Murphy blinked, shocked by her reply. "What? Why?" Her sudden change of manner had thrown him off.

"Think about it. Even after knowing what you know about me you still see me as a problem. And maybe you're right. Maybe it would be better if I was dead. Not like I was living much up till now anyway."

She stepped around him and continued down the street. Murphy suddenly felt ashamed. He followed her silently and a few steps behind.

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Connor found them both just before they reached the apartment. It was clear from the look on his face that he was ready to lay into Sara the way Murphy had. But one look at their faces and he knew something had transpired. The air between the two of them was thick with tension. When Sara walked past him and into the building he turned to Murphy to ask, but got a head shake before he could say anything.

The three of them made a rather sad parade up the three flights of stairs. Sara in the lead, Murphy in the middle, and Connor bringing up the rear. Sara stopped outside the door while Murphy unlocked it and held it open for her. She went straight to the kitchen, and Murphy went into the bedroom, slamming the door closed in the process.

Connor couldn't quite decide who to go after first. After a moment he went after Murphy.

He didn't bother to knock, just went straight in. Murphy was sitting on the mattress farthest from the door, removing his shoes. Connor sat on the other mattress and just looked at him, waiting for him to talk.

"She is nearly fucking impossible to understand."

"What happened?"

"Well, when I found her I just started yelling, and don't look at me like that, ya wanted to do the exact same thing when ya saw her outside." Murphy lay back and stared up at the ceiling. "First she was defiant about the whole thing, not in words but with her eyes. Fuck she has expressive eyes. And then she was all defeated."

"Ya said something without thinking again didn't ya?" Connor rolled his eyes. "What did ya say this time?"

"I told her that if it had been me in the alley she would probably be dead right about now."

"Fuck Murph. Now why would ya go and say a stupid fucking thing like that? Bloody hell." Connor stood up and walked a couple of paces and then spun around to face his brother again. "Ya have to apologize to her, before tonight, otherwise I'll beat ya up my fucking self." He went to exit the room. "And as for not being able to understand her, that is something that will have to come with time."

Murphy nodded, rolled over and faced the wall.

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Sara closed the door to the fridge and turned around. She started at the sight of Connor; she hadn't even heard him come into the kitchen. She went over to the table and started pulling out the groceries and putting them away in the cupboards. She was aware of his eyes watching her the entire time. She placed the last of the cleaning supplies in the cupboard under the sink and then flattened the paper grocery bags, placing them in a neat pile on the counter.

When it became obvious that she wasn't going to start talking like Murphy had, Connor decided to break the silence himself. "Ya shouldn't have left the apartment."

"Well maybe you shouldn't have left me alone."

"Ya could have left a note saying where ya had gone."

"So could you. And can you honestly tell me that if I had left a note letting you know where I was that you still wouldn't have come after me?"

"No, but I would have been less worried."

Sara raised her eyebrows. "You were worried?"

"Yer backpack was gone."

Sara nodded her head in understanding. "I see, you weren't worried about me, you were worried I was going to go kill someone in broad daylight. Looks like trust is out of the question for now."

"Trust is something that needs to be earned."

"Your right. But I'm not the one who snuck off to talk with the cops while someone was sleeping."

"How do ya know about that?"

"You just told me."

She had done it again. Made a guess that sounded like a statement just so he could confirm it by asking how she knew. He decided to avoid that topic. "So where is yer gun if ya didn't take it with ya

"Bottom drawer of the dresser in the bedroom, along with the backpack and the rest of it. And don't think I can't tell when a person is trying to change the subject. Why did you go to the police?" She crossed her arms.

Connor sighed. "We went to see our inside man."

"You have an inside man?"

"To see if he could help us out with ya."

"What?" Sara straightened up. "Are you mad? I told you what would happen if you turned me in…"

"We didn't turn ya in. We were trying to convince him to drop the case. But the only way that will work is if you stop killing people long enough for the case to go cold.

Sara narrowed her eyes. "And just how long are we talking about here?"

"Forever would be good."

"Forever?"

"Yes, if so much as one more person dies matching yer M.O. then it is out of my hands and I won't be able to protect ya."

"I don't recall asking for protection. And who would I need protection from? The cops don't know me."

"I had to give them a name."

Sara's eyes got big. "You gave them my name?"

"No, I gave them a name." Connor smirked. "Inside man or not, still have to be careful."

"Then why give them a name at all?"

"To buy time. And if and when they figure it out I'll just tell them that ya lied about yer name."

"So in other word's you get in trouble I get blamed. Oh goody."

"It will all work out. I promise."

"Yes, because it is all working out so well right now." The sarcasm was evident in her voice.

Connor wasn't surprised that she was back to her usual stubborn self. In fact he preferred it. Because when she was defensive and biting with her words he didn't have to worry about the growing attraction that he felt every time he looked at her. "Murphy told me what happened."

Sara's eyes flickered and then were hard again. "No secrets among brothers I see."

"But I don't know what you said to make him get the way he is now."

She stood there and contemplated whether or not to tell him. "After he said what he said I told him that maybe he should have been the one to find me."

Connor jaw dropped. "Why?"

"Some days I wish I was dead. If you're dead, you don't remember, you don't feel, you don't cry and most importantly you don't hurt. And that is all I have ever had. I've got nothing to die for, but I've got even less to live for. So I might as well be dead."

"Ya don't really believe that."

"Yes, I do."

"If ya did believe that you would have taken yer own life a long time ago."

"Excuse me." Sara and Connor looked to the door. Murphy was standing there. "I want to apologize for earlier."

"Apology accepted. You were mad and being honest. I have to respect that."

Murphy looked relieved. "Good."

"Now, what do you guys want for lunch?" Sara turned and opened the fridge, revealing its contents to the boys. Their eyes grew hungry at the sight of the all the food.