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

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan​

Kennedy had to have known that this conversation was coming. If he knew it was coming, then why did Finn feel bad for saying what he did? His eyes finally made contact with his brother and that's when Ken looked away. Maybe it was too much for him, admitting that he was in the wrong. Finn tried to be like stone, cold, cemented into a placid form. He didn't want his brother to see how much he cared for him, how badly he wished that he would have been home sooner. All those years that they hadn't spent together too a horrible toll on their relationship. As badly as Finn wanted to just pretend like everything was alright, he knew that it wasn't. Deep down, he knew that Kennedy did too. Finn nodded his head slowly as his brother went on to explain where he had been. Finn was eyeing his brother closely, looking for any signs of remorse or sadness.

He finished off his glass before pouring himself another, Finn finally saw the sadness as his brother addressed the elephant in the room. Finn's eyes stared into his brother's for a long moment, holding his glass so firmly, that his knuckles turned white. It had been years since Finn felt like this, like he could have punched something. With his sister not in contact with him any longer and Eleanor not speaking with him, things were taking a nose dive for Finn far too quickly. The doctor turned from his brother to look at the vast liquor on the shelves, thinking about how he was going to speak to Ken. Clearing his throat, Finn's back was to the man, "You always have a choice." He murmured. "You always have a choice to stay in contact with your own family." He turned back to face Ken as he placed his hands down flat on the bar. "You were gone for how long? I can't even keep track of it anymore because its been so long!" Finn's voice was loud enough to be heard as shouting but he tried his best to keep it down. "Do you even know where Maggie is right now? Because I don't!" Grabbing his glass, causing it to slosh angrily, he brought it to his mouth and took another long gulp. He finished it off easily and slammed it back down on the counter before bringing his hands to his face. Covering his face, Finn's eyes burned with the threat of tears.

"You show up now. Now! of all times!" Finn's muffled words could be heard as he turned back around to face the liquor. The man dropped his hands after a moment. "Do you know how hard its been over the last few years. I've watched so many people I love get hurt or worse...and you couldn't even bother to pick up a pen or the phone?"
with:

 

[Bellz]

Faye Armstrong​

Faye knew she should have been more upset with her husband, but hearing how close to death he had been had sent her mind into a fog and all she could think about was how happy she was to see him. Wrapped up in his warm embrace, Jared went on to assure her that he was fine and gently rubbed her back, causing her to hum softly. Faye gentle smile faded as her husband went on to explain more about what happened. His tone was sure but something else about how he delivered the words seemed worried, even after reassuring her that they were all going to be fine. She wondered where Quinn was as her eyes looked to the door, she hoped that their son would be home soon. She would go out to search for him if he didn't arrive in the next ten minutes...

"I don't know..." Faye mumbled, clearly out of it as she continued to look towards the door, only hearing half of what Jared was saying about Grace. It took her a moment, but she was able to focus her attention back to her husband and she firmly nodded his head, having an idea what he was saying about their daughter. She didn't have time to answer however as Quinn's voice announced his arrive home. Faye broke from her husband embrace quickly before rushing to Quinn with her arms out wide. "Oh thank goodness! You're okay!" Faye gushed as she wrapped her arms around him tightly. After she released him, she looked between Quinn and Jared before explaining, "Well, your sister thought it was a good idea to follow your father to the meeting between him and the Porters...things took a turn for the worst and she was caught in the middle." She looked to Quinn and bit her lip as she tried to keep the extreme worry off her face, "S-she's going to be alright." As much as she wanted to worry over her children, she knew that it would only worsen the situation at hand.

She ushered Quinn inside before shutting the door behind him and locking the door. She pressed her shaking hand firmly against the door and looked it for a moment. Faye was always known to be frightened easily, she shook like a leaf in the wind and stuttered as if she was cold. Turning slowly to face those in the room, she was determined to find a distraction, to calm her nerves. "I think I'm going to make some cookies." She announced to whoever was listening. Her hands continued to shake as she brushed her them down her dress. Politely, she excused herself to the kitchen.

with: Jared Misty Gray ; Quinn Fletchawk

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy​

Aliana's immediate denial was acceptable, Jackson taking a step back to give her room. Her desperate eyes searched the party's expressions, but none gave her the reassurance she desperately called out for. Before he could add another word, she collapsed back into his arms. Caught off guard, he quickly wrapped his arms around her back to catch her. The wet spot forming on his undershirt, along with the horrendous shouts, was enough to tighten his grip for extra emotional support. When her bloodshot eyes pulled up to stare at him, the streaks still running down her red face, her bitter words came with a genuine sting. Mallory was quick to add in as well, reinforcing Aliana's plea. He nodded his head, taking the full weight of her misery. "I promise, he will."

His attention was redirected to the opening of the door. Ryan and Sinead stepped in, immediately engulfed by the gloomy atmosphere. He felt Aliana's eyes shoot to her, no doubt in need of her comfort. As he went to release her, Conor and Blake entered as well. While surprised to see her, she was always a welcomed one. He moved to intercept Conor, tightly hugging him in response. He patted him on the back lightly as he pulled away and silently nodded his head; they should all be sorry. While he would've trusted himself to console Aliana better than any other guy - he stepped aside and allowed Conor to condole with her, understanding their complex history and care for one another. He turned to Blake as she raised her flask. He gave her a weak smile and motioned her over to the living room to get away from the depression.

He sat down on the comfortable couches with her, facing the rest off in the distance. While only a few yards away, the skylight illuminating the group was cut off by the arch in the small living room, allowing them to sit in darkness and tranquility. He reclined into the leather sofa, resting his head against Blake's shoulder. "Your friends are a peachy bunch," he muttered. Despite the comment, he knew she was nothing like them. "Another one. Gone. In the blink of an eye," he sighed, adjusting his weight against her shoulder so he could witness the grieving in the distance. "I use to think I could protect everyone, as long as they trusted me. James always had me runnin' security because it's what I do best. I keep people safe." He did the best he could to hold back the emotions, not dropping a single tear since they returned. "I had them armored, there were plans and escape routes, they were even next to me, and I still couldn't keep them all safe." He felt his voice rock over the lump in his throat, now fully acknowledging that he had no control.

"It gets me thinkin' about the day we got attacked outside your apartment. No matter what, I couldn't stop them." He looked up to her, defeat on his face. "I've lost too many people. I can't lose you too." He knew he couldn't protect her from everything, but if something were to happen to her as it had happened to Fallon, he'd never forgive himself.

Bellz Misty Gray neverbackdown Melanin-Gxdess Fletchawk mpower Shireling

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Even though she knew he meant well, Jackson's comforting embrace did nothing to subside the range of emotions she was feeling at the moment. His promise did, however, do something for her. It gave her some sort of temporary resolve knowing the man responsible would be dealt with and she trusted Jackson to see to it. The two of them didn't get to say much else when she heard the door open a few times. Ryan and Sinead entered, avoiding the group for the moment. Ali couldn't blame them, especially Sinead as she went upstairs to check on her children. Then in walked Blake, a woman whose name she had only heard a few times. She didn't know her on a personal level but, she did like her during the Christmas party. It was clear she didn't know what was going on, so Leo took this as an opportunity to gently break the news to her in a low whisper. He waved her over to where he and Mallory were standing, before taking a deep sigh. "Someone... Someone killed Tommy." The only thing Leo knew about Blake was that she was in a relationship with Jackson. He didn't know what the news would do to her personally, but he figured she should know. At least about why he was hugging another woman. As innocent as the embrace was, Ali found herself thinking about how awkward it was to see her boyfriend hugged up on another woman. She took a small step backward while wiping any remaining tears from her face. Enough people had seen her cry tonight, seen her in a weakened state. To think it was all for Tommy; all for someone she hadn't even had a date with. Then it hit her again, that feeling of sorrow and the realization that she would never feel his touch again. Aliana would never have the chance to admit how she felt to him, to kiss him or hold his hand again.

When the door opened again, it was Conor seeking her out. As he approached her, one could see how red and puffy her eyes were from crying. If circumstances were different, she would never let Conor see her like this. She was definitely a mess right now and everyone was getting a front row seat to it all. Once the waterworks had stopped, her face remained stoic. Conor was asking her what she needed and what she needed was Tommy. Because she hadn't verbally told Conor her decision yet, she decided she was going to keep it a secret for the rest of her life. So instead of her saying the heartbreaking truth, she just heavily and shook her head. All of the emotions that were both running rampant through her and the room were tiring her out. There wasn't much more she could say or do and just wished this was all some terrible dream. "I..." She started, locking her eyes with his, before looking away. "I just want to go to bed." There was a slight hesitation in her next few words, not wanting it to be seen as something negative. "Conor. I-I just want to be held." It was basically a whisper before she departed from the room. Leo's heart was still heavy, not sure what he could do for his sister as he had seen she was being taken care of. He too wanted all of this to be over. Even if Leo wasn't as close with Thomas as Al, he was still feeling some of the same heartbreak as everyone else. However, until he knew his sister was okay he wouldn't show any signs of it.

Conor ( Misty Gray ) Blake ( Bellz ) Mallory ( neverbackdown ) Jackson ( Enzyme )

​

 

[Misty Gray]

Skye McKendrick​

Skye nodded her head when Syd mentioned he hadn't been home yet so wasn't sure what had happened to Tommy. "Alright... Maybe you shouldn't go home tonight. You could stay here with me. I mean, just so you--" she began, hoping her suggestion didn't come out at all wrong. "I meant, just to give you time to at least get your head together and not get caught up in everyone's emotions." She expected there was a whole mixture of upset, anger and guilt going on at the Porters house, so she didn't want it to further overwhelm Syd. "You'll find out the details tomorrow, when people have had time to get over the initial shock... Maybe just call your mum now and let her know though."

Skye didn't feel like she was becoming indifferent or desensitised to loss, but she certainly felt like she was finding it easier to come to terms with it as time went on. Her father had been killed in a different kind of war when she was too young to remember him. But she'd practically watched her mother slowly die and had been helpless to cure the woman of the illness that was her killer. Those at the orphanage had punished her in many ways, including separating her from just about every friend she'd made in the place. They'd drilled into the girl's head that she would always be alone and any friends she would make would only be temporary. Then there was the shooting at Sinead's gig not so long ago. Skye had seen people killed around her and had feared losing Syd then, even before they'd kissed each other for the first time.

She faintly smiled when Syd wiped her tears away. When he rested his head against hers, she too close her eyes. Hearing him say he loved her made her feel like she never imagined she could. Syd gave her warmth and comfort, as well as making her feel like she was important. Even if Syd was the only person she mattered to, his love was worth the love of the world to her. "I love you too. I'll always be here for you."


Pyroclast (Syd)

George Sanderson​

George glanced down to his bandaged arm as Peter's thanked him again. "Don't worry about it, it's fine," he assured him. "Despite what just happened, I think I know a decent person when I see one and you're one of them." The man blushed when Peter said he had a place within his family. Sure, he'd made some friends during his time in prison, but none of them had been as friendly towards him. They certainly hadn't suggested plans for the outside world or continuing their friendship when prison was a thing of the past. "Ohh, another favour? First you see to it that I get to spend time with Finn and now I find out I still have another favour to cash in. I'll keep that in mind..."

George shrugged his shoulders when Peter mentioned not knowing how he'd managed to spend so long in jail. "Neither do I, mate. You might feel weak now, but if you fight the urge to give up you might come out of this a stronger man, in all senses. I was even less threatening than I am now when I first got locked up. I'd grown up with my head in the books and an aversion for physical activity. The only person I ever had to fear was my old man. I didn't know a thing of gangs, violence and the prisoners' sets of rules. I was cocky but not at all intimidating, so how I survived those first few weeks, I'll never know." George stood up and looked down to Peter. "I have more faith in you getting through this than I ever did in myself. So how about I introduce you to Dale now and increase my chances of being right?" he offered. He figured Peter's mental traumas weren't going to go away any time soon, but hoped some positive action might give him something else to focus on for a time.

There was still some time available before the prisoners would be locked up for the night. George led Peter further down the prison wing, passing various prisoners who were passing the time through conversation or playing board games. He was sure he'd find Dale in his cell and he was proved right when he saw the man in there alone. "Evening, Dale," he greeted the man, but remained standing in the doorway should the tough prisoner wish him to leave. "My brother brought in another book you might like to read when I'm done. It's called 'Lord of the Rings'; some fantasy novel, this time." He then looked over his shoulder to Peter. "But I actually came so I could introduce you to Peter Callahan. Fresh out of the infirmary and in need of a good workout," he remarked, grinning at the absurdity of someone of his own skinny build suggesting anyone else needed to train.

Bellz (Peter) Pyroclast (Dale)

 

[Misty Gray]

Jared and Grace Armstrong​

Jared folded his arms when Quinn entered the house and Faye rushed off to embrace their son. The older man observed his son closely before concluding no harm or trouble had been sent his way. He remained silent as Faye explained what had happened to Grace at the meeting. Jared could see his wife was still shaken but then she adopted one of her usual methods of distraction by announcing she was going to go make some cookies. "Of course..." he replied. Faye was a sweet and pure lady, which admittedly had always made it so easy for Jared to lie to her or to hide harsh truths for her. He hoped she would never have to see the darkness that tainted the other side of his life. "Cookies sound wonderful!" he enthusiastically called out to her.

"Quinn!" Grace's voice was suddenly heard as she rushed to give her brother a hug. She was very relieved to see him back home, having had no luck getting through to the Morgans by phone. She then pulled away, having caused more pain to her bandaged arm during the embrace. "Some of Dad's employees started shooting at the Porters. They just didn't seem to care about what Dad was trying to achieve. It was awful, Quinn. One of the bullets hit my arm."

"Lily, we will be speaking about your behaviour, in the morning," Jared sternly interrupted. "I don't know what goes on in your head sometimes... You should not have followed me, especially not when I said you were to come home straight after college."

"Yeah, and do you even remember what I study at college? Journalism! I can't help being nosy and curious. What better story than a mayoral candidate having a peaceful meeting with the Porters? Perhaps I wanted to get some practice in!" Grace sarcastically told him. "I'm not sorry for being there. I'm 18, so I'm old enough to go where I want."

Jared's stare practically pierced through Grace before he eventually shook his thoughts aside. "Lily, we will discuss this in the morning. I have no patience for this conversation tonight and I just want you to rest. Let us not argue..." When it seemed like Grace's lips were sealed, Jared looked back to Quinn. "Are you alright? Where have you been?" he curiously asked. Hopefully his son had learned not to snoop after the last time he tried to confront him during their game of chess.


Bellz (Faye) Fletchawk (Quinn)

Conor Sullivan​

Conor knew how close Aliana was to Tommy, it was why he'd made sure not to pressure her into making a decision about the two men in her life. It was clear to see how devastated she was over the young man's death and he expected her response would have been the same regardless of who she wanted to be with. Tommy was one of the kindest men Conor knew and the reactions of those in the house was evidence that everyone thought the same.

Conor watched as Aliana shook her head and then briefly made eye-contact with him. When she told him she just wanted to go to bed, he quickly nodded his head and accepted what she'd said. He didn't want to push her and if she wanted to be alone, then he would let her have that small request. Then she spoke again and her words about wanting to be held made him realise she really didn't want to be alone. He figured she was overwhelmed by all of those around her but it seemed she didn't want to be completely alone. He'd already told himself he'd be there fore her this time, after he'd failed to support her when Leo was in hospital.

When Aliana departed from the room, Conor stepped over to Leo and reassuringly squeezed his shoulder. "I'll make sure she's okay," he told him. He then looked to Mallory and gave his niece a brief hug. "You'll be alright. I'm sure your parents will be in here soon. Stay with Leo, for now," he told her, noticing she'd been shaken by the news too.

Conor then rushed after Aliana and caught up with her before she had chance to enter one of the guest rooms. "Ali..." he spoke her name, as if trying to alert her of his presence despite knowing he was often difficult to miss. His chest ached as he kept thinking of Tommy being gunned down. He knew he'd never get to share a drink with him or see him continue to develop within the family. He pressed his clenched right fist against his mouth as he tried to push away the anger he was feeling towards the IWU. He then moved his hand away and took a step closer to Aliana, taking a relaxing breath as her presence practically commanded him not to fly off the handle. Instead, he opened his arms out to invite Aliana towards him. "I can hold you, Ali. For as long as you need me to hold you, I will be here," he softly reassured her. "If you need to hit something, I'm here for that too..."

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana, Leo)
Mention: neverbackdown (Mallory)

 

[Bellz]

Blake Walsh​

Blake stood frozen as she watched Jackson embrace Aliana, the woman she had met once or twice. The poor thing was in tears and Blake wasn't sure what to do to try and help. Clearly, a drink wasn't going to fix anything and when Blake turned her head to try a figure out what else to do, she saw a young man waving her over. He was with Mallory, one of the Porter's daughters and it looked like he would be able to clue her in on what was going on. Blake took few steps towards the pair, her left brow raised with confusion. When Leo finally did tell her what had happened, Blake clenched her jaw. She didn't know Tommy on any sort of personal level, but it was another life lost. The meeting was suppose to go over smoothly, or at least that's what everyone had been hoping for. Tucking a piece of blonde hair behind her ear, Blake looked back towards Jackson and Ali, who were now untangling themselves from one another. Blake didn't move, watching as Jackson embraced Conor before locking eyes with her. Her flask was still weakly raised, and that seemed to put a small smile on Jackson's face. She placed the flask back into her purse, but not before taking a quick drink. It was strange to see him without a smile on his face, laughing away his worries. He motioned for her to follow him and she quickly walked towards the living room. The air was heavy and intense as she sat beside him on the couch, watching the others mourning in the other room.

Jackson rested his head against her shoulder and Blake grabbed one of his hands and intertwined her fingers between his, listening as he spoke of the meeting. Blake wasn't surprised to hear that all of the sadness had been caused by the IWU. If she had to guess who specifically had caused the incident she was sure she would have been right. Blake tilted her head slightly so she could look down at him. As much as she wanted to reassure him, it was hard, Tommy was gone and everything was set in stone. He went on and his words crushed her heart. Jackson wanted control, he felt like it was his duty to make sure everyone was okay, safe. Blake was watching the man destroy himself before her very eyes. He went on to speak of the attack outside of her apartment, and he once again questioned his own abilities. Blake turned her head to kiss Jackson's forehead softly, "You are never going to lose me." She promised. "Jackson, not everything is going to be inside of your control. Blaming yourself for this...its going to drive you mad." Looking forward around the Porter's living room, she noted some of the things as she thought about what she would say next. Jackson was in a fragile state. Knowing him well, he was most likely going to want to take action. Poor Tommy's death would be avenged. Although Blake didn't know the young man well, she was feeling fired up...anything to get back at the IWU. To get back at Carter.

"We may not be able to go back in time and fix all this..." She was unsure if she wanted to encourage revenge, if this would be the best course of action for Jackson at the moment. "I'm so sorry Jackson, so so sorry." She murmured softly as the wheels in her head turned with ideas. "But...we don't have to sit here and feel bad about what should have been. Maybe we go out there and make things right?" Blake's tone was serious and a bit dark as she wrapped her arm around Jackson's shoulders, wrapping him in a tight embrace. "You want to get even, I'll help you get even."
with: Jackson Enzyme ; Aliana + Leo Melanin-Gxdess ; Mallory neverbackdown

 

[mpower]

Kennedy Sullivan​

The judging gaze of his brother was pestering Kennedy, but once again he could not blame Finnian for this behaviour, although Kennedy's mood was not perfect in shape for such a brother to brother conversation he understood the wave of frustration his visit might cause, in addition to any other possible existing problems. He was here to get involved in family business, protect and serve his family and he certainly didn't have the energy nor the nerves for more conversations of this type, but such things were normal, certainly. Finnian was his brother though, which meant that he deeply knew he owed this to his sibling. Communication was key to solving a problem, after all, right? As he explained to his brother where he had been, pain could be only detected in Kennedy's body language, the pain of the memories from the places he travelled.

Anger and sadness confronted Kennedy as he responded to his brother's gaze, leading his eyes to remain in place and look the man in front of him into the eyes, his own eyes did not show any sign of weakness, sadness or emotions now as his brother answered to his bareboned explanation on why he did not return home.
Kennedy recognised the behaviour his brother was showing, Finn was deeply hurt from what he could see, and something in his stomach quirked up as he noticed that his own feelings remained rather dimmed down, except of a few shades of sadness and remorse. Nonetheless, he remained in his place, in the doorway, with his hands shoved down in his pockets as his cold eyes gazed upon his brother, remaining silent to the initial shouting directed at him.

Instead of explaining the reasoning for his decision making, he simply added: "It's been an unforgiving long time but it was necessary. And by the way, alcohol's only going to hurt the path of this conversation, brother", a rather lecturing and neutral tone was noticeable as Kennedy tilted his head to the left, leaning against the frame of the doorway, "Maggie's living the life she deserves, in America, from what I gathered...the life our parents wanted for her--or even for us". A sigh escaped his lips as he watched how his brother buried his face into his palms, an urgent feel told him to go and comfort his sibling, yet his legs did not move, almost as if they were bolted down on the floor

"The reason why I showed up now was because of the feeling that my family needed me earlier than I was planning to come back. I tried to make a living for all of us three out there, to compensate for the time I have been absent, but as you just said, you folks got into many dangerous situations, people getting hurt, I know how it feels to lose friends and mourn, we three especially do", he stopped for a second, his parents coming into his view before he continues: "But I am here now, Finnian, I don't need phones or pens to embrace my brother and talk to him anymore." He tried to finish up with a reassuring smile, his eyes still emitting an uncertainness though.

Bellz

 

[Shireling]

Rudy Meyers
​

Rudy had been impressed with Syd's performance, although he still had some misgivings about the kid's decision to follow in his old man's footsteps. Things had been heating up for the past several months, and most of the men in the organization hadn't lived through a real mob war so he couldn't imagine how the young man would fare. Nevertheless, he clapped the boy on the back in celebration as they left the bar and congratulated him on a job well done. He had kept his cool, so Rudolph had respect for him.

When they arrived back at the house, it didn't take too long for Rudy to realize something was amiss. Aldous was having a stiff drink with his sleeves still caked in dried blood. The womenfolk seemed shocked and the whole room was somber. When he finally heard the news, his heart dropped into the pit of his stomach. Another made man for James Porter gunned down in his prime. Rudy stood and listened for a while to everyone talking, explaining the story in detail. He didn't say much the whole time, then he pushed his way through a couple of the seemingly dozen denizens of the Porter house into the kitchen and grabbed a beer out of the refrigerator. He opened the bottle on the lip of the counter top and clinked it against a wine glass hanging upside down in a rack above the sink.

"Cheers, Tommy, wherever you are." He said with a tight throat and drank deeply. He hung his head over the sink, and felt the heat behind his eyes like he was going to cry. But he knew better than that. He stiffened up and swigged his beer. Looking up from the sink, he saw his own reflection in the kitchen window as it was dark out in the garden. He could almost see himself as a younger man, about Tommy's age. He was actually a bit older than Tommy was when he had gotten into the family and out of petty bank robbery, but he still felt like a kid that morning when he stood in front of that big desk and said, "I swear to protect the family with my life, to respect our rules and our way of life, to respect women and the elders, to never inform on the family..." He had actually been there when Tommy had taken the same oath. He had seen guys killed before, even ones he cared about, but for some reason the thought of such a young man shot through the throat while eating his soup was revolting to him. Eventually, he forced tears and rage in their turn back down like bile and he shuffled out the door into the garden. The walls of the shrubbery rose up around him like Cyclopian ruins and the snow fell cold on his cheeks flushed from alcohol. His beer was starting to partially freeze as he leaned against a low stone wall and looked out over the lights of Dublin.

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan and Arlene Sullivan​

Telling Braden about Tommy's death whilst trying to hold herself together had been even more difficult than Sinead had expected. The boy had already had to come to terms with Peter being in jail and now he had to learn how to cope knowing he would never see Tommy again. When Braden had cried himself to sleep, Sinead remained by his side a little while longer, wanting to make sure he was properly asleep and comfortable before she would leave him. With the boy having so many men around the place who he looked up to, Sinead rarely had close moments with him. Usually, he would go to Peter if he was at all upset. The evening's circumstances were not at all welcomed, but she was sure she'd managed to make a breakthrough with the boy and helped him realise he could always talk to his mother.

Sinead eventually tiptoed out of her son's room and she'd barely closed his door behind herself when she broke out into sobs of her own. She leaned back against the door and was sure her legs would have given up on her if Arlene hadn't arrived on the scene and put an arm around her to steady her. The blonde had by now heard about what had happened to Tommy, but her face appeared neutral and unmoved like her usual resting face did. "Come on, now. Everything's going to be alright, Tinkerbell," she firmly told her, softly rubbing the smaller woman's shoulder.

"Is it?!" Sinead snapped, looking her cousin in the eyes. "I just had to tell Brady that Tommy died. So soon after I had to tell him he wouldn't see his Daddy for a long time." Sinead sniffled and took a deep breath to try control her voice. "I don't think you understand that this won't be okay. My boy just made me promise nobody else was going to leave him. Conor, Ryan, Jackson, Rudy... There's so many guys here who Brady looks up to and all of them are involved in this family's business. I made Brady a promise that I can't even keep." It wasn't simply the fact that all of the men Braden looked up to were involved in dangerous work, but Sinead worried everyone she got close to was in some was taken away or even killed.

Arlene bit her lip, never good at comforting those who were upset, especially when she didn't share such sadness. She barely knew Tommy, but what she did know was that he was an adult and he'd known the risks when he got involved in the business. They all knew the risks and many of them had killed others themselves. As much as she loved her family and was grateful for Jack Sullivan for taking her in, she also blamed him for the fact she couldn't find a genuine way to console Sinead. She'd been brought up as a fighter and killer. Whilst loyalty and honour within the mob was of great importance, she also learned to distance herself from getting too close. Gang members died often and she was taught to keep fighting rather than to curl up in a ball to grieve. She hated that she couldn't be more supportive to her family now, but Jack was the one who had brought her up to be so detached from loss. She knew she would have to say only what Sinead wanted to hear. "You don't give yourself enough credit and I think you underestimate Braden too. He may be a child, but he's smart. He'll recover from this and, as sad as losing Tommy is, Braden will grow from this. He's got Sullivan blood in him, so he's destined to grow up a real fighter."

Sinead bit her lip and nodded her head, despite the fact she didn't want Braden to be a literal fighter. She wanted him to stay out of the criminal life that he believed to be so 'cool'. "I need to get some air, Arlie. I'm sorry. I need to breathe..." she apologised, placing a kiss on her cousin's cheek before making her way downstairs. Despite there being so many people around the house, the place still felt lonely. There was a yearning in her heart that couldn't be filled. She headed into the kitchen to get herself a drink, but was broken off from that intention when the boisterous dog, Duke, ran in front of her and began scratching at the kitchen door to be let out into the garden. Sinead grabbed her coat before letting the young dog sprint outside to do whatever he needed to do. She stepped out onto the doorstep and closed the door behind her, allowing the cold her to refresh her troubled head. Her eyes suddenly fell on Rudy who was leaning against the wall not far away. In the darkness, she couldn't quite work out who the male figure was, though. Despite knowing the place was pretty secure, she was still too cautious to outright approach the man. "Who's out there?" her sweet voice called out to Rudy. This also caught Duke's attention, causing the dog to sprint back to Sinead and sit down by her side, providing her will a little more security in that moment. "Are you okay?" she followed up.

Shireling (Rudolph)

​

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan​

Finn glared at his brother as he lectured him about his drink. He had the right to have it, anyone would in this type of situation. Although he wanted more, he didn't reach for the bottle this time. He hoped his brother hadn't noticed the effect his words had on him. Even as a grown man, he wasn't very good at keeping a straight face. Of course, Kennedy didn't show any signs of guilt, only looking at him with cold eyes as he leaned against the doorway. Finn was angry, unsatisfied with the reaction, or more lack of reaction, he was given. He managed to stay silent, even as Kennedy talked about their parents and what they would have wanted for the three of them. Biting his tongue, Kennedy went on to give the reasons Finn had asked for. Leaning against the bar counter for some strength, he struggled with every word to stay quiet, muttering, "oh sure" and "yea right." underneath his breath.

Once again, the subject of their parents was brought into the light. Finn looked away from Kennedy and down at the floor, really struggling with what to say. It had been a long time since he had even thought of his parents. He mourned by himself for many years, long before Kennedy and Maggie left his life. "You are here now." Finn echoed his brothers words but shook his head slowly, "But I'm not sure that I want to embrace you...or even talk to you." Finn pushed himself up from the counter of the bar and took a step back away from his brother, raising his hands so he wouldn't come any further. Finn was normally a very forgiving person, not able to hold a grudge for very long. With everything turning sour recently, Finn's attitude has changed and his brother being around only worsened things, at least in his mind. To Finn, the only person putting pressure on Kennedy was the man himself. Although Finn appreciated the sentiment, he believed that it was unnecessary of Kennedy to do what he believed needed to be done for the family. It was an unpopular opinion.

"I don't mind if you are going to be around from now on, Ken," Finn murmured as he shrugged his shoulders lightly, "But if you think things are going to go back to normal...as if they were ever normal, then I'm sorry..." His words trailed off and the men sat in another awkward silence. Finn had one more question on the tip of his tongue, he was dying to know the answer. A part of him was willing him to walk away, leave his brother behind and head to his room. Another part knew that he wouldn't be able to sleep without knowing the answer he needed. "Ken...have you--" Finn swallowed the lump in his throat as his eyes burned with tears. "Have you been in contact with Maggie at all?”
with: Kennedy mpower

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue
​

After the man lit the room and beckoned him in, Ryan made his way towards the front of the desk. If he hadn't brought the cane, Ryan would opted to sit but instead put the weight on the wooden support as he waited for James to return to his seat. He acknowledged Lucy with a slight smile and nod.

Standing silent as James thanked him, Ryan thought about how the man's description of Sinead's temperament and how it had led to his failed attempt to drive the woman off. "Stubborn is certainly something that can describe Mrs. Callahan," Ryan fidgeted slightly at the reminder that the person he desired was spoken for, "but no, she was mostly cooperative despite the situation."

"I've been in worse shape. Should be able to ditch the cane in another week or so. You have nothing to apologize for, sir. It's one of the dangers that comes with this kind of work..." Ryan trailed off for a bit as he realized that the words might of seemed overly blunt in light of Tommy's recent death, "...sorry, sir. He seemed like a good man. I didn't know him long, but I would've liked to have known him better."

The hand wrapped around the cane tighten as Ryan took a deep breath to refocus himself on why he was there, and his eyes narrowed as his line of thinking revisited the events that led up to this moment, "I assume he died because the meeting was a trap, yes?" Ryan's voice was controlled as he shut himself off from his previous sympathies, "I would ask if we're now at war, but its past that point. It was past that point since before I arrived."

Ryan watched James carefully as he waited for a response. He had held off bringing the subject up again for over a month, since the enemy and the territory was unknown to him. Still, James had them weather multiple attacks, even after the Christmas Ambush. Ryan wanted to believe this was the same man that defeated the Romanos. The same man that would do what needed to be done when the situation called for it. He wanted to believe in James, but his weak responses to the IWU's blatant attacks was starting to sow doubt.

Misty Gray [James] Bellz [Lucy]

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy​

The reassuring kiss did more than Blake would ever know. Like the peaceful eye of a raging storm, he felt a calming sensation rock through his body, along with the familiar fluttering in his stomach. Jackson sat up into a sitting position as she spoke, resting his weight on his elbows. The distant cries had been overshadowed by her voice as if they emitted from a distant world. There was truth to her words, that he knew he had to accept. His need to control and sense of responsibility would tear him apart.

He sat back and sank into the leather sofa, resting his arm around Blake's shoulder and pulling her closer to him. The display of the group helped him to gather his thoughts. His time of despair had run its course and Blake brought with her a new sensation. He no longer felt the urge to grieve but to use this tragedy as inspiration for well-deserved vengeance.

Blake's mind seemed to rest in a similar state, verbally denouncing the grieving and replacing it with action. Jackson slowly nodded his head when she ended it with 'making things right'. It wasn't until Blake told him that she could help him get even, did he turn to face her. Without a hint of a smile on his face, his eyes held more than enough expression.

Blake's connections had been overlooked by the Porters, as her past had been well hidden by Jackson. Instead of being a shameful history, he never thought of how useful it could be. The Porters had sat back and taken blow after blow and their passive stance led to the death of a loyal man. Jackson was more than prepared to turn to the offensive.

Jackson slowly nodded his head once more, rubbing his thumb against Blakes' shoulder. He looked to her, her shimmering blue eyes able to crack his serious exterior and force a smile. "God, I love you," he said quietly, as if his subconscious had leaked through his lips. "I wish I had said it under better circumstances, but I really do." He rested his head back against the soft cushion, closing his eyes lightly as the warm sensation radiated under his chest.

Bellz

 

[neverbackdown]

Mallory Porter ​

Mallory’s head turned towards the door as a figure caught her attention. She sent a weak smile towards Blake before looking back towards Jackson and Ali, her heart breaking at the scene still unfolding. Mallory listened as Leo informed Blake of the events before looking towards the ground. Her mind was spinning with thoughts and right now she needed to speak to Adam, she needed to see him. He was associated with the IWU, did he know? Did he care? She knew he was against this war but yet she didn’t know what to think. Her anger and heartbreak was being misplaced as she was well aware of this but at the same time she couldn’t stop it.

Mallory jumped from her thoughts when her uncle hugged her, she hugged him back “I want to train” she whispered to her uncle with a stern voice that eerily resembled her mother’s. Mallory watched as Her uncle left very quickly after Ali but didn’t give it a second thought, she knew of their relationship in the past and so it wasn’t unusual that he would be comforting her.

Mallory looked at those left before turning her attention to Leo “are you ok?” She asked “stupid question I know” she sighed

Misty Gray Bellz Enzyme Melanin-Gxdess

 

[neverbackdown]

Alexandra Romano​

Alexandra listened to the conversation between the boys behind her as she ate her food. As the conversation began to die down and the two men began to eat in silence, Alex picked up her plate and decided to head back into the office to do a few more hours work.

After a few hours and when Alex was happy enough that her work was up to date, she said goodbye to the wait staff before leaving the restaurant for the night. It was a crisp evening as she walked home. Usually she loved walking home but she couldn’t shake the looming fear that she was feeling. While she was happy to retain her memories, the downside was she remembered her attack that night. As she walked past an Alley, Alex automatically stiffened and picked up her pace until she was on a greatly lit street again. She hated feeling this fear but knew in her own mind that it was irrational and that she wasn’t in any danger at the moment.

Alex arrived at the porter household to find it surprisingly quiet. She made her way upstairs first to check on Michelle and found her peacefully asleep in their room. She leant down to place a gently kiss on her forehead, smiling to herself as she walked downstairs with no idea of the tragedy that had happened.

@ Anyone

 

[Pyroclast]

Dale McKenna

Dale often enjoyed the parts of his day spent in solitude. Life before prison had seen him a very different man, constantly busied with social duties and never without something to do. However, having spent almost half of his life in prison, he didn't miss it anymore. Routines, habits, hobbies, duties and the people around him had all changed, and he had never seen the point in looking back. Long gone were his days in action, going out on jobs for the Sullivans. The only thing that kept him vaguely in the loop was his daughter, who on her visits would occasionally bring up people in the crew that he had once known on the outside. Now, his life consisted of little besides training in the gym, learning to read and - more or less - staying out of trouble. Tonight he was alone, doing his best with an old copy of Crime and Punishment. The text was small, the sentences convoluted and it was missing a few pages here and there; when George arrived at his door, he almost felt relieved at the disturbance.

"Fantasy, huh," he said, sitting up with a grunt. He closed the book without even keeping note of the page he was on before waving it in George's general direction. "I'll trade you this if you want it - but I'm telling you, you'll find better fiction on the bathroom walls than in this pile o' shite." He tossed the book to the ground carelessly and got to his feet, demonstrating his large build and full height of 6'4". "Peter Callahan," he repeated slowly, taking a step forward to look the man up and down and briefly examine the state of him. "Dale McKenna. You getting into fights already, Callahan? You wouldn't wanna do that 'til you get some muscle on you." He glanced to George, a look of subtle amusement in his eyes. "If you come down to the gym during rec, you'll find me there. I might give you some tips."

Interactions
Bellz Peter
Misty Gray George

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James managed something of a dry smile when Ryan confirmed Sinead's stubbornness. He was pretty certain that was something that ran in the family, though he wasn't about to make that comment when Lucy was present in the room. The Sullivan women knew how to make his life difficult, so he wasn't going to bait any of them, as amusing as it might be. "Still, I appreciate you breaking away from your recovery to accompany her home."

Although Ryan's choice of words about the dangers in his line of work did drag James' thoughts straight to Tommy's death on the job, he didn't find them offensive or in need of apologising for. He imagined things we tense and awkward all round. "He was one of the best. I'm sure you would have found yourself working more closely with him as time went on," he explained. Tommy's role in the business had only just become a more active one. The lad had until recently being solely employed to guard the Porter house but he had started taking a more active role and had seemed enthusiastic about climbing the ranks.

James sent Lucy another glance, making it clear she was part of the conversation if she wished to be and that he didn't want her to feel out of place in his office. He then turned back to Ryan as the man asked about the meeting being a trap. James silently nodded his head, remaining quiet whilst Ryan continued to speak and ask if they were at war with the IWU. "Yes, the meeting was a trap, despite the security measures and intelligence we acquired beforehand. Perhaps I misread it, but I got the strong sense that even Armstrong was unaware of the attack from his own men. He looked as surprised as I felt..." James cleared his throat and regained a more focused stance. "Not that any of that matters, because you are correct about us being at war. We've been at war since the day Ciara started blowing up apartment blocks. Jared, the IWU... they will all pay for what they have done. We've tried talking and reasoning, but they have proved they only speak one language. This time, they will pay and I don't care if the walls of that factory are lined with the blood of everyone working for Armstrong." James rounded his desk and flicked open the file he'd been reading earlier. Whilst Tommy's death had triggered the call for extreme measures, he knew Tommy wouldn't ask for them to slaughter the IWU, but it was nonetheless long overdue. Tommy did, however, ask for one thing. "And this Sergeant Higgins will be killed too. He murdered Tommy's mother and I don't like people harming our family and friends... Tommy did a lot for this family and I owe it to him to fulfil his last request." James looked back to Ryan and made direct eye-contact. "A couple of weeks and you'll be ready to fight with us, yes?" he requested confirmation.


Fletchawk (Ryan) Bellz (Lucy)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Just as Aliana was about to open the door to the room she normally slept it, her name was called. Despite how soft it was, she knew exactly who had sought her out. When she turned to face him, she wasn't looking at him but through him. It wasn't on purpose, her mind still focused on the fact of her talking to Conor right then and not Tommy. They were supposed to go out on a date; she had made reservations. But now, the table she had saved for them was being given to a totally different couple who probably had normal lives. It was a while before she made a move or said anything but when she finally did, it was slow. She was finally seeing Conor and she saw that he was hurting just as much as she was. He was so busy trying to take care of her that he wasn't allowing himself to grieve. As difficult as it was to do, Ali took a deep breath to pause her grieving period to tend to him. She walked into his arms and wrapped hers around him, her fingers gently stroking his back.

"I'm sorry..." She gently whispered. "I'm so caught up in myself. You need me too, don't you?" It wasn't the type of question to which she was worried about him. Not to say she wasn't, but the question was more so asking for reassurance. At the current moment, she was being selfish. She needed something or someone to take her mind off of Tommy's death. She needed Conor to need her; but she wasn't going to make that known to him. In fact, she didn't even want to admit it to herself so instead she just stood there hugging him. "I know you are, love, and I'm here for you..." She looked at him and with the same sadness he carried in his eyes. "I want to be here for you." Her thumb gently rubbed the side of his cheek before kissing his forehead. "You can let go, Conor." She said in reference to his feelings, knowing he wanted to so badly.​

Conor ( Misty Gray )

 

[Bellz]

Blake Walsh​

Blake could see it in Jackson’s eyes, the approval of her words, the need for action. Still, Blake wasn’t satisfied, the lack of words was haunting and she wanted him to say something. The silence between them was getting to Blake so much that she fidgeted slightly as his eyes found hers. She was expecting the same hollow exterior, only to be met with a smile. The words that he spoke softly caused her breath to catch in her throat. Not one to usually be surprised, she stared at Jackson with wide eyes as he rested his head against the couch cushion behind him, his own eyes closing. Blake slowly curled against Jackson, laying her head against his shoulder as she listened to the sound of his heart.

She had been internally battling with herself when he would say those three little words, and now here he was, saying it to her and now she was beginning to panic. Her heart pounded hard in her chest as if she’d just ran a mile. It felt like her throat was dry, a lump stuck causing her to be silent, unable to respond. She feared that if she was silent for too long, that he would begin to worry. Of course, she loved him. There was no doubt in her mind about that fact. But she worried for his well being. With the attack against the Porters she worried that when Jared found out about where her loyalties truly lied that it would be all over for Jackson and herself. Blake didn’t want to get him tangled up in the mess she had made.

It wasn’t suppose to turn out this way, with them loving one another. She was suppose to do her job and that was that. ”I love you too, Jackson.” She murmured against his shoulder. The smile that spread across her face couldn’t be helped, those three little words caused an excited shiver to run through her body, despite the current situation. Blake closed her eyes as well and hugged Jackson’s middle tightly. Today, they were to grieve and Blake would be there to hold her love as long as he needed her. Action would be taken once it was all over, and she would be there to help in anyway she could. Poor Tommy would get a proper send off, with an attack that the IWU would never see coming. The sadness all around them was weighing down on her, these people had taken her in with open arms, they treated her like family. Tilting her head up to look at Jackson, she knew what she wanted for her future and she knew what she had to do. "I don't want to keep anything a secret." Blake whispered, lifting her head, "I want to help...the only way I can do that is coming clean to James." There was information that she would be able to obtain that would be useful to the Porters, that would give them the upper hand. She was so worried about saving her own ass that she didn't want to risk anything. Seeing Jackson hurting like he was, the way he fell apart...Blake never wanted to see that again.

with: Jackson Enzyme

 

[mpower]

Kennedy Sullivan​

He didn't feel exactly good as he watched his brother staying silent and listening to his words, he had planned this far more controlled and open-minded, but plans never stick together when emotions are in the game, lucky them. Kennedy also noticed the reaction his brother had when he mentioned their parents, the gaze on the floor, evasive and even guilty to some extent, perhaps this topic didn't touch Finnian for a longer time than it did Ken, who certainly still had his thoughts for his parents at least twice every week. Kennedy couldn't shade bad light on his brother, he probably was very busy and had the imitation of a good life here, a life with happy thoughts, a good future.

As his brother shook his head as he repeated Kennedy's words, Ken's eyebrows bounced upwards, he was slightly surprised to the following words, even hurt to some extent that he showed it to Finnian, his mouth angles slightly dropping. Almost like Finnian could see in the future, Kennedy was about to remove himself off his position in the door frame and try to comfort his brother, being halted by his hand signal to not try this though. "We don't have to talk today, or tomorrow. I am sure you gotta process things.", he quickly answered to him, a slight sadness showing up in his tone.

Before the silence, Ken simply said: "I understand, I know what's going on in there", he pointed at Finn's head only to embrace the pause of communication together with his sibling. He was simply surprised as his brother tried to stammer words together, tears apparently forming up in Finnian's eyes which hurt Kennedy deeply this time, he was waiting for him to finish his sentence and inwardly hoped that this horrible moment could finally pass. Finnian finished and Kennedy couldn't answer for a good while, his gaze trying to keep up with his "opponent" only to have it move downwards, focussing on one of many tiles on the floor. He sighed again. " 'Fraid not, dear brother. I only heard from Aunty Shannon that she is living in America, and she should be fine there. Maybe I shouldn't contact her all too soon...or maybe I should...no fuckin' idea anymore, pal", his tone showed distress finally, apparently the whole topic had reached out to his inner guts finally. After a small pause he added: "Maybe you should call her, if you can." Ken's mind drifted off for a second.

I could use something right now, I am starting to get nervous, never thought it could be this stressful...fuck

Bellz

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

The faith that George said he had in Peter gave the man a bit of a confidence boost. As much as he wanted to just hide away from the rest of the world, to not make any trouble, it would be impossible. Peter nodded his head firmly once, already curious to meet Dale. Heading down the long Prison wing, they passed some who were in conversation and others who were playing board games. Peter couldn't imagine how long everyone else was in this place for, his sentence was long enough. Dale was exactly as George described him. If looks could kill, then this guy would have everyone around him dead. The guy had muscles on him the size of Peter's head. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but Peter was nervous as George casually greeted the beast. Peter raised his hand in a slight wave as George introduced him. The blonde looked to the book the giant had been reading and couldn't help but smile slightly at the irony of the title. Dale didn't seem very interested in the read however, as he offered to trade for the new book that George's brother had brought.

Dale looked Peter up and down and Peter couldn't help but feel like he was being judged. He was a stick compared to Dale. "Not willingly." Peter answered as Dale mentioned the fights, an amused look in his eyes as he looked to George. "I would agree with you there, some muscle would do me some good." All Peter had to do now was work up the nerve to even step foot into the gym. With a feeling of gratitude, Peter smiled at the man, "Thank you Dale..if there is anything I can do to return the favor...?" Although he knew that this was a positive step forward for him, Peter still doubted that he would be able to make it these next four months. He still had a lot of enemies in prison, those who were just waiting to pounce on him. This was for his family, and that would be the motivation he needed to make it out alive.
with: George Misty Gray ; Dale Pyroclast
mentions:

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan​

Finn was relieved when his brother understood why he was upset, the patience he showed him. When Kennedy informed him that he hadn't been in contact with Maggie, Finn nodded his head slowly, letting it hang for a moment. Ken sounded distressed and Finn slowly lifted his head to watch his older brother for a moment. As a young boy, he had always looked up to his brother. He was the brave one, the strong one, always ready for a fight. Finn didn't take on such traits...he was always the gentle one, more feminine. He'd never been jealous of his brother, knowing that in his own way, he was great too. It was nice too see though, once in a while, that his superstar older brother could be human too. With the Eleanor situation, everything felt like it was crashing down on him. When Ken suggested that he call Maggie, Finn was quick to shake his head, letting out a small scoff.

"If she wanted to talk to me, she would have called. I've spent a few nights a week trying to get in contact with her but I always get her answering machine." It was so strange to Finn, the lack of closeness he had with his siblings, who at one point in his life had been his best friends. He was now closer to his cousins compared to his siblings. "I am convinced that she doesn't want to speak with me, and from what I'm hearing, she doesn't want to speak with you either." With a sigh, Finn dragged his free hand down his face. His eyes were heavy and tired. "Are you staying here then? Have you talked to James at all?" Maybe it was time for Finn to stay over at the Callahan's place for a while. He didn't want to stay in the same room that Eleanor and himself use to share, and it would open up space for Kennedy to stay as long as he needed.
with: Kennedy mpower

 

[mpower]

Kennedy Sullivan​

Exhausted, Kennedy looked out for any place to sit down, he shifted more weight on his shoulder leaned against the frame as his posture seemingly navigated leftwards. He had noticed that his brother was expecting him closer now, he had eyes for emotions as much as the older sibling did for him and others, which made Ken smile for a second only to again get rushed by a ton of negative emotions once again, an apparent temporary state by now. Kennedy was not sure what else took Finnian down right now, after all, he was not that fragile, but asking him about those issues would probably create only more tension. To the topic about their sister, Kennedy could only shrug, looking up to the roof to search for the answers of her wish to keep in distance...obviously he did not find any and returned his gaze back to Finn and simply said: "She's always been a lovely...lovely...stubborn and merciless princess. I guess she's angry at me, not sure what's with you though...but we'll find a way to contact sis Maggie," he tried for a reassuring smile as he pushed himself off from the door frame, standing there and rolling his shoulders.

"I will stay here hopefully, just need a place to stay and sleep obviously. My apartment on the other side of the city's a bit far off, y'know. And no, I have to talk to James. Look, brother heart, how about you get some rest and we talk tomorrow or whenever you like. I've got the way to his office from Shannon...so...yeah." He winked at him, smiled again and mumbled a "See you soon, Finnian", only to turn around in the door frame and go back to the conservatory, where he picked up his jacket and firmly got it back on, his hands went up to his tie and tightened it again as his head twitched slightly, followed by a small cough of the man.

Kennedy then moved over to James office, getting up to the door and knocking firmly against it, hopefully entering inside as soon as he is told to, nodding to the man standing inside and his cousin and James Porter, to the sight of his cousin his mouth angled quirked up slightly, waiting for them to finish their conversation or tell him to approach the table, him staying in front of the closed door, gazing at the people with their rather disgruntled face, which confused Kennedy slightly as this hinted on bad news.

Bellz , Fletchawk , Misty Gray

 

[Shireling]

Rudy Meyers
​

Rudy was startled when the door opened and Duke bounded up to him. He bent down a tad and pet the dog's head and scruffed up the ears before he bounded back towards the house. He turned to Sinead, standing in the doorway, and raised his half-finished beer as a kind of salute. "It's me, Mrs. Callahan, Rudolph." He supplied, mounting the steps as if to return to the house. "I was just having a beer, why don't you head back in the house? It's pretty nasty out here, and you might catch cold." He said this but it was obvious that he wasn't very forceful in his recommendation.

As she studied Rudolph's face, she noticed that it was careworn and hiding a layer of some emotion akin to despair beneath the surface. It wasn't hard to imagine why, family members being shot and killed, hospitalized, and imprisoned as of late was par for the course. She couldn't tell if he was worried about himself or Syd who he and Conor had been taking under their wing, or perhaps James or any other of the family patriarchs that he was close with. He turned back to her and held out a bottle of chilled beer he had been concealing in his other hand. "If we're just standin out here, might as well drink to the poor bastard wherever he is, right Sinny?" He said, offering the drink. It was rare he ever called her by her first name, let alone "Sinny".

Misty Gray

 

[Fletchawk]

Alexander Quinn Armstrong
​

"A meeting with the Porters..."

His incredulous tone plain as Quinn's head didn't want to process the statement. He was ready to believe that his sister had run afoul of a drunkard or perhaps a lecher. Even though Adam's assertions brought forth the notion that things were more dire than it seemed, Quinn wasn't completely ready to accept them as ready just yet. His mother's words caught him off guard and his eyes instantly flicked to his father.

With his dinner with Adam not even a half of a hour ago, Quinn found his thoughts trying to focus in on the information that was fresh in his head. Making the effort to reign those though in favor of present, Quinn found himself unable to ask more of his mother in moments before she dismissed herself. The scene felt surreal as Faye declared her intent to make cookies and his father readily encouraging her actions as if everything was already returning to normalcy. It was too fast.

"Wait..." Quinn had been about to question the scene outright when his sibling zoomed into the room to fasten onto torso, catching him off-guard yet again.

Before he even was barely able to switch his focus onto his sister, she was already excitedly giving him her nutshell version of what happened. Their father's serious tone immediately followed, chastising her for her actions. To which, his already recalcitrant natured sibling, of course retorted to with derision.

Although Jared said he no longer wanted to argue, he didn't actually refute his sister's words as he would normally do when they quarrel. Had Quinn's acumen not been worn down from earlier developments, he might of pressed his family for more details; but if what his sister said was true, then he needed to address it with prudence.

Inviting his father's ire was not something he wanted, especially now that the man seemed to suddenly now have unknown facets. Turning to his sister instead, he inquired about her well-being,.

"Are you sure that you're alright? Have you been seen by a doctor? Surely you went to get it looked at after speaking with the police, yes?"


Bellz [Faye] Misty Gray [Jared, Grace]

Ryan Donahue
​

Sharing an uneasy smile with James and not wanting to express anything thing in detail, Ryan allowed to the topic to move along by maintaining his silence. When the topic moved onto Tommy, Ryan's jaw tightened slightly as he kept his face black during James' declaration of him being one of the best.

Tommy was certainly personable and maybe he'd just not had the experience yet or Ryan just hadn't seen it, but to him, the man lacked a certain edge needed for their shared occupation. While he didn't entirely agree with that part of the statement, Ryan wasn't going to speak ill of the dead and instead nodded solemnly.

James' summary of what happened invoked a bit of thought from Ryan. Normally, he would dismissed the shooting as lack of discipline. However, even though the ambush was vicious, Ryan had seen it firsthand and it was far from undisciplined. He nodded to himself as he started to compare the latest events to the first.

"It makes me wonder if Armstrong is actually still in control, or if he was in control in the first place," Ryan said almost to himself. He would have to speak to James about what happened at a length to get a better grasp on it, but it had been a long night, not only for James but him as well. Besides, Ryan's thoughts were interrupted as his boss opened a file that had been laying on the desk.

"Vengeance for the dead..." His words drifted off as he said it, not feeling the passion for it, but Ryan understood the necessity of it. "Alright. Just give me the intel some time in the next couple of days and I'll start working on something."

Ryan was about step forward and look at the file when a knock on the door made his hand reflexively on the handle of cane. The man who came in was unknown to him, but the features looked vaguely familiar. Assuming that the man had more pressing business, Ryan shifted to the side of the room opposite of Lucy.


Misty Gray [James] Bellz [Lucy] mpower [Mr. 5-0]