Risk It All

Nolee slowly turned her body around to towards the front counter, her heart beating rapidly as she prepared to face the person standing before her. The anxiety inside her had quickly switched to full on embarrassment as Murphy stood there, with that goddamn smirk. Her anxiety switched back as she realized he had been listening to their conversation!

"Umm...how much of that did you hear?" Nolee questioned fearfully praying he hadn't heard the first part of the conversation. Sensing her embarrassment Murphy couldn't resist giggling, somehow his giggle even sounded Irish.

"Enough ta give ye my deepest condolences." he teased as her cheeks rapidly turned red.

"Can you just pretend you didn't hear that..." she replied timidly but relieved that it didn't seem like he heard everything else.

"I'm just yankin' ye chain lass." Murphy smiled as she continued to blush. The Law and Order marathon had prevented her from thinking about their dinner Friday night. Although there really wasn't much to think about, it was decent sure, but nothing worth writing home for.

"So the usual I take it?" she asked referring to his choice of drink. Murphy tilted his head towards the menu thoughtfully and stroked the faint facial hair on his chin.

"Ye know I'm feelin' a little risky today."

"Oh yeah?" Nolee questioned raising her eyebrow.

"Mondays are always rough and I'm feelin' a little sluggish. What's ta best pick me up?"

"Oh in case of the Monday blues you need The Depresso. Little shots of espresso will perk your sad little heart up." Kira answered with a wink.

"Sounds delightful. I'll take it." Murphy answered intrigued.

"And lucky for you Nolee specializes in espresso, don't you Nolee?" Kira added with a smirk turning her eyes to the shorter girl.Nolee narrowed her eyes in response.

"I do, but I'm not nearly as talented as you Kira." she smiled sweetly fully aware of what the other girl was trying to do.

"Always so modest she is, it's admirable really." Kira smiled once more turning her gaze back to Murphy. "And would you look at that, break time already? Man today really flew by."

"But you already took-"

"Huh? What's that Cosmo? I deserve another break for working so hard? Well how awfully kind of you." Kira feigned fake enthusiasm putting her hand to her chest.

"You heard the man, thank me later." Kira whispered with a wink before quickly walking away before Nolee could stop her.

Oh, you're so going to pay for that.

"She's umm...very nice." Murphy grinned in amusement making the girl roll her eyes.

"She gives Mother Theresa a run for her money." Nolee nodded with sarcasm.

"I bet."

"So, you couldn't wait to see me again?" Nolee joked as Murphy shrugged somewhat shyly.

"Well ye do make for interestin' conversations, just a bonus of comin' in here."

"Is that so?" she questioned.

"It is." Murphy confirmed giving a curt nod.

"Well would you like anything else besides your coffee this time?" Nolee inquired awkwardly not sure if that had been a flirt or not.

"I'll admit t'at chocolate muffin does look pretty tasty."

"Careful, those ones are hand crafted by this interesting gal herself."

"Oh, well now I have ta try t'em. But if I die please tell me Ma I love her and Roc can have my cigarettes. But lastly, please listen carefully cause it's very important. " Murphy held a finger as she nodded her head. "I'll need ye ta look me brudder in the eyes and very delicately...raise ye middle finger and say 'Murphy said fuck ye, I'm ta oldest." he whispered all in seriousness. Nolee blinked her eyes in a second of confusion but rolled her eyes.

"Very funny." Nolee retorted but to her dismay, the corners of her lips turned up into a smile as she made his coffee. Murphy smirked in response pleased at his caused reaction.

"Well what do ye know, ta feisty little lass is in fact capable of smiling." he exclaimed in victory, making Nolee glare at the tall Irish man.

"You got lucky, although I wouldn't get used to it." she countered reaching for a chocolate muffin in the case and placing it on a napkin before sliding it across the counter to him. Murphy only looked her head on as he studied the defiance in her dark brown eyes while they stared down one another. Out of the two twins Murphy was never the one to back down from a challenge, perhaps it had been his downfall, and in this moment it had been no different. The thought of Connor and his words from earlier echoed lightly in the back of his mind, but Murphy...was Murphy.

"Yea...? We'll see about t'at." Murphy smirked accepting the challenge as he took the muffin and coffee. Nolee only watched him walk away from the counter and expected him to leave the shop, but he had instead sat down at a table. He continued to stare at her head on while taking a large bite out his muffin. There was nothing ominous about the way his dark eyes bored into her but she still couldn't help but feel flabbergasted.

An undetectable feeling had suddenly swept over her body in that very moment. Something inside her just knew.... that everything was about to change.

_

3 Weeks Later

Murphy had visited the shop often after his shift at the meat packing plant to keep her company and Nolee suddenly found herself adapting to new a routine of seeing him everyday, mostly because she didn't really have a choice. He would simply sit down, drink his coffee, and make conversation with her until it was time to close. Despite being unsure of what was going on, Nolee couldn't bring herself to avoid him. Murphy had not been unusually pushy or suspicious...he was just simply there.

Her defenses had remained strong, but the will to tolerate him had softened greatly. She couldn't say the exact moment it happened. But somehow and someway Murphy had inevitably become a strange piece of furniture in her life almost.

Maybe it had been the first time Nolee finally let him walk her home. Murphy had offered many times before but naturally she always rejected. Nolee had undoubtedly did her best to make it clear she wasn't interested in any type of companionship. Despite the fact that Murphy was for the most part very respectful and understood where she was coming from, that had seemed to bother her the most. If he didn't want to try anything with her, then what was he here for?

"Why do you want to know me?" she questioned him with exasperation as they stood outside of Cosmo's. Nolee had never really considered herself to be special or extraordinary. There was nothing spectacular about her that set her apart from the rest, she was just like anyone else in this world. So why did Murphy insist on talking with her?

"Why not?" was all he replied with.

"Well what is it about me that makes you want to know me?" she pressed with frustration as she looked up at him. His dark blue eyes clashed against her dark brown ones with equal frustration. An unlikely pair they made would be an understatement.

"I don't know." Murphy shrugged. "I don't know what it is about ye I find intriguing. Maybe it's because ye aren't like most people here in Boston. It's refreshing if I'm honest." he reasoned with a shrug.

"I'm complicated Murphy. Too complicated to even try and be friends with. I'm not really sure what is you want from me, but you're wasting your time." Nolee lamented as she stared at the ground stubbornly.

"T'at much is obvious lass, believe me. But, don't ye think even ta complicated people deserve a chance?" Murphy responded softly. Nolee slowly lifted her head back up from the ground to look back up at him. The dark peacoat and rosary once again catching her attention. This peculiar man with tattoos, where exactly did he come from?

"I suppose." she whispered lightly.

"Look I'm not really sure where t'is could go either. But I promise my intentions are never ta be malicious. Call it coincidence or whatever ye like, but we seemed ta cross paths often for some reason. Truthfully I like ye Nolee, I mean as a person of course."

"But Murphy you don't understand-"

"I simply just enjoy ye company is all lass. I don't t'ink friendship is t'at bad is it?" he questioned carefully. She shuffled on her feet unsure of what to say or how to feel. It had been a long time since she made friends, or even acquaintances. She had isolated herself for so long, basic communication skills were moot at this point. If Murphy really knew about her past, would he still feel the same way?

"No." she answered after a moment of silence.

"Besides, complicated people are usually ta most interestin."he explained with a wink while Nolee laughed lightly and smiled.

"Aye, t'ere goes another smile! I'm on a roll today aren't I?" Murphy smirked. Nolee half rolled eyes as she looked away but her smile was kept in place.

"Now as friends it's definitely my duty ta make sure ye get home safe."

"Fine Murphy, you can walk me home." Nolee sighed in defeat to which he beamed in victory once again.

"A service I will gladly do wit' honor." he replied before dramatically bowing and holding his hand. "Lead ta way me lady."

"Just come on." she retorted shaking her head before he stood up and grinned following after her. The two of the had once again made conversation while walking to Nolee's apartment, mostly stories Murphy had from the meat packing plant. The most interesting one to her was the large lady named Rosengurtle who seemed to be a hardcore feminist and apparently wasn't very fond of the brothers' jokes.

"I t'ink she might actually kick one of us in ta balls soon, hopefully it's Connor."

"You really don't like your brother do you?" Nolee teased.

"Nah, I love me brudder. It's just how we are and always have been, even in ta womb. Drove our poor Ma nuts growin' up."

"Somehow I really don't doubt that." Nolee laughed.

"Connor might piss me off a lot of ta time, but t'eres nothing I wouldn't do for ta bastard."

"Well that's sweet."

"I guess."

There was silence again, but it didn't feel uncomfortable. Nolee's nerves has calmed down a bit walking beside him. The question burning in her mind still plagued her though, she tried to stop it but word vomit had erupted.

"Can I ask about the rosary you always wear? Are you religious?"she asked curiously. She carefully studied his expression for any indication was inappropriate.

"Aye, we consider ourselves ta be yes. We were raised Catholic."

"...does that explain that tattoos?" Nolee questioned her voice becoming meek. Murphy smirked at her reactions but nodded.

"Yes."

"That's cool." Nolee nervously replied.

"Does it bother ye?"

"What? No, of course not. I was just curious."

"We don't look ta part tho huh? It's okay, ye not ta first ta point it out lass." Murphy retorted as her face became red.

"That's not what I meant though, I didn't mean to sound-"

"Nolee, I'm just messin' wit ye, relax." Murphy laughed noting her embarrassed expression.

"That wasn't nice." Nolee lamented as she tried to calm her nerves once more.

"I'm sorry lass, I know me sense of humor is different t'an most."

"Just a tad."

"I don't mean it half ta time tho, just how I am."

"Duly noted."

Nolee and Murphy finally reached her apartment building to which she sighed turning to face him.

"Well, this is my stop. Thank you for walking me home." she told him as she pointed to the old building, hoping he hadn't judged her too much from the rundown appearance.

"It's not a problem."

"I'll umm see you later I guess?" she awkwardly responded, never one to know how to say goodbye without being awkward. She watched him smile and give a nod back to her.

"Definitely. Have a good night...friend." he answered making sure to emphasize the last word. He smiled one more time at her before waving and turning on his heel to walk off. Nolee watched the back of him until his figure became further away to where she could no longer see him. She sighed as she made her way into the building and up to her apartment.

Closing the door, she leaned back against it and mindlessly stared around. Somehow things had felt so different stepping into her apartment this time. Her mind also drifted away with thoughts of Murphy. Of all people in Boston, she crossed paths with a religious Irish man. She couldn't help but snicker at the irony but her amusement was short lived when she looked down at her stomach and reality had set back in.

What did she just get herself into?