#thomasshelbyfanfic

[creativepawsworld]

Silence - Chapter 37

Pairing = Thomas Shelby x Reader

Summary = Ana’s parents return from London and reveal some upsetting things for Ana. 

Warnings = Language, Grammar, Sexual Themes, Pregnancy announced, Violence mentioned, Gang Activity mentioned. 

Word Count = 3352

“Good morning” I greeted walking into the tailor shop the next morning. My parents having returned from London yesterday evening when Tommy and I were sharing our news with his family.

It had turned into such a celebration. Arthur disappeared into the betting shop only to return with bottles of rum and whiskey calling for a celebration. John had told Esme to tell the sitter they needed her to stay longer.

I had never seen a family so happier, so excited to welcome a baby into the world it filled my heart with so much love, I had to excuse myself for a good cry.

“Good morning Ana, how are you?” My father smiled glancing up from his work schedule to spare me a glance whereas my mother eyes lifted from her cup of tea to send daggers my way.

I had to refrain from rolling my eyes at her actions. Clearly she was back to hating my very existence, again. Choosing to ignore it, I removed the coat from my shoulders hanging it on the rack beside the door, getting myself ready for the day ahead.

Most of the morning went by without a word, my father and I busy fulfilling orders or fixing whatever came through the door with ease while my mother potted around the shop, turning her nose up at certain fabrics or making unwarranted comments about my work, which I simply choose to ignore.

By late evening, I had started to pack away most of my things, tidying my workspace for tomorrow when my father appeared next to me, a small smile on his face.

“Ana, did Thomas talk to you about the shop?” He asked quietly checking over his shoulder for his wife. “It’s just I haven’t received anything yet and I wondered if he was having second thoughts?”

“You mean about the sell of the shop?” I asked, squinting my eyes in confusion at his choice of words.

“Yes, I know it’s not an investment for him but I am rather desperate.” He nodded, tongue swiping across his bottom lip, a nervous habit he had picked up over the years.

“You’re desperate?” I repeated in question.

“Yes, I thought Thomas would be interested in buying this place because of you. You are an amazing seamstress Ana and deserve your own place, it’s not much now but you can make it your own, Thomas will help you with that.”

“You approached Tommy about the sell, he didn’t approach you?”

“Oh no, no. It was me. Did he tell you otherwise?” My father asked, eyebrow raised in surprise as he looked at me.

“Father why do you want to sell the shop?” I asked employing the Shelby trait of answering a question with a question.

There was just something about this entire situation that felt wrong. Tommy never mentioned considering buying the shop until he slipped the contract into my purse. Unusual but I believed his reasoning as I had learned over the years that Tommy was a big gesture kind of man, especially after a fight.

But my father, he poured his heart and soul into this place, just like his father and grandfather before him.

I knew he wouldn’t have handed it over so easily, not to mention I was under the impression that Tommy made him an offer that was too hard to refuse. My father’s only stipulation being that he wanted the shop to remain under the control of an Alder, that being me.

“That’s not something…”

“Father I am not a little girl anymore and if you expect my partner to buy the shop from you, you will tell me why. This shop is your life so something has clearly happened to make you want to sell it.” I inform him sternly, pushing my shoulders back so I appeared taller, stronger.

“Ana…”

“No father, I am a grown woman not a China doll that will break. I have seen things, been involved with things that will make your head spin at the thought of your daughter being in such situations so you will tell me or I will tell Tommy it’s not happening.”

“You have certainly grown into a fine young woman” He smiled reaching forward stroking my cheek, a sad smile on his face. “Thomas Shelby is one lucky gentleman to have you on his arm.”

“Dad please, just talk to me.”

“You are gonna hate me for this.” He sighed dropping his hand from my face, his head dropping to his chest so he could look at the floor beneath his feet. Inhaling deeply I leaned against my desk, waiting for him to continue.

“It all started with James. We are a small tailor shop in Small Heath, not one of the bigger ones in the bull ring. Money is few and far between Ana, always has been. You know we only made enough to cover the bills, pay for some fabrics that’s it.”

“Yeah but that’s because your savings went to the Shelby’s.” I nod at him remembering him taking a black bag with a large sum of money to the Shelby family the night Arthur had beaten James to a bloody pulp.

It was that night I started taking over the books, monitoring everything that came and went from the shop.

“No, there was no savings Ana. We had nothing, have nothing still.” He continued with a long sigh, his shoulders dropping in sadness.

“But the black bag, it was filled with money. I saw you walk out of here with it.”

“The bag was empty Ana. That night I went somewhere else, somewhere to get the money.” He spoke, finally looking up at me, tears filled his eyes, a few escaping to roll down his cheeks.

My heart began to beat out of my chest as I waited for him to continue, my mind going back to that night. I hadn’t actually seen my father put money into the bag, in fact I hadn’t even seen him go near the safe, I just assumed.

“There was other conditions with the money. Conditions involving you Ana, but then their son left for America after some trouble. We hadn’t heard from them for a long time we thought it was over. Until word got around that you were dating Thomas Shelby.”

I felt vomit rising in my throat at the thought of my parents making a deal with someone and using me as a pawn to secure the money. I knew they didn’t care that much about me but to use me as part of a deal was a brand new level of low.

“They weren’t happy, you were promised to their son. A wife to settle his wild ways…”

“Stop” I held my hand up stopping him mind sentence, my head suddenly becoming light due to everything he was saying. “Stop talking father.”

“I’m sorry Ana, I never wanted this but…”

“You were selling me off to pay a debt?” I spat back, angry tears filling my eyes as I glared at my father. “The Shelby’s would have given you time to pay the money father, free tailoring services probably would have been enough.”

“Then why did they take the money if they are such good hearted people.” My mother’s voice spoke from the doorway.

I wasn’t sure how long she was standing there but with the sour look on her face it had been a while, she was just waiting on her moment to jump in to defend her actions.

“Who wouldn’t take money that was handed to them mother? They are business men. If you wanted to offer above and beyond your means they aren’t going to stop you. They had no loyalties to you, not then.”

“They are monsters who take everything they can to get rich and render the rest of us poor.” She growled back, her frail body barely managing to march over to stand next to her husband who couldn’t even make eye contact with me.

“They are the monsters? You were selling off you daughter to the highest bidder because you couldn’t just sit down and discuss a deal with them and you call yourselves business people?” I scoffed, shaking my head at the pair of them.  

“It’s not something I’m proud of Ana…” My father started to say only to stop himself when he realised he actually didn’t have the words to say. The truth had finally come out.

“But it had to be done.” My mother finished for him, a hateful look on her face as she looked over at me. “Then you had to go and mess it all up, letting that devil in your bed.”

“What is the difference between him and the devil you were trying to marry me off to mother?” I asked knowing that the only people in a town like this, with a lot of money were in fact gangsters just like the Shelby’s.

I watched my mother’s face contorted into shock at me words, her eyes blinking at least ten times a second as she tried to come up with a answer to my question but I knew I had her stomped. She had nothing.

Tommy may be a devil to some, I wasn’t naïve I knew he did bad things. Killed people, hurt people but he always had a reason behind it. He didn’t do it because he wanted to. In his own words, he did bad things to a good end. Mostly.

Shaking my head I walked over to the door, grabbing my coat to place it around my shoulders. My mother stood in shock at the realisation of what I had said.

Tommy was no better than the man she was so hell bent on me marrying, the past two years of her hatred was for nothing and she knew it. She was just blinded by whatever ransom these people held over her. And now she had ruined whatever little relationship we had and there was no coming back from that. 

“Tommy and I are expecting our first child together, we found out yesterday so consider this my resignation father.” I tell him. My words bringing his head up from the floor to look at me with an unknown expression behind his eyes.

I didn’t want to resign, I loved this shop, I loved tailoring but I couldn’t work here anymore, not with the total strangers I once considered my parents. Watching the realisation of the words, their jaws dropped at my words just as I closed the door tightly behind me.

******

It was only when a drop of rain hit off my nose did I break from my thoughts. Since leaving the tailor shop I had walked, just walked becoming completely lost in my thoughts that I was unsure of where I actually ended up.

Looking around I noticed I had walked to Tommy’s office in town. Everything around me was closing. It had just gone after 6pm, people were starting to go home for the day to their families, something Tommy will be doing within the next nine months.

Smiling at the thought I pushed open the large black door, a welcoming warmth hitting my face as I closed the door softly behind me.

“As long as there is more coming in, we are alright.” I heard Tommy’s voice, sighing a breathe a relief that he was here. I just really needed him right now. I needed his arms around me and his chin resting on my head as I inhaled his scent.

“The decorators in the Garrison want paying, Arthur forgot and pulled a gun when they asked so, they’ve stopped.” Lizzie told him, her hands resting on the edge of her desk as she rattled off the information.

“Tommy?” I spoke softly making my presence known as I walked into the room. For once Lizzie wasn’t throwing herself at him, if anything she looked rather stressed with the workload she had been given.

“Alright, just pay em Lizzie.” Tommy brushed off, concern in his eyes when he saw me.

Immediately he knew something wasn’t right as he took in my face. Nodding his head at me, silently summoning me to join him before turning his attention back to the taller, dark haired woman.

“Oh and we need to put an advert in the mail, Garrison grand reopening.” He pointed his index finger at her, immediately Lizzie had a pencil writing his words down.

“And you said there is a letter to go today, special delivery. I wrote it in the diary.” Lizzie spoke up just as Tommy nudged me towards the office door, leading to the staircase and to his office.  

“Yes.” He sighed out a heavy breath, his eyes cast down to me before returning to the other woman.  “I haven’t written it out yet.”

“Well you can just tell me and I’ll write it down. I learned short hand.” Lizzie explained allowing herself to sink into her chair, pencil at the ready to write, a proud look on her face.

“Fair enough” Tommy nodded, leaving me by the door to walk back into the room, clasping his hands behind his back, he began to speak. “Dear Mr Churchill…”

“Is your pencil broken?” Tommy asked after a moment.

Lizzie just looked over at him with wide eyes due to the nature of the letter whereas I stood by the door wide eyed as Tommy had his back to her the entire time, how did he know she wasn’t writing? The man never ceased to amaze me.

“No, no do go on.”

“Dear Mr Churchill…” Tommy began again. 

I felt my eyebrows pull in confusion at the mention of him having to carrying out a task that remain unspecified after being approach by a person of the crown. My mind immediately went to what Major Campbell had said to Tommy at the hospital.

He said he would be back in touch with Tommy once his health had improved and clearly he had been. I dreaded to think how deeply Tommy was involved if this went right up to Churchill. Was everyone corrupt? Was Tommy the good man in all this?  

Once he finished speaking, Lizzie informed him that she will have it written up and posted before 7pm. Thanking her, Tommy came to stand next to me once more taking my hand in his with a light squeeze.

“Oh and this came for you today, from America. A place called Poughkeepsie.” Lizzie spoke after him, pulling a letter from her desk, holding it out for him to take, her face unbothered.

“You’ve go to be fucking kidding me” I growled pulling my hand from Tommy’s roughly.

This was the final straw today. I had enough.

Growling to myself, I held back the tears as I looked over at Lizzie who was taken back by outburst, confused by what was happening.

Shaking my head, I walked towards the main door, unsure of where to go but I just couldn’t be here right now. I couldn’t take anymore, I felt like I needed to be alone right now. Everywhere I went to seek comfort, something happened to ruin it.

“Stace, Stace…” I heard Tommy call after me but I chose to ignore him, the tears already starting to fall. “Fuck sake Anastasia.” He yelled, voice vibrating off the walls. It was a tone he had only used once before in the Garrison when I tried to give back the money.  

Stopping in my tracks, I held my head high, inhaling through my nose as I wiped the tears away on my coat, refusing to turn around. A big change from the shaking, scared mess he had me in before with that voice. 

“Go to my office.” He instructed. Without moving my feet, I looked towards the main door leading out to the street, considering my options. When he spoke again the tone of his voice dangerously low. “Don’t you dare walk out that door.”

I felt something inside of me snap when he said that. Everyone around me was treating me like I was made of glass, afraid that I would break at the slightest touch or cruellest word.

I wasn’t the same Anastasia Adler I was two years ago, I had grown, a lot in those past two years and it was about time everyone had seen it. 

“Stop telling me what to do.” I glared over my shoulder at him.

In my peripheral I saw Lizzie’s eyes widen at my disobedience. With a shake of my head I walked outside the rain fully coming down now, soaking me within seconds.

*****

Tommy didn’t follow after me when I left his office, at least not right away and not that I knew of. After spending some time at the cemetery I walked home, wanting to get out of the wet clothes that was clinging to my skin, what started out as a good day turned into something so horrible and I prayed it was nothing more than a nightmare.

My head was pounding by the time I arrived home, in the space of a few hours I felt like my world had been flip on it’s head once more and I didn’t know how much more I could take.

“Welcome home.” Tommy’s voice carried from the kitchen, he appeared around the corner with a cup of hot tea in his hands, dressed only in his white shirt and waistcoat. The first two buttons of his shirt undone. 

“Thank you” I whispered, taking the hot cup from his hands after fighting with my coat. It was so wet it had attached itself to me like a second skin making the material harder to get off. 

Walking further into the room, the letter from Poughkeepsie sitting on the kitchen table glaring at me. With a scoff and a roll of my eyes I slammed the cup on the table turning on my heel to head back to the bedroom only Tommy stood in my way.

“Read it” He instructed, eyes staring down into my own, the fingers in his left hand pointing towards the table.

“No”

“Why?”

“I’m not reading your whore’s letters Thomas, I do not care for them, nor her” I inform him, making a move to walk around him only he held out his hands taking my upper arms into his carefully stopping my movements.

“Nor do I.” He stated with a shake of his head. Without warning he walked with me back towards the table but he didn’t press me against it. He reached over taking the letter into his hands. “You are who I care about and this baby.”

Releasing me from his grip, he reached into his pocket pulling out his box of matches and taking one from its confines. Striking the stick against the box, a beautiful orange/red flame started to dance between us.

Staring up into his eyes he held the letter between us, the back still sealed, the letter remaining unread. I watched as he put the lit match against it, almost immediately it went up in flames. Tommy’s eyes never looked away from mine as he held the burning letter in his hand. 

Feeling the flame getting closer to his fingers he dropped the paper to the ground stomping on it with his foot so it wouldn’t set fire to anything else.

Lifting my gaze from his foot to his face, his face was emotionless but his eyes were hungry not with lust but with love. He was silently telling me everything I needed to know.

I was his, and he was mine and together we were going to get through anything.

Needing to be in his arms I threw myself into his body, wrapping my arms around his back, burying my face into his chest. His scent bringing a feeling of calm over me.

Tommy placed his arms around me, pulling me tighter into him, his head coming down to rest his chin on my head just like I had wanted, just like I had needed.  

Taglist 

@shelbyteller @seleneshelby @forgottenpeakywriter @babayaga67 @sweetmilkshakeluminary @slutforcoffein @sydneyyyya @happysparklingshadows @margew76   @midnightmagpiemama​ 

[mrs-bond]

Hello, ya'll. I have something to let ya'll writers know. I'm letting ya'll know that I make moodboards and edits for stories on here. I mainly do them for Thomas Shelby and Cilly stories. Just send me a private message or this symbol 😃 to my ask box. I'll happily do it for you.

I don't do anonymous asks because I've been bullied by them, so you'll have to message me.

Here's examples of my work for ya'll to look at.

@look-at-the-soul @runnning-outof-time @creativepawsworld @lyarr24 @dragons-are-my-favorite @aranoburns @rogers060967

[serendipitiashelby]

Serendipitia/ Thomas Sehlby fanfic

Recentemente iniciei a minha fanfic "Serendipitia", uma fanfic de Peaky Blinders, com Thomas Shelby de protagonista. Estou escrevendo aos poucos, e até então tem apenas um capítulo, mas gostaria de ir compartilhando por aqui também. Ainda não tenho leitor algum, então penso que aqui é uma boa forma de divulgação. Aviso com antecedência que eu não tenho pretensão que isso fique cabuloso de bom, é apenas algo terapêutico que une três coisas que amo: fanfic, escrita e peaky blinders.

SINOPSE ------------

"Serendipidade é o nome que damos ao encontro fortuito e repentino com o amor"

"Mas eu te sofri. Rasguei minhas veias, tigre e pomba, sobre tua cintura em duelo de mordidas e açucenas", García Lorca

Nos anos da revolução, Noemi Stein retorna à Birmingham, onde retoma seu elo com Ada Shelby, também sua aliada política. Compartilhando um pequeno sobrado pelas apertadas ruelas de Small Heath, passam a planejar a abertura da primeira livraria da região. Entre ideias eufóricas (e necessidade de dinheiro para financiar o imóvel), Ada leva Noemi a uma grande festividade da família Shelby, onde, pelo poder da serendipidade, encontraria um amor que nunca estaria escrito nos livros da futura livraria.

LEIA O CAPÍTULO UM AQUI

[rcfanfics]

Crown of a Princess (ThomasShelbyFanFic)

-Thomas ShelbyXOC

-First fanfic on here hope you enjoy!

                                           ~Chapter One~

                                                      (01x01)

Mary Allen stood as she heard the doorbell chime open. She had just finished hemming the end of the pantsuit she was working on. The suit was immaculate. If she did say so herself, it would fetch a pretty penny. Mary and her eldest brother Adam were groomed to take over their father's tailor shop at a very young age. J’s & M’s Tailors. Their mother and father had run and operated the shop for years. But their mother suddenly fell ill and passed away from a terrible fever and cough that the doctor could not find the remedy to, leaving the three Allan’s to run it. But when the war came. Her father and brother had left, leaving her to run the business. Thankfully for their family friend, Ada and Polly, the company survived.

Mary and Adam grew up with the Shebly siblings. Their fathers were friends before Arthur abandoned the boys. That was a hard time. Mary could remember how sad Tommy and the other brothers had been after he left them. Mary and Adam did their absolute best to ensure the brothers were okay. Whether food, hugs, or long night talks on the roof of her father's home, they were always there—no matter what time.

“Angle,” Arthur greeted, seeing the beautiful blue-eyed girl beside a tailored suit.

Mary smiled as she saw him and her brother enter the family shop. After they returned from war, Adam stopped making suites and joined the brothers in their family-run business. Everywhere Mary gone, it was always ‘it’s on the house, Miss. Allen,’ or the downcast look of the people walking past her. No one dared to hurt or talk bad about Mary Allen for fear of being heard by one of the Peaky Blinders. Not that they would have anything nasty to say about the young lady; she was sweeter than candy but fiercer than any storm when needed. Mary placed the needle she had in her pen cushion.

“Arthur,” Mary smiled as she hugged the eldest Shelby brother. “How are you?” She asked.

“Great love, just came by to see if my suit is ready,”

“And am I just chopped liver, ay?” Adam inquired. Mary smiled, rolling her eyes as she hugged her big brother.

“Never,” She whispered. “How are you, Adam?”

“Not too bad. How’s the old man?” Adam asked. Mary sighed, pulling away as she rolled down her long-sleeved shirt to hide the hand print. Thankfully the two men hadn’t seen her move. There was no doubt they would be upset about it.

“His nightmares seemed to be getting worse and worse with each passing night,” Mary raked a hand threw her dark brown locks. “I’m worried for him,” She expressed. She hadn’t told them about the flat she had purchased using the money she earned from the Garrison to sleep in at night when it got too bad. Hell, they didn’t even know about the attacks that would happen. She’d returned the flat under her mom’s maiden name Greene. Mary Greene. She would stay the night at it and then be back in the morning before her father woke. It was only sheer luck that the boys hadn’t found out.

Adam sighed, shaking his head. “I’ll come over tonight, check up on him, make sure he’s okay,”

He was far from okay. In the heap of the night, when he would scream, waking her up, she would try to wake him only to get hit or tackled to the ground with him screaming on top of her. After realizing what happened, he repeatedly apologized, crying and saying how sorry he was.

“Your suites are done. Let me get them wrapped and bagged,” Mary smiled, grabbing the new suites for the brothers. She had handmade them all in a week with the help of her trusted sowing machine.

“Will you be working tonight at the Garrison?” Arthur asked as he leaned against the counter with one hand. Not only was Mary a seamstress, but she was also a barmaid at the Garrison.

“Ay, I was just finishing up things here, then I’d be heading that way,” She nodded as she bagged the suits, handing them over to the Shebly brother. She worked two jobs to ensure her father had his medication and food on the table. Even if most things were given to her, she still paid for some.

“I still don’t know why you won’t let me help Mary,” Her brother sighed. Adam had his own family, a wife with a baby on the way that would need all the money and income they could get.

“Adam, we’ve been over this,” Mary told her brother. “ I do not have a family to look after. Not like you do,”

“He’s still my father too, Mary,” Adam stated as she turned off the lights after handing the bag to Arthur.

“Right. Now, you two stop your bickering, ay? We’ve got to get Mary to the Garrison before they get too swamped,” Arthur stated as he held the door open for her. Mary grabbed her coat off the rack before walking out of the building.

“Polly wanted me to tell you to come by soon. She wants to have tea with you and catch up,” Arthur added as he held open the Garrison’s bar door for her as she and her brother walked into the pub.

“Tell her I’ll be by tomorrow, Ay?” Mary said as her brother helped take her coat off. “Thank you, Adam. You lads staying for a round?”

“Ay,” They nodded, and Mary quickly got them their Irish whisky, pouring them a glass.

Arthur downed his glass in one go smiling at the woman. “Angle, I would marry you in a heartbeat if I could,” It was no lie either. Arthur Shebly did fancy the woman but would not go after her because of her older brother. And of another Shebly brother that fancied her too. No, he would hope to one day find a woman like her.

“Arthur, I would have your balls,” Adam told him, taking a swig of his cup. “She is too good of a woman for men like us,”

“I do feel as if I should be able to pick a husband myself, Adam,” Mary stated as she slid a man his beer. “I’m a big girl,” She finished picking up a few glasses. “Now go. I’m sure you have some business to attend to. I’ll see you, lads, later, ay?”

“Of course, Angle,” Arthur smiled.

“By Mary, I’ll see you soon,”

“Whisky, love,” A man ordered, throwing down the three shillings on the counter. Mary nodded, sliding over the glass and filling it. “ Thank you,” He smiled at her before returning to his set by Freddie Thorn.  

That’s when the doors opened, and the bar grew immensely quiet. Mary smiled as she saw Thomas Shelby walk into the Garrison. His blue eyes instantly found hers behind the bar watching her as she grabbed a bottle for him. He and Mary had always had a closer relationship growing up. They were best friends, and as time grew and the two grew older, that friendship started to head towards something that had been brewing for years. But before the two could act on what they desired, the war came, and after that. With the things he had seen and what had happened to him, he didn’t want to take the chance of hurting the girl he’s always admired and loved.

Mary set the bottle on the counter as he approached the bar. “On the house, Mr. Shelby,” She teased, opening the bottle of whisky and pouring him a glass.

“Mary,” Tommy shook his head, putting down the two shillings. “Really?”

Mary giggled, shrugging her shoulders. “Sorry, Tommy, I couldn’t help myself,” She whipped down the counter beside him as he puffed on his cigarette, looking about the bar and seeing Freddie sitting in a booth with his mates. “They gave you any trouble, love?” He asked, and she shook her head.

“No, not that I would let them,” Mary put the glass up.

Harry worked around her as Freddie came up to the bar. “I’ll take a mild,”

“Right,” Harry said as he worked on getting Freddie his drink.

“Mary, how are you doing, Darling,” Freddie asked. Tommy placed his cigarette back in his mouth, taking another puff as he tried not to let the comment faze him when it did. It dug deep underneath his skin hearing Freddie Thorn call her that, knowing how he felt about the Allen lady.

“I’m good, Freddie,” Marry nodded, being polite. She didn’t want to get anything started between the two estranged friends. Freddie looked at Tommy to see if the comment did anything but looked away when Thomas didn’t look at him, just at the wall behind Mary. Harry placed down his mug as Marry grabbed the dirty glasses at the end of the bar and began working on them.

“Cheers, Thomas, good health to you,” Freddie leaned against the bar looking at him. Mary glanced at the two as she cleaned the glasses. Freddie grabbed Tommy’s hat looking at the blades sown in the back. “Crown of a prince,” He threw it back on the bar. “Soon to be king, I’d bet,”

“You don’t bet,” Tommy spoke up, looking at his cigarette as he tapped the ash off in the trey.

“No, but these past few days, I’ve been speculating,” Freddy stated.

Tommy nodded. “About what?”

“One of my union comrades has a sister who works in the telegraph office at the BSA factory. She says, over the past week, they’ve had messages coming up from London to the brass. From Winston Churchill himself,” Freddie walked closer to Tommy as Mary busied herself tending to more customers. “Something about a robbery. ‘A robbery of national significance,’ it said. She found a list of names left on the telegraph machine. And on the list was your name and my name together. What kind of list would have the name of a communist and the name of a bookmaker side by side?”

“Perhaps it’s a list of men who give false hope to the poor,” Tommy looked at Freddie shaking his head. “The only difference between you and me, Freddie, is that sometimes, my horses stand a chance of winning,”

Mary had to hold back her chuckle but couldn’t help the smile across her face. She looked back at the pair as Freddie leaned into Tommy. “You know, there are days when I hear about the cuttings and beatings that I really wish I’d let you take that bullet in France,”

Her smile faded as Tommy grew wide. He shook his head. “Believe me. There are nights I wish you had,”

The door slammed open, and men started shouting, causing Mary to flench. She looked towards the commotion and saw a man barrel in, tossing over tables, causing the glass to break as they hit the wooden floor. Tommy quickly got up, running over to the man with Freddie.  Freddie quickly grabbed one arm as Tommy grabbed the other, and then Mary recognized the man they held.

“They’re going to get me!” He wailed.

“On three.” Tommy looked at Freddie.

“They are going to get me!”

“One, two, three, down!” Tommy yelled as they quickly pushed Danny to the ground on his stomach. “Breath, Danny, breath,”

“They’re going to get me!” Danny yelled. “They’re going to get me!”

“Danny. Danny. Danny, you’re home,” Tommy soothed the frightened man. “We’re all home in England. You are not in Frace. You’re not an artillery shell, Danny. You’re a man,” Danny's cries made Mary’s heart clench, knowing that her father and brother had gone through the same thing as so many others had. “Hey? You’re not a whizz-bang. You’re a human being, Danny. You’re all right. You’re all right. You’re all right,”

Danny started calming down as Freddie and Tommy helped him up. “Up! Up!” Mary walked out from behind the bar with a cup of water for Danny, knowing it might help him as it did her father.

“It’s all right, It’s all right,” Tommy soothed him, keeping a hand on his shoulder.

“Danny? Would you like a glass of water?” She asked as she approached him slowly. Danny looked over at her as Tommy took the glass from her hands.

“Thank you, love,” Tommy said as he held it out for his friend. “Here you go, Danny, take this. It’s water,”

Danny took the glass with shaky hands and took a sip before handing it back to Tommy, who handed it back to Mary.

“Ah! Hell!” Danny looked around. “Did I do it again?”

Mary’s heart broke watching the man that had no control over his episodes. Tommy nodded. “You did it again, Danny,” Tommy affirmed.

Danny started crying as he yanked his cap off. Tommy placed his forehead against Danny, looking at his friend. “You’ve got to stop doing this, man. It’s all right,”

“Oh, God! Mr. Shelby, I’m sorry,” Danny told Tommy.

“It’s all right. You go home to your wife now, Danny,” Tommy said, leading him to the door. “Try and get all that smoke and mud out of your head, ay?”

“Yes, Mr. Shelby. I’m sorry,” Danny nodded before walking out of the Garrison.

Mary started helping Harry by picking up the tables as she grabbed a broom to sweep up the broken glass.

“Mr. Shelby, you have to do something about him,” Harry spoke.

Mary sighed, shaking her head. “Damn right, Harry,” Freddie agreed, looking at Tommy return to his spot. “You pay the Peaky Blinders a lot of money for protection,” Freddie followed after Tommy. “You’re the law around here now, Tommy, aren’t you?”

Tommy downed the rest of his whisky as Mary finished sweeping the glass into a pile; Freddie stopped at his spot beside Tommy. Tommy began to leave when he spoke up again. “Maybe you should put a bullet in Danny Whizz-Bang’s head like they do with mad horses,” Tommy stopped behind Freddie, and Mary paused, looking at the two as Freddie shrugged. “Maybe you’ll have to put a bullet in my head someday, too,”

Tommy shook his head before putting his cap on. He walked up to Mary, looking at her. “I’ll see you later, love,”

“See you later, Tommy,” Mary nodded as he walked towards the door. Before he left, he turned to look at Harry.

“Bring the bill to the Peaky Blinders. Will take care of it,” and he left the Garrison.

“All right, Harry, I’m leaving. The books have been taken care of,” Mary called out in the empty bar as she fetched her coat from the rack.

“Alright, goodnight, Mary. I’ll see you tomorrow, eh?” Harry yelled back, whipping down the counter.

“Ay, that you will, Harry,” Mary smiled as she stepped out of the Garrison. Tommy stepped out of the shadows puffing on a cigarette.

“Tommy,” Mary smiled. Ever since she had started working at the Garrison, he had always walked her home. He’d never missed a night; if he had, he would have either her brother or one of his accompany her back to her house on the rare occasion.

“Hi, love,” Tommy breathed a puff of smoke as she closed the door.

“How did today go?” Mary wondered as they walked down the dark street. Hardly anyone was about. The few who were didn’t look at them; if they did, they tipped their hats toward them. Or looked away.

“There's a new Chief inspector. He’s come down to clean up the city. Recruiting anyone that can fight that’s over five foot. For the last four years, he’s cleared the IRA out of Belfast,” Tommy explained lowly. Mary sucked in a breath of air.

“So why send him here?” She wondered.

“There have been all these bloody strikes at the BSA, and the Austin works lately. Now the papers are talking about sedition and revolution. I reckon it’s the communists he’s after,” Tommy said as they rounded the corner to her street.

“Will he leave you and the family alone?” Mary rubbed her bruised wrist nervously. She couldn’t stand it if something happened to the Shebles or her brother. She nearly lost them once. She couldn’t-- she wouldn’t-- lose them again.

“There are Irishmen in Green Lanes who left Belfast to get away from him. They say Catholic men who crossed him used to disappear in the night,” Tommy's words didn’t ease her worried mind. They stopped in front of the door to her father's flat. She turned to look at Tommy, her heart beating as she worried about the new copper coming to town and what it would leave in its wake.

“Please, whatever you do, be careful,” Mary whispered, touching Tommy’s chest. Tommy looked deep into her blue eyes and wanted, more than anything, to promise her he would. But he couldn’t. “I couldn’t stand you, or anyone else for that matter, getting hurt,”

“You should get inside, love, before you catch a cold out here, eh?” Tommy said lowly. Mary’s heart broke but didn’t let it show as she nodded.

“Goodnight, Tommy,” She whispered.

“Goodnight, love,” Tommy nodded as he waited for her to get inside and lock the door.

Mary sighed as she leaned her back against the door and bolted it. She could hear her father’s loud snores coming from his bedroom down the hall as she pushed herself off the door and headed toward her room across the hall. Undoing her hair from its bindings, the long brown trendles fell on her back as she slipped out of her clothes and into her nightgown. The white silk material brushed her long legs as she walked toward her bed. As she got under the covers feeling exhaustion wash over her body, she looked down at the deep purple bruise on her arm. It would take days, if not weeks, to go away properly. And until then, it would be long sleeves shirts.

Soon Mary was springing awake. It was still dark outside, but the screams from the other room suddenly woke her. Mary quickly threw the quilted covers back, hopped from her bed, and ran to her father's bedroom. He was thrashing and screaming, dripping sweat.

“Nooo!” He screamed. “I won’t tell. I won’t tell,”

Mary quickly hurried to his aide, and she gently shook his shoulder. “Father--” Her sentence was cut short and met with a painful gasp. Her father had shoved her to the wall, hands clasped around her neck tightly as his wild blue eyes, just like hers, stared straight thew her. Like he didn’t know her.

Mary gasped as she clawed at his hands, which wound tightly like a colid snake around her neck. “Dad-” Mary gasped, her eyes tearing up as dark spots invaded her vision. Her body needed air and would soon pass out if she didn’t do something.

“I won’t talk!”

Mary’s hand felt around for any weapon or anything she could use to get her father off her. Her hand fumbled around the dresser beside them and landed on a vase. Her mother's vase. She grasped it by the rim, and with every ounce of strength she had left, she slammed it over the top of his head.

His hands loosen around her neck as he tumbles with her to the ground. Mary gasped, holding her neck that hurt so bad to swallow, but she managed. Tears filled her eyes as she let out a sob leaning over. She hated that she couldn’t help him. Or herself, for that matter. Mary quickly gathered herself as she stood on two shaky legs before going to her room and dressing. As she put her dress on, she caught herself in her mirror. She looked at the angry red fingerprints that covered her neck and sighed.

She couldn’t hide those. The guys would see them the instant they saw her tomorrow. Makeup wouldn’t do anything to hide it, either. Pushing her hair to the front, she quickly grabbed her flat’s key and the packed bag she always kept hidden under her bed, ready to leave when things like this happened. And left. But not without grabbing her coat. She quickly headed down the street to her building, four blocks away but two blocks from the Garrison.

Letting herself in, she threw her bag down on the table and grabbed the packet of cigarettes she kept her when she got stressed, nervous, or anxious. Lighting it, she opened the living room window and sat on the seal, watching as dawn began to break. It wouldn’t be long before she would have to get to work. Thankful today she wouldn’t need to open the tailor shop. She sighed as she released a long cloud out the window, leaning her head back as the morning breeze hit her.

Mary quickly dressed in a collared dress that would hide some of the marks for her shift at the Garrisons before heading there without her morning escorts. They would no doubt be at her house, where they would find her father either awake or lying how she left him in his room. There was no more hiding the truth now. She would have to deal with what happens when her brother and the Shelby brothers find out.

Marry entered the Garrison, seeing Harry up and cleaning from yesterday's events. He looked up as she placed her coat on the rack. “Mary, you're here quite early,” Harry stated, leaning on his broom and puffing his cigarette.

“Ay,” She nodded.

“And your brother and the Shelby’s? I’m surprised not to see them with you this morning,” Harry observed as she walked closer, picking up the discarded ashtrays. “Is everything okay, Mary?” She looked at him as he eyed her before seeing the bruises on her neck. “Mary, did someone attack you?”

Mary sighed as she adjusted the caller on her dress. “My father...” She trailed off, putting the ashtrays on the tables. “He hasn’t been himself since the war, he has these nightmares, and sometimes he attacks me when I try to wake him,”

“My God, Mary,” Harry runs a hand threw his hair. “How long has this been happening?”

“Since he’s been home,” Mary replied as the door of the Garrison opened, and a woman walked in.

“I’m here about the job for another barmaid,” The woman stated as Mary looked her up and down.

“Are you mad?” Harry asked her, taking the cigarette out of his mouth.

“Am I what?” She replied.

“What he’s asking is. Do you know about this place?” Mary inquired as she picked up the table that was still knocked over. The woman looked Mary up and down, her gaze settling on her neck as Harry did.

“I saw it in an advertisement,” she said, walking into the bar more.

“Job’s been filled,” Harry stated.

“But it was in yesterday’s paper,” The woman objects.

“Believe me, love, I’m doing you a favor,” Harry continued sweeping the floors.

“And what of her?” She asked. “I”m not asking for favors. I’m asking for employment,”

“She is Mary Allen,” Harry pointed his cigarette at Mary. “Her brother would have anyone's balls if they hurt her. And you’re too...Nice,”

“Harry, are you inquiring that I’m not nice?” Mary teased as she went behind the bar.

“Nothing of the sort, Mary,” Harry shook his head.

“How would you know?” The woman asked.

“And too pretty,” Harry added.

“Thanks, Harry,” Mary rolled her eyes as she got the bar ready for when the workers and brothers entered. They would no doubt be prepared to drink their anger away when they got a load of her new look.

“Mary, you know you're beautiful, so stop,” Harry looked at the woman behind the bar, who laughed.

“I’m just given you a hard time, Harry,” Mary smiled.

“Anyway. They’d have you up against a wall.” Harry finished looking at the new woman.

“I have experience,” The woman stated as she opened up her floral clutch. “And references,” She pulled out a piece of paper handing it to Harry.

Harry looked the paper over. “What part of Ireland are you from?” He questions.

She hesitated. Mary tilted her head, looking at the woman. “Galway,”

“Ah,”

“I worked in Dublin,” The woman answered.

Harry nodded, looking at the blond woman. “My mother was from Galway,” He smiled. He handed the paper back to her. “You are too pretty,”

The woman quickly put her clutch down on the table. “Watch. And listen,” She placed her hat next, picking up the copper spit bucket. “I wish I was in Carrickfergus,” She began singing as she emptied the spittoons. “ Only for nights in Ballygrand, I would swim over. The deepest ocean. The deepest ocean,”

Mary raised her eyebrows at the woman singing. Her mother sang with her, and since her death, she had sung no more. It was nice to hear someone with equal talent, such as her mother, that would dream of one day becoming a singer.

“For my love to find my boyhood friends and my own relations,” She walked towards Harry putting the bucket on the table. “Have all passed on now like the melting snow,”

Harry looked at Mary, and they both let out a laugh. “In Ireland, my singing made them cry and stopped them fighting,”  Harry raked a hand threw his hair, looking at the woman.

“I hope you know a lot of songs,”

She nodded, and Mary smiled as the woman turned back to her. “Nice to meet you. I’m Mary Allen. I guess this means we will both be working together,”  

“I’m Grace,” The woman introduced, shaking Mary’s hand. “And it’s lovely to meet you too,”

“Is it always this buys on a daytime?” Grace asked Mary as they both tended to the thirsty men.

“No, These boys are on their way to St. Andrews,” Mary replied, getting one man his beer.

“Thanks, love,” one said, putting down his two shillings. Mary quickly puts them in the drawer.

“To pray?” Grace asked, doing the same.

Harry laughed, looking at her. “That’ll be the Day!”

Mary looked over at Grace with a smile. “St. Andrews is a football ground. The Blues are playing. That’s the forward Line there, and that’s the goalie, believe it or not,” Mary pointed to the man in the back. “Here, let me help you with that,” She said, taking one of the pints from Grace's hand.

That's when the widow opened at the end of the bar, and Tommy looked over. She must not have seen them when they came in, nor did they because they would have instantly come and got her for not being at the house this morning. “Hello. I need you and a bottle of rum,” Tommy pointed at Mary. Tommy looked over at Grace, looking her up and down before turning it back to Mary. “Please,”

Mary looked over to Grace. “Can you handle it?”

“I’ve got it,” Grace nodded.

Mary fixed her hair to the front of her as she grabbed the bottle of rum walking over to him. She kept her chin down as she approached him, hoping he wouldn’t notice. But it was Tommy. “Why were you not at your flat, love?” Tommy asked, taking out a few pounds and handing them to her. When Adam told him she wasn’t there and how they found her father, he feared the worse had happened. Then Arthur came back hurt, and that way, he came here. Maybe he should have started with the other place she worked at. All his worries vanished when he saw her after opening up the window.  Mary liked her dry lips. “Look at me,”

Mary looked up at him as his eyes raked over her appearance, then locked with her neck. His jaw clenched tight.”What happened?”

“Tommy--”

“Come here,” Tommy said, and she nodded, walking out from the bar and into the room that Tommy was in. He took wide steps up to her tilting her head as he looked at her neck as pushed down the white collar. His blood boiled with rage. Whoever thought to hurt her would wish they hadn’t. “Who did this, Mary? Did someone break in? Does Adam know? Does your father even know?” Mary's eyes watered as she looked away from Tommy. “Mary. Talk to me,” Tommy whispered, whipping the tears off her cheeks.

“Ever since the war, he hasn’t been the same,” Mary whispered, looking into Tommy's worried eyes. “At night, he wakes me up screaming, pleading for help sometimes, and I try to help, but when he wakes up... I think he sees himself back in the trenches, and he attacks me,”

“Your father did this?” Tommy breathed, his eyes darkening.

Mary’s heart dropped. “Tommy, you can’t hurt him. He doesn't mean to when it happens,”

“So he’s done this more than once? For how long?” He asked. Mary looked away as she held herself. “How. Long. Love,” Tommy demanded.

“Since you’ve all returned,” Mary whispered.

“And I’m betting your brother doesn't know about this, eh? Because if he did, we all would have found out about it,” Tommy shook his head. “Are there any more marks?”

Mary nodded. “Where at?”  He asked softly this time. Mary slowly rolled up the sleeves of her dress. Tommy had wondered about that, why her sudden change to long sleeves. He should have realized sooner something was wrong. On her arms were handprints that were slowly fading. Tommy reached out and grazed the tops of her arms, lightly sending tingles through them. “We need to let your brother know about this, and you shouldn’t be staying at his house anymore, not till he’s better. I’ll set you up a place, but for now, you’ll stay with me,” Mary nodded. Last night was her last straw, living at her father's house. She was planning on living in the flat she had perched under her mother's maiden name, but now it didn’t seem like that would happen. “Come on; we need to get this to Arthur,”

Mary looked up at him, confused, as she took off her apron. “What happened to Arthur? Is he okay?”

“Let’s say the new chief inspector talked with him today,” Tommy stated as they walked out. “Mary’s coming with me,” He yelled to Harry as they left the Garrison. “Don’t worry, your brother is okay, Love. He was out looking for you when this occurred,”

Mary breathed a sigh of relief as they rushed to the house. Tommy lights a cigarette on the way there, and Mary craves one to ease her nerves. Thankfully, she and Ada took the nurse training at the church when they did. Now that could come in handy. Tommy opened up the door for her as they hurried into the house. They both quickly walked into the filled room. Mary instantly met her older brother's bright green eyes across the table.

“Mary, what the hell? Where were you this morning?” Adam asked, standing.

“That's not important right now, brother,” Mary said as she and Tommy hurried to Arthur's side. “Let me see him,” Tommy said. “Hmm. Well, have this,”

“Mary,” Polly looked up from wrapping his hand. “My- what happened to you?”

This drew everyone’s attention, including Arthur, who was covered in blood, to look at her. “That--that-” She stuttered, holding her neck.

“What the bloody hell happened?” Arthur asked as John came up, looking at her neck. “Who are those?”

Adam quickly rounds the table and spins his sister on her heels to look at him as he looks at all the commotion. “Mary, who did this?”

“Alright, that’s enough!” Tommy yelled. The room grew quiet. “You lot, doing this to her will scare her even more. Let’s take care of Arthur, and then we will talk, eh?”

Adam's jaw clenched as Tommy took a rag and rung it out before taking the bottle back and dousing it with it. Adam pulled Mary off to the side. Like hell, he was going to wait. “Mary, what happened? Don’t lie to me, either. I found dad and worried that someone was foolish enough to break into the house and take you and harm him,”

“Father, he hasn’t been himself, okay,” Mary whispered as Tommy, and the others looked over at the Allen siblings. “He’s been having nightmares, and sometimes when I wake him up, he attacks me,”

Adam's jaw locked as Tommie's did at the bar. “So how I found him? You did that because of this,” He pointed at her neck, and she nodded. Adam breathed threw his nose as he collected his baby sister in his arm, breathing in her rose-scented shampoo.

They broke apart, hearing Arthurs his. “He said Mr. Churchill sent him to Birmingham,” Mary quickly went over to help asset Tommy with Arthur. She took the cloth from Tommy’s hand and cleaned Aruther’s face. “National interest, he said. Something about a robbery.”

Tommy stood up as Mary took his place, cleaning up the open wounds. “He said he wants us to help him,”  Arthur finished.

“We don’t help coppers,” John said as Ada returned to the room.

Arthur raised a finger. “He knew all about our war records. He said we’re patriots, like him. He wants us to be his eyes and ears. I said--”  Arthur groans as Polly wraps a sensitive area, and she shh’s him as she continues. “I said we’d have a family meeting and take a vote,”

“He sure does have a hell of a way of asking,” Mary stated as she finished whipping his face clean. Arthur laughed, nodding his head.

“That he does,” But no one answers him. “Why not? Mmm?” He asked, looking around the room. “We have no truck with Fenians or communists.” He looked at Tommy, as did Polly, which caused Mary to look back at him. “What is wrong with you?” Arthur asked. “What the fuck is wrong with him lately?”

Tommy sighed, looking at Arthur before looking at Mary. “If I knew, I’d buy the cure from Compton’s chemists,” Polly answered.

After Arthur was tended to, Mary and Polly sat down for that cup of tea Polly’s been waiting for, “So, your father?” Polly begins as Mary takes a sip of her cup. “He’s done that to you?”

“Ay, but he didn’t mean to, I know,” Mary stated as she put the cup down. “Tommy doesn’t want me staying there anymore,”

“I would assume not considering the marks left on a woman he loves,” Polly stated. Mary scoffs.

“He cares for me, Polly. Love is a powerful word,” Mary looked down at her cup. “Maybe before the war, but now? I don’t think so,”

“Mmm, you keep telling yourself that, darlin’. You might believe it one day,” Polly lit a cigarette. Mary watched her, and Polly raised an eyebrow letting out a cloud of smoke. “When did you start?” Polly asked, handing it over to the girl before taking another.

“Since the night it first happened, Adam left a pack on the table,” Mary explained, breathing it in. As she exhaled the cloud of smoke, she looked up. “It’s helped me with my nerves,”

Polly nodded. “I’m assuming the boys don’t know about this either?”

“Ay,” Mary nodded. “But it’s not like they can be too mad at me,”

“No, they can’t,” Polly smiled. “So, what do you plan to do now?”

“I don’t know,” Mary sighed, taking another puff from her cigarette. “I think I should give my father space. I’ve pleaded with him countless times to get help. Maybe him seeing me away from home and the store will be the push he’s been needing to get help,”

“I’m sure your brother will help get him what he needs. You’ve been taking care of him long enough. Let your brother tend to him now. Get him what he needs,” Polly said, and Mary nodded.

“Come now, let’s see what we can do with those bruises, sweetie,” Polly said as she took Mary's cigarette and put them out.

After the men returned from the Garrison, Tommy nodded for Mary to follow him. “Goodnight, Polly. Thank you for this evening,”

“Anytime, sweetie,” Polly smiled as Mary walked towards Tommy. Tommy caught Polly’s knowing smirk over Mary's shoulder and shook his head, making her smirk widen even more. Tommy and Mary walked toward his room. She hadn’t been in it since the first time he returned home. The place felt foreign to her. Like she wasn’t allowed to be there. It sounds silly. But they haven’t shared a bed like this since before the war. Mary yawned, and Tommy looked at her as he took his coat off.

“Will you be alright sleeping next to me tonight, Mary?” Tommy asked as she looked around the bare room.

“Ay,” Mary nodded as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She would have to sleep in her slip tonight. But that wouldn’t be a problem. Hopefully, "It’ll be like when we were kids,” She said as she turned her back, pulling her long white sleeve over her head.

Tommy nodded as he glanced at her. Mary took off her shirt. His throat bobbed. Mary had been the only woman in his life that he dreamed about being with. Quite literally dreamed. Times in the war, it was her that got him through it. The dreams he would have of her of what could their life be like together, or just her and him? It Made his fight to survive and get home even more important.

Mary then unzipped the side of her skirt, letting it fall to the ground. Pooling around her ankles as she kicked off her heels. She looked at Thomas, who was already staring at her as she held herself. “Is this okay?” She asked, looking down at her white slip. She didn’t have anything else to sleep in and didn’t want to sleep in her heavy clothing. She knew how hot they got and how itchy they were when they slept in. But if it made Tommy uncomfortable, she would suffer threw the night.

“Ay, that’s okay, love,” Tommy nodded, keeping his long white sleeve and black pants on. No doubt to make her feel more comfortable around him. Mary gathered up her clothes, putting them on his dresser in the corner as Tommy laid down on the mattress, taking the side with the wall as he pulled back the covers for her, knowing she got cold quickly.  

She smiled as she hurried over to the bed and quickly got in. Tommy covered her as she turned on her side, looking at him as he lay on his back, looking up at the ceiling. “This brings back old memories,” Mary smiled as she yawned. Tommy looked at her as she lay beside him, her eyes fluttering closed. “Do you remember the last time we shared a bed?”

Tommy nodded. He remembered that night perfectly. It was the night before he left. Mary had wanted to spend one more night with him, fearing it would be the last one they would ever have. It was a special night for both of them. They both played cards, talked, laughed, and joked. His favorite part of the night was when Mary broke out the book she was reading, and he asked if she would read it to him. He lay beside her, holding onto every word she read as she tried to fight the sleep off, but the book fell from her hands as soon as her eyes closed. Tommy remembered how peaceful she looked beside him. How beautiful she looked, how she still looked beautiful but with more shaper features.

“Ay, love, I do,” Tommy nodded.

“I was so scared,” She chuckled. “That it would be our last night together. I’m glad it wasn’t,” Mary trailed off. Tommy looked at her as she breathed evened out, her hand resting on the pillow she was using below her cheek. Tommy turned on his side, careful not to wake her, as his fingers brushed the soft skin of her cheek.

“Me too, love,” Tommy whispered, looking over her delicate features. She smiled to herself as she nestled closer to him. He breathed in slowly as her head rested on his bent arm that supported his head. Reaching over, he slowly turned off the oil lamp. “Goodnight, Mary,”

As Mary woke. She found herself lying on Tommy's chest with one arm wrapped around his stomach. His warm breath fanned across her forehead as one arm wrapped around her body, laying on her hip and the other holding her bare thigh that lay across his waist. The light shined in threw the white curtains beside the bed.

Mary yawned. Tommy’s cheek lay on the top of her head, nodding, causing her to freeze as he pulled her closer. His chest rose with one final heave as he stretched out. Mary couldn’t tell if he was awake now or not, she didn’t want to risk it, but she knew she would need to get up soon for her shift at the Garrison.

The hand on her hip slowly grazed his fingertips up to her tangled hair as he began playing with it. The feeling was magical. The way his fingers tangled into her brown trindles and slowly massaged her scalpel had her closing her eyes and letting out a content sigh. Tommy's action froze as she looked up at him with a smile. At that moment, Thomas Shelby thought that no girl looked so beautiful compared to Mary Allen, who lay wrapped up in his arms. Her brown hair was a tangled mess falling over her shoulders past her breast, with the thin strap to her dress sliding down her arm. Last night was the first night in years he had been able to sleep through the night and not dream about the tunnels.

“Good morning,” She murmured as his hand fell from her head.

“Good morning, love,” Tommy greeted back as she sighed, looking towards the widow. The sun shining in made her blue eyes appear sparkling. Mary sat up as she untangled herself from Tommy’s warm embrace, pushing the covers from her legs. Goosebumps arose over her bare skin as the cold air nipped at her skin. “I’ll go see if Ada has any clothes that you could borrow,”

“You don’t have to,” Mary told him as she got up and went over to his mirror, using her fingers to brush through her hair. “I don’t want to trouble anyone,”

“Mary, you’ve been part of the family long enough to know that it’s no trouble at all,” Tommy told her as he got up from the bed. “I’ll be right back,”

Before she could object to him, he had already left the room. Mary sighed as she looked over her appearance in the mirror. The bruises on her neck were still prominent, but the ice Polly had given her yesterday had helped with the discoloration.

But she didn’t worry about the bruises that would heal with time. What she worried more about was her family. Her father. He would be tending to the business and, hopefully, promptly completing the orders. If not. The company would suffer, and he would have to close the shop. That was the last thing Mary wanted.

“What is troubling your mind, love?” Tommy observed her from where he stood by the door.

“My father,” Mary sighed, her hand falling from her neck. “I worry for him,”

Tommy placed the clothing on a chair beside the door before walking to her. Mary turned towards Tommy. He looked at her neck momentarily before looking her in the eyes. “He will be alright. Mary, Adam, and I will ensure that. Just worry for yourself and let us do the rest,”

Mary nodded with a smile. “Thank you,”

“For what, love?”

“For always being here for me,” She whispered. “I could always count on you,”

Tommy let one of his famous smiles appear on his lips as he tipped her head up with a finger. “You never need to thank me for that, love, now get dressed. I’ll walk you to the Garrison's,”

Tommy had gotten Mary a dark purple long-sleeve button-up with a decently high neckline to hide her bruises with a pair of black slacks he had gotten from Polly. Mary had tucked the shirt in the trousers and placed her heeled boots back on after putting her hair up, letting a few loose strands frame her face. When it took Mary time to get dressed, Tommy had already been read in a typical suit that she had made him awhile ago.

The day had started and gone fast. Mary and Grace worked side-by-side all afternoon, tending to the drunks that found their way into the Garrison's place. They talked and got to know each other more. But for some reason, she couldn’t help but think there was something off about Grace. It was terrible to assume things after not knowing the lady for long, but how she observed things and asked Mary certain questions about the Shelby’s, it was like she was trying to gain information about her family and the Shelby’s.

After her shift ended at the Garrison’s, Adam escorted her back to the house with one of her bags in his hand. It had all her belongings that he could fit into it. The rest he would gather for her over time. Adam told her that he and their father had talked about the events the night before and made him promise to get help. And that’s what will happen. Their father felt terrible for doing what he had done and vowed to seek help. Mary was relieved at the news that her father would finally now be getting help for his nightmares. It might not make him the same man he once was before the war, but it would help him become a better man after the war.

After eating dinner with the Shelby's, Mary excused herself from the table to take a bath she so desperately needed. Washing out the days of sweat from her brown hair and rinsing it with the oil-scented rose that her brother had bout her that day. She got out and combed her hair before slipping into her sleepwear. A pink silk dress that ended below her knees. She walked to Tommy’s (And her’s) room as she toweled dried her hair. He wasn’t there when she opened the door, so deciding to use this time wisely, she quickly put her bag on the chair beside the door and finished her hair. The long damp trendles of hair clung to her as she moved around the small room, trying to situate herself.

Knowing her brother had packed one of her books, she grabbed it from her bag and settled into the bed, picking up where she last left off. Ten pages into her next chapter, the door opened, revealing Tommy as he entered the room. He looked over, noticing Mary already in bed reading a book. Tommy paused at the scene in front of him. It felt like deja-vu as he took the in view. There were nights before the war when Mary would stay over, and he would walk into the very same sign he stepped into now. Her long hair was longer, and her age difference made him feel like a teenager again.

“Tommy? Is something the matter?” Mary questioned as she set her book aside.

Tommy blinked. “No, everything is alright,”

“Then what are you doing just standing over there? Come to bed,” Mary beckoned him over, patting the open spot beside her. The blankets were already pulled back and ready for him to join her. Tommy found himself wondering what it would be like every night. Her in his bed reading as she awaited his return from his work.

Tommy shredded his clothing, taking off his shirt and pants as Mary observed him from where she sat on the bed. Her eyes drank in the difference. Before the war, Tommy didn’t have any tattoos, but now he has one on his left peck of what reminded Mary of sun rays breaking threw the clouds on a stormy day and another on his right bicep of what looked to be a star with ‘Forrard’ writing in a banner across it.

As Thomas sat beside Mary on his bed, Mary etched closer, her soft, delicate fingertips brushing against the one on his shoulder. Tommy’s body went ridged under her touch, but she didn’t care as her finger traced the dark ink. He observed her as her eyes swept over the design that branded his skin; he saw the curiosity dancing in her blue irises.

“‘Forrard,’?” Mary looked up at him.

“It’s a version of forward,” Tommy explained.

“And the other?” Mary asked, looking at his chest. “What does that one mean?”

Tommy shrugged. “It is based on another tattoo, but I didn’t have them follow the design because I do not want the religious symbol on my body,”

Mary nodded, understanding that it was supposed to have Jesus on it. That’s why it looked familiar to her. It was just incomplete in some sense. “You got them over there?”

“Yes,”

Mary caught Tommy’s gaze as she smiled. “You wear them well,”

This made Tommy smile. A smile that had Mary’s heart pounding fast in her chest. Suddenly she felt nervous, like a schoolgirl crushing on her crush again. Mary grinned, her cheeks heating up as she removed her hand from Tommy’s shoulder. She didn’t expect him to hold her hand in his. His rough, calloused pad brushed over her knuckles.

“There were many nights that I had dreamt of you. Your smile, blue eyes, the way you laughed. It helped me get through it. You helped me get through it. The thought of coming home to see you again was a drive alone,” Tommy confessed. Even after the war ended, he dreamt of her, but they would fade back into the trenches and tunnels that he had escaped from physically but not mentally. Last night was one of the first times in ages that he had slept a whole night and not heard the scratching from other tunnelers that plagued his dreams.

“I never gave up hope that you or our families would return,” Mary whispered as she touched his cheek. Tommy leaned into her warmth and sighed. “Even if I had to go over there and drag you lot back by your ears, I would have,”

They both laughed, imagining Mary's small stature covered in mud dragging each Allen and Shelby boy back by their ear. She might have seemed delicate, fragile even. But when provoked, the woman could scare any man with a head on his shoulders.

“What were you reading?” Tommy picks up the dark green book.

“It’s called ‘A Book of Myths,’ there’s a bunch of timeless stories. From Ancient Greece, like Icarus, Orpheus, and Euridice. Their’s Adventure stories, Nordic myth that tells the tale of the Northern Gods,” Mary went on her face alight with passion and wonder.

“Read me some?” He asked as he crawled into his spot.

“I doubt it would appeal to your interest Tommy,” Mary said grabbing the green book.

“What ever it is that has you captivated like that, I want to hear too, love. So please read me some like you used to,”

Mary smiled nodding her head as she reopened her book and began reading off the next twenty pages before she and Tommy fell asleep.

[captivatedbycillianmurphy]

HELP ! I need a Tommy x fem. reader ! Please tag me !

[captivatedbycillianmurphy]

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Thank you !

I Only Wanted You; Part One

A/N: This part honestly made me cry like a baby writing. So, I don’t even know if it’s good. My heartbreaks for Reader, but also, Thomas; since he doesn’t know what he’s going to come home to in the end. Next part, I’m thinking about writing in both povs. 

Requested By: @captivatedbycillianmurphy

Parts: [ Prologue ], [ 2 ] 

Taglist: @zodiyack, @hesagod-notyet, @fandom-fucking-shit, @itsfrancisneptun​, @amys-small-world, @amirahiddleston​, @a-dorky-book-keeper​, @theamuz​, @hinagiku0​, @smallheathgangsters​, @captivatedbycillianmurphy​, @rosiemaisworld​, @queencoraline3​ Word Count: 846

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[mrs-bond]

Great chapter. I can't believe that Ana's parents used her for the money with the enemy. That's crazy and wrong of them to do that. I hope that Ana doesn't see her parents again. Glad that Tommy and Ana got to comfort each other.

Silence - Chapter 37

Pairing = Thomas Shelby x Reader

Summary = Ana’s parents return from London and reveal some upsetting things for Ana. 

Warnings = Language, Grammar, Sexual Themes, Pregnancy announced, Violence mentioned, Gang Activity mentioned. 

Word Count = 3352

“Good morning” I greeted walking into the tailor shop the next morning. My parents having returned from London yesterday evening when Tommy and I were sharing our news with his family.

It had turned into such a celebration. Arthur disappeared into the betting shop only to return with bottles of rum and whiskey calling for a celebration. John had told Esme to tell the sitter they needed her to stay longer.

I had never seen a family so happier, so excited to welcome a baby into the world it filled my heart with so much love, I had to excuse myself for a good cry.

“Good morning Ana, how are you?” My father smiled glancing up from his work schedule to spare me a glance whereas my mother eyes lifted from her cup of tea to send daggers my way.

I had to refrain from rolling my eyes at her actions. Clearly she was back to hating my very existence, again. Choosing to ignore it, I removed the coat from my shoulders hanging it on the rack beside the door, getting myself ready for the day ahead.

Most of the morning went by without a word, my father and I busy fulfilling orders or fixing whatever came through the door with ease while my mother potted around the shop, turning her nose up at certain fabrics or making unwarranted comments about my work, which I simply choose to ignore.

By late evening, I had started to pack away most of my things, tidying my workspace for tomorrow when my father appeared next to me, a small smile on his face.

“Ana, did Thomas talk to you about the shop?” He asked quietly checking over his shoulder for his wife. “It’s just I haven’t received anything yet and I wondered if he was having second thoughts?”

“You mean about the sell of the shop?” I asked, squinting my eyes in confusion at his choice of words.

“Yes, I know it’s not an investment for him but I am rather desperate.” He nodded, tongue swiping across his bottom lip, a nervous habit he had picked up over the years.

“You’re desperate?” I repeated in question.

“Yes, I thought Thomas would be interested in buying this place because of you. You are an amazing seamstress Ana and deserve your own place, it’s not much now but you can make it your own, Thomas will help you with that.”

“You approached Tommy about the sell, he didn’t approach you?”

“Oh no, no. It was me. Did he tell you otherwise?” My father asked, eyebrow raised in surprise as he looked at me.

“Father why do you want to sell the shop?” I asked employing the Shelby trait of answering a question with a question.

There was just something about this entire situation that felt wrong. Tommy never mentioned considering buying the shop until he slipped the contract into my purse. Unusual but I believed his reasoning as I had learned over the years that Tommy was a big gesture kind of man, especially after a fight.

But my father, he poured his heart and soul into this place, just like his father and grandfather before him.

I knew he wouldn’t have handed it over so easily, not to mention I was under the impression that Tommy made him an offer that was too hard to refuse. My father’s only stipulation being that he wanted the shop to remain under the control of an Alder, that being me.

“That’s not something…”

“Father I am not a little girl anymore and if you expect my partner to buy the shop from you, you will tell me why. This shop is your life so something has clearly happened to make you want to sell it.” I inform him sternly, pushing my shoulders back so I appeared taller, stronger.

“Ana…”

“No father, I am a grown woman not a China doll that will break. I have seen things, been involved with things that will make your head spin at the thought of your daughter being in such situations so you will tell me or I will tell Tommy it’s not happening.”

“You have certainly grown into a fine young woman” He smiled reaching forward stroking my cheek, a sad smile on his face. “Thomas Shelby is one lucky gentleman to have you on his arm.”

“Dad please, just talk to me.”

“You are gonna hate me for this.” He sighed dropping his hand from my face, his head dropping to his chest so he could look at the floor beneath his feet. Inhaling deeply I leaned against my desk, waiting for him to continue.

“It all started with James. We are a small tailor shop in Small Heath, not one of the bigger ones in the bull ring. Money is few and far between Ana, always has been. You know we only made enough to cover the bills, pay for some fabrics that’s it.”

“Yeah but that’s because your savings went to the Shelby’s.” I nod at him remembering him taking a black bag with a large sum of money to the Shelby family the night Arthur had beaten James to a bloody pulp.

It was that night I started taking over the books, monitoring everything that came and went from the shop.

“No, there was no savings Ana. We had nothing, have nothing still.” He continued with a long sigh, his shoulders dropping in sadness.

“But the black bag, it was filled with money. I saw you walk out of here with it.”

“The bag was empty Ana. That night I went somewhere else, somewhere to get the money.” He spoke, finally looking up at me, tears filled his eyes, a few escaping to roll down his cheeks.

My heart began to beat out of my chest as I waited for him to continue, my mind going back to that night. I hadn’t actually seen my father put money into the bag, in fact I hadn’t even seen him go near the safe, I just assumed.

“There was other conditions with the money. Conditions involving you Ana, but then their son left for America after some trouble. We hadn’t heard from them for a long time we thought it was over. Until word got around that you were dating Thomas Shelby.”

I felt vomit rising in my throat at the thought of my parents making a deal with someone and using me as a pawn to secure the money. I knew they didn’t care that much about me but to use me as part of a deal was a brand new level of low.

“They weren’t happy, you were promised to their son. A wife to settle his wild ways…”

“Stop” I held my hand up stopping him mind sentence, my head suddenly becoming light due to everything he was saying. “Stop talking father.”

“I’m sorry Ana, I never wanted this but…”

“You were selling me off to pay a debt?” I spat back, angry tears filling my eyes as I glared at my father. “The Shelby’s would have given you time to pay the money father, free tailoring services probably would have been enough.”

“Then why did they take the money if they are such good hearted people.” My mother’s voice spoke from the doorway.

I wasn’t sure how long she was standing there but with the sour look on her face it had been a while, she was just waiting on her moment to jump in to defend her actions.

“Who wouldn’t take money that was handed to them mother? They are business men. If you wanted to offer above and beyond your means they aren’t going to stop you. They had no loyalties to you, not then.”

“They are monsters who take everything they can to get rich and render the rest of us poor.” She growled back, her frail body barely managing to march over to stand next to her husband who couldn’t even make eye contact with me.

“They are the monsters? You were selling off you daughter to the highest bidder because you couldn’t just sit down and discuss a deal with them and you call yourselves business people?” I scoffed, shaking my head at the pair of them.  

“It’s not something I’m proud of Ana…” My father started to say only to stop himself when he realised he actually didn’t have the words to say. The truth had finally come out.

“But it had to be done.” My mother finished for him, a hateful look on her face as she looked over at me. “Then you had to go and mess it all up, letting that devil in your bed.”

“What is the difference between him and the devil you were trying to marry me off to mother?” I asked knowing that the only people in a town like this, with a lot of money were in fact gangsters just like the Shelby’s.

I watched my mother’s face contorted into shock at me words, her eyes blinking at least ten times a second as she tried to come up with a answer to my question but I knew I had her stomped. She had nothing.

Tommy may be a devil to some, I wasn’t naïve I knew he did bad things. Killed people, hurt people but he always had a reason behind it. He didn’t do it because he wanted to. In his own words, he did bad things to a good end. Mostly.

Shaking my head I walked over to the door, grabbing my coat to place it around my shoulders. My mother stood in shock at the realisation of what I had said.

Tommy was no better than the man she was so hell bent on me marrying, the past two years of her hatred was for nothing and she knew it. She was just blinded by whatever ransom these people held over her. And now she had ruined whatever little relationship we had and there was no coming back from that. 

“Tommy and I are expecting our first child together, we found out yesterday so consider this my resignation father.” I tell him. My words bringing his head up from the floor to look at me with an unknown expression behind his eyes.

I didn’t want to resign, I loved this shop, I loved tailoring but I couldn’t work here anymore, not with the total strangers I once considered my parents. Watching the realisation of the words, their jaws dropped at my words just as I closed the door tightly behind me.

******

It was only when a drop of rain hit off my nose did I break from my thoughts. Since leaving the tailor shop I had walked, just walked becoming completely lost in my thoughts that I was unsure of where I actually ended up.

Looking around I noticed I had walked to Tommy’s office in town. Everything around me was closing. It had just gone after 6pm, people were starting to go home for the day to their families, something Tommy will be doing within the next nine months.

Smiling at the thought I pushed open the large black door, a welcoming warmth hitting my face as I closed the door softly behind me.

“As long as there is more coming in, we are alright.” I heard Tommy’s voice, sighing a breathe a relief that he was here. I just really needed him right now. I needed his arms around me and his chin resting on my head as I inhaled his scent.

“The decorators in the Garrison want paying, Arthur forgot and pulled a gun when they asked so, they’ve stopped.” Lizzie told him, her hands resting on the edge of her desk as she rattled off the information.

“Tommy?” I spoke softly making my presence known as I walked into the room. For once Lizzie wasn’t throwing herself at him, if anything she looked rather stressed with the workload she had been given.

“Alright, just pay em Lizzie.” Tommy brushed off, concern in his eyes when he saw me.

Immediately he knew something wasn’t right as he took in my face. Nodding his head at me, silently summoning me to join him before turning his attention back to the taller, dark haired woman.

“Oh and we need to put an advert in the mail, Garrison grand reopening.” He pointed his index finger at her, immediately Lizzie had a pencil writing his words down.

“And you said there is a letter to go today, special delivery. I wrote it in the diary.” Lizzie spoke up just as Tommy nudged me towards the office door, leading to the staircase and to his office.  

“Yes.” He sighed out a heavy breath, his eyes cast down to me before returning to the other woman.  “I haven’t written it out yet.”

“Well you can just tell me and I’ll write it down. I learned short hand.” Lizzie explained allowing herself to sink into her chair, pencil at the ready to write, a proud look on her face.

“Fair enough” Tommy nodded, leaving me by the door to walk back into the room, clasping his hands behind his back, he began to speak. “Dear Mr Churchill…”

“Is your pencil broken?” Tommy asked after a moment.

Lizzie just looked over at him with wide eyes due to the nature of the letter whereas I stood by the door wide eyed as Tommy had his back to her the entire time, how did he know she wasn’t writing? The man never ceased to amaze me.

“No, no do go on.”

“Dear Mr Churchill…” Tommy began again. 

I felt my eyebrows pull in confusion at the mention of him having to carrying out a task that remain unspecified after being approach by a person of the crown. My mind immediately went to what Major Campbell had said to Tommy at the hospital.

He said he would be back in touch with Tommy once his health had improved and clearly he had been. I dreaded to think how deeply Tommy was involved if this went right up to Churchill. Was everyone corrupt? Was Tommy the good man in all this?  

Once he finished speaking, Lizzie informed him that she will have it written up and posted before 7pm. Thanking her, Tommy came to stand next to me once more taking my hand in his with a light squeeze.

“Oh and this came for you today, from America. A place called Poughkeepsie.” Lizzie spoke after him, pulling a letter from her desk, holding it out for him to take, her face unbothered.

“You’ve go to be fucking kidding me” I growled pulling my hand from Tommy’s roughly.

This was the final straw today. I had enough.

Growling to myself, I held back the tears as I looked over at Lizzie who was taken back by outburst, confused by what was happening.

Shaking my head, I walked towards the main door, unsure of where to go but I just couldn’t be here right now. I couldn’t take anymore, I felt like I needed to be alone right now. Everywhere I went to seek comfort, something happened to ruin it.

“Stace, Stace…” I heard Tommy call after me but I chose to ignore him, the tears already starting to fall. “Fuck sake Anastasia.” He yelled, voice vibrating off the walls. It was a tone he had only used once before in the Garrison when I tried to give back the money.  

Stopping in my tracks, I held my head high, inhaling through my nose as I wiped the tears away on my coat, refusing to turn around. A big change from the shaking, scared mess he had me in before with that voice. 

“Go to my office.” He instructed. Without moving my feet, I looked towards the main door leading out to the street, considering my options. When he spoke again the tone of his voice dangerously low. “Don’t you dare walk out that door.”

I felt something inside of me snap when he said that. Everyone around me was treating me like I was made of glass, afraid that I would break at the slightest touch or cruellest word.

I wasn’t the same Anastasia Adler I was two years ago, I had grown, a lot in those past two years and it was about time everyone had seen it. 

“Stop telling me what to do.” I glared over my shoulder at him.

In my peripheral I saw Lizzie’s eyes widen at my disobedience. With a shake of my head I walked outside the rain fully coming down now, soaking me within seconds.

*****

Tommy didn’t follow after me when I left his office, at least not right away and not that I knew of. After spending some time at the cemetery I walked home, wanting to get out of the wet clothes that was clinging to my skin, what started out as a good day turned into something so horrible and I prayed it was nothing more than a nightmare.

My head was pounding by the time I arrived home, in the space of a few hours I felt like my world had been flip on it’s head once more and I didn’t know how much more I could take.

“Welcome home.” Tommy’s voice carried from the kitchen, he appeared around the corner with a cup of hot tea in his hands, dressed only in his white shirt and waistcoat. The first two buttons of his shirt undone. 

“Thank you” I whispered, taking the hot cup from his hands after fighting with my coat. It was so wet it had attached itself to me like a second skin making the material harder to get off. 

Walking further into the room, the letter from Poughkeepsie sitting on the kitchen table glaring at me. With a scoff and a roll of my eyes I slammed the cup on the table turning on my heel to head back to the bedroom only Tommy stood in my way.

“Read it” He instructed, eyes staring down into my own, the fingers in his left hand pointing towards the table.

“No”

“Why?”

“I’m not reading your whore’s letters Thomas, I do not care for them, nor her” I inform him, making a move to walk around him only he held out his hands taking my upper arms into his carefully stopping my movements.

“Nor do I.” He stated with a shake of his head. Without warning he walked with me back towards the table but he didn’t press me against it. He reached over taking the letter into his hands. “You are who I care about and this baby.”

Releasing me from his grip, he reached into his pocket pulling out his box of matches and taking one from its confines. Striking the stick against the box, a beautiful orange/red flame started to dance between us.

Staring up into his eyes he held the letter between us, the back still sealed, the letter remaining unread. I watched as he put the lit match against it, almost immediately it went up in flames. Tommy’s eyes never looked away from mine as he held the burning letter in his hand. 

Feeling the flame getting closer to his fingers he dropped the paper to the ground stomping on it with his foot so it wouldn’t set fire to anything else.

Lifting my gaze from his foot to his face, his face was emotionless but his eyes were hungry not with lust but with love. He was silently telling me everything I needed to know.

I was his, and he was mine and together we were going to get through anything.

Needing to be in his arms I threw myself into his body, wrapping my arms around his back, burying my face into his chest. His scent bringing a feeling of calm over me.

Tommy placed his arms around me, pulling me tighter into him, his head coming down to rest his chin on my head just like I had wanted, just like I had needed.  

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