Realistic or Modern Gangs of Birmingham - IC Thread [Open & Accepting]

[neverbackdown]

The Walker Residence
- Edgbaston, Birmingham, England -

Thomas Walker
​

The second his father pulled him in, Thomas collapsed against him, his body rigid before suddenly going limp, like a puppet whose strings had been cut. His fingers gripped onto Robert’s shirt with desperate force, holding on as though letting go would send him plummeting into a void. The pressure of his father’s hand on the back of his head forced him to focus on one thing, anchoring him against the whirlwind of emotions threatening to rip him apart. It was all too much, the pain, his thoughts.

His breath hitched violently as sobs shuddered through his body, raw and ragged “She c-can’t—” he choked, shaking his head against Robert’s shoulder. This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening. She's with Alfie and she's going to come through that door laughing any minute. She has too. This can't happen. Not her. His mother was always there. Even when he fucked up, even when he made things difficult, even when he felt like his mind was going a hundred miles an hour and no one could keep up—she always did. She got him. And now she was just gone? He couldn't, he wouldn't accept the new reality.

Then his father pulled back just enough to meet his gaze, hands firm on his shoulders, and Thomas felt like he was floating, like none of this was real. But then Robert spoke again, his voice heavy with grief, and the words she was so proud of you knocked the breath from Thomas’s lungs like a punch to the gut. He blinked rapidly, his mind latching onto every little thing—his father’s lip quivering, the weight of Richard’s silent grief, the way his own heartbeat pounded against his ribs, too fast, too much.

His hands found his hair, gripping tightly as if trying to physically hold himself together. “No,” he mumbled, shaking his head again. “No, no, no, I—I didn’t—I wasn’t—” His breathing stuttered, his thoughts colliding too fast to form a coherent sentence. His chest ached, his body was on fire with restless energy, and the overwhelming urge to run clawed at his mind. But where could he go? There was no escape from this. No matter how fast or far he ran this heartbreak was now apart of him for the rest of his life.

His fingers dug into his scalp, his voice barely above a whisper now. “I—I didn’t get to say goodbye…”

*********
Int;-
Misty Gray - Robert
ReverseTex - Richard

 

[Misty Gray]

HM Prison Birmingham
- Winson Green, Birmingham, England -

Marco Alessi​

Marco shrugged his shoulders when Dean apologised for blurting out the part about Sully being dead. "That's okay. I'm sure the news would have made its way to me had we not been on lockdown. Besides, I'm not high on the food chain, so news and gossip doesn't tend to make it my way," he commented. Besides that, he usually kept his head down and avoided most other prisoners.

Despite the things that had been going on, everyone seemed to be doing okay on the outside, under the circumstances. He hoped they'd be able to get rid of the Aidan problem as soon as possible.

Marco listened as Dean confirmed his account of the events the night he killed Charles added up. The witness, a girl, had seen how the altercation had unfolded. "I panicked. Besides, a guy like me, who associates with known criminals, wouldn't exactly get a fair deal if they went to the police. Especially when said police had affiliations with those personally affected... Well, you know where I'm going with this," he said, figuring Dean knew full well what his friends, the Walkers, got up to.

Hearing Dean would update Richard and Robert on his findings gave Marco mixed feelings. The former he knew was open-minded, but Robert? He dreaded to think what his response would be. When Dean asked if he had any requests, Marco was about to answer, but the bell sounded and the prison officers announced visiting time was over. Relaxing back in his chair, Marco shook his head. "No. No requests. Thank you," he assured him. He was learning it was safer not to have anything considered a luxury or gift in prison. Nobody could take from him what he didn't have to begin with.

@BasDorcha (Dean)

Tony & Julia Fletcher's House
- Aston, Birmingham, England -

Tony Fletcher​

Tony smiled when Rory confirmed he had her approval for the idea of teaming up with the Walkers. The families now had shared enemies and it was clear Robert, at least, would want to ensure the Fletchers were protected, given his daughter was one of them! He nodded in confirmation when she asked if he'd called their family over to discuss the matter. "Other than to check you're holding up, yeah, that's why I got us all together. In all honesty, you were the one I was most worried about putting up a fight. So if you're on board, I'd say it's a done deal."

No matter what each of them had experienced in the past with the Walkers, Tony was sure the rest of his family would agree to his plans. Julia, Penny and Sammy would all want some semblance of increased security at a time when they were under attack by the Jones lot. As much as he would rather it wasn't the case, he knew his mother would want to follow the peaceful route too and she clearly saw a better side of Robert than Tony had ever been able to. The one person who did concern him was Norman. His father might not be quite so open to the Fletchers working with the Walkers, even if the affair wasn't new information to him. But when it boiled down to it, he was in jail. Tony was the one left protecting the family and saving the business,. The best chance his family had at survival was to work with Robert and in turn increase their strength and numbers.

Tony scoffed at Rory's returned joking about having Sunday dinner with the Walkers. "Don't be coming to mine the week after all fancy and posh. I'm not buying fancy plates and shit to please ya," he teased her. He raised a sceptical eyebrow when she went on to say the Walkers weren't as bad as they thought, with even Caroline having been friendly towards her at the hospital. "I'll have to take your word for it, for now," he diplomatically told her. "I sure hope so..." he trailed off.

Of course, his recent experiences with Richard and Alfie had been positive ones, so he already had some idea that they weren't all as bad as he'd been conditioned to believe. He didn't know much about Thomas or Diana, so couldn't really form any negative opinions of them. But his experiences with Robert and Caroline had been mostly bad, so he still needed to be convinced he'd find common ground with them. He also wasn't sure how he'd fare with Felicity, given for the most part she tended to look down her nose at him and he admittedly like to play on that more, to further fuel her contempt towards him.

neverbackdown (Rory)

The Windmill
- Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, England -

Felicity Walker​

Felicity was pleasantly surprised at the way the conversation with Graham was going. Perhaps she was partly to blame for rarely engaging in personal conversation with them, but she often found her father's employees avoided speak too much to her. She understood they wanted to be professional and were perhaps afraid to receive Robert's criticism, but still, they could have tried more too. Speaking with Graham felt natural and he was genuinely interested rather than just trying to keep the boss's daughter happy.

When he spoke of them both having their own ambitions, despite the expectation of their parents, she studied him for a moment. Was he just making conversation or was he giving her some food for thought? Since she could remember, she'd always had some desire to prove herself to her parents and try to do something they'd be proud of. But there were times she questioned if she was doing what she truly wanted. That said, she wasn't sure what else she would do if she wasn't supporting the family business. Regardless of any doubts, she smiled back at Graham and maintained eye-contact when he said Robert would be proud of her whatever she did. "Thank you," she replied. It was difficult to feel like she wasn't in the shadow of her brothers; first Charles, and then Alfie. So she truly hoped she could do her family proud too.

Felicity nodded in a knowing manner when Graham reasoned that he could make a better effort with his sister. After losing Charles, she knew how important it was to stay close to her loved ones.

Once their meal was finished and their table cleared, Felicity asked for the bill. "Thank you for joining me," she expressed her gratitude in return to his own. "I'm not averse to dining alone, but today I fancied some company, so I appreciate it. I can't promise you'll get to do a lot of normal whilst stuck with me, but I'll try to keep it interesting for you," she lightly remarked.

BeyondDandy (Graham)

END OF CHAPTER​

 

[ReverseTex]

St Augustine's Church
- Edgbaston, Birmingham, England -
- Thursday 11th March 1976 - 15 Days Later -

~~ THE EULOGY ~~

Richard Finley​

Richard’s hands gripped the podium for dear life. Though invisible to onlookers, his hands felt as though they were the only thing keeping him upright. The cold, March air nipped at his leg viciously, though inside the grandiose church. Resting on the podium deck, next to his numb hands, was a semblance of a speech. He’d spent all night trying to come up with something worthwhile. There had to be nearly a dozen crumbled balls of paper in the desk bin from his sorry attempts. All he managed to come up with was the beginning. The rest, he accepted, would have to come naturally. Without this podium, he knew he wouldn’t be in any sort of state to give this eulogy. How was anyone able to give a speech like this? Why was it ceremonious to speak upon the dead as though they could listen? He could never do Caroline’s voice any justice. He lacked her tact and fire. Robert had a better shot of recapturing her fire, though his brother was simply in no state to perform such a duty. His brother, who sat in the front row, was glued to the casket beside where he stood. Where Caroline’s cold body was locked away... Richard’s eyes glanced towards the casket before looking back out to the crowd. All eyes were upon him.

With a quick clear of his throat, trying to rid himself of any unnecessary emotion before he began, Richard attempted the impossible. “We are here today to honor the life of Caroline Walker, a woman whose spirit, love, and strength touched the hearts of everyone here today. Caroline was a wife, a mother, and my sister-in-law. She was a force of nature, to put it lightly, who lived her life with a passion and fierceness that could never be forgotten.” He took a breath; the only prewritten portion of his speech was through. The rest had to come from the heart. “Caroline was married to Robert Walker, my brother, not by blood but by choice, for many years. I remember when I first got to know Robert during our first station in Manston, England; he would always talk about that gorgeous blonde waiting for him back home.” The speech he could feel was gaining heart and a bit of light. Though it was all by nature, the only way he knew how was by telling a story. “Little did I know I would have to endure his blubbering for the rest of the bloody war.” He remarked, getting a light chuckle from the crowd. “I didn’t get to meet her until after the war itself, but like many of you know, that didn’t matter. I didn’t have to set eyes on her or shake her hand to know who she was. Her energy was enough to transcend all the miles that separated her and Robert during those years. And I’m thankful to call her my sister-in-law. ”

“Together, they created a home full of love, laughter, and warmth. Robert was her rock, and Caroline was his heart—together, they built a beautiful life that will continue to inspire their children.” This was not the time or place to shed light on the cracks beneath the surface. If the truth needed to be embellished, then so be it. “As a mother, Caroline's love knew no bounds. She raised five incredible children, each of whom carries a piece of her legacy with them.” Richard’s eyes scanned the row next to Robert; each of his nephews and nieces (set aside from Rory) was able to meet his eye. Charles, though absent, could finally have someone to keep him company... “Whether they needed a listening ear, a gentle hug, or a firm word of guidance. She was a mother who made sure her children knew that they were always supported, always loved, and always encouraged to be their best selves.” Richard paused, a thought coming to mind. “If I were so lucky to have a mother like Caroline, perhaps I wouldn’t have had to enlist in the military to find my true family.” Once again, he cleared his throat, stifling back a sniffle. “Her children’s lives are a testament to the unwavering dedication she showed her family.”

The church held a heaviness he didn’t particularly enjoy. Not that anyone would under these circumstances. The rage he felt for even having to stand here outweighed his sorrow at the moment. “I can stand here all day, revisiting each chapter of Caroline’s life, but to me that feels cheap.” The tone of the speech shifted. “This isn’t fair.” Richard stated, point-blank. His tone was more matter-of-fact than he anticipated, but he couldn’t hold back his own emotion. “I can't say all the right words to you all because nothing will ever make this right. A mother shouldn’t bury her children, and a husband shouldn’t bury his wife so young.” There was a hint of anger in his tone, which he was able to rein in before it got uncontrollable. “I apologize; I suppose I’m catching a bit of dear Caroline’s fire from standing so close to this casket.” He joked, trying to make some light of his off-the-cuff remark.

“If you leave here with anything, take these words with you.” Richard’s lecture tone returned, feeling a sense of resolve in his next words. “We are all part of a story much greater than ourselves. We intertwine in one another’s tales, sometimes for an extensive amount of time or sometimes for only a few moments. Regardless, these stories are where we live on. The laughter we share, the tears that we shed—all of it.” He paused, letting his analogy simmer. “Today, we say goodbye to Caroline in a physical sense, but her legacy will live on in the stories we tell, the memories we cherish, and the love she shared with all of us.” He promised. “It’s up to us to tell those stories.”

“Caroline’s fire may have left this world, but it will forever burn bright in the hearts and minds of all of you before me. We will continue to carry her strength, her love, and her passion with us every day. That is how she lives moving forward.” His eyes landed towards the entrance, engulfed in a mirage of colors from the stained glass mosaic. Something about the colors, lightly dancing on the floor and door, struck him. Only he could see it from his vantage point over the crowd, but perhaps that was intentional. Perhaps Caroline had made some time in the afterlife to settle in the back row to watch him blubber nonsense. He took a deep breath, feeling the sudden warmth through his words disappear. A cloud shifted outside, eliminating the colorful mirage. It was as if she had given him the strength he needed for the bulk of the speech and suddenly left him to dry. A cruel, yet apt, joke she could only find humor in. “Rest in peace, darling.”

Richard’s voice hung low, sorrow engulfing him once again. The walk back to his seat next to Robert numbed him, the sound of polite applause, sniffling, and low chatter echoing louder than what was actually audible. With a huff, he managed to sit in an uncomfortable pew, tapping Robert’s knee to snap him back to their new reality. A world without Caroline, their lighthouse. A world where it was truly them against the unrelenting seas.

---

Misty Gray @BasDorcha BeyondDandy neverbackdown @purplecowdutch

 

[Misty Gray]

Chapter 12 - Keep Moving
- Saturday 13th March 1976 -
...17 days later...
Afternoon - Sunny, Cold, Breezy

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

The Walker Residence
- Edgbaston, Birmingham, England -

Robert Walker​

...June 1936...

Having met by chance in the City of London just over a week ago, Robert and Caroline had just spent the afternoon on their first date. After afternoon overlooking the River Thames, the two had a relaxing walk to Kensington, stopping off at various parks and landmarks along the way. The walk eventually ended when they stopped at the end of the driveway which led to the Richardsons mansion - the large estate that was Caroline's family home. Standing face-to-face, Robert took in the beautiful young woman's features. He wished they didn't have to part ways so soon, and he hoped they would get the opportunity to meet again.

"Now I've familiarised myself better with London, I won't get lost next time," Robert told Caroline, an amused smile fixed on his lips. It was a reference to the afternoon they'd first met. Studying at Cambridge University, he'd decided to spend the weekend in London. In his quest to locate the café his father had told him to try out, he'd found himself lost. That was until he crossed paths with the beautiful female blonde stranger. Having lived her whole life in London, Caroline had been able to help him find the café in question. Little did he know at that time, but she was destined to stop him from feeling lost for decades to come. What he had known was that there had been an instant spark from the moment he first met her, which was what led them to this date.

"Next time, huh?" Caroline spoke in a dry tone. "Who said there's going to be a next time?" she pointedly asked.

Robert was momentarily silenced. The young woman standing before him was different from the other girls he'd dated before. She wasn't overly eager to please him and she had a natural assertiveness that drew him to her. Strong and independent himself, it was refreshing to see someone who could give him a run for his money. Despite her comments, he didn't believe this would be the last time they'd meet. "It would be a shame if there wasn't," he pointed out, a playful smile lingering.

"Well, I suppose you do need someone to look after you in this big city..." she relented. The truth was, she'd had every intention of seeing the handsome charmer again. "There's a fair this weekend I'd quite like to attend. Be here at 4pm on Saturday and we can both go to my favourite restaurant for dinner first. Don't be late!" she told him. Before Robert could say or do anything, she edged forward and stood on her tiptoes so she could place a quick kiss on his lips. Despite the social norms and the expectation to behave like a lady; to wait for him to make the first move, Caroline chose to lead the way. She lingered on the spot, but stepped back before they could kiss again. He would have to work for more. "Don't be late!" she warned, before turning away and walking towards her front door.

Robert watched her walk away until she entered her house. They may have only just met, but he already knew she was worth all of the effort in the world. He wouldn't be late. He told himself he would never let her down...

**********​

...Present day...

As he woke from his dream, Robert rolled over onto his side in the king sized bed. Reluctantly, he opened his eyes and the side of the bed his wife had always slept was empty. He kept hoping that one day he'd wake with her by his side and find out it had all been a nightmare. But it was all very much real. He'd let her down throughout their marriage and now he'd let her down by not preventing her death. During the times their marriage had been on the rocks, it had been bearable waking up alone as there was always the likelihood she would return to him. Now, he knew she wouldn't be coming back and there was nothing he could do to change that fact.

Rolling onto his back, Robert stared at the ceiling, contemplating taking a dose of the prescribed sleeping pills so he could return to his dreams and not have to face the world for today. It was a dilemma he'd faced every day since losing Caroline. It was difficult to motivate himself to get out of bed and face the world. Yet, when he did force himself to leave the house to tackle his responsibilities, he then didn't want to return home to the reality that Caroline was gone, along with a huge piece of his heart.

His loss had taken from him some part of his humanity. The day after Caroline's death, a team of Robert's men had managed to intercept and abduct Aidan's right-hand man, Rhys. It had been over 30 years since Robert had been forced to spend months starved and tortured in a hellish jail cell by the Nazis. The nightmares of the abuse he'd suffered at the hands of Max had never stopped plaguing his dreams. Now, in his grief and anger, Robert had decided the only way he might take some consolation was by punishing those responsible for harming him and his loved ones. Max was long dead and buried, killed by Robert's own hands. But Aidan was still alive. As was Rhys, who had played a direct part in tormenting Felicity, Rory, and Robert himself. No doubt he had a hand in Caroline's death too. So why shouldn't the man suffer? For now, Robert was leaving it to his men to continue ensuring Rhys' incarceration and suffering. There was plenty of time for him to step in and deliver his own forms of justice to the bastard.

Robert turned to check the clock on the bedside table. For a man normally up at the crack of dawn keen to get his morning exercise, still being in bed close to noon was becoming more enticing than he'd like to admit. For a time, he'd been able to chalk it down to recovering from his injuries, but even if he wasn't quite fit enough to be restarting his workouts, he knew he should have been up hours ago. With no meetings scheduled, even work wasn't there to motivate him. The more he thought on it, the worse he felt for wasting the whole morning. He sat up in bed and reached out to pick up the small box that contained Caroline's engagement and wedding rings. They'd been there since the day her belongings were brought home from the morgue. Their bedroom was probably filled with more of her belongings than his own. The house as a whole had so many of her still in it and he had no intention of changing that. How could he ever remove any part of her spirit from their home?

As he got out of bed ready to shower and dress for the rest of the day, he was stuck thinking about some of the things his sister, Hillary, had been saying to him whilst she was at the house yesterday. The woman had insisted on giving the main lounge and the kitchen a thorough clean. This has been followed by her pointing out that he would need to do that himself or hire a cleaner. Or, simply downsize. The last suggestion had been completely out of the question. As much as the house suddenly felt too large and empty, he couldn't leave it. Not only on account of Caroline's attachment to the place, but also the memories and sentiment the family home held. It was the house he and Caroline bought together, and then the house their five children grew up to know as home. That said, he knew he didn't have the time nor patience to keep the house as perfect as Caroline did. So it was either hire a cleaner or do a half-arsed job. All trivial matters at present.

Robert was eventually ready to go downstairs and no doubt face Richard. However, he was drawn back to the copy of the will that sat on the dressing table. There had been a lot to process when Caroline's will was revealed to the family. All of the inheritance money left to Caroline by her father had in turn been split between Alfie, Felicity, Diana, and Thomas. As stipulated by her own father, none of his wealth or business was to be put into the hands of Robert. Not only as his father-in-law's way of punishing him for cheating on Caroline, but also the desire to keep the Walker and Reynolds businesses completely separate. The London mansion had been left to Caroline's two sisters. The biggest surprise from it all had been that Caroline had named Felicity as having control of the remaining Reynolds oil-related businesses and with Richard named as a counter-signatory on decisions made. Of course, with Alfie the heir to the Walker business, it was clear why she hadn't been in a position to leave it to him. Robert hadn't taken offence, knowing that legally he couldn't have any control over Reynolds assets and businesses, but he knew Felicity would be out of her dept without his and Richard's input.

When it came to Caroline's own wealth and possessions, she'd left most of it to Robert. The exception being the large sum of money she'd left to Richard, with a tongue-in-cheek comment that it was his compensation for being a Walker. Even now as he reread it, Robert couldn't help the brief, crooked smirk from forming. His brother had, and continued to, put up with and endured a lot as a result of the day they first met on their way to RAF Manston at the start of their part in fighting for their country.

ReverseTex (Richard), neverbackdown (Rory)

Tony & Julia Fletcher's House
- Aston, Birmingham, England -

Tony Fletcher​

Everything had felt surreal over the last couple of weeks. Despite Tony never getting along with her, it had been a shock to learn of Caroline's death. He had to put himself in Robert's shoes and in Alfie's shoes. Tony didn't want to imagine a world where Julia or Dorothy were killed, and he wouldn't wish such losses on the Walkers either.

It wasn't just the peace treaty and strategic cooperation between the two families that led Tony to attending the funeral. He wanted to be there to support the Walkers, just as some of them had done when they attended Sully's funeral. This was the time for both families to move past their animosity and support each other. Besides, he wanted to be there for Rory too, so along with Julia, the three of them attended the funeral as the Fletcher representation.

Today, his plans took on a different route. He'd been contacted by Dean to meet so they could go over Marco's case. Whilst there was so much going on on the outside, Tony hadn't forgotten about his friend in prison. He was curious to hear for himself how Dean came to believe he could get Marco off of the murder charge. He hadn't spoken with the man before, but they had crossed paths at the funeral two days ago. That certainly was no time or place to discuss defending the man who killed Charles - self-defence or not!

When Dean arrived at the house, he was given a pat down by one of the Fletcher security guards. Tony stood on the front doorstep watching as he smoked a cigarette. After a deep inhale, he began coughing, but soon fought past it to take another drag of the cigarette. Most of the pain from his injuries was gone, but coughing certainly did remind him he wasn't completely healed yet. Supposedly, he shouldn't even be smoking during recovery, but he wasn't about to follow all of the doctor's orders.

Once Dean reached him, he stubbed out the cigarette in the glass ashtray he'd left balanced on the windowsill. "Sorry 'bout the frisk search. Security's staying high for the foreseeable," he explained as he shook the man's hand. "Come on, follow me to my office. It's not big an' fancy like your mate, Rob's, but it does the job. Speaking of which, how are the Walker lot holding up? My sister's headed over there as we speak," he said of Rory.

@BasDorcha (Dean)

Alfie Walker's House
- Edgbaston, Birmingham, England -

Felicity Walker​

The pleasant experience she'd had dining with Graham had barely had time to make her feel better about her life before she was dragged back down with a thud. Upon returning to her apartment, she was summoned to her parents' house. She could never have imagined or guessed what her father was going to tell her. That her mother was dead.

After Charles' death, the gala attack, her abduction, and her father's serious injuries, she'd been certain she couldn't take any more heartbreak and upset. Losing her mother had to be the worst of it all, yet at first, she'd been rendered numb with shock. Everyone around her was clearly upset and grieving, yet she couldn't feel anything. The whole world around her became a blur and she found herself trapped in her own mind.

Naturally, Felicity had not returned to her apartment after hearing the news, instead staying with the rest of her family so none of them had to be alone that night. It was some time during the night, whilst alone in her old bedroom, that the emotions and grief truly hit her. The person she most needed at that moment was the very person she was grieving for. Despite living her life surrounded by powerful men, it had always been her mother who had been the most emotionally strong. Felicity always aspired to sharing Caroline's assertiveness and certainly alongside emotional intelligence. Yet, she felt nothing like her mother as she struggled to regulate her grief in the immediate days of losing her.

The funeral had been every bit the heavy affair she'd expected. With security from the Walkers, Fletchers, and the police, the church must have been the safest place in England that day. Yet, that didn't matter to Felicity at that time. If anything, at her worst her intrusive thoughts told her it might not be such a bad thing if her family's enemies went ahead and killed her too. At least then she wouldn't be longing for her mother to not be in the coffin and not be dead at all.

It had now been two days since Caroline's funeral and Felicity had finally accepted that her mother wasn't coming back. Somehow, she had to find strength and a way to move on with her life. She knew Caroline would not want her to wallow. In fact, her mother would likely give her some stern words telling her to get a hold of herself. Being surrounded by her struggling father and brothers in particular, she began to realise she might have to be the one to step up emotionally where they may be failing.

With Graham assigned to a mission elsewhere over recent days, it was Joseph who had been tasked with driving Felicity and Thomas to their older brother's house today. Alfie was similar to their father in the way he was handling his grief: through coldness and by distracting himself with work. Thomas was more emotional in his grief management, but that wasn't necessarily a good thing either. Not helped by his ADHD, her younger brother's mood had been volatile, with angry outbursts one moment and detaching himself from everyone the next. Caroline's absence was yet again felt, knowing she could handle Thomas the best.

The car journey had been a quiet one on Felicity's part, with her getting lost in her thoughts whilst not wanting to make things more uncomfortable for Joseph. He seemed to have an understanding of the situation, but she still didn't want to say much around him.

When they arrived at Alfie's house, Felicity turned to Thomas who was in the back seat of the car with her. Sucking in a deep breath to try find some strength, she looked directly at his face. "How are you holding up?" she asked him.

@BasDorcha (Alfie) neverbackdown (Thomas)

Active Cast: Misty Gray ReverseTex @BasDorcha BeyondDandy neverbackdown @purplecowdutch

 

[ReverseTex]

Walker Residence
- Edgbaston, Birmingham, England-
Misty Gray
neverbackdown

Dr. Richard Finley

Though it had only been two days since the funeral, Richard felt like the last few weeks shaved a few years off his own life. There was a hevel in the Walker household, biting at one’s heels every chance it could. It felt impossible to shake the insurmountable weight left behind in Caroline’s absence. These days Robert was merely a shell of himself, retreating inward and rarely leaving his study or room. When they spoke, conversation seemed hollowed. Sure, the months Robert recovered following his imprisonment in Casablanca were rocky at best. But this was an entirely different beast to conquer. He didn’t have Caroline to tag-team a solution to cheer Robert up. It was him against the world. And for the first time in decades, Richard felt alone.

Thankfully the children seemed to band together, similarly to what transpired following Charles’s passing. He knew his nieces and nephews well enough to know his place in their grief. If needed or asked, he’d step in. But outside of his general oversight of the Walker affairs of the moment, he didn’t belabor himself over them. He was around the house if they needed him. They were grown adults, after all. But he was certainly pleased to see them band around their father. Richard needed their support more than he’d let on. In any fleeting moment he could spare for himself, it was a consolation to know at least one of the kids was home with Robert. The last and worst thing that could occur was for him to be alone.

Emotions aside, the newfound responsibilities seemed to keep piling upon him. Caroline briefly mentioned his inclusion in her will at one point or another, likely over a few glasses of wine, considering he barely recalled. Moreover, the text itself was cheekier than the rest of the legal tone of the will. Either way, he was surprised to find he was a countersignatory in the remainder of the Reynolds holdings that were given to Felicity. He knew Caroline’s father had been particular about separating his business from Robert. Following her inheritance of the company, it seemed she was keen on upholding her father’s wishes. So, to find that Felicity gained the private fortune, with himself to veto any decision, certainly came as a surprise. Clearly, it had been Caroline’s amendment to her father’s clauses, but nevertheless, it was now set in stone. Richard, once again, received another unavoidable responsibility. Bloody hell…

The light gurgle of the coffee pot snapped Richard back to the present. The whirlwind of management and fighting back tears nearly made him forget today’s event: Rory’s visit. Without thought, he prepared his cup of coffee. It seemed with every passing day, he added an additional cup and cigarette back into his diet. Both were deemed vital stimulants in his eyes. Once his mug was fixed, Richard saw himself to the garden.

Perhaps his favorite spot in the house, the garden held the last strands of good memories in this house. If the wind whistled against the rose bushes just right, he could almost hear the ghost of spring. The ping of Charles’s football pelting across the lawn. The giggling of Alfie and Felicity chasing one another through the vines… Long were the days of budding flowers and little tikes. With a sigh, he rested his mug momentarily on the small table situated on the lawn. He needed both hands to light his cigarette and wanted to finish the devil up before his brother spotted him and their surprise guest. Leaving his coffee behind, Richard took a drag, heading to the fence. There he unlatched the side entrance with his free hand for Rory to spot on her arrival. If possible, he wanted her to avoid the depressing hevel inside the house. Her first impression of the home deserved to be better than to see its open wounds festering within.

Now settled at the table, he brought the mug to his lip for a sip, cigarette carefully balanced in his fingers. Richard’s attention turned back to the garden. It needed some light trimming and preparation for when spring truly blossomed in a few weeks. Caroline tended to sort out those matters with the gardener. Now, it seemed it would be his job to figure it out. Another item to add to his snowballing checklist. With a sigh, he shook his head.

Before he could linger in thought for long, the slight shifting of gravel and grass caught his ear. Richard preened his head towards the gate, catching Rory’s arrival. Though he managed to put his appearance together, cozy and academic, Richard's eyes couldn’t hide his exhaustion. With one last drag, he left his smoke behind along with his coffee to greet her. Richard opened his arms, allowing her to find her place for a hug. “Thank you for coming, dear.” He earnestly greeted Rory. After a moment of shared grief in silence for both Sully and Caroline, he released her. “It means a great deal to have you here.” He remarked sincerely. “I wish it were under entirely different circumstances, of course.” He strolled alongside her back to the table.

“It’s a shame you never got to spend time here…” Richard let Rory draw her own chair out, taking his seat across from her. His mind thought back to the spring memories he cherished. Had things been different, perhaps she would have shared her spring chasing her half siblings around. “Can I get you anything to drink?” Richard inquired, his brain adapting to hospitality mode.

---

Jones Safehouse
- Undisclosed Location, Wales-
BeyondDandy

Elias Conway
​

The sharp whistle of winter’s last wind shrieked through the chimney pipe. The shrill noise jostled Conway awake, having nodded off on the living room sofa. This was the seventeenth day of living below the radar. No calls to his current employer. No sifting through the next round of jobs. Complete radio silence. Over the last two weeks, he’d shifted locations weekly around the Welsh countryside. Aidan established safe houses for him but had no relative idea on when he’d arrive at them. The less his employer knew, the better. Considering Aidan was weaving stories for the police and Walkers alike, it was best he truly didn’t know where he was.

The first safe house, a quaint cabin in the woods, was distal from any of the Birmingham fallout. The remoteness reminded him of his early military training days. Though, back then he lacked the luxury of having a bed and four walls. A rudimentary tent and sleep sack got him through those days… In terms of resources, he managed to hunt down a stag to keep him fed for the time there. Sure, there were canned provisions. But he had nothing but time to kill, and bullets were wasting away in his hunting rifle chamber.

Now with less pressure on his existence, his next safe house was an abandoned manor. He wasn’t sure how Aidan came into possession of such a place, but he certainly wasn’t complaining. Though uncared for for years, the manor reminded him of an old hunting lodge. There were various mounts scattered around the house, as well as ancient weaponry. Likely a rich man’s city getaway before it became a victim of time’s decay. Perhaps some day he could sort out a similar place for himself.

Conway shifted himself to a seated position, rolling his neck to release its tension. The fire crackled lightly, popping in response to the rush of wind from the chimney. The manor was larger than the cabin he’d previously been held up in, which had its pros and cons. Its size and scope felt like he had endless time to explore its halls, though it meant constant patrolling on his end. Even if it had been seventeen days, his paranoia won out in the end. Even if the Walkers weren’t as dangerous as some of the customers he was used to, he knew it was better to err on the side of caution.

Rising from his seat, he decided to take a look around once more. Two floors, six rooms. Simple enough to cover on his own. Besides the sofa rested his hunting rifle, though he felt that was a bit extreme for a simple scout. For now, his pocketknife would suffice. With himself sorted after his nap, Conway set out of the living room and began to examine the house.