Saint Luke's Hospital
Two weeks passed since Diego, Murphy and Connor woke up and they had finally been moved to a private room. Two FBI agents stood on either side of the doorway and they were supplied with a list of which medical personnel could enter the room as well as visitors,
Annie, Annabelle, Darcy, Lisa and the kids headed down the hallway when Doctor Kincaid walked toward them and she smiled.
"Hullo, Moira said.
"Hello," Lisa said.
"Hello," Darcy said.
"Who are you?" Annabelle asked.
"She's the head of Connor, Diego and Murphy's medical teams, Mum," Annie said.
"How are my boys?"
"I was just going to check," Moira said as she looked down at the kids. "Hullo."
"Hi," Chandler said.
"Hi," Peter said.
"Hi," Mark said.
"Hi," Nichole said.
"How did they all end up in one room?" Annabelle asked Annie.
"I guess the FBI had the hospital put them there," Annie said.
"What!? Do these eejits think they'd try t'get outta bed an' make a break fer it?"
"Maybe. Or they thought it might be safer if they were in the same room."
They walked down the hallway as the FBI agents looked at them and Moira held the medical charts against her chest.
"Doctor Moira Kincaid," Moira said and the FBI agent checked the list. After Annie, Lisa and Darcy told the FBI agents their names, Annabelle's name and the kids' names, the FBI agents stood back and Annie walked to the doorway as she looked in the room. Connor's bed was in the middle with Diego in the bed to his left and Murphy's bed was to his right. Diego and Connor were watching a movie while the nurse checked the screen of Connor's heart monitor and she wrote the information in the chart. Murphy was sleeping and the teddy bear was tucked under his left arm.
"It is alright for us to come in?" Annie asked and the nurse turned to look at her.
"Only three family members are allowed at one time," the nurse said.
"It's alright, Madison," Moira said and she, Annie, Lisa, Annabelle, Darcy and the kids walked in the room.
"Oh…. Look at th'state of you!" Annabelle said as she walked to Connor's bed and he gave her a small smile. She stood next to the bed when she took hold of his left hand and she wrapped their fingers together. Lisa, Chandler and Peter walked to her as Connor looked at them and Annabelle noticed how he was looking at Lisa.
Annie went to Diego's bed as he looked at her and she was glad the oxygen mask was replaced with oxygen tubes. She leaned over to kiss his lips and he gave her a pleased look.
Moira, Mark, Darcy and Nichole walked to Murphy's bed when Nichole climbed on the chair near the bed and Moira walked to the other side of the bed. She started examining Murphy when she noticed the worried look on Nichole's face and Nichole held her plush dog against her chest.
"Don't hurt him," Nichole said.
"Don't worry, Sweetie. I'm not going to hurt Daddy," Moira said. Darcy realized what she had said as Darcy stood near the chair and she looked at Murphy.
"Is it ok for Teddy to stay here?" Nichole asked and Moira looked at the teddy bear.
"It's fine," Moira said as Murphy opened his eyes and he moved his eyes to look at him. "Hullo."
"Hm…," Murphy grumbled when he lightly pushed up the oxygen tubes sticking up his nose then he moved his eyes and he looked at Mark, Darcy and Nichole.
"Hi," Darcy said when she leaned over and he was a little surprised when she kissed his lips.
"Hi."
"Has Teddy been good, Papa?" Nichole asked and Murphy lifted the teddy bear up to look at it.
"Aye," he said with a small grin. "Did I ever tell you about my teddy?"
"No," she said and he half closed his eyes.
Ireland – years ago
The bedroom was dark as five-year-old Murphy and Connor laid snuggled under the blankets and Murphy held his teddy bear, Fuzz, against his chest. Noah had given identical teddy bears to Connor and Murphy the day they were born and Murphy used to carry his teddy bear wherever he went.
The sound of crying came from down the hall and Murphy rolled onto his back.
Three-year-old Annie had been crying on and off since they had gone to the park and a dog had taken her doll. Connor and Murphy had chased after the dog, but lost it and they had gone home.
Murphy looked at Fuzz when he moved the bedding back, held Fuzz to his chest and he got out of bed.
"Where're you goin'?" Connor asked while Murphy headed to the door.
"Wanna go see Annie," Murphy said, opening the door and he left the room. He could hear Annabelle hushing Annie as he headed down the hallway then he stood in the doorway to Annie's room. Annabelle was sitting on the rocking chair while she held Annie on her lap and as she rocked Annie.
"Ma," Murphy said and Annabelle looked at him.
"What are you doin' up?" Annabelle asked.
"I wanna see Annie," he said as he walked to the rocking chair. Annie looked at him with such sadness in her eyes that Murphy's chest hurt and Murphy looked down at Fuzz.
"Here," Murphy said, holding out his teddy bear toward Annie.
"You want to give Annie yer bear?" Annabelle asked.
"Yeah."
"Oh, Love, that's so sweet."
"Thank you, Murby," Annie said.
She had trouble saying his name and he handed her the teddy bear. Nodding, Murphy kissed her cheek then he headed out of the room and he went back to his room.
"Where'd you go?" Darcy asked and Murphy looked at her. He told them about Fuzz as Annie smiled and Connor snorted a breath of air as he grinned.
"Oy! Be nice!" Annabelle said as she lightly swatted Connor's left shoulder.
"Sorry, Ma," Connor said and Annabelle went to Murphy's bed. Connor glanced at Lisa, Peter and Chandler then Connor looked at the ceiling and Lisa lightly carded his hair. He also had oxygen tubes up his nose and he enjoyed the feeling of her fingers moving through his hair.
"I'm sorry," Connor said while glancing at Peter and Chandler.
"You're sorry for scaring us?" Peter asked and Connor nodded.
"You did tell us life isn't like a movie. That the good guy doesn't always win and people die," Chandler said.
"Right," Connor said.
"But we… We didn't want you to die," Peter said as he looked at Diego and Murphy. "Any of you."
Connor swallowed the lump in his throat then he lightly sighed.
"Want t'know why I didn't die?" Connor asked.
"Yeah," Chandler said and Peter nodded.
"It was because I didn't want to. Th'two of you an' yer mom? You mean a lot t'me," he said and Lisa felt the tears in the corners of her eyes.
"You mean a lot to us, too," Peter said.
"Then it's ok if yer mom and I get together?" he asked.
"Yeah," Chandler said and Peter nodded.
"We already think of you as our dad," Peter said and the nurse saw the numbers going up on the screen of the heart monitor.
"Calm down," the nurse whispered and Connor looked at her.
"What's wrong?" Chandler asked and Connor saw the worried look in his eyes.
"Sorry. Just got a little choked up," Connor said then his face became serious. "I don't want t'replace yer dad."
"Why not? He was an…"
Chandler knew he shouldn't swear as Connor smiled and rolled his eyes.
"He was an asshole," Connor said.
"Connor!" Annabelle warned.
"He was, Ma."
"Yeah," Chandler agreed.
"Do you want to be our dad?" Peter asked.
"Hell yes!" Connor said and the boys smiled.
"I'm sorry, but he's getting tired," the nurse said as she looked at the screen to the heart monitor and Connor frowned.
"Am not," Connor grumbled and his lower lip stuck out.
"Hey. Don't argue. You are getting tired," Lisa scolded.
"Aye. Close yer eyes an' get some sleep," Annabelle said and Connor rolled his eyes.
"Fine," he said with a sigh and he closed his eyes. He felt Lisa moving her fingers through his hair as his body relaxed and he drifted off to sleep.
Annie and Annabelle walked to Diego's bed and Annie saw the hurt look on his face.
"Sorry," Diego said as Annie took hold of his left hand.
"You're sorry fer scarin' th'crap outta us?" Annabelle asked and he looked at her.
"Yes, Ma'me."
"You're not tryin' t'get outta marryin' my little girl, are you?"
"No, Ma'me."
"Then I forgive you," she said with a small grin. "Jus' promise me you'll never do it again."
"I promise."
Moira walked to the bed after she had examined Connor and Diego looked at her.
"Hullo," Moira said.
"Hello," Diego said and she started examining him. Annie slid her fingers around the fingers of his left hand and Diego looked at the FBI agents standing on either side of the doorway. Annie saw the concerned look in his eyes as she squeezed his fingers and he smiled.
"Can I ask you summat?" Murphy asked and Moira turned to look at him.
"Is there something wrong?" Moira asked as she walked to his bed.
"Um... I don't know how to say it."
"Take your time."
Darcy noticed the troubled look in Murphy's eyes as she moved closer and he glanced at her.
"What's wrong?" Darcy whispered.
"I have t'pee," he whispered and Moira swore he was blushing.
"You have to pee?" Moira asked.
"Aye," he said with a small nod.
"Go ahead."
"You want me t'pee th'bed?"
"It's fine. You have a catheter in you."
"What's that?" Mark asked.
Murphy felt embarrassed as Peter and Chandler walked to Mark and they looked at Moira. Connor opened his eyes after he sensed something wrong with Murphy and he turned his head to look at his twin.
"What's goin' on?" Connor grumbled and Lisa leaned closer to whispered in his left ear. His eyes widened as he made a soft laugh then he moaned. "Ow."
"It's not that funny," Murphy grumbled, pouted and his lower lip stuck out.
"All of you leave him alone," Annabelle said as she went to stand next to Moira then she looked at Murphy. "It's alright. Go on."
"But she didn't tell us what a catheter is," Chandler said.
"I'll explain later," Moira said with a small smile as she looked at Diego and Connor. "Just so you know. You both have catheters, too."
"Shit," Connor whispered.
"Thought something felt weird," Diego said.
"Not so funny now. Is it?" Annabelle said as she crossed her arms under her breasts.
"No."
"No," Connor said and Lisa lightly ruffled his hair.
Moira moved the privacy curtain around the bed after Nichole got off the chair and they waited for Moira to move the privacy curtain back. She was wearing blue surgical gloves and she had a small plastic bag in her hands.
"I'll be right back," she said and Moira left the room. She noticed the smiles on the FBI agents' faces and she headed down the hallway.
In the room, Murphy looked at the ceiling while Darcy moved her fingers through his hair and he moved his eyes to look at her then smiled.
"Dad," Chandler said and Connor gave him a small grin.
"What?" Connor asked.
"Do you think you'll be out of the hospital in time for the fall festival?"
"I dunno. Do you think I'll be out by then?" he asked as Connor looked at Lisa.
"I don't think so," Lisa said and he saw the sad look on the boys' faces.
"What's with th'long faces?"
"We were thinking about doing the junior calf roping and roping competitions," Chandler said.
"I wanted to enter something in the kids' art competition," Mark said as he looked at Murphy.
"I wanna play the games with you," Nichole said after she climbed back on the chair and she rubbed the back of Murphy's left hand.
"You can still do that," Connor said.
"It won't be any fun without you guys being there," Peter said.
"There's always next year."
"That's what I told them," Lisa explained while Moira walked back in the room and Moira walked to Connor's bed.
"Sorry. But I need you to try and pee," Moira said and the kids giggled.
"Me, too?" Diego asked and she nodded after looking at him. She moved the privacy curtains around the beds as Murphy felt the sense of embarrassment coming from his brother and a smug look appeared on Murphy's face.
"Knock it off," Darcy whispered.
The privacy curtains moved back as Moira left the room with two, small plastic bags in her hands and Nurse Madison tapped Lisa's right shoulder.
"I am sorry," Nurse Madison said with a small sigh. "But they really do need to rest."
"Ok," Lisa said then leaned over to kiss Connor's lips and she gently slid the oxygen tubes up his nose. "See you tomorrow."
"Aye," he whispered then he looked at the boys. Peter and Chandler walked to the hospital bed when Chandler climbed onto the chair near the bed and he carefully hugged Connor. Chandler climbed off the chair so Peter could climb on the chair and Peter carefully hugged Connor. "Don't ferget t'ask Doctor Kincaid what a catheter is,"
"Ok, Dad," Peter said as he climbed off the chair. Connor watched them leave the room then he looked up at the ceiling.
Annie hugged Diego and gave him a kiss on the lips and he watched her and Annabelle leave the room after Annabelle hugged him, Connor and Murphy.
Murphy looked at the teddy bear when he held the teddy bear up then he looked at Nichole.
"You want t'take him home with you?" Murphy asked as he held out the teddy bear.
"Nope. He's gotta stay here with you," Nichole said with a shake of her head.
"Ok."
He placed the teddy bear down and she gave him a sad look.
"What's wrong?" Murphy asked.
"I wanna give you a hug, but I don't wanna hurt you," Nichole said.
"Hang on," Darcy said as she lifted Nichole off the chair and held her so she could carefully hug Murphy. Nichole kissed Murphy's left cheek as he smiled and he tapped the index finger of his left hand against the tip of her nose.
Mark climbed up on the chair to give him a hug and Murphy smiled.
"Night," Papa," Mark said and Murphy felt a lump in his throat.
"That's th'first time you called me that," Murphy said
"You don't mind?"
"Nope."
Darcy leaned over to kiss Murphy's lips then she led Mark and Nichole to the door and they left the room. Nurse Madison left the room as Connor watched the movie on the television and Murphy closed his eyes. Connor looked over at Diego and Diego was looking at the FBI agents standing on either side of the door.
Houston – FBI Headquarters
Eunice sat at the desk as she looked at the report, but her mind drifted to Smecker. She hadn't heard anything about the investigation and she was starting to think he had been released.
"They wouldn't have done that," she whispered.
She had thought about going to the hospital to check on Diego, Connor and Murphy, but she was sure there were agents keeping an eye on her.
"Coward," she whispered when there was a knock on the door and she felt her heart jump in her chest. She had nightmares of Smecker coming into her office with the Saints in tow and Smecker had a smug look on his face. The last dream had him order the Saints to kill her and she woke up before they fired their guns.
"Agent Bloom?" the voice asked from behind the door and she took a few deep breathes to calm down.
"Come in," Eunice said and the door opened. She watched the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes walk in the room and he closed the door behind him.
"Is everything alright?" he asked.
"Yes, Sir."
"Are you sure?"
"Well….," she said as she got up and walked around to the front of the desk. "I have been worried about something."
"Does it have to do with the Warren investigation?"
"Yes, Sir. I was wondering if Agent Smecker was still in custody."
The man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes gave her a blank look then he turned and he headed for the door. He opened the door when he opened the door and he motioned with his right hand for her to leave the room. She walked by him as he followed her out of the room and he closed the door. They walked down the hallway when they stopped in front of the elevator and he pushed the button. The elevator door opened as they walked in the elevator car and the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes pushed the buttons. The doors closed as the elevator car moved and Eunice noticed the file folder he was holding. The elevator doors opened a few seconds later as they walked down the hallway and a cold chill moved through her when she saw the FBI agent behind the shatterproof/bullet proof glass.
After they were scanned, the FBI agent opened the door and they walked by the FBI agent. They walked down the hallway when they came to the door to Smecker's cell and the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes moved the slot shield back. He looked in the cell to see Smecker pacing then he stopped when he felt like he was being watched. Smecker quickly walked to the door when he looked out of the slot and his eyes became tight slits.
"Let me out of here!" Paul demanded.
"No," the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes said when he opened the file folder and Eunice saw the black and white photograph of what appeared to be a funeral. "Take a look at this."
He held up the photograph as Smecker looked at the photograph and Smecker frowned.
"What is this?" Paul asked.
"This is the photograph of Agent Diego Walker's funeral. It was taken a few days after we raided the Watten compound."
"He's really dead?"
"Yes," the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes said then he placed the photograph back in the file folder then he removed another photograph. Eunice looked at the black and white photograph of what looked like another funeral and she frowned. "Take a look at this."
The man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes held up the photograph as Smecker looked at the photograph and a bored look appeared on his face.
"Don't tell me this is the funeral for the Saints," Paul said.
"Yes. It is."
"They are not dead."
"They are."
"Look…," Paul said as he moved a little closer to the door then winced after a small electrical shock moved through him. "Shit."
"Move away from the door."
"Yeah," he said with a sigh and backed up. "Like I said. They are not dead."
"Agent Smecker…."
"THEY ARE NOT DEAD!" he shouted when the slot shield slammed shut and small holes appeared in the ceiling. He looked at the small holes when a sweet-smelling smoke floated into the cell and his eyes widened. "NO!"
Eunice heard coughing coming from behind the door and she looked at the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes.
"Don't worry. He was only sedated," the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes said and he headed down the hallway. She looked at the door when she quickly followed him and she frowned. "He's going to be fine."
A short time later, they returned to Eunice's office as they walked inside and she went to sit at the desk. The man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes walked to the desk when he placed two file folders on the desk and she looked from the file folder to him.
"I thought you would like to see these," he said and she frowned. She opened the first file folder as she read the information and a confused look appeared on her face.
"What is this?" she asked.
"That is updated information on Agent Walker and the Saints."
"They're dead."
"Agent Bloom…."
She sat back in the chair while she held the file folder in her hands then she looked at him.
"When did you figure it out?" she asked.
"Agent Owens mentioned it in his report."
"Fred….," she said with a sigh and rolled her eyes. She looked at the information when she closed the file folder and placed the file folder on the desk. "Tell me the truth. Are Agent Walker and the Saints going to prison?"
"For what? For taking down one of the Yakavetta family's underbosses?"
"Yes. They did. But that doesn't' excuse what the Saints did in Boston."
"Are you talking about what happened at the Roman's estate?"
"Yes. The Saints killed FBI agents."
"Yes. They did. And that is something which has been bothering me."
"Sir?"
"I have read the reports. But one thing bothered me. You were in charge of the case."
"Yes. I was."
"It is true you were getting a little too close to them, but you didn't allow that to cloud your judgement."
"True."
"Then why replace you? Why make it appear you have changed sides?"
"I didn't."
"Who gave the order and pick an agent who was, shall we say, a little too gung-ho in taking them down?"
"I don't know."
"It is true that we knew where the Roman was, but how did the agents know the Saints and those other two men were going to be there?"
"I didn't tell them."
"I know you didn't. There was also a shoot to wound order issued to be used against the Saints."
"Which means whoever was in charge wanted them alive."
"Yes. Another thing which is interesting is they were placed in the same prison as Il Duce."
"They were?"
"You didn't know that?"
"No. I had no idea."
"You did know he was their father."
"Yes. Smecker told me that when he recruited me to help get them out of prison."
"And how did Smecker know where they were?"
"He… He put them there."
"Yes," he said then looked at the second file folder. "Go ahead."
"No offense, Sir. But, before I read this, I need to know if this information is legitimate."
"None taken and the information in that folder is legitimate."
She opened the file folder as she read the information, looked at the photographs and a strong wave of anger moved through her. She slammed the file folder on the desk as she placed her elbows on the desk and cupped her head in her hands.
"Smecker. You son of a bitch. You not only set me up, but them," she said through clenched teeth and the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes took back the file folders. He headed for the door when she looked up and sat back in the chair. "Sir? What are you going to do with this information?"
"We're still deciding," he said.
"What about the Saints? Are they going back to prison once they are released from the hospital?"
"No," he said and she heard the truth in his voice.
She nodded as he left the room and he closed the door behind him. She sat back in the chair as she sighed and wiped the tears from her eyes.