title: Defiant Eyed Angel
author: lisa roquin
rating: 15
fandom: BtVS/Boondock Saints
series/sequel: Saints of Retribution
characters/pairings: Connor, Murphy, Faith, Doc
disclaimer: all copyrighted characters and their "universes" belong to their respective authors, writers, creators, production companies, producers and long lists of people that are so very much not me. Quite simply, if you recognize it, it isn't mine. No profit made, no harm intended, just having fun.
summary: Connor and Murphy's first summer in Boston, Doc's niece is also back in the city with her seven-year old daughter.
warning: er.... uhm. yeah. This is a I think warnings are ridiculous on this but oh well. Implications of Faith's very much not-nice childhood. And need I add language? This is the MacManus boys after all. Okay? If you're easily offended or prefer things in the realm of Disney, this isn't for you.
author's note: *headdesk* that is all.
wordcount: 2363




Murphy was grinning as he stepped into the dim of the bar from the bright late May sunshine. Boston was far from perfect but so far they'd managed, the two of them, thanks mostly to Doc. Dropping in after Mass on Sunday morning to help him restock after the previous night was the least they could do.

"Hey Doc!" Murphy called out seeing the shape of the old man at the end of the bar, his eyes struggling to adjust to the dim after the bright sunlight.

"FFFUCK! ASS!" Doc bellowed and slammed a fist down on the bar in frustration.

Connor was the one who spoke when they saw her. Sitting on the bar with skinned kneed and pain filled eyes, faded pink shorts and a stained possibly once pink shirt with little hearts across that still had a few remaining flecks of the glittery stuff they'd once been outlined in. "An' who is this little angel, Doc?"

And that was obviously the wrong thing to say as the little girl turned nearly feral as she looked at them, tense and ready to run or attack.

"Fff--ffff--FUCK! Faith. My niece's girl." Doc managed. Both the twins winced at the unfortunate word that broke Doc's stutter. Not that they minded or Doc's language bothered them in the least. Their own language far from pure, despite their mother's best efforts though her pat line of "quit yer fuckin swearin' ye little bastards" was more a source of amusement than anything that would make them mind their own words when it wasn't needful.

"Don't look at Unc like that." Faith glared. "He flew planes in Krea and his head got broke when his plane crashed."

Her oversimplified explanation did make more than enough sense to Connor and Murphy, having seen the picture of Doc in his Air Force uniform with his mother and sister. At least assuming Krea was Korea. Doc certainly couldn't have gotten in the Air Force, not stuttering and as much difficulty as he had at times putting together the most clichéd phrases or getting simple points across. They could see Doc knew what he meant, that he realized the words were wrong and his frustration so often obvious. They'd never asked how Doc came to be as he was, didn't think it mattered or their business.

"FUCK! ASS! Hhhere, Connor!" Doc thrust a hairbrush and elastic band at Connor. "Connor and Murphy are good boys." Doc said firmly to his niece. "Nnnone of your kkkkk FUCK kicking and biting!"

"Yes, Uncle Joe," She nodded her one badly put in pig tail flopping.

"How 'bout we take that out and start over, aye?"

"You talk funny"

"FffFAITH!"

" 'S'al'righ'," Connor grinned. "And I mos' certainly do not talk funny. M' from Ireland."

Murphy struggled to contain his grin as Connor set to charming the little girl with the wild, almost feral dark eyes. Connor'd tame the little hellcat quick enough. After all, Connor'd always had been the one to manage coaxing their cousins Caitlin and Siobhan out of whatever snit or rampage they'd taken to. Uncle Michael's daughters were proper bats out of hell when they set their minds to it. And Siobhan not even ten yet, the temper that one had on her--God have mercy on any who crossed her path when she was grown.

"Ffaith's a good girl," Doc said as he and Murphy entered the store room. "MmmmFUCK Maggie--" Doc shook his head with a dark look. "Maggie broke Judith's heart."

"Don' worry, Connor'll have her eating out of the palm of his hand before we're done restocking." Murphy clapped the old man on the shoulder. "Have her head filled with Leprechauns and Cuchulain before the days up."

Doc's niece came to claim her daughter and drag the child off a couple hours later. Neither brother was much impressed by the woman.

~*~*~

Friday the twins entered McGinty's planning on spending a good chunk of their paychecks. The bar was already starting to fill up with the weekend regulars despite the fact it was still early. Behind the floor with a tattered sorry box of nearly used up crayons and an equally worn almost filled coloring book was Faith.

"Doc," Connor said questioningly with a glance to the little girl.

The dark look the old man gave in answer was nearly homicidal.

"Bar's no place for such a wee angel. How bout we take her and get her a bite to eat and keep her tonight?" Murphy suggested.

"Y-you don't have to, boys."

"Ah we don't mind atol," Connor smiled.

"Aye got set to chasing after our cousins Siobhan and Caitlin all the time at home. She'll be no trouble."

"Ffaith,"

She eyed them warily a moment but gathered up her coloring book and crayons--all ten broken pieces slipped back into the battered box that proclaimed it once held 24.

"S'how does pizza sound f'r dinner t'night, me angel?"

"Cheese"

"Certainly. Just cheese?"

She nodded.

"Cheese it is." Connor smiled.

Murphy smiled at his twin's charm working it's magic on the little girl. In the next breath Connor was promising her not one but two new coloring books and two boxes of crayons. A big box of sixty four she could keep at the bar with her uncle and a box of twenty four she could take where she liked.

"I--"

"Don' worry about it. Payday t'day we've got it covered, Doc." Murphy assured the old man. "We can keep her the night bring her back in the mornin' s' ye don't have to try cartin' her about in the middle of the night."

Doc nodded grimly. "Mmmmaggie does that enough. F-faith."

"Aye, she's a wary one. But there's two of us and one of her. We'll be fine."

"G-go on. They're g-good boys. N-no trouble."

"Yes, Uncle Joe," she said with wide wary eyes.

Connor charmed her into taking his hand as they walked out of the bar.

~*~*~

Five coloring books, the deluxe box of Crayolas and the cheap 24 pack of some no name brand, a hair brush, tooth brush, bubble gum flavored toothpaste, six pack of Yoohoo and a large cheese pizza later they were back at the flat.

Faith eyed the bare single room with a suspicious wariness that unsettled Murphy's gut. She was too young to be this wary, this defensive.

Connor set to charming her. Murphy smiled behind his hand as his twin struggled a bit to get her settled. She was soon enough parked on Connor's bed with her coloring books, crayons and a huge slice of pizza and a can of chocolate soda sitting on the floor next to Connor's mattress.

"Here y' are, sweetheart, fresh from the laundry last night. Y' can wear this for a nightgown, hows that?"

Faith studied the navy t-shirt with suspicion but nodded slowly. "Where you two gonna sleep?"

"Y' can have my bed and I'll shove Murph over and make him share for the night."

Faith scrunched her little eyebrows together. "You guys faggots?"

Murphy choked on his beer. "Christ. How does a little thing like you know a word like that?"

"Lord's effin' name" Connor swatted at the back of Murphy's head.

Murphy crossed himself.

"Jade's a faggot. He dresses up like a girl when he's out workin' though. He was nice. He used to let me watch TV with him when mom was stoned."

Connor swore softly in Gaelic.

"Sweetheart," Murphy managed, her matter of fact words sending him reeling.

"Well are you?" Faith asked.

"NO!" Connor shouted, eyes wild and purely horrified at the thought. "And for God's sake that's m' brother!"

Faith flinched back.

"Ah, shh, sweetheart," Murphy said softly. "Not mad at you. An' y' needn't be worryin' about such things aroun' us. Alright? We owe yer uncle plenty. Happy t' pay him back by givin' y' a place t' be tonight other than a bar. Bar's no place for a little angel like you."

"Why's he makin weird noises and purple?"

Murphy bit his lip and dared a glance at his outraged and embarrassed brother muttering the ways Maggie Lehane deserved to be tortured to death in Gaelic.

"He gets a bit silly sometimes, pay him no mind." Murphy managed to grin at Faith. "Y' horrified his innocent little ears, y' did."

Connor gave his twin a glare, but understood the warning to pipe down in front of the little one.

Faith giggled.

Connor dove at his brother and started tickling Murphy mercilessly. "I'll innocent you one, brother"

A full belly and a sense of safety had little Faith yawning like mad soon enough. "We'll be right out in the hall. Y' use the toilet and put yer nightgown on."

"It's a t-shirt," she looked at Connor as if he were nuts, or at the very least stupid-drunk.

"It's your nightgown tonight." Connor insisted.

She rolled her eyes and gave Murphy a smirk. "Got let him have his way?"

"Aye, best to humor him when he gets fussy," Murphy agreed with a grin.

"Hey, no fair th' two o' y' gangin' up on me!" Connor laughed and gave Murph a push toward the door. "Y' come get us when yer done. We'll be right outside."

~*~*~

"Bitch needs shot," Connor muttered darkly once they were in the hall.

"Aye, but the bitch is still the little one's ma an' y' need t' keep yer fuckin' temper under wraps in front of her. She spooks t' easy." Murphy snapped at his brother.

Connor swallowed and nodded. "Y' think..."

"Don' know what th' fuck to think," Murphy muttered darkly, and any thoughts he did have he kept to himself. Connor was too likely to go flying off the handle in outrage, the little one had stolen his heart but good. But Connor likely missed Siobhan and Caitlin more than he did. Siobhan especially had always attached herself to Connor.

~*~*~

Faith woke up screaming and sobbing.

"Shh, angel," Connor and Murphy were both at her side in an instant, Murphy putting a hand up t' hold his brother back until the little one realized where she was and who she was with.

She launched herself, surprisingly, at Murphy. "Can I sleep with you guys or is he going to get weird?" she asked in a terrified shaking voice

"Aye, y' can sleep atween us." Murphy said cuddling the trembling little girl "Why would y' think he'd get weird?"

"So fussy. He might go purple and make weird noises again."

"Aw fer--"

Murphy choked trying not to snicker at the little girl's too serious and still shaken words.

Connor slapped his twin up the back of the head. "Yer as bad as he is, y' little monkey. Now let's get settled in, aye?"

She was still trembling as the twins curled around her protectively murmuring reassurances that no one would get her while she was with them.

Connor kissed the top of her head once she was back asleep. "Sleep well, little one."

~*~*~

"FFaith. Boys." Doc called out as they entered McGinty's Saturday Morning.

"Hi Uncle Joe!" Faith ran over to him giving him a hug. "Look at my new coloring books!"

"Bboys, Mmmaggie's got a spot of tr-FUCK-Trouble. Could y' watch Faith tonight?"

"Aye, n' problem. Y' want we should keep her now or come back an fetch her around' four or so?"

"Lllater's fine."

Faith ran and gave them each a hug.

"Maybe we c'n go see a movie t' night?" Connor suggested.

"Aye what y' think, angel?"

"Make sure it's a baby movie so he don't go makin' funny noises and goin' purple," Faith said seriously to Murphy.

"Aye, I will," Murphy nodded.

Connor rolled his eyes and laughed. "Y' two are terrible! Doc they're gangin up an' pickin' on me right an' left"

"Aye, we are, but I like havin' someone t' help gang up on y'," Murphy grinned. "Whenever y' need just holler. Miss Faith an' I have a lot of fun makin' Connor turn purple an' make funny noises."

"Gaelic not funny noises an y' bloody know it too, y' brat, Murph."

Doc chuckled with a grin nearly splitting his face and stuttered his way through a way too amused lecture about Faith and Murphy not picking on Connor and Connor and Murphy not setting a bad example for Faith. And they all needed vegetables for supper.

~*~*~

"Y' know y' just volunteered us fer a fuckin' lot of babysittin Murph. Specially if Maggie landed herself in lock up for the weekend. She might not even get bail hearing til Tuesday late with Memorial Day an' all. An' probably more whenever Doc gets the little one dumped on him while they're in Boston."

"Aye, y' mind?"

"Fuck no. Better Doc 'n' us than whatever scum that bitch might leave the little aingeal with." Connor lit two cigarettes and handed one t' Murphy. "Vegetables probably wouldn't kill us."

"Know any where that serves vegetables?" Murphy frowned.

"Unless y' count tomatoes and onion on a burger or French fries, no."

Murphy looked at Connor a bit amazed but, no, he couldn't think of anywhere either. "Better find a place if we're babysittin'," Murphy said at last.

"Aye. Got t' be a deli or diner somewhere that's decent enough an' no' gonna bankrupt us that has somethin' half decent and vegetable like."