When Love Marches In

March 17, 1999, Jessica finally awoke from her slumber, she actually slept all night and part of the day without any interruptions from the neighbors below. Usually the neighbors just below her apartment, which she adored them to pieces, always woke her up by intentionally tapping a broom handle on their ceiling right where Jessica's bed was at...or the neighbors below her would get into some kind of argument, which woke her up too. Who are the neighbors that live below her some may ask but around this part of Boston, especially at the pub, everyone knew these two...Connor and Murphy MacManus, the fraternal twins. One hundred percent Irish, accents, loved to drink, joke around and stood up to the ones that needed stood up to. Jessica lost count on how many times the MacManus brothers fought patrons in the pub that she worked at. Speaking of the pub, she was going to have a very long night, today was St. Patrick's day and the pub was going to be more filled and rowdy than normal, not to mention Jessica had a feeling the twins were going to be there too. Giving a groan Jessica finally rolled out of bed and stretched before going to her dresser to get some clothes so she could wash up.

Jessica's apartment was pretty much like the MacManus brothers apartment but more up kept and decorated a bit more. She had installed a shower rod and curtain so if the twins came through her door while she was showering, they wouldn't be able to see anything. Her and them were like best friends, well Jessie liked one of the twins way more then the other but they had access to each other's apartments. Sitting her clothes on the table that she deemed as the "Clean Clothes Holder" she stripped down and got into the shower to freshen up before her extra long shift. Once the shower was done, Jess dried herself off and put the clean clothes on then started in on her hair. It wasn't long after she put the finishing touches on her hair that she heard the boys yelling below her. Looking over at the clock her eyebrow raised a bit in curiosity, the twins were supposed to be at work so why were they home so early? Either they quit, got suspended or fired. Giving a sigh and a shake of her head, Jessica grabbed her purse, walked out the door and locked it before going into the old creaky elevator shaft to see what the boys were up to. She hated this elevator shaft, every time the thing started it sounded and felt like it was going to stop in between floors. Once it got to the sixth floor Jess opened the grate then headed to the MacManus' apartment. Knocking the 'Shave and a haircut' on the door to let them know it was her, Jess entered then shut the door then turned towards the boys. In that moment she wished she could hide under a rock from embarrassment, ice scattered on the floor, Murphy laying on the floor with a smug smirk and Connor standing up with a can in his hand and they were both as bare as the day they were born.

"Oh my God! I'm so sorry for barging in on whatever you two were doing." She turned around so fast Jess could've swore she gave herself whiplash. She was far from being a prude but Jessica didn't want to see her friends nude.

The sound of the twins' laugh echoed through run down apartment along with some shuffling.

"Lord's name, lass!" Murphy finally got out as his cackles subsided.

"Ye can turn 'round now, Jess." Connor's voice sounded out.

Jessica slowly turned around to see the brothers in their bath robes that looked like they were about five years old. "I was just dropping by to see if you guys were going to be down at McGinty's later?...Since it's St. Patrick's day."

"O' coruse we are lass. Why wouldn't we be goin'?"

She shrugged at Connor before speaking again. "Thought maybe you two were going to stay in tonight since you're home early from work. Speaking of...why are you two home early?" Jessica tilted her head curiously.

"Suspension 'cause Murph hit t'e new employee."

"T'at's cause ye were gettin' yer ass kicked by a girl!" Murphy cackled. "Couldn't keep watchin' me brot'er gettin' beat on!"

Jessica's eyebrows rose with amusement as Murphy told her what happened.

"Feck ye Murphy! I still want t'e see t'e papers on her. T'ere's no way t'at was a girl! She was like eight foot!" Connor exclaimed, which had Jessica laughing at his over exaggeration.

Finally looking down at her watch, Jessica cleared her throat to get her laughter settled down and to halt the twins' argument.

"Looks like I gotta go or I'm going to be late." She finally said, looking up at the both of them.

"Ye know Doc doesn't care if yer a'bit late."

"I know Connor, just don't want to make a habit out of it. I'll see you guys in a few." She hugged them both.

"We'll see ye soon lass." Murphy said as he ended the hug so Connor could get a hug.

Once Connor engulfed her in a hug, Jessica tried her best not to melt into the hug or sigh contentedly. If she done that, then he'd know that she had feelings for him and Jess didn't want Connor to know because she didn't want to feel the rejection.

"We will Jess, real soon." Connor said before pulling away from her.

Giving a nod, Jessica waved to them before walking out of their apartment. The door clicked shut and she leaned up against it for a moment giving off a sad sigh while the muffled voices of the twins voices were heard on the other side of the door. Jess kicked herself in her ass yet again for not confessing her feelings to Connor when she had a chance to. Her mind told her that it was better off that way anyway as she pushed herself away from the door to get in the elevator shaft to head down to McGinty's.

Jessica had been running around the pub like a chicken with it's head cut off, taking orders and delivering them. She was barely at McGinty's for thirty minutes and it was already packed with people 'getting their Irish on'. Once Jess was behind the bar again, the patrons erupted in cheers, she turned to see what was going on...and what do you know Connor and Murphy walked through the doors. The twins greeted everyone before coming up to the bar and sitting down in their normal spots.

"There you two are. Was wondering when you guys were getting here."

"Miss us, lass?" Connor asked with that signature grin of his.

"'O course t'e lass missed us." Murphy piped in with the same grin.

"Maybe just a little." Jess laughed as she filled the tray up with drinks. "Be right back to get your drinks. And don't hop over the bar like last time to get them yourselves." She narrowed her eyes at them before picking up the tray to deliver the drinks.

While she served the drinks to the patrons, Jess could feel a pair of protective eyes on her the whole time. She didn't want to turn around to see who it was because Jessica would end up blushing under whoever's gaze it was, she hated to be the center of attention.

"Here you guys go." She served the patrons that were sitting in one of the booths.

The patrons thanked Jess then she went back behind the bar to get the MacManus twins their drinks. Getting the glasses she poured the drinks into them then put them on the bar.

"And there you two go." Jess leaned against the bar with her arms crossed on the top of it.

"T'ank ye lass." The twins said in unison before picking up their drinks to take a gulp.

"So should I get another drink ready for-"

Jessica was cut off by the crowd in the pub going wild when the doors opened. At her height and with a crowd full of people, she couldn't see what all the commotion was about. Pulling herself up on the bar to look over the patrons' heads, Jessica's eyes landed on the person that she was about to ask about... finally made his way to the bar to greet the twins and Jess. The boys done their 'greeting bro hugs' as Rocco told Doc to get him a beer.

"Jessica!"

"Rocco!" Jess laughed at her overly excited friend.

"Do that one thing that you usually do!"

"I think the crowd is wild enough Rocco!"

"Oh c'mon ya always do it!" Rocco looked at the twins. "Am I right? C'mon, make her do it!"

"Please lass, jus' t'is once." Murphy started in.

"We'll help ye clean t'e bar up." Connor pushed.

"As much as I'd like the help no thanks. With you three helping to clean up, it'd be a disaster." She said kneeling down to get something from the bar.

"Now lass, t'at wasn't nice. T'at hurt our feelin's." Connor stated in a sad mock tone as he watched her.

"Right...you know what you boys can do?" Jessica said standing up with something in her hand. "You guys can to that high pitched whistle since I have no idea on how to make my whistles that loud."

It didn't need to be said twice, Connor, Murphy and Rocco done that whistle she was talking about and once most of the patrons looked their way, Jessica squeezed the handle on the water sprayer. Flicking her wrist back and forth in the air, it looked like it was raining inside the pub as the water droplets went everywhere. The pub got wild again as she finally released the handle then slid off the bar to start working again.

"Happy St. Patty's day everyone!" Jessica yelled.

The patrons either said it back or said Sláinte, which meant cheers in the Irish language. The hours past by fast, Jessica had yelled out last call before she started cleaning the bar top off. By the time she made it to the tables and booths to get them clean, most of everybody was gone. The only ones left in the bar were a few laid back regulars, Rocco, Doc, Connor, Murphy and her. The whole time she was cleaning, Jess could feel someone's eyes on her again but chose to ignore it. After the clean up was done, she went back behind the bar and poured herself a drink as she listened to Doc tell them about the pub.

"Listen boys and lass, I've go' some very bad news." Doc started which made Jessica frown. "I'm gonna have to close down t-t-the bar. The Russians are buying up buildings all over the town, includin' this one. Fuck! Ass! And they're not lettin' me renew my lease."

"That's bullshit." Jessica mumbled into her glass of whiskey as the guys voiced their disapproval at the same time.

"Let me talk to my boss. Maybe he can do something." Rocco stated.

Jessica put the glass down on the bar then opened a bottle of whiskey to pour some into her glass.

"Wha' t'e feck's yer boss gonna do?" Connor asked with his octaves raising into the girly range While Murphy tapped the back of Rocco's head.

"Hey, hey, hey. Listen, fellas and lass, I don't want anyone to know. So you keep your traps shut! You know what they say: People in glass houses sink s-s-ships."

Jessica couldn't help but smile into her glass of whiskey as Doc got the proverb jumbled up again.

"Hey Doc, I gotta buy you like, a proverb book or somethin'. This mix-and-match shit has gotta go." Rocco determined.

"A penny saved is wort' two in t'e bush, isn't it?" Connor said.

"'nd don't cross t'e road ye can't ge' out of t'e kitchen." Murphy chimed in after he took a drag from the cigarette.

Jessica and everyone that was sitting at the bar erupted in laughter until the doors were slammed shut.

"Oh shit..." Jessica said under her breath as three tall guys came in.

Everyone sitting at the bar started to get up slowly, Jess caught Connor's quick gaze. It was like he was trying to tell her to stay behind the bar and if things got hairy, make a break for it to the back.

"I am Ivan Checkov, and you will be closing now." The tall bald guy in the middle with a heavy Russian accent stated while he took his black gloves off.

"Checkov. Well, t'is 'here's McCoy. We find a Spock we've go' us an away team." Murphy said as he hugged Rocco closer.

"Me in no mood for discussion. You, you stay." Checkov said pointing to Doc. "The rest of you, go now."

"Why don't you make like a tree and get the fuck out of here!"

The patrons groaned and chattered a bit when Doc said the proverb wrong again.

"Ye know he's go' 'till t'e week's end, righ'? Ye don't 'ave te be hard-arses do ye?" Connor said calmly then took a drink.

Even though the current situation was tense, Jessica leaned on the bar top putting her weight on her forearms as she listened to Connor's smooth and soothing voice.

"It's St. Patty's day. Everyone's Irish t'nigh'. Why don't ye jus' pull up a stool 'nd 'ave a drink wit' us?" Murphy chimed in.

"Hey! I just got done cleaning up!" Jessica finally pitched in when the bald Russian smashed Connor and Murphy's glasses to the ground.

Jess saw Connor raise his hand to her, indicating for her to not speak and pretty much to tell her shit was about to go down.

"This is no game! If you won't go, we will make you go." Checkov yelled.

"Listen, if ye want te figh', ye can see yer outnumbered 'ere. We're tryin' te be civil, so I suggest ye take our offer."

"I make the offers."

"Hey, Boris."

Oh God Rocco, now's not the time! Jessica thought as she stood up straight.

"Rocco..." Jessica hissed warningly, dismissing Connor's previous signal.

"What would you do...if I told you...your pinko Commie mother sucks so much dick, her face looked like an egg?"

Jessica jumped when Checkov punched Rocco, making him hit the bar.

"Fuck you!" One of the patron's said.

"Teper', chto ne byl slishkom vezhliv eto bylo?" (Now, that wasn't too polite was it?) Connor said angrily.

"YA boyus', chto my ne mozhem pozvolit' , chto mozhno idti , Ivan." (I'm afraid we can't let that one go, Ivan.) Murphy said just as angry.

Jessica didn't know what in the hell they were saying but seeing her friend get punched and the twins get angry, it had her a bit nervous now. Looking from Connor to Murphy then back to Connor, Jessica caught the quick wink from Connor as he and his brother to a shot then charged at the Russians. The other patrons charged at the Russians too, to help the twins out...Jessica just stood there watching the scene while Doc egged them on and acted like he was throwing his fists. Then Jessica's hand collided with her head as Murphy bashed two liquor bottles over one of the Russian's head, Two hundred plus dollars was just wasted on a scumbag mobster.

"Would ye like te make some room on t'e bar lass?" Murphy asked with a grin as him and Connor drug Checkov to the bar while everyone else got rid of the other two mobsters.

"I don't want in any part of this."

"Ye kinda already are Jess. Ye work 'ere 'nd t'ey jus' t'reatened te take yer job away." Connor stated matter of factly.

Giving a sigh she cleared off the bar then the twins hauled Checkov onto the bar and tied him down.

"Connor..." Jessica said with a warning tone.

"Payback." Was Connor's only comeback as he reached over, grabbing an almost empty liquor bottle then splashed the contents on the bald Russian.

Jess turned on her heel and headed for the kitchen, even though the guy that was ties down deserved it for being a complete prick, she didn't want to witness someone being set on fire. Hearing the wails from Checkov made Jessica's stomach turn, she turned the faucet on as high as it would go to try to block the agonizing scream out but it wasn't enough. What felt like hours was only minutes, the yells and screams finally died down then the bar cheered. Jessica shut the water off then grabbed her purse, this was one of the worst St. Patty's day she ever had.

"Ye ok Jess?" Connor's voice could be heard from the doorway but she never turned around to look at him.

"I'll be fine." That's all she said as she tried to walk past him but he wouldn't let her.

"He had it comin'."

She rolled her eyes. "So every person that beats on your friends or wants to put somebody out of business you're going to set on fire? That's the most inhumane thing you've done that I've witnessed. Now if you don't mind, I'm going home." Jessica ducked under Connor's arm and went through the threshold.

"Me 'nd Murph' need te be gettin' home too. Guess we'll go wit' ye."

"Lucky me." She mumbled before heading to the door. "I'll be back tomorrow Doc. Night." With that she walked out of the pub, with the twins close behind her as the three of them headed home.