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

[Pyroclast]

Danny Vaughan

Savannah's question about whether he had been trying to get her to be a regular customer stunned Danny. He stared at her, watching as she brought a hand up to cover her face. "No," he told her, sounding slightly desperate. "No, that wasn't what I was doing at all, we were just...I just wanted to help you relax, that's all. It's just something I do." Up until that point, she had seemed calm enough, allowing him to speak without giving much of a reaction. He had to remind himself that what he had told her was probably the opposite of what she wanted to hear - it was why he had been so nervous to tell her in the first place. She was entitled to react with such apprehension, and once he understood that, his expression softened and he let himself relax. "Look, I've got plenty of customers all over the city. I know the consequences of selling to Syd's family so I'm never gonna do that to you, I promise. I just like hanging out with you...and that's enough of a risk as it is."

When she brought her hand away from her face, Danny reached over and held it. It wasn't exactly on purpose, just an instinctive reaction. But he didn't let it go. A few moments ago he hadn't even been able to look her in the eye, yet now he found himself gazing almost desperately into them. He spent a moment trying to figure out the colour of them - they looked like somewhere between blue and green - until she broke eye contact to look down at her hands.

Hearing that she was still interested in him despite his involvement with her family's business surprised him. He hadn't realised that he had made as good enough an impression on her to make her want to keep seeing him. When she looked up, Danny smiled at her - partly to lighten the mood, and partly because he was relieved. He nodded along as she went on to suggest that they keep seeing each other in secret, trying to keep a straight face at the possibility that the two of them could develop into something more than just casual dating. "Nah, you're not crazy clingy, don't worry," he quietly assured her. The smile he had been trying to hold back finally surfaced, accompanied by an unrestrained blush. "Then I won't tell my parents, either. We keep this between you and me, at least for now." He gave a small sigh, thinking again of the trouble they could get into for seeing each other. "Thanks for taking this risk with me. Rebelling is always more fun when you do it together..." It made him feel a little better to phrase it like that.

The theatre had emptied now and Danny looked around at the dimly lit room. "We should get outta' here," he suggested, turning to her with a smile. "Can I walk you somewhere? Where do you wanna go?"

Interactions
Misty Gray Savannah

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

Sinead closed her eyes and took in the comforting feeling of Peter's tight embrace. It was something she hadn't experienced much of from her husband in some time, so she appreciated it every time they were close. She was glad to hear him say he was fine and though he could just be saying it to appease her, she was convinced he meant it as he didn't seem agitated as he told her. When he eventually confirmed Luke was dead, Sinead opened her eyes as she processed the news. In the past, she would have been inclined to find such news upsetting, knowing that a life had been taken and by her family, at that. However, she felt not pity for the man who had helped to hurt and abduct their daughter. Whether or not it made her a bad person for it, she was glad the man was dead. After all of the people she'd lost and seen hurt, there was no space for her to feel bad about the losses of their cruel and awful enemies. "That's for the best. One less monster for Savvy to fear."

When Peter released her and suggested they went home, Sinead caught the way he was looking at her. She could have sworn there was something in the way he was looking at her, like how he used to when they were closer and more intimate with each other. "Okay," she agreed, quickly nodding her head. When Peter informed the others they were leaving, Sinead was quick to give Lucy and Aliana a hug each. "Next time, we'll stay for dinner. And please, make sure you all come to my place tomorrow. Emmy's birthday party is still happening and she'll not let it drop if any of you don't show," she lightly warned. "Seventeen already..." she thoughtfully muttered as she left with Peter.

During the drive home, Sinead sat back in the passenger seat and watched Peter as he drove the car. "You sure you're alright, honey? If you need some time to yourself, I understand," she sensitively told him. "But..." she began, hesitating before getting her next words out. "Conor and I were talking earlier. He suggested me and you go on a little vacation, just the two of us, without the kids. He said he would look after Brady and Emmy, kind of his way of thanking us for letting him stay with us. How about it Petey? I was thinking in a couple of weeks when I don't have any gigs on the go..."

Bellz (Peter)

 

[Bugsy]

KEEGAN LYNCH
​

Though it seemed that he was playing nice with the other man - the enemy - Keegan was more than willing to extend the torture; even if he had realised he wasn't going to get the answers that he wanted in the first place. The man was a hard nut to crack, though, his skull certainly wasn't. Before he could go any further with his interrogation, Luke Holland had reached the end of the line - having far surpassed it and for his wisecracks, had made Peter fall straight into the man's trap of killing him swiftly.

Gunshots rang close to his head, and though he had tried his damned hardest, Keegan had flinched from the suddenness of the shots. Though he was displeased about the quickness of the man's death, he was hardly concerned. There were more fish in the sea and he could understand the reasons for why Peter had done what he had - nobody messes with family.

Once everything had been sorted, and they handed off to more men in the room - they promptly left the building and walked back to the car where Warren had been sat patiently. He had lit up another cigarette, having it dangle from his mouth for a little while before actually deciding to take a drag of it, stepping forward when Warren had asked whether or not he would be wanting a lift into the city.

Nodding, Keegan slid into the seat next to Warren, closing the door. "Turned out to be a dead weight." He mentioned, his eyes briefly hovering over the other man's face as he spoke of the events which had transpired. There were displeasure in his tone and in his facial features; the rare moment of a break in the cool facade.

@[Misty Gray] (Warren)

 

[Misty Gray]

Gabriel and Valentina Moretti​

Valentina had remained sat back in the chair when he father entered the room. She studied his face before he even spoke and could ascertain he appeared to be in a pleasant mood. She snorted at her sister's joked about the treats being called "papa-nași", but a smirk crossed her face as Gabriel seemed silently amused by it himself. Even though her older sister worked closely with their father and seemed to have his respect in that regard, she didn't envy the way Tatiana's sexuality caused some barriers between them. She knew Gabriel was strict and old-fashioned, but she'd hoped he'd by now have accepted that part of his daughter. Still, it didn't stop Valentina from hoping she'd be able to do her father proud in business as both Tatiana and Marcus did. "Vodka, it is," Valentina excitedly accepted the bottle from her sister. She the proceeded to spiking Tatiana's lemonade then offering Marcus a drink too. "Come on, big guy. Start drinking," she egged him on.

Meanwhile, Gabriel continued to stand with his wife. He placed his hands on her waist as she kissed his lips to thank him for the flowers. "Of course I should have. If I can't treat my wife on such a positive day, then who can I treat?" Gabriel placed another kiss on her lips and took a step back, then took hold of her hand to keep some physical contact. His brows furrowed as she mentioned needing a guard to keep pests away from the garden. He let out a brief chuckle as she went on to suggest a dog. "We don't need a dog for that. I have security guards stationed here and I'm sure they wouldn't refuse me if I told them to keep an eye on your flowers," he told her, his face appearing completely serious as he spoke. He knew his family wanted pets and he suspected Elvian was trying to soften him up to the idea. "Come on, let's join the kids," he gently suggested. Placing his hand on her lower back, he walked with his wife back into the lounge.

Gabriel helped himself to a piece of the treats his eldest has baked. "Papa-nași... really?" he fondly teased, repeating Tatiana's earlier joke. He took a bite out of it and nodded his head in approval. "Tastes good, as always," he assured her. He finished eating the papanași before looking to Elvian and sending her a playful wink. Deciding to address what he didn't doubt was something all of his family wanted, he sat back in his seat and cleared his throat. "So, your mother mentioned us having a dog around this place. I'm going to take a wild guess that all four of you would like a pet around here, so a dog it is. You all have to make sure you train it and walk it, because I don't have the time. And please, make sure it's not some little yappy thing..."


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

 

[Bellz]

Ani Sarraf
Ammon Sarraf ​

Ani had waited with her brother for a few more moments but decided that it was probably best to search for Alistair. "Come on, Ammon." Ani said to her brother, who was just staring out ahead of him, clearly bored.

Leading him out towards the lounge area, she found the two men that she had been searching for. "Oh there you are." She commented nervously, a small smile creeping up on her face. Ammon let out a giggle sensing his sister's nervousness and easily preying upon her as he moved to grab her shoulders harshly. "Looks like someone's in trouble." He hummed to which the woman turned to give him a look like he was crazy. Which he was.

Taking in the position of the two men, Ani could tell that they had been talking about them before they arrived in the room. Her heart felt like it dropped into her stomach as she shuffled closer with her brother's hands still on her shoulders. "Sorry for my absence over the last couple of days," Ani murmured as she finally got close enough to Alistair and Ethan to stop creeping forward.

Shrugging her brother's hands off of her, she turned to stare at him for a moment before turning to look the men in the eye. "The hospital schedule me for two night shifts that I couldn't get out of...which meant that Ammon got some time alone." Well, he definitely wasn't alone the last two days but she wasn't about to out her brother like that. She had done what she needed to and the woman's body was floating at the bottom of the Atlantic, held by cement blocks to keep her from floating back up.

It had been a miracle that he had gotten away with it in the first place but for her to get away with hiding the body really made her question the strength of law enforcement in the city. Sure she was questioning it before given that she was affiliated with one of the many gangs in the city but still, she was in shock she had gotten away so easily with hiding that poor woman's body.

"Oh I had a ton of fun by myself." Ammon added in as he paced almost impatiently, the wheels in his head turning. Ani could tell that he wasn't finished with his lust for blood and it scared her to no end. Nightmares kept her awake at night sometimes but the fear of being his next victim kept her out in the living room most nights, holding a knife in case she fell asleep and he tried to attack her.

A part of her wondered how much more she could take of him, it was clear that the responsibility fell on her to make sure he stayed in his place but she knew that Alistair and Ethan didn't realize how hard that was and a part of her didn't want them to know...because Ammon would then be seen as a liability and she would become useless to them as well. She couldn't even think about what would become of them if they were seen in that light.

"I met a woman." Ammon suddenly blurted out and Ani looked at him with wide eyes, unable to speak out of fear. He was going to tell them everything, he couldn't keep secrets. "She was a bloody mess when I was finished with her though." He snickered, knowing his words could be taken in anyway that Alistair and Ethan wanted to take it. Ani's eyes looked towards the two men, mouth slightly ajar as she sucked in a breath and held it.
with: Alistair Pyroclast ; Ethan Misty Gray

 

[RayPurchase]

Tony Harris​

Tony’s grin widened as he could see the effect this was having on Conor. That arsehole Finn was doing his best to try and keep his cousin calm, but it was clear that the dam was beginning to leak, not that much pressure until it fully broke. Having Teddy here definitely helped, twisting his words about Conor, ensnaring him. His own verbal attacks were far more blunt, little nuance or prose to them, but then again that was Tony in a nutshell, blunt, and with a distinct lack of charm. His eyes flicked between Conor and Finn. He could feel them both straining at the leash, clearly wanting nothing more than to wipe the smug look off of Tony’s face with a shower of blows. And my god Tony would have been happy to oblige, let them strike the first blow and feel the fire within him, it had been too long, lurking about New York in the shadows, he wanted this, no, needed this. His leg was beginning to shake underneath the table at the thought. He gripped his knee with his hand, keeping it under control. They were close, he could almost feel the anger radiating off of them. He popped another piece of steak in his mouth as Teddy said his bit, the action seemingly getting a rise out of the pair of Porters, all adding to the obnoxious aura permeating from Tony, a foil to Teddy’s far more cleaned up routine. He let out a bellow of laughter at Teddy’s comment about his hatred of the Irish, sending a few flecks of steak across the table. If only they knew the half of it. It’s what made this job even more enjoyable for him. He leaned forward over the table.

“Lovely little sprog that Leo. May even end up callin’ Teddy here daddy if things keep goin’ so well with Ali. Maybe even call me uncle. Just a shame that it wouldn’t really leave any room for you two…”

(Interactions: Misty Gray Conor, Bellz Finn, Melanin-Gxdess Teddy)

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

When Finn told him he was ready to leave, Conor nodded his head in agreement. While he was stubborn enough to entertain the idea of staying in the restaurant as some kind of sit in and battle of wills, he was far more inclined to ensure his cousin was content. He noticed Finn looked back over his shoulder and he did the same, checking if any of the two men had stood up. Neither had, so he looked back to Finn as the man commended him for his surprisingly non-violent reaction to the baiting. "I can't be getting you in trouble. Georgie looks like a chilled bloke, but I still don't want to risk getting on his bad side..." he remarked.

The calm and light attitude Conor was embracing to distract from his deeper irritation was soon washed away as Teddy spoke again. Conor was addressed as "Mr. Cartwright" but he didn't feel inclined to correct him yet. Instead, he turned back around to face the man addressing him and listened to what on face value would seem like an apology. Then he escalated it my stating Aliana had broken his heart, which immediately elicited an annoyed scoff from Conor. "You won't see her again," he spoke firmly over Teddy as the man continued speaking. He then brought Tony into the conversation, mentioning how the man didn't like the Irish. "Well, that's fine, because I can't stand Cockney wankers. Plus, us two Irish fellas were born in this fine country," he said, sending the man in question a nod and a quick smirk. "But it's nothing we need to bother the nice folk in this restaurant with." Mentioning the others eating around them not only served to remind himself to stay calm, but also to remind the other two not to try anything. Tony especially.

Conor looked to Finn, ready to make a more progressive move at leaving the place, but Teddy spoke up again and seemingly knew what he was doing with the words he chose. Conor's head snapped to face Teddy as Leo's name was mentioned. He was already getting riled up by the mere mention of his son when Tony spoke up to mention the boy too, suggesting Teddy would get so close to Aliana as to be some kind of parental figure to Leo, with Tony being an uncle in the process. Conor stepped closer to the table again, hoping Finn wouldn't follow and would choose to just step away from the situation completely. Conor's usually friendly and approachable face was replaced by the angry expression that often came before one of his rages.

"You two fucking pricks won't go anywhere near my wife and son," he began. "My name's Sullivan, not Cartwright." His voice was kept at a calm and normal level, though the venom and frustration behind his words could be detected by the Finn, Teddy and Tony. "If we weren't out here in public, rest assured your skull would be smashed in against this table, Teddy, and that steak knife would be in your fucking eye," he said, looking to Tony as he said the last sentence. He still wasn't sure if he believed Teddy had slept with Aliana, but the fact Leo had been dragged into it at all wasn't something he could ignore. He wanted so badly to lash out at the two men, but for one of the first times in his adult life, his head was winning out and urging him to tackle the situation more wisely than he had in the past. As much as he could resent it, there was a part of him that appreciated the apparent barrier Maddox had created to protect Conor's logical reasoning from his innate, instinctual aggression. Besides that, his love for Leo was the very reason he was stopping himself from acting violently to defend the boy's name. He couldn't risk going back to prison and never seeing his son again.

"One day in the future, we'll cross paths and then I'll make sure neither of you will be in any state to speak of my family again." Conor looked to Finn and sent him an apologetic look. He was frustrated by not being able to prove to the two guys that he wasn't all talk. He'd always been willing to put his money where his mouth was and take down anyone who disrespected him, but things were different now and he knew there were other ways for him to deal with his enemies. "Let's go, mate," he told Finn. He retrieved his jacket from where he'd left it on the back of his chair and set off walking out of the restaurant, making sure Finn was close behind. He hoped his cousin wasn't disappointed in him. Even though he hadn't lashed out, he knew he'd conveyed aggression and violence in his words. It wasn't easy to shut out feelings that came so naturally.


Bellz (Finn) Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy) RayPurchase (Tony)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Roxie didn't immediately answer his question about whether she had changed her mind about having an abortion, but Syd held onto his hope nonetheless. They were big words to say to someone she had only been seeing for a few weeks. It had all appeared so casual up until now; they had barely had time to blossom into the early stages of a relationship. Even though Syd had liked her since the moment he had first laid eyes on her, the sex that had got them into this situation had been an impulsive act, a crime of passion without any regard for what they actually meant to one another. Now, suddenly, they were having to consider each other a part of their futures. Syd was almost blind to the weight of it all, simply carried away by his dream to become a father.

Choosing to put off his more serious question, Roxie instead told him about discovering that she was pregnant right before the theatre attack. Syd's face grew serious as images of the night flashed through his mind. He remembered how concerned he had been - angry, almost - that she had followed him and Peter into danger. Now thinking of Roxie being pregnant that night put the risk in a different context, and if she hadn't so firmly defended her actions then he might have reacted. But he purposefully didn't dwell on it, not wanting to let his emotions take over and ruin the moment. She was safe, Savannah was safe and the baby was safe; with the event now behind them, there was really no point in getting angry.

When her eyes found his, Syd was reminded of the question he had asked. His heart was hammering with anticipation as he waited for her response. Soon enough, the silence between them was broken with the words he had been hoping to hear and he let out a sharp, shallow breath as a smile spread across his face. She was smiling, too, though hers seemed to carry some burden that he was unable to detect in that moment. Blinded by happiness and relief, Syd slipped his arms around her and pulled her towards him. He began to shower her with kisses, on her lips, her cheek, her neck, her eyelids...He was simply overcome with joy. Having deteriorated so quickly in the last couple of months, it was such an unfamiliar feeling to him that it almost scared him a little - yet, he wanted to feel it in its entirety, not let the anxiety come through and ruin it.

Filled with uncontainable excitement, Syd launched himself off the sofa so quickly that the room appeared to twist about him until his vision turned completely black. But he was used to the feeling, and only laughed softly as he steadied himself and waited for the dizziness to pass. All he could think about was that his life was about to change hugely. Feeling his mental and physical health worsen at an increasing rate, Syd had been lying awake at night worrying about hitting rock bottom again. So, at this point, any change was welcome. He would have a new purpose, a new direction, a new identity, a new reason to live. Any inherent anxiety that Roxie's news brought on was channelled into excitement. His heart was beating fast as he now paced the room, breathing rapidly as though in distress. Except this time, his eyes were gleaming and there was a smile on his face that he couldn't control. He wanted to open the window and literally shout from the rooftops for the whole world to hear. Every few seconds he would walk back towards the sofa to plant a kiss on Roxie's head before wandering off once again to return to his daydream.

"You're sure this time? Absolutely positive this is what you want?" he asked suddenly, holding a hand out to her as he had when he had been shouting before. "You won't - you won't take off a-and leave, or anything like that?" Syd came and sat beside her again, taking her hands in his and bringing them to his lips to kiss her fingers. "I mean it," he added quietly, gazing deeply into her eyes as he did his best to slow down. "If this isn't what you want, you need to tell me - I promise I won't...freak out. At any point, actually, if you get nervous...you'll tell me, right? I'm part of this, now, and I want to know everything."

After finally taking a long drink from the glass of water she had given him before, Syd reclined into the sofa and gazed up at the ceiling to calm himself down. A soft smile remained on his face as he continued to dream of his future. "Just picture it..." he softly spoke, voice almost reaching a whisper. "Picture those little hands reaching up for you, those big eyes looking up to you...Learning your name and then saying it a hundred times a day...You'd be that baby's whole world."

Interactions
Bellz Roxie

 

[Pyroclast]

Alistair Sawyer

Alistair pursed his lips when Ethan confirmed that Ammon hadn't been coming into work at the butcher shop. It seemed the man had gone missing altogether, though if he had, he was fairly certain Ani would come forward to ask for their help. Unless, of course, she had vanished with him. Hearing that Ethan was missing some of his tools sounded alarms in his head and he inhaled deeply, narrowing his eyes as his concern grew. The man was inclined to believe that Ammon had taken them, which is exactly the assumption that Alistair had made. "He is only so valuable," he grumbled, referring to the mob business. "Perhaps he needs to be reminded of how disposable he is."

As if on cue, Ani and Ammon appeared at the door, prompting Alistair to look up. "Oh yes, there I am," he responded, drily. Never breaking eye contact, Alistair got to his feet and stepped away from his chair. "I do apologise if I've been hard to reach. Sometimes people are just right where you least expect, aren't they, Ani?" His sarcastic tone was unmissable, having been in his office as usual during the twins' absence. Alistair shot a glare towards the woman, which he then directed at her brother when he teased her for being in trouble. The poor man didn't have a clue. He never did.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Alistair turned away from the pair and moved towards the counter to put the kettle on, as though to signal that a meeting had commenced. He listened as Ani apologised to them for her absence, explaining that she been kept busy at the hospital. Really, he wasn't concerned about her absence - he knew that her job was demanding, and it would only have frustrated him if he had needed her. The only reason he felt bitter towards her now was for her failure to let him know where her brother was. Not looking up from his station as he made himself a cup of tea, he asked in a rather languid tone, "And did you enjoy your time alone, Ammon?"

The man responded with enthusiasm, his excitement showing in the way he paced about the room. It wore Alistair out just listening to his frenzied footsteps, but when he admitted to having met a woman, Alistair turned to face him with one eyebrow raised. He knew that Ani had started seeing Maddox Parker, and while he hadn't expected it he could at least imagine her in a relationship. She was a remarkably beautiful woman with an intelligent mind. Ammon, on the other hand, always had an off-putting edge about him. As innocent as he seemed, there was no charm attached whatsoever and so he couldn't ever imagine him being able to attract a woman's attention unless it was to scare her.

Sure enough, the man went on to describe the bloody state he had left her in. Though conscious of Ani's reaction and Ethan's presence, Alistair latched his eyes on Ammon and held them there for several seconds while the man giggled to himself. Then, blindly taking his cup of tea in hand, he slowly approached Ammon and put his arm around the man's shoulder. "Now, is that really a way to treat a woman?" His head was dipped to narrow the gap between them, and his voice was low and gentle. "Do you think she had a good time with you?"

Hitching the man even closer to him, Alistair slid his hand down Ammon's arm until his had his wrist in a tight grip. He breathed in the steam from his tea before slowly pouring the piping hot liquid onto the back of Ammon's hand. "Do you think she liked it when you cut her up, using the knives you stole from Ethan's shop?" He continued to pour, watching the reddened skin begin to split and blister. His grip tightened even more and he brought his face so close to Ammon's that they were almost touching. "And what about Ethan, hm? How do you think he felt, not seeing you in work while you were having fun with this woman? Do you think this kind of behaviour will keep you employed?" Finally tilting the mug upright, Alistair carefully drank what was left before physically turning the man to face Ethan. "I think an apology is due from you, Ammon. To Ethan, to your sister...and to me. I'll give you five seconds to start."

Interactions
Bellz Ammon, Ani
Misty Gray Ethan

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan ​

Peter was ready to go and was grateful as Sinead said okay to the idea of leaving. She gave the girls a hug and Peter looked to James with a simple nod, "Thank you." He said, a small smile creeping on his face because he knew something that his brother in law didn't. "Definitely next time." He stated at the mention of dinner. Once Sinead reminded everyone of their daughter's birthday party tomorrow, they set off towards the car.

The ride home was quiet in the beginning, but Peter knew that it wouldn't last long, he loved when his wife talked to him and was longing to hear more of her voice. Her words caused the smile on his face to fade a little as he sucked in a deep breath, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. He couldn't get the scene out of his head, the words that Luke had said about his baby girl...his head riddled with bullet holes and a pool of blood following.

He shook his head a moment, realizing that he was zoning out a bit. The smile crept back on his face. He had killed the fucker.

"Oh don't worry about me, sweetheart." Peter murmured before letting her continue on. The thought of a vacation was something that was welcomed in his mind. He let her finish before answering, "That sounds like a wonderful idea, Sin." He reached out to take her hand, resting their hands against her thigh. "But..." He started out similarly to how Sinead had. "I really don't want time to myself. There is only one thing I have on my mind in this moment in time and I'm sitting right next to her. How about we break open a bottle of wine and spend the rest of the day in bed, hmm?" He asked, wanting to be romantic with Sinead for the remaining hours of the day. Deep down, however, he didn't want to deal with what was going on in his head. The scenes replaying...he didn't want to live with the images.
with: Sinead Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

When Peter agreed to the idea of a vacation, Sinead couldn't help the excited smile from taking over her expressions. "Yesss!" she happily exclaimed at the thought of getting away together for a little while. "Oooh, can we go to Cape Cod? It sounds so cute and peaceful. There's beaches and lighthouses..." She accepted Peter's hand when he held hers and closed her eyes for a short time as she made the most of the moment they were having. Despite the job he'd just been on, Peter seemed more open and enthusiastic about spending time with her.

The was a "but" from Peter, which caused Sinead to open her eyes and tilt her head to look to him. She wondered if there was an issue with them going away, but didn't wonder for long as he told her he didn't want to spend the evening on his own. Her cheeks reddened and a soft smile grew on her lips. "Oh, Petey, I would love that. Wine and bed it is!" she said, still blushing at the thought. She glanced to the bandage on her arm before gazing at her reflection in the passenger side wing mirror. She hadn't said it, but she'd been starting to feel self-conscious, questioning if she was unattractive to her husband. To hear he did still want to be intimate with her seemed to wash away those doubts.

When they got home, Sinead unlocked the front door and held it open for Peter. Conor was out with Finn whilst the ever-ageing kids were each staying over at their friends' places. For once, Sinead was thankful the house was quiet and empty as she wanted privacy with her husband. Once they were both inside, she closed the door and locked it behind them. She then leaned in to softly kiss Peter's lips, but pulled away with a mischievous grin on her face. "You get the wine and meet me upstairs!" she playfully told him before kicking off her shoes and ascending the staircase.



Bellz (Peter)

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan​

When Danny took hold of her hand, Savannah didn't resist the gesture, despite any reservations she might have briefly had when he told her about his involvement with her family's business. Even though she'd made her remark about him trying to make her a new customer of his, he seemed to get over it and not be scared off by her brief coldness. He still seemed to be interested in her.

A small smile crept onto her lips when Danny assured her she was wasn't being clingy and he displayed a blush which she found quite endearing. When he spoke about not telling his parents about them, it appeared they'd secured a deal that they'd keep dating in secret for the time-being. He thanked her for taking the risk and Savannah let out a soft sigh as she processed what they'd agreed to do. "Well, aren't we just a pair of rebels?" she asked, wanting to avoid staying quiet for too long. However, in the back of her mind she was questioning if it was right to keep secrets from her family, especially as they weren't overly keen on keeping things from each other. As she thought more about it, she wondered if it was just history repeating itself. Sinead had spent months in a secret relationship with Angel back when she was around the age Savannah now was. The young blonde wondered if she was just destined to follow in her mother's footsteps. But it felt different, somehow. Danny was a nice guy and was working for her family, whereas she understand by now that Angel had been dangerous and a direct enemy of her family. It was completely different.

With the suggestion of getting out of the theatre, she quickly nodded her head. "You're right. Let's go be secret rebels somewhere else," she playfully replied. When asked where to go, she thought for a moment before making a decision. "How about I pay for us a cab closer to where I live? There's an amazing dessert parlour not far from my place. They do the best milkshakes!" she gushed. "Then we can walk it off afterwards."


Pyroclast (Danny)

 

[Bellz]

Ani Sarraf
Ammon Sarraf ​

Ani's eyes widened as she turned to look at her brother, mouth still hanging open. She shouldn't have been so shocked but now that the truth was out she was afraid of what Alistair would do to them. He turned his full attention to Ammon but that didn't do anything to comfort Ani as he inched closer to her brother, putting his arm around him. Ammon didn't think twice about it as Alistair pulled him closer until he grabbed his wrist, which immediately caused him to start inching away.

He refused to answer the man's question, more than satisfied with himself about what he had done over the past few days. But he cried out as the boiling hot tea was poured on his hand. He cut off any noise as he ground his teeth together and stared at Alistair with nothing but indifference in his eyes.

Ani watched with horror as the skin burned and blistered giving out a small cry herself as she covered her mouth with both hands. Having always been so protective over her brother, it was agonizing to watch him react in such a way.

Ammon was turned suddenly towards Ethan and he stared at the man openly, letting his burnt hand go limp at his side. He said nothing to address Alistair's questions, instead doing as the man asked obediently, "I apologize for stealing the knives from your shop." He started off by saying. This was new information for Ani and her eyes narrowed at Ammon. "I shouldn't have took them and I won't do it again. Swear on my life." Though Ani would never tell anyone else, but Ammon always made that promise with her...and it was always broken after some time.

Ammon then turned to Ani, twins staring into each others eyes. She knew better than to believe that her brother was in effected by any of this. His hand was still limp at his side, tea dripping from it, skin bubbling, top layer of skin was hanging. Ani felt a heated sensation on the top of her hand, causing her to bring it towards her chest. It almost felt like she could feel his pain...if he could feel at all. "Ani. I'm sorry you had to keep up my mess. Thank you for being so kind to me." That was a new one for him, normally it was so scripted that Ani never took him seriously but this time it was different. "You're welcome." Was all Ani said, all she had the courage to say in front of Alistair and Ethan. She knew she couldn't draw anymore attention to herself after leaving her brother alone.

Ammon tensed a moment before turning on his heels to face Alistair. Clearing his dry throat, he made sure to stare the man right in the eyes. "My actions were reckless and put EH in danger, and I apologize for drawing unwanted attention to the gang."

Ani was starting to think these apologies he was giving were too good to believe. Ali spent a lot of time with her brother when she was not at work and she could see a shift, something in his eye made her wonder what he was up to. Ani knew that it would be hard for the men to see it but she knew her twin well, something was changing.
with: Alistair Pyroclast ; Ethan Misty Gray ; Ani @ me

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan​

Finn let out a small nervous chuckle as Conor made a remark about not wanting to get on Georgie's bad side, knowing full well that the man did not have one. At least, not one that he's witnessed himself. Finn thought that they were in the clear until Teddy opened his big fat mouth again. Mistakenly calling Conor "Mr. Cartwright" which caused his cousin to turn around and look at the two men again. Finn came to a halt and turned around slowly, heart pounding as he listened to the man.

He was so sure that Conor would make it through and not feel the need for violence but things were beginning to escalate quickly and Finn couldn't wrap his brain around it fast enough to know what to do. His mouth hung open slightly as the men continued to exchange words.

He definitely was the oddball of the Sullivan's unable to really handle confrontation in a way that was appropriate because he just didn't feel the need to be violent towards anybody.But then Tony opened his mouth, claiming that he didn't like the Irish. Finn's eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms over his chest as he stared at Tony. If there was one thing he took offense to, it was someone who didn't like his roots. "Yes let the nice people eat." He agreed with Conor before the man looked to him. Finn nodded his head towards the door and took a step back, ready to leave once more.

Teddy decided to push Conor's button's and this time Finn didn't follow as Conor walked back up to the table. Gulping, he could only helplessly watch on, waiting until the fight broke out and the police would be called.Conor sent him an apologetic look but Finn just shook his head, knowing that he was better than what he was feeling in that moment. He turned away and Finn turned to watch him head towards their table, he stood there a moment before looking back at Teddy and Tony, "You've fucked with the wrong family." He told them boldly before turning and walking off quickly to follow Conor out the door.

Once they were outside, Finn's heart was beating heavily in his chest, that was one of the first time's he had ever spoken up to someone. "You did the right thing, Con." Finn stated breathlessly and smiled at the man, "But fuck those guys." Boy, did it feel good to say that word.
with: Conor Misty Gray ; Tony RayPurchase ; Teddy Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau​

Roxie let Syd wrap his arms around her and pull her close to him as he kissed her. She closed her eyes a moment and allowed herself to enjoy the closeness for a moment, thinking over the decision she had just made. Soon after, he was off the couch and Roxie's eyes snapped open to watch as he paced the living room, returning and giving her a kiss on the head before continuing to pace. Roxie tried not to move her head back and forth for fear of being sick, but her eyes followed him closely.

Flinching slightly as he held out a hand to her, she was reminded of only moments ago when he had been shouting at her. His question causing her heart to race, wondering if the situation was going to escalate again. It didn't as Syd sat beside her again and took her hands. He placed light kisses against her fingers as he emphasized that he wanted to know everything that she was feeling.

Roxie stared into his eyes before he turned to take a drink of water, causing her to look away towards her lap as she thought about her answer. "I'm sure...We can do this." She murmured to him though her tone was not as confident and wavered ever so slightly. Biting her lip, Syd reclined into the sofa and Roxie just watched as he looked towards the ceiling.

His words caused her to look towards the apartment around her, trying to picture everything in her life that was about to change. While he was imagining those little hands, she was imagining what it is was going to be like being pregnant for 9 months. Seeing the same eyes staring at her and expecting her to be there for everything in their life, being dependent on her...

What Syd was saying was true but what he failed to mention was that the baby would have to be her whole world as well, if they were every going to make this work.

"Yea...," She whispered softly, eyes slowly turning to look at Syd as it really dawned on her what she was in for."Imagine that."
with: Syd Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

Ethan Turner​

Ethan remained in his seat when Ani and Ammon entered the room. Though Ani's entrance was subdued and apologetic, Ammon's demeanour grated on Ethan. Still, he didn't show it and for a time tapped his index finger on the chair arm as he listened to those speaking around him. Only when Ammon mentioned meeting a woman did he stop and look directly to the twins. When Ammon went on to mention the woman was a mess when he'd finished with her, Ethan calmly stood from his seat and turned to directly face the unhinged man.

Remaining silent, he watched on as Alistair got close to Ammon to address him. When he grabbed the man's wrist and began pouring the boiling liquid onto his skin, Ethan folded his arms and watched silently on as Alistair continued to speak. He wasn't disturbed by the punishment his apprentice was receiving and he hoped it would have an effect on him. If not, the next punishment could be a fatal one. Ani's apparent upset reaction didn't escape Ethan's attention, but he didn't react to it, hoping it would teach her to keep a closer hold on her brother in future.

When Ammon was told to make his apologies, Ethan took a step closer and let his hands drops to his sides, inviting the man to address him appropriately. He let out a deep breath as Ammon apologised for stealing the knives. When he swore on his life it wouldn't happen again, Ethan gave a single nod. "Of course it won't. You'll either be dead or I'll hack off your hands so you won't get light-fingered again," he coldly assured him. As the apologies continued, Ethan listened on, knowing that the decision on how to proceed with Ammon was Alistair's to make.


Pyroclast (Alistair) Bellz (Ammon, Ani)

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor was glad to have got out of the heated exchange without losing his temper or throwing his fists around. Of course, the things the two men had been saying had got to him, but he was pleased with himself from keeping his cool. Had anyone spoken ill of his wife, sisters or kids in the past, he wouldn't have been able to stop himself from retaliating violently. He felt he'd come a long way during his time in prison and his sessions with Dr. Parker.

As they walked back to the car, Finn assured him he'd done the right thing. Conor thought for a moment before smiling to himself. "Thanks, mate. I'm just glad I didn't lose control this time." When his cousin swore, Conor looked to him and smiled in amusement. "You did good yourself, mate. Sticking up for us, the family name, and all." He patted Finn's shoulder as they reached the car. "Come on, then. I'd best get you home to Georgie. Maybe next time we can just arrange for me to come hang out at your place. Order in a takeaway and the lot," he suggested.

*****​

After dropping Finn off at his home, Conor drove to the Porters place hoping Aliana hadn't left yet. When he arrived, he let himself inside. Once he'd had a quick catch-up from James about how the Luke situation had gone, he brought his attention to Aliana. He cleared his throat before awkwardly pointed in the direction of one of the empty rooms. "Ali, can we talk, in private?" he asked her. He seemed distant or at least distracted as he spoke, struggling to make firm eye-contact with his estranged wife.

Once they were in the guest lounge, Conor closed the door then invited Aliana deeper into the room so their conversation wasn't taking place next to the door and curious ears. "Ali, I need to ask you something," he said, his words fast and seemingly anxious. He paused to take a moment to soften his tone and manage his words. He stood directly opposite her and managed to look her in the eyes for a brief time before continuing to speak. "I know I broke my promise when I got myself locked up. I left you with the businesses and Leo to look after. I fucked up, I know that. And, as much as it pains me, I would understand if you... if..." He pinched the bridge of his nose before letting out a deep sigh. Moving his hand away from his face, he quickly shook his head. "I guess what I'm saying is that I understand if you moved on while I was in jail or even if you were just pissed at me so you..." He trailed off before mentally willing himself to just come out with it. "I need to ask you something and I need you to be honest with me. While I was in the slammer, did you get with anyone else? Y'know, did you see any other blokes or anything?" he awkwardly asked. It was hard to phrase it, especially when all he could see in his mind was Teddy's smug, pretty-boy face smirking back at him.

Bellz (Finn) Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan

It wasn't too much longer before Ali heard new footsteps entering the house. It would probably be the only thing she would never get used to while being in the Sullivan household; so many people just walking in out but all of them being family or trusted friends. If Allen had never gotten in bed with the Sullivan's, the only family Ali would have would be her parents. When she thought about this, she always felt grateful that she did have this many people in her new family. Walking around the corner it had been Conor and her heart started racing. Well, the conversation she had avoided was going to happen and it was going to happen now, tonight, in just a few moments. No more running, she had decided. He didn't seem excited, not even slightly like he usually did when he saw her. Instead, it seemed like something was on his mind. Maybe, she thought, he had been thinking about this too and realized the same thing. With a slight hesitation, she swung her legs back over the arm of the chair and stood up. She had to take a second to regain herself, hanging her head upside down for so long causing her slight disorientation. Pushing her hair back, she nodded and crossed her arms. "Uh, yeah. Sure..." She said it as if she were unsure, but really she was confused about Conor's actions. Why was he acted to weird, so awkward? Granted, she deserved it for the way she had been acting lately but even so, it was strange to her.

Excusing herself from the room, she followed Conor to another. She followed his lead, going deeper into the room so the two of them could really talk privately. Ali gave him a skeptical look as he told her he wanted to ask a question. She wrapped her arms around herself, tighter as if to calm the nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Okay...? Go ahead." She told him, still wondering why it was so hard for him to say what he needed. He addressed the fact he had broken his promise, that he left her with everything while he was in jail. It was something she had felt for a long time, now he was standing in front of her saying it. For a moment, she thought it would lead to an apology but it was something completely different. "What?" He wasn't making any sense to her now, the way he was talking. She gave him a moment to find his words and almost immediately wished she hadn't. Her face scrunched up in confusion, hands dropping from her sides as the knot went away. "Did- did you just-" she couldn't even finish her own sentence as she immediately started laughing. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh it's just." Taking a deep breath, she looked at him and nodded. "Yeah, I definitely stepped out on our marriage and slept with people while you were in prison. I somehow managed to meet guys while, like you said, taking care of EVERYTHING." She was wiping away the tears that had fallen while she laughed before she turned serious.

"Are you fucking kidding me?! You're going to sit there acting all nervous and ask me something as ridiculous as that? You can call me anything in the world for the way I've been acting, I deserve that, but you're not going to call me a cheater or disloyal." She was trying her best to keep her voice quiet as she yelled at him. Sometime during her rant she had gotten closer to him and was now standing a few inches from him. He smelled nice, she had to admit but she needed to focus on the task at hand. "Why the hell would you ask me anything like that, to begin with?"


​

Conor ( Misty Gray )

 

[Pyroclast]

Alistair Sawyer

Alistair's grip on Ammon tightened as he quietly counted down from five. Before he had reached the end of the count, the injured man began to speak. He sounded oddly calm for someone who had just been scalded, and uncharacteristically coherent. Though it didn't surprise him to learn that Ethan's suspicion had been correct, Ammon's apology was an admission of guilt. The way he spoke so professionally, the way he admitted to everything so fearlessly and proved his understanding of the potential consequences of his actions - particularly the part about drawing unwanted attention to the gang - was so unexpected to Alistair that his suspicion was raised even higher than it had been before.

"You understand why you can't do things like this, Ammon," he said, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. "How it affects Ethan's business, the responsibility that weighs on your sister, the attention it would draw to the gang. You understand all of this, yet you do it anyway." He then took a moment to look over Ani, eyeing her with a cold, hard stare. She looked slightly shaken and a little bewildered, but Alistair felt little sympathy for her. "And you," he went on, pointing a finger at her. "Never keep things like this from me in future. I've got my eye on you, Ani...Don't forget who you work for." It wasn't just her protective nature over her brother that he was wary of, but he didn't feel the need to bring up Maddox. As long as she understood not to let him down, he was sure she wouldn't want to go behind his back again by letting her new relationship distract her from her duty to the gang.

Alistair stepped forward to place his mug on the coffee table and then positioned himself between Ammon and the doorway, resting his hands on his hips as he spoke to the man. "You are protected here, working for Ethan and me. Don't take it for granted. If you do anything like this again, it will be on your life." It was hard to tell with Ammon whether his words got through to him, especially when he displayed unusual behaviour such as his apparent self-awareness. Sometimes it felt like he was speaking to a second version of the same man. Keeping his narrowed eyes fixed on Ammon as he tried to figure the man out, he began to delegate jobs. "Ethan, Ani, find the tools that Ammon stole. Clean them, and return them to the shop where they belong. Remember to keep a low profile. And Ammon..." He stepped towards the man and put his arm around his shoulder once again, beginning to walk him to the exit. "You come with me."

After sending Ethan a nod, Alistair lead Ammon down the corridor towards a small, empty room. It had once been a store cupboard, but Alistair preferred to use the store cupboard in the basement to keep his tools in. Windowless, there was nothing at all to stimulate the man besides his own conscience. He shoved the man inside. "Time for some self-reflection, Ammon. I want you to stay in here and think about where you would be without me, what would become of you if you weren't working in this gang. When I come back for you, I expect to hear what you come up with. If you fail, then you stay in this room - it's as simple as that. I'm not having someone work for me who will betray my trust and loyalty like you have done." With that, he slammed the door shut and locked it, leaving Ammon in darkness and solitude.

Interactions
Misty Gray Ethan
Bellz Ammon, Ani

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor could see Aliana felt a little nervous by the way she wrapped her arms around herself. Were he not so awkward and distracted himself, his natural instinct would have been to reassure her. Once he'd asked his question, it was clear Aliana was angry with what he'd said. It only served to make the whole situation even more difficult for him. He wished he could have just ignored what Teddy had said, but he knew that deep down he couldn't. He tightened his jaw as she yelled at him, emphasising how he'd left her to deal with everything during his prison sentence.

"Okay, listen..." he said through gritted teeth. Noticing the closeness between them, he decided to take a few steps back to build up some space so he could look keep calm and avoid things getting even more heated. "Please can you let me explain myself. Let me explain everything and tell you why," he asked, trying to keep his voice level rather than sounding desperate. Dr. Parker had told him to hear people out before flying off the handle and always expecting the worst, so Conor hoped Aliana would do the same for him now.

"Just now, when I was out with Finn, these two pricks got our attention, so I went over to ask what they were staring at. One of them clearly wanted a fight, which I didn't give him and, yeah, I controlled myself for a change," he remarked, figuring she'd expect he'd say he did get into a fight. "The other bloke was some smug, pretty-boy. Called Teddy, apparently. He was making out that he'd slept with you, that he'd seen photographs of us by your bed and everything. He even started mentioning Leo and the Charlies by name. I know he was trying to bait me and to pull me into a fight with the other guy, but it still got to me, y'know?" He massaged his forehead using his fingertips, trying to fend off the persisting headache. "Thing is, I didn't believe him and I know he could have got all of that information somewhere else. I know you, Ali. I believe even if you had slept with someone that you would have just come out with it and told me yourself. I wanted to just ignore the whole conversation had happened," he let out a sigh and folded his arms. "But even though I trust you, I worry there will always be this small part of me niggling away. Every so often, this little doubt could crop up when I'm most vulnerable, asking me what if...?" As he spoke, Conor didn't immediately register that tears had escaped his eyes, but even when he did, he did nothing about them, too focused on his wife's face as he searched to see what she now thought of him. "I couldn't keep this whole conversation to myself, especially not when he was talking about you and Leo. Ali, I love you and I just want to be honest with you and not keep any secrets, to not keep my feelings to myself anymore. Please tell me you understand?"

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan

Ali had noticed him getting more upset than he already was and she was trying her best to calm down. She just couldn't fathom that he would ever think she would cheat on him, despite how their current relationship was. There wasn't a moment that went by that she didn't think about her recent actions and attitude towards her husband. If he were to call her anything else, a child, unfair, or even a bitch she could understand; she deserved that. But a cheater? That would be one title she didn't deserve and the fact he even thought about it hurt. What had she ever done, she thought, to warrant something so crazy? So bizarre? Before she had a chance to gear up more yelling, Conor told her to give him a chance to explain. It was something about the way he said it, with authority, that made her stop. That and the fact he had backed away from her letting her know things were getting heated.

He was struggling with it, she could tell, but he was trying to keep his cool nonetheless. Could it be he truly had changed? The old Conor would have probably yelled at her right back but here he was, forcing her to shut the hell up and listen in a calmer tone. It definitely made he shut her trap and listen to his explanation. She frowned and crossed her arms, prepared to take in everything he was going to say. He went on to explain his evening with Finn and how he didn't get into a fight. Her expression slightly softened at hearing it. So, he had been making progress and it wasn't just something he was saying to get back into her good gracious. It was something genuine and her heart broke a little to think about everything that'd happened. She couldn't think about that right now as she continued to pay attention to his words, informing her a man had been speaking ill on her name. While she was glad he didn't believe a word of it, it pissed her off there was still a man out there who dared to blaspheme her character. Again, it would have to wait. Instead, she was relieved that he hadn't truly believed anything this Teddy character said. And when she did find out who he was, she was definitely going to kick his ass.

Their conversation took a deeper tone as their relationship was brought up. Well, here it was. The dreaded conversation she was going to force herself to listen to. For the past few years, Aliana hadn't realized that she had left Conor to his thoughts and emotions all alone. If she hadn't seen that tear fall from his eyes, she probably wouldn't have come to the immediate realization that fast. But just as he allowed himself to be open and vulnerable with her, she did the same. In the next few seconds, she found herself standing close to him again, cupping his cheeks in her hands and rubbing away his tears. "Hey look, it's okay. I understand, alright?" There was a concerning look in her eyes as she tried her best to comfort him. "I love you and unfortunately, I'm not going anywhere. 'Til death do us part' remember? Last time I checked, we're both still alive." She grabbed his hand and led him over to a couch to sit down on before she continued.

"I've been an asshole, trust me I know and I'm sorry for that. Truly. I've had my reasons, too, Conor. But, at the end of it all, I love you and only you, Mr. Sullivan, and I would never do anything to hurt you. I don't want you to think you can't come to me whenever you have an issue or feel like you need an outlet. I'm your wife, your best friend, your confidant anything you need me to be. I mean come on, we were friends before any of this." There was a soft smile on her lips before she took off her necklace, fiddling with it until she took her wedding ring off and showed it to him. "Do you regret giving me this?"




Conor ( Misty Gray )

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor had sucked in a deep breath when Aliana moved close to him again. He didn't feel the same kind of tenseness he had only moments ago when he'd backed away from her. Instead, he felt the warmth of Aliana's skin as she gently held his face in her hands. When she wiped away his tears, he let out a soft sigh of relief. It felt comforting to have his wife so close and gentle with him for the first time in years. As she spoke to reassure him, her voice was somehow soothing, despite the many cold and bitter words they had shared since his incarceration. As soon as she told him she loved him, a warm smile instantly formed on his lips as hearing the words had been something he'd been longing for in quite some time.

Conor didn't resist when she took his hand and he followed her to the couch, where he sat close beside her. He slowly shook his head as she admitted to being an asshole. Although he couldn't deny there had been times she'd pissed him off and he'd found her attitude exhausting, he understood why she'd been that way. He knew he'd made things difficult for them by leaving Aliana on her own to deal with everything. "And I only love you," he echoed her words as his attention remained only on her.

He watched as she took off her necklace and removed the ring from on the chain. He looked to the piece of jewellery as she held it out and asked if he regretted giving it to her. He immediately and quickly shook his head in response to the question. "No. Not at all." He reached out and plucked the ring out of her hand. He then gently took hold of her left hand and delicately slipped the wedding ring on her finger. "I regret that I made you want to take it off," he admitted to her. He looked into his wife's eyes and for a moment felt like he could get lost in them. He'd had a lot of time to think about many things during his time in jail. The thoughts that had most helped him get through the worst days had been those of Aliana and Leo. Even when he knew Aliana didn't want to visit him and he believed she hated him, he still tried to find hope in the good memories they'd shared with each other.

"I never want to lose you, Ali. You're my best friend but I want you to be my wife too," he softly told her. "Can we try again? We can take things slowly and keep the living arrangements as they are for the moment. We don't have to rush, but I want us to try again."

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan

Ali felt warm having her husband back in her arms. Even though it was going to take some time for her to let all of her walls down, it was nice that the big ones were. She now knew he truly was trying his best to be better and not get into any trouble for her and Leo's sake. She was definitely going to be a lot more understanding of him and the actions that he takes. A lot of the time she would just jump to random conclusion and she was no longer going to do that. She had to start understanding his point of view and not jump down his throat the first chance she got. Cool, calm Ali needed to find her way back after being gone for so many years. Granted, hearing some guy was going around saying he had slept with her would put that on hold, she would work on it nonetheless.

Hearing him tell her he loved her made her cheeks burn, a small amount of pink visible on her face. For whatever reason, she felt like a giddy little girl at the moment. It could've been the repairing of their relationship or the fact she hadn't had this moment with her husband for a while but whatever the case, she was in pure bliss. She hadn't even noticed when he took the ring from her. In fact, if she hadn't felt his fingertips sliding the ring on her ring finger, she would've missed what he'd said completely. He was sorry he made her want to take it off. She shook her head and gave him a soft, sad smile. "No, no I was being difficult." She nervously scratched her forehead before looking at him and playing with the ring. It felt... Right on her finger, as if missing it's home on her hand instead of around her neck. "I can say I have to get used to that again... But I do promise I'm never taking it off again. For selfish and idiotic reasons, of course." She added, as there definitely would be times where she would have to take it off.

The thought of them taking their relationship slow to get back to where they were was something she agreed with. They had been estranged for a few years and just hoping back into things wouldn't be smart. They still had a few things to work on and she wanted to do that before he moved back in. She nodded her head to his question, biting her lip. "I want that too. I'd rather us move slow to work out any of our issues. We can do it ourselves or with counseling or whatever we need to do. I just want things to go back to the way they used to be, yeah?" Ali lifted a hand to his cheek and instead of kissing him, she pulled him in and wrapped him in a hug, forcing tears to stay where they were. "I'm so sorry I left you all alone."



Conor ( Misty Gray )

 

[Misty Gray]

Chapter 8: Test the Waters
Friday 10th September 1971
...5 weeks later...
Mid-Afternoon - Sunny, Dry, Breezy
******************************

******************************


Rockefeller Center
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~​

Warren Taylor

The last five weeks had felt uncomfortably calm and peaceful. It wasn't that he wanted any more trouble for his family and the business, but given everything that had happened, the silence was disturbing. It felt to him like something was brewing and everyone had to remain on constant alert until they could find out the source of the recent attacks. One matter that had finally been given some sense of closure was the farewell to Arlene Sullivan. A little over two weeks ago, on the 24th August, the woman's funeral had finally been able to take place. The whole family and trusted employees had been present during the ceremony, with some relatives travelling from other states and the UK, including Shannon. Security had been high, not only with members of the mob standing guard, but members of the police force showing up in case anything kicked off. Thankfully, everything had gone smoothly and the likes of Olivia were able to say goodbye to Arlene without any distractions. After the ceremony, most of the family were invited back to the Porters' place and a lot of alcohol was consumed that evening. Despite the sombre affair, things ended on a relatively positive note, with family being able to reconnect and spend time together without thinking of business for one day.

Over the recent weeks, it had become clear that James wanted Warren to get deeper into the business, which pleased the younger brother. It feel like he'd finally proved himself, with James finally willing to let him get his hands dirty and trusting that he could handle the pressure. Of course, Warren was sure his parents had been the ones to hold James back on the matter, but given the troubles the business was having, James needed all the trusted help he could get.

With the added responsibility, it also became clear that James wanted Keegan and Warren to work together on jobs, no doubt allowing Warren to learn more from the older man along the way. Today, they had been spending much of the time in Manhattan, checking in on the security around Porter-owned businesses to ensure everything was running smoothly and any concerns were addressed. With their car parked nearby, Warren had suggested they took a short break to grab something to eat from one of the nearby takeaways. They had a little more time to kill until they were expected to pick Savannah up from her photo shoot and get her home safely.

As they stood inside the sandwich shop waiting to be served, Warren placed his hands in his pockets and briefly glanced towards the ice-skating rink in the distance. He could make out the distant figures of people gliding along the ice. Even outside of the rink, the Rockefeller Center was bustling with movement and energy. As much as he enjoyed the city, it often made him wonder how many people around them were a threat. Whilst he and Keegan were often employed in surveillance, he imagined there was a high chance they too could be watched without realising.

He looked back to Keegan and addressed the man. He wondered how he was feeling now Arlene had finally been laid to rest, but he decided against bringing it up unless Keegan did first. "Everything seems to be running as expected, but I'm not convinced," he admitted. "The sooner James finds out who exactly we're dealing with, the better I'll feel. I'd rather know who we're meant to be looking out for. In fact, I'll be happy when we've got rid of the lot of them," he added, his voice lowered in case of prying ears.


Bugsy (Keegan)

********​

Ethan Turner

Ethan had done as was asked of him by staying away from his butchers shop over the last few weeks. As the Morettis came closer to confronting the Porters directly, there was a sense of confidence around not only the Italians but also the East Harlem Gang. Though still keeping away from his shop for the time-being, Ethan was confident enough to keep attending to his duties when called upon. It hadn't escaped the gang's attention that Luke Holland had gone missing five weeks ago and Ethan had found himself accompanying Steve on jobs since.

Presently, the two men weren't on a specific job but were trying to find more leads on what had happened to Luke. Everyone who aligned themselves with the gang knew what they were signing up for at the time and Luke was no exception to the rule. Still, the man had been an asset to the gang and had seemed to work well alongside Steve. If the man had been killed or harmed, then Ethan was inclined to demand retaliation towards whoever was behind it. It didn't take a genius to work out who the prime suspects would be.

"I'm not going to sugarcoat it. It's been five weeks since any of us last heard from Holland," Ethan began. He paused as his attention was briefly focused on the people skating on the nearby ice rink. "And if the Porters are behind his disappearance, then rest assured they will pay for that."

********​

Savannah Callahan

Between auditions and family dramas, Savannah had worked on a number of modelling shoots over the last few weeks. Although reluctant at first, she had done a swimwear and lingerie shoot for a high end clothing brand. Whilst she was worried about how her parents would react to those photographs, she reasoned with herself that her Granny Shannon had done the same when she had been her age. Should an argument come up, she would be sure to fire that back at Sinead and Peter. Besides, she had a career to build and rent to pay, and following the theatre attack she'd been told by Andre himself that she couldn't afford to be picky for the time-being. Today's photo shoot had been nothing at all concerning - quite the opposite, in fact. Savannah had been doing a photo shoot with cats and kittens. Considering her love for felines, it had been more like fun than work and was even quite therapeutic.

After the shoot was done with, Savannah got changed in her dressing room. She still had a good hour before Warren and Keegan would swing by to pick her up in between their own jobs. Instead of waiting around at the studio, she'd decided to do some shopping in the nearby plaza. Not only was she still quietly suffering the trauma from her kidnapping, but it had been a few weeks since Roxie had moved in with Syd. Savannah missed having her friend around the place to talk to and figured she'd see less of her as time went on. Sinead and Peter had tried to make Savannah move back home as they didn't want her living in the city alone. Thankfully, Braden had agreed to share the apartment with Savannah. Although having her brother live with her again wasn't exactly an equal replacement for Roxie, it was certainly better than moving back home. Besides, he tended to keep to himself or brood around the place in his own world, so didn't really stick his nose into her private business.

As she walked through the city, Savannah kept her hand gripped on the handle of her shoulder bag, knowing to be cautious of petty thieves around the place. Before making her way to the shops, she stopped alongside the ice rink in the Rockefeller Center and for a time observed as people skated around the area. She loved going ice-skating and as it dawned on her she hadn't been in some time, a small smile crept onto her face as she thought about inviting Danny to join her on their next date. They'd seen each other a few times over the recent weeks and she was keen to make sure they continued to do so. Things felt so natural and carefree around Danny. They could enjoy themselves without her feeling like she had to be anyone but herself. Not only did he knew who she and her family were, but he also seemed to genuinely like her and appreciate her more than her past boyfriends had.

Savannah stepped away from the rink and began making her way towards the shops. As she walked, she felt the sudden uncomfortable feeling as a small chunk of gravel found its way into her shoe and under her foot. She suddenly stopped and removed the black high-heeled shoe from her foot, tipping it upside-down to shake out the gravel. After putting the shoe back on she took a step forward to continue walking. However, still distracted from looking straight ahead, she bumped into a man as he walked towards her. "Steady on, blondie..." Ethan mumbled, as he held his arm out to hold the top of Savannah's arm to stop her from falling into him

"Sorry..." Savannah quietly apologised. Her eyes only briefly looked to Ethan as her attention was soon drawn to the man he was with. She recognised Steve immediately. Considering his face had been plaguing her mind since they day he abducted her, how could she forget him? Her heart suddenly began to race in her chest as she began to visibly tremble and take struggled breaths. She felt sick as all of the fear she'd felt that night came flooding back to her. "Please, just let me walk away," she desperately asked Steve as she moved her arm away from Ethan's loose hold.

"What she's talking about?" Ethan asked, sending Steve a curious glance. However, it was only a few seconds before it dawned on him who the young woman was. He couldn't help but let out a small chuckle at the situation. It appeared a Porter had literally walked straight into his hands and he found himself wondering if they should take advantage of the situation or step well away from it, considering the number of witnesses around them.

Pyroclast (Steve)

Harris' Motor Repairs
~ Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan ~
​

Rachel Harris

Rachel had been keeping an eye on Noah's garage for years, despite having no interest in the dodgy place and its far from legal operations. So, when Noah had told her he wanted to sell it to one of his oldest friends, Jonah Finnegan, she couldn't help but feel some relief that he was finally freeing her of one more burden. She'd suggested handing it over to the Porters, but Noah was set on rewarding his friend for helping to keep the place running for all of this time. Rachel had no issue with selling the place to Jonah, but everything was too official for her liking, with Jonah bringing along a couple of guys to oversee the signing of contracts and the cash transaction. Perhaps she wasn't trusting enough, but she didn't want to get ripped off by some dodgy contract full of loopholes, so she'd asked the only lawyer she had any trust in to come to the garage with her to confirm everything in the contract checked out. She wanted to be completely rid of the garage and to be paid a reasonable amount for it. Given how reckless Noah was, she wouldn't have been surprised if he'd only asked $10 for it all, which thankfully he hadn't!

Rachel sat outside the garage as she waited for Mitch to arrive for the meeting. Jonah and his two "friends" hadn't yet arrived, which she was glad about as she wanted a little time to chat with Mitchell before the business transaction got underway. A clattering sound could be heard in the workshop as the burly mechanic, Anton, worked away at repairing one of the cars. She'd asked him to stick around until the meeting was over, appreciating a little extra security.

When Mitch arrived, Rachel got up from the old wooden bench she'd been perched on and sent then man a warm smile. "Afternoon, Mitch," she happily greeted him. She used her thumb to point to the old brick building that housed the garage. "I know it doesn't look like much, but this place brings in a decent profit," she assured him.

********​

Jonah sat in his apartment as he waited for Tony and Teddy to come collect him so they could go to the garage to complete the sale of Noah's business. It had been three weeks since Noah had asked him to buy the business from him, to which Jonah had refused. However, a couple of days later, there was a knock at Jonah's door and it wasn't long before Jonah felt compelled to buy the garage. Today was the day and as he waited for the two men to collect him, he felt quite nervous. There was a lot at stake for him if the deal didn't go ahead successfully, so he hoped Rachel and Noah wouldn't change their mind about wanting to sell. After all, Noah's life and Jonah's fiancee's life were both at risk if things didn't go as planned...

Teddy, meanwhile, had received copies of the contract that Moretti wanted signing. Everything appeared above board, with Jonah apparently asking a fair price for complete ownership of the business. There shouldn't be anything on paper that would make Mitch suspicious. Then, it wouldn't be long until Jonah would sign the place over to one of Moretti's own trusted associates and in the process take a business that had until then served the Porters when needed.

​

RayPurchase (Mitch)
Mentions: Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy) RayPurchase (Tony)

All That Jazz
~ Upper West Side, Manhattan ~
​

Sinead Callahan

The last few weeks for Sinead had been positive ones where her marriage and self-esteem had been concerned. Peter had been more intimate and close with her, which she'd loved every moment of. She knew he was still troubled, but the fact he'd let her get close to him had done a lot to give her hope and joy. A few days after Arlene's funeral, Sinead and Peter headed to Cape Cod for their week away, leaving Conor to look after Emery and keep an eye on the house. The vacation had been well overdue, finally allowing Sinead and Peter to spend some time alone together, to talk and be close. By the time they returned home, Sinead had more of a spring in her step and less of a dark cloud following her around.

Savannah had meant to have had a shift at the Jazz Club that afternoon, but she'd instead begged Sinead to cover for her so she could do some modelling instead. Although this wasn't the first time her daughter had cancelled a shift, Sinead was happy to cover as she herself loved playing the piano and what better place than her own? Sinead had asked Peter to join her that afternoon so they could have some drinks together and listen to the young, male singer - Isaac Jordan - she'd booked to play in the club that day. Having heard him in a smaller venue, she wanted to give the young guy a chance and the afternoon slot seemed like a big enough platform without being too daunting for him.

Sinead finished the last piece of music and handed the stage over to Isaac. After taking a moment to stand by the stage and observe the 19-year-old singer, she was happy that he was confident. She then tiptoed towards the bar in her stiletto heels and placed her arm on Peter's shoulder as he sat on one of the bar stools. "Another for Peter and a Mojito for me, Scott," she pleasantly asked her bar manager. She then looked to Peter with a pleased smile on her face. "How are you doing, honey?" she asked, hoping he had been entertained enough whilst she played the piano. "Isaac has a nice, smooth voice, right?" she enthused about the singer performing. "Once I know he can do this, I want to book him for some evening slots, when the place is properly full. What do you think?"

Bellz (Peter, Rebel)

********​

Gabriel Moretti

For Gabriel, one of the best parts about being a "dead man" was that nobody expected to see him and for a little bit longer, he was able to walk right on his enemies' doorsteps without causing anything of a stir. The man had taken Tatiana and Marcus with him that afternoon, showing them around the city and pointing out the places they needed to be aware of. Be it locations they were safe to wander into, or locations he intended on owning soon enough. The afternoon out had been relatively relaxed and in spots considered safe for the Italians at present. However, Moretti wasn't one to shy away from anything and he was ready to test the waters a little. A handful of his men had already entered the Jazz Club a short time before their arrival, seating themselves where they could keep an eye out for the boss.

The Jazz Club had been checked out before and Moretti had identified it as one of the more relaxed of the Irish Mob's businesses. Or, an easy target. For now, he wasn't intending on causing trouble or catching too much of the wrong kind of attention. He wished to scope out the business and get a handle of the Callahans. Though neither were likely to take over the business should James Porter be removed from power, he had it on authority they were vital to keeping the Porters' Empire strong. He'd heard some details about Sinead from the East Harlem members who tortured her and he'd heard some details of Peter from Maddox. Now, he was curious to meet them in person and identify if they were like he'd been told Syd was: two more weak links in the family's structure.

Along with Tatiana and Marcus, Gabriel walked right on up to the entrance of the Jazz Club, allowing the guards, including Rebel, to look them over before being allowed to step inside the place. Despite it only being mid-afternoon, the place seemed relatively busy for a club. Gabriel saw promise in that, especially if he would one day find the business under his ownership. He requested a booth with a view of both the stage and the bar area. As the pianist continued to play the music, Gabriel took his seat in the booth, motioning for Tatiana and Marcus to sit next to each other so he could face them both as he addressed them. He looked towards the redheaded pianist again before speaking up. "The lady playing is Sinead Callahan and I believe Peter Callahan is around here too."

When the waitress came to take their drinks order, Gabriel sent the young woman a charming smile before requesting a brandy, then offering to buy his son and daughter their drinks too. "I have to admit, this place is much classier than I expected for something under ownership of the Porter rats." He smirked to himself as Sinead finished playing her music and joined who was presumably her husband, Peter, at the bar. "I'd quite like to speak with the Callahans. Perhaps we'll be making enquiries about booking your mother's next birthday celebrations here. Do either of you think you could get them to come here to discuss that with us?" he challenged Tatiana and Marcus, hoping they'd rise up to the test. They would know he had no intention of using the place as a party venue whilst it was under Porter ownership, but the story merely served as an excuse to speak with the Callahan couple.

RayPurchase (Marcus) Pyroclast (Tatiana)

Callahan Family Home
~ Forest Hills, Queens ~
​

Conor Sullivan

With Braden now living with Savannah and Emery staying over at a friend's to work on a college project, Conor had been promised by Sinead that he'd have a good few hours with the house to himself. Conor had invited Aliana over so he could cook dinner for them and so they could take some time to talk in private. With everything that had been going on recently, he'd found himself having to take a lot of time to think and keep his feelings in check. He was almost two months into his six month parole and he'd been happy with his ability to keep everything under control. With his marital troubles and the altercation he'd had wiith Teddy and Tony, Conor was feeling pleased with himself for how he'd been reacting to it all. He'd been spending time with James and helping the boss out with the workload, showing a keen interest in the business. Conor knew Lucy was struggling with all of the stress and though he hadn't said anything, he could see the most subtle of cracks within his usually controlled brother-in-law. They'd spent two decades fighting and defending the family so it was unsurprising they looked like they needed a rest.

As he expected Aliana to arrive at any moment, Conor put the finishing touches on setting out the dinner table for two, hoping it would impress his wife. The stew had been slowly cooking in the oven for a while, so he knew it would be ready whenever they were both ready to eat. He remembered when his father would cook for the family and the stew was always his personal favourite. He hoped to be able to cook for Aliana and Leo again, as a family. There were many things he felt he was behind with, mostly due to wasting time and getting into trouble. He still wanted to make Emmet proud and to make the Sullivan family tree even bigger. Before he could entertain that idea, he knew he needed to have a successful evening with his wife. There were two points he knew had to be addressed and he'd been thinking all afternoon of how to approach them. The first being that he'd decided Leo should remain in New York. When Aliana had first suggested their son was sent away, Conor had been caught at a vulnerable time when his sisters and nephew had been tortured. Now, he believed the boy would be safe and protected at home. The second conversation he needed to have with Aliana was around their marriage and future together. He wanted to ask her if she'd let him back into their family home, even if for one or two days a week, to trial things. He felt they'd made a lot of progress over the last few weeks and he was sure they would get their marriage back on track.

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

Midtown Medical Center
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~​

Maddox Parker

Maddox had spent the morning leading a support group consisting of a dozen former soldiers. A handful of them he was already familiar with from one-to-one counselling sessions and had joined the group on the doctor's recommendation. He didn't always attend the group as one of his associates supervising was often enough to maintain some direction for the groups members to share their thoughts. Today, Maddox wanted to sit in with the group and make sure things were all still moving as he intended. One of the former soldiers was a plant, already employed by the East Harlem Gang to casually plant seeds into the other men's heads - to steer those deemed appropriate to join their cause. Philip Brooker was someone Maddox had identified from his own counselling sessions and the plant in the group sessions had agreed the man would make a good soldier for Alistair's gang. Fearless, committed, albeit disposable.

As the session came to an end, Maddox finished up with some closing words, urging the troubled men not to give up and to keep fighting for what they believed in. "Remember, you are all men of great purpose. Your former superiors might have used you and turned their back on you, but that does not mean you were not valuable." Maddox spoke with passion and conviction behind his words. "You should take pride in your strength and bravery. There is always something worth fighting for and you will all find new ways to defend those who need it."

As the men all exited the room, Maddox motioned for Philip to stay back with him. The former soldier complied and waited until they were alone before looking Maddox in the eyes. "Dr. Parker?" he curiously asked. "Did you find something for me?"

"Yes, I did, Philip. There's a fight here in New York that you can be a part of. You will be a great asset to these people," he said, handing Philip a piece of paper with a telephone number that would indirectly put him in contact with the East Harlem Gang. "There's an evil trying to control this city and you can help to put a stop to that."

*******​

After the group meeting, Maddox had returned to the medical center to write up some of his reports. He had a session later in the afternoon, but until then, his diary was free. He was expecting Ani to pay him a visit in the meantime and so made sure to stay in his office so he'd be there when she did.

As he waited, Maddox stood out in the small patio area that overlooked the city. He'd had a meeting with Gabriel the night before and if he was being honest, he'd left it feeling overall displeased. The issue that was Conor Sullivan had been the primary topic. Not only had the man in question held it together during the confrontation with Teddy and Tony, but Conor's relationship with Aliana was in the process of being repaired. Maddox had worked hard to gain Conor's trust by helping to get the man out of jail, but after speaking with Gabriel, it seemed like his plan had worked too well. Gabriel was now concerned that Conor was going to become difficult to control and manipulate. As such, he'd now demanded Maddox started looking at undoing all of that hard work. Maddox had assured Moretti that he knew what he was doing and still had plenty of control over Conor, still knowing which buttons to push and how best to trigger the man's temper. Despite respecting Moretti, it had grated on Maddox to have his work questioned. It irritated him when Moretti even went on to remind him that his relationship with Ani should not distract him. Still, he maintained civility with his superior and remained confident in the work he was doing, knowing Moretti would soon realise he had no need to question his work.

Maddox returned inside his office and sat down on the couch, deciding to having a coffee while he waited for Ani. Until then, he considered the next direction he would take Conor in. That, and his upcoming session with Syd. He understood the younger man had managed to get personally on Stefano's bad side and it felt like it wouldn't be long before Maddox was told to give Syd a push towards another breakdown.

Bellz (Ani)

Currently Active Cast: Misty Gray Bellz Pyroclast Melanin-Gxdess @Inb4Cloaker RayPurchase Bugsy
​

 

[Pyroclast]

Chapter 8: Test the Waters
Friday 10th September 1971
...Five weeks later...
Afternoon - Sunny, dry, breezy

*******************************

Syd's House
~ Oakland Gardens, Queens ~​

Syd Porter

Five weeks had passed since Syd learned that he was going to become a father and he had found it very difficult not to let it dominate his thoughts. It came strangely easy to him to adjust to Roxie being a more constant presence since she moved into his house. He had become obsessed with the baby she was carrying, beginning and ending each day by reading a little more of the parenting books he had started to collect. For the first time in a long time, he felt excited, stimulated by something that he wasn't held back from. Not like the mob business - even though the two weeks his parents had told him to take off was now over, Syd was still under the impression that they didn't want him to be working. As much as he tried to keep himself occupied and distracted, he could feel his health declining and had purposefully distanced himself from his family somewhat in hopes that they might not see it. Today would be the first time they had come to his house in over a month and he intended to finally reveal the news that he had been keeping from them, so he was doing his very best to approach it with a positive mindset.

Knowing that his parents were due to arrive any minute, Syd had taken a seat on the alcove of his front room window so that he could keep an eye on the entry gates to his driveway. He looked deceptively relaxed, with one foot resting against the wall ahead of him and a cigarette in his hand. While the anticipation of telling them not just about the baby but also about his new living arrangement with Roxie made him nervous, ultimately he was confident that their joy at becoming grandparents would override any concern.

"You feeling okay?" he asked Roxie, turning away from the window to look at her. If he felt nervous, he couldn't imagine how she must be feeling. In the weeks since she had moved in with him, he had come to understand how badly the pregnancy was treating her already. She had been so sick that he had been struggling to feed her and had often come home from the club in the evening to find her still awake and struggling through the sickness. James and Lucy had been far from kind to her and he only hoped that she wasn't so nervous to meet them that it would make her unwell. "I'm telling you now, once my parents are on board, we won't have to worry about a thing. They've been looking after kids for years, and my mam's been hoping for grandkids for a while, now." He smiled warmly at her as he pictured his parents taking turns to hold their first grandchild in their arms.

"Mam's warming to you, you know," he added, turning to look out of the window once again. "She told me. She said..." There was a brief pause as Syd wondered if Roxie would really want to hear him talk about it. The truth was, Lucy had been wanting to repair the damage in their relationship, believing that accepting his choice of girlfriend would make Syd feel close to her again. It seemed a little sensitive to tell Roxie that his mother was only making the effort for his sake and for her own, so he tried to phrase it as best he could. "She said she wanted to be more involved in my life, and since you're a part of that..." Glancing back to Roxie with a smile, he continued, "Well, anyone important to me is important to her."

Bellz Roxie


[Center]Broadway
~ Midtown Manhattan ~[/center]

Jason Costello

Rehearsals always seemed to drag on when Gwen wasn't there. That wasn't to say Jason wasn't enjoying his work - two months in, the scenes were really starting to come together and he was beginning to get so excited for the performances that it was seeping into his dreams. Still, he found himself checking the clock backstage more and more, part of him always thinking of Gwen and wondering what she was doing when she wasn't at rehearsal with him. He didn't like to imagine her high or feeding her addiction, but it was often the first thing that came to mind.

While she had somehow managed to hide her drug habit from the cast, crew and management team, some of them had caught onto the changes in his relationship with her and had begun to speculate. Rumours were spreading and questions were asked, but Jason refused to kiss and tell. It wasn't like him - having always been a bit of a womaniser, he used to crave and indulge in their attention, especially at his highest points in life. But with Gwen, it was different; it felt more intimate, especially this time around. She made him want to never look at another woman in that way again. Even though they hadn't talked about exclusivity or made anything official between them, there was something deeply special about his relationship with her, something almost spiritual that made him feel calm yet alive.

When at last the day of rehearsals came to an end, Jason checked his watch and wondered where Gwen might be. He still felt nervous to call her up, knowing that she lived with James Porter and his family. Even if he had the guts to go down to the big house he wasn't certain he would be welcome there. Either he would be a total stranger to them - and, in his casual attire, not one they would want to speak to - or Gwen would have told them about him and the ways in which he had hurt her all those years ago. Nevertheless, it didn't seem appropriate to try.

Thinking he might try his luck at All That Jazz, Jason didn't spend much time socialising with his fellow cast members before leaving the theatre. He hadn't got 5 metres when he stopped in his tracks. Gwen's car was parked up on the curb. He wondered if he might have missed seeing her in the theatre - but then he asked himself why she would be there in the first place if none of her scenes were on the schedule for that day. Puzzled, Jason approached the car to see if she was inside. But to his surprise, the only person in the car was her daughter, Lorelei. Putting on a smile for her, he knocked lightly on the window and waved. "Hey, Rory," he chirped in a melodic sort of tone, raising his voice slightly so she would hear him through the glass. "What're ye doin' out here on yer own, then? Is your mam about?" Resting his arm on the roof of the car, Jason lifted his head to scan the street, but he didn't see Gwen anywhere. Peering back through the window, he asked, "Mind if I come sit wit' ye?"

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Bellz Lorelei