Realistic or Modern A Family Affair: The Irish Mob - IC (Ended)

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

Sinead sat back on the couch, practically sinking into it. Whilst Peter when to fetch himself some drinks, she sang along to the music whilst fumbling around to loosen the straps of her shoes. She grumbled a little about chopping her nail polish before she'd finally sorted her footwear out to ease the rubbing on her ankles. She looked up in time to see her husband returning and she smiled brightly in his direction. "You're trying to catch up to me," she teased Peter, pointing to his drink.

"Petey..." Sinead replied, when he spoke her name. She sat forward when he said he had something to tell her. She was intrigued and wished to make sure she could hear him properly over the music. "How could you possibly ruin this for me?" she asked, placing her arm around him and resting the side of her head on his shoulder.

She sat up straight when he scratched the back of his neck. She looked to his face as she tried to make out his expression. He seemed uncomfortable and she squinted as if to make sure it wasn't her mind playing tricks on her. "You're our world too, sweetie," she softly reassured him. Though the alcohol was clouding her mind a little, it wasn't enough to stop her from feeling concerned about where he was going with this. What if he didn't want to be with her anymore and embarrassing him tonight had been the final straw? As he explained he wanted to provide for the family, she was about to tell him he already did and she couldn't ask for anything more of him. Then he admitted he'd taken back his job with James. The colour fell from her face just as fast as her smile left her. She removed her hand from Peter's shoulder and tightly folded her arms as if to comfort herself.

"We have the jazz club," she told him, her eyes fixed down to her feet on the floor as she tried to process everything. She bit her bottom lip as if the action would stop the rogue tears from running down her cheeks. She knew things had been too good to be true, that they couldn't really be so happy. Well, she was happy, but Peter said he didn't feel like a man and it upset her to know he had to feel that way. Were she not intoxicated and this not her sister's party, she would have rushed over to James to have it out with him. No doubt she still would, when sober.

Sinead eventually looked back to Peter, her black mascara now running down the sides of her face along with her silent tears. "Why would you do that? What James does is dangerous and you'll get hurt. How would I ever explain to the kids if you... if..." She looked away again, resting her elbows on her knees so she could hide her face in her hands. She knew Peter didn't like her mentioning Angel and she understood that. However, he was dead because he chose a dangerous lifestyle and she believed she'd failed Savannah by never making Angel turn away from crime. She'd tried so hard to keep Peter away from the Porters' risky activities, but she felt she was now failing him too. "You're going to get yourself hurt. Killed." She brought her face back into view again and shook her head as she looked Peter in the eyes. "You can't do it. You have to go tell James you've changed your mind!" she firmly demanded. Her heart was racing in her chest as her anxiety set in.

Bellz (Peter)

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy

Jackson had since sat down from the initial drinking and dancing, resting on the bar chair and puffing to regain control of his breath. Jackson's alcohol tolerance had proven to be an asset tonight, for his speech was still somewhat coherent and he could still control his movements. Usually, he knew he had drank too much when his cockney accent was too thick for anyone to understand. People ,however, were still nodding along and responding to him without difficulty, so he knew he was still below his limit. His eyes traced to Fallon on the outskirts of the party, smiling as he beckoned her over with his hand.

"How ya' holdin' up, beautiful?" He asked with a smile, slightly wavered by his tipsiness. A lot had happened since he last saw her. The Ballymun brothers were disruptive pricks, the shops around the block were nice and tidy, and Alec Finnegan was still the local pompous tailor. He didn't like to discuss his professional life with her, seeing as he didn't get enough time with her as it was. When she was around, everything was perfect.

He held both of her hands and slightly pulled her in, placing a soft kiss on her lips. "My killer dance moves make up for the beginning of the night?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. Looking down to her hands, he noticed the delayed blurriness, finding it hard to focus. "Hm, maybe i'm more plastered then I thought I was. Hope I didn't embarrass you too much, love." Despite his impaired vision, he still couldn't help, but admire her beauty - even after they had been dancing for the past hour. "What'd you say we head on home? The more comfortable I get in this chair, the more likely I am to pass out in it."

nymphadora. (Fallon)

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan

Peter physically winced at the instant reaction that Sinead had to his words. Her face dropped and those big doe eyes that James had warned him not to let control him were now watering with tears and he couldn't look away. He stared at her wide eyed, trying to maintain the appearance that he had nerves of steel. He was a man for god's sake, he shouldn't be cowering in fear of his wife's reaction, she was half his size. Yet as he continued to be captured by that wide eyed stare, he couldn't pull away. She mentioned having the jazz club, and Peter frowned, it wasn't enough for him...it wasn't the life he had grown so accustom to over the last 10 years.

"I know Tink...I know.." He murmured softly, having to tear his eyes away from hers now, feeling himself breaking under the innocent pressure. His hands shook slightly, trying to keep himself together, bringing the drink to his lips, he swallowed it in one gulp. It grated on his nerves instead of sedating them and he ground his teeth as he tried to not think about his wife who was now crying in the middle of a party and looking like a puppy who got hit in the face. "Sinead please let me-" She cut him off with her soft spoken words. He listened silently, looking back up at her eyes, seeing the black under them.

"My love, I know the risks involved in this...I know what could happen to me. But its not right that James has to do this on his own, its unfair that your sister has to go through this while you live always knowing. Lucy has been doing this for years and your mother has been doing it for much much longer, you are a strong woman Sinead. I promise that I will take care of myself." He told her as he set the now empty glass down on a nearby table. Turning back to her, he took her hands and kissed them both as she firmly demanded he tell James that he changed his mind. "You know as well as I do that I can't do that now Sinead...please love, I will be okay. I love you so much. I want to ensure you and the family are safe...and this way I can."
______________________________________________________
With: Sinead Misty Gray Mentions:

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

Sinead observed Peter as he told her he knew the risks. Her jaw tightened when he mentioned James had to do it on his own. She felt angry with her brother-in-law for letting Peter do this. She closed her eyes as her husband spoke about Lucy and her mother having done it for years. She felt there was a difference between them and her, that they had let their husbands live the lives they did. "I'm sure my daddy promised mum that he'd take care of himself. But he didn't, because he's dead - I saw it happen. Savvy thankfully doesn't remember, but she was nearby when I saw her dad die. As for James... For someone who preaches about the importance of family so much, he's doing a good job at hurting ours," she told him, the anger beginning to creep into her voice.

"Why do you boys have to be like this? You are a man and you don't need a gun in your hand to prove that. You're a great father and an amazing husband - that outweighs any of that gangster rubbish." She almost cracked when he told her he loved her, but this was pushed back as she shook her head at him saying he wanted to ensure her safety. "I've felt safer every day you haven't be out on the streets putting yourself in danger."

Sinead pushed herself up onto her feet and made an attempt to storm off but was hindered as she lost balance and had to place her hands on Peter's shoulders to catch herself. She took a deep, desperate breathe as looking into his eyes almost caused her to burst into tears. "I want to go home, Petey. Please can we go home now?" she pleaded with him. She wasn't sure she'd make it across to their house without falling. Also, no matter how upset she was, she didn't want to turn her back on Peter and go to sleep on her own. The niggling part that resided in the back of her mind was chipping away at her and threatening her with the upsetting thoughts that they wouldn't get many nights together now.


Bellz (Peter)

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan

Conor laughed at Finn's comment about being tipsy. "Tipsy, yeah right, mate. You're wrecked," he teased his cousin. He paused as he realised he hadn't spoken with his younger sister all evening. Hopefully she was too "tipsy" to remember!"

Conor watched on as Finn spoke to Michelle with an excited tone, glad he was back and likely to be in the girl's life too. At mention of his "girlfriend" wanting him to see the mess inside, he was caught off guard a little, wondering who exactly Finn meant. Was he referring to Aliana? He sent an awkward glance Alex's way but soon recovered himself when Finn elaborated. "Oh, my sweet Jackson," he played along. "We all know the lady on his arm is just there to make me jealous," he joked. He then nudged Finn's arm in response to his cousin's clumsy punch.


neverbackdown (Michelle, Alex) Bellz (Finn)


Thomas Dempsey

Tommy caught Ali's sarcasm and immediately concluded he needed to help her enjoy herself, with the assistance of more alcohol. He nudged for Mallory to join them as he followed Ali inside. He scanned the inside of the house and let out a whistle as he surveyed the mess. He made a mental note to steer clear of the house for as long as he could tomorrow, so he didn't get roped into helping with the clean-up operation!

James and Lucy seemed to be having a loving moment together, which he thought was sweet. When he noticed Peter and Sinead, things didn't seem so sweet. He hoped the couple were alright as he was really fond of both of them. Still, he knew not to get involved in any potential domestic, so he'd check on Peter tomorrow.

Tommy was pulled away from his gaze when Ali led him to the drinks table. He grabbed himself an empty glass and poured in a generous helping of brandy. He grinned as Ali handed a cup to Mallory but denied having any knowledge of the girl drinking. "I've seen nothing either. You enjoy to soft drinks, Mal," he said, with a devilish wink. He looked to Ali as she knocked back her drink. "Oh shit, is this a race?" he asked, before knocking back his brandy.


Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana) neverbackdown (Mallory)[/QUOTE]
​

 

[neverbackdown]

Alexandra and Michelle Romano
Michelle nodded her head “yeah we have to can we Mam?” She asked to which Alex nodded her head “off course we can” she just hoped her daughter didn’t keep this idea in her head, she hadn’t climbed in a while and knew she wasn’t as good anymore, she also felt a bit too old to be climbing things.

Michelle smiled as the man was introduced and greeted him in return “you’re funny” she said to Finn before putting her arms up happily in an exaggerated posture “I have so much family now” she exclaimed, seemingly quite content with tonight’s new. Alex was just glad the anger had passed and she just hoped that it stayed gone.

When Finn said Conor’s girlfriend was inside, she didn’t let any emotion cross her face and so no one would be able to tell how she was feeling or if it even bothered her but she had a feeling it was Ali, that was until Finn clarified that it was Jackson. She remained quiet still quite shocked by Fallon being jackson’s Lady. She was surprised having never heard of him or ever meeting him before, words would be had with her sister at a later date and that was for sure.

Alex looked up again when another person joined them in the garden. She recognized Eleanor straight away and sent her a friendly smile.

“Ah you did find Conor” Eleanor exclaimed her tone and slight wobble giving away that she was drunk. “And who is this adorable little girl” she asked crouching down beside the child “I’m Eleanor” she introduced herself. Michelle smiled at this new person “I’m Michelle” she greeted before confusion took over her face “are you family too?” She asked.
Eleanor was a bit confused by the question until it hit her that this was Conor’s mystery daughter. “I’m Finn’s girlfriend” she explained to the girl “so I’m not really family but” she stressed the but “I’m kind of like your aunt”. Michelle nodded her head understanding what Eleanor meant

Misty Gray Bellz

Mentions: nymphadora. Enzyme


(Mallory up later)​

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

From the side of her eye, she could see Sinead and Peter having what seemed like a heated conversation. She wanted to walk over to see what was going on but it wasn't her place. Besides, she was sure Sinead could not only handle it on her own, but would tell her all about during their recovery day. In the meantime, she was going to get plastered like everyone else. At first, her downing her drink was simply that; downing her drink. But when Tommy made the competition comment, she got excited and an idea.

Placing both of her hands on Tommy's shoulders, she gave him a devilish grin. "Oh, it wasn't before but now it is." Walking over to the table of cups and grabbed a few. She lined them up in groups of five on either side of the table and hummed while doing so. Ali was on a very special type of drinking mission and her mind was focused. She trotted back over to the bar and picked up two different bottles before settling on the dark whiskey in her right hand. She filled all ten cups up to the rim and looked at Tommy. "Alright, here's what we're going to do." Again she gave a devilish grin and a quick eyebrow raise before pointing at the cups. "We're going to race to see who can finish these five cups first, okay? Fairly simple game BUT, we are going to spin around for 5 seconds first and then drink." Shrugging her shoulders, she put a hand on her hip. "What do you think?" It was all apart of her ploy to get drunk of course, but she still wanted to have fun while she was doing it. What was the point in not doing so? ​

 

[Misty Gray]

Chapter 3: Not the Day of Rest
Sunday 4th October 1959
Late Afternoon/Early Evening - Mild, Dry
********************************

The Porter Residence

Spoiler: The Porter/Sullivan Residence

1. The largest house is where the Porters live. There's lots of guest rooms so family and friends can stay over - there's no better feeling than a house full of friends! There are also a couple of offices/meeting rooms for those all important business meetings. Let's not forget about that indoor swimming pool - the kids love that. There's also access to the rooftops, because everyone loves a good view... In reality, James loves a good vantage point for security purposes.

2. The smaller, but still fantastic, house is where the Callahans live. It's close enough to the safety and warmth of the Porters but gives the Callahans their own living space. There's still room for guests too.

3. By the main road there's the only two ways vehicles can enter and both have security gates which are kept guarded. Near to the Callahans' place there's a small building which tends to be where the guards can rest whilst remaining "on-call". This lifestyle requires high security and James Porter is a stickler for protecting his family!

4. Cut off from the right corner of the image are the stables, for the family's horses.

James Porter and Ciara Hennessy​

It was long past midnight when James finally got the guests to leave the party. His family and close friends were permitted to stay over. Some made it to their guests rooms and others ended up crashing out on the couch, too drunk to make it upstairs. James had practically carried a drunken Lucy up to bed to sleep off the alcohol. He was a little drunk himself and ready to just crawl into bed so he could get some much needed sleep. The next morning, he skipped his 5am workout in favour of staying snuggled up in bed with Lucy and recharging his batteries.

When James eventually rolled out of bed that morning, he remembered the state of the house and suggested to his wife that she left it a little while before venturing downstairs. Once showered and dressed, he headed downstairs to start cleaning up. The likes of Conor were still asleep in the lounge, whether on a couch or just curled up on the floor. James nudged them awake and made them help tidy the house. The Callahan kids made the mistake of excitedly running downstairs that morning, so they too were enlisted to help with the chores.

The rest of the morning had gone by smoothly. James was hoping Sean would be able to work on his Bentley today, seeing as the exhaust was in desperate need of replacing and James himself was lacking the time to commit to his precious vehicles. He had even less time when Ciara showed up on his doorstep and demanded a few minutes of his time.

"Before you ask, I don't know how Eli is doing this morning. I went straight home after leaving here," Ciara told James. She had her hands in her coat pockets as they walked around the garden out of anyone else's earshot. "We didn't get the opportunity to discuss business last night." She stopped walking and turned to face James. "The pressure is on for my colleagues and I to make an impact on the politicians ruining this city. The IWU have a protest planned and I would appreciate your help to make them hear us loud and clear." She removed her hands from her pockets so she could fold her arms. "I'm not asking you all to join us on the front lines, because we've both had that conversation before. What I am asking is for you to provide us with some resources which will aid us in making sure we're heard this time. I know you have something I need and what I need is some explosives."

"Absolutely not!" James immediately refused. "We've worked well together and I know we can continue to do so. But I will not be providing you with explosives. I can provide you with extra security and backup to keep the law from stopping your rally, but I won't give you tools as destructive as what you're asking for. The risk to innocent lives is more than I'm willing to take."

"Oh, Mr Porter. Nobody is going to get hurt or die. We're just going to make a point and cause a distraction long enough for us to do what needs to be done. You're right, we have worked well together. You know by now you can trust me." When James refused again, Ciara shook her head and made it clear she was disappointed. "I'm going to give you a little more time to think about my request. I think you underestimate me. I have more people around this city than you realise and the IWU is growing. I'd prefer for us to remain on good terms, because you're different to most of the others and I like what you stand for." She placed her hands in her pockets and was about to turn to leave when she looked back to James. "Your brother is a dangerous man and it's only a matter of time before he does something terrible. I'm just grateful my friends and I are there to keep him sane..." she trailed off. The last thing she wanted to do was use Elijah in all of this, but she knew it was only a matter of time before her hand was forced by those in her organisation. "Until tomorrow, Mr Porter," she said, before leaving the grounds of the Porter residence.

James returned inside the house and sat back in his now tidy living room. He already had enough on his mind today, most of all being the task he had to assign to Jackson, Peter and Tommy. He was expecting them to show up at the house soon so they could receive their instructions. He could have done without Ciara's irritating visit and her finally trying to cash in on their alliance, as well as attempting to use his brother if she didn't get what she wanted. He'd have to make sure Rudolph kept even closer tabs on the ammunition and explosives they had safely stored away.

For now, James wondered where his wife and kids were...

Mentions: Enzyme (Jackson, Elijah) Bellz (Peter, Lucy) neverbackdown (Mallory) nymphadora. (Delilah) RabbitQueen (Arlo) Shireling (Rudy)

Conor Sullivan​

Once Alex and Michelle had departed from the party, the temptation had been too much and he'd happily join Finn and Eleanor in getting drunk. He wasn't as drunk as he was known to become, but it was enough. He'd been warned by Tommy about Sinead seeming upset, so he'd made the decision to crash at Lucy's place rather than bothering the Callahans. Even when Conor woke the next morning, James told him to stay away from Sinead's place until he knew it was safe. As soon as he found out Peter had agreed to start working for James again, Conor agreed he didn't want to be around his little sister if she hadn't calmed down yet. Instead of that, Conor was forced into helping clean the house up. Afterwards, he ended up babysitting Savannah, Braden and Emery. Whilst it was nice playing outside and getting some air, he was exhausted. He also found himself wondering what Michelle was up to and what she thought of having him as her father. His mind then wandered to how Alex was feeling about all of this. In his efforts to try make his daughter feel comfortable, he was aware he hadn't been able to give much time to catching up with Alex.

As he sat on the doorstep with a napping Emery sprawled across him, Conor was mulling over his chat with James earlier in the day. Peter wasn't the only one James wanted helping out more and Conor had been given his orders to start pulling his weight again in the business too. Whilst he wanted to help his family out, he wished it wasn't happening right when Alex and Michelle had walked into his life. He wanted to give them some of his time and also try not to get into too much trouble, for the sake of being more than just a thug in his kid's mind.

Mention: neverbackdown (Alex, Michelle)

Currently Active Cast: Misty Gray Bellz neverbackdown Enzyme Melanin-Gxdess RabbitQueen nymphadora. ReverseTex Aoire Shireling

Everyone: Feel free to post a summary of the previous night before writing what they're up to now, writing an intro, etc. PM me if you want to discuss/arrange something for this chapter.
James and Conor are currently around the Porters place, open for interaction at the moment.
Peter, Jackson and Tommy will soon need to be making their way to the Porter house to discuss plans with James.
Currently holding off Sinead post so Peter can catch up. She will be heading to the jazz club later though, if anyone wants to be in that scene.
I intend for James to speak with Leo and Rudy individually at some point in this chapter too, once he's got the others off on their job!​

 

[Shireling]

Kieran Joyce
​

"Go in peace, and announce the Gospel of the Lord."

"Amen."


The small parish church nearest the Porter house was packed like a sardine can on the otherwise unremarkable Sunday, with half of the congregants being fairly well-off types and others being working class stiffs from the nearby shirt factory near the Pale. As the congregants filed out, Kieran remained alone in the sanctuary on his kneeling board, praying the Liturgy of the Hours with a small prayer book in his right hand even though he had since memorized the psalms by heart. After a long impromptu adoration, he was joined by a creaky-jointed old priest. He finished his prayers and they began to talk.

Spoiler: Conversation

"Rare to see a young man so prayerful," remarked the priest, "should I be worried?" He added the last part in jest.

Kieran smiled good-humoredly, glancing up at the tabernacle and the crucifix before averting his eyes again. "No Father, I wouldn't set yourself to worrying."

"An American?" Questioned the priest.

"New York. I'm in town a year and a half, maybe. Family guest of the Porters and the Callahans."

The priest nodded knowingly. "I don't have to tell you what they say about your folks."

"No," replied Kieran, "I knew it all."

The priest nodded again. "Do you feel unsafe?"

"Maybe," he admitted, "but God never calls us to be safe, or comfortable. Pardon me, I don't think I've introduced myself. I'm Kieran Joyce."

"Father Hamitsch," replied the priest as he looked around the sanctuary while thinking of a reply. Kieran beat him to it.

"I'm thinking of joining the priesthood."

The priest nodded. "So there it is. Why?"

Kieran paused. "I want to help people, do the Lord's work."

Hamitsch sighed, "Yes, but why as a priest?"

Kieran followed his gaze, looking all around the simple but beautifully decorated church. "I'm not sure. Because my mentor was a priest? Because it's what I feel I would be good at?"

"I didn't mean to interrogate you, Brother Kieran," the priest replied softly, "just...think about it. I'll pray for you."

Kieran nodded once in the affirmative, and rose from his kneeling board, "Peace be with you."

"And with your spirit."

The words of the old priest reverberated in Kieran's mind as he left the church, climbed into his Bentley alone in the parking lot, and drove back to the Porter house, catching Ciara on the way out and wondering what she could possibly be up to. As he entered the house he noticed it had been tidied up since he had left that morning for church. He was terribly hungry, but when he noticed James he decided it would be more polite to offer to prepare something as a late lunch.

"Hallo, Mr. Porter," he said, coming in tipping his hat after he had hung up his coat and rolled up his shirt-sleeves. He was still fairly formally dressed, coming from service, with a red tie, navy pin-striped pants, suspenders, and polished brown oxfords. His russet red hair was glossy with hair wax. "Pardon, have you had lunch? What about the children? I was just thinking to make a pizza."

Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Thomas Dempsey​

Tommy had stayed sober for the largest party of the party, but he ended up making up for that when he and Aliana started throwing whiskey down their throats like it was nothing. After their so-called drinking race, Tommy then moved onto the nice bottle of brandy that had been staring him in the face. He'd always been a lover of brandy so he wasn't going to resist its tempting charms. Much of the following hours were a blur. He vaguely remembered Ali heading upstairs to crash in one of the spare guest rooms. He himself had been distracted by Conor and Finn. Ask him what that important distraction had been and he wouldn't be able to recall it. All he did know what that he woke up a few hours later, fast asleep on the carpet.

Tommy had woken up on the floor before James had made his way downstairs, so the young man took the opportunity to make a quick escape. As far as he was concerned, he'd worked overtime last night, doing his usual job and babysitting the sweet kids. He wasn't getting dragged into cleaning up after the messy adults too.

After spending a few hours sleeping in his own bed, Tommy knocked up a pretty appalling meal with what little food he had in his apartment. He was so used to dining out or eating on the go that buying groceries wasn't one of his priorities. In the afternoon, he'd received a call from James asking him to be over at the house and to wear something smart. It was a rare request which left Tommy very curious. It seemed he would been taken away from guarding the Porter home again. On the plus side, something about wearing a suit didn't scream 'go smash up some shops' to him.

Tommy eventually arrived at the Porters place and parked his blue Chevy covertible in the driveway. He was a little early so decided to loiter outside a little and take in a some fresh air whilst polluting it with the his cigarette's smoke. He wondered what state Aliana was in today and couldn't help but smirk at the thought of how much she had to drink. He was also curious as to how Mallory was, having lost track completely of how much she was drinking.

Mentions: Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana) neverbackdown (Mallory)

James Porter​

James was silently debating the pros and cons, as well as logistics, of trying to get Elijah out of the hands of the Irish Workers Union. He'd been cautious of Ciara's motives around his brother before, but now he was certain she could be a risk to Elijah if she chose to be. He didn't want his brother locked up again and he certainly didn't want him being used to hurt his own family. But handing explosives over to Ciara was hardly a thought that filled him with confidence either. Whilst he didn't have her down as a mass murderer and for the most part believed her when she said there would be no casualties, he knew explosives presented risks outside of her control.

James was broken from his thoughts by the sound of Kieran greeting him. He stood up so he could speak on the man's level, briefly observing his smart attire. "Lunch?" James asked, laughing. "I didn't get time for lunch, after cleaning up after the animals I invited to Lucy's party," he joked. "I think you had the right idea leaving the party early, mate," he added. He'd given the Callahan kids brunch, but anyone else he decided was old enough to fix something up for themselves. "I think we're all running behind schedule today," he observed. "I think pizza sounds like a great idea. The kids would love that too," he agreed. James would walk into the kitchen with Kieran, showing him around the place so he could find everything he needed to make the meal.

"Have you been to church this morning?" he asked, deciding to go ahead with the assumption that the man would surely attend on a Sunday. James didn't like small talk, but considering he still didn't know much about Lucy's cousin, it had a purpose for him to do it. "Hopefully you weren't kept awake too much? I don't normally let everyone loose in my home and after cleaning the place up, I know why!"

Shireling (Kieran)
Mention: Enzyme (Elijah)

 

[Shireling]

Kieran Joyce
​

"Yeah, I came from service." He said, following behind James. Almost immediately upon entering the kitchen he began taking olive oil, flower, corn dust, and other assorted ingredients from the nearby cabinets. Rolling up his sleeves, he mixed several ingredients into a bowl and began beating them with a whisk. For "air" he added a bottle of Guinness to the mix as well, assuring him that it would be fine for the kids to eat it. As he worked he talked.


"Nah, I had no trouble sleeping," he added, "I had enough wine to put me into a midnight euphoria, if you will." He said with a grin. He was now placing the dough under a towel on the counter as he mixed another blob of dough. He turned back to James.

"I learned to make pizza from my friend's mother, Hector Delarosa. Momma Delarosa was constantly saying, 'Oh, you look so thin! You need to eat!' Ha! You know how Italian women are. Always in the kitchen."

He set aside his second lump and took out the first, beginning to flatten the dough and toss it. "I hope you have tomato sauce, otherwise this is going to be a Greek pizza," he said jokingly.

Misty Gray

 

[neverbackdown]

Mallory Porter ​

Mallory had gotten quite drunk the night before along with Ali and Thomas however she was able to control her appearance from experience and to anyone else she wouldn’t have seemed as bad as she was. This appearance slowly fell however as the party finished and she stayed up to party with Eleanor, Finn, Thomas and Conor but after a few falls, Mallory decided it was best to get her self to bed.

Mallory woke up the next morning with very little memory of going to bed or the few hours before that. Cringing she sat up in her bed and sighed as her head began to hurt. This was the worst possible part of alcohol, the hangover afterwards always made it seem less fun. Mallory pulled back the covers and looked at her legs, she had a lovely new bruise on her hip from bumping into the table but the big bruises on her left leg and arm she had no idea about but usually they were a sign of a good and very messy night.
Eventually Mallory pulled herself from bed and threw on a pair of shorts and a jumper before making her way downstairs. She guessed it was after lunch time and so was surprised there was not more action going on downstairs. She walked in and dropped herself onto an armchair before realizing there was someone in the room, Mal turned her head to see Conor sprawled out on the couch with Emery and smiled “how are you?” She asked. There was more behind this question then a general: how are you feeling and she knew Conor would pick up on it, now if he would actually answer her was the question

Misty Gray

Mentioned: Bellz Melanin-Gxdess

 

[neverbackdown]

Alexandra and Michelle Romano ​

Alexandra and Michelle left not long after Eleanor and Finn had joined them outside. While Alex would have loved to stay, she needed to get Michelle home and she knew Michelle needed sleep especially after all the revelations she had received that night. On the way home Michelle asked various questions about Conor and the Sullivans and Alex answered them as best as she could but she knew there was still stuff Michelle couldn’t understand herself.

Alex woke the next morning to see Michelle sitting up staring at her “what do you want” Alex groaned and Michelle laughed as she began to jump on the bed “foooood” she chanted. Alex sighed before sitting up and throwing the covers over Michelle. She was glad she hadn’t drank last night given that Michelle was clearly full of energy this morning. Alex made them breakfast and watched her daughter as she ate and coloured, it was hard to tell what Michelle was really hard to tell how Michelle felt about this whole thing, like Alex , Michelle tended to hold back certain emotions and was always impossible to read, she just hoped that her daughter was ok with what she had learned.

“Why was Fallon there? Did she know them too?” Alex broke out of her thoughts when Michelle suddenly piped up with this question “eh yeah well she was there with Jackson, Conor’s friend” Alex explained. She had completely forgotten that she had seen Fallon last night and the two needed a chat whenever she came home.

Mention: Misty Gray nymphadora.

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor had decided to take Emery inside rather than leave her snoozing outside in the dropping temperature. Savannah and Braden seemed happy doing their own thing, so he left them to play outside. Emery stirred a little but when Conor sat down on the sofa, she made herself comfortable again and fell asleep snuggled up next to him. As he looked down at his youngest niece, he couldn't help be think of how much he'd missed of Michelle's life already.

Conor watched as Mallory entered the room and sat in one of the armchairs, he grinned at her when she eventually realised she wasn't alone in the lounge. "I'm good. How about you, little piss-head? What time do you even call this?" he asked, chuckling to himself. He knew her question was about more than how he was following the party and decided not to ignore it any longer. "Still surprised, I suppose," he told her, slowly nodding his head. He gently stroked Emery's curly hair as he tried to make sense of his jumbled thoughts. "I never expected to see Alex again and I certainly never expected to have a kid of my own. All of a sudden it's not just your old man relying on me, but I need to figure out how not to mess up a little girl's life too." Looking after his nieces and nephews was easy because he could hand them back to their parents and only a little of the responsibility was on his shoulders. Michelle was different.


neverbackdown (Mallory)

James Porter​

James listened as Kieran spoke and was happy enough to just listen as he put away the cleaned glasses that had been drying off by the side of the sink. By putting away, he was very precisely placing them in straight and perfect lines. It felt better to be piecing his house back together after the disorder of the previous night. It felt good to have some order to distract from the the control that was potentially slipping through his fingertips. The cops, the Russians and now the IWU were presenting themselves as potential issues for the business, but mostly as possible threats to his family.

When Kieran spoke of Italian women, James turned to face the man. "Yes, I've heard they like to keep their families well fed," he told him. "My own mother is Italian," he informed the newcomer. "But I never really got to experience her cooking. I was two when she was dragged away back to Italy. Didn't see her again until I was 27 and I guess by that point I was doing a decent enough job of feeding myself," he remarked. He was then only 28 when he told Rayna she was safer returning to Italy. Lucy's words the previous night had stuck with him and now he was struggling to ignore that he did want to see his mother again.

"As it happens, you're in luck!" James said as he opened one of the cupboards and retrieved the tomato sauce from inside. " He placed it on the worktop in front of Kieran. "Need anything else?" he asked.


Shireling (Kieran)

 

[Shireling]

Kieran Joyce
​

"I think that about covers it," Kieran said as he pulled a block of cheese out of the cupboard, peeled back the wax, and started grating it into another bowl. As he worked he whistled a tune, specifically My Old Kentucky Home and ran the cheese back and forth over the grater. Kieran had surprisingly powerful arms and hands (although not comparable to James), a fact often obscured by his humble demeanor, litheness in movement, and his preference for more loose-fitting clothes. He leaned to his left and turned on the stove before going on to heavier topics.


"I'm sorry about your mother," he began, before switching gears, "I think you know that it's no secret to me what kind of business you're in and the sort of ways you make your money, Mr. Porter. I don't say this to throw stones," he turned with a severe, serious expression before returning his eyes to the cheese, "I just want you to know, people are scared out there. They hear about clandestine murders and killings, they don't think that they're safe because they're not mixed up in dirty money. They get afraid thinking, 'Will that happen to my children? Will that happen to me?' Lots of these folks fought in the war, and survived, and they come home and get upset because they would rather face a German gun that a dagger in their sleep. I'm not saying it's your fault people think that way, only that's how they think. Do with that what you will, Mr. Porter."

Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

As soon as Kieran's face turned serious and he mentioned the business, James' own casual expression turned to his familiar frown. The man's words about people being scared grated on him, especially the implication that the Porters were the source of people's fears. He couldn't help but shake his head and briefly look up towards the ceiling.

"I wondered how long it would take for you to start passing judgement." James stepped away a few feet and casually leaned back against the worktops. The last thing he wanted was for his words to be belittled or misunderstood by Kieran feeling at all intimidated. Still, he looked to the man as he spoke. "Now, I don't claim to be a good person or an innocent one. I know if your friend up in the sky turns out to be real, I won't be going anywhere near Heaven." He paused for a moment to remind himself the man in front of him was entitled to his opinion. He would continue to speak calmly. "I can tell you that there are worse people out there than me and they would not hesitate to hurt those innocent people, nor would they lose sleep over hurting children. Whilst my methods against this country's rats aren't saintly and my morals are questionable, I've done more to help the little people than even the police here have. In fact, I'm struggling to think of much that the church has done to help those who need it. You'll do better than to lecture me about subject I already know of. I can think of audiences who you would be better directing your words towards."


Shireling (Kieran)

 

[Shireling]

Kieran Joyce
​

Kieran shook his head, "You miss my meaning, Mr. Porter." He brushed aside James's more brash, knee-jerk reply. "I'm not saying you haven't done good things for the people of this nation, Mr. Porter. I'm saying they're scared. Not necessarily because of you, but because of circumstances. Policemen, sworn to protect, often guard the interests of whoever lines their pockets. Marxists and anarchists are running amok all over the continent. And when the pendulum inevitably swings the other way, the first person they will look to throw to the wolves will likely be you---just by the nature of your profession."

Kieran began spreading the sauce in circles over the dough, not really agitated just disappointed that James had become so defensive when he was trying to give him advice, for his own sake and for his wife and children.

"The reason I bring this up in the first place is because I saw Miss Hennessy on the way out. I figured, a woman like that visiting a man like yourself wants something---something that will help her cause. I can't guess what she asked you to do, but I'm sure it carries risks. Risks that, if not for your own sake then for the sake of your wife and your children, I would advise you against. I know it is not my place. I am not your consigliere as it were, but you have a lovely family Mr. Porter. I wouldn't want to see what's been done in America to the Cosa Nostra done to you." By this, he referred to the US government's crackdown on the Italian mafia out of New York a few years ago, a crackdown that left the families of NYC in utter ruins and the leaders dead or in prison.

Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter

Lucy woke up the next morning, unable to remember what had happened at first. Seeing James next to her, and the light coming from the window suggested he had missed his morning exercises and decided to stay in bed. Lucy didn't mind, squinting at the bright lights, the pain to her head was irritating and she groaned out slightly as she grabbed it with one hand. James stirred and woke up as she laid there and suggested hanging out upstairs before heading downstairs, Lucy wondered how the downstairs area looked after the party the night before, since everything was still fuzzy to her...she was sure it was a mess.

The blonde ended up falling back asleep for a while, waking up a few hours later. By the time she was showered and dressed for the new day it was almost noon. She had spent the rest of the time tidying up the bedrooms that had been used the night before and making sure that everything was back in its place before finally heading down stairs. Her head was still hurting quite a bit as she walked down the last steps, but it would have been a complete was of a day to spend in bed. Considering that it was late afternoon, her day was already almost gone. The house was quiet and she wondered where her children and husband were as she walked about the place. Raising an eyebrow as she walked through one of the living rooms to find Mallory and Conor conversing whilst Emery was asleep. She offered them both a small smile as she stopped a moment in her searched for others around the house. "Good...." Lucy paused a moment looking out one of the windows, it was getting darker out now, the sun lowering itself in the sky. "Afternoon." She murmured lightly before looking over at Mallory who actually looked worse than she did.

"Have fun last night Mal?" Lucy asked her daughter, the look on her face making it clear that her daughter may have taken it too far. However, she was being a bit of a hypocrite considering she could only remember a few key events from last night. The new engagement ring on her finger caught her attention and a small smile appeared on her face, at least she remembered that. "I hope you didn't have too much to drink."

______________________________________________________
With: Mallory + Conor neverbackdown ; Misty Gray [/b]

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James listened as Kieran said he'd missed his meaning. He preferred the direct approach. "The people are right to be scared and if I backed out of this now, they'll have even more to worry about, believe me." He nodded at the man's warning about being thrown to the wolves. "Oh, I'm aware of that. it's one of the many things that keeps me awake at night, but not currently a priority. This isn't as simple as just leaving the city and starting a new career - there's no way out that would secure my family's safety."

He stood straight at mention of Ciara, flashing a knowing smirk int he man's direction. "I assume you had the joy of meeting Miss Hennessy last night?" he asked. "Everything Ciara does is aimed at helping her cause. You're right to assume what she asked of me carries risks and ones I'm not willing to take. So you can rest easy, because I refused her request, in no uncertain terms." James reached to the side and retrieved a green apple from the fruit bowl, taking a bite out of it. After chewing and swallowing what was in his mouth, he looked back to Kieran. "She doesn't like being refused, which is why I don't have time to think about what might happen to us years down the line. I need to focus on what awaits us in the coming days or weeks. Ciara and her IWU friends are more dangerous than most people believe."


Shireling (Kieran)

 

[neverbackdown]

Mallory Porter ​

Mallory laughed when he called her a little piss head “just trying to take after my uncle and cousin” she joked referring to Conor and Finn. “And this is a respectable time to get up” she told him with a smirk. Even without drinking Mallory tended to sleep in when she could and so it wasn’t a new thing for her to be up at this time.

Mallory nodded when he said he was still shocked “it’s a big surprise that’s for sure” she agreed before going quiet to let him get his worries off his chest. “I think you’ll be a great dad Conor, you just need to stop beating yourself up and focus on the present” she told him as she bit her lip, she knew this wasn’t going to be easy for Conor but she truly believed that he could do it.

“Maybe this is what’s been missing for you, the thing you couldn’t place” she suggested, her mind drifted back to last night and she sighed “not to be a downer but your going to have to talk to Ali” Mallory told him with a frown. The last two statements probably showed that Mal picked up on more than she should but she believed it needed to be said.

When her mother entered the room, Mal looked up to her and smiled “morning Mam, how’s the head?” She asked with a slight smirk, knowing that she couldn’t get given out to without her mother being a hypocrite “too much but I blame Finn “ she answered

Misty Gray Bellz

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor chuckled when Mallory said she was trying to take after him and Finn. "Ah, well you're doing a good job of it, love." He shrugged his shoulders when she defended her waking up time as being reasonable. Who was he to judge? He spent most of his days falling into bed at sunrise and rolling back out of it past noon. Really, today's mid-morning wake-up had been a miracle for him, especially two days in a row!

Conor blushed a little when Mallory assured him he'd be a good dad. "I hope so, kiddo. I mean, I think I came good in my uncle duties for you and your siblings. And I love the little Callahan cuties too," he said, sending a fond glance in sleeping Emery's direction. "Only difference is, I get to leave you all with your parents when I'm bored of ya!" he half-joked.

When she suggested this could be what he'd been missing, he slowly nodded his head. He'd known long ago that Alex had left a gaping hole in his heart when they separated, but now she was back and Michelle was here too, he hoped they could help fix him. He hoped he could stop feeling so lost. Upon mention of him needing to speak to Ali, a puzzled expression crossed his face. He thought his talk on Friday would have been enough, but the fact his cousin had picked up on something told him all was not well. The last thing he wanted was to make Ali feel bad after all they'd been through together and as he considered her one of his close friends. "I'll talk to her again," he agreed.

Conor look up when Lucy entered, a playful grin crossing his face as he noticed she was looking a little rough herself. "Well, isn't this a turn up for the books? Conor Sullivan up and about before Lucy and Mallory. Ahh, this feels good," he teased them. He glanced to the window and laughed to himself. "I could understand in you'd been in bed with James all--" he began, but quickly stopped himself as he realised Mallory wouldn't want to hear such a comment about her parents.

He sat back and watched on as Lucy spoke to her daughter, making it clear she knew the girl had a lot to drink. He couldn't help but smile at seeing his sister and her daughter interact, glad Lucy and James had been able to find an alternative way of building a family of their own. He felt Emery moving and looked down to see her looking up at him. She asked for her parents as she tiredly rubbed her eyes. Conor pulled her up onto his knee and gave the child a hug. "Ah, I'm sure they'll come over for you soon. I think your mummy may have had a little too much to drink last night," he playfully told her, trying to cheer her up. He hoped Sinead and Peter were alright, especially after hearing how upset she'd been at the party. He wasn't taking sides on this one. He knew this was what Peter wanted to do and it's what James needed him to do. At the same time, he knew how much Sinead craved what she perceived to be a normal life. There was nothing "normal" about her life, but she had always refused to accept that. Conor just hoped the sweet couple weren't fighting over this.

neverbackdown (Mallory) Bellz (Lucy)

 

[Shireling]

Kieran Joyce
​

"Well, we'll leave it at that then, Mr. Porter. Just, in the future, remember that you're the head of the family. Whatever happens to Lucy or your kids is because of you, your responsibility." Kieran said with a sigh, putting the two pizzas in the oven, dusting of his hands, and looking at them proudly through the window.

"Well, those should be done in ten or twelve. Crust isn't too hard hopefully." Kieran murmured as he leaned against the counter-top and crossed his arms. "You know, Mr. Porter, I'm thinking of taking a trip soon to County Cork, visit some old, ancient haunts of the Joyce family out that way. Do you know of anyone who would make good traveling company? I hate to ride a long-ways by myself, I'm liable to fall asleep."

He looked towards James curiously.

Misty Gray

Rudolph Meyers
​

The seemingly-abandoned warehouse where the Porters stored their stockpiles of weapons and ammunition was tucked in the back corner next to a fishmonger, a shipwright's workshop, and a canning factory. To get to work unnoticed, Rudy and the men directly under him disguised themselves as workers: flat caps, dingy corduroy or wool pants, suspenders, work-boots, and old, coarse jackets, to blend into the crowd. They went in with the whistle at 8AM, walked in with a pack of workers, and broke off from the pack to slip into their usual haunt.

But today was Sunday, so the cannery was not open. He parked his car a ways away and walked so-disguised like a worker who had taken his day off to fish for crab in the harbor. As he walked into the old warehouse, he dropped his crabnets by the door and shed his coat to put on a shoulder-rig, into which he fitted his Browning Hi-Power after loading a magazine and checking the slide. The place was secretive, and relatively high security. He needed to be carrying at all times. Putting his coat back on, he went to the guard who had gone on shift that morning.

"Anything in the night? Curious fishermen? The like?"

"Not a soul," replied the guard.

"Good." Rudy took out his pocket-sized journal and began to take morning inventory. 46 Thompson submachine guns, three hundred full magazines of .45 auto ammunition, so on and so on. The last thing to check would be the explosives, which he carefully counted each day. In a back room, he took stock that the crates of dynamite in the left corner of the room had not been disturbed, the nails were still in the top. A good sign, but not foolproof. He motioned to a nearby guard, "Edgar, bring me a crowbar."

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy ​

Jackson hadn't had the chance to enjoy the rest of the night, instead collapsing onto his bed the moment Fallon released him. Despite recalling going to sleep fully clothed, he awoke in his briefs with a glass of water by the side of his bed. Shifting over on his side, he saw Fallon's figure fast asleep beside him. He was glad she hadn't left the drunk to fend for himself and decided to spend the night. Sliding the covers out of his way, he laid a kiss upon her cheek, hard enough to awake her. He smiled as her gaze met his, pulling her closer to him. "Mornin' love," He said with a toothy smile "Believe it or not, I sleep a lot better when you're next to me." He looked past her to the clock on the side bench. "Shoot, I was supposed to be at the Porters half an hour ago, so they should be expecting me in twenty," he looked back to her, softly kissing her lips.

Shifting his weight, he sat upon the side of the bed and rested his feet on the soft, carpeted floor. He let out an over exaggerated yawn as he stretched his arms to the side. He climbed out of the comfortable bed and sluggishly stood to his full height. He moved for the curtains, pulling them apart to allow the natural sunlight to fill the room. "Oh, look, Mrs. Rogers is up." He said to Fallon, waving to the elderly woman in the adjacent apartment. Quickly coming to the realization that he was basically naked, he slowly lowered his hand. "Right, well I just gave the poor oldie a premature heart attack." He closed the curtains and stepped over to the shower, letting Fallon get up on her own time.

The Cresta rolled down the gravel path, quickly consumed by the large shadow, casted by the Porter Manner. He parked beside the steps to the main door, before sliding out of the silenced car. Jackson covered his sensitive, hungover eyes with glasses and stepped up to the door. "Jeez, you lot sure know how to clean up," He said with a chuckle, closing the door behind him. He walked over to James, resting an arm on his shoulder. "I saw that sketchy Ciara girl driving off the property. She did not look happy, mate." He said, raising an eyebrow to him.

nymphadora. (Fallon) Misty Gray (James) Mentioned: Misty Gray (Ciara)

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James took another bite out of his apple, anything to keep him from wanting to tell Kieran to keep his mouth shut on the subject. He was fully aware that he was responsible for his family, which extended beyond Lucy and the kids to the rest of the Callahans and the Sullivans. Not to mention the fact he felt responsible for the likes of Jackson and Rudolph - people who he considered to be friends before employees. He really didn't need Kieran to tell him what he already knew. It was a burden he had taken on a decade ago when Conor struggled with the task of being responsible for the family. James swallowed the chewed apple and was glad for the change of subject. He didn't want to take his growing frustrations out on Lucy's poor cousin.

"Ahh, I'm sure Lucy and the others will love it," James said, about the pizza. "Make sure they get a look in before Conor. That guy has a big appetite," he remarked. Then the subject shifted to Kieran's thoughts of taking a trip and ideas for a companion. He wasn't really sure who he could suggest. Most people he knew had too many family or work commitments to be going off travelling right now. "Your aunt Shannon likes travelling around Ireland. You wouldn't want to fall asleep with her in the car, believe me. Scary lady, as I've said before."

James looked towards the door as Jackson entered the kitchen and spoke about the clean up. "Yeah, funny how those most responsible for the mess weren't around for the clean-up operation. Lazy shits..." he joked. At mention of Ciara, James' smile dropped. "When does she ever look happy?" He glanced to Kieran. The less the man knew, the better, for his own sake as well as everyone else's. "Kieran, mate. I need to speak with Jackson. You good in here?" he asked. "I think I heard Luce and Mal in the lounge. They'll be all over that pizza once they know you're making it."

James walked with Jackson back outside and looked him over. "Rough night, Jackson?" he teased. "You going to be alright working with Peter and Tommy tonight? You'll be leading things. I told them both to dress smartly too." He stopped walking and leaned against the wall which overlooked one of the flower beds. "Ciara came over here demanding I give some explosives to her. I flat out refused, but she wasn't happy, not one bit. I think we need to be even more cautious of her and the IWU these days. She made it pretty clear she'll use Elijah to get to me. Still, she thinks I'll back down and give her what she wants by tomorrow."

Shireling (Kieran) Enzyme (Jackson)

 

[Shireling]

Kieran Joyce
​

"Of course, Mr. Porter," Kieran granted and removed himself from the kitchen so James could conduct his business. He returned to the lounge where he smiled politely and waved at the assembly there. Lucy, Mallory, Conor, and Emery, a cute kid if there ever was one. He took up a spot on the sofa and wedged a cigarette between his lips without lighting it at the moment, turning to the assemblage.

"I put a few pizzas together, they're in the oven. Hopefully it will be enough to go around for some sort of...dinner, lunch hybrid I suppose?" He chuckled softly to himself. Kieran seemed a bit perturbed, like the calm of his demeanor was masking something melancholic just below the surface. But he smiled again.

Misty Gray neverbackdown Bellz