Silence - Chapter 22
Pairing = Thomas Shelby x Reader
Summary = TIME JUMP - After having a very blissful, happy two years with the most notorious gangster in Birmingham, things don’t go as smoothly after Ada losing her husband to pestilence.
Warnings = Language, Gang Activity, Sexual Relations, Murder, Violence, Religion, Grammar, Bombings, Death
Word Count = 2464
Note = Remember guys I have included a time jump but have filled in the most important parts of the relationship over the period to keep the story moving along nicely. Don’t be mad at me. I have ideas.... Also Happy New Year. I hope 2023 is everything you all wish for and more. Let’s start the new year with a bang...
It had been a few months since I had moved into my apartment and it couldn’t have been better. My mother had a face of disgust when I told my father the following day at work that the Shelby brother’s helped me find a place to call my own. It was like she wanted me to fail, move back home and prove she was right. Yet, I managed to do the opposite much to her dismay.
My father was shocked at the news, but happy gifting me a wooden horse his mother, my late grandmother had gifted him for his first place, our family home just next door. It was an omen of goodness, she believed.
With Christmas came a lot of emotion. It was my first Christmas without the family I was raised with. My mother made plans to go to her mother’s home at Artillery street with my father. James went to Martha’s family home for dinner, spending time with her family before coming to spend the evening with me at the Shelby Household, something I didn’t expect but absolutely loved.
During his visit, Arthur had apologised claiming that if he could of predicated the future and my involvement with his family he wouldn’t have beaten him to a pulp. James was quick to remind the eldest Shelby however that had it not occurred, our paths may not have ever crossed.
A thought I didn’t even want to consider as I sat next to Tommy, hand on his knee watching John’s and Ada’s little ones fight over the presents under the tree.
The day spent with the Shelby’s was a lot more family orientated than my previous Christmases at home. The booze was shared along with countless stories. Arthur, the main story teller told me countless embarrassing stories of a much younger Tommy much to his brother’s dismay before joining the children on the floor, fulfilling the part of doting uncle.
Tommy had waited until we were home, away from everyone before giving me a present. A beautiful flower shaped pendant, necklace that rested beautifully across my neck. The chain white gold, with a round solid diamond in the middle surrounded with white golden petals.
The piece was simply exquisite, taking my breathe away. Tommy had maintained eye contact through the mirror as he placed the piece around my neck, his hands resting on my shoulders as he watched my reaction.
A proud smile finding his face as I choked back on the tears, It was the most beautiful idea I had ever owned.
The following day, my father arrived in the morning to my apartment with a set of the finest leather gloves he had gotten from London, gifting them to Tommy. At first claiming it was for the cold snap we were experiencing but quickly added it was for taking such good care of me when he wasn’t able to.
The months following Christmas, Tommy had moved in with me. It was never spoken about, it just happened. He spent every evening there with me, I woke with him next to me every morning. Not before long his clothes were hanging in my wardrobe and his toothbrush next to mine in the bathroom and it just felt right.
We had spent months building our relationship to a level of trust where I was now expected to sit in on their family meetings. It didn’t matter what time of day it was, when a meeting was called, Tommy was sure to find me demanding my presence.
It wasn’t just the family meetings he was including me in however, it was everything. Whether it be business or personal, I became his favourite, smiling accessory perched happily right by his side.
Everyone was to know that I was Thomas Shelby’s woman.
A year into our relationship, my heart swelled with pride when he opened his first official office for Shelby Company Limited. It was his place of business, it was also the best place to find Thomas Shelby with his head buried in his work, always planning for the future.
The happiness and celebrations of successes was soon cut short when Tommy’s friend, Ada’s husband, Freddie Thorne grew ill before passing shortly after because of pestilence leaving Ada a widow at such a young age.
I had never witnessed someone handle death with such grace, such valour as I had with Ada. I couldn’t help but look up to the woman who held such a great deal of pain inside, but refused to let the world see it.
Leaving the church just behind the grieving widow, one of Tommy’s men, a new boy by the name of Henrick whispered a message in my ear, ‘that my brother required my help urgently at the Garrison.’ His head nodding over towards a woman, who was unfamiliar. Her red hair reached just above her shoulders, an impatient look on her face as she looked at me, just waiting for me to leave.
Ada, overhearing the conversation insisted that I leave. She convinced me that it must have been of great importance as my brother knew where I was today.
Nodding, I asked the young man Henrick for a ride back into town which he was only to happy to help, anything to appease Tommy who had wanted to come with me but I refused. He needed to be here for his sister and also say the words he had prepared over Freddie’s grave, like promised when in France.
When I arrived at the bar it was locked which wasn’t unusual for this time of day but surely if my brother needed me as urgently as his note had suggested, it should be open. Hearing the click of the lock Harry appeared, confusion evident on his face as he allowed me inside.
“Hello Harry, Is James around?” I asked walking further into the entrance so that I was stood in the middle, looking around me for any other sign that my brother was hiding in one of the back rooms, or bathrooms maybe.
“No love. Only me here did he say he was meeting you here?”
“Yeah, Henrick gave me the message, he told me to come here as it was urgent.” I nod walking further over to the back doors an uneasy feeling falling over me as I watched Harry redo the lock to keep anyone else out of the bar
“Sorry love, no one’s been in or out all morning” He explained, standing in front of the double doors with his hands on his hips.
It had all happened so fast, I barely had time to register the bright orange, yellow light behind Harry when a loud bang had me closing my eyes. Instinctively my hands flew up to my head, burrowing away from the noise when I felt myself being pushed back against the back wall with such a force it had knocked the wind from my lungs.
Blinking my eyes a few times, causing dust to fall into them, groaning I lifted my hands to rub it away when a strange redness coating my hands distracted me. I tried to sit up but there was something heavy holding down my legs, groaning I tried to push the thing off so I could sit properly.
Using all my strength, the object fell away, making a loud thud next to me as I looked around. Everything was covered with a black fog and there was an obnoxious ringing in my ears. Pushing my hand against the wall behind me, I pushed myself up with great difficulty, hissing at the pain that was coursing through every inch of my body.
“Harry?” I coughed out, stumbling forward only to be saved by an pillar in front of me. Nothing. I heard nothing. Leaning against the pillar, I evaluated the scene around me, tears welled in my eyes when I had made the connection.
Someone had bombed the Garrison with us inside.
I tried to move forward again only I tripped over some broken furniture falling to my knees. “Harry?” I tried again, hoping, praying that he wasn’t too badly injured as I crawled along the floor, looking for a way out.
“Ana? Ana?” I heard the voice of my brother calling for me. Sitting back on my knees I tried to pinpoint which direction it was coming from but couldn’t, the ringing in my ears not allowing it,
“James?” I called back with a cough. I looked around for him desperately crawling towards where I thought the front of the bar should be but the black smoke had yet to dissipate making everything harder.
No doubt word was spreading fast that someone had targeted the Peaky Blinder bar. It was only a matter of time before Tommy himself arrived to such destruction, I just hoped I was out of here when that happened.
“Ana, where are you?” I heard him call the ringing not subsiding. Lifting my hand, I put my finger inside my ear, shaking it to try and get a reprieve “Ana, I see you. Keep coming this way” I heard him instruct, nodding to myself I began to crawl forward, telling myself that this would soon be over.
Blinking away some more dust, I tried my hardest not to cough as I continued to move forward, my hand slipping on something soft with a squishy texture causing me to slip, my face hitting off a broken piece of cement when I landed.
“Shit Ana” Wincing at the pain, I felt a hand on my face, smoothing my cheek. “It’s me Ana, it’s me let’s get you out of here” I was sure James was shouting but it sounded more like a whisper as he pulled me up, tugging on my hands, willing me to move with him.
“LOOK OUT” Someone on the outside yelled but just as the words left his mouth, the two pillars at the front holding the ceiling had collapsed, an almighty noise echoed through the street as I screamed, tucking my head into my chest, praying it would protect me.
Grimacing I felt a throbbing pain at the back of my head, my eyes were now struggling to remain open as I lay, waiting for death to take me. I no longer felt connected to James as the onslaught of rubble continuing to fall around us.
My mind going straight to Tommy, I hoped he wouldn’t be the one to find me. I wondered if he would be alright, would he find someone else?
The thought brought tears to my eyes, I wasn’t ready to leave him. We had so much more to do together. He had an empire to build, with me, his Queen by his side. We were suppose to get married, have kids and start our own traditions.
I thought back to our first Christmas together according to Polly it was the happiest she had seen him, she could only remember him smiling so widely and laughing so much when he was an young innocent child, long before the war.
“Stace, Stace” A familiar voice pulled me from my thoughts, blinking steadily I tried to lift my head without success. “Stace, it’s me Tommy. Let me hear you. Where are you?” He tried his voice sounded frantic, no doubt he was surveying the place for any sign of movement.
Clearly my throat, I tried to speak but the words got lost. Breathing heavily I tried again, a low groan coming from my lips but it was enough. “Tommy” I managed to squeak, the words burning in my throat like I had just drunk a full bottle of vodka in one sitting. “Tommy” I tried again the words coming out a little louder.
“Jesus Stace, it’s alright, you’re alright, I’m here.” Tommy silhouette came into my blurred vision. A shadow of his hand reaching forward, before I felt his finger gently grazing the side of my face. “Arthur she’s here. ARTHUR.”
“Tommy” I speak again, an almighty feeling of pressure pushing against the side of my head, coughing I closed my eyes, the pain becoming too much to bear as I lay here.
“I’m here Stace, we are going to get you out.” He hushed, gently stroking the side of my face.
I felt myself go into a panic when I realised he wasn’t trying to get me out. I went to move but couldn’t. Everything felt, either numb or heavy, nothing felt right. Tears began to fill my eyes again as I wiggled as best I could to move.
“Tommy, pull me out” I pleaded, my eyes burning from the mixture of dust and tears.
“I’m trying Stace. I’m trying” I heard him breathe, the sound of concrete hitting more concrete filling my ears. It didn’t feel like he was trying.
“Pull me out Tommy, pull me out, PULL ME OUT” I screamed the tears falling freely from my eyes. A feeling of pure desperation overwhelming me to feel anything.
“Tommy she is panicking she has to remain still.” I heard a female voice shout to the man I loved, bringing his attention back to me.
“Stace, calm down I need you to calm down for me” He hushed with a pleading tone, his finger caressing the side of my face again but it wasn’t working, not like it had before,
“I’m not ready to die, not yet. Pull me out.” My voice sounding foreign to me as I lay in between what I assumed was broken ceiling and floor, Tommy’s face becoming clear to me, his blue eyes shinning like sapphires throughout the darkness that had surrounded us. “Tommy please, please get me out.”
“Tommy calm her down” The woman insisted from Tommy, the voice was familiar but I couldn’t see her.
“I’M TRYING” He yells back, an arm coming up to his face to wipe away the tears falling from his eyes. He was crying.
I stopped screaming, stopped moving when I noticed his pain. I felt like my heart was breaking in my chest at the thought of him before upset.
He didn’t deserve this.
“Tommy get back, back” Arthur’s gruff voice sounded almost quiet as I felt my eye growing heavy. I just about made out his silhouette as he approached, his arms outstretched as he pushed Tommy away from me.
“Ana stay with us, it’s John stay with us” Another silhouette appeared from above me, a white light around him, maybe he was an angel.
“Tommy move” Arthur demanded as my eyes felt too heavy within seconds, they were fluttering shut. Once closed the ringing in my ears had stopped, the background noise soon faded into nothing.
I imagined myself staring into Tommy’s sapphire blue eyes as I slipped into the darkness.
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