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

[Bellz]

Julia Avvocata
Windsor Hotel Charity Gala
~ Dublin City Center, Dublin ~​

Normally, Julia would have felt as cool as a cucumber in a situation like this. She was getting what she wanted out of the situation. Ricky would have what he rightfully should have had in the first place, and James Porter would be dead. In her head, Julia couldn't imagine a more perfect situation. But when all of that had been revealed Ricky had been a nervous wreck ever since. Julia had been silent, knowing that if she gave away any sort of feeling that she was trying to comfort Ricky that it would have been seen as a weakness in Gabriel's eyes. The only comfort she could give him with everyone in view was grabbing his hand and holding it in hers tightly, which she did for the entire plane ride over.

They had been in the hotel since the night before and Julia's own anxiety started to peak due to being around Ricky for so long. It was rare that it started but once it did it was hard to get rid of. Instead, she focused her energy today on things that would be productive. Like getting dressed for the party that would soon turn into something more of a horror film, Gabriel sure did love the theatrics.

When Damian had been ordered to babysit the pair, Julia was secretly offended. To think that she would do something so silly to jeopardize Ricky's life, as well as her own, was insulting. But perhaps, Damian was there for Ricky more than he was for her. Julia didn't think her boyfriend was stupid in the slightest, but his personality disorder tended to get in the way of his clear thinking. He was unfortunately a liability, even if Julia wanted to admit it or not. He had to be watched because he was far closer to these people than any of them were.

Julia had just finished placing in her second earring when Ricky's voice playfully asked if his gun looked big with his suit. His tone was so playful and humorous like it always was that for a moment, she thought that perhaps he had calmed down some. But when she turned around to face him, there wasn't a lick of humor colored on his handsome face. Any smile that had started to form on Julia's was wiped clean in an instant. Regardless of it all, Ricky told her that she looked hot, beckoning her over for a kiss. Julia smirked slightly and walked to him, ready to pull him close when Damian's voice sounded from the doorway.

The woman took a slight step back from her boyfriend and looked at Damian with a slightly annoyed look and a single brow raised. Damian made a comment about a couples theme and at first, Julia thought he was referring to Ricky's Deathstroke costume and her Scarlet Witch one, but when he pointed to himself and Ricky, the woman rolled her eyes a smile on her face. Damian was an interesting character and Julia enjoyed the friendship she had with him, but the reminder of what Ricky had to do was less than appreciated. Instead of snapping at the man, Julia bit her tongue and moved back to the mirror attached to the big dresser on the other side of the room.

When she got to the dresser, however, she found herself unable to really hold it. "We know what our mission is, Joker." The redhead said, moving to reapply her red lipstick. The lid opened with a pop and she twisted the bottom of it before applying it delicately. "I find it rather insulting that Gabriel put you on babysitting duty, don't you? I mean, it's almost like he has no trust in us whatsoever. It's a bit unprofessional to treat business partners in such a way. But, at least you and Ricky make a handsome couple for tonight, hmm?"

Julia looked to the men from the mirror, "I think the real Batman tonight is Porter. That man's a human cockroach who needs to be exterminated."
with: Ricky and Damian Misty Gray

 

[Pyroclast]

The Windsor Hotel Ballroom
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Danny Vaughan
(Batman)​

Always having been a laid-back and reasonable person, Danny had managed to avoid falling into a pit of despair and regret for not being able to keep Savannah and Callum safe in Corfu. Despite being in charge of protecting them, he understood that the circumstances of the home invasion hadn’t given him a realistic chance to fight back. Still, he was disappointed that the plan hadn’t worked out long-term. Besides constantly looking over his shoulder, it would have been a beautiful life for the three of them, one more peaceful than any of them had ever known. He supposed that at least being back in Dublin meant that she had her family to support her, and since she had managed to meet up with Alex to discuss the situation with Callum, he felt that something positive was beginning to form.

Savannah had been recovering well from her injuries, which Danny was relieved to see. Even more remarkable was the way she was managing to cope with the trauma. Anyone else he was sure would have fallen off the wagon after what she had been through, but then again, Savannah was far from sheltered. She was tough, far tougher than she might appear to someone who didn’t know her. He was proud to be at her side helping her through it all, but he was even more proud of her for not letting it get the better of her.

The Halloween party was testament to her strength; he loved that she was well enough by now to attend and eager to be around family. Plus, he couldn’t deny that he enjoyed seeing her in costume. The second she stepped into the living room, Danny’s head spun and an uncontrollable smile erupted across his face. “Woah,” he said with a whistle, leaning back to take in the sight of her. “You’re blowin’ me off my feet, there, Supergirl. You can make even Batman swoon lookin’ the way you do!” He stepped forward and placed his hands on her waist, leaning down to kiss her before letting out a chuckle when she called Batman hot. “Well I’m glad it’s worth it, ‘cause these PVC pants are makin’ me sweat!”

When they reached the Windsor Hotel and exited the car, they were once again hit by the cold temperature. Seeing Savannah shiver, Danny sidled up to her and pulled her into his side, rubbing her arm to keep her warm. “You never see superheroes wearin’ coats,” he observed. “How do they not get cold, sneakin’ around at night on their secret missions? Questions to ask the expert when we get home…” He turned to face her when she pulled him to one side, and smiled as he kissed her back. “I love you, too, Supergirl,” he flirted with a half smile, and took her hand proudly as they walked inside.

There were many great costumes in the room that Danny was keen to compliment. Their first stop was Braden and Amy. “Brady, my man, how’s it goin’?” he greeted him with a warm hug. He couldn’t help but smirk when Savannah called him Spock, and lifted his hand into the ‘Live Long and Prosper’ sign. Danny wasn’t directly into Star Trek, but it was one of his favourite things to watch on TV while high and so he could immediately recognise who Braden was supposed to be. They soon turned their attention to Amy, to whom Danny extended a hand. He grinned at Savannah’s introduction of him and the crime-fighting hero he was dressed as. “Kinda ironic when ya’ think about it,” he commented, referring to the gang’s criminal activity. “So, Captain Kirk and Madonna…how’d you two come to meet?”

Interactions
BasDorcha Amy
Bellz Braden
Misty Gray Savannah

 

[Misty Gray]

The Windsor Hotel Ballroom
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

James Porter​

James hadn't been particularly enthusiastic about attending the Halloween party, but the introverted man was rarely ever excited about parties. Even when he was the boss of the Irish Mob, he still found such events to be a pain and was always grateful when the night ended so he could relax from putting on an act. In the end, he did what he often did and decided to attend this evening. At least with plenty of family members and the costume theme, it wouldn't be a stuffy affair. Besides, after seeing Lucy's sexy outfit, how could he possibly back out?

Dressed in a cowboy costume, inspired by his favourite genre of movie, James had been spending some time walking the perimeter of the ballroom. There were of course people being paid to be on security that evening, but James often did struggle to give up his old habits from when he was employed as Emmet Sullivan's head of security. It always made him feel somewhat unsettled when he didn't had much influence over the security, regardless of how experienced he believed Conor's employees to be. His attention had for a moment set on Dermot and the man's lack of Halloween costume - a man clearly on his own wavelength but who had actually gone through with it and not bothered to make the effort.

James soon sighted Lucy and made his way back to meet her at the bar. He looked to her with a flirtatious glint in his eyes as he admired her in the costume she was wearing. "Here I am," he replied to her with a grin. As if reading his wife, James used his hand to withdraw his imaginary gun just as she did hers. "I guess we do both have to stay now, unless... we both have to leave. Leaving is good too," he teased. As Lucy ran her hands down his chest, James lifted the cowboy hat from his head and placed it on the bar next to him as he moved in to kiss her lips. "Don't tease me like this, Luce," he flirtatiously whispered into her ear.

The couple soon pulled away and switched off their flirting, with Lucy expressing her disapproval at not being a part of the event planning. James looked around to see if he could spot any of the waiters his wife was complaining about. "Ahh, they can't all be as good at this as you are, love. And maybe they caught sight of you and were too distracted to do their job well. Ever think about that?" he playfully asked. "Just relax and let those paid to do the worrying worry." It wasn't long before Lucy pointed out the familiarity of the venue, the fact it had balconies overhead hadn't escaped his attention the moment he stepped into the ballroom. It was a similar kind of setup the night he and Lucy shot at their enemies, the Romanos, with Lucy killing Gianna during their assassination attempt on the woman's husband - the Mafia boss - Vinnie. "Yeah, it is a bit..." he also trailed off with a nod. "I'll check it all out for myself in a bit, make sure nothing's been missed," he reassured his wife, downplaying his own concerns so she wouldn't worry. "In the meantime, what do you think of the costumes tonight? Whose gets your vote?" he asked, looking over at the various members of their family.

Bellz (Lucy)

 

[Misty Gray]

Jeremy Gray's Place
~ Bethnal Green, London ~

Kerry Patrick​

Kerry had been working an early shift at the pub and knowing Alex had Spencer over in the evening, she decided to head straight home and catch up on the cleaning whilst she had chance. Given that it was the early evening, she decided to walk home to Islington rather than spending money on a taxi or calling anyone for a lift. However, it had only been a few minutes into her walk that she had an unsettling feeling. She'd walked home in the dark plenty of times and it was still relatively early in the evening to feel too concerned, but the addition of it being Halloween and people walking around in masks soon began to make her feel uncomfortable. After what had happened to her in New York, she had become too cautious to shrug any such concerns aside. After looking over her shoulder and seeing a group behind her wearing zombie masks, she made a split second decision to change her route and instead head to the nearest safe haven she was aware of.

Although the group hadn't followed her once she'd changed her route, Kerry couldn't get out of the mindset she'd been put into and would rather not risk walking home alone that evening. Knocking on Jeremy's door, she hoped Harper would be home so her presence wouldn't seem too awkward. Thankfully, her friend opened the door to greet her and Kerry managed a warm smile for her friend. "It's good to see you too," she said, perhaps looking a little more relieved than Harper would expect. "I would love some tea," she agreed and stepped into the house, closing the door behind them. "I'm sorry for showing up unannounced. I was walking home, and maybe it's just Halloween or something, but it just didn't feel safe this evening... Not that I wouldn't come see you in normal circumstance - I'd just call in advance usually," she explained. "I figured I could use your phone to call a taxi home and not impose too much if you're busy... after that cup of tea, of course."

It didn't escape Kerry's attention that Harper looked like she'd been crying. Given everything that had happened and her time in the hospital, it was no surprise her friend would be upset. Kerry decided to hold back for the time-being so as not to put Harper on the spot by asking personal questions so soon into arriving on her doorstep. Kerry leaned her elbows on the kitchen counter as Harper made their drinks. "Is Jeremy home?" she asked, wondering if she'd interrupted anything between the couple.

When asked about herself and if Alex had been causing any trouble, Kerry smiled and quickly shook her head. "I've been well and Alex hasn't been causing me any trouble at all," she assured her friend. As she spoke, a fond smile grew on her lips without her even realising. Alex had told her he loved her and Kerry believed him. In fact, she loved him too and she wanted to tell him that was the case. With everything that had been going on for him, she'd just been afraid of the possibility Alex's emotions may be heightened under all of the stress he'd been facing. Perhaps now, with Harper home and well, along with the possibility of tensions between Alex and Savannah being resolved, she could trust Alex's mind and heart were clear. "It's been quite the opposite, really. Things with Alex have been great, and now he's on good terms with Savvy again, it's one less weight off his mind," she told her. She knew Savannah was an understanding person and she was glad things were going well with Alex for Callum's sake, but there was a part of her that wondered if things would be at all awkward between herself and Savannah moving forward. Considering she'd ended their friendship and chosen the Kings, Kerry couldn't help but wonder about it.

"How are you doing, though? How long have you been back home now?" she asked.

Bellz (Harper)
Mentioned: BasDorcha (Jeremy)

 

[Misty Gray]

The Windsor Hotel Ballroom
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Gabriel Moretti​

When Teddy explained how being vague to Valentina about their mission hadn't helped, Gabriel let out a low grunt upon hearing she'd be demanding the truth when they returned home. "Well, let's make sure we both make it home in one piece to tell my daughter Porter is dead. That, and how she need not concern herself with our business." Turning his back to Teddy, Gabriel discreetly placed a painkiller into his mouth before washing it down with his glass of water. The headaches had been showing themselves for the last few days, but given the importance of their present mission, Gabriel wasn't surprised. Soon it would all be over with and they could all relax safe in the knowledge James Porter was dead. Turning back to Teddy, Gabriel clenched his fist to fend off the tingling sensation in his hand. He was practically itching to pull the trigger on his enemy. "Theodore," he said, looking his son-in-law in the eyes. "There are to be no heroics or risky actions tonight. I have every faith in our mission being a success, but make sure you walk out of here in one piece. No matter what. Valentina and the children need you home - they come first - so don't make me regret permitting you to be here tonight."

With the question about the Kings having asked for Erik, Gabriel shrugged back at the man. "The Kings seem fond of him after he's saved their lives a couple of times now. Perhaps they think of him as a good luck charm. He seemed to be happy with the deal too. Regardless of that, Valentina has it in her head that I'm forcing Erik out of New York because of Ava." Gabriel folded his arms when Teddy asked about his feelings towards Marcus marrying Ava. "Of course I didn't care for it. Marcus should have found someone with more class and who would have given him children before now."

When Teddy pointed out that there were plenty of people on the kill list, Gabriel let out a dark chuckle. "Might as well make the most of our visit, Theodore," he remarked. "Porter and Roxanne are the primary targets. If our men happen to also take out the likes of Conor and Syd, then that's a bonus and one that wouldn't go unrewarded. However, Damian and the team have been told Miss Callahan is off-limits. The Kings have gone soft on the woman and until I get them where I want them, I'll do them this favour."

When Teddy asked him if he remembered the exit plan, Gabriel's eyes widened at the man. "Of course I remember. I'm not losing my mind, just yet," he snapped at the man. He then looked to his watch. "I believe now is a good time for us to join the party and pick our moment," he informed him, putting on his mask to conceal his identity. "As soon as we get Porter alone, our men will signal for Riccardo to carry out his orders. So we do things fast. I kill Porter and we both make a rapid exit," he firmly told his son-in-law.

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)

 

[Misty Gray]

The Windsor Hotel Ballroom
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Riccardo Biancardi and Damian Nicolosi​

When Julia replied to say she knew their mission, placing emphasis on his costume character's name, Damian flashed an amused smile. If people were irritated with him, it didn't affect him, other than often providing mild amusement. When the woman went on the point out that she found it insulting he was babysitting them, Damian nodded in agreement. "I've known Gabriel for many years now I can assure you that you're correct. He doesn't trust us. The man barely trusts his own reflection, so don't take it personally," he pointed out. "I have no doubt that all three of us know what our mission his - all of Ricky knows the mission," he remarked, in light of the man's personality disorder. "The problem is whether one of us is going to get cold feet and not follow through with their plan," he said, his eyes fixing on Ricky. "Gabriel is taking a huge risk being here tonight, so of course he's going to be suspicious, including with business partners."

Ricky let Damian get it out of his system before breaking the silence with a groan. "Relax, would ya? I know why I'm here and what I've got to do. The Sullivans wouldn't hesitate to kill me, and Roxie screwed me over. I'll do as Count Dracula has commanded," he said, his tone full of irritation. "You focus on your mission and I'll focus on mine."

"My mission is to focus on your mission, Ricky," Damian drily pointed out. "And maybe take down a few members of the Irish Justice League along the way," he said, a wide and sinister smile forming on his face. Pointing to Julia, he snapped his fingers. "I'm afraid the cockroach is for Gabriel and Teddy to deal with. We take down Roxie and whoever else we can get. I think there's bonus points for Syd and Conor." He then massaged his chin as he thought things over. "Oh damn... I could have made this a competition to see who could kill the most. Could have grouped them by points based on how important they are. Ah, but hitting Savannah Callahan would deduct points from your score." Damian nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders. "Anyway, having to babysit you both isn't what I'd like to be doing. I have grown to think of you both favourably during our time working together," Damian said, in his indirect way of admitting he considered them both to be friends. He didn't tend to consider anyone to be friends. So for one of the few times in his life, he wasn't overly excited about the prospect of having to kill one of them - a prospect that was entirely realistic given Ricky's temperament. "Okay... do hurry and finish getting ready," he suggested as he walked away from the bedroom door to instead sit back down in the armchair.

"And people call me messed up!" Ricky muttered to Julia having heard Damian's suggestions to make the attack into a competition. With the man out of sight, Ricky turned to Julia and pulled her in close. After placing a kiss on the top of her head, Ricky moved his head so he could whisper into her ear. "No matter what happens, you have to save yourself. Don't put your life at risk for me," he firmly told her. "Do what you have to do to protect yourself."

Bellz (Julia)

 

[BasDorcha]

Flashback...Christian Brooks' Place

~Bethnal Green, London~
Saturday, 21st September 1985​

Maeve Thatcher

May sat on the couch in oversized pajama's while snuggled under a blanket, watching whatever the TV in front of her chose to put on. She wasn't really paying attention. The kidnapping was still vivid in her mind and she spent most of the day actively trying not to think about it. Her body was bruised and damaged, so she hadn't been out of the house since getting there. At this point, she didn't want to leave, even if she could. Christian was out for the day, but she knew she was safe at his place, it was a feeling deep inside.

When he was gone, she'd end up zoned out for hours, or sleeping, not really tracking time. She ate daily for the baby even though she had no appetite, and she was grateful to just be alive. Turning out the thoughts of those days again, she sat up on the couch, stretching as she stood up with wincing movements, making her way to the kitchen to warm her cup. Nothing had been broken, but it sure felt like it. Her body was sore everywhere it could be, and discolored in most areas.

She refilled her tea, putting it, and everything she'd need for a few more on a tray, before heading back to the couch. The peppermint tea was helping her nausea, but it was hard to get up and down, so she instead would bring the kettle to her until it was cold then take it back again. The last few days had been a fog, May unsure who she had seen, spoken too, or who had been by in passing. The medication they had given her to help her sleep through the first few days of recovery, and help with the pain, had done a number on her memory.

Today she felt clearer though, her body starting to adjust a bit to the meds she was eager to be done with. After this week, when she could at least move without yelping, she had already made Christian promise that he wouldn't let her get stuck on them like her family was prone too. It wasn't said in maliciousness, but the proof of their addictive personalities was all to recent to not scare her senseless.

Just as she was about to take a turn back down the path of memory of that night again, a knock came at the door. May perked her eyebrow. Anyone brave enough to come here would have to be someone okay to let in - plus she was pretty sure she'd seen a guard or two outside but hadn't confirmed it. Quietly, she told then to come in, then louder realizing whoever it was probably couldn't hear her.

 

[Misty Gray]

Six weeks ago...

Christian Brooks' Place
~ Bethnal Green, London ~
Saturday 21st September 1985

Spencer King​

Although he could say it for a lot of weeks lately, the last week had been a particularly busy and tiring one, both physically and mentally. In the space of a week he'd attended the charity gala where a pleasant catch-up with Ezekiel Carter was followed up by having to speak with Gabriel Moretti, a man he was beyond irritated with for Savannah being hurt and Callum put at risk. It was a mixture of having to continue business with the Morettis and Trevor's ever-increasing presence that had led Spencer to falling out with Bruce. There was also May's abduction, which Alex, Billy and Christian had to get their hands dirty to bring her home from. The following day, Spencer had learned that not only was Harper to be sectioned for at least a month, but that she was pregnant with Jeremy's child. All of that had only been in the space of less than 24 hours and he'd still had a full week of work to then get through after that, along with recovering from his own recent injuries.

Spencer had spent the first part of his Saturday morning in the gym where he'd somehow been roped into filling in for one of his friend's on their local football team. Apparently it was healthy to take some time out for himself and he'd found physical activity served a dual purpose as it also helped him release any pent up frustration. He had a lot of that right now. After briefly returning home to change and have lunch, Spencer told Shona he was going to go visit May. Once he'd seen his sister, he intended on returning home to spend the day with his wife and son, along with beers and watching football on TV.

When he reached Christian's place, Spencer gave a confident knock on the door. Despite the fact that he had recently told the former detective to end things with May, it was clear Christian either had no intention of doing so or was still trying to build up the courage to end things with her. Regardless, for the moment Spencer was more grateful that May was somewhere she felt safe and if that was Christian's place, then he wasn't going to get in the way. Hearing his sister call out of him to enter, he gave a nod to the two familiar guards outside before entering the house. "Afternoon, May. Is Sherlock out?" he greeted her as he found her alone in the lounge. Seeing the bruises that were visible, he sent her a soft smile. "How are you feeling?" he gently asked as he sat next to her on the sofa. As well as for Josh hurting May, Spencer was looking into the man's family and friends for their apparent dealings and trade that was happening on King territory. Nobody should be operating there without Kings' approval.

On the coffee table he noticed the kettle and the green tea, and casually pointed to it. "Doesn't Christian have any real tea?" he remarked. He got back up from the sofa and helped himself to a glass of water, knowing the private investigator's kitchen by now.

When he sat back down, he focused on May. "Christian's looking after you, yeah?" he asked her. "You don't have to worry about those Medina pricks again," he assured her. As well as catching up with his sister following the abduction, Spencer had other matters to discuss with her. One such matter being her and Trevor who appeared to be getting too close for comfort.

 

[BasDorcha]

Christian Brooks' Place

~Bethnal Green, London~
Saturday, 21st September 1985​

Maeve Thatcher

When Spencer stepped in, May felt a rush of air into her lungs, unconsciously holding her breath. In its place a smile bloomed on her face, weak but still very familiar to the girl beneath. "Hey Spencer. Yeah, Christian had something to do, so he's out and about. I-I'm okay. It's getting better. Be glad when I can be off the meds and back to normal." The look on her face had a touch of doubting to it, but she pushed past, forcing herself to believe that it would, in time, be okay. As he sat down next to her, she turned, tucking her feet under her so she faced him with the blanket tucked around her.

May knew Spencer was sure to be involved in everything that came with what happened - Christian, Alex and Billy had done necessary things to get to her, and she'd never hold that against them. As far as she was concerned, the bastards deserved what they got. For a brief second, she could feel hands on her against, causing her to draw the blanket closer with a shiver as her mind pushed back and stopped it. "He's got other teas in there, the greens for me you shite, don't need the caffeine right now."

The smile grew a bit bigger as Spencer got himself water instead. "Yeah, Christian's been doing a good of it. I am glad no one has to worry about them, least of all me. That prick shouldn't have been allowed to leave his house long before I met him." She shook her head, focusing on what she wanted to say. The moment Spencer walked in, she remembered she had yet to tell the man about her pregnancy. She had meant to tell Christian the night of the Gala, then tell the family, but things had gone sideways since then.

"Since you're here, you'll get to be the second to know…" She had a happy but blushing look, eyes coming back up to catch his, "I'm pregnant. I've known since the night at Darcey and Bruce's but haven't had a chance to say anything when the rest of the world didn't feel to be falling down." She couldn't help it as a fear tears welled in her eyes, her sleeves wiping them away before they fell. "I was waiting to tell Christian, the night of the Gala whe-" She started to choke, swallowing it down. "When everything happened."

She watched him for a reaction, scared it would be another angry one. It seemed like every time something new came out about her, everyone got upset. She hoped he would understand she needed support now.[/center]

 

[Misty Gray]

Six weeks ago...

Christian Brooks' Place
~ Bethnal Green, London ~
Saturday 21st September 1985

Spencer King​

Spencer noticed how uncomfortable May looked, but given what happened, it was no surprise. He just hoped she was reassured that there was no danger as long as she was in his presence. He wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone if they tried to attack her. He couldn't help but laugh when she called him a shite for criticising her choice of tea. "Just saying. If he ever offered me that stuff you're drinking, I'd have to question his sanity. The Sherlock I know only drinks proper tea."

Spencer nodded in agreement when May said she was glad Josh had been dealt with. "He got what he deserved. Hell, I'd have made him suffer more given the chance. Nobody fucks with my family, alright?" he reassured her.

When May moved on to say he would be the second to know, he looked straight at her, curious to know what she was going to tell him. He didn't have much time to speculate before she revealed she was pregnant. "Oh, jeez..." he trailed off, pinching the bridge of his nose. He was still processing finding out Harper was pregnant and now his other sister was telling him the same news. As she spoke about Christian and that she'd been waiting to tell him on the night of the gala, Spencer shook his head in disbelief, though there was an ironic kind of smile on his face. "I don't know about this family business, but I should open a dating agency. Although I think I've run out of siblings for my employees to date now," he drily remarked.

Despite his comments, Spencer remembered how he'd promised Harper he'd be more open and understanding, to ease off on trying to control everything. Still, it was hard to ignore the fact all of his siblings were now dating someone he and Bruce employed in some capacity. After a moment to process, he looked to May to try see what she really felt about her pregnancy. "Are you happy about being pregnant?" he asked her, not wanting to assume she was intending on keeping the child. "I take it Christian knows?" he questioned.

Spencer let out a sigh and slouched back on the sofa as he mulled over the conversations he'd recently had with Christian. "I might have said some things to Christian that made things awkward for him... I thought him being with you was getting in the way of his work and I told him to end things before they got too serious. I um... Although there was business in Watford, I sent him there to think about things for a couple of days too. I know I couldn't have predicated what Josh was going to do, but perhaps if I hadn't rushed to send him off on the job, he would have been there when you needed him," he admitted. "I'm sorry, May..."

 

[BasDorcha]

Christian Brooks' Place

~Bethnal Green, London~
Saturday, 21st September 1985​

Maeve Thatcher

Reaching out with her foot, she nudged him playfully for his comment about proper tea. May had been jittery enough without added caffein, so she was fine drinking it for now. Later she'd go back to normal, but she could barely stabilize the tremors that came and went throughout the days. A light blush heated her cheeks when he talked about protecting her. It was the first time she didn't feel like a burden on Spencer, even if it was in fact a huge burden she had caused.

The pinching of his nose though worried her. He wasn't liking hearing it, that much was obvious. Still, he didn't immediately freak out, something her anxiety was thankful for. He had breathed, then even smiled a bit. "You know what they say, the best companies are those that treat their employees like a family." She winked playfully, turning her body so she could lean her head over on Spencer's shoulder. "I think everyone just maybe took it a bit too literal." She laughed, a small laugh that trailed off as he asked if she was happy.

A few tears form in her eyes, the fear creeping up but she swallowed it down. That was a whole different stream of fucked up thinking she wasn't ready to deal with yet. She was not her mother, Christian was not some random hook up, and she was not going to let down her child unless she became someone else entirely, so it would be alright. She lifted her head back up, picking her tea up and taking a long drink. "I'm… Scared. Happy, but scared. I didn't have good parental imaged in my life, like Darcey or Bruce. I just keep reminding myself that doesn’t mean I'll turn out like my mam and be a terrible mother." She used the drink to steady herself, taking a deep breath as she sipped the tea, setting it back to the table.

"Christian was shocked, I think we both were, but happy none the less. I don't think I'll have to worry about him being like Trevor or nothing. We both know he's to stand up of a lad for that." Talking about Christian brought a warm, dreamy look to her eyes, momentarily drifting over her. She looked up with a sort of amused surprise when Spencer admitted that he may have said some things to her beau. He looked awkward in trying to apologize, but May felt no anger or negative feelings hearing the truth. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Spencer's neck - not the most familiar with his normal arms length demeanor since she was just learning who he was outside of being her boss for two years - hugging him tight then sitting back to give him a small but bright smile.

"Don't beat yourself up Spence. You were doing what you thought was best. And while I'm sure, over time, I will come to find it just as pesky as Harper does, right now just knowing you care enough to try looking out for me like you do everyone else makes me incredibly grateful. Josh would have done what he did regardless of Christian being here or not, he was that kind of psycho. Christian being there didn't stop him threatening me in a room full of people, it certainly wasn't going to stop him from waiting for the first chance I was alone. Besides, Alex and Billy got to come in like super heroes and save the day, and I got to feel what it's like to have people who care enough to come looking for me." She blushed a little, looking down.

"In any case, it's not your fault, any ones in fact, besides Josh's, and that bastard's already getting arse fucked by the devil, so don't let it eat you up." She patted his hand, her own trembling a bit but just slightly, before she refilled her cup just for the sake of having something to do with her hands.

 

[Misty Gray]

Six weeks ago...

Christian Brooks' Place
~ Bethnal Green, London ~
Saturday 21st September 1985

Spencer King​

Spencer scoffed at May's comment about the best companies treating their employees like family. He had always been closed when it came to letting people into his family circle. As it happened, Jeremy, Erik, Kerry, and Christian were all people he had allowed to get closer to his family and ones who had come to earn his trust. Either they'd broken his trust by dating his siblings or, more likely, he'd allowed them in because he determined they were worthy of their trust. By that logic, he supposed it had to mean they were also good enough to be with his siblings. "Yeah, I guess they did take it literally. It really is a family business," he remarked.

When May said she was scared, Spencer looked down to her, but relaxed when she still said she was happy. "Doesn't matter what kind of parental images you had in your life. You and Christian are wise enough to do it properly. You've heard enough about it before, but I had to grow up with a mother who was addicted to drugs and that waste of space Trevor. I ain't massaging my own ego here, but I know I'm a good dad to Eddie. You don't have time to be scared, May. Just try to give your kid a better upbringing than your mother gave you."

Spencer couldn't help but smirk at hearing Christian was shocked. "Well, I'm not surprised. In the whole time I've known him, I've never seen him gush over kids. I don't doubt he'll be a good dad, but have you seen this place, May?" he asked, looking around at the clean, tidy and minimalistic room. "He's going to have to adapt to the noise and having his place messed up from now on. And I don't just mean from the kid..." he teased, nudging her arm.

Spencer was caught off-guard and tensed when May wrapped her arms around him. He hadn't had much opportunity to bond with her since finding out she was his sister. Those who knew him enough knew he wasn't the most open when it came to sharing hugs and feelings. Still, he relaxed into the gesture and briefly rubbed her back before she let him go and sat back. He was glad to hear that she didn't blame him for what happened after he'd sent Christian away on a job. "Well, Harper had to put up with it for a good 20 years, so maybe I'll ease off on you when you're 40," he remarked. May then said what he already knew deep down, that Josh would have done something eventually, whether Christian was around or not. "Well, I'm glad Alex and Billy were able to step up to help you out. I think Billy is going for the Brother of the Year award after he saved my arse too... You're family, May. We look out for family." He nodded along when she pointed out that Josh wasn't a problem anymore, laughing at the scene she painted of the devil having his way with the lowlife. "Nice mental image, that," he sarcastically remarked.

As May poured herself another drink, Spencer sat forward as he toyed with his next words, but in the end decided to say what was on his mind. "On the subject of men who belong in Hell..." He turned to look at her. "I saw you and Trevor at the hospital last week. The best you can do is stay well away from him. You're starting your own family now and you don't need Trevor there making shit complicated for you. What did you tell him?" he curiously asked.

 

[BasDorcha]

Christian Brooks' Place

~Bethnal Green, London~
Saturday, 21st September 1985​

Maeve Thatcher

Spencer's words were comforting, glad to hear more support in that she'd be a better mother than the one she had. She was still trying to convince herself it was possible for her to do it, so all the extra words of encouragement was helping to build that image up in her mind. She knew Christian would be an amazing father, he was already such a great person. She had no fear about him. She just hoped she could be the kind of mother she wanted as a child, there for her children, loving and kind.

When he mentioned the pristine condition of Christian's place, she giggled, nodding acknowledgingly until he nudged her arm and a crimson blush flashed over her skin. She knew it was normal to assume she'd be moving in with him, but he hadn't mentioned that just yet so she didn't know if that was safe to assume or not. For the moment, she'd leave it alone, not giving Spencer a reason to doubt the man. All good things with time, all good things with time, she reminded herself.

Feeling Spencer relax and hug her back had filled her with a sibling flush of love, making her smile as he rubbed her back before letting her go. "I'll take it. 40 ain't so far away." She joked, watching as her brother - her brother was such a weird sound in her head still - continued on. She laughed and nodded when he spoke of Billy going for Brother of the Year award, he certainly seemed well on his way. His last words about her being family brought it to a soft stop, her face blushing again. Why, she wasn't sure, but it was still so very new it sounded unreal. Time had passed since they found out, but things had been so tense and crazy, it hadn't felt like any time at all.

What stopped her in her tracks was Spencer bringing up Trevor. She knew how he felt, and without a doubt, he had every reason in the world to feel that way based on everything she'd been told, but May didn't have those scars. All May knew was that as a babe, a child, and even as an adult, she longed to know those who shared a thin red line with her. Trevor had saved Harper, found Callum, and been the only person at the hospital who sat and stayed with her while she broke down over and over. She couldn't disregard it. She hoped Spencer would understand where she was coming from, not wanting to cause a rift between them already.

"I understand what you're saying, Spencer. I hope you know that I respect you, and I already love all of you, I did before so it was an easy switch. And I know I promised you I would not have anything to do with him, but a lot has changed since then, didn't it? At first, at the hospital, I was distraught to a point with Harper I didn't even realize who he was. It wasn't until I started talking to him, thinking he was just someone who might know Harper or had another person there, that I found out it was Trevor. I probably should have realized, but my head was done in. In any case, we only talked about me. I did tell him who I was though, it felt right in that moment, maybe due to everything else going on, and how alone I was feeling right then. It wasn't anyone's fault, but everyone was with their someone… I didn't feel right intruding.

"In any case… I've been watching as an unbiased party for a while now - no trauma like you guys experienced, and no love for the man to choose his side either, and I've come to a few conclusions. I hope, firstly, that you understand I am not intentionally trying to cause a rift, but I must do what I feel is right.

"Trevor has twice in the recent months saved two very important people in this family. He helped find Callum and he saved Harper. Had he not been keen to check in on her, no one would have been there so save her in time. Callum, who I know this family put every asset into finding, was located by him as well. Any man intent on doing harm to this family would not have done those two things. People change Spencer, it's human nature. Look at my brother, I never thought he'd betray me the way he did… We were all we ever had, but he turned his back on me as easily as closing a door. That's change. I spent years pretending to be someone I wasn't because I thought that's who I had to be… You guys have helped me be more myself. I'm not saying what Trevor did twenty-some-odd years ago was right, it definitely wasn't, but he is trying now. Time has a way of changing people, as well as the fact that anyone, man or woman, father or mother, son or daughter, become enslaved to drugs, even if no one sees it. It affects who you are, it changes key components of your personality and mentality…"

She thought about her mother, and the way she had been both before and after her dad left. A shiver ran through her. "I watched it, you know. My mom was already on it before my da' left, but the person she became afterwards was just as bad as the Trevor you remember. But I remember who she was before that, when she was still somewhat loving and caring, some warmth left in her. The drug's stole that away. Trevor is the one everyone blames for Laura, and I get why. He was definitely the one more fucked up, but have you ever considered that he was just as sick, just as enslaved, as Laura? He might not even see it that way, but it doesn't make it any less true."

Pausing, she looked down at her tea, using her finger to press ripples into the calm surface of the liquid, absentmindedly distracting herself from looking at him. "I know looking at it from that perspective is probably impossible for you, and I don't blame you for that, I would probably feel the same way if I'd lived it. But Spence, if I can move on from…" She stopped, unable to say the word but knowing she needed to, her face paling a bit, "from being kidnapped and raped for several days, even if I'm nowhere near that yet, don't you think you might be able to forgive a man who has had twenty-two years to change?"

 

[Misty Gray]

Six weeks ago...

Christian Brooks' Place
~ Bethnal Green, London ~
Saturday 21st September 1985

Spencer King​

Spencer knew as soon as May started telling him she hoped he knew she respected him and loved him that she was going to follow with something he wouldn't like. She said things had changed since she promised she'd stay away from Trevor. She went on to explain how she hadn't realised who Trevor was when she first started talking to him at the hospital. Then she confirmed that she'd told the man she was his daughter and it had felt right at the time to to tell him. "So you felt alone and ended up opening up to him? You know that's what he does, right? Preys on people when they appear vulnerable and wraps them around his little finger."

Spencer let out a sigh as May assured him she was unbiased and wasn't trying to cause any trouble between the family. She went on to point out how their father had saved Harper and helped them find Callum. "Of course I'm grateful he did those things..." he began, pausing for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. "Him helping find Callum could have been him working overtime to convince us all he's not back for selfish reasons. Gain our trust so he can get what he's really here for, which is usually money and drugs where he's concerned. After that man spent most of his life being a piece of shit, I struggle to see that he could truly change so much."

He listened on as May continued to defend Trevor, sending her a reassuring smile as she mentioned how her own mother had struggled. However, his smile quickly faded as she went on to suggest their father had been enslaved by drugs just as Laura had been. "I don't believe that, not for one second. Trevor is a smart bloke and he knew what he was doing when he got into my mother's head. When he got her hooked on drugs and dependent on him. I doubt a man who liked to have control over people so much would be out of control when it came to drugs. He was dodgy long before he started getting smacked off his face every day."

After what May had been through at Josh's hands, Spencer wanted nothing more than to be agreeable and not shoot down what she was saying, but his feelings towards Trevor were too deeply ingrained for him to drop the subject or pretend he understood where she was coming from. He quickly shook his head when she asked if he could forgive Trevor after all of the time that had passed. "I still remember the way he controlled my mum and had her hooked not only on drugs but on him too, even though he was out fucking other women. He bullied and belittled me at any opportunity... but I preferred to have him smack me in case there was ever a chance he'd take his frustrations out on her instead. He came back here 12 years ago claiming to have changed and that he wanted to know his kids, but all I had to do was wave a bit of money in front of him to leave and he didn't even hesitate to take it and run. And since he's been back here this time he's still been a cocky bastard to me and Bruce. The reason he didn't leave London when I told you he would be leaving is because he blackmailed me. Threatened to have me banged up in jail if anything happened to him." Spencer shook his head. "I'm sorry, May. I know you want to believe him and have that father figure in your life, but I can't get on board with it," he said, his troubled eyes almost pleading after he'd forced himself to recall some of the bad experiences he'd had with Trevor. "I'm so glad he was there to save Harper and I'm eternally grateful that he stepped into action to save her life, but... I blame him for her getting to this point in the first place. He didn't stick around to see her born, and she might have even had chance to know her mother if he'd stepped up to his responsibilities. Harper's blood was on his hands long before she tried to kill herself."

 

[BasDorcha]

Christian Brooks' Place

~Bethnal Green, London~
Saturday, 21st September 1985​

Maeve Thatcher

May listened to Spencer with an open ear and open heart - she had no intention of invalidating his feelings any more than he did hers. This was a conversation for adults, not just an argument over different views. They may not come to the same view and that was okay. She sat her drink down and curled back up on her space on the couch, leaning against her arm on the back to watch Spencer with her full attention. Spencer it seemed had been hurt more deeply than anyone, and knowing that kind of pain, he likely wouldn't change. She thought about Kathleen and how she had treated her and knew instantly that she had no intentions of ever forgiving the woman.

When he finished, May reached out and squeezed his hand briefly. "I understand what you mean… I can also see exactly why you'd feel that way. If Kathleen came back around I would probably feel the exact same way. I guess the only other thing I can say is to maybe let those who want to give him a chance and come to their own conclusions. I know that seems like the hardest thing to hear, but if it's currently not doing any harm, your siblings… We might need to come to our own decisions. If he's truly a bad man, he will show his colors. Evil has a way of staining the most perfect mask until it's as ugly outside as it is in."

May thought about some of the people he had ran into over the years, of the one who recently hide a psycho of a level she did not expect under a thin mask. A shiver ran through her. "If nothing else, do it for the peace of the family. Trying to hold on so tight can actually push others away, instead of keeping them close."

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

The Windsor Hotel Ballroom
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~
Theodore 'Teddy' Wycliff​

Teddy expected nothing less from his father-in-law at the mention of Valentina. The two of them, he'd come to learn, would never agree on anything; destined to bump heads at every turn. Had the man told her about their current job she would have tried talking them out of it. It was better, he reasoned, to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission. In this case, the less she knew beforehand the better. "We better," he said in terms of making it home alive. "Val will kick my ass if I leave her with three kids to raise on her own." The idea of it, though a joke, had crossed his mind several times since arriving in Dublin. What are the odds of him not making it back? Gabriel? The both of them? He had never been one to go into the field but he was adept enough with a gun. He didn't know if the same could be said of his boss.

The sound of his name being called grabbed his attention. Teddy turned his head to look at him with a curious look on his face. He warned him against any sort of heroic acts he may try and pull. He tried and failed to hide the slight smirk forming in the corner of his mouth. Of course, if anything popped off or went awry Teddy was going to do his best to make sure Gabriel made it out alive. For Elvian. For Valentina. For Tatiana. For his grandchildren. For himself. There were a lot of people counting on Gabriel making it out of this thing alive both personal and business. Theodore, on the other hand, had a much smaller list of people that needed him alive. For a split second, he thought to make sure the man made it out no matter what when he remembered who he had waiting for him at home. It was a hard fact to face but he was beginning to. Instead of giving him some sort of smart or sarcastic retort, however, Teddy just nodded his head. "I won't. I've got this."

Yet another topic for Valentina and Gabriel to argue about, he thought to himself. Valentina liked Ava and Gabriel barely did; only putting up with her because of his family. But now that Marcus was gone and without any children to tie her to the Moretti family, there really was no reason for her to stick around. Hearing about Klaus and his apparent relationship with Ava so soon after Marcus' passing the man was sure Ava wouldn't be sticking around for too much longer. Not wanting to egg the man on into a further tantrum about it, Teddy subtly shrugged his shoulders. "Well, now you don't have to deal with either, huh? Shame about Erik though. He was actually pretty good at his job."

Teddy nodded his head in understanding about keeping Sinead alive and making sure she didn't get hurt; the reasoning behind it was something he agreed with. It wasn't that he liked the woman or anything like that- he'd never met her. It was because he knew she was innocent of everything. Of any of them, he thought, Sinead deserved less of what was happening to her family along with the children. But he knew better than to say that or make it known to anyone who wasn't Valentina. Otherwise, he may be looked at as someone who sympathized with the Sullivans. "Porter and Roxie," he repeated, though he was aware of who the targets were. "Oh, so I can kill Conor if need be then? I may not go seeking him out but you bet your ass if he gets in my way he's getting a bullet through that thick fucking skull of his." While the anger he had towards James was because of his missing fingers, the anger he held for Conor burned hotter. It was Conor that had his only daughter kidnapped and put at risk. Sure, he'd retaliated with Ali and Leo and they'd apologized, but it wasn't enough.

A slight chuckle escaped him as Gabriel's eyes grew wide, reminding him he wasn't going crazy. "Keep that temper for the Irish. Just wanted to make sure we were still on the same page," he reassured. He then nodded his head in agreement as the rest of the plan was restated before walking towards the door. Once his mask had been secured over his features he twisted the door knob and nodded at the guards standing outside of it. "After you, Mr. Reaper."
Gabriel ( Misty Gray ) Shits about to go down

Alex King's House
~ Bethnal Green, London ~
Alexander King​

It was relieving to hear his brother talk such highly of Kerry. To acknowledge the change he'd seen in him and attribute it to Kerry who'd helped him the most. To Alex, it meant he wasn't imagining things and made those changes real. "Yeah, her gettin' on with Callum was a big one," he echoed, "Although, if she didn't get on with 'im I'd think there was somethin' wrong with her. Kids great! A busybody but great nonetheless, ya know?" At the mention of Savannah finding out about Kerry he let out a deep sigh. Though Alex hadn't started to develop any sort of feelings or attraction outside of the sexual kind for Kerry, some days it still felt... Wrong. But the moment Savannah gave her blessing he started to feel better about it. "Ah, well. I think she is. I mean she warned me not to fuck it up and didn't seem... Malicious or sarcastic in her response so I'm assumin' so." He let out a chuckle when he referred to Callum as a snitch and nodded his head in agreement. "I agree. Can you imagine the cops' knockin' on your door 'cause your own kid ratted you out?"

Spencer reassured him that Kerry's lack of a proper response wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Things as of late had been tense between attacks and arguments and suicide attempts so he needed to relax. However, as the nervous bouncing of his knee indicated, it was putting him on edge. "You're right. I know you're right," he then looked at his brother, a boyish grin on his face. "Imagine it. Alexander Michael King not only saying the three magic words first but bein' on the edge of his seat cause a girl hadn't said it back to him." With a shake of his head and a swig of his drink, he muttered lovingly. "All because of Kerry goddamn Patrick."

Things grew serious once more with Spencer filling him in on what had transpired between the two men. He mentioned not always having to agree with Bruce, Alex's face scrunching up in confusion. "Okay? You don't and we haven't before but that don't answer my question." There was a brief pause as Alex's eyes asked him to elaborate before Spencer gave in. Alex crossed his arms, sinking into the couch as he listened intently. The moment he heard that Bruce and Gabe had made up, however, Alex frowned and looked up at him. With his hand out to prevent him from saying anything else he sat up. "Oh- whoa, whoa, whoa, back up. He did what?" Alex heard his brother loud and clear but his brain was still processing his words and once it had he grew angry. "You're tellin' me the man who put my kid at risk, as responsible for gettin' his mother shot, was forgiven for everything?" Though Spencer seemed to wrap his mind around it Alex hadn't and had decided he wasn't going to. Spencer then explained how it was a good thing, business-wise, but Alex shook his head. "Fuck that. What's to stop Moretti from goin' behind our backs again like that? The man ain't trustworthy, Spence, and it's shit to keep doin' business with him."

Alex no longer trusted Gabriel Moretti to act in the best interests of his partners. Meaning, he didn't think they should still keep doing business with them. This time around Alex was on Spencer's side 100% and made it clearly known to him. The thought of Bruce, however, being okay with it all is what was rubbing Alex the wrong way. "But this is why," Alex said, sitting up and looking at his brother. "This is why we need to end shit with the Irish. We do that we definitely don't need Gabriel and his fucked up ideologies anymore, Spence. It's a win for us and we don't gotta bend over for a piece of shit like Moretti anymore." There was a brief pause between the two of them before Spencer mentioned Trevor. He wasn't sure how to explain it but Alex felt a chill shoot down his spine. As if he had just been caught doing something wrong. After the events following Harper's attempt, Alex came to the realization that he'd been grateful to Trevor twice now. And hearing that Trevor shouldn't have been shown gratitude - something he'd definitely shown - made the man feel guilty.

The air began to grow thick with tension as Spencer finished talking. It was clear now to Alex that the man was never going to forgive their father. The damage had been done. The hatred had taken root and he wasn't sure what it was going to take to fix it. Alex, while he still had reservations about the man and trust issues, had at least been considering letting the man in his life. But now, hearing the way Spencer spoke, he wondered if it were such a good idea. He didn't want the man to think he was betraying him or leaving him alone in his feelings but the fact was Trevor had been there now. At times that mattered perhaps even more. But how was he going to say that without looking like a traitor? Clearing his throat Alex sheepishly shrugged his shoulders. "I don't think anyone's askin' you to forget, Spence. In fact, you shouldn't. You should remember it and remember that that's the kind of person he was. I don't know, man, if I can change-," he paused, hesitantly looking at his brother. "Don't... You think he could? It's not like you have to forgive him right away or even be around him or nothin' but... Look, if they all want him around there ain't much you can do now is there?"

Spencer ( Misty Gray )

Erik's Apartment
~Hackney, London~
Erik Snowden​

The moment that door opened. The moment Erik's eyes caught Billy's. The world stopped. Erik could hear nothing but the beating of his own heart, racing at suddenly being caught with another man. Fear sprung from his stomach to his chest and spread throughout his body as their eyes remained locked. There was a slight shuffling noise - Erik's conquest quickly moving out of the bed and snatching his clothes onto his body. Erik could tell the man was shouting at him, curses spilling from his lips but the sound was so muffled. All he could do was stand and stare at Billy and the moment the man backed away from the door and slammed it Erik was able to move again. Why did he feel this way? Like he wasn't the victim? Billy had broken their trust first. Billy had cheated on him first so why the fuck did he feel this way?

After slipping on a black t-shirt and a pair of sweats Erik opened the bedroom door. His body seemed to move on autopilot as he escorted his guest to the door. It was still quiet, the squeaking of the door opening and closing being the only sound to echo throughout his apartment. After locking the door he stood there for a moment or two. This was always the hard part, wasn't it? Confronting your loved one about their transgressions against you? Erik had been here before; being cheated on. Lied to. Heartbroken. And after the last time it happened he promised himself never to let it happen again. So instead of lying down and taking it he was going to beat Billy to the punch. And had. Yet, it didn't... It didn't feel right and it didn't feel like him.

Erik shuffled back into the apartment and straight into the kitchen. The tension was growing thicker and he felt like he was going to suffocate. But this is what happens, right? When you get revenge? Now came the confrontation. Reaching into the cabinet for two glasses, he sought out the bottle of whiskey he had tucked away. The top came off with a pop - echoing throughout the silent apartment. Erik glanced at Billy who seemed shocked that his boyfriend could ever do something like this. If he were being completely honest with himself Erik was surprised too. Always so timid in relationships, letting people use him as a doormat. He knew he'd created this new persona of confidence and dominance; one that hid who he used to be but he never thought he'd be capable of purposefully hurting someone he loved. Some he cared about and craved on a daily basis. Nausea and the reality of what he'd done were starting to settle in but he wasn't going to give in. Not yet.

After filling the two glasses up in silence Erik replaced the top and moved to hand Billy his own cup. Erik had still been acting as if nothing had happened - wrapping his arm around Billy's waist, pulling him close, and placing a soft kiss on his forehead before he moved away. He then created some space between the two of them and immediately drained the contents of his glass in one go. With dark eyes he examined him and with a heavy voice, Erik finally spoke to Billy with a bitter tone. "Where were you tonight," he asked, before raising his hand to stop him. "Don't tell me, don't tell me. Working on the nightclub? Dinner with a friend? Or any of the other lies you've told me the past couple of weeks?" The tears he'd been trying to keep from showing had started to leak from his eyes, the pain and betrayal showing in them. "Oscar," he said, voice cracking. "Of all people, Oscar? I introduced you to him and that's who you choose?"

Billy ( Pyroclast )

Windsor Hotel Charity Gala
~Dublin~
Aliana Sullivan​

"Oh?" Ali teased the moment he assured her he was always a gentleman, "Then how come I never get to see it?" She lifted her glass to her lips and took a sip. After the year they'd had with the attacks and arguments between them she was glad that he genuinely seemed more relaxed. That he had been able to take a break and be around more. She appreciated it and was sure their children had as well. Though Aliana was sure it wasn't always going to be like that she definitely relished in it for as long as she possibly could. "Well, that's good. I love seeing you smile and actually enjoy yourself and not pretend as we do at the girls' plays and such," she joked, knowing just how boring and difficult it was to get through sometimes.

After giving his hand a loving pat she watched as he told Dermot to join them, the man in question not hesitating to oblige. She gave him a friendly smile reminding herself not to say anything in regard to Michelle. Not even a teasing comment; which, was difficult for someone whose favorite activity was teasing those around her for sport. The moment the man informed them he was James Bond, Ali let out a genuine laugh. "Oh, that's a good one Dermot! I see it already!" Once settled she looked at him and narrowed her eyes with a smile. "Now, the real question is which Bond are we talking? You give me more Connery than you do Moore, I think," she said in reference to the two actors. "Or are you thinking about taking the mantle up on your own?"

Watching with curious eyes, Ali noticed the brief exchange between the two men at the mention of the martini. While Dermot didn't look like the martini type, Ali couldn't help but think he was really getting into his role and chuckled. "A true actor," she echoed. "Really getting into your role, huh?" She then watched as Conor walked towards the bar - smiling at Michelle the moment their eyes connected. While Conor spoke to her in private, Aliana took the opportunity to playfully grill Dermot. "So, 007," she started, lacing her fingers together and setting her chin on them. "Time for a debrief," she said playfully before lowering her voice so no one would overhear them. "I just wanted to thank you for keeping my stepdaughter safe and secured at all hours of the day and night," she said, winking at him. "And I'm hoping it will remain that way even if things go... Awry?" The look on her face suggested he understood what she was saying - that if or when the two of them decide to stop sleeping with each other things wouldn't get awkward. "Don't worry. As with all secrets, yours is safe with me."

Conor, Dermot ( Misty Gray )
Michelle ( BasDorcha )

 

[BasDorcha]

Brook Home

Thursday 31st October 1985
Maeve Thatcher
~Bethnal Green, London~​

May sat on the balcony of Christian's apartment, soaking in the weather. She loved cold, cool days with a nice overcast. She had a blanket wrapped around her with just her toes peeking out, and a cup of warm coffee in her hands. Christian was inside, May feeling a bit withdrawn. She had more of the vivid nightmares again last night until Christian had wrapped his arms around her and she settled into sleep. Christian was the only thing that made her feel better. He had been busy, so they hadn't had much time to talk, but he had handled hearing about the baby as well as he could have, and May was still processing so much.

Harper had recently gotten home, and neither girl had been able to see each other yet. Darcey had promised to drop in and visit and May was looking forward to it. It was hard to go outside, fear over coming her when she'd near the door. She had gotten better, over the weeks, practicing when she was home alone on controlling herself every time she walked past it, but she had not made it past the driveway. Today she was practicing on the privacy of the balcony.

When a knock came at the door, it felt like a hand had gripped her throat, but May forced herself to breath and walk towards the door, sliding the glass door closed behind her. She looked through the peep hole, glad to see Darcey on the other side as she unlocked the door and pulled it open. Smiling, she pounced the woman with a hug. It was nice to see a friendly face. Christian's was nice, but sometimes a girl just needed to see the face of a friend - or even a mother, as May had started to feel about Darcey - and they had much to talk about. She had told her over the phone the good news.

"Darcey! Come in, I'm just out on the balcony." May pulled Darcey along with one hand, grabbing a bag of crisp on her way to settle her stomach. "Christian is working I think… come, sit with me. I've got the worst case of nausea."

Mentions:
Melanin-Gxdess - Darcey
Misty Gray - Christian (Interaction not required but requested lol.)

 

[BasDorcha]

Windsor Hotel

~Dublin~
Michelle Romano​

Spoiler: The Costume

View attachment 1048083

View attachment 1048084Michelle was on shot number two when her dad walked up. She gave him a smile, even though it didn't quite hide the darkness she was feeling inside. Her father must have seen it because he asked her what was wrong, indicating it might be Emery's absence. She nodded, glad to grasp on to anything. Looping her arm through his as she took the drink smoothly out of his hand, she walked back to the table with him. The alcohol was having its desired affect and she was slowly unwinding the tight spring inside of her. Leaning against her father's tall form, she sipped the drink waving the bartender to bring them another. "How'd you know I needed a drink?" She wrinkled her nose at him, pushing herself to be more normal.

"Yeah, I was hoping to have someone to hang out with to-" She stopped, seeing Dermot, almost stopping in her tracks. She quickly moved to fall back in step with her dad - two to his one step - she gulped and continued. "tonight, guess you guys are stuck with me!" Dermot looked down right sexy in his costume, almost bringing a groan to her lips as her eyes locked with his and held them, Aliana speaking to him from behind before her eyes found Ali's as well and turned a flattering shade of pink.

"Bond, I bet he claimed Bond." Michelle mumbled unconsciously out loud under her breath, unaware she was smiling genuinely right now. "Who wears a tux to a costume party?" A laugh broke through her lips as she drank more of his drink. "Now I see whose drink I stole. I don't think he'll care much. Daddy, also, I wanted to talk to you, but maybe not tonight. As you know I have a new job with the Mayor, and well… I'd like to try and use it to the family's advantage." She left the comment there, knowing her father was smart enough to determine what she was trying to say.

"Ali!" Michelle finally made it close enough to call out Ali's name, wrapping her immediately in a hug. It helped her heart, and it lightened a few loads as she slid down between the two of them, using Ali as an excuse to be near to Dermot, her cat tail in his face for a brief moment before dropping out of sight beneath her. "Sorry, Bond, I stole your drink. Doin' you a favor, I promise."

 

[Misty Gray]

Carroll Family Home
~ Hackney, London ~

Alice Carroll​

Alice wasn't sure if agreeing to a first date on Halloween was a bad omen or just something her quirky self was allowed to embrace. The temptation to dress up to match the Halloween festivities had also been great, but she managed to resist and dress in a more socially acceptable way for a first date. She wasn't usually so concerned about social etiquette and making the best first impression, but the fact Sarah had set up the meeting with Abel added more pressure - or motivation - to impress. They'd only known each other a few weeks with Sarah frequenting the coffee shop she worked at, but the standard pleasantries between employee and customer had soon delved into friendly and more personal conversations. Alice couldn't quite pinpoint it, but the woman gave off a kind yet tough energy which she envied, not so much for herself but she wished her own mother could be so assertive and for lack of better description - more mentally stable.

Despite having to rush home from college that day, Alice was still on track to be ready in good time for her date. Her father was working late, the ever committed and dull businessman he was, but her stay at home mother was in the living room repairing a dress for one of their neighbours. As Alice approached the living room, her mother heard her and playfully spoke up. "I'm late! I'm late! For a very important date!" the woman melodically quoted.

"Not at all. I'm right on time," Alice said, rolling her eyes. "How do I look?" she asked twirling around to show off her red sheer blouse, knee-length black skirt and calf high black boots.

"You look beautiful, as always," her mother fondly told her. "If he doesn't want to marry you by the end of the ni--"

"Alright, steady on," Alice interrupted, shaking her head in light disapproval. "I'll tell you all about it when I get home tonight... Oh shoot, now I do need to go," she said, suddenly catching sight of the wall clock. "Don't forget to feed the cat!" she said, giving her mother a hug before rushing out of the house.

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

The Mayfair Restaurant
~ City of London, London ~

Sarah Stewart and Alice Carroll​

Sarah had started working at an estate agents in the city centre five weeks ago. Things had been running smoothly and she'd soon slotted back into working with ease. Although she still paid frequent visits to the care home to check on her mother-in-law, Sarah had been struggling with the monotony of spending so much time at home and not going out to work. Now she felt the perfect balance. One of the habits she'd soon picked up was frequenting a coffee shop that was located close to her office in the city centre. Some days, she was served by the Alice, an 18-year-old student who worked there part-time. Over the last few weeks, the two had become friendly and had plenty of conversations. Sarah wasn't entirely sure what it was that had influenced her, but a few days ago, their afternoon chat had led to her somehow arranging for Alice and Abel to meet. Sarah was calling it a date, whether or not everyone else was!

Over the last few weeks, things had also been going well between Sarah and Philip, with them as strong together as ever. Although she retained her reservations about him, Sarah was surprised that Trevor had stuck around and was still visiting the care home as he'd said he would. Hearing that he'd also stepped in to defend Abel when he was being threatened had also worked in Trevor's favour. Perhaps soon Sarah would be willing to let her guard down and be welcoming towards her brother-in-law. Philip seemed to have put his faith in Trevor, but Sarah wanted to reserve judgement a little while longer. Given the effect Trevor's past actions had on the Stewarts all of those years ago, she couldn't help but feel fiercely defensive over her husband and kids.

Sarah, Philip and Abel arrived at the restaurant a few minutes early for their reservation, so they stayed in the waiting area until Alice arrived, rather than being shown the their seats and confusing the young woman. Regardless of their teenage son standing there with them, Sarah turned to Philip and leaned in to kiss her husband. "You're looking as handsome as ever," she complimented him. She then pulled away and looked to Abel with a smile on her face. "And you're looking good too, Abel," she reassured her son. "How are you feeling about the... date?" she asked, sending Philip a knowing glance. "Alice is lovely and I'm sure you'll both get along great. I promise not to say anything too embarrassing in front of her either," she teased.

Seeing the blonde enter the restaurant, Sarah rushed to meet her so she could get to her first and hopefully break any ice. With their pleasantries out of the way, Sarah led Alice over to the two men. "This is my husband, Phil," she said, placing her hand on the man's shoulder as she introduced him. "And this is Abel," she said, outstretching her arm to motion to her son. "Guys, this is Alice," she said, giving the young blonde a gentle squeeze on the shoulder.

"It's nice to meet you, Phil," Alice said, sending the man a friendly, even if slightly shy, smile. She wasn't usually reserved or nervous, but something about the situation made her feel the extra pressure not to mess up. She then looked to Abel and her cheeks reddened slightly as she looked to his face. He was certainly good-looking and attractive to her, but she wasn't sure if she should be making it so obvious in front of the guy's parents. "Hi, Abel," she greeted him, her smile growing as she focused her attention on him. "Have you had a good day?" she politely asked him. She briefly glanced to Phil and Sarah, wondering what kind of impression she might be making already. At the moment, she felt nervous and hoped it wasn't working against her.

BasDorcha (Philip, Abel)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Christian's Place
~ Bethnal Green, London ~
Darcey Hargraves​

Between everything that had transpired the past month and a half, Darcey had been spread thinner than ever. Some days it was hard to be as strong as she was pretending to be; hiding her tears behind the guise of allergies and her sniffles behind congestion. It didn't serve any good, so told herself, crying over things that had already happened. Harper's attempt. Bruce's anxiety attack. May's kidnapping. Alex getting shot. Even the thought of something potentially happening to her nephew, Callum, had managed to upset her. It got her thinking about her life and the decision she'd made not to get married and have children. It felt justified now. Because if she was feeling like this over children that weren't hers biologically, how would she feel over ones that were? And though she saw them all as her children something about it felt different. Regardless, everything had managed to pile up until she found herself silently sobbing while everyone was asleep.

Today, however, was different. Everything felt different because everyone was recovering. Harper had been released from her stint in the psych ward and while she would need to adjust, she was doing it. Bruce was listening to her advice and keeping his stress levels low. Alex's wounds were healing and he'd apparently patched things up with Savannah; enough to the point, she was able to babysit Callum once or twice since he'd been in London. May was also beginning to heal, though she still hadn't left her apartment. Darcey understood the apprehension behind it, making sure not to push her too far or anything of the like. Things like this, she found, took time to heal from. The only silver lining was the fact that May had been pregnant and the baby was fine. It stressed her to know that she had yet another child to buy Christmas and birthday gifts for, but she would spoil them the way she had the King children growing up anyway.

The moment Darcey was greeted she smiled, wrapping her arms around May softly. But before she could utter a single word of greeting she was pulled further inside. "Wha- okay. Just a moment," she said with a slight chuckle. Her fingers quickly locked the door behind her - something she always made sure to do ever since the ambush a couple weeks ago. She then followed May towards the balcony where she was informed she'd been feeling nauseous all day. "Well, unborn children will start to do that to you, I'm told. Take over your body until it's no longer yours," though it sounded like she spoke from experience, it was information she'd gathered from observation. "Tea is supposed to help. Ginger, I think is what Shona said. And lucky for you," she started, raising the small grocery bag she had in her hands. "I've brought it. Along with some other mommy-to-be items. But first." A serious look took over her features then, though remained soft as to not freak her out. "How are you?"

May ( BasDorcha )

​

 

[Pyroclast]

Erik's Apartment
~ Hackney, London ~

Billy King​

The temptation to walk out was so strong. Billy had never experienced betrayal like this and he couldn't wrap his head around it. He couldn't believe that Erik would hurt him… Sure, they had had their spats in the past but their love for each other always won out in the end. But after what he had just seen, Billy was forced to wonder how many of his "I love you"s had been lies, how much of their relationship was a farce. He felt his cheeks burn with a deep embarrassment as his mind forced him to file through his memories of Erik, even the most cherished ones now tainted.

The bedroom door opened and he heard the two men come out. Billy kept his back turned to them, a hand over his mouth. He wished the ground would open up and swallow him, save him from the humiliation. Was there even any point in staying if he couldn't trust Erik to tell him the truth? Was it worth fighting for a relationship that was steeped in lies?

Billy found himself holding his breath even after the man had left their apartment, and quickly realised how close he was to crying. But the moment the door closed, the two were plunged into silence, so he held back his tears. Wasn't Erik supposed to be apologising, frantically explaining himself, grovelling on his hands and knees? The fact that he was just walking about the place as if nothing had happened made it feel like it was all by Erik's design, like he was punishing Billy for something and wanted to see him hurt, wanted him to see what he was capable of. Billy turned and watched him rigidly, his eyes charged with anger and pain and disgust. He was reaching for glasses and a bottle of something nice, as if they were about to settle down for a cosy evening together - and Billy couldn't do that, not even if he wanted to. Because Erik looked like a completely different person to him now.

His boyfriend, if he could still call him that, came over to put a drink in his hand and Billy let him, too taken aback by Erik's audacious behaviour to stop him just yet. He felt his whole body seize up when Erik moved in to hug him. It was the coldest hug he had ever received; his touch felt toxic, void of comfort or love and seeming to come from a place of pure entitlement that Erik had never shown him before. On top of that, he carried the scent of somebody else, and of the sex they had so clearly had just minutes ago. Erik then planted a kiss on Billy's forehead and that was just an insult too far. He instinctively recoiled and leaned away from the man, his eyes now burning from fighting back tears.

The drink in his hand remained untouched and even though he wanted nothing more than to numb all the pain he was feeling with an immense amount of alcohol, he couldn't bring himself to share a drink with the man, the stranger who was now glaring at him. Instead, he set it aside and rested his hand on the sofa's backrest for support. His heart was in his throat and when Erik finally spoke, his words made Billy's jaw drop. Instead of an apology or an explanation, he got an accusation.

"Um - I'm sorry, are we just gonna skip over the -"

But Erik held a hand out to cut him off, and began questioning him on all the lies Billy had told him over the past fortnight. There were tears of anguish in Erik's eyes and before Billy could figure out how to argue, he brought up Oscar.

"Who I choose?" Billy reflected, and he suddenly realised that the bad moods and distant emotional state Erik had been in were all because of him. He brought his hand up to cover his eyes as it all started to add up. "Erik," he said, his emotions catching on his voice, and he tore his hand away and set his wounded eyes on the man. "You stupid twat! I wasn’t sleepin’ with Oscar!" Tears suddenly crashed down his cheeks. "We were -" But he couldn't tell him now. He felt like such a fool. "God, you just -" He backed away from him, bringing the back of his hand to his mouth as a sob tore out of him. "Erik, we had a future!" he shouted. "You loved me! Jesus, you waited 2 years for me and now, what, did I not live up to expectation or somethin’?” He gave only a second for Erik to answer before deciding that he didn’t want to hear it. “You made me feel like the only man you could ever want and I - I believed it. I came out for you! I risked EVERYTHING, because I loved you and I knew - I thought - nothin’ would ever get break us apart.” Tears cascaded down his cheeks, red with anger and humiliation. “I’m such a fuckin' idiot."

And he stormed past Erik, shoving him aside as he marched into the bedroom. It was like walking into the scene of a crime; the smell of sweat and sex still clung to the air and the bedsheets remained strewn and crumpled. From under the bed Billy tugged out a tan leather holdall and threw it onto the bed before tearing the drawers open and beginning to furiously pack his things.

“You know, you coulda’ asked me,” he suggested with a shrug, voice teeming with anger and sarcasm. “‘Hey Billy, are you and Oscar goin’ behind my back?’” He directed a shrug Erik’s way. “If you really thought I was gonna leave ya’, you coulda’ maybe communicated with me instead of just fuckin’ some gay fuckin’ fairy behind my back, don’t ya’ think?”

Shaking his head, he turned back to his packing. “No, course ya’ don’t,” he mumbled, more tears spilling from his eyes. After yanking the zip shut, he marched back over to Erik and squared up to him. “I didn’t choose Oscar over you, you idiot. I chose him to help me with a surprise I was plannin’ for you. Well, my fault for thinkin’ we could trust each other. That you loved me. I won’t be makin’ that mistake again.”

Melanin-Gxdess heartbreaker

 

[Misty Gray]

Alex King's House
~ Bethnal Green, London ~

Spencer King​

There was something reassuring and, in a way, endearing about the way Alex was when discussing Kerry. The boyish grin and the admittance that he was anxious awaiting the woman to return the same three words were things Spencer hadn't really seen in his brother when it came to his romantic life. It was clear to see that Alex was serious about Kerry and Spencer hoped things would work out for the couple. His brother had made mistakes in the past, especially when he cheated on Savannah, but Spencer was convinced it was different this time. "I'm happy for ya, mate. Just be patient and don't trip yourself up," he lightly suggested.

Spencer nodded along at Alex's reaction to the subject of Bruce putting behind what Gabriel had done to maintain the deal with the Morettis. "Yeah..." he said with a sigh. "Listen, I feel the same as you where being unable to trust Moretti is concerned. I don't doubt he'll screw us over at any opportunity if it benefits him. I'm pissed that he butted into our business and nearly killed Sav. He's as dodgy as they come."

Spencer ran his hand over his head to push some loose hair back as he sat forward to look straight at his brother. "As pissed as I was - still am - about it, I get why Bruce had to keep Gabriel on side. The Italians are offering us extra men and protection against the Irish. Granted, they didn't manage to protect me from nearly getting killed the other week, nor the attack at the restaurant. But when it comes to it, we can't afford to make enemies of the Morettis right now, as much as I can't stand the smug prick."

Spencer nodded in agreement when Alex emphasised the importance of ending the war with the Sullivans. They wouldn't need the Morettis to cover their backs if the Irish weren't trying to kill them to begin with. "I agree with you. That's why I'm keen for the meeting to go ahead and why I've made the effort with Sav." Whilst he still believed Savannah had blown things all out of proportion all of those months ago, he had since accepted that his way of speaking could be seen as aggressive and the Irish woman wasn't comfortable in the presence of such direct confrontation.

Spencer noticed the tension in the air when Trevor became the topic. Of course, tension wasn't a rare experience when discussing their father, so it seemed normal to him for the atmosphere to change. That was until Alex began to speak in a manner that he didn't anticipate to come from his brother. With a shrug of his shoulders, Alex began with understanding that he wasn't being asked to forgive their father, but it soon followed with an unexpected shift - one more in the direction of believing Trevor could or had changed. "You're gonna compare yourself to him?" he rhetorically asked as he reached to take a long drink of beer from his can.

As he placed the just emptied can down on the coffee table, it was now Spencer's knee that was anxiously bouncing as he tried to contain his frustration. "No. I don't think Trevor can change and he hasn't convinced me enough that he's owned all the shit he did in the past. I can't forgive him. Not now, not ever. He hasn't said enough to convince me..." Spencer closed his eyes as he tried to force back the surfacing memories. Not only memories of his mother's addiction and having to find her dead, but the years of physical and verbal abuse he experienced directly from his father. Whilst deep down he knew it wasn't their intention, his siblings forgiving Trevor or even just giving the man the benefit of the doubt felt like his own feelings and experiences were being invalidated. Trevor was able to worm his way back into the family because they had been too young to remember how upsetting it had been to grow up with their father around. Even though Alex's words about believing Trevor could change made it clear his brother acknowledged the man had been a horrible human in the past, it didn't quite register that way to Spencer in the moment. Spencer had seen Trevor admit responsibility for letting Laura get so bad and that he'd apologised for his past actions that damaged her. He'd saved Harper's life and helped bring Callum home. He was convincing in his actions to prove he had changed and that he wanted to be there for his kids. Harper and May had bought into it, and now it seemed Alex was too. Of course they would. He'd helped them and done enough to make them believe he was a better man now. It seemed like he was working on proving himself to everyone except Spencer himself.

Spencer hadn't had anything resembling a genuine apology. No real acknowledgement of how he'd destroyed his son's childhood; chipped away at a child's self-esteem and confidence. Left Spencer to look after Laura all of those times he went out on drug or alcohol fueled benders for days on end. There had been no real ownership from Trevor and the man had gone as far as to blackmailing Spencer so he could stick around in London to get into the rest of their family's heads.

"Why is it I'm being made to feel like the unreasonable one here?" Spencer suddenly asked Alex as he stood up. "Harper. May. To some extent even Bruce. Now you?!" Spencer tightened his jaw as his heart raced in his chest. "No, there ain't much I can do to stop him now," he agreed, given that Trevor had evidence of murder to hang over him. "I just expected you all to show some loyalty or at least understand how--" Spencer ran his hand down his face as anger was causing him to burn up. "I get it. You were all too young or didn't have to see him at his worst. And he helped find Callum so you feel obliged to trust him... But just looking at his face reminds me of all of the shit he did. I can't look at him without wanting to throw up or kill him. Every day he's allowed to feel welcome here is another day I might have to suffer seeing his ugly mug."

Melanin-Gxdess (Alex)

 

[Pyroclast]

The Windsor Hotel Ballroom
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Syd Porter
(Tommy Lee)​

The playlist at the event was going well - Syd had put himself in charge of that, so he wasn’t worried. The venue was beautiful, the buffet was superb, the drinks plentiful, and all the guests had put effort into their costumes, which was fun to see. Yet, Syd still couldn’t quite keep his niggling doubts at bay. He loved nothing more than to have all of his family and friends together but he also knew that these kinds of events were when the enemy tended to strike, and in a public place, no matter how heavily guarded, the trauma of the family’s past attacks still crept back up to him and put him on edge.

Roxie’s presence helped, of course. The birth of Lucia had been a ray of sunshine in an otherwise dark period, and though the baby wasn’t biologically Syd’s - and was actually the daughter of Matthew Moore, of all people - he couldn’t help but look at her as one of his own. He already adored her and was back in ‘baby mode’, rocking and soothing and doting on her, eagerly buying her clothes and toys and generally spoiling her rotten. After all, she might not have been his biological daughter, but she was a big part of what had brought him and Roxie closer again.

Perhaps the new addition to his life was what was making it harder to relax. He had a new baby to go home to, and needed to make sure nothing bad happened to Roxie while they were out. Despite all the security he had hired, he still couldn’t quite settle down. Chewing on a hangnail on his thumb, Syd scanned the room nervously, eyeing up each balcony on the storey above. He was mildly startled when Roxie appeared in front of him, asking him if he should be on tour. He had almost forgotten he was in costume. “Huh?” he asked, distracted a moment further by her beauty. “Oh, yeah…” He took a sip from the glass of red wine in his hand. When she mentioned Lucy’s behaviour and suggested they distracted her from the stress, he looked over to her and saw her and James at the bar. “Yeah, alright,” he agreed, and showed her a smile before taking her hand and leading her over to his parents.

Just before they reached them, however, Syd suddenly turned and pulled her to one side, shaking his head. “Rox’, I think we made a mistake,” he admitted, anxiety written all over his face. “I think…”

But before he could finish his point, he changed his mind and marched over to Lucy and James. “Mam, dad, w-we should finish this party at your house,” he tried to assert. “I’ll stay here for the gala, but the family shouldn’t be all in one place, you know? We don’t all have to be here. We shouldn’t all be here.”

Interactions
Bellz Roxie, Lucy
Misty Gray James

 

[Bellz]

Braden Callahan
(Captain Kirk)
The Windsor Hotel Ballroom
~ Dublin City Center, Dublin ~​

While Braden was very excited to introduce Amy to the rest of his family, big events such as this one always put him on edge. It wasn't anything new, years and years of his family going to events and quite literally having them go down in flames did that to a person. Braden handled it better than most, but he wasn't 100% perfect. With his parents watching the children tonight, Braden had promised both Sinead and Peter at separate moments before leaving the house that he would look after Savannah. His sister had quite the turnaround, especially after she and Alex worked through whatever it was they managed to agree on. Braden did his best to keep his nose out of it, wanting to give his eldest sister the privacy she deserved when it came to arrangements with her own child. Hattie talked about Callum constantly, continuing to ask when he was coming home. It was hard to keep her from saying it in front of Savvy, but it seemed like things were working out...slowly of course, but good things came over time and rather slowly.

His relationship with Amy had been getting more and more serious by the minute, which at first scared him to no end. There was this feeling that he'd lost all control of himself and that if he wasn't careful, he'd fuck it all up. But Amy had this special way of reassuring him that everything would be okay. She was the sunlight on his cloudy day, as cheesy as it sounded. Braden hadn't realized how much he had been missing out on in life before she walked into his life. Even little Hattie had noticed a change in Braden, always quick to point out just how much daddy was smiling.

Braden surveyed the area as he walked arm and arm with Amy. Knowing his cousin, Braden was sure Syd had this place more secure than Area 51 but old habits died hard. "Now I feel like I'm gonna need a backstory for how Madonna ended up on the U.S.S Enterprise." Brady hummed to Amy before turning to stop her from walking further. He smirked down at her before a goofy smile graced his face. Moving to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, Braden allowed himself to really take all of her in. Her beauty was something he was sure he'd never get over. "You look gorgeous, lovely." He complimented, about to say more when Savannah showed up in his peripherals. His cheeks warmed as he cleared his throat. "Well well well, looks like the Justice League has shown up to crash the party!" He said, smiling at Danny and Savvy. Braden hugged his sister tightly, breaking away from Amy for just a moment. "Callum talked you into being Supergirl, did he?" Brady teased before hugging Danny as well. "And Batman, you might have to make a stop at my parents' house, Hattie will lose her mind seeing you. She tried to convince me to be Batman this year, those little crocodile tears weren't as convincing as she would have liked. For the best really, otherwise, we would have had two Batmans at this party." Braden was all smiles up until Savvy called him Spock. "Oh Jesus, Savvy! Spock!?" He said, his tone feigning offense as he put a hand to his chest.

When Danny gave him the Live Long and Prosper sign, Braden returned it before pointing at the man. "See, this is why I've always liked Danny, gonna have to educate my sister on Star Trek. Though, I guess I should give Supergirl credit here, at least she didn't call me Han Solo. I'm Captain Kirk, Sav. The hottest character in the Star Trek franchise." The man said teasingly before Savvy turned her attention to Amy. Braden felt like an ass for not introducing them right away, but the Spock comment was not going to go unaddressed! Braden knew his eldest sister would handle it though, watching as Savvy complimented Amy with ease and introduced herself. Braden was about to agree with the Madonna compliment when Savvy introduced herself as the favorite sibling. Braden barked out a laugh, "Tell us how you really feel about the other two siblings of ours, Sav." He nudged her arm back as he shook his head.

"Oh so you're just a Batman imposter then, mate? Filling in for him while he's out partying somewhere else? Doing a piss poor job if you ask me, partying with the likes of this crowd." Braden heckled Danny with a teasing smile before looking at Amy as the man asked how they met. "Lovely thing patched me up after a job, my stupid behavior got the best of me, and Finn and Amy were kind enough to help me out. As beautiful as she is, what really drew me to her was her brains. Too smart for me, if I have any say in it. But for some reason, she's stuck around. And for that, I am very grateful." Braden moved to kiss the top of Amy's head lightly. "Though I'm sure she has a different way of saying all of that." He murmured, prompting her to tell her side of things.
with: Amy BasDorcha ; Savvy Misty Gray ; Danny Pyroclast

 

[BasDorcha]

Windsor Hotel Charity Gala

~Dublin City Center, Dublin~
Amy Capaldi (Madonna)​

Amy had been busy lately, spending her time with Braden and all her other time working. They had met at the coffee shop every few days, making it their spot. They'd gone on dates, spent days at home together with his kiddo, everything that seemed so perfectly normal and sweet. She was falling for the man, at least that's what she assumed. It felt the way she had always thought falling in love would feel. Personally, she had ever experienced love, she wasn't sure if she was right or not, but she believed whole heartedly that was what was happening. Every time she got around him, she was extra grins and butterflies, ending up sweet and silky instead of rough like she normally was.

As she primped in the mirror, she felt a new wave of nervousness as she realized she'd be meeting a lot more of his family and friends tonight. The perfectly curled wig was secured to her scalp, the bow lips painted, and her tiny, curvy form filled out the trademark white dress like it was made for her. Actually, it had been tailored for her. When Braden picked her up, she stuttered out a hello, his gorgeous self in a Captain Kirk costume drying her mouth instantly. They hadn't… moved forward in a while, and she was wondering if tonight might be the night she finally asked him back to her place for a sleep over.

As they entered the party, Amy was stunned. The place was extravagant by her standards, beautiful and bright. She clung to Braden's arm to calm the nerves raging in her. When Braden stopped her, turning to her, she followed as if in dance with him. Instantly all the worry vanished and she grinned back at him, leaning into his hand as he tucked the errant strand away. A thick blush covered her face as he complimented her. "Madonna fell through a time loop… Kirk has come to save her, determined to find a way to return her to her time after the dastardly aliens attempted to kidnap her for their own entertainment." She laughed, kissing his palm before Savannah and Danny joined them and she stepped back just enough to seem proper. Savannah looked amazing in her Supergirl outfit and Danny was a perfect looking Batman.

"It's lovely to meet you, Supergirl. You to Batman." Amy shook both their hands, listening to the playful banter between the siblings with a soft grin. It was cute watching them - she had never had siblings so it was interesting to watch Braden for her, to see how it might have been, and learning about how to better socially interact with people. She was awkward sometimes, lacking the fundamental social education most got when growing up in a home. She had been alone for a long time and while sweet in nature, and easy to adapt, she still loved learning about how people raised different had closer, deeper bonds than she ever had.

"Kirk here actually saved me from some dastardly aliens who snatched me out of my own time for their own twisted entertainment. He'll be returning me at the end of the night." She leaned into the kiss that he placed on her head, and a peaceful, daydreamy look crossed her own. "How about a drink, handsome? I could use one to loosen up a bit, after all those creepy creatures have held me hostage." She winked.

Misty Gray Pyroclast Bellz