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

[Bellz]

Rayna Taylor​

Rayna had hoped that things were at least a little different compared to when she had visited her son in Chicago. She knew things weren’t always like this through letters and phone calls, but with the death of a young life, it was clear that things were beginning to take a turn for the worst. On the brighter side of things, Matteo was doing well with James and he didn’t cause a stir. Rayna was excited and ecstatic for the birth of her grandson, Thomas, feeling so proud and happy for her son and Lucy. With the lifestyle that he lived, Rayna always found it surprising that he wanted such a large family, or more, he was willing to have such a large family. But they were all amazing and beautiful and they were well protected, James made sure of it. Rayna felt sure that Matteo would be safe, that he would learn from his time with James.

It had been rough for everyone to deal with the fact that Matteo came from the same father as Savannah. Rayna felt for Sinead and Peter, having gone through a similar situation with Ronan a long long time ago. Luckily for the both of them, people seemed to adjust to the idea, accepting it rather than rejecting it. Rayna prayed every night that Matteo would feel like he fit in soon, desperately wanting him to feel like he had a family because it seemed like the boy didn’t feel like that with hers back home. She accepted that the boy wanted to live a different lifestyle from her own. He didn’t enjoy or was thrilled by the volunteer work, church didn’t make anything better…

Rayna watched as Matteo entered the room, making a beeline for Savannah as soon as he saw her. The woman raised to her feet slowly wondering if she would need to supervise more closely when he introduced himself, his handsome smile shining bright on his face and warming Rayna’s heart. Placing a hand on her chest, she listened as little Savannah shyly introduced herself in return. Looking to Sinead, Rayna gave the woman a thumbs up moving to sit back down in her chair. She continued to watch the children for a long while before a familiar and old friend entered the room, causing her to smile widely. Rayna briefly looked away from Matteo and Savannah as Shannon made her way over. The woman made one of her signature dry remarks and it made Rayna smile even wider, the woman chuckling sweetly as she stood up to greet her friend.

Shannon turned her attention to Sinead for a moment before Rayna could answer her questions but she waited until she turned back to her to speak, ”Oh life has been speeding by faster than I can think.” She admitted. At the mention of her husband, her smile faded slightly once again. It wasn’t anything serious but things had been pretty heated when they had last spoken with one another, just like the night before she left for Dublin. ”My Aussie is doing great, thank you for asking.” She tilted her head curiously before asking a few questions of her own, ”How about you? Life seems to be treating you well marvelously. You look younger! So beautiful.”
with: Shannon Misty Gray
mentions: Matteo Enzyme ; Sinead + Savvy Misty Gray

Lucy Porter​

James’ words in her ear tickled her lightly, causing her to let out a small breathless laugh. She nodded her head as James said he’s see her tonight, she looked down as he gently stroked Thomas’ head. ”You better.” She said, but her voice was full of emotion. Lucy’s attention turned to their eldest son who entered the room happily. Another moment touched her heart as he came over to interact with Thomas, ”Such a great big brother.” Lucy murmured to Syd before he kissed the side of her head and wrapped his arm around her. Lucy leaned into his embrace and nodded her head at his words about not worrying. She giggled as he called Thomas a little nightmare. I believe in you all,” She seriously told him, looking down at Thomas. ”Oh, he’ll have me up all night, so we don’t have to worry about that.”

It was clear that it was time for them to go, so Lucy nodded her head and tried to smile. ”Go on then, I have quite a few mouths to feed.”

***​

When the men left, Lucy took a moment to herself with the baby for a second. She held him close to her chest and rocked him back and forth. When he closed his eyes and stopped fussing about, Lucy returned to preparing the food. Thomas proved that he was going to be more difficult that Lucy could handle as he began to wiggle about after only 5 minutes.

”Hey you.” Lucy greeted her sister sweetly in return , trying her best not to look as tired and emotional as she felt while shuffling around with Thomas in her hands. As her little sister asked if she was okay, the blonde was quick to bob her head up and down, not wanting to worry Sinead when she already had so many problems of her own.Lucy happily handed over the baby before returning back to her work in the kitchen. The blonde smiled as Sinead spoke softly to him. It was clear that the woman as emotional and exhausted despite trying to fight it all. After only a moment of chopping things up, Lucy stopped and set the knife down, feeling as though she should take a small break.

When Sinead turned her attention back to her asking if she was coping well, Lucy looked to Thomas for a moment who seemed more content in Sinead’s arms than her own. ”I’m trying…” Her sister was so sweet to offer to babysit, even with the three children she had on her hands. ”Thank you, love. James and I are still trying to get use to it all I think.” She was sure that she was struggling more than he was. ”Thomas just loves to keep us up so that’s been a little trying, and he’s been so fussy lately…”
with: Sinead Misty Gray
mentions: James Misty Gray ; Syd Pyroclast ; Rudy Shireling

 

[Enzyme]

Gideon Burnell​

The loud squeak of the double doors opening revealed a seemingly empty pub. The fluorescent lights flickered as if a paranormal being had been woken with the Porters' presence. The chairs had been neatly tucked under the stools, and the bar table looked clean as if the place hadn't opened since the day prior. The room was deathly quiet, the only noise coming from the squeaking floorboards as the Porters stepped inside.

As James, Syd, and Rudy entered, the doors behind them slammed shut. Before James could turn his head around, the barrel of a submachine gun stabbed into his spine. Rudy would also feel a similarly uncomfortable poke, as the man behind him stuck his barrel under the crevice of Rudy's head, where his skull met his spine. The sounds of the door's latching shut echoed throughout the bar, the last sliver of streetlight closed off.

Two men popped up from the bar, cocking fresh shells into their shotguns simultaneously. They snapped their aim down to the men as well, making sure none of them reached for their concealed firearms. The two men behind the Porters prodded them with their rifles to encourage them to step the center of the pub, where the chairs had been pushed aside to form a small circle.

"I was wondering when I'd get the pleasure to meet you, James," a familiar voice boomed from the open door leading to the basement. A shady figure materialized in the dark hole until his broad shoulders pushed through the doorframe.

"You wanted me," Gideon said, raising his hands by his sides, "Here I am." As he stepped further out, two more figures appeared behind him; Evan and Minnie.

The two armed men behind walked around to the front of the Porters, causing the men at the bar to tense up. The two patted down the Porters, pulling their handguns from their holstered and concealed areas. The one on James quickly found his blade after patting down his jacket. They placed the weapons on the bar table and stepped aside for Gideon and the rest.

"This constant bickering is childish and counterproductive." Gideon slowly stepped closer to James, taking his time as he closed the distance until they were almost chest to chest. He looked down at the man from his towering height, his stare unwavering. "Jared favored throwing his pawns out to fight his battles - I'd prefer to settle this like the men everyone says we are." His hands methodically reached out to James' jacket and delicately adjusted the edges of his collar.

"You are the man they describe you as, aren't you?" He raised his eyebrow, keeping his steely gaze locked on James' eyes. "Or are those just folk tales meant to strike fear into our hearts?"

Misty Gray (James/Evan) Pyroclast (Syd) Shireling (Rudy) Bellz (Minnie)

 

[LateForDinner]

Nathan Bennett
​

Nathan watched in a complete trance as she spoke, almost forgetting that he was here on business. Her eyes were full of wonder and lust; part of him wished it was for him. Perhaps she was simply excited to finally have this opportunity. The way she spoke was elegant and polite, he could tell that this meant a lot to her. Whilst their meeting was serious, there was no harm in enjoying the evening and perhaps making something of it. Nathan had to consistently reign in his thoughts.

When Saoirse blushed in response, it only resonated with the warmth in his chest further. He felt at ease knowing neither of them found the conversation awkward. They seemed to click and embrace the atmosphere, albeit only just starting. Although, he felt a strike of guilt and his expression faltered as she mentioned her second experience involved in a shooting. He couldn't believe that she had to suffer once again when the restaurant was attacked; as well as witnessing the poor boy being shot. His hand started moving out to take hers, more of a professional courtesy and sign of compassion; but he quickly reeled it in. Considering their situation, it could be taken the wrong way. Even if Nathan had no problems with that.

"Oh, please. Don't worry about it. I'm sorry that you had to experience something like that a second time. You're under my protection now, I promise." The marksman smiled after he spoke, hoping to comfort her even further on the scenario. Nathan then watched closely as she cautiously took in her surroundings; it only stirred the guilt in his chest. Whilst it was a professional obligation to help her, he felt the desire became more personal. A person as gentle as her shouldn't have to act so frightened. Thus, his hand reached out to hers as he reeled her attention back to him. "I promise, Miss Fitzgerald. I scoped this place out before arriving."

The bodyguard felt a smile pull at his lips when she asked how he was; very few in the business have time to make such formalities. Furthermore, most assume that you are okay. It was nice for Nathan to feel some appreciation from someone other than James. "I'm doing good all things considered, thank you." He lifted his eyes to watch her closely, nodding along until he spoke up again. The Porters were both colleagues and friends. Nathan would always ensure the line was never blurred between the two. "James, his family and his business are all close to me. You're right, Leo was cherished by them. It's a shame what happened to the poor kid... and those who knew him well. Although, we're here to talk about you. Where would you like to start?"

Interactions & Mentions
Saoirse Fitzgerald; Misty Gray

 

[Shireling]

Rudy Meyers
​

The ride over had been quiet for Rudolph as he spent time milling over Leo's death, James's son, and all other manner of images that had been dangled before him that day. He thought about his own lack of progeny, or at the very least he didn't know if he had any. While he was generally fairly careful in the few trists that he had carried out over the years, he couldn't discount that he might have a child in some backalley place in London or a dingy flat in West Germany. He had never really given it very much thought, but now he had and that gave him an unsettled feeling in the pit of his stomach. Of the opposite extremes, life and death, that he had witnessed that day, he had seen a great deal of the latter and very little of the former in his own life.

Part of him saw it as a blessing though. He couldn't imagine how James, with a wife and children depending on him, could risk death like he was currently doing all the while knowing that he had people depending on him. If he, himself, ended up riddled with holes in a ditch, the Family might be sad, might be irrevocably changed, but things would go on as they normally would in time. He wondered whether he thought this was a good or a bad thing, and if he thought it a bad thing that he could be so easily replaced and forgotten, he couldn't decide if it was selfishness or a mere human desire to be important to someone or something.

He didn't have much more time to think about it. The car pulled up at the pub and he hit the pavement. At first, the atmosphere had genuinely unsettled him. He went to reach for his sidearm, but this was just as he heard the doors shut behind them and felt the vaguely cylindrical shape of a gun barrel on the small of his back. He moved his hand to his side, and sighed, but said nothing. His eyes lazily drifted over the IWU man as he disarmed him and laid his weaponry on the bar in front of them, then turned as Gideon began to monologue to Jared. Emotion or color was drained from his face, he just felt like it was going to end. No point in hysterics, no need to plead, no use in fighting. Perhaps if they had gotten him when his blood was hot, he would have been ready for a fight. But, as it were, he was pensive, somber. He let the anger float off of him like water on a leaf. It was time to see what the two leaders of men would do.

Misty Gray Enzyme

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

When he heard the doors slam shut behind them, James was about to turn around but felt the barrel of the gun pressing into his back. The man opened his mouth before letting out an irritated, deep breath, his wry expression reflecting his annoyance. If the Duncans were dumb enough to pull such a stunt, any concerns about killing them was rapidly washed away. They wouldn't be getting very far, that was for sure.

When more men appeared from behind the bar, pointing the shotguns in his direction, James began to take the situation a little more seriously. He had been certain he could have made a good go at escaping from and disarming the man standing behind him, but the addition of the shotguns aiming towards him made it much more difficult to remove himself from any firing line. His attention was then directed towards the door that led to the basement, having heard the familiar voice of Gideon address him. As the man walked out of the shadows and into view, James' face remained cold and collected.

As an armed man patted him down, taking his gun and knife from him, James remained still and took the time to direct his attention to Syd and Rudolph. Knowing the lack of mercy and humanity the IWU pricks were known for, his concern was for his son and Rudolph. With that in mind, he sent them a look which he hoped would tell them not to take any risks and to be as compliant as possible. Given that the three Porters were significantly outnumbered and outgunned, they were out of options. James had been subjected to extreme pain and had stared death in the face on numerous occasions, do that wasn't what he feared. His concerns were rarely for his own life, but for those who put themselves at risk to support his business. He concerns were always for the well-being of his family, especially his wife and kids - right now: Syd especially.

James turned back to look at Gideon, Evan and Minnie. By now he knew who all three of them were and had sat around a table with Evan the night Tommy was murdered. He was aware the man was more than just a foot soldier for the IWU, and doubted Minnie should be underestimated either. "Gideon. Evan. Minnie," James flatly greeted the three of them. "I would say it's a pleasure, but given the body count of the last few months and the guns presently aiming at my head, this atmosphere isn't satisfactory..."

He quickly nodded his head when Gideon made his comment about the bickering, sounding almost as if the IWU hadn't been the ones to start the feud in the first place. Ciara had been the most childish of all, but it hadn't ceased when Jared took her place and it was ongoing with Gideon in charge. "It appears we can agree on something." Gideon stepped closer to James until they were stood close enough for the IWU leader's towering height to be fully highlighted. Despite Gideon's larger build and imposing stance, James maintained his stare, refusing to divert his eyes or show weakness to his opposition.

James only briefly broke his stare to glance down as Gideon touched the edges of his collar. The IWU leader went on to speak of fighting battles like men and dangling bait in front of him as if questioning James' own credibility. "That would depend on who's describing me, would it not?" James responded, no humour or sarcasm in his voice. He briefly shook his head, then visually acknowledged the scene around them. "So, you believe a fight is productive to resolving this childish feud?" he questioned. It was clear Gideon was trying to drag him into a fight, but given how the odds were stacked against the Porters, James felt all outcomes of a one-on-one fight wouldn't work in his favour. Even if he were to win, he couldn't deflect bullets and he wouldn't be quick enough to help the other two Porters. His experience of the IWU was that they operated by overpowering their enemies - or victims - and showing no mercy to them. Even innocent teenage girls caught up in the IWU's cause. "You'll have to forgive me, but those armed guards pointing their guns at those two men here - is that necessary?" he asked, referring to Syd and Rudolph.


Enzyme
Mentions: Pyroclast Shireling Bellz

 

[Enzyme]

Gideon Burnell​

"Everything I do is necessary, James," Gideon said, lowering his head once more to stare down the man. James had no intentions of fighting Gideon, and it was showing. The men at the table didn't loosen their stance, however, keeping their shotguns locked on Rudy and Syd. The armed men beside them stepped further back to the side of Minnie and Evan, holding their aim by their hip.

Gideon nodded subtly at James’ open defiance. He seemed to be content, his facial expression remaining entirely passive. Just as it appeared Gideon was going to back off, his hands slapped down to James’ jacket. Without any struggle, he lifted James onto his toes. “Victory has failed you,” Gideon calmy said, his voice unstrained.

Having James on his toes, he then used his brute strength to throw James down to the bar. James’ body smashed against the wooden stools, only the main frame of the bar itself able to stop James’ momentum. The stools flew across the bar at the sudden exertion, loudly bouncing off the hardwood floor.

Gideon turned down towards James, his hands tucked behind his back formally. His slow, ominous footsteps seemed to echo off the walls. “I take your customers out from under you, I destroy your property, I massacre your family and associates; yet, you refuse to come toe to toe with me.”

He stopped behind James now, peering down at the man. “It appears that the Godfather of Dublin is nothing more than a coward.”

Misty Gray (James) Shireling (Rudy) Pyroclast (Syd) Bellz (Minnie)

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James stood tall, his hands resting at his sides prepared to make a move when deemed necessary. He knew Gideon was trying to provoke him into reacting and that made him less inclined to react impulsively. The urge to kill the bastard was burning deep within James, the thoughts of those who had been killed and injured at the hands of the IWU keeping the fire ablaze. He shot another brief glance to Syd and Rudolph, knowing he had to fight, but he needed to make sure he wasn't playing straight into Gideon's hands.

It looked like the man was going to back away, but soon took a different direction by grabbing James' collar and lifting him so the backs of his feet raised from the ground. James didn't get chance to calculate his first move before the IWU leader threw him towards the bar. A couple of wooden stools wobbled before messily falling to the ground and the middle of the man's back collided with the frame of the bar.

James glared at the man, the fury building within him starting to show in his eyes. He took a deep breath as he watched the man stand with his hands behind his back. The man continued to speak, bringing up the customers he'd been taking as well as the family and allies he'd been killing. This was the first real chance James had gotten to come face-to-face with Gideon and he knew another opportunity might not come. What really weighed on his mind was the fact Gideon had mentioned the people he cared about.

James pushed himself away from the bar and lunged towards Gideon. He grabbed the man's right shoulder blade to create more impact as he slammed his right fist in the centre of the man's lower ribs. When his hand connected with the man's torso, he let out a low, furious growl of his own. Keeping hold of his opponent's shoulder and grabbing the front of his shirt with his right hand, James forced the man backwards. His intention was to use the momentum to slam him down onto one of the tables.

Enzyme
Mentions: Pyroclast Shireling Bellz

 

[Enzyme]

Gideon Burnell​

Gideon stood over James as the man clambered to his feet. He could see the fury in James' eyes, but Gideon's neutral expression remained unaltered. The men behind the bar kept their aim on the two Porters, not bothering to watch the altercation between the two. James plowed himself into Gideon, slamming his fist into his ribs. Despite the massive force behind the hit, Gideon only let out a subtle grunt.

James drove his shoulder into Gideon in an attempt to table him. Gideon walked back with James as the Porter pushed his heels off the floorboards, not resisting in the slightest. As Gideon's back came closer, he reached down and grabbed ahold of James' jacket. Letting out a loud grunt, he threw him around his side and right onto the table James had been driving him towards. The table scooted out from under James, sending him to the floor ungracefully.

"I don't know what I should've expected," Gideon boomed, making his way towards James. His heavy footsteps sounded like boulders pounding the floor. Sending his boot out to the table between them, the table careened against the wooden floorboards and shot out of his way.

"When you do nothing, but sit in a chair for ten years, you lose your tenacity." Gideon slammed his shoe into James' gut as the man attempted to recover, the force throwing him onto his back.

"Patience has cost you your strength." Gideon snapped his hands down to James' jacket, pulling him onto his feet. Lifting him onto his toes once more, he smashed his large knuckles into James' Kidney. Before letting him fall, Gideon let go of his jacket with his left and formed his hand into a hammer, beating down against James' temple. He then let James collapse onto his knees. "You've become nothing but a shell."

Misty Gray (James) Shireling (Rudy) Pyroclast (Syd) Bellz (Minnie)

 

[Misty Gray]

George Sanderson​

George couldn't help but flash a smile when Finn confirmed he wanted him. He soon regained a respectfully serious expression when the man went on to say he was confused. It touched him to hear things had started to become clear for Finn from when they both first met. Of course, if it were to be, he would not have wished for Finn and Eleanor to split up, but their relationship wasn't making him happy. George was glad he could help Finn discover the truth about himself and now he just hoped the man could find the happiness he deserved. George hoped he would be a big part of that as he had strong feelings for Finn and had never met anyone he was so attracted to. Although Peter wouldn't share any similar sentiment, having him as a cellmate had turned out to be one of the best things to happen to George - he wouldn't have met Finn otherwise.

As Finn talked about not being able to leave him to go home by himself and expressed that he needed him, George smiled once again as his cheeks reddened. His heart raced in his chest to know the man he was so attracted to wanted him in return. "It means a lot to hear you say that. To have these feeling for you and to have them returned... I never thought I'd get to experience this. I didn't believe I even deserved it." He rested his head on the backrest of the car seat but turned to face the handsome doctor as the man continued to drive. "We've both taken complicated and difficult paths through our lives, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Without it, I might never have met you," he appreciatively observed.


Bellz (Finn)

Sinead Callahan​

Sinead frowned as she watched Lucy continuing to prepare the food. She could tell her sister was unhappy and tired, but knowing how stubborn she was, she was unsure if her words would fall on deaf ears. Thankfully, Lucy stopped chopping in order to grant herself a break. When she assured her she was trying, Sinead quickly nodded her head. "I know you are, Luce. It's just been a difficult few weeks, hasn't it? Thomas is a perfect little gift to remind us all that life isn't always so bad." She briefly giggled as the baby in her arms reached out his hand to try grasp her necklace. "Uh-ohh, Mister. That's not for you," she playfully ticked him off before tucking the item of jewellery underneath the top of her dress.

"You and James will get used to it for sure. When Savvy was a baby, she was pretty good at keeping me awake too. I was nearly tearing my hair out at one point and I remember you helped me on quite a few occasions. In the end, I got used to it and instilled as much of a routine as I could. You're way more organised than I was, so it'll be a breeze soon. Thomas is still only two weeks old, so this is still new to you." Sinead sighed as she thought over Lucy's words about the baby being fussy lately. "I'm no expert and you're well within your right to disagree with me, but..." She looked down to her little nephew and studied his eyes as they seemed transfixed on he face. "You've had a lot to deal with and on top of that I can see you're fretting about other things. No doubt James and Syd?" she questioned. Sinead looked back up to Lucy. "Thomas might be able to sense you're unsettled. Once you start to relax and get used to being a new mummy, he'll become settled too... I feel like that's how it was for me with Savvy, at least." She warmly smiled at her sister. "You're doing great, Luce!"


Bellz (Lucy)

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James was a physically strong man and one who was rarely the weaker opponent in a fight. So his heavy fist didn't seem to have much of an effect on Gideon, it didn't escape James' attention. When it came to those he trained with and whose skills he knew well enough, Conor was the only one who consistently posed a real challenge to James and he couldn't help but think the present fight would be just as challenging - more so, being that it was real.

Gideon was able to remain unscathed and dodged the following attack, instead throwing James onto the table which slid out of the way causing James to crash onto the floor. Other than a brief groan, James was able to brush off any pain caused by the impact. He heard more words leaving Gideon's mouth, but he chose not to respond in what wasn't exactly a discussion. Before he could get back up, he felt the man's heavy boot slam into his gut, kicking him over onto his back. The impact left behind a heavy throbbing pain and brought on a single cough, but it was something he could easily block out as he redistributed his focus on getting back up.

James was once again pulled to his feet before being punched in the kidney and then in the side of the head. James fell to his knees, this time requiring more focus to block out the pain delivered by to stronger man. Gideon had spoken more words, stating James' strength had been lost at the hands of patience and that he was now merely a shell. "You talk too much..." he gruffly pointed out. It had already registered with James that Gideon was the stronger of the two, but giving up was never an option. James looked up to the bigger man and as he pushed through any discomfort to get back to his feet, standing tall.

James shook his head at the man's words and glanced to the nearby surroundings. Without warning, he swung a heavy right fist into the side of Gideon's jaw, followed in rapid succession by a powerful left hook into the other side of the man's face. He quickly followed up by grabbing Gideon's throat with his right hand and slamming the man back against the wall, before throwing his fist into the man's sternum.


Enzyme

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

"Well, we just won't tell your mother then, will we?" he grinned. It kind of surprised him that this girl was willing to come with him, not just because he was a stranger to her but also because she hadn't been on a motorbike before. Not to mention he was slightly inebriated, which she must have known - though, that wasn't unusual for him. Even so, after only a few minutes of knowing her, Jason was already picking up on her daring personality; so far, it had shown itself in everything she did. Her hand came out towards him, but when he eagerly went to take it, she pulled it away, as though teasing him again. When she explained that she had to go and get her cover up, Jason waved his hand away and let her go. For the second time that night, he watched her walk away from him. Watched, with a dreamy smile set on his face, lightly resting his head against his hands, until she fell out of his sight altogether.

The bartender struck up a conversation with him, then, about the woman in question. How talented a singer she was, how valued an employee, how lucky they were to have her perform in the establishment. He complimented their dancing, and asked some harmless questions about it. Meanwhile, Jason went to pay the rest of the tab, asking the man for specific change. It was just his luck that the bartender was so distracted by his own conversation, as it made him very easy to manipulate. Jason craftily upheld the two separate conversations with the man whilst also managing to create two simultaneous transactions - the original tab, and the change he was asking for. After a minute or so of swapping money between the two of them and correcting fake mistakes, Jason managed to successfully raise the change and pocketed the extra cash with an innocent smile. Jason liked the man. He liked the whole place, in fact: the mood lighting, the alcohol, the talent. Especially the talent.

When Gwen returned, Jason reflexively smiled to her. "Ready?" he asked, holding his hand out for her before walking out into the cool evening air. "Sure you've drunk enough for this?" he joked, as he fitted his helmet onto her head. "It's not too late to go back and have a few more..." No matter where they were, he was just impatient to spend more time with her. "Hold tight," he said as he turned the ignition. "And don't scream - I'm counting on you to direct me!"

The night had taken such an unexpected turn, he felt like he must be dreaming. How on earth was there suddenly a gorgeous girl riding on the back of his motorcycle? All he had reminding himself that he hadn't just imagined the whole thing was the feeling of her arms wrapped around his middle. It was all so spontaneous, and felt too good to be true. With the events of the evening replaying through his mind, he smiled against the wind, which whipped his hair back as they roared down the quiet Dublin streets.

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Misty Gray]

Saoirse Fitzgerald​

Saoirse could help but smile when Nathan reassured her that she was under his protection. Hearing him promise it to her made her choke up slightly as she stuttered to get a response out to him. She tried to wash away her embarrassment by taking a sip of water, taking her time to move the glass away from her mouth to buy her the chance to recover. "That means a lot. I appreciate it," she finally told him. The man easily picked up on her apprehension about their current surroundings. When he reached out to her hand, she briefly diverted her eyes downwards to check she wasn't imagining it. When she saw that she wasn't, a thin smile crept up onto her lips. Then, she looked into the man's eyes as he told her he'd already checked the place out before she arrived. "Oh, Mr Bennett, you're my knight in shining armour. Or, in a well-tailored suit..." she told him, as she let out a playful laugh followed by a bright smile.

Saoirse was glad to hear the man was doing well, unsure if members of the mob ever took time out from the job to do normal things. She was interested to hear the man considered James and the family to be close to him. It had been difficult as of late for her to look past the mob as being violent criminals. Sitting with Nathan, as well as being aware the two murdered young men; Tommy and Leo, were nice and well respected young men, reinstated some faith in the Porters. She was going to express her sympathy, but Nathan wanted to steer the conversation to the intended purpose of their meeting.

"I want to know what is being done about the men who shot up the restaurant earlier this year. The ones responsible for killing my sister." She let out a small sigh, finding it difficult to rant at the decent man before her, despite her usual knack for speaking her mind. He seemed to have a calming affect on her, making her less inclined to act in her hot-headed fashion. "When Griff and I first opened up the grocery store, the Porters weren't around. There were all kinds of gangs around the city and our business was often vandalised or broken into. Then the Porters came along and started taking control of the city. We had to pay them insurance, but our business wasn't attacked again and I was happy with that. We still pay for that protection, but my sister was murdered and the Porters know who did it. I don't feel safe, which is why your offer of protection is greatly appreciated. But more than that..." She paused, briefly acknowledging how far she'd strayed from the peaceful woman who previously volunteered at the church. "I want Bridget's killer to pay for what they did. It's not right that they get to walk the streets and bring misery to decent, hardworking people."


LateForDinner (Nathan)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

The second the three men stepped through the doors of the pub, Syd could feel that something was off. They were met with an eerie silence, the place tidier than Syd had ever seen the Duncans keep it, as though they were the first to walk through the doors that day. Suddenly the doors swung shut with a startling bang, and it became clear that they were not alone after all. Guns pointed at them from various directions and Syd raised his hands slightly with a sigh.

Just then, a deep voice sounded from the stairwell and a heavily built man stepped out from the shadows, followed by another man and a woman. The two thugs standing behind the Porters used the barrels of their rifles to usher the three of them to the centre of the room, where they then proceeded to frisk them and confiscate all of their weapons. Syd tilted his head away in disgust as they patted him down, hating to be manhandled. The men had walked into a trap and now, outnumbered and with nothing with which to defend themselves, Syd was struggling to think of a way out.

While Gideon and his cohorts stepped towards them, Syd glanced cautiously between all the men in the room that had guns aimed at them. Though Gideon's intimidating presence was hard to ignore, he felt it was important to keep an eye on his surroundings so that no one else could sneak up on them. The large man slowly approached, narrowing the gap between himself and James, and Syd tensed up as he watched him reached out for his father's collar. Although his faith in James had never wavered, Gideon looked ready and able to cause serious physical damage to him.

James glanced his way and Syd looked back to him, concern showing in his eyes despite the deadpan look he was trying to uphold. It began to waver, however, when the man lifted his father partially off the ground by the collar. The way in which he spoke was calm yet intimidating, but James never showed any weakness or fear in responding to him, which Syd admired. It didn't do much to alleviate his fear, however, and when Gideon threw his father violently against the bar, he had to bite his tongue to stop from reacting. He could feel his breathing quicken as he watched the scene unfold but he did his best to keep quiet to as not to attract any attention. Come on, get up, he thought desperately, as though his father could hear him. Show him what you're made of!

Gideon's words carried menace, but it seemed he only wanted to provoke and offend the mob boss. It didn't seem fair that their first meeting had been arranged without prior agreement, and Syd was sure that if it had been the other way around, his father wouldn't be the one on the ground right now. He flinched with every hit that James took, trying to quell the panic that was beginning to worm through his body. With so many guns on him, there wasn't much he could do. At least James wasn't staying down. But Gideon was relentless - he seemed to have an endless amount of fight in him - and when he smashed his fist against the side of James' head, Syd couldn't keep quiet anymore. "Dad, get up!" he blurted out, the desperation in his voice unmistakable as he took a step forward. The weapons around the room shifted, reminding him of his vulnerable position, and he reluctantly stopped in his tracks. It was hard to watch his father take such heavy hits, but he couldn't tear his eyes away. Eventually James got back to his feet and, showing the strength and perseverance that Syd knew him to always have, he began to lay into the man, pinning him harshly against the wall by the throat.

Interactions
Misty Gray James, Evan
Enzyme Gideon
Shireling Rudy
Bellz Minnie

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan​

Finn smile was wide as George spoke, saying that his words meant a lot to him was great to hear. He went on to speak about never thinking these feeling would be reciprocated. Turning his head, he glanced over at George as he rested his head against the backrest of the seat. Finn could’ve looked longer, but he didn’t want to risk getting into an accident. After another quick smile, he turned away and looked down the road again. He nodded along with George’s words, they certainly were true in his mind as well. Despite everything the two had been through, things would have never turned out the way they did if it wasn’t for all of that.

”Just imagine what my life would have been like if we would have never met each other…” Finn shook his head at the thought, never wanting to be miserable like he had been again. Eleanor had made him happy as a friend, but the affection and the romance he craved just wasn’t being satisfied with her. He had been so sad when she left, and for what? Nothing. Now here he was with the person he was sure he was meant to be with. He hadn’t felt so sure about anything in his entire life.

”My patients are going to be so happy now that I’ve found you again.” Finn let out a small chuckle, ”I haven’t been the greatest Doctor in the world as of recently, I was far too distraught and distracted to work on some of the tough cases I was handed…” It was true, Finn hadn’t been working as well as he should have. With the lack of food and sleep, he just couldn’t focus on the cases that he was suppose to be solving for his patients.

Things went quiet in the car for a moment and Finn used the opportunity to clear his thoughts and think about where they might be headed for the night. Finn couldn’t take him back to the Porter’s, with the funeral still in full effect even after it was over and with Finn and George’s relationship now changed, he just wasn’t sure if that was the best place to be. ”Where would you like to go Georgie? I can take you anywhere your heart desires.”
with: George Misty Gray

Lucy Porter​

Lucy nodded her head quickly as her sister asked if it had been a difficult few weeks. It certainly been. James had taken a week off from work but things still proved to be difficult for her when it came to Thomas. Smiling as her son tried to reach for Sinny’s necklace, she watched as her sister tucked it away into her dress before continuing to reassure her. When reminded of when Savvy was a baby, Lucy remember helping her sister out when the baby couldn’t sleep at night. A small fond smile formed on her lips at the memory, remembering how tiny her niece was at that point. ”Well I try to be.” Lucy reminded her when Sinead told her that she was more organized that she had been. It was difficult staying on top of things while so many other stuff had to be done around the house. Of course her mother and sister had been a huge help recently, taking over some of the chores that needed to be kept up around the house.

With the reminder of Thomas being only two weeks old, Lucy knew that she was pushing herself too hard. She valued her sisters opinion and even though she said that she was no expert, Lucy saw her as more of an expert than anyone else around. Listening with interest, the woman lightly returned to fiddling around with the food as Sinead went on to notice that she had been dealing with a lot and was worried about James and Syd. Lucy nodded her head softly, she was worried about them a great deal right now. She explained that Thomas might be able to sense that she was unsettled and Lucy looked to her infant son lightly. She had been focusing a lot on the stresses of things instead on just trying to take it easy. Lucy was silent for a long moment after her sister told her that she was doing great. Thinking about what she had said, the blonde rolled back her shoulders and took in a deep breath.

There was really no reason for her to be upset over James and Syd, the two always made sure to make it back home to her, even if they were a little beaten up sometimes. She needed to focus her energy on the little baby who needed her right now. Setting down the knife, she figured that there was now enough food for the guests. ”Thank you Sin.” She murmured to her sister as she moved to wash her hands. After doing so she moved to stand in front of her sister, looking down at Thomas with a smile on her face. ”Mum is going to try this whole, relaxing thing…because I don’t want you to be upset. I love that little smile.” She cooed gently, touching his head lightly before looking up at Sinead. ”Food is ready and now I can just relax okay?”
with: Sinead Misty Gray

Gwen Sheehan​

Gwen returned with a light yellow coat and smiled happily at Jason. ”Sure am.” She responded to his question of whether she was ready and took his hand lightly before walking out of the club, waving to a few familiar faces as she past. She felt a light buzz just as she stepped out into the cool air, the alcohol finally starting to hit her after all the adrenaline wore off from her performance. The redhead laughed openly at Jason’s question. ”You sure you’ve drunk enough for this?” She asked in return. He fitted a helmet on her head and Gwen let out a small gasp, ”Watch the hair!” She giggled in a teasing tone. ”Sullivan’s got great drinks!” She informed him when he told her that it wasn’t too late to go back for a few more drinks. They got onto the bike and Gwen wrapped her arms around his warm middle as he said to hold on. Leaning her head against his back, she nodded, ”I promise I won’t scream!” She added before the bike turned on.

Gwen couldn’t really believe she was doing this. Either she was brave or entirely stupid, but she knew just how many drinks the two of them had before they left. She was leaving her life in the hands of a man she had just met but her gut was telling her that she could trust him. The night soared past them as they sped off down the quiet streets. Gwen looked up from leaning against Jason to look out where they were headed. She saw the familiar street that they needed to turn on and moved her lips to Jason’s ear. ”Turn left down this next intersection.” She informed him. The bike veered sharply left and Gwen found herself struggling not to scream. Instead, she let out a laugh in amazement before the bike launched off straight down the road again.

***​

They pulled into the lot of Sullivan’s pub and Gwen couldn’t keep the wide smile off of her face as they stopped at a spot and parked. Without waiting for help, the redhead hopped off the bike without assistance and undid the helmet from underneath her chin. ”That was incredible!” She breathed out, the adrenaline already hitting her once again. Waiting for him to get settled, she reached out her hand for him to take before walking towards the entrance of the pub. She swayed her hips back and forth as they walked, feeling a little more free and daring now that she had just done something she’d never done before. ”Thank you for that darling.” She murmured to Jason before they walked through the doors.

The pub was full of energy tonight regardless of what may have been going on back at the Porters. People were rowdy and laughing, having a grand old time in their own little worlds as Jason and Gwen made a beeline for the bar.
with: Jason Pyroclast

 

[Enzyme]

Gideon Burnell​

Gideon rocked back with every punch James threw. Every hit connected, but Gideon's face remained neutral, without any sign of wincing. As James pushed him against the wall by the throat, Gideon accepted the single blow to his ribs. Before James could throw another, however, Gideon shot his arm up into the niche in James' elbow, stopping his second blow from connecting. He then shot his elbow out to James' exposed face, smashing against his cheek and separating the bone into pieces.

The sudden blow pushed James back, but Gideon continued forward. He had let James throw his strikes, but now it was his turn. He shot his left hand out against James face in a hook, catching the rear of his jaw. Before James could recover the two hits, Gideon brought his knuckles just below James' Xiphoid process, smashing into his diaphragm and no doubt causing a hiccup in his breathing pattern.

As James instinctively crumbled to recapture his breath, Gideon's hands wrapped around his throat and extending him back up to his full height. Holding him in place, Gideon beat his knuckles into James' ribs until he felt the thick bones give in. He turned his swing from an uppercut to a cross, striking James in the center of his nose and flattening the nasal bone.

He let go of James' neck and let him fall to his knees, Gideon's knuckles ripped and bleeding. Gideon's usually calm exterior had morphed into an enraged state, his long hair shrouding his face. Grabbing hold of James' skull, he smashed his head down onto the point of Gideon's knee, busting open his eye socket on his kneecap. Gideon let go on contact, the force launching James onto his back.

Gideon's furious exterior dropped instantaneously, returning to his eerily passive state. He slowly made his way over to the bloody mess on the floor that was James, looking down at the beaten man. "No one's invincible, James," Gideon spoke in a condescending manner. He grabbed hold of James' wrist, yanking his arm up to him. "Not even you." He then slammed his boot into James' elbow, folding his arm in half unnaturally. A horrendous snapping sound followed the grisly break. KRRRRREEEEK. James' wrist went limp, leading Gideon to toss James' arm back down to him.

Misty Gray (James) Shireling (Rudy) Pyroclast (Syd) Bellz (Minnie)

 

[Misty Gray]

George Sanderson​

George grinned when Finn told him to imagine what his life would have been like without them meeting. "I imagine your life would be slightly less dramatic without me in it," he joked. He maintained his smile as the man mentioned his patients would be happy they were with each other again. He wasn't sure what was meant by the comment, but Finn went on to elaborate. "Well, now. We can't have that, Doctor Sullivan. I'll do everything I can to make sure you're content enough to focus on your work. The world needs men like you in it," he assured him. "I would offer you access to a whole multitude of medical books and study materials, but I work in a library... you can get your hands on that stuff without me," he said, followed by a chuckle.

When Finn asked him where he wanted to go, George had to think for a moment. All he really wanted to do was spend time with the other man and it didn't matter where it was as long as they could be together. Considering their relationship was just beginning, they needed privacy so as not to be conscious of prying eyes and judging minds. Really, there was only one place where that could truly be guaranteed. "Well, I've already seen where you live. How about we go to my place?" he suggested. "Granted, my tour will take a tiny fraction of the time it took to see the majestic place you live in, but I'll try to make it interesting."

*****​

George directed Finn to his place, the route to which was via one of the rough areas of town and passing the textile factory George was by now used to walking past. The area George lived in wasn't exactly a dump, but it wasn't anything fancy either. Finn was able to park in the lot behind the cafe before George led him up the external metal stairs alongside the eatery which led to his upstairs apartment. Once instead, George locked the door behind them. "Welcome to my place," he happily announced. The living room and dining area was open plan, with the only other two rooms being his bedroom and the bathroom. The apartment was relatively small and being that he was only just starting his life again, it didn't have much in terms of personal belongings and keepsakes. Still, the place had a minimalist kind of charm to it. Everything was neat and tidy, to some extent strictly so. Everything had its place and George had made sure to keep things that way. It was a habit he couldn't break, having spent ten years locked up and being made to follow orders, which included arranging things exactly how instructed by the wardens.

"This is the lounge," he said, acknowledging where they were standing. "That's the bathroom and that's the bedroom," he said, pointing to the applicable doors. "That brings me to the end of the tour... Take a seat, Finn," he offered him. "Would you like something to drink?" he offered.

Once they were settled, George sat on the sofa next to Finn. "How are you feeling now, mate?" he curiously asked. He figured they could relax a little more without the fear of being watched.

Bellz (Finn)

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James had heard Syd's voice desperately shouting for him to get back up. What pained him more than anything was knowing his son was caught up in the scene and there was nothing he could say or do to get the lad out of it. Their enemies had already shown themselves to be unreasonable and merciless. The odds were stacked against him and he believed that even if he were to beat Gideon, he would likely still end up with a bullet in his skull for his efforts. James saw no ending where he would win this battle, but he wasn't prepared to give in and accept death. As long as his body allowed it, he would get up again.

Despite the force behind his attacks, Gideon's face remained the same, showing no pain or reaction to the blows. After hitting the man's ribs, Gideon retaliated, his elbow smashing against James' cheekbone. The pain radiated throughout one half of the man's face and caused his eye to rapidly twitch for a few seconds. He took a deep breath, trying to keep his mind focused only on the situation around him and not on the pain his brain was heavily trying to communicate to him. Gideon slammed his fist into James' jaw, causing the inside of his cheek to rip against his back teeth, drawing blood from the inside of his mouth to accompany the bleeding already occurring from the previous strike to his cheek.

The vision from his left eye began to blur, obscured by the watering that had been triggered from the blows to the same side of his face. Before he had chance to recover, Gideon punched him in the diaphragm. The wind was knocked out of James, who reflexively doubled over and make a quick attempt at catching his breath back to control his breathing. Before he could take in a breath, he felt the man's large hand wrapped tightly around his throat and he was forced to stand up straight again. As the IWU leader's knuckles repeatedly crashed into his ribs, James was still trying to keep his mind from consciously acknowledging and falling victim to his pain. With each blow, an automatic grunt left Porter's mouth. By the time he felt a couple of his ribs break, an uncontrollable, loud, pained groan was forced out of him. This was followed by a louder, deeper, yell that escaped his lips upon being dealt a strong uppercut to his nose.

Gideon finally released his neck, allowing James to fall down onto his hands and knees. His vision was blurred and his head was spinning, struggling to remain focused, let alone get back up. Through the clouded vision, he could make out the small red splashes hitting the wooden floor as the blood dripped from from his nose and mouth. He was losing his resolve; his ability to keep a level head and not succumb to his physical exertion. He knew he couldn't put it off for much longer, as his body's automatic responses would kick in and the damage to his body would need to steal the energy he had been using to stay in control of his mind.

James' mind briefly took him to another place. He was curled up on the floor of his prison cell. Battered, bloodied and beaten. He watched the four pairs of prison issue boots heavily walking away as his fellow inmates had finally finished laying into him. The pain surged through his skull, feeling as though the sole of the boot was still pressing into the side of his head and face...

James was snapped out of the memory he hadn't even wanted to be dragged into. This time, he felt his eye-socket smashing against Gideon's knee cap. Another excruciating groan was dragged from James, no longer able to block out any of it. His face, head and ribs were seriously damaged and the pain that brought wasn't something anyone could distract themselves from. It had been a long time since James had been beaten enough to allow his pain to take over - as far back as his early twenties. He hadn't felt so weak since his first time in prison.

James rolled onto his back, wincing as it seemed as though every part of his body was causing him some pain. He moved his trembling hand down to his abdomen and felt the wet patch on his clothing where the blade had cut deep into him. He brought his hand to his eyes, looking at his now blood-soaked hand. That would be his first real scar; one of many messages Vinnie Romano would send him. The Italians were responsible for Ronan's death and James knew staying down was not an option. He had to get back up, recover, and learn from it. There would be many more beatings to come, but he would build strength from them and one day watch Romano bleed to death. Knowing he owed it to his father, James forced himself to get up and fight back...

As Gideon stood over him and told him he wasn't invincible, James tried to look the man in the eyes. With the area around his left eye rapidly swelling and the dizziness taking over him, he struggled to focus on the large man's face, never mind attempt eye-contact. James attempted to get back up, twisting his torso, but crying out in pain as the movement tugged at his broken ribs. He tried to push himself to sitting up, but his arms were weak, what little energy he had remaining was spent trying to stay conscious rather than allowing him to get back up. Soon enough, he felt Gideon grab his wrist and what followed was more terrible pain as his arm was forced to break.

The determination from James' face was by now completely lost and no matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't get back up again. As he laid out on the floor, bloodied and beaten, he knew he wouldn't be getting back up. His eyes finally closed and as he felt himself struggling to stay conscious, he fought away the memories of his tortured past. Instead, he chose to see the faces of those he loved: Lucy, the kids, Eli, and his mother. He hated the thought of leaving them all behind, but he had faith that Lucy would get through it. His biggest fear in that moment was Syd and what was going to happen to him. Before he could think any more, everything went silent and black as James fell unconscious.

Enzyme Pyroclast Bellz Shireling

 

[Shireling]

Rudolph Meyers
​

Rudy wanted to look away as Gideon beat James to a bloody pulp. If he could have helped his employer, he had no doubts that the two of them could take the gargantuan and thuggish man. But, given the situation, he could only wince and watch despite his mind screaming at him to look away. At one point, Syd looked ready to step in and help his father. It was no use. Guns shifted, and they could do nothing. As the fight drew to a close, Rudy finally had the wherewithal to look away. Syd was beginning to panic, naturally, so he had to remain calm. The fact that he had promised to Lucy that he would protect James started to weigh heavily on the back of his mind. He hadn't expected to need to honor that pledge.

He began, as imperceptibly as possible, to shift his eyes around and look for openings that might allow him to recover a weapon. His first idea was to spin around, grab the gun of the man behind him, and then use him as a human shield. He decided that movement would be too slow and complicated to work. By the time James was still on the floor, he still hadn't come up with any options. He was silent, calm, stoic. His eyes followed Gideon, wondering what he would do next. Rudy figured that, given his natural bulk and strength, he might have a better chance against Gideon in a straight fight than James did, but he thought the more likely scenario was that they machine-gunned him and Syd and then torched the place. He awaited the next move, scanning for an opportunity to turn the tables but finding nothing.

Misty Gray Enzyme Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

When Lucy thanked her for her words of advice, Sinead smiled back at her, glad she could help someone even if she couldn't do anything to ease her own fears and worries. She was glad to hear her sister was going to try relaxing more. "Now you're talking, Luce. How could anyone not love his precious little smile?" she agreed. When Lucy said food was ready and that she was now going to rest, Sinead quickly nodded her head. She looked down to Thomas and readjusted her hold so she could safely pass him back to his mother. "I'll give you back to your mummy now, little man." She then handed Thomas back to Lucy, making sure the blonde was properly holding him before taking a step back herself. "He's a lucky boy, y'know. Not just because he's got the cutest face and best auntie in the world! But, because you and James are so strong together, no matter what. Despite everything you've both been through, you still love each other and I don't think that's changed since the beginning. It's beautiful to see and Thomas is going to have the best life with you two caring for him."

As her thoughts rushed towards the troubles she was having in her own marriage, she began to wonder if Peter had returned from getting his pills yet. She hoped he had, because she feared if he wasn't back she would be compelled to find him and no doubt lead to yet another confrontation. She didn't want to give up on trying to intervene but she hated to think she was suffocating him. Sinead gently stroked Thomas' cheek, hoping looking at his sweet face would ease her own concerns. Her eyes focused on the food Lucy had prepared and she plucked a canape from one of the trays, flashing a devious smile before quickly popping it into her mouth. "Yummy," she cheekily mumbled, once she'd finished eating the food. Hoping to distract both herself and Lucy, she shrugged her shoulders. "What's next on the agenda?" she asked her sister.

Bellz (Lucy)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Syd watched on, horrified, as the giant quickly turned the fight back around. He was a machine, with eyes of steel and iron fists, which smashed forcefully into James' face, no doubt shattering his cheekbone and severely damaging his jaw. He lifted the man up by the throat as he had before and used him like a punching bag, thrusting his fist into his ribs until they crunched from the heavy impact and James cried out in pain. Syd couldn't breathe - his raised hands went to his head in despair and his chest tightened with panic. When the giant finally let go, James collapsed onto his knees, the blood that poured from his broken nose soaking into the wooden floorboards.

At some point along the way, something had switched in Gideon's demeanour. He was no longer calm and collected - now, his movements seemed to carry murderous intent, showing no signs of stopping or slowing down. Syd didn't get the impression that this man wanted to just overpower his father; it looked more like he wanted him dead. He slammed James' face down onto his knee with such force that his body was thrown backwards by the impact. "Jesus Christ, he's got the fucking message!" Syd shouted. He didn't mean to say anything at all, but fear pushed the words out of him. Syd had never watched his father go down before, nor had he ever seen him sustain injuries of this degree. The rest of the room stood still while Gideon advanced on the man - no one would step in his way or do anything to stop him, and Syd grew sick with fear, convinced that he was about to lose his father.

Being amongst the youngest in this line of work, a lot of men would see him as a child, see his age as a weakness. So he always put it upon himself to be bold and brave and forward, to show that he was capable. It proved difficult at times like this, especially as he understood the importance of the man before him. It was obvious that he and the figures that had followed him out from the basement were direct enemies of the mob, and powerful ones at that. This being their first meeting, Syd would have wished to make a better first impression, to not appear so weak. From all his father had told him about prison, as well as establishing dominance in a city, Syd knew that weakness was something that was quickly picked up on and exploited. But he couldn't help it, now. He was losing the strength to hold himself together, just as his father was losing the strength to stand. A sickening crack sounded as Gideon snapped James' arm at the elbow, accompanied by an agonised scream. As much as he wanted his father to get up, he knew that he wasn't okay anymore and that staying down would be safer. Staring desperately into his father's eyes, willing him to stay conscious, he watched his expression fall from one of determination to one of acceptance. His eyes closed in defeat and his body went completely still.

It seemed, at least, that the man had stopped. All fell silent, and Syd bit down on his lip hard so that his shaking wouldn't be heard on his breath, willing the tears in his eyes not to spill down his face. He was struggling to stand still, the panic still rising up and fighting to escape him. His heart pounded rapidly in his chest and his eyes flickered up to observe Gideon, awaiting his next move. The sight of his father laying unconscious in an expanding pool of his own blood was affecting him deeply, but he had to deny his natural instinct to run over to him. If he had learned anything of their enemy tonight, it was that they were merciless. With all the guns still aimed his way, he knew that any movement would be a serious risk.

Interactions
Enzyme Gideon
Misty Gray James, Evan
Shireling Rudy
Bellz Minnie

 

[mpower]

Detective Kennedy Sullivan​

Kennedy had another job to do. Another hint of human trafficking he had received from an informant from the docks. Joseph Ferrel, he's supposed to be 'luring' the younger victims, especially women into situations where kidnapping was easy. A man of fine proportion, 6'0 and muscles packed over his body, was sitting at the other end of the diner in his jeans clothes, which include a dark blue jeans jacket and a fitting pair of trousers.

The place was away enough from the 'good' neighbourhoods to lure an innocent woman with a fake identity into a non-escapable situation. Ken's desire to pull out his M1911 and just shoot the man in the head was held back by his logical strains after all this man was not 100% proven guilty and Detective Kennedy was not enforcer AND judge. So he had planned this observation or stakeout for longer, he followed the male's footsteps cautiously and deemed it necessary to risk personal contact now that he had seen him enter this little establishment.

"Are you ready to order, Sir?" Pearly white teeth encountered Joseph, a young waitress, around the age of 19 with blond hair and a petite yet attractive body and a gorgeous face. Kennedy listened to Joseph's confident but yet polite answer, noticing how the man changed his body stance to the woman and flashed his own perfect smile towards her, yet it appeared as foul as worm infested apple to Ken. He was like a spider extending its strings. The Detective had ordered his meal some good time ago, having bitten only one piece off his burger, and his milkshake was completely untouched. The conversation itself was not important to listen to, the actual 'bait' to get the woman into isolated space shall come later, first of all there has to be a small 'flirt' or sign of attraction thrown out into their exchange of words, which already endured longer than Kennedy had with the waitress known by the name of 'Susanne'.

As he was in the middle of his thoughts, a warm and welcoming but yet unexpected voice woke him up from his observation stance, letting his attention shift to a woman he instantly recognised, Evelyn McKenna. He did not smile but simply nodded to her and offered her a place in his booth. Surely his thoughts had dwindled back to their small personal encounter during the murder of Leo, but it was all overshadowed with Kennedy telling himself that she did not have anyone else in that given time to hold on to and that there was nothing 'personal' to it. He had seen her at Leo's funeral as well, another one he attended without knowing the person really, a tragedy to look at though as he knew his sister a tad more and noticed how the rest of the family mourned over the young boy.

He also remembered that he had to leave the scene without further explanation to anyone, to prevent from getting connected to the scenery and get his loyalty to the Gardai doubted. Now he was sitting in front of Evelyn, his gaze switching between her and the possible offender in a moderate frequency. He patted against his ribcage to check if his holster was functioning and that his pistol was ready to be pulled in case of an escalation, the potential of Joseph being armed was moderate but no one can be too sure in Dublin.

"A suprise indeed, Miss McKenna. Delightful to hear that I might brighten up your day. Beautiful choice of clothes, by the way, though weird for such a location as this is." He said to her, raising his eyebrows slightly as he noticed the affection she showed him.
"Oh well, it turns out that I am indeed at work. What about you?", he mumbled towards her, indicating that it might be important to not distress the man across the large room or direction any attention towards their way. It was not really good to have Evelyn here during his police work, but he could not bring it over to tell her to leave, so he had to just focus on two things at once.

Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

Shannon Sullivan​

Once Sinead had left the room, Shannon was happy to lead Rayna to the far corner of the room, deciding for now not to makes the two young siblings any more nervous by having the "old" women stood listening in. Not that the Sullivan woman wouldn't be watching like a hawk. She knew Savannah well enough to pick up on any discomfort her granddaughter might display whilst talking to Matteo.

Shannon nodded in agreement when her friend pointed out how life had been speeding by. It was good to have someone her own age around to understand just how fast the years were going. She caught the way the Italian's smile faded when asked about Ethan. Rayna told her the man was doing great, evoking a suspicious hum from the woman, never one to hide her thoughts. "You sure about that? Do I need to give him a piece of my mind?" she half-joked.

Shannon couldn't help but laugh when Rayna told her she was looking beautiful. "Fuck knows how, Rayna. I only returned from London for a few weeks... that was last October! My lot cause me enough stress, especially Conor and Sinead. And then there's those Commie fuckers..." she trailed off. "Still, I'm sure James is pleased to see you. He certainly doesn't get his level head and patience from Ronan, so I guess that one's on you!"

Deciding to focus back on the current situation, she motioned towards the two kids. "So, Matteo..." she quietly began. "Is he going to be a problem? Despite sharing that psychotic bastard, Angel's, blood, Savvy is a sweet girl. If Matteo upsets her at all, I won't hesitate to smash his face through the window," she informed her friend. Though her tone sounded like they could easily be discussing a something as civilised as a new recipe, it was clear Shannon was being serious.

Bellz (Rayna)
Same room: Enzyme (Matteo), Me (Savannah).

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue​

Having just turned off most of the lights in preparation of leaving, Ryan stood by the door of the garage for a moment, and gave himself a moment to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything before he did so. Instead, the day's events replayed in his head.

The funeral had mostly proceeded as most do, in a somber fashion, although there was a tinge of guilt that nagged at Ryan throughout it. Most of him knew it wasn't his fault, however, Ryan did acknowledge that he, at the very least, played a small part in the boy's death. It wasn't the first time a decent person died in Ryan presence, and it happened enough that he stopped promising himself there wouldn't be another. It was merely the cost of living the life that he'd chosen. It was a heavy toll that he'd preferred not paid, and knew he'd likely have pay it himself one day; but until then, the world kept turning, and Ryan kept marching.

With coat in arm, Ryan established that he had everything he needed for the moment. As he stepped out of the garage, Ryan noticed another person in the vicinity, but didn't think much of it as he closed the door behind him. Not really in the mood for company after the funeral, he waited quietly for a few seconds for the person to hopefully pass, although the action proved fruitless as the distinct sound of a set of keys hitting the flagstone pathway caused the footsteps to stop. Taking a deep breath and then releasing it as he turned around, Ryan instantly recognized the man that stood in the summer's evening sun.

"Ah, Mr. Callahan," Ryan said in a polite and cordial tone, "Dropped your keys, hmmm?" acknowledging the obvious pink floof that sat at Peter's feet. While there were certain topics that Ryan needed to talk to the man about, he doubted that now was the time or place. As the small talk staled in the air, Ryan was able to actually get a better look at the blond man, and it became increasingly clear that something was off with Peter.

"Sir, are you alright?" he said, the concern rising in his voice, although Ryan did not move closer.


Bellz [Peter]

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright
A small smile crept across Aliana's lips, watching as Conor survived through Seana's questions. She knew this wasn't even the beginning of things she wanted to know, but was happy she wasn't asking tougher questions at the current moment. Her inquisitive nature about the man she was with definitely was distracting her from the funeral and death of her brother; or rather now that her mother had put the idea in her head, son. But, it was a good thing, she thought. Her tears weren't going to bring Leo back or take care of the men that took him from her. Tomorrow, she decided, tomorrow she would get her shit together and try to figure out who it was that killed her brother and why. Sure, even if he was just a casualty of their war, she still wanted to know why. Ali still didn't know what exactly happened, such as how the shooting had started in the first place. It was her own fault, to be honest, considering she wasn't listening nor hearing anything people were saying about the situation.

Sinead walking through grabbed her attention, noticing she hadn't talked to her friend in a long time. It seemed like ever since she participated in the warehouse job, she hadn't seen Sinead or the kids in a long time. Tragic that the death of Leo would be the reasoning she saw her to begin with. There was a small internal debate about leaving Seana with Conor, alone, so that she could talk to Sinny. However, she knew that eventually her mother would get her claws on him and ask what she truly wanted, so why not get it out the way to begin with? She stood up and cleared her throat, running her hand through her hair. "I will be back." She stated, walking over to Conor, placing a light kiss on his cheek before whispering in his ear. "Don't go too far tonight, yeah?" She asked him. Turning around, she faced Seana and gave her a stern look. "I'm trusting you, you harpy. Don't scare him away, please." Ali knew Seana wouldn't do anything that would jeopardize her relationship with Conor, but she couldn't help but make the comment anyway. Giving Conor's arm a reassuring squeeze, she left the lounge and walked until she found Lucy, Sinead, and baby Thomas.

During her mourning, she hadn't yet been able to see the newest addition to the party. She was going to try and put her sadness on the shelf for a bit so she could enjoy the young one's presence. "My two favorite people and possibly my third." She said, leaning against the counter. "I missed you guys. Hanging out with Blake is great, but I do miss the normal ones in my life," she joked.

Sinead ( Misty Gray ) Lucy ( Bellz )

Seana Cartwright
That smile that crossed Aliana's face when Conor answered the question is what she was looking for. The response Ali gave, even though the smile was as small and innocent, was the okay she needed. Seana could return in a few days time maybe knowing her daughter was going to get through this. She had a great support system, based off of what her daughter was telling her, and they weren't going to leave her out on her own. She still wanted to have her own conversation with James, the man in charge, but that was more of an "If anything happens to my daughter under your guard, you'll have me to answer to" kind of thing. Seana Cartwright was very protective and that would never change about her, no matter how old Ali got. She was her only child and family left in the entire world and she wanted to be sure she was not only taken care of but protected.

It came as a small surprise when Ali stood up, declaring she was leaving the room for a while. She didn't think she was ever going to be allowed to be alone with Conor during this trip. However, she was glad she was. Not for the reasons, Aliana was thinking; to grill him about their future and things of that nature. Oh no, Seana had different questions up her sleeve for the man her daughter confessed to loving. She waited for a few more beats to make sure the woman was well away from hearing their conversation before she looked back to Conor, sly smile on her face still. "Mr. Sullivan," she started, her head nodding to a seat next to her, "join me over here for a second? I promise I won't bite." She would wait until he got closer before craning her neck towards the area Ali walked through, again checking to make sure she was gone before growing serious. "I'm worried about her. She never fully mourned him, I'm sure you know." She was speaking on Tommy, restating a conversation they women had about them. "Now, she has to mourn Leo. That girl's rage is going to be out of control and I need you to be there to help curve it. Let her take it out on you, let her shoot something or someone but she cannot keep all that inside. She is going to be like a big ball of anger and it won't be pretty when it explodes."


Conor ( Misty Gray )
​

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor smiled when Aliana kissed him and whispered she would be back. He looked down to her, placing his hand on her shoulder and kissing the top of her head. "I'm not going anywhere, love," he quietly reassured her. He then placed his hands in the pockets of his suit jacket, watching on as Aliana gave her mother a stern warning about not scaring him away. An amused smirk crossed his lips as he watched the two women, but he quickly wiped it off his face when Aliana turned back to him. She squeezed his shoulder and he turned his head so he could watch her as she walked away.

Conor soon looked forward again to look back to Seana when she'd spoken his name. The woman told him to sit next to her, assuring him she wouldn't bite. "Ah, well that's a relief," he said, letting out an awkward laugh. Still, he complied and sat next to the lady, not wanting to get off to a bad start with the mother of his girlfriend. His features turned serious as she began speaking of her worries about Aliana. He placed his hand over of his mouth and gazed to the floor when Tommy was brought up. He slowly nodded his head in agreement. He'd tried to give Aliana space and time to think, whilst also wanting to support her following the younger man's death. He'd hoped they'd made progress, but he knew losing Leo too could very well bring up her unresolved grief over Tommy too.

Seana pointed out that Aliana would be out of control and in need of his help, something he wouldn't hesitate to do for her. As she spoke of her daughter being full of anger and likely to explode, it only highlighted to him how similar he and Aliana were. They were both prone to anger and also likely to bottle it up as much as they could, until everything would eventually blow up at once. "You have my word, Miss Cartwright," he firmly reassured her. "As long as she doesn't shoot me, I'm here and I'm willing to let her take it all out on me," he explained. Truth was, he was bottling up enough anger of his own and on James' word, he wouldn't hesitate to take it out on their enemies. He was sure Aliana was considering the same, but knew he couldn't let any harm come to her in doing so, even if she had aided in the attack on the textile factory without his presence. "All I want is for Ali to be happy and hopefully with me."


Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana, Seana)