Author's Note: This is my first "published" endeavor into the fan fiction world. I'm a bit nervous about it. As of now only one person has read this. I would like to thank PixiePhotos for giving me a little push to put this into the open (if you haven't read her stories, go now! Do not stop, do not collect $200, just GO and read!). Please feel free to review, but be gentle... Also this is unbetad, so any mistakes are mine alone.

Disclaimer: I do not have any claim to Boondock Saints/Connor/Murphy/Rocco or anything else that was in the movie. That's all Troy Duffy (brilliant man that he is). I do not have any claim or rights to any song lyrics or titles that I use. Make This Go On Forever is all Snow Patrol. The Mess I Made is all Parachute. All I can lay claim to is Kher, Ava and any other OC or plot line that isn't in the film.

Chapter 14 (The Mess I Made):

"I should've spoken up... I should've proudly claimed... that oh my head's to blame for all my heart's mistakes..."

"Hey, Kher."

I glanced up from the cash register. "What's up, Brynn?"

"Nothing," she replied, sitting across the counter.

I raised an eyebrow. "Seems like something."

Brynn cleared her throat. "You and Connor are just friends, right?"

I slowly closed the register. "Um… why?"

"Look, I know I've really been weird when it comes to him and I just wanted to clear the air with you," she explained.

"Um… okay," I replied carefully.

"Did he tell you about us?"

I shrugged. "He told me that you dated."

She scoffed. "That's it?"

"Was there more to it than that?"

"Well, yeah."

I swallowed heavily. "How much more than that?"

"We dated for about 5 months or so?"

"I see."

She raised an eyebrow. "What did he say?"

"He really didn't say much, Brynn. Just that you dated and that you were serious about it. He wasn't really."

"That's putting it mildly," she replied, a bit of venom in her voice.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, he cheated on me. That's how he ended it."

I swallowed heavily. "Oh."

Brynn regarded me for a moment before her mouth dropped open. "Oh, wow, how long?"

I looked up. "How long what?" I asked, grabbing a rag and wiping the counter.

"How long since you and Connor started dating?"

"Not very."

She sighed. "Well, maybe he'll be different with you," she offered unconvincingly.

"Yeah."

We finished our closing routine and Brynn told me good-bye, giving me a look of sympathy before she left. I glanced around the diner before walking out of the front entrance. I pulled the door shut and was locking it when I felt a pair of arms wrap around my waist and a kiss on my neck. "Hi, Conn," I told him softly as I dropped the keys in my purse.

Connor turned me in his embrace to face him and looked at me concerned. "Wha's wron', love?" he asked.

I forced a smile. "Just a long day," I told him.

"Ye still up ta meetin' Murph, Ava, an' Rocco?" he asked.

"Of course," I replied. "I just want to change, that's all."

We made the short walk back to the apartment, Connor attempting to start conversations that I could only answer in a word or two before we'd fall back into silence. I could tell he was concerned and even a little hurt at my behavior, but I couldn't get it out of my head. He was a cheater? Not only that, he hadn't told me. Sure, it's not necessarily information a person would want to disclose, but still. I ducked into my room and quickly changed while Connor waited in the living room.

"Okay, we can go," I told him, glancing in the mirror before moving towards the door. He grabbed my wrist and turned me to face him.

"Kherin'to', wha' es wron' wit' ye?" he asked in frustration.

"I told you," I replied, exasperation coloring my tone. "Long day. Can we go, please?"

"Yer no' actin' like yerself," he told me.

"Connor, we'll talk later."

He narrowed his eyes at me, but let me go and we left the apartment, the tension between us mounting as we made the trip to McGinty's in silence. When we got to the bar I forced a smile on my face as we approached Murphy and Rocco. "Hey guys," I greeted. "Where's Ava?"

"Bathroom," Murphy replied, his focus on his brother. "Conn, wha' th' fuck's wrong wit' ya?"

I ducked away from the group to look for Ava. I needed to talk to her. I approached the restroom and saw her as she walked out.

"Ava!" I called.

She looked up and smiled, but it quickly faded when she noticed my serious expression. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Can we talk?"

"Of course. Do you want to go outside or something?"

I nodded and we made our way across the bar. I barely noticed when she let Murphy know what we were doing and Connor wouldn't even look in our direction as he chugged a pint. Finally, we were outside of the bar.

"Okay, what's up?" Ava asked me, leaning against the side of the building.

I sighed. "Brynn told me why she and Connor broke up."

"Okay," Ava replied. "I thought Connor told you that awhile ago, but okay."

"He did, but apparently he left out a really significant part of the break-up."

"Meaning?"

"He cheated on her, A," I told her, wringing my hands together.

"I don't believe that," she replied immediately.

"Why would she lie about it?" I asked.

"C'mon, K. There's no way Connor's a cheater."

I sighed. "I dunno, A."

Ava narrowed her eyes at me. "What do you mean you don't know? You know him better than I do. What makes you think it could be true? And don't you think the timing is a little convenient?"

I glanced at Ava. "What do you mean?"

"You and Conn haven't been dating that long, but it's clear you're dating now."

"How so?"

"You just act different. A little more touchy, things like that."

"Okay…"

"Brynn probably picked up on that. And if she was that serious about him that she's still upset about the breakup? Think about it."

"I guess…"

"Did you talk to Connor about it?"

"No…"

Ava groaned and face palmed. "Did you say anything about it?"

"I just told him I had a rough day."

"Seriously, Kher?"

"What?"

"You hide your feelings about as well as a grand piano falling on someone's head," she told me.

"What does that mean?"

"I assume Connor asked you what was wrong," Ava began.

"He did."

"And I know you replied with a classic, 'nothing', right?"

"Maybe," I grumbled.

"Go. Talk to him. Now. Before you fuck this up. I'm telling you this as your friend."

"You're really demanding," I complained as she shoved me back into the bar.