"My Boy Builds Coffins" by Florence + the Machine

It was about a week until Murphy bothered to show up at Tyler's. Tyler had gone and gotten some of my things from the twins' apartment for me. I hadn't gotten any less pissed. In fact, I had gotten even more pissed.

"She's pretty pissed," Tyler warned him before he knocked on the bedroom door. I had been in the middle of doing my makeup for the day. I didn't answer.

"Cecilia?" Murphy questioned, poking his head through the doorway. "Look, I know yer pissed at me. But can we talk?"

I turned to stare at him before resuming my mascara. He shifted uncomfortably.

"Cec."

I continued to ignore him, putting my things back in their proper bags. Murphy ran his hands through his hair in frustration. Apparently he had thought that I wouldn't be this difficult to talk to. He sighed, walking over to me and gently grabbing my wrist, pulling me into a hug. I didn't fight him as I tried not to cry.

"Hey, talk to me."

"You almost got yourself killed. You and Connor both," I said finally. I turned to face him, my face firmly set in a tightened state of fury. He looked guilty but also surprised that that's what I was mad about.

"Ye were there, too," he reminded me.

"Yeah, and I'm more pissed that you two were stupid and almost got murdered over a bar fight with some Russian pricks."

"That's what yer mad about?"

I furrowed my brows at him. "Don't tell me what to be mad about."

"I'm just saying it's ridiculous," he laughed.

"You're ridiculous."

"You're both ridiculous," Tyler called from the kitchen as he did the dishes. I sighed, holding on to this anger was exhausting. I leaned into Murphy's hug, wrapping my arms around him.

"Come back home. I promise there will be no more Russians." I pulled away with a stern look on my face.

"No more bar fights?"

He looked about to protest. I raised my eyebrows, daring him to continue. Wisely, he decided against it and merely nodded instead. "No more bar fights."

"Then I'll come back home," I agreed. He relaxed a bit, holding me tighter.

Murphy helped me take all of my things back to the apartment. The toilet had gotten fixed at some point. Connor was laying on the couch watching TV. He looked up from the TV when he heard the door, surprised to see me. Murphy shook his head at him, signalling that whatever Connor wanted to say was probably not a good idea. For once, Connor followed Murphy's suggestion.

We were mostly silent as we put my stuff away. Again.

"I'll get that for ye," Murphy said as I tried to put something in the closet by the kitchen. I looked at him suspiciously. To test if he'd do it again, I picked up something else that went there. He reached for that, too. I pulled it away from him.

"Why don't you want me in that closet?"

"No reason." I pushed by him and opened the closet. There were a lot of guns, ammo, and...rope? I turned, fixing both twins with a stare.

"'No more bar fights' was easy to agree to, huh? What about gunfights? And why do you have a fucking rope that's the length of Boston?"

"I told ye it was a stupid fucking rope," Murphy pointed at Connor, who looked offended.

"I'll have ye know that 'stupid fuckin rope' saved our fucking lives," Connor said before realizing he had said too much.

"Okay, tell me whatever the fuck you're hiding now before I absolutely lose my shit again," I demanded.

And, so, that's how I learned that the McManus brothers had taken up the mantle of being the Saints of Boston and murdering all of the crime lords in the city. After they finished recounting falling through a ceiling vent, killing nine men, and then terrifying Rocco: I just sat there in silence. I didn't really know what to feel. On one hand, I was in shock, but I also felt angry, sad, and a little appalled. It's not that I'm against the death penalty, but vigilante justice is another thing entirely. I was conflicted. It was also hard for me to come to terms with the idea that God told them to murder all of the crime bosses in Boston. I was raised Catholic, but I don't adhere or follow anything to do with the Church. I'm not even sure if I believe in God or not.

"Are ye ever gonna say anything, lass?" Connor finally broke the silence. I looked up from my hands.

"It's a lot to take in."

"Well ye ain't running for the door." I looked to Murphy, who was remaining silent, watching me. It felt like the first time I was seeing him properly. I had never seen him look so sure of anything before.

"You're sure," I began slowly, "absolutely sure?"

Murphy nodded, not breaking eye contact with me. Without knowing what else to say, I got up and resumed putting my things away. The boys stood there, not really knowing what to do.

Eventually, Murphy placed his hand on the small of my back. I turned to look at him before hugging him tightly. I just wanted him to stay safe.

It's been about two weeks since I've been back at the apartment. Murphy and Connor, wisely, keep me out of whatever business they're taking care of late at night when I'm not around. I hadn't told anyone anything about it. I still didn't know how I felt about it. On one hand, they were taking care of a problem that law enforcement couldn't take care of for one reason or another. On the other hand, they were taking the law into their own hands and handing out the ultimate punishment of death. It was easier if I just didn't think about it. Rocco tried talking to me about it once but I just kept changing the subject until he eventually stopped trying.

I shut my text book, leaning back in the library chair and running my hands through my hair. My thesis paper was as done as it could be. I'd just have to turn it in and hope it was accepted for publication somewhere. If it was, I'd be able to get an internship or an entry level job somewhere. Maybe Murphy would go with me. A part of me doubted it though. Since he and Connor have had their...calling...they seem fixated on this city.

No, I don't want to think about it any more. I cleaned up my things as my paper printed out from the community printer. After double checking the pages were all there and in order, I took it over to the main part of the campus to turn in to my professor, and then decided to walk home since it was nice, sunny, and warm out.

I was about a block away from the apartment when I felt an arm wrap around my body, a sweet scented rag covering my face. I struggled for a bit before my limbs started to feel sluggish and heavy, my vision going black as I lost consciousness.