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

[BasDorcha]

Pitstop Repairs
~Drumcondra, Dublin~
Thomas Thatcher​

The past few weeks had been a nice return back to society for Tom. A routine had been established, what with his work at the Pitstop and Repairs garage, and today was no different. Tom woke at the crack of down, headed to the street and went for a run down the dingy road, running almost two miles in total before stopping for breakfast at a shop near the hotel where he was still living. Before leaving, he also picked up something for the guys at the shop, something that wouldn’t necessarily need to be warm upon arrival to still be good. Once he was done he headed back to his room and showered, changed, and then left for work, bringing breakfast with him.

For the last two weeks, he had been working with Syd and Chris, along with a few others, at Pitstop. It was nice to get his brain to focus on something other then what his mom was doing, where had his sister gone, and why hadn’t he seen his brother. During the day he would bullshit and share stories with Chris and the other guys. Sometimes, Syd would come in and he’d try at not being quite so talkative. Syd often reminded him very much of his ex-sarge who would frequently look drained of energy just talking to him and that Tom needed to shut up. It was as if it was physically exhausting for him to deal with Tom’s nature sometimes. Although he didn’t pick up on the underlying cue’s that most people did, he had enough experience on how to spot it.

Sometimes though, he’d miss it all together until Syd was pinching the bridge of his nose and looking ready to deal bodily harm. It was a balancing act to say the least. Today Tom was in his normal bouncy, eager mood, but Syd seemed to be in a fair mood himself. When the man came into the main garage, Tom and Chris had been exchanging stories about family, Chris prying more then Tom, about who he was, his past and his lineage. Tom had been telling a story about his Uncle Conor, the only relative outside of his mother, absent father, and siblings that he knew.

“Yeah, outside o’ them, the only family I can think of is Uncle Conor. He owns the bar where ma works, or I guess the family does, I’m not sure how it works. I just know he’d come by and check in on Ma from time to time, check in on the business and occasionally bring things in for storage. My Ma was causing a scene at the pub one night, smashed to all high heavens, when my Uncle Conor came ‘round. He took one look at her drunk arse, grabbed a bucket of water from behind the counter, and dumped it right over her head in front of everyone. Guess he figured that would sober her up. Then he proceeded to throw her over his shoulder and carry her out, not that it did much good, everyone inside still heard the row from behind closed doors. If you’re ever around The Dirty Paddy Pub, she’s likely to be there."

When Syd called his name, he snapped to attention, moving to Syd’s side obediently. When Syd slapped him on the back, he grinned like a kid with his thumb in the jam jar, from ear to ear, beaming. As they moved it to the next stage, there was nothing that could dampen his mood. Even more so when Syd asked him what he thought should be the place to start. He took a moment before responding, looked the car over once more, made a mental note to speak calmly, then began – in anything but a calm manner. “Well first, I’d start by saying we need to sand down everything. Find the rust spots, see if they can be repaired, or need a full replacement. Once we’ve done that, we’ll need to pull off any parts that need to be sprayed independently and start working on the paint for the whole body.”

Syd broke in to ask if he smoked, and Tom fished his smokes from his pocket, he followed Syd and washed his hands, then out the door where he lit his smoke while still talking. “I think stock dark blue would go well on it, try to keep it original. Then we’ll gut the interior, clean everything, do any repairs or reupholstery needed, detail and give it a flashy new inside look. That cream colored interior top is nice, but its got some holes and stains on it. We can replace that too.” When he looked up and noticed they had crossed the street, his eyes fell on the girl in front of him and Tom stuttered to stop. He missed the introduction to Ma Syd, his brain sluggish to catch up, as his eyes stayed on the young woman who had shocked him into silence. Swallowing, he gathered himself up, offered a hand first to Lucy and then to Shinoa. If either or both ladies accepted his hand, he’d kiss the back of both of their hands, giving a half bow instead of a shake. Call it old fashioned, but he’d seen it done as a kid and thought it the most elegant way to greet a lady.

“Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Lucy. Syd never mentioned having such a beautiful mother. Or an angel in the family.” This last sentence was said while looking at Shinoa, and like the cheeky arse he was, a shit eating grin crested his face, followed by a playful wink. “Wonderful to meet you both. Syd is giving me a test run at the garage. I don’t intend on letting him down.” Seems that stunning him only slowed him down momentarily, still it was more then anyone in the garage had achieved to date.

Mentions:
Pyroclast - Syd
Bellz - Lucy
BloodLightning27 - Shinoa

 

[Misty Gray]

Moretti Family Home
~ Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, NYC ~

Valentina Wycliff​

Valentina quickly nodded her head when Elvian told her she had bringing the boys home under control. Still, it only did a little to calm her down as the fact still stood that Cristina had been taken. There was no doubt in her mind that an enemy was involved and it didn't take a genius to assume it was the Irish. She sucked in a choked breath when told to calm down. It felt impossible to relax under the circumstances, even if she physically could to begin with. As her mother gave out instructions around her, it all seemed like a muffled blur as all she could focus on was Cristina and what might happen to her. Considering James had killed off most her family in an attack many years ago, she had no choice but to think of the worst about what he was capable of doing. She liked to think nobody was capable of hurting a child, but she'd experienced and heard of the things monsters were willing to do. Whether on her family's side or against them, there was evil all around.

Valentina fell into Harmony's hug and tightly closed her eyes in hopes of blocking out the situation enough that it might cease to be reality. She barely noticed the shift from being held by Harmony to being held by Elvian, but when she opened her eyes to look to her mother, she didn't seem to question the shift. She quickly nodded her head. "I need them here safe. All three of my children," she anxiously told her. She watched on as Quadir and Harmony rushed to get her pills for her. When her mother then held her medication out in front of her, she reached up to grab the pills in her trembling hand, tossing them to the back of her throat before taking the glass of water. She quickly drank most of the drink, washing the pills down her throat. Hearing her mother knew where Teddy and Gabriel were brought the smallest of relief to her. Surely they would know what to do. She nodded at Elvian's hopes that they hadn't killed James yet, clearly suggesting Cristina's safety rested on the Irishman being kept alive. "I hope not too. Then I can kill the bastard myself later," she darkly warned.

Valentina sat back down on the sofa, not sure how long she could stay standing as her overwhelming emotions had started to make her feel light-headed. When Elvian returned from making her phone call, Valentina looked desperately to her, hoping for news. Once she was updated she folded her arms tightly around herself, feeling numb and in some ways useless. "Mama, I don't know what to do. Is someone bringing Francis and Paolo home now? What can I do? Where's Cristina?" she asked. Though she was gradually calming down, the worry was too great to hide or pacify.

Melanin-Gxdess (Elvian)
BloodLightning27 (Harmony, Quadir)

 

[Misty Gray]

Bodyworks Gym
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Emery Callahan
& Cormac Sweeney​

Two weeks ago, Stella had invited Emery out for dinner and various other activities. Emery didn't read much into it and was quick to accept the invite, always up for socialising and experiencing new things. When they did go out last week, Emery was a little surprised to find herself sat having a candlelit dinner with Stella. Being the open and curious person she was, Emery rolled with it and enjoyed the evening meal. That was followed by a romantic movie, which Emery couldn't help but scoff at. She was more for horror or action flicks, so she did struggle to take the romantic ones seriously. Instead, she poked fun at the plot and the cheesy acting, but had fun in doing so, nevertheless. By the end of the night, Stella had given the redhead chocolates and black & red roses, to which Emery was quite taken aback by. She hadn't been oblivious to the flirting and she'd playfully given a little back in return. On account of being the flirty, liberal, and tactile type, it wasn't unheard of for Emery to be touchy-feely with her friends or even people she'd just met. Overall, it had been a nice evening and she had fun with Stella, especially as she seemed to appreciate her manner.

Since then, Emery had been working overtime to impress her uncle, hoping she could make her way back into Conor's good books. The last thing she wanted was to be the family's accountant and nothing more. She believed she had the skills and mindset to be out on the field - taking centre stage and getting her hands dirty. She just needed to prove it to Conor and the others. Today wasn't a day for proving herself as Conor had given her a few days off so his focus could be on the mission to get her Uncle James home. That just meant she would work on her fitness instead.

After a long, heavy workout session, followed by a shower, Emery emerged from the ladies' locker room ready to pick Savannah up later from some modelling photoshoot she'd been doing all afternoon. As she reached the reception desk, she saw a familiar man enter the gym. Relieving the team member working on the desk, Emery stepped behind it herself and rested her elbows on the surface as she leaned forward to wait for Cormac Sweeney to enter. She sent him a mischievous smile before standing up straight and folding her arms. "Oi, didn't you get the memo? No Sweeney wankers are allowed in this gym," she informed him. Though she kept a straight face, her tone still sounded teasing.

"Yeah, I got that memo loud and clear," Cormac assured her as he stood to face her. "I'm actually here to see Adam. He told me to get some information out of my brother and here I am, ready to pass it on to him."

"Adam's not working today, but he one-hundred percent said you can tell me everything. I'm a lady, so it's not in my nature to lie," she drily informed him. "Your brother is a piece of shit and a coward for not coming here himself. Is this about the guy who was driving the car that night, because that is definitely my business."

Cormac smirked at Emery and shook his head. "Nothing gets past you, huh? It is about the driver and I have what Adam asked for. The fact my idiot brother has got us in your family's bad books is exactly why I'm not giving you this information. Phelan has caused a lot of trouble and he feels bad about it all. I'm sorry his mates tried to shoot you, but I'm not giving you the information I have. I value my health too much to be leading you into trouble."

Emery pouted and rounded the desk. "Well, I'm sorry you had a wasted journey. Maybe I'll let you work on those biceps in here, just this once," she playfully told him, reaching out and lightly squeezing his muscular upper arm.

"What did I just say about valuing my health?" Cormac seriously told her. There was no chance in hell he'd want to get caught doing anything resembling flirting with a member of Sullivan's family. "You're trouble you are... Please just ask Adam to contact me and I'll give him the information he asked for." Emery grinned at the way the man squirmed, really having no interest in him but just wanting that reaction. Cormac sent her an amicable smile before turning on his heels to leave. "You stay out of trouble, Miss Callahan," he knowingly called back to her.

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Sullivan Family Home
~Dublin, Ireland~

Aliana Sullivan​

When Conor reassured her his men wouldn't move without orders she scoffed. "Oh, like that's ever stopped anyone before. You think you have everything under control until something goes wrong." She wasn't wishing for anything to go wrong and she was hoping he would understand that. She just wanted him to see that there were so many things that could go wrong even though she trusted that it wouldn't. Not until she saw the end results for herself. "Innocent people are always dying when they aren't supposed to. Look at what happened to Matthew. To my BROTHER. That's a gamble you should not have taken." She explained, her eyes now tearing up. The thought of it, that poor girl getting killed accidentally was tough for her to think about. She may have been thinking about the worst-case scenario but for now, it seemed like she was the only one who was.

She paused when he told her their girls were safe and scowled at him. He went on to talk about past enemies they had to deal with and how they basically walked all over them multiple times. Though he had a point that they had to be willing to do what their enemies had, she wasn't about to tell him that. Not while they were arguing. She agreed that there were instances they had to meet them at their level but not when children were involved. "Moretti has three grown children, two of which have wives and he's married. Any of them would have definitely sufficed yet you chose his grandchild." She wasn't yelling, not anymore. Instead she was choking on the tears she had swallowed down while trying to compose herself. The last thing she wanted was to start crying for fear of him thinking she was doing it to get some sort of reaction out of him. Listening to him explain more of his reasonings she tried to see it his way. Putting her emotions to the side for the moment was difficult, but just for a few seconds she had managed it.

Ali herself had been put in danger because of Moretti multiple times back in New York, with two of them being pure luck of her escaping alive. She still had the scars from the bombing and disdain for the theater now. He had taken so many lives - the main one on her mind being Jackson. He was the reason her best friend suffered such a heartbreak that she had shut herself out from ever being able to love anyone again. All the stress and heartbreak and the strain on her marriage a decade ago had been because of him so why did she care so much about this little girl? Maybe now Moretti would see that, as her husband had said, his actions had consequences that he wasn't free from. Conor had been kind enough to even give him all of New York with no strings attached and he still betray them. But at what cost? She shook her head to herself, refusing to think that way any longer. The fact of the matter was the young girl had nothing to do with war and fighting her family was involved in. The only flaw she had was being born into the Moretti family.

Conor spoke again and when he did Ali turned her head to him. She hadn't realized how far away he had gotten whilst she was thinking to herself. For a moment she struggled to move but once she got her bearings she walked towards him. It seemed like no matter what she said to him nothing was going to change. Over the years he had changed, but his stubborn attitude had always remained the same. She watched him pour himself a drink and listened to him speak until he mentioned the word 'support'. Hearing him say it the way he had stung and her face showed it. She frowned, her eye twitching before she raised her hand to slap him across the face. "How dare you," she started, pointing her finger at him. "Support?!" Ever since they saw their therapist, Ali had been working on being there for her husband in his darkest times and whenever he needed her. She failed when he went to prison and she made sure to make up for it every step of the way. Every decision he made she supported, even if she did give him shit about it.

"I've been supporting you for years. I supported your decision to move back, for Leo to start learning the family business. I supported your decision for you to take over for James and let him live his life and you have the goddamn audacity to talk to me about support?!" Her desire to not raise her voice had gone out the window the moment she slapped him. He was stressed and when she went into this she didn't want to stress him anymore, but she felt insulted. Therefore, she didn't care about how he felt right now about anything. "I won't support whoever this person is standing in front of me because the person I married would never think about using children as a pawn." She understood the reasons behind his change, prepared for it even, but never in a million years did she think it would be this bad.

Conor ( Misty Gray )

The Sullivan's Pub
~Dublin City Center, Dublin~

Leo Sullivan

​

Though it took Leo a while to pick up on certain things, it surely didn't take him long to recognize the uncomfortable look on Thomas' face. He quickly but subtly removed his hand from his shoulder and instead propped his arms up on the bar top. He wasn't taking it personal and figured it was something to do with his time in the military. He couldn't imagine how hard of a time he had there and all he wanted to do was give the guy a hug. But, if he was uncomfortable with him touching his shoulder then how would he be with a full-on hug? Leo decided against it and to keep his hands to himself for the time being. He listened as Thomas informed him he was allowed to be insensitive when it came to Ali. It was his mother, after all, and after always seeing her hurt as a child he panicked when she had her heart attack. Nothing in the world outside of her mattered especially since it was so close to the time his grandmother had passed. So much was going on that it was understandable for Leo to have neglected any and everyone else. So hearing Thomas say that it was okay made him feel better, raising his mug to drink from it.

"Pfft, tell me about it. They'd leave the house and come back with scrapes and bruises." He said, shaking his head as he recalled the times spent in New York. Honestly speaking, he wasn't sure how he wasn't more fucked up from everything he experienced while living in New York a decade ago. Although, he was sure there were things wrong with him and he just hadn't registered them in his head just yet. The guy was a bit slow on the uptake of things. Nonetheless, he did agree that it was probably good for the two of them to be apart for a while. They were growing up and in different directions. Maybe the time away from each other was good for that growth and for them to learn about each other separately. Granted, the fact Thomas had been in New York for some time with Leo in Dublin was enough space, they still spoke to each other nearly everyday. He was sure there was some lesson to be learned here, but again, he wasn't the brightest bulb to be figuring that out and especially not now.

Leo looked at Thomas once more when he had finished his apology. He was hoping everything he was saying to his cousin was being taken seriously since he had meant every last word. It took a lot for Leo to apologize for anything, even if he was in the wrong. Leo listened intently as Thomas started telling him about his time in Iran and it broke his heart. His attitude and behavior meant a lot of sense now and Leo felt like he was getting to know a new person. This wasn't the Thomas he had grown up with and it was almost like the man sitting next to him was an imposter. He looked back to his drink trying to ponder everything he was saying to him and figuring out how to respond. He didn't want to say anything stupid, but he wanted to make sure Thomas knew and understood that even though Leo couldn't relate to his time in Iran, he could still use him for what ever it was he needed. "Mate, you've got a second chance. I know it sounds corny to say, but it's the truth." He shrugged his shoulders before turning to him again. "I don't wanna sound like Nat or our moms, but, like, this is your opportunity to live. I mean, you of all people know now that tomorrow is never guaranteed so why not make the best of it?" Leo was sure it was his sister he heard this from, but sitting with Thomas he realized she had a point and was on to something.

Leo noticed how hard Thomas was clenching his mug but decided not to bring attention to it. He wasn't sure how to handle such a situation so the best thing to do was to leave it alone. "I swear, what did they expect? That we would become doctors or something?" He joked, shaking his head. Ali still wasn't over the face that he wanted to start learning from his father and though she was being supportive of it, it was clear she wasn't thrilled. Hearing the job was the reason he wasn't talking to Lucy made sense. The mob life have taken so many of their family members that the last thing any of them should do was join, yet here they were. "Hey, I'm sure she'll get over it soon, hm? Especially with your old man coming back soon. I do think you should talk to her though. Not trying to guilt you or anything, but based on what I hear she misses you."

Thomas ( Bellz )

​

 

[Bellz]

Harper King
Harper's Place
- London - ​

Things had been uncharacteristically slow going for Harper, she wasn't necessarily one to hang low and allow life to just pass her by but lately, she just felt so far removed from the real world that activities she found to be exhilarating and fun were no longer having the same effect on her. When she wasn't working or visiting with her family (well, some of them) Harper was found lounging at home, staring at her television until her eyes could barely stay open. Today was an especially boring day because she didn't even have work to keep her busy. Most of the day she once again found herself lounging around before deciding it was best to get her apartment cleaned before work started up again. She had just finished cleaning and ordered a pizza for delivery, moving to finally sit on the couch when a knock sounded at her door. It was in the rhythm that she had come to know well, one that alerted that Billy was waiting for her to answer.

Her body went stiff as she thought about whether or not to answer it. She was still furious with him. This had been the longest the pair had gone without talking as Billy in Harper's eyes was her best friend. Harper being so much younger than her brothers did have a bit of a damper on the relationship she had with the two older one's but Billy was within her age group and the connection they had was noticeable to almost everyone. Harper had fought hard to keep her distance to prove her point that the homophobia Billy displayed the night of the club was inappropriate and more importantly, hurtful. She relied on him the most with her secrets and feelings and his homophobic ways were starting to become too much for Harper.

After another thought, Harper stood up and walked towards the door quickly before swinging it open wide. Billy was smiling widely at her with flowers in his hands, greeting him before hesitantly leaning in to kiss her cheek. Harper allowed the action but said nothing as she simply cocked a brow at him, silently willing him to state what he was doing at her place unannounced. He asked how she was before saying that he missed her and Harper crossed her arms as she leaned against her door frame, not inviting him in as she took a deep exhale from her nose. Still not speaking, she watched as the smile slowly faded from his face before he peered over her shoulder, seeming to check to see if she had anyone over. The truth was she hadn't had anyone over since Billy shamed her in the club, despite her trying to convince herself that his comments about her sexuality didn't hurt her...they definitely left their mark. Billy returned to look her in the eye before asking if it was a bad time and if she mind talking to him for a moment.

Crickets could be heard in the night as Harper let the silence settle between them a moment, thinking hard about whether to let her brother in. She could see the guilt in his features, he'd brought Daisies, her favorite...her willpower to just turn him away was strong but she knew that he was making some effort to patch things up. If Harper turned him away, it would be her own fault for not mending their relationship. "Fine. Come in, I just ordered a pizza." Harper said softly, moving away from the doorframe to allow him in. Once he was inside, she shut the door and locked it like she normally did before nodding her head towards the kitchen. "You look like you could use a drink. Help yourself to the good stuff in the cabinet." Harper commented before taking the flowers from him. "Would have much rather had a bouquet of cash but, these will do." Harper dryly remarked, clearly being sarcastic as she entered the kitchen with her brother. Motioning for him to take a seat, Harper moved to grab a vase from one of her cabinets before filling it up with water. "So...what's got you so flustered, B?" Harper asked bluntly, moving to grab some scissors to cut the ends of the flowers before starting to chop at them one by one.
with: Billy Pyroclast

 

[BasDorcha]

An Alley Near Royal Taphouse
~Bethnal, London~
Jocelyn Justice

Jocelyn had been silently crying, fading in and out of alertness. When the sound of barking echoed down the alley way, she tried to sink further into the darkness, afraid the men had come back, or worse, other men, more men. She gulped, hiding to the best of her abilities. When the sound that finally followed came, and it was a woman’s voice, there was a relief like the coming dawn. A soundless sob escaped her lips, the movements there but not the noise. Violently she shook her head, unconsciously still trying to disappear into the darkness. When Eightball edged closer, she twitched a little, pulling back, before putting her hand out to let him sniff her, least she add dog attack to alley attack.

Looking up at the woman, she thought she looked like God at that moment. There was a light shinning behind her head from somewhere above, or behind, and it gave her an odd halo. Shaking it away, Jocelyn was not religious, but it was darkly humorous considering her situation. Nervous for a few moments, she looked around, down the alley, seeing no one but the woman with the dog in front of her. Clearing her throat, she looked up at her with eyes brimming with tears still.

“------” Her lips opened as if to move, but she couldn’t make herself speak. Its like even talking about it was painful. Instead, she finally nodded *Yes* and tried to pull the tattered dress over her exposed skin as it fell open, her chest showing through. Shame coated her face as she covered it with one hand, fresh tears cresting. Her mind tried to tell her to get it together at least long enough to get out of the street, but her body refused. Her heart felt broken, her very soul hurt.

Standing slowly, using the wall for support, her book forgotten about, she looked around again, unsure how to ask for help when her mind wouldn’t send the words to her throat. At this moment she still ran on pure adrenaline, albeit the kind you never want to experience. Jocelyn was scared to step away from the wall, scared she would fall, would be seen. The thought of even moving scared her at this moment. Her hands gripped the shredded fabric closer, as her big, puff tear stained eyes pleaded silently.

If the girl were to reach for her, touch her, she would flinch, maybe several times, but less progressively. To get to her loft apartment, she would have to cross the street, and that idea mortified her. There was also something innately terrifying about being alone at that moment, but also about being with anyone as well. It was the most twisted way of feeling she had ever faced. Even as she fought to get her breathing under control, its like nothing could turn off the faucets in her eyes. It was a sight to see, and a part of her brain screamed to ask for help, but everything else seemed broken, and unable to communicate, her body reacting on its own despite what her subconscious was doing.


Mentions:
Pyroclast - Tatiana/Eightball
​

​

 

[Bellz]

Blake McCarthy
Blake's House
-Sutton, Dublin - ​

Blake could see exactly how much everything she was saying was hurting Adam. His blunt honesty with her didn't hurt her or upset her, what upset her was the fact that she felt she didn't have any control to rein in the guilt that she was feeling. She knew her own emotions would threaten to get the best of her but she didn't realize that Adam's would as well. Despite the fact that they had both said they were willing to give the relationship a try, Blake deep down wasn't sure if Adam was emotionally invested in it all. Blake wasn't an emotional person, or she hadn't been 13 years prior but all that changed when Jackson died. It frustrated her to no end that she couldn't control how she felt anymore. Blake looked up from her plate that hadn't been touched to Adam to see his eyes glistening under the low light of her dining room chandelier. Listening as he stated what he was comfortable with, Blake's eyes didn't leave his. He then stated that she was right in her thought that he didn't deserve to be second to someone who died 13 years ago. Biting her bottom lip, Blake nodded in agreement.

He went on to say that it was all on her at this point and that he avoided saying anything that sounded disrespectful or pushing her into being with him but she needed to find out how she was going to move on. His honesty despite it sounding insensitive was something that Blake actually appreciated, she was getting rather tired of everyone trying to sugar coat things for her lately. She knew Conor was uncomfortable with her dating again, she knew that Syd was going to feel the same way...she knew to some degree her children were uncomfortable with it. But they all kept a smile on their faces for her sake which was doing far more harm to her psyche than good.

She was left constantly having to guess where everyone stood, where she stood. Adam stated that he couldn't do this anymore, the back and forth, and Blake understood that was more than fair. His last sentence hit her like a blow to the stomach, knocking the air right out of her lungs. Blake had understood just how leveled Adam was, just how much confidence the man exuded. She never wanted to be the one to break his heart and had sworn to herself that she wouldn't and yet here they were. The tears in Blake's eyes suddenly dried as she straightened up in her seat, "Your honesty...means more to me than you realize Adam. People have been tiptoeing around me for 13 years, wanting to make sure that whatever they said didn't upset me but...it doesn't bother me. What bothers me is everyone else's uncertainty, everyone's dishonesty with how they feel about all this. It's rather frustrating to have people lie to you about how they feel...which is why I called you and asked you to come over. I'm not someone who is going to lie to you about how I feel just as you are not lying to me how you feel." Blake said, managing a smile.

"That's how I figured out I liked you, ya know? Your honesty wasn't laced with any malicious intent but it was brutal and piercing...to the point. And if I am being honest with you like I have...I'm not content with being alone for the rest of my days." Blake said shaking her head, "My life didn't turn out the way I thought it would but if I'm being honest with you, I didn't think I would make it past the 1960s." She laughed in slight disbelief. "Never imagined I'd have kids and even if I had I sure as hell didn't imagine being married." She shook her head with a small smile as she moved to finish off her drink. "All of this guilt, this uncertainty...it's a selfish thing really. It consumes me to the point that I hurt everyone in my life and look at you right now...I can see just how much it's hurting you."

"I'll once again be honest with you Adam, despite this doubt I have in myself...I don't doubt us for a fucking second. What I had with my husband I'll never forget, of course...but you and I have something that I can't necessarily put my finger on. You get me. I like to think I get you. It's far too soon to call this love but I really really really like you. And I know my words have hurt you but please understand that my doubt has nothing to do with you." Blake murmured. "But this patience you've had with me, I know it's thinning and I don't expect you to stay. I just want to say to you right now, I want this...I want us. I really do. Keep being brutally honest with me like this...I need it. I've practically locked myself in this house over the past two weeks going over the same fucking thoughts trying to convince myself that what you and I have is nothing compared to what I had with Jackson but I know for a fact that what you and I have is different, and I like different. Your not him and I don't expect you to be him." Blake looked Adam in the eyes for a long moment before her eyes looked down towards the table. "But I don't expect you to stay and I won't force you to."
with: Adam Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

The Sullivan Residence
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

Conor Sullivan​

Whilst he couldn't deny there was the smallest of risks of some kind of harm coming to the girl, Conor still found Aliana's words offensive. Even though it wasn't the case, it felt to him like she was accusing him of not thinking about the child's safety. No part of his orders to his employees involved bringing harm to Cristina. Whilst she would undoubtedly be afraid at being in a strange place, with strangers, there was no intention of bringing harm to her. Even if James was killed, Conor would not involve Cristina in any kind of retaliation. Her involvement was to buy some chance of the Morettis letting James out of New York alive. He shook his head when Aliana compared it to Matthew's and her brother's deaths. "They died because there was malicious intent. An intention to kill someone. I have no intention of hurting the kid," he attempted to reason. "It had to be someone who would most make Moretti stop in his tracks. Someone who he couldn't reason was capable enough of saving themselves. Someone even a relentless bastard like him would let his guard down for."

Conor's outburst about her not supporting him had clearly struck a chord in Aliana. Before he could get the glass tumbler to his lips, his wife slapped him across the face. Subconsciously, he stood taller, in turn accentuating his towering height. He placed the glass down on the table, having not managed to drink any of the alcohol before being hit. He tightened his jaw as the woman continued to on, pointing at him as she spoke. Though he would never hit her, he was still holding back the bubbling urge the kick some inanimate object out of frustration.

"You speak as though I ever had any choice but to replace James, and that staying in New York was ever an option. Leo's a grown lad. He's old enough to make his own decisions!" Conor firmly told her. "Hit me again. Keep going. I deserve it. It isn't going to change a thing, but hit me as much as you want to," he goaded her.

"Well, who the fuck am I if I'm not the person you married? I've never been able to match up to the kind of good man you deserve," he pointed out, not even realising his words were probably tied back to Tommy. "If I'm so different to the bloke you married, why are you still with me?!" Conor grabbed the glass and knocked back the whiskey he'd already poured, then reached for the bottle to fill the tumbler again.

Conor took a a few deep breaths, wanting to regain the level head he'd practised over the years, starting back when he'd been receiving counselling sessions from Maddox Parker. "I get it, I've crossed a line, but there's no going back now. The girl has already been taken and it's too late to undo that." Toying with the glass of whiskey, his free hand hovered by the telephone. "I can call the guys and check on her. Hell, I'll even talk to the kid myself to make sure she's okay."

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Moretti Family Home
~Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn NYC~

Elvian Moretti​

Elvian hadn't been this worried since the attack on Valentina and she was afraid it would send her down another spiral. She didn't have anyone to be strong for that time around so it was okay for her to unravel. Right now she had to be strong for her daughter no matter how much her heart was breaking. She was anxious about Cristina's safety and what they could possibly be doing to her. Even though Sullivan was a monster for kidnapping her granddaughter, surely he wasn't about to do anything to harm her physically. Mental scars she could handle but if they laid a finger on her? She was afraid of the person she may become because of it. Getting herself to it she looked out the window as the guards set off to do what they were told. The two she ordered to stay home with them positioned themselves at the back door. They would be safe for now with Quadir and Harmony until the other two guards arrived.

In the meantime, she held Valentina and stroked her hair in an attempt to calm her down. Even if it weren't helping, Elvian herself needed something to distract her from everything that was going on. "I know, I know darling, and we will get them here. I promise. The guards are rushing to them and they will not stop until they get here. They know better." The boys' school hadn't been too far away but she knew it would take a while to get them checked out of school and loaded into the car. Therefore, Elvian needed to find a way to distract her until then but she couldn't figure out anything. There was nothing her daughter wanted more than to have her children and she sympathized with this. She pulled back to let her take her medicine and watched intensely, making sure she actually took them.

The second she heard Teddy's voice she felt nothing but relief. Porter was still alive and that meant there was still an opportunity for them to get Cristina back unscathed. He sounded just as upset as she were - though she was sure it was because he didn't want to raise his voice to her. Their conversation didn't last long considering Teddy would want to get his daughter back as soon as possible. When their conversation ended, Elvian took a moment to herself to gather her emotions and her thoughts. Her heart was pounding, hands shaking and she just couldn't seem to calm her nerves. She clenched her hands into fists a few times and took a deep breath, finally starting to relax a little. Elvian was putting all of her faith into her husband and son-in-law to get Cristina back in one piece and not let anything happen to her. Clearing her throat she rejoined everyone in the sitting room and sat next to Valentina. "They're going to get the boys now, draga mea, don't fret. Teddy and your father are going to take care of James Porter and get our girl back, okay?"

Valentina( Misty Gray )
Harmony ( BloodLightning27 )

Moretti Base - Riverside Diner - Basement
~Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, NYC~

Theodore 'Teddy' Wycliff​

The moment James informed him Cristina was somewhere in Queens he snapped his fingers at one of the guards by the door. Though they didn't have a precise location that meant nothing to him. He wanted them on standby the moment he got the location from Porter. The guard quickly left the room while Teddy looked back to James. His blood was boiling and he was shaking. He wanted nothing more than to put a bullet into his skull but he couldn't risk something happening to his daughter. The only thing that mattered right now was getting her back and keeping his other children safe from harm. Teddy didn't immediately release him from the hold he had him on, fighting that desire to do any more damage to him. When he finally came to his sense his roughly threw the man back to the ground and stood over him. The fact that Teddy was so so close to getting the revenge he had secretly desired added to the anger he was feeling. This man, James Porter, had been entirely too lucky and it enraged him.

Teddy let Gabriel speak next, pacing the room with his hands on his hips. Had he not just been on the phone with Elvian and heard the distress in her voice then he wouldn't have believed a word coming out of Porter's mouth. Alas, he had, which meant James Porter wasn't lying. But, he knew he couldn't just blame him. Conor Sullivan was the man in charge now which meant this was all his doing. Despite him being the enemy for a time, Teddy thought Conor was a sensible man who knew how to make proper decisions. This was not the case and he was going to kill the man the moment he got the chance. James then asked if they were willing to risk Cristina's life and he stopped to turn to him. There were no words coming out of his mouth but the look on his face was more than enough.

"Talk, you piece of shit." He forced himself to say, eyes closed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "How do I get my daughter back?" It hurt him to ask such a question but he wasn't about to waste any time getting the information he wanted. James began to instruct him on how things were going to go down and he visibly cringed. Taking orders from someone he was just about to kill hurt him but he could do nothing about it. He glanced to Gabriel whilst he was talking to gauge his reaction, though he knew for sure he was just as angry as he was. When James finished talking he looked at him. Conor Sullivan had this plan from the very beginning and while he knew the man had a contingency plan, his daughter was the last thing he thought he would use. They both knew what his weakness was - what Gabriel's weakness was - and it enraged him. He squatted in front of him and searched his for any sign that he was bluffing. Any sign that what he was saying was an elaborate lie spread to his family members and when he found none he groaned. "If there's a scratch of any kind on my daughter I will not hesitate to hunt you and your family down and kill all of you."

Gabriel, James ( Misty Gray )

 

[Misty Gray]

Blake's House
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

Adam Harper​

Adam was glad that Blake appreciated his honesty. Whilst a part of him had considered holding back and sugar-coating things for Blake, it wasn't in his nature to lie to those he cared about, not when he felt they needed to hear the blunt truth. Even if it meant she resented him for it, Adam felt being straightforward with her was the only way to help her move on. "Your family and friends, they mean well. Tiptoeing around you is their way of avoiding upsetting you. It just takes an asshole like me to break the cycle and run my mouth off," he drily remarked at his own expense.

Despite his comment, he was deep down glad to hear Blake say she appreciated how he was to the point and acknowledged he wasn't malicious with it. He nodded along when she told him she wasn't content with being alone. That basically confirmed what he already knew, but he just wasn't sure if she wanted him to be the one she spent the rest of her days with. It was her choice if he really wasn't the one, but he felt he deserved better than to be kept hanging indefinitely. "You too, huh? How I made it this far is a mystery to me," he joked. The 1960s for him were particularly risky and dangerous. Between his frequent trips to Cuba and two stints in prison, not to mention the hedonistic lifestyle he was leading, he really was surprised to have made it into the 70s. Aside from them both managing to live this long, Blake had also had kids and been married, things which Adam had failed to do. He didn't hold bitterness to never having those things as he knew it was down to his own doing that he hadn't settled down when he was younger.

Adam looked to Blake as she spoke of how her guilt consumed her and acknowledged how much it was hurting him. His neutral expression faltered as his feelings threatened to make an appearance. He'd loved Blake for a while, but he'd accepted it was in the sense of a deep friendship and how close they'd grown as friends over the years. But lately, those feelings had grown much stronger, to the point where Adam had to question if it was a new brand of lust that was consuming him. If it had been lust, he was sure those feelings would have subsided after they'd slept together. He was no stranger to that all too familiar feeling of having sex with a woman and by the next morning wanting to run for the hills to never see her again. That hadn't happened with Blake when they'd had sex two weeks ago. If anything, he'd wanted to stay in her bed for all of the next morning. Those deep feelings he had for her were still there, in fact, they'd become stronger. Adam knew it wasn't lust and he also knew by now it wasn't the kind of love he had for his friends, such as as Chase and Jasmine. He was in love with Blake and that was why he was hurting now. Despite his blunt honesty, the extent of his feelings for Blake was something he would keep to himself. He would not tell her he was in love with her and make things harder for her in deciding how she could move on with her life. This was one time when full honesty would not be helpful to Blake.

"I really like you too, love," he told her in return, flashing a small smile. Even though it still hurt to know there were doubts, he understood it wasn't specifically about him. It was about her feeling ready and allowed to move on. "Don't you worry, I'll be as brutally honest as you need to be," he assured her. It meant a lot to hear her tell him she wasn't comparing him to Jackson. That was the last thing he ever wanted - he didn't want to be a replacement nor a copy of her late husband. She acknowledged he was different and she was open to that, which was something of a relief. "It means a lot to hear that," he reassured her.

Adam watched as Blake looked down for a time. He used the opportunity to pour himself another small drink, knowing he could afford more before it became an issue for him to drive. When she told him she wouldn't force him to stay, he stayed silent for a time. He took a sip from his glass, to buy himself a few more moments, before placing it down on the table. "I want to be with you, Blake, more than I have anyone before. So don't take this the wrong way... but I can be left in limbo. I can say I'm a patient man and tell you to take as long as you need to decide how you want to move on, but leaving this open indefinitely won't work. Before long, it could be another few years before you come to a decision." Adam glanced down to his half-eaten meal. "As much as it might sound like I'm giving you an unfair deadline, I can't just put my feelings on hold indefinitely, wondering and hoping if today will be the day you come to a decision. Maybe take a couple of weeks to think about it and talk it over with those you're worried about upsetting. Whatever you need to do, but don't keep me in limbo," he gently asked of her.

Bellz (Blake)

 

[Pyroclast]

Father Silas Healy
Michael Zegarra​

After watching Liam think over his answer, Silas was pleased when the boy chose to tell him the truth. Despite the boys' behaviour, he believed that their honesty would take them a long way. "I have been made aware of some aggressive behaviour among some of these boys causing you trouble, so I'm going to have them in for private sessions with me, just as I am doing with you two." When Michael looked up at him with wide eyes, Silas sent him a soft look in return. "Don't worry - those sessions will be separate from ours. It'll help to keep you apart during school hours. And Liam, I think you're right - if you are having a hard time holding yourself back, then it is better to avoid seeing them. But you shouldn't sacrifice your education to do it - that's called giving up. You're not the type of boys who give up, are you?"

Without really thinking about it, Michael felt his only option was to shake his head. Liam then went onto talk about the problems they were facing outside of school, causing Michael to slow down with his scribbling. He put down his pens altogether when he brought up Adam getting shot, and brought his hands into his lap. Normally he would have laughed at Liam swearing, but thinking of people he cared about getting shot was too upsetting for him to find humour in anything.

Understanding that it was a traumatic situation for the pair of them, Silas moved past Liam's slip up without telling him off. "I know it may not seem like it to you, but school definitely is helping you," he told them. "Being disciplined isn't fun at the time, spending each day in a controlled environment may feel suffocating to you, but once you're an adult you'll be glad to have it learned. You'll be organised, strong-willed, self-assured men who won't need to be told what to do anymore. Believe me boys, I know grown men who can't even write their daughter's name. You need to stay in school."

"My dad didn't even go to school 'til he was my age and he can fly a plane," Michael lightly argued.

"Why didn't he go to school?" Silas questioned, wondering if the trouble the boy faced came from somewhere further back.

"They didn't have a school in Viñales," he shrugged. "He was a farmer with his dad. But then his dad got killed..."

Leaning back in his chair with a sigh, Silas decided not to ask for further details. He knew a lot more about Liam's family than he did Michael's, but regardless of their history, the fact was that both of the boys were now heavily impacted by their families' criminal activity.

"In the last few months, you two have known more violent crime than anyone your age should," he pointed out. "You do understand it isn’t normal, don’t you? And for your Godfather of all people to be shot…” Silas sighed. He was pretty sure he hadn’t seen Michael’s Godfather step foot in the church since the day the boy was baptised. “Do you know why these things happen to you and your family?”

Michael kept his head down and shrugged. After a moment, he said, “It’s a secret.” He looked at Liam, with a creeping feeling that he shouldn’t be talking about it. “But I’m not stupid. Mom and dad tell me there’s nothing to worry about but then Mr. Moore got killed and Adam got shot and J.J.'s granddad has been in prison for years and years, so I know they’re lying to me. And they say they haven’t killed people but I know they have guns, and guns are used to kill people. They think I don’t know anything because I’m only 10 but I know our families are involved with bad people and that’s why bad things happen to us. I want them to stop but they won’t let me talk to them about it, they just tell me I shouldn’t worry about it because I’m too young. And there's nothing I can do to stop it.” Tears had formed in Michael’s eyes and he looked down, chewing hard on his lip to stop it from trembling.

“Well, I can see that it does worry you a lot,” he said. “And your parents are right that a boy your age shouldn’t have to worry about such horrible things, but you are smart enough to see that it happens anyway, and so it’s natural for you to be afraid. Violent crime is a terrible thing, full of sin, and unfortunately those who commit it rarely seek forgiveness from God. Liam, I understand you feel helpless and concerned for the lives of people in your family, too, correct? Do you know much about what your family does, how they are connected to the crime in this city?”

Interactions
Misty Gray Liam

 

[Pyroclast]

Billy King​

It didn’t take a genius to know that Harper was still unhappy with Billy for his behaviour a few weeks ago. Whenever he had come to her door in the past, she had always greeted him warmly, whether he had shown up unannounced or not. But this time she kept him standing on her doorstep as if waiting for a password, looking at him with a coldness in her eyes. Already nervous about what he had come to talk to her about, her lack of welcome caused a well of emotion to stir in his chest and he felt a lump form in his throat. Coming to her door began to feel like the worst idea he had ever had. It was probably all in his head anyway - he wasn’t really gay, he was just confused because he had spent so much time around a gay friend. And if he wasn’t really gay, then he didn’t need to be wasting her time when she clearly didn’t want to listen to him.

Feeling the strength of her glare on him, Billy looked down sheepishly and reached up to rub at his brow. He was just about to pass the daisies to her and turn to leave when he remembered he had brought them for a reason - to apologise. Even if he decided his ideas about his sexuality were all wrong, he could at least stay to apologise to her and fix the tear in their relationship. So, he looked back into her eyes and uttered a small, “Please…”

Even though she was still clearly unhappy, she ended up letting him in. Given he had already had two pints, he wasn’t going to bother her for more alcohol, but since she offered and was heading into the kitchen anyway, he followed her and made his way towards the drinks cabinet. Besides, if she was going to take over preparing the flowers, he would need something to do with his hands to help calm him down. She asked him what had got him flustered but he pretended to be busy looking through her alcohol selection to buy him yet more time. Struggling to think of anything that could make him feel better, he ended up randomly pulling out a bottle of rum, and figured it was as good a choice as anything. He poured himself a generous measure and took a seat at her dining table.

“I just wanted to see you, really,” he said, having to clear his throat when his voice came out slightly strained. It wasn’t a lie as such, it just lacked most of the real answer. He took a deep breath, suddenly feeling a bit sick. “‘Cause I’ve...I’ve realised something. And I thought I should tell you.” His hand trembled as he took a sip of his drink, which surprised him, since he didn’t normally feel nervous to that extent. He felt like he was standing on the edge of a tall building, looking down at where he could fall. Whether Harper would be there to catch him, he couldn’t tell at this point. “I was an arse, I know that,” he told her. “I knew it then, but now I know why. I wasn’t ashamed of you, Harper, I never could be ashamed of you, and I’m so sorry that I said those things. The truth is, I wasn’t ashamed, I was...jealous.”

Despite the sick feeling, he took another sip of the rum to try and cover the burning lump in his throat. It didn’t really work. “Harper, how did you know you were into women?" he suddenly asked. "Did you like...fall in love? How do you even know when you’re in love?”

Interactions
Bellz Harper

 

[Pyroclast]

Tatiana Moretti​

Tatiana could see there were words on the tip of the woman’s tongue, but she was apparently in too much shock to actually verbalise them. From the way she was pressing herself against the wall and clutching what was left of her torn clothes to better cover her body, it was obvious that she was suffering some sort of trauma. But Tatiana had a gut feeling she knew what had happened. It reminded her of her younger sister and what she had suffered all those years ago in New York at the hands of East Harlem’s Steve Kelly, and the trauma it had left her with ever since. Though she knew she couldn’t be everywhere at once, it pained her that she hadn’t been there to protect her little sister. If there was a God above, Tatiana might wonder if this was them giving her a second chance.

Eventually the woman got to her feet, using the wall for support. “It’s okay, girl, no one’s gonna hurt you now,” she assured her, sending her a gentle smile. Eightball padded into the space between them and sat down, looking from Tatiana to the stranger. He seemed to understand that the woman was hurt and had decided to stand guard, should her attacker or attackers try to return. Tatiana took a few steps closer, minding she didn’t back the woman into the wall. She removed her jacket and held it out to her. “Go on,” she encouraged. “You’re freezing and you’re in shock. Please.”

Looking down to the book in her hand, she raised it into view. “Is this yours?” she asked. “And the business card of Spencer King?” With no idea of who this woman was, she didn’t know how she would know Spencer - maybe she was aware of the Kings’ criminal presence, or perhaps she was simply a contact for one of his front organisations, such as King Remedial - but either way, his name could be a divisive one, so she had to be clear with her. “It’s okay, I’m a friend of his. If you’re a friend too, then I hope you can trust me enough to help get you out of here. Not sure how long you were planning on sitting here but I can think of better places to spend the night.”

Since the woman didn’t appear to be very verbally responsive, it was hard to know whether the woman was in too much shock to speak or if she was actually mute. If the latter, she was sure that Bruce, Spencer or Erik would have informed her when they were explaining the Kings’ contacts and how best to communicate with them, so that meant she either wasn't really associated with them or she was just too traumatised to speak. “Come on,” she encouraged, holding her arms out to show she was ready to take her in. “I’ll get us a taxi. D’you wanna come with me and Eightball, we’ll get you a hot drink and some clean clothes to change into? He’ll protect you the whole way. He’s a good boy like that.”

Interactions
BasDorcha Jocelyn

 

[Misty Gray]

St. Saviour's Church
~ Beaumont, Dublin ~

Liam Callahan and Patience Davenport​

Like his friend's, Liam's eyes widened when Silas said he was aware the the aggressive boys who attended the school. Although he and Michael were in different classes, a year apart, it tended to be the same group of kids who bullied Michael during breaktimes. Some were in Liam's class and others in Michael's but they typically hung out together hassling others whenever they could. "Even Daryl Hennessy?!" he asked when the priest said he'd be having sessions with the other schoolkids. Daryl was the one Liam had punched and was often in altercations with during lessons. The boy seemed to think he was above punishment, so it was interesting to hear he'd have to attend sessions at the church. "He's disrespectful, Father. He won't pay attention like we do," he said, shrugging his shoulders and rolling his eyes. Still, he couldn't help but smile on the inside knowing Daryl was getting in trouble for once and he hadn't had to directly snitch on him for it to happen. He was sure the boy would hate church, so he was amused he had to attend now.

Liam quickly nodded his head as Silas said he shouldn't sacrifice his education. Although he was getting in trouble at school, he was one of the most intelligent in his class. Emery had a degree in business, but she'd only done it because Conor had told her to do so before he'd even employ her. In reality, Liam was the most academically inclined in his family. He enjoyed studying and learning. "No, I wouldn't give up. My Mam's really excited because I want to go to uni when I finish school and I don't want to let her down. I just wish the other kids would let me focus on my classwork."

When Michael spoke about how Chase hadn't gone to school, Liam kept quiet. He thought of his own father, knowing he'd grown up in a church orphanage. Based on how little Peter spoke of religion and did nothing to suggest he cared about it, Liam opted not to offer that information up. Would Silas think badly of Peter or would him being raised by nuns give some hope that the older man was at all religious? Either way, Liam didn't want to bring it up right now for fear of offending Father Healy.

Liam looked down towards his own knees when Silas spoke of how the two boys had been exposed to so much violent crime lately. He reluctantly nodded his head when asked if he knew that wasn't normal. "He was helping my sister," Liam quietly interjected with regards to Adam being shot. However, Silas then asked if he knew why the bad things happened, Liam couldn't pretend Emery and Adam were shot at for no reason at all. He knew they weren't innocent bystanders. He turned to Michael when the boy said it was a secret, subtly nodding his head in some kind of unspoken agreement not to speak of it. However, Michael then continued to speak, saying more than Liam thought either of them were going to. He awkwardly scratched the back of his head as Michael started to say a lot about what he knew, including how he knew he parents were lying to him. Liam looked back down when Michael said he knew about his family's guns. Liam couldn't help but cringe, but then he saw his friend was upset, so he briefly reached out to squeeze his friend's shoulder. Despite thinking he was meant to keep things secret, something about Michael speaking out made him feel like a door had been opened for him to do the same. Besides, they were in a church and Father Healy wasn't going to repeat anything. He would keep it all secret...

Liam looked up when Silas addressed him directly. The man asked him if he knew about what his family did; their connections to Dublin's criminal activities. He silently nodded his head then stuttered a little before speaking. "Uh... yeah. I hear things and see things. And my sister tells me other stuff," he replied. "Like, I know some of the things my family does are wrong, but they don't have a choice. There's evil people who are much more dangerous but my family keep them away. You know, like how I stood up to Daryl... smacked him... to stop him from bullying weaker people. It's like that," he attempted to reason. He let out a sigh. "My family and their friends are always getting hurt. Before I was born, they were being attacked by horrible people. Powerful people... in New York, and even Chicago. I heard that ages ago, like before 1950, my grandfather was murdered at his own birthday party - in front of his family. My Mam was really scared back then and it sounded really horrible." He chewed his bottom lip and quickly shook his head. He knew his family had grown far more powerful since their days in Chicago, but he couldn't bring himself to think they were the bad guys now. "My family are all good people. They've never done me wrong and they look out for each other. I'm scared if my family don't fight then they won't be safe and I might lose them. But I know what they do is wrong... I just... I don't want them to go to Hell. But how can I stop that? None of them come to church. Em calls me 'Jesus Boy' or 'Jesus Freak' because I choose to come here. She's only joking with me, but it hurts - especially when she really should be coming here more than I do." He let out a sigh. "And then there's Lucas - my Uncle Finn and George's adopted son. We get along, but he says he wouldn't be able to come here even if he didn't think it was weird. Like, is it true my uncles can't go to Heaven? Because they're gay?" he suddenly asked. It was difficult to think that even his sweet uncle, Finn, could be considered a sinner for being with another man.

Pyroclast (Silas)

 

[BasDorcha]

An Alley near The Royal Taphouse​

~Bethnal, London~
Jocelyn Justice​

​

The air was chilling, but her jacket was warm. Slipping the woman’s offered clothing around her shoulders, Jocelyn pulled it tight. It smelled like soap and comfort – though the actual smells she couldn’t quit put her finger on. Something foreign – that would explain the accent. Her voice calmed Jocelyn as she nodded and patted the pup on the head. When the stranger held up her planner and contact book, her whole life basically, and asked if it was hers, she responded with a quick, sharp nod, reaching for it.
Once the book was in her hands, she flipped to the front, where some basic contact info and a card was attached to the If Found Return To: spot. It read as below:

Jocelyn Jones, VP of British Imports
Jones Family Alcohol Distilleries and Breweries
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Phone Number: XXXX XXXXXX

​

She would wait patiently, giving the woman, a moment to read, before flipping to her calendar to the spot where Spencer’s card had been pinned with the day’s schedule in case she had needed to reach out. Obviously, she hadn’t made contact, and pulling the pen out of the fabric slip spot that held it into the planner, the wrote two words, ‘never arrived’. Something about the woman’s nature made her feel calmer the longer she was around her. When she mentioned how long she had been sitting here, she shrugged, she honestly wasn’t even sure what time it was. She had been due to meet Spencer about midday, it looked like evening now.

Where had the time gone? She wasn’t sure. With her arms open, Jocelyn cautiously stepped forward, before somewhat collapsing into her, the exhaustion of everything weighing down on her like a ton of bricks. Her eyes still leaked tears from her subconscious, but not at fast or as hard. Her body shook when the woman’s arms came around her. Gulping softly, she would comply to go wherever she asked, without a fight or question, both into the taxi and to wherever they were going. She was happy to be in her company and out of that alley, and occasionally would reach out and touch Eightball, the thickness of the canine comforting. Right now, she needed out of public sight, and the angel who had found her was the only person she wanted to see.

[divide] Mentions: @Pyroclast - Tatiana/Eightball [/border]

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Mercury Nightclub and Cocktail Bar
~Bethnal Green, London~

Erik Snowden

​

As time passed during the meeting, Erik had begun to feel more at ease and less likely to screw anything up. He was still frequently looking at his hands - since he didn't know what to do with them - and bouncing his leg, but other than that the nervousness had begun to leave him. The alcohol had also been helping, coursing through his veins as he sat more comfortably in his seat. Spencer then offered him and Damian a smoke, to which he politely declined. It may have been unknown to most, but Erik absolutely hated cigarettes. It was actually one of the things he disliked about Billy, but that was something he would tell him another time. The man then went on to explain how Savannah was the one who currently held custody of Callum and not Alex. Erik himself had only ever heard bits and pieces, however, he knew enough to piece things together. Alex wasn't much of a father but it seemed as if he were trying to turn that around. Hearing that the Sullivan's were trying to keep the kid from his father made him shake his head. "A boy needs his father in his life," he said speaking from experience. "I mean, how else is he supposed to learn how to be a man?" Hearing the words come out of his mouth felt strange. Ava was the one who taught him how to be a man, so surely Savannah could teach him all of that too, right? But then again the only reason she had to teach him was because Roger was an asshole so...

"He should definitely be with his father though. Sullivan's aren't exactly... Eh, the best role models are they?" He asked, taking a swig of his drink. Granted Erik himself had only heard stories about them and hadn't met a Sullivan yet. One would think he would save his reservations about them for another time, but alas. His loyalty lie in the Moretti's which meant their enemies were his even if he had never laid eyes on them. There was a slight pause in the room and the waitress must have known this as she walked into the room. Erik watched as she removed any empty glasses and asked for any refills. Erik downed the rest of his drink before asking for another, instructing her to just bring the bottle of whiskey on her way back. She took Spencer and Damian's drink orders before leaving the room again. Erik turned his head back to Spencer to listen to him speak more. He felt bad that the kid was stuck in the middle, but he blamed Conor for it. Whatever was happening between Alex and Savannah should stay there, he thought, considering he had no hand in Callum being made and born.

Instead of saying anything more, Erik let Damian talk. He had leaned forward to ask a question - one that sat in the back of Erik's own mind. If Conor had already made the decision that this was to be Callum's last time coming to London, then that meant they would have to go to Dublin to bring him back. Stepping into enemy territory was always a bad idea, even more so when you were unprepared. Damian then asked his opinion and Erik took a deep breath. "I mean, I agree. Alex would have to be a hundred percent in this and willing to do whatever. I can't imagine Moretti would be happy if he sent men over just for them to die for no reason. So unless he's up for it, up for possibly going to Dublin again, then I don't think we should get involved." He said gesturing between himself and Damian. When he said 'we' he meant the Moretti side as a whole, not just the two of them.

He was about to say more when the soft pounds of music ceased in the background. Erik hadn't realized how much of it he'd tuned out until it was gone completely. He looked at Spencer and raised a playful eyebrow, a sly grin crossing his lips. "What, you guys close early now?" He joked, before the look on his face turned more serious. Though it was faint he could hear two voices shouting at each other and they both sounded like men. He gave his two counterparts a curious look before standing up and walking out the room, beckoning them to follow. The waitress from earlier was standing just outside the door, back pressed against the wall. When he asked her what was wrong, she informed him there were two men by the bar, one of which had a gun and was threatening to shoot the other. For once Erik hadn't brought his own with him, not expecting anything too crazy to occur. The shouting got louder and he tried to process the slurred words. From what he gathered someone had wrong him, taken something that belonged to him and he wanted it back. "I don't know what you're talkin' about, you crazy fuck!" The other shouted. Seeing as this wasn't his club and he didn't have his gun, he turned to Spencer. "Since it's your place and, ya know, your reputation in the balance, how'd you wanna handle this. I could-," he cut himself off, dragging his index finger across his throat. "-the guy or something."

Spencer, Damian ( Misty Gray )

Sullivan Family Home
~Dublin, Ireland~

Aliana Sullivan​

As Conor tried to reason with her, Ali found herself subconciously rubbing her hand across her chest where her heart was. Ever since her heart attack she had tried to keep her nerves calm, keep the stress away, but this was throwing all of those efforts out the window. Despite not being the one to be putting a child in danger she had been taking this act as if she were. The reason why was behind her, but she knew that if the girl was killed or had accidentally died because of her husband she would never be able to rest. It was probably because she was a mother of a young girl and despite the Moretti's being their enemy, they were still people who loved their family dearly. It was that love for their family that got them all into this mess anyway. It was easy to hate them for what they had done to her family but it was hard to hate the children born into something that had nothing to do with them. She tried to figure out if she believed that Conor wasn't going to hurt her but from what she had seen today and in the past, she wasn't so sure. He was a vicious, more so than she remembered, and she no longer knew what he was capable of. "And how do you know," she asked, looking down at the ground. "How do you know one of them wouldn't have worked?"

Ali watched Conor's reaction to her slapping him and could tell he was even more pissed than he originally was before. Their fights and arguments had always gone out of control, her hitting him and them breaking things, but never had he hit her. He had that much self-control when it came to her, though she knew she deserved it. There were times where she expected him to at least grab her but he never did. But again, with this new man standing before her she didn't know what to expect so she just braced herself for it. He didn't. Instead he yelled back at her, saying he didn't have a choice. "We all have choices and yours was to take his place and I stayed by your side every goddamn step! I could have left; taken Leo like I always said and raised him and Rhiannon on my own but I didn't. I supported you through everything." She took a few steps back, running her hand through her hair trying to calm down. "And it's the fact that Leo is a grown man that I didn't say anything against it. All I ever do is give you and the kids and everyone else support, so for you to stand there and act as if I don't is fucking bullshit. I made my mistakes and I've spent over a decade making up for it, so some goddamn respect would be much appreciated!" She clenched her teeth when he beckoned her to hit him some more. Lord knows she wanted to, but what would that solve? There was no going back from any of this and her energy would be wasted.

A small gasp left Ali's throat the moment he started comparing himself to another man again. Unbeknownst to her, tears had started to well up in her eyes and she looked away. She was sure the two of them had gotten past this in their sessions together, but it seemed like she was wrong. Why was he saying this? Was he bringing up Tommy again? Nearly twenty years and three kids later? Ali had even stopped wearing the bracelet Tommy had gotten her out of respect for Conor, yet he still felt this way. "You're bringing that up again? Right now?" She let out a dark chuckle as tears left her eyes. "So all that time and money spent with Dr. Summers was for nothing then? You didn't believe a word I said?" She scoffed and forced herself to move, grabbing the bottle of whiskey before he had to opportunity. "You're a real piece of work, Conor Sullivan." She was being sarcastic, even if the laugh she let out contradicted it. She just couldn't believe that after everything they had gone through he was still comparing himself to a dead man.

Taking a deep breath to calm down she rolled her eyes and drank from her cup. "Because you're my husband, the father of my children, and unfortunately I still love you." She sighed. Though the words came out of her mouth in an exhausted and irritated tone, she meant every word. She was just growing tired of fighting and arguing with him. Plus, she was distracted and still reeling from the fact that she was feeling insulted by his words. He was comparing himself again and saying she was unsupportive and felt like he was taking a jab at her. She was sure that this was more than likely because he was stressed, but the fact remained; the damage had been done. She looked up at him and shrugged her shoulders. "And despite the fact that you have become someone I barely recognize most days I still want to be Mrs. Aliana Marie Sullivan." She let out another dry chuckle, wiping the tears away with her hand.

After a few seconds of silence, she created distance between the two of them and looked away from him. He then offered to call and speak to the girl himself, which she shrugged her shoulders. Would it make that big of a difference? Bring her some sort of peace? She wouldn't be sure so she just gestured to the phone, giving him to go ahead. "On speaker," she instructed, finishing the remaining of her cup. She wanted to hear it for herself and not from just his mouth.

Conor ( Misty Gray )

Roxie's New Home
~Dollymount, Dublin~

Reina Richards

​

The last thing in life Reina ever wanted to do was become a mover. Lifting heavy boxes, moving furniture up and down stairs, taking things apart just to put them together again, it was too much. Pieces got lost, things got damaged or broken and it was all really a hassle. She'd prefer to either buy new things or just settle in one place for a really long time. But alas, working for Roxie had her doing all sorts of things she said she would never do. Babysit, fly on airplanes, go to funerals, become a mover. The woman had taken her list of dislikes and gotten her to do every single last one of them, but Reina wouldn't complain - aloud, anyway - because it was what she signed up for. Doing whatever Roxie asked without question. This became even more apparent seeing as she had let Matthew get killed on her watch. Despite being told it wasn't her fault and she had protected Roxie and the kids first, she still blamed herself. Her security she have been better, more efficient. Just because they were in friendly, neutral territory meant fuck all and she should have been more aware. She wasn't going to let it happen a second time and had been making up for it by doing everything without problems.

With all the furniture finally moved in and put together, Reina was able to put the tools away for now. She was handy with a screwdriver and hammer but it was such a tedious job that she had grown sick of it. After this was all done she didn't want to see any of those tools for at least a month. She had even made plans to go find a shooting range so she could get back to feeling like a bodyguard again. All that was left were the boxes, though Reina knew it would take them a while to unpack. Moving in the furniture and putting them together had been the easy part. Unpacking the boxes and putting everything away? That was going to be difficult. Since it was Roxie and the kids there had been a ton of stuff compared to her couple of boxes and suitcases. Reina packed only the things she would miss and/or need for the apartment she would eventually find that wasn't too far from Roxie. In the meantime, they had packed up the last of the boxes and were headed to the new home. Before they took off, Roxie instructed her to take the girls out to buy pizza, which made her pause. Considering Matthew had died in front of a pizza place, she wondered if pizza was a good idea. She glanced at the girls then back at her and just nodded her head. If they started crying or something she would find something else, but she wouldn't bring it up for now. "Alright, crotch goblins, let's go get pizza," she said before making sure they were strapped in.

It didn't take them long to pick up the pizzas, Reina letting the girls choose the toppings and how many they got. It took Reina using her adult card to prevent them from getting a box for everyone to have on their own, so they settled on just two pizzas - one pepperoni and one cheese. Just as they were about to leave Reina spotted a bakery and asked if they wanted to get a cake to celebrate their new house. When the girls agreed she gave them her wallet to go buy whatever they wanted while she took the pizza to the car and waited. It wasn't until they came out with an eight inches circular cake that she realized she had made a mistake. She just pinched the bridge of her nose and told them to hold onto it as she drove home. The girls arrived home first as they set the pizza and cake up in the kitchen. "Hey, wash your grubby little hands first." She said, though she didn't do the same before taking a slice of pepperoni for herself. Hearing Roxie's car drive up, she made her way outside and stepped to the side when JJ ran in. "You definitely wash your hands!" She said as he ran past.

Reina then turned her attention back to Roxie, watching as she started walking towards the house. As of late she could tell something was off about her, but she just chalked it up to grief and being back in Dublin. It couldn't be easy being in the place the person you loved was killed. Considering Reina had never been in love like that she couldn't relate, but she did see how it affected Roxie. "Your girls have expensive taste," she said, mouth full of pizza. "They just bought a cake worth-," she paused, trying to convert the American dollar to Irish pounds only to fail. "I don't fucking know, but it was expensive. Last time I ever give them my wallet." She then looked her over, raising an eyebrow. "...Need to talk or something? You don't look... Okay." She said rather bluntly.

Roxie ( Bellz )

​

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter
Outside Sully's Diner 

- Dublin City Center, Dublin - ​

Lucy was beginning to worry about Shinoa when a familiar car drove past her with Finn giving her a brief wave. Lucy waved in return with a huge smile on her face before turning as she heard Shinoa greet her. Squealing, Lucy walked quickly towards her and offered to help her with her baby bag. "There you two precious girls are! I was beginning to worry!" Lucy said warmly before moving to give Shinoa a kiss on the head and a hug. "Motherhood looks incredible on you, love. You are positively glowing!" The blonde gushed. Looking to baby Lillian in her carrier, Lucy waved at the baby sweetly. "Let's get you two settled inside, hm?" She asked, gently starting to lead Shinoa towards the entrance of the diner when her son's sudden appearance caught her eye. Lucy's already big smile grew even wider, "My boy!" Lucy said happily as she paused in her effort to get Shinoa seated. Lucy briefly made eye contact with Tom, her smile never fading before her focus returned to Syd as he asked what she was doing out and if she was going to come say hi.

"Actually I was meeting Shinoa here to catch up with how she and little Lillian here were doing since I've been pretty busy the last few days." Lucy told him but smirked, "You know I would have stopped by afterward to see if you were around though." She stated as he leaned in to kiss her cheek. He then turned his attention to Shinoa and asked how she was doing. Lucy looked to Shinoa to give her an encouraging smile as Syd then turned his attention to the baby, asking if he could hold her. Lucy let out a soft chuckle, "You are just as baby crazy as I am, Syd." She looked to Shinoa, "We haven't had a baby in the family in a long time, so if you haven't caught the drift yet...my family loves kids." Lucy smiled sweetly before Syd suddenly remember that Tom was standing next to him.

Tom seemed distracted as he offered his hand to Lucy which she took and he oddly enough kissed the back of her hand. Raising a brow as she looked to the young man with a smile, "An old-fashioned fellow, hm? I haven't been greeted like that since I went on my first date back in 1939." Lucy said teasingly. Tom stated that Syd never mentioned having such a beautiful mother, which Lucy waved her hand at bashfully. He then called Shinoa and Angel and Lucy raised her eyebrows as she looked to her to see what she thought of that. Syd went on to say that Tom was on his probationary period at the shop and that he was doing an alright job. Lucy chuckled, "I'd take that as a compliment Tom, Syd's a bit of a hard ass...just like his father." Lucy said, rolling her eyes. Tom stated that Syd was giving him a test run at the garage and that he didn't intend on letting her son down. "I'm sure you are doing an excellent job, if my boy is giving you a tough time don't hesitate to give me a ring, I'll set him straight for you." The blonde teased as she looked at her son with a smile.

"Aren't you supposed to be picking up the kids in a little while?" Lucy asked Syd. "Jeanie called me after school to tell me just how much she hated moving boxes. She sounded pretty upset about having to move at all." She added with a shake of her head. Lucy didn't disapprove of Roxie's move but she understood how hard moving around could be for a kid even if it was just from one place in the same area to another. "We were just about to go inside and grab a bite to eat, would you two hard-working boys like to join us?" Lucy asked looking to Shinoa to see if she would mind having the company. Lucy saw this as the perfect opportunity for Syd and her to get to know one another, at least before he had to go. She also saw something between her and Tom that Lucy wanted to investigate...she was extremely protective of Shinoa and Lillian at the moment, especially since Shinoa was just starting out as a new mother. She wanted to make sure that whatever she saw between them wasn't going to negatively affect her adopted daughter.
with: Syd Pyroclast ; Shinoa BloodLightning27 ; Tom BasDorcha

 

[Bellz]

Thomas Porter
The Sullivan's Pub
-Dublin City Center, Dublin - ​

Despite the tension he was feeling, Thomas, let out the smallest of laughs when Leo started talking to him like his own mother did. He had a point though, to make the most of his life since he had escaped death. While that seemed like such an easy thing to do, Thomas was welcoming death every single waking minute. He was able to hide it well, to function around others to maintain some sort of normalcy but the truth was he was just waiting for something to take him away, to take the pain away. The countless times he had attempted to take his own life only to chicken out in the process was frustrating, he welcomed death so openly but he couldn't commit to getting the deed done himself. The guilt consumed him which stopped him from succeeding in his attempts, he had a family, friends, his dog, and now Elena who depended on him, who needed him. That was the only reason he stuck around it seemed like, they constantly expressed their concern and need but the moment things went silent, the moment he felt like he was no longer needed or wanted...well he was afraid to think of what he would do at that point. He imagined it would feel exactly like he had felt a month into being held hostage in a cell, being told that no one cared enough to save him...that he was expendable.

"Guess I kind of suck at making the best of things these days, just another failure to add to the ever-growing list." Thomas said in a sarcastic tone before polishing off his drink. Leo's joke about their mothers expecting them to be doctors made Thomas crack a smile, "They expect us to all be like Finn but let's face it, no one's as perfect as Finn." He said with a shake of his head before tapping on the bar to get a refill. He was sure at this point in the conversation, Leo understood that things between Lucy and Thomas were tense but he was optimistic about her getting over it. "I'm not so-" Thomas started to interrupt his cousin before Leo stated that James was coming back soon. That made Thomas's heart drop. He barely heard Leo finish his sentence about talking with his mother as Thomas couldn't even process what he'd just heard. His dad was coming back? Another pint was set in front of him, breaking his frantic thoughts from consuming him as Thomas turned in his chair to look at Leo with wide eyes.

"Wait...just hold on a minute. My Dad's coming back?!" Thomas asked frantically, his voice remaining leveled though as he looked to Leo for an answer. "When did you find this out? How the fuck is he getting out of Riker's? I thought the whole reason my mother moved here was that he wasn't going to ever get out?! Now all of the sudden he's free as a bird???" Thomas asked, his hands starting to shake with anxiety. He hadn't spoken to his father since he'd gone into prison, not a single phone call, no visits. Thomas was furious with his father for leaving Lucy, him, and Olivia. Of course, it wasn't by choice but there were choices behind the actions that lead to his arrest. Thomas had always had a hard time understanding how his father could be the way that he was, how he could go out and kill someone and come home as if nothing had happened. Or at least it seemed that way to Thomas at the surface. Thomas didn't have a killer bone in his body but the military had changed everything for him. Thomas rationalized it though, telling himself that he killed the people he had to in order to save innocent lives.

What he felt that his father did along with Uncle Conor and even his brother wasn't as noble. They only killed to save themselves and their own, they never saved innocents who got caught up in their turmoil. Those were feelings that Thomas had at the time when James had gone into prison but this...this was now. Thomas was now working for his Uncle, he hadn't had to kill anyone as of yet but he knew later down the line he might. The outlook he had on the business was still a bitter one but violence was all he knew now. He had quite a few years to talk to his father and patch things up but Thomas was afraid, not of his father but of himself. He was afraid of saying the wrong thing, of damaging his relationship with James. Thomas understood the things that Syd did to them in the past and how they came to forgive him but...Thomas wasn't so sure they would be as forgiving with him. Syd was the favorite after all. Looking to Leo, Thomas took a deep breath to try and steady himself. "When is he supposed to be back? Does my mom, sister, and brother know??"
with: Leo Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Bellz]

Harper King
Harper's Place
- London - ​

Harper glanced at Billy as he chose something from the cabinet and a glass before going to take a seat at her dining table. She returned to snipping the ends of the flowers as he stated that he just wanted to see her, which she didn't believe for a second. They hadn't talked in weeks and while they used to apologize immediately, the apology she had been waiting for took entirely too long. Harper wasn't sure where she and her favorite brother stood any longer, she had plenty of cries about it over the last few weeks and now that he was here, she wasn't sure what she was going to get from him. Continuing to snip at the stems, Billy continued to say that he realized something and that he thought she should tell her. This caused her to pause in her actions, looking to him with a raised brow. She noticed his hands were shaking which normally didn't happen when he was nervous and inevitable concern etched her features. Setting the flowers down on the counter, Harper moved to sit at the table next to him wanting to get a closer look at him because from her angle it looked like he might pass out.

Billy then went on to say that he was an arse which Harper didn't hesitate to nod in agreement with that statement, but stayed silent to allow him to get his thoughts out. He then stated that he knew he was being one then but he now understood why. Harper's brows furrowed together in confusion as she looked at him, allowing him to continue to explain. He stated that he wasn't ashamed of her, that he could never be ashamed of her, which made her eyes suddenly water with tears. He apologized for saying the things he had to her at the club and that he was jealous. The tears that had just started to spill ceased as her attention was captured by his words.

Harper watched as he took another sip of rum even though she was sure he'd had plenty to drink before he came to her house, she could smell it on him. Billy then asked her about when she knew she was into women and if she fell in love. He then asked how to even know if one was in love. Harper was silent for a moment as she moved to take the rum bottle from him, placing the lid back on it as she set it down next to her chair. This was a conversation they should be having at least semi-sober...so that he would remember it.

"Well Billy, if I am being honest with you...I can't really remember when I knew...and I think that's because I've always known. Ever since I was little I've liked women. I mean...unbeknownst to you, I would invite girls to the house when I was a teenager all the time for a sleepover, none of you even guess that most of those girls were girlfriends. It was right under your noses but you never sniffed me out." Harper said with a small chuckle. "I've always known I liked girls even if I didn't consciously know it...does that make sense?" The blonde asked as she took her brother's hand with a small smile. "And you know you're in love when your heart gets this pitter-patter feeling when the person you are in love enters the room...or when they leave it you immediately yearn for their company despite them having just been with you moments prior."

"I've only fallen in love once...with a woman who...ultimately let the prejudices in this fucking country consume her. She killed herself shortly after coming out to her parents." Harper's eyes watered as she shook her head, taking a deep breath to keep her emotions in check. "I didn't really talk to any of you about her because I didn't want to have a lecture about being gay, about the dangers of it or how wrong it is. And I think...I think you can relate to me Billy...is there something you aren't telling me?" Harper asked, her voice sweeter as she gave his hand a squeeze. "You know you can tell me absolutely anything right? I mean yeah, you were an arse and I was upset but...you can trust me with anything Billy. Pinky swear?" Harper used her free hand to hold up her pinky, looking to him to take it with his own. They had done it a lot as children, keeping secrets from their older brothers and their Uncle. There were a lot of things that those older men didn't know about either of them and the pair of siblings were willing to keep it that way.
with: Billy Pyroclast

 

[Pyroclast]

Billy King​

The time came when Harper seemed to soften; she abandoned the flowers to come and sit next to him, and even though he was glad that she was showing more interest in listening to him, that only meant that he was running out of stalling time. His anxiety surged and he brought his knuckles to his mouth, unable to pretend that nothing was wrong. He never could hide from her - the two had always been so comfortable around each other that it was near impossible to lie to the other even if they wanted to. He only realised that he had been avoiding her gaze when he eventually glanced at her and saw the tear tracks on her face. If his apology was making her cry, he could only imagine how upset she must have been during their weeks of not talking.

When she pulled the bottle of rum away from him he hoped that she was about to pour herself a glass and join him in drinking, but instead she just set the bottle down. Billy didn't mind - when it came to drinking he had always struggled to stop once he had started, so it was probably a good idea for her to take it off him before the conversation got any messier than it was already about to be.

After a brief silence, Harper began to answer his question. He looked at her curiously when she informed him that many of the apparent friends she had had over for sleepovers when they were young had actually been girlfriends. Thinking back, he couldn't work out which girls she was talking about specifically. Without much female presence in his life, it had been Harper from whom he'd first learned the difference between female friendships and male ones. Boys didn't hold hands and cuddle each other like girls did, so Billy never did that with his friends even if he had wanted to. Harper's romantic relationships with other girls had gone completely over his head, because to him that's just what friendship between girls looked like - intimate and close. Now he realised he had been wrong the whole time.

She asked if it made sense that she had always known that she liked women despite not being conscious of it, and after a second Billy nodded his head. It made sense to him because he realised he had spent his whole life not really being conscious of himself, either. A whole 28 years of living in the dark. Harper took his hand and offered him a smile; he took hers in a tight grip and met her gaze, but couldn't smile back. The way she described what falling in love was like was painfully familiar to him. No matter how much he wanted to be wrong, he just couldn't deny it anymore - what she was describing was exactly how he felt about Erik.

Harper went on to tell him about her experience falling in love, with a woman who ended up killing herself after coming out to her parents. Still chewing on his knuckles, Billy's eyes suddenly flooded with tears and he squeezed Harper's hand tight; the thought of her sister going through that heartbreak alone without being able to talk to him about it made him feel like the worst brother ever, and on top of that the poor woman's suicide wasn't making it any easier for Billy to come out, too. She then asked him if he related to her situation and said that he could trust her if he wanted to tell her anything. The tears had already started crashing down his face when he moved his trembling hand to interlink his pinky finger with hers, the way they always used to when sharing secrets. Now there was no backing out.

By now it was obvious that she had the idea in her mind; he wanted to say it, but he was so choked up that he could only sit there in silence, holding his breath and squeezing her hand as tears poured down his cheeks.

“It just makes sense,” he eventually whispered in defeat. An irrepressible sob escaped him and he raised his knuckles to cover his mouth again. He lost eye contact with Harper, too ashamed to look at her, but he continued to hold her hand tightly as he fought to catch his breath. “I thought I could escape it but I can’t. I tried so hard to be a normal guy, Harp - I had girlfriends, I slept with so many women just thinking the next one will be better, or it’ll feel right if I just found the right one, but there is no right one, ‘cause I’m...I’m...”

The crucial word remained trapped at the back of his throat - even though he knew, and he knew Harper also knew, he still couldn't bring himself to say it.

“It just seems so obvious now, looking back,” he continued, once he was able to speak again. He took a brief pause for a quick sip of his drink. “I lost my virginity to Julian Bird’s girlfriend when I was 16...do you remember him from school? Well, anyway, I wanted them to break up because I was jealous of their relationship, so I convinced her he was no good for her and we ended up shagging behind the bike sheds after school. The fact I remember his name and not hers tells you whose attention I really wanted…” He let out a shaky laugh, but it only caused more tears to form in his eyes. “And then a few years ago I reconnected with my best friend from school, David,” he said, his glazed eyes falling to the floor ahead of him. “All that time I was fooling myself, but I didn’t fool him. He knew, he must have, because he kissed me one night, told me he loved me.” His voice weakened as more tears crashed down his face. “But I wasn’t ready to face any of it yet, I wasn’t ready to be loved by a guy, so I fought him off...and we never spoke again. And then AIDS got him. I never made things right with him and I’ll always have to live with that. My lifelong punishment for being a fucking piece of shit.” Billy pulled his hand away from Harper’s and used it to cover his face, too ashamed to even look at her.

“It’s all Erik’s fault," he groaned. "If he hadn’t told me he was gay and kept being all flirty with me maybe I’d never have started thinking about it all and I could just pass as a normal straight guy the rest of my life. Now everyone’s gonna see me differently and people will think the Kings are weaker because they’ve got some fuckin’ fairy on their side. No one’s gonna want me here if they find out ‘cause it’s just gonna damage our reputation.”

As afraid as he was of that happening - and in his mind, it was a very real possibility - he couldn’t help but feel the alternative was worse. The alternative being exactly what he described - going back into the closet and pretending to be straight for the rest of his life. It seemed impossible now, anyway, with all the feelings he had developed for Erik. Drawing in a slow breath to settle his nervous stomach, Billy looked over at his sister with puffy, tearful eyes. “I just want to be with him all the time,” he whispered. “He’s all I think about, Harp...I get high just hearing his name. It’s so stupid. I want it to not be true but at the same time I want nothing else. I know I’m not making sense, but...fuck, I just...I love him. I’m in love with Erik Snowden.”

As soon as he had said the words out loud for the first time, Billy covered his mouth with his hand and looked at his sister as if he had just said the most outrageous thing in the world. But behind his hand he started smiling. Even though it terrified him, and that being with Erik could mean having to leave the family business behind and would put his relationship with the rest of his family at risk, it still made him giddy to say the L word and to have Harper finally know what he had come to realise was the truth. All his guilt, his fears, regrets and self-loathing had been bottled up for so long that in his emotional outburst he had ended up spilling it all at once. As it was, Harper was the only person he felt comfortable enough to have talked about any of it with, but he still felt bad for coming into her house unannounced and dragging in all his baggage and drama. “I’m sorry,” he said after a moment, reaching up to wipe his tears away. “I just couldn’t keep it inside anymore, I really needed to talk to you - you’re the only person who I thought might understand and...and accept it. I'm just scared no one else will.” Just as soon as he had dried his eyes, they instantly welled up again and he looked at her helplessly. "Harper, how do I do this?"

Interactions
Bellz Harper

Melanin-Gxdess the stupid object of his stupid affection (mentioned)

 

[Misty Gray]

The Sullivan Residence
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

Conor Sullivan​

When Aliana called him out for mentioning Tommy again after twenty years and plenty of counselling with Dr. Summers, Conor slowly nodded his head. "Yeah..." he began. He was cut short when his wife grabbed the bottle out of his hand, causing him groan at her action. He didn't try to take it back or protest, knowing that would seem like the act of a desperate alcoholic. He returned her sarcastic laugh with one of his own before shrugging his shoulders at being called a piece of work. In the back of his mind he knew he was being somewhat immature and unreasonable, but the moment was heated and the momentum wouldn't let him relax. "You know what? I don't think it's about you and Tommy anymore. Not him specifically and not the fact he was your first choice. I'm over that. It's about me, Ali. I wish I was a good man, like he was. Hell, he had his own tragedy to overcome but he was still a decent bloke. Had that chilled attitude and could smile even when shit was getting him down behind the scenes. I was just some drunken waster then, and now I'm whatever the fuck this is!" he said, shaking his head in disgust.

When Aliana said she still loved him, Conor looked her in the eyes whilst slowly shaking his head. He calmly sat in his leather desk chair but continued to look at her. "I don't know how you can still love me," he admitted. He choked back his own tears and slowly nodded his head when she said she still wanted to be his wife. "You're nuts, Ali. You deserve much better than me and I don't know how you've stick with me this long."

Aliana didn't talk him out of calling Cristina, instead she told him to do so on speaker. "I... okay..." he said, surprised she wanted him to do it. Deep down, he wanted to call, if only to put his mind at ease and know the child wasn't hurt. He lifted the receiver on the secondary telephone, leaving the other phoneline open for incoming calls. After punching in the number which was by now committed to his memory, the phone rang a few times before someone answered. "Hey, it's Conor. How are things going. How's Cristina?" he asked, pressing the button to put the call on speaker so Aliana could hear what was being said.

"Things are okay. I mean... She said she needed the bathroom and a few minutes later I caught her trying to escape through the bathroom window. I pulled her back inside and she's been back on the sofa since." - the man explained.

"Are you kidding me? She didn't hurt herself or anything did she? I hope you didn't kick off," Conor said, glancing to Aliana. When the man confirmed the girl wasn't hurt and he hadn't yelled at her, Conor let out a relieved sigh. "Listen. I need you to put her on the phone. I want to talk to her myself." Conor fell silent as he waited to hear the next voice. When he heard the girl's voice say a cautious 'hello', Conor pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to hold back his emotions at hearing the young voice. "Hi Cristina..." he began, sucking in a breath to compose himself. "My name is Conor. I know your dad and grandad. I want to tell you that everything's going to be okay. They just have something that belongs to me and once they give it back, they'll be able to take you home. You don't need to worry. You're safe and those two guys you're with are only looking after you. We can talk on the phone until it's time for you to go home."

"I don't..." Cristina began, falling silent before letting out a deep breathe. "I want to go home right now. And you're all strangers." There was another pause, during which Conor and Aliana couldn't see the girl looking to the two men she was with. "I can't feel safe because they're wearing masks and they took me away from school. People who wear masks are dangerous and I'm scared of that."

"They're not going to hurt you, Cristina. Are you hurt now?" Conor asked, his voice cracking as he struggled to listen to the sweet young voice at the other end of the line.

"No. I'm not hurt, but I'm scared. Papa wouldn't involve me in his work and if he did he would tell me first. Please can I just go home now?" she asked, the audible sniffle causing Conor shake his head as he struggled to think of how to reassure her.

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau
Roxie's New Home
- Dollymount, Dublin - ​

With JJ having bolted inside to grab a slice of pizza, Roxie took her time walking towards the house. She had been looking down towards her new cobblestone driveway when Reina's voice caused her to look up at the woman. The brunette smirked at her bodyguard stated that the girls had expensive taste stating that they had bought a whole cake but she paused to try and figure out the conversion. Reina stated she didn't know how much it was but that it was expensive. Roxie let out a small laugh and shook her head, "I'll ask the girls how much it was and give you the money back. They can be a little over the top with spending sometimes, especially when myself or Syd isn't around." She stated. Roxie looked at the pizza in Reina's hands, although she had been aware the food could possibly trigger an emotional reaction from her and the kids, the kids seemed to be fairing okay at the moment. However, the smell was making Roxie nauseous and her mouth dry as if she was going to be sick. Swallowing harshly, Roxie watched as Reina looked her over, her eyebrow raised. When asked if she needed to talk, Roxie shook her head. Reina then commented that the woman didn't look okay and that elicit a laugh from the middle-aged woman.

"I don't think there's been a time in the last 13 years that I've ever looked better than okay." Roxie stated somewhat pessimistically. "I'm fine, really. Just trying to get over this fucking stomach bug the kids brought back from school." She murmured, hoping that would be enough to convince Reina. "Sorry I've been having you look after the kids and helping me with the move...I know it's not in your job description but I haven't exactly had the time to look for a nanny that I can trust. With the shooting and everything, I feel like trying to bring an outsider into the house would be a dangerous choice..." Roxie explained. "But I'll make it up to you, I'm going to double your pay starting today and I already called Syd to come to take the crotch goblins out of both of our hair tonight for the weekend, so you can do whatever you feel like doing. I talked briefly with Ricky and told him I've been out of sorts with this bug, so I'm taking the weekend to myself while he takes care of things in New York. I was planning on going this week but I just don't think flying is an option at the moment." Roxie explained with a sigh before nodding her head towards the front door.

"Let's go sit down while we can, I still have to bring in the rest of the boxes from my car but I need a breather." Roxie said before entering the house with Reina behind her. She was greeted with the shrill screaming of Jeanie, "You can't have half a cake JJ! We bought this for all of us!" Roxie's teeth clenched as she walked into the kitchen to see the three kids hovering over the cake they bought. Jeanie spotted Roxie from the corner of her eye, "Mom, tell JJ that he can't have half a cake! He'll puke!" Roxie shook her head as she looked to her son, "Your sister is right, J. You can't possibly eat half a cake and feel good after doing it. One slice for tonight, I'm sure your father would not appreciate it if I sent you all to his place doped up on sugar. Speaking of, make sure you three have your bags ready, I separated some boxes of yours and there are clothes in them for you to rummage through. Go do that before you have cake." Once the three kids went to do as she asked, Roxie let out another sigh as she turned to Reina. "I love them to death but the shrill fighting I can't take," Roxie said before nodding towards her office. "You want kids? I would be willing to part with two of them? She joked a teasing smile on her face.
with: Reina Melanin-Gxdess
mentions: Syd Pyroclast

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Sullivan Family Home
~Dublin, Ireland~

Aliana Sullivan​

It was clear the two of them had been keeping certain feelings from each other and that they were beginning to boil over. Because of the way things had been going as of late as far as the Kings and Morettis were involved, Ali had been keeping things to herself. The last thing she wanted was to be a bother to Conor with her emotions when he had other things to think about. But in doing so she let everything build and now they were pouring out of her. Even as she tried to reel some things in it was extremely difficult to do so. This wasn't the time for her to say anything else but Pandora's box had already been opened. Her eyes found his again as he informed her it was no longer about her and Tommy. It came as a relief to her that they weren't revisiting the subject of Tommy, especially since it had been the very thing that caused such a huge problem in their marriage before. As much as she had loved Tommy she refused to let him be the reason why her relationship with Conor crumbled. Sitting in the chair that face the front of his desk, Ali slouched down getting comfortable. Her fingers sat laced together on her stomach before she looked up at him. "How about you stop trying to be someone you're not?" She paused, letting her words sink in before continuing. "You're modeling yourself after a man who had just as many flaws as you. Tommy wasn't perfect; no one is and the sooner you realize that the better off you'll be." Her voice was monotone, wanting to keep all the emotions from it even if they showed on her face. It had been decades and they were still having this conversation. At this point, all of her efforts felt futile and it broke her heart. She felt as though nothing she could ever say or ever do would make him realize it and it made her question things she hadn't for a long time.

"You're a shadow of your former self," she looked away to wipe the tears that had been silently falling down her cheeks during their argument. She knew when the moment he changed was and it was when Jackson was killed. The man had been one of the brightest parts of Conor's soul and when he died that light had been snuffed out. The change didn't happen at once, but over time and she had watched it all happen, powerless to stop any of it. That's why she had stuffed her feelings about it so far down and just accepted it. She hesitated to say anything more but figured this was a good enough time to at least say some of what she wanted. "Jackson was the biggest part of you and when he died, he took that with him. He left a hole, not just in Blake but in you and you've filled it with nothing but hatred and disdain for Moretti," her voice cracked as she put her hand up to stop him from interrupting if he tried. "Don't get me wrong I will forever hate the man for what he's done to you, Blake, and our family, but that hatred has turned you into the person you are today." She was aware the blame couldn't solely be placed on Gabriel, but he had definitely been the last straw.

She rolled his eyes the moment he stated he didn't know how she could still love him. "I always forget you're not the brightest bulb out there," she playfully said through a sad smile. Despite being hurt and emotional, she still managed to joke and smile at him. Obviously, there was a lot to talk about later and she wasn't going to just sweep it under the rug, but for the moment they had other things to worry about. "Will you stop telling me what I fucking deserve? Jesus Christ." She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance. "I would tell you why but," she paused, shrugging her shoulders as she opened her eyes. "Would you even accept it?" It wasn't necessarily a question she was looking for an answer for. It had become apparent that despite all the times she tried to reassure him of her love for him that he didn't believe her. It hurt to think about and she wasn't sure where they were going to go from here.

Aliana kept her mouth shut while he talked with one of his men. She was shocked that he had actually called and put the girl on speaker, figuring he would just blow her off. Listening to him say the girl tried to escape she couldn't help but smirk. A resilient little girl, she thought, though it was reckless of her to be trying to escape from windows. She stood up from her seat to get closer so she could hear better, now standing directly next to her husband. The conversation between Cristina and Conor nearly made Aliana burst out in tears. Cristina had been smarter than she thought and more aware than expected. She knew the men around her were strangers and that she didn't feel safe in the slightest. It wasn't until she asked to go home that it had finally become too much for Ali to bear. The sweet sound of her voice reminded her too much of Sydney. She turned her back to Conor, covering her mouth with her hand as a sob left her throat. The tears ran down her face in full force and she felt sick to her stomach. She leaned her hand against the corner of his desk to steady herself as she wondered how - if possible - they were both going to move past this.

Conor ( Misty Gray )

The Sullivan's Pub
~Dublin City Center, Dublin~

Leo Sullivan

​

Leo didn't think the two of them would still be sitting at the pub having a conversation, almost as if no time at all had passed between the two of them. He knew he would have to thank Natasha as well as listen to days of 'I-told-you-so's from her. It wasn't something he was looking forward to, but he would since it meant he and Thomas had worked out their differences. "Fair," he stated, nodding his head from side to side. "Easier said than done, I guess." He was glad to see Thomas smile, which in turn made him smile before he turned to look back down at his drink. He was feeling lighter than when he came in here, which was a good thing to him. With nothing but fighting in the upcoming future, the only people he wanted to be fighting with were his enemies - not his best friend. "Pfft, there will never be another Finn so they should let that dream go." He said, letting out a slight laugh. Just as Thomas was about to reply to his comment about him working things out with Lucy, he cut himself off. Leo looked over to him with a curious gleam in his eyes, listening to him talk. It wasn't until Thomas turned in his chair and stared at him with wide eyes did Leo start putting two and two together.

"Oh, shit," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose. He couldn't remember if that was supposed to be a secret or not but seeing the way Thomas was handling the news he was glad he told him. He couldn't imagine what would happen had James walked up to Thomas without him knowing. It could have been ugly and that was the last thing this family needed. Leo watched Thomas begin to spiral and he started panicking. "Whoa, h-hey Tom," he said, setting his drink down and sliding them away. It had been a long time since he dealt with any panic attacks - his mother being the last one years ago - but he was closer to her than he was Thomas right now. He was also aware Thomas was being very weird about the touching thing and he remembered at the very last second. His hand faltered between resting on his shoulder or the counter before he scratched his head. "I mean, yeah, but Dad made a deal with Moretti to get him back. He didn't tell you any of this, I'm assuming, and I'm thinking maybe I shouldn't've either...?" He trailed. This was not the way to convince Conor he would be the man for the job when he stepped down.

Leo watched intently as Thomas took a few deep breaths, seemingly trying to calm himself down. He felt so helpless not knowing what to do and made a mental note to talk to Syd about it. He figured since he was always a bit messed up in the head that he would have some sort of insight on how to help him. The last thing Leo wanted to do was fail in his journey of redemption to his friend. When Thomas asked when he should be back and if Lucy and the others knew, Leo pursed his lips. He was afraid he had already said too much, however, he figured since he had opened his big mouth he may as well just tell him everything. "Well, I'm not exactly sure. All I know is he should be back in a couple of days maybe? And no, I don't think they know either but look," he started putting his hand out, "I don't think you should tell them. I mean," he started nervously scratching his head again. "I'm pretty sure it should have been a surprise. I know you and him have got whatever going on, but let them enjoy it. Especially your mom." Leo knew how it felt to have someone ruin such a special day, seeing as he had gone through the same with Conor years ago. His mother and father just couldn't get along for two seconds when he was released and what should have been a great memory was luke warm at best.

Thomas ( Bellz )

Roxie's New Home
~Dollymount, Dublin~

Reina Richards

​

Hearing Roxie say she would reimburse her, Reina quickly shook her head. Despite her complaining, she actually didn't mind whenever she bought the kid's stuff. Growing up she didn't have anyone doing the same for her so it felt nice to be able to do it for others... Though, of course, she wasn't about to say this aloud to anyone. "Nah, it's okay. Think of it as a celebratory cake for the new place." She gestured to her new home with a smile on her face. She finished her pizza and shoved her hands into her back pockets, tilting her head to the side at Roxie. Reina had the creeping suspicion she was being brushed off but she knew better than to ask any further questions. If the woman wanted to talk then she would and it wasn't her place to push her into doing so. Besides, she wasn't a therapist so what could she really say that would make the woman feel better even if she did have a problem? She mentioned the stomach bug which was enough to cause her to worry simply because the kids had seemed to get over it fairly quickly. "Maybe the doctor misdiagnosed you. Stomach bugs shouldn't last this long." She scrunched her nose up at the thought of it being something else.

Reina's attention was diverted when Roxie started apologizing again for making her do all sorts of stuff a normal bodyguard wouldn't do. In the past, Reina would have accepted this apology and told her boss off but for some reason, she hadn't felt that urge. Reina had only known Roxie and her kids for so many years, yet she felt a stronger loyalty to them than she had any other employer. Maybe it was the shooting that resulted in Matthew's death or watching Roxie overcome all the obstacles thrown at her or the fact that Roxie didn't treat her as just an employee, but Reina wanted to stick around and do anything Roxie asked of her. She was going to complain, it was a part of her personality, but in the end, she was going to do it. "I will take the raise, but not the apology. I don't need it," she shrugged and looked around for a moment. "I'm willing to do whatever you ask, Rox, you know that." She was avoiding eye contact, feeling a little emotional by what she was saying. "I can take care of your little semen demons and stuff. I actually care about them." She then looked up and put her index finger close to her thumb. "Like, this much," she joked. "But with a bigger security force here I'm able to make sure security measures are up to par and all the other stuff, so. I'm your gal." Even since Matthew died on her watch she had been wanting to do whatever she could to make up for it, which meant being at Roxie and the kid's beck and call whenever they needed her.

"I will, however, take you up on that weekend off offer. As much as I love crashing on your couch, I think I should be findin' my own place." She said, giving her a thumbs up. Her comment about flying went right over her head, seeing as Reina hated airplanes so much. Roxie not wanting to fly because she was sick was good enough for her. She walked in behind Roxie and immediately pressed her finger to her ear. "So sassy," she stated as they walked into the kitchen to see the children fighting. While Roxie disciplined her kids Reina wasted no time in helping herself to the cake they were just fighting over, sneakily sticking her tongue out at them. She watched as they ran towards the bathroom leaving Reina and Roxie alone once again. Reina nearly choked on the frosting the moment she was asked if she wanted kids. The thought really never crossed her mind until now, but she already had an answer for her. "Ah, no. Watching them a few hours of the day is enough for me," she let out a slight laugh before shaking her head. "Mmm, before I forget. I'll be leaving you some files once I find the box they're in of all the men under my employ for security so you're familiar with them. I figured it'd be helpful to know who works for ya."

Roxie ( Bellz )

 

[Bellz]

Blake McCarthy
Blake's House
- Sutton, Dublin - ​

Blake watched as Adam took a sip from his glass, seeming to buy him some time to think about what he was going to say to her next. Despite the uncertainty she felt, she didn't want any of this between them to end. It was an unfair situation for him and she knew it, her feelings were not only toying with her but they were toying with him. Blake wanted to just let him be free, to not weigh him down with any of this drama to allow him to just move on from her because to some degree she felt that she was never going to be able to move on herself. But there was some light at the end of the tunnel, she didn't want to be alone for the rest of her life...that much she knew to be true. While she had stated that it was far too soon to call what they had love, Blake wasn't sure how much truth was behind that statement. She did love him in a sense, they had been friends for a really long time brought closer together by a tragedy that took the lives of people they cared about. Despite her being open to the idea of a relationship, she wouldn't allow her heart to entertain the idea of that love she felt for him being anything more than love for him as a friend.

He stated that he wanted to be with her, more than he had with anyone before. Adam wanted her to not take what he would say next the wrong way finally telling her that he couldn't be left in limbo. She nodded along as he said that leaving the relationship open indefinitely wouldn't work for him. Blake understood that her decision could take a few years and she knew that Adam didn't deserve to be led along like that. The feelings he talked about were ones that she had been unsure of him actually having even though he laid it out for her clear as day a few times before. The blonde at this point felt that maybe this uncertainty, this unwillingness to accept not just her feelings for him but his own feelings for her stemmed from the thought of losing someone else in her life. Adam was still very much active within the business and Blake understood that he wasn't just going to up and leave his work for her, she was trying to accept that as she had done with Jackson but perhaps she was protecting herself from what she thought was the inevitable.

Adam suggested that she take a couple of weeks to think about what she wanted and to talk with those she was worried about upsetting. He gently asked her to not keep him in limbo and Blake nodded her head again silently. "I won't...you don't deserve that, Adam. And I never intended to do that when we started this whole thing...I think part of me...part of me is afraid to lose you. And I know it sounds silly because it basically seems like I'm driving you away by telling you all of this but what I mean is actually lose you." Blake's voice cracked with emotion.

"I said that it was too soon to call what we have love but...I mean...what else is there to possibly call it? I worry about you constantly when you are out on those jobs Conor sends you on. These past two weeks forcing myself to not hear your voice was absolute torture." Blake confessed. "I feel that a part of me is trying to convince myself that I'm not ready to be with you because honestly, I have no idea what I would do if you didn't come back to me...if I had to once again go through the painful experience of having someone tell me-" Blake couldn't even finish her sentence as she choked on her words.

Moving to take a drink from her glass, she polished it off before moving to grab the bottle and pour herself some more. "I shouldn't even think about it, I know. My therapist has told me time and time again that fortune-telling and thinking about the future rather than staying in the present is a danger fucking game but...I think it's why I'm fighting myself so hard on this. Sure, I feel guilty about Conor and Syd having to watch me move on, I tell myself I'm not ready to move on and to some extent, I feel that is somewhat true but honestly...I'm not ready to lose you." Blake said hoarsely as she looked him in the eyes. "I know you are careful, I know you wouldn't quit this for me and I'm not asking you to..." The blonde cleared her throat as she bought herself some time to process the jumble of thoughts running through her head. "That night two weeks ago...I haven't felt that way in a long time, it was a huge step for me in moving on and now that I've had a taste of us I can't bear the thought of someone taking that all away from me again."
with: Adam Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Thomas Porter
The Sullivan's Pub
- Dublin City Center, Dublin - ​

Thomas listened as Leo informed him that his Uncle Conor had made a deal with Morretti to get his father back. He then assumed that Conor hadn't told Thomas anything before stating that maybe he shouldn't have either. Getting back in control of his emotions was a difficult feat but lately, he had been doing a lot better at handling what was thrown his way. After a few steady breaths, Thomas looked to Leo to answer him about whether or not the rest of his immediate family knew. Sure they weren't on good speaking terms but if one of them had known the least they could have fucking done was tell him that his father was coming home. Thomas's darker thoughts insisted that they should have done it so that he could have had more time to get the fuck out of Ireland but...he really didn't think leaving would solve anything. He left for Iran and that ended up being the biggest fucking regret that he had to live with day in and day out.

Leo told him that he wasn't exactly sure when James would be back, perhaps in a couple of days and then he also told him that he wasn't sure if the others knew which brought some relief to Thomas. He already felt very hurt by his family, he was glad that they were furthering that hurt by not telling him that his own fucking father was coming home. But why did that matter? Thomas hadn't spoken to James in years, some of them by choice and others not. Thomas straightened up as he turned back to his new drink, listening as his cousin stated that it was probably not a good idea for him to break the news to his family, that he was pretty sure the whole thing was supposed to be a surprise. Leo stated that Thomas needed to let his family enjoy his father's homecoming despite all the shit that he had going on with him. Leo emphasized that Thomas needed to let his mother especially enjoy the reunion and Thomas nodded his head gently.

Despite what he was going through with her also, Thomas wouldn't dream of ruining the reunion between her and his father. They had all thought that once James went to that prison that he wasn't going to ever make it out alive, spending the rest of his days in that godforsaken place. He would let his mother have all the time she needed and more. For now, he decided, he would just stay out of their way. He knew that his presence would only turn that joyful reunion into a sour one given he hadn't made any effort to call his father. He was sure that there was going to be some sort of big spat between them but Thomas would allow his father and mother to enjoy the moments they thought they would never have together again before deciding to try and work things out with him. Even though he had bitter feelings towards them, he knew he owed them that much at least.

"Yea, you're right, I won't say anything to them and I'm gonna let my parents have their moment. It just...shocked me that's all." Thomas said, shrugging his shoulders lightly before shaking his head and taking a sip of his beer. "It's just weird ya know, hearing that he's going to be coming back any day now...we all really thought that he was never going to be able to get out of that prison." Thomas said softly with a sigh. "I've been a complete ass to him, I haven't talked to him since I got back from Iran and that was what, 4 years ago now?" He felt like he couldn't even remember what year it was currently. "Welp, thanks for spilling the beans, Leo. I'd actually rather have known when he was coming home. I'm not into surprises much these days." Thomas told him with a smirk.

"So you gonna tell me more about you and Nat or what? Do I have to fish it out of you? She told me a hell of a lot but I want your perspective on things. How's all that going?" Thomas wanted to change the subject off of his father before he had another moment to think long and hard about his decision not to run.
with: Leo Melanin-Gxdess