RP/V: Life & Death

[Eddie]

"No Aaron, never use the word impoverished, it has negative connotations," Oliver straightened Aaron's tie. "Do you need me to pick out your suits too? I won't charge extra."
"Well, I've never heard the word beggared and I went to law school. I like this suit."
"Neither will most of the people you're speaking to from South Boston. That way they won't know you're calling them poor. Or you can just skip around that line. I wrote you 3 versions of the speech. And you look like a monkey in this suit, but you'll be behind a podium, so it won't be horrible."
"I only read the first one, it was fine besides that line. And the fact that you can't spell. Are you sure that you aren't gay?"
"I was spelling the British, and some might say more correct way. I'll run it through an American spellcheck next time. And no, I'm not gay, I'd be glad to introduce you to my girlfriend if you don't believe me. I just spent 3 years learning how to make people like people like you and don't want my first campaign to get screwed up because you have no fashion sense. And do I need to remind you that your official stance on homosexuality is one of acceptance? The republicans will forgive you for not hating gays but the democrats won't vote for anyone who doesn't condemn homophones. You can also come across as a xenophobe, so maybe you should as me to speak at your next function."
"Nice try. I'll let you give interviews when I get elected president."
"Don't let them know that you're coincided too. Your speech is in 7 minutes. I'm going to go call my girlfriend. Don't touch your hair, or your nose and never move both hands at the same time while you're speaking." Oliver rolled his eyes, walking out of the Library as he dialed Felicity's phone number. He needed to talk to someone intelligent.

[Rebecca]

If Felicity Russell had known being a legal secretary would be so boring, she was starting to think she might've become a lawyer instead. After all, she hadn't exactly been truthful with David O'Brien earlier that day - she was actually a pretty good liar, she just happened to know that people needed legal secretaries more than they needed lawyers, and that being a secretary would allow her to maintain a much lower profile once she was in the United States. Which was, of course, the most important thing. Still, having spent most of the day carrying documents around and going through them, she was pretty much bored out of her mind. The minutes on the clock Craig O'Brien kept on his wall seemed to take an eternity to tick by, especially now that he was actually gone and had left her to file away the rest of the paperwork for the day.
Bloody papercut, she hissed in her head, bringing her thumb to her lips to stop the bleeding just as she heard her mobile phone ring. She opened her handbag up to glance at the caller ID quickly before answering it.
"Hey you," she said, grateful for an excuse to take a short break, "Did you know that working for a guy who's obviously having a late mid-life crisis can get really irritating after a while? And by a while, I mean a day."

"Oh, there you are. Sorry I'm late, I had to change after Kelly's baby shower. I don't think she liked my present," Bree Maguire said, finally spotting her boyfriend amidst the crowds and making her way towards him, "Hey, listen, have you got a minute? I kind of need to tell you something."

[Eddie]

If Felicity Russell had known being a legal secretary would be so boring, she was starting to think she might've become a lawyer instead. After all, she hadn't exactly been truthful with David O'Brien earlier that day - she was actually a pretty good liar, she just happened to know that people needed legal secretaries more than they needed lawyers, and that being a secretary would allow her to maintain a much lower profile once she was in the United States. Which was, of course, the most important thing. Still, having spent most of the day carrying documents around and going through them, she was pretty much bored out of her mind. The minutes on the clock Craig O'Brien kept on his wall seemed to take an eternity to tick by, especially now that he was actually gone and had left her to file away the rest of the paperwork for the day.
Bloody papercut, she hissed in her head, bringing her thumb to her lips to stop the bleeding just as she heard her cellphone ring. She opened her handbag up to glance at the caller ID quickly before answering it.
"Hey you," she said, grateful for an excuse to take a short break, "Did you know that working for a guy who's obviously having a late mid-life crisis can get really irritating after a while? And by a while, I mean a day."

"Did you know that working with a guy who thinks that you're homosexual because you speak with an accent different than his gets old after about 20 seconds? He's paying an arm and a leg for me though, so I guess I've got to put up with him. I really have no idea why he hired me. I mean, he had a 14-point lead before he hired me. Maybe he just feels like rubbing it in. So, what's O'Brien having you do? He hasn't tried chatting you up, has he? I'll have to kill him if he has," Oliver laughed, glancing back inside to make sure that Aaron wasn't on yet. He had to watch the speech so he could critique it.

"Oh, there you are. Sorry I'm late, I had to change after Kelly's baby shower. I don't think she liked my present," Bree Maguire said, finally spotting her boyfriend amidst the crowds and making her way towards him, "Hey, listen, have you got a minute? I kind of need to tell you something."

"It's fine, Bree," He kissed her, glad to see her. "I've got 6 minutes to be exact. What's up?" He asked as he walked back into a quieter part of the library. Was something bothering her? She kind of looked like something might be bothering her, but he'd often thought that lately and it turned out to be nothing. Maybe, hopefully, he was just overreacting.

[Rebecca]

"Did you know that working with a guy who thinks that you're homosexual because you speak with an accent different than his gets old after about 20 seconds? He's paying an arm and a leg for me though, so I guess I've got to put up with him. I really have no idea why he hired me. I mean, he had a 14-point lead before he hired me. Maybe he just feels like rubbing it in. So, what's O'Brien having you do? He hasn't tried chatting you up, has he? I'll have to kill him if he has," Oliver laughed, glancing back inside to make sure that Aaron wasn't on yet. He had to watch the speech so he could critique it.

"He's an American, Ollie. I mean, so am I, technically, but he's an American politician, which is even worse. I bet he thinks he's the bees knees just because he went somewhere fancy like Harvard, even though he's actually probably not that smart," Felicity commented, rolling her eyes, "No, he's content with staring. And all the paperwork he's given me is torture enough, thanks very much. But speaking of American politicians, I did meet younger O'Brien today - he's actually even better looking in person. Shame he has a dad who gets his secretary to lie so he doesn't have to go to lunch with him."

"It's fine, Bree," He kissed her, glad to see her. "I've got 6 minutes to be exact. What's up?" He asked as he walked back into a quieter part of the library. Was something bothering her? She kind of looked like something might be bothering her, but he'd often thought that lately and it turned out to be nothing. Maybe, hopefully, he was just overreacting.

"Right, well, this'll probably only take two," Bree said quite quickly, before taking a deep breath and looking up at Aaron, "You know how they say condoms are only, like, 90% effective for most people? Yeah, turns out it's kind of true. I'm pregnant."

[Eddie]

"He's an American, Ollie. I mean, so am I, technically, but he's an American politician, which is even worse. I bet he thinks he's the bees knees just because he went somewhere fancy like Harvard, even though he's actually probably not that smart," Felicity commented, rolling her eyes, "No, he's content with staring. And all the paperwork he's given me is torture enough, thanks very much. But speaking of American politicians, I did meet younger O'Brien today - he's actually even better looking in person. Shame he has a dad who gets his secretary to lie so he doesn't have to go to lunch with him."

"He did go to Harvard, actually. With David O'Brien, who he mentions every 5 minutes. It's kind of cute. Daddy O'Brien seems like an ass. Tell him I used to play rugby if he keeps staring."

"Right, well, this'll probably only take two," Bree said quite quickly, before taking a deep breath and looking up at Aaron, "You know how they say condoms are only, like, 90% effective for most people? Yeah, turns out it's kind of true. I'm pregnant."

"You're...we're...pregnant?" Aaron spoke slowly as Bree's words soaked in, a smile spreading across his face. "You're pregnant!" he said it again with exclamation. "Be careful who you say the word condom around. We're good catholics, remember?" Aaron joked as he kissed Bree. She was going to be a mother. The mother of his child. It was such great news. Why didn't Bree seem happier? "I know we weren't planning any or this, but it's still good news. Isn't it, Baby?" The 'A' word crossed his mind for a fraction of a second. She wasn't even thinking that way, was she? What would the voters think?

[Nicky]

"Well, that was...interesting. Is she always like that?" Bridge said, frowning slightly at the closed door, "See, this is what happens when I go away and leave you three alone."
"What, we actually have a good time?" Shannon retorted, "And I have no idea. I don't really talk to Bree much if I can help it. No offence, Kelly, but I'm not sure how the same school turned out both you and her."
"She's kind of strange, but not usually that strange. Maybe it's the hormones talking," Susannah commented, "Sorry, Kelly. I wasn't trying to make her leave, I swear."
Resting her elbows on the table Kelly had set out, Susannah waited for her to open the last two presents - the ones she'd spent so long searching for, determined to choose the perfect gift for each twin. For the as of yet unnamed baby boy, she'd had a picture frame made with the O'Connell family crest in the corner. For Erin, on the other hand, David had helped her find a perfect set of matching bangles in platinum - one in the right size for Kelly and one for Erin, both with their names inscribed.

"She isn't normally like this," Kelly explained. "Well she is sometimes but its more the difference between where she was born and me and then you. I know there isn't a divide there but there is sort of, and she has just guessed that Aaron may be sleeping with Chloe." She grabbed the last two presents and began to open the first one which was the boy's present. "Oh Suze it's beautiful and perfect and everything," she murmured before passing over to Erin's present. She opened up and her mouth just dropped open slightly.
"Right that is it I give up," Laura said jokingly throwing her arms in the air. "There is not point trying to compete with you any more Susannah."
"Suze the presents are just great and everything," was all Kelly could say.

"Hey, I could've had you back in my apartment if I'd wanted you," Janet retorted, before smiling at Ciaran and kissing his lips quickly to show she was only joking around with Chloe. She glanced around, trying to catch a glimpse of either Aaron or Bree - preferably both - so as to make the night a bit more enjoyable. It was kind of odd - not so long ago, libraries were amongst her favourite places to go in the world after art galleries, but they really didn't seem to have much of an appeal anymore.

"I have to admit that I clean up pretty well. You look 'OK' too Chloe," Ciaran said with a slight smile before he kissed Janet back. "Who are you looking for Janet? I haven't seen your brother waiting to hit me yet."

[Rebecca]

"He did go to Harvard, actually. With David O'Brien, who he mentions every 5 minutes. It's kind of cute. Daddy O'Brien seems like an ass. Tell him I used to play rugby if he keeps staring."

"Shall I also tell him you stopped because you weren't actually that good?" Felicity joked, tucking some of her blonde hair behind her ear as she glanced down at the next document. Her mouth dropping slightly open in disbelief, she stood up and made her way into the next room towards the photocopier, holding her cell phone up with her shoulder.
"So listen, what time d'you think you'll be finished over there?" she asked, "I'm almost done, so I could come meet you...wherever it was. South Boston, did you say?"

"You're...we're...pregnant?" Aaron spoke slowly as Bree's words soaked in, a smile spreading across his face. "You're pregnant!" he said it again with exclamation. "Be careful who you say the word condom around. We're good catholics, remember?" Aaron joked as he kissed Bree. She was going to be a mother. The mother of his child. It was such great news. Why didn't Bree seem happier? "I know we weren't planning any or this, but it's still good news. Isn't it, Baby?" The 'A' word crossed his mind for a fraction of a second. She wasn't even thinking that way, was she? What would the voters think?

"No, I'm pregnant - I don't see you throwing up in the restroom. And if every Catholic listened to what the Pope says, Boston would be overrun with families like the O'Connells," Bree said, rolling her eyes, "I don't know, is it good news? I'm not stupid, Aaron. I've noticed the way you've been with me lately, and I know there's something not quite right that neither of us want to admit. Look, I'm not big on drama, unlike some people I know, so I'll make this easy for you. Are you sleeping with Chloe Graham?"

"She isn't normally like this," Kelly explained. "Well she is sometimes but its more the difference between where she was born and me and then you. I know there isn't a divide there but there is sort of, and she has just guessed that Aaron may be sleeping with Chloe." She grabbed the last two presents and began to open the first one which was the boy's present. "Oh Suze it's beautiful and perfect and everything," she murmured before passing over to Erin's present. She opened up and her mouth just dropped open slightly.
"Right that is it I give up," Laura said jokingly throwing her arms in the air. "There is not point trying to compete with you any more Susannah."
"Suze the presents are just great and everything," was all Kelly could say.

"Is there anyone Chloe hasn't slept with?" Bridge wondered aloud, shaking her head sadly.
"I'm really glad you like them," Susannah said, beaming as she reached over to hug her sister-in-law, "The bangles were totally David's idea. I kept saying that it was really pointless to buy a baby jewellery, but he said rightly that it was something Erin'd be able to keep forever. And then we had to get a matching one for her mom, of course."
"Wow, we have a family crest?" Shannon said, glancing at the picture frame, "With a stag on it? Right, OK. What does the motto mean?"
"Yeah, I looked it up on the internet. Apparently our family came from county Kerry and we used to have a family seat. Y'know, like a medieval lord's manor?" Susannah said, "And it means 'Reason and power'."
"Wow, really?" Shannon said with a laugh, "We could sure do with one of those now."

"I have to admit that I clean up pretty well. You look 'OK' too Chloe," Ciaran said with a slight smile before he kissed Janet back. "Who are you looking for Janet? I haven't seen your brother waiting to hit me yet."

"Oh, don't worry, my brother would never come to an event like this. He'd much rather just watch a movie than read a book," Janet said, laughed, "I was actually just looking to see if Aaron MacDermott had brought his new campaign manager with him. I read something in the Boston Herald that he'd spent a ridiculous amount of money hiring some top-notch guy all the way from England. I mean, honestly, you'd think he was running for the White House, not for the Massachusetts House of Representatives."

[Eddie]

"Shall I also tell him you stopped because you weren't actually that good?" Felicity joked, tucking some of her blonde hair behind her ear as she glanced down at the next document. Her mouth dropping slightly open in disbelief, she stood up and made her way into the next room towards the photocopier, holding her cell phone up with her shoulder.
"So listen, what time d'you think you'll be finished over there?" she asked, "I'm almost done, so I could come meet you...wherever it was. South Boston, did you say?"

"I wasn't that bad, I just wanted to spend more time with my old girlfriend, which ended up being the reason we broke up. Apparently I'm less attractive when I'm not scoring tries and running around in little shorts. We'll be finished in about a half-hour, but why don't I come meet you? This isn't a great part of town," Oliver personally felt uncomfortable down here and wondered how people lived like this.

"No, I'm pregnant - I don't see you throwing up in the restroom. And if every Catholic listened to what the Pope says, Boston would be overrun with families like the O'Connells," Bree said, rolling her eyes, "I don't know, is it good news? I'm not stupid, Aaron. I've noticed the way you've been with me lately, and I know there's something not quite right that neither of us want to admit. Look, I'm not big on drama, unlike some people I know, so I'll make this easy for you. Are you sleeping with Chloe Graham?"

Aaron's heart stopped for a second when Bree said 'sleeping with'. She knew! She knew everything and she was pregnant with his child. God, how could this get any worse? He was so worried he couldn't help but laugh when she said 'Chloe Graham'. "Bree, that is the first completely ridiculous thing I've ever heard you say. I would never cheat on you, certainly not with Chloe Graham. I'm sorry if I haven't been as attentive lately, I've just been busy with the election, I swear. I'd have to be really stupid to cheat on you, you can totally kick my ass," Aaron joked, hoping he came across as convincing and that she had no idea how close she was to the truth.

[Rebecca]

"I wasn't that bad, I just wanted to spend more time with my old girlfriend, which ended up being the reason we broke up. Apparently I'm less attractive when I'm not scoring tries and running around in little shorts. We'll be finished in about a half-hour, but why don't I come meet you? This isn't a great part of town," Oliver personally felt uncomfortable down here and wondered how people lived like this.

"Well, I can kind of understand where she was coming from. You did look fit as hell in those little shorts," Felicity replied, drumming her fingernails on the photocopier as the copy she'd made came through, "Stop being a twat, Ollie. I'm literally leaving in about two minutes, so I'll get a taxi and be there in fifteen. You can introduce me to your wonderful new boss."

Aaron's heart stopped for a second when Bree said 'sleeping with'. She knew! She knew everything and she was pregnant with his child. God, how could this get any worse? He was so worried he couldn't help but laugh when she said 'Chloe Graham'. "Bree, that is the first completely ridiculous thing I've ever heard you say. I would never cheat on you, certainly not with Chloe Graham. I'm sorry if I haven't been as attentive lately, I've just been busy with the election, I swear. I'd have to be really stupid to cheat on you, you can totally kick my ass," Aaron joked, hoping he came across as convincing and that she had no idea how close she was to the truth.

"Are you high? I'm a paper pusher cop, Aaron. I can't even remember the last time I had to use my gun," Bree said, raising an eyebrow at him, "Whatever. Look, I don't care if you're lying or if you're not. I'm going to keep this baby either way, because I kind of don't want to be disowned by both my parents, so I just want you to stop whatever it is you're doing or not doing. OK?"

[GREG]

He gasped in pain as the bullets tore into his stomach, and felt them embed in the red river that was gushing out of his chest. He blinked at Liam, and was wide eyed, and becoming increasingly white. "Rebecca, Louise!" He hollered, hoarsely, and he stumbled backwards and fell over the side of the roof. His life didn't flash before his eyes, all he saw was Rebecca Stanley and Louise Todd, one smiling and the other frowning, one telling him to join her, the other telling him to join her, and yet neither of them were reaching out to him, they were rushing away from him, and suddenly he was seeing windows, bricks, doorways...


"I've never really understood politics, I've never really had a reason to, it's not like anybody gives a damn." She said with a sad smile, looking at Suze. "I have a problem that won't go away." She said, seriously. "I was on the road to recovery, y'know? I joined a boxing class, I was even doing part time work, I was saving up for an apartment, and then he accused me of stealing his stash, and he's been trying to find me ever since. It's like a nightmare that won't go away. I can't come out into the open and get a job, or move in somewhere, I have to keep moving to get away. I can't leave Boston because I can't afford to go anywhere else, and I've no guarantee that things would be anywhere better elsewhere." She explained. "My parents are really rich, but I'm too ashamed to tell them what's happened to me. I've been running away from them, too," She added. "I'm from Texas. I was a medical student, when I became addicted to heroin, and I dropped out because I couldn't handle it. But I ran away, instead of telling my parents. They were so proud of me, and I messed it all up. They think I was kidnapped. There've been times when I've thought about contacting them, letting them know I'm fine, but they would disown me. If they knew." She didn't feel emotional about this, but felt like she was reciting a list of facts. "I don't know what I can do."

[Eddie]

"Well, I can kind of understand where she was coming from. You did look fit as hell in those little shorts," Felicity replied, drumming her fingernails on the photocopier as the copy she'd made came through, "Stop being a twat, Ollie. I'm literally leaving in about two minutes, so I'll get a taxi and be there in fifteen. You can introduce me to your wonderful new boss."

"Did I really? I still might have a pair lying around." Oliver joked, wondering if he'd put on any weight since his rugby days. "OK, I'll see you then. But be careful, seriously Babe. Love you."

"Are you high? I'm a paper pusher cop, Aaron. I can't even remember the last time I had to use my gun," Bree said, raising an eyebrow at him, "Whatever. Look, I don't care if you're lying or if you're not. I'm going to keep this baby either way, because I kind of don't want to be disowned by both my parents, so I just want you to stop whatever it is you're doing or not doing. OK?"

"I'm not lying, and I love you Bree. Listen, I'll have Oliver cancel my appearances for the rest of the week. The only thing I've been cheating on you with is my campaign and I'm really sorry you even had to think that way. I'll make it up to you," Aaron kissed Bree on the forehead and then on the lips. "Forgive me?"

"Oh, don't worry, my brother would never come to an event like this. He'd much rather just watch a movie than read a book," Janet said, laughed, "I was actually just looking to see if Aaron MacDermott had brought his new campaign manager with him. I read something in the Boston Herald that he'd spent a ridiculous amount of money hiring some top-notch guy all the way from England. I mean, honestly, you'd think he was running for the White House, not for the Massachusetts House of Representatives."

"I think I passed some British guy on the way in. Well, he sounded British. Kind of cute. Aaron hated his old campaign manager, not surprised he hired someone else or. Probably had her draw up a list of he possible replacements." Chloe commented, giving Janet a knowing smile. She was getting pretty good at lying. "Aaron's got a presidential voice, but he'd probably much rather be David's vice-president. Hell, David might demote him to Secretary of State so his ticket could appeal to a wider demographic."

[Rebecca]

"Did I really? I still might have a pair lying around." Oliver joked, wondering if he'd put on any weight since his rugby days. "OK, I'll see you then. But be careful, seriously Babe. Love you."

"Don't worry, I will be. See you in a bit," Felicity said, hanging up and slipping her mobile phone into her pocket. Picking up the document she'd photocopied, she read it through once more just to check it was actually what she thought it was. She folded it in half and slipped it her handbag before setting to work putting away the rest of the files in the correct places, hoping that David O'Brien came to visit his father's office often. She'd definitely need to talk to him again.

"I'm not lying, and I love you Bree. Listen, I'll have Oliver cancel my appearances for the rest of the week. The only thing I've been cheating on you with is my campaign and I'm really sorry you even had to think that way. I'll make it up to you," Aaron kissed Bree on the forehead and then on the lips. "Forgive me?"

"Yeah, yeah, OK. Chill. I don't know what I was thinking, anyway, Chloe was ages ago. It's just that those irritating O'Connell sisters were going on about how she liked going after guys in relationships at the baby shower and I just..." Bree said, then broke into a smirk, "Oh my God, you should have seen Susannah's face when she found out I was pregnant! Maybe that was why she was so adamant about telling me that men were scumbags afterwards, she was probably hoping we'd break up and then you'd look bad. Scheming bitch. Anyway, you'd better go do your public speaking thing."

[Nicky]

"Oh, don't worry, my brother would never come to an event like this. He'd much rather just watch a movie than read a book," Janet said, laughed, "I was actually just looking to see if Aaron MacDermott had brought his new campaign manager with him. I read something in the Boston Herald that he'd spent a ridiculous amount of money hiring some top-notch guy all the way from England. I mean, honestly, you'd think he was running for the White House, not for the Massachusetts House of Representatives."

"I think I passed some British guy on the way in. Well, he sounded British. Kind of cute. Aaron hated his old campaign manager, not surprised he hired someone else or. Probably had her draw up a list of he possible replacements." Chloe commented, giving Janet a knowing smile. She was getting pretty good at lying. "Aaron's got a presidential voice, but he'd probably much rather be David's vice-president. Hell, David might demote him to Secretary of State so his ticket could appeal to a wider demographic."

"I can never be too careful with Liam," Ciaran commented. "All this running for election stuff just sounds too complicated. Inheriting jobs is much easier and it leaves you with more time for the important things in life."

"Is there anyone Chloe hasn't slept with?" Bridge wondered aloud, shaking her head sadly.
"I'm really glad you like them," Susannah said, beaming as she reached over to hug her sister-in-law, "The bangles were totally David's idea. I kept saying that it was really pointless to buy a baby jewellery, but he said rightly that it was something Erin'd be able to keep forever. And then we had to get a matching one for her mom, of course."
"Wow, we have a family crest?" Shannon said, glancing at the picture frame, "With a stag on it? Right, OK. What does the motto mean?"
"Yeah, I looked it up on the internet. Apparently our family came from county Kerry and we used to have a family seat. Y'know, like a medieval lord's manor?" Susannah said, "And it means 'Reason and power'."
"Wow, really?" Shannon said with a laugh, "We could sure do with one of those now."

"She hasn't slept with Liam. He put a stop to that before it went any further," Kelly replied.
"She hasn't even tried getting her claws in Oscar," Laura added.
"Imagine all of us being in one house," Kelly commented. "There will be like 21 of us when all the babies are born. That would be one full house and a lot of crying babies."

[Eddie]

"Don't worry, I will be. See you in a bit," Felicity said, hanging up and slipping her mobile phone into her pocket. Picking up the document she'd photocopied, she read it through once more just to check it was actually what she thought it was. She folded it in half and slipped it her handbag before setting to work putting away the rest of the files in the correct places, hoping that David O'Brien came to visit his father's office often. She'd definitely need to talk to him again.

"Yeah, yeah, OK. Chill. I don't know what I was thinking, anyway, Chloe was ages ago. It's just that those irritating O'Connell sisters were going on about how she liked going after guys in relationships at the baby shower and I just..." Bree said, then broke into a smirk, "Oh my God, you should have seen Susannah's face when she found out I was pregnant! Maybe that was why she was so adamant about telling me that men were scumbags afterwards, she was probably hoping we'd break up and then you'd look bad. Scheming bitch. Anyway, you'd better go do your public speaking thing."

Smiling, Oliver went back inside. "Ready to go? Who is this?" He asked Aaron and smiled at the woman.
"This is Bree, my girlfriend. And she's got some great news."
"Well, it's nice to meet you Bree. What's the news?"
"You'll hear in a minute," Aaron smiled and made his was up to the podium, "Hey, everyone. I had a big speech planned about how reading was important and how I was glad to be a part of an organization helping to spread knowledge. But I just got some news that's going to change my entire life, so it's all kind of gone out the window. My girlfriend, Bree Maguire, just told me she was pregnant, so I'm sorry if I don't make much sense..." He didn't know if Bree would love him announcing it like this, but she'd already assured him that she planned to keep the baby and he was excited. He couldn't help it.

[Rebecca]

He gasped in pain as the bullets tore into his stomach, and felt them embed in the red river that was gushing out of his chest. He blinked at Liam, and was wide eyed, and becoming increasingly white. "Rebecca, Louise!" He hollered, hoarsely, and he stumbled backwards and fell over the side of the roof. His life didn't flash before his eyes, all he saw was Rebecca Stanley and Louise Todd, one smiling and the other frowning, one telling him to join her, the other telling him to join her, and yet neither of them were reaching out to him, they were rushing away from him, and suddenly he was seeing windows, bricks, doorways...

Liam looked slightly bemused as he watched Brian Murray fall off the roof of the building, darting forward to look over the low wall to the ground below. What he saw was Brian Murray's broken body, sprawled in a very unnatural position, the blood from his stomach staining the concrete below him. Nodding satisfactorily, Liam took out his cellphone to dial Cassidy Reid's number.
"It's done," he said, once she'd picked up, "Now, tomorrow morning, we're going to meet up for brunch and you're going to let me tell you exactly why I did it."
"In case you need reminding, Liam, you're not the one who gives orders. Besides, you can just tell me now," Cassidy said coolly, "Turn around."
Liam's eyebrows came together in slight confusion, but he turned his head nonetheless to see Cassidy Reid walking across the roof towards him, her long skirt swaying slightly in the breeze, holding her cellphone to her ear.
"Well, well," he said, "What's the matter? Didn't you think I could do my job?"
"Well, I thought perhaps that you'd gotten used to having Chloe Graham do all the dirty work for you," Cassidy commented, then looked down at Brian Murray's spread-eagled corpse herself and broke into cold, cruel laughter.

"I've never really understood politics, I've never really had a reason to, it's not like anybody gives a damn." She said with a sad smile, looking at Suze. "I have a problem that won't go away." She said, seriously. "I was on the road to recovery, y'know? I joined a boxing class, I was even doing part time work, I was saving up for an apartment, and then he accused me of stealing his stash, and he's been trying to find me ever since. It's like a nightmare that won't go away. I can't come out into the open and get a job, or move in somewhere, I have to keep moving to get away. I can't leave Boston because I can't afford to go anywhere else, and I've no guarantee that things would be anywhere better elsewhere." She explained. "My parents are really rich, but I'm too ashamed to tell them what's happened to me. I've been running away from them, too," She added. "I'm from Texas. I was a medical student, when I became addicted to heroin, and I dropped out because I couldn't handle it. But I ran away, instead of telling my parents. They were so proud of me, and I messed it all up. They think I was kidnapped. There've been times when I've thought about contacting them, letting them know I'm fine, but they would disown me. If they knew." She didn't feel emotional about this, but felt like she was reciting a list of facts. "I don't know what I can do."

"I never used to give a shit about politics, either, to be honest. Now it's almost my entire life - but it's a lot more important than you think. People can make a difference," she assured Arella, her heart somewhere in the region of her throat. Everything Arella was saying struck a chord with her - it was almost like looking in a mirror, and listening to someone who had felt all the same emotions she'd felt in the past. Somebody who, like her, had been to college, and had gone on a downward spiral until they'd reached a point where they had nobody to turn to - because, like she'd been, Arella was ashamed. But then there was Arella's other problem, the one with the guy who was after her. In that respect, Susannah had been lucky. She knew she always had somebody to turn to if the cops couldn't help her, and that was her brother.
"I know what you can do, though," she said, making her way out of the homeless centre, her brain ticking away, "It's like I said. We really do have a lot to talk about."

"I can never be too careful with Liam," Ciaran commented. "All this running for election stuff just sounds too complicated. Inheriting jobs is much easier and it leaves you with more time for the important things in life."

Seeing Aaron come to the front to make his speech, Janet waited for him to catch her eye and start sweating profusely, but the words that came out of his mouth took her completely by surprise. Bree was pregnant? How could Aaron have been so stupid? She took a moment to let the information sink in, her jaw twitching involuntarily. If she was that kind of person, she'd have felt like punching somebody, or kicking something - because she knew exactly what this meant. It meant that whatever it was between her and Aaron was over, and all because of some tiny thing that wasn't even a proper human being yet.
"I couldn't agree more, Ciaran," Janet whispered, smiling to cover her own anger as she put her arm through his, "Think we'll have time for some of that more important stuff later tonight?"

Two weeks and five days later...

"You're serious?" Liam O'Connell said, putting his glass of beer down to stifle a laugh, "I just have this fantastic image of all of high society Boston in this one room and the only person the press are interested is my big sister."
"Totally serious. You should've seen the look on Niamh Hayes's face - she looked she'd swallowed a lemon," David said with a grin, "It makes perfect sense, though. Who wants to write about a bunch of old women who just sit around all day talking about how much money their husbands make?"
"Shut up, David. It wasn't quite like that," Susannah said, rolled her eyes, "Although I really don't think any of this stuff is helping me get in Karen O'Brien's good books."
She crossed her legs, looking around at the beautiful French restaurant she was currently sat in with her husband, her brother and her sister-in-law. Kelly looked like she was about to burst any minute, although officially she wasn't due until mid-September, but for now Susannah was just grateful it seemed like David and Liam were finally starting to get along. Or, at least, they were doing a good job acting if they still completely hated each other.