Realistic or Modern A Family Affair: The Irish Mob - IC (Ended)

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue​

It was cold. Not quite as cold as Chicago this time of year, but the nip was still there. At least it wasn't raining like last week. In Ryan's opinion, it was a rather nice winter day, until Conor came into the garage. Ryan ignored his presence initially as he continued working on a little pet project. Driving the Imperial had given him some ideas on some little modifications to add to the rest of James' cars, but it was still in the theoretical stages and he was still building the first prototype. However, it would seem that Conor was there to see Ryan and even though he didn't divert his full attention as Conor brought forth his problem, he was still listening. After setting down the wrench he was using on his project, he looked up and away from his project in order to help switch gears in his head.

Honestly, Ryan wanted to touch on the subject of their falling out but as their last encounter was less than peaceful, as the concave car door reminded him on a daily basis, he wasn't sure how to approach it. The week laying low and speaking with James helped him come to terms with some things. Still, dealing with the emotional aspects of things had never been his strong suit. Ryan had even ordered the replacement door for Conor's car and it was sitting in storage area area of the garage but he wasn't sure how to broach the subject without bring up their altercation. However, this would have to be on hold as the problem with Sinead's car was a little more pressing, especially given her current state.

Peter had gotten clapped that night and Sinead had not taken it well. It had been a week and while she may be able to put on a strong front most of the time for her children, everyone else could see the difference. Normally, he'd tell Conor he'd get around to it but since it was Sinead's Dreamer, Ryan put a little more priority on it as he didn't want anything else added on her plate. He took a deep breath to steel himself as he knew he was now going to have deal with Conor in order to do so. "Alright." The statement was followed by a long pause, during which he leveled his gaze at Conor. The awkwardness in his demeanor reminded Ryan of a time when they were still friends, a better time long past. It was obvious that he was doing it not for himself but for the same reason Ryan was going to help, Sinead. Otherwise the problem with the Dreamer would of been avoided, like his own car.

Grabbing a rag to wipe the small amount of grease off his hands, he questioned Conor. "A grinding noise? Is the noise constant or only when you apply the brakes? Anything else? Perhaps a burning smell or loss of traction?" The tone was neutral, but it wasn't quite as mechanical as it had been in the past couple of weeks. He walked past the large man and towards the door he came in through. "I assume you made it back with it and it's parked at the Callahan's, yes?"


Misty Gray [Conor]

 

[Enzyme]

Gideon Burnell​

Gideon had silently watched from the corner of the room with his hands folded behind him. He remained aligned with the two other IWU men in the room to make it unclear as to which of the three held the control. Despite the similarity in their stances, Gideon towered over them in height and kept a civilized posture. His fox-like eyes hadn't moved off the back of Ross and John's head once they entered the room, as if he were studying every tick and mannerism. As for making his presence known, he waited to be addressed first, before speaking.

"We educate them," Gideon flatly responded to Jared. His voice, while calming, boomed in the small space. He slowly crept forward from the shadows, keeping his hands behind him. His large stature, but level-headed stride, manifested a sense of power, even in the presence of Jared. He stopped just before Ross and John, staring down at the two. "Sitting is a sign of weakness, which is the last thing you two want to appear as," He informed them.

He waited for them to stand before his smooth voice presented itself once more. "Enlighten me, how does a man who is bound and bagged, surrounded by four of our brothers, escape?" He looked down at the two, slowly turning his head to see who'd speak first. Expecting Ross to re-explain what he'd told Jared, he cut them off before they had the chance to waste anyone's time, answering his own question. "You panicked, and your carelessness cost the lives of two men, men you swore you'd lay down your lives for."

Misty Gray (Jared/Ross/John)

 

[neverbackdown]

Alexandra Romano​

Alexandra had been delighted to hear she was going home that morning, glad to be finally out of this hell hole that had strong links with death. But as she packed up her stuff and got signed out she began to feel nervous about the whole situation, she remembered bits and pieces from her past but it was like watching a movie play behind a fogged up glass more than a crystal clear memory that she rather forget.

Once in the house Alex watched as Michelle excitedly ran up to hug her and she bent down wrapping her arms around the little girl. Alexandra had spent a lot of time with Michelle in the last week and so was no more comfortable playing the role of mother to her. She watched as the girl pleased with the hug then ran off to join whom Alex assumed were her cousins. Before Alex could do anything else a woman approached her. She stood up straight and smiled softly at the woman in front of her as she tried to place her. She could see the hardness on the woman’s face and wondered if that was due to her dislike of Alex or if the years had hardened this woman. After what she had found out about her family, she wouldn’t be surprised if it was both reasons mentioned above.

“Hi Shannon, I suppose it would be a bit cringy if I say it’s nice to meet you since you already know me” she bit her lip a little embarrassed by the situation that she was currently stuck in, unable to remember anything about herself or her family. “I’d love a drink please” she said gingerly as she looked around the room that they were in.

................

Michelle ran after Savvy and her cousins as they went to find Lucy to tell her about Sinead. She listened quietly to them speak before making herself know as she approached the group. When Savvy mentioned her dead father, Michelle Linked her arm hoping to give her some comfort. There was a look of sadness on Michelle’s face as she looked at her aunt “the police are supposed to be there to protect you but my Mam doesn’t remember me and the cops have done nothing to find who’s did this and now uncle peter is in Jail, the cops are bad guys too”

Misty Gray (Conor/Shannon/Savvy/Braden/Emery)

Bellz (Lucy)

 

[Misty Gray]

Jared Armstrong​

Jared's face took on a deadly serious expression as Gideon said they needed to educate the two men. He nodded his head as he watched the large man step forward until stopping at Ross and John, towering over them as he made the suggestion they both stand. The two men looked to each other, as if making sure they were both going to stand at that point. Ross was quick to get up, whilst John's movement was slower and more sluggish, like part of him didn't want to be told what to do but the other knew it was only sensible to comply.

Though now standing, both men still faced their boss, until Jared pointed to Gideon and therefore forced them to redirect their vision to Gideon in time for the man to continue speaking. The question as to how a restrained man could escape was asked. Ross was about to explain again but was cut short as Gideon continued to speak and put forward an answer to his own question. He remained silent, which made way for John to speak up instead. "We didn't panic. We just thought we had that prick under control and were ready to finish him off. I don't know how he did it, but he managed to still attack back and none of us expected it. All four of us thought he was already done for."

Jared's ascent from his seat and walk around his desk had gone by hardly noticed. His footsteps and movements had been light - smooth enough to go by undetected like an apparition had suddenly appeared before them. However, his domineering voice confirmed his presence was no illusion. "You admit you were careless," his vocalised his observation. "When four men cannot control one weakened man, I believe we have a problem." Jared clasped his hands together behind his back and shot a glance to Gideon. "I'm going to level with you all. I feel betrayed. Not just because you thought I wouldn't find out about Jackson's escape but also because you stand here and continue to insult my intelligence. The Porters want to put an end to the IWU so they can keep control of this city and you practically handed one of their most loyal men back to them. You could have severely jeopardised our cause and I have lost any faith I had in you." Jared fell silent and cued for Gideon to continue.

"We have fuck all because of the rich people running this country. We are loyal to the IWU!" John protested out of frustration.

Enzyme (Gideon)

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor could sense the awkwardness in Ryan but could hardly judge him for it as he was feeling it in himself too. His mind was cast back to his night before and the conversation's he'd had with Tommy over quite a few beers. Perhaps it was the alcohol talking or maybe it was that he and Tommy were two very different people, but the younger man's advice about approaching his issues directly with Ryan didn't seem so easy to put into action. Tommy had made it seem so easy to just address the problem with Ryan and openly talk about it with the guy. Conor wished talking on that level was as easy as Tommy always made it look.

Ryan finally directed some attention to Conor and seemed to agree to fixing Sinead's car. He was perceptive enough to know he was agreeing to fix the car for his sister's benefit and not because he'd asked. Still, that didn't stop the next words from unconsciously slipping out of his mouth. "Alright, mate..." he began, momentarily pausing as he realised his use of a word that was inappropriate in their current situation. Deciding not to apologise or potentially dwell on his error, he focused on the car's fault. "Yeah. A grinding noise, only when applying the brakes," he confirmed. "There was a bit of a burning smell and I wasn't driving recklessly or anything," he noted.

Ryan walked towards the door and having reported the issue, as well as it being his sister's car, Conor felt compelled to accompany the mechanic to the vehicle. He nodded his head when asked if he'd parked the car back at Sinead's place and then led the way to the vehicle in question. On first appearance, the blue Dreamer was clean, free of scratches and very well-kept, but obviously that only masked the current fault with the vehicle. "I barely even see Tinkerbell driving this car. It's probably been borrowed more times than she's taken it out for a spin," Conor mentioned, perhaps trying to break through the tension. Sinead had noticed something wrong with the car a few weeks ago, but it had initially slipped her mind and then no longer because a priority after she was poisoned. Besides, she was feeling quite stubborn about the fact she'd taken good care of the car and had been saving a rant about whoever had sold the vehicle to her for later. "Do you reckon it sounds like something straightforward? Easy to fix?" he asked. "Oh..." he began, as he reached into his coat pocket, "the keys." He handed Ryan the car keys which were unnecessarily bulked out thanks to a bright pink, fluffy pom-pom key-chain Sinead had attached to them.


Fletchawk (Ryan)

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter
Porter House​

Lucy had just been puling out a few boxes of Christmas decorations when Skye came over with children. She was well aware of how her sister was handling Peter being locked up, but she knew that it would be hard for the little ones. She wondered how they were going to get Sinead out of the funk she was in, she could be hurting for a while. ”Have fun with Syd!” Lucy told Skye as she left the room and almost immediately Savvy had come running to her, hugging her tightly with a sad look in her eyes. Lucy hugged her back and kissed her forehead. The news that Sinead wouldn’t let the children put up Christmas decorations was heart breaking to her, the kids needed some sort of happiness given that their father was serving his sentence. Poor Sinead was struggling and Lucy would do her best to help, and if that meant spreading Christmas cheer to her children then she was going to do it. Lucy was surprised to hear that Emmy had been cursing, again. The men in the house didn’t seem to have a filter, and the kids were over far more often than not, she was sure she would have to lecture them later.

Lucy’s expression portrayed her own sadness when she was asked if Peter would be home tomorrow. She cleared her throat and looked down at the floor a moment, faking a cough she covered her mouth before pulling herself together. Maybe they didn’t know…didn’t Sinead tell them? Lucy cleared her throat again and was about to painfully answer when Savannah let out a groan, interrupting her. The blood drained from her face as she brought up Angel’s death, remembering that day all too well. The way Savannah spoke of her father, like some kind of hero made Lucy’s head spin. She wondered what Sinead had told her about Angel. Lucy knew why her sister would have told sweet Savvy such things but it was a dangerous thing to do.

She had learned a lot of things the day that Angel died. Things that after ten years, she bottled up and kept in a tight lock, not thinking about it for almost ten years. The reminder of that day came crashing down on her like a wave and she wrapped her arms around Savannah again. She had saved James and Lucy that day, her presence doing more than she could possibly have know. Michelle linked arms with Savvy sweetly and spoke to Lucy about the cops being bad guys too. It was hard to try and argue with that, in this family with the business they did, cops were only in the way. But there had been numerous occasions where the police had helped them. ”He won’t be home tomorrow.” Lucy confirmed gently. ”But, I promise you that we can do all the decorations and cookie baking tonight! Does that sound fun? The tree is already set up in the living area and its waiting for all the decorations to placed on it.” Her emotions were making her dizzy and if she didn’t put a stop to it now, she would be useless all night and eating 8 bars of chocolate in bed. She looked to the children, hoping to get a positive response before looking to the boxes she had pulled out from storage.

”There is some boxes full of decorations that we can take into the living area, some are heavier and some are lighter. I can grab the heavier ones.” Lucy said, putting on a bright smile for the kids trying to help distract them for all their worries. "I only have two rules for today: Have fun! and no curse words!" Lucy looked to Emery and smiled, "No more curse words for you little missy, mommy can be called a "Grumpy Grinch." in the spirit of Christmas, okay?" She said picking up one of the smaller boxes and handing it to her.
With: Savannah, Braden and Emery Misty Gray ; Michelle neverbackdown

Peter Callahan​

Peter had been sitting continuing to blankly at the table when he felt the table shift slightly. Peter dared and looked up to see another man who sat to the side. Peter slowly nodded back at the man as he asked if his name was Peter. This George Sanderson informed him that they would be sharing a cell, then asked how long he would be here, claiming he had a lot of roommates. It was odd that the man was already trying to inform him that he could help. Peter was hesitant to really trust anyone in this place, at least on the first day. Peter looked at George closely as he explained about not telling the guards anything. Peter was well aware that these walls could talk but the information was still very much appreciated. ”Well..thanks.” Although he was hesitant with forming any sort of alliances or even friendships with people within these walls, as he would much rather steer clear of any sort of trouble, George seemed alright. Returning to the subject of how long he would be in this place, Peter sighed, ”6 months is how long I’ll be here.” He clenched his jaw, hating the fact that he had to be in this place for so long.

He wondered how long George had been here and he wondered if it was wrong to ask such things, but he had asked him so he assumed it was nothing. ”How about you? How long have you been in here?” He didn’t seem like a bad guy seeing as how he was being so informative approaching him without aggression or an obvious motive. Peter’s eyes once again looked to the others in the yard. ”I do have a question for you…if you wouldn’t mind me asking.” Peter was unsure if George had known he was aligned with the Porters, but the Police knew and he was almost sure that the guards probably knew as well. ”Does anyone know I’m part of…the mob?” He asked, lowering his voice slightly as he looked up and around to see if anyone was near, then he looked back down at the table, trying not to look suspicious.

It was only his first day, and he was sure that the days coming were going to be agonizingly slow. Sinny had yet to speak with him or even visit him and at this point, he was almost sure that she wouldn’t visit him at all. It was only the first day and things were starting to feel so final. He feared he would be in here forever, that somehow, the police would find a way to extend his sentence to where he would never have a chance of release. He couldn’t stop thinking about his family because every decision he would make in here would affect them out there. He wasn’t the only one to have connections, not only that, he didn’t want to get himself killed in here.


With: George Misty Gray
Mentions:

( Finn up next!!)

 

[Enzyme]

Darius Rogers​

The basketball caromed off the metal rim, causing the chain net to rattle. "Foul," one of the men declared, pointing up to the three-point line. "You gonna' do that every time you miss?" Darius raised his eyebrow and stepped back to the three-point line. "Fuck are you on about? That was all wrist," the man rebutted, carrying the ball back with him up top. "These fools are getting soft, they're gonna keep callin' foul until they make a shot," Daniel muttered. "Maybe we need an eighth," Darius mumbled back, resting his hands on his knees to help catch his breath. "How about the Porter? Got shackled up last week." Darius' blood ran cold at the mention of 'Porter.' His curious eyes followed Daniel's finger up the two men on the bench.

"Porter, huh?" Darius asked, standing back up and resting his arms on his hips. He eyed Peter momentarily. His hair, his baby face, his slim physique; everything about him screamed 'pompous Porter.' The last run-in Darius had with them didn't end too well, but they never fought fair. You went bare-knuckles, they brought a gun; you came alone, they brought four friends. Porter's didn't hold a code of honor; they'd prefer to kill a man in his sleep, rather than giving him a fighting chance.

"He's probably got guards on his payroll," Darius sneered, returning his attention to the game. "Nah, I heard the cops and Porters got bad blood now." Darius' head shot back to Daniel. "From who?" Darius asked, raising an eyebrow. "Terry." Daniel seemed pretty confident about this information for good reason. Terry, one of the Ferguson Crew members on the outside, was a reputable source. He spent most of his time on Bronson Avenue and Fourth, watching the Hudson Family and Peregrines hold their weekly meetings. The two families had always been particularly interested in the Porters, or more the empire they sat on. Even the slightest hint of a downfall would surely be the talk of the evening.

"Looks like Georgie's makin' friends," Daniel chuckled, eyeing Darius to see how he'd react knowing a Porter was present without protection. Darius ignored Daniel, sizing up Peter the best he could. Without a word, Darius walked off in the direction of the table. Daniel held an amused smile as he stepped back to the group, grabbing their attention so they could all watch the scene unfold.

Darius stepped by the side of George, just short of Peter. His eyes beamed down on the man, entirely ignoring George's presence. "Porter," he snarled a formality, keeping his fists by his side. "No one with you, except ol' Sanderson, aye? Consider me busting your teeth on this table a warm, Dublin County, welcome."

Bellz (Peter) Misty Gray (George)

 

[Misty Gray]

George Sanderson​

George nodded his head once when Peter thanked him for the warning about not squealing to the guards. He caught the sigh the man let out before he informed him he would be stuck in the place for six months. Member of the mob or not, George had to assume Peter hadn't done anything too serious or violent. He'd seen all kinds of men pass through the place and had even had the misfortune of sharing a cell with some of the lowest. Six months didn't scream out as too violent or depraved a criminal. "Ahh, a few months," he said, attempting to play down the length of his sentence. Still, he'd seen prisoners crumble in weeks or even days. Not everyone was made to handle prison and George would never forget discovering the body of one prisoner who had killed himself after just weeks of it. "Out in time for the summer, eh?" he remarked, flashing a smile. Time dragged in this place, with the first few months being the toughest and slowest.

"Me? I've been here nine years and eight months," George answered before letting out a sigh of his own. "I've applied for parole again, though. So hoping to get the fuck out of here in a few months," he added. His last appeal for parole had been knocked back a year ago after some of his misdemeanours committed behind the bars were dragged up. He'd been on his best behaviour for quite some time, but staying out of trouble wasn't always avoidable. He just had to make sure he didn't get caught.

When Peter asked if anyone knew he was a part of the mob, George glanced down to ground before looking back to his new cellmate and nodding his head. "Yeah, one of the guards couldn't wait to tell me the news as he walked me out of the infirmary." Whilst most of the prison staff were neutral and simply got on with their jobs by the book, it didn't quite make up for the minority of guards who were crooked. George suspected Peter wouldn't have a great time where the dodgy guards were concerned. Just as George was also about to voice how highly likely it was the other inmates knew too, Darius showed up to confirm exactly that.

"Good afternoon, Darius. My arm's fine, thanks for asking," George spoke up. He was far from oblivious to the fact the younger man was threatening to hurt the newcomer. He wasn't a fan of violence and didn't fancy having to help patch Peter's face back up so soon after meeting him. Still, he wasn't a fighter himself and so knew he wouldn't be able to physically stop Darius. "Come on, now. I'm already giving the lad his welcome. That's why I know his name is Callahan," he remarked. It wasn't the first time a member of the mob had been in the prison, but it was the first time George had met an actual member of the Porter Family. But he doubted pointing out Peter's surname would help much.

Bellz (Peter) Enzyme (Darius)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Syd was ecstatic upon hearing that he was being given a day to leave the house without supervision. There were many things he had missed, even little things like going for morning runs with the dogs and driving through the city by night. But there was one thing he had been more impatient for than anything, and so the first thing he did on his day of freedom was find Skye and tell her the good news.

Shortly after, he was intercepted by Lady in the hall and, sensing his excitement, she began to wag her tail in anticipation of a walk. Syd dropped to his knees and pressed his face to hers. "Hey, little Lady," he grinned, rubbing her vigorously about the ears and letting her dance her big grey paws all over his lap. "A walk, is that it? You want a walk, don't you, girl? Well we'd better make it quick then, I have a date today and I don't want to keep her waiting!" He sat back on his heels then, practically inviting the large dog to knock him over, and laughed as he was pushed onto his back. The dogs were always his number one confidants, and they had heard many things about Skye from him over the past few weeks. Although he knew it was the walk they were excited about, he liked to imagine they were wagging their tails for him too.

After a refreshing morning in the park, Syd took to the road with Skye in the passenger seat beside him. He couldn't help but drive a little faster than usual, wanting to truly make the most of the freedom he had been granted, but she looked so beautiful to him that he had to make a conscious effort to keep his eye on the road.

When the conversation turned to a more serious matter, Syd eased off the accelerator slightly to focus on Skye's concerns about the current atmosphere of the Callahan household.
"Whenever something like this happens, it takes a while for the darkness to fully go away. You can definitely feel it at home, sure, but it sounds like it's much worse next door," he sighed. "I'm not surprised Sinead's taking it the way she is, though. She's had a lot to deal with this year. Must have been the straw that broke the camel's back, or whatever that phrase is."
He reached over and gave her hand a squeeze, before having to bring it back to change gear. The thought of Skye and the children being stuck in that kind of environment saddened him as much as the thought of Sinead suffering Peter's absence. He had told his aunt that she could rely on her family when she didn't want to be strong, but rather than reaching out it sounded like she was pushing her loved ones away.
"Deep down Sinead wants and needs you there, Skye, so don't worry about losing your job," he said softly, pulling up onto a road adorned with Christmas lights. "You're right though, we definitely need to lift her spirits somehow - for her sake, the kids' and yours." He peered out of his window for a moment, admiring the beautiful colours that shone down upon the damp cobbled street. Once the two had got out and the car was locked, Syd kissed her cheek and offered her his arm, allowing the excitement of being out with her to take over again. "We'll find her something nice to sweeten her up, don't worry," he reassured her with a smile. "She may not get into her usual festive spirit this year, but I have a feeling lots of small, kind gestures will make a difference. There's only so much we can do for her right now."

Interactions
Misty Gray Skye

 

[Misty Gray]

The Callahan Kids


​

Savannah looked down as she felt someone touch her arm, then looked to the side to see it was Michelle and so linked her arm too. She sent a small smile her cousin's way and would be sure to ask later if Alex remembered everything again yet. She nodded in agreement as Michelle also criticised the police and then frowned as it was confirmed Alex didn't remember anything yet. "I'm sorry your Mum still can't remember things..." she quietly told her. When Lucy confirmed Peter wasn't coming home tomorrow, Savannah looked to Emery and briefly placed her free hand on the youngest's shoulder so she could speak level with her. "Mum said six months. So that's 180 tomorrows," she slowly explained, trying to make her sister understand. She'd memorised that number after working it out when she'd first been told how long her father would be gone.

"Wow, that's a lot. That's too many..." Emery said, scratching the side of her forehead as she tried to process that amount of time. She was on the verge of a protest and a very loud, unruly one. Luckily, Lucy was quick to promise they could decorate the tree and bake some cookies. She quickly rubbed her eyes as she processed the fact trimming up in her aunt's house was different to the promise she'd been made a week ago about doing so at home, with her mummy and daddy. Emery snapped out of it and quickly nodded her head as she was told no more curse words. "Alright, Grumpy Grinch it is! But I think you grown-ups should get told off too! My uncles, Jackson... I'm not scared to yell at them myself." She then took the box Lucy handed her and carried it into the living area, all the while maintaining she'd been given the heaviest box and everyone else was weak.

Savannah let go of Michelle's arm so they could each carry a box. Once they got into the living area, she turned to Michelle and gave her a sparkly silver bauble to hang on the tree. "That's a really pretty one," she told her. "Do you think your mum will remember to buy Christmas presents? Or what if she already has but she forgot? I think we'll need to make sure we inform Uncle Conor of this. Your dad's a bit of a dork and he probably needs reminding..." She fell silent as she bit her lip upon realising she wouldn't be able to give her own dad his present, nor would he be able to take her shopping to by her mum's. "Do you... Do you think Conor would take us shopping?!" she eagerly asked.

Braden was content enough sorting through the tinsel on his own, wondering why he had to be stuck with all the girls, as usual. Emery, meanwhile, was sticking closer to Lucy. She pulled a Christmas stocking out of a box and held it up, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Pistol!" she spoke up, looking to her aunt. "A sleeping bag for Pistol. Can we try it? Where's Pistol?!" she asked. Instead, Samson arrived on the scene and the patient rottweiler seemed to volunteer himself as a distraction. Soon enough, Emery was giving the dog tinsel necklaces and headbands. "He's Santa's dog now, Lucy!" She looked to her aunt and smiled. "Can we stay here for 180 days, please?"

neverbackdown (Alex) Bellz (Lucy)

Shannon Sullivan​

Shannon nodded in agreement when Alex said it would be cringey to meet her. Both because they already knew each other and because she knew neither of them would have found each others company pleasant in the past. "Let's go to the kitchen" she suggested, figuring Lucy could handle all of the kids and would benefit from the practice. Once in the kitchen, she turned to Alex and cleared her throat. "Do you remember what it is you like drinking?" she asked, a mixture of her usual sarcasm and her preference to not hold back on her jokes.

As she waited for the kettle to boil on the stove, she offered Alex a seat at the table. "So, have you remembered anything yet? You seem content with Shelly," she noted. Not one to beat around the bush, she cleared her throat and sat forward. "How much has Conor told you about me? I'm sure he's explained about the war between our two families."

neverbackdown (Alex)
(Sorry it's short.)

 

[Enzyme]

Gideon Burnell​

Gideon raised his eyebrows in a suppressed shocked expression. He kept his hands behind his back as he leaned closer to John. "Ah, you weren't panicked, yet you shot your ally in the process of trying to kill a man who should've already been dead?" Gideon hadn't looked up to Jared when he made his way over, keeping his eyes locked on John. For some reason, he never bothered to look over to Ross, either. Instead, he examined John's constant state of fear and uncertainty in his own words.

"Yes," he followed after Jared's train of thought and expressing of his disappointment. "You're so blinded by your weakness that you thought the best course of action would be to stray away from the truth and try to hide in the shadows." Gideon slowly lowered his head in order to keep his eye contact with John, even as the man attempted to break away and look to the floor, hiding from their beaming glare. "You have been consumed by your own guilt."

"With this betrayal, you have nothing, not even the trust of your comrades." As Ross attempted to step in to speak, Gideon's hand shot out and clasped around his throat, cutting him off mid-sentence. Without breaking eye contact with John, he squeezed his thumb and index finger together until he savagely bent in Ross' windpipe. He then let the man collapse to the ground, Ross spewing and gargling on his own blood until he choked to death. “So, when you look me in the eyes and tell me you’ll never fail again, I know you speak of only the truth.”

Misty Gray (Jared/John/Ross)

 

[neverbackdown]

Alexandra Romano ​

Alexandra nodded her head and followed the woman in to the kitchen agreeing that at this moment right now Lucy was better off minding the kids and this talk was better had outside of their earshot. She smirked as Shannon asked if she remembered what she drank, finding something comforting in the woman’s sarcasm possibly because she was the first person to not treat Alex like she was broken since she had woken up. “I’ve enjoyed tea and coffee in the hospital” she commented “but according to Michelle I enjoyed my dirty alcohol” she commented with an amused smile .

When Shannon offered her a seat, Alex took it and sat so she was facing Shannon. She frowned as she bit her lip “I’ve only remembered two things on my own when I woke up but that’s it, Conor told me somethings and I can picture them like a dream but they’re not like memories” she sighed “no matter how horrible my past was I want to remember it , he’s told me bits about the war, what my father was like, my reaction to his deeds and the end result but it’s merely just a story to me”. A fond smile played on her lip when Shannon mentioned Michelle “regardless of my situation she’s my daughter and I can’t treat her like she’s not. She’s a sweet child and it’s hard not to love her”

When Shannon asked what Conor had said about her, Alex turned her head towards the sitting room making sure that Michelle wasn’t in hearing range, pleased that she wasn’t Alex turned back towards Shannon “just that we never got on, which I don’t blame you after what I’ve learned” she said with a slight frown.



Misty Gray

(Will have Michelle, Eleanor and Mal up later .. sorry it’s not great trying to squeeze one in on the way to work)

 

[Misty Gray]

Jared Armstrong​

John listened as Gideon continued to address him, pointing out how he tried to stay away rather than admitting what had happened sooner. The imposing man's head lowered so his eyes could continue to follow John's and refuse to cease his stare. John was about to speak just as Ross spoke first to try to defend himself again. However, John kept silent as he watched Gideon reach out and grab Ross by the neck. John cringed on the spot as he watched the larger man practically crush his friend's throat and leave him to collapse onto the floor. A silence followed, only disrupted by the sickening sound of Ross choking on his own blood.

The moment was broken as Gideon spoke again, causing John to look up to him with desperate and pleading eyes. "I swear, I will do anything for the IWU. I've always been loyal and never made a mistake until now. I've been in this for quite some time. You know I have," John urgently assured his colleague. He then looked to Jared for a moment. "Boss, just give me another chance. I won't let you down."

Jared had remained still as he watched Gideon kill Ross, not even flinching or giving any sign of reaction throughout the act of murder. When John then asked for another chance, Jared brought his hands into view from behind his back, but only to fold his arms across his chest. "I believe I already made myself perfectly clear," Jared calmly replied. "I no longer have any use for you. Begging only makes you appear even weaker and removes what little dignity you had left."

Enzyme (Gideon)

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan
Callahan House

​

Finn had been horrified to here that Peter had been caught by police on the job. He watched poor Sinead shutdown almost instantly after finding out how long her husband would stay in the big house for. Finn had given Sinead some distance knowing that she also needed time to think things through, maybe even try to snap herself out of it. When it was clear that Sinead would not be saving herself, he decided that he would save her himself. Finn said hello to everyone home at the Porter house, including the three Callahan kids before heading over to their home. Knocking a few times, he waited for her to answer the door. Once it was clear that no one would be answering it, he turned the knob and the door opened slowly. Biting his lip, he wondered if it was okay to enter, not wanting to give Sinead a heart attack for entering unannounced. Closing the door softly behind him, he made sure to take off his shoes first before tip toeing around the house. "Sinny?" He called out to her gently his eyes glancing in the open walkway before debating if he should head for the upstairs and search or just start out on the main floor. "Sin." Finn called again gently as he walked towards the main living area. His eyes brightened immediately as he saw Sinead curled up on the couch, but the smile that had formed on his face faded away into a sad look as he saw her expression. She had definitely seen some better days in terms of feeling good.

"Hey there." Finn said, clearing his throat and trying to put on a brave face now. Seeing Sinead like this made him upset and he wanted to do everything in his power to help. "So uh, Luce has got a handle on the kids for you for now. She told me to let you know that you are more than welcome to come over to the house." Finn stepped further into the main room before taking a seat next to Sinead, looking to her with a soft smile. Not saying anything else in that moment, he sat there and allowed her to just have some comfort in his presence. Not wanting to overwhelm her or anything, Finn sat still. A few long moments of silence came and went and Finn cleared his throat again. It had been a week since Peter had been locked up and he was sure she hadn't seen him yet. "Hey Sinead? I was just wondering...if you need someone to go with you to see Peter...I would be more than happy to accompany you." His thoughts went to Eleanor, knowing that he needed to get some more time in with his lady love. Eleanor would most likely understand if he went with Sinead today, Finn would make arrangements to go out on a date for later in the evening.
With: Sinead Misty Gray
mentions: Eleanor neverbackdown

Blake Walsh
Her Apartment

​

"Okay we are going to have to get out of bed at least once today." Blake said to Jackson as they laid curled up in each others arms in her bed. She was never one to complain about staying in bed all day, and she wasn't complaining about them doing it one bit, but she felt like they needed some fresh air. Sitting up, she stretched out her arms, letting the sheets and covers fall to her lap. Letting out a yawn, she turned to face Jackson with a bright smile. She looked at him closely and tried to find any sign of pain in his expression. Smiling mischievously, she kissed the tip of his nose before practically throwing herself out of bed. "Rise and shine!" She chirped as she moved to cover herself up with her robe that was hanging on the back of her bedroom door. Grabbing it and placing it on, she fastened it around herself and walked towards her bathroom. "Well now that I have you up with no option of getting back into bed until later. What shall we do today?" After what happened with the job last week and with Peter now being in prison, Blake was thankful that Jackson had gotten away. She was sure Jared was already pissed that Jackson had escaped his goons during the attack a few weeks before, but for him to have been involved in the killing of IWU member was even more damning against him. As much as she tried not to worry about what could happen, Jared and the IWU loomed in the back of her mind.

She still had yet to figure out how she was going to get out of the IWU for good. She knew that Jackson most likely still had concerns of his own with her involvement in it. To anyone else, she probably wouldn't be trusted at all. The fact that he had put his trust into her made her heart sore with joy, but she was still nervous about his safety and wellbeing. Sticking with her meant that Jared would most likely find him again. Turning to face the mirror in the bathroom, the expression on her face showed just how worried she was. Maybe that would be something they could talk about over an early lunch. "Want to grab a bite and a drink? Maybe instead of wasting the day in bed, we could waste the day away getting shit faced?"


With: Jackson Enzyme

 

[ElectricDandellion]

Dublin Hospital
​

Thomas Dempsey

Tommy had been discharged from the hospital 6 days ago, after being pretty firm with the doctor about him wasting a hospital bed that he didn't even need. Even though he was no longer a patient, he still spent quite a bit of time at the hospital so he could spend time with Aliana and keep updated on Leo's progress. The young man was still in a stable condition but hadn't yet woken up, which Tommy hoped would only lead to good news.

Last night, Tommy hadn't made it home and instead had crashed on one of the Porters' sofas. He'd ended up going out for drinks with Conor. Conor had done most of the drinking and he'd clearly needed it. He'd spent much of the night getting things off of his chest, which Tommy didn't begrudge him of and made sure he was just there as a supportive ear to be chewed off. From his worries about Alex's memories to his anger at James for letting Peter get arrested, Tommy finished the night with a pretty detailed account of everything Conor was being forced to keep to himself, hidden behind his usual playful and charming demeanour.

After a conversation with James that involved nothing that Conor had said the night before, Tommy had been asked to take Delilah to the hospital so she could visit Leo. He waited outside for Delilah, smoking a cigarette as he leaned against his car. Every time he lit up a smoke he couldn't help but hear Aliana's voice in his head telling him to quit the habit. Thinking about her always brought a smile to his face. He was hoping they would get to go on their date later in the day, but at the same time he wouldn't force Aliana to leave her brother's side if she didn't want to. "Come on, Delilah. I'm sure you look fine!" Tommy impatiently called out, grinning to himself

Four days ago, Leo's eyes fluttered and his hand twitched. Aliana hadn't seen it, having been sleeping but it happened. Two days later, while Ali is trying to determine whether or not he would like the beard that had just grown, his eyes fluttered again. This time she sees it, but since it didn't happen again she paid it no mind. But then he groaned and moved and his eyes really did open. Her eyes got wide and her breathing shallow when Leo looked at her. "What's your problem and why are you so close?" Were his first words.

Today, he was up and moving but he wasn't going to be released for another day. Leo explained everything he remembered to Ali but he was shot and everything went black. "Al, listen. It wasn't personal so I don't want you getting involved. Listen to what Tommy is telling you, okay?" Ali just kissed his forehead and smiled at him. "You didn't listen to me when I asked you NOT to go and work for James and you think I'm going to listen to you about this? Not a chance mate." In a huff, Leo leaned back in his bed and groaned, still in a bit of pain. "The only reason I did is because I want to help James. He's the only person-" Ali shook her head at him and put her hand up. "I spoke to mom and she made a point. I don't care about that anymore; I just care that you're careful in this venture and you make the right decisions." It shocked to hear his sister say this but he wasn't about to try his luck. He thanked her and to quickly change the subject, she clapped her hands together. "Anyway, Tommy boy and Del are coming for a visit. She's missed you, I'm sure."

Tommy,( Misty Gray ) Delilah ( ElectricDandellion )​

DELILAH PORTER

The young girl looked into the mirror, only to see her face back and, for some reason, not being content with what she could see. “God damn it,” she cursed under her breath, dabbing more powder onto the bruising at the corner of her head; it had lightened, but it was still there and the visual of it made her stomach roll. Today she was visiting Leo, and even if he hadn’t woken she still wanted to look nice in case he had-though, neither her appearance improving nor Leo waking seemed likely anytime soon. Hand shaking, she applied her cat-eyeliner again, chewing the inside of her cheek as she battled tears that threatened to spill their briny seas onto her cheeks. Still, she forced them back. She couldn’t break now, not when she needed to be strong for her family and friends- Leo especially. He needed support more than likely, and she had to give it to him full force, like she was sure Ali would. Her eyes froze on the dressing table a second; poor Ali. Almost guiltily, Delilah’s gaze flickered to the ground. The womanmustbe had her stomach in knots. God knew she’d probably have spent the past what, Delilah counted in her head, 2 weeks waiting on Leo? Delilah herself hadn’t been able to make a single visit. Mainly because it would be too traumatising to see Leo in his state, but moreso because she had to recover herself and mama and Finn would not let her leave. At least she was well enough to now.

Tommy’s words suddenly snapped her out of her thoughts and she grinned nervously as she looked in the mirror at her outfit. “Coming!!” A long, dark-grey sweater dress. Her original wanted outfit was a cropped turtle neck but the scars were yet to fade completely and she felt conscious with them on show. Grabbing her bag, she pulled out her pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Biting the stick in her mouth, she lit it and zoomed downstairs, her hair fashioned in a way to hide the light bruising on her head. Trainers zooming outside, she stopped, took a drag of her cigarette and grinned at Tommy, hiding her anxiousness. “Copy cat,” she jokingly snorted as she looked at his cigarette before taking a long drag, dropping it on the floor and crushing it under the clunky platform of her trainer. “So, I’m guessing you’re driving?” Questioned the young woman, climbing into the passenger seat, unable to decipher whether she was scared or happy to be able to finally see her boyfriend. “How’s it going...you know, with you and Ali? Good I’m guessing, especially considering you were so eager to drive to the hospital, hm?” She teased, waiting for him to get in the car.​

 

[Pyroclast]

Adam Morgan

The drive home turned out not to be as quiet as Adam had anticipated, for no sooner had the two been in each others company for one minute than Oliver began on one his rambling lectures. Adam held his tongue as he listened to his father's overreaction to what he thought had been a fairly inoffensive question. He had often wondered whether the man heard through some kind of filter that made everything sound more aggressive that it was, or whether he just had the shortest fuse of anyone he'd ever known. Either way, the radio wasn't doing much to ease the tension that was beginning to brew in the air between them. Oliver's last comment was punctuated by an abrasive car horn, and Adam realised he had entered the roundabout in the wrong lane and nearly collided with a car coming in from his left.

"Dad, would you please just lay off for one minute? I need to concentrate on the bleeding road," Adam said, the stress finally getting to him. The fact that his mother had been brought up both confused and annoyed him - it seemed like a route his father liked to go down whenever he wanted Adam to feel bad, even if it wasn't relevant to the conversation.

"To act like what?" Adam frowned. "What have I done besides pick you up, take your luggage and ask you how London was? I don't understand what you're flying off the handle about this time." The near collision had shaken Adam somewhat and caused him to lose composure, words now flowing out of him. "You somehow always feel the need to bring that up, yet all it does is remind me of how you pushed this family apart. Aren't we supposed to just move on? Am I not supposed to ask you how your trips go when I come to bring you back home? What would you rather I say, then?" There was a pause in the journey as Adam regrettably pulled into a line of heavy traffic, but he kept his eyes on the car ahead, unwilling to meet his father's cold, hard glare.

Interactions
ReverseTex Oliver

 

[Misty Gray]

Skye McKendrick​

Even though they were still only sat in the car together on their way into the city, Skye was loving her time alone with Syd already. It wasn't that she hadn't been happy only seeing him in the safety of his home, but it was just nice to go out together and know they weren't sneaking around. She leaned her head back against the back of the seat and gazed at Syd as he spoke to her. If they weren't discussing such a serious subject, she was sure she'd be thinking about how good looking he was and how she couldn't believe her own luck.

"I know it'll take time and Sinead has been through so much lately. The atmosphere is just so... weird. The Callahan house is normally so full of energy and playful noise, but now it all just feels so sad. I want to try help Sinead, but I'm worried in case she snaps at me. And Peter is such a nice man, I just can't imagine him in a terrible place like prison." She slowly nodded her head as Syd reassured her that Sinead did want her to be there. When they got out of the car, Skye walked to Syd's side. She sweetly smiled as he kissed her cheek and she took his arm. "We're going to bring so much Christmas back home with us today! It's my mission to bring cheer to the Callahans!" she enthused.

As they entered the Christmas Fair, they were first met with typical fairground games and Skye tugged on Syd's arm as she pointed to the Shooting Targets game. "How much has your dad been teaching you? Have you got a good aim?" she curiously asked. "The reason I ask is because I've already seen Emmy's present and we're going to have to win it for her!" Skye quickly lead Syd towards the game and pointed to the colourful soft toy that was hanging up with the rest of the prizes. "It's a rainbow cat! We all thought Emmy was crazy, but there it is. The kid was right all along," she joked.

Pyroclast (Syd)

Shannon Sullivan​

Shannon smirked at Alex's comment about liking dirty alcohol. "Well, as much as I enjoy a few glasses of wine any time of day, that ain't happening today. Besides, I'll leave the dirty alcohol consumption for you and Conor to bond over," she remarked. "Coffee it is!" she decided. She listened when Alex mentioned the things she had been told and what little she had remembered herself. Mentions of the war and the things Vinnie had done himself or ordered his men to do. Shannon's mind found itself going back to the night her husband was killed, seeing her children's distress and watching Emmet die as she held him in her arms. Before her anger could take over, the sudden whistling sound pulled her out of those thought and she rushed up to tend to the kettle.

After making the drinks, Shannon handed Alex her coffee before sitting back down and placing her own mug on the table in front of her. She smiled and nodded her head as Alex spoke fondly about Michelle. "You know, Conor wasn't the only one of my children to go behind my back and get involved with the enemy. Sinead did it too. She fell in love with an evil, sick fuck and ended up having his child. But do you know what? Savvy is such a sweet and innocent child - she is not like her biological father was." Shannon took a sip of her coffee. "I guess what I'm saying is... Your father was practically the Devil, just like Angel was, but if Savvy has taught me anything, it's that I should be more open-minded. And, you clearly make Conor happy as we've all known a part of him wasn't there for as long as long as you were out of his life. Perhaps you are a good person." Shannon sighed. "I don't want to keep an atmosphere between us, even if you've forgotten there is one. I just want Michelle and Conor to be happy now."

neverbackdown (Alex)

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue​

Ryan didn't immediately catch Conor's over familiarity until after the man paused and then confirmed the car's symptoms. Having to restrain a chuckle to a smirk at Conor's unecessary inferance of innocence made him realize that it was too easy for them to fall back into the habits of their old friendship, even after all these years and the scism that formed between them over Conor's choice of love interest. He missed it and the pain having to push away the feeling comraderie quickly melted the grin on his face. He'd had been coming to terms with the fact that the Romano woman was here to stay and after talking with James, Ryan came unto the epithany that while she would be a constant reminder of his own loss, it wasn't particularly fair to blame her for it; especially after being robbed of her memory. But now wasn't the time to address it.

As they crossed over to the Callahan's comparatively much smaller garage, Ryan thought about possible reasons behind the symptoms and it was a rather short list, but if it was anything other than needing to replace the brakes then it might get problematic. Not because the repairs would difficult nature but because even with James no longer having his Imperial, it was a fair bet that their were more Chevys in these two garages than the rest of Dublin put together. So while James probably had replacement brakes stored away in his garage, if it was something else like the door for Conor's vehicle, then they would have to order the part from overseas and that would be time consuming. Ryan briefly mused to himself that he'd have to bring up purchasing readily available vehicles for business use, like Jackson's Vauxhall or one the many Fords that can be seen around the city.

The Chevy looked to be in pristine condition which wasn't surprising after Conor remarked on how little it was used but mechanical problems were almost never on the surface unless it was a cataclysmic failure. He chuckled as he caught the keys and the pink doo-dads attached to them. "Wow... Okay. Wasn't expecting that much... color. But to answer your question; maybe and yes. It's be straightforward if we happen to have the parts, but if we don't, we'll have to order from overseas as Chevrolets are a rarity here, which means auto shops wouldn't keep their parts in stock. I know I wouldn't." Ryan didn't let on just yet that Conor confirming it was indeed grinding noises didn't bode well. Still, he wanted to move it over to the main garage before making a diagnosis. He motioned for Conor to get in as he did so himself and started up the vehicle. Everything sounded fine and it idled beautifully after coming to life. Even as they pulled out of the garage, the machine gave no indication of illness. However, when Ryan applied the brakes as they approached the gates exiting the Callahan house, the grinding noise made itself known as the pedal vibrated under his foot. "Oof. That was painful."

After braking twice more, they were back in James' garage. Ryan turned off the engine and looked over at Conor. "Well... While it could be the brakes but I'm starting to have my doubts, so we may have to tell Sinead that her car is going to be unavailable." He exited the Dreamer and moved to a nearby floor jack and started to lift the car off the ground. "If it's as bad as I fear, then it could be at least a week before we get the parts so installing them isn't the problem." Rather than have Conor stare at him while he worked on the car, Ryan nodded his head towards door to the storage closet. "While I'm doing this, why don't you look for anything that's marked for this car." From past knowledge, he knew that Conor didn't have the finesse or patience for working on cars but he wasn't stupid and he certainly knew how to read, unless he'd gotten into one too many bar fights and it got beaten out of him although Ryan very much doubted it.

Misty Gray [Conor]

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

Sinead heard someone gently calling out her name and on the second time, she was certain it was Finn trying to get her attention. She didn't get time to decide whether she would call back out to him or remain silent until he left. Instead, her cousin entered the room and she opened her eyes wider to look to him. "Hey... Finn," she replied, her voice faltering as she spoke. She remained curled up on the sofa, with the sleeves of her jumper pulled over her hands to keep them warm as she'd been too lethargic to get up to light the fire. As he explained Lucy was looking after the kids but she was welcome to join them, Sinead nodded but then it turned into a head shake at the thought of her upsetting them again. "At least they won't feel so sad there. Luce is a great auntie to them..." She fell silent as she thought back to earlier in the day and how she'd upset her children by dismissing Christmas. She loved the festive time of year but right now it felt like she was trapped inside her own head and no matter how much she wanted to put on a smile for her babies, she couldn't. Her sad and helpless thoughts had won out over any positive emotions she wanted desperately to show to the little ones.

When Finn broke the period of silence, Sinead finally sat up and finally looked at his face, making eye-contact with her cousin. He was offering to go with her to see Peter and she couldn't deny how thankful she was that he'd offered. She'd yelled at James and pushed Conor away, so hadn't wanted to go anywhere with them. She was angry James hadn't been able to get Peter off of the charges and she couldn't help but wonder how Conor had managed to avoid real prison for so long, having been arrested so many times. She loved James and Conor regardless, but whilst the wounds were still fresh she needed someone like Finn with her, as he wasn't involved in the criminal side of the business. She could never be angry with or nasty to Finn.

"I would like you to come with me," she softly told him. She felt nervous about going to the prison, but even more apprehensive about Peter seeing her in such a mess. "I'm being the worst mother and wife right now," she began, biting her lip and taking a few deep breaths, trying to shake off her insecurities. "Petey's the one locked up in a scary place and no doubt with terrible people, yet I'm out here falling apart. I know I need to fight this and put on a brave face for him. He's got enough on his plate without worrying about me and the kids." She ran her hand through her red locks, which she hadn't styled for a week. "I should probably do something with my hair and put some make-up on... And do I wear a cute dress or a serious dress? Is there a dress code?" Sinead shook her head as she realised she was thinking too much into it. "I should just be me, shouldn't I? Give him some normality and all that?" she asked Finn.

Bellz (Finn)
(Tommy and any others to follow...)

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

Peter appreciated that George was trying to make light of his sentence, surely to most in this place, 6 months seemed like a short amount of time. Letting out a light laugh as he spoke about Peter being out in time for summer. Peter raised eyebrows in surprise when George announced he had been in this place for almost ten years. The seemingly chipper man didn't strike him as a criminal deserving a sentence of almost 10 years or more. Hearing he was applying for parole again was a bit relieving in a way, seeing that if he was given the chance to apply for it then he couldn't have committed a terrible crime. Peter didn't enjoy hearing that he was already the gossip of the guards around the prison. If it had gotten out to them then there was no telling when other prisoners would know or if they already did. Peter looked around a moment, eyeing those in the yard noticing that a few eyes still stared openly his way. Clenching his jaw in slight frustration, Peter was about to say how unlucky it was that the guards knew when a man's voice called out "Porter." Peter froze and looked at Darius with surprise in his eyes. He slowly shook his head. His last name wasn't Porter but to the people here, it didn't seem to matter.

Peter looked to George, who really didn't help with his response. Peter was on his own. Darius seemed like a hot head and obviously had a distaste for the Porters. "Sounds like a warm welcome." Peter spoke sarcastically, before raising his hands up slowly surrendering to the angry man, knowing better to start a fight he couldn't win. "Any beef you have with the Porters will not benefit you with myself, I am too far down the chain for any type of revenge here, mate." It was a lie but lying was the only thing that would save his ass. Anyone who had a vendetta against the Porters needed to find Peter completely useless or he wasn't going to make it the 6 months let alone the first day. The most important thing was survival, he had a family and friends to get home to, children to tuck into bed at night. These men had nothing to lose it would seem, they could afford to risk it all and let freedom pass them by.

With: George Misty Gray ; Darius Enzyme
Mentions:

 

[Misty Gray]

Thomas Dempsey​

Tommy raised an eyebrow when Delilah called him a copycat for smoking. "You're kidding, right? You were still learning to read when I took up smoking," he remarked, in a slight exaggeration. He scoffed at her comment about him driving. "Obviously. I'm not letting you drive my car," he teased her. Joking aside, he was pretty sure James was expecting his daughter to get to the hospital safely and Tommy wasn't about to take any risks today. He already considered himself somewhat accountable for the teenager getting hurt in the first place. He'd barely had chance to get into the car before Delilah quizzed him about Aliana. A smile crossed his lips before he turned the key in the ignition, started the car and performed an effortless manoeuvre to reverse the car out of its parking spot before heading down the driveway. From his rear-view mirror, he noticed Conor and Ryan leaving the garage together. They weren't punching each other, so he hoped that was a good sign.

Once out on the road, Tommy finally addressed Delilah's question. "Things are going great with Ali and me," he assured her, but didn't want to give the girl too much information - or bait! "Anyway, who says I'm not eager to see how your Loverboy, Leo, is doing?" he joked.

When they arrived at the hospital, Tommy led Delilah to Leo's room, having by now become familiar with how to find it. He was happy to see Leo awake in bed, having seen him unconscious for the last two weeks and worrying the lad wasn't going to wake up. "Jeez, look at you, Leo. You're milking this, aren't you? Still slacking off and taking up that bed, you lazy bugger!" he playfully teased him. Leo then turned to look at Aliana and sent her a boyish smile along with a subtle wink. "Are you good, Ali?" he asked. He moved to the woman's side, deciding to give Delilah space to no doubt move closer to Leo's bed.

ElectricDandellion (Delilah) Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana, Leo)

 

[ElectricDandellion]

DELILAH PORTER

“Pffft,” she merely replied to his comment with a grin; the girl couldn’t contain her excitement to see Leo. But...no- he’d be fine. The others would have told her if his health had been deteriorating, and so she assumed it had not been. It was inevitable that she wouldn’t be driving, and so she didn’t mind much when Tommy confirmed that he would indeed be the driver. That was probably why her father had asked Tommy to take her in the first place. As he put the car into reverse, her eyes lingered on Connor and Ryan, squinting lightly. Seeing them calm together was a rare sight and she felt slightly wary and worried upon observing the two interact. Delilah tried to resist the urge to look in the overhead mirror, but she wanted to look the best she could- her eyes settled on switching the part in of her hair to hide the bruise again, though this was unlikely noticeable and may have even appeared as though she were just neatening her hair. Delilah smiled at Tommy’s brief comments, noticing how he wasn’t saying much. “That’s sweet! How’s Ali doing...obviously she’s in a worse off place than either of us given....Leo,” Her voice cracked lightly as she spoke his voice. “Being her brother and all. I can’t imagine how she’d feel given how utterly awful I feel for him- it must be....” her mouth began dry for a second. “Never mind. This is all getting a bit too sad. What I’m trying to say is I hope she is well,” Delilah fixated her eyes at the front of the road, deciding to keep her mouth shut as to not chat too much, especially when it got so melancholy so quickly. Seeing Leo was supposed to be a good thing, not a bad thing. Though, thinking about it made her hands shake. At his next comment though, she bursted into laughter. “Too true,” she admitted. “Looks like I’ve got some competition, eh? Let’s see who will win Leo over,” Delilah joked, looking over at the window and the passing scenery.

The journey to the hospital was quick, but getting out of the car and walking to Leo’s room seemed to last forever. Each step entailed a new fear, and her eyes were drawn to the floor upon seeing the extreme nature of some of the people’s injuries. But, it seemed Tommy knew his way off by heart and so she immediately knew he’d been here often. She was a little upset that he hadn’t had taken her with him a few times given she hadn’t seen Leo for over 2 weeks and had been so forlorn about it. Though, she guessed it was a matter of safety but that didn’t make her feel much better. When Tommy made a turn for the door, Delilah paused outside, taking a deep breath to calm herself. She had yet to see him so she didn’t know quite what to expect. Calming herself, she took a step in, lingering at the doorway, eyes following Tommy and Ali whilst she brought up the courage to turn her gaze to Leo. However, Tommy’s words made her face relax. She knew people talked to unconscious patients all the time, but to hear him speaking like that made her gaze slide straight to her boyfriend. He seemed tired, almost rugged with a beard, and she felt her plump lips immediately twist into a smile as she ran towards his bed, almost slipping on the shiny floor. Her arms instinctively opened as if to hold him in an embrace, but she refrained, assessing the places where the wounds would have been. She didn’t want to hurt him. Leaning forwards, she kissed him on the forehead, letting her lips linger there before they automatically twisted back into a smile. “I’m so sorry, Leo,” She whispered, pulling away and pulling a chair close to the side of the bed and placing herself there. Grasping one of his hands in hers, she squeezed it tightly, her own shaking. “How are you feeling?”

With the sudden rush of emotions, she hadn’t even noticed his newly grown beard, but when she did, she smirked. “Woah,” she teased, leaning a hand forwards to touch the hair at his jawline momentarily. “Looks good on you,”

Melanin-Gxdess Misty Gray​

 

[ReverseTex]

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Oliver clutched the passenger door for dear life as he watched his son enter the roundabout in the oncoming traffic. Bloody hell bloody hell... The car to their left almost gave him a fright, but luckily Adam had time to avoid it and exit safety.

But then came the retort. Adam barely seemed to hear his words, as he made the angered claims that everything was his own fault. The boy wasn’t wrong in some respect, but he hadn’t the slightest clue as to why... Which did upset him, but he couldn’t spill the truth, he built to many lies around it. He had to keep it guarded.

Heaving a sigh, Oliver kept his eyes on the road as he allowed his son to upbraid him, knowing the boy was frustrated in his own respect. Glancing at the boy in the stiff silence, then at the floorboard, he spoke. “You have every right to be mad at me son, I won’t deny that. I won’t deny that my service to my country, which I did out of pride and the wish to protect my family, distanced us in the end...”

“However, it hurts me as a father to sit here either in silence or in argument with my son... So here’s what I’ll do. I’m going to lay out my side, then you can do yours. I’m not doing this to try and upset you, I just want to talk this out Adam... Fair?” Leaving a small pause for any verbal or physical indication, he continued. “To begin, you contradict yourself in your argument. You tell me to move on, I have. I moved on 10 years ago when your mother and I planned this out. But you haven’t. You’re upset that those ten years have been lied to you, and that your mother simply left you with me. You’re upset because I can’t be a normal father and a normal husband... And you have every right...”

Oliver sighed as he ran a stressed hand through his hair. “While I was in London a dear friend from work gave me this wisdom... There’s nothing worse than a man who can be everything to everybody else... Except a father to their own child.” Looking at the floorboard for a moment, reveling in the truth of those words, he simpered. “It’s funny how in life you can go about, think you’ve got it in control, then the control stops. And your slowly falling off track...”


[/div][/div][/div][div class=credit]credits RI.a [/div][div class=overlay]Oliver Morgan[/div][div class=tags]Location: Car
Pyroclast [/div]

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor couldn't help the natural grin that crossed his lips at Ryan's reaction to seeing the pink accessories Sinead had attached to the car keys. Having grown up close to his sisters, Conor had become more than familiar with Sinead's affinity for pretty, sparkly things and all things princess-like. He may have even joined in himself, first out of childhood compromise and then as drunken dares. He would still maintain it was all Sinead's influence. Switching back onto the subject of cars, he listened as Ryan explained how it could be tricky if the required parts weren't available locally. "Ah, well that doesn't sound too promising," he observed. "Huh. If it comes to it, I'm sure James would be more than willing to let Tink drive his Bentley," he joked. In reality, he knew that wasn't going to happen. James loved that car more than the rest, so much so that he never used it when out on jobs that held even the slightest risk of his car getting damaged.

As the mechanic signalled for Conor to get into the passenger seat of the Dreamer, the Sullivan lad briefly stopped still as he looked to the living room window of the Callahans' house. The curtains were closed and that pretty much reflected Sinead's current mood as a whole. For quite some time now, he'd been missing the close bond they'd shared growing up and into adulthood. The last few months, he knew he was mostly to blame. First it was because all he was doing was getting drunk and attracting trouble, but then he found out about Michelle and he hadn't yet discussed his feelings with Sinead. Although it had hurt, he couldn't blame her for dismissing him when he tried to talk to her about Peter. He hoped getting her car fixed would be the first step towards making it up to her.

Conor broke away from his thoughts and got into the car. When Ryan started up the engine and pulled out of the garage, everything seemed fine. Then the brakes were applies and Ryan was given his first taste of that annoying grinding sound Conor had put up with on his journey to and from the hospital. "Sounds like shit, right?" he asked, glancing to Ryan. Once they reached James' garage and the car engine was switched off, Ryan turned to look at him and voice his concerns. Conor got out of the car as Ryan did and quickly nodded as it was made clear it probably wasn't going to be an instant fix. "Ah, well that's not going to go down too well. James is out, so maybe I should nab the Bentley keys while I can," he joked. Based on past usage patterns, it was unlikely Sinead would even want to use her car but he figured the mere principal of it being broken would be enough to bother her.

When asked to, Conor made his way over to the storage closet and sought out any boxes labelled up for the Dreamer. He soon picked out a box with various bits and pieces in; spark plug, cables, brake parts and such. "Any of this junk useful?" he lightly asked, though he doubted it was all merely junk. He placed the box down on the workbench next to Ryan, he looked to the man for a moment as he thought about his next words. "I know you're doing this for Tink and not me, but still, I appreciate you not just telling me to fuck off or something," he earnestly told him.

Fletchawk (Ryan)

 

[Pyroclast]

Adam Morgan

As the traffic slowed to a crawl, Adam felt himself begin to calm down and although he didn't particularly want to hear it, he let his father continue. There was some sense in what he was saying, after all - working in the military and for the UN had created an irreparable rift between his parents but it was where his true passion lay, and who was Adam to say he shouldn't have pursued it? It was too late to change anything now, anyway. That was why he wanted to move on, but it was hard to do when his father found and took every opportunity to raise the subject.

Adam sighed wearily at his father's request to talk it out. As much as he would rather not, he knew he didn't have a choice. So he nodded and listened patiently to what he wanted to say.
"No offence, dad, but you give yourself a lot of credit for covering up the truth of your relationship with mum - or lack thereof, should I say," Adam chimed in, being careful not to put too much attitude in his tone this time. "In my memory, I spent those ten years weighing the tension between you, sitting on the stairs listening to you two fight. So it wasn't exactly surprising to hear you'd been waiting to separate. But that kind of thing affects a person. That was a big part of my childhood, and that affects me whether I like it or not. All I can do is move forward which, if you'll stop finding ways to take out your guilt on me, I'd be happy to do on my own terms."

Oliver's mood seemed to have simmered down, and Adam hoped he had gauged it right or he may have risked provoking him again. Having said that, he had been invited to share his own thoughts so if it did bring the conversation back down, he supposed it wouldn't have been for nothing. To his relief, Adam soon found himself turning off onto a much clearer road, though the next words to come from his father's mouth were much softer and made him no longer so anxious to get home and out of his company. The comment about losing control resonated with him - their relationship had never been without its problems, but since the separation things had certainly deteriorated. That was as much Adam's fault as it was his parents'. He pulled into the drive without saying another word, but feeling much less agitated now. Walking round to the back of the car, he retrieved the suitcase from the boot and brought it into the house, setting it down in the kitchen as he went to put the kettle on.
"When you want that bringing upstairs, just let me know. Thought I'd make us a drink first." There was still a slight edge to his voice, always feeling a little awkward after an argument.

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