**Oh my goodness! What an amazing response to such a simple question! Thank you, everybody, so much for all of the love. We are going to keep going on with the story by popular demand. I have an idea for where we are going to end up… we shall see where this crazy train takes us! Much love! (BDS does not belong to me.)**

Chapter 14

I don't know what I expected to find with three men living together, but the house was gross. I mean, really gross. The bathroom was putrid and I refused to even touch that. One of the boys could deal with it when they got home. Upstairs were two bedrooms, buried under dirty clothes and more trash. I assumed Connor and Murphy shared one while their father stayed in the other until I made my way back downstairs. The house was larger than it looked with an addition on the side. In there, I found the lair of the infamous Il Duce. I wasn't responsible for him, so I closed the door behind me.

I dug under the kitchen sink and found some bleach and a sponge. The boys father was sitting at the table, watching me. "Ye got me boys worked up."

"So what if I did?"

He held his hand up. "Not arguing with ye, lass. Just an observation. Didn't realize how much they loved ye til I saw it meself."

"I'm a lucky girl."

"That ye are, but them be lucky boys, too." He stood up and gave me an awkward hug. "Welcome to da family, lass."

"Don't you go anywhere," I demanded when he tried to sneak off, still blushing from his compliment. "It took three of you to get it this dirty, and I am not cleaning it up by myself."

I was annoyed at the mess but I managed to find a smile for him. It was nice to feel wanted. Without argument, he grabbed a trash bag. I had him start in the living areas. I didn't want anyone touching the kitchen except for me. Murphy made it home first and got the task of the bathroom. Connor had instructions to get the bedrooms tidied up and the laundry sorted.

We loaded the laundry into baskets and took them downstairs. Surprisingly the basement was clean. It was like they had never even come down the steps. The washer was old and the dryer was older, but they both worked just fine. Connor had, knowing what I was up against, bought the large size of laundry soap. It was the powder kind, but it was all the store had, he said. I would make it work.

Once they were set to their tasks, I got to work myself. There was no way I could cook in the grease and grime. I started on the easiest part and got the windows sparkling. The sink was next and I was physically sick because of it. I barely made it outside and over the railing. Considering how few real dishware pieces I found, it was easier to just throw everything away as I came across it. I would go out tomorrow and buy new dishes if I had to. It wasn't worth the effort to scrub anything clean.

Eventually, after quite some time and a lot of elbow grease, the kitchen counter, windows, and table were clean. I figured the floor could wait until tomorrow. I could hear Connor and Murphy heckling each other upstairs, cursing like a bunch of sailors. Their father was silent, but he worked hard. The living room was almost presentable. It would need some more work, but again, I could do it later.

I rifled through the bags Connor had brought home and decided to make something easy for dinner. I grabbed package of beef cubes and some vegetables and started chopping. It was therapeutic to do something so ordinary. Pretty quickly I had a nice, thick stew bubbling away on the stove and two nosy brothers setting the table.

"We're eating out of mugs tonight," I said, ladling dinner into earthenware vessels. "Tomorrow, I'm going shopping. Who's going with me?"

Murphy was the first to volunteer, nearly spilling the iced tea he was pouring. "I'll go. Give me a chance ta git out of the house. Been stuck in it fer days."

"Oh shut it," Connor said, smacking his brother's head. "Ye just want her all ta yerself."

"So what if I do?"

"Enough!" Their father's presence commanded silence. "Connor, stop antagonizing yer brother. Ye had yer alone time with the lassie this afternoon. Give yer brother a chance ta catch up."

"Yes, Da," Connor replied, head down. I pinched his ass as I walked by, making him jump.

"Don't be mad. You boys still owe me one hell of an apology tonight," I murmured in his ear, kissing his cheek.

After we ate, the boys arm wrestled for who got to wash the dished. Murphy lost, but I expected as much. I caught the wink he gave me when Connor slammed his hand down into the table. They were always looking out for each other.

"I'm going to grab a shower and then head to bed. Which room am I in?" I asked.

"Ours!" Connor and Murphy said at the same time. They laughed, roughhousing a bit.

I shook my head, grinning. "Really? In front of your father?"

The older man chuckled. "Cain't say I'm surprised, but I'll need ta git used to it, me boys bein' men. Not that they act like it."

I gave him a quick hug. "Goodnight, Papa."

I could tell he was pleased. I couldn't call him 'Da'. It just didn't roll off my tongue, and 'Dad' wasn't right either. I may not have been thrilled with all of his decisions but he and I had one very important thing in common: we both loved Connor and Murphy, so that made him my family too.

The water ran hot for my entire shower. It was a luxury I prayed I wouldn't have to give up. Memories of the cold water in their Boston apartment were too vivid. Hell, any memory of them was vivid, burned into my mind like a brand. I refused to regret anything about the last year because it all led me to this point. It all led me home.

I towel dried my hair, thinking that I would need to get a hairdryer while we were out tomorrow. I should stop and make a list of what we needed to get, but I was suddenly so damn tired. With the weight and stress of getting here on my mind, I hadn't thought about how close I was to running on fumes. I opened the bedroom door on the right and found it empty of people, but full of promise.

The boys had outdone themselves. The room was not only looked good, but it smelled good too. They had really deep cleaned the space, and by the looks of it, put new sheets on the mattress. We actually had a bed. I was thrilled to not be sleeping on the floor. They had found lace curtains and hung them up, and one of them had unpacked my bags for me. Doc's bible and Gram's photo albums were stacked nicely on top of the dresser, next to a lamp that still needed dusting. Well, what could I say? They were human.

I had my own drawers in the dresser, so I dug out a clean pair of underwear and a tank top for sleepwear. I hopped into bed, sighing at the softness. It was so comfortable, I barely had enough energy to drag the comforter over top of me.

"So much fer apologizin'."

Even dozing, I could just imagine how Connor looked. He would be pouting, possibly chewing on the inside of his cheek. Murphy would be grinning like an idiot. I wiggled my arm out of the warmth and held it out. One hand grabbed mine and climbed in next to me, stubble rubbing my face where he kissed me. I sighed into Connor's lips when they finally found mine. I leaned away from him and waited for Murphy to find his place behind me.

When he didn't, I woke enough to give him the hairy eyeball. "Get your cute ass in bed before I have to get up and beat you."

He hesitated beside the bed. "I cin sleep on da couch."

I grabbed for what was closest and it just happened to be his pants that I caught. I yanked hard and he fell on top of us. I twisted my hand in his hair and pulled tight, getting all up in his face. "I did not fly halfway around the world to sleep alone. Did I give up everything I have ever known just to find out that you aren't sure about me? Isn't it enough that I love you? Isn't it enough that I want to be with you for the rest of my life? Why, after all of shit we have gone through, are you going to question this and question us?"

I was hurt. My expectations weren't so grand to think that this transition would be easy, but I thought Murphy of all people would know where my heart was. I waited for a response, but instead he up righted himself and stormed out of the room.

"Go ta 'im," Connor urged.

So much for sleep. If Murphy was in a mood, it was guaranteed to be one long ass night. I found him sitting on the floor, leaning against the stupid couch. He had a drink in his hand and it smelled strong. I had to be the brave one now. If I ran back upstairs because I didn't want to deal with this, I might as well fly my ass back to the States. It was obvious that he was hurting, but I didn't know why.

I took the glass out of his hand and set it on the coffee table. I straddled his legs and knelt in his lap, resting my forehead against his. I held his head, silently begging him to look at me. I almost wished I hadn't. His eyes were full of unshed tears. It broke my heart.

"Talk to me, Murphy. This isn't you. This isn't us."

His voice shook when he finally spoke. "We left ye. I fought them. I fought like hell. I went against me da and me brother, me own blood! I told them ye were worth the risk. Da thought it was better dis way, and Con kept sayin' it was ta keep ye safe. I didn't want ta leave ye, but they made me. All I could do was give the card ta the priest so ye knew I didn't leave willingly."

He wrapped his arms around me, pulling my body flush with his. "And seeing ye in Con's arms, like ye had forgiven him like it was nothin'…" He took a deep breath. "Well, I thought maybe it had just been him all along."

I captured his mouth with mine. I felt him run his fingers along the edge of my tank top, finally slipping underneath to stroke bare skin. The kiss deepened and he dug his strong fingers into my back. The sensation was amazing, causing me to grind down onto him, his jeans rough against my legs and other more sensitive areas. It felt incredible. We both broke away at the same moment, attempting to catch our breath. I was the first to collect my thoughts.

"Murph, I love you. I love your brother. What I have with each of you is different, but it's not more or less than the other. Together, the two of you complete me. Don't doubt that. Don't ever doubt us again. I'm here, with you. I'm home."

The smile he gave me was the best gift I had ever received. "I love ye, Siobhan."

We sat like that for a bit more before I convinced him to come upstairs. He stood, my legs wrapping around him and holding on tightly.

"Don't drop me," I begged.

He grasped me firmly by the ass, making me suck in a breath. "Never."

I squeezed my eyes shut as we ascended the stairs. Connor laughed when he saw us. I was deposited onto the bed, squealing at the change in height. Both of them had smiles on their faces, two gorgeous men gazing down on me. What woman could be luckier?