He Who Walks Among Roses

"I smell something delicioso." Romeo said coming down the stairs. His eyes were excited when he saw plenty of bacon and eggs. I haven't had a warm meal in days he said.
"What have you guys been eating then?"
"That dry packaged stuff. The kind they use for emergency's and stuff."
"Yuck. Why that stuff?"
"We can't exactly show our faces dollface."
"Why is that exactly?" Romeo had a look of hesitance on his face.
"I'll let the Saints take care of that one for ya'."
"So your think their angels too?"
"Most people do darlin', most people do." Romeo said. They set one of the diner table for breakfast and as soon as they set down the last plate Connor came down to join them.
"Murph wasn't in bed, I thought he was down here."
"Oh, I let him have my bed when I got up," She hesitated telling them about the dream. "He was wandering around without any sleep. I guess that sofa needs to be replaced."
"Oh I see." Connor said quizzically.
"Don't give me that look Irish boy." she said. "You two start eating, I mostly made this for you. As a thank you, you guys showed up so quickly, Doc would really be grateful. I'll go wake up Murph." As Evalin went upstairs she smiled to herself. She was happy to do somethng nice for them, and she could see that they appreciated it. Romeo had already sneaked so much food she knew that she did something they were grateful for. She knocked on her bedroom door.
"Murph you awake?" she called. She opened the door and he was asleep. With his shirt off. Of course it would have to be awkward. She knelt next to his head and gently shook him.
"Hey- Hey-" the only reply was a groan.
"I'm sorry, you can sleep more if you'd like."
"No- nah. Its, It's fine. I'm up." Murphy sat up to stretch his arms. Evalin saw the bullet wounds, the ones in his chest.
"How did yo-"
"As these? It's nothing."
"Hey, I told you where I got mine."
"You still didn't tell me how long it had been since you left him." he commented. Evaln sighed.
"One month, Three weeks, two days and about two hours."
"Well shit. No wonder your still purple."
"Ha, Thanks...? Well Now how about you tell me how you got these holes?"
"I've got a few... I mean every time I get a tattoo they poke a hole in me."
"Thasss not what I mean."
"Well You- Do you have any ink?"
"Lets not change the subject."
"Romeo... he called you a saint. Doc, he calls you guys angels."
"You really have no idea who we are do you?"
"Not a clue. Now, the gun shot?"
"I got this maybe six months ago." The phone rang. It rang again. And again. Evalin was about to get up when someone answered it.
"You should see Rome's his stomach looks like swiss cheese."
"Christ! And what? How!"
"I was fighting to defend my father. He- he's past."
"Thats so terrible. I'm sorry."
"Oh darlin' don' be sorry."
"He's with God now."
"I guess we both have pasts then."
"Yours, it seems worse."
"You have more wounds than I do, and I fight bad people."
"Oh phew. I thought you got into fights with the good people."
"No no. I wouldn't make me an angel now would it?." Murphy smiled at Evalin, he was glad that someone could see him for what he was. I man who did good. Not the Vigilante Saints that everyone covered in controversy. It was nicer. Murphy and Connor decided a long time ago that the life they chose, didn't have room for family or friends. Occasionally they collected someone like Romeo. But they knew they could never find love, never have children. Even if they managed to somehow stay safe, they could never have promised that they would make it home every night. Murphy had been okay with that until this very moment where he had a glimmer of doubt.
"I uh- you should go see what that phone call was all about."
"I will. Come down soon okay?" Evalin left. Murphy shook the thought of Kissing this girl, and simply turned it into sympathy. "Thats all it was. Yeah, Sympathy." he thought.
________________________________________________________________________

"Connor! The phone?"
"Yes yes, It was the hospital. They wanted me to tell you that you are sadly, not a match for Doc's donor."
"Oh, thats not the best news."
"The national wait list is about a month. Think he can make it?"
"I hope so. Why can't you guys test? You ever want to explain that one?"
"We'll see." she just rolled her eyes.
"I have to open the bar today. Its been closed for two days now, I think people will begin to think we're closed for good. I assume you three will be hiding upstairs then?"
"Righto'."
"Well best get your sun now. I'll open up at two."
________________________________________________________________________

"He' femme', THE VOLUME." Evalin raised the volume to the ten o'clock news. She poured the man another pint of dark German ale despite the fact that he was french. Three men sat in the bar that evening, it was a small number. It seems they had confused a few customers with leaving the bar closed for so long. These despicable men would bitch about the women that gave them food and children. It saddened Evie that people could feel this way about people that clearly loved them. "IN OTHER NEWS LEGENDARY BOTSON SAINTS STILL MISSING. THESE THREE MEN ESCAPED FROM PRISON THESE MEN WERE APPREHENDED ONLY SIX MONTxHS AGO AND ESCAPED FROM PRISON. FBI BELIEVES THEY HAD HELP WITH ESCAPING THE HOAG PRISON. LOCAL POLICE-"
"Stupid men." Said the man at the far end.
"What makes ye say that?" The man closest to him asked.
"Well who says killin' is a good thing. Their still killers. Not heros."
"Well their killin' the bad guys, so theres less killing in the world. The way I see it that makes the world a better place."
"Well your fucking crazy. Supporting Killers." The man stood this time, he was incredibly angered.
"Hey now, you can both keep your opinions. But lets keep it to ourselves. Evalin tried to calm the man before he raised his hand, Evalin wrapped her arms around the guys raised arm. It wavered his arm so that he missed the guy at the end. But then he decided to stand up, Evalin walked out from behind the bar, she'd dealt with a few bar fights before but Doc was usually there and someone was usually on her side. The man raised his arm and Evalin, standing behind him was right in the way of his elbow. She got hit falling to the floor. And the men went at each other. Knocking over a table.
"You're fighting of STUPID SHIT! "Knock it off!" she screamed. They stood up looking at her, and each other.
"Stop, get the fuck out." she said.
"Shut it bitch."

"No. You boys best be on yer' way." said Murphy.

"Who the fuck are you?" "Fuck off"
"No, ye see' you two are gonna walk out that front door right now, or I reach into the back of my jean and I shoot the both of ya's in the damn foot, and then you can limp out."
"Whatever I'm fucking out." the larger one said, he grabbed his coat and walked out.
As they just stood there the french man that had been at the opposite end of the bar flicked a zippo and lit a cigarette.
"Theres no smoking in here." Evalin said.
________________________________________________________________________

Eleven-Thirty there was no one left in the bar. Evalin had her face down on the bar with a bag of ice between her face and the frame.
"Ah girl yer alrigh'?" Connor asked.
"I don't know how purple is it?
"You seem to be purple all over, you wanna explain that?"
"I just meant my eye."
"Well thats turning a beautiful shade of morada." Romeo said.
"Great" She smiled.
"Come on darlin'. Ya wanna let us in on that one?"
"You let me in first."
"Well what was this bar fight about?" Another change in subject.
"Some guy supported "the boston saints" and the other didn't."
"Well what do you think?"
"I dunno. They said they killed criminals, seems like justice to me."
"Well thas' the spirit. Alright now your turn."
"Wait, What?"
"Come on tell us about yer' past darlin' we gotta know who we're lookin' after."
"So you.. your telling me your "The Saints". So you kill people?"
"Only the bad ones darlin'."
"Well, alright. I guess. Let me swallow that pill." She took a shot of whiskey. Then another. "Okay, I think, I think- I got it down."
"Hahahaa!"
"Okay, now your turn." She smiled and shut her eyes, well eye.
"Theres, this guy."
"Ohh, it's always a guy."
"It's not some heartbreak story gone bad, its just a bad story. I met him in High school. We had classes together. He said he had a plan.. and one day he showed up with tons of money. He dropped out, and I finished school. Then we moved in together, and then I became trapped. I could go out less and less. And he hit me more and more. Then eventually I was a caged bird being occasionally tortured."
"Tortured."
"Yeah like what?"
"I- a lot- There was a lot of different things that happened. He had four years to torment me. There was a lot of time for him to think. It was the worst the last two years after I graduated because then he could lock me up. If he had done that at school, people would've asked questions."
"What did he do to you?"
"Uhm." She choked. "He... beat me, burned me... I was pregnant, and he beat me, he broke my ribs, my wrist. I- was addicted to different drugs at different times because he's force me to take them. Some were so I wouldn't fight as much."
"Chica, how'd you survive?" Romeo actually seemed to be crying.
"I don't really know if I did." she cried. Connor and Romeo hugged her. And she laughed because she felt safe.
"I don't really think I have to worry with you guys around haha."
"Well if he ever came near you again, he'd add his name to our list."
"The Saints... You were the ones that took out the Yakavetta guy huh?"
"Well... yeah we've done a few of those."
"I remember Cash, he was gone for nearly a week because of some death in the family. I ran out of food and couldn't eat for four days."
"ooh. well we're sorry about that, I guess we're more connected then we thought."
"its alright. I'm okay now, and maybe in time I'll be better."
________________________________________________________________________

Evalin brushed her hair, and removed her make-up. She was tired working today. She had only got to send Doc flowers. But the nurses said he'd be under heavy meds to help the pain. She's go see him in the morning. Evalin realized she'd forgot to lock the door downstairs. She never would forget out of fear. I guess the boys just made her feel safe. She went downstairs and locked the door. She turned around and was startled to see Murphy. His head, asleep in his folded arms. She shook him.
"Hey, time for bed."
"I'm... so tired. That bed kept me up all night."
"Oh. I'm sorry. Here.. well I have an Idea. Come on." She took Murphy to her room and grabbed a flannel blanket. she rolled it up length wise and put in in the middle of her bed.
"There now they're two separate beds, just... really close to each other."
"ha, well. If your sure your okay with it?"
"I think I'll just feel safer." So they laid down and faced the opposite direciton. It still was awkward. Murphy was so tired, but he noticed how aware his mind was that Evalin was no more than a foot from his. He couldn't help but want to protect her. Evalin was a little shocked at how calm she was to share her bed with a man. He felt no fear, no pain. Just... safe. After Murphy was sure Evalin had fallen asleep, he rolled over, and watched her sleep. She was breathing and he was really happy she was. He thought about "what if... she never made it out" and he felt anger, and incredible sorrow. "Hold yourself together Murph." he told himself.