just lay down on the floor. Keeva went into the kitchen, coming back with several bags filled with ice. She dropped to one knee next to Conner, and put one on his swelling lip. She grabbed his arm and put it over the bag to hold it in place. She tossed two to her sister, who gave her a grateful smile. Keeva disappeared back into the kitchen, and returned with a damp cloth, and walked over to Murphy.

"I don't want a repeat o' the last time." He said. She rolled her eyes.

"There's no fuckin glass in yer face this time." She said, settling herself down in his lap. She tried to wipe the blood off his face, but he kept moving. She glared at him. "Murph. . ." He stopped, glaring at her as she gently wiped the blood away from the cut on his split lip, which was starting to bruise famously, along with most of his cheek.

"Ow!"

"What the fuck happened ta ye?" She demanded as he winced again.

"He fuckin' cursed Yakavetta out in Italian after he told us what would'a happened." Conner muttered from the floor, his voice slightly muffled from the ice pack. Keeva fixed Murphy with a glare, and smacked him on the uninjured side of his head.

"What the fuck was that fer?" Murphy asked, rubbing his head.

"Fer being a fuckin' idiot." She said. He rolled his eyes.

"Keeva, I know it's late and all, but what the hell's goin' on?" Keeva looked up at her sister, and bit her lip. "Kee, please."

"Maybe I can do that?" They all looked up at Smecker, who was standing in the doorway. Brigh sat up straight, her eyes wide.

"Agent Smecker!" He smiled at her, pulling a hand through his hair. "Maybe I'll get some damn answers from you." He nodded, leaning against the door frame.

"As soon as I learned you were missing, I knew that Keeva here would go after you." Keeva made a face at him, shifting so she was leaning back against Murphy's chest. "And I was fucking right. These three found her in the warehouse where they had been holding you."

"Yakavetta's right hand was there though." Keeva said. Brigh frowned.

"But I heard the guards saying that the Saints. . ." She trailed off, her eyes widened. "Shit! You guys are the Saints! Keeva, what the-"

"Brigh, calm down."

"Look, I know you agree with what they do, but-"

"And I know you don't!"

"We are sitting right here ya know." Murphy said from behind Keeva. She smacked him lightly on the shoulder.

"Brigh, they're not bad people!"

"But-"

"Look, you trust me, right?" Brigh stopped fidgeting and locked eyes with her sister.

"You know I do."

"Then trust me when I tell you that they're all right. You're safe here." Brigh relaxed against the sofa.

"Okay. So what happened after that?"

"I made her stay here, with the boys." Smecker went on. "Until I could find you. Then I let her go in, and here we are."

"When can I go home?" She asked. Smecker gave her a smile.

"You come down to the police station tomorrow and tell us you were rescued by the Saints. They'll be almost no questions, and you'll be able to go home." Brigh nodded, and heaved a heavy yawn, which she tried to hide.

"It's been a long day." Da said. "And tomorrow may be even longer. We should all get ta bed." Brigh glanced around at everyone. "Me back's brotherin' me again, so ya can have me bed lass." Brigh hesitated, then nodded. Keeva got up off of Murphy and went to help her sister up.

"Come on. I'll show you." She said, and lead her sister out of the room. No one had said so, but they all knew that she'd be staying with Murphy that night.

"Keeva?" Brigh asked as she sat down on the bed. Keeva turned back to her sister, and smacked herself in the head.

"I'm fuckin smart." She said. "I'll be right back with some pajamas." She came back and handed the clothes to her sister, who gave her a tight hug. "They're just fuckin' pajamas Brigh."

"Keeva, shut it." She said. With a smile, Keeva hugged her sister back. After a few minutes, she pulled away from her sister.

"Get some fuckin' sleep." She said, her voice and accent thicker than usual. "Yer goin' ta need it." By the time she got back to the main room, Conner had gone off to bed, and Smecker had gone. Murphy was in the kitchen, a mostly empty beer in his hand. He looked up as she came in, his eyes narrowing. He stood up and let her walk over to him, wrapping his arms around her slim form. She choked back a sob and grabbed his shirt.

"What the fuck da ya have ta cry about?" He asked, rubbing her back gently. "It's over. Yer sister's here, and she's safe."

"That's just it." She said. "It's fuckin over." He suddenly got it. She's been so strong through the entire ordeal and now that it was over, she didn't have to be anymore. His grip on her tightened instinctively, and one of his hands trailed up to cup the back of her head, pressing her head tighter into his shoulder as his fingers tangled in her hair.

"Ya don't have to be so fuckin' strong all tha time." He said. Keeva's arms slid around his waist, pulling herself harder against him. She titled her head so she was looking at the tattoo on his neck. She shifted her head over and planted a soft kiss on it. She felt him stiffen, and inhale sharply, his grip on her tightening. She placed another kiss on his jaw line, and he snapped his head around, pressing his lips to hers. After a moment, his tongue flitted against her lips and she parted them, allowing him entrance as her hands made their way up to his neck, pulling his mouth into hers even harder.

A noise from the doorway made them pull away from each other. Murphy's brows rose slightly, and Keeva turned to find her shocked-looking sister standing in the doorway, her mouth hanging open.

"Uh, I'm sorry." She said. "But I have to play older sister here." Keeva groaned and let her head fall onto Murphy's chest. He grinned.

"Completely understandable." He said. "Same with me brother an' me."

"Keeva, can we have a moment?" Keeva glanced from her sister to Murphy, then back to her sister.

"No killing him." She said firmly, and left the kitchen. Murphy picked up his beer again, and leaned against the counter. Brigh opted to lean against the table, her arms folded over her chest.

After a long moment of silence, Murphy sighed. "So, are ya goin' ta kill me?" He raised an eyebrow at him.

"What?"

"Fer bein' with Keeva."

"So are ye two datin' or what?" Murphy levered himself up so he was sitting on the counter and sighed, shaking his head.

"Honestly? I've got no fuckin' clue. We haven't really talked abou' it."

"What about you?" He raised his eyebrows at her. "How do ya feel about her?" Murphy sighed, shaking his head.

"Fuck." He rubbed his eyes with his palms. "I think I fuckin' love 'er." He didn't look up at Brigh. "I mean, I've barely known her a fuckin' week, but-" He looked up at her and stopped. She was grinning. "What?"

"You've got it bad." She said. He raised his eyebrows even further. "Keeva. Everyone she meets likes her immediately. My kids, they love her."

"I know." Murphy said quietly. "I met 'em. Smecker made me go with her when she got some of her clothes. He figured everyone would be safer if she wasn't with them." Brigh nodded.

"Sounds like Smecker." She shook her head, and looked up at him. "He really helped Keeva and I out, a long time ago."

Murphy nodded. "Aye, he told us abou' that." Brigh shook her head, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Did ya know that Smecker is the only one Keeva has ever told what she did to Papa Joe?" Murphy looked up at her sharply.

"Wait, what happened?" Brigh's eyes narrowed in confusion.

"When she got me out from under the Yakavetta's thumb, a guard tried to stop us from leaving his office. She knocked him out, took his gun, and made me wait outside. She never told me what she said to him, but he didn't bother us again." Murphy stared at her, blinking a couple of times. "She really didn't say anything?"

"No, she really didn't." Keeva said from the doorway. "Now my sister can really shut her mouth and get some fuckin' sleep." Brigh made a face at her.

"I've got twelve years on ye." Keeva rolled her eyes.

"Aye, but I've got a fuckin' black belt. Ye want ta try explainin' ta Catrina why I had ta knock ye out?" Brigh stuck out her tongue, but left, slipping quietly through the main room, so as not to wake Da. Keeva didn't move from her spot in the doorway, she just leaned to the side against it.

"Ya never did tell us how ya were mixed up with the fuckin' Italians." He said. Keeva shifted slightly, looking at the floor.

"I know." She said quietly. She didn't hear him move, but when she looked up again he was standing about a foot in front of her.

"So, ye want ta tell me what happened?" She bit her lip, shaking her head.

"Murph, it's been years and I haven't even told me fuckin' sister. Now yer expecting fer me ta tell ya?" He set his jaw, fixing her with a blue-eyed stare. She faltered, then stepped past him and collapsed into one of the chairs, drawing her knees up to her chest.

"Brigh, go wait in the car." Keeva said firmly. Her sister stared at her.

"What? No way! I'm not leavin' ya in here!"

"I said go wait in the car!"

"So Miss Dolan." Papa Joe said, standing so the two guns in his holsters were completely revealed. "What do you think you can do to me, eh?"

Keeva strode up to his desk, stepping over so she was standing right next to his chair, and gave him her most disarming smile. "What makes ya think I'm going ta do anythin' ta ye?" She asked. He sat back in his chair, folding his arms behind his head. She leaned down and put a hand on his shoulder. In one swift movement she'd flipped open his holster, pull out the gun and pressed it under his chin.

"I thought you fucking said you weren't going to do anything!" Papa Joe exclaimed.

"No. What I asked was why the fuck ye thought I was goin' ta do somethin'." She said. "And now I want ya ta give me a fuckin' reason not ta pull this trigger right now. Because I'm goin' ta bet that the cops would take one look at this crime scene, and label it a suicide without a second fuckin' thought."

"Okay! Okay! Don't fucking shoot me!" Keeva smiled at him, flicking the safety off. She pressed it harder against the flesh at the bottom of his chin.

"And why tha fuck not?"

"What the fuck do you want?"

"Leave me and me sister the fuck alone." She said."I even so much as glimpse one of yer men, or smell your foul fuckin' stench and not even God himself will be able ta protect ya." She tapped the small cross on his neck with her finger, then grabbed it, yanking it off his neck. She lifted the gun from him, flicking the safety on and shoving it into the back of her jeans.

She heard him stand behind her, and she whipped it out again, thumbing the safety off as she aimed and fired.The gun flew from his hand, knocked out of the way by the bullet from her gun.

"An' don't worry. I can use one o' these fuckin' things."