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

[Bellz]

Chapter 17: Reach Boiling Point
Friday 23rd July 1960
...4 weeks later...
Evening- Dark, Warm

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Peter Callahan
Mayfair Bar​

Progress…progress was good…Peter had to keep reminding himself. Today had been one of his bad days, not himself…disconnected from the rest of the world. It had been hard to get out of bed. He didn’t have anything else to do until the evening, so he didn’t get out of it. The man hadn’t been sleeping well since the meeting he had with Darius at the Bowling Alley. It had been very civil and the two went on their way without anything happening, but it didn’t sit well with Peter to know that the man who tormented him was out and about in the world now. His alarm sounded around 6:30pm and he woke up in a cold sweat, grasping the pillow he was hanging on to tightly as he looked around in the dark room in confusion. The last time he had been awake, it had been light outside. Grumbling slightly under his breath, Peter stretched out his arms slowly, listening to the pops of his bones as he reached towards his beside lamp.

Pulling the metal drawstring down, the lamp turned on a softly lit the room around him. Swing his legs out the side of the bed, he continued to tell himself that progress was good, that this was just a bad day. He was going to go out tonight with his favorite person in the whole world and he needed to be his best for her. Pushing himself forward, the man stood up slowly, looking around the familiar and yet unfamiliar room. With a small sigh, the man headed towards the bathroom, getting ready to head out into the world he had spent all day hiding from.

***​

Gripping the steering wheel lightly, he looked to Conor in the front seat before his eyes turned to look at Ali and Sinead, who were seated in the back. ”You ladies got enough room back there?” He asked, a smile appearing on his face as his eyes specifically sought out Sinead. His grin turned lopsided, a boyish one only for her before he returned his gaze to the road. They were headed towards the Mayfair Bar, a swanky place that normally wasn’t Peter’s type of scene. He turned to glance at Conor for a moment, his smile still firmly planted on his face. ”So, Mayfair Bar eh? Conor Sullivan in a fancy place like that? I never thought I’d see the day.” Peter tone was teasing as he chuckled lightly.

His eyes once again glanced to the ladies in the backseat before Peter nodded his head, ”Excellent choice, however.” He added to his brother in law. A song on the radio then caught his attention and he turned the dial up ever so slightly, humming along softly instead of talking as he tried to keep his own thoughts in check…at least for tonight.

They pulled into the bars lot lot and Peter opted for Valet rather than parking the car himself, seeing as how the ladies were wearing heels that were surely already uncomfortable and there was a lot of cars in the lot. Pulling up, he allowed the young valet to open his door before stepping out of the car and immediately heading to Sinead’s door. Grasping the handle, he pulled it open wide for her and held out his hand, ”C’mon pretty lady.” He said to her sweetly, the same smile he had been wearing in the car still firmly planted.

He was doing well, he just had to keep it up. It had taken all of his strength to shake the way he had been feeling early in the day and once again, progress was being made by what he was able to accomplish in these precious moments he had with his friends and family.

with: Sinead + Conor Misty Gray ; Ali Melanin-Gxdess

Finn Sullivan
The Coast​

It had been an awfully long time since Finn had been anywhere near the coast. He just didn’t get away very often with his job, unless his job required him to travel, which it use to. He had decided to call in sick for the day, which raised some questions with the Chief of Medicine at the hospital. Finn was never sick and always had a squeaky clean record for showing up to work. This just showed how much he already was head over heels for George. The last 4 weeks had been a whirlwind of sneaking around on lovely outings or simply meeting at George’s place where they could be alone. The doctor couldn’t have dreamed of someone like George loving him, it was too much to be real…or at least that’s what he thought.

As the two men drove down the highway, the wind blowing through their hair as the sun beat down on them, Finn looked to George, his eyes glancing off the road a moment to take in his reaction to seeing the sea for the first time again. It was priceless and the man was so glad that he could be apart of this special moment with him.

The day had gone as perfect as Finn had hoped, though they had to continue to uphold their disguise to the rest of the world, they enjoyed each other’s company soaking in the warm summer sun and diving into the lukewarm ocean that called their name. Finn took the opportunity to spread on the tanning lotion, having missed out on the luxury of tanning for years. Unfortunately, the doctor got a little more sun than he wanted and by the time the sun was starting to set, he felt like his skin was on fire.

”Oh I’ve made big mistake, Georgie.” Finn said as they began packing up their beach things, taking the towel he had laying in the sand and shaking it out. Laughing lowly, he shook his head with each movement of his arms, ”Ouuuchh…” He cried out and bit his lip before throwing the towel into the bag he brought. ”I’m never tanning again. I swear it. Please make sure I don’t the next time we are here.” He murmured to George before reaching for his shirt.

Once in his hands, Finn imagined what the shirt would feel like against his hot skin and cringed lightly. ”Maybe I should keep this off for a while. I don’t think people will mind right?” What he meant by people was George specifically. A smirk formed on his features as he raised an eyebrow quizzically. Picking up his bag, he waited for George to grab his before nodding his head towards the large parking lot in the distance.

As they trudged through the sand towards the lot, Finn once again found himself looking to George, searching for the face he had made earlier as they approached the coast. ”Did you have a good time today? I hoped it was everything you dreamed it would be again?”

with: George Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter
Gwen Sheehan​

”Shhhh..” Lucy murmured to Thomas as she sat in the rocking chair in the corner of his nursery. The baby cried and wailed, having just been fed and changed, Lucy wasn’t sure what the problem was. Luckily, she’d grown more adjusted to such behaviors and she wasn’t worried that it was something she was doing, he was just very fussy. He’d kept her up most of the night before so she was trying to set the baby down for bed earlier in the evening.

She caressed Thomas’ head softly and reached for a pacifier setting atop the side table. Placing it against his lips, he immediately opened them and welcomed the pacifier into his mouth before closing it. Lucy was relieved when he cries slowly began to calm into small little grumbles. After a while, the babies eyes closed and the woman slowly stood from her seated position in the chair to place him in his crib. Planting a kiss against his little cheek, Lucy exited the room and closed the door gently behind her before she heard the sound of shouting from downstairs.

It sounded like Emery so she wondered what the child had gotten into now. As she descended down the staircase, Lucy already assumed that the child had gotten into James’ office by the sound of it. But just as she was turning at the bottom of the stairs to walk down the hall, the doorbell rang. The sound of paws running through the house could be heard as Lucy quickly made her way towards the door, opening it to reveal a familiar redhead.

”Gwen! How lovely to see you! Come on in.” She said, opening the door a bit wider for the woman to step through. Gwen smiled sweetly, holding more flowers in her hand along with a gift bag. ”These are for you, Lucy. I saw them in town today and I thought you would like them, seeing as James might not.” A small chuckle escaped her. ”Don’t worry, I brought something for him too.” To which Lucy waved her hand at the girl, accepting the flowers with the other. ”You don’t have to bring gifts every time you are here!” She said before nodding her head towards the hallway to her left.

”He’s in his office. At the end of the hall. I’m going to put these in some water and get dinner started.” Lucy smiled before parting ways with the young woman, the dogs sticking around with the newcomer as she began walking down the hall. Arriving at the door as directed, Gwen reached up and knocked on it lightly, biting her lip a bit nervously as she stood, two large dogs and the runt of them all sniffing at her shoes, being nosy.
Misty Gray Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan and Conor Sullivan​

Sinead had spent most of the day excited about her evening out. Not only would she be able to spend time with Peter, but she'd also be able to have long overdue catch-ups with both Conor and Aliana. She'd always been close to her brother, but for months now there's been a distance between them and their lives had seemed to simply keep them apart. It was a similar case with her good friend Aliana. Her friend was more involved with the business and that had also allowed Aliana to form a friendship with Blake. Though she could never deprive her friends of having other friends, the insecure parts of Sinead had been eating away at her, telling her she'd done something wrong or that her friend simply didn't enjoy her company anymore. She wished she could fight such intrusive thoughts, but she knew it was often out of her control. All she knew was that she was glad Conor had invited her and Peter on a "double date" and hoped to put her nagging worries to rest.

As the afternoon went on, Sinead was aware that Peter was still tucked away in bed. She knew he needed some space and she shouldn't disturb him, so she had decided to be patient until it was necessary for him to get up and dressed for their evening out. Thankfully, the children had been enough to keep her busy throughout the afternoon. After taking them out grocery shopping, she then entertained them in between making some dinner for the three hungry mouths. Skye soon arrived on the scene and offered to take over so Sinead could get ready for her evening out.

Hearing the shower running, Sinead was pleased to know Peter hadn't decided against the date. She got ready in their bedroom and decided to make the most of the warm weather by putting on a little black dress. Summers were often wishy-washy, so she would grab every chance to wear clothes that showed more skin.

********​

Conor had been putting everything into work over the last few weeks. He'd made his presence known across the businesses as frequently as possible, keeping his eyes peeled for any further attempts at intimidation from the IWU. After hearing about the visit some of them had paid to the Fitz Grocery Store, he'd met personally with Griffin and Saoirse, as well as increasing protection in that area of town. He understood their need for vengeance and it was something that was constantly pumping through his own veins. Losing Tommy and Leo was still heavy on his mind. He was always trying to keep his anger from spilling out, but one thing he knew for sure was that he would make sure when the time came, it would be the IWU who would feel his wrath and not those he cared about.

Knowing he needed a break, he decided to invite Aliana out on a fancy date. Aware of how little time he'd spent with Sinead lately, he decide to invite both her and Peter out too. He figured it would be good to see how his brother-in-law was doing and he hadn't been completely oblivious to the fact Sinead barely hung out with Aliana lately.

*********************************​

During the drive to the cocktail bar, Sinead was seated in the back seat with Aliana. Hearing Peter question if they had enough room, Sinead couldn't help but scoff. "Hey, Ali and I take up very little space, I'll have you know," she playfully reminded her husband. She turned to her friend and smiled. "How have you been, honey? We haven't caught up with each other is aaaaaages!" she pointed out. She caught her husband's boyish smile and returned a flirty one of her own, hoping he'd noticed before he'd focused back on the road

Conor, meanwhile, kept his eyes on the road until Peter addressed him. He then turned to look at his brother-in-law and smirked about the choice of venue. "Why does everyone underestimate me? You think Conor Sullivan wouldn't be seen in fancy pants places? I'll have you know I'm a very cultured person..." he remarked. He shrugged his shoulders when it was pointed out the choice was excellent. "Well, I guess I can't take all the credit. Finn gave me the idea the other week. I bumped into him and that George bloke you shared a room with," he pointed out, deciding not to dwell on the "room" being a prison cell. "The Mayfair seemed like a classy choice."

"Isn't George the one who has the hots for Finn?" Sinead asked Peter, recalling one particular prison visit where the two men in question had ended up sitting together.

Conor couldn't help but chuckle at Sinead's absurd remark. "Ali, will you get that sister of mine under control?" he joked. Still, he couldn't help but cast a glance in peter's direction, seeing how the man had reacted to Sinead's question. His mind couldn't help but jump back to that evening a few weeks ago and how he hadn't been able to place some kind of awkwardness between Finn and George.

Soon enough, they arrived at their destination and Conor was forced to put his confusion about his cousin to one side for the time-being. Conor got out of the car and opened Aliana's door for her, reaching out to take her hand and help her out from the backseat. "You're looking hot," he spoke quietly into her eat before placing his arm around her waist.

Sinead smiled brightly when Peter opened the door for her and called her pretty. She accepted his hand and carefully stepped out of the car. She was generally clumsy in heels, though that was usually the case after a few drinks. For now, she was steady on her feet and maintained an elegance as she walked towards the entrance of the bar. "Thank you, Petey. My handsome prince," she happily told him. "Finn and George, though. Spill!" she eagerly whispered to her husband.

Bellz (Peter) Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright
After Ali's date with Blake, she was a bit more level headed... For a few days. The realization that her brother was gone set back in and the anger of it all came back to her. While she was still red-hot about it, a part of her was being able to contain it better. Blake's promise to her that they were all going to get through it and take care of those who had caused them pain. There was this wooden bracelet Leo had and she put it on her right wrist, seeing as the diamond one was on her left. She was tired of these two small pieces of jewelry becoming the only things she had left of people she loved. Soon, she was going to get the revenge she so desperately wanted.

In the meantime, she needed to get ready for her double date. Her evening plans had almost become forgotten seeing as she was sitting in a bubble bath. "I wonder what Conor is-" As soon as she said it aloud, that's when she remembered and scrambled out of her tub, bubbles flying everywhere. She was supposed to be done within the next hour but it took her normally 2 and a half; she was a slight perfectionist. By the time that hour came around, she was just finishing up her hair; the last thing she needed to do. She had decided to revisit the white marble dress she tried to wear before, having spent a pretty penny on it to begin with.

***

Sitting in the backseat with Sinead, she felt a little awkward. Not because she didn't like Sinead or anything like that, but because she hadn't spent a lot of time with her lately. She felt like she was cheating on her or something with the amount of time she was spending with Blake. However, she was going to try and make it up to her tonight. She gave Peter a small smile before shaking her head, agreeing with Sinead. "Unlike you two, we take up minimal amounts of space." Her attention then turned to Sinead as she took off her seatbelt to give her a hug. "Oh Sin I know!" Pulling back, she shook her head. "I'm sorry for that. So caught up in... Everything and I've neglected you. But don't you worry." Listening to Peter tease Conor and Conor give his retort, a sly smile appeared on her lips. She was going to make a comment, but the topic was moved on to Finn and someone named George. Considering she didn't know Finn that well, there would be no way for her to know about anything going on in his life. Ali shook her head at Conor asking her to calm Sinead down. "I'll have you know there's no controlling a free spirit, sir." She leaned forward to seductively whisper in his ear. "You should know that by now."

Once they arrived, Ali was now more interested than ever in learning more of Finn and George; what a scandalous relationship she thought to herself. Sinead seemed to be excited about it while Peter and Conor seemed on the fence about it. Her thoughts were interrupted when her door opened and Conor was holding his hand out for her to take. She placed her hand in his and carefully got out of the car. His warm breath tickled her ear and made her shiver, smiling at his comment. "I look even better without it on. Would you like to see later?" She teased, turning to face him. "And as always you clean up quite nicely." A quick peck on his lips and she would walk to Sinead's side to link their arms together. "Sorry Pete, but she's mine for the moment."


​

Peter ( Bellz ) Sinead, Conor ( Misty Gray )

 

[Misty Gray]

George Sanderson
​

Over the last month, George had been the happiest he'd ever been. He'd spent quite a bit of time with Finn, be it out somewhere interesting or just spending time together in his apartment. Whilst it was easy to dwell on wasting ten years of his life in prison, George couldn't help but think it was simply the path he had to take to end up where he now was. He believed he wouldn't have met Finn had his life gone any other way.

The journey to the coast had be a great one, with George's eyes focused out to the sea as they got closer. The man couldn't help but stare at and appreciate the view, having spent so long dreaming about seeing it all again. A content smile was planted on his mouth for much of the drive. In all honesty, his expression had remained such a happy one upon spending the day at the beach with Finn. To anyone watching, it would just appear to be two friends having fun and that was the image the two men had intended on presenting to the outside world. It would have been better to be able to be completely themselves, but George knew it wasn't quite so simple.

Finn hadn't managed to successfully shield his skin from the sun and as the man admitted he'd made a mistake, George frowned sympathetically. "Ah mate..." he began, packing his things back into his bag. "If I could rub some aftersun on you right now, you know I'd do it in a heartbeat!" he assured him. His sad expression was washed away by a humoured laugh when Finn said he wouldn't be tanning again. "I mean, the responsible thing for me to do is to make sure you don't do this again, but how else am I going to get to see you walking around without your top on all day?" He pulled a a comical face when asked if people would mind him keeping his shirt off. "Well, if they've got any taste they won't mind at all. I'm certainly enjoying the view this evening," he flirtatiously told him.

George flung his bag over his shoulder and walked back towards the car park with Finn. "I've had an amazing time, Finn. I don't think it could have been more perfect. I got to see the beach after such a long time and I got to share it with someone I care about. I dreamed of standing in the sand with the waves crashing around my feet as I looked out into the open, peaceful world. However, today was better than that dream because in reality, you were here with me. I honestly couldn't have dreamed anything as good as this day." George looked to Finn and admired his features for a moment. "Where to now, my good man?"

Bellz (Finn)

James Porter​

James heard the knock at the door and let out a deep breath as he counted back from five. He was sure it was Emery again, no doubt knocking on the door to say she'd left something else or just to try butter him up with her big, bright eyes. He wasn't feeling up to giving into his niece on this particular occasion. Still, figuring the stubborn child would only continue to knock, he got up from his seat and rushed towards the door. He pulled it open and his head immediately tilted down to where he expected he'd see little Emery's face. However, he soon realised it wasn't his niece and he quickly lifted his head to see Gwen. He hadn't expected his sister but he still managed to allow a welcoming smile to form on his face. "Gwen. Is everything okay?" he asked, instantly wondering if there was some trouble for her to be standing outside his office.

Meanwhile, James felt the dogs brush passed his legs as they plodded into his office. He looked over his shoulder, seeing Samson panting a little before wasting no time in curling up alongside the sofa. The rottweiler was getting old and James had noticed as much during their walks. Long gone were the days of guarding the house and now the eldest two of the pets were content in lounging around the family for comfort and rest.

James flicked his attention back to Gwen and moved aside to let her step into his office. "Do you want to sit down or something? I mean, is this business or social?" he asked. It suddenly felt a little more awkward than it had in the hospital. Perhaps he'd been more distracted and had his condition in hospital to hide behind, but now he realised it wouldn't be quite so easy to break through any atmosphere. He wasn't the most open with his feelings and small talk, so he knew he'd struggle in the present situation. "I'm sorry, I'm just... trying to settle back in. I guess it's a little different seeing me now. Less bandages and now I'm out of bed..." he trailed off, letting out an awkward laugh.

Bellz (Gwen)

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

Peter smiled, his cheeks burning red as Sinead called him hands, accepting his hand as she stepped out of the car. He noticed something different about his wife tonight, an air about her that normally wasn’t there. Something was missing…she hadn’t tripped up in those heels yet, he hadn’t needed to catch her when she fell for she walked with elegance ahead of him slightly, causing him to stare at her backside for only a moment, a boyish smile forming on his lips again before he looked away and shut the door. Sinead begged him to spill about Finn and George and Peter shrugged his shoulders.

Peter had only heard what Finn told him, which wasn’t very much. It would appear that the two men were something of an item but Peter wasn’t sure if it was his place to tell his wife such details. Looking ahead, he saw Conor and Ali were busy with each other before turning his head back to his wife, ”Oh you know, that’s amore..” He said, purposefully being vague. He was going to clue her in a little more when Ali walked towards Sinny, taking her arm in her own, apologizing for taking her for the moment. Peter held up his hands and smiled, ”Who am I to deny a lady of such a beautiful little Tink?” He said, before nodding his head towards the bar. ”We should head inside, don’t want to look odd just hanging out in the parking lot do we?”

With that, Peter stepped away from the two ladies but kept to the side of them as they walked towards the bar, not wanting to walk ahead of them and have them be out of his eyesight. Eye glanced around them as they got closer and closer to the bar, taking in all the surroundings, every crack in the street, puddle on the sidewalk, it was all accounted for. The man exhaled as they finally made it to the doors where the bouncers were waiting.

Peter nodded his head in greeting as they passed through the doors into the establishment, immediately greeted with light piano music playing and low lighting. Thanks to the reservations that were made, they were lead to one of the private booths towards the back of the place. Once at the table, Peter pulled out a chair for Sinead before taking a seat in his own chair. His eyes watching her as she did so, they showed nothing but admiration and love for her. She looked amazing tonight, ”You look good enough to eat.” He commented, reaching out and taking the woman’s hand lightly.
with: Conor + Sinead Misty Gray ; Ali Melanin-Gxdess

Finn Sullivan​

Finn frowned lightly as George spoke about rubbing aftersun on him, if only he could. The doctor was still having a hard time keeping things to himself, wanting so much to show off George to the world for the wonderful man he was and claiming him as his own…

He was pulled from his thoughts as George spoke about him walking around without his top on, causing a blush to form on his already pink face. Finn chuckled regardless as George flirted with him. ”Take in all the views you can, cuz when this starts to tan, I will be covering it up to hide the embarrassing unevenness.” He said teasingly. As they walked towards the car, George spoke, saying that he had an amazing time, which made Finn smile widely as he turned his head to look at the man, taking in his words as he spoke. He was touched to hear that George felt the day was better than what he dreamed of because Finn was there with him. ”You are giving me a sweet tooth, Georgie.” Finn mumbled embarrassed as he turned to look at him as well. When asked where they were headed to now, Finn bit his lip.

The car was only a few feet away as the men approached it and Finn hummed lightly in thought, ”Grab a bite to eat? I don’t want to leave this area quite yet. I have a small surprise for you.” He said, a mischievous grin forming on his face now as he unlocked the car, placing the bags he had inside the back seat. One rubbed against his burnt arm and the man hissed lowly, ”Fucking hell.” He said before shaking his head. ”Maybe its better I put on a shirt, keep things from scratching at my skin.” He zipped open the bag and found a light button up shirt to place on before he closed the car door and looked to George.

”We can walk down the boardwalk a bit and find a quick bite.” Nodding his head, Finn’s hand twitched as he wished he could reach out and take George’s hand. He had to remind himself that he would soon get some alone time with him and that he just had to be patient. ”What are you feeling up to eating?” He asked as the two men started to head back towards the line of places up and down the boardwalk, dimly lit by the tall street lamps as the sun was finally setting.
with: George Misty Gray

Gwen Sheehan​

Gwen almost knocked again when the door suddenly opened, her brother looking down which cause Gwen’s eyebrows to shoot up in curiosity, she wasn’t that short was she? James eventually turned his head up to look directly at her, a welcoming smile formed on his lips and Gwen returned to smile. He asked if everything was okay and Gwen’s brows furrowed in slightly confusion. Did people only visit him when they were in some sort of trouble? That thought worried Gwen. She was sure with the power her brother had, he was a very very busy man but she hoped that people also realized that he was human. She even had to remind herself that, feeling intimidation creeping into her gut as she continued to look at him.

She felt the dogs brush past her into the room and this caused a small laugh to escape her as James looked back towards the pups before turning to meet her gaze again. Nodding her head softly at the offer to sit, his question about this being business or personal once again puzzled her. She would never ask of anything from him, so definitely not business. ”Personal. I thought that I could take my night off to come see how you were doing.” She said as she walked past him into the large office, taking in her surroundings. It reminded her of her stepfather’s office, which she had only seen 1 time before…boy did she learn from that mistake.

She exhaled softly, reminding herself that James didn’t have any sort of similarities to that man. The woman walked over and took a seat beside Lady, who opted for jumping and sitting on the sofa. Gwen reached her hand out gently and patted the pup a few times, to which she curiously sniffed at her. There was an awkward silence between the siblings that was very easy to read. Gwen bit her lip and looked up to James who looked just as awkward as she was starting to feel.

He spoke, apologizing for situation at the moment. Gwen could really get a good look at him now that he wasn’t covered in bandages. A soft smile formed on the redheads lips as she shook her head slowly, ”No worries…this is your house.” She reminded him, ”You look so much better.” She commented on his appearance. There was another silence between them before Gwen spoke up once more.

”I wanted to come learn some more about you, now that you are up and about…and hopefully not busy. If you are I can leave by the way…”
with: James Misty Gray

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Although he had been ecstatic to have his father back home, Syd knew that Lucy wanted him to rest as much as possible and so had done his best to keep out of the man's way. It had been three weeks since James was dismissed and, knowing that he would have a lot of work and rest to catch up on, Syd had decided to occupy himself by taking on more work in the garage. He was aware that the IWU was taking over his mind - in some way, he had predicted from the very beginning that the family business might have this kind of effect on him, but that still hadn't prepared him for any of the things he had experienced since taking on an active role.

Being in the garage put him right in his element. Having worked there from the age of 14, he knew what he was doing and so each project presented him with a challenge that he knew he could easily overcome alone. It restored some of his confidence in himself that had been recently compromised. His date with Skye to Dublin Bay last month had been something of a wake up call to him that he ought to start paying better attention to his mental health, so going back to work in the garage was a way to recharge. Now, especially with his dad back at home, he felt somewhat more grounded. On top of that, he had started to dedicate more time to training - even though he knew it wouldn't make him invincible, he would still feel more confident out in the field knowing that he had been doing all he could to prepare.

Syd was working on several projects at once and before he knew it, time had slipped away from him. Once he realised that the sun had gone down, he decided to close up for the day and soon entered the house, his face and hands stained with dark smears of oil and grease. Immediately he heard the argument between Emery and James and the little girl stormed out of his father's office, clutching the rainbow cat toy that he had won for her at the Christmas fair with Skye. "Oi, no shouting, you little monster," he taunted her. "Or I'll get dirt all over that cat!" He lunged at her with his filthy hands, as though about to follow through with his threat. The doorbell sounded then, prompting him to head into the bathroom to wash up a bit. When he wandered through the corridor again he saw Gwen waiting outside his dad's office and greeted her casually as he passed by, a slightly mischievous smile upon his face at knowing the mood his father was in - it was within his power to warn her, yet he chose not to.

"Hey mam, want a coffee?" he cheerfully asked as he entered the kitchen, heading straight over to the kettle. While the water was boiling, Syd turned to his mother and watched as she set about arranging a fresh bouquet of flowers in a vase. "Are those from Gwen?" he asked, nodding to the flowers in her hand. Since he spent so much of his time over at the Callahans' these days he had become acquainted with the red-headed woman, but all he really knew about her was that she was a colleague and friend of Sinead's. Knowing his aunt wouldn't currently be at his house, he wondered why Gwen was visiting. He had seen her waiting to enter James' office, a room he knew his father didn't open to just anyone - it was full of private material that he wouldn't want anyone outside of the business to see. Yet, as far as he knew, Gwen wasn't in the family business. The thought made him curious and a puzzled look formed on his face. With his gaze still held on the bouquet of flowers, he asked his mother, "Do you know why she's heading into dad's office?"

Interaction
Bellz Lucy

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan and Sinead Callahan​

Conor kept close to Aliana and chuckled when she pointed out that she looked better without the dress on. She then asked him if he would like to see the proof later, to which he quickly nodded his head. "Yes, Ma'am, I would!" he assured her. Aliana then kissed him on the lips, bringing a smile to Conor's face which lingered for a little while. "I do my best, love." When Aliana went to link arms with Sinead, he didn't feel so bad, having wanted the two ladies to spend some time together anyway. He placed his hand on Peter's shoulder and shrugged. "I guess that means you're stuck with me for now, mate," he informed his brother-in-law.


Peter hadn't given much away to her regarding Finn and George, so Sinead decided she would drag it out of him at a later time. She was far too curious to let the matter drop, especially as she loved the idea that Finn was happy again. Whether that was with George or with a woman didn't matter to Sinead, she just loved hearing others were happy and love was stronger than any boundaries. She was soon dragged out of her daydream when Aliana linked with her arm to take her away. The redhead blushed upon hearing Peter call her beautiful - she never tired of hearing her husband's sweet words. Keeping close to her friend, Sinead headed into the bar, with the two men following behind.

Sinead couldn't help but smile upon entering the bar. The music and the classy atmosphere sucked her in immediately. "I can't believe I haven't been here before," she admitted. As they were led to the booth, her smile only grew more. "Isn't it lovely to be spoiled?" she gleefully asked Aliana as they walked. They then reached the private booth and Sinead unhooked her arm from her friend's so she could accept the seat Peter had pulled out for her. "Thank you, kind sir!" she playfully told him. Once seated, she caught the way Peter was watching her and she bashfully looked away for a moment before focusing back on him. "Oh, Petey..." she softly said as he complemented her. "Now, now, Mister. You'll have to wait for dessert until we get home," she flirted.

*****​

Conor, meanwhile, had also been a gentleman, pulling the seat out for Aliana and waiting until she was comfortable before sitting down next to her. "What do you think to this place, Ali?" he curiously asked her. "Does it make you think 'Conor Sullivan is a real cultured bloke'?" he playfully asked asked. In a brief break in conversation, he heard his sister flirting with Peter. It didn't matter that the couple in question were married - it was too much for Conor to handle when still sober. Besides, he needed to check in with the bar manager that the IWU hadn't been back before getting comfortable. "Alright, Callahans. This is too soppy for me to be hearing so early into the night," he teased. He then stood up and cocked his head to the side, motioning for Peter to follow him to the bar. "Private man business," he said, before Sinead could tell them off for leaving the table.

Once they were walking towards the bar, Conor turned to his brother-in-law and smiled. "How's it going, mate?" he asked, clearly referring to his readjustment to the outside world. Conor had been aware of the initial problems between Sinead and Peter. As much as his first instinct had been to stick up for his sister, he knew things were more complicated than that and it was up to the married couple to take time to figure out for themselves.

Bellz (Peter)

*****​

Sinead pouted as the men walked away but then turned to Aliana and softly smiled. "They'd better be having boy conversations and not talking business!" she pointed out. "Meanwhile, I'm so happy to see you and Conor so close! I knew you two would get together eventually... like, romantically and not just 'doing it' every so often," she remarked. She was about to say something else but was distracted by the sight of two men who were now standing nearby. By now, Conor and Peter were over at the bar, so unable to see the unknown men from their spot. "Ugh. Those two creepy guys keep gawping over here. They better know this is a private booth!" she pointed out, with a hint of sass in her tone.

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright

With her arm linked with Sinead's, she nodded her head in agreeance of how nice it was to be spoiled. "Indeed it is. It helps that the boys know how to do it so well." Ali gave her friend a quick wink as they entered the restaurant and were led to their table. She let go of Sinead's arm and took her own seat, adjusting her dress as she did so. It was already showing a lot of skin so she had to make sure it wouldn't show too much more. It was early in the evening afterall. She thanked Conor and threw her hair over her shoulder before smiling at Conor. If she were being completely honest, she was kind of zoned out at the moment. Maybe it was the fact that she hadn't seen or really been around Conor for a while and she was enjoying the moment she was getting to spend with him. Or because she was realizing yet another new fact about herself. Whatever it was, that small smile on Conor's face was causing her to zone out.

His voice brought her back to reality as she tried, and failed, to smoothly recover. "Hm? Do I think it makes you look cultured?" She repeated. Ali playfully narrowed her eyes and softly took his chin between her thumb and index finger. "Mmm no. But the effort is cute. In all honesty, I like the more rugged Conor Sullivan." She then moved her hand up to his cheek as she slightly tilted her head to the left. "Part of the reason why I like you so much." She was careful to use the right words, as she had this superstition that once you say certain things, it became real and you'd have to acknowledge it. Currently, she wasn't in any mood to acknowledge anything.

Conor then turned to Sinead and Peter, telling them to knock of their flirting. Ali shook her head, "Oh, don't be a spoilsport!" She joked. When he mentioned they needed to take of some "private man business" she took a deep sigh and gave a tense smile. To say she was annoyed was an understatement, but she understood that there was never a time Porter men didn't have business to take care of. Luckily, Sinead was there to keep her distracted long enough. "Oh, I doubt they are." A waitress came over, asking what they would like to drink and Ali simply replied by asking for the strongest drink they had. At the mention of her relationship with Conor she nodded her head, unable to contain her smile despite her annoyance with him at the moment.

"You think so?" Hearing people who knew about their earlier relationship say they were rooting for them to be together never got easier. Sure it made her feel good, but it often made her relapse when she wasn't even thinking about relationships. "Well, I for one am happy I'm with your brother... Don't know where I'd be without him." She bit her lip and cleared her throat, changing the subject. "You and Pete seem better than ever. Dish all the gossip." Sinead brought two mean staring at her to her attention, to which she was immediately put on alert. Unfortunately, she didn't have her gun on her; a part of her was hoping she wouldn't need it. So instead, she slid a knife off the table and hid it under her thigh before addressing the men. "You know, if you took a picture it'd last longer."
​

Conor, Sinead ( Misty Gray ) Peter ( Bellz )

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

When Gwen confirmed her visit was personal, James nodded his head. He honestly wasn't sure what else he was expecting. Why would it have been business? Still, that confirmation made him turn his back completely on his desk and keep his body turned to face the sofa instead. Whilst he preferred to keep his office for business, he felt moving their conversation into the lounge could prove daunting for her, especially with the likes of Shannon or the Callahan kids bossing around the place. He smirked when his sister said she'd come to see what he was doing. "Oh, you know. Definitely not getting up to anything at all untoward..." he remarked, knowingly tapping his forehead with his index finger as if letting her in on a private joke. With the nature of his business, of course he'd be doing something not quite above board.

Once Gwen was seated, James also sat on the sofa, with Lady remaining comfortably between the two siblings. Samson remained on the floor, moving to position himself closer to James' feet. The nodded his head in agreement when she told him he looked better. "I feel better," he confirmed. "Looking forward to catching up with my workouts, mind you," he said, looking down to acknowledge his still healing arm.

Hearing Gwen say she wanted to learn more about him made James awkwardly bite his lip for a time. "No, I don't want you to leave..." he told her. "I'm not sure how much you want to know? There's good bits and a lot of bad bits..." he admitted. "I guess pretty much all of the good bits are right here in Dublin," he admitted. "You've already met my amazing wife, Lucy, and little Thomas. But there's a lot more family for you to meet, as soon as you're ready. For quite a while, Lucy and I couldn't have children of our own, so we adopted. We have Syd, Delilah, Mallory and Arlo. They're all into their own things and I'm proud of them all. You'll love them," he assured her. "What about you, Gwen? Any siblings of your own?" He then grinned. "Husband... boyfriend?" he curiously asked, hoping to lighten the mood whilst worrying he was asking corny questions along the way.

Bellz (Gwen)

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter​

Lucy was continuing to fiddle with the flowers that Gwen had got her when Syd walked into the room, asking if she wanted some coffee. ”That would be lovely.” She murmured to him, her nose scrunching up as she looked at the arrangement she had made. ”Yea, aren’t they beautiful?” She asked her son as she pushed the vase back a bit and leaned against the counter, wanting to put her full attention on her son now, who she hadn’t been able to be alone with like this is what seemed like ages. It felt like that with all the children lately, except for little Thomas, who had no choice but to deal with his mummy hanging around him all the time.

Now that Syd knew that Gwen was here, she was sure the kid would already begin putting some of the pieces together, especially since Sinead was out on a date tonight. The puzzled look was clear as day on his face and Lucy watched as her son continued to look at the flowers. The question she had been expecting was asked and yet, she had doubts about being honest with him. Hesitating, she wondered if now was the best time to reveal that Gwen was James’ sister. She knew that James would most likely want to tell the rest of the family himself, a formal introduction of the girl to them all, but with Syd asking…she wasn’t going to be able to hide it for much longer and she didn’t feel right lying to him.

”Well…” She began as she once again returned to fiddling with the flowers a moment. ”Gwen actually came to visit your father a few weeks ago, bringing some interesting and unexpected news to him about his father, Ronan as you’ve heard.” Lucy couldn’t help but wonder if Ronan had been with any other woman before he ended up in prison. Three separate women was a lot for just one man but Ronan had been different, more out there than others, at least that’s what she had been hearing. Her eyes looked away from the flowers and a soft smile formed on her face. ”Gwen is here to visit James, as they are brother and sister…” She hoped James would be okay with her revealing such news to their son, but Lucy didn’t see any other way around it. ”This family just keeps growing and growing I tell ya.” She commented with a small chuckle.
with: Syd Pyroclast

Peter Callahan​

Peter was about to say more to his wife when Conor told them to quit it. Rolling his eyes, Peter winked Sinead’s way before sighing, ”Alright alright ya big bloke, calm down.” With a nod of his own, Peter stood up slowly, giving Sinead’s hand a squeeze before letting it go. Raising a brow as Conor said they had, private man business Peter followed him regardless. As they walked towards the bar, Conor turned to him with a smile and asked how it was going, the questioned was pointed and Peter knew exactly what he was asking. ”Its been getting better every single second since I’ve been out of that place.” He told the man, not wanting to admit that he’d been not himself again lately. He stood in silence as they made it to the bar. Once drinks were ordered, Peter felt that maybe it would help to talk a little bit more about it all.

He didn’t really have a chance to speak with Sinead about Darius, at the time, he just found it all far too painful to relive and the last few weeks he’d spent trying to forget the man was even out of that hell hole. ”To be honest with you, mate. I lied. Sinead and I are doing well, she’s what keeps me getting out of the bed everyday…or at least most days.” His eyes looked back to the two ladies sitting at the table before he looked to Conor once more. ”I ran into the man who’d made my life a living hell in the joint. He’s walking amongst the free world now…and I don’t know what to think.” He murmured. Shaking his head, the words came out like vomit, ”I’m just terrified…I know its stupid, he’s moved on from the likes of me now that he’s out but I just can’t get the feeling that he’ll come for me out of my head…he had been civil with me at the alley…” Peter’s eyes looked to the table again and that’s when he noticed the two men staring at the ladies.

The man said nothing about it at first, not wanting to start any trouble if he could avoid it, especially with Conor. He loved his brother in law dearly, but the man was known for violence and if they weren’t careful tonight, things could end badly. When the two men continued to stare, that’s when Peter finally said something, ”Look.” He stated simply, pointing to the man. ”We should head back.” A feeling in his gut told him to get back there immediately, one that he felt he just couldn’t ignore.
with: Conor Misty Gray
mentions: Ali Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan and Sinead Callahan​

Conor was glad to hear things were getting better for Peter since being released from prison, having worried about him for some time. He softly smiled and nodded along when he was told things were doing well with Sinead. "Tinkerbell adores you, mate. She may be persistent, but you know you're in good hands and she'll do everything in her will to support you," he assured him. He remembered growing up and how she had been one of the only ones who was able to calm him down during his rages. Despite her small stature and seemingly naive ways, she was strong-willed and determined when she put her mind to it.

Upon hearing the man who had made his brother-in-law's time in jail most difficult was now on the outside, Conor's jaw tightened. It frustrated him to know Peter had been alone and left to defend himself in jail; that with all their contacts nobody had been able to support him on inside. "Mate, he's not going not come for you. Not if he knows what's good for him." It was reassuring to hear Darius had been civil when they'd bumped into each other, but his point still stood. "I'll knock him into next year if he happens to cross my path..."

Conor's casual threat trailed off when he noticed Peter looking away. The man soon returned his attention to him, but once again looked back to the ladies. Conor looked in the direction Peter was pointing at and also noticed the two men. Perhaps it was innocent, but he wasn't about to take chances with Sinead and Aliana involved. "Getting back sound like a good plan," he echoed Peter and walked back towards the table with him.


Bellz (Peter)

"Awww," Sinead gushed, placing her hand to her heart as she listened to Aliana speak about Conor. "I'm so glad to hear that. You two are so perfect together! Even if he is a big dork and you're a smart, glamour puss!" She then blushed when the conversation was flipped to herself and Peter. "I still worry about him sometimes, but mostly things are wonderful between Pete and I. I can't get enough of him. Things were so distant and empty when he first returned, but now I feel like he's back and more passionate than ever," she said, briefly shielding her face with her hand to hide her embarrassment.

At mention of the two men, Sinead noticed Aliana swipe the knife but didn't draw attention to the fact. Her own gun was hidden in the lining of her handbag, but that was placed on the table and she wasn't sure how discreetly she could get to it, if needed.

Hearing Aliana's comment, the two men only stepped closer, seemingly using her words as an invitation to speak. "Sweetheart, I would frame that picture. Are you both models?" one of the men curiously asked. Ignoring any scent of hostility, the man parked himself on Conor's empty see and smiled as he looked the two ladies over. His eyes rested on Sinead's chest and then on Aliana's legs.

"Um, excuse me! My eyes are up here!" Sinead firmly told the man whilst pointing to her face, before scoffing at his actions. "And we're taken!" she told him, making a point of bringing her hand into view to show her wedding ring.

"I'm sorry, love. My friend and I just couldn't help but admire how good looking you two ladies are," the man told her, softening his tone a little. Despite the redhead saying they were spoken for, the burly man didn't make any effort to move from his spot. "Besides, if you both come out dressed like that, we're bound to want to admire the goods."


Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana) Bellz

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Sheehan​

The redhead could see how awkward her reasoning for being at the Porter’s home made her brother and she immediately regretted saying what she had, but he was quick to say that he didn’t want her to leave and she took that as encouraging. He spoke about being unsure of how much she wanted to know and Gwen shrugged her shoulders lightly, ”Whatever you want to tell me.” She clarified as he continued on. The way James spoke of Lucy made Gwen smile widely, she loved her and little Thomas already and she was sure she would love the rest of the family as well. She nodded her head slowly when James said that she would meet the family when she was ready. As excited as she was, Gwen was insecure of stepping into this new family of hers, knowing people would find it strange. The situation was an odd one, and a little hard to believe.

Gwen tilted her head as James told her about the children they adopted due to the inability to have their own for a while, the smile on her face was just as wide. This man was nothing like she expected him to be. She was so use to the coldness of her stepfather’s ways that she had pegged James as being just that. She was learning not to judge a book by its cover as James said he was proud of all his children and that she would love them. ”I already do.” She said sweetly, her smile only fading slightly as James asked if she had any siblings.

Shaking her head, Gwen said, ”My mother didn’t have any other children,” With a twinge of sadness in her voice. ”She, of course wanted more…” Gwen didn’t dare finish her thoughts as she sighed. Moving on to James second question about having a boyfriend or husband. This question caused her to hesitate, unsure of what the answer was. She didn’t have a husband but boyfriend…could she call Jason that? They had seen each other over the last few weeks exclusively…he’d stayed over at her place over night…in her bed. Yet she felt conflicted on what to call him. ”I’m…seeing someone.” She said, her cheeks turning pink. ”Not sure if I would call him a boyfriend though.” Gwen shrugged her shoulders lightly. ”You might not get to meet him though, big looking guy like you might scare away any chance I have of a love life.” The redhead teased lightly. A bag crinkled next to her and Gwen’s face lit up with excitement, ”Oh I brought you a present!” She exclaimed before turning to the bag, handing it to him.

”I know you don’t like flowers, so I figured you’d like this a little better.” In the bag was a brand new bottle of Jameson. ”That’s one of my favorites. I’ve learned the best way to get to know someone is through drinks, so I thought we could crack open this baby and chat. Might make it a little less awkward.” She chuckled. ”Its not just you.” She was quick to add.
with: James Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James maintained a friendly, encouraging smile as Gwen told him she didn't have any siblings, despite her mother having wanted more children. "I didn't know my mother until just over a decade ago. She's Italian and back in Chicago, Dad and the Sullivans didn't get along with her family. Understatement..." he remarked. "So, she got sent away when I was a baby and started a family back in Italy. I've got two half brothers and a half sister, but I've not seen them in some years," he admitted. He wouldn't go into why he hadn't seen them, figuring his presumption that the three of them would have much more honest lives over there might not sound like a good enough excuse.

When Gwen told him she was seeing someone, James' expression reflected his curiosity. Then, he let out a small laugh when she suggested he might scare the man in question away. "Ah come on. I wouldn't want to scare the lucky guy away. And if he is afraid, then he's probably hiding something," he half-joked. "Now I want to meet him just to put it to the test," he added. The conversation was soon diverted when his sister said he had a present for him. "Ah, well I guess I did just have my birthday," he pointed out, though it hadn't been much fun at all on account of him being confined to his bed on the day in question.

James accepted the bag from Gwen, nodding in agreement when she mentioned him not liking flowers. He reached inside to pull out the bottle of whiskey. "Ahhh. Now we're talking! Thanks, Gwen. I really appreciate it," he gratefully told her. He didn't need the encouragement, but he couldn't argue with her reasoning about the drink making things less awkward. He got up to retrieve two clean glass tumblers from his desk and then proceeded to poured some alcohol into each one, setting the drinks on the coffee table in front of them and sitting back down on the sofa. "Is there anything you're particularly interested in knowing?" he asked her. "About me. About Dad or Eli." He wasn't sure how much she knew about him and his business, not to mention his history back in Chicago. He wasn't sure how much of his criminal past she wanted to hear or would take to hearing. He cleared his throat and took a sip of his drink from the glass. "None of my stories are virtuous ones. I imagine you know something about my family business by now. Enough to know I'm far from perfect and I lead a pretty complicated life, so I don't have many wholesome stories to tell."


Bellz (Gwen)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright

It warmed Ali's cold little heart to hear Sinead approve of her relationship with Conor. A huge part of it being this was indeed his little sister. If anything, she wanted to have good relationship with Sinead as much as she did with Conor. While they already had a strong relationship, she wanted to make sure it was solid. That's part of the reason why she agreed to the double date besides wanting to catch up with her friend. It was Aliana's turn to listen to Sinead speak about her relationship with Peter, and she felt just as warm as the woman speaking. A large smile spread across her lips and it made her day to see her speak so happy about it. Well, her day was ruined by the men she was now having to deal with.

Watching as one of the men sat down, she raised an eyebrow at him. The audacity, she thought to herself. He was really bold to be sitting here as if he hadn't heard Sinead tell him to buzz off. As he talked, she leaned into him as if she were really giving him the time of day. His last comment is what made her slide the steak knife from under her thigh to press against his, inches away from his groin. It was like some sort of defensive yet crazy switch was flipped on the inside of her. There was a serious look in her eyes, yet the smile was still there. "You know. There are goods we'd also like to admire, yet they don't have to be attached to you." Shaking her head, she sighed. "I bet you're wishing you'd have listened to her about us having boyfriends and just walked away, huh?"

​

Sinead ( Misty Gray )

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

Peter knew it was foolish to think that Darius had any sort of thought of harming him anymore, but the paranoia was undeniable and it was hard for Peter to deal with. It was reassuring to know that his brother-in-law had his back if he needed it. It seemed that he was going to need it sooner rather than later as he stared at the two men, trying to assess the situation from where they stood. The feeling in his gut told him that it was time to get back and he was glad Conor agreed. Not waiting for him to walk ahead, Peter took long strides back towards the table, his stance tense as they walked up towards their private table, over hearing what Ali was saying about the men wishing they would have left the girls alone. Upon closer inspection Peter saw the knife Ali had pressed up against one man’s thigh, causing his eyes to widen slightly.

Something that may have been harmless was now being turned into something serious and as he looked around quickly, it was clear that others were starting to take notice of the tense situation, despite the privacy the table was supposed to provide. Clearing his throat, Peter grabbed both the attention of the ladies and the men and he crossed his arms over his chest tightly, his chin angled up in an intimidating sort of manner as he made eye contact with the men. ”I may not be an expert on women, but I know consent when I see it…What the hell are you doing over here, mates?” He asked, his tone lowering into something less friendly at the end.

The second man who didn’t have a blade pressed to his balls let out a harsh laugh. ”Can’t a couple of guys appreciate your women? They sure are something.” The hairs rose on the back of Peter’s neck at the tone the man was using, it angered him but he knew that now wasn’t the time to lose his cool. He looked to Conor, worried about his temper now. ”We don’t want any trouble, but keep your fucking eyes to yourself.” Peter threatened, his eyes then looking to Sinead.
with: Conor Misty Gray
mentions: Ali Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan and Sinead Callahan​

"Um. Excuse me!" Sinead exclaimed with disgust as she unconsciously place her hand to her chest to shield her cleavage. "We can wear whatever we want to wear and it doesn't give perverts like you permission to gawk at us. That's just not on!" she berated the man. Sinead took a deep breath as she listened to Aliana speaking up. Knowing people didn't often take her seriously, she envied her friend at times. Aliana was able to get her point across without sounding like a mere angry fairy. Sinead placed her hand to her mouth when Aliana alluded to removing the man's 'bits'. It was more amusement than shock that the redhead was trying to hide from her face. However, when she realised Aliana was actually holding a knife against the man's leg, she regained a serious expression. In the distance, she could see Conor and Peter returning. She nervously bit her lip, fearing her brother might not be quite as calm in the situation as Aliana was being.

"Hey, lady. Come on, now. No need to be like that," the burly man told Aliana. "Two guys compliment you and this is how you thank us. Stuck up, the lot of ya!" he told her. He remained tense, however, not wanting to make any sudden movements and risk damage to what was apparently where his brain was residing for the evening.

Conor walked back with Peter, picking up on the man's urgency and that only serving to make him feel tense himself. The fact one of the men was sat in his spot was more than enough to make Conor want to confront the prick. Upon arriving on the scene, Conor noticed Aliana with the knife against the stranger's leg. Part of him was proud of his girlfriend whilst the other part felt compelled to defend the woman's honour. Conor was about to speak up when Peter bet him to it, albeit in a more controlled manner than he was going to use himself. The thought of both Sinead and Aliana being pestered by the two creeps did not sit well with him at all.

When the second man laughed and complained about not being able to appreciate the women, Conor could feel his heart rate increasing rapidly by the second. He very quickly nodded his head when Peter told the men to keep their eyes to themselves. After a deep breath, he knew it was no good and he wasn't prepared to stand by whilst the two ladies were disrespected. He sent Aliana a nod and an expression that told her to move the knife away. He then roughly grabbed the burly man by the back of the collar and dragged him up from his where he was sitting. "You're in my seat, you fucking wanker!" he loudly hissed at the man. It was clear Conor was ready to do something more. Punch the guy or smash his face against the table, he hadn't yet decided.

"Conor!" Sinead yelled, standing up and staring her brother in the eyes. It wasn't that she gave a damn about the two men, but she cared about Conor and Peter. She didn't want them to lose control and especially not in front of an audience. "They've realised their mistake and now they're going to move along before it's too late," she said, staring at the two perverts.

Thankfully, two of the security guards arrived on the scene, having been alerted to the trouble by one of the waitresses. Conor took another deep breath, this time to calm himself down. "Get these two wankers out of here. They're not to step foot in this place again," Conor ordered the two guards. Once the men had been forcefully escorted out of the building, Conor sat back in his seat next to Aliana. He looked to his girlfriend and managed to send her a smile, making a conscious effort to calm himself down. "Looks like you had him good and proper," he lightly joked, managing to flash a smile. "Not sure there was much between his legs to begin with anyway!"

The same busty waitress who had taken a fancy to George a few weeks ago soon arrived at the table with the group's drinks. "Now what did I just miss?" Chelsea cheerfully remarked. "You know, those two guys were making a nuisance of themselves a few days back. They got thrown out then too, for trying to get this place to pay them for protection. They're part of that Union lot who have been causing you all so much trouble. Not that I know much about all that politics stuff," she said, dismissively shrugging her shoulders.

Conor grabbed his drink and quickly knocked it back. Had he known they were from the IWU sooner, he wouldn't have held back. "If I'd known that, I'd had stabbed both of the fuckers," he grumbled.

Sinead nervously bit her lip. Not only had she been made to feel completely uncomfortable and in some way violated, but it had now come to light she'd been in such close proximity to her family's enemies. She took a sip of her wine, her hand visibly shaking as she held the glass. She sat herself closer to Peter and gazed towards the exit for a short time. "Hey... When we've finished these drinks, can we get out of here? I need some air. The riverside is close by and there's less chance of being disturbed by jerks," she pointed out. She was suddenly starting to feel claustrophobic and knowing the IWU had been around the place had made the bar lose its charm.

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana) Bellz (Peter)

 

[Misty Gray]

George Sanderson
​

George grinned when Finn made his comment about taking in the view for as long as it would last, noting it would be covered up to hide an uneven tan. "There's nothing wrong with a little imperfection. In fact, anything presented as flawless is most likely a fallacy," he pointed out. He then visibly cringed before chuckling at himself. "I'm not sure that came out as romantic or complimentary as I intended it to be," he said, amused by his own words.

Finn's suggestion of getting something to eat was met with an enthusiastic nod from George. "I could certainly do with a hearty meal right about now," he agreed. He cocked his head to the side at mention of as surprise and he searched the other man's face for any clues. "A surprise?! Now you've got me all curious. When do I get this surprise?" he eagerly asked. He remained standing by the car as he waited for Finn to finish loading the vehicle with his bags. "Mate, you okay?" he asked, as the sunburned man hissed with pain. He then nodded as Finn suggested it would be best if he put a shirt on to protect his sore skin. "As much as it pains me to say, I think it would be for the best. Can't have you suffering now, can we?"

At mention of going for a walk, George looked into the distance, down the boardwalk. "I'd love that. I want to get as much out of this day out as I can." George noticed the way Finn's hand twitched and a sad smile took over his face. He too wanted to hold the other man's hand. He wanted to be able to express his feelings publicly and to be close to Finn wherever they were, without fear of how other people would react. He cleared his throat to break himself out of his deeper thoughts and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm easy, really. I guess one thing I always remember about visiting the coast when I was a lad is eating fish and chips. Does that take your fancy?" he suggested.


Bellz (Finn)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

"Sure," Syd agreed with a shrug. He didn't really have an eye for flowers - to him, the house looked just fine without any floral arrangements. Still, he recognised that it was kind of Gwen to have brought them, even if it did seem a bit suspicious. Lucy took her hands away from the vase and set her attention on him for a moment. A silence fell between them, filled only by the whistling of the kettle. Syd began to load the French press while he waited for his mother's response, wondering what on Earth she could be hesitating for. He poured the water in, leaning down on the counter to watch the granules gravitate to the bottom. After a moment, his mother spoke up, and from the tone of her voice Syd could tell his question had been one she hadn't wanted him to ask. His curiosity only grew and he looked up from the counter to watch her fiddle with the bouquet of flowers as she worked out her answer.

"But Ronan's dead," Syd pointed out, his brows furrowing deeper still. "What news could she..." Lost in his confusion, he gave up trying to work it out and instead waited for Lucy to fill him in. The man had died several years before he had been adopted so the two of them had never met, but James and Lucy had told him enough over the years for him to gather an impression of the kind of man James' father had been. Catching the smile form on his mother's face, his own expression softened.

Learning that Gwen was James' sister was certainly a surprise, but it drew no reaction from him. The sudden arrival of Matteo and Rayna a few weeks ago had taught Syd to expect the unexpected and so although the news stunned him momentarily, he was quick to accept it. "You can say that again. So she's my aunt, then?" he nodded to himself as he pieced it together. "A red-haired singer on both sides of the family...Sounds like Thomas has a fair chance of getting some of that talent himself." A smile grew on his face and he returned his attention to the coffee, carefully pushing the plunger down. He thought about all the times he had seen Gwen - it wasn't often, yet he now found himself putting each memory of her into a new perspective. Up until now, she had walked through the Callahan house as a mere acquaintance. In actual fact, she was far more than that. Had she been looking at him as her nephew this whole time? Syd drew a deep breath and peered down the hallway again, thinking of her sitting in his father's office having a chat. His gaze eventually settled on his mother and he bit down on his lip for a moment. "Why did you want to keep this a secret, mam?" he questioned her, trying not to sound too accusative. "Isn't it better to settle her into the family properly, with a big dinner or something? I wanna to get to know her, ask her things, learn about her. Can I do that? Or do I have to pretend not to know?"

Interactions
Bellz Lucy

 

[Pyroclast]

Little Sicily​

Evelyn McKenna

Over the past few weeks, Evelyn had thought she sensed a growing chemistry between her and Kennedy Sullivan. He was a hard man to read, seemingly closed off from his emotions, business-oriented, and always serious. But he intrigued her with his aura of mystery, and so she would often find herself wondering about him, sometimes accompanied by the memory of the intimate physical contact they had briefly shared the night that Leo was killed. Perhaps she was becoming a little obsessed, but she could only do her best to not let him consume her thoughts. After all, she had business to upkeep too.

When she casually suggested that they get dinner together, she didn't pose it as a date, but more of a friendly meeting. After all, Kennedy was not the most open of men, and she didn't have much of an idea of how he was feeling towards her in return. Still, Evelyn wasn't expecting him to agree, so it took her by slight surprise and instilled some hope in her that she might have made some kind of impression on him; she made sure to make herself look that little bit extra nice that evening in case he would notice. She arrived purposefully late by about 10 minutes, so as not to look too eager, and was pleased to find him already seated.

"Mr. Sullivan," she greeted him, smiling sweetly. "I hope I haven't kept ye waiting long. I adore this place!" A waiter came by to take their drinks order almost immediately, as though he too had been waiting for her arrival. Evelyn ordered a large glass of Rioja, fully ready to enjoy the weekend after a long week at the warehouse. "You deserve this, after all that's happened. I imagine it's been a hard time for the family recently...are ye managing to keep yourself busy? Your job as an advisor must be pretty heavy right now, what with Mr. Porter out of hospital and all. I'm sure he'll need ye around now more than ever." She smiled at the thought of Kennedy working in that beautiful manor where they had first met. Although Evelyn found herself somewhat attracted to his mysterious character, she still had no idea that he had lied to her about his occupation all those months ago.

Interactions
mpower Kennedy

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright

It didn't occur to Ali that this situation could have definitely been handled a lot better. However, she had become irritated and lost her patience with the man that was sitting in her boyfriend's seat. With that, she made perhaps the wrong judgment call in pulling the knife on him. But then again, he was being annoying so that justified it enough for her. His remark and the shock that settled on his face satisfied Ali enough, thinking that he may have learned his lesson. "Harassing two women isn't giving them compliments, ass." She stated. When Peter and Conor re-joined the two women at the table, Ali calmed down a little though she was still very tense. Peter made a remark about consent and how they should have left the two women alone. The woman never took her eyes off the first male and she didn't move her hand away either. At this moment, she didn't know what would happen if she had. They could try and retaliate because of her and she wasn't going to let any of that happen.

As soon as Ali glanced over to Conor for a bit of guidance, he silently let her know she could move the knife away. It took her a minute, making sure it really was okay before she moved back and set the knife back on the table. The next few actions that followed happened quicker than she thought they would as Conor pulled the man up. It was only when she heard Sinead's soft voice that she realized their night may have just been ruined. The two men were then escorted out of the building and everything else calmed down. Conor took his seat next to her, complimenting her ability to try and take control of the situation. She offered him a faint smile, her blood still boiling and her heart beating fast. At the moment, she was concerned about Sinead. Aliana was used to men gawking at her and making lewd comments but she didn't think Sinead was. She was sweet and the way those men were looking at her had pissed her off. "Sin, are you okay?" she asked in a concerning voice. One of her sole purposes in life was protecting her best friend from any and everything she needed to.

The waitress approaching their table took her mind off it momentarily, asking what she had missed. It then became known that the two were apart of the IWU, which was the only thing Ali heard come out of her mouth. She paused for a second, balling her hands up in fists under the table. That damn group had gotten on her nerves yet again and it was beyond annoying. It was an effect now, hearing any kind of mention of the IWU and she got angry. Though, she was trying not to as they were not going to be the focus of their date. She finally looked up to Conor and tilted her head. "Thanks, by the way."
​

Peter ( Bellz ) Sinead, Conor ( Misty Gray )[/CENTER]

 

[mpower]

Kennedy Sullivan ​

It was the first time in Sullivan's life that he had taken longer than ten minutes to think about his outfit. Usually, his dressed up style was improvised by his well-known taste for formal articles of clothing, but now it was more important for him to match to the taste of Evelyn. His mind had been working endless hours to find a suit in which he felt comfortable and hopefully let Miss McKenna feel attracted to him. Kennedy was on duty, but he could simply excuse it as an observation or investigation if anyone started asking later on, which was unlikely anyway. The timing of this 'date' had been filling up his schedule to the maximum but the desire to be near Evelyn basically forced him to forget about it and reserve this whole day for her.

Being a soldier and Police Detective, Kennedy had arrived fifteen minutes earlier out of habit, trying to look not all too slopp.. His outfit consisted of a burgundy three-piece with a dark blue tie which was decorating his collar. He really started to get nervous though after five minutes of her not having arrived yet, which lead him to order two glasses of water in a row to calm his nervosity. While he waited, his mind could not think of work for a longer time already, partially thanks to the heroin he had taken two days ago. More or less his thoughts went back to the scenery of the murder of Leo, but not because of the boy's death, which ashamed Kennedy slightly, but rather because of their small but intimate contact.

The moment she entered the restaurant his whole mood lightened up. Even though he wanted to compliment her clothing choice instantly and even use adjectives such as 'beautiful' or 'gorgeous', he could not withhold the following sentence: "For a manager, you really have bad time management." He chuckled lightly to indicate that he did not mean the words as serious as they might sound and offered her a seat. "But yes, quite a nice establishment here, comfortable." That distinguishable accent of hers was honey to his ears, though the words which were used were reaching to the opposite. Asking for his 'advisor' occupation just forced him to climb the ladder of lies further up, which meant that sooner or later he had to unwrap all of those in her face if he had the intention to remain an honest man.

"Yeah, it's been hard for us but we all managed to get along. There are always plans up for such emergencies, emergency protocols and such. Though I indeed had intense working hours recently, some folks think that we suddenly turned weak and such. How's the warehouse going though?" He quickly jumped to her occupation, fiddling with the glass in his hand to distract from his distraction, as funny as it may sound.
Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

Peter was expecting Conor to not stand around any further and didn’t react as he told the man the man that he was in his seat. Normally, Peter wouldn’t let things escalate any further but these two guys put a bad taste in his mouth, and he wasn’t going to let them look at his wife like some sort of prize to be won. Sinead didn’t take the small confrontation well and she stood up quickly from the table, Peter watched her closely as she moved to stare at the two men bravely, having to bite back a small smile as two security guards arrived moments later.

Luckily, they were alerted of the trouble and were ready to escort the two men out of the building. Conor had the final say when he ordered them not to have the men step foot in the place again. Peter watched as they were escorted out before moving to take a seat next to Sinead again. Blowing out a low sigh as he moved to wrap an arm around her shoulder, he pressed a soft kiss to her temple before offering a small smile. ”Well that was interesting.” He murmured softly.

”Those two creeps won’t be bothering ya anymore.” He assured her before the waitress arrived at the table. Peter’s jaw set as the busty gal informed them that the men were apart of the Union, his body tensing as he pulled Sinead a little closer to him. It seemed Conor was having the same thoughts as him in the moment, an opportunity to get back at the enemy, wasted. Turning his attention to his drinking, he hadn’t noticed Sinead biting her lip nervously as he eyes glanced down to the flickering flame of the candle in the middle of the table.

When he finally did turn to look at her face, he noticed that she was gazing towards the exit. He frowned with concern and moved his hand over to rub her arm lightly, nodding his head gently. ”Sure love, that sounds like a great idea.” He could see the familiar look in her eye, when she got too nervous. The paleness in her features also gave it away. Peter continued to rub her arm throughout drinks, reassuring that he would be right there by her side if anything were to happen.

***​

The rest of the time at the bar had been smooth sailing, but the tenseness between the group hung in the air, unable to dissipate completely after what happened. Sinead’s suggestion was one that everyone could agree on and so they set out to head towards the riverside close by, taking a nice walk under the moonlight. It was warm enough outside that Peter ended up slipping off his coat jacket, hanging it over his arm while holding Sinead’s hand with the other.

The water waded slowly with the pull of the stream, making light noises as it brushed against the coarse sand and pebbles on the short shore. Crickets chirped loudly around them, replacing the noise that the birds normally made during the day. It was peaceful, less crowded than the bar. ”This is nice Sinny. Good choice.” He complimented her with a smile. He stared at her appearance a moment before reaching over to move a strand of hair from covering her beautiful eyes. ”You are…stunning. I’ve told you that before, yes?”
with: Sinead + Conor Misty Gray ; Ali Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan and Sinead Callahan​

Sinead was relieved when they finally decided to leave the bar. She was sure it was a lovely place and the gesture would have made for the perfect evening out, had it not been ruined by those two horrible strangers. Besides, the evening wasn't a loss and she was still able to enjoy being in the company of three of the people she was closest to. The warm evening under the peaceful moonlight was perhaps even more romantic than their date would have been inside of the fancy club. The walk along the riverside was relaxing and the grip of Peter's hand holding hers filled her with a sense of security. It seemed to be just the four of them walking by the water. The only other sounds came from the river and nature. "I'm glad you liked this choice," she softly told him. "We still haven't planned that trip to the Lake District, so this is the closest we'll get until then."

Sinead felt Peter's hand move a strand of her away from in front of her eyes. She blushed as she turned her head to look at him. He told her she was stunning and she bashfully diverted her eyes away for a brief moment. She stopped walking and stepped in front of Peter, loosely draping her hands on his shoulders. "You have told me before, Mr. Callahan, but never stop," she sweetly told him. She then stood on her tip-toes in her heeled shoes and placed a kiss on his lips. "What would I do without you?" she quietly asked him.

*******​

The rest of the time inside the bar had gone peacefully, allowing Conor to calm down and focus back on his time with his loved ones. Soon enough, the four of them had left the bar to go for a quiet walk by the river. He knew it was to help Sinead fight off her anxiety, but figured it would also serve to help him calm down without any others around to aggravate him. The riverside walk was quiet and secluded, doing a lot to help the group feel relaxed. Conor placed his arm around Aliana's waist. Even though she had held her own, seeing the two IWU men trying to intimidate his girlfriend made him feel protective over her and wanting to hold her close. The situation hadn't exactly proved to be a dangerous one but it had still managed to make him feel concerned for her safety and well-being. They'd been an item for some months now and had been in each others' beds even longer than that. He knew his feelings for her had developed into deep ones and he wanted to tell her exactly how he felt, but he kept holding back out of fear of scaring her away with those words.

Noticing Sinead and Peter getting smoochy, Conor turned to Aliana. "Let's keep walking and let those two lovebirds have a little distance," he suggested, flashing her a boyish smile. "Besides, I want you all to myself for a little bit." He pulled her in a little closer as they walked and turned to her so he could place a gentle kiss on her cheek. "You know, Ali. I feel like the luckiest bloke around to have you at my side. I know I've messed you about in the past and I haven't exactly been the most reliable person in the world, but I'm not going to let you down again. I've been a little slow on the uptake, but I know now that I lo--" Conor suddenly fell silent as he noticed the two figures approaching from the opposite direction. His body tensed as the men's faces became clearer the closer they got. "Those two pricks," he growled, recognising the sleazy IWU goons.

Sinead's eyes briefly looked past Peter as she caught a glimpse of the men in the distance who were approaching Conor and Aliana. "Oh no. It's those guys again," she worriedly alerted her husband.

The fact the two men had harassed Aliana and Sinead had been enough to anger Conor, but now knowing they were part of the IWU enraged the big guy further. That group had already gotten away with too much, from killing Tommy and Leo, to hospitalising James. Conor was done with letting people walk over his family and he wasn't going to let any of their enemies keep swanning around like they had been doing. He pulled his arm away from around Aliana and told her to back away. He then marched towards the two men. He intended to punch the one who had sat himself next to Aliana in the bar, but the man ducked out of his path. Instead, Conor redirected his attention to the other man and punched him square in the jaw. Conor then grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and dragged him backwards before slamming his back into the wall of the closed market building. "Do you even know who you were fucking with tonight?" he furiously asked the man, stepping close so they were face to face. Conor could feel all of his pent up rage taking over and caught up in the moment, he felt no desire to rein his temper in. Anyone involved with the IWU was undeserving of his mercy.

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana) Bellz (Peter, IWU Fella)

The Clover Casino
​

Arlene Sullivan

Arlene had eventually stopped watching the group of young men as they continued on with their gambling without bickering amongst each other any further. She continued on her way, walking around the casino and casually observing the people around her as she did. She eventually stopped at the bar and hopped up onto a stool, ordering a single shot of vodka as she did. She knocked the drink back before slamming the glass down on the bar. Her attention was then drawn to Danny as he stopped by her side and sent her a friendly smile. James had asked the man to assist Arlene in keeping an eye on the place. "All good?" she asked the man.

"Yeah, nothing suspicious," Danny confirmed. He offered the blonde a cigarette, to which she accepted, and then lit one up for himself. "I've got to admit, I much prefer being out driving and following the action," he remarked.

"Is that right?" The older woman asked, blowing a trail of smoke out from between her lips. "I'm sorry I'm not as entertaining as the likes of Conor and Jackson."

"Hey now! I never said that. It's just... you're fucking scary, Miss Sullivan," he remarked. Before he had chance to dig himself any deeper into a hole, his attention was drawn to nearby raised voices.

Arlene stubbed her cigarette out into the ashtray and hopped down from her seat. She looked to the source of the commotion to find the group from earlier had since been joined by three other men, ones who didn't look to be a part of the same group of friends. "Come on, Danny. You might be getting some action after all."

"Woah! Come on now," Bradley argued, outstretching his arms to show he had nothing to hide. "How am I cheating?! You can't just accuse people of cheating every time you don't win." The young man's reasoning seemed to do nothing to control the other angry men, who persisted to suggest he hadn't won fairly. Arlene and Danny arrived just in time to hear the accusation and her eyes fixed squarely on Bradley alone.

"Funny, that. This is the second time tonight someone's accused you and you do seem to be one lucky son of a bitch," the woman reasoned.

"That's because he is cheating, Ma'am. Is this how all of Porter's places run? This ain't right!" one of the newcomers argued.

"I didn't cheat!" Bradley maintained, his tone remaining calm yet firm. "Never have and never will."

Arlene's jaw tightened as she grew impatient with the men around her. Catching the attention of two nearby bouncers, she beckoned them over. Considering everything that had been happening as of late, the last thing she wanted was for the Porters to look weak and to let people think they could get away with ripping the family off. Once the two large men arrived on the scene, Arlene pointed to Bradley. "I want you two and Danny to take this one out back. Show him that nobody gets away with pulling that kind of shit in here." Despite Bradley's pleading, Arlene didn't change her mind and instead turned her attentions back to the rest of the group. "I want you lot out of here. Now! No arguments."

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright
While the rest of their night went smoother, Ali couldn't help but think about their altercation. A part of her wished she had brought her gun so she would be allowed to be just as reckless as the man who had shot her brother. She couldn't actually do that without hurting more people she loved, so maybe it was good that she didn't have it with her. They were able to pick their night up from where the good times were left and continue. In order to focus on the time she was spending with Conor -- seeing as it didn't happen as often as they'd like -- she pushed the interaction to the back of her mind. She was glad Sinead mentioned taking a walk; something they all could have needed.

As Conor and Ali walked close to each other, she couldn't help but have a smile on her face. She placed her arm around Conor as best she could, the height difference being a factor. Seeing Sinead and Peter get lovey was warming her heart, actually making her think of her own relationship with Conor. In the beginning, they were just sleeping with each other. She was raised to never put her feelings on display, so she always supressed them. It wasn't until Alex came back and Conor left her that she began to realize she did in fact have feelings for him. It was strange, to say the least and she was not handling it well. She lost herself in the midst of everything until she was able to voice it. It was weird, but Tommy helped her get to this conclusion. He opened up a door for her and while she had come to the terms that she loved him, she didn't in the same way she loved Conor. She admitted this to herself, Leo and her mother and eventually she wanted to admit to everyone else. Yet for whatever reason, she couldn't say it. If she did, it would become real and she'd have to deal with what came after. She wasn't quite sure she was ready for it all just yet.

Listening to him speak, her smile grew wider and her heart started pounding. He was either about to say or do something and she felt like it was going to make her melt. At the end of his statement, she felt like he was about to say it which meant she could say it. Until he was no longer looking at her and instead two men walking towards them. "Conor." She said, trying to grab his arm and steer him away in another direction. It didn't work as he stood in front of her and pushed her to the side. While she was still pissed about the whole ordeal, she wanted to deal with it another time and enjoy the rest of the night. "Conor, stop!" She yelled, running up to his side to try and calm him down. "Look, listen to me okay? I want them dealt with trust me; but that time will come later." There was a slight hesitation as her voice cracked, her mind working over time to try and get to calm down. Hopefully, she thought, if I finish his thought from earlier he'll be okay.

"I love you and I don't want to say that through prison bars. You do something here and now and they are going to lock you up so please."


​

Conor ( Misty Gray )