Tara looked wistfully around her office as she sat behind her desk. For the first time in years, there was nothing on top of it. Louis Mezzo came in and Tara couldn't help but smile. When she'd met him, he'd been a boy. Now he was a man with almost limitless potential- an exceedingly capable mafioso. 

He lowered himself in the chair across from Tara and they shared a knowing grin- but Tara's faded first. 

"Something serious I want to talk to you about today, Louis."

She sighed, drumming the fingers of her left hand against the empty desk.

"I was the first person Jack invited to be a part of Race Street. Even back when he was in The Pharmacy working for Spaceman, I was his first recruit. Well, and Gavin. But mostly me."

She forced a grin.

"I helped build up the Pier. I helped build up the city. Shit, Jack and Race Street helped Philly add a third district, back when that was a more rare accomplishment. We had something special- and we still do."

A ghost seemed to cross her face.

"When we took our hits that Christmas... when Jack was killed. Spaceman. William. Arturo. Charlie.... the district was on fire. I stepped up- just like you did, and just like so many other people did- to try to stay alive and keep Race Street going. In the years since that happened, I've done my best. When I think about that Christmas, things seemed so precarious... and I think we're finally settled again. Active, thriving, ready to go. Race Street is not only doing fine- it's doing great."

"But I'm not."

She paused for a while, trying to find the words.

"I can't do it anymore, Louis. Everyone's got a limit, and I've hit mine. Maybe it's permanent. Maybe it's temporary... I dunno. But I have very high standards for leaders. Jack surpassed them. I battled to meet them... but it's a battle I don't think I can win indefinitely. What I'm trying to say here is that I'm turning Race Street over to you, Louis. Not only does it make sense because of your grandfather, but because of who you are. Race Street is supposed to be a crew where there's more engagement, more opportunities, new opportunities, and growth. You're the perfect man for the job. Will you take on this burden? This blessing?"

Louis walked in and sat down with a smile.  Every visit to Tara’s office threw him back to the first time he looked in back when Jack all but told him he was stupid for coming back.  This visit felt different though; there was no idle chit chat, no discussions about how people couldn’t ever get the trains to run on time.

He sat listening intently to Tara, as the words flowed he couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing.  Race Street was Jack, Gavin and Tara.  Others came and went but those three had been the central pillar around which the standards and expectations were set and here was Tara saying that finally this pillar was toppling.

“Tara is there anything, anything at all that I can be doing to change your mind?”

He viewed Tara and Gavin as one of the last direct links to his grandfather and after the end of the Pier imagined naively that they would all end their days either protecting the empire they maintained or protecting their bowls of soup in a retiral home.

“I would be honoured beyond belief to take this on but are you completely sure?”

Tara grinned. So few people thought to ask the question.

"I'm sure. And I don't want you to be looking over your shoulder- or have other people looking to me when they should be looking to you. So I'll be taking some time to travel. Do all the things I've been too busy to do. However, I won't be leaving you alone. My understanding is that Gavin and Bella should be staying around to assist you. And who knows... maybe I'll be back someday."

"But yea. Race Street is yours now, Louis. Take care of it. Write me with anything you need- advice, questions, ideas, etc. But it's yours."

She paused.

"Not really, actually. It was never really mine. Or Jack's. It's the community, Louis. Take care of the people. Build them up. And they'll take care of you."

Rising, she walked over to Louis and looked at him for a moment before clapping him on the shoulder.

"Good luck, Louis. Your grandfather would be proud. As he once said to me in a moment like this... tag, you're it."

Grinning, she walked out of the office. 

Tara walked out of the door and Louis turned to watch where she had gone but that was it.  No more Tara.

Louis sat on the edge of the desk and looked around scarcely believing where he had ended up.  The trains would have to run on time, the unions would have to be kept in check and most of all he would be protecting the men and women who pledged to serve South Philly.  He was merely the custodian of all he surveyed.  Nothing more.

A knock at the door took him out of his daydream.  Yvette stood in the doorway.

“Everything alright Louis?”

“Yeah, I think so.  Tara has left us South Philly.  Let’s get to this.”

Louis sat behind the desk and started going through the piles of paper.

LouisMezzo and Clown were going to fly to the same ceremony,and they decided to take a flight together.  got there papers in order ,and they both boarded the plane.Clown is always scared of flights so he asked the stewardess for a few bottles of bourbon.he offers Louis some and decided to pass at the moment.   it's only a short flight so Clown is more relaxed.  1 hr later landed and him and Louis heads on to the Ceremony.