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

[Misty Gray]

Jared Armstrong​

Jared watched Faye as she sat on the desk and he took a step closer to her, watching as she smoothed out her dress. When she spoke of not wanting him to forget about his family, he revoked his last movement and instead took a step back again. He wasn't offended, but he was certainly taken by surprise at her comment. Had he really neglected his family enough for his wife to have such a concern. He let her continue speaking, so she could get everything off of her chest without him throwing her off course or leading her to keeping something inside. He wanted to know exactly how she was feeling about their situation. When she placed her hands on her lap, Jared took a step forward again and placed his hand on top of hers, softly stroking the skin with his thumb. She still had more to say, raising her concerns that it wasn't okay that she hadn't been able to reach him. With her arms opened out for him, Jared moved closer to Faye and embraced her tightly. He softly rubbed her back before pulling back slightly to look her in the eyes and tenderly kiss her lips. "I love you, Faye. My feelings for you are as strong as ever and I'm truly sorry I've made you feel otherwise. I thought I was balancing my family and business, but I see now that's not the case."

Jared broken away from the embrace, but remained standing close enough to Faye to rest his hands on the outer sides of her thighs and maintain eye-contact with her. "I think we're overdue a date night, aren't we? Next Saturday, the both of us are going to the coast. I'll book us into a hotel and also get us a dinner reservation. The next day, we'll do something with the kids. A nice family outing. Does that sound good, my love?" he softly asked her.

Faye's concerns had struck a chord within Jared and for the smallest of moments, he considered telling her everything. However, the sweet and kind woman before him could never understand the things he was doing to fulfill his ambitions. The people he had already hurt for the power he desired. Still, he felt he owed her some truth. Despite his secrets, his love for his family was genuine and Faye was the one person he could trust completely, the person who had always stood by him. He took Faye's hands and let out a low sigh. "I do have somethong to tell you and I don't know how you're going to take it..." he slowly began. "Something the commissioner and I have in common is that we want to put a stop to the organised gangs making Dublin a dangerous place to live. To make this city a safer place for the people, that means challenging the like of the Porters and putting as many of those criminals out of action as possible. I know it's dangerous - all we have to do is look at what happened to the commissioner today. However, I want the streets to be safer for us, Faye. I don't want to worry when Grace goes off partying with her friends and I want other families to feel that safety too." He looked to her face to gauge her thoughts on his words.

Bellz (Faye)

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor and Shannon Sullivan​

Shannon had stood at the back of the room when Conor first took Michelle in to see Alex. She had acknowleged to herself that she'd been wrong to assume the Romano woman had simply been messing Conor around and was useless enough to not even pick Michelle up from school. Whilst it didn't exactly make her want to forgive and forget all where the Romanos were concerned, she at least wouldn't speak ill of Alex whilst she was in such a bad condition. Whether it was for Conor's sake or simply her humanity, she found herself willing Alex to wake up and recover from her injuries. Whether she liked it or not, she could see how much Conor loved and needed Alex to pull through.

Conor had rushed out of the room after his daughter when she ran out in tears. He'd managed to talk her into going back into the room. When the child crawled onto the bed, Conor gently helped her, both to make sure she didn't fall but also to make sure she didn't disrupt Alex or any of the tubes that were attached to her. He sat on a chair next to the bed, resting a large, comforting hand on Michelle's back whilst holding Alex's hand with his other. Shannon took a seat at the other side of the bed, mostly observing the others unless she felt they needed her at all.

Shannon and Conor had been equally angered to hear about what had happened to Delilah, Leo and Tommy. Shannon herself was considering getting back involved in the business by this point, having never been shy of wielding a firearm. Conor had been torn between wanting to help James get revenge and wanting to make sure he stayed alive - or at least stayed out of jail long enough to support Michelle. All he knew right now was that he couldn't commit to taking on a job from James, but his boss understood completely.

After James had gone, Conor was snapped out of his thoughts at Michelle's question. "I don't think we should talk like that, Shelly. Your mum is going to fight this," Conor told the girl. "But... if she doesn't, nothing will happen to you. You will continue to live with me. Whether that's in James' big fancy house or a place of our own, you will stay with me. Well, unless you don't want to. I know my jokes are dumb, I'm messy and my cooking is shite, but I'm sure I can learn."

"Your dad's right, Shelly. You're stuck with him now, but you and I can whip him into shape." Shannon assured her. "You don't ever need to worry about things like that, kid."

neverbackdown (Michelle)

 

[neverbackdown]

Michelle Romano ​

Michelle sniffled as she wiped the remaining tears away from her eyes as her dad quickly answered her question, she turned to face him fully and nodded along to what he said “and don’t forget Rocco “ she said, “he might be old but he’s a good boy” she added with a sligh smile falling onto her lips for a slight second before quickly vanishing. “I’m messy aswell and i cant cook either so it’s ok we’ll learn together” she commented trying to crack a joke with her dad. “But you make a mean milkshake and that’s essential” she assured him with a small giggle in her voice.

The giggle intensified to nearly a laugh when her granny spoke up and Michelle looked towards her , a somewhat amused expression present on her face “you can live with us too and house train him” she giggled, a cheeky glint passing through her eyes for a few seconds.

Misty Gray

((Sorry I know it’s short))

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James listened as Jackson explained about him and Blake getting jumped. By now, it had become glaringly obvious that Jared had pulled out all stops to make his mark on the Porters and send a message. The IWU perhaps wanted James to cower down and stay out of their business, but those tactics wouldn't wash with him. They'd merely served to drag him out of potential complacency and give him motivation to respond in kind. "Well, as far as excuses for not being at the parade go, I guess I can accept that one," he flatly told Jackson, but it was clear he wasn't blaming him. "That was also a disaster, by the way. The commissioner got shot and I'm done making the coppers' job easier. Besides, the next mess Donnelly has to clean up might be one we've made," he remarked.

James then looked to Blake and studied her for a moment, trying to gauge how she was feeling in all of this. "And what about you, Blake? When those pricks dragged you away from Jackson, did they hurt you too?" he curiously asked. It wasn't that James didn't trust Blake, not specifically, but he didn't trust many people. He asked her if he could speak privately with Jackson for a couple of minutes, hoping his openness would reassure her not to take it personally.

James was glad to hear Jackson was willing to help get revenge and send a message back to the IWU. "This won't be a few bullets and a couple of dead pricks in the streets. We'll have to be a little more creative if we're going to make an impact on that smug Jared bastard... And this time, I'll be on the job with you. I'm not sitting behind that fucking desk any longer," he bitterly remarked. He would have never asked for the events of the last few hours, but he had certainly been growing bored of sitting back and giving orders to his men, even if he was in charge. This was something he wouldn't be staying out of. "Conor and Leo are obviously going to be sitting this one out, but I'm certain we can get Peter and Ryan in on this too."


Enzyme (Jackson) Bellz (Blake)

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor and Shannon Sullivan​

Conor couldn't help but smile when Michelle spoke about Rocco. It was the first genuine smile he'd shown since before his fight with Ryan, and Conor loved to be cheerful and joke around. "Ah, love. How could I ever forget Rocco? Of course he'd be staying with us." Conor glanced to Shannon with a devious twinkle in his eyes, one that she recognised all too well. "Your Granny Shannon is old too and we still keep her around, even though she's bad," he remarked.

"You cheeky f--" the woman snapped back. She stood from her seat and leaned over to slap Conor around the back of the head. "I'll get you back," she warned him. She sat back down and sent Michelle a reassuring smile. "I think we'd have our work cut out for us, Shelly. I've been trying to house train your dad since he was a kid and he just can't grasp it."

neverbackdown (Michelle)

 

[neverbackdown]

Michelle Romano​

Michelle bit her lip as an amused smile took over her features as Conor mocked Shannon “granny isn’t bad, she’s the best” Michelle chimed in to defend her granny, deciding the age comment was too funny to argue against especially when Shannon slapped Conor against the back of the head. It was clear to see that Michelle adored her grandmother, as did all the children. She found comfort in the woman and loved being around her company and in this moment she was beyond glad that she was here with them. Michelle was a smart child and was aware that for some reason her granny and mother did not get on but she wondered if her being here showed that maybe deep down Shannon liked her mother or if this was purely for her and her father’s support. Even though she was wondering this, Michelle knew better than to ask this right now.

With Shannon’s next comment, Michelle couldn’t stifle the giggle that erupted from her laugh “I suppose you can’t teach an old dog new tricks but I believe if you try really hard you might learn something dad” she laughed, a thoughtful yet devious graced her features, a look which Conor had just sent towards his mother was now being diverted towards him. “We could give you a treat everything you do a good job” she hummed to herself “but what does a grown up want?” She questioned more so to herself. Her mind darted back to Fallon and Her mother and how the two used to enjoy having a drink every so often in the house, Michelle fought back the immense sadness that she felt building up due to thinking off her mother and aunt, not allowing the tears that threatened to spill, fall out. “Alcohol” she announced suddenly as she clapped her hands together.

Misty Gray

​

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue​

Although the pain in his shoulders throbbed, Arlene's statement of taking care of herself brought a slight grin to his face. "I don't doubt it, Miss Sullivan. You've proven you're not to be underestimated, especially when it comes to talking yourself out of trouble, but I also hardly know anything else about the pretty little doll that just hit the beach a few hours ago. I'm not saying I can't handle yourself, but I'd rather not overestimate people because of words alone. Occupational hazard and all that." His words were matter-of-fact as he discreetly sized her up. She's definitely got the body of woman that could take of take care of herself and she's certainly collected event even with the events that happened in short order. It wouldn't be much of stretch for her words to be true or even a low ball estimate of her abilities. Ryan centered his gaze back on Arlene's face as he instinctively shrugged lightly, causing his shoulders to protest and releasing the grin from his features.

Ryan gingerly felt the inside of cheek with his tongue as he was reminded of the source of his pain. It wasn't something he wanted to talk about until he'd reviewed the confrontation on his own time. But since it seemed that they shared a common view on the subject, so he decided to share some of his experience in the form of advice. "Well, just don't bring up your aunt, Shannon. While I doubt he'll try to use you to reshape his car like he did with me, consider yourself forewarned." His hands clenched into fists for a few seconds as he replayed the fresh memory in his mind. Shaking his head slowly to shake the images loose and help put them away, Ryan turned away with slight wave of his hand to signify that he didn't want to continue on the subject. He stared at the street ahead as a thought slipped into his mind to replace the less desirable ones and Ryan debated saying it out loud for a few seconds before turning to face the blonde again. "I hope it was sea green, the color you picked out." Not being serious as he knew she was joking and so Ryan wasn't really looking for her to comment on the statement, as he started to continue walking back toward the general direction of the city centre.

Heading not back to the hotel entrance, but to where James had established a meeting point in front a pub, it didn't take long for Ryan and Arlene to get there, although it wasn't quite what he was expecting when he turned a corner that brought the place into view. He put his arm out in front of Arlene to stop her as though they were about to walk into a minefield. While this wasn't the case, the area was not a place that they wanted to go towards. Ryan scanned the area to take in as much information as he could before stepping back around the corner. Tommy's car had numerous bullet holes in it and the Gardai were on the scene taping the area off. While he had noted that he didn't recognize anyone that was walking about, the amount of people that had gathered and the fact that the Gardai were there meant that the danger had passed. Taking a second look to confirm that James' car was no longer parked nearby, Ryan assumed that he was there and was able leave freely. He looked at his companion as he stated the obvious if only to confirm they were both on the same page. "Looks like they ran into trouble, but James' vehicle isn't here, so he's come and gone. The police are already on scene, so it looks like we missed the party." He paused as he weighed their options and after taking a third and somewhat longer look, narrowed it down to one. "It doesn't look like they had to breakout the chalk, so everyone either walked away or we missed the medics. So it's probably best if we head back to the manor." Waiting a bit for confirmation, Ryan started walking the opposite direction of the pub while looking for a cab to hail.

Alexander Quinn Armstrong​

Quinn didn't know how long he'd been staring at the door while he was replaying the day's event's in his head, but his father's arrival abruptly snapped him back to reality. He was mostly relieved to see his father, alive and unharmed, as he responded to Jared inquiry. "As well as can be expected, Father. Mother and Lily are a little shaken but safe." He only nodded to confirm Jared assumption that the women were in the office before following his father. There was a moment of anger that surged while Quinn stared at the back of his father's head before it was quashed with disdain. Why wasn't he there with us, his family? Where was he when we needed him? He dismissed the thoughts as childish as they entered the office.

While Jared comforted Grace, Quinn's attention was partially on his mother that was sitting in his chair turned away from everyone. It concerned him that she'd been acting a little off lately. Although it wasn't directed at him, he did take some comfort from his father's words to his sister. Of course, he had questions, but they'd have to wait for a less emotionally tumultuous time, especially since Quinn and his sibling were being vacated from the office so their parents could have some privacy. He offered his arm for his sister for take hold of as they left. "Don't worry, we can go to the nearby cafe for tea if you like."

Misty Gray [Arlene + Jared + Grace] Bellz [Faye]

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana's small vacation away from Dublin was peaceful, to say the least. With all the drama and the secrets and the lies, a quick trip to see her mother in Limerick was calming. She dreaded the fact that she would have to return, but with all the dangerous events happening, she knew she couldn't leave Leo by himself too long. He hadn't wanted to tag along, wanting to stay and catch up with Delilah and be available to James should he need his help with anything.

The two of them still hadn't talked about it, Ali wanting to get advice from her mother before she did. "He's old enough to make his own decisions." Was all she kept telling her. Her mother, Tanya, was upset about the news, but she was a lot more understanding than her daughter. Leo was going to do whatever it was he wanted and that's the way he always was. It gave Ali a lot to think about on the train ride home. It would also give her and her brother a lot to talk about on the drive home. Except when she arrived at the train station, he wasn't there to pick her up like they had arranged. He was probably caught up doing something important and she rolled her eyes at the thought. Was this going to be a regular thing?

Taking a taxi to her home, she walked in through the doors and threw her bags on the ground. Her machine was beeping, indicating new messages and she started listening to them while putting away her things. The one that stood out the most was about Leo. The voice speaking was clearly concerned and speaking fast but she heard the words clearly. Leo had been shot. She didn't even listen to the rest, just ran out of the apartment and to the hospital. Thank goodness she was wearing comfortable clothes, since she wasn't about to wait for a taxi. Instead she ran to the hospital.

When she did arrive, she was out of breath and asking the nurse about the situation. After she was updated and calmed, she was directed to where Leo was staying but before she went to see him, she saw a glimpse of Tommy in another room with cops outside. "I'm here to see him." Watching the cops look at each other, she rolled her eyes at them. "I just ran from Limerick here I don't have time for your games either move or I'll move you." The cops hesitated before standing to the side and letting her in.

"I leave for a few days and you go and get yourself shot."
​

 

[Misty Gray]

Thomas Dempsey​

Tommy had woken up from his short sleep when the nurse came into his room to check his blood pressure. As she carried out her tests, Tommy looked away and set his eyes on the jug filled with water. He looked back to the raven-haired nurse and managed a small smile. "If I slip you a few notes could you smuggle some brandy into that glass for me?"

"I'm afraid not, Mr. Dempsey," the young woman told him. She unfastened the velcro to remove the cuff from around Tommy's upper arm, before pointing her fingers towards the window where the back of a police officer could be seen standing guard on the corridor. "I don't think I'd get it passed your friend out there," she observed. "Behave yourself and you'll be discharged before you know it," she assured him.

"Well, that's no fun..." Tommy trailed off and turned onto his uninjured side as the nurse left the room once again. A few minutes later, Tommy heard a familiar voice and quickly sat upright so he could see the woman in question. "Ali..." he greeted her with a sad kind of smile. Part of him wanted to laugh at her comment but the other part was worried about Leo. His feelings as a whole were torn and confused. He was happy and relieved to see Aliana, but at the same time felt guilty for not being able to protect her brother. "Have you seen Leo? How is he? Nobody's telling me anything and they're not letting me leave this room," he explained. He looked her in the eyes and let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry, Ali. I don't know why Leo or Delilah were out there, but I let them down. I should have been able to stop them from getting hurt. If anyone was going to end up in Leo's condition, it should have been me."

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Ali sort of kept her distance from Tommy, her arms crossed protectively. It wasn't because of him, of course, but hospitals made her weird. She spent enough time in them when she was younger. Seeing Tommy in the position he was in made her angry inside. Hopefully one couldn't tell by looking at her face but she knew with her luck, it'd be close to impossible. With a deep sigh, she shrugged her shoulders and bit her lip. "I haven't seen him yet.. I was walking by and happened to see you." With a slight hesitation, she walked closer to his side and shook her head.

So he was there when Leo had gotten shot. Even though a part of her wanted to yell at him for not doing more, she knew that it all probably happened so fast. That's usually what it was when it came to situations such as these; that was something she grew to know. "The only person who deserves to be in this position is the person who shot my brother." Her voice changed in that sentence, something sort of dark and malicious. She uncrossed her arms and placed her hand on his cheek. "I need to know who did this, Thomas." Her voice was barely above a whisper and starting to break. "This won't go unanswered." ​

 

[Bellz]

Faye Armstrong​

Faye let out a shaken but relieved sigh as Jared accepted her embrace before pulling her in for a tender kiss. Her eyes lit up as he reassured her that he loved her so, and that his feelings were as strong as ever. His apology was as sweet and genuine as could be and Faye found herself reassured by his words. The embrace was broken when Jared pulled away from it, but he remained close enough to feel his warmth as his hands rested on her outer thighs. Her hazel eyes looked into his as he spoke of going out on a date. She smiled widely at such suggestions, loving the idea of a family outing as well. ”Oh Jared that’s perfect!” She murmured as she placed her hands over his own on her thighs. Though she looked reassured and excited for such a weekend away with her family, something caught her eye about the way her husband had been looking at her now.

Faye’s brows furrowed with deep concern, as he held her hands now, her dainty hands completely disappeared in his large grasp. ”What is it Jared dear?” She asked, her voice shaking a little more now. They didn’t keep secrets, Faye could trust him with anything and he could do the same in turn. Faye said nothing else, allowing Jared to speak not wanting to jump to any conclusions. She stood still as he went on to speak about how himself and the commissioner had the same goals of ending organized gangs from making a dangerous place for Dublin to live. Faye understood him as he spoke of having to challenging the Porters. Jared knew the dangers of doing such a thing, as he spoke of, but her husband was the most ambitious man she knew. Biting her lower lip, Faye sat in silence again as she processed everything that he had just said to her. After what seemed to be a few long moments, she blew out a sigh, shaking her head as she smiled lightly, something that probably was an unexpected reaction to Jared.

She lifted his hands to her lips and kissed them sweetly before a smile grew on her face. ”Now what the hell am I suppose to say to such words.” She murmured teasingly, his reasons for what he was doing and why he was doing it was something that was hard to argue with. Faye appreciated his honesty, ”Thank you for telling me…” Her eyes looked towards the door to where their children had exited to the room. ”After what they saw today, after what I saw, I think its time you got those Porter’s under control.”

With: Jared Misty Gray
mentions:

Blake Walsh​

Blake sat up straight as James entered the room, nodding her direction before he turned his focus completely on Jackson. She stayed silent, unsure of what she would do in these few moments she had, needing to figure out what happened to her. Not what actually happened of course, but something that would keep her in the clear of being on Porter’s bad side. Now wasn’t the time for the truth but as she listened to the havoc that the IWU had also caused with Porter’s family, she wasn’t sure there would be any good time to say such things. Blake listened to Jackson relay what had went down in front of her apartment again, how he had been taken by Jared’s goons. Miraculously, he was still alive, which relieved Blake greatly but only left her now to worry about when he would find out. Her head automatically nodded as Blake silently replied to James’ comment about having her own score to settle. Playing the middle man was becoming too hard, too complex. She had a lot on the line now, and if she were to make one mistake, it would cost her too much. James and Jared were a lot more alike than they both would want to admit. Powerful, clever and family men, Porter and Armstrong were both worthy opponents and were going to shake Ireland to the core and past Dublin.

Jackson’s rage was clear as day as he tried contain it. He looked to James and claimed that enough was enough. His words rung true in Blake’s ears. You couldn’t fight fair with Jared. Her head looked down at her hands in her lap, blonde hair moving to cover her face. Her eyes looked to her left and saw a dark red color staining a piece of hair. If Jared or James didn’t finish her off in the end for such games, Jared’s men with Carter included had it out for her blood. When James spoke of the parade being a bust with the commissioner being shot, Blake’s head snapped up. Noting that she may have looked panic, she shook her head, ”You don’t say?” She asked softly feigning surprise at news of the commissioner being shot. James turned her way, causing her to force a neutral expression. She shrugged her shoulders when James asked if the men had hurt her, relieved that he didn’t press any further than that. ”Nothing I couldn’t handle boss.” She said, her tone cool but shook slightly, ”gave me a wicked hair pull, but I escaped quickly.”

The conversation moved on to what needed to happen next with Jared and the IWU. What Porter would need to be doing next with his men. Blake listened closely, noting things that could be of importance to her. Not that she was going to tell Jared everything. She had to save her own ass with at least some of the information. If Jackson was involved, she would do her best to steer Jared wrong so that the favor did not fall into his lap. ”You can count me in as well.” Blake spoke up, her head slowly turning to look to Jackson. ”I think I’ve gotten all the training I can get.” She knew that with her not being honest to Porter, she was dragging Jackson into deeper shit. Blake would make it clear that he didn’t need to keep such a secret if it was going to get him into more trouble than it was all worth. Jackson didn’t deserve what life had given him so far, he didn’t deserve her dishonesty and to suffer for her sake. He had a good thing going with the Porters, where she was nothing but trouble.


With: Jackson Enzyme ; James Misty Gray
mentions:

 

[Misty Gray]

Thomas Dempsey​

Tommy observed Aliana as she stood at a distance with her arms crossed. He couldn't blame her if she did want to stay away from him but at the same time, he hated the thought of her being angry or upset with him. He cared too much about her to think of her wanting to stay away from him. When she answered him to confirm she hadn't seen Leo yet, he awkwardly bit his lip. He hoped the lad was going to pull through, but he'd seen the condition he was in on the street and so he was genuinely worried that he wouldn't come out of this one. He could only imagine how upset Aliana would be upon seeing him.

Knowing his own gunshot wound was nothing serious in comparison to Leo's injuries, Tommy felt a little guilty for thinking of himself but still, he was relieved when Aliana finally walked closer to him. She assured him he wasn't to blame and that the shooter was the only one who deserved to be in Leo's place. "I know, but I just wish I'd tried harder to diffuse the situation," he admitted. The feel of Aliana's hand on his cheek was comforting, though he didn't have much time to overthink or indulge in the physical contact. "It was the same bastard who poisoned Sinead... He's hurt Sinead, Leo, Delilah... These people have no boundaries, Ali. We have to be careful," he tried to reason with her.

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[ElectricDandellion]

Lucy Porter and Finn Sullivan​

Finn had taken over from where Lucy had been, kneeling over Del lightly as he shifted through the items in his kit. Pulling on a pair of latex gloves with a snap, he looked to Del who was squirming around too much for him to get a good view of her injuries. ”Hey sweetheart, its alright, right now you don’t need to do a damn thing except lay back and hold still.” Answering the statement that had been geared Syd’s way. After making sure Del would stay still for him. Finn gently looked to her knife wounds on her stomach. ”IWU” was cut into her flesh carefully and it honestly made Finn sick to see; however, he sucked in a deep breath and continued to remain calm as he assessed how deep the wounds were. Lucy and James were watching him carefully, as he could feel eyes on the back of his head. ”Well,” Finn started as he turned towards the pair, also addressing Syd, ”The exterior lacerations on her stomach are shallow enough to where I don’t need to stitch it up, however if we don’t watch the wound properly, it could scar.” He paused and looked to Del once more a moment. ”Luckily, I think I can watch it enough to where it will heal up just fine without scar tissue.” Lucy let out a short breath as she tried to catch her breath. She held Syd weakly as she saw that one of her worst nightmare was coming true. Her daughter laid weak on the ground, confused and hurt from the ones who sought to destroy the family’s name.

”What about her head wound?” Lucy asked before she hiccupped lightly. She squeezed Syd a little tighter and kissed his forehead gently, knowing that she needed to comfort her children, not the other way around. Finn bit his lip at Lucy’s question before moving to examine the egg shaped bump on Delilah’s head. The bruising was already starting to turn the area black and blue. Finn grabbed his small flash light from his kit. ”Del darling, I’m going to have you follow my finger okay, don’t move your head at all.” Delilah would follow his fingers with her eyes only while Finn watched for dilation in her eyes. Finn shook his head slowly, ”Slightly concussion it would seem, no internal bleeding from the wound it looks like.” Lucy nodded her head, trying to look on the bright side of things. It could have been a lot worse, but at the moment, she was just angry that her own children were being involved in this war. The IWU had no mercy for children it seemed like, another sick fuck wanted all the power and it seemed like they were going to do nothing to stop it from happening. Lucy squeezed Syd one more time gently before moving to stand, taking slow deep breaths as she felt the room spinning around her. She stepped aside with James so he could inform her of everything that happened and what he found. After a long pause, Lucy nodded firmly, ”You need to go to the hospital then.” She said, her tone telling him that it wasn’t up for any negotiation. ”Don’t worry, we have it controlled, Finn is going to handle it. Syd and I won’t leave her side okay? But you need to make sure your men are okay.”

With: James Misty Gray ; Delilah ElectricDandellion ; Syd Pyroclast
mentions:

James Porter​

View attachment 455492As Syd pressed him for an explanation about what had happened to Delilah, James didn't answer at first. His attention was pulled away as his daughter continued to vocalise her worry for Leo and Tommy. When Syd looked to him again for an answer and perhaps even reassurance, James remained standing but took a step closer. "I'm not sure what she was doing out there, but the IWU got to her and the lads." James tightened his jaw as he observed Finn tending to Delilah's undeserved wounds. He then looked back to Syd and saw the anger in the teenager's eyes, something he too was feeling. "They'll pay for this, Syd," he firmly assured his son, knowing he deserved more than sugar coating.

When Delilah began fretting over having shot someone, James crouched down to her side and gently rubbed her forearm. "You do nothing, Delilah. All you should do right now is let us look after you and get rest. Think about yourself right now and remember how much we all love you. That's an order," he firmly told his daughter. James then got up to allow Finn the space to continue tending to Delilah's wounds. A sense of relief presented itself with the knowledge his daughter's cuts were likely to heal without scarring. The injury to her head also wasn't severe - a minor concussion but thankfully no internal bleeding to worry about.

Lucy soon stood up and led James to one side. He instinctively placed his arm around her shoulder to send her comfort and strength in the moment. As much as he didn't want to leave, he knew she was right about him needing to be at the hospital. Not just for Leo and Tommy, but apparently Jackson and Alex had also founds themselves in the place. "I know. You're right," he agreed, nodding his head to convince himself. "Make sure she stops worrying about that guy she shot. That bastard is of no concern to me and won't be one for Delilah either." James placed a long kiss on Lucy's forehead before pulling away a little. His next words were said quietly, but Syd would likely hear them too. "They're going to pay for this, Luce. We're not going to sit back the way this family did in Chicago. They've shown they'll hurt our kids without provocation, so there's no reasoning with these people. Armstrong will pay for this and as far as I'm concerned, nobody is off limits."

Pyroclast (Syd) ElectricDandellion (Delilah) Bellz (Lucy, Finn)

Before leave for the hospital, James had changed out of his bloodstained shirt and washed his daughter's blood from his hands. During the whole process, he decided next time it would be Jared with blood on his hands. He wished for Armstrong to be the one in this position. The Sullivans had made mistakes in the past and one of those had been fooling themselves into thinking compassion would ever save them. Romano had never held back in his attacks and it appeared Armstrong wouldn't either. The only option was to be cruel to this enemy in return before they became too comfortable.

At the hospital, James was unable to see Leo as the young man had being rushed to the operating theatre. In comparison, Tommy was relatively unharmed but was asleep when James checked in on him. A cop stood guard outside the lad's room, no doubt wanting to question him rather than being there to protect him. James then checked in on Alex and spoke with Conor for a short time. James asked his brother-in-law to join him with Jackson as soon as Michelle was settled.

James finally reached Jackson, only saving him until last as he knew they had much to discuss. He entered the room and sent a friendly nod to Blake before stopping at the injured man's bedside. "How are you both holding up?" he asked. He looked over Jackson's wounds, figuring it must have taken a few guys to lay into the ex-boxer in such a way. "What the fuck happened?" he asked Jackson and Blake. He couldn't even muster any sarcastic remarks given the severity of the situation. "Those bastards have done the rounds today. After both being shot at, Leo is in a critical condition and Tommy's shoulder is fucked." James then coughed in a bid to throw out the emotions that threatened to escape him as he thought of his next words. "They got to Delilah too. Left her with concussion and carved the 'IWU' initials into her skin." James glanced to Blake before deciding she would simply have to leave the room if she wasn't comfortable with this kind of discussion. "We're going to get back at them and send a message. They've gone too far this time... I'd like to have you in board and I'm sure you've got scores of your own to settle..."

Enzyme (Jackson) Bellz (Blake)

Syd Porter

With all his focus on Delilah, Syd had forgotten that Skye had followed him into the room. He felt a hand squeeze his shoulder and looked up to see her standing over him. A look of understanding was passed between the two of them, the unspoken concern in their expressions rendering words unnecessary. As he watched her leave the room he couldn't help but feel slightly guilty at not being able to go after her, figuring it must be hard for her to see her best friend in such a bad way. But his priorities lay with his family in that moment, and nothing could have torn him away.

When James clarified that Delilah had not been with him and that there were others that had been hurt, Syd gathered that the situation was a lot more serious than a few shallow cuts and a concussion. Though he had seldom encountered them, he knew the IWU to be savages, unpredictable and merciless in their actions and it seemed there were no limits to what they were capable of doing, nor willing to do. With the emotional and physical distress that Delilah was in now, Syd understood fully the danger that they posed towards his family. This is what his parents were afraid would happen, why they kept such tight security on the house and why his mother didn't want him to train. But the ever-growing hatred and fury that was building up inside of him as more and more people around him got hurt, he wanted to put to use, not keep confined where it would only fester. When James looked him in the eye and told him sincerely that the IWU would pay for what they did, Syd did not doubt it for a second.

Delilah looked up at him as he held onto her hand, confused and delirious as though not expecting to see him there. Syd's concern deepened when she admitted to having shot someone, but without context he couldn't have passed any judgement. It was clear that she was becoming more agitated as she let it worry her.
"Dad's right, sis, you've got no reason to worry about that, alright?" he said, voice low and calm to match his father's comforting tone of voice. "No one's going to come after you. The whole Porter clan is standing in their way."
His mum then gave him a quick squeeze and went to one side of the room to speak with his dad. Syd stayed with Finn and Delilah, gently rubbing the back of her hand and gazing at the floor beyond her as he concentrated on listening in to his parents' conversation. The words 'Nobody is off limits' struck a chord with him, and he hoped his dad would be wise about how he chose to respond to this attack.

Interactions
ElectricDandellion Delilah
Bellz Lucy, Finn
Misty Gray Skye, James

Mallory Porter ​

Mallory had spent the majority of her day with Adam. She found that after only a few hours with him, she had fallen even harder for him to the point she was genuinely sad to be leaving him but as evening drew close, Mallory knew to avoid questions and being found out about skipping school then she needed to leave soon. With regret Mallory said her goodbyes with the promise that the two would meet up again soon.

Unaware of the drama that today had entailed, Mallory walked into the house with a beming grin on her face as she thought back to her time with Adam, she really needed to thank Skye for getting his number. Absentmindedly Mal walked into the lounge and the sight she was greeted with immediately made her smile drop. The giddiness she was feeling only seconds ago had been replaced with shock, rage and fear for her sister. “Del” she called softly as she moved quickly towards her, she dropped to her knees beside Syd and looked down at Delilah, a frown playing on her lips. A small gasp escaped her lips as she saw the wound on Delilah’s stomach. “Fallon, then Sinead and now Delilah them pricks are going to deserve everything they get” she hissed to Syd , anger clear in her tone. Her fists clenched at her sides as a stray tears escaped her eye. “They’ve gone too far this time” she added before standing up. She caught sight of her mother from the corner of her vision and made her way over to her before wrapping her arms around her in a hug.

ElectricDandellion
Bellz
Misty Gray
Pyroclast

(Had to quote so I could read them all and reply)

DELILAH PORTER

Delilah looked over at her mother and nodded lightly, only to, in response, feel a numbing pain at her wound. “Mama it’s fine, honest. Tommy and Leo are the ones who are hurt,” She slurred, pouting out her plump lips, stray, briny tears falling down her cheeks as she realised the blame she had in the situation, and the responsibility she held when regarding Leo’s and Tommy’s injuries. Even so, she lay still, eyes fixated on the ceiling as her wounds were addressed. The way they were speaking about the wounds sent relief through her system, and, feeling eyes burn through her, she turned to look up Finn, watching him with cautious eyes, almost scared to let anyone touch her wounds, despite trusting him. After all, she felt she deserved them after running her mouth and causing further injury to others. No scarring, a lucky escape. But, what about Leo? She’d seen the state he had been in- almost lifeless on the floor, and how would she ever forgive herself. Delilah’s mind drifted for a moment. Should she dump the boy so that he wouldn’t be hurt like that again? It was her fault that he had the connections such as her father, and if she broke up with him, all of his ties to the gangs would be dropped. Right? Then again, and in selfish thought, she didn’t want to dump the kid. Despite being so young, she’d say she loved him.

“Hm?” She felt herself mumble before automatically following Finn’s hand, listening as he said her wounds weren’t too dramatic. Something that worsened her guilt knowing she wasn’t too injured whilst others had been. Eyes lazily rolling to James as he spoke, she frowned. “An...order?” She asked, trying to put the words together in her head. “What is this?....the military?” Delilah tried to joke, though her jaw was beginning to ache and she was too tired to concentrate for long. “Papa, tell the boys I’m sorry?” Her mind flickered back to when she shot the guy, and she shifted uneasily on the floor, a nauseating feeling rushing through her system. How could they all act so nonchalant about it....she killed a man. Well, basically. Whether it was an intentional murder or not, just a bit of luck and her inaccurate shooting causing the man to crash and die, still didn’t lessen the guilt.

Her eyes followed her parents with sorrow as they left to the other room, their speech now blurred and to the extent that Delilah couldn’t understand or focus on it. But, she was soon aware of her brother’s comforting voice, and she turned to him, shaking her head again. “No...Syd..” She began, eyes looking over to her parents again. “I’m not worried that they’ll come after me. I’m worried that if I see them again....” Feeling her mouth go dry, and feeling the inability to grasp the words, she clenched her jaw. “That im going to have to shoot every single one of them,”

Before much else could be said by the young girl, her sister came into the house, upset about the situation. Watching the sudden drop to her sister’s knees, the thud against the floor, made Delilah’s eyes water, her head stirring uneasily for a second as the vibrations lightly hit the ground. “Mal, it’s fine,” she mumbled, closing her eyes and laying quietly, lips pursed. Seeing her family in such a state worried her, she didn’t want to upset anyone. If she couldn’t see it, then maybe it meant it wasn’t happening. Well, she could only wish.
​

 

[Misty Gray]

Chapter 9: Break a Leg!
Saturday 5th December 1959
Evening - Murky, Drizzly
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Killiney Bay Hotel
Killiney Bay, Dublin​

Jared Armstrong

It had been over a week ago since the commissioner had been shot and the man was still in hospital. Jared hadn't been overly happy to hear his competition would recover from his injuries and he'd cursed Blake for failing to make the shot count, but he would simply have to find other ways to win the election. Perhaps next time he would leave the task in the hands of someone more competent. Still, other positives had come out of that day. Though his family had been unsettled by the events of the parade, Jared had managed to make a small breakthrough with Faye. He'd told her he was going to be going against the Porters and she'd been on board with the idea rather than telling him to back away from the mob. Faye didn't know his way of fighting the criminals was to use methods that were illegal and brutal. He wondered if she could ever understand that side of him - the side that craved wealth and power. Control.

Today hadn't been a day for mulling over work and his darker side, for Jared had spent all of it in the company of the woman he adored. He had hoped Quinn and Grace would have stayed at home whilst he and Faye were away at the coast, but his daughter had been very assertive about attending the theatre that evening. He was relieved to hear Quinn would be joining Grace, but he still wasn't comfortable knowing they were out on the streets with the Porters still in action. With that in mind, Jared asked Carter and Minnie to keep watch as well as to drive them home after the show. Jared had assured his kids it was to ensure their safety during the election campaign, using Commissioner Morris as an example of why he wished to ensure their safety.

Jared and Faye had checked into the spectacular hotel earlier in the day. He'd made sure his wife was well pampered in the salon and spa before they'd returned to their room to get ready for their evening meal. Jared had gone all out to spoil his wife, even as much as to ensure they had the best view in the hotel that overlooked the sea and cliffs. Jared had dressed up very smartly in his tailored suit as he was sure Faye would look a million dollars. Their dinner table overlooked the beach and it was difficult not to get lost in the moment, with the live pianist playing in the corner and the waiters very attentive. Jared had hated to hear that Faye thought they were drifting apart or that she worried he would forget his family. He wanted to prove to her that was far from the case and when he succeeded in his goals, he wanted his family to benefit from his achievements. He wondered if Faye would ever understand the lengths he'd gone to or if she would be horrified to know of the things he'd already done.

After finishing their fancy four-course meal, Jared sat back in his seat and took a sip of his whiskey before placing the glass tumbler down on the table. He sent a warm smile Faye's way before drawing her attention outside. The weather wasn't as clear as he'd hoped, but even he couldn't claim to have any control over nature. Still, he thought it would be a shame to miss out on the view. "I noticed a fancy-looking gazebo at the end of the hotel gardens, with a view over the cliffs. What do you say about us getting our coats, finding shelter under the gazebo and taking advantage of the beauty this coast has to offer?" he asked his wife.


Bellz (Faye)
Mentions: Enzyme (Carter) Bellz (Minnie) Fletchawk (Quinn)

Dublin Hospital​

Conor Sullivan

Conor had forced himself to spend some time checking up on his pubs and making sure everything was running smoothly. He'd spent much of the last week at the hospital at Alex's bedside but yesterday he decided he needed to attend to his other duties. He also decided it wasn't healthy to let Michelle spend so much time at the hospital, so he'd tried to get her to go to school the previous day and asked Savannah to spend time with her cousin.

After catching up with his businesses, Conor had returned home for dinner before taking Michelle with him to the hospital so they could spend some time with Alex. It had been eight days since the woman had been attacked and she'd spent that many days in a coma. As the days passed, Conor's faith in her waking up and recovering lost its strength. He was starting to acknowledge the fact Alex may never wake up and he wasn't sure how he or Michelle would move forward from that.

As Conor sat in the chair next to Alex's bed, he began to doze off, dropping the book he'd been holding and in the process likely catching Michelle's attention. He hadn't made a big deal of it, but after putting Michelle to bed the previous night, he'd headed out to one of his pubs where he'd been drinking into the early hours, only to be up early that morning to tend to his daughter. He'd needed to lose himself for just one night and alcohol always seemed to do the trick. Besides which, he was frustrated that he was having to stay out of what James and Jackson had planned for their retaliations. So many people, possibly including even Alex, had been hurt by the IWU and Conor wanted to know they would pay for their actions.

neverbackdown (Michelle, Alex)

Porters House​

Sinead Callahan

A few days ago, Lucy had shared with Sinead her secret about being pregnant. The red-head had been overjoyed and excited by the news, to the point where she burst out into uncontrollable sobs. Sinead had spent over a decade feeling guilty that her sister couldn't have children because of the injuries Savannah's own father had inflicted on her. Her heart broke every time she thought of what Lucy and James had lost. She often worried the couple resented her for falling in love with Angel - the man who had made their lives hell back in Chicago. But Lucy's happy news had finally lifted some of the huge weight from Sinead's shoulders after feeling its toll for so long. She was ecstatic that Lucy would finally get to have a baby and the teenagers could have a tiny brother or sister. The warmth inside of her heart was greatly welcomed by Sinead and the only downside was making sure she didn't let such beautiful news slip out of her mouth. She knew Lucy wanted to surprise her family, so she was determined to keep quiet on the matter. Still, she couldn't wait to see General Porter's happy little face when he found out.

Finally able to get up and walk around, the only thing that was affecting Sinead's mood was her worries over her family. Delilah had been hurt and Alex was in a coma, not to mention what had happened to poor Leo and Tommy. She knew James and the others were ready to retaliate. She also knew the enemy had gone too far this time, so it was clear James and the others weren't going to hold back with their revenge. She put on a believably brave face for Peter so as not to burden him, but she was extremely worried about him tonight. She was worried he could get hurt or get in trouble with the cops. She was scared of how far her family would go to get back at the IWU. She hated violence, but it was more than clear to her that it was how James intended to get revenge. To top it all off, the children had been playing up worse than normal and Sinead found herself wishing Skye would come back from her friend's house soon, just to give her some sanity.

Savannah and Braden were presently arguing over whose turn it was to dry the dishes. Sinead had already told them to help each other out but they'd continued to fight. Other than Finn who was busy elsewhere in the house, it dawned on Sinead that pretty much every other adult was out of the house that evening. As she sat at the dinner table, she rested her elbows on the surface and buried her face in the hands. "Kids. Remember just last week when I was super sick and you were all so well behaved? Any chance--" She was cut short by the sound of the plate smashing on the Porters' kitchen floor.

"Muuuuum! Savvy dropped it!" Braden protested.

"Stop being jerks!" Emery bossily shouted at her brother and sister. "You'll make mummy cry. Fools!" She let out an exasperated sigh before leavining the dining room and hunting down the first person she could find. "Syd? Where's your girlfriend?" the child asked, with a playful smile. She then pointed towards the dining room. "Will you tell Brady and Savvy to be good? I think my mummy's going to cry and I can't be dealing with this at my age."

Pyroclast (Syd)

Currently Active Cast: Misty Gray Bellz neverbackdown Enzyme Melanin-Gxdess Pyroclast Fletchawk
​

OOC notes:
Sinead, Tommy, Shannon, Skye... all open for interaction. If you haven't been specifically tagged you in a scene, please post your character and I can take it from there.
Posts from Enzyme and Bella to follow...
Grace will be at the theatre with Quinn but that post will be coming up in a my next post.

 

[Enzyme]

Chapter 9: Break a Leg!
Saturday 5th December 1959
Evening - Murky, Drizzly
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The 1957 Chrysler Imperial rolled down the desolate avenue. The headlights of the car carved through the surrounding darkness, revealing any empty Dublin. With the weather being as murky as it was, most sat in the pubs to escape the bleak atmosphere. Waves of water droplets coated the vehicle as the wipers battered the particles away. Hungry eyes scanned the scenery, for they had almost reached their destination. Despite the stakes, they were veterans to this line of work - remaining cool and collected. In and out, leave the spectators heads spinning, that's how they'd always run things. This job, with the Lord's will, would be no exception.

The withered papers read, "December 5th, 1959, Saturday", meaning they had just over a week to plan. Now, they were finally ready. Ryan, with his experience, was the most efficient behind the wheel, landing him the position of the getaway driver. Easily recognizable, James had no choice, but to stay in the car. He was still just a useful, for his eagle eyes pierced every corner in the block in search of suspicious activity. The pair always had good chemistry, mutually able to detect distress without verbal communication. With the two of them in the front seat, this gave them an unhinged advantage.

In the back was Peter, the man with the silver tongue. Effortlessly, he was the most persuasive among the bunch. Even under an immense amount of pressure, his exterior wouldn't break a sweat. Fitted with a suit to look the part, he would approach the heartless gangsters with the intentions of deceit. In the left corner was an ex-boxer with a personal vendetta against the man who left him with a couple of shinners and got handsy with his sweetheart. Fitted with a brass knuckle on his right hammer and malice on his mind, not much restraint would be shown when the opportunity presented itself.

The wooden sign read, "Blind Beggar," leading the Imperial to come to a slow halt. The stained glass windows of the pub obscured an outsider's view, only revealing bright lights, which illuminated the left panel of the vehicle. The deathly silence of the showered streets contrasted with the muffled chatter and laughter from inside, emitting a sense of warmth and comfort from the pub. Instead, the vehicle idled in the darkness, as the men prepared to execute.

Misty Gray (James) Fletchawk (Ryan) Bellz (Peter)​

 

[Bellz]

Chapter 9: Break a Leg!
Saturday 5th December 1959
Evening - Murky, Drizzly
********************************​

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Lucy Porter
***Theatre, Dublin***

Over the last eight days, Lucy had been closely watching her children. Delilah had been given around the clock care by herself and Finn, making sure she would heal comfortably and properly. It felt like the once empty Porter house was now filled with too many people, but Lucy didn’t mind it for a second. Conor and Sinny were in her thoughts constantly, as it was unsure if Alex would pull through and she wasn’t sure how Sinny was feeling all the time, but she tried constantly to find out. She had more to take care of now, but tonight she had decided to join Arlene for a night out, even though she hadn’t been so sure of going at first. The moon rose further in the sky as the thick smoke like clouds surrounded it. It flickered in and out from the far and few openings, playing hide and seek with the rest of the city before it was permanently sealed behind the blackness. This didn’t keep the misty droplets from falling towards the already slick surface of the earth and the bone chilling breeze blowing every which way on the streets. “Holy shit!” Lucy gasped out at the cold as she pulled her arm through her left coat sleeve shoving the large doors opened to the cold and wet scenery outside. It was misting lightly, the big bright marquee lights reflecting off every little droplet that fell from the dark and cloudy sky. Lucy let out a small laugh at her reaction to the cold as she snuggly pulled her small dark overcoat tighter around herself, covering her white blouse and shivering. ”That was honestly a better performance than I expected it to be.” She said to Arlene as she moved to stand to the side of the staircase leading to the ticket booth of the theatre. Leaning against the metal handrail she smiled sweetly to her cousin. ”Normally, I don’t care to see anything unless Sinny is performing in it, but that was really amazing, thank you for suggesting a night out Arlene!”

The blonde tucked a piece of long hair behind her ear as she looked to the people walking out of the entrance, making their way towards the towards their cars. Even though she hadn’t been too sure on coming tonight, she found herself now not wanting to return home. Dreading what she wouldn’t find there. When she returned home, James wouldn’t be around to greet her. He would be out with the rest of his men tonight, risking his life to get revenge on the IWU for what happened to the many people connected to them getting hurt, including their own daughter. She hadn’t felt like this in ages, and at the moment, it was making her sick to her stomach. Biting her lip, Lucy turned to her cousin, ”Maybe we can go out for a bite to eat and a drink? I hate to say it, but I’m already hungry again and with James being out tonight, a drink will calm my nerves.” She suggested, looking to Arlene with a weak smile.Lucy’s eyes looked up above her and stared at the plentiful amount of lights shining above her. Her head slowly looked out towards what was in front of her and for a moment, she felt like going out into the dark wasn’t the best option. Her breath hitched slightly and she pulled back as Arlene moved forwards. ”Maybe we should see if the car could be pulled around?” She suddenly made another suggestion. Any other night, she probably would have been fine walking to the car without having it pull up to the theatre, but this night, it was far too dark for her liking. When Arlene would pull back from her sudden lack in movement, Lucy would look to her with wide eyes, ”I’m sorry love, its just, dark.” She murmured to her before letting out a nervous laugh. ”I’m being a little too dramatic aren’t I? Maybe I should be in the theatre?” She said, chuckling a little harder this time.​

With: Arlene Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan​

Porter House​

The morning had started like any other for Finn, he woke around 4 am or so, just to make sure that Delilah was doing well, checking every 4 hours. She had been making great progress now, which for someone so young and small, it was surprising to the doctor. However, he was well reminded of whose daughter she was when Lucy joined him around 8 o’clock for another check up, asking a million questions about her daughter progress. She had been there since her daughter had been brought home by James, in gruesome condition and although her wounds were able to be tended to easily, it was all about the strength of a patient to tell how well they will heal from all the trauma. Delilah was a fighter and Finn was mighty proud of her for how far she had come in the last 8 days, she made more progress than he could have ever imagined. Now this evening, with Lucy and James out of the house, he would be making this next visit alone. Walking up the steps slowly, he wondered why he had to make this visit alone. He wondered where Eleanor had been. Sure she was around him and yet, she wasn’t really there. He missed his love so much. He wondered what he had done wrong for her to act in such a way, he wanted to fix it, to make it right but he didn’t know how.

Reaching the door of Lilah’s room, he knocked gently. ”Delilah?” he called lightly before opening the door slowly. Seeing that she had been napping, he shook his head, ”Oh I am so sorry, Dear” he smiled before clearing his throat. ”I’m sorry but I’ve got to do another routine check up, Doctor’s orders.” He said before breaking out into a laugh, finding his own joke funny. After another moment of laughter, he moved to set his medical kit on the floor and then went to turn on a brighter light. Once that was done he turned around and reached for a few things in his kit. ”I’ve got to test for a few things today, making sure that there is no infection and what not. Unfortunately that is going to involve a blood sample.” He sighed, frowning lightly. ”I promise I am an expert sticker.” Finn sat down at the end of her bed before reaching down into his kit again, grabbing a pair of latex gloves. He strapped them on before moving to uncover a clean needle from the package, He screwed the needle onto a clean syringe he had unwrapped before reaching down and grabbing a sterile tray. Setting it down on the bed, he set the syringe down on it and reached into his bag again. ”This will only take a few moments I promise, but how are you feeling, headaches? How is your pain right now on a scale from 1 to 10?” Pulling out rubbing alcohol and a few cotton balls, he opened the bottle and pour some of the alcohol onto the cotton before putting the cap back on the bottle. Setting that back on the metal tray as well. He then smiled reaching his hands out for her arm, ”May I?” He asked politely, hands waiting for her approval before touching her.
With: Delilah ElectricDandellion
Mentions: Eleanor neverbackdown

 

[Misty Gray]

The Blind Beggar Pub



The tall and bulky figure of Gary Danvers sat at the bar with a couple of IWU members either side of him. His voice was kept low but there was still strength and self-confidence behind his words. "Trust me, the boss knows what he's doing. Ciara was a mess in comparison. And as for Porter, I kicked the shit out of him when Ciara wanted us to restrain him," he assured his friends and colleagues. He didn't bother mentioning there were a few other guys helping him when they attacked James. He thought of how he'd assisted Jared the previous week, getting Jackson out of the way so he could personally drag Blake to Jared so she could answer to her mistakes. Everything had been carefully planned and Jared got his way, which in turn benefited the IWU. "Armstrong's smart and he knows what he's doing. I got out of that hotel and Porter himself stood right in front of me but he couldn't do anything to stop me. The IWU will be running Dublin in no time. Relax, guys!" He smirked before taking a long drink of beer from his pint glass.


James Porter
Close to the 'Blind Beggar' pub.​

It had only been a week since the events on the day of the parade, but James had thought a lot about it. From the moment he'd seen Delilah hurt and recognised the malicious intent behind her wounds, he'd made a decision that he'd been unable to talk himself out of and honestly didn't want to back out of. It was rare for the man to make a song and dance about taking down his enemies, as he typically steered towards a precise and efficient gunshot where it would count. The enemy he was facing now wouldn't be unhinged by a few disposable dead guys and that was why he needed to be more creative when sending his messages to Jared. It wasn't often that James adopted theatrics, but seeing his daughter, Sinead, Leo and Tommy all harmed in such a short time had gone way beyond crossing that line. Theatrics had been Romano's style but it had been successful at rumbling the Sullivans - hell, it was in such a style that Vinnie himself met his end in. The method may have been similar to the likes of Vinnie and Angel, but James knew he was not the same as those two men. At the most, he could credit them for a little inspiration, but what a shame they were both dead!

With the car now parked up near to the pub in question, James knew his initial role was one of sitting back and keeping close surveillance around them. It was one of his comfort zones. He'd started out all those years ago keeping watch for the Sullivans and utilising his high levels of patience. No matter how much the IWU had rattled his family, James was still able to remain collected and focused when on the job. He was confident in Peter's and Jackson's abilities to execute their parts of the plan successfully, but he was also more than prepared to step in if anything did go wrong. One thing that separated him from the likes of Jared and Vinnie was that he didn't consider his gang members to be disposable. He respected anyone who was willing to fight for his cause despite the dangers to themselves and he wouldn't dream of sacrificing them for his own gain. That was also why he would be the ones to finish off the night's unsettling plan. The victim currently drinking in the pub was oblivious to the fate that awaited him and James was more than willing to get his hands dirty on this one. Jared would receive the message loud and clear.

James did one final check on his person, acknowledging his two guns and the blades were still within easy reach. He then turned sideways so he could look to Peter and Jackson in the back of the car. "Alright, lads. You're both up. I know you can both pull this off, but this is your last chance to change your mind." He was sure that by now they were completely on board with their roles, but wanted to be clear that despite him giving the orders, the decision to accept the job was theirs.

Once the two men had got out of the car, James watched them take their positions and kept close watch on the area around them, making sure nobody else was around or suspicious. James then looked to Ryan who was in the driver's seat. "How's it going, mate?" he asked. He hadn't had much time to speak with the man since his arrival, but right now they had plenty of it. The fact he'd walked into the garage right after the fight between Ryan and Conor had no effect on how he perceived the man sitting next to him. James knew it was destined to happen and that it was a fight he would never have tried to get in the way of. Despite himself seeing the good in Alex and accepting Conor loved her, he also knew Ryan was well within his rights to hold ill will towards his former friend. James and Conor had been around when Ryan lost his father at the hands of the Romanos. The three men had all experienced the same so James was completely understanding of Ryan's feelings on this one. Still, despite thinking of the fight, James chose not to bring it up unless Ryan did first. Instead, he would focus on the present. "Things are going to get messy tonight, but how dirty your hands get is up to you, Ryan," he assured him. "Jared lost his right to mercy and class the minute he started hurting my family."


Fletchawk (Ryan) Enzyme (Jackson) Bellz (Peter)

 

[Misty Gray]

Arlene Sullivan and Grace Armstrong
Dublin Theatre​

Arlene's first day back with the Sullivans and Porters had been far too eventful, even for someone who had grown up within New York's gang wars. It wasn't even an hour inside the house before she learned of Conor's relationship with Alex, something which led to her cousin having a fight with Ryan. Following that was the parade. The commissioner's shooting hadn't had any effect on her nerve as he knew full well what he was getting himself into. Even bumping into and conversing with Armstrong's family was a breeze and something she had hoped to utilise further to her will. However, James had later been quite firm in dismissing her suggestion of taking advantage of the Armstrongs not knowing who she was. Still, when had she been known to back down so easily, even if he was the head of the family? It wasn't until she heard about Delilah, Leo and Tommy all being hurt that she did take the day's events seriously and personally. When she'd heard James was planning on a counter attack, she wanted in on it but she was told to sit out of this completely. She'd been curious to see Ryan in action, having quite enjoyed their spot of teamwork in throwing the Armstrong kids off their scent. Ryan was certainly someone she was curious about and wanted to see more of. For now, not wanting to sit home watching time tick by, she managed to get hold of some theatre tickets and decided to drag Lucy out with her for some well overdue catching up.

Once the show had ended, Arlene left the theatre, walking close to Lucy so they could face the cold weather together. She smirked at her cousin's reaction to the temperature. "Fuck... you're right about that," she agreed, quickly fastening the belt of her coat around her waist. Lucy then went on to express her enjoyment of the musical, which was a relief. "Ah, when I realised Guys and Dolls was showing here, I couldn't resist. In a way, I guess I was feeling ever so slightly homesick," she admitted, having already known the story was set in New York. "Ah, Sinny should be performing in the theatre, not still stuck in those jazz clubs. Hell, she would barely even need to act to pull-off the wholesome Sarah Brown," she half-joked, thinking of Sinead's similarly idealistic and sheltered roots.

Arlene sensed the apprehension in Lucy and sent her a reassuring smile. "Eating for two already, Luce?" she teased. "Honestly, I'm a little hungry too and I'm not about to pass up drinks in favour of going back home. I don't want to get roped into babysitting the little ones!" She remarked. "Relax, though. We're perfectly safe. I've got a gun in my handbag and I haven't fired it in quite some time. Anyone tries anything and I won't hesitate to use it now, trust me." She linked her arm through Lucy's and prepared to lead her to their car. "You are being a little dramatic, Luce. I'm going to chalk it down to hormones because I know you're really a tough cookie."

*************​

Grace had thoroughly enjoyed the performance they'd watched and couldn't wait to write up a review for it, which would also double-up as work for college which her family had been nagging at her to concentrate on. That was part of why she was annoyed when Jared attempted to ban her from going to the play this evening, instead trying to demand she and Quinn stayed home whilst he was at the coast with Faye. Thankfully, she'd managed to talk Quinn into joining her. Even though her brother was there, there had still been some unease in her father and as such he'd told them Carter would pick them up after the show. Grace liked Carter and found something quite intriguing about him, but she didn't like the thought of being babysat. She knew it was because her father was worried for their safety due to the election campaign, and whilst she appreciated his concern, she also resented him for putting them in this position. She was already proud of her father, so didn't think he needed to do anything more for the city. There were cops and existing politicians who should sort Dublin out, not Jared.

"Thank you for coming with me tonight," Grace told Quinn, giving him a quick hug before they continued to leave the theatre. "I was kind of pissed off that dad wasn't going to let me go out. I don't see why we should be punished because he's put himself into a dangerous path." She buttoned up her weather inappropriate cardigan, feeling the cold air entering the building from outside. "Still, I'm glad he's taking mum away for the day. I can tell she needs this, so I hope dad treats her like the queen she is."

Once they were outside, Grace's eyes lit up as she noticed a familiar woman standing a short distance away. She nudged Quinn and smiled brightly. "There's Arlene!" she told him, pointing towards the woman who was standing close to another blonde. She shivered a little and pushed some loose hair behind her ears as the drizzle began to dampen her head. "Let's go talk to her!" she suggested. She was still grateful to Arlene for not only offering to take their picture, but more for helping them get out of harms way when the parade turned chaotic. Grace didn't hesitate and approached Arlene, tapping her on the shoulder. "Arlene, it's so good to see you again," she told her. The teenager briefly glanced to Lucy, unaware of who the woman was. "The photos you took of us were perfect. More for the Armstrong Family Album," she enthused...

Bellz (Lucy) Fletchawk (Quinn)
Nearby?: Enzyme (Carter) Bellz (Minnie)

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

Blind Beggar Pub​

Peter had been anxious the whole car ride over. He had been given the plan over and over again, they had all gone over it so many times that it was as familiar as the back of his own hand now. Ryan pulled the car over and parked near the pub where their victim was most likely enjoying a drink right now. Peter stayed silent, trying to think of the best way to approach the man. This job was bigger than anything he had done with James before, this time, they were all there to make a statement. The IWU liked to make statements as seen by how members of his family and the gang were used as pawns for those said statements. He had to be on his game tonight, not letting anyone down. Peter’s head turned to look to James as he spoke up. ”No going back now Boss.” He said to James with confidence in his voice. No time to turn back and no time to psych himself out, Peter opened the car door and stepped out of the car. Shoving his hands into his coat pockets, he casually strolled with Jackson towards their positions before he stepped inside. Peter gave Jackson a final nod, ”We got this.” He stated firmly before stepping inside the pub.

Compared to the cold and damp atmosphere of the night outside, the pub was warm and welcoming. Peter ran a hand through his hair, wiping off droplets of water from his thick blonde locks before walking towards the bar. He spotted the man, Gary Danvers sitting with a few men towards the end as he sat down only 2 bar stools over. Pulling out the worn leather barstool, he sat quickly before grabbing the attention of the bartender. ”Whiskey please.” He said to the man before his head turned to look at the area around him. Anything he could use as a talking point to get the victim out the door would be ideal for him. His thoughts raced and for a moment, he thought of Sinead. As beautiful and sweet as she was, she was a danger to think about on missions like this. The fiery little red head was a good distraction to what needed to happen and he worried about her.

The sound of a glass being placed in front of him pulled him from such distractions. Grabbing the glass, he took a long gulp of it before setting it down on the bar once more. His exterior was as cool as could be despite the brief moment of vulnerability. His eyes turned to look towards the men two stools away. Assessing everything from their clothing to their drinks with one glance, he turned back to his own drink and listened in on their conversation. It seemed that Gary liked to brag. Peter smirked lightly, Show Time. he thought before he allowed a laugh to escape his lips, earning the attention of the men a few stools away. Peter shook his head as he lifted his glass and took another drink. He could feel their eyes on him, wondering what the hell he was laughing at for sure, but Peter took his time, finishing off his drink before turning his head to address the men. Feigning surprise, Peter chuckled, ”I’m sorry, I just overhead you were talking about Porter.” He observed the glass in his hands closely, ”He practically fucks the Pigs in this town, he’s got nothing else to back him up. He’s an easy target.” Peter set the glass down and looked to Gary head on, smirking.

With: Gary + friends Misty Gray
Mentions: Sinead + James Misty Gray ; Jackson Enzyme ; Ryan Fletchawk

 

[Bellz]

Faye Armstrong​

Killiney Hotel​

Faye had been swept away to Killiney Bay Hotel for a romantic weekend getaway with Jared. Keeping true to his plans, they had checked in earlier in the day. She had hardly had a chance to settle into their room before she was lead towards the Salon and Spa. She was pampered from head to toe, more relaxed than she could have ever imagined before she returned to the hotel room with Jared to get ready for their dinner. With a table that overlooked the beach and the live pianist in the corner, Jared had definitely gone all out to make her feel like a Queen tonight. The smile on her face showed just how appreciative she was of everything he had done for her today. Her eyes looked out towards the beach and wondered if Jared was trying hard to prove that he was still in tune with his family. Faye hated the words she spoke of back in the office at the tailor shop but she had honestly felt like Jared not being available during that time was unacceptable.

Her eyes turned to back to Jared just as he sent a warm smile to her. She listened with interest as he spoke of a gazebo at the end of the hotel gardens with a view over the cliffs. Faye smiled widely at his suggestion and nodded her head excitedly, ”That sounds like a wonderful idea.” She murmured before finishing off her glass of wine. Faye stood with the help of a waiter who pulled out her chair for her and she held out her arm for Jared to take. ”Shall we?” She asked before taking his arm. Walking down the halls towards their room, Faye leaned her head against him, feeling at peace with everything at the moment. ”I think I’ve said it at least a million times today, but one more won’t hurt…I want to thank you for all of this.” She murmured to him, lifting her head to look up into his eyes.

”You know, if you wanted to prove that you are still the family man I know in love, you could have just kissed me and I probably would have changed my mind.” She added with a giggle, stopping with him in front of the door to their room. Allowing him to unlock the door, she stepped through before moving to grab her coat. ”I hope you aren’t going to take me to the cliffs just to push me off them.” She teased lightly as she placed her coat on.

With: Jared Misty Gray
Mentions:

 

[Misty Gray]

Gary Danvers

Gary had noticed Peter take up a spot a few stools along, but hadn't really thought much of the apparent stranger's presence beyond simple acknowledgement. However, when the newcomer began laughing, the large man turned to him with a curious expression on his face. It was a curiosity that presented itself as a cold, hard stare in Callahan's direction. His eyes remained fixed on Peter as he watched the younger man knock back his whiskey. Peter chuckled again and Gary followed up with a raise of the eyebrows, inviting him to explain himself voluntarily before having whatever was so funny knocked out of him. When Peter mentioned he'd overheard the conversation, Gary shuffled onto his feet from the stool, displaying his greater height and stocky build. He didn't like people snooping on his conversations. He was ready to smack Peter's head down on the hard, wooden surface of the bar. Luckily, Peter continued speaking and chose words which saved his handsome face from being smashed in.

Gary tapped one of his friend's on the shoulder and motioned for him to move to instead occupy the seat he'd just been seated on himself. Gary then took a few steps towards Peter, now having no other men seated between them. "It's as I was just saying. Porter's days are numbered," he agreed with Peter. He looked the man over, trying to figure out if they'd met before or if he'd seen him around at any of the IWU meetings. It seemed appropriate that Peter was on the same side. Why else would he show up in a pub that was frequented by IWU members? "I was just telling the lads here. Porter had the chance to shoot me square between the eyes and he didn't. If I hadn't escaped, I swear he would have cuffed my wrists and read me my rights. Scared of the fucking cops, he was. Or scared they'd kick him out of bed if he betrayed them."

Gary reached for his pint and drank more of his beer, only now relaxing the piercing stare he'd had planted on Peter. "So who are you? I don't think I've seen you in here before," he observed. "Though I try to keep updated on Jared's new recruits, you must have slipped my attention. What do you do?" he asked. Clearly, he wasn't asking about Peter's 9-5 job. He wanted to know how he benefited the IWU.

Bellz (Peter)
​

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

Blind Beggar Pub​

Peter watched and counted the seconds as Gary moved closer to him, his stare piercing through Peter as he sized him up. He stayed calm, taking a few breaths to ground himself before Gary started to speak again. Peter was surprised to here that James Porter hadn’t taken a good opportunity, normally the man was quick to plan and act on such occasions and he wondered what caused him to hesitate. Gary was still alive after staring into the barrel of Porter’s gun. He wouldn’t be alive for very long after Peter got him into position. He watched as Gary reached for his pint, that was when the questions began. Despite having prepared for it numerous times before this, Peter didn’t have to think back to what he would say. He just allowed the words to flow freely, confident that they would stick, especially with a group like this. The less educated they were, the easier it was for Peter to trick them.

”Name’s Peter, I am the IWU Debt Advisor.” He said, tapping his finger against the bar once, requesting another drink. The bartender nodded his head slowly before turning to pour him another whiskey. Peter turned back to Gary and the rest of the men. ”This isn’t my normal hang out really, but I thought this would be the safest place to go.” He started, looking Gary straight in the face, hearing the sound of a new glass of whiskey being placed on the bar, Peter reached for it and brought it to his lips, looking a little nervous now. Taking a drink, Peter knew it was about time to wrap it up and reel in the big dummy while the night was still young. Setting his now empty glass against the bar, Peter sighed, ”Someone’s been tailing me a while, and I ain’t the toughest man in this joint. I don’t think it’s anything too crazy, he’s small in comparison to you! But I just need this guy to stop following me, got to do the bosses business. I need someone who can really pack a punch, ya know what I mean?” Peter said before moving off of his stool and placing a few dollars on the counter for the bartender.

”I gotta go collect tonight and I don’t need this ass pestering me. Think you could help me out, pal?” He was looking to Gary specifically, making it clear that no one else needed to investigate and hoped that they got the message.

With: Gary + friends Misty Gray
Mentions:

 

[Misty Gray]

Jared Armstrong​

Jared charmingly smiled in Faye's direction when she agreed to head outside to take in the view at the end of the gardens. The bill for the meal would be paid when they checked out of the hotel the following morning, but Jared still elected to leave a cash tip on the table before they got up to leave. As they walked back to their room with their arms linked, Jared couldn't help but grin as his wife thanked him again for the day he'd given her. "Well, I could have just kissed you, but then we wouldn't have got to do all of this, would we?" he told her. "We haven't done anything like this in a while and I want to devote as much time to you and the kids as I can. I know how busy things are getting for me, so I want to make sure you all know how important you are to me."

Once in the room, Jared put his scarf around his neck and retrieved his coat from the hook. As he put the outerwear on, Faye joked about him pushing her off of the cliffs. "Now that's just crazy talk." He placed his arm around her shoulder and led her back out of the room. "I'd be throwing myself right over there after you, love. I never want to see you or the kids hurt," he assured her. Still, he could think of many people he would gladly shove over the edge.

It was chilly outside and this prompted Jared to pull Faye in close to him as they walked, hoping she could absorb some of his heat. When they reached the gazebo, Jared took a seat on the sheltered bench and invited Faye to sit on his lap. He would then wrap both arms around her front from behind, pulling her close so he could keep her warm. He allowed a time of silence so they could both listen to the sound of the sea's waves crashing against the walls of the cliffs beneath them. Despite it by default being a harsher action of nature, there was still something peaceful and tranquil about it. The coast always allowed Jared to relax and concentrate on his thoughts. Right now, with the love of his life in his arms, there were only a few things on his mind. "Would you stand by me, no matter what?" he asked her, kissing her cheek before resting his chin on her shoulder. "I've already mentioned fighting a battle against the Porters during this campaign. There's also the fact that politics is a ruthless field by nature. There will be decisions and actions that you or the kids might not agree with. Dangerous people will more than likely try to threaten me - just look at the commissioner." He closed his eyes for a moment before reopening them and staring out onto the open water. "I just need to know I have you by my side, no matter what. No matter how difficult things may get."

Bellz (Faye)

Gary Danvers

Gary displayed a smug smile when Peter told him he was a Debt Adviser. "Ah, I knew it! Figured you'd be in that kind of business," he remarked. Still, Callahan at least looked like he could handle a strong drink and if he was on the same team too, he was welcome to drink in the same pub as the rest of the IWU. "For guys like us? It's definitely the safest place," he confirmed, seeing as the pub only really attracted IWU and the odd oblivious tourist. It suddenly seemed like Peter was seeking safety and Gary was intrigued to know what was rattling the guy.

Gary took a long drink of beer as Peter continued speaking, answering the questions he hadn't had chance to vocalise. Apparently, some guy was tailing Peter and that just wasn't acceptable. "Ah, you need me to go out and punch the guy for you, Princess?" he remarked. He placed his empty pint glass on the bar and quickly shook his head. "Ignore me. It's my job to throw my weight around and I won't see Jared's numbers guys being intimidated. We need you to to do the boss' jobs and collect what's ours without any hassle." Gary looked to the door before turning to his friends to offer them a confident glance, assuring them he could handle the situation himself. Jared had been very clear about not drawing attention to the IWU, so they were to be on best behaviour in one of their favourite pubs. It would be best if he went alone to check on the situation, rather than risking causing a scene outside. "Lead the way, Peter," he told him, motioning towards the exit. Gary would casually follow Peter out of the pub, expecting this to be a breeze and for him to be back drinking his next pint in no time.


Bellz (Peter) Enzyme (Jackson)​

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy​

Jackson had remained quiet throughout the journey, his eyes glued to his respective window. Even though everyone in the vehicle had their job to focus on, Jackson's complete silence was abnormal. He rested his shoulder against the side door, the knuckles of his fist rhythmically bobbing up and down. Occasionally, the street lights would hit the top of the Imperial and reveal Jackson's partially healed wounds. It was safe to say he wasn't in a talkative mood. He had seen a photograph of the target, mostly for Peter knowing who to approach. He instantly recognized the man from when he was jumped, the one who had his arm around Blake's throat. His pent-up anger over the past few days had boiled like a kettle. He was confident that pounding the prick to a pulp would help him let off some steam.

Once the vehicle stopped, Jackson's steel eyes slid to James, his face scrunching as he slowly shook his head. Even staring down a barrel wouldn't change his mind now. He looked to Peter while the man reassured him. He nodded along, letting out a quiet grunt. Peter had always boasted of his persuasive abilities; he just hoped he could finally put his money where his mouth was. As the man walked off, Jackson's eyes trailed to the metal tool in his hand. He ran his fingers around the holes where his knuckles would fit. Nah. He placed the brass piece on the center console. "Keep it warm for me," He said to the two in front, before stepping out into the cold.

He adjusted the edges of his leather jacket as he stepped to the alleyway of the pub. A stacked vent had covered the beating moon, shrowding the narrow alley in darkness. He could hear the cheerful voices inside the pub until the obstructed light no longer illuminated the sliver of his eyes. He walked deeper into the alley, his pulsing adrenaline keeping him warm. Even the thought of the bastard showing his face in the doorway was enough to make his balled fists twitch. Until, finally, the door swung open. He glanced at Peter as he stepped into the alley, able to hear the heavy footsteps behind him. Once he saw the silhouette, he muttered a, "G'day," and slammed his fist into the oblivious man's esophagus. He watched as Gary stumbled back from the surprise hit, as Jackson put his fists up in a familiar boxing stance. "Step aside, Pete. Me an' this prick got a score to settle." His killer eyes looked to Peter. "Don't go too far, though. Imma' need your help dragging his deadweight," He spitefully said, as he turned his head back to Gary.

Bellz (Peter) Misty Gray (Gary)