While Murphy's surprise served to life Aven's spirits through the end of the night, as soon as the pub crawl was over, her uncle served to stomp them down again.
Aven and Murphy returned to the pub after watching the sun set – and Murphy finally having the chance to kiss her – to see the place full of "crawlers," as Torrin was calling them.
With the help of their three Saints, Alanna, and Tiger, they made it through the groups that came through with their sanity and their pub intact. The last group of crawlers brought the drunkest of any they saw that night, so of course that was the group to fight. Even the chaos from that fight was minimal.
"Everyone's cut of tips from tonight," Torrin announced happily, handing them each a stack of bills.
"I do love working in this pub," Aven grinned, leaning back against Murphy and mentally plotting what she would do with her tips.
Connor meandered over to the food table. "I love that there's food left. Tiger, my man, you are the eighth wonder of the world."
Tiger chuckled. "I think a few too many girls bought shots for that man."
Aven glanced at Torrin who was stifling jealousy. Murphy was laughing behind her at his brother; she turned and scowled at him. "And just how many of those skanky Boston girls bought you shots, asal cliste?"
"Uh, well … one was from New York, I think," Murphy stumbled out. Aven elbowed him playfully before going up on tiptoe to kiss him.
"Watch yourself," she whispered. "I can find anyone, anywhere in my line of work. You could be endangering more lives than your own if you mess with other girls."
"Well, ya probably found it out the night she threw out that girl that was flirting with ya, but our Aven can be a bit territorial," Torrin laughed.
Murphy and the others laughed, too. Tiger and Alanna went on their way; the five remaining finished off what was left on the food table while enjoying their ritual coffee.
"Having coffee and didn't think to invite your dear ole da and uncle?" Peter slurred, coming through the kitchen.
Torrin and Aven dutifully met him on his walk to the bar and helped him take a seat in a booth. He waved them off, assuring them he was able to sit up on his own.
"Here, have some coffee, sir," Connor offered, sliding a mug of black coffee over to Peter.
Peter sipped at it. "Damn it, that's hot."
"Da, are you all right?" Torrin asked, concern written all over her face.
"I'm fine," Peter scoffed. "Your cousin may be running my business into the ground, but it's nothing I haven't had to take care of before."
The entire room went silent. Murphy squeezed Aven's hand in hopes that it would calm her anger. She, too, had a few shots that evening, and her disposition could go from calm to angry before anyone could begin to count the seconds in between.
Yanking her hand from Murphy, she turned in the direction where Peter sat. Speechless for the first time in a long time, Aven just stared the old man down.
"You can't intimidate me," Peter sneered. "I have had enough of you ruining things."
"What things would that be? I'd so love to hear the list," Aven demanded.
"I have lost money. Lost partners. No one wants to go into business with a man whose favored niece works for the other side."
Aven found her words. "First off, dear uncle, let's get some things straight. That business of yours is not so elegant as you make it sound. In fact, every soul in this room knows what it really is, so why don't we cut the bullshit on that end, eh? Additionally, I haven't been your favored niece since the day I told you about my job. Perhaps you should help your clients and partners to revise their understanding of your family values, then you wouldn't lose so much business."
Peter downed more coffee. "I don't want you around while I'm here. You want a revision, Aven? It's yours. I no longer recognize you as family, and those who are not family are not privy to my personal affairs."
"Da, think about what you're doin'," Torrin spoke up, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"I know exactly what I'm doing," Peter snapped, pushing her hand away. "Aven Donaghue is no longer my niece. I will let her father decide how he wants to deal with the situation, but as far as my family, you no longer exist."
Aven didn't argue. There was no arguing. Maybe he was drunk and maybe he would change his mind later, but for now, there was no arguing.
"Fine," she replied. "I'll get my things and find somewhere else to stay then."
Torrin reached for his cousin's arm. "Aven, don't go. This is ridiculous."
"The damage is done, Tor," Aven said softly. "I'll be in for my shift tomorrow. Good night, everyone."
She walked out through the kitchen, letting the screen door slam behind her.
.&.
Peter passed out in that booth. Rocco went up to the apartment for a pillow and blanket while Connor and Torrin tried to make sure he was comfortable.
"I'll come check on him later," Torrin sighed.
"Aven's already gone," Rocco announced. "Her room was cleared out when I went up."
Torrin shook her head. "Damn it. They've had scuffles before, you know. Arguments about her job, his business. Nothing like this. He's never disowned her before, or tried to disown her."
"What do you think her father will do?" Connor asked.
"I honestly don't know," Torrin replied. "Aven's immediate family is extremely close. Her brother Dermot was her partner in Ireland before she came here. Her parents have been happily married for the majority of their lives. But, just the same, her father has not completely cut ties with the mafia, though, so he may decide to follow my father's decision."
"We can hope for the best then. Where do you suppose she'll stay?"
"With me," Murphy answered. "If she wants."
"You don't want to ask your brother and friend about that?" Connor frowned. It was the first time his brother had made a decision of that importance without consulting him first.
"It's not like we would argue, right?" Rocco broke in, draping an arm over Connor's shoulders. "Aven's got to have a roof over her head, might as well be our roof."
"See if she'll take you up on the offer before you let it get troublesome," Torrin warned. "The girl's never been much for taking handouts."
"That's her. I'll be right back." Murphy excused himself while he answered the call on his mobile phone.
Torrin stacked up the last few chairs and told the boys they could go. They were still waiting for Murphy anyway, but both Connor and Rocco insisted they wouldn't be going anywhere.
"I'm going to steal Aven's bed for the night though, I'm exhausted," Rocco said.
"We'll go up with you," Torrin offered, turning the lights off. "The old man will be all right."
Murphy stopped them on their way up to the apartment, letting them know he was leaving to meet Aven. Torrin thanked him for looking out for her cousin, then trudged up the stairs. She suddenly felt very weighed down.
"Help yourself to whatever, boys," she sighed as she shut and locked the door behind her. "I'm done with today."
She went to her room, threw the dirty clothes in the hamper, then discarded what she'd been wearing that day. She pulled on her most comfortable pajama pants and a tank top before stitching her hair into a braid. Torrin sat on the edge of her bed and picked up the photo of her family from her nightstand. She and her sister, Rori, were there, sandwiched between her parents. They were all smiling; from the looks of it, the four of them looked to be your average family. If only anyone admiring the photo could see the truth beneath the surface.
A knock on the door broke Torrin's thoughts. Setting the picture back down, she went to open it, one end of her mouth turning up at Connor's presence.
"Everything all right?" she asked.
"I came to ask you the same." His voice was rough and quiet, and he leaned in the doorway with a certain Irish charm that Torrin found nearly irresistible.
"How do I choose between my father and Aven?" Torrin blurted out, opening the door so he could enter.
Connor closed the door behind him. "Ya shouldn't have to make a choice, Tori. Think of who it is forcing you to make it."
She sank to the bed and shook her head. "How do I go against my father? We've certainly had our differences but he's still been there for me."
Connor reached up to wipe the tear that had escaped down her cheek. "Maybe you don't have to choose. Maybe you can just be … Switzerland."
Torrin laughed through her tears, leaning into his hand. "Thank you, Connor."
He showed her a gentle smile with just a hint of charm. "Whatever I have to do to see that pretty smile."
Almost against her will, Torrin smiled even bigger. Connor's hand traveled to the back of her neck, urging her closer to him. The fear of loving him was slipping away but there were still traces of it stopping her from giving in to him.
"I'll never hurt you," Connor promised in a whisper. "I'll never make you choose."
More tears fell, but these were different tears. Tears of relief; Connor's promise dusted away those last bits of fear and took the weight of the world from Torrin's shoulders. The only thing that tainted their kiss was the salty taste of joyful tears that still fell from her eyes.
.&.
Aven apologized over and over for retreating to Murphy's apartment when he walked up to the door.
"I didn't know where else to go," she admitted. "When I came, I really didn't even expect to be here for this long. Thought I'd get in between Torrin and Gavan and go home."
"I'm glad you stayed," Murphy assured her, unlocking the door and picking up one of her extra bags. "And don't you worry about comin' here. I'm glad you thought of it instead of a hotel or something."
"The thought crossed my mind, I can't lie. And this is just temporary, Murphy. Uncle Peter can't stay forever, so once he's gone, I'm right back with Torrin, if she'll have me."
"Bags can go in here," Murphy offered, dropping the one in his room. "You don't have to stay in here with me, but they'll be out of the way in here. I don't think Torrin'll side with her father, Aven."
"She may not want to, but it doesn't mean she won't do it," Aven muttered. "My uncle thinks I'm a traitor because I tried to change the cycle. Perhaps I should have done what you boys did and followed in my father's footsteps."
Murphy shook his head adamantly as he followed her back into the front room. "No, Aven. You're doin' exactly what you're supposed to be doing. I believe that with everything in me. I knew it the moment you shot down those Russians to save us – you're in the work you were meant to be in. Don't let your uncle convince you otherwise."
Aven shook her head. "There's something else going on. He's too calm about this Russian thing. I killed three of them and he's still turning the whole thing on me – either I really can't do a thing right in his eyes or there's something else going on."
Murphy tilted his head and licked his lips while he watched her think it over. She was enticing as it was, but when that passion in her really came out, Murphy couldn't stand it. He pulled her closer to her with a gentle tug at her elbow.
"Let's go back to the moment that took your mind off of everything else," Murphy grinned.
Aven chuckled; her tension lessened. "What moment was that, exactly?"
"Play innocent all you want, it'll only get you in trouble," Murphy warned her.
Aven wrapped her arms around his middle and laughed. Murphy pushed the headband from her head, letting it fall to the ground. He reveled in her smile for just a few seconds before claiming her lips again. The small sigh that escaped her throat encouraged him to continue, maybe skipping a few steps in between.
Murphy slid his hands down her sides, gripped her hips, and moved his hands forward to pop the button on her jeans. Aven breathed in a sharp breath and pulled her mouth away from his.
"Too much?" he asked.
Aven met his eyes, a certain mischief evident in hers. Finally, she slowly shook her head and embraced him again. Murphy gripped the back of her thighs, pulling a little so that she was lifted into his arms, and her legs wrapped around him.
"You're much lighter than I'd thought you'd be," Murphy teased her.
Aven wrinkled her nose at him. "Are you implying that I'm … large?"
"Only in the right places, love."
She laughed again and held on tight as he directed them towards his bed. He set her down on the edge of the mattress and kneeled in front of her. Slowly, he unzipped her jeans and pulled them off of her, one leg at a time. Aven leaned back to make the task easier for him, then shuddered as he kissed each of her knees before slowly traveling up the inside of her thighs. Before he could reach his intended target, however, she stopped him.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong," she mumbled as she fiddled with pulling down the legs of her boyshorts. "I just … maybe we shouldn't do this just yet."
Murphy shrugged as he moved next to her on the bed. "Sure. I didn't mean to push you."
"You didn't," Aven assured him. "I promise. We're just starting out though, and I don't want to turn us into … that."
Murphy shook his head. "We'll never be just that, Av. Don't ya know how I feel about ya? I fell for you the moment I laid eyes on you. Wasn't even going to walk into the pub again after Doc until I saw you."
Aven gave a shy grin. "Really?"
"Really," Murphy promised. "For being such a fierce woman, you certainly did get shy in here." Aven blushed; Murphy cupped her face to kiss away the embarrassment. "It's a good thing."
She kissed him once more. "We should get some sleep. I have a lot of work to do tomorrow."
Murphy didn't argue at her implication that she would be looking into her uncle's intentions alone. There were ways to look out for her without being right by her side.
A/N: For JDB7707 … I don't know how much "lemony goodness" will be in this story, but maybe some lime action later on.
Thanks for the reviews and for reading! Probably will be another addition or two to 'Saints & Angels: Deleted Scenes' before the next chapter of this one. Check it out when you get a chance! Ah, and please enjoy my small nod to The Walking Dead in this chapter's title.