Realistic or Modern Empire City: The Irish Mob - IC (Closed)

[Misty Gray]

Valentina Moretti​

Valentina had known the move to New York would come one day, but she'd been hoping for more time in Miami. Maybe a few more years to finish studying and get her own life sorted out so she'd have been able to argue against joining her family in New York. She knew there were still things to look forward to in the big city and a great amount of opportunities would open for her father's business, but it was still hard. She'd been enrolled at college back in Miami, the only place she had any memory of living in since her family moved there from Sicily in 1950. Gabriel had managed to arrange her enrolment at a college in Staten Island for her, instead. The argument with her father had been just as short as the rest of them and in a way, that confirmed her usual outburst of labelling the man as a control freak.

Despite the fights, Valentina loved her father and was willing to give the move a try. She was sure the city would offer some amazing parties and not to mention a whole array other wildlife species she hadn't seen much or any of back in Miami. Gabriel had assured her she would have more responsibility in the business, taking on administrative and hosting duties. She figured her biggest concern about New York was history somehow repeating itself. It was the place so many of their family were killed and had the timing been off by a relatively short time, she too would have died that night. Gabriel was a strong, confident and intelligent man, but it didn't stop Valentina from being concerned for his safety whilst he was out on business.

With the man in question out on said business, Valentina was spending time in the new house with her mother and siblings. Tatiana had made her speciality papanași which she always enjoyed eating. Earlier in the day, Valentina had been spending time outside, exploring the gardens before venturing off the grounds and a short walk away to the nearby park. Whilst some might see them as pests, she'd enjoyed watching the squirrels running around and even the odd raccoon making an appearance. She'd already decided the park would be one of her places to go to when she needed to relax or study.

Slouching in one of the armchairs, Valentina's attention was dragged back into the room when Tatiana asked for everyone's first impressions of New York. Perhaps it was their time to take advantage of Gabriel's absence to speak frankly. "This house has a great garden and there's a beautiful park nearby," she pointed out, sure Elvian would also appreciate their garden. "I enjoyed Manhattan while we were there. Despite New York being the place most of our family... well, you know..." she trailed off. "...I think there'll be some amazing parties in the city."

Valentina moved so she was sitting up straight and actually looking to her family now. "This house, though. You've all seen that show, right? The Addams Family. I think I'm going to have to start addressing Papa as Gomez," she sarcastically remarked.


Melanin-Gxdess (Elvian) RayPurchase (Marcus) Pyroclast (Tatiana)

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor observed Finn's face closely as his cousin's cheeks blushed upon the subject of George. The doctor had been through a lot when his parents were killed and his romantic relationships had ended in heartbreak. Back then, it had upset Conor to see Finn unhappy and not receiving the love he deserved. But now, as he spoke of George, the man he'd been with for over a decade, it was clear he'd finally found the one. Conor was ecstatic to see his cousin looking so happy and settled. "Glad to hear it, mate. I knew a top bloke like you had to find true happiness." With mention of the couple not planning on it only being the two of them living in the house, Conor raised a curious eyebrow. "Oh really?" he asked, with a warm smile. "Any kid would be lucky to have you and George for parents. I heard great things about you both after you looked after the brats the other week. I mean, Leo didn't have anything bad to say, so he must have been sold. Little Olivia also seemed to appreciate George's help with her writing, too."

With the offer of a room to stay in at the house, Conor thought it over for a moment before slowly nodding his head. "I might take you up on that offer, once I know Tinkerbell and Pete are alright. Especially after what happened last week. I want to help Pete make sure she doesn't have another breakdown," he told him. Whilst it was part of the reason, he didn't just want to stick around until Sinead had recovered from her torture. When he'd first been released from prison, his sister had seemed relieved to have his extra company around the house and it had soon become obvious that Peter was being distant with her. Conor just wanted to be sure the couple had overcome their difficulties before moving out and risking Sinead taking offence.

"I know what you mean about this place. It never seems to slow down and there's always so much to take in whenever I'm here in Manhattan," he agreed about New York. "Don't get me wrong, I like it here and my businesses are doing fucking great. But I kind of miss Dublin. Despite those union pricks, it just felt more like a community - more like home." He shrugged his thoughts off and moved on to Finn's other words. "I wish I could help you find more time with George and the rest of us. But, you're a big-shot medical professional and I'm afraid I can't help you on that front. Most experience I've had with patients is putting them in the hospital in the first place and honestly, I'd rather not go back down that road again," he explained. "Anyway, I'm sure you'll both find time for each other and he seems like the kind of guy who would understand how busy your job is."

With the questions about his therapy sessions, Conor lightly smiled and nodded his head. "Surprisingly well. If you told me a few years ago I'd be listening to some poncy posh-speaking shrink, I'd have called bullshit," he began. There was a brief interruption as the waiter came to take their order. Conor enthusiastically rubbed his hands together as he ordered his medium-rare steak meal. As soon as they were done, he returned to answering his cousin. "But you're right, Dr. Parker is a good bloke and I only regret being such an awkward bastard when he first started trying to help me. He's had me talking about a lot of stuff from the past, especially the crap from Chicago. He made me realise a lot of my aggression is from all of the things I've kept buried away in the back of my mind. He's going to help me confront it so I can come to terms with what happened and stop letting it hang over me." Conor smiled to himself. "He's helped me find healthier ways of dealing when I'm pissed off; keeping calm in situations and letting off any steam when I'm in the gym. I'm impressed with how much he's helped me improve and I just wish Ali would see it too."


Bellz (Finn)
RayPurchase Melanin-Gxdess (Conor and Finn are just going to keep talking until your guys are ready...)

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter
~ Luke Holland ~​

With the two other men ready to start, James got out of the car and waited for them to follow. He led them into the apartment and into the elevator where he proceeded to hold his gun ready to shoot if anyone was waiting for them when the doors opened upon reaching the desired floor. Things ran smoothly and they exited the elevator before James led them to the appropriate apartment door. He knocked four times and there was a brief pause before the guards on the other side granted them access. Stepping inside, James looked around the minimally furnished living area before sighting Luke tied to a wooden chair in the centre of the lounge area. When satisfied everything was in order, he excused the two guards, asking one to keep watch outside the door and the other to watch over the car Warren was waiting in.

James stood directly opposite Luke and studied the man for a time. Other than some facial bruising and cuts to his wrists following the struggle against the guards, the man was so far unharmed. Whilst he doubted that would be the case by the time the questioning had finished, James was for the most part going to leave the interrogation in the hands of Peter and Keegan, only stepping in if he felt it necessary. There were many things they wanted to find out. Mostly, they needed to know who Luke was working for, who had been with him when he kidnapped Savannah, and what his allies next had planned. James turned to Peter to get confirmation from him that the man they'd caught was indeed the one who had kidnapped Savannah. Though she had been saved and brought safely home, the men who took her had caused her physical and mental scars. There was no excusing it. "Luke Holland. My friends and I have some questions for you," James spoke. Though his voice was calm, there was a cold and intimidating edge to its tone.

"Luke Holland? No, I'm afraid you've got the wrong guy. You must be thinking of my twin brother," the man remarked. As he spoke, his eyes fixed on Peter, knowing full well the man recognised him. He could see the way the men were looking at him, no doubt furious about what had happened when the theatre attack took place. He figured he knew he wasn't going to have the best of evenings, but he wasn't about to plead for mercy or forgiveness. He watched as James stepped to the side, letting Peter and Keegan take centre stage. He knew why Peter wasn't in his fan club, but Luke wondered which of his actions had upset Keegan. It could be one of many, so he was curious to find out. "Well, this is all kinds of awkward. How about we just fast forward to the part you three realise you've wasted your time and I have nothing of importance to tell you." The man fidgeted with his wrists behind him, finding they were still securely tied to the back of the chair and there was nothing he could do about it. "I have a question, for you," he said, nodding his head to Peter. "Is your daughter single? I'm asking for a friend..."

Bellz (Peter) Bugsy (Keegan)

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan ​

Peter looked to the pack of cigarettes that Keegan offered up and even though he wasn't much of a smoker anymore, he took one out and put the stick between his lips. Briefly asking for a light, Peter's heart began to race as he lit the cigarette and took in a deep inhale.

The taste was familiar to him and as they made their way through the apartment building, it was starting to faintly numb his sense of awareness. It was in these types of jobs that he was appreciative of the ability to step outside of himself. Peter stepped carefully with his gun drawn as well as they made it down the hall, his own eyes watching the doors as they made their way past his vision.

Once inside the apartment, Peter came face to face with the man that had taken his daughter those few weeks ago. His jaw tightened as he put his gun away, hand moving to his cigarette to take it out of his mouth a moment. All was quiet after James told the two guards to leave. Peter stared intensely at Luke from the corner of the room, just puffing away as he fought for some self control.

His hands shook slightly only out of anger. It was clear that it would be harder to fight himself than originally planned. James spoke, causing Peter to break his intense gaze to look at his brother-in-law. With the cigarette hanging between his fingers, Peter waited for Luke to answer.

The cockiness in the man's tone was enough to set Peter on fire. Luke had the audacity to look his way and Peter took a few steps forward as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. The man spoke again, stating that he didn't have anything important to tell the three. Peter scoffed harshly and took a few more steps forward.

He was so close to decking the man right in the face, but Peter didn't want to seem like he was getting ahead of himself. Peter had enough reason to hit the man but he was waiting...

He spoke yet again and this time, he said the wrong thing. Peter stared at the man, no longer taking any steps forward as he shook his head. "Think you are fucking hilarious, don't you?" His voice was deep and he struggled to contain his anger. Peter lifted the hand with the cigarette to his mouth and took another long drag before finally taking the last two steps to close the gap between Luke and himself. Taking his free hand, he slapped Luke so hard that it made his head snap to the side.

Peter flicked red hot ash at the man's face before taking the still lit cigarette and pressing it firmly against the man's forehead, putting it out and burning Luke simultaneously. "It would be in your best interest to answer our questions, Holland."

"Now I know you aren't smart enough to come up with an attack like the one that happened at the theater...So who did?"
with: James + Luke Misty Gray ; Keegan Bugsy

 

[RayPurchase]

Marcus Moretti
Moretti Residence

​

So this was home now. The Big Apple, The City That Never Sleeps. It had always been on the cards. Even if Marcus wasn’t exactly privy to all of his father’s plans and schemes, the move to New York has always been lurking in the not so distant future, and now here it was. The Miami boardwalk that he had spent his youth effectively growing up on, as well as attempting to avoid his parent’s dictatorial presence on, the University of Miami that he had not only spent his formative years studying and playing at, but also coaching; all left behind them, and a long distance in the rear mirror behind them. It had all happened quickly in the end, whisked away from the life they had built up, that he had built up for himself. But there was no disagreeing with his father, not on this matter. The return to New York transcended anything else, a few years ago he would have fought and railed against it, but he understood the reasons behind it and the events that had preceded it. He found himself unemployed now, his students and fellow coaches half a world away now, but the coaching job had been a stopgap, no matter how much he enjoyed it, he was a Moretti afterall, his father's only son, he was destined for greater things, he couldn't forever be the petulant middle child, joining Valentina in railing against 'The Man'.


With their father away on business, the rest of the family essentially had free run of their new place. Whilst Tatiana had busied herself in the kitchen and Valentina had been wandering about the greener places that the neighbourhood had to offer, Marcus had decided to get out of the house for a bit as well, as much as he loved his family, the close proximity didn't always lend itself to happy encounters, he chalked it down to the fiery Romanian blood that ran through his mother's veins, quick to boil at times. Pulling on a pair of tracksuits and trainers he'd gone for some fresh air and a chance to stretch his legs, until he found a decent gym it was the best form of escape that he had. He made it to the northern tip of Statten Island, perspiring in the warm summer afternoon air as he gazed at Manhattan across the water, they were back now, to a place he had never known, but had always belonged.


He'd been sure to grab a shower when he got back, his mother would have gone for him with the nearest weapon to hand if he had sprawled out on the sofa straight after his run. Dressed in a grey blazer and black jumper he was staring out of the window, fidgeting slightly, his foot tapping against the floor. His mood brightened however as Tatiana entered bearing a fresh batch of papanași the rich smell filling his nostrils and brining a smile to his face.


"Ah Tati as ever the domestic goddess,"


Gingerly picking one up he took a bite, sucking in rapidly to cool the hot pastry, he flopped back onto one of the sofas, reclining back with his calves on the arm rest so his feet hung off the edge, an easy way to get round the old rule of no feet on sofas.


"Going to have to agree with Tina, those New York parties are legendary, the city that doesn't sleep? I mean that's a challenge right there, and not one I can allow to go unanswered,"


He let out a deep laugh at Valentina's comment about the house. It sure did have that feel about it, I mean what architect had the bright idea to build a tower in the middle of the damn thing.


"Think you should give it a go Tina. If Papa is Gomez though, does that make you Thing, the wild one of the bunch…?"


He flashed a wink at her. As much as he lived his father, the atmosphere was noticeably lighter with his absence.

(Interavtion: Misty Gray Valentina,
Pyroclast Tatiana, Melanin-Gxdess Elvian)

 

[Pyroclast]

Alistair Sawyer

At Gabriel's offer of a drink, Alistair scooted forward and poured himself a glass of bourbon. Although he preferred to speak politely towards people - especially those he did business with - he had never had any reservations about making himself at home, no matter where he was. Moretti's new apartment was no exception to this. The man soon launched into a summary of the progress made so far, complimenting Alistair and Stefano on their execution of the attacks on the hotel and the theatre. Alistair sat back, resting his drink atop the arm of the chair as he listened. He wasn't a big drinker on the basis that alcohol clouds judgement and focus, two things that he values highly in his line of work, and so knew he would make his one drink last for the whole meeting. This business, however, had been relatively easy for him; the three shared similar interests concerning the management of New York, and their ideas did not often conflict. A somewhat proud smile spread across his face when Gabriel explained the successful cooperation of a few of the Irish Mob's drug suppliers.

Gabriel went on then to update them on Dr. Maddox Parker's progress, which pleased Alistair greatly. While his expertise was largely on intimidation and torture, he strongly believed that most of a person's strength came from the mind and therefore held great respect for the psychiatrist for exploiting his clients. He was proving that mind control was a deeply effective method in weakening not just one man but potentially a whole enterprise. Alistair had great faith in Maddox's role.

The name 'Syd Porter' stirred up plenty of thoughts and opinions from Alistair. The young man had left an interesting impression on him; despite having heard a rough account of Syd's history of mental illness, the fact that he was still considered an active member of the mob had allowed Alistair to believe that he would be in a strong and stable condition. The image he had been carrying of the young man was entirely overthrown when the two had actually met face to face the previous week. Before he could verbalise any of these opinions, however, Stefano's reaction to the name grabbed his attention. It seemed to have agitated him somewhat and Alistair took a sip of his bourbon, turning to observe him as he practically spat out his words.

Hearing that Syd had had "relations" with Stefano's daughter caused Alistair to lightly choke on his whiskey. Doing his best to be subtle, he passed a hand over his mouth in an attempt to physically wipe away his amused smile and shot a quick glance to Gabriel. The idea of Porter's son fathering a child was a complete joke to him and he found it difficult to take the information seriously.

"Now wait a minute, Stefano," he cut in, trying to sound serious. "Last I heard, you need a pair of balls to get a woman pregnant. Does that not automatically rule him out?" He took another sip of his bourbon before sitting forward and looking between his two associates. "Let me tell you something about that kid. The second I took his power away from him, he became meek as a mouse. Didn't speak up, didn't fight for his family, didn't even try to challenge me or the men working under my orders. An infamous thirty-year-old mobster sat there and cried right in front of me. It bores me, Gabriel, when my job is stripped of challenge like that." Pausing to take a drink, he let the smooth taste settle on his tongue before continuing. "Who knows? Maybe he was having a bad day already - he looked sick as a dog to me - but if your bad days render you that weak, that pathetic and useless, then you shouldn't be in this line of work. Syd Porter may be the mob boss' eldest son, but believe me, he is not the heir to the mob's throne. I'm willing to bet he will never make it that far." His gaze drifted to the back wall of the apartment as he cast his mind back to the night he had met the man. "Actually, he did speak up eventually. He begged me to keep him captive in exchange for letting his family go free. Even if I killed him. But the way he said it, I don't know...it really sounded like he just wanted to die. Given Dr. Parker's successful work so far, it wouldn't surprise me. The overall impression I got was that he's either got no balls on him and is naturally, nauseatingly weak, or he's borderline suicidal. Whichever it is, I believe we're at an advantage where he's concerned."

Alistair heaved a sigh and turned to face Stefano. "You think your daughter - remind me of her name? Do you think her having this baby would tie her to the family in such a way that would benefit us? Let her get closer to them so that we can learn more from the inside? Or are you hoping she'll abort the thing?"

Interactions
Misty Gray Gabriel
Bellz Stefano

 

[Pyroclast]

Danny Vaughan

Every time Danny saw Savannah, she did something that surprised him. Her skill for acting that she had shown on stage; her courage to leave the house on her own so soon after being violently abducted; her will to smoke with him despite never having done it before. It made him excited to spend time with her, never knowing what else he might learn. Still, he had tried to keep it cool, making a special effort to not talk too much about her to everyone he saw. Even on the phone to his parents, he hadn't mentioned that he was developing feelings for anybody. He was determined to not get ahead of himself; it wasn't worth the risk of losing her attention.

As he approached the cinema, he noticed her standing by the entrance waiting for him and stopped in his tracks. To anyone else, it would look as though she had put a lot of effort into her appearance, but Danny modestly didn't let himself believe that she had done that for him - after all, she always looked glamorous. Unable to wipe the soft smile from his face, he continued to walk up to her, opening his arms when she caught his eye to give her a warm hug. "Hey, Sav," he greeted her with a bright smile. "You're lookin' beautiful." It came out before he could stop himself, but he did his best to carry it off. Being open and honest had always come more naturally to him.

He pushed the entrance door open and held it for her until they were both inside. "How's everything with you, then? You doing okay since last time I saw you?" He kept his tone light as they made their way towards the ticket booth, not trying to force her to talk about anything heavy. But the truth was, he had been thinking about her. The reason he had invited her to smoke with him in the first place was because she had appeared distressed and anxious. With all that she had been through, he wouldn't be surprised if she was still struggling to wind down. When they got to the front of the queue he picked up two tickets for Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and passed one to Savannah with a smile.

Interactions
Misty Gray Savannah

 

[Misty Gray]

Gabriel Moretti​

In business, Gabriel was a serious and stern man, able to control his emotions and keep a straight face when professionalism called for it. So when Stefano dropped the bombshell that Roxanne was pregnant with Syd Porters' child, it came as a shock to Moretti that he had to consciously force himself to maintain a neutral and stern expression as he processed the revelation. His eyes shot to Alistair and he wasn't oblivious to the fact the news had caught him off-guard too. He saw the East Harlem boss manage to recover from his amusement potentially displaying itself. He would have sent the man a disapproving glance, where there not some twisted humour threatening his own thoughts upon initial impact. As the seconds went on, Gabriel fully processed the news and soon found little amusement in it.

"We'd be less burdened men had we only had sons," he flatly pointed out to Stefano. Gabriel knew how it felt to be disappointed by a daughter. It had been six years since Tatiana had told him she was attracted to women and he still found himself unable to accept that part of her life. His father before him had been strict and conservative, believing only love between a man and a woman was natural. So when Tatiana's secret came to light, Gabriel initially laughed it off, telling her she would grow out of it and that she would realise she'd "made the wrong choice". Yet, as the years went on and she showed no signs of developing a relationship with a man, Gabriel came to realise his daughter wasn't going to grow out of it. As much as he wanted to accept his daughter's sexuality, he simply couldn't understand it. Partly, because he didn't want to think too much about his daughter in bed with anyone - especially not another woman! As such, it was something he struggled to talk about with his eldest daughter and so they generally avoided mentioning it to each other at all. That didn't mean he wasn't proud of his daughter. She had proved herself as valuable to the family business and every day she impressed him with her work. Not only that, but she knew how to handle her siblings, especially Valentina. If he were being honest, he simply preferred to ignore her love life and focus on everything else she'd done to make him proud.

Gabriel listened as Alistair spoke of Syd, describing the apparent heir as extremely unfitting of such a position. It was interesting to hear how weak the young man seemed and it drew a twisted smirk from Moretti as he practically crossed Syd's name off of his mental list of potential threats. "I was aware he'd experienced suicidal tendencies in the past," he explained, having learned the information from Maddox. "I understand Dr. Parker has recently altered Syd's medication, but to have such an effect..." he trailed off. "It's certainly advantageous to us."

With Alistair's mention of terminating the pregnancy, Gabriel shifted his focus to Stefano, wishing to know the man's thoughts on it. He was sure the pregnancy could be used to manipulate the situation in their favour, but he could also see how an abortion would be a preferred decision. "The Porters are nothing but a bunch of filthy liberals and no doubt Roxanne has been sucked into that. That family lacks discipline and given Syd's mental instabilities, I suspect his own offspring would have no hope." Gabriel lifted his glass and knocked back the rest of his brandy before placing the tumbler back on the table. "However, as you have mentioned, there will be ways this situation can be used to our advantage. What do you propose, Stefano?" he asked.

Bellz (Stefano) Pyroclast (Alistair)

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

Not having anyone to come home to after rehearsals, Jason often spent his evenings out in the city. It hadn't taken him long to seek out the best - of the more affordable - dance venues and the famous jazz clubs he had grown up hearing about, and by now he had come to know them quite well. Recently, however, he hadn't had his usual lust for life; his mind had become riddled with thoughts of Gwen and it sent him into a more pensive state that he didn't know how to shake himself out of. He couldn't deny anymore that he was in fact deeply attracted to her, and he knew that she felt the same chemistry that he did. But it wasn't just all the kissing and dancing, nor the sex. Since learning of her addiction, he had felt a lot more sensitive around her. More sympathetic, more considerate, constantly wondering where she was, what she was doing and whether or not she was safe. With his history of aggravating or upsetting her, however, he had been trying to work out ways to look out for her that didn't involve directly bringing up the matter.

Tonight, after recognising that he had spent too much time worrying about Gwen rather than living his life, Jason decided to go out. There was one jazz club in Manhattan that he hadn't been to before. The name sounded familiar, but he figured it was just a typical name for a jazz club, or that he had just had it on his list of clubs to check out for too long. So tonight, he found himself parking his motorbike outside All That Jazz. The music could be heard through the dark tinted windows and was amplified tenfold when he opened the door and slipped inside.

From the moment he entered, the whole establishment seemed oddly familiar to him - something in the décor, the layout, the general atmosphere. Jason couldn't put his finger on it. It just wasn't like the other clubs he had been to in New York. His eyes were glued to the stage until the song finished and he remembered that he hadn't got himself a drink yet, let alone found himself a seat. Once he had a tonic in his hand, he thanked the bartender and began to move away from the bar to scan the room for free seats. It was then that he caught sight of a woman with fiery hair sitting at a table with a glass in her hand. He gazed at her, savouring the moment of just being able to take in her beauty without her even knowing he was even there. After all the rehearsals they had had together, it seemed almost strange to now see her in this setting. It reminded him of their earliest days - from the night they had first met.

Lost in a trance, he began to make his way over to her. However, so fixated on Gwen, he didn't even see the waitress coming past him and he accidentally knocked into her, causing a stack of glasses to fall from her tray and smash onto the ground. Several heads turned at the loud noise that had interrupted the song. "Jesus Christ, I'm sorry - let me just get that for ye," he offered, carefully kneeling down to help pick up the glass with his free hand. The waitress sent him a strange look, as though she hadn't understood a word he had said. Letting him do most of the clearing up, she said, "You've come home." Jason's confusion must have shown on his face because she then went on to say, "This is an Irish club." She smiled at him before getting to her feet and taking the tray of broken glass back to the kitchen. For a second he remained kneeling on the ground as it slowly dawned on him why he the name of the place had sounded so familiar to him. It was the same club as the one he had frequented back in Dublin. The very club in which he and Gwen had first met. He got to his feet and stared at her, too stunned to move.

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

All Syd could think about in that moment was the idea of a child - his child - finally entering his life. Filling the house with noise, squealing, laughing, crying, the little pattering of feet running across the floorboards. Picturing Thomas as an uncle. Playing with the dogs together, dropping them off at school, teaching them about cars. He felt on the verge of tears as he understood that he could now take all of these ideas that had been in his head for so long and actually apply them to his future. The intensity of his happiness was such an unfamiliar feeling that it almost scared him, but he dared himself to embrace it. In a surge of mixed emotions, Syd slid his arms around Roxie and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. He didn't know how else to express his gratitude. Any complications that would follow, particularly the effect it would have on his relationship with Roxie, could wait.

Or so he thought.

Her question of whether he would prefer to start a family with someone he knew better caused him to slowly pull away. The smile on his face faded but it didn't disappear entirely; it was only replaced by a look of contemplation as he tried to think of ways to dispel her concerns. She had obviously had a lot more time to dwell on the potential consequences of this baby. That didn't mean that she wasn't also excited about it - Syd was certain that all he had to do was remind her of the positive side again. Every time he was about to raise a point to counter her, she would cut him off by bringing up something else. It seemed like her anxieties were snowballing, something that Syd was very familiar with and able to recognise. But when she scooted away from him, the smile fell from his face and his own anxiety began to brew within him. "No," he whispered, speaking over her as she told him that having a baby would be irresponsible of her, that she couldn't bring herself to let him believe that she actually wanted it. "No, no, no..."

Everything had changed, in only a matter of seconds. He felt a sharp pain drill through his head and a sick feeling spread through him as all his dreams of becoming a father began to rapidly crumble away. Then came the words he had been dreading: "I want to get an abortion."

Syd's gaze fell to the ground and he held his hands out, momentarily paralysed by that all too familiar hopelessness from which he thought he was finally free. The temperature of the air around them seemed to drop suddenly and the silence between them was deafening, terrifying, like he would never get out of it. The walls were closing in on him, and his ability to speak had all but gone. He felt ashamed for letting himself dream about a happier future, even for just a minute. The life of loneliness he had believed he was destined for suddenly came into view again; he hadn't left it behind at all.

"You don't mean that." His voice came low and unsteady as Syd wracked his mind searching for the right words. The more upset he got, however, the harder it was to remember all the points he had come up with before. "You - you don't need to do that, that's just -" A breathless chuckle escaped him, and he turned to look at her. It had clearly taken her a lot of courage to have this conversation with him, and now she looked understandably shaken. But Syd struggled to feel sympathy towards her this time. "That's killing a child before they even have a chance at life. I don't get - how could you -" The longer he looked at her, the more it took to fight the fit of rage that was brewing inside of him. His hands curled into such tight fists that he could feel the skin of his palms almost puncture. Eventually he couldn't take it anymore. "FUCK!"

Syd launched himself off the sofa, filled with a nervous energy that had him pacing up and down the room. His mind was running at a speed he could barely keep up with and he knew eventually it would run out of steam and go blank. Then, he wouldn't be able to argue his case at all. He had to try now - the baby depended on it. "Roxie, listen to me, okay?" he began, holding a shaking hand out in front of him as though steadying himself physically would help to steady his whirring mind. "You don't have to do that. This baby doesn't have to get in the way of your studies or your career if you don't want it to. I told you, the baby would have me, too - and God, have you seen the size of my family? It would never feel neglected, unloved, unsupported. You think that this mob business, that running an entire fucking city doesn't count as a full time career? My family have been doing this for decades, long before I came along, and I never, not once, felt neglected or left behind. They made me feel safer and more loved than anyone in that fucking orphanage ever did and looking after kids was literally their full-time job, so don't tell me that it would be irresponsible because that's just not fucking true." Syd was shaking now, not even caring about the tears that were welling in his eyes. It suddenly hit him that he had never told her that he was adopted and he looked away, wrapping his arms around himself as he realised how vulnerable he had just been with her. Nevertheless, he managed to push past it and carry on. "People used to tell me I should have been aborted, did you know that?" he asked her, eyes burning with passion as he fixed them on her once again. "I was only adopted into this family when I was eight years old. My birth parents were both drug addicts and couldn't take care of me, and I was almost dead by the time I was three. I wasn't just an accident, I was a mistake, Roxie. Even the social workers told me my mam should have got an abortion. But...having this baby, our baby, it wouldn't be a mistake. It couldn't ever be a mistake. Because even if you didn't love it, I would. Roxie. Please..." Syd brought his hands together and held them in front of his face to conceal the tears. He was really trying his best not to break down in front of her, but it was hard, and he had to squeeze his eyes shut against the powerful ache in his chest so that he could concentrate on not losing control of his breathing.

"I don't care who it's with anymore, Roxie," he said, between stifled sobs. "It's been nine years since Skye and - and you're the first person I've felt close to. I've been waiting for this moment for so long and I don't think I'm going to get another chance. Roxie, just because it's a life-changing decision it doesn't mean it won't change your life for the better." If he wasn't able to change her mind, Syd didn't think he could ever dare to hope again. Either his future had a child in it, or he didn't want a future at all. Watching her reactions became painful as his hope began to dwindle and eventually he couldn't keep back the sobs. "You know what's really selfish, Roxie?" he cried, unable to stop his voice from rising in volume as he reverted back to one of her earlier points. "It's not letting me believe that you'd want this baby when you don't. It's that you made up your mind about this without me, like I'm not a part of this too. Like my feelings about this count for nothing. You think you've thought this through but you haven't! Why couldn't you have talked to me before making up your mind? Who am I to you?"

Interactions
Bellz Roxie

 

[Bugsy]

KEEGAN LYNCH
​

There was a glint in the Irishman's eye as he proceeded into the building, guided through by the others. Keegan was more than aware that this interrogation was for Peter, and he was more than happy to step out of the limelight for now. But this was going to be a dance for all three of them, and they were the leading dancers.

Keegan's eyes narrowed as he fixed on the bruised and cut figure of Luke Holland, who had been adamant that they had gotten the wrong person. He gave a sardonic smirk in the background, his blue eyes lingering on the face. The man thought he was the cock of the walk, untouchable perhaps. Certainly, they had the remedy for that as well. Whilst Peter went about interrogating Holland, Keegan had taken his place by the man's side; his eyes wandering across the body - picking out vulnerable and weak spots. There was no use going in hard and showing all their cards and threatening to shoot the bastard only would make them brazen if they knew the end result, he had plenty of time to kill with this man and the words came floating back to him.

A bullet is too good for them.

The man had two feet, legs, arms, shoulders, eyes, hands. All vulnerabilities, should Holland think about mouthing off again. There was a cold fire burning in his chest as he spoke about whether or not Peter's daughter was single, a minute movement of a sneer crossing his features. "I'd think carefully about your response." Keegan advised, his eyes boring into Holland's, taking several steps forward and grabbing the man's wrist firmly, having removed the brass knuckles in his pocket. His tone was cold and flat as he started counting fingers.

"This your jerking hand?"

With a sudden and swift motion, Keegan yanked down hard on the wrist with the hopes of breaking it, never losing eye contact.

Misty Gray (James), Bellz (Peter)

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan​

When she saw Danny approaching, Savannah was relieved. It wasn't that she expected him specifically to stand her up and she hadn't been stood up by any dates in the past, but it had always been a genuine concern of hers nevertheless. She softly smiled as she waited for him to reach her. There was something relaxing and free-spirited about Danny, which appealed to Savannah. Her past boyfriends had been arrogant and condescending. Her theatre friends were uptight and at times vain. The atmosphere around her family was presently tense and over-cautious. So there was something enticing about spending time with Danny; she could be herself and didn't have to tiptoe around anyone's feelings.

Danny opened his arms out to embrace her. She returned his hug and by the time they separated, her cheeks had turned a rosy red. She returned his bright smile but internally reminded herself not to read into it too much. She didn't want to make a fool of herself by misreading his signals, even if she did want the hug to last longer. Then, he told her she looked beautiful and she froze for a moment as she tried to decipher the message behind his words. Was he just being polite or was he attracted to her? Was it big-headed to assume he would be attracted to her? She bashfully smiled and glanced to the floor before looking to his face to meet his gaze. "Thank you," she softly told him. "You look really handsome yourself..." she told him, before stopping to instead awkwardly bite her bottom lip. "Handsome? Get a grip, Savvy. You're embarrassing yourself!" she mentally berated herself.

The subject changed when Danny asked how things had been since they last saw each other. "I wish I could say things had been better, but my mum, aunt and Syd--" she began, pausing as she reminded herself Danny already knew Syd. "They were all hurt last week. They're all home okay, but just really shaken and shocked. it was unpleasant..." she trailed off. "How about you, Danny? I hope you've had a good week, at least?"

Once the tickets were paid for, the pair made their way to the appropriate cinema auditorium. After graciously thanking Danny for opening the door, Savannah took the lead in selecting their seats. She instinctively chose a couple of seats in the centre of the back row, figuring they would have a good view all around them and she wouldn't feel nervous of anyone sneaking up from behind. However, it only took a short time once in their seats for her to realise sitting on the back row at the movies might be interpreted in certain ways. She knew couples often chose the back row seats so they could spend time "smooching", as her mother would embarrassingly put it. She hoped Danny didn't misread her choice and think she'd sat there for that purpose. Granted, she was attracted to him, but she didn't want to come across as easy or desperate.

"This is a good view, don't you agree?" she checked with him. All the while she looked to his face and sent him a soft smile. She couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking, but was too afraid of making things awkward by trying to clarify if they were really out on a date or if they were just hanging out as friends. Before letting her focus linger, she quickly reached into her handbag and pulled out a sharing bag of chocolate buttons, holding it out to Danny. "I said we'd bring out own candy!" she excitedly reminded him of their last conversation.


Pyroclast (Danny)

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter
~Luke Holland ~​

It was easy to see Luke's words about Savannah's relationship status had hit a nerve with Peter. This was confirmed by the man's deep growl when he spoke back to him. Upon the comment about thinking himself hilarious, Luke subtly shrugged his shoulders whilst maintaining eye-contact with Peter. There was a tense moment where Peter took a long drag of his cigarette. Suddenly, Callahan's hand collided with the side of Luke's face, causing his head to harshly snap to one side. Although the pain quickly caught up with him and the adrenaline was causing his heart to race in his chest, Luke tightened his jaw and contained any audible reaction to the attack. His eyes briefly fixed on James who stood nearby closely observing as Peter and Keegan were left to get their pent up anger out of their systems.

The hot ash sprinkling over his face caused Luke to lift his head his straight and look towards Peter again, just in time for the burning cigarette to be extinguished against his forehead. He gritted his teeth and let out a pained groan, which soon lowered to a hiss as he forced himself to contain the pain he was experiencing. He was told it was in his best interest to answer their questions, so given the circumstances, he decided to at least hear them out. But when he was asked who planned the attack on the theatre, he glared at Peter and shrugged his shoulders.

Keegan then stepped in and told him to think carefully about his response. Luke had thought carefully and he hadn't yet heard a compelling argument for him to give the Porters what they wanted. Keegan grabbed his wrist and removed the brass knuckles from his pocket. Suddenly, there was a cracking sound as Keegan broke the man's wrist. Luke groaned loudly in pain as tightly closed his eyes as he forced himself to overcome the shock of the injury that had been violently inflicted on him. "FUCK!" he hissed before his eyes shot open. He had to remind himself that he had nothing to lose. The Porters were once again throwing their weight around and he couldn't bow down to them. They had everything to lose.

"You're right. I couldn't have orchestrated all of that myself," he admitted, controlling the breaths he was taking in so as to steady his breathing. "I don't know who arranged the attack. I was given instructions and a cash incentive. I needed the money," he lied, sharing his eye-contact between Peter and Keegan. He fell silent and closed his eyes tightly as the pain in his forehead and wrist persisted to catch his attention. He quickly shook his head. "Your efforts are wasted on me, lads. I'm just a guy who was paid to do a job and no questions were to be asked."

Luke looked down towards the floor as he focused on keeping himself under control. He'd always known he was lucky to be alive after he was the only survivor when his squad were all killed during the Vietnam War. The injuries sustained to his leg and hip had meant he spent weeks in the infirmary before being deemed unfit to continue. That was five years ago. He'd struggled to find purpose after that, believing he should have died with the others. It wasn't until the East Harlem Gang approached him that he found purpose and a new war to fight in. As he now sat restrained in the presence of the enemy, he was convinced he wasn't going to survive this time. He could tell them nothing and they would likely kill him. Alternatively, he could rat out those who had been good to him and then face death from them for his betrayal. He would rather not die a coward.

"You're wasting your time. Trust me," he told them, his tone sounding completely serious. "Just let me go and we can forget this happened..."

Bellz (Peter) Bugsy (Keegan)

 

[Bellz]

Stefano Carriveau ​

Stefano found his daughter's situation anything but amusing, but when Alistair practically choked on his drink, it caused the older gentleman to sigh. "I'm glad its so amusing, Alistair." The man grumbled rolling his eyes as he shook his head. Alistair went on to try and sound serious, but he was fooling absolutely no one. Stefano made a face at the man's choice of words and sighed again, this setting his glass down on the table and crossing his arms together across his chest.

Gabriel spoke of being less burdened men if their daughters were sons and Stefano nodded his head silently in agreement, though he always wondered if his life would be just as difficult if it were that way.

It was interesting to hear what Alistair had seen from Syd, but it perplexed Stefano as he wondered why his daughter would go for such a man like him. He knew Roxanne well and she would go for an enemy if she knew that the Porters were the enemy, but she was ignorant on that end. Maybe she knew just enough about the Porters and their influence on the city that she saw an opportunity to yet again, as she would put it, "say 'shove it' to the man." in which case he was the man. But she must have been dating the man enough to know that he was weak...

"Roxanne." Stefano spoke, reminding Alistair of his daughters name. His tone sounded disgusted and he moved to grab his drink. Gabriel explained the information he had learned from Maddox and although the sucidal tendencies information wasn't new to him, he did have a new concern about it. He let Gabriel finish speaking before clearing his throat.

Something in him was oddly concerned about the well being of his daughter...but only because her death wouldn't be on his terms. "I want to be clear about one thing, my daughter's safety is important to me for reasons that I cannot expose. If we move forward with this plan I want to make sure that she isn't killed by that mental case Porter." Taking a moment to have a drink, he allowed the alcohol to soothe him for just a second while he gathered his thoughts.

He finished off the whole glass and set it down on the table again before leaning back into his chair. "If we take out the weakest link in the Porter lineage, we can easily access the rest. After all, a chain is as strong as its weakest link. These Porters are all about family and my daughter has blindly bound herself to that family now."

He paused, looking to both men a moment with expectance, hoping they knew where he was going with it all, he really did hate explaining himself. After a moment of silence, he sighed, "Syd Porter may not be the proper heir to the filthy throne but he as close to the inside as we will get. I can...encourage Roxanne to get close to the kid, she could get information that Maddox can't get doing his job. "
with: Gabriel Misty Gray ; Alistair Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Bryant ​

Gwen was enjoying the sound of live music, it caused her heart to race and her cheeks to ache from the smile that was permanently fixed on her face. The redhead didn't pay much attention to the singer but the band was what she focused on, feeling the vibration of the them playing in sync so perfectly in her chest. Lips moved as Gwen sang along, not caring whether or not there was a microphone in front of her.

Caught up in the music, Gwen was startled so greatly by the sound of glass smashing that she ducked down, an instinct in her telling her that she was in danger caused the woman's eyes to burn and heart to race so harshly she thought it was going to jump out of her chest and into her throat.

The music didn't stop and that instantly seemed strange to Gwen as she lifted her head quickly to look around. Seeing that a few heads were turned, Gwen looked in the direction they were looking and that's when she saw an all too familiar face.

He knelt down with one of the waitresses and was helping clean up some glass that had fallen from her tray. A stray tear fell down her cheek and the woman lifted her left hand to capture it. Looking at it on her finger, she felt embarrassed and confused by her reaction to the glass falling. The sound of it made her panic and even cry a little, but it was nothing more than broken glass.

Shaking her head a little, she cleared her throat before getting up from her seat to walk over to Jason, who was now staring at her like a wide eyed deer caught in headlights. Tilting her head to the side a bit, Gwen smiled at him sweetly as she exhaled deeply.

"That was quite the mess you made there." The redhead commented teasingly, "Why do you look so surprised to see me here? You know my brother's family owns this club?" Gwen chuckled lightly before reaching her hands out to him. "I could get us a booth in the back if you want?"

Once his hand was in one of her's she pulled him close gently, remembering something that he had said to her a long time ago..."I guess you were right....it really is in the stars."
with: Jason Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau ​

Roxie wished she hadn't said anything. And from the moment the words left her, she knew it was going to get ugly. His arms were around her one moment and then the next he was removing them and she was moving away. Something seemed to click in Syd and he was becoming a completely different person from the one she had met at the door only a few minutes ago.

"Sy-" She was about to speak again but he cut her off, stating that she didn't mean it. His voice was low and he was shaken but Roxie didn't know what she should do to try and soothe him...if that was even her place anymore to do so. He let out a breathless chuckle and that worried her more than anything as he turned to look at her head on suddenly.

Guilt was consuming her as she stared into his almost wild eyes, Roxie wanted to take back everything she said in that moment...until he accused her of murder. It happened all too quickly and he was off the couch, shouting, causing her to jump up as well.

"I have neighbors!!" Roxie hissed at him, hoping that one of their nosy neighbors wouldn't call the cops over Syd's breakdown. The brunette took a few steps forward, seeing Syd steadying himself, she wondered if he was going to collapse at any moment. Roxie clenched her jaw as he desperately told her to listen to him and tears burned her eyes as she nodded her head, allowing him to continue.

His words were compelling and reasonable enough, he was swearing he would be there for the baby, which was one of her worries from the beginning. But there was something else that she couldn't shake, it was something that he wasn't ready to get over...Roxie had been looking towards the ground as she listened but when she heard Syd mention him being adopted, her head snapped up to look him in the eyes. First Savannah's story and now his, how could she be so stupid. Her mind was working slowly, trying to process everything she was hearing, trying to continue to fight for herself and what she wanted. But she felt nothing but guilt and even some contempt for herself.

It made her sick to think about her own feelings, her own dreams now, it was beginning to make her chest heavy so much so that she began sinking back towards the couch. Looking around her numbly, she wondered if she would actually be able to get her way for once. Roxie let Syd continue on with his abuse as she looked down at the coffee table and gave in to the mental beating. He called her selfish and a sob of her own escaped her as she placed a hand to her mouth. Roxie tried to be anything but selfish, never wanting to be like her parents but apparently to Syd, she was like them. He poked at her and continued to put words into her mouth and finally Roxie was done.

"ENOUGH!" She stood back up quickly, causing her stomach to turn. Gasping softly as nausea overcame her, Roxie shook her head and closed her eyes a moment as she willed herself to not get sick in front of Syd. Breathing through her nose, she slowly opened her eyes and stared at him as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I will not sit here and let you guilt trip me. I will not let you sit here and bully me into making the wrong decision for myself. You've had your turn to talk and now you are going to shut it and listen to me!" Roxie's voice raised slightly.

"Who are you to me? You are a man who I've been dating for only a few weeks! That's who you are! You've only been in my life for a short period of time, yet you think you have a say on what is happening inside of my own body?" Roxie shook her head harshly and pointed at him. "I'm afraid of this!" She gestured to the air around him, "Look at you! You have completely lost it! I want to be with you but in order to be with me you need to act like a man! A man supports the woman in her decisions, her own decisions. This is my body, Syd, that's the one thing you don't have any control of." She stated with a pointed tone. Roxie felt sick once more and she shook her head, her mouth was drying out so she slowly bent over to grab her glass of water. After taking a long drink, she moved to sit back on the couch as her brows furrowed in pain. "I don't know what I want to do anymore," She whispered as a hand lifted to cover her eyes. "I'm sorry. I just so sorry but I don't think I can do this...I don't know. My father has gotten into my head." She hissed and lifted her hand to look his way.

"Do you think we could do this?"

with: Syd Porter Pyroclast

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan

It seemed like every time her family was attacked or something unfortunate happened, Ali would turn immediately to drinking. She found a lot of solace in it, being able to numb whatever it was that was bothering her until the next morning. This time around, she had been drinking for two days straight instead of just the one. She became a recluse and locked herself in her room not seeing anyone, including Leo. It wasn't personal towards anyone, of course, she just needed a moment. Seeing Sinead, Lucy and Syd the way they were was undoubtedly bringing up terrible memories she needed a second to recover from. But holding Syd in her arms, grateful that he was breathing unlike her dead brother, it definitely broke something. Her conversation with Conor didn't help make matters better, knowing and fully understanding that he was never going to be able to just sit back while the family took care of things. There was a place for them and it was here, doing what seemed like the impossible at keeping peace in the city. It was that last sentence of their conversation that really got her; they needed to talk about their relationship. Eventually, it was coming, she knew that much, but she was enjoying putting it off for as long as she had. That was something she just didn't want to deal with. Having to dig deep within herself and figure out her own life wasn't necessarily something she wanted to deal with, amongst other shit.

Once she had gotten over her drunken binging, she managed to get herself out of bed and on to planning Leo's departure to California. Victoria, the woman who she planned Sinead, Shannon, and Leo to be in contact with, was more than happy and excited to see her godson. It was a relief to her that she was so willing to take him in and without asking too many questions. She would give it a few more weeks before sending them off, give Leo time to get it through his head that he's was leaving for a while and to give her time to possibly find another option. She knew how much Leo being around meant to Conor; he had just gotten an opportunity to see his only child without the barrier of a cold table between them. Granted, she was threatening to take him away and even that was conflicting her. The look on his face when she said this, it made her rethink it all and she realized she was hurting him. That was something she didn't want to do, along with having that conversation.

Sinead asking Ali how she was doing snapped her out of her recollection of the past week and she simply replied with, "Huh?" Looking around her, she remembered where she was. For a moment, she just stared at Sinead before snapping back in it, her hand reaching up to play with her ring around her neck. "Sure, you could say that. But, forget about me... Are the two of you okay? I mean, after everything that's happened I should be asking that question..." Shaking her head, she continued, "Sorry I haven't been around lately I've just... I've been trying to deal with things in my own way lately."

Leo was pressed against the wall outside of the room, trying to listen to the adults talk. He knew vaguely about the kidnapping and such as he had seen the blood of his mother's clothes when she returned home. For the two days she had locked herself away, he was trying to figure out why. He knew she needed a moment to herself, but he wanted to be around Ali just as much as he wanted to be around Conor. Currently trying to spend time with the two of them in separate households was straining on the young child and he could only discuss it with his cousins. Well, after he finished getting all the details.

​

 

[Pyroclast]

Danny Vaughan

Danny stopped and observed Savannah closely when she began to tell him about how things had been for her over the past week. With all that she had been through recently, it didn't exactly surprise him to hear that her family had been subjected to more drama. Since getting involved with some of the most powerful gangs in the city, Danny had purposefully paid closer attention to what was going on. Being responsible for the distribution of drugs both in The Lomax and out on the street, he knew more than the general public about how things operated, but there was only so much he could find out on his own and he knew to take any media coverage with a pinch of salt. He frowned a little at mention of Syd. He had seen the man at work a few times in the last week and while he had appeared stressed, it hadn't seemed out of the ordinary. He certainly hadn't spotted any sign of an "unpleasant" injury. Having experienced his boss's violent side first hand, Danny thought it best to only ever communicate with the man when he was called in for updates on the drugs business, and so even though they worked relatively closely he didn't feel like he knew the man on a personal level. It was strange to think back on the times he had seen him at work now knowing that something had happened; in fact, it made him slightly uncomfortable hearing such information, as he was almost certain that his boss would be furious if he found out that Danny knew something.

His face twisted slightly as he processed Savannah's unfortunate news, but he made a conscious effort to soften his expression. It dawned on him that he still hadn't actually told Savannah what he did for a living. What if she knew already and was testing him to see how long he would keep it from her? Imagining her reaction made him nervous, but he knew he ought to tell her sooner rather than later. He just couldn't bring himself to tell her yet. He didn't want to do anything that might ruin their date, but especially not before it had even begun. "Shit, Sav..." he murmured softly before clearing his throat. "I'm sorry. I hope they're doing okay, and that everyone's staying safe. I know we don't know each other well, but you got my number now, so...If you think of a way I can help, or you just need another distraction, you can give me a call." He sent her a tender, sympathetic smile, hoping that his words wouldn't be misconstrued. Whilst he of course wanted to spend more time with her, his offer to help was genuine and not made out of his own self interests. "My week has been good," he told her with a smile. "Productive, busy. Nothing to complain about." If Savannah knew about his role in her family's business, he might have told her about some interesting encounters he had had with a few unsavoury customers, but for the time being he chose to keep quiet about it. Gesturing to the hall of cinema screens, he suggested that they go in.

Letting Savannah take the lead, Danny noticed her choose two seats on the back row of the auditorium. When she asked him if he thought it was a good view, he blushed, returning her smile. "Oh, yeah. Perfect view." Savannah always came across so harmless to him that Danny had to wonder if she had picked these seats for a reason other than for the view - the fact that she had called him handsome before made him think that perhaps it wasn't just him that was starting to get feelings. Even if she had, however, it would make sense to him that she wouldn't want to admit it.

Once the two had sat down together, Savannah pulled out a sharing bag of chocolate, which made Danny laugh. "You angel!" he exclaimed with a bright smile. The fact that she had remembered such a small detail despite all the drama her family had been through gave him the impression that she really had been excited to go out with him. He pulled out a large bar of chocolate from his jacket and opened it up before adding it the pile. "You didn't think I'd forget, did you?"

Sitting on the back row may have seemed a little suggestive at first, but as he thought more about how lucky he was that Savannah was willing to come out to spend time with him, he wondered if perhaps she had chosen these seats so that they would be able to see everyone that came in. The projection room was directly above them, acting like a canopy that kept them nicely sheltered. It would make sense. "Sav," he piped up, keeping his tone casual. "Are you thinking about it all the time?" He looked around the room, and then finally settled his gaze on her. "Being attacked, again, or something. Do you feel safe being with me, out here?" He paused for a second. "I just...want to know, I guess, so that I can take some of that weight off your shoulders, be on the look out for you so you can take a break from it. I want you to feel like you can relax and enjoy yourself with me. I don't wanna pry, I just wanna be...conscious, I guess."

Interactions
Misty Gray Savannah

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Elvian Moretti

Elvian had spent most of her morning looking around for a space to set up her floral business. In Miami, she had several and back home she was still apart of her familial floral shop. She figured, why not open another here in New York? She wanted something open, maybe like a greenhouse sort of look and plenty of space. The shop would also serve as a front for whatever it was her husband needed it to be, of course, but at the moment she wanted something just for her. She had finally narrowed it down the three and wrote down the addresses, deciding to get her family's opinion on the stores before actually signing any paperwork. Once she returned home, she went immediately to her garden to start doing some work. Her children would be coming over soon, something she was always looking forward to. Elvian didn't know it until her second child, but she always wanted to be a mother. It was something she enjoyed so much, something that was apparent after her first. Even though Tatiana was a handful in her younger years, the challenge was always enjoyable.

When Elvian returned inside her home, the smell of papanasi hitting her nose. Closing the door, she went into the kitchen to see her firstborn baking. It warmed her heart to see how much of her culture her children were taking in. That was probably something that was always important to her, making sure her children knew where their roots were. "Lubirea mea! My, love!" Taking her gloves off, she placed them on the counter before giving Tatiana a hug and a kiss on both cheeks. "I'm going to assume you're all settled, seeing as you're cooking in my kitchen already." With a smile, she popped one of the deserts in her mouth and giving a satisfied sigh. "I've taught you well." She said, before giving her a pat on her shoulder and moving to pour glasses of pink lemonade.

Once the two were back with the others, she set the tray down and watched as her children interacted with each other. Her family meant a great deal to her and she was relieved they weren't apart of the Moretti family genocide. Granted she wished it hadn't happened at all, but knowing the family she helped begin was fine was good enough for her. With her legs crossed her hands resting on her knees, she listened as her children spoke of parties and their new home and such. "Well, I do hear the parties around here are quite extravagant. Something to look forward to indeed." Picking up her glass she took a sip and nearly choked when Valentina made her joke. Shaking her head, she wiped her mouth before responding. "Now, now. I happen to like the house. It has a wonderful chandelier and, as you already mentioned, an amazing garden. Besides, eventually, I'll have it re-painted." She shot her children a wink before chuckled. "I think I would make a wonderful Morticia, don't you think?"


​

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan​

Savannah hadn't know what to say when Danny said she could call him if she needed his help or a distraction. It was a sweet gesture and one she wasn't quite used to with romantic partners or even from anyone who wasn't family or Roxie. It felt good to know someone cared for her, even when they weren't bound to due to familial ties.

Danny thought the choice of seats was perfect, which reassured Savannah that she wasn't doing anything wrong or weird during their evening out together. The view felt right. Nobody could enter or leave the auditorium without them seeing, which meant she wouldn't have to spend her time being over-cautious or nervous about being attacked again.

The reaction from Danny when she showed him the chocolates had caused her to return his bright smile. She froze for a time as the word "angel" stuck in her mind. Her biological father had gone by the name 'Angel' and the word tended to make her think of the man who helped bring her into the world but died before she had chance to see him. The man's name was one her family tended to avoid using and even saying "angel" in any context had proved awkward around certain people. It was something everyone tiptoed around so as not to open up old wounds the man had caused so long ago. Savannah found it frustrating. Peter had always been her father and Sinead clearly loved Peter, yet it was easy to see the mere mention of Angel's name had the power to kill the atmosphere in a room. She understood why, but it never made it easier being unable to explore a part of herself that she felt she wasn't allowed to learn about.

Danny had brought a bar of chocolate, which caused Savannah to laugh a little. "Looks like we both did good, huh? I think it's awesome that we both remembered."

The conversation seemed to turn more serious when Danny asked if she was thinking about the attack. She looked down to her hands a little nervously before looking back to him. "Yeah, I do think about it a lot. Like, the theatre was supposed to be secure and my family were there, but it still happened. So being out without my family or that security does make me feel quite cautious, that I have to be vigilant all the time." Danny had asked her if she felt safe with him. She turned to look to his face, her eyes now glistening as they watered. She did feel safe with him and his offer to look out for her so she could relax for a while made her feel good. "Yes, I feel safe with you... I really appreciate your kindness," she told him. Her eyes lingered on his face for a time before she broke eye-contact to look ahead. Instinctively, she shuffled in her seat so she was a little closer to Danny. His words and behaviour were reassuring to her, so she wanted to be sitting closer to him to take in the warmth he was giving off. Although, the more she thought about it, the more it just felt natural to shuffle closer to him. "I like you..." she quietly told him. Though she knew it had been loud enough to hear, she bit her bottom lip as she tried to convince herself she'd said it too quietly. Maybe he hadn't heard it or would choose to ignore it. They were certainly better options the him laughing or rejecting her. As she looked straight ahead, she was practically kicking herself for saying such a thing and already risking their new friendship.



Pyroclast (Danny)

 

[Pyroclast]

Spoiler: Trigger Warning

Mention of suicidal ideation and abortion

Syd Porter

After ranting, raving, pleading and bullying Roxie into considering his point of view, Syd shouldn't have been shocked to hear Roxie scream at him to stop. But it startled him so much that the tears streaming down his face practically ground to a halt. His mouth clamped shut and he stared at her, eyes wide as he hugged himself even tighter. She looked as though she might be sick and he frowned, struggling to keep up with what was happening. There was a moment of silence as Syd expected Roxie to throw up, but he was too stunned to move to help her. When it had passed, she began to argue with him, and he grew agitated again, shifting on his feet as his breathing quickened once again. "Alright, I'm listening!"

Her words upset him right from the start. While it was true that they barely knew each other and had only been seeing each other for a short period of time, in this context it made him feel like he meant nothing to her. Her arguments only became harder to hear as she pointed out that he had lost his mind, that he wasn't acting like a man, that he didn't have any control over her body. As far as he was concerned, he didn't have much control over anything these days. With every one of his breakdowns, it seemed that people were coming to trust his input less and less. He was losing his credibility by the day, losing his ability to think rationally and logically. Now that he knew Roxie didn't want to be with him unless he could act like a man, he suddenly hated himself for crying. Looking away from her, he wiped aggressively at the tears on his face and clenched his jaw. He wished he could be enough for Roxie. He didn't deserve a woman like her. He didn't deserve anyone. A surge of misery welled in his chest, threatening to bring forth more heavy sobs, but he covered his face with his hands and grimaced against them, taking some deep, ragged breaths to try to gain some control.

There were so many thoughts racing through Syd's mind that he didn't know how to verbalise them with muddling them up. Heaving a sigh of defeat, he mumbled, "You're right, I am losing it, I am fucking losing it..." His voice was rough and under strain as he fought to hold back the tears. "I don't have control. I know that. It's your decision. Don't listen to me. You shouldn't listen to me." Syd felt ashamed now for opening up to her; it hadn't helped her to make a decision, all it had done was add to her internal conflict and make her angry with him. His vision glazed over; he wished he could just disappear, or turn into someone else. Someone who wouldn't keep fucking everything up.

Roxie was sitting back on the sofa now, one hand covering her eyes. She told him she didn't think she could have the baby, and Syd began to accept that as the truth. But when she asked him what he thought, he looked across to her. His eyelids had grown heavy, and he felt physically exhausted. He couldn't understand why she wanted to hear his opinion now, after the argument they had had. In his state of deep self-loathing, he at first wanted to say the opposite of what he meant and tell her that he didn't think they could. It seemed to be the option that would make her decision easier. As his dream of becoming a father grew too faint to even visualise, it was replaced by a surfacing reminder that he could always just end his life. But that wasn't really what he wanted, and it took him a minute to dare take his actual life goals seriously again. Eventually, he moved over to the sofa and knelt down at Roxie's feet. He gingerly placed a hand on her knee and reached up with his other to find her hand. He toyed with it for a second, admiring her soft, slender fingers. "I do," he quietly told her. "I really do."

Letting go of her hand, Syd sat himself on the floor beside her and leaned against the sofa, bringing up a knee to rest his arm on. There were a lot of problems on his side that he hadn't brought up and were only now surfacing in his mind. For instance, how his personal problems with aggression might affect both Roxie and their child, the violence and terrorism that the baby would no doubt be exposed to at some point in their life. But the level of support his family had the means to provide would at least ensure that the child was given plenty of opportunities and grow up to be smart, healthy and well-rounded. Syd didn't know Roxie's parents, though from what she had told him they didn't seem like they would offer the same. He wished that she could know how kind and loving his family was - he was sure it would wash away almost all of her concerns.

"Roxie," he whispered, before clearing his throat and speaking more audibly. "I don't want you to be afraid of me. This, this isn't me. It's not really who I am. I-I'm just..." He brought a hand to his head and closed his eyes, trying to block out all the unnecessary senses so that he could concentrate on getting his words right. "I'm trying, you know? I'm getting help, I'm doing everything I can. Please don't let it put you off. I'll be the best dad that baby could ever want, and you..." He opened his eyes and looked up to her then, leaning forward to place a hand on her knee. "Roxie, any kid would be lucky to have you as their mam."

By now Syd had overcome the aggressive stage and move into a state of melancholy calm. It didn't make it much easier to construct rational or positive thought, but at least it was contained in his mind now and the risk of lashing out had significantly reduced. His gaze dropped and he let out a shuddering sigh, a dull ache spreading through his skull. He moved his hand blindly to find Roxie's and sniffed. As the fatigue set in, his voice sounded weak and weary when he spoke again. "Why would your father want you to get an abortion?" Then, trying not to sound at all bitter, he added: "And if my opinion doesn't matter, why should his? Why should you listen to a man who kicks you out of all his parties?"

Interactions
Bellz Roxie

 

[RayPurchase]

Tony Harris

​

Maddox's tip off had been good. Admittedly that wasn't exactly surprising, Maddox had proven to be a wellspring of information in regards to the Porters and their inner workings and movements. Sometimes Tony wondered how the man could do it, to be that close to the family that had wiped put Maddox's own, to wear the same smile every day, remaining professional and calm whilst making his anger towards a group that had he had a personal vendetta against. To Tony this was near enough alien, if someone wrongs you, you strike back with unrelenting force and without hesitation, put the bastard on their back, and if they're lucky, alive in the knowledge never to pull any shit again. Take the current situation, Teddy and Tony were currently sat in a grey Ford Torino parked up opposite the restaurant Conor and Finn currently found themselves sat in, the lights and engine were off. Tony had a lit cigarette clamped between his lips, glowing faintly in the fading light. Orders from Gabriel were simple, 'Let the Porters know they weren't safe in their own territory anymore'. Tony had thought it was perfect, could send a nice easy message, his first thought had been quite simply to steal a truck and drive it through the restaurant window, by the time Finn and Conor had been pulled out of the wreckage and reassembled enough to work out whose body parts belonged to who, the message would be pretty bloody clear. However there had been criteria, no killing him, no maiming him,and most importantly no cops, this was still the opening gambit. To day Tony was disappointed was an understatement, but he had set it to one side, what the boss ordered, the boss got, despite spending most of the time teetering on the fine line between sanity and mindless anger and madness over 10 years of military service had drummed into him the unquestionable obedience towards the chain of command, as long as someone had a tight leash on him, this mad dog could be kept under control.


He rolled down the window and flicked the cigarette out, his eyes flicked back to Conor and Finn, eyes fixed on them like a hawk.

"So come on then Teddy as you so often put it you're the brains behind this operation, seeing as how bludgeonin' the pair until they have to be scraped off the street and taken back home in some sort of bucket has been deemed to be goin' against the boss' orders, I guess we'll go with whatever clever plan you've got rattlin' around that enlarged noggin of yours. I mean I say go in there grab 'em and take 'em into one of the alleys, nice and simple,"

He reached into the glove compartment on his door, and pulled out a Smith & Wesson Model 29 revolver, with a kick like a mule and housing .44 magnum rounds this was a death dealer. The heft of it was comforting in Tony's hand, his finger tightening around the polished wooden handle, some would say this sort of gun was over compensating, but best to be prepared for any eventuality. Their orders were unequivocal that the pair of Porters were not to be killed, and whilst Finn maybe a doctor, Conor was the greater threat, a big guy, and from his record a guy who could more than adequately deal with any trouble he found. This was Tony's insurance policy. Also it would be interesting to see how brave Conor was when he found himself staring down 8 ½ inches of stainless steel, or saw it pressed against his cousin''s head. Now the thought of that brought a smile to Tony's face.

(Interaction: Melanin-Gxdess Teddy, Mentions: Misty Gray Conor, B Bella Finn)

 

[Pyroclast]

Alistair Sawyer

Once he had made his case about the evident instability of Porter's son, Alistair sat back and let Gabriel give his own opinion. While he knew the young man was a subject of Maddox Parker, he hadn't known that there had been recent changes made to his medication until now. His own father had been the director of a mental institution back in Michigan so he was vaguely aware of the trouble that such changes could cause. There was a faint smile on Alistair's face as he silently praised the doctor for making such a cunning move. Syd's position in the mob was rather well-known to the public, so he could safely assume that bringing the man down would have a significant impact on the family. When Gabriel inferred that the couple's offspring would inherit Syd's weakness, Alistair had to respond. "Even so, we shouldn't take that chance," he pointed out. "My own mother was disturbed in a similar way, yet she didn't pass any of that weakness onto me. If Roxanne doesn't abort it, there's a chance the child could grow up to be a threat."

As Stefano clarified that he wanted to ensure his daughter wasn't killed by Syd the "mental case", Alistair watched him through narrowed eyes. He didn't have any children of his own, nor did he desire them, but it was moments like this when he had to accept that parenthood was something that set him apart from the other men in the room. Even when their children brought disappointment on the family, the punishment was only allowed to go so far. This time, that meant ensuring her safety.

"I agree, encouraging her to get close with the man could prove useful if you're sure she would pass such personal information onto you. But however soft he may be on her, we do know that Syd has a tendency to lose control. If you're concerned for your daughter's safety, Stefano, perhaps Maddox should think about keeping a wall between them." He looked between the men. "I'm talking about the loony bin out on Ward's Island. Would be one way to keep him strictly controlled and your daughter safe from any violent outbursts. I think we've already established that he's more useful to us alive."

Alistair took a sip of his bourbon while he paused for thought. His eyes soon landed on Gabriel and he gave a sigh, showing no sense of real urgency in his relaxed state. "Another thing we ought to discuss, while we're all here," he began. "Is how secret we intend to keep our identities. The Irish Mob have been in New York for a few years now so it wouldn't surprise me if they had heard of mine and Stefano's presence here in the city. But at this stage in the game, I doubt they've got any further in finding out who has been harming them than placing vague suspicions. Since I've never done any kind of business with them in the past, it's unlikely that they would suspect my involvement even though Lucy, Syd and Sinead Callahan have all now seen my face." Alistair cleared his throat and looked down into his drink for a brief moment, unsure if the two men would deem his conduct unwise. The sincerity of his facial expression didn't waver, however, and he soon looked back to Gabriel, eager to press on. "Your presence in particular, Gabriel, as well as Maddox's true identity, remain a secret to the mob. Do you know how and when he plans to unveil himself? Have you made any such plans yourself?"

Interactions
Misty Gray Gabriel
Bellz Stefano

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

Once the commotion was over, everyone turned their heads back to the stage. Apart from Gwen. She locked her eyes onto Jason, who gazed back at her, watching as she walked over to him with a sweet smile on her face. Stuck in some kind of trance, he didn't smile back at her immediately, instead staring at her in slight disbelief.

It was only once she was standing right in front of him and began teasing him about the mess he had made that a soft, dreamy smile crept onto his face. His brows were still furrowed in mild puzzlement when she told him that her brother's family were the owners of the jazz club and asked him why he was surprised to see her there. "Yeah. I don't know..." he answered, turning his head to take in his surroundings. Now that he thought about it, it did look similar to the old establishment back in Dublin; there were some stylistic changes but it had clearly been designed by the same people.

His smile grew warmer when Gwen took him by the hand and offered to get them a booth in the back. "Sure," he responded. Even though they had danced together, kissed and even had sex in the green room, there was something especially intimate about holding hands in public. They weren't in character and it wasn't driven by a spur-of-the-moment passion or intense sexual chemistry. This was the kind of thing that real couples did. And on top of that, it took Jason back to the night they had first met in All That Jazz 11 years ago - two complete strangers holding hands. From that moment he felt a deep connection to her, like a part of him had known her all his life. Like the universe had brought them together for a reason.

Gently pulling him closer, Gwen told him that he was right, that it was written in the stars. This drew a light chuckle from Jason, the confusion reappearing on his face as he walked with her over to a booth. "Jesus, Gwen...I feel like I'm in some crazy dream," he wistfully remarked. "Like I'm getting a second chance at the night we first met. 'Cept I know I don't deserve that."

The two sat down in a booth and Jason took a sip from his tonic before resting his arms on the table and searching Gwen's eyes. He just wanted to know what was going on. "So ye believe in fate, then? I never knew you were into that stuff," he said, narrowing his eyes in curiosity. "What ye said about the stars, Gwen. I don't remember ever...ever saying anything along those lines." Even though Jason's life had become all about Gwen back when they were together, he had never come to any solid conclusions about the way he felt; he had never officially asked her to be his girlfriend, nor had he expressed his feelings for her verbally. He had never been in love before and didn't recognise the feeling, so had never acted on it. He was sure now that if he had said something as romantic as their relationship being written in the stars, he would have dwelled on it enough to remember - even 11 years later. He slipped his hand back into hers, ignoring the light blush that was beginning to surface on his cheeks. "But it does seem that way, doesn't it?" He added, voice faint against the music in the background. "The likelihood of us meeting again, and way out here... To call it a coincidence just sounds foolish to me. D'ye think..." He paused, half-hoping he was dreaming, in case his suggestion wasn't well received. "D'ye think this could be another chance for us?"

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Misty Gray]

Gabriel Moretti​

Gabriel sat back and listened as the other two men discussed Roxanne. He wanted to give himself time to study Stefano and the man's choice of words, to see if he could pick up on how the man really felt about his daughter being brought into the messy business. Gabriel had three kids and he wasn't sure if there was anything they could do that would cause him to throw any one of them under the bus. If one of his daughter's got too close to a Porter, he wouldn't reject her - he imagined he'd do the complete opposite and keep her closer, ensuring she never got within an inch of the Porters again. It was why he understood to some extent when Stefano made clear Roxanne's safety was important. She wasn't Moretti's daughter, which made it easier for him to consider using her for his gain, but Stefano was a loyal associate and his concern for his daughter couldn't be ignored. Gabriel was forced to consider their strategy with that understanding in mind. In some ways, Alistair had an advantage on the other two men, being that he had nobody depending on him and no family to take into account. Gabriel imagined that meant Alistair could be much more objective about his actions. With that in mind, however, it also continued to highlight something Gabriel did have in common with James Porter. Family was a weakness they had in common, but one Gabriel had so far had no issue with using against the Porters for some time now. An eye for an eye, considering the Irish had killed most of Gabriel's family already.

"Stefano," Gabriel finally spoke up. He refilled his own glass of brandy and took a small sip of it before sitting back in his seat, continuing to hold the glass tumbler but giving it no more of his attention. "The best way for you to ensure your daughter's safety is to build bridges with her so you can keep her close. Repair the damage that may have been caused to your relationship and tell her you want to support her her through this, even if you have to act a little. I don't know, tell her that God reminded you that abortion is a sin and you know it's too late to change the fact she's pregnant." The man briefly used his wedding ring to tap the glass as his hand remained wrapped about it. "Ensure she can trust you. Then, as you say, you can encourage Roxanne to get close to Syd and see what information she can get from him."

Gabriel looked to Alistair so he could address the man's input on the situation. "Perhaps you are right, that the child won't inherit Syd Porter's weaknesses. So, with Stefano in the picture, he could help to ensure the kid doesn't grow up as a Porter." Gabriel wasn't sure how much weight he put on the subject of nature vs nurture. However, with the example of Tatiana's sexuality in mind, he was certain genetics were not at play - especially not his own - and so he could only blame the world around her, which he figured was yet another good reason to be out of Miami.

The mention of Syd being locked up in a mental asylum caused Gabriel to place his glass down on the table and then remain sat forward as he shared his focus between Alistair and Stefano. It certainly wasn't the first time the subject had come up for Gabriel and it had been discussed with Maddox in the past. He nodded his head as he took in Alistair's reasoning for the suggestion. "Roxanne would be safe from him if he were there," he said, glancing to Stefano. "It's a plan I believe Maddox could successfully execute. From what I understand, another change in dosage and a few small nudges could easily tip Syd over the edge... Maddox has taken a lot of time and being extremely patient to get to where he is with Syd. I'm sure if we decide the time is right and if we've taken all we can from young Porter, we could get Maddox to help us give him the push he needs."

Alistair's next question was regarding how much longer they were going to keep their identities secret, particularly Gabriel's and Maddox's. The Italian Boss sat back in his set and straightened out his tie as he took a moment to considered the decision he'd already spent considerable time thinking over. He decided to address the points in order, starting with the three men who had shown their faces during the torture the previous week. "Ensure your bases of operations are kept a secret. Stay out of the limelight, for the next few weeks, at least. Soon enough, you'll not need to hide out and you'll have all the backup you need to practically dance on their doorsteps. Perhaps tell Mr. Turner to keep away from that shop of his, in the meantime. He's good at keeping himself hidden, until he steps into that butchers shop where he can easily be identified." It was only intended to be a few weeks, until the Porters knew who they were dealing with and that they would meet much resistance should they direct their heavy-handed approach towards the East Harlem Gang.

"As for myself. I have been patient for long enough and I don't intend to hide any longer. I require a few weeks to get my footing in this city and to station my men where I need them. Once I'm certain everything is in place and I have enough power to challenge the Irish Mob head on, then I want them to know their enemies. To know we can't be taken down as easily as the rest." He reached forward, taking another quick sip of his drink before allowing the next words to pass his lips. "It is my intention to meet with James Porter himself. No torture, no killing. Only words. I want a meeting to be orchestrated so I can not only look that bastard in the eyes and give him just one chance to give up, while he can. The illusion we had of his heir has already been shattered. I'd like to see for myself what James Porter really is." He didn't hesitate when it came to Maddox. "Dr. Parker's identity remains a secret for as long as his insight remains useful. Whilst Syd and Conor trust the man, he can gain knowledge for us that nobody else could. I have many uses for Maddox outside of his cosy little office, but right now he's at his most powerful when in that room." He then cleared his throat as he once again had to think back to his previous meeting with the therapist. "I imagine you are unaware, Alistair. But I should mention that I have learned Maddox and Ani are in a relationship together. According to my wife, they make a 'lovely couple', and I'm sure if I cared enough to imagine it that they are indeed an ideal match. I just want to make you aware, to ensure Ani's work doesn't slip, as I will be doing with Maddox. Can't have them turning soft during the honeymoon period..." he trailed off. "Business comes first."


Bellz (Stefano) Pyroclast (Alistair)