When I came to I found myself back in Murphy's bed though this time I was alone. He must have carried me all the way back and up those stairs. I ran my fingers through my hair and looked around for my glasses. They had been placed back on the window sill. Sitting up I stretched and grimaced as my back popped. I swung my bare feet onto the floor and stood up. I opened the door to the living room and the smell of coffee reached my nose. I followed it to the kitchen. There at the table sat Connor and his Da.

"Hey." I stood in the door and rubbed my foot on the back of my leg unsure of what to do.

"I heard about yer little runaround with me boys this morning. Feeling better I hope?"

I nodded. "Yes sir. But I am hungry. I haven't eaten anything since lunch yesterday."

"No dinner?"

"No sir. You and your boys sort of ruined those plans for me."

Connor frowned a bit at that but to my surprise his father laughed. "That we did. Well don't ya worry, I sent Murphy out to buy dinner. He should be back soon"

"It's dinner time already?" I looked at my watch, it read six thirty.

"Ya slept a long time lass. But ya needed it. Here have a seat and some coffee. Connor."

Connor stood giving up his seat and went for the coffee. He placed a steaming hot cup in front of me and grabbed a stool from the corner sitting down next to me. "So, what are ye going to do now?"

"Well considering you and you're brother have designated yourselves my guardians, I guess I'm staying here. Though I would like to get my stuff."

"Really, ye have an apartment? Ya don't want to go back to it?"

"That, Connor, is what I was trying to do this morning."

"Ah, right…"

"Not that it really matters one way or another. The place is a dump and I couldn't find it even if I wanted to."

"Well when ye've eaten the boys will go with you to help ya find the place and collect yer belongings."

A loud banging on the front door cause me to jump in my seat.

"Don't worry that'll just be Murphy."

"Would someone open this fucking door!"

Connor and his father just sat there. "Aren't you going to let him in?"

"Nah. It's more fun to make him wait, learn some fucking patients and all that."

I stood up went to the door unlocking the deadbolts and pulling it open.

"Jesus Connor. It's about bloody time… Oh." Murphy stopped mid rant. "It's you. Sorry bout that." He shifted the bags in his arms. "Would ya mind?"

I shook my head and reached for one of the bags and allowed Murphy to go past me. I closed the door and followed him into the kitchen setting the bag down on the counter.

Murphy began pulling out deli sandwiches. "There's roast beef, ham, and lamb, all with lettuce and tomato."

"I'll take a roast beef."

"Same here son."

Murphy tossed two roast beefs at his father and Connor. He turned to me. "Well what would you…" he trailed off and looked at me oddly.

"What?"

"I've already slept with you, but I have no idea what you're name is."

I blushed, spun around on my heel and went back to the bedroom slamming the door behind me. I fell back onto the bed and closed my eyes. "Ugh."

I could hear them talking through the thin walls.

"Great Murphy."

"Wha'd I do?"

"Ya made her uncomfortable again."

"Fuck Connor, it's not my fault she can't take a harmless joke."

"Murphy just take her a sandwich and go apologize to the girl."

"But Da…"

"Now."

There soon came knocking on the door. I ignored it. So he knocked harder. I reached over grabbed my shoe and threw it at the door. It landed with a satisfying thud. The knocking stopped. I rolled over and faced the wall. Then I heard the door open.

"Please don't throw anything at me." Murphy stuck his head around the door.

"Leave and I won't."

"I didn't mean anything by it."

"You said the exact same thing this morning, and yet you still managed to offend me."

"Have ya ever considered that ya just might be a tad too sensitive?"

I sat up, looked at him and mimicking his accent said, "Have ye ever considered thinking before ye speak."

He stared at me. "Look ya don't have to like me, but ya should eat." He came stood by the bed and offered me the sandwich in his hand. "It's lamb."

I took it from him. "Thanks." As he turned to leave my hand reached out and grabbed his arm. "Stay, please."

"Ya won't try to kill me if I do?"

"As long as you don't make me blush."

He sat down next to me on the bed. "And how do I go about that?"

"No teasing, flirting, and no compliments."

Murphy looked at me surprised. "Well that pretty much gets rid of all conversation then don't it."

I couldn't help it, I smiled. "Ah she does smile." And I blushed. "There's that blasted blush again."

"Stop it." I hit him gently on the arm.

"Yer a rather violent person ya know that right?"

"Only around you."

Murphy leaned back against the bed and placed his arms behind his head. "Well don't I feel special. So why do ya blush so easily?"

I stared down at my sandwich and fiddled with the wrapping then I stole a glance over at Murphy. I don't know why but I found myself telling him about how my parent's had pushed me to succeed in school, but even when I did well it wasn't well enough. How I didn't have any friends and how boys never paid any attention to me and how my life was that way all the way up until university when I met James. He had been a year above me and in my introductory philosophy class. He too had found my blush amusing and had pursued me relentlessly for three months before I agreed to go with him. How he made me fall head over heals in love with him. And then on our one year anniversary he called to cancel our date saying he didn't feel well. I told Murphy about how I had gone over to his place to check on him and spend time with him; after all it was our one year anniversary. It didn't matter if he was sick, only instead of finding him sick I found him in bed with some other girl. I spent the last years of university avoiding all people, male and female, what few friends I had made I lost. I graduated early and at the top of my class. But it still wasn't enough. My parent's started pushing me to go to grad school and get a masters degree. After so many months of this at home I couldn't take anymore. I packed up my stuff, and went to the airport. I just asked for the next flight to the east coast, which just so happened to be Boston. Spent one night in a cheap hotel and then went looking for an apartment. Found a small cheap one and then went out for dinner, and the rest he knew. And that was just the condensed version.

I was crying again. I seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Crying and curled up against Murphy's chest. It had been so long since I had had anyone to talk to, so long since anyone had seemed to care.

Murphy tipped my chin up so that I was looking him straight in the eyes; his blue ones boring into my green ones. "I am going to compliment, tease and flirt with ya so much that not only will ya stop blushing, but ye'll absolutely hate me for it. Now where is that lovely smile that I saw earlier?" I hiccupped and gave him a rather weak smile. "Not quite but close enough for the time being." He gave me a friendly pat on the back. "Now I'm going to go back to me family before they start to think that ya killed me."

"Murphy."

"Aye?"

"Maggie Dane."

"Who's Maggie Dane?"

I shoved him. "I am."

"Ah, Maggie Dane," he stuck out his hand, "Pleased to meet ya. I'm Murphy McManus."

I wiped the tears from my eyes and took his hand giving it a shake. "Murphy McManus, thanks for shooting at me, knocking me over, kidnapping me, molesting me…"

"I didn't molest ya, if anything it was the other way around!"

"…and for carrying me a whole block and up four flights of stairs."

"Yer welcome."

I smiled a real one this time and Murphy smiled back and just looked at me. I felt that annoying blush creep back onto my face and as it did his smile just got wider.

"Ya know I rather like that I can make ya blush so easily." He leaned his face down towards mine. "Not to mention yer prettier when ya blush." My face got even warmer and my heart began to pound in my chest. Murphy took my hands and rubbed my bandaged palms with his thumbs. He then reached up, pulled my glasses off of my face, pushed a strand of hair behind my ear and ran his finger down the side of my face and across my bottom lip. I could feel his breath on my face and his lips brushed mine…