Realistic or Modern Gangs of Birmingham - IC Thread [Open]

[neverbackdown]

Tony Fletcher's House
- Aston, Birmingham, England -

Julia Fletcher​

Catching Penny's subtle nod caused Julia's breath to catch in her throat as she felt her stomach twist and drop at the sickening thought of how this will now affect the Fletcher family and business. It felt like everything was happening in slow motion as Julia moved closer to the edge of the couch, readying herself to stand and catch Tony should he run at Marco once the news had been said out loud.

She expected some detailed long winded explanation, expected Marco to defend himself and his actions before finally getting to the point of the matter at hand, but what she hadn't expected was for Marco to skip the explanation and to dive straight into the conclusion.

"I killed Charles..." and just like that with the words now out in the open the world felt like it was going to crash down around them. Surprisingly Tony seemed to remain calm as he questioned Marco and Julia stupidly believed that was it, she had just allowed herself to give into the shock when Tony jumped up and rushed across the room punching Marco in the face. Her eyes widened as she watched in an almost trance like horror as Penny stepped in between them, pushing Tony back in one powerful motion.

"Sit down Tony and listen to him" Her voice was calm to match her expression hiding the inner turmoil she was currently experiencing. A stern look played in her eyes as she looked to her husband before looking at the seat beside her as thought instructing him to take a seat. With a tightlipped expression she turned to look towards Marco.

Julia silently watched as Penny spoke to Marco before she turned to look at her husband "he is basically family give him a chance to explain" she whispered to Tony as a sternness fell into her tone. When it looked as though Marco was finally ready to speak, Julia turned to give him her full attention as she did her best to keep her expression calm and expressionless.

**************
Int;-

Misty Gray - Tony/Marco
BasDorcha - Penny

 

[Misty Gray]

Tony Fletcher's House
- Aston, Birmingham, England -

Tony Fletcher and Marco Alessi​

When Penny had shoved him back, Tony didn't fight against any disruption in his balance, slumping back down on the sofa for the moment, mostly to give in to Julia's request and not wanting to get into an argument with her too. Were Penny a man and not related, he wouldn't have been so quick to sit down. When she yelled at him, he shot an angry glare back at her. "Shut the fuck up, Penny!" he snapped back. He wasn't sure she understood just how much harder things had just become for them.

Marco had expected the kind of reaction he'd got from Tony, but it was still a shock being punched in the face by him. He'd had many fights before, so he was willing to fight back if Tony kept it up. However, Penny put herself between the two men and commanded Tony to sit down. As grateful as he was for her defending him, Marco couldn't deny that it made him feel awkward. Having Tony's sister defending him wasn't exactly doing him any favours given his role in the Fletcher business. Despite the throbbing in his cheek, he didn't make any effort to bring his hand to his face, trying to maintain what shred of dignity he could. When Penny went on to warn Tony not to lay a finger on her boyfriend he couldn't help but flinch as he saw the smirk on Tony's face. When Penny turned to send him a sheepish look, Marco wasn't sure how to react, instead looking a little dumbstruck.

"Your boyfriend..." Tony repeated, letting out a dry laugh. "Well that's going to come to an end real quick," he assured her. If Marco was going to be bringing the kind of dangers to the Fletchers doorsteps that killing Charles will, then he wasn't going to encourage Penny to put herself in the crossfire that could follow. When his sister pointed out how antagonistic Charles had been, Tony nodded his head. He could agree with that point, having come face-to-face with him on many occasions. Occasions where he hadn't gone on to kill the bastard. He rolled his eyes when she reminded him she'd told him not to fly off the handle. "Hey! I never promised I wouldn't," he interjected.

When Penny turned to him and took his hands, Marco flashed a small smile back at her. Then she placed her hand to his cheek and though she was doing it all with the best intentions, he froze up, aware of the other two people present in the room. "It's okay. I've had worse," he reassured her.

Julia had looked at Tony to remind him that Marco was family and he nodded in agreement. "For the record, I'd be kicking off if it was Sammy or Sully too," he assured his wife in a quieter voice. When Penny told Tony he had to let Marco tell the full story, he simply shrugged his shoulders. Anything for her to stop her from going on at him. When she told him again he was going to sit down and listen, he outstretched his arms to invite Marco to speak. "I'm sat down, ain't I?" he sarcastically asked her. "I'm going to hear him out, but don't think that just because you're my sister you can go around talking to me like shit where business is concerned. If you knew how many fucking plates I'm spinning right now, you'd understand why I'm not ecstatic about any of this."

Marco placed his hand on Penny's shoulder, leading her to sit back on the sofa next to him, facing Tony and Julia. He was becoming exhausted with the back and forth between the two siblings, so wanted to cut it short and have his say. "Alright, if everyone will let me get a word in edgeways," he began, though his eyes fixed on Tony made it clear he was referring to him. "That night I was out doing one of the drop-offs," he began, knowing Tony knew what that involved. "Charles must have been following me and had seen the exchange. I tried to lose him by slipping into the alley but he caught up to me. He dragged me down onto the floor before I could climb over the wall. He started threatening me, Tony, he threatened you, and the rest of your family. Reckoned you'll be sharing a prison cell with your dad and the rest of your family would be begging the Walkers for mercy," he told Tony.

"That's nothing new, Marco," Tony reminded him. "Him and Robert are always in my face threatening the same shit. And don't either of you pretend that's not true," he said, pointing to Julia and Penny.

Marco glared at Tony and nodded his head. "Yeah, so are you going to let me finish?" he firmly asked Tony, who raised a curious eyebrow before nodding for Marco to continue. "I told Charles to fuck off and he reacted by grabbing my throat so he could pin me against the wall. He had his face right up to mine, threatening me and demanding to know what I'd been doing. I was hardly going to snitch to him about our business, so he kept on at me." Marco looked Tony in the eyes, holding his gaze as he hoped he wouldn't have to go through the details of his past he'd already opened up to him about years ago. "Well, you know what my uncle was like with me and having Charles up in my face triggered me, brought all those old bad feelings back. So I stabbed him and kept stabbing him until he let go of my neck. Anything so I could fucking breathe." He sent a sheepish gaze to Penny and Julia, hoping not to make them too uncomfortable with his words and frustration. "We all know Charles was jacked-up like he lived in the gym, so he still had the strength to keep kicking off at me, still threatening to kill me even while he clutched at his bleeding stomach... I know we're meant to just rise above it, but I thought he was going to kill me and I lost control. I had to get him off of me." Marco anxiously chewed his lip as he mulled over his next words. "If I'd left him there alive, his family would have come straight for us. All of us. So in that moment, I knew I had to finish the job so he couldn't point the blame. I stabbed him in the neck and I meant to do it. In that moment, I made the decision to kill him rather than get him help. No matter how much I hate that I killed someone, it's better than if he'd survived and come for all of you."

Tony remained silent as he processed what Marco had told him. Having heard the full story of what happened, he wasn't angry with Marco and he understood that Charles hadn't left him with any choice. Yet, he struggled to respond with any words of encouragement, or any words at all. Grabbing his glass, he knocked back all of the whiskey. He kept hold of the empty glass as he mulled over the situation. He'd never intended for Marco's role in the business to become so serious. The thefts, the dealing, and the fraud, were all nothing compared to murder. Tony had committed murder on multiple occasions and he never wanted Marco to stoop to that level, especially not in the name of his family's business. "I need some air..." Tony said, pulling at the collar of his top as if it was somehow too tight around his neck. Leaving the glass on the coffee table, he got up to leave the room. On his way out, he lightly squeezed Marco's shoulder and gave him an understanding nod. He stopped outside on the front porch before lighting up a cigarette. His mind was racing. He didn't blame Marco and had no intention of kicking off at him again. But he was now worried about how he and his family were going to avoid the Walkers' wrath. The confidence he'd had when he thought his family had no part in Charles' murder had just been rapidly blown away. If the truth came out, they were all fucked.

Meanwhile, Marco turned to Penny after Tony had abruptly left. "I'm still alive, but... I don't know what to think," he admitted. He was glad Tony had stopped yelling, but he couldn't tell if he was out of the woods yet. "Thank you," he told her, reaching down to hold her hand.

BasDorcha (Penny) neverbackdown (Julia)

 

[Misty Gray]

The Walker Residence
- Edgbaston, Birmingham, England -

Caroline Walker​

Caroline had sent Richard a puzzled look when he first requested his drink whilst he remained on the floor. After he signalled that he did indeed want the wine, she went ahead and carefully handed him his glass, watching closely as he managed to take a sip despite laying on his back. Really, his ability to drink without spilling anything whilst in that position wasn't the big concern she had. She did manage a crooked smile when he pointed out her ability to deliver a good punch. He'd frustrated her a couple of times tonight but she wasn't convinced she'd come close enough to actually hitting him. Granted, the alcohol might have had other ideas for her.

When Caroline spoke of the war and an apparent beautiful in a world on the brink of desolation, she closed her eyes for a moment. She hadn't had to fight on the frontline or anything of the sort. Her battle had been the one of staying hopeful and positive, caring for Charles and later Alfie too, all the while waking up most days wondering if it would be the one where she learned her husband had been killed. She opened her eyes again when Richard mentioned Dean by name and how he'd been the beauty he could hold on to. Caroline softly smiled at that thought and knowingly nodded her head. "I remember him," she confirmed, but maintained a neutral expression as she wasn't sure what kind of emotion or tale would follow. "It must be... what? Twenty years since I last saw him."

After a pause, Richard spoke again to say Dean had built his own life now. The more he spoke about them keeping in touch until the other man faded away, the more she knew Richard was hung up on the guy and he was the love he was longing for. He then told her Robert didn't know they'd kept in contact more recently than 20 years ago and that she was the first to know. "Okay," she said, her tone having softened considerably over the last couple of minutes. "Yes, I will take great pleasure in knowing this fact before Robert does," she remarked.

Caroline reached for her glass so she could have another quick drink of wine. She took a moment to focus her thoughts and vision before look back down at Richard. "I can't pretend to know what it's like to love someone and not be able to have them with me. Robert was my first and only love. But I know what it's like to have a broken heart and to yearn for that love to come back," she told him. Though Robert hadn't left her since the war, there had been the period of time after learning of his affairs that she felt lonely and lost - feeling like she didn't have his love. But they found each other again and in less time than how long Richard hadn't had Dean.

Clearing her throat, she fixed her eyes on Richard. "It's been five years now. I'm sorry you've been alone for so long, but how much longer can you cling on to all of this? Do you believe he will return and come back to what you had before? If not, then there's going to come a time when you have to let go. You don't deserve the loneliness you feel, but clinging on to what you once had means you'll never be able to move on." Looking at him, she pulled a sympathetic face, despite not long ago being at loggerheads with him. "Do you have any idea where he could be? I could always track him down and go knock some sense into him," she lightly added, hoping he would understand she wasn't dismissing the idea of Dean. She was just reluctant to let Richard forever wallow in loneliness if there was no chance his love would be rewarded.

ReverseTex (Richard)

 

[Bellz]

Marseille Bistro & Bar
- Westside, Birmingham, England -

Dorothy Fletcher ​

Dorothy’s eyes searched for some sort of sign that Robert was lying to her in those familiar eyes of his, far too familiar than they should have been. But he hadn’t changed at all, just as taken with her as he had been the first time they’d been together…even the second time despite it not working out like either of them wanted it to. Why she wanted to believe him now that they had been much more than that, in his eyes, to have him not lie to her simply because he wanted something out of her…she wasn’t sure. But he seemed to be caught up in his own thing, clearly still so entranced with her as he admitted that he also liked being closer to her back then.

Dorothy’s cheeks felt just the slightest bit warmer, unable to help it. Fortunately, she was distracted by how Robert suddenly brought the glass of brandy to his lips again, as if forcing himself to drink instead of saying something or doing something foolish. Leaning back in her seat, Dorothy let out a humorless small laugh as Robert said that he understood that Tony could be hard work. When he smiled, only for it to disappear as he asked what she wanted in return, her left brow raised…curiously wondering what was on his mind but feeling like she already knew. There were a lot of thoughts, some not appropriate to even bring up...running through her head at that very moment. He'd always been such a tease.

A small tingle ran down her spine watching him turn so serious after smiling at her the way he did. The two of them were back to business. A place that she wasn't so sure she wanted to be in...or maybe she did? For once, she was finding herself a bit confused and lost. Now he was asking what would be suitable compensation for her efforts in controlling her son. And if she were any more of a shameful parent she probably would have done what she wanted to do…but she knew she had to play this smart. If Tony wasn’t going to keep himself alive, she would have to at least try to do it for him.

Dorothy watched Robert for a few seconds longer, holding his gaze. Her round eyes grew just a little wider, a little more pleading despite her headstrong and confident persona as she readied herself to ask for help. If Robert was already going easy on her son, keeping his distance and trying to be reasonable…there wasn’t any reason why he couldn’t continue to do so. "I get a handle on Tony and if he doesn’t immediately get the picture, because God knows he won’t, you continue to go lenient on him. I think that’s compensation enough. And If you ask for something in return for leniency…. name your price. I’m willing to negotiate with you, Luv." Dorothy murmured, moving a hand to her glass to take another drink, her gaze never leaving Roberts as she waited for his counteroffer or acceptance of what she was saying.
with: Robert Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

The Royal Hotel
- Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham, England -

Diana Walker
​

The energy between them was certainly something. Scott’s comment about there being different motivators for her compared to others was…interesting as her eyes glanced from his face just a little downwards. Not allowing herself to get too bold, she reminded herself of where she was. "Sounds a little suspicious to me," Diana said, her cheeks growing warm as she watched Scott’s charming smile grow as he said he wouldn’t dream of getting her in trouble.

A giggle had escaped her as he comedically zipped his lips shut saying her family wouldn’t find out about her friends at the party, that he despised snitches. "A man after my own heart." She repeated his own words back to him, smiling genuinely at him. Diana found it interesting that he didn’t find the nights she hid in her room to be boring. "Well you are welcome over any time, avoidance is my expertise if you didn’t already know. But I offer solitude to those looking to find it." Smoke and mirrors were what those nights were. Given she was also avoiding where she was getting her next paycheck from the majority of the time. But that wasn’t going to make a good impression on the hard-working man in front of her now was it?

Scott then answered her question about what he’d normally be doing right about now. "Ahh, The Platinum Lounge. Even the name sounds spoilt and fussy." Di teased, scrunching her nose as she laughed lightly. Then Scott said that it was his providing such first-class service that got him roped into working tonight. "Might need to start doing a shite job, Scott. Then Dictator Felicity might not rope you in!" Of course, she was teasing. While Diana didn’t feel motivated to do well in her family’s business ventures, she wasn’t going to sit here and tell Scott what to do with his own life seriously. He seemed to have made something of himself, had plenty of money in his pocket, didn’t have a lot to worry about at home…

The redhead noticed him looking over his shoulder and she peered with him, her brows raising slightly before their eyes met again when he looked back at her. Was he afraid to say what did outside of working? She wondered as he said that he usually liked to have a drink with friends, partial to seeing live bands. Diana loved to see live bands. Scott then revealed he loved going abroad on holidays. Something that she wasn’t sure she could guess about him. It made her smile widely to know what, "All the more reason to travel elsewhere." She said, noticing the way he was looking at her.

Diana was sure at some point Felicity would be around to yell at her for it, but her feet were aching. So, she moved to hop on the desk. Sitting with her legs hanging, they swung a little carelessly as Scott then asked about her interest in the family business. Diana smiled down at her lap as she shook her head, the flirtatious words catching her off guard though they shouldn’t have been such a surprise. "I think I’d be far more distracting than you realize." She said softly, before looking up from her lap at him, still smiling. "My family’s business isn’t something I’ve ever wanted to be a part of…at least not after everything I’ve learned about them. My father especially. I’d like to come by my money honestly and on my own. And not have my parents always just a breath away? You get what I mean?"

Diana then tilted her head at Scott, "But...if you’re looking for a distraction from work, I’d be happy to provide you with one. Seems like my father is overworking you. I’m pretty good at slacking off." She winked his way, as the apples of her cheeks grew pink.
with: Scott Misty Gray

 

[BeyondDandy]

Mike Thawne’s House
- Small Heath, Birmingham, England -

SULLY FLETCHER
​

Thawne’s humorless insults silenced when the blast of a burning bullet left its chamber. Like an Olympic javelin, the 9mm steel case pierced through the couch leather - leaving behind a whole the size of a marble. Straight through it cut, the sizzling fabric trailing with smoke. Sully released the trigger, letting Thawne soak in how close the bullet had been to his head. He stepped forward, bringing up the gun again and inching it towards Thawne’s forehead.

“If you don’t have our food, then you’re worthless to us,” he expressed as he pressed the muzzle between Thawne’s eyebrows. “Expendable.”

In the distance doors creaked open. Neighbors peeked outside their homes trying to decipher where the gunshot had come from. The rumbling of engines drove by which started to make Sully nervous. “Watch the front,” he ordered Rory as he pulled the pistol from Thawne and left him with a red circle between his brow.

Still alert, Sully pulled out a folded piece of paper from his pocket. He tossed it onto Thawne’s lap and signaled him to open it. Sully lifted his gun again as Thawne read the writing on the paper. His expression quickly changed from carefree to that of burning rage. A fury lit in his stomach. His fist tightened with helplessness.

“You know that name, yea?” Written was his daughters name and address. Sully had done his homework like when he was a kid. He found Thawne’s biggest weakness and used it against him. Now it was time to get what he wanted.

“I don’t want to hurt your kid. And I don’t care about our food. All I want is your knowledge. You’re going to tell me what I need to know, when I need to know it. When the Walkers call on you for a job, you call me. When they ask you to take out the trash, you call me. I need to be steps ahead of them, innit. This is how this works, you understand?”

neverbackdown
Misty Gray

 

[ReverseTex]

The Walker Residence
Edgbaston, Birmingham, England
In scene: Misty Gray

Dr. Richard Finley
​

​

Richard sipped the last bit of wine in his glass, then returned to his lazy position on the floor. He wasn't expecting to dive into this topic tonight, especially not with Caroline. "I'm insufferably loyal dear, it's my lovely charm," he lamented. It was true, that his undivided commitment to a task or person was sometimes a flaw. He'd been loyal to Robert for nearly two decades now, that loyalty subsequently trickling into his wife and children. His entire life revolved around this loyalty, for better or for worse, and he accepted his fate early on. But Caroline was right, he had a choice with Dean...

"Technically, I've already let him go. We said our official au revoir years ago, but then again that predates the letters... It's like a magnet, neither of us can truly help it. But I know it isn't healthy, but to be fair this isn't either." Richard hit his signet ring on the glass, sending a gentle clink through the room. "Yet we indulge nonetheless," he sighed. The lazy haze of the red wine and emotions lingered in the room like heat on a summer's day. The floor was beginning to feel as if he'd sink into a deep sleep if he stayed any longer. Richard finally sat himself up, the headrush wobbling him for a moment before he got himself sorted. Glasses on, empty glass on the end table, and a wry smile to Caroline.

With his newfound burst of energy, Richard slowly got to his feet with the assistance of the back of the chair Caroline sat in. His floor vacation certainly helped with his balance, but the extra wine fought hard to change that. Making his way across the room to the record player, he paused momentarily to examine the collection. Once he spotted what he was looking for, At Last, he began to tinker with the vinyl player. "It feels wrong to not treat you to a dance tonight dear, after all we've been through. You and I haven't had a go in a good while, and I know I'm a better dancer than Casanova," he joked as he thumbed the needle into position. As the melody started, he extended his hand for Caroline to take, his eyes warmly locked with hers. He could endure any storm she brought his way.

 

[neverbackdown]

Mick Thawne's House
- Small Heath, Birmingham, England -

Victoria "Rory" Fletcher
​

Rory rubbed her forehead in exasperation as Mick spoke. She knew it was extremely unlikely that the goods would be here and to be honest Rory expected as much anyway. Things like that tended to move hand pretty quickly in their world especially if they were stolen. To be honest Rory had been expecting to come home with literal empty hands but had hoped going on this task would get Tony to trust her more and to potentially start anew with Sully, both desired results seemed to be working out pretty well so far, which left only one thing to cross of her agenda, to make Mick pay for what he had done to Marco and the insult directed towards Tony only heightened her anger.

With an almost sadistic smirk playing on lips, Rory tiled her head slightly to the side as she slowly cracked her knuckles, like a lioness readying herself to pounce on her prey, Rory was just about to make a move when the unmistakable sound of a gunshot filled the room and her eyes shot towards the hole in the couch near their Hosts head. She did her best to keep the surprise of her expression as she looked towards her brother who now had the gun pushed against Mick's head.

As he ordered her to keep an eye on the front, Rory nodded slowly and casually made her way over to the windows at the front of the house, she moved the curtain gently to peak out but the word "kid" distracted her from her task and Rory turned back towards Sully and Mick, holding the curtain open for a moment before letting it fall from her grasp when she remembered not to leave herself exposed to any potential threats outside. An almost impressed look played on her features as she watched Sully give the demands to Mick and she couldn't help but notice how different Sully was now compared to the child that he was, the information digging was nothing new but holding a gun to someone's head while using that information against them, well, Rory wouldn't have even dreamed of this day and here she was experiencing it first hand.

A noise from outside snapped her back to reality and Rory turned quickly peaking out the curtain and sighed as she saw the cars outside and who she assumed to be Mick's friends walking towards the door "shit" she muttered as she let the curtain drop. "Unfortunately this little party is over but we'll continue this another time" taking her gun out Rory trained it on Mick's leg but as she decided against shooting him so to not raise any alerts, she lifted it to be trained on his head "Attempt to follow us and I will put this right between your eyes ok?" As she spoke, Rory was walking backwards and dragging Sully with her towards the backdoor.

Swinging the door open, Rory motioned for Sully to run out as she kept the gun trained on Mick to stop him from shouting out or attacking them. The last thing they needed was for the other goons to be aware of their presence. As she stepped out the backdoor, Rory placed the gun back into her pocket and ran in the same direction as Sully towards the back alley. Thinking they were in the clear, Rory grinned to herself at the adrenaline of it all but the sound of footsteps behind her made the smile falter, turning her head to see the threat behind Rory didn't notice the threat in front of her until she ran straight into them. On instinct Rory lifted her hand to punch the person standing in her way.

********************
Int

Misty Gray
BeyondDandy

 

[Misty Gray]

Marseille Bistro & Bar
- Westside, Birmingham, England -

Robert Walker​

Robert had picked up on a tension between them. He was certain it wasn't just him feeling it in that moment. However, as long as business was being discussed, he knew he couldn't focus on them and instead needed to remain professional. With Dorothy sat across from him, it was easier said than done. He could command a room full of rich and powerful business associates without second thought, but Dorothy chipped into his usual naturally professional demeanour. Those endearing eyes of hers only further drew him into her, forcing him to silently snap himself out of being trapped in her gaze.

Dorothy agreed to get Tony under control, though stipulated that her son might not catch on straight away and that he had to continue his leniency until he did catch on. "Within reason, of course," Robert was quick to tell her. "I don't believe you would take me for a fool, but I do believe Tony would try to. So of course I can be lenient for a time... to give him chance to catch on," he agreed. Dorothy told him that being lenient on Tony would be compensation enough for her getting through to him.

When Dorothy offered to negotiate if he wanted more in return for his patience, Robert subtly smiled when she told him to name his price. He could be ruthless when it came to business, and he had a reputation when it came to being a womaniser. Men in his position could easily talk women in to bed in exchange for giving them favourable terms - Robert knew of men who did exactly that and used their power to sleep with women. For all of his faults and weaknesses when it came to attractive women, that was not a path Robert would take. He was guilty of charming women into bed with him, but he would never bribe anyone into it. If he got that close to a woman, it wasn't because he'd made them think they owed him, it was because they wanted to sleep with him.

"There is something more you can do for me, but it would still fit within the realms of getting Tony under control. I need you to make it clear to him that he needs to keep his gang members under control. He knows where they are not permitted to venture - or loiter - and so he needs to firmly remind them of those rules. The last thing my associates need when attending business events is to be walking past that kind of yobbish behaviour." After sipping another drink of brandy, he then flashed her a smile. "Do we have a deal?" he asked her, reaching out to shake her hand.

The waitress returned to their table to take their food order. Robert looked at Dorothy, letting her order first. Once she was done, he then looked back at the waitress to place his order. "I'll have the Confit de Canard," he requested. "Merci," he added as he handed her his copy of the menu to take away. Once the waitress had turned away from them, Robert placed his attention back onto Dorothy.

"So, how are you these days? Is everything okay with... the rest of the family?" he trailed off. Clearing his throat, he sat up straight. "News travels fast around me. I did hear Sully returned to Birmingham," he was quick to add. He then let out a chuckle as he toyed with his glass. "I'm not fishing and you don't need to tell me anything. I suppose I'm just growing nostalgic of the times where we could just chat away from business. Granted, that always had a habit of venturing into other territory..." he knowingly told her, a suggestive smile crossing his lips. If he was being honest with himself, it was proving difficult avoiding heading in that direction now. "It's easy to see why. You've barely changed in all those years," he complimented her.

Bellz (Dorothy)

 

[BasDorcha]

The Vixen~ Birmingham, England~

Alfie Walker​

As Bonnie began to strip the coat in his office, other parts of his body jumped to life that he was polite enough to ignore, despite how badly he didn't want to. The shirt that hugged her like skin was enticing, but he never moved, still leaning in the doorway with a hand gripping the frame. Then, suddenly, he was moving. He moved in close, almost chest to chest as he slowly reached out like he was going to touch her, before snatching the pen gently from her fingers and taking it away. He reached past her, this time brushing up against her to place the pen back on the desk and grabbing something else beside it. "Pen's are not to be played with, Bonnie May." He teased in a husky voice. Just as quickly as he was up against her and putting the pen down, he stepped back, putting space between them. "Here, play with this instead." He handed her a small block of multiple colors - a new puzzle game that had come out the year before called a Rubik's Cube. It was a test of intelligence as well as something worth playing with if you needed to keep your hands busy. He'd bought it for shits and giggles but it was about to become his favorite desk item if it gave him a reason to be close to her.

As she took the toy, he lightly placed a hand on her shoulder and guided her away from his seat so he could sit down, leaning back and turning in the chair to look up at her. "Oh, so you know me so well already you know I want to ask a question? Well maybe now I won't, after all, can't have you thinking that I give in that easy." He grinned, tempeling his hands across the mid of his body with his elbows propped on the arms of the chair. He couldn't stop his eyes from roaming up and down, but always ended on her face and not somewhere inappropriate. Still, he fell silent, thinking of the perfect first question. "Hm…." He said as if he was in deep thought, his feet pushing him left and right as he furled his eyebrows in concentration.

"What's the most dangerous thing you've ever done?" He asked, the question hitting him out of right field back into play. Why he had chosen to ask that specific question was beyond him, but as soon as it came into his mind, he was asking it before he could stop it from coming out of his mouth. Something inside him wanted to know if she might be cut out for knowing who he really was, what he really did, to know him on a level that only his family currently knew him on. He had this feeling of wanting to tell her everything about him, and it was the oddest sensation for him because he had always been the kind of guy that was good at getting others to open up about themselves without ever revealing who he really was. There was definitely something about this woman that had him spinning mental circles to figure out. He decided she was magic, magic had to be the reason she had this pull on him. Before she had any real time to respond, he stood up and stepped back close to her, a gentle finger lifted to her chin to direct her eyes up to his as he peered down into her deep dark eyes that looked like an abyss he could get lost in.

"I think it's only fair I get a bonus question, being as you got a nice bonus for just showing up today. So tell me, are you a witch, Bonnie May?" His voice had gotten deep, soft like crushed velvet, and intense. "You must be, because something about you makes me want to tell you everything, and I never do that. Be careful what you ask, little magician." He moved his hand away, shaken out of his stupor and the boyish embarrassment took over, stepping back to his seat as he sat down and turned, pretending to look over some documents on the desk as he mentally chided himself for doing what he'd just done.


ReverseTex - Bonnie May, The Witch

 

[BasDorcha]

Tony Fletcher's House

- Aston, Birmingham, England -​

Penny Fletcher

The situation had escalated quickly, and Penny suddenly felt very put on with the show she had just given, something completely out of character for her normally calm and bubbly personality. She was not one that typically exploded like that, spoke without thinking, or got involved with the dramatic side of things but she had done all that and more in her outburst attempt to save Marco. Looking at Julia, she quietly sought the comfort of someone more calm then her in this moment to find her sense of balance again. She was grateful that Julia had reminded Tony that Marco was basically family, and he needed a chance to explain what was going on, and that she hadn't reacted to her accidental slip of calling him her boyfriend.

Penny knew this was going to be bad news for the family, how could she not? That didn't mean she was going to let Marco become the family punching bag as well. She couldn't help it that she had feelings for him, undefined as they were, and that meant that every protective instinct in her was flaring up for him. Tony yelling at her went unnoticed. She didn't care if Tony screamed at her, he would never hurt her and she knew that and played it in her advantage. They would resolve the issues between them later like they always did. Her and Tony rarely argued, and when they did it tended to become an all-out holy war until they finally found a way to sit down and work it out, which they always did. It was the sibling cycle that was intensified by what their family did and the stress it put on all of them. She would find a way to keep this one short and vowed not to continue being an ass to him without very good reason.

Marco looked shook and she couldn't blame him. She hadn't meant to throw all that out there but she had lost momentary control of herself. When Tony said their relationship would come to an end, her eyes shot back to him and narrowed, but she said nothing, turning her attention back to Marco. His smile gave her all the courage she needed and she felt it well up in her like a warm bath covering her every inch. She knew he was a bit nervous because of Tony and Julia were in the room, but the cat was out of the bag now so she had nothing left to fear. Glad to see that, for one reason or another, Tony had obliged her, she stepped out of the way and let Marco take the floor. As she sat back down under the guidance of Marco's hand, she looked her brother square in the eyes and gave him a nod, she understood even if he didn't think she did. This wasn't easy news to decide to give her brother, and having to talk Marco into doing it was even worse. Whether he liked it or not, Penny was now right in the middle of it.

Although she hadn't meant to make Marco feel bad, she could see it on him now that she had and an embarrassed blush crossed her face as she dropped her gaze to her hands. Penny had always been the level headed one, but when she went off the handle, she went off and this may have been the first time Marco ever really seen it. She was passionate and opinionated, she just normally did it with a little more tact than this situation had been handled. Hearing the story a second time brought tears to Penny's eyes that she refused to let slide down her face. It was hard to hear how it had impacted Marco, to hear the affect it had on him. How bad, how trapped, he must have felt to have come at Charles like a wild animal in a cage. She wanted to never let him feel that again if she could help it.

Penny couldn't argue that what Charles had done was normal Charles activities and that Tony had dealt with it hundreds of times. When Marco looked at her again, she gave him a reassuring nod, not shying away as if uncomfortable with his story. That wasn't the case. What affected her was imagining how he felt, not that he had killed Charles. Being a nurse even part time meant dealing with a lot of blood and gore and death. She had gotten over that queasiness years ago. As things died back down to a calm tension, Tony leaving the room, Penny thought about going after him, talking to him. Instead, she was stopped and pleasantly distracted when Marco reached for her hand, happily giving it to him. She stood beside him, looking into his eyes and the bruise reforming on his check. Sighing in a teasing manner, she reached up and touched the bruise again with an extremely light touch. "What am I going to do with you? I’m sorry I got in the middle… I just couldn't… I couldn't let him have a go at you like that. I'm also sorry I called you my boyfriend… I know we haven't actually had that conversation…" She sheepishly looked down, dropping her hand and looking very much like a shy school girl before her first crush.

Turning to look at Julia, she gave her an appreciative smile. "Julia, can you go check on him? Tell him I'm sorry for the way I over reacted and I will sit with him for a CALM discussion later, but I am sorry now." Knowing Julia would go after her husband and take care of him, she felt comfortable standing here with Marco. Once her sister in law left the room, she looked back up at Marco, wanting badly to lean up and kiss him and convince him it would be okay, but she wasn't sure how he'd react to it in this moment, or with her taking the lead on sealing their first kiss, so instead she just watched him, giving him time to unload some of the tension that had just built up in the room around them. "I'd say you have a good chance of survival at this time, at least with Tony. I'm going to try and talk to him and see if we can't come up with a plan to tackle the issue with Robert. Maybe we can pin this on someone else, some no body, I don't know. I'm not normally over involved with this stuff but… I guess if I'm going to be dating this bad boy gangster in front of me, I'll be dealing with a lot more." The tone was teasing yet serious, her smile comforting and decisive.

 

[Misty Gray]

Mick Thawne's House
- Small Heath, Birmingham, England -

Mick Thawne
Daryl, Greg, and Nate​

"Shit! Fuck!" Mick squirmed as the bullet ripped through the sofa, dangerously close to his head. "Are you nuts?!" he asked, trying to catch his breath back from the shock. Sully then moved closer and aimed the gun at his forehead, prompting Mick to hold his tongue. He was glad the Fletcher man believed him about not having the drugs, but it wasn't at all reassuring as the gun was pressed against his head.

Whilst Sully was concerned by the sounds of engines and movement outside, Mick somehow took hope from it. Still, he wasn't about to make any dumb moves given his vulnerable position with a gun pressed into his forehead. When the weapon was pulled away, he let out a deep breath, but his attention was soon drawn to the paper that had been tossed onto his lap. When he read his daughter's name, he looked up to Sully, tightening his jaw. "You don't touch her!" he hissed. Even if he didn't see his daughter as often as he wanted to, on account of the messy separation with her mother, it didn't mean they weren't close.

When he was given the ultimatum to call Sully the minute the Walkers gave him any kind of job, Mick quickly nodded his head. "Yeah, of course. Sure!" he was quick to agree. It wasn't like Robert Walker gave a fuck about him anyway. His chain of command where the Walkers' rackets were concerned ended with Scott. He wasn't worried about him. His daughter came first.

Sully and Rory then started to make their quick exit, with Rory for a moment looking ready to shoot Mick's leg. When she threatened him, he gave her a look that said he had no intention of following them. He wasn't about to try taking them down on his own doorstep. That would be far too risky.

*****​

When Sully and Rory reached the back alley, they soon found they weren't alone and it wasn't Mick they needed to worry about. As they'd moved further down the alley, Rory had heard the footsteps belonging to two armed men rushing towards her from behind. In that moment, she bumped into a third man who stepped in front of her before she could reach the opening of the alley. The man dodged her punch and quickly grabbed her by the throat from behind, pushing his handgun into the side of her skull. "Drop your weapons. Both of yeah!" the man, Daryl, commanded Sully and Rory, expecting they would see they were outgunned.

"These two are Tony's Fletcher's blood!" one of the other men, Greg, pointed out, as if trying to communicate something to his two friends he didn't want to spell out.

"Alright. You," the man holding the gun to Rory's forehead addressed Sully. "There's a white van parked on the street just behind me. I want you to get into the back with one of my friends. And this girl here will ride in front with me and Greg. We'll go somewhere we can all have a proper talk," he knowingly told him.

BeyondDandy (Sully) neverbackdown (Rory)

 

[ReverseTex]

The Vixen
Birmingham, England
In scene: BasDorcha

Bonnie Moody
​

Bonnie was taken aback when Alfie swooped in and snatched the pen, it seemed trivial to get annoyed with. But it easily could be an excuse for him to be as close as possible. Either way, she allowed him to swap the item with the multi-color Rubik's Cube. It seemed simple enough, the geometric puzzle was likely pattern-based to get all sides to match. The apparatus seemed like a cruel math problem, something her mother's hand-picked tutor might have given her to solve. She barely noticed Aflie move her while she sized up the puzzle, which was odd now that she thought about it. Why did she feel so safe with this man? Normally her guard would be up, instead, she was so focused on this plastic toy. Nonetheless, she accepted the Rubik's challenge while Alfie lingered on what he might ask her.

The clicking on the tiles stopped when Alfie spoke, she'd gotten the first face solved and was working on the next two layers. Bonnie glanced at him with curious eyes, his glee had transformed into desperation. He needed to know, he needed more from her. She'd be lying if the pull wasn't mutual, however, she had to play smart. Resting the puzzle on her lap momentarily, she racked her brain for her answer. "Well I don't like the phrasing of your question, it's too ambiguous. You don't explicitly say what type of danger," Bonnie pondered. "Leaving home was most certainly the most mental danger I've been in. The things I left behind, the danger of the unknown, all were new emotions for me to sift through. But it wasn't particularly dangerous for my physical well-being. Hmm..." It was true, that despite her father's threats, she wasn't in considerable danger. But it certainly wasn't the most dangerous situation she had been in. "Physically I'd have to say on a job in Tripoli... I said in my interview I was work-for-hire, but I didn't clarify what I was hired to do." The smell of oil, the liquid gold of the West, lingered in her mind as she recalled the memory. Sand clung to her skin uncomfortably, if any more landed on her it felt as though it could weather her to bones. The linen headscarf she wore around her hair and lips did very little to prevent the dust from entering her lungs as well. It was well late in the night as the caravan trekked through the Saharian, leaving little visibility in the darkness that engulfed her. The back of the beaten truck jostled her and the drums around, the breathing of the armed men next to her was the only sound she could focus on. "I was hired out on contract by a lucrative political family to help mediate oil transactions; considering there was no concrete government it was a battle for the top if you had a good last name and money. The family who bought my contract was trying to sell their oil abroad, to the States specifically, which was why they hired me. All of this was back alley activity since the U.S. government didn't want their other oil partners to know about their cheaper deals in Libya. With all that said, my last run was what motivated me to trek on to Egypt..." Gunfire, screaming, fire crackling, all ablaze in her mind. The smell of oil, the liquid gold of the West, stained the memory. She was huddled behind a leaking drum, a dead man's rifle in her hand, praying to whoever might listen. Save her from this life and she'd do better. "The CIA and military operatives had probable cause of a socialist movement on the rise in Tripoli and Benghazi but had no real evidence. If you read the headlines today, you'd see they were right about that. But with what was happening back in the States with McCarthy at the time, it made sense to cut the deal before it became a broad issue. So that night, they killed the entire convoy, sucked me dry for intelligence, and let me go on my way." Men shouting, typewriter clacking, dripping from head to toe in water. The headscarf she wore to fend off the sand was now a weapon against her, tied around her face. She only had a moment to gasp for possibly her last breath if she played her cards wrong, but she hadn't played her royal flush yet. Her last name...

Bonnie went back to solving her puzzle as if she were entirely unphased by the details she confessed. It certainly felt odd to confess the account, despite leaving out the personal horrors she endured. Alfie's reaction didn't matter to her, she didn't need his sympathy or approval of her lived experience. A man's approval meant very little to her. The energy that she felt was a different story, it wrapped her warmly, despite the physical distance between the two of them. It made her want to tell him about her horrors, about her family, anything he could ask she would oblige. The final piece of the puzzle clicked into place as she felt a cold finger under her chin, snapping her attention to the man directly in front of her. Her gaze held fast, despite the desire to swim in his eyes and lips only to resurface for air at the brink. Alfie's witch remark commanded a wry smile from her lips, the idea of witchcraft being utterly ridiculous. But it sounded so good off his tongue, just like her name. Just as she made up her mind to seal her fate, Alfie broke the spell between them, breaking away in shame. Bonnie's mind took a moment to refocus, she desperately wanted to see where Alfie would take her if he surrendered. But she couldn't let the impulse win.

To break the tension, she lifted the solved Rubik's Cube in triumph. "If following an order of operations is witchcraft, then honey I may be one," Bonnie giggled. She set the puzzle on Alfie's desk so he could admire her handiwork then got to her feet. She craved the energy between them more than she'd like to admit. Moreover, the reliving of one of her worst memories solidified her decision. They only got to live one life, so why waste this? Bonnie swiftly made her way to his office door, turning the lock to ensure she wouldn't spoil her job on the other side. The sound of the lock sealed her fate, his gaze peering into her soul like no other, as she turned to face Alfie Walker. "My turn to ask you a question, since you so rudely skipped over me," she teased. Her mind wanted her to tear across the room, and quench that undesirable need as quickly as she could. But the bond tugged gently as if to say enjoy this. She stood over him now, the power completely in her hands, as she cupped his jaw gently in her hands. "Why did I have to travel across the world when you've been stuck in little old Birmingham all this time?" Before he could muster a response, she had him dead to rights, lips interlocked in a kiss unlike any other...

 

[Misty Gray]

The Walker Residence
- Edgbaston, Birmingham, England -

Caroline Walker​

Caroline couldn't help but smile to herself when Richard spoke of how loyal he was. She couldn't deny that considering how long he'd been able to put up with Robert over the years and still have his back. And though she knew that when it came to it, he would put her husband before her, she appreciated his friendship too. Call him patient or crazy, but Richard had always been there for her and her family.

She listened as he said he'd already said goodbye to Dean, but it was clear there was still something that continued to draw them together after. She smiled again when he pointed out it wasn't healthy, but neither was the drinking. She knew it wasn't healthy too, but she'd found herself drinking more over the last few weeks. Regardless, she didn't care enough to stop. At least for a brief time the intoxication made it easier to laugh. Granted, it also had the potential to make her want to lash out should someone piss her off enough. "We've earned this indulgence," she reasoned, reaching for her glass to take another sip of wine.

Caroline watched with interest as Richard made a not so graceful move to stand up. She looked up, her gaze following him as he gripped the back of her armchair. "Hey, if you're going to fall on your arse again can you make sure I have a better view of the entertainment?" she teased.

She watched as Richard walked away and towards the record player. "Please... None of the classical music. If I relax too much after all of this wine I'll end up fast asleep. Unless peace and quiet is what you're going for..." she remarked. Richard then said he wanted to treat her to a dance, prompting her to quickly shake her head in a coy manner. However, his claim to be a better dancer than Robert filled her with motivation. "Oh, I don't know about that," she told him. With the music having started playing, Richard reached his hand out and looked her in the eyes, willing her to join him.

"Well, alright. How else are you going to back up your claims to be a better dancer than my husband?" she relented. Getting up to her feet, she wobbled a little as the sudden movement cause her to feel light-headed. Taking a moment to ground herself, she focused back on Richard and grinned. Keeping hold of his hand and placing her other on his shoulder, she looked up to his face and cocked her head to the side. "Come on, then. Lead the way, Sir," she dared him.

ReverseTex (Richard)

 

[neverbackdown]

Tony Fletcher's House
- Aston, Birmingham, England -

Julia Fletcher​

Julia listened as Marco spoke unable to keep the horror of her expression as he went into detail of the events of that night. She knew that this news was going to screw the family but she also understood that in that moment it was necessary and for all they knew Charles could have killed Marco that night either. She kept her attention on him, taking in every word and nodding every so often to show she was listening, when he looked towards her Julia gave him a small and somewhat sad smile. She understood the fear that he must have been feeling, the horribleness of feeling trapped and weak and just needing to get out, she understood all to well and she wouldn't wish that feeling on anyone.

As the room went quiet, waiting for Tony's reaction Julia peaked a look towards her husband and was relieved to see that he appeared calmer than before. She watched in silence as he finished his whiskey and walked outside before she grabbed her own glass of wine and stood up as Penny asked her to check on Tony and apologize on her behalf.

"Off course I will" she said calmly and smiled lightly at her sister in law as she crossed the room and came to a stop beside Marco. Placing a hand gently on his arm, Julia held a soft expression "He understands, you did what you had to do and I'm just happy your ok" she gave his arm a little squeeze before smirking at Penny "I'll leave you's too discuss the relationship thing, its about time you's officially gave it a title" she teased to try and lighten the mood a little before leaving the room and following after Tony.

Stepping outside Julia quietly came to a stop beside Tony "We can keep a handle on this, Robert doesn't expect us, he doesn't know anything" her voice held a confidence that she didn't feel, she knew just as well as Tony that things like this did always end up coming out and right now it was a matter of time until the Walkers found out. The Fletchers were essentially sitting ducks and it was now a waiting game.

Julia took a large gulp of her wine before taking the cigarette box of Tony and taking one for herself. She only tended to smoke these days when she was stressed and she had a feeling she would be smoking a lot more in the coming weeks. Lighting the cigarette, Julia took a long drag as she stared out in front of her before looking towards Tony "Do we tell the others?".

******************
Int;-
Misty Gray - Tony // Marco
BasDorcha - Penny

 

[ReverseTex]

The Walker Residence
Edgbaston, Birmingham, England
In scene: Misty Gray

Dr. Richard Finley
​

​

Richard wasn't a boastful man by any means, especially compared to Robert. He was a humble man through and through unless it was something he had complete confidence in. Anything to do with his studies, aviation, or fine arts were his areas of expertise. As much as he liked to joke and prod Robert, he knew one talent in particular got under his skin the most. His hidden talent, one he picked up during the War and perfected in America was dancing...

The underground pub reeked of liquor and smoke, the rather sorry establishment felt alive for the first time in its life. Richard's squad had been ordered to standby in a small Belgium air base, close enough to the Maginot line as well as Britain if the were any surprise bombings. It had been a week of waiting idle, never a good thing for his rowdy bunch of blokes. Early in their stay Robert quickly located the pub, dubbing it a "Belgian goldmine," likely due to the young barmaid. Every night he had the chance, he'd been away from the base. Alas, Richard, Dean, and the others who weren't on guard tonight gave in to check out the place. Other regiments across various countries seemed to have the same idea, the entire establishment was packed with rowdy soldiers and local women... Richard sat quietly at the bar, beer in hand, watching the makeshift dancefloor with interest. Robert was in the thick of it, laughing and dancing the darling barmaid away. Whoever this Caroline was, she put her trust in a false God if she meant her vows. Dean was off in the corner, mugging away at a Belgian girl, motivating Richard to take a stiff drink. As he scanned the floor again, he locked eyes with Robert, who immediately swung a wild hand and a silent shout to say "Join in!" He shook his head, Robert's euphoric expression wouldn't take no as an answer and paused his dancing for a moment. His friend turned to a blonde girl near him, placed his hand on her lower back, and pulled her in to whisper something. Before he knew it, the girl weaseled her way through the crowd to Richard's position and smiled. "Your friend tells me to tell you to shape up, I dance with you no?" He managed a polite smile to the girl, glanced once more at Dean's debauchery, and then sealed his fate. "It'd be my pleasure, dear," he cooed. The two locked hands, scampering off to the dance floor, as a slower song began on the B side of the record. It was clear the girl was much better than him, probably having danced with a couple dozen men over the War. "You think too much. To dance you need to feel. Feel the music in your bones. Good dancers don't think." The girl tutted in his ear, which caused him to raise a coy eyebrow. The girl smiled back at him, resting her silky blonde hair on his shoulder, silently affirming her point. To not think was a tall order for him, but the girl seemed to be right. Richard closed his eyes, embracing the warmth of the girl, and let the music take over...

Once Caroline locked hands with him, he immediately felt her emotional uneasiness as well as a drunken imbalance. Thankfully his drunken state canceled out hers, the two leaning on each other an equal amount to pull the dance off. He knew how Robert liked to dance, assertive and confident. It was why most women gravitated to him in the first place on top of his looks back in the day. But the emotional bit was where Richard had Robert beat in the art form. Thankfully, women valued emotional intelligence quite a bit. His favorite game to play with Robert, often on the brink of uncontrollable lust, was to swoop in and steal the girl away. His skills helped keep most girls away from his friend, skills that Robert despised when used against him yet amused him nonetheless. But there were exceptions to this, those costing Robert's marriage in the long run. "To dance you need to feel. Feel the music, dear," he whispered as the first lyrics echoed behind them. He immediately spun the both of them, his leading hand the anchoring point, as he gave her a warm chuckle. Stormy weather, since my man and I ain't together... He slowed the two back down, interlocked in a simple sway and step, letting Caroline feel whatever she needed to. With Charles, Robert, and all her other matters, she needed to let the blues in. As the music picked up again, Etta James's beautiful rage picked up as well, he gently dipped her away. His tender gaze made sure neither of them would lose balance, even though he had full confidence he wouldn't. Pulling her in as the music returned to its level again, he returned to the stable sway. He could feel the song nearing its end, the needle moments away from skipping to the next track. Richard turned his eyes to Caroline, who seemed to be faring just as he expected. "Psst. The next track is a little less depressing if you'd like one more? The song slid to a smooth pause, signaling him to pull away from her for a moment. Despite the platonic friendship, dancing always brought about a slew of emotions, and he yearned to treat her to a properly fun dance. She deserved a bit of fun. "Rob already knows I'm better than him, it's his own doing really. Let me treat you proper," Richard jested.

 

[Misty Gray]

The Royal Hotel
- Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham, England -

Scott Ashworth​

Scott smiled flirtatiously at Diana when she said he was welcome into her room any time should he wish to find solitude. "Solitude sounds nice, but I couldn't possibly relax in your room by myself. I think I'd need you around to help me get settled," he told her, raising a playful eyebrow. Of course, he knew he was playing a dangerous game flirting with the Boss's daughter, but her clear independence and distance from that business made it easy. Besides, were he in her shoes, he'd find it offensive and patronising if people steered away from her just because of who her father was.

He couldn't help but grin when she said the club's name made it sound fussy. He nodded his head, silently agreeing with her. Whilst he took great pride in the work he did at the club, he couldn't deny the patrons tended to be stuck up and pretentious. He slowly nodded his head when she said he needed to start doing a shite job to avoid being handpicked by her sister in future. The look on his face was one that reflected him genuinely considering the idea in that moment. "I suppose I've already started making a rod for my own back by helping those two old fogies to their room just now," he remarked. "Now I'm tempted to ditch this place. You're a bad influence, Miss Walker!"

Scott watched Diana as she moved to sit up on the reception desk. His eyes naturally glanced to her legs as she swung them in front of him. "I don't doubt it," he agreed when she said she'd be even more distracting than he realised. He turned more serious as he gave her his attention whilst she explained she wasn't interested in the family business. He was particularly curious when she especially mentioned learning things about her father. In the absence of context from her, he could only assume some of Robert's business dealings and more ruthless actions had been brought to her attention. Scott had to wonder what she would think of him for some of the work he'd done for her family over the years. "So you're interesting, independent, attractive... and now full of integrity too. You have to have a flaw somewhere," he teased. "Seriously, though. I understand what you're saying. It's very admirable and I'm sure even your family have to respect you for that," he assured her.

When she tilted her head to him, he cocked his eyebrow in a playful manner. He couldn't help but smile when she offered to provide him a distraction from work, which he then quickly replaced with an exaggerated pout when she said Robert was working him too hard. "Finally, someone noticed! The trouble with working for your dad is there's no real HR department, so I have to suffer those working conditions in silence," he played along. Seeing her cheeks blushing, he couldn't help but once again admire her features. "I would gladly welcome any distraction you want to offer me. What have you got in mind?" he deviously asked her.

Bellz (Diana)

 

[Misty Gray]

Tony Fletcher's House
- Aston, Birmingham, England -

Tony Fletcher​

Tony turned to face Julia when she joined him. He brought the cigarette to his mouth and took a long drag from it as she said Robert didn't know anything, that they could handle this. He briefly turned his face away from her to blow out the smoke before turning back to look his wife in the eyes. "I don't think that's true, love," he told her, holding out his hand and letting her take the box from him. "When they found out Charles was dead, mine was the first door Robert came knocking on. Our family was the first that fell under Walker scrutiny. I though it was our innocence that had eased him off, but now it's just some pure miracle he bought what I told him. Now I realise just how fragile his belief in what I've said is. It's only matter of time before those wankers start hounding us again."

When Julia asked if they should tell the others, Tony stayed silent as he mulled it over. After another drag of his cigarette, he eventually shook his head. "No. I don't think we should. The fewer people who know, the safer the secret will be. I can't put that kind of pressure on them; having to keep such a huge secret." Judging by his words about keeping the secret, it would be clear to Julia that Tony had no intention of letting the Walkers know the truth. Marco was family and as such would remain protected by them.

Tony took a step closer to Julia and looked around, as if somehow expecting unwanted ears to be present on his own property. "I'm just going to have to ramp things up much sooner than expected," he decisively told her. "Robert won't have time to dwell on who killed his prick son if he's having to worry about business instead. The more distractions we can send the Walkers way, the less time they have to obsess about Charles enough to lead back to Marco. Plus, I can slip a few of my other ventures under the radar." Tony reached out to rest his hand on Julia's shoulder, a mischievous smile on his face. "The Walkers wanted people like us to stay away from their fancy businesses, well I'll encourage our lot to do it more. The posh pricks could do to be dragged down to Earth a little."

neverbackdown (Julia)

 

[BeyondDandy]

Mike Thawne’s House
- Small Heath, Birmingham, England -

SULLY FLETCHER
​

The squealing brake pads and rumble of engines were a dead giveaway. Boots thumped towards the front door. Walker’s men had found them. Rory nudged Sully to leave, dragging him away. He reminded Thawne they would see him again before bursting out the back door like a cannonball. His shoulder clashed against the narrow alleyway as he broke into a sprint towards an exit. “C’mon!” he urged his sister, who watched the rear and trailed behind.

The siblings were close. There was light at the end of the tunnel. But as Sully approached it, multiple armed men flashed out of hiding to block their way out. One of them took hold of Rory. Huffing, Sully bit his lip in frustration. As he lifted his gun at the assailant, larger weapons met him in effect. He gulped as the men’s muzzles drew near his skull. Their leader commanded Sully to lower his weapon. His body tensed up but managed to force his gun down in response. A pistol dug into Rory’s temple, daring his disobedience. An angry drum beat in his chest. He could feel it in his throat and in the back of his head. It gave him a migraine. His veins grew wide and sharp with burning frustration. How did he let this happen? They had lost.

Loosening the grip on his pistol, he released the clip. It fell on the pavement below. He pulled the slide to remove the bullet from the chamber and tossed it towards the assailant’s leader. The gun was useless and so was he. Placing it on the ground next to his foot, he kicked it towards one of the men surrounding him. Sully lifted his hands and took a deep breath as sweat fell from his forehead and dripped on his shirt. “It’s okay,” he whispered at Rory, hoping to calm her in this fiasco. If they wanted them dead, they’d be dead.

The men forced Rory into the van. They grabbed him by the arm too but Sully brushed them off. “Fuck off!” He looked at them with disgust, fixing his coat before sliding into the back seat. He would not allow them to man handle him. The armed men sandwiched him in. One large bloke to his right, the other on his left. They smelled of fish and chips. Disgusting. The van door slid closed and the vehicle keyed on. Sully looked in the rear view mirror, checking on his sister in the front seat. He made eye contact with her, planning his next move. “I want to talk to your boss. I want to talk to Robert.”

neverbackdown
Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Tony Fletcher's House
- Aston, Birmingham, England -

Marco Alessi​

Marco had taken some reassurance from the way Tony had squeezed his shoulder as he left the room. This was strengthened when Julia had then approached him to say Tony understood and that she was happy he was okay. "Thank you, Julia," he replied, managing a smile for her. She was always the more calm and patient of the married couple. He couldn't help but look anywhere but at the two women as he listened to her tell Penny it was about time they gave their relationship a title. Apparently the woman had seen the signs before now. The stress of what had just happened had at least stopped him from blushing or being embarrassed on this occasion.

Sitting comfortably on the sofa, with Penny next to him, he returned to her apology for calling him her boyfriend. He reached out to place his hand under her chin and gently lift her head so she was looking at him. "That's okay... I mean, that's what I am now, isn't it?" he cautiously asked, checking they were on the same page. "It just caught me off-guard, given the tension in the room and Tony kicking off around it all," he explained.

Moving his hand away again, he focused as she brought them back to the problem at hand. She spoke of his good survival odds where Tony was concerned. But he knew that none of them, not even Tony, could give a firm guarantee where the Walkers were concerned. When she suggested trying to pin the murder on someone else, Marco quickly shook his head. "No," he didn't hesitate to reply. "Charles left me no choice but to kill him, and that's something I still need to come to terms with. I can't let someone else take the fall for this, not even an enemy. That really would make me a coward," he told her.

Despite his serious refusal to let someone else take the blame for him, he was able to mischievously smile at her comment about him being a bad boy gangster. "Do you like that, huh? I'll keep that in mind," he playfully told her. Although he didn't consider himself as fitting that stereotypical persona, he couldn't deny in his line of work and with the way he had to behave when on a job, he could hardly be perceived as a boy scout or any kind of good citizen. Still, compared to some of the other gang members, he found himself to be much less of a bad boy, but objectively, he supposed the general public would see him as the same as the rest. A dangerous, violent thug. And now, a killer too.

"I guess I'll roll with the bad boy image..." he trailed off as he leaned in to kiss her. Part of him was aware that Tony could walk in at any second, but he also knew his boss was the only one present who would have issue with it. The fact Penny was a grown woman capable of her own decision meant he wasn't going to let Tony scare him off.

BasDorcha (Penny)

 

[Misty Gray]

The Walker Residence
- Edgbaston, Birmingham, England -

Caroline Walker​

At the start of the song, Caroline's focus was on staying up on both feet and not getting dizzy or losing balance. But once she'd found her footing with Richard, she was able to naturally move with him and along to the music. Just as her thoughts threatened to catch up to her, he spun them and she laughed along with him. Then, the words about needing to feel the music to dance registered with her. The lyrics then coming to attention too. Without Richard giving her any bait or comments to bounce off, she was left at the mercy of her thoughts for a time.

Caroline and Robert still danced, but for as long as she could remember it was at some formal event or family celebration, with an audience around them. It had been a long time they'd danced together, just for each other. Her husband assured her he loved her, bought her the most wonderful gifts, and even held her when she most needed his comfort. But she longed for him to show her affection and make grand gestures because it was his natural instinct; purely because she meant the world to him. The way he used to do, without leaving any question in her mind that he loved her. The more she thought about it, her eyes began to fill with tears, but not quite enough to spill over in that moment.

As the song came to an end, Richard spoke to tell her the next song was less depressing. She silently nodded her head when he asked if she wanted another. When he pulled away during the track change, Caroline looked down towards the ground. After the arguments and conversations they'd had that evening, she didn't like now feeling vulnerable. With the alcohol in her system, she was struggling to claw back out of it. When he joked about being better than Robert, she laughed along, but it didn't meet her eyes.

As the next song, 'Girl of My Dreams', got going, Caroline took both of Richard's hands in hers and moved along to the slightly more upbeat song, managing a small smile for him. Though the alcohol may have made their balance questionable just minutes ago, they didn't dance in as close proximity to this songs. A distance between them whilst still holding hands and moving to the beat of the music. Despite hearing the words once already, it was only the second time that the lyrics really got to her. "...since you've been gone, oh. Life don't mean a thing..."

Caroline stopped still, loosening her hold on Richard's hands before eventually letting go of one completely. Quickly moving her freed hand to wipe away any tears that threatened to escape her eyes, she willed herself to hold it together. "I just want him to come back to me," she asserted. Given that she was a realist, it was clear she didn't mean Charles. Her son was never coming back and she knew that. Which left the man in question being Robert. "I must seem like the most foolish woman on this planet, but I just want my husband back. Right here," she said, placing her hand to her heart and then resting it on Richard's chest. "Despite what I was saying to you earlier... You can be married and have children, but still feel lonely."

ReverseTex (Richard)

 

[ReverseTex]

The Walker Residence
Edgbaston, Birmingham, England
In scene: Misty Gray

Dr. Richard Finley
​

​

Dancing never lies. Despite Richard's upbeat movements in the next dance, he could feel Caroline's emotions radiating from her hands. He made a mental note to pull off another dazzling move as she stopped suddenly. Her eyes were distant, which made it more important to him to keep his one hand firmly interlocked with hers. She needed an anchor and her friend, not her husband's friend. He listened fully, his eyes firmly locked onto her while she vented. When she touched his chest he couldn't help but look down at her wobbling hand, feeling his heart thunder at its touch.

Without a second thought, he used his anchoring point with her to pull her into a warm embrace. "You're not foolish, dear," Richard replied in a gentle coo. The music at this point was far away, barely audible in his mind, his full attention on Caroline. He rested his chin gently on the top of her head, swaying with her, as she cried again in his arms. "You can be married and have children, but still feel lonely." Her confession hurt him to know that despite everything she had she still felt alone. Although he couldn't say he was surprised, Caroline was dialed into her family to the point where she left nothing for herself. With the last few months being even more proof of that. Moreover, the confession related to his state of affairs. Even though he didn't have what she had, he still felt lonely from time to time.

"I have an idea," Richard said. Once it was clear she was ready to move, he gently guided her back to the couch and helped her get seated. "Why don't we wait for Robert to come back? You can read me your book or yell at me some more while we wait and you can tell him that yourself." He knew the odds were slim the two of them could stay awake at that point, but the false hope was useful to calm Caroline down. Richard grabbed a nearby blanket that hung over the couch and gently draped Caroline. "Just stay here, I'll be back," he said once he was satisfied. Turning back to the living room, he scooped up the array of glasses that littered the living room and the remnants left in the wine bottle itself.

Richard wasn't quite sure how long he'd been gone from the living room, he rinsed the glasses, downed the last swig of wine from the bottle, and fetched the two of them glasses of water and a bag of chips. Regardless of whether she was asleep or not yet, he quietly set the items down on the end table and made his way to the record player. It had been spinning on the soundless vein for seemingly a good while before he began to put everything back in its place. Once he turned around, a small smile escaped him seeing Caroline finally wind down. His last errand of the night was moving the coffee table, carefully pulling it towards the chair and not the couch, to give himself floor space to lie down. Satisfied with his work, Richard grabbed a throw pillow from the couch, tossed it to the floor, and took a slower descent than he had earlier. Letting out a huff as he settled, both from age and the wine, he opted to lay on his back. Staring up at Caroline once more, he crossed his arms, allowing himself to relax as well. "You won't be alone tonight," Richard replied. If he had to spend his night on the ground to make her feel wanted, he would. If Robert wasn't here to protect her heart, he'd try his damn best.

 

[neverbackdown]

Mick Thawne's House
- Small Heath, Birmingham, England -

Victoria "Rory" Fletcher
​

Feeling the arm wrap around her neck caused Rory to groan internally, the task at hand had become more difficult but not impossible once she knew how to escape. She began to move into the correct position to break out of the hold but stopped when she felt the cold metal pressing into the side of her temple and she sighed in frustration as it became clear that the men were in charge.

As he commanded they drop their weapons, Rory dropped her gun on the ground before holding her hands up slightly to show they were empty, she looked around them as she tried to come up with a plan to get her and her brother out of this situation but the gun against her head was making everything impossible unless he was to leave without her. As their family name got dropped Rory shot a dirty glance towards the speaker before her body involuntarily tensed knowing that their situation had just gotten a lot more dangerous.

She looked towards Sully as they were ordered into the van and gave him a small nod to convey that she was alright, if anything she was more angry than scared. Angry that they had gotten caught, angry that her punch had missed the idiot and angry that she hadn't realized there was people outside earlier, if she had looked outside the first time she went to maybe they wouldn't be in this mess.

"No thanks I'd prefer to stay here, Stranger danger and all that" Rory commented in an almost bored tone as she dug her heels into the ground unwilling to walk towards the van. She wasn't an idiot and knew that getting into the van was signing their own death notice. People that get taken don't normally come back to tell the tale and based on their bloodline she didn't think this would be any different.

As expected her attempt to resist only lasted a couple of seconds before she was roughly pushed forward and into the van. As she was pushed in to the front seat, she turned her body and kicked whom she believed to be Greg catching him in the side as he began to climb in beside her, she didn't think she could escape and she wouldn't have left Sully who had already climbed into the back but she sure as hell wasn't going with them without a fight, she refused to be helpless, there had to be a way out before they got too far, maybe if she could get out and get to her gun. Her mind was going a million miles an hour as she tried to come up with a plan, her sight set on Greg ready to hit him again but when the driver got in she knew she was surrounded and it was game over.

*************
Int;-
Misty Gray - goons
BeyondDandy - Sully

 

[neverbackdown]

Tony Fletcher's House
- Aston, Birmingham, England -

Julia Fletcher

​

Julia bit her lip as her lips formed a tight line as she listened to Tony speak. "We have to keep a united and innocent front then" she mused "and pray the truth never comes out" she added as a second thought. She took a long drag of her cigarette and exhaled slowly watching the smoke swirl around them before disappearing completely.

As Tony confirmed that the others did not need to know, Julia gave a small nod in response as she found that her words failed her. She agreed that the secret was safer with only the small number of them knowing but she couldn't help but almost feel as though they were lying to their family by keeping them in the dark. The underlying message did not go unnoticed by Julia and a soft smile played on her lips and she found a sense of relief flooding her system at the understanding that Marco was going to be kept safe. While she knew her husband and knew that he would not have hurt Marco or allowed him to be, it was entirely different when someone did something this big. She honestly couldn't have faulted him if he chose to save his blood over Marco but she was glad with the direction this conversation seemed to be going.

When Tony stepped closer to her, Julia raised an eyebrow intrigued but as he began to speak Julia couldn't help but smirk at the change in Tony's energy. She nodded along "I think distraction is definitely a good move" amusement was clear in her voice as she spoke "and we know a particular girl who has been dying to distract them and burn their business down" the smirk remained on her face as she mentioned the youngest Fletcher, Rory had always insisted that they should be making their presence known, even as a teen she was constantly found near the Walkers establishments with her rag tag bunch of misfit friends. It was literally a task made for her and hopefully today's mission Tony let her go on would prove that she was capable of this and more.

As Tony rested his hand on her shoulder Julia looked up to him with her smile that mirrored his "To the fall of the Walkers" she said somewhat quietly as she held up her glass in almost cheers-ing motion "and may the fall from graces hurt" she added with a laugh before bringing the glass to her lips and taking a drink.

**************
Int;
Misty Gray - Husband dearest

 

[Misty Gray]

A little later...

City Kitchen Diner
- Small Heath, Birmingham, England -

Robert Walker
Daryl, Greg, and Nate​

Robert hadn't even finished his meeting with Dorothy when his end of their deal was already brought into practice. When his driver had shown up at the bistro to inform there had been an incident with the Fletchers, his first assumption was Tony had been causing trouble, so he was surprised to learn it had been Dorothy's two youngest causing problems this time around. Robert had been open with the woman about the situation but had assured her he would deal with the matter. Sully and Rory had meddled in his business, so he wished to address the matter with them.

By the time the car pulled up outside the rundown diner, the place had been cleared of any customers and neutral employees. Waiting whilst his driver/bodyguard did a full sweep of the business, Robert only entered the premises when he knew it was safe to do so. After locking the main entrance door behind them, Robert followed the other man down the stairs into the storeroom.

After been forced into the van, Sully and Rory had been taken to the diner. With the van parked at the rear of the business, in the grubby backstreet, they'd been forced inside and down into the basement room to wait it out. The two siblings had been made to sit on a wooden chair each, positioned alongside each other, whilst the three armed men kept them seated under the threat of being shot if they tried anything.

Stepping into the room, Robert signalled for his bodyguard to ease off and give him some space. His eyes first fixed on Sully, fully aware by now that the young man had demanded to talk to him. Before addressing him, he then shifted his focus onto Rory for a time as Daryl, the man who had initially held a gun to her head, stood close behind her chair. With the basement storeroom well lit, it was easy to see the bruising on the side of Rory's face. Robert wasn't keen on the idea of grown men roughing up a young woman, especially after just making the deal he had with Rory's mother. "That was Mick's doing," Greg was quick to assure Robert, not wanting the boss to think him and his two colleagues were in the habit of smacking girls around.

"Of course," Robert simply commented. He didn't have a positive impression of Mick Thawne, but the man in question was Scott's problem to deal with, and he'd already been told to get him in line. Folding his arms, he looked the young woman head on. "Miss Fletcher, don't you have better things to be doing with your life than this?" Robert asked her. Regardless of her answer, he turned to Sully. "Sully. I understand you requested to speak with me?" he asked. "Lead the way upstairs and we'll talk," he instructed Sully, motioning for the man to walk in front into the seating area of the diner. "And you're all going to stay exactly where you are and out of trouble," he firmly commanded, mostly to Rory, but also to the three men standing guard.

Once upstairs, Robert motioned for Sully to take a seat at one of the tables and he sat down in the chair across from him. Meanwhile, his bodyguard remained nearby but out of earshot. "Rather than me rushing into talking about what you and your sister just pulled this evening, I would rather hear what it is you want to talk to me about."

BeyondDandy (Sully) neverbackdown (Rory)