Realistic or Modern Family Ties: 1980s Gangs - IC (Ended)

[Bellz]

Lorelei Costello
Natasha McCarthy
The Oak Tree Restaurant
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~​

Lorelei had been on cloud 9 in her blossoming relationship with Benjamin as of recently. After things had smoothed out with her parents, Lorelei was on speaking terms with them again and going over for weekly dinners once more. 6 days prior, Lorelei had celebrated Benjie's birthday and was so excited that Aidan had graciously gifted him a used car. Lorelei hadn't minded picking him up for their dates but she was so excited that he was free to go where he wished now without any sort of limitations that came with public transportation. Lorelei had gifted him with a watch as well as a meal whenever he had been available that day. Things within her family life had smoothed out as far as any issues between her parents and Benjie but just when she thought she would have some more freedom to do things, the Sullivans had been attacked.

Being under lockdown wasn’t something that Lorelei had ever experienced before but she wasn’t as irritated about it as the other cousins in her family were. Plans for dinner had been set with Benjie but they changed after the attacks and going to the restaurant he worked at ended up being the safest option for everyone involved. The pair had a lot of dates together alone as a couple and after the attacks, she had been talking with Natasha almost daily as a way for her to get what she needed out in the open. After hearing what happened to Leo, Lorelei felt inclined to help out her cousin and make sure that he was able to forget about what happened at least for a little bit. Benjie was so adorably sweet that he immediately agreed to let the other couple come along for their date.

Lorelei was excited when Benjie picked her up in his new car and as they drove to the restaurant she had made small talk about how much she liked it and how great of a driver he was. Once out of the car, Benjie wrapped his arm around her as they walked towards the restaurant. Knowing that they were early, the pair sat down in the waiting area and Lorelei let out a laugh as Benjie asked how she would rate her driver. ”10 out of 10, safest and most entertaining driver I’ve ever had. Not to mention the most handsome.” She teased him, moving a hand up to poke his cheek playfully before the man turned to glance at the clock on the wall.

Benjie asked if she had spoken much with Leo since the attack and Lorelei shook her head softly as she listened to him explain that Conor hadn’t been to the restaurant in over a week. The Morettis were a common name within her household and with the rest of her family but that name didn’t cease to leave an uneasy feeling within her. Lorelei leaned into Benjie’s arm a little more as she let out a sigh, "Leo’s been on the quiet side lately but I’ve been talking to Natasha almost every single day, she’s struggling to get him to talk to her which is why I thought it would be perfect to invite them both out to get their minds off of all that terrible shit that happened.” Lorelei murmured.

"I couldn’t imagine going through something like that and being able to forget it for a little while…but we have to try and do something right?” Lorelei asked.
with: Benjie Misty Gray

***​

Natasha had never really dealt with a situation like the one that had transpired a week ago…sure there had been some trauma in her life when she was little but her memory failed to remember parts of it and for that, she had been grateful. Having to find Leo and Ali the way she had with Stella…was something that was going to stick with her for the rest of her life no matter how much therapy she would get. Blake had been adamant for her daughter to start seeing their family therapist twice a week and although Natasha had been going to therapy every 2 weeks since she was young she was sure it wasn’t going to help with the images she had in her head this time around.

Despite the images that randomly jumped out at her time and time again, Natasha had done her best to pretend with her mother and everyone else around her that she was fine, especially around Leo. She knew just how much he needed to have someone who wasn’t dealing with their own shit at the moment and unfortunately, both Ali and Conor were dealing with just that. It wasn’t their fault but Leo needed someone he could depend on and Natasha had made a huge effort to be that someone lately. Lorelei helped immensely as she was someone she could talk to without worrying others around her, Natasha knew she could trust the redhead with any secrets she had.

Talking with Leo had been near impossible sometimes because he had been quieter about things than usual. When Natasha tried to get him to talk about what happened, to confide in her and let her in, he acted as though if nothing had happened. That was what scared her the most. Sure, she was doing the same thing to a degree but at least she was talking with her therapist and Lorelei about it behind closed doors. Leo wasn’t even doing that, purposefully isolating himself from reality and Natasha understood well what that could do to a person. He could be snappy at times but Natasha made sure to approach it all from a point of understanding and she hoped he understood that she was there for him, at least at this point in their relationship. The car ride over had been pleasant enough but it was quieter than usual. Once Leo had parked the car, Natasha reached for the door when he spoke up. Natasha turned her head to look at him, noticing how hard he was holding the steering wheel as he stared ahead at the car that was parked in front of them. He then turned to her and thanked her, which perplexed her for a moment.

Natasha looked deeply into his eyes for a long moment, understanding that he didn’t want to go further into detail about what he was thanking her for and the blonde nodded her head once. "You don’t have to thank me, love, but you’re welcome.” She murmured softly, slowly reaching a hand up to carefully caress his cheek. Hoping not to startle him, she kept her hand there for a long moment before clearing her throat, "We should get inside.” Natasha said before letting her hand fall as she turned to open her door and step out.

Once Leo was out of the car, Natasha moved to walk with him towards the restaurant, smiling as she saw Lorelei and Benjie waiting for them in the waiting area. "Hey guys, sorry we’re late. Is our table ready yet?”
with: Leo Melanin-Gxdess ; Benjie Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau
Biancardi Residence
~ Queens, New York City ~​

Roxie’s face stay stoic as Ricky welcomed her to his home, the brunette looked to Quentin as Ricky joked about being in trouble with the boss before he told his assistant he could see himself out. Ricky was using the excuse that he had been busy with business in New York as the reason for why he hadn’t kept in touch. Roxie fought the persistent urge to roll her eyes as he took a seat across from her. He stated that he had been great dryly, stating that if he’d known she was coming he would have prepared an agenda. Profits, according to him were shooting up and Roxie made a disgusted face at her cousins' analogy as he explained the credit was due to Gabriel. "Well no reason why you can’t create an agenda now…but it’s your own fault why my visit is rather unexpected…I tried calling before hopping on the jet but there was no answer.” Roxie murmured cooly before shrugging her shoulders.

Even if Conor hadn’t told her the truth about what her cousin had done to her, Roxie was sure she would have been able to pick up on his little white lies. She had seen the dilation of his pupils when he walked into the room, clearly surprised that she had just shown up the way she did. She had a few of her own lies, she hadn’t called before coming and she was going to continue to pretend she had no clue of what he’d done for now.

Roxie looked to Reina fondly, a genuine smile forming on her lips as Ricky spoke about her skillset though the comment about all of them being grateful for her keeping Roxie alive didn’t slip past her so smoothly. The way her fiancé’s name slipped past his lips didn’t sit right with her as she shifted slightly in her seat. So cynical cousin, you wouldn’t even hurt a fly…unless you were absolutely forced to. My father wasn’t good to you but perhaps your father instilled some of the good family values in you. I know for a fact that he made a point to keep in constant contact with his family, something that you’ve failed to do, obviously..otherwise you’d have known I was coming this whole time.”

She wasn’t a huge fan of talking down to Ricky like she was doing at that moment, it reminded her a lot of how her father talked to almost everyone but the amount of hurt she had in her heart couldn’t be hidden completely despite her trying her hardest. She had managed to balance it all by saying she had missed him and was proud of him. Part of what she said was completely true, she missed her cousin but was she proud? Not in the slightest.

The lies that kept falling from her lips were starting to startle her. They were being said with such ease. Ricky nodded his head at her stating that he was the only man who hadn’t betrayed her with the exception of Matthew. For a long time, they had been equal in her life…two men who had no intention of hurting her. Now all she wanted to do was make sure the man in front of her suffered the same way she did and that feeling alone led her to believe that maybe she wasn’t the same person she thought she was a few days ago.

Ricky was trying awfully hard to focus on the business aspect of their relationship and Roxie could see right through it. "Business with the Moretti’s may have to come to an end sooner than you may want it to, Ricky. First Matthew was killed and now my children’s family members are being tortured and nearly killed…I don’t know how much longer I can sit idly by and continue to do business with someone who’s caused my children and me so much pain. Could you?” Roxie asked seriously. Roxie had already made the assumption that Ricky wasn’t going to tell her anything but all she needed to hear now was that her cousin was going to put the business before her and her children. She didn’t doubt what Conor had found but even the prospect of Ricky putting Moretti before her was enough to confirm what he’d found.

"Well?” Roxie asked after a long moment of silence. "What’s your verdict? Gabriel has been dancing on a thin line for a long time with our family. I knew from the moment I got appointed in charge within our business he’s wanted me dead. That sexist pig would rather have me rotting away six feet under than do business with me. The attacks this last week only confirmed the suspicions I’ve had all along.” She said, her voice rising slightly. "How much do you know Ricky? You must know something. He did it, didn’t he?! How can you continue to be in contact with that monster? How can you continue to do business with him after what he did to me? Don’t you love me, my kids? We are the only true family you have after all! Doesn’t that mean anything to you?” Roxie’s eyes welled with tears as she looked to Reina, hoping the woman would play along with Roxie jumping to the conclusion that Gabriel had killed Matthew.

If Ricky didn’t confess anything now, he never would and Roxie would bet all the money she had that he would just go ahead and throw Gabriel under the bus in order to save his own skin. Roxie wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with that information but if it was needed, Roxie would be able to man that Ricky threw him under the bus and gave information to Conor to use his granddaughter as bait.
with: Ricky Misty Gray ; Reina Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Mercury Nightclub and Cocktail Bar
~Bethnal Green, London~
Alexander King​

It hadn't crossed Alex's mind that the attack very well could have been for Damian and Tatiana - hell, even Erik since he worked for Moretti. He looked at Jeremy for a moment and started processing his words and the idea. He'd known the Sullivans - Conor - to be a truly ruthless family and would take out his enemies for much less. What he couldn't figure was how he had found out where Tatiana and Damian were and why he would blow up their club. Conor had to have known if he blew up their place they would want to attack them back, so why the hell would he? Not only that but he had to have known there was a possibility he and his siblings would be inside. Of course, there was the possibility he didn't know all of this but Alex was leaning more towards the idea that he did know. With Tati and Damian in one place it could be two birds one stone. So why not take this opportunity?

He looked away and shook his head, looking back down at his hands. "That would upset Sav," he responded. "Conor wouldn't upset Sav, but I can't... I can't figure out why he would risk it. And how'd he know? What, he had people surveiling us this whole time?" He let out a scoff, leaning back into his chair before crossing his arms. "I really fuckin' hate Sullivan. Somedays I wish I'd never fallen for his niece and I wouldn't be in the mess I'm in." He completely disregarded the fact that he had cheated on her, but he was sure something would have led to the downfall of the King-Sullivan alliance.

Hearing Jeremy reassure him it wasn't completely his fault was a nice change of pace. Ever since the situation with Savannah arose he had always felt like his siblings hated him for it. It was no secret that they all loved Savannah - maybe more so than himself - so it made sense they be angry. But he was getting to the point where he was tired of apologizing for it and didn't think it should be his legacy. He wanted to move on from it for good and made it a point to tell them all the first chance he got. In the meantime he gave a small smile to Jeremy and nodded his head. "Well thanks. At least I have one understanding person in my corner for once."

The two of them put the bombing question on the back burner, returning to Harper for the time being. He chuckled when he expressed not being good with women, shaking his head in response. "It's the smile, mate, I swear. Birds these days are suckers for a nice smile. As for Harper, she's always been like that. Even when she was first born. It seemed like she always had this attitude, this air about her that she was the boss and even when she started walking she was bossing us around." Alex paused for a moment, thinking back on the days Harper had been just a toddler. "Just... Be honest with her. If she rejects you, you'll be alright. If she doesn't, well. You've got four men and a deranged woman to look out for, so I suggest you treat her well," he said in reference to himself, Billy, Spencer, Bruce, and Darcey.

 

[Misty Gray]

Sullivan Residence
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

Conor Sullivan​

"I may very well need to call upon your services to look after the kids; give Ali and me chance for that vacation," he agreed. Although he was sure Sinead or Lucy would never turn down the idea of looking after the girls for him, now wasn't the best of times to be asking them for favours. Sinead in particular was both resting and angry with him, so he wasn't going to push the fiery little lady any further. As Allen pointed out, Aliana and Leo needed to be his first steps, with making it up to the girls and his other family members coming later. "Yeah, I know Leo's in shock. Not just about what happened to him, but from learning why it happened. Obviously, what I did has shattered the way he looked up to me, with us keeping quiet some of the harder parts of the job before now. I'm not sure when would have been the ideal time to have him learn more about what has been done in the name of the business. Hell, there are things Sinny still doesn't know about our own father that Luce and I have never told her. Shit that would break her if she knew. I can look past my dad's mistakes, but Sinny always had this perfect picture painted of him," he sadly admitted. "But... she never wanted to be a part of the business. Leo thinks he does want it."

Conor nodded his head when Allen agreed Teddy was the best place to start. "Oh yeah, I'm sure a big chunk of ice is going to need breaking between Teddy and me. With all the shit that's gone down over the years and me recently involving his kid. But I believe I can keep it under control. I had that slippery counsellor rewire my brain to start thinking before acting, right?" he remarked. "Although, after what I've got going on in London tonight, Moretti might not be in much of a peaceful talking mood," he reasoned.

The two men were interrupted when the telephone began to ring. Seeing it was a call coming from on his property, at the security gates, he curiously glanced out of the window as he lifted the receiver. With it being dark outside, he couldn't really make out what was going on in the distance at the main gates. "Yeah, it's Conor... What do you mean my daughter's here on her own? Without Ali?" he spoke down the receiver, now standing up to try get a closer look. "Ohhh! Fuck's sake, why didn't you just say that? Christ..." he grumbled, shaking his head even though the guard couldn't see him. "Yes, have her escorted to my office," he confirmed to the man.

Placing the receiver down, Conor rounded his desk and let out a sigh as he stood waiting for his eldest child to arrive. "Michelle's decided to surprise us with a visit," he informed Allen. The man would have met Conor's eldest before, on her numerous visits to the family for holidays. "Stick around for a bit, I'm sure she'll be happy to see you again. Though I'm curious why she's here alone," he commented. In the back of his mind he figured it was probably best his grandchildren and son-in-law weren't with Michelle, considering the present troubles.

BasDorcha (Michelle)
Melanin-Gxdess (Allen)

 

[Misty Gray]

Biancardi Residence
~ Queens, New York City ~

Riccardo Biancardi​

Ricky studied Roxie's face as he picked up on the tone in her voice. Their business was based in New York, always had been, so surely if anyone should be getting the attitude it should be her for not being around to address business there often enough. "Roxie, I don't even know anymore what Giovanni tried to instil in me, considering what I thought I knew about him may not have been the case at all. For all I know, he was glad Stefano did his bit to keep me in line. Is any of their legacy - supposed family values - even relevant anymore?" he asked.

When Roxie said business with the Morettis may have to come to an end, Ricky couldn't even stop the laugh from escaping his mouth. It wasn't exactly funny, but surely she had to be joking, unless she had just as many loose screws as he did now. She seemed worried because of the attack on the Sullivans the previous week, not to mention she seemed to believe the Morettis were behind Matthew's death. "You do realise there are two sides to that war? By the logic of severing ties with the Morettis because of the pain you and your kids have faced, you should also severe ties with the Sullivans. That family have a lot of blood on their hands. Syd has your own father's blood on his."

Asked for his verdict, Ricky quickly shook his head. "You would be putting the Biancardis at a great disadvantage if you end the business with Moretti. The largest part of our business is here, in New York, not over in Dublin." Ricky pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. Roxie seemed willing to not only kill off the majority of the business, but also make an enemy of the Morettis in the process. Roxie began pressing Ricky for what he knew. She wanted him to confirm Gabriel had been the one who tried to have her killed but killed Matthew in the process. She asked if he really loved her and the kids, whether his family meant anything to her. "Of course you all do! Despite all of the shit that's happened lately, I still love you and the kids," he snapped back at her, though it came out that way because he meant it. "That's why you can't blame this on Moretti and risk making an enemy out of him. The sexist pig stuff - that's all true. But really, I think all you have to do is prove him wrong. You won't get an apology, but you'll get his respect when you show him you know what you're doing with the business." Glancing to Reina, he looked back to Roxie, making eye-contact with her in hopes she would believe his next words. "I know Gabriel did not do it. He didn't like you being put in charge but he believes that's for the Biancardis to sort out internally. Not to mention, the guy is a pro at having people killed. I don't think his men would have dared to drive away until they knew you were hit."

Ricky looked around the room and let out a sigh. He knew his words wouldn't mean much without evidence or even putting forward someone to take the fall for the hit. He did love Roxie and since trying to have her killed, he'd regretted it. He wasn't himself when he arranged it and now whenever he was himself, he regretted it. He missed Roxie and the kids, but he knew he could never be the same with them again. Julia was the only person he could be with, but he was sure after his death she would have no trouble finding another guy - one more psychologically sound. What he did know for certain, was that Roxie would be putting herself at risk by blaming Moretti and backing out of the many deals they'd secured between the two businesses. "It wasn't Moretti who did it. Whilst he probably has suspicions of who may have done it, he has no real idea. Nobody who knew and was involved in in trying to have you killed is still alive. Except me," he said, looking her in the eyes and nodding, making sure she knew what she was hearing. "I can save time by not giving excuses, but it was me. I arranged it. Not the Morettis."

Bellz (Roxie) Melanin-Gxdess (Reina)

 

[Pyroclast]

Danny Vaughan​

Given the chemistry the two shared, Danny was thrilled that Savannah was keen to invite him inside. He hoped he hadn’t put any pressure on her by suggesting they hang out for a bit, but she seemed enthusiastic about the idea and so he didn’t regret asking. Allowing her to take his hand, he suddenly felt 23 again, a slight giddiness coming over him as she led him up the garden path towards her front door.

Danny gave a light laugh at Savannah’s quick disclaimer that she hadn’t finished settling in yet since her recent move. It was a bit messy inside, but nothing he hadn’t seen before in his own homes over the years. “It’s a comfortable space you got here,” he complimented, but whenever he went to look around a room, his kept drawing back to her instead. “If it’s this nice now, I’d love to see what it’s like when you’re done with it!” Once the tour of the downstairs was done, Savannah offered to show him the upstairs. Danny glanced at the staircase she was pointing at and pictured the two of them walking up together, and his mind could only think of one thing. Trying to shake off the thought, he looked away, but ended up getting drawn into Savannah’s magnetic gaze. Their eyes lingered on each other and Danny had to wonder if she was thinking the same thing. Surely it wasn’t a good idea, and surely she knew that - there was electricity in the air between them, taunting them like a little devil on their shoulders, but if it was true they still had something real between them then Danny didn’t want to just throw it away on some thoughtless act of passion.

Just as the silence between them was starting to grow awkward, Savannah shook her head and offered him something to drink, clearly flustered. Danny let out an awkward chuckle, too, somewhat relieved that the moment was over. “Uh, sure,” he said with a smile. “Sure, I’ll have a drink. ‘Course I’m driving, so only if you have something soft.”

Letting Savannah tend to the drinks, Danny drifted towards the sofa and took a seat, exploring the partially-decorated room with his eyes. When she came to sit with him, he sent her a smile and asked, “So you’ve been okay? How’s your mom and everyone? I can’t help thinkin’ ‘bout you at a time like this.” He accepted the drink and took a sip, but his focus remained on her. He didn't want to bring anything sore to the surface and upset her - part of him wanted to keep up the atmosphere they had going and see where it took them - but at the same time, it was the perfect opportunity to find how she was coping with everything. No one to call either of them away, no Callum to walk in and overhear them talk about something heavy. Just the two of them, in a quiet, intimate, private setting. He kept his voice low and gentle so as to hopefully not sound too insensitive when he asked the question, "How d'you feel 'bout goin' through this again?"

Interactions
Misty Gray Savannah

 

[Pyroclast]

Undisclosed Sullivan Base
~ Residential Area, DonnyCarney, Dublin ~

Syd Porter​

Although the unresolved matter of Tom’s sister still hung in the air, Syd did feel at least part of the weight lift off his shoulders for telling Adam. Beyond monitoring him further, there didn’t seem to be much else they could do about Tom for the moment, so Syd accepted that he would remain concerned about it for a while, and was able to leave the conversation at that.

The topic of tracking people segued from Tom into Elena when Adam brought her up. Whilst he had been occupied with finding more information about Tom, Syd had shared his uncle’s suspicions about the seemingly innocent foreigner. Why and how a young Cuban woman had come to start a new life in Dublin on her own by working in a mob-owned pub didn’t make much logical sense to him and so when it seemed like Conor might have to let her go, he too grew concerned that she was up to something. However, Adam was now telling him that he was willing to vouch for her. Syd narrowed his eyes, blowing smoke from his cigarette into the air between them as he waited for his friend to explain himself.

At first, the news stunned him, not believing he had heard him right. The last thing he would have expected was that Elena was Adam’s daughter - it seemed so crazy, especially coming from a young woman Syd had no reason to trust, that he frowned and asked, “Are you sure?”

Syd couldn’t remember ever having doubted Adam in the past, and so it didn’t feel natural to doubt him now. As little sense as it made to him, he acknowledged that Adam wasn’t an idiot, nor would he take such a claim lightly, either. So he did his best not to let suspicion and disbelief take over and instead to hear the man out. “What did she…How can you tell she’s telling the truth? That she’s not just…I don’t know, trying to ride on your coattails, lie her way into wealth and security?” Syd blindly reached behind him to tap away the ash hanging from the tip of his cigarette as he observed Adam's response.

His frown softened as he looked his friend in the eyes and realised the man must have gone through a great deal of thought and emotion to accept the girl as his daughter. “You’re gonna be a dad, then,” he mused aloud, an involuntary smirk tugging at his lips. “I mean, you are a dad…” He trailed off, unsure of how Adam felt about it. So far all he had been given was the supposed fact that Elena was his daughter, not about what Adam planned on doing with that information. “I suppose since you’re planning on telling Blake that you’ve decided to go with this, be a father to this girl?”

Interactions
Misty Gray Adam

Mentions:
BasDorcha Tom
Bellz Blake

 

[Pyroclast]

Royal London Hospital
~ Tower Hamlets, London ~

Shona King​

Shona had been so ready to be angry at Spencer if he missed the birth. She wasn’t sure how she was going to get over it, how she would sleep beside him or let him hold the precious baby - after all, why would he deserve the privilege? Why should she trust him to be there for their child if he could even be there for the birth? Of course, all that hatred stemmed from her own pain and frustration. Whilst it had been a long and arduous labour, it seemed already so distant, so fleeting. Everything was still and peaceful now as she held her tiny son in her arms, and when Spencer appeared at the door and rushed to her side, she could only smile at him. She didn’t need his apologies - she had nothing to forgive him for. She leaned into his tender kiss before presenting his son to him, her smile as proud as his. “Take him, love,” she whispered. “I want to see him in your arms.”

Watching as her husband sank into the chair beside her, Shona caught the way he held the little boy like he was the most precious, most fragile jewel in the world. It made her heart melt and her eyes glisten with tears; he had never seen such tenderness in his eyes for anyone but her, and nothing had ever made her prouder than giving him a son to adore. It was such a beautiful picture, one she would never forget, a moment nothing could possibly spoil…and yet, she couldn’t help but sense something was off about Spencer. She had caught the smell in his hair and on his clothes when he had leaned in to kiss her and there was something hiding behind his eyes, perhaps helping to push his tears to the surface.

Still, she didn’t want to ruin the moment; it was otherwise too perfect. A weary breath of laughter escaped her when he suggested their son’s cuteness was a product of his mother, and her own eyes glistened with tears as she watched how softly Spencer stroked and kissed the baby’s tiny face. She then let out another more audible laugh when he talked about introducing the boy to football. “Already with the football talk?” she teased, with a loving shake of the head. Spencer then told her he loved her and she sank her head back against the pillow, her cheeks now aching from smiling so much. “I love you,” she whispered softly back.

“Edward,” she repeated back to him, finally able to match the name to the face for the first time. “It’s perfect. He’s just perfect. Our little Eddie…Bruce will be so pleased.” Her heart was brimming with love for her new family, and given that she hadn’t slept in almost two days, she was ready to drift off with that perfect image in her head, knowing that Eddie would be safe now in his daddy’s arms. But her eyes couldn’t close just yet. “Spencer, love,” she murmured, her brows furrowing just a fraction as she extended a weary hand to place over his knee. “Are you okay?”

Interactions
Misty Gray Spencer

 

[Pyroclast]

Royal London Hospital
~ Tower Hamlets, London ~

Billy King​

Seeing the smile appear on Erik’s face as soon as he looked at him made Billy’s heart flutter and caused a small laugh to tumble past his lips. He still couldn’t help tensing under Erik’s touch when he raised a hand up to Billy’s cheek; yet, even though at any other time he would have tried to push it away, in that moment he was so relieved to see him that he didn’t really mind. Aside from his flirtatious greeting, it could also be heard in Erik’s sweet, lazy laughter that he was still high on morphine. Leaning over him with a fond smile, Billy shook his head. Frankly, he couldn’t imagine how any drug could lift the mood of someone who had been through what Erik had just been through - yet here he was, joking about dancing with a limp. And if he were being honest, he didn’t doubt that Erik would give it a good go - even without the morphine.

The thought of Erik dancing brought a light blush to his cheeks, which only worsened when the man brought attention to the fact Billy had been crying. Embarrassed, he exhaled and looked away - but when Erik offered to let him into bed with him so he could cry in his arms, Billy turned back to him with a grin. “Oh, you’d like that, would ya'?” He was trying to turn it into a joke, targeting Erik’s sexuality - but not so deep down, he wished he could climb in beside him. The tears he had cried felt like enough, at least for the time being - he had got what he had needed to out of his system and now he just wanted to focus on being optimistic. “Nah, what would I be cryin’ for?” he shrugged, still idly holding Erik’s hand and swaying it side to side. “You’re here, ain’t ya’? What could be better than that?”

Without thinking, Billy dropped a little kiss on Erik’s fist and he found himself locking eyes with Erik, unsure if he had got away with it or how to move past it. The temptation to climb into bed with him and settle into his arms was growing stronger, but he couldn’t, not when there were other people around. Not when he had so much family wandering about the hospital. The risk of being caught was far too great. After looking over his shoulder to see if any of the other nurses or patients had noticed, Billy turned and looked back into Erik’s eyes. He squeezed the man’s hand, deciding he would allow himself that much.

“I wish I could…”

Tell you how I feel? Lean down and kiss you? Hold you in my arms?

Billy shook his head lightly and looked away, hoping Erik wouldn’t be trying to finish the sentence in his head, too. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a stethoscope lying between his bed and Erik’s, and, with a mischievous smile, he leaned over to grab it. His left arm was stiff from all the stitches and completely numb from the anaesthetic, so at first when he reached out he almost knocked it off the tray - but he just about managed to hook it onto a finger and bring it back. “This yours, doc'?” he asked Erik with a grin, and set about putting it in his ears.

If he couldn’t lie next to Erik, this had to be the next best thing. He placed the chest piece on the left side of Erik’s chest. “Breathe normally, sir,” he softly instructed, a giddy smile appearing on his face. When Erik’s heartbeat sounded in his ears, breaking through the high-pitched ringing, he closed his eyes and absent-mindedly weaved his fingers between Erik’s, allowing a soft smile to spread to his reddening cheeks.

Never would he have guessed that he could feel so relaxed so soon after the traumatic explosion, but he felt like he could fall asleep to the rhythmic drum of Erik’s heart. Silently, Billy opened his eyes and removed the stethoscope from his ears. He reached over to gently stroke Erik’s ear to gauge how sore it was, before very gently positioning the stethoscope so he could listen. Then, he placed the chest piece over his own heart. It was beating so heavily he could hear it pounding away even without a tool to help. Part of it was from being so close at Erik’s side, but another part of it was nerves - if he couldn’t say it out loud just yet, this was just one way he could think to demonstrate how Erik made him feel. There was a risk, too, that Erik would blurt out something to expose him, especially given that he was on drugs that seemed to loosen his lips - so before too long, Billy removed the stethoscope and tossed it back onto the tray before pressing two fingers against Erik’s lips.

“Don’t say nothin’,” he murmured with a demonstrative shake of the head. “If you do, I’ll walk out and leave you ‘ere.” His voice was low and sincere, but his expression remained soft as he fell back into Erik’s eyes again. He drew back his hand and instead used it to rub the back of his head, suddenly feeling a bit too vulnerable doing what he was doing out in public. “When we get out of ‘ere, I think maybe I should, um…well, stay with ya’ a bit,” he suggested. Despite his attempt to sound casual, there was no way he could after the blatant feelings he had just displayed. “You’re gonna have a gimpy leg, y’know and you’ll need someone to help you get around and that.” Not realising he had been looking down into his lap as he spoke, Billy lifted his head up and set his eyes on Erik’s again, the faintest of smiles playing on his lips again. “What d’ya’ think?”

Interactions
Melanin-Gxdess Erik

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan's House
~ Dollymount, Dublin ~

Savannah Callahan​

Savannah smiled brightly at Danny, somehow a little relieved that the thick atmosphere between them had been rapidly watered down by her sudden offer of a drink. She was finding him hard to resist as he stood with her, but thankfully they'd been able to draw away from the sexual chemistry that seemed to be surrounding them and Danny seemed relieved they'd both mutually fought the urge. As much as she felt herself being drawn back to him, she didn't want to spoil anything by rushing into things when they'd only recently become reacquainted. "Oh no, we can't have anyone drink driving!" she agreed. "You can have tea, coffee, milkshake, juice, whatever you want," she offered him.

Once Savannah had made their drinks, she entered the lounge and handed Danny his before sitting next to him on the sofa and kicking off her shoes. Placing her mug of coffee down on the coffee table, she shuffled in her seat so she was crossed legged and facing Danny directly. When he asked about her mother and the others, her smile faltered. "Mum's getting better now, but she was really upset. She genuinely believed she was going to die outside that church and I don't know what I would have done if she had. She never wanted to be a part of the business. And Liam, well he seems to be coping well, but apparently his interest in going to church and everything is helping him through it. I haven't see Leo, but I know he's not doing so well, and my aunt was really hurt and scared, so I think she's still in shock too."

When Danny asked how she was feeling about all of the violence and upset kicking off again, she quickly shrugged her shoulders. Her sad eyes gave away that it was actually playing heavy on her mind. "I'm worried it's all just going to be a repeat of New York. I don't want my family to get hurt and I don't ever want to go through anything like the things that happened to me again. That animal who abducted, hurt and taunted me, I don't ever want to come across a monster like him again," she said, referring to East Harlem's Steve Kelly. "I thought Dublin was safe and a beautiful, peaceful place for my son to grow up in. I don't want to live looking over my shoulder and having mobsters always guarding me when I'm trying to live my life, and I certainly don't want Callum to have to do it." She let out a sigh. "And the Kings... I don't like the tensions between our families. I want to be able to go to London with Callum as often as I can so he can always know the Kings. It feels like the only way I can do that now is by sneaking around. And Alex and his family won't be happy to see me, especially not after the way things ended when Bruce and Alex last came here." She sadly shook her head. "Callum needs to see his dad and I want to make sure he gets to."

Savannah reached for her mug and had a drink of coffee before delicately placing it down on the table. Looking back to Danny, she sent him a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry... Perhaps I should have given you the rest of the house tour rather than bog you down with all of my woes. Please, if you have anything on your mind, feel free to offload onto me. You've earned it by listening to my problems!"

Pyroclast (Danny)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

The Oak Tree Restaurant
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~
Leo Sullivan

​

Even though Leo knew Natasha wasn't a threat or out to hurt him, he couldn't help but flinch. Watching her hand come in contact with his cheek he relaxed and brought his hand up over hers. For just a moment he felt like things were going to be okay. That he was safe and he wasn't going to be hurt the moment he stepped from the car. He was going to be among friends and family and his girlfriend who had been working so hard the past week to be there for him. There were no enemies around at the moment so maybe he could enjoy himself and forget about what happened... At least for tonight.

Leo kissed the palm of her hand before letting go and watching as she left him alone in the car. After a deep breath, he emerged from the driver's side himself and met her at the trunk of the car. He reached out for her hand and laced their fingers together while also looking back. Parked across the street had been an inconspicuous car, but Leo knew who was inside. There were two bodyguards keeping an eye on him as both his mother and father had requested. Though he'd given them both a hard time for it he was secretly glad they were here and watching. It put his mind at ease just a little that the four of them were definitely going to be safe tonight.

Natasha greeted both Lorelei and Benjie, apologizing for their tardiness and Leo offered an apologetic smile. "Girls take forever getting dressed," he joked, attempting to try and have even a little bit of fun. Leo looked to his cousin with a smile, gesturing towards her. "You look nicer than usual, which means it definitely took you a while," he teased. His light-hearted comments were a good sign that he was starting to relax, even if it did mean he was going to pick at the girls. He then turned his attention to Benjamin and paused. Normally he would have offered his hand for a handshake but the idea of a stranger touching him made him feel... On edge. Instead, he gave a two-finger salute before addressing him. "Benjamin, right? I'm Leo. Nice to meet you." Of course on their downtime and some of their dates Leo and Natasha had frequented the Oak Tree. During those times he'd seen Benjamin but the two of them had never actually exchanged words.

"Uhm, I think we should probably go in, yeah?" A cold chill went down Leo's spine as if someone were watching him. He knew it was just his mind being crazy but he couldn't shake the feeling for the life of him. He started getting antsy and instead of waiting for the group to agree he moved towards the door and held it open. The gesture - he hoped - would get them moving so he could get out of the open space they found themselves. When all four were fully inside the restaurant, the waitress went to seat them. Leo spoke up and asked if there had been any place they could sit where his back would be against the wall and the waitress happily obliged. His eyes immediately looked down to Natasha, hoping she wouldn't start worrying about him.

Once they were seated in a booth where Leo could see everything, the waitress asked for drink orders. "A pint, please. Eh, and don't- don't worry about bringing water with it." Most people would have thought he denied water simply because he knew he wasn't going to drink it but that wasn't the case. Water in any sort of container - even a glass - made Leo feel nervous. Sure, the likelihood of someone drowning in water was damn-near zero but he also felt that way about portable tubs like the one he was almost drowned in.

In an attempt to take his mind away from it, he turned to his cousin and Benjamin and after the waitress left struck up a conversation. "Erm, so Benjamin- Benjie? What sort of poor decisions did you make to end up in Lori's atmosphere?"

Natasha ( Bellz )

Royal London Hospital
~Tower Hamlets, London~
Erik Snowden

​

Despite the morphine, Erik had still been perceptive towards the way Billy had been acting. The moment he brought up him crying he looked away, face flushed read as if he were embarrassed. Erik gently shook his head, dragging his index finger from the bottom of Billy's eye down his cheek. "Ain't nothin' wrong with it, Billy. People think a guy cryin' is weak but it ain't. Not really." He let his hand drop after he finished talking and just stared, waiting for Billy to turn and look at him again. Erik grinned hearing him ask if he would like it if Billy got in bed with him and paused, peeking his head ever so slightly to check out the door before looking to Billy again. "I think you'd like it more than me," he teased, eyes going over every inch of Billy's visible body. He let out a soft laugh that slowly died down the moment he was asked what Billy should be crying for, looking down at their hands. It was one of the first times Billy had felt okay holding his hand - in a public place, no less, but he was sure it was only because he'd be able to play it off if anyone saw. Holding your friend's hand while they were in a hospital was normal, right? Not wanting Billy to suffer any more than he already has tonight, Erik decided not to bring up Harper and the others. "Because of your elephant," he said instead, feigning heartbreak. "Fuck, I'm so sorry about the lil' fella."

Had Erik not been staring at Billy, his eyes glossy but definitely full of the love he held for Billy, he'd have missed the kiss on his fist. It was such a small thing, but so intimate at the same time. Nearly as endearing as a forehead kiss, but in Erik's eyes so much sweeter. There were a lot of little things Erik could consider intimate, but the moment the two of them were having was definitely the most intimate he'd seen Billy ever since he admitted to him that he was gay. The four words leaving Billy's lips had Erik hooked more than the kiss on his fist. He wished he could....? What? Be honest with him? Be honest with himself? Erik wanted to ask him both of these questions, but Billy had soon moved on to something more interesting.

"You can't just go 'round puttin' other people's stuff in ya ears," Erik told him, watching as he set out to use the stethoscope. "What if their ears are dirty?" He chastised. Billy ignored him, leaning forward to but the round metal piece against his chest. Even though he had pretended to be a cool, calm, and collected guy, Erik wasn't on the inside. His heart had been beating fast ever since Billy walked into his room. At one point he'd been worried Billy would hear but now here he stood listening on purpose. "Sneaky," Erik said now that his facade had been broken. Now Billy would know what he did to him and his poor little heart.

Billy then stuck the stethoscope in his ears - ignoring his earlier comment. He sent a small glare Billy's way but it quickly disappeared when he heard Billy's own heartbeat. His nearly matched Erik's and if it were for the same reason then maybe that's what Billy was trying to say. At the club before the explosion and even just then. What were the possibilities, he wondered, that Billy was saying he felt the same? It would make sense, but Erik wasn't going to take that as an answer. It was a nice gesture, one he would treasure for the rest of his life, but Erik was going to need Billy to say it to his face with words.

Erik opened his mouth to speak but was quickly silenced by Billy's finger telling him not to say anything. For a moment Erik just sat there before a mischievous smile grew on his face and he stuck Billy's finger in his mouth. He nestled it softly between his teeth for a few seconds before letting go, a sleepy laugh leaving his throat. "Freedom of speech not a thing in this country?" He asked, watching as Billy started to retreat within himself again. It made the smile on his own face begin to falter and as much as he wanted to reach out for him, hold onto his arm or something he knew it was better not to. Pushing Billy would forever be the last thing he would ever do, even if it did hurt when he retreated and pretended like the two of them weren't just having a moment.

"A sleepova? I'd have to ask my mo-," he cut himself short, suddenly thinking about Ava. He covered his face with his hands and ran them down his face. "She's gonna fuckin' freak out. Don't tell 'er alright? She'll stay here for weeks and then you won't be able to nurse me back to health properly." Erik shot him a wink, the tone of his voice purposely making his final sentence sound as lewd as possible. "But I think that would be a good idea, I mean who knows what sort of trouble I'll get in without you by my side."

Billy ( Pyroclast )

 

[BasDorcha]

Hospital​

Jeremy Gray​

Jeremy could understand where Alex was coming from. He also couldn't help agreeing with him - if not for different reasons - that the truth was he might have been better to never have met Savannah. That could be said about a lot of things though. Alex acknowledged his friend had made a mistake, but it was also just who Alex was - and if you know who someone is when you get with them, you shouldn't expect them to change because of you. People will continue being themselves, and few rarely change. He was trying ot change now, and for that Jeremy had to give it to him.

Nodding, and patting Alex on the shoulder, giving him a brotherly squeeze, he nodded his head to the comment about being a person in his corner. "I always will too."

The exhaustion was beginning to hit his body, as his adrenaline slowly started to come down, and he wished he could check on Harper. Instead he listened to Alex's tell him to be honest and he grinned. "Now that is something I can do, you know that. Problem is I'm to honest sometimes. I promise though, if she doesn't send me to the curb, I will treat her the best I can. Now common," Jeremy stood, clasping his hands together. He stretched, walking around with his hands behind his head. Would they hear anything? How quick would they tell them?

One of the nurses came to check on them, scolding Jeremy for being up and moving again, as Jeremy had started pacing, when she had told him to stay off his foot. "Come with me sir, we need to do your stitches." Jeremy scowled and followed her to a nearby bed where they made quick work of x-raying his foot and stitching it up. being sure to tell him how lucky he was that he wouldn't need surgery if he would listen and stay off of it. They also cleaned up and and stitched the wound behind his ear, removed the splinters from his shoulder and bandaged it, and washed up some of the lesser cuts and wounds. They then gave him a heavy dose pain pill and sent him back to the waiting area.

As Jeremy limped back, stubborn but steady, he looked at Alex. "You should probably let them check out your head."

Mentions:
Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Misty Gray]

Royal London Hospital
~ Tower Hamlets, London ~

Kerry Patrick​

After sitting in the corridor a short while, Kerry went to the ladies room to clean the wounds of her arms and legs. Whilst she couldn't do anything about her injured wrist, she could at least clean some of the drying blood from her skin. After finishing up and taking some time to compose herself, she returned to the corridor. Instead of sitting back down there, she returned to the waiting room to check how long she still needed to wait to be seen. The hospital wasn't doing anything for her anxiety as she tried to fight back the resurfacing memories the devastation of the Mercury Nightclub had dragged up.

Once she'd been told it would be another while yet, Kerry turned away from the reception desk and noticed a familiar man seated in the waiting area. "Alex..." she greeted the man as she sat next to him in the chair to his left side. "Are you okay?" she asked him, briefly looking him over for injuries. The fact he was sitting alone was very concerning, but she was at least glad to see him up and about. "How is everyone else? Harper, she... where is she?" she gently asked, having seen her friend unconscious before being taken away in the ambulance.

"The people who did this - they're sick in the head," she spoke with a bitterness in her voice, tightening her jaw at the thought. "I've experienced something like this before, with people I cared about also caught in the middle of it." Kerry didn't want to make a terrible situation worse by going straight into details about watching her friends, colleagues, and strangers being shot dead or burned alive all those years ago. She let out a deep sigh before looking Alex in the eyes. "If you ever need to talk about it, I'm here and I understand what you're going through," she reassured him. She'd known the Kings for some time now, from when she first started working for Spencer, and even though she had remained friends with Savannah up until recent weeks, she had made a point of staying out of any disagreements between her and the Kings. Based on how things had become heated lately, she had a sickening feeling that the Sullivans were behind the explosion. Although she knew Savannah would have no part in such an act, Kerry now felt more than ever that she could never go within a mile of the Sullivans. Not only did a few of them hate her already, but she wasn't sure she wanted to be near people who would blow up a busy nightclub. She knew that also meant she would have to distance herself from Savannah, as sweet as she was. Maddox had told Kerry she would have to pick a side or none at all, and as she looked to Alex and thought of Harper, as well as the other people injured or killed, she knew the only people she could stand by were the Kings. "There's no excusing this..." she began, but stopped as she saw another man approaching.

"Jeremy. Are you okay?" she asked, looking up to him. With him practically being the fourth King brother and having frequented the nightclub, she was very familiar with the man.

Melanin-Gxdess (Alex)
BasDorcha (Jeremy)

 

[Pyroclast]

Royal London Hospital
~ Tower Hamlets, London ~

Bruce King​

Bruce chuckled when Darcey compared herself to an old deaf lady. It was just like her to find something positive to say among the chaos; there she was, knowing she would have difficulty hearing while her damaged ears healed, and she still found a way to make light from it. “Well, you have my patience, so you get as senile as you like, m’love,” he promised, reaching out to stroke her hair. The room she was in was quiet and it brought Bruce’s attention to the weariness that was beginning to set in, but he knew it was going to be a long night yet. Still, despite the weight on his shoulders, he managed to find solace in Darcey’s company. He sank into a chair beside her with a heavy sigh and took her hand between his.

Perhaps hearing the concern in his heavy movements, Darcey asked him how he was doing and what he knew of the others. “No, it ain’t easy,” he uttered, a slight edge to his voice. “But that’s life, innit? Whatever life throws at ya’, you got to be ready to catch it, so it don’t knock ya’ down. We’re gonna get through this, Darce. I’m gonna get you, and the boys and Harper through this and it’ll be fine, you just see.” He put on a smile, the same smile he had practiced in the mirror when he was first sent to live away from his parents during the war - only by this point in his life it appeared far more natural.

“Harper’s alive,” he informed her, before sweeping a hand across his face. “God, I always hoped I’d never have to say those words. My poor girl…” Bruce’s gaze fell distant as he felt for his niece, his youngest, and how scared she would be if she woke up alone and remembered. Or if she didn’t remember at all. “She was taken in to be stabilised so we can’t see her, but I believe she’s in safe hands,” he continued, looking down at his hands as they cradled Darcey’s. “Alex and Jeremy are the ones who travelled with her, so they’ll be waiting for news, I’m sure. I saw Billy, he was up and about. He don’t seem too badly hurt, but he was a bit upset. It’s been a nasty shock for him - a nasty shock for us all.” Seeing Darcey hurt and thinking of what his niece and nephews had been through put an ache in his chest and he heaved another sigh, raising Darcey’s fist to his lips once more.

When Darcey shuffled across her hospital bed to make space for him to join her, Bruce carefully moved from his chair. “You tell me if I hurt ya’, alright?” he warned, before carefully laying himself down beside her. He let his arm drape around her so she could rest against it if she found it comfortable, and as she drew attention her damaged hands, he reached forward with his free hand to gently support them. She spoke of their original plan for the night, pointing out how strange it was that it would still have brought them to the hospital. “Mm,” he nodded with a soft smile. “If anything good comes out of this day, it’ll be that. I’ll probably spend my night checking up on each of you in turn ‘til someone has news. I want to hear that Harper’s in stable condition. I want to check on Alex and Jeremy, and hear that Christian’s alright, and May, ‘cause I ain’t seen neither of them yet - and I want to hear the news that Shona and Spencer have had a healthy little boy or girl. God knows we all need a lift tonight.”

Bruce was still gazing ahead, unable to look Darcey in the eye with her in his arms. He was stroking her hair and didn’t stop even when she mentioned wanting to do her part in avenging their family, friends, staff and patrons. Even though Bruce didn’t generally keep anything secret from her, she didn’t tend to involve herself in the darker side of the business. Yet, given what she had been through, he wasn’t the least bit surprised to hear that she was interested in joining in this time. “They will answer,” he assured her. “No doubt in my mind. They want a war, I know it, and I ain’t gonna let them crush us down to nothin’. We’ve got spirit, Darcey - nothin’ short of it. That’s somethin’ they can’t ever take from us.” In a slow, careful movement, Bruce shuffled to rest his head against Darcey’s as they lay together on the hospital bed. “We’ll talk about this more at home, though, yeah? Somewhere I can raise my voice if you need me to.”

Billy King​

Billy was about to roll his eyes as Erik turned his suggestion into a sleepover and jokingly told him he'd have to ask his mother's permission first - but the joke ended when the man's humorous mood turned and he started to fret about how someone would react to him getting hurt. "I thought you didn't have a mum?" Billy rather insensitively pointed out, unsure if the drugs could make him confused enough to take his own joke seriously. "Erik, hey, relax," he tried to assure him, leaning forward and placing a hand on the man's arm. "No one's -" But then he realised there was a woman who would be worried about him. Not a mother, but his cousin, Ava. Billy bowed his head, himself too now thinking of how she would react to all of this. Maybe she had even heard about it already, as the news would surely travel fast back to the Moretti family in New York.

"You don't worry about that, alright?" Billy softly commanded, gently stroking Erik's arm until he relaxed. "I'll...I'll give her a call in a bit, yeah? Tell her you're alright. We can't just keep her in the dark, mate - she's a Moretti, she'll be hearing about this within a few hours tops, anyway. Think she'd rather hear it from me than Gabriel, then I can give her first hand assurance that you're safe and still your usual annoying self." Billy smiled down at him again, unable to resist sitting close to him.

Erik's lewd comment didn't slip past him and Billy laughed. "Cheeky bastard," he grinned, lightly resting his hand on Erik's chest and he leaned over him, trying to keep his voice low so as not to draw attention to himself. "You just want to lie around and be fussed over, don't ya'? Or did I just look good in that stethoscope?"

As if they had a mind of their own, his fingers began toying with the neck of Erik's hospital gown, his fingertips lightly grazing the skin beneath. "Nah, but you're right - as much as I'd love to see it, I can't have ya' tryna' dance on that poorly leg. Least not without some assistance!" He leaned in with a quiet, teasing laugh before stroking a hand up Erik's arm and finally collecting Erik's hand in his. "Besides, I have an alright bedside manner, don't I? And you wouldn't want a stranger fussin' over ya' when you could have me…" Part of him knew he should stop - he knew that what was happening between them was clear as day and might attract attention, but he was enjoying it. If he couldn't get into bed and kiss him, he at least wanted to touch him, flirt a little...it was just figuring out where the line was, so he could make sure not to cross it. "Speaking of which, is there anything I can do to make you feel better?" he whispered, raising Erik's fingers up to his lips again - this time on purpose. "Bear in mind we're in public, Erik…"

Interactions
Melanin-Gxdess Erik, Darcey

 

[Misty Gray]

Royal London Hospital
~ Tower Hamlets, London ~

Spencer King​

Spencer couldn't help but laugh when Shona teased him about mentioning football to baby Edward. "Hey, I've gotta set him on the right path from day one." He looked fondly to Shona as she relaxed back whilst continuing to smile at him. Being in the room with his wife and newborn son was enough to pull him away from the worry and upset of what had just happened at the nightclub. He wished he could pause on the present moments for long enough to breathe and clear his mind.

"We couldn't have imagined a boy more perfect than little Eddie here." Listening to Shona say Bruce will be pleased, Spencer fell silent for a brief time. Thinking back to the aftermath of the bombing, he knew his uncle would have a lot on his mind too. Spencer hoped that meeting Eddie would have a positive effect on Bruce, able to give the man at least something to feel happy and relieved about. "Uncle Bruce is going to love you, little fella," Spencer playfully told Eddie, gently holding the baby's tiny hand in his own. "Though he'll be more like a grandad to you," he gently added, considering Bruce was more like a father to himself than Trevor had ever been.

Looking up, Spencer saw Shona looked tired and in need of some rest. When she asked him if he was okay, he quickly nodded his head. "You should get some sleep, love," he suggested. "Me and Ed will still be here when you wake up," he assured her.

Although he really wanted Shona to be able to relax after spending so long awake and in labour, it was becoming harder to keep things from her, especially when she'd shown concern and asked him if he was okay. He knew she could tell there was something wrong, but he wasn't keen on the idea of ruining the happiness Shona was feeling after finally meeting their baby son. Still, he couldn't push away the thoughts that kept running through his mind. Harper had appeared to be in a serious condition, so what if she died? Whilst he wanted to keep the truth from Shona for even just one night, what would she think if Harper didn't wake up and Spencer had never told her something was wrong?

"I don't want you to worry, love. You've been through enough the last couple of days and now Eddie is here you look so happy," he said, reaching out an hand to take Shona's whilst continuing to cradle Edward in one arm. "But... there was an incident down at the nightclub and... Harper got hurt, she was unconscious when I last saw her, but she's being looked after in the hospital now. Darcey and Erik looked to have taken some damage too, but they'll be alright, I promise." He gently squeezed Shona's hand. "Bruce is with everyone. He wants us to focus on things here with Eddie and getting you rested up," he reassured her.

Pyroclast (Shona)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Royal London Hospital
~Tower Hamlets, London~
Alexander King, Erik Snowden, Darcey Hargraves​

Alex was glad that Jeremy knew what he had to do when it came to Harper. Sure, Alex may have known that he would do the right thing from the beginning but he still had to grill him for good measure. He watched as Jeremy departed to get looked at again by the nurse before pushing himself up from his own chair. While Jeremy went to get patched up Alex decided to talk to the nurse and ask for an update. She informed him the surgeon didn't have anything yet and the moment he did she would let him know. Alex lingered at the nurse's station for a moment longer, just wanting to stay glued to the spot until someone told him something about his sister. It wasn't until another family member waiting for the loved one come up that he decided to go and have a seat.

Sat back where he originally was, Alex leaned forwards and laced his fingers together again. This was the most he'd ever worried in his entire life and it wasn't a good feeling. He ached and his mind raced about the possibilities of Harper being taken from them far too soon. What would they do? How would they be able to ever get over it? His nephew or niece would be burdened with the fact that his one and only aunt died the same night he was born and who the hell would want something like that on their shoulders? It wasn't fair. None of it was fair and Alex legitimately hoped Harper made it out of this so he didn't have to think that way anymore.

Thankfully, a distraction in the form of Kerry Patrick put those thoughts on hold. Alex hadn't seen much of her lately and with everything going on didn't have time to reflect on that fact. But now that she was here he couldn't help but wonder where she had been. That thought, too, had been put on pause when he noticed the small injuries the had been inflicted with and he sat up in his seat. "Kerry. Wha- Are you okay? You weren't inside were you?" He asked, looking over to her. "Oh, yeah I'm fine. Little banged up, a coupla' stitches. Nothing too new," he said managing a joke. "Harp, she's-... I mean, she's conscious. The docs took her back for surgery and we're waiting to hear something. Anything, really." He paused for a moment, gesturing to the seat she was already sitting in. "You're welcome to stay," he told her, considering the woman had been close friends with his sister.

A sarcastic laugh left Alex's throat, followed by him shaking his head and crossing his arms in his seats. "There're suspicions that it's Sullivan. Can't say for sure, but I wouldn't put it past 'em. Jeremy thinks they were gunnin' for Tatiana and Damian for that shit they pulled on Sinead, Liam, Ali, and Leo. I'm of the mind to believe they were gunnin' for all of us." He then sank in his seat a bit and started bouncing his leg before bitterly adding, "That is, if it really were them." Alex then turned his attention to Kerry as she shared her own sentiment about being in a similar situation. Alex knew very little about Kerry's past, her involvement with the Moretti's and Sullivan being information he did know. Looking back into her eyes he could tell she knew what being in such a situation felt like and gave her a small smile. "Yeah, thanks." He took another pause and took a deep sigh, looking away. "And look, I know you're Sav's friend and whatever, but you can talk to me about that shit, too. I'm not a complete asshole... Just a little bit of one," he joked, shrugging his shoulders. "If not, talk to Harper. She needs more lady friends in her life and she's pretty trustworthy."

Just as she was about to say more, Jeremy returned suggesting he go get patched up. Alex turned his head towards him so he could see the gauze wrapped around his head. "I already did. Nurse wouldn't let me be until it got done. Anyway, I went by the nurses station again for an update on Harper and they don't have anything. Thinkin' it's gonna be a long night..." He told him. Alex waited until Jeremy had responded to Kerry before turning back to the woman, once again looking her over for any other injuries. "Did you go and get checked out? Where were you when the bomb went off?"

Kerry ( Misty Gray )
Jeremy ( BasDorcha )

​

The pure fact that Billy was willing to call his cousin for him and explain what went on warmed Erik's heart. Erik had already discovered what it was about Billy that had made him fall for him in the first place and now here he was adding something else. Erik watched on as Billy fussed over him, making him calm down. Though he trusted that Billy would take care of things, he still knew Ava would freak out over him. Afterall, the two were the only family the other had. It would be devastating for Ava if Erik had died and vice versa. So, he was hoping Ava would let Billy talk before going off and booking herself a flight to London.

Erik kept his voice as low as Billy's, his eyes looking down to where Billy had placed his hand on his chest. For a moment he just stared with a smile on his face before looking back up at him. "Mmm both? I can choose both, right? Except, I bet you'd look even better with just the stethoscope," Erik flirted. The morphine had definitely brought about his more flirtatious side and pair that with the fact that he wasn't able to hold his tongue and you had a disaster on your hands. Erik had been relentless with his flirting all night and would continue to do so unless he fell asleep or if Billy had finally left him.

The moment he felt Billy's fingertips on his skin, Erik's breath silently caught itself in his throat. He was unsure if it were because of where he had touched him - his collarbone being a particularly sensitive spot for him - or if it were because of how Billy had slowly gotten during his visit. Whatever it was, he could feel his face getting warmer and his breathing more shallow. Oh, if only they were in private where Billy felt more comfortable then Erik could stroke his face the wanted and touch him wherever his fingers traveled. Then they could be closer and maybe let go of all of their inhibitions and just be together but alas they weren't. They were in a hospital surrounded by people recovering.

Except, Billy was being so alluring and physical and it was absolutely driving Erik crazy. It reminded him of when they were in the back of the taxi and there was no way Billy didn't know what he was doing now. He had to have known how much he was teasing him and how unfair it was to ask him to be quiet and now cause any sort of scene. The way his fingers were traveling up his arm made Erik close his eyes for a moment, trying to calm his nerves and only opened once he felt Billy's hand in his. Erik laced their fingers together and shook his head. "I don't think teasing the patient qualifies for alright bedside manner," he whispered to him, making sure no one could hear.

Erik's eyes watched intently as Billy raised Erik's finger to his mouth before asking if there were anything he could do to make him feel better. Just as Erik was about to say something highly inappropriate, Billy reminded him they were in public and Erik grinned at him then looked away. With his free hand Erik covered of his face the best he could and raised his uninjured leg. After a few seconds he put his leg down and turned back to Billy, biting the inside of his cheek as he did. He let out a small, nervous chuckle shaking his head. "Oh, silly Billy. You just wait until I can get you somewhere alone," he whispered, biting his lip. "Might have to cause a scene so they give me my own room and then you can wrap your lips around my-," Erik stopped himself midsentence, his mind deciding against it. "Fingers."

Billy ( Pyroclast )

Hearing that Harper was alive had been a relief. She let out the breath she didn't remember holding and held her hand over her heart. "Oh, thank God," she said, closing her eyes to send a small prayer. When she was finished she turned her attention back to Bruce, who had been looking off into the distance. Despite his calmer demeanor, Darcey could tell - she always could - when Bruce was trying his best to be optimistic for her and the others. The only time she had seen him ever let that guard down is when his wife and kids died and that had been an even rougher night for them. Darcey had a front row seat to the aftermath of Bruce losing his family and though everyone had appeared to be alive, she could see that familiar look seeping through the cracks.

Darcey listened to him give a run down on where everyone had been sent in the hospital. She was glad to hear that they were all either okay or were being tended to by professionals. They were in good hands for now. "At least Harper has her big brother to look out for her," she said, mentioning Alex. "Neither he nor Jeremy will go anywhere until they're updated on Harper's condition, so that's good. I do want to check on Billy again once I've gotten the chance." Hearing that Billy had been so upset didn't sit well with Darcey. Not only was his family hurt and his sister in surgery but his best friend - who Darcey suspected may have been just a bit more than a friend - had also been hurt badly. She was happy he had walked away practically unscathed but she wanted to make sure he didn't feel bad about it. Survivor's guilt didn't just effect those who lived when others died, but those who weren't too badly hurt either.

"Oh, don't worry about me. I'm very resilient, I'll have you know," she said, feeling the weight shift on the bed. She moved her hospital gown out of the way so he didn't snag it and let him get comfortable before she settled down again. Darcey laid her arm around his waist and laid her head on his chest watching as he took her hand in his. It had been some time since the two of them were in a position like this and she definitely missed it. Bruce felt warm and warm is just what she needed just then. He went down yet another list of people he would have to check on that night and she absentmindely played with the front of his shirt while he did. "Don't waste time coming back here, alright? I'm fine. It's the kids you need to worry about and use your energy on. However, if I end up falling asleep wake me the moment you hear anything about Harper, okay?" She poked her finger into his chest with pressure, craning her neck to look up at him. "Promise." Upon hearing May's name she let out a small gasp. "May! Oh, please, check on her for me too? And tell her where I am so she doesn't worry. Then afterwards you can welcome the new baby girl into the family for the both of us. Heaven knows Harper, Shona, and I are outmatched in this family."

The movement of Bruce stroking her hair and the drugs in her system were making her sleepy, but she refused to close her eyes just yet. Instead, she listened to Bruce declare that those who had planted the bomb and but his kids in danger would answer for it. Though she worried about the future and what this would entail, she didn't doubt that he and the boys would take care of it in typical King fashion. "You can use the garage for whatever you need," she told him, showing that she was serious about lending a hand this time around. His family meant as much to her as it did him and she wouldn't sit on the sidelines forever. She then let out an amused laugh, grabbing his hand. "Oh, funny. I don't want to hear anything out of you when you become an old man who can't hear for shit. Gonna have to be writin' everything down for you."

Bruce ( Pyroclast )

 

[BasDorcha]

Sullivan Household
Michelle Romano

Michelle had been in town less then a day. Things in her life felt a bit of a mess, and it felt empty without her children around, but she needed time to stabilize her life with a move and to speak to her family. The flight in from Portugal had been long, with lay overs and stuffy planes. She was happy to be on the ground again and headed to her fathers. The divorce had happened without any big ado and he had faxed over the signed documents yesterday making it official. The documents were processing and in a few days, she’d be a single woman again, although she’d been living as a single woman for a while.

Nibbling on her lip, she thought about how she put her kids on the plane before she boarded hers, headed to their fathers. She needed to check in on them, but she had yet to have a chance to call. It would be one of the first things she did as soon as she got into Dad’s house. She wasn’t sure how he would react to her showing up. Sure, she came around for holidays, and had a decent relationship with most everyone, but that didn’t include random drop-in’s with no notice in the middle of the night. Part of her wished she could see her mom and step-dad, but they were off traveling to cross off another item on their respective bucket list – Tibetan monasteries or something this time.

As she pulled up to the gate in the taxi, the security guard greeted her, taking her information like he hadn’t seen her before. She tried hard to remember if she had seen him at the last holiday. Scrunching her nose, she sat back in silence as they waved her in and the car pulled up to the front door. In her mind, Michelle practiced how to best say exactly what was happening and her arrival.

Malcolm had been distant in her life since before she caught him cheating, but never for lack of trying. Michelle had tried everything to reconcile their marriage before realizing that as long as he was fooling around with other women, they could never be fixed. When she came home to find him and his lover in their bed, that was the day she kicked him out. A year and half almost to the day later, the divorce papers had been signed. It was one thing to privately disrespect her, but to risk their children seeing it was another. There had been going back at that point.

Stepping out, she grabbed her two suitcases from the trunk, paid the driver, and looked up at the house. Steeling herself for her new life, hopefully, she headed inside. At the front door, another man greeted her and walked her up to her dad’s office. Something must be up because security had never been tighter. She had been out of touch for a little while, but surely they would have informed her if something bad had happened? Still… she hadn’t been the most accessible in the last month. Normally, she didn’t need an escort from the front door t his office.

Outside his door, she knocked lightly, dismissing the security guard who had walked her up. When he stubbornly stayed, she rolled her eyes before narrowing them, and getting a look on her face much like her dad might have had when he was her age and pissed off at being handled with kiddy gloves. When her dad answered the office door, she huffed slightly, nodded at the man, and asked, “Hey dad, tell the guy I’m really your daughter so he’ll buzz off, yeah?” Then she grinned and hugged her dad, happy to see him.

Mentions:
Misty Gray Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Pyroclast]

Savannah Callahan's House
~ Dollymount, Dublin ~

Danny Vaughan​

It didn’t exactly surprise him given that they were in her house, but it did make Danny smile to see Savannah kick off her shoes and climb up onto the sofa in a comfortable, relaxed position. She didn’t come across as uptight to him in the slightest, but Danny remembered how much the family’s war with the Morettis back in the early 70s had taken a toll on her nerves, and so to see her able to relax despite everything that was happening to her family now made him feel more relaxed in turn. Still, he could tell the topic was upsetting for her to talk about, so he wasn’t going to break his serious demeanour while listening to her.

Danny generally had a decent memory of people once he had met them and he had decided they were worth remembering, so whilst he hadn’t exactly worked with Aliana, he did remember her. She had always seemed very capable and confident, so it was difficult to imagine her hurting after being kidnapped and tortured alongside her son. Again, Danny hadn’t really got to know the younger generations in the Sullivan family on a personal level, but he certainly knew of Liam and Leo and he felt for them and what they had been through - something he couldn’t imagine himself being able to deal with when he was a child. He did remember her mother, though. Sinead had always been sweet to him, even as the young, drug-peddling, pot-smoking boyfriend of her eldest daughter, and he had always viewed her as a particularly special kind of person. He immediately saw where Savannah got her soft, kind-hearted nature from, and since that was something he respected about Savannah, it was something he respected about Sinead, too. It had shocked him to hear that the woman had been stabbed, and when Savannah explained to him how Sinead had been genuinely expecting to die, he felt terrible for them both.

“Man, your mom’s one tough lady,” he remarked. “I can’t imagine how scary that musta' been. But y'know, if anyone’s gonna survive that, it’s her - and I ain’t just sayin’ that to be nice. She’s been to Hell and back a hundred times - more times than I even know about, I bet - and she’s clearly learned a thing or two about how to land on her feet.” He thought for a moment about her mention of church and how it had been helping Liam. Danny didn’t often feel a particular spiritual absence in his life - he supposed when times got tough, he found help through the use of hallucinogenic drugs to guide him back to a peaceful state of mind. Taking a trip to see his family in Bombay tended to help too, which usually involved a lot of meditation and singing. Whilst he didn’t practice Hare Krishna himself, he understood it quite well by now and felt some benefit from dipping into it from time to time. Dublin was a very different place to both New York and India with a religion he hadn’t been brought up with, but if Christianity was helping Liam to cope, he hoped the boy would stick to it until he had found some peace of mind.

Danny sipped on his decaf coffee while Savannah unloaded her worries. It came as no surprise to him that the current attacks were reminding her of the torment she and her family had been put through back in New York - Danny remembered the ‘monster’ she was referring to, and had witnessed the trauma she had suffered as a result of what he had done to her, so it made sense that the memory of him had stuck with her all these years. As Savannah described the attacks on her family, the tensions in her home city and the tug of war with the Kings over Callum, Danny was glad he had asked how she was doing - carrying all of that stress sounded like way too much for one person. She quickly apologised, however, apparently regretting talking about her problems for too long.

“Forget about it, Sav,” he assured her, with a wave of a hand. “I got nothin’ to add to the pile. I asked about you ‘cause I wanted to see how you’re holdin’ up, and I’m glad you’re talkin’ about it. Talkin’ is good and healthy, and you can always show me the rest of your house later.” Hoping he had managed to convince her that it was okay to focus on herself, he went back to thinking about what she had told him. “I know this kinda’ life ain’t easy, Sav. I remember what you went through back in New York when you and I were in each other’s lives. The truth is, there are awful people out there and this kind of business naturally attracts them - money, crime, protection - but this business also seems to build the strongest, kindest sorts of people. People like you, who’ve been pushed to Hell’s limits and are still here, with a smile that says ‘fuck you’ to all the bad guys out there who tried to break you. We’re livin’ in a world of extremes here. You got dangerous enemies, but also you got the most loving, strong, powerful friends and family who you know will do anything to help and protect each other.”

Danny looked down with a small shrug as he took another sip of his decaf. He knew there wasn’t much he could say to make her feel better about her mother’s near-death experience, nor the trauma inflicted on her little brother, aunt and cousin. He also knew there was no point in sugar-coating it for Savannah - she was far from stupid and had always had a profound awareness of what was going on around her, so he stopped himself from talking before all that was left to say was either lies or upsetting truths.

“As for Callum…his London family sound hard to deal with, ‘specially right now, but I respect you for wanting to make that effort for your son’s sake. You’re a good mom, Savvy. Even Alex has to see that.” Danny sent her a small smile. He felt a temptation to reach out and touch her gently, like he had in the car, but despite the electricity that had sparked between them just moments before, the current subject matter seemed a little too delicate for him to be making any moves that could be considered too forward.

“I got an idea,” he said suddenly. “Which you can turn down, of course. But y'know, I care about you, Sav, and I really enjoy spending time with you again, and if you feel the same way…well, I’m just thinkin’, maybe we could kill two birds with one stone. We both know the phrase ‘safety in numbers’, and I don’t wanna step on your toes or sound condescending or nothin’ but, if you’re really feelin' unsafe in Dublin, maybe spendin’ more time together could help that? I’ll always have your back, so it’s up to you how close you wanna keep me. Given your record, I don’t doubt you get along just fine without me at your side, but if you wanted to hang out more anyway, it couldn’t hurt, right?”

It wasn’t the smoothest way to ask her for further company, but he hoped she could see the sentiment at least - besides, perhaps the extra colour in his cheeks would do him a favour in this case. “Even when it comes to taking Callum to London,” he added. “I mean, if you wanted someone to come with you, if it’d make you feel better about being in their territory, then I’d be happy to come.”

Interactions
Misty Gray Savannah

 

[Misty Gray]

Royal London Hospital
~ Tower Hamlets, London ~

Kerry Patrick​

When Alex asked her if she was okay, Kerry looked to him and faintly smiled, realising he was the first person who had asked about her well-being that evening. "I am... I managed to fall over and try break my fall," she began, lifting her left hand. "I don't think it's anything serious, perhaps just a sprained wrist. The scratches are nothing. I got off pretty lightly compared to a lot of others," she assured him. When Alex told her how he was and that he'd had some stitches, she let out a dry laugh. "Oh, I'm sure a tough guy like you can handle that," she lightly teased, hoping to give him a little light relief while he waited anxiously for news on his loved ones.

Hearing Harper was conscious was a relief to Kerry, causing her to unconsciously let out a relieved sigh. "I'm glad to hear that," she sincerely told him, having thought it was possible the worst could have happened to her friend after seeing her being carried into the back of an ambulance and unresponsive. "I'm sure the doctors know what they're doing," she reasoned, not wanting to imagine losing Harper. She smiled at him when he told her she was welcome to stay. "Thank you. I don't think I could leave without knowing how she is. I'd rather be here all night than pacing my apartment, not having a clue how she is."

When Alex told her Sullivan was the suspect behind the bombing, she looked to the floor for a short moment. It had crossed her mind and to hear it confirmed as a plausible suspicion caused a lump to form in her throat the more she thought about it. Although she wasn't too aware of Tatiana and Damian, the other names did catch her attention. Whilst she was certain Aliana hated her, Kerry was fond of Sinead. "What happened to Sinead and Liam?" she asked, hoping they were okay. "Sav and Sinead have always been kind to me, before and after Mrs. Callahan's own club was attacked and burned down back in New York. I witnessed the horrors that occurred in the club that night and it's something I'll never be able to forget. So, it's extremely difficult to imagine the Sullivans could do something so terrible now, after the suffering they experienced in New York." She anxiously bit her lip as she turned to Alex. "But I'm not saying it wasn't Sullivan. For a man who has suffered so much in his life, both directly and through watching his loved ones in pain, he can be quite the hypocrite." She looked Alex in the eyes with something of relief when he said she could still talk to him about things, despite being Savannah's friend. "Thank you. I do appreciate that. Sav isn't a part of her family's business, but I've often worried your family might not want me around if I'm friends with her whilst these troubles between your families are going on. That's part of why I quit working for Spencer without much notice," she regretfully admitted. "Truth is, I've found Conor, Syd, and others in that family find it difficult to show empathy outside of their circle. I used to hope they'd one day forgive me, for something I had no choice in to begin with, but I'm done feeling guilty for getting dragged into the Sullivan family's past war, through no fault of my own. And what they did to Spencer the other week was really shitty."

She smiled back at him when he joked with her. "I'd say you're just the right amount of asshole. The real asshole is the bastard responsible for what happened tonight... And I'll be here for Harper. Whilst Sav is my friend, I want nothing to do with the rest of the Sullivans, especially if they could do this after everything they've been through themselves!"

Kerry looked up at Jeremy and remained silent as he caught up with Alex. Though she knew Jeremy well enough, she didn't want to interrupt the exchange between him and Alex. When Jeremy then addressed her to confirm he was okay and showed off his battle scars, she smiled at him. "Ah, I'm sure both your injuries are nothing two strong lads like yous can't handle," she remarked. When Alex then focused back on her, she quickly shook her head. "No, I haven't been seen by anyone yet. Really, there's a lot more people worse off than me. A few cuts and possibly - hopefully - just a sprained wrist? I'm sure I can wait," she assured him. Kerry had been through much worse, both through physical and psychological torture, so she wasn't about to fret over an injured wrist. "I was just about to leave the ladies room when the bomb went off. The impact of the blast knocked me down and I got cut up by some of the falling ceiling, but I think the bathroom was one of the safer places in the club to be at the time." Knowing it was a blister on her ankle that had led her to go into the ladies room at all, rather to the bar, was something she couldn't help but think about. Those standing at the bar would have been killed or fatally injured in an instant, so she could only feel grateful not to have been standing there when the bomb went off.

Melanin-Gxdess (Alex)
Mentioned: BasDorcha (Jeremy)

 

[Misty Gray]

The Oak Tree Restaurant
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Benjamin Reznik​

Benjamin couldn't help but blush when Lorelei gave his driving a rave review. "I would say that's the best review I've ever had for my driving, but the only other opinion so far is basically Aidan's and he's a weak 7 out of 10, at best, as a passenger. So your opinion is the more valid one," he joked.

Putting his arm more snuggly around her as she leaned into him, he listened as she spoke about Natasha and how Leo had been. It seemed like even she was having trouble getting through to Leo. Usually, Benjamin's automatic response would be to offer to talk to Leo himself, but given he didn't know the young man in question very well, it didn't seem appropriate. He didn't want to make things more awkward or uncomfortable. "I think you're right. They might both appreciate a change of scenery and something to distract them for a bit." Benjamin still remembered in enough detail witnessing as his own mother was abused and tormented by Francesco Moretti, not to mention the last time he saw her was when he found her dead in the living room. In a way, he felt like he could understand something Leo had been through with Aliana, but at the same time, he didn't believe he could ever understand nearly enough to try telling the other young man he understood how he was feeling. Benjamin's pain extended as far as watching his mother being tortured, not to being on the receiving end of it himself. "We'll do what we can to help them relax, even if just for a little while."

When Leo and Natasha arrived, Benjamin stood up as Lorelei did and sent them both a friendly smile. "Hey... Oh yeah, our table is ready for us. I made sure to get us the best one. I know the manager," he lightly joked, clearly referring to Conor, his boss and Leo's own father.

Benjamin laughed when Leo pointed out his slight lateness was because of how long girls spent getting dressed. He further chuckled when Leo pointed out Lorelei must have taken a long time seeing as she looked better than usual. He then purposely cleared his throat and looked to his girlfriend directly, expecting to be playfully berated for laughing along. "Not that I think you need any time at all to look good, of course," he was quick to add. Leo then addressed him directly and noting the way he didn't offer a handshake, Benjamin mirrored his movements instead. "Yeah, I'm Benjamin. It's good to properly meet you, Leo, and for once to be eating rather than serving you your meal," he added, having only previously seen Leo on occasions whilst he was working.

Leo seemed keen to get to their table, so Benjamin didn't argue and instead walked alongside Lorelei as the four of them made their way to the waitress to be taken to the reserved table, which thankfully met Leo's needs to have his back against the wall. Benjamin took a seat next to Lorelei, letting her sit directly across from Leo seeing as they were cousins and that might put Leo more at ease. Directly across from Natasha, he sent her a friendly smile. "You're Blake's daughter, right?" he casually asked her. Though he didn't know about Adam being at all romantically involved with Blake, he knew the two of them hung out often, either by seeing them both together or from Adam making a brief comments in the past about heading out for drinks with the woman. Such comments which had often led to Benjamin then teasing Adam about still being single.

When the waitress came to take their drinks order, Benjamin briefly greeted his colleague before ordering himself a pint, just as Leo had done. Leo then broke the ice by asking Benjamin which poor decisions he made to end up with Lorelei. "Ah, well I guess we've got your dad to blame for that," Benjamin casually replied. "When I'm not working here, I earn some extra cash as a freelance photographer. Conor put Lorelei in touch with me so I could take some photographs for her club's brochure. It kind of all kicked off from there. I mean, the moment I saw her..." he trailed off, turning to look fondly to Lorelei as his cheeks reddened again. "Even after I showed her how clumsy I am from the offset, she still gave me the gig," he said, chuckling as he remembered how he'd nearly stumbled over right in front of her on their first meeting.

Bellz (Lorelei, Natasha) Melanin-Gxdess (Leo)

 

[Misty Gray]

Undisclosed Sullivan Base
~ Residential Area, Donnycarney, Dublin ~

Adam Harper​

When Syd asked him if he was sure about Elena being his daughter, Adam took another drag of his cigarette before blowing out a long puff on smoke. He then decisively nodded his head. "Pretty damn sure, yeah," he gruffly told the younger man. Syd then went on to probe with more questions, clearly wanting to be sure Elena was telling the truth and that Adam fully believed what he'd been told was true.

"Even before she told me, there was something familiar about her that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Then when she told me and told me who her mother was, I knew straight away she was familiar because of her resemblance to her mother, Isabella. Elena's birthdate all adds up to when I slept with her mother back in Cuba. And I'm good at reading people; looking out for when they're lying and finding contradictions in what they say. Elena came across as telling the truth. I believe she was genuinely upset when I interrogated her and her feelings to knowing I'm her dad are real. I don't think she's here to get anything out of me other than to know who her dad is." Adam let out out a sign before taking one last drag from his cigarette and then stubbing it out in the ashtray. "If it is a lie," he began, dropping the cigarette butt into the ashtray, "then it's not her lie and someone has lied to her. She genuinely believes I'm her dad."

Adam folded his arms across his chest and lightly shook his head. "I don't know. I see these subtle mannerisms and some kind of resemblance to myself when I look at her, like she really is my own flesh and blood. I didn't even need to think about it at the time she told me her truth, but I have thought a lot about it since, and I'm happy to be her dad. The only regret I have is that I couldn't be that guy sooner. 20 years is a long time. I've missed all of those years of her life." He cleared his throat and shook his head. "But I'm not an idiot. Whilst I do believe she is my daughter, I've got guys checking things out in Cuba. Making sure there's nothing dodgy going on, that Isabella isn't involved in anything we need to worry about. I also intend on speaking with Isabella myself. I know I was a dickhead to her and I'm no model citizen, but she painted me out to be some real arsehole and one who not only knew about Elena but also didn't want fuck all to do with her!" he bitterly remarked.

Adam instantly nodded his head when Syd asked if he was planning on telling Blake about wanting to be a father to Elena. He didn't need to think about it as the woman deserved to know. "Yeah, I'm going to tell her. I've given Blake some space to decide what she wants to do in terms of me and her, as in, if she wants there to be an us. Regardless of her decision, she deserves to know. But if she wants to be in a relationship with me, then she definitely needs to know. It's hard enough for her bringing me into hers and her kids' lives, but if I'm also bringing my own daughter into the mix, then everyone needs to be on board with that too."

Pyroclast (Syd)
Mention: Bellz (Blake)

 

[Pyroclast]

Royal London Hospital
~ Tower Hamlets, London ~

Billy King
​

Given the way Erik was responding to his touch, his whispered remark insulting Billy’s bedside manner only made him grin. Billy supposed he was being cruel teasing him the way he was, despite never doing anything quite so intimate when they were in private. But as he allowed himself to subtly trace his fingers along Erik’s collarbone and become familiar with the feel of Erik’s hand upon his lips, he realised that if they were in private he would quite like to go further. How much further, he didn’t know, but he decided he was ready for something more.

Billy’s eyes narrowed, his lips curling at the edges as he watched Erik draw his leg up and cover his face. He had a feeling he knew what the man was hiding but he just liked to see him blush, never knowing that he had such power over him. His reaction was adorable and the thought crossed his mind that if it was that easy to make the normally calm and stoic Erik get flustered, he would do what he was doing a lot more often.

“Go on, then,” he grinned when Erik suggested kicking up a fuss to get his own room so the two could be alone. He hadn’t missed what Erik had really been about to suggest, and while the thought of going so far with a man scared him he found himself blushing deeply anyway. It wasn’t that such ideas and fantasies hadn’t come to him before, just that in the past he was generally repulsed and ashamed by them and so did what he could to flush them out with other thoughts instead. Now that Erik clearly wanted to go further with him, however, Billy finally felt like it was okay to be open to it. “I’d like to see what you do to get that room. Is it too late to act like you have Tourettes? Maybe I could stuff a wad of cash in Nursie’s pocket and see if she’ll move us somewhere away from watchful eyes…”

Billy glanced around, checking out how many other people were in the room. One or two had visitors, one was asleep, some reading a book, staring at the ceiling or being tended to by their nurse. It wasn’t the quietest room and Billy thought perhaps he should really get around to going private - but then again, if he had been put into a private room, he wouldn’t have found Erik. Turning back to face him, Billy raised the man’s hand to his mouth again and lightly grazed his knuckles with his teeth before tenderly kissing them. “Maybe I’ll nick that stethoscope, make your little fantasy come true -”

“Erm, ‘scuse me?”

Billy dropped Erik’s hand like it was red hot and spun round to see the young nurse standing by his bed. She had her eyes fixed on him, eyebrows raised. “What’re you doing out of bed, Billy?” she asked him. Billy remained unsure how to answer - the truth was that he had wanted to be closer to Erik, but he didn’t know how to admit that in such a way that wouldn’t raise suspicion. When he failed to answer her, the nurse walked over and used a hand to guide him back towards his designated bed. “We gave you that oxygen for a reason,” she reminded him, still with an accusatory tone in her voice. “And you ain’t meant to take that needle out your arm.”

“Can you tell me if my sister’s alright?”

“Your sister? Was she in that explosion too?”

Billy nodded, glancing back to Erik as he was forced to lie down again. “Harper King,” he clarified. “She was unconscious when she came in I think, but my uncle said she’s alive. Can you just…can you find out if -”

“I don’t know an Harper King,” said the nurse, her tone softening as she picked up on the sensitivity of the subject. “We got so many people come in hurt from that blast. It’s been a right mess in here tonight and I’m only workin’ this ward...” Billy’s face fell and he lay back in defeat as he felt the IV be inserted into another vein. Seeing the anxiety in his eyes, the nurse sighed. “I’ll see what I can find out for ya’, but like I said, we’re very busy in ‘ere so I’d appreciate it if you stayed put and don’t rip that needle out again. And use the oxygen, please - you’ve inhaled some nasty stuff from all that smoke, alright?”

Billy had to admit the oxygen mask did bring some relief, but it wasn’t the kind of relief he was after. All he wanted was to know his family was okay. He rolled his head to one side so he could see Erik, and tuned out the nurse until she left. For a while, just being close to Erik had helped ease his worries - even after coming face to face with Erik’s dark side while he had been helping him get over his cocaine addiction, the man still somehow had this air about him that made Billy feel like everything was okay. He could make him stop worrying and start laughing instead. Now, hooked up to an IV drip in his right arm, hardly able to move his left arm and with an oxygen mask preventing him from properly speaking, the couple of metres between their beds suddenly felt like a mile. The nurse had drawn him out of their bubble of flirting and laughter and back into reality, where his sister’s life was on the line, his loved ones were injured and the less fortunate people from inside the club were dying or already dead.

A single tear rolled down his face as he continued to hold his eyes on Erik, prompting him to revert his gaze back up to the ceiling. There weren’t a lot of things that Billy hated, but crying was one of the few, and being in public, and with no alcohol to help numb the feeling, he decided the embarrassment was harder to bear than the burning sensation in his lungs or the nauseating stitches in his wounded arm. So, biting his tongue, Billy once again pulled off the oxygen mask, tore the IV drip out of his vein and got to his feet. He paused for a moment as a deep cough heaved itself out from somewhere deep in his chest, but when the spell was over he shuffled back over to Erik’s bed, his eyes reddening as he fought to hold back the tears.

“D’you mind?” he mumbled, gesturing stiffly to the space on the mattress. Once Erik had managed to shift over as far as he could with his injured leg, Billy very carefully lay down beside him and buried his face into Erik’s side. It felt better now that no one could see him, so much so that the urge to cry almost disappeared entirely. He let out a slow, trembling breath that prompted another small fit of coughing, and when he was done, he smiled. “Nurse ain’t gonna like this,” he chuckled, sniffing as another tear soaked into Erik’s mattress. He had decided that he didn’t care what the nurse thought, and that if she had a problem with him then he would just try to discharge himself. At least then he might be free to look for Bruce and the rest of his family. And if he was caught by his family first, he was confident this that he would be able to play it off - he figured people acted differently when they were upset, and given that no one else was there, he hoped it would make sense to them that he would seek comfort from Erik without giving off other signals.

However, he hadn’t taken into consideration how Erik felt about it - or if he was too high on morphine to care about much at all. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled, muffled by Erik's shirt. For needing comfort, for getting into his bed in front of the other patients, for teasing him, not finding the words to tell him how he truly felt, coming out of the explosion with comparatively minor injuries… There was so much Billy wished to communicate to him but was obstructed by the lump in his throat and his inability to freely express himself. Keeping his freshly stitched up arm pressed against himself, he curled himself even closer into Erik's side and let silent tears spill down his face.

​

Melanin-Gxdess Erik

Shona King​

There was something not quite convincing about Spencer’s tone when he assured her that he and baby Edward would still be there beside her if she wanted to go to sleep. So Shona didn’t give in to the fatigue trying to pull her under, and instead kept her eyes on her husband and their newborn, waiting for a proper answer. Spencer was a strong and stoic man, always preferring to keep going if he could - but Shona had a niggling feeling that something was going on. First, there was the fact Spencer had left her side during her labour, something she was sure he wouldn’t do unless it was some kind of emergency. Then he had been gone long enough to miss the birth entirely, and had returned looking different, a little worse for wear and almost as weary as she herself felt - along with a smell sticking to his clothes that she was sure she wasn’t just imagining.

“Spencer, you can tell me,” she softly assured him. Despite the sleepy, relaxed feeling that filled her entire body, she couldn’t help feeling a little nervous about what he was keeping from her. Just as she was expecting, he started his answer by telling her he didn’t want to worry her, which confirmed her suspicion that there was something worth worrying about. Glancing down to the baby, Shona accepted Spencer’s hand in hers and lightly rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb. She thought with the exhaustion weighing her down, she wouldn’t have the energy to react to whatever it was, but as soon as he said there had been an incident at the nightclub, her grip on his hand got a little tighter.

“An incident? What kind of…” Her voice was weak and Spencer easily spoke over her as he continued to explain who had got hurt. Shona didn’t react much at first; she was thinking about Harper, and Bruce and Darcey and Erik and what on earth could have happened to hurt them. With her own mind giving her no answers, it gave way to worry and tears brimmed in her eyes. “What kind of hurt? Was she shot?” she whispered, thinking of Harper, Darcey and Erik. Spencer had promised her that the latter two would be fine, but hadn’t sounded so sure about his sister. “Did someone attack us? It was them, wasn’t it? The Sullivans…” Hearing that Bruce was dealing with everyone assured her somewhat - not that there was much she could do from where she was - but the joy in her heart from giving birth to her baby boy had been dampened by a sickening sense of worry for the others. The day she gave birth was meant to be a day to celebrate, and as exhausted as she was, she had been looking forward to seeing Harper, Alex, Billy, Bruce and Darcey after the birth and to introduce them all to the newest member of the King family. Now, she didn’t know when she would get to see them.

“Oh, Spencer…” Her lip trembled as she spoke his name but she took a deep breath, knowing that if she wasn’t so tired she would find it easier to be strong for her husband. She shuffled away from him to make space on the hospital bed. “Come lie down, I want you next to me,” she softly commanded, suddenly feeling too far away from her boys. “It’ll be okay, love, won’t it? Harper wants to meet Edward, she won’t…she wouldn’t…” A tear fell down her face, struggling to imagine the condition her sister-in-law was in but hoping it wasn’t as bad as her worst fear. “And you’re sure you’re not hurt? And Billy and Alex, are they okay? Are they all here at the hospital?”

Interactions
Misty Gray Spencer

Mentions: Bellz Harper

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Royal London Hospital
~ Tower Hamlets, London ~
Alexander King​

Alex looked up at Kerry's wrist as she explained it was her only injury. Instinctively he reached for it, but when he realized it was probably injured he stopped and just let his hand hang for a moment. He let out a chuckle and scratched his eyebrow with the hand he was just holding out and shook his head. "Oh, so you think I'm tough then? That's a relief. Cried a bit when my head hit the wall, so I was a bit worried," he joked.

The sincerity was clear in Kerry's voice when she mentioned Harper's well-being. It was good that his sister had people outside of the family that she cared about her wellbeing and that she could trust. Not to say he and his brothers didn't or would ever come to a period where they wouldn't, but he was sure she would want to be around others. Especially since Kerry was a woman. Growing up in a house full of boys couldn't have been easy or fun, so it made sense for her to have as many female friends as possible. He'd possibly screwed up her friendship with Savannah and he'd feel bad about it, but at least she still had Kerry in her corner. "You and the rest of us," he said, gesturing to himself, Jeremy and down the hall signaling the rest of his family. "Strongly considering asking for a blanket and pillow soon."

The moment Kerry asked about Sinead and Liam's wellbeing, Alex turned his head towards her. For a moment he was worried about her clear sympathy towards the woman and her kid, but it wasn't until she explained her past that he settled down. Hearing the older woman had been kind to her in the past was the only reason he wasn't about to say something rude. In Alex's experience, Sinead was indeed the best one out of all the Sullivans. If he had Callum in London, Sav and Sin would be the only reasons he allowed his son to visit Dublin to begin with. It was funny hearing that the Sullivans had gone through something similar and yet, here they were. It may not have been clear that it was Conor's doing just yet, but he had no other reason to believe it wasn't him. Alex let out a scoff when she mentioned Conor being a hypocrite and nodded his head. "I absolutely agree. Always on about Callum being amongst family yet is trying to keep me from seeing him. Piece of shit, he is."

Something about Kerry deciding to side with the Kings at that moment was... Satisfying. Though Kerry had never claimed loyalty to either family, it still felt as though they were taking a potential member away. And that was the best part. Was it a shame her friendship with Savannah was more than likely going to end because of it? Sure, but it would be another reason for Savannah to blame her shitty uncle. Remembering she had asked about Sinead and Liam, Alex apologized. "You asked about Sin and Liam. Er, from what I hear she was stabbed but they're both okay now. Physically, at least," he informed her. Alex wanted to offer to let her call the woman but knew it was a bad idea.

"You know, that's the second time you've mentioned me being strong, Kerry, you trying to tell me something?" For a moment he had forgotten where he was and the stress that he had been feeling. Joking around with both Jeremy and Kerry was definitely helping, even if he was still worried about Harper. Hearing that Kerry hadn't been in any immediate danger was a relief and it was clear on his face. "That's great. Can't add another person to Harper's list to worry about tonight."

Kerry ( Misty Gray )
Jeremy ( BasDorcha )​

 

[Misty Gray]

Sullivan Residence
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

Conor Sullivan​

Conor hadn't been oblivious to the pissed off expressions on Michelle's face. It wasn't too unlike the one he'd often displayed when he was younger, nor the one he saw in Leo at times. With such a track record, he was sure he had that same attitude to look forward to from Rhiannon and Sydney. He hoped he was wrong, especially as far as his youngest daughter was concerned and the fact he never wanted her to lose that bright, bubbly energy. He was hoping that would stick with her like it had with Sinead. Catching Michelle's huff, he raised a curious eyebrow. "Jeez, what did I do now?" he joked. As he hugged his eldest he processed her request for him to tell his employee to buzz off. Stepping back from the embrace, he looked to the security guard in question and broadly smiled at him. "Thanks for doing your job, mate. Always appreciated. We don't want any riff raff in here, but I'll make an exception for my eldest daughter," he joked.

Once the man was gone Conor allowed Michelle and Allen to greet each other before he addressed his father-in-law directly. "Thanks for the chat. I'll catch up with ya later and I'll make sure I have that talk with Ali," he assured him. The fact Michelle had turned up on his doorstep, unannounced and alone, was a sign he needed to speak with her in private. Once Allen had left the office, Conor told her to take a seat on the couch in the centre of the room. "Drink? he offered her.

Once any drinks were sorted, Conor sat on the couch directly opposite her. "Alright, so you've left the hot and sunny beaches of Portugal, for Dublin. No husband or kids with you. And it ain't Christmas..." he began listing the red flags around her visit. "What's going on, 'Chelle?" he asked her. "And don't try to bullshit me, love."

BasDorcha (Michelle)
Melanin-Gxdess (Allen)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Royal London Hospital
~ Tower Hamlets, London ~

Erik Snowden

​

Had you told Erik that he would be in the position he was in now with Billy he wouldn't have believed you. Billy King, the man who was afraid to be himself and accept the fact that he was, indeed, a homosexual, flirting with him in a rather public place. Anytime Erik had attempted to do such a thing Billy would seem tense and nervous someone would find them out. But now, now was different. He was extra flirtatious, alluring even and it was more so than usual. Erik wasn't about to complain about it, but he couldn't help but wonder if it were because he wanted to focus on something that wasn't Harper. He was glad to be a distraction, but he couldn't help but wonder if he would deny this had ever happened later on.

Instead of worrying about that, however, he was staring at Billy and listening as he egged him on to get himself a private room. Erik's eyebrows immediately shot up at Billy's words and he briefly glanced around the room he was in. Just as he was thinking of ways to cause a disturbance, his rightful mind decided it wouldn't be the right mood or setting for them to get... Intimate for the first time in their relationship. Besides, though Billy had been painfully obvious about how he felt about him, Erik wasn't about to settle for anything other than actual words. That didn't mean Erik wouldn't entertain the idea. "In public, Billy? Where anyone could walk in on us," he softly whispered, visibly looking him up and down. "I'm rubbing off on you, aren't I?" He was sure there was another lewd joke or two in there, but he chose not to make it.

The feeling of Billy's teeth then lips on his knuckles sent a euphoric feeling through his body that rivaled only that of the morphine coursing through his veins. It was the same feeling he had when the two of them were in the back of taxi weeks ago. Had his thigh not been pierced then he'd have taken Billy somewhere - janitors closet, an empty office, that bathroom. Anywhere they could just be alone. But the thought of such a reckless decision was pushed aside when Erik remembered he wanted his first time with Billy to be... Special. Billy wasn't just some random hook up which meant they couldn't be hooking up in such reckless places. Well, they could but that was later on down the line.

"Erm, Bil-," Erik cleared his throat, trying to get Billy's attention but the nurse standing by his bed had gotten to him first. Billy dropped his hand and Erik slid it away, as if trying to hide the fact that it was just in the man's mouth. The nurse forced Billy back to his bed and all Erik could do was watch as he asked about Harper. Hearing her name again crumbled their momentary break from reality and reminded him why they were here in the first place. The moment the two of them made eye contact Erik could tell that Billy had started worrying again. Not knowing if Harper was okay or not - or any of his family members, for that matter - were okay was heavy. Erik even made a move to get up from his bed but the moment he brought his head up from the pillow the room began to spin. He laid back down, feeling helpless and wanting nothing more than to comfort Billy.

But that helpless feeling didn't last long as he watched Billy get up again. This time he tried stopping him. "Hey, Billy! You can't be gettin' up, alright? Listen to the nurse and stay in bed!" Once Billy had gotten close enough for Erik to see his eyes, he stopped trying to force him to listen to reason. Everything that had happened tonight was eating him up inside and it was clear that Erik needed to be there for him. He obliged him and carefully moved over, lifting the sheet and blanket so Billy could get under. The moment he got comfortable Erik wrapped his arm around him after letting the sheet and blanket fall on top of him. "Fuck the nurse. I'm better medicine anyways," he softly joked, trying to make him feel better. He could hear the sniffles and feel the tears soaking through his hospital gown but none of that mattered. Billy needed him and needed to be comforted, which meant little things couldn't bother him. It's way he raised his hand to Billy's head, caressing his head and whispering, "You don't have anything to be sorry for."

Billy ( Pyroclast )