Chapter 7
A New Life, A New Identity
I woke the next morning to the sound of Erika giggling in the kitchen at something Murphy had said. I kept my eyes closed and smiled as I listened to the two flirt. They were completely smitten with eachother. Perhaps even in love. I rolled over to drape an arm across Conner and wake him but found nothing but empty bed. It was then I heard the shower running. I sat up with a sigh and stretch and wandered into the kitchen. Murphy nodded and Erika beamed, "Good morning Christa!" I nodded and yawned. Murphy put a cigerrette into his mouth and lit it. I snatched it from his lips while he protested. I grinned and stuck my tongue out at him. Rolling his eyes he went to light another while I turned to make myself a cup of coffee.
"Goddamnit it, Conner!" Murphy objected. I turned around to see Conner, fresh out of the shower and wearing only jeans, snatching away Murphy's second lit cigerette. "You two are fucking made for eachother, I swear," he muttered glowering at his brother and me. I blushed and went to take a seat at the table.
Conner sat next to me after he had gotten his own coffee. The two of us quietly watched Erika and Murphy flirt and harrass eachother. I took a sip of my coffee and grimaced. "Ugh! Who made the coffee?" I complained, setting my coffee cup back on the table. Erika and Murphy laughed at me while I studied the fluid in my cup like I expected to see poison. Shortly after my display Conner also grunted in disgust as he took a sip from his own coffee cup. Eyeing the fluid I commented, "I'm going to have to start making the coffee."
Conner eyed me for a moment in confusion while Erika and Murphy looked at me with hope. Oh yea, those two were definatly falling for eachother, hard. It would crush Erika if we left, she had fallen for Murphy MacManus the first day she met him. But if I left, she left. She would follow me to the ends of the earth if she had to, because, like me, she had no one else. The relationship developing with Murphy was the only real relationship she had outside of our sister-like relationship. "I think it would be best if Erika and I stayed with you guys," I explained. "Together Erika and I have almost a million dollars and I know quite a bit in the medical field. I studied it in my free time to avoid my husband. We can get a studio apartment when Smecker brings us our new identity's later today, that way no one can trace you and you don't have to stay in hotel rooms. We could be a lot of help."
Murphy and Erika's eyes lit up with joy as Conner spoke, "Well Murph, it's not hard to see that you approve of the idea. And they would be a lot of help. I certainly don't mind." I tried to convince myself I was doing this for Erika, but as I looked into Conner's blue eyes, studied the scar in his left eyebrow, the goatee, that was more stubble than an actual beard, around his soft lips I knew that I wasn't just doing this for Erika and Murphy. I was doing this because I myself had began to fall for a MacManus. I was beginning to love Conner, his strength, his faith, his compassion, his courage, and most of all, his will to protect those who could not protect themselves.
"Then we'll stay," I said smiling, not looking away from Conner. "Is that ok with you, Erika?" I asked. She never got to answer because as she began to speak there were two soft raps on the door and it opened. I peaked around the corner of the kitchen area and saw Agent Smecker entering, carrying two large manilla envelopes. He dropped them on the table in front of me and Erika then took a seat on the edge of the table, folding his hands in his laps and looking quite pleased with himself. I opened the envelope and emptied it out onto the table. Smecker had good reason to be pleased. There was a birth certificate, driver's liscense, social security card, green card, and back info on our new identities. He had the works. I studied the driver's liscence, he had taken a picture of me from my driver's liscense in the DMV records and put it on the new driver's liscense. My new identity was 2 years older than I and was born on March 17th. "St. Patrick's Day is my new birthdate?" I remarked raising an eyebrow at him.
"Just a little joke," he replied shrugging and still looking absolutely full of himself.
I snorted and continued going through it. My new name was Vivian Dominica McDowell. 29 years old, born May 17th, 1976. My mother and father were both born in Ireland. My father's name was Kealan Heiro McDowell and my mother's name was Brianna Keara O'Bryant. I had no brother's or sisters. From my green card I was a citizen of the United States. I had moved here when I was eighteen. I smiled after I had finished reading the papers. "My whole family has saint names for middle names. Did you do this on purpose?" I asked. He shrugged non-commitally and continued grinning like the cheshire cat. I laughed at Smecker. "Yes you did well Agent Smecker. Very well. We have everything we need. I appreciate it." Conner began thumbing through the papers eyeing them over my shoulder. I could feel his breath soft on my neck and could feel his bare skin brushing lightly across my arm. I shivered from a chill and scooted away an inch or so.
"I am now Sara Elizebeth Austin," Erika said doing a little pose. I laughed at her as she did this, enjoying her childlike qualities.
Murphy lifted her driver's liscence from the pile of papers and gave a snort of laughter. "Wow! It really is true. No one can take a good driver's liscence photo!" he teased her. Erika gave a mock hurt look and slugged him in the arm.
Smecker smiled. "You two are getting awfully cozy," he commented. He turned to look at me and Conner, "And is there a romance brewing between you two?"
I blushed deeply and Conner looked at me and smiled, "I hope so."
Smecker gave an all-knowing smile and stood, "Well I must leave now, but if there is anything you need don't hesitate to contact me." And with that he turned and left the room.