AN: I'm not sure how many more chapters are left in this story because I have yet to write the final chapters. I'm not even sure how I should finish it yet, but we'll see, I guess. If any of you have ideas, they would be appreciated. As would reviews.

I do not own the Black Donnellys, just Brigit and her family.


Kevin, on his walk home, decided to check the Firecracker for his brothers. He found the three of them sitting at the bar, drinking, as Joey Ice Cream served them, and he could not help but join in.

Eventually, Tommy broke the cheerful atmosphere by stating, "We're all going to die."

He went on to explain why and his plan top hopefully stop it was for them to ally themselves with Dokey against the Italians and take over everything once Nicky killed Dokey. The only way it was going to happen though was if Sean backed off, went home, and stayed safe. Sean was the only one to protest but eventually gave in, though not happily, facing three of his brothers.

Everything the four of them discussed that night made Kevin realize more and more how important familial bonds were.

When they all got home, Tommy and Jimmy went into their bedroom but Kevin, instead of going to the room he shared with Sean, went to his mother's room. He knew she was most likely asleep, but what he had to tell her was important and what he had to ask her was even more important.


The next morning, Kevin found himself, once again, in front of Brigit's apartment. It was light outside so he could not tell if she was home or not, but he knew her normal schedule -- she had to be home, she just had to. If not, though, he would wait for her.

He used his key to get into the building and rushed up the steps, skipping some, if only to get there a second or more earlier. Taking a deep breath, he unlocked the apartment door without knocking and pushed it open.

Brigit was sitting right in front of him, at the dining room table, looking over a few open books. She looked up at him as the door swung open. She said nothing, just stared. Someone had to make a move and Kevin made sure it was him.

He stepped forward and snuck a closer look at the books before her -- pregnancy books. The edge of his mouth quirked upward, "I guess you won't need this then. Ma said it hel-"

Kevin stopped talking as he found himself practically tackled, her arms squeezing around his torso tightly. He reacted quickly, tossing a worn copy of What to Expect When You're Expecting on the table and wrapping his arms around her as well, as he heard her weeping against his chest.

After a few moments, she took a deep, calming breath and looked up at him, "I was beginning to think you weren't coming back."
He caressed her face, "I know, I should've come back earlier, but I had to tell Ma about all this. Figured she could tell me what to do."
"What'd she say?"
"She said I was an idiot if I let you get away and that she'd never forgive me. She's excited for a grandkid though."
Brigit let out a sigh of relief, "Good, I was scared she would hate me for corrupting her little boy."
Kevin chuckled, "Who? Ma? Nah, she loves you." He paused, "I love you. And I'm sorry for-"
She placed a finger on his lips, "I know, let's just forget it and move on, okay?"

He nodded and they walked toward the bedroom, arms around each other. Kevin was not tired but he felt happy just to hold her in his arms as she fell asleep. This was all he needed.


A little over an hour later, Kevin reluctantly pulled himself away from Brigit as he heard his cell phone vibrating. He knew who it was and what it was about -- he and his two older brothers had a meeting with Dokey soon. Getting up, Kevin moved to write a note but Brigit stirred in bed, turning over, her eyes opening.

"Whatever you guys are doing, will you try to be safe? Stay on your guard, please, because even Dokey can't be trusted."
Kevin took a minute to respond, "Dokey? I don't know what you're talkin' about."
Brigit smirked, "Sean called and left a voicemail on my phone last night -- something about how you guys are leaving him out of taking over the neighborhood." When Kevin made a face of dismay, she chuckled, "I don't know why any of you Donnellys try to keep things from me. One of you always tells me."

Kevin shrugged, knowing she was right. He and his brothers each had their own special relationship with Brigit and one or more was probably willing to share secrets with her (usually Kevin) that another would not.

"All right," Kevin sighed, "I guess I gotta go or Tommy'll be pissed. Call me when you wake up, maybe I can walk you to work."

Brigit nodded and Kevin leaned down to kiss her on the lips before leaving, rushing to meet Jimmy and Tommy. He hoped whatever they had to do would not take too long because he wanted to talk to her to make sure they were on the same page: things were dangerous, but he loved her and they were having a child together and he still wanted to marry her, baby or no.

After meeting with Dokey, Jimmy left to go find Whitey and Kevin and Tommy went to Highland Management and then the building they were supported to evict people from. Kevin realized it was going to take a long time to get an entire building of people out -- even if it was only about two floors of apartments. If they had yet to leave despite their electricity and cable being turned off, they were not going to leave easily when asked by them.

The first apartment they went to, 1D, gave them a hard time but Kevin thought Tommy could handle it and moved on to the next one until he heard Tommy screaming and ran to find him being attacked by 1D's dog.

Tommy just wanted the job down as quickly as possible but first he had to take care of the dog bite and come up with a plan to distract the dog so 1D would be forced out of the building. On the way to the Firecracker, Tommy pointed out a butcher's shop to his brother and sent him there for a steak. Hopefully the meat would take the dog's focus from them. As Kevin entered the shop and Tommy walked further from him, Kevin pulled out his cell phone. He knew he should not call and wake her up but who was better to call for a dog bite than his girlfriend, the registered nurse?

By the time he reached the Firecracker, Brigit, looking as if she had been up for hours instead of minutes, was wrapping Tommy's wound in a bandage and trying to convince him to go to the hospital for a rabies shot and a tetanus shot if he had not gotten one in the past five years. Joey was no help as he tried to dissuade Tommy from a rabies shot because 'they hurt.' Kevin shot Brigit a smile as he handed Joey five pounds of meat. She returned the smile and merely sat by to watch, not wanting to get involved anymore than she already was in this affair, as Tommy pulled out the baseball bats from behind the bar.

She kissed all three on the cheeks as they left the bar, though Joey would not stop talking, asking questions as to why he had to be the one with the meat and such. Before she, herself, left the bar, to return to her bed, she made sure Sean was all right. He was, but he was still upset with his brothers at being left out. She tried to explain it was because he was the youngest and that she was being left out as well, but he did not want to hear it.


Brigit woke up just as the sun was readying itself to set. As asked, she called Kevin but he did not pick up so she left him a message, in which she reminded him to tell Tommy to go to the hospital for a shot.

A few hours into her shift, Brigit got a phone call at the nurses' station, saying a Donnelly had checked in and was in the waiting room of the emergency room. Instantly, her mind went to the most horrible ideas, but realized there was no real urgency in her co-worker's voice and if it had been something tragic, they would not be sitting in the waiting room.

Asking for a break, she went down to meet them, finding the three, sitting quietly together and each looking in one piece. None looked up until she was right in front of them.

She smiled at them, "I hope you're here, taking my advice, Tommy."
"I tried to make him chance his mind," Joey added, as if it were the right thing to say, "It's going to hurt."
Tommy shot him a look, "A rabies shot is the least of my worries."
Instantly, Brigit began to worry, "Why? What happened? Are any of you hurt, more than a dog's bite?"

She caught the look Tommy and Joey shot at Kevin, but tried not to worry since he looked to be perfectly healthy. Seeing her watching him, Kevin stood and led Brigit outside.

"Babe, what's wrong?" She asked, concerned, "Is everything okay? Why is your neck red?"
Ignoring her questions, he asked his own, "We're okay, right?"
"Of course we are," she began but was cut off by questions, "I just wanted to make sure. We're still together, right? We're going to raise this kid together?"
Brigit smiled, realizing whatever Kevin was not telling her had scared him enough to make sure to clarify things with her, "Yes, Kevin, we are, to both questions. Stop worrying, you have nothing to worry about… I love you."

He nodded, trying to appear confident, as if he already knew that but was simply making her say it again aloud.

"I love you too."

Grabbing her hand, they headed back into the hospital, where Brigit personally took care of Tommy.