The boys were out of bed before I had time to really react, pulling guns out of hiding places I didn't even know they had and creeping silently to the door, meanwhile I was still trying to untangle from the blankets they had both tossed on top of me as they had made their escape.

Out of nowhere Murphy was on top of me, grabbing my wrists and pulling me to my feet, pushing me behind him, putting himself and Connor between me and the door which I'm sure I would have found chivalrous if I hadn't been so scared that I was about to pee my pants.

Connor was counting silently on his fingers as they prepared to open the door when Rocco's voice from the other side of the door called, "Don't fuckin shoot!"

We all froze and he repeated, "Connor, Murphy, don't fucking shoot me!"

My boys met eyes and Murphy dropped into a crouch pulling me along. "What's happenin', Roc?" Connor shouted and then dropped into a crouch as well, pistol ready, eyes on the door, free hand on the knob. Murphy was practically thrumming with energy and adrenaline beside me…and they both looked like they were having the time of their lives.

Fuckin hell, I thought, shaking my head. How the hell could I ever have competed?

"Roc?" Connor called again, then dropped closer to the floor.

"Um," Rocco said from the other side of the door in a very quiet and pathetic voice. "I tripped."

We all looked back and forth at each other for a couple of seconds before I broke the silence. "Say again?"

"I, uh, tripped over something…and fell over…something else."

I covered my mouth, determined not to laugh.

"Come and open the door, Roc," Connor demanded, crabwalking back.

"I can't," came the sad reply from the other room. "I think, I'm, uh, stuck."

I felt really bad about it, but I started laughing. I tried to cover my mouth, but it wasn't helping. I dropped back on my ass, giggling, and I heard another crash from the other room, and a muffled Shit and I suddenly couldn't stop laughing. I couldn't catch my breath and my eyes started tearing up. I was aware of the boys looking at me like I had just lost it, but I couldn't help it.

"Stop laughing and come and help me, Goddammit!" Rocco called again.

"He's fallen," I said, breathless, "and he can't get up." I said breaking into new hysterics. I put my back against the bathroom door and covered my mouth with both of my hands and laughed until my sides and face hurt.

When I came back to my senses, the boys had already cracked the door and were slipping into the dark living room…when they started laughing.

"Fuck you both!" Rocco yelled, "Get me out of here."

By now the boys were practically on the floor rolling and I was under control, more or less, so I pushed myself to my feet, wiping tears from my eyes and padded after them.

It was a fucking sight. It looked like he had probably been headed for the kitchen and caught one foot in the strap of Murphy's bag. Rocco had stumbled for a second then gone ass over teakettle straight into one of the side tables I had next to the couch. His weight had broken it and sent the contents (a couple of beer bottles and an ashtray) all over him. The table top had fallen on him and gotten pinned against one of my bookcases by one of the table legs. With nothing to leverage himself against he was stuck with his uninjured arm and one leg underneath him and the other foot still through Murphy's bag strap, he had only been able to push with his injured hand and he couldn't put much pressure on it so he had only managed to wedge himself tighter against the bookcase.

I felt a wicked grin cross my face and the giggles threatened to erupt again but I could see blood on the bandage covering his stump so I got a grip, headed back into the bathroom and grabbed the first aid kit.

The boys were still laughing when I returned and tried to extricate Rocco from the carnage. I managed to get him into a sitting position as I dropped to one knee in front of him and started trying to pick cigarette butts from his hair. "Are you okay?" I asked my voice as serious as I could manage with a grin still on my face and the boys laughing like a pair of stoned fucking hyenas behind me.

"I'm fuckin fine," he said, sullenly.

"You're seeping," I said nodding at his hand. "Let me take a look?"

"Sure," he said looking at me, then glancing down and keeping his eyes fixed. "Damn, you've got some legs on you, kid."

Looking down myself, I realized that in my hysteria, I had stumbled out without pulling my pants back on and I felt my cheeks flush. I cleared my throat. "Um, thanks," I mumbled. "Be right back," I said rising, now all too aware that my underwear were snug and the curves of my ass would be clearly visible as I walked away.

Once in the room I heard a smack and I envisioned Connor swatting Rocco on the back of the head. "What the fuck are ye doin lookin?"

I grinned to myself as I stepped into my pants. "She was right fuckin there, man. I couldn't help it. It was a compliment. She said thank you. I wasn't gonna grab her ass or nothing. But," and his voice dropped so I couldn't make out what he said, but it was followed by another head smack.

"Mind you stay on your fucking couch," Murphy added as I heard him head my way. I grinned and shook my head as Murphy's hands took hold of my ass and squeezed. "You do have quite the arse on ye, girl."

"Thank you, too," I said, turning, and pulling his face down to mine. His tongue explored my mouth as his hands gently massaged my southern cheeks and I moaned a little into his mouth, before pulling back, pressing my hands to his chest. "Don't get me started. I have to go check on Rocco," I said, slipping out of his arms and heading for the living room again.

Connor had helped Rocco onto the couch and was sitting on my coffee table across from him and they were talking intensely in hushed tones as I walked in. I paused a few feet away and they stopped. "You need me to wait?"

"Nah, lass," Connor said, rising and coming towards me. "Just hurry on, yeah?" he said wrapping an arm around my waist and kissing my forehead.

"Won't be a bit," I said inhaling deeply as I touched his arm.

He turned back to Rocco and pointed two fingers at his eyes then at Rocco. "I'll be fuckin watchin you."

"Stop," I said, swatting him lightly on his hand. "Go lay down. I'll be right back."

Connor walked backwards out of the room, leaving the bedroom door cracked.

"Sorry," Rocco said as I took up Connor's place on the coffee table, folding my legs.

I grinned. "Never apologize to a woman for telling her she has nice legs, Rocco," I said as I took his stumpy hand in mine, set it on my legs, and started to unwrap. "I do appreciate you not grabbing my ass, though," I said meeting his eyes and I saw him flush a little. I suppressed a smile and looked back down at his hand. The wrapping came away easily, but the pad had gotten stuck to the new blood and I had to tug it a little, and I heard him suck in a breath.

"Sorry," I said absently as I looked at the red flesh, crusted black around the edges where it had been charred. "You boys and your appliances," I said, shaking my head. "It's just oozing a little, Roc, I'll hold pressure on it for a bit, if it doesn't stop then I'll stitch it," I said placing a clean bandage pad against it and squeezing slightly.

"Oh, fuck," he said under his breath.

I looked up and he had paled. "I'm sorry," I said.

"S'Okay. Fuck I could use a smoke."

I nodded. "Could use one, too," I said, reaching with my spare hand and grabbing a pack and a lighter. I pulled two cigarettes out of the pack with my teeth and lit them, passing one to Rocco.

"Thanks," he said, dragging deep.

"Least I can do," I said grinning as I dragged on my own.

"For everything, ya know?" he said, his voice strained but his eyes were serious.

I matched his gaze. "Sure," I said, nodding. "It's as much as I can do."

He nodded, leaned forward, and dropped his voice, "They love you, you know that?"

Slowly I nodded. "I know."

"They won't say it."

"I won't either."

"They told you? That we're leaving?"

I nodded again, feeling my eyes sting.

"You're the only thing holding them here." I nodded again, tears spilling silently now. "And you're still not gonna tell em?"

"It'll just make it harder, Roc," I said, smoking, wiping at my damp cheeks with the heel of my hand. "I won't deny it if they initiate it, but it's gonna be bad enough already. I don't want it any worse."

He looked at me like I was an idiot, but he nodded. I supposed I was an idiot, but it made sense to me. I sniffled and looked down at his hand. His stump had stopped oozing. "Looks like you'll live," I said, snuffing out my cigarette and wrapping his finger back up.

"Wipe your face before you go in there, will ya? They'll think I tried to stick my dick in ya."

I laughed a little, unfolding off of the table and heading for the kitchen to splash some water on my face. Finally heading for my room, I looked over at him settling onto the couch. "Night, Roc," I said as I clicked off the lights.

"Night," he replied.

"And…thanks," I said, just outside of my door. I saw him nod in the dark and I stepped into my bedroom.