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

[Misty Gray]

Arlene Sullivan​

Arlene allowed a smirk to settle on her lips after feeling his knuckles collide with Carter's face. Rather than try to stand up and make a pointless attempt at escaping, she simply sat forward and savoured the moment while it lasted. Carter nodded his head and seemed to smile himself, making her wonder if he got off on being hit or if he was just mature enough to acknowledge it was well deserved. The two goons pushed her against the back of the chair, which she didn't resist. She knew better than to use up her energy and opportunities when the odds were stacked against her. She rolled her eyes as Carter said he was the last person she wanted to punch. Whilst it wouldn't help get out of her current predicament, she was sure he was in that moment at the top of her list of people to punch, considering he'd drugged and kidnapped her.

Arlene practically snarled at the men as they were about to tie her wrists up again, but Carter stopped them and this caused her to let out a small laugh at the expense of the two goons. She folded her arms as she took in Carter's words about showing her how the 'rest of Dublin lives'. She glared at him before quickly shaking her head. "I've seen worse," she bluntly assured him.

Carter then went on to explain his plans for her and despite her urges to interrupt him, she decided to allow the man to speak. There was a short silence as she processed his words and give him the chance to add anything else. From what she'd heard about his previous attacks on her family, she had to wonder if him being hospitable - perhaps even nice - to her was part of some mind game. She raised her eyebrows in a way that asked him if he was quite finished. "I would say your hospitality leaves much to be desired, but I guess that's of no concern to you." The fact she'd been drugged and abducted didn't sit well with her, regardless of the plan he'd explained to her and the conflicting intentions she was feeling. "Until you're done? Done doing what, exactly?" she asked Carter. "There's nothing you can do to hurt me. You and the rest of Armstrong's little friends have already hurt people I care about - poisoned an innocent woman and cut another. I'm glad I'm sat here rather than someone who might be vulnerable."

Enzyme (Carter)

 

[Enzyme]

Carter Dresden​

Carter's eyes glided up to the goons in the room, his face personifying his patience. "Alright, lads, out," He ordered the two. The goons looked to each other, mirroring their confusion. Carter snapped his fingers together, before pointing his thumb to the door. "C'mon." They gave each other one more look, before moving out through the steel door. Once the door was closed behind them, Carter moved for the kitchen. "I'm sure you've seen worse," he started, reaching into the rusted refrigerator, "We all have. This arrangement is the best the people of Dublin can do." He pulled two cold beers out from the fridge. One by one, he placed the beers against the sharp corner of the table and slammed his fist down, causing the caps to pop right off. "It's like we've hit a glass ceiling, in which the government refuses to let us break." He moved back over to Arlene, dragging a chair along with him. Once he reached her, he handed one of the bottles to her.

He took a seat in one of the chairs, pulling out the revolver from the back of his waistband. He then placed the firearm on the ground beside him, before taking a sip from the beer glass. The beer was cheap, apparent by the sour look on Carter's face. "This war has been going on long before the Porters, long before the Sullivans showed up in Ireland." He shook his head, holding the beer glass in his lap. "That's why it's so frustrating to see Porters show up and point fingers, they know nothing of their surroundings, the history they step on the neck of." He tipped his beer towards Arlene and then took another swig. "The IWU used to be a peaceful organization. We did as we do now, stand up for the lower-class, except back then we threw pamphlets instead of molotovs." He rested the beer beside him, looking up to her.

"Back in the day, we fought for a higher wage for the working class, nothing unreasonable. With that, the government refused to let us unionize, under the condition that they'd give us a speaking voice in the house." He shook his head with a chuckle. "They got away with that by locking the gates before every meeting."

"The point is, we've only acted with the intentions of standing up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. We've never attacked or killed anyone who wasn't connected to the vile upper-class." He shrugged to her, moving to his next point. "It's funny how the Porters pretend to care about the people, yet destroy the shops of those who cannot cough up enough to renew their 'protection program.' When the mob, or the government, say they want a better future for the people, they are only referring to those that can afford it."

Misty Gray (Arlene)

 

[ElectricDandellion]

Hearing that Peter had gotten arrested and that things were even worse for Sinead made her feel even worse. "Fuck sake. I was so caught up in things with Leo that I forgot about everyone else. Poor Sinny..." She rubbed her face with her hand and shook her head. The thought of her friend going through this alone made her heartache. Even Tommy's words weren't helping the guilt she was feeling. Guilt over her brother and then the guilt of not being around for her best friend. It seemed like she wasn't there for a lot of people when terrible things were going down and it sucked. "Well, I definitely need to see them. Sinead, the kids and visit Peter. Between the two of us, I'm closer to them than anyone else..." She bit her lip, afraid of what they may be thinking about. How she have not even called to say hello? To update them on Leo's condition at least. Tommy and Delilah were the only ones who knew about him being awake. Albeit, it was unexpected and just happened, but still.

Feelings Tommy's hand suddenly near her face made her pull back a little; it took her off guard. But once she realized what he was doing, she calmed down. 'Well,' she thought to herself 'That's never happened before... Not even with Conor.' It made her rethink what she thought the relationship between herself and Conor was, but quickly dismissed the thought altogether at the sound of Tommy answering her question. You know my last name?" She asked with a small smile. In all honesty, she didn't think many people did know her last name and the fact he did was impressive. She pretended to consider his answer, nodding her head side to side. "I mean, since you were so kind about it, I guess spending time with you wouldn't hurt..." She took a pause before looking away. "After we visit Sinead?"

Leo waited for Tommy and Aliana to leave the room before he made an attempt to move over in his bed. The meds were kicking in now, so the pain was numb. He nodded his head over to the spot that he had cleared for her, just big enough for her to lay down. "I missed you too, Del." It was barely above a whisper, though he hadn't meant for it to be. But, it made it that much more intimate. He had to think for a minute, rubbing his hand across his face, still playing with the newly grown facial hair. "I... Don't know. A few days ago? Everything is so fuzzy and I've lost track of time." There was a confused look on his face as he spoke, truly not knowing even the date. He would be glad when he got discharged so his life - and everyone elses - lives could get back to normal.

Hearing that she wasn't allowed to see him while he was under made him raise a brow. Though, he started to understand why a little. "Well, I did get shot. Even if it was on purpose or accident," he said, quite unsure of which option it was
"it would still be dangerous for you out there." Realizing that it probably wasn't something she wanted to hear he smiled and laughed. "But, yes absolute bullshit."

Tommy ( Misty Gray ) Delilah ( ElectricDandellion )​

DELILAH PORTER

Del watched as Leo began to move and she looked at him sternly, cautiously putting a hand to rest at his arm. After watching him being in pain at lifting his arm, she was almost certain that moving the way he was would pain him even more. Mouth parting to speak but with no words coming out, her eyes softened as she realised he was moving to give her space on the bed next to him. “Be careful,” she warned, though seeing him signal for her to lie down with him, she gently scooted onto the bed, laying down next to him, gaze locked on his. As he admitted to missing her, Delilah felt her mouth pull into a smile. Despite him having been in a coma the past two weeks, he somehow missed her and that made her heart swell. She didn’t want to dampen the mood at all, but all she could think about was how she could’ve lost Leo, and the thought was scaring her. His quiet tone made her smirk though, curling up closer beside him. “If someone had told me I would’ve been here so much sooner,” lifting a hand, she combed her hand through his hair, gently tickling his scalp. When her eyes moved from the top of his eyes to his face, she felt her heart tug in her chest. His expression saddened her, noticing how puzzled he was. He had missed out so much and it seemed he didn’t know what had happened. “You can’t remember,” nodding to herself, she sighed lightly, unsure how, if she had to, to explain what had happened and how it was instigated by her potty mouth. “Maybe it’s better that you don’t remember but you have a right to know,” Snuggling into him, she placed her head under his, Being careful to avoid the wounds on his chest, seeming somewhat evident under the hospital gown with patches. “I’ll cut it short- we were going to the parade. I met you in the car park and Tommy was there. Carter started getting mouthy to Tommy, I started getting mouthy and then...” Choking on her breath silently, her eyes widened at the remembering of the scene. “Carter shot you several times, Tommy too. All I could see was blood, Leo. I thought you were dead,” Nostrils flaring in anger and also sadness, she kissed Leo quickly on the lips. She decided not to tell him where the situation lay after that in fear of causing him distress.

“But I can’t wait till you can get out. I’ll take you for dinner...to the pictures...you name it, whatever you want to do we’ll go do it, yea? My treat,” an excitement plastered her expression. “I could stay with you here tonight unless that’s not allowed? I’m sure mama would understand,”​

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Skye didn't often go into much detail about her mum, but Syd liked to hear her be mentioned from time to time. Their growing up in an orphanage was one of the first things he knew to have in common with Skye so it was that background with which he most closely associated her. However, it was nice to be reminded that she had had a proper childhood, one that gave her some nice memories. Syd smiled as she took a chestnut from the cone and held it out for her to take more.

"You've never been ice skating?" Syd asked her through a mouthful of chestnuts, eyes shining with excitement. "Well, what are we waiting for!" He took her hand in his, rubbing it gently to keep her warm as they slowly wandered towards the ice skating rink.
"Back in Chicago we had these really cold winters and the lake by my school would freeze up. So sometimes before the social worker spotted me coming out the school gates I'd manage to sneak off with my mates and see how far across we could get in our shoes. I'm sure you can imagine the level of punishment I'd get, but it felt worth it for 5 minutes of freedom. All my good memories of Chicago came from breaking rules," he admitted. "Real ice skating is much different, though. I've only done it once or twice..."

There was a couple on the rink that caught Syd's eye, dancing as gracefully as Fred and Ginger. He found himself smiling at them as they went round arm in arm, knowing that that would not be him. Before long the two had laced themselves into borrowed ice skates and Syd took the first step, finding his balance. He skated out a little overconfidently and quickly lost it, falling hard on his backside. But it only made him laugh at himself, and he called back to Skye, "I'm too damn tall for this!"
It wasn't long however before he had found his feet again and was skating back over to meet her at the edge.
"The important thing is to not be afraid to fall," he said sheepishly, taking both of her hands and leading her onto the ice. "But if you do...try to fall forwards, onto your knees. I think it helps to keep your legs slightly bent. Come on, let's just experiment and have fun!"

Interactions
Misty Gray Skye

 

[Misty Gray]

Arlene Sullivan​

Arlene watched on with curiosity as Carter dismissed the other two men. As she watched them leave the apartment via the steel door, she studied the entrance for a moment. Even if she were to get past Carter, she expected the goons would be waiting for her at the other side of the door. Her eyes then followed Carter as he walked over to the refrigerator to get a couple of beers. When he returned to sit opposite her, he offered her a beer too. Arlene kept her arms folded at first and tilted her head to the side. "Hmm. Are you sure you don't want to slip something into my drink first?" she remarked. Regardless, she unfolded her arms and reached out to accept the beer from Carter. "Thanks..." she simply told him. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate the drink, but it was that she didn't appreciate being kept in the apartment against her will.

Arlene took a sip from the bottle as Carter began speaking about the IWU's ongoing war. She gave him a chance to speak, even when he was attacking her family and how they ran things in Dublin. "Hmm..." she muttered before swallowing some more of the drink. "Yet I know my family and the IWU used to cooperate with each other, or even help each other out. From what I've heard, that relationship only broke up when that psycho-bitch, Ciara, wanted to start blowing shit up. Then she let innocent people get hurt because nobody would give her what she wanted. Like a petulant child. And it doesn't look like the latest IWU management is any better. I take it Armstrong wants to become Mayor and make every working class person's dreams come true, huh?"

She looked down to her bottle as Carter spoke about the Porters collecting protection money from businesses. "That's just how it has to be. It's not ideal and it's not exactly nice if they don't pay up. But it's better that their business is protected than to have some mindless thugs rob from it or burn it down instead," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "Besides, are you saying it's okay for your lot to hurt innocent members of the upper-class? I know James better than you do and I know he doesn't go out of his way to hurt innocent people." She then looked back up to make eye-contact with Carter. "My family worked hard and fought hard to get where they are now. Do you even have the faintest idea what it was like for them back in Chicago?" She cleared her throat. "Or even how life was in New York," she added.

Enzyme (Carter)

 

[Enzyme]

Carter Dresden​

Carter nodded along to Arlene's words as he took a sip from the bottle. "It's true; we used to share the same image. I may not know a lot about James, but Ciara believed he cared for the people of Dublin, that he could sympathize with their misery." He nodded his head lightly, before shrugging. "She wanted to blow up key locations that caused suffering, like monopolized banks and factories that used child labor. James wasn't interested, because that would've hurt his revenue." He looked past her out the window, eyeing the cityscape. "Ciara was a mad dog, and because of the power we instill in the people, we easily removed her from the leading position."

His eyes shifted to Arlene once she spoke of Jared. "That's the plan, and he'd run this town way better than the commissioner. The commissioner only cares about small gangs; he says they're the ones that plague this city." Carter scrunched his face, shaking his head. "They're too busy killin' each other for anyone to be affected by them. It's poverty that plagues this city and claims lives every day. The commissioner couldn't care less about that."

Carter couldn't help but cringe with Arlene's explanation of the importance of the protection program. "Are you that brainwashed? The only people they're afraid of are the Porters. They don't have a choice, but to buy protection from you guys. You guys like to have this false ideology that Dublin was being torn apart by small gangs and that the Porters hold the balance, every shop owner that is under the protection program dreams of a day that the Porters are gone." He leaned back in his chair as she went on to talk about the Porters struggles. "Oh, come on. I'm sure you guys were VIP guests in any club in Chicago. The Sullivans thrived during prohibition because you got people hooked on alcohol and abused their addiction by raising the prices."

Carter squinted his eyes as Arlene went on to question the morality of attacking the upper-class. He grunted lightly, before taking a small sip from the beer bottle. "Well, let me put this in perspective for you," he softly said, leaning closer and placing the bottle beside him. "I hurt two people from the upper-class, one was an accident, and the other was an order I couldn't disobey. I mean, everyone went insane, I was compared to the devil," he raised his eyebrow, expecting her to agree. "Yet, poor families within the city limits succumb to starvation and diseases every single day; no one bats an eye." He tilted his head to her now, hoping she understood the gravity of the message. "Even if you are close to those hurt, you have to admit how absurd that is. Innocent women and children, dead, hundreds of them," He shrugged, shaking his head lightly. "Yet, no one seems to care."

Misty Gray (Arlene)

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan

​

Finn was so relieved to see Sinead getting up and getting ready to see Peter. Accepting the hug and kiss on the cheek, Finn smiled, ”Hurry hurry now!” he told her Looking to Ryan, Finn gave him a wide smile. ”That was absolutely brilliant.” He told him in honesty. ”She’s this family’s ray of sunshine. Can’t let her hide behind the clouds now can we?” With that, Finn set off to make Sinead a drink. She had made her way back down the stairs pretty quickly and Finn luckily was pretty handy at making a drink. Hell if he hadn’t been a doctor he probably would have been a bartender. ”Here you are babe!” Finn said before handing Sinead the drink. ”You look like a doll!” Finn said with light in his eyes, clapping his hands for her, truly appreciating the well dressed. Finn’s eyes went a little wide as the little woman downed the drink he had made for her. Taking the glass once she was done, Finn nodded in understanding of her urgency to get out of the house before she sabotaged herself into not going.

”Right, let me put this in the sink and then we can take car.” Quickly heading to the kitchen to set the glass in the sink, he returned just as quickly before holding out his arm to Sinead. ”May I escort you to the car mi’ lady?” He asked sweetly, when she took his arm, he lead her out of the front door towards the Porter’s property to where his car would be parked. On the way over, Finn had a few questions to ask Sinead about how she had been feeling. He just hoped he didn’t make her feel overwhelmed, only wanting to know because he was concerned for her and wanted her to feel her best self. ”So Sinny, you don’t have to answer my questions if you don’t want to…but as a doctor and as your favorite cousin, “ He paused before winking at her, ”I must know if you how you are feeling.” Finn paused again and looked ahead a moment before asking: ”I know you’ve been down lately…during this time have you had any thoughts of hurting yourself?” He asked slowly, wondering if he was about to hit a touchy subject.

”Again, you don’t have to answer.” He said quickly after asking his question. Once on the Porter’s property, Finn lead her towards his car and smiled, opening the door. ”Here we are!” He kept his tone light, untangling his arm from hers, he waited until she was strapped in before shutting the door and making it around to his side.



With: Sinead Misty Gray ; Ryan Fletchawk
mentions:

Blake Walsh​

Blake let out a rather loud laugh, unable to contain herself as she thought about the leather jacket that she had taken. She couldn’t help it, it was one of her favorite jackets. ”I’m pretty sure my closet at that…you might want to take it up with the closet.” She said with a teasing tone in her voice. He took her hands and she rolled her eyes at his words. He kissed her lips and sent her head spinning a moment. Raising an eyebrow at the mention of dressing fancy for the evening, she wondered what the hell they needed to dress fancy to go to Mckgucins for. Regardless, she placed on a wine red dress and a pair of earrings, pairing a pair of black heels with it. In the car, Blake was curious as to where they were going wanting to pester Jackson but also wanting to keep the surprise he had in mind a secret. It was hard, she was never good with surprises. When they drove right past the place they were suppose to head to, Blake looked to Jackson quickly, ”What are you up to?” She asked curiously with a smile growing on her features.
He gave her a smile that told her he knew what he had done as ”Chapter One” came into view and Jackson pulled up to it. She stayed silent but was unable to keep the smile off her face as she stepped out of the car and Jackson tossed the valet the keys. Intertwining her fingers with his, she leaned in as he whispered in her ear. She laughed softly and shook her head, ”You think?” She teased, ”This is not normally your style, I could get use to this.” She winked. The host lead them to a nice and quite area of the restaurant that was private and just for them. She took a seat when Jackson pulled her chair out and gestured for her to before murmuring her thanks.

Another smile appeared on her face as Jackson started by expressing his gratitude for her coming to let him in the night of the job he was on. After the waiter poured her glass of champagne, Blake reached for her glass and took a brief sip. ”Well most women are boring.” She chuckled. ”This a great way to express appreciation and I am certainly not complaining!”


With: Jackson Enzyme

Peter Callahan​

Peter nodded his head slowly as George questioned the fact that Peter might not have any visitors who wished to see him today. With a difficult sigh, Peter stayed silent as George dryly informed him that they were now at the cell he would be calling home for a while. Peter’s eyes scanned the small cell until he saw where George was pointing too. He instantly missed his huge warm bed at home, the one with far too many pillows that never were actually used. Sinead always told him they were decorative, but what the hell did you need decorative pillows for? They were meant for sleeping on, not for decoration. He numbly walked over to his bed and picked up the pillow with one hand, staring at it before looking to the dirty bed that was waiting to be made. He scowled slightly and a bitter laugh escaped his lips as George went on to say that this cell was one of the better ones. He couldn’t even process the lack of privacy he would have as his eyes ran over the toilet and sink. Not daring to sit down on the dirty bed, Peter dropped the pillow and shuffled his feet uncomfortably. Looking towards George’s side of the cell, he saw the pictures he had but chose not to comment on them at the moment.


George pressed on the matter of Peter believing he wouldn’t have any visitors and Peter cleared his throat. ”Its kind of tricky to explain really.” Was all he said before George lifted the sheets and stuffed a pair of scissors in the mattress. Peter raised a curious eyebrow at such actions, it was insane what had to be done to survive in such a place. George answered his question about Darius and it all made sense to Peter why the man had so much anger against the Porters. Sometimes, it was hard to try and validate what the Porters did with others…it was easy to forget that others had lives just like they did, people who loved them and would mourn the loss of their lives. His jaw clenched before his hand briefly reached up and rubbed the now purple cheek that had been greeted by Darius’ fist. ”Smart people tend to work out their problems without violence.” Peter mumbled but knew he was also being very hypocritical.

”He might want to work on not being such a hot head if he wants to get out of here.” He commented. Moving to look at the bed, he decided to place the sheets and everything on it before taking a seat. ”Its hard when you are fighting for one side, when your family is on the line. Most people would do anything for family…” Peter had decided to join James and the others in taking out poor Gary because of what those assholes did to his wife, it turned out to be a huge mistake. ”My wife is most likely not going to show because she is upset of what happened. I wasn’t suppose to get caught. I promise her I would be home.” He finally explained. He was really starting to realize how powerful perception was and how people saw things. To the Porters and himself, what they were doing for the good of their family and their home was right...as shown today, it was obviously not right to everyone else.

With: George Misty Gray
Mentions: Darius Enzyme

 

[Misty Gray]

Arlene Sullivan​

Arlene raised a curious eyebrow as Carter said James' reasons for stopping the explosions were to protect his own profit. She'd been told, and believed, he didn't want innocent people to get hurt in the crossfire of Ciara's actions. A plausible enough motive. It seemed to her like both sides had their own reasons and their own ways to perhaps make them sound like they were in the right whilst the enemy was only looking out for their own side. She didn't like the idea of being physically sat in the middle of it all in this moment, having now listened to each side attacking the other. It brought her mind back to New York and the fact she was willing to do anything to protect her family's position and not use any moral code to justify her actions. Arlene knew she'd done the things she had done because she chose to keep her family at the top. No heroic or altruistic intentions like both sides in Dublin were clinging to. The reason she returned to Dublin was to try and right her own wrongs, to be around a loving family and those how actually cared about the people their business affected. The IWU seemed like the perfect evil for her to help her family against and maybe even find her own heart again in doing something good.

Arlene shook her head when Carter questioned if she were brainwashed. "I'm not. It's something that was done in New York - something I admit I helped to enforce. I'm just surprised it's happening here..." she trailed off. The Porters had always been good people, looking out for the little guy and making sure innocents weren't harmed in any crossfire. In fact, she used to think they cared too much and that was why the Romanos had been able to keep the Sullivans tied down for so long. All she could think now was perhaps that James had lost his way. She knew he cared and she knew the Porters had plenty of income from their own businesses. Which left her wondering if this was all for greed or was James still having to pay out to the likes of the Russians.

"You're right, people did go crazy when your killed the mayor. People are told to care about men like him whilst overlooking the day-to-day poverty surrounding them. To step over the child's hands as they hold them out begging for food. But let me make something clear to you..." she said, her tone returning to its usual assertiveness. "I don't give a fuck about the dead mayor. I don't care about the commissioner and I don't care about Armstrong if he gets elected. Politicians and dodgy cops are what's wrong with society. I have no sympathy for the man you poisoned - they're all corrupt and in my opinion, worse that the small time crooks and even worse than this weird setup you guys have got going on at the IWU." She took another drink of her beer. "And another thing! I wouldn't trust your boss if he becomes mayor. He'll be eating fancy dinners with the very rich folk you hate. Do you really believe he won't get a taste for money and power himself? I don't for a minute believe Mr. Fancy Suits cares one bit about you lot in here." She shook her head as she tried to make sense of the conflicting information she was processing. "What do you think happens to the money my family gives to the orphanages around here? Are those poor children not important in this argument? Perhaps the IWU and my family are blinded to only see the wrongs committed by each other."


Enzyme (Carter)

 

[Misty Gray]

Skye McKendrick
​

Skye took another chestnut when Syd offered them to her, flashing a smug smile as she began to remove the shell. When asked if she'd never been ice skating, she quickly shook her head and finished off the chestnut she was eating. "Nope. Never..." she confirmed. When he took her hand in his, she brightly smiled at him. "Uh-ohhh, I've committed to falling on my arse now!"

She listened as Syd spoke about his time back in Chicago, with the social worker almost spoiling his fun. She looked fondly to the young man's face as she pictured him skating across the frozen lake in his shoes. "Damn, did I find myself a bad boy?" she asked, nudging his arm. "It sounds like you all had fun, but I hope you didn't get punished too badly." She paused for a moment as she thought about how weird it must have been for Syd to be adopted and end up living in a completely different country. "What was it like when you first got to live with James and Lucy? Were you really nervous? They seem like really cool parents, but I bet even they didn't let you get away with too much, huh? I bet they still don't..."

Once they got to the skating rink and had put on the skates, they briefly observed a couple who seemed to be very comfortable dancing around on the ice. "Do you see those two out there? That could be us, Syd. In our wildest dreams, if we close our eyes and engage our imaginations, that could be us! Instead, I'm afraid I'm going to be a mess out there," she joked. Skye held onto the side as Syd made his first attempt at skating on the ice. She covered her mouth with her hand as she watched him slip and fall on the cold, hard surface. At first she was concealing her shock, but seeing Syd laugh caused her to do her same, her humour mostly hidden behind her gloved hand. "Ouch! Are you okay? Need me to hug you and make the hurt go away?" she commented, half serious and half playful. "Honestly, though. That was a ten out of ten fall, Syd. Perfect!" she teased him.

Skye let Syd take her hands and she very cautiously stepped onto the ice, following his lead. However, as he told her to not be afraid of falling and advised her on the best way to fall, it reminded her that she had no idea what she was doing. "Woah, shit!" she briefly panicked, almost jolting backwards as the first few steps threw her slightly off balance. She glanced to the nearby couple and once again memorised how they were moving their feet. She realised she was locking her legs, so quickly put it right by bending her knees, as Syd had advised her to do. She then began to slowly push from one foot to the other, trying to copy what she had already observed others doing. Her grasp on Syd's hand tightened for support as she briefly lost herself in concentration. "Why did I suggest this, huh? Why do I always suggest risky ventures?" she asked him, but her grin showed she wasn't being entirely serious. "Me and my silly ideas..." she said, stopping speaking as she almost stumbled forward. She found herself turning to face Syd and placing her hands on both of his shoulders to keep herself upright with his physical support.


Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Enzyme]

Carter Dresden​

He tilted his head and opened his mouth to speak but decided to let her finish. He sat back, taking another sip of the cheap beer until she looked to him to confirm she wanted him to respond. "Well, I think it's safe to say, with the minimal time you've been here, you don't know much about my boss. Frankly, it doesn't matter what happens to him - we need a voice in the government. Once we have one, all this madness can stop. The Porters are irrelevant in this equation, they're just another obstacle," he calmly stated, placing the beer beside him. There was truth to his words; once they had a say in the laws and restrictions of blue-collar workers, there would no longer be a need for violence. His eyes flashed up to Arlene as she passionately spoke about the orphanages. The sight made it hard to contain his smile. He had to admit how good it felt to sit down and talk to a Porter, have a chance to step into their shoes. From how it was going, Arlene seemed willing to listen.

"Of course they're important," he started, sitting up in his chair. "All the funding in the world wouldn't change their situation, though. If James cared for the children, he'd attack the problem at the source; Poverty." The issue seemed obvious to Carter, but that may have been because of how deep and rooted his beliefs were. Most of these kids are abandoned because their parents can't afford to take care of them." He pointed out to the city lights, emitting from the warm horizon. "This, Arlene, this is what we have been fighting decades for," He spoke sincerely, looking into her eyes. "This has been an ongoing war. Finally, we may have turned the tides."

Misty Gray (Arlene)

__________________________________________________________

Jackson McCarthy​

Jackson rested his hand beside Blake's, as he briefly admired her. He flashed a warm smile when she said most women were boring. "Well," he started, shrugging slightly. "I also wanted an excuse to see you in a dress again." The waiter ruined the moment as he moved to ask if they were ready, but Jackson confirmed with a glance to Blake that they hadn't even begun to decide. "I don't think either of us has been here, boss. Might take us a sec'," he politely told the waiter, as he moved for the menu. The food options looked foreign as if they'd been written in a different language. This restaurant was not Jackson's scene; he would've preferred a burger from the local joint. A glance at Blake's eager eyes on the menu reminded him why he was here.

"My vacation's probably over soon. Once I check back, I'm sure James will whisk me off to do some more." He leaned closer to her, holding the glass of champagne between his hands. He enjoyed his view of her momentarily, an instinctual smile forming on his lips. He glanced at the table, "Which is perfect timing, cause I'm definitely startin' to get sick of you," He joked, running his tongue up his lips as he looked back up to her.

The waiter returned once more, anxious to take their orders. He looked to Blake to speak first, before placing his order. He still wasn't as passionate about his decision, but there wasn't much else on the expensive menu that he'd prefer. "I'll take the braised rabbit shoulder," His confidence in his choice diminished as he spoke, looking up to Blake with a concerned expression. The waiter didn't take much time at all in pulling the menus from their hands and retreating to the kitchen doors.

Bellz (Blake)

__________________________________________________________

Eli Porter​

Eli's eyes traced back up to James when he brought up Lucy. To think of it, he hadn't seen the blonde in quite some time; he briefly wondered how she was doing. The last time he'd spoken with her, he had called her a whore at her birthday event in front of all her guests. The thought of Lucy warmed him; he missed her deeply. Eli was pulled from his trance once James pushed a folded piece of paper towards him. "Ciara," he hissed under his breath. He let James place the paper in front of him. Ciara was still in jail. Wasn't she? Eli hadn't seen, but she had supposedly stabbed a Garda. "I miss Ciara," he flatly stated. She reminded him of a bird, so fierce and rash. He believed she was insane as well and belonged in here with him. Not that it would make as much of a difference, he just hoped she had found her own peace.

Eli, slowly shook his head when James mentioned that the guards had thought he brought an escape plan. "Where would I go, then? Back to the mines? Back to the IWU?" His rabid eyes circled the joint, not bothering to blink. "That place is madder than I am. I doubt Jared is even in charge any mor'." He looked back to the Blackcap outside, who hadn't moved from its branch. "The IWU is like muck, it is. It constantly breaks itself down and rebuilds. It cleans itself." His eyes vibrated in their sockets with intent, once the bird hobbled onto another perch. "It'll keep growin' until it consumes us all. They'll get what they want no matter what - because they believe in freedom." His hard eyes slid back to James, the windows of his bleak soul locking with James'. "There's nothin' they can do to stop 'em. They've been at this for too long. They're hungry for blood. They'll go further than the coppas' would ever dare."

Misty Gray (James)

 

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Oliver noticed the silence in the household, so when he heard footsteps he knew his son was approaching. Sliding over to allow Adam room at the end table, seeing as he was intrigued, he sighed. “Just looking back to another time I suppose...”

Watching him place the wedding photograph face-down almost made him simper, but that would be a lie... Love was... Interesting. Some time in his life he did love her, back in his youth when the military was his dream along with her. But after the war... Priorities changed. There wasn’t room for love, the type of business he did required very little attachments. If you had any, they’d be a liability, and liabilities make for bad business...

Snapping from thought as Adam questioned the second photo, he simpered. “Sure is. Your mother sent me that photo along with the drawing, and a letter two days before... Well you know...” Fortunately he had kept those belongings in his breast pocket, and not his pant pocket that day. “But it’s fairly accurate if you think about it, leg and all.” Oliver chuckled at the jab at himself...

Feeling Adam get closer behind him, he finally noticed he still was holding the last picture. Handing it to his son for further inspection, he leaned his hand on the table for support as he studied his son. The intellectual inherited flicker in Adam’s eyes as he studied the photo were exactly like his own, a trait he was glad Adam had. It made him feel... More of his own...

Oliver warmly simpered as Adam recalled most of the details of that period of time. Despite his personal demons in those years, he did truly try to be a good father, and moments like now proved it had to work just a bit... “I taught you so you could use your imagination, maybe create a story from all the stars in the sky... And yes maybe to find your way back home.” Hearing Adam say he still looked up at the sky and stargazed made him warm inside, a feeling he rarely felt. That warm feeling had to be a mix of what a proud father, and a father watching his son grow to become a good man...

Adam returned with coffee for the two of them, and Oliver took the cup gratefully. Sipping at the black liquid, he sighed. “I never had a father to teach me things like I taught you, how to shave, how to read the stars, how to drive... I didn’t have that. It was just me and your Aunt for the longest time, which is why I didn’t really know what to do when I found out your mother was pregnant...” Chuckling at himself, he continued. “I panicked. I went to Allison, your Aunt, a frenzied mess and told her the news. And you know what she told me? She told me I was the most patience, smart, and loving man she ever knew. She said I’d be a great father, and I had nothing to fear...” “So you were born, and I held you in my arms that day... You were warm, barely crying surprisingly, and this overwhelming feeling overcame me... I didn’t know what to do, I had no explanation for it... But I suppose now it was unconditional love. One a father always has for his son, no matter the circumstances

[/div][/div][/div][div class=credit]credits RI.a [/div][div class=overlay]Oliver Morgan[/div][div class=tags]Location: Oliver’s Home
Pyroclast [/div]

 

[Misty Gray]

Arlene Sullivan​

Arlene nodded her head as she processed Carter's words. "I'm not going to say I share your confidence in Armstrong, but if the shit the IWU has been pulling ceases then that can only be good. Bombs, assassinations and attempted assassination... Innocent bystanders suffer from that shit and that's why I can't show your organisation any sympathy." She rubbed her eyes as the last of the grogginess wore off and they were now left to water slightly from the tiredness. "If you lot do get your way and the city's new mayor is Armstrong, you all might benefit from reinventing the IWU. Even if most are oblivious to the acts that have been committed by him, the mud will still stick to the IWU's name." She shrugged her shoulders as she thought more about the man calling the shots. "It's his family I feel sorry for. I'll be honest with you - as soon as I realised who Grace was I saw ways to use her to hurt Armstrong but was banned from doing so by James. But all it takes is for the IWU to piss off someone with less restraint. Overconfidence can be the biggest downfall."

When Carter spoke of poverty, Arlene broke eye-contact and instead looked into the beer bottle before taking another swig of the cheap alcohol. Her discomfort wasn't made any better when he mentioned children being abandoned because their parents couldn't afford to take care of them. It was all too close to home for her liking. She followed his focus to the window as he spoke of tides turning, but something had already been dragged up from the back of her mind and she'd lost her usual confidence. She knocked back the rest of her drink before standing up. She remained in front of the seat, so as to show she wasn't exactly making an escape attempt. "Are we done here now?" she asked, staring at him head on. "It's certainly been interesting talking to you, but I'm ready to leave now..."


Enzyme (Carter)

James Porter
​

James raised a curious eyebrow when Elijah said he missed Ciara. He could have said many different things in that moment, but he chose to go with the nicest option. "She misses you too, mate," he honestly told his brother. James thought the woman was dangerous and unhinged, but at the same time, he'd seen potential in her. She'd been reasonable when James had visited her in jail and he'd started to realise she'd been replaced by someone more dangerous. Jared's charisma and controlled nature made it easier to fool everyone. Ciara would have come off as an extremist and it was difficult for most to warm to the unstable woman. Better the Devil you know.

James shook his head. "Nah. You're best staying well away from the IWU. They really have gone to shit," he agreed. "Jared's still in charge and fancies himself as the Mayor these days... Honestly, if Ciara hadn't gone and stabbed that cop, I think Jared would have forced her out of the IWU anyway." He nodded when Elijah spoke of the organisation rebuilding itself. His brother was far more intelligent and philosophical than many would give him credit for. "The cops don't have a fucking clue, mate." James sat forward and looked to his brother. "You spent a lot of time in the factory with that lot and you just doubted Jared would still be in charge. Who else in there do you think would want to take his spot?" he asked.


Enzyme (Elijah)

 

[Misty Gray]

Thomas Dempsey​

Tommy bit his lip as he watched Aliana worry about Sinead and that she'd been too preoccupied with Leo to know what was happening with her friend. "I'm sure she'll understand. She knows you've been worried about Leo and I'm sure she would have wanted to be right here with you weeks ago if she hadn't been recovering herself." He softly smiled and nodded in agreement when she said she would have to see all of the Callahans. "I'm sure they'd all appreciate that. I'm sure you can cheer Sinead up and Peter would appreciate visitors. As for the kids... we all know how excitable they are!" he said, flashing a grin.

Tommy had noticed Aliana pull back slightly when he'd moved his hand towards her face. Whilst it didn't stop him from pushing the loose hair behind her ear, it still registered with him and though he subtly pulled his hand away it did confuse him a little. He found Aliana difficult to read at times and though he didn't fear a 'challenge' she still managed to make him lose the coolness he'd always had when flirting with other women. She would be the death of him, he was sure of that! "Of course I know your last name. I pay attention, don't you know that?" he teased her. When she agreed to spend time with him he regained some of his confidence. His expression turned serious when she looked away. "Of course, Ali. You just let me know when you want to go see Sinead and the others. I'm happy to drive you over there."


Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Enzyme]

Carter Dresden​

Carter could hardly contain his laughter, pressing the bottle against his lips to stop himself from spitting up the cheap beer. He shook his head as he placed the beer beside him. "Kettle meet pot," he announced, attempting to calm himself. "I never thought I'd see the day where a contract killer would shame me for murder." He shrugged once more. "I don't enjoy taking lives, but when I have no choice, at least I know it's for a higher purpose." He raised his eyebrow as Arlene went on to talk about Jared and his past deeds. When she brought up his family, he nodded slowly. "You know you got mob blood in ya' when you see a man's children as his weakness," he spoke in a calculated manner, resting on his elbows as he leaned closer. "The flaw in your logic is that the IWU is not a family. We're an entity," he offered. "Jared may be leading us currently, but his personal life will not alter our momentum." He leaned back in his chair, allowing his words to settle. "When you have a group of people who believe in a pure, uniting ideology, there is little you can do to bring them down - and what's more pure and uniting than justice? Cut off one head, and two will take its place."

The change in Arlene's demeanor upon the topic of poverty had not gone unnoticed. Carter watched Arlene's eye line falter, moving to the floorboards. "It appears I've hit a nerve," He observed, raising his eyebrow. "There's no shame in starting from nothing; it makes the eventual triumph that much more deserving." As her eyes scurried towards the windows, he relaxed his expression, softening his position. "Do you feel the cord that connects us all? Or has success done to you what it's done to them?" While his motioning towards the window was discreet, it was evident to whom he was referring.

It appeared that he'd spent all the woman's energy when she broke the topic with the inevitable question. "If you'd like," he responded, moving the revolver back into his waistband and stretching up from the chair. When she said she was ready to leave, he looked back at her with a sincere smile. "Patience." He then stepped away from the chair and moved for the metal door.

Misty Gray (Arlene)

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

While Finn went to put her glass into the sink, Sinead looked to Ryan and sent him a small, grateful smile. "Thank you for being so sweet," she softly told him. "And I'm also grateful that you're going to look after my car for me. I hope it's not too much of a chore for you." She broke away from thanking Ryan when Finn returned and held out his arm to escort her to the car. She waved to Ryan before taking her cousin's arm and allowing him to lead her outside.

As they walked to Finn's car, he began to talk to her and his tone sounded more serious or concerned. He told her he needed to know how she was feeling and this caused her to look down to the ground as she was anticipating he still had more to say to her. Finn then asked her if she'd had thoughts of hurting herself and she forced herself to keep looking down as they approached the car. She opened her mouth, not quite sure what words she should allow to leave her mouth, but her cousin quickly spoke up again to tell her she didn't have to answer. She closed her mouth and looked forward when it was announced they'd reached the car. She slid into the passenger seat as Finn held the door open for her and she thanked him as she fastened the seatbelt around her.

Sinead remained silent as Finn got into the driver's seat and started the car engine. She gazed out of the passenger side window as he pulled out of the driveway and eventually joined the main road on their journey to the prison. A short time into the journey, she asked Finn to pull over and stop the car. She then turned to look at Finn whilst letting out an apprehensive sigh. "My mind won't let me rest. It tells me there's no way I can approach what's going on in my head without looking like a bad person." She took in a deep breath as she felt a stray tear roll down her cheek - something she thought she'd run out of by now. "Those first few nights, when the kids were fast asleep and I was sat up awake in bed... I felt so alone and useless. The house didn't feel like home anymore and I felt hollow. I'd seen Lucy, Conor, Skye... all of you. I'd watched our family put on brave faces for the children and I saw so much love being shared with them. Yet I couldn't even smile for them. I couldn't tell them everything will be okay." She took a deep breath before looking Finn in the eyes and nodding her head. "I kept thinking nobody would miss me and the children would have people queuing up to look after them. Those first few nights, I seriously considered it... to escape this awful world we live in and never have to lose anybody else or be hurt again."

She ran her fingers through her hair as she thought back over the last few days. "Then a couple of nights ago, all three of them came rushing into my room and told me they missed me. They all climbed into that big bed that felt too big for just me to sleep in. They needed me and I needed them. They all gave me the best cuddles, even Emmy's clumsy elbow digging into my ribs was welcome." She folded her arms around herself for comfort. "I feel like a terrible mother for considering leaving them and because even now I've seen how much they need me I still can't find the strength to be a good mummy to them... I don't want everyone to think I'm an unfit mother and I don't want to keep breaking their sweet little hearts..." Her eyes widened as she acknowledged what needed to be done. "I don't like taking my medication or seeing the counsellor, but I'm going to have to, aren't I?" she said, more of a rhetorical question to convince herself. "I don't want to have my babies taken away from me and I don't want to end up back on one of those horrible wards again. I have three beautiful children, a husband who's going to come home and the best family & friends. The Sullivans are fighters, right?" she said and she channelled a small smile to accompany her proactive words. "You and Ryan were very kind to me just now. Reminded me that this should only be temporary and Peter will come home again."

Bellz (Finn)
Mention: Fletchawk (Ryan)

George Sanderson​

George nodded his head in agreement as Peter made his comment about smart people not needing to use violence to resolve their issues. "Exactly, mate!" he said, almost too enthusiastically. "I wouldn't bother trying to convince most of the guys in here, though. Physical strength and winning fights is the most popular method of conflict resolution. That's never changed in all the time I've been here and it's unlikely it ever will." He couldn't help but snicker when Peter said Darius should try not being so aggressive. "You're preaching to the choir on that one," he assured him, having always hoped Darius could find ways to keep his cool and avoid fighting.

George listened as Peter spoke about doing anything for family. "It's perfectly natural to want to protect your family, no matter what the cost. I suppose that's especially relevant for people like you and Darius, who are tied into this messy gang business," he observed. He'd never been part of a gang and it had never interested him to join one of the formed groups in the prison, so he only had the experiences of others to go on.

"Ahh, so you're married?!" George noted, upon hearing Peter's fears about the lady not showing up to visit him. He didn't know Peter and he certainly didn't know his wife, so he figured any attempt to reassure Peter she would show would only come across as empty. "I hope she does pay you a visit. Even if it's so she can yell or nag at you for getting caught, I hope you get to see your wife soon."

The two men were interrupted as one of the prison guards stopped at the cell doorway. His eyes were fixed to the sheet of paper in his hands. "Callahan. Sanderson. Out of the cell and in line. You're expecting visitors," he flatly informed them as he read from the list of names.

George sent Peter an encouraging glance before walking towards the door. "Guard. Is it my brother?" he asked, wanting to know who his visitor would be. The guard looked up from his sheet of paper and sent George a cold, hard glare that would be more appropriate if the prisoner had just called his mother a whore. Without answering the question, the guard simply walked away to the next cell. George waited for Peter and walked over to the forming line. "They'll search us and then take us to the visiting room. We pretty much just have to sit at our own tables until our visitors arrive." He was aware that just because visitors were expected, it only meant their request to visit had been approved. It didn't always mean the visitor would show up in the end...

​

Bellz (Peter)
Mention: Enzyme (Darius)

 

[Misty Gray]

Arlene Sullivan​

Arlene watched Carter as he placed the revolver back in his waistband before he walked towards the door. Whilst he seemed willing to end their conversation, he made it clear he wasn't going to let her just walk out of the apartment. "If we're finished, then I would like to leave. I don't take kindly to being forced to stay somewhere against my will, especially when I'm not being told why." She pointed to the chair Carter had recently got up from. "If you're not going to let me leave this place, then we're not done here yet."

Arlene sat back down and glared at the empty seat she wanted Carter to return to. "Maybe I've seen the error of your ways and now it's made me want to become a better person," she sarcastically remarked, going back to his comment about her being a contract killer. "Apparently you think we're connected in other ways too. I'm curious as to how much you know about me and how much you think you know. I don't believe you understand my family, but I don't think my words would change your mind, so let's leave them out of this for now." She crossed her legs, kicking off her shoes seeing as it was apparent she wasn't going to be leaving anytime soon. "So, did you start from nothing?" she asked. "Forget your affiliations for the moment... If you're going to force me to stay here, to explore my flaws and 'hit a nerve', I think it's only fair you share something too. Where did you start before you took this path to triumph?"


Enzyme (Carter)

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue​

Ryan had merely nodded in confirmation when Sinead agreed to go upstairs. He was staring at the door way she had walked through, thinking of days past, when Finn brought Ryan halfway back to reality with words of praise. "Hardly." He agreed, pausing as he grounded himself back in reality. "Beside, I was just returning the favor." However, Ryan didn't realize he was quietly speaking to himself as Finn had gone to prepare drinks until after the fact. He gave the door a second look before joining Finn amid the spirits to wait for the princess to come back down. Finn and he didn't have to wait long before the red head popped back into the room in a blue dress and she abruptly downed her share and thanked Ryan for the pep-talk. "No worries, Princess. I figured it was better than throwing you in the car as is." The wink following the matter of fact tone showed that he was at least somewhat joking. He continued after quickly down the rest of his glass, "Your vehicle is excellent hands." Ryan chirped as he followed them out to the car and then proceeded to watch them drive out the gates. Ryan stood there for a fair minute after they drove out of sight, mulling over the memory that been infecting his thoughts.

Ryan's eyes throbbed a little as he stopped rubbing them with his small hands. He was at the Sullivan Manor, as his mother needed to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan about something. While they went another room, Ryan was told to wait in the foyer. It had been a week since his father had been thrown into jail and 8 year old Ryan didn't quite understand as to why but the neighborhood boys had been picking on him and telling him that his father was a bad man and was never coming back. His Ma had told him that Pops would eventually come back and he told the others boys this but they continued to insist otherwise. So a mix of missing his Pops and being ousted by the local boys had put him in a very poor mood. He wasn't outright crying, but a small sniffle escaped him as he wondered how long his mother was going to take. "Hi!" The high-pitched bubbly voice exploded through the previously silent room, startling the melancholic boy. He looked around quickly to find the source of the noise which turned out to be a girl's head that was poking sideways past an open doorway. It was Sinead, the Sullivan's youngest daughter. They had met on previous occasions but rarely engaged another. Mostly because Ryan was at that age where all girls were evil and Sinead was exceptionally girly with her pink, well, everything and it didn't help that she was much taller than him despite her being only 2 years older than him. "Are you crying?" She asked, stepping past the door and revealing the pink frilly dress she was wearing. The smaller boy eyed her suspiciously as he quickly responded with a short and sure "No." The girl cocked her head a little as she wondered why the boys eyes were red but decided not to ask about it. "Alright. You wanna play with me?" Normally, Ryan would responded with the same answer he just gave, but he was feeling rather lonely and hesitated. Oblivious to the boy's inner conflict about the matter, Sinead continued on. "I'm a princess and only girls can be princesses and Conor is the prince, so you can be the knight." The girl explained everything in a very serious tone as if she was reading the rules. The boy had no interest in being a princess or prince, but he'd heard of knights and they sounded cool. He was still hesitant as he would be playing with a girl, but when he remembered that the boys were being mean to him, Ryan caved. "Ok, but I have to find a sword."

Ryan chuckled briefly at the memory. It was only for a single afternoon and for the longest time he would of denied it ever happened, but it was the moment of kindness that that his fondness for the woman would be later built upon. He'd almost completely forgotten about it himself until recently, so he didn't doubt she forgotten it as well. Ryan shook his head aggressively and started to meander back to the garage, trying to push the memories and residual feelings out of his head. "That's the last thing any of us need..." He mumbled to himself, referring the infatuation that he once harbored for the redhead so many years ago. Entering the space that smelled of oil and various other familiar scents helped him clear his head and focus on the tasks at hand. Checking the clock as he grabbed the box of miscellaneous parts that Conor had left out for Sinead's car and taking them back the storage closet, he mused that he should order the parts before he leaves for the day. Upon opening the door to the walk-in area, Ryan spied the box that had the replacement door to Conor's Imperial. "Hmm..." He contemplated aloud. "Maybe I'll stay a little later than usual..."

Misty Gray [Sinead] Bellz [Finn]

 

[Enzyme]

Carter Dresden​

Carter slowly turned around when Arlene protested, observing her motion to his chair. He stood for a second, before shrugging and returning to it. By now, the beer bottle was empty, not that Carter had much of a taste for the cheap alcohol. He rested back in the old, wooden chair and smiled to Arlene. Instead of antagonizing her, Carter did as she pleased, leaving the Porters out of the discussion. "Alright," He started, getting more comfortable in his chair. "I started in a community home, shared by three separate families. Dad was a miner, and Mom worked in a fabric warehouse, typical assembly line stuff." He reached for his revolver, placing it on his lap. It didn't appear to be an act of intimidation, more that his sitting position made it rest uncomfortably in his waistband.

"I was always relatively good. Although, I wasn't above the occasional vandalism. I was a product of my surroundings, a kid in his elements," he smiled to himself in the form of reminiscing. "Well, then Dad got sick. The working conditions in those mines are awful; they march men to their deaths. He contracted some lung problems, couldn't say more than a few words without goin' into a coughin' frenzy. Far too weak to continue working." His gaze was fixed more on the floor beside Arlene as if he had lost where he was. "But, that was my dad. I wasn't about to watch on as he expired from his illness, so I picked up his pick and went to work. Every cent I earned was kept away for an operation."

He slowly shook his head as the memories seemed to take a dark turn. "I was close, so close to saving his life. Then the Age of Reform hit; taxes rose, and I had no choice, but to give up all the money I had painstakingly earned." He bit the inside of his lip, the memories painfully singeing his mind. "Their greed cost more than my father's life. Far more."

Misty Gray (Arlene)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Tommy's reassurance towards her feelings about abondoning her friend were definitely making her feel a lot better. It was perhaps one of her favorite traits about Tommy; one she saw before they even started whatever it was they were. It calmed her down a lot and calm was what she needed to be. She had been stressing out enough over the past few weeks. "You're getting me all excited to see them like I'm a little kid, you know." She joked. Even though she was smiling, her tone was very serious as she touched his arm gently. "Thanks for everything, Thomas. I really don't know if I could've made it through this without you.." She was staring at him, secretly wanting him to kiss her and when she realized that, she looked away and cleared her throat. Again, feeling like this scared her; feeling vulnerable.

She crossed her arms across her chest and nodded, smile still present on her lips. "Alright there, boy scout. We'll really see if you pay attention to detail, won't we?" Without leaving him a moment to respond, she clapped her hands together. "Well, can we go now? I mean Delilah is here with Leo and I don't think they will be going anywhere soon. They'll be safe here for a little, won't they?' When she asked about their safety it was because she wasn't sure about the aftermath from the shooting. Basically she was living under a rock at the moment and had no clue about anything.
Tommy ( Misty Gray )

Knowing that Delilah was so worried about him made him feel good and bad at the same time. Good that his girlfriend cared about him and the pain, bad that she was so worried. Watching her get into the bed with him, he bit his lip and stroked her arm gently. Until he started stroking, he didn't realize how comforting it was to actually feel something. Being stuck in the dream-like state was very strange and everything felt weird. Well, he was going to take advantage of feeling his girlfriend's arm. "I don't want you to beat yourself up about it. I was still in and out of sleep, but I'm sure Ali would've called you when I got better and you know. Awake awake." He was doing her best to ease her nerves and calm her down.

As she began to explain what happened to him, he rest his head on hers and took everything in. Obviously there was more to the story but he wasn't going to ask her that; he'd ask Tommy. He didn't want her to think about this anymore than she needed to, seeing how upset it was making her. In an attempt to make her feel better, he softly chuckled and returned her kiss. "You and your mouth." He was definitely going to have to inquire about he situation, mostly the after at a different time. For now, he was enjoying his girlfriend's company; enjoying having the girl who seems to have stolen his heart. "I'm that would be a great night out. I think I have another week in here and we can get back to normal." At the thought of her staying with him, he started stuttering; he thought of James coming to his mind and it was not pretty. "Er... I mean I am fine with it. Ali is going out with Tommy so I would love if you could stay... BUT, I want your parents to be okay with it too, Del. No more trouble."
Delilah ( ElectricDandellion )
​

 

[Misty Gray]

Arlene Sullivan​

Arlene might have been kidnapped and forced to stay in the apartment , but that didn't mean she was going to let her captors call all of the shots. Whether it was for his own reasons or not, Carter did as she told and sat back down. Regardless, the fact he hadn't argued about it made her willing to hear him out when he answered her questions. The man started by explaining where he grew up and that his father had worked down the mines whilst his mother in a warehouse. That didn't come as any surprise, considering the roots of the IWU and the working class, the fact men were still working down the pits now.

Arlene's eyes moved downwards as Carter moved his gun from his waistband to resting on his lap. Whilst she didn't want to shoot the man, especially not while he was telling her the things he was, ways of swiping the weapon from him this found themselves passing through her mind. Such thinking was nature by now and there was no off switch for her, merely the need to defend herself. This didn't seem like the time to put her thoughts to the test, though.

The blonde looked to Carter as he continued to speak. A small smile appeared on her lips as he said she was a good kid, minus the usual kinds of petty crimes his environment had introduced him to. She often forgot her adversaries were once kids. Hell, she tried to forget the mess of when she'd been a child herself. She interlocked her fingers and rested her hands on her knee as her legs remained crossed. She frowned as Carter spoke of the poor conditions of the mines and that his father's health had been severely affected by his job. She bit her bottom lip as Carter had focused his vision somewhere in the direction of the floor. She'd prompted him to open up about himself and whilst she'd expected his past hadn't been a great one, she was still surprised at the level of sincere emotion he was allowing to show on his face.

She cared more than she'd intended to that Carter hadn't managed to help his father in time. The rest; the reforms and the government hiking the taxes was only mentioning something she already despised herself. Arlene disliked authority in general and politicians were high on her list of figureheads she had no respect for. "Well..." she began, looking to Carter until he looked back to her. "For what it's worth, I am sorry you and your parents had to suffer. I'm sorry you lost your old man," she sincerely told him. There was no hint of sarcasm or coldness in her voice as she spoke. Whether outsiders chose to admit it or not, the Sullivans and Porters were firm believers in the importance of family. "We've all got history, it seems. Some of us worse than others. It's a damn shame our affiliations took such different paths and the rift emerged. We could have all worked together against our shared enemies."

Enzyme (Carter)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

"'Course I was nervous," he said, blushing slightly as he concentrated on not tripping over Skye's skates. "Suddenly I had parents, two sisters, a room to myself, a new name, a new school, and I didn't understand a damn thing anyone said. It was so radically different it felt like a dream, or a trick." Memories of his younger self were brought to his mind and there was a brief pause as he reflected on how much moving to Ireland had changed him as a person. Eyes glued to the space between their feet, he went on. "Mam and dad both struggled to discipline me because I was used to harsher punishments than they would ever think to use on me, but you know them - they're so nice, you kinda' don't want to hurt or disappoint them anyway. I didn't want to tear up their garden or break their stuff or hit them or anything," he laughed. "But it took years to adjust. Once I fractured my wrist and was so nervous about getting punished that I spent the whole day using my left hand 'til they noticed." With a slight smirk, Syd glanced back up to Skye. "No, they don't. They want me to be a man now. Hence the house arrest. Best punishment they've ever come up with..."

Syd kept his hands placed firmly on Skye's ribs to support her as she held onto his shoulders, tightening his grip whenever she did. When she questioned her idea to come ice skating, he smiled at her. "You've got adventure in you, that's why!" he replied, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "It's one of my favourite things about you, Skye. Except that you're making me skate backwards -"
As if on cue, an unseen force crashed into the back of Syd's legs, causing his knees to buckle and bringing both him and Skye to the ground. A little embarrassed, he pulled himself out from underneath her and quickly asked if she was alright. He knelt beside her and shook dustings of ice from his damp hair, blinking some from his eyelashes. In the fall, a few bits had been kicked up onto Skye's cheek and Syd gently brushed them off with his thumb.
"Sorry about the cold hands," he said, quickly. "I think a child knocked into me, but I can't hear any crying so they're probably fine. Did I hurt you when we fell? We were just getting the hang of it!"

Syd sat back on his heels to balance himself before standing up, then reached down to help Skye to her feet. With some caution, he shuffled in closer to give her a quick hug and kissed her lightly on the temple. "You're right, hugs do make it better," he smiled, cheeks pink from the cold, and perhaps also from being close to her. "Maybe you can tell me your first impression of the family when you started working for my aunt and uncle? Do you remember when we first met?"

Interactions
Misty Gray Skye

 

[Misty Gray]

Thomas Dempsey​

When Aliana thanked him for everything, Tommy shrugged his shoulders. "Ah, it's no trouble. I care about you a lot and I couldn't just leave you to face this alone. Plus, there's Leo. I owed it to him to stick around here and make sure he's okay." He wanted so much to tell her more about the other reason he'd been there for her the whole time, but he felt it would be inappropriate to do so in the middle of the hospital and while she was worried for the Callahans. He hoped they'd still get some time together later in the day so he could be more open with her.

"Damn, I'd best stay focused. It sounds like you're going to be testing my observation skills!" he remarked. Aliana then asked if they could go see the Callahans. When she questioned if Leo and Delilah would be safe, he hesitated a little to answer. "I think they should be safe. I mean, James lifted the curfew and let Syd go out on his own." He thought about the situation for a moment before shaking his head. "You know what? I'll find a payphone and call the house to get one of the other guys to come over here to keep an eyes on them both. I'm sure they'll be fine, but James might be pissed if he knows I left Delilah here on her own," he admitted. After being unable to stop Delilah and Leo from getting hurt before, Tommy didn't want to take the risk of leaving them vulnerable a second time.

*****​

Once one of the other men had arrived at the hospital to keep an eye on the two lovebirds, Tommy drove Aliana to the Callahans place. As they were let in through the gates, Brian informed them that nobody was in the Callahan house and that Sinead had left with Finn. Tommy instead parked in the Porters' driveway so Aliana could at least see the kids. "It's a good sign that Sinead's gone to see Peter. From what Conor had told me, it sounded like she was scared to enter the prison."

Braden and Savannah rushed to greet their visitors on the doorstep, leaving Emery behind as she was still chewing Lucy's ear off about how many Christmas songs she knew all of the words to. Braden's greeting involved a wave for Aliana and a barrage of questions for Tommy. "Tommy, can we play a game? Wrestling? There's too many girls in this house and it's boring," he complained, with most of the males been out that afternoon. "Have you got your gun on you?"

"Ah, sorry, Brady," Tommy apologised, opening his arms out wide. "I don't have a gun," he informed him. Whilst it was true he did often carry guns, he certainly wasn't armed today. "Besides which, we shouldn't be playing with dangerous weapons. I happen to know your mum doesn't like guns and fighting, so I'm not getting on her bad side. You'd best start using your imagination and think of a nice, friendly game... Not to mention I don't want to get my arse kicked by you in front of Ali."

Meanwhile, Savannah approached Aliana and gave her a tight hug. "Hi Ali. Where have you been? Do you know my dad has gone to prison? Mum isn't here... I saw her leave with Finn. She's very unhappy and she said Christmas is cancelled. I don't know how to help make things better..." She then let out an exasperated sigh. "Is your brother better yet?" she softly asked.

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Enzyme]

Carter Dresden​

Carter's eyes traced up to Arlene when she gave her condolences. Her words were genuine, causing him to briefly forget that he was in the presence of a Porter. "We did at one point, but your family made friends with what was once our shared enemy." He returned his gaze to the captivating cityscape. "Wealth and power corrupt all, even those that walked beside us." Carter had always had an issue with the Porters. No matter their moral compass, he could never feel comfortable around any family that made its wealth off the backs of others. Groups like that held allegiance to only themselves, and the betrayal from the Porters ostensibly proved Carter's point. His eyes shifted back to Arlene, who's featured had drastically softened from the beginning of their conversation. "The look in your eyes doesn't resemble sympathy, but empathy. Which means so much more."

Carter moved for the pocket of his coat, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. After placing a stick in his mouth, he signed the tip with a chrome zippo lighter, with "Ardu" engraved into its body. He then pulled a single stick out of the pack, placing it on the armrest of Arlene's chair. He slid the zippo lighter beside it, whether she accepted it or not made no difference to him.

"I may have led on more than I know about you when we first spoke. I know that you were born in New York, you're not blood-related to the Porters or Sullivans, and that you did contract killings for the mob." He took a deep inhale of the cigarette, allowing the stream of smoke to course up his nose in a 'french inhale' fashion. "That was all I needed to know." He ashed the cigarette beside him and rested it between his middle and ring finger. "Now you've intrigued me. You've heard my beginnings, how about yours?" Carter inquisitively asked.

Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Arlene Sullivan​

Arlene's eyes widened with curiosity as Carter pointed out her words were ones of empathy. She very subtly gave a single nod in response to his observation but didn't verbally confirm it. She then watched on as Carter lit up a ciagrette for himself. The action only reminded her of how much she wanted a smoke and by now would perhaps argue she needed it. The man went on to place a cigarette next to her, along with a chrome zippo lighter. Though she'd clearly acknowledged his offering, she decided against rushing to accept it so as not to appear desperate and under his control.

Carter explained he didn't know as much about her as he'd led her to believe. He knew she was a hit-woman back in New York and that she wasn't a Sullivan by blood. It suited her fine that he didn't already know any more about her than that, which meant she was in a position where she now knew more about Carter than he knew of her. However, that feeling came to an abrupt stop when he asked about her own beginning. She finally reached for the cigarette and placed it between her lips so she could light it up. She held her hand out so Carter could retrieve the lighter from between her fingertips. She took a long drag from the cigarette before using her free hand to remove the stick from her mouth so she could speak.

Arlene could argue she was about to speak up as she was at the mercy of the IWU and her captor had asked her a question so she didn't want to anger him by not answering. In reality, she had long ago perfected the art of hiding any vulnerabilities and keeping her childhood to herself. She had become so good at appearing strong and content that people very rarely questioned how she was feeling. They certainly didn't ask about her past. By returning to Dublin, she had hoped being in the company of family would help soften her from the life she'd been living for at least the last decade. Surrounded by Jack Sullivans employees; Liam's competitive side; and being required to present herself as a powerful woman, had never left time or need for her to open up about herself.

"Well, seeing as you told me yours..." she remarked, taking a quick drag of the cigarette and blowing out the smoke between her lips. "I was born into poverty. I lived in a grubby little apartment with my mum and dad. I slept on the couch every night as I didn't have a room of my own. The few toys I did have were pinched. I remember my dad didn't have a permanent job so he was always seeking out odd jobs - manual labour, repair work and some illegal jobs too. I didn't really understand what my mum did, but I have a good idea by now..." she trailed off, not wanting to go into such details. "Apparently, I was a cute kid and that meant people took pity on me. So I spent my days out on the streets, begging for food and money. Dad would come to take me home before it got too late, where I would then listen to my parents arguing over money and the fact that I was an accidental drain on their income. They solved that problem when I was eight years old. One evening, my dad didn't come to pick me up and I eventually found my own way home to realise my parents had both taken their shit and gone. Abandoned me on the streets."

Arlene took a short time to focus on smoking and holding back any emotions speaking of her past had threatened to drag up. She flicked the ash onto the floor before looking around for somewhere to stub the cigarette out against. "I spent weeks out on the streets alone, finding doorways to sleep in and avoiding being taken in by the cops. I refused to be forced into some orphanage or simply locked away... Then one day, I tried stealing from Jack Sullivan and his son, Liam. They caught me in the act, but instead of getting me into trouble they took me into their own home." A small smile crossed her lips. "They taught me everything I know... How to survive New York, to protect myself and make the most of the second chance I was given. It took me years to see it, but Jack genuinely cared for me and I wasn't just another weapon for his business as I first thought. That family took me in and accepted me as one of their own." It had only been a couple of years since Jack's death and she had to admit she missed him greatly. Liam was now in charge of business in New York and she struggled to work for her 'brother' with their father, the mediator, now gone. "I don't know where I'd be now if the Sullivans hadn't helped me when they did." Arlene looked to the floor, hoping to hide the vulnerable side that her face and eyes were betraying her by displaying

Enzyme (Carter)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

He cares a lot... She thought to herself. It was a strange feeling and she would definitely need to go and have some girl talk when she finished catching up with Sinead. She was confused by the whole situation and it would do her no good on their date later. She didn't respond to him, just smiled and nodded her head. 'I guess I could find a way to thank him even better later.' She thought to herself.

Her smile kind of faltered when he hesitated to answer her question about the kids being safe. Without her truly knowing the after effects of the shooting, she was relying heavily on Tommy to inform her. She was trusting him with the life of her brother, again. But, seeing him to decide to call someone else to take his place brought her relief. She let go of a breath she wasn't even aware that she was holding once she did so. She peeked into Leo's room, seeing the two of them cuddled up and smiled. "Sorry to interrupt, but Tommy and I are going to visit Sinead. Someone's coming to watch the door, so you'll be okay." Leo nodded his head before turning his attention back to Delilah. Ali turned back to Tommy and rolled her eyes. "Young love."

After leaving the hospital, the two of them made their way to the Callahan's. She was sort of disappointed when they arrived that Sinead wasn't home, however it would be a surprise for when she did return. At least she would be able to see the kids and get all of their questions out of the way. Walking up to the door, she was surprised seeing the two kids run out of the house so quickly. She gave a wave back to Braden and knelt to the ground to give Savannah a hug. "Ohh Sassy Sav. Staying mischievous I hope?" She joked with a smiled. Almost instantly she was hit with a million questions that caught her off guard.

"Okay, uh. I went to visit my mom and then I stayed in the hospital with Leo for a bit.. Yes, I know about your dad and that mom isn't here. I came to see you." Hearing her get sad about Christmas, she smiled and ruffled the girl's hair. "Don't worry, she's just a little stressed right now. We can work together to make it all better, okay?" She nodded her head with a deep sigh of content. "Yes, Leo is better. You are full of questions today aren't you?"

Tommy ( Misty Gray ) ​