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

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James couldn't help but smile to himself as he overheard Syd complimenting Delilah. It felt good to see her up and about, especially knowing Leo had now been discharged from the hospital. He only wished it had been possible for Peter and Elijah to be present for the family's celebrations too. Whilst he would always want to give his kids the chance to choose their own futures and who they spent it with, it didn't make it any less of a big thing that they were growing up and getting into serious relationships. Thankfully, Syd and Delilah appeared to have found themselves with partners he felt he could trust and didn't have need to be concerned about. He figured it was only a matter of time before Mallory found someone too and James hoped she would find someone who also passed the test. He was aware of the possibility that might not be the case as Mallory had always been a little more unpredictable and secretive.

James laughed at Syd's reply to him. "Of course I noticed, mate. It certainly seems to be doing the trick too. I've seen the way Skye looks at you," he knowingly told his son. "Sneaking out? Don't push it," James joked. Still, Syd would know by now there was some seriousness behind it. James looked over to the punch and rolled his eyes. "Punch, really? That all looks like a good waste of alcohol to me. Your mother and I never did like that fruity shite, so I already know it's disgusting." James then lowered his voice for his next words. "Try not to drink too much until after the job, yeah?" he suggested. It wasn't said quietly out of secrecy, but it was to be discrete so he didn't lower the festive tone for everyone present.

James then looked to Mallory and fondly smiled to her. "You're looking very smart, Mal," he told her. It always amazed him how much she looked like Lucy, despite being adopted. It also seemed like she had picked up on her mother's style too. This confirmed his earlier thoughts about his kids growing up and it really was only a matter of time before she would announce being in a relationship. "Go easy on the punch today, love... no matter what your Uncle Conor says. I don't want my kids spending Christmas Day throwing up!"


Pyroclast (Syd) neverbackdown (Mallory) ElectricDandellion (Mallory)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

"Suit yourself, Scrooge. All the more for the rest of us," Syd smirked. However, hearing his father's words of warning, he looked up at him with a more serious expression and added, "I'll be fine for tonight. I promise."

The festive atmosphere had put Syd in a playful mood, but he didn't want his dad to change his mind about sending him out on his first job. He had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time now, and felt he had to prove to him and the rest of the crew that he was both serious about the work and reliable enough to accompany them. It would be a waste to throw his chance away because he got lost in the party spirit. Conscious that Delilah must have overheard them, Syd wondered briefly how she felt about the business. She had seemed ready to involve herself, but that may well have changed after she and Leo got hurt that night. Then again, he wasn't sure the expectation to help out with the business extended to his sisters, or whether they would have to fight even harder than he did to be allowed the opportunity - even for the less dangerous jobs, such as the one he would be going along for later that evening.

Mal appeared then, looking very dressed up. Being in such a good mood, Syd would have probably complimented her on her efforts, but she spoke first and it was her words that grabbed his attention.
"I didn't spike it, I made it myself thank you very much," he laughed, pushing her away. "Get off me! Leave my hair alone and go get drunk on this punch. If we're true family, you'll want to add something stiff to the mix yourself!"
He was only having fun, but of course his dad chimed in with words of wisdom. It was kind of him to be there to care for them all, and Syd appreciated his concern. "I'll make sure she doesn't overdo it," he assured him, smoothing his hair back into position yet again. But then he turned to Mal and, with a wink, whispered, "Don't listen to him, sis, it's Christmas!"

Interactions
neverbackdown Mallory
ElectricDandellion Delilah
Misty Gray James

 

[Misty Gray]

George Sanderson​

George sat back on the edge of his own bed as he listening to what Peter was telling him about Finn. "Ah, well that's a damn shame," he said, upon hearing Finn was already taken. "I can still look at him, though, yeah? Best looking guy I've seen visiting in a while!" he joked. He shuffled backwards so he could rest the back of his head against the cold, brick wall his bed was pushed up against. One of his regrets in life was that he'd wasted his younger years in a relationship that had been doomed to fail, purely because he was afraid of hurting the girl's feelings and disappointing their families. Whilst he was sure he'd have still got greedy and continued to commit fraud, he would have at least been able to explore his feelings and maybe even find someone he could love. The closest he'd got to that was through his relationship with Richard Foster, a former cellmate who completely abandoned him the moment he was released from jail. George was heartbroken, but looking back now, he wondered if he would have done the same in Ricky's position. Being with another man was a stigma in itself in the current times, never mind having to wait on the outside for a man who still had years of his own prison sentence to serve.

Realising he was getting lost in his thoughts, he focused fully on his cellmate again. He could see how important the photographs and car were to Peter, evidenced by the emotions the man was trying to conceal. George looked down to his hands for a time, feeling like he was intruding on a private moment if he continued to stare. George thought himself a perceptive and intelligent man, one who would surely see through an act if one was presented before him. He believed Peter was a good and decent man, regardless of his affiliation with the Mob. He was coming to think the way the other prisoners, including Darius, were treating him was undeserved, but he was unfortunately their best opportunity to get to the Porters.

George laughed when Peter offered to return the favour for him looking after the photographs. "Don't worry, mate. We all deserve to have something to keep us going in this place and I figured the pictures were pretty important to you. Too personal for people to go around swiping, but there are men in here with no decency." George sat forward and lifted his feet onto the bed, pulling his knees into his chest. "However... If you could get Finn to talk to me, I could go for that! Whether he has a lover or not, it'll be an interesting change from the repetitive normality of this place." Plus, he'd get to look at Finn's handsome face in a closer proximity.

The man's expression turned more serious when Peter apologised for him missing out on his family's visit. "Don't sweat it, I've missed plenty before now. They'll come back after Christmas and it's not like the visit would have been different to the rest of the year. And the fact is, I'll not have a family Christmas again, even on the outside. My brother and sister are the only family I've got since the rest disowned me." George cleared his throat and quickly shook his head. "I'd say you've got it worse than I have. I can only imagine what's it's like being apart from your wife and children this time of year.


Bellz (Peter)

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

Peter was deeply affected by what George said to him. He shook his head slowly, not believing that he had it worse than the man in front of him. Peter didn't know what blood family was but he was sure that if he was rejected by his family now, he would be devastated. Peter let his head hang down low, feeling awful for George at the moment. "No no, I think you definitely have it worse off." Peter said, looking up at George once more. He reached a hand behind him to pat the pillow that held his precious pictures, "You know, once we get the hell out of here...if you ever need somewhere to go for the holidays..." Peter shrugged his shoulders and offered George a light smile, "My kids know how to make someone feel welcomed real fast, let me tell you." Peter smiled fondly at the memory of his kids, how he missed them so much. "Savvy takes a bit to warm up to ya but when she does, she just as hospitable as her mother. Braden finds this whole jail time to be the coolest thing I could do, so just imagine what he will think of you, and my little Emery, well she is a sweetie pie who turns you into her walking slave in a matter of minutes." Peter didn't know why he chose to tell George about his kids, he didn't like seeing the man so down about his family.

Peter shifted back and leaned his back against the grey brick wall, "You know the one thing I miss about being on the outside is sugar cookies. The kids and I use to sneak downstairs during the nighttime to grab a cookie or two. It first was me finding them sneaking downstairs but being father of the year, I decided to join in on the fun." He shook his head, laughing at his fond memories before leaning his head against the wall and closing his eyes. He missed his family so much today. He wondered what they were doing right now, probably getting ready for the evening ahead of them, the Porter's knew how to throw a party. He was missing every precious moment that Christmas had to offer and instead here he was, rotting in a prison cell. His time here hadn't been a great one so far and he was sure that it was only going to get worse. Being apart of the Porter's mob definitely had its downsides and it was becoming clearer and clearer with each day.

With: George Misty Gray
Mentions: Sinead and Finn

 

[Enzyme]

Carter Dresden​

Carter smiled when she insulted Mrs. Armstrong’s taste in fashion. He hasn’t purposely picked out bad clothes, he just wasn’t used to shopping for someone else. He genuinely though most of the clothes looked good. He looked back towards the bag, deciding she’d like most of it once she tried it on. “Well, in her defense, I was the one who picked ‘em out,” he chuckled, a little embarrassed by his lack of style. Most of the clothes he wore were more for function, rather than fashion. He’d pick a cheap, multi-purpose garb over something designer any day.

Carter shrugged lightly when Arlene told him her thought process on escaping. The knife was sharp enough and with her set of skills, it wouldn’t be as hard as she was making it out to be. “Not to encourage it, but tweedle dee and tweedle dum out there have the reaction time of a sloth. I wouldn’t put it beyond you,” he said respectfully, “but, once again, I don’t encourage it.” He thought it over a second, before looking back to her. “Mostly for my own health.”

Carter looked back towards the city. When he was outside, the brisk weather was refreshing. After being surrounded by relatively clean air, it was a bit of a shock to go back to the apartment rooms with the poor ventilation. Being captured wouldn’t be the worse thing in the world, especially how Arlene was being treated. It was a shock to everyone in the building how great she had it. “Well, to be honest, I’m still just as busy as before. Besides occasionally stopping by, you haven’t affected my schedule.” He looked back to the window, realizing that wasn’t exactly the answer she was looking for. “In terms of practicality, I don’t quite understand why you’re still here, either.”

Misty Gray (Arlene)

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor and Shannon Sullivan​

As Jackson pulled the car into an empty spot on the Porters' driveway, he mentioned a snowball fight. Conor's eyes practically lit up before he quickly turned his head to look to his friend. "We're definitely starting a snowball fight," he deviously confirmed. He stepped out of the car and straightened out his clothing. "I dare you to throw one at James. I would suggest my mam, but she will murder you and I kind of like having you around," he joked.

Conor stepped into the house and wasted no time in removing his jacket as the warmth hit him right away. He arched his neck so he could peer into the lounge to see James was thankfully busy talking to the teenagers. Before he could sneak inside and act like he'd been home ages, Lucy joined him and Jackson. "Hey, Luce. Are you baking? It smells amazing," he shamelessly complimented her. He picked up on her tone and knew she wasn't impressed with him. "Is that dress new? You look different. Very radiant," he said, grinning as he intentionally tried to distract from any potential lecture. He then gave his sister a tight hug and a peck on the cheek. "You do look nice, though. You've got a nice festive glow to your cheeks," he curiously told her.

He was distracted from delving into what it was he couldn't pinpoint about his sister as she mentioned Michelle and Alex. "Yeah, so I'll be heading there now..." he said, pointing to the room before going to join his daughter. "Merry Christmas! Sorry I'm late... I got conned by a magician who made all of the presents I bought disappear. Guess we're going to have to find joy in each other's company this year," he joked. "I may have also had to go to work and sample the drinks. Purely for the sake of the business, of course..."

"I'm a magician too, Conor," Shannon began, as she stood up. "One more dumb comment and I'll make my foot disappear when I kick you up the arse!" she informed him. Without further word, she headed into the kitchen to grab herself a glass of wine. She'd already had ten Christmases pass by without Emmet and the void was still felt. She was glad Lucy and James had taken control of it, so she didn't have to do the preparations she and Emmet would have shared. Still, she couldn't help but think of how happy he'd be surrounded by all of their grandchildren and the rest of their extended family.

Conor watched Shannon leave and looked to Michelle, pulling a comically uncomfortable expression. "The whole foot? Ouch!" he remarked. "Sorry I'm late, Shelly. I got lost in many Christmas spirits, but I'm not going anywhere now." He had bought presents, but he was going to keep the suspense going for now. He instead sat himself on the carpet next to Michelle and looked at the dolls she was playing with. He picked up one particular blonde haired doll and held it up in the air. "Hey, look, Luce! This doll looks like you!" he shouted out. He then looked at Michelle and grinned before putting on a rubbish impression of Lucy's voice. "Oh, I love you James, kiss, kiss, kiss. I made us all cookies. I sure do hope I don't burn them, because Conor is such a good guy - the best - and he deserves at least six of them."


Enzyme (Jackson) Bellz (Lucy) neverbackdown (Michelle, Alex)

 

[neverbackdown]

Mallory Porter​

Mallory smiled at her father's compliment "Thanks dad, Its not really my style but i do enjoy dressing up from time to time" she said grinning from ear to ear. She laughed at her brothers comment as she looked around the room "and how many people know its an alcoholic punch?" she quizzed him a daring look in her eye "if everyone doesnt know then it is in fact spiked" she smiled. While her statement wasn't necessarily true, Mallory said it with such confidence that she could have made anyone in the room believe her, it was one of her skills that she had aquired through the years. Mal knew how much power words could hold and how it could be just as strong as a weapon given the right circumstances, while her family would not really be aware of this skill she had used it quite a lot unbeknownst to her parents especially in times when she needed to get out of trouble. Her innocent act was also a skill she was proud off. Her ears perked when Syd told her to add stuff aswell "oh dear brother, how do you know I havnt all ready" she teased with a cheeky smirk before she laughed.

When her father told her to be careful tonight, Mallory nodded her head with an innocent look on her face "I'll play it safe enough" she told him, however her fingers were crossed behind her back. She turned to Syd when her father left and smirked at his comment "You have to get drunk with me" she told him

Pyroclast
ElectricDandellion
Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James scoffed when Syd called him "Scrooge". He stepped back from Mallory and Syd, moving so he was stood facing them. "Have you heard this joker?" he asked his daughter, motioning to Syd. "Guess I'll send your presents back to the shops, then..." he teased. His expression turned more serious as he nodded in response to Syd saying he'd be fine for the job. He trusted his son would be be mature and also be careful once on the job, but it wouldn't stop him from being concerned whilst Syd was out that evening, regardless of how straightforward it was.

"Mal, even if you think it's not your style, it does suit you. You and Del take after your glamorous mother," he assured his daughters. Mallory reassured James she would play it safe and he wasn't sure if he believed her entirely, but at least she would be getting drunk in the safety of their home. "Well, my mind is on your mother now, so I'm going to go find her. I'll let you kids focus on not overdoing it," he knowingly remarked.

As James made his way to find his wife, he heard Conor heckling the woman about her resembling one of Michelle's dolls. He briefly peered into the lounge, not caring to lecture his brother-in-law as he was just happy the fool had finally made it home. James soon found Lucy and approached her from behind, gently wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing the side of her cheek. "Well, I suppose you are a doll, love," he flirtatiously told her. He then let go of her, but only so he could walk around to face her. He took hold of her hands as he looked her over, taking in the dress she was wearing. "You look amazing, Luce," he told her, his sincerity clear on his face and in his voice. "Do you need any help with the food or have you got time to relax with me and the others for a bit?" he offered.


Pyroclast (Syd) neverbackdown (Mallory) Bellz (Lucy)

 

[Misty Gray]

George Sanderson​

George chuckled when Peter assured him he had it the worst. "Jeez, have you heard us two? Considering we're both stuck in this dump, how about we agree we've both got it pretty shitty?" he reasoned. The man was then taken by surprise when his cellmate offered him a place to go for the holidays. It was a touching sentiment and one that he would have never expected in a million years. He was lost for words, which was fine as Peter then chose to speak of how his kids would welcome him to their home. George sat back and smiled fondly as he listened to the brief mentions of the three children. "Ah, mate. Your children sound like little angels, even if I'm already intimated by your tough little Emery. I'd say you've got a special little family waiting for you back home."

George continued to smile as Peter told his story about sneaking downstairs for cookies. "You're all entitled to a little mischief and a treat from time to time. It sounds like you're a good dad to your children and I'm sure you'll be sneaking downstairs for sugar cookies before you know it." He knew he wouldn't get to experience that kind of family life after his eventual release, but it didn't mean he couldn't enjoy listen to Peter's stories of his home. "I'd love to take you up on your offer," he finally addressed Peter's initial comment about him being welcome for the holidays. "I'm sure you would have to clear it with Mrs. Callahan first. She might not want you inviting your old cellmates over. But, if the missus did happen to approve... I would be honoured." George looked down to his knees for a moment, still taken back by Peter's kindness. As desperate as he was to get his parole and gain his freedom, he wasn't looking forward to being alone on the outside. Prison was a shitpit and many of the prisoners could be arseholes, but he was rarely alone. There was always someone to talk to and a story to hear. Even listening to some of the guys talking complete nonsense filled a void. On the outside, he imagined living alone in an apartment with nobody wanting to associate with an ex-convict. He knew Peter was from a family of criminals too, but they still sounded like normal, decent people. He'd seen Sinead the day she visited Peter and she was well-dressed, appearing to be far more classy than anyone he expected would give him the time of day once he was released.

"I've got a little game for you, unless someone already spoilt it... What do you think I'm in here for, Pete?" he curiously asked. "You can't offend me, so don't hold back..."

Bellz (Peter)

 

[neverbackdown]

Michelle Romano ​

Michelle had been talking to her granny when she heard a familiar voice echo in the lounge,her head turned around quickly as a smile took over her features “daddy” she squealed excitedly throwing her arms in the air , however her arms fell as he mentioned loosing the present and a raised eyebrow graced her features, a look very similar to her mother’s dissaproving look. She watched the interaction between her father and grandmother and couldn’t help but laugh at her granny’s comment but she quickly went back to playing with her dolls. She allowed her father to mess around even joking about her doll looking like Lucy before she turned to him with a very serious face , her arms crossed to show how serious she was “that was funny but where’s my present?”she asked him , however it was more of a demand than a question.

Alex grinned amused at the Interaction between Shannon and Conor and again smirked at Conors comment about Lucy but couldn’t help the laugh that escaped when Michelle went serious on Conor about her present . Getting up or the couch, Alex made her way over to them and sneakily gave Michelle her present to give her father. “Yeah Conor where’s her present “ she pressed but the amused tone in her voice would show that she was joking

Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter​

Lucy rolled her eyes at her brother, of course he was trying to kiss her ass, he knew he was in trouble. Conor was almost like another teenager, needing the tender love and care along with proper parenting in order for him to continue to prosper. Lucy loved her brother very much and she just hoped that he wouldn't fall off the deep end again. "Yes I've been baking," She answered before a blush appeared on her cheeks at the mention of her glowing. She cracked a smile despite feeling irritated with Conor and accepted the hug and kiss he gave her. "Well it is Christmas, everyone has a festive glow to them!" She said before following him to find the others in the room, Michelle playing with her dolls on the floor. Lucy leaned against the doorway and crossed her arms, watching as Shannon and Conor interacted. Lucy couldn't help the loud laugh that escaped her at her mother's words. When she left for the kitchen Lucy's attention was grabbed by Conor teasing her about looking like one of Michelle's dolls. Rolling her eyes she let out a sarcastic laugh, "Wow, you just nailed it with that impression Con, spot on, bravo." She said and looked to Michelle, giving her a wink. Lucy was proud of her siblings in all honesty, they both had grown to be amazing parents...despite the occasional faults. Some pre-announcement jitters were back causing Lucy to suck in a deep breath, right as someone wrapped their arms around her.

A loving smile naturally presented itself as James kissed her cheek, blushing profusely at his flirtatiousness. He let go of her and made his way around to face her, she squeezed both of his hands as he took hers. Looking down at her dress as he complimented her, she gave him a shy smile, "I knew this one would be a winner, thanks baby." She murmured to him. At the mention of food, she was able to regain her composure just a bit. "Food is ready, just a few more decorations to add to the desserts but that can be taken care of later. I would love to relax with you all now." Lucy felt like they hadn't spent much time together in a while, since things had been so frantic. She knew this would be the perfect opportunity to relax and just enjoy her time with the family and she was ready to take it all in. Stepping closer to James, she wrapped her arms around him this time, pulling him in for a tight hug."I love you..." She murmured lightly and lifted a hand to caress his cheek. Looking up, she curse quietly, when James looked to her with a slightly concern expression, she smiled. "Well I hung the mistletoe in the other room, damn shame really, I was hoping for a kiss."


With: James Misty Gray
Mentions:

Peter Callahan​

Peter could tell that George was a little shocked by the offer he had made, but Peter meant it wholeheartedly. He smiled softly as George stated he was already intimidated by little Emery, which was no surprise there, almost everyone was. He nodded along with George as he reassured that he would be back to sneaking sugar cookies in no time. He finally agreed to take him up on the offer, if Sinead would approve of course, this made Peter smile, "Bless her heart, she will take in anyone who is willing to take the offer, criminal or not. Our family doesn't have a good track record of staying on the good side of the law anyhow." He said with the wave of his hand, as if it were that easy to be excepted into the family. He was sure that after Peter told her all the good things about George, she would let him over in a heartbeat. Peter knew it was tricky to make friends in a place like this, but George didn't have a personal vendetta against him and was the only one making the effort to actually know him.

Peter's lips turned up in a smirk at the mention of playing a game. He definitely did love his games. His eyebrows raised in surprise as George asked him to guess what he had gotten in here for. He swore he wouldn't be offended but Peter still was on edge about it. George definitely didn't seem like he belonged in a place like this, in fact, he stuck out like a sore thumb. He wasn't into violence and starting a fight, so what the hell was he in here for? Maybe he had a similar story to tell, Peter hadn't been caught hurting anyone after all and wasn't in to continuing to feed the violence that surrounded him here.

"Well, for someone like you, who seems like they have no business in a place like this, I would say you were caught up in something much bigger than what you thought it to be? Framed maybe?" Peter couldn't help but flinch at his own words, "Sorry if that's wrong....or offensive."
With: George Misty Gray
Mentions: Sinead

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

At James' teasing threat to take back all of their presents, Syd pressed his tongue into his cheek, looking up at him with a playful glare. "That's not Scrooge then, that's the Grinch," he remarked. "Skye's been keeping me up to date with the latest kids books, and it's the Grinch that steals all the gifts. So if you do that, I'll come and paint your face green while you're asleep!" It was obvious he was joking, but there was some sincerity in his words, purely because he would love to see James' reaction in the morning.

Mal made her point with a lot of confidence and Syd couldn't help but grin back at her. He loved how cheeky and daring she could be sometimes, always able to bring out his mischievous side.
"Well it's already got champagne and three different spirits mixed in there, so I'd be surprised if they couldn't smell the alcohol, let alone taste it," he laughed. "But if you don't think people will notice, keep your bloody voice down!"

Never having been a big drinker, Syd was already finding it hard to contain his laughter after just half a glass and Mallory wasn't making it any easier. Something about the way she had called him dear brother just tickled him. "God, no, I need to stop already," he giggled, wiping a tear from his eye. "You know I would, Mal, but I've got a job to do tonight. Gotta be alert, stay on form and all that. I know it's not very Christmassy, but as soon as I'm home, we can stay up late playing whatever drinking games you know, all right?"

In an attempt to calm down, Syd decided to change the subject and reached forward to take another sip of his drink. "Dad's right, you know, you're looking much nicer than usual. Don't tell me you're expecting someone later too?" he drily teased her. This jolted his memory back a couple of months and he stupidly looked back to Delilah to see if she could tell what he was thinking, before turning back to Mallory with a cheeky grin on his face. "What happened between you and that guy...God I'd almost forgotten about him...do you remember, Del? The barman you tried to run off with the night we snuck out?"

Interactions
Misty Gray James
neverbackdown Mallory
ElectricDandellion Delilah

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James grinned when Lucy said she knew the dress would be a winner. "Right as always. You look stunning," he complimented her. Even after over a decade, he was still amazed him how beautiful the woman standing before him was. In a way, he still couldn't help but wonder how the hell he managed to end up with some as perfect as Lucy was. In his eyes, no other woman could come to her.

He nodded his head when she said food was done, other than decorating the desserts. "I can't wait. I bet it's all going to look amazing. Far too nice for the hooligans running wild around our home," he joked. "Relaxing with you sounds like the best way to spend our time until dinner," he agreed. "Perhaps we could even give out some of the presents soon too," he suggested, a glint of excitement in his eyes. Watching the teenagers and the Callahan children open their presents each year was always a blessing. It felt good to know the younger family members could have the kind of Christmas he could only dream of when he was their age. He was glad they could have a better childhood to the one he'd experienced.

Lucy pulled him in for a tight hug and James automatically wrapped his muscular arms around her. A gentle smile formed on his face as she told him she loved him then stroked his cheek. "I love you too," he didn't hesitate to reply. "We don't need mistletoe to kiss..." On his last word, he leaned into Lucy and passionately kissed her lips. He eventually pulled away and looked Lucy in the eyes. "Damn, now you're making me want to ditch the others and spent the rest of this day alone with you," he said, glancing in the direction of the stairs. "But we can't. Someone's got to keep that lot under control," he joked. He put his arm around Lucy's shoulder and led her into the lounge. "You take a seat and I'll get us some drinks. Want me to pour you some whiskey? Syd mentioned some punch, but I'm sure you'd enjoy the real alcohol more," he innocently - and obliviously - suggested.


Bellz (Lucy)

​

 

[ReverseTex]

Oliver Morgan
​

Oliver had always done Christmas slightly different from the rest. Instead of buying the gifts in advance of the holiday, he went out Christmas Eve to do so. The reason behind this odd practice simply fell under the fact that the man never really celebrated the gift-exchange part as a boy, seeing as him and his sister were quite poor until their later years... However he had started celebrating the festivities once his son had been born, now wanting him to miss the joy of the holiday like his father...

Over the years, Christmas for the Morgan’s had some odd twists and turns. For Adam’s first few Christmas’s Oliver hadn’t been present, then he had began to get involved. After the war, he had promised to himself never to skip a Christmas, and despite the odds he hadn’t broken that promise yet. Unlike Adam’s mother...
—————————————————————————————
Oliver awoke to the clouded gleam of the blinding reflections of snow, having gotten home only a few hours before. Heaving a sigh, he slowly got up from bed, and wrapped himself in his robe and slippers. Limping down the stairs, trying not to awake Adam with the clanking of his cane, he made his way to the coffee pot. Starting a brew, he quickly peaked in the garage to check on a part of his Christmas handiwork, before returning to pour himself a cup. Limping to his chair in the living room, he set his coffee upon the end table, then got to work to build a fire...

Once satisfied with the result, he sat down triumphient as he took a deep breath. Kids were hard work. Chuckling at the thought, he sipped at his warm coffee gently, staring at the two wrapped presents aside the fireplace. One was quite large, enclosing a freshly tailored suit, accompanied with all accessories and shoes for his son. The other present was much smaller in size, compared to the other... But it was a surprise.

Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

George Sanderson​

George smiled as Peter spoke of Sinead taking in anyone. "Your wife sounds like a really nice lady. Got a classy look about her too; walked into the visiting room carrying herself like the actresses in the movies do," he voiced his first impression of seeing the redhead. He wouldn't dream of repeating the observations some of the other prisoners had made him privy to following Sinead's visit. Of course some of them hadn't been with a woman for some time, but George felt there was no excuse for such dirty and inappropriate comments. Sadly, he'd had no other choice but to keep his own thoughts to himself, to avoid angering some much tougher men and to also keep their homophobic remarks at bay. He counted himself lucky that most of the others didn't see him as any kind of threat and instead preferred to keep him on good terms so he would try harder to get them the contraband items they requested.

George could tell Peter was apprehensive about guessing why he was locked up but they guy seemed like he would still go along with it. They had to pass the time somehow! He chuckled when his cellmate suggested he might have been framed. "Nah, mate. It's not offensive at all. I wasn't framed. I did everything the courts sentenced me for and I knew what I was doing. But you're right, I don't think I expected to go as far as I did with it. I'm in here for fraud and identity theft," he admitted to Peter. "I was a smart kid in school - real good with numbers. Got my first job working in insurance and was really good at it. In those years I dealt with all kinds of rich and snooty businessmen. Listened to them boasting about their fancy cars and lavish parties. I decided I wanted some of that for myself and found ways to manipulate the system so I could share their wealth. I got deeper into it and the stakes got higher." He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't have any sob stories about it. Nobody made me do it and whilst my family wasn't rich, we had everything we needed. I just got greedy and I was a cocky little fucker about it. I stood up in court and refused to admit any guilt, despite all the evidence stacked against me. I just persisted to maintain that nobody suffered. In a way, I still believe those I stole from didn't suffer. Those big companies muscling in on local, family businesses. They barely felt the money leave their pockets."

George glanced to the photograph of his parents and fell silent for a time. "It took me far too long to realise there were victims," he said, looking back to Peter. "I came from a religious family and it broke my old man's heart to see me lie so easily. My parents lost many friends from the community because of my actions. They disowned me by the end of the trial and have never changed their minds on that. Truth is, I can never ask their forgiveness and I would be living a lie if I received it. They would cast me out all over again if they found out I'm attracted to men." He quickly shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Sorry, mate. Didn't mean to get so deep there," he apologised. Truth was, he rarely felt he could talk about what was on his mind. Peter was one of the first prisoners since Ricky who he felt wouldn't tell him to shut the hell up.


Bellz (Peter)

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor feigned an offended look on his face when Michelle demanded her present. "Seriously? Here I was thinking my presence alone would be enough. No, it turns out kids today only care about presents..." he trailed off, a wide grin creeping onto his face. Then Alex backed her daughter up and Conor shook his head. "You're in on this too? I guess I know when I'm beat." He got up to his feet and rubbed his hands together in front of the fire. "I only just warmed up. But no, I will go outside into the freezing cold and battle with that powerful magician until he returns the presents he stole from me. Wish me luck, everyone..."

Conor had already left the wrapped presents safely hidden with Brian, knowing he had very little privacy a the Porters place and not wanting anyone to find them in his room. As he walked down the driveway, his t-shirt doing nothing to keep his bare arms warm, he noticed Brian with his back turned to him. Winking to one of the other guards so they would stay quiet, he bent down to grab some snow and form a nicely formed ball. Without any warning, Brian soon felt the impact of the cold snow against the back of his head. He shot around to see Conor approaching. "You silly twat!" he said, managing a grin. "You'll pay for that, just you wait..."


Conor eventually returned into the house, carrying a sack of presents over his shoulder. He left them out of sight in the hallway and just took out the three gifts he needed first. He stepped into the lounge and placed the presents down in front of Michelle. "I battled hard, Your Majesty. But I got them back..." He showed her his cold, red hands as evidence, although that was merely caused by making up the snowball to chuck at Brian.

Michelle would open up the presents to find a new jacket which was similar to one she already had but newer and a different colour. She would also find a new football and the main present was a pair of white roller skates. "I hope you like them and I know Savvy would love to play on her roller skates with you too," he told her. "Oh, shit! You can't tell her though. Savvy doesn't know she's getting some roller skates. Shhh!"

neverbackdown (Michelle, Alex)

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter​

Lucy's cheeks were still tinted a bright red as James leaned in for a kiss, claiming they didn't need mistletoe. Lucy returned the passionate kiss until he eventually pulled away from her, his eyes looking into hers. Letting out a laugh at his comment, Lucy moved to straighten out his shirt slightly out of habit, glancing towards their only escape as well. Frowning as he joked about keeping the lot under control, she scrunched up her nose, a part of her really wanting to just run up those stairs with him right now. He placed an arm around her shoulder and she automatically leaned against him, wanting all the warmth he could offer. Once in the lounge, Lucy took a seat as James moved to grab them a few drinks. Whiskey sounded good at the moment, Lucy had definitely had a whiff of the punch from the kitchen earlier and even the reminder of the sweet smell made her nauseous.

"I sure hope you gave our kids a talking to about drinking punch." She said, wagging her finger with a teasing tone in her voice. "Whiskey sounds great, only a small amount though love, gotta keep an eye on the oven." Crossing her ankles together, Lucy leaned back in the comfortable chair as she relaxed, the room was quieter due to the hooligans being dispersed throughout the house. Her feet throbbed only slightly but it was good enough reason to kick off her heels. They made a slight noise as they fell on the floor. Relieved to have her shoes off, she was glad to have a few moments of Christmas peace before the true chaos would begin, the gift giving and the meal. She hummed along with the Christmas music that played. Her nerves were surprisingly calm at the moment, sure she was anxious but it was the good kind of anxious. All the cooking and cleaning had distracted her well throughout the day. She could hear a few voices in the other rooms, Mal's and Syd's voice stuck out to her the most. "They are growing up too fast for me James." Lucy murmured slightly, "I love the holidays we have now but I wish we could have more time..." Lucy knew that she was getting her wish, but it was good to keep James on his toes before announcing everything.

With: James Misty Gray
Mentions:

Peter Callahan​

Peter's guessing was only half right according to George and as the man told his story, Peter was hooked. He listened to it with great interest, feeling like George wasn't one to tell this story to many people. Peter took great care of listening and opening his mind to what the man had to say. George spoke of nobody making him do it, Peter could relate on some level. James didn't make Peter do anything, though he was sure Sinead gave him shit for it. Everything that Peter had decided to do that night was done on his own terms. George refused to admit to any guilt, which didn't sound that way to Peter now, as the man confessed all his sins before him.

Victims? George had never realized their were victims. The man looked back to Peter after staring at a photograph for a long time. Peter felt for the man as he revealed his pains and struggles. After it was all over, he apologized for being deep and Peter just shook his head, "Please. Don't apologize for that." He murmured to the man. Peter was glad that George was his cellmate, they had a lot in common with one another. As many prisoners would see this as a benefit to themselves, Peter saw this as an opportunity for them both. "It takes a long time to heal. But I'm sure deep down, your parents love you very much...Parents do funny things sometimes when they love too strong." He held up his hands, making it clear that he wasn't going to argue if George thought it wasn't true. "As far as being attracted to men...nobody has the right to tell you how to feel. Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law." Peter wasn't one to go all religious on someone anymore, he hated religion for a long time after his time in the orphanage, but there was comfort in the words at least. "I use to read that verse from time to time and wondered what it all means..."

With: George Misty Gray
Mentions: Sinead

 

[Misty Gray]

Jared and Grace Armstrong
​

Grace smiled brightly as her brother hugged her and thanked her for the gift. She then let out a small sigh as he coolly told her not to worry about him finding a girlfriend. "Well, you know Jenny's still single, right?" she remarked. In reality, she was sure the bakery employee wasn't Quinn's type at all. The girl was great at her job but did come across as quite loud and something of a party animal. Grace imagined Jenny was far too much of an extrovert for her brother, but she still like to tease him about her anyway.

Grace watched on as Quinn presented their parents with the gifts he'd got them, smiling fondly as she watched her mother and father accept them. She loved the time they all got to spend together and wished they could do it more often rather than only when special holidays came around. It then came to Grace's turned to be given a gift by Quinn. An excited expression covered her face as she wondered what he could have possibly bought her.

"Thank you..." she enthusiastically said as she tore into the wrapping paper. When she opened the box, her face dropped slightly as she saw the folded apron staring back at her. She consciously reminded herself to smile as she touched the material with her fingertips. "Well, gee. I guess I do need a new pretty apron..." she began, glancing to her brother. She noticed the smirk on his face and suspiciously eyed him. She lifted the apron out of the box, ready to hold it up and try warm to the gift. It was then that she saw the camera and her eyes practically lit up. "Oh my..." she gasped. She lifted the camera out of the box and traced her index finger along the engraving of her name. She felt a little bad for being ungrateful about the apron and more so as she realised the camera must have been expensive. She carefully set the camera down so she could rush to her brother and give him a tight hug. "I love it, Quinn," she told him, tearing up at the gesture. She then let go of him and gently punched his shoulder. "You jerk!" she added, grinning as she thought about the joke he'd played on her. She rushed back to her spot so she could study the new camera. She knew already that she would be able to take some amazing photographs with it.

Jared accepted the gift from his son, an intrigued expression on his face as he mentioned the contents being able to take the edge of a day of being Mayor. When he opened the box, he lifted out the bottle of whiskey, unconsicously nodding his head in genuine approval. "Excellent choice! Now this is a real drink. I'm not even sure it will last until after the election," he admitted. "But I will try to show some restraint. Thank you, Quinn. It's spot on," he assured him. "With you three behind me, I'm sure I'll get through those tough days," he said, sending the three family members a warm smile.

As Jared watched his kids exchange the gifts, he somehow managed to take two very differing messages from the moment. The first was that he was proud and touched by their kind gestures towards each other, reminding him of how much he truly loved his family. The other message came from the way Grace had reacted when she believed her brother had only got her an apron. He knew it was only a natural reaction, especially as he'd been known to spoil his family. But seeing his daughter's initial disappointment managed to wash away any uncertainty he was feeling about presenting his kids with their presents.

The man stood up and handed his two children a money envelope each. When they opened them, they would find a relatively small amount of cash to what they'd be used to receiving. It was perhaps enough to buy a casual outfit, nothing from a designer label. "The last year has been a huge eye-opener for me. I'd left the factory in the hands of Ciara and until she showed her true colours, I'd not given much real thought to those working there. Working with the IWU and having the opportunity to learn about them on a personal level has made me do a lot of thinking. I love this family and I enjoy spoiling you, but what good does it do? We have a beautiful home and more possessions than many people I interact with on a daily basis." Jared looked to Grace and sent her a sincere smile. "I know what you want the most, Lily," he softly told her. "That's why I won't be stepping foot inside the factory or working on the election campaign again until January. I'm going to spend the next week with my family. In return, I want you two to use that money for the most meaningful thing you can think of." Jared placed his arm around Faye and kissed her cheek. He knew his wife didn't need such lessons. "As for you, my love. I'm going to whisk you away on a holiday this spring. You get to pick the destination."

Bellz (Faye) Fletchawk (Quinn)

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue​

Woof, that kid has got a set of lungs on her. That kid was, without a doubt, Emery and Ryan was little glad that there had been a door to shield him from the immediate effects of such an yell. The resulting clamor gave him the impression that he was indeed correct about coming over to offer his assistance.This was followed shortly by Sinead opening the door and greeting him with a smile. Ryan couldn't help but chuckle a little before returning the greeting after parting from her hug, "Season's greeting to you as well! I was about to say, you look a little frazzled." Smiling from her contagious mood and energy, he stepped inside and was complemented by the eldest child, Savannah, as he entered the main living room. "Thank you. It was a gift from my own mother." Although his smile didn't falter, the girl's reminder had him tugging on the cardigan again, his skin unused to the material. Ryan appreciated the thought behind the gift from his mother but he certainly that he didn't share Savannah's opinion of it. Still, he had a feeling that if he didn't wear it to the Christmas party, word would get back to her one way or another.

"Elves? Here I thought it was the reindeer that did it. Huh, you learn something new every day." The statement wasn't really directed at Savannah or her mother but the two younger children as he took a good look at the decorations now that the room was better lit and he was a sober. To him it looked good but he was glad that the children had enjoyed by Sinead's testimony. He nodded in agreement, as Ryan view gradually moved to Brady and Emery that were amidst pick up their toys, "Mine has been uneventful, fortunately. My Ma wanted to visit but I thought it would be best if she didn't this time. Got a package instead..." He gestured to the cardigan he was normally wouldn't wear. "...and a letter. Nagging as a mother tends to do." Ryan paused for minute as he watched the kids gather their unwrapped gifts from around the room. "Don't worry about it. These kids deserve it, you do too. Besides, how could anyone say no to Princess Sinny?"

Ryan flashed a cheeky grin at the red haired woman and was about to ask how Peter was doing when there was knock on the door and was opened, interrupting his thoughts and put him on guard until he identified the woman. "Ms. Cartwright, Merry Christmas!" Ryan had only officially met the woman last night although he had seen her in the company of Mr. Dempsey once or twice before. "Hardly, madam. We were just admiring the handiwork of that elves, or was it reindeer, left behind. Either way, it's rather impressive and it seems the kids like it a lot." Ryan gestured to the room's dressing in a superfluous manner. "Oh, and is Tommy also with you?"


Melanin-Gxdess [Aliana] Misty Gray [Sinead + Kids]

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan
Savannah, Braden and Emery​

When Ryan mentioned thinking it had been the reindeer that had decorated the lounge, Savannah quickly pointed to the novelty headband Sinead had been nagged into wearing. "Yeah, these antlers have become a part of me now," she remarked and rolled her eyes. "Gone are the days of my sparkly tiara," she sarcastically added. She then listened to Ryan as he spoke of his less hectic day, so far. "Aw, that's a shame. I would have loved to have seen your mum again, it's been such a long time since I last did. I never thought I'd be a nagging mother, but then those three crazy little humans came along..." She glanced to the cardigan and grinned. It seemed Christmas made people wear allsorts of things they normally wouldn't. She herself was sporting a festive jumper over her usual kind of cute dress. "It's a good cardigan, but you don't look entirely comfortable in it," she pointed out, having noticed him tugging at it. She couldn't help but let out a small laugh as Ryan referred to her as Princess Sinny. "Oh, maybe I do still get to wear that tiara after all. Just don't let Savvy hear you - she thinks she's the new princess in town these days. We'll just see about that..."

Sinead lost her train of thought as the door opened and Aliana entered the house. "Ali!" she excitedly exclaimed. "I'm so glad you're here, babe. Now the party can get started!" She rushed to her and gave her friend a hug as well as a kiss on the cheek. Unlike most of the others who would be at the party, Sinead was aware of her friend's history with Conor. It was that knowledge that had her worried Ali wouldn't want to attend dinner in case there was any awkwardness. Though it wasn't through any ill-intent of her brother, it seemed the three adults currently standing in the Callahan house had recently found reason to be annoyed with Conor. For Sinead, it was the way he'd barely confided in her about his own daughter and she felt even the weeks before Alex returned, he'd left her shut out of his troubles. She just hoped he would make some kind of effort with her that evening before she would feel compelled to confront him about it.

Sinead took advantage of the children being quiet and getting ready so she could make an important request of them. "Now, Lucy's place is going to be busy with lots of people and presents. So as well as needing you all to contain your excitement, I need you to help keep the place tidy," she said. She knew James liked things calm and organised, but she was making the request for Lucy's benefit as she was aware of her sister's pregnancy. "You all get to take only one toy each with you and it has to be something easy to carry. Just one toy each," she firmly told them, holding up her index finger to emphasise her point.

Sinead stepped back to allow Ryan to speak with the woman he'd officially met the previous night. As he questioned her about Tommy, Sinead cocked her head to her side and suggestively quirked her eyebrows to Aliana. She too was curious as to where the man in question was. Both of the ladies had been through a lot in the last few weeks that Sinead hadn't received any of her friend's relationship gossip as of late. She was very curious to hear if Aliana's and Tommy's flirting had progressed further yet. Aliana would have heard from Tommy as he'd confirmed he would be at the Porters in time for dinner, though he had seemed distracted the last couple of weeks. Savannah brushed past her mother to give Aliana a quick hug, before rushing back to her siblings, who were oddly quiet. That kind of peace in the Callahan house was usually a cause for concern and suspicion.

As Sinead looked back into the lounge to check on her surprisingly quiet children, her mouth gaped open in horror as she saw Braden had taken off his boots and was in the process of lifting his jumper off over his head. "Brady! What are you doing?! You were dressed and ready to go..." she began telling him off.

"You said I could take one toy and it's the easiest to carry because I'm going to be wearing it." He held up his Superman costume. "I'm not allowed to dress up as a gangster so Superman is my next favourite hero," he commented, regarding Peter as the first.

"Geez... Okay. You win this round," Sinead relented. "Couldn't have just dressed as Clark Kent, could ya?" she grumbled. Her eyes found the wall clock and seeing the time prompted her to retrieve her handbag so she could pluck out her medication. Although it worked at keeping her spirits high, the act of swallowing the pills always made her think of why she was back in this state and today she was missing Peter's presence greatly. She wasn't sure if prison even acknowledged the festivities but she hoped her husband was having some kind of fun today. She snapped out of her thoughts as she washed the pills down with the water and set the glass on the fireplace to clean up later.

Sinead then returned to Ryan and Aliana to rejoin the adults in their conversation. "Would you both like a drink now or are you ready to head to the real party?" she asked, nodding in the direction of the Porter house.


Fletchawk (Ryan) Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)
((Sorry, I didn't think this post would end up this long. Other replies coming up soon...))

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

"Of course I gave them a talking to. If I had my way, they'd still be drinking soft drinks," James half-joked. He grabbed one of the whiskey bottles from the cabinet, along with two glass tumblers. He poured some of the alcohol into each glass before carrying them over to the coffee table in front of Lucy, setting the drinks down on the wooden surface. He took a seat on the sofa next to Lucy and lifted his glass to take a sip from it. "I may have poured a little too much, but I'm sure I can finish whatever you can't handle by yourself," he teased her.

James put his arm around Lucy and observed her with a content smile on his face as she hummed along to the music. He rested his head against his wife's but then tilted it to look to her face as she mentioned their kids growing up too fast. "Yeah, I guess it doesn't seem two minutes since they were little children, playing with dolls and toy cars..." he trailed off, thinking back to years ago. He sat up straight so he could turn his head to properly look at Lucy. "Besides, I think this house will be full of young energy for a few more years yet. Our nieces and nephews are still small," he reasoned, hoping it would be some consolation for them. In all honesty, it wouldn't surprise him at all if the Callahan Family didn't continue to grow. As exhausting as the children were, he could see how much Sinead and Peter loved having children around. James wouldn't give up his adopted children for anything and was always grateful to have them in his life, regardless of the tragedies that led to the adoptions. Still, he could see that time would never completely remove Lucy's natural yearning to bear a child and it was something he still quietly hoped for himself. "We'll be alright, love," he reassured her, placing a kiss on her lips. "Plus, I'm always willing to keep trying," he added, with a flirtatious wink.


Bellz (Lucy)

​

George Sanderson​

George faintly smiled when Peter told him not to apologise for spilling all. His cellmate also went on to reassure him about his parents and show apparent acceptance of his sexuality. His previous cellmate hadn't been the type for deep conversations and the best he could get out of that man was boasting about all of the amazing things he had waiting for him on the outside. Thankfully that man's sentence had only been a short one and he was soon back out on the streets to commit more petty crimes.

Peter went on to quote the Bible, which caused George to smile even more. His expression wasn't a reaction to the man having religious ties, but to the verse he'd chosen to quote, one which encouraged and permitted love. "Aye, I've read it too," he noted. He tried to gauge if Peter was religious or not, but figured the man was reasonable enough not to be offended by his opinion. "My parents are highly religious people. Whilst they are good people, they are also very closed-minded and their love comes with conditions. Regardless of love, they wouldn't accept the real me," he assured Peter. "I grew up religious but I'm afraid I have no time for it now. After realising I only believed in God out of fear and to keep my parents happy, it lost its magic for me. Plus, every Sunday, without doubt, we'd be at that church bright and early. Even if I was ill, I had to get out of bed and I was reminded of how there were people more sick than I was. Mum and Dad had always been very conscious of their place in the community, wanting to appear like the perfect family, but I screwed that up for them. They wouldn't have me back and I'm not willing to be someone else to be accepted by them."

George got up from his bed and walked to the door, checking nobody was near the cell. He then rushed back to his bed, pulling it away from the wall so he could remove a chunk of brick from it's rightful place. He reached his hand into the hole in the wall before pulling out a couple of small rectangular items wrapped in foil. He tossed one to Peter. "The perks of slaving in the kitchen..." he said, a devious grin on his face. Wrapped in the foil, Peter would find a strip of chocolate.

After putting the brick and his bed back onto place, George looked Peter in the eyes, unable to hide his curiosity. "How about you? Still into religion now?" he asked as he broke a piece of chocolate and began to eat it.


Bellz (Peter)

 

[Bellz]

Faye Armstrong​

Faye's emotions got the best of her briefly, being so proud that her children were exchanging gifts with one another continuing the festivities of Christmas. Faye finally reined in the water works and was able to control herself as Quinn went to retrieve his own gifts for the family. Faye couldn't help but notice the way their children talked about Jared's campaign and the lack of time he had spent with the family recently. Faye knew it was hard on them, perhaps harder on them than it all was on her. She kept her own feelings about the campaign to herself, at least around them, knowing that the last thing they needed was to worry about her in any way. Faye peered curiously at Jared's present before she was handed her own from Quinn. Opening the box she found a matching red hat and veil that would go perfectly with the dress that she was given from Grace. A business card with the name of a salon was in the box as well. Faye's lips pouted slightly as she tried to hold herself together once again. "My boy." Faye murmured sweetly, "I love it, thank you so much." She said happily before quieting down so that Quinn could give Grace her present.

Faye looked at the apron in the box and smiled softly at the gift, it would prove useful in the shop and it was a pretty design. Faye was also surprised by the camera hidden in the box and clapped her hands together in delight at the surprise. "Oh Quinn darling, that's beautiful!" She exclaimed and looked to Grace with excitement. "You will have to get a few pictures of today yes?" Looking to Jared, she could help but study the look on his face in that moment. She tilted her head curiously wondering what he was thinking before he stood and handed the children two envelopes. Faye listened carefully as he spoke.

She nodded her head along with his words, not denying that they were a bit spoiled and agreeing with him on what he was saying. They had come to the decision a while back. Faye smiled widely at the news of Jared spending a week with the family instead of focusing on work or the campaign, she looked to her children, hoping that this would be enough for them. They were calling out for him to be there, to spend more time with them, and today they were getting that wish. Faye leaned into Jared as he kissed her cheek. "A holiday!" she gasped out, another smile returning to her lips, "Ooooo so many options my dear!" Faye was going to spend a lot of time picking out the perfect destination for them. She hugged Jared tightly before releasing him and hugging her two children. "You are my greatest gifts." She told them both before kissing their cheeks and heading to grab her own present to give Jared.

It was a small box, nothing too crazy for the future mayor but it would be more of a sentimental thing. "For my husband and father to our two amazing children, just a reminder of how much I love and appreciate you every day." Inside was a gold ring with their wedding date engraved in it along with the last phrase of her own vows to him, "I found love, love was you."Faye smiled softly as she anxiously awaited his reaction, "I hope it fits, I just went off the wedding band size." She couldn't keep the redness from painting her cheeks as she sucked in her lower lip through her teeth.

With:
Fletchawk (Quinn) ; Misty Gray (Jared and Grace)

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter​

Lucy chuckled as James confirmed that he gave the children a talking to. They definitely did have the hold that they use to on the kids, they were older now and as much as they wanted to be able to have some say in their lives, they simply couldn't. Lucy just hoped that the kids knew about moderation and wouldn't end up black out drunk. She would be there to take care of them if they did however, never loving them any less for it. Lucy lifted up her own glass and took a small sip. Leaning her head on his shoulder, she rested the glass against her thigh. It seemed like time was going by all too fast. "We do have them." Lucy agreed with James, their nieces and nephews would be young for quite a bit longer.

Lucy kissed her husband in return as he stated that they would be alright, she nodded her head softly, keeping up the facade for a bit longer. Her heart was racing in her chest ready to burst with the excitement of it all. Lucy chuckled softly as James flirted with her. How many more times could she get him into bed before the announcement? She wondered. Lucy rubbed her hand up his muscular chest and bit her lip flirtatiously, "Quickie before gifts?" She asked, her tone teasing him. She knew that they had absolutely no time for that and what he didn't know was that their trying had worked, the wait was over, the years of wishing and wanting was over. Lucy couldn't wait for it all, she couldn't wait for the look on his face.

Taking another drink, she sighed softly and looked at the pictures of the family a moment. Spotting Peter's face out of all the rest, she frowned softly, "I hope Peter is doing alright...he's the last person I would think could handle such a place. Besides Finn." She murmured in honesty as her thoughts went to her sister. She had perked up after the visit with Peter, pulling through for her children which was a huge step forward for Sinead. She was excited to see her and the children.

With: James Misty Gray
Mentions: Peter

Peter Callahan​

Peter nodded along as George continued to speak about his parents and their acceptance of who George was. He was happy to hear another man could relate on such a religious level, from time to time finding peace in the little verses that he would remember from time to time. George's parents sounded like the nuns at the orphanage. Nothing was more important than the lord. It was almost relieving to hear about someone else's life being ruined by such a thing. Religion to many people was a uplifting thing, it was used to answer prayers and keep the good spirits high.

Peter watched as George got up from his bed and walked over to the door. Raising his eyebrows, he watched the man pull out a chunk of brick from the wall, he had a lot of hiding places it seemed. Peter caught what was tossed to him, something wrapped in foil? From what George said, it looked like a piece of food. Stripping the foil back, he was delighted to find chocolate. Snapping off a piece, Peter took a bite and couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face. "Thanks." He murmured to the man before looking his way at the question he asked. Clearing his throat Peter shrugged his shoulders. "From time to time, when its needed, I find myself referring back to the scriptures. Sometimes when my kids need a little guidance, I will teach them a few things about God...but I haven't really been fully immersed in it for a while." Peter thought back to his childhood. "Religion became a very negative thing in my own life as well...but for different reasons I suppose."

Snapping off another piece of chocolate, Peter held it between his fingers as he looked George in the eyes. "My parents decided to drop me off in front of the orphanage one night and that was it. I was left in the midst of catholic nuns who took care of me since I was an infant. Every day was bible study, cleaning and more studying. We even had a praying period where we were sent to the church to pray for an hour. As a kid, it was pointless to me. I prayed and prayed and prayed for my parents, for someone to love me. Around the age of 10, I started to realize my prayers were never going to be answered." Peter's voice broke slightly and he shook his head. "So to answer your question, is yes and no now...Religion kept me going all those years, the small moments I needed someone to talk to...but I had to learn the hard way that not all prayers are answered."
With: George Misty Gray
Mentions: Sinead

 

[Misty Gray]

Arlene Sullivan​

Arlene raised a curious eyebrow as Carter spoke of how capable she would have been of using the knife to help her escape. She smirked as he criticsed the two idiots guarding the door from the outside. Although he repeated that he didn't encourage her to attempt an escape, she still couldn't help but speak up. "I'll keep that in mind... To make my escape when the two morons are on guard," she told him. "I'm sure I could find it in myself to inflict some non-fatal stab wounds. Can't have you dropping dead on me after you bought such a thoughtful gift," she remarked.

As Carter looked back out of the window, Arlene glanced to the carrier bag. She decided to give one of the dresses a try. Undeterred by the fact the man was present in the room, she removed her trousers and lifted her top off over her head. She then held out the blue gingham check shirt dress and studied it before putting it on then buttoning it up. "Hmmmm, I suppose it's missing an apron. I feel like a housewife now," she pointed out, looking down at the clothing on her. She was sure such a dress would look pretty on most women, but pretty was never her style. On the occasions she did see fit to wear a dress, she made sure it was more seductive than cute. "Don't expect to come here next time to find me standing by with a meal on the table waiting for you," she pointed out.

When Carter informed her he wasn't entirely sure himself why she was still being kept in the apartment, she let out a groan. "I'd quite like to give that smug prick a piece of my mind. When you next see him, you can tell him that" She leaned against the wall and glanced out of the window. "If he thinks I'm going to be used as some sort of leverage, to threaten my family, then he can forget it. I'll jump in front of a bullet before I let anyone use me as a bargaining chip or bait." The truth was, she'd had a lot of time to think and to overthink. The words she was speaking only reflected one of the many conclusions her mind had been coming to. She had a strong mind, but even Arlene could feel doubt and weakness, given enough time to.


Enzyme (Carter)

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James chuckled at Lucy's suggestion that they had a quickie before opening presents. "Aww, love. Don't tempt me like this," he replied as he softly stroked her arm with his fingertips. "Unless we call the whole thing off and send everyone to Sinead's place. I'm down with that, if you are!" he joked.

James followed Lucy's gaze to the pictures and when she spoke about Peter, he too looked to the photograph of his brother-in-law. His wife was right about Peter and Finn being the least equipped for prison. James himself had struggled during his first stint in jail and he'd actually been far more prepared for it, having fended for himself on the streets and been used to scrapping. Prison had proved to be a whole different ball game. James knew how to work it now, though he didn't doubt if he was to end up behind bars again, it would be for a very long time. As much as he gave Conor stick, he knew even he would easily strive in prison, with his mixture of brute strength, confidence and endearing charisma. But Peter was different and was more than likely to struggle during his time behind bars. Despite backing up the warden's words about why visiting had been cancelled to Sinead, James feared it was more than prisoners being punished and hoped Peter hadn't been hurt. "I hope Pete's alright too, love. I'm trying to find out if I've got any guys in the same block as Pete who can watch his back. It's getting harder to get messages into that place these days, though..." he admitted.

He glanced to the clock and faintly smiled as he expected the other four Callahans at any moment. "Let's take a moment to remember when this room looked relatively tidy and when we could hear each other," he began. "As soon as those adorable, sweet... and noisy monsters enter this house, it'll be a distant memory," he said, followed by a fond chuckle. "I hope you're going to protect me from Madam Emery." Savannah was relatively introverted, so it seemed like Emery was the one to inherit Sinead's powerful lungs.


Bellz (Lucy)

​

George Sanderson​

George nodded as Peter explained there were times he quoted from the Bible to guide his children. He could understand that and the benefits of using it for guidance, rather than to shove it down their throats and instil fear into them. He was sure Peter's children very well cared for and had the right balance of love and discipline as their father came across as a balanced parent. He frowned upon hearing Peter also had a negative experience of religion in his life.

As Peter had done with him, George listened intently as the man told him about his own childhood. It was sad to hear he'd been abandoned by his parents and left in an orphanage. The fact he was cared for by nuns was extra rough to hear as George's experience of nuns at Sunday school was that they could be scarily strict. It had taken George a few harsh lessons to learn not to break their rules! It was heart-wrenching to hear of how Peter had prayed over and over for his parents. Prayed for someone to love him. "Ah, mate. That's real rough. As much as I might complain about my folks, I can't imagine what it was like for you growing up without a family." He sighed and looked down to his hands as Peter said he'd learned that not all prayers were answered. "I'm sorry you never got your parents back..." he sadly began. He then looked up and made eye-contact with Peter, nodding his head in certainty. "But maybe someone was listening to you and your prayers got answered in the end. You've got a wife and three kids. From what I understand, some of those prayers were answered and you've got at least four people who love you. Of course, you may have needed that much sooner but you've got it now. Whether you believe it was a result of prayers or not, you survived the rough times and you were rewarded with the family you have now."


Bellz (Peter)