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

[Misty Gray]

Chapter 10: Cause and Effect
Saturday 15th June 1985
...8 days later...
Dublin: Evening - Warm, Dry, Cloudy
London: Evening - Warm, Dry, Cloudy
New York City: Late Afternoon - Mild, Rainy, Cloudy

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Mercury Nightclub and Cocktail Bar
~ Bethnal Green, East London ~
​

Spoiler: Nightclub Floor Plan

Spencer King and Christian Brooks

"Jesus Christ, Spence. You're bloody useless!"

The taunting voice echoed in Spencer's mind before he snapped out of his thoughts as the nurse and midwife finished checking on Shona and left the room. As he sat at one side of Shona's bed, Shirley sat at the other. "Did they just say there was still not much change yet?" he tiredly asked. Taking Shona's hand, he brought it to his mouth to kiss her skin. It was a gentle and delicate gesture, as he was feeling inclined to be that way around his wife. It had been 18 hours since Shona had gone into labour, with most of that time spent in the private room at the Royal London Hospital. Whilst Spencer wasn't one to flaunt his cash and act more entitled that others, he was certainly grateful to be in their private space. A man who liked to keep his circle comprised of close family and friends, he felt more comfortable not having other pregnant women and their families around them, not when he'd have no control of the security. During the last couple of hours, Spencer was grateful not to have more people around, as his wife grew more irritable with him by the minute. He knew no matter how cautious or well-intended his actions, Shona was likely to snap at him again. He figured she was entitled to take it out on him, given the pain and discomfort she was going through, not to mention the sacrifices she'd made over the last few months whilst carrying their child.

Given Shona's sacrifices, Spencer found it easy to skip his own birthday party. Up until the previous evening, he'd been ready to celebrate his 37th birthday. Although Shona going into labour was more important than a party, Spencer still encouraged his siblings and their friends to go out to the nightclub as planned, to celebrate on his behalf. "Do..." he cautiously began, studying Shona to she if she was going to yell at him before he continued. "Would either of you like something from the vending machine? Crisps, or chocolate, or..." he stopped as he heard someone open the door behind him.

Christian didn't feel overly comfortable with having to interrupt Spencer in the hospital with his wife in labour, but he knew the man would want to know the information he'd gathered, without delay. After getting Spencer's attention by peaking his head into the doorway, the former detective sent Shona and Shirley an apologetic wave. Once he and Spencer were out on the corridor, Spencer folded his arms somewhat impatiently. "You better have something important to be showing up here," the man grumbled.

"It's important, but you're not going to like it..." Christian awkwardly began. He then reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a couple of photographs before hesitantly handing them to him. "So, the bloke who's been sneaking around lately asking about your lot is who we both expected." Seeing Spencer's face turn from an anxious one for his wife's labour to one of deep anger, Christian almost held back from saying the rest and pissing him off further. "I've also heard someone was seen hanging around the nightclub earlier, looking shifty. If he knows your brothers and sister are out there tonight, he could show up there. Assuming it was him hanging around..."

Spencer anxiously ran his hand through his hair as he looked back to the room Shona was in. "Shit, I can't..." he began, torn about leaving his wife whilst she was in labour. "But it's probably going to be hours yet..." he continued to reason with himself. "I need to get to the club and make sure security is beefed up. I don't think he'd have the guts to show up now, but if someone we do need to worry about has been hanging around the club, I don't want my family put at risk."

Mentions: Pyroclast (Shona) BloodLightning27 (Shirley)

*****​

After reassuring and apologising to Shona, Spencer reluctantly left the hospital with Christian. He first warned the security guards to be extra vigilant and showed them the photographs Christian had taken, to also keep an eye out for the man in question. Spencer then entered the club, briefly greeting anyone who spoke to him before he found Alex and told his brother to follow him through the back of the club and outside where they could talk privately. Just as Spencer was about to speak, the back door of the club swung open, with Damian and Tatiana leaving the private office to get into the nearby vehicle that was waiting for them. "Looks like Gabriel is otherwise occupied right now. We've rescheduled the telephone meeting for Monday," Damian informed Spencer, giving explanation for his and Tatiana's early departure from the club. Thankfully, the two King brothers appeared too preoccupied to talk them into sticking around for drinks.

Christian took it upon himself to take a look around the rear exterior of the building, whilst the two King brothers spoke. Once they were alone, Spencer turned back to Alex. "Alex, I need to get back to the hospital once I know everything's okay here. I need you to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Any dodgy people hanging around. Possibly Sullivans, but it could be anyone. Our, um..." he began but fell silent and instead handed the photographs to Alex so he could see for himself. "Trevor's in London," he spoke of their father. "I don't know why, or where he's staying yet, but those photos confirm he's around. He might not show up tonight, but if he does, I don't want him anywhere near Billy and Harper. Yeah?" he seriously asked his brother. With Shona in labour, Spencer couldn't focus on much else at the moment.

Meanwhile, as he smoked a cigarette, Christian made his way down the small alleyway between the nightclub and the neighbouring business. He stopped before he reached the unused side door, the drying mud on the ground in front of him catching his attention. It had rained a couple of days ago and the mud had been trampled in since. Except for a significant patch in front of the bolted door that seemed unusually smoother than the rest of the pathway around him. Stubbing out his cigarette against the wall, he placed the remainder of it back in the cigarette box. His attention was now focusing on the door that lead into the cellar of the bar, which hadn't been used in many years, having been rendered usually for goods onwards since the building next door had been erected. Thankfully the sunlight was enough to still light the alleyway as he closely inspected the rusted old padlock. Though it was locked and was never used or opened, some of the rust had chipped away around the closure. Whilst it could be nothing, Christian's suspicions were heightened on account of the conversation he'd just been having with Spencer.

Interaction: Melanin-Gxdess (Alex)
Also present: Billy, Erik - Pyroclast to intro
Harper, Jeremy - Bellz to intro
Darcey, May - Melanin-Gxdess to intro
Tatiana, Damian

Undisclosed Sullivan Lookout Point
~ Bethnal Green, London ~
​

Kerry Patrick and Aidan Byrne

Kerry had been laying low since she'd suspected Gabriel Moretti had been in London. However, after a few weeks and going stir crazy with no job or social life, she was itching to get out for a bit. It was nothing against the hospitality and kindness the Parkers had shown her since inviting her to stay with them for a while, but she simply missed her friends. With Savannah in Dublin, she was reduced to infrequent phonecalls, and staying away from her former establishment of employment, the Mercury Nightclub, meant she hadn't been able to spend time with May recently either. After catching up with some of her friends over the phone, she'd determined she didn't need to worry about heading out to meet them. With a bit of luck May would be working or out drinking at the club too, then she could catch up with her at the same time. Of course, she'd be vigilant in case of the small chance the Moretti boss was in London again, but she wasn't willing to keep hiding away, not after it had taken so much time and work to overcome the physical and psychological trauma she'd suffered in New York.

Once she was dressed ready for her night out, she descended the stairs and took a seat on the sofa as she waited for the taxi to arrive. Maddox was seated in the armchair reaching through one of his patient files, but he put the document down so he could speak to Kerry. After the terrible things he had done to Syd and Conor out of his desire for revenge, Maddox had gone a long way to try redeem himself and make up for his wrongdoings. Kerry had been his first accomplishment on that front, helping her to overcome her horrific ordeal over years of therapy and support. By now she was a friend rather than a patient, and one he couldn't help but feel concerned about. "Even if the Morettis aren't around, you still need to be careful. I've told you before that it's risky being associated with both sides of a feud. I know you care for May and Savannah, but you would be wise to distance yourself from one or both of them."

Kerry quickly shook her head. "Neither of them are involved in this fighting and throughout all of the issues Sav has been having with the Kings, they've never asked me to use my friendship with her to benefit them." As if saved by the sound of the car horn, Kerry couldn't stand up quick enough. "I'll see you tomorrow," she assured him with a smile, having planned to sleep at her own apartment after her night out.

"Just... Call us if you need anything," Maddox told her.

*****​

There had been undetected Sullivan presence in London for the last few days, as plans were put into action to get back at those who had attacked Aliana, Leo, Sinead and Liam. Tatiana Moretti and the employed psychopath, Damian Nicolosi, were the two confirmed high-profile Morettis who had been based in London for some weeks now. It had also been confirmed that they frequently attended the Mercury Nightclub to conduct business meetings, or a least to call the Morettis in New York for catch-ups.

Everything was set in place and all that was left was confirmation that Tatiana and Damian were where they were expected to be. Aidan and Braden were seated in a car a short distance from the Mercury Nightclub, keeping watch to ensure nobody or nothing unexpected appeared to put a stop to the plan. From the driver's seat, Aidan watched the nightclub in the distance like a hawk. "How's your Mam and brother doing?" he asked Braden, but kept his eyes on the target. He knew the other man had personal reasons for being in London on this particular job. Aidan figured if it was his mother and brother who had been harmed, he'd want to get back at those responsible too.

"Callahan... Byrne... Everything is place at this end. The Morettis are confirmed as present and inside. On your word it's all clear at your side, you've got five minutes to drive well away and back to base..." the voice of their colleague on the two-way car radio confirmed.

Aidan was about to respond when he saw a taxi pull up into the parking space in front of them. Once the female passenger was out of the car, the taxi was pulled out of the space and driven away. Kerry had got out of the taxi before it could reach the club and instead was going to meet her friends outside the restaurant they'd been dining in. "Isn't that whats-her-name...-" he began, pointing to Kerry who was standing nearby. "Didn't she work in the nightclub? Maybe we should wait until she's in there before calling it in. I know Syd wouldn't object to that," he darkly remarked.

Bellz (Braden)

Undisclosed Sullivan Base
~ Residential Area, Donnycarney, Dublin ~
​

Adam Harper and Emery Callahan

Adam couldn't deny that he felt different since he'd found out Elena was his daughter. Similar to how he often felt with Blake, having a daughter gave him even more reason to get home in one piece after every job he did. Despite feeling good about learning he had a daughter, he had found it difficult over the last week, trying to find a balance so he was giving Elena the right amount of attention and not laying it on too thick. As it happened, his work had been turned up into overdrive since the events of the previous week, so most of his interactions with Elena had been either him checking in on her whilst arranging security at the pub or a quick phonecall if he got home at a decent hour.

Despite everything that was going on for the mob boss, Conor had been able to get an update about Elena. Whilst Adam wanted the news to be kept quiet until he could tell Blake, he had to tell Conor, as the man had sent him to interrogate Elena in the first place. The boss had been accepting of the information and seemed genuinely happy for the man. Of course, much of that conversation was overshowed by the two attacks that had taken place on Conor's and Peter's loved ones. After finding out about them after leaving the Zegarra house that night, Adam hadn't slept and instead had been out beefing up security before checking in on the injured parties to make sure they were okay more than fish for details about their attackers.

This evening, Adam was showing Edwards the ropes at base, helping the man to familiarise himself with the surveillance room and the key locations across Dublin. He was in the process of going through some maps when Syd entered the building. "Alright, mate. I'm going to leave you in the challenging hands of Emery Callahan whilst I have a quick catch-up with Syd," Adam remarked.

"Hey! I'll show you challenging, Harper!" Emery shot back.

"Good luck," Adam told Edwards, giving him a pat on the shoulder.

Pulling Syd into an empty room, Adam closed the door and looked to him. "It's been a heavy week, ain't it?" he asked, with a deep sigh. "How's it going, mate? Did you manage to find out any information about those Conor asked you to look into? Your little mechanic friend?" he asked.

Pyroclast (Syd)

Emery had wanted to join Braden in London, wishing she could help with the attack against those who had attacked her family the previous week. Instead, she was still being held back by Conor since she'd deviated from Aidan's plans on the diamond exchange some weeks back. She was at least glad she'd been approved to help out with surveillance over Dublin this evening. A computer whizz, she quite enjoyed being surrounded by the various CCTV systems and communications devices. With security in Dublin beefed up, along with some of the gang members being down in London on a mission, it was important that they had people on standby at the base. Unfortunately, Emery knew she'd be stuck in the control room if anything went down, leaving Adam and Edwards to have all the fun.

With Adam having excused himself to speak with Syd, Emery was left with Edwards in the control room. She was about to say something to the newcomer when a call came in over the radio confirming her cousins, Leo and Lorelei, along with Natasha and Benjamin, had safely made it into the Oak Tree Restaurant, which Conor had permitted. "Double-dating. How cute!" Emery remarked, before making a note confirming the location of the four youths. "How's Dublin shaping up for ya, Ed?" Despite the man having only been introduced to her some minutes ago, she'd already decided she was addressing him by 'Ed' from this moment on. "I guess anywhere's better than prison, to be fair. Can't complain, eh?"

Emery flashed the man a smile before sitting back in her seat. "I heard you went to visit my Mam in hospital last week. That was real nice of ya." She let out a sigh. "She's the last person who deserved that - wouldn't hurt a fly. I wish the jerks had tried that shit with me. I'd have shown them not to mess with a lady." Hearing another observation down the intercom, Emery jotted down more notes. "Roger that," she said, letting out a playful laugh. "Danny's going to love being sent to drive my sister home. Those two had a thing back in the 70s..." she informed Edwards, with a suggestive wink. When Conor had finally agreed to let Emery at least work on surveillance, she jumped at the chance, and who better to get to pick up Savannah than her old flame, Danny? Savannah hadn't dated in way too long and Emery was frankly tired of that fact.

Emery pushed her hair back behind her ears before sitting back to look at Edwards. "So tell me about yourself, Ed. Where'd you grow up? Are you single? What made you want to join this crazy business?"

BloodLightning27 (Edwards)

Emerald Studios
~ Dollymount, Dublin ~
​

Savannah Callahan

Savannah had been considering figuring a way she could get Alex to meet her halfway so he could spend time with Callum, but then her mother got stabbed and Liam was almost kidnapped, putting a stop to any idea she had of doing such a thing. Predictably, security had been tightened and there was no chance of Savannah being able to leave Dublin for the foreseeable, never mind to meet Callum's father in the north of England. Besides which, she had no intention of going far until Sinead and her Aunt Aliana were well again. Savannah had stayed at her parents' house since the attack, not wanting to be far away from her mother when the woman was so upset by it all. Plus, having both Hattie and Callum around seemed to help keep Sinead's spirits up, so Savannah wasn't in a rush to put a stop to Callum's sleepovers at his grandparents' house.

With Peter's help, Sinead had offered to look after Callum for the evening, so Savannah could work in the city. Having got to the studio in the afternoon, Savannah knew she wouldn't be done until into the evening and she'd decided to spend the night at her own place so she could catch up on some chores in the morning. Time always seemed to fly by when she was working. Today's job had involved many outfits and too many shades of lipstick to count for the fashion magazine photoshoot. It wasn't as tiring and time-consuming as her acting work, but it wasn't half as fun either, she had to admit. Still, she managed to get through the shoot effortlessly and found herself fighting temptation to order some of the outfits for herself. Though as the final snap was taken, she knew one thing she wouldn't be ordering was the corset she was wearing at that moment.

"Your ride's here!" the female assistant called out as she entered the room with a glass of water.

Savannah smiled back and nodded her head, figuring Emery would be waiting in the corridor as planned. She headed over the to dressing table and took a sip of the water. Catching a glimpse of herself in the black corset and briefs, she pulled a curious expression. "Ohh! Em would actually love this corset!" she announced. "Hold that thought." she told the assistant who nodded and proceeded to help the photographer pack up. Savannah grabbed her pink dressing robe, but didn't put it on as she wanted to show her sister the outfit first. Pulling open the door, Savannah stepped onto the corridor, looking to the seat she expected Emery to occupy. "Em, I bet you love thi--" Seeing Danny standing there, Savannah's cheeks instantly turned a deep shade of red as she bashfully gazed towards the floor. After a brief pause, she caught her thoughts back and proceeded to quickly put the dressing robe on, fastening it around her waist with the ties. Despite the fact she and Danny had seen all of each other before, back in New York, she couldn't help but feel embarrassed standing there in just lingerie, nonetheless. "Soooo, you're not my sister... And I don't usually run around corridors half-dressed!" she pointed out, with a bright smile. "Are you my ride home, Danny-boy?" she asked, quickly managing to relax in that moment.

Pyroclast (Danny)

The Oak Tree Restaurant
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~
​

Benjamin Reznik

It had been Benjamin's birthday six days ago, another one without his father there to celebrate it with him. Although he'd been able to call Kurt on the day in question, it hadn't been the same as seeing him in person, but he understood flying out to New York wasn't an option at present. Despite wishing he could have seen Kurt, the young man still enjoyed spending time with Aidan, who had gifted him with a used car, as promised. Although Benjamin was intending on paying him back for the vehicle over time, it was still a big gesture that he appreciated from his guardian.

Benjamin had arranged to go out for dinner with Lorelei. Whilst his original plan wasn't to go to The Oak Tree Restaurant, it ended up being the best option after the attacks that had taken place in Dublin the previous week. Whilst Benjamin wasn't associated with the mob's criminal activities, he tended to be kept in the loop on what he needed to know from Aidan. After hearing what had gone down, Benjamin understand completely why Lorelei's family only wanted her at Sullivan-owned establishments, where security was tighter. Thankfully, Benjamin liked his job at the restaurant, so it didn't bother him eating there on his day off. When Lorelei had mentioned inviting her cousin, Leo, as well as Natasha, Benjamin didn't hesitate to agree. Having some knowledge of what Leo had suffered through a week ago, Benjamin understood the guy might want to get out and have some distractions. It was also the first time he would hang out with Lorelei's friends and family in their age groups. Of course he'd seen Leo and Natasha in Conor's restaurant before, but it had been when he was working and not exactly on a social level.

Now he had a car, Benjamin had picked Lorelei up from her house and driven them both to the restaurant, wanting to take advantage of no longer relying on taxis or having to ask for lifts. After parking the car, Benjamin put his arm around Lorelei and walked with her to the restaurant. Having arrived a little early, Benjamin and Lorelei sat on a bench in the waiting area until the other two arrived at the restaurant. "So, how do your rate your driver today?" he playfully asked her, given it was the first time he'd driven with her in his car.

Benjamin glanced to the clock before looking back to the redhead beside him. "Have you spoken with Leo much since the attack? Conor hasn't been in here for over a week; not even for a takeout." He lightly shook head head. "I wish I could say I can't believe what those people did... but it was the Morettis, right? They'll never change," he pointed out, having personal experience of what Gabriel's brother had been like.

Bellz (Lorelei, Natasha)
Melanin-Gxdess (Leo)

Currently Active Cast: Misty Gray Bellz Pyroclast Melanin-Gxdess BloodLightning27 BasDorcha​

 

[Bellz]

Chapter 10: Cause and Effect
Saturday 15th June 1985
...8 days later...
Dublin: Evening - Warm, Dry, Cloudy
London: Evening - Warm, Dry, Cloudy
New York City: Late Afternoon - Mild, Rainy, Cloudy

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Roxie Carriveau
Roxie’s Apartment
~ Queens, New York City ~​

Having arrived the day before without her cousin having an idea had made Roxie feel weird. She wasn’t a secretive person, her family had enough secrets as it was. Hell, back in the 70s, she cracked under the pressure when she had to try to lie to Syd. But it seemed that lying was an easy feat for the men in her life. Despite the uneasy feeling it gave her, she knew it was imperative that she didn’t break this time. Ricky couldn’t know that she knew and he couldn’t know about her pregnancy, which was something that perhaps in another moment in time she could have shared excitedly with him…if he didn’t brutally murder the father of the baby she was carrying. Her hand trembled with anger as she struggled to place her second earring in, clenching her jaw, her teeth ground together as the tears that seemed to never cease once again poured down her face.

Her hand steady slightly as she cried silently, moving quickly to place the earring in and secure it before she tried to contain her emotions again. Placing her hands on her vanity table as she leaned forward, she looked at her reflection in the mirror and saw just how tired she looked. Her childhood had been hard, but once she had gained her freedom she got to put all the uneasiness and toxicity of her home life behind her. Roxie absolutely envied the blissful blip in time she had, right before she met Syd…right before everything that ensued after that. It had taken years for the hate she had for him to diminish, for her to realize that while their relationship wasn’t the best…it wasn’t the worst thing about her life. While it hadn’t been easy to leave him, to push him aside so that she could attempt to live a life that was far more…simple, this situation with Ricky was completely different.

He was blood, actual fucking blood. Sure, she’d been able to accept the fact that her father was a monster, that was easy! Stefano treated almost everyone he came into contact with like shit, but Ricky…had been Roxie’s best friend as well as family at one point in their lives. The hurt and pain in her chest was far worse than any gun he could have shot her with, he’d took away her second chance at a happy life…at any life now. Realizing in her deep thoughts she was once again crying, she looked at herself in the mirror straight on once more, pleased that she was able to hide the small bump that was starting to show under a looser shirt. She knew she wasn’t going to be able to hide it for much longer.

Moving out of her room into the living room where Reina was, Roxie offered the woman a small smile. "Alright, let's go. Time to pay my cousin a visit."

Getting into the Biancardi Residence without anyone noticing was tricky, but she knew that place as well as the back of her own hand.

***
Biancardi Residence
~Queens, New York City ~ ​

Roxie had been waiting in Ricky’s chair in his office, looking out of the window silently. She had asked Reina to hang out in the dark hallway outside of his office and to make herself impossible to see. She didn't want to give anything away. Roxie told her that once Ricky entered the room she could come in as well but for now she needed her space. The overwhelming thoughts that circulated in her head had become a low buzz as she thought about having to remain in emotional control. It had been no surprise to her that Syd and Conor had both opposed her going to New York but they both knew she was going to do what she wanted. The brunette twiddled her thumbs together as she heard footsteps walking towards the office, voices were muffled behind the thick mahogany doors but Roxie knew one of them belonged to her cousin.

As they came closer and closer, Roxie’s heart started to race. There were a couple of scenarios of how this was going to go already playing in her head…one of them would end up with her dead. Roxie didn’t want to believe that her cousin had changed that he’d let his personality disorder get the best of him…but that was Roxie’s toxic trait…she wanted to see the good in people. You’d think that being surrounded by liars and traitors her entire life would have hardened her heart, made her a pessimist. It had the opposite effect, however.

The part of her that was desperate to be right wanted to believe that someone in this world had to be so good, so pure…completely untouched by anything evil. She had been successful in finding that person. She told Matthew every single day that he had been far too good to be true, that she didn’t deserve someone as pure as him because everyone around her was toxic.

A tear fell down her cheek as she remembered his answer…and just as she reached up to swipe it away. The door opened and Ricky paused in his conversation with whoever was with him. A small smirk played on her lips, satisfied that she had at least caught his attention.

Clasping her hands in front of her, elbows perched on the arm rests, she slowly swiveled in the large leather chair. A wide smile graced her face though it didn’t meet her eyes as she looked Ricky straight in the eyes, ”Welcome Home, Ricky.” She stated smoothly.

”I’ve been trying to get a hold of you, you know. Seems like the phones not working…” Reaching forward, she picked up his phone to hold it to her ear, hearing the dial tone loud and clear. ”Oh look, I can hear the dial tone! Guess you’ve just been too busy to talk to your dear cousin him?” There was a bit of venom in her voice that she fought hard to keep controlled. The smile was still firmly planted on her face as she continued to stay seated, not motioning to hug him in case he decided to try and shoot her right then and there. The gun she had always carried with her was strapped underneath her shirt, weighing heavily on her hip as her fingers tingled…ready to reach for it and pull the trigger without hesitation.

”So? How have you been?” She casually asked before gesturing to the two chairs in front of the desk. "Please, sit." Watching as Reina entered the room, Roxie genuinely smiled at her. "You remember Reina don't you? You've got her to thank for why I'm still alive, you know, without her your favorite family member wouldn't be sitting here. I swear this family is cursed with the amount of death we've had lately. Guess we have to pay the price for our family being assholes for the last century, hmmm?" She asked softly. "But you and I, Ricky. We are different. We're better. I just wanted to stop by and say hi because I missed you...and...admittedly I just wanted to say I am proud of you, for handling everything like you've been. I really need someone like you in my life...you're the only man who hasn't betrayed or lied to me you know? Well, besides Matthew but he's...gone."
with: Ricky Misty Gray ; Reina Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Chapter 10: Cause & Effect
Saturday 15th June 1985
...8 days later...
Dublin: Evening - Warm, Dry, Cloudy
London: Evening - Warm, Dry, Cloudy
New York City: Late Afternoon - Mild, Rainy, Cloudy

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George and Finn’s
~Dublin, Ireland~
Aliana Sullivan

​

For the second time in her life, Aliana Sullivan had defied death. The first had been her heart attack a few years ago, willing herself to stay alive for her family. Forcing herself to find that strength had been the hardest thing ever but she managed to do it. She didn’t think she would ever have to find the strength to do it again until the day Tatiana Moretti sliced her throat. Even though Ali had beckoned her captor to do so she never would have thought the woman would actually do it. But as she lay on the forest floor, blood spilling through her fingers and Leo’s shouts echoing in her brain it was clear that she had underestimated her. Surprisingly for the first time ever, her life flashed before her eyes like a movie, starting from when she first met Conor to what she believed the future held for her children.

Leo had been married to Natasha, two little boys hanging from Leo’s legs while Natasha laughed. Rhiannon had become a famous ice skater with several medals hanging from around her neck - Sydney a famous composer of classical music sitting behind a grand piano. She was hallucinating because of the blood loss and her hallucinating mind made her feel as if those were real memories and she smiled, her vision getting blurry and eyes feeling heavy. Leo had been shouting at her to stay awake but his voice was muffled. Soon there were other voices and she couldn’t make out a single one, her eyes finally closing.

When she opened her eyes again she was squinting at a bright light. Her eyes were heavier than ever and she felt cold - unbearably so. Her body hurt but she couldn’t remember why. There were more voices, each one more urgent than the last. Was she at the hospital right now? No, she couldn’t be here. Her mother died in a hospital. If they couldn’t save Seana’s life how were they going to save hers? She struggled to lift her hand, grabbing a nearby arm and shaking her head before she fell unconscious again.

The next time she woke up she was in a room laying up right in bed, groggy and confused. There was a beeping noise and it annoyed the hell out of her. Just as she was about to open her mouth and berate Leo - thinking the noise was coming from one of his video games from home - she immediately winced. Leo had been sitting nearby, head in his hands when the sound of her groan grabbed his attention. He jumped to his feet and ran to her side, letting out a sigh of relief. “You’re awake!” Ali had just touched the dressing around her neck when he arrived next to her bed. It took a few seconds to register, but when it did she bolted up in bed and immediately felt the IV threaten to jerk out of her wrist. “Mom! Hey, take it easy.” He told her, his hand gently trying to push her back down. The moment Ali laid her eyes on him tears filled her eyes and she pulled him in for a hug. Leo carefully wrapped his arms around her and she did the same, rubbing the back of his head. It was a relief to see him alive and in her arms again - not in a hospital bed like so many others in her life. She pulled back and held his face in her hands, taking note of all his features. He had a few cuts and scrapes but physically he seemed to be fine. Mentally, however, that was a different story.

She opened her mouth to talk again and immediately regret it. Her throat was sore and on fire and Leo had to quickly shake his head and warn her against it. “Do-Don’t try to talk. Finn said it’ll make things worse.” He handed her a pad and pencil, instructing her to use it to talk. She told him to fill her in on everything and not to leave a single detail out. Apparently she had passed out just as Natasha and Stella had managed to find them just in time. Tatiana and Damian, however, had been long gone by then. They rushed her to the hospital for surgery and she had been asleep for two days.

She asked about Conor’s whereabouts and he hesitated, unsure if he should tell her anything that would stress her out - such as Sinead's attack. He decided to just tell her now, knowing that if he didn’t it would be harder to later. Her heart rate monitor stated going off, beating rapidly and Leo tried to calm her down. “She’s okay and so is Liam and Father Healy. You don’t have to worry about anything.” Leo’s voice was calm and it made her relax a little until her rhythm was back to normal. Aliana lay back in bed, letting everything settle in, and looked away from Leo. She thought back on the last thing she could remember - Leo’s tears and the panic in his voice. The moment she did, she started crying. It could’ve been him in this bed - or worse - she realized, and the fact that it wasn’t was a miracle.

Allen - who had stepped out to get him and Leo coffee - returned and when he saw his daughter in tears immediately placed the cups down to embrace her. The pain she was feeling had been numbed thanks to the IV drip, but she could feel it through her sobs. For some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to stop. Allen’s shirt had become soaked near his shoulder and he was at a loss. It wasn’t until Conor finally returned and embraced her that she stopped. Though she was angry at him and a part blamed him for all of this, she was so happy that he was there to hold her. Something about the embrace of her husband was calming and made her safe in this scary hospital. The crying and overwhelming emotions had been enough for Ali and eventually, she fell back asleep.

***

​

Despite the fact that Finn had been her doctor, Aliana couldn't wait to leave the hospital. Not only was she tired of being in the hospital bed all day but she just had a disdain for hospitals altogether. He instructed her that she would need to keep it easy and not to yell or cause too much of a strain on her throat. Though they were successful in repairing the damage to her larynx and nearby veins, she still needed to give them time to heal. She was able to talk in a hushed voice but would need to have a break from doing so every few minutes or so. She left the hospital with meds, instructions - though she was sure either he or George would come over to make sure she was listening to doctors orders - and a fancy notepad and pen.

Leo had taken her home and the moment the two of them stepped foot into the house, Ali had been bombarded with pictures from Sydney and Rhiannon running up to her. Ali knelt to the ground to hold them in her arms for a moment, kissing their cheeks. She had asked that none of them tell the girls she was attacked but rather had gotten into some sort of freak accident. The longer they remained blind to this life the better she would feel. She stayed like this for a while before letting them go so she could shower. The moment she was alone in her shower she sank to the floor in a pile of tears. She wasn't sure why she was crying this time around, but thanks to her pain meds she was able to cry longer this time around. When she was finished she forced herself to get up, dry off, and get into bed.

For the next couple of days, Rhiannon and Sydney slept in the same bed as Ali and Conor - though, sometimes the girls would sleep in bed with Leo. On the nights they weren't in their bed Ali would cry herself to sleep in Conor's arms. Sometimes she would even cry in her sleep, waking up with tears on her pillow. The idea that she was nearly taken away from her daughters and her son and her husband had weighed heavily on her mind. The events in the forest played in her mind on repeat and it was difficult to stop thinking about. Especially with the permanent reminder in the shape of a jagged scar on her throat.

Once calmed down and feeling better, Aliana offered to do something nice for Finn and George. The couple had been kind enough to watch after Rhiannon and Sydney while she was in the hospital. That and Finn had paid extra attention to her whilst under his care. The idea of dinner had been thrown in the air and George insisted he would cook. Ali wanted to protest, tell him this was supposed to be her doing something nice for him but knew he wasn't going to take no for an answer. Instead, she decided she would bring a cake along with her to make up for it. Rhiannon knocked on their door and waited for someone to answer. When they were greeted, she immediately spoke on behalf of her mother and sister. "Thanks for having us. Mom brought cake."
Mentioned: Conor ( Misty Gray ) Finn ( Bellz )
George ( Misty Gray )

Sullivan Family Home
~Dublin, Ireland~
Allen Cartwright

​

The moment Allen had been notified that something had happened to Aliana he dropped everything to rush to the hospital. Allen didn't want to bring Rhiannon and Sydney along with him, so he dropped them off at George and Finn's place. They were the first people he could think of who wasn't preoccupied with something and would take care of them. Allen had nearly gotten into several accidents and probably caused a few as he raced down the road to the hospital. For the first time in his life, he was praying that his daughter would be okay, that she would make it through whatever had happened. Allen Cartwright was not a God-fearing man - that was Seana's area of expertise - but in this very moment when he had found himself to be desperate he would be. Arriving at the hospital he hadn't parked properly at all. He was far outside of the lines but none of that mattered as he ran into the ER.

The first nurse he saw he went over to, asking where Aliana had been. She seemed busy, brushing him off and ignoring the desperation in his voice. Leo had been behind a sheet getting stitches when he heard his grandfather's voice. He pushed away the medical intern and searched until he saw him, calling out for him. "G-Grandpa!" Allen whipped his head around towards Leo, relief in his eyes as he made his way over. Allen immediately hugged Leo and Leo returned the hug before Allen pulled away, examining his injuries. "Are you okay? I-Is your mother okay? Where is she? What happened?" Leo gulped, trying to get the man to calm down before he explained everything that was going on. In truth, Leo wanted to wait for Conor to arrive so he wouldn't have to repeat himself but he knew that he needed to calm his grandfather down. "We were kidnapped by Moretti's men. One of them, she- she-," remembering the events that unfolded in the woods, from him being drowned to his mother's blood all over his hands he started hyperventilating. "I wanted to protect her, I swear! But I couldn't! I-I couldn't do anything and she got hurt and- If I wasn't arguing with her she wouldn't be- we wouldn't be-," Allen put his hands on his shoulders, staring into Leo's eyes. "Calm down, son, and tell me what happened."

***

Over the next week, Allen would hover over Aliana's every move. If she tried to lift something he deemed too heavy he was right there. He would remind her to take her meds at the exact time she was supposed to, make sure she was eating soft foods as Finn said, and even fluffed her pillows before bed. Had Ali been younger, having her father fuss over her would've been great. Now that she was an adult - a stubborn one, at that - it was just annoying and she wanted him to stop. Because she wasn't able to go back to using her normal voice she hadn't been able to fully berate him but the looks spoke for themselves. And he ignored every single one of them. Allen also made sure to check up on Leo whenever he could, though the young man would just shrug him off. He could tell something was bothering him, but if Leo was anything like his parents he was going to be stubborn about it and not say anything. He would tell him he wasn't ready to talk about it and it would be enough for Allen to back off.

Because he didn't want to upset Ali, he hadn't confronted Conor about what happened during her recovery time. He didn't want to make things worse and therefore kept his mouth shut. However, the moment she informed them she and the girls would be having dinner with George, Shinoa, and Tom, he took the opportunity to have a heart-to-heart with the man. Sitting in Conor's office, Allen helped himself to the brown liquor that sat on the table and chuckled to himself. "You know, Seana told me that when you and Al first got together you weren't really there for her," he said in reference to Tommy and Leonard's deaths to the attacks in New York. "I'm sure she'd have been proud of you for makin' up for it. Can't exactly give you props considerin' you're her husband and it's your job, but you get the point." With his scotch in hand, he sat across from Conor, eyes staring directly into his eyes. "Why were my daughter and grandson attacked, along with your sister, Conor?" He was getting straight to the point, not wanting to tiptoe around his reasoning behind asking to speak with him. Leo had told Allen what happened, however, left him out of the loop on why and Allen was going to get his answers.

Conor ( Misty Gray )

Red Light District
~Soho, London~
Nikita Blake

​

“If you get hurt again it’s not my problem, got it?” The tone of Nikita’s voice made it clear she was annoyed at the predicament she found herself in. At the request of Spencer, Nikita had managed to track down the men who had attacked Jocelyn a few weeks ago. Or rather, Christian had and relayed the information to her. Nikita damn near quit her job when she heard the men in question frequently hung around the Red Light District in Soho. The place was dirty and crawling with prostitutes and junkies and it made her skin crawl. She didn’t have OCD or anything like that but the idea of being around them disgusted her. Even now as she sat across the street adjacent to Tisbury Court she wanted to throw up, making a gagging noise as a prostitute walked up to the passenger side where Jocelyn sat. She asked if they wanted to party, to which Kit immediately leaned across Jocelyn to shove her gun under the woman's chin. "Fuck. Off," she said through gritted teeth. The woman immediately bolted and Kit sat back in her seat. Letting out a huge, disappointing sigh she tucked it back into her waistband and turned to Jocelyn. “Let’s get this over with. I already feel like I need a rabies shot,” she said, throwing open the car door.

Kit led Jocelyn through the lit-up alleyway, arms crossed. The red light of the signs illuminated everything from building names to the sexual debauchery happening all around them. The air smelled of piss and vomit and Kit kept the look of disgust on her face the entire time. A few times they were approached by men asking how much they were and each time Kit took out her gun and asked if they were still interested. They would all make themselves scarce and leave. After the fourth time, she just kept her weapon in her hand, making sure to keep it in sight. No one dared approach them once they saw the pistol she was carrying.

Eventually, her eyes caught the place she had been looking for - "The Pussycat Club" lit up in blue and white letters. "The fuck is with this place and neon?" She grumbled to herself before looking at the velvet door. On the other side had supposedly been the people they were looking for and, well, they better actually be there or she was going to have a fucking fit. She could hear the muffled sound of music playing just inside and sighed before rolling her head to look at Jocelyn. "Alright, well, stay close to me so you don't get groped or whatever." With her gun back in her waistband, she led them inside. The music got louder and there were two different hallways - one leading to an adult cinema and the other the strip club. Kit didn't remember Christian saying anything about there being two places they could be inside of, so she decided to try her luck with the club first.

The first thing she noticed was how poorly lit it was, which was probably a good thing. The patrons wouldn't be able to see exactly how much they were tipping the girls nor that they were quite literally being robbed. Kit chuckled at the thought of it before walking over to the bartender. It was a burly woman with a mustache, a clear indication of why she had been put behind the counter. Kit gave the description of the three men and the woman looked her up and down. "Yea' I know 'em. And?" Kit glared at her before nodding her head towards Jocelyn. "Beat and raped the girl. You really want that shit to happen here, too? What happens when all your girls are walkin' round with black eyes? Make-up ain't coverin' that up that well. Now, where are they?" The bartender pointed the two of them in the direction of a private room where they were - Jack, Noah, and Donald she told them their names were. Nikita wasted no time making her way to the room and kicking it open, taking her gun out and shooing the girls out before locking the door. The three of them tried to get up but Kit had twisted a silencer on her pistol and shot Donald in the kneecap, causing the other two to stop.

"You crazy fucking bitch!" Nikita shouted at the other two to sit down as she walked to Donald, promptly pressing her foot against his wounded knee. "That's Ms. Crazy fucking bitch to you. Now, I've been tasked with finding out if you three fucks are responsible for attacking this here girl. Anyone care to fess up?" The three looked between Jocelyn and each other before Jack spoke up. "Never seen 'er a day in our lives!" Kit looked to Jocelyn, before asking if they were lying.

Jocelyn ( BasDorcha )

Gabe’s Office
~New York, New York~
Theodore Wycliff

​

Despite having argued with his wife over it, Teddy was more than happy that his revenge attack on Conor had been successful. Getting the phone call from Tatiana had been the best news he heard in a long time, though something about hearing she had slit Aliana's throat didn't sit well with him. Maybe it was the thought that they hadn't confirmed she was dead or because some of what Valentina had said stuck with him. Whatever the reasoning he wasn't able to enjoy this good news for long. Immediately after he heard about Aliana and Leo he was informed about Liam and Sinead. As far as Teddy was concerned, that was an attack that he hadn't sanctioned. He simply wanted to break Conor but he wasn't about to involve innocent children as he had. That wasn't the way he operated and he had reassured his wife of this. Now it looked like he had lied to her, though he swore he didn't know anything about it. Either Gabriel had gone behind his back and planned another attack or their guards had gone and done it on their own. Whatever the case, Teddy was pissed.

If it were Gabe who had sanctioned such an attack he didn't know how he was going to approach him about it. Teddy believed that they had the type of relationship where they didn't go behind each other's backs. But then again, Teddy did often forget that they were simply employer and employee. The two of them weren't partners and despite him being around for as long as he had they would more than likely never be. However, since this wasn't just something planned from a business standpoint and from a personal one, he still felt he had the right to be upset. Teddy was under the impression that this plan, this retaliation was his and his alone. It was his family who had been hurt. Gabe didn't have to deal with the nightmares his children and wife had - he did. He desperately hoped the guards had gone and done this on their own and it wasn't something his boss had done behind his back.

Teddy asked to speak with Gabriel in his office since he had been in the area for business reasons. For hours he thought about how he would address the man, what he would say to him. He didn't want to seem emotional about the whole thing, though Valentina had been upset because she thought he had gone and lied to her. This blindsided activity had driven a wedge between the man and his wife and he wanted to get to the bottom of it. Once he arrived at the man's office he made himself a drink and asked if he wanted one as well. He had decided to ease into the questioning so as not to make Gabe feel like he was being interrogated. The last thing he wanted was to make him feel like he had things he needed to answer for - even though, technically, he did. "How're you doing this fine afternoon? Ecstatic, no doubt, after hearing everything in Dublin went swimmingly. I heard they were begging to be killed."

​

Gabriel ( Misty Gray )

 

[Pyroclast]

Chapter 10: Cause and Effect
Saturday 15th June 1985
...8 days later...
Dublin: Evening - Warm, Dry, Cloudy
London: Evening - Warm, Dry, Cloudy
New York City: Late Afternoon - Mild, Rainy, Cloudy

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

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

Mercury Nightclub and Cocktail Bar
~ Bethnal Green, London ~

Billy King​

Even though he had dressed up nice for Spencer's birthday gathering, he was aware from the moment he stepped into the Mercury nightclub with a stuffed elephant tucked under his arm that he looked out of place. He had one of the waitresses wipe down every inch of the table's surface twice before he placed the toy down, and even once he had sat down with Erik and got a drink, he couldn't keep his eyes off it. "Today's the day," he said for the thousandth time, a soft smile playing on his lips. "How long does it take to give birth? I swear I've been telling myself 'any second now' all day." With a sigh, he reached forward to stroke the elephant's furry ear and run a finger along its trunk. "Well, when that call comes, we're gonna be the first ones there, yeah? We've gotta beat Alex. Then I'll always be uncle number one." Barely another second passed before his thoughts moved ahead, though surely towards nothing Erik hadn't heard already that day. "How long 'til a kid starts climbin' trees? If I start now, I bet I could build a treehouse mansion before they even take their first step!"

It was safe to say that very little had taken Billy's mind off the little niece or nephew that was on its way since Shona had gone into labour 18 hours earlier. In the end, he had been quick to process the news of May’s connection to the Sullivan family - it wasn’t so much her blood ties that was the concern, but the fact that she had a brother working directly among them who could get in the way during a war. He was aware of the back and forth between the Morettis and the Sullivans, and that since they were now allied with the Morettis they would no doubt be implicated to an extent in the stabbing of Sinead Callahan and the torture and attempted murder of Conor’s wife and son - at least in the eyes of the Sullivans. But even with all of that going on, it wasn’t worrying him enough to override the excitement of the new baby’s arrival.

Until the news that Shona had gone into labour, however, there had been something else weighing heavier and heavier on his mind as the days went by, and that was his feelings for Erik. Sometimes he found himself talking as they were already a couple - for instance, assuming that Erik would show up to the hospital with him to visit the baby - but Billy knew that he couldn’t just live in his imagination forever. If he wanted a relationship, he would have to tell Erik how he felt. He was so back and forth over whether or not being with him was a good idea - the risks were high and endless, but at the same time, he could no longer picture himself settling down with a woman to cover up his true sexuality. It was either remain alone forever, or bite the bullet and dare to be himself. The only thing he was fairly confident he wasn’t risking was his friendship with Erik. He tried not to read into it too much, but he couldn’t help but interpret the way the man interacted with him as signals that he wanted the same thing, too.

Every time he found himself in an appropriate setting to tell him how he felt, he couldn’t seem to find a way to bring it up. There had been no natural segue into the topic that didn’t sound like a jump. Sitting at a table in Mercury together would probably be good enough, talking about babies could prompt a question about what kind of future Erik wanted - although, given how much Billy wanted children, asking the man if he wanted them too someday seemed almost harder than admitting his feelings in the first place - not to mention the kind of topic that could scare a person off. Even before they had arrived at the club, the two of them had got ready together in the privacy of Billy’s house, which, again, would have been an ideal time. He just didn’t want to say anything that could potentially spoil the night, if Erik for some reason took it badly and he decided not to come to the party. After all those missed opportunities, Billy still wasn’t really sure how to do it.

As he thought more about it, Billy used the little elephant on the table as somewhere to rest his gaze so he didn’t have to look at the man sitting beside him. His cheeks were already tingling from the excitement of becoming an uncle again, so any blushing that may occur he hoped would be disguised by that. Drawing a deep breath, Billy lifted his head to look at Erik before remembering that he was trying not to; a spontaneous smile appeared on his face at the mere sight of him, and he took a sip of his martini in an attempt to overpower the stirring in his chest. “Sorry, one-track mind,” he admitted, only partly lying. “Tell me somethin’ before I bore you more about the baby. Got any news to…”

He trailed off when out of the corner of his eyes he caught Spencer entering the club, and he sat up in his seat. The peak of excitement crashed when he saw the serious expression on Spencer’s face. “What’s he doin’ ‘ere?” Billy muttered. “He don’t look like he’s just had a kid. That’s not a ‘new dad’ face, that’s a ‘somethin’s gone wrong’ face. Why ain’t he at the hospital with Shona?” He stared at his brother from across the room, fighting the temptation to get up from his seat and interrogate him; he saw him catch Alex’s attention and begin talking to him before the two of them went through the club’s rear exit.

It took a few seconds for him to settle back in his seat again, and Billy unconsciously drained the rest of his martini as he made an effort to suppress his sudden concern. He shot a smile at Erik to help convince himself that everything was fine and that nothing had gone wrong with the birth. But if he was struggling to find something else to talk about before, he was even more stuck now. Searching his mind for absolutely anything else, he finally came out with something he hadn’t even wanted to ask. “So, the whole May thing…” he began. As soon as the words came out he was kicking himself for bringing it up. Having started, however, he was forced to continue, no matter how pink his cheeks were turning. The truth was, even though he knew the woman couldn't be a threat to his chance with Erik given that the man was gay, he still found himself jealous of the way the woman was acting with him. All intimate and flirtatious. “She seems pretty keen on you. Does she know you’re…y’know…so she knows not to get too close?”

Melanin-Gxdess Erik

Mentions:
Misty Gray Spencer
BasDorcha May

The Royal London Hospital
~ Tower Hamlets, London ~

Shona King​

The days approaching Shona’s baby’s due date had felt exhausting, but her increasing excitement had kept her morale up as she counted down the days. When that day passed by, however, she found it harder not to let her spirits fall. Already dealing with a whole catalogue of emotions on a daily basis, Shona now faced the disappointment of crossing off extra days on her calendar. Two days overdue. Five days. Ten days…

“If this thing stays in the oven much longer it’s gonna burn to a crisp,” she would complain, as the baby kicked her. “The timer went off two weeks ago! Why aren’t you out yet?”

Even on a good day, it wouldn’t take much for her to lose her temper - forgetting to thaw the chicken, or tearing another ladder into her tights, or having to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom only to find that the bulb had fused. It was either shouting or tears or both, and poor Spencer would have to find a way to win her forgiveness even if what had triggered her had had nothing to do with him. In her right mind she wouldn’t do something to spite her beloved husband, but the discomfort and frustration she was experiencing made her subconsciously want him to suffer with her.

Two weeks past her due date, Shona had gone to bed on the Friday night expecting her labour to be induced the following Monday, as had been scheduled. However, at around 2am, she was awoken by the onset of her labour, and as painful as the contraction was, she was practically laughing with relief as Spencer helped her get dressed and took her to the hospital in the middle of the night.

In the morning, they went to the hospital and the rest of the family were alerted, including Shirley, whom Shona had specifically wanted at her side. Given her friends’ recent experience giving birth to twins, Shona knew the woman would be able to give her a fresh, no-nonsense take on the process of labour and talk her through it in ways a midwife might not. Plus, having the comfort of her friend there made her less irritable. Or at least, it did for about twenty minutes - then another contraction hit her and she was back to snapping at Spencer for nothing more than yawning, or saying something gentle when she wasn’t in the mood for it. She knew he didn’t deserve it, but she couldn’t help finding him annoying. When he was called away, however, she was hit with guilt and wanted nothing more but for him to stay with her, scared that if he left then the baby would arrive. Of course, after 18 hours, she was desperate to get the birth over with, but as irritable as she was, she needed her husband beside her. “Fine,” she pouted. “But don’t you dare drag your feet, Spencer! If this baby comes and you miss it I’ll never forgive you!”

The second the door swung shut behind her husband, Shona’s eyes filled with tears, but before she could cry, another contraction hit. This time she reached out blindly for Shirley’s hand and squeezed that instead. Her delicate hand didn’t feel as sturdy as Spencer’s, but she wasn’t thinking about the possibility of breaking Shirley’s hand in that moment - she just had to focus on riding out the pain. Once it was over, she let her head fall back on the pillow and took some deep breaths. “How did you do it, Shirley?” she asked, her voice wavering as she fought off the tears. “You had two of these things inside you at the same time! Where did you find the energy? I haven’t slept since two nights ago and that bitch nurse won’t let me drink coffee…What if I'm not strong enough to push?” Before she could try to gain some control of her emotions, they got the better of her and she burst into tears. “What if Spencer misses it? Maybe he doesn’t even want to come back, I’ve been so mean to him -”

Before another sob could escape her, her breath was cut short by yet another contraction, more intense than the last, and she gripped the bed’s railing this time, pulling herself up onto her hands and knees in an attempt to get more comfortable. The pain eventually faded, this time leaving behind a dizzying spell of nausea for her to deal with. Heaving herself upright again, she held herself steady on the rails for a moment and tried to breathe through it - but only a second later she had to grab the bowl on her bed stand and be sick. Normally she would be mortified of throwing up in front of somebody but at this point she was so uncomfortable that she didn’t care what Shirley thought of her. “I’m so bored of this,” she croaked, her teeth chattering as she carefully placed the bowl back down. “Tell me it’s worth it, Shirley. Tell me about how wonderful babies are. Only the good things, please…I don’t want to resent my baby for putting me through this…”

Interactions
BloodLightning27 Shirley
Misty Gray Spencer

 

[Bellz]

Harper King
Mercury Nightclub and Cocktail Bar
~ Bethnal Green, East London ~​

After a long week of work, Harper had been looking forward to celebrating her eldest brother's birthday with her family at the nightclub but when Shona went into labor the day before her excitement had turned to the prospect of being an Auntie once more. The blonde absolutely adored children...well, other people's children. The idea of having her own was definitely not at the forefront of her mind like most young women she knew. With children came the responsibility of making sure you didn't fuck up their lives...something that more than one of her family members had been good at doing. Sure, Callum was okay for now but God knows what the repercussions for Alex being a dead-beat father were going to be when he grew up. The King siblings' father had bailed on them all and while Harper was far too little to even remember what her father looked like she knew the absence of their birth father, as well as their mother, had an effect on her older brothers who got to know them both.

It felt all too coincidental for her what happened to her parents just after she was born...Harper carried guilt that perhaps maybe it was her fault for how things had turned out. Sometimes that guilt would eat her alive but lately, she had been doing a great job at keeping her head up and staying away from those intrusive thoughts. Harper wanted to be with Shona and her brother at the hospital but Spencer had insisted that the rest of the siblings go to the party and enjoy themselves. Begrudgingly Harper went to the party with none other than her shadow Jeremy waltzing casually in behind her.

There had been very little room for fun over the past week with work adding on more hours so she hadn't much time to express any irritation with his presence. Truth be told, she was starting to get over him being around her constantly...it wasn't as irritating as it was and she figured she had that night with him 8 days ago to thank for it. He was still acting strange though...she couldn't exactly put her finger on it as to why.

Harper always enjoyed the nightclub that her family-owned, it was one of the safest clubs she could go to in terms of being herself. Anyone who crossed her would either get their ass kicked or just banned from the club, which was always a treat for her to watch either way. Tonight, however, despite the celebration and the fact that she was going to be an Auntie once more, she was in a rather melancholy mood. She had made an effort to dress up for the occasion, looking her best in a dress she had bought a few weeks prior with her hair meticulously curled and make-up done to perfection.

After ordering herself a drink, Harper waited for Jeremy to order something-if anything- before nodding her head towards the usual table she sat in towards the stage area. Letting out a sigh as she took a seat, she was sure Jeremy would ask if she was okay any second afterward. Before he could ask, she offered him a smile, wanting to keep the attention off of her. Looking behind him, she noticed a few girls making eyes at the back of his head, whispering to each other and giggling. "Ah, looks like you've got some admirers in the corner over there." Harper stated, subtly nodding her head in the women's direction.

"And neither of them blonde, what a pity. We tend to have more fun, though I must say, redheads, can be quite a treat too." She said with a wink in his direction, staring at the women for a long moment before looking back at him. "Let me know if you get sick of hanging out with me tonight, despite my hair color I'm not in the best of moods. I'm sure those two chatty Cathy's over there could keep you entertained." Raising her drink to her lips, she took a long sip as her eyes darted around the room for a moment. Once she removed the glass, she returned her gaze to Jeremy. "Can't believe you aren't bored of me yet, tell me, if you weren't being paid to hang out with me would you still do it? It can't be that fun watching cartoon reruns with me while sitting on the couch for hours. I think I'm going to hit my quarter-life crisis here soon."
with: Jeremy BasDorcha

 

[Misty Gray]

Gabriel Moretti's Office
~ Murray Hill, Manhattan ~

Gabriel Moretti​

The attacks in Dublin the previous week had been a success as far as getting a point across went. Gabriel was pleased with how Tatiana and Damian had carried out their mission. Neither Aliana nor Leo were killed, but they were physically and psychologically harmed enough to make a lasting impact on Conor - to remind him that anything he did, the Morettis would do better and more severely. As far as the failed attempt at abducting Liam was concerned, Gabriel was irritated at his employees' incompetence, but in the end, they managed to make a far greater impact. Just as Conor had claimed with Cristina, no harm would have come to Liam and the boy would have been returned home after his family had squirmed enough. None of that happened in the end, but what did happen was far greater. Conor's own sister was stabbed and hospitalised, which would surely be the icing on the cake. Losing his brother had been enough to push James Porter out of the boss' seat, so having his wife, son and sister all harmed in one day had to be enough to have Conor questioning himself. If not him, then the Irish boss surely had enough family members questioning him.

Gabriel had finished his meeting with Ricky almost one hour ago and though he had detected an unusual seriousness to the man, he couldn't help but embrace it as it meant their business was conducted without the usual wise cracks. That left Gabriel with some time to go over some paperwork and make a call to one of the investors. He'd only ended the call a few moments before his receptionist rang through to inform him of Teddy's arrival. Gabriel permitted the female receptionist to let his son-in-law enter the office.

Gabriel sat back in his seat and waited for Teddy to sit across from him at the desk. Gabriel was fully aware that Valentina had not been happy about the attack on Aliana and Leo. He also knew his daughter was even more upset when she heard about what happened to Sinead and Liam. Gabriel had met the Callahan woman back in 1971, when he'd posed as a potential customer wanting to book out his jazz club for a family party. Sure, the woman was inoffensive and seemingly innocent compared to most of her family, but so were many of the Morettis blown up by James Porter. Gabriel didn't regret having the woman's jazz club burned down, nor did he regret that she got injured a week ago. Gabriel had never let his daughter question him when she lived under his own roof and he still wasn't going to allow it now she was grown up with her own family home.

"Good afternoon, Theodore," Gabriel said, flashing the man a smile. He nodded his head when the man offered him a drink, accepting it once it was poured. "I'm doing well. And you?" he asked. He flashed a smile when asked if he was ecstatic about how the attacks in Dublin had gone. "Other than a disappointing transgression with the kid, it all went well and the desired effects actually exceeded my desired expectations. Conor should learn that his actions have consequences and I will always win, no matter which game he chooses the play. If his family are begging to be killed, then that's all on him."

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

The Oak Tree Restaurant
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~
Leo Sullivan

​

For the past week, Leo had been bombarded with all types of questions pertaining to the attack. They ranged from wanting to know how they had managed to be taken to if his mother was alright to his own well-being. It was too much for him to deal with, especially during the time Aliana had been in the hospital. The questions came in waves and with each repeat of his answer, he found himself breaking. Natasha and Stella had been the first when they arrived on the scene to help them. Allen had been the second and the worry in his voice when he asked about his daughter nearly set him off. Conor seemed to be the catalyst for both Aliana's emotions and his own. The moment his father arrived at the hospital Leo immediately started apologizing and explaining everything. That he tried to protect her and failed and the argument that started it all and how it should have been him. For the first time in years, he had stood in the waiting room with tears streaming down his face. The reassurances did very little until he was able to see Aliana again.

It wasn't until Aliana was discharged from the hospital that Leo started to really think about the events that had unfolded. For starters, everything that happened was a revenge plot against Conor. He and Ali - along with Liam and Sinead - had been on the unfortunate receiving end of it all. He had taken a kid. Leo didn't think his dad was capable of it, but then again did he even really know the man? He understood now why Ali had decided to keep the information to herself as now he was confused and unsure of what to say or how to act. He was angry and wanted nothing more than to go after them, but he understood that wasn't the best idea at the moment. He also found himself angry at Conor for putting them in such a predicament in the first place. Surely he had to have known what sort of things would happen if he did something like that? But then again, this is what it was like, wasn't it?

On top of not knowing what to do about the feelings he was harboring for his dear old dad, he was starting to feel the after-effects of being kidnapped and tortured. Instead of talking about them or acknowledging them, he pretended they didn't exist. The nights he would jolt awake in bed or freak out whenever he bathed Sydney he kept quiet about. He didn't know how to express how he felt or was feeling and didn't know who to talk to. As much as he figured Conor would be a good choice, he was still being awkward around him. Syd or Thomas were probably his best bets, but how was he even going to bring that up to them? Would it trigger them to talk about it? Eventually, he decided he would just have to deal with it on his own.

When Leo was approached about the possibility of a double date with Natasha, Benjamin, and Lorelei, he practically jumped at the opportunity without thinking. The last place he should be is in a restaurant with his back exposed. Despite it being a Sullivan-owned establishment, Leo was still jumpy about people approaching him from behind. However, the time out would be nice for him to occupy his mind. After dropping his mother and sisters off at his cousin's home, he made his way towards Natasha's home. She had been great to him during this time, even if he was being snappy about the whole thing. Another grand gesture was going to be needed at a later time to thank her for everything, but for now, he would settle on dinner. "Hey, um," he started once they were parked outside the restaurant. He was nervous, clenching the steering wheel while staring ahead of him. "Thanks." He simply said turning to her. He was hoping she understood what he was thanking her for and wouldn't ask him to go into explicit detail.

Natasha ( Bellz )


​

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Mercury Nightclub & Cocktail Bar
~Bethnal Green, East London~
Darcey Hargraves

​

For the past week, Darcey had been dealing with the aftermath of her meeting. Had she known tensions were going to rise the way they did she'd have just told Bruce alone and let him deal with telling the boys. She hadn't expected Alex to react the way he did although she figured it made sense. Alex would always harbor animosity towards the Sullivans and it was clear the moment he got in May's face. She was just glad May had defended herself without the further need for violence. One slap and that was all she needed to shut Alex up. The real problem she had to deal with was Bruce and the boy's decision on what they wanted to do with May. Darcey had done as much as she good for her but at the end of the day, she wasn't a King, and the decision on what would happen to May wasn't hers to make. If they wanted to kill her or throw her out of London there wasn't much she could do - or would, seeing her loyalty would always lie with Bruce. However, they hadn't made either of those decisions. Instead, Darcey was made responsible for her and while she was grateful, she knew what a headache it was about to be.

It was part of the reason she was out at the bar in the first place. She finally had a moment to herself to speak with May, but she also wanted to blow off steam from work. Alex had mentioned that he, Billy, Erik, and Harper were all going out and invited her to tag along. She thought about getting Bruce to come out as well but knew the old man would be in bed by this time. For once Darcey was wearing a dress that stopped just above her knees and her heels strapped up to her thighs. Walking into the club she managed to weave in and out of the crowd until she was finally sitting at the bar, waiting for May to catch her breath and a break. Alex spotted her from the other end and joined her, gently kissing her cheek before stepping back to admire her dress. "Do my eyes deceive me or are you not wearing trousers?" He teased, to which Darcey just rolled her eyes. "I wear dresses and skirts from time to time, I'm not a prude." She told him, leaning against the bar. "You look great either way."

Before Alex was able to say anything more, he was grabbed by Spencer. He and Darcey exchanged pleasantries before the boys excused themselves and walked away. She raised a brow at how urgent Spencer seemed to be but ignored it as she turned back to the bar and May. Darcey lifted her hand to try and flag her down and when she finally picked up on it the older woman smiled at her. With Bruce's permission to do with her what she pleased, Darcey had a whole plan set for May. But before she shared any of it with the girl she wanted to make sure she was up for it. In a way, May reminded Darcey of herself and how she was when she was younger, which was not a good thing for business. If May wanted to be around and work for the Kings in any capacity then there were things she needed to learn and Darcey was then happy to help her with that.

Smiling at May she placed both her hands on the bar counter. "What's an old woman like me have to do to get a drink around here?" She joked before settling on a drink order. "I'm going for a martini tonight. Shaken with a twist, please, and then why don't you join me over there?" She turned and pointed to an empty VIP section on the other end of the bar towards the entrance. "I'll only need you for a few minutes, I promise, and then you can get back to work." Without leaving room for her to respond Darcey tapped the bar twice and made her way to the booth. The two guards standing by unlatched the velvet ropes and clicked them back the moment she set foot inside. "Let the bartender in when she gets here."

May ( BasDorcha )

 

[BasDorcha]

George and Finn’s
Dublin, Ireland
Tom Thatcher​

Tom had been staying busy since his date with Shinoa. He’d seen his mom, and his brother, received a letter from his sister, worked and made plans to see Shinoa again. It had been eight days, though they had spoken on the phone a time or two. He asked her to dinner tonight, but they had decided instead to make a meal at her home where she stayed with her Uncle George and Uncle Finn. Overall, time had flown past. The days had been uneventful, and Tom was slowly growing bored with the mundane day to day, after all, he had never had so much normalcy in his life before.

The day had arrived and he was ready to go. After work, he’d come back to his apartment and cleaned up, put on a button up shirt and slacks, and headed to the grocery store where he bought everything they would need for dinner tonight. He also made sure to buy enough for anyone who might show up – he had a suspicion it wouldn’t be just them. Just as well.

The man then loaded into the truck he had purchased, an old beater with a manual stick shift and some rust spots on the doors and fenders. Still the faded red paint job was original, and the inside was all original as well and he liked it, he knew he could fix it up with a little time and effort. He needed a project to keep his mind focus, and with Syd being out of it the last time he seen him at work, he knew it would be a bit before work gave him any new challenges.

The drove to the address she had given him didn’t take long, but he didn’t rush either. His mind slipped to his sister and wondering how she was doing. He had gotten a letter from her a few days ago, asking how life had been since he got back, how much she missed him, and asking him to give her a ring first chance he got. He’d been meaning to call her for a few days but just hadn’t gotten to it. He hadn’t seen her in over a year. When he had come home for leave almost a year and a half ago, he had come to see her in London, but he had only been in a few hours so they met at a restaurant and spent the afternoon walking around before he left again.

It would be nice to see her again, he hoped she was doing ok. His brother had been to busy to spend any real time with him since he got in, and he’d only seen him once for dinner and a bite at the pub. He’d seen his mom a few times as well, but he tried to limit it to once a week just to ensure she was still alive and kicking. If he felt generous he’d leave her some money, but he made a point not to do it every time.

Arriving at the house, Tom parked out front, grabbed the bags of groceries and headed up to the door. He knocked firmly but lightly, balancing a bag of groceries in each arm for dinner. Shinoa had said she was a good cook, and Tom loved to learn, so he was eager to get started with the meal and see what they’d be whipping up. When she answered the door, he smiled and gave a partial bow, just enough to be polite without dropping anything out of the open tops of the bags.

“Evenin’ to ya, lass. Nice to see you again, I think we have everything we need. Have you had a good week?” He waited to be let in and followed her to the kitchen, unloading the bags on the counter. He handed her a small bundle of flowers out of the bag, filled with summer wild flowers and wrapped in brown paper. “For you.” His grin was cheeky but his look genuine none the less.

Mercury Night Club & Cocktail Bar
Bethnal Green, East London
Jeremy Gray​

Eight miserable, long, stressful days. Jeremy changed moods as often as the weather. The night with Harper when the entire basis of their relationship changed had nearly been his undoing. There was no time away tor reset, no chance to clear his mind, he was always with her, which meant he was always battling this in between of his feelings. The first night, he hadn’t slept. Instead, he laid awake, staring at the shadow of raindrops falling and running down the window until the early morning.

The next morning had been started ok, but the minute Harper woke up and joined him for coffee, his heart had began an uncomfortable pace that did not ease the rest of the week. He had given her a bit of reprieve just enough to get some of his things and bring them over, as well as shop for a suit for Spencer’s birthday. During the day while she was working, he had begun running errands and the likes while she was preoccupied and wouldn’t leave. Some days he even just got a booth across the street and spent the day reading, just waiting for her to get off.

Was he getting a bit exhausted with it? It depends on how you look at it. Was he getting a little tired of the same thing day in and day out, sure. He was in the habit of doing what he wanted, going where he wanted. Was he tired of her? Not a chance. Instead, he was more confused then ever. He had been careful to keep his distance and interaction as low as possible over the days since that night, being as friendly and himself as possible but also professional. He definitely kept out of the liquor – his key to opening emotional doors he wasn’t ready for.

That made tonight an issue. One look at Harper before they left her place, and his jaw had nearly hit the floor. Instantly he had steeled himself against her, determined not to make a fool of himself tonight. As they ordered their drinks, he ordered his normal – two finger whiskey on the rocks. Harper was not herself tonight, no matter how much she tried to hide it. He knew her, and he knew how to read people, and she wasn’t getting away with it as far as he was concerned. Before they walked to the table, he scanned the room, getting a feel for the crowd tonight. So far it seemed pretty mellow.

At Harper’s comment, he looked about, seeing two girls laughing at him, and rolled his eyes. “Harper, don’t joke. They’re quite obviously laughing at me.” When she winked at him, his looked soured slightly, annoyed with her pessimistic mood. Without thinking, he reached out and grabbed her hand, rough at first though not painful, and turned it so her could stroke her palm lightly, “I’ll never get sick of you. Besides, neither of those women could hold a candle to you, in looks, personality or brains. I’ll just have to find a way to cheer you up.”

His eyes may well seem to be burning in the intensity of his look, but he cherished Harper and sometimes the way she spoke about herself roused deep feelings he wasn’t use to feeling or expressing. Shaking it away, he released her hand and sat down, swirling his liquor around the circle ice cube in his glass listening to her talking about a quarter-life crisis. He sat quiet for a moment, his face unreadable. Looking up, he seen Spencer and Alex, and a flash of reality hit him as he remembered they were in pubic and that meant keeping up a certain face. The feeling he'd just been giving off disappeared in an instant, and coldness emanated from him like a wall.

“You’re my friend Harper, I don’t have to be paid to hang out with you. I’d do it without being paid, it’s just a nice perk when you are being a stubborn shit.” Nice recovery, asshole, real nice. Shaking his head, he chided himself. Looking for a distraction, Jeremy lifted his hand and waved down Spencer and Alex, nodding his head at Harper while she wasn’t looking directly at him. Maybe seeing her brothers would help, but at the very least he would like to catch up – he hadn’t seen then much over the last few weeks as he lived and breathed his new role instead of helping them when they needed it. He’d been meaning to ask them how they felt about his assignment anyways. If they didn’t come to them, he would excuse himself momentarily and head for them. Spencer had that look on his face that said the birthday was not the focus – of course everyone knew Shona was in labor but this was not that look either. This look said business.

As soon as Spencer’s eyes met his, her raised an eyebrow – a silent signal that Jeremy could already see something was going on, and he was asking to be filled in but didn’t want to say it aloud on the chance Harper was not being informed.


Mentions:
Melanin-Gxdess - Ali/George/Alex
BloodLightning27 - Shinoa
Bellz - Harper
Misty Gray - Spencer

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Mercury Nightclub & Cocktail Bar
~Bethnal Green, East London~
Alexander King

​

Despite his tendency to go off on random vacations when he was pouting, Alex had remained in London. Not because he wanted to but because he was still working hard at the whole responsibility thing. The decision had been made to both keep May in London and that she would start working under Darcey. Alex disagreed and wanted nothing more than to throw her over to Dublin where the rest of her pack was. But since he had been outvoted he had to suck it up. Even though he hadn’t gone on vacation he did manage to still have fun, though he was usually home by 2am - which was a stark difference from the 2pm arrival time he usually had. He was slowly getting tired of the party scene, he felt, until he was invited out to the family nightclub with his siblings.

Alex had gotten the call that Shona was in labor seconds before leaving his apartment. He debated whether or not he should show up at the hospital with Spencer before he decided against it. He would just congratulate them in person the next morning. When he arrived at the club he immediately set out for the bar, greeting everyone that smiled in his direction. The waitress promptly handed him his drink then he was off to mingle. Nearly an hour later he came back to the bar for a refill and saw Darcey in a dress for the first time in a long time. His first instinct was to tease her about it, mentioning how tall she was and that she shouldn’t hide her legs. It earned him a playful slap before his attention was grabbed by Spencer. “Hey! What are you doin’ here? Ain’t Shona about to pop the little one out?” He asked before noticing the look on his face. Something told him whatever it was it wasn’t good and just followed behind him. With one last glance, Alex managed to make eye contact with Jeremy sitting near Harper. He just signaled for him to stay put for the moment while he found out what was going on with Spencer. No need to alert him if it weren’t serious.

Once the two brothers were outside, Alex immediately placed his hands on his shoulders. “Hey, whatever it is, we’ve got you okay?” His mind had immediately gone to thinking something had gone wrong with Shona and the baby. He paused for a moment once Damian approached them to speak before leaving. Alex turned his attention back to Spencer, who had reassured him nothing was wrong with Shona. It was the club that had grabbed his attention. He dropped his hands and shook his head, gesturing towards Christian. “You couldn’t have told him to come down here and tell us that? Get back to-,” Alex cut himself off when he took the picture in his hands. The moment he saw who it was he turned his nose up and frowned, taping the picture against his hand.

The moment he was told Trevor was back in town he looked up at Spencer and shook his head. “No fuckin’ way.” Alex stood in disbelief, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance before letting out a dry chuckle. The man had abandoned them all years ago and he was sniffing around now? Why? What did he want? Alex had always wondered what he would do if he saw the man again and now it looked like he would have to figure it out soon. He nodded his head in understanding. Keeping Trevor away from Billy and Harper, making sure no one suspicious was around, those were his new tasks instead of making out in the corner with a random woman. With a heavy sigh, Alex nodded his head in understanding. “Yeah, I guess I can take care of things. Don’t have much of a choice, now, do I?” He joked. “Go back to the hospital, support your wife, and we’ll be ‘round in the mornin’.”

Spencer ( Misty Gray )

 

[BasDorcha]

Mercury Nightclub & Cocktail Bar
Bethnal Green, London
May Thatcher

The time since the meeting had been a whirl wind. May spent several days wondering if she was going to be able to continue living in the city, then was given a respite, and told she could stay but that Darcey would be in charge of keeping her out of trouble. This was perfectly fine with May, as Darcey was something of a role model. She hoped to be as poised and respected as her one day. May was also starting to worry about her brother. He should have received the letter by now and she had been hoping to talk to him, to reveal the secret of their family, of who he was working for, but no luck yet. She could only hold her breath and wait patiently.

When her new keeper showed up, she quickly finished off her responsibilities and then served the woman, grinning at her joke. She winked and nodded, affirming she would join her momentarily. Asking Laura behind the bar if she was okay to take over, the other bartender assured her it was ok and shooed her on her way. May quickly made up the martini, and a rum and coke, eyes scanning the crowd. A few of the other girls were arriving, so she didn’t feel so bad about leaving Laura as she would not be alone.

As she made her way through the bar, more then one man made a lewd comment but she ignored it. Things like that happened when the bar was in full swing and the liquor was pouring quickly from bottle to cup. The new gin was doing well with the women and they had already had to place an order for a reup. May spotted several people quickly, her eyes taking a quick headcount. Spencer, Alex, The PI guy, Harper, Jeremy, Darcey.. Looking back at Alex, his back to her, she made a face. What did she care that Alex was still being a jerk to her.

Honestly, most of them had been carefully avoiding her, like she was in quarantine. May figured it was a good thing she was use to having no friends, or it would seem lonely. She hoped Erik would stop by, she could use a fake boyfriend tonight, what with all the drunks that showed up. Part of her thought about marching up to Alex and giving him another round of what for, but common sense told her not to. That didn’t say she couldn’t write sleazy lies about Alex on the bathroom walls, a laugh escaping her at the idea as she headed to the VIP section they had corded off.

The security at the door let her in without issue, and May quickly found her way over to Darcey, setting the martini down in front of her and sliding into a chair beside her. Both ladies had dressed up for the night, and with a wink May looked her up and down. “Lookin’ sexy there Darcey, nice to see you dressed up. You’ll be a hit tonight – more then normal anyways. Lovely seeing a friendly face. How are you?”

Mentions:
Erik, Alex, Spencer, Harper, Jeremy, Christian, Darcey
Melanin-Gxdess Misty Gray Bellz Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

Sullivan Residence
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

Conor Sullivan​

4 days ago...

"Do you remember when we were younger?" Sinead's voice asked as she recovered in her own bed at home. Seated in the armchair next to her was her big brother, Conor. "We were so close then and we had so much fun. Remembering those games of hide and seek we'd play around the house still makes me laugh. We always had lots of fun back then. We always looked out for each other too. I felt safe when you were around, with your courage and the fact you were super strong. But I had your back too. You had that hot-headed temper and a short fuse, but I knew what to do and say to make you calm down," she reminded him. "Even when you did get into fights and cause someone an injury, it was technically well-intended. You only harmed others out of self-defence or to protect those you care about." Sinead closed her eyes and turned her head away from Conor. "I feel like I haven't known you in so long. Daidí, Ryan... I was close to them and I lost them. Only, they died and so I never saw them again." She opened her eyes and looked back to Conor. "You're alive and you're here, but it still feels like I've lost the brother I always knew. It's breaking my heart, Conor," she cried. "Don't become like the monsters who have terrorised our family since Chicago."

*****​

Present...

Since the attack a week ago, Conor had been torn apart by the need to be emotionally present for his loved once whilst also needing to switch off the sentimental part of him to plan his next move against the Morettis.

Conor had almost lost Aliana last week. Seeing her physical injuries had been devastating, but even worse was how much it had affected his wife psychologically. Whilst there were times he had to head out to see to business, especially where making the Morettis pay was concerned, he'd spent most of the week close to Aliana so he was there whenever she needed him. He knew she was angry with him, but at the same time she also needed him to be there for her. Aliana would often cry herself to sleep in his arms, with him spending much of the night awake even when she had managed to nod off. There was too much to think about and he knew it was threatening to overwhelm him.

Leo had also been tortured and traumatised during the attack. The details of which, with the drowning, reopened old torment within Conor himself, from when Vinnie Romano had tortured him in front of Lucy. Clearly, Gabriel loved to do his research. The results of which had left Leo to suffer a similar fate to that of his father, which upset Conor greatly. It was clear his son was unhappy with him and he couldn't really blame him. Leo had suffered and found out it was a result of Conor involving Cristina in the war with the Morettis. For now, Conor chose to give Leo the distance he needed, waiting until both of them were ready for a real conversation about it. The only ones in the household who weren't upset with Conor were Rhiannon and Sydney, but that was because they didn't know what had happened. They were just told their mother had been hurt in an accident.

The first matter Conor had managed to finalise was that of getting revenge on the bastards who harmed his loved ones. Aware that Tatiana and Damian had been based in London for some weeks, an ideal opportunity to kill them was presented with ease. They'd been observed frequently showing up at the Mercury Nightclub where they conducted business or communicated back to New York over the Kings' private phone line. That would be the best chance the Sullivans would have at making the Morettis suffer whilst putting down the animals who had tortured Aliana and Leo.

This evening, Aliana had headed over to Finn and George's place with the kids. George had offered to make them dinner and spend some time with Aliana to offer her a change of scenery. This left Conor able to focus on business and making sure the plan of attack in London was executed successfully. As he sat alone at his desk, Conor toyed with the piece of paper in front of him as he stared at the name and telephone number belonging to Maddox Parker. The counsellor had helped secure Conor's parole in the 70s and had helped the man to control his aggression; to make more considered decisions. For all the counsellor's crimes, what he had done to "fix" Conor had been praised by the Irish family. For years his reckless attitude, heavy drinking, and fighting had caused problems for the Sullivans. Thanks to Maddox actually doing his job, that had all been resolved and Conor's reformed character was seen as a success, with him behaving in a more socially acceptable manner. These days, Conor wasn't sure he liked what conforming to his society around him entailed. What he did know for sure was that the drunken, party-loving, irresponsible Conor of the past at least had a heart. That Conor would not have involved innocents in his plans. He wondered if he'd merely swapped being controlled by the bottle for being a slave to his position in the business.

Before any temptation to call Maddox could take over, the door to the office was opened and Allen stepped inside. The man sat at the other side of the desk, pouring himself a strong drink as he spoke to his son-in-law. "Yeah, I could have done more to be there for her back then," he agreed with the older man. He pushed the small piece of paper aside as his focus was no longer on the counsellor's contact details. "Well, I'm not just there for Ali because marriage dictates it. Caring for my family isn't a job, it's just... I love them."

When Allen asked why Aliana, Leo and Sinead were attacked, Conor sat up straight. Even if he were inclined to lie, it would be pointless. The news would get around given enough time. "Allen, this family has been at war many times over many decades. There's always a chance one of us will get hurt. But specifically... They were attacked because I stopped the Morettis from killing Jimbo. I had Gabriel's granddaughter taken in order to get them to let Jimbo walk free. There was never any intention to harm the girl, but the mere act of taking her... My loved ones were attacked last week out of retaliation for that..."

Melanin-Gxdess (Allen)

 

[Misty Gray]

Ginn's Residence ♥
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

George Sanderson-Sullivan​

George had prepared a casserole earlier in the day, figuring it would be easy to warm up once Aliana and the kids were ready to eat. Besides, when he heard Shinoa was having Tom over for dinner and they were going to prepare the meal together, George decided to give the two youngsters as much space in the kitchen as they needed. He certainly didn't want to cramp their style or make things awkward for the two with him getting in the way of any potential romance. He'd leave it to the two of them if they wished to be alone or wanted join everyone else.

As Aliana was due to arrive, George found Lucas in his room and rolled his eyes when he saw the boy reading. "Studying on a Saturday evening? I've created a monster!" he teased the 13-year-old, on account he'd picked up his own love of books. "So, I was thinking you could watch some movies with the girls when they get here. Rhiannon is the same age as you, but remember, Sydney is only four, yes?" he reminded the boy. It wasn't that any films they would watch would be at all inappropriate for Sydney, it was more that he was working into his next instruction. "Just, don't talk about what happened last week, okay?" he delicately asked. Lucas was never mean or ill-intended, but he was the kind of person who didn't sugar-coat subjects and would say what was on his mind.

"What do you mean?" he asked. He didn't know much about what happened to Aliana and Leo, but he did know about Sinead and Liam. "Ohhhhh. Liam nearly getting kidnapped and Aunt Sinead getting stabbed? Yeah... I see how that would be an issue for Sydney," he agreed, nodding his head. He had found it upsetting when he first heard what happened, especially as he got along well with Liam. But now he'd processed it, with the help of Finn and George, he was just glad everyone was okay.

George had only just reached the bottom of the stairs when there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it!" he called out so Shinoa or Lucas didn't need to rush to it. He opened the door to see Aliana and the two girls standing outside. "Hello, ladies!" he brightly greeted them. His attention was drawn to Rhiannon who thanked him for the hospitality and informed him about the cake. "Cake?! Well, aren't we all spoiled? You're a saint," he assured Aliana, giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Okay, come on inside," he invited them. Catching sight of Lucas, he pointed to the cake. "Lucas, will you help Rhiannon get the cake into the kitchen? No sneaky tasting before dinner! You three can watch a movie or play a game until then, okay?"

Once the kids had done as instructed, George placed a light hand on Aliana's shoulder and led her into the main lounge. "How are you holding up? Do you need me to do anything for you?" he asked her, grasping the limited alone time whilst he could. "Dinner will be ready whenever we are, so I'm all yours for now," he added as he sat beside her on the sofa. "I haven't seen Conor around yet. How is he getting on?" Having known the family since he met Finn over two decades ago, George wasn't oblivious to anything these days. Given how close Finn and Conor had always been, he wasn't blind to the fact the two cousins weren't as close lately, especially as the pair had always been more like brothers than cousins.

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)
BasDorcha (Tom) BloodLightning27 (Shinoa)

 

[Misty Gray]

Biancardi Residence
~ Queens, New York City ~

Riccardo Biancardi​

Ricky didn't know how he did it, but he'd managed to have another successful meeting with Gabriel. It had taken many years, but the older man had seemingly finally grown to more than tolerate Ricky's presence, which happened at an inconvenient time, now Ricky was carrying a huge weight of guilt on his shoulders. Thankfully, there was one person who knew the whole truth and still wanted to know him. Despite the way the truth had come out, Julia still wanted to be with Ricky even after he told her everything. After the way he'd been treated by almost everyone in the past, it was a strange feeling to know someone wanted to be around him despite knowing his every flaw and how damaged he was from his past. For once, he was in love with someone who he believed could one day feel as strongly about him as he did her.

When Ricky arrived home, he got out of his car along with his personal assistant, Quentin, who had been in the passenger seat. "Get the notepad out. You're in for a ride," he told the tall and attractive younger man. "The flower beds need some attention - book a gardener in for the 1st July," he started to reel off. When they entered the large open space in the mansion entrance, he outstretched his arms and let out a whistle at the sight of the grand staircase. "I want fairy lights. A whole fuck tonne of them. But like, classy lights. Grown-up and stylish, rather than tacky Christmas grotto. Got that?" he asked.

"Classy, not tacky. Got it," Quentin agreed, rapidly noting down ideas.

"The lounge and the dining room next. I've got big ideas for this birthday party," Ricky said, putting his hand on the man's shoulder and giving it a firm squeeze. "This is going to be the best party Julia has ever had, and we've got until the 3rd of July to sort it. So you're going to have to stop wasting so much time flirting with Candice. Ask her out on a date already or move on. The sexual tension is too much for that office to handle."

After reeling off more instructions, Ricky led Quentin towards his home office. "I'll get you that number for he caterer Giovanni always used and I'll arrange a ride home for you--" When he pushed open the door, Ricky fell silent, surprised to see Roxie seated at his desk. "Welcome to my home, Roxie," he replied back to his cousin. He turned to Quentin and flashed a smile. "Looks like I'm in trouble with the boss" he joked. "You can see yourself out. I'll be in touch with the caterer's details," he told the man, letting his personal assistant leave.

Ricky stepped into his office as Roxie spoke of how she'd been trying to get in contact with him. "Business here in New York is busy - far more to deal with here than over in little old sleepy Dublin," he remarked, catching the venom in her voice. He took a seat across from her when she asked how he'd been. "Oh, I've been just great..." he drily remarked, pausing as he looked over his shoulder to see Reina enter the room. "If I'd known you were both coming, I'd have prepared an agenda for you. Our profits are shooting up, though we've got to give credit to Moretti and him swinging his massive dick over the city." Of course Ricky was picking up on some tension, hence why his cruder comments were making an appearance.

Once Reina was sat next to him, he looked to her and nodded. "How could I ever forget Reina? The lady is good at what she does and I'm sure we're all grateful for her quick thinking in keeping you alive. Well, both her efforts and Matthew's." He looked back to Roxie having heard her comment about their family being arseholes. "Oh, I'd say we've all got some asshole in our blood, running through our veins," he pointed out, not about to think he was any different from the rest of their family. Not anymore.

Ricky relaxed back in his seat as his cousin said she missed him and was proud of him. She pointed out that he was the only man who hadn't betrayed her, with the exception of Matthew. He reluctantly nodded his head, knowing that was far from the truth. "This business means everything to our family, so I will always handle it. Working with the Morettis isn't so bad now and it shows with all of the new contracts we've got in the pipeline. You can look over any of the files and you'll find it all checks out. Nothing to hide in the books - the truth is all there for you to see," he assured her. Of course, he hadn't touched on any lies and betrayal on a personal level, only focusing on the fact the business transactions were all there for her to see.

Bellz (Roxie)
Melanin-Gxdess (Reina)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter​

In the past week or so, so much had torn through the family that Syd couldn’t pick just one thing to hyperfixate on. For only a short few hours it had been the news of Ricky’s heinous betrayal, but while at the time it had seemed like the worst thing he could have heard that day, he was shortly after informed that Sinead had been stabbed, and Aliana and Leo had been tortured and almost killed - all at the hands of the Morettis. The weekend had turned into one long, harrowing hospital visit. Hearing about the attempted kidnapping of Liam had fuelled his protective nature, and over the course of the week he kept having to call Roxie or the school at random times throughout the day to make sure his children were alright.

Added to his list of concerns was Roxie’s trip to New York for the purpose of confronting Ricky. It frustrated him that he couldn’t stop her from going, as he didn’t trust her cousin one bit - especially now that he had actually made a hit on Roxie and in the process murdered Matthew. For all he knew, a meeting with Ricky could be the death of her, and even though it was the worst case scenario, Syd couldn’t help but fixate on the idea that he and the children might never see her again.

All the worrying was making him ill and, at least for the time being, he completely gave up on his waning goal to quit smoking, getting through almost as many cigarettes on a daily basis as he used to at his worst. He would have benefitted from a few days off from working at the garage, but until his men came back to him with further information on Tom Thatcher's background, he didn't want to leave his new employee under the supervision of anyone but himself. So, as rough as he felt, he made the effort to come to the garage and observe the young man to ensure his chatterbox self didn't ask the sorts of questions he shouldn't get answers to.

Despite everything, Syd held a firm resolve to honour his position as Conor’s right hand man and to not let any of the chaos stop him from remaining as involved as he possibly could be. He had agreed to meet Adam at their Donnycarney base, where he was to give an update on Tom’s situation. It didn't look like there was going to be much to tell at first - until just before he was about to set off, when one of his spies returned to him with exactly the kind of information Adam would want to hear. Leaving the children and his dogs, Maisie and Meatball, in safe hands, Syd headed to the agreed location with his more menacing-looking dog, Bandit. When he entered the building with the German Shepherd at his heel, Adam was there with Edwards and Emery, to whom Syd each gave a curt nod of the head. He didn’t put out the cigarette he had carried in with him on the assumption that Adam wouldn’t care.

After a short greeting, the man led him into a side room and closed the door. He mentioned the rough week the family had had and asked Syd how he was doing and whether he had found anything out about Tom. He didn't really know how to answer the first question given that complaining wasn't going to help. He perched slightly on the table in the centre of the room and exhaled a breath of smoke as he looked Adam's way and gave him another small nod. "Something's come back, yeah," he confirmed, resting a hand on Bandit's head. "A couple things you should know, in fact. The first thing, I'm hoping no one will make a big thing out of, 'cause you know I...I'm very selective about who I let close." Syd's eyes hung on Adam as he paused to bring the cigarette back up to his lips. "Turns out the kid's a blood relative to the Sullivans. It's distant, okay? I want to make that clear...As far as I'm concerned, he's not a responsibility of ours beyond being an employee of mine. His great-great-grandfather...was Conor's great-grandfather..." He squinted slightly as he conjured up the family tree in his mind. "The connection's on his mother's side, a woman named Kathleen. I'll be surprised if anyone knows of her, to be honest. The point is, that barely counts as a connection in my eyes. He's not part of the family like you and me."

For a moment he forgot that there was a second point, until he caught Bandit's eye and was reminded of what had been worrying him about Tom's case. Burning down the last of his cigarette, Syd dropped it on the concrete floor and stubbed it out with his shoe. "The other thing's more serious," he warned, through a light cough of smoke. He looked into Adam's eyes, unable to hide the full extent of his concern. "Tom's got a sister over in London, May Thatcher, and she's working for the Kings. She's just a bartender, nothing more - but the bar she works at..." His dark eyes shone as he sent Adam a knowing look. "I don’t know exactly how close the two of them are, but they’ve been in touch since Tom came home from the military and he talks about her without any spite, so I'm guessing he'd get pretty upset if...you know." With a sigh, he took his hand off Bandit's head and folded his arms across his chest, too preoccupied to notice the dog's small whine of protest. “And yes, I tried reaching base, but they must've already left. It's too late to call it off. If May's there right now, then we'll just have to handle the consequences."

Interactions
Misty Gray Adam

Mentions:
BloodLightning27 Edwards
Misty Gray Emery, Sinead, Liam, Ricky
BasDorcha Tom, May
Bellz Roxie
Melanin-Gxdess Aliana, Leo

 

[BloodLightning27]

~Chapter 10: Cause and Effect~

Saturday 15th June 1985
...8 days later...
Dublin: Evening - Warm, Dry, Cloudy
London: Evening - Warm, Dry, Cloudy
New York City: Late Afternoon - Mild, Rainy, Cloudy​

~James Edwards~Dublin, Ireland | -REDACTED-

A week had passed since his visit to the Callahan Family at the Hospital in Beaumont. Since that visit, he could not help but feel troubled, as if there was a war brewing...and he was about to be right in the middle of it. He hasn't felt this troubled since his deployment in Vietnam several years ago. Aside from attending the church regularly, Edwards spent a few days working out at BodyWorks Gym, a gym owned by the Sullivan Family, to help keep his mind off of the wars he had gone through as a Soldier. On this weekend, the Irish Mob new blood was on training night with Adam, a more experienced mobster and the Family's Head Enforcer. Soon after they had arrived in Donnycarney, a Residential Neighborhood in Dublin, Edwards soon found himself in the company of Emery Callahan, with Adam leaving him with the lovely woman. As soon as the man told him 'Good Luck', he gave the weary smile. "Thanks, I'll need it." He replied as Adam left the room.

Once he made eye-contact with Emery, the lady was swift in starting a conversation with him after answering a radio call. At first, he was nervous, but then that feeling was washed away as his Navy SEAL Training kicked back in and he quickly calmed down, taking a deep breath as he briefly broke eye-contact.

"How's Dublin shaping for ya, Ed?"

He struggled to answer, unsure of where to start. "All things considering how I ended up here, I'd like to think pretty well. I've been overseas and away from America before, but this time, it feels...different." He replied, breaking his silence.

"I guess anywhere's better than prison, to be fair. Can't complain, eh?"

He nodded in agreement. "No, I really can't. I never thought I'd see freedom this soon. I was supposed to do fifteen years behind bars, but...I guess God had different plans for me."

"I heard you went to visit my Mam in hospital last week. That was real nice of ya." -Sigh- "She's the last person who deserved that - wouldn't hurt a fly. I wish the jerks had tried that shit with me. I'd have shown them not to mess with a lady."

"Yeah, I-It was the least I can do...in return for her welcoming me to Dublin with...open arms. She was really nice to me when we first met last week. Chase took me over to her place after Church. And you're right, she didn't deserve what had happened to her. And neither did Liam. He's a good kid." He frowned, remembering the hostility he was met with by Peter. "And those assholes wouldn't have gotten a chance to lay a finger on you. With me around? They'd be dead before they can even get anywhere near you. I actually used to kill people like them for a living."

He then leaned against a nearby table, his hand on his watch, almost covering it. Edwards raised an eyebrow when Emery told him about how Danny had a fling with her Sister ten years ago, as he was still fresh blood and didn't exactly know too many people outside of James, Conor, the Callahans and the Zegarra Families.

"So tell me about yourself, Ed. Where'd you grow up? Are you single? What made you want to join this crazy business?"

Ed chuckled when Emery continued the conversation, but since she was entering more personal territory. But if she -and the family- were going to trust him, he may as well open up, as he had with James when they were in prison. "Well, I won't bore you too much, but I grew up in Austin, Texas. My Pops was in the Army while I was growing up, so he was often overseas. My Mom was managing the family bar at the time, so I barely saw her either. And I'm the oldest of six, three Brothers, two Sisters. Big family, but not very close. I didn't like being stuck with my Grandparents, so I was in Sports for most of my life." He answered, thinking about the good old days before he enlisted into the Navy. "And yes, I'm single. Divorced, but single. Had some flings here and there. Since I didn't really had a chance to date with what I used to do for a living." He shook his head, thinking about how fast his divorce came, which was shortly after he had made it through SEAL Training, and at that time, he and his ex-wife had been married for four years, having tied the knot straight out of High School, which on his part, was a very, very poor choice. "Well...Not like I'm really cut out to do anything else. The world's not really a place for a trained killer. See, I enlisted into the Navy, kinda following in my Pops' Footsteps. But, in a way, made it further. I used to be a Navy SEAL...and I was a Sniper. If someone did so much as point a gun at my Brothers...they'd be dead before they can put a finger on the trigger. After I got out, I got nailed for armed robbery. Then I met James, he helped me and a friend of ours, and in return, I made sure he got home safely, so...here I am." He responded, thinking about how he was now in the world of Mobsters.

---

Interactions: Adam Harper, Emery Callahan Misty Gray
Mentions: Sinead Callahan, Liam Callahan Misty Gray | Peter Callahan Bellz | Chase Zegarra Pyroclast

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

George and Finn’s
~Dublin, Ireland~
Aliana Sullivan

​

The moment Aliana saw George's smiling face, hers lit up in return. Being able to get out of the house and be around someone so positive was a relief and Ali could use it right about now. Seeing as the two of them were technically the outsiders of the family, she had made it a point to get to know George any chance she got. Sydney - who had been holding on to the bottom of Ali's sweater - let go to give George a quick hug around his leg before she moved to the side. Ali returned George's hug, softly telling him the cake wasn't a problem. He then called on Lucas to help Rhiannon, who was more than happy to have help from her cousin. The cake was starting to get heavy and while she was pretty strong, she wasn't strong enough to hold up the big sheet cake for much longer. As Ali stepped inside, she watched Lucas assist Rhiannon towards the kitchen, Sydney following right behind them, talking off Lucas' ear about the newest vinyl she was gifted. Ali just shook her head with a smile before letting herself be led into the lounge with George.

George asked how she was and she hesitated. She was worried she would start crying again if she told him the truth, however, she knew he would just catch her if she lied to him. Instead, she shrugged her shoulders before responding, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm... I'm not a hundred percent yet," she started, fidgeting with her turtle neck. "The nightmares are the worst part of it all, to be honest." She paused, before scoffing and shaking her head. "And this horrible scar," she said, though she was trying her best to make light of it. Tatiana's blade had been smooth enough not to leave behind jagged lines, which was something Ali had been secretly happy about. A straight and smooth line was easier to hide behind jewelry but a jagged one was not. "Your husband did a nice job stitching it up so I don't look like Frankenstein." She joked, trying her best to make light of the situation.

At the mention of Conor, Ali's face slowly fell. Not because she didn't want to talk about Conor, but because she hadn't exactly discussed with him what happened to her and Leo. The entire time they spent together was when she couldn't talk and while she was crying so it was pretty difficult to get any type of discussion in there. "I-I'm not sure. I mean, I'm sure he blames himself but," she shook her head, returning to her nervous habit of rubbing her hands around each other. "We haven't talked about what happened." She paused for a moment, eyes tearing up as she wiped them away with her sleeve. "God, George, I'm so angry, and I don't even know if it's all at him or partly at him. He probably already feels shitty about it and I don't want to make it worse for him, but I can't help it." She paused to give her throat a break, sniffling as she tried to will herself not to full out cry in front of George. Granted, he had seen enough of it, but that wasn't the point. She couldn't keep crying over something that happened a week ago, right? Wasn't she supposed to be strong for her family?

After a few moments, she took a deep breath and managed a smile, shaking her head. "I'm sorry to just, dump that on you. I'm just... A mess right now, can't you tell?" She let out another soft laugh to try and distract her mind.

Meanwhile, Rhiannon had managed to make it to the kitchen without dropping the cake all over the floor with Lucas' help. Once they had it set on the table, Rhiannon took the cover off to show him the green and gold frosting, with the words "Thank you" written in silver cursive font. "Apparently it's Devil's Food cake with vanilla buttercream frosting," she told him, heavily eyeballing the cake. "Uncle Gorge said no eating." Sydney reminded her, to which Rhiannon rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, yeah." The only reason Rhiannon had decided not to touch the cake was that she didn't want to cause any trouble during her mother's recovery. Had this been any other time, the frosting would have definitely been in her mouth. She turned her attention to her cousin with a brow raised. "Where have you been lately? We barely hang out, you know."

George, Lucas ( Misty Gray )

Sullivan Family Home
~Dublin, Ireland~
Allen Cartwright

​

For some reason, Allen had expected Conor to start giving him excuses, explaining that there were reasons he hadn't been able to be around. It shocked him to the point where he just paused, letting the silence fill the air while he messed with his beard. Maybe Seana had been dramatic - as she had sometimes been known to be - and had made things out to be worse than what they actually were. He inwardly chuckled, questioning if he should have believed anything his late wife had told him when he was released from prison. His attention was grabbed when Conor responded to his statement about his marriage. He informed him that caring for his family had been something he was doing because he loved them, which Allen wholeheartedly agreed with. The man sitting across from him had his priorities in the right places, yet Allen still had to question a few things.

Allen had also expected Conor to give him some bullshit story, immediately blaming Moretti for the attack. He had been waiting for the reassurances that he would get revenge for all four involved, but again, Conor had surprised him. He raised his eyebrows in shock when he heard the true reason why they had been attacked - both because of what he had done and because he had been so forthcoming with the information. It took a minute for Allen to process, covering his mouth with his hand, before he dropped it and shook his head. "So in reality," he started, "they were hurt because of your actions." Allen had been a part of the Sullivan family - as a soldier - for decades. He knew how it all worked and how it was really the innocent ones who paid the price majority of the time. It wasn't Conor who had his wife and son tortured, but it was him who had committed the atrocity the Moretti's decided to get revenge for.

Staring at the man across from him, he sighed. "You're not the same Sullivan man I met in prison." He flatly told him. Allen had in no way ever tried to be a father figure to Conor, though he did feel as if whenever he had the advice to give he should. Seeing as he was older than the man and had experienced more, he figured he would be able to give him some insights; warranted or not. "Prison Sullivan, while it was a struggle, knew how to keep his calm and make calculated decisions. For himself and his family. This Sullivan?" He gestured towards him, a slightly disappointing grin on his face. "He's cold and calculated, sure, but he's also reckless and doesn't think about the long-term effects of his decisions." He chuckled, shaking his head trying not to let the anger show. "I get it. You wanted James home, and it's great it was a success, but during that whole planning period d'ya ever think about the consequences too, or did- did you think you could worry about them later?"

Allen had to pause to breathe, pinching the bridge of his nose. He didn't want Conor to feel like he was attacking him - though, it was probably coming across that way. Allen honestly didn't know what his end goal was, but he definitely knew it had something to do with making sure neither she nor his grandchildren got hurt ever again. He was sure Conor wanted the same thing - he had to be an idiot otherwise, but at this moment he wasn't so sure. A part of him believed all Conor really wanted to do was show Gabriel Moretti that his dick was bigger than his, but he was going to keep that to himself... For now, at least. "She's... Worried. And scared. And I've never seen her like this before. And I don't like seeing her like this."

Conor ( Misty Gray )

Mercury Nightclub and Cocktail Bar
~Bethnal Green, London~
Erik Snowden

​

"Are you sure you don't wanna just leave it in the office or something?" Erik's eyes were glued to the elephant tucked under Billy's arm. While seeing the man excited to welcome his second niece or nephew was touching, watching him carry around the stuffed animal was... Strange. But it seemed Billy didn't care, going as far as to deny the suggestion and continue holding on to the damned thing. As weird as it was, his excitement was adorable. You'd have thought he had never been an uncle before, the way he was acting, but Erik figured he just loved children. A small smile crept across his lips hearing him say 'Today's the day' again. He was impatient, wanting to see the kid now but Erik knew just as well as anyone it was going to take some time. "Well, I started climbing the roof of our home when I was seven, so, maybe seven?" He said in response to his treehouse question. Before he started backtracking, his a playfully confused look on his face. "Wait, I'm sorry 'we'?" Erik was sure he meant it in a friendly way, considering he had been friends with Shona and would show up anyway. It was the fact that Billy had already decided the two of them would go together that grabbed his attention.

It wasn't the first time either, that he would say something like that but Erik normally went with it. This time around, he wanted to call him out on it to gauge his reaction. For weeks now he felt the two of them had been acting like a couple. He wasn't complaining about it in any way, enjoying the feeling but he couldn't help but be a little annoyed at times. When the two of them were alone - nobody else around - Erik could see Billy drop his inhibitions just a little. Small, subtle touches in public would become more full-on and intimate. Billy would allow him to invade his space, cradling his face in his hands in a teasing matter. Billy hadn't been annoyed with Erik either and would let him as if he wanted him to do more. As if he were comfortable with it. He had even agreed with getting ready together, watching each other undress, and putting on more appropriate clothing for the night.

But, when the two of them were out in public among the masses it was like Billy was a different person. Touching wasn't allowed, though he could see how that would look to others where Billy was standing. The man would actively try and avoid eye contact with him - as he was doing now - and at times it made Erik feel like he was some kept little secret. When his mind would calm down he was aware that it isn't what Billy had been intending, but the fact remained. He couldn't help how he felt and he really wanted to tell Billy about it, but couldn't bring himself to do so. What if he hurt his feelings and ruined the night? Then Billy would show up to the hospital all bummed out and it would be his fault. No, he was going to suck it up. Besides, it wasn't like he hadn't been a kept secret before.

Erik heard Billy talking to him but he was so fixated on his thoughts and the ice cubes in his glass that he hadn't registered anything until his tone changed. "Hm?" He absent-mindedly said before looking up, following his gaze. Through a small window in the crowd of people, he could make out Alex and Spencer, the former with a worried look on his face. Billy then asked why he wasn't at the hospital with Shona and Erik shrugged. "I don't think anythin' bad happened with the baby. He would've called and had one of the waitresses tell you, I think, so it must be somethin' else." He turned back to the whiskey in front of him. "Hey, if it were serious they'd have looked for you and Harper." He was trying halfheartedly to calm him down, his thoughts now filled with insecure thoughts - which only lasted a few seconds.

Billy then brought up made, which made him look up at him and send a flirtatious smile. He sat back in his seat, legs spread and arms crossed while narrowing his eyes at him. "May? What about her?" He teasingly asked. On one or two occasions after the meeting, Erik had been hanging out with May. He had taken her up on her offer to play her 'fake boyfriend' whenever greasy men were hassling her. It was successful every time and Erik got a kick out of it every time. Erik hadn't had the chance to tell Billy about it all, but now he wondered if he should mess with him about it. "It's not a dirty word, Billy, you're allowed to say gay." He teased, before shrugging his shoulders. "Why d'you ask? Wanna make sure you have me all to yourself?" While his face and voice still showed signs of playfulness, the slightest hint of annoyance found its way into his voice causing him to pick up his cup and pour the whiskey down his throat quickly.

Billy ( Pyroclast )

Mercury Nightclub & Cocktail Bar
~Bethnal Green, East London~
Darcey Hargraves

​

The moment May joined her and slid the martini across the table, Darcey smiled and took a sip of her drink. A slight laugh escaped her throat when she mentioned her being a hit that night and she shook her head. "That may be the case, but I'm surely hoping none of them try anything. Not in the mood to be hit on by the younger generation," she said with a roll of her eyes. She had already noticed some of the looks she had been getting and the last thing she wanted was any of them acting on their thoughts. She had long since stopped seeking out the company of random men and women to keep her bed warm - Bruce being the only person she needed in her life. Well, that and the fact she no longer had any strong desire for it. "I'm alright, given our current circumstances," she said in reference to May's Sullivan blood. It had been a stressful meeting and a stressful week, but she was sure she would be able to turn things around. "And you?"

Once the pleasantries were out of the way, Darcey laced her fingers together and set them on top of the table. "Now, on to business. Bruce has decided to let you remain in London, though your loyalty to the Kings will be under intense scrutiny. I've volunteered to keep watch over you." She put her hand up to stop her from interrupting, feeling as if the girl may go on a tangent. "I know you've done nothing to warrant it, but the boys - and Harper - are a tough bunch. They don't just willingly trust people just because you've worked in their nightclub." Darcey gestured around the building with her hand before setting it back on the table. "Speaking of work, you no longer work here. It would be very hard for me to keep an eye on you when the port is an hour away. You'll work with me at the garage as my assistant. Been meaning to get one of those to help me out now that we're growing, so congrats."

Darcey took a pause to let it sink in for May, raising her glass again. She was sure it would take the young woman off guard, being told what she was going to do and work. However, Darcey believed that since she was on thin ice as it was she didn't have much of a choice but to agree with her and do whatever she was told. After a few moments, Darcey went on to continue. "Now, we've spoken about this before but not in explicit detail so I'll mention it to you now. If I'm going to do this for you, there are some things that must change May." Her tone was serious, matching the look on her face. Honestly speaking, Darcey wanted nothing but the best for the young woman next to her. She had potential and it just needed to be trained and tamed. She was sure she could help with that, even if she was unable to see the nightmare that was going to unfold before her.

"You've two options. If you don't agree with any of this, that's fine, but you're leaving London." Though Bruce had given her permission to stay even without Darcey taking her under her wing, she wasn't going to let her. The entirety of the King family held a special place in her heart and if there was a possibility any of them could get hurt, she wasn't going to allow it. "I don't care where you go, but London will no longer be your home and there will not be a safe haven here for you." Her tone had quickly switched from one of seriousness to one that was threatening, making sure her point was coming across. "You can go wherever, we don't care, but you may not stay in London and if you do, Christian is very good at finding people and Nikita- well, she's a bit unhinged and will willingly kill just because you say please." She paused, once again letting her threatening words settle in before her tone went lighter. "Your second option is the offer I just gave you. So, you do technically have a choice. And it's all up to you."

May ( BasDorcha )

Gabe’s Office
~New York, New York~
Theodore Wycliff

​

After sliding Gabriel his own glass, Teddy sat across from Gabriel with his own in hand. He shrugged his shoulders when the man reciprocated his question with a small smile on his face. "Well-rested knowing Conor Sullivan has been put in his place." Despite his calm disposition and the unwavering voice, Teddy had reason to believe things were only going to get worse from here. If the past taught him anything - and his wife's words just a week ago - it was that there was no end to the war until someone gave up. And he's yet to receive word from Sullivan that he's raised a white flag. "Hopefully he's learned for good this time, I'm running out of ideas." He joked, taking a sip of his drink. In reality, he was getting tired.

During the moments when Teddy had been alone during their family vacation, he had only his thoughts to keep him company. And of those thoughts, the main ones that played themselves on repeat had been the words Valentina used against him in their argument. Even if he believed retaliation was the proper route to take for Cristina's kidnapping, he couldn't deny that her words held weight and truth. It was just going to be an endless cycle of death until the same things happened over and over and over and then what? One family would be left on top? That is if that family had any more members left. It pained Teddy to think about anything bad happening to his own family - something like what happened with Sinead, Liam, Aliana, and Leo. The only reason Teddy didn't regret what happened to Ali and Leo was that he felt Conor had thrown the first rock. The reason he regretted what happened to Sinead and Liam was that he hadn't planned it.

Remembering part of the reason why he was here, Teddy looked up from his feet and paid close attention to Gabriel's response. His words confirmed that Gabe had planned the attack on Sinead and Liam on his own, which confirmed with Teddy what he already knew; they weren't partners and the only reason Gabe even let him plan the attack on Ali and Leo was that it was his daughter that had been taken. That's it. With a heavy sigh, Teddy drank from his cup again and leaned forward to gently place it on the desk. He rubbed his upper lip with his index finger, feeling the anger growing within him. He wasn't angry that he had imagined what his relationship with Gabe was. He wasn't angry that he had gone after Sinead and Liam. He was angry because he was kept in the dark and being kept in the dark isn't what he liked to be.

"Right," he started. "The attack on the kid I missed the memo on." He stated a twinge of annoyance in his voice. Despite feeling upset and slightly betrayed, he was still trying his damndest to be respectful to both his boss and his father-in-law. "Must have gotten lost in the mail or something..." He trailed off, biting his thumbnail and avoiding Gabe's gaze. He was visibly struggling with how to get things off his chest while keeping the peace but at some point, it went out the window. "A kid. I thought we were above hurting kids, Gabe. Hurting them, kidnapping them, whatever, but we're not supposed to stoop to that sort of level. His wife and kid? That was enough for me. His sister is pushing it, but the kid?" He hadn't raised his voice, but it was clear that he was upset about the way things had transpired.
Gabriel ( Misty Gray )

Biancardi's Residence
~Queens, New York City~
Reina Richards

​

Reina was pissed. Not only because she was having to take another plane ride, but because of Ricky. When Roxie broke the news to her that it was Ricky behind the murder of Matthew, Reina tried her best to keep any and all emotion from showing on her face. She didn't believe it at first, but the single tear that dropped from her eyes told her she wasn't lying. Reina had always had her suspicions of Ricky since the moment he and Julia came to over their condolences right after. However, she tried to give Ricky the benefit of the doubt considering he was Roxie's cousin. Surely, family wouldn't do anything to hurt each other? Especially if they were all they had left. Reina was glad she didn't have any family that could stab her in the back, but she was still pissed for her boss. Reina had just finished checking her gun when Roxie emerged with wet eyes. It was hard not to be sympathetic towards the woman in this situation, even if Reina was bad at offering it. She tucked her weapon into her waistband and nodded her head, bringing her radio up to her mouth. She let her men down below know they were on the move and to be ready the moment they walked out of the doors. Ever since Michael's untimely death, Reina had run an even tighter ship and left no room for error ever again.

The bodyguard was instructed to wait out in the hall until Ricky returned home. Standing in a dark corner made her feel nostalgic for her CIA Sparrow days. She had to stop herself from smiling at such a memory the moment she heard footsteps and voices. There were two people walking down the corridor, which was unfortunate for Reina. She was more than capable of taking care of two men by herself, it was just the fact that she didn't want to. Luckily, the second person was allowed to leave and Reina let out a silent sigh. She would really hate having to kill someone who wasn't supposed to be killed.

She waited until Ricky fully entered the office and closed the door before she moved from her hiding spot. She quietly spoke into her radio again, informing her men to keep a lookout and not to radio her. As an extra precaution for no distractions, she turned the volume down before starting for the door. She returned Roxie's smile with one of her own before turning to Ricky and giving him a less than friendly look. Her gun was concealed and hidden by her t-shirt, Reina patting Ricky's shoulder as she walked past him, but offered no pleasantries. She was here for business as he had thrown their friendship - and his own relationship with Roxie - right in the trash. She took a seat next to him, crossing her arms. "I'm glad you admire my skills. All that time in the CIA paid off then," she said before going quiet again. She listened to Ricky talk, then mention he had nothing to hide and it took everything in her not to say anything.

Roxie ( Bellz )
Ricky ( Misty Gray )

 

[Pyroclast]

Billy King​

Billy couldn’t help but cringe when Erik encouraged him to use the word ‘gay’, reminding him that it wasn’t a dirty word. Even after coming out to Harper, Billy still couldn’t shake off his prejudice. Even when he wanted to deny it, he understood deep down that he was in love with Erik whether he liked it or not. It did make him feel dirty to think about himself and Erik in that way, but at certain times, alone in bed with nothing but his deepest thoughts, he let go of his shame and allowed himself to fantasise freely about what he wanted with Erik. In reality it was different, of course; there were consequences, such as the judgement of others, the ridicule, reputational damage, discrimination, violent hate crime. So, when Erik leaned back in his chair, legs noticeably spread and folded arms accentuating their muscles, and suggested that Billy was jealous of May and wanted Erik all to himself, a strong and sudden blush spread across his face and he recoiled.

“What? No, I - Erik, you’re -” he stammered, trying to laugh his way out of it. “I’m just thinking about her feelings here, okay? Come on, it’s a classic trope - pretend to be in love long enough, and before you know it, the love becomes real. It’s the plot to Georgette Heyer’s Cotillion! Kitty wants to make Jack jealous so she gets engaged to Freddy, and then, you know…she falls in love with Freddy. D'ya not see it? May is Kitty, you’re Freddy, and I’m…”

Realising he had dug himself into a hole, Billy squinted his eyes and wished that he had never opened his mouth. Not only had he accidentally revealed his personal interest in romance novels, but had also placed himself in the story. He was, of course, Jack - except that instead of being made jealous of Erik, Billy was becoming jealous of May. He wanted to be in her place, with his arm around Erik’s waist. Of course, as a same-sex couple, they wouldn’t gain the same respect as May and Erik - rather than leave them alone, the harassers in question would surely just beat them up and spit on them.

“I’m just sayin’, you don’t wanna mess with a girl’s feelings like that,” he hastened to add, in an attempt to save himself. At this point, half of him was worried he was saying too much while the other half was urging him to just spit out the truth and be done with it. Billy reached for his martini to remedy his restless heart, only to realise he had already drained the glass. “Tell her you’re...gay...before she gets any ideas, yeah? Besides, what if another gay man sees you with a girl on your arm and thinks you weren’t interested? You could be wastin’ an opportunity to be with your dream guy. Maybe he’s in here, right now, wonderin’ if he could be with you, but he’s not sure if you’d say yes…”

Interactions
Melanin-Gxdess Erik

 

[Bellz]

Braden Callahan
Outside Mercury Nightclub and Cocktail Bar
~Bethnal Green, London~​

To say Braden was over the Kings’ shit was an absolute understatement. Them working with those Italian fucks only solidified the hate Brady truly had for them all and then they went and tried to kill his mother and take his little brother. He was anxious, to say the least, to get shit underway and when his family had begun promptly planning revenge he hadn’t hesitated to include himself in it all. He knew his father had been eager to get revenge as well but he was needed at home to take care of Brady’s mother and look over Liam, Brady was happy to take his place and make sure the job got done right.

Unlike most of the men in his family, Braden was normally calm before going on a job. He had a way of disassociating himself from the situation, not overthinking things, and creating scenarios in his head that would surely distract him from keeping not only himself safe but those who were working with him. It was an ability that most people didn’t possess but he secretly wondered if it was a good thing or not. He knew he had his daughter at home waiting for him to return but he couldn’t lose focus in thinking what could happen to him and how it would affect his daughter when nothing was happening yet.

For now, things were quiet and going as expected, Braden was sitting in the front seat with Aidan in the driver seat. They both silently watched from a distance as people continued to enter the nightclub. All they were waiting, for now, was the confirmation. Braden’s thoughts briefly went to Kerry as he stared at the club, knowing full well that she worked there, or at least he had previous knowledge of that. The unease feeling that crept into his stomach knowing that she was once again trapped in the middle of a war she didn’t want to be in was the only thing that made him feel strange. He didn’t give a shit about the other people in the building…or at least he was going to keep telling himself that for his sanity. He knew that the King's younger sister was also in there, so far removed from all of this that she was most likely one of the only innocent ones within the building beside Kerry.

Aidan spoke up and asked about Brady’s mom and brother and the man let out a slow sigh, not turning his eyes away from the building as he answered. ”As good as anyone could be after living through something like that. They are handling it like champs though, especially my brother. I’ve always known my mother was a fighter…but I thought Liam would be someone we would have to worry about. He seems okay right now, my dad’s helping him a lot.”

Hearing the radio go off, the confirmation they were waiting for had announced that Tatiana and Damian were in fact inside the building. Braden’s face had grown serious, ready for what was to come. He straightened up as a taxi pulled up right in front of them, slightly blocking the view that they had of the building. Before he could say anything, he watched as a familiar woman exited the vehicle, and Braden stared wide-eyed at Kerry as she started walking away from the taxi.

Aidan pointed Kerry out asking if she had worked in the nightclub. Braden nodded his head once, not able to speak as he willed her to not walk into the club in his mind as if that was going to do something. Aidan then suggested that maybe they wait for her to walk into the club, stating that Syd wouldn’t object to her being one of the victims. Brady shook his head harshly, ”No time to wait for her, it doesn’t look like she’s going in there. We can’t afford to miss this chance, it’s now or never. As much as that would please my cousin if we mess this up he’s going to have both of our heads.” Braden said through gritted teeth. ”Let’s do this.” Brady insisted, letting Aidan put in the call as he continued to watch Kerry. He wanted so desperately to get out of the car, to tell her to get as far away as possible but he knew he couldn’t do what he wanted now.
with: Aidan Misty Gray
mentions: Kerry Misty Gray ; Syd Pyroclast

Finn Sullivan
Ginn's Residence
~ Dublin, Ireland ~ ​

The hospital had been busy. And while that may have seemed like a great thing business-wise, Finn was not pleased with the amount of turmoil he had been seeing in his emergency room as of late. Sinead, Ali, and Leo had all been under his care at the same time and Finn - who was never the furious type - was absolutely angry over what had happened to them. While he knew his anger was mostly needing to be directed at the Moretti's and the Kings, Finn was also upset with Conor. It was rare that Finn was upset with the man, as they were more like brothers rather than cousins but Finn had a few words with him on the whole retaliation that Conor had planned.

It was putting people Finn loved dearly and the man had come back to Dublin because it wasn't safe within the states anymore. He was putting his family's wellbeing first but it seemed to him that not even Dublin was safe. Finn had been working overtime to make sure things at the hospital were going as smoothly as possible. Not only had it been hard taking care of his relatives and seeing them in so much pain but patients he had thought were doing well had taken a nosedive in health and two of them passed in the middle of the night. Finn wasn't always pleased to work the night shift but he never said no to helping his staff. He was a far more involved chief of medicine compared to most, but he felt sitting around doing paperwork wasn't helpful to his staff or the patients.

He has was awfully tired having worked non-stop to make sure Ali and Sinead made it out of the hospital feeling their best but when Ali asked to come over, Finn didn't turn down that plan. He didn't ask about Conor although he wanted to, he and the man were in an awkward place at the moment. He was running late for dinner but made sure to let George that he was on his way home. Once he made it into the driveway, Finn took a quiet moment to himself to prepare to go inside. Finn couldn't help but feel that maybe he was starting to get too old working so often. He was definitely tired. When he wasn't at the hospital he was at home helping Shinoa adjust to being a mother, or entertaining Lucas. George and he hadn't had a moment alone in a minute which Finn was starting to miss. Finn was happy to help whoever needed it but he missed his husband deeply. After taking another deep breath, Finn reached for his briefcase and opened the driver's side door.

Walking up towards the house he walked up the steps and noticed a redheaded man and Shinoa standing in the doorway. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything..." Finn stated lightly as he smiled at Shinoa widely before his eyes turned to Tom. "Thomas is it? Nice to meet you, lad. I'm Finn. If you both need anything just let me know." He wasn't going to play the intimidating dad when he knew that was going to help Shinoa in the slightest, especially since he wasn't her father and she was a grown woman. "Looking as lovely as always, Shinoa." Finn complimented the girl before stepping past her into the house. After moving to take off his work shoes and place his briefcase down, Finn stepped further into the house listening as it bustled with life.

"Honey! I'm home! Sorry, I'm late...you wouldn't believe the day I'v-" He had walked into the main lounge and found George and Ali sitting. "Hey guys!" He greeted softly, giving Ali a smile before moving to give her a hug. After greeting her, Finn moved to give George a hug and a kiss.
with: Ali Melanin-Gxdess ; Georgie Misty Gray
mentions: Tom BasDorcha ; Shinoa BloodLightning27

 

[BloodLightning27]

~Shirley Kwon~London, England | Maternity Ward, London Royal Hospital

It has been a little over a month since Shirley had welcomed her Twins, Perseus and Pyrrha, into the world. Her Best Friend, Shona, an Expectant Mother herself, had helped Shirley through labor and delivery. Now she was doing the same. Eighteen hours into labor, Shirley persisted through a relatively sleepless night. Thankfully, she was able to find a trustworthy friend, the owner of the tea shop she frequented, to watch over her Son and Daughter so that she can be there for her Best Friend to return the favor at London Royal Hospital. Sadly, life wasn't exactly the kindest to the new Mother, as she was wheel-chair bound due to two broken legs, one of which was recovering slightly faster then the other. Either way, she looked forward to being able to walk again and she was blessed to not be permanently paralyzed. Postpartum wasn't going the best either, and Baby Blues were inherent for new parents, or so she has learned since her more recent Doctor's appointments.

On this evening, and with little rest, Shirley was now in the hospital room with Shona and her husband, Spencer, whom she still felt uneasy around after that night he came home beaten up and how he reacted after she treated his injuries. While she did her best to comfort Shona, she saw Spencer step away to speak with someone by the door, before he ended up leaving the room to attend to business. This left Shirley to comfort her Best Friend alone. She didn't mind though, because this was how it was when she herself was in labor. Shona then proceeded to shout at her husband, Shirley flinched.

“Fine. But don’t you dare drag your feet, Spencer! If this baby comes and you miss it I’ll never forgive you!”

She frowned once more when her Friend squeezed her hand to get through a likely strong and painful contraction. Though in comparison, Shirley thought that her friend was handling it very well all things considered, certainly a lot less screaming. Her heart sank when her friend asked her how she got through it, as she had carried twins.

“How did you do it, Shirley? You had two of these things inside you at the same time! Where did you find the energy? I haven’t slept since two nights ago and that bitch nurse won’t let me drink coffee…What if I'm not strong enough to push? What if Spencer misses it? Maybe he doesn’t even want to come back, I’ve been so mean to him -”

Shirley didn't know how to answer this one, even though she did find the strength to persevere through the pain of childbirth. "I wish I knew, Shona. But...I don't. Though I've been told that nothing is more fierce, then a Mother's Love. Sure, I was scared, terrified even, but...my children are my life now. I wouldn't trade either Perseus or Pyrrha for anything in the world. Nothing's more rewarding then being a Mother and after this last month, I can attest to that." She tried to comfort her friend, only for a contraction to send them both back to square one.

"And...I know it hurts right now, but you're stronger then you think. In the end, it'll all be worth it. And it's gonna be a long road ahead. I promise that you're not alone and I'll be here for you every step of the way." She said after her friend got through a wave of pain.

She would then back away as soon as Shona grabbed an empty bowl, which meant she was about to throw up...or vomit. The pain can be overwhelming, so Shirley didn't in the slightest blame her. The young woman did however, look away so that she wouldn't end up vomiting herself.

“I’m so bored of this. Tell me it’s worth it, Shirley. Tell me about how wonderful babies are. Only the good things, please…I don’t want to resent my baby for putting me through this…”

"I know. Being pregnant was hard and it felt like you weren't really allowed to do anything fun. Nothing is more rewarding then raising a child. And you've met both my Son and my Daughter. I wish you that same happiness. And you won't hate your baby. Once you look into his or her eyes, you'll realize how worth it is. The nine months of carrying them in your belly, through the pain of childbirth, it'll be worth it. And all things considered, you've been doing very well. You're stronger then even me. If you remember...I was screaming like ninety percent of the time. Your screaming's been very minimal. And besides, you've been a wonderful Auntie to Perseus and Pyrrha. I can't wait to return the favor." She smiled as she squeezed Shona's hand, still hoping to bring her friend the same love and reassurance that she recieved last month.

---

Interactions: Spencer King Misty Gray | Shona King Pyroclast

 

[BasDorcha]

Mercury Nightclub & Cocktail Bar​

May Thatcher​

May relax back next to Darcey, though it was apparent that Darcey had more on her mind then a night at the club not focused on business. May hoped she was here to take a break but she also was coming to see she should know better then that. “Well I tell you what, they get any ideas you can just tell them you’re going home with me. It’ll save the both of us.” She winked and gave her a joking smile, that quickly fell away as she saw the serious look come over Darcey’s face. Straightening herself up, she prepared for the worst. She nodded in agreement at her comment about current circumstances, silently agreeing to her own similar position.

As Darcey started talking, she paused and lifted her hands, and May couldn’t blame her – it was easy to see why she thought May might be wanting to break in, but instead she was silent and listening. There was no intention of interrupting. Something about the woman commanded May’s attention and respect – maybe because she always acted the way May imagined a real woman would, not her drunken whore of a mother. Maybe she would have treated her mother better if she acted more like Darcey. All she said when she had a moment of Darcey taking a breath was, “No, I understand, continue.”

When all was said and done, May considered carefully. Honestly, it wasn’t much of a choice. May wanted to stay, and was actually thrilled at the idea of working closer to Darcey. If May ever went to a therapy, it was likely they’d tell her just how many Mommy and Daddy issues she had, and how it was understandable that May felt the need to prove herself and be validated by older parental figures, but she had never been, and instead just knew she wanted to do well. She didn’t want to give up and go back to her mother – of course she had Tom as well, but he was just starting his own life outside of the military and she didn’t know how he’d feel about having her about. No, she would just take the more appealing offer and stay.

She also couldn’t deny she was tired of being grabbed. Erik, who she spotted across the room and tossed a playful smile as she saw him with Billy, winking at him when he saw her looking at him. Unaware they were being watched, she almost swore she saw something, but decided she was just being silly. Erik had saved her a few times, and it felt nice to feel like she had a friend in the world now. May was good at reading people, conning them into what she needed, but she wasn’t so good with real friends – it meant letting people see the real her and that didn’t happen often. As it stood, most of the King’s had seen it now, Darcey, Erik, Kerry, and that was the limited circle.

Turning her attention back to Darcey, she tossed back her drink and nodded. “Okay.” Sure Darcey would ask “Okay? Just okay?” May grinned and nodded. “Okay. I’ll work with you. I need out of the bar scene anyways. And honestly, I feel like I have a lot I could learn from you, so I’d be happy to have a chance to do that. I’m certainly not in any hurry to head back to the mother country, there’s nothing there for me except my brothers. I love them, but I’m not ready to move back and give up my life here.” As she talked her eyes wandered, landing on Christian, who she assumed was the PI. She had never officially met him, but she had a flashing thought of it wouldn’t be such a bad thing to have him after her. Looking away quickly and pushing the thought away, she focused her attention on the woman and empty drink in front of her.

Grinning she asked, “Can I at least go get me a top up?”
Mentions:
Bellz Misty Gray Pyroclast Melanin-Gxdess and all the damn characters in this scene ROFL

 

[Misty Gray]

Mercury Nightclub and Cocktail Bar
~ Bethnal Green, East London ~

Spencer King and Christian Brooks​

Spoiler: Night Club Floor Plan

With a deeply serious expression on his face, Spencer nodded when Alex initially reacted to hearing Trevor was back in town. He let out a frustrated groan as his brother chuckled. His irritation was not at all towards Alex's reaction, but towards the prospect of having to see their father again. When Alex said he'd take care of things, but in a way that suggested he had no choice in the matter, Spencer placed his hands on his brother's shoulders and looked him in the eyes. "I'm serious, Alex. You don't have a choice, no. Not only is it your responsibility for the business, but more than that I need to know you'll be looking out for Billy, Harper, and the others here. So take it easy on the booze and don't be hooking up with any birds. You can see what's going on if you've got some woman in your face blocking your view, yeah?"

"Something doesn't seem right. I'm checking the cellar," Christian told the two brothers as he walked passed them and back into the nightclub.

"Alright..." Spencer mumbled back to the former detective, his mind fixed on his conversation with Alex. His thoughts were now back on returning to the hospital to be by Shona's side. He wanted to be in no other place than with his wife, reassuring her and helping her through the labour. Yet, he felt like something was holding him back from leaving the nightclub to return to the hospital. He was sure Alex could do it without him, but the thought of Trevor getting within a mile of their siblings was getting to him. Or was it really just that? Running his hand through his hair, Spencer backed away from his brother and took a step back towards the door, but suddenly stopped and anxiously turned back to Alex. "What if I mess it all up?" he suddenly asked his brother, folding his arms at his chest. "What if I'm more like Trevor than I want to be? I don't want to mess up Shona's and my kid's lives, but what if it's something I have no control over?"

Melanin-Gxdess (Alex)

*****​

When he was back inside the club, Christian headed straight behind the bar and into the storeroom. When he reached the door to the cellar, he pushed the handle down and attempted to pull the door open. Despite knowing full well the door was locked, he tried again to pull open the door, purely out of annoyance. "It's locked," the barman commented, standing in the storeroom doorway.

"No shit, Sherlock," Christian drily remarked, turning to face the younger man. "Can you unlock it for me? I'm with Spencer, but if you don't believe me, you can go out back and get him to confirm."

"I believe you, but I don't have the keys. I think May had them last," he explained. He then shrugged his shoulders before look back into the lively club. "She's around here somewhere. She went off with the lady Bruce often knocks about with."

Christian nodded his head and brushed passed the barman, heading back into the main club. As he moved through the crowds, the loud music and voices were being blocked out of his mind. It was like the sounds were much further away as his thoughts were focused solely on the apparent new case he was working on. Whilst it was more than likely there was nothing to be concerned about, he found himself in the zone, where he had an investigation to conduct. When the reached the VIP area, the large bouncer stepped in his path and puffed out his chest seemingly to intimidate the private investigator. "I'm working with Spencer and I need to speak with those two ladies. Come on, you even saw me enter the club with him. It was practically ten minutes ago!"

The bouncer soon budged and Christian stepped into the private area to approach Darcey and May. "Good evening, ladies," he greeted them with a friendly smile. He was very familiar with Darcey by now and had had many direct interactions with her in the past, usually through the Kings. Although he knew plenty about May and had seen her on many occasions, they'd never directly interacted with each other before now. "May... I'm Christian Brooks and I work for the Kings. Darcey here can attest to that," he said, looking to the older woman for her confirmation. "I need access to the cellar and I've been told you might have the keys, May. Are you able to let me borrow them for a few minutes? And don't you worry about those top-ups. You're VIPs! I'll have one of your colleagues come take your order." He maintained a relaxed expression so as not to concern the two women unnecessarily. "But I could do to check it out urgently, so I can report back to Spencer and let him get back to the hospital," he explained to them.

Melanin-Gxdess (Darcey) BasDorcha (May)

Undisclosed Sullivan Lookout Point
~ Bethnal Green, East London ~

Kerry Patrick and Aidan Byrne​

Aiden had been glad to hear that Sinead and Liam were handling things well since the attacks the previous week. In his line of work, he'd seen a lot of terrible things, and sometimes he was the cause of them. But one thing he'd never done was intentionally harm children. He'd been the only one there to comfort Benjamin when the boy had found his own mother dead on the living room sofa. Regardless of the fact Sinead had survived the attack on her, Aidan didn't doubt that Liam had witnessed something deeply traumatising. Just as Benjamin had all those years ago.

When Braden made it clear there wasn't time to wait around in case Kerry entered the nightclub, Aidan nodded his head. "Strange to think a lady like that could get herself on the bad side of so many dangerous people," he observed.

As Aidan conducted one more observation check, Kerry's two friends could be seen stepping out of a restaurant and then hugging the woman in question. Their proximity to the car meant Braden and Aidan were able to hear the two women explain they had to head home urgently, so could no longer join Kerry at the nightclub. Though a little disappointed, Kerry smiled and nodded her head. She wasn't about to go home just yet, not without heading to the club herself to see if any of her other friends were around first. "Maybe another time, girls. I'm still going to have a couple of drinks. If I see any of the others in Mercury I'll tell them you said hi." After waving off her friends, Kerry set off walking towards the nightclub in question.

Aidan brought the radio to his mouth, ready to give their Sullivan colleagues the go ahead...

Bellz (Braden)

 

[Pyroclast]

Emerald Studio
~ Dollymount, Dublin ~

Danny Vaughan​

Although Danny had worked continuously with the family through their move from New York to Dublin, he was generally able to remove himself from their personal drama. Far from not caring about them, it was more out of respect for their privacy - even though he had gained status from climbing ranks over the years, he had more social capital than he did professional capital, and since he mostly knew the family in a professional sphere than a social one, he understood that he wasn’t their first choice of people to open up to. His role was in drug distribution, managing the dealers and mapping the most profitable areas based on the profits they drew in. It was a role that kept him fairly busy, so while he stayed up to date on the most major events to impact the family - everything that had recently happened to Aliana, Leo, Liam and Sinead, for instance - he was in a better position to give them privacy than step up and take a more hands-on approach.

It was for that reason that he hadn’t reached out to Savannah much recently; the woman was going through a great deal of stress and he didn’t feel close enough to her to ask about it without it sounding like prying. So, when he was asked to step in as her chauffeur and pick her up from the studio where she was doing a photoshoot, he wasn’t really sure what kind of state he would find her in. He was also surprised to have been asked in the first place - though of course he wouldn’t complain. Any chance he got to spend time with Savannah was savoured - especially since their recent catch up had reminded him how charming she was and how much he enjoyed her company.

When he arrived, he got a little lost trying to find what room she would be in and ended up asking a woman for help. She led him up towards the dressing room and knocked to inform her that her lift had arrived. Clearly Savannah hadn’t been told who to expect, because she burst out into the corridor calling out for her sister, and wearing very little besides a black corset and briefs…

Danny instantly spun around to protect her modesty, though he was helpless against the smile that surfaced on his face. “No, I’m not your sister,” he confirmed, unable to keep the amusement out of his tone. Still facing away from her, he leaned against the wall and let out a small chuckle when she clarified that she didn’t usually run about half-dressed. Hearing her shuffle slightly, he figured that she was covering herself up with something or she wouldn’t still be standing behind him. Cautiously, he turned around to properly greet her, a residual blush still showing in his unrelenting smile, and saw that she had covered herself with a robe. She asked if he was the one tasked with taking her home, to which he said, “Is that okay?”

Their relationship may have come to a forced close thirteen years ago when Savannah moved away, but Danny was sure he could still feel their chemistry now. She had even called him ‘Danny boy’, spoken in such a familiar manner that it made him regret keeping such a distance from her, despite all the personal grievances she had recently been through. “So, you ready to go or d’you need a few minutes?” he joked. “I mean, that black corset might cause a heart attack or two out there but at the very least a robe will just make ‘em blush…”

Interactions
Misty Gray Savannah

 

[Misty Gray]

Undisclosed Sullivan Base
~ Residential Area, Donnycarney, Dublin ~

Adam Harper​

Adam noticed that Syd didn't answer the question regarding how he was doing, but being that they were on the job, he wasn't about the press the subject. He was fully aware of what had happened to Conor's and Peter's loved ones, so Adam was pretty sure he knew how Syd was feeling anyway. They were there for business, so he was glad to be getting to the matters at hand. He was sure if a chance for a more personal conversation presented itself, he would hear Syd out.

Adam glanced down to the dog as Syd confirmed some information had come back. He liked dogs, but given that he didn't always know when he'd be home at any given moment, if at all, he figured he wouldn't have time to care for a pet. Besides, in his line of work, it wasn't hard for him to see a dog on a daily basis, considering the number of guard dogs or pets there were within the Irish Mob. Adam looked to Syd with interest as the younger man started by mentioning how selective he was at letting people get close, which was no surprise to him. Adam perched himself on the edge of the old, worn-out wooden table as he willed Syd to continue. The man then revealed that Tom was a blood relative to the Sullivans, albeit a distant one. He was about to remark about his own family tree thankfully being simple and small, but given Elena's recent revelation, that was no longer accurate, nor in the best taste. "Great-great grandfather... Pretty distant then," he agreed. To Adam, it was distant, though he wasn't sure how Conor felt, given how important family was to the Sullivans. "So what's Conor said about all this?" he asked. "I'm inclined to agree with your reasoning, that this Tom is just an employee of yours at the garage. You do think he trustworthy, yeah?"

Apparently, that wasn't all Syd had to say, which was clear in his expression. "Okay..." he said when told the next matter was indeed more serious. "A sister working for the Kings? Close or not, I'm not keen on that idea," he admitted. It was Adam's job to be cautious and suspicious where security was concerned, so Tom's sister working for the Kings certainly raised red flags. "As much of a complication the Callum situation presents, Savannah is a part of the family you all know well and we know she can be trusted to stay quiet. We don't really know this Tom kid." Catching on to the fact May worked at the Mercury nightclub and the implications that had for her, given the imminent attack in London, did not go over Adam's head. "Well, there's nothing we can or should do about that now. The question is. How will Tom take that, especially if he somehow learns who's behind the attack on the club?"

Pyroclast (Syd)
Mention: BasDorcha (May, Tom)

*****

Emery Callahan​

"Fifteen years? That's crazy," Emery commented, upon hearing how long Edwards had been in jail. Quite a few of her relatives, including her own father, had spent time in jail, but no family she had personally known had spent as long as that locked up. She also noticed the man mentioned God having other plans. She wasn't sure if the man was just using a figure of speech or if he did believe in God, but it wasn't really something even she would pry into. Then the man went on to mention how he'd been introduced to Sinead after he'd been to church, which as good as confirmed things to her. "Do you know Father Healy, then? Liam spends a lot of time at the church these days and seems to like the priest. My mam, of course, thinks that's wonderful because he's not interested in being a tearaway criminal like my older brother and me," she said, with a dry laugh.

When the man assured her that the enemies wouldn't have had chance to lay a finger on her if he'd been around, Emery playfully raised her eyebrows. When he went on to say how he used to kill people for a living, she sat back in her seat and blew out a long whistle. "Like, hitman, or soldier? Either way, you've got to stop flirting with me like this," she teased. "I'm just joking with ya," she quickly reassured him.

Emery kept quiet as the man told her his story, them having big families in common with each other. She nodded her head when he told her he was divorced and didn't have chance for dating with his former career. Although she did have time for dating, Emery found it was a mixture of her upfront personality and her blood relations to the mob that intimidated others from wanting to date her. She wasn't about to give up her family ties nor change who she was to make anyone like her. "Well, if you're good at something, you might as well get paid to do it, and it seems like my uncle is willing to employ you, right?" she asked, upon learning about him being a trained killer. "I could give you a list of targets off the top of my head right now, but I can't pay you for it," she joked.

Hearing how the man had met James in prison and that her uncle had helped him out, Emery nodded along. "Well, it sounds like you have things in common with my uncle. He wasn't in the army, but I know he has similar skills," she said, gesturing firing an imaginary sniper rifle, aware her uncle started out his mob career as a hitman for her grandfather, Emmet Sullivan. "I haven't seen Uncle James since he got out, so really I haven't seen him in six or so years. How was he doing?"

BloodLightning27 (Edwards)

 

[BloodLightning27]

~Shinoa Bradford~Dublin, Ireland | George & Finn's Residence

The date from the previous week still went through Shinoa's mind. Thomas was so far a delight to be around and she very much enjoyed his company. Best of all it warmed her heart seeing how accepting he was of Little Lillian. Although she was supposed to be getting ready to move soon, looks like she would be staying with Uncle Finn and Uncle George for a little while longer, as her Mother wasn't ready for her to move in just yet, still ironing things out with her Husband, who has only been in Dublin for about two weeks now. For now, Shinoa could only hope for the best on that. Tonight though, Tommy was coming over for dinner and Shinoa had agreed to cook, or at least be a part of it since her Uncles were going to be cooking as well. At best, this was gonna be a great way for her to bond with them. At worst, they'd just tell her no. Currently, Little Lilly was currently sleeping in her carrier in a nearby room, just so that Shinoa could be ready to spring into action if the little infant were to wake up crying.

As she made her way to the Kitchen, she heard a knock on the door, prompting her to turn tail to go answer it. Shinoa smiled as he greeted her with a bow, even though he was carrying quite a bit of groceries, leaving her to wonder how many more people would be showing up. Though Finn's Sister, Alianna, had shown up not too long ago, but hadn't gotten a chance to introduce herself yet as she didn't want to disrupt the two siblings catching up or anything. "It is good to see you again too." She replied as she brought him into the house, closing the door behind him as his hands were full. "But I had a good week. Mostly just taking care of Little Lilly, but I don't mind. I really love being a Mom."

Before she could usher him into the home, her Uncle Finn had returned home from work. Must have been a busy day, the man looked worn out, at least from her perspective. "Oh no, not at all, Uncle Finn. Glad you made it home." She smiled as she straightened out both her dress and her hair. "Tom brought some extra ingredients for us and I'm hoping to help Uncle George with making Dinner." She added.

When he said that she looked lovely though, Shinoa blushed a little bit, mainly because it was said in front of Tom. As Finn stepped back into the house, Shinoa proceeded to usher him into the home, shutting the door behind them as she brought him towards the kitchen so that he could unload the groceries that he had gotten, before he handed her a bouquet of Summer Wild Flowers. "They're lovely. Thank you." She smiled before kissing him on the cheek and then grabbing an empty vase so that she could set it in her room later.

Setting the flowers in the vase, she proceeded to go put it by the window so that it would not be in the way while she and George were cooking. "Did you wanna keep Lilly company while I'm cooking?" She asked, putting on an apron and tying her hair into a ponytail. "We can definitely talk more at dinner time."

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Interactions: Tom Thatcher BasDorcha | Finn Sullivan Bellz
Nearby: George Sanderson Misty Gray | Alianna Sullivan Melanin-Gxdess