𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐂𝐀𝐍'𝐓 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐏 𝐈𝐓 a thomas shelby fanfiction [✓]

xxii

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO | he already does

✩

Polly and Lucie walked through the cold streets of Small Heath, heading straight for the Garrison. Lucie had a secret, a knife strapped to her leg. Polly had her signature needle hidden in her hair.

"What's happened?" Polly questioned, knowing something was wrong with Lucie.

"Nothing." Lucie replied.

"Don't give me that shit." Polly snapped, "What has happened." She pressed.

"Tommy." Lucie took a sharp breath. "He hinted at marriage. W-with me. And I just lost it, ran off crying, he probably thinks I don't even like him. Pol! I love him. I'm so fucking stupid." Lucie stumbled over her words, Polly had no time to reply, they already reached the Garrison.

"We'll talk later." Polly spoke harshly, "For now, we have her to deal with."

The pair pushed the Garrison doors open, a grand entrance for the women. There she was, dressed in a fine purple coat to match her skirt, she looked wealthy. Her purse resting on her shoulder. She was leaving, but not just to get away from the fight about to break out, she looked like she was leaving for good.

"Going for good?" Polly questioned knowing full well what the answer was.

Lucie had a harsh stare on the woman. Wreaking havoc on the city, to only leave a few months later. Why did Lucie suspect anything different? It was exactly what she did in Manchester years ago.

"I heard there's trouble." Grace spoke, her voice wobbling.

"Funny thing. Instinct." Lucie laughed darkly. It was her chance to get back at Grace for everything she'd done. All the pain she and Campbell had caused.

"See, normally I can tell about a person. But with you—." Polly began, however she was interrupted by Grace.

"Look the fighting's about to begin. We should get out of here." Grace was keeping her cool, pulling the strap of her small purse onto her shoulder.

"We know who you are." Polly interjected, making Grace freeze.

"They've known all this time, Grace. They've always known, ever since you came to this town. Arthur's known, John's known, Polly's known. And Tommy's known." Lucie smiled at Grace who was visibly furious.

"You swore, you swore in Manchester you'd never tell anyone. We were friends back then. You promised!" Grace began to shout.

"Promises get broken, you of all people should know that." Lucie took a sharp breath.

"Tommy would've known either way. Turns out that copper as good as told him this morning." Polly pulled the needle from her hair and showed it to Grace.

Lucie heard Grace's purse open, her hand shaking as it clutched onto the contest inside. A gun. Grace had a gun. Which was then pointed straight at Polly. Fear swam through Lucie's blood as she tried to keep calm. 

"But I wanted to hear it from your own lips." Polly finished. The gun was raised and pointed at Polly, who didn't flinch or move, she just smiled and stared down the barrel.

"I am an agent of the crown. I have the right to arrest and the right to use force." Grace moved towards Polly.

"Yeah and right now, I'm so close to cutting you a new one." Lucie interjected, Pulling the dagger from her leg, nicking her skin.

The surprise of Lucie having a dagger made Grace stumble back ever so slightly, her hand shaking. Polly smiled, she knew the girl wasn't weak, she just didn't know when she'd show she was one of them.

"Like I said, instincts a funny thing." Lucie laughed once more before Polly spoke again.

"You fell for Tommy for real didn't you." Polly already knew the woman had. She also knew that Lucie had too, just many years ago.

"This gun is loaded." Grace spoke once more.

"Well then I suggest you put it away before someone gets hurt don't you think?" Lucie spoke, she was not letting Grace win this time.

"You'll get hurt." Grace snapped.

"I'm not afraid of you anymore. I learnt a long time ago, you're nothing but a little girl who couldn't handle her daddy being in the IRA so you acted out. I don't care, I really don't." Lucie spoke truthfully.

Grace slapped Lucie across the cheek, causing Lucie to let out a small whimper. Lucie had too much adrenaline coarsening through her body, she didn't cry, she didn't hold her cheek in pain, she listened to what Grace had to say and calculated a reply.

"Girls like you don't get the boy, you stay the barmaid. Who's dream is something she'll never have." Grace spat.

"Tell you what Grace. When me and him get married, I'll make sure to invite you. So you can watch your dreams be shattered by the lousy barmaid. I got a taste of your dreams, they tasted like my reality." Lucie replied, she was so proud of herself. She would've never said that three years ago.

Polly could see herself in Lucie, to attitude, the feistiness. She knew all this time Lucie was going to be a Shelby, even if she wasn't blood. She was one of them all the same.

"Slip of a thing. Thought you'd come in here and stitch us all up. We've had some coppers narks in here before but you?" Polly had broke the pair out of the trace of hatred.

"You're the queen of them all." She finished.

Polly just stared at the gun that was once again pointed at her. She wasn't phased by it at all.

"So, every time you've over heard one of Thomas' conversations, when Arthur told you about Danny Whiz Bangs grace. The slip of paper about the money to Danny. Everything. It was all planted so you could hear it. You've been a pawn in our game. And now you made everything work perfectly." Polly smiled, everything hadn't gone to plan, Billy Kimber was on his was here, but besides that? Everything was in order.

"You thought Fenians, Communists, Low people. They're all the same. Scum. Then you met Tommy." Polly began. Lucie could feel her chest tighten. If he knew Grace had fallen for him, would he choose her? Or stay with Lucie?

Grace moved to place her gun down on the bar, not without pointing it towards Lucie again. By now, Lucie had placed her knife back to it originally place, looking down to see a small section of red painted onto her white dress.

"I'll fight you with my fists and show you how a rich girl fights." Grace was rolling up her sleeves, causing Polly to laugh.

"No, we woman have more sense. You're going to leave. For good. You stay out of our lives, go back to Ireland and be the little rich girl." Polly spat.

Grace seemed as though she couldn't take it anymore, she snatched the gun off the bar and moved towards Lucie, pressing the gun against her chest. Lucie was frightened. But she wanted to prove to herself she was tough. She wanted to show Grace she had no power over her.

"He'll never love you." Grace spat, pushing the gun harder. Lucie swiftly reached for her dagger and pulled it straight out from her dress, the tip under Graces chin.

"He already does."