Only Time Will Tell - A Peaky Blinders Story

Chapter 7 - Secrets and promises

After Ada helps Cass change into her sleeping clothes and into bed, Cass asks her to stay until she is asleep. After a few hesitant moments, where Ada considers saying no, she sees the plea in her sister's eyes and can't help but sigh in defeat. They've been sat in silence ever since.

"So..." Cass starts, grunting as she sits herself up slightly, "Who've you been sneaking off to see?" she continues, staring her sister dead in the eye. "No one." Ada says in fake confusion, silently cursing herself for not being more careful. "Oh, come on Ada. I'm not fucking stupid." Cass says in an annoyed tone, trying to cover the tiredness she is feeling. Ada sighs and bows her head in shame. "It's just this guy I've been seeing. Please don't tell the boys – or Pol." She says, hopeful that her sister will say no. "Who is he?" Cass says, ignoring the beg of her little sister. "I can't tell you. You'll tell them and they'll kill him." Ada says nervously. "I won't tell them. But you have to promise me that you'll stay safe. Can't have you going through any of this, alright? I don't want you to end up like me." Cass says sternly, gesturing to her injuries but referring to something more. "I promise." Ada says sadly, helping her sister lay back down.

"Does he treat you well?" Cass says as she rolls onto her side to get more comfortable. "As well as he can since we have to sneak around." Ada huffs in reply. "As long as he does, that's fine. No matter what the circumstance." Cass then says with droopy eyes. "Go to sleep, Cass." Ada whispers as she brushes some hair out of Cassie's face with a small, but sad, smile.

As Ada watches her big sister sleeps. She can't help but wonder if Cass has been in this situation as well. She knows that her sister is hiding something about France, well a lot of things. But this is different. It's almost as if she left her heart with someone else. God knows who, but the gypsy part of her has a feeling, and when the Shelbys get gypsy feelings they're almost never wrong. It's times like this that Ada feels bad for having so much dislike towards her older sister, but she keeps hold of it since their brothers love Cass more than her.

"It's alright, love. I'm here now." Alfred says into Cass's hair as he embraces her. "But for how long?" Cass replies sadly, refusing to let him go just yet. "A few days, maybe weeks at most." Alfred says, forcing her to look at him. "These last few months have been hard on you. I can see it." He then says, rubbing his thumb across her cheek. "You're one to talk. I only tend to the wounded. You're out there fighting every day. This war his worse for you than it is for me." Cass says, looking him dead in the eyes.

"Captain, you're needed in the office!" a soldier yells, breaking their moment cruelly. Cass can't help but huff in annoyance. "Well, duty calls. I'll be seeing you." She then says before walking away to bring in the next gunshot victim.

She takes care of him as best she can, drowning his screams out like everyone else. Sometimes, she works too hard to save the soldiers when in reality she should know a death sentence when she sees one. When the screams finally stop, tears start to tingle in her eyes. She knew that there was nothing to be done, but she hates the feeling she's riddled with every time this happens. With that, the body is taken away to be replaced with another who's stuck between life and death. She starts to pray that all of this will be over soon as she tends to even more injuries.