Their bags were both packed by the time Murphy came back up to their room and without a word, he picked them both into one hand. And with the other, he touched the small of her back, leading her out of the room.
There were times in which Katie couldn't quite figure Murphy out. And this was one of them. But whether or not this was his version of an apology, she was going to take it. If it meant it would get her to New York to find her brother, there was very little she wouldn't do. She could figure things out with Murphy later.
Murphy and Connor loaded the car without speaking, and it seemed that with their nonverbal communication they'd both decided the same thing.
"We're ta stop at the Anvil first to tell Da and Ma what's goin' on." Connor's voice was soft, barely to be heard about the music playing from the radio. He sat in the driver's seat, glancing at Sara who was next to him and then through the rearview mirror at Murphy and Katie who were in the back.
"That's a good idea. They'll be worried otherwise."
"They'll be worried either way. But it's always better ta know." Murphy's tone matched his twin's weariness. He took Katie's hand. It was a simple gesture that nearly brought her to tears and she stared out the window of the car to fight them off.
They could hear the laughter of the Anvil from outside the door as Connor parked the car and both brothers got out quickly. Stepping out of the car, Katie exchanged a somewhat confused look with Sara as they both disappeared inside.
"Why do both of them need to go?"
Shrugging, Sara stepped closer to Katie, leaning against the car next to her. "Maybe so they can each grab a parent."
"How do they decide this stuff? They never said anything about it."
"They're twins, Kat."
Katie rubbed her hand over her forehead. "Yeah, I've heard that rumor."
"Think he's okay?" The words seemed to tumble out of Sara, barely able to be heard above the din of the pub.
There were no tears in Sara's eyes as she looked over, but she could see the fear and the pain. And Katie was reminded again that she was never the only one affected by this. There would always be Sara, whom she'd always hoped would never have to lose anyone else in her life.
All the hopeful answers sounded like bullshit in her mind and she couldn't quite get herself to verbalize the other possibilities, so she stayed silent, answering her friend's question by slipping her arm around her. They leaned against each other and stayed that way even as the doors let the light out into the darkness again.
The sound of thickened accents and cursing stopped as Ma and Da stepped outside and for a moment everybody fell quiet. The McManus's all moved forward and Katie found both she and Sara drawn into the same hug with Ma.
"Me boys'll find 'im. Ye're in good hands with me boys."
"I don't think that's something we could ever doubt, Ma." Katie said as her eyes found Murphy and she realized it was her own way of apologizing. He kept her gaze and nodded once before his eyes wandered away. She could tell from where she stood he was struggling with his own emotions.
Da interrupted her study of Murphy with a quick hug and a kiss to the top of the head. "I wish I could help ye, lass. But I've got ta stay here. Just in case."
"In case of what, Da?" Sara spoke up from beside her and Katie knew she wasn't the only one who caught the twins sharing another look.
"In case this doesn't just involve yer Peter. Just in case." At Connor's words, she heard Sara gasp and Katie found herself nodding. It'd occurred to her. The twins had simply taken it a step further and acted on the thought. Da was to protect their home, their Ireland. Just in case.
"We'll be fine, Da. And we'll call you once we get there." Katie patted his arm, feeling better herself at her words. She could read the frustration in Da's expression and she knew it must be bothering him to not be actively involved.
"Don't ye worry about that. Just concentrate on findin' yer brother, lass."
"Da, there's no reason to worry one family just to find another. We'll call."
"Now the two o' ye girls be listenin' ta me boys." Ma gave them both a stern look, her eyes focused on Katie a moment longer. She thought she caught Connor smirking out of the corner of her eye but his face was turned away when she looked over.
"We will, Ma." Sara nudged Katie, who nodded in agreement.
"Promise me, girls."
"We promise." Katie smiled slightly as she realized just how motherly Ma was looking at them. "We'll behave."
Da put his arm around Ma and nodded at the car. "Ye better get goin', boys."
They all loaded in again without another word. And as they drove away, Katie thought she saw tears on Ma's face. But if anyone else saw them, nobody mentioned them
Sara concentrated on breathing full breaths, trying to work the knot of fear out of her stomach. The more she tried the less it was successful. A hand touched her shoulder and she started slightly before turning to see that Katie had sat down beside her.
"You okay?"
"Fine. Scared to death for multiple reasons, but fine."
Katie smiled slightly at that as she stared across the terminal to where the boys browsed through the corner store. "You know that we're more likely to be killed by a mad goat than to be killed on this flight, right?"
"Not helping, Kat." Pursing her lips slightly, Sara held the breath for a moment before letting it out. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Katie fidgeting and fought a smile of nerves. Usually she was the only one scared shitless before a flight.
But Katie had good reasons to be afraid. So did Peter, wherever he had disappeared to.
Sara could still see Peter at his academy graduation, looking so grown-up in his uniform. He'd been hungover from the party the night before and his baby face was still showing a hint of the 17 year old quiet kid he'd been when she'd first met him. She loved the kid, the man. And she found herself fighting against the tightness in her chest as she continued her deep breathing. They all had good reason to be afraid.
The flash of silver caused her to look over, and she narrowed her eyes at the cross necklace hanging from Katie's hand.
"What's that?"
"It's a necklace. For you to wear. To keep you safe." She reached out and latched the chain behind Sara's neck, tucking it beneath her shirt.
"What? Where did-?"
"Just shut up and wear it." Katie's smile was real finally, as was the slight annoyance in her voice and Sara grinned in response. "It'll ensure that none of us because part of any statistic involving either a goat or a plane."
"And maybe it'll help us find Peter before-." She stopped and heard Katie sigh in response.
"You don't have to be afraid to say it, Sar. We both know." Raising her hand to rub in a circle at her temple, her friend looked away. "Before it's too late."
There was a short pause between them before Katie got up again. She moved back into her routine of pacing, going on from monitor to monitor and wall ad to wall ad to distract herself. And Sara found her finger tracing the cross beneath the cotton of her shirt as her eyes moved with Katie around the room.
"Ye talk ta her?"
Murphy pulled his eyes away from the magazine rack to glance up at his brother, raising an eyebrow in response. "What?"
"Did ye talk ta her, Murph? Or did ye just toss her in the car with no fuckin' explanation?"
"Ah…the latter o' the two."
"Fuck. Ye can't have a relationship that way, Murph. Ye've got ta communicate with her." Connor was frowning at him, and Murphy fought a smile as he recognized the expression on his brother's face. Here comes the fuckin' lecture.
"Now, Conn, just because ye're fuckin' engaged and all doesn't mean ye're an expert on relationships."
"No, but I am an expert on you, dickhead. And I'm beginnin' ta think I understand that girl o' yers. Ye've got ta go talk to her."
"Thank ye Captain fuckin' obvious." Murphy grinned in spite of his annoyance, in spite of everything else going on. Know-it-all Connor never failed to amuse him at least a little bit. "I've got it taken care o'"
"Good ta know. Because I'm not lettin' ye lose this one."
"And who have ye let me lose in the past, Conn?" He picked through the magazines again, looking for one that Katie might like.
"Cecelia. Jenny O'Reilly." Connor grinned as he said the last one. And Murphy just shook his head with a smile.
"Fuck, never had Jenny O'Reilly ta begin with. And that all I'm fuckin' sayin' on that."
"Okay, Cecelia than."
"Christ, Conn. She was a great girl but not exactly the love o' me life. Besides, she's the one that said she couldn't deal with a relationship separated by a fuckin' ocean."
Connor plucked the People magazine from Murphy's hand and flipped through it quickly. "I'm the one who pulled ye across that ocean. And this looks like a good choice for her. Ye should get it." He hit him in the side of the head with it before dropping it back into his hand.
As his brother walked up to the cash register, Murphy's eyes followed him. So that's Connor thought. That he'd forced him to go to the States. That he'd forced him into the life they'd had. Fuck if he'd let him continue to think that way.
But out of the corner of his eye, he caught Katie wandering out in the terminal lobby. He could see the tension, the fatigue in her from where he stood. Relieving Connor's mind would have to wait. He had Katie to take care of first. Here and now, she came first.
Her eyes were glued to the advertisement of a local restaurant when she felt his presence behind her. And it didn't seem strange in the least that she knew it was Murphy right away. He had a certain smell, a certain warmth, a feeling that she got when he was near. And her emotions reacted without her even turning around, the lump reappearing in her throat and the burning beginning at the corner of her eyes.
"Katie." His voice was soft, his accent caressing her name with its lilt and she knew that she never wanted anyone else to be able to say her name that way. She never wanted anyone else, period.
Breathing deeply, she managed to turn without tears as he said her name again. His eyes swept over her face and she knew he'd be able to see past her expressions, past the guard she still kept up, past any barrier. She was naked, vulnerable in front of him and she needed him to be alright with that. And her biggest fear as he stared at her for a long moment is that he would hide from it, pretend not to see it. That he wouldn't be able to accept her in that state.
The stillness in his reaction surprised her. His fingers traced down her hairline, his palm cupping her face. "I know, a ghrà." His voice was barely above a whisper. She watched him swallow hard before his eyes closed and he leaned his forehead against hers. "I know."
He was waiting for a sign from her, something to let him know his comfort was welcome, she realized. And as she slid her arms around him, she melted into his embrace. He mumbled words she couldn't understand and she knew without asking that it was a prayer.
It was only when he grew quiet that she shifted her head against his shoulder and sighed. "I never should have compared him to Connor. I'm sorry."
Murphy raised his head to look at her, his eyes flickering between hers. "He's yer Connor, Katie. I understand that."
"No, Murph, it's not the same. We can't communicate with gestures like you two do. We aren't as close as you two are."
"Ye love 'im, Katie. Ye love him so much that ye wonder if ye can continue ta exist if ye lose him. And that I understand. And that's why I should never have tried ta keep ye from this." His lips met hers for the briefest of moments.
"Think we could convince them to stay?" Katie's eyes wandered over to where Sara leaned against Connor in the seats near their terminal gate.
"Not fuckin' likely. Connor already made it clear that this affected him, too." Murphy shifted so that he kept one arm around her, and lead her toward where the other two sat. "Besides, this could be about the fuckin' Saints, anyhow."
She paused at his words, shaking her head slowly. "I don't think so. Why would they use Peter to get to you?"
"Because o' you." Murphy's answer was simple but just shook her head again.
"That doesn't make sense. You're supposed to be dead. And there are way too many other unexplained things going on here." She stopped short, pulling away from him to face him. "The guy in the alley, the drug in my drink. They're either using me to get to my brother. Or they're using Peter to get to me."
His eyes narrowed on her and Katie knew his mind was starting to sort through the possibilities. But instead connecting the dots with her, Murphy blinked hard and nodded his head toward the terminal seats. "Let's not be jumpin' ta conclusions, Katie. Let's just get there. Then we'll fuckin' decide what's goin' on."
She moved her head in agreement without another word, allowing him to maneuver her closer to their gate, her mind whirling though the details. There was something there, she knew. Something they weren't seeing. And she knew it was something that might cost one of them their lives.
The flight was long and quiet, landing them in New York City in the early morning hours. Connor had worked to keep Sara calm as the plane took off and they all managed to pass the flight with sleep, he and Murphy both waking up more often than the girls.
And in one of those moments that they both sat awake, his brother had passed over a scrawled list of events starting with the night they found Katie. With a confused look, Connor had glanced over the list before raising his eyes back to his brother. But Murphy was asleep again, his arm around Katie and his head rested back against the seat.
The list had been tucked into his pocket and forgotten again before they landed, Sara coming awake with a jolt as the wheels hit the runway. Her eyes were wide with fear and surprise and Connor had to force himself not to just gather her up in his arms. She was beautiful to him even as she gripped his hand tightly, her eyes focused on the seat ahead of them, her gaze locked in place.
With that thought, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the velvet covered box and set it into her lap. She glanced down slowly, her eyes coming back to his as she saw it. Her hand released its grip on his and she opened the box slowly. The ring winked out at the both of them.
"Now I can ask ye properly. Will ye marry me?"
"It's beautiful, Connor."
"Ye sound surprised." He grinned as she gave a soft laugh.
"Not surprised. Just happy."
Her fingers were steady as she pulled the ring out, and with a smile gave it to him for him to slide on her finger. Taking his hand again, she leaned her head against his shoulder with a soft sigh. The ring looked perfect on her hand, right, almost expected. And he pressed a kiss to the top of her head with another grin.
"Ye didn't answer me question, m'dear."
He heard the smile in her voice as she answered. "You haven't been approved yet."
"We'll see about that." His response was drowned out by the captain's announcement that they could begin leaving the plane.
They moved through the airport silently as a group, the heaviness of why they'd come descending down upon them and Connor kept holding Murphy's gaze in response. They needed to prepare. They needed to act. But they needed a first step.
"Let's go to his apartment, first." Katie spoke up as they reached the pickup/drop-off area and Connor nodded in surprise as he realized it was the best place to start.
Murphy managed to grab them a cab that dropped them in front of the Loft Street apartment in less than a half hour. Both girls hesitated only slightly before leading the way up. Connor pulled down the key from the top of the doorway, unlocking the door without a word. He and Murphy entered together, searching the living room with their eyes before parting to let the girls through.
"He's not here." There was a mixture of relief and fear in Katie's voice but her face remained emotionless as she stepped further inside.
Sara shrugged. "He's probably staying away from his normal places."
Murphy reappeared from the back bedroom, carrying their worn black bags. Connor took his own with a sigh. Unzipping them together, they pulled out their holsters and put them on in unison. Connor put a gun in his jeans against his lower back, pulling down his t-shirt to cover it. It was always go to be heavily armed.
They worked in silence, checking the guns and falling into their pre-strike habits of making sure everything worked. He knew they were being watched but didn't want to take the time to explain. This was their past and they were only revisiting it until they found Peter. Then they were done. There wasn't a need to introduce either Sara or Katie to their actions.
Sara had wandered away as he looked up, searching through her bag with a frown. "Where's my damn purse?" She moved toward the door, her eyes staying away from them. Avoiding them, he realized. And he turned his attention back to Katie with a sigh.
"Here." Connor nudged a gun into Katie's hand, pausing only as he realized she didn't take it. Her eyes were on the plastic handle closer to her and it was a long moment before she raised her eyes and shook her head.
"No."
"Come on, Katie. Ye can do it."
Pressing her lips together, she simply raised her eyes to Murphy who nodded slowly in response. She took a deep breath and pulled the gun handle first from Connor's hand. Her fingers were barely wrapped around it when the door opened, causing them all to jump.
"Peter?" There was hope in her voice, but Connor shook his head.
"Sara? Did ye find it?"
There was a moment of silence as the door opened slowly and Connor felt his heart stop beating and saw the world slow as his eyes found the gun that was held to Sara's head. It didn't matter that he didn't recognize the man behind her and it didn't matter that he was likely to get killed with every plan that sped through his head. And he realized there was nothing he could do that wouldn't get her shot as well. A flash of light caught the ring on her finger and Connor swallowed hard as the world rushed forward again. That was his fiancé with a gun to her head. And there was nothing he could do.
"Drop your fucking guns."
New York. Italian. The descriptors of the man's voice ran through Murphy's head as he leaned forward and tossed his gun a few feet in front of him. The man was obviously mafia. That much he could feel from across the room. And he felt a flash of guilt as he realized that Mafioso's gun was held to the one person's head that had nothing to do with their mafia war whatsoever.
Holding his hands out to show that he had no more weapons, Murphy glanced over at Connor first and then at Katie. His brother's eyes were frozen on Sara, but Connor tossed his gun away quickly. Katie on the other hand, stood still, the gun gripped in her palm. And Murphy knew she didn't even realize it was there.
"Her too!"
Murphy reached over, his finger tips barely brushing the muzzle of the gun before the man shouted again.
"Keep your hands away from that, McManus! Drop the gun, Katie."
He knew he couldn't be the only one who caught the use of their names as Katie's glance flicked over at him, her eyes wide with shock. Christ, Katie. Hold on. Ignore the fuckin' gun. And he knew it was pointless to even think that way, but before he could speak anything aloud, his brother spoke up.
"Relax. She can't bend ta drop the gun." Connor's voice sounded calm, but the tension radiated across the room. And Murphy didn't have to glance over to know he'd be able to see the emotions clearly in his normally stoic twin's face. His heart raced as he watched the intruder shift the gun against Sara's temple. He had to get her away. He had to get a distraction.
"She can toss the fucking gun. Nobody else touch it."
Katie glanced again at him, releasing her hold on the gun only as he nodded. Murphy kicked the gun further away from her. He didn't want to give this guy any reason to point the gun elsewhere. Not yet. Not until he could figure something out.
"Who are you?" Sara's shaky voice distracted him, and they all stared up at her again.
"Shut up." The gun shifted again against her temple, and Murphy tensed, waiting. Sara took another shaky breath.
"I have a right to know who's holding a damn gun to my head."
"Lady, you're just a fucking means to gettin' in the door." The man's movements were unexpected as he shoved Sara away from him and pointed the gun around the room. She stumbled toward Murphy and he grabbed her hand, pulling her behind him. He heard a sigh of relief from his brother but then a gasp from Katie as the gun moved to point at him.
"My name is Leon Fertitta." The man smiled wide, his gun pointed unwaveringly at Murphy's head. Murphy glanced at Connor and saw the recognition spark with him as well. "I see you've heard of me."
"The fuckin' Saints are dead, what more do ye want?" He kept his words soft, calm. If Connor could do it, so could he. He could keep relaxed. Keep the situation from getting out of control.
Leon's laughter was harsh in their ears. "I was never after the fucking Saints. You fucking idiots brought that on yourself. If you'd just listened to my warning."
"You were after me." Katie's eyes were focused on Leon, but Murphy couldn't tell if she was looking at his face or the gun. "You wrote that on the wall to scare them away."
"You should've stayed away from them like you started to, Katie. You should've just kept right on walking away. It would've saved them. Now I have no choice."
"How did you get the scars on your knuckles, Leon?" Her voice wavered slightly. Surprise filtered across Leon's face, giving Murphy time to process the words. Again, Connor reacted before him.
"Oh fuckin' Christ." His mutter was soft and his arm reached to cover Katie, but he was too far away. They were both too far away.
The man recovered quickly, his focus turning back to Murphy. "So you see, McManus, you kept me from taking care of her sooner. You kept me waiting. So now I'm gonna make you choose."
"What the fuck do ye mean?" Murphy bit off the words, his heart racing. He kept his hand on Sara's shoulder, pushing her behind him again as the gun paused.
"Choose. Between her or your brother." Leon's smile made him sick as the gun moved over to aim directly at Connor's heart. A gasp came from behind him.
"No." Katie's voice was barely above a whisper. As Murphy turned his head quickly to look at her, he saw Connor shake his head in response.
"Shut it, Katie." His voice was barely above a growl and his gaze never left the gun pointed at him. And Murphy knew exactly what his twin was going to do only a half second before he did it.
A/N: This was going to be the last chapter, but I realized there hadn't be a cliffhanger for a while. And what type of writer would I be if I let you off the easy way:) Blame it partly on GoddessLaughs, whose own cliffhanger was my influence. (I feel as if my evilness has faded some. Sometime tells me this will earn a bit of it back) Well, that and I wanted to tweek the ending a little more. Enjoy...:)