Disclaimer: I don't own any characters, names, places, or anything associated with the Boondock Saints movie.

A/N: Just something I wanted to do after reading some depressing fics. It's my first Boondock story, second story overall. It's cheesy, and fluffy, and a little ridiculous, but I just wanted to get it out of my system. Constructive criticisms are certainly welcome! Also, there is a slur, just to warn you. Enjoy!

Despite the cold, Murphy and Connor McManus found themselves standing outside Barlow's. This wasn't a bar they frequented; they felt a little out of their element in this part of town. The people here were CEOs or some shit like that. The two brothers usually avoided those types. The place itself just looked too modern and stuffy and clean, for their liking anyways. It certainly wasn't a place they expected to spend their Friday night.

"The feck're we doing here anyway?" Murphy asked, lighting his cigarette before placing it between his lips, "Why can't we just go back ta McGinty's?"

"We're there all the time, Murph. We could use a change." Connor took the offered lighter from his brother, and lit his own cigarette, " 'sides, Emma said she was stopping by 'ere before McGinty's."

"So we're here ta see your feckin' girlfriend?" Murphy blew a puff smoke into his twin's face. Connor waved it away, rolling his eyes.

"Shut it, 's not like there anythin' else ta do."

"Well I don't fancy spendin' my night watchin' you two make eyes at each other," Murphy grumbled. He took another long drag, wishing he had stayed behind. Had he known his brother's intentions for this impromptu trip, he would've just stayed behind at McGinty's.

"Well, there's nothin' ta be done for it now, so we migh' as well head inside," Connor stubbed out his cigarette under his boot, "It's feckin' freezin'."

"Alright," Murphy relented, "Lemme finish this, aye?" Connor nodded, and waited in silence for his brother to finish his smoke. Before Murphy could put his out, the front door of the bar opened, and a man stumbled out. He looked to be about their age, though that seemed to be all they had in common. His dark hair was slicked back; the grease practically shone under the street lights. He was wearing black slacks with a blue pinstriped shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and he reeked of cheap cologne and booze.

"Hey!" The guy clapped Connor on the shoulder, mostly to steady himself. Connor shot Murphy an amused look.

"At least someone's havin' a good time," he muttered.

"Fuck yeah, man," the guy drawled, producing a squashed pack of cigarettes from his back pocket, "and 's only gonna get better... hey, do you have a light?" Connor handed him the lighter, but after the man struggled with it, he lit it for him, "Thanks, man... dude, you gotta see this broad I got set up with," he gushed. He stepped between them, slinging his arms over both their shoulders. Murphy winced at the stale smell of alcohol on his breath, "She's fuckin' hot... got a tight ass. Could bounce a nickel off that thing. She's got great tits too, like you just wanna..." he made a squeezing gesture with his hands, "her legs're nice too... a little short, though."

"She sounds lovely," Murphy muttered. Connor nodded towards the door, but before they could leave, the guy adjusted his grip on their shoulders, and spoke.

"Yeah, I guess," he continued, "I think she's one of those feminists or something... cause she almost wouldn't let me pay for dinner. Took her to this expensive place... La Voile. Figured I'd wine and dine her, then... well, ya know. After the money is dished out tonight, I deserve it."

"Do ya, now?" Murphy cocked an eyebrow, and the man's smile faltered a bit. The things this guy was saying were grating on Murphy's nerves. His hand unconciously formed into a fist, itching to connect with the man's jaw on sheer principle.

"Well... yeah," he insisted, "I mean that's how it works, right? I drop all this cash, she can drop her-"

"Alright," Connor stopped him, "Let's go, Murph," The twins freed themselves from his grip, and made for the door. The man just scoffed, swaying until he found the wall behind him. He mumbled something incoherent to them, but they couldn't be bothered to find out what he said.

"A piece o' work, that one," Murphy said, angrily putting out his cigarette.

"Aye," Connor agreed, "Pity the girl who got stuck with the likes o' him," He opened the door to the bar and they were immediately greeted by a multitude of voices and awful music; the man was quickly forgotten. The inside of the bar was the complete opposite of their usual haunts; everything and everyone looked too fancy, like a scene out of a movie. If they didn't before, Connor and Murphy sure as hell felt out of place now.

"Let's just get your girlfriend an' get the hell outta here," Murphy groused.

"Alright, alright," Connor scanned the room, "Jut gotta find 'er first-" He didn't have to look far. Two hands grabbed the back of the collars on their pea coats, and dragged them into a secluded corner of the bar.

"What the hell are you guys doing here?" her dark eyes flashed with anger, but her tone sounded anxious. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun; a white scoop-neck tank top revealed a bit of caramel skin, though she wore a black cardigan over it. She completed her look with a pair of jeans and black flats.

"Hello ta ya, too," Connor said, adjusting his collar.

"D'ya always let 'er manhandle ya like that, Conn?"

"Will you two shut up and answer my question?" Emma folded her arms over her chest.

"We got bored, figured we'd stop by 'ere," Connor explained, "What are you doing 'ere anyways? You hate places like this. And your not exactly dressed ta fit in."

"It was a last minute decision, okay? I wasn't really planning on being here," She sighed, and pinched the bridge of her nose, "I told you I would be at McGinty's later, you didn't have to come here. You really shouldn't have come here..."

"Why's that?"

"Oh my God, she is gonna kill me," Emma mumbled, "C'mon, there's a table over here," Connor just shrugged at Murphy's questioning glance. They followed her to a table that was somewhat tucked away in a corner. Once the three of them sat down, Emma looked between the two of them, not knowing where to start. Connor leaned over, kissed her lightly, and let his arm rest on the back of her chair.

"Here we go..." Murphy grumbled under his breath.

"Feck off, Murph," Connor swatted the back of his brother's head, "Ya didn't have ta come anyways."

"Ya practically dragged me outta the door!"

"Did not!"

"You're a fuckin' liar!"

"Boys!" Emma put her hand on Connor's chest, gently pushing him back into his chair, "Will you relax? You're acting like you're five!" Shaking her head, she looked back to the bar, making sure no one noticed their little fight. While she had become used to the brotherly squabbles, she knew that now was not the time for them to draw attention to themselves, "I would've been at McGinty's now but... but I got sidetracked."

Murphy and Connor looked at her expectantly, their expressions mirroring each other's perfectly, "And? You're bein' a little vague, love."

"Okay, okay," she resigned, "I was getting ready to meet up with you guys, but I got a call from Hallie, and she asked me to meet her here instead."

"Hallie's 'ere?" Murphy perked up, relieved he wouldn't have to endure their couple's night alone. He looked around, trying to find her, "Now I don't have ta be a third wheel."

"No," Emma said, "You can be a fifth wheel."

"What?"

"She's here on a blind date."

"What?"

"I... I set her up with a friend of a friend," she confessed, looking a little more than guilty, "I never met the guy, but my friend told me he was great. So we set them up but... but it's awful. Hallie called me from the restaurant, said they were coming here."

"But why did she want ya ta come 'ere?" Murphy asked. He had a feeling where this story was going, and it wasn't a good direction.

"She said the guy was creeping her out," Emma explained, "I told Hallie I would meet her here, and that she should just ditch him after a drink or two. But she's way too nice; I've been here an hour and she won't leave. I followed her to the bathroom and she told me she didn't know how to let him down."

"She's too nice for 'er own good," Connor remarked.

"Who is this guy anyway?" Murphy continued scanning the bar, hoping to find their friend and her 'date'. He had to know...

"Some guy my friend works with. I think his name's Tony..." Emma and Connor were watching Murphy, curious about his actions.

"What're ya doin'?"

"She say what restaurant they went ta?" Murphy ignored his brother's question.

"Some French place..." Emma said, "I've never heard of it, um... it was La something..."

"La Voile." Murphy looked to Connor, watching the revelation pass over his face. He felt his fingers curl inward again.

"Yeah that's it," Emma's brow knitted in confusion, "How did you know? What's going on?"

"Ya set 'er up with the fuckin' scum of tha earth, that's what happened!" Murphy snapped. Emma narrowed her eyes at him.

"I didn't know alright!" Emma said, "How would you know, anyway?"

"We know 'cause he told us all about his master plan ta in 'er feckin' pants!"

"Relax Murph," Connor said, turning to Emma, "We met 'im outside the bar. He was goin' on about 'is date... bein' all vulgar an' shit."

"If you two think he's being vulgar..." She groaned and put her head in her hands, "She's going to kill me."

"Why'd ya set 'er up in the first place?" Murphy asked.

Emma looked up, with a slight grin on her face, "Why do you care so much?"

"Because I..." he faltered for a moment, but quickly regained his composure, "I asked ya first."

"Fine. Even though that's a lame excuse, I will answer your question first. Because I am the mature one," Murphy rolled his eyes, "Hallie hasn't been on a date for, like, a year. Ever since she broke up with her last boyfriend... that was a nasty break up. She's always talking about getting back out there, so I just helped her along. And this will help her come out of her shell, too."

"And ya thought settin' 'er up with that grease ball would help?" Connor said, raising an eyebrow.

"I said I didn't know he was that bad, alright?"

"Where the feck is she, anyway?" Murphy continued his search around the room, still coming up empty.

Emma sighed, and leaned across the table. She took Murphy's chin in her hand, turning his neck in the right direction, "She's right there, sitting at the bar."

It was the first time he saw Hallie in a dress; McGinty's wasn't place to wear dresses, especially one like that. It was all black, but the top was lace with sleeves down to her wrists. The scoop neckline was modest enough, but the back plunged in a v-shape down to the skirt, and the black skirt itself was a little too short for Murphy's liking. Her chestnut hair was swept to the side, pulled into an intricate bun. Just a few wisps framed her face.

"You're gonna start catchin' flies, leaving your mouth open like that, Murph," He turned to see Connor with a smug grin on his face, and Emma had one to match.

"See something you like?" She asked.

"The both of ya can shut it," Murphy grumbled, wishing he had a beer- no, whiskey- to distract him. The door to the bar opened then, and the guy, Tony, sauntered in. The three of them watched as he all but stumbled back to the bar, and took the empty barstool next to Hallie. They talked, though it was impossible to hear what they were saying from this distance. It was easy to tell how uncomfortable she was by her constant fidgeting and her uneasy smile.

"D'ya enjoy watchin' 'er suffer?" Murphy asked.

"What was I supposed to do? Just waltz on over there, and... and just end it? Humiliate her, ruin any chance of her ever going on a date again, and thereby dooming her to a hermit's life?"

"Now your just bein' dramatic," Connor hissed in pain from Emma's elbow connecting with his ribs.

"You know I'm right," she said, "You have to put up with a few bad dates now and then. And she needs to learn how to deal with these situations for herself, how to say no."

Murphy shook his head, and turned back to the bar. Tony was holding a shot in his hand, which Hallie politely refused. But he insisted, and after a few protestations on his part, she reluctantly downed the shot, the burn sending shivers up her spine.

"He's tryna get 'er drunk," Murphy growled, "Ya know she's a feckin' light weight!"

"She's barely had anything to drink, Murphy," Emma reassured him, "She's been nursing that rum and coke the entire time I've been here. And that's the first shot she's had."

"Maybe we should just go," Connor suggested, only to have his idea shot down immediately.

"Hallie will kill me if I leave," Emma said, "If you guys wanna go, it's fine, but I'm waiting for her."

"I'm not leavin' either," Murphy's eyes were glued to the bar. In the short time he had been watching them interact, Tony had tried to offer Hallie another shot, he had tried to hold her hand a few times, and he had even clumsily brushed some hair out of her face. All of these advances had been discreetly declined, but Murphy's blood still boiled. When his hand found her knee and squeezed... "I'm goin' over there."

"DON'T YOU DARE," Emma practically leaped across the table, drawing the eyes of some of the other patrons seated near them. She grabbed the back of his collar, again, and pulled him back into his seat, "If you go over there now, you will humiliate her and she'll hate you forever."

"Again with the dramatics..." Connor mumbled.

Emma ignored him, and continued, "Seriously, if you go over there now, she'll be pissed. Hallie can handle it herself," she sighed, realizing that her words went in one ear and out the other. Once she was satisfied he wouldn't get up again, she spoke, "You know, all of this could have easily been avoided if you weren't so oblivious."

"What're ye goin' on about now?"

"Are you serious?" Emma gave him an incredulous look, "Even Connor knows that Hallie's been carrying a torch for you for... for forever."

Murphy was taken aback by how bluntly she said it. He had always suspected that Hallie might have some kind of feelings for him; clearly he wasn't the only one aware of the tension between them. Sometimes he caught her staring, other times he was the one watching her. She was smart, and her quick wit made their banter and jokes something he looked forward to. And a couple times when she had too much to drink, she let things slip that had him wondering what the true nature of their relationship really was. Hallie had never given any undeniable signs that she was interested, so Murphy always put it to the back of his mind, not wanting to ruin their friendship.

"You can't tell me you had absolutely no idea," Emma said.

"I... I mean, I did, I just..." Murphy struggled to explain himself, and the looks he was receiving from Connor and Emma were not helping, "I just never gave it tha' much thought," Though he was giving it quite a bit of thought now...

"And that's part of the reason why I set her up on this date," Emma explained, "I thought it would be good for her to... explore other options."

"An' look how tha' turned out," Murphy grumbled

"Do not blame me for any of this," Emma defended herself, "I was just trying to help Hallie out."

"She's right Murph," Connor added, "Ya should've just said somethin' to 'er."

"She could've said somethin' too!"

"You're right, Murphy," Emma agreed, "But have you met the girl? She's almost too shy to start a conversation with herself. I told her to say something. Like, a thousand times. But she was always too scared because..." she trailed off, looking unsure on whether or not to continue.

"Because?" Murphy repeated, though he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"Because after all the other chicks she's seen you sucking face with, she never thought she actually had a chance."

Murphy felt his heart sink a little.

"I'm not saying you did anything wrong," Emma added quickly, "You didn't. It's... the last guy she was with really fucked with her head."

"I didn' know," Murphy said quietly.

"Hallie didn't want anyone to know," she went on, "She never wanted to talk about it. But she really doesn't want you guys to know she's here, so you should go. I'll meet up with you guys in a bit."

Connor stood, giving Emma a quick kiss before he did so, "Don' take too long, aye? It's gettin' late," She nodded, and Connor turned to his brother, "C'mon, Murph, let's go."

Murphy didn't hear his twin. The blood pounding in his ears was too loud. The sight of Tony's hand traveling too far up her thigh and the more than uncomfortable and slightly panicked look on Hallie's face had Murphy practically seething with anger.

"Murph, don't," Connor warned, looking from his brother, to Hallie, and back to Emma, who had an equally anxious look on her face. But the warning fell on deaf ears. His hand still on her thigh, Tony leaned in, but Hallie turned her head just at the right moment. Though in his inebriated state, his aim was poor and he ended up burying his face in the crook of her neck.

"Alright," Murphy turned to Emma, who now looked just as angry as he did. Finally, she gave him the permission he had been waiting for, "Go."

For what had to be the five hundredth since they go to the bar, Hallie checked the clock. It still was too early to leave, at least in her opinion. Despite the complete disaster that was her date, she still wanted to let him down easy instead of just ducking out the first chance she got... although now she was seriously regretting not doing so. Needless to say, Hallie was terrible with the whole dating scene.

"Just let me get ya one shot," it was the third time Tony had asked. At the restaurant, he had insisted on the most expensive wine, though he drank most of it himself. But her own two full glasses (that he had poured) combined with a double shot rum and coke (which he had also forced upon her) had her a little more than buzzed.

"I'm good, thanks," Hallie declined his offer, again.

"You have to have at least one," he insisted. She was about to object, but he cut her off, yelling across the bar obnoxiously, "Hey, bartender! Get this lady a... a dirty girl scout!" The annoyed glare from the bartender went unnoticed by Tony, but Hallie gave him and apologetic smile, "Can't leave without taking one shot."

"Well, it is getting late, I should probably be going soon," she stated, looking to the clock. It was ten of eleven. Ten minutes more until she would call it quits.

The date actually had started off okay. Dinner went well at first; though he did order for her, but she shrugged it off, trying to give him a chance. She found out that Tony had a job at an insurance company, he frequented the gym, loved cars; he was a typical guy, a little boring, but he seemed nice enough. But as dinner progressed, and his wine intake increased, Tony began to show his true colors. The comments were subtle at first, but it was hard to miss just where his eyes were wandering, or how his foot had lightly grazed her leg under the table. He insisted on paying the bill himself despite her offering to split the bill, saying, "You can pay me back later," with a wink.

"Where the hell did you find this guy?" Hallie had excused herself form the table, and found a phone by the bathrooms. She immediately dialed Emma's number, "Seriously, he's a fucking creep!"

"I never met him," she answered, "I'm sorry, I didn't know!"

"Why would you set me up with someone you've never met?"

"You agreed to it, you didn't have to go!"

"Are you kidding me?" Hallie hissed, "You wouldn't let up until I said I would!"

"Well, what do you want me to do about it now?"

"He wants to go this bar, Barlow's. I don't want to go with him alone..."

"No, I'm not babysitting this date," Emma said, "Besides, I told Connor I would meet him at McGinty's."

"Oh, how romantic, he's taking you new places," Hallie answered sarcastically, "Seriously, don't leave me alone with him. You. Owe. Me."

Emma sighed, "Fine, I'll call Connor real quick and I'll meet you there. But I'm only staying for an hour.

"Just an hour."

Now, there were only ten minutes left. Ten minutes until she could be free of Tony forever. After a quick meet up in the bathroom of the bar, Emma and Hallie agreed that an hour was a suitable amount of time for a few drinks. Though Emma didn't know why Hallie didn't just leave after dinner. Hallie didn't know herself. And so she found herself at the bar, with a guy who was everything she hated in a man.

The bartender handed the shot to Tony, who barely acknowledged his presence. He offered it to her, and again she objected, "Really, I think I've hit my limit for tonight."

"Aw, c'mon," He just wouldn't let up, "Just try it. It's already paid for anyway," Sighing, she took the shot. It burned on the way down, making Hallie shudder.

At least Murphy's not here to witness this, she thought. That was last thing she needed; Murphy and Connor would never let her live this down. They never missed an opportunity to remind her, and everyone within earshot, of some of her more embarrassing moments. The nights Hallie went to McGinty's, she never left without a flushed face. Even so, she would so much rather be the brunt of their jokes than Tony's date. And if she was being honest with herself, the teasing wasn't the only thing that had her blushing.

As Tony went on about some expensive vacation he took last summer, Hallie's mind began to wander. She thought about why she decided to go on this date in the first place, and why she was still here. Hallie could've just gone home after dinner, but she accepted his invite to the bar. Not to mention he practically demanded to pay for dinner, and the drinks. She could've said no to all of it, but instead she let him boss her around. Tony was starting to remind Hallie of her ex. The way he boasted of his job, his money, even how he couldn't pass by any reflective object without looking in it... Hallie had been there before, and it wasn't something she wanted to repeat.

Murphy would hate him, Hallie smiled, and nodded at the appropriate times in Tony's story, but she was imagining the two of them in the same room, and it didn't look well for Tony. The fact that Murphy was the complete opposite of guys like him and her ex was why she felt so comfortable around him to begin with. She and Murphy always had some kind of connection, though Hallie thought she was the only one who saw it. But after a long talk encouraged by alcohol with Emma, she thought that she may be onto something. At least until Murphy started bringing girls back to the bar; all her hopes were dashed the first night he walked in with some chick on his arm, and she realized how stupid she was to think they could ever be more than just friends.

Hallie was snapped out of her thoughts when Tony place his hand on hers. She immediately drew back from him, shaking the thoughts from her head. He had asked her something, but she had no idea what it was, "I'm sorry, what?"

"You wanna another?" Tony had a shot in his hand again.

"I really shouldn't," she said, "I've had enough."

"Alright, alright," he finally relented, "Maybe next time?"

"Next time?"

"Yeah," Tony scooted his stool close enough that their noses were almost touching, "Our next date," He tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, which she instantly shook loose. Not taking the hint, he reached for her hand again, so Hallie put her hands on her lap.

"Oh, I um," She looked over to where Emma was supposed to be sitting, only to find her gone. Hallie quickly scanned the bar, but she couldn't find her. If she left, then Hallie was leaving too, "Well, it's getting late, I should really go-" She nearly jumped off her stool when his hand squeezed her knee.

"Alright, your place or mine?" His hand slid further up her thigh, and Hallie felt her skin crawl.

"What? No, no," She shook her head, "Look, I gotta get up early for work tomorrow so I don't think-"

Luckily, Hallie had enough warning to turn her head before he could plant one right on her lips, but in the process, his face ended up where her neck met her shoulder. It was all she could do to keep from shrieking. Hallie managed to push him off easily, before he could leave a mark. Tony sat back on his stool, looking completely shocked by her actions, "What's wrong?"

"Are you-" Hallie started, but decided it wasn't worth it. He wasn't worth it, and she didn't have to explain herself to him. She grabbed her purse and jacket, "I'm gonna go."

Tony grabbed her wrist as she turned to leave, "C'mon, don't be like that. Stay for another drink."

Hallie pulled her wrist free, trying to remain calm. She looked back to the spot where Emma had been sitting, hoping for some back up. No such luck. Emma's disappearance made her anxious; Hallie needed to leave. Now. "I really can't."

"Ya really can' what?"

Hallie froze where she stood. No, no, no, he can't be here... Though her mind was screaming at her not to, she reluctantly turned, to come face to face with the last person she wanted to see, "What the hell are you doing here?"

Murphy shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets, "Connor came by ta see Emma, dragged me along."

So that's where she went... traitor.

"You know this guy?" Hallie had almost forgotten Tony was still there.

"Um, yeah, he's a friend," she said, "Tony, this is Murph-"

"Oh, we've met," Murphy stopped her. There was something off about him; He seemed like he was putting up a front of his normal self, but something flashed in his eyes, and she couldn't quite put a name to it.

"You... you know each other?" Hallie asked.

"We just met outside the bar," Tony said, standing. He turned to Murphy, throwing an arm over her shoulders, "Look, thanks for the light earlier, but we were kind of in the middle of something so..."

"Oh, don' worry 'bout me, just wanted ta say hello," Had Tony known any better, he would've heard the sarcasm underneath the cheeriness of his tone. Hallie certainly heard it, "Ya know, while we were out havin' a smoke, your date 'ere was goin' on about ya."

Hallie looked from Murphy, who was now sporting a shit eating grin, to Tony, who looked like a deer in headlights. Though she would have loved to know exactly what Tony had said, the need to get away from him was more important. Besides, she could always ask Murphy later. She shrugged out of Tony's grip, "Um, well that's nice, but I was just leaving so-"

Ignoring her, Murphy went on, "A real charmer, this one. He was tellin' all these lovely things about ya. What was it ya said about 'er arse?" Again, Hallie froze, her face flushed. Murphy simply waited for an answer, as if he was just asking for the time. Tony, on the other hand, was completely mortified. He sputtered, desperately trying to explain himself, but Murphy spoke over him, "Tha's right, ya said something 'bout bouncin' a nickel off it, right?"

"C'mon man," Tonly pleaded, "That was s'posed to stay between us!"

"So 'm guessin' ya don't want me ta mention how ya wanted ta, ya know..." Murphy mimicked his gesture from earlier.

"Dude," Tony said through gritted teeth, "Shut. Up."

"What was that last part ya said..." Murphy tapped his chin thoughtfully. Hallie wasn't sure she wanted to know what it was, but she knew he would tell her anyway, "Oh, that's right, it was if ya 'dropped all that cash, the least she could was drop her-"

"Alright!" Tony staggered over to Murphy, sizing him up, "I don't know where the fuck you get off bro, but like I said, we're in the middle of something, so you can get the fuck outta here!"

"Okay, let's all just relax," Hallie tried to step between them, but Murphy gently pushed her off to the side. He had a good three or four inches on Tony, and if he had any sense, he would've known to back off. Murphy bristled, puffing out his chest a bit; She had seen enough McManus bar fights to know which direction this confrontation was heading. Hallie lightly placed her hand on his arm, "Just let it go, Murphy."

"Well I certainly don' 'get off' on being a feckin' disrespectful jackass, bro," Murphy snapped.

"Who do you think you are?" Tony demanded, "A fuckin' saint? You always go around ruining other people's dates 'cause you ain't getting any or some shit?"

Murphy chuckled darkly, "Ya sure ya aren't projecting any of your problems, Tony? Seems ta me like you're compensatin' for somethin', throwin' all this money around."

"Fuck you man, I ain't taking any shit from you," Tony spat right back. He turned to Hallie, grabbing her wrist, "C'mon, Haley, let's go-"

She yanked her wrist free from his grip, and stepped back beside Murphy, who was now smirking triumphantly, "First of all, it's Hallie. And if you seriously think I'm going anywhere with you after all this, you're a bigger idiot than I thought."

"Are you serious?" Tony said, "After all the shit I did for you tonight? You're gonna take this fuckin' mick's side?"

"This fuckin' mick is my friend," Hallie fumed, "And you didn't do a damn thing for me; you did it for yourself."

"You don't know what you're missing, sweetheart!" Tony declared.

"Oh, believe me, I do," She said, sparing him one last glare, "and it's not much."

"Don't worry Tony," Murphy patted him on the shoulder, " 'm sure you'll find some girl desperate enough for the likes of ya." Hallie turned to leave, with Murphy on her heels.

"Whatever, no loss here," Tony grumbled, "Plenty of other chicks out there. Fuckin' stuck-up cunt."

Both Murphy and Hallie heard it. He paused, but only for a second. Seeing the shock and anger on Hallie's face only served to infuriate him even more. Murphy spun around, and stormed over to Tony. Glaring, Tony stood up from his stool. He had been waiting for this ever since they met outside the bar. Nothing would be more satisfying than the sound of Tony's nose snapping under his fist. And now he had the perfect excuse to put this asshole in his place. But just as he raised his arm back to deliver the blow, he felt a hand on his bicep jerk him backwards. Had he been expecting it, Hallie would never have been able to pull him behind her. Murphy was about to protest when she stepped between them, and cracked Tony right in the nose.

The entire bar seemed to fall silent then; they had everyone's full attention. Tony had crumpled to his knees, groaning painfully. His hands had covered his face, and when he drew them away, they were bloody, "She broke my fuckin' nose!"

"Quit bitchin'," Murphy knelt down to his level, "Could've been worse. You're lucky she spared the fam'ly jewels." He clapped Tony on the shoulder before standing. He turned to where he thought Hallie was waiting, but she was gone. He scanned the room, but she was no where in sight. He did see Emma slowly shaking her head at him from where she was still seated at the table. Connor met his gaze and pointed to the front of the bar. Murphy just caught sight of her slipping out the door.

Hallie cradled her hand to her chest as she walked down the street. It was freezing out, but the pain in her hand prevented her from putting her coat on. So she walked faster, trying to keep herself as warm as possible. While her apartment wasn't all too far from the bar, she didn't like the idea of walking all the way home this late at night by herself. With the way her night was going, she would probably make it home on foot before she could hail a cab.

"What a fucking night," she muttered. Hallie wiped away her tears with her good hand, grateful that she made it out of the bar before anyone saw them. The throbbing pain in her right hand was awful. She tried moving her fingers but it only made it worse. The pain wasn't the only reason for the tears; the embarrassment and anger that sprang from the events of the night fueled them as well. Hallie was embarrassed by her violent reaction, though she knew Tony was deserving of the blow. She just wished she didn't have an audience for the so-called fight, especially since Murphy was witness to it.

Now that she thought about it, she probably wouldn't have had to punch him if Murphy hadn't instigated it. Hallie knew that Tony was an asshole, and she certainly didn't need Murphy to come to her rescue, or whatever the hell he thought he was doing. She never expected him or his brother to even come to this part of town, let alone the very bar Tony had chosen for that disaster of a date. But it was his behavior that surprised her the most; Hallie thought there would be no end to the jokes, that he would be endlessly entertained by her discomfort. The anger was completely unexpected, and Hallie wasn't sure what to make of it.

She didn't have time to figure it out; "Hal!" she heard Murphy calling her name from behind her. Hallie picked up her pace, though the heels were slowing her down. He caught up with her too easily, "In a rush, are we?"

Hallie didn't answer and kept her eyes forward, "Is your hand hurt?" he tried, but still no reply. After walking together in silence for a few more blocks, she stopped.

"What do you want, Murphy?"

"Just... just wanna make sure you're okay," Murphy answered sheepishly. He scratched the back of his neck, feeling suddenly nervous.

"I'm fine, thanks," She said, devoid of any emotion, and continued walking.

"Where're ya goin'?"

"To China," she snapped, "I'm going home, where else would I be going?"

"So you're pissed at me now?" He stepped in front of her, blocking her path. Hallie tried to step around him, but he wouldn't let her pass.

"I said I'm fine, will you just let me go?"

"No. M'not lettin' go by yourself this late," He said firmly, " 'Sides, you should be goin' to a doctor or somethin' for your hand."

"Yeah, that's definitely not happening," Hallie groused. She pushed past him, but Murphy caught her arm, stopping her. He had been expecting a 'fuck you' or an angry glare, but she just looked up at him, completely exasperated, "Come on, Murph, I just wanna go home."

"I'll make ya a deal," Murphy offered, "I'll walk ya home, and you can tell me why you're pissed at me on the way."

"Alright, fine," Hallie reluctantly agreed. She knew that he wasn't going to let it go anytime soon, and if she wanted to get home before Christmas, she should just go with it. But Hallie didn't have to be happy about it. Murphy released her arm, but took her coat from her, holding it open.

"We're not goin' anywhere 'till ya put this on. 'm freezin' just lookin' at ya." Sighing, Hallie shrugged into the jacket, easing her right hand down the sleeve. She didn't even attempt the zipper, knowing it would only cause more pain. Instead, she just held the jacket closed.

"Satisfied?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Aye. Let's go," Murphy lit a cigarette, waiting for her to start. She was hesitant; Hallie stared at the ground as they walked, unsure of what to say, "So?"

"So... so I'm mad because Tony is a dick," She started, "Obviously. I'm just... I'm mad that you felt the need to swoop in and save the day or whatever. I was handling it."

"Ya call being groped and shit in public 'handlin' it'?"

"I was about to leave when you showed up!" Hallie retorted, "It was under control. I didn't need your help. I can take care of myself."

"So that's why ya ended up with a broken hand?"

"Well, I still have one good hand. And two perfectly uninjured feet. Interrupt me again, see what happens," she warned, glaring.

"A'right, a'right," Murphy said, "I'll shut up."

"Thank you. Anyways, mostly I'm... frustrated I guess. Just because I had to be seen with a douchebag like him, and that I let him act that way. And that I punched him in front of everyone at that bar," Hallie debated on whether or not to continue. She wasn't one to discuss her feelings, and she never expected to discuss them with Murphy. But she felt a little better, and she surprised herself by continuing, "And I'm really embarrassed that you saw everything."

"Why?" Murphy asked, "Ya threw a pretty good punch, if ya ask me-"

"No, that's not what I mean," Hallie felt a blush creep up her neck, and into her face.

"Then what do ya mean, Hallie?"

"Why did you go to the bar tonight?" Hallie changed the subject quickly, "I mean other than Connor dragged you along. Why did you even bother calling Tony out?"

"Because he was a feckin' asshole," Murphy growled, "He shouldn'ta been talkin' bout ya like that, let alone treatin' ye like some kinda feckin' toy."

"Yeah, but you do the same things with the girls you go out with," Hallie quietly pointed out.

"Well with them, the feelin's mutual. I wouldn' carry on like that with 'em if they didn' like it," He replied, "But ya didn' answer my question, and I asked first. Why are ya embarrassed that I was there tonight?"

"Because..." She didn't know where to begin. Hallie nervously chewed her bottom lip. There were a million things she wanted to say, and her thoughts began spilling out uncontrollably, "Because I went out on a stupid blind date with a stupid guy and I'm wearing a stupid dress and shoes. Because this whole night was a disaster that I know you won't let me live down. I don't know why I agreed to this to begin with. It's just not me. I guess I agreed to it because I was just so sick of being... alone. Connor and Emma always have each other, and you always had some girl with you. I really hated that. I just don't want you, of all people, to see me like this," She adjusted her coat a bit, feeling more self conscious than ever. Hallie had said more than she meant to, and Murphy's silence was making her even more on edge.

"Back at th' bar," Murphy said after a time, "I was talkin' ta Emma."

"Yeah, and?" Hallie didn't want to, but she asked anyway, "What did she say?"

"She said somethin' about ye... 'carryin' a torch'. Her words, not mine," Murphy added quickly upon seeing the shock on her face, and that was enough to know what Emma had said was true, though he didn't really doubt it. She refused to look at him, and he was afraid that he had inadvertently driven her away. The tension between them had was higher than ever. Murphy felt like a teenager again; awkward and anxious, "How come ye never said anythin'?"

"You're not interested," Hallie answered quietly. There was no going back now, so she might as well be honest, "I mean, you almost always have a girl with you, what else am I supposed to think? I just wanted... to be one of those girls, too."

"No, ya don't."

"Don't tell me what I want," Hallie scowled at him; all of her anger, embarrassment, and frustration had become too much for her to handle, "It's perfectly fine if you don't want that, but don't you dare act like you know me or even care enough to tell me what I want!"

Hallie began to stomp off, but Murphy caught her arm before she got too far, stopping her, "Are ye feckin' serious?" After he didn't receive an answer, he went on, "I know ya damn well enough to know that ya hate vodka, but love rum. And that feckin' Little Princess movie makes ye cry every time ye watch it. Or how ye hate it when people wink. And that ye love cats, but you're allergic to them. That ye aren' gonna get your hand looked at because you're afraid of hospitals-"

"Okay, Murph-"

"And if I didn' care about ye, I wouldn' know all those things about ye. And why would I 'ave brought ye home all those nights ye were too drunk ta get there by yourself? Or been there for ye at the funeral when your da passed away last year? I wouldn' be 'ere now if I didn'. If I truly didn' care, I would 'ave treated like one of those girls, and been done with ye. After one night. So tha's what ye want, then?" His grip on her arm softened, his hand sliding down to her elbow, "Cos tha's not what I want for ye."

Hallie felt numb, save for the fluttering in the pit of her stomach. Her mind that had been racing barely a minute ago was now blank. She stared down at her feet, not wanting to look him in the eye when she asked, "What do you want?"

Hallie felt his fingers tilt her chin up, and before she realized what was happening, Murphy pressed his lips against hers. The kiss was light and hesitant, and absolutely nothing like she expected it to be. Hallie felt lightheaded and her knees threatened to buckle. She went from numb to oversensitive; the rough stubble contrasted with his soft lips pleasantly, and almost caused her to melt. But she tensed, and pulled away suddenly, finally regaining her senses, "I don't want your pity, Murphy."

"Trust me, girl," He held her chin firmly so she couldn't look away this time. Murphy's blue eyes bored into hers, silently willing her to see the truth, "this ain't pity."

She felt herself nodding, and it was all the encouragement Murphy needed. Placing his hands on her waist, he gently pushed her back to the wall behind them, "I'm gonna be honest, Hal," His hands moved from her waist, his thumbs began massaging circles into her hips. Hallie was struggling to concentrate on his words, "Don' like seein' ye wit other guys. I wanted ta beat that asshole inta next fuckin' week. Emma said I've been oblivious, and she's right," Murphy leaned down, resting his forehead against hers, "Guess this was my wake up call."

"Took you long enough," Hallie muttered, trying to keep a ridiculous smile from her face. She put her good arm around his neck and ran her fingers through his hair. Smirking, Murphy cupped her face in his hands, and picked up where he left off. This time, there's no hesitation. Hallie met him half way, slightly standing on her toes to deepen the kiss. He traced her bottom lip with his tongue, and she parted her lips for him. His hands work their way under her jacket, tracing the lace of her top, and stop just under her breasts.

"Just so's ye know," He breathed, "Ya don't look stupid in this dress. Or the shoes. You're gorgeous, girl," For the life of her, Hallie couldn't think of a response. It didn't matter as Murphy quickly resumed his exploration of her mouth. Her fingers grasped at his hair as he moved to her neck, leaving his mark there. His hand strayed down to her ass, his fingers light pressing into her flesh through the skirt of her dress, "Tony was right 'bout one thing," He husked.

"What?"

"Ye do have a great arse," Hallie snorted, and moved her hand to his chest and gripped his jacket to steady herself. She placed a small kiss at the base of his own neck, eliciting a rumble from his chest. Feeling emboldened, she kissed her way up to his jaw, lingering there before returning to his lips. All the while Murphy slowly tugged the hem of the dress upwards, his fingers grazing the inside of her thigh. Her legs pressed together unconsciously, and she whimpered. The hem went higher and higher until-

"Get a fuckin' room!" Hallie leapt away from him, snapping back to reality. The guys were clearly drunk, stumbling on the other side of the sidewalk. One of them wolf-whistled, and it set Murphy off.

"Get th'fuck outta 'ere, ye feckin' assholes!" he bellowed across the street. They continued on their way, laughing. Murphy started to cross the street after them, but Hallie grabbed his hand, stopping him.

"Let's just go," she said, "It's too cold out here anyway."

"Aye," Murphy agreed. He settled his arm about her shoulders, and she rested her head against him as they walked, "Should wrap up your hand, since ye won't get it looked at."

"It'll be fine," she insisted. He absentmindedly rubbed his hand up and down her arm, trying to restore some warmth. Hallie felt her mind wandering; this certainly wasn't how she expected her night to end, though she wasn't complaining. She would have to thank Emma for knocking some sense into him, even if she did divulge one of Hallie's most guarded secrets. She probably should be mad, but she just couldn't muster up the feeling. Despite how the night began, everything was fine. Hallie buried her face into side, breathing in his scent, "Thank god I agreed to go on that date."

"Aye."

A/N: Thanks for reading, let me know what you think!