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

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

"You're right, you can't undo this. What I'm asking you, is how are you going to manage it?! How are you going to make sure that kid has everything they need?" James spoke firmly back to Syd, the frustration breaking through into his voice. Syd was on the verge of snapping at them and behaving in a hasty manner, again, but James wasn't willing to pander to him this time. No matter how much he wanted to comfort his son and protect him from the effects of his mental health issues, James wasn't prepared to back down for a quiet life.

James shook his head as he could see Syd getting worked up, but he couldn't sugarcoat things as he needed Syd to see where he and Lucy were coming from. Then, the younger man reminded them he was adopted, making out as if them not being blood-related meant he wasn't important to them. It hurt James to hear his son speak such venomous words and it was difficult to offend James. "Are you kidding me?!" he spoke out in a loud whisper, but Syd continued his tirade. "After all we've done to show you how important you are to us. That blood means fuck all when it comes to family..."

Although he could see Lucy was shocked, James was for once focused on himself and how much his son's words where hurting him. Then, Syd once again reminded James he wasn't his real father and proceeded to angrily yell at his parents to leave. "You know what? I'm not going to pander to it, this time. You're way out of order! You owe your mother better than this, Syd," James said, pointing his finger directly at him. "Come on, Luce. He wants us to leave, so I'm getting the fuck out of here." James marched out of the house, swinging the door back but not slamming it shut in case Lucy was following him. Regardless of whether or not Lucy left with him, James intended on waiting in the car until she was ready. He was angry and added to his increasing stress over the business, the last thing he wanted to do was spend the night arguing with his son.



Pyroclast (Syd) Bellz (Lucy, Roxie)

 

[Misty Gray]

Maddox Parker​

Seeing Ani lean forward to hold her face in her hands, Maddox reached out and placed his hand out to give her back a gentle massage between her shoulder blades. He hated seeing her so uncertain and conflicted. He softly smiled and his cheeks reddened slightly when she told him he was the only stable part of her life. He genuinely cared for her, so it pleased him to hear she appreciated his presence in her world.

When she sat back up to look at him, Maddox stopped rubbing her back and lightly rested his arm around her shoulder. As she went on to tell him how much he'd changed her life - and for the better - he hung on her every word. The things she was telling him were all so familiar because it was how he felt about her too. Until he started his relationship with Ani, Maddox's plans had consisted of him getting his revenge against the Porters, but he hadn't been able to see beyond that, expecting to feel some kind of revelation when it was all done or simply die trying to avenge his murdered loved ones. With Ani, he woke with a smile on his face and looked to forward to seeing her. His plans no longer consisted of only planning how he would destroy the Porters, he now spent time thinking of ways to treat Ani and where their next evening out should be. He didn't feel like his only purpose was to get revenge.

Ani spoke about seeing a future and a life where they were no longer surrounded by the darkness of New York. It seemed perfect, though he feared a pipe dream. Moretti wouldn't let them go anywhere until their jobs were done. Could Maddox even turn his back on the last decade of meticulously plotting to get back at the people who had murdered his loved ones? Maddox was about to express his concerns when Ani suddenly told him she loved him. The man froze in his seat as he processed her words. After everything she knew about him, it was a shock to hear she could love him. How could anyone love him?

Maddox continued to gaze into Ani's eyes as he seemed stuck on her words. Then, he leaned close and placed a gentle hand on her cheek. After a brief pause, he moved his lips to hers and passionately kissed her. It all felt so natural. They both knew all of their bad traits and actions, yet they were still drawn to each other. Maddox slowly pulled back from the kiss and sent Ani a soft smile. "I love you too, Ani," he told her, a single tear rolling down his cheek. He lowered his hand and took hold of Ani's, softly stroking her skin with his thumb. "I don't deserve you. With everything I've done and will do, I'm beyond lucky to have someone as good as you in my life. I wish we could escape this madness."

Bellz (Ani)

 

[Pyroclast]

Tatiana Moretti

It appeared to Tatiana that wealth, power and success had not tainted Sinead's ego at all; after she and Marcus both told her that she would be the more desirable option for providing music at their mother's false birthday event, the woman blushed and waved away their compliments. Tatiana narrowed her eyes as she observed her body language. She seemed unexpectedly humble and easily charmed, something that could perhaps be worth remembering for future purposes. Her husband on the other hand seemed less hesitant to lay down the specifications, which in this case meant a rise in the hiring cost. Despite this being Sinead's establishment, Tatiana couldn't help but notice Peter showing more of a leadership role - again, something that she deemed noteworthy.

Not far into the conversation, the guard returned to their table to serve their drinks. Tatiana stiffened slightly and held her glass of wine away from the table so as not to get in her way. Her attention was drawn to the woman's hands as she placed each glass down on the table, noticing how long and slender her fingers were, how pure her skin. It took some will, but she managed eventually to steal a glance at the woman whilst Peter introduced her to the table. Rebel Holt. The name struck her as powerful and Tatiana couldn't imagine the name belonging to anyone other than a strong, emancipated and attractive woman. And she was certainly very attractive.

Only when Marcus continued trying to charm his way through the conversation did Tatiana realise that she had lost focus. He told Rebel that her name was unique and suggested that she told him the story behind it some time in the future, which prompted Tatiana to kick him in the shin. They were not there to flirt, and she didn't like to see her brother trying to openly exercise his right to do so while she had to sit there and pretend not to be attracted to her in the slightest. "Don't listen to him, he's getting ahead of himself," she assured Rebel, hoping that she wouldn't express an interest in her brother. Still, she kept her eyes down and lifted her glass of wine to her lips to show that she was done speaking.

Thankfully, their father stepped in to tease Marcus about his reasons for being impressed by the woman. While his words amused her slightly, she could tell it was all part of his act. To her surprise, it turned out that he was quite good at acting. What surprised her even more, however, were his words about assuring their family's safety during the party. Tatiana was sure that all three of them were thinking the same thing, remembering all the family members that they lost at the hands of the Irish Mob during a previous family celebration in New York. It was a challenge not to let her anger show on her face, but she knew that she couldn't give anything away. Throughout the conversation, Peter had been dropping hints of suspicion and the last thing she wanted to do was to raise it. When Gabriel asked the man if he was happy for his wife to perform on the stage, Tatiana kept a neutral expression so as not to draw attention to herself. While she always hated to see a woman be sidelined, she did wonder if Peter would still be inclined to take the lead and how submissive Sinead would be to her husband. Figuring out the power dynamic within a couple could prove to be very useful when taking them down later on.

Interactions
Misty Gray Sinead, Gabriel
Bellz Peter, Rebel
RayPurchase Marcus

 

[Bugsy]

KEEGAN LYNCH​

Well, it was no hard loss.

His mission was to seek out whether or not the men recognised him, there was still a potential in the other recognising him; but for the most part, he was a nobody to them. A bum. On any given day, there would have been a punch thrown - but this was no given day, not when Savannah was involved. Their eyes had met for a brief second, not enough to give away the fact that they knew each other - both of them playing their roles respectively. He hoped that nothing would compromise him, that the two men seemed to go ahead and dismiss whatever he was trying to ask for.

Oh how he was willing to just put a bullet through the both of their heads and be done with it. Keegan had made it look as if he were to turn away and 'bother someone else' but remained in earshot. Men who thought they were the bigger dogs tended to believe themselves untouchable. Displeasure flashed across his face as he watched the man lean over and kiss the side of Savannah's head. His jaw clenched, knowing that acting too suddenly would give the game away and potentially put her in a lot more danger than what she was in now; but it was better that he was there rather than Warren who might have already flashed.

Peter had.

Who was to say that they weren't to act the same way when personal feelings pushed aside all judgement?

However, there was a time and place for anger; and as such, Keegan knew that attention from the public caused by a scuffle was something that neither side needed but perhaps just something that they could use to their advantage. He still remembered that Warren was behind them, lingering in eye line and all was needed was a catalyst. The facade he was wearing had dropped, no longer the nice boy with intent to borrow a lighter as he watched as the man copped a feel of Savannah's thigh, no longer the upstanding citizen that people perhaps thought him to be (people who only briefly glanced through the metaphorical window).

Slipping his hand back into his pocket, he took hold of the brass knuckles just as Savannah had exclaimed loudly, pushing one of the men away from her. This was his chance. His window. "Should have given me the light when you had the chance." His voice was cold as he lunged forward, bringing his hand out of his pocket, his other going to grab one sleeve as the brass knuckles aimed for the side of the man's head.

Keegan hoped this was enough of a signal for Warren to step in to attempt to rescue Savannah.

Tag: Misty Gray (Warren, Savannah, Ethan), Pyroclast (Steve)

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

As soon as Jason and Gwen made their presence known, the man in the kitchen turned to them and looked them up and down through narrowed eyes. To his relief, his arrival went unchallenged, almost certainly due to their concern for Gwen. A cupboard door then closed to reveal another man, looking equally tense at the stranger in the kitchen. He didn't stall too long, however, quickly pulling out a chair for Gwen. Jason set her down without hesitation and then took a few steps back, placing his hands on his hips as he watched the others take over. Instinct told him not to leave her but to kiss her, offer her words of comfort, peel away the bloody strands of hair from her face - but he didn't. These men didn't know who he was and so in that moment he felt too awkward to act on instinct. He had to be careful, now.

One of the men asked in an almost accusing tone what happened to her, and glanced back to Jason. Their eyes met and Jason froze for a second, only able to shake his head. "I-I didn't see who it was, I just had to get her to safety," he stammered, trying to keep a level voice. "We were outside the theatre...I didn't want to leave her alone in that state. Especially with Rory there."

The man went about shining a torch into Gwen's eyes, much to her discomfort. After announcing her concussion, Jason worked out who he was. He continued to take charge of the situation, instructing the other man to find the bag of medical supplies, but as hard as Jason tried to keep out of the way, he couldn't stay in the shadows for long. The doctor's question of his relation to Gwen caught him off guard and he found himself struggling to come up with an answer. His eyes moved to Gwen as though trying to communicate with her or waiting for her to answer for him. "Um," he began, stepping back as the medical kit was passed between the two men. "Jason - my name's Jason...Uh, I play her love interest in the show we're in together." His own answer made him cringe and he caught Gwen's eye once again, knowing that his attempt to describe their relationship wasn't even close to being enough. What's more, if he didn't give the men some idea of how much he cared about her, they might send him away.

"Look, I'm sorry for intruding on youse like this," he added. "I just had to make sure she got home safe. Truth is, we're more than just colleagues..." Jason frowned then and folded his arms, not wanting to explore his feelings for her so openly with men he didn't know. It didn't seem like the time or place to figure out exactly who he was to her at that time. All he knew was that he cared deeply for her, and was going to do everything in his power to keep her in his life.

Interactions
Misty Gray George
Bellz Gwen, Finn, Lorelei

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

After weeks of build up, the pregnancy announcement could not have turned out more differently than how Syd had been expecting. Shock would have taken over for the first several seconds as the news was processed, but then Lucy would have got to her feet, hands covering her mouth as she cried tears of overwhelming joy, and promptly hugged her son. James would have shed a rare tear, his bright smile shining through as he expressed to Syd how proud he was for finally achieving his dream of starting a family of his own. Then, with glasses of champagne in hand, the two would have sat down with Roxie and talked to her about arrangements regarding how to fit her into the family, perhaps inviting her over for dinner to get to know her as the mother of their first grandchild and offering parenting advice. In Syd's head, that was how it was supposed to go. But it wasn't in his head anymore. It was out in the open, thrown into the hands of reality, and reality didn't care what he wanted. It was harsh and unbiased and allowed all the conflicting opinions and actions to take their course in such a way that could tear a family apart.

The tears in Lucy's eyes were not of overwhelming joy, but of heartbreak and fear. Syd was desperate for them to get out of his house. His hands were clenched into fists, his heart was beating heavily in his chest and he could feel the rising panic getting harder to repress. With emotions intensifying by the second, he was afraid of what he might do if they stayed. Lucy's affirmation that they were still his parents despite not being blood-related coaxed a sob from him and he shook his head, cupping a hand over his mouth. After interpreting their unenthusiastic response to his news as a severe lack of belief in him, part of him did need to be reminded that they still wanted to be in his life. Yet, the part of him that had taken the reins just wanted to push away everything negative, even if that meant creating a distance between himself and his parents. He found himself backing away from Lucy as though to give that distance a physical form.

Her words were hard to hear; when she pointed a finger at him and warned him that he was a danger to himself and the child, Syd grabbed onto her arm and squeezed it viciously so that she couldn't escape. "You think I would hurt my child? You wanna come into my house and tell me I'd be a danger to my own child?" His grip on her arm grew tighter still and more tears sprouted from his eyes. "I have waited years - over ten years for my chance to become a father and you don't trust me to have thought through even the very basic idea of love and security?" He stared daggers at her before pushing her away with violent force. "How am I supposed to thank you when you don't let me give anything back? You don't let me near the business anymore! You don't want me to have this baby! I have fought for you, for our family, for our empire - everything I do is to repay you for what you have given to me! If I can't be useful to you, I am nothing! Nothing! Do you understand that? Do you understand the significance I have put on all the things you have separated me from? You and the business mean everything to me and yet you shut me out like I'm some deadly, contagious disease, something to be ashamed of - and somehow you expect me to get better for it? Tell me how to thank you, please, because if nothing I am offering you is enough then I don't see why I shouldn't just stop fucking trying!" An unhinged, exasperated laugh escaped him then, overriding the heavy sobs that had been suspended by his tirade.

By this point, James was almost out the door and Syd chased him out, gripping onto the door frame with both hands and swinging forward. "Thanks for showing me your limits, dad!" he screamed, watching the man advance towards the car. "Now Thomas will know what happens when he stands up for himself! I hope he never looks up to you the way I did! You've only got one son left, dad, you'd better not fuck him up too or you'll have no one crying for you when you fucking die!" Lost in a fit of rage, Syd stooped to pick up a stone ornament resembling a German Shepherd and threw it in the direction of his father's car. It hit the bottom of the car door, causing damage only to the paintwork. Syd didn't even see what he had done, however, as he immediately stormed back into the room where Roxie and his mother were standing.

Lucy took a cautious step back from him and he raised a hand to his head as he stared at her. He was shaking all over and he felt hot and unsteady, so fixated on the fear in his mother's eyes that he forgot why they were fighting. Stepping back into the quiet room after his outburst somehow displaced him and the three of them simply stood in silence, the tension binding their feet to the floor. A feeling of guilt began to form inside him but he couldn't understand where it was coming from. His head was empty as though a tornado had swept through his mind and scattered all his thoughts into oblivion. He couldn't speak when he looked at her, but he couldn't tear his eyes away. She told him that she would always be his mother and that James would always be his father, but that he wasn't the son they knew and loved. He continued to stare at her, unsure of what she meant. "Then who am I?" he quietly asked. He gasped audibly when Roxie came up from behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder, but he didn't shake her off. She quietly and very cautiously suggested that he backed off and let his parents leave. Then he realised that James was gone, so it was time for Lucy to go home, too. "If you leave now, you'll never see me again," he calmly warned his mother, still rooted to the spot. The idea of never seeing his parents again filled him with profound regret, but he couldn't move to stop her. It was all beyond his control now, like everything was happening without him.

Interactions
Misty Gray James
Bellz Lucy, Roxie

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor was glad to hear Aliana thought he'd been doing good since he'd been released from prison. Two of the most [understandably] critical of his behaviour had been Aliana and James, so it pleased him to know both of them could see how much he'd changed. "I know I should have stayed out of prison in the first place, but I've come to realise it's just something that had to happen for me to get to where I am now. Even if I'd sorted myself out and never got locked up, I think there are still things in my head that would never have been addressed. I would never have given Dr. Parker, or any other shrink, the time of day on the outside. Turns out, having little choice in the matter of seeing a counsellor worked out for the best. He's been helping me to confront fears and memories I hadn't really realised I was bottling up so much." He took another spoonful of his food and took a moment to think as his mouth was too full to speak. Once he'd swallowed the food, he continued on. "I regret missing three years in yours and Leo's lives, but I honestly believe I needed to suffer those years behind bars to get here now. I dunno, fate or some shit?" he brushed off his words before he could get too spiritual.

Conor had just finished up his meal when he heard the heavy sigh from his wife. Sensing an uncomfortable topic about to be raise, he delicately placed his spoon inside the empty bowl and relaxed back in his chair to hear her out. Aliana questioned how he could even consider that she'd cheated on him. It was clear she'd been hurt or offended by the mere fact he'd questioned her a few weeks ago. He couldn't judge her if she was upset he'd even remotely consider it to be true. "No, Ali. I don't believe you would cheat. I know you're honest - sometimes brutally so - and you wouldn't have betrayed me like that." He bit his lip and let out a sigh of his own. "But... My mind started going in overdrive after that prick had brought the idea into my head. I've never believed you're the kind of person who would cheat, but then I wondered if it wasn't actually cheating if we weren't together at all. I mean, all we seemed to have done since I got arrested was snap at each other and you didn't visit me in jail for a whole three years. By the end of my sentence, I was convinced we were over and that you'd want a divorce. Even when I got out, we were fighting. So I suppose that dumb part of my head had convinced myself we'd been over since I got arrested... so you could have moved on and sleeping with some other bloke wouldn't have been cheating anyway."

Conor shook his head and scoffed at his own words. "I know, it's fucking stupid and I'm sorry. I should never have even took that guy's words seriously. I can see how foolish it was now, even if I was caught up in the moment." He awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "I'm sorry for offending you, Ali. I don't believe a word of what that bloke said. I know you're not a liar or a cheater."


Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan​

It was nice to see that Conor could also see how good of a job he was doing with keeping up with his training. While it was also good for him to show it to everyone who mattered, it was important for him to see progress. She was more than proud of him for keeping up with his new promise, that's for sure. So much so that she placed the box on the table, closer to his side. "Don't touch it just yet." She tempted, before giving him a small smile. "I agree. I'm glad you learned so much from this experience and we can try and get back to where we used to be..." Ali would also regret not being there for her husband those three years, but she knew to apologize for it over and over wouldn't do anything about it. Therefore, she could only work hard to make up for it. Starting with letting him back into the house; but that she would keep to herself for a bit longer. "Well, as much as I would like to thank "fate" for everything, was it really necessary to put us through the wringer?" She joked. After she had finished her meal, she picked up her wine glass to wash everything down.

Listening to him reassure her about him questioning her fidelity, it made her feel a ton better. She just couldn't live with the idea that he would or could ever think she would do anything to hurt him. Granted, not seeing him in prison for 3 years probably hurt him but it wasn't the kind of hurt she meant. The betrayal sort of hurt, where ones relationship could either be fixed or ended for good. It never came to that and in Ali's case, never would. She knew what it felt like and would never wish that on anyone who didn't deserve it. At the end of his words, she nodded her head with a smile. "I just... I couldn't have you thinking that of me and I'm glad you don't." Her fingers went back to tapping on the table as she took a second to think, a mischevious grin crossing her lips. After pushing her chair back she stood up and clapped her hands together. "Dinner was amazing and since you cooked, I'm going to clean." She said, gathering their used dishes from the table. In her free hand, she scooped up the box and softly placed it in front of him before gently kissing his forehead.

"That's for you." She stated before walking into the kitchen. Ali couldn't help but smile the entire time, noting how perfect everything was. Things hadn't been this way in a long time and she was going to sit in it for as long as she could. Finishing her wine first, she started humming while starting the dishes.



​

Conor ( Misty Gray )

 

[Pyroclast]

Steve Kelly

Savannah's reaction to getting pinched drew a mischievous laugh from Steve. "No, you stop it!" he flirted, trying to make the interaction look playful rather than menacing. She pushed him away from her with the force of her whole body and he laughed more still, instantly closing in on her again. "Aw, come on, baby, you know I didn't mean it like that," he insisted, a mocking smile on his face. This time, he held her even tighter so that she couldn't push him away. His tone suddenly dropped to something darker as he pulled himself in close and pressed his lips to her ear. "Don't fuckin' play games with me, girl," he growled. "There ain't no one lookin' out for you, now. It's just you and -"

A familiar voice cut him off and Steve instinctively turned his head to see the same man who had bothered to ask them for a lighter. He rolled his eyes, ready to give him a piece of his mind, but before he could the man lunged forward and grabbed him by the sleeve. Steve did his best to hold onto Savannah but lost his grip entirely after receiving a heavy blow to the side of his head. The sky appeared to whirl past him as his head snapped back and he hit the ground hard, letting out a grunt of shock. Barely clinging onto consciousness, he blacked out for several seconds before the throbbing pain in his eye pulled him back to his surroundings. His eyelids flickered open slightly to see who he assumed were Savannah, Ethan and two men. With immense effort, he rolled himself over and pushed himself to his feet. Blood had coated the inside of his mouth and he staggered forward to spit it out in the direction of his attacker. "Get off my girlfriend, you fuckin' psycho!" he challenged, strings of blood spewing from his mouth. Of course, Steve had no idea who these men were or why they had attacked him so he thought it worth keeping up his pretence.

The world around him was spinning and he was unsure how much longer he would manage to stay on his feet. Having always been a provocative type, Steve had instigated plenty of fights before and therefore knew how to take a hit. But this had been no ordinary punch - the cheekbone that he would later discover had been fractured upon first impact would be evidence of the brass knuckles his attacker had been wearing. Having taken more damage than usual, Steve overestimated his ability to retaliate. Unable to keep up with what was going on between Ethan and the others, he held himself steady by reaching out and gripping the collar of the man who had attacked him. Once he had his attention, he swung his fist towards his face. The movement caused him to lose balance, however, and he immediately met the ground again, falling directly onto his fracture with a pained groan. Try as he might, the head trauma was not going to let him get to his feet again. "Get him," he feebly instructed Ethan, unsure if he was even within earshot at this point. "Get the motherfucker..."

Interactions
Bugsy Keegan
Misty Gray Savannah, Ethan, Warren

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan
Rebel Holt ​

Peter leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms as people he didn't know showered his wife with compliments. Sure, it wasn't unusual for people to say those sorts of things about Sinny but coming from their mouths...it sounded unnatural in a way. Marcus spoke up and Peter turned his head towards the man with raised eyebrows, wondering if he was hearing him right. Moments after her agreed with his sister, the man made eye contact with Sinead. Peter's eyes narrowed and he leaned forward just as Sinead cleared her throat.

Peter stared Marcus down, clearly not taking his extra attention towards his wife well. Marcus glanced towards Rebel then and Peter relaxed somewhat.

Rebel wanted to glare at Peter for calling her a part time waitress. She had never waited a damn thing in her life. Not that she turned her nose up to work but she had grown up doing what she does now. Not for the same people but bouncing from one family to the next. It was a living.

"Ah, well..." Rebel said, not really sure how to take Marcus' words about her name. "My parents were ahead of their time." She stated simply. The pretty little thing that had treated her with hostility spoke up, her voice as smooth as the wine in her hand. Rebel found herself looking into the woman's eyes, there was something in them that caused Rebel to smile almost teasingly, "Well, the early bird gets the worm, isn't that the saying?" She then looked away bobbing her head along with Mr. Durante's words about working hard. "You can count on me to do just that, sir." Rebel said reassuringly.

Her eyes then looked up towards the entrance, seeing that there was two men on standby, she hoped to escape this awkward conversation. "If you'll excuse me, I've got to speak with the gentlemen up front." She said lightly before bowing her head and turning on her heels.

Looking at Rebel as she quickly walked away, Peter's head turned back around to face Mr. Durante and the rest. His eyes were on Peter and Peter tried to return the gaze without looking too hostile. Something about these people was putting him on edge. Peter was then directly asked if he was content with letting Sinead perform and Peter found himself not knowing what to say.

If he knew his wife well, he knew that she would do anything without his permission if he really wanted to. They were living in a new decade where women had the power to do as they pleased and Peter had always respected that aspect about Sinead. She could do whatever her little heart desired. "The real decision should be left up to the lady, I believe." Peter said, voice slow and low. "I certainly wouldn't get away with telling my wife what to do."
with: Misty Gray ; Pyroclast ; RayPurchase

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter
Roxie Carriveau ​

Gasping out as Syd grabbed her arm, he questioned her words. "Syd, let go." Lucy hissed out. He then pushed her away violently, causing her to stumble back into James. She watched with wide eyes as their son rambled on like a mad man.

Lucy looked to James as he told Syd that he was out of order, her mouth slightly ajar as it had been a long time since she'd seen him so angry. James announced that he was leaving, asking Lucy to follow but the woman found herself staying right where she was. Regardless of that, James was out the door, which was wide open now, revealing their car out front, and Syd quickly followed him out. "Syd!! Let him go!" Lucy barked out before moving to grab her son from the door. His words were soul crushing and Lucy wanted desperately to think that this was all some sort of crazy nightmare.

"That's enough!!" Lucy tried to divert Syd's attention away from James and the car but her son threw something causing her to gasp harshly. Lucy backed away from Syd when he joined the Roxie and her again. Looking down at her arm, she could see the redness where the skin was likely to bruise from his grasp. Roxie could only stand there, the whole scene unfolding before her and she couldn't do anything to stop it or help it. She was relieved when Syd allowed her to place her hand on him, she was hoping he was still somewhere in there.

Lucy let out a weak cry as she shook her head. "I don't know anymore." She helplessly replied to his question. There was silence and everything seemed still. His words caused her stomach to drop. Her bottom lip shook as she tried to contain herself. Her family was falling apart before her very eyes and she wasn't sure that she could fix it anymore. "You don't mean that." Lucy croaked. "You can't mean that." There was something about the way he said those words, they were so final. Lucy wasn't sure what the meant. Confusion clouded her brain along with the events of the evening, shaking her head as if to clear her thoughts. Lucy reached forward. "I love you. I've loved you since the first time I saw you in that pityful place you had to call home. Before I even knew who you were, I loved you." Lucy looked to Roxie a moment before looking back to Syd.

"Its you who wants me to leave Syd. You aren't giving me a choice to stay. I'm doing what you've asked of me, because I love you. " Lucy took a few more steps away from him then, slowly making her way out the door. "You will always be a Porter. Never forget that." With that, she turned, grabbing the door handle and closing the door behind her as she hurried to the car.

The tension in the air was thick and Roxie felt like it was getting harder and harder to breath. Her heart was racing from what just transpired, "Its going to be okay..." Roxie murmured from behind him before slowly wrapping her arms around his waist from behind.
with: Misty Gray ; Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

When Aliana brought back into view the box he'd earlier seen her with, Conor send her a confused expression. He'd already made a joke about it being another wedding proposal, so he was all out on that front and could only give serious thought as to what could be inside. She prolonged his curiosity by telling him not to touch the box yet. "Yes, Ma'am," he remarked back to her.

"Ah, I'm sorry for putting us all through that stress, love. You know the Sullivans don't do shit the easy way. We like a challenge," he remarked, before flexing his muscular biceps. Aliana soon stood up from the table and complimented Conor on the meal before she offered to do the washing up. "Thanks, love. I'm glad you liked it," he said, sending her a warm smile. He was about to offer his help with the cleaning when she placed the box directly in front of him and then kissed his forehead. For a rare moment, he was lost for words, so instead watched her as she walked into the kitchen. He hadn't been expected her to kiss him in any way, so it had taken him by surprise. Albeit, a very pleasant one.

With Aliana tending to the dishes, Conor turned back to look at the box and he carefully opened it up to reveal a key inside. He didn't think she'd be open to letting him back home so soon, but he was glad that it appeared that way. He smiled to himself as he lifted the key out of the box, gazing at it for a short time. He soon snapped out of his thoughts and popped the key into the breast pocket of his shirt. He got out of his seat and moved to join Aliana by the sink.

"If the gift means what I think it does, then yes. I would love to come home, to be with you and Leo," he told her as he stopped next to her. He placed his arm around her waist and pressed his lips against the top of her head for a short time. "Though I expect I'll be on cooking duties all the time seeing as you enjoyed tonight's dinner," he joked. "I won't mess things up, this time. Both us and the house," he assured her, stepping around so he could look to Aliana as he stood between her and the sink. He looked down and into her eyes, sending her a loving smile.


Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan and Ethan Turner
Warren Taylor​

Warren had seen how Steve had touched Savannah's thigh, which was followed by the blonde trying to push him away. The sight angered Warren, especially when he saw the creepy bastard continue to grab the young woman, who by now was clearly afraid of him. Warren instinctively took steps towards the group and kept his hand at his waist, hovering over his handgun. Still, he decided to drop back until he was sure Keegan had his part under control. As furious as he was, Warren wasn't going to do anything hasty, especially not with so many witnesses.

As expected, Keegan struck Steve, causing him to loosen his hold over Savannah as he was stunned by the blow to his head. Warren didn't waste any time in swooping in and dragging Savannah away from both of her abductors. The blonde yelped and was about to struggle against the man who was now holding her, until she realised it was Warren. She naturally fell into his chest and hid her face to hide the tears that were finally permitted to escape from her eyes and down her cheeks. "She isn't your girlfriend, you stupid bastard!" Warren coldly snapped back at Steve. He then watched as Steve attempted to hit Keegan but instead fell back to the ground. Warren made Savannah move to standing behind him, willing to use himself as a shield to protect her if he had to. His job was to protect the young woman and he'd committed to putting her safety before his own.

Ethan had been caught by surprise as the man attacked and knocked Steve down. He'd seen Warren pull Savannah to safety, but decided he didn't have time to get the whining woman back. With his friend down on the ground, Ethan lunged at Keegan and slammed his fist into left side of the man's jaw. Swiftly, he pulled out his gun and aimed it at Keegan's head. "Back the fuck off," he hissed at Keegan.

"Do you really think that's a good idea?" Warren spoke up. Although his hand was now touching the handle of his own gun, and ready to fire without hesitation, Warren was still keeping it concealed. "There's an awful lot of witnesses around here and I'm sure that woman by the telephone box has seen you by now," he pointed out. "None of us want the cops involved in this, so how about you put your gun away and you help your friend to peel himself off of the ground." Warren hated the idea of walking away from the two men who were likely huge leads for James to investigate, but he knew his brother would prefer they didn't take risks with witnesses around and whilst Savannah was still in a dangerous spot. "You shoot my friend and you're not only risking your own life, but his too," he said, pointing to Steve. "That, or you'll both be spending the rest of your days behind bars."

Ethan tightened his jaw and lowered his gun, knowing he and Steve needed to walk away from this one. As useful as Savannah could have been to them, he was only prepared to risk his life or freedom for the bigger rewards. The likes of Porter himself or actual members of the mob who could provide beneficial information. "When I next see you two, I'll make sure I slit your throats... Just like I did to Arlene," he said, whispering his last words.

"Great. We're looking forward to it. I guess we'll see who kills who first. We know your faces now and we'll make sure we meet again, under more ideal conditions," Warren threatened. "Now, fuck off!"

Ethan shook his head and couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Still, he lowered his gun and opted to hold his hand out to help Steve to his feet, intending to help to man up so they could continue on their way down the quiet alley. As much as he wanted to kill Keegan and Warren, he knew there was a time and a place. This hadn't been it.

After watching the two men walk away, Warren put his arm around Savannah's shoulder to reassure her. "You're staying with your parents tonight. No arguments. I have to tell them about this." He then looked to Keegan and sent him an acknowledging nod. "You good?" he enquired into the man's well-being.

"Thank you..." Savannah gratefully told Keegan as she looked to him thorough her large eyes. "That man who was grabbing at me... He was the one who kidnapped me from the theatre. The other one... he said so himself. He killed Arlene."


Bugsy (Keegan) Pyroclast (Steve)

 

[Bellz]

Ani Sarraf ​

Ani leaned her head the hand that was placed on her cheek, her eyes wide as she waited for Maddox to speak. His kiss was so passionate that it took her breath away. He pulled away and Ani smiled sheepishly as she took a few deep breaths. He told her that he loved her too and she felt like she could run a mile.

His hand left all too soon but only for a moment before it was placed in hers. The soothing motion that he made on her hand was calming her heart rate and breathing. His words about not deserving her caused her smile to fade slowly, her face growing serious for a moment. The reminder of what they had to face weighed down on her heavily. She was so lost in the moment with him that she almost forgot about their reality. Silly.

"It concerns me, you being so involved...but I understand why you are doing it. The pain you must have felt..." Ani shook her head, unable to verbalize anymore words for a moment. Her parents were older when she had been adopted, they died only a few years ago...she just couldn't imagine if they had been taken from her by someone else.

"Its dangerous...what we are doing. I'm afraid of what could happen to us if we aren't careful. If I am being honest with myself, I think the biggest threat we face isn't the Porters, but Gabriel and EH if we make any mistakes..." She didn't like to think about the confrontation between her brother and Alistair, Ammon had gotten the hint and calmed down, which was a surprise...but she hated to see him go through any sort of pain.

She couldn't even fathom to think of Maddox placed in that similar situation. He was much more controlled however, not impulsive and crazy like her brother...but just being in the relationship they were in would cause some trouble. She felt that both Gabriel and EH were just waiting for them to mess up, hanging over their heads.

"It's suffocating being surrounded by these men all the time. It's like they are breathing down my neck. Our relationship is not beneficial to them therefore they are keeping a close eye on us. We can't slip up. At least I can't...I know you won't."

Ani stopped talking a moment and looked down between them. They were in it for the long haul, they spoke how they felt and now things were going to change in some ways. She hoped that they would survive this, she wondered how long she could be loyal to EH before her work was over with them..."I don't want to be doing what I have been with EH any longer...it sickens me. At first it was just a job because I needed to protect my brother but spending more time at the hospital has made me realize that I want to save people...and that's not what I do with EH."

"I can't leave though. Not now anyway. I'm stuck." Everything on her mind was just pouring out of her, she couldn't help it. Now that he knew how she felt, she knew that she could trust him with her most sensitive thoughts.
with:Maddox Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Brynat
Finn Sullivan ​

Finn smiled briefly when George assured him that he knew where his medical bag was. Looking to Jason as he stammered out an answer, he watched the man carefully a moment before looking to Gwen. She eyed him with narrow eyes, probably still pissed at him about the light. "I have some gloves in there, hand some to me and put a pair on yourself. Then I need you to thread my stitching needle for me. Thanks, Georgie." Finn murmured and once he was handed the gloves he placed them on.

Jason explained that Gwen and him worked in show together but he hadn't recalled that Gwen was working on such a project. He hadn't been close enough with the woman to know what she was doing with her personal life, but he was close enough to be able to help her, especially when James wasn't around.

Gwen had noticed the eye contact that Jason made with her but found it hard to speak at that moment. Her head was pounding from the light that Finn used and all she could feel was the blood oozing down her face. Finn reached into his bag with a gloved hand and grabbed some cotton. Grabbing the disinfectant from his bag as well, he poured some onto the cotton before hesitating in front of Gwen's head wound.

"More than colleagues?" Finn questioned as he looked to the woman with a serious look in his eye. Gwen rolled her eyes, which was a good sign to Finn that she was still with them all. Gently patting the cotton against her wound, he soaked up the blood and disinfected the wound. Gwen gasped out, reaching for Jason's hand and giving it a hard squeeze as Finn cleaned the area.

"A more than a colleague of Gwen's is a friend of ours, mate. So quit your worrying. " A smile formed on Finn's lips now before nodding to Georgie, "This is George and I'm Finn. We are watching the kids while the Porters' are out. We don't bite, I promise you that. But James...you might have a harder time with him."

Gwen then reached her other hand out to swat at Finn gently, "Stop messing with him." She grumbled before slowly turning her head to look at Jason. "Don't worry about my brother, okay? I'll explain everything."
with: Jason Pyroclast ; Georgie Misty Gray

 

[Inb4Cloaker]

Farrid Al-Assad​

Spoiler: “Not all casualties...”

Brass and blood always had a strong scent, but the insurgent had grown used to it. What he was not accustomed to seeing, however, were child casualties. Unfortunately for the medic who was sprinting through the collapsed rubble and burning aftermath of the war-torn town, he would have to endure both the pungent atmosphere and the sight of innocent lives lost. The Syrian native had his relatively young and unscarred face hidden beneath a bright green and white checkered shemagh, with steady breaths occasionally pushing the fabric away as he urged his legs to go as fast as they would. Overhead, shells still rained down onto nearby, previously marked buildings; buildings that he and his colleagues had marked for destruction just days earlier. It was intended to soften up any resistances, and allow a much swifter takeover. Needless to say, mistakes were made regarding ordinance, and poor communication only amplified the issues. Behind him, several others who were dressed in a similar manner ran after him, calling his name and screaming for him to stop. Their cries were not those of angry men, however, they were those of men who harbored guilt for their deeds, and regret. A regret that Al-Assad discovered minutes prior to his fanatic sprint through the destruction.

As his lungs screamed for him to stop, and his mind raced with dread, he saw his target in the distance, through the smoke and within the disturbingly quiet atmosphere around him. Farrid didn’t stop, or even begin to slow his steps, instead, he used the last ounce of his strength to barrel forward. Before him stood the remains of an annihilated structure, with brightly colored doors and a small, vacant playground. What scared the medic the most was how devoid of life the entire scene was. Shattered windows and darkness betrayed the once serene location, along with the charred drawings that depicted various carefree artwork along the outer walls.

The last thing Farrid remembered seeing on the outside was an older woman, as lifeless as the scene around him, who he assumed met her fate while she was trying to claw through one of the windows in an attempt to reach the children inside. Rubble had crushed her. With a cry of anger and distress, he crashed through the door and splintered the colored wood, falling onto the cold floor as his shotgun slid across the ground. He tried to muster the strength the stand and sprint again, but was only able to shakily lift himself up enough to crawl forward into the assembly area.

“Hello!? Anybody...” he cried out, his voice cracking as he jerked the cloth away from his face. At last, he got to see the mistake that his colleagues tried to keep under wraps. The thoughts of his colleagues were quickly matched by their nearing voices and footsteps, although their presence mattered little to Assad.

Through a hole in the ceiling, light cascaded down, and Farrid was able to set his eyes on the horror within the makeshift shelter. Without a doubt, the kids and instructors attempted to secure the area well enough to protect themselves. Had the insurgents used the intended ordinance, they would’ve been nearly untouched by the devastation. After the ten longest seconds of his life, Assad forced his eyes away from the scene as he turned back to where he came from. The knees of his pants were soaked crimson, and the eerie stillness that filled the room only confirmed that he was no longer of use. He couldn’t save the dead.

Not long after, his allies spilled in through the path he created, calling out in Arabic. After the first of his comrades found Assad, the rest soon followed. They kept their distance, and fell silent as they saw the result of their work. Some stared in disbelief, others discreetly began to weep, but most focused their gazes on either Assad of unremarkable corners of the room, their faces all different, but conveying the same emotion; they were uncomfortable with having to face the guilt they brought upon themselves. One man with a red beret stepped through the puddle of blood and closed his eyes, reaching out with a shaky hand to grasp the medics shoulder. Farrid didn’t react, the shock was great enough to prevent him from shedding a single tear, much less reacting to the sudden physical contact. Gradually, others followed the man with the beret, and assisted in guiding Assad out of the building. His weapon was retrieved by those who first entered what remained of the school. The walk back was solemn, and excruciatingly hard for the medic to bear. Of all the things he remembered, he recalled that nobody spoke the entire time, aside from him, when he asked the men who walked alongside him.

“Those who fight for peace don’t destroy those who can’t defend themselves... only those that are lost do that. The state is right. We are terrorists, aren’t we?”

Footsteps were his only answer.

Al-Assad sat in the kitchen of his apartment, his light tan duffel bag resting on the table before him. He returned to his home roughly an hour after landing back in the States. He traveled back out east a weeks ago, in search of ways to free himself from all the worries he had accumulated. His journey was successful, and he enjoyed some parts of it, but he was also reminded of where he came from, and what he did. It wasn’t safe for him to stay, so his visit was cut much shorter than expected. Either way, he missed the Porters, and the friends he made in New York. The minute Farrid opened the door, however, he was hit by another scent he dreaded. It wasn’t the usual smells he dealt with during war, however, it was the faint remainder of perfume that still floated around the room... the room that used to house more than just himself. It brought him back to the real world for a minute too long.

As the hours stacked atop of one another and daylight burned, the table Farrid sat at slowly accumulated more bottles of empty liquor than one would assume to be healthy for a single person. Drinking didn’t help the issue, and in his case, it only elicited more sadness and confusion from Farrid. When he started to get into the stash of alcohol that his deceased roommate left behind, he found himself holding a bottle of Bailey’s favorite whiskey. Looking into The dark glass, Assad saw his own reflection, and even the reflection of his face years prior. He remembered the school, the teachings of God that he studied, and told himself that the reason he suffered was because of the suffering he helped cause in his earlier years.

The intoxication, the memories of his past, and a saddened glance at his roommates still untouched room sent him over the edge. In that instant, he couldn’t handle it anymore.

The bottle he held was propelled across the room and into the wall with immense force, shattering into dozens of pieces and spilling the liquid inside. Seconds after, Farrid shoved the table he was sitting at away, tipping it and spilling all its contents onto the tiled floor. The sound of shattering glass cut at the medics psyche, and he covered his eyes with his hands as he staggered to his feet. He was back at the school again, stepping over the destruction with hastened and uneasy movements. When he moved his hands away, he found himself standing in the midst of his own room. His thoughts were not his own, and the involuntary movements of his hands resulted in him withdrawing the shotgun that saw years of warfare. With red eyes, Assad clenched his teeth and pumped open the action. Empty. In his drunken stupor, he attempted to reach over towards his locked cage, eyes fixated on the shells that sat just out of his reach. His inability to focus and restless demeanor was the only thing that prevented him from entering the combination, and he instead resorted to punching the steel grates with cries of anguish. Falling back, Farrid picked up the unloaded shotgun and staggered back out of his room, stepping over the broken glass and bracing himself against the wall. His knuckles were bleeding lightly at that point, but the pain didn’t seem to bother him. On the armrest of the couch, he caught a glimpse of one of his religious texts, which served to further enrage the already agitated Syrian.

“I’ve lived my whole life... reading those stupid fucking texts. But if there was a God, he would’ve saved those kids, he would’ve saved...her...” He said with a sharp gesture towards the vacant room. “...and he would’ve saved me.”

With his final words being uttered, Assad flipped the barrel of his weapon towards him and held in a manner similar to a bat. Swiftly rushing towards the book, he let out a groan of anger as the prior insurgent lay waste to anything in his path. Fragments of furniture and personal items were sent in various directions as his own hatred finally had an outlet. Thoughts of the counseling sessions, the war he witnessed, and the people he lost along the way overwhelmed him. What started as sadness and guilt turned into spite and fury while the stock of his weapon connected with the various furnishings of his home. As his assault gained momentum, the inebriated medic lost control of his makeshift bat, and promptly flung it into ornate flag he had hung from the ceiling. The fabric was ripped from the pole it was attached to, and collapsed onto the ground in a heap. Panting and struggling to remain standing, the medic ran a hand through his hair and shuffled over to the wall, bracing himself against it. Slowly, Farrid took one uneasy step after the other until he was in the door frame of the gunrunners room. With his gaze peering into the darkness, he forced himself to steady his breathing and focus his thoughts.

With closed eyes, he remembered the times that weren’t unpleasant to think about, and times when he was faced with trials and tribulations that were much worse. He didn’t even attend a funeral for the woman, but, he also didn’t attend many funerals for his friends lost during war; there was never enough time. If Farrid was honest with himself, he didn’t feel as though a funeral would’ve helped anyways, it’d just be another grim reminder. For a moment, he wondered in his drunken stupor what he was genuinely supposed to do in a situation like that. Standing amidst the mess that was his living room, looking into the empty room that once was the home of someone he loved, he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do. Typically, Assad would consult religion, or find something to distract him. His holy texts and beliefs in god were all but broken apart, and he would find no distractions in the silence, however. Maybe it was time for him to move forward in his life, like he did when he left Syria. He faced a similar situation right before he embarked for the United States, although then he simply confided in a higher power, and moved without any thought of his own, as though he was following destiny. Without guidance, he was left alone to face the harsh reality of life, and face it he would.

His once idle hand moved to the door of his lost roommate, and gently brought it to a close. He resolved to do his best in remembering how she lived, not how she died. Looking towards the mirror that was adjacent to him, Farrid saw a broken and distraught man, a far fetch from what he once portrayed himself as. He didn’t find pleasure in what he saw, but it also told the medic that he was indeed, still alive. There was a time when that was all he cared about; his life, and the safety of his comrades. His allies were no longer the rebels of the east, but the family that brought him into the fold to offer him a chance to renew himself. If he were to drown himself in sorrow, he would be no use to them, and in turn, he would fail to make good on his promise to protect and serve his allies. Even in his inebriated mind, clarity broke through, and he made himself believe it at last.

“You can make the future, but it starts with leaving the past.” He whispered, his eyes widening as he clung to the objective he still had, and the goals he was yet to achieve.

Farrid could be sorry in hell. Until he took his one way ticket down, he still had work to do.

ليس لديك وقت للنزف

Mentions: None.
Interactions: None
​

 

[Pyroclast]

Spoiler: Trigger Warnings

Self-harm

Syd Porter

There was nothing Syd could do but watch as his mother cried helplessly in front of him. Since the conversation started going downhill, Syd had at some point lost all power over himself. Just as he had been unable to stop himself from acting violently towards his parents, he now found himself unable to act at all. He wished he could put a stop to whatever it was that was making Lucy cry, but he didn't know where to begin. The pain of having his exciting news be unexpectedly ruined by his parents' implicit disappointment still resided in him to the point where it effectively paralysed him; even though his mind was beginning to unravel in the aftermath of his outburst, his body seemed to physically remember the stress he was under. When Lucy reached out to him, Syd brought his hands up to his chest so that she couldn't reach him. Tense and shaking, part of him knew that she was one of the reasons why he didn't feel right and therefore wasn't sure he could trust her touch.

And yet, her words were so loving. A vague memory of his adoption flashed across his mind, thinking back to how he felt around Lucy and James. They had been strangers back then, and even though they were kind and welcoming, it had taken Syd a long time to realise that he had formed an emotional attachment to them. "I loved you," he murmured, reflecting what she had said partly because it seemed like the right thing to say. Of course, he had loved both her and James as a child, it had just taken longer for him than it had for them.

Still with his hands held guardedly against him, Syd continued to stare his mother down, barely blinking at all. His eyes were still wet from the tears, but began to well up again when she told him that she was leaving because he had told her to. Had he? Why? Had he not just told her that she would never see him again if she left? Syd couldn't even remember why she was leaving. But that didn't stop her from backing away from him and he could only watch as she distanced herself, unable to go after her. After reminding him that he would always be a Porter, Lucy left the room and shut the door behind her. Then, the room fell silent.

Roxie's gentle, affectionate touch reached around him and she told him that everything was going to be okay. Everything had happened so fast that it was easier to latch onto her comforting words than to backtrack through the fight that had just driven his parents away. "Okay," he agreed, only because he wanted her to be right. The warmth of her body against his was soothing to him and after a minute or so, he managed to loosen up enough to turn around and hug her. He wasn't sure how long the two of them stood there holding each other, but at some point Syd broke free and straightened up with a look of sudden realisation on his face. "The champagne," he muttered, patting himself down for a cigarette as if the two were connected. "I forgot to get the champagne out -"

Springing into action, it wasn't long before Syd had a lit cigarette hanging from his mouth and was pouring the champagne into four flutes. His trembling hand was causing the alcohol to spill all over the counter, dripping down onto the floor at his feet. Then, as quick as it had come, his burst of energy ran out. He stared at the four glasses and at the mess he had made and felt an urge to cry. His parents weren't here. They hadn't wanted to celebrate. Bit by bit, pieces of the fight he had just had with them began to reappear in his mind and he realised that they really weren't coming back. Even something he thought would have made them proud of him, had instead driven them away. There was no hope anymore - no matter what he thought he was doing right, it was sure to hurt somebody. He had to get away, create some distance between himself and those he loved lest he continue to burden their lives. "Roxie?" he called out, removing the cigarette from his mouth and leaning forward onto the wet counter. "Roxie...I think I might go away for a while. Maybe to Montauk, or - or further. I just need...I need to get out of the way. I'll ask Savannah to come and look after you when I'm gone." Watching himself twist the cigarette between his fingers as he spoke, he raised it to take one more drag before stubbing it out on the inside of his arm. The intensity of the burn brought fresh tears to his eyes but he managed to internalise the pain. It was his pain, his burden, nobody's business but his own.

Interactions
Bellz Roxie, Lucy

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan​

Before getting started, Ali had taken both of her bracelets off and silently whispered to them, "Alright boys. So far so good..." In the past, she was never one to believe in spirits or guardian angels and things of that nature. But, the night of the explosion and the shooting at the theatre had changed her mind. She should have died on more than one occasion and she hadn't. Obviously, she thought, I have guardian angels and their names were Thomas and Leonard. Setting her accessories down on the counter, she started to work on the dishes. Conor hadn't created that big of a mess, surprisingly for someone of his reputation.

While rinsing some plates, she listened over the sound of the running water for her husband. What did he think about her little proposal? Hopefully, he didn't think it was too soon for him to move back in. She would be okay if he thought so, it would just be rough explaining it all to Leo when she returned home without Conor. The kid had been so excited that his father was returning, even if it wasn't the exact words his mother had said to him. To break his heart again would be too much for her to do and then resumes the drinking. Minus the glass of wine she just had with dinner, Ali hadn't been staying out late and drinking a ton like she usually had. Maybe it was because things were getting better in her life and she no longer saw a need to be absolutely hammered to forget about it all. Whatever the case, she was sober more days than she was drunk.

The sound of his voice broke the world she was in as she looked up and smiled at him. He told her he accepted her proposal and she nodded her head. "Perfect. Now that you've fallen into my trap, I hope you're prepared to never being able to sleep in past 8am." She joked. Ali shifted as Conor stood in front of her and slighted tilted her head to the side, possibly more in love him now than she ever had been. It could have been because for the longest time, she held nothing but anger and contempt for him but now things were different. "Well I love the initiative... We're going to be okay, yeah?" Aliana leaned in for a moment as if she were going to kiss him before taking her bubble covered hand and running it across his face with a laugh.


​

Conor ( Misty Gray )

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

In a way, it was hard for Jason to watch Gwen be tended to by another man. Although he looked like he knew exactly what he was doing and Gwen seemed to trust him, he had done nothing to earn Jason's trust. The two were simply strangers. He felt a strong desire to protect Gwen, and yet had chosen to hand her over to somebody else. At least she was being seen to - Jason hadn't much experience in hospitals, but his memories of the one back in Kilkenny were hours upon hours spent in waiting rooms. If Gwen had had to wait that long, Jason wasn't sure what would have happened to her.

Blood oozed from her head wound and Jason advanced towards her, trying not to get in the way of the men at work. He just hated to see her look so weak. Standing close beside her with one hand lightly resting on her shoulder, he observed the two strangers. Neither of them looked particularly intimidating - rather, they were calm and friendly, which took Jason by surprise. It almost left him feeling suspicious. In he had walked - a total stranger - carrying a beaten and bloodied member of the crime family in his arms, and yet no one had even accused him of hurting her. Were they used to her returning home in such a sorry state? Were they waiting to get him alone before interrogating him and firing accusations at him? Jason's eyes narrowed as he continued to watch them. He noticed the way they spoke to each other, too - using endearing terms like 'dear' and 'love' and 'Georgie', which he would have found surprising to be the man's real name. Having met several homosexual men over the course of his life - in the art world, in prison and in the theatre - the possibility did cross his mind, but he had also seen the devastating consequences of being openly gay among criminals and thus doubted that, as gangsters, they would get away with being so open. To him, it was more likely that they were just related somehow and had a close bond that they expressed in an unusual way.

The medic questioned his confession to being more than just Gwen's co-star, causing Jason to freeze up once again. "Y-yeah," he answered, trying in vain to sound confident. Even though neither of these men would have intimidated him in any other setting, Jason had heard a lot about the Irish Mob's reputation and while he had once looked up to them, he had come to fear them ever since Gwen first admitted to him that she was a member of the family. He had spent a long time dwelling on the kind of reception he might get if he ever set foot inside the Porter residence, and even though it was much friendlier than he had expected, he still felt rather on edge. "I wanna say we know each other well. I...I care about her." His uncharacteristic anxiety urged him to justify his reason for being the one to escort Gwen home, but he was starting to make himself blush and didn't want to embarrass Gwen or stir anything up between her and her family.

Thankfully, the medic smiled and assured him that they would consider him a friend. It embarrassed him slightly to be called out on the visible anxiety he had hoped to hide, but he did feel himself relax all the same. He gave a small nod of acknowledgement when Finn and George introduced themselves, but when James was mentioned he felt his heart rate pick up and he swallowed nervously. Of course the boss would naturally be suspicious of anyone not affiliated with the mob becoming involved with someone on the inside, but if Gwen had ever told her brother about him...well, he couldn't assume that the man would have forgotten all about it. And if by chance he did remember, he didn't doubt that he would give him a hard time.

It made Jason smile when Gwen swatted at Finn and berated him for trying to scare him away. She looked up at him then to assure him that he had nothing to worry about, and he stroked her hand affectionately, his nerves diminishing with each second that she held her eyes on him. "For what it's worth, I'd do my best to make a good impression on him," he said, hoping that it would be enough to save himself. He gently stroked her cheek with the back of his free hand, tucking a knot of matted, bloody hair behind her ear so that he could get a better look at her eyes before she would need to turn back to Finn. "Let's just focus on getting you better for now, alright?"

Interactions
Bellz Gwen, Finn
Misty Gray George

 

[Bugsy]

KEEGAN LYNCH​

The returning blow that he had coming for him had been lightened only because the other had lost his balance. Keegan's head snapped to the side, following through with the punch as he felt the other man drop to the ground. He wrestled the hand on his collar off, as he saw that Warren had finally swept in to rescue Savannah. He had been straightening himself up when he felt another blow collide with his jaw, snapping his head to one side. Harder this time.

The second man had lunged at him and he hadn't braced himself in time for it.

"Fuck!" Keegan spat, a gob of spit hitting the pavement as he massaged his jaw.

The barrel of the pistol pointed at him was nothing new, it just told him that the others were on the back foot - they couldn't best them, so they resorted to using their weapons on them. Keegan had his own but he wasn't going to reach it in time before the other man had pulled the trigger. Even with being told to back off, he stood his ground - blue eyes piercing in to the other man's as he massaged his jaw. His eyes darted only briefly to Steve on the ground, before refocusing on Ethan with the pistol. A saccharine smile crossed his features as he stared down the barrel, his hands going to his jeans. He wasn't easily intimidated and to react would only cause whomever was watching to believe that they were involved in something more than a rescue (even if some thought it a kidnapping attempt).

The other two knew they had been beaten for today, resorting to pistols and low-blows.

The mention of Arlene had made his jaw tightened. The other knew about them and clearly knew what would get them. Keegan only stood there, his expression cold as he watched them walk away (read: limp away with their tails tucked between their legs) - there had been a lot of things he wanted to follow up with the brass knuckles. He would have had his foot held over the top of Steve's neck, slowly increasing its pressure until he heard it snap with a final stomp. His eyes lingered on the forms leaving them before he looked back at Warren inquiring into his well-being.

"Yeah, I'm good. Savannah, Warren, you good?" Keegan asked, though wasted very little time in pulling out a cigarette. "Give me a hand with a light, Warren." There was a lot to go and explain, a lot to sniff out and a lot more work to be done when it came to the family's protection. He could feel like they had just opened a can of worms with this encounter. Upon being told who the men were, his expression had lost any warmth - cold and expressionless as he processed the information. His teeth clenched down on the butt of the cigarette as thoughts swirled around in his head. "We need to tell James." It was all he could manage, if not for a slight tremor of anger leaking through.

Tag: Misty Gray (Warren, Sav)

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James had been part way down the driveway when Syd chased after him, though stopping at the front door. Hearing his son scream after him, James stopped on the spot and turned to face the younger man. Hearing Syd bring Thomas into the argument, even stating how he hoped the boy never looked up to him, all he could do was stand speechless at how far Syd's anger had escalated. He wished he could shout back and remind him of how close the family used to be and of how much he'd done to make sure they grew up in a caring household. To hear the way Syd spoke momentarily made James question if he was any better than his own father had been. James had tried to do everything for his kids that his own father had never done for him. He'd wanted his family to feel the love and encouragement that Ronan had never given James or Elijah. He was certain he'd done all he could, but to hear Syd throw it all back in his face brought some rare doubt in his mind. Had he really failed his kids?

When the ornament was thrown at the car, James shook his head at Syd and sent him a stare that reflected his disappointment at how the younger man was behaving. If Syd wasn't his son, he was sure he'd by now have reacted angrily towards him; potentially even tried to knock some sense into him. Instead, James remained stunned by the whole scene and simply turn away when Syd did. He slowly walked towards the car, taking a brief moment to observe the damaged paintwork on the door. He then leaned against the vehicle as he lit up a cigarette to smoke as he watched the front door for Lucy. He had no intention of returning into the house but he also didn't intend on leaving his wife behind. He only hoped she'd follow him out and escape Syd's tirade before enduring too much of it.

Seeing Lucy eventually emerge from the house, James took a couple of long drags of his cigarette before flicking it onto the floor to stamp it out with his shoe. He took a step forward from leaning against the car and instinctively reached his arm out to place on Lucy's shoulder before pulling her in close to him. "I'm sorry," he apologised to her, though unsure which parts exactly where his fault. "Luce, I don't know what to do anymore. I didn't want this to end up as badly as it did, not after witnessing how Shannon reacted with Sinead's pregnancy. I just..." He let out a sigh and kissed the top of her head. "I'm exhausted," he quietly admitted.

Bellz (Lucy) Pyroclast (Syd)

Maddox Parker​

Maddox watched Ani as she told him his involvement with Moretti concerned her. His plans to get revenge on the Porters had been a driving force in his life for years and it had simply become a significant part of his life. "I spent my childhood under my step-father's command, with little control over how I spent my free time. It then became apparent that Dublin was oppressed too, with the Porters throwing their weight around and forcing people to play by their rules. My biological father... he had little control over how he ran his own pub, he had to pay rent to the Porters, and he was powerless to fight them. They gunned him down like he was nothing.... But now, I've been given the opportunity to have some power over those animals." For a moment, he brought his hands up to shield his face completely before exhaustedly dragging them down to bring his features back into view. He knew his calm and collected mask was slipping in Ani's presence but he decided it didn't matter. It was good to have just one person he could show weakness to and it helped that she genuinely cared for him. She was what had been missing in his life for so many years. Yet, it was the same gift of love that seemed to complicate his mission at hand. There was now something to lose and a possible normal life to imagine.

Maddox let out a sigh as Ani suggested their biggest threat was not the Porters but Gabriel and the East Harlem Gang. He hadn't wanted to admit it, but despite all of the control he held over Syd and Conor, and despite how much he had already done for the Morettis, Ani was probably right. Gabriel had equipped him with the opportunity and the security to take on the Porters, but when it came down to it, Maddox knew the Morettis had power over him in return.

"Ani, I'm sorry you have that lot on your back all of the time," He placed a reassuring arm around her and rested his head against hers. "We won't slip up. Just stick it out for a little longer. Once Gabriel has taken what he wants, then I'm hoping he'll back off. I hadn't expected to find someone like you and fall so in love, so I never considered what I would do when I got my revenge. I always just figured I'd continue to help Gabriel with other jobs, but now you've given me the desire to imagine a different path. We both love our real jobs and helping those who need us. I just wish there was a way Gabriel and Alistair would let us explore that once the Porters are done with..." He placed a soft kiss on her lips. "All I can do for now, is be here for you and hopefully help you to get through this with me."

Bellz (Ani)

Sinead Callahan and Gabriel Moretti​

Sinead couldn't help but roll her eyes when Mr. Durante practically asked Peter if she was permitted to perform at the birthday party. She pursed her lips as she made herself stay quiet until Peter answered. She wondered if she should be used to men treating her that way, like she was too feminine and naive to make her own decisions. As if she had to await her husband's approved before staying out late. Unfortunately, Gabriel's mind game did momentarily work on her. She found herself recalling an argument she and Peter had a few months ago, where he yelled at her for staying out at the Jazz Club with her colleagues one night. Still, things for them had improved substnationally since then and Sinead had faith that Peter would respond appropriately to Gabriel's rude question.

An amused smile crossed Sinead's lips when Peter spoke up and stated the decisions was his wife's. "My husband is quite right, Mr. Durante. This is my club and I will be the one performing, so I shall permit myself to be able to perform at your wife's birthday party. Should you decide to hold it here, of course," she firmly told him. Although being sassy was in her nature, the way she spoke was simply assertive and in control. "I think it would be best if we gave you all time to consider this venue and compare it the the others you've seen today," she suggested to him, flashing a charming smile to the three Morettis. As happy as she was to host the party, she was wasn't going to break out a sweat trying to talk them into choosing the Jazz Club. Being patronised in such a way had got to her more than it usually would have.

Gabriel had let out a small chuckle when Peter mentioned how he wouldn't get away with telling his wife what to do. "Ahh. I understand that. My wife is the same and I wouldn't dare question her, unless I want to sleep on the sofa," he joked. It turned out he was quite good at switching on the humour and tedious small talk. Regardless of Peter's diplomatic answer, it was clear the original question had got to Sinead. He made a mental note of the Callahans' reactions, figuring they could be used to help weaken the strong bond the Porter Family clearly held - the same bond that had kept the mob in power for so long. "I will certainly consider this venue. I really like what I've seen so far," he said, nodding his head in approval. When Sinead and Peter got up from their seats, Gabriel also stood. "I'll be in touch," he told them. Once the club owners were out of earshot, Gabriel sat back down in the booth opposite his son and daughter. He finished off the rest of his brandy before looking to Tatiana and Marcus. "That went quite well, I thought," he pointed out, with a crooked smirk. "I think your mother would love to have her birthday here... when we own this place."


After walking away from the Morettis, Sinead linked arms with Peter and led him back to the bar. "Well, he was a bit of a sexist pig, yeah?" she drily remarked. When they reached the bar, Sinead turned to face Peter, loosely draping her arms over his shoulders and placing a kiss on his lips. "You're the best, Petey! I don't know about you, honey, but I really want to stay out here drinking for a few more hours. There are cocktails with my name on and I promised Conor we wouldn't gatecrash his meal with Ali."


Bellz (Peter, Rebel) Pyroclast (Tatiana) RayPurchase (Marcus)

 

[Misty Gray]

Gabriel Moretti and Maddox Parker​

Later than evening...

After his brief time with Ani, Maddox had to see a couple more clients before he could return home for the rest of the day. With Ani working another long shift at the hospital and Maddox for a change having no other commitments, he'd returned to his apartment alone. It wasn't often that the man spent time at home and in his own company, so he'd taken to sitting down drinking beer whilst watching some cheesy detective show. After some intense weeks, it felt strangely mind-numbing to simply relax and stare at the television screen.

By the time the heavy knock at his door was heard, Maddox was unsure if he appreciated or resented the distraction. On the one hand, it was a relief to be dragged out of doing nothing useful but on the other, he'd been yearning for some time to rest. He got up to answer the door and as soon as he saw the stern face belonging to the man standing in the hallway, he silently determined the interruption was an unwelcome one. Still, he kept his features neutral and pulled the door open wider. "Gabriel, is there a problem?" he asked, having not expected to see the man.

"Nothing that doesn't have a solution," Gabriel simply answered the counsellor. He motioned for his two bodyguards to remain standing outside the apartment door so he could speak privately with Maddox. He practically let himself into the apartment, stepping through the doorway before motioning for Maddox to securely close the door behind them. The Italian walked deeper into the living area and tapped his hand on the kitchen table, signalling for Maddox to take a seat. Gabriel took a slight detour, switching off the television set to silence the distracting noise. He then took a seat at the kitchen table as Maddox sat opposite him. "Having discussed our Syd Porter issue with Stefano and Alistair, we've decided it's time for you to step in."

Maddox immediately felt apprehensive upon hearing Moretti's words. Though he did a decent job at hiding the shock from his face, the twitch of his eye betrayed him and he'd felt it. He briefly ran his hand over his unshaven chin before clearing his throat, knowing he had to speak up and fast. "Already?" he asked. He immediately knew his question wouldn't be taken well and Moretti gave him no time to explain his reservations.

"Already?!" Gabriel repeated, staring Maddox down before letting out a dark chuckle. "You've been counselling the rat for the past 4 years. Your father and uncles have been buried for more than ten. Stefano's daughter is carrying Syd's damned child. This is long overdue. You've committed so much of your time to getting vengeance for your family. I'm extremely proud of your work, Maddox. And now, you will be rewarded for your patience and the Porters will fall." Gabriel sat back in his seat, adopting a relaxed posture. "I've come to learn that Syd has his next counselling session in one week. You will work your magic and push him over the edge. Let him become the nuthouse's problem and we will weaken the Porters even more. Do whatever you have to do."

"I can arrange that," Maddox firmly assured Moretti, sending him a confirming nod. Still, something was eating at him. He considered it a failure on his part if any of his patients ended up sectioned. There was also his newfound love for Ani and knowing how much she was struggling with her own brother's mental illness. Would she still look at Maddox the same after this?

"There's no room for second thoughts," Gabriel spoke up, leaning forward and staring at Maddox as if trying to see deep into the man's head. "Remember when you assured me business came before your romance with Ani? Now is the time for you to prove that to me. You are an intelligent man and I appreciate all of the work you've done for me. I need your skills in this and I will always have a use for you, but if you fail me on this, I will be forced to remove any distractions from your life. Do you understand?" It was crystal clear the Italian was using Ani's well-being to threaten Maddox with.

"Of course I do. I can assure you that Ani is not distracting me." Maddox hid his irritation well, not comfortable with hearing the man bring Ani's well-being into it. "You simply caught me off-guard. As you said, I've been working on Syd for years and I guess it started to feel like I'd never get to see the results. I won't let you down because you want what I want. The Porters will suffer for what they've done. I owe it to my dad to see this through," he firmly assured Moretti. "Syd will be dealt with. I can assure you."

"Excellent. We get Syd Porter out of our hair and then we remove Conor Sullivan from the equation. I think we all made an error in underestimating that thug's ability to change..."


Mentions: Pyroclast (Syd) Bellz (Ani)

 

[Misty Gray]

Chapter 9: Fragile Minds
Friday 17th September 1971
...1 week later...
Afternoon - Sunny, Dry, Warm
******************************

******************************


Harris' Motor Repairs
~ Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan ~
​

Gabriel Moretti

Today was going to be a big day for Gabriel Moretti. Not only was Maddox set to deal with Syd Porter, but Gabriel was finally going to come face to face with James Porter himself. The back office of a mechanic's garage hadn't been the setting he'd originally had in mind, but it still had some charm to it. Gabriel and Teddy were seated at one side of the rectangular table with two empty chairs opposite them. Moretti looked to the door, sending an acknowledging nod to the two heavily armed bodyguards who were stood ready to disarm James and anyone who might accompany the Irishman. Despite the presence of heavily armed guards, some even waiting out back in case things did kick off, Gabriel's intention was to talk to Mr. Porter in a civil and productive manner. He was fully aware it would take a great amount of self control to conduct himself in a professional manner towards the man who had ordered for his family to be massacred a few years ago. The Porters would get one chance to do things the easy way and this would be it.

Gabriel turned to his left, where Jonah still awkwardly against the nearby wall. After buying the garage from Noah Harris, the man had then signed it over to one of Moretti's closest associates, putting the business under the ownership of the Italians. The man had proved useful to Gabriel, informing him that Porter's car had been brought in for a respray after the paintwork was damaged the previous week. It was Jonah who had called James earlier to tell him the car was ready to collect and arranged an approximate time when James would be down to get it. With his own fiancee's life at risk and having been closely watched by Moretti's men for the last week, Jonah had little choice but to betray the Porters. "Straighten yourself out, would you? In just a few more hours, you'll be out of my hair and back to that lady of yours. Get a grip," Gabriel coldly warned Jonah.

Gabriel took a long drag from his cigar before turning to face the man seated next to him. "How are you liking New York, Theodore?" he curiously asked Teddy. "Don't you just love the hustle and bustle of the city? The unlimited opportunities?" He flicked some cigar ash into the glass ashtray in front of him. "A vast improvement from Miami."

***************​

James Porter

James had quite simply been overworked in recent weeks but he'd always managed to keep a level head and remain focused on the job at hand. However, the argument he and Lucy had with Syd the previous week had managed to cut deep and caused James to feel the overwhelming exhaustion that he'd usually be able to brush aside or work off in the gym. He hadn't seen or heard from his son since the argument. James had tried to reassure Lucy throughout and give her the support she needed to overcome the upset the fight with Syd had caused her. Knowing he could only do so much, James had been handing some of his duties over to Conor as well as giving Warren the increased responsibility the younger man had been asking for.

When he heard his car was ready to pick up, James decided the fresh air would do him good and he had business in the city to attend to whilst he was there. He asked his chauffeur to drive him to Hell's Kitchen, picking Peter up along the way. Whilst he wished for his brother-in-law to accompany him on his business in the city, he also had a more personal reason for wanting the man to join him. With Syd's mental health apparently deteriorating, James felt like he was out of his depth. Not only had Peter been been seeing a counsellor himself, but the man also had experience in dealing with Sinead, throughout the woman's own psychological troubles and past breakdowns. James hoped Peter could provide him with some kind of insight. Some way to approach his son before their relationship was broken beyond repair.

Once the chauffeur had pulled up outside Harris' Motor Repairs, James and Peter stepped out. After giving a tap on the car roof, the driver drove away in the vehicle, with James intending on driving himself and Peter around the city in his own car, once collected from the garage. "Have you met Jonah before? He and Noah used to work for Liam. I've been told Noah was always a loose canon but Jonah seems to have his head screwed on," he prepared Peter as they entered the garage. The place was quieter than he'd expected, but he figured the mechanic must have finished for the day. James spotted his car and approached it to take a look at paintwork that had previously been damaged during Syd's angry tirade. Nodding his head in approval at the repair, he led Peter to the back office so he could pay Jonah and get the car keys.

After knocking on the door and hearing Jonah's voice call for them to enter, James and Peter stepped into the office, immediately met with by the two heavy set armed men, each holding a semi-automatic rifle which were aimed at James' and Peter's heads. "Throw your weapons onto the floor. No funny business," one of Moretti's bodyguards gruffly ordered the two Irishmen. Peter might be surprised to recognise Mr. Durante patiently seated at the table with a stern expression on his face...

Bellz (Peter) Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)

The Emerald Pub
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~
​

Conor Sullivan & Rachel Harris

It had been almost a week since Conor had moved back into the house with Aliana and Leo. Everything had felt right when his wife proposed he returned to their family home. Sinead and Peter appeared to be back on track and Aliana finally believed Conor had changed for the better. Everything felt perfect.

It still felt strange waking up in the morning. After years in prison, he'd barely got used to waking up in a comfortable bed in warm house. The room at the Callahans had slowly eased him into that, but he'd still been waking up alone. Now he was back home, he not only had the comfort but he was waking up in bed with his wife next to him. It was all too perfect and now his only reservation was that he didn't deserve it, that someone would just try to take his happiness away. It was only the times he was alone with his thoughts that he had chance to worry about things and he was sure Dr. Parker would be willing to hear him drone on about it all.

Thankfully, there wasn't much time to worry. Aside from his business duties, he'd been spending a lot of time with Aliana and Leo. Things were going well with his wife, with them getting close again and them both enjoying being in each others' company. Conor had also been able to bond with his son again, helping him with his schoolwork and playing sports with him. He was aware the boy had been making things difficult for Aliana in his absence, so Conor had put his foot down when needed and made it clear Leo had to improve his behaviour. Conor knew it wasn't enough to be a fun dad and much like in business, he wanted make sure he was taken seriously.

That afternoon, Conor had arranged to meet both Mitch and Farrid at the Emerald Pub. On account of his time in prison, Conor hadn't yet had the opportunity to meet Farrid and he understood the man had been out of the country for the last few weeks. James had briefed Conor on what had happened to Bailey and how it has affected the medic. With the Boss already stretched and going through a bad patch with Syd, Conor had been taking on increasingly more jobs to ease James' workload. Hearing that Farrid wished to get back into his duties with the mob, Conor jumped at the chance to finally meet the man and to update him on what had been going on over the last few weeks. Conor was all too familiar with grieving for loved ones lost through gang wars, so he felt he had some understanding of what Farrid had been through. Still, he was aware Mitch and Farrid already knew each other, so decided the catch up might go down better if the medic was also in the presence of someone he already knew. Besides which, Conor hadn't spoken to the lawyer in a little while and had a little catching up to do with him too.

Having arrived at the pub early, Conor made sure his table in the corner of the room was kept empty whilst he chatted with Rachel behind the bar. There was something he needed to discuss with his recently promoted bar manager and this was the ideal time. Conor stood with his arms folded as Larry continued to witter on about something to do with the horse racing, or some crap. Rachel was being as patient as ever, but Conor's eyes rolled as he gave in. "Alright, Larry. Take your pint and fuck off back to your table. You're giving me headache, mate," the Sullivan man said, waving him off.

"Well, you'll wish you'd listened when I win big on this one. Bloody wanker..." Larry grumbled on as he walked away from the bar.

"Ah, he's such an old charmer," Conor lightly remarked, grinning at the elderly man's complaining. Conor then turned his attention to Rachel and once she was facing him he addressed the matter at hand. "What's this I've heard about you letting your brother sell the garage? Should have come to us instead of that Jonah bloke. Considering my family get their cars fixed there and all..."

Rachel tossed the towel she'd been holding onto the counter and folded her arms as she looked up to meet Conor's eyes. For some reason, his questioning rubbed her up the wrong way. "It was Noah's business and it's up to him who he sells it to. My brother isn't getting out of jail any time soon, if ever. I was sick of being tied to that place, so I was glad when he decided to sell up. I'm sorry, Conor, but neither you nor James get to tell me what to do with that place. It was Noah's choice to make and I supported it. I'm happy the shithole is out of my hair." Rachel shook her head , trying not to take it personally that Conor was questioning her. "As for Jonah... He's Noah's best friend and he has been since they were kids. He'll keep it running better than I could have and he's keen to keep doing the jobs your family requires. Nothing changes, except it has someone in charge who actually wants to be." She sent him a crooked smile. "Don't you start questioning me like that, Conor!"

"Alright. Alright. I get it. It just seemed off that you didn't mention it to me first when I'm trying to keep tabs on all of the businesses and our associates..." Conor returned her smile, knowing Rachel was smart and wouldn't do anything impulsive. Deciding to change the subject onto something lighter, he stepped around the bar so he was now standing on the customer side. "Mitch is meeting me here soon. You ever gonna go on on a date with the bloke?" he teased her.

"You mind your own bloody business, else I'll give your favourite table away to Larry and his alcoholic pensioner friends," she said, reaching over to slap Conor's arm.

Inb4Cloaker (Farrid) RayPurchase (Mitch)

All That Jazz
~ Upper West Side, Manhattan ~
​

Sinead Callahan

Sinead had been interviewing for new bar staff since the morning and as the day progressed, she decided to invite Lucy and Aliana to the Jazz Club that afternoon. She was aware of the trouble Lucy was having with Syd and decided it might do her sister some good to get out of the house for a few hours, along with some female interaction. As for Aliana, Sinead had a week's worth of updates to drag out of the woman since things had gone well enough for Conor to move back in with his wife. Sinead hoped a few drinks and a bright atmosphere might help all three of them unwind.

Whilst she waited for the two ladies to arrive, Sinead sat at the bar with Scott as they finally decided who should get the job. "Natasha, it is, then!" Sinead excitedly confirmed. She then suspiciously eyed Scott as he grinned in response. "She's getting the job because she was the best. Not because you think she's cute, mister!" she lightly berated him.

"Woah! I know that," Scott replied, holding his hands up defensively. "But. If she happens to fall for my charm and good looks, then who am I to refuse her?"

Sinead shook her head in playful disapproval. "Doubtful. She seems pretty smart, so you've got no chance." Of course, Sinead was teasing. She knew Scott was a respectful person and that any relationship would be completely natural. She was always grateful he'd stuck with the club, even after been shot a couple of months ago. It felt good to have someone she could trust helping her and Peter run the place. Even if Peter was still a little cold towards the bar manager. "I'm going to take my drink and chill out in the booth over there. Let Luce and Ali know where I am when they get here," she told Scott.


Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana) Bellz (Lucy)

Savannah's & Braden's Apartment
~ Lenox Hill, Manhattan ~
​

Savannah Callahan

Savannah hadn't been sleeping well since she'd fallen into Steve's clutches for a second time. Despite Keegan and Warren saving her from further harm, it had been enough to drag up everything that had happened the night she was abducted from the theatre. The nightmares had been so vivid that she'd been snapped awake from her sleep sweating and shaking. If she wasn't being forced to 'relive' being tied up on the dark boot of the car, she was once again having Steve torment her both physically and mentally. That twisted man's face was there when she slept and often taunted her in her waking hours. She felt trapped. Too afraid to leave the apartment, as if her mere existence invited trouble and the only safe option was to stay inside. But that solution only served to make her feel isolated and alone. She had visitors, phonecalls and Braden living there, but that did nothing to help. She yearned to be out living and performing on stage, not hiding away from everything she enjoyed.

With Braden out with his friends, Savannah was alone in the apartment. Seated on the chair in her bedroom, she gazed out of the window as she practised her music on the keyboard. As she played the music, her fingers gradually slowed until her thumb was simply pressing down on a key, playing out the low note until silence filled the room. She was sure she'd heard a sound. "Braden?!" she called out. There was no response and no sound. After taking a deep breath, she continued to play the music, allowing her mind to drift off as she thought about her shift at the club the next day. She didn't want to let her mother down again, but the more she thought about working in the busy club, the more exposed she felt. The image of Steve sitting in the club by the stage, smirking at her as she played the piano suddenly entered her thoughts. She slammed both hands down on the keyboard, the loud noise filling the apartment until she pulled her hands away and stood up.

"Braden?!" she shouted, rushing into the kitchen and then the lounge area, but finding nobody else present. She rushed to the apartment door, checking it was still locked and bolted from inside. The third time she'd checked since Braden left earlier that day. The apartment was too quiet, with Braden having even taken the dog out with him. She hadn't been sure about having a dog living in the apartment at first, but she'd grown to love having a pet around and now she was alone, she wished Braden had at least left the dog at home with her for comfort.

When her eyes caught the clock on the wall, she gasped upon realising she was meant to be meeting with Danny in less than thirty minutes. She rushed back into her room to get dressed and do her hair ready for their date. She knew she needed to get out of the apartment and she felt safe with Danny. There was no way she could stand him up.

Soon enough, Savannah was ready and as she grabbed her handbag from the kitchen counter, she was pleased to see she was right on time to meet Danny. However, as she stepped into the lounge, she became fixated on the view out of the large window, looking down onto the street below her. She observed people casually walking by. Cars being driven up and down the street. She couldn't see anything untoward or suspicious. After a good ten minutes of watching, she finally accepted it was safe to go outside.

Savannah had arranged to meet Danny a block away from her apartment. She didn't want to stray too far from home but she also wanted to spare Danny the discomfort of possibly meeting Braden or one of her other family members. Though she walked as fast as she could in her stiletto shoes, she was still at least ten minutes late when she finally reached Danny. She'd never been late for their dates and in general life, she was almost always on time.

Seeing Danny brought a smile to her face and being out in the fresh air, in his presence, seemed to make all of the negative thoughts leave her. "I'm so sorry I'm late. I lost track of time and I was..." she stopped herself as she realised she was talking too fast. "I'm just sorry and I hope you didn't think I wasn't going to show up." She moved forward to embrace him, hoping to feed off of the warmth and security she tended to feel when in his arms. "I know a cute little restaurant nearby that we can try." Having not been eating much lately, she'd built up an appetite.

Pyroclast (Danny)

Currently Active Cast: Misty Gray Bellz Pyroclast Melanin-Gxdess Inb4Cloaker RayPurchase Bugsy
​

 

[Pyroclast]

Chapter 9: Fragile Minds
Friday 17th September 1971
...1 week later...
Afternoon - Sunny, Dry, Warm
******************************

******************************

Dr Parker's Office
~ Midtown Medical Centre, Manhattan ~
​

Syd Porter

Nothing could have prepared Syd for the fight that the pregnancy announcement had caused. Not once during the five weeks that he had kept the news to himself had he imagined a scenario that lead to such heartbreak. The disappointment and personal offence that he took from his parents' implicit rejection of the baby had dug its way so deep inside of him that it had drastically damaged his sense of self. Lacking the mental capacity to come up with a solution to the problem, Syd would wake up forgetting that the fight had ever happened, instead creating an alternate reality where he could pretend to be living his dream life. That only meant, however, that he forgot to keep on top of a lot of his responsibilities, including those at the nightclub which he neglected without even realising. Most days, he simply stayed at home, looking after Roxie, reading parenting books and playing with the dogs. Of course, he had his low days, too. The delusion would falter somewhat - not quite enough for him to be able to think about the problem in detail, but enough to let the sadness and fatigue seep through. On those days, Syd would be quiet and withdrawn, keeping to himself as much as possible.

Today was one of the low days. After spending his morning hiding away in the garage, Syd had retreated so far into his own head that he didn't even say goodbye to Roxie when he left the house, only reaching out to lightly hold her hand as he passed. Now, as the radio played quietly in the waiting room of the medical centre, he sat turning the platinum wedding ring on his finger absent-mindedly. He could have sat there all day, staring at the wall ahead of him and tuning out his surroundings. It didn't matter where he was - today, he wasn't fully anywhere.

"Mr. Porter?" The sound of his name drew him back into the room and he turned his head to see the receptionist, Laura, smiling his way. The effort it took for him to get out of his seat made it feel like his body had gone to sleep from sitting down too long. "Are you alright?" she quietly asked, though it wasn't so much of a question as a general acknowledgement of his attention. She left him to find his own way to Maddox's office door but watched him all the while, perhaps for noticing how weak and tired he appeared.

Syd entered the room without knocking, opening the door slowly as though it weighed a tonne. "Afternoon," he mumbled, sending his counsellor a small nod as he let the door close behind him and stepped further into the room. His voice was rough, a reflection of how little he had spoken so far that day. He hadn't managed to eat or drink anything either, and when he saw a jug of water and some cups on the table, he realised that he had developed a slight headache. "How's it going, doc?" he wearily greeted the man, reaching out to shake his hand. Then, pointing to the water as he sat himself down on the sofa, he asked, "Can I please have some of this?"

Misty Gray Maddox

East Harlem Headquarters​

Steve Kelly
~ Alistair Sawyer ~

Steve's value in the gang from Alistair's perspective had dropped since he got punched in the face with a set of brass knuckles. Not only would the concussion have got in the way of carrying out important work, but the swollen black eye that had since developed would have affected his depth perception too much to accurately aim and fire a weapon. As a result, and much to Steve's annoyance, Alistair had relieved him of his duties for several days. A week later, the swelling had gone down somewhat and the effects of the concussion had lessened enough for him to be put to work.

Today was his chance to prove his boss right. Since he and Luke had managed to obtain the contacts for the Irish Mob's drug suppliers in exchange for Savannah's return, the East Harlem headquarters had become a place of storage for the incoming supply, where it could then be divided between the allied gangs and be efficiently distributed. Teaming up with Tony Harris, a member of Moretti's gang, Steve and two of Alistair's men had been assigned the task of delivering Moretti's share of the drugs.

The two men sat ready in the front of the black Chevrolet panel truck, which they had parked in the small underground car park where deliveries to the office block were commonly brought. Steve leaned against the truck, waiting patiently for his partner to arrive.

Suddenly the door burst open, prompting him to push himself off and stand upright. "Steve," Alistair called out, advancing towards the truck with a tough-looking man at his side. Steve grinned as he looked the man up and down. "This is Tony Harris, who I've assigned you with today. He'll show you in to Moretti's storage facility, where you'll unload the goods. He will take it from there. Any questions?"

"No, boss," Steve replied, an eager grin on his face. "Let's get down to business."

Even though it wasn't a particularly challenging or fun job, Steve was still glad to be involved again. He wrenched open the back door of the truck and climbed inside, expecting Tony to do the same. Once the two of them were settled, Alistair gave the truck a firm pat and it pulled away, up and onto the street.

Sitting with one hand on the stack of boxes to steady both them and himself as the car careened around corners he couldn't see, Steve couldn't help but stare at Tony. He loved how tough he looked and was intrigued by him, not having met many men working directly under Gabriel Moretti before. "You've been playin' this game for some time, haven't you?" he smirked. "Yeah, you got one of those faces. Seen some shit. Done some shit. Don't worry, I won't ask what your story is." He extended a hand for the man to shake if he wanted to. "Good to be workin' with you, Tony Harris."

Interactions
RayPurchase Tony

 

[Misty Gray]

Warren Taylor​

Warren had stayed over at the Porters' house for a couple of days at the start of the week. He'd been there to support his brother through the family issues he was going through, but also to be briefed on what James wanted from him moving forward. Warren was glad that James was willing to give him more duties within the mob and the brothers had grown closer for it. Their mother was of course concerned, but Warren was sure to remind Rayna he was a grown adult and able to take responsibility for his own actions. He'd missed so many years with James' side of the family that he was grateful to be able to make up for it.

For the last few days, Warren and Keegan had been working together out in the city. It was thanks to Braden and his own connections to gangs around the city that the Porters had been made aware of where the EHHQ was. Warren and Keegan had been scoping the place out over recent days, getting a good handle on the entrances and exits. They'd come to recognise the vehicles the groups were using, particularly the black Chevrolet panel truck which was the same as the one used to kidnap Sinead, Lucy and Syd some weeks ago.

Today, Warren and Keegan sat in the car as they waited for the vehicle to emerge. A truck which they by now knew would be transporting some of the drugs the enemy had their hands on since Syd was forced to hand over the Porters contacts in return for Savannah's life. "We stop them before they get far, yeah?" Warren checked with Keegan. As he sat in the driver's seat, Warren gripped the handle of his gun and idly tapped the end of the barrel on the dashboard in front of him. He was ready to attack the bastards who had been making his family's life so difficult. The job was to intercept the vehicle and send a threatening message back to those who had crossed the mob. If they managed to hijack the vehicle and seize the drugs in the process, that would be a bonus.

As the Chevrolet suddenly emerged onto the street and in view, Warren glanced in the rearview mirror and raised his hand to confirm to the nearby parked car - their backup - that it was time to get moving. "Think you can take out the driver?" Warren asked Keegan, knowing he himself would be limited whilst in control of their own car. He figured the bastards in the Chevrolet wouldn't get far if the driver was taken out of action and then they could move in on them...

Bugsy (Keegan)
Mentioned: Pyroclast (Steve) RayPurchase (Tony)