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

[Misty Gray]

The Walker Residence
- Edgbaston, Birmingham, England -

Caroline Walker​

Caroline rarely broke down and allowed herself to appear vulnerable in front of anyone except for Robert. Yet, in the space of a week she'd done so in front of Felicity, Diana, and now Richard. It wouldn't usually sit well with her to be burdening another person with having to tend to her during an emotional outburst. However, when Richard joined her on the sofa and wrapped his arms around her, she leaned into his embrace. It was exhausting keeping her guard up and maintaining a thick skin, and she was exhausted. Too exhausted to fight these feelings lately. She closed her eyes as she buried her head into his shoulder, managing the briefest laugh when he commented about his sweater being a good tissue.

After time to restore some level of calm, they pulled away from the comforting embrace. Richard took hold of her hands but her attention was more focused on his face as she saw tears in his eyes. "Oh no. I'm sorry..." she apologised, seeing her outbursts had led to upsetting him too.

Caroline sucked in a strained breath, choking back tears, as Richard reassured her she was a beautiful mother and wife. She gazed down and sniffled as he continue speaking. She continued to look towards their hands as he spoke of what he did the day he found out Charles had been killed. It saddened her to hear how much her son's death had upset him. But then he clarified that he'd been upset for her rather than Charles or Robert. This caused her to look back up to his face again, curious to know why he'd been upset for her rather than Robert or Charles. She nodded along when he explained it was because of how much she loved her son. For the first few years of Charles' life, Robert was away from home fighting in the war for most of the time. It was Charles who kept her strong for the prolonged periods of time alone between Robert being able to visit home. Then, even though he was still a small child when Alfie was born, Charles still tried to help his mother out. No matter how little practical help a four-year-old could be, Caroline was still always warmed by the boy's attempts. She managed a small smile as Richard cast her mind back to the parade and how Charles had sprinted towards Robert. "I remember. Up until then, the boys missed so much quality time with their father, so to finally tell Charles that Robert was coming home forever had him so excited. Finally having Robert home and the boys so happy. Well, I couldn't have wanted anything more than that," she fondly remembered. She displayed a frown when Richard compared it to how his own mother had never shown such affection towards him. "It saddens me to think you couldn't have that in your childhood. I know it's of little consolation to your younger self, but you'll always have a place in this family, especially after your loyalty to Robert and helping to make sure he came back home."

Caroline chewed her lip and nodded in understanding when he reiterated the woman he saw the day of the parade was the woman he still knew. He went on to pose the question as to whether it was better to have had the joy that ended up in despair, or not to have been a parent at all. "I don't want to imagine a world where Charles, or any of my kids, never existed. Of course I'm grateful for those 35 years I had with Charles and I'd never want to take that away, no matter how much it hurts now he's gone." Growing up, her parents had always told her that her future would be to marry and have children. It was an expectation she questioned throughout her teenage years and when she left school she set her mind on deviating from the path her sisters had taken, not wanting to rush into some marriage and certainly not have any kids to tie her down. But then she met Robert, not long before she turned 20, who opened her up to falling in love and starting a family. With him, she realised she could be her own person and have her own aspirations whilst also having a husband and children. She would never change any of that, not even after the times he broke her heart.

When Richard took the opportunity to dry his eyes, Caroline did the same, using her fingertips to wipe away the tears from her face. He clearly wasn't going to let her back out of the heart-to-heart as he took her hands again and continued to reassure her. "You want a challenge, huh?" she remarked when he said he'd do his best to help her find herself again. He then let go of her hands and she sat up straight, resting her hands on her lap. She was glad to hear him say he chose to be there for her, that she was his friend as well as Robert. "Of all the families you could have had, I'm glad you came into this one," she assured him. "Even if I do stress you out at times and I can't promise we won't kick off again in the future. It's in my nature to make your life difficult from time to time," she teased him, given they were prone to heated discussions and disagreements on occasions. This one in particular had struck deeper nerves, given the subject matter at hand.

When Richard took a swig from the wine bottle and then handed it to her to finish off, she scoffed at him. Regardless, she drank the last of the wine straight from the bottle before setting it down on the coffee table. "Drinking out of the bottle. My mother will be turning in her grave. It's not ladylike, don't you know?" she said, mimicking her late mother's voice that had been practically on par with that of Queen Elizabeth herself. Although her own accent would sound posh to many locals, Caroline's had deviated somewhat from her parents, given the last four decades living in Birmingham. It was very subtle to the locals, but her sisters still in London easily picked up on it when she spoke with them.

Finally cooling down from the heated and emotional discussion, Caroline decided to distract from it for a moment so the feelings didn't sit raw for too long. What better way than to fill in the blanks she had from the restaurant a week ago. "So, last week. I wasn't at the table for long, but I understand you never joined it either. What were you, Jackie and Scott up to?" she probed. "Robert wasn't impressed with my nephew for showing up to dinner late. I don't think he noticed, but Jackie smelled like he'd been bathing in alcohol."

ReverseTex (Richard)

 

[ReverseTex]

The Walker Residence
Edgbaston, Birmingham, England
In scene: Misty Gray

Dr. Richard Finley​

Richard adjusted himself on the couch, the armrest supporting his back and arm as he crossed his feet on the coffee table. He wasn't in the mood to migrate back to his chair plus neither minded the company. Next, he removed his glasses and began to whip them on his inner sleeve, through the blur he made out Caroline examining the bottle. "Bottles are made to be drunk out of, how it gets to you is just a construct," he said with a lazy smile as she finished her swig.

Caroline's comments let his mind wander for a moment. He was thankfully reassured by her answer to his rather deep question. He assumed he would've felt the same if he were in her shoes. Being a parent full-time was grueling work, hence why his parents never had the backbone to do it. Nevertheless, he never liked to assume how he'd react in a scenario. Her heartfelt compliments brought comfort as well, at least to his younger self. The confirmation that he was family to her meant a great deal to him. In years past, it wasn't so easy for her to admit that. Now as a weathered adult, he knew he never had to prove himself. "If you ever stopped making my life difficult I think I'd grow rather bored," he chuckled. "I wouldn't count kicking off ever off the table, it's what makes this friendship fun."

Her question regarding Jackie snapped him out of thought, frankly, he was thankful for the change of conversation. Richard sighed, clearly annoyed with the situation, before he started. "I wasn't supposed to be there. I told Robert it was the early term paper week for me, and he knows not to schedule anything with my involvement around those few days... So, I was grading and I noticed I had a missed call on my answering machine. Jackie, poor sod, was blabbering about some girl he shacked up with before dinner and felt like I should know. Anywho he seemed in rough shape by that message, so I assumed he'd be well-oiled by the time I heard the message. I knew Robert wanted to keep a pretty serious tone so I figured if I yanked Jackie out of there it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world." He shook his head with a deep breath, "Scott happened to be there when I got to the bar. Not sure what his business was with Jackie, frankly don't care either. So I got roped in for a drink with the pair, and then I logged Jackie off back to my place to sleep off the high. We had coffee the next morning and he was off."

"He's a smart boy, he just doesn't apply himself long-term. From what I heard from Robert, he did well when he was incarcerated. Not saying he needs to go back there, but the sense of structure and routine was good for him. The military did that for me coming out of where I did and to this day. He doesn't need to be shipped off like some broken thing, just some localized structure. Get Felicity to whip that boy in line," Richard joked. "He just needs some guidance so he doesn't go by the wayside... He'll end up like his bloody father and he's in a place in his life where he needs some help. While she responded, his attention went to the empty bottle of wine then back to her. He wouldn't initiate the idea of another drink, considering the two had dealt with every emotion in the book thus far. But he wouldn't object if Caroline busted open another bottle. The pair hadn't had a proper fun drunken time in years.

 

[Misty Gray]

The Walker Residence
- Edgbaston, Birmingham, England -

Caroline Walker​

Caroline managed a genuine smile when Richard pointed out he'd grow bored if she were to stop making his life difficult. Not that she was planning on it or would intentionally create a dispute with Richard, but she had no doubt it would happen again. Between the business, the family, their personalities, and their own backgrounds, coming to blows with Richard on something was always an inevitability. Their friendship, however, was a strong one, so she was sure it would have to take something severe and irreparable for things to break down completely between them.

Her shift of subject onto her nephew showed her the situation there was clearly something that Richard wasn't happy with. She had expected Richard to have been at the dinner last week and when Robert told her he couldn't make it due to his work schedule, she had admittedly thought her husband hadn't wanted him to be there so he could focus the discussion on the business. The side of the business Richard tended to avoid being involved in. She was right about Robert diverting the family dinner conversation onto business - filling Charles' roles - but she realised Robert had been honest about the reason for Richard's absence. "Well, I'll make sure I arrange the next family gathering. You're not getting out of it again. You can suffer it, just like the rest of us," she drily remarked. She relaxed her posture, crossing her legs and readjusted her positing a little so she could face Richard more directly.

Caroline rolled her eyes upon mention of Jackie having been with some girl. Like a couple of other men in the Walker bloodline, her nephew was also questionable when it came to women and taking liberties. It was her least favourite trait in her husband, as it was in Alfie and Jackie too. She was grateful Richard had taken the initiative to remove Jackie from the family dinner, even if in the end it was herself who ended up bringing the drama and cutting it short. It was easier for her to disappoint Robert and recover from it than it would have been for Jackie. Richard said he wasn't sure why Scott had been at the restaurant with Jackie, but she knew Scott had since found himself in Robert's bad books too, so perhaps his presence that night had been somehow linked. Although Caroline didn't need to know everyone in the business, she made it her duty to know the key players and demanded Robert always kept her in the loop. She'd rather know even the goriest of details than be ignorant to it and be at risk of slipping up or saying the wrong thing to the wrong people at some point. At times, it felt like her husband had always been more honest with her about the business than about their personal lives.

"It sounds like you've been working overtime to look out for Jackie," she observed, hearing how Richard had taken with home to recover that night. Caroline knew that Robert had always been reluctant to involve Jackie in many areas of the business, just like he had been with his brother, Jackie's father, Henry. Robert and Henry may have grown up together, under the roof of their wealthy parents, but Robert didn't believe that gave Henry an automatic right to be involved in the business at a high level. Having built the foundations of the empire himself, he wasn't about to hand Henry a share of it when he hadn't fully earned it. Even though she got along with Henry better than Robert did, Caroline agreed with her husband. Having put in a lot hard work to support Robert through it all herself, she didn't think his brother had done enough to deserve as much as he wanted from the empire. Unfortunately, Jackie took after his father in feeling hard done by in the family business, and worse than that, he wasn't doing much to prove himself to Robert. That fact saddened her, as she loved her nephew and wanted to see him succeed, rather than rot away in jail or off his head on alcohol and God knows what else.

"He does need to stay out of jail now," Caroline agreed. When Jackie had got himself locked up, Robert had been furious. The last thing he needed was family members walking around with criminal records and making the rest of them look bad. Caroline had put in a lot of work softening Robert towards Jackie in time for the young man's release from prison, but she was concerned her nephew wouldn't restore her faith in him and she wouldn't be able to keep convincing Robert to give him a chance. She managed a small laugh at Richard's joke about using Felicity to get him in line. "Lord no. Those two would end up bickering the whole time. One thing Felicity has in common with her father, and perhaps even excels him on, is her impatience with Jackie.

"Hmm. I agree..." Caroline thought aloud when Richard said her nephew needed some guidance. Nothing immediately sprang to mind for her, and as she followed Richard's gaze to the empty wine bottle, she quirked her eyebrows. "Okay, I can take a hint. It would be rude of me not to be accommodating to guests, so I'll get more wine," she said. She was making it sound like she was only having more wine because he wanted some, but he knew her well enough by now to know she definitely wanted more wine too.

Grabbing the empty bottle and carefully picking up the broken glass, she then stood and walked to the kitchen. She could feel a slight light-headedness as she walked, the wine having started to take a slight effect by now. After a short time and the distant sound of the cork being popped, she returned to Richard in the living room, placing the bottle and a new glass for herself down on the table. "Fill them up," she asked Richard to pour their drinks. She disappeared again before returning with two chocolate muffins. "I bought these earlier today but Robert said he was too full after dinner to eat his. So, the lightweight already had his chance. Enjoy!" she told him.

Sitting next to him again, she had a drink of wine before focusing back on the topic at hand. "I agree, Jackie needs more structure and something to focus on. As it stands, Robert doesn't feel like he can rely on him to take on the serious responsibilities and we can't judge him for that - there's a lot at stake if Jackie screws up on an important job. As I did Henry, I care a lot for Jackie, and I want to make sure he doesn't get side-lined in the family business. I always thought I'd be able to ask Charles to give Jackie that structure, seeing as they both got along so well. Now that's not an option, we need to figure something else out. Other than throwing him out to Felicity to chew up, do you have any other ideas?" she asked Richard. "I don't want him being pushed out of the business. Nor do I want him showing up out of his mind at any more family gatherings - Robert won't tolerate it."

ReverseTex (Richard)
Mentioned in conversation: purplecowdutch (Jackie)

 

[ReverseTex]

The Walker Residence
Edgbaston, Birmingham, England
In scene: Misty Gray
Dr. Richard Finley
​

​

It felt nice to hear Caroline jest about coercing him to the next family gathering. Richard genuinely enjoyed the company of everyone, even if at times it could be tumultuous. Suppose it stemmed from the lack of a blood-related family that he appreciated being a part of one more. His tendency to seclude himself in the academic world didn't help either, with how different his line of work was from his friends and family, sometimes it was just how the dice rolled. But Robert knew this all too well and when he approached Robert all those years ago about going into education, the two knew there would be pros and cons. But his standing and knowledge afforded the Walker's legal side of the business prowess and the philanthropic efforts more useful. He'd done his time on the illegal side in his youth, it was time he reaped the rewards of his work.

"I just stick my neck out for that boy because no one else will, not like Henry ever bothered," Richard grumbled after Caroline's remark about his overtime commitment. If there was one subject he and Caroline could always agree on, it was how to deal with Robert's younger brother, Henry. He was a horrible example for Jackie in his opinion. While he got to tutor the boy alongside the other Walker children, he always tried to support Jackie in home-related matters. Henry wasn't fond of him either, since Robert chose a brother over his blood brother, Henry often took that out on Richard. But with him gone, it made their lives a little easier, unfortunately not Jackie's. "Unfortunately I don't. I wouldn't mind watching him, but he finds my line of work quite boring. I'd say he's best suited to work with Alfie, but I don't know if keeping him around a strip bar would be beneficial for trying to ween him off substances. I've already mentioned the matter to Robert, so you should see if he's thought of any ideas."

Richard let out a wry smile when Caroline got his hint for more wine. "Absolutely abhorrent you waited this long! If your mother wasn't turning in her grave from your poor manners before she'd be clawing her way out if she knew you kept your guest thirsty!" He called to Caroline from his perch on the sofa. He was quite thankful she didn't send him to the cellar to fetch more and that there was a bottle on standby in the kitchen. He hadn't eaten much for lunch, so the effects of the wine would have made it a very wobbly journey. When she returned with the command to fill the fresh glasses, he gave a warm smile and took the bottle from her. "Mamn yes mamn," Richard joked in a militaristic tone as he filled each glass a little over the proper amount. Setting the bottle down gingerly, he gave a salute to her when she returned with treats. "Thank you dear, I'll happily take you up on this," he said as he took his muffin.

He took a drink of wine and then began to pick at the muffin in pieces rather than eat it like an apple, more civilized and less messy. Richard had expired his original amount of time he thought he'd be here, but he didn't mind. He had no plans this evening and neither did Caroline, so the drunken company was an unexpected bonus. As he snacked on the muffin, he thought back to his last engagement under Walker business. It had been a few months at least, with Charles's death most of the high-class visits and speeches had come to a pause. The family needed to do something in Charles's name like it or not, it would ring in good revenue for the charities and also help the family accept reality. He thought about mentioning this to Robert, but since the two hadn't processed Charles's death yet, it was probably not the best idea. Now that he and Caroline have, it seemed appropriate to toss up the thought to her.

"So dear I've had this thought, I haven't talked to Robert about it yet so you're the first to hear my crackpot idea," Richard joked as he took a break from his muffin. "I understand why the events and engagements have stopped for our side of the business, but I think it's been proper time and we need to get on with it again. With winter coming, you and I both know the philanthropy usually generates the pool of money by now we use to allocate for resources." Blankets, food, presents, and many more items depending on Birmingham's needs for the season were some of the items alluded to. "But since Charles's passing, the normal amount of fundraising and engagements I take part in, and you, have been slashed. Robert sent me on one or two up north this summer to lobby the Scottish donors, but nowhere near comparable as I'd normally do in that time. We need something big." The next part of his idea could be hit or miss with Caroline. He assumed she'd agree with him, but nothing was ever certain. "We need to host a large fundraiser, perhaps in Charles's name." Richard paused to give Caroline a moment to think on this before he thought it appropriate to continue. "It's counterintuitive to hold an expensive gala when we're trying to generate funds I know, but, all of our larger donors haven't contributed yet. This will help positively continue Charles's legacy and benefit much of Birmingham. But I know that's a lot to work out logistically and I have time to help you work on this, at least before the end of term then I'll have to take some time to grade. But other than that, I'd love to hear your thoughts."

 

[BeyondDandy]

Mike Thawne’s House
- Small Heath, Birmingham, England -

SULLY FLETCHER

It had been hours since Sully and Rory tailed their target back to his apartment. He had been cautious, Mike Thawne, but not cautious enough. The two Fletchers now sat inside a borrowed ride in silence and had not spoken to each other since they first took off that morning. It had been awkward for Sully but he completely understood. Rory loved him. The two were inseparable as children so he could only imagine the hurt he put on her when he vanished. The only thing he hoped for was the opportunity to reconcile with his sister now that he was back.​

Drawing into his coat pocket, Sully pulled out an unloaded weapon - a dusty black Barretta with his father’s initials on its grip panel. He wiped off the grime with his sleeve and laid it over the steering column. Digging into the center console of the vehicle, Sully pulled out a full magazine. He peeked at Rory as he took the gun back and slid it armed and ready. “I’ve never used it,” he revealed, looking at the killing machine with discomfort. “I took it from da’s case before I left. Thought I might need it someday.”

Sully sniffed and shook off the lingering feelings of the past. He tucked the weapon back into his coat and shoved on some black gloves over his hands. “We go in there, get our food and get out,” he instructed. Determined to prove his worth to Tony and the rest of his family, Sully walked out of the car and started towards the apartment. He would peek over his shoulder to make sure Rory was following suit. The street was not as busy as he remembered, which was good for the Fletchers. The cold and gloomy climate must have kept everyone home, so as Sully approached Thawne’s home he did not worry too much about being recognized or seen. He signaled Rory to approach the other side of the door as he peeked in through the window.

He couldn’t make out what was going on inside, but could see the silhouette of a rather large man through the drapes. He glanced up at Rory with a hand signal to relay that he could only see one person. He crawled under the window until he was opposite Rory. He looked at her, concerned for her safety more than anything, though intent on getting the job done. Sully knocked on the door as he pulled out his father’s gun, he looked at his sister one more time with cold eyes - a look and side of him his family had been absent from.

neverbackdown
Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

The Walker Residence
- Edgbaston, Birmingham, England -

Caroline and Felicity Walker​

Caroline would have agreed with getting Jackie to work with Alfie to get him in line, but she knew that the strip club wasn't the best setting for her nephew to be in. She was sure that with Robert giving Alfie more responsibilities now, it would mean her son may have to spend less time at his club anyway, especially given that it wasn't a business high on Robert's agenda. As Richard suggested, she would mention it to her husband again and see if he'd had any thoughts on dealing with Jackie yet.

Caroline was having a drink of wine when Richard said he'd had a thought. Moving the glass away from her mouth, she pulled a suspicious expression. "Hmm. I'm not sure you should be left alone with your thoughts. You'd best continue, so I can give them a sense check," she teased. The alcohol was starting to do its job, but Caroline was still able to focus and properly process the conversation. She listened as he pointed out that their usual engagements had ceased since Charles' death and so they hadn't done much fundraising yet. She raised a curious eyebrow when he said they needed to do something big. "With Charles dying and Robert's schedule, it hasn't been something we've prioritised."

When he went on to suggest hosting a fundraiser in Charles's name, Caroline lowered her gaze towards the coffee table as she once again ended up thinking about her late son. The wine's influence making her have to push back the emotions that threatened to reappear. After a moment, she let out a deep breath before looking at Richard again, nodding her head for him to continue. She smiled at the suggestion of continuing her eldest's legacy in a positive way. "I agree, the larger donors do still need to put their hands in their pockets. Maybe Robert and Felicity can come up with a venue that wouldn't incur such high costs. It is a lot to work out, but it's nothing we haven't done before," she assured him.

Hearing the sound of a car door being closed outside, Caroline's train of thought was lost. "That can't be Robert already," she commented, looking to the clock on the wall. "Or maybe he really is working hard to get back into my good books," she commented, letting out a laugh. Instead, Felicity entering the living room was even more surprising than her husband getting home early. "Well, this is a surprise. Is everything okay, love?" Caroline asked, studying her daughter's face.

"Hi Mum. Hi Richard," Felicity greeted the two. "This all looks cosy," she commented, but smiled to show she meant nothing by it. More than anything, she was jealous of them getting to sit around drinking. "If I'd known you weren't doing anything tonight, you could have helped at the hotel." Caroline rolled her eyes at the suggestion, having intentionally avoided doing exactly that. Dressed in a formal blouse and black trousers, Felicity didn't hesitate to take off her high-heeled shoes, letting out a relieved breath to finally feel comfort. "I'm good. Exhausted after a whole day preparing for that conference, but I finally escaped," she complained. "I came to see Dad," she began, tightening her jaw at her own mention of Robert, still having not spoken directly with him since finding out about his cheating. "I've got some details to pass on from a man who's interested in an investment deal with him. The guy spent most of the conversation looking at my chest, but I'm sure business is more important than that fact," she pointed out, placing a piece of paper on the telephone table for Robert to read later.

"Well, he sounds most horrid. I'll make sure Robert knows that," Caroline assured her daughter. The temptation to throw the letter away didn't hesitate to show itself, but she knew better than that, especially if Robert found out she'd thrown away a business lead. "Have you eaten today?" she asked her daughter. When Felicity said she'd had breakfast, Caroline looked to Richard as if to ask if he was hearing the same thing. "Breakfast was a long time ago. Get yourself in the kitchen and make yourself something to eat, lady. No job is worth starving for!"

Knowing better than to argue or make excuses, Felicity did as she was told. Given her past struggles with eating disorders, she didn't want to say anything that would get her parents worrying about her, and Robert then thinking she couldn't handle the job. She'd simply not had time to eat that day. She soon returned with a couple of slices of toast and an empty glass. Sitting herself in the armchair Richard had initially occupied, she reached for the bottle of wine and poured herself a small glass. As she did, Caroline slid her untouched muffin across the coffee table so Felicity could reach it. "You can have that too," she told her.

"Jeez, Richard. Do you see what I have to put up with? I'm being force fed," Felicity joked, rolling her eyes overdramatically. "So, what are you two talking about? Not planning on killing my Dad without me, are you?" she playfully teased.

"Felicity! Behave yourself. That's not funny. Your father loves you," Caroline berated her, clearly not seeing the funny side of the joke. She shook her head before picking up her glass of wine. "Richard and I were talking about an idea he's had. It's something you can be involved in. Tell her," Caroline prompted Richard before knocking back some more wine.

ReverseTex (Richard)

 

[ReverseTex]

The Walker Residence
Edgbaston, Birmingham, England
In scene: Misty Gray

Dr. Richard Finley
​

Richard was glad to see Caroline saw the sense in his idea, content enough with her reaction to pick at his muffin once more. He was around halfway done with it by now, which meant it was to finish off some of his wine. As he racked his fuzzy brain for more ideas, the door snapped his attention there. He straightened his posture immediately, a militaristic habit he never shook, to try and cram a shot at the door. Once he heard the sound of heels clicking, he relaxed once again. "Robert in heels, please. That'd be a sight for all to see. Maybe you can add that to your list." he joked after Caroline.

Felicity's arrival couldn't have been better with the current conversation, plus, the poor girl needed to loosen up a bit. He was glad to see her in a casual setting, which was rare these days with her grueling hours at the hotel. She was young, she'd figure out that wasn't healthy soon enough. When she greeted him, he gave a warm smile and a tilt of his glass. When she poked at Caroline, he was quick to defend her. "Your mother is actually in the middle of very important business. Entertaining me is quite a job, I grow bored very quickly." He lazed over the back of the couch to exaggerate his joke, before returning to his cozy position. Once she explained her reasons for stopping home, he nodded as he went for another bite of his muffin. "As was I, look where that got me. He's out on business, so you're stuck with your mother and me. If I were you, I'd get a glass and sit down. You've got to catch up to us." Richard glanced at where he sat before, signaling she could claim the spot.

As the mother and daughter went back and forth, he listened loosely, zoning out to nowhere in particular. The muffin was beginning to equalize with the wine, settling in for an enjoyable evening with a looming headache in the morning. When Caroline glanced over to him, he shot his attention back to her and then to Felicity as his brain caught up to their conversation. Caroline was nagging at Felicity to eat, a never-ending back and forth they shared. Both had valid points and he knew to tread lightly. "Well then it's a good thing she came home to grab a snack as well," Richard said when he turned his attention to Felicity once again. This wasn't worth the fight and she knew it, he was trying to bridge the compromise. When Caroline went to relinquish her muffin, he couldn't help but roll his eyes. "You need that more than Felicity, Caroline. You and I are three sheets to the wind I'm afraid. Both of you just eat your snacks and shut it about food. At this rate, I'll order takeout for the lot just to keep both of your mouths shut..." His half-joke clarified he didn't want to linger on this topic much longer. It wasn't his place to weigh in on whatever issues Felicity had, if she wanted his opinion she knew where to find him. As for your old man, I'm afraid that bastard is pretty much unkillable, trust me I tried," he chuckled lightly at her joke. When Caroline snapped at her daughter, he couldn't help but giggle at her expense. Caroline's warning glance at his joke made him cover his mouth with one hand to hide his smile, not wanting to make her more mad. When she picked at the now-adult kids he couldn't help but find it amusing at times, especially with the wine in full effect. Ready to move on, he took his queue to begin his summary.

"Essentially I was reiterating the fact that the philanthropy is behind on earnings. Not anyone's fault directly, I understand why it wasn't prioritized and I don't think it was wrong to do so," Richard said with a glance to Caroline to satisfy her qualm from earlier. "But with the holidays looming, we are very behind on donations which will impact the amount of resources we're able to allocate. I don't need to lecture you on that... Anywho, I suggested we host a gala to bring in the donors whom Caroline, Robert, and I lobby throughout the year. This gala could be in honor of Charles." He reached for his wine once he finished. "Considering you're the Czar of the hotel this is right up your alley. Right before you walked in we were discussing some light logistical work. The reality is we're trying to bring moths to a flame but we've only got the budget for matches. We need to attract some of our largest donors from around England and beyond to want to come here and dip into their pockets for this city. That's a tremendous feat considering normally we show up to them." Richard usually spent his summers doing visits and retreats with the donors to maintain relations and funding. Depending on the donor the trip was different, sometimes it was dinner, a weekend getaway hunting or boating, or just a speaking engagement for another philanthropy. Whatever the donor wanted to do he'd oblige. As he and Robert grew older and built sturdier relations with donors, it usually led to more exciting vacations. All of this from an outside perspective juxtaposed the value of charity, an irony that never fell short for Richard. He leaned into the couch once more, both hands holding his glass pensively. "That's if we want to break even tax-wise for the philanthropy, which we do. So the idea falls into your hands, dear. What are your thoughts?"

 

[neverbackdown]

Mick Thawne's House
- Small Heath, Birmingham, England -

Victoria "Rory" Fletcher
​

Rory bit her lip as she looked across at the house they had been staking out, her fingers gently tapping on her knee with her impatience. If she had been given this job alone, Rory would be home by now washing the blood of the Thawne scum off her hands but no, things had to be done properly and precaution had to be taken. It took everything she had to follow Sully's plan but she knew that she had to prove to Tony and Julia that she was capable of keeping her reactions in check and not exploding, she had to earn that trust even if she didn't necessarily believe it herself.

As Sully spoke, Rory's attention diverted towards him and her eyes landed on the pistol in his hand. She raised an eyebrow as she looked it over before her eyes landed on her fathers initials and she gasped slightly but quickly tried to cover it up. Whilst Rory had been a lot calmer since the night of the unexpected return of her brother, she still felt that she was tethering the self-destruct line between rage and betrayal. She knew that she needed to sit and talk to her brother and she wanted to get back to how close they used to be but there was just so much anger and hurt behind him leaving that she was afraid of what she might say or do. Being in the car with him had been surprisingly comforting and she found herself looking towards him every so often to make sure he was really there but yet she hadn't spoken, afraid of her own words.

Noting the look of discomfort on Sully's face, Rory gave him a small smile before pulling her own gun out of her waistband "and maybe you'll never have to use it" her voice was gentle, surprising even herself as she looked down at her own gun before looking back at her brother. Whilst Rory had never been one to shy away from violence she knew that Sully was her opposite. While it was her first response, her brother had always looked for other options and she couldn't help but wonder why he was now so ready to jump into it. If she was honest, she didn't really know if he was ready but she was ready to jump in and lead this should he crumble.

Following his lead, Rory placed her gun into her jacket pocket before stepping out of the car and walking towards the apartment. The streets were basically empty but that didn't matter, Rory would have walked with the same confident strides had it been busy. She watched as her brother looked in the window and moved to stand by the door, nodding as he signaled that there was only one person. She couldn't help but feel disappointment at the outcome and all she hoped was that this idiot would put up a fight. A smirk played on her lips as she thought this over, she nodded to her brother confirming she had heard him but this wasn't a snap and grab mission, this man hurt Marco and he sure as hell wasn't getting away with it.

When Sully knocked, Rory raised an eyebrow and looked towards him. She immediately noted the cold look in his eyes and raised both her eyebrows at him with a smirk before she turned to face the door, her expression was both cold and amused as she heard the man coming towards the door. A glint in her eyes both devilish and demanding, although daring anyone to test her at that current moment.

Rory knew that regardless if the road was empty, the needed to have this interaction inside where nobody could witness it. She was just thinking this through when the door opened and just like that Rory jumped into business mode as she instinctively began to act without so much of a thought to her actions. Her fist moved up to punch the man square in the nose and while he was stunned she pushed him hard back into the house "close the door" she commented to Sully as she entered, still pushing the man back as she did this. "Hello Mike" she commented.

***********************
Int

Sully - BeyondDandy
Punching bag - Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

The Walker Residence
- Edgbaston, Birmingham, England -

Caroline and Felicity Walker​

When Richard told the two women to eat and shut up about food, Felicity's eyes widened and she snapped her mouth shut, albeit with a poorly hidden grin breaking through onto her face. After a short silence, Caroline scoffed at Robert. "You're just scared I'll get drunk and drag you into another debate," she said, unable to hold back from retorting, regardless of him keen to steer from the subject of food.

Felicity hadn't tried very hard to hide her amusement at Richard's joke about her father being unkillable. Of course, she wouldn't wish Robert dead, but right now she was extremely unhappy with him.

Regardless of her own issues and past heartbreaks with her husband, Caroline didn't not find the idea of killing Robert amusing in the slightest, so she remained stone-faced when it came to the clear joke between Felicity and Richard.

Felicity listened as Richard spoke about the need to bring in donations in time to allocate resources before Christmas. She rolled her eyes at mention of hosting a gala for the donors to attend. "Oh, of course. They couldn't possibly just donate without having a big song and dance to fill their egos first," she sarcastically remarked. Despite this, she knew how things worked. Those egos needed to be stroked before the wealthy donors would put their hands in their pockets for even a single pound. Although mention of it been in honour of Charles did register with her on an emotional level, Felicity maintained a stoic expression. "Charles would love that - a whole gala devoted to him," she half-joked.

As she took a bite of toast, she listened to Richard explain her expertise was needed to organise the venue and logistics. After chewing and swallowing a mouthful of toast, she let out a sigh. "Short on time and limited funds? You two really do want to challenge me, don't you?" she asked, in an almost berating tone. "Who even wants to come to Birmingham? It's a dump," she joked. Really, the dump she meant was anywhere where the likes of the Fletchers had presence.

When Richard addressed her directly for her thoughts, she turned more serious. After a sip of wine to buy some time to consider idea, she placed the glass on the coffee table and finally relaxed her posture, having been sat up straight in an almost uptight manner. "At this short notice, we'll struggle to find any extravagant venues as Christmas approaches. Not to mention, we're limited if cutting organising costs is a factor. Best option will be to hold it at the hotel. The conference and venue facilities are big enough, not to mention my dad won't have to pay himself to hire out his own place! I'd probably need to free up some guest rooms to block them out for any donors wanting an overnight stay, which means compensating some disgruntled guests who already have bookings, but those costs wouldn't be as high as if we booked some big fancy castle."

"Spoilsport. I was looking forward to a castle," Caroline commented before downing more of her wine.

"You'll need to give me an idea of what you've got in mind for how the gala will run and how many attendees you expect. Any guest speakers and specific causes that need to be presented during the event, but if should be straightforward enough," Felicity told Richard.

After a brief pause as she took some time to think over how things would work, Felicity reached for her glass to take a drink. It wasn't just Richard and Caroline sitting together drinking wine that had got her curiosity when she first joined them, but both of them appeared like they'd had some kind of serious talk. Her mother's eyes having given away signs of recent tears. "So, what else were you two talking about before I got here?" she bluntly asked, never one to shy away from asking what was on her mind.

ReverseTex (Richard)

 

[Misty Gray]

Mick Thawne's House
- Small Heath, Birmingham, England -

Mick Thawne​

Hearing the knock at the door, Mick let out a frustrated groan as he closed the newspaper. "Fuck sake," he grumbled as he dumped the paper on the empty spot of the sofa beside him. Getting up to his feet, he sauntered to the front door, cracking his knuckles along the way. When he opened the door, he was surprised to see the short young woman and the blonde male standing outside. He didn't have much time to react to the fact he'd immediately recognised Rory as one of the Fletchers. He was sure with enough time to think, he'd have figured out who Sully was too.

Before he had been able to ask any questions, the woman, a good foot shorter than himself, punched him in the nose. He was more stunned than anything that she'd hit him, so momentarily stepped back a few steps as she pushed at him. After running his hand under his nose and getting confirmation it was bleeding, he swiped his arm out and dealt a heavy back handed crack against the left side of her face, likely knocking her to the side.

Whilst the stocky man towered over Rory, the height difference between Mick and Sully was less extreme. "What the fuck do you bloody Fletchers want?" he angrily asked. "I wasn't planning on gettin' my room cleaned up, but if you two don't turn and walk back out, I'll make a mess of the both of ya. Get the fuck out!" Given that he didn't get many unwanted visitors on his doorstep, he hadn't felt the need to carry his gun with him to answer the door. Not that he couldn't get creative if he needed to make a mess of a couple of Fletcher scumbags.

BeyondDandy (Sully) neverbackdown (Rory)

 

[BeyondDandy]

Mike Thawne’s House
- Small Heath, Birmingham, England -

SULLY FLETCHER

​

Unable to resist, a small chuckle escaped Sully as he watched the excitement grow on Rory's face. He couldn't help but reminisce on their childhood and how freeing it was to watch Rory tackle the world against their parents will. Sully was always envious of her maverick-like personality and ability to do things without second-guessing herself or wondering what others thought of her. Unlike his sister, Sully was sheltered - predominately on his own accord. He was a phenomenal student and immersed himself in his studies. He was naturally found at the school library completing his prep or on the soccer field for practice at the end of the day. He was the golden child of the family and knew it. He prepared himself to lead his family in a different direction through his future successes. Unfortunately, he did not get the privilege.

Anyhow, even though the current situation the two were in was grim, the small gesture made Sully believe he was right to be back with his family. He missed watching his sister grow up with him so he planned to stick around to enjoy the journey - hoping Rory's way-of-life would bleed into his. Having spoken to his dad in prison before arriving back in Birmingham, Sully's world opened up to a new perspective. The business was more complex than he ever imagined and returned home to help his brother Tony keep it afloat. There was a tidal wave of ghosts coming and Sully knew he needed to be around to keep his family afloat. He changed so that he could hang on and produce the necessary results he was unable to provide for his family in the past. Though as the door before him creaked open, Sully was brought back to reality.

Rory rushed in fist first and quickly at that - no fear in the girl. She moved like a rugby player - a leading fullback breaking through a tackle at maximal speed and scoring a try. With some clenched rage, she docked Thawne dead center on the nose which forced the muscular man - who was nearly twice her size - back a few steps. Sully looked around the street before closing the door behind him and locking it from the inside. He, in contrast to her sister's grand entrance, had walked inside very calmly and discretely to not call attention to the pair. Though when the scumbag Thawne raised his hand, struck his sister, and cursed his family, Sully drew the gun from his coat pocket and raised it towards the pig.

He didn't say anything, just stood there as silence grew between the chamber of his father's pistol and the now seemingly less confident Thawne. "You alright, Rory?" he asked his sister, eyes locked on his prey as his finger slid on the trigger and his free hand fixed the curtains to show no light. He waited patiently for her response before closing in on Thawne. "On the couch, bruv," Sully directed, pushing Thawne back on his ass with a nod. The man had no choice, it was couch or bullet.

"You know why we're here, innit? Where the f*ck is our food?!" Sully asked aggressively, waiving his gun methodically to remind Thawne who was in charge at the moment. He felt his heartbeat in his throat. It was exhilarating to be in the situation but gave Sully a quick reminder of why he had left in the first place. This was what his life would have been had he stayed. He would have been privy to this form of violence and death. He would have been armed every day to protect and to kill. Being back was a lot for Sully but he chose to return for the sake of his family. The Fletchers were losing the war to the Walkers and Sully hoped that his return would turn the tide. "Our food," he demanded.

neverbackdown
Misty Gray

 

[neverbackdown]

Mick Thawne's House
- Small Heath, Birmingham, England -

Victoria "Rory" Fletcher
​

Rory smirked as she watched him wipe the blood from his nose, it never failed to please her that she had the ability to make grown men, and in this case men twice her size, bleed. It made her feel strong and confident and in some ways invincible, like nothing could hurt her and every fight she tended to win only nurtured this feeling more. But she didn't necessarily think this was a bad thing, after all, she was more likely to win if she entered into a fight confidently and sure of herself.

Rory had turned her head slightly to look back towards Sully as she heard the door close, without seeing the arm come towards her, Rory was caught off guard by the force his hand connected to her face and the searing pain that followed as she stumbled slightly to the right before catching herself. Her hand instinctively moved up to hit him back but as she heard Sully pull the gun from his pocket and take control of the situation, her hand instead moved to touch her now burning cheek. She could feel the heat radiating before she even touched skin and could guarantee that she was left with a bright red mark on the left side of her face but she chose to ignore this.

"Yep all good, our Nan could hit harder than him and she's dead" Rory muttered as she checked her hand for blood confirming that the skin had not broken under impact before she lowered her hand and turned to face them with a look of boredom on her expression. Following them towards the couch, Rory scanned her eyes around the room looking for any potential weapons in the room that he could use. She was sure that he had a gun somewhere near him but knew it was not on him or Mick would have shot them by now.

Seeing nothing of concern Rory came to a stop by Mick's left with her arms crossed. Her eyes flittered towards Sully for a moment as he waived the gun before she turned her attention back towards Mick. She did her best to keep her expression neutral with an air of boredom, but seeing Sully holding a gun almost made her smile, it was as though finally seeing the action put with his words had solidified to her that her brother really was back and had changed.

"Sometime today would be great" Rory commented after Sully demanded the answer for a second time. Her tone as though waiting on a slow store clerk, the same boredom that flooded her face also danced in her tone. Biting her lip Rory looked around them again searching for an sign of the prize "Or yanno we could make a mess of ya" she commented the devilish glint prominent in her eye as she quoted his words to him, the hint of a malicious smirk playing on her lips.

*********
Int;-

Misty Gray - Mick
BeyondDandy - Sully

 

[BasDorcha]

The Vixen~ Birmingham, England~

Alfie Walker[/center]

As Bonnie switched into work mode, Alfie watched her closely, observing if she showed any signs of flinching though he kept the good natured boyishness showing instead. His grin broadened as she stepped right up to bat and took a swing, knocking the ball clean out of the park. She didn't even seem to mind the amount he was throwing at her in her haste. Good, she was going to need it to work this night. As they ramped up for Halloween, it was always packed. Listening to her response, he nodded, understanding what she was saying as they began to make their way through the building and into the back where the girls were. The dressing room was packed with girls laughing and hooting, getting into their gear and dolling up for their perfect night. He couldn't help but admire them, much the way one might admire a sibling who had just scored a winning touchdown. His girls were always top of the line, coming in different shapes and sizes and colors, and all of them had enough personality to fill the room. They called out, "Heyyyy Boss man!" or "Daddy's home!" to which Alfie had the good damn decency to blush.

"GIRLS, enough with your antics, she's going to get the wrong idea. This is our new Madam of the house, Bonnie May. What she says goes. If you have issues with it, you save it till shift is over and you can come talk to me. As you all know, its pre-Halloween and for whatever god awful reason, we are always pushing limit in the weeks leading up to it. Now Bonnie May here thinks that we have to many eyes on the floor, so if it seems like there is a little less hustle out there tonight, and you think it's working, I want to know that too. Let me know if you seem to make more money as well, since we alllll know that's what you're here for." He stepped to the side and let Bonnie make her presence known, giving her time to introduce herself. Afterwards, he waved her towards the office, exiting the dressing room to the quiet backroom where he would be balancing books, placing orders, and watching the cameras. Of course he wouldn't spend all night here, but he did have some serious work to get down to he had been putting off most of the week in hopes of watching this same lady walk in the door.

"I'll let you run the staff as you see fit tonight, just make sure we don't have dirty tables sitting for too long, and orders don't take too long to get delivered. Our capacity is seventy, and that includes staff. Bouncer at the door will keep a count, though it's not uncommon for us to sneak a few over the count in on a Friday and Saturday night. I get what you're trying to do, and could be your right, so I'll see how it goes with your first few runs, but trust me in that I am confident before the night is over, you'll be glad to have those extra hands. We get people from all around, even some of the larger towns, who come in just for the Friday and Saturday night shows. Oh, did I forget to mention, it's amateur night?" He laughed lightly, leaning in the doorway of the room before entering with one hand gripping the frame above him. "I might have let that slip when telling you about all the employees. It's part of what makes it such a busy night, and why we sometimes have issues with jealous lovers coming in and starting a commotion."

"See, Amateur Hour starts at ten and comes completely from the girls picking out who they want to show off. The girls will be keeping an eye on who they want to pull throughout the night, and at some point will talk to them and if they're lucky, convince them to come to the backroom and pick out their own outfits. We hold a competition on the main stage where they get a chance to show off their moves and it's completely up to them to decide their level of comfort but don't be surprised if most of them end up completely bare assed. They get into it and the next thing they know they've lost every stitch that matters. The girl who wins gets a nice little winner's prize, along with a decent little bonus for the girl who picked her. We've got some ladies who come every Friday just hoping for a chance to get picked and make their debut here at The Vixen." As he watched her, he felt that strange pull again, wanting to hear her talk again, smart off, push back, even agree. Anything, he just wanted to hear her speak. Well, truth be told, he wanted to do more than that, but he was in the long run a gentleman raised right and would not make things uncomfortable for her. "So what do you think? Doors will be opening within the hour, about a half hour from now we'll have a line down the street, and I swear, if I'm lying, I give you full rights to never trust me again."

There was something daring in his eyes, something challenging like he wanted her to bet he was wrong just so he could request a winner's prize of his own. In that moment, in the quiet of the back room, in the space between them, there was a dark, crushing, ominous aura to him as if he were the hunter and she the prey that he was just quietly watching from a distance waiting for a chance to pounce. The only difference was that he knew he wasn't going to be the one to launch himself at her, that just wasn't his style. Instead, he watched her with an intense gaze, taking in every curve, every stray hair, every deep breath that moved her chest, all while remaining perfectly professional.

ReverseTex - The Prey

**********​

Tony Fletcher's House

- Aston, Birmingham, England -​

Penny Fletcher

Penny enjoyed the lightness of the moment before the seriousness set in, ready to pout but holding it in that it hadn't caused the shocked response she was hoping for. What she couldn't hold in was a little giggle as Tony called her bluff. Instead, it was Julia who was the first to sober up and start clicking puzzle pieces together. As her eyes found Julia's, she couldn't help the teeniest tiniest nod of confirmation that she was probably thinking the right thing in that moment. Women had a way of talking that most men were oblivious to and Julia was sure to catch it.

She listened quietly as Marco attempted to find the words to tell Tony what had happened. She waited for the story, the background, the explanation the way she had received it, but gulped when that was not what happened. Getting straight to the thick of it, he blurted out what had happened with no preface, no build up, which given the way Tony was acting might have been the better bet but also was rough and without any kind of foreplay. He needed to understand what happened, how Charles had pushed him, how it had triggered him, but no, none of that came. She paled comparably next to Marco, knowing this was not how it had been planned and knowing Tony's temper. She started to shake her head, to stop them, but nothing was going the way she thought it would, or rather, it was going exactly as she feared it would.

Penny set perched, ready to jump in the middle of them if need be, but she hadn't been fast enough. Between watching Marco's tension and trying to read Tony, she missed the initial jump and the next thing she knew Tony was flying across the room. The sound of the hit ricocheted around the room, and before she could stop herself she was between them, shoving Tony off of Marco with the same move he had taught her for fending off men in the bar. With a quick shove at his shoulders, she hooked her foot around his ankle and pulled at the same time, hoping to use his heavier weight to her advantage while firmly placing her smaller then both of them form between Marco and his attacker.

The look of anger marred her face though it was hidden to Marco behind her. Her fist balled up beside her and her stance was one Tony himself had shown her, ready to fight him if she needed too. "SIT THE FUCK DOWN, TONY FLETCHER." She shouted, looking quickly to Julia to please help her. Stepping forward to his hopefully now shorter form (after all, there wasn't exactly a large expanse between the chairs, if she had planned it right, he should have landed right back in his seat) she waved a finger in his face like a scolding schoolmarm. "I swear to god, if you don't hear him out, me and you are going to have big problems bucko." Penny was never one to swear, so it burst out at the strength of a dozen grown men left the room silent. "And don't you lay another finger on my boyfriend!" This time, she wasn't joking. The words were out of her mouth before she could stop it, shocking even herself back into becoming docile.

Clearing her throat, she sheepishly looked over her shoulder at Marco, holding his eyes for a moment before shrugging slightly, as if to say Sorry, it just came out. Turning back to Tony, she put her hands on her hip, still acting as if she could body guard the larger man behind her from her larger sibling in front of her. "You know damn good and well that Charles antagonized everything that ever happened to him, and if you will shut yer trap long enough for him to explain, you'd have done the same damn thing. I told you not to fly off the handle, yet here you are, doing just that. You have to stop acting like boys fighting in the school yard and learn to get the whole situation before letting your anger get the better of you. Now sit down, shut up, and listen to him!" Her voice had escalated again, getting louder in her defense.

Penny wasn't much of a fighter, always being more of a lover by nature so it was an unusual feeling for her to be the one in the mist off a brawl between friends. Still, she cared about Marco and she wasn't about to let her brother beat him up over a slime ball like Charles who got exactly what he deserved. Turning to Marco, she took his hands, genuinely this time, took a deep breath and found his eyes. As quickly as she had grabbed them, one hand released and lifted to touch the newly forming bruise on his cheek. Tisking, she sighed, "Whatever am I going to do with you." There was a tenderness there even Tony would pick up on. "You have to tell him the whole story, you can't just jump to the end like that and not expect him to react like a maniac. Start over please, from the beginning, like you told me." She held his hands and eyes as long as he needed before he seemed ready to continue before turning back to her brother, the scathing look back on her face. "And you are going to sit down, shut up and listen to everything he has to say before you jump to any more conclusion or punch throwing, am I clear dear brother?"

Misty Gray - The Angry One and The Bruised One
neverbackdown - The Only Sane One

 

[Misty Gray]

Mick Thawne's House
- Small Heath, Birmingham, England -

Mick Thawne​

Mick was certain he could easily take out Rory and wouldn't need to try too hard with Sully either. He'd fought bigger men. However, what he wasn't so sure he could fight with was a bullet, so when Sully aimed his gun at him, Mick knew better than to rush into smashing his skull in just yet. A knowing smirk crossed his lips when the curtains were pulled shut, but he still complied with the instruction to sit on the couch. Once sat down, he looked Sully in the eyes as he compelled him to speak.

When Sully demanded to know where the food was, Mick quirked a curious eyebrow but didn't immediately respond to the question. Instead he switched his focus to Rory for a moment, taking silent pride in seeing her injury showing on her face even if she had claimed her rotting nan could have done better. After giving his bleeding nose another wipe, he looked back at Sully in time for the man to repeat his question. "If you'd got here a little earlier, I'd have shared it," he dodged the real question, pointing to the empty pizza box on the table.

When Rory persisted, he couldn't help but roll his eyes. "What kind of amateurs are you?!" he asked the pair. Whilst he wasn't concerned by either of them at a physical level, he knew he couldn't beat a bullet. After shaking his head, he looked them in the eyes. "It's insulting you'd think I have it here, or even in my possession at all. Presumably this is the same food that lad I smashed about last week was involved in?" he asked. "It's long since switched hands. If folk ain't already using it on the streets and in the clubs, then it's somewhere down the chain I'm not privy to. I did my part and moved on to the next job. My boss has a bigger boss and that guy's business goes way beyond me. You should both know that by now. Granted, your own boss is a fuckin' mess, ain't he?" he remarked.

BeyondDandy (Sully) neverbackdown (Rory)

 

[ReverseTex]

The Walker Residence
Edgbaston, Birmingham, England
In scene: @ Misty Gray

Dr. Richard Finley​

Richard nursed his wine as he listened to the back and forth intently. Caroline's mention of the castle broke his concentration, and a sense of excitement washed over his face. "I was just reading a fascinating analysis of the War of the Roses! it follows the perspective of Margaret of Anjou! I just finished lecturing on Greek history but I was looking for a new reference source potentially for the next unit! I'm going on a tangent... Ignore me. No castle." The conversation went back to the matter at hand and so did his imagination. The hotel would be a fine venue for the event and the most practical.

"The event... Well, it's hard to gauge how many donors will come it depends on how we present it. It potentially being the first event held in honor of Charles will be a gigantic pull. People will want to support solely on that fact." He set his glass aside and placed his hands gently in his lap. "I'd assume at minimum over 50 people, with guests and what have you. In the event itself, we'll just have to facilitate some sort of incentive to get donors to spend money. Silent auction, raffle, or whatever we think of." He was a planner at heart, yet fleshing out the idea was surprisingly more taxing than he thought. "I'm sure one of us will have to speak at some point," Richard said with a glance at Caroline. He knew full well she'd elect him to speak in her and Robert's place, considering he was the best public speaker out of the bunch.

Felicity's question perked his curiosity. He knew she was an attentive girl from an early age when he tutored her. Being able to read a room was an asset and a curse at the same time. The lingering anxiety of saying the right or wrong thing always weighed heavy on him. Felicity was similar in that regard. Glancing once more to Caroline to see if she showed any hint of speaking first, which she didn't, he relented. "Life. Your mother and I don't get the chance to chat like this often. When we do, we make the most of it. Sometimes I end up with a black eye or a hug, you never know," he smirked playfully and nudged his elbow to Caroline.

************************************************************
The Vixen
Birmingham, England
In scene: BasDorcha

Bonnie Moody​

While the two ventured to the back of the club, Bonnie tried to focus on the details of the club around her. The dim lighting, the bustling of employees- simply anything to distract herself from Alfie. Trailing him was much more difficult than she thought, being forced to stare at his figure was becoming more distracting than she'd like. As soon as they reached the back the girl's cackling snapped her from thought, immediately shifting into her professional mindset. Maintaining her character around the women she worked with was important, especially with the level of attention and support the role required. However, being thrown into management without prior connections to these women meant some backlash would be expected. She just needed to set the tone.

"As Alfie kindly introduced, I'm Bonnie! I'm not here to disrupt your routine or flow, I'm here as a resource and an advocate. I've been across 3 continents so I promise y'all I've seen it all, so don't be afraid to come to me. It's my priority that you feel safe, heard, and well-compensated for your talent tonight. Plus I'm sure y'all are tired of a rooster in the hen house! I'll let you get back to your routine, you'll see me floating 'round tonight." Bonnie gave a confident wave to the girls as she followed Alfie's summon.

Once entering his office, she turned around to see Aflie frozen in the doorway. The light beaconing behind him lit his figure in an intoxicating way, enough so that the tension between the two reappeared. Taking her position, she leaned her hands on the edge of his desk and gently leaned against it. Bonnie listened intently to the night's details, amateur night on top of the Friday hustle should earn her money's worth. But she never shied from a challenge, in fact; she welcomed it. Once he finished, the lingering tension returned, leaving the two of them paused in silence. Something about him squirming when the attraction washed over them gave her comfort. Alfie had only known her barely a day and it seemed he was down to rights. This power was dangerous to acknowledge, it was widely inappropriate now that the two of them were in management roles. Plus she was new. Hopefully, it would pitter out, but something lingered as if to say it wouldn't. Instead of submitting to his energy, she matched it with blazing confidence. She leaned into her physical confidence whilst locking eyes with her counterpart. His ocean eyes that stared back reminded her of the Mediterranean Sea she so loved, war-torn yet beautifully unique. His frame was cut like glass in his suit she had to admit...

"It'd be bad business if you were lying on my first day. I take your word for it." Bonnie alas broke the silence. She slowly began to remove her coat, "I'm leaving this here. I don't need anyone stealing my bonus. You can keep your eyes on it for me." She wore a simple brown turtleneck that hugged her figure neatly. She glanced momentarily at her watch to confirm his time comment, then sighed. "Guess you're stuck with me a little while longer. I'm not going to interrupt their flow on the first night, I'll get here earlier next time to chit-chat with the girls." She knew her confirmation to linger teased him just the right amount. Kate would be beside herself if she knew she was flirting with her boss on the first night. But she couldn't ignore the attraction, it was too fun not to. Life was too short to live in fear. "So cowboy what do you want to know? You're practically dying to ask me something I know it. We can make it a game between us. You get one question and one answer every shift I work. Then I get one. " Bonnie gave him a playful look before picking up a pen on his desk to fidget with. She knew she was flirting with Pandora's Box, but, this was all in good fun. She was testing him, laying the groundwork for a dangerous game.

 

[Misty Gray]

The Walker Residence
- Edgbaston, Birmingham, England -

Caroline and Felicity Walker​

When Richard had spoken of the War of the Roses analysis he'd been reading, Caroline knocked back the wine in her glass. Although she was listening and enjoyed reading, this was a subject that admittedly passed her by. Reaching forward, she grabbed the wine bottle to refill her glass and top up Richard's. When she moved to fill Felicity's glass, her daughter lifted the glass away and quickly shook her head to refuse it. Turning back to Richard as he shut down his own idea about the castle. Caroline pouted at him and the fact he wouldn't get to have a castle as the venue. She held back from interrupting, watching on as Richard and Felicity discussed the attendee numbers and logistics. Caroline had helped arrange her fair share of events since marrying Robert, but she wasn't going to butt in and steal her daughter's limelight. Felicity had fought hard, against both Robert and Caroline, to be able to manage the hotel and choose her own career path. Whilst a small part of Caroline still held on to the fact her daughter could have been a professional ballet danger or theatre performer, she knew better than to inhibit her free will. After all, when she was a teenager, she too rebelled against her parents' expectations. Felicity had decided what she wanted to do and had so far done well to prove Robert wrong, so Caroline wasn't going to steal any of her daughter's success. Instead, she smiled as she watched her daughter and Richard discuss the gala.

"Minimum of 50?" Felicity repeated. "There's plenty of space to accommodate that at the hotel. Auctions have worked well in the past, so I think that would be a good idea for us to focus on." Despite being enthusiastic for work being thrown her way and naturally enjoying planning everything, the day had already drained her of a lot of energy, so she did find herself struggling to get into the finer details that she normally would have.

Caroline nodded in agreement to Richard about one of them needing to speak during the event. She had done her fair share of public speaking over the years, but she didn't feel like she was ready for it this time, not when the event would be tied to Charles and her emotions were still raw. "I think you should do it, Richard," she told him. "Robert has enough going on with other areas of the business and I know he'd rather focus on directly approaching certain donors in attendance." Caroline doubted Robert would pull her up on deciding for him, but if he did, she could remind him of just how much else he had to focus on lately. Much of which was far removed from public charity galas and directed to the illegal side of business. Namely, keeping the Fletchers from cashing in on any of her family's distractions.

As curious as she was about what had been going on before she arrived, Felicity was feeling herself getting more tired the longer she relaxed. So when Richard told her what he and her mother had been talking about, she didn't feel there was need to ask further questions. "Sometimes you might end up with both a black eye and a hug," she replied, unable to suppress a yawn as she finished speaking. Still, she managed to smile when Caroline returned Richard's nudge with a light tap on the arm and a comically threatening expression. Felicity finished the last of her wine before standing up. "Mum, can I sleep over in one of the guest rooms tonight? I'm too tired to drive home now," she asked.

"Of course!" Caroline enthusiastically replied. "You can stay here as many nights as you wish. Hell, move back in! The place is so quiet these days," she told her. It had been a while now since it was just Robert and Thomas living in the house with her, but Caroline still couldn't get used to the place feeling so empty, especially during the times her husband was away on business.

"Steady on. I'm tired, not insane!" Felicity joked. "I'll catch up later about the gala. And maybe the event after we'll find you a castle," she told Richard before heading off upstairs.

Having noticed the barely eaten toast and untouched muffin, Caroline let out a sigh once Felicity had left. "See, she barely touched it. I gave up on the subject too early," she commented. Relaxing back in her seat, she still managed a smile knowing Felicity was staying over. The kids had all grown up and were off doing their own things, so she appreciated the time where they did stay over. Despite her teenage self rebelling against her parents telling her she was meant to marry and have children, Caroline now knew nothing could have made her happier than the family she had made.

The alcohol was certainly starting to make its mark, which did nothing to hold Caroline back from speaking her thoughts. After all, she was known to speak her mind when completely sober. "You're cutting it fine, Richard. We're getting old now... You'd make such a good husband and father. I'd love to see that. Don't you want find a good woman and settle down?" she asked him. "You can't keep letting Robert take them all," she said, followed by a scoff at her own dark humour.

ReverseTex (Richard)

 

[ReverseTex]

The Walker Residence
Edgbaston, Birmingham, England
In scene: Misty Gray
Mentions: BasDorcha

Dr. Richard Finley​

Richard's ability to maintain focus was starting to wane, so he was grateful that Felicity wanted to keep the chat short. If wine did one thing it turned his constantly focused brain off. For planning a gala, not the best thing, but for unwinding, it did the trick. He gave Caroline a silent nod for the top-off, then went to take a sip. Once Felicity got up, he gave her a comforting smile, "I won't settle next time, dear. I want to wander in a castle to avoid being shown around like a pony." With that, he let the girl depart peacefully away from the two of them. The momentary silence didn't last as long as he'd like, Caroline already retorting about her daughter's eating habits once more. Holding back a sigh, he took a deep breath to show his discontent. "If it's one thing you don't do dear is give up early. You're a bloodhound." Richard glanced at the snacks, then back to his mangled muffin. Caroline had valid concerns from the past, however, Felicity was a grown woman. Despite the fact he also saw the Walker children as well... Children. It wasn't fair to hold them to previous standards. He was about to comment, however, Caroline changed his mind instantly.

"You're cutting it fine, Richard." The words rang in his head after she finished her remark. Richard ignored her comment during their last argument about his marital status, but now that she brought it up again it was blatantly obvious she was looking to rouse him. Setting his glass down, the gentle clink the sole sound cutting through the silence he let linger. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair he fought for them, he lied for them, yet the universe never let him stay. That's all he wanted. For him to stay. But a boy's dream always haunted him, even though other lovers...

It was the summer of 1941, and the heat of war and passion filled his soul. Dean was fresh on his lips and mind, despite residing in one of Dante's Circles. The squadron knew and so did his wingman, Robert, about their illicit rendevous. Robert made sure there wouldn't be any issues, bless him. It wasn't uncommon among troops to experience, but this was different. This could last. In the hangers, away in foreign towns after nights dancing and drinking the night away, and even on the homefront. It never ended. Not over his dead body... "You scared me today," Richard pushed Dean from his lips, the little space in the dark tool closet left them both caked in sweat. "It's war, Richard, flying safe never saved anyone's ass. I'm just trying to survive just like you. Let me do it in style," Dean retorted. "That doesn't give you the right to throw yourself into a double barrel over my 3'oclock to try and save me! I have Robert and I under control, you need to focus on you and Daniel!" Richard's rage was only inflamed by the passion radiating between them. "I don't want to hear it. Shut that mouth of yours, you're always falling on someone else's swords Richard, enough with that shit. Save some for me, because I'd cut through the entire Nazi fleet to keep you here with me. Just for one more minute of this." Dean crashed into Richard, surrendering himself without a second thought...

"It wasn't for lack of trying," Richard said curtly, breaking the silence alas. He wasn't sure how long he was in thought, by Caroline's expression out of the corner of his eye, he assumed it was longer than normal. "You think I enjoy being alone?" The rage in his voice slowly rises, unable to stop itself. "Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to live alongside my best friend who has everything yet can't be satisfied?" Everything he wanted. A family. Love. All of it. "It isn't fair. It just isn't!" Richard's head was pounding from the memory and the moment, causing him to stand abruptly. He couldn't be idle any longer. "I worked my entire life for us to have something great! Yet here I am! Richard, why don't you meet this darling girl? Richard, why don't you find yourself someone nice for this holiday?" He began to pace the living space, ranting about the many insults to injury from his friends over the years. "And here you are Caroline, wishing for something I can't control, yet want so badly. That's like me wishing for Robert to stop sleeping with other women!"

 

[Misty Gray]

The Walker Residence
- Edgbaston, Birmingham, England -

Caroline Walker​

Caroline watched on as Richard placed his glass down on the coffee table. She expected a quick response from her friend. Usually he would have an answer pretty quickly. However, this time a silence overcame them as Richard seemed to get trapped in his thoughts. She kept her eyes on him and leaned forward slightly, hoping to cue him to respond. He eventually did speak, pointing out that he had tried to find someone to settle with. An encouraging smile made its way to her lips but was very quickly wiped away when spoke again, his voice now rising. Her mouth opened but no words escaped as he asked if she thought he enjoyed being alone. Subtly, she shook her head in response.

Richard's voice had an anger to it to accompany the increase in volume. She sucked in a breath as he continued on his outburst. He then asked if she knew how hard it was for him to live alongside Robert. 'Who has everything yet can't be satisfied.' Caroline looked away from Richard and instead towards the ground. She'd been told she was an overthinker. She'd spent many occasions telling herself she wasn't enough for Robert, only for him to tell her she was everything he wanted. Hearing Richard say Robert couldn't be satisfied made her wonder if that had been something her husband was confiding in his best friend about. Her drunken thoughts threatened to drag her away from the conversation at hand, feeling like a fool that Robert had told Richard she wasn't enough. Had they spent all of these years talking about her and why she wasn't enough for Robert?

Richard repeating that it wasn't fair as he got up to his feet was enough to focus Caroline back on to him and his clear frustration at her questions. Instinctively, she too stood up, briefly gripping the arm of the couch to steady herself as the quick movement sent blood rushing to her head. No matter who it was, Caroline had long ago taken steps to make sure no man made her feel small. As such, whether it was simply a formal interaction or even a heated discussion such as now, she made sure to stand up and maintain the minimum difference in height. She lightly shook her head as he repeated comments he'd received over the years. She understood some of them may have been spoken in a critical way to him. Maybe even her own had. But she hadn't meant them to come across in a way to make Richard feel bad. Having known the man for 30 years and observed him tutoring her own kids, she had always thought he'd make a good father. Seeing him never start his own family made her feel like he was being robbed of that kind of happiness. A happiness he deserved to have.

Caroline's softer feelings were put aside as she watched the man angrily pacing. His reaction was in turn having an adverse effect on her own mood. What had started out as a well-intentioned - albeit poorly worded - voice of encouragement was rapidly becoming another heated disagreement. When her wishes for him were compared to his wishes for Robert to be faithful, both her jaw and fist tightened in frustration. "Is he--" she began, but held back her question. The wording of his statements sounded like Robert was still sleeping with other women, and of course Richard would be in on that secret. "Fuck you!" she hissed. This argument hadn't started because of her marriage, this was because she asked Richard about his lack of. She wasn't going to let that matter go. "Heaven forbid I express the fact you're a good man who deserves that kind of happiness. What's so wrong about that idea for you to get up and start kicking off?" she asked, her own voice now raised as she fixed her eyes on him. "You can control it. Are you even trying to find what it is you so badly want?" she pointedly asked, not afraid to be direct.

ReverseTex (Richard)

 

[Bellz]

Marseille Bistro & Bar
- Westside, Birmingham, England -

Dorothy Fletcher ​

Dorothy had smirked ever so slightly as Robert confirmed that Caroline still hated her. “Oh goodie.” She hummed, though, at another point in her life, Dorothy may have been disappointed with his answer. Caroline and she were close at one point, though that was starting to seem like a few lifetimes ago. When she’d mentioned the chats and silenced herself from speaking any further, she found Robert staring at her face, watching her. Her finger still aimlessly drew circles on the menu on the table as her eyes stared into his, clearly the man hadn’t changed. A sucker for beautiful women, he was too easy to keep entertained. But that wasn’t what this meeting was about and when she asked about business, he confirmed that was what he was here for, causing her to let out a sigh, her lips forming into a slight ‘o’.

Robert’s voice took on an assertive tone as if that would do something to help guide the conversation of business. Dorothy’s eyes glanced down to the menu still idly in his hand as Robert said that her son was becoming tiresome, the mouthy one “Tony?” She asked, sounding oblivious though she had to bite back a smile at how he described her eldest. He was mouthy, sure. But most of them could be. Dorothy leaned forward, placing a well-manicured hand under her chin lightly as Robert explained that Tony didn’t know when to count himself lucky. And that Robert had been lenient because of their…past, which caused her to grin only for a moment. When he called her son insufferable, the smile dropped if only to save face. It was her son, after all, she couldn’t be caught agreeing with him. Even if he could be a bit much at times she loved her children dearly.

Dorothy listened as Robert said he was giving her advice, from an old friend, rather than a warning. After saying that Tony could get himself killed or perhaps join Norman behind bars. It was something that crossed her mind constantly. Given the line of work, her children fussed over. Another charming smile formed on her lips as he said she was the most reasonable and intelligent in her family, which is why he was asking for her input. Before she could answer, the waitress returned with the drinks. When asked if they were ready to order, Dorothy waved her away, saying they needed another 10 minutes. Once the woman was out of earshot, the brunette lifted her white wine to her lips to take a reflective sip.

Once her wine glass was back on the table, Dorothy looked up at Robert from underneath her lashes, her eyes taking in his face. “My mouthy one. He’s rather hard to control, you know? He’s a lot like his mother.” She gave him a crooked grin before shaking her head slowly, “And an old friend Robert? I’d say we were a lot more than that. I rather liked us being close back then.” The woman said, her hand picking up her wine glass again only this time she didn’t drink it, just swirling it as she thought.

“I appreciate you being lenient with my kids. But what do I get in return for all this? I mean, getting Tony to back off isn’t as simple as you think. Mouthy as he is."
with: Robert Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

The Royal Hotel
- Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham, England -
Diana Walker
​

Any excuse. What excuse could she use right now to get out of here? Surely, Felicity had to be empathetic to something. When she’d been asked about her plans, she had said she was going out. She didn’t exactly say where or with whom but that had been enough for her sister to pounce and now here she was slaving away for the man like the rest of them. Well, almost. Diana was currently taking a nail file to her fingernails, watching her sister periodically run around like some lunatic in a nuthouse ordering people to do this and that a different way, her way. Diana supposed it wasn’t completely terrible, Felicity had managed to rope Scott into helping her out as well. Di had always thought he was easy on the eyes, with a freeing personality to match. He was dangerous for her and they were only a few feet away from each other right now. Looking up from her nails, Di’s eyes just managed to meet his as he glanced her way. Before she could shoot him a smile, an older man caught his attention and he was back to working again. Diana figured that maybe she should put down the nail file and help. Poor dear was doing all the heavy lifting on his own. She just wanted to see Felicity run around like a chicken with her head cut off some more if only to make her suffer just a little for trapping her into this but…she didn’t need to take it out on Scott.

Tucking the file into the back pocket of her bell bottoms, she watched as Scott joked with the old couple before turning to her, asking if she could handle the front without him for a moment. "Oh I think I can manage, try not to sprain anything on your way to the lift.” She said a little bit of bite to her tone as flashed him a dimpled lopsided grin. Luckily for them both, no one ended up her way and Diana had leaned against the desk with her hands tucked under her chin, looking as bored as ever. When Scott returned, she gave him a head-to-toe inspection with her eyes, her smile returning, “Well, you look like you made it without spraining or breaking anything.” She commented. The redhead continued to look ahead, looking in desperate need of perking up when Scott asked if Felicity had always been bossy, saying he didn’t know how she coped.

Diana let out a small laugh, "For as long as I can remember at least. She’s a little dictator in the best and the worst of ways. As for coping? Grass and plenty of alcohol help. At least when I was old enough for it. If you haven’t noticed, I’m the more…easy going of the bunch. Or maybe I’m just the less motivated? Who knows?” Diana said, giving him another grin before rolling her eyes. In all honesty, Diana was putting up with the bossiness and the assertiveness now because of what she’d been told by her mother at the dinner. She was sure it was affecting Felicity in ways that Diana couldn’t quite understand. Diana was…devastated for her mother, but she wasn’t as invested in her family as her sister seemed to be at times. If this eased her worries, she would help for now.

"Ahhhh, you trying to get me in trouble or something?” Diana asked, turning from her bored posture to lean on her side more, looking Scott head-on. Their eyes met and she felt a little bit of a tingle in her chest. While that feeling wasn’t new…she felt it was new for the person in front of her. Again, a bit dangerous to explore but…"I was meant to go to a house party tonight. A friend of mine moved into a fabulous new place, swanky. She was throwing a rager tonight. People my family definitely wouldn’t approve of and most likely have no idea exist. Which I’d like to keep that way. But normally? I’d be home. Probably avoid my new roommates till I can get to know them a little better. So just hid in my room, listening to records and drawing. Boring but at least I get to choose to be there, right?” Diana watched Scott’s face for any sort of reaction before nodding her head towards him, "What about you? You’ve got to have a way more exciting life than I do.”
with: Scott Misty Gray

 

[ReverseTex]

The Walker Residence
Edgbaston, Birmingham, England
In scene: Misty Gray

Dr. Richard Finley​

Richard's temper flickered momentarily when Caroline stood, the nurturer in him cringed at her unsteadiness. Then he noted his balance wasn't much better, the constant moving giving him false confidence in his ability. He knew Caroline likely regretted how she approached the subject with him, but that brought little solace. Her abrupt stutter caught his attention, pausing abruptly at the armchair he and Felicity originally sat at. He grasped the back of it firmly, relying on its tall back for stability. Is he? Is he what? Mad at her? Yes. How could she not piece that together...

The curse that followed made him chuckle in surprise and disbelief. The utter gall of this woman pissed him off at times. No wonder Robert... No. That was unfair of him to even think that. Caroline's vile reality check broke Richard's regrettable thought, throwing coals on the dying temper flame. "Nothing is wrong with that dream It's a good dream!" Richard relented, staring down at the chair he stood behind. He could feel Caroline's blazing glaze on him, unable to meet her eyes yet, he sighed. "I've never stopped trying. Not once. Not through my stint in America, not through Cambridge, or even now that I'm settled." Richard met her eyes alas, he couldn't match her intensity at that moment. You can control it. Her poison lingered in his mind as he tried to search for the right words. His hands gripped the chair tightly, knuckles whitening as the silence settled, yet he was oblivious.

"You haven't a clue what it is I can't control. Robert barely does for that matter, so since you derive all facts from your husband then I'm sure you won't understand." He rarely referred to Robert in this manner, as a title rather than a name, and the tone sounded asinine on his lips. "You found your love and settled with it at a young age. You nurtured it, laughed with it, lost a part of it, but it never left you. You'll always love him and he'll always love you..." That was a fact, despite Robert's flaws he knew his dear friend would never love another like he did Caroline. "My love lingers in the wind, like the first spring breeze after winter's end. It comes and it goes when it pleases and I can't do much besides enjoy it while I have the chance." Dean would likely call him a sod for his remark, considering Richard was the more well-spoken of the two. The warmth of the memories was beginning to fade again, the emptiness was what drew out his frustration. "Life isn't meant to be fair, I get that. Bloody hell I grew up with that fact practically on a silver platter. But it's not fucking fair! I haven't found any woman that compares to him."

Richard finally noticed his hands were locked up, immediately releasing them, he wasn't prepared for the sudden balance shift. Before he knew it, his socks lost their footing and he was tumbling down. Luckily landing on his side, he was able to brace his arms to minimize any real damage. At this point, he couldn't help but laugh at himself in this position, rolling himself to his back to save whatever dignity he had. "You're the only woman who can put up with me for this long," Richard called from his sorry position on the floor, peaking from under the end table to see her move towards him. Resting his hands on his navel, he looked up at Caroline through crooked lenses. He could get up on his own, but it felt humbling to be on the floor. Plus it was comfortable. He couldn't remember how much Caroline would recall Dean, it had been over 20 years since she or Robert had seen him. But he knew for a fact he never expressed his preference to her before. She'd seen men in the earlier years and women in the later years come and go. But that thing that he couldn't fix was out in the open at last.

 

[Misty Gray]

Marseille Bistro & Bar
- Westside, Birmingham, England -

Robert Walker​

Robert had caught Dorothy's flippant comment after receiving confirmation that Caroline still hated her. He was fully aware he'd caused his wife a lot of problems over the years, most of which due to his adultery. Being the primary cause for her friendship with Dorothy breaking down was something he did feel bad about. The two women had got along many years ago and though Caroline found it easy to meet new people, he knew she hadn't formed a close friendship with another woman since, with her closest friends now being men. It was far too late to turn back time and he knew that friendship was far beyond repair.

Robert had nodded in confirmation when Dorothy asked if he was speaking about Tony. When the woman leaned forward to rest her chin on her hand, he couldn't help but direct his gaze to her manicured nails and then upwards to her lips. The charming smile she displayed did nothing to divert his eyes, but thankfully the waitress returning with their drinks grabbed his attention and he mentally berated himself for allowing his gaze to linger to begin with. He thanked the waitress for the drinks, barely letting the glass hit the table before he lifted it up to take a sip of brandy. He was grateful for Dorothy buying them more time before ordering food. He'd made and eaten dinner before leaving for this meeting. By making the meal himself, he'd been able to ensure he didn't fill his plate too much like Caroline might have done. Knowing he'd be eating with Dorothy, he'd also avoided eating the muffin his wife had bought for him. Now, he would make sure to choose a light meal when he finally did look at the menu in his hand.

Robert nodded in agreement when Dorothy told him Tony was hard to control. When she compared that trait to herself, he returned her grin with a knowing smile of his own. "Yes, I can certainly see where he gets that from. You always were strong-willed," he lightly joked. When she picked apart his comment about them being old friends, he briefly looked away, listening as she pointed out they'd been more than that. It was a secret that only the two of them and Caroline knew about, with the latter demanding it could never come to light when Robert confessed it to her years later. He looked back at her face and then to the glass she was swirling in her hand. His thoughts naturally took him back to the years when he and Caroline were on friendly terms with Norman and Dorothy. The two women had been close friends whilst he and Norman kept things as civil as possible, to maintain a workable business relationship. It hadn't just been Caroline who got along with Dorothy though. The more Robert got to know the woman, the more the attraction to her grew. It had been different to the one night stands and hook-ups he'd had before. Dorothy had been more than that, which led them into their affair in the early 1950s. She had been more than just a friend and more than just a conquest. Whilst he was still very much in love with and attracted to Caroline, he fell for Dorothy too. Despite the spark for his other woman being very much alive, things became too risky for the pair and they brought the affair to an abrupt end after months of getting together in secret. Some years after Norman was sent to prison, Robert and Dorothy tried to rekindle the affair, but it didn't take off the second time around. Not with the stakes so high and the families no longer on friendly terms.

Now, though. Robert couldn't help but feel himself gravitating towards her. Despite the very recent drama of his kids finding out about him cheating on Caroline, and even with his wife's anger towards him and Dorothy freshly stirred, none of it was enough to stop his heart from racing in his chest as he looked at her. "You're right. We were much more than that," he admitted, his face getting warmer by the second. She was still beautiful, the last two decades clearly having been kind to her. "I think we both liked it," he knowingly told her. Before he could let his feelings, and impulses, threaten to undermine him, he gripped his glass and drank some more brandy.

When asked what she would get in return for getting Tony to back off, Robert set his glass down and let out a sigh. He gazed down to the menu, now laying it flat on the table. After idly reading some random words from the menu, he returned his eyes to Dorothy. "I understand Tony can be hard work," he agreed. "What do you want in return?" he asked, a smile sneaking onto his lips only to be quickly reined back in. "What do you think is suitable compensation for such efforts?" he asked. He was always so good as controlling an encounter; playing it cool and making women work for his attention. Yet with Dorothy, he found it hard to bend her to his will, and so the playing field was much more equal, especially given the way she was drawing him in to her at present.

Bellz (Dorothy)

 

[Misty Gray]

The Walker Residence
- Edgbaston, Birmingham, England -

Caroline Walker​

Caroline had given a couple of silent nods when Richard admitted it was a good dream. She folded her arms and kept her eyes on him, even if he didn't meet her gaze. He told her he'd never stopped trying, finally directing his eyes to hers, even if his stare was much less intense. When he then told her he didn't have a clue and that she took all of her facts from Robert, her arms tightened around herself. Either to hold herself back or to comfort herself, she wasn't quite sure which. This time she broke the stare, for a moment looking down as she struggled not to take direct offence from his words. Looking back to his face, she listened as he spoke of how she'd found love with Robert.

Caroline relaxed her arms, allowing them to rest at her sides as Richard described his love as something sounding like he was quoting a romance novel or reading poetry, especially in her intoxicated state. She cleared her throat, but didn't interrupt, wanting him to elaborate or spell out what he was trying to convey. He then spoke of how he'd grown up knowing life wasn't fair, and given their earlier disagreement, she wasn't sure she could stomach going back to discussing their very different roots again. What did grab her attention was when he said he hadn't found a woman who compares to him. She opened her mouth to speak, but in the end didn't say a thing. Instead, she tried to work out if she knew who he was referring to. She knew about Richard's love affair with Dean during the war, and she'd even met the man in question a long time ago. It was 20 years since she and Robert had last seen Dean, so as far as she was concerned, he was out of the picture. In all honesty, she'd been led to think Richard had since been more interested in women. Of course, if there were other men, including this specific one Richard seemed to be longing for, it was possible Robert did know about him and it was just another secret to keep from her. This one, however, she could forgive as it was Richard's business to tell.

All of a sudden, Richard had slipped. One second standing by the armchair and the next laying on his side on the floor. It would have been comical were it not for the seriousness of their argument. "Good lord!" she grumbled in exasperation as she walked towards him. She was about to ask if he was okay, but was stopped by his self-deprecating laughter. He rolled onto his back before saying she was the only one able to put up with him for this long. "Well, it has been a huge struggle, I'm not going to sugar coat it," she sarcastically told him. "Are you comfortable down there, or in need of medical assistance?" she asked him. He seemed content to stay on the floor in that moment. Letting out a relenting sigh, she moved to sit in the armchair where they could see each other even with him on the floor. "I'm not joining you down there... I was ready to give you that black eye a minute ago but it seems you took it upon yourself to dish out your own beating," she drily told him.

Resting her arms on the closest sofa arm to him, she looked down at Richard's face. She stayed silent for a time as she focused on overcoming the sudden dizziness. After taking a deep breath and brushing some loose hair from her face, her previously angry features softened into a more curious expression. "Who is he? The man you long for and apparently no woman can compare to. Seeing as I supposedly derive all of my facts from my husband, like some poor vacuous fool, you could tell me about him yourself. Who knows, you might get more sense out of me than you would Robert."

ReverseTex (Richard)

 

[Misty Gray]

The Royal Hotel
- Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham, England -

Scott Ashworth​

Scott couldn't help but smirk when Diana referred to Felicity as a dictator. Luckily it was her sister they were talking about, so he wasn't compelled to speak the thoughts that come to mind, ones about dominating women being a turn on. "A woman after my own heart," he commented when she said grass and alcohol helped her cope. "You do come across as the most laid back in your family. I'm sure there are things that do motivate you, just not the same as what motivates the others," he commented. Something that he found attractive in women was individuality and non-conformity. Given her family's business, Diana avoiding all of that certainly made her stand out as independent and having her own mind. Knowing how overbearing her parents could be, he was impressed she'd managed to get her own way.

When she asked if he was trying to get her in trouble, a charming smile grew on his face. "I wouldn't dream of it," he assured her. He listened with visible interest as she spoke of a party she was meant to be at. When she mentioned the people in attendance wouldn't meet her family's approval, he pretended to zip his lips shut. "They won't find out from me. I despise snitches." He couldn't help but laugh when she spoke of avoiding her new roommates. "That doesn't sound boring to me. I don't get many peaceful nights like those these days. If only I could hide in your room and listen to those records with you," he joked.

Diana then directed the question to him about what he'd normally be doing now. He couldn't exactly tell her about the drugs trafficking or the sex workers during their first real conversation together, but the rest he could easily offer up. "Much of my time is spent running The Platinum Lounge for your old man. A lot of the patrons there are spoilt and fussy as hell, so it's hard work keeping those poor folk happy and entertained," he told her. "It was providing such first class service that got me roped into working here tonight. All I did was offer to pick up one of your dad's associates and bring him here to check in for the night. That's when your sister got her hands on me!"

After looking over his shoulder to make sure nobody else needed his assistance, he looked back at Diana. "If I'm not working, I'm usually out having drinks with friends. I'm quite partial to live bands. And when I can get enough time away from work. I love going abroad on holidays. The sun won't come to us here!" He couldn't help but once again admire how attractive she was. Her free-spirited nature and lack of conformity was certainly drawing him in. "So, isn't the family business something that's ever taken your fancy? I could offer you a job at the club, but if this evening is anything to go by, you'd be far too distracting for me. Then I'd have your dad on my back," he remarked.

Bellz (Diana)

 

[ReverseTex]

The Walker Residence
Edgbaston, Birmingham, England
In scene: Misty Gray
Mentions: BasDorcha

Dr. Richard Finley​

Despite the argument, Richard simpered up at Caroline as she settled in. "The only medical assistance I need is my glass, please, and thank you." Logically, he didn't need more wine, but logic was by the wayside at this point. He knew he couldn't hold back more details from Caroline, she'd sniff him out and upset him. If was going to talk about this anymore, he needed liquid courage. Raising a brow as she hesitated, he gave her a silent nod when she relented. Holding the glass gently on his chest for a moment, he sighed. "You've got a mean southpaw, I know when to pick my fights with you, dear." He leaned up for a moment to take a sip, then set his glass on the floor. Caroline's gaze watched him tentatively, he could feel it while he tried to ignore it. A mother's gaze lingered like no other, one he never got to feel with much warmth in his younger years. He'd rarely admit it but Caroline helped heal that part of him as the years went on.

The silence was broken by a genuine question, not an attack or jest. The back half of her comment made him chuff, lightening the heavy answer that lay before him. Richard removed his glasses, rubbing them gently on his sweater, then folded them on his chest for the time being. The blurriness of the world wrapped him in a veil as if it made the confession any easier. "You never saw the War and never in a million years would I want you to... But I say this to provide context. There was always some beauty in living in a world on the brink of desolation, in my opinion. And that's a doctor's opinion, so that's a fact," he joked, dancing around the subject. "I digress. His name was Dean and he was the little piece of beauty I got to cling to. Nothing in the world belonged to me then besides that little sliver of hope." Richard knew the name would register given time, he'd made it a point to introduce him to Caroline years ago...

"How do I look?" Dean's voice echoed from the bathroom in Richard's flat. Richard stood in the kitchen fixing himself a cocktail, dressed in a freshly pressed suit, his only one for that matter. Dean emerged not long after he cried for help, his tie a sorry mess around his neck, with a smirk to match. "It's a miracle you got away with that in the 'RAF-" "Don't even start to lecture me, you know better Richard. Without my shitty knot skills, you wouldn't have landed a stallion fighter pilot." Dean made his way to him from across the living room, standing patiently at the edge of the kitchen for Richard to sort him. He took a sip of his drink, set it aside, then made his way to Dean. "You would've found someone else to tie it. Shame you didn't ask Robert eh?" Richard joked as he worked. "Nonsense. I could smell you out, you looked like the best person to ask how to do this sort of thing," Dean retorted. He mumbled in agreement, tightening the knot and snapping Dean to attention. "You got to look posh for Robert's darling, Caroline," Richard instructed as he neared perfection. He wasn't quite sure what to make of Robert's wife yet, it had only been a handful of months since being back and he'd met her on occasion. She seemed sweet when they first met, but that could've easily been the brandy from the homecoming fanfare. There was a distinct tension, he couldn't describe or shake it from his mind. "Oh, I'm well aware. Casanova never seemed to care that much when he was knee-deep-" "Stop." It was Richard's turn to interrupt, as he tightened his grip on the tie. "You don't mention a word to Caroline 'bout anything you heard or saw abroad. That dies with the War." Dean froze in the sudden tone shift but nodded respectfully. "Good. You're sorted." Richard slapped Dean's freshly shaven cheek gently before turning his back to the man. It wasn't more than a few seconds before two gruff hands yanked him back into Dean. "I'll mind my P's and Q's, Richie. But we aren't leaving on that note..."

"It's just complicated. He's built a life for himself when I was still clawing my way through mine. Somehow we'd make time for one another every once in a while, things would pick up as they were years ago. We always kept in touch despite it, up 'till five or so years ago. He just.. Faded away. Don't know where or what," Richard sighed. "Robert doesn't know we kept in serious contact since you two last saw him. I found keeping that to myself was easier for me to deal with, at the time. Robert could set me up with whoever he felt like and I didn't mind. Helped break up the loneliness... You're the first to know." He looked towards Caroline, the blurry outline of her reminding him he didn't have his glasses on. No matter, he knew her well enough to guess what her expression was. "This fact you can't derive from dear Robert, enjoy it," he scoffed as he sat up momentarily. Taking a sip of wine, he glanced to Caroline with a curious expression, interested to see what she'd throw his way.