The Queen Of Small Heath

The Garrison Explodes.

Auroras POV

One year later.

I stand in a graveyard, next to Tommy, holding his hand. My small black dress blowing in the wind as we watch Freddie Thorne be lowered into the ground. He had died a few days prior in the comforts of his home as he slept. He isn't going our way, burning out of this world, instead, he's being buried because he was a communist.

The priest rambles words that we zoned out before Tommy steps forward, clearing his throat as he starts to speak. "I promised my friend, Freddie Thorne, that I'd say a few words over his grave if he died before me. I made this promise before he became my brother in law, when we were in France fighting for the king." He says to everyone.

"Amen." Arthur praises. "And in the end, it wasn't the war that took Freddie. Pestilence took him. But Freddie passed on his soul and his spirit to a new generation before he was cruelly taken." Tommy continues. The funeral continues with tension, the only thing that interrupts is the sound of the children.

I walk over to Karl who is picking grave flowers with Johns children. I let out a small laugh, shaking my head a little. "And what are do you think you're doing, little man?" I ask as I crouch down, plucking the flower from Karl's small hands. "Picking flowers. The dead people won't mind, auntie Ro." One of Johns boys say to me as he smiles proudly, holding out the flower to me. I take the flower and have to refrain from smiling at him. "That's not the point sweetie, they're there to pay respects from the dead peoples family. You don't take what's not yours." I tell him softly.

I glance around at the small children who are watching me with big, round and wide eyes, their mouths open. "Now off you go." I shoo, standing up, and chuckling as I walk towards Tommy who is watching me over his shoulder.
He takes the flower from my hand and looks at it. "I had to stop Karl and the trouble makers from pinching any more flowers from the graves." I tell him.

I look between him and Ada, my eyebrows furrowing as I realise they are glaring at each other, the tension heavy between them. "Okay, when you two are staring at each other like this, it's never good. What's happened?" I ask as Tommy looks at me. "It's alright, love." He speaks, taking a long drag of his cigarette before a sarcastic laugh leaves his lips. "We make Ada embarrassed." He says as I look at Ada, really not surprised she would say something like that. "That's not what I said!" Ada snaps, glaring at Tommy.

"There's another reason we want you to come home." Tommy says before he looks over my shoulder at Polly who is watching the three of us from afar. Tommy shares a look with me before we look back at Ada. "We're planning an expansion. I'm taking premises in London." He tells her and she frowns as I take his cigarette, taking a drag from it, letting the smoke flow from my lips.

"The expansion means its going to be dangerous to be a Shelby in London for a while." I tell her as Tommy nods his head, Ada rolls her eyes at us. "Yeah, well, I'm not a Shelby anymore." She grumbles, folding her arms across her chest. "And I'm not a Thorne now either. I'm free." She adds making me sigh before I lean up to Tommy's ear. "Just leave it. She's not going to listen to us anyway." I tell him and he nods.

"I've got to get Karl home." Ada states miserably before she begins to walk off, brushing against my shoulder harshly making me scoff. I go to turn around, to go after her, but Tommy grabs my arm and pulls me back to him. "Just let it go, baby." He whispers and I sigh. Ada walks past Polly who is approaching me and Tommy, and scoops Karl into her arms. "I told you, let me do it." Polly scolds us. "It's alright. I'll have some men watch her house till the danger passes." Tommy decides, watching as I put my hand into his coat pocket and pull out his cigarettes.

I pluck a single cigarette from the box and lift my eyes to Tommy, smirking, as I wait for him to light it for me. He lets out a small chuckle but takes out his lighter and lights the end of my cigarette. I tag a long drag and glance around, catching Johns eye and he smiles at me, before he winks cheekily making me chuckle.

I furrow my eyebrows as a motorbike pulls up and see Arthur leaning over to hear what the man had to say before he rushes towards me and Tommy, and we meet him half way. "Arthur, what's happened?" I ask him. "Someone blew up the Garrison." He tells us as me and Tommy look at him in shock and anger. "Who the fuck?" I ask angrily before Tommy grabs my hand and we rush over to his car.

Polly and Arthur rush behind us and climb into the car just after we do. Tommy takes off straight away, ignoring Polly's questions on what's happened. My leg bounces in anger as the car turns onto the street the Garrison is on. The car comes to a quick halt and Tommy throws open his door quickly and stands out, his eyes never leave the pub but he holds his hand out to help me out of the car.

My eyes widen at the site of our pub. The windows are completely shattered, the front is burned out and the police have barricades around the wreckage, all of it mixed into one big mess. The rest of the family joins us and Tommy and Polly went to talk to Moss. John wraps his arm around my shoulder, pulling me close into his side.

"Whoever done this are fucking bastards." I growl and John and Arthur nod in agreement. "Yeah, you got that right." Arthur says as he sighs. I walk over to Tommy as Moss nods at me and steps away. "Tommy, who did this?" I ask him as he turns to me. "I have an idea on who." He tells me. "Sabini?" I question and he shakes his head. "No. Irish." He growls.