Realistic or Modern Family Ties: 1980s Gangs - IC (Ended)

[Misty Gray]

Rikers Island Prison
~ Rikers Island, New York City ~

James Porter​

James held Lucy as tight as he comfortably could, trying to take in as much from the brief physical contact as he could before they had to release each other. He let out a sigh as he returned to his seat before any of the corrections officers decided to throw their weight around. As soon as Lucy was sat across from him, he could see he familiar look of worry in her eyes. "I've missed you too, love. Every single minute," he assured her. When she pointed out the marks on his face, he casually shrugged to try ease and dismiss her concerns about him. As always, she had him all worked out and knew he was tell her he was fine. He always did.

He didn't like hearing Lucy was having problems on the outside, even if it did make a change from hearing over and over again about the troubles inside jail - both the mundane and the serious. He just needed to hear about something else - especially where his family was concerned. Hearing Thomas was still ignoring Lucy was disappointing. He hated that he was powerless intervene and talk some sense into their youngest son. "That's not right, Luce. It's one thing him not bothering to call or visit his own father, but there's no excuse for him to be cutting you off like this. If I wasn't in here, I'd have to talk some manners into him. You know..." he began, the cogs ticking in his head as his conversation with Nicholas was still weighing on his mind. "Maybe you and Olivia should go back Dublin for a while. You've left everything behind, just for me. Back in Dublin, you can be closer to Thomas and have a better chance at patching things up."

He leaned back in his seat whilst shaking his head. Not only was he upset that Thomas was hurting Lucy by cutting her off, but the fact his son hadn't even spoken to him in some time was disheartening too. "I hope Conor knows what he's doing." He folded his arms as he thought about the situation. "I know Thomas is an adult and old enough to make his own decisions, but I didn't want him to end up working for Conor. I wanted him to break the cycle and stay away from the life my dad pushed me into, and away from the life I allowed Syd to end up in. I thought it would be different with Thomas. That's why I stepped down when I did all those years ago. I don't have any say in the matter from my place in this shithole, but I'm not happy Thomas has ended up tangled in this too." Figuring offloading likely wasn't helping Lucy's nerves, he sat forward again and sent her a reassuring smile. "Just tell me Olivia is still doing her own thing working at the gym. At least she calls me, but she could just be telling me what she thinks I want to hear," he joked. Before being arrested, James had been teaching Olivia to fight and use firearms. For him, it had been so the girl could defend herself, but he knew she took after her late mother and wanted to be a part of the Irish Mob too.

Lucy soon brought the attention back onto the marks on James' face and he let out a light chuckle. "You're right, love. I am fine," he assured her. "You didn't see the other guy, but if you had, you wouldn't be worrying about a few marks on me. You know how it goes, Luce. I have to throw my weight around often enough to remind the others who's in charge. I spent a week in the hole for this one, mind you, so I'm sorry I couldn't speak on the phone during that time," he apologised to her.

James raised a curious eyebrow as he thought about what else Lucy had said. "Come on then. Dare I ask for you to fill me in on what else has been going on?" he asked, though his tone told her he really did want to know. As frustrating as it was not being actively able to do anything from jail, it was still a break away from the monotony to hear what was going on outside of the prison walls.

Bellz (Lucy)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Miami Beach
~Miami, Florida~
Theodore "Teddy" Wycliff

The moment the Wycliff family got to Miami, Teddy set up rules for his wife and children. This trip was for them all to relax especially Valentina. The kids weren't to be annoying like they often were and she was not allowed to do any kind of work nor even think about work. Since Teddy still had business in Miami and wanted to check on them, he was the only one who was allowed to do any kind of work. However, he made sure to keep his absences minimal. This was a family vacation and would more than likely be an important memory for his children. To have them only remember when he wasn't there wasn't exactly what he wanted. It was important to him that he be different from his father, who had been absent most of his life.

Teddy was relieved to see that his children had found ways to keep themselves occupied. After playing with them in the ocean he suggested they play in the sand for a while. Really it was because he had gotten tired from picking them up and running away from them. He was definitely beginning to feel his age, even though he wasn't even that old. He kissed his wife's forehead before settling into his seat next to her before turning to Harmony. Gabriel had insisted she come along with them in case anything happened, to which Teddy repeatedly protested. He was sure the woman's time could be spent elsewhere on more important things. Ever since he had taken Steve's life, Teddy had grown - much to his dismay - comfortable with the idea of having to kill someone if they posed a threat to himself or his family. He had been optimistic that nothing would happen to him or his family while on vacation, but that was an argument he was going to lose. "You can take the load off too, you know. I doubt anyone is going to try anything down here." He told her confidently.

Hearing the sound of Paolo's voice he couldn't help but look over at him. It was the millionth time the boy had asked when they were going to Disney World and Valentina had to tell him the plan once again. He couldn't help but smile at how patient she was despite more than likely wanting to erupt every time he asked. Once Francis grabbed his attention to try and give his mother a break from his annoying brother, Teddy turned to her. "Stubborn and doesn't like to listen sometimes... I wonder who that reminds me of?" He joked before turning to lay on his stomach. "You see how peaceful things are when you take my advice?" He sent her a cheeky smile before listening to her talk to Harmony about how she was born in Miami. He nodded his head in agreement when comparing the sunny beaches to the concrete city and let out an exasperated sigh.

If he were being honest, the moment he stepped foot off the plane he was reminded of how much better Miami was than New York. It was open, beaches stretching for miles and bright. New York had blocked out the sun with their tall towers and noisy streets, making it hard to concentrate. Apart of him wanted to move his family to Miami, right along the beach, and live out the rest of their days here. Unfortunately, it was a distant dream that he just kept to himself. "I told you. We can send her somewhere else where she has all the colors in her hair as she wants. Just make sure she wears a wig when we visit your parents." He joked before listening to Harmony speak. Teddy himself knew of her, but he hadn't done his usual digging into her background just yet. He trusted that if Gabe sent her along with them that he trusted her enough to do so. "So where are you from?"

Valentina ( Misty Gray )
Harmony ( BloodLightning27 )


​

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Roxie's Residence
~Ashtown, Dublin~

Reina Richards​

The past week had been rougher than Reina expected it to be. Seeing Roxie in the state she was in constantly reminded her that she had failed at the only job she thought she was good at. Growing up with a Veteran as a father she was always taught to be the best at whatever she did. What she did just so happened to be a bodyguard and she failed at guarding one of the most important people. Not only could the woman she promised to protect had been killed, but her children as well. She was lucky that wasn't the case and tried to tell herself that yet somehow she couldn't. Perhaps she would have felt different had Matthew been someone to get his hands dirty. Had the man not been an absolute saint, maybe she would have felt differently. She was slightly annoyed that she was feeling like this, to begin with. She took pride in the fact that she was able to act without emotions or - as she liked to say - be a slave to her emotions. Like her boss, she had barely slept in the past week. When Roxie was awake she was awake and when the woman slept she was still awake. The woman had plenty of other guards around to watch over her, but Reina had taken most of that time to train herself. She would be damned if she was ever caught off-guard by a situation like that again. Despite how she was feeling, Reina made sure to keep it all to herself. Roxie was dealing with enough on her own and didn't need her to be sulking about the place. Instead, she made sure to keep up her sarcastic and witty humor in an attempt to help Roxie feel better. It may not have been much but she was trying her best.

Currently, she was walking around the house eating a bowl of grapes. The woman had practically moved into Roxie's home considering she hadn't been in her own apartment for weeks. She trusted the other people hired to guard her boss but at the same time she didn't. She had done her hourly walk-through of the place to make sure things were okay when she heard the door. Had Roxie not asked her to answer it, she would have ignored it. Not only did she just not answer doors because it wasn't her job, but she knew Julia and Ricky were due to come over that day. A part of Reina didn't trust either one of them. It was too convenient that after expressing their distaste of Roxie being in charge that an attempt on her life was made. There was always the possibility that it could have been someone else but it was easier to distrust someone with a motive. The reading of the will had left her with a bad taste in her mouth as far as Julia was concerned with Ricky himself being on the fence.

Opening the door she briefly gave them a once-over with her eyes. Before she could say anything snarky Roxie appeared to greet the two at the door. She gave them space to greet each other but made sure her presence was felt. Reina was about to make herself scarce when Roxie asked her to stay for the conversation. It was an unexpected request but she complied nonetheless. She disappeared for a moment leaving her alone with the two of them. With her arms crossed she just looked between the two of them again. "Have fun in the big city?" It was sarcastic, of course, as if she were prodding to find out if they had been behind the attack at all. Roxie saved them - or her depending on the person - from anything else Reina was going to say when she came back with drinks and snacks. Reina was doing just fine with her bowl of grapes.

Reina took a seat in the free armchair, throwing one of her legs over the arm. Even though she was sitting rather vicariously if she needed to hop up she would be able to do so. She listened intently as her boss began to speak about what happened back in Dublin. Reina couldn't help but look at Ricky and Julia trying to gauge their reactions to what had happened. In all honesty, she was hoping they would be able to prove her wrong as far as the allegations she had created in her head went. In the years she spent working for the Biancardi family she had come to appreciate their company. It would be awful, she thought, if she had to kill them if asked.

Julia, Roxie ( Bellz )
Ricky ( Misty Gray )​

 

[Misty Gray]

Adam's Place
~ Drumcondra, Dublin ~

Adam Harper and Jasmine Zegarra​

With Emilia finishing school early on Mondays and Michael having deciding to join Liam at the church, Jasmine had made plans for her and the girls to visit Adam for a short time until Chase finished work. Since getting to Adam's place an hour ago, Jasmine and the man had chatted, between letting the girls get some of their godfather's attention too. Jasmine's interest in sports cars meant that Emilia had something of an interest too, but that enthusiasm always intensified when Adam was present. She'd already asked the man if they could go work on the car he was fixing up in his garage, but Adam had surprisingly declined on this occasion, citing there wasn't even time today. Whilst that was partially true, Adam was also trying to stay as spotless as the inside of his house was. Having invited Blake over for dinner, he was making an effort to look presentable and not covered in car grease and dirt. Instead, he'd handed the girl a few of his newest car magazines for her to look at. Other than the odd question every few minutes, which Adam was happy to answer, it had given the man chance to have a catch up with Jasmine. The woman was always good at getting him to spill any gossip that was going on with him, but recently he was offering up the details with little effort on Jasmine's part.

Safia had managed to make her way to Adam's side at his end of the large corner sofa and was snuggled up against his arm by the time they heard the front door open. "Who's that, Safia? I bet it's your Daddy!" he told the toddler. Her eyes lit up before she practically jumped off of the sofa to greet Chase. Adam sent his Cuban friend a broad smile but gave Chase chance to greet his family before speaking up. He watched on as Jasmine fondly returned her husband's kiss and asked him how his day was. Watching Chase then greet the children only made Adam smile again. Having been through a lot together, it was always good to see his best friend so happy with a loving family. Chase soon brought his attention to Adam and jokingly moved in as if he was going to give the man a kiss too. "I should be so lucky. Next time I won't give you chance to change your mind," Adam teased in return, playfully blowing a kiss to Chase.

Once Chase was sat with Jasmine at one end of the sofa, Adam adjusted his seating position so he could see the Zegarra couple. He listened as Chase explained about needing to pick Michael up from church. Adam raised a puzzled eyebrow in return for Adam's knowing look. Religion wasn't really something that had ever influenced his life. Whilst his parents had been more inclined to attend church, Adam had never entertained it, much like he'd never done much of anything that his parents had wanted him to do. It was surprising to hear Michael was at church, given he didn't have the Zegarras down as particularly religious either. "Alternative detention? Jeez, I think I'd rather the traditional detention than having to hang around in a church. But yeah, I'd heard from Pete that Liam had been smacking some kids. Sinny didn't take too kindly to me approving, mind you," he said, laughing to himself. Adam wouldn't actively encourage the kids to go around fighting with others, but he was sure Liam would have only done it if provoked. He mirrored Chase's shrug with mention of not judging Michael if he started considering God. "It's not my thing, mate. Given the choice of hanging out with my mates or reading the Bible, I know which one I'd go for. But if that's what Michael wants to do, then at least he's out of trouble and safe."

Jasmine met Chase' gaze and sent him a warm smile. "I'm sure it is a conversation we would need to have. Church was never a part of my life and I'm sure God would have a few choice words about our lifestyles. But, there's worse places Michael could choose to be, so I guess we'd just support him with it. I mean, as long as he doesn't start preaching at us," she said, whilst laughing.

Chase soon redirected the conversation and asked Adam how he was doing and if anything was going on. "I'm doing great. I really can't complain," he casually answered the question. "I've got a couple of new car projects going on and I've upgraded some of the equipment at the gym. Today is the first day of my time off I've actually sat and chilled," he explained.

"Surely that's not all, Adam?" Jasmine asked, sending the man a knowing glare. She then let out a humoured laugh. "Honestly, you are such a dumb-ass," she remarked. She then looked to Chase with a bright smile on her face. "Adam's been telling me he's got Blake coming over today for a romantic date. That's why he's put on a good shirt and done his hair."

"It's not a date!" Adam protested, though the rare blushing on his face suggested otherwise. In all honesty, the word 'date' had never been used by him or Blake. Their planned dinner had many defining attributes of a date, but Adam hadn't put a label on it. For now, he was telling himself it was two friends hanging out and testing the waters. Granted, he happened to have feelings for her and was attracted to her, but he was too grounded to be getting ahead of himself. "Blake is coming over for dinner. Of course, she's a gorgeous lady and I'm very much into her, but let's not make a big deal of this, yeah? I don't want to scare her off and risk losing a friend in the process."

Pyroclast (Chase)
Mentioned: Bellz (Blake)

 

[Bellz]

Braden Callahan
Clayton Byrne

Lucky's Casino
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~​

Braden had enjoyed his time in London a little too much for his liking. Not having to work for a few days had made him sort of lazy and that didn't sit very well with him. Not to mention he had been very distracted by Kerry ever since he arrived home. The woman was miles and miles away and yet...he couldn't get her off his mind. After spending some much-needed time with his daughter, Braden was back out on the job...this time with his little sister. "Well ain't this special?" He asked Emery, glancing at her as she sat in the car's passenger side while he sat in the driver's seat. "I don't think you and I spend nearly enough time together, sis. Especially collecting debts for our Uncle." He grinned before he glanced at Stella who was in the back seat of the car. She had been incredibly quiet and he wondered what was up with her. Braden wasn't much of a serious guy. Sure, he was broody like his father but he had his moments of lightheartedness. Braden pulled the car into a spot across the street from Lucky Casino before turning it off and stepping out. Once the two ladies were out of the car, Braden walked behind them to make sure they weren't followed for whatever reason on the way inside.

"Lovely establishment." He muttered as he looked at the people occupying the outside. He was just about to ask his sister what the game plan was before she spoke up. Nodding his head, he smirked, "I am sure you can get him to pay up before Stella and I beat the shit out of him in front of all his sleazy friends." Braden said with a smirk before looking at Stella. "I bet the last thing this guy wants is to get his ass handed to him by a girl. No offense."Braden murmured with a charming smile on his face. He nodded his head once as Emery said that they needed to watch her back, "We got you." Stella surprised him by confidently saying that if anyone were to try anything, it wasn't going to work out for them which made Braden smile a little wider. As they walked into the place, the stench of desperation and cigarettes hit his nose making the man scrunch his face in distaste.

Letting the girls take the lead, Braden eyed a few people as they turned their heads towards the three of them, seeming to size them all up. Once Emery had something in her hand to drink, Braden waited to see if Stella was going to order anything before letting his sister take the lead once more.

"Well well well boys, it looks like Clay's got his game back..." Clayton said smugly. Percy, a man who could give Jabba the Hut a run for his money in size and appearance glared at him from across the table. "You son of a bitch!" He growled out, looking about ready to reach across the table to choke the life out of Clayton. "Now now now, Jabba. Don't be a sore loser. Listen, how bought we go another game...I'm sure you can win all of your money back this time." Clayton smirked before a tantalizing voice called him blue eyes. Everyone at the table paused and Clayton turned to Emery with raised brows as she asked if he'd had any big wins today. "Well you're just in time, cherry. Just drained Jabba hear of his life savings." Clayton's smirk disappeared as the woman stated that they needed to talk in private and the woman accompanying her placed her tiny hands tightly on his shoulders before saying that if she were him, he'd listen to the lady.

A seductive laugh escaped Clayton as he turned in his seat, only then noticing Braden as the man crossed his large arms. He wasn't worried about the two women, but the man with them leveled out the playing field. "Who am I to say no to a beautiful redhead?" He said lowly before moving to stand up. Just as he did, he heard a familiar click of a gun. Percy's men took a step forward aiming a gun directly at Clayton. This caused Braden to immediately take out his own gun and say, "I'd let us take him if I were you, gentlemen. This is official mob business." He growled. Braden wasn't unaware of the people around them growing quiet, pausing in their activities but Braden kept his gun out until Percy called off his men. Once their guns were away, Braden placed his own back in his coat jacket before turning to Clayton and shoving him in the direction of the nearest exit. Seeing as most of this casino was crowded with people, Braden continued to keep a firm grip on Clayton until they were out in the alleyway between the casino and another building. Shoving him roughly towards the dead-end wall, Braden motioned for Stella to stand on the other side of Emery until they formed a straight line, making it impossible for Clayton to escape. "So the mob huh?" Clayton asked, letting out a hoarse laugh. "I assume this is about the money I owe? Odd they'd send a little sweet cherry pie like you, darlin'. What are you doing caught up with the mob?" He asked Emery casually, a smile creeping on his face.
with: Emery Misty Gray ; Stella BloodLightning27

 

[Bellz]

Blake McCarthy
Natasha McCarthy​

Blake let out a laugh as Ali said she was a Stepford wife now and that her main goal in life was to keep her house spotless. "I think spending time with Lucy a few weeks ago rubbed off on you." She teased before Ali offered her a drink. "I'll take a lemonade if you have any, if not a water is fine." She murmured lightly before her cheeks turned bright red at her friend's question. "Is it even appropriate to call it a date at our age? It seems so...juvenile." She chuckled as she rolled her eyes. "I mean, it's just two friends getting together to have dinner. I wouldn't call that a date." She protested before sighing and finally deciding to answer her question. "Yes, I am excited for...whatever this is." Blake murmured and took the glass from Ali as she handed it to her. Taking a small sip from her drink, Blake moved to sit at the dining room table.

"I'm nervous, to tell you the truth. It feels like a whole lifetime ago since I last went on a date with someone. With Jackson, it was so easy because he didn't make it feel like a date at all...there was no pressure. Just drinks and laughs." Blake reminisced lightly. "Plus at the time, I wasn't worried about losing a friendship with him because we hardly knew each other at the time but with Adam...I've known him for some many years...I feel like if this doesn't work out the way with both want we are throwing away that friendship we have." Blake's brows furrowed with worry as she took another sip of her drink. "I just feel like I'm way out of my depth here." Blake said honestly. "Plus I have the kids to think about...I know they encouraged me to go out but...I don't want this to be weird for them at all. Because no one can replace their father."

Natasha briefly smiled at Leo as he said that school was boring as usual. Realizing that she was rushing him, she nodded her head as he asked if he could say hello to Ali first. "Oh right, duh, of course, you can." She said, her cheeks turning red as she realized that she was coming across as bossy. "I'm not some dictator that won't allow you to say hi to your own mother." She said before walking with him into the kitchen where both of their mothers were. Natasha couldn't help but comment on the tidiness of the kitchen, "It's so sparkly in here." She smiled before her eyes settled on her mother. She looked worried, "You okay, mam?" Natasha asked lightly to which Blake nodded her head and smiled softly. Looking to Leo, Blake smirked, "See what I told you, Nat. He's his father's child." Natasha glared at Blake then for making fun of Leo before her gaze softened. "Ah, I think it's just a guy thing in this family...they are all scatterbrained." She reached out and punched Leo's arm gently.

"I hope Adam didn't forget about your date tonight." Natasha said then to her mother to which the woman blushed again. "It's not a date! We are in our 50s! It's a...meeting." Blake said unsure if that was a word appropriate to use. "Some meeting if it's over dinner." Natasha teased.
with: Ali + Leo Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Moretti Family Home
~Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn~
Ava Moretti

When Ava Moretti first met Gabriel and Elvian she was a nervous wreck. She had met exactly one set of parents before them and they hated her. A woman with tattoos and a mind of her own was a dangerous thing to be, she concluded. Society wanted her to be the kind of woman who made sandwiches for her husband and keep the house while he was away. She had no such desire and told this to Marcus when they first started dating. He seemed to be very accepting of that fact, but she was still holding out until she met his parents. In reality, they would more than likely be the deciding factor of where their future headed. While Gabriel seemed to be an old-fashioned man, he also seemed to be accepting of a woman having her own. Elvian seemed to be the kind of woman who kept the house while her husband was away and cooked meals, but she had her own life outside of Gabriel. It came as a shock to Ava to see such a dynamic and be accepted so readily. The first few years, however, the more she was around them the more she felt out of place. The Moretti family seemed so proper and privileged and Ava often felt as if she couldn't hold a flame to them. In fact, there are still times when she feels that way. Marcus often tried to make her feel better about it and she loved him for it, but it did very little to calm her mind.

"Marcus, you better be ready. We are not going to be late to your mother's again." She warned. Even though she was yelling at her husband to hurry up and get dressed, she was bent over in her closet digging through a pile of clothes. "How is my entire wardrobe devoid of any color?" She mumbled to herself before remembering she had grown up around men who only ever wore black. Rolling her eyes at the thought she walked into her bathroom hoping that the new lipstick she just bought would work. It wasn't too bright nor too dark and definitely helped with the color issue she found herself having. She then pushed her hair back and shook it out trying to get it just right before walking back into her bedroom. When she found her husband again she crossed her arms. "What d'you think is going to happen during lunch?"

It wasn't that long ago that they were just at the Moretti family home for dinner. For Gabriel to invite just the two of them she felt there was a reason. Of course, it could have just been because they wanted to see the two of them and catch up, but Ava's mind didn't allow her to think that way. Ava was aware of Marcus' desire to take over the family business in the future and she had been nothing but supportive. Whatever dreams and desires he had she would back him up a hundred percent of the time the same way he would for her. She was lucky to have someone like him and made it a point to tell him every day. "I just find it strange. Your parents are very unpredictable." She raised her hand to her mouth and started nervously chewing on her nail. She had tried to stop the nervous tick, but she just couldn't help herself sometimes.


Marcus ( RayPurchase )​

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

The Sullivan Home
~Sutton, Dublin~
Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan
Leo Sullivan

Ali took a dramatic pause the moment Blake suggested Lucy had rubbed off on her. While she had great respect and admiration for how her sister-in-law had managed everything, it wasn't in Aliana's DNA to be so perfect. "No freaking way. Perfect works for Luce, it does not work for me." She let out a slight chuckle before filling the woman's cup up with lemonade. While sliding her the cup she took note of how her face had turned red and couldn't help but smile at the sight. She listened as she tried to dance around the fact that it was, indeed, a date and shook her head. "Sure, because two single, consenting adults going out together isn't called a date." After giving her a look, Ali couldn't help squeal following her to the dining table. "Well I, for one, am happy for you. Adam really is a great guy and he doesn't come with any baggage."

Aliana stayed quiet while listening to her friend express her thoughts and worries. It had been years since she saw her make any kind of flirtatious remarks or eyes at another man. A part of her felt as if she would never move forward as far as her love life went. Jackson had basically been the love of her life and the father of her children. Moving on from something like that was bound to be difficult to do. "I think you may be the only one thinking about it that way." She said in response to not wanting her children to feel like Adam was replacing Jackson. "No one could ever replace Jackson. I know that you know that, and I'm sure they do too. Has Adam been around for pretty much their whole lives? Sure, but it's only weird if they walk in on the two of you 'wrestling'" She joked with air quotations. "In all seriousness, I get your reservations about the whole thing. I was worried about me and Conor taking our relationship further than what it was especially because we argued so much, but you never know until you take that risk." If anything Ali just wanted to see her best friend happy again. If Adam was able to make her happy then so be it.

Leo couldn't help but smirk at her the moment her face turned red, explaining that she wasn't a dictator. "I'm kidding, don't get so flustered." He teased before following her into the kitchen. For the first time, he noticed that Mozart was playing in the background. Ali turned her attention towards Leo and Natasha the moment they walked into the kitchen. She had to admit that seeing them together was quite nice and it was about time he took her out. Rhiannon had filled her in on the date they were supposed to be out on and she glanced down to her watch before shaking her head. Leo walked over to give his mother a brief hug and a kiss on her cheek while listening to Blake and Natasha talk about him. "I didn't forget." He said to Ali, causing her to roll her eyes before looking back to Blake. She watched as Natasha teased her about the date she was about to go on with Adam. "Aw, isn't that sweet? Both of the McCarthy girls going out on dates." Leo stared at his mother before shaking his head. "Nat and I are just going to dinner. Which, by the way, we are going to be late for." He stated as if he weren't the reason they were going to be late, to begin with.



Natasha, Blake ( Bellz )


​

 

[Pyroclast]

Billy King​

Ever since the incident with Trevor, Billy had had his work cut out for him. Other duties had fallen down his list of priorities as he tried to take matters into his own hands, starting with meeting up with Bobby and his crew to discuss how to deal with potential witnesses at the council estate. Erik and his brothers had been more than helpful with the disposing of the body - that kind of problem had never been one that Billy had taken the lead on before, so while he helped in whatever ways he could, he was glad to be following the orders of more experienced men. Even after watching the professional way in which Erik handled the situation, he was still adjusting to the fact that his friend had such an extensive history of killing. He wasn’t sure why - after all, the business they were in was a ruthless one that often necessitated violence and, from time to time, the taking of lives. He had been thinking about what his friend had said, about how Trevor hadn’t been his first and wouldn’t be his last. It made him wonder if he was planning on re-assuming his role as a hitman someday, or if having so much experience in killing people had desensitised him to the act and was now just a part of life as he knew it. After all, he had killed Trevor without hesitation - like it was second nature to him.

With enough money and some smooth-talking, Billy had managed to persuade Bobby to handle the risk of witnesses for him. Even though the police didn’t tend to be welcome on that estate and thus it was likely nobody would want to help them, the man still wanted to treat Billy’s request as a favour and so charged him for keeping the residents quiet. With Bobby’s crew sorting out the witnesses, the Kings’ clean-up crew wiping the car clean of evidence and the body being safely disposed of, the worst of the situation was over within a few days. After that, things began to settle down again. Having spent several days working closely with Erik to sort out the problems that had arisen, he didn’t ask for any kind of explanation when the man didn’t get in touch with him once it was over. He figured that after all the stress he wanted some time off to clear his head. Even though they had been equally responsible for the mess, Billy couldn’t help but feel somewhat guilty, as though Erik had had enough of him and was now trying to distance himself. He was sure things would go back to normal soon - the work that they would normally do together still needed doing, and he couldn’t think of anything in particular that he had done to stop Erik wanting to work with him again - but in the meantime, the days without him seemed to drag. He wanted to call to find out how he was doing, but he respected him too much to interrupt his time off. After all, Erik had saved his life. If he didn’t want to see him, then Billy felt he owed it to him not to disturb him.

To keep from driving himself crazy waiting for Erik to resurface, Billy threw himself back into work. In the daytimes he would drive around to all the King Remedial chains to check that everything was running smoothly, and in the evenings would occupy himself by “helping out” at the Royal Taphouse. The previous night he had come home to find Harper asleep on his sofa. It was after midnight, however, and he was too drunk and tired to start a conversation about whatever she had come to find him for - so rather than wake her up, he covered her with a warm blanket and headed upstairs to bed.

The next morning Billy woke up surprisingly energised and with no hangover to tempt him to stay in bed. He had tried to wake up Harper but she unconsciously pushed him away with a little groan of protest so he left her to it. It was her being there that made him decide to work at home that day, ready for whenever she awoke. He had some easy projects in his workshop that he was eager to get started on, one of which was a stockroom door from one of the pharmacies further out of the city which had become warped during a flooding incident and needed restoring. With all the tools and machinery Billy kept in his workshop he figured that the noise would draw Harper out of her deep sleep eventually. What actually happened was that he became so engrossed that he forgot that she was even there. By the time he heard her calling out his name, he had finished the noisiest work and had moved onto oiling an old desk. He couldn’t help but laugh to himself as she berated him from the kitchen, surprised that she had been sleeping all this time.

After hanging up his apron in the workshop, he walked through the conjoined utility room into the kitchen, wiping the oil from his hands with an old rag, and found Harper standing over the coffee pot as it brewed. When she didn’t turn to face him, Billy raised his eyebrows and leaned back against the wall, waiting to hear why she was so mad at him. “Nice to see you, too, lazy arse,” he sarcastically greeted her, tucking the rag into his belt and folding his arms. Despite not making eye contact, Harper didn’t hesitate to tell him what was on her mind. The bone she had to pick with him turned out to be for always leaving her out of the action. She argued from an angle of self-defence, but Billy knew that Harper really wanted an active part in the family business, and had known for a while. In some ways, he agreed - he believed the only reason his brothers hadn’t trained her were because she had never had a chance to prove that she was worth training. The kind of action she was asking to be involved in didn’t seem appropriate for her, and while Billy saw the point in training her, the remaining bruises on his neck reminded him of what she would be risking if she were to get involved. Billy didn’t return her smile, he only stared searchingly into her eyes for a moment before gesturing for her to pull up a chair at the kitchen table and sitting down opposite her.

“You know I’ve always seen this as a family business, so I’d like to work with you, Harp. You’re clever and intuitive and you’re wasted at that shitty job of yours. But that little meeting you think you missed out on, that was no fucking picnic, alright?” Billy brought his hands together on the table as he looked across at his sister and started idly scraping out the dirt from under his nails. “Last weekend, the inside of my car was coated in blood, I had chunks of brain peeling off the ceiling and sliding down the windows. I had to drive this corpse around and park him up in my garage after he fucking tried to strangle me with a shoelace while we was on the road. I had to pay a guy to deal with the witnesses, get my car interior totally redone, burn my clothes that got splashed and then of course dispose of the body. Picture yourself in that position, Harper, and then tell me you wish you were in that ‘little meeting’. I know it ain’t all dead bodies and that, but sometimes this business gets real nasty. You have to deal with arseholes tryin’ to mess you around on a daily basis, and they’d probably be even worse with you ‘cause you’re a girl and you’re like...you know. You’re a good-looking girl, and...well, you know how men are. I’m not tryin’ to scare you, I am just telling you how it is. If you take all of that in and you still want to do it then I guess you’re crazy enough, at least. But look, you don’t have to be in the family business to be part of this family, is all I’m sayin’. It don’t matter what you do, you’ll always have a seat at the table.”

Drawing his hands back into his lap, Billy leaned back and gazed at Harper thoughtfully. He had been so preoccupied over the past week, he hadn’t realised that he had been neglecting his sister. Now that all the dirty work was out of the way, he realised he could do with some quality time with her. At the very least, it would help to get his mind off Erik. A soft smirk formed on his lips and he looked down, noticing a splinter in his hand and working at squeezing it out. “So are we gonna sit here bitching over a coffee or are we gonna get off our arses and start on some self-defence?” His eyes flickered up to meet hers and he kicked her in the shin under the table. “We ain’t had a fight since we were kids. Wonder if you still pack a good punch?”

Interactions
Bellz Harper

 

[Misty Gray]

Roxie Carriveau’s Residence
~ Ashtown, Dublin ~

Riccardo Biancardi​

As she invited them into the house, Roxie apologised for the mess the house was in. As he walked through the place and into the lounge, he shrugged his shoulders. "Mess isn't the issue. The place stinks like a fucking ashtray. Makes me glad I don't smoke so much these days," he informed her, his voice devoid of humour. Roxie offered them refreshments, to which Ricky was about to politely decline, but she seemed content going ahead and doing it, so he decided to let her get on with it.

Ricky easily picked up on the attitude Reina was giving him and Julia, though when she sarcastically asked if they'd had fun in New York, he simply rolled his eyes at the woman. His time in New York since last seeing Roxie would be spoke of once Roxie was there to hear it too. No doubt Reina had him and Julia pinned as suspects in the attack which killed Matthew. For now, Roxie had broken that tension by return to the lounge with refreshments, which he didn't rush to take any of for the time-being.

Seated on the same couch, Ricky turned so he could looked to Roxie as they spoke. He watched as his cousin lit up yet another cigarette, but he held back from making some comment about her being a chimney. She looked rough, but that was to be expected considering her fiance had been killed. She finally spoke up and asked Ricky if he'd been staying out of trouble in New York, to which Julia confirmed he'd been on his best behaviour. "I haven't had time to get into trouble," he drily remarked.

Ricky nodded his head when Roxie pointed out she had a target on her back. He let out a deep sigh when she asked what he thought about who was behind it. "As good a woman you are, Roxie, it's probably nothing personal, and I'm afraid there's a few possibilities. There's people in our own organisation who don't want you in charge, be it that they believe it should be me or they simply don't think a woman should be in charge. It could be a warning from the Morettis reminding you your loyalties don't lie with the Sullivans only. Perhaps even a host of other options I haven't considered. Then, there's the fact it happened in the centre of Conor's stronghold. Was it an attack against the Irish by someone who saw you as one of them? And how does that happen without Conor knowing about it? Syd was all about spying on our family's every move before." Ricky let out a sigh and shook his head. "I wish I could tell you who's behind it, Roxie."

Ricky slumped back in his seat and took a moment to build up to what he needed to say next. "Contrary to what you or Reina over there might think, my time in New York hasn't been fun. People are getting restless. This isn't because you're grieving and turning into a chimney, because even before Matthew was killed, they were concerned that you'd rushed back here too fast. Gabriel and our own people, they want a leader who is present and they see you returning to Dublin as favouring the Sullivans... I know you're grieving and I feel like a piece of shit for putting more pressure on, but I'm not sure how long we've got before the damage to the Biancardi business is irreparable. There needs to be decisiveness about how our business will operate now Giovanni is dead."

Bellz (Roxie, Julia) Melanin-Gxdess (Reina)

 

[Misty Gray]

Miami Beach
~ Miami, Florida ~

Valentina Wycliff​

Valentina rolled her eyes at Teddy's comment about her being stubborn and not listening. She then looked to her husband and let out a laugh, not bothering to deny it. "I guess it's in the genes," she remarked. Although both of her parents could be stubborn, there was only one she had in mind and it was the one who often didn't listen to her - Gabriel. "Admittedly, you were right on this occasion. This vacation was a good idea." She reached out to fondly rub his shoulder before pulling her arm away again.

Teddy went on to suggest letting Cristina change school so she could colour her hair. "Papa would probably notice if she had a wig on. The man doesn't miss much. Believe me, I grew up trying to get one over on the man so I could get out of doing homework or sneak off to parties." She looked to Harmony and sighed. "My father would be with the teachers on this one. He's quite old-fashioned and would probably say she's too young to be colouring her hair. It's not worth the argument," she said, keeping her expression an amused one, even though she was serious. He'd use it as another way to question her parenting.

As she listened to Harmony, Valentina noticed Cristina take her t-shirt off so she was just in her swimsuit. She quickly beckoned her daughter over and had her perch on the sunbed so she could take a moment to carefully apply sunscreen to her shoulders and arms. "Your poor New York vampire skin isn't used to this unpolluted sunshine, sweetie," she lightly teased. "Try sitting in the shade, under the parasol, like your brothers are," she suggested, before letting the girl go play again. When Teddy asked the bodyguard where she was from, Valentina smiled as she was also keen to know the answer. "And how did you end up in this line of work?" she curiously added to the question.

BloodLightning27 (Harmony) Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter

Rikers Island Prison
~ Rikers Island, New York City ~​

Lucy nodded gently as James said it wasn't right that Thomas was cutting her off. She didn't miss the comment about Thomas not calling or visiting him, Lucy had been trying relentlessly to get Thomas to see James. She knew how much he missed his youngest son. Upon hearing him suggest that Olivia and her go back to Dublin for a while, Lucy tilted her head. Although he made a good point that she could better patch things up with Thomas, Lucy reached her hand out to take her husband's hand. "I will do anything for you, love." She murmured, "It's been hard being away from everyone but...it's worth it to be as close to you as I possibly can. Though I do feel Olivia is missing out on spending quality time with her brothers and cousins." Lucy said before sighing. "But I think it might be good for us to go back for a while, just so I can get back to talking terms with Thomas. Though I must warn you, Syd might not let me leave this next time." She joked.

Hearing that James didn't want Thomas involved in the family business wasn't surprising to her, they both had decided long ago that they wanted something different for their youngest children. Lucy nodded her head sadly as James expressed that he thought it would be different with Thomas and she had honestly thought the same. When Thomas had decided to join the military, Lucy had been upset at the time because of the timing of it all but she had been somewhat relieved that he didn't have an interest in the mob work. Upon James talking about Olivia, Lucy smiled softly as she thought about their adopted daughter, "Ah, I'm not worried about her one bit, out of all of our children she has been the least of my worries from the get-go."

Lucy smirked lightly as James answered her worries as he usually would, as she had predicted insisting that she hadn't seen the other guy and that if she had, she wouldn't be worrying about a few marks on him. Hearing that he had to throw his weight around to remind others who were in charge was worrying Lucy on every level. Her brows knitted together with concern as he said that he spent a week in the hole for the fight they were talking about and he apologized for not being able to speak on the phone during that time. Lucy waved her hand that wasn't holding his lightly at him, "Don't you worry about me, love. I am just relieved that you are still showing people around here who's who. If you were to just give up and let people walk all over you, I'd be more concerned." It was partially true, though she was still very concerned regardless.

Her face grew serious as he questioned her about what else had been going on. "Well, a couple of days after I was able to fill you in on Roxie's new position within her own family's business...there was shooting in Dublin involving her fiancé, her, and the kids. Roxie and the children are fine thanks to Matthew but he died in the parking lot as they were walking to their car after dinner." Lucy shook her head softly and sighed, "The kids are with Syd for the time being and Conor has been investigating the situation as much as he can but so far there aren't any leads." Biting her lower lip gently, Lucy shifted in her seat uncomfortably, "We've been through this enough times in our lifetime to know that the shooting is the start of something much much bigger, something no doubt started because of Giovanni's decision to leave Roxie in charge. In my mind, there is only really one sexist asshole I believe would be behind this...and I am sure you know where I'm going without having to say his name."
with: James Misty Gray

 

[Pyroclast]

Kurt Lee Reznik​

Kurt’s first ten days on Rikers Island had been predictably eventful. If he hadn’t already understood the urgency of fashioning himself some sort of weapon after setting foot in jail or prison, the constant eruption of fights and attacks he had so far witnessed would be enough of an incentive. He couldn’t count the number of times that red flashing light had interrupted his day. At least he had managed to stay out of the fights himself, besides a few necessary confrontations. While he knew it would take some time to gain status within the jail, the fact that he had appeared to have earned James Porter’s respect gave the other inmates a starting impression of the kind of man he was. Kurt had spent twenty years behind bars so even surrounded by new COs and inmates he didn’t feel out of his depth, nor in need of a high-profile mobster on his side, but it still helped to have made something of a friend in James. Just having somebody to talk to made the days easier to bear.

The news that Kurt was to have a visitor had him up all night. He knew who it would be - there was nobody else to visit him these days, and Aidan knew better than to turn up alone. Still, he couldn’t quite believe it. It had been months since he had last seen his son, unfortunately a distance that they had had to get used to by now. James was expecting a visit from his wife, Lucy, which Kurt knew meant a lot to him. From everything he had heard of her, she sounded like a dream life partner. Even though they had only known each other for ten days, Kurt was excited on James’ behalf.

The next morning, all those awaiting visitation were led into a room with spread-out tables and chairs. Given his reasons for being sent to Rikers, Kurt was surprised that it wasn’t a telephone visitation, but that he would be able to spend time with his son without the glass partition separating them. After returning James’ smile, he sat down at his table, freshly-shaven, hair combed and heart racing. Despite the lack of sleep the previous night, the excitement was keeping him energised. Besides, he was used to it by now - he hadn’t had a good night’s sleep since the coma he had slipped into following the fight that had got him arrested twenty years ago. It was the moments when he got to see Benjie that kept him going. He smiled up at Lucy as she took her seat opposite her husband even though she wasn’t looking his way, happy to finally put a face to the name. When his eyes returned to the door, however, he saw his son approaching him and his heart almost leapt out of his chest. His face erupted into a smile so fast it turned into a laugh and he stood up to welcome his son with a firm yet brief embrace. “Damn, you bulked up, look at you!” he commented, giving his biceps a squeeze as they sat down again. “Who you tryna’ impress with those guns, huh?”

In the presence of his son, Kurt suddenly couldn’t care less about the awful conditions the inmates were kept in and forgot all of his complaints. His grin broadened when Benjie lightly joked about him moving house. “Yeah, well, I heard they got softer pillows in this place, I had to come see for myself.” Seeing the warm glow on his son’s cheeks, he was sure he had the same on his own. The happiness between them was so overwhelming that he couldn’t think of a truthful answer when asked how life was at Rikers. “Well, the pillows ain’t soft, that I can tell ya’,” he joked. “Nah, I had no idea he was plannin’ this. Guess he got us both!” Seeing his son looking so bright and healthy put a proud smile on Kurt’s face and he sat back in his seat, letting his surroundings fall away into the background and become irrelevant. “So what you been up to, Benjie? There a reason you ain’t come to visit your old man in so long? A job, a girlfriend, what is it? Come on, tell me what I'm missin' out there.”

Interactions
Misty Gray Benjie, James (mentioned)
Bellz Lucy (mentioned)

 

[Misty Gray]

Rikers Island Prison
~ Rikers Island, New York City ~

Nicholas Ramsey​

Nicholas hadn't been expecting any visitors, but he was still annoyed when he wasn't called out to attend the visiting area. It was only a matter of time before his daughter and son did pay him a visit, with or without their mother accompanying them. Eleanor had continued to reject his requests for her to bring his kids to see him and so he'd pulled in some favours with a friends on the outside to make it clear to the woman it would be in her best interests to do as he asked. Although, the longer she refused, the less of a request it was and more of a threatening order it was becoming. She never was good at following instructions.

After walking around the perimeter of the exercise yard for a short while, his attention was soon drawn to the group of men whose attention had fallen on a new prisoner. Their prey was practically a kid, so clearly an easy target for the group. Bradley's attackers weren't allied with Nicholas and others working for Moretti, and had clearly waited until the Top Dog wasn't around to get in their way. Unlike the Irishman, Nicholas had no intention of stepping in and getting in the group's way. Fights had to be chosen carefully in prison and he liked to observe what was going on before making any rash decisions. Instead, he perched himself down on a nearby bench and watched as the other prisoners began laying into Bradley. Clearly, none of then Corrections Officers had any intention of intervening either.

Soon enough, one of the newer prisoners, James, stepped in and begin kicking the shit out of Bradley's attackers. Nicholas couldn't help but smile to himself as he watched the man go to town on the prisoners. Once the display was over and the group hobbled away with their tails between their legs, Nicholas let out a content sigh. Watching as the kid was led to a bench to sit with his saviour, Nicholas was faced with a decision of how to proceed. A tough guy like James could to be useful on side to enforce the rules, especially on the occasions Porter was having a stint in the hole. Watching the man jump in to defend the kid reminded him of Porter's inclination to protect the weak, and surely Bradley could prove useful to himself in some form. After a short time of thinking, Nicholas stood up from the bench he was occupying and approached James and Bradley.

"That was quite the display," Nicholas approvingly told James as he remained standing with his hands in his pockets. He then looked to Bradley. "Either you already did something to piss them off, or they saw you as an easy target, kid. With the Top Dog having his visitation, they took the opportunity to pounce while they could." Nicholas took his right hand out of his pocket and briefly rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm Nicholas, by the way. Or, 'Ramsey' to the guards, if I don't respond to 'Inmate'," he remarked, letting out a small chuckle. "Listen. Big guy here isn't always going to be around to save your ass," he informed Bradley. "If I were you, I'd try make the right friends and fast. James Porter is the Top Dog here and he'd not like seeing someone your age getting the crap beaten out of him, not when he's got kids on the outside. I'd say he's a good place to start," he suggested.

BloodLightning27 (James, Bradley)

 

[BloodLightning27]

~Miami: Harmony Ryu - Sins of The Daughter~Harmony relaxed a little when Theodore reminded her that she could 'take the load off too' before expressing doubt that anyone was going to try anything. While she did agree, it wasn't like Gabriel sent her with them for no reason...And the Moretti Family surely had a lot of enemies. She then listened quietly as Valentina and Theodore spoke about their Youngest Son, and how some of his traits were inherent with the Moretti Family. Like Mother, like Son. Hearing them talk about Gabriel, did make Harmony miss her Father, who had passed away two years ago, only one year after her Brother. While she felt horrible for leaving her Mother in Los Angeles, it was the only way to keep her safe. These thoughts were eventually suppressed as she continued to enjoy the beautiful day they had now. He would then express his doubts that anyone would try anything. If anything, she'd take this over having to deal with the Taylor Brothers again...While Q seemed like a reasonable person, J.T always seemed like he was looking for a fight, even kill someone for looking at him wrong.

She proceeded to let go of the thought of work, with her thoughts once more going back to the vacation at hand. For the next few days, they had their days at the beach, then Disneyworld. For now, she just enjoyed the conversation on her hair color, with Theodore saying that they can send Cristina to a school that would be more accepting of colorful hair, but added that she should wear a wig when they visit the Grandparents. Valentina proceeded to respond with how her Father would notice the wig and his attention to detail, before speaking about how she would attempt to get out of doing homework and go to parties. About how he was very old fashioned and would be against Cristina dying her hair and saying that arguing with him would not be worth it before putting Sunscreen on her Daughter as she wasn't adapted to the sunshine, since New York had its tall skyscrapers blocking out the sun, and there was the constant cover of clouds and rain, even in the Summer time. After sending Cristina back to playing with her Brothers, the couple turned their attention to Harmony once more, asking where she was from and how she ended up in her current line of work - a Bodyguard for a Mob Boss' Daughter and her Family. "I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California." She then subtly checked to make sure the children were within earshot, as what she was about to tell Valentina and Theodore would likely change their perception of her. "I wasn't always in the Security and Bodyguard line of work. I actually started out...robbing shops in Little Seoul with my Brother in revenge for how we were treated for being half-Japanese and our Family Tea Shop being burnt down." Although she was reluctant to share that, Harmony believed that honesty was important, even if there are chapters in life that you do not read out loud to others. "After he passed away, I became my parents' primary caretaker as they were easing into retirement so that they can live out their days without having to worry about anything else, especially since they faced a lot of boycotts and...weren't exactly privy to the idea of staying in a retirement home. Then I started working as hired muscle for the local gangs in the area because my Father was diagnosed with Cancer and I needed money to pay for Chemotherapy, but my efforts were in vain because his chances of survival were extremely low and he lost his uphill battle last year. I left Los Angeles afterwards because I didn't want the sins of my past to hurt my Mother. So...I moved to New York, ended up helping the Taylor Brothers out for a bit, Q put in a good for me...and now, here I am." Hopefully that was more then enough to satisfy the couples' curiosity, as she gave reasonably detailed answers...instead of attempting to avoid answer the questions or the conversation altogether.

After all, they were welcoming to her and Gabriel trusted her with their safety, so it was only fair that she opened up, even if it was just a bit. There was more, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to disclose anymore then she already has.

Melanin-Gxdess (Theodore) Misty Gray (Valentina)

 

[Misty Gray]

Rikers Island Prison
~ Rikers Island, New York City ~

James Porter​

James held Lucy's hand from across the table and sent her a reassuring smile when she said she would do anything for him. He hoped that meant she would return to Dublin, for him. "You're right, Olivia is missing out on being with the rest of the family and I'm sure she can easily find work in Dublin, especially if you put her in touch with Adam at his gym," James put forward, hoping to encourage Lucy to go to Ireland. He was glad that Lucy didn't put up a fight and that she was on board with returning to Dublin to try reconnect with Thomas. He hadn't wanted to worry her by putting on too much pressure. "Luce, you can stay in Dublin for as long as you - and Syd - want to. It would make me sleep easier knowing you're out of New York and safe in Dublin." It was a weight off of James' shoulders, as him wanting to refuse to carry out Moretti's latest order would put Lucy and Olivia at risk. At least with them safe in Dublin, James only needed to worry about himself. "I need you and Thomas to patch things up. Even if he's done with me, I won't have him push you away, love."

James listened as Lucy updated him on what else had been going on back home. He was shocked to hear there had been a shooting on Sullivan soil. Any shootings and attacks that usually happened in Dublin were planned by the Sullivans, or simply too insignificant to cause concern. James was glad to hear Roxie and his grandchildren weren't harmed, but he was shocked to hear the woman's fiance had been killed. James didn't know Matthew, but had heard some mentions of the man considering he was due to be marrying Roxie, therefore living with the Porters' grandchildren. "Shit, that's rough," James sad, shaking his head in disbelief. "And there's no chance Matthew was the intended target?" he rhetorically asked, though it was obvious the attack was intended for Roxie, given her new position within the Biancardis. "Whilst this is no doubt Biancardi business, this could easily become about us lot too, given her ties to Syd and our family. You all need to be vigilant now, in case this is something bigger that will affect our family." When Roxie suggested Gabriel was behind the attack, James remained silent as he weighed up the idea. "Oh yeah, he'd certainly have plenty of reason and motive to. He won't like Roxie being in charge if he thinks she'll favour us over his lot. And, of course, because he's a sexist prick... I'm just surprised Roxie isn't dead. He rarely fails and we've seen the lengths he'll go to to make sure someone he wants dead is killed - he'd sacrifice dozens to get to one person. Seems to me like he must be worried, hence the hasty reaction. God, I hope he's going to shit in his old age," he commented, even though he knew Gabriel was a year younger than himself.

Bellz (Lucy)

 

[Pyroclast]

Shona King​

Before Shirley could answer Shona’s offer of pastries, her stomach answered for her with an eager growl, prompting an amused smile from Shona. “Well, you are eating for three,” she encouraged, and reached into the bag to hand her a pastry of her own. Her eyes lit up at Shirley’s suggestion of spending some time together; after she hadn’t shown up to the pub last time, Shona hadn’t been sure that the woman was completely open to the idea of becoming friends, but it made her feel better now that the sentiment was clearly mutual. “My only plans are making dinner - do you fancy eating with us? I’m sure Spencer will be happy to meet you properly.” Taking Shirley by the arm, Shona began to walk with her into the hospital car park. “We only live five minutes away, just up in Bethnal Green.”

While she didn’t want to admit it so soon after meeting Shirley, Shona was over the moon at the thought that she may have made a new friend. Her relationship with Spencer had provided her an escape from her old life of poverty and domestic abuse, but while she had been pleased to leave much of her old life behind, it had meant that her life now was more or less defined by his. Of course, Shona loved the family that she had found through him, Harper, Alex, Billy, Callum and Savannah, but she hadn’t brought much of her own life into their relationship. It meant a lot to her to be making friends independently of her husband, even if she was eager to introduce them.

“Alright, here we go,” she said, unconsciously using her bump to support the tray of tea and biscuits she was carrying into the lounge. After setting it down on the coffee table between them, Shona dropped herself heavily onto the sofa with a sigh and then looked over at Shirley with a smile. “I was thinking of doing steak and chips for dinner tonight - is there anything you can’t eat? I’ve just been craving red meat lately - the more raw the better. Only things I know I can’t handle are coffee...and eggs. Don’t even talk to me about eggs.” With a light laugh, Shona shook her head and reached forward for her cup of tea, bringing it back into her seat with her.

“So tell me about you, Shirley,” she said, directing a smile towards her new friend. “Where are you from, what do you do, how do you spend your days?”

Interactions
BloodLightning27 Shirley

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Miami Beach
~Miami, Florida~
Theodore "Teddy" Wycliff

Teddy was happy to see his family enjoying themselves, his wife more so. Back in New York he could sense just how stressed she was and couldn't help but reflect on the conversation he had with Gabriel. The man was right to say Valentina had been working a lot more when she should be taking it easy. Teddy wasn't blind to the fact whatsoever, but because he was determined to make sure he supported her he often overlooked it. In reality it wasn't a good idea to do so especially at the cost of her being so stressed. He could see that the remnants from her attack were starting to resurface again, but he was struggling. How was he going to get her to pull back a little without making her feel as if he didn't believe in her abilities? Hopefully, he thought, this trip would help him figure it out and tell her.

"Ah, you're right about that. Looks like she'll have to wait until she's older." He glanced over at his daughter before shaking his head at his wife. "I knew you were the rebellious type, can't believe it." He joked. Tatiana always seemed like the more rebellious one of the three siblings. Though, now that he thought about it, all three of them were quite rebellious. It was either due to the free-spirit that was their mother or because Gabe had been a strict parent. Some days it still amazed him that such a couple had even come together but he would chalk it up to Elvian's charm. He watched as Valentina applied sunscreen to their daughter while listening to her talk about her skin. "Well, if we moved to Miami we wouldn't have that problem huh?" He smiled at her, trying to gauge her reaction at the idea. The moving idea had nothing to do with wanting the leave the gang life. Teddy was in it and was very content with the life he had now. It was more so because he hated to city and the stress it caused his wife. If they moved, she would relax more. The only downside would be him traveling for business all the time, much like his own father, and he had promised he would be in his children's lives.

Hearing the this line of work had been nothing new to Harmony eased his mind. He didn't doubt her abilities, but after hearing what happened with Roxie and her fiance he definitely didn't want someone new. Granted he didn't think anything bad was going to happen to them whilst they were on vacation - he was actually praying it wouldn't - but if it did someone else experienced would be needed. After having to kill Steve he hadn't had to kill anyone else and was hoping things would stay that way. When she brought up the hardships she had to go through in her younger years he couldn't help but feel for her. Teddy could never wrap his mind around why people didn't like foreigners or anyone who didn't look like them. He thought it was interesting to have different people from all walks of life around, but he was one of very few. Despite her said background, he was glad she had been so forthcoming with the information. It definitely seemed difficult for her to share, but she had. It saved him a lot of time and effort having to dig it up himself.

"Sorry to hear that. It's rough losing a parent, especially one you care about." He couldn't help but look out to the water for the moment as he thought about his mother. He often wondered if she would be proud of the man that he had become. His antics had quickly died down when he was beaten and another change in him came faster than he realized. Sure, Elvian had sometimes reminded him of her but no one could replace his mother. Realizing that he was being somber he quickly changed his attitude and turned back to the two women. "Hopefully you don't get into too much trouble out there."


Valentina ( Misty Gray )
Harmony ( BloodLightning27 )


​

 

[Pyroclast]

Silas Healy
Michael Zegarra​

Over the past ten days, Silas had heard constant talk of Matthew Moore’s murder, from the grim details on the news to the teachers, children and members of his congregation looking to express their grief or frustration. He saw it as his duty to keep his fellow Christians from losing their faith in God and wanted to do his best to console and guide them through their loss, so he decided to keep his own grief strictly between himself and God to maintain a professional air. Matthew had been a friend of his and while he didn’t know enough about Roxie’s criminal ties to understand the context of the shooting, Silas had a strong feeling that it was a gang-related crime. Having dealt with the effects of violent crime in the city since he was a young boy, it angered him that it had now cost the life of another innocent civilian.

It didn’t surprise him, then, when Liam brought the late teacher into the conversation. It was understandably weighing on the boy’s mind. “He was a brilliant teacher and a remarkable man,” Silas agreed, but didn’t say more before Liam moved on to answer the question about his aggressive behaviour. At first he said that he had ignored the boys at school, to which Silas nodded. “Well, good,” he said. “You did the right thing. We all remember what Jesus taught us to do in the face of evil, don’t we? Whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.”

At this, Michael stopped colouring and his face stiffened, cheeks turning red. Silas raised an eyebrow at him before Liam spoke up again to argue that the boys he had turned on were guilty and deserving of the attack. “They may have done you wrong, my son, but it is not your job to teach these boys a lesson - any punishment they are due is up to God to deliver. That’s what it means to turn the other cheek.”

“Then when is he going to deliver it?” Michael piped up, his eyes still fixed on the partially drawn flyer despite having paused his work. Silas noticed a pout on the boy’s lips and saw that he was on the verge of tears.

“Michael, look at me,” he commanded, to which the boy raised his head with an involuntary glare. Silas looked between the pair before asking, “Am I right in thinking that this fight was personal to you both?” Michael looked down again with a small sniff, which was all the answer he needed. Silas heaved a sigh before linking his hands together on the desk. “Believe it or not, I myself understand the urge to hurt the ones who cause us pain,” he said, lowering his voice slightly. “It takes tremendous strength sometimes to turn away from that urge and let God do His will. It might take longer than you expect, Michael, but when left in the hands of the Lord, you can trust Him to get the timing right.”

“I wish I could tell you that there is a place on this earth free of evil, but it is not in good Christian faith to lie,” he told them. “Well, actually, there is one place, and that’s here in this church. Many find it a place of respite, as the only wrong-doers interested in coming to church are those who seek penitence - by which I mean, people who have done wrong and wish to ask forgiveness from God and learn to be better. But unfortunately, there will always be bad people in the world wherever you go. People who bully, people who willfully seek to hurt others. Who kill good, innocent men like Mr. Moore.”

Captivated by the priest’s words, Michael raised his head and observed the man as he spoke. He wondered if the priest knew of his and Liam’s parents’ involvement in the Irish Mob. Of course, Michael himself didn’t know much about what they actually did - he just knew that his father sometimes took injuries that he would say wasn’t worth calling the police about and that he owned firearms - like the one used to kill Matthew. Feeling an uncomfortable sensation spread through his chest, Michael quickly picked up his felt tip pen and got back to work on the flyer.

“There is no place in Heaven for those who commit such vile acts, lest they repent for their sins,” Silas went on. “The road that Mr. Moore’s killer is on, I assure you leads straight down to Hell. And unless those misbehaving boys at your school change their ways, I’m afraid to say they may end up on that same road.” He locked eyes with Liam then. “You don’t want to join them, my son. Believe me. There is hope for you yet - learn to let it go and wait for God to do His work.” Reaching across the desk, he tapped a finger on the flyer that Liam was neglecting. “And you just focus on yours.”

Interactions
Misty Gray Liam

 

[Misty Gray]

Rikers Island Prison
~ Rikers Island, New York City ~

Benjamin Reznik​

Thinking about his father's comment about bulking up, Benjamin couldn't help but smile to himself, despite also trying not to blush at the man's question about who he was trying to impress. "It's funny you should mention these gu-- muscles," Benjamin began, suddenly conscious the guards might be able to hear him and perhaps 'guns' wasn't a wise word to repeat. He briefly flexed and looked as if he was assessing whether he really had bulked up. He then relaxed again and looked back to Kurt. "Adam keeps telling me I'm skinny and need to work out more. Maybe you need to have a word with him," he joked, whilst grinning. With Adam having met Kurt in prison during his own, much shorter, sentence, Benjamin was aware the two men had become friends in that time. "Really though, I have been working out a lot, but not to impress anyone, even if that is a bonus," he cheekily told him. "With the weather improving now, II want to get into shape as 'm hoping to do some climbing again. There's some great spots in Ireland for rock climbing."

Benjamin couldn't help but smile at Kurt's casual response about relocating for the softer pillows. "I would have smuggled in a good pillow, if I'd known," he remarked. His face softened as his thought over how to say what had rushed to the front of his mind. "Hey, so I did bring you something, but I went through the right channels, without any smuggling in. I developed another old roll of film and there were some good photos with me and Mum in together, from back when I was six. I brought a couple of pictures in for you, but the security guy checking me in here said he'd make sure you get them later. Not sure what's wrong with me handing them to you myself, but I figured it's best not to argue. But yeah, if you want them, you'll be able to have 'em." He awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "I've only got one roll of film left to develop, but I'm saving it. It's the last set of photos I have that I've still got to see for the first time, y'know?"

When his father enquired further about what he'd been up to, Benjamin rubbed his chin for a time as he thought over where to start. It had been a few months, so he was sure the was plenty he'd saved to tell the man in person, but even if he had already mentioned things, he was sure Kurt wouldn't mind hearing it again. "Okay, so a few months ago, Conor promoted me to a manager at his restaurant and he seems really happy with my work, so far. You know I like being outdoors, but I still really like working in there, especially as I get to meet people all the time," he explained. "And then there's my photography. Conor put me in touch with the owner of a piano bar as she needs some promotional work doing. After I met with her, she agreed for me to do the photography gig for her," he beamed. Before he could say anything else, his thoughts had already manifested into an uncontrollable blushing and smiling. "I haven't got a girlfriend, no. I mean, I've been on dates since I last visited you, but that's all... Oh, but Lorelei - she owns the piano bar - she's around my age, already got her own business. She's really pretty and..." he caught himself still blushing and sat up straight, clearing his throat. "Obviously, this is all completely professional," he corrected himself, though still flashed a mischievous smile.

Although he attempted to steer away from thinking about the attractive redhead, he still couldn't avoid staying on the same subject. "Oh, but, we did get to talking and she's actually related to the Sullivans in some way." He lowered his voice to make sure none of the other inmates could hear him. "Her name is Lorelei and she said her uncle is James Porter. He was Aidan's boss before Conor took over, and Aidan mentioned is in this prison now."

Pyroclast (Kurt)

 

[BloodLightning27]

~London: Shirley Kwon~

Pregnancy Tracker

Pregnancy Progression: 31.4/42 Weeks

Countdown to Labor & Delivery: 220/294 Days

Weight Gain: 64/71 Kg

Shirley's embarrassment didn't entirely leave her face when she saw Shona's amused smile before she had pointed out that Shirley was eating for three. Nonetheless, she was still quick to accept the pastry from Shona and started munching on it a little after, still minding her manners and occasionally swiping off the crumbs that landed on top of her belly or stick to her face. Having thought about the previous invitation to hang out, Shirley did feel bad for not going. At the same time, she didn't think that a bar was exactly a place for a pregnant woman, especially with how far along she was. Not to mention she hated the smell of alcohol. Either way, this was her chance to make up for it. Shona's response left her reasonably surprised. "I'd love to join you for dinner." She said happily.

Another thing caught her by surprise; Shona grabbed her arm and they were soon walking through the car park and that she only lived five minutes from the hospital. In contrast, Shirley lived half an hour away and took the bus to the Hospital more often then not. She didn't have a pressing need for a car as she spent much of her time at home and every place that she did go to was well within walking distance. Shopping for Groceries and other essential items was admittedly tough sometimes, but she was often able to get through. However, she probably would want to get a car at some point, as taking her children on public transport was not exactly something she was privy to. Some commuters were just very mean. If they were mean to her now, how would they be if she had two infant in a stroller or in both of her arms? These thoughts subsided when the women arrived at Shona's lovely home. Given the lavish look, Shirley was quick to assume that Shona was from a wealthy family, though she could be wrong. All she knew was that Shona is married and was expecting her first child.

Before going off to the kitchen to grab them a pre-dinner snack, Shirley was taken to what seemed to be a lounge, where she sat on the sofa while waiting for Shona to return. Because they were unfamiliar with Shona's voice, her twins in her belly started kicking a little excessively. Thankfully, she was able to get them to calm down as soon as her friend had returned with a tray of biscuits and tea. For dinner, it would seem that Steak and Chips was in the cards. Shirley wasn't exactly picky, so whatever was for dinner, she'd take it. "Well, there's nothing that I can't eat, but according to my Midwife, there are things I shouldn't eat because its bad for the babies. So I've had to stay away from Seafood as a safety precaution."

Not long after Shona grabbed her coup of tea, Shirley would grab hers as well. At the first sip, it was refreshing as she was about to get a stomachache from the pastry she had consumed earlier. Then came a slew of questions, which was expected since they were getting to know each other. "I was born and raised in Dublin. My Father was a Soldier in the South Korean Army and my Mother was a Nurse for the South Korean Navy during the Korean War. After the war, they moved to Ireland in hopes of finding a quieter and better life. Though once me and my Sister turned eighteen, they moved back to South Korea. Me and my Sister didn't really want to go because we didn't want to live in a country that we weren't familiar with." While she hasn't seen her parents in the last five years, Shirley could only wonder how they were doing now, though maybe once the twins were a few months old, she could take them to go overseas to meet their grandparents, but was still unsure of them meeting their Aunt.

When it came to what she did and how she spent her days, Shirley had a few reservations about answering. "Since moving to London, I've mainly been focused on getting ready for the arrival of my bundles of joy. Outside of the appointments with my Midwife, I spend much of my time at home, sometimes I go to the Tea Shop down the street. With two buns in the oven, its hard for me to be on my feet for extended periods of time. I get tired from just doing house chores." While Shona did seem trustworthy, Shirley wasn't entirely ready to divulge into her own shady activities, which was treating gang members and criminals discreetly with her impromptu skill in medicine. "What about you? What do you do in your free time?" She asked before sipping her tea and adjusting her hat.

Pyroclast (Shona)

 

[Misty Gray]

St. Saviour's Church
~ Beaumont, Dublin ~

Liam Callahan and Patience Davenport​

Liam maintained eye-contact with Father Healy whilst the man told him he had done the right thing ignoring the boys at school. When asked if he remembered what Jesus had taught them, the boy quickly nodded his head. Of course, he didn't remember the quote Silas recited, at all, but it just seemed polite and appropriate to agree with him about it. He'd obviously seen a Bible and going to a Catholic school meant the religious teachings were a common thing. Before now, he'd never paid much attention to it and much of the information learned about the Bible he ended up pushing aside to replace with knowledge about Star Wars and fantasy books set in Middle-earth. He was sure some of his family members would tell him the Bible was equally fictional if they could hear Silas now.

Liam lowered his gaze to the desk as Silas told him it wasn't his place to teach the bullies a lesson. The man instead said it was up to God to delivered their punishment. Liam was about to say it was easier said than done, that he couldn't just turn the other way and let the bad kids do what they want. He didn't see any evidence that God was punishing bad people. Before he could speak up, Michael beat him to it. His friend asked when God was going to deliver the said punishment. Liam turned to his friend and nodded, seeing the boy was upset about what was happening to him. He shared Michael's sentiment, so looked directly back to Silas, practically willing him to answer his friend's question.

Silas responded by commanding Michael to look at him. Liam sent his friend a glance but once again focused on the Priest as he awaited what he was going to say next. The man seemed to pick up on the fight being personal to Michael, no doubt now realising Liam had hit the other kids to defend his friend. Liam folded his arms around his chest as Silas spoke of how he understood wanting to hurt those who caused him pain. The man told Michael to trust God would act, but that it might take some time.

Liam still wasn't sure he wanted to put his faith in God stepping in. He couldn't just sit back while other people were getting hurt, especially when it was his best friend being bullied. The more Silas spoke, the more Liam wanted to question him and tell him he wasn't prepared to wait indefinitely, not if it meant letting the other kids walk all over him. But, like when in the presence of his mother's reassuring words, something about Silas stopped him from wanting to argue. Or was is being sat in a church and not wanting to upset God... if He did exist? Liam noticed Michael returned to working on the flyer, but Liam still didn't make a move to pick up a pen.

He tried to process the idea of seeking forgiveness and repenting, which rendered him quiet when he might normally have argued about the suggestion he could end up like the bullies. Silas had locked eyes on him, leading Liam to flash an uncertain smile. The boy was drawn out of his thoughts when Silas tapped the flyer and told him to focus on his work. Reluctantly, Liam nodded his head and took a pen from the box so he could work on the flyer again.

It didn't take long for Liam's thoughts to go into overdrive as he carefully coloured in part of the flyer. Though he tried to fight the urge to speak up, he soon sat up straight and put the pen down on the desk. He'd been thinking of his family and the business they were involved in. He knew some of his family had stolen from, hurt, and even killed others. He couldn't help but worry they would be punished too. He fixed his eyes on Silas before finally speaking up. "So, if someone has done bad things, even on purpose, they can ask for God's forgiveness? If they repent, they don't have to go to Hell? I mean, sometimes people who are good might think they have no choice to hurt people if it means protecting their own loved ones." Realising his words could be linked to his family, he changed direction a little. "What if someone kills or hurts another person because they're being attacked and need to protect themselves? They could have been hurt if they hadn't acted first. Will they still go to Heaven? It's not too late, right?" he asked, wide-eyed. Still thinking about it, he then thought of his family's enemies and even whoever had killed Matthew. "If Mr. Moore's killer repents, will they not go to Hell?"

Pyroclast (Silas, Michael)

 

[Pyroclast]

Father Silas Healy
Michael Zegarra​

In the silence that followed the priest’s lesson on turning the other cheek, Michael wondered if Liam shared his thoughts. Both of the boys had grown up with parents actively involved in the Irish Mob, and although Michael sometimes felt empowered by what he knew of his father’s profession and fantasised about using it to threaten his bullies, he also understood that the mob was built on secrets. Nobody, not even his parents, ever told him a single detail beyond what knowledge was vital to him. Given the privacy that the mob kept itself wrapped in, combined with the occasional evidence of violence, Michael knew better than to bring it up with any of his classmates, no matter how powerful he thought it might make him feel. How much Father Healy or his teachers knew, Michael wasn’t sure. So, he kept his head down and continued colouring in his design.

When Liam broke the silence to ask further questions about repentance, Michael grew nervous, now certain that his friend was also becoming concerned for his family. There was nothing he could do to silence him - a nudge or a kick would surely be seen by the priest and rouse further suspicion - so he had to just listen and hope that their families wouldn’t be explicitly brought into the conversation. He glanced up at the priest to see his eyes on Liam, listening with interest to his questions, before putting his head down again.

“My child,” the priest said. “It is never too late to change one’s path. God loves us, for we are all His children and He our Father. He wants us all to find the right path so that one day, when we die, we can join Him in heaven. But there are a few things we have to do to get there.” Clearing his throat, Silas stared deeply into Liam’s eyes, willing him to listen carefully. “We have to place our faith in God so that He may lead us onto the path of righteousness. It’s easy to say the words, 'Lord, forgive me,' but it counts for nothing if the belief isn’t truly there. God is all-knowing - He knows when we aren’t telling the truth.” Silas glanced to Michael briefly, noticing that, like Liam, the boy looked quite tense. His felt-tip pens were squeaking slightly under the pressure as he coloured, as if he was struggling to feel calm. He decided not to draw attention to it, giving him a chance to gather his thoughts and hopefully speak up when he was ready. Instead, Silas turned his attention back to Liam. “We must also be baptised, and, of course, we must repent for our sins. If one commits a mortal sin, by which I mean, a deliberate act against God, then they must come to church and confess.”

“We live in a complicated world,” he went on. “The Bible provides a strong source of moral guidance, but not everyone follows it, and so there are a lot of people who don’t know the best way to act when faced with a difficult situation. A man who refuses to kill another remains pure in soul, even if that comes at the cost of their loved ones. It is a natural instinct to protect the ones we love, but if a person chooses to hurt or kill another person to protect themselves or their loved ones, they have still willingly acted against God and therefore must confess and repent for their sins. They must understand that it is wrong to take a life. Mr. Moore’s killer, for instance, would have to know that what they did was wrong, feel remorse, confess their mortal sin and ask for God’s forgiveness, in order to get into Heaven. Like I said, it is never too late.”

Silas observed the two boys, sensing their deep concern. He took it as a promising sign that they were troubled by the idea of consequence, as it showed potential for them to seek the righteous path. “I hope that has eased your mind?” he asked Liam. “Is there anyone in particular you have in mind when you ask me these questions? You know there isn’t a single person I will refuse to help, if you feel they would benefit from coming to see me. It is God’s right to judge, not mine.”

Interactions
Misty Gray Liam, Patience

 

[Misty Gray]

Miami Beach
~ Miami, Florida ~

Valentina Wycliff​

Valentina grinned when Teddy joked about her being the rebellious type. In all honesty, it had mostly become theoretical back when she was a kid. Any attempts at breaking the rules usually caught her father's attention and in the end she learned not to try her luck again. She learned it was easier all round not to break the many rules. It then became a case of only being rebellious when Gabriel was away on business. For the most part, she was a sensible and reserved teenager, but that didn't mean she wasn't rebellious by nature. Her frustration at the strict rules manifested later in life in the form of her stubbornness and sarcasm. Not to mention the compulsion she now had to be independent, successful, and strong. She might not admit it so easily, but the compulsion to prove herself was an exhausting one.

Valentina sent Teddy a curious look when he mentioned moving to Miami as a solution to helping Cristina get used to the unpolluted sunshine. She studied his expression for a moment as she realised he was expecting her to respond with her feelings on the idea. "Can you imagine? Living by the beach again and getting to enjoy the glorious weather most days?" she happily reminisced. "There's plenty of hotels here that I could manage too," she was quick to add. As easy at it would be to become a lady of leisure, she didn't want to stop working and be defined as a mob wife or simply a full-time mother. She wanted to rightfully earn the luxuries she had. "Good luck convincing Papa to let us and the children move away from New York," she sadly added, figuring he wouldn't like the idea of any remaining family members living too far away from the rest.

Valentina listened as Harmony told them she was born in Los Angeles. That was another place Valentina thought would be nicer to live in than New York City was. She frowned as she was told about the rough start she'd had in Little Seoul and losing her brother, as well as then losing her father to cancer. Valentina knew what it was like to lose family members, so she felt sad that Harmony had had to experience it as well. She hoped her own children wouldn't have to experience that kind of loss too. "I'm sorry you had to go through that," she told the bodyguard. "Do you have many people to confide in now you're in New York? I bet some of the jobs my father has you doing can feeling quite lonely and isolating. Except this task, of course, because you get to spend time on the beach with the Wycliff bunch," she joked.

BloodLightning27 (Harmony) Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)

 

[Misty Gray]

St. Saviour's Church
~ Beaumont, Dublin ~

Sinead and Liam Callahan
Patience Davenport​

Sinead had arranged to pick Liam up from the church on her way home from tutoring, not wanting him to walk home on his own once his detention was over. Having arrived at St. Saviour's Church early, she reluctantly parked her car across the street from the church and got out of the vehicle. She made her way into the church grounds, but rather than enter the old building, she instead veered off towards the graveyard. After locating her mother's freshly set gravestone, she took a little time to spruce up the flowers that had be laid for Shannon. After spending a little time to think about her lost loved one, Sinead made her way to one of the benches near the main entrance of the church. As the minutes went on, the cool breeze caught up with her and she folded her arms around herself for warmth, contemplating returning to her car until it was time to collect Liam

Patience had been standing on the inside of the church entrance, pinning some up-to-date flyers and service dates onto the public notice board. Through the old glass window, she had seen Sinead leaving the graveyard to take a seat on one of the benches. After moment's thought, Patience opened the heavy door, allowing more sunlight to beam into the church entrance. She stepped outside just in time to see Sinead standing up and turning to return to her car. "Excuse me!" Patience softly called out, catching the redhead's attention. "Mrs. Callahan? Liam still has a little while left of his detention, but you can wait inside," the younger woman said, pointing towards the church. "It must be warmer than out here and you're always welcome." she said, with a smile kind enough to reflect the supposed warmth inside.

Sinead had turned to meet the blonde's friendly expression. After apprehensively looking the church exterior up and down, Sinead relented and nodded her head. "This place was pretty cold the last time I was here," she was keen to point out. "But I guess it was my mother's funeral," she reasoned.

Patience led Sinead into the church, where they stopped at the back of the rows of church pews with the stage ahead in the distance. "I'm sorry for your loss," Patience softly told her, remembering the funeral service a few ago. "God will--" Patience stopped as she watched Sinead walk off to the side to the old wooden table where some lit candles continued to burn. Along with a framed photograph of the murdered teacher, there was a condolence book which had various pages filled with handwritten messages. "Mr. Moore was very popular in the community. People have been coming to pray."

Sinead remained silent as she gazed at the display. Matthew had seemed like a good man and Liam had been quite upset about his death, not to mention Roxie and her children had been heartbroken by his murder. For years, Sinead had grown stronger and more protective over her family. But for those same 13 years, she'd not had many serious reasons to have to put her growing strength to use. Though her mother had died of natural causes, it was clear to her that Matthew's death was linked to organised crime. As had been the case in the past, all it took was a few dark warning signs before her family was dragged into a war. She hoped it wasn't the case, because Dublin had been her well-loved home for years, not to mention most of her family were directly involved in the Irish Mob.

"Take a seat Mrs. Callahan. I will be here if needed," Patience said, not wanting to break the woman out of her deep thoughts. Once Patience had walked away, Sinead broke from her concerns and took a seat on one of the back row pews, waiting until Liam was ready to go home. She was sure her son was hating every minute being stuck inside the church, but she trusted Matthew's decision that him attending the church would be more productive than a classroom detention.

*****​

Liam listened intently as Silas told him it wasn't too late for anyone to change their path. He wondered if any of his family knew what he'd been told and if they were willing to repent. He didn't want any of them to go to Hell. Peter, Braden, Emery, and everyone else. He loved them all and knew they were good people at the heart of everything. He looked the priest in the eyes as he continued on, stating those seeking forgiveness needed to believe in what they were saying. "Baptised?" he repeated, but slowly nodded his head as he recalled what the word meant. "Oh yeah... I've heard about confession. So they'd have to come here and confess, yeah?" he curiously asked.

Liam wasn't sure what to think about Silas' words suggesting it was better to remain pure in soul that to killed another, even if to protect a loved one. Liam couldn't help but think he'd rather someone like his father killed a bad person if he meant saving the life of someone they cared about. "I just... It's bad to take a life, but I just don't like how it's better to stand by and let a bad person kill a loved one." He let out a sigh. "What I do know, is Mr. Moore's killer was wrong to do what they did, because it wasn't done for any justified reason. They weren't being attacked - they were just a coward. Whoever did it, I hope they feel remorse and confess to what they did, because they don't deserve Heaven, not right now."

"I guess so..." Liam said, when Silas asked if his words had eased his mind. Whilst he still had concerns, he was at least comforted knowing it wasn't too late for his family to repent and step away from their criminal lifestyles. When asked if there was anyone he had in mind when asking his questions, Liam quickly shook his head. No matter how much he believed a priest wouldn't lie about wanting to help those in question, Liam knew he wasn't allowed to talk about what his family did. He'd been told many times about the importance of keeping quiet about it. "No. I was just wondering. Mr. Moore's death just... you know..." he trailed off, reaching out for another pen and focusing on colouring the flyer.

Thankfully, Patience knocked on the door and saved the boy from any follow-up questions. The woman beckoned Silas over so she could address him privately. "Mrs. Callahan is here, waiting until it's time for Liam to go home. She seems troubled. Will I sit with the boys for now?" she offered. Once agreed, Patience joined the two boys, pulling up a seat beside Michael, not even considering sitting in Silas' place. "Oh, you boys are doing a great job on these. I'm very grateful, because you're saving me some time," she told them. "There's plenty more to be done this week, too," she added, knowing Liam's detention was for the full week.

Pyroclast (Silas, Michael)