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

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

Peter understood Sinead's need to wanting the whole family to be closer again because he was feeling the same way deep down. It was hard to surpass that initial feeling of wanting to just shut down as it was easier to be angry. The session Peter had today had done quite the number on his train of thought and Peter was beginning to realize that he needed to put his full effort into making things right with his family. It put a smile on Peter's face to see his wife smile, she was clearly happy about her brother's return and so was Peter. Hearing that Conor was already having to face bad news was a little concerning but Peter knew that there was really no way around it at this point, the truth needed to be told and no matter how sensitive the situation was it eventually had to come out.

"Its understandable love, you did the right thing by telling him before he found out in another way. Gives him time to blow off some steam before he sees James and Lucy." He tried to reason. When Sinead spoke of her hopes that Conor hadn't suffered too much in prison, Peter went quiet. He didn't know what to say, whether or not to reassure her. "Its...complicated." Peter sighed lightly as he tried to some up the feeling of being on the outside. He didn't feel like he was in a position to try and help his brother-in-law get through it as it had been hard for him to even cope with it now.

Regardless of that, Peter wanted to make Sinead happy and give the woman some reassurance that everything was going to be fine with Conor. "Maybe I'll talk with him, gauge his reaction on being out in the world again...I know I wished I had someone to talk to after all that shit. Your brother is in good hands with all his family around to support him but its going to take some time...especially as he likes to blow things off as if they are nothing to him." Peter was sure he didn't have to explain it to Sinead as Conor was her older brother.

Biting his lip softly, Peter looked towards the door that lead out to the very full house. "I think we have guests to entertain. Thanks for taking a moment to talk with me," Peter placed a kiss on Sinead's lips quickly and smile mischievously. "We should get back out there before I get any ideas."
with: Sinead Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Ani Sarraf​

Ani didn't mind having the top down at all, "Oh don't worry about my hair, I was only kidding, you should see me after a night out on the town the next morning!" The woman gave a light laugh and raised an eyebrow with interest as Maddox said that he had faith she would enjoy the place he was taking her to. He asked what was at risk if she didn't enjoy it and Ani pursed her lips in thought, "Might be risking the chance of another date if the food isn't up to speed." She said, although she was 100% teasing. Bad food wasn't enough to keep Ani away from this man in particular, once again she found herself looking at the fact that there was something about him that stood out. She was still unable to tell what exactly it was that drew her to him but it wasn't important as long as she was comfortable around him.

The car was parked and Maddox rounded the car to open the door for her to which she smiled widely, "Thanks, luv." The woman murmured delicately before she was lead towards a place called, Valentino's. It already looked extremely promising as they walked inside and was greeted by an enthusiastic host. It was clear that Maddox had been here before as previously discussed and they were given a nice quiet table by the window.

Once handed the menu, Ani only had eyes for Maddox at the moment as she smiled his way. She loved the way his cheeks turned pink. "He seems like it." She agreed when Maddox said that the waiter named Freddie was a nice guy. There was something more the man wanted to say however and it had Ani smiling even wider. "Oh don't worry darling, I completely empathize with you. I even have a hard time getting out of the house sometimes after a long shift so some nights I don't even eat!" She admitted.

"Recently I've been making casseroles which I have to admit has been a smarter choice on my part, it lasts for a few days and its pretty amazing comfort food. I only do that when I'm not working doubles though, which is extremely rare nowadays." Ani's eyes went back to the menu before she made up her mind. "Maybe we could do a half and half, I don't mind meat once in a while but I am more of a veggie type gal."

Looking over the menu some more, she looked down at the beverage portion, "I think I want to try a glass of the house wine as well. Its got to be good if its Italian right?"
with: Maddox Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Rachel Harris​

Rachel listened as Mitch explained how getting Conor out of jail was his first job of that nature, but not the first thing he'd done for the Porters, having worked for them before that. "Well, it seems to me like you'll be sticking around with them. I mean, if you managed to do the impossible and get Conor out of jail, then everything else should be a breeze." Though they both knew there was some truth in her statement, it was mostly delivered and intended as a joke. Everyone who knew Conor was aware of his tendency to question authority and get himself into trouble along the way. "And invites to their parties? You really are going up in the world," she lightly teased the lawyer. "In all seriousness, there's worse people to be working for and rubbing shoulders with. The city has been a much better place without the Morettis around," she told him.

Mitch then asked her how long she'd been running the place for Conor. She briefly looked away from him as a customer approached the bar, but the nearby barmaid moved to serve the man instead. Rachel looked back to Mitch and pulled an expression to show she was thinking back. "Well, I started working in this place back in '65, when the Porters moved here to take over business. Before that, I was employed in a different bar by Conor's cousin, Liam. My brother, Noah, worked for the Sullivans even before then. Now, Noah's a man even you couldn't get out of jail!" she said, finishing with a dry laugh. She soon cleared her throat as she returned to the question. "I've only been managing this place while Conor's been locked up. I'm sure he's eager to get back in charge now he's out. Some of the regulars are excited for that too. Apparently I'm not as much fun as he is," she said, playfully rolling her eyes.

RayPurchase (Mitch)

 

[Misty Gray]

Warren Taylor
​

Warren hadn't finished work or reached home as he'd intended to after dropping Savannah off at her apartment. Instead, he'd been made aware of other matters that needed attending to and business that needed to be urgently addressed. He now found himself in a place he hadn't expected to be in. Though little shocked him anymore, he was still a little apprehensive as to what sights might greet him. Regardless, he doubted that view would be as uncomfortable as delivering the messages he'd come to give.

Warren was granted access to the room where Ricardo and Luca were being held... tortured. He shot a glance to the two men, taking in the sight of blood and gore but showing no reaction to it. Warren motioned for Dante to step to one side with him so he could give him a quiet word. "I think it's time to finish up here." Warren paused and took in a deep breath as he internally debated his next words, not overly familiar with having input on the fate of others' lives. "Those two can't leave this place to blab back to their superiors," he said, hoping the intention was clear enough.

Warren waited for Dante to return to the two Italians before he then caught Farrid's attention. "I need you to come with me," he said. The Porter employee who had joined Warren would be able to stick around to aid Dante.

Once Farrid had gathered his things, Warren walked him into an empty room of the worn out old building. "I'm sorry to do this..." At first it might seem like he was apologising for taking him out of the interrogation, but the grave expression on Warren's face would show there was more to it. "I've been informed that there was a shooting at one of the warehouses where a deal was taking place. She... I'm sorry. Bailey and Kyle were both killed," he said, with Kyle being the employee who'd been assisting her.

Warren took a deep breath as he fought to keep his composure. He'd been made aware of how close Farrid was to the woman and that they shared an apartment. "The cops are all over the scene. I can drive you back to your place or to Syd's. Whatever you need..." he offered.

Inb4Cloaker shadowz1995 Bellz

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter
​

James couldn't help but smirk at Ryan's comments on the desk. "Definitely just similar," he casually confirmed. Back in Dublin, James had struggled with the idea of having to sit behind his desk and give out orders to the family and its employees. When he'd relieved Conor of the duty and stepped into the leadership position in Chicago, sitting behind a desk had been the last thing on his mind. His first task as the boss had been working with the Russians to take down the Romanos. James had been in the centre of the action and slaughtered Vinnie with his own hands. As a former hitman to Emmet, killing the enemy had been more familiar to James than sitting at a desk delegating. However, during his years in Dublin, James had come to realise he couldn't always be out getting his hands dirty and the family needed him alive to run things, rather than taking too many of the risks he'd always been comfortable with in his younger years. The last time he'd really been able to step out onto the front lines had been to help take down what was the Morettis. As much as he would like to be out in the middle of things again, James had come to accept his office a little more. Despite his urge to put himself into the centre of the action, he knew he couldn't take too many risks with his family and the business relying on him staying in one piece to maintain order.

Still. How he'd like to get his hands on those who were now challenging him...

James nodded in understanding as Ryan admitted his failure to retire. "Harder than people think, isn't it?" he noted. He and Lucy had recently discussed how near impossible retirement could be. He understood it was also difficult for even those employed by the mob. He didn't know many people who had completely walked away from the lifestyle.

James took a drink from his glass as he listened to Ryan explain what was going on. Porter almost spat out the whiskey upon hearing Carrick had stolen Ryan's son. That prick. James didn't talk about it much with Lucy and her family, but he'd never been overly fond of the lad. Dating back to when Emmet was running things and James was growing closer to Lucy, Carrick had said things - some directly to James - that had grated on him. Not to mention how little respect and kindness the lad had shown towards both Emmet and Sinead.

James calmly placed his glass down as he processed the revelation Ryan had been working for the Italians in Los Angeles. James sat back in his seat as he studied the man and considered that over four years with the Italians Mafioso was a long and significant amount of time. "And what's yours position with that lot now, Perry?" James seriously asked. "Are we going to have Italians turning up on my doorstep looking for you?"

James let out a long sign as he massaged his temples. Whilst he never forced his employees to work for him, James still expected and commanded their silence. He didn't have Ryan down as one to break that oath and was still hoping he hadn't, especially not to the LA Italians. "What do I need to know Ryan? Anything that's going to come back and bite my family on the arse?" He hated to ask, but he hadn't lasted this long without being cautious and suspicious.

It was clear Ryan needed something from him,so James would at least entertain the idea. "My relationship with Carrick is best left unsaid, for the time being. Tell me what you need and then I'll consider Carrick's part in this." Something James was known to feel strongly about was the importance of family. If Carrick had done something to intentionally keep Ryan and Owen apart, then James wouldn't be able to abide by his brother in law's actions.

Fletchawk (Ryan)

 

[seasonedcat]

~Penelope~​

Penelope rolled her eyes at the bartender, she expected as much from someone like him. Why would someone like him ever care about his customers? At the mention that he had almost started a fight, Penelope frowned. Could these have been enemies of the gang? Or even have just been random customers that were drunk as well? Either way, this could mean bad news for the man, saying the wrong thing could have ended up with his blood being spilt that night. Penelope bit her lip as she thought, what could this mean for them? She flinched when Brady suddenly turned, looking up at him in shock before realizing what was happening.

She blushed lightly for jumping before clearing her throat and trying to calm her face. She followed him out, trying to catch up with his head start. Thankfully he allowed her to catch up with him, then spoke up. "I agree, it could be the Organization or it could also be a drunk customer. Either way, this could be very bad for him depending on what he said to them and how bad they took it. It could also be a good thing for our rivals if they are the cause..." she trailed off at this. This could mean many bad things and it was definitely better for both of them if they did not discuss exactly what could have happened to him now they had this information, many of the endings were bad...

Least they had an idea of a location though if they didn't this would have been harder than it was already going to be. Penelope tried to keep up with him as he quickened his pace, also trying to take in all he was saying. They would have to get the gang back together if they were to rescue him, however, a big retaliation could lead to even more negative outcomes. This was going to be really hard. She lightly jumped as he suddenly spun around and asked her for help. She looked at him with shock, his eyes screamed something, maybe desperation, she didn't know but it made her want to make whatever it was stop, made her want to make him ok.

She scratched the back of her neck as she thought, "Well... we don't even know if for sure that they have him there, we can't just storm the place until we know for sure. If we did we could be wrong about this and end up starting a full-on gang war," she frowned slightly before continuing, "Not to mention they are older and have much more experience than us, storming the place could work, but there is too much maybe in that. First, we need to determine the location of him, we have to make sure we for a fact know he is there before we act. If he is there we also can't just storm in, this is a hostage situation, they could easily kill him while we are fighting then it was all for naught. However, what about a small group or even one person? Someone who finds out if he is there for sure and if he is, sneaks him out if able. At least find out about how many guards, if he is alive, and how many people we would need. I think that would be the best, but I am not the boss here it is you. I just think it would extremely foolish and a waste of resources, even lives, if we storm in there without even knowing if he is here."

Cracking her knuckles lightly as a way to calm her heart she looked to left. She wasn't expecting him to ask for help in this, however, she was grateful. She did think that they would have to be very careful here if they didn't want this to end in defeat, "I know you are worried about him and want him safe, also there is the fact that this will be a huge loss for the gang if we lose him, not that that's the only problem but it is a big one. We have to stay calm, think this over and make sure that we don't run in here blind. We may be younger than them, but if we play this smart we might just be able to beat them. That also raises the problem that they could be expecting us, that will make it even harder... we also don't know if that bartender was telling the truth or if he has alerted them about us looking for the boss..."
Bellz

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan ​

Finn cheeks turned incredibly warm as Georgie reacted to the news of him getting Chief of Medicine. Although it was indeed a very big deal, it was hard for Finn to let that sink in and enjoy it. But as soon as the news of him having to work in New York slipped past his tongue, George was stunned into silence, causing Finn to look at him with wide eyes.

He didn't dare say anything as George processed it all. His lover was quick to recover and Finn sighed in relief. "You think so?" He gave a soft laugh before George leaned in and hugged him tightly. Finn hugged him in return and pressed a kiss against the man's cheek. "I love you." He mumbled into his shoulder.

Telling him that they would have to move to New York was obvious but it had to be said in Finn's opinion and George reacted just as the doctor had predicted. He stumbled through his words and it was making Finn unsure that this was the right choice for the two of them but George was assuring him that it would be okay. "Are you sure?" He asked to clarify. But when asked if they would have time to find somewhere to live Finn couldn't help the smile that formed on his lips. "Well, about that." He started, taking George's hands and giving them a squeeze. "That's another part of the surprise that I want to tell you about." Finn reached into his pants pocket and fished out the folded up picture from it before opening it up to look at it himself. He stared at it a moment without showing George and he reassured himself that his lover would love it just as much as he did.

"I kind of jumped the gun on this one but..." He handed the picture to George with a bashful grin, "I put down the deposit earlier...that's where I was." Biting his lip suddenly, Finn felt nervous that he really did this without thinking it through all the way. "Its beautiful, 5 bedrooms and 4 1/2 bathrooms. The porch goes all the way around and in the back of the house there is a smaller lake shared by the community. One of the bedrooms has nothing but shelves which I thought would be perfect for a library just for you..."

He was beginning to sweat, "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you before but I wanted it all to be a surprise. This is a start at a new life for us, a new life for our family that we are going to have because we deserve just as much as everyone else. My family is around these parts and I miss them like crazy. If you miss Ireland I promise we can visit all the time..." He was rambling.
with: Georgie Misty Gray

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

As Sinead went on teasing him about his obvious affections for Roxie, Syd kept his eyes glued to the milkshake in front of him, too embarrassed to look her way. "Would you stop?" he uttered through a smile, one hand raising to cover his face when she pointed out how red his cheeks had turned. His aunt loved romance - he remembered that from the last time he had felt like this towards somebody - so in a way he was glad to see her with a new reason to be happy. After all the trouble he was getting from his parents over Roxie, it was somewhat refreshing to finally hear some encouragement. It dared him to imagine what it might be like to openly date her: bringing her to dinner with his family, counting her as his 'plus one' to events, kissing her without that extra attachment of guilt. It was tantalising, yet he knew that it had to remain a fantasy for now. Despite his excitement over her, however, it did embarrass him to hell and back to be the subject of Sinead's latest romantic obsession.

Fortunately, before she could tease him any further, Emery's cat entered the room, providing her with a sufficient distraction. Syd gave the cat a grateful look for saving him, and then watched as Sinead fussed over him. When she spoke of Conor's disapproval, Syd shrugged. "Well if he kicks him out, don't pass him on to me," he said, reaching over to tickle the cat between the ears. "He wouldn't enjoy the company at my house."

When Peter's voice rang out from the hall, the mood seemed to change almost instantly; Sinead went from happy and carefree to concerned and a little nervous-looking. Given the strain her marriage with Peter had faced over the last several years, Syd couldn't tell if she was concerned for her husband or by him. Peter was a colleague of his that he respected greatly, but he was an uncle first and foremost and so he also felt concerned about his relationship to Sinead. Still, with his own marriage having lasted only a few months, he had little wisdom to offer the two of them and so tended to leave them to sort out their marital problems themselves. "Course," he assured her. "Go ahead."

Once his aunt had left the kitchen, Syd turned his attention back to the milkshake. As he poured the thick mixture into a tall glass and squirted a mountain of whipped cream on top, his thoughts were stuck on Roxie. The excitement he felt over her was exemplified by his uncle's return and left him feeling giddy. Setting his parents' problems aside, there was a lot to feel happy about. He was garnishing the drink with gratings of chocolate when Aliana walked in. She asked him how he was doing, but he was too busy concentrating to properly listen. "This is gonna be the best fucking milkshake Conor's ever had." He only briefly glanced up at her, but it was enough to notice her uneven steps. "Still limping, Ali?" he asked. "How've you been since...?" There was no need to mention the incident back at the hotel - she would know exactly what he was referring to. It dawned on him just how much he had isolated himself from the rest of the family in the past week, and his guilt pressured him now to ask if she was okay.

When at last the milkshake was done, he took a step back to admire his work, and only then noticed that Aliana was clambering on top of the kitchen counters. Raising an eyebrow, he wandered over to the cupboard where all the different kinds of coffee were kept and opened it for her before pulling out the coffee machine. Leaving the milkshake on the counter for now, he instead focused on his aunt, offering her a hand to help her climb down without further injury. Although he was more than aware of her troubled marriage with Conor, Syd couldn't help but ask, "You excited to have him back?" He sent her an innocent smile, hoping she wouldn't be too stressed over his return to lash out at him. "We're all set to help him settle in again, but you know, if there's anything I can do to help you adjust, too..." Syd wasn't that practised at having heart to hearts with Aliana, but he understood that she may be going through a difficult period and so wanted to at least offer her his support.

Interactions
Misty Gray Sinead
Melanin-Gxdess Aliana

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan​

When Roxie put an arm around her, Savannah rested her head on her friend's shoulder. She let out a soft sigh as she reassured her about not wanting her to leave. "I love my family, but I wouldn't be able to have the life or career I want if I went back home. Everything's just too chaotic and I'd be so distracted..." she trailed off. There was always something going on where her family was concerned and she didn't want her performances to suffer if she wasn't able to concentrate of her rehearsals. Not to mention the overprotective attitudes around her. Having Warren driving her around and men keeping watch on her apartment from the street was stifling enough. If her manager thought there was too much risk having her and her family involved in the show then she might struggle to get work.

Savannah blushed when Roxie praised her for how she was doing out in the real world. "The acting, music, modelling... It's what I've always wanted to do. I know my family's happy with me for doing this and I feel bad pushing them away. I just know I won't build up my confidence and fighting spirit if I have them fighting my battles for me. And I need some genuine friends around me to balance it all out, so you're stuck with me anyway, Rox."

Roxie's confidence and certainly about her own innocence were reassuring, even though Savannah didn't doubt her friend anyway. Still, it was good to look her in the eyes as she did maintain she was being honest.

When asked if incidents such as explosions were normal for her family, Savannah awkwardly bit her bottom lips before eventually nodding in confirmation. "To be honest, things have been relatively peaceful since we move to New York. I guess everything's been running smoothly for my uncle, at least until recently," she admitted. "But back in Dublin things weren't so relaxed. There were explosions and other terrible things going on. There was a group of terrible people who didn't like my family. People we cared about were killed or hurt." Savannah reached out for the bottle and took a swig from it. "After finding out about Arlene, I doubt my family will loosen up any time soon. I'm sorry if that means they're taking it out on you even more..."

Bellz (Roxie)

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

Sinead quickly nodded her head when Peter told her she'd done the right thing by telling Conor the truth before he found out elsewhere. She knew it had been the best thing to do, but that hadn't made it any easier for her. "Yeah, I know it's complicated. Everything always is..." she dejectedly trailed off.

When Peter offered to talk with Conor, Sinead sent him a small smile. "Yeah, maybe he'll open up to you, seeing as you've both been through it. What would I know, right? I already know I'm useless where all that's concerned," she admitted.

When Peter looked to the door, Sinead briefly glanced down towards her feet. Her attention was brought back to her husband when he mentioned entertaining guests and thanked her for talking with him. "Well, of course. You're my husband and I care about you. I'm always here to talk." When he kissed her lips, Sinead returned the kiss before mirroring his mischievous smile. She leaned back against the side of the piano and when Peter said they should get back out to their guests motioned towards the door for him to do so. "I'm going to stay here and out of the way for a bit. You go on ahead," she told him.


Bellz (Peter)

 

[Bellz]

Braden Callahan​

Braden nodded his head slowly as Penelope became the rational voice of reason for him. They couldn't just go blindly storming into The Organizations territory, especially with the whole gang...it would turn out bad for all of them including their leader. It was probably bad already for him anyways so they needed to treat this whole situation very carefully. Hearing that this was indeed a hostage situation grated on Braden's nerves. He never liked these types of situations, having been use to seeing them when he was smaller, it was preferred to not be in one all together, which he was sure was preferred by most.

Sighing, the man nodded his head towards the direction they were headed and started to walk again as Penelope continued on. He said nothing for a long time, even after she was finished, simply taking all the time he needed to think about what they were going to do. Once they got down to the second intersection down the street, he spoke up. "We need to meet back up with the rest of the group. Its clear that this is becoming something a little bigger than our tiny group and if it turns out that he's being held somewhere by the Organization, then we will need to be ready for that." Whistling, Sanford jogged from behind them to catch up with Braden. "Jog ahead." He told the pup who understood the simple command and did just that. He would be able to keep track of the potential dangers around them as Braden spoke with Penelope.

"So we need a game plan for this, something to present to the group so that we don't get our asses chewed out. This is going to be more than just a one day mission, unfortunately and we want to be as careful as possible as to not tread over the other gangs in the territory." Turning down the familiar corner that would lead them down the road to their headquarters, Braden quickened his pace just a little more.

"We will send in a few people, it would be a bit reckless to send in just one person as if they get caught then we will have no intel to be returned to us. Its hard to think about it that way but we need all the information we can get before we go charging in there, like you said."

Braden turned his head to look to the woman again, "If you went, what do you suggest should be done. You've been in that territory before right? I know I have but only a few times as of recently..." The man didn't want to admit what he was feeling but it was making him nervous that they would have to prolong this rescue mission any further. Braden didn't like to walk into other's territory blindly but it seemed like they would have no choice. With all the factors playing against them, he just didn't have a good feeling about this.
with: Penelope seasonedcat

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau ​

Savannah confirmed that things were pretty stressful for the Porters but also denied that things were like that at the moment. She went on to fill her in on things that happened back in Ireland and Roxie listened with interest. The woman couldn't really imagine that kind of stuff going on in her own family, things were already chaotic with them personally that adding a threat from the outside would have surely been the end of them. The woman froze when Savannah said that people their family cared about was killed or hurt, it made sense why the Porters had gone off on her the way they did. Imagine. The name Arlene didn't ring a bell to Roxie but she nodded her head once in understand, not having to be a rocket scientist to figure out that something bad must have happened to her.

Roxie slowly let out a sigh and shrugged her shoulders at Savannah's words about her family taking things out on her, "I can handle it. Human punching bag here, I can take a lot of heat." Even though it was true that she could take a lot of things, it was becoming harder to really take the Porters disapproval, especially when her best friend was involved...and Syd. "I'm sure it'll be alright, I really have nothing to hide with them. That incident at the hotel was a shock to me..."

The brunette removed her arm from around Savannah to rub her other arm, feeling the goose bumps that rose on her skin from just thinking about that day. The nightmares she had about the day still came to her in her sleep and sometimes loud noises caused her to flinch more than she probably should. It was hard to believe that Savannah's family had to deal with violence like that on almost a daily but she guessed it came with the territory, the line of work they were in called for it.

"Hey, let's talk about something else ya? I think there's a new episode of Bewitched on tonight. Let's drink and get lost in that witchy magic ya?" The woman let out a chuckle but she internally flinched at how strained it sounded. Hoping that Savannah wouldn't notice, the woman stood and swayed slightly. Holding out her arms, Roxie shook her head, "I think I'm good on wine." She admitted before walking towards the television and turning it on. Once the volume was turned up, Roxie walked back over to plop on the sofa again.
with: Savvy Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Maddox Parker​

"It sounds like we've both earned this meal, along with some time off work! Maddox pointed out as Ani echoed his words about not having much time to cook after their long shifts. It wasn't always guaranteed he could relax once he got home, with there always being a chance he could be called upon and his commitment meaning he struggled to turn down those who needed him. It had always been a sacrifice he'd been willing to make and he hoped if something did develop between them that Ani would be able to accept his busy lifestyle. Judging by her own experiences with struggling to find time to devote to cooking, she understood exactly where he was coming from.

"Darling, I think I need you to pass on some of that casserole making magic. My cooking skills leave a lot to be desired," he admitted.

Mirroring Ani, Maddox looked down to the menu and took in her words as she suggested a half and half pizza. "That sounds good to me. I picked the place, so you can pick the toppings," he told her. He spent so much time leading and directing people that it was refreshing to sit back so someone else could take the lead once in a while. He was happy to sit back on this occasion, even if it was for something as minor as the pizza he'd be eating. "The house wine should go perfect with the pizza. I'm sure they'll only serve the best wine here."

After their order had been taken, Maddox briefly looked out of the window as he thought over the time he was spending with Ani. Though it was always nice to get home and relax, he felt like he could get used to spending more time out socialising. He could get used to spending time with Ani and getting to know her. It was a breath of fresh air being in her presence and she seemed to fill a part of his life he hadn't realised was needed so much.

"I'm glad you came to my office this afternoon," he told her, taking a moment to search the woman's eyes. "I really enjoy spending time with you like this. I'm not sure how you feel about us, if there even is or could be an us, but I think you're amazing, Ani. I've never met anymore who's so interesting, intelligent and beautiful..."


Bellz (Ani)

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan ​

Peter wasn't expecting for Sinead to want to stay in the room for a moment, so when she motioned for him to go out the door, he froze. "You sure?" He asked softly before she answered him, "Okay." He murmured. With that, he opened the door and slipped out into the very busy home. Heading in no particular direction, when he found Conor the man smiled widely, "Look who it is!!!" He called out to his brother-in-law before smiling down at little Leo. "I haven't had this many people in my home in who knows how long! Its good to see you man!" Peter reached out his arms to give Conor a hug before doing the same with Leo.

"Can I get you anything? Have you had a chance to sit down and relax for a moment or is everyone still making their way over to say hello to you?" Peter remember how overwhelming it was to get out of prison for the first time...he really didn't know what to think of it all and he wasn't the most welcoming person at the time because of how overwhelmed he was. Conor always had a way of keeping things light and on the happier side, so Peter was sure that the man didn't have the same problems that Peter did, but it was worth checking in on.

Conor had done a lot better than Peter in prison and although the man had tried to help him out, there was no avoiding the torment he went through in that horrific place. He was beginning to feel a sense of deja vu so Peter quickly cleared his throat before offering, "Need something to eat? I'm sure Sinny has already offered that to you but she is doing something at the moment. What about you Leo?"

All he could do was offer his help with the physical stuff. There was no way he could get caught up in the emotional stuff at the moment. All that calm energy he had been feeling from his visit with Maddox was now starting to dissipate and he could feel the familiar nervous energy that he felt earlier returning inside of his chest.
with: Conor Misty Gray ; Leo Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Misty Gray]

George Sanderson​

George couldn't help but grin as Finn took his hands and squeezed them. His lover was filling him with an excitement that left him hanging on his every word. It seemed to be surprise after surprise. As Finn unfolded the piece of paper, George watched on eagerly before being handed it to take a look for himself. George looked on in awe as a saw the picture of the large house - a place he could only dream of owning. Yet, Finn then informed him he'd put a deposit down on it. "Oh wow..." he quietly spoke.

"That's a lot of bedrooms and bathrooms. There was a time I had to share one bathroom between two dozen others," he said, in casual reference to his time in prison. The house sounded amazing and George struggled to speak up for a moment. "A library? That would be..." He paused as he took in a deep breath. "That would be amazing. A book heaven," he said, with a soft chuckle.

"It's a huge surprise, I can't deny," George said, clearly still taken aback with news a deposit had been put down on such a fantastic home. It all seemed so perfect and it was certainly the kind of home Finn deserved. "Our family? That has a special ring to it. We would give them the best home and life," he confirmed, imagining their future as he spoke. He nodded along with the assurance they would visit Ireland, but he didn't feel like he'd miss it much as there was very little left there for him to leave behind. "The house seems so perfect..." There was an apprehension in George as he spoke. "Can we afford it, though? I mean, I know I can't and I need to make sure that's okay. I will never be able to get a job that brings in near what you earn, Finn. I'm sure I can find some decent work here, but nothing that could help me equally share the cost of that beautiful home. We love each other, but I need to know this is going to work. It was my fault I ended up in jail and that means it's my own fault I'll never get the kind of work I once could have had. Are you sure you're happy to do this, knowing I can't afford to pay enough towards the place?" he asked. As excited and in love he was with the house, George couldn't switch off the logical and financial thoughts that instinctively filled his head. Besides that, he didn't want there to be any thoughts that he was taking advantage of his lover; a truly generous and kind man.


Bellz (Finn)

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan​

"I wish you didn't have to take any of the heat," Savannah softly told her friend. Roxie seemed willing to accept being blamed and yelled at, but the blonde still found it embarrassing to think her own family were being unkind to her friend. "I hope they figure out the truth soon, then we can all get back to normal. I'm not surprised it shocked you, seeing as you were inside the hotel too. I'm just glad you weren't seriously hurt." Savannah hated the threat and violence that came with her family's business. She struggled to understand how her siblings were so comfortable around it all. Braden had been looking up to the male mob members since he was a child and she was aware he now associated with a small time gang in the city. Emery had been fascinated with it all since she was able to walk and talk. Her little sister had always been fearless, even to the point where the little redheaded child dared to speak to the Russian boss who Savannah has personally found scary at the time. Emery seemed determined to work for their Uncle James and Savannah still failed to understand the attraction to it.

"A new subject sounds like a good idea," she agreed. "Alright. Witchy fun it is!" she enthused. She watched as Roxie got up, noticing her friend was a little wobbly and grinning to herself at the sight. "Someone can't handle their drink, huh?" she teased. In reality, Savannah was sure if she got up she'd display a similar lack of stability on account of the wine she'd been knocking back, which was why she was going to stay firmly put on the sofa. As the theme tune of Bewitched played, Savannah brought the bottle to her lips and took a small sip of wine. "I used to watch this with my mum," she sadly thought aloud. Whilst she wouldn't trade in her independence, she did miss the little things about being at home.

Savannah cleared her throat and tried to lighten up a little. "I didn't tell you about the guy I met, did I? I've only spoke with him a couple of times, but he's cute and interesting. He seems nice and not stuck up like my exes. He's nothing like those two jerks and that's what I need! I mean, Danny's probably not interested in me like that, but I still keep hoping I can bump into him again..."


Bellz (Roxie)

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan ​

Finn was so excited he could barely contain it as his knee bounced up and down. Watching George's reaction, he hoped the man was okay with the step Finn took for them. "Doesn't it?" He asked softly when George said their family had a nice ring to it. The house was perfect and Finn couldn't wait to show George in person. When asked if they could afford it, Finn frowned slightly at the question, a look of confusion crossing his face for a moment. There was apprehension in George's voice and as he continued, it was clear that he was making a different point than what Finn had previously thought.

"Georgie, love. This is what I want for the both of us. It doesn't matter what you can afford because my job is to take care of you. I want you to live your best life now to make up for all the time lost in that damn prison." He squeezed his hands again and lifted one to give it a kiss. "Please don't think like that, like you are burden to me because you are anything but." Finn smiled widely for the man.

"This has been my dream since I was a teen, that I wanted to settle down in a big house of our own, raise a family, all of it." When his hands settled back down in between them, he looked down. "None of this would be possible without you, just remember that. You make my world turn and I hope I do the same for you. Some of my family didn't agree with what I was doing but I didn't let them sway me for one damn second because to hell with what they think."

Finn looked back up and there was admiration in his eyes for the person sitting across from him. "But we have family here who will love you just as much as I do...and I was wondering if we could stop by...they are near here."

***​

When the men were ready, they headed over to Sinead's place to find that it was already packed with quite a few cars. After explain to the guards who he was, Finn was able to drive into the driveway but parked a little bit further back as to avoid anyone seeing them. He was just full of surprises today. "They are going to freak out." His mind immediatley went to Sinead, knowing that he could count on her reaction to be a big one and ease all his worries about coming back to them.

They made it to the front door and Finn hesitated slightly as his hand rested on the doorknob. What if things had changed? What if they resented him for staying in Ireland? He shook his head slightly as if to rid himself physically of those questions. Avoiding them as best as he could, the man took George's hand before opening the door. "SINNY!!" He called out.
with: Sinny & Georgie (my babies) Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

George Sanderson and Sinead Callahan​

George couldn't help but smile when Finn reassured him that the house was what he wanted for them both, that it didn't matter that he couldn't afford to pay for such a beautiful home. "You truly are the most amazing person, Finn." He blushed as Finn kissed his hand and studied the man's face as he continued to speak. George didn't know where he'd be had he not met Finn, but what he knew for sure was that nothing could have been better than the life he was living. Finn was a gift and George loved him to no end.

"You will get everything you've dream of, love. The perfect job and gorgeous home are already yours, so next we will raise our family. We will do it, Dr. Sullivan," he firmly assured him .He quickly nodded his head along with Finn's next words, where the other man expressed how important he was to him and that he wouldn't leave him because of his family. "You're everything to me, Finn. There is no life I can imagine that would be remotely as good as the one I'm living with you. You complete me."

When Finn requested they visited his family, there was a slight unease in George as he recalled the day Shannon found out about them. The woman's strong words of disapproval still cut through him. George reminded himself of those who were accepting and knowing how important family was to Finn, he was willing to overcome any anxieties he was having. There were people who accepted them and George was happy to be seeing them again. He only hoped a reunion with Shannon wasn't on the cards, not yet. "Let's go see them. It'll be good to catch up with Peter again," he noted.

*****​

When Peter had questioned if she was sure about staying back in the music room for a bit, Sinead confirmed to him she just needed a few moments by herself. She sent him an encouraging smile when he agreed and she watched the door for a short time, even after Peter had left the room. She snapped out of her daze and sat herself at the piano. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the top of the piano and propping her head up with her hands. Her eyes soon found the photographs hanging on the wall. Her mind was especially drawn to the individual pictures of Savannah, Braden and Emery as babies. It made her heart ache that there wasn't a fourth picture - a fourth child. She adored all three of her children, but there should have been another. She always felt like it was her fault she and Peter didn't have more.

Sinead was snapped out of her daydream as she thought she heard her name being called. She sat up straight and quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks, taking a deep breath to compose herself. She quickly turned her head towards the door, expecting Peter to enter the room and tell her to join him. Nobody entered the room and she wondered if she'd been imagining hearing her voice being called.

Sinead decided she couldn't hide away any longer and needed to find out if someone was calling her name. She stepped out of the music room and looked down the corridor. She froze and stood wide-eyed as she saw Finn standing in the doorway with George by his side. "Oh my..." she gasped. Suddenly, she sprinted down the hallway with her arms opened out in front of her. By the time she reached her cousin, George had anticipated the woman's actions, so let go over Finn's hand so he wouldn't get knocked out in the process. "FINN!" Sinead squealed. She wrapped her arms around her cousin's waist and buried her face in his chest. "I'm so excited to see you!" she enthused, pulling her head back and looking up to his face. "You look amazing and happy and oh my god!" she said, practically bouncing on her tiptoes. "And you too!" she said, directing her attention to George and giving him a tight hug as well. She then took a step back from the two men and looked them over before looking back to Finn. "How long are you visiting for? I didn't know you were in New York. This is so good!"

Sinead couldn't help but feel elated. Over the last week or so, three of the people she cared greatly for had returned. Ryan, Conor, and now Finn. With Peter having a relatively successful counselling session too, she hoped this meant things were looking up. She'd been slipping into a dark, lonely place, but she now found herself wondering if things would start to improve.

Bellz (Finn)

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue​

Ryan couldn't blame James for his suspicion, and being questioned about his allegiances felt reasonable, even if it stung. But the addition of being addressed by his supposedly dead alias caused his face to twitch slightly as something cold and unpleasant stirred within him.

"I was beaten and tortured to within an inch of my life over the course of four days before I dumped in front of a hospital," he said, unaware of the temperature drop in his voice, "It was a over month before I could leave, and I was so sedated for the first week that I was there that I don't even remember it."

The absurdity of what happened next caused him to chuckle darkly before preceding, "The fat fuck had someone waiting for me at the exit. Told me not to leave town because I was expected to pay a visit once I recovered. Of course, I was still in a fucking wheelchair, so how could say no? And when I finally did get out of that contraption, the fuck had already arranged a new identity for me, and for Mr. Perry Barone to be brought into the Family," after polishing off the rest of his drink and setting the glass on the desk, he leaned back into his seat to continue, "So yeah, I've had to wash a few guidos off my doorstep since I left LA. Though it's been a while since the last one."

Even though Ryan was underplaying the hitmen a bit, he was fairly confident that they weren't stupid enough to actually attack anyone directly affiliated with a crime lord of New York City. Staying on par for his character, James cut to the chase and asked what he wanted and what were the risks of helping him. Ryan respected the directness, but when James declined to reveal his relationship with Carrick, he was immediately wary of his former mentor. Watching the man intensely, he was silent for few moments as he figured out what to say next in light of the fact that James may actually be aligned with Carrick.

"It's been over ten years since my son was stolen from his mother. I just want to know what happened to him, and Carrick is the only person that I know of that can tell me, but thanks to the Italians that trail went cold," he said, keeping his voice as level as possible, "This what I came to you for. I knew the price of breaking the oath I swore, so I won't beg for forgiveness. But I will if it means you'll help find my son."


Misty Gray [James]

 

[Bellz]

Ani Sarraf​

Ani was pleased to hear that she was able to pick the toppings on the pizza, "Well if I had to guess what you wanted on your half, I would say you are a pepperoni type man." When it was decided, she took the menu and set it down in front of her closed to let the waiter know they were ready to order. Watching as Maddox looked out the window, Ani observed him closely for a moment and reminded herself not to mess any of what was happening up. Too many times before she sabotaged her life for the fear of what her brother might do.

When he looked back at her, Ani's eyes immediately returned his searching gaze, a blush creeping up on her cheeks as she felt like she had been caught staring. She couldn't look away. Hearing that he was happy that she'd stopped by caused a wide smile to form on her lips, her head tilting ever so slightly to look down towards the table in embarrassment. He confessed that he was enjoying the time spent with her and she nodded in agreement but before she could say more, the man stunned her with compliments she had heard many times before...

Coming from his mouth, it was different, far more sincere than anything else she had ever heard. The woman struggled for words as her heart pounded in her chest. What was happening to her? She felt like she was running yet she was sitting inside a restaurant. "Maddox..." Ani breathed out, hesitating for a second as she tried to form the words she was going to say in her head. There was so much she wanted to say but...it needed to be perfect.

"Reason I came to see you today...was because I want there to be an us. I know this will sound weird, but I feel so comfortable around you. You show those exact same qualities and I want to know more about you. Ani reached out to take his hand across the table.

"This may be a little progressive, but I don't think its far fetched of me to ask you out for a third date? Seeing as this is probably our second by now."
with: Maddox Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau ​

"I can handle my drinks just fine, thank you very much." Roxie said, slurring only slightly as she did. A lot had happened that day and the mixture of being tired and drunk was starting to catch up with her. Watching the television, Roxie smiled as Savvy said that she use to watch the show with her mom. The brunette had the pleasure of meeting Sinead and Peter only a few times before, but it was cute to imagine Savvy watching Bewitched with Sinead. She missed the sadness in the woman's voice and replied with, "That must have been really fun." Her mother never would be bothered with TV shows or anything fun for that matter, it was all work no play for her parents, so Roxie didn't really have any fond memories like that.

When Savannah cleared her throat, Roxie's head slowly turned away from the screen to look at her friend. "A guy?" Roxie echoed, immediately curling her feet up on the sofa and straightening up as if preparing herself for the hot gossip. Listening to the details, Roxie could just imagine the type of guy that would be perfect for Savvy. "Danny eh?" The woman smiled widely and reached her elbow out to bump Savannah lightly, "Sounds like someone has a little crush!!" Giggling lightly, Roxie tried to compose herself.

"God knows you need it, honey! I hate those guys. Really, no offense but they were just...l like you said it, jerks!" Leaning back into the sofa a little more, Roxie looked to the TV screen again before sighing, "How many dates you gonna go on with him before you introduce him to the family? I would wait on that, for a while, until they clear up the whole situation with me."
with: Savvy Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan ​

Finn didn't see anyone at first and he turned to look at George with a curious expression on his face, "There are a bunch of cars-?" A high pitched squeal calling his name made him turn towards the area in front of him and George pulled his hand from Finn's. "HEY YOU!" Finn said as Sinead wrapped her tiny arms around his waist. Finn wrapped his own arms around her and gave her a tight squeeze, lifting her off the floor ever so slightly. When her feet were on the floor again, the woman looked up to him and Finn smiled widely down at her. "I'm so excited to see you too!" He said with a chuckle. Once he was released, Finn looked to George with red cheeks, continuing to chuckle at his cousin's reaction. "Thank you, Sin!" She hugged George before Finn took the man's hand again.

Sinead questioned how long he was visiting for and it had just dawned on him that the news he broke to George would also be a surprise for his family. "Uh, well about that. I actually have some news I would like to share with you and the family. Its great news, so don't worry about me being the bearer of bad news." The door was still open behind him, so Finn turned to close it before clearing his throat. "I actually was here for an interview. I got it, and the NYC Hospital offered me the position of Chief of Medicine." The man made a little surprise facial expression, raising his eyebrows enthusiastically.

Turning to George, he paused for a moment as the conversation they had back at the hotel played in his head. He didn't believe George was using him in any sort of manner, they had been together for a long time now and if it was money he was after, he probably would have left a long time ago. Of course, Finn knew his Georgie was his and nothing was going to get in between them. Finn had left his family for the man, severed ties with his Aunty Shannon for him...

"This wonderful man right here is the reason I'm able to do this," Finn mentioned as he stared at his lover with kind eyes for a moment. "I surprised him with the news...and I'm proud to say that we are the proud new owners of a house!" He squeezed George's hand before looking back to Sinny and lightly bouncing on his toes. "We will be living like 15 minutes from here!"
with: Georgie and Sinny Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Hearing the familiar voice, Conor turned to see Peter enter the lounge and a large, almost relieved, smile crossed the big man's face. The last time he'd seen his brother-in-law was the day the man was released from prison. It had felt like ages since that day, with Conor remaining locked up on account of not being as good at staying out of trouble. Regardless of any things he'd heard about the man's marriage troubles with Sinead, Conor was genuinely happy to see Peter again. "Alright, lad!" he casually greeted him. A chuckle then escaped his lips at mention of how busy the Callahan house was. "Conor's home now, mate. The noise allows follows," he joked. He returned the man's hug, finishing up with a firm pat on his back. "Good to see you," he assured him.

"I've had a little sit down, but you lot are keeping me on my toes," he said, playfully ruffling Leo's hair as the boy remained nearby. "Syd was getting me a milkshake, but I'm starting to wonder if he went to milk the cow first. I'm dying of thirst here," he exaggerated, playfully looking to his watch. He was joking, having not long ago already had a milkshake along with a glass of Coke back at the diner. "You know what? Tink didn't offer me a thing to eat. Her standards have slipped - I could usually rely on her to make too much food for us. Thankfully, I had two cheeseburgers before I got here, so I'll not starve for at least a couple more hours."

Beneath the playful comments, Conor was taking a little time to study Peter. The man had suffered a lot more during his sentence and he still felt bad there was nothing he could do to help Peter in jail. "Is Tink alright? I figured she'd drawn the short straw having to tell me about the crap that's been going down. I don't think I snapped at her or anything, but obviously I wasn't happy to find out any of that stuff," he said, keeping a little vague in Leo's presence despite the kid being perceptive. "And you? Are you doing alright, Pete? It's been a while since we last spoke..."


Bellz (Peter) Melanin-Gxdess (Leo)

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter
​

As Ryan explained how he'd been beaten and tortured, James felt like he could empathise with the man on that front. He slowly nodded his head. Though the familiarity threatened to cause him to think back to his own experiences, James had got a handle on his own bad memories and was able to push them aside to focus on the discussion at hand. It wasn't that he kept his own traumatic experiences to himself, more that for a considerable amount of his life he'd been able to offload his own worries to Lucy. She was the only one he would fully open up to and share everything that was on his mind with.

"Well, let's hope for everyone's sake that they all stay at their side of the country and don't try to bring their shit over here," James reflected.

With the subject shifted onto Carrick and Ryan's stolen son, James sat back in his seat as he took a little time to consider the situation. He rubbed his chin before letting out a deep breath. Ryan wanted help finding his son and James could hardly think ill of the man for trying to find his kid. "How did Carrick even come to be in your son's life?" James folded his arms and sat forward, resting them against the edge of the desk. "I'm going to level with you here. I haven't exactly kept tabs on Carrick since he left Chicago over twenty years ago. I can't say I was fond of the lad, so I figured it was for the best when he left to do his own thing." Realising his words might sound like a dead end, he cleared his throat. "That doesn't mean the others didn't keep in touch. I just never cared much to ask how he was doing. I can't imagine Sinead being in contact with him and Conor won't have been, based on his own whereabouts for the last three years. Luce might know, but I'd say Shannon is the best bet. She and Carrick were always close, even when he was being a petulant little..." James stopped himself and flashed an unapologetic smirk. "As long as it doesn't involve stirring up other groups in other states," he began, clearly referring to the Italians in LA, "I'm willing to offer some resources or assistance to help you find your son. Perhaps Luce could see if Shannon knows anything about where Carrick's at," he said, clearly not offering to call his mother-in-law himself - not if he could help it!



Fletchawk (Ryan)

 

[Inb4Cloaker]

Farrid Al-Assad​

Such a response from the two men did not surprise the medic, and his eyes remained fixated on them for a few moments longer as he rolled their words around in his mind. He didn’t expect them to give in quickly, but of course, he figured the phrase might further move the two to reveal the information they withheld, should physical pain not do the job. Slowly shrugging his shoulders, Farrid tapped his book and spoke his last piece of advice.

“I hope you’ve said your prayers.” With a grim tilt of his head, the prior insurgent stepped back out of the way and allowed the phantom to continue his work.

Farrid had just crossed his arms and sat on the table next to the medical supplies when Warren walked in. The Syrian driver felt his hand instinctively twitch for his pistol at the sound of distant footsteps, but his intentions were quickly redirected when he saw the man who was approaching. Nodding his head in acknowledgment, he briefly offered a peace sign with his fingers before turning his attention back to Dante. Assad paid little attention to the newcomers face, and assumed he was only there to check up on what was taking place. After Warren moved past him, the medic curiously leaned in as he spoke to Dante and moved closer to the edge of the table. Upon hearing what was to befall the two men, he let out a solemn sigh of relief. It would appear as though the interrogation was about to end, and Farrid wouldn’t have much time to say a few words from the book he brought. Before he could flip through the pages, to Farrid’s surprise, Warren addressed him and made a comment about speaking in private. Deciding that the men would just have to make peace on their own accord, Assad took note of Warrens worried features and gathered his bag of medical supplies, along with the books. Without another word, Farrid followed and waited until they were in the worn out room.

Exiting the main warehouse, Assad lowered the shemagh around his head and hoisted his bag over his shoulder. Giving Warren his full attention, Farrid anticipated something relatively serious, but still did well to maintain a sense of humor.

“It’s all good, I’m not a fan of that business anyways. Let me guess, Syd got slapped by another chick so hard that they broke his...” His guess was cut off as Warren continued the sentence, and the medics usually light hearted demeanor gradually changed for the worst.

Farrid completely understood the message that Warren conveyed.

Spoiler: Calmer Nights

“Real war? Shit, this isn’t war, it’s just a... uh, military conflict.” One man said, among a group of five who were gathered around a brightly burning fire, his attention fixated on the piece of meat he was roasting over the blaze.

“It’s the same thing, smartass.” Said another man, still wearing his slightly dented steel helmet while he attempted to scribble through a dirty red book he held on his lap. Without looking up, the man added;

“Hey Hakim, can you stop screwing with that frag? It’ll be hard to be a story writer if you blast me all the way back to the West Banks.”

The person he addressed was, indeed, tossing a hand grenade back and forth between his hands. At the mention of his name and the request for him to stop toying with the explosive, he momentarily paused and looked among the nearby men sitting by the flames. Simultaneously, they all laughed, with the exception of the man writing in the book. With one final throw, Hakim tossed the grenade gently towards the man with the book, hitting his helmet and bouncing off harmlessly.

“Yusef, I’ll be a movie director before you become any kind of author.” He lazily replied, leaning back on his hands as he continued to chuckle.

“So you want to be a filmmaker?” Farrid asked, who was sitting between the two insurgents who were just conversing.

“Well, no. I mean, eh, kinda. I want to do something like that, it’s been my dream for a while, but I doubt it’ll happen.” He said, the man who had been hit with the grenade now paying attention to the conversation, along with the other men gathered around the fire.

“You can do just about anything you want. Or at least try. Granted, your movies will probably be atrocious.” The man with the steel helmet said, giving a sly smirk.

“Shut up, before I smack you with another frag. Hey, Assad, what is your big dream?” Hakim asked, rolling onto his side to pay closer attention.

“Well, I’d like to survive the war, and just live a normal life I guess. Kids, home, cat, wife, that all sounds pretty nice to me. I don’t think it’ll happen either, but it’s good to hope for it. What do you think, Bakari?” Farrid asked, referring to the man who was roasting meat over the fire. In response, he broke his concentration on the meal he was cooking and, instead, addressed the group.

“You can write a book, but it may not be appealing. You can make a movie, but it may not be too expensive or require too much to be reasonable. You can have all the things you want, like a family or whatever, but don’t expect to get it without sacrifices.” He said, lowering the meat from the spit and withdrawing a knife. “Also, just because you get something doesn’t mean it’ll be there forever. Remember that guy with the engineers? Just had a kid, then he walked over an IED the next day. Did you see what his squad wrote on his tombstone?” The man asked the people around the fire, brandishing his knife with raised eyebrows.

“Yeah, it said; “God take, God give.”” Farrid replied thoughtfully, his eyes reflecting a sense of loss for his comrade, along with the color of bright orange from the flames.

The bag on his bag slipped off his shoulder and onto the ground with a dull thud, his back slumping as his mind struggled to comprehend what he was just told. Looking around the room helplessly, Assad took a staggering back step and lifted his hands up to his head. His breathing deepened, and he searched Warrens face for a sign that he misheard something. No such signal came, and Farrid finally spoke.

“You... no, no you’re wrong. Something isn’t right, you’re lying.” He replied with a shaky voice, clinging to the hope that he was being deceived. When Warren didn’t confirm that he was mistaken, or simply fooling the medic, Assad shook his head and bared his teeth.

“You’re full of shit, you’re lying, c’mon just say it, motherfucker just say it! Say it!” The distraught man yelled, ripping off the cloth from around his neck and throwing it at the Porter employee standing before him. Despite his resilience, the medic felt hot tears start to roll down his cheeks, elicited by eyes that were fanatically searching for any hope. As the whole situation dawned on him, he turned away from Warren and struggled through ragged breaths.

“W-why? She didn’t deserve this, I... I believed that...” Farrid stopped only to forcefully pick up and throw the Bible he brought across the room and into the wall, the combination of rage and sadness rushing to overwhelm him. Still conscious of Warren in the room, the medic bit his tongue and wiped away the tears that stained his face, although they were soon replaced by fresh ones. Thinking straight was no longer possible for him, but he knew he had to seek someone to discuss the situation with before he committed to something irrational. At the mention of Syd’s place, he took in a deep breath and turned back to face Warren, although his eyes remained fixated on the ground.

“Syd’s.” Was his only reply, hoping to quell his significant need for retribution with sadness for the moment.

”God Take, God Give.”

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Interactions: Warren Misty Gray​