A/N: This is the final chapter. This happens so be tied to a song. As you read this, I strongly suggest you listen to Taylor Swift and the Civil Wars - Safe And Sound. I'd also like to thank you for sticking through this with me. Thank you, Boondock Family.

So... yeah this is the happy ending. Sorry about that!

Warnings: This story is violent and will hurt your feels. Continue at your own peril.

Dead*Line

Safe and Sound

Candra Hastings

It was dark. Connor couldn't see much as he stumbled blindly through the pitch black halls of the prison. He wasn't going by sight, anyways. He didn't need it when he was following the sounds.

The eerie sounds of Murphy's screams. They bounced and echoed off the walls, making Connor's heart hammer and his legs tremble as he moved faster, desperate to find his twin.

And he did find him. It was a cold and dark cell deep in the maze of the prison that Connor found Murphy in. Or at least, what was left of Murphy.

His brother lay on the cold concrete floor in ruins. His wrists were cuffed behind him, bleeding from the metal that had torn at his flesh. His hands were penned awkwardly under the curve of his spine, looking painful to Connor.

He moved to Murphy's side just as his twin began to cough up blood. When Connor got closer, falling to his knees by his brother's side, he could see the bruises and cuts were darker and deeper than he'd ever seen before. And then he pulled Murphy's head into his lap and felt how cold his skin was.

Deathly cold.

"M-Murph? Murphy?" Connor called softly as he swept the messy hair from his brother's eyes, unable to keep the tremor from his tone. Murphy's eyes tried so hard to focus on him, but they rolled about in his skull, glazed and unseeing.

He had to help him! To make him comfortable. Connor tried to tear at the cuffs encircling Murphy's wrists, but they wouldn't give. Sighing in frustration, Connor gave up and pressed a kiss to his brother's bleeding head. "Oh, Murph, I'm so sorry..."

Murphy coughed blood again. Connor feared he would choke on it, so he propped him up further, allowing Murphy's head to lull against his trembling shoulders. He looked like he was going to try to say something when all of a sudden, his back arched in pain and a horrible scream tore from his damaged throat, body convulsing.

Only Connor knew it wasn't a scream. It was a death rattle. It was the last sound Murphy would ever make. Because Connor held Murphy as he made his final cry of anguish. Held him until it stopped. Held him until Murphy MacManus was no more.

Connor was left behind. And Connor screamed.

Connor jolted awake, his cry still on his lips as the fog of his nightmare was cast away. He blinked the horrible images from his eyes and looked around to see that he was still in his cell, Murphy's head laying in his lap where he'd fallen asleep last night.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Murphy's bright blue eyes trained on him, fingers interlaced with Connor's. "Con?" he rasped, "Yah okay?"

Connor laughed darkly. "You're really gonna ask me that? After you've been hidin' that," he gestured to Murphy's chest, "from me? Your brother?"

Murphy frowned. This was the conversation he'd been avoiding for a month now. But now, he couldn't hide. He sighed. "What do yah want, Connor?"

Connor looked down on his brother, so worn and beaten. "Murphy, tell me... Yah tell me who, now. Please... Whoever's doin' this... He's killin' yah! Let me help yah... Murphy... please!" Connor found himself begging. He wanted to rage, to force Murphy tell him, but Murphy had already been through too much to be yelled at.

Murphy's heart broke at the sound of Connor's pleading, but he had to keep him safe. "No! No, Connor! He said he'd kill yah if I told and I can't let that happen! I'll die before that! I gotta keep yah safe..." His tone became dark... accepting his fate. "No matter the cost."

That last part had Connor panicking. He couldn't accept that. He also couldn't stop his tears from falling. "Murph... this is your life we're talkin' about! Please... please! I can take care o' m'self. Tell me... Tell me, brudder!"

Murphy turned his head, unable to stand seeing his brother so upset. "He said... he'd do to yah what he'd done to me... but he wouldn't stop. He'd torture yah to death, Con... My life is worth it, to keep yah safe from that."

No, it wasn't. Nothing was worth Murphy's life in Connor's eyes. And this person... Whoever had done this had already done so much damage. "No... Murph... my Murph... He'll torture yah ta death instead! Let me take it fer yah. Let me!" He was more than willing. He would do anything for Murphy.

"I... I'm strong enough to take it..." Murphy argued. He was resolved that he'd live to keep Connor safe from this fate. "I won't die... gotta live to take the beatin's... gotta live to keep yah safe."

Connor didn't understand. How could Murphy do this alone? How could he say this? He knew Connor could take it, too... "I don't doubt your strength brother... But I don't want yah to take the beatin' for me. Please... let me take it for m'self. Please?"

Murphy tried to sit up so he could assert the severity of the situation, but he lacked the strength. Instead, he clutched at Connor's hand. "No! I told yah, he said he'd kill yah! He doesn't wanna kill me..." he admitted the grim truth. "He wants me to suffer. This way, we both live! I gotta keep yah safe!"

Connor aches at seeing his twin too weak to sit up. He gently lifts him so Murphy can rest his back against their cell wall. "Murphy," he cries, "but when will he stop? He will, right? He'll stop...?" He had to hold on to that impossible hope, because Connor was helpless to assist his brother.

Murphy hung his head low in defeat. He wanted to lie, but he couldn't. Not to Connor. "No. He won't stop. He wants me to say sorry for what I've done for the Lord. And I refuse," said firmly, strong in his faith. "I won't. And he won't stop 'till I do."

Connor looked to his brother, unable to wrap his mind around the situation. He took Murphy's hand in his, trying to offer him comfort. "S-so, he...he's killin' yah, Murph?" The awful worlds choked from his mouth. "Torturin' yah to... death?" When Murphy wouldn't look up to him, he knew he was right. A wave of panic washed over him. "Yah gotta tell me, brother! I'll kill him! I'll save yah!"

Murphy just sat there, starring at the opposite wall as he tried to order his thoughts. He wanted to cry but couldn't. He was just... too tired. He knew he couldn't tell Connor who it was, and there was no way in hell he'd tell Connor what Blake had done to him. It was bad enough he'd seen the damage...

Murphy looked down and realized to his horror that he wasn't wearing a shirt. His wounds... the bruises... the burns... the mess was all there, exposed for the world to see. Somehow, the tears still managed to form. "Need a shirt," he said in an exhausted tone as he attempted to stand and go find one.

A steadying hand found his shoulder, pushing him gently back down to the bed. "I'll get it," Connor mumbled. He found Murphy something clean, with the long sleeves he always wore anymore. Now that Connor knew why...

Connor sank down onto the bed next to his brother. "C'mon, lets get this on," he said, preparing to help dress his brother.

Murphy eyed him. "I can do it m'self," he whispered as he attempted to snatch the shirt. He was too slow.

"Shut it," Connor growled, protective nature taking over. "Up."

Murphy sighed and raised his arms high enough that Connor could feed the limbs through the fabric. When he was covered, he slumped back against the wall, all energy sapped. "Thanks, Con."

Connor leaned back next to him, only nodding. He had a thousand questions, but he knew Murphy wasn't going to want to answer any of them. Still, he felt he needed to try to do something to help him.

"Murphy... Can we please getchya help? Talk to someone about this? Please... I just... Can't sit by and watch yah... yah get worse..." Because it could only get worse. If this man wasn't stopped, then Murphy's body would take the abuse until it couldn't heal anymore. And Connor... He couldn't let that happen.

Murphy just shook his head. He didn't want to talk about it anymore. All he wanted was for Connor to love him until... until it was time to go back. He let his head fall to rest on his brother's shoulder. "I love you, Connor," his voice a hoarse whisper.

Tentatively, Connor's arm snaked around his brother, pulling him closer. He kissed the top of Murphy's head, tears in his eyes threatening to fall. He couldn't let this happen anymore. He couldn't let someone kill his brother like this. And though Murphy isn't going to help him, he has a plan. He's going to take care of it.

Murphy sighed as he leaned into Connor, worrying the fairer twin. "Am I... Am I hurtin' yah? I know you're... You've got some bruises..."

"You're fine. M'just enjoyin' m'self a bit," Murphy explained, easing Connor's worries. The two relaxed, holding each other, trying to prolong the easy moment so they didn't have to think of anything outside of their jail cell.

And then they heard footsteps as Blake stepped into view, cuffs in hand. Connor felt Murphy tense under his arm. It was then that it clicked. What had really been going on here. Who was to blame for all of this. And though Connor wanted to defend his brother now, he had to follow the plan. And the plan says... that he let Murphy go. Because though something in Connor knew this man was to blame for what had happened to Murphy, he didn't have proof.

"Ready for your session?" Blake asked, eyes trained on the battered darker twin.

Connor felt Murphy tremble under his touch. This couldn't happen. It couldn't. Because the bruises and the cuts and the burns... they all said that Murphy couldn't take much more of this. His brother was strong, but not immortal.

"Murphy's not feelin' too well," Connor spoke up, trying to keep his expression neutral, not revealing the utter rage he felt churning inside him. "I think he should skip out today."

Murphy pulled himself together. He didn't know if Connor knew about Blake. He guessed he didn't because his Connor would be trying to kill the man right now if he knew. But Murphy knew he couldn't refuse to go. "M'fine," he breathed as he pulled away from the warmth of Connor's arms.

"Murph, ya can barely stand up..." Connor said quietly.

"I said m'fine, Con!" And there he was. He'd had his brother back for less than a day before angry Murphy had come back to take over. But Connor could still see that under the harsh tone and the set jaw, Murphy's eyes betrayed him. They showed the love he held for Connor. The showed the fear of what was coming.

And Connor couldn't do a single thing about it.

"You're going to be late, Mr. MacManus," Blake called the darker twin to suffer.

"M'comin'," Murphy mumbled as he hobbled slowly over to the officer. He made it to the bars of his cell and turned so his bleeding wrists could be cuffed behind his back.

And it was tearing Connor apart as he watched his brother being led away. Led away by the person intent on making his twin's death slow and utterly painful. And suddenly, Connor was struck with a vision of the first day Blake had come to claim Murphy. He remembered his twin's eyes being so bright and calm as he mouthed the words, It's alright with a smile on his face.

But Murphy's eyes were cold now. Dead. There was no smile and Connor questioned if there ever would be again. But Murphy still looked to his brother, one last time. And he said silently to him the most important thing. I love you. And then Blake pulled a half-dead Murphy from his cell, taking him to some hell Connor had never known.

But this time, Connor wasn't done.

He paced the cell, his body feeling the need to do something as he waited for the plan to fall into place. And when he heard a set of footsteps from down the hall, he knew it was time. Connor went to the bars, eagerly waiting as Dr. Baker came to meet him. A gun was holstered on her hip and she carried a set of handcuffs.

Connor was relieved to see her. He wanted to trust her, but he didn't know if he could trust anyone in this prison other than Murphy. But Corissa had so far only helped him, and he was willing to put his faith in her. "They just left," he told her. "Murph's hurt real bad. He's gonna be slow, so we can trail them."

Corissa nodded. "Alright. But before we go, I have to cuff you."

Connor recoiled. "If we find that guy hurting my brother, I'm gonna need my hands," he reasoned. Because he wasn't going to just sit by and let her arrest a man who deserved a spot in the lowest circle of hell.

"I understand, and if we find something like that, I'll take them off. But while walking through the prison, we gotta have the cuffs or I'll get called out and we can't afford the attention," she argued back.

Connor knew he couldn't fight with her on this. There wasn't enough time, so he just offered her his wrists. She cuffed him loosely, hands in front of him. If he tried, he could slip his hands through. He nodded appreciatively before walking off in the direction Blake had taken Murphy. "Let's go get my brother."

The cop and the convict made a speedy trip through the prison, following a general direction. Connor knew. He could feel that his brother was close. He could always feel it when Murphy was near. And now, he had an idea where he was going. The abandoned solitary confinement cell block was his best bet and Connor was going with it.

Corissa followed him without a word. She was ready for anything. Her hand remained on her hip, near her gun as she followed a determined Connor through the cells. The halls became darker and darker as they moved to the abandoned section of the prison.

It was when the dark began to take over that they heard the screams.

Connor ran, stumbling in the dark. Suddenly, his nightmare came back to him, the vision of Murphy dying in his arms pushing him forward. He couldn't allow that to happen. He was ripping the cuffs off his hands as he ran, all the while praying to God that he wasn't too late...

Connor rounded a corner into the cell where the screams were coming from. The most horrible thing he'd over seen was laying in wait there.

Murphy was on the floor, like in Connor's nightmare. One of his hands was free while the other was cuffed to a grate in the floor. His brother convulsed on the ground as electricity from a car battery attached by electrodes to his hips over the previous burns coursed through his body. His face was contorted in agony as he tried but failed to hold back his pitiful screams.

Connor reacted.

This wasn't anything like the Russians. With the Russians, Connor had been thinking. He'd had a plan in mind. He'd known to go to the roof, to drop the toilet and then himself in order to save Murphy. But here in this dark cell where his twin had been tortured, Connor didn't think.

He was brutal.

An animal.

An avenging demon.

He tacked Blake off of his brother, cutting the current running through Murphy's body. He straddled the man and brought fist after fist down on his face.

He didn't stop.

He didn't stop when Blake's nose broke under his knuckles.

He didn't stop when Blake begged him to.

He didn't stop when Blake stopped begging.

He didn't stop when Blake stopped breathing.

Connor didn't stop.

He did stop when a warm hand found his shoulder. He snapped his head in the direction of the touch, ready to lash out when he saw that it was Corissa. He relaxed just a fraction of a second before he realized...

"Murphy."

Connor flew across the room to his brother's side. Murphy was still seizing from the electricity, his body quivering and shaking on the floor of the cell, his cuffs ratting on the grate and slicing into his already mangled wrists. Connor fell to his knees next to his brother, tentatively reaching out to touch him.

"Murph? Murphy? Yah with me here?" he called as he pulled his brother's upper body into his arms. Murphy shook, electricity still forcing his body to tremble. His eyes opened against the pain, finding Connor there. A small smile found its way onto his busted lips.

Connor's heart broke at the smile. "Oh, Murph... I've got yah... Connor's got yah, Murph..."

"D-Did yah... yah..." Talking hurt. But Murphy didn't need to. Connor knew what he was asking.

"I killed him, Murphy. It's all over. All over."

"G-Good..." Murphy breathed. He tried to reach up to touch Connor's face, but his arm that wasn't pressed between him and his brother was still chained. When Connor heard the rattle, he looked to Corissa, who hovered over Blake's body as she checked for a nonexistent pulse.

"Dr. Baker... please, do you see the key to the cuffs over there?"

She didn't reply. She wore a grim expression as she silently found the keys Connor asked for and tossed them to the blond. Connor didn't hesitate to unchain his brother, pulling him impossibly closer as Murphy sobbed into his chest. "It's okay... it's okay, Murph. We're gonna get yah patched up and everythin' will be okay again... You'll see."

"You forgot that you killed a police officer," Corissa pointed out with a sad tone. "And while he deserved it, there's only one penalty you'll get for that in this state."

Connor's eyes widened and his heart sped. The death penalty. He would die because he'd stopped a man from torturing his brother. And while Connor wasn't scared of dying, he couldn't leave Murphy. Not like this. Not ever.

Murphy understood what she was saying. His hands fisted in Connor's shirt, trying to pull him closer. Would he suffer all he had in order to keep Connor safe just to lose him? He couldn't take that. He'd die. "No... No, please... I can't... Can't lose Con..." he sputtered with a choked voice.

"Shh... Murph, relax," Connor commanded, softly rocking his twin's battered body. His sad eyes turned to Corissa. "Thank you for helping me save my brother. And... if it comes to... that... would you look after him? Until he's healed?"

"Con, no!" Murphy coughed, body curling in on itself.

"It's not going to come to that," Corissa said firmly. "I'm going to get you two boys out of here."

Both twins looked at her, Murphy weakly and Connor with confusion. They both asked at the same time, "What?"

Corissa smiled softly. Now she could finally tell them. "I know you're familiar with a special agent Eunice Bloom?" she questioned, already knowing the answer.

Hope bubbled in Connor and Murphy's stomachs. "Aye, that we do," Connor answered for his injured brother.

"Eunice and I go way back. Elementary school back. When she asked for me to help break you boys out, I couldn't say no. Not when you guys don't deserve to be here. Now, we just have to speed things up. Tonight," she explained.

The twins blanked. Their world had been shattered moments ago, and though things were far from perfect, it was as if The Lord had sent them a blessing to get them through. Connor grinned at the thought of freedom. And then his smile fell when he looked to Murphy's bruised face. "He can't walk," Connor told their new friend.

She nodded. "We'll hide him in a laundry cart. You can push him out. I'll walk you out like you're on a chore run through the back. We make it to my car, and we're home free."

Corissa left to get a cart. Connor held Murphy, whispering quietly to him until she returned. She rolled in a cart big enough to hide Murphy in. Together, the two got the wounded twin loaded and carried out her plan. And unlike Connor's, hers went smoothly. Before they knew it, the three were loaded in the car and the twins ducked down low as Corissa drove them from the prison.

They let her drive as Connor inspected Murphy all over for fresh damage. He fussed and fidgeted over every bruise and every cut and every burn that his brother's body bore. All the while, Murphy mumbled that he was fine and told Connor to stop babying him. And then they both mumbled to each other that they loved each other, Connor proving in by trying to inspect Murphy once more and the squabbling would start again.

And while the two bickered, somewhere on the long road to freedom, Murphy fell asleep happy in Connor's protective arms, safe and sound.