She met a boy

Its been so long since the last time we talked
We never seemed to finish what we start
I know its tough to stay in touch
We always seem to say
"We're not in love
We just have fun
It's better off this way"

Stay the night if your passing by
This is the only time
To clear our minds
Come on baby
Hold our heads up high
We've got some catching up
To do tonight.

I should've known better
then to feel this way
no matter how long you are gone
I will always wait
I know its tough to stay in touch
We always seem to say
"We're not in love
We just have fun
It's better off this way"
(Stay the Night - Red Panda)

Her shift was over quickly and Doc went over the routine of closing down. The walk from the pub was more of aimless wandering. Chel'an found the grocer's first, then the church, and finally came upon the not yet quite familiar sight of the apartment building. It was a nice night out, the moon was out not too bright, not too dark. The city was quiet to her surprise, she thought at times it was only the sound of her breathing in her ears. Quiet was nice, but too much quiet would bring on thinking. Behind her she heard the faintness of footsteps and voices. She straightened and quickened her pace into the building.

Minutes later two forms disappeared into the building across from hers. They weren't stalking her, merely making sure the new lass would find her way home safely. Murphy was irrate, "She's a careless girl. What girl in her right f-ing mind wanders the streets after mid-night?" The boys had done alot of grappling and cuffing each other at one point when Murph was tired of the chase and wanted to just grab her and drag her home. "I wanta sleep! I can't f-ing help it if she's lost!" But his brother didn't want to scare the girl, content just to watch her from afar. "I'm telling you Conn, this romantic soul shit is NOT going to get you laid!" Murphy was asleep as soon as he crumpled onto his bed.

Connor peeked across the way. He saw her form on the balcony. She was seated cross-legged on a bench, dressed all in sweats. A blanket was around her as she was chatting on the phone. He went up to the roof, curious even more about the new girl. Sounded like she was talking to her Ma, a little happy, but still a little withdrawn. He watched as she threw her phone in the room and gathered the blanket about her. "She'll catch her death if she plans to sleep out here tonight," he thought.

Chel'an hung up the phone and threw her phone back inside sighing in frustration. Her mother meant well, they all meant well, but did they really want a truthful answer when they asked, "Are you doing ok?" She would say, "I'm doing fine and things are really nice over here." But she wasn't ok, and wouldn't be for a long time. She still missed him, would always miss him. The pain would never go away, but she accepted that it would lessen in time. Her eyes caught sight of a small tin on the ledge beside her. She smiled as she discovered Laurie's forgotten lighter and cigarettes.

Conner watched in fascination as she fingered the box of cigarettes and played with the lighter a few times. She placed the cigarette gently in her mouth and the flame of the lighter eased his view of her face. Was she crying? Did her Ma make her cry? He watched her smoke the single cigarette, she finally tipped the orange glow into a canister by her feet. The wind carried her quiet sobs up to his ears, and he watched as she cried herself to sleep.

It had happened oh so quickly, yet in her mind it replayed painfully in slow motion. The elevator doors had just opened, the sun bright on their eyes. Suddenly guns were waving and people were yelling. He had pulled her down and back into the elevator. But the men that had been the original target had done the same, as soon as he had pulled out his weapon and yelled out his credentials, one of them had turned and fired twice. She didn't even have time to scream as he fell forward onto her. She felt him guide the gun towards her right hand, heard him whisper, "I'm sorry," and without thinking she took it and fired at the men across from her.

Murph woke up and realized it was too quiet. Across the room his brother's bed was still empty. He grumbled and sighed as he threw on his coat. His twin was most likely watching the girl, what was it with this girl anyway? When he got to the roof, he was surprised to not find him there. Murphy lit up a cigarette, which promptly fell out of his mouth and down to the street below as he glanced across the way. There was his brother scooping up the girl out on her balcony. "Conn! What the hell are you doing?" He cursed to himself, "Dammit!" He had dropped the pack of cigarettes too.

Minutes later Connor found his brother outside searching the street between their buildings. "What the hell are you doing?"he asked wondering if his twin had lost his mind.

"Funny I was 'bout ta ask ye the same thing!" Murph quipped, "That was a quick lay!"

"I didn't touch her," Conner defended. He wasn't much for words and would speak when ready, but Murphy knew how to break him.

"Ye had her in yer arms, like she was your own," his brother laughed, "Help me find the cigs." They were searching the side walks now. "Did she tell you her secret? Did you make those sad eyes cry tears of joy? Or was she upset to be with the wrong brother?"

Connor boxed his ear, "She didn't even know I was there." He picked up a crumpled pack of cigarettes off the ground and tossed it at his twin, his blue eyes twinkling with his laugh, "Here we go!"

"I swear Conn, you got it bad. I'm itchin' to tell Ma she raised a f-ing stalker." His own eyes squinted at his twin. "They can never handle what we do. Just sleep with her an' be done with it." His brother could have more tact when he wasn't so sleepy or grumpy.

Connor related his tale as they trudged up the steps to their home. "Yeah I was watchin' her. She fell asleep outside and I just wanted to bring her in. She'd be catchin' pneumonia if not for me. I let myself in, picked her up and set her upon the couch is all."

"And you watched her sleep. And you smelt her hair. And you caressed her cheek ever so gently..." the dark haired brother teased, "You are a stalker Con! It's not healthy." They were in their bedroom now, Murphy burrowing under his blankets.

"She's one o'them traveling nurses Murph. She'll only be here 3 months or so. Don't get so worked up," Connor mumbled crawling into bed, "I jus' wanta to get to know her."

"Don't come crying to me when she's gone," Murphy smiled in the dark, his brother hadn't taken a real interest in a new girl since they started their 'work'. Maybe this would actually be a good thing Murphy thought as sleep finally came. Connor needed some thing other than him to keep him company. There would be times when Murphy would hesitate to be out with a girl, just knowing his twin would be at home drinking alone. "Just don't fall in love with her Conn... that's all..." Murph mumbled before sleep took him.