"Dear Heart" by Meg & Dia

The next few days on the ship were pretty laid back. Murphy and Connor helped around the ship as the price for our voyage while I just laid around and read or wrote most of the time. It was very relaxing after the last very stressful month.

And, before we knew it, we were already back in Ireland. Murphy and Connor grabbed our bags while I led the way off of the ship, scanning the small crowd of people for someone we knew.

"Holy shit," I said, coming to a stop and causing Murphy to run into me. He started to give me hell but I waved my hand, pointing over to a secluded area that people weren't really going to. I recognized Tyler and Noah first. Eunice with her new dark hair second. And Paul Smecker in a wheelchair third.

The twins looked just as confused as we walked over to the small group. Eunice saw us first, greeting us with hugs. She hugged me last, studying me after hugging me.

"Something's different about you," she observed. "But what is it?"

"She got shot," Connor interjected helpfully. I put my head in my hands.

"What? How could you let her get shot?" Smecker asked incredulously.

"Not that we aren't glad to see you, but how come ye're not dead?" Murphy countered, one eyebrow raised as he looked between Smecker and Eunice.

"Long story."

"He faked his death to everyone, including me, so that he could get away with helping you," Eunice supplied.

"Okay, it's not that long."

Tyler was studying me suspiciously before reaching over and giving my abdomen a gentle squeeze. He knew based on his face. I nodded slightly, causing him to raise an eyebrow at Murphy. With an eye roll, I wiggled my ring finger. A grin spread across his face. He was pleased by this development. I smiled slightly before that smile faltered a bit. I had to tell him about Adam and Caleb at some point.

"Look, as sweet as this reunion is, we should really get going. It looks like it's going to rain," Eunice interrupted the conversations.

"It's almost always raining here," Smecker raised his hands in exasperation. She rolled her eyes before pushing him towards what I assume was the car. Tyler took one of the bags from Murphy so that he could hold my hand as we followed them to the cars. Tyler was driving one car while Eunice was driving the other.

"I'll go with Eunice and Smecker that way you guys can catch up with your dad," I offered.

"Are ye sure?" Murphy asked. I smiled.

"I'm sure, it's only for like an hour. I'm sure you'll survive without me." He leaned down and kissed me before going over to help Tyler and Connor with the bags. Tyler frowned slightly, probably a bit confused I wasn't going with him. Even Eunice and Smecker looked surprised when I climbed into the back of their car.

"This is a surprise," Smecker squinted into the back. He went to light a cigarette but Eunice snatched the lighter from him. "What the fuck did I do?"

"She's pregnant. You'll survive an hour," Eunice said dismissively as she pocketed the lighter. Smecker sat up a little straighter.

"No shit? Again? Wait, how did you notice and I didn't?"

Eunice rolled her eyes as she pulled out onto the road after Tyler. "Because I wasn't fawning over the boys. How did Tyler know?"

"Probably because my pants barely fit now," I shrugged. "He's oddly perceptive most of the time."

"Twins again?"

"Triplets."

"Jesus fucking Christ," Smecker whistled. "Last ones?"

"I fucking hope so. When I pictured having kids, 5 was not the number I pictured."

"Luck o' the Irish."

I couldn't help but laugh. Yeah, I guess it was. I pulled out my phone and opened the browser. It's a lot slower than my laptop but it at least works. I've put off looking into Adam and Caleb for a while. Since they were dead, my best bet was to try and find Jess. And I admit that I feel a little safer trying to find her when I'm not in America.

It didn't take me very long until I found her obituary. I felt my blood go cold as I read it. She had been diagnosed with cancer shortly after Tyler had moved to Germany with me. Slowly I kicked off my shoes, pulling my knees up to my chest to balance my phone on. I felt Smecker watching me in the mirror but pretended not to notice.

The obituary said that she was survived by her husband Caleb and her parents. They found the cancer when she miscarried. It made me a little sad to learn that she had died. Jess was always very sweet-just also shy. I never got to know her as well as I would have liked. And then I left anyway. So it didn't really matter. Just another person I've known that left the world far too soon.

From there I started looking for information on Caleb. There wasn't much. Even less on Adam. Certainly nothing to connect the dots on my end.

"You okay back there, sunshine?" Smecker asked, his green eyes staring intently. I exited the browser on my phone and turned it off altogether.

"Do you remember the guys that were in the band with Tyler and I?"

"Caleb and Adam," he nodded. "I followed all of you for a while before I worked up the courage to talk to Connor and Murphy. Why?"

"They were at the last job. Adam's actually the one that shot me."

"I can't say I'm totally surprised," Smecker pursed his lips together in a thin line, clearly thinking about something from eight years ago. "Adam got involved in some petty crimes. Small things that paid okay. The kind of things that people who don't want to actually be a criminal get involved with."

I looked at him in surprise.

"Apparently he got deeper in it instead of out of it. Something must have happened to change him."

"Something like me stealing his boyfriend away to Germany to be a platonic co-parent even though he thought Tyler was in love with me?"

"That's a very specific something, but yes," Eunice nodded. Smecker agreed.

"What happened to Caleb?" Smecker questioned, sounding like an FBI agent again.

"I tried to grab him to distract Adam since I didn't think he'd ever hurt Caleb. But he shot Caleb instead. The bullet went through him and into me. Murphy killed Adam."

"He'd have come after you again if he hadn't."

"I know. I just don't understand how it happened. Or why."

"You might not ever know."

I said nothing, looking out the window at the scenery. Spring was coming to an end. It's almost summer here now. Murphy, the kids, and I will have to go on some nice hikes before I end up on bedrest. Twins were bad enough. I expect triplets to be murder.

"It is too fucking quiet in here," Eunice announced, turning on the radio. Smecker immediately made a noise of disgust and turned the dial. She glared, turning it back. He went to turn it again and she swatted his hand away, giving him a threatening glare.

"Or what, you'll push me out of my wheelchair?"

"You don't even need the wheelchair."

"Wait, your disguise was slightly shorter hair and a wheelchair?"

"It's been working marvelously. And I at least didn't have to destroy my wonderful hair." He ran his fingers through his hair, looking delighted with himself while Eunice looked very unamused, likely missing her natural hair color. I rolled my eyes. They fight like Murphy and Connor.

They continued to bicker, causing the rest of the drive to go by quickly. I suspect some of it from Smecker was theatrical for my benefit (and also the benefit of annoying Eunice, who didn't know he was alive all that time).

Smecker helped me out of the car, an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth. Murphy and Connor looked at him in shock.

"He's fecking walking," Murphy pointed, looking at Connor and then to me in confusion.

"What? Haven't you ever seen a man walk before?" Then he turned to me: "where did you find these guys? They seem a little off."

"Probably throwing themselves through windows one too many times."

"Again?" Smecker looked at Eunice once more. "You're supposed to improve their finesse, not encourage this bad movie vigilante bullshit."

Eunice groaned, linked arms with me, and then began walking to the house with me. "Yes I am using you as a human shield and no I am not proud of it." I raised my eyebrows at her. "Sorry, that was insensitive. I didn't mean it like that."

"It's fine," I smiled, patting her on the arm. "You're welcome to use me as a buffer any time you need me."

"Don't tell me that, I'll actually take you up on it."

Before we even got halfway to the door, Kelly and Declan ran outside ahead of my mom, who was yelling at them to put shoes on. I knelt down as they threw their arms around me and hugged them tightly.

"Mom!" they cried in unison. They then noticed Murphy and ran over to him, surprising him by throwing themselves at him as well. Eunice helped me up after noticing me wince slightly.

"You're wincing, why are you wincing?" Mom asked, looking me over as if I was going to spontaneously combust or bleed.

"She got shot," Noah supplied as he walked over carrying one of my bags. "I'll put it in Murphy's room for now." I nodded gratefully as mom pulled me into a hug.

"You could've died!"

"I lived-I'd also prefer that the kids not know about it." Mom pulled away teary eyed. I squeezed her hands. "I'm fine, really. I might need your help still, though, if you're okay with living with us here."

She perked up, clearly not expecting that. "What on earth could you need me for-oh. OH! You have to tell the kids."

"Let's wait a few days, yeah?"

"Can I start shopping?"

"Just get three of everything." She looked at me in surprise.

"Three?"

"Three."

"Oh my. That's a big increase. Are you sure?"

"Bloodwork and ultrasound."

"Three. Names?"

"Haven't really had time but we'll run them by you when we get the chance."

"Oh I'll think of some, too." She then noticed my hand.

"Yeah, that too."

"Before or after you were shot?"

"Before."

"Good, it's authentic then."

"O' course it's authentic," Noah said gruffly as he came back out on the porch. He then surprised me by drawing me into a hug. "He'd be a fecking fool otherwise."

"Yeah, but he's my fool," I smiled, looking over to see the boys coming over, Kelly on Murphy's back and Declan on Connor's.

After a big dinner that night, Murphy and I squeezed onto his small bed upstairs. Declan and Kelly insisted on sleeping on the floor in our room that night instead of their own beds, so they were sharing a cot next to the bed. The excitement of the day had worn them out and they were already both asleep.

"That was one hell of a welcome home," I murmured.

"It was," he agreed. I glanced up at him.

"What are you thinking?"

"I've always wanted a big family," he admitted. "Never told Connor because he'd never let me hear the end of it. But I've thought of it since I was a kid. I'm just glad it's with ye." He got a bit teary eyed. We had been very close to never reconnecting. Close to him never knowing about the twins. I held him a little more tightly.

"We'll always find each other. This is just how it's meant to be."

He kissed the top of my head. "I love ye, Cecilia."

"I love you, too, Murphy."