BETH HAD BEEN, woke the early hours of Christmas morning by John who she presumed had been dragged down stairs by his children to look under the tree. He flung her door open, grinning when he seen her messy blonde hair and tired swollen eyes staring up at him. Marching over, he smiled wide when Beth scooted back toward the wall allowing him to lie down into the bed beside her. "Merry fucking Christmas doll." John spoke, wrapping Beth in arms for a cuddle.
"Another bloody Christmas with Beth and John, eh?" Beth joked, rubbing her eyes as she snuggled into his chest. It had become sort of a Christmas tradition since Beth had began to stay at Polly's. Every Christmas, John somehow managed to be the first awake and would walk into Beth and they'd have a cuddle before going down stairs to everyone- much to Tommy's dismay who often got squished against the wall to make room for John in his bed.
"Get dressed n' go down to Esme for breakfast. The kids want to see their aunty. I'll do some yard work and then come in." John murmured, pushing Beth's hair behind her ear. "Do we have to John? I'm bloody cozy now." John chuckled, standing out of the bed and pulling Beth along with him who groaned. "C'mon love, the kids are all excited with their toys. Esme's all stressed about dinner too so maybe you can calm her." Her placed a kiss to the top of her forehead, smiling cheekily before disappearing out her bedroom door, his loud footsteps rushing down the stairs.
Having bathed the night before, her hair was straight and shiny and all that was left to do was comb through it before she got changed into a white dress and heels. Wandering out of her room, she yawned tiredly. As she made her way down the stairs, the noise of the children and Esme got louder and Beth couldn't help but snort at Esme's scowling. "Good morning lovelies!" Beth cheered, walking into the sitting room where a flock of children ran to hug her legs and waist all shouting in delight.
Beth had barely managed to escape to Esme who gave her a warm hug. "Happy Christmas, sister." Esme spoke softly, placing a kiss to Beth's cheek. "Merry Christmas Esme, love you." Beth murmured, squeezing her just as tight. The two women had formed a close bond. Esme was witty the same as Beth but possibly more vocal and seeing as they both came from gypsy families they had more in common the thought.
"Who's that?" Beth wondered, staring out the window as the Bentley that pulled out. "Fucking Micheal." Esme fumed, storming out the hall door to where John and Micheal stood talking, Beth hot on her heels. Esme flung the door open just as John was opening it and rushed out, Beth standing back beside John. "Tell Tommy Shelby we can look after ourselves!" Esme spat. "Tommy says that they could come for us today, Esme." Micheal beckoned.
"Tommy says, Tommy says. Are you his fucking parrot?" Esme yelled. Beth couldn't help but laugh at her comment, John glaring at her playfully, "Look it's the fucking Mafia! This is the New York mafia we're talking about." Micheal yelled. "And we're the peaky fucking blinders." John spoke. Beth shook her head, a sick feeling growing in her stomach. "No, we're not John. We're not the Peaky fucking Blinders unless we're together." Micheal drawled. "We were together in the gallows with one man missing." Esme growled.
"John. John, come to the meeting. Think about the kids. Come to the meeting and if you want to leave then fine." Micheal suggested. "I'll go to the meeting." Beth spoke, walking toward Micheal. "No. It's Christmas day. We're the family now, we're staying at home." Esme growled, Beth turned, glancing toward a horse drawn carriage with piles of hay, something she saw reoccurring on the daily. John stepped forward just as Micheal had managed to push Esme toward the house. Beth turned gasping when she saw hit men poke from the hay.
Tommy had been right, Changretta had made there first move on Christmas day. Beth let out a strangled scream for John, not thinking twice as she ran to his side, attempting to pull him but it was too late, the shots had already started coming. John turned with speed, shielding Beth with his back as she let out loud screams, her mouth wavering as she attempted to do something, anything to make it stop. John was dead before he hit the ground, taking Beth along with him. Micheal had been shot and Beth was grazed but John had taken every bullet intended to hit her.
Esme ran out, letting out a loud scream as she pushed John onto his back, taking his weight off Beth's body who did nothing but shake and cry as she pulled herself together enough to move toward John. Her hands shook ferociously as she cupped his face in her hands, letting out a loud scream as she expected him to tell her it was okay. "John! John! Please- I- John." Beth cried, shaking her head as she attempted to shake him back to life. "Ring a fucking ambulance!" Beth screamed, sobbing as Esme made a dash inside.
It wasn't long till the ambulance had arrived and Beth and Esme had been taken alongside John's body. Micheal had been alive but barely and Polly quickly took to his side as soon as heard the news. Beth, refused to leave John, her hand held tightly in his cold and lifeless hand as she closed her eyes and imagined perhaps she was dreaming and when she opened her eyes, her best friend would be by her side. Esme and Beth had been separated from John and had been taken to the hospital. Beth waisted no time, leaving Esme slightly behind as she took Polly's car to the morgue.
Flinging open the doors she let out a strangled sob seeing Tommy and Arthur at John's body. Arthur struggling to hold his cries while Tommy remained lifeless. "You! My best friend! He's gone! My John!" Beth screamed, rushing toward Tommy as she attempted to hit him and push him, anything to get him away from John. Tommy caught her hands, pulling her into his chest as he wrapped his arms firmly around her. "Beth. C'mere. C'mon now." Tommy murmured, pulling her toward him as she cried into his chest, staring down at John who lay in his own blood and swarmed with bullets.
Letting out a strangled sob, Beth reached over with shaky hands to rub her thumb over John's cold and lifeless hand. Pushing Tommy away, she looked at him in disgust. "Get out. You spoke to him, it's my turn." She instructed, running a hand through her matted hair. Tommy walked out, calling Arthur who squeezed Beth's arm before leaving, the door shutting behind him. "I love you more than words can explain, my John." Beth cried, her voice in a whisper as she cupped his cheeks. "You'll always be my John." She murmured, leaning down to place a long kiss to his temple.
"I'm so fucking sorry. You were doing what you bloody do best." Beth paused. "Protecting me." Taking a last glance, she squeezed her hand in John's firmly before tearing her gaze from his body and waking out of the room. Her knees felt ready to collapse and when Beth saw Esme rushing toward her, she couldn't help but sob. Esme brought her into a tight and long hug, both women crying harder than the other. "I love you," Beth whispered, brushing through Esme's hair as she pulled back to smile sadly through her sobs.
"And he loved you." Esme spoke, cupping Beth's cheek one last time before wandering into the morgue. Beth struggled to contain her cries as she made her way outside to see Tommy and Arthur standing in silence. Tommy turned toward her as soon as Beth had appeared outside. He held his hand out, and Beth stared at him for a moment in silence. Taking his hand, Beth allowed Tommy to pull her into a hug as she looked over his shoulder into the distance. "I love you." Tommy whispered, running his hands through Beth's hair.
"I know." Beth spoke, her cries only intensifying.
"I know."
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LONELY| Thomas Shelby
Fanfiction"when they're good they're really good, when they're bad they will burn the town to the ground." in which beth returns to the gangster life that she once lived, where everything is the same yet everything has changed. BOOK TWO OF VULNERABLE SERIES S...
