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

[Pyroclast]

Mercury Nightclub and Cocktail Bar
~ Bethnal Green, London ~

Bruce King​

With every ambulance that Bruce had to let past him, his heart sunk a little further. Who was it for this time? Who was it carrying? He had just got off the phone with one of their overseas suppliers, securing their next shipment of cocaine, and was about ready to join Spencer’s birthday party at the Mercury nightclub when the phone had rung again. Knowing that Shona was in labour, he expected it to be the news that his grandnephew or grandniece had been born. But it was nothing so positive. Ever since he had thrown the receiver down, each minute that went by felt like an hour - he couldn’t run to his car fast enough, every road seemed busier than usual and the rising black smoke that billowed into the distant sky was taunting him.

After weaving between the cavalry of ambulances, Bruce finally parked up and ran over to the mass of people being treated around the back of the nightclub. “Darcey?” he yelled above the chaos, his head turning to scan the area. “Harper, Billy, Alex, where are ya’?!”

With the number of ambulances arriving and leaving, he figured the crowd must have thinned a bit by now. He hoped so, anyway, otherwise it would seem that not many had managed to escape the club in time. In such a rush to leave the house, Bruce had forgotten to bring his glasses and combined with the smoke that polluted the surrounding air, he was struggling to identify the people around him. He thought he saw Spencer in the distance, but since he knew his nephew should be at the hospital with Shona, he dismissed his faulty vision and continued searching for the others. Eventually he got closer and saw that it was indeed his nephew, and the woman with her hands on his shoulder was Darcey.

“Oh my god,” Bruce blurted out, bounding over to the pair. Straight away he swept Spencer into a tight embrace, reaching up behind him to hold his head steady as he kissed him firmly on the temple. “My boy,” he said, his voice cracking, before turning to Darcey. His arm coiled around her shoulders and he kissed her on the cheek. “Are you two alright? You ain’t waitin’ for an ambulance?” Bruce could feel a familiar pain swarm through his chest as the thought of losing his family stirred up painful memories of his late wife and children. “I’m parked up just over there, I’ll drive ya’ both to the hospital -” At the idea of leaving, Bruce looked over Darcey’s shoulder at the crowd before facing Spencer again. “Where are the others? Harper, Billy, Alex - where are they? Did they get out? Where are they?”

Interactions
Misty Gray Spencer
Melanin-Gxdess Darcey

BasDorcha Bellz

 

[BasDorcha]

Ambulance & Hospital Arrivals
May Thatcher and Jeremy Gray​

May watched Spencer and had an urge to hug him, but knew it was not her place. She had a sudden feel of being more outside then ever as she wanted to help but this was not her family. She swallowed down the sensation and watched as Darcey soothing Spencer. May stood back, looking at the mayhem around them, and tears stung her eyes. This would haunt her dreams for years to come. Why had this happened? There was a sense of guilt that somehow she had caused this, even though her brain tried to speak logically that there was no way she could be connected – she wasn’t someone anyone cared about, much less something worth this. The idea that her blood connection – no matter how thin – was the ones who planted the bombs made her sick. She did not want to be related to this.

She moved back to Christian and kneeled down beside him. Reaching out, she wiped a run of blood of his cheek and checked the securing of the makeshift bandage on his back. “Let’s get you to the hospital so they can properly seal this. My bandage is already soaked. I’ll ask Spencer if I can drive him car, since I don’t have one. Unless you do.” When he confirmed he road in with Spencer, which she had thought she’d seen them arrive together, she nodded and headed back to the group of Bruce, Darcey and Spencer.

“Spencer, if it’s ok with you, I can drive Christian in with your car, then you can ride in with Bruce and Darcey – I.. I figured you might need some time with them. I’ll take care of Christian..” Her voice was rough from all the smoke inhalation, and a purple-black bruise was forming down the right side of her face, swelling and darkening even in the darkness outside the flaming bar. When Spencer gave her the keys, she quietly excused herself and went back to Christian. She helped him up, an arm under his and around his back, helping him to the car.

“Guess you’re stuck with me for now. That means I’m gonna stick around until I know you’re okay. I have to do something… I can’t sit by twiddling my thumbs.” May winced as the pressure of his body touched her side, May finally realizing she had some damage of her own as it felt like something stabbed her. She ignored it and got them to the car before crawling into the driver side and heading to the hospital.

******

Jeremy had been so enwrapped in the view before him and the fear flooding his mind, little else got through. When Billy came over and told him to stop crying, he looked up, nodding, blinking to try and stop the water running from his eyes. He had said his peace, if she left, at least he tried. He should have told her sooner – but Jeremy had never known until that moment exactly what it was he felt. So long he had spent trying to deny his feelings because they overpowered him, because he felt obligated to keep her at a distance because of her brothers, because of her family, because women had never accepted him, and simply because he had been scared.

Alex moved away momentarily, and Jeremy pulled Harper into a full cradle until the medics started working on her. He struggled to let go so they could take her into the ambulance, but he forced himself to comply. He couldn’t do anything more then be there for her right now. Alex spoke to Darcey, then came jogging back. For a moment, he worried that Alex would tell him to get lost, he had failed, and he was no longer welcome by her or his side. Instead, Alex made them let both of them in. His face was ashen, and he was a sight unlike he had ever looked before, and so did Alex.

Once they were settled in the ambulance and driving, the medics working over Harper without a word to them, Jeremy looked up silently at Alex, finally processing that Alex had overheard every word. Sitting alongside him, closer to Harper’s feet, he reached a hand out and grasped Alex’s shoulder in silent support, while his other hand lightly touched her leg in an unconscious need to be touching her. His eyes never left her face except to look up at his friend when he squeezed his show of support. It felt like they were in the ambulance an hour, but all sense of time had been lost.

He thought back to the night of his return party when Billy had interrupted them right before a kiss and he had gotten scared and pulled away even after being left alone a moment later. Jeremy had been so caught up in the moment, that once the magic was broken, senses came back to him, and he had withdrawn. He had known that night what he was feeling, had been growing to feel for years, but never admitted to. It was realizing what that feel was that drove him to stay away. He loved her brothers like his own. He considered them family, and therefore had decided that he wouldn’t risk their friendship for his personal feeling. All that had changed now. Being with Harper day in and day out showed him he couldn’t deny those feelings even if he wanted to.

The tears had stopped, but the blood drained more from his face. It was then the paramedics realized blood was spreading across the floor – Jeremy’s foot was still bleeding from where a nail had punctured a pinky size hole through his foot. It had ripped as Jeremy had pulled his foot off, tearing through more of the skin, and stuck in the shoe. It kept working the wound with every step. Jeremy hadn’t even felt it since it happened.

It was also the first time Jeremy realized he had gotten gashed down the side of his head, near the backside of his ear, and his hair was soaked with blood as well. In a flash the paramedic had his shoe off, showing him the nail. “How in the world were you still walking with this in your shoe!?” The man sounded in disbelief. Jeremy just shrugged.

“Just wrap it up, focus on her please.” His voice was raspy and it became apparent he had inhaled quite a bit of smoke and dust as his voice sounded damaged. He also noticed that his lips were dry to a point of cracking – probably from the heat of being so near the fire. He didn’t care about himself. He just wanted them to focus on her. As soon as the medic had a half decent wrap on his foot, he moved his leg away and pointed back to Harper. The man gave him a solemn look as if he didn’t expect he would be able to do much, but did as he was instructed. Once they arrived at the hospital, the refused to let Jeremy and Alex both into the operating rooms, and as such, they sat together in the waiting room, nurses trying to tend them both as they ignored the attempts, waiting for any words of their loved one.

Mentions
Melanin-Gxdess Misty Gray Bellz

 

[Pyroclast]

Emerald Studios
~ Dollymount, Dublin ~

Danny Vaughan​

Danny let out a somewhat sarcastic chuckle when Savannah called him handsome. When he was ordered to pick her up from the studio it had come with a warning that she might not be in the brightest of moods, given everything that had happened to her family recently. No matter how much the woman was put through, Danny still couldn’t see her as a gloomy or miserable person - just a cheerful, sweet soul who carried a lot of pain, and so at the very least he had expected to see her in a slight daze, weary from the weight on her shoulders and all her smiles holding a touch of melancholy. The last thing he was expecting to see was her confident and flirtatious side. Maybe being in the lingerie for so long was having an effect on her? Either way, it made Danny smile.

When she stepped out in her knee-length blue dress, Danny took a deep inhale, momentarily stunned by the sight of her. It wasn’t an extravagant outfit, rather plain compared to what she wore in her modeling shoots, but she still looked so beautiful - somehow even more beautiful than the girl he had fallen in love with back in New York. “There ya’ go, now that’s the kind of beauty Dublin’s conservative folk can handle!” he teased with a wink. When she mentioned her plan to go straight home and tidy up, the fun side of Danny’s personality tempted him to try and persuade her to stay out with him for a bit. However, he held his tongue out of respect, and when he looked at her again he saw a woman who wanted to maintain some control in her tumultuous life, so he just smiled and nodded at her request. “Sure thing, Sav. You just tell me where to go.”

Even once they were in the car, Danny found himself struggling not to smile. There was just something in the air between them that made him want to laugh. “Trouble? Me?” A grin spread across his face and he glanced at her before returning his eyes to the road. “Ah, come on, Sav, you know me - I’m as innocent as the next man. ‘Til the day your dozy Irish cops learn to run faster, that is.” The road took his attention for a second before he remembered she had asked him a question, and he gave an audible exhale as he fought to get his mind off the woman sitting beside him. “Let’s see, what have I been up to? Probably nothin’ too fun, I’m afraid. Gettin’ to drive you home’s been the highlight of my week - though there ain’t much that beats bein’ in your company.” He spoke so casually as he leaned forward to watch out for road signs, as if he was completely unaware of what he was saying. The truth was, Danny didn’t feel like he had to hide too much from her, and that level of connection to her was an amount he felt he could share.

With her directions, Danny eventually pulled up outside Savannah’s place. “Well, here we are,” he announced, turning to her with a smile. “You want a hand tidyin’ up in there, or was that just code for enjoying a night to yourself before Callum comes home?” There was so much he wanted to talk to her about; she had been on his mind a lot recently, especially with all the recent attacks. She seemed cheerful and confident now, but he understood the mood could drop when it came to being alone, and he didn’t want to see her walk through that door on her own if there was a chance that could happen.

“You know, it makes sense to me why we didn’t hang out before,” he said suddenly, before she could leave. “But I’ve been thinkin’ ‘bout that time at that pub, Scallion’s…I really enjoyed that. Just sittin’ with you, out doin’ somethin’ together, y’know? It just felt like old times.” As they sat in the quiet, enclosed space of the car, the atmosphere between them seemed to thicken, almost enough to put Danny on edge. “Thing is, it’s hard to stop thinkin’ ‘bout you, ‘specially when your family’s goin’ through the wars,” he admitted, his voice lowering as the topic became more serious. “There’ve been so many times lately when I’ve wanted to check in on you, but I didn’t wanna pry and…well, I’m just glad I got to see you tonight. And I do want to make sure you’re okay. You can check in with me any time, you know, talk whenever you want to, ‘bout whatever’s on your mind. Or come out on some adventure with me to get your mind off it all!” His smile broadened into one more mischievous before a softer expression returned and he reached out to gently rub her shoulder. “Whatever you want, Sav. Do you wanna hang out a bit, while the kid’s not here?”

Interactions
Misty Gray Savannah

 

[Bellz]

Harper King
Ambulance & Hospital Arrival​

Dark water waves lapped the black sand a loud whooshing sound deafening Harper's ears as she struggled to cling on to what little life she had left. The waves started to become easier to hear, formulating into logical sentences that made sense yet confused her all at the same time.

“Harper, say something… Harper, please. Just breathe and stay awake, you can’t go to sleep. Common, you’re stubborn enough to fight this.”

"Hey, hey Harper, you gotta wake up, okay? Open your eyes,"

She was awake...wasn't she? Her eyes scanned the shoreline but she quickly noticed she couldn't move from the position she was currently in, desperately trying to move her head, her arms, or her legs Harper attempted to cry out in frustration but her lips were unable to move.

The shore looked unfamiliar and unsettling, not like the beaches she visited with her family from time to time.

“Harper… Harper you have to be alright.”

When she had first opened her eyes to the look at the beach, she thought that maybe she had been alright...but as the hushed voices got louder and more desperate, begging her to wake up she started to panic. The water was getting closer and closer to licking her feet and despite not wanting to get wet she was frozen, stuck at the mercy of the waves as they continued to get bigger and stronger, hitting the shoreline quicker and washing it away at an alarming rate.

“How can I tell you how much I love it when you argue with me, or how much I love spending time with you… How else can I tell you how… how I… How I love you?”

With each word, the waves got closer to reaching her and eventually did, splashing over her feet before receding back to the ocean. And again reaching her legs that laid flat on the black sand. Panic continued to torment her as she wondered if she was going to drown, the idea of death terrified her despite her stubborn and overly confident personality.

“She’s fine. You’re alright, aren’t you, Harp? You’ll be okay, sis' - just be the strong woman I know you are…”

Another wave hit her again, covering her up to her torso this time as she desperately tried to move, black sand moving to wrap itself around her wrists and ankles as if it wanted to keep her there and watch her drown. Tears stung her eyes as she was forced to lay down flat on her back not able to see the oncoming waves any further.

Looking up towards the pitch-black sky, she noticed the disturbing lack of stars just as a final wave crashed painfully into her, submerging her completely underneath the black waters. She tried to scream, tried to struggle as the wave carried her out into the ocean but as she looked up she noticed a white light. With everything she had left in her, Harper fought the current pulling her under as she choked on water, her legs and arms were suddenly free as she swam towards the light, wading, and wading until finally-

Harper gasped as her eyes shot open, letting out a horrible scream in pain as she struggled to take a breath. The pain in her chest was so intense that she choked on her breath causing the scream to cease as blood pooled from her mouth once more. Turning her head to the side, she forced herself to cough it up not understanding exactly where she was as she moved to sit up in a panic. Everything had come flood back to her and her instincts told her that she was fighting for her life and needed to get away from whoever had captured her.

The beep of her heart monitor went off like a fast-paced metronome as she tried to sit up in desperation, ready to kill whoever had taken her despite the immense amount of injuries she had received.
with: Jeremy BasDorcha ; Alex Melanin-Gxdess
mentions: Billy Pyroclast ; Spencer Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

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

Spencer King and Christian Brooks​

Spencer had seen Darcey approaching him but somehow didn't manage to process it until he felt the woman wrap her arms around him. He took in a deep breath before slowly exhaling and putting one arm around her, placing his flat palm on her back. His other arm remained by his side as he clenched his fist in a bid to try maintain his composure. He couldn't break down and show weakness, not when he was the one who still had to show strength.

Darcey had been in the Kings' life for as long as Spencer could remember, and though the nature of her relationship with Bruce was something of an enigma, it was easy to think of her as an aunt figure. Listening to her whisper to him that it was all okay, he bit down on his bottom lip, still trying to supress his bubbling emotions. The grief, anger, and guilt were all fighting to get out, but he had to hold it all back for as long as everyone needed him to display a show of strength and control.

Darcey pulled back from the embrace and wiped away his tears that had managed to break through. His eyes for a time focused on the nearby ambulance which Harper had been wheeled into on a stretcher. Jeremy and Alex had followed inside the back of the vehicle before the back doors were closed. Spencer looked back to Darcey as she told him he only had to hold on a little longer until he was free. He took in a few deep breaths as he looked around at those still in needed of treatment or simply in shock but glad to be alive. "I was supposed to protect them," he told Darcey, quickly shaking his head. When the woman said he needed to get to Shona, he anxiously ran his hand over his hair, before absent-mindedly wiping his own blood on his trouser leg. Whilst it wasn't at the front of his mind in the current situation, he was also plagued by the feeling he wouldn't be good enough for Shona and the baby, and now he was left wondering if he'd fail to protect them too.

The next thing he knew, Spencer was being pulled into another embrace, this time by his uncle. He tightly closed his eyes as Bruce kissed his forehead and by the time he opened them again, the tears began flooding down his cheeks. With Bruce on the scene, Spencer no longer felt burdened by the position of being the man in charge. He could now let his grief out with the man he looked up to present on the scene. "I'm not hurt..." he began, despite the back of his head damp with blood from when the explosion had thrown him backwards against the opposite brick wall. Stepping back from Bruce, he helplessly paced the spot before quickly shaking his head. "Billy and Alex are okay, no serious injuries. Harper... I don't know, Bruce. She wasn't in a good way. Unconscious, bleeding... I don't know, man," he said, continuing to shake his head. "She had a pulse, but she wasn't responding," he worriedly added.

When May approached them and asked for Spencer's car keys, he looked past her to see Christian looking paler than he remembered. He nodded his head as he fished in his jacket pocket for the keys, not even giving a second thought to the photographs he'd earlier shoved into one of his pockets. Trevor was now more insignificant than normal, under the present circumstances. "Here..." he said, placing the keys into May's hand. "Don't let him drive," he stated in regards to Christian, even if it didn't need saying.

Spencer then looked to Bruce and Darcey, wiping away his tears with the back of his hand. "I need to go to the hospital. I can't let Shona down too..."

Melanin-Gxdess (Darcey)
Pyroclast (Bruce)

*****​

When May had returned to check on him, Christian managed a slight smile as she wiped the blood from his cheek. "You'd make a good nurse, May Thatcher," he groggily informed her. Whilst they had only just spoke for the first time moments before the explosion, he already knew plenty about the woman. Given his position in the Kings' business, of course he'd been made aware of her and the family's need to do a background check on her. Not that he was going to stick his nose in further than it was called for, even if at one point years ago he had been at risk of being a name on the Sullivans' hit list.

Christian nodded his head as May mentioned driving them to the hospital in Spencer's car, but he didn't answer her prompt checking if he had his own car. As May was getting the keys from Spencer, Christian made an effort to try get up onto his feet, using the wall to support himself. Before he struggled too much, May returned to him and assisted him in getting up fully and balanced on his feet. Though May wouldn't know it having not known him before the evening's events, the man was usually exceptionally quick and on-the-ball, but was now rendered somewhat clumsy and confused on account of his concussion.

As they walked to the car, Christian listened to May telling him he was stuck with her until she was sure he was okay. "Well, I can think of worse people to be stuck with, let me tell you," he lightly assured her. "You should get yourself checked out too," he said, as the moments before the explosion dawned on him. "You were just as close to it all as I was," he recalled.

When they got to the hospital and were checked into the waiting room, Christian sat next to May. Given the visible bleeding and head injury, they wouldn't be kept waiting very long at all. The bright lights in the waiting room were only making his blurred vision harder to adapt to, but his thoughts were catching up to him now they'd been removed from the scene of the tragedy and the initial shock that accompanied it. "You know. If I'd been a little quicker back there, I'd have been in the cellar when the place blew up," he quietly told May, turning his head to look at her. It was a strange feeling knowing how close he'd been to certain death, but that wasn't even the worst thought to enter his ever-thinking brain. "If I'd been even sooner than that. Soon enough... Then perhaps nobody would have died," he bitterly admitted.

BasDorcha (May)

 

[BasDorcha]

Redlight District​

Soho, London​

May Thatcher​

Jocelyn tied up the bag she had been throwing up in, leaving the trashcan behind. A quick twist later, she had it easily bagged to carry and carefully avoided looking at the men on the floor. She didn’t know what she was thinking. She had never killed anyone before, she had never shot anyone even non-lethally before. Her gloved hands seemed a start contrast to her pale skin as she examined them in the low light of the shady, shabby room. The smell of iron filled the air, and Jocelyn almost vomited again. Nope, there was nothing else she needed.

Quick to follow Kit outside, she waited at the end of the bar until she finished up with the woman they spoke to when they entered. Her face was feeling a bit green, but luckily the lights in the club hid it nicely, and Jocelyn wasted no time getting to the front door. She didn’t move to far from the bouncer, but she leaned against the cool brick and took big deep breathes, gulping in the somewhat fresher air then moments before.

Part of her felt like there had been a huge weight lifted off her chest, knowing those men could not hurt another soul, could not touch anyone, could not do what they did to her to some innocent child or young woman who was so unsuspecting. They deserved every bit of death they now had. Still, she felt weird about it as well.

She wondered how she could go home to Tatiana after this. How would she feel to know she had killed someone today? The definition of a serial killer was three murders. Was she a serial killer now? Her stomach tried to upchuck again, but she held it down. When Nikita came out, she was eager to leave. She wanted to go home and shower, wanted to scold off the feeling that was crawling on her skin from having to be in the room with those men again.

A part of her though, a part of her was glimmering in her eyes, although she couldn’t see it, Nikita surely would. Part of her, enjoyed it, and she wanted to be able to tell everyone she had been the one to pull the trigger on those lowlife thugs, but first, home, a bath, and getting out of Soho. A little drunk on adrenaline, she looped an arm through Nikita’s, swinging the puke bag at her side until they had walked a ways and she tossed it in some garbage pile. She couldn’t say much, but with Kit around, she got the feeling she didn’t need too.

Mentions:
Melanin-Gxdess Pyroclast

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Mercury Nightclub and Cocktail Bar
~Bethnal Green, London~
Darcey Hargraves & Alexander King

​

Alex kept replaying the memory of when Harper had been brought home in his head. He was upset that he was brought another sibling but more so upset that it had been a girl. What the fuck was he supposed to do with a sister? He could be as rough as he wanted with his brothers and didn't have to bother leaving the toilet seat down but now all of that was about to change. There was a lady present and he had to change the way he had been and change was not something he was good at. It hadn't been until his mother died and Trevor bailed that his attitude towards her changed and thus created the protective big brother image he displayed now. Even if he hadn't been as close to Harper as she had been with Billy, he still cared about what happened to her. He could be in Ibiza or the Mykonos, drunk off his ass but if an emergency occurred and he needed to get home he'd be on the first flight.

When he cheated on Sav, Harper had been the first to express their disappointment and anger. Savannah had been the first girl he'd ever tried to settle down with and Harper and the others liked her plenty. It was probably the most disappointing stage in his life and though it happened years ago, he still regretted it. If he hadn't, Sav and Harper would still be friends. He'd be married with a cute little house near his brother and Callum would have both of his parents under one roof. Maybe a little brother or sister running after him, too. But most of all, a bomb wouldn't have gone off in their club and he wouldn't be praying for his little sister to wake up.

Praying wasn't a foreign concept to Alex, but he had never done it on a daily basis. It was rare for him to ever ask some great, infinite, power to help him out yet here he was doing so. Harper was the last person - next to Billy - who deserved what had happened. She didn't deserve to be hurt and fighting for her life when she had done absolutely nothing wrong. Had it been him instead of her then he would have accepted his fate. But it hadn't and here he was - holding onto his sister's hand silently begging her to wake up and come back to them. If she wouldn't do it for him, at least for Bruce, Darcey, Spencer, and Billy. At least for Jeremy. People who hadn't been screwups. The halt of the ambulance brought Alex out of his wallowing and the moment it had, Harper suddenly sat up.

Her screaming caught him off guard and he tried to stand up, hitting his head in the process. She was alive. In pain, it seemed, but alive nonetheless. The tears left his eyes before he had any sort of chance to stop them but he didn't care. Harper had opened her eyes which meant she wasn't dead. "Harper!" He shouted, his grip on her hand tightening. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead before bringing his own in. A relieved chuckle left his throat. "Oh, you little shit," he said, feeling someone's hand wrap around his shoulder. The paramedic spoke in an urgent voice, beckoning him to let go so they'd be able to take her out and he happily complied.

Once the wheels had touched the ground, both Alex and Jeremy ran alongside the gurney carrying Harper. Alex looked down on with an encouraging smile before he and Jeremy were forced to stop at a set of double doors. Neither of them was a doctor and therefore wouldn't be able to accompany her any further. Alex lingered by the doors for a moment, watching through the small square window before they disappeared down another hallway. Although he was relieved that she had woken up he knew she wasn't out of the woods yet. The injuries sustained on the outside could be nothing compared to those on the inside. However, he would hold on to this small victory until he was able to see her again.

He begrudgingly turned and allowed a nurse to lead him into the emergency room, where she examined his injuries alongside Jeremy's. She asked if he were in pain anywhere other than his head and she told him no. After a few stitches to the back of his head, she was was able to move on to Jeremy. Though his mind was still mainly focused on Harper, he couldn't help but think about what the man next to him had confessed to his sister. "You better not be fucking with Harp," he muttered, turning to him. He liked Jeremy and though they had practically grown up together and he knew him, Harper was still his little sister. Any man that came into her life was going to get the protective brother routine - Jeremy included. He let the silence sit in the air before letting out a deep sigh. "You mean all that shite you were spilling out? That you're in love with her and she meant a lot to you? Because if not, that's okay. Your secret's safe with me and this is the only opportunity I'm giving you to back out."

***​

Darcey observed Spencer placing the blame for the attack on himself. She knew that being the oldest, he would and she wasn't sure how to reassure him that it wasn't his fault. In her eyes, he had done everything he could - which was get his siblings out. It was a shame others may have died both inside the club and even the hospital, but he wasn't responsible for them. Knowing Spencer he would just deny it all so he wouldn't even mention it for the time being. She opened her mouth to speak but closed it hearing what she thought had been her name. It wasn't until Bruce had been in full sight that she realized he probably was shouting out for her and she just couldn't hear him properly. He first tended to Spencer, sweeping him in an embrace before turning his sights on her and asking if she were okay. "We're okay, love." She said, returning his kiss and nodding her head.

The moment Bruce arrived Spencer had let go of the tears he was holding in. Darcey was glad Bruce had shown when he did to help Spencer before he got to Shona. At least now he would be able to let out some of the emotions he had been holding on to. Tonight was supposed to be the happiest night of Spencer's life and it had been turned so sour so quickly. Whoever had done this was not going to have a happy ending and Darcey would do her best to play her part in the revenge. But for now, she needed to focus on the task at hand and that was getting Spencer - and herself - to the hospital. She tried to focus on putting the words Spencer was saying together, watching his lips move to help. The ringing in her eyes had gotten louder and the throbbing pain worse.

"They're going to be fine," she said, rubbing her temple with her two fingers. "Harper is-," she paused for a moment, thinking about what she looked like when they loaded her up. Spencer was right, she wasn't in a good way, but she was trying her best to be optimistic - if not realistic. "She was banged up but she'll push through this. That girl is going out on her own terms and a bomb isn't one of them." She had more to say, but a coughing fit took over. As she got herself under control, May approached them and went over to hug her. During the chaos, she had forgotten to check on her. "Are you alright?"

After Spencer gave May his keys, the three of them made way for Bruce's car. Darcey let out a few reassurances to them both before resting her head on the window. When the arrived, the three of them wasted no time heading for the emergency room where Darcey was then intercepted by a nurse. "Were you involved in that bombing?!" She asked, taking hold of her arm. Darcey tried to protest, but ultimately failed and was forced to follow her. "Get to Shona, Spence, Bruce and I'll take over." She said before the nurse closed the curtain and forced her to the bed.

Harper ( Bellz )
Spencer ( Misty Gray )
Jeremy, May ( BasDorcha )​

 

[Misty Gray]

Undisclosed Sullivan Base
~ Residential Area, Donnycarney, Dublin ~

Adam Harper​

Adam let out a dry laugh at Syd's comment about not even trusting the milkman. In his work, Adam was required to be especially cautious and suspicious, but he couldn't deny that Syd took it to a whole new level. For that reason, he also knew he would need to set the record straight were Elena was concerned, as she had been one of the people Conor had tasked Adam and Syd with looking into. The last thing Adam wanted was Syd directing his suspicious nature onto Elena after he himself had already upset her with his own interrogation.

Adam listened as Syd explained how Conor had asked for May to be taken out of the building to safety, if possible, but that it was too late to call off the whole thing. Whilst it wasn't ideal that nobody had been able to get to May in time, there was every chance she hadn't been in the nightclub at all, but even if she had, the plan could not have been called off. "Nah, mate. You don't return to a lit firework. And the longer that bomb is left in that club, the more likely it is to be discovered and I expect an unexploded bomb would be easier to trace back. And we certainly can take the risk of someone going back into that club to remove it. No turning back on this one, I'm afraid," he reasoned.

"Tom's got to have been living under a rock if he hasn't already heard of the Sullivans. Be it the bad press or the humanitarian charity bullshit we spoon feed the locals. Whilst he doesn't jump out at being a threat, I suggest we still keep a close eye on this Tom lad, make sure he's keeping is nose clean and all that." Adam nodded his head when asked if he'd make things personal if one of his family were killed, such as could be the case for Tom with May. "A naive young lad was in the military?" he asked, accepting a cigarette from Syd and lighting it up. Adam rolled his eyes at mention of Tom having a bubbly personality. "Oh fuck. What do you mean he's happy? That's got to be suspicious," he remarked, letting out a dry chuckle before taking a drag of his cigarette. Despite his comment, he was taking Syd's words seriously and nodded along. Adam hadn't kept track of how many people he'd killed whilst working for the mob, but it didn't mean he was able to simply shrug them off without a second thought. He didn't dwell on it, but he didn't take it lightly either and it wasn't something to be proud of. "Then he definitely needs to be monitored. The whole bubbly personality thing could be a mask to hide some deep, dark thoughts."

After taking another drag on his cigarette, Adam tapped his fingers on the top of the table he was leaning against, before deciding it was time to inform Syd of his own findings. "I followed up on Conor's suspicions about Elena - the Cuban barmaid we've got working at the pub," he said, figuring that was enough detail for Syd to know who they were talking about. "She checks out and I can vouch for her," he assured Syd. Taking another drag from his cigarette, he then blew out the smoke before displaying a fond smile that at first would seem out of place in the present conversation. "Only Chase and Conor know what I'm about to tell you, and I need it to stay between us until I've had the right moment to talk with Blake... I found out that Elena is my daughter. The whole question around why a young lass would come alone all the way to Dublin from Cuba - it was to find me."

Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Pyroclast]

Royal London Hospital
~ Tower Hamlets, London ~

Shona King​

With the gap between each contraction narrowing, Shona was finding it increasingly difficult to find any sort of relief. However, having Shirley with her provided her with something to focus on besides the pain, stress and discomfort she was experiencing. Her friend had a good bedside manner, speaking encouraging words to Shona in a calm tone of voice. Unlike Spencer, Shirley really understood what she was going through and even if she couldn’t remember how she had managed to handle the pain, she didn’t falter when she said it was worth it for the joys of parenthood.

Between contractions, Shona swept back the hair sticking to her forehead and turned her head to face Shirley, her eyes brimming with tears. Hearing that Shirley thought she had been an amazing aunt to Perseus and Pyrrha so far and that she was looking forward to playing the same role for Shona and Spencer’s child, Shona broke into fresh tears and squeezed her friend’s hand in return. “I love you,” she wept, uncontrollable sobs tearing from her body. “I’m so glad you’re here…”

The emotional moment was disturbed by the opening of the door, and when she looked up, her midwife wore a warm smile, prompting Shona’s eyes to widen with hope.

“Is it time?” she asked, in a pleading tone.

“Ten centimetres,” the midwife confirmed. “You’re ready to give birth.”

* * * * *​

After what seemed like forever, Shona lay back in her bed, her wet hair sticking to her forehead. For all the trauma she had just been through, she had never in her life felt as relaxed as she did now. In a languid motion, she reached up as the midwife returned with her tiny bundle and as soon as the little boy was in her arms, she gently pulled back the fabric of his blanket so she could properly lay her eyes on his beautiful face. “Hello, little prince,” she whispered through a smile, a tear rolling down her cheek at the sight of his delicate features. “Oh, just you wait ‘til your daddy sees how handsome you are. He’ll be so proud…”

Interactions
BloodLightning27 Shirley
Misty Gray Spencer! Get your arse down here NOW!

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan's House
~ Dollymount, Dublin ~

Savannah Callahan​

Savannah let out a playful scoff when Danny told her the highlight of his week had been getting to drive her home. "Well, it sounds like my uncle isn't challenging you enough, if this is the highlight," she teased. Despite her teasing, she glad Conor wasn't testing Danny too much, not when the dramatic jobs often meant people were getting harmed. Granted, people were often hurt at the hands of her own family, but in the present circumstances, all she could think about was how her mother, aunt and cousin had been hurt the previous week. "At least I know you're safe when you're driving me home. And I'm very low maintenance, I'll have you know," she pointed out. Despite her career and the fame she'd had in England during her time in the soap opera and on stage, she'd become familiar public attention but she certainly didn't need to be fussed over. She followed the career she had because it was what she loved to do. Singing, acting, dancing, it all made her feel extremely blessed to be doing. Now she was back in Dublin, she'd had to take on more low key jobs to keep her face in public eye to a minimum on account of her family's business. It was a sacrifice she'd made to be able to let Callum live where he could get to know the other half of his family. If only Conor hadn't butted in, she was sure it would have been much easier for her son to know both the Sullivans and the Kings equally.

As Danny pulled up outside here house Savannah smiled at him. "Here we are," she softly repeated his words. When he asked if she needed a hand tidying up or if it was code, she let out a small laugh. "A bit of both, if I'm honest. Tidying up will be a quick job, but I needed some time away from the atmosphere at my parents' house and Mum is happy with Callum and Hattie cuddles, so I figured she'd like having Callum with her a little while longer," she explained. Perhaps it was too much explanation for Danny's casual question and she wasn't entirely show why she blurted it all out so quickly. "So I... I don't need a hand tidying up," she quickly concluded.

Savannah sat back in her seat when he spoke about the catch-up they'd had at Scallion's, something she'd really enjoyed and missed too. After moving from New York to London in 1972 and drifting apart from Danny, Savannah had dated other men. For a long time, she hadn't found anyone who she could end up loving, not until years later, when she fell in love with Alex. Of course, Alex cheated on her and broke her heart, and in the years since then she hadn't been able to love anyone again. Granted, she hadn't given love a chance to develop, only going as far as a few dates before deciding a relationship wasn't going to work. She had only loved two men in her life and it felt significant that the first one was now sitting next to her in the car. "I really enjoyed it too. I loved being able to catch up with you. It was strange, because it didn't feel like we'd not seen each other in so long," she softly recalled.

She quickly nodded her head when Danny said he kept thinking about her and how her family was going through the wars. "Yeah..." she began, letting out a sigh. "It's been pretty rough since I got back here. As much as I know things were never really peaceful where the Morettis are concerned, I can't help but think it's my fault there's so much tension with the Kings. I never meant for all of this to happen and my family assure me that civilities with Alex's family were already hanging by a thread, but they can't deny Conor attacked Spencer because of me."

The atmosphere lightened again when Danny said he was glad he'd got to see her and that she could check in with him any time she wanted to. As much as she had a lot on her mind that she could easily get off her chest with Danny, she didn't want to use the rare time with him talking about the negative parts of her life. "You know. I decided to come home tonight to take a break from the atmosphere around my family, so it would be nice to get my mind off of it all... with you." When Danny reached out to gently rub her shoulder, Savannah glanced to his arm before looking to his face, and for a moment got lost in his eyes. Hearing his question, she snapped out of it and quickly nodded her head before she could act on any deep impulses. "I'd love to hang out. Come on. I'll show you around my house!" she enthused.

After getting out of the car, she waited for Danny to lock the doors before taking his hand and leading him up to garden path to the front door. Once unlocking it, she led him inside and closed the door behind them. "Now, my house is still a work in progress, as I don't have all of my things from London yet and I still need to go on a household shopping spree, but it's starting to feel like home," she explained to him. After showing him the lounge, kitchen and dining room, she stopped in the hallway and pointed to the staircase. "I can show you upstairs," she then offered, her eyes once again lingering on him as she got sucked in to the charged atmosphere Danny's presence brought with it. Coming to her senses, she quickly shook her head. "Where are my manners? You probably want a drink. I can get you a drink. What would you like to drink?" she offered him, somewhat flustered.

Pyroclast (Danny)

 

[BasDorcha]

Hospital Emergency​

May Thatcher and Jeremy Gray​

​

The fact that Christian didn’t look at her the way she felt everyone was at this moment was a warming sensation. It started in her chest and spread to her cheeks, and there it would remain. The drive to hospital seemed to flash by, and soon they were sitting in a room with sheet walls, waiting for a nurse to come back around to check them both out.

As Christian went on to talk about how close he had been to the explosion, and she smiled, ready to give him a light hearted response. “I guess it’s a good thing I had them…” but his next sentence stopped her in her track. She reached up, caressing his forehead, and lightly dragging her fingers down the+ damage of his face. “Don’t d-o that. Don’t start blaming yourself. If you do that, you’ll never go back. Trust me, I blame myself for enough things to know what that cycle is like.” She sat back, thinking about what he said.

“It could be said that it’s my fault, I had the keys, if I had left them at the bar, you would have gotten in quicker. I was last in there, I should have seen it.” For a moment her eyes fazed out, looking into a fiery and distant image of the bar falling apart and on fire. Shaking it away, she brought herself back to the present and cleared her throat. “I refuse to feel guilty for something clearly deserving to land at the feet of another. Who ever planted the bomb, they’re to blame, not you, not I, not any one in that bar that got hurt or…” May gulped, thinking about Harper now who she had seen being stretchered away between Jeremy and Alex. She did not know the girl well, but she could see how much she meant to the family without any doubt.

“No. Let’s not go down that route.” She tried to give him a reassuring smile. May didn’t realize it, but less and less she was feeling the need to keep up a front with the people around her, and was acting more and more like the person she felt was her real self. Sitting here with Christian, she felt none of the pressure to be that person she had spent years constructing. Maybe it was the endorphins and adrenaline running through her system, but at this moment, Maeve just felt like Maeve, and not Maeve On Display.

When the nurse came back in, she quickly directed them to Christian’s shoulder, not letting them worry about her yet. She would let them check her over next, and when the nurse found out she was suffering pain in her side, she asked May to lift her shirt. Flushing she looked at Christian for a brief moment, before she did so. He probably knew more about her then she even could guess at this point, so no point in hiding Her right side matched the right side of her face, bruised and blackish from where she had been flung into something hard.

Calling in a second nurse, one worked on him, and another was instructed to take May for x-rays. When She returned, she sat near him, watching as they got ready to stitch his now cleaned shoulder.



*****



Jeremy had been in a daze, and when Harper came up, it was like someone had kicked him in the chest with a hundred pound hammer. All the steadying himself, trying to pull it together, fell apart. He didn’t have time to say anything, do anything, but just knowing she was at least a little less close to the edge sent a tidal wave of relief through him. When they got inside, he collapsed next to Alex, ashen white, and dizzy. He tried to remind himself that Harper wasn’t in the clear yet, but his heart refused to hear it. Instead he just sat in stunned silence, as the nurse examined them both. When it was his turn, the nurse looked at his foot. She couldn’t believe he had been walking, much less running.

“You need to stay off that foot. We’re going to have to stitch it, and see if you need surgery since it penetrated through the top of the foot.” Jeremy nodded, listening but not really hearing. She also checked out the cut behind his ear, informing him he would need stitches, then listened to his lung, and shook her head. “You must be running on pure energy right now, because a normal person would be on their back. You’re lungs sound like tin cans.”

She instructed them both to stay where they were and disappeared, giving Alex an opening to acknowledge what he had overheard. Jeremy didn’t bother trying to deny it. He gulped, thinking about her in the surgery, then looked up at Alex, eye to eye with a look Alex should know as being open and honest. “I meant every word of it bud. I just didn’t realize it until… until…” His words trailed off, he couldn’t bring himself to say she almost died. “…Until I failed her. I should have been under that beam, not her. I should have been faster.”

A few silent tears leaked out of his eyes. Jeremy couldn’t remember the last time he had cried, if ever since he was a child. Certainly never in front of his friends – except Spencer. He had seen it once, a long time ago. “I’m not backing out, but I’m also not going to try anything either. Yes, I’m in love with Harper, but unless she feels the same, nothing changes. For now, I just want her to make it, even if it means I never get to see her again… I wouldn’t blame her for firing me after this. I had one job, protect her.” Jeremy drug his hands through his hair, wiping blood and dirt everywhere. His shoulder had splinters in it from where he’d lifted the beam enough to pull her out, but it wasn’t enough in his mind. Sighing, he looked at Alex, his second closest friend and asked him softly, “Do you think she’ll hate me?”

Mentions:
Misty Gray Melanin-Gxdess Bellz Pyroclast

 

[Pyroclast]

Mercury Nightclub and Cocktail Bar
~ Bethnal Green ~

Bruce King​

Bruce had lived long enough to know the pain of grief. Having grown up through the Second World War, he had experienced it on both a communal and personal level. His father had been killed in action during the Tunisian Campaign of 1943, whilst his mother was killed during the 1944 V1 bombings in London. Experiencing such deep loss early on in his life, Bruce learned how to remain resilient and keep going forward no matter what. Even when his wife and two infant children were tragically killed in a traffic collision, Bruce forced himself not to give up on his own life. While it taught him how to keep a stiff upper lip, he also learned that it was healthy to let his emotions out, when there was a good time for it. He wasn’t against crying, but when it came to raising his nephews and niece, he made sure not to encourage it when it was inappropriate. He believed that it came in useful to know how to control one’s emotions, how to swallow the pain and save it for the privacy of one’s own home, and he wanted Harper and the boys to grow up with that same ability.

That being said, he didn’t berate Spencer when he saw the tears rolling down his cheeks. He knew how tough the man was; time and time again he had proven himself to be capable and strong in the face of adversity, and he didn’t doubt him even now. Still, his chest ached to see the normally stoic man get so upset. Despite the urgency of the situation, Bruce didn’t rush him and listened patiently as his nephew described Harper’s condition as best he could, albeit vaguely. Bruce's heart shook when he heard that she was unconscious and unresponsive, and he passed a hand over his mouth, now having to exert more control over his own emotions. Ever the optimist, Darcey was already trying to give them hope for the situation, encouraging them to have faith in Harper’s ability to fight for her life. Bruce nodded, but quickly became concerned when she started to cough rather violently; he placed a hand on her back, but May soon came over and stole Darcey’s attention. Seeing her and Christian reminded him to think of who else might have been in the club. Jeremy would have been with Harper, another one he would be checking on once they arrived at the hospital, as well as Tatiana and Damian, and the staff that had been working in the club that night. Looking into his nephew’s tearful eyes, Bruce took Spencer’s face into his hands and brushed away any residual tears.

“Spencer, you’re a tough lad, the strongest I’ve ever known,” he told him sincerely. “But right now your responsibility ain’t here, my boy, it’s over at the hospital. There ain’t no time to dwell here so I'm gonna need ya' to take some deep breaths and pull yourself together, alright? We can go over all this tomorrow, but we gotta focus now. Come on, I’ll take you back to your wife.”

Once they got to A&E, a nurse instantly came over to speak to them and ushered Darcey into a room. Bruce turned to Spencer and pulled him in for another quick hug, before pulling back and placing a firm hand on the side of his head. “I’m proud of you, son,” he said, under his breath. “I’ll find out where the others are, and I'll come and update ya’ then, alright? Next time I see you you better have a baby in your arms!”

Interaction
Misty Gray Spencer

 

[Misty Gray]

Royal London Hospital
~ Tower Hamlets, London ~

Christian Brooks​

Christian wasn't expecting May to reach up to gently touch his face, but he remained relaxed as she did. Though he appreciated the gesture, he couldn't show it in the moment, as the question of 'what ifs' was accompanying the moment. As a logical and realistic man himself, he knew there was no real reason he should blame himself for the trail of clues not leading him to the danger sooner. However, caught up in the moment, with both friends and strangers having been hurt or killed all around him, it was difficult not to enter the territory of self-blame. He quickly nodded along as May told him not to blame himself, reminding him it was a bad cycle to enter in to.

May pointed out that if the keys had been at the bar he'd have gotten there quicker. "That's the scenario where I would certainly have been killed," he pointed out, his expression managing to reflect some gratitude for that. At her mention of being the last one in, he quickly shook his head but then tightly closed his eyes and reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose, suddenly feeling dizzy by his action. "Before I was a private investigator for the Kings... I was... a Detective for the Met Police," he began, his speech slow as if he was trying hard to recall his train of thought. He opened his eyes, the blurred vision slowly adjusting to the bright lights again. "Having investigated all kinds of major crime scenes and got into the heads of those responsible, I can confirm you most likely would not have found it. Those responsible wouldn't have just left it in plain sight, so unless you were actively looking for something untoward, I see no reason why you should have seen it." By reassuring May, he was also reminding himself that he shouldn't accept any blame for it. "You're right," he told her. "Those who planted the bomb are the ones to blame, and I suspect they will pay for that," he groggily trailed off. Despite having little faith in his former colleagues and the authorities, he would make sure to keep an ear to the ground to find out anything they do discover about those responsible. Granted, Christian knew exactly who the prime suspects would be in the eyes of the Kings, and as it stood, he had little doubt it was the Sullivans. It hadn't been the first bombing in London over the last year, but he very much doubted this was down to the same organisation as previously.

"You're okay, though?" he asked May, softening the tone a little. "The Kings, they'll... they'll come round--" he began to reassure her but was interrupted when the nurse returned to them. May directed the nurse to Christian's shoulder first, then the nurse helped him remove his shirt before starting to clean his wound. Christian sat in silence, wondering how the Kings were all doing, especially having seen Harper unconscious. His absent gaze had been directed in the direction of May and it was only when she lifted her shirt to show the nurse her injuries that he snapped out of his thoughts. He quickly directly his eyes away from May, hoping it hadn't looked like he'd been staring at her, especially as she looked to be blushing. He was sure had he not already lost a significant amount of blood, his own currently pale cheeks would have been flushed in that moment. The slight embarrassment was soon pushed aside by concern as he acknowledged May's right side had been very bruised and once a second nurse arrived, she was taken off to be x-rayed.

Whilst May had been gone, the nurse had been working to delicately clean the wound, ensuring no pieces of glass or dirt remained inside. At the same time, the male doctor had joined them and was assessing Christian's head wound, along with asking about his symptoms and observing his responses. When May returned, the nurse was halfway through stitching the deep wound and the doctor appeared to be supporting Christian so he remained sitting up straight. Christian was unaware that he had blacked out for a short time during being treated. "So, what's the verdict?" he asked May, unsure if they x-ray results had been fed back to her yet as he couldn't quite recall how long she'd been gone.

Once May had updated Christian on the situation, the doctor took the gap in conversation to address his patient. "Mr. Brooks," the doctor began, hooking the clipboard onto the end of the nearby bed. "I'm afraid you'll be staying here overnight, so you can be put under observation. Once the wounds have been stitched up, you'll be helped into this bed."

Christian couldn't help but let out a groan as the doctor walked away. He knew he had concussion, but he'd hoped he'd been smart enough to act and talk his way out of being diagnosed as such. He didn't want to be stuck in a hospital bed when there was so much to deal with in the aftermath of the explosion. "That's not what I wanted to hear," he lightly told May.

With the nurse having finished stitching his wounds, Christian was helped into the hospital bed. When he was left alone with May, Christian looked to her as he remembered, again, that she'd been taken away for some x-rays. "So, what's the verdict for you?" he asked her, not realising he'd already asked the same question minutes earlier.

BasDorcha (May)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Sullivan Family Home
~Dublin, Ireland~
Allen Cartwright

​

"That's understandable," Allen replied, shifting in his seat before taking a sip of his whiskey. "But uh, you still have to remember what brings you peace. And happiness before you were ever head of the family. I mean, how else are you supposed to get back to the man you were before?" He gave him a small smile, lacing his fingers together and looking towards the door. "Take the vacation. Get away for a while, even if it's just with Al. I can watch the kids. Sydney is easy and all Rhi ever wants to do is hit the ice," he said with a chuckle before looking back to Conor. "But you do what you need to make sure they're all happy. And then find out what makes you happy and do that." Allen shrugged his shoulders before scratching his eyebrow. "I think as far as first steps go maybe Al and Leo should be first? Rhi and Syd, they're easy. It's those other two that may be a little harder."

Allen felt for Conor being in the predicament that he found himself in. He hadn't started the war nor did he want anything to do with it yet here he was having to deal with it. Nodding his head in understanding he wasn't sure there was much more he could say about it. Luckily, he didn't have to figure out what to say as Conor informed him of the attack going on in London. He sat up straight in his seat, feet planted on the ground as he shook his head. Though he was glad Conor hadn't let Moretti's retaliation go unanswered, he also felt like it would only cause more issues. "Ouroboros," he simply said. Allen had had plenty of time to read through all the books in prison and during this time he stumbled upon books that mentioned the snake that ate its own tail. He found it interesting and from there kept it in the back of his mind. He would have never thought that he would be having to use it as an example later on in life. "It's a snake that eats its own tail, signifying an endless cycle. Which, it seems you've found yourself in. Moretti is going to come back for you and maybe when he does try you go ahead and put an end to things for good."

Hearing the name 'Teddy' sparked a small memory in his mind. During one of her many rants to him when he was released from prison, Ali had mentioned some of the issues she and Conor had. During that rant, Teddy's name came up. The man had insinuated he'd slept with her to get a rise out of Conor and she promised that if she ever had the opportunity she would kick his ass. Which, to be fair, was completely warranted considering you shouldn't talk about a lady like that, to begin with. "Then maybe you start there. I mean, it won't be easy I bet to keep emotions under control but you can do anything you set your mind to."

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

​

Had Teddy not been staring at Gabriel and watching his expressions so closely, he'd have missed the sudden change in his eyes. Ever since Francis had been born there was a noticeable change in both men. Teddy had been scared shitless and concerned he was going to fuck up the way his own father had. Breaking a cycle of trauma had was difficult to do but it seemed like he had been doing well enough; that is until Christina had been abducted. Gabriel, on the other hand, had become a softie. Not a big one, mind you, but big enough for his grandchildren to enjoy his company. Teddy had put it together that Conor knew this much as well and that's why he had one of his kids chosen instead of himself or his wife. Truly it had been the perfect plan to get a rise out of him and Gabe.

The thought of finally getting over what had happened over a decade ago was a struggle. He'd never let someone go unpunished before - for himself or other - so the thought of it made his stomach churn. He'd been maimed, scarred with the reminder of a time his life had almost been taken away from him. Gabriel nearly killed him for his betrayal and Porter nearly killed him for not giving up information. It had been the hardest time in his life, but even then he had to admit there was a silver lining to it all. During his recovery process and the time spent making things right with Gabriel, he was able to get closer to Valentina. He was sure that the two of them would have found some sort of way to end up together, but everything leading up to it definitely helped. In some sick, twisted way, he figured he had Porter to thank for it. He turned his nose up at the thought of it before taking a deep breath.

"Yeah, I know. And as much as I don't want to, as much as I wish I could get the revenge I feel I'm owed, I'm willing to put it all to the side for even a chance at peace." His chest felt heavy just saying it, but he knew in order to move forward there were things he would have to get over. If he could get over Gabriel not telling him about the attack he planned then he could get over this. When he asked if he were willing to participate in the conversation, he let out an amused scoff and shook his head. "I don't know if I'd be able to keep the animosities at a bare minimum," he said, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. When he realized he couldn't put the idea out there and not be a part of it, he opened them and sighed. "But I'm an adult and don't really have a choice, now do I?"

Teddy listened as Gabriel informed him he wouldn't agree to cut things off with the Biancardis. The way he put it made sense, but Teddy couldn't fathom the idea of continuing business with them. Or rather, continuing business with Roxie. Ricky and Julia were something different entirely considering they had no ties directly to any of the Sullivan members. It wasn't something he had to worry about when it came to them. Sure he had been rooting for Roxie in the beginning, but she hadn't exactly shown him that she wasn't biased. By using his full name, Teddy knew it wasn't something Gabriel was going to roll over on so he simply nodded his head in understanding. "Alright, I see your point." He reluctantly said. For a moment he didn't speak, tapping the arm of the chair he was in before clearing his throat. "Look, I-... I'm willing to do whatever I need to in order to protect my family. Whether that's getting my hands dirty or doing something questionable, you know I'm all for it. But I just... I can't do it to kids and people whose only fault is being born."

Gabriel, Conor ( Misty Gray )

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Royal London Hospital
~Tower Hamlets, London~
Alexander King​

Alex's expression didn't change when Jeremy confirmed he meant what he said. He'd always suspected the guy had a thing for his sister, but thanks to his own shit he had never brought attention to it. Now, however, with them having plenty of time to do so he would be able to. Jeremy had been around for some time now and the idea of him dating his sister was... Strange, to say the least. But thanks to knowing him forever he knew that the guy would treat his sister properly. The big brother routine was just an act but he felt like it was a necessary action to make. Harper was his little sister and he wanted to make sure anyone who entered her life was there for the right reasons and for the long run. "You can't blame yourself, mate. If anything, I should have noticed something was wrong," he reassured, thinking back to what Spencer had said.

Earlier in the night, Spencer mentioned Christian being paranoid about something with the club. The two of them should have taken it more seriously, should have helped him look into it more but they didn't. Instead, they brushed the man off as being paranoid and went about their business. Now Harper was in the operating room and he was unsure of her current condition. Had he and Spencer not brushed off Christian perhaps they would have been in better standing but he wasn't too sure about it.

Really the main thing that plagued his mind at the moment was who had planted the bomb. He had been convinced to Sullivans were behind it and wanted to take him - and his family - out so they wouldn't be able to have a claim to Callum. Why wouldn't they? They had done much worse for much less, so he wouldn't put it past them in the slightest. That feeling of regret had begun to settle in again, wishing he had never met Savannah and definitely wishing he had never gotten her pregnant. Maybe then none of this would have happened. They would be on better terms and wouldn't be going through the whole custody thing, to begin with.

Alex turned to Jeremy, focusing his attention on the man as he reassured him he wouldn't try anything with Harper unless she wanted him to. "It's not your fault, man, if anyone's to blame, it's me. Fucking over Sav and ruining shit I-... I started this mess because I couldn't handle the pressure and now my family members are paying for it. First Spence, now Harper. Who's next, Billy?" He shook his head, looking down at his hands. "No, I gotta fix this. I have no clue what I'm going to do, but I gotta fix this." Jeremy asked if Harper would hate him and he shook his head. "No. If anything, she'll say you were a pussy for not admitting it to her sooner," he joked, trying to lighten the situation. "I'll save the big brother talk for Spencer to give, but if you're serious about her then go for it. Just don't screw it up. We know where you live."

Jeremy ( BasDorcha )

 

[Misty Gray]

Royal London Hospital
~ Tower Hamlets, London ~

Spencer King​

When Bruce held his face in his hands and wiped away any tears from beneath his eyes, Spencer held his breath and looked directly to his uncle. The older man pointed out that he was tough, which caused Spencer to subtly nod his head. His uncle reminded him that his responsibility was with Shona, back at the hospital. He knew the man was right, but it was difficult to walk away from the club knowing it was his business and those who were in the building had technically been his responsibility. He figured that would also be the stance the police would take and he really didn't want to deal with the pigs any time soon. When told to pull himself together, Spencer followed Bruce's instructions and took deep breaths. He realised he'd allowed his emotions to overcome him in the moment and he hoped it didn't reflect badly on him in his uncle's eyes. "Okay... Okay, I've got this," he assured Bruce, taking one more deep breath and straightening his posture. He wasn't meant to show weakness, especially not in public. He nodded his head when his uncle said they'd discuss the matter tomorrow. "Sure. And we can discuss how we're going to make the bastards responsible pay for this," he darkly asserted.

Upon arriving at A&E, Spencer watched as Darcey was ushered away, causing his gaze to follow the woman until she was out of sight. "Is she o--?" he began to ask Bruce until the man pulled him in for another hug. When Bruce quietly told him he was proud of him, Spencer sucked in a breath, determined to keep his emotions in check. Still, it reassured him that he hadn't disappointed his uncle by getting emotional outside the nightclub. "Please, make sure they're all okay," he said of his family. He then flashed the faintest of smiles at mention of having a baby in his arms.

After leaving Bruce, Spencer had touched the back of his head to find it was still bleeding. He flagged down a nurse, who was encouraged by a mixture of Spencer's charm and the urgency of his wife being in labour to immediately treat his wound, closing it with stitches before letting him rush off. Before reaching the maternity ward, he slipped into the men's bathroom so he could clean himself up. He didn't want to return to Shona covered in blood and soot.

"Bloody 'ell. Man up, would ya!"

After washing his face and drying it with a paper towel, Spencer stood in front of the mirror and stared at himself for a time. The memory of the man's voice in his head was just as clear as it had been 25 years ago. Remembering the photographs Christian had given him earlier, he reached into his jacket pocket to retrieve them. Without given the pictures of Trevor another look, he tore the photographs into small pieces before scooping them up into his hand and crushing them beneath a clenched fist. He tossed the pieces of paper into the bin before looking back into the mirror as he tidied his hair in an effort to cover any sign of the stitched wound. Shona didn't need to be burdened with the details of what had just happened. Not today.

All the way down the corridor, Spencer had been going through different scenarios in his head for why he'd been so long. Reasons he might need to come up with if she questioned him at all about it or noticed anything untoward about his appearance. Anything he could tell her that wasn't that the nightclub had just been blown up and their loved ones injured. However, as soon as he reached the room Shona was in, all of that completely left his mind and was replaced by only the scene in front of his eyes. His wife was no longer in labour and was now peacefully holding their son close in her arms.

"Shona!" he spoke her name, a bittersweet smile taking over his mouth. As he rushed to his wife's and son's bedside, that smile only grew more pure and natural. "I'm sorry I wasn't here. I'm sorry," he assured her, pushing back her damp hair that had stuck to her forehead. "I'm so proud of you, love. You're bloody incredible." He placed a kiss on her lips before looking to the tiny baby in her arms. "A boy?" he asked, looking to her for confirmation. His cheeks reddened as his eyes glistened with tears - happy tears this time. "We've got ourselves a little prince right here!" he excitedly enthused.

After another moment, he gently reached out to Shona to take their son in his arms, holding him close yet delicately. Taking a seat in the chair by Shona's bed, he practically sank into it, not realising how much he'd needed to take some weight off. "God, isn't he cute? He's definitely got that from you, love," he told Shona. He stroked his son's cheek with the side of his index finger before placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. "I can't wait to get you home, lad. You'll be all settled in by the time the footy season starts," he softly spoke to the boy. Despite all of the worries festering in the back of his mind, being with Shona and their baby was enough to distract him from it for a while. It brought some relief to him. Still holding his son close, he looked up into Shona's eyes and smiled at her. "I love you." After glancing to their baby, he looked to Shona again and motioned to their son. "Edward. Little Edward King?" he asked her, referring to their plans to name a boy after his grandfather; his mother's and Bruce's dad.

Pyroclast (Shona)

 

[Pyroclast]

Royal London Hospital
~ Tower Hamlets ~

Billy and Bruce King​

When he least expected it, Erik managed to draw the smallest of smiles from Billy. There was something reassuring about the carefree lilt of his voice - until Billy realised what had brought it on. “Did you put him on something?” he asked, not sure if he should be worried. “Is it morphine? Ain’t that stuff addictive?” He didn’t want to incriminate the man, but he knew what Erik looked like when he was high and it was reminding him of what he had seen him go through, and fight so hard to free himself from. He had been sober for a while now, as far as Billy knew at least, and while he wouldn’t want Erik to have to experience the pain in his leg without any anaesthesia, he couldn’t help but be concerned about the effect the drugs might have on him.

When the ambulance parked up in the hospital, Billy was still being examined by the paramedic; Erik, however, was wheeled out immediately. He pulled off the oxygen mask he had been given and shouted, “Wait!” but of course they didn’t stop him. Turning to the paramedic currently holding onto his arm, he looked up at him with pleading eyes. “Can’t I go with him? Where’s he going?”

“When we get through those doors, we’ll have to do a few small tests, see what damage the smoke’s done to your lungs,” the paramedic explained, skirting his question. “We’ll have to check for carbon monoxide poisoning since you’ve been sick, and of course you’ll need proper stitches, too. It might be a while ‘til you see your friend, I’m afraid. Is there any family we can call for you instead?”

* * * * * * * * * *​

Billy was used to coming into hospitals on his own, mostly for minor stitches caused by workshop accidents, but it was different when he knew the rest of his family were here and he wasn’t allowed to go and look for them. After an X-Ray, a blood test, a pulse oximetry test and the gash on his arm was properly stitched up, Billy was directed towards a recovery ward, which he had every intention of leaving as soon as he was left alone. As the nurse was guiding him through the corridors, he heard his name be called from behind him and he turned around.

“Bruce?”

The older man broke into a jog to catch up to him, before carefully drawing him into a tender embrace. “So glad I’ve found you, Bill,” Bruce said. “Spencer said you were alright when he saw you last, but it’s been hard to find everyone, there’s so much goin’ on…”

“Spencer got out?” Billy asked, pulling back to look his uncle in the eyes. “He’s okay? Is he here?”

“Spencer’s fine, he’s back in the maternity ward. Alex is here too, with Jeremy, and Darcey’s being looked at as we speak.”

Remembering his last interaction with Alex, Billy’s face fell and his eyes began to burn again. “Harper…”

“She’s alive,” Bruce assured him, gently rubbing his nephew’s shoulder. “She’s alive, but we can’t go and see her just yet.”

Billy nodded, haunting images of Harper flashing through his mind. All the medical procedures he had undergone since leaving the nightclub had kept him occupied for a bit, but now that they were over for the most part there was nothing to take his mind off the fact he had almost lost his little sister. Before he could summon the strength to stop it, the fear and shock overcame him again and he quickly raised a hand to cover his face.

“Oh, not you, too,” Bruce muttered, wrapping his arms around his nephew. He held him securely, gently rubbing his back as he felt him shaking against him. He asked him where Erik was, hoping to give Billy something more positive to think about, but the younger man didn’t answer him. It seemed all Bruce could do for the time being was hold him while he sobbed silently in his arms. “This ain’t like you, Billy,” he said, trying to gently discourage him. It might not have always been obvious, but Bruce had always seen more sensitivity in his youngest nephew than in his older brothers. Blessed with confidence, a good sense of humour and a strong work ethic, he rarely saw the man break down and cry, but he knew how strongly Billy tended to care about people and about things, even if he didn’t want to, and given how close he was to Harper, Bruce could understand why he was now so upset.

“Come on, now, deep breaths,” he sighed, having to practically peel his nephew off him. “I can’t let you cry like this forever. Harper wouldn’t want that, would she? You do believe in her, don’t ya’?”

Despite his fears, Billy nodded.

“Then what you cryin’ for, eh?”

Billy stepped back and dragged his hands down his face, digging his fingers into his eyes to pinch away the tears. He nodded again, and turned to shoot a glance at the nurse designated with setting him up in a bed. “Okay,” he mumbled, turning back to Bruce and taking a breath as deep as his lungs would allow. “Go find Darcey. I’ll catch up with you later.”

“You alright?” Bruce asked, to which Billy nodded and forced a trembling smile.

Bruce watched his nephew walk away until he was out of sight, and then made his way back towards the room he had seen Darcey be taken into. After looking through the glass window of the door to check she was inside, he opened the door and made his presence known. “‘Ello, my love,” he said wearily, showing her a gentle smile as he stepped forwards and kissed the top of her head. “How you doin’, hm? You feelin’ alright?”

* * * * * * * * * *​

Embarrassed at his breakdown, Billy didn’t say much to the nurse leading him away. When he entered the room where he was to be set up on a bed, however, his eyes instantly lit up. “Erik!” he called out. His voice came out slightly hoarse and the exclamation triggered another small coughing fit that rattled his chest, but he couldn’t help but smile at the realisation he was going to be laid down in the bed next to the very man he had wanted to find.

He barely noticed the nurse insert an IV into his right arm and didn’t resist when she fitted him with a tight oxygen mask; he was just happy to have found Erik. As soon as the nurse had left the room, Billy removed the oxygen mask, ripped out the needle and came to sit closer to Erik’s bed. “Didn’t expect to see you so soon,” he smiled, looking around to check no one was watching before subtly taking Erik’s hand into his. “How’s the leg? Will you ever dance again?”

Interactions
Melanin-Gxdess Erik, Darcey

Misty Gray Spencer
BasDorcha Jeremy
Bellz Harper

 

[BasDorcha]

Ambulance & Emergency
May Thatcher
​

The x-ray machine had been cold, and it had been confirmed she had a series of broken ribs down her right side. They also confirmed a fractured cheek bone along the right side of her face. The swelling and bruising would get worse before it got better, and May was certain no one would be looking at her like she was a prize for a while. Still, it didn’t matter, she didn’t have anyone to try and impress anyways.

Christian had asked what the verdict was, though a second later he was in and out, so she waited, letting the nurse finish her job. The one who walked her back from x-ray left and came back, carrying an ice pack for her face, and bandages to bandage the broken ribs down and prevent to much movement. She was finished and sitting back down when the doctor came in to tell him there would be overnight observation. It made sense to her, especially if he had a concussion.

His groan made her snicker, like a child being told they couldn’t go to play. “Yeah, well, even tough guys gotta take a break sometime. That means you’ll be here. If you want I can make the rounds and see if I can find everyone else. At least get some updates. I’m sure Spencer is in the maternity ward, I wonder if Shona had the baby yet. In any case, I should be able to gather you some info if you’re craving it.” She grinned, playing on his role as a private investigator and how he surely wanted to know everything.

“I’ve got four broken ribs,” She lifted her shirt to show the compression wrap around her middle, “and a fractured here,” she moved the ice away and pointed at her cheek that was dark and swollen. “No concussion for me though. Just broken. I look like a drunk painting right now. All of the bad effects none of the fun.” She teased. Sliding a chair over to edge of the bed, and a stool in front of her, she made a makeshift bed next to him and reclined, setting her spot to keep him company for the night.

“I don’t know if they’d advise you to sleep or not, so I'll just make my bed here to keep you company. Maybe I can find a pack of cards or something to keep us awake.” When the nurse came back to check on them, she paused her. “Can you give us any updates on any of the King family? Erik Snowden? Jeremy Gray? Is everyone okay?” The nurse advised if they weren’t family, she couldn’t reveal anything, but did provide the directions to the waiting area where anyone not currently being treated was waiting. At least Bruce might be there. “Can he walk around if he wants, as long as I stay with him and make sure he returns to bed?” The nurse nodded and left the room, leaving them alone again.

“Well, what do you say, want to take a turn around the promenade?”

Mentions:
Pyroclast Misty Gray Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Misty Gray]

Royal London Hospital
~ Tower Hamlets, London ~

Kerry Patrick​

Kerry hadn't been in the nightclub for long before the destruction and chaos. A blister on her ankle caused by her new shoes had been the difference between life and death. Had she not gone straight to the ladies room to deal with her sore foot, she would have been standing at the bar the moment the bomb tore through that section of the nightclub. Although there was damage to the bathrooms, it hadn't been as bad as the rest of the club. She'd fallen to the ground to try avoid the falling ceiling panels, but managed to get away with just a suspected sprained wrist and some minor surface wounds to her exposed arms and legs.

Everything after that had been something of a blur as her anxiety began to set in. Triggered by the memories of the gunmen who slaughtered dozens of people before her eyes before burning down Sinead's New York Jazz Club, Kerry for a time stood in shock. All kinds of thoughts were running through her head, one of which was the worry masked gunmen would storm into the nightclub. Men like the ones who abducted and tortured her all those years ago. With the help of one of the security guards, Kerry was ushered out of the club with urgency, only then snapping her to the reality that there were no gunmen. The fact was there had been an explosion and that wasn't any better, not when people were clearly dead or seriously injured. Having been employed by the Kings at the nightclub until recently, she couldn't help the feeling of dread that some of the people she cared about were likely dead.

Kerry had managed to become distracted from her own shock to help a frantic young woman who had escaped the club but was bleeding heavily from a deep gash to her leg. Although she managed to see some of the people she knew escaping the club and being treated, she was unable to leave the terrified woman to go check the Kings were all okay. Somehow, Kerry then ended up in the back of an ambulance keeping the woman company, having learned the stranger's boyfriend had been killed inside the club.

Not long after getting to the hospital the injured, grieving woman's parents arrived and Kerry felt able to finally leave her side. Although her cuts didn't need any attention, Kerry wasn't sure how badly injured her own wrist was, so she checked herself in at reception but knowing people were in more urgent need of attention, she made sure the staff knew she could wait to be treated. As she walked the corridors looking for anyone she recognised, she soon found herself looking up to a familiar man who was very hard to miss. Kane Stenberg, the hulk of a man who was Bruce's bodyguard. The man had rushed over to the hospital as soon as he learned of what had happened and was now stalking the hospital corridors making sure the Kings were safe, in case anyone tried anything further. "Is everyone okay? Harper? May?" she worriedly asked the man.

On the job, Kane was a man of few words. If his opinion was requested and appropriate, he would give it, but he rarely instigated conversation. After a silent nod, he looked to the former barmaid before relenting. It was a tense situation and he didn't want the anxious woman to distract him for long. "All of the Kings made it to the hospital alive. Harper is in the operating theatre. May is up and about somewhere." He then pointed to some empty seats on the corridor. "Most people use this corridor. I suggest you wait there and you're likely to see someone you know."

"Thank you," Kerry told the man. It was the most he'd ever spoken to her before, even though he had been on duty around the club man times when she had been working behind the bar. She understood he had a job to do now, so she followed his instruction and took a seat in the corridor. May sounded to be okay but Kerry couldn't help but worry about Harper. Having seen her unconscious outside the club, she could only assume something serious was wrong with her.

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Royal London Hospital
~Tower Hamlets, London~
Erik Snowden & Darcey Hargraves

​

Through the euphoric feeling, the morphine was currently giving him Erik could hear the worry in Billy's voice. The paramedics had begun to wheel him inside the hospital and he wanted to come along with him. Erik managed to crane his neck upwards so he could get a better look at Billy, sending him another warm and hazy smile. "It won't be that long, sheesh," he joked. "Can't live without me or something?" As he disappeared behind the emergency room doors, Erik knew how much of a loaded question it was. Billy would sit on it, he was sure of that much, but maybe it would give him something else to think about. The King family nightclub had been attacked, he didn't know the status of his sister, and he was also injured. If anything Erik just wanted to ease his mind away from the unfortunate events of the night.

The first place Erik was taken had been the OR. The paramedics were able to examine his wound and even clean it en route to the hospital, but the surgeons would have to go in deeper stitch the wound completely. "How long d'you think this'll take," Erik asked, trying to fight off the anesthesia, "I've got... A hot date." The doctor laughed, pushing more of the drug Erik had been ignoring until his eyes finally got heavy and he closed them. "I'm sure whoever the lucky girl is she'll understand." Erik just let out a sleepy chuckle, thinking about how wrong the doctor was to go calling Billy a girl.

The damage to Erik's thigh had been minimal and didn't take the surgeons that long to take care of. The wood from the bar had just missed his femoral artery, which meant he was more than lucky to be alive. The initial bleeding had been from another vein that wasn't too life-threatening. The muscles surrounding the area had been torn and they were able to repair them as well. Along with his thigh injury, they took care of the others - the smoke plaguing his lungs, the smaller wounds on his face from the glass, and a shoulder injury Erik had no idea he had. The pain from his thigh had been hiding the pain from his shoulder the whole time, but by the time he woke up, he wouldn't even know it had been a problem. After making sure he didn't have any other internal issues or bleeding they closed him up and weened him off the anesthesia.

It took a few minutes for his eyes to slowly open and once they had the nurse asked him how he was. He just gave her a boyish grin before she returned a smile of her own and wheeled him to the PACU. He was given the bed closest to the window and turned his head to look out of it. The nurse adjusted the amount of morphine being coursed through his veins but he was still high off the original dosage. Truly it had been a better high than anything he had ever taken and the thought of finding a way to get some momentarily crossed his mind. That is until he heard Billy's voice.

At first, he thought Billy's voice had replaced his own as his conscience, telling him not to relapse and not even think about the morphine. It wasn't until he felt someone taking his hand that he turned his head in confusion. His eyes then met Billy's and he relaxed, a relieved smile crossing his lips. He lifted his free hand in a daze and placed it against Billy's cheek, forgetting they were in public and anyone could walk in on them at any given moment. "Hey you," he softly said before letting out a laugh. "I think it'll be alright. And if not, who's going to stop me from trying?" His thumb absentmindedly rubbed across his cheek. "You've been crying," he whispered, noticing the dry trails of tears and the red coloring on his cheeks. "You wanna get in bed? I'll let'ya cry in here."

​

Due to how close she had been to the blast, Darcey had spent most of her hospital visit undergoing a plethora of tests - CT scans, ultrasounds, spirometry, and even had her abdomen pressed on. By the end of it all, she was feeling dizzier than she had when she first came in. The nurses and doctors were aware of her ruptured eardrums and wanted to make sure she didn't have any other severe issues before taking care of her ears. While she figured it was a good idea, she wanted nothing more than the ringing to stop. Her scans had come back clean of any sort of internal bleeding and the ENT doctor had been free to work on her ears. Instead of subjecting her to surgery right away, the doctor wanted to try a nonsurgical approach, which included patching her ears with a paper patch. She had no idea how paper was going to help close her ears but she also wasn't going to question the man.

The doctor had just finished his work when Bruce appeared, walking into the room. She could tell just by glancing at him that he was tired - physically and maybe even emotionally. It made sense, considering what had gone on that night. His niece and nephews meant the world to him and after his own wife and children and had died they became even more important to him. Now, hearing that they could've been killed must not have been easy whatsoever. She welcomed the kiss and leaned her head into his chest, grabbing hold of his wrist to rub in comfort. The ringing in her ears had turned into a pulsing sound and while his voice still sounded muffled, she could understand a bit better. "I'm fine and all patched up. The doctors reckon it'll take a few weeks to a few months for my ears to heal. Until then I'm like an old lady runnin' 'round saying 'can you repeat that?'," she joked, trying to lighten things up.

"How are you, darling, I know things aren't easy or ideal right now. D'you manage to see any of the others? Billy or Erik or even May and Christian? I know Alex and Jeremy must be together somewhere waiting for an update on Harper." She pulled herself back and slid over, making a small spot for Bruce to sit and join her on the hospital bed. "This isn't exactly how I imagined we'd all spend the rest of our evening. In a hospital, sure, but pissed beyond belief with mylar balloons in our hands for the newest member of the family..." She trailed off, looking down at her hands now riddled with small cuts. "I know I'm not normally involved in that side of your business, but know that I will be for this. Those responsible will have to answer."

Billy, Bruce ( Pyroclast )​

 

[Misty Gray]

Gabriel Moretti's Office
~ Murray Hill, Manhattan ~

Gabriel Moretti​

Gabriel nodded in understanding as Teddy made it clear he was willing to put his need for revenge to one side. Peace was a strange concept to Gabriel. He always imagined peace would only be obtained by wiping out the enemy, thus ending any further wars that way. This time, the enemy would still be alive and without anything like a family member stuck in prison hanging over their head to keep them in line. Gabriel smirked when Teddy spoke of the difficulty keeping animosities to a bare minimum. "Yes, you are an adult now. Apparently, Conor is too. Though I suspect he has trouble holding his tongue as well. I expect you will both keep it to a minimum, given the severity of the situation and the possibility of ending it."

When Teddy expressed that he was prepared to get his hands dirty but wouldn't do it if it harmed children or innocents, Gabriel nodded his head. "There will always been innocent people caught up in the crossfire or indirectly harmed. It unavoidable. However, I will not expect you to do so directly," he assured the man.

Before Gabriel could put forward a plan of action to arrange a meeting with the Sullivans, his office phone began to ring. Having made it clear he was only to be disturbed if it was urgent, he decided to take the call. After a few minutes of speaking, likely leaving Teddy trying to piece together what he could based on Gabriel's responses to the caller, the Italian ended the call before looking to Teddy with a serious expression. He took a moment to consider the information he'd received and how it would affect the plans he had just been making with Teddy.

"That was Damian," Gabriel informed his son-in-law. "There has been an attack in London. The Mercury Nightclub has been bombed... Damian has assured me that neither he nor Tatiana were present at the time. I understand Erik has been injured, but not seriously. No other men of ours were harmed," he firmly assured Teddy, placing emphasis on the fact. "This is very likely the work of the Sullivans - it wouldn't be the first time they've done something like this," he pointed out. "However. This was carried out in London and therefore should be treated as a direct attack on the Kings. This does not affect my intention to put an end to our own war with the Irish," he explained. Sitting back in his chair, he thought for another moment before nodding his head. "Should the Kings wish to retaliate against the Sullivans, then I will not stand in their way. If they choose to use any weapons we may happen to sell to them, then that is of their own choice. We will continue to provide support in London; providing the means and knowledge necessary for the Kings to do what they need to do to maintain their own security, as per our contract, but my own employees will not enter Dublin."

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)

 

[BasDorcha]

Hospital
Jeremy Gray​

It felt like everyone was blaming themselves over the way this evening went, but Jeremy, ever the puzzle solver and critical thinker, had started to replay recent events in his head and putting things together. Listening to Alex, he remained quiet for a bit, before he sat forward, fingers templed together and pressed to his lips. This was the Jeremy that Alex, Spencer, and anyone who worked with him, had seen on many occasions. This was the man who stayed two chess moves ahead. His mind was starting to clear and he was beginning to process things. Yes, he was still worried about Harper, but with her out of sight, and some of the worry relieved knowing she was awake before surgery for a little bit at least, he was able to focus on some of the other things going on.

Not long ago, Tatiana and Damien had attacked the Sullivan's in a not to secret revenge plot against them for the kidnapping of Moretti's kid. There was also the attack on Sinead and her kid. Both of those had been Moretti plots. Jeremy began running faces from tonight through his memory. The only Moretti's that had been around had been Erik, Tatiana and Damien, but Tatiana and Damien appeared to have left early, though it was possible if this was the Sullivan's, they had no way to know that.

Jeremy looked up at Alex, feeling more sure now. "Alex, I don't think this was you. I don't think it was any of us, at least not the King folks. Moretti's recently dealt a near death blow to Sullivan's, of course the Sullivan's are going to strike back for that. There's no way grimy ole Conor Sullivan is going to let that go, not now, not ever. It not like Conor to let go of something like that. Tonight, Tati and Damien both were at the club, before the explosion. What if they were the true reason for this attack?"

He scratched his head, thinking at the steps that would have been needed to get here and how the next steps were going to go. "Sav isn't going to be happy that Callum's dad was almost taken out. So I don't think this has anything to do with you being you, or that whole situation. It's not ideal, but you two have been, for the majority, as civil as possible given history." Jeremy thought of what he would do if he had a child he couldn't be with, and how much more badly things would be. "Truth is Alex, the fact you haven't used your family ties to try and get your kid home, and just keeping it between you and Savannah, it could have been much worse. I just don't see Conor or any of the Sullivan's escalating the currently somewhat stable situation to such extreme's without prompting - and you've done nothing to warrant this lately."

He fell silent again, smiling slightly at Alex's last comment about Harper calling him a pussy for not saying sooner how he felt. "Yeah, you're probably right. Harper is just... larger then life, I think I'm just scared I'll screw it up. I've uh... I've never been good with women, not like you, as I'm sure you know." Jeremy gently punched Alex's arm in a good natures jest, He wouldn't out himself as having never been completely with a woman, but the fact he hadn't been involved with anyone wouldn't be a secret - it was hard to deny when you spent years around the same people. "Don't blame yourself, Crazy King, even if I'm completely wrong, none of us were prepared for this. None of us could have known this was coming. All we can do now... Is get back to work, and take measure for the coming war."

Mentions:
Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Misty Gray]

Royal London Hospital
~ Tower Hamlets, London ~

Christian Brooks​

Christian couldn't help but laugh when May suggested he was a tough guy. Whilst he was physically fit and combat trained, he never considered himself as a tough guy. Unlike some of the company he now kept, he had a better handle over his aggression, able to count on just one hand the number of times he'd lost his cool. He wasn't the kind of man to instigate or seek out a fight, though he would not shy away if struck first. Overall, he didn't consider his personality reflected that of a tough guy, which was why he was amused by May's comment. When she offered to make the rounds to seek updates, he nodded his head in approval. "That would be great," he told her. Although his initial employment with the Kings had started out with him being blackmailed and having no choice in the matter, over the years his relationship with the family had grown into him being employed by choice. He'd gained the family's trust and considered them to be friends by now. He cared about the people who had been affected by the explosion. "I would very much appreciate your help, Dr. Watson," he lightly added.

When May lifted her shirt to point out her broken ribs, Christian didn't get flustered this time, seeing as she was inviting him to look and hearing of her injuries didn't allow his mind to wander. "Well, that all sounds rather painful. Perhaps you shouldn't be up and about either," he suggested, his voice reflecting concern as he looked to her bruised face. "I suspect most of us will wake up in the morning with something resembling a terrible hangover."

Christian watched as May seemed to set up a makeshift bed next to his, clearly intending to stay with him for the duration of the night. Although he knew plenty about her, back at the club had been the first time he'd spoken to her and now she was willing to keep him company during his unplanned hospital stay. He wasn't about to turn away the opportunity to get to know May beyond some photographs and a family tree. "Well, if you're bringing cards, we only play for fun. I'm not having you take advantage of me during my supposedly impaired mental state," he joked. He watched on as May asked the nurse for updates on the King family and friends, but the woman would not give away any information to non-family. Once the nurse left, he looked back to May. "At one time I could have flashed a badge and got her to talk."

After giving it some thought, Christian agreed to take a walk around the hospital with May. As exhausted as he was, he knew he'd go crazy confined to the hospital bed all night. "I'm relying on you to get me back here," he lightly warned her, realising he couldn't remember how he'd even got to the bed or ward he was now in. Sitting up in bed, he twisted his body, allowing his legs to hang over the side. He took a moment to button up his messed up shirt, for a short time struggling to focus and coordinate his hands to get the buttons through the holes. He then carefully climbed out of the bed, making sure not to put any pressure on his left arm and shoulder. "Can you give me a hand with this?" he asked, holding out the hospital dressing robe for her to help him put his arms through.

Once sorted, he allowed May to lead him out onto the corridor to see if they could see anyone familiar. He did see the large figure of a man he was sure he recognised, but he was struggling to piece together the name and profession relating to Kane's familiar stature.

BasDorcha (May)

 

[BasDorcha]

Hospital
Maeve Thatcher

May grinned playfully and helped him into the dressing robe, a slight blush hinting at her cheeks as she wondered what he might look like in just the robe. She shook it away before it lingered to long, She suddenly realized how easy it felt talking to Christian, but she wasn't entirely sure why she felt that way. Honestly, she barely knew the man, and she was offering to stay with him. At first, she was doing it to feel useful, but now she wanted to stay. Hopefully he wasn't growing tired of her, she wasn't sure she could go home and be alone after the night they all had experienced. The idea of being in her empty and quiet apartment with no one to talk scared her a little bit.

Brushing off his concern for her, she figured she'd be alright as long as she was her. If for some reason she suddenly got worse, she was in the best place for it. Making a mental note to ask the nurses if there was a pack of cards about, or an open gift shop, she also looked about for a wheel chair - deciding with his blood loss and concussion that it was a safer bet.

As they walked, she recalled his joke about the badge. "I'm sure flashing you badge got women to do more then talk." She teased. Careful of his bad side, she gave him her arm to lean on, though she was a bit shorter then him it wasn't terrible. They moved slowly, but steadily, and it felt better then sitting around. "Don't worry, I'll get you back in bed before you turn into a pumpkin." May had called him both a tough guy, and a princess, in the same joking voice within minutes of each other. She wasn't inentionally being mean, she just liked to joke around. In either case her mouth moved faster then her brain, and the playful jab was out of her mouth before she realized it, bring the blush back.

As they neared Kane, she pulled a wheelchair away from the nurses station, plopped it open, and patted the seat. "Here, I'll feel better if you sit down. I'll be your personal pusher." She smiled to let him know it didn't bother her, and as she saw the body guard up ahead, she lifted her chin in his direction. "There's Kane. I bet he knows something. Lets go talk to him." She didn't know the bodyguard personally but shed seen him around the club from time to time.

mentions
Misty Gray

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

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

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The most surprising part about the meeting Teddy found himself in hadn't been the fact Gabriel let him speak so freely. Gabe agreeing to a sit-down meeting with Sullivan to try and work out some sort of peaceful pact? Now that nearly made his head explode. He managed to keep the shock from his face while listening to Gabriel speak. Teddy hadn't been completely convinced that Gabriel was on board with it 100% but he was willing to look past it for the time being.

Gabriel seemed to understand that there would never be a situation in which Teddy would willingly hurt a child. He was aware - and had now accepted - that innocent people were bound to get hurt. But in that case it was more so as an accident and never something he nor Gabe would directly plan out ahead of time. Regardless, knowing they wouldn't target children the same way Sullivan had was a relief. He was able to relax in his seat now, sitting back and finally drinking from his own glass. Before either man had an opportunity to add anything more to their conversation, the phone rang. He raised a curious brow as Gabriel reached to answer it before getting up to refill their cups.

By the time his boss finished his call he Teddy had replaced their drinks and had sat back down. The serious look on his face only told him their conversation was over and a new one was about to begin. "Please tell me it isn't anything crazy," he said, his tone giving off hints of him being stressed as it were. The moment he was informed the King's club had been bombed, Teddy pinched the bridge of his nose. He was relieved to hear Damian and Tatiana were okay, along with Erik. He didn't know what he would do with himself if he had to tell Ava something bad had happened to her cousin. Well, he was hurt probably, but death was a harder topic to talk about and he promised her he wouldn't die.

Teddy had a feeling the attack had been intended for them, but he mimicked the way Gabriel was ignoring that fact. Teddy instead nodded his head as he was informed that Gabriel wouldn't stop the Kings from retaliating. It was at this moment that he understood why Gabe had seemed so willing to let him talk to Conor, but again, he would ignore this. Teddy knew that he could only ask for so much from the man and that little bit would be more than enough for him. "Greatt, because I would never set foot in Ireland. Too much green," he joked, before growing serious. "That works then. Will you be calling Damian and Tatiana home for the meantime? Also, I should probably tell Ava, right? I mean, Erik is her cousin and all."