Life...  You were never guaranteed years, heck you were never guaranteed tomorrow.  All that you were guaranteed was each second that you managed to fight tooth and nail for and win.  This seemed to be the case with one young lady as she wandered the streets of these shores.  A lost little lamb in search of where she belonged, she wandered.  It had been just yesterday that she had lived safe...  Well safe enough, as an orphan in a small home.  At seventeen years of age, she was just about ready to leave...  To strike out on her own.  To make this life her own, when disaster struck...  Humans really were very fragile creatures.  A poorly placed bomb, too much powder, error on when to detonate...  Whatever had happened, her life had been brought down around her in mere seconds.  

And yet she had survived.

The attack was not on her home, or the kind woman who had taken in just as many as she could.  It was a war that didn't even involve her and yet she would quickly find herself wandering right in the middle of it.  The streets were ravaged...  It seemed that a great struggle had happened.  Or at least that's what it seemed to the confused young lady.  Taking to the streets she wandered as she tried to pull together pieces that eluded her.  Where was she?  What had happened to put her here?  Honestly...  Who was she?  These were the questions that reigned supreme in the mind of the young woman.  These were questions to which she had no answer to.  Goodness, she must have hit her head quite hard.  Quite hard indeed.

Walking with a quick purpose as the streets began to darken and the shadows began to lengthen, the young woman knew she needed to find shelter and fast.  Drawing her thin jacket around her shoulders, she cast her gaze about.  A voice rang out to her right, drawing her attention quickly.  "Better get home quick Ellie...  It will be dark soon."  The kind words came from a sweet looking elder woman and the girl looked to her, with a hunger in her eyes.  She quickly moved over to her, her heart rate speeding up. 

"I'm sorry, what was that you said?"  She looked to her expectantly wondering if she could help her.  But the woman just waved her hand softly.  

"Just that you really must be getting home Eleanora.  It will be getting dark soon."  It was quite clear that the woman had not heard the news of the casualty that was her home.  But with how fast news traveled, it wouldn't be long until she did.  

"Right.  Thank you."  She spoke quickly before walking on.  Now if only she could figure out where home was...  But as she turned around to ask, she found the woman gone, and only an empty street behind her.  Great...  Was she going mad as well?  Wasn't this just the best day ever...

Gavin was sitting on a random set of stairs, earnestly searching for a state of sobriety through the fog, when he saw Eleonora_Luciano walking with her arms wrapped protectively around herself. He was normally one to grin and try to chat up a pretty face he'd never met before, but something in the way she carried herself suggested that something was wrong- very wrong. He blinked, trying to clear his head, and looked at her with what he hoped she would perceive as an objectively friendly concern, even fraternal concern, as she reminded him of his sister. His voice was quiet, so as to try to avoid scaring her as it came out of the darkness. 

"You okay, lass? Something wrong?"

Even without the blow to the head...  Eleonora was no closer to knowing where she belonged than if she had all her memories fully intact.  Swimming in her mind were bouts of fantasy melded with the bits and pieces she had managed to pull together over the years from different conversations.  She had a crossroads here...  Should she follow the road to find her father?  Or should she try to strike out and figure out this life alone...  The later didn't sound like a very attractive choice in the least.  It terrified the young woman if truth be told...  But she couldn't tell that truth.  No, she would face this life and everything that came with it head on and full tilt.  That was her way.  Run with the wind, be bold, be courageous...  If only it wasn't so hard.

Well Ellie was quite lost in her thoughts.  Go home Eleonora...  Well that would be all well and good if she had a home to go home to.  For now she wondered if she should take go get a room for the night.  The streets were no place for a young lady, especially as night fell.  As lost in these thoughts as she was, she didn't hardly notice the man, or the fact that he had taken notice of her, until his voice reached her ears.  Despite his carefulness not to frighten her, Eleonora still started a bit at his voice.  She turned to fully face him, but didn't move to arm herself quite yet. She knew that hesitance could end up in her death, and yet it was clear that she was not one born and bred into this life.  

Thankfully the man didn't seem to be hostile.  Instead, he had a kind inquisitive nature to him.  It didn't hurt that he was also easy on the eyes.  The shy little mouse would give him a small smile and dip her head both in greeting and acknowledgement of his words.  She would carefully pull her arms from around herself, eager not to give the impression of a frightened pup.  Whatever she did, she had to at least seem like she had it all together, right?  Not to was weakness, and from what she had read, weakness was not a well looked upon trait in a thing such as this. 

His words struck a chord within the young woman.  Was she alright? Was something wrong?  Well...  Her obvious physical wounds had been treated...  Even though it had been suggested that she take it easy the next few days...  She didn't have time to take it easy...  In all honesty barring this fact, she was not alright.  She had nowhere to go, nowhere to be...  And no direction.  But could she tell that to this man?  She had lied so easily to the woman, and yet the longer she stayed out, the hungrier and more nervous she became.  "Honestly...  I don't have an answer to that question."  She bit her lip, realizing just how silly she might sound.  "My home...  My family is gone."  Well here goes nothing.  She was dead anyway if she didn't find somewhere to be and soon.  She didn't have the funds or the backing to make it by herself currently so in a firm leap of faith, she'd put some trust in this stranger and let him peek in at the uncertainty inside.  

Gavin tried to match the girl's small smile with a confident, yet somber expression. 

"I'm sorry to hear about your family, your home. I've been there, at least partially. I can't promise to fix all your problems, but I can get you somewhere safe for the night. A hot meal, maybe. Give you some space to help you figure things out. You can call it charity, if you want..."

His wry grin returned.

"... or hell, you can call it a man trying to build up good karma for the poker tables. What do you say?"

Eleonora couldn't say she was completely certain where her life was going to go now.  She had a couple options that she knew of, not to mention a new life puzzle that she longed to solve.  She always knew that she was an orphan.  Never truly knew much about her parents, her past, her ties...  Yet up to this point, she had been unable to pull much information from those who cared for her at all.  And in an effort to be grateful for what she had, she hadn't pryed hard.  Yet in the last couple years, she had managed to pull together a number of pieces of her past and yet it only gave her more questions. The last piece of information she had received was her birth mothers last name.  This information has thrilled her, and Ellie being the talkative little bug she was, had managed to gather more bits and pieces on this name.

​​​​​​But this puzzle had been put on a grinding halt.  Her current focus was on survival... And that was it.  Her smile sobered just a little as she listened to his words.  She hadn't been alone more than a day but already she was tired and hungry and felt all too alone.  Despite the fact that she didn't know this man from Adam, his proposition was incredibly attractive and the girl nodded slowly.  

"I would appreciate that...  If it wouldn't be too much trouble..." .

That small grin would slide back into place at his next words and she nodded eagerly. 

"I hope you get all the good karma for this act.  Someone so kind surely deserves some wins at the Poker table!"

Her soft tinkling laugh spoke of utter delight and perhaps some measure of relief.  Her mind was spinning and it was hard to defend yourself against the elements, and people when this was the case.

"Between you and me, I agree. Been too long since I've won a game."

Gavin led the young woman through the streets of the city, making small talk about various unimportant things to keep her mind at ease. He didn't want to try into her personal life or whatever she'd been through. Eventually they reached his destination. Gavin knocked gently on the green door, which was shortly answered by an Irish woman who looked to be in her late thirties. He grinned as soon as the door opened.

"Gavin. Not again. I told you that last time was really the last time-"

"No! Mary, not that. Look, this young lady's in trouble here. Her name is... well, I forgot to ask-"

"Why am I not surprised?"

"Look, she just needs a place to stay, a hot meal."

Gavin turned his attention to Eleonora_Luciano.

"This is Mary; she runs a boarding house here where you could stay for a while, get your bearings. My name's Gavin Byrne- feel free to look me up in Philadelphia if you're ever in town. What's your name, lass?"

She couldn't help but giggle softly as he spoke of it having been too long.  But she nodded eagerly, her eyes shining bright.  She had heard discontented whispers around the town.  People worried about these...  Mobsters.  But so far those that she'd met hadn't been bad in the least...  This man certainly one of those types.  And yet who's to say he was a mobster?  She had no clue honestly, he was just a decent human being she had met.  And yet who's to say he wasn't?  It was enough to make her head spin.  Who was, who wasn't, who was connected to who...  She remembered George saying that this was important...  But how the heck did you find that out?  Ugh maybe she should go seek him out...  He'd know what to do.  But no.  She had to stand on her own two feet if she was going to manage to go out and find where she belonged.  She had to!

And this was the first step.  

She walked along with this man, smiling and chatting with him about many things and nothing all at the same time.  It was nice.  To be honest, Ellie hadn't gotten out much before this.  So she was excited to see what she could see now.  Before long she came to the designated place and Eleonora found herself sidling behind him, suddenly nervous and uncertain.  As the door opened, a woman answered...  And she did not look pleased at...  Gavin was it?  Yes.  Gavin...  Or was it at her?  She suddenly had a jolt of uncertainty as she peeked around the man much like a young child.  But she knew that this wouldn't to and she stepped to the side and would try to hold herself with some shred of confidence and dignity, but the fear shone in her eyes.

But soon Gavin turned to her again and she fought a smile in place.  It wasn't too hard as she really was glad for his help and his kindness.  She nodded and committed his city of residence to mind.  It was nice to know you had friends in other places after all.  "Eleonora...  Eleonora Luciano."  She replied softly before looking to the woman, who still didn't look entirely pleased with this arrangement.  She looked right back to the man, her eyes clearly asking the unspoken question...  'Can't I just come with you?'  But she would hold her tongue and not seem ungrateful in the least.  "Thank you Gavin...  I-I hope we run into each other again... Soon."  She wasn't sure where she would land...  But one thing's for sure, she hoped there were more like this man there wherever it was that the wind took her.

Gavin tried to grin reassuringly.

"Eleonora. Beautiful name. Well, it's nice to meet you, Miss Luciano. Mary here is going to take good care of you. She's got a few girls living with her, and she's good people. I'd try to help you out more myself, but... well, where I'm going would probably be a bad place to take you."

Gavin could hear Mary's laugh from inside. Not only was the place bad for this girl, but she didn't seem particularly well suited to what he had to do there; she already seemed shaken up enough as it is without watching some asshole eat a bullet.

"If you're in ever in Philadelphia, head to a place called Race Street Pier. Ask around for me- Gavin Byrne. I'll buy you a drink. Take care, kid."

With a grin, he moved to go.

Ellie smiled warmly to the man as he praised her name.  She dipped her head graciously in silent thanks for...  Well everything!  She looked to the open door that he indicated to, only to look back at him as he took a few steps away.  Eleonora took a couple steps toward him almost like a pup that didn't want to be left behind.  But a voice behind her jerked her attention for a moment.  "Come come girl, are you going to come in or not?"  Eleonora really wanted to go on the 'or not' option...  But she wasn't one to slap away a gift.  And her stomach rumbled violently...  Perhaps some food and some rest and she'd be ready to figure out her next steps tomorrow.  Besides, the kindness of this man was not to be taken lightly.  

But then he was speaking again.  Philadelphia...  That must be where he was from.  Race Street Pier...  His home?  Her curiosity would rise.  Silently she would nod, making a quiet promise to herself.  Race Street Pier.  She would find this place and find this man again, if only to thank him for his kindness somehow.  Somehow she felt she had made a friend in Philadelphia that day.  These were the first steps on her way to head down the unknown and oh so exciting road...  What did the future hold for this little lamb?  Only time would truly tell...  But first, she had to decide to take those first steps.  For now, those steps were to go back into this place for the night, and after that?  Now that...  Was the exciting part.  She had no idea.

As the man made his way down and out of sight, she nodded as she watched until she could no longer see him.  "Thank you mister Gavin Byrne...  I do hope we'll meet again in the future..."

She felt a presence right behind her, and a light, yet not unkind, laugh rang forth.  "If I know Gavin at all, you will dear child, now come in and get something to eat and get warm...  It's starting to get chilly out there."  Ellie turned to look at the woman she had been brought to, and nodded, taking one last look outside before closing the door quietly.