Down Bad Characters

Twenty-one at the club and turns twenty-two during the story; she is Gavin and Millie Langfield's adoptive daughter, left as a baby on Gavin's doorstep and raised feeling like the family's black sheep. She works as a nanny in the brownstone, masks hurt with sass and flirtation, and becomes pregnant after a one-night stand with Trent Matthews. She is drawn to Brayden and insists on being called Vi rather than Vivi.

Arc: She moves from feeling unwanted and dancing at a club for money to accepting help from family and friends, telling Brayden she loves him, giving birth to Warren, and becoming his fiancée.

• Brayden Hawke — fiancé and partner; father of Warren in all ways that matter
• Warren Gavin Hawke — her son
• Gavin Langfield — her adoptive father and hockey coach
• Millie Langfield — her adoptive mother
• Trent Matthews — one-night stand and Warren's biological father
• Winnie Langfield — cousin, boss, and confidante
• Beckett Langfield — her uncle
• Willow Miller — best friend since childhood
• Addie Langfield — her cousin
• Josie — friend
• Hope James — roommate and friend
• Tyler 'War' Warren — calls him Uncle War

Thirty-three-year-old captain of the Bolts, adopted and raised by War and Ava, and a tattoo artist who volunteers at the YMCA. He is loyal to Coach Gavin and conflicted by his attraction to Vi, and he normally avoids trouble as team captain. He is called Bray, Hawke, and Birthday Boy.

Arc: He moves from denying the club encounter and keeping Vi at a distance to choosing Vi and Warren openly, moving into the brownstone, proposing, and winning the Stanley Cup.

• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — fiancée and partner; he claims Warren as his son
• Warren Gavin Hawke — his son in all ways that matter
• Gavin Langfield — his coach and Vi's father
• Tyler 'War' Warren — adoptive father
• Ava — adoptive mother
• JJ — best friend and teammate
• Josie — sister
• Scarlett — sister
• Beckham — younger brother
• Bobby Dean — teammate and friend
• Maxim Loob — teammate and close friend
• Trent Matthews — new teammate and antagonist over Vi and Warren
• Theo James — close friend

Warren's biological father and later a new Bolts defenseman, also referred to as Mr. Matthews. He denies knowing Vi through his agent, then confronts her at the rink, claims Warren is his kid, and threatens to sue if she tells Brayden. He insults Vi and is ultimately released from the team.

Arc: He moves from a hidden one-night stand and denying Vi to a threatening new teammate, then to being exposed, restrained, and released from the Bolts.

• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — one-night stand and mother of Warren
• Warren Gavin Hawke — biological son he calls my kid
• Brayden Hawke — teammate and rival over Vi and Warren
• Gavin Langfield — his coach
• Martin Hughes — his agent
• Maxim Loob — teammate who restrains him

Vi's adoptive father and the Bolts coach, protective of his daughter and initially furious about her involvement with Brayden. He is also a Langfield brother and Addie's uncle. He wants Vi to return to school and struggles with her choices before warming to Brayden.

Arc: He moves from anger and disappointment to reconciliation with Vi, acceptance of Brayden, and joy at becoming Warren's grandfather.

• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — his daughter
• Millie Langfield — his wife
• Warren Gavin Hawke — his grandson and namesake
• Brayden Hawke — his captain and later son-in-law
• Beckett Langfield — his brother
• Tyler 'War' Warren — friend and former player
• Addie Langfield — his niece
• Trent Matthews — player he threatens and dismisses

Vi's cousin, Beckett's daughter, Addie's sister, and a CEO and single mother of twins who is overwhelmed by work and motherhood. She supports Vi through the pregnancy and hides the truth about the twins' father, Foster Wilde. Foster calls her Freddy and has obsessed over her for five years.

Arc: She moves from hiding her past with Foster and struggling to do everything alone to supporting Vi openly and finally facing Foster's return when he comes back to Boston.

• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — cousin and confidante
• Beckett Langfield — her father
• Addie Langfield — her sister
• Declan 'Dec' — her twin son
• Beckett 'Beck' — her twin son
• Foster Wilde — one-night stand and father of her twins; he calls her Freddy
• Finn Langfield — household co-parent who helps with the children
• Perry — marketing colleague who undermines her as CEO

The eldest Langfield sibling, Vi's uncle, Winnie's father, and a team owner who protects the family during media storms. He arranges security, handles contract issues, and gives Vi the brownstone nanny job as a last chance. He later introduces the Wilde brothers as new additions to Boston sports.

Arc: He remains the family's controlling but protective fixer, moving from managing Vi's crisis to managing Trent's contract and the Wilde brothers' arrival.

• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — his niece
• Winnie Langfield — his daughter
• Addie Langfield — his daughter
• Finn Langfield — his son
• Gavin Langfield — his brother
• Declan 'Dec' — his grandson
• Beckett 'Beck' — his grandson
• Foster Wilde — brought him and his brothers to Boston
• Theo James — aims to bring him back to Boston

Brayden's adoptive father and mentor, who took him in as a troubled fourteen-year-old and calls him his first son. He gives a birthday toast and later a locker-room speech about enjoying the game while it lasts. He supports Brayden and Vi and is deeply moved by Warren's name.

Arc: He remains Brayden's steadfast father figure, moving from proud mentor to defender of Brayden and Vi and finally a tearful namesake grandfather.

• Brayden Hawke — adoptive son
• Ava — his wife
• Beckham — his son
• Josie — adopted daughter
• Scarlett — adopted daughter
• Gavin Langfield — friend and former coach
• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — future daughter-in-law
• Warren Gavin Hawke — namesake

War's wife and Brayden's adoptive mother, warm and welcoming to Vi at Christmas. She is pregnant with War's son during the story. She helps keep the Warren household calm and later takes Warren home so Brayden and Vi can handle press duties.

Arc: She remains a steady maternal presence, moving from welcoming Vi into the family to caring for Warren during the Cup celebration.

• Tyler 'War' Warren — her husband
• Brayden Hawke — her son
• Josie — her daughter
• Scarlett — her daughter
• Beckham — her son
• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — welcomes her into the Warren house
• Warren Gavin Hawke — takes him home after the Cup win

The Bolts' goalie, Brayden's best friend, Avery's father, and Addie's partner. He is focused on his daughter and later on Addie, and he worries about managing the season and his family. He is protective of Vi and lies to Gavin to cover for Brayden.

Arc: He moves from struggling as a single parent to going public with Addie, getting engaged, and planning to retire at the end of the season.

• Brayden Hawke — best friend and teammate
• Avery — his daughter
• Addie Langfield — partner and fiancée
• Tabitha — estranged wife
• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — nanny and friend he helps watch out for
• Hope James — his cousin
• Jarred Kane — teammate he sets up for a Cup goal

A Langfield cousin, Beckett's daughter, and a goalie and goalie coach who later plays for the Bolts. She is close to Vi and becomes JJ's partner. She is also the one who recommends rookie Jarred Kane move to defense.

Arc: She moves from coaching the goalies to playing in the NHL, going public with JJ, and getting engaged to him on the ice.

• JJ — partner and fiancé
• Beckett Langfield — her father
• Finn Langfield — her brother
• Winnie Langfield — her sister
• Gavin Langfield — her uncle
• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — her cousin
• Brayden Hawke — friend and teammate
• Jarred Kane — rookie she recommends

Brayden's sister, adopted by War and Ava, who is protective of him and proposes using the New Romantics column to improve his image. She teases Brayden about Vi and tries to do damage control. She is affectionate with her family and flirts with Maxim.

Arc: She remains Brayden's protective sister, moving from warning him away from Vi to supporting him and the family as the scandal settles.

• Brayden Hawke — her brother
• Tyler 'War' Warren — her adoptive father
• Ava — her adoptive mother
• Scarlett — her sister
• Beckham — her brother
• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — friend
• Maxim Loob — flirts with him
• Savannah — friend and New Romantics contact

A Bolts teammate and close friend of Brayden, often quiet and blunt, who defends Vi and restrains Trent after he insults her. He helps with the crib assembly and later helps rookie Jarred Kane. He is called Maxxy by Vi.

Arc: He remains a loyal teammate, moving from party enabler to one of Vi's fiercest defenders and a mentor to Jarred.

• Brayden Hawke — teammate and friend
• Bobby Dean — teammate and friend
• Gavin Langfield — his coach
• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — friend who calls him Maxxy
• Trent Matthews — restrains him physically after he insults Vi
• Jarred Kane — veteran who agrees to help him
• Josie — flirts with her

A Bolts teammate who organizes Brayden's birthday dinner and pushes the club night and lap dance. He later becomes a supportive teammate, helps assemble the crib, and shows off baby pictures. He flirts with Vi and Josie and jokes throughout.

Arc: He remains the loud, celebratory teammate, moving from causing the club fiasco to supporting Brayden's family and the team's Cup run.

• Brayden Hawke — teammate and friend
• Maxim Loob — teammate and friend
• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — friend who flirts with her
• Josie — flirts with her
• Addie Langfield — teammate

The father of Winnie's twins, also called Wild, who has obsessed over Winnifred Langfield for five years and calls her Freddy. He is introduced as a new Bolts defenseman after Beckett brings the Wilde brothers to Boston. He watches Winnie from a private box during the Cup final and plans to say hello to his wife.

Arc: He moves from a hidden one-night stand and absent father to a returning Bolts player ready to confront Winnie and claim his place in her life.

• Winnie Langfield — the woman he calls Freddy and his wife; father of her twins
• Declan 'Dec' — his son
• Beckett 'Beck' — his son
• Beckett Langfield — brought him to Boston
• Jackson, Raine, Belmont, Crew, Logan, and Rex Wilde — his brothers

Vi and Brayden's son, born by c-section and named after War and Gavin. He weighs eight pounds two ounces and makes his first practice-arena visit in a Hawke jersey. He is passed among the players and sleeps in his stroller while Vi confronts Trent.

Arc: He is born into a large chosen family, is claimed by Brayden in all the ways that matter, and becomes the center of the family's Cup celebration.

• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — his mother
• Brayden Hawke — his father in all ways that matter
• Trent Matthews — his biological father
• Gavin Langfield — his grandfather and namesake
• Tyler 'War' Warren — his namesake

Vi's best friend since childhood and current roommate, who warns her against the club plan and later photographs Vi and Warren. She is the daughter of Dylan and Cortney and is often the one Vi turns to for support. She helps Vi create a surprise gift for Brayden.

Arc: She remains Vi's steady best friend, moving from worrying about her to helping her through pregnancy and motherhood.

• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — best friend and roommate
• Dylan — her mother
• Cortney — her father
• Beckett Langfield — her father's best friend and neighbor

Vi's adoptive mother and Gavin's wife, warm and supportive but caught between her daughter and husband. She defends Brayden for protecting Vi and objects when Gavin demands Brayden marry her. She is Ford Hall's daughter.

Arc: She moves from trying to calm Gavin to openly supporting Vi and welcoming Warren as her grandson.

• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — her daughter
• Gavin Langfield — her husband
• Warren Gavin Hawke — her grandson
• Ford Hall — her father

A single mother of three who works for her family's whiskey company and becomes one of Vi's roommates and employers. She is Finn's best friend and romantic interest and is kind to Vi when she joins the brownstone. Her daughters include Gracie, Mari, and Emmy Lou.

Arc: She remains a supportive friend and mother, moving from welcoming Vi as nanny to quietly becoming part of Finn's orbit.

• Finn Langfield — best friend and romantic interest
• Gracie, Mari, and Emmy Lou — her daughters
• JJ — her cousin
• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — roommate and nanny for her daughters

Beckett's son, Addie and Winnie's brother, and Vi's cousin, as well as a Boston Revs catcher. He is close to Hope and often helps with the brownstone children. He is affectionate with Emmy Lou and plans meals and activities for the family.

Arc: He remains a warm, helpful presence, moving from cousin and friend to a man openly orbiting Hope.

• Beckett Langfield — his father
• Addie Langfield — his sister
• Winnie Langfield — his sister
• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — her cousin
• Hope James — best friend and romantic interest
• Gracie — child who knows and admires him

Brayden's younger brother and War and Ava's son, excited about possibly playing for the Bolts next year. He attends the birthday dinner and family skate and nudges Josie when she brings up sensitive subjects. He wants to follow his brother and father into hockey.

Arc: He remains a supportive younger brother, moving from birthday dinner guest to a young player eager to join the Bolts.

• Brayden Hawke — his older brother
• Tyler 'War' Warren — his father
• Ava — his mother
• Josie — his sister
• Scarlett — his sister
• Maverick — best friend

Brayden's sister in War and Ava's family and an adopted daughter of War. She appears at the Warren family breakfast and comments on Brayden's apple tattoo. She is part of the large chosen family around Brayden.

Arc: She remains a minor but present family member, teasing Brayden about his tattoo as the family absorbs his relationship with Vi.

• Brayden Hawke — her brother
• Tyler 'War' Warren — her adoptive father
• Ava — her mother
• Josie — her sister
• Beckham — her brother

JJ's daughter, often in the brownstone with Vi and the other children, who insists on telling the truth and does not believe in lies. She sits on Vi's lap at games and later on JJ's lap during crib assembly. She calls Theo Uncle Theo.

Arc: She remains a child in the extended found family, moving from questioning Vi's authority to accepting her as a caregiver and celebrating with the team.

• JJ — her father
• Tabitha — her mother
• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — her nanny and caregiver
• Addie Langfield — her father's partner
• Gracie — cousin and playmate
• Theo James — calls him Uncle Theo

A rookie defenseman recommended by Addie to replace Trent, who settles into the second-line defense. He helps JJ block the net and scores after taking JJ's pass in the Cup final. Maxim agrees to help him adjust.

Arc: He moves from rookie suggestion to Cup-final contributor as the team rebuilds its defense without Trent.

• Addie Langfield — recommends him for defense
• Maxim Loob — veteran who agrees to help him
• JJ — teammate who sets up his Cup goal
• Brayden Hawke — teammate

Vi's maternal grandfather and Millie's father, who greets Vi warmly at the Christmas party. He intervenes during Gavin's confrontation, asks if Vi is okay, and tells Gavin to take a breath. He reassures Vi that the family loves her.

Arc: He remains a calm, compassionate elder, helping defuse the Christmas confrontation and supporting Vi.

• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — his granddaughter
• Millie Langfield — his daughter
• Gavin Langfield — his son-in-law
• Lake — his wife
• Nash — his son

Camden Snow's fiancée and a friend or colleague involved in the New Romantics column. She tells Vivi and Addie that the first article will run as PR damage control and reveals Brayden will be the next subject. She is part of the social circle around the team and family.

Arc: She remains a PR-minded friend, moving the New Romantics plan forward as the family handles the JJ and Addie scandal.

• Camden Snow — her fiancé
• Addie Langfield — friend and New Romantics colleague
• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — friend
• Brayden Hawke — recruits him as the next New Romantics subject

A close friend of Brayden's mentioned around the Tennessee football game and called Uncle Theo by Avery. Beckett Langfield aims to bring him back to Boston, and he texts that he is moving back and mentions rumors about the Wilde brothers. His return is set up as part of Boston sports' changes.

Arc: He remains off-page for most of the story but is positioned to return to Boston as the Wilde brothers arrive.

• Brayden Hawke — close friend
• Avery — she calls him Uncle Theo
• Beckett Langfield — aims to bring him back to Boston

Mr. Matthews's agent, who calls Vi to say his client denies knowing her and demands a paternity test. He threatens a libel suit if Vi goes to the press. He is adversarial to Vi and protective of Trent's reputation and marriage.

Arc: He remains an adversarial agent, trying to contain the paternity issue for Trent and failing as the truth surfaces.

• Trent Matthews — his client
• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — adversarial caller

Vi's doctor, who confirms the pregnancy, performs the ultrasound, and estimates Vi is about seventeen weeks along. She reveals the baby is a boy and offers to print pictures.

Arc: She remains a minor medical figure, delivering the key ultrasound news that shapes Vi and Brayden's commitment.

• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — her patient

Winnie's son and Beckett's twin brother, a young boy who prefers baseball, frees the baby raccoon Junie, and resists being told no. He calls Bray a meanie and later calls the baby Frankenstein. He is part of the chaotic brownstone household.

Arc: He remains a mischievous child, moving from freeing raccoons to adjusting to Brayden and the new baby in the house.

• Winnie Langfield — his mother
• Beckett 'Beck' — his twin brother
• Beckett Langfield — his grandfather
• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — caregiver and family member
• Brayden Hawke — caregiver who disciplines him

Winnie's son and Declan's twin, a young boy who hugs Brayden and calls him his hero, then later calls the baby weird. He goes with Maxim for the team photo and is part of the brownstone children.

Arc: He remains a young child in the household, moving from hero-worshipping Brayden to accepting the baby and family changes.

• Winnie Langfield — his mother
• Declan 'Dec' — his twin brother
• Beckett Langfield — his grandfather
• Viviane 'Vi' Langfield — caregiver and family member
• Brayden Hawke — caregiver he calls his hero