LONELY| Thomas Shelby

4.7

BETH WOKE WITH A, sick feeling in her stomach that morning. Tommy was tense and occupied with business that he had made clear he didn't want her to be involved in. Beth hadn't complained and just complied, figuring her life would be simply easier without the complications of more business adding to the weight on her shoulders.

Sighing as she brushed through her hair, she glanced back at Tommy who rushed around the room pulling on his suit. "God you're worse that a woman, Tommy Shelby." She scolded, pulling on her own coat. "I want you to go to the hospital and keep Micheal some company while I deal with some bloody business." Tommy grumbled, stopping to a halt to place a kiss to Beths forehead before disappearing out the door of Polly's.

Beth sighed, rubbing her temple as she nodded. "Bye Tommy, love you too. Yes, I'll be safe today and stay out of trouble. Oh you will too. Fan fucking tastic." Beth grumbled sarcastically, as she left out of Pollys pulling the door slam shut behind her. The walk to the hospital was silent and quiet cold as the winter weather still lingered through Small Heath. Arriving at the hospital, Beth got the shivers as deja vu set of the day John died.

Closing her eyes shut for a moment, Beth heaved in a breath before pushing the doors open. Smiling sweetly at the receptionist, Beth found her way down the corridor to Michael's room. "Good morning Micheal Shelby." Beth grinned, watched as a smile spread across his face. "Morning Bethany, What do I owe this pleasure?" Micheal spoke, glancing back down at his work. "I am here to occupy myself and keep you, my love company." Beth grinned, sitting onto his bed gently. "I'm doing work Beth." Micheal sighed, looking down at the sheets surrounding him. "Then I will help Micheal." She taunted, grasping his hand softly.

"I think you forget Micheal, I was a Shelby long before you were on the scenes and doing twice as much paper work." She mumbled, taking her glasses from her bag to slip onto her face. "You wear glasses?" Micheal grinned, his eyebrows raising as he watched her scan through the sheet with furrowed brows and a look of concentration."I do indeed Micheal. Also only learned to read a few years ago. There's a lot you don't know about me." She grinned, winking up at Micheal.

"What next your going to tell me you're married to Tommy?" Micheal teased, watching as Beth scoffed a laugh. "No, just engaged a very long time, I think." Beth answered, pulling out another sheet of paper from the bed. "My bets were always on you and John, to be honest." Micheal mused, a cheeky smile on his face. Beth let out a laugh, her smile bright. "You know, we talked about getting married a few times." Beth mumbled, her smile faltering, "I'm sorry, shouldn't have brought it up." Micheal apologised, noticing the tension at the mention of John.

"Not at all, less of the nonsense apologies. John loves the attention of being talked about Micheal. Probably up there with a big fat smile and telling me to fuck myself." Beth hummed, a childish grin on her face as she scanned through the pages of work. Beth put her head down for the next twenty minutes working hard on the paperwork, Micheal occasionally watching her as she worked away, her eyes scanning over every word as if they had been personally assigned to her. He was too distracted in her gaze he barely noticed the nurse who crept into his ward, barely.

Glancing up, his eyebrows furrowed. A set of specific nurses had been set to his aid, Polly and the Shelby family demanding the best of the best was a given, so Micheal new with the cautious look in her eye as she failed to meet his eyes and the hurry of her pace, she was uninvited. "What are you doing?" Micheal asked, his voice breaking the silence. Beth's eyes raised from the sheet at the woman who snapped Michaels bag closed, his gun being sealed inside. Micheal rose to his feet in temper, Beth the same, following after the woman even after she heard Micheal fall.

Micheal cursed under his breath, his hands shaking as he thought the worst when a gun shot rung through the hallway. Beth scurried into the room, a panicked and terrified look in her eyes as she jogged toward Micheal, hoisting him onto the bed. "Micheal it's-." Beth's sentence got off as Luca Changretta joined the room. Beth stood in front of Micheal on instinct, her eyes scanning over the stupid toothpick perched between his lips down toward the gun in his hands as Micheal reached out for her hand with his own trembling hands. Luca turned, locking the door.

"Uh-uh-uh." Luca grumbled, stepping closer toward them. "Where I come from, a hat on the beds unlucky. My family say it brings death. Maybe, maybe that's what happened. Last time my man was sent for you, you got lucky." Luca teased, giving Beth a once over as she stood infront of Micheal, a look of utter disgust on her face. They stood in silence a stare down between the two as if in a chess game where both sides thought there next move. Luca slowly took his gun, placing it to Beth's forehead. "Bethany. Move." Micheal demanded on deaf ears as Beth only smiled at Changretta, the cold tip of the gun still positioned against her skin.

"One of you is going to die here today. I'll let you both decide who it is." Luca promised. "Shoot me." Beth grinned, shrugging her shoulders. "Enlighten me and shoot me." Micheal face fell as he heard Beth's words, his blood running cold. "You care for him." Luca stated. "No, I just know you're next move." Beth murmured. "It looks like your lucks run out." Luca started staring down at Micheal. Grasping Beth's shoulders he shoved her to the side harshly, her body colliding with the table in the room and with a gasp she fell to the floor. Watching she stared at Luca who's finger neared the trigger as she silently prayed she'd been right about knowing Lucas moves.

The gun clicked and to no avail, there was no bullet. Turning back to Beth, Luca nodded. "I'll see you very soon Bethany." Beginning to exist the room, he called. "And tell your mother we have a deal." Standing to her feet, Beth sat onto the bed beside Micheal, pulling him into a hug. "You're crazy Beth. What were you thinking?" Micheal spat, glaring at her. Smiling, Beth shrugged. "I wasn't."