Morgan Elise Callaghan

Morgan goes by "Elise" or "Lise" with friends. She even refers to herself as "Elise" or "Lise" sometimes. "Princess" is also a nickname, although she really only tolerates it from Connell.

26

She/Her

Mental Health Social Worker

March 17th

Charlotte Spencer

5 FT. 5 IN.

Willowy, Lithe, Graceful

Light Brown

Auburn Brown

It naturally has a little bit of a wave to it, and she generally keeps it no longer than about mid-shoulder length.

She has a tattoo of a sparrow on her right shoulder blade.

She has two piercings in each ear, on the lobe only, although she flirted with the idea of a belly button ring or a septum piercing she never went for either.

Everything in Morgan's closet is expensive clothing brands and professional business attire, and she has a shoe collection that takes up half of her closet. Fashion is almost a guilty pleasure, and even her casual wear like her jeans and t-shirts are designer and carry a designer price tag.

Morgan knows she's beautiful and likes to flaunt it. Although she tries not to go too heavy on the makeup and cover up the freckles that some people pay to have tattooed on their skin, the cute kind that goes across the tops of her cheeks and the bridge of her nose.

For decades, the sparrow has been used as a standard in animal tattoo imagery. The movement of the bird is a symbol of liberty and the freedom to travel where one pleases as well as quickness and cunning. A sparrow with wings spread, clearly in flight, can also symbolize a swift mind, which is a unique meaning.

While many may not see the sparrow as being a bird associated with love it has become a symbol of that over the years. When these birds mate, they mate for life and become a symbol of monogamy and fidelity in relationships.

Tattoos bearing a pair of sparrows can represent not only love, but a strong commitment and loyalty. Sparrows are birds that are almost always traveling in a cluster with their clan. This offers them protection and in terms of a tattoo design this can be used to convey inclusion and community. In this way, sparrows are an appropriate choice for marriage or couple’s tattoos and are placed on either member of a partnership. Less romantically, sparrows may also be used in the case of friendship tattoos.

Her personality has been compared to a volcano. Bombastic. Passionate. Giving herself into whatever project is put before her. Taking care of her family. Blood and duty have been ingrained into her since childhood, and she has always seen herself as a protector - although that doesn't necessarily match up with her family's interests. She finds herself with restless energy quite often, and pours the energy into her career. She is the grounded, practical one in her day to day life, a motherly type who reminds you to eat and drink more water and also do you want to go for a run with her?

At the same time, she is a spoiled princess in just about every sense of the word a girl can be - daddy's girl and the favorite child - and despite being grounded and practical there is a profound disconnect between herself and someone living a much more 'average' life. Despite her work and her field, she has very little concept of what it means to be rich versus poor, born into privilege and born without.

Has someone muttered under their breath (too afraid it might get back to Papa Callaghan's ears) that his beloved daughter would absolutely tell someone to let the poor eat their cake if they can't afford the bread? Absolutely.

Morgan is a firecracker! High energy, social, frequent (but responsible!) party girl. She usually dominates in a conversation and is almost motherly in a way, making each person she talks to feel as if she is personally invested in their lives. It's a front, to keep others from probing too deep into her own personal life. Much of her interactions outside of her family feels like an act, both to protect the person she's speaking to, and to protect herself from them.

She may butt heads with her family, but she is still the beloved favorite daughter of the Callaghan clan, and she knows in what situations she can't let someone forget that fact. She expects respect and is often shocked and angry when she runs into a situation where she has to earn it - especially in the context of her work, where she's already had to fight every step of the way just to get where she is. (This of course doesn't apply to patients, that's different.)

Currently romantically unavailable due to an entanglement with one Connell Byrne. She has definitely used her sexuality as a weapon against her parents in the past, however, and she is particularly fond of dating those they wouldn't approve of as an act of rebellion.

Morgan hates being lumped in with her family in the criminal faction; she's done her best to stay neutral and uninvolved in the majority of their dealings whenever possible. Still, she knows better than to show weakness in the face of an enemy and many outside their family wouldn't know her feelings lean in another direction.

Maeve Callaghan - The Callaghan Matriarch who is known to all as the real leader of the Callaghan dynasty. While her husband is the brawns of this whole operation she is the brains. All business and no rush actions. She is the one sitting at the negotiation table by her husband's side. Ruthless, cunning and the true strength of this family. She is tribal, wants to keep everyone in her family close because she thinks there lies their true power. In unity. That includes her daughter who thinks she can escape this family.

Iain Callaghan - The Callaghan Patriarch is a man born and forged in fire. IRA member with loads of paramilitary connections and resources. He built this organization from the bottom up to the point when money is not an issue anymore and the docks are his turf. The brawns to his wife's brains. Always had a soft spot for his daughter, preferring her over his son since they were little and forgiven her every single misstep. He knows he owns his wife half of the family's success (if not more) but refuses to admit it. Connell has gained the old mans' trust slowly but surely through displays of gallant loyalty which has brought him one step closer to his goal.

Padraig "Pat" Callaghan - The Callaghan Heir. He was born with a crown on his head and the weight of the whole future on his shoulders. Volatile, cunning, ruthless but with plenty of weakness easily exploitable. Not the smartest cookie in the box, has a lot to learn, reckless and dangerous. Has a lot of policemen in his payroll, almost battered a man to death last spring. His right hand man, Kenneth, took the fall for him. They have a secret romantic relationship and he trusts him more than anyone else. Closeted bisexual, hasn't come out to his family yet in fear of his father's reaction.

March 17th

It wasn't expected for Morgan to necessarily go directly into the 'family business', although certainly her mother would have desired a right-hand lady to stand by her side. The fact that Morgan has chosen to go into a totally different direction has been a sore point since the moment she announced her university prospects and her eventual intentions to go into Mental Health Social Work. With a special focus on substance abuse.

It has been a fight nearly every step of the way, with multiple starts and stops as family pulled her elsewhere, but she is finally in a position where she has graduated with her degree, certifications, and secured a position at St. Bart's. She assures it is somewhat temporary, but conveniently is 'too busy with work' whenever she is called upon to assist her family with some task or another.

Morgan was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. The spare to an heir, as it were, and that meant she was free to be the precious daughter doted upon by her parents. The 'princess' in the kingdom. It was just a very long time before she realized this 'kingdom' was built on blood and violence.

From about the age of 10, she knew that she couldn't continue down the same path as her brother - love him as she might. She couldn't do what her mother and father so effortlessly did. But nor could she turn her back on them completely. The Callaghans, for all their blood and death, were family. She knew no other world but the one they built.

So she had to fight in other ways. Small ways to give back to the community what the Callaghans stole from the docks. It's a poorly kept secret that she does not agree with the path her family has chosen, nor with whom they had to tie themselves to get it, or the path they forged after. But it's a secret still kept, because Morgan can do no true wrong in the eyes of her father. Plus, they can rest assured that she would never do anything to intentionally cause them harm.

The small battles are the only way to win the war.

Age 6

She was six the first time Daddy takes her to the shooting range alongside her brother.
Daddy always insisted that the shooting range was no place for a little girl, but she could see the way Mum's eyes flashed and the tight way she closed her lips every time he said it. Morgan didn't mind; she much preferred to stay with the nanny and play dolls anyway while Daddy had 'boy time' with her brother.

Soon though, the arguments began. Morgan sat at the table coloring in a unicorn in nothing but purple crayon while her brother played his Gameboy and Mum and Daddy bickered in the background.

She has to be able to defend herself, Mum said. What if something happens? What if our men go down and she's left alone?

Six is too young, Daddy protested, and that would never happen.

Our enemies don't care if six is too young, Mum snapped back. You can't promise me that. You can't. She has to know how to protect herself.

The next boy's trip found Morgan right next to her brother with her own shotgun - although it's only a BB gun compared to the real thing in his hands. He immediately ran off with his ammo, whooping and hollering, to where clay pigeon shooting was set up for him.

I still say yer too young, but when yer Mam's right, she's right, Daddy gruffed. He held her hand and walked her over to the booth next to her brother. Even with ear protection Morgan jumped at the first report of her brother's rifle, the crack of the clay discs as he hit his mark.

Daddy showed her each part of the gun, the barrel, the muzzle, the trigger, the stock, the safety. He helped her load the little round pellets into the BB gun and helped her lift it to her shoulder and position it where it should be. His big hands closed over her little ones and helped her hold it steady. Aim and shoot, he said, and she did.

The moment the pellet shot left the barrel - the reverberation under her fingers, the way the stock jerked back against her shoulder - Morgan burst into tears.

Daddy laughed and scooped her into his arms. There, there, my sweet, he soothed, it won't be so scary or strong forever. Look at yer brother, he's still a wee lad and he can handle a rifle all by himself now.

He thought she was crying from the fright of the recoil and the shock of the noise. She wasn't, but she had no words at six years old to explain how she felt.

He didn't make her shoot again that day, but Morgan still found herself dragged along to the shooting range at least once a week with her brother. If not to shoot, then to watch, to learn, to pick up her brother's shells or keep track of his hits. No matter how much she threw a fit. No matter how she begged and pleaded and cried to stay home. They all ignored her.

By the time she was 12 she could shoot both the over-and-under shotgun of the clay pigeon shoot and the standard handgun the Callaghan men carried with a decent level of accuracy. Marksman she was not, but she could at least hit the target. It wasn't until her brother complained and wanted to move on to the real range, and target shooting, and hunting, that Morgan was finally allowed to stop going.

She vowed she would never step foot on a gun range again as long as she lived.

Age 9

She was nine when she learned about ransom insurance, and really came to understand what the Callaghans did for a living.

The Callaghans sent their children to one of the most illustrious private schools in the area, the best of the best money could buy that wasn't a boarding school. Morgan and all her peers were of the same wealth and social status and it was normal to discuss aspects of the security teams they all grew up with.

One of her classmates casually discussed how the lawyer had been over with an insurance broker to make adjustments to the ransom insurance now that their baby sister had been born, and that sent the group talking.

"What's ransom insurance?" Morgan asked, confused, and further confused by their looks.

"Well, it's what happens if you get kidnapped for money." One of her classmates explained. "Dad said, the insurance pays all the money to get you free and handles all the talking and stuff."

They went on to further explain it was like if a robber held up a bank, and for a little while the conversation derailed into what each of them would do if they came face to face with a robber. Various scenarios of being the hero, or getting their bodyguards to kill or capture the bad guy.

Still, Morgan couldn't conceive a concept where anyone would want to kidnap a kid for money. And how would they do that, anyway? Any time she was off the estate she had someone with her, like her brother or one of the drivers or one of the guards. She was so rarely ever by herself.

Perhaps concerned by her slightly worried expression, one of her classmates patted her on the arm. "Don't worry, Lise, that would never happen to you," they said. "Everybody knows what your family would do."

Morgan frowned at them. "What do you mean?"

"Well…" they paused, and exchanged looks with some of the other kids. "Your Da's a murderer, ain't he?"

Appalled, Morgan jerked to her feet, slamming her hands on the table. "You take that back! Daddy's never hurt anyone!"

But it didn't matter. The seed had been planted. Morgan went home that night and could barely eat dinner, claiming an upset stomach. She knew Daddy and Mum both worked at the docks, but… what did they do, really? As if unbidden, things she had seen or heard or noticed over time, that never made any sense before, started to click into place.

Three days later, white faced and shaky, she went up to one of her teachers during lunch. "Miss Jones… I think my father hurts people."

But the reaction she got wasn't the one she expected. With a pinched and worried expression Miss Jones hurriedly pulled her aside to shush her about that sort of nonsense. Any protests Morgan tried to make were shut down. She was told to go wait in the headmaster's office.

"But I haven't done anything wrong!" She cried out, but there was no use. She was marched to the office and sat while her mother was called. She wanted to cry. Was she right? Was she now going to get in trouble for Daddy being a bad guy?

One look at her mother's face when she entered to sign her out told Morgan all she needed to know. Morgan dared not say another word, shrinking in on herself, and following along quietly as she was led out to the car.

But when her mother got in beside her, the cold expression had melted away. In fact she looked faintly amused. "Your father wanted to wait one more year." She said, as if it made any sort of sense to Morgan at all. "I would have had you from the beginning, but he said the business was no place for little girls. Well, you aren't so little now, my darling. It's time you knew."

"Knew what, Mummy?" Morgan felt the throb of anxiety in her throat, and she was on the verge of tears yet again.

Mum smiled. "The family business."