Sorry about the computer problems peeps, really annoying. But now that's fixed, I'm not sick anymore and I have some great ideas for the brothers, really hope you'll like it! Also, nice to know your name Lucy :) Well then, lets go see what happens here! I would also like to add that as much as I like that Bobby kissed Jack's rosary, well at least I thought it was the one Jack wore when he died in the movie? I don't want Jack to do the same. I'll explain why later if you want? I don't own four brothers.

Some days feel different than others. There's just something in the air that is different, unusual, something that signals that this day is not like the others, this day, something is changing. If one believes in fate, I guess you could call it that. It's in the wind whispering in your ear that it's time, now, this is it, your time has come. It's in the faint sound of a bird, chirping his melody, the sound sounding broken and hollow. It's in the white that surrounds you now, like a foreshadowing of what is to come. Everything is familiar and at the same time different, but most of all you feel the change in your heart. You know that whatever happens next is going to change everything, change you, change the way you thought about life, death, and everything in between, forever.

In the middle of the white abyss the brothers stood, waiting. They didn't speak. All that had to be said had been said, and there wasn't enough time for all that they wanted to say. They had planned and they had plotted, now it was all up to fate.

For so many years he had believed that his fate had been handed to him by the many brutal forms his attackers had taken. At first he didn't understand how fate could be so cruel, but then Evelyn found him and it seemed fate smiled at him. Now he wondered if it just hadn't been another cruel trick, to make him care and then take everything from him. But now... Now for the first time he felt sure. This was his fate, whatever it meant, he knew that today was the day that everything would change. Everything has already changed... Jack blinked. His eyes felt dry. He took a deep raspy breath, it felt like he was suffocating. In the distance two cars were approaching fast and he tensed. For a fleeting moment he thought he felt a familiar touch on his shoulder, Jackie... He sighed, but let the touch warm him, even though it was most likely the pain in his shoulder causing him to imagine things. It's not to late... The touch left and he felt the cold seep into the previous warm spot.

"I'm sorry Ma..." The words left his lips only to be carried away by the wind before anyone heard them. He felt a small twinge of guilt as he saw Evelyn's face in his mind. She wouldn't have wanted this. She didn't want to die either, he told himself. Shot to death shopping for Thanksgiving, dying alone in a dirty aisle in a store, not knowing why. Or did she know? When she faced them, faced that gun, did she know? He wondered if she knew what would happen after, if she thought about them. He hoped she did. He hoped she pictured them, fighting for her, because they owed her, but most of all because they loved her. Because she had loved them, when no one else did.

Jack knew it had been to late the moment the bullets had hit Evelyn. What happened after was bound to happen, all up to the point where he opened the door. Jack knew he was supposed to have died that day, knew it as sure as he loved his family, but Bobby had stepped in front of fate and changed it, and now, now it was time pay it all back.

Angel had done things in his life that he regretted. He had seen things that he wished he could wipe from his thoughts, from his dreams. The army had taken him in and honed his skills. He had already killed before he joined, knew the feeling that came with taking someones life, but they had taught him things he would need to know in war, and this was war. As personal as it could be. His mother. His brother. For as long as he had been a Mercer this had been their way. If someone takes a strike at one of them you strike back, all of them, hard. Because if you took a swing at one of them you took a swing at them all. That was their way and Angel had lived alone enough to know what it meant to have a family who loved you no matter what.

Jerry was burdened by guilt. The same guilt he saw in Jack's eyes, and even in Angel's. In his mind his foolishness had cost him his mother and seriously wounded his brother. It plagued him. Despite what Bobby had thought he never would have backed down from this fight if it came to it. Even though he had a wife and two children now he would never turn his back on his family when they needed him. Sweet had taken a lot from him, his dreams and his mother, he wouldn't let him take Bobby or anyone else. He thought about how he had asked Bobby to drop it, to let the police handle it, to stop the madness he could see in his oldest brothers eyes but it didn't help, and now he knew. Now he understood Bobby more than he ever had before.

The two cars came to a stop and Evan and his boys exited from one as Sweet emerged from the other. The big group with Sweet in the front came to a stop a few feet away.

Sweet looked at Jack and his eyes drifted to his right arm, taking in the awkward angle he held it in. Glancing up his eyes met Jack's and he was struck by how cold they were. The kid couldn't be more than 19. Not that it mattered to him. He wanted money. The Mercer's had it. Simple. If he was honest with himself he also wanted order. He wanted things to be how they had been before the Mercer brothers came back into town again. He noticed the way they stood close together, not touching, but close enough, and for a brief moment he was jealous. The only family he knew had met his end on this very ice by his hand. Not that he regretted it, he didn't, not for a second.

"So, Bobby couldn't make it huh?"

They all tensed, waiting for the explosion. When it didn't come, everyone was surprised. Sweet's eyes was once again drawn to the youngest, Jack. This time his eyes weren't cold. They were burning, and for a moment he stood transfixed watching the fire that burned in those blue eyes. He tore his eyes away for a second to gather his thoughts but then turned back again, as to not show weakness.

"Jack is it? What happened to your arm kid? Don't tell me. Big brother saved the day?"

"How about we get down to business, Vic" Jerry spat.

"Right right, the business. You want me" he gestured to himself "to pardon you and your brothers and forget that the name Mercer ever crossed my mind, is that it?"

"I've paid my dues don't you think. I buried my mother"

"Ah lets not forget about Bobby boy in the hospital" As he watched they all tensed "Oh don't worry. I know he's heavily guarded, he's safe, as long as there's money in that bag"

Jerry tossed the bag at his feet and Sweet bowed down and opened it, his greedy eyes taking in the money with ill concealed delight.

"This is what I'm talking about. You should have done this from the beginning, this could have been a sweet deal for both of us, now it's just a sweet deal for me" His eyes glinted in the light from the snow and Jerry knew, had he come alone he would have been dead already.

"Well you see, we decided to sweeten the deal so to speak, and give your poor underpaid workers a raise, and they all agreed that it was well earned"

Sweet laughed "Evan, pistol" When the gun didn't land in his hand he shook his hand for effect and Evan stepped forward, into his line of sight.

"No bitch. Remember I was in the union for a very long time. I never missed a meet"

"He aint lying" Jerry agreed.

As Sweet looked on his workers gathered around him and he felt rage rise at the betrayal.

"You're all dead men"

"I think we're past the point of caring" Jack's cold voice made Sweet focus his gaze on him. When he had his attention he met Sweet's gaze. He could feel the hate burn in his veins alongside his rage, but he managed to push it back, underneath the surface.

Not for the first time today Sweet regarded the young man before him with barely hidden interest. He looked so young, not like his brothers who all had that look in their eyes, the one that didn't hide any innocence at all, but this one... Oh he could tell he had had it tough. He knew enough about all of the Mercer's to know that. He knew the youngest, Jack, was not quite like his brothers, but looking into his eyes now, he wondered if he hadn't seen that same look he had in his eyes on someone else, someone he hadn't seen for a very, very long time. Bobby Mercer. His personal pain in the fucking ass. Well all the fucking Mercer's had been a pain for some time now. The fire in the young mans eyes told him that he wanted blood. Retribution for his pain. He knew all about that. It was his own search for retribution that had led him to sink his uncle underneath this very ice. Of course, money had also been a factor. He steeled his gaze as he held Jack's, he could feel the hate radiate from him in waves and knew that he had to watch him"You know what you're doing kid?" He murmured, the soft voice not quite hiding the malice "This isin't a game you walk away from". As the kid smiled he felt a shiver despite himself, something in that smile felt cold enough to chill him, he didn't know why.

"I'm not playing. And no one is walking"

Maybe he had misjudged him. He could feel the panic but pushed it down, he still had a card to play. "You're all stupid little fuckers aren't ya. I've told Fowler all about his meet" He glared at his former workers "Kill me, and you're all done for. You're going down for murder boys. He's probably on his way right now".

A chuckle made him focus his gaze on the youngest again "Oh, he's not coming".

An hour earlier...

Angel was standing long before anyone had time to even register any movement. Jerry figured it was a perk from his marine days. At the sight of Fowler in the doorway Jack and Jerry also stood, their hands reaching, but the the gun in Fowler's hand stilled their movements.

"Well look at this, all the birds gathered around. What is that saying? Two birds with one stone?"

"The fuck you on about boy. The meet isin't yet" Angel spat.

"Oh I know. You might be able to fool Sweet, but I'm not that gullible boys. I've been a cop for a long time now, I know the drill"

"Your no fucking cop" Jerry said, his voice icy.

"Whatever" Fowler rolled his eyes "Now, what we're gonna do is this, I'll bring you to the meet, and then you'll leave the money with Sweet, and then we'll dump your bodies in the lake. How's that sound?"

No one answered and Fowler smiled "Yeah, good plan right"

"How you're gonna explain this to the rest of the force then Fowler?" Angel asked, stalling for time.

"Oh don't worry, I'm flying this one solo. Now, over to the wall"

The brothers obeyed, seeing no other choice. They put their hands on the wall, side by side, all of them struck by the thought that this was not a new position for them, all of them having been arrested several times before.

Fowler, cocky as he was, was not very smart. He had often prided himself to be. Choosing to work with Sweet instead of against him, thus earning him more money than other cops. But if he had been as smart as he thought he would never have let his guard down around a guy from the streets turned marine. While he was busy patting Jerry down Angel saw his chance and struck out, his elbow hitting Fowler in the face, causing him to rear back and flail the hand holding the gun around. Jerry turned quickly and pushed the hand in the air and kneed him in the stomach, making him drop to his knees and release the hold on the gun.

On his knees he gasped for breath, holding his stomach with one hand while other supported him. He glared up at the brothers who were now facing him.

Sorry for leaving it like that! Or not ;) A little cliffie! What's going to happen to Fowler? A short chapter but I wanted to post something since it's been a long time since the last one, and the next chapter is probably going to be up tomorrow so it's not that long a wait :)