"It's sure been a long time." Billy agreed. The last time he had seen his mother's best friend was when the paparazzo's were hunting him. She had appeared like a saving angel and driven him off to the airport.

"Are they still bothering you?"

"No…not really. They leave me alone now...mostly. No creepy people sitting in the tree outside my house anymore."

"That's good. What have you been up to then, uh? We haven't heard much from you."

Billy shifted uncomfortably, much to Murtaghs amusement, "Oh, y'know. Bit of this, bit of that. I keep myself busy." He said and looked away.

"Still your own Boss then?" she said with an approving smile. "That's good. No use getting a mind like yours tied down."

"Yeah."

"He's done up the old Stokley Hall just now." Murtagh said, "Turned it into a teen shelter and orphanage. It's really nice." It was obvious to him that his father didn't want his brothers to know about his shadier dealings, so he put the focus on something positive.

"Really?" Green asked with interest, "must be time consuming."

"It is right now…just getting things up and running. Still got a part of the manor that's not finished yet. People need things to do and a place to stay…the DMG gives them both…" Billy shrugged.

"DMG?"

"Darley-Mercer-Grey." Murtagh added, "It's just a temporary name, until we figure something out."

"Grey? As in Miss Grey?" Maureen asked, "You didn't go with Amy did you?"

Billy's eyes widened, "Uh, no definitely not. Still just friends."

"So it's old Martha then? She get in your good graces?"

"She found my boy for me, so I owe her a lot." He said and rubbed Murtaghs neck affectionately.

Maureen gasped, "Oh my…is this your boy?" she gushed and pulled the teen closer to her to inspect him. "He is the splitting image of you! Even has your eyes – but where did he get that hair I wonder…" she said and winked at the proud father. "Certainly not that girl Samantha."

Murtagh made a face as she pinched his cheek, making the others snort in amusement.

"Samantha?" Bobby exclaimed, "Sofi's big-sister?"

"That's the one." Maureen nodded, "not a good match the two of them. Billy isn't much of a door matt enough for a Sanchez girl." She shook her head. "Always had a mind of his own…" she said fondly. "Are you married yet?"

Billy groaned, "No, still not married." He sighed.

"I don't know why you bother to ask, Mureen." Green said in amusement, "You know Billy ain't ever gonna get tied down."

Maureen huffed, "You should get married. Find yourself someone to settle down with. Create some sense of stability in your life."

Billy wrinkled his nose, but didn't say anything. There was only one person he had loved enough to even let himself daydream, but that chance had been ripped from him a long time ago.

Billy wasn't used to people treating him like a normal person. Being around his family and his mothers old friends was weird. Most of them had seen him in his diapers, which wasn't a very good foundation for scaring people. It threw him off balance something bad. He was out of his territory. He was used to obeying and doing whatever he told them to – without any questions whatsoever. Theses people were nosy as hell, but he couldn't really tell them to fuck off now could he? He may be the oldest brother, but he was also a brother that hadn't been around for over fifteen years.

~*~

"I thought you said he wasn't coming." Camille sighed.

"I never said that. I said that I didn't know if he was coming or not." Jerry replied, "Don't give me that look Camille…I am way through with that life. Way through."

Camille sighed loudly, "Fine….who's the guy charming Maureen out of her skirt? And that kid I haven't seen before either.

"That's Billy. Our big brother."

"What? Evelyn adopted another?"

"Nah, he's all hers. Biological."

"And we ain't seen him in all the years we lived here….oh."

"What 'oh'?" Jerry asked,mildly alarmed, "'oh' ain't good Camille."

"No, it's just that I remember him…vaguely." Camille frowed. "I went to school with him. He was a few years above me…his name wasn't 'Mercer' though."

"No, it's Darley." Jerry said. "So what do you know about him?"

"Not much… He was very well liked. Never got into fights." She eyed her husband, "There was one thing, though. One time. Oh God." She touched her temple, not really wanting to remember. "I remember I was out one night – my parents were fighting so I went for a walk…I saw him…God I was so scared. He was drenched in blood…"

"So he got into a fight?" Jerry asked with arched brows.

Camille shook her head, "I don't think so. He was so pale…like a ghost. He had lost so much blood. He seemed panicked. He fell…right out on Evelyn's driveway and there was almost a pool when he got up…Most of the blood seemed to be running down his legs…and his arms were bruised…I think he was raped…" she whispered. Jerry just stared at her, no knowing what to say.

"I couldn't move." She said. "After a while I heard Evelyn calling his name…not long after there was an ambulance there…I never saw him again after that…I thought he was dead or something…"

"Damn…that's…that's not good."

"Oh God, this really is not a good day. So, who's the kid?"

"That's Billy's son, Murtagh – just call him Tag, he seems to prefer that."

"Really? How old is he?"

"Just turned sixteen." C'mon, let me introduce you – and try not to think about that stuff. It happened twenty years ago."

"Seventeen." Camille said to herself as she took a hold of her husbands arm and walked outside. "It was seventeen years ago."

Jerry stiffened and turned back to his wife. "Are you sure?"

~*~

A/N; thats over a thousand words for you. hope you like it!