A/N: Wow, one with each chapter now, I guess. Thanks for all the of the reviews. And I hope this chapter is up to your expectations! I had a terrible creative block and I don't know exactly why. I think it has something to do with the fact that I like it when my characters are comfortable with one another...but that will change again soon...don't cha worry:) But I know exactly where I'm going now :) so it shouldn't take too long to do another longer chapter!
It smelled like home. That was the first thing that Katie noticed as she began to wake up. The second thing was the unsettled feeling in her stomach. Keeping her eyes closed, she pulled the comforter tighter around her, barely noticing that it was the rough fabric of the couch below her instead of her cool cotton sheets. If she could sleep, maybe it would all go away. Maybe then when she woke up, she would be home.
The weight of a hand on her calf pulled her further out of sleep and she opened her eyes. Connor sat at the end of the couch looking at her. "Wake up, Katie." He smiled.
Groaning softly, she pulled the comforter over her head. "Go away."
She heard him laugh softly and felt the comforter being pulled away from her. For lack of a better option, she opened her eyes to look at him again. "Connor, you have no idea what I do or do not have on underneath this blanket."
She fought a smile as he raised an eyebrow at her and stopped pulling. "What?"
"When she went to sleep she was fully dressed. " Da's voice floated over from the chair and she glanced over at him.
"Da, you're not helping me here."
He just laughed. Connor used the distraction to pull the comforter fully off of her. Katie sat up fully and glared at him. "Can't a girl get some sleep?"
"Not on moving day. Sorry. You'll have to sleep later. But I did make you breakfast." He nodded at the coffee table. Looking over she saw the plate of pancakes. She shook her head slightly.
"Thanks, but no thanks."
"Why? You made the batter."
"My stomach says no." She pushed her hair back from her face with a sigh. Connor finished folding the comforter and sat back down next to her.
"Ye feel alright? Ye kind of look…flushed." He reached over and put his hand on her forehead before she realized it. "Are ye feeling sick?"
Sighing, she finally smiled. "I'm fine. I must have just been sleeping so heavily that I didn't realize I was too warm."
"That's how you slept through the crash in the kitchen."
She tilted her head at him and smirked. "What? Cooking breakfast on your own got a little tough?"
"No, I'm just not used to counters full of sacked food. Here, I worked hard. Eat up. Ye'll feel better."
"Really, I don't think pancakes are the answer. Coffee doesn't even sound good right now." She shrugged. "Sorry 'bout the wasted pancakes."
Connor laughed and shook his head. "Pancakes are never wasted in this house. Murph and I will split 'em. I already had to protect them from him once."
"Okay, they are officially donated to the 'Feed the Murphy' foundation. I'm gonna go shower." Pushing her pillow aside, she gave a half-smile to Da and walked down the hallway.
Katie was halfway through her shower when she heard the knock on the door. She ignored the nervous flutter of her stomach. What did Murphy want this time? Rolling her eyes, she shouted over the steam. "Come in!"
"Hey." Connor's voice surprised her and she just laughed softly.
"Good God, is it a fucking McManus initiation to bother me in the shower?"
"Nope, the fuckin' initiation is to get shot."
"What?"
Connor just laughed. "Nevermind. Murph made ye some tea. Da says it'll make ye feel better. I'll leave it on the counter."
"And you get to be the delivery boy? How special."
"No, but Murph is helping Da load the car. He needed someone with two good arms."
Katie peeked around the curtain with a frown. "Is yours still bothering you?"
He raised his eyebrows at her through the steam. "A little, but we can talk about this later. Murph might be comfortable interrupting yer showers, but I think I'll let ye finish."
She pulled the curtain closed again with a laugh. "Okay, Conn. Thanks for the tea." The door shut quickly behind him.
As she stepped out of the shower, Katie realized she really did feel better. She grinned as she saw the small bottle of Tylenol next to the mug on the counter. They may be annoying, but they knew how to make her feel better. Just one more reason why it was easier to just decide to stay.
Grabbing her two bags from the floorboard, Katie slid out of the front seat and stared up at the apartment building. It was an older dark red brick building in what looked to be a semi-questionable part of town. Shaking her head, she just smiled. Nothing says 'home sweet home' quite like a cracked front stoop next to the alley.
She turned and squinted at Connor who was piling bags next to the car. "You do realized I'm complete fucking lost, right?"
He grinned at her. "Don't ye worry. We're just the two to give ye a tour. This is our old area."
"Yeah, I heard that. Should that concern me?"
"Only if yer afraid of the Irish. It's nearly 100 around here."
"Uh oh, am I now a foreigner?"
"We'll just tell'em ye bleed green."
"Right." She laughed and followed Da up the stoop.
The apartment was sparsely furnished, dark and only half the size of the last one. Katie couldn't help but wonder about the former usage of this apartment. She couldn't imagine anyone living here for a long period of time. Setting her stuff off to one side, she exchanged a look with Da and shrugged.
"Maybe it'll look better all fixed up."
He nodded with a smile and set his bags down before going out the door again. Katie wandered slowly, checking out the speckled tiled wall of the kitchen. It was actually a fairly cute little kitchenette-type deal. Too small for all of them to fit in it at once, but she knew she could use that to her advantage. Definitely one way to keep them out of her way when she was cooking.
Reaching up, she shook the dust out of the curtains and opened them. Bright light filled the small area, making it look somehow better and worse.
"After a good cleaning, this could be a nice place." She muttered and jumped as Murphy spoke behind her.
"Leave ye alone for five minutes and yer already talkin' to yerself?"
She just smiled at him, feeling a little awkward. He'd managed to stay out of the room while she was in it all morning. "Yeah, I guess."
Their eyes met for a brief moment before he just silently nodded and went back down to get another load from the car. Katie put her hand to her forehead and sighed. How long is it going to be this fucking awkward?
"Christ." She muttered and closed her eyes.
"Lord's fuckin' name." Connor's voice made her jump again.
"What?" Opening her eyes again, she glared at him.
"Sorry, force o'habit. Our Ma says that ta us all the time. Anytime we said 'Christ'."
"Oh, okay. Whatever."
"Katie, smile. Yer supposed to be excited that we're moving. Fuckin' jump up and down a little bit or something." He laughed as she gave a half-hearted hop. "That's better."
Putting a hand on her shoulder, he gave it a squeeze before going back out the door. Katie found that she was smiling despite herself. Despite the awkwardness. She wondered if Connor'd noticed yet. Or maybe he already knows. God, she hoped not. That just what she needed. Uncomfortable moments with both McManus twins.
Katie let her eyes roam the room again, taking in the eclectic mix of furniture. There was another worn plaid couch, a coffee table with very little of its finish left and two nice looking lay-z-boys. She grinned as Da came back in.
"Hey, Da. Nice choice in apartments." She plopped into one of the plush chairs. "Anything to do with your choice of chairs to sleep in?"
He laughed softly and moved to sit in the other one. They both put up the footstools at the same time. "No, lass. These are merely a perk o'the apartment."
"Look at this, Murph. We're working our asses off and these two are taking a fuckin' tea break." Connor walked in and set his bags on the floor with Murphy following shortly behind him. They both raised an eyebrow at the two of them.
"Assumptions, assumptions, Connor. There's no fucking tea in sight." Katie gasped with laughter as he moved quickly behind her and tipped the chair backwards. "Help, Help! I've fallen and I can't get up!"
"Connor, don't ye be hurting these chairs now."
"But tipping Katie over in them is perfectly acceptable." She called from behind the upturned footstool. Both Connor and Murphy just looked at her and laughed. "You two are a lot of fucking help."
She slid back so she could stand up off of the chair. "Real fucking Irish gentlemen here. Okay, I'll get to work now. Where are the bathroom bags?"
Murphy handed her the two bags he still held without a word.
"Thanks. Now get to work." She laughed as she moved out of the way of Connor's swatting hand.
The bathroom ended up being bigger than she'd thought it would be for an apartment this size. A lot of things about place seemed weird. As she set out toothbrushes and towels, Katie wondered just what the specific use of this apartment was. And how they fit into that now. Just one more thing to ask Smecker when he gets here.
Connor lounged on the couch and put his feet up on the coffee table with a sigh. It was break time. The car was unloaded but bags still sat all around the tiny living room area, cluttering the floor. They'd have to get things settled soon. But that could wait until after lunch.
"Pizza's here!" Murphy's voice called from the hallway but Connor just waited. He knew his brother would bring the pizzas to the coffee table and collapse next to him. They weren't exactly the kitchen table, knives and forks type. He looked toward the short hallway to his left.
"Katie, food's here."
"Yeah, I heard. This apartment's not exactly in need of an intercom system, Conn." Her laughter floated in as she rounded the corner. She lost a little of her smile as she saw Murphy coming in. They met eyes and awkwardly scooted around each other.
Connor watched this with interest. What the fuck had happened between them? Murphy hadn't said anything to him, but he noticed the difference even before she'd woken up this morning. Something had happened before they'd gone to bed.
He looked back and forth between the two of them as Murphy sat down beside him and Katie perched on the edge of one of the easy chairs. But which one would be easiest to break?
"Thanks." He reached out and took the beers from Katie's hand, grinning at the Pepsi in her own. "Didn't you know its pizza and beer? Not pizza and Pepsi."
"In what world?"
"The normal one." Murphy answered with a grin as he opened his. Connor shook his head and pointed his finger at her.
"Better yet, the Irish one."
Katie just laughed. "Oh yeah, I'll need to get used to that around here. What is that again, I bleed green?"
Murphy choked on his drink before looking over at her. "Ye bleed what?"
"Connor said I should just claim I bleed green to fit in around here."
"Just don't give'em reason to test yer claim." He grinned at her. Connor laughed.
"I'm won't giving a blood sample, don't you worry. I'll keep my secret safe." She saluted Murphy with her Pepsi before taking a drink. Footsteps echoed down the hall and through the open front door. They all three looked up.
Connor grinned when he saw Smecker walk in behind Da. Smecker nodded at both of them with a smile.
"So what secret are ye goin' ta keep safe, Katie?" Da raised a thick eyebrow at her. She laughed softly.
"The well-hidden secret that I'm not full-blood Irish. And therefore I don't bleed green."
"Aye, keep with me boys and no one'll question ye."
Katie laughed louder. "It might actually be an issue?"
"Yeah, they'll start making ye wear a scarlet letter or something." Connor winked at her. She just shook her head and looked back at Da.
"Katie, this is Detective Smecker." Da used his hand to motion to him. She stepped forward and held out her hand to shake his.
"Nice to meet, you Detective."
"Please, call me Paul."
"Or Smecker." Murphy added. He laughed as Smecker gave him a look before turning back to Katie. She continued to study the detective.
"Or Paul."
"I'm Katie. Katie Shafer."
"Well Katie, how the hell did you get stuck with these guys?"
She laughed.
"Are you sure you have time for that story?"
"That's what he's here ta hear, lass."
"And ye need to tell him everything, Katie." Connor warned from behind her. She turned back to glare at him.
"I know I can trust him, Connor."
"Easier than us, huh?"
"Boys, leave her alone." Da cut her off before she could respond. Katie looked back at Smecker and smiled. She glanced at Da.
"We still need to get unpacked and I have to go to work at 2:30"
"It'll give these two something ta do." Da nodded at Connor and Murphy. They nodded slowly. Katie smiled at that.
"Good, keep 'em busy."
"Oh, ye'll be helping us later." Connor pulled out a pack of cigarettes and put two in his mouth. He lit them both and handed one to Murphy without a word. She watched this with amusement. Connor saw she was watching and raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Nothing." She turned back to Smecker. "Let's get started then. Are you hungry?"
"Pizza, huh? It's always gourmet with you McManuses." Smecker nodded and took the seat on the couch nearest to where Katie had been sitting. "So, how do ya guys like the apartment?"
"Works for our purposes." Da reached out and opened the second pizza box. Both he and Smecker lifted a piece out.
"Paul, what was this apartment used for before us?" Katie fought a smile as both Connor and Murphy grinned at the use of his first name.
"Well, it was originally for short-term witness protection. But I bought it a few months ago for a cousin who ended up not needing the place."
"So that's why it's a little dusty."
"It probably is, yeah." Smecker chuckled and eyed the place. "So, Katie. Tell me how you ended up here in Boston."
"Get comfortable." Murphy muttered. Connor nudged him.
"Let the girl talk."
"Well, it all started two years ago…" Katie stared down at her Pepsi for a moment. Smecker sighed lightly and shifted into a better position on the couch.
"Okay, I'm comfortable now."
Katie laughed. "Anyhow."
"Sorry, couldn't not say it. Go on."
Taking a deep breath, Katie focused down at her hands and thought for a moment.
"Tell him everything, Katie. No fuckin' careful selection of facts." Murphy's voice was light but she knew he was making a point. She nodded and raised her eyes to look at Smecker. He watched her and waited patiently.
"When I was sixteen my parents were killed by a member of the Fertitta family…"
Murphy watched out of the corner of his eye as Katie talked to Smecker. Connor was behind him putting the food away in the cupboards. Turning a burner on, he lit his cigarette before turning his full attention to their conversation.
She was fuckin' nervous. He could tell by the way she was fidgeting with the overly long sleeves of her sweater. It was only a little surprising to him that he'd picked up that fact about her in the last few days. He was picking up a lot about Katie without realizing it. Too fuckin' much really.
He knew that while she claimed to have lived her head for the past year, she thrived in a more open, family-like atmosphere. Like in their family. Almost as soon as she realized they wouldn't hurt her, she'd become one of them. Connor was right. She hadn't really opened up to them, but she had still interacted with them like she'd known them forever. Like she was comfortable with him. It wasn't until Katie that Murphy realized just how much he missed that interaction with others outside of Connor and Da. But they hadn't let anyone in since Rocco. Until her.
Murphy moved his eyes away and took a long drag. And now, because of an fuckin' impulse, he may have ruined that. She'd been uncomfortable around him all day. Because he was a fuckin' idiot. Why did he have to kiss her? They'd fuckin' wrestled around that like several times before. They were laughing and then he kissed her. Without even realizing he was doing it until it was done. And the look in her eyes afterwards made it clear that she hadn't expected it either. What the fuck had he been thinking?
He hadn't told Connor. He knew he should but wasn't ready to hear his brother's reaction to it. Connor would see it reasonably and Murphy didn't want to hear how much he'd screwed up. Raising his eyes to Katie again, he watched her.
The bruise around her eye had faded quite a bit, now just hovering around her eye like a light green shadow. She was beautiful, even with the bruise. Her eyes lit up as she laughed softly at something Smecker had said. He could see the light brown outer edges of her hazel eyes even from across the small room. Her dark brown hair hang heavily behind her shoulders, no longer pulled back in a ponytail. The dark red of the scab on her neck was barely noticeable. No one would see it unless they knew where to look for it. Murphy felt like he knew just where to look too well.
Her eyes moved up to met his and she stopped mid-sentence and stared back. Murphy felt his heart kick up a few beats and she smiled slightly and turned her attention back to Smecker.
An elbow nudged him from behind and he turned to find Connor watching him with a raised eyebrow. "Stop fuckin' staring. Yer making her more nervous."
Murphy gave a soft laugh and turned back to the last remaining bag on the counter. He was glad Connor was still distracted. Otherwise he might have noticed. After all, Katie wasn't the only one nervous anymore.