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

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

Sinead blushed when Syd told her he'd missed her singing and wanted to try make it to one of her shows. "Of course I'll let you know, but if you're pressed for time, you'd best make sure to go see Savvy's show first. She'll not be happy if you don't make it there!" she playfully warned him. With the offer for more security at her own gigs, her smile faded as she slowly nodded her head. Ever since she was even younger than Savannah, there had been security at her performances. It was the only life Sinead had known, yet it still made her long to be able to get up on stage without her family's employees standing guard. For just one day, she'd like to feel free and not have to look over her shoulder. "Thank you, sweetie. I really appreciate the offer," she told her nephew.

Listening to how emotions had been high in the direct aftermath of the explosion, Sinead nodded her head in understanding. "I'm sure everyone said things they didn't mean. Our family has been through so much that anything like that would put us on edge. But, things are surely calmer now. It's never too late it talk it out and fix things with each other." She let out a soft sigh as Syd seemed desperate for things to be put right. His voice was faltering and it saddened Sinead to see her nephew so down. "I could try speak to them, if you want me to?" She then quickly shook her head at his words about Lucy not knowing him anymore. "Of course she knows you. You said yourself that everyone was shaken. It just needs a little time for everyone to calm down again." Glancing down, Sinead saw Syd digging his nails into his arm. "Your mother could never stop loving you, Syd." Sinead placed her hand gently on the wrist of the arm he'd been digging his nails into and firmly pushed it down to his side. "We need a hug!" she informed him. She then wrapped arms around Syd and briefly hugged him. "Stop beating yourself up about this," she firmly told him before pulling away so she could look at him again.

Syd went on to state that he trusted Savannah and that she knew Roxie well enough to make an informed assessment of the woman. "I know, but I just find it hard not to expect the worst," she admitted. "I've met Roxie a couple of times, but only briefly, really." She smiled as Syd called both her and Roxie sweet. Then, as he continued to talk about the object of his affections, Sinead's small smile turned into a wide, playful one. "You've really got it bad for her, haven't you? You loooooove her," she teased, playfully nudging his arm. "It's really good to see you smile like this, Syd. I've missed seeing you look happy... like, really happy," she told him. "I hope you and Roxie keep making each other smile like this. Heaven knows, we all need a little more love and romance around here these days!"


Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Bellz]

Ricardo Bianchi​

Ricardo tried to pull his hand away, as he saw Dante reaching for it, but through the pain and the stress of the situation he wasn't quick enough. Ricardo hissed out lowly, throwing curse words Dante's way as he moved for the pliers. As if that was meant to scare him. The man quickly looked away from what Dante was about to do and bit firmly down on the inside of his cheek as a his bone shattered to bits. An internal scream escaped him, Dante's words rang in his ear. This was definitely not what Ricky had signed up for, This man was mad. If he didn't want the answers and he was doing this for the therapy of it all then what their boss said of the Porters was undeniably true.

Ricardo said nothing in return to Dante as he moved onto the next finger, only holding his breath as the pliers were squeezed shut on it. It wasn't able to stop the pain and he certainly couldn't hold in a scream this time. Another voice rang out and Ricardo rolled his head to the side to see where it was coming from. The man stuck out like a sore thumb in his opinion and his words caused Ricardo to laugh darkly, "This...this is new to us." Was all the man said in return before Farrid continued.

He tried to speak of the possible families that the men could have but as far as Ricardo knew, he didn't have any family to worry about and neither did his friend. A low and broken chuckle escaped Ricardo as he slowly shook his head. "You think we care about family? You join this business because you don't have any family. Otherwise, you are just an idiot for putting others at risk." The answer was simple and the defiance was clear. Ricardo had one job to do and it was a very important one, his silence was worth more than any family he could have.

The man who had spoken in a much calmer style had his arms crossed, looking almost as if the answer Ricardo had gave wasn't satisfying enough for his worried conscience. That wasn't anyone else's business but his own. "Go on then, give us a bloody show." Ricardo was sure that by the time the men were done with him, his own blood would be painting the walls. Silently, he prayed to God that it would be quick.
with: Dante shadowz1995 ; Farrid Inb4Cloaker ; Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Bryant​

The redhead had known the reason behind why Jason took of many years ago, but to hear it out loud hurt just as bad as it had when he left. "Yes I blame you! My family is important to me Jason! Notorious gang or not they are my flesh and blood!" Gwen struggled to pull herself together quick enough to just get out of the dressing room, tripping over her own feet a few times before holding her hands out to balance herself. Jason continued to growl at her but she was trying her best to just ignore his words, knowing they were likely to set her off again.

The woman shook her head harshly as Jason told her that she could fuck off if she wanted to, to never see his face again. Gwen didn't know what she wanted. Even as the two of them stood fighting, she felt like leaving it like this would only break her heart and mind further. Moving to sit down in a chair to pull up her stockings, Gwen was able to catch Jason's next words. They caused her to pause stiffly, staring at one foot covered in black lacy fabric, her bottom lip trembled lightly. Like a child caught in the act, Gwen dipped her head down and turned it towards her left shoulder wanting to bury her face in it if possible.

It was painful to listen to him question her, the accusal in his voice. "I don't know." Her voice cracked. Eye's burned with tears and she once again shook her head. "I wasn't planning on explaining it to her, its none of her business." It was a weak explanation but she just didn't know what to say. Every time someone asked her or accused her about her habits, all she felt was embarrassed, sad, angry that she couldn't quit. Why did she do it if she felt like that? There was no way she could possibly stop.

"You can't tell her. Please." Her voice was still broken as she turned her head to look at Jason now. "I need this job. I have to prove to my brother that I can do this." It was important to her that she proved this to James, that she tried to get back on her feet again. Her brother was far too generous contrary to what Jason might have heard about him. Fumbling to place her other stocking on, once she was finished the woman stood up quickly and wiped at her eyes. "I need you to leave." Was all she said now, determination in her voice. "I need to focus and you are just too much of a distraction for me, so, out!" Gwen came forward and place her hands on Jason's shoulders before pushing him towards the half open door. "Let's go. I need you gone."
with: Jason Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

Peter bit his bottom lip as Maddox asked for clarification on his jealousy. It was hard to talk about it because it sounded ridiculous to him and he was rather embarrassed by the feeling. He went on to ask if he felt that the marriage was beyond repair and Peter immediately shook his head, of course he didn't feel that way. He loved his wife very much and would continue to fight for them until the very end of it all or until she said so. "Sinead was with someone before me, Savannah's father. He's still a pretty relevant topic in my daughters life and its hard to talk about him without feel some sort of jealousy." The man sighed and let his head drop to look at the coffee table before him. "I'll still be with Sinead...because I know this jealousy is just something I need to get over.."
The conversation then steered back to Peter's childhood and the man had a really hard time speaking about it all. Trying to speak about why he was rejected was hard for him but he knew that it would be beneficial for his recovery. Clearing his throat, Peter leaned forward and clasped his hands together between his knees again. "A lot of it was due to my behavior..not to mention I was a pretty ill kid. Had a lot of medical problems that families just didn't want to deal with. But I would end up at the police station more than 4 times a week on record." When asked about his pleasant memories, Peter was stumped on what to say.

Growing up had been too hard for him, he was just so ready to grow up and be his own person that he let his childhood run away from him. "Friends were far and few, Doc. But I had a good time with some of the younger children and helping some of my foster parents with the siblings. But if I'm being honest, pleasant memories were a whole part of my life...at least as of right now when I am trying to explain them."

Peter wondered why it was so hard for him to talk to the Doctor about his past, but he was struggling. Once again, his eyes found their way to the clock and this time, the hour had been eaten up. "I think I have wasted your time enough for one day, Maddox." Peter said with a weak smile as he stood up to give the man a firm handshake. "Thank you for listening to me ramble on...hopefully you don't send me to the nut house!"
with: Maddox Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Emery Callahan​

Emery audibly scoffed when Ryan told her he'd retired from the business. She recovered with a smile and a nod of her head. "Sorry... I just didn't think people retired from that," she admitted. Whilst she was sure it was possible to do so, she didn't think Ryan looked old enough for retirement. She didn't have him down as someone to instead seek a normal, peaceful life with a regular job and the rest of the mundanity that came with it. "Well, fingers crossed my uncle can help you out, right?"

When told not to go looking for trouble in New York, she understood the man's caution and felt she was aware of how dangerous the city was. Her parents' over-protection alone was enough to tell her so. "Yeah, I know..." she trailed off. If she were going to be honest, she had been accused of causing or gravitating towards trouble. Granted, it was so far reserved for school and within the household. Wherever it was, Emery believed in sticking to her guns and standing up for what she felt was right, as well as defending those she felt couldn't do it herself. Unfortunately, her teachers had no patience or understanding for the teenager's 'protests' and expression of opinions.

Ryan changed the subject by asking about her parents and siblings. She pursed her lips before shrugging her shoulders. "His name's Braden... Brady," she was quick to inform Ryan. "He's doing good, I guess. He's always hanging out with his friends, no doubt causing trouble of his own. Still, I can confirm he's alive and apparently healthy! As for Savvy... She's got her own place in the city and is always busy with her career. Theatre, singing, modelling. We're all heading to one of her shows next weekend. Everyone's really excited about that." Emery briefly glanced out of the window before looking back to Ryan. Not only did she wish she could do something to make her family feel proud like her sister did, but she also simply wished her siblings would spend more time with her.

"Mam and Dad..." she began, doing nothing to hold back her exasperated sigh. "They're both great and I love them to bits. They've always got time for me, but... Well, they're going through a lot between each other at the moment. Since Dad got locked up in jail again and Mum's depression won't let go of her, they've been having a hard time." She cleared her throat and forced herself to perk back up with a smile. "Still, they'll get through it, I'm sure. After all the shit and all the dickheads my family's fought off since forever, my parents won't let this thing beat them."

Emery observed Harold for a time as he continued driving in the familiar direction towards the Porters' house. Whilst the man may have been listening to the conversation, he looked wholly disinterested in it all. After rolling her eyes, she looked back to Ryan. "Have you got a family, then?"

Fletchawk (Ryan)

James Porter​

As they left Syd's house, Lucy had taken hold of James' hand, giving it a tight squeeze. "We'll sort it, love," he reassured her. He opened the passenger door for his wife and waited for her to sit down inside the vehicle before he closed the door behind her. As he rounded the car to get into the driver's seat, he looked into the vehicle to Thomas, seeing the boy sat in the back as he waited for them. The drive home was a quiet one. James wasn't at all pleased with their youngest son for sneaking off, but given the cause and the child's unhappiness, he decided against dwelling on it. On this occasion, punishing the boy would only make matters worse and deepen the upset Thomas was feeling. Hopefully, Syd would come to visit his brother and confirmation of Roxie's innocence would be received.

Once back in their own home, James headed towards the kitchen, remembering he'd had to abandon the barbecue and they had yet to eat something. Stopping in the doorway of the kitchen, James folded his arms as he observed Olivia standing on a stool next to stocky guard who was assigned to protect the residence. The employee and the child were both standing at the counter carefully chopping vegetables. "Having fun there, Ed?" he asked, unable to hide the smirk from his face.

Ed took the small knife from Olivia, so as not to let her use it unsupervised, before turning to face James with something of an embarrassed expression. "You told me to watch the kid and sort the chicken. The chicken's cooked and ready. The kid suggested we got the veg ready for your missus to cook." Ed knew Olivia's name, but was trying to play it cool by referring to her as "the kid".

"Maybe you can be our new babysitter, Ed," James teased the man. He then brought his attention to Olivia. "You doing alright?" he asked. He expected Lucy and Thomas would join them at any minute, seeing at they were likely hungry by now. Meanwhile, he would pass the time until Ryan arrived for their meeting.

"I'm doing alright," the girl confirmed as she hopped down from the stool. "Ed has been helping me to chop the veg and I taught him to say some words in Dutch."

 

[Misty Gray]

Maddox Parker​

Maddox understood when Peter explained how Savannah's biological father was a cause of the jealousy he couldn't help but feel. It was a feeling that was clearly getting between the man and his wife with Peter even saying himself that it was something he needed to get over. Maddox had no doubts it was a subject they couldn't ignore in their sessions, especially not if Peter was going to fix his marriage and get over his own psychological obstacles.

Peter pinpointed his behaviour as a child as being a big part of why he was never permanently adopted during his younger years. On top of that, he mentioned how being an ill child was something else that seemed to put potential families off. Feeling it would help him to understand Peter and the types of crimes he was likely to commit in the future, Maddox spoke up. "What kind of offences did the cops end up taking you in for back then?"

Listening to how Peter had liked spending time with the younger children and helping to look after his temporary siblings, Maddox softly smiled along. "Would you say that helped you with bringing up your three children?" Maddox sat forward and looked to his client's face as he continued to speak. "Whilst revisiting and finding closure for your past will go a long way for you, it's also good to remember what you have now, as well as the future. You speak fondly of your wife and kids, who I'm sure care for you too. Until we can speak again, perhaps you could focus on what was positive about your childhood. Maybe spend some time with your kids. Would you have the time to arrange a day out with your family, soon?" he suggested.

Peter's eyes had found the clock and the man seemed eager to end the session, but it was understandable to the counsellor. Maddox stood up and returned his handshake. "You haven't wasted my time at all, Peter. This is exactly what I signed up for when I took the job," he reassured him. "As for sending people to the 'nut house', my motivation is to keep people out of there. Besides, I really believe I can help you and I think you're a very long way from stepping foot in one of those places."

Maddox walked Peter to the door and held it open for him. He motioned to the reception desk where Laura was seated. "If you would like to come talk again, you can book another appointment through Laura," he said, not wanting to pressurise or put Peter on the spot. "If not, I could give you a call in a couple of weeks, just to check in with you?" he suggested. He could see how difficult the session had been for Peter, so didn't want the man to feel like he was being forced to return, not without having time to think about things. "Look after yourself," he told him. Maddox then closed the door behind Peter, leaving the choice in his client's hands.

Bellz (Peter)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

There was a slight moment within Aliana where she wished she hadn't of said anything pertaining to the bombing. While she knew-- or rather figured-- that he would react the way he did. But she knew he needed to know absolutely everything that had happened and keeping anything from him wasn't helping matters at all. When he asked her if anyone else had been hurt, she shook her head. "I don't think so. Everyone survived and we all are healing from our wounds. We're not dead or dying so you shouldn't worry too much." She was trying her best to make him feel better but a part of her couldn't help but feel as if it wasn't working. She figured there would always be a moment where he wishes he had been there. That's just how he was, she knew that much. she listened as Sinead explained to him that he needed to focus on getting out of prison. She glanced away from him, knowing her recent actions couldn't have made it any easier for him to focus. He made it through though, and she could only be grateful for her son's sake. When he looked at her, tried to reach for her, she stood still. She was going to pull away from him, make sure he didn't touch her but that would make matters worse. Instead, she focused on his words and the dark look he was giving her right then. Again, Sinead explained to him James was no god, but he still managed to do what he needed. It was years ago Conor had even basically given James control over the family business. But there was always something in her that thought he regretted doing so, but all for the wrong reasons. "Sinead is right, you know. He's doing what he can, but he can't do everything. Blaming him isn't going to make things better."

Their conversation was interrupted with Syd entering, seeing Conor for the first time. Ali glanced out of the room for a second, making eye contact with her mother. She raised her hand at her, asking her to give them a few more minutes before allowing Leo to rejoin them. She watched as Sinead and Syd excused themselves from the room, leaving her alone with her husband. Sitting on the couch, she had tucked her feet underneath her and listened to him speak. What he said sort of struck a chord with her, it being to leave the mob life behind. It was something she had asked him to do a long long time ago, perhaps a year or so after Leo was born. But he hadn't wanted to that; he didn't listen. Hearing that it took a therapist and prison to get him to realize this and his own wife, the one person in the world who knows him very well, pissed her off. Something in her face changed, as if she were struggling to keep her anger under wraps. He had just found out all these terrible things had happened and she didn't want to do that to him and add on to his stress. "Think of it this way." Taking a deep breath, she composed herself before continuing.

"At the moment, that kid out there is the only thing you need to be focusing on." She said, nodding her head towards where Leo would be outside the lounge. "Not me, not everything that's going on, him. I can tell he's getting sick of me being around all the time so it's your turn." A small chuckle escaped her lips at her own joke before resting her head in her hand again, watching him observe her wounds. With a slight head shake, she sighed. "I can't even lie and say no one is asking you to sit back but we are. You doing something or joining in is a bigger risk than ever now." With a deathly serious look, she finished, "You married a badass. Let your wife handle it and I'm serious Conor. You go to jail again, I'm taking Leo and we are never coming back." It was a harsh thing to say, she knew it and she knew it very well but she had to make him understand she meant it. She knew there was a chance he wasn't going to listen; he often never did. But she had to say it. She had to make him see how much him being in their lives -- Leo more so -- was important. If giving him an ultimatum was it then so be it.


​

Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor had listened to Aliana's words about how everyone had survived the attack and that he shouldn't worry too much. He held his tongue, helped by the distractions Sinead and Syd had provided. However, as he and Aliana were speaking alone, he couldn't shift the niggling feeling in the back of his mind. Not only was Arlene dead, but he could have lost other close members of his family in the explosion. He would never have had chance to say goodbye or try to help them, like he'd failed Arlene. How could he not feel such concern for them? If someone was targeting his family, yet again, it didn't feel right to sit back and do nothing. He'd hesitated too many times in the past. He'd failed to kill Vinnie Romano and lost loved ones because the man had been allowed to live long enough to hurt them. Back in Dublin, Tommy had been killed in the very seat Conor felt he would have occupied, had he not failed to take his duty to his family seriously. James had been beaten within an inch of his life by Gideon Burnell, someone Conor believed he could have fought and when he should have been in the pub with his brother-in-law that night. He couldn't carry any more guilt that his inactions could bring to him.

"Of course I'm focusing on Leo. His safety and well-being is my top priority." Conor tried to mirror Aliana's smirk when she made her comment about their son being sick of her being around and that it was his turn. Only, there was nothing beneath the hollow expression, the discussion proving too serious for the usually jovial man to smile at. "I can't sit back, Ali. My family is Leo's family and their safety affects him too. His aunts, uncles, cousins... I can't do nothing when they're being hurt. If they're all safe, then you and Leo will be too. Back in Dublin, Sinny's and Lucy's kids, they all had to grow up surrounded by violence and loss. If there's people threatening us again, I have to help James. I owe him..." he said, his voice faltering as he caught his breath back.

Catching Aliana's comment about taking Leo away he quickly shook his head. Granted, it was said conditionally, should Conor end up in jail again, but it felt irrelevant in the moment. "What?" he asked, for a brief moment looking confused as he wondered if he could have possibly misheard. But he hadn't. "Don't say that again. You will not take our son away - I would not allow that. I can't believe you'd fucking say it," he said, standing up as he felt his legs becoming restless. He folded his arms and briefly paced a small patch of carpet before stopping to look back to Aliana. "You've deprived Allen of seeing you for all of these years, I'll be damned I let you take Leo from me."


Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau ​

Roxie wasn't surprised as Savvy's head peeked inside the kitchen. Setting the water glass down, Roxie turned casually to look at the blonde. Shrugging her shoulders lightly, she tried to keep the smirk off her face, "I did." At the mention of a new outfit, Roxie stiffened a bit before once again shrugging her shoulders, "Thought I'd give this one a try. Much more comfortable. But...I really should go change." Excusing herself from the kitchen was easily done as Savannah seemed too tired at the moment to care where she went. Roxie was ready to have some one on one time with her but she felt that maybe wearing Syd's shirt while doing it was not in good taste. Quickly changing into something more comfortable, she folded the nice shirt before placing it on top of her dresser. Mentally reminding herself to return it to him at a later date, she headed out into the lounge, slowing only as she saw Savannah throwing herself onto the couch.

Moving to sit opposite of her in one of the armchairs, Roxie reached for the bottle of wine. Her demand made the brunette smile and roll her eyes. "You theater geeks are such divas!" Bring the bottle to her lips, she took a long drink from it before returning it to its place on the coffee table. "Long day, kid?" She pouted for Savvy before leaning back into the chair she was sitting in, the hard cushions making her backache slightly. Why did they buy these things? They were very uncomfortable compared to the bed she had been in earlier... "Juicy huh?" Roxie was battling with herself internally as she struggled to speak the truth.

"I finally got a replacement outfit for the one that Syd destroyed at the party." She said with a small smile as she moved to curl her legs under her. "We had a pretty good outing..." Roxie bit her bottom lip as it was hard to keep a secret from Savannah. "Syd's place is really nice." That was all she was gonna say about that but she also decided to add, "Your Aunt and Uncle are very scary people." Reaching forward for the bottle of wine once more, Roxie grabbed it with more urgency as she wanted to take a drink before she decided to say anything more.

A long moment of silence passed between the pair as Roxie took a few hardy drinks from the bottle that was a few gulps away from being empty. Deciding she should probably say more than what she had, the woman sighed, "Do you want so more wine? I know I could use some more at the moment." Standing slowly, she stretched out her arms as casually as she could, hoping that Savannah couldn't read the troublesome aura around her.
with: Savannah Misty Gray
mentions: Syd Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan​

"This seems like the one." Finn said with certainty as he stared up at the darker colored home with Victorian accents. Although it was a surprise, he was sure if Georgie knew about the home, he would love it just as much as Finn did. "How much is the deposit again?"

***​

Heading back to the hotel was a trek and in the summer humidity of New York, it was becoming a little tiring for Finn as this was the 4th time he'd walked down to visit the home in one day. He hadn't told his family or friends about their seemingly unexpected move to the big city but he was sure that no matter what he did they would be happy. Not as energetic as he use to be, Finn found himself slowing to a casual walk as he took in the area around him. The neighborhood was pleasant and the people who were in their yards tending to their garden or watching the little ones waved his way as he passed.

Smiling weakly, his eyes took in the two children running about in the sprinklers in the front yard of a gorgeous white estate. It had always been a topic for discussion but given the laws and regulations that the U.S. Government seemed to have against same sex relationships, it was hard to think about more than just the two of them occupying such a large home. Waving to the kids and parents in return, he looked forward with a look of sadness in his eyes.

When life handed you lemons, Finn always said you could make the best lemonade around if one tried hard enough, but when life is fighting against your hopes and dreams so directly, things seemed bleak.

The hotel came into view and quickly distracted his thoughts. God he could use a drink. Maybe he would skip to the bar and bring up something for George. Finn had yet to give the NYC hospital a proper answer on whether or not he would accept the position as Chief of Medicine but as long as things went smoothly while they were "vacationing", he didn't see how he could say no.

As he headed inside and approached the bar, Finn thought about how George would feel about al of this. It was a big move after all and they had been living in Ireland for a while now, could they just up and leave everything behind? Finn wasn't very attached to Ireland as much as he had previously thought.

Finn and himself had a hard time with their relationship in Ireland but he was sure the U.S. wasn't any better. It was hard but they were stronger than the hate that came at them from all angles. Wasting no time, he ordered two drinks to take up to the room and as he leaned against the counter, watching the bartender make the drinks, he thought of Shannon.

His Aunty hadn't spoken to him in years. After coming out to her, she didn't receive it well and the rest was history. He could only hope that she might be in the city to reconnect with her...

It wasn't unusual to lose people close to you when you come out with such news, but he hadn't expected to lose one of his closest family members and it sent him into a spiral for a few years before he finally decided to get some help of his own. He had spent so much time taking care of others that he hadn't taken the time to take care of himself, both mentally and physically.

With the drinks in hand and the tab paid, Finn quickly walked towards the elevator and made it just in time before it closed on him as he slipped through the narrow opening. Smiling to himself, he didn't bother looking up at the other people around him as the elevator lifted them up towards the different floors.

They were staying on the 5th floor and when the doors open, Finn practically jogged his way out of it, now feeling a bit desperate to get back to the safety of his room. Now that he was standing in front of the door, Finn looked down at his full hands a chuckle escaping him as he shook his head, "Dear God..." He sighed before kicking his foot against the door lightly, "Oui! Guess whoooooooo!" He sang out as he smiled widely at the door before taking a sip of the glass in his left hand.
with: Georgie Misty Gray

(may have went a little longer with this post than previously thought but, I missed Finn.)

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue​

"Yeah, fingers crossed," sounding less optimistic after Emery's incredulous look.

Not that he blamed her for what she said. There was a time when it wasn't entirely odd for some to retire, but even then, it was often paid in blood. Nowadays, once you got in, you usually either died on the street or you got clapped with irons. He'd somehow avoided both, the former almost being his fate more times than he cared to count. And yet, he was on his way to speak with James, knowing full well that him being dragged back into the life was likely. It was something he had been prepared to do, but that didn't mean it was going to be voluntary.

Nodding to confirm the boy's name, he'd thought switching the topic would be more comfortable. Realized it may have been a poor choice when the girl spoke of her siblings, drifting off for but moment before continuing about Sinead and Peter with nary a smile to be seen. It wasn't that Emery seemed to hold any ill feelings, but neither could he sympathize. Still, it was good to know what their situation was, although he'd hoped they would of reverted back to the couple he met when he first went to Dublin.

"I'm sure they will, your mother can be surprising resilient, so long as she knows she's not alone at least," he said, remembering the mess he helped off the couch more than a decade ago. "Sure, but not as big as yours. Got my Ma, or Mary. My Pops, Reilly, died when I a little older than your age. No siblings, though. Then there's Sue. We're practically married, but decided to wait until we found out what happened to our son before making it official. Which is why I'm here in New York City, looking for him," he informed her, his practiced smile showing up to waive off concern.

A few moment more, and the car would pull in towards a massive metal gate. Making the one at the Callahan's look laughably tiny in comparison. The guards at the gatehouse merely looked over Emery and Harold before settling up on Ryan, the unfamiliar one. Once they asked and received a name, then confirmed it with Harold, they open the gate for the car to pass through.

After letting out a long whistle as he marveled the estate, he commented on its size, "I swear, keeps getting bigger every time I visit."

As they came to a stop near the front entrance, a man walked out towards the vehicle. He approached Emery's side, and opened the door for her, before closing it and coming around to his side, but Ryan decided not to wait and let himself out.

Looking over the roof of the Impala, he teased the redhead a bit, unsure if she was going to run off and do her own thing right off the bat, "No wonder you wanted to visit, swanky place. Bet they have a pool too."

Once the butler had fully circled the vehicle, he address Ryan in a relaxed, and yet business like manner, "I presume you're Mr. Donahue, sir?"

"Yeah, that's me."

"If you'll follow me then," the man said.


Misty Gray

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

Jason stood firmly as he watched Gwen rush to get dressed. She appeared to be growing more flustered by the second and he suspected that it wouldn't be long before she snapped. Still, he couldn't bring himself to leave - he wasn't one to take accusations lightly and since she had been the one to start this argument he figured it was her intention to see it through. For a moment it looked like she was going to go the other way and start crying. Jason knew his question would hit her hard but he didn't regret asking it. The silence that followed was deafening; soon her lip began to tremble and she looked down, shrinking away from him. Jason had met many people touched by addiction over the course of his life and even struggled with alcoholism for a long time, so it did sadden him to imagine the kind of turns her life must have taken in order for it to have claimed her as a victim too. The very fact she was here showed him how hard she must be trying to live her life despite it. But amidst his concern for her there was a concern for himself, too, and everyone else involved in the production. This was no doubt going to affect him at some point and the unpredictability of addiction meant that it could take a hard turn at any moment. Arms folded, he watched her struggle to answer him, his face stern yet patient.

"Sorry to be the one to tell ye this, but it is her business and it's mine, too - ever since you were cast in this show," he told her. His calm tone of voice didn't match the frown on his face. "And if at some point you're not well enough to do this anymore? That's gonna affect all of us, Gwen. Sure ye wanna prove somethin' to your brother, fine - but his opinion of you isn't the only thing that's at stake here." Jason's eyes were fixed on her and he took a step closer. "Look, I'm no stranger to addiction, believe me - so I'm not gonna pry into your life or judge you or anything like that. Just please be honest with me from now on, alright? We're meant to be working together. I need to know how you're doing -" Suddenly Gwen arose from her seat, speaking over him to order him to leave. He could see how agitated she was, but it still infuriated him. "A distraction? Gwen, I'm trying to help you!"

Although he was aware that he had hit a nerve, he wasn't going to take any kind of aggression from her. "Hey, hey - Jesus, stop -" Gwen had begun to shove him towards the door and he was struggling to stand in her way. "Fuck this!" he suddenly shouted, gripping the doorframe with one hand and pointing at her with the other. "You are not Sally Bowles, you are Gwen Bryant and you need to stop hiding behind her and actin' like everything's okay! Get help or get out before you hurt yourself and fuck everything up!"

Without waiting for her reaction, Jason slammed the door behind him to leave her alone as she had demanded. But it didn't shut - when he let go, the door bounced back open and he realised he had trapped Gwen's hand in the door. At first he was still ready to walk away, too frustrated with her to hang around. But something was stopping him; his anger fizzled away within seconds and concern took over. He held the door open, hovering a slight distance from her in case she tried to push him out again. After a moment of brief contemplation, he made a step towards her. "Fuck, I'm sorry - I didn't mean to hurt ye..." Jason bit down on his lip and sighed. He didn't feel like he could leave her anymore. "Gwen?" His voice was low and calm, as though being careful not to set her off again. "Would ye please let me help you?"

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan​

"Heyyyy! I am not a diva!" Savannah protested. Still spread out across the sofa, she stretched her arm out to grab her bottle of wine. Figuring she could drop the ladylike manner in the privacy of her own home, she took a leaf out of Roxie's book and proceeded to drink the alcohol straight from the bottle. After a big drink, she placed the bottle back down on the coffee table. "Really long day! The show itself is a breeze, but Andre is a pain in the neck. I grew up around crooks and tough guys, but none of them were as rude as that egomaniac," she complained.

Savannah turned her head to look Roxie dead on when her friend mentioned getting a replacement outfit. A replacement for the one Syd had ruined. She didn't need to dig for elaboration as Roxie went on to say she'd had a good outing with him. "I agree, Syd's place is nice," she echoed her friend's evaluation. However, there was a playfully suspicious tone in her voice. "I mean, he's my cousin, so I have an excuse to go to his house..." Savannah suddenly sat up and crossed her legs as she continued to stare at Roxie. "What's your excuse, huh? I mean, I don't want too much information."

With mention of Lucy and James, Savannah diverted her eyes to the wine bottle for a brief moment before looking back to Roxie. "I guess they could seem scary and I know my uncle can be very serious, but they're caring people. They just worry too much," she tried to reason. Having been made aware of what had happened, she was aware Roxie had been on the receiving end of Lucy and James' anger. "Did something else happen?" she curiously asked. "I'm sorry they're being like this with you. I've been telling my parents they don't have to worry and that you can be trusted."

Savannah nodded her head to the offer of more wine and waited for her friend to return with the drink. "So, you and Syd?" she prompted her. "He's a really good person and he deserves someone nice in his life. Since Sk--" she began, but stopped herself. It wasn't that she thought it would be wrong to mention Skye to Syd's potential new girlfriend, she just didn't think it was her place to talk about what had happened with Skye. She believed it was Syd's business to tell her about his past relationships. "He'll treat you right, Roxie. After the last two selfish jerks I got close to, I wish I could find someone as decent."


Bellz (Roxie)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana knew this was going to be a difficult conversation but, she didn't think it was going to come around this fast. Burying her face in her hands, she listened to him speak before giving her response. "Your temper is always the cause of your downfall Conor, and that's just what it is." Rubbing her eyes, she looked at him as memories of the past flickering through her mind. The one that stood out, of course, would be the one where she had to clean his mess. That night possibly changed their relationship forever and the way she saw him. The same way she would lookout for any sort of signs that Leo was about to have a fit she had done the same for Conor after the incident. Whether it be a tick or a vein showing itself she would try to make sure he didn't have a moment or completely lose his temper. "From the shit that happened in Dublin to you getting arrested you always lose your temper and I want to prevent that." She didn't know how far he'd gotten with the doc concerning his anger issues, so she was running with that last thing she had remembered happening. Hearing him mention her nieces and nephews growing up in violence made her rub her temples in annoyance. He was telling her something she had tried to talk to him about years ago and she didn't want to hear it. "I told you this years after Leo was born and now you want to-" She cut herself off, realizing her voice was getting louder. "I don't want to argue with you, I just want you to think about it. You can do so much more by not putting yourself in all of this. Why do you continuously feel as if you owe James? What, because he stepped up when you couldn't?" Something in her was saying to shut her mouth but she couldn't nor would she.

Just as soon as she said she didn't want to argue with him, it seemed that's what it was going to be. Granted she should have known this, having told the man she was going to take their son away. Really the arguing would stem from his mention of Allen yet again after she told him to butt out back at the prison. If she were being honest, she didn't know why she never went to see him in prison and sent him letters instead. That's probably one of the reasons why she always got angry or upset at the mention of it. "First off," she started, following suit as she too stood up. It was a bit too fast and sudden, putting her weight on her ankle as she slightly winced and made a face. "Excuse me, you go to jail you wouldn't have any goddamn say as to what happens to him anyway." While she wanted to make sure he heard her, she didn't want anyone else hearing so she got closer to him. "Second, don't you dare mention him as if you understand anything about the situation. Of all the things you pay attention to, that should be the last." That sane part, the part that loved him was appreciative that he even cared about the relationship she held with her father. But that crazy part, the irrational part that was still so angry with him was annoyed he was sticking his nose where it didn't belong.




​

Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter​

The car ride home was a quiet one and it didn't sit right with Lucy as she continued to look out the window towards the houses and trees rushing by them. Seeing Syd act out in such a way was troubling for Lucy and she wanted desperately to understand what her son was going through. The pain in his voice, the way his face twisted, it was like he was becoming a different person right before her very eyes and to a degree, she felt like she was losing Syd all together. Turning her head, Lucy looked behind her shoulder to Thomas who was sitting in the back seat, looking ever so pale as he stared out his own window. Biting her lip, Lucy looked to James before settling in her seat with a sigh.

Letting all of what happened sink in, she let her eyes close for the rest of the short trip back to the house. When her eyes opened again, they were parked in front of their large home and Lucy took it in for a moment. With Syd out of the house and the girls in Ireland, it seemed pretty empty. Even though that wasn't true, she still felt some sort of emptiness that she was wishing to fill with whatever she could find that would fit. It seemed like maybe she was coddling her two boys too much and it was having a reversed effect. Lucy knew when to back off and if that's what her boys needed then she would do everything in her power to provide that for them.

Opening the car door in a sluggish type manner, Lucy got out of the car. Her stomach growled a little too loudly and she rolled her eyes, when was the last time she had eaten? If she couldn't remember, she wasn't sure it was a good thing.

Reminding herself that she needed to pull it together for Olivia, the blonde straightened up and moved to open Thomas' door. "Come on." She murmured to him and nodded her head towards the door, "Hungry?" She asked him to which the boy shrugged his shoulders. This caused Lucy to frown but she gently pressed her hand against his back and led him towards the stairs leading up to the front door.

Once inside, she was immediately hit with the smell of food and Lucy's stomach growled a little more. Heading into the kitchen,Lucy put on a smile for Olivia and Ed. Letting out a light laugh at Ed's words,"Thank you for helping." She said warmly, "But I think you opened a door you won't be able to close, Ed. I could use all the hands I can get around here. Seems like you two are fit for the positions." Moving towards the chopped veggies, she reached down below the counter to grab a pan before setting it on the stove top and walking over to grab the butter dish.

"I'm glad you had a good time, Olive." Lucy's voice was a little tight as she said her name, it was becoming harder and harder to look at the little girl without thinking about Arlene. But she was genuinely happy that the girl was getting some normalcy...well kinda.

"How about you go play with Thomas until I get these cooked up? She asked the girl before looking to Thomas, who just sighed and nodded his head. "Come on, Olivia." He said, taking the hint before leading the girl out of the kitchen. Once he rounded the corner, Lucy turned to Ed.

"I want you to find out where Thomas got out, please. We can't have him escaping under our noses like that again. It seems that collectively, all of my children will be the death of me." Lucy's tired eyes looked to James.
with: James +Olivia Misty Gray

 

[RayPurchase]

Mitchell Van Gerwen
​

It was fast approaching evening now as Mitch got back home, slamming the door behind him with his foot, his hands full of paperwork. Rex padded out into the hall, tongue hanging out of his mouth, tail wagging weakly. Mitch just about managed to get a hand free to run his head, the old dogs eyes closing and something close to a contented whine coming from him.

“You’re in a pretty good mood Rex, haven't eaten one of my suits again have you?”

Mitch muttered as he gave Rex's ears one last tussle, making his way into his small study, placing his briefcases and papers on the already overwhelmed desk. The past few weeks had been productive. Incredibly busy though, and despite his productivity the work was still piling up. The Cartwright situation is looking positive, there may just be something to work with here, a chance of a positive result. The downside of that meant yet more work on Mitch's plate, he was already turning into a recluse as it was, this would just be the straw that broke the camel's back. He picked up a small note on the desk. Roxie's address. Maybe he should call her, see how she's doing, it had been a while now mind you. He rubbed at the back of his neck letting out a low groan. Don’t be a fool Mitch, she isn’t interested in you, you just showed her a good time when she was feeling down. Besides the Syd part of that love triangle was enough to scare him off, he was ashamed to admit to himself. Get him in the courtroom, and Mitch was a scraper a fighter, similes were his punches, metaphors his kicks, and case law was his knock out blow, all tied up in the court room swagger of a boxer on his way to the ring. This was something else though, threats of violence and harm, it was something that he had always kept himself away from, sheltered upbringing, ivy league university, even in his day job he stayed away from the actual crimes only coming in at the end to sweep up the resulting mess. He was a fucking coward. He sat at his chair, silence lying heavy, punctuated by only the ticking of the above the desk.
He could just stay here, work through the evening and most of the night, bury himself in his work, and then if it came to it, break open the bottle of scotch he kept in the desk drawer. Drown what the work couldn’t bury. He picked up a piece of paper, one of many strewn across the desk. His eyes flicked over it. A left over from Conor's probation hearing, his latest victory, ancient history now,, no point resting on your laurels. Still, there was still a medium of pride surging in his chest. The smile on the man's face as probation was granted, free to leave, to see his family his friends, be his own man again outside those 4 cold concrete walls. And Mitch had got him there. A small smile creeped onto his lips, he was actually going to miss him and their near weekly meetings. He was positive, by the end of it a good attitude, and something of a breath of fresh air. As if he'd be sitting at home moping about the place. Yeah... so why the hell should he. He was successful in his own way, had a steady job, owned his own place. Screen it, Mitch would go so far as to say he was a good guy, or at least as good as a Lawyer could be. He jumped out of his seat, striding with purpose into his bedroom he pulled off his tie, flinging it onto the bed.

“Screw this Rex, I’m going out. I’ve spent enough evenings tied to the desk, why shouldn’t I enjoy myself a bit eh?”

Rex let out a bark in agreement perched happily on the bed, the normally grumpy old sod seemingly caught up in the energy of the moment. Mitch glanced at himself in the mirror, sticking with the suit shirt, but having lost the tie, it gave it just a hint of casual. Perfect. And he knew just the place to go, where they may well be a free drink waiting for him.

The Green Emerald

After a short walk and cab ride Mitch was outside his destination. He ran his lips over his teeth as he looked over the exterior. I mean it looked a bit livelier than the bars he normally frequented, but hey better lively than boring he supposed. He took a deep breath and pushed open the door. There were a few patrons about, not quite heaving yet, but then again the night was still young. Okay, first impressions, he was still ever so slightly overdressed, it’s alright though, just act like you own the place, just enough to give you that confidence. He made his way towards the bar, avoiding contact with the patrons, easiest way to piss someone off was to spill their beer, people had been murdered for less. Having run the gauntlet he grabbed a seat on one of the bar stools, glancing about the interior of the bar, listening to he gentle hum of conversation.

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan/ Ani Sarraf ​

Peter shifted slightly in his seat when Maddox asked him question after question, he wasn't sure where to begin. Maybe with the first question. His inner voice told him with a bit of a tone, clearly making fun of the man for even asking such a question. Swallowing hard, Peter cleared his throat. "Petty crimes mostly, stealing, giving attitude to a pig or two when they sniffed around the house too much. Those kind of things. " That wasn't all. Peter wasn't a bad man and he had left those years behind him and never wanted to return to such activities..."Drug dealing when times got a little more desperate." He added. Things had always got desperate, which was something he didn't feel the need to include. Not to mention that his younger siblings had been caught playing with a stash he was suppose to bring out that night...that particular incident was the final straw with his very last foster family.

His mind had gone to a darker place then, so it was hard to take Maddox seriously as he suggested that Peter try to think of happier times. He did love Sinny and the kids dearly, he didn't want to lose any of them. When the subject of spending time with them came up, Peter sat up a little straighter. He would do anything for them.

Maddox seemed nice enough and hearing that he was far away from stepping into one of the mental hospitals was upliftings. Peter felt so lost that he was sure that the man was about to send him...but life was full of surprises wasn't it?

When mentioning returning, Peter nodded his head slowly, taking in what Maddox was saying. "I think I'll make the appointment for next time." He murmured softly. Once out the door, he nodded his head again, "Have a good day, Doc."

The blonde man turned away from the door as it closed with his head down. Taking a step forward, he immediately bumped into something...well, someone given the fact that he could see two red high heels in front of his own shoes. His head snapped up and he opened his mouth to give an apology but the raven haired woman with smooth caramel colored skin smiled widely. "No need to apologize." She told him sweetly. "I tend to have a habit of not watching where I'm going." Stepping off to the side then, her heels clicked lightly against the tile and she waved, "Have a good day." Peter couldn't find the words as he simply stared at her for a few more seconds, even as she turned away towards Maddox's door.

He had seen this woman before...he must have. Why couldn't he think of her name? She was strikingly familiar to him but her name was hard to place. Not wanting to be rude, Peter immediately walked up to Laura's desk to set up his next appointment.

***​

The ride home had been spent speeding in silence as he wanted to get home as quickly as possible, but when he pulled up to the house and saw all the cars outside, the man decided to sit in his car for a few moments. The silence was soothing on his wandering mind...especially with that woman he saw at the end. Maybe he was just confused...could have been a total stranger.

Once his moment in silence was over, Peter quickly jogged towards the front door and headed inside. "Hello?" He called out loudly, wondering who all was in his home.
with: OPEN FOR INTERACTION @ ANYONE

*********************
Ani Sarraf ​

Ani was confused by the person she had just bumped into...he seemed scared of her in some way. Looking behind her once more, she watched as the man practically ran off towards Laura before turning back towards the door. Knocking on it once, she bit her bottom lip before gently opening it and poking her head in. Seeing Maddox's face was the one thing she was looking forward to since her shift started nearly 2 days ago. "Hello, luv." She chirped as she slowly opened up the door to let herself in. Once the door was closed behind her, she took a look around the cozy office and smile, "Feels just like home." She commented. That was the appeal, she guessed, which was already making her feel comfortable being in his office. "I could fall asleep in here.": She teased, though as soon as the words came out of her mouth, a light yawn followed.

Shaking her head and covering her mouth politely, she chuckled over her tiredness. "Mind if I sit?" She wondered allowed before taking a seat on the sofa. "Way nicer than my tiny little office, do you just take naps on your down time? I would love to do that!"
with: Maddox Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau ​

Roxie went to grab the other bottle of wine they had from the fridge before heading back into the lounge and sitting back in the armchair. When Savannah pushed to talk about Syd, Roxie listened as she tried to get the bottle open. Her little slip of words didn't get past Roxie and she was immediately reminded of the conversation that Syd and her had back at his place. The guilt that she had been feeling...

Frowning softly, the bottle finally popped open with another firm tug and she sighed. "You don't have to worry about not talking about Skye...we already talked about it." The guilt she was still feeling wasn't going to go away anytime soon but for now she decided to make peace with it rather than fight it. At the mention of him treating her right, Roxie nodded slightly and scoffed at the following words. "You need to stop being a jerk magnet, dye your hair, unfortunately jerks love blondes...oh and redheads." Lifting the bottle with two hands, she took a swig before passing it over to Savvy.

"I'm sure you know why I was over there...I'm going to spare you the gruesome details." She paused. "I saw the way he looked at her...the photo near his bed."Looking to nowhere in particular on the wall, she smiled softly. "You can really see just how much he loves her and honestly Sav, I don't want to get in the way of that."

Moving her hand to her hair, she scrunched it a few times before shaking her head, "I felt so horrible when I thought she was alive...and that I was getting in the way of a marriage. But even though he reassured me, I still feel like I'm getting in the way when I shouldn't be." Skye was long gone, almost 10 years ago but this just didn't sit well with her. "Its a damn shame, I really really enjoyed my time with him today." An almost dreamy sigh escaped her before adding, "Oh yea, and your aunt and uncle showed up almost immediately after we...ya know, because Thomas showed up at the house. The kid was desperate to see Syd and ran away I guess. Lucy had a bunch of things to say on me being at Syd's house...it was not pretty."

In all honesty, Roxie was completely drained from the events that took place at the house. "Your family is starting to top mine in the dysfunctional status." She snorted, turning her head quickly to Savannah, she added,"No offense."
with: Savannah Misty Gray
mentions: Syd Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Bryant​

Gwen didn't want to listen to Jason's words though she knew that annoyingly enough there was a lot of truth behind them. In the mix up between the two of them, her hand moved to press against the door frame, clenching it so tightly she was sure she would break it. He moved to slam the door and she was too slow to move her hand out of the way. "SON OF A BITCH!!" Gwen cried out as she pulled her hand forcefully through the small crack of space that had been left, tearing some of her skin away from the action. Her eyes watered heavily and the woman was spewing out every curse word that was both in and out of the dictionary.

Hearing him, the woman's head turned sharply to look his way. "Jason...Jason...Just stop! Okay Stop!" Her voice was frantic now and it felt like the whole world was coming down around her. The thoughts inside her head were racing far too much for her to form any kind of rational sentence so she instead clammed up. Taking a step away as he took a step towards her, the woman was feeling fearful now. This wasn't her first physical fight with a man.

They always say that...they don't mean to hurt you. A voice told her, an irrational one that managed to get through all the rational thoughts that were basically smushed into a giant ball at that point. A whimper escaped Gwen as she held her hurt hand in the other one. Her eyes were wide and almost wild looking as she stared at Jason for a second then looked to the exit. She didn't want him to touch her, she didn't want him anywhere near her.

This is what they do. The irrational voice reminded her. "No." She said in a shaky voice. "I...I can't trust you. I won't." The redhead's voice was hoarse with emotion, her body trembling as she struggled to stand on her own two feet. "Please don't...I'm sorry." She whimpered out.
with: Jason Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter
​

Ed couldn't help but grin as Lucy spoke about him helping around the kitchen. He didn't respond, instead watching on as the woman asked the two children to go play until dinner was ready. Lucy then spoke to him again, telling him to look into how Thomas had managed to sneak off the way he had. He slowly nodded his head. Although he hadn't been monitoring the grounds at the time, he still couldn't help but feel some responsibility to the security breech. "Of course, Mrs. Porter. I'll get right on it. Besides, I don't think cookery is my true calling," he modestly replied. Hearing her mention her kids would be the death of her, he shrugged his shoulders. "That's what my old man used ta say ta me. Guess I was a difficult bastard though..."he trailed off as he stepped out of the kitchen and into the back garden, getting to work on finding Thomas' escape route.

James took the moment alone to put his arm around Lucy, pulling her in close and kissing the side of her cheek. "We're going to sort this--" he began. The entrance of Ryan and the guard had caused James to stop mid-sentence. Letting go of his wife, James turned to face the two men, thanking and excusing the guard before looking to Ryan. "Well, look who it is!" he greeted him, outstretching his arm to give his old employee a firm handshake. "How have you been doing, Ryan? More to the point, what the hell have you been up to?" Judging by James' casual and friendly tone, it would be clear that at this stage, he was asking his question on a personal level, rather than a business one. Lucy had always told him he jumped straight into business, sweeping over the pleasantries. James hated small-talk and had little interest in it, but on this occasion, he was curious. He hadn't seen Ryan in over a decade, so he was interested to know what had kept the man away for so long. 10 years was a long time for there to be no personal updates to share.

"Would you like something to drink?" he offered. James was inclined to keep the conversation going until Ryan felt the need to bring up the purpose of his presence and signal he wished to talk business.

Bellz (Lucy) Fletchawk (Ryan)

Rachel Harris​

"...she was fucking gorgeous, I'm telling you," the monotone voice of the 50-year-old man droned on as Rachel pulled the pint of beer he'd ordered. "Big brain as well as big ti--" The man was silenced as Rachel slammed the pint glass down on the bar in front of him and held her free hand out for him to place the cash into.

"When did you say your friends were getting here?" Rachel abruptly asked as she snapped her fist closed once the money had been placed into her palm.

"Any time now, love," the tipsy man answered her.

"Great. Save whatever else is on your mind until you can share it with them. There's a table in the corner that you should all sit at. I suggest you go claim it before this place gets busy." The man sent the barmaid a confused expression, causing her to lean forward over the bar. "I don't want to hear the details about which woman you've slept with this week. I'm not even convinced any of these ladies exist. Go on... sit!" she said, pointing to the empty table.

"Rachel... You're no fun. Conor wouldn't have shussshed me," he slurred. After Rachel sent another piercing glare at him, the man quickly nodded his head and complied, rushing to the empty table that had been pointed out to him.

With the man gone, Rachel set about placing the money into the cash register. As she did that with her back turned, Mitch entered the pub and his choice of attire seemed to set him apart from most of the regulars in the bar. Old Larry looked the lawyer over and shook his head. "We don't do them cocktails or other fancy drinks in here, lad!" he spoke loudly to Mitch.

Hearing Larry's heckling, Rachel turned to face Mitch just as he reached the bar. Excusing herself for a moment, she looked over to the old regular. "How would you know, Larry? You've been ordering the same drink for the last hundred years. I'll make you a cocktail if you don't shut up!" she lightly threatened him. She then brought her attention back to Mitch and sent him a friendly smile. "Sorry about that," she apologised. She was by now used to the customers the pub attracted but that didn't mean she'd let them think they owned the place. As relaxed and playful as Conor was with his regulars, she knew he would't stand for them making newcomers feel unwelcome or uncomfortable. "Other than giving that old man a thick ear, what can I get for you, sir?" she asked Mitch. She hadn't seen the man in the pub before. Whilst it wasn't unknown for customers to come into the pub smartly dressed before or after attending other venues, he still stood out in his suit. As long as he wasn't some jumped up cop trying to assert his imaginary authority...


RayPurchase (Mitch)

 

[Misty Gray]

George Sanderson​

George had been looking forward to the trip to New York since Finn had suggested it. It often felt like another lifetime ago, but the ten years he spent in prison had made him appreciate the world and his freedom to explore it. Any opportunity to travel was always eagerly accepted by the Irishman. He knew how important this particular trip was to Finn as they were going to visit the man's family who the doctor had clearly been missing. Despite the reaction of Shannon over a decade ago, George was optimistic that the family would be more understanding this time. If not, he was sure he could easily grin and bear any venom Finn's aunt might fire at them. After all, most of society wasn't understanding of relationships between two men. With the time he'd spent behind bars, George had developed a thick skin - though it wouldn't show at all where physical strength was concerned, it showed in the man's patience and ability to brush off any scathing comments. It was most likely a strength he'd developed growing up with his judgemental, church-obsessed parents. Although his father had passed away a couple of years ago, George's mother still hadn't softened towards him - still disappointed in her son for breaking the law and now more so upon finding out he was gay. As far as George was concerned, he'd lost both parents long before one of them had died.

George had spent some time sat by the window of the hotel room, observing the world around them with optimism and curiosity. He was certain the trip was going to be a good one. Why wouldn't it be with Finn around? Hearing a knocking sound at the door, he got up to his feet and calmly approached the door. He hadn't ordered any room service, so he was hoping there was't a problem. When he got closer, he heard Finn's voice coming from the corridor outside the room. A wide smile had formed on his face before he even opened the door to greet his lover. "A-ha! Room service. Thank you!" he teased. He pulled the door open for Finn and stepped aside to let the man enter the room, closing the door once he had. He accepted a glass from Finn and took a small sip of alcohol from it.

"Well, hello stranger," he commented, sitting down on the couch. "Come on, then. Tell me all about what you've been up to today, Dr. Sullivan. I hope it's been fun," he enthusiastically enquired.


Bellz (Finn)

 

[RayPurchase]

Mitchell Van Gerwen
The Green Emerald​

Mitch turned his gaze on old Larry, a grin on his face and an eyebrow cocked. By the look of it Larry had been here since the construction of the bar, possibly even found in the foundations given the age of him.

“Surely that’s more up your street, anything stronger and I’d be afraid of you keeling over old timer,”

He flashed a wink at the old guy. It felt like that sort of place, take the banter on the chin, and then dish it out straight back at them. He swivelled back around to the bar. He gave Rachel a shrug of his shoulders and a knowing smile.

“No need to apologise, if I wanted soulless, boring, and with no one to talk to me or make smart arsed comments, I would have just done what I do every night and stay at home. Besides wearing this I was asking for it wasn’t I?”

He tugged at his shirt collar, and shook his head. I mean he should have known really, the way Conor had described the place whilst talking about it, the Pub had never come across as a suited and booted kind of place. Chalk it down to experience, next time he’d just have to dig out something a tad more casual. Now that he thought about it possibly even buy some, given his general wear flipped from suits for work to a pair of well worn sweatpants at home, he wasn’t too sure if he really had anything that fell in the middle anymore.
He looked down the line of beer bumps and the array of spirits along the back of the bar. Quite the array, Conor clearly appreciated a well-stocked pub. If he was home order of the day would be a single, perhaps a double depending on how the day had went…

“Tell you what I’ll go for whatever you reckon the best lager on tap is, dealer’s choice. Also I don’t suppose Conor is about by any chance? Or have I picked his night off as the time to venture down here?”

(Interaction: Misty Gray Rachel)

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan​

Savannah was relieved to hear that Syd had talked about Skye with Roxie. It wasn't that she was keeping secrets from her friend, but more that it wasn't her place to talk about Syd's deceased wife. "I'm glad you both talked about it. I figured it was Syd's business to tell..." she softly explained herself. "Heyyy. I like being a blonde. I think it suits me and it reminds me of my dads," she said. The pluralisation was fully intended as she had both Peter and Angel in mind, sharing the same hair colour as both men. Angel she would never get to meet, but she felt lucky enough to have been accepted by Peter as his daughter. No matter what happened between him and Sinead, Savannah would always care about Peter - her father. "The blonde hair stays. I just need to learn how to spot the jerks before they get to waste my time.

Savannah took the bottle from Roxie and drank more wine from it. She tried not to scoff at the clear inference that Roxie and Syd had been intimate at his house. The topic steered back towards Skye,, sparing Savannah from any disturbing mental imagery of her cousin and her friend together. "Well, he did love Skye and I'm sure he'll always remember her. But what are you getting in the way of? She was my nanny and I was close to her, but she's gone now. Syd is trying to move on and I'm sure he will. There's nothing for you to get in the way of, so I really hope you'll give him a chance. He deserves to find happiness again." Savannah put the bottle down on the table and looked Roxie in the eyes. "You can enjoy more time with Syd and I think you should. I guess the question is: are you willing to work through it? My mum loved my biological father, but that didn't stop her from being able to love again or to be loved. Mum and Dad - Peter - have been married for like, 20 years. There's always hope if you welcome love..." she trailed off. "Oh God. I sound like my mother now," she groaned, rolling her eyes.

Savannah visibly cringed when told about the latest run-in Roxie had experience with Lucy and James. "Sorry..." she quietly apologised. She then let out a whistle at mention of her family appearing to be dysfunctional. "Wow, and you've barely met any of my family yet. Dysfunctional is a major understatement. I guess there's never a dull moment," she reasoned.


Bellz (Roxie)

Maddox Parker​

Maddox was pleased that Peter had been able to open up to him about what were considered sensitive subjects to his client. Although Peter's last stint in prison had been violence related, Maddox wasn't sure if he was an innately violent man. The crimes he'd committed when he was younger were considered petty and even the drug dealing wasn't directly aggressive or damaging to others. Overall, it seemed a shame the man's childhood had led him towards the mob.

On his way out of the office, Peter had commented that he would make an appointment, which was certainly progress. Maddox was keen to see how much he could cover with the man over the next few sessions, having seen there were a number of issues residing within Peter's mind.

Peter had been the last client of the day, so Maddox only needed to file away his paperwork. No sooner had he carried his files to the desk did he hear a knock on the door. "Come in," he called out, expecting the visitor to be Laura. Instead, he was pleasantly surprised to hear Ani's voice greeting him. He put the files down on his desk before turning to see the woman step into view. He watched her as she took a look around the room. "Home? Well, sometimes I do feel like I spend more time here than at home," he admitted. A smile grew on his face as she said she could fall asleep in his office. "You wouldn't be the first," he half-joked.

Maddox slowly followed Ani as she approached the sofa. "Be my guest," he replied, when asked if she could sit down. "I imagine you're up and about on your feet more often than I am. You've earned this rest," he reasoned. He then sat next to her and turned so he was facing her. "Between you and me? Oh yes. I've definitely taken naps during my down time," he playfully admitted whilst his cheeks reflected a slight blushing. "Just don't tell Laura. She believes I can't be disturbed because I'm recording dictations."

There was a brief silence as Maddox took some time to take in the attractive woman's features. He hadn't been expecting to see her, so her visit was a welcomed surprise. "How has your day been, Ani? I'm glad you've come by. It's certainly brightened my day seeing your beautiful face today," he flirted with her. "Have you finished your shift for the day, or do you have to go back soon?"



Bellz (Ani)

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan ​

When the door opened to reveal George's face, Finn's smile got even wider. Chuckling at his lovers words, he nodded his head before stepping inside the hotel room. "The best kind of room service around!" He boasted. Once the door was shut behind him, Finn turned to see George now sitting on the couch. Making his way towards him, the smile he had on previously only seemed to grow further as Georgie asked him about his day and what he had been up to.

Keeping secrets from George had always been a challenge given that the man was as sharp as a tac but Finn managed to keep quiet long enough and now, he felt the time was right to reveal it. Biting his bottom lip lightly, he shrugged his shoulders, placing the drink he had in his hand on the coffee table he turned his body to look directly at George.

"Well nothing is fun unless you are with me, never forget that." He reminded the man across him with a pointed finger, "But," He reached out to grab George's free hand. "You know how bad I am at keeping surprises to myself. And I just want to say that I finally did it!" He was pleased with himself as he now held one of George's hands in both of his own.

"I..." He started, now struggling to form the words he was so excited to tell. "Got a promotion!" That was a good place to begin with. "The New York City Hospital offered me a job as Chief of Medicine and I took it."

Now hearing how it sounded coming out of his mouth, the man's smile slowly faded. "That would have to mean we move here, you know? To the city, to America." Did he really not think about this? This was a big decision to make and he really should have talked with George before accepting the job...and the house. Maybe he wouldn't tell him about the house right away.

"What do you think, love?" He asked honestly as he gave George's hand a light squeeze. "Boy, did I jump the gun on this one, now I'm starting to hear how crazy I am. You can say no, please remember that! We don't have to move here unless you are comfortable!!" He rambled, now nervous that he had made the wrong choices for their future.
with: Georgie Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau​

To be honest, Roxie wasn't really sure what she thought she was getting in the way of. Was it some invisible line that she didn't want to cross? Well, yea actually that was it. But how was that fair to Syd if he was trying to move on. Savannah was right, he did deserve to find happiness but was Roxie ready for that? Her longest relationship lasted about 3 months before she self sabotaged it. She didn't deserve someone like Syd. Sure she had saw what he went through earlier but it wasn't off putting in the slightest, she couldn't imagine what he was going through.

Roxie listened intently to Savannah, who seemed to all of the sudden age 10 years to drop some wisdom on her. "Your mother is a sweetheart," She commented at Savannah's groan. "Be happy she's rubbed off on you." The bottle on the table stared her down but Roxie didn't want to reach for it again. Shrugging at Savannah's apology, the woman gave her friend a large smile. "Don't worry babe, you haven't even met my family yet. Just be happy yours can be in the same room during family functions." It was true, a lot of the time Roxie was heading from one room to the next trying to spend equal time with the same family that couldn't stand one another. Her mother and father were a prime example of that, almost spending no time with one another though they were still technically married...

"I'm one tough cookie, let me remind you. Took a picket sign to the face during that riot last year." Roxie shook her head, "Not to mention I managed to outrun the police after I accidentally whacked one of them in the back of the head with my own sign." It hadn't been an accident, but that's what she would tell people. The wine bottle seemed to be calling her name again, so she reached out and delicately picked it up by the neck.

"Your family will turn around Savannah. Everyone hates the new girl in town because the rest don't understand who she is or what she is about. But I'll remind you just as I will remind Syd next time I see him...you don't have to protect me. Sometimes its easier for all sides to just listen to your family. " Taking a swig, the woman sighed afterwards.

"I saw Syd go through hell with his parents over me and I don't think he should fight so hard for someone he barely knows. I know we've been friends for a while now, but I don't want you to struggle either. Please just take my words seriously okay?" As much as she appreciated it, Roxie was a lone wolf in terms of fighting, she didn't want others to fight for her or even with her. She just did it alone.
with: Savannah Misty Gray