Sara stepped back and admired her handiwork. After three days the apartment was finally and completely clean. She had even scraped all the pealing paint and wallpaper off, down to the bare walls. It made the whole apartment rather gray, but it was still an improvement.

She turned around and looked at Connor and Murphy who sat exhausted on the sofa. She laughed. "Oh come on, cleaning wasn't that bad." She had put the both of them to work despite their complaints about the apartment being fine just the way it was.

Murphy pointed his finger at her. "Ya women, are evil incarnate."

"I would think that you would appreciate a women's touch around here."

"Believe me I appreciate a women's touch, I just prefer a different kind."

Connor gave a snort, and reaching into his pocket pulled out a packet of cigarettes. He stuck one between his lips and offered one to Murphy. He then pulled out his lighter and lit up his and brothers. He inhaled and blew out a smoke ring. "Well now that this shit hole is less of a shit hole, can we please do something fun?"

"Nope."

"And why the fuck not?" Murphy looked miffed. "I haven't seen Mary or had a decent beer in three days thanks to the like of ya."

"You can see her tomorrow."

"And just why do I have to wait till then?"

Sara reached into her back pocket and pulled out a sheet of paper. She waved it in front of their faces. "This is why."

"What is that?" Connor reached out and snatched it from her fingers. It was the paper they had gotten from Smecker with the information on Dante Giovanni. "Where did you get this?"

"I found it in the pocket of one of you guy's jeans when I did laundry yesterday."

"You did laundry? We have a place to do laundry?"

Connor hit Murphy on the head. "Focus would ya." Murphy frowned and rubbed the now sore spot.

"So back to what I was saying. The two of you aren't going anywhere until you take care of him."

"I feel like I'm back at Smecker's office or worse, at Ma's." Murphy leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

"Well?" Sara crossed her arms.

"Well what?" Connor folded the paper back up.

"What are you going to do?"

Standing up Connor went into the bedroom. "Nothing at the moment. We have to wait till later this evening."

Sara followed after him. "How come?"

"I want to observe for a while and then figure out the best way to deal with him."

"And here I thought you guys just went in guns blazing."

"Not for a long time we haven't." Connor pulled his guns and shoulder holster out of the drawer and placed them on his bed. "We did that the first couple times, but after Roc… well we just do things more careful now."

Sara furrowed her brow. "Who's Roc?"

"A friend." The look on his face said it all.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Wasn't yer fault."

"I know; it's just one of those things where you feel like you should say something." She rubbed her arm. "Do you mind me asking what happened?"

Sitting down on the bed Connor began to take apart one of the guns and clean it. Sara sat crossed legged on the floor in front of him. For a moment it didn't seem like he was going to tell her.

"He wasn't cut out for it ya know. But he was so eager that we brought him along. In some way he was useful, for information and such. Other than that he was a complete screw up in everything he did." Connor gave a sad smile. "He was so intent on proving himself that he was more impulsive and thoughtless than Murph. Never should have let him get involved." He set down the first gun and reached for the other. "I mean at least Da knew what he was doing and the risk involved. Fuck, that was why he did it. But Roc, he was in it for the ride, and it killed him."

Sara placed reached out and put her hand on his, causing him to look at her. "It wasn't your fault either."

"I keep telling myself that, but some days it feels like it was."

"I guess that's kind of how I feel on the days I wish I was dead. But we keep going anyways. Because we know that they wouldn't want us to give up."

"Who are 'they'?"

"Roc and your Da, my Mom." She tilted her head and looked up at him. They stared at each other, fingers entwined.

"Hello? I'm fucking bored out here!"

Sara rolled her eyes, and fell back onto her elbows so she could see through the door into the living room. "If you're so bored you can start cooking dinner."

"Ya trying to get us fucking killed?" Connor asked.

"I heard that." Murphy appeared in the doorway. "Can I please go to the bar?" He looked like a dejected puppy.

Sara looked at Connor who nodded. "Fine," she threw her hands up. "We'll go to the bar. Connor can get a beer, Murphy can get turned down by Mary…"

"Hey."

"… and I will beat up all the guys who make passes at me."

"Now why would any guy want to make a pass at ya?"

Murphy didn't have time to react. In seconds Sara was off the floor and tackling him around the knees. The both landed on the floor, a tangle of arms and legs, with a loud thud. The two of them rolled around for a good five minuets before Murphy finally was able to pin her.

"Give up."

"Never." Sara crossed her eyes and stuck out her tongue.

"Fine, then ya can stay right where ya are."

"Then we'll never get to the bar."

Murphy opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again. "Aw fuck." He let go of her arms and stood up. He left her on the floor and went to grab his coat.

Sara folded her arms behind her head and lay there staring up at the ceiling, a stupid grin on her face. Next thing she knew Connor's face was looking at her upside down.

"Proud of yerself now are ya?"

"Very much so." She stuck her hands in the air. "Up please."

Connor pulled her to her feet. "The two of yas are worse than me and Murph."

"What can I say, you and I talk. Murph and I beat each other up." She grinned. "It's a very loving relationship. Just don't tell Mary."

Murphy came back over. "Don't tell Mary what?"

"About us."

"Us? There is no us."

Sara patted Murphy on the cheek. "You keep telling yourself that. But one day you'll realize that you are hopelessly in love with me."

"I'd sooner turn myself in."

Sara pouted and turned to face Connor. "What about you? You love me right?"

Connor looked past her head at Murphy who was giving him an 'I dare you' smirk. He looked back down at Sara. "Sure, I love ya. Yer like the sister I never had."

"Oh." Sara's face fell slightly but then she perked back up. She clapped her hands together. "Well then, let's go to the bar."

Murphy looked at her oddly. "Ya know I like you better when yer moody. This whole perky thing is creepy." He took a step back to avoid her hand which flew at him, but needn't have worried. Connor had a firm grasp on the back of her shirt.

"Down girl."