"Fuck, she's gonna loose it."

"Get her into the bathroom and be quick about it."

I was pulled to my feet and stumbled after whoever it was who had me. I soon found myself leaning over the toilet and emptying the scant contents of my stomach. Whoever it was who had taken me to the bathroom had a hand resting on my shoulder and was holding my hair back. I finally stopped gagging and rested my head on the edge of the bowl; it felt cool against my heated skin. I felt a pile of paper towels being shoved into my hand and then I was left alone.

I carefully got to my feet and went to the sink where I rinsed the bile from my mouth and once again splashed water onto my face. I dried off and threw the paper towels into the trash and then slowly opened the door. They were still there and in the middle of what appeared to be a prayer. All the bodies had their arms crossed over their chests and coins placed over their eyes. I closed my eyes and just tried to breathe without getting sick again. "Maybe this is all just a bad dream," I thought. "I pinch myself and I'll wake up." I pinched myself, hard. "Ow!"

Three heads turned and looked at me. I just glared at them and rubbed the sore spot on the back of my hand.

The blond spoke up. "Well Da, what are we going to do with her? She's an innocent."

"Aye that she is but she's also a witness. She'll have to come with us for now. Murphy, get the girl."

The baby faced one made his way over to me and grabbed me by the wrist, so I punched him. Now I have never punched anyone before and as far as I could tell I hadn't even punched him that hard, but it still hurt my hand. I shook my hand while baby face grabbed his noise.

"God dammit woman, stop that!" The blond one stifled a laugh and baby face turned to him. "This isn't funny Connor."

"Actually Murphy it is."

"Fine, then you can get the girl."

Murphy walked away nursing his nose and I was guessing his bruised ego.

Connor approached me slowly and when he saw me stiffen stopped and held both his hands in front of him. "How is your stomach?"

I looked at him strangely and then realized. "You're the one who held my hair back."

"Aye, that I am."

"Thanks." Now what was wrong with me? This was no time to be polite let alone thankful.

He relaxed and a smiled slightly, which made him less intimidating, despite the fact that I could still see his guns in the shoulder holster inside his coat. "Now I know this is all very confusing and messed up right now, but yer going to have to come with us. Alright?"

"Do I really have a choice?"

"Afraid not."

"Connor, stop playing nice. We have got to go now." Murphy was holding open the door and looking antsy. "Da has already left."

Connor reached out taking my hand into his gloved one. "Come on." I followed the two of them outside into the cold. It had started to snow and I could hear sirens in the distance.

"Fuck," Murphy spat out, "thanks to her we've taken to long."

Connor gave me a somewhat apologetic look and they both started to run and I was pulled along after them. They made their way around corners and down multiple alleys until I had no idea which direction was which anymore. At one point I tripped and landed on my hands and knees put didn't have any time to dwell on the pain as I was lifted back onto my feet and pulled along again. Finally when I didn't think I would be able to keep going much farther they stopped behind an apartment building that was in even worse shape than the one I had waiting for me. Through the rear door up four flights of stairs and all the way down the hall.

Once inside the apartment I found myself deposited onto the couch. Murphy and Connor both disappeared through separate doors leaving me alone. I glanced at the door and was contemplating my chances of escaping when Connor reappeared carrying a first aid kit. He placed it on the coffee table and sat next to it in front of me.

"Let me see yer hands."

I had forgotten about falling. I placed them palm up on my knees. They were scratched and bloody with dirt imbedded in my skin. Connor took out a pair of tweezers and began removing the larger bits of dirt. Next he poured a cleaning solution onto a cloth and dabbed at my hands. It stung and I tried to pull my hand away, but he kept a firm grip on my wrist and leaning over blew on my hand to lessen the sting. Now every inch of my being was yelling this guy was a killer and that I should try to escape, but at the same time a little voice in the back of my head was telling me it was this same guy who had possibly pushed me to safety under the table, held my hair back as I barfed and was now tending to my injuries, even if he had kidnapped me in the process. And this same guy was blowing gently on my hands in what was in reality a very intimate gesture. I felt a blush heat my face and yanked my hands away startling Connor.

"Now what do ya have to be blushing about?" He grinned.

"What do you have to be grinning about?" I shot back. "Killing a whole bunch of men and kidnapping me?"

His face grew serious again. He took my hands again and began to wrapping them with gauze. "Ya don't understand."

"You're right and I don't want to."

He finished wrapping my hands and placed all the supplies back inside the kit. "Ya might as well make yourself at home." He stood. "Ya could be here a while." With that he left the room.

I pulled me knees up to my chest and rested my arms on them and allowed myself to break down. I just cried. All the pent up emotions from the last couple months had come to a head this night, and I just let it all out. And I was still hungry.

I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew I was being shook awake. "Hey, ya sleep on that sofa much longer and ya won't be able to move in the morning."

I blinked and sat up way to fast, my head colliding with Murphy's.

"For Christ fucking sake. Must ya keep on doing that?" Murphy rubbed his head. "Are ya trying to get back at me for knocking ya to the floor or something?"

"That was you?"

"Yah that was me. I'd think ye be grateful."

"Sorry."

"Well at least it's a start."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"This? Killing random people, and then taking care of me, the witness as if I was you're friend rather than the person who could identify you to the police? It doesn't make sense."

Murphy just shook his head. "Now isn't the time for that conversation. And I'm not sure if there will ever be a good time to have that conversation. But I will tell you this, it might not seem like it, but we're protecting ya."

I just looked at him too tired to really care anymore. "You woke me for a reason didn't you?"

"Oh right. Yer not sleeping on the couch. Get up." Murphy led me toward what I assumed was the bedroom. "Connor's already sleeping, so you'll need to keep it down. But you can have my bed."

"Then where will you sleep?"

"I hadn't thought that far ahead actually."

"I'm not taking your bed." I stopped right where I was and crossed my arms.

Murphy turned around and put his face right up to mine. "Why are ya so stubborn?"

"Considering all that has happened to me today I think I have earned the right to be a little difficult."

"Fine then," he smirked. "We'll share the bed."

"Share? With you?"

"Well ya won't take the bed, but I'm not gonna let ya sleep on the couch. So we'll just have ta share the bed."

I gulped. "Fine, we'll share."

Murphy went into the darkened room and I followed. It was just my luck that the bed we would be sharing turned out to be a single. If Murphy sense my discomfort he didn't say anything and I wasn't about to say anything either. I kicked off my shoes and socks and dropped my coat on top of them. I turned around to find Murphy had removed his shirt and his pants. Once again my face went flush. I was just glad it was too dark for him to notice. Here I was, trying to hate these guys and they just kept on making me blush.

Murphy slipped underneath the blankets and looked me. "Well?"

I placed my glasses on the window sill and sat on the edge of the bed. I lay down on my side facing away from him and as close to the edge as I could be without actually falling off.

I was extremely aware of him shifting next to me as well as his bare skin. "Why couldn't they have at least been unattractive?" I mentally asked myself.