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

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan

Ali always found it interesting when people mentioned her being strong and asking her how she could be that way. Usually she would just give them an answer about how tough her life was, how her experiences were making her this way. Partially, that was the case but it sounded like a tired old line. Instead, she nodded her head side to side before responding, rubbing her friends back gently. "Sin, you don't have to be strong every moment of the day. It's okay to let that wall down." As they faced each other, she took her thumbs and wiped the tears out of her eyes. Aliana listened to Sinead continue to cry and talk about Warren, but her comment made her think about Tommy. This wasn't the time to do that, as she instinctively reached for the bracelet that was no longer on her wrist. A few weeks ago, she decided she would only wear it on special occasions as not to get it lost running around with the dogs and the children. As hard as it was to hear that name, she didn't react as she normally would a few weeks ago. Instead, she nodded her head in understanding. Tommy's life was also taken before he had gotten to fully live it, maybe even with her, and now that Warren was dead it seemed like a trend was starting. One she hoped would no longer continue.

She heard the door opening again but she was too focused on her friend to see who it was. Her sadness was now turning into anger and the scene was all too familiar with her. When Jackson told her Tommy had died, Ali was an emotional wreck and it would help her be there for her friend even more. It was a lesson, now that she thought about it now, and she was going to have to apply it. "Alright there, tough lady. Don't go doing something you might regret." With a deep sigh, she scratched her head. "I hate them, maybe not as much as you given your history, but I hate them too, Sin. We just have to trust the guys to get done what needs to be done. They need all the support we can give them right now. I'm not saying put your grief aside, not at all. You deserve to mourn and you need to be able to let it out. I'm saying, they all need the support of their women and when you're ready, then you can be strong." She gave her a soft smile before giving her nudge. "When you're ready, we'll go back out there and check on the kids, yeah?"
​

 

[Pyroclast]

Danny Vaughan

After seeing the moving embrace between father and daughter, Danny was sure Peter would send him home so that he could look after Savannah in peace. Part of him thought she would want that, too, but ultimately he was relieved when he was invited inside. After all, he wanted to be there for her, to show her that he was willing to take responsibility for her pain after leading her into danger. They were met by another girl standing at the bottom of the stairs who introduced herself as Emery. Danny returned her wave, having heard plenty of her before, and offered her a smile. “Danny. Good to meet you, too.”

Emery didn’t stick around, and since Conor had already gone it was just the three of them left together. When asked if he was hurt, Danny stepped back and shook his head. “Oh, no, please - I’ll be alright.” His injuries, while not anything trivial, were internal and therefore unlikely to be helped by whatever Peter’s medical kit contained. He would much rather get them seen to in his own time; for now, he was more concerned about Savannah’s state.

Understandably, she couldn’t keep her mind from the traumatic event for more than a second or two and soon continued her fretting. “Sav, let’s sit down,” he calmly suggested. In the presence of her father, there wasn’t much he could think of to assure her with since Peter surely knew far more about cleaning up the aftermath of a crime. What Danny did for a living was by no means legal but he was always able to go about it without committing violent acts. It was in his best interest to be amiable with his customers and so they tended to like him. As for the ones that had a more unpredictable temperament, he would either suffer what he called an ‘occupational hazard’ or he would get away - but he never carried a weapon of any kind on him. In Savannah’s situation, however, she was only able to get away by using violence...and ultimately killing a man.

Once they were seated, Danny settled into the least uncomfortable position he could find and reset his attention on her, unable to look away from her tearful eyes. “Savannah, listen…” he said, keeping his tone soft to try and soothe her nerves. “What happened back there doesn’t make you a bad person, okay? It was him or you, and you got yourself out of there the only way you could. If anyone deserves to get locked up, it’s them.” Danny fell quiet for a moment before turning to Peter. Since dating Savannah, he had been getting a clearer picture of just how many of her family's enemies roamed the streets. "Is there anywhere left that's safe to go? I mean, I don't know who these guys are, but...it's like the whole city's infested with bad people. I'm sorry for taking her somewhere dangerous. I thought I knew your enemies' territories, at least where I'm allowed to deal, but...I didn't know they had East Village now."

Interactions
Misty Gray Savannah
Bellz Peter

 

[Misty Gray]

Gabriel Moretti
~ Ethan Turner ~​

Gabriel remained silent as he allowed the other men to have it out with each other and put each of their arguments forward. As he often did, he preferred to let them get their thoughts out in the open and exhaust any debate they wished to present, rather than interrupting to silence them and prevent the possibility of some interesting revelations rolling off of their tongues. As expected, the men in the room had nothing to hide, so there was nothing shocking or surprising in their words. Regardless, the tempers and accusations of blame did begin to wear thin. Once everyone had been given chance to speak up, Gabriel decided to talk.

Gabriel took a few steps to be central to the group, whilst also making sure to shift from the puddle of blood that was soaking into his favourite rug. "Gentlemen," he began. His gaze lingering on Steve for a moment, not oblivious to the man's penchant for snorting cocaine. He snapped his focus away, deciding he had more important matters to speak about. "That right there," he said, pointing to the dead man on a the floor a few feet away. "That is what failure looks like. Ineptitude. Pure and simple," he continued on. "Every one of you is better than that. You were all brought in for this job because you have a clean record of success. Before today, none of you have let me or our shared cause down."

The Italian looked to his consigliere first. "Rhys came to us with an excellent and meticulous plan, which was jeopardised by the failure of men not in this room. Tony carried out his role and called Porters' office, whilst Steve played his part in preventing anyone from entering the building in the crucial minutes. Alistair was generous enough to lend some of his men to carry out this plan. A plan which I was informed of and agreed to myself. It seems to me that James Porter got lucky, as I myself once did," he admitted. "Alistair, I trust will discipline the men who failed to stake out the apartment block for the appropriate length of time," he said, not needing to spell out he wished for those men to be properly dealt with.

"There is no time for arguments and hostilities amongst us. We must remain united by our shared enemies. If cracks appear within our organisations, then we might as well just let the Irish bastards fuck us all right now."

Gabriel considered the suggestions Rhys, Tony and Alistair put forward. After giving a little time for further comments, he spoke further. "Relax... They won't get anywhere near you, Tony. But, Alistair is correct. We can't just go in guns blazing and expect to take the lot of those rats down. This requires planning and adequate resources, to ensure when we attack them it is devastating but no loose ends are left behind. The Porters thought they'd succeeded when they decimated my family and their employees, but I was a detail they failed to take out in their messy retaliation."

Gabriel then thought on Rhys' point about going for the under-bosses, expecting James himself would now proceed to hide out away from the firing line. "We must approach this wisely and do our research. Only when we are confident will we rain fire on those Mick bastards." Gabriel massaged his chin before coming to a decision. "Alistair, I would like for you and your most trusted men to focus on gathering as much information and background as you can on the Callahans. In addition, look into their latest arrival, Jackson McCarthy. I want to know about him." Gabriel then looked to Rhys and Tony. "You will lead on keeping close tabs on Conor Sullivan and Adam Harper." He cleared his throat. "And all of us with keep close eyes out on James Porter, in case he does crawl out of his hole. We can then meet again with our findings and formulate a plan for our next moves. Does anyone have any arguments or further points to raise?" he asked.

The assumption still hanging in the room waiting for confirmation was clear. Gabriel believed Syd would be dead soon enough and Stefano could join them to assist with their next plans.

Enzyme (Rhys) RayPurchase (Tony) Pyroclast (Alistair, Steve)

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

Now that he knew Gwen was neither going to die nor forget who he was, Jason managed to relax just enough to be overpowered by shock. He let Gwen take him in her arms, leaning over her so that she didn’t have to move too much. Still, he fought to keep his cries quiet, wanting to overcome them as soon as possible before they could take complete control. When she rested her head against his chest, Jason was aware that she would be able to hear how heavily his heart was beating, but he was just grateful to feel her warmth. That night, he had come too close to never feeling it again.

He could have held onto her forever, but, knowing that she needed to rest, he let her lie back down and quickly reached up to wipe the tears from his face. Gwen’s guilt surfaced quicker than he expected; Jason felt inclined to tell her not to worry about it for now, but she kept going, apparently wanting to get it off her chest. “Gwen, love,” he softly said, his tearful blue eyes latching onto hers. “The way I reacted...y’know, the drinkin’ an’ all...that wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t your responsibility, alright? It’s just a bad coping mechanism. Because I didn’t make sure I had anythin’ better, like. Now, that’s on me, not you, alright?” Reaching out to softly caress her hand, he mustered a smile. “I’ll get myself better. And we’ll find whatever ways’ll get you better, too. It’ll be alright. Just don’t be blamin’ yourself, now. Ye don’t have to hide anythin’ from me anymore. Okay? I promise.” Now certain that Gwen remembered him completely, Jason leaned across the bed and planted a kiss on her forehead.

The mention of Lorelei made Jason momentarily drop his gaze, but he made sure to look her in the eye when she continued, hoping to ease her worries. “Lorelei did see me carryin’ ye outside. But she’ll be looked after by Sinead and Aliana for now, so don’t you be worryin’ about her. I’ll call home soon, let her and everyone know you’re awake and alright.” Despite his words, there was still a deep concern in Jason’s eyes as he remembered the sound of Lorelei’s cries echoing through the house. The moment was so harrowing, he knew for certain it would be etched into the young girl’s mind forever, as it would be his. Jason reached out to brush away some hair that had stuck to her forehead, caressing her cheek on his way down. “Ah, you’re nothin’ like that shitehawk, Gwen. Couldn’t be less like him. Lorelei loves ye, she belongs wit’ ye. You’d do nothin’ to that sweet girl like he did, now, would ye? All’s we’ve got t’do is get these drugs out of your system for good. An’ we’s all gonna be helpin’ ye get there. I promise.” He squeezed her hand. “Now don’t ever compare yourself to him again, alright?”

Suddenly the door opened and Blake entered, balancing three cups of coffee in her hands. Jason sniffed and cleared his throat. “Thanks, Blake,” he softly muttered, and when she placed the cup of coffee next to him he quickly asked her if she would call home. He thanked her once again when she assured him that she already had and then turned back to give Gwen a smile. It was obvious that they were both thinking of Lorelei when Blake left the room to find Finn.

Gwen then invited him up onto the bed with her. It took some careful manoeuvring and adjusting of IV tubes, but Jason wanted nothing more than to comfort her with his affection and receive hers in return. Lying on his side, head on the pillow beside hers, he gazed into her eyes and said nothing for a while, simply appreciating the peace of having some private time with her. His fingers delicately traced along her cheekbone, her jawline, her plump lips that were steadily regaining their colour. Keeping his hand in place, it slipped round to the back of her neck when she leaned in to kiss his cheek. The words that followed made him instantly smile, and he didn’t stop smiling as she went on to confess that she had loved him since the first day they had met. “I love you, too, baby,” he softly replied, his adoration for her showing in his eyes. “Took me far too long to realise what I was feelin’ for you. Ye can blame that on…” He paused to swallow his words as he almost dropped a mention of his family - the ‘f’ word that he somehow never found a good time to talk about. “Well, bein’ alone too long. But it must have started from that day. In those few hours, you left more of an impression on me than anyone else has ever even come close to leavin’. Even when we fought...God, I was just obsessed wit’ ye. What a fool I was, not to treat ye the way you deserve.” The hospital bed wasn’t made for two, so it didn’t require much movement for Jason to lean in for a tender kiss. There was some dried blood in his beard from resuscitating her, but her face was still streaked with it anyway so his kiss didn’t leave any more of a mark. He pulled back and smiled warmly at her. Alone together, the atmosphere had turned so peaceful that Jason almost forgot that they were in hospital. “Tell me, then, Gwen...was all the trouble worth it in the end?”

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

“I thought I could live without romance
Until you came to me
But now I know
That I will go on
Loving you eternally

Won’t you please be my own?
Never leave me alone
‘Cause I die every time we’re apart
I want you, I need you, I love you
With all my heart…”​

Syd moved through the hospital in a daze, murmuring the words tunelessly around the cigarette that parted his lips. He wasn’t thinking so much about where he was going, where he was supposed to be, or the fact that he was alone; his mind was entirely lost in a daydream, too busy fantasising about his future to remember that reality was waiting for him. His singing - if anyone could call it that - was interrupted when a loud voice penetrated his dream, and he turned round to see Jackson. Releasing a shaky exhale of smoke, Syd lowered his cigarette and smiled brightly to the man. “Jackson,” he softly greeted him. “I haven’t seen you in a while.” He didn’t really understand what he meant when he asked if Syd was running away, but he kept smiling all the same. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

He let Jackson take his pack of cigarettes and light one for himself, taking a drag from his own as he watched. “She’s good,” he smiled. Suddenly he remembered that Jackson hadn’t been there for the reveal and a fresh wave of excitement washed over him as he realised he could break the news all over again. But just as he opened his mouth to speak, Jackson turned the conversation to what had happened back on Liberty Island. Syd’s gaze instantly dropped and his smile faded; he turned away for a moment, pretending to look at the walls around them, and then scratched his head. “Yeah…” All too suddenly, the joy in his face disappeared. He drew again from his cigarette and grimaced to stretch out the tension his jaw. There was a slight tremble on his breath and he kept shifting from foot to foot. “I did, I did have to do it. He would’ve killed her. I thought he’d -” The cigarette being shoved between his lips cut his sentence short, as though his running mind was operating separately to his body and he was losing control of both. “She, she told me the same thing.” Syd looked to Jackson with desperate eyes, nodding his head. He managed to keep his eyes on him for a few more seconds before he started to pace. “Fuck...”

It was catching up to him now, everything that he had done that night, all the lives he had taken. “I wanted to kill him for the longest time, Jackson - it was all I thought about, killing him, killing Maddox, just putting a bullet right between their fucking eyes.” Without thinking, he pulled out his pistol and aimed it at the window to illustrate his point. Thankfully, there was no one else in the stairwell with them at the time to see it because he was hardly aware of his surroundings at all. Syd continued to pace, except now brandishing his sidearm. “I just killed Roxie’s dad.” A small laugh escaped him, quickly muffled by the cigarette which by now wasn’t much more than a stump. “What a way to start a life with someone! Nothing says ‘I love you’ like killing her father, right?” He laughed again, but it came out strained as though struggling to conceal the pain behind it, and his eyes burned with unidentifiable tears. Once his laughter died down again, he fell back against the wall and took a deep breath. There was practically nothing left of his cigarette so he bunched a fist around it to crush it flat and then watched it fall. A silence fell between them for a moment, drawing attention to the electric buzz of the faded ceiling light. When he looked over to Jackson again, he suddenly felt a little embarrassed. While Syd was not exactly sensitive to gore and violence, he had never really figured out how to stop thinking about it afterwards and often couldn’t quite make peace with his actions. Even when he felt he could justify them, they crept into his dreams and were re-lived as violent night terrors. Still with his eyes on Jackson, Syd cleared his throat. “Do you wanna see the twins?” he suddenly asked, forgetting that he hadn’t told his Godfather the news yet. “I-I can’t remember where Roxie’s room is s-so you’ll have to help me...help me find it.”

Interactions
Enzyme Jackson
Bellz Roxie (mentioned)

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy​

Jackson watched as Syd's smile faded from his face. The death of Stefano had evidently hit a nerve, and he hoped it wouldn't be the straw that broke the camel's back. Times were getting hard for the family, and they needed Syd to keep a good head on his shoulders. The kid had gone through a lot of turmoil in the last few weeks, but this had to be it. They got Roxie back, she was safe. This needed to be the event the catapulted Syd back up the hill. Jackson didn't want to bring it up before, but he knew Syd's image had already been tainted after he was admitted to a hospital. It wasn't a good look for the Porters and was another heavyweight leveled on James's shoulders. As James's close hand and Syd's Godfather, it was his job to keep the kid's head straight. He'd gone through hell and back for him, but Jackson needed to see progress.

Jackson's eyes widened as Syd went on a rant about killing Roxie's father, something from the loose lips of a guy losing his mind. Once Syd drew the handgun, Jackson immediately sprang up, grabbing the barrel with his hand. "Christ, Syd!" Jackson barked as quietly as he could, looking over his shoulders to make sure no one was around. "The fuck are you doin'?" Jackson hissed, pushing the gun down to their legs.

"Talkin' about killin' a man in public? Pullin' out a gun? Have you lost your bloody mind?" Jackson straightened Syd's shoulders with his hands, squeezing them as he made another sweep with his gaze to make sure no one had witnessed the little outburst.

Jackson leaned in close, shoving his finger inches from Syd's nose. "You did what you did, and that's that. Nothin' to be fuckin' proud of." Jackson's eyes dug into the side of Syd's face, as if he was scolding Natasha. "Cause of what happened, your kid will never get to know their grandfather. Even if he was a fuckin' twat, that's a damn shame." Jackson's voice was low, but harsh. Syd needed to wake up and to do that, Jackson couldn't pull any punches.

"Killin' doesn't make you a man. You've already killed more cocksuckers than Conor, and he's twice the man you'll ever be - twice the man I'll ever be. Last time he did it, he almost lost his guts all over the floor and here you are - gloating about killin' your father-in-law like you won the lottery." Jackson's stare relented once his voice softened. He put an arm around Syd's shoulder, pulling the kid into his side. "Blimey, we need your head clear, Syd. You're gonna' be a father for christ's sake."

Jackson let go of Syd, moving back to take a drag of his cigarette. His hand wiped his forehead in an exasperated manner and his shoulders soon found the wall behind him. He was tired, sore, and all he wanted was his head in his pillow. He was about ready to call it a night until Syd spoke up again, causing Jackson's head to slowly raise in shock. "Did you say... Twins?"

Jackson pressed off the wall, the cigarette nearly falling from the corner of his mouth. "Mate, you're havin' twins!" Jackson nearly shot out of his shoes as he grabbed Syd's shoulders, shaking him like a gumball machine. He suddenly pulled Syd into a tight hug and messed up the kid's hair with the palm of his hand. "We'll find the room, you daft! You're havin' bloody twins!" Jackson pulled Syd down the hall, keeping the kid around his arm. "My boy's gonna have fuckin' twins!" Jackson announced to the hospital lobby.

With the help of a nurse, the pair were able to locate Roxie's room. Jackson followed behind Syd, his hands rested firmly ontop of Syd's shoulders.

Pyroclast (Syd)
Mention(s): Misty Gray (Conor)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

The heavy slap of Jackson’s hands against Syd’s shoulders shook him out of his frenzy and brought his laughter to an abrupt end. Unable to process all the overwhelming events of the evening, Syd had slipped back into his delusional coping strategy of flipping the problem on its head and forcing himself to believe that everything was fine - but while his laughter made it seem like he was able to find it amusing, it was all a facade to mask how he truly felt. Jackson pointed his finger at Syd as he berated him for shouting and gloating about it so publicly, reminding him that his child would never get to know their grandfather. Syd hadn’t expected to be forced to confront the harsh reality of it so soon, his fear that Roxie might never seem him the same way again. That she might never forgive him, and ultimately fall out of love with him… That she might take his daughters away. His cheeks reddened and he had to clench his jaw to stop his lip from trembling at the thought of it. A single tear crashed down his face when Jackson moved away, his fingers dabbing at his lips as if they still held a cigarette and slowly exhaling the imaginary smoke. His head was anything but clear; even with all the treatment he had received, life had continued to throw more and more at him, with Ryan’s death and Roxie’s kidnapping stealing away his chance for rest and recovery. He didn’t understand how he was supposed to get better - such extreme events simply demanded extreme emotional reactions from him, and if he tried to ignore them they would only erupt out of him with even less control than they otherwise would.

When he finally looked up to Jackson, he noticed how exhausted he looked. Since the day of his suicide attempt when his Godfather had appeared out of the greatest of coincidences, the two hadn’t seen all that much of each other. For the first time, he could really see the man’s age showing in the lines around his eyes, highlighted by the ordeal they had faced that evening. But those tired eyes soon lit up when Syd mentioned the twins. Still suffering some memory loss from the course of ECT he had recently completed, Syd was confused to see Jackson look so shocked, sure that he had already told him the news. It put the smile back on his face to see him so happy, and he laughed brightly when his Godfather shook him and pulled him in for a tight hug. “I’m having twins!”

Syd wasn’t used to being publicly celebrated so Jackson’s proud display made him blush deeply, a beaming smile reaching up to his eyes. As quickly as it had come, his insecurities about what he had done that night all disappeared and his happiness returned to him. This time, he didn’t think anything could shake it. Once a nurse pointed them in the right direction, Syd ran ahead and knocked enthusiastically on the window to get Roxie’s attention before bursting into the room. Not saying anything over his joyous laughter, Syd bounded over to her bed and kissed her passionately.

“Roxie! This is my Godfather, Jackson,” he told her, still smiling as he caught his breath. "He helped save you tonight." He jumped back and slapped a hand on Jackson’s back, eager for them to be properly introduced. “Look,” he said, passing the ultrasound over to the man. “TWO blobs. There, see? That’s my girls.” The ultrasound technician may as well not have been in the room for how little attention Syd paid to her. Kneeling carefully down beside Roxie's bed, Syd pulled her hand towards him to smother it in kisses. “How're you feeling, babe? Do you wanna go home yet? Mam says she’s set up a bed for you.”

Interactions
Bellz Roxie
Enzyme Jackson

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter ​

Lucy nodded her head lightly, ready to stand to get her husband a drink when Conor entered the room. James looked at her and she bit her lip, knowing that if there was a time to address the elephant in the room, it would be now. "Hi Con," Lucy murmured in return as she moved to sit back down on the arm of the chair. Reaching down, she took James' hand in her own and gave it a gentle squeeze, a motion that confirmed she was going to ask her brother to take over. "Actually, brother...James and I wanted to talk to you." Her eyes looked towards the hallway that lead to the kitchen, making sure the children were preoccupied before continuing on.

"After what happened today, I am growing increasingly concerned about James' well being. And yes, I know, I don't have a lot of say when it comes to the business deals but I do have a hell of a lot to say when it comes to my family." Looking down at James a moment, she looked into his eyes to confirm that she could continue before doing so once more. "We aren't as young as we once were, we can't bounce back from all of this like we use to. My biggest concern is the family and what's best for them...and while I know James will continue to fight for our protection, I just don't think he can take much more of this." Looking to Conor, Lucy's eyes searched his. "When dad died, James and I both knew you weren't ready to take over the business. You had a lot of growing up to do. Watching you struggle for the past 22 years hasn't been easy but I first want to say that as your older sister, you've grown in more ways over the years than I could have imagined, Conor."

A smile formed on her lips as she spoke, showing just how proud she was of him. "I'm really proud of the man you've become, we both are. But as your sister, I have one favor to ask...and you know I don't ask for a lot..." Pausing a moment, Lucy squeezed James' hand again. "I think...and I believe James feels the same, that you are ready to take on this business. Not saying that we are old and withering away, but James and I are going to be grandparents...something we never thought would happen so soon. It's changed my perspective on things, we still have a lot to live for and I can't bare the stress of wondering if my husband is going to come home alive to enjoy our beautiful family."

"We need your help, Conor. You won't be dealing with this alone, I'm not some dictator that won't allow James to be part of the business still. But he needs to retire."
with: Conor + James Misty Gray

RETIRE OLD MAN

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau
Blake McCarthy​

As much as she wanted to be able to match Syd's excitement over the news of having twins, Roxie could barely muster a smile. Watching him practically bounce off the walls was slightly amusing but she was feeling overwhelmed with everything. The ultrasound technician could clearly see the distress on her face, so she helped Syd out the door before closing it behind him. "You feeling alright?" The technician asked and Roxie was about to nod her head, but the feeling of having to stay strong was exhausting her, so she gave in, shaking her head slowly. "It's important to say when you are feeling stressed." The woman told her and Roxie just stared at her openly for a moment before letting her eyes look back to the screen. "Stress can be damaging to both you and the babies, high blood pressure can lead to premature births and right now your babies are a little underweight. I'll have Dr. Sullivan and the OBGYN make a nutrition plan for you to stick to...but as for the stress, I can also have them refer you to a psychologist." Roxie immediately shook her head at the mention of seeing a therapist. "My boyfriend won't allow it." She murmured to which the ultrasound technician froze, "If you are in danger..." She started to which Roxie shook her head again, mustering a smile as wide as she could. "With him? Oh god no. I'm alright, really." The technician looked concerned but didn't say much more about the subject.

Roxie looked down at her large belly and sighed softly, wanting to avoid all conversation now. Suddenly, a knock on the window sounded, causing Roxie to jump slightly. Syd and the man who'd helped rescue her stepped into the room. All smiles on their faces. Syd bounded to her and placed a kiss on her lips passionately, which was unexpected. Blinking almost dizzily, Roxie faked a smile before looking to Jackson. "Thank you, Jackson. It's nice to meet you." She murmured softly before Syd grabbed the ultrasound image, passing it over Jackson. The technician smiled lightly before waving to Roxie, "Take care." She said before leaving the room with the large machine in tow. Roxie watched her leave before Syd kneeling down next to her bed caught her attention. He asked how she was feeling and Roxie honestly couldn't describe the emotions she was feeling in that moment. "Oh yea?" She asked lightly as he said Lucy had a bed set up for her, "That's so kind of her." Before she had to say anything more, Finn entered the room with a woman right behind him. "See? He's here." Finn said pointing to Jackson. Blake's eyes went wide as she practically skipped over to her husband. "You're okay!" She said gleefully before pulling him into a passionate kiss. "Bet you are surprised to see me here." Blake murmured as she pulled away to give him some air.

"Alright Roxie, time to get you discharged so we can send you home. It was brought to my attention that you are most likely suffering from stress, so I've consulted the OBGYN on some tips to help you out. Being pregnant is already stressful enough...so I can't imagine what you must be feeling after what you went through." Roxie was almost embarrassed by the fact that Finn addressed her stress, seeing that Syd was so happy. Clearing her throat, Roxie nodded her head as her eyes began to water. "Fuck." She hissed as she moved her hand away from Syd's to wipe under her eyes.

Blake looked to Roxie then to Jackson, "Maybe we should step outside the room hmm? Give her some privacy? I'm not done with you yet." She murmured before grabbing Jackson's collar, tugging him towards the door. "We'll be waiting for you out here." She told Syd and Roxie before the door closed behind them.

Finn watched Jackson and Blake leave before looking to Roxie and Syd, "It's perfectly normal to experience such strong emotions right now, Roxie. But I'll leave you with these instructions, okay? Let's see you back here for your normal check up, which is already scheduled for about a month from now." With that, he left the couple in the room. Roxie was quiet for a moment, waiting for the door to close before she completely lost it. Reaching her arms out, she waited for Syd to embrace her before whimpering, "I thought you weren't going to come for me." Burying her head into his shoulder, she wept so hard her shoulders shook. "I love you."
with: Syd Pyroclast ; Jackson Enzyme

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy​

As Jackson stepped inside the hospital room, his hands instinctively folded behind his back. With the nurse out of their way, Jackson got a good look at the woman they'd save. Despite her rugged state, her natural beauty was unmistakable. If anyone could shoot way out of his league, it was Syd. He gave Roxie a warm smile, and a firm nod once Syd introduced him, stepping to her bedside. "Likewise, Mrs. Carriveau." Jackson pulled up the ultrasound picture into the light fixture above, studying the two white blobs with a toothy grin. "Ah, they look just like you, Syd," Jackson joked, elbowing Syd in the side playfully. "If they look anything like the two of you, they're gonna have a pretty wonderful life," Jackson commented sincerely as he placed the image down on the table.

Jackson's head turned to see Finn as he entered the room. His surprise was doubled when his wife followed behind, his smile growing wider. "Hey, hey," Jackson said softly as Blake pulled him in. His hands fell around her shoulders as his lips naturally found hers, returning the kiss with the same level of passion. Every mission felt like it could be his last, but it had been something he had gotten used to. Once he had married Blake and settled down, he had almost forgotten what it was like to leave your loved ones behind with a chance of never returning. The feeling had only seemed to magnify with a family. "I'm surprised to see you anywhere outside that bloody mansion, luv'," Jackson whispered in his wife's ear before planting a kiss on her forehead.

Jackson nodded when Blake suggested they should give Roxie and Syd some privacy. As Blake tugged him towards the door, Jackson gave Finn a squeeze on the shoulder and a friendly smile. "Take care, lad," Jackson told him, nodding to the man.

Outside of the room, Jackson crossed his arms and stared down his wife intensely with a feeble attempt to not bust out into a dumbstruck smile. Once he cracked, he let out a soft chuckle, his arm finding its way around Blake. "I missed you, believe it or not," he said softly, rubbing her arm with his cut fingertips. "I guess it was just fate that we ended up here at the same time, aye?" Jackson's hand wandered into his coat, where he found the pack of cigarettes in the inner pocket. Placing a stick between his lips he looked back up to Blake. "What is it you're doin' here anyways? Natasha's all good, is she?"

Pyroclast (Syd) Bellz (Blake/Roxie)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

A small laugh burst through his proud smile when Jackson suggested that his girls would be blessed with beauty. His eyes turned to Roxie; even in the state she was in, he knew that if they inherited any of her good looks then his Godfather couldn’t be wrong. It didn’t surprise Syd to see Blake enter the room, as it made sense to him that she would have come looking for Jackson at the hospital. He smiled at her before turning back to Roxie and reaching up to stroke her hair. It had separated and turned greasy, further evidence of her neglect. While it pained him to see her in such a state, Syd found it easy to smile, relieved that she would be returning to comfort. He couldn’t wait to give her something to eat, to draw her a bath and lay her down on a comfortable bed with fresh sheets. She deserved nothing less than the purest comfort that life could offer. “Roxie?” Tears suddenly flowed from her eyes and she pulled away from him to catch them. But they were the kind that wouldn’t stop once they had started and Syd could tell from the exhaustion in her features that she needed to let it out. He turned around to face Jackson, Blake and Finn as they left the room and sent them all a nod and a smile.

Once he was left alone with Roxie, Syd’s excitement died down to a calm relief. Almost immediately, however, Roxie burst into tears and reached out for him. “Roxie, hey...” he softly spoke before scooping her into his arms. “Hey, shh... 'course I was going to come for you!” Although it didn’t surprise him, it broke his heart to hear her express her doubts - the whole time he was waiting for Maddox to find out where she was being held, he was imagining her losing faith in ever seeing the light of day again, and in him ever coming to get her. He couldn’t help but squeeze her tighter when she started to really sob, one hand holding her head against his shoulder and stroking her hair. “I’m sorry I took so long. I’m sorry for everything you went through, Roxie. You’re safe now, and I’m gonna look after you...it’s gonna be okay, I promise. Alright? I promise.”

His own eyes were pricking with fresh tears now, purely relieved that she was safe. Then she told him that she loved him. Syd didn’t pull away to look at her, but rather squeezed her even tighter and planted a kiss on her neck. His insecurities were still unsteady so it did cross his mind that she was only saying because she was relieved to be rescued, but in the end he decided that he didn’t really mind. “I love you, too, Roxie,” he told her, his voice bearing an emotional strain. “I love you.” He cradled her for a long time while she cried, drawing slow, soothing circles on her back with his palm and resting his cheek against her head. They swayed gently in each others’ arms, relishing in each other’s company until the crying softened and their breathing slowed.

When he finally pulled away, his own face was stained with fresh tears. Syd reached up to wipe Roxie's away with his thumb and then rested his forehead against hers briefly. Despite the upsetting circumstances, Syd had never felt more connected to her in his life than he did in that moment. Gently rubbing her uninjured arm, he couldn’t help but imagine that she must be cold; his jacket and coat that he had given her before were draped over a nearby chair and stained heavily with blood. He wished he had something else to give her.

With a warm, tender smile, Syd took her hands in his and said, “Come on, let’s go home.”


The journey to the Porter mansion was much less tense than the journey to the hospital. There was less urgency in the way Jackson drove, and the combination of the rumbling engine and the dark of the night reminded Syd of how tired he was. He sat in the backseat with his arms around Roxie and allowed his eyes to close until they reached the mansion. Having made many anxious returns home himself over the years, he understood that Roxie might feel overwhelmed at the mere thought of stepping through those doors and into the company of the large household, so he prepared himself to take as much of that weight off her shoulders as he could. At least the dogs wouldn’t be too active at that time of night.

Syd struggled to read the atmosphere of the house when they entered. It seemed sombre, full of people yet oddly quiet. “Mam? Dad?” While he waited for them to appear, Syd helped Roxie down onto their most comfortable sofa and draped two throw blankets around her shoulders. “You’re home, now,” he said softly, leaning in to plant a tender kiss on her cheek. “Safe and sound. Now, stay here for just a minute, okay? Just close your eyes and rest. I’m not going anywhere…”

Syd returned shortly with a glass of water and a cup of tea in his hand. “Small sips, remember,” he warned, before settling down on the sofa beside her. “What is it you want most right now? When did you last eat?”

Interactions
Bellz Roxie, Lucy, Blake, kids
Misty Gray James, Conor, kids
Enzyme Jackson

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

Sinead quickly wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks using the backs of her hands. She took deep breaths to overcome her frustration, especially as her friend had acknowledged it by telling her not to do something she'd regret. "They're just... awful people. Inhumane," she was quick to add. Her eyes diverted to the scar on his arm; a persistent reminder of the night the East Harlem men tortured her. That sick and twisted smile Ammon had carried on his face as he cut through her flesh. She nodded her head along with Aliana's words, understanding she too carried ill feelings for their enemies. "I'm sorry. I just. even with the meds my head still feels all over the place at times..." she trailed off.

Sinead let out a sigh as Aliana spoke about the men needing their support. She was managing to get her emotions under control and think a little more clearly. "I know, honey. You're right. It just really gets to me seeing people we care about die. Knowing the children are so aware of death at such young ages. It breaks my heart, Ali. They should only be crying over broken toys or grazing their knees when playing outside. Not going to bed at night knowing someone who was in their life is suddenly gone forever," she said, snapping her fingers to emphasise her point.

Sinead looked in the mirror to check her tears were all wiped away and then smoothed out her hair, wanting to return to the rest of the house looking stronger than she had felt. "Okay, let's go back and see what kind of mess they've made of the dining table." She gave Aliana a quick hug before taking her hand to lead her out of the bathroom.

The redhead returned to the large dining table where the children were still seated. "Cookies, huh?" she commented. Olivia was quick to point out Conor had brought them out so as none of the children would be blamed for getting the cookies without permission. "And I bet he took one for himself," Sinead teasingly commented, wanting to keep things light for the children. She looked to Aliana with a smile, figuring the fact Conor was back safe and had returned quietly meant Peter was also unharmed following their job. Sinead proceeded to collect up the empty dinner plates from the table, deciding not to pester the children to clean up as they'd had what she considered a traumatic evening.


Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

James Porter and Conor Sullivan​

As Lucy sat down on the chair arm beside James, Conor took a seat on the sofa opposite the married couple. He noticed the way Lucy squeezed James' hand so was suddenly prepared for his sister to say something serious. Then she confirmed she and James wanted to talk to him. He would have made a joke and questioned what he was in trouble for that time, but the day had been a stressful and traumatic one, so he knew it wasn't an appropriate time for humour. "Sure, Luce," he said, nodding his head. He sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked directly to the couple, ready to hear what they had to say to him.

When Lucy revealed she was concerned about James, it didn't come as a surprise to Conor. What was surprising was that James wasn't correcting her or denying his well-being was being affected. Conor knew things had been stressful lately and he could see how the mounting pressure was weighing his brother-in-law down. When his sister went on to mention Emmet, Conor cast his eyes down towards the floor for a moment, still recalling the day he'd witnessed his own father being gunned down. He'd been unprepared for the loss of his father back then and even more ill-equipped to lead the family in Emmet's place. He looked back up to Lucy, sending her a humbled smile. It meant a lot to hear his sister praising him the way she was, especially after all the times he'd messed up and how she'd always been brutally honest with him about it.

It soon became clear that Lucy and James were asking Conor to take over the family business, to finally relieve James of the heavy responsibility he'd had resting on his shoulder for over two decades. Conor's sister and brother-in-law were reaching out to him, asking him to take on the stress and burden they'd had to endure for so many years. Conor had seen the exhaustion in the couple and their yearning to have some normality, where they could spend time with their kids and grandchildren. He wasn''t surprised and Conor knew he couldn't let his sister keep suffering the way she had been. Even so, that wasn't the only reason he hadn't recoiled or tried to talk his way out of the heavy responsibility they were asking him to take on. Conor had spent a lot of time thinking whilst he was in prison. He'd spent many therapy sessions telling Maddox how he wanted desperately to do his late father and his family proud. Everything he'd been doing since his release from prison had been in the hopes of proving himself to James so the man would trust him to take some of the workload off of his shoulders. Without ever having any intention of knocking on James' door and demanding he took over the family business, it had been something Conor had somehow hoped to do one day. He wanted to achieve what he knew Emmet had always hoped for him. But was it still a little too soon?

"Luce... James..." Conor began, sitting up straight as he made eye-contact with them. "Believe me now when I say I want to do this. I've spent the last few years thinking about my Dad and how I owe it to his memory, and this family, to take over the family business. I've watched you both look exhausted and stressed, making me want to take all of the weight from your shoulders." Conor rubbed the back of his head before looking to James. "But, are you really sure I'm ready to this now? That I'm not just going to fuck it all up at the first chance."

"I'm sure, Conor," James didn't hesitate to reply. He gently squeezed Lucy's hand before continuing on. "Since coming out of jail, you've already shown how much you've changed over the last few years and I know it's not just temporary, or just until parole no longer has a hold on you. That altercation you and Finn had with Moretti's guys - you kept your cool. When Maddox came clean, you stayed in control and didn't waste any time in using your head to use the asshole to our advantage. I mean, if I had been in your position, I'd have put a bullet between the fucker's eyes. Hell, when you told me what happened, that's exactly what I wanted to do. I genuinely believe I would have killed him and that would have cost us a lot. That's how I know I'm not the man I used to be. My head has become clouded and the more I do this, the less reasonable I'm becoming. You're a good man, Conor, and I know you will do what you can to win this war whilst making sure we don't lose our humanity," he explained. "The longer I do this and the more tired I get, the less there is separating me from the likes of Vinnie or Gideon. This business needs a new leader and you've got a shit tonne of fight left in you yet," he assured Conor.

"Well, shit. I um..." Conor began. He wasn't going to refuse, he already knew that deep down. What concerned him was how Aliana would take the news and if she would understand why he had to do it.

"You won't be pushed into the deep end and left to deal with things yourself. I'll advise you for as long as you need me to..." James said, looking to Lucy and hoping she would be okay with that. "Listen, mate. The way you dealt with Maddox couldn't have gone any better. You used him long enough to have him keep the Morettis off Syd's back. You managed to get the information we needed to find Roxie. And I assume you've managed to secure your parole?" Conor nodded to confirm things had gone smoothly with Maddox that evening. "Well, the counsellor was honest with us this time, so what you decide to do with him now is your choice. I'd personally still shoot him in the head, but that's why I need to step down from this position. And, as Lucy said, we just want to spend time with our grandchildren. Syd and Roxie are expecting twins, you know?"

"Twins? Ah shit. Two of the little ones? That's pretty amazing," Conor enthused, managing a broad smile. Despite the delivery of the good news, Conor could see the grief remained ingrained on James' features. "Listen, James. Luce. I'll do it, okay? It's what I want to do, I promise you that. I guess I just wasn't expecting to be doing it right now. Thought I'd need a job interview first," he remarked. He then turned deadly serious. "I'll do this, for all of us. I'm going to do what I can to make sure this family is safe from those dirty fucking Morettis and the rest of their scummy friends."

The conversation was brought to an end by the sound of Syd's voice calling out to them. James and Conor both stood up, with the two men firmly shaking hands to seal the deal. "We'll go through things in a couple of days," James assured him, figuring he didn't need to explain he needed some urgent downtime in the wake of Warren's death. James then looked to Lucy and reached out to take her hand, figuring she was just as eager to see Syd and Roxie.

Bellz (Lucy)
Mentions: Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana) Pyroclast (Syd) Bellz (Roxie)

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

Peter let out a sigh of relief as both Savvy and Danny revealed that they didn't need any medical attention, it wasn't Peter's strong suit anyway and he was sure Finn was busy at the hospital. Savannah began wondering what she should do and before Peter could say much, Danny had told her to sit down. Letting the kid take the lead for a moment, Peter moved to sit down as well, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched the pair. Danny reassured her and Peter was relieved that it seemed to calm her down a bit but then they young man turned to him with questions on if there was anywhere safe left to go.

With another sigh, Peter shook his head, "Don't worry about it, kid. This is all apart of the risk my family has hanging over their heads, Savvy knows this to be true as she's been in this constant state of possible danger since before she was born." Moving a hand to rub his face tiredly, Peter wondered when East Village had been taken over, it was certainly news to him. "I certainly wasn't aware of the dangers there, especially in an arcade...but I'll have to talk with James and the rest in order to get a clear lay out of things. For now, it would be best if you both hang out where you know it's safe. Savvy, that's at your apartment or here. Not to say that your home isn't safe, Danny but we have guards watching these two locations." Before he could address Savannah's concerns about turning herself in someone familiar called out to Peter. "Pops, Em, Mam? You here?" Braden asked and soon revealed himself. "Oh. Jesus Christ. You look like shit, Sav." Braden told his older sister but managed a small smile as Samson ran up to greet the people in the house. "Seems like you didn't need me after all," He said, looking to his father.

"Well I wouldn't say that, I want you and Savvy to stay here for a while until things get a little smoother." Braden was about to protest but Peter just held up his hand, "Son, I don't think you are grasping the situation and I need you to trust me on this." Braden just sighed, nodding his head lightly. "If mam tries to pinch my cheeks again, I'm leaving." Peter let out a harsh laugh. "Come sit down. Em, you get in here too." Once everyone was seated, Peter moved to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Savvy, you don't need to turn yourself in, prison is no place for a young lady. I'm almost positive that whoever you killed, it will go unnoticed. But I will make sure it does just in case."

"From now on you kids are going to have escorts, I don't want to hear any moaning or groaning about it. Things are getting too serious and your freedom may be important but you living your lives safely is my only concern. Your mother is going to have a meltdown over this, but we will all do our best to reassure her okay? She won't think of you any differently, Savannah, nor will I."
with: Savvy + Em Misty Gray ; Danny Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Bryant ​

Despite Jason's best efforts to help her forgive herself, Gwen still felt horribly guilty about what she had done, how she ended up in the hospital. But for now, she was too tired to fight with herself internally and decided to just give in to the moment. Hearing that he still loved her was relieving and she let out a small laugh as he said that it took him far too long to realize his feelings for her. When he pointed out that she could blame it on...well, he didn't go further for a moment. Tilting her head lightly, she watched his face a moment before he recovered and finally blamed it on being alone too long. Gwen hummed softly, moving more on her side as she curled up in his arms. Placing a tender kiss on her lips, Gwen smiled lightly when he pulled away, noticing the blood on his beard. Reaching a delicate hand out, she moved to try to wipe it off. "I'm a mess aren't I?" She wondered out loud, she hadn't had a good look at herself yet, but she knew she probably looked horrible after what she'd just gone through.

He asked if it was all worth it in the end, everything they'd gone through together and Gwen immediately nodded her head without any hesitation. "Of course it was. Despite everything...even where I am now, I wouldn't change a thing. Not a damn thing." Before she could say more, Finn knocked lightly on the door before entering. "Gwen!" He murmured happily, "You're looking better already." He stated to which the woman blushed slightly. "I hope I didn't cause too much trouble." She murmured to which Finn just shook his head, "None of this is trouble Gwen, it's what I do. Gives me a reason to live. Which you have plenty of reasons to live, I should remind you." The redhead nodded her head and looked to Jason with a smile, touching his face gently before Finn walked up beside the bed with a needle in his hands.

"Now I know you just got up, but I think the best thing for you now would be to rest. I've got some sedatives in here that will help you relax and also help wash that nasty heroin completely out of your system." Gwen nodded her head in understanding before Finn moved to fill the IV tube with the stuff in the syringe. She could feel the liquid being pushed into her veins, ice cold as it traveled up her arm. "Jason, I'm afraid Blake left with Jackson, Syd and Roxie but if you need a ride back I can give you a ride once my shift is done. Which is a few hours from now." He offered. Before much more could be said, the PA announced Finn was needed at the nurses station. "Shit, well, I'll send in a nurse to bring you both some blankets and make sure Gwen is resting. Take care for now, you two." With that, Finn was out the door. Gwen slowly moved her head to the side to look at Jason, her vision already starting to blur as the sedative began to work like it was suppose to.

"You'll stay right?" She mumbled tiredly as her head leaned into his chest. "I love you." She said and before she knew it, she was out cold.
with: Jason Pyroclast

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan

Watching Sinead get out her frustrations, she absorbed everything she was saying. It made sense, her anger and animosity towards everything; she had lost a lot. She just worried Sinead may go out and do or say something that could cause her and the family a lot of pain. Sure, she was smart enough not to do that, but she knew how it felt to have people taken away from her and all the emotions she felt during that time. While she was more controlled during it, it caused her to embark on a dangerous mission with Jackson and Blake back in Dublin. It was a hasty decision, based entirely on the pain she was feeling and she could've died. Imagining Sinead in that predicament was something she couldn't do, but then again she felt the same way way back then.

Her comment concerning the children and them all having to see the disaster that was their family. Looking back at her own childhood, she had only wanted better for Leo and the others. But seeing how many of their family members had died in the past few years, it was far too many for them. She worried that her own son would develop issues with letting people get close to him, expecting them to be gone the next day, week or month. After the bombing, Leo had stayed pretty close to his mother, not wanting her to leave his side. It was apparent he was afraid of her going anywhere else, already having his father taken from him. Her son was already showing signs of the very things she feared and it made her want to leave this life all the more, even though she knew it would be rather difficult. Sinead's voice brought her out of her thoughts as she decided she was ready to check on the children. "Let's take the little brats out next weekend? Get their minds off things. Definitely going to have to ring in the other parents because I can't take all of them alone." She joked, in an attempt to lighten up the mood.

Once they were back in the kitchen, she saw Leo's stubby little fingers holding on to a cookie. The food in front of him hadn't even been touched, but the cookie already had a big bite out of it. "Cookies for dinner, hm? Both you AND your father are going to get a big talking to." There was a muffled groan as he shook his head, "Moooom! It's one cookie. It's not that bad." Ali snorted, handing empty plates to Sinead. "It's just one cookie until it turns into 50 and you're fat and rolling around the house." He practically glared at his mother before sarcastically finishing his cookie and reaching for another. "Your father's child." She mumbled before turning to her friend. "I'm going to go find Conor. Shout if the army starts to overpower you." Giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, she went off in search of her husband, her heart pounding in anticipation. It was a relief to hear he was back, but even knowing the kids physically saw him, she wanted to put her own eyes on him; she wanted to feel him and hug him and for him to tell her everything was going to be okay.
​

 

[Bellz]

Blake McCarthy
Lucy Porter
Roxie Carriveau

​

"Hasn't fate always been a factor in why we are together?" She murmured softly, "I'm not surprised we ended up here at the same time." Watching him stick a cigarette between his lips, Blake moved to reach into her back pocket for a lighter. Once lit, she stole the cigarette from him and bummed a hit. "Been a long day, I hear?" She asked softly, looking over him to make sure he was still intact. "Ah you know, I love hospitals." Blake joked softly before frowning, "Gwen overdosed on heroin so I rushed Jason and her here. Things ain't looking so good at home now." Thinking about Natasha, Blake nodded her head, "Our baby's just fine, love. I left her sleeping on the couch. I'm sure she's starting to warm up to the others now."

Handing him back the cigarette, Syd and Roxie slowly emerged from the room. "Time to head home, hmm?" She asked before taking Jackson's hand in hers.

***​

Having to take two separate cars, they arrived at the house not too long after leaving the hospital. For the most part, it was just the way Blake had left it, but now there were a few more cars parked in the driveway. Blake helped keep the door open for Syd as he helped Roxie out of the car and shut it behind him before leading them inside. Roxie squinted up at the familiar house as they entered through the front door. The dogs didn't greet them like expected but instead she noticed how quiet it seemed to be in the house.

Lucy was over the moon about Conor agreeing to take over for James, she was about to say how grateful she was to him just as the front door opened and Syd's voice could be heard calling her name. Eyes going wide, Lucy watched the two men shake hands before Lucy bounded to give her brother a tight hug. "Thank you, Con." She said as she squeezed him tight before letting him go. Looking to James, Lucy smiled widely as she moved to find Syd and Roxie in the living room, along with Jackson and Blake. "Thank god, you made it home!" She said in a relieved voice as she moved to hug her son first before bending down to hug Roxie. Taking a look at the girl, Lucy shook her head with a troubled expression on her face. "I have dinner waiting for you, love. I'll go warm it for you." Lucy was already in the kitchen before Roxie could protest, but her stomach growled at the thought of food so she just stayed quiet as people waited on her.

Holding the glass between her hands, Roxie took small sips like Syd had said, even though she felt like downing the whole glass in one sitting. Tiredly, she leaned her head back against the sofa and sighed, feeling some relief from the aching in her back. Then moving slightly, she propped her head on Syd's shoulder. "I'll eat anything right now. It's been almost a week I think since they gave me anything..." She murmured finally, turning her head to meet his eyes. This definitely wasn't her house but it was already beginning to feel like a nice alternative to home.

Lucy came back with dinner and held it out for Roxie, who sat up immediately at the smell of food. "Thank you, Mrs. Porter." She murmured gently to which Lucy waved a hand at her, "Please call me Lucy. Anything you need, I'm on it, okay? If you have any questions on what you're going through, I'm sure I can answer them. Don't have to just depend on Syd, as helpful as he is." Lucy reached out and grabbed Syd's chin, lightly squeezing it before leaning down to kiss him on the forehead. "James and I are just so happy you and our little granddaughters are okay." She gushed.

Roxie actually found herself genuinely smiling and nodded her head gently before taking a piece of bread from her plate and slowly chewing on it, not wanting to stuff her face in front of all these people.
with: Jackson Enzyme ; James + Conor Misty Gray ; Syd Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor remained in the guest living room as the others moved the the main living room to attend to Syd and Roxie. The man remained sat back on the couch as he tried to process everything that had and would change. He knew James wasn't just pushing him in at the deep end and running off, but he still felt like he needed to make sense of things in his head. From the big picture of tackling the Morettis to the finer details of keeping Leo out of his home's office. He already had one of his restaurants or family hotels in mind for the location of his private office in the city itself.

He was saved from already overthinking the intricacies when Aliana found him. He stood up and met his wife halfway, placing a kiss on her lips before pulling her in for a tight hug. "You alright, love? How have you and Leo been?" he asked her.

Conor broke away from their embrace and invited her to sit on the couch next to him. "You know, it's been a weird and exhausting day. It's hard trying to process it all and how to moved forward with things." He looked Aliana in the eyes and decided to go through things in order. "Pete and I got Maddox to a secure location with only minimal resistance from the Italians. Turns out the bloke was honest with the information he gave us about Roxie's location, so it's on me to decide what to do with the guy now." Conor managed a brief smile. "Did you see any of the others yet? Syd and Roxie are safe, and James told me they're expecting twins. Two more nieces for us to spoil," he remarked.

He let out a sigh as he then thought back to what happened at the Callahans' house. "Savvy ran into trouble, Ali," he told her. "She was on a date with Danny and they went into an arcade that had some gang hanging out inside of. She um... Long story short, one of the pricks was going to kill her so she shot him first. She killed the bloke and while I'm fucking glad she did, the poor lass is traumatised. I think we're going to have to give her a lot of support after this. Savvy's tried even harder than Sinny did to stay removed from our family's business. I just hope she can bounce back from this," he said, gently taking Aliana's hand in his. "I'll make sure those wankers from the arcade are dealt with. Adam's looking into them as we speak."

After a short pause Conor gently squeezed Aliana's hand before getting to the other development of the night. "I can't believe Warren's dead. He was just getting settled into all of this and he seemed happy with where he was." Conor took a deep breath and pushed back his own emotions surrounding their loss. "It's hit James pretty hard, unsurprisingly. Losing his brother and knowing the bomb was meant for him. He's had to do that job for 22 years and all because he stepped up when I couldn't handle that responsibility." Conor looked Aliana in the eyes. "I'm strong enough to do it now. Lucy and James have been doing this for long enough. They can't do it anymore, but I can." Conor took both of Aliana's hands in his and studied her face to gauge her reaction. "James is retiring and I'm taking over running the business."


Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan
~ Emery Callahan ~​

From her seat on the sofa beside Peter, Savannah looked across to Danny as he addressed her. When he assured her she wasn't a bad person and that he thought she only did what she had to, she slowly nodded her head. There was some relief to be taken from his words. As he was such a peaceful person, she feared he wouldn't want to be anywhere near her knowing she had killed a man. She then looked to her father and observed him as he answered Danny's question about which locations were safe. She could see how much extra stress she was putting on Peter's plate, but she was grateful he wasn't angry with Danny and, if anything, seemed to be welcoming towards her boyfriend. So looked down to her hands as it was pointed out she'd been in danger since before she was born. Having heard stories of the things her mother went through whilst still pregnant, Savannah knew Peter's words to be true.

With her apartment and the family home cited as the only safe locations, she let out a sigh. She loved her independence, but at the moment she just wanted to be with her family where she knew there wasn't any danger. It helped that Peter's words suggested Danny was welcome to hang out at the house, if he wanted to. When Braden entered the house, he pointed out that Savannah looked like shit. She looked away, almost giving in to her fragile state and taking offence to his comment. However, she soon turned back to him and lazily shrugged. "I guess seeing me looking shit is just like looking in a mirror for you then, huh?" she retorted.

Emery had been trying to listen into the conversation from the top of the stairs, so when Peter told her to get in the living room, she heard him and didn't take long to comply. "Finally hauled your arse out of bed, huh, Brady?" she teased her brother, as payback for the comment she'd heard him give Savannah. She loved both of her siblings, but seeing as her sister was clearly upset she decided to show solidarity to her on this occasion. Emery parked herself next to Danny on the sofa, giving him a glance before focusing on Peter. When her father spoke about prison and how Savannah had killed someone, Emery's jaw practically dropped. She wasn't sure if she could have heard anything more surprising than that, but she soon closed her mouth and held back any urge to vocalise a reaction. She wasn't sure what her reaction was. Not quite amusement or pride, but she knew for certain it wasn't disappointment. She figured if her sister had killed someone it wouldn't have been malicious and so she could only assume her sister had finally stood up for herself. It had been frustrating seeing how Savannah struggled after being kidnapped from the theatre. So to hear that she'd stood up for herself this time, Emery supposed it was pride she was feeling. However, she knew she needed to be more sensitive about it. "You're a good person, Sav. I'm sure you only did what you had to do. You shouldn't feel bad for protecting yourself." Emery rolled her eyes when Peter said they had to have escorts. For her, it wasn't much of a change from how things already were. She didn't have the kind of independence yet that Savannah and Braden would be deprived of.

Savannah sniffled, hating how things were so serious for the family again. She still had to do rehearsals and photoshoots, so she figured she'd be escorted around even more than before. With mention of Sinead having a meltdown, tears once again rolled down Savannah's cheeks. There were three people she was most worried would look at her differently for what she had done. Peter and Danny were two of them, but their reactions seemed to confirm their opinions of her hadn't change. The other was Sinead. She was worried how her mother would react and if a wedge would be driven between them now. "I hope she doesn't, Dad," the blonde softly said, quickly wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. She then leaned into Peter and rested her head on his shoulder, grateful for his reassuring words.

Pyroclast (Danny) Bellz (Peter)

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

Jason’s face broke into a warm smile when Gwen confessed that she wouldn’t change a single thing about what her life had come to. Even with her addiction, to see her so grateful for the life she had made for herself was inspiring to him. And, of course, he was grateful, too. Their gaze on each other was broken when Finn entered the room. Jason first thought to get up and give him some space, but he felt so relaxed lying there beside Gwen that he wasn’t so compelled to jump out of the way unless the doctor told him to. All he did was prop himself up against the headrest while Finn went about filling up Gwen’s IV tube, but otherwise remained in his restful state.

“Cheers, Finn,” he said with a smile. “As long as little Rory’s bein’ minded, I’m in no rush to leave.” Even if Blake and the others had come to offer him a ride home, he would have chosen to stay with Gwen anyway. After what she had been through, and what he had been through for it, he wasn’t ready to leave her.

Once again, Finn was called away, leaving the pair alone. Gwen was getting increasingly close to falling asleep and Jason let her cuddle up against him, a fond smile on his face as he leant down to kiss the top of her head. “Sure I’ll stay, baby,” he softly assured her, caressing her arm. Within seconds, he felt her grow heavy against him and her breathing turn slow and deep. “I love you, too.”

Carefully placing her back down on the pillow, Jason untangled himself from her IV tube and went to prepare some warm water to wash the blood from her face and his beard. For several minutes he dabbed at her delicate features, admiring her in her sleeping state and once or twice stopping to listen to each precious breath. The shock of witnessing her death had mostly worn off for the time being - he was simply happy that she was alive, safe and with her memory intact.

By the time the nurse entered the room, Jason was back in bed with her, no intention of leaving her until Finn came to find him at the end of his shift. “Aw, don’t you two look sweet,” the nurse commented, a pile of blankets in her arms. Jason smiled over to her and gestured for her to keep her voice down - though he doubted there was any chance that Gwen was going to wake up again any time soon. He and the nurse exchanged amused looks when she came over to tuck the two of them up in bed. It felt silly, like she was pretending to be his mother or something. Once she had left, Jason turned his attention back to the sleeping woman in his arms. For a long while he lay awake, planting a kiss on her nose every time she stirred - but eventually his own breathing began to slow and, with one hand interlaced with Gwen’s, he let himself sink into a restful sleep beside her.

Bellz Gwen, Finn


Syd Porter

Even in his relief to see his parents, Syd didn’t stand up to receive Lucy’s hug, instead letting her lean down to embrace him. For the time being, he was glued to Roxie’s side. “Hi, mam. Hi, dad.” His bright smile slackened a bit when he took in the state of his father. The pride was there - unless Syd was purely projecting it onto him - but there was something else about his appearance that made him look exhausted or even ill, like he ought to be in bed. “Hey, dad...” he repeated in a softer tone. “You sitting down with us, old man?” Asking James if he was okay was always useless as the man insisted on internalising everything, but Syd had to show his concern somehow.

His concern was divided, however, and as soon as Roxie confessed that she hadn’t eaten anything in a week Syd’s smile was replaced with a look of deep sympathy and he raised a hand to cup her face, gazing into her weary, sunken eyes. He remembered how it hard it had been to ease back into eating normal portion sizes after refusing to eat anything for a week when he was in the hospital. “Okay,” he said. “Just take it easy then, yeah? Don’t eat too much in one go or it’ll really hurt, trust me.”

Watching his mother tend to Roxie and offer her all her sweetness warmed Syd’s heart. She had come a long way since just a few months ago when she couldn’t stand the woman in the slightest and hated the very idea of Syd becoming involved with her. Now, she did more than accept their relationship - she accepted Roxie like she was a daughter of her own. Her sweetness extended to Syd as she then squeezed his chin and leaned down to kiss him. “Love you, mam,” he said, feeling like she had expressed her love in a million ways within a single minute. He gazed down to Roxie’s belly with adoration in his eyes, thinking of the twins developing inside her. Once her appetite was trained back into its normal state, he fully intended to feed her for three instead of for two - and he had a feeling his mother would be playing a big part in that.

Interactions
Bellz Roxie, Lucy, Blake
Misty Gray James
Enzyme Jackson

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan

As soon as Ali saw her husband, all the worries that seemed to be piling up because of the days stresses melted away. Feeling his embrace put her wandering mind at ease; this was the real thing. Taking a deep breath, she sighed and gave him a slight smile before nodding her head. "Yeah. Yeah, me and the brat are okay. You know, he's in there eating cookies for dinner instead of actual food? He's not going to be happy until he's rolling around." She joked, taking the offered seat on the couch. Her hand instinctively moved to his knee in an attempt to console him while he got his thoughts together. Hearing the news about Maddox, she was slightly upset yet relieved at the same time. Upset that she wasn't going to see his body being buried three feet under. While her husband seemed to forgive the man for his past transgressions, Aliana just had the hardest time letting it all go. After all, he was planning on sending Conor back to prison and if he had succeeded, her family would have been torn apart. But, she was happy he hadn't been lying and that Roxie and Syd were reunited, back together in better circumstances. The news of them having twins was something unexpected. She clapped her hands and smiled. "Nieces?! I love when people give me nieces over nephews! Remind me to congratulate them before we leave, yeah?"

Things took a turn when he explained to her Savvy's situation. Growing up, secretly Sav was her favorite niece and she wanted the best for her. Hearing that she was basically forced to do something she didn't, made her worry. There was a time she had to do the same, the night that basically sealed her fate amongst the ranks and with Conor forever. Not only had she killed for Conor, but she said she loved Conor and he was going to be both the first and last person she said that to. "I'll talk to her. Check up on her and make sure it doesn't change her for the worst. I know how that whole thing feels." The thought made her sad, but she knew there was no time for that. Their lives were already hard enough without the added emotional stress. Instead, she was going to be there for her niece if she needed her to be. After all, she was the one who had advocated and helped teach her how to defend herself; she forgot the part on what to do if she ever had to actual put those skills to use.

As Conor got through the things he wanted to talk about, it seemed like this last thing was more important to him than the others. He opened with his grief about Warren, something Ali was also stressing about. She knew James and Lucy would be aching about it, but knowing that the kids were so close to him and loved him probably hurt a bit more. They were victims in all of this, that was for sure. Now, they would have to learn how to grow up with all of this pain in their hearts. Because of what Conor was saying to her, she couldn't quite dwell on that fact. Instead, she had something else she needed to focus on. He had built up to it and she knew it was coming, but when it had it caught her off guard. "Excuse me?" She asked, dropping his hands. She wasn't processing his words correctly even though she knew what he just told her. How could he be talking about getting out of this life one second to suddenly jumping to the head of it? James and Lucy were tired, worn out, heartbroken and she got that, but what he was saying to her was not something she planned for. She didn't like it, not one damn bit. But the look in Conor's eyes, as if he were asking her to believe in him that he could do this made her question her initial response. She pinched the bridge of her nose, taking the deepest sigh she had ever taken. "I believe that you can do this, trust me I do. But Conor... Does that person really have to be you?" Her voice cracked, as if at any second she were going to start crying. She didn't know where it came from, but she did know she was scared.
​

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James watched as Lucy rushed in to hug Syd and then Roxie. He was pretty sure she would proceed to fret about Roxie's well-being and she confirmed it when she wasted no time in heading to the kitchen to get the young woman some food. Judging by how pale and drained Roxie appeared, he honestly couldn't blame Lucy for wanting to give her food and comfort. With his wife out of the room, it did mean James was left to break the ice with his son and Roxie. Although they'd long since patched things up, resolving their differences after Syd had tried to take his life, it still felt like they hadn't done so properly. Syd's release from the hospital was met with the revelation Roxie had been kidnapped. This was the first time they could all relax. It was the first chance James had to assure Roxie any suspicions or ill-feelings he'd had about her when they first met were long gone.

""Hey, Syd," James replied to his son. His son's words prompted him to sit in the nearby armchair rather than resisting the need to rest. Hearing that Roxie hadn't been fed in a week was disturbing, especially knowing her father was behind her kidnapping. Having not yet been told about Stafano's death,, James had already made a mental note to make sure that man wasn't forgotten in any plans to take down the Morettis. "Luce will bring a lot of food, but Syd's right, don't force too much down. My wife won't take it personally," he lightly told Roxie. "I'm glad you're all okay," he said, clearly including the unborn twins in the sentiment, "and you're welcome to stay here for as long as you want. We'll be happy to have you, to be honest," he added. He placed his hand over his mouth as no matter how much he was trying to keep his words positive, the grief he was holding back was fighting to break through to the front of his mind again. The last thing he wanted to do was sour Syd's time of joy, especially after how much the younger man had been through lately.

James was grateful when Lucy returned to the lounge and halted any potential of him killing the mood. He managed a subtle smile as he watched Lucy squeeze Syd's cheek, no doubt ready to spoil their son rotten now he was home. "Ah, those little babies are going to want for nothing," he added to Lucy's sentiments.

It was apparent to James that he was unable to fully express how happy he was that Syd and Roxie were home safely, and that he was going to become a grandfather to two girls. The last thing he wanted was to dampen the mood. Seeing them all, including Lucy, so safe and happy was something he wanted to keep seeing. He stood up from his seat and reached to his back pocket to check the box of cigarettes was there. "I'm just going to go out for a smoke," he excused himself. With Warren's death and handing the business over to Conor, he was hoping the fresh air and a few cigarettes would help him clear his head for long enough to focus on what he did still have.

Pyroclast (Syd) Bellz (Lucy, Roxie)

Conor Sullivan​

Conor let out a sigh when Aliana let go of his hands and seemed shocked by his words about taking over the business. He was prepared for things to go in two possible directions. One, that his wife would be upset by the news. The other, that she would be angry and they'd end up arguing as they did whenever he did something reckless. This was not reckless and it was something he'd been serious about working towards.

Aliana let out a sigh of her own, clearly thinking over the situation rather than allowing an initial emotional reaction to be fired out. That was something both of them had worked well to control, with them learning to take time for consideration before rushing to any outbursts. It was reassuring to hear Aliana say she believed in him, which immediately showed there was a chance things could work out. The last thing he wanted was for their marriage to suffer and his responsibilities to the whole family to be affected as a result. Then she asked if it had to be him who replaced James. The faltering in her voice made it clear she was upset rather than angry with his latest decision.

"Hey, Ali..." Conor softly began. He shuffled closer to her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in to his chest. He placed a kiss on the side of her head before closing his eyes for a moment as he allowed a brief silence to fill the room. He reopened his eyes but kept Aliana in his arms. "It has to be me, love. I wasn't ready for this when James took over the business, and Syd isn't ready for it now. It's only right, Ali. I was always meant to follow in my dad's footsteps and I should have been ready sooner. James stepped in when nobody else could and he's given more than enough of his life to this business." He gently rubbed Aliana's back. "I'm done pissing about and I want to keep this family safe. I want to keep you and Leo safe. I hope you can understand."

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Bellz]

Chapter 14: Thanksgiving

Thursday 25th November 1971

...20 days later…

Evening - Cold, Rain, Wind

Roxie Carriveau

Earlier that morning...​

tick, tick, tick, tick...

Tossing over for what seemed like the thousandth time, Roxie could see that it was finally the early morning hours, the sun peaking through her window and illuminating it in its golden glow. It had been the same since she'd arrived at the Porters house, endless nights of tossing and turn, getting very few hours of sleep. The dreams were vivid and haunting, always leaving her exhausted by morning, not to mention that the twins seemed to be fitful as well. It was weird, feeling life inside of her, none of it felt real up until this point in the pregnancy. It was odd, having felt nothing only days ago, the girls made their presence very known with their fit for room within her. Sighing, Roxie moved to sit up, unable to try and attempt to sleep any further. It was Thanksgiving, but nothing was significant about the holiday in her own family. Thinking of her own family, Roxie grew rigid. Staring off towards the mirror, she stared at herself for a long time as the night of the rescue played itself over and over again in her mind. With her father dead, Roxie hadn't the heart to reach out to her mother...unsure of what she would think of her now. Over the years, she knew her mother and father had grown apart but Roxie couldn't bring herself to believe that her mother would be pleased with her husband being murdered by her grandchildren's father. Roxie couldn't even bring herself to that point.

She had told Syd that he had done what he needed to...she was grateful for him saving her, that much she knew for sure. But even over the last 20 days, she couldn't bring herself to feel happy about her father's death, to feel the satisfaction of knowing he got what he deserved. She wasn't sure who she was anymore. Having spent most of her life resenting the man, the sudden influx of emotions that came with thinking about his death was shocking. Syd and her hadn't talked about it since that night, she intended to keep it that way, for his sake. She knew how he felt about the whole situation and she didn't want him to feel any guilt towards what he had to do. She was safe, the babies were safe and Roxie couldn't describe the gratitude she felt for him doing that.

Things in their relationship had taken a serious turn that night, having revealed that she loved him, she'd been shocked when he returned the words without hesitation. Yet annoyingly, she noticed he was still wearing his wedding ring. That was a whole other mess that Roxie didn't want to have to face. She respects his feelings for his former wife but with each day that passed, Roxie was closer and closer to giving up on him. He wasn't ready to move on and she wasn't going to demand it of him. But she was holding out because she was crazy about him.

Sighing once more, Roxie got out of bed with some effort and moved to get dressed, figuring it was time to start the day.



***


"Are you sure you don't need help getting up the stairs?" Lucy asked as she followed Roxie to the bottom steps. "Lucy, it's okay. I'm pregnant, my legs work perfectly fine. But thank you, as always." Lucy laughed, "I won't argue with a stubborn woman, won't get me anywhere. Just be careful, k?" Roxie nodded her head before taking each step very slowly. She had to admit it to herself, by the time she reached the hallway upstairs, her legs and back were aching. "You girls better be worth all this pain." She murmured in a teasing tone, laying a hand on her belly and rubbing it gently. Shaking her head, she walked towards her room to grab the outfit she would be wearing for dinner.

Stepping into the room, she saw two little crochet bears on the bed along with two pairs of pink booties as she shut the door. "Oh, Lucy." She murmured as she smiled to herself. Moving to the closet, she grabbed her dress before changing out of the clothes she was wearing. Once dressed, Roxie moved to the bed to grab the items before heading back downstairs, very slowly. Seeing people arrive was a little overwhelming, with lots of hellos but Roxie finally made it to the kitchen where she smiled widely at Lucy. "You snuck these in my room." She accused lightly to which Lucy laughed, "I did. I was up all last night going over recipes and I got sidetracked. Hope you like them, dear." Roxie nodded her head, "I love them. I can't believe a tiny human will fill these booties." She said lightly, still sorta in awe over the whole thing. "Well you better believe it, kid. Enjoy the silence while it last. Trust me. This house is never quiet anymore." Roxie chuckled lightly. "I'm going to go show Syd these." She murmured before heading out of the kitchen to find him.

Finding him in the lounge, Roxie smiled as she lifted the few crochet items she had in her hands. "Your mother is already trying to spoil our girls." She murmured lightly before leaning in to kiss him softly. Taking in his appearance, Roxie raised a brow, "Well don't you clean up nice?" She teased. He'd been relentlessly at her beck and call for the last 20 days, which Roxie appreciated greatly but tonight, she just wanted to enjoy his company.

with: Syd Pyroclast

Gwen Bryant​

It had been a long 20 days since Gwen was released from the hospital, it was the longest she'd been sober for and every minute of it was a struggle. The shakes and cold sweats hadn't subsided and Gwen found herself constantly on edge. Her family was more than eager to help, which made things a lot easier for her and Jason was there every step of the way. "Do you think I should wear this dress, Mama?" Lorelei asked, holding up a pink dress that Gwen had bought her ages ago. Gwen turned to her daughter with a small smile and nodded her head, "I've always loved that color on you, love." Lorelei beamed happily and nodded to herself before starting to get changed. Gwen was already dressed, deciding to wear something a little more elegant than what she normally would wear around the house. Helping her daughter get ready was a breeze and soon the only thing left to do was tackle her mass amount of curls, which was traumatizing for the both of them.

Taking a hair brush to it was painful for the both of them, every time Lorelei cried out in pain, Gwen immediately gushed about how sorry she was, remember having to go through such pain as a young girl herself. Her mother was much more relentless than she was however, so Gwen reminded herself of that whenever she started to feel guilty. Finally the girl's hair was neat on her head, not knotted and tangled like it had been before. "How about we go downstairs, Jason will be here any minute and I want to see if I can help Aunt Lucy with dinner." Lorelei nodded her head eagerly and the pair descended the stairs to see that the house was already beginning to fill with people. Lorelei immediately found Natasha and Olivia wanting to show off her outfit to the girls before settling to entertain them while Gwen found her way into the kitchen.

"Luce, do you need any help in here?" She asked lightly as she tilted her head to which the blonde waved a hand at her, "No no no, I've got everything covered for now. I might put the children to work in a little while and could use your help then, but please, for now just enjoy yourself." Gwen smiled lightly watching the woman bustle around the kitchen with such motivation that Gwen admired her spirit. "I'm sure everything is going to be wonderful, despite the rain." Gwen murmured to her sister-in-law. Lucy smiled at the woman before turning back to her mixing bowl, Gwen took this as her opportunity to show herself out and moved towards the hall so she could wait in the entryway for Jason.

with: Jason Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

Chapter 14: Thanksgiving
Thursday 25th November 1971
...20 days later…
Evening - Cold, Rain, Wind
******************************

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


Callahan Family Home
~ Forest Hills, Queens ~
​

Sinead Callahan

Sinead had been deeply upset when she learned Savannah had killed someone. Although she knew her daughter only did it in self-defence, she was terrified it would affect her daughter's mental health and her confidence to follow her aspirations. The last thing she wanted was for Savannah to end up like her; in and out of counselling, or on and off of medication because of how her traumas affected her psychological well-being. Sinead wanted the best for her children, which included wanting them to live safely and free to follow their dreams. She couldn't help but feel like she'd failed her eldest daughter after she'd promised so many years ago that her baby girl would be shielded from the darkness of the world.

Despite the terrible circumstances, Sinead couldn't deny she did enjoy having her eldest children living back at the house. With everything going on with the family business, it was both comforting and a nice distraction having the house more lively again. Catching up with her kids and making bigger meals for her family had kept her occupied despite the hundreds of worries floating around in her head. Despite what had happened, Savannah seemed to be coping better than Sinead expected and despite demanding more escorts protecting her daughter, she'd been glad Savannah was still going ahead with rehearsals and modelling. She had also liked having the opportunity to meet and converse with Danny. She'd been concerned upon hearing of how he made a living through his involvement with the family business, but she couldn't deny he seemed like a sweet boy who cared for Savannah.

Today was Thanksgiving and Sinead was looking forward to heading to her sister's house for a big family dinner that evening. Before then, she had a gift for Peter than she'd been waiting since the day before to surprise him with. As they began to get dressed up for their evening with the family, Sinead stood gazing admiringly at the red dress she'd laid out on the bed to wear for the party. She hadn't had many opportunities to get dressed up lately, so she was going to make the most of this opportunity. She stroked the material of the dress before turning to Peter and sending him a bright smile.

"Okay, Petey. Seeing as today is such a special day, I thought, why not make it even more special?" she sweetly told him. She stepped closer and took both of his hands in hers as she looked up to gaze into his eyes. "Honey, you're going to be a daddy again! I'm like, already four weeks pregnant and we're going to have a little baby in time for summer!" she excitedly told him, bouncing on her tiptoes. "Isn't this amazing?" she asked. She suddenly released Peter's hands as she brought her hand to her mouth to try hold back the emotions that suddenly took over her. As she became choked up with sobs, it would be reasonable to assume she was overcome with tears of joy.

As Sinead sat back on the bed and hid her face behind her hands, it became clear the overwhelming cries were not as straightforward as her deep happiness. She forced herself to move her hands away and look up to face Peter. "I'm so scared, Petey. What if something--" She stopped and used her sleeve to rub the tears out from her eyes. "I need to tell you something and I just pray you can forgive me..." she said, her face practically pleading with him.

Bellz (Peter)

​

Savannah & Emery Callahan

Savannah had been grateful for the support her family and friends had given her since she'd killed the man in the arcade. She was sure she wouldn't have been able to cope with what she'd done without the people she cared about helping her through it. As much as she missed her independence, she'd quite liked living with her family and catching up with them all. She was also glad Danny had been able to hang out with her at the house. Her family seemed to like and accept him, which certainly helped take one worry away from her. He wasn't going to be around for Thanksgiving as he'd travelled to Bombay to visit his parents. Savannah couldn't deny she missed him, but at least she was able to busy herself and keep her mind focused away from the considerable guilt she still felt for killing another human being.

Rehearsals and photoshoots had been a great distraction, but now she'd been granted a few days off to celebrate the holidays with her family. They were due to be heading to the Porters' house for dinner, but Savannah knew her mother would take longer to get ready to leave. Having gotten closer to her mother again whilst living back at home, Sinead had let Savannah in on her secret already in a bid to give her some good news for a change. It had worked and Savannah was happy with the news that she was going to have a baby brother or sister.

As the three Callahan siblings waited for their parents to be ready, Emery made a request for Savannah to play some music to pass the time. The redheaded teenager laid across the sofa as she listened to her sister playing the piano and singing along to 'Imagine' by John Lennon. Anyone who'd spent long enough in the Callahan house lately knew it was a shared favourite song of Sinead's and Savannah's.

Mentions: Bellz (Braden) Pyroclast (Danny)

Gabriel Moretti's Office
~ Murray Hill, Manhattan ~​

Gabriel Moretti

What should have been a day of multiple victories three weeks ago had turned out to be nothing but a colossal failure. Gabriel had decided to see past the failed attempt on James' life, trusting the men who had been directly involved with the plan to not mess up again. However the fact Maddox managed to escape had been a blow, considering his capture was meant to be straightforward. Then he learned not on that Syd and Roxie had got away from Stefano alive and well, but Stefano himself had been killed in the process. The death of one of his closest associates had not gone down well with Gabriel and frankly he was still angry about it. One thing for sure, was that he intended to attack the Porters again, but he was going to make sure the didn't rush into the retaliation. He wanted a calculated and meticulous plan that would take the Irish down for good, with no chance of more rats rising from the rubble to dare challenge the Morettis again.

Part of his plan to secure more business and associates was the reason he'd called Rhys, Teddy and Tatiana to his office for a meeting. It wasn't that he didn't care about Thanksgiving, but he believed there was no such thing as a holiday where his business was concerned. Besides, he'd had lunch with his family and he was sure they'd have drinks later that evening. Business was far more pressing. Tatiana was already at the office, on account they'd travelled there together from their house. He didn't doubt Rhys would arrived promptly and if Teddy knew what was good for him, he wouldn't dare be late. After further requests from his family, Gabriel had decided it was time to give Teddy a chance to prove himself and make up for his mistakes towards the business.

The only thing that had seemed to go right three weeks ago came from an unlikely suspect, Valentina. She'd proposed they took ownership of a pub which could prove beneficial to the business and in forging allies within the NYPD. Negotiations were due to take place, but Gabriel didn't have the slightest doubt the bar would be in his possession before the new year.

Gabriel sat down in his armchair and poured himself a brandy, holding out the decanter to offer Tatiana a drink. "Tell me, Tatiana. Do you miss Miami?" he asked. His tone sounded curious, but most people knew that most of Gabriel's questions had purpose rather than being small talk to fill the time.

Pyroclast (Tatiana) Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy) Enzyme (Rhys)

Porter Family Home
~ Bayside, Queens ~​

George Sanderson

George was both nervous and excited about his first Thanksgiving with Finn's family, despite knowing most of them well enough by now. Although he had known many of them from over a decade ago back in Dublin, he hadn't been present for such a large gathering with them. Ultimately, the greatest thing he was thankful for was the loving relationship he had with Finn. With Finn in his life, anything else was just a bonus. Still, George had time to be thankful for all of the other gifts in his life. His friendships with the Callahans, Sullivans and Porters were something he never imagined he'd have, especially during the ten years he spent locked up in a prison cell being treated like dirt. He was also grateful for his and Finn's decision to move to New York. Since then, George had found two forms of employment. One was teaching adult evening classes and the other was tutoring the children at the Porters' house. Even Emery had managed to claim some of his time for Maths tuition, which he gladly gave as he believed she was smarter than she cared to admit so he wanted to unlock her academic talents.

When they arrived at the Porters' house and Finn had parked the car, George couldn't help but peer out of the window as the rain poured down onto the gravel driveway. "We should have brought an umbrella. My hair's going to be ruined!" he joked and flashed a playful grin. As soon as they stepped out of the car, George ran through the rain to the sheltered porch of the house, hopping up the steps before turning to face Finn. He looked into the man's eyes, admiring how the rain would never dampen the handsome man's looks. He blushed a little before nodding towards the front door, biting his lip with a brief apprehension. "You're sure they've set a place for me at the table? I don't want to outstay my welcome," he nervously asked. He wasn't completely sure where the sudden nerves came from, but he assumed it was a product of not having many large family gatherings. Even all of those years ago when his parents hadn't yet disowned him, the holidays were never much fun, with the Church and his father always managing to put a downer on even a child's Christmas.

Bellz (Finn)

Currently Active Cast: Misty Gray Bellz Pyroclast Enzyme Melanin-Gxdess @Fletchawk RayPurchase
​

 

[Pyroclast]

Chapter 14: Thanksgiving
Thursday 25th November 1971
...20 days later… Evening - Cold, Rain, Wind
************************************

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

Alistair's Apartment
~ East Harlem ~
​

Alistair Sawyer​

​

​

What was supposed to have been the most eventful and successful day of Alistair’s career ended up leaving a lot to be fixed by the Moretti and East Harlem gangs. Against all odds, all three of their targets had managed to evade their traps. To Alistair, the most surprising of all was Stefano’s death; he would never call such a fate a tragedy, because in their line of work it wasn’t an especially rare way to go, but he certainly felt that Stefano would have had strength on his side. Especially against Syd Porter, whom he knew to be fragile and easily defeated. The Porters’ luck that day didn’t change his impression of the young man, but it put in perspective what exactly they were up against. Alistair was a practical man, ever sceptical and not one for high hopes, but the disappointment he felt made it clear he had let himself become too optimistic. From now on, he vowed to always expect the worst. Too much confidence in anything was foolish, and no amount of preparation was too much.

Alistair did, however, have confidence in his friend’s ability to cook a fine spread. Despite there being only the two of them, he helped Ethan with the preparation of their evening meal together. Thanksgiving wasn’t really an important holiday for Alistair, never having had much of a family to celebrate it with, but it was a fair excuse to wind down for once, as well as taste some of Ethan’s finest meat from his shop.

The dulcet tones of Shostakovich’s 'Romance' floated across the vast living space of Alistair’s penthouse apartment, accompanied by the enticing scent of the roast. Since he spent so much of his time at the Headquarters, it was barely lived in and therefore took no effort to tidy despite never having guests over to keep it tidy for. In fact, Ethan was the only man that ever set foot in the apartment aside from Alistair himself. While most of their interactions revolved around business, the two had spent many Thanksgivings and Christmases in each other’s company over the years. He made it a rule never to place too much trust in anybody, but Alistair saw something of himself in Ethan and had grown fond of the man nonetheless. Alistair stood at the window with a glass of wine in one hand, watching the warm reflections of sunset shimmer upon the Harlem River down below. Suddenly the music was drowned out by a shrill ringing sound, indicating that the food was finally ready to serve.

It was far more than was needed to feed two men, but Alistair was a fan of luxury where it counted, and from time to time that included a good meal. “Well, thank you, Ethan,” he said from his seat at the table, reaching to pour the man another glass. “You’ve outdone yourself again.”

Once the pair had settled down, Alistair looked across the table to observe his friend for a moment. It had been much different for him once, back when his wife had been alive; while Alistair didn’t have much to compare their Thanksgiving dinners to, he was sure that Rose had crossed Ethan’s mind that day. “So, I suppose we ought to do it,” he spoke up. “Tradition doesn’t make it high on my list of priorities, but given the stream of bad news we’ve had recently, it could lighten my spirits. Tell me, Ethan, what are you thankful for this year?”

Interactions
Misty Gray Ethan ​

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan

The news that her husband would be taking over the family business still hadn't sunk in. It'd been two months now and her mind was no longer on the second child they had been wanting to have, but on the current one and how their lives were about to change. She had cried when he told her, uncontrollably so and even his consoling did little to calm her nerves. All the planning she had in place to get them away from the death and violence and harm was automatically thrown into the garbage. This was their life and this life was permanent; it was time to embrace it. Once she had calmed down, they told Leo together and he took it a lot better than his mother. Perhaps because he didn't know what it all truly meant, but whatever the case may be he was fine. It was her parents who eventually helped her realize that there was nothing she could do about this new change. She had to embrace it and be there for her husband no matter how much she disliked it. It was the very day after the news broke that she apologized if she made him feel shitty with her crying. Ali had decided a long time ago nothing was going to tear their family apart and that she was going nowhere. Conor was her husband through thick and thin and he was going to need her more now than any other time in their relationship.

But, today was Thanksgiving. Today was not a day to dwell on the past or the struggles but to embrace their big, happy family. So many things had happened two weeks ago, a big concerning one being Savvy having to kill someone. When she pushed for her niece to learn to protect herself and use a gun, she would have never thought in a million years she would have to put those skills to use so soon. But now that she had, she knew she would need the psychological training and help that came with having to take a life. Ali had gone through the same, once before when she was shooting aimlessly at goons and another when she was protecting the now love of her life. Both times had changed her into the person she is today, but this was the life she knew she was always going to live. Savannah, she had other plans and her being better than the rest of them was something she always wanted for her niece. But it was okay, since she had her family to help her get through this time. While she needed comfort, so did James with dealing with the death of his brother. If anyone knew what that felt like it was her. Leo had died in her restaurant, her kid brother who deserved so much more in life. There were days she beat herself up for it because she swore it should've been her. Had she not left, she would've been taking care of the pricks who killed him but who's to say she'd be alive? But because she knew what he was going through, she leant an ear to him if he ever needed to talk.

Leo running through the door of the kitchen with his cousins made her scowl and shout. "Leo Sullivan, I swear to GOD if I tell you one more time to stop running in this damn kitchen, you'll sit at the table until I'm ready for you to move." Leo immediately slowed his stroll through the kitchen and as soon as he was out, he went back to running again. With a deep heavy sigh, Aliana shook her head and turned to Lucy. "And my crazy ass wants another. With my luck it'll be a boy because, obviously, I'm being punished, right?" She joked, looking at the spread before them. There was something on her mind and she wanted to talk about it, but it was hard to. She didn't want to talk about it right now but knew that it was better now than later or never. "How's James holding up?" She asked, trying to find a way to build up to the topic she so dreaded.
​