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

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan​

Finn looked to George as he suggested that they head to his place, a wide smile forming on his lips at the idea. Nodding his head, he turned to look out towards the road again. He rolled his eyes and his cheeks turned pink as George called the place he lived at majestic, ”I’m sure I will love it all the same.” He murmured and followed the directions give to get to George’s place.

Riding through town, Finn was beginning to notice the area around him and silently took it all in. The word intimidating came to mind as his eyes looked at the tall luminous factory that towered over them as they passed, the hairs on his arms raising. Parking behind a cafe, Finn was led up metal stairs along the restaurant to an upstairs apartment. Stepping through first, Finn looked around the home, not really sure what to expect at first. It was a small apartment and a little bit on the older side, but there was a charm to it that Finn couldn’t but his finger. Stepping further in, he quietly observed the lack of things inside the place, not many personal belongings…

Finn wondered what it was like for George, he knew of things from what the man told him but he wanted to know how he really felt deep down about all this change. Finn wasn’t materialistic but there was certain belongings that the doctor liked to keep close to him, things that belonged to his parents. Finn turned to look to George as he spoke about the lounge they were standing in before he pointed to the two other doors. Letting out a laugh as George said the tour was over, Finn nodded his head and took a seat. ”Actually if you have some coffee that would be great.”

It didn’t take long to get settled in and Finn happily accepted his cup of coffee black with no cream or sugar. When asked how he was doing, Finn took a sip from his mug with two hands and shrugged his shoulders gently. Slowly he rested the mug on his knee as he looked out into the living room staring out at the furthest wall. He wasn’t really sure how to answer that question. Was he asking how he was feeling in general or was he asking how Finn was feeling about what happened between them. The silence was weighing heavily on him and he knew he had to say something. ”Good?” He said with hesitation as he made eye contact with George. There was another beat of silence before Finn shook his head and cracked a smile, ”I mean…shit, I don’t know….this is all so new. I’m nervous…”
with: George Misty Gray

Peter Callahan​

Peter heard a voice and his head snapped up quickly looking in the direction it had came from. It had come from Ryan. The man pointed out the dropped keys on the floor and Peter tilted his head down to look at them, not reaching for them right away as he slowly nodded his head. ”Y-yea.” Peter stuttered as his breath caught in his throat, causing him to turn his face away from Ryan. His question wasn’t unusual but Peter let out a slow uneven laugh, trying to blow off the feelings he was having as if they were nothing at the moment. His anxieties screamed and for a moment he lost his voice, opening his mouth to speak and nothing coming out. Clearing his throat, Peter blinked away his frustrated tears and attempted to speak again.

”Oh yes, I’m fine.” Peter assured the man, though the tone of his voice was monotoned. ”Just headed back to the house to pick up something.” He continued to speak. In an almost robotic like fashion, Peter’s head tilted to look down at the keys again. In another movement he bent over to reach for the fuzzy pink things. Swiping them up in his grasp quickly before returning to a standing position. He didn’t look to Ryan again as he stared at the keys in his open palm. Something once again gripped him, causing silence to fall between the men again.

The void that Peter had been trying to steer clear from was eating its way through his head, causing a hum of thoughts that he couldn’t silence. The keys were a hollow reminder of what he had but couldn’t have. Ryan laughed and Peter once again snapped his head up to stare at the man, wondering how such an evil man could laugh at his pain. He was continuing to laugh, mocking him. Peter stared in open confusion at the man as he wondered how he was laughing when his mouth was closed. The laughter grew and grew and grew until Peter once again dropped the keys, the sound them falling rung loudly in his ears causing them to ring.

Unable to take it anymore, Peter did the only thing he knew how to do when the world became to much. He turned away from the man and covered his ears roughly, clawing at his head as he tried to steady himself. Grinding his teeth together he huffed out deep breaths through his nose as he continued to fight himself for control.
with: Ryan Fletchawk

 

[Misty Gray]

George Sanderson​

George made a coffee for Finn, exactly how the man had requested it, along with a milky tea for himself. He soon returned to the sofa, carefully handing the other man his drink before sitting back down beside him and taking a sip of his own. He placed his mug down on the old oak coffee table before focusing his attention on Finn. He could see the doctor was nervous and that he seemed to hesitate in answering the question of how he was feeling. "Good? Are you sure?" he rhetorically asked. He hated to think he was making Finn feel uncomfortable, but had to remind himself it was Finn who had sought him out and Finn who had initiated the kiss. Surely it was reasonable for him to think this was two-sided now and he wasn't pushing the other man into anything.

George slowly nodded his head when his friend admitted he was nervous. It was perfectly understandable and George hope he could ease his mind without coming across too strong. He placed his hand on the man's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze before pulling away again. "You don't have to feel nervous around me, but I understand this is new for you and it takes some getting used to." He softly sighed. "I've had longer to understand who I am, but I guess I'm nervous too. I've never met anyone quite like you. You are one of the most interesting and intelligent men I've met, not to mention you're the most attractive..." he trailed off, blushing a little as he gazed into the man's charming blue eyes.

"You know, I can change the subject if you want?" he suggested. He looked away and awkwardly smiled before laughing at himself. His face then turned more serious. "How's Peter doing now he's been out for a bit?" he curiously asked. He'd worried about the guy in the time they were together, having seen the effects the brutal attacks had on him. Finding the man beaten in the showers was one of the worst things he'd had to see throughout his ten years in that awful place. "I'm always tempted to visit him, but I worry he might not appreciate the reminders of his time inside..." he trailed off. "Also, I was scared of bumping into you after how we left things the other week," he admitted. "I tried not to think about you over the last couple of weeks, but you're a difficult man to forget, Doctor Sullivan. It means a lot to know you came back to find me."

Bellz (Finn)

 

[Enzyme]

Gideon Burnell​

Gideon looked away from the unconscious man. His eyes steadily focused on the men around him and the weapons they had confiscated. One of the armed men lowered their aim to the bucket of water under the bar. It had been kept next to a coolant, filled with ice cubes. The man carried the dense bucket over, slinging the shotgun down by his hip. Lifting the water on his shoulder, he approached the mangled Porter. The sudden splash of cold water washed away the blood from James' face and exposing the blemishes and purple bruising. The water quickly soaked his bloody shirt and ran into the hardwood floor, where it began the slow process of rotting the wood. The sudden shock of the cold water would force James' consciousness to boot-up. However, the lack of adrenaline in his reserves would keep him in a semi-lucid state.

Gideon's eyes trailed to Syd, who stood with the barrels still snapped down at him. Gideon rested his hands behind his back, tilting his head to the boy. "You brought your progeny along," Gideon acknowledged, stepping closer to the boy and towering over both him and Rudy. His steel eyes examined the lad momentarily. "He's got the same incensed stare as his father," he remarked, turning back to James.

He stepped closer to the semi-conscious man, his massive, methodical footsteps rattling the boards. Once he reached the broken man's side, he crouched down beside James' head. "Death is so easy," Gideon spoke with an unsettling, smooth tone, "So simple."

The backside of Gideon's heavy hand adroitly wiped across James' soiled jacket, brushing the debris off. "No," His eyes trailed back up to James' "This ending would be far nobler than you deserve." He patted James' coat after folding the collar back over. He stood back up, his knees cracking as he extended to his full height.

"You will watch as we rip your territory out from under you until your tremoring legs have enough ground barely to stand on." Gideon walked away from James and carefully stepped over the scattered wreckage from the brawl.

"This city is ours now, even if we have to burn it to the ground and mold it from the ashes," he spoke, looking out the window at the bright city lights. "You will watch from your hospital bed in shame as we pull your empire apart, piece by piece."

His feet slipped back around to where he faced James once more. "And with that, I have pardoned you."

With his final words, the goons ordered Rudy and Syd to drag James out the double doors. The men stood behind them, guns trained on the Porters backs in case an ambush was waiting for them. As the group exited the pub and walked out onto the street, the men kept their aims traced until they could slip behind the corner of the pub.

Misty Gray (James/Evan) Pyroclast (Syd) Shireling (Rudy) Bellz (Minnie)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

The silence was broken by a huge splash as a bucket of water was poured over James. With the blood running off his body, caught up in the rapidly spreading pool of water, Syd could now clearly see the lesions and swellings that his father was suffering. The tainted water ran along the grain of the wood, seeping through the cracks of the floor boards and under his shoes, but Syd barely noticed as the sudden jolt of movement in his father's body caught his eye. Relief shot through him like a bullet. Yet, even knowing that he wasn't dead, he still had to stay in his place.

When Gideon turned his way, Syd's eyes locked onto his involuntarily. The man's blank expression and imposing stance seized his attention and he tensed up when the giant approached him, red hot anger bubbling just beneath the surface of his skin. He seemed to still address James when he spoke, though Syd doubted very much that his words would be heard. When Gideon turned away and stepped back towards the dripping, bloody mess that was his father, Syd released a suspended breath and glanced to Rudy briefly. But the beast wasn't done yet - he crouched down beside James, causing the young man to look his way again.

Upon hearing the word 'death' be uttered, Syd shook his head and murmured a quiet, desperate "No...", which, to his relief, Gideon echoed. James' life was in dangerous hands - Syd held his breath as the man touched his sopping coat, brushing off bits of debris. Each threat that the men spouted, he rejected in his mind with fierce determination. Sure, their new opponent was strong, violent and merciless; he had the build, personality, skill and crew needed to usurp the Porters' position of power in Dublin. But after seeing what he did to his father on their first meeting, he was determined not to give in. They couldn't go down like this. James wouldn't have it - Jackson, Ryan, Conor, Peter, Rudy and none of the women would either. The city meant a lot to them all, and Syd was sure they wouldn't let its future fall into the hands of such a monster.

At Gideon's word, Syd leapt to his father's side. His hands hovered cautiously above the man's body as he contemplated a way to lift him that would cause him the least damage. He nodded to Rudy and, with his help, the two men heaved James towards the exit, followed out by Gideon and the thugs who had their guns trained on them still. They piled into the car, but before Danny could say a word, Syd ordered him to get to the hospital immediately. He lay James across his lap, cradling his head in the crook of his arm to support him. After taking a few deep breaths to try and calm himself down, he reached for the car's telephone to contact the house. But before he could dial in the number, James emitted a soft grunt and shifted slightly to signify his consciousness. Syd thought he heard his name, and so he looked down to him, seeing all his gruesome facial wounds up close. "Dad?" he spoke, with urgency in his voice. "What is it?" The man managed to open one bloodshot eye, barely enough for Syd to look into. He waited for his father to gather the strength to speak, and, just when it seemed like he wouldn't manage, he reared his head and said, "Show no mercy."

Syd looked to Rudy, then back to his father. Their conversation from the previous week about second chances immediately sprang to mind. "Of course, dad," he assured him with a nod, his voice strained with emotion as he tried to hold himself together. The way he phrased it made Syd fully realise for the first time that his dad could be out of action for a while. A fresh wave of anger rose up in him and he took another deep breath before finally punching in the number. One of the guards picked up, and he asked for his mother. The second he heard her worried voice, a few tears escaped his eyes. He told her stiffly that James was badly hurt, and that she needed to get to the hospital as quickly as she could.

Interactions
Bellz Lucy
Shireling Rudy
Misty Gray James, Evan
Enzyme Gideon

 

[Shireling]

Rudy Meyers
​

Rudy would have never thought in a million years that after pummeling James Gideon would just...let them go. But that's precisely what happened. When permitted, Rudy assisted Syd in carrying the heavier part of his father to the car and laying him in the backseat. Rudy climbed in the passenger's side and began to answer Danny's queries. First, he got him headed towards the hospital.

"What the fuck happened in there?"

"IWU fuckbrains got the drop on us. Mountain man in there beat James to a goddamn pulp."

"You don't look any worse for wear. You didn't try to stop him?"

"Look, they had guns on me and Syd. Any kind of heroics would've just been vainglory. Let's just take it as a blessing that he's more goddamned proud than he is smart. He let me and Syd go and left James alive. We can't squander the window of opportunity we have. I know everyone's tired, but the war is starting back in earnest. The family probably needs to go back to the mattresses on this one. Could get ugly. They won't just turn our protection rackets, they'll set our merchants on fire in their fucking sleep. We're dealing with a crew of grade-A psychopaths."

Rudy reached into the glovebox of the car and retrieved a small, spare .38 pistol and a few cartridges just so he didn't feel naked without his firearm. The rest of the car ride was passed in relatively panicked silence. Rudy, turning over the alternatives and options in his head, was more disappointed in himself now than ever for his handling of the affair.

Pyroclast Misty Gray

 

[LateForDinner]

Nathan Bennett
​

As Saoirse spoke, he found it difficult to concentrate on the matter at hand. It wasn't normal for Nathan. Usually, he was focused when it was needed of him and unhinged by anyone's presence. Yet, Saoirse managed to warm his heart and lure him in with her words. He nodded along with her story, feeling the guilt grow in his heart at her experiences. The tension was then broke by her compliment, causing him to blush uncontrollably and laugh. "Thank you, Miss Fitzgerald. But please, call me Nathan. Mr Bennett was my father."

His joke was light whilst his eyes were unwavering from hers. He felt his obligation to help only strengthen as they continued to enjoy their evening. Although, the conversation reverted back to its serious state. In all honesty, he wasn't sure what to tell her. Nathan had very little knowledge about this exact event, but he wasn't going to let it stop him. "I'm sorry to hear about your sister. I can't say that I know why the Porters haven't helped you, it's thei-... our responsibility. It'll be made right."

The bodyguard could tell that she used to be more innocent, yet this brutal city has turned even her sour. Whilst he had no problems with charging civilians money for protection, it didn't sit right with him that she hasn't gotten the answers she deserves. She still pays for their services, as well as trying to stay loyal; Saoirse deserves every answer they can find. "I'm sorry that I can't tell you more about it, Miss Fitzgerald. But I will look into it and I promise that you will get answers. It's only right, considering that you pay for our services. I'll see if I can ask James about being assigned to your area. Sound good?" He smiled, hoping to lighten her heart a little bit with some good news.

Interactions & Mentions
Saoirse Fitzgerald; Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter​

Lucy smiled gently as Sinead handed Thomas back to her, she took the little baby into her arms delicately and brought him close to her chest. Looking down at him, she couldn’t help but admire his features, noting how beautiful he truly was. He looked so much like James already and Lucy loved him so much. The blonde looked back up slowly as her sister spoke about how lucky Thomas was. Her cheeks turned a light pink as she went on to speak about James and her’s relationship. It brought a smile to her face to hear such words. The relationship that Lucy shared with James was one that was strong, unbreakable. From the time they met, things just seemed to click between them and naturally it just worked. Lucy didn’t know what she would do without her husband in her life. He was her rock and she was his…

She got caught up in her thoughts and she absentmindedly watched Sinead stroke Thomas’ cheek before picking at the fruit. Noting the silence, she was quick to speak again, ”Thank you sis.” She murmured softly to Sinead before the woman asked what was next on the agenda. Lucy was about to open her mouth to say that maybe they could join the rest of the crowd when Ali stepped into the kitchen, stating that Sinead and Lucy were her two favorite people. This caused Lucy to let out a small laugh and she looked to Thomas before cradling him in a different position, holding him so that Ali could see him better. ”Thomas, meet you Auntie Ali. You are going to love her as much as I do.” She cooed to the infant. Lucy chuckled as Ali referred to Sinead and herself as the normals ones and nodded her head, ”We’ve missed you too, love. Now that I’m not pregnant, we can finally get drinks again.”

It seemed like getting interrupted was a popular occurrence tonight as a guard stepped into the room. Lucy’s stomach instantly dropped, seeing the look on the man’s face. ”Excuse me.” She told the women before she took herself and baby Thomas over to the guard. When he informed her that the phone was for her, Lucy tried to think nothing of it as she made her way over to it. Picking it up from its position on the table, she answered, ”Hello?”

Syd’s voice was relieving yet terrifying at the same time as he informed her that James’ had been badly hurt and that she needed to head to the hospital as soon as possible. Her ears began to ring as she thought about the promise he had made to her, about staying safe…her gut had a feeling and it was unfortunately right. ”I’m headed there now.” She told Syd roughly, doing her best not to break down on the phone as she hung it up. Not wasting anymore time she gathered Shannon and Rayna up to take her with her, knowing that James needed his mother and she needed her mother there in that moment.

***​

They arrived at the hospital quicker than Lucy would have thought, but that was due to the fact she had been on the gas the whole time. Scooping baby Thomas from his carseat, Lucy didn’t wait for her mother or Rayna as she took off in a sprint towards the hospital entrance, holding Thomas close to her as she entered the hospital and made a beeline for the information desk. After getting the information she needed, she sprinted down the hall, following the directions given until she saw both Syd and Rudy waiting in the waiting room for her.

Her eyes immediately saw the shape her son was in and she reached out her free arm too him as she pulled him in for a tight hug. ”My boy.” She said, her voice breaking into a sob as she buried her face into his chest. Holding him tightly for a long moment, she shook her head slowly before lifting it to look up at Syd, ”What happened?”
with: Syd Pyroclast ; Rudy Shireling
mentions: James Misty Gray ; Shannon + Rayna

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

James was whisked away almost immediately when they entered the hospital, leaving Syd and Rudy to linger in the waiting room. Syd couldn't sit down - he paced around restlessly, scraping at the dried blood on his hands and no doubt drawing the attention of the other patients and visitors that sat in silence around him. Ashen-faced and red about the eyes, his gaze flitted between the clock on the wall and the doorway as he waited anxiously for a sign. Occasionally he would shoot a worried glance Rudy's way, but found himself more or less speechless. They both knew first hand the gravity of the situation - there didn't seem to be much use in trying to downplay what happened.

After what seemed like hours, but in reality was only about 15 minutes, Lucy came around the corner, accompanied by Rayna and Shannon, and holding Thomas in her arms. Her breathlessness told him she had been running, and she practically threw herself at Syd. He reciprocated the tight embrace, placing one hand on Thomas' soft head and squeezing Lucy with his other arm. As she sobbed into him, he found himself stuck for words, afraid that if he tried to speak he might start crying instead. When she eventually looked up to him and asked him what happened, Syd cupped her face in his hand and wiped away her tears with his thumb. He briefly looked to Rayna and then to the room of strangers, who let their gazes fall away, pretending not to have noticed their interaction; he wasn't sure how much he could say in front of everyone there. Not wanting to stray too far away, he lead the three women a little further down the corridor.

"It was an ambush," he began, being careful to keep his voice low. "A trap set by the IWU. The new front man...he's vicious. And he's after us, mam - he wants to run us into the ground, take over everything we're running. We need to stop him, but...he's so ready. He's already put dad out of action." Syd paused for a second, bringing a hand up to cover his eyes and taking a deep breath to relieve the tight feeling in his chest. "He just didn't stop beating him," he went on, his voice now charged with anxiety as he replayed the distressing images in his mind. But he managed to keep the volume down. "He broke his arm, his ribs, his nose...and we would have done something, I swear, we wanted to stop him but they held so many guns on us and they took all ours away, we couldn't even take a single step. I don't know why he didn't just kill us all. I thought he..." Syd cut himself off as he felt fresh tears cascade down his face - he couldn't look his mother in the eyes anymore, just kept his head down and worked on containing the panic that seemed to have resided in him.

Interactions
Bellz Lucy, Rayna
Misty Gray Shannon, James
Shireling Rudy

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter​

Lucy leaned into her son’s cupped hand as the tears fell furiously down her face, not stopping an time soon as her chest tightened with anxiety. She wanted to find her James, she wanted to be by his side even if he wasn’t awake to notice her there. It felt wrong that she wasn’t with him but as she took in her son’s expression, she knew that she needed to be with Syd for now. He hesitated in telling her what happened and Lucy honestly was beginning to fear the worse as she repositioned Thomas to lay his front against her shoulder, patting his back lightly as he looked like he too was about to burst into tears. Lucy was relieved that he was too young to know the gravity of the situation.

Luckily, Syd pulled herself, Shannon and Rayna a little further down the hall. Lucy tried to contain herself, wanting to control her uneven breathing from running and crying all at once. Sucking in a breath, she stepped around her mother so that she could stand next to Rayna, hoping to give her some reassurance with her presence as she held Thomas with both arms. The brunette was silent as she waited for Syd to explain what was going on, given that they were in the hospital, things had obviously taken a turn for the worst.

Lucy looked to Syd closely as he explained what had happened. The situation was far more violent than she had previously thought…well James was sure that he had firm control over everything. This was clearly not the case as her son spoke about the man who was vicious, who wanted to tear everything that the Porter’s worked for to the ground. The blonde reached a hand out to comfort her son, placing a hand on his shoulder and rubbing it softly as he covered his eyes. Lucy’s tears continued to pour down her face as she cried for Syd now, knowing what it felt like to witness such a thing.

He explained that they would have tried to stop the man, to help James but Lucy shook her head…the promise she had made the men keep was far beyond her thoughts now. ”Shhhhhh….” Lucy hushed Syd as he cut himself off. The tears he cried broke her heart and she once again stepped forward to hug her son tightly. ”Don’t you dare think that any of this is your fault, neither you or Rudy could do anything…neither could your father.” This was hard for her to say as it was much easier to be angry at the fact that no one helped James, but she understood that no one was in control at that moment.

This was all too familiar to her. Letting go of Syd after kissing his cheek gently, she wrapped her other arm around Thomas and held him close to her. She bounced him around a moment as he let out a soft cry, ”Its alright, luv. Daddy will be alright.” She was trying to tell herself that more than Thomas. Lucy looked to Rayna as the woman turned towards her, lifting her arms up to hug the blonde woman and the infant. The hugged for a long moment, both women crying as they thought about what pain James was going through. When Lucy pulled away, she looked to Syd. ”We will take care of this man, if your father can’t then I will make sure someone can. We are Porter’s. We show no mercy.”

with: Syd Pyroclast ; Rudy Shireling
mentions: you know who you are Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

The rare moments of peace James had earned were soon stolen away from him as he felt the sensation of the ice cold water hitting his face. The shock forced him to regain consciousness and for a moment, the freezing liquid did something to override the pain his face had been experiencing following Gideon's attack. James' right-eye shot open, whilst his left eyelid only moved slightly within his swollen, bruised face. Though he was still experiencing blurred vision and dizziness, he was able to tilt his head to allow him to look in the direction of Syd and Rudy. He listened on as the towering man spoke of the lad and how his stare mirrored that of James himself. He was at least grateful to have woken to find his son was still alive and hoped that would remain so.

James heard the heavy footsteps moving towards him before Gideon crouched down by his side. He spoke of death being too easy. He then wiped his hand on James' jacket, causing the mob boss to cringe on the inside at the thought of the filthy IWU bastard touching him at all. Still, as the man continued to speak, it became clearer he was going to be leaving Porter alive. As easy as it might have been to have never regained consciousness, James had spent his entire life fighting and finding ways to survive. As weak as he felt in the moment, there would always be a part of him that needed to survive, he just didn't have the strength to acknowledge it in that moment.

Gideon stood up and made it clear, even in James' barely conscious mind, that he intended to take and destroy the empire the Porters had built in Dublin. He managed to roll over a little onto his side, allowing him to cough up and spit out the blood that had been pooling in the back of his mouth and throat. Upon hearing Gideon's final words to him, James looked towards the man. Though his face was too bloodied and bruised to give much emotion away, a deep anger was boiling deep down, beneath his pain and exhaustion.

James had wanted to try getting up, but he was hardly conscious and he couldn't even consider pushing himself up with his broken arm and ribs. Once told to, Syd and Rudy helped him up. Whilst low groans escaped his mouth, James closed his eyes and did what he could in his poor state to make it as easy as possible for them to help him out to the car. By the time he'd been placed into the back of the car with Syd supporting him, James was losing consciousness again; the blood loss doing nothing to keep him awake. James forced his eyes to open again to look to Syd once more. One of their previous conversations was plaguing his mind and unsure of when he would next get the chance to pass on the message, he chose to do it in that moment. "Show no mercy..." he mumbled to Syd, with what little strength that remained. He expected Syd would understand, but hoped he would know to relay it to Jackson and Conor. He didn't hear Syd's affirmative response, instead closing his eyes once again before losing consciousness once more.

*******************
​

Shannon hadn't hesitated to accompany Lucy to the hospital, wishing to be there for her daughter throughout. The woman stood silently, a serious expression on her face as she listened to the conversation between Lucy and Syd. This was all too familiar to the older woman, as if the pain and torture her family had suffered in Chicago was coming back at them once again. She wasn't prepared to accept that her loved ones were going to be terrorised by another delusional psychopath. Even if James was going to be out of action, she wanted her family to start fighting back immediately and she'd said as much to Conor before leaving him back at the house, reminding him of the fact he owed James for stepping in to lead the business when he couldn't do it himself.


It was a few hours before the family were told anything, but they were eventually told James was out of the operating theatre following surgery and treatments for his fractures. They were warned that having been heavily sedated he would still be coming around and given the painkillers being fed to him through the IV, he was likely to be somewhat unresponsive. Those entering James' private recovery room would see him with his eyes closed, various IV tubes connected to the back of his hand whilst the heart rate monitor's beeping made the only other sound in the room. The man's nose and left cheek had been patched up, though doing little to hide the bruising on his face. He was also sporting a cast on his left arm and his chest was bandaged over the broken ribs. Lucy knew more than anyone the number of existing scars that were engraved into her husband's body and there would be no doubt he would have picked up new additions in his latest violent encounter.

Mentions: Bellz (Lucy, Rayna) Pyroclast (Syd) Shireling (Rudy) Enzyme (Gideon)

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor had been called away from Seana by Shannon who proceeded to inform him of what had happened to James. Although he was fully aware of his past and his mother's way with words, it still grated on Conor the way she felt she had to tell him to step up. Of course he was going to get up and do something. Hell, he and Jackson had been taking care of things during James' week off, so Conor felt annoyed people were still questioning him.

After politely excusing himself from Seana, explaining he had to attend to business, Conor rushed to James' office to make some calls. He'd demanded for some of their men to get to the hospital, to guard James' room should anyone feel the need to take advantage of the man's vulnerable situation. He'd then arranged for more foot-soldiers out in the city, protecting the core businesses, especially the likes of the casinos and hotels. On a sentimental level, he'd extended the increased security to the places his loved ones owned, such as the Jazz Club and Sky Haven. As much as he wanted to get men out with machine guns and bombs to blow the IWU to shit, he knew impulsive reactions were to be avoided, especially his own. Besides which, he knew such decisions were not to be taken lightly and not without Jackson's agreement. Seeing that James was likely to be out of action, Conor knew such actions would ultimately be Jackson's decision, being that it was previously agreed McCarthy would be the one to stand in for James on occasions such as these. With that in mind, Conor sent some men out to locate Jackson and inform him of what had happened - that he was needed back at the house.


Mentions: Enzyme (Jackson) Melanin-Gxdess (Seana)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Syd felt terrible, knowing how upset his mother was already. But somebody had to be the bearer of bad news, and she was counting on him to be honest. He just wished he was able to put on a brave face for her and try to make her feel better or reassure her. Instead, he was letting his own emotions get the better of him. He closed his eyes and felt his mother's arms wrap him into a tight hug. Tears continued to flow uncontrollably down his face but he did his best to rein it in - she was right, they couldn't have done anything. He was just glad she was being understanding towards him and Rudy. If she had taken her anger out on him, he wouldn't have known what to do.

After a moment, she let go of him to comfort the baby and Syd turned away, resting his weight against the wall as he let the women comfort each other. He pulled the cuff of his sleeve over his fist and brought it up to dry his tear-stained face. His mother turned to him once more and he looked up to meet her gaze. She spoke with conviction and he believed that she meant every word. When she said the words "show no mercy" he sent her a small smile. Now that both his father and mother had expressed the same sentiment, he had a motto that he could carry with him when he approached jobs in the future. Dealing with the IWU would never be an ethical issue. He wouldn't be faced with inner feelings of conflict in scenarios with them; if ever presented with the opportunity to show them mercy, he wouldn't do it. It was as simple as that.

If the minutes before the women arrived felt like hours, then the actual hours they spent in the hospital waiting room felt like an entire day. Syd hated to be cooped up, especially when he knew he couldn't leave. Having seen the extent of James' injuries, he knew they would potentially be waiting for a long time, and so had taken his time while going outside for a few smokes. But after an hour or so, he decided he was essentially trapped in that miserable room until an announcement was made. Already restless with anxiety, he quickly got bored of standing and sitting around. He kept wandering off down the hall to get coffees as something to do, but the caffeine only made him more restless. By the time a nurse called out their name, he had picked off all the loose black paint from his chair's arms, exposing a layer of rust that was horrible to rest on. He jumped to his feet, nervous about his father's current condition but excited to finally be able to see him nonetheless. Before following the nurse through, he turned to Lucy and held out his arms. "Let me take Thomas," he offered, knowing his mother would want to give James her full attention when they arrived.

The man looked awful, though not to his surprise. His face was swollen with gnarly bruises, his hair stained red with blood. Tubes protruded from openings in the back of his hand, and he was wrapped up in bandages and a cast. Syd's heart sank at the sight of his father and a feeling of dread welled up inside him. With him out of action, Syd worried that their challenge of taking down Gideon and putting a stop to the IWU's ever-growing presence would be even harder than it already should be. "Dad," he spoke up, as he approached the bed. He wasn't sure if the man was properly awake, let alone if he could hear him. "We're all here. We're all here with you, now. Can you hear us?"

Interactions
Bellz Lucy, Rayna
Misty Gray James, Shannon
Shireling Rudy

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter​

Time seemed to slow as they all settled in to wait for any news of James’ condition. Thomas had grown rather fussy and Lucy knew that her sister was right when she had said that he could sense when she was unsettled. Knowing this, the woman tried to calm herself down, allowing herself to cry for a few more minutes before wiping away at her tears. With that, she sat down in the uncomfortable hospital chair in the corner of the waiting room and held Thomas close to her, rocking him back and forth as she watched him. A half an hour later, the little one finally fell asleep, not having a clue in the world of what was happening around him. Despite her attention being free now, Lucy couldn’t talk, unable to find the strength to make small talk while her husband was suffering.

It was hours later that they finally called up by the nurse. Lucy unlike the other’s, slowly rose to her feet, scared to see James’. She stopped in her slow walking when Syd offered to take Thomas. She looked down at the sleeping baby and squeezed him a little closer to her. He had been keeping her distracted for hours…she was afraid if she let him go, she would break. Regardless, she handed Thomas over to Syd and the emptiness she had felt before was now amplified. She kept up with the nurse as she walked quickly towards the room. She had hesitated however as they arrived at the door, unable to bring herself to step inside immediately. Images of James being in such a state haunted her nightly…this was one of her worst nightmares.

Taking a deep breath, Rayna slowed and stopped just inside the door frame to look at Lucy. Lifting her arm, she invited the woman in for another embrace as they walked inside together. Once inside, the door closed behind them. Lucy’s eyes stared at James and she slowly shook her head as she took in his sleeping form. The bruises, the swelling…everything. How was it that he was such a strong man but in this situation he looked so…weak. Lucy placed her hand over her mouth as she walked forward, leaving Rayna’s side as she stopped at the foot of James’ bed.

The blonde stopped beside Syd, touching his shoulder briefly as she continued to stare at her husband. The thick tears blurred her vision and she reached both of her hands up to wipe them away. Syd spoke up and Lucy let out a soft cry as he told his father that they were all there with him now. ”You need to wake up, luv. Try to pull that bullshit with me, try to tell me you are fine…I need to hear it now. Please?” Walking forward, she stood on the right side of his bed, her eyes looking at the monitor and the I.V. closely before she got down on her knees. She leaned her arms on the side of the bed but didn’t dare touch him, afraid that if she did, she would hurt him. ”Its time to wake up..” She murmured brokenly to him.
with: Syd Pyroclast ; James +Shannon Misty Gray ; Rudy Shireling ; Rayna me

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue​

Peter's stumbled reply caused his eyes to narrow, as he gave the man a more thorough examination. Even though the man seemed to catch himself and recover enough to attempt at reassuring Ryan, the facade failed.

Watching the man try and fail to keep his composure reminded Ryan of his time in Korea, when boys and men failed to accept the monster that killing fellow human beings brought out of them. Ryan himself had wrestled with this monster, but the loss of his father and drive for vengeance had tempered his resolve.

Although he was wary of approaching Peter in his current state, Ryan advanced slowly and picked up the keys. Once in his hand, he brushed the small amount dirt that the pink pom-pom had gathered from the ground. It's soft and fluffy texture with the bright pink matched the owner well.

While Peter continued to implode, Ryan decided it would be best to not react to it unless the man started to considerably harm himself. "This is yours, sir. Anything else I can help you with?" Ryan said, keeping his face and tone neutral as he held out the keys, and waited for Peter to regain his senses.

Bellz [Peter]

 

[Shireling]

Rudy Meyers
​

If Syd was worried and Lucy too, Rudy was restless. All the terrible things that had happened occurred on his watch, and no matter how much Lucy attempted to sooth him on the matter, he wasn't having it. While the others were in the waiting area, he stood most of the time against the wall opposite the door with only a few breaks in between long stints of staring at the wall. It was clear that the mobster was taking his failure to protect his boss fairly seriously.

When they were finally allowed to see him, Rudy went in last of all the family. Originally, he was hoping to crack some jokes with James about his condition to get him in the up and at 'er spirit. When he was finally allowed to enter the room, he found that it was worse than he thought. He took a seat in one of the chairs by the door and stood staring at the bedside, steepling his fingers and running his hands through his hair.

"He's had a rough time of it, Mrs. Porter," Rudy finally said after watching Lucy agonize over her husband, "Let him rest. He's not going anywhere." His eyes darted between hers and his employer's bruised face.

Pyroclast Misty Gray Bellz

 

[Misty Gray]

Shannon Sullivan​

As the group were allowed to enter James' private recovery room, Shannon took a slight detour towards the water cooler. She didn't want a drink from the machine, but still reached out towards the stacked paper cups and helped herself to half a dozen of them, dropping them into her oversized handbag. Two well-built men stood on the corridor by the doorway to James' room and Shannon turned to briefly make eye-contact with the familiar men. She knew them as they'd been sent to guard the room her son-in-law was being kept in, but didn't make any further attempt to acknowledge or converse with them.

Shannon entered the room just before Rudy did and she didn't hesitate to step into the centre to see James with her own eyes. Seeing the extent of the man's injuries, it was no surprise Syd and Lucy were presently in such a state themselves. It was a rare sight to see James so severely injured and it didn't sit well with even a woman as strong-willed as Shannon. During his time working for Emmet, Shannon had lot count of the number of times James ended up back at the house being treated for some minor injury or even patching himself up as if he was repairing a torn shirt. But in those situations, the only worries she'd had was that he was going to mess up her upholstery with blood. The last time she had genuinely feared for her son-in-law was when he'd been shot at his own wedding and hospitalised...

Shannon's thoughts soon turned to Emmet and the sight of her husband bleeding to death in her arms caused the usually strong woman to freeze on the spot, momentarily switching off from the scene around her. She couldn't bear to think of Lucy losing James in the same way. After all of those years, Shannon still thought of Emmet and wished he could be around to see how his family had grown, and to hold his grandchildren. Shannon's head snapped around so she could look to Thomas. It was too soon. Her baby grandson wouldn't have any memories of his father. At least Emmet's kids had all grown up enough to know their father before he died.

The woman walked towards the wheeled table that had been set aside from James' bed. She reached into her bag and removed the paper cups, followed by a large bottle of whiskey which she placed down, making a clunking sound that echoed around the room. She took a cup and poured some alcohol, quickly knocking it back. "Help yourselves," she announced to the room. She then approached Lucy, who she had heard pleading with James for him to wake up. The woman squeezed Syd's shoulder as she passed him, sending her grandson a reassuring nod. When she reached Lucy, she took a seat beside her and placed her hand around her, gently rubbing her daughter's back. She then leaned her head in and placed a firm kiss on the blonde's cheek. "He can do this, Lucy."

Bellz (Lucy, Rayna) Pyroclast (Syd) Shireling (Rudy)

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter​

Lucy continued to stare closely at her husband as he showed no signs of waking up, despite her begging and pleading. He couldn’t hear them, and Lucy could bear to think that he was having to face all of his pain alone inside of his own head. The blonde bit her lip and shook her head again as she sucked in a shaky breath, tears falling down her cheeks as she looked at the clean white sheets below her. She watched as her tears stained the clean fabric, making a small wet mark on them. She didn’t look up for a long while, not even as bodies in the room shifted around.

Rudy spoke to her, telling her that James had a rough time and to let him rest, this caused the blonde to shake her head again before slowly lifting her head up to stare at the man with hopelessness in her eyes. ”He can’t be here, Rudy. He’s not suppose to end up in places like this.” Her words were broken as she turned her head away from the man back towards her husband, ”I just need him to tell me he’s fine…just those two little words and then he can rest again.” The panic in her voice was clear and she hadn’t noticed when her mother came to sit beside her.

Lucy jumped slightly when Shannon placed a hand on her back, rubbing it lightly but when she kissed her cheek, Luce then closed her eyes. Her words were reassuring and who else could she believe more than the woman who had been through it all. Sniffling gently, Lucy lifted her hand slowly guiding it towards James’ and touching her fingertips against his skin, being as light as a feather. ”We love you, James.” She murmured breathlessly, ”I love you, so so much.” This moment reminded her of the last time James had been in the hospital like this…a memory that she had tried hard to forget.

Their wedding had ended in terror and bloodshed, with both Lucy and James ending up in the hospital. Lucy hadn’t cared about herself so much as she had cared about her new husband…

They had been living in terror then and 10 years later it seemed like things were going to repeat themselves. This caused another sob to escape Lucy as she thought about what they would all have to go through. This moment, seeing James looking so weak was just a symbol of what was to come, the crack in the foundation they had slaved over for years.
with: Syd Pyroclast ; Shannon + James Misty Gray ; Rudy Shireling

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

When Aliana joined her and Lucy in the kitchen, Sinead sent her friend a soft smile. "Hey, honey," she sweetly greeted her friend. She nodded her head when Aliana said she'd missed them, mentioning that she'd been hanging out with Blake. Despite how stressful the last few months had been and how troubled things with Peter still were, it hadn't escaped Sinead's attention at how little time she'd spent with Aliana lately. She had her own theories about why, but it never seemed appropriate to bring it up. In the aftermath of Tommy's death, Sinead had tried her best to support Aliana during her grieving. Then, whilst Sinead had been taken away to the Lake District, she was aware Aliana was out shooting up the factory with Jackson and the others. Sinead figured that was Aliana's official initiation into the gang and that's when she believed they'd stopped hanging out together. Knowing how vocal she'd always been about Peter not working for James and knowing how much of a worrier she was, she assumed Aliana just didn't want her trying to talk her out of it all.

Anything Sinead was going to say was soon cut off when Lucy got called away to speak on the phone. It soon transpired that James had been badly hurt and so was in hospital. After hugging her sister and wishing her luck, Sinead returned to the kitchen and awkwardly paced the room. She covered her mouth with her hand as she tried to push back her own anxieties. Peter was troubled and he still hadn't returned from getting his pills. Now James was hurt. The man Sinead had always put her faith in to return home was now hospitalised and it seemed like the war was only getting worse. She felt like it was all going wrong again. A different country and a different monster. But it was all so familiar and terrifying.

All the while, Sinead wanted to contain was was bubbling beneath the surface. She couldn't let it out, not when Aliana had just lost her brother and their day was about grieving for poor Leo. Sinead stopped on the spot and looked to Aliana, a confused desperation in her eyes. "I've missed you too, Ali," she finally said, her voice faltering. "None of this is right. It's not fair. This is all so wrong..."


Bellz (Lucy) Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

The sound of his mother's cries tore at Syd's heart. The whole situation felt so strange to him. With all the deaths the mob had seen in recent months, all the injuries he had seen people return home with, including his own, Syd knew that the business carried serious risks. But James was the strongest man he knew - he looked up to him in every way, and throughout all the dangers his father had faced over the years, he had always come out the other side. He was a constant source of wisdom and support in Syd's life, and now suddenly he would have to learn to be without him. Thomas, half-asleep, wriggled in his arms and Syd bounced him gently, tucking the blanket around him to make him feel warm and secure. He couldn't help but believe that the little lad was destined to have a hard life, so providing him with comfort and support from the beginning was essential. He would need the best start in life he could get if he was going to be exposed to things like this from an early age.

When Shannon squeezed his shoulder and sent him a reassuring nod he looked up at her and mustered a small, appreciative smile. Given everything she had been through and the burdens she had carried in her lifetime, Syd considered her a great source of inspiration when it came to being strong in situations like this. He looked over to his sobbing mother and sighed. It pained him to see her so upset. "He will wake up, mam," he calmly assured the woman, his voice now coming out more steady. "Rudy's right, he just needs to rest. When has he ever not come through for us? He always bounces back in the end. He'll make it. He's got to."

Still rocking the sleeping baby in his arms, Syd took a step closer to the bed and looked down at his father. With all the bandages wrapped around his torso, it was hard to see his chest moving up and down, but as long as the monitors kept emitting those regular beeps, he wouldn't panic. "Dad," he spoke up, not caring if the man could hear him or not. "Listen. We're not gonna let them take us down. We're gonna stand our ground, protect all your hard work, everything you've made this city into. I promise...however long you have to sit out for, we won't let them take over. We won't lose a thing. Starting with you."

Interactions
Misty Gray James, Shannon
Bellz Lucy, Rayna
Shireling Rudy

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

The sounds were agonizing in his head and all he wanted was for them to stop. Shuffling on his feet, he shook his head a few more times as he tried to will himself to control. It was only when Ryan made an advance towards him did he suddenly realize what he had been doing. Peter ground his teeth together again, watching as the man moved to pick up the pink and fluffy keys from the floor.

His hands moved from his ears all on their own and his breathing slowly evened out as he watched the man clean off the floof gently. Oddly enough, this caused a slow smile to spread on Peter’s face as he took in the sight of the pink fluffy thing. He wasn’t completely calm as he watched Ryan, his breathing still uneven and hand’s stiff with uncertainty as Ryan then held out the keys to Peter.

Biting his lip lightly, Peter shook his head and reached for the keys slowly, taking them from Ryan and feeling the soft texture of the little ball of fluff in his hands. This seemed to calm him more than anything and Peter finally was able to find his voice again, ”T-thank you.” He cleared his throat and sighed, ”I’m sorry, I don’t know what’s gotten into me…the party was just…too much to handle.” The man shrugged his shoulders lightly, as if it weren’t a big deal.

Silence fell between the two men and before Ryan could walk away, Peter spoke up. ”This woman’s got my heart…look at me…carrying around a pink fluffy thing..” He let out a soft laugh, shaking his head in disbelief..seeming completely normal now. ”I want to thank you for helping her while I was gone…I know she can be a handful sometimes. But that’s my girl…love her for it.” Despite being able to express this to Ryan, for some reason Peter couldn’t say it to his wife’s face and couldn’t express it through action.

with: Ryan Fletchawk
mentions: Sinead Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Saoirse Fitzgerald​

"Well, Nathan. If that's the case, you can call me Saoirse," she replied to Nathan, unable to stop the alluring smile from forming on her lips. She knew she was letting her formal and professional mask slip, but for some reason she didn't feel compelled to put it back on.

Nathan couldn't give her an explanation about why her sister wasn't protected from the other criminals of the city. Although it wasn't a response she had hoped for, there was still some comfort and relief to be taken from her concerns at least being listened to. The mob's responsibility in the situation was also thankfully acknowledged by Nathan.

"I understand that you can't give me more information. I'm sure your boss is too busy to spend time answering my questions. After all, who am I but just some woman who works in a grocery store? I know I'm not high on your group's list of priorities. I just want to fight for answers and justice." She was glad to hear Nathan would speak to Mr. Porter and see about getting himself assigned to her area. She knew this was a serious situation and it was the wrong place, but she couldn't help the shy smile and blush that took over her face. She could get used to seeing more of Nathan around, that was for sure. She cleared her throat and regained her serious composure. "I would really appreciate knowing I'm in your safe hands, Nathan. I'm sure my brother will be grateful for you being assigned near to our place, too. Thank you," she told him.

It was true, they did pay their way and they had shown nothing but loyalty to the Porters. It was why she hadn't given the cops any information that would paint the Porters in a bad light. Although, she did often consider her silence was out of fear of crossing the mob rather than respect. She wanted to trust the Porters and she didn't fear them as much as she was afraid of those responsible for the shooting that night. Everything had been a chaotic and terrifying blur the night Bridget died in front of her. But before the shooting had happened, she'd been aware of their surroundings and seen the eight men sat around the private table from where she believed the shooting later originated from. So many faces remained implanted in her mind from that night but she couldn't say for sure which of them had belonged to civilians and which had been responsible for the gunfire. It wasn't until Leo was gunned down two weeks ago that Evan's face was pulled back to the forefront of her mind - one of the men she'd seen in the restaurant when her sister was killed and who had also been present when Leo was shot two weeks ago.

"I hope you can understand why this is so important to me... to be heard. I used to volunteer at the church until my sister was killed. My faith had been questioned for some time and that was what finally sealed the deal. That, and the fact I lied to the police. I withheld any information about your guys and the ones shooting at them, because I know talking can get a person killed. But in doing that, I wonder if I betrayed my sister by making it harder for her killer to be brought to justice. That's why it's so important for Mr. Porter to help me. I kept my silence and did what the mob would have wanted from me." Saoirse paused as she debated over her next words. "I saw one of the men in the restaurant when that poor boy was killed a couple of weeks ago... he was also present the night my sister was shot. At the Sky Haven, Mr. Sullivan was standing right by the man," she pointed out, knowing Conor through previous business interactions, "so you guys must know who is behind all of this. Should I be as worried as I feel?" she asked.


LateForDinner (Nathan)

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan​

Although he was nervous, Finn smiled softly as George placed his hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently. He tried to hide the disappointment off his features when George pulled away all too quickly, but his words reassured him that he didn’t have to feel nervous. Finn slowly nodded his head in agreement as George said that it would take some getting use to. He listened closely as George explained that he was nervous too, causing Finn to blush deeply, looking down with embarrassment as George showered him with compliments. After a moment, he looked back up and was trapped in George’s gaze.

There was a beat of silence between them before George spoke again, suggesting that he could change the subject. Finn straightened up quickly and bit is lip as George looked away and laughed. He watched as the man turned serious then before asking how Peter was doing. It was Finn’s turn to become more serious as he lifted his cup of coffee up to his lips and took a small, contemplating sip.

When he placed the cup down, he sighed, listening as George went on to speak about how he was tempted to visit Peter. Finn was glad that the man hadn’t gone to do so yet, Peter’s condition was…complex and Finn was still trying to figure out what the next course of action would be if the medication he prescribed him didn’t alter his anxieties. The hallucinations he was having were caused by the intense fears he was having and the lack of sleep…

Finn was pulled from his thoughts as George once again found a way to sneak another compliment in there, causing him to blush. ”I hope you realize that you are just as hard to forget, Georgie…” The Doctor murmured gently, ”I couldn’t take it anymore, you were always on my mind…I had to come find you.”

Sighing gently, Finn went back to the subject of Peter. ”As for Peter…he’s not doing well, George. I’m afraid that his time in prison had really done a number on him. The trauma he faced caused anxiety and depression beyond his control and he’s shut everyone including his wife out of his life..”
with: George Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter
​

October, 1948...

”Its time to wake up..”

James' eyes shot open to find himself sat in the chair, his hands and feet restrained to stop him from escaping. His lifted his head to see Lucy sitting directly opposite him, also tied to a chair. He could see the blood on her forehead and it angered him to see the woman he'd fallen in love with was hurt. She asked him if he was okay. Less than half an hour ago, his skull had been smashed against a car and he'd been knocked unconscious. However, they were both trapped in a pretty dire situation and the best he could do was reassure his girlfriend.

”I just need him to tell me he’s fine…just those two little words and then he can rest again.”

"I'm fine. This is nothing - I've had worse," he told the woman tied to the chair across from him.

**********​

"You're bleeding on those expensive trousers," the cold, harsh male voice echoed in the room. James looked up to see the face of Vinnie Romano staring down at him. The deep, menacing hatred was practically burning within the Italian's eyes. James lowered his vision to see the knife his enemy was tightly holding. He had to hold his nerve and keep the pain under control. Vinnie was taunting Lucy and James couldn't show her that he was experiencing any kind of fear.

As the blade ripped deep into the skin near his collarbone, reopening another old wound, James was unable to hold back the pained groan that escaped his mouth. Then, the knife ripped through the other side, creating what would be yet another scar. James let out a series a fast, deep breaths as the fresh wounds over his chest and stomach caused a burning, stinging sensation to radiate throughout his upper body.

The torture soon ceased and the couple were alone in the moment. James looked down to see the red liquid pouring from his deep wounds, the blood loss threatening to render him unconscious. Lucy once again asked him if he was okay and there was only once thing he could say to her, to reassure her in the dire situation. "I'm okay, Lucy. It's just a few scratches."

James felt the pain still burning in his chest, but as he took a deep breath the pain soon soon changed into something more. It was an intense pain, not a stinging caused by a cut but a deep, tight pain caused by disrupting his broken ribs. In James' mind, the face of Vinnie Romano was suddenly replaced by that of Gideon Burnell. In his semi-conscious state, he was still unsure of what was real and what was still a dream. He often dreamed of the night he and Lucy were tortured, even after so many years, but this time it had felt more intense and Lucy's voice was saying words he hadn't heard before. The reality around him had been mixing with his dreams. As the moments went on, it was only the waking world that filled James' head. The pain and damage Gideon had inflicted on him was very real and it was his present reality.

Though he struggled to process all of the words being spoken, James picked up on Syd's voice, reassuring him that they were going to fight for the city and what they'd worked hard for. James' head moved a little, tilting in the direction of where he was sure Lucy's voice had been coming from. He knew she needed him to be okay. He knew everyone was relying on him to get up and fight back. He believed he'd failed them tonight and he owed it to them to give some kind of reassurance. He opened his right-eye, the left eyelid being too swollen for him to open very far. His vision was still a little blurred, but he was able to see Lucy sat beside him and he was sure he'd heard her crying over the irritating beeping of the heart-rate monitor he was connected to. As he looked towards his wife, his face appeared distant and neutral, still trying to get his head around everything. He knew Lucy was there and he'd heard Syd too, but he remained unaware of the others in the room. As he thought of his worried wife and son, there was only one thing he could say to the blonde woman by his side and he'd even heard her plead him to say it during his semi-conscious state. "I'm fine..." he finally spoke up, his voice hoarse and weak. Amongst the thirst and dryness of his throat, the metallic taste of blood still lingered in his mouth.

Bellz (Lucy, Rayna) Pyroclast (Syd) Shireling (Rudy)

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

Feeling the helmet resting against his back made Jason grin like a idiot. It wasn't out of character for him to act a little wild, to take risks and chances. But it still thrilled him, and with the cold wind whipping his hair back and the arms of a beautiful stranger wrapped tightly around him, he felt truly alive. She leaned in closely to give him directions and he obliged, turning sharply with a bit too much enthusiasm and causing the bike to dip towards the ground. He felt a rush of adrenaline pump through his veins but realised he ought to be more careful with a passenger sitting behind him. "How're ye doin' back there?" he called back to her - but her laugh assured him that she was enjoying the thrill ride, so he didn't worry.

The second he cut the engine, Gwen hopped off the back of the bike and undid her helmet. Her hair was all tousled, her cheeks pink from the cold air and she wore a wild, excited smile that made Jason chuckle. After kicking the side stand down, he swung his leg over and stepped closer to her, bringing his hands up to smooth her hair down. He slipped his hand into hers when she reached out to him and they walked together towards the entrance; anyone watching them would have thought they were a couple.

He smiled brightly to her when she called him "darling". Maybe it was a term she used for any old stranger, but it still touched him. No one had called him anything endearing since his Nana was alive. "Any time, doll," he responded, holding the door open for her to step through. The pub was thriving, and thankfully it didn't seem to be the cosy type filled only with unwelcoming regulars, like one or two others he had tried going to when he first arrived.

"Shall I open another tab?" he asked her, when they seated themselves at the bar. It was a rhetorical question, of course - they both knew that they had come here for more than one drink. Soon they were both with drinks in their hand and Jason raised his to her with a smile. "Here's to you, and your amazing voice," he said. Playfully clinking his glass against hers, he added, "Sláinte!" before taking a hefty swig. "You alright to watch this while I head to the jacks?" he asked her, sliding his drink over to her as he got to his feet. "I won't be a second..."

Almost as soon as he was out of sight, a young man of about 22 leaned his back against the bar, sliding clumsily into the space where Gwen sat. At first he didn't notice that she was even there, still laughing to his friends nearby. When he finally raised his head and noticed her, he let out a short gasp, putting one hand on her arm to steady himself and another on her leg to push himself upright. "Aw, sorry, love," he slurred, letting out a short laugh. He carried a strong Mancunian accent and was clearly heavily intoxicated as his gaze drifted downwards. The lad let out a whistle, brazenly staring at her breasts. "God...yer' alright lookin', you are," he remarked. Perhaps it was his idea of being charming. "Go on, pull it down a little further for us - giz' a better look, love," he begged, hungrily, hooking a finger onto the seam of her dress and giving it a tug.

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter​

Lucy nodded her head slowly as Syd calmly reassured her that James would wake up. He went on to say that Rudy was right, that he just needed to rest and Lucy turned back to look at James’. She couldn’t stand the silence around him, the way he slowly breathed in and out, hardly making a sound. The beep on the monitor was getting louder and louder, the loudest thing in the room as Syd suddenly took a step forward. Lucy watched their son’s closely, Thomas was fast asleep in Syd’s arms, nestled close to his big brother. Syd’s words echoed in her ears and a small broken smile formed on her lips at his strength. Swallowing hard, the blonde turned back to her husband, knowing that it could be hours or days even before he would wake up.

With this in mind, Lucy stood up slowly, reaching for a chair to sit next to James’ bedside, next to her mother. Her attention glued to her husband as she watched for any sign of him waking up. It wasn’t right, the way he looked right now, she wanted to see her husband healed of all wounds…the casts gone. Lucy tilted her head softly as she reached forward again, her thumb lightly tracing the back of James’ hand, minding the I.V. needle and tubing that was there. The few seconds after Syd had finished speaking felt like years and there was nothing but stillness. Lucy turned to look to her mother, wondering once again how long it would be before James would return to her when he took a noticeable deep breath, causing her to almost jump out of her seat.

Gasping lightly, the woman looked to everyone with a new sense of hope in her eyes before she looked back to James. His head tilted a little in her direction and Lucy’s brows furrowed harshly as she willed silently for him to come back to her. Suddenly, his right eye opened and Lucy let out another small gasp as she brought her hand over her mouth. Her tears streamed down her face as heavy sobs formed in her chest. Looking at him closely, she could see that he was still confused and in his state he had every right to be. Lowering her hand to his now, she tried to smile as best as she could for him, knowing how hard this must have been. He said nothing and Lucy was concerned that maybe he couldn’t say anything at the moment.

Biting her lip, the blonde shook her head slowly, opening her mouth, she huffed out a breath about to speak when James beat her too it, saying the two words she had pleaded him to say. Lucy cried out in relief and bowed her head against his bed gently, sobbing once again as her prayers had been answered. ”You came back to me.” She said in a muffled croak as she lifted her head to look at him. ”We are all here. Syd, Thomas, Rudy, Shannon and Rayna…” She told him, hoping to ease some of his confusion.
with: James + Shannon Misty Gray ; Syd Pyroclast ; Rudy @ Shireling