The ship had pulled into a rainy port hours ago, but that didn't stop her from taking her time. Despite the rather revealing red dress her hips swung tauntingly to the rhythm of the gangplank. A flat bed cart filled with her luggage followed close behind. A small team of men trying to keep it protected from the rain and finding themselves water logged in the process. Chris was looking forward to being home for a change. Traveling over most of Europe with a gaggle of young socialites while trying to conduct business was not her ideal situation. With all the young fops taken into the care of the fussing mothers, Chris was greeted by an all to familiar face.

"Well isn't that a funny sight. A little Irish whelp pretending to be a proper lady."

The boyish grin far to big for the face that wore it, her brother whistled for those with him to load her things as he offered to take her hand. Fingertips dancing just above his palm from under the large black umbrella, Chris schooled her face into an unreadable mask. He never saw the blow to his ribs coming.

"Well isn't that a funny sight. A little boy still thinking he can take me on. How sad."

Grunting laughter while bent over, he removed his hat as if he had meant for that to happen all along.

"It's good to have you home, Chris. Dad had been worried about you."

"It is good to see you too, David. Besides dad is more worried over if I killed all of those silly girls he sent with me."

The two of them wrapped each other up in tight loving embraces. All the months a part had melted away as if it had been a day. Chris loved her brother dearly and in turn the two would do anything for each other. Men scurried around them like rats, loading the heavy luggage into the back of the trucks.

"Dad is waiting for us at the hall. Come on then?" David offered up his arm with that boyish grin once more adjusting his own umbrella to keep them covered. Chris turned to look back at at her things. Crooking one finger at a younger man working among them. Soaked to the bone, he plucked off his at and came trotting up to her side.

"Yes, Miss Cain?"

"Please see to it that the beige trunk with lettering is loaded into David's car with the up most care."

"I will miss." Bowing his head as Chris slipped several bills into his jacket pocket in turn. Their trip to the hall would take them through the old neighborhood, Five Points.

With the club of Tammany Hall a buzz in more ways than one, Chris took her cue and slipped back to the elevator with her brother. David's cheeks had turned a rosy shade from all the laughter and the shared bottle of scotch didn't help matter. Pulling the pins from her hair and tossing them in her small purse she still needed to change before work. A paddy never sleeps. "We need to get down to the bar and make sure the shipment arrived in one piece. There have been to many raids by the Italians."

"You have been bloody out of the country for 4 months! How the hell do you know that' What do you have a magic crystal ball"!"

David had a way of teasing his sister about the old crafts of their mother, god rest her soul. Between siblings was fine, but if anyone else talked about his sister that way they were in for more than a broken nose.

"I don't have that kind of crystal, but none the less....someone has to keep an eye on things. Contacts come in handy."

Flashing him a wink as the gilded doors opened back to the rainy day. Chris took the lead heading straight for David's car. All the poor boy could do was shake his head an open her door. Just as she slipped inside he couldn't help taking a shot.

"You mean your many bed warmers. At least I remember all their names."

Shutting the door before she could take a swing at him, David knew he was going to get it later. Quickly putting the car in gear, he took off for the bar uptown. Socialites of all manners tried to worm their way onto her approved company list. The parties spanning well into the wee hours of the morning. If a tiger wish to grease an official palm without notice, or a start a bidding war for a job here was where the best of the best came. Hit men rubbed shoulders with suppliers, heads of major companies and best of all Chris heard it all. If they were going to make a move she knew about it long before.

"Ow! Ow! Did you take boxing lessons when I wasn't looking"! Jesus, Mary and f@*king Joseph!"

"That is what you get for trying to pry and suggest."

"So you do know all their names then" How many are there?"

"Now you are just looking for noses to break."

"Come on Chris. Please?"

Letting herself out of the car, Chris only smiled back at her brother. After a quick change she could easily take stock of the place and move on to the family bars in and around the slums of 5 points. Every working man was entitled to a hard drink for hard labor. Just because some work was dirtier than others didn't mean their money couldn't spend.

"No, you are just looking to pick a fight or preen like a peacock and I won't feed your ego."

"So I have slept with more beauties than you have beaus?"

There was that boyish grin again. Begging and egging her on to hand him his arse. Siblings or not Chris sighed and tossed her heels at him on her way up the stairs tugging at her zipper. A spare set of clothing was always kept in her office. Planning ahead was what had kept her family in high praise and she was not going to fall anytime soon.

"My darling brother, I have slept with at least......"making a grand show of faces to keep him thinking...."50 and another 100 still out there dreaming."

"What"! You are yanking my chain! 50?"

"And what about you?"

David staggered back catching his sister's red dress. He couldn't stand to be out done by her! She was the eldest, but that hardly made her the best!

"I'm just in shock you think that is a lot. I've been with at least double that and at least a fourth of them in one night. Was in a mood what can I say."

Shrugging and hoping she bought it. Chris burst into laughter nearly missing a button or two on her shirt. And he was suppose to be good at math.

"So you are telling me that you took on 25 women in a night' Are you sure you aren't counting your dreams?"

Punching his shoulder for telling lies, she made her way back down the stairs adjusting her fedora. The fall shimmering button down shirt pleated and tied in a bow at her throat with a vest over top. The matching dress pants brushing the tops of a oxford kitten heel shoes. Every part the business woman, she was ready to do battle.

Street lights gave way to dingy windows and dark corners filled with bodies. The slums of five points were not the most inviting of places, but that didn't make all it's inhabitants bad. You have to do what is necessary to survive. Here life comes at a cost, the big question was were you willing to pay it. Harlots hung out of doorways with there filthy legs held high. In the corner tucked away would be their daughters, the harlots in training. Here it was best not to be a pretty girl.

Gangs of all ages and creeds formed over night more than willing to take each other on to the death. In the scrimmages of allies and main streets you earned your name. Chris could still remember the names of most that were in the gang with her and her brother. Billy goat McGee breaking noses with his own, Hell Cat Maggie clawing her way over bodies, Rusty Sam swinging his rusted pipe that was "borrowed" from his mother's sink. Stupid names formed by stupid kids.

Billy Goat had died as a teen trying to earn his points by taking the hat from a copper. It only took two shots and he never butted heads with anyone again. Hell Cat married what she thought was an up and coming gangster only to be left a widow with six kids pulling at her skirt. Rusty.....died of starvation thanks to lock jaw. There were only a few of them left and even fewer that had made it out of five points.

Hands in her pockets the roar of laughter greeted her from up ahead. The golden clover was full to the rafters and Chris couldn't be happier. Once inside the smell of piped tobacco and watered down beer washed over her. Men still wearing their work played cards and arm wrestled trying to take home a few extra dollars tonight. "Good evening Kevin, Francis."

She didn't need to look, but she could feel them watching her. Both good men with no wives attached, coppers loyal to her cause playing guard for the night.

"Even Chris. Good to know you are back in town." Francis was the first to rise and try to buy her a drink, Kevin cleared his throat and lowered his voice. "Maggie should be closing up about 2. Need help unpacking?"

"If you think you can handle delicate things." Glancing over her shoulder before taking the drink from Francis. "Good to see you, Francis." Raising her glass to the giver and tossing back the top shelve whiskey kept just for them. "How is Maggie and the kids holding?"

"We have had a few scraps, but nothing a broken chair and a badge can't fix. Maggie and I are talking about making things official, but I think her eldest might put up a fight." Francis blushes a bit. A copper that had dealt with many horrors, but a gentleman through and through.

"Let me know when you go looking for a ring and I'll help you out. Our Maggie deserves something nice."

"Aye, she does. Kevin and I will drop off your share in the morning to Michelle."

"Music to my ears." Tossing Kevin the empty glass, Chris headed back out the door. In her luggage were a few gifts for the kids. They had taken to scrubbing the floors and cleaning glasses for their mother like they were born for it. When they were older and could hold their drink, Chris had promised to start teaching them how to serve and mix. It wasn't much, but in the slums it did give some hope. At her back a young man sang of the rocky road, those who knew the song chiming in. We might be beaten, but we are never down.

The Rocky Road To Dublin by the Dubliners