A/N: Angst-alert! I actually didn't mean for it to get all angsty but it did. Sorry. Oh well, let me know what you think, good, bad, or ugly (or all three). Hell, you don't even have to sign your review. I just want to know if anyone is actually reading this. Or wants to know what would happen. Oh well.

/

Murphy shoved his hands into his pockets to keep them from shaking. His heart was racing and the reality of his new "calling" was finally beginning to set in. They had planned and gathered supplies, now it was just a matter of waiting. But despite that fact that Murphy was a bundle of nervous energy, a significant part of him was excited. He felt a purpose had been given to him, a purpose that would benefit others. He felt as if simple things no longer mattered

But, or course, she would never be considered a simple thing. Murphy stopped in his tracks outside her building. He looked up to find her window open up on the fourth floor, soft light filtering out into the night. Distractedly, Murphy pulled his thumbnail between his teeth, chewing nervously as he thought. An hour ago, he has felt invincible. Now he was just a nervous teenage boy. While he had faith in himself and his brother as well as in the fact that God would guide them safely through their mission, Murphy knew that tonight could indeed be his last.

A short, elderly woman walking up to the building, arms full of shopping bags drew him from his thoughts. She unlocked the door and he held it open for her. The woman gave him a kind smile as she passed him and Murphy quietly made his way into the building after her.

He bounded up the stairs, taking them two at a time, afraid he would lose his nerve if he didn't. Reaching her landing, he stood at her front door, again struck with hesitation. Murphy bit his bottom lip, forcing himself to lift his fist to knock on her door.

He waited, the sound of the knock resonating in his ears. He felt as if his heart would beat out of his chest. A few moments passed, the silence unbroken. Hesitantly, he knocked again. Again, nothing, His heart fell slightly and he sighed, turning back toward the stairs. As he turned, he heard the scrape of metal and the turn of a lock as Sadie opened the door behind him.

"Murph? Hey, I thought I heard someone knock," Sadie said, sounding slightly out of breath.

Murphy turned back to her with a smirk, about to make a comment about how she was always late. As he faced her, though, the words died in his throat. She wasn't looking at him, but concentrating on pulling off a high-heeled shoe from her foot. His eyes scanned up her legs to find her in a simple black dress. He always liked the way that Sadie dressed, clean and feminine, but this was something new. The skirts of her dress flared out from the waist, falling softly around her knees. The top of the dress was tight, black fabric wrapping around her slim waist and accentuating her small bust, held up with thin black straps. He watched her closely as he bent over to pull the shoe from her foot, noticing the smoothness of her pale skin under the dark black fabric. His mouth suddenly felt suspiciously dry.

Sadie blew the hair out of her face and looked up at him. "Murphy? You okay?" She straightened, throwing the shoe off to her side.

Murphy shook his head. "Yeah. Um, yeah, of course. Can I come in?"

Sadie smiled softly at him. "Of course.' She opened the door wider and walked barefoot into her kitchen.

Murphy looked around her apartment. He had been there before, but not nearly as many times as she had been to his home. She was a fairly private person and every time she allowed him into her a[artment he felt a rush of pride in the fact that she trusted him enough to allow him to see this part of her life. Everything about her apartment made him think of her: the soft lights, the smell, the colorful paintings that hung on the wall, her comfortable blue couch.

"What's up?" Sadie asked, pulling a glass from the cabinet above her head.

Murphy closed the door behind him and hesitantly wandered further into her home. "Not much, just came by to say 'Hi.'"

She lifted an eyebrow at him, filling the glass with water. She silently gestured at the glass, offering it to him. He shook his head. Sadie shrugged and tilted her head back, drinking down the water. Murphy leaned against the opposite side of her kitchen counter, eyes fixed on her pale neck as she drank.

When she came up for air, she smiled at him and placed the glass on the counter. "You decided to come over to say 'Hi' at 10:30? What's up, Connor bring a girl home?"

Ignoring her question, Murphy asked, "Why you all dressed up tonight? Knew I was coming over?"

Sadie laughed and looked down at herself. Playing absentmindedly with the fabric of her skirts she replied, "Oh, I had a date tonight."

Murphy's face instantly fell. "Oh yeah? With who?"

Sadie sighed and leaned against the counter in front of her. "Remember that cop from the station the other day? Went out with him."

Murphy, bitter, leaned his elbows on her counter and let out an irritated grunt. "That prick?"

"Hey, he's not…that bad." Murphy looked up to see her biting the inside of her cheek.

"Didn't go well, I take it," Murphy asked, his smirk returning.

Sadie sighed and pulled herself to sit on the counter, leaning her head against the wall. "He was nice enough. A little arrogant, though. He actually tried to order for me at the restaurant. Then when I was talking to him about my artwork he went off on this tangent 'explaining' Dadaism to me as if I had never heard of it before. I'm pretty sure he thought I was an airhead."

Murphy laughed, making his way around the counter, leaning against the side opposite from Sadie.

"I hate it when men talk to me like that, like I'm an idiot."

Murphy scoffed, "Ye know you're not."

She looked up at him through her hair, "I know. And I told him that, right before I stormed out of the restaurant and walked home."

"Ye did what?"

"Yeah, in retrospect I should have waited until he has driven me home before I told him off, my feet are killing me." Sadie pulled her legs underneath her on the counter, rubbing the flesh of her feet.

Murphy knit his eyebrows together, "Sadie, ye can't walk around Boston alone at night."

Sadie's smile fell. "Oh great, now even my best friend's going to tell me what I can and cannot do. Really, I'm glad I have you men in my life, otherwise I just wouldn't know what to do."

Murphy crossed his arms across his chest. "Ye know what I mean."

Sadie pushed herself off the counter to stand across from Murphy in the small kitchen. "Oh do I? Because I'm just a silly woman, apparently I don't know what's good for me."

Sadie pushed her way past Murphy toward her living room. Without thinking, Murphy closed his fingers around her upper arm, pulling her back to lean against the counter.

She looked up at him with such malice that Murphy immediately dropped him hand from her as if he had been burned. She shook her head at him and pushed against him, this time with force. He allowed her to pass him and watch, defeated as she made her way to her bedroom.

"Sadie, shit, I'm sorry," Murphy called after her, immediately following her. He leaned against the doorframe of her bedroom, too scare to cross the threshold. He crewed nervously at his thumb, watching her closely as she took off her earrings and angrily threw them on her dresser.

She sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Is it really so much to ask; to want to be equal to a man, not submissive? Is that too fucking much to ask of a man?"

Angrily, Sadie sat on the edge of her bed, face in her hands. Seeing her hunched over pulled at Murphy's heart. Quietly, he made his way over to the bed, sitting down next to her and resting his elbows on his knees.

He lightly pushed the hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. Softly he whispered, "Sadie, look at me."

Slowly, she drew her hands back from her face and turned her head to meet his gaze. Her eyes were lightly glazed over.

"Sadie, I care about you. Of course I respect ye and know you could easily kick my or anyone else's arse if you're angry enough, but that won't stop me from worrying about you."

Sadie let out a soft laugh and looked down at her feet.

Murphy continued, "That's what I came here to tell you, you know. Sade, you're one of the most wonderful people I've ever met.

Sadie looked up at him, brow knitted in confusion.

"I admire ye so much, my dear." He lifted his hand to cup her cheek, reveling in the softness and gentle heat of her skin.

Concerned, she asked, "Murphy, what's going on? Is something wrong?"

Calmly Murphy just shook his head and answered, "No." He started into her deep brown eyes, full of concern and worry now. Without thinking, he pulled her lips to his, kissing her lightly.

He hadn't meant to kiss her. He just wanted to get in, tell her how he felt, say a nice good bye, and get out. He should have realized it wouldn't have been that easy.

Murphy felt Sadie sharply inhale against his lips in surprise. Even more surprisingly for him, she melted under him, pulling him more forcefully toward her. His lips pressed against her, trying to tell her everything he wanted to but couldn't. She tasted sweet and he felt lightheaded. Pulling away, Murphy placed one final kiss to her lips and met her eyes.

"I should go," he said, standing from the bed.

Behind him, he heard her protest, but purposefully made his way to her door. He grasped the doorknob and turned, pulling the door open slightly. Sighing, he turned to look back through the apartment to see Sadie where he left her, silently begging him to explain what had just happened. Her eyes implored him to stay. Her lips were deep red and she had a beautiful, healthy blush across her face. As much as he wanted to go back to her, he softly said, "Goodbye, Sadie," turned, and left.