March 17, 1999

Brea had only twenty minutes left on her shift. She knew that precisely because she had just checked the purple watch on her left wrist. It was the same watch she had worn since she was fourteen. Granted, the battery had been changed several times. As she made her way down the hall her eyes searched for Doctor Buchanan. The last thing she wanted was to be next on his hit list. He had asked out nearly every nurse in the emergency room except Brea. She had made it safely to the long row of patient exam rooms without running into him, but her eyes still swiveled left to right before opening the door to Exam 6. She had been briefed on the patient needs and already had her mind set on a quick in-and-out. No sense in wasting the last of her shift on a few stitches. Glancing at her watch again she smiled. She closed the door behind her and finally faced her patient.

Brea came face-to-face with two attractive men who looked her age. Both looked like they had been in a fight. She mentally sighed. When will people ever learn? Plastering a smile on her face she moved towards the man sitting on the exam bed. He was holding his right hand in his left hand. A crude bandage had long since bled through. The other man stood off to the side staring at Brea.

"So, Mr. MacManus, let's see that hand." She busied herself with pulling her gloves on while trying not to stare at the other man still standing to her left.

"Murphy. Call me Murphy. Mr. just sounds weird." He spoke in a thick Irish accent that made Brea freeze for just a second. He held out the bandaged hand and Brea began to unwrap it.

"Get in a fight?" She asked but knew the answer.

"Aye. My brother pissed off the wrong girl and I had to stand up for his honor." He cocked his head towards the man still staring at Brea. She tried not to laugh.

"If she was a girl I want papers to prove it." The man finally spoke. He too had an Irish accent and Brea had to fight not to look at him.

"You hit her in the mouth didn't you." Brea's voice cracked and she cleared her throat.

"Aye. Didn't really aim, but, that's what I hit."

"Well, you may only need two or three stitches but cleaning this is gonna hurt like a mother. You never want to hit someone in the mouth. Way too easy to get infected."

"You speakin as a nurse or someone who gets in fights a lot?" Murphy laughed.

"I've seen my fair share of brawls that lead to some ugly infections. No one ever thinks about infection much which is why it's a top ten killer." She dabbed some medicine on the gashes that dotted the back of his hand and he hissed.

"See what standin up for people's honor gets ya." The other man said. He stepped towards Brea and the scent of smoke, and musky body odor hit her. To her surprise, she didn't find the smell offensive. The door to the room popped open and the man jumped back slightly. A pretty nurse with long, straight, blond hair sauntered into the already crowded room. She was a startling contrast to Brea with her tiny figure and bright bubble gum pink scrubs. Brea had a more curvy figure and dark brown hair that fell in tiny waves and barely touched her shoulders. Brea concentrated on stitching up Murphy's hand, paying no attention the other nurse.

"Have you changed your mind yet?" The blond nurse spoke in a voice two pitches higher than Brea's.

"Absolutely not." Brea's annoyed tone took both men by surprise.

"Come on it's Saint Patty's day. You're half Irish. There's like a law that says you have to celebrate."

"No there isn't!" She finally faced the nurse behind her and found her gawking openly at Murphy. Rolling her eyes she went back to work.

"Actually I think there is." Murphy joked.

"You do realize I have a huge freaking needle in your hand right now?" She tried to sound mad but she cracked a grin at the last word. "Look Stacy, I'm not gonna be a third wheel to you and your date."

"I don't have a date… yet. But hey, if I can find us both dates will you go?" Brea knew she couldn't say no. Not after what happened last time she let Stacy go out by herself.

"Okay, if you can find us both dates by the end of my shift… I'll go out." She had finished with Murphy's hand and started pulling off her gloves. "And by the way, you now have…" Brea held up her purple watch. "Less than ten minutes. Wow, you better get to it." Brea smirked as she left the room. Stacy scowled as she watched her best friend leave. As she turned her eyes back to the man still sitting on the bed her scowl vanished.

"So, what are you two doing tonight?" She asked sweetly.

Brea walked back to the main entrance where she knew Stacy would be waiting probably ready to beg her to go out tonight. She had changed out of her dark blue scrubs and into her comfortable jeans and a simple black long sleeve v-neck blouse that hinted at her modest cleavage. She pushed the sleeves to the middle of her forearms, a habit she couldn't remember where she'd picked up, and walked quickly hoping her new doc martins would break in soon. Her feet had been throbbing most of the night. She caught sight of Doctor Buchanan and glued her eyes to the floor trying to pretend she hadn't seen him waving to her. Her pace quickened when she heard him call out her name. She was almost to the main lobby when a hand grabbed her arm.

"Brea, didn't you hear me call for you?" Buchanan demanded not letting her go.

"I'm in a hurry." Her voice weakened and she hated herself for it.

"I've been looking for you." His vice grip made her arm start to go numb. She pulled against it and he tightened.

"Hey there." They both turned and Brea saw Stacy and the man she had just stitched up. Murphy was walking towards them glaring at Buchanan. "Would you mind taking your hand off my brother's date?" The threat in his remark was clearly there.

"What?" He pulled Brea closer to him.

"He said, take your hand off my date." Buchanan suddenly let go and blood rushed to Brea's arm making it throb painfully. She didn't have to look up to see who had spoken. She moved closer to Stacy. Buchanan turned and walked away.

"He still pestering you?" Stacy tried to sound joking to ease the tension.

"Like a dog in heat." Brea smiled at Stacy's attempt to make her feel better.

"You alright?" Murphy asked genuinely concerned. Brea just nodded.

"Nice pick on dates huh." Stacy laughed. "We haven't even gone out yet and they are already standing up for our honor." Brea laughed and finally looked at her own date. "By the way, his name is Conner."

"Ask Murphy what standing up for people's honor gets ya." Brea said while pulling up her sleeve to inspect her arm. She saw Conner's smile disappear when he saw the welts in the shape of fingers left on her pale skin.

"Are you sure you're alright?" He stepped towards her and gently touched her elbow.

"I'm fine." She quickly replied pulling her sleeve down. "So you got stuck with me huh?"

"Actually, I picked you." The four left the hospital with Murphy explaining to Stacy why he had stood up for his brother earlier that day.

Once in Brea's tiny black Grand Am they had decided to eat out then go to a pub that they boy's knew well. The crowded little care pushed Conner and Brea so close that his scent once again invaded her nose. She wrinkled her face and tried to block out the voice telling her that she liked it. She could see Conner glancing around her car and thanked whatever it was that inspired her to clean it earlier that morning. Conner's eyes stopped on the string hanging from her rearview mirror. A small plastic picture frame hung on it. He pulled it closer to him. On one side was a picture of a woman with very dark hair and tan skin smiling happily at a man with brown hair and pale skin. He turned the frame over to see a picture of Brea and Stacy wearing graduation robes. He guessed from the braces both girls sported that this was taken while they were in high school.

"Are these your parents?" He asked casually.

"Yeah."

"I heard Stacy say you're half Irish…"

"On my dad's side." She smiled. "Mom was half English and half Cherokee. She moved her from Oklahoma when she got accepted to medical school out here. That's how she met Dad."

"He was a doctor?" Conner tried to keep the conversation going and ignored Stacy in the backseat giggling at something Murphy said.

"No, he was a patient of hers once. She liked his accent and asked him out. He worked construction." Brea left out the fact that her mom wasn't the only one who liked accents.

"Do they still live in Boston?" He regretted his question as soon as he saw Brea look at him. Her eyes…

"No, they passed away years ago."

"I'm sorry."

"Hey, you passed it!" Stacy exclaimed. Brea almost turned around and thanked Stacy for saving her from the awkward, 'It's okay,' reply she usually gave people when they asked about her parents. She made her U-turn in silence and Connor didn't speak again until they where in the diner.

Brea dug into her steak and potatoes while Stacy picked at her chicken salad. Both boys had also ordered steaks. Brea laughed at Stacy and asked why she was on a diet.

"I'm watching my figure." Stacy replied defensively. Murphy smirked as he looked at Stacy's tight jeans and flimsy pink blouse.

"There is nothing wrong with your figure girl." Brea looked at Conner and rolled her eyes.

"Well, not every one in the world wakes up at 5a.m. and runs five miles." Stacy said pointing her fork at Brea. "Your damn alarm wakes my happy ass up six days a week." Both men laughed.

"So you rest on the seventh day?" Murphy said still laughing. "Just like the Lord." Brea's face froze. She shrugged and went back to eating. Murphy and Conner exchanged a glance and Murphy changed the subject. They spent the rest of dinner telling the girls about themselves while Stacy jumped in now and then with a comment. Brea got up to use the bathroom while they waited for the check.

"Did I say something wrong earlier?" Murphy asked as soon as Brea was out of earshot.

"She hasn't spoken to, or very much about, God since she was nineteen."

"Why?" Conner had a pretty good idea why. "Her parents?"

"Not just that…" Stacy sighed. "The night her parents died someone broke into her house and robbed them. They shot her parents in their bed. Brea came home late and walked in on the robbery… One of them hit her over the head. She woke up, tied up and… They had raped her. She managed to get lose and found her parents… The guys who did it got off clean cause the cops had nothing to go on." She sighed again. "She doesn't talk about it. Her dad gave her this beautiful rosary with real black pearls and a silver cross. The day of the funeral she handed it to me and told me she and God weren't on speaking terms anymore. I still have it, just in case."

"That's fuckin horrible." Murphy felt like spitting. He hadn't known the girls long but he already liked them. Knowing that Brea had been hurt made him want payback. He could see Conner felt the same.

"She couldn't bear to part with her family home so she rents it out now. Another family lives there. She and I rent a three bedroom house near the hospital. We had another roommate but she got married last year." Stacy stopped herself from saying anything else when she saw Brea headed towards them. "Just don't ask her about it please." She whispered quickly. Both men nodded at her. "So, you ready?" Stacy asked before Brea could sit.

"Yeah," Brea smiled. Connor stood and placed his arm around Brea.

"You'll like Doc's place. I have to warn you though… He's an odd one."

"I think I can handle odd ones." Brea joked and pointed at Stacy.

"Hey!" Stacy said in mock anger. They had gotten all the way to Brea's car before she realized that Conner still had his arm around her. She felt comfortable with it there. The simple fact that she knew she felt that way was the only thing about it that really bothered her. Normally men scared the hell out of her. But these two… Especially Conner… No. She shook the thought from her head.

Once in the pub Brea found out pretty quick why they called Doc "odd." After being introduced he had said…

"Can I get you something to FUCK… ASS!"

"No thanks, I'm good." Brea said it so straight faced that everyone laughed. Brea stuck to soda using the excuse that she was the DD of the night. Stacy however, in regular Stacy fashion, drank herself silly in less than an hour.

"See, this is why I can't let her out on her own." She said to Conner pointing to Stacy who was sitting on Murphy's lap at the bar downing her twenty-something shot of the night. She and Conner had sat down at a booth across from the bar. Conner laughed.

"You're pretty protective of her aren't you." Conner smiled but his eyes were serious.

"She's all I have. We've been friends all our lives." She pulled up her sleeves and inwardly cursed at her weird habit. Conner saw a small tattoo half hidden under her purple watch.

"What's that?" He asked touching her wrist. She unclipped her watch and Conner could see the tattoo was a black braid that went all around her wrist like a bracelet. On the inside of her wrist were three strings that connected to the braid. On one string was a four leaf clover, the second was a feather, and the third was the letters S. A.

"The clover and the feather are my parents. S. A. is Stacy Albert. I would have put her middle initial too but she hates her middle name." Brea smiled.

"What is it? I won't tell her you told me." He grinned and leaned towards her.

"Dorthia. It was her great-grandma's name."

"And what's Brea short for? Breanne?"

"No, it's Aubrey-Elle. Aubrey-Elle Iliana Shaw. Long freakin name, but my mom loved it, so my dad couldn't say no. He was the one who always called me Brea." She paused for a few seconds and put her watch back on. "She told you about how they died didn't she?" Brea couldn't meet his eyes. "She had that pity look on her face when I came back from the bathroom. And the sudden happy face and subject change gave her away too."

"Ya, she told us." She still wouldn't look at him. "She told us everything." Her eyes shot up. "And asked us not to ask you about it. Don't be mad at her."

"No, I'm not. It's kinda a relief when I don't have to explain it. I'm not weird about it. I've had counseling and everything. It helped with some things. I mean, I can leave the house without looking over my shoulder every five seconds." She laughed lightly and Conner smiled. They both looked up when the door to the pub burst open and a man with long dark hair came in.

"Hey Fuck Ass gimme a bear!" He yelled over the noise in the pub. Conner got up and gave the guy a hug. Brea stayed at the booth. After the guy greeted everyone at the bar Conner rejoined Brea at the booth.

"That's a friend of ours, Rocco." He pointed to the bearded guy who was now joking around with Murphy and Stacy. Brea propped her head on her hand and sighed. "Tired?"

"No, just kinda…" She looked away.

"What?" He touched her arm. He had been touching her like that all night and she hadn't flinched once. Just little touches here and there. It felt good to her and confused her at the same time. She knew how turned on she was but made sure her guard was up. Conner saw her blush. "Tell me what you're thinking." She popped up and leaned back surprised. Could he see how conflicted she was?

"I just… I don't normally talk this freely around people I just met." She stammered.

"I'm glad you can with me." He took her hand and circled his index finger on the inside of her palm. Her entire body shuddered and he smiled. "Do you wanna get out of here? Go somewhere less… Noisy." Brea looked at Stacy. She and Murphy were already pawing at each other. "I think they're ready to go…" Brea nodded and stood up.

The door to the pub slammed open again and three huge men came in. The room quieted and Conner, sensing danger, got up and led Brea to the bar.

"I am Ivan Chekov," The bald man in the middle said. "And you, will be closing now." The man closest to Brea looked her up and down then smirked. Conner pulled her protectively close.

"Chekov?" Murphy said pulling Stacy behind him. "Well, this here's McCoy. We find a Spock we got us an away team." Brea couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm in no mood for discussion. You, you stay. The rest of you, go now."

"Why don't you make like a tree." Doc spoke up. "And get the fuck outta here!"

Conner stepped up. "Fellers, you know he's got till the weeks end right. You don' have to be hard asses do ya?"

"Yeah." Murphy joined in. "It's Saint Patty's day. Everyone's Irish tonight. Why don't you just pull up a stool and have a drink with us?"

"This is no game!" Ivan yelled and smashed Conner and Murphy's drinks to the floor. "If you won't go, we will make you go."

"Listen if you want a fight, you can see you're outnumbered here." Conner said calmly. Brea put her hand on his back. "We're trying to be civil so I suggest you take our offer."

"I make the offers." Ivan said threateningly. Brea glanced to Stacy who looked surprisingly calm standing close to Murphy.

"Easy now, there are ladies present." One of the other guys at the bar said.

"I see no ladies…" He said looking at Brea and Stacy. "I see only little whores." Conner moved like he was gonna hit Ivan but Brea grabbed the back of his shirt. She saw Stacy do the same to Murphy.

"Hey Boris!" Rocco stepped forward. "What if I told you, your mother sucked so much…" Brea closed her eyes and shut out the rest. She knew what was going to happen next. When she felt Conner move forward again she let him go. She and Stacy ran to the bathroom and stayed until they couldn't hear shouting and banging anymore.

They came out just in time to see Conner throw a match on Ivan. Brea made her way to the door not even checking to see if Stacy was with her. When she got outside the cold night air sent goose bumps up her arms. She heard the door open but instead of Stacy, Conner was looking at her.

"I couldn't let him get away with what he called you." All the joking was gone from his face.

"I work in an ER. I've been called worse you know." She started laughing. "I can't believe you lit some guys ass on fire." Conner laughed with her. "It's so bad but it's just so funny!" Murphy came out carrying Stacy.

"My date passed out." He said smiling.

"Don't worry, she usually doesn't stay out for long. By the time we get home she'll come around." She looked back at Conner. "Do you guys need a ride home or do you wanna crash somewhere else?" Brea glanced back at Murphy.

"Is it cool if we stay with you tonight?" Murphy asked. "Stacy said you have a spare room."

"Are you actually planning on using said spare room?" Brea smirked. Stacy was stirring in his arms.

"Not really." Murphy didn't bother lying. Brea shook her head and pulled out her keys.

Half an hour later Brea was sitting at her computer in her room when she heard the unmistakable sound of sex in the room at the other end of the hall. This went on for about ten minutes, then she heard a light tap on her door.

"Come in," she said without thinking. The door opened making the sex louder for a few seconds before it closed again. She swiveled around in her chair and her heart jumped nearly out of her chest. Conner stood there wearing only jeans. Trying to regain her composure she swallowed. "Kinda hard to get any sleep with that on the other side of the wall?"

"A bit yeah." He grinned. Brea tensed as she remembered she was only wearing cotton shorts and a camisole. "I was gonna go downstairs and see if the couch was better."

"And you ended up here…" Brea's hand went to her neck for no conscious reason.

"I'm not really sure why…" He moved till he was standing right over her. His scent flew up her nostrils and she suddenly felt dizzy. Her hands found their way to his stomach. He pulled her up and she wrapped her arms around him. He was so warm. "You're shaking." He whispered in her ear causing her to shiver more violently. "Tell me what you're thinking." He looked her in the eye. She kissed him hard on the mouth. He answered with a feverish kiss of his own. His tongue tasted bitter like beer and smoke but she didn't care. He sucked on her bottom lip and she moaned. Suddenly her feet left the floor and she was on her bed.

"How is this happening?" She gasped as he kissed and suckled her neck. He stopped and looked at her. "I don't do this…" Her breath was heavy. "I don't sleep with a guy I just met…"

"If you don't want it.." She pulled him down and wrapped her legs around him.

Brea woke up to the sound of her alarm going off. She tried to et up to shut it off but something held her down. For a few seconds she panicked. Until she turned her head and saw that Conner's face right next to her. She pushed his arm away and slammed her hand on her alarm clock. Connor jumped slightly and opened his eyes.

"Morning love." He said sliding his hand down her arm. "Gonna go for your run?"

"No, I can think of another way to get my morning workout…" She ginned wickedly.

Two hours later…

Brea couldn't stop smiling as she pulled on her jeans and a dark purple shirt. Conner watched her get dressed from the bed.

"I can't decide what I like more…" He said throwing the sheet off of him. "Watching you get undressed or watching you blush while you put your clothes back on." She laughed and threw his pants at him.

Downstairs Stacy smirked at Brea who was still blushing and ginning like an idiot.

"Congrats Conner." Stacy blurted out. "I never thought anything could keep her in bed allll morning long." Brea turned and with her hands on her hips replied.

"Well Stace, we know you can be louder but I'm in such good shape from workin out so much… I can stay in bed allll morning long." Conner and Murphy busted up laughing.

After breakfast Brea had to get to work so she dropped Conner and Murphy near the pub. Conner had promised to call her later before kissing her goodbye. The boys had just settled in when their door crashed open. Ivan and the other baldy from the pub came bursting in.

Eight Years Later

Conner sat outside of Doc's pub smoking. The night air sent chills down his back but he barely noticed. As soon as he had seen Boston Harbor only two thoughts registered in his mind: find out who killed the priest and the woman he still loved. He had only had one night with her and had never seen her again. He hadn't called her like he promised either. At the time he didn't think he would ever leave Boston. But after the courtroom shooting he had to leave. And she had probably heard all about that on the news. Conner flicked the cigarette out of his hand.

"I miss ya Brea." He said out loud.

"Why don't you go and find her." Conner jumped at the sound of Murphy's voice. "I'll bet she still works at the same hospital." Murphy spoke casually but Conner could tell he wasn't teasing. Without replying Conner stood up and walked off into the night.

Brea looked at the purple watch on her left wrist. Same routine, different night… She sighed and made her way to the locker rooms on the lower level. Standing in front of the elevator on the fourth floor she could see her reflection. As she waited for the doors to open she saw someone walk up and stand behind her. Her eyes wondered around the hall, bored. It had been a crazy few weeks in Boston but Brea rarely turned on the news these days. Her T.V. was either on The Cartoon Network or one of Stacy's workout videos. Growing impatient she began to tap one foot lightly on the linoleum floor. She could swear the guy behind her was grinning at her but she was too scared to turn around to see. Her fear dissipated when two more nurses joined the grand wait for the elevator. Finally the door opened and Brea rushed in. She leaned her right shoulder against the wall after she hit the lower level button. The man and the two nurses stood behind her. The nurses got off on the next floor. Once on the lower level Brea found the hall completely empty. This wasn't uncommon for two a.m. But she could hear the steady footsteps of the man behind her. Her pace quickened, so did his. He reached out and grabbed her from behind.

Just as she had practiced so many times, Brea grabbed the arm that held her and used her own weight to throw the man over her shoulder. He cried out in surprise. When his back smacked against the floor Brea was ready to attack… Until she saw his face.

"Murphy?" She nearly yelled his name.

"Hello to you too." He slowly got up rubbing his butt with one hand. "That fuckin hurt."

"I'm sorry." She took a step toward him then paused. Her eyes narrowed. "Wait, no I'm not. What the fuck do you think is gonna happed when you grab someone like that?"

"Well, I didn't count on being thrown on my ass by a girl half my size. Where the fucked you learn to do that anyway."

"I took self defense lessons a couple years ago."

"Well, good for you. They certainly paid off."

"Murphy what are you doing here." Her voice became very serious. "Last time I saw your face was on a news broadcast. Why would you risk this?"

"Me and Conner came to find who killed that priest."

"I figured that. I mean why are you here at the hospital."

"Aren't you going to ask me about Conner?"

"If Conner wanted me to know how he was doing he would tell me." She crossed her arms.

"So you are bitter."

"No, bitter disappeared when I found out…" She cut herself off. "When I realized I had to get on with me life…"

"Brea!" Brea turned as her friend Maggie came out of the locker room calling her name.

"Maggs," Brea tried to think of a way to get rid of her quickly.

"Listen," Maggie interrupted her. "I can baby sit Patrick for you next week if you still want the overtime. My plans fell through so I'm free." Brea choked back whatever reply she had and simply nodded. "Okay great." Maggie started to walk away.

"Patrick?" Murphy asked suspiciously.

"Don't get her started…" Maggie laughed as she walked away. "She can talk about her son for days." Brea stood there completely stunned.

"You have a son?"

"We have a son…"

"We?"

"Me and Conner."