A/N: Thank you for all the great comments. I was glad myself when Julie finally stood up for herself against her father... and that Pokey proved he was worth his fluff XD
Three weeks later, Julie returned to the apartment after her first day back at work. The brothers were in the kitchen, carrying plates around as they got dinner together. Murphy looked up, cigarette dangling from his lips, and smiled at her.
"Well, look who's come home, Conn," he laughed, setting his plate down so he could remove the cigarette and kiss her forehead. "Our own little workin' girl."
"Welcome home, Julie," Connor grinned, kissing her temple as he sat the rest of the plates on the table. "Now pull up a seat before the food gets cold."
Julie surveyed the table. There was a bowl of mashed potatoes, some green beans, and a plate of chicken. It all looked very tasty, but she eyes the boys skeptically. "You guys cooked dinner."
"Aye," Murphy scoffed.
"Ye know, just because we're a couple a Irishmen doesn't mean we can't cook," Connor replied, sitting down at the table beside his brother.
She felt a little guilty, setting her bag on the floor before taking a seat. The men clasped their hands as they prayed over the food, and she joined them, touching the cross still around her neck. When they had said their amens, the brothers smiled up at her expectantly. Julie gathered some of the food onto her fork and took a bite. She fought the urge to spit it all back out onto the plate. The chicken wasn't too bad, just a tad dry; the green beans were entirely over-cooked almost to the point of being cardboard. But it was the mashed potatoes that made her nearly gag. They were almost raw, dry and over-salted.
Smiling weakly, she swallowed the food in her mouth. She took a drink to wash it down. "That was… nice."
The brothers smiled at each other approvingly, taking bites themselves. She gave a silent three count, then as if on cue, sour expressions crept onto the men's faces. Connor had the decency to spit his half-chewed food out into a napkin. Murphy just let it roll straight out of his mouth and onto the plate. Julie couldn't keep herself from laughing hard at the sight.
"Maybe we can't cook, Murph," Connor said despondently.
Murphy nodded. "Ye think we would've at least done the potatoes right."
They looked down at their plates pitifully which made Julie give a gentle moan of empathy through her laughter.
"Oh, you boys look like two sad puppies," she smiled gently, standing and picking up the bowls on the table. "It's alright, I'll fix something up out of this."
"But Julie, ye just got home from work," Connor protested.
Julie waved the thought away, tousling his hair and kissing his cheek, then turning to do the same to Murphy. "No trouble at all. Besides, you gentlemen shall be assisting me. Now, up and join me in the kitchen."
They stood as ordered and followed her. She sat the bowls and plate on the counter and turned to the men. "Alright, I'm going to need four cans of beer."
Connor nodded and went to the fridge as Murphy leaned against the counter behind her while she puled out a frying pan. "So, how was work anyway, Julie?"
"Took a little getting used to again," she smiled, chopping the chicken into cubes. "It's a good job, but I was thinking of maybe getting a different one."
"Any ideas," Connor asked as he walked over with the cans.
"Not yet," Julie replied, shaking her head as she popped one of the cans open.
She poured a good portion of the can into the bowl of green beans and started mixing it with a spoon to fully coat it. Then she dumped some of the chicken cubes into the mix before putting some butter to melt in the frying pan.
"What are ye makin', woman," Murphy asked as both brothers watched her intently.
"You'll see," she winked, scooping some of the beer-vegetable-chicken mixture into the potatoes.
"And what is it ye need us t'do," Connor smiled, looking over her shoulder.
Julie opened the other three cans, handing one to each brother, then picked one up for herself. Raising the can in salute, she brought it to her lips and started drinking. The men laughed appreciatively and started drinking as well.
"My kinda lass," Murphy winked at her.
"Oh really," Connor replied. "Well, get in line, little brother."
Murphy scowled and started to say something, but Julie clucked her tongue and playfully warned "Boys, don't start fighting."
They gave defeated grumbles and she smiled at them, smashing out patties of the mixture she had created. The brothers watched astonished as she threw the patties in the frying pan and started cooking them up. All three drank and stood around in the kitchen until the patties had been fried to a nice crispiness. Julie plated them and took two forkfuls, holding them out for the brothers.
"Careful," she warned. "They're hot."
They glanced at each other and leaned in to take the bites. Both chewed slowly at first, then a little quicker.
"Fuckin' 'ell, Julie," Murphy smiled with his mouth full of food.
"God's given ye a gift, woman," Connor shook his head in disbelief as he stole another bite of the food.
She smiled at the fondly as they ate her cooking. "He's been pretty good to me lately."
They looked up at her from their plates, grinning and chewing in delight. She joined them in eating, and before long, the plates had been cleaned of food. The brothers did the dishes and let Julie go take a shower. When she emerged, scrubbed clean of all the day's grime, the boys were sitting at the table. She walked over and sat with them. They looked up at her, almost like they were disappointed.
"What's wrong," she asked, looking between the two of them.
"We've been discussin' things, Julie," Connor replied cautiously.
"Oh," she remarked softly. "Judging from your faces, it was about me."
"Aye," Murphy nodded slowly, lighting a cigarette and leaning his elbows in the tabletop.
"It was a hard decision fer us ta make," Connor said, giving her a sad glance. "But we think it's almost time fer ye ta be leavin' us."
Julie licked her lips, drumming her fingers nervously against her thigh. "I see."
"Damn it! We love ye, Julie, more than anythin'," Murphy practically erupted. "An' we'd want nothin' more than ta keep ye with us."
"But," Connor added, giving his brother a concerned look before bringing his eyes back to hers. "We know there's more out there fer ye than just takin' care of a couple a no-good bastards like us."
"I don't mind it," she laughed gently, sadly. "But I'll admit, I've been expecting this."
"It's not tha' we don't want ye here," Murphy soothed. "It's just… It's just that we can tell ye're not meant ta stay here. Ye're not meant ta spend yer days cookin' fer us an' tendin' our wounds. Ye deserve more."
"But I love you guys," she replied, voice quavering as she tried to hold back her tears. "And you're all I've ever known outside of my parents' house."
"Ye'll learn more, Julie," Connor assured. "Ye're a bright lass and ye'll go far."
"But I'm scared to be without you," she finally said, burying her face in her hands as she burst into tears.
"Hey, come on, now," Connor urged, walking over to her and gathering her into his arms. "It's alright, darlin'. It's not like we're puttin' ye out tonight."
"Aye," Murphy added, joining them and running his fingers over Julie's hair. "We'll be findin' ye a nice place. Much nicer than this dump. With a big kitchen so ye can cook all those wonderful meals a yers."
Julie sniffled and gave a soft laugh against Connor's chest. "But the two of you won't be there."
"Lord help me fer sayin' this," Connor said, glancing skyward as he shook his head. "But we'll always be with ye, Julie. Even when we're not there ta talk ta or ta touch, we're there in spirit."
"Ye're a part of us now, sweetheart," Murphy smirked matter-of-factly. "And whether ye like it or not, ye're stuck with us, one way or another."
Julie pulled away from Connor's chest and smiled at Murphy, running her hand along his cheek as she looked up at Connor. "You boys are something else."
"We'll take that as I compliment," Connor laughed, barely loosening his arms around her.
She looked at the floor, chewing on her bottom lip. "Do you mind if I sleep with you guys tonight?"
"I thought you'd never ask," Murphy said with an evil smirk.
Julie clucked her tongue. "You know what I mean."
"Aye, I do," he smiled, pulling her into his embrace and kissing her cheek. "Now, Connor, why don't ye be a good little brother and push the mattresses together?"
Connor glowered, and made to lunge for his brother. Julie put a hand on both their chests and pushed them apart. "No fighting, boys."
"Ah, ye know, ye're startin to sound like Ma," Murphy chuckled.
"I'm going to tell her you said that," Julie chided, watching Murphy's face turn to partial terror while Connor laughed evilly.