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

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan and Sinead Callahan​

Still holding the goon's collar and standing dangerously close to his face, Conor heard Aliana's voice telling him to stop. He continued to stare daggers straight into the other man's skull, taking deep breaths as he attempted to control himself. Despite Aliana's pleading for him to back off, he didn't want to. He felt like he'd let those people get away with hurting his family for too long. Back in Chicago, he'd failed to protect those he cared about when it was his duty to do so. He couldn't back down again. He owed it to everyone who had stuck by him to help wipe out their present threat.

He then heard Aliana speak the words "I love you" and he finally took his eyes off the man, quickly turning his head to look the woman in the eyes. The fury his face had been showing was soon replaced his a more gentle expression. Were the situation not so dire, he might have even spared a bright smile at those words. "I love you too, Ali," he lovingly told her, quickly nodding his head to back up his words. He looked back to the man and once again pushed him back against the wall. This time, he let go of him and took a step back, apparently growing calmer by the second. Aliana was right, he didn't want to end up behind bars. Last year, he'd felt like he had nothing and didn't care if he ended up in a prison cell. But now, he was in love with Aliana and he had his daughter in his life. He didn't want to be taken away from them. "I know. I know..." he relented, quickly shaking his head as if trying to throw off his violent thoughts.

The other man, meanwhile, had hesitated as he deliberated between the choice of fleeing or aiding his 'friend'. When he'd decided not to run, he'd reached for his handgun and clumsily dropped it into the river next to him...


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

 

[Pyroclast]

Evelyn McKenna

Evelyn laughed out loud at Kennedy's teasing remark. "Sorry, I thought we'd agreed on 8:09," she sarcastically replied, with a swift glance to her watch. "Besides, technically managing time isn't part of my job description." She sent him a flirtatious wink, then noticed the effort the man had apparently put into his outfit. He looked disarmingly handsome, and despite neither of them calling this meeting a date, his three-piece suit gave her a strong impression of how he must feel towards her. Her cheeks coloured slightly at the thought that he had dressed up for her and she looked away bashfully. The waiter soon arrived with her glass of wine and she took it up in her hand straight away, her eyes held on Ken as he spoke. "Yes, I don't imagine any of yous are strangers to hard times," she said, shaking her head in sympathy. "I was raised by gangsters so I've seen my fair share of violence...Ye wouldn't get far without emergency protocols in place. Anyone who thinks ye've turned soft are bound to learn the hard way that that just ain't true!"

Realising she had been twirling the glass in her hand as she lost herself in his eyes, Evelyn finally lifted her glass to him and said, "Sláinte!" before taking a sip. "Oh, that's good," she whispered to herself, closing her eyes in delight. When Kennedy asked her about work, she shrugged. "It's going well, actually, nothing out of the ordinary for us. I do sometimes wonder if we've got a target on our backs, though. If -" her voice lowered immediately in case anyone around her might overhear "- If the union ever find out where the goods are kept, there'd be a pretty high chance of an attack I reckon. But, ye can't just stop livin' life, now, can you?"

Evelyn took a deep breath and smiled once more towards him before picking up a menu and beginning to browse through the selection."I can never decide on what to eat here - everything here is delicious," she sighed. "Maybe I'll just close my eyes and choose something at random. Sometimes it's best to leave things to chance, don't ye think?"

Interactions
mpower Kennedy

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

Peter smiled as Sinead stopped in front of him, a boyish smile playing on his lips as his wife told him to never stop calling her stunning, ”Yes Ma’am.” He spoke firmly before the woman stood on her toes to grace a kiss on his lips, which he returned with a bit of passion. When asked what she would do without him, the man shrugged his shoulders playfully, ”Everything you couldn’t do with me now?” He asked lightly before chuckling. ”I love you so much.” He murmured to her, not even noticing that Aliana and Conor continued walking forward.

Peter was far too interested in his wife to notice the two men walking towards them. But when Sinead’s eyes looked away from his, he noticed the worried look in her eyes and Peter’s curiosity had him looking towards that direction as well. His body tensed as he saw the two men, Sinead worriedly alerting him that they were walking closer. ”Its okay.” He murmured back to Sinead before slowly moving her behind him as they got closer. Peter watched as Conor marched towards the two men and he took a few steps forward himself, wanting to stop the man from doing any damage.

He was too late, as Conor was already swinging his arm, missing the first bloke but landing his fist into the face of the other. Peter let go of Sinead then, running towards Conor as he pressed the man up against the wall harshly. ”Woah! WOAH, mate!” Peter called out to his brother-in-law, trying his best to calm down the situation before it turned into something they all couldn’t come back from. Ali was there too, trying desperately to talk Conor out of what he was going to do.

Peter stayed silent, knowing the woman could do more than he could for Conor. His eyes turned to the other man while Ali was calming down Conor and that’s when he saw the man reach for his handgun. Peter was quick, reaching for his as well, not being nearly as clumsy as the other man seemed to be. The gun was held with both hand firmly as he held it and aimed it at the second man not being held by Conor. ”Not a wise choice.” Peter growled out to the man, keeping his gun on him regardless of if the man didn't have one.

Suddenly, laughter broke out and Peter’s head whipped around to see the man being held by Conor, laughing as if someone had just told him the best joke in the world. ”Don’t be wasting those bullets on Porter trash like these.” He told his friend, his eyes looking to Conor as blood continued to ooze from his nose, which was sure to be broken from the punch. From what the man had said before about messing with him, ole Alec here figured out that this little group must belong to those purebred pups. ”What’s wrong Conor? I thought you wanted to teach me a lesson?” He asked tauntingly, his eyes relaxed. He was almost sure that this man wasn’t going to do anything to harm him.
with: Conor + Sinead Misty Gray ; Ali Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter​

Lucy was more than relieved when Syd easily accepted yet another new person into the family. She nodded her head as he asked if Gwen was his aunt before a smiling as he stated that Thomas had a fair chance of getting some musical talents. ”Well, just remember that if he does, your father and I can’t play or sing for shit.” She chuckled lightly, never really minding that she couldn’t sing as beautifully as her sister or play an instrument. The smile on her son’s face was reassuring as she turned her attention back to the flowers a moment, fussing with them once more as she felt they could be much straighter than they were. It must have been crazy for her children, as it was already starting to feel that way for Lucy herself, to have so many people just popping up out of the blue.

There was a time when the blonde felt like she wouldn’t have any family in the future. Back in Chicago, it felt like any family she had was being shot down right before her eyes…and for a time here, it felt the same way. Lucy had been focusing on the colorful arrangement, so she didn’t see when Syd returned his attention back to her. The question he asked was a reasonable one, but for a moment, she found herself searching for an answer. Why did she want to keep the secret? ”Well, I think that now the cats out of the bag…it wouldn’t hurt for you to get to know her.” The blonde shrugged lightly as she sighed and turned away from the flowers, pushing the vase away to keep herself from fiddling with them any further.

”I just didn’t think it was my place to say anything, Syd.” She murmured with honesty, ”Gwen is your father’s sister and I felt that it was his place to say something when he felt ready. So many things have been happening around here lately…I think he wanted to take things one step at a time. This has to be a lot for Gwen as well.” Lucy said softly, looking to Syd finally as she frowned lightly. ”I hope you aren’t mad at us. When she told your father, he was still in the hospital…and it was best if he got better before really dealing with that news.”

Lucy smiled at her boy and reached out to caress his cheek lightly, ”I give you full permission to ask as many questions as your little heart desires, but just know that this might be a little overwhelming for her at first. From what I’ve gathered…she hasn’t been around a lot of family before.”
with: Syd Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Sheehan​

Gwen was interested to hear that James didn’t know his mother until a decade ago. It made her sad to think that he grew up without a mamma in his life. Gwen didn’t know what she would have done without her mother in her life, teaching her to be the best she could be. An ache in her heart followed the thought but she quickly shunned it away in hopes of keeping the conversation light. Speaking of Jason with her brother was odd, never thinking she would have an older brother to protect her…boyfriend? from. She still wasn’t decided on that term. The redhead let out a small gasp as James said he just had a birthday, watching as James reached inside the bag and picked up the bottle of whiskey. Smiling from ear to ear as he thanked her, she bobbed her head happily up and down. ”You’re welcome! And Happy Birthday!” She said happily before he got up to grab a couple glass tumblers from his desk.

She was sure James didn’t need a drink to calm his nerves, but Gwen would gladly finish the bottle as she was still feeling jittery. Once they were poured, Gwen immediately picked hers up to take a sip. When sitting the glass back down, she thought about what she really wanted to ask. The redhead had been thinking about this moment for a while and yet here she was, coming up short when it finally came down to it.

Gwen nodded her head slowly as James spoke of his family business, knowing that it was definitely different from the other family businesses she was use to hearing about, the normal ones. ”Well, I’ve done my research and I certainly wasn’t expecting someone perfect. “ She clarified as she reached out to pet Lady lightly.

”I want to know about your life. What your time was like with Dad and Eli? I know he was far from perfect as well, but aren’t we all when it really comes down to it? My mum kept him a secret and I just don’t understand why…I wish she hadn’t. I feel robbed of the time I could have had with you all, is that wrong?”
With: James Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan and Sinead Callahan​

Conor nodded his head when he heard Peter speaking to him, hoping to show him he was listening and apparently calming down. His brother-in-law's attention was then drawn away so he could deal with John, the clumsy IWU goon. Conor let out a deep sigh, realising how close he'd come to doing something hasty but feeling glad he'd stopped in time. However, that moment was soon lost when Alec started laughing at them. Mocking them and the loved ones they'd all lost. Conor's head snapped back around to the man and stared him down as he called the Porters trash. "You're calling us the trash? Are you fucking kidding me?" he angrily asked the man.

Alec's further taunts only grated on Conor more and reawakened the burning fury in him that Aliana had only just managed to extinguish. "Yeah, I want to teach you a lesson, ya smug prick!" Before anyone else could react, Conor grabbed the man by the throat and held him up against the wall. His eyes then caught Alec fumbling to reach for the sharp weapon that glistened beneath the streetlamp. Still holding the man by the neck, Conor smacked the back of Alec's skull against the wall, the impact causing an audible crack as the man cried out in pain. The IWU goon's grip on the handle was loosened, so Conor prised it from his hand before thrusting the blade of the knife deep into the man's left kidney.

"Oh shit..." Conor muttered to himself as for a brief moment he froze in shock. Realising what he'd done, he quickly pulled his hand away from around Alec's neck and pulled his arm back to withdraw the knife from Alec's abdomen, as if it would undo the severe damage he knew was already done. Having completely let go of the IWU thug, Conor backed away and dropped the knife on the floor. He looked to his bloodstained hand and quickly shook his head. His focus then snapped back to Alec, who was by now already losing a lot of blood from the stab wound. "Ah shit..." he repeated. He then looked to Aliana with a desperation in his eyes. She'd only just warned him against that very behaviour and he knew he'd even acknowledged what would be at stake if he hurt the guy. He knew he wanted the man dead, just like he'd wanted to put an end to the IWU once and for all. But he'd lost control, both in front of of loved ones and at the risk of being seen. He covered his mouth with his clean hand and let out a deep, pained breath. His eyes then caught Aliana and he looked desperately to her.

John, meanwhile, had kept his arms raised defensively as Peter aimed the gun at him. Still, he'd managed a smirk when Alec made his comments about the Porters being trash. That smile was soon wiped off of his face when he saw Conor attack his friend. "Mate, I'm not going to do anything. Just let me go," he tried to reason with Peter, clearly shaken by seeing what had happened to Alec. He hadn't expected the Porters to do anything, especially not after hearing how the big boss, Gideon, had made mincemeat of the Porters' leader.

Sinead had remained stood back a little, not wanting to get caught up in a crossfire but still wanting to stay close to Peter. The situation made her feel nervous, especially seeing her husband at work with his gun aimed of the IWU man. Any of those thoughts were soon overshadowed as she saw her brother pin Alec up against the wall. Everything seemed to happen so quickly before she saw Conor thrust the knife into the other man's abdomen. She immediately covered her mouth with both hands to force herself not to scream out loud and risk drawing attention to their secluded spot. She backed away and rapidly shook her head as the streetlamp gave enough illumination for her to see the dark liquid soaking through Alec's light blue shirt. "Conor!" she gasped as she looked to her brother's face. She was well aware of his temper and aggressive nature, but she'd always been able to help calm him down before he could cause too much damage. Considering how much he'd been holding back despite the heavy pressure the IWU was putting the family under, she couldn't believe she hadn't know to step in sooner. Everything had happened too fast. Sinead looked pleadingly between Peter and Aliana. She couldn't lose her brother... they had to help him.


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

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue​

The echoes of repeated gunfire faded from the alley. Stepping away from the shadows, Ryan approached prone bodies of the two IWU goons he'd gotten the jump on. After putting another round in each of their skulls to ensure their deaths, he returned his still smoking gun to its holster. With practiced ease, Ryan stripped the satchel the men had been transporting. The significant weight caused him to sigh as he made his way out of the alley.

"Four weeks of poaching and they still aren't getting any lighter..." Ryan said under his breath.

Barely a minute had passed since he fired the first shot, and he was already opening the trunk of the Fairlane that he'd parked nearby. The faint sound of sirens could be heard as Ryan threw the satchel in the trunk. Even though Ryan, the car, and his prize would be gone within the next 10 seconds, it concerned him as to how much the Garda's response time had been shortened since Morris became Mayor. They never caught a glimpse of Ryan, but he could feel his window to escape slowly getting smaller each time. Once he was in the car, Ryan made his way indirectly to the drop-off point.

* * *​

The glow of The Clover's neon lights could seen well before the building itself came into view. After pulling up to the valet, Ryan got out and handed the keys to the man that approached him.

"The usual, sir?" the man asked.

"Yeah. Private lockup." Ryan nodded, confirming the employee's assumption.

Although he was a bit underdressed, and still had the faint smell of gunpowder lingering about him, Ryan made his way into the Casino to bide his time at one it's bars. It wouldn't take long for the valet to take care of the satchel, but he was done for the evening, so Ryan wanted to enjoy himself a bit before heading back to his empty flat.

Once inside, Ryan could hear a bit of a ruckus being made on the opposite side of the casino floor, and could see it was from a man being hauled off by two rather large security personnel. Since the situation was under control, his gaze started to wander, and settled upon a somewhat familiar figure. Figuring that she'd make for better company than a whiskey glass, he detoured towards her.

"I hope you're not having too much fun, Ms. Sullivan." Ryan said, announcing his presence as he approached her turned back.


Misty Gray [Arlene]

 

[Misty Gray]

Arlene Sullivan​

Arlene stood with her arms folded as she watched the men shuffle off towards the exit. Her eyes remained fixed firmly on the group to make sure they left the building without causing any trouble on their way. She suspected a small part of her felt a little bad for the beating Bradley was likely being given out back. Considering she believed he'd been cheating, any such sympathy didn't have much hope at all of surfacing from the deepest depths of her mind. Even on the off-chance he hadn't been dishonest, she figured it would serve as a warning to anyone else who thought they could get away with trying to rip of the Porters and their customers. The IWU had left a bad enough impression as it was, so she was determined to reaffirm her family's power over the city.

Arlene had heard Ryan's voice from somewhere behind her, but didn't immediately turn to face him. Only when all of the troublesome men were no longer in sight did she turn to face Ryan who was standing behind her. "Mr. Donahue," she flatly greeted the man. She then used her arm to motion towards the exit. "I was just showing the trash the way out," she informed him. A smirk then crossed her face as she thought over the man's words. "I'm not having nearly as much fun as I'd like to be, if I'm being honest."

The blonde motioned towards the bar, clearly having her mind set on another drink. "Same again," she asked the barman, who then looked to Ryan to take his order. Once the staff members set about getting their drinks, Arlene rested her elbow on the bar and looked Ryan over. "And what are you up to this evening? I would have thought your preferred choice of company would be one of my cousins," she pointed out, referring mostly to Conor and Sinead, understanding their friendships went back over quite some years. "Though perhaps your evening has been all about business up until now?" she suspiciously commented, not oblivious of the slight scent of gunpowder on the man. "Have you been out causing trouble again?" she asked. She didn't doubt he'd been out on some kind of job for the Porters. She supposed she was presently doing the same, albeit less fun and dangerous than the work Ryan had likely been doing.

Fletchawk (Ryan)

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue​

Ryan shrugged slightly after Arlene responded, "That's a shame. At least it's not entirely uneventful."

Following her towards the nearest bar counter, Ryan ordered his drink of choice before turning his attention back to the blonde. Although she seemed more relaxed, he could tell she hadn't completely dropped her guard. Not that he blamed her, as she was still technically working.

He let a small smile grow when Arlene mentioned her extended family. Even though he'd been especially busy lately, Ryan had been able get together with a Conor a few times and catch up. Despite still harboring some feelings for Sinead, the extra work helped him maintain enough distance for them to shift towards something more platonic. For Ryan, this meant a kind of stability in his personal relations that he'd not had since he'd arrived at James' doorstep.

"I was just dropping off another Union donation, and decided to have a glass or two before turning in," he said, allowing the returning bartender to interrupt with their drinks. Pulling a fold of small bills from his pocket to pay for them, he continued, "Drinks are always better with a Sullivan, so I intended to tempt you to join me when I saw you, but you beat me to the punch."

Ryan snorted as the corner of his mouth tighten at Arlene's inquiry, belaying a bit of smugness. "Trouble? Hardly. Those Union boys are very cooperative when they hand over the money." Not wanting to dwell on business, Ryan took a sip of whiskey before turning the question on the blonde, "How about you? Not running off with enemy again, are you?" he joked, referring to the last time they were in each other's company.

Misty Gray [Arlene]​

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright

Ali let go of a breath she wasn't aware she was holding. Whether it was because her words had calmed Conor down to the point where she let go of the guy or because he had told her he loved her, she wouldn't know. She was going to have to address all of that at a more appropriate time where they weren't fighting with IWU idiots. Peter had approached them, leaving Sinead a little bit behind. A part of her was glad she was further away and not so close, seeing as the one Conor hadn't taken by the collar tried to pull a gun on them. Luckily, Peter had gotten to him before he could do anything that was absolutely stupid. All seemed to be going great until one of them opened their mouths again.

Just like that, Conor was riled back up again and Ali didn't have anything left to calm her down with. She had used the only thing she knew and now she needed to come up with something quick. "Conor, wait. Stop!" She didn't want to get too close, knowing that in his current stage Conor was likely to just lash out at anyone. In the next few moments, everything just happened so fast. Her eyes caught the knife that was brought out and when she saw it, she tried to react. "No, no, no dont-" she shouted, but Conor had already stabbed him. When his own realization caught up to him, he dropped the body. At that moment, it seemed everyone was looking at her to do something, anything, to fix the situation. She had no idea what the hell they wanted her to do, but when she realized they needed her, she got her shit together.

She turned to Peter and the remaining IWU fool, looking between them. They couldn't have ANY loose ends and at the moment, she could care less about what happened to him. He had joined the wrong side and unfortunately, he was going to have to pay for it. The night she went to the warehouse to blow shit up and shoot more goons was a night that changed her life forever. She had killed men and learned to live with it and that's just what she was going to do now. Before she addressed that situation, she turned to Sinead and pulled her into a hug. "It's okay. We're going to take care of it. Don't worry." She then moved to Conor, reaching up to cup his face in her hands. Her voice was soft and reassuring even though her eyes were scared. She tried not to show it, unaware of what might happen taking over her emotions. "Look at me. It's okay, it's okay. I'm going to fix this." She placed a kiss on his cheek, a long one before she went back over to Peter. "Alright Pete, I'm going to need your help here alright?" As she said this, she walked over to the side of the river where she saw the gun drop. She prayed the gun hadn't got swept up in the current and when she felt it she took a deep sigh of relief. "We can't have loose ends. But I can't have you going back to prison." There was a slight change as she shook the gun off, and made sure there was no more water inside.

"You should have picked your friends better..." She forced him over to where his friend now sat dead, positioning him. Ali then stood in front of the dead body and made the standing goon face her. She raised the gun towards his abdomen, trying to aim it right before walking closer to him and pressing the gun against the spot. "I'd say sorry but your filthy organization has taken too many things from me." She whispered, only so he could hear. They wouldn't have much time after she shot him, so she knew she had to move quick. Without a further second, she pulled to trigger at a point blank range, blood exploding on her pretty white and gold dress. His body dropped to the ground as he wasn't immediately dead, but he was soon going to be. Ali then quickly picked up the knife nearby and worked to wipe Conor's prints from them and did the same with the gun. In the man who she had just shot's hand she put the knife, making sure to put his prints all over. The dead man Conor killed, she did the same process but with the gun.

Aliana Cartwright was covering up a murder and for whatever reason, she was doing exceptionally well she thought. "They killed each other and that's the story. One got mad at the other because he called him a name or something. That's what happened." She told her three friends. "We need to get out of here and we need to do it now. I'm sure someone heard that shot." She stated, blood now on her hands as she washed them in the river before turning back to her group. "Now! Let's move!" She told them, taking off her heels.

Conor, Sinead ( Misty Gray ) Peter ( Bellz )

​

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

The thought of getting to know Gwen as his aunt excited him. Being adopted at the age of eight and then flown halfway across the world seemed to have left a lot to be discovered. Everyone had a complex history that they had mostly left behind, but in the past year Syd had seen a lot of people come back into his family's lives and each time it revealed to him a side to his loved ones that he hadn't seen before. He was learning more about his family's roots every time somebody turned up out of the blue, piecing it together bit by bit like a jigsaw. Syd walked over to Lucy to pass her a mug of hot coffee and held his own against him, leaning against the counter as she continued to speak.

Since he had joined the mob Syd felt like he had grown closer to his father. Being involved in the business meant that he was never left out of circulating information and plans, always kept in the loop. But Gwen's relation to the family wasn't about business - as Lucy reminded him, Syd had to accept that James was under no obligation to disclose personal matters to him, especially while he had so many other things to deal with. Still, he was glad that he wouldn't have to pretend not to know.

"Sure, of course," he nodded, when she explained that Gwen may find it overwhelming to meet and get to know everyone. "I mean, I remember what it was like coming into this family, so I can sort of imagine how she feels... It's a lot to take." He fell silent once more and looked away, thinking back to when he had first come to live with the Porters. Although the family hadn't been quite as big back then since it was before his three cousins had been born, the attention and love had taken him quite some time to get used to. Not to mention the luxury of living in a house larger than any he had ever seen before. For the entire duration of his early childhood Syd had lived without any sort of affection and had grown almost averse to being touched, but his mother had soon tamed him; now, he was used to her loving gestures, like how she reached out to caress his cheek. If having a big family was something that Gwen wasn't used to either, then he supposed he could relate to her on that front. After taking a sip of his coffee, he sighed and went on, "I'm not mad at you. I'm trying to give dad some space anyway so I'll give her space, too. It's just exciting! She seems cool, and I wanna get to know her better." He paused for a second, realising he might be getting ahead of himself. Not wanting to set himself up for disappointment, he asked, "Do you think she'll stick around?"

The sunset cast an orange glow across the kitchen counter, causing Syd to gaze out of the window for a minute. "It's getting pretty late," he quietly noted. "I didn't miss dinner, did I? I wanted to invite Skye to eat with us but I lost track of time."

Interactions Bellz Lucy

 

[Misty Gray]

Arlene Sullivan​

Arlene nodded her head to reflect her understanding when Ryan mentioned he'd been doing some business relating to the Union. The fight back was gradually building and she hoped her family would soon step it up a gear to completely destroy the organisation. She only hoped she'd be able to take a more active role in helping defend her family.

When her drink was handed to her, she gratefully accepted the gin, thanking the barman in the process. Seeing Ryan pay for both of their drinks made her smile at the gesture. "Thank you, Mr. Donahue." she said before silencing herself to take a sip of the clear alcohol. She set the tumbler down on the bar and let out a small laugh as he mentioned drinks being better with a Sullivan. "Well, I can't offer you an evening you'll be too drunk to remember any details of, as Conor would. Nor can I treat you to fancy cocktails and sweet melodies as Sinny would. I like to think I can present a healthy medium, as my fellow blonde, Luce would. Can you handle that?" she drily remarked.

Ryan made a comment about her running off with the enemy which caused her to very subtly tense and freeze up for a few seconds. There was no way he could have known about her past meetings with Carter and it didn't make sense for him to suggest she was running off with the man. Soon enough, the penny dropped and she remembered what he was referring to. "Ah, I almost forgot about that," she told him. "I still don't know how innocent they were, but had I known they were Jared's family I wouldn't have offered any help to them at all. I guess we'll never know," she said, acknowledging they were all now dead.

Something she had in common with Ryan was spending much of their lives living in America. A warm expression crossed her features as she thought back to her home in New York and how perfect it had seemed until Liam took control of the business and they started to grate on each others nerves. "How have you been holding up over here, Ryan? Not feeling homesick or anything, are you? Chicago would have been a much nicer place, were it not for those Italian pricks..." she pointed out.

Fletchawk (Ryan)

 

[Misty Gray]

The Wellington Pub
~ Richard, Vernon, and Patrick Duncan ~​

The warm evening was too good to waste sat drinking indoors, so the Duncan lads had taken their pints outside. The three men sat out on the wooden picnic bench, enjoying the night off they'd given themselves. Not so many months ago, Richard had expected to lose the pub and be forced to hand it back to the Porters. It seemed in the final hour, his beloved business was saved when the IWU stepped inside and offered him protection. Richard had held some knowledge that Gideon was planning to catch James unaware in his pub, The Archers. There had been a moment where his conscience threatened to get the better of him, until he remembered the Porters wanted him and his family dead. It turned out, the IWU saved his arse and knocked James Porter down in the process.

"All I'm saying is, that bookworm lad of yours should join us one night and see what real work is like!" Vernon told Richard, in his usual loud and coarse manner. "That mother of his is one stuck up twat," he grumbled, referring to Richard's ex.

"Hey, now. He's too smart to end up like the rest of us. He's going to be the first Duncan to make an honest living. So, as many harsh words I have for that cold-hearted bitch, at least he stands a better chance after living with Cassandra than he'd have around us lot," he admitted.

"Ya talking bollocks mate!" Vernon dismissively scoffed at his cousin's reasoning.

Enzyme

 

[Enzyme]

Jackson McCarthy​

The black cadillac rolled down the cobblestone path, crunching the strewn pebbles and broken glass under it's thick tires. Jackson sat in the backseat of the car, his ring fingers wrapped around a cigarette and his elbow resting on the cushioned window. He blew a single ring of smoke from his lips, causing the ring to grow in size until it disappated on the roof. He held the burning cigarette beside his face, the deep amber exposing his eyes - once a bright blue, they had turn to large black orbs, like those of a predator. His legs were parted in a spread, alleviating the pressure of his handgun, which had been digging into his back from his waistband.

As the car rounded the corner, he spotted the Duncans on the porch of their pub, just outside the reach of the streetlight. Their silouhettes bounced off the walls of the brick building like puppets behind a bed sheet. The street, besides the three men sitting outside, was completely empty. The cadillac slowed down to a steady walking speed, it's tires rolling around at the pace of a ferriswheel. The car shifted off it's brights, turning to a softer light, which struggled to reach the Duncans.

Without waiting for the car to stop, Jackson stepped out of the vehicle, expecting Rudy to do the same. His walking speed surpassed that of the vehicle, stepping infront of it. He could feel the Duncans' eyes waving over him as they tried to figure out who they were. Taking the lead, Jackson allowed the streetlight to course over him. Due to it's direct angle above him, his eyes remained shrouded in darkness.The cloud of smoke followed his lips as it attempted to catch up with him. Once he was visible to the Duncans, he flicked the cigarette aside, causing it to bounce a few times on the cobblestone and send sparks out onto the street.

Despite the Porters' previous encounters with the Duncans, Jackson had remained not only civil, but friendly with the family - Patrick especially. Never being directly asked to take action, he never soiled his relationship with them. He would occasionally come in to drink a pint, even after the fight that had taken place between Gideon and James. At first they were weary, but they warmed up to his arrivals, even inviting him down to play poker in the basement occasionally, only after he had prodded them about it.

He was met with a warm welcome and smelled the drunk atmopshere, which had been nothing but familiar to him. Despite their welcome, his lips didn't curve in the slightest. Instead, he kept his passive face in the darkness, stopping within a few short feet of the men.

Without giving them anytime to register what was going on, his hand slipped into his back waistband and brandished his Walther PPK in one fluid motion. He pulled the hammer back with his thumb as he extended it out towards Patrick. The loud gunshot ripped through the quiet sound barrier that the warm summer night had held. A bright flash of light enveloped the dark scenery as a quarter shaped hole appeared in Patrick's forehead.

His aim quickly snapped to Richard before he could brandish a weapon of his own. The first gunshot ripped through his windpipe and sent him off his chair, causing the large pint to explode on the ground. Jackson coldly walked over the broken glass and leveled his aim, belting two more rounds into his spine and ending his famous fighting spirit before it could get the chance.

Misty Gray (Patrick, Richard, Vernon) Shireling (Rudy)

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James was glad to hear Gwen hadn't turned up in his life expecting a happy ending with a normally functioning family. It made his own life easier to know he wouldn't have to break it to her that her father's side of the family were practically all criminals in some shape or form. Himself now being objectively the worst, as far as he himself and many others were concerned. "I do hope I can stress to you how important family is. When all is said and done, I want to ensure my family's safety as much as possible." He was aware he hadn't yet announced Gwen to the family and he felt justified for not doing so already. With the war against the IWU at its most intense and him only just feeling fully enough recovered, his mind had been focused on business for the majority of his time. The rest, he'd been trying to share with Lucy and the kids. He hadn't even been sure when he'd see Gwen again and, admittedly, that bought him some time before informing the family of Gwen. Now she was visiting him for a second time, he knew the announcement needed to happen soon, assuming she too was ready for it.

Gwen wanted to know all about his life, as well as his time with Ronan and Elijah. James knew she would want to know everything and he wasn't one to lie or sugar coat. "I know how you feel, to be deprived of knowing both parents and to lose out on what could have been a significant part of your whole life. But, I'm sure your mother had her reasons for keeping him secret. I mean, you would have still been a baby when Dad was sent to prison and I suspect your mother knew how dangerous he was, that he would never turn his back on his dangerous lifestyle." James cleared his throat as he decided to try tell her everything in order.

"Okay. So I was born when Dad was employed by Emmett Sullivan - Lucy's old man. The Sullivans were trying to make their mark in Chicago and as such, caught the attention and wrath of the Italian Mafia, who were led by my mum's uncle, Michael Romano. Mum was soon forced back to Italy and the Romanos rejected me as their blood, with Michael's son, Vinnie, making a point of threatening Dad. The feud between the Sullivans and Romanos only deepened when Michael died and Vinnie replaced him." A bittersweet smile crossed James' mouth as his thoughts turned to Elijah. "Dad was always out doing jobs, so as soon as he thought I was old enough, I was left to look after Eli and fend for us. Don't get me wrong, because Dad did love us, he just didn't have a fucking clue how to show it after he'd lost Rayna, and business had been the most permanent part of his life, even before we were all born.

James reached for his glass and knocked back more alcohol to buy himself a little thinking time. Talking about his past and even his earliest failures was never easy for him, which is why he usually only confided in Lucy about such matters. "Eli was born with some problems; behavioural and mental was all we really knew back then," he informed her. "When he was four, he suffered a brain injury and it messed him up permanently. I was only a kid looking after an even younger kid, but I'm still sure it was my fault... So, when Dad was locked up for murdering one of Romano's mates, Eli was sent to Ireland so his uncle could take care of him."

James poured himself another drink, topping up Gwen's glass if she needed it. "I never saw Dad on the outside again and two years into his life sentence, he was murdered in his cell on the orders of Vinnie." He took a sip of his whiskey but kept the glass in his hand as he continued to speak. "After that, I didn't have any family left and I had nothing to lose. I ended up in jail a couple of times for thefts and assaults. It was in there that I learned how to survive, with thanks to Vinnie's guys on the inside laying into me on a regular basis. When I was let out of the slammer, I got heavily involved with the Sullivan business and put my all into fighting against the Romanos. The last couple of years I spent in Chicago were the most brutal as things got very personal between Luce's family and the Romanos. In the end, we lost a lot of loved ones and we suffered everything from physical torture to mental abuse." James let out a sigh as he thought of how it ended, with him murdering Vinnie with his own hands whilst the rest of the man's gang were gunned down in the church. He decided it was too soon to tell his sister those kinds of details. "We defeated the Romanos in the end. Conor had stepped down months earlier and I took his place as the head of the family business. Most of us were done with Chicago and saw better opportunities here in Dublin." James looked to Gwen and shrugged his shoulders. "I hate that we were robbed of the time we should have had knowing each other, but I can't honestly say you were missing out on much and you were at least spared the Romanos. But, that doesn't mean I'm ignoring the fact you haven't had the best time either. I haven't forgotten what you told me about Erick..." he seriously assured her.


Bellz (Gwen)

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

Peter watched the other man closely but still paid attention to what Conor was doing as he heard a smack against the wall before something sharp stabbed Alec in the side. The blonde man’s eyes widened but he couldn’t turn his attention away from the other man as he spoke to him about letting him go. The smug smile on his face had disappeared immediately at seeing what happened to his friend. It was Peter’s turn to smirk at the man before raising his gun a little higher, aiming it at John’s head. ”Not sure I can trust that, mate.” There was a sharpness to that last word, making it clear that they were anything but that.

Sinead’s shouts were heard and Peter turned to look at her a moment, seeing the pleading look in her eyes, he knew he had to help cover this shit up. Aliana seemed to already be ready to go as she told Peter that she would need his help, to which he nodded firmly. He was going to make sure Conor got out of this without getting into any trouble. Prison was no place for anyone of his family and he didn’t want him to end up there. Peter watched in shock as Ali shot the other man without hesitation, causing him to fall to the ground quickly, not dead…but he would be soon. Ali was ready to get the hell out of there but Peter knew that if they didn’t hide the bodies that Conor could be found out sooner or later.


”Wait wait wait wait!” Peter told the woman, a little more forcefully than he had meant to. ”Push them into the river. These fuckers don’t deserve to be found.” With that, Peter placed his gun back in its holster before quickly removing his coat jacket and slipping his hands between the sleeves again. ”I’ll drag them into the river.” He said, his eyes looking to Conor for a moment, realizing that this was his first kill, he wanted to make sure that he was okay. After another short moment, the man looked to Sinead and nodded his head. ”I’m going to take care of this.” He said firmly again before moving over to push John into the river first, who had already bled out by now. Using his jacket so he didn’t make any direct contact with the man, he pushed the guy into the river far enough and watched as he started to float away. He was quick to turn around and move to Alec, whom he grabbed with his jacket under the armpits and dragged all the way to the edge of the river before letting the current take him away as well.

”They’ll end up sinking before they get too far.” He was confident in this, before nodding his head towards the three people. ”Let’s get the fuck out of here.” With that, he took Sinead’s hand and started to pull her in the direction of their car gently.

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

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan and Sinead Callahan​

Sinead had quickly nodded her head when Aliana reassured her, by telling her they were going to take care of the situation. She folded her arms tightly around herself as she split her attention between watching the scene unfold in front of her and keeping an eye on their surroundings, making sure the group were still completely alone. It made her feel nervous to imagine someone could show up and play witness to the crime.

Conor was calmly brought out of his shock when he felt Aliana's hands on his face and heard her gentle words to him. "Okay..." he quietly replied when she told him she would fix it. Conor then watched on, in something of a daze, as Aliana and Peter set about covering up the mess he'd made. He flinched as his girlfriend put a bullet in the other guy. It wasn't that he was shocked or felt bad for the man, but he felt terrible that Aliana had been forced to do it for him. Seeing Peter dragging the bodies into the river, Conor snapped out of his thoughts and rushed over to assist his brother-in-law. He knew it was bad enough he'd killed a man, but to stand by and watch everyone else clean up his mess didn't sit at all well with him.

Sinead felt anxious as she stood by and kept an eye out to make sure there weren't any witnesses. She'd just watched on as her brother and her best friend each killed a man, then observed her husband helping to dump the bodies in the river. She knew how wrong it all was and that by simply standing by, keeping watch, that she was an accessory to those murders. On top of that, it scared her that she felt no sympathy for the two men who had been killed. They'd been awfully rude towards her and were affiliated with the group who had made her family's life hell for the last nine months. All she knew was that she and the others had to get away from the crime scene before they could all be dragged off to jail.

When Peter took her hand, Sinead quickly nodded her head and walked quickly to keep up with her husband. She gestured for Conor and Aliana to walk behind them, hoping it would shield her friend's bloodstained dress from being seen.

*****​

The drive home was tense and quiet. With Peter driving, Conor sat in the front passenger seat with his attention focused outside as he constantly looked around to make sure the cops weren't following them. Sinead, meanwhile, sat in the back of the car and unconsciously reached out to hold Aliana's arm, giving her friend's wrist a comforting squeeze.

Once the car was parked up in the Porters' driveway, Sinead released Aliana's hand and stepped out of the car. She rounded the vehicle so she was at the passenger side and waited for Conor to step out of the car. She hated that she'd been put into a situation where she had technically broken the law and could have ended up being locked up in jail for it had they been caught. Once the tall man was outside, Sinead stepped up to him and harshly slapped the side of the man's face, causing an instant stinging sensation to pulsate in his left cheek. She took a deep breath, feeling like the action had released a little of the tension that was causing her chest to feel tight. She then looked to her brother's face and softened. They'd been through so much together and he'd done so much for her. She knew his actions were the result of knowing the pain and suffering of their family, which had built up inside of him. She was angry, but she was also grateful to him, which was tearing her apart. Conor hadn't had time to react to his sister's slap before the small redhead wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. She was sure he was feeling bad enough already.

After pulling away from the embrace, Sinead looked to Peter and Aliana before rushing off back towards her own house. She wasn't sure how well she'd be able to act in front of any nosy friends or family, so thought it best to remove herself from having to face anyone else. When she reached the house, she realised she wasn't quite ready to face the children either. For now, she sat herself on the patio bench that Skye and Savannah had previously been occupying until they'd gone back inside to nap.

Conor had remained silent after being slapped, instead nodding his head in understanding. He felt terrible for putting those around him in such a position and even worse that he'd killed a man. Granted, he didn't care about Alec and hated everything the man had stood for, but it was still murder. Despite all of the times he'd beaten the shit out of guy, he always held on to the fact he wasn't a killer and still had some control over his temper. Now, he had to question if he'd finally broken. "I'm so sorry..." he distantly told Aliana and Peter. Instead of entering the house, he leaned back against the nearby garden wall and gazed down towards the ground as he tried to get his head around what he'd just done. He was sure it could have been handled differently. He could have easily grabbed the knife out of Alec's hand and thrown it aside, but his only instinct in that moment had been to stab the guy.


Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana) Bellz (Peter)

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter​

When Syd spoke of the family being a lot to take in, Lucy nodded her head lightly, her face showing sympathy for what Syd had to go through. Though she loved her children like her own, there was a part of her that wondered if their parents hadn’t neglected them, what their lives would be like. It hurt her that her children had been hurt by their own parents and she worked hard everyday to make sure they forgot all they had suffered through. She noticed Syd go silent again and the blonde let him think to himself for a moment as she moved around the kitchen. Lucy was a little late getting dinner together, as Thomas had been taking up most of her attention with his fussiness for the early evening. Now that he was down for the count, she could finally work on cooking.

Grabbing the cup of coffee that Syd had made for her, the woman took a sip before humming lightly at the taste. ”Thank you.” She murmured to him just before the young man started to speak again, explaining that he wasn’t mad at her, which was a relief. The last thing she wanted was for him to be mad at her, especially with times like this…they all needed to be on good terms. He spoke of giving James space and that he would give Gwen space to, which she nodded at lightly. A large smile forming on his face as Syd expressed excitement for Gwen being apart of the family. At the question of her sticking around, Lucy bit her lip lightly. It was always hard to tell if the newer members of the family would stick around…especially when the dangers that the family faced could scare them off.

From what she could tell of Gwen, it seemed like the woman wanted to be apart of James’ life and this family, regardless of the dangers that came with it all. ”You know what, I think she will. She came to us and she’s lived here a while…so she knows who the family is.” Lucy told him, a glimmer of hope in her eyes as she saw the slight concern on her son’s face.

When he spoke of the time, Lucy set down her cup of coffee and moved to head over to where all the pans were kept. She shook her head lightly as he asked if he had missed dinner. ”Your brother kept me busy for the longest time, I would have had it done earlier, but no need to worry…I’m just about to start it. You can still invite Skye over!” She said cheerfully, noting how quiet her son was as she set the pan down on the stove top. Watching his face, Lucy’s own mirrored concern before she asked, ”Is everything alright with you two?”
with: Syd Pyroclast

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue
​

"A healthy medium, huh? Sounds a bit too good to be true, especially after the stories I've heard," Ryan said, his amusement obvious as he gave the woman a knowing smirk.

Ryan had picked up on Arlene's flinch when he mentioned the debacle at the parade, and wondered if he'd hit upon a soft spot. But when she address their deaths in a neutral, steady voice, it threw him off. Not wanting to force an uncomfortable topic to just for the sake of relieving his confusion, Ryan responded with a mere mod, and was grateful when she changed the subject suddenly.

"Dublin is nice. I enjoy having the ocean nearby, and the pubs have a nice homey feel to them, but it's definitely not Chicago. It can feel like it at times, especially in places like this," Ryan paused as he lazily gestured to Casino around them, "Or back at the estate. But it doesn't have the comforts of home. I mean, James' cars are certainly fun to play with, but it's not the same as my Elise back in Chicago."

Taking a rather heavy draft of whiskey, Ryan knew that he was blatantly ignoring Arlene's mention of the Romanos. Certainly, his animosity for them still smouldered inside him, but discovering Conor's relationship had forced him to reevaluate his hatred, especially since those responsible for his father's death were long dead. The revelation of Savannah's father, and Sinead's involvement with the family certainly helped in coming to terms, but Ryan found that vendettas don't just die overnight.

"Speaking of home, I worked under your brother during my little trip back to the States. He wishes you well, by the way. Although, he did have some choice words about your stubbornness," A chuckle escaped Ryan as he recalled Liam's seemingly out of character tirade about his "bull-headed bitch of a sister".


Misty Gray [Arlene]

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Sheehan​

Gwen wasn’t sure what story she was expecting to her from her brother about his time with their Dad and Eli, but the one he was telling her was one that she couldn’t believe was real. She was silent, in some sort of a trance as she listened with great interest to what James had to say, taking small sips from her glass every so often to bring her back to reality. When James spoke of Eli, Gwen nodded her head slowly in understanding of how their brother was, though sympathy wasn’t something she wanted to feel for him as she felt like it was wrong…he probably wouldn’t want her sympathy. The redhead’s brows furrowed together as James said that he was sure it was his fault for what happened to Eli, she slowly shook her head lightly as she was sure that it wasn’t. Ronan, while he loved his children, like James was saying, seemed like an irresponsible parent to her…and part of her was saddened by that fact.

Taking the drink that James’ topped off for her. Gwen’s eyes went wide as her brother revealed that Ronan was killed in prison by order’s of this guy named Vinnie, who sounded like a real pleasant fellow…not. Hearing that James had nothing to lose sounded like something she had gone through similarly for the past few months. It was why she was so daring and outgoing now. Gwen wasn’t surprised to hear that James had ended up in jail a few times, it was to be expected with someone who was in his position.

The rest of his story kept her hooked as he finished off what he had to say and she slowly nodded her head as he said that they were done with Chicago and saw better opportunities in Dublin. ”Well for one, its beautiful here.” She murmured with agreement as James shrugged his shoulders. He went on to say that he hated that they were robbed of time that they could have had to get to know each other, which Gwen agreed with but he then spoke saying that she wasn’t missing out on much and that she was spared by the Romano’s.

Gwen looked up at her brother a moment as he spoke about the time she had in Dublin, mentioning what she had told him about Erick. This made the woman tense slightly, wondering what James had in mind as their was a brief pause between the two. After a long moment, the woman let out a shaky sigh. ”You don’t owe me anything you know.” She spoke softly, ”Erick will get what’s coming to him someday…’ Though she said those words, deep down, she wanted something to be done about the man. She wanted him to know that she had family, that she was doing better off without him and his stupid money. The woman wanted her stuff back, everything that her mother had given her and bought her. ”I don’t want you to get in trouble.” The young naive woman didn’t know who she was even talking to.
with: James Misty Gray

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright

Ali stopped in her tracks, hearing Peter voice his concerns. He was right, they needed to dispose of their bodies to throw the cops off their track. She moved to help but saw Conor doing it instead. She could only imagine what was going through his head at the moment. There was also Sinead to worry about and how she was taking all of this. The three of them, Conor, Peter and herself were used to this kind of thing by now. But Sinead? Sinead was kept in the dark for most of it. While she knew what it was they were doing she never had to participate in it up close and she hated that she had to now. While the two men dealt with the bodies, Aliana wrapped her arms around Sinead being careful not to get any blood on her dress. "I'm sorry, love. It'll be okay." Were the only words of comfort and encouragement she was able to give her. She kissed the top of her head before stepping back, allowing Peter to step in. Her eyes briefly glanced to Conor before she followed the couple to the car.

No one spoke the entire ride home, which was probably a good thing. There was really nothing to be said, considering they just committed a crime and covered it up. The woman nervously bit the side of her thumb while looking out the window. While she had killed before, gotten better at it, and learned to come to terms with it she'd never done it before in front of Conor or Sinead. She knew their opinion of her might have been tainted by just hearing about her participating in the warehouse job, but now that they'd seen her do it she didn't know what they were thinking. She was so lost in thought, the feeling of Sinead's hand on her wrist scared her. She jumped and looked next to her, hand on her chest to try and steel her nerves. Ali offered the smaller woman a small smile before looking back out the window.

When they arrived, she still didn't move. She couldn't for a few moments before she got out and she took a deep sigh. The night was a mess, just like every single one she tried to have. "Peter." She said, her arms crossed. "Just take care of Sinny tonight. We'll deal with everything else later." It was a soft tone, distracted and distant. They both had people they needed to focus on at the moment and two dead people weren't either one. She gave him a quick hug, thanking him before going after her own boyfriend.

She found him by the garden wall and was unsure of how to handle any of it. As she made her way over, she kneeled in front of him and steadied herself with her hands gently on his knees. "Hey. Talk to me, love. What do you need me to do, say, just tell me." This was the first time Ali had been this vulnerable and open and it was all because she had said 'I love you'. But, she also wanted to do anything she could to make him feel better.
​

Peter ( Bellz ) Sinead, Conor ( Misty Gray )

 

[Misty Gray]

Arlene Sullivan​

Arlene couldn't help but agree when Ryan pointed out some of the positive parts of Dublin, but she couldn't agree with his favourable stance towards Chicago. Most of her time in that city had been in the prime of the Sullivans' war with the Romanos and none of that left any pleasant tastes in her mouth. Still, she couldn't help but grin when he spoke so fondly of his car back in the Windy City. "Oh, you boys and your toys," she said, with a low chuckle. "You need to find yourself a real woman, love. Strapping fella like you should have women lining up at your door," she said. For a moment, she scoffed, deciding she had spent too much time around her Aunt Shannon and was now talking just like the older woman.

Arlene noticed Ryan hadn't responded with regards to the Romanos, but it was likely for the best. If she was being honest, after learning about Conor and Alex last October, she still hadn't accepted it. All she did know, was that she was glad when Alex and Michelle had left, so she didn't have to pretend to like Vinnie Romano's daughter. As well as that, it only served to make her question herself and the way she'd allowed herself to get close enough to Carter to understand him. It was all best left unsaid.

Arlene rolled her eyes when Liam's name was brought up. "He wishes me well? More like he asked if I was staying put over here for the foreseeable," she drily commented. When Jack was alive, Arlene and Liam were like real siblings, getting along well and sharing their father's attention. Jack trained Arlene and gave her responsibilities within the business. When the man died, all of that changed and Liam gradually pushed her out of the gang, giving her less and less to do. "You know what his problem is? He feels imtimidated by powerful women. I stood my ground and got shit done, but he didn't like that. Cocky bastard felt threatened by me, I'm sure of it," she ranted. A smirk then took over her features. "Feel free to tell him that if you speak with him again. Liam and I haven't shared many kind words since Jack's funeral."

Fletchawk (Ryan)

James Porter​

James noticed the sigh and shakiness in Gwen's voice when the subject of Erick came up. Although she told him he didn't owe her and that she didn't want him to get into trouble, James wasn't entirely sure she was speaking with one-hundred percent conviction. "I might not have known it for long, but you are my sister, Gwen. I don't like what Erick did to you and your mother. And, sometimes, men like him don't get what they deserve. They get away with hurting women and feel free to do it again." James let out a soft sigh. "You can tell me to butt out, if it's what you truly want. If not, I will make sure Erick is taught a lesson and that he pays for what he's done. Anything of yours he has, you will get back. It's your choice, Gwen," he offered to her. He wasn't intending on having Erick killed, but he intended on having the man suffer for what he'd done to Gwen's mother.

Realising how dark things had turned, James sat up straight and let out heavy sigh. "I promise not all of my conversations end up down this path," he said, wondering what impression she'd already formed of him as a mob boss and if he was failing to show he wasn't so bad. "Did you... Did you want to stay for dinner? Luce is preparing it as we speak and I'm sure there'll be plenty to go around. I guess, if you're ready for some of the others to meet you... as my sister."


Bellz (Gwen)

Vernon Duncan
~ Richard and Patrick Duncan ~

Richard had noticed Patrick's attention had become drawn elsewhere and his cousin seemed to be displaying a welcoming expression. Richard looked up to see Jackson and Rudy approaching from nearby. Everything seemed to happen too fast and after a loud gunshot, Richard looked on in shock to see the bullet hole in his cousin's forehead. Richard instinctively moved to retrieve his own gun and his eyes darted around for shelter. Before he could do much at all, a bullet was lodged into his throat, causing him to fall from his seat as he clutched at his punctured windpipe. For a fraction of a second, he realised the Porters had finally got at him. For the rest of his seconds alive, he could only think of his son and daughter who he would be leaving behind. Two more bullets were fired, this time into his spine, and no other thoughts could enter his mind.

As soon as the first shot had been fired, Vernon stumbled onto the ground to try take cover. "Motherfucker!" he yelled out as he watched his two cousins being gunned down. He reached for his own gun and sent three panicked shots in the direction of the two assassins, one of the bullets managing to rip into the top of Rudy's left arm...

Enzyme (Jackson) Shireling (Rudy)​

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Of course Syd was pleased to hear that Lucy was happy to have Skye over for dinner. The pair had been together for nine months now, making her his first serious relationship, and he counted himself lucky that he had his parents' approval. It probably had a lot to do with the fact that she was unlike any of the girls he had previously shown an interest in, which, upon reflection, he doubted his parents would have been so enthusiastic about. As it was, his first relationship was going extremely well - at least, aside from all the trouble that the business brought into it. Yet, Skye wasn't fazed by much, even when she was dragged into the mess herself. That she hadn't left him out of concern for her own safety told him a lot about how serious she was about him, and despite feeling somewhat guilty for not always being able to keep the business separate from his life at home with her, her loyalty only made him love her more. Holding his mug of coffee against his chest absentmindedly, his thoughts drifted to certain times when he had expected her to be put off: the shooting at All That Jazz that she had been present for; the jobs on which Syd had narrowly avoided getting shot; his depression that she had had to patiently wait for him to come out of; his freak out at the bay; Leo's murder. She had always been there for him, and even though he understood that it was because she loved him, he was still impressed by her unwavering fortitude in the face of it all.

His mother must have seen the pensive look on his face, because she suddenly asked him, as though reading his thoughts, if everything was alright between him and Skye. He looked up in mild surprise and took a sip of his coffee. "Of course, mam," he answered, before really giving it any deliberation. "Don't we look it?" He asked the question before realising that he didn't really want to know the answer. Of course he occasionally had insecurities about the relationship - mostly that she might one day decide she had had enough of the trouble and call it quits - but Skye had always been good at overturning them.

"Let me just nip round and see if she wants to come over - I won't be a minute," he said to her, taking a long drink from his mug before setting it down and heading out the door. He found Skye sitting with Savannah on the front porch of the Callahan house; the sight of them made him smile. "You two out here to watch the sun set?" he asked them as he approached. After planting a light kiss on Skye's forehead, he straightened up and rested against one of the pillars facing them. "Mam's getting dinner on now, I was wondering if you wanted to join us? I'm sure she'd be happy to have you there too, Sav," he offered, with a friendly wink. It only took him a few seconds to notice the distant, tired look in Skye's eyes. A look of concern crossed his face and he asked her, "Are you okay, babe? You look like you haven't slept."

Misty Gray Skye Bellz Lucy


Jason Costello

Despite his lack of success in advancing his career, which is what he had initially come to Dublin for, Jason wasn't feeling at all put off. The city had so much else to offer him: live entertainment, drinking establishments on every corner, not to mention a perfect environment for practising his old tricks. Being the capital, there were certain affluent areas where the wealthy flocked to, providing him with plenty of ideal targets. Earlier in the evening Jason had managed to lift the wallet of a particularly arrogant, entitled businessman that he overheard bragging to his colleagues, and he was feeling lucky. Now he sat with a drink in his hand at All That Jazz, enjoying a set performed by Gwen's colleague, Darla. Gwen had agreed to meet him there some time after eight o' clock but, without anything better to do, he had purposefully arrived early to enjoy the atmosphere and the music.

Gwen was yet another reason Jason wanted to stay in Dublin - the nights he got to spend with her were always the best, and he very much felt like they had a connection. If he hadn't have met her, he perhaps would have eventually grown bored and moved on to some other town where the rent was cheaper. The two of them had been seeing each other for a while now, but the fact that they hadn't had any kind of conversation about what they were doing didn't bother him at all. Even though they had got off to a bad start the night they met, their chance encounter a few weeks ago proved to him that the chemistry between them was very real; Jason had ended up going back to her place that night, and had done so many times since.

Darla's performance was enchanting, and doing a good job of sending Jason into a trance. He gazed onto the stage, the rest of the room seeming to disappear into the darkness as the bright spotlight drew in his attention. His thoughts remained on Gwen all the while, however - they had made plans to spend the evening at her place once she arrived at the club, and even with the music as a pleasant distraction, he still could hardly wait. It was past eight o' clock, which meant that any time from now, she could walk through that door and their night could properly begin.

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Shireling]

Rudy Meyers
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Rudy had grumbled that he was done bothering the Duncans, but when he had heard the mission was to put the sorry idiots out of their misery, he begrudgingly obliged. While Jackson did most of the shooting, he parked the car and came around. About the time he reached the pavement at the scene of the crime, he heard a gunshot in the returning direction and felt his arm stinging as a bullet clipped his left shoulder. Reaching for his holstered sidearm and ignoring the burning in his arm, he sent out six shots in quick succession at Vernon's head, hoping to end the affair right then and there without recourse to a firefight. All the same, he ducked halfway behind a nearby car just to put a little bit of metal between himself and Vernon.

Enzyme Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor heard someone approaching, but kept his head down and didn't initially react. However, when he felt Aliana's hands on his knees, he lifted his head slightly so he could look to the woman's face. "I don't know. I don't know what you can do," he dejectedly told her. "I don't know if you just said it to me to calm me down and to stop me from killing that bloke... but I meant it. When I told you I loved you, it was the truth, and I wanted to tell you long before those two guys showed up by the river." Conor took Aliana's hands in his, moving them away from on his knees and then standing up. Still holding her hands, he waited for her to stand with him. "I just need you to know that I would never hurt you," he told her, his voice full of deep sincerity. "You, Sinead, Peter... I would never hurt any of my friends or family. I swear," he told her, his tone almost begging for her to believe him.

He let out a deep sigh and quickly shook his head as he tried to rid himself of his distress. "What I just did, though... that was wrong. I know most people involved in my family's business have killed, but they've killed on the job. It's been planned and executed with control. I snapped and killed that guy without thinking. It wasn't intended and I didn't decide to do it until that split second I had the knife in my hand. I don't know how to explain it, Ali, but it just feels wrong... worse. I didn't kill him because it was business or following some orders. I did it because something inside of me made me do it." He swallowed hard as a lump seemed to form in his throat. "Everything built up and I felt like that guy was taunting us, like the rest of those union pricks have been... I just need to know this doesn't scare you. That you know I don't want to be some angry bloke who could snap at any minute."


Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

Skye McKendrick​

Savannah had seen Syd approaching so nudged Skye to wake the nanny from her nap on the bench. Skye groggily opened her eyes and yawned before Syd caught up to them. A warm smile took over her features as she focused her eyes on her boyfriend's handsome face. "We just love these warm evenings," she softly told Syd and briefly closed her eyes again when he kissed her forehead. When she was told Lucy was making dinner, Skye thought for a moment before nodding her head.

"Yes! I want to have dinner with Aunt Lucy," Savannah enthusiastically told her cousin.

"Savvy, you've already had dinner. Don't be greedy," Skye said, playfully prodding the girl's arm.

"Um. No I haven't. You slept through dinner, so I made Emmy and Brady toast, then they scoffed some chocolate from Mum's treat cupboard!" the blonde girl explained. She hopped up from the bench and looked up to Syd when he mentioned Skye looked like she hadn't slept. "Skye is always sleeping!" she informed him, before rushing back inside the house.

"You little snitch, Savvy!" Skye called out to the girl, but gave up before trying to chase the girl down. She got up from the bench and linked her arm with Syd's, directing him with her into the Callahans' house. "I've just had headache all day and I tried to sleep it off. I thought I'd fed the kids, though. I must have dreamt it!" she admitted. She awkwardly bit her lip as she felt bad for not making dinner. "Peter and Sinead are going to kill me," she said. Even if it was an exaggeration, she was sure they wouldn't be happy that she'd not fed the kids. When they were inside the house, Skye turned to face Syd and wrapped her arms around his waist for a hug. "What's for dinner?" she asked, closing her eyes as she rested her head on his chest.

Pyroclast (Syd)