Chapter Seven Summary: Murphy goes to meet Anna, believing he was going to die. He says goodbye to Romeo and give him a letter meant for Connor. Murphy goes in to trade his life for Connor's, but Anna knocks him out and decides to keep them both...

AN: This chapter... was one of the hardest I've even written in my life. I cried... a lot while writing this one. Thanks goes out to BBC and VeritasVamp for the help.

Warning: This chapter is rated M for Mature for feels that will make you want to curl into a ball in a dark corner and cry it all out. At least, that's what I'm off to do.

Demons of Saints

Apologies and Screams

By Candra Hastings

Romeo was beyond freaking out. It was been well over an hour since he'd watched Murphy head inside and he was starting to get a bad feeling.

He'd tried to busy himself while he waited for a sign of either of the twins. He'd unloaded and reloaded his guns several times. When that had ceased to distract him, he began to feel Murphy's letter in his back pocket burn. He was very curious as to what it said. But Murphy's words had been meant for Connor and only Connor, not Romeo.

Still, not having anything to do was driving him crazy. Feeling guilty, he pulled the letter from his pocket. He considered replacing it once before he forged on, unfolding the note. His dark eyes latched onto the first words.

If your name isn't Connor MacManus (Yes, you, Romeo.), then screw off.

Instantly, Romeo dropped it paper his lap like a child who'd been caught sneaking cookies from the cookie jar. Then, he folded it up and shoved it back into his pocket. If Murphy didn't want him to read it, then he wouldn't.

But right now, he had nothing to do, and the minutes were creeping by way too slowly. It had been an hour. Too long. It wasn't sitting right with the Mexican. Something was wrong.

He got out of the car, his guns ready. The building was huge. It's shadow loomed in the high noon sun. The broken windows gave in a look that made is seem quite daunting. Still, Romeo's loyalty to his friends overcame his nerves about what ghost could lay inside. He forged on in.

Romeo stumbled through the dark maze of narrow halls. Finally, he came upon a large door. He found that it was locked, but he felt that is was best to press on instead of try to find his way back in the dark.

He threw his weight against the door. It gave a solid thud, but didn't budge. Romeo cursed and rubbed his arm where he'd impacted. He said a silent prayer before he tried again.

This time, the door busted open. Romeo fell inside to the floor, continuing to sputter curses. He collected himself before standing up and scoping out the room. He quickly saw that he wasn't alone.

"Oh, hell, Connor!" he exclaimed. He rushed to his injured friend's side as fast as he could.

Connor's head lulled, his chin resting on his bloody chest. He was slumped over in the chair he was seated in, hands bound behind his back. He was bloody, beaten, and flirting with consciousness.

Romeo searched the room. On the floor, lay a knife. He went to get it and then moved back to cut Connor loose when he realized that the knife belonged to Murphy. It's owner was nowhere in sight.

"Connor, man, hang in there," Romeo called to him as the bloody rope fell to the ground. Romeo now noticed that the floor around Connor was soaked wet, water covering it. Romeo could feel the liquid seeping into his boots.

Connor's eyes rolled as he held on to consciousness by the skin of his teeth. Everything hurt, but he didn't care. He had to tell Murphy... had to tell him... "Murph?" he asked, his voice strained with pain.

"Naw, man, it's me, Romeo," his friend said while vigorously rubbing Connor's hands and fingers, trying to get the circulation to work. He was happy that Connor was at least talking.

Connor didn't acknowledge his friend. He had to... to tell Murphy... oh, Murphy, how could he? "Murphy, I'm sorry," he cried. "I won't do it anymore! So sorry, Murph... Please... Forgive me..."

Now Romeo was worried. Connor was rambling nonsense. He was delusional. Romeo didn't like it, but he knew that it had to be done. He reeled back and smacked Connor across his bruised face hard enough to get his attention. "Connor, snap out of it! Murphy isn't here!"

Suddenly, an awareness lit in Connor's eyes. "Rome?"

"Yeah, it's me," Romeo sighed, glad to be making progress. "Listen, Connor, I know you're pretty messed up, but if you know where Murphy is, tell me and I'll go after him."

Connor rose to his feet shakily. He swayed once from the blood loss, but recovered quickly. "She.. She took him. Went to her... her car," he stuttered out. He wobbled unsteadily to where Murphy's guns had been tossed before all hell had broken loose. He stooped and picked them up. "I'm comin' with yah."

Romeo frowned. Connor didn't look too hot. Still, he knew what direction that woman had left. But he felt that he needed to ask, "Do you feel up to it, bud? I mean, you don't look so good."

Connor's eyes steeled. He needed to make things right. He needed to tell Murphy how sorry he was for everything, that he'll never do it again. But first, he was going to kill that woman who made him watch while she... To Murphy... Made him...

No, he couldn't think about. Not right now. Now, only one thing mattered.

"I'm going to get my brother."

B~D~S

Connor didn't know if he'd ever been more terrified than he was then. Anna dragged Murphy's body over to a support beam in the room, propping him up. It was thin enough that she could use it. She went over to the table after dropping off Murphy and returned to him after grabbing some rope that had rested there.

Then, she pulled Murphy's arms behind his back around the base of the poll before tying his hands behind him so that he was rooted to the structure. When she was happy with the setup, she moved back over to Connor.

He flinched away from her when the came close, but she just grabbed the back of his chair. Using all of her strength, she pulled him across the floor over by where Murphy's long legs were sprawled out. She turned him so that he was facing towards his brother, unable to look away from where Murphy was bound at his feet.

Anna produced another length of rope. She knelt down as she straitened out Murphy's legs. She then looped the rope around his ankles until it was tight enough to bite into the skin. She then tethered the other end to the base of Connor's chair with the rest of the slack, allowing no give to the restraints, also effectively tying the two brother's together.

Anna pulled her knife and stepped up beside Connor. She dug the tip into the flesh of his chest and dragged a deep line. "Is this sharp enough? Only the best for my precious," she asked like she was doing them a kindness.

Connor hissed but refused to answer. He would hold out now. When Murphy woke up, he knew things would only get worse.

Anna nodded approvingly as Connor bled. She wiped the blood clean on his pant leg before moving over to Murphy.

"Leave him alone," Connor barked. He leaned forward as far as he could, attempting to draw her attention away from his vulnerable brother.

She wasn't having it. All her attention was focused on Murphy's unconscious form. She moved closer to him. Gently, like a lover, she traced the hard line of his jaw with the tips of her long, thin fingers.

Connor didn't like that one bit. Suddenly, Murphy's voice was in his ears. He remembered the conversation he'd had with his brother on the floor of the suite.

"Yeah, that's what I mean, Connor. She tried to rape me."

Connor really didn't like her touching his brother like that.

"Hello, my pet. It's time to wake up," she cooed to Murphy's still form. When he didn't respond to her, Connor saw annoyance flash over her gaunt features. Quickly, she reached out and slapped Murphy across the face.

Murphy's head jerked up. His blue eyes snapped open, wide and fearful as he noted the new setup. He tried to jerk his hands and feet free, but the bonds had no give. He was completely helpless.

Murphy looked up into Connor's wide matching eyes. Connor didn't know how to interpret the look on his twin's face because he'd never seen the expression on his face before. It was a look of absolute terror. Everything in Connor screamed at him to do something and save his brother.

"Con," Murphy whispered. He'd just uttered his twin's name when Anna leaned back and drove the tip of her blade down Connor's leg, causing the fairer twin to flinch in pain.

"Don't talk to him, or I'll hurt him," Anna commanded.

Murphy nodded in consent immediately. He knew how this worked. He knew how he would play this. He would keep her attention and pray to God that at least Connor came out of this alive.

"Now, it's been such a long time since I've seen you, pet. It's been too long," she said softly to Murphy as her knife came around to him. The tip snagged at the collar of his shirt. She jerked it, ripping the material until his chest was exposed. "It seems to me that we should get reacquainted."

Murphy was deadly still. He didn't look at Anna. He didn't look at the knife. He looked at Connor, and though his brother looked absolutely terrified, he took strength in his presence. If Connor hadn't been there, Murphy probably would've been more reckless. He'd be cussing her out by now and hold no bars against fighting back. It would earn him punishment, but to him, it was worth it. But he couldn't make Connor watch that. So he kept still.

"Let's see," Anna said playfully as she seated herself on Murphy's legs, penning them to the ground. She didn't weigh much, but Murphy hated feeling pinned down by her after she'd almost... Last time...

He stiffened as she came closer. Fear had totally closed off his airways. He couldn't help but flinch when the blade met his skin in a sickly familiar way. "Guess we can start by reopening every mark I've ever put on your body," Anna whispered as the knife bit into his skin over one of his many long, pale scars.

Connor growled and thrashed, trying to go to Murphy's aid. He could see the pain flash on his brother's face as Anna began to trace his scars, but Murphy took notice that Connor had seen and tried to hide his suffering for his brother's sake. Still, Connor could see it in his eyes how much he was hurting.

"Leave him the hell alone!" Connor screamed at her.

Anna whirled on him, knife still trained on Murphy. "Unless you want me to carve my name into him, you'll shut up."

Connor stilled instantly, his jaw closing with an almost audible click. He couldn't let her do that to Murphy. He couldn't let her brand him. So as much as it killed him, he remained silent as Murphy suffered, biting his tongue to stifle the protests that would only cost him more.

He wanted to look away from the terrible sight of his twin being tortured at his feet. The image made him sick to his stomach. But he couldn't. Not when Murphy's pain-filled eyes sought his out, asking for comfort. So he watched while she sliced his brother open.

Finally, the blade came to hover over the scar. The one she'd given him ten years ago when she'd stabbed him. It was thicker and more prominent than all the others. Long and white, just a few inches away from his collarbone. This she traced gently with her long fingers, feeling the raised marred skin, testament to the damage she'd done.

Murphy flinched from her touch. The hair on the back of his neck raised and he would never admit to it, but he was trembling. But he refused to cry out the whole time as she cut him open, though his wounds were pouring blood. They stung with each breath he took, the torn skin pulling over his ribs and muscles with each heave of his chest.

"I am sorry for that," Anna said sincerely, surprising them both. "I don't want to kill you. I just..." she struggled for her words, "I need you to hurt."

Murphy croaked out a defiant laugh. "I think you met your goal. I don't want your apologies."

Anger flashed in her eyes. She didn't like his tone. Didn't he know by now that she was in control? That she owned him? "Apparently, you need to learn to watch your mouth. Both you and your brother. But don't worry, my dear, I'll teach you."

She ripped a strip of cloth from Murphy's shredded shirt. Then she grabbed his jaw and stuffed the material in his mouth. With rough hands, she tied it firmly in place behind his head so tightly that he gagged, tasting his own blood that had seeped into the shirt.

She'd just severed the possibility of speaking to his brother for comfort.

"I'll leave you two alone for a few minutes while I get things ready for your lesson," she snapped at them both before leaving the room.

Both breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed a little. Connor eyed his brother who lay bleeding at his feet. His eyes were closed and his jaw was snapped shut from the pain on the gag. He slumped against the pillar he was bound to. Connor had never felt worse than in that moment, seeing his brother look defeated like that. Even when he'd came to this place all those years ago and Murphy'd been hanging from the ceiling by his wrists, he'd never had to watch the things that had put him there. Connor would do anything to save Murphy, anything.

"Murph?" Connor called out softly. His brother's bright blue eyes fluttered open in response to his voice.

"Murphy, I'm sorry," Connor said. He was so scared. Before, he'd only seen the aftermath of Anna's work. Now, he had to watch it happen. He wanted to ask him how he could help him, if he could ease the pain in any way, because God knows that he would take it for him if he could. But even if he asked, Murphy wouldn't be able to answer. But Connor just needed to know what to do, because for once, he didn't have a plan.

Murphy leaned back, his eyes staying fixed on Connor like he wanted to say something. Connor sighed and tried to move his leg a little. He managed to brush his ankle against Murphy's legs, providing the physical contact that they both craved. It was a small gesture, but it meant so much.

"I love yah, Murphy. And I'm going to make sure we get outta this."

Murphy nodded and mumbled something that came out "Rggh ooh," at the cost of choking on the material in his mouth. And though the words were muffled and distorted, Connor knew that Murphy was saying, love you.

The moment was ruined when Anna came back in. She was shoving a tub in front of her, some liquid sloshing over the edges while she pushed it over to them. When it bumped into Murphy's leg, she straitened and stretched.

Anna moved behind Murphy. Connor watched her the whole time, never blinking as she untied his hands long enough to yank them behind his back and retie them so that he was free of the beam. She cut his feet free from Connor's chair before grabbing her pet by his dark hair and yanking him over to the tub.

Murphy noticed that it was full of water. He was getting a very bad feeling. But as long as it wasn't Connor, he would be fine. Because for Murphy, it had clicked as to what was going to happen.

Connor hadn't quite caught on yet. "Anna, whatever you're planning, don't. Don't do it," he pleaded.

Anna grinned at him. "Do what? This?" With that, she yanked Murphy's head and shoved it under the freezing cold water. He'd tried to take a deep breath, but she'd gone without warning and it was hard to breath deeply when you have something stuffed in your mouth. He thrashed and tried to yank free of her grip, but she wouldn't let go. She just held him under as all the oxygen left his lungs. As the the thrashing began to simmer down to dull twitches.

Connor screamed the whole time. He yelled, he whipped around wildly, he cursed at her, he tried to yell encouraging things to his brother, praying he could hear him, but she just wouldn't stop. She was drowning his brother before his very eyes.

Only when Murphy went still did she let him up. He fell to his back, hands penned under him, coughing and sputtering for air. Anna saw his struggle to breath. She pulled the gag from his mouth, allowing it to hang limply around his neck while he took in greedy breaths.

When he stopped heaving for air, Anna fisted her hand in his hair again, ready for round two. But Connor yelled at her again. "Please! Stop! You can't do that to him! Just stop!"

Anna paused. "I can't? Why can't I?"

"Just don't," Connor begged. "Please, don't."

Anna thought over it a moment, but then she smiled. "Alright, I won't" she said, releasing her grip on Murphy's hair and letting him fall back to the floor to continue coughing. She went behind Connor and cut him loose. "I won't. But you will."

She wasn't really asking him to... There's no way. No. He wouldn't do it.

"No," Connor said while trying to lunge at her. Anna moved back and pulled a gun, aiming it at him, causing him to pause.

"Yes, you will. You will, or I'll kill you," Anna said simply.

"Guess you'll have to kill me," Connor challenged, "Cause I won't do it."

Anna raised an eyebrow and cocked her gun. Her finger began to squeeze the trigger when a raspy voice called out. "No!" Murphy wheezed, still trying to suck in air. "Connor, just do it!"

Connor gapped at Murphy. How could he ask him to do that? How could he ask him to torture his own brother? He wouldn't do it. He couldn't do it. He would die first.

"No, Murph. I'm sorry."

Anna noticed the exchange. And now, she knew how to play them. "Oh, isn't this good. Both of you are little martyrs. Okay, new game," she said, as she walked over to Murphy, who still lay on the ground. She kicked him hard in the ribs, causing him to double over. Then she stepped on his throat, strangling him, all the while having a stare down with Connor. "You do this, or I'll kill him. But then, if I kill him, I'll let you go. I'll let you live a long life knowing you killed your brother."

Connor didn't know what to do. To do what she wanted, to hold his own blood under that water until he couldn't breath, it would kill Connor. He just couldn't do that. But the other option was unthinkable. He couldn't be responsible for Murphy's death. He stepped forward slowly and Anna let up on Murphy's neck, allowing him to breath again.

Connor got on his knees next to his brother, ignoring his own cuts and burns. He cradled Murphy's head in his arms for a moment, trying to comfort him. He pressed a brotherly kiss to his head while working his numb fingers through Murphy's dark hair, trying to tell him how sorry he was for the thing he was about to do.

"Murph, I'm sorry. I love yah so much, and I'm sorry. But I can't let her kill yah. I can't do it," Connor said, fighting back the tears that were surfacing.

Murphy nodded as Anna pointed her gun at them. Her silent prodding had Murphy trying to sit up, but proving too weak to do so. "Do it. Do it, Connor," he said.

Do it. Do it! The words echoed in Connor's head from years long past when he'd been forced to hurt his brother once again, breaking his hand in order to escape. It had killed him to do that back then and it was going to kill him to do what he was about to do now.

"On with it," Anna barked. Connor glared at her with the intensity of the devil himself before helping Murphy to sit up. Then, he pulled his brother as gently as he could to the tub of water. "Fan láidir. Tóg anáil domhain," he whispered in Gaelic, Murphy's favorite language. Stay strong. Take a deep breath.

And then Connor did the worst thing he's ever done in his life. He eased his brother's head under the water.

Connor didn't know what was worse. The fact that Murphy hadn't even fought him, had helped him with the process, or the moment when time had begun to wear on his lungs and he had to fight back, because he couldn't breath. He was drowning. And Connor was the one doing it.

Murphy couldn't help it. He didn't want to put stress on Connor, but instinct pushed him to fight. Instinct made him kick and lash out, causing the water from the tub to splash everywhere and soak the floor. It made his bound hands claw at the air behind him where he could feel his brother's bloody chest, trying to wrench himself free of Connor's hold.

But Connor didn't let go. He tried to, but Anna would point that gun at Murphy and his fingers would clinch into a bruising grasp on his twin again, holding him under until he couldn't fight anymore and his body went still.

Anna lowered her gun and Connor instantly pulled Murphy free and into his arms. He held his brother while water sprung from his flooded lungs. He tried to keep him up so it wouldn't wash back down and choke him as he patted Murphy's back, trying to get all of the water out.

And then Murphy would catch most of his breath and look up at Connor. And Connor hated that he saw gratitude there in his brother's bloodshot eyes, adoration for what he was doing for him, doing to him. Connor looked away and dry heaved.

"Again," Anna called from above them. Connor cursed at her, but she raised her gun at Murphy and Connor once again eased Murphy's dark head under the water, hating the stiffness of his brother's body under him.

Connor lost track of how many times he had to shove Murphy under after that. He didn't want to count. All he wanted was for that woman to lower that gun so that he could pull Murphy out for what seemed like the hundredth time.

And Connor could help but notice that each time he did get to let Murphy breath that his eyes were slowly closing. He wasn't going to be able to last much longer.

"Please, no more," he begged her while clutching Murphy's near unconscious body to his chest. "He can't take any more. It's killing him."

"Again."

And so Connor did it again. And again. And again. Again... And each time he did it, Connor cried. He sobbed, allowing it to rack his whole body. Because he just knew that he was slowly killing his brother.

It was when Murphy blacked out that she finally let him stop. Connor couldn't do it anymore. Even if she did raise the gun again. He was killing Murphy. And he couldn't do that anymore. His body ached and his heart was torn to pieces. He just laid on the ground, pulling Murphy's body close to him, trying to keep him warm.

And then Murphy's eyes were opening. "C-C-Con.. Connor?" he asked, voice rough and waterlogged.

"I'm here," Connor replied, stroking his brother's hair and pulling him that much closer. "I'm here. I'm sorry, Murphy, I'm so sorry."

"S-S'okay. L-L-Love y-y-yah," Murphy managed to stutter out. His teeth were chattering and wanted to just crawl into a ball and sleep forever. Sleep here, with Connor, Connor, his protecter by his side. Because he was safe with Connor. Connor would save him.

But then Connor wasn't there. The arms were gone. Murphy craned his aching neck to see Anna yanking Connor by his shirt back to the chair. Connor couldn't even fight her back, he was so exhausted. She retied him to the chair before coming over to Murphy.

She pressed a gentle kiss to his frozen lips. Then she pulled back, eyes wide, green and innocent. "You're mine. No more games. I've finally won." She then reached for the gag that was soaked around his neck and stuffed it into his mouth before she yanked Murphy up. He could barely stand, but he did. He had to be strong for Connor. He couldn't let Connor feel guilty over something that wasn't his fault.

"Where... Where are you taking him?" Connor asked as Anna pulled Murphy away towards the exit. But she didn't reply, just continued to yank a stumbling, half-awake Murphy away from Connor. "Murph!" he screamed. "Murph! Murphy!"

"Cnnnrrr!" Murphy tried to call back, but he couldn't, he just couldn't. The last thing he saw of his brother was Connor practically having a panic attack in that chair. His eyes were wide and horrified as Murphy was taken away. He just hoped that Connor knew how much he'd appreciated him. How much he'd appreciated what he'd done for him in that room.

It just killed him to hear his twin screaming for him, though. The last thing Murphy could hear before it all went black was Connor, screaming for him. Screaming his name while he sobbed.

"Murphy! Murphy, I'm sorry! Bring him back! Come back! Murphy, I love yah so much, please forgive me! Murphy!"