A/N: Okay, so major, major writer's block! I'm so sorry I haven't gotten anything out here for you all! But I am working through it and the scenes have already started interrupting my work, so hopefully I'll be able to get an extra long chapter out for this monday's deadline to make up for nothing this week! Forgive me soon:) (Hey, at least I didn't do this at a cliffhanger, right:)

It was amazing, Connor realized, the amount of noise a small group of people could make in an enclosed room. Laughter and voices echoed off the walls and he knew the only thing missing was the flowing of alcohol for their apartment to seem an awful lot like McGinty's. Cigarette smoke and cigar smoke swirled in the air, battling with the sound of their voices. And he was surprised that it wasn't too much, but rather just perfect.

The table was built for four, but somehow they'd managed to crunch the six of them around it, knees, elbows and shoulders touching here and there. An overfull table had always made Connor feel happy, at home. Their table back at home in Ireland always seemed to be missing something, as nobody dared to sit in Da's chair even after all his years of being gone. Ma sat on the one end and everyone else got smashed in around the sides. Even with his uncle, aunt, cousins, Murphy and Ma the table always seemed to be missing something with the large gap on the far end.

His eyes reached across the table, meeting Da's gaze and they shared a smile. He knew there was no way that his Da knew what he was thinking, but the same feeling seemed to come from him. Contentment. It was the one thing they'd really been missing in the last year. Being able to be content with the moment, not waiting and wishing for the moments to come. But rather knowing that it may never get better than it was right then.

"You're not eating." Sara's low voice came from his left side and he turned to look down at her. She nodded pointedly at his still partially full plate and he grinned.

"Got distracted. But it is good." Taking a bite of the mashed potatoes, he smiled with puffed out cheeks. She smirked.

"Connor, you're like a frickin' two-year-old over there." Smecker called out from down near the other end of the table.

Murphy's voice was low as he answered with a laugh. "It comes more fuckin' naturally ta him. As is normal with most younger siblin's"

"That hasn't been proven yet, m'boy."

He and Murphy exchanged a surprised glance before turning together to look at Da. "What do ye know, Da?"

"That the two of ye were the ugliest fuckin' babies I'd ever seen. Red, squishy and bawlin' yer fuckin' heads off. But yer Ma said that was normal."

"But Da, what was the hair color of the first born baby?" Sara received surprised looks and she shrugged. "What, you've already asked this?"

"Never fuckin' thought ta ask." Connor grinned. "But-"

"Blonde. Almost a white blonde, really." Da cut him off and smiled slowly before taking a long drink of his beer.

"So it's Connor!" Katie leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table.

All three McManuses shook their heads, Murphy and Connor both grinning. They shared a glance and Murphy sighed.

"We were both fuckin' blonde when we were little. Me hair just got darker faster than Conn's did."

"Real nice one, Da. Sneaky." Connor laughed softly, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in his chair.

"I still like Ma's answer better."

Connor choked on his drink as he glanced at Katie surprised. "What are ye talkin' 'bout?"

"What she answered your question with last time you asked her."

"Murph! Ye told her that?"

He shrugged, holding up his hands. "She weaseled it outta me."

"I hardly weaseled-"

"Wait." Sara held up her hands. "What was the answer?"

Both Connor and Murphy shook their head, chuckling softly. "Nope. Not gonna answer." They said in unison. But Connor noticed then that one by one all eyes turned to Katie, who simply grinned.

"Ma said that the older twin had the bigger….you know."

"The b-b-bigger what?" Doc spoke up finally and Connor could hardly keep back his laugh. He noticed that Murphy's ears were turning a little red and he was surprised at how embarrassed his brother was getting.

"The bigger…penis." Katie ended up gesturing with her hands and Murphy reached out, taking her hands in his and pulling them back underneath the table. She laughed as she got a look at his face and Connor found himself chuckling quietly, earning an annoyed look from his twin.

The table was unnaturally quiet for a moment before Smecker gestured toward her with his beer bottle. "So who is it? Who's older?"

Everyone froze and stared at him before one by one, everyone burst out in laughter, starting with Da. Smecker began to blush noticeably and he tried to backstep with his words. "I…uh, I mean…fuck, you know what I frickin' meant…"

"Give it up, Smecker. You've dug yourself a fucking hole." Peter choked out between laughs. That just caused more laughter around the table.

Katie winced and held her hand up. "Don't make me laugh anymore!"

"Sorry." Peter tried to look guilty but couldn't hold back the grin. Katie fought more laugher and wheezed out a long breath that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle.

Connor kept his eyes on Katie as Smecker continued to try to work himself out of what he'd said. Da teased him softly but he couldn't hear the words from his end of the table. Katie's hand was held tightly over her side, proving to Connor that she was in more pain than she was letting show in her expression.

Murphy's fingers stroked gently down the side of her neck, the movements slow and unnoticeable to anyone not watching. And he saw the effect instantly in Katie as she relaxed back against his brother's arm, her hand sliding away from her side and her smile becoming less pained. He was amazed that with all of the energy his brother seemed to put out that he'd learned to soothe with such a simple movement.

The conversation had turned by the time Connor glanced away and he listened as Smecker and Peter traded cop and FBI stories, Da breaking in with comments here and there. Sara's hand slipped into his under the table and she smiled up at him as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Amazing what a simple touch can do." Her whisper barely reached his ears but he laughed softly as a response.

"Ye saw that too, huh?"

"You missed the first time." Her thumb whispered back and forth across the top of his hand and he squeezed slightly in response. She shifted her head against his shoulder, her eyes back on Peter who was talking.

"Tell him about the first time you pulled over a speeding car, Pete." Sara called out, drawing all eyes toward her. Peter wrinkled his forehead.

"What about it?"

"That one, on the highway. The grandma with no pants?"

Connor could feel her laugh as Peter smiled slowly. Katie chuckled.

"Oh, that one. Fuck, if that wasn't a great first moving violation ticket."

"Share it with the rest of the class, Peter." Smecker teased, taking a drag from the cigarette dangling from his right hand.

Taking a deep breath, Peter leaned back in his chair with a sigh. Connor just smile. As he'd already learned, Katie's brother was hardly a man of few words. And he knew that both girls could coax many more stories out of the man with little trouble.

It was nearly an hour later when Connor started to notice Katie's withdraw, long after the remaining food had gone cold and at least three full conversation changes later. She laughed less and started giving smaller smiles in place of the full grins she'd been beaming with since getting home. And he knew Murphy could sense it too, by the way his arm slid over her shoulder as if to support her; to give her energy to keep going. But after sharing a long look, they both stayed silent, knowing that exposing her weakness would only embarrass her more than anything. Even among them.

And he knew she was truly beyond exhaustion when she struggled to push her chair out a little while later, needing Murphy's help to get to her feet steadily. The table grew silent as she got up and her face turned slightly red as she glanced around.

"Don't mind me."

"Go, lass. Lay down fer a little while. Ye're at least a half hour past tired." Da's smile was fatherly, Connor realized with a little shock. He'd never considered Katie's place in Da's life. Fuck, he'd barely had time to consider his own place or Murphy's place in Da's life. Nothing was ever simple with Da.

"Thanks, Da. Everyone." Nodding, she looked around the table, pausing slightly on Connor with a smile small. "Goodnight, I guess."

"Have a good nap. We'll still be here when you wake up." Sara nodded to her.

Murphy's arm went quickly around her as she stepped away from the table and his other hand gripped her elbow. Neither of them glanced back as they left the room and the rest of them stayed silent after they turned the corner. Sighing inwardly, Connor grinned.

"Ye know she's not really tired, right?" He joked and received a pained look from Peter.

"Christ, McManus. I don't need to hear that about my sister.

The bed felt softer than ever beneath Katie as she managed to lower herself into a sitting position. Murphy closed the door before moving over to crouch before her. He tucked her hair behind her ear as his eyes studied her face.

"Ye hurtin' or just tired?"

She winced through a laugh. "You're getting better at this. Straight to the point, multi-option question."

"And yet ye still manage ta avoid the answer."

"Mostly just tired." Pressing down with her hands into the bed, she slid herself backwards. Murphy's hands moved to her, one on her shoulder and the other on her hip, as if to help her.

"I don't know how ye need me ta help here."

"I'm fine, Murph." Katie moved to lean back but squeezed her eyes tightly against the pain. She waited for his frustration to come out in words as she heard him sigh but he said nothing. His hands just moved to her back, his arms ending up crossways as if to support her.

"Relax into me arms."

"What?"

"It hurts ta use yer stomach muscles on that side, right? So if ye just relax, I'll get ye laid down."

Nodding slowly, she took a deep breath and tried to relax. But the pain was throbbing through her side and she shook her head against it. "Not working."

"Just try it. I know it's not easy but lean inta me arms here."

"What do you even know about this, Murph?" She spit the words out and kept her eyes closed against his reaction. He was silent for a moment as his arms adjusted slightly against her back.

"Because I've been shot in the side, too, remember?"

Katie quickly looked up at him but his eyes held no emotion. She'd forgotten about that, when he'd named off how he'd been shot. "Where?"

"Later. Here, just try fallin' back. Ye won't fall, I'll catch ye."

"I know you will." She let out a deep breath and relaxed her body slowly. She was surprised when his arms touched her back and he slowly lowered her to the bed.

"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" His words were teasing, but he looked at her carefully before pressing his lips to her forehead. Pulling the blanket from where it was folded at the end of the bed, he covered her up and brushed his hand over her hair. "Now close yer eyes and dream o' me."

Katie grinned. "Ego maniac."

"There ye go again, categorizin' me."

She grabbed Murphy's hand as he stepped away from the bed and pulled him gently toward her. "Stay with me."

"Ye need ta have the space ta stretch out, Katie."

"I sleep on my side. You know that. Stay. Please."

"I'm not goin' too far."

"Please."

His eyes searched her face for a long moment and Katie could have sworn her heart paused for a few beats as she waited for his answer. She didn't know why it was suddenly so important for him to stay, but it was. It felt as if she couldn't stand to be away from him, couldn't be separated from him anymore. And, deep down, she hoped that maybe by sleeping in his arms, everything would be all better.

And when she felt the prickle of tears in her eyes at his nod, she knew she really was tired. His thumb brushed away the tears as they fell and he kissed her gently. "Now ye need ta get some sleep. I'll stay if ye sleep."

"And I'll sleep if you sleep."

He pressed his lips together and raised an eyebrow at her. Katie found herself smiling as he narrowed his eyes. "What do ye mean?"

"Murph, you haven't slept much. I can tell it from a mile away. You need to take this nap as much as I do. So get into bed with me now!"

"Always loved a demandin' woman." He teased, but he still hesitated as he moved to the end of the bed.

"Murph, please." She hadn't done it on purpose, but she knew it was the weariness in her voice that got him to move. Easing himself onto the bed behind her, he kept his movements slow and gentle to keep from jolting her. His breath was warm on the back of her neck as his hand slid up and down her arm in a soothing rhythm.

"Close yer eyes, Katie. Relax." He kept his voice soft and she nodded her head once in response, her eyes already closed. And while she missed the feeling of his arm around her stomach, she fell asleep with a smile on her face as his hand continued to follow its path up and down her arm.

Twenty minutes after Murphy had disappeared into the bedroom with Katie, Sara found herself wondering why he hadn't come back out again. Peter and Connor were joking back and forth as they helped her clear the table. Doc, Da and Smecker had lit their cigars in the living room, carrying on their own conversation. And as she stood at the sink washing the few remaining dishes, she began to worry.

Why hadn't he come back out? Was something wrong with Katie? Sara knew it was unnecessary for her to get worried, but with the past few weeks, she'd learned not to completely relax until she was sure it was safe. Until she knew there wasn't something lying around the corner in wait.

She knew her uneasiness must have shown as she felt Connor step up beside her, his eyes focused on her face. "What's wrong?"

Shrugging, she glanced back toward the hallway before rinsing the dish in her hand. "Murphy didn't come back out."

"Aye, he's probably asleep, too."

"You think?"

"Maybe. At least I hope. He fuckin' needs ta sleep. I was hopin' he'd relax once she got home." Connor reached out and took the plate from her, drying it with the towel in his hands. "We can go check though."

She kept silent as she scrubbed the bits off of the last dish, running it under the water again before handing it to him. Crossing her arms over her chest, she leaned against the counter. "Shouldn't we leave 'em alone?"

"Let's just peek in. If it'll make ye feel better."

"Am I paranoid, Conn? For worrying like this?"

"Ye're not yet. But give it time. Ye'll end up paranoid enough if ye stick around." Winking, he took her hand and pulled her away from the sink. Leading her down the hallway, Connor paused before knocking softly on Katie's door. There was no answer. Brining his finger to his lips, he opened the door quietly and they both peeked in.

Both Katie and Murphy were fast asleep on the bed; Katie curled up on the near end on her side and Murphy stretched out beside her on his back. His hand was on her upper arm, his thumb still moving gently across the skin, keeping contact even in sleep.

Sara found herself grinning at Connor as he closed the door. "Okay, now I feel better."

"Aye, so do I."

"You were worried?" She glanced up at him as he put his arm around her. He shrugged, his fingers tapping against her shoulder.

"Not really, but it feels better ta know fer sure." Connor kissed the top of her head as they rounded the corner. And they both stopped as they saw the other four men were on their feet with their coats on.

"Where's yer brother?" Da pulled at his collar, speaking around the cigar at the corner of his mouth.

"Sleepin'."

Nodding quickly, Da shifted his head toward the door. "Peter and Smecker want ta check out McGinty's fer Doc. See what the damage is."

"Let's go then." Sara pressed her lips together and raised an eyebrow as she got several surprised looks. "What?"

"Ye sure ye want ta go back there, lass?"

"You and Connor can wait here, Sara." Smecker added. But she shook her head know and could feel scrutiny coming from Connor as he glanced down at her.

Peter finished buttoning his coat and looked around the room, his eyes narrowing. "What's going on?"

"McGinty's is where we had our run-in with Tommy."

"Run-in?"

"Yeah, run-in. We'll tell ye about it on the way there, Pete." Connor dropped his arm from Sara's shoulders, his voice quiet. Taking her coat, he held it for her to slip into and she could feel the tension building in him as he pulled his own on. His hand slipped into hers as the others led them out the door.

She squeezed his hand as he locked the door from the outside and his eyes met hers. His face held a mixture of concern and anger, and she knew he was trying to gage her emotions. His lips were soft as they met hers and she put her arms around his waist, pulling him closer to her. The hallway grew quiet as the others entered the stairwell, but neither of them paid attention.

"Are ye sure ye want ta go there, Sara?" His question was soft but her eyes opened at the uncertain tone in his voice. And as she stared up at him, she knew he was willing to do anything to protect her from the memories. But the memories were there whether they visited McGinty's or not. She still felt the shaky fear that had swarmed over her as she'd brought the whisky bottle down on Tommy's head. And she could still imagine the sick feeling in her gut as she'd watched the blood mix with the whiskey on the dusty wood floor. There was nothing there that he could protect her from.

So she nodded as an answer, not trusting her voice to agree. And after one last long look, Connor dipped his head in agreement and led her down the hall, into the stairwell so that their silence was overruled by the voices of the others.

Murphy woke in a slight panic as he felt the twisting in his stomach before he was even fully conscious. It took a long second before he realized what had woken him, as he heard her quiet sobs and realized he could feel her body shake. His heart thumped as he sat up completely and leaned over Katie, his hand back on her arm.

Her eyes were closed tightly and a thick track of tears ran down both cheeks. The air rushed out of her lungs in shuddering gasps. He realized there was sweat at her hairline as he ran his hand over her hair.

"Katie. Katie! What's wrong?" He kept his voice low so not to startle her and he felt only a slight sense of relief as her eyes opened to look up at him. Licking her lips she tilted her head up at him, another breath rushing out before she spoke.

Her voice was low and pained. "It hurts."

The two words tore at his heart, knowing that he hadn't been able to spare her from this. But he worked to keep it from showing in his face and he kept his voice soft as he whispered back to her. "Let's get ye turned onto yer back here."

Her answer was a short nod and he knew as she squeezed her eyes shut again that that was all he was going to get. Murphy's mind whirled as he tried to think of what to do. And as he rolled her slowly onto her back, he realized that she probably hadn't taken any of her pain medication since leaving the hospital. Fuck, God knows how many fuckin' hours it been since then.

Brushing her hair back from her face, he forced a smile as she opened her eyes again to look at him. "I know what ye need. Hold on a sec here."

He got up only after she nodded and walked to the door. As soon as the door was closed behind him, Murphy hurried out to the living room where he'd seen Peter stash her bag from the hospital. It only barely occurred to him that the apartment was now empty and he realized he didn't care where everybody else had gone. Nothing else matter right now. Not until Katie was feeling better. Finding the white pharmacy bag, he ripped it open and pulled the bottle out, glancing at it only briefly. Pulling a mug from the cupboard, he filled it with water.

Her breathing seemed less pained as he walked back in, but her hands were still clenched into fists. She met his gaze as the pills rattled in the bottle, one rolling out into his hand. Wordlessly, he handed the pill to her and helped her wash it down with half of the mug of water.

As she leaned back against the bed again, she wiped at her eyes with a sigh. "How could I fucking forget to take that?"

And since he knew the anger in her voice was from the pain, Murphy didn't bother answering her. Instead, he put his hands on either side of her head and began to rub circles on both of her temples.

"What-"

He cut her off by shushing her, all the while continuing to work his fingers in constant circles. It relaxed her slowly, her body losing tension and her tears eventually stopped rolling out. But he still knew when the medication began to work. He could feel her pain leave, somehow and a lump formed in his throat as he realized that this could happen regularly if they weren't careful.

It was when her cool hands covered his own that he finally stopped rubbing the circles. His gaze met hers and he found himself swallowing hard before leaning down to give her a gentle kiss. "Ye feel better?"

Nodding slowly, she sighed. "Except that I feel like an idiot."

"Yer not an idiot, love. Ye're an average post surgery patient. It's hard ta get a fuckin' schedule down when they're monitorin' the meds fer ye."

Her hands squeezed his slightly, and she pressed her lips together as she continued to study his face. "Did you end up in the hospital for yours too?"

His hand found his side in an old habit he thought he'd long gotten rid of and he dipped his head in response. "Aye and we nearly got fuckin' caught for it."

"What happened?"

"Let's just say that yers'll heal better than mine did." One corner of his mouth quirked in a half smile as he reached for her medicine bottle again. The words blurred in front of his eyes as they sat there in silence. He knew he should tell her eventually, but the memories and the pain had been buried so deep. Would it do her any good to know the misery he'd been through and Connor had been put through during those two months it took his side to heal completely? Shaking his head against it all, he focused again on the bottle. "It says here ye've got ta take this every four ta six hours. Remember that. If we get ye takin' it on schedule, hopefully ye won't have ta go through this again."

"I'd prefer that." Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes as she continued to look up at him. And Murphy wondered if that was because of the pain or because of his lack of real response.

"The apartment's empty. Wanna go watch TV?"

"Sure." She grinned fully. He put his hand on her shoulder before she could move too far.

"Let's try somethin' new. Here, shift so that yer feet are on the floor." He put his hands on her hips to help her slide forward. "Okay, now take me hands and let me pull ye up."

Slipping her hands into his, she raised an eyebrow. "Where did you get this idea from?"

"Conn and I figured it out."

"Oh." She pressed her lips together.

Murphy brushed his thumbs over the tops of her hands before he shifted his grip. "Are ye ready?" At her nod, he pulled her up, steadying her as she wavered on her feet. Smiling, she looked up at him.

"It actually worked."

"Of course. Ye think I'd steer ye wrong, Katie?" Winking, he put his arm around her and guided her toward the door.

"Dare I answer that question, Murph?" Her laughter made him finally feel whole again. She was back, he knew and he couldn't hide his grin as they moved to the living room.

It was nearly several hours later and halfway through some girly movie Katie had chosen when the front door opened again and one by one Connor, Da, and Sara poured in. Her head was on the blanket in his lap and neither of them moved too far as they looked toward the door. The mood was strangely muted among the group, Murphy realized and he quickly focused on his brother, his hand stilling on Katie's arm.

Connor rubbed his hand over the back of his head, and his eyes finally met his gaze. Something had happened. Something big. Connor nodded slowly and nudged Da closer with him.

"Ma called. Uncle Sibeal's in the hospital. He had a heart attack."

"Christ. Is he alright?" Murphy felt his heart skip up a few beats. Katie's head left his lap and she sat up without his help, her hand ending up on his shoulder. She squeezed slightly, glancing back and forth between him and Connor.

"He's fine fer now, it seems. But she still wants us home, m'boy." Da's voice was rough and his eyes were on the ground. "I'm leavin' tonight but the two o' ye are followin' tomorrow."

Swallowing his need for more explanation, Murphy simply nodded, knowing that Da needed to be left alone for now. And they all stayed silent as Da glanced around only slightly before leaving the room. A bedroom door shut quietly and Connor sat down in the chair next to him with a sigh.

"He's been like that since the fuckin' call." Connor rubbed his hands over his face, his voice muffled. Sara moved forward and put her hand on his shoulder, sitting on the arm of his chair. The only sign that his brother was seeking comfort in her came as he laid his hand on her knee, his thumb moving back and forth.

"So we'll fuckin' go then. We said we'd drop everythin' and leave if we were ever needed at home. We promised Ma that." He kept his words casual, but he was losing the battle against the heavy feeling in his chest. Did that mean he'd have to leave Katie?

"I know." His twin's eyes were on the floor and Murphy understood his misery. They both hated being unable to help. And it only made it worse to be that far away.

Katie's hand rubbed down his back and he glanced over at her. She made him feel better. Just knowing that she was there, made him feel better. And as he studied her face, he realized that there was still something he could do. Da had opened up to him a little. Had finally let him in after their year of all being together.

Leaning over, he gave Katie a quick kiss, smiling slightly at her look of surprise. "I'll be back." He got to his feet and left the room. Da had talked to him about Uncle Sibeal before. So maybe he could figure out what could help Da now.

As Murphy left the room, Katie saw Sara lean down and whisper into Connor's ear. He smiled slightly and nodded, standing up with her.

Sara glanced at her. "I'm heading home quick to grab a few things. But I'll be back later."

"Okay." Katie nodded, unsure of what else to say. It occurred to her that there was something going on that she didn't understand as the two of them whispered softly near the door, but she didn't care enough to push.

Their uncle was in the hospital and they were leaving. Murphy was leaving. She realized she wanted to cry but knew it wasn't the time or the place. They needed to go. And she wasn't allowed to want them to stay. That would be selfish. Her stomach clenched at the thought of it and she turned her eyes back to the TV.

The door shut quietly and she glanced up to see that both Connor and Sara were now gone. And as she stared at the door, all remains of her contentment about coming home disappeared. Were the McManuses ever going to catch a break? They'd just gotten their lives back. And now this. That fact that their uncle was fine right now didn't make her feel any better. She'd seen the worry in their faces.

The sound of canned laughter filled the room a little while later and she glanced up as the door opened again. Connor pressed it shut, leaning his hand against it for a moment, a smile still on his face. He finally turned to face Katie, leaning against the wall.

"She's got a way o' makin' me feel better."

"How's that?" Katie worked to keep her voice casual, feeling more confused than anything about the change in his mood.

"She just reminded me that everthin' happens for a reason. And that Ma did say Uncle Sibeal was okay."

"Then why does she want you home, Conn?"

His eyes found hers and his smile faded slightly. "Because. It's long past fuckin' time we get home."

"That's what I was thinkin', m'boy." Da's voice came from beside her and he smiled down at her as he set his duffle bag by the chair. "If we were waitin' for a sign, I'd say this is fuckin' it." He disappeared around the short wall of the kitchen and Katie heard the fridge open. And Katie knew the moment of seriousness was past as Connor grinned.

"Guess we needed an obvious fuckin' sign then." Connor moved to the couch and took Murphy's spot next to Katie. He smiled down at her. "How ye feelin'?"

"I'm feeling that if one more person asks me that, I'm going to be kicking some ass." She kept her words teasing.

He chuckled, stretching his legs out to put up on the coffee table. Relaxing fully beside her, he stretched his arm over the back of the couch behind her. "So, how ye doin'?"

Smacking him in the chest, she leaned back fully, her head resting against his arm. "So, you're going home."

"Don't sound too disappointed, lass. Ye'll be goin' with us." Da told her from the kitchen. He walked out with three beers and a Pepsi, setting the beers on the table. He handed her the can with a wink.

She stared up at him, surprised. "I am?"

"Aye. Ye don't think Murph would've agreed ta leave ye, do ye?" Connor pulled her to lean against him, rubbing his palm over her hair. "Ye're our fuckin' bargainin' chip."

"I knew I'd be worth something some day." She grinned and opened her Pepsi. The tight feeling in her chest left her as she took a long drink. "Am I a red, blue or white chip?"

"Don't know. What's the fuckin' difference?"

"Eh, don't know. Doesn't matter. I'm going to Ireland!"

"And ye get ta meet Ma."

"And I get to meet Ma! Wait, is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Connor laughed again. "It's a fuckin' good thing. Ye've already fuckin' won 'er over. Ye're pratically a fuckin' McManus now." He squeezed his hand on her shoulder.

"Get yer fuckin' hands off me girl." Murphy teased as he walked back in the room with a raised eyebrow. "She's not fuckin' Jenny O'Reilly."

"Hey, approval is still fuckin' pendin' here. And I'm afraid it's a bit o' a hands-off process. Ye don't mind, do ye Katie?"

She grinned widely, winking at Connor. "Of course not."

Murphy just shook his head in response. "We don't fuckin' share everything."

"Now that's an interestin' idea, Murph. Sharin' everything. Ye can have me Sara part-time if I get yer Katie part-time."

"No deal." He looked to Da instead who simply shrugged. "What time is it anyhow?"

"Nearly eight, why?"

Murphy glanced at Katie before leaving the room. He came back with her pill bottle and sat across from her on the coffee table, opening the bottle.

"Christ, Nightingale." She raised an eyebrow at him as he held a pill out in his hand.

"Take it, Katie. Ye don't want ta go through that again, do ye?"

The pain was a hazy memory but it was enough to make her shake her head in response. She hated feeling that way. Almost as much as she hated seeing the emotion in Murphy's eyes as she felt that way.

"Problems already?" Connor glanced down at Katie who shrugged. "Take yer medicine or deal with me. And Murph. And Da."

"And Sara. And Peter." Murphy smiled slowly at her.

"Like those two scare me." She made a face at him and moved to slowly lean forward. Murphy saw that she was moving slow and slid forward further, his legs sliding on either side of hers. He put his hand on her knee as she took the pill.

"Thank ye."

"No prob, doc."

"Good to know that we are still indimidatin' enough ta get the lass ta take her pills." Da chuckled softly. "And here I was thinkin' we'd lost our fuckin' touch."

"So, now that I've been proper medicated, will someone fill me in on the details?"

"Katie, ye're never properly medicated." Connor grinned down at her and leaned away as she tried to smack him. Murphy sat down on the other side of her, sitting sideways to face her.

"From what I understand, Smecker is comin' ta get Da in a little while. And he'll give us our tickets then." Murphy took her hand and she couldn't help but notice the sparkle in his eyes. "And then, I get ta take ye home with me."

"Sara's goin' ta go, too." Connor's voice was softer but he just smiled as she glanced over at him.

"Good. I promised her I wouldn't take my first trip to Ireland without her."

Murphy laughed. "Ye did? When did ye promise her that?"

"About four years ago. Funny how things work out."

"Ye could say that again, lass." Da sat back in his chair and lit a cigar. The smell reached her and she smiled. It was a smell she knew she'd forever associate with home. With their home.

Murphy shifted beside her, leaning against the back of the couch and knocking Connor's arm off of her shoulder. "Go get yer own girl."

"She's comin' back soon."

"Oh yeah, so's Peter. He wanted ta come back ta see ye before tomorrow." Reaching over, Murphy picked up the remote and started switching through the channels.

"And maybe we should warn ye lass, yer brother knows about what happened at McGinty's."

"Fuck, how?" She crossed her arms over her chest, sighing. That was the last thing she needed, to explain what happened to yet another concerned male.

Connor took a long drink of his beer while Da just stayed silent. "That's where we went. Smecker wanted to check the place out and Sara was with us."

"How'd she do there?"

"Fine." He smiled slowly. "She's got even more grit than I thought she did."

"And how did Peter react?"

Da and Connor shared a glance. Leaning forward, Da rested his hands on his knees. "He got real quiet and then he left, m'dear. But he said he'd be back tonight ta talk ta ye."

"Splendid."

"Ye know he'll feel better once he talks ta ye, Katie." Murphy spoke up from beside her and she glanced over at him. His eyes held her gaze for a moment before he nodded. "Ye know it's true. Christ, Katie. He doesn't even know ye've used a gun yet."

She realized he was right and knew that would be at the top of the worries for Peter. He's always been bothered most of all by her fear but had never tried to push her to facing it. Brett had many failed attempts, but Peter never even hinted that she should. And she knew it was because he was afraid of what would happen if she did. And now he has no idea how I'm dealing with it… Sighing, she nodded finally.

And as she relaxed back against Murphy again, she found that she was having trouble following their conversations. Her mind kept returning to Peter. Peter who'd sold his beloved BB gun after their parents' deaths, just so that it wasn't in the house with her. And Peter who walked all the way home from the gun range with her when Brett refused to take her home until she'd at least held a gun. Peter who would, even now, tiptoe around the issue when he came back to the apartment.

And despite the fact that she knew they needed to talk about it, after he came back to the apartment hours later, it was Katie who avoided the subject. And it was Peter who let her. Da had left with Smecker soon after and Sara showed up after that. The five of them bonded over some raunchy late night comedy and after, it was Connor and Murphy who convinced Peter to stay on the couch for the night. And it was Katie he looked to for approval. Peter smiled at her as she pretended to debate over it but still gave her a gentle hug before saying goodnight. And as she left the room with Murphy, she knew that they'd only managed to avoid the conversation, putting it off until something else forced them to discuss it.

"Murph, stay with me." Katie's voice was soft as she looked up at him from the end of the bed. She'd changed into one of his longer t-shirts with his help and Murphy now found himself pausing at the sight she made. Even with the yellowed bruise dusting one cheek and especially because of the annoyed smirk on her face because he only continued to stare at her. "Murph."

"I'm stayin' with ye. I'm just sleepin' in the recliner. That's why Conn and I brought it in here."

"You can't sleepin in the freaking recliner, Murph. Sleep with me." She grinned at him. "You know you want to."

Murphy sat next to her on the bed and found himself smiling as she leaned her head against his shoulder. Putting his arm around her, he glanced down at her. "What I want ta do and what I can do are two fuckin' different things, Katie. Ye need ta get some sleep. And ye need the space ta stretch out."

She sighed. "Didn't we already go through this once?"

"Aye, I thought we did too. And I'm not about ta take the chance of ye wakin' up like that again." He fought to keep the frustration out of his voice, hoping that she'd just see his point and give in. But things were never that simple with Katie.

"That was from not taking my pain meds. And I just took one."

"But ye felt better once we got ye layin' on your back. Once ye heal a bit more, we can share a bed again."

"Fine." She spoke softly and he missed the warmth in her voice instantly. Her head left his shoulder and she managed to get herself halfway into the bed before he could move to help her.

He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face before helping her lay down onto the mattress. "Katie."

"It's okay, Murph. What's you're saying makes sense."

"Then why are ye upset about it?"

"I'm not." She pulled the blankets up before settling her arms over her chest. It was only then that her gaze moved to meet his and Murphy saw her eyes were guarded.

"Katie."

"I'm not. I just…Christ, I hate feeling this way."

He moved to sit beside her, taking her hands in his. "What way?"

Squeezing her eyes shut, she sighed out her frustration. "Like a fucking girl."

"Ye are a girl, Katie."

"You know what I mean."

"It's okay ta be scared Katie. But I'm not goin' ta let anything happen ta ye." He kept his tone casual but she simply pressed her lips together as a response.

She hated feeling weak, feeling vulnerable and that was a part of her that he loved. It was that part of her that got her to go with them that first day to the meat packing plant. And that part of her that forced her to return to the warehouse where she'd been held for weeks just to save them. It was a part of her he hoped to see much less of in the time to come.

Sighing, Murphy pulled the blankets back from her and held back a chuckle at her surprised look. Putting his arms beneath her back and legs, he helped her shift closer to the wall so that he could crawl in beside her. Her smile was soft as she stared at him.

"So you'll sleep with me."

"No, but I'll stay here until ye fall asleep. And then I'll move a whole two feet away." His hand patted the leather arm of the recliner and he grinned down at her. Lying on his side, he slipped one arm beneath her neck and rested his other hand on the right side of her stomach. His fingers brushed the bandage beneath the thin cloth of his t-shirt but he ignored the twisting in his gut.

"Thanks, Murph."

"No problem, a ghrà. Now close yer eyes." He waited for her to follow his directions but she just made a face instead. The corners of her mouth slowly turned up as she stared at him. "What?"

"Well, two days ago, I was shot. The mafia is still out there. And my boyfriend is…or well, was wanted by the police. And the boogeyman might just be hiding in the closet. And yet, somehow, I've never been happier." She smiled slowly at him, her eyes sparkling in the dark. Murphy felt that same kick of happiness in his chest that he'd felt that day at the diner. The day he'd fallen in love with her without even realizing it.

"Sounds like a regular fairy tale." Raising his hand to her hair, he rubbed his thumb over her cheek.

"You don't quite fit the Prince Charming role. But I think you'll do." Her voice had gotten soft and Murphy watched as she closed her eyes slowly before opening them again. Sleep was beginning to overcome her already and that told him just how well she'd managed to hide her exhaustion again.

"I'm glad ye think so. I'm afraid what ye'd do ta me otherwise, Princess."

Her eyes were on his again and she smirked. "I'd probably keep you around for entertainment at least."

"Well, of course. That's my fuckin' purpose in life."

"It's good to have a purpose in life." She whispered back and her eyes stayed closed this time. Her breathing evened out soon after and he eased his arms away from her, sliding off of the bed. Even if she wanted him to sleep there, he knew it wasn't a good idea. And causing her pain would be far worse than disappointing her.

His mind turned back to the last words she said before drifting off and as he settled into the recliner, he couldn't help but wonder what his purpose really was in life. Had he been meant to be a Saint? And did that mean that now that that was done, his purposeful life was over? Was it possible to peak at the ripe old age of 28? As long as he had Katie in his life, did he even care?