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

[Misty Gray]

Finley Residence
- Birmingham, England -

Robert Walker​

Robert managed a subtle smile when Richard spoke of how it had felt right for him to run for Mayor. He had no doubts in his brother's ability, nor did he question that the man had Birmingham's best interests at heart. However, the problem still remained about their very different methods and ideas of how to achieve a thriving city. "I have every faith in your motivations and capabilities," he assured Richard. "My main concern is that we're likely to clash at times. You're a good man and I'm... not so much so. I'll try to make this as smooth as I can, for both of our sakes, but there's going to be times where we don't align. You're a stubborn bugger. Gerald was much less committed to his morals, so he didn't give me any lip," he teased. Despite presenting it in a light manner, they both knew it was a serious factor to consider. Not to mention, it likely only highlighted Richard's outbursts about Robert's lack of moral compass.

"It doesn't feel like thirty years," Robert said, going back to Richard justifying why he'd be exhausted by now. "We both know before the war and directly after, my idea of running business in Birmingham and helping the city rebuild wasn't quite how it had to be in reality. It was naive to believe all those years ago that it could be done through honesty and integrity. But I'd still do it all again rather than not at all," he firmly admitted.

He agreed about getting his marriage repaired. "I know. Despite our marital issues, Caroline has always been on my side with the business. She's not only the woman I love and adore, but she helps keep this family together. I'm going to fix things with her," he assured his brother.

Richard's comments about Tony were met with a raised eyebrow from Robert. He wasn't going to contradict him on the matter. He knew many of his interactions with Tony over the years had been in unsavoury circumstances, so the young man always acted out or met him with bravado. It was easy to believe Richard, a more tolerant and reasonable man, would have had opportunity to see a more positive side of Tony. Robert knew the lad wasn't inherently bad, but the feud and the business rivalries made it so they rarely communicated on good terms.

"I think I'm on board with getting the pair of them in a room together. It already happened a couple of weeks ago for them to get their heads together on dealing with Russo and I understand the meeting ran smoothly," he informed Richard. "But that is one area I'm still coming around to and Caroline will struggle to support," he pointed out. "I'm content to shoot her down on that one, to get the lads working on good terms with each other. But Alfie still has a lot to learn before I'm ready to throw in the towel or even step back. We're potentially facing the most dangerous resistance I've had to date and Alfie, and I suspect Tony, are not prepared for what could happen. We both know I've pulled my punches where the Fletchers are concerned, with my relationship to Dorothy and Rory involved. The things I'm capable of, the Russos and those who attacked the gala could be capable of the same - or worse. My kids, the Fletchers... they haven't had the kind of training and experience we had during the war. They haven't had to survive hell like we did. They've had it easy, so far. I need to remain firmly in control for the foreseeable, even I give Alfie more responsibilities with the business now."

ReverseTex (Richard)

 

[Misty Gray]

Gatsby's Restaurant
- Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham, England -

Caroline Walker​

Caroline kept her eyes fixed on Jackie when he made his comments about it being "fine" and adding something about his father being shot. She'd brought up five children. She knew when someone was sulking and being petulant, and Jackie was giving off similar signs now. Frankly, she found it offensive that her nephew would behave the way he was towards her. He was coming across as entitled, as his father often had. She'd always tried to give them a chance, not wanting Robert to push Henry and the extended family away. Right now, she was feeling like a fool to have been open-minded about her in-laws.

"I don't have to guarantee anything to you. I've been around addicts before and this doesn't wash with me," she told him. She remembered when Richard brought drugs into her home a couple of years after the war. She didn't tolerate it from him, a man highly regarded by Robert at that time, so she wasn't going to tolerate Jackie's behaviour now. "This isn't a deal or an ultimatum. You have to get sober because you want to and you're committed to putting in the effort, otherwise you'll never get clean and you'll be putting this family at risk. The way it will work is you'll get sober before you can be considered to have a higher position." She shook her head in disbelief the more she listened. "By all means. Go talk to Robert. You'll find he'll be far less accommodating than I'm being right now. You don't appreciate just how much I've defended you and your father over the years. I'm actually quite irritated you're throwing it all back in my face now!"

Caroline held her tongue for as long as Jackie addressed the waitress for another bottle of wine. His comment about beautiful Italian women only annoyed her more. Whilst he likely had no deeper meaning to mentioning that twice, it certainly rubbed her the wrong way. Given the fact she was only just getting back on track with her known adulterous husband and had her own demons about getting older, the last seeds she wanted planting in her head were ones about being surrounded by pretty younger women when in Italy.

"I expected better from you, Jackie," she told him, beginning to look like she'd rather be anywhere else in that moment. "I don't know if it's that you think I'm a pushover or that I'll stand up to Robert on your behalf, or something else. But what I do know, is you're asking for too much and offering nothing in return. And acting like a brat in the process."

@purplecowdutch (Jackie)

 

[neverbackdown]

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

Victoria "Rory" Fletcher
​

Rory nodded in agreement as Tony confirmed that they could not confront their mother with the accusations. She had held off due to the whole Nan mess and honestly she knew that it was a conversation that could not be had until their Nan was doing much better and their mother was back in Birmingham. The last thing she wanted to do was to add to their mother's stress at this time.

When Tony mentioned their mother had been considering moving away from their home, Rory sat straighter in her seat with a look of confusion on her expression. This was news to her and she wondered when Tony or Dorothy had planned to tell them, if at all. Realizing she was about to go down another rabbit hole, she put her full focus back onto Tony but his next admission shocked her to the core.

"Caroline came to her house?" she repeated out loud to really let his words sink in. "I doubt they could fall out worse then they already had" she mused "unless Caroline just found out that the affair is still happening" she muttered clearly disgusted at her own words as she spoke them out loud, giving them life and meaning and unfortunately only further deepening her suspicions. It was her mother's response to Tony that really took the cake and Rory covered her face with both hands for a second "that's really suspicious of Mum though like why answer so defensively unless she's got something to hide". Rory groaned in annoyance, she had been hoping that this conversation would lead her to believe it was all a big misunderstanding and Rory had jumped the gun but instead it was only furthering this accusation and the new proof was not helping matters.

Rory raised an eyebrow when Tony suggested that they go to Robert directly "and you accused me of being best friends with him" she scoffed immediately "why would he even tell us the truth" the idea was absolutely ridiculous but Rory had to admit that the more tony spoke the more his plan made sense. If they confronted him and told him they knew then surely if he was guilty he would just come clean or hopefully he was be offended and shocked at the realization proving that Rory was wrong. "Yeah I think Richard being present is a good idea and I agree that we pretend to know" she said slowly before standing up from her chair "right lets get this over with shall we? and hopefully put this matter to rest"

****
Int;-
Misty Gray - Tony

 

[Misty Gray]

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

Tony Fletcher​

Tony sighed and briefly massaged his forehead in exasperation at the thoughts that were now circling in his mind about Dorothy. He believed their mother deserved to be able to make her own decisions and if she wanted to move away from Birmingham, he wasn't going to stop her. His father was locked up, but why should she be robbed of her freedom too? In a way, he couldn't even blame her if she had been romantically involved with someone outside of her marriage. It was hardly a marriage at all for her, having not lived with Norman since his arrest so many years ago. No, Tony couldn't judge her if she'd cheated on his dad. The problem was, if she'd had an affair with Robert - a man who had made their family's lives difficult for over two decades.

Rory was on board with the plan to confront Robert and present their accusations as facts. She also agreed with involving Richard, no doubt also knowing it would be better to address Robert under controlled circumstances and without someone hostile, namely Caroline, in the man's corner.

With his sister eager to address the matter immediately, Tony could see she shared his desperation for answers. If only to be proven wrong and never have to think about the crazy idea of their mother being with Robert ever again. "Alright, I'll give Richard a call and see what we can arrange." He stood up, but awkwardly hesitated as he turned back to face Rory. "There's every chance we might have to hold off a bit, y'know. With the news about Marco killing Charles, Robert might not have any time for us right now. Or, he might be in a real shitty mood and ready to throttle me because I'm Marco's mate," he pointed out.

Still, Tony didn't hesitate. The sooner this could be settled, the sooner he could wipe the suspicions out of his mind. Walking to the phone on the side table, he flicked through his telephone book and found Richard's number, albeit written down under a codename. After dialling the number, he held the receiver to his ear before turning to face Rory, leaning his back against the wall.

After patiently waiting, Richard answered the phone, prompting Tony to speak up in a serious and more controlled manner than was usual for him. "Hey. It's Tony," he said, eyes locked on Rory as he spoke. "I'm not calling about Marco, but, well, on a scale of one to ten, how likely is it that Robert's going to slaughter me if he sees me?" he asked, lowering his eyes to the ground. "Reason I ask is 'cos Rory an' me need to speak to him, urgently, and you're the most reasonable one on the Walkers' side I can ask to make that happen," he pointed out.

"The thing is..." he said, letting out a hesitant sigh. "We've got good reason to believe he's having an affair with my mum and I need him to look me in the eyes when he tells me it's complete bollocks. I reckon you can appreciate this is something that needs shutting down before misunderstandings and rumours can blow this up all out of proportion."

neverbackdown (Rory)
Mentioned: ReverseTex (Richard)

 

[ReverseTex]

Finley Residence
Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham
Misty Gray

Dr. Richard Finley
​

“Clashing isn’t inherently a bad thing, brother,” Richard smiled. “So long as you don’t throw me into a wall again, I reckon I’ll be able to deal with you.” When Robert remarked on his own stubbornness, he couldn’t hide a cheeky smile. When the subject matter shifted, he shook his head. Part of what Robert said was true. Honesty and integrity still meant something. But he didn’t feel the need to butt in further; that was something he didn’t want to unpack.

Robert did, however, show some sort of moral hope. The conversation shift to the prospect of the Fletchers coming to the table was a great start. He nodded along with the points made; Robert was right. Alfie still needed time to mature into the role, and Russo's problem on the rise didn’t make it easier. When the war came up, he sighed, preferring to leave those memories in the past. “Just because they got it easy doesn’t make them any less capable.” Richard retorted. “We had to fight that bloody war to give them this life. I’ve never taken that lightly, nor have you. Personally, I don’t think you’ll be ready to retire, Robert. There’s never going to be a good time for that sort of thing, and you’d go stir crazy even if you did. I just hope you don’t die from your work. Bloody waste of a life if all you did was work it away.“

Suddenly, the landline cut Richard off. Both the office phone upstairs as well as the living room phone, echoed around the house. “At this hour? The office knows not to phone me.” He grumbled, getting out of the chair and stiffly walking to the phone. Before he picked it up, he shot a stern-yet-joking finger at Robert. “Put a pin in that last bit; I meant it, you know!” He cleared his throat, adopting his professional tone. “Dr. Finley speaking?” He inquired.

The last person he expected to be on the other end of the line was Tony Fletcher. Richard’s eyes widened slightly, surprised by the call. He glanced across the room to Robert; the pure irony of the situation caused a wry grin to slip. “Well, I suppose it depends. I’d say you’re at a solid 6 or 7 lad.” Knowing Robert had no idea who was on the other end of the line at the moment made his comment even more amusing. “It’s getting late; I don’t think now’s a good time.” He said vaguely, keeping his gaze on his brother. “I can get something on the books.”

Tony’s next words zapped all humor from the situation, and the expression he had on his face illustrated that. Richard couldn’t hold back a sigh, rubbing his free hand under his glasses to pinch the brim of his nose. The affair. He paused for a few moments, thinking through his next course of action. “One second, Tony.” He finally stated his name, placing the phone against his chest to muffle his next words. “You are going to sit there and wait this out. Tony and Rory are barking up a tree you’re responsible for planting.” Richard commanded. “I'm inviting them over.” He smirked, knowing Robert would want nothing to do with them right now.

“Tony? Still here, lad?” Richard raised the phone back to his ear while he held his finger up at Robert to keep him paused. “I definitely appreciate the call. You’re welcome to swing by my house tonight. I’ll make sure Robert’s here.” He confirmed his address. Tony didn’t need to know the man of the hour was already over. But if he had to wrestle his brother down to get him to stay, then he would. “Come with an open mind and open fists, please. I won’t tolerate any ill behavior in my home.” He wanted to subtly warn Tony that this rumor he was speaking to put out might be true. “See you shortly.” Richard signed off, hanging up the phone.

 

[Misty Gray]

Finley Residence
- Birmingham, England -

Robert Walker​

Robert had nodded when told his kids' lack of experiences like those in the war didn't make them less capable. He supposed he agreed on that, but he still didn't think they'd been put in highly dangerous situations where they had to fight for their lives. The gala attack was the closest they'd come to that kind of threat first hand. Thomas had admitted himself that he hadn't known what to do that night. Felicity, though she was stoic and independent, was still shaken by her experience. Alfie had done well that night, so was on the right track. But when it came down to it, all of his kids still needed to learn how to fight and defend themselves, as well as thinking fast to protect their family. That was even without all of the politics and strategic thinking that came with running the family business.

His brother echoed what he already believed; that there wouldn't be a good time to retire and he would indeed struggle filling his time without the business. Robert wasn't sure he knew how to completely relax or live something resembling a life of leisure. The warning not to die as a result of his work did cause him to pause for thought, but before he could form an argument the phone began to ring. He couldn't help but chuckle at the complaining about the time of the call. "This is your life now. Welcome to the club," he teased Richard, suggesting the Mayor job now came out of hours calls much like his own work did. His face fell serious again when told to give his previous words some thought. Robert often expected he'd die as a result of his business, but he always hoped it wouldn't be the case. Of course, refusing to retire would always keep the likelihood of a peaceful death low.

Robert sat back whilst Richard took his call. He tried not to appear as if he was listening in, but given the house was otherwise quiet and free of distractions, he couldn't help but listen. He couldn't really piece together what the conversation was about, so he decided to try his luck and probe for answers once the call was done. That relaxed curiosity was quickly switched to deep interest when he heard Tony's name. Sitting forward, he eyed Richard as the man told him to stay put and mentioned inviting Tony and Rory being over for answers about something.

Robert stood, ready approach Richard and take the receiver out of his hand so he could tell Tony to stay away. Instead, he remained in place when Richard held his finger up to tell him to stay back. Given they'd just settled down after their blow-up a short time ago, Robert decided not to go for round two. Folding his arms, he kept his mouth closed as Richard finished his call. As soon as the call was done, Robert shook his head in disbelief.

"What did you go and invite them around for?" he asked his brother. "This is far too soon for me to be talking with them about Marco. I know I said I understood the lad's reasons for killing Charles, but I'd rather not have to discuss this with Tony today. It's too soon," he explained. Given what had happened that day, it seemed logical to Robert that would be why Tony wanted to come over and talk. Straightening out his shirt, Robert pointed to the phone. "I should call Vinny for my ride home," he said. However, he barely took a step before recalling what else had been said. "What was all of that about Tony and Rory coming here with an open mind and open fists? If anyone should be open-minded about this whole situation, it's me..." he suspiciously trailed off. "What do they actually want?"

ReverseTex (Richard)

 

[ReverseTex]

Finley Residence
Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham
Misty Gray

Dr. Richard Finley
​

Richard allowed Robert to rant uninterrupted after he hung up the receiver. He kept his finger extended, as if that had any real pause, while the other slipped into his pocket. He even slid aside to allow his brother the one step forward, waiting for his words to catch up with him. Now that he was catching up, he made his way back to the chair to sit. “Well at least you realize it’s not about Marco.” He tutted.

“It seems to me that the kids pieced together foul play; on you and Dorothy’s part.” He explained. “They don’t think it’s true, and Tony wants to expunge the rumor as quickly as he can. But he wants to hear it from you and not me.” The last bit trailed with a hint of sarcasm, knowing that the rumor was true. “He said it was urgent, so I figured this was a convenient time.”

“While you’re up, you can fix me a drink as well.” Richard added, seeing Robert make a move to refill his drink after that news. “You’ve got to fess up, Robert. You owe her that.” He reminded, firmly. There was no need to say her name, they both knew who was in question. “Caroline aside, you need to get this drasted weight off your chest. I think this is a good first step.”

 

[Misty Gray]

Finley Residence
- Birmingham, England -

Robert Walker and Tony Fletcher​

Robert was taken by surprise when Richard revealed that Tony and Rory had managed to figure out the affair he'd had with their mother. "Bloody hell!" he hissed. "For a day that started off so well I'm not sure if it could get any worse now," he grumbled. He nodded along in approval at the idea of Tony wanting to put the rumour to rest right away. "Good. I'll gladly make sure he leaves here with what he wants to hear," he assured Richard. Nobody wanted to hear the truth. Whether it was Dorothy's kids or his own, he knew none of them would feel better off knowing what had been kept a secret from them for so long. Not to mention, Caroline would be much happier with his affair and the truth about Rory remaining buried deep. "I wouldn't call now convenient, but t's certainly in everyone's best interests," he confirmed, wanting to deal with it straight away.
Stepping into the kitchen to refill their glasses, Robert took a little longer than was needed. Despite maintaining a cool exterior, his heart was racing in his chest. He had no doubts he could engage his well-practised poker face, nor that he could lie convincingly to Tony and Rory. He hadn't got where he was in business without having to lie and adopt dishonest tactics when called for. It would be easy to avoid the truth now - especially with so many people around them who didn't know it, but this lie would keep them happy.

When he returned into the lounge, Robert handed Richard his glass then sat back down, allowing himself a moment to take a sip of the strong alcohol. He almost spat out the drink when Richard told him he had to come clean. Carefully setting the glass down on the coffee table, he maintained eye-contact with Richard. His brother knew Caroline was fighting to protect the secret more than Robert was himself. Coming clean about the affair would certainly reset the progress he'd made with his wife in the last day. But it was Richard's following words that forced him to think of someone else who he had been avoiding considering would be affected. Himself. For a while now, Robert had been struggling with the secret. Lately, it had been increasingly harder to ignore the fact that Rory was his daughter. From a distance, he'd seen her grow right from being a baby into the young adult she was now, all whilst not being able to be a part of her life. Seeing her injured and in danger over the last few months had only served to heighten his concern for her, not to mention make it harder not being a part of her life.

"The truth would upset so many people. Rory included," he pointed out. Even though he knew the secret had contributed to the feuding between the families, he still wasn't certain that removing that barrier would make relations at all better. How could it possibly help anything? "I don't think they're ready for it..." He took another dink from his glass. "I'll let them talk first. I'm keen to know what it is that's finally made them realise."

*****​

The drive to Richard's house had been a short, but tense one. Something in what the man had said, or at least his lack of argument, had seemed to only confirm to Tony that Rory's suspicions were correct. As they got closer to the house, he glanced to his sister. "We've got to be on our best behaviour, yeah? No fighting, and if you've got any weapons on you, leave 'em in the car," he ordered Rory. "If we want to keep Richard on side, we can't betray his trust by smashing up his front room, yeah?" He briefly chewed his lip before deciding to tell her more. "When I spoke with Richard on the phone, he didn't deny it or call us crazy... I think we have to be prepared for this to be true, y'know."

After parking up the car, the two of them made their way to the house. Tony knocked loudly on the door and waited for Richard to come let them in. As they waited, he reached out to gently squeeze Rory's arm. "We can handle this," he assured her, having no idea that the truth was more than just an affair.


ReverseTex (Richard) neverbackdown (Rory)

 

[ReverseTex]

Finley Residence
Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham
Misty Gray
neverbackdown

Dr. Richard Finley
​

With Robert out of the room momentarily, it gave Richard a moment of peace. He took a deep breath, running his hands from his face to the back of his hair. He was still shaken up from his fight with Robert, which had enough bandaids over it for the time being. Now he was about to have to mediate this? Bollocks…. The footsteps snapped him to attention, as if he were in the squadron lineup again, and he was back to peachy form.

Now that Robert was back in the room, he took his drink and silently sipped. A heft sip, of course. “So? When has upsetting people stopped you from doing anything?” He fired back. Outside of Caroline, Robert wasn’t afraid to ruffle feathers. With this particular situation, it truly depended on what Tony and Rory already knew. And he had to agree with Robert on that. The level of information he shared depended on it. “It’s also a question of if you’re ready for it?” He posed, setting his glass on the end-table next to the chair. “I reckon you are. But I can’t twist your arm and make you scream uncle over this. You have to tell them because you want to.”

It seemed shortly after that, a firm knock rattled the house. The only thing he managed to do in the wait was to grab a cardigan. Now that the heat between his brother was gone, the winter air had him a bit chilled. When he stood to let them in, before he disappeared down the hall, he turned back to Robert. “Brothers first.” He smiled, a haphazard salute to his brother in support. With that, he was off to let the pair in.

Richard opened the door with a welcoming smile. “Tony, a pleasure to have you lad.” He said, honestly, extending his hand for a firm handshake. Once he greeted him, he shifted his attention to Rory. “Same for you, Rory.” He offered the same gesture to her. If her reputation served well, he remembered she wasn’t a frilly girl. Feminine pleasantries would fall on deaf ears. So, a firm handshake seemed a fair greeting. Although he hadn’t spent time with her, he already noticed a striking similarity to his brother. That look. The look Robert would give when he felt lost, but had to bury the worry. The look he saw years ago after a bad night’s rest in their Egyptian apartment. The look he saw often during his rocky patch with substance abuse…

He hadn’t realized he drifted off into thought, still awkwardly standing in the doorway. “Sorry, you just reminded me of something.” Richard said a bit quickly, stepping through the door and shutting it every so slightly behind him to not alert his brother. He noticed both of them had an equally lost look in their eyes. As if they had no idea why they even came. “Robert and I just had it out a while ago. Over the Marco situation.” His attention flashed to Tony. “Don’t mention that. Sore spot of the hour.” Even though he had no idea what they’d ask, other than questions relating to their theory, he wanted to make sure that wouldn’t come up. It also wasn’t his place to censor their questions, but he knew Marco’s situation was completely unrelated to this. “Just want to make sure we’re all on the same playing field.” He said smartly, before reopening the door. “Yes, come on, it's quite cold out!” Richards demeanor changed on a dime, now audible to Robert down the hall. He wanted to seem amicable, a bit of the Mayor’s charm if you will.

Richard led the pair down the slim townhouse hallway. Pictures hung on the left side, detailing years of adventures. Some were from the war, some were from his own travels in Greece, and some were family photos. But it didn’t take long to reach the living room, where he stepped aside to allow Robert a clear view of the guests. “I’m well aware we’re all acquainted.” He remarked. “Make yourselves at home, there’s whiskey out on the counter and glasses in the cupboard if you want something to take the edge off.” He pointed in the direction of the kitchen, which could be seen with the light on. With that, he retuned to his own chair with glass in hand. He was about to have quite the night ahead of him.

 

[neverbackdown]

Finley Residence
- Birmingham, England -

Victoria "Rory" Fletcher
​

Rory had her hands clenched together on her lap during the drive to Richards house, she hoped that this meeting would distinguish the flames of the rumor and put their minds to rest and yet she felt sick to her stomach at the news she firmly believed they were going to get. As Tony spoke, confirming that Richard seemed to be implying that the accusation was correct, Rory released a small groan as her hands clenched tighter and her knuckles began to turn white from the pressure applied to them.

Taking a deep breath to try and calm her nerves, Rory slowly released her hands to take her gun from her pocket and place it into the glovebox of the car. "Best behavior I promise" her tone was sincere and Rory genuinely meant to keep this promise after all it was her mother having an affair, it didn't really affect Rory's life other than being annoyed and hurt that their mother would do that to her father, the loving man that Rory had always looked up too. As her mind cast to her father, Rory felt a lump forming in her throat, even now so many years later Norman's arrest and lack of contact in her life really affected her. She could remember his arrest so clearly and every time it sprung to her mind she felt the darkness from before trying to take hold of her again. Blinking quickly to stop the flow of tears threatening to spill over, Rory cast her mind away from her father and back to the matter at hand the supposed affair between her father's ex-best friend and her mother.

When the car pulled to a stop, Rory took a second to compose herself before stepping out and following her brother up the path to Richard's house. "We're Fletchers, we can handle anything" she agreed giving him a small wry smile that didn't quite meet her eyes. One way or another the truth would be out and she hoped that could give her some peace of mind regardless of the answer.

"Hi Richard, thank you for having us over" she greeted as she shook his hand. She didn't fail to notice the way that Richard seemed to zone in on her and she raised an eyebrow in confusion but before she could ask anything he seemed to regain his composure and ushered them back outside so he could close the door. At the mention of Marco, a frown pulled at Rory's lips but she nodded in response to Richard's warning. If Rory had it her way she would have got Marco out of Birmingham and away from all of this, he was family, he was one of them and she still couldn't believe how it all went down but she knew now was not the time to be sentimental nor to be distracted as she remembered what they were here for.

Following Richard down the corridor, Rory allowed herself to glance around his beautiful home, it seemed the doctor did quite well for himself over the years but she couldn't help but wonder if it was his own money or Walker money that got him to where he was now. As they came face to face with Robert, Rory kept a neutral expression on her face as to not give anything anyway. She did think about going for the whiskey but this wasn't a visit with friends, she wanted him to deny the accusation and they could go on their merry way forgetting this ever happened. "Robert" she greeted her tone an unusual mix of niceness and professionalism.

She looked towards Tony for a moment before turning her attention back to Robert. She didn't want to leave any room for error and honestly she wanted to get out of this house as quick as possible and so on that basis she decided to go straight in with the heavy hitter "Mum told us everything but we need to hear it from you" Her eyes were trained on him, watching for any visible reaction to her statement as she knew it was his body language and immediate reaction that would tell them the truth and not necessarily his words.

***********
Int-
Misty Gray - Tony & Robert
ReverseTex - Richard

 

[Misty Gray]

Finley Residence
- Birmingham, England -

Robert Walker and Tony Fletcher​

Richard was right, that Robert wasn't bothered about getting people's backs up. He just knew that this time, the truth would upset two families as well as business relationships. Although he didn't reply, Robert did find himself mulling over what his brother had said about whether he was ready for it. In honesty, Robert felt like he'd been ready to come clean a long time ago, but he'd already hurt Caroline enough times when he cheated on her, so he'd always felt he owed it to her to keep the secret as she'd demanded. Revealing the truth now would hurt her again, but at the same time, he wondered if finally letting go of the secret could help her too. The hatred she displayed towards Dorothy and the Fletchers often seemed unwarranted to others, but perhaps they would begin to realise why she behaved the way she did. Maybe she could finally let go of those feelings and be able to open up on the matter to those who care about her. Even if it would be the last straw as far as their marriage was concerned.

With the knock at the door, Robert's eyes shot to Richard. He was about to stand and assert himself from the offset; make it clear he was in charge. But then, he reminded himself this wasn't business. This was personal and the two Fletcher siblings would already be going through all kinds of emotions on account of their suspicions. He would try to behave as humanly as possible, rather than being overly formal. He saluted back to Richard, albeit not matching the man's smile and enthusiasm. His mind was racing as he decided whether he'd confess or defend the lie.

When Richard greeted them, Tony firmly shook the man's hand. Given what they'd been through and shared over the last few weeks, Tony had a newfound respect for the Mayor. Still, he still felt he had to reserve some scepticism given how close the man was to Robert. He subtly watched as Richard's gaze lingered on Rory. He couldn't help but wonder if the man was already feeling some kind of pity for her on account of her about to find out their mother had been screwing Robert.

Then came a warning not to mention the situation with Marco. "Gotcha! I'm sure rattling his cage on that won't work out well for any of us," he commented, half-expecting Robert blamed or resented him for his friendship with Charles's killer. Once inside, Tony mirrored Rory's decision to avoid the whiskey. Things could get heated so he supposed being sober and without glass in his hand would benefit all of them. "Evening, Robert," Tony flatly greeted the man as he sat in the sofa across from the armchairs Richard and Robert were occupying. He made eye-contact with Rory and prompted her to sit next to him. Sitting seemed like the best course of action given the two Walker men were doing the same.

"Tony. Rory," Robert acknowledged each of them in a similarly professional and accommodating tone. The young woman didn't waste time in getting straight to the point. Robert was by now more than aware of how up front and confident Rory - his daughter - was. He wished he could have known more about her than distant observations or mannerisms he'd picked up from their few direct interactions. When she announced Dorothy had told them everything, he maintained a neutral expression. If anything, he was masking amusement from his face, rather than shock. He didn't for one second believe Dorothy had told them anything. And if she'd told them everything he suspected tensions would be much higher than they were. Dorothy didn't owe him anything, but Robert fully believed she would have warned him she'd told them everything.

This was too easy to deny. Robert doubted he would have to work hard to throw them off the scent and call them out for pretending Dorothy had told them anything. Yet, he didn't even try to do that. "Dorothy told you everything, did she?" he asked, looking between Tony and Rory. "Would you care to elaborate on what exactly it is she said, just so I know what you're talking about?" he calmly asked. On the inside, his heart was once again racing. He found himself clasping his hands together in front of himself to prevent them from awkwardly fidgeting.

"Cut the crap!" Tony snapped. "We know you two are having an affair."

If there was any doubt they were lying about Dorothy, this was all the confirmation Robert needed. Dorothy wouldn't have said that, as the affair wasn't still going on. "How about you cut the crap. Both of you. Your mother hasn't told you anything of the sort. We are not having an affair," he firmly asserted. Relaxing his hands, he sat back and took a deep breath. "But we did have an affair. It was a long time ago..."

A lump had formed in Tony's throat the moment he heard Robert confirm he and Dorothy had an affair in the past. Even if it wasn't happening at present, it still shocked him. He felt stunned in that moment. "How long ago?" he asked, doing everything in his will to control his anger.

"Well over two decades ago--" Robert began. Tony didn't need to process the numbers to know what that meant. Norman had been in prison for 16 years, so his dad had still been around at that time. He rushed up to his feet, prompting Robert to do the same. Even when Tony got up in his face, the older man stood tall and firm. He wasn't going to flinch at Tony's temper.

"That's even worse than if you were doing it now! My old man was still here and you were screwing my mum behind his back? Who the fuck do you think you are?!" Tony yelled, stepping up closer to Robert's face.

"Back off, now," Robert warned, his tone deadly serious. It was out of respect for Richard that he wasn't shouting at or even moving to physically threaten Tony, even if he felt the younger man was asking for it. "There were two of us involved in the affair and I suggest you show your mother more respect than that," he lowly asserted.

ReverseTex (Richard) neverbackdown (Rory)

 

[ReverseTex]

Finley Residence
Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham
Misty Gray
neverbackdown

Dr. Richard Finley
​

In the short time the dust settled in the room, Richard downed a large chunk of his whiskey out of precaution. Setting the glass at the end table, mostly to stop himself from drinking the remainder, he watched the meeting unfold. Robert dancing around the question didn’t surprise him. His brother liked to test the waters and see what people knew before divulging information. But something about this felt... Predatory. It was as if he and Robert were wolves, sizing up a pair of elks. Either way, he knew Robert was internally frazzled. His hands didn’t lie, even if his lips did.

The awkwardness of Tony’s rebuttal surprised him, even if he had to agree with him. Like his brother, he also caught the present tense the young man used. Briefly, his eyes locked with Rory, almost amused at the assumption that the affair was present. But his attention turned back to the main action, keen to see what unfolded.

Robert admitting the truth was a good first step. A twenty-year secret only damaged more people than it helped. In his mind, the affair needed to be public knowledge. As much as Caroline hated the idea, it would help in the long run. As soon as Tony popped from his seat, Richard leaned further back in his. He wasn’t concerned any foul play would break out, and Robert’s restraint was also a sign of that. But the parental gene kicked in. “Tony,” Richard trailed, as if he were warning one of his nieces or nephews. Technically speaking, he was. “You too, Robert.” He added for good measure. Even if his brother hadn’t flinched, it was still his job to keep him in check.

“If it makes you feel any better, I only recently found out. They were quite good at keeping it under wraps.” He remarked. The tone was a bit sour, still offended he'd been left out of the information for so long. He had been around for all of it and hadn’t even caught a sniff of foul play. Sure, his brother’s extramarital affairs were something he knew of during their war days and the occasional vacation. But something so close to home seemed more insidious. His immediate attention turned to his brother. “Now Robert, let’s get to the point.” He said matter of factly. Next, he turned his full attention to the Fletchers. They weren't going to be left out of the loop like he had. “No one here is going to like what I’m about to say. But someone’s got to rip the bandage off, and it’s sure as shit not going to be your father.” Richard said clearly. He looked at the three of them, oddly at peace with the nuclear bombshell he so simply alluded to. “You can tell her I told them,” he quipped to his brother, referring to Caroline. At this point, he didn't care what Caroline thought. As much as he loved his sister-in-law, she was equally to blame for how long this stayed under wraps. Even if she was the cuckold, it wasn't fair to Rory to not know the full truth.

The two young adults across from him were clearly confused, although Robert’s tension painted an even clearer picture. “You’re a smart lot; do the math.” Richard crossed his poor leg over his good one, resting his hands comfortably in his lap. The mess of the century was about to unravel before his eyes. And he had a front-row seat.

 

[neverbackdown]

Finley Residence
Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham

Victoria "Rory" Fletcher
​

He wasn't shocked by their accusation rather he calmly watched them before speaking and Rory raised an eyebrow before her attention was drawn towards Richard and she realized that Richard had warned him. She almost groaned out loud, It was impossible to read the mannerisms of lying on a trained and focused man who had been expecting it and that flushed her own plan right down the toilet. She bit her lip as she tried to think of another way they could trick Robert when Tony said the accusation out loud.

Rory's head snapped around to look at Robert as he spoke to them and accused them of lying, she was about to retort when he admitted the affair. Her eyes widened in shock for a moment, not surprised that she was right rather she was suspicious that Robert gave it to them so easily. It was like he was hiding something, leaving something out and giving the easiest part.

As Tony stood up, Rory reached out to grab his arm but just missed as he walked past her and straight over to Robert. Sighing Rory placed her fingers on her temples as she gently massaged them, staring at the ground as her mind meticulously went over every word Robert said and every piece of evidence that lead to her accusation as she tried to figure out what was the missing piece to the puzzle.

Richard finally spoke up and Rory slowly looked up towards him, she had to say she was impressed with the power that Richard appeared to hold as both boys seemed to cool down and back off from each other as he gently warned them, it didn't surprise her at all that he had won and become Mayor, based on what she was seeing now even she had to admit he deserved it.

The word "father" made Rory's eyebrows raise in confusion as she tried to figure out why their father was being brought up, she immediately looked towards Tony to see if he understood Richard's point but Richard's next words shook her to her bones. He was implying that Robert was one of their fathers. What followed was almost a manic laugh, so unfamiliar to her that it took Rory a second to realize it was coming from her. It was a joke, surely it was a joke, she was the daughter of Dorothy and Norman Fletcher, she was a Fletcher...

The laughter seemed to die down as quick as it had surface as the facts seemed to hit her at once and all colour drained from her face. The looks between her mother and Robert, Robert's leniency towards them, Robert discussing her future not once but twice, Robert bringing her a towel at the Gala, Caroline's visit to their mother after the shooting, the fall out between the families, Robert saying he didn't want his child to end up in jail and with the new piece of information that the affair happened 20 odd years ago it all added up but it couldn't, it can't.

"Your lying" she finally said as she looked towards Richard before turning her attention to Tony and Robert "He's lying right?" she almost pleaded but Robert didn't laugh, he looked shocked and worried and that only heightened her fear that this was true.

Rory placed her hands on the couch as she tried to gain some stability from the room spinning around her, her stomach twisted into knots and she didn't know if she was going to pass out, scream or puke right there in front of everybody.

"I'm a Fletcher" she muttered to herself as though it was some kind of calming mantra.

*****
Int;-
Misty Gray - Tony & Dad?
ReverseTex - Richard

 

[Misty Gray]

Finley Residence
- Birmingham, England -

Robert Walker and Tony Fletcher​

Although he remained otherwise still and up close to Robert, Tony slowly turned his head to face Richard when the man spoke his name in a warning tone. Similarly, Robert didn't move, though he didn't have any intention of harming Tony unless the younger man struck first. As it happened, Tony gave in and backed off, backing away towards the sofa again. At the same time, Robert sat back in his chair, clearly neither of them wanting to cause Richard further stress in his own home.

Robert held his tongue at his brother's comment about only just learning the truth himself. There wasn't much more he could tell Richard on that matter, other than apologise for not including him in the burden of that secret much sooner. Tony shook his head in disgust as he slumped back down on the sofa. He knew the anger, disappointment and disgust should be shared between Robert and Dorothy, but his mother wasn't there. It was much more convenient, not to mention naturally easier, to take it out on the Walker boss.

When Richard mentioned getting to the point, Robert didn't initially react. He figured he should give Tony and Rory a bit more time to get their heads around the affair before dropping the biggest bombshell. However, Richard clearly felt differently as the man continued on to reveal the truth, in a roundabout way. The man followed up by saying Robert could tell Caroline it was him who'd come clean about Rory. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Robert felt frustrated. He wasn't entirely sure why, as he'd been building up to telling the whole truth. He wasn't even annoyed with his brother for beating him to it. It was the expected fallout that exhausted him.

It wasn't that he was slow on the uptake, but Tony sat in silence for a time as he thought about what Richard had said. He was doing the maths, but he didn't like the answer the clues kept equating to. Clearly he wasn't being told Robert was his father, which only left Rory of the siblings in the room. His hesitation was due to searching for any answer but the only one he'd been led to.

He lifted his head and looked at Rory as she reacted with a laugh, though clearly nothing about the situation was amusing to either of them. He shifted his gaze to stare at Richard before shaking his head in disbelief. "Do you wanna reword that so you mean anything but what we just heard?" he coldly asked.

Rory asked Robert if his brother was lying, but the man simply shook his head. He held back from speaking and finalising the revelation, instead giving Rory a moment to gather herself. He watched on as Tony rushed up to her side and placed his hands on her shoulders from behind.

"Of course you're a Fletcher," Tony firmly told her, moving his face closer to her. "You're one of us. Always have been and always will be. These two fancy old fuckers are talking shit. Probably teaching us a lesson for coming over here throwing accusations," he tried to reason. Putting his arm around Rory, Tony pulled her in closer.

"We wouldn't lie about something like this," Robert asserted, now standing back up. "Rory. I am your father. I know it's not the news you want to hear, but it's the truth," he calmly, and sensitively, told her. "Norman doesn't know the truth," he informed them. It wasn't that he felt he owed Norman Fletcher anything, but he at least didn't want Rory to think the man she had thought was her father had been lying to her all of her life too.

It was written all over Tony's face that he wanted to attack Robert in that moment. But he knew whatever he was feeling, Rory must be feeling much worse. He couldn't take the focus away from her.

ReverseTex (Richard) neverbackdown (Rory)

 

[neverbackdown]

Finley Residence
- Birmingham, England --

Victoria "Rory" Fletcher​

Robert shook his head at her question and any shred of remaining hope she held melted away, along with her sense of identity. Her whole life had been a lie, the people she had learned to hate were her family and the big bad enemy was her father. She was furious, furious with her mother, with Robert, with Richard, with the whole world and in that moment she wanted to watch the world burn but she didnt have the energy to act on it.

Tony assured her that she was a Fletcher and that she always would be but it felt like she was under water barely able to hear or understand him. When he pulled her into him, Rory's body automatically moved towards him, towards a comfort she so desperately needed right now.

She felt lost, confused and dizzy with all the new information like her body was no longer her own and she lost the ability to speak or move that was until Robert spoke and suddenly a blinding rage took over her entire being.

"Right let me get this straight" she finally spoke, her voice was calm and distant, void of any emotion she was feeling as she looked straight at Robert.

"You, Caroline, Dorothy and Norman were all best friends, I assume hung out together all the time and then at some stage you fucked not only the best friend of your wife but also the wife of your best friend?" She paused for a second to allow her words to sink in as she spoke , her eyes never leaving Robert.

"You and Dorothy then turned that into an affair and continued to go behind the others back and ultimately you knocked her up and voila I'm created" she took a breath and clenched her left hand as it began to shake from the unreleased rage she was feeling.

"Does Caroline know? I'm assuming she does and that is why she hates mum but and sorry this is the real kicker of it all, your telling me that my dad wasn't told, so how did yous explain a breakdown in relationships without him ever realizing that his wife and best friend went behind his back?" The anger began to become clear in her voice as she spoke, her eyes almost narrowed in slits as her vision began to become a red hue.

"And you" she practically growled as her attention suddenly turned to Richard. "You play off this high and mighty nice guy bullshit and yet you seem to think it's amusing to turn my whole life upside down, and another thing what the fuck was your logic behind dropping something like that so casually and cryptic" she practically hissed in his direction. "You are nothing but a shit stirring prick whose own life is so awful that you had to cause drama to feel some kind of self worth, is being mayor not enough or are you just so high and mighty now that you need to be involved in everything because you know what's right for everyone?"

With that Rory stood up and walked straight past them all till she landed at the whiskey knowing that if she stood too close to Richard or Robert right now she could not be held responsible for her actions. Taking the bottle she took a large gulp before turning back towards them an almost murderous look in her eyes "So what was the intention here huh?" Her voice becoming louder as the anger grew within her "what did you expect to get out of this" it was unclear in that moment if she was talking to Richard or Robert as she poured the whiskey into a glass and gulped it in one

*****
Int:-
Misty Gray - Tony & Robert
ReverseTex - Richard

 

[ReverseTex]

Finley Residence
Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham
Misty Gray
neverbackdown

Dr. Richard Finley
​

Richard sat silently, trying to fade in the background as the storm ensued. It wasn’t his place to comment further. In fact, he’d prefer to not have commented at all. Robert was dragging it out and making the tension worse. If his brother broke the news, he had a feeling it would’ve been worse. When Rory asked if he was lying, he raised a knowing brow. The apprehension on her end was understandable, especially with how untrue the claim sounded. But, the evidence spoke for itself.

He was about to pipe up per Tony’s request, thankfully, Robert beat him to it. When the trio rose, he remained planted. It wasn’t his place to intervene at this time. However, when Robert mentioned Norman, Richard pinched his eyes from under his frames. Even though he wanted the full truth out, that was the last thing that needed to be said tonight.

Rory walking through the situation aloud made it sound much more one-sided than it was. Dorothy was equally responsible in this mess as Robert. Even if he didn’t stand by his brother's actions, it wasn’t fair to throw the entire load on him. Before he could back Robert up, Rory aimed her rage on him next. He gave the girl his full attention, allowing her to berate him. There was no reaction on his part. If he said anything or showed any speck of frustration, he’d only throw more gasoline on the fire. Plus, she knew nothing about his character. If he took to heart anything a teenager said, then he wouldn’t be who he was today. When she stormed off to the kitchen to the whiskey, he was thankful to have a moment of silence.

Before anyone could act rashly, Richard popped up from his seat to stop Robert from following her immediately into the kitchen. “Don’t overload her. I know how you get when you’re like this.” Her shouting was clear from the living room, and he let it fall on deaf ears. Even if it was a minute to herself in the kitchen, it was a minute of separation. After a few moments passed, he released his hands off his brother’s shoulders and stepped aside. Before Tony could follow, he shook his head and placed himself in the same position he did for Robert.

“They need to figure this out on their own. You’ll be there for her when she needs it, but right now we’ve got to let this happen.” Richard cautioned. “This isn’t our fight.” It was true, this wasn’t something they could speak on. Tony was a fixer at heart, and he respected the young man for it. But he needed to learn the appropriate time and place. This instance his presence would be worse. He’d unintentionally rile up Rory, which would make Robert more frustrated and hostile as well. The two twin flames needed to duke it out on their own.

 

[Misty Gray]

Finley Residence
- Birmingham, England -

Robert Walker​

Robert remained standing in place when Rory began to address him. He expected she would have a lot of questions or even just an angry tirade to get off her chest. Whether or not she said anything he felt the need to intervene on, he opted to remain silent whilst she said what she needed to. He was used to being right and fighting to stand his ground; to win an argument or a debate. But this situation was neither of those things and the least he could do was allow Rory to get it out of her system. Had he learned what she just had about his own parents, he was certain he'd be kicking off too.

His daughter had an assumption that everything had been cosy between himself, Caroline, Dorothy and Norman. Whilst the two women had been good friends, he couldn't quite say the same about himself and Norman. They'd initially got along as friends for the sake of their businesses, as Robert cemented his control in Birmingham. It was the friendship between Caroline and Dorothy that had made things become more personable. The two couples did become friends and engaged in socialising together. But there was always a barrier between him and Norman, which he knew was born out of knowing there could be a day that Norman's ambitions may cross his own. Of course, things became much more complicated when he and Dorothy found themselves alone together, where the flames were quick to ignite.

Robert didn't have the heart to correct Rory on the assumption about him and Norman, not quite. "Caroline and Dorothy were best friends. Norman and I... a friendly business relationship. Not that it makes any difference. An affair is an affair," he pointed out. Rory's quick summary of how things happened was crude. From saying he "fucked" her mother to concluding with her being "created". He still held back from voicing his thoughts on her rundown.

Robert nodded in confirmation when asked if Caroline had known. "The affair ended when Dorothy realised she was pregnant. Caroline didn't find out until a few years after you were born. I had to come clean about the affair to her..." he began. He stopped short of saying why exactly. He was sure she wouldn't appreciate him saying it was because he struggled to ignore watching his little girl grow and not be a part of it. Rather than empathise, Caroline had made sure he kept his distance along with the secret. But it wasn't the only reason the breakdown in relationship had to end. "It was quite simple, really. Norman's business and ambition had started to conflict with mine. It was no longer sustainable for me to let him operate as he was. It had been destined to happen with or without the affair. Caroline and Dorothy had a scrap too, with it easy to accept given my wife's confrontational nature and the believability of the two women clashing."

Robert was shocked to see Rory turn her anger on Richard. He wanted to step in and redirect her attention, but he expected that would makes matters even worse in such a volatile situation. Besides, his brother appeared to take it in his stride rather than to heart. He watched on as she stormed into the kitchen for the whiskey, asking what their intention in all of it was. He could fire back in that moment and say there had been no intention, given it was her and Tony who had rushed over demanding answers. But in reality, he'd wanted to tell the truth for a long time.

Robert's instinct was to follow her, but Richard held him back, voicing how he would make things worse if he overloaded her. Robert tightened his jaw. "You don't deserve to be only the receiving end," he asserted to his brother through gritted teeth. Eventually, Richard moved aside for him to follow her into the kitchen.

Once in the kitchen, Robert didn't immediately speak up, giving Rory chance to decide to remain in the same room as him. "Richard is a good man. He didn't speak up to cause trouble. He did it because I was hesitating to say what had to be said. It wasn't my intention for you to find out like this, but with you and Tony piecing things together, it had to be done this way," he said, making it clear he had already considered confessing everything.

"As long as this all remained a secret, my family and your mother's family would never be able to completely end this feud. The barriers would always be there." Robert sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. This day continued to get worse and couldn't blame Rory if she wanted to knock back all of the whiskey. "It's not just that, though. I don't expect you to believe me or even care, but... I've been struggling to hide the truth for a while now. Seeing you in danger and injured triggered those instincts all over again. That need to protect you, like a father should, but not being able to." Robert stopped himself. He knew it didn't matter how he felt or what he wanted. He'd had over twenty years to live with knowing she was his daughter and having to stay away from her. Rory had just had her life turned upside-down and the consequences for her were far more hurtful than they'd been for him. "I know you'd rather have never had to be told this... but I'm sorry you had to find out this way."

neverbackdown (Rory)

Finley Residence
- Birmingham, England -

Tony Fletcher​

Tony had been ready to rush to Rory's side to check on her, but as he'd done with Robert, Richard stopped him from doing so. "She ain't going to want to talk to that wanker," he told Richard, but he wasn't committed to going against him. He let out a deep sigh when told the two had to figure it out, that it wasn't his and Richard's fight.

Tony anxiously paced the length of the room, running his hand through his hair. He was upset enough by the fact Dorothy had cheated on his dad with Robert. But then to find out the bastard was Rory's biological father made matters so much worse. "My dad isn't a saint, but to go behind his back... And with bloody Robert Walker, no less!" he complained. The fact it was being labelled as an affair made it clear Dorothy and Robert were both equal parties in it, that his mother had consciously chosen to keep the secret affair going on for a significant period.

"You might as well prepare for another press conference, Mayor, because I'm going to kill the prick! Marco did in the wrong Walker," he ranted. Regardless of whether he meant it or not, Tony needed to get it off his chest. "You know, just a tiny part of me felt bad about him not knowing what happened to Charles. But he's been lying to my family since before Rory was even born."

Tony stopped in front of Richard and looked the man in the eyes. "And you knew this too? How can you stand by him? The man walks all over everyone. He's a sociopathic, power-hungry arsehole! Not happy with having most of the city, he had to have my mum too! Well he won't get to call Rory his daughter - she's Fletcher."

ReverseTex (Richard)

 

[ReverseTex]

Finley Residence
Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham
Misty Gray
neverbackdown

Dr. Richard Finley
​

Richard tucked his hands in his pockets, standing stoically. While Tony paced, he watched curiously. If that’s what it took for the boy to not hit a wall or his brother, then he’d take it. The Marco comment landed sourly, but even then he remained quiet. He had to stand by the fact that this situation was far out of his control. Had he known years ago, perhaps all of the drama could’ve been avoided.

When Tony stopped in front of him, like he did for Rory, he took the insults on the chin. Even though Tony had a better understanding of who he was, he still didn’t have a deep relationship. “I didn’t know until a few weeks ago.” He replied. “Had I known sooner, I would’ve been more proactive. I could’ve talked to them before this got messy.” That’s what he had to tell himself. Even if he knew decades ago, the likelihood of Caroline listening was slimmer than now.

Robert’s uncontrollable lust for things that weren’t his definitely was his hardest trait to defend. Having the life he did, it truly was hard to emphasize for his brother at times. As much as he loved Robert, he knew his brother got what he deserved with this situation. He needed to hear it from other people. Even if he beat himself up over it, actions had visible consequences.

“Rory is a Fletcher through and through. No one can take that from her.” Richard reminded. “But it isn’t fair for her to go the rest of her life not knowing the full story, even if it hurts.” Ignorance was bliss to a point, but he truly believed she deserved to know. “You two came here for answers and you got them. What matters is how you carry yourself after tonight.”

Even if Tony was in a volatile state, he needed to hear him out. “You’re the rock of your family, Tony. You can’t afford to let this news sweep everything you’ve built. You need to deal with this separately from everything else.” If Tony mixed this drama into his business and work, he’d be no better than Robert. Hopefully the young man realized that, or at least when he thought about the situation after tonight.

 

[Misty Gray]

Finley Residence
- Birmingham, England -

Tony Fletcher​

Tony sucked in a deep breath when Richard told him he'd only learned the truth a few weeks earlier. It didn't make the truth any easier to take, but he was glad at least one more person hadn't been keeping such a huge secret for so many years. He was sure it would always be messy, no matter how much sooner everyone learned the truth. Still, the longer this secret had gone on, the worse and more unforgivable it seemed.

He firmly nodded when Richard echoed his beliefs about Rory being a Fletcher despite what she'd just been told. "If I'd known we were going to get that answer I think I'd have worked overtime to lock away our suspicions about the affair, forever," he remarked. "She'd be much happier right now if she didn't know." Despite that, now he knew Robert was Rory's father, he would hate to go through the rest of their lives not knowing the truth. As much as he hated what it meant.

Tony tightened his jaw when Richard reminded him of his position in the Fletcher family. Ever since Norman had been arrested, Tony had taken responsibility for their family and the business. He'd wanted to do it; to do his father proud and keep their loved ones safe. But sometimes, in times like these, he simply wanted to throw responsibility away. Whilst he and Rory had similar temperaments, he envied her at times for being able to be more free with her emotions and be reckless once in a while.

"Just when I think things couldn't get any worse, they do. The gala, Russo, Marco's arrest, and now this. I don't like the circumstances of how we've been forced to work together, but I was just starting to tolerate him and the rest of the Walkers. Me an' Alfie were being civil to each other..." Tony folded his arms. "I'm not sure how I can separate this from business. Robert betrayed my old man. Rory's life just got turned up-side down... Does he even care about what this will do to my family, and how Rory feels? You can be straight with me. You're the one who knows him most, except for his unhinged wife. Was my Mum just another conquest for him. Another knife in my old man's back? Does he even give a shit about Rory or is this just another way for him to assert control over my family?"

ReverseTex (Richard)