Realistic or Modern Empire City: The Irish Mob - IC (Closed)

[Bellz]

Ani Sarraf
​

Ani’s heart was breaking and she didn’t know what she could do to stop it. Maddox’s was choking back tears and she immediately began to regret saying what she did. As much as she wanted to flee, a part of her was fighting to stay feeling like she was betraying Maddox if she didn’t. Slowly she began shaking her head, ”No...that’s not what I want..” She murmured, leaning forward as he reached for her face. Before he could reach it he pulled his hand away and turned from her completely. Ani’s whole body felt hard to carry as she watched him a pained expression on her face. Not being comforted by him made her feel numb inside, like someone had reached inside of her and tore her heart from her chest.

Her jaw set as she tried to stop herself from crying, taking deep breaths as she reached for his hands. He had apologized for his presence in her life but Ani wasn’t going to take it. ”I was damned either way, love. Ammon still would have been up to no good...he still would have died and I would have been next. Don’t you ever apologize, I am nothing without you.” Moving his hands to her lips, Ani kiss them lightly before pulling him towards her.

”Given how unpredictable Alistair is...I would say it’s safest for me to leave. Remember where we talked about going? Quebec?” Ani reached and grabbed her bag before pulling out a folded map she’d bought a few years back. Opening it, she held it in her lap before pointing to a few states right above New York. From the line she’d drawn on it, one state was dead center at the halfway point between the two city’s. Vermont.

”I won’t go all the way to Quebec but I can still be far enough to where I’m sure no one would find me. I hear Vermont is very lovely this time of year. I can hide out there but we will keep in constant contact.” Ani leaned in to kiss Maddox gently before pulling away and looking deeply into his eyes.

”I might be gone for a while, but I promise to wait for you to come to me. I’m not going to Quebec, not without you. That’s suppose to be our home. Being there you...it wouldn’t be home. You’re my home.” Ani wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his shoulder. ”I love you so much.” She whispered softly as her hands moved to his hair, pulling him even closer to her.
With: Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Adam Harper
~ Trent ~​

When Owen reacted by saying he didn't know "who the fuck" he was and that he would have to start playing straight with him, Adam stifled his laughter, though let the briefest flash of a smirk show on his lips. He looked over his shoulder to Trent, sending him a raised eyebrow but soon looked back to the two younger men with a serious expression back on his face. "Fuck me, I wasn't intending on killing either of you if you cooperated, but you're making it awfully damn easy for me to just shoot you now and stop wasting any more of our time"

Danny spoke up to say there wasn't any need to shoot anyone, to which Adam sent a single nod. "Of course not, because we're going to have a successful talk here." He leaned forward, folding his arms on the table.

"I guess we are on the same side, aren't we? Though the pair of you very nearly lost a lot of valuable drugs. You need to rethink how you're going to safely store that shit in the future. I have a tough job getting that kind of shit from the suppliers and into our boss' hands for you to go bloody losing it right here in New York." Adam shook his head at Danny. "I won't go easy on you just because you're all smoochy with Savannah Callahan... Punching above your weight with that one, kid," he remarked.

Adam decided to return to the matter at hand. "I didn't know Donahue personally, but my boss and his family were pretty close to the guy. As far as I need to know, he was a trusted man within the business. What we don't know is why he was hanging around you," he said, pointing to Owen "Ryan lived in the flat above The Emerald Pub and the Porters own the place. There had to be a good reason he would tell you to head there. I want to know what was in that letter he gave you. If you're both just small time couriers and dealers, then there had to be some reason Ryan was following you and wanting you to get to the pub. So you need to tell me what's in the letter. Fast!"


Pyroclast (Danny) Fletchawk (Ryan)

 

[Misty Gray]

Maddox Parker​

Maddox weakly smiled when Ani said she was nothing without him. He felt the same about her, that she'd given him something worth living for. A reason to appreciate his life and imagine a future. He let out a soft sigh as she kissed his hands. Her soft lips and the warmth of her skin made him long for what could be. He simply wanted to escape it all to have a normal life with Ani, but neither the Morettis nor the Porters would allow him to do so.

He nodded along when she mentioned it was best to leave so she could get away from Alistair. "Quebec, of course..." he said. There was a brief smile of his face, reflecting a sense of relief. It seemed like Ani wasn't outright leaving him for a life of her own, but she still wanted them to end up together in Canada. He looked on as she opened out the map an pointed to Vermont. "You can't tell me where you are going to be staying. It's better I don't know, then I can never tell them - not matter how much they try to drag it out of me, I can't tell them what I don't know," he firmly told her. "We have to stay in contact, but only you can contact me. Okay?" he urgently asked her. "I want you to be safe."

When she wrapped her arms around him, Maddox returned the embrace, holding her tight against him as he placed a long kiss on the top of her head. "I love you too, Ani. We will survive this and we will find our home in Quebec. Whatever I have to do for the Porters or to keep Gabriel on side, it will be worth it to survive so I can spend my life with you. I just don't know how I'll be able to let you go. I don't even want to stop holding you right now," he gently told her. "You're my world, Ani..."

Bellz

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

In ordinary circumstances, Syd would have felt only gratitude for his mother's effort and enthusiasm for her first grandchild, and pride for finally being able to give her one. However, holding the teddy bear that his baby was supposed to someday hold brought nothing but pain and deep anguish at the thought that it might never happen. Tears poured down his pallid face as he sank into Lucy's secure embrace, rapidly losing hope as his despairing thoughts took over. With an undying will to support him, she firmly told him that they would bring Roxie home, being a voice of confidence when he had none.

She moved to sit beside him then and he kept his streaming eyes fixed on the bear in his hand as though willing it to keep his baby alive. The story she began to tell him about her own beginnings in the mob sounded all too familiar - he recognised her stubbornness, her reckless attitude and naivety in himself. When he had first joined the mob at the age of 18, he had no idea of the trauma he would face. Protected from the darkest sides of the mob lifestyle as a child, he was naïve to its brutality, its sacrifice, its sticky web that kept its members trapped, traces of their deeds never forgotten by the ever-elusive enemies. It was a whirlwind of unpredictability that brought on an endless chain of death, fear and heartache. Her tale of shooting Vinnie Romano's wife wasn't one that Syd hadn't heard before, but in this context he saw it to be worse than ever, because there was nothing to suggest that he wouldn't go down the same path. He was livid, distraught, riddled with suicidal and homicidal thoughts; no punishment for Roxie's torturers would be enough. He wanted them dead, Maddox along with them, and he wanted to be the one to do it. It would put his entire future at risk, as well as his family's, but he didn't trust himself not to hold back. He had been pushed too far. He wanted to kill whoever was at fault.

It pained him to hear of his mother's regrets, unable to comprehend how she coped with that weight on her shoulders whilst managing to hold everyone else up. Then he remembered her dizzy spell minutes earlier and realised that perhaps she wasn't coping as well as she appeared to. He felt terrible for her, even more so when she told him that the constant pain never got better with time; that was something he knew all too well. There was a lot about what she was saying that made him realise how well they understood each other's pain; it was paralysing. The fear and distress cut through him so deeply that he couldn't move - it just kept him rooted to the floor, controlled entirely by the sobs that shook through his body. Hearing that his mother missed when he used to smile drew more tears from his eyes and he curled down into the floor, too overcome with emotion to support himself.

"It doesn't last forever," he wept, shaking his head. "Everyone just dies. Only love lasts forever, it lasts beyond family even after they're taken from us. I love her, mam..." His confession fell from his lips without even thinking about it, but in that moment he had no doubt about the way he felt towards Roxie. "I love her. I already lost Skye - I can't lose her, too, I can't do it again..." Squeezing his eyes shut to clear the excess of tears in his eyes, Syd sat up again and wrapped his arms around his mother, shaking against her as he held her tightly. He couldn't find the words to express how sorry he was that she had had such a hard life, or how much respect he had for her for managing to keep going despite it all, but he hugged her for several minutes until his cries died down, just wanting to remind her that he was still there with her.

Eventually he pulled away, eyes automatically dropping to the ground. "I should call her parents," he muttered. "They...they need to know what's going on. Maybe they'll want to help, too." Syd had never spoken to either of Roxie's parents before. Too much had got in the way; with his mental deterioration and subsequent hospitalisation, there hadn't been an appropriate time to take that step in the relationship. Giving Lucy's arm a squeeze, Syd closed her hand around the bear and carefully got to his feet, swaying slightly at the drop in blood pressure.

Syd froze at the sound of the woman's voice when she answered, and had to be prompted twice before finally speaking up. Leaving out the gory details, he told her that Roxie was missing and in danger. His hands were shaking as he gripped the receiver, forcing himself to listen to her reaction. It was only when she mentioned that Roxie's father was out on business that Syd remembered all the terrible things Roxie had told him about the man during her visits at the psychiatric hospital. Somehow it had entirely slipped his mind, but the fact that he wasn't in town and that she didn't know where he was came up as a red flag. Too shocked to say another word, Syd hung up the phone and stood there, heart pounding as he realised there was a new suspect. Not Maddox, not Moretti...but Roxie's own father. Could it be possible? Could it really be that he had actually gone through with his threats and made a move to cause his daughter serious harm?

The thought of it grew and developed in his weary mind and eventually Syd couldn't contain it anymore. He burst through the doors of his bedroom, locking his wild eyes onto Lucy and raking his hands through his hair in distress. "Her dad! Her own fucking father!" he yelled, emphasising his anger by slamming a fist back against the door of the armoire standing beside him. The mirror shattered upon impact and cascaded onto the floor; when he raised his hand to his head it was dotted with blood, but he didn't notice. "He's been threatening her for years! How could I not think of him?!" Syd felt a red hot anger prick at his skin, furious that anyone would ever want to hurt Roxie. He began to pace about his bedroom, his mind twisting with muddled memories of what she had told him so far. His memory was already suffering as a result of his treatment and in his current emotional state it was hard to put it all in order, causing him all the more frustration. "I can't wait here anymore, mam, we've got work to do, we've gotta find her and bring her home!" As though his entire conversation with his mother had never happened, Syd stooped to pick up a large shard from the broken mirror at his feet and set his eyes on her, waving it in the air. "I'm gonna slice his fucking throat wide open if I find out he's responsible for this."

Interactions
Bellz Lucy

 

[Bellz]

Ani Sarraf​

Ani held Maddox tighter as he told her that he didn't want to stop holding her. Turning her head and burying it into his shoulder Ani's eyes watered again, "As you are mine." She murmured, a cry escaping her as she pressed into him further. There was no guarantee that things would be speedy, that Maddox would be free after the Porters are through with him. Gabriel, being the asshole he was, along with his friends would demand more if they needed more. Somehow, they hadn't found out about what Maddox was doing for the enemy but Ani didn't if that luck would last. Pulling back a bit to look into her lovers eyes, Ani couldn't hide the heartbreak that was written all over her features. "I will call you." She promised. "I would say everyday but that's really risky."

The thought of not being able to see him, even talk to him somedays was daunting. She'd been out of the city many times but not without family. She didn't have her family anymore. Ani felt hollow knowing she was going to be completely alone and would have no reassurance of safety but distance. Pulling away from Maddox completely, Ani moved to lean back in her seat as she stared out the front windshield. Her jaw clenched to fight back more tears, she had to be brave now. "We are going to make it. We will survive." She stopped for a moment to take a deep breath and shake her head.

"But if I feel anything is wrong, if you don't answer my calls...I won't hesitate to come back here. I don't care if I suffer the consequences...I won't leave you behind. I won't." Ani turned to Maddox with a serious look in her eye. She would never be able to live with herself if she didn't come back for him when he needed her. "This just feels so wrong." She whimpered as she dropped her head in her hands, forcing herself to take another deep breath. "I can't leave tonight...I can't." She whispered.
with: Maddox Misty Gray

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy​

While his outward appearance seemed unfazed, the job on the shrink had subconsciously impacted him. He hadn't noticed it until his hardened persona had worn off, like a full moon falling for a wild beast. The interaction that he'd consumed soaked through the hitman mask he wore - like a substance ingested by a pregnant woman and the absorption by the child she was carrying. He wasn't quite sure what nerve was struck, but it left him disheartened. In the past, looking at the son of one of his targets wouldn't have fazed him remotely. Perhaps it was the existence of his daughter that caused the thought to resonate in his mind. No matter how hard he tried to inhibit the idea of taking a child's father, it continued to linger in the back of his mind like a heavy aroma. Since he couldn't seem to find a way around the new avenue of thought, he decided to take a stroll down it instead.

After leaving Maddox's apartment, Jackson wandered the streets of New York, taking his time returning to the house. He followed the attractions, looking to wonderous sights that seemed to draw people's attention. The fresh air soothed his burning mind. With the vulnerability that had been opened, however, he felt out of place. It went beyond the large handgun stuffed in his blazer, it was the racing of his mind that made his clothes feel transparent. With these newfound contemplations, he sat with it, allowing invisible eyes to fall on him.

After returning back to the Porter residence, Jackson greeted the guard staff that wandered the property, like he always had. He then moved back into the home, the once tense atmosphere replaced with that of uncertainty. His eyes fell on the same door Syd had gone through, and like the flicking of a light switch, his remorse fell apart. It was the same thought process he'd had when Maddox was telling him about his life after his father - shit happens. Decisions were made over a decade ago that were currently dictating the path of Syd's life, but that was the consequence of their actions, a necessary choice made.

Jackson wandered to James's office door, his knuckles trailing to the tall wooden door. Without hesitation, his knuckles bounced off the frame. He then drifted into the room, swinging open the door slowly. "James? You got a minute?" Jackson asked, moving to the whiskey display on the side of the room. He moved to make himself a drink, instinctually grabbing one for James as well. If this proved to be a bad time for his boss, perhaps he'd move back into the living room and finish both drinks himself.

Misty Gray (James)

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

The intimacy of the moment continued to develop as the space between them narrowed. Gwen's kiss, while not a surprise, was a little harder for Jason to keep up with than usual in his drunken emotional state, but he was grateful for the loving gesture. After his heartfelt confession, he needed the reassurance. He closed his eyes again when their foreheads touched, leaning into her rather heavily as the alcohol in his system threatened to overbalance him. "Me neither," he whispered back when she expressed her disbelief at his words. "But I do mean it, Gwen."

He lurched forward when she moved away to grab the glass of water, and by the time he had straightened up again she was holding it against the swelling on his face. The cold was soothing, and drew from him a light, grateful moan. Focusing on the pain for a moment, he listened to Gwen's proposition that they would both live with the purpose of loving each other, as well as the promise that he would stop drinking, and then let her words settle in the air for a moment while he considered how his profession of love may alter the course of their relationship. Taking her hands in his, Jason tilted his head to one side and looked at her with an almost suggestive look in his eyes.

"Maaaaybe I can't live to love you as long as I want to," he drunkenly sang, the melody accentuating the slur in his voice. "Life isn't long enough, baby...but I can love you as long as I live..." His lips formed a lopsided smile, the look in his eyes softening as he gazed into hers. While Jason had his reasons for guarding his emotions, it was a huge relief to finally give himself permission to put a label on his feelings for Gwen. Now, all he wanted was to celebrate his love for her - but there was something in the way.

Staying sober was a dangerous promise to make. It was far easier to make a promise like that than to keep it. "I can promise to try, baby," he softly murmured, the depth of his voice reflective of the heavy situation. Despite his lack of trust in himself, he sent her a warm smile, hoping that she, at least, would believe him. Before he could work out how to delicately ask the same of her, she hesitantly made the promise to him to never touch heroin again. Jason's smile faltered, but didn't lose its warmth. On the one hand, he appreciated her courage to make the promise; on the other, he wasn't quite sure he trusted her to keep it. Everyone he had met with an opioid addiction - and in his past, there had been quite a few - had at one point said those words, and had always relapsed at some point. Hell, Jason had relapsed a few times in his own alcohol dependency - but that was a different kind of addiction. Gwen may seem in control of it now, but he knew that the craving would always reside somewhere within her, no matter how deep she managed to push it down. Still, it was the best he was going to get from her for now. She had plans to go to rehab, and that was the best option he could think of for her. He blushed when she told him she would always love him, and let himself sink into a passionate kiss.

Eventually she was curled up against him, the two of them now leaning back against the cabinet, and Jason found himself nodding off. "Gwen," he piped up, sounding rough and sleepy. "Stay wit' me tonight." Although her company had cheered him up considerably, part of him was still slightly uneasy, as though he might believe he had dreamt the whole thing if she walked out of the door. "I won't be drinkin' anymore, now I've got you. No drinkin', no drugs - just me an' you. Let's just be together tonight. We can order pizza and put some records on. How's that sound to you?"

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter ​

Lucy held Syd for a long time as he cried for Roxie though it wasn't a painless task. She said nothing as he said that he couldn't lose Roxie too. A part of her wanted to drive the point home that in this type of life, no one was safe, it was never guaranteed if they all survived but she knew it wouldn't help her son to hear such things at the moment. When he did eventually pull away, Lucy looked over him hesitantly. "Are you sure its best to call them now? Maybe you should wait until you're a little more pieced together." Of course her concerns fell upon Syd's deaf ears as he walked out into the hall to use the phone. Lucy decided to hoist herself up from being seated on the ground. Not really sure what to do with herself while she waited, she nervously fixed the comforter on the bed making sure it was as straight as possible.

Syd came barreling through the door and it started her so much that she fell back to sit on the bed in his wake. Before much could be said by her, he punched armoire door and the mirror they had been looking into only moments ago was sent shattering to the ground in pieces. "Syd!" Lucy tried to cut in as he talked about how Roxie's father had been threatening her for years. Lucy was confused as to what kind of parent would willingly tangle their kid into this war but from what she was gathering from Syd, Roxie's parents didn't care. Shooting up to stand, Lucy raised her hands as Syd grabbed a shard of glass, threatening to kill Roxie's father.

She watched him with wide eyed horror before her head turned to look to the open door, wondering if James or anyone had heard the mirror smash. She never dealt with Syd on her own when he went off. James was normally there for reassurance in case he got too physical but her husband was busy downstairs taking care of business.

"Woah."Lucy said slowly before slowly reaching forward. Seeing the blood on Syd's hand, Lucy wondered if he could even feel the pain he was putting himself through in that moment of rage. "Give it to me." She commanded hoarsely, hands trembling as her fingers grazed the tip of the sharp shard. "Syd, you'll get him, we'll get him but please...you're scaring the hell out of me. Give. me. the. glass." She had to forcefully pull it from his hands, cutting her fingers and his in the process but once it was out of his hands, she threw it to the ground where it smashed into even smaller pieces. With bloodied hands, Lucy reached out to take Syd's hands. "You have to keep your head on straight, I know you feel trigger happy right now but if you go save her feeling like that you will lose her." Wincing slightly at the stinging sensation from her cut fingers, Lucy's lips trembled as she looked at Syd with pleading eyes, begging him silently to take a minute to breathe.
with: Syd Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

"Sure. I'll be home all night..." James spoke down the telephone receiver. He let out a long sigh. "Any information call me straight away." The call ended and James placed the receiver down heavier than intended, causing a loud clatter that seemed to convey his inner frustration. This was followed by the knocking at the door, caused by Jackson knocking on the frame from the outside. James massaged his forehead with his fingertips, the splitting headache only adding to his irriation. When he looked up to see Jackson enter the office, he sent the man an acknowledging nod. "Sure..." he said, in response to whether he had a minute.

James slumped back in his chair, leaving Jackson to help himself to the alcohol as he was always welcome to do so. "Take a seat," he said, holding his hand out to motion to the empty chair opposite him. He accepted the drink Jackson had poured him. "Cheers, mate." The boss brought the glass to his mouth and knocked all of the alcohol back much quicker than he probably should have. He took a moment to overcome the effects of the alchohol slighty burning down his throat but soon recovered from it. He was exhausted. Mentally and emotionally drained from the constant troubles those he cared for were being forced to struggle through. He was growing more and more concerned for SYd's mental state, as well as worrying for the effects it was all having on Lucy's well-being.

"Everything go okay? Any information on Roxie?" he asked, inviting Jackson to update him on his visit to Maddox's. "Did that fucked up Parker prick cooperate or is he dead in the river already?" he bitterly asked. Of course, he trusted Conor's judgement and from a professional perspective, keeping the counsellor alive was a wise decision. On a personal level and one intensified by seeing his son's breakdown, James wanted to slaughter the counsellor for what he had done to Syd.


Enzyme (Jackson)

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy​

Jackson's hand trailed to the back of the seat offered, pulling it out for himself. He hadn't had the time to talk to James, personally, since he'd arrived. It felt as if it were a long time in the making, as his boss's inviting atmosphere rushed back the emotional security the Porter family had offered him. He had never opened up emotionally to James, nor would he ever need to have that sort of relationship with him. It wasn't the openness that gave Jackson his soundness in the man's presence, but the rudimentary basis of their discussions. It was never complicated with James because, more often than not, they were skimming the same page. The two could calmly discuss the pressing issues, and they'd always be speaking the same language. Jackson and James hadn't gotten along at the beginning of their professional relationship, but years later, Jackson could confide in his boss like no other. Jackson clinked his glass to his boss's with a genuine smile, that was weakened by circumstance. "Sláinte," Jackson murmured, before knocking back the whiskey.

As James asked how the altercation with Maddox went, Jackson rubbed the back of his palm against his head, still gripping the glass tumbler with his fingers. "He didn't know shite," Jackson admitted. "By the look on his face when he first saw me, I could've been a tough guy from a dozen different families." Jackson smiled lightly, recalling the way the shrink's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates when he first laid eyes on him. "That rats trapped in a box, all I did was turn on the heat." Jackson took another sip from the glass, his eyes leveling on James's. He knew James had been getting hit with distressing news left, right, and center. Jackson was elated that he would be the first to deliver some reliable, good news for his graying boss. "In two weeks, we'll know everything we'll need to about what we're up against here. It's longer than I'd like, but what're ya' gonna' do?" Jackson shrugged.

Jackson's eyes leveled on James as a quiet atmosphere settled. It was far from the same type of foreboding silence that had covered the span of his interaction with Maddox. This level of silence was rejuvenating, as he allowed James to reflect on the developing lead for Roxie's disappearance quietly. "Things haven't been easy around here..." Jackson stated, slumping in his chair. "I've been 'ere not longer than a few months, and even I know that." Jackson slowly nodded, feeling James's stress bounce off the walls. "Nothin' like Ireland... Out here, it's all..." Jackson made a confuddled motion with his hand, poking his tongue out. "We'd love for you all to come home, you know," Jackson led, turning his head to James to see if he'd budge at the idea.

Misty Gray (James)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan

It was stressful, no doubt about it, being married into this family of gangsters. From having to deal with being targeted by enemies to the emotional toll, it was all very crazy. That crazy portion of it was taking it's own toll on her brother and sister-in-law, something she felt bad about. Even though she couldn't share that burden, she was happy to help them relieve some of it in any sort of way she could. Watching as they left the room, Ali took a deep breath to herself as she settled down into the couch. Her elbow was propped up on the top of the couch as she relaxed, eyes on her husband. He sat next to her and got close, reassuring her that his hands would never have touched their nephew. A part of her knew that, the one who had been seeing all of his anger processed a lot better. But that slight part of her that had seen how far his temper could get feared that he would have. Seeing that he didn't made her proud; he had been exceeding her expectations of changing his old ways and it was amazing to see. He then proceeded to ask her if he had done the right thing when it came to Maddox. When she had been filled in about the doctors true nature, she hadn't at all been quiet about how she felt about him. To her, he deserved to be gut like the pig he is and left bleeding in the streets. But, alas, not only was that not okay but her husband and others had other plans for him. Before she had a chance to answer, he went on to ask if she was disappointed in him, which was definitely the opposite of how she felt towards her husband.

"Hey you," she said, placing his chin between her thumb and index finger, turning his face to hers. "I am very proud of the decisions you have made since you've gotten out of prison." There was a dramatic pause as she made a disapproving face, nodding her head from side to side. "Well, minus the not gutting Maddox in the street but I understand that.... I guess." She joked before getting serious again. "Syd wasn't in the best of places to know the truth, so I believe you did him a favor. And despite how I feel about the little fucker he has proven to be very useful. To reiterate, I am very proud of you because you are doing things way more... Adult than you normally do and I love you for it." With a slight smile she gave him a quick kiss on the lips before stroking his hair. "You're doing the best you know how and that's all anyone could really ask for, babe."
​

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Bryant ​

Gwen smiled as Jason sung to her, his voice sounding smooth and warm despite the way her was probably feeling in that moment. "Maybe I can't give you diamonds and things like I want to, But I can promise you, baby, I'm gonna want to as long as I live." She sang in return before making a face at saying that he would try to stay sober. Though she was a huge hypocrite, simply trying was not going to be enough for her. She had seen the look in his eyes when she promised him that she would get off heroin, that hesitation. It didn't surprise her, it was something she had been telling herself for years. Maybe she was starting to sound like a broken record...

He said her name and Gwen turned her head up to look at him. Jason looked exhausted and sounded like he was going to pass out. "Hmm?" She asked gently before he asked if she would stay with him that night. Gwen said nothing for a moment as she thought about what that would mean. Lorelei had been anxiously awaiting for her to be in higher spirits and she knew that her daughter would miss her if she spent the night. She knew she would be in good care though which reassured her, but the more pressing matter was how she was going to be able to sneak in a quick fix if she needed one. A small headache was already starting to form as the high was slowly starting to diminish and it sent a wave an anxiety through her body.

"I think you'd fall asleep before the pizza would get here, but I can order one for us." She murmured before moving to sit up completely. "Let's get you into bed, yea? It's not very comfortable on the floor." Gwen got to her feet with some effort before kicking off her heels and moving to help Jason to his feet. Once he was on the bed, Gwen looked over him before turning to look at the bottles scattered throughout the room. It was her job to make sure he didn't spiral like this again, she would have to be extra careful about her use to make sure he didn't suspect anything...it was what was best.

Turning towards the record player, Gwen popped in the song they had been singing before and then moved to crawl into bed with Jason. Turning on her side to face him, Gwen reached out and moved some hair from his face before smiling softly. "If you fall asleep I won't judge you, but I promise to be here when you awake. I love you." She murmured before leaning in to kiss his forehead.
with: Jason Pyroclast

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Standing there with a large shard of glass in his hand, Syd had in him an uncontainable energy that was urging him to leave right then and there. Yet, as his mother approached him and cautiously reached forward, he found himself paralysed. As much as he wanted to kill, part of him was waiting for her to stop him, simply because somebody always did. He could easily have run from her, had he not in that moment been dominated by a rush of anxiety. Lucy touched the shard that he held, her hand bravely curling around it, and still Syd didn’t pull away; his grip just tightened, inviting its jagged edge to pierce his palm. Then, in one swift, painful motion, she tore it from his grasp and threw it to the floor so that it smashed into several smaller pieces.

Their hands met, both of them now bleeding. Looking into her desperate eyes, Syd saw how upset he was making her and didn’t know what to do with himself. He wanted to hold onto his anger so that he could use it to save Roxie, but it was threatening to turn into just another breakdown. Syd couldn’t bear the lack of control he had over his extreme mood swings. He had spent the last month trying to recover from the biggest breakdown he had had in 9 years, but Roxie’s kidnapping had shaken him so deeply that it didn’t seem to have made the slightest bit of difference. His medication was supposed to subdue the anxiety, paranoia and mania, yet, in the face of deeply distressing situations, it was apparently not enough to keep them from surfacing. In a matter of minutes since watching the film, he had drawn blood from his uncle, himself and now his mother. He hadn’t even asked himself if he was completely certain that Maddox or Stefano were to blame, but his homicidal urges were clouding any capacity he had for rational judgement.

Tears formed in his eyes as he gazed at his mother, infected by her display of fear, and when he let the tension fall from his body he began to shake uncontrollably. The veil of tears that had collected in his eyes all fell at once when he looked down to their hands and he tightened his grip, shifting from foot to foot as he fought against the rising anguish. The last thing Syd wanted was to break down again - it wasn’t useful, and it would only wear his mother down further. For a few minutes, he stood there in deep discomfort, focusing on his breathing in an attempt to withstand the pain in his chest and all the distressing images playing on a loop in his mind. He felt like he was losing himself all over again. Pulling his hands away, he took a deep breath and reached up to rake them through his hair, leaving behind streaks of blood. “Okay,” he whispered, pausing to chew on his lip. The pain he felt over Roxie wasn’t worth spreading to his family, and he had to take a moment to remind himself of that. “Okay…”

Struggling to formulate any words, Syd took his mother by the hand and led her into the adjoining bathroom where he proceeded to turn on the tap. Ignoring his own laceration for now, he held her hand under the gushing water; his movements were clumsy and languid, but he did his best to gently wash off the blood that seeped from her wound. When he couldn’t find the words to apologise, he tried to find ways to take responsibility for the destruction he left in his wake. His eyes were focused fiercely on her hand and he ended up holding it under the tap for much longer than necessary simply for his anxiety over having to address the situation once he stopped.

After a while, he turned off the tap and gazed down into the sink. He felt his mind shutting down, the black fog once again creeping in to block out the traumatising mental imagery that had made him feel so sick. Forgetting for a moment that Lucy was there with him, Syd turned on his heel and headed back into the bedroom. He stood there, drained of energy and thought, and simply gazed into space with absolutely nothing going through his head. There was a crack in the door of the armoire, pieces of mirror still hanging from the edges - perhaps on their way to join the mess on the floor. Avoiding the reach of the scattered glass, Syd sat down and leaned against his bed, trying to remember what was going on. It was only when his swollen eyes found Lucy again that it began to come back to him. “Mam?” he weakly muttered, bothering the fresh holes in his palm. It took a few more seconds for him to muster the energy to continue. “What would you do...if you were me, right now?”

Interactions
Bellz Lucy

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter​

Syd's hold on her hands tightened and Lucy winced subtly before taking another step closer to him. It seemed the wave of anger had disappeared and was replaced with unbearable sadness. She didn't say anything as she silently assessed him, he was focusing on his breathing from what she could tell, which was a good thing. He tore his hands away from her and reached to touch his hair, "Syd...wai-" Before she could finish, he had run his hands through them, causing his hair to glisten with blood. He said okay once and then again before taking her hand and leading her to the bathroom.

Silently, Lucy let her son fiddle with her injured hand as she watched his features. It was hard to tell what he was thinking and she wanted desperately to know. They stood like that for a while, with her hand under the faucet before he turned it off and stared blankly into the sink. Lucy reached her hand up to touch his shoulder but he turned away quickly and headed back into the room. Staring a moment at the spot he had just been in, Lucy felt like this whole thing was out of her element now. Walking slowly, she found him sitting down on the floor again and when he looked to her, she could see the anguish in his eyes.

"Yea?" She asked when he called her weakly, his question surprised her but she suddenly felt like she could handle the situation now. This was what she always want to avoid for her children, for them to never experience a loss of a loved one due to war. There was no going back at this point and for a moment everything had spiraled out of control. But he asked her what she would do and for the first time, she knew exactly what to say. "Well...I know you may not think about it much..." She started before moving to come sit beside him again. Leaning back against the bed, she reached down to take his hand in hers, "I always made sure to keep my head up with you and your siblings around, especially when your father was away on business but I've been in your shoes." Looking towards the shattered mirror, Lucy sighed, it was always too heavy to talk about her own experiences as she didn't express her emotions with the family as much as others did. "Your father has been taken away from me many times. I always had to put on a face, even when I didn't want to. When he was on jobs or when he was taken deliberately, there were days when I didn't even want to get out of bed. When he was taken, someone was always there to replace him, Jackson was there. It was different with you kids, different with the family, they needed reassurance and someone they could turn to with their worries. I know it was a scary time for you and the rest but do you remember me doubting that he would ever return to us?" She paused a moment, looking away as a wave of emotions hit her. Clearing her throat, Lucy blinked a few times to fight back tears before turning back to her son.

"Sometimes...for the sake of those you love, you have to pretend everything going to be okay, you have to make yourself believe that everything will turn out right because if you don't...you'll go insane. It's not healthy to wear it all the time but a mask is sometimes necessary. Sometimes you just have to put in on and act like its okay because your family needs you just as much you need who you've lost." Lucy stared down at their hands for a moment as she took in a shaky breath, after a second, she offered Syd small smile. "I know it would be easier to just sit up here and drown yourself in your thoughts but...I could really use some help with dinner. I try to get Thomas to do it but all he does is eat things. What do ya say? I think we could use some quality time together."
with: Sad boi Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter ​

James frowned when Jackson told him Maddox didn't know anything about Roxie's kidnapping. Beneath the clear stress on his face, he couldn't help but smirk when hearing mention of the fact the counsellor could have numerous families on his back. "He did it to himself," he muttered. James knew all about revenge and how some people felt it was the only way to honour their lost loved ones. What he didn't understand or relate to was the way Maddox had spent years on such a path, manipulating and lying to people who had grown to trust him. Even VInnie Romano hadn't gone to such a level for vengeance; the Italian had had Emmet Sullivan murdered within months of Lucy killing his wife. Somehow, although James had always despised the man, even Vinnie hadn't been quite so calculated as Maddox had been.

"Two weeks?" James echoed Jackson's words. "We have to keep searching and having men looking for intel, in the meantime. I saw the video and, as much as I refuse to say it directly to Syd, I'm concerned Roxie might not have that much time..." he admitted.

When Jackson mentioned how things hadn't been easy, James had already let his guard down enough to mirror the man and slump back in his own chair. He ran his hand down his face whilst letting out an exhausted sigh. With Syd's suicide attempt, Lucy's clear exhaustion, Warren's close call, Gwen's addiction, along with other recent losses, it was difficult not to feel tired and defeated by the relentless onslaught of trouble. "It's all been going to hell too fast"

With the mention of Ireland, James managed a brief, fond smile. "I wish I could go home," he admitted. "Before all of this, I was starting to consider retiring from it all. Luce deserves a normal life after always being stuck in some war. And I barely get time to see Thomas. I don't even know how his tutoring is going or what his favourite TV show is these days. I'm constantly spending time trying to protect this family but I don't get time to be with them."

James sat up straight and shook his head. "Now Moretti's fucking with us, retirement is not an option. I have to stay here and fight this through to the end... Y'know, he offered to buy all of my businesses from me if I stepped down. I refused and he's kept good to his word. Everyone around me is suffering and Moretti is only getting stronger."

James hadn't forgotten the observations he'd made on his brother-in-law. "You've been on jobs with Conor since you got here and I know he's making the effort... How has he been, Jackson? If something happens to me, I need to know there's people here who can protect this family and who stand some chance of beating those Moretti fuckers."

Enzyme (Jackson)

 

[Fletchawk]

Owen Yu​

Stubbing the cigarette out after getting down to the filter, he listened to Pyroclast speak up to try and calm the situation down. Part of him wished that his friend didn't as he wasn't sure how Misty Gray would react, but he was also grateful for another moment to try and collect himself. Closing his eyes yet again to relieve the feeling of the walls closing in on him, he knew that it wasn't real, but that didn't stop the panic that gripped him without fail.

With a lull in the music downstairs, he focused on every other little noise. The light creaking from Danny shifting in his seat next to him, the whirring from the overhead fan, his heart threatening to launch from his chest, and every single word that was exchanged. When it was apparent that the man was talking to him again, Owen opened his eyes in time to see the man pointing at him.

"Do I?" Owen snapped back, his mouth twitching to hide a scowl amidst already trying to keep his anxiety from surfacing, "You say we're on the same side, and yet you remain nameless."

Owen looked over at Danny again for moment before continuing, knowing that his friend wasn't going to like what he was about to say.

"If you want me to cooperate, send Danny home. It was my fault that your product was in danger anyways, so there's no reason for him to be here. Otherwise, I have no reason to trust you to keep your word, and you might as well take me out back."

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy​

Jackson offered a soft smile as James admitted he longed to return to Ireland. He sipped his drink quietly as James went on to explain that he'd planned on retiring and giving Lucy and Thomas the life they deserved. Being a family-man himself the past decade, he understood where James was coming from now. The cheap thrills of the mob life came without baggage when the heart was untethered. With a family to keep warm, the world was seen from a whole different perspective. Men like James and Jackson were compelled into a life of vice. While it came with the exciting experiences that organized crime offered, the ability to drag yourself out of the abyss was what only a select few individuals would be capable of doing. For the rest, it was nothing more than a distant dream.

Jackson's eyes trailed to James's office window, which had the city on display - a magnificent sight to beheld. "If this is what you want," Jackson shrugged lightly, bringing the tumbler to his lips. "Your fate's certainly not written in stone. Nothing says you need New York. Sure, it's nice to have, but we'd survive without it," Jackson added, his eyeline still held on the bright city lights as if he were a moth wandering the dark abyss. His eyes trailed back to James, a reassuring smile for his old friend. "In this life we lead, all a man has is his balls and his word. Look where that got us." Jackson raised his glass, showing off the extravagant whiskey in his tumbler. "Not bad for two filthy Irish kids from the slums, I reckon," he chuckled. In his mind, they'd all come so far, those who he considered his family. They could accomplish anything, but with New York, it certainly came with a price.

At the question of Conor, Jackson let out an exasperated sigh. He had a lot of love for the Sullivan and had been through thick and thin with him. Conor had gone through a very visible arc, and Jackson was lucky enough to be there through almost all of it, in some shape or form. Recently, he'd seen Conor slipping back into the dark space that had once consumed him, but the man was far stronger than he was when he first entered the darkness. He knew Conor was more than capable of pulling himself back into the light, now more than ever. "He'll be alright," Jackson said confidently, nodding his head. "He and I have been through a lot, and that scamps come a long fuckin' way," Jackson puffed, shaking his head at the thought of the long road they'd covered. "If anything ever did happen to the top dog, I know he'd be more than ready to make us all proud." He looked back up to James, studying the man momentarily. "That's 'cause of you, mate. You gave him somethin' to believe in, somethin' to fight for. You did that for all of us." A genuine smile flashed across his face. "Whatever you decide to do in the end, mate, you know I'll be with you till the end of the road," Jackson spoke truthfully, sipping the whiskey.

Misty Gray (James)

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

Jason didn’t even notice that Gwen didn’t explicitly answer him; as soon as she suggested going to bed he could think of nothing else. She helped him to his feet and the room swirled about him, sending a shooting pain through his head that made him wince and lean heavily onto Gwen. After a second he started to chuckle to himself. “I hit my head pretty hard, Gwen, you goin’ t’make sure I wake up tomorrow?”

He let her guide him into bed and he dropped forward heavily onto the mattress, too relieved to finally be lying down to acknowledge the mess of empty whiskey bottles scattered around the room, let alone change into something more comfortable. If he had been in a better state, he might have felt embarrassed, but all he felt in that moment was exhausted and impatient for her to join him. “Gwen,” he prompted her, muffled by the duvet on which he was sprawled. A song began to play, the very same one that they had just been singing to each other, causing him to laugh sleepily. He rolled onto his side just enough to face her, lifting an arm to drape over her. “Mm, I love you, too,” he replied. Seconds later, carried by the warmth of Gwen’s presence and the gentle melody of the song, Jason fell into a long and deep sleep.

The following day
The embarrassment came the following morning. After showering and dressing in something more comfortable, Jason pushed through his hangover, determined to get rid of the evidence of how he had lived for the past month. It was the first time he had properly addressed the mess, and it made sobering up even worse than it would already have been. The result was rewarding, however, and seeing his apartment in a tidier state solidified his determination to return to how he had been before everything had gone downhill. “Would ye look at that,” he remarked, leaning against the kitchen counter as he scanned the apartment. Despite his words, the roughness of his voice made him sound far from impressed, and he soon slunk back down on the sofa to massage his aching head. He exhaled a long, muted groan, lamenting the day ahead of him. “Christ...I feel like I'm after wakin' up from an autopsy,” he grumbled, only half joking. “I don’t know how ye managed to clean up in a month, Gwen. Your will must be the strongest ever. God, I just want a drink to chase away this feckin’ headache…”

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan ​

Sinead reassured him that she would never go behind his back but Peter had never had a problem trusting her. After what Ryan had said to him, Peter had worried if he would make a move in his absence. He knew there were times when Sinead felt unwanted and unloved by him and Ryan could have very easily taken the opportunity to catch her in the moment. Before he could get too into his head, Peter let out a heavy sigh before nodding his head solemnly as Sinead admitted that she was scared of what could happen next. Peter was uncertain about the future and a part of him was starting to regret saying that he wanted to try for a baby at this moment. "I've got to do a better job of keeping you safe." He murmured softly, feeling disappointed in himself for being unable to do so when she was taken.

Both Sinead and Savvy had been taken and Peter hadn't been able to protect them...was bringing a baby into this mess the right thing to do? Peter's brows furrowed as he looked down at his wife. "I know we both agree on having a baby but...I couldn't protect you or Savvy from danger...what if you get into trouble again with the baby? What if I can't protect you both from this? I'm doing a pretty piss poor job." The music on the record stopped playing and Peter turned his head to look at it as silence filled the room.

"I'm not saying we shouldn't have a baby, Sin. But do you think we should wait until this is all over? I don't want you to stress yourself out and you are still recovering from the breakdown you had a few weeks ago." Peter was beyond worried and he knew his anxiety was ruining the lovely moment he'd worked so hard to set up but he hadn't really thought about the war. As much as it was affecting the family, Peter had only been focused on Sinead and her needs for the past few weeks.

Peter froze, no longer dancing as he pulled away from his wife slightly to study her features more clearly. "Will you be able to handle all of this while being pregnant? I just don't want to overwhelm you. I can be patient if you can be, but if you don't feel like you will be overwhelmed than I am more than ready."
with: Sinead Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

-Liberty Island-​

"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. ​

Stefano stepped further into the basement, his eyes adjusting to single light that illuminated in the room above his daughters lifeless looking form. From what he could tell, she was still breathing. Her head hung and her eyes were closed but she was still alive. Which was exactly what he needed her to be. The guard he had sent to grab the bucket of water returned just as Stefano pulled a cigar out from his case and lit it. "Excellent timing." He muttered as he held the cigar between his lips. Taking the bucket from the guard, he sighed and looked over at his daughter a moment. Then with both hands on the bucket, he walked over and dumped the freezing cold ocean water over her head and her whole body jumped at the sensation of it. She cried out and begun to shiver as her head snapped up to see who had dumped water on her.

Stefano stood over her and smirked, "Hello my darling daughter." He cooed and Roxie looked up at him in disbelief. "What...what are you doing here, papa?" She said, the pain inflicted on her had turned her brain into mush. Stefano knelt down in front of Roxie and moved to brush some wet hair from her face. "Are you telling me that my smart ass daughter, has no idea why I'm here? Come on, Roxanne. Think." Roxie ground her teeth and flinched as her father's hand grazed her face. For a moment, Roxie wondered if he was there to save her but that thought and hope was quickly squashed just listening to the way he formed his sentence, the taunting tone in them.

Stefano sent her a familiar smile before standing tall once more, taking a long drag from the cigar. Roxie didn't say anything as she watched him walk a few feet away from her. Roxie adjusted in her seat but cringed and cried out as the cut on her stomach opened with the movement. "I knew it." Roxie hissed and Stefano turned to face his daughter with a brow raised, "Knew what?" Roxie let out a hoarse laugh as she shook her head. "You're not stupid, papa. You were on to me the minute I found out about the donations received!" To her surprise, Stefano actually laughed out loud, something he's never done in her presence.

"Oh my daughter, it seems that education is doing you no good. You think I've taken you here because you found out about our family's little decoy? Please." He scoffed, taking another drag of his cigar, he blew the smoke out slowly before turning to the nearest guard. He whispered something in his ear and the man nodded before Stefano was handed a gun.

Roxie stiffened as she watched him observe the pistol. "So are you going to kill me now?" She asked hoarsely to which once again, her father laughed. "Street smarts was not one of your strong suits, my dear. I'm not going to kill you. Where is the fun in that?" Trembling in her seat, Roxie's eyes began to water and Stefano made a disgusted face. "Waterworks? From you? I thought you were thicker skinned than this Roxanne ." She said nothing as he walked towards her once more.

"You see, as much as it pains me to say it. You are needed in order for my plan to be put into fruition. I would prefer you dead but I believe it's better to keep you alive, at least until your boyfriend arrives." Roxie was confused by this and it showed. "That's if he arrives." The brunette shook her head, "He'll come." She said firmly to which Stefano smiled widely.

"Will he? How's that dead wife of his? Still stuck in a threesome with a dead person hmm?" Roxie bowed her head as he continued to taunt her. "Still has that wedding ring on, hmmm? Face it, my dear. You are nothing more than women he accidentally impregnated." Roxie said nothing.

"But...as you said. He will come for you. But he's really not coming for you, he's coming for the his child you are carrying. So don't be mistaken." He was taunting her most insecure thoughts, she had been thinking about that since she arrived and somehow, he knew about it. "My poor sweet girl, getting tangled up with a Porter man was the biggest mistake you have made. They are dangerous killers, its only a matter of time before they get rid of you like they have so many people." A scoff escaped Roxie as she shook her head, "You are no different." She hissed and Stefano placed the hand holding his cigar close to his chest, feigning hurt. Roxie growled and struggled against her restraints, "At least he seems to love and care for me! That family has showed me more kindness in the few short months I've known them than you have in my entire life!!" She shouted at him and Stefano rolled his eyes.

"Oh Roxanne, don't tell me you've gone and fallen in love with the man. You and I both know that's not something you are capable of." Stefano then raised the gun and pointed it her way casually. Roxie said nothing as she gasped and stared at the barrel with wide eyes, "Please." She begged as her body trembled harshly with fear. "Don't do this, papa." She whimpered but Stefano just sighed.

"You're weak, Roxie. Our family has been in charge of this city for almost 200 years and somehow, you managed to be the weakest link. Give me one reason why I shouldn't take out the weakest link and end this war with the Porters all together." Sobs escaped Roxie as she stared at the gun, "Because we are family." She reasoned but Stefano was in a laughing mood. He laughed loudly and Roxie flinched as the gun waved around in his grasp. "We aren't family, Roxanne. I've never considered you that. You were merely a mistake who turned out to be an opportunity. I will use you until I'm finished with you. Then I will take out the man you love in front of you before finishing you off as well."

Roxie then suddenly spit his way and Stefano pulled the trigger, a bullet lodging itself into Roxie's thigh. Screaming out, Roxie's body tried to scrunch up to wiggle away but Stefano took large strides over to her and caught her chin roughly in his grasp. "Next time, it'll be in your head." He hissed as he squeezed her face painfully hard before pushing her so forcefully that the chair tipped backwards and collapsed to the ground with Roxie still securely tied to it.

"Get her cleaned up!" He barked at the guards before handing one of them the gun back as he made his way out of the basement, slamming the metal door behind him.

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

It felt like another end. Swinging between fierce determination and hopelessness, Syd had run himself down and his mind was at risk of accepting that he would never see Roxie alive again. The thought of it made him question whether it was worth fighting the suicidal ideation writhing its way to the front of his mind. He had already decided that if this chance at happiness was taken away, he wouldn’t have the energy to live beyond it. It had taken a lot for Syd to give his heart to someone again 9 years after losing Skye, and there were only so many times he was willing to put himself in such a vulnerable position before the loss of life and love would overpower him for good.

His limp, bloodstained hand lay cradled in Lucy’s as she sat beside him, and he listened as she began to recount her own experiences of James going missing and how she had had to hold it together for Syd and his sisters. He cast his mind back to times when his father would be away, remembering some as being worse than others, but was looking at it from a new perspective now. He had always wanted to look after his mother and help her out in any way that he could, but it was likely that he had never truly seen what lay beneath the mask that she wore for his sake. She was strong - seemingly much stronger than him. Throughout his youth, Syd had been good at hiding his emotions, always saving them for behind closed doors or otherwise suppressing them altogether. After his first suicide attempt, however, his struggles became more widely known among and even beyond the family. Once his mask had been torn from him, he found that it no longer fit. Now, even when he wanted to, he couldn’t keep his emotions hidden from anyone.

Lucy asked him if he remembered her ever doubting James’ safe return. Her question added a layer of guilt to his misery as he compared his reaction to hers. Here he was, giving up hope so soon after learning of the danger that Roxie and his unborn child were in, when his mother was strong enough to never once doubt her husband - or, at least, strong enough to keep up morale for everyone else. She went on to iterate the importance of having the courage to believe and pretend that everything would be fine.

Your family needs you just as much as you need who you’ve lost. The words echoed through Syd’s head and he furrowed his brows as he hung onto them, diving into the meaning behind them. He hadn’t felt needed for a long time. Ever since his parents had told him to step away from his duties in the mob to recover from his trauma, followed by his mental deterioration and eventual sectioning, Syd knew he hadn't managed to contribute in any way for several months. Hearing his mother now suggest that his family needed him, he wasn’t really sure what for. Perhaps simply, to not make things worse with his explosive outbursts of aggression and loud, unignorable breakdowns.

Syd’s vision blurred as he was drawn back to his age-old belief that he was making everyone’s lives worse and he had to clench his jaw tight to keep his lip from trembling. Before he could say anything, however, Lucy steered the conversation towards dinner, causing Syd to raise his head and look her in the eye. He appeared almost stunned, as though there was no space in his troubled mind to devote even an ounce of thought to anything that didn’t directly relate to Roxie’s situation. Dinner seemed all too trivial - and yet, part of him thought that the distraction might serve as a relief, as well as the quality time with his mother. In any case, he lacked the mental capacity to debate it. “Okay…”

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, the front door opened, startling Syd - but it was just one of the guards returning from a walk with all of the dogs. Forgetting all about his kitchen duties, Syd stared at Tanner, Jet and Arrow in disbelief, having not seen them for a whole month - the longest time he had ever spent without them. They barged into his legs, scrabbling for attention, and eventually Syd dropped to his knees and succumbed to their overly excitable affection, clutching onto their fur and drawing them close so that he could kiss them. Arrow, a big black German Shepherd, had entered his life after his third suicide attempt back in Dublin to provide him companionship and a new reason to live. She had been there for him for almost 10 years, sitting with him through all his nightmares, night terrors and breakdowns, and when he looked into her big brown eyes he felt, in a way, like he had let her down. She and his other two dogs whom he had adopted and cared for for several years suddenly inspired in him a fresh intent to survive the current situation, no matter what happened. When he eventually stood, Syd wiped the tears from his face and walked with them through the hallway into the kitchen, where Lucy was setting up the dinner preparations. Keeping his hands free to pet the dogs, he watched her and waited for her first instruction.

Interactions
Bellz Lucy, Thomas

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor looked Aliana in the eyes when she turned his head to face her. It was difficult not to become entranced by his wife, especially as he appreciated every day he had with her. Being separated from her during his prison sentence had been one of the hardest things he'd had to deal with. He didn't take their time together for granted, knowing his freedom remained fragile for time-being. Even if he did make it to the end of his parole without being thrown back in jail, other forces were likely to drag him from Aliana. Moretti wanted as many of the family dead as possible and there were bound to be further casualties along the way. But a possibility that Conor was certain of was that his desire and his duty to support his family would likely take him away from her and Leo for days at a time. The same way he'd seen James forced apart from his family for periods of time over the last two decades.

Conor couldn't help but smile as Aliana reassured him that she was proud of him and had faith in the way he was dealing with things. His wife was honest, often brutally so, which meant her approval gave him reassurance that the rest of his family would support him too. Syd, he would have to work on. But in terms of the business and supporting James on a more full-time basis, he has more confidence in himself to succeed. Perhaps they could take Moretti down together and then James could take at least a vacation for once in his life.

"I'll give Parker the chance to help us with Syd, but if he doesn't, then maybe I will gut the little fucker, after all. If I don't, I know there's a queue of people behind me who will use him to paint the streets red with."

Conor shook off the more gruesome thoughts for the time-being. "Warren seems to be getting along with Leo and the other brats. He's too chilled for his own good, that guy... We should sneak off and leave him to babysit," he joked. He then placed his hand on the back of his wife's head and moved in to place a passionate kiss on her lips. He pulled away and studied her face for a time before giving a small smile. "We're starting a new chapter, love. I'm going to be the bloke I should have been a long time ago. Decent husband and father. Not to mention, a son my Dad would have been proud of and one my Mam doesn't want to throttle."


Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Bryant ​

Gwen smiled softly as Jason chuckled before asking if she was going to make sure he woke up tomorrow. Making sure to keep any panic of her face, Gwen nodded her head. Once the record was playing and she was laying in bed beside him, Jason had fallen asleep almost instantly. Gwen lied there for a while, simply watching him to make sure he was continuing to breathe. Very much aware of how hard he hit his head, she wanted to make sure he was okay. After she was sure he was in a deep sleep, Gwen had snuck outside for a quick fix before heading back inside to join him in bed.

***​

In the morning, Gwen had gotten up rather early but luckily so had Jason. She stayed quiet for a while as he tidied up the house, helping him when he needed it. Putting a pot of coffee on, Gwen had poured two cups before coming to sit down on the sofa beside him. He said he didn't know how she managed to stay clean for a month, saying that her will must be the strongest ever and a pit formed in her stomach. "Yea..." She said simply before taking a sip of coffee. "It's...it's not easy. But in the right mindset, anything is possible. Just remember that your drinks will make you feel like this again and how you never want to feel the discomfort again." There was silence between them as Gwen's guilt stirred itself around in her mind. There was so many things she wanted to tell him, so many secrets that needed to be said but she was playing a part now...and she had to stick to it so he could get better.

One secret kept creeping into her mind and it was bugging her so intensely that she quickly turned to face Jason, a pained look on her face. "You know I love you right?" She asked, even though they had both clarified that he did. Letting out a sigh, Gwen moved a hand through her long hair before bringing the mug up to her mouth to take a sip. Brows furrowing, she couldn't get the thoughts of what happened 10 years ago out of her head. "Remember when I told you about what my ex husband did? What he tried to do to Lorelei?" She asked before moving to set the mug down. "Remember how I said that he got what was coming to him?" Not waiting for him to respond, Gwen reached out to take his hands in hers.

"Rory was about 11 months old when I left her with Eddie while I went to the studio to record some new tracks. I came home later that evening and found him high as a kite with Lorelei no where to be seen." She started as she looked into his eyes, figuring if she was going to tell him the truth, now was the time to do it. "I found her in her crib, wide awake and bruises forming on her perfect little face..." Gwen's lower lip trembled, tears threatening to flow but she bit down on it hard. "I had been planning to end things with Eddie months before but every time I tried to get away, he'd somehow find me before I could get too far."

Pausing, Gwen looked down at their hands together, taking a deep breath to steady herself before continuing. "I had gotten ahold of arsenic and that night I mixed it in with his favorite drink." Pausing again, Gwen looked back up at Jason. "Please, please...don't look at me any differently. I'm the same person I've always been but I couldn't let anyone hurt my baby and get away with it. He was going to kill us both, I was sure of it..." Clearing her throat, she went on, "Long story short, before he could drink it, in a fit of rage he threw it at me. And I guess I just...snapped."

"I grabbed a knife from the kitchen drawer and ran after him with as much force as I could muster, he swung clumsily but before he could get me I stabbed him in the chest 4 or 5 times repeatedly." The haunting sound of the metal sinking into the flesh and muscle played in her head. The gurgling sound of Eddie's lungs filling up with blood was something she would never forget. "I stabbed him over and over and over until he felt to the ground...and I just didn't stop, Jason....I was so angry, so vengeful."
with: Jason Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

Maddox Parker​

Maddox kept his hands on Ani's shoulders as they pulled away from their embrace to look to each other. He nodded along as Ani confirmed she would call him as often as was possible. "You have my numbers," he confirmed. A frown was evident on his face as he deliberated with himself. "But you have to remember, if there's any chance I'm dead or they find out your location, you have to keep moving. If that means a life without me..." He paused looking down and shaking his head at the thought. "You have to keep living and to have a life if I'm gone. Don't waste it the way I've wasted the last decade of mine. Promise me."

Maddox observed Ani as she struggled to fight back her tears. He slowly nodded as she told him they would make it and survive. He wasn't sure if he believed it as far as he himself was concerned. Too many people were out for his blood. He believed Ani stood a much better chance at surviving and starting up a life away from the hellish city.

The counsellor gently squeezed the tops of Ani's arms and urged her to look to him. "Please, Ani. Don't risk your life coming back for me. As much as I love you and appreciate the gesture, I can't bear to think of you getting hurt because of me." Maddox pulled her hands away from her face and gently lifted her chin to look at him. "Ani..." he began, looking her in the eyes. "It's going to break my heart and make me sick with worry, but you have to go. You have to leave tonight, before it becomes impossible for you to do so. Don't make your life be another weight on my conscience. Please?" he deperately urged her.

Bellz

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter ​

"If only it were so easy to walk away from the city," James bitterly remarked. "When Liam was murdered, I was the only one who could step in to take his place. It was Gabriel's brother who killed him..." James paused to consider his point. "Would it really be the best decision to reward the Morettis for their crimes against us? To sign the city over to him so I can retire in Dublin?" he asked. "It would be the easiest answer, but I'm not sure it would be wise. If our enemies think we're weakened and out of the running, that could make them think we're an easy target."

James flashed a brief, bittersweet smile as Jackson pointed out how far they'd come. Neither of the two men had easy childhoods. Forced to fight for survival at a young age and t live without the luxuries their ow children now enjoyed. James didn't remember a time when he wasn't having to struggle or battle to get by. Lately, he found himself craving some normality and peace with his family. A chance to relax with his wife and children as he'd never been able to do. Was it just a pipe dream and would he really enjoy it if it did happen? Would he know what to do with the free time and would he be able to enjoy a slower lifestyle?

"We did do pretty well, didn't we?" he asked, with a weak smirk. "We've certainly fought to get this far."

It was always nice hearing Jackson and Conor speaking about each other. The two men shared a close, brotherly bond, which James was sure would help Conor overcome his grief over the loss of another close friend, Ryan. James felt reassured when Jackson told him he thought Conor could step up if anything happened to him. "I'm glad you think so. I've noticed it myself, but wanted to make sure I wasn't finding excuses to let myself consider retirement."

James couldn't help the reddening of his cheeks when Jackson cited him as having given Conor something to believe in. Even stating he'd done it for everyone. "Well, let's hope I can keep enforcing those encouraging vibes to everyone." James looked down to his hands as he wove his fingers together. "What would you do, Jackson? Would you keep fighting them and depriving them of taking the city? Or would you take Moretti up on his offer and sell the lot of it to him, to get out of this city?

Enzyme (Jackson)