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

[Bellz]

Blake Walsh​

Blake returned a smile as Jackson gave her a brief kiss, asking how she was, "Missed you." She stated honestly and looked to Syd, giving the young man a wave. The blonde chuckled upon hearing that Syd wanted to be with Skye, the two love birds couldn't get enough of each other. Walking towards the house, Blake was silent as Jackson confirmed plans to pick up training with Syd tomorrow, nodding towards him as they parted ways. Walking under the shadow of the house, Blake listened as Jackson spoke about the place they would be going to. The pups yet again finding their way to them. Blake smiled at the dogs but nodded her head, "I'm excited for this outing." She murmured, having felt that lately they'd been so focused on work that they missed out on enjoying time with each other like they use to.

Blake had walked slightly ahead of Jackson when he slowed, not noticing the static from the radio as she was stuck in her thoughts. She stopped when she felt the tug against her hand and looked back to Jackson who was stopped. Hearing the radio now, she raised a brow and took two steps towards Jackson, who sighed. It seemed they were going to pause on their journey to relay a message. Blake nodded and smiled slightly in return. She saw no point in waiting outside so she quickly walked behind Jackson, walking through the same double doors she had earlier.

Following him up until he found Kennedy, Blake stopped her steps and hesitated a few feet back, having immediately noticed the change in his tone. The blonde's eyes narrowed and before she had any time to process what the change of tone could mean, the dark haired woman burst out in hysterics. Blake stared with her mouth agape as the woman put her hands on Jackson, embracing him tightly. Blake crossed her arms and glared as the couple embraced for a few moments, staring daggers into the back of Jackson's head before looking to Kennedy. When the woman pulled away, Blake sauntered towards her man and placed a delicate hand on his shoulder before coming to place her head on it, "Who's this, darling?" She asked, her tone slightly higher then normal, clearly agitated as her blue eyes looked Evelyn up and down, clearly sizing the woman up.

She didn't waste any time getting introductions out of the way, "Hi. Blake, Blake Walsh. Jackson's girlfriend." She said holding out her free hand to the woman for her to shake.
with: Jackson Enzyme ; Evelyn Pyroclast ; Kennedy mpower

 

[Shireling]

Rudy Meyers
​

"We'll see about that, Dick." Rudy said with a chortle, walking off not to join Ryan but to go downstairs the other way. As he descended the stairs, he was looking for any evidence that this was a regular gambling den, perhaps a hidden compartment to stash money or a few scoresheets left out. Nothing immediately peaked his interest, so he started in on Richard's relations and their acquaintances who were holding shop downstairs. No doubt they remembered him beating the shit out of their buddy, so he kept his eyes keenly fixed and flitting at intervals to each face to see if anyone wanted to go another round. He finished his cigarette, and stubbed it out carelessly on the felt of a nearby card table, flicking the butt away against the wall.

"Afternoon, gents, what's the word? What have you seen?" He asked rhetorically, his eyes scanning them like a hawk. "Anymore poker tournaments been going on down here?"

Misty Gray Fletchawk

Jack Brady
​

The whole situation had felt like a slideshow to Jack, who watched the systematic destruction of the Armstrong family powerless to do anything and understanding the significance of the event. He didn't even remember driving back to his apartment, although when he finally became sensible again and found himself lying in the empty bathtub in his apartment, a gun in his hand, he realized that he must have driven home.

Sitting up and going into the kitchen, his brain worked doubletime to make sense of the situation and where it left him as he poured himself a glass of strong, acrid Russian gin. No mixing, he downed the cup and choked a bit, then drank another. After three or four, he felt like he could think normally again and the slideshow ended. No doubt the police were already all over this, the house went up like a tinderbox and when they find the entire Armstrong family and their associates dead in the living room - it may take them months of looking over the remains but they will realize that it was foul play. Then they'll come sniffing for him and anyone else who was big in the IWU to explain the whole thing. He had to make a calculated decision now, stick with Gideon or try to sell him out. The new IWU boss already had the patina of unquestionable, terrible authority. Like Genghis Khan, an unstoppable force that he dare not cross. He felt the cold steel of the muzzle of his pistol against his temple and snapped out of his thought-induced daze before accidentally shooting himself. He laid the Luger down on the counter and picked up the phone.

"Dublin Tribune, this is Editor McMahan speaking."

"I've got an anonymous lead for you on the Armstrong arson case."

"Arson case--?"

"Yes, arson. It was arson, and the James Porter's people lit the blaze."

"Look, mister, I don't know you from Adam. Why not go to the Gaurdai?"

"They're all in Porter's pocket. If they get the tip, they'll bury it. But if you run the story, the truth will get out there," Jack said, appealing to the newsman's natural self-righteousness, "Besides, I can't get mixed up in it."

"Can I at least get a full statement?"

Jack hung up the phone with a satisfying click. Hopefully, that would put some distance between him and the fire. Now all that was left to do was blend back in with the IWU and put up a face of solidarity. He poured another glass of gin and turned on the radio.

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy​

As her pen hit the floor, along with her jaw, it confirmed for Jackson that she wasn't going to let his abrupt presence slip. Her words confirmed her shock, and the expression on her face mirrored something forlorn. The last time Jackson had seen Evelyn, it wasn't such a pleasant departure. When she first bolted at him, he was almost anticipating a punch thrown his way. At the sound of her laughter and the feeling of her arms wrapped around him, a flood of relief ran through him. The aggressive hug did it's own part in winding him, but he responded with his own laughter, resting his hands on her back. "Hey there, troubler-maker."

Once they pulled apart and Jackson could see the tears streaming down her cheek, he realize how long it had truly been. At her question, he looked up to the walls of the mansion, as if seeing them for the first time. He had spent so long in the luxurious Porter estate, that he had completely forgotten about the decrepit places he'd stayed in - including the warehouse the O'Reilly Crew had once made their home. "Well, it's certainly an upgrade from the ol' warehouse, innit'?" He smiled to her, shrugging slightly at his own retort.

"Yeah, I'm great," he confirmed with a nod. "And you look great." To say it had been awhile since he'd seen her face would've been an understatement, and yet she looked just as stunning as he remembered. "How's Sean doin'? You still talk to the geezer?" With Evelyn's sudden presence, she brought a basket of memories with her.

Blake's touch startled him and did her part in bringing him back to the present. "Oh, I'm sorry," he nervously chuckled in embarrassment, turning to Blake so she wasn't blocked out. Before he could introduce her, Blake took it upon herself to do it for him, as if she expected him not to inform Evelyn that she was indeed his girlfriend. Watching the women shake hands was a strange sight. Blake was such a big part of his world and Evelyn had been as well. It were as if his past and present were becoming acquainted for the first time. "Blake, this is Evelyn," He motioned his hand to her, offering Evelyn a brief smile. "She was one of my closest friends way back when."

Bellz (Blake) Pyroclast (Evelyn)

 

[mpower]

Kennedy Sullivan​

Kennedy had only finished half of his report as he heard his name being called out by a familiar voice, Jackson's voice arriving a few seconds before the man himself entered. Ken glanced at him and tilted his head to the left. While listening to his words, he noticed the lack of eye contact they usually had, which lead him to follow the gaze of Jackson towards Evelyn.

Something was off but he could not figure it out, nor had the time to, both of them seemed in shock or surprise though, almost appearing to freeze the situation in a picture. On the drop of the pen, Kennedy figured out Evelyn and Jackson had history due to her abrupt emotional change. However, Kennedy rose up from his chair and walked over to Jackson, noticing Blake behind him and her confused gaze, to which he only could shrug his shoulders as an answer.

He took his jacket and whatever clothing was underneath it together with his radio inside and walked past them, ignoring the big welcome moment due to his startled worries, quickly getting buttoned up as he walked towards the door. "Stay near a telly, might be something concerning us all", he murmured towards Jackson and Blake as he exited the room. His jacket wrapped itself around his body, his hand grabbed the radio as he walked through the floors, activating it on the side button: "Kennedy here, what's the situation?". The radio probably lightened up after a moment, broadcasting Don's voice and the location he had to head over to. The answer Donnelly could hear was a simple: "I am on my way, keep Press off-site". Kennedy's mind was working as he entered his car and opened the glove compartment, taking his holster and his service arm, which was placed inside. The badge, placed in the darkest corner of his car, was now shoved down into his pocket as he lightened up the engine. Brian had to quickly open the gate as Kennedy speeded down the road, pressing the horn once to pressure on his urgency to leave as quick as possible.

As he drove a few streets through Dublin, away from the Porter residence, he activated his built-in siren at the front window, making his way to the "house" of the Armstrong family. Once he arrived there with screeching tires, he exited his car and jogged over to scene, flashing his badge wherever necessary to make his way to his colleague.

Pyroclast , Bellz , Misty Gray , Enzyme

 

[LateForDinner]

Nathan Bennett

​

Nathan continued to let out small fits of laughter at the humour between the couple, nodding along with each joke made. "Oh, don't worry, Mrs Porter. I'm looking forward to have fuller meals now." He admired them for being able to retain such an attitude when they held such valuable positions amongst the Porter business and the city of Dublin. He shot a glare towards James, trying to resist his grin and seem adamant on his feigned offended expression. "The kids menu? I'll have you know that I'm wearing my big boy shirt today. Adult menu will do just fine for me, chief." His expression quickly broke into a brief chuckle as he raised a hand to pat James on the arm. A subtle sign of respect and appreciation for the enjoyable evening. Although the evening was far from over. Nathan pushed his chair back in before making his way towards the exit of the club.

As he weaved through the passing crowd, he quickly took note of the odd stares that his boss had been receiving, especially from the bar. He took a mental note of their faces in case a situation called for it. Even though James said he officially starts tomorrow, he felt obligated to begin straight away. The marksman reeled his attention back to the conversation between the couple, nodding his head at James. "Nine? I'll be there. I do my own workout." He fired another quick grin before exiting the club altogether.

The bodyguard trailed behind the Porter couple, giving a polite greeting to the hostess as they're shown to their seats. He took in the decor, glancing at all the various features and items that instil the place with character. It brought a brief smile to his face, appreciating the personal touches. Nathan could see himself spending more time here. This thought was only fuelled once his eyes set upon the girl nearby the Porter couple, casting odd looks to James. Luckily, his body still knew how to function and he sat down across from James. Otherwise he would've been caught standing and staring at the elegant beauty of the female. Nathan glossed over the subtle details and features of her face, quickly clearing his throat and turning away to force his gaze to James and Lucy. He only hoped that nobody noticed.

It took Nathan a moment before he brought himself back to the conversation, just catching what James had said. "Aliana? It'll be a pleasure meeting her. This place looks great, by the way." He smiled, taking a menu to lift up a little. His eyes scanned over the items, each one sounding delicious and inviting. He could stomach anything at the moment, he just needed food. Nathan had finally regained his composure, taking a deep breath and lowering the menu to answer the peculiar question. "Apart from one huge nose, no. Nothing out of the ordinary." He smirked, glancing over to the couple again before he forced his eyes back to the menu. "I noticed the singer too. Isn't this sort of attention normal for a guy like you?" Nathan looked up, smiling a little as he hoped to bring some light humour, trying to clear James of any worries.



Interactions:
James Porter; Saoirse Fitzgerald; Misty Gray Lucy Porter; Griffin Fitzgerald; Bellz

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Syd's eyes had settled on Skye again. He had always had trouble concentrating, which partly explained why he had had such a hard time in school, but nothing stole his attention faster than Skye. Although he heard this time what Jackson was saying to him, he barely registered that he was being teased. When prompted, he quickly managed to return his focus to the task at hand - but before he had time to find his footing, he heard Blake's voice and turned to face her with a smile. "I'm not distracted," he quietly protested, but he knew he wasn't fooling anyone. "Just taking a break..." Of course when Jackson called him out, he couldn't deny that he did want to run over to Skye, so he merely rolled his eyes in response. "Sure, tomorrow's great," he confirmed with a grin. "Thanks, Jackson. See ya, Blake!"

Only once the couple were around the corner did Syd allow himself to run over to Skye. He didn't slow down when he reached her, instead picking her up and spinning her round. When he set her back down on the ground, he gently pulled her in at the waist and kissed her. "Hey," he smiled, an unstoppable blush coming to his cheeks as he looked into her deep brown eyes. "I just, uh...came over to ask if you'd take these off for me," he joked, holding out his gloved hands to her. His inattention had made him forget to hand the boxing gloves back to Jackson when their session ended. "Are you working right now? Can you afford a minor distraction?"

Misty Gray Skye


Evelyn McKenna

Evelyn laughed when Jackson referred back to the warehouse they had once lived in. "Aye, I don't suppose you get rats in a nice place like this," she replied. Although the warehouse had been cold, damp and rather uncomfortable, she still retained fond memories of the place. Whereas she had once lived with all her friends and associates, she now lived alone and oftentimes missed the conviviality of her old abode. "You look it," she smiled warmly, unable to hide her blush when he complimented her on her appearance. "Of course I still talk to him! He's mostly based out at the Galway docks though, now, so I only see him so often. Don't worry, he hasn't gone straight or anything -"

Evelyn was cut off by the sound of a woman's voice addressing Jackson. Her tone came out a little passive aggressive but Evelyn still wore a smile when she looked over to her. It was clear that the woman was concerned about something by the way she was looking at Evelyn, but nevertheless she shook her hand. "Oh, you're...?" She looked to Jackson, then took a small step back, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Luckily Jackson intervened to introduce her before things could get too awkward. "The pleasure's mine, Blake," she greeted her, hoping that she hadn't made a bad first impression on someone so important to Jackson. "Aye, Jackson and I used to work together, donkey's years ago." She looked back to him and her smile widened, reaching all the way up to her sparkling eyes. "I can't tell you how happy this has made me. God, I wish I didn't have work to get done - I'd love nothing more than a big, long catch up! But you two look busy too, so...don't be letting me keep youse."

Interactions
Enzyme Jackson
Bellz Blake

 

[Misty Gray]

Detective Donnelly​

Following a call from a member of the public who had heard gunshots from the Armstrongs' place, Donnelly had rushed straight to the scene, along with a few more squad cars following his own. By the time they arrived at the house in question, the place was already engulfed in flames, the thick smoke visible far in advance of reaching the scene. The curious bystanders were soon ushered away with the street outside the Armstrongs' place cordoned off with tape and police officers soon put in place to keep everyone away from danger and prevent nosy reporters from intruding. The fire engines soon arrived on the scene and were granted access to property to put the fire out. It was then that Donnelly radioed through to Kennedy and told him to get to the scene immediately.

Donnelly beckoned for Officer Robert Lark to follow him and take notes as he was at least able to investigate the driveway of the property once any outdoor fire was contained. The man stopped next to what was left of the Rolls Royce and looked down to the registration plate on the ground, the letters and number still readable. He pointed for a member of the forensic team to bag it up. He'd been at the City Hall with Commissioner Morris when the election results were announced. He'd then seen Jared, Faye and Grace all leave together in the car driven by one of Armstrong's men. Nothing could be confirmed yet, but considering gunshots had been heard and the Rolls Royce had made it back to the house, there was a high probability the Armstrongs could have been in the house when the shots were heard. "You reckon this was the Porters?" the voice of Officer Lark asked, drawing Donnelly out of his thoughts.

"They would be the obvious suspects," the Detective flatly replied, not looking to his young colleague. "Just because we have an easy lead, doesn't mean we shouldn't consider other possibilities. Mayor Lyndon was murdered last year, with Porter also targeted. Commissioner Morris was almost killed during his election parade. Potentially, Armstrong wasn't targeted until after losing the election - why not Morris?" he thought aloud. Upon seeing Kennedy approaching, Donnelly nodded to his colleague then looked back to Lark. "I want James Porter bringing in to the station so I can question him. Make it happen," he demanded, his voice loud enough for Kennedy to hear. Once Lark had walked off, Donnelly led Kennedy away from anyone else's earshot. "Someone called in to report the sound of gunshots here and we arrived to see the place up in flames. I have good reason to believe the Armstrongs didn't make it out of that house," he gravely informed his colleague. "Would you happen to know if this was your lot?" he asked, clearly referring to the Porters. "I need to know the whereabouts of Porter's closest employees throughout today. Conor Sullivan, Jackson McCarthy, Ryan Donahue and Rudolph Meyers. We need to know where they were and I hope they have proof that they were somewhere else," he said, motioning towards the burning house which the firefighters were still dealing with.

mpower (Kennedy)

 

[Misty Gray]

Skye McKendrick​

As she continued to help Savannah collect the flowers she needed to complete her bouquet, Skye couldn't help but stop to watch Syd training with Jackson. Skye managed to hide the fact she was watching pretty well - certainly better than Syd was able to mask that he was looking at her. She saw Jackson nudge her distracted boyfriend, causing the lad to fall over onto the grass. Skye quickly turned her back to the men in question and couldn't hold in her laughter at the scene. She would certainly tease Syd about that later. "Ha! He fell over," Savannah pointed out, mirroring her nanny's amusement. "You two look really pretty together," she suddenly announced.

Skye blushed at the child's comment. "Aww, that's really sweet, Savvy," she told her. She got the girl to hold the bunch of flowers in a bundle whilst she carefully tied them together with a lilac-coloured ribbon. "They look beautiful. Your mum and dad will love your gift," she assured her. Skye looked to the child's face, sensing her nervousness. She instinctively pulled Savannah in for a tight cuddle to reassure her. Having one-on-one time with Savannah had meant she'd opened up to her about her concerns. The main concern she drew from their conversations was that Savannah was worried Peter wouldn't have missed her as much as she'd missed him. The child was insecure due to the fact she wasn't Peter's biological child, unlike Braden and Emery. "Your Dad loves you, Savvy. Trust me, Princess. Don't you dare think otherwise, okay? Now go inside and see if your Gran will put those into some water. I'll put the gardening tools away, alright?" Once Skye ended the hug, Savannah quickly nodded her head and rushed inside to find Shannon.

Shortly after Savannah had sprinted off, Skye turned just in time to see Syd rushing towards her. Before she could react, he had picked her up and was spinning her around. She rested her hands on his shoulders and let out a loud fit of laughter upon being taken by surprise. She only stopped laughing so she could return his kiss. "Hey..." she copied him, meeting his gaze with one of her own. She took a step back when Syd asked for her assistance in removing his boxing gloves. "What am I going to do with you?!" she playfully asked before setting about pulling the gloves off of his hands. "Savvy's gone back inside to find Shannon, so I can afford any distractions involving you," she happily assured him. She set the gloves down on the garden bench before turning back to Syd and lightly nudging the top of his arm with her fist. "You looked pretty hot training out here," she flirted. She then allowed herself to briefly giggle. "Even when Jackson knocked you over on your arse! You were still hot," she teased.

Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[mpower]

Kennedy Sullivan​

Upon glancing at the residence of the Armstrong family, Kennedy could only remain speechless to the spectacle as he was walking through masses of bystanders and reporters. He flashed his badge towards the nearest Officer and ducked underneath of the police barrier, illuminated by the lights of police cars and the vehicles of the fire department. Shortly after having stopped for a second to stare at the fire and his surroundings, the Detective moved over to Donnely after he saw him standing on the driveway, talking to Officer Lark. If this was simple fire-raising and the Armstrongs would be in the back of an ambulance, everything would be alright, but by the sound of Don's voice over the radio and the equipment brought upon the scene, it looked like they got something heavier than that. His mind was still rotating and working on the consequences for his family and the political situation following the reveal of this investigation, but that stopped once he arrived, his ears catching up on the conversation of the two.

He raised an eyebrow as his partner called out James' name towards the Officer, seemingly having done this extra for his arrival, but this did not upset him all too much, it was normal to suspect the Porters for such things, mainly because of the events that had unfolded between the IWU and the mob. To the assumption that the Armstrongs might all have died in that fire, Kennedy could only nod, not showing all too much sympathy for IWU and it's employees, although remembering that Jared had children and a wife. He definitely got caught off guard by Donnelly's blatant question. A frown decorated his forehead, him glaring at Donnelly with a mixture of wroth and calculated distrust. "I know for certain that it wasn't my /lot/." He emphasised on 'Lot' as he did not really feel familiar with such a term for his family, clearly showing his disdain for such vocabulary and for the assumption that they would have done such a horrible act.

"James and the closer ones are in the Jazz Club. I saw Jackson just one hour ago at the Mansion, been there the whole day with me and Syd. Conor's been out for dinner or something and for the other two, I do not know. But before you send some Officer to James, I might go there myself and tell him to come over for questioning, same goes for the rest. Better have someone they know...someone of...-their lot-...right?" He knew it was not the time to be offended, but the way his colleague connected him was not that of a Detective and partner but more of a middleman to the mob. "You know what? Until they tamed this fire I might as well drive off and tell 'em what you've just told me, so they're not brought under suspicion. One thing's for certain, the Armstrongs did not have few enemies, 'specially after Jared's loss in the election." He pushed one hand against his hip, pulling back his unbuttoned jacket as he did so, huffing out some air. "Do radio in if they extinguished it before I returned, thanks for the notice", his words were a way to bring back some empathy in their conversation but his undertone implicated something different. Without saying further words, he turned around and marched off towards his car. His engine roared loudly as he speeded off towards the club.

Once he arrived there, he would ask for James Porter and his wife at the entrance, only to get redirected to the Sky Haven Restaurant, to which he headed over. In front of the main entrance, his movement halted for a moment, him looking around to check if after the death of the Armstrong family might target the Porter family now. He approached the Hostess with his badge readied in his hand. "Detective Kennedy Sullivan, I need to talk to James Porter", and without paying further attention to her, Kennedy marched into the restaurant,, letting his gaze scan the wonderful establishment for his cousin and her husband.

Misty Gray , Bellz , LateForDinner

 

[Misty Gray]

Saoirse Fitzgerald
​

Saoirse had watched the interaction between Conor and Aliana, but had quickly looked away when the couple started getting smoochy at the bar. She took a sip of her water as she gathered her thoughts. She didn't like to feel bitter about others' happiness, but she certainly envied those all around them who were able to smile and go on with their lives. She hated feeling so powerless and unable to get justice for her sister. When she looked to Conor, she saw a man who she believed had the ability to do what she and Griffin couldn't.

Before Saoirse could give in to the temptation to confront Conor, the man left the restaurant. She looked back to her brother and smiled. "Careful, Griff. You're not getting any younger. You're not going to start adopting cats, are you?" she teased him, managing a sweet smile. She shook her head when her brother belittled himself, suggesting a man of his profession wasn't as appealing as some gangster. "Griff, if you were to date a lady who would judge you on such a thing, then I hope you would step well away from that kind of shallowness. You deserve better than that," she firmly told him. "Look at me. I thought Dylan was a catch. A real upstanding member of the community and the golden boy in Father Dermot's eyes. But Dylan turned out to be an expert at playing mind games, and the rest..." she trailed off, recalling the time he struck her, which resulted in a rapid end to that relationship. "All I'm saying is, it doesn't matter what your profession is and you must never put yourself down. You say 'grocery store owner' like it's a bad thing. You own a successful business, don't play it down."

Once again, Saoirse was distracted and this time it was by James Porter himself. She couldn't help but stare as the man was seated with his wife and an employee at a nearby table. She looked back to Griffin, quirking her eyebrows in her brother's direction. "Maybe I should go speak to the man himself!" she confidently suggested. She looked back towards James, but this time her eyes landed on Nathan instead and a very subtle smile crossed her lips for a moment as she took in the handsome man's features. She quickly turned away to look back to Griff, a slight blushing now evident on her cheeks.

James Porter
​

James had only just missed seeing the way Nathan had been looking at Saoirse. Had he noticed, he would have made sure to send some light teasing in the man's direction. When asked if it was normal for him to be receiving the attention he'd noticed in the club and restaurant, he shrugged his shoulders. "Kind of... It differs. Sometimes people will be more discreet about it, either they're intimidated or curious. Others will basically attempt to stare me down - perhaps even try to size me up. The singer and the the two right now are different to that. It almost feels like they want to talk to me..." he trailed off.

James was distracted from the conversation as he noticed Kennedy speaking with the hostess near the restaurant entrance. The fact the man was showing her his badge made it clear he wasn't there for dinner. "Hold that thought," he said, kissing Lucy's cheek and sending Nathan a nod. James got up from his seat and walked to meet Kennedy halfway. "I take it you're not here to eat," he flatly remarked. "Is there something I need to know?" he enquired.







Bellz (Griffin, Lucy) LateForDinner (Nathan) mpower (Kennedy)

((I'll post Donnelly tomorrow, so I'm not ignoring the things Ken said to him.))

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Syd held out his hands to her so that she could remove his boxing gloves, eager to be free of them so he could touch her with more affection. Once she had successfully unfastened them, he brought his hands up, still securely wrapped, to her face and pulled her in for another kiss. "Good," he smiled, stretching under the warm sun as Skye laid the gloves on a nearby bench. "'Cause it's a nice day, and I'd like to spend the rest of it out here with you."

He laughed, briefly looking away when she began to tease him about his embarrassing fall. "Shhh!" he playfully dismissed her. "That didn't happen, alright? Besides...maybe if you weren't so gorgeous you wouldn't have kept catching my eye." The fact that he could laugh with Skye about things like this made him appreciate how comfortable he could be around her. In the past he had been so concerned by image, acting differently around girls than he had around other boys without really understanding why. The explanation lay in an inherent desire to impress them, as most other teenagers will understand. Syd was no longer possessed by this desire now that he had gradually replaced it with more mature, developed feelings. Having been with Skye for several months now, seeing her every day and falling in love with her, there wasn't much stopping him from being himself anymore. He was secure in his love for her, and found it liberating to no longer have to concern himself about impressing her. It wasn't the first time she had seen him fall over, anyway.

"So, Peter's coming home today," he said, taking on a more serious tone. With his fingers laced between hers, he walked her slowly towards the Eastern side of the garden, where the sunlight would linger until late in the day. "I don't know about you, but I can't stop thinking about it. I kinda got used to not having him around, but now that he's coming back it's dawning on me again how he's just spent the last 6 months locked up in some shitehole cell...Doesn't that scare you a bit? I know my dad lived through it once, but that was years ago - sure he's still got the scars, but he's not all messed up about it. What if Peter's not the same anymore?" Syd lowered himself onto the grass, gently pulling down on Skye's hand so that she could lay beside him if she wanted to. "How have you talked about it to the little ones?"

Interactions
Misty Gray Skye

 

[Fletchawk]

Alexander Quinn Armstrong​

Quinn guessed that Adam wasn't over the death of his father from the smile that didn't reach his eyes even though he concurred with handling it. He wished he could do more for his friend on that front, but he couldn't even relate to the death of a loved one. Although he had been busy the last couple weeks, all Quinn could do was keep his friend company as much as he was able.

Watching the wisp of smoke drift from his cigarette, a small smile tugged at the side of his mouth upon hearing the results of the election before he took a drag. Quinn pondered his own reaction, unsure if it was from the fact that his father's unethical path had failed the man, or if it was something more contemptuous. Exhaling before he responded, "I imagine so. What a shame," he dryly aired as he ashed his cigarette. Quinn was fairly sure that his father would likely had other machinations in the works, but it wasn't often that his father didn't succeed after putting forth so much effort and the man didn't like wasted time, especially if it was his own.

The laughter turned coughing fit elicited a chuckle from Quinn before the sly smirk returned, "Perhaps. It's more like pointing out that my dear sister has been taken with you for some time. It's you that has yet to address the matter." Taking another drag, Quinn left the cigarette hang from his mouth as he leaned back in the chair, and ran his hand through his hair as he made his pondering obvious to his friend before chuckling a bit more to himself. "Maybe that's why she's yet to have a boyfriend..." he said as he stroked a non existent beard. The useless motion continued a bit before he recounted his own relations with the family. "Father and I are cordial though distant for obvious reasons. Lily is still a bit envious, but she's stopped digging at me for not getting a bigger place and taking her with me. Mother still worries if I'm eating properly on my own, which I am but it's not as proper as her cooking. It's one of the few things I miss to be entirely honest, besides teasing Lily of course," a shit-eating grin growing on Quinn's face as he fondly thought of past goadings.

Eventually snapping out of nostalgic thoughts playfully tormenting his sister, the train of thought rewinded to his mother's cooking and the realization that she would almost certainly be cooking something nice to help heal his father's wounded ego. Quinn's stomach also decided to remind him that he'd not eaten since breakfast and how light it was. After taking a final quick drag from his cigarette, Quinn turned his head towards his friend, "Speaking of my mother's cooking, I'm sure she's got something in the oven right now. How about I help you finish up here and we go impede on my father's consolation dinner?" Even though Quinn implied that the act would be disruptive, he knew in actuality that his mother and sister would be pleased to see him and Adam, and his father would have little to say on the matter, if anything at all.

Raising from the chair on the veranda with a bit of energy, he flicked his cigarette's cherry out and stuck the filter back in the package. "So, what do you need help with?"

Pyroclast [Adam]

 

[LateForDinner]

Nathan Bennett
​

Nathan had finally settled on a meal until the attention of his employer was taken by the sudden arrival of an officer. He felt that his well needed meal was going to have to wait. As he placed the menu down, he watched James's expression shift as he stood up. Nathan took his nod and quickly returned his own, unsure what has taken him away so quickly. He already assumed that situations such as this would happen, but it still struck caution within the bodyguard. "Is everything alright, Mrs Porter?" He turned to watch his boss confront the officer, glancing at the man's sophisticated style. He had a feeling that this cop wasn't someone to trifle with.

Although there was no evident sense of hostility or danger, Nathan felt obligated to stay with Lucy and protect her. He knew James was more than capable of handling a situation and he knew Lucy could no doubt defend herself, but the marksman stayed put. As he slouched back in his seat, he let out a tiresome sigh and stole another glance from the female seated a couple of tables away. Her beauty intoxicated him and he quickly had to force his head away again. Luckily, the situation called for his attention and he easily applied it to observing James and sitting with Lucy. He only wondered what their conversation was about. "Does this sort of thing happen a lot?" His eyes glanced back to Lucy as he asked another question.

"Surely we could still order food..." He mumbled to himself, glancing to the hostess who has planted herself from a distance to observe James and the officer. His eyes scanned over the menu again, now wishing he ordered his food sooner. The bodyguard sat up in his seat, flattening his jacket down before resting his hands on the table. The temptation to interrupt the two men only grew as his stomach punished him for lack of food, as well as feeling the need to ensure James is okay. He knew the boss was, but it wasn't about being his employee or bodyguard. Nathan was still his friend, first and foremost. James taught him such morals and he hasn't let them go since the prison. For now, he swallowed down the tempting ideas and set his eyes on Mrs Porter to ensure she's still secure, biding his time for the officer to leave and for his meal to arrive.




Interactions:
James Porter; Saoirse Fitzgerald; Misty Gray | Lucy Porter; Griffin Fitzgerald; Bellz | Kennedy Sullivan; mpower

 

[mpower]

Kennedy Sullivan​

Before he could even detect James, the man himself already stood up and approached him. Ken shoved his hands down his pockets as he glanced around for anything out of ordinary. The table where James came from appeared to have his cousin Lucy sitting there, to who he nodded with a slight smile, and a foreigner next to her, who only received a suspicious gaze of the Detective. Without shaking hands, Kennedy looked at James now again as he approached him and started their conversation without a greeting. Kennedy probably interrupted a nice dinner there but he did not care for such formalities right now. "We have a problem. The Armstrong Mansion is set on fire and we are somewhat certain that everyone's still inside, no longer alive, due to reported gunshots moments before the house got lighted up. Chances that the whole family's done for are high and you can bet who the Gardai once again chose as their prime suspect. I got Jackson and you out of the picture...partially, and Connor somewhat too, but Donnelly asked for Rudy and Ryan as well, you all have to head over to the station and do your alibis to prevent any accusations..." He paused for a moment, glancing towards the table Lucy and the unknown man were sitting on, establishing eye contact with Nathan for a moment before his attention shifted back to James.

"They want you to go to the station as well, right now. I figured I might relay this message over to you in person. You should also put some ´alarm bells´ up everywhere you deem necessary, figuring that it wasn't us, someone else might target the Porters as well, and trust me, those folks don't do unfinished business by the looks of it." He puffed out some air, something he did to handle higher stress levels, for example right now. Kennedy knew this was another massive wave of problems for the family and even for him and he certainly did not like it. "Look, I can tell Connor as well, if you know where he is, or can do whatever you got, something useful at least. I gotta wait till they extinguished the fire, then I can take a look inside, though I am not really up for that, judging by what probably happened to Jared and his...his lot." His eyes were always busy, inspecting each corner and face of the guests on their tables in detail to prevent any sudden surprise for for James, the rest and himself. It was like a mist laid upon the city, filled with violence and murder. He certainly hated such days, it reminded him that life in civilisation was not always different than to life outside, the ways to handle things had just a different flavour, but still kept their brutal form. Although, there were not many people who would handle things the way the Armstrongs got handled. Finally, Kennedy had stopped and waited for James to answer, his previous worried and stressful facial expression turning into a straight face again.

Misty Gray , Bellz , LateForDinner

 

[Misty Gray]

Skye McKendrick​

Skye couldn't help the large smile from forming upon hearing Syd tell her he wanted to spend the rest of the day with her. For a big chunk of her life, she'd never expected to have found someone who cared for her as much as Syd did, nor could she have ever imagined being welcomed into a family the way she was with the Callahans and Porters. It was the best feeling to have proved everyone at the orphanage wrong and not be "unwanted" or a "burden" for the rest of her life.

She blushed when Syd put the blame for his distraction on her beauty catching his eye. "Well, aren't you just a charmer, Syd Porter?" she flirtatiously told him. "I could say the same about you. If you're going to be out here looking mean and hot, why wouldn't I stand in your eye-line watching? It's totally your fault."

As they held hands and walked together, Syd mentioned Peter coming home. This evoked a quick nod from Skye as she waited to see if her boyfriend was going to say more on the subject. He then mentioned he'd got use to the man not been around and the concerns he had about prison changing her employer. She displayed an awkward smile as she processed his words and then got down onto the grass to lay next to him. She kept hold of his hand and moved to lay on her side so she could see Syd's face. "Mr. Calla—" she began. "Peter wouldn't change, surely? I mean, he's such a nice guy and has a beautiful little family here waiting for him." She fell silent as she thought about the naivety of her own words. She only had to cast her mind back to her own time in the orphanage, which in many ways had been a prison in itself. She knew her experiences had changed her, throwing away the vivid imagination and idealistic nature she'd once held as a child. From the things she had heard about Peter's time in prison, she supposed it wasn't a crazy assumption his time in there would have changed the man.

"How do you think it could have changed him?" she asked, imagining different outcomes. She always imagined prison to be full of violent and aggressive men, but to think of Peter acting in such a way really was a scary thought. Syd went on to ask how she'd talked about it with then children, evoking a small sigh from her. "I've been telling them their dad is coming home today and he's going to be thrilled to see them again. Emmy is as excited as ever and Brady has been walking around the place like some tough guy. The poor boy thinks he wants to hear all about prison from Peter. His dad is his biggest hero, after all," she said, with a fond smile. Considering Syd's concerns, she had to wonder if she might have got the children's hopes too much for a perfect reunion. "Savvy is looking forward to Peter coming home, but she worries he doesn't care about her as much as he does the other two. Of all of the children, I feel she's suffered the most over the last few months." Skye gently squeezed Syd's hand and looked into his eyes for a moment. She couldn't imagine not seeing him for six months and they hadn't been together for a huge amount of time, not like Sinead and Peter had. "I just hope Peter's return will bring Sinead back too. I've seen Sinead most days since Peter was arrested and this morning was the first time she's truly smiled, without any sadness, stress or worry showing through... I hope the Callahans can get back to normal now," she added, missing the old, lively atmosphere in their home.


Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter
​

When Kennedy started by stating they had a problem, James' face remained neutral and he nodded for the man to continue to elaborate. There was always a problem, the part he was most interested in was how big or small that problem was. As he was informed of the fire at Armstrong's place and that it was highly likely the family had been killed there, it became clear this was pretty high on the scale. Whilst the Gardai and others would immediately jump to the conclusion the Porters were behind it, James' immediate assumption was that the IWU were behind it. Jared's own men had, after all, gone behind his back to shoot up the restaurant during what had been a civilised meeting. James had seen from that night that Jared was living on borrowed time, he just hadn't expected the IWU to wipe him out so soon after the election result. He listened as Kennedy mentioned Donnelly had asked for him and his four closest employees to make sure they were able to provide statements... alibis. "Not that I believe it needs stating, but for the record, Detective Sullivan, this has fuck all to do with me and our family. The prime suspects in this are the very people Armstrong aligned himself with. The IWU are the ones the Gardai should be focusing on." Whilst James would have taken great pleasure in killing Jared, he would not have dragged the man's family down with him. He'd seen Grace at the restaurant the night of the shooting and he'd seen in her an innocent, terrified young girl. Even Romano had spared Sinead some years ago, so James wasn't about to stoop to a level even lower than Vinnie's.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" James rhetorically asked, upon being told he was to go to the station immediately. Whilst he knew it was the sensible course of action, it didn't mean he was happy with it. He figured it was too much to hope for just one peaceful evening with his wife and friend. "I'll play by Donnelly's rules on this one," he relented. "I think it would be best if you approached Conor, before any of your colleagues do. He'll more likely listen to you over any other cops," he suggested, knowing how Conor and cops never mixed well. "Just give me a few minutes to make a call."

James made his way behind the bar, asking one of the staff members if he could use to telephone - out of politeness more than needing permission. When he got through to the house, Shannon answered and he explained the situation. Most people were still not home and so James asked his mother-in-law to have Syd take one of the guards with him to get Rudy and Ryan away from the Archers Pub, along with a robust alibi. He decided Jackson was best staying back at the house, both to ensure the place was kept safe but to also protect his own story and keep him away from the Archers Pub in case that place was now a crime scene of its own, albeit a less serious one.

After a few words to one of the waiters, James returned to Kennedy. "Conor left a short time ago, with Aliana. Chances are he's taking her out on a date. He's not at my place, so perhaps try Aliana's apartment," he suggested, handing the man a slip of paper with the woman's address written on. "He's in his own car, so it might be parked somewhere near the apartment block." He then let out a deep breath, clearly frustrated by the whole situation, despite managing to keep his expression and body language distinctly neutral. He'd had enough practice by now. "Meanwhile, I'll head to the station before your colleagues come looking for me."

Before anything else, James returned to Lucy and Nathan, remaining standing as he spoke, making it clear he wasn't sticking around. "There's a fire at the Armstrongs place and the cops believe the whole family was shot in there before the placed was lit up," he explained. "Obviously, I'm the number one suspect, so Donnelly wants me to get straight to the station. Conor, Jackson, Rudy and Ryan are also likely to be questioned by the cops at some point." Despite his intention to leave straight away, he briefly sat back in his seat and put his arm around Lucy. "The pigs haven't got shit to pin on us, so I'll be back home in time for supper," he reassured her and leaned in to place a soft kiss on her lips. James stood back up from the chair and straightened out his suit before looking to Nathan. "Well, mate. It looks like you're getting paid for tonight, after all. I need you to make sure Lucy gets home safely. I take it your car is parked nearby?" he asked. Seeing as James would be driving straight to the station in his own car, Lucy would need a ride home with Nathan.

Interactions: mpower (Ken) LateForDinner (Nathan) Bellz (Lucy)
Mentions: Enzyme (Jackson) Pyroclast (Syd) Shireling (Rudy) Fletchawk (Ryan) Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright

Ali was really about to go on a date. Like, a real life date to a restaurant with a guy she had feelings for. Even though her exterior showed she wasn't nervous, she most definitely was. First date, first relationship, the first time being open the way she was. As she reached behind her to unzip her dress, she had to steady her breathing. The woman was going to make herself hyperventilate in anticipation of this date. She threw her dress across the room and went to her closet, continuing to speak with Conor from her room. "You know, I can't quite decide. Do I like you with or without clothes?" She joked. She walked into her closet to the far side, knowing exactly where the dress she had been thinking about all night hung. It was a little tricky to get in, the cuts and the slit on the side getting her foot caught. When she finally did manage, she sat on the floor trying to decide what shoes she wanted to wear. "Heels, obviously." She muttered to herself.

She made a quick trip to her bathroom to check her makeup and refresh herself. With her hand in her face, her bracelet was in full view. She paused for a second, to look at it than herself in the mirror. Her heart was saddened for a second but she recovered and walked out of her room with her clutch in hand. When she saw Conor and his changed attire, she gave him an approving nod and smile. "My my, you clean you clean up quite nicely. Despite only having made a few changes." She complimented. This was a small and comfortable silence of her just looking at Conor. Give yourself a chance to love. You never know if he could be the one if you don't try. Her mother words rang through her ears as she followed the sound advice.

Walking over to him on the couch, she grabbed both of his hands. "Let's go, you. I want to see what the fuss about dating is."

Conor ( Misty Gray )​

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue​

Ryan had been about to approach the men at the table when he heard the wooden floor above creak slightly. Besides revealing that someone was making their way towards the stairs that he'd come down, Ryan realized that the men at the table could hear it as well as they also reacted to the sound. While the person turned out to be Rudy as Ryan guessed, he still waited at the base of the staircase to confirm it. Shaking his head slightly as the man passed to signify that he had nothing to say, he followed Rudy towards the table and stood slightly behind him while he announced themselves.

While Ryan didn't have a particular problem with Rudy's approach, he felt it wasn't going to resolve the problem that they'd come here to fix. So before the men at the table could respond to the accusation, he cut in by placing his hand on Rudy's shoulder as he took a step forward, "Now, now, no need to be so crude, my friend." Ryan's mouth cracked into a small grin as his gaze swept the table. Half a dozen men sat at the table, and some of their eyes immediately betrayed who was in charge by flicking between him and the man that he assumed was the other Duncan brother.

"Since you obviously know my partner here," Ryan gestured to Rudy slightly with his hand, "I won't insult your intelligence or mine by asking about anything you might have on the side, since I'm sure you'll stick to your previous answer as a man of good character should. No, instead we're here to discuss a business deal that I know you'll find agreeable." At the end of the announcement, Ryan paused for a brief moment as he thought about his next move and then reached into the inside of his jacket pocket and produced a money clip thick with notes and tossed it onto the table close to where he stood. "To apologize for past..." Ryan leaned forward and ran his hand over the mark that Rudy had made with his cigarette, "...and present injuries, and perhaps a few rounds of drinks as well. The name's Donahue by the way," he said as he extended his hand towards man in charge with a friendly grin, masking the cold, brutal intent that was lying in wait for the man to take the bait.

Shireling [Rudy] Misty Gray [The Duncan Crew]

 

[Misty Gray]

The Archers Pub
The Duncan Gang: Johaan and Richard Duncan (brothers); Patrick (cousin); Vernon (cousin); Larry (glass collector). +3 NPCs
​

Vernon was still injured from the visit all of those months ago, so seeing Rudy enter the basement made the man scowl in his direction. A look from his cousin told him to hold his usually very active and uninhibited tongue. The man grimaced and looked down into his pint glass, finding it difficult to stay quiet, especially as his injuries were still far from healed.

“Afternoon,” Johaan casually replied to Rudy. “I’m afraid not. As with the previous visits, there’s no poker tournaments going on down here,” he firmly assured the man. He was about to offer an invite for him to join them for drinks when Ryan arrived on the scene and spoke up. A small smile crept onto his lips when the newcomer told Rudy not to be so crude. He wasn’t about to trust either of the Porter men, but he would at least hear them out and play along, if needed. “As I’ve told your partner and Conor on numerous occasions, there is nothing going on that Mr. Porter needs to know about. No casinos or breeches of contract here.”

Vernon’s eyes practically lit up when Ryan placed the cash on the table, but he masked it with a bitter frown. “You lot owe me more than that,” he pointed out. “My back is fucked, thanks to him,” he said, pointing to Rudy.

“Give it a rest, would ya?” Johaan hissed at Vernon. He then looked to the money and simply nodded his head, considering Ryan’s apology and offer. “Afternoon, Donahue. I’m Johaan.” He then arched his neck to see the young glass collector who was still standing against the boxes as if he was propping them up. “Larry, lad. Does us a favour and go upstairs to ask Richard to get us all a round in.” The nervous young lad quickly nodded his head before rushing over to the door. In the wake of his movement, a stack of cardboard boxes toppled over onto the floor. The opened box at the top managed to spill out of all its contents across the floor. Johaan was about to berate Larry for his ineptitude when he realised the poker chips, piles of cash and record sheets had spilled out from their hiding place inside the box of potato chips.

“Ah shit…” Larry mumbled as he bent down to start shoving the contents back into the box…

Shireling Fletchawk​

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Syd smiled slightly when Skye stopped herself from called Peter Mr Callahan. His uncle had been her employer before anything else, yet Skye had never really seemed like staff to Syd. That wasn't to say that she wasn't professional at her job - in fact, it was due to her being such a good nanny that she had seemed to settle in so smoothly with the family. He was certain that Peter and the rest considered her to be much more than an employee. Syd liked to hope that she would become the nanny for his new sibling, so that she wouldn't move on to serve another family when his cousins grew up. Although he knew it wasn't exactly normal to practically live with his girlfriend of six months, he couldn't imagine it any other way. How Sinead and Peter managed to be apart so long, he couldn't understand.

"That's true. You're right, he can't have lost hope knowing that everything on the outside has stayed the same for him. Apart from Tommy, of course..." he said, reaching over to sweep Skye's hair out of her face as she lay down beside him. A few seconds passed as he mulled over her question. "I'm not really sure. A lot can happen in six months. From what my dad's told me, the stuff that happens in prison can get pretty extreme...It's gotta change you, right? I wouldn't be surprised if he's had to steel himself, you know, get harder and colder. To survive, like." The fact that Syd had never seen the inside of a prison didn't stop him from trying to imagine his uncle there. In his mind, he looked so out of place that it was hard to picture him doing very much at all. He hoped that he hadn't got into trouble. As gentle a man as he was, it was difficult for Syd to imagine him getting into fights. But it was even harder to imagine the man coming out on top, if he had got into any. Syd was staring pensively at Skye's hand, gently toying with it as he tried to figure out what he thought about it all. Then, giving her hand a quick squeeze, he looked up into her eyes with a smile. "I'm sure you're right, Skye. 'Course he's gonna be thrilled to see the kids. What man wouldn't? He's probably over the moon."

Syd grinned when Skye told him of Braden's behaviour. "We'd better watch that one," he said. "He'll be wanting to go to prison next, and then Sinead will really lose it! Hopefully when Peter gets back, he'll set the kid straight. Savvy, too. She's lucky to have had you, Skye...It's been a tough time for everyone in that house and you've been so good to them all." When she squeezed his hand and gave him an uneasy look, he brought his other hand over to cover hers, caressing it lightly to reassure her. For her sake, he wanted to say that things would get back to normal, but he wasn't confident that that was true and didn't want to deceive her. "We can hope for that," he said. "But whether Peter's changed or not, at least he'll be back, and the family will be whole again. It was never normal, anyway." He smiled at her, bringing a hand up to stroke her cheek affectionately. She really had done so much to help everyone, more than he had known how to do. He hoped she understood how much she meant to the family, and how much she meant to him.

Interactions / Mentions
Misty Gray Skye
Bellz Peter (heavily mentioned)

 

[Enzyme]

IWU Crew​

The trip from the Armstrong's residence to the Morgans was brief, having to take a zigzag of side roads to reach the house. The house was far smaller than the Armstrong's estate and lacking a gate to protect it's open driveway. The group stepped out of the vehicle, Gideon looking around the stretch of the neighborhood as he got out. By now, the ash from the estate had fallen from the sky like snow, covering the ground and slowly withering away. The curtains were drawn, but the small sliver of light between it's opening suggested they were in there. "Proceed," Gideon ordered, leaning against the Sedan. "Make sure the boy watches." With his order, the three men stepped up to the door.

The sound of the men priming their handguns clicked in unison. They looked to each other, before the man infront used his knuckles to knock on the door. After a few quiet seconds, the goon stepped back and slammed his foot against the body of the door, landing just beside the door handle.

The force of the hit broke a part of the door frame, causing the wood to splinter and the door to fly open. The three men quickly dispersed into the open room, snapping the aim of the firearms to the two. One of the men stepped beside Quinn while he sat, holding his aim to Quinn’s temple and standing just out of his field of view. The one in front of Quinn fastened on a burlap sack, tightening the rope around his neck to keep it secured.

The man in front smashed the grip of his handgun into Quinn's face, to prevent resistance, likely breaking the kid's nose. The two men then lifted Quinn out of his seat and threw him onto the floor, where they proceeded to lay into him with kicks.

Adam, unbagged, was forced to watch. The goon behind Adam stuck the barrel of his handgun into the crevice of his neck where his spine met his skull. The goon held Adam in place by his hair, pulling him back against the gun so he could feel the cold barrel uncomfortably jammed against his spine. “Make a move an’ I’ll blow a whole in yer' fuckin’ head,” the goon spat at him.

Fletchawk (Quinn) Pyroclast (Adam)

 

[Pyroclast]

Adam Morgan

Adam noticed the indifference in Quinn's tone as he waved off his father's loss and couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. Quinn was now alone out of choice, but since Adam had lost both of his parents, he couldn't help but feel that his friend was a fool to push his family away. He wanted to take him by the shoulders, and drill it into him to make the most of what he had, while he still had it. But he restrained himself, instead taking another drag from his cigarette and looking to the floor. He had to remind himself that these things were subjective, and that Quinn's choices were his to make.

When Quinn let slip that Grace had feelings for Adam, he simply blinked, carelessly letting the ash fall from his cigarette onto his overalls. "What?" he asked, displaying a look of disbelief and suspicion in the form of a small smile. He knew how Quinn worked, how he liked to tease. "Grace? Nah...you're having me on." But he looked away for a second, sending his mind back to all the times he had seen her. She had always been enthusiastic to see him, not to mention very sweet, but he thought she was like that with everyone. The more he thought about it, however, the more believable Quinn's word became. Adam had been blinded by his infatuation for Mallory to the point where he had missed all of Grace's hints - and Quinn's, too. "Wow...well, that's given me a lot to think about," he muttered, a mixture of confusion and amusement on his face. He turned back to Quinn as he told him of his relationship with his family. "I'm sure that's the last thing Grace misses," he jibed, blowing smoke into his friend's face and letting out a small laugh. "You've given her enough of that over the years!"

Adam tutted at Quinn's mention of a consolation dinner, but smiled at him as he stubbed out his cigarette on the table's ashtray. "Dinner sounds great," he said, leaning back in his chair. "I was meaning to pay them a visit soon, anyway." He stood up and stretched, ash falling from his trousers. "Well, if you're sure you want to help, I could do with a hand taking out the ceiling light fittings in the front room - there's an ominous looking crack surrounding one of them. Think it'd good to sort that out before things start collapsing, you know?" Adam smiled at his friend, and took his beer from the table to carry back into the house. "Thanks for this, Quinn - I promise it'll be a short job, then we can get going."

Moving into the front room, he used his feet to push aside a few of the boxes that obstructed the floor space. Then he got out a ladder and positioned it above the light. "See that little case of tools down here?" he asked, pointing to a black canvas pouch laying beside one of the boxes as he began to climb up the ladder. "I'm going to need you to -"
A loud, sudden knock interrupted him, and he peered back into the hall to try and see any figures behind the glass of the front door. Before he could even guess who it could be, the front door flew open, splinters of wood scattering across the floor, and Adam jumped down from his ladder.

"Hey -" he yelled, but shock quickly overrode his ability to speak as three armed men swarmed the room. As soon as they pointed their guns, Adam raised his arms in defense. He watched, stunned and horrified as one of the men threw a sack over Quinn's head and tightened a rope around his neck. "What are you doing?!" Adam cried. For a second, he forgot that one of the men had his gun pointed at him and instinctively tried to move forward to get the men away from his friend. But his attacker swiftly reached out and pulled him back by the hair, digging the barrel of his gun into his back. He didn't need the man to tell him not to move - he had never felt the touch of a gun against him before, but knew exactly what could happen if he dared disobey their orders. He could only watch on in horror as Quinn was thrown to the ground and beaten, spots of blood beginning to seep through the sack on his head. "Take it off him, for God's sake!" he yelled. Sudden fear mixed with repressing his urge to physically intervene was causing him to shake. "Just tell me what you want, whoever you are," he pleaded. "I've got money - please, just let us go, and I won't say a word about it!"

Interactions
Enzyme Gideon & co.
Fletchawk Quinn

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

Once again, Peter found himself unsure of what to do as he watched his wife struggle to zip her dress. He didn't dare move, too embarrassed to do anything at the moment. Sinead soon curled back on the bed and only his head shifted slightly to the left to watch her. He didn't know what to say...what was left? He was at lost for words and it seemed Sinead was on the same boat. Peter had failed to do the one thing he had vowed to do...make his wife happy. There she sat next to him, eerily silent and yet he couldn't bring himself to utter a word. The excitement that she had before about his return disappeared and he longed to see that beautiful smile on her face again. Just when he thought it couldn't get any worse, Sinead buried her head into her pillow, but not before accidentally revealing the tears that were falling down her rosy cheeks.

Peter gripped the sheets below him harshly at the horrible scene, grinding his teeth in anger at his failure. His own eyes burned as he looked up at the clean white ceiling. What was stopping him from being close with his wife? He didn't want to hurt her. Peter knew that he would come out of prison a changed man, but was it possible that Sinead overlooked that? Was it possible he had overlooked how pure she is? There was confusion between them that needed to be addressed.

Slowly swinging his legs over his side of the bed, he sat up and looked towards the wall as he placed his feet on the carpet. How could he possibly explain himself? Standing, he still wasn't sure of what he was going to do. Grabbing his pants, he slipped them back on before walking around the bed to Sinead's side. He knelt down on the floor and placed his elbows on the bed, watching his wife with a solemn expression on his face. "Tink." He murmured to her softly. If there was one thing he knew, it was that he couldn't stand to see his Sinny so upset, especially over him. "I love you."

The words were able to flow so easily past his lips and yet, he couldn't find any more to explain why he had failed her. "I...Look, this isn't your fault." The man was beginning to look frustrated as he concentrated on forming a complete sentence that would put all his wife's worries at ease. He was looking for a way around the truth, not wanting to scare her with it but in the end he knew that there was no way out. "Its been a long 6 months." He suddenly clarified for her, tilting his head as he tried to get a look at her face even carefully reaching a hand out to move some hair from her it. "I underestimate just how strong you are sometimes...and right now, you trying to spare my feelings like this...it proves to me that you can handle my truths." A sigh escaped the man's lips before he continued, "They tore me apart in there Tink. I was hurt so bad that I wondered what I ever did to deserve it..." Despite telling her the truth, Peter left out why the men did what they did to Peter...not wanting to cause strain between themselves and the Porters. "I'm not okay...I don't want to hurt you..."
with: Sinead Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor chuckled as he heard Aliana pose her question to him from the other room. Still sat back on the couch, he paused for effect, running his hand down his unshaven face in the process. "Is that all I am to you, just a piece of meat? My Mam warned me about people like you. Women objectifying poor young men like me..." he called out to tease her. "Having said that... If you play your cards right, you might get the best of both," he flirtatiously promised her.

When Aliana entered the lounge area, Conor got up from the sofa and tilted his head to one side as he took in her appearance. He couldn't help but admire the way the dress complemented her body - or was it her body that complemented the dress? Either way, he couldn't help but get lost in his thoughts of how attractive she was. He was dragged out of his swooning when she praised his ability to look good with just a few changes. "You look amazing - I'm worried it'll look like you've dragged me in off the streets," he joked. "Seriously, though. I simultaneously want to look at you in that gorgeous dress whilst also wanting to get you out of it," he said, with a devilish grin. "I'm really looking forward to our date, Ali. I think it'll do us good to spend some time alone together and somewhere we can talk without any aggro looming over us... Now, let's get out of here so I can cool down." he suggested, using his free hand to playfully fan himself off.

Conor placed his hand on Aliana's lower back, but stopped in his tracks. "Have you got everything you need?" he checked.


Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana) mpower (Kennedy)

 

[Bellz]

Griffin Fitzgerald​

The Sky Haven​

Griff had been glancing Mr. Sullivan's way, trying to work up the nerve to do what both himself and his sister wanted to do. Luckily, before either of them could give into the temptation, the man left with his lady. Griff had snapped his attention back to Saoirse before she turned to him with a smile. Playfully glaring at her, he couldn't help but chuckle at her words as he lifted his glass to take a drink, "What's wrong with cats?!" The man asked with a wide smile on his face. But he knew that his sister was only looking out for him. Still, he felt that no woman would want to date a man like him with all the interesting gangster running amuck. Despite his sister's reassurance, he still couldn't help but think that way.

When Dylan was brought up, Griff clearly stiffened. That little fucker had a death sentence the second Griff saw him again, striking his sister like he did. Saoirse spoke on about not downplaying being a grocery store owner but Griff's mind was stuck on all that his sister had been through recently. He was so proud of her, and he was sure he wouldn't be able to tell her enough. Nodding his head as she ended her words, he knew there would be no more speaking ill about his profession in front of her, she wouldn't take it. "You are always right Saoirse...I really don't know what I would do without you." When he had both his darling sisters, he couldn't imagine a moment where he would lose them. Bridget dying in his arms was a shock to him...making death very real, something that he hadn't given much thought before. Now that he had lost one, he vowed to himself that he wouldn't lose the other.

Just as Griff had become distracted, he noticed after a long moment that his sister was staring in another direction. Mr. Porter had arrived in the restaurant with his wife and another man. When his sister turned back to him, he saw the look in her eyes and immediately began to shake his head. At suggestion of speaking to James, Griff opened his mouth wide to protest, "I don't think that's such a-" Saoirse snapped her head back to look back at Griff and this time there was a different look in her eyes...and blush on her cheeks? It was his turn to quirk his eyebrow as he looked curiously towards the Porter table again, noting that James was suddenly getting up from the table. Clearly his sister wasn't blushing over him, but there was the other man at the table with Mrs. Porter...

"What's this? Does someone have a crush?" Griff's tone became deeper as he crossed his arms, taking on the role of big brother quickly.
with: Saoirse M misty

Lucy Porter​

Lucy was confused when her husband asked if he had something on his face. She actually gave his handsome mug a once over before shaking her head. Her eyes then followed his to look towards a young couple a few tables away, who hid nothing as they openly stared at them. Lucy was use to the eyes at this point but she knew that James felt differently about such attention. When Nathan asked if this was normal, James went on to speak about it differing and Lucy nodded her head along with his answer before taking a drink water that had been placed in front of her a few moments before. Lucy eyes glanced around the restaurant a moment, wondering if there was anyone else glance their way when she also saw Kennedy speaking with the hostess. James kissed her cheek, excusing himself for a moment as he made his way towards her cousin. Lucy watched the two men converse a moment before Nathan asked if everything was alright. The blonde turned back to the man, a worried look clear on her face. Kennedy was an officer of the law and family, it was hard to tell if he was here on police business or family business..."Its hard to say, Nathan." Lucy answered the bodyguard honestly as her attention slowly turned back to her husband and Kennedy.

The woman wondered what this sudden interruption was about, hoping that her family was safe. Nathan asked her a question and at first, she hadn't processed his words, "hm?" She hummed, slowly beginning to turn her head from the men as she then thought about what Nathan said, "Oh...well not if James can help it." She murmured, knowing how hard her husband worked to keep business and family time separate. The blonde heard Nathan's words about food and she had to bite back a small smile. Her own stomach was beginning to growl but she found for patience as she continued to observe her husbands conversation. After a while, James returned to the table and explained the situation at hand. Of course the police were trying to pin the death of the Armstrongs on James, and the others would be brought in for questioning as well. James took a moment to sit back down in his seat, putting his arm around her. Lucy smiled slightly, though her face showed slight irritation at the interruption of their time out. He reassured her that he would be back in time for supper and at that point, that was all she could ask for.

Kissing him in return, she let him go as he gave Nathan directions on returning her home. "Consider your tip the meal I'll have cooking up tonight," She told Nathan, moving out of her own seat.
with: James Misty Gray Nathan LateForDinner