Little Shelby Girl

Part 17. Guilty

Vive's POV

God, it's still dark outside...

This has been the 5th time or so I woke up tonight. I'm too restless to sleep. I constantly shoot up from my sleep because of nightmares. I'm thinking about what's going on right now with Arthur and Tommy. I wonder if Tommy has found him already and if they're both safe. What if they took them both, hurt them or worse...

I turn to John, who sleeps like a baby in his chair. He's not worried at all it seems. Sometimes I wish they would tell me stories about the war, just so I know what kind of things they have done and what they all are capable of. Maybe that would make me less scared for them in similar situations.

I lay my head back on my pillow and stare at the ceiling. What time would it be? I want it to be the morning so bad... I want to go out this house and find my brothers, or I want John to go look for them.

When I want to close my eyes again to go for another round of light sleep, I suddenly hear a loud bang against the front door. I shoot up on the couch immediately and cover my head with my hands out of a reflex. I scream at John to wake up, but I see he already shot up from his sleep as well.

John sits upright in his chair with his eyes widen, looking at the door. His one hand already located on the revolver while he gestures me to shut up with the other.

"JOHN?! OPEN THE DOOR" the noise follows the banging from outside.

Thank God, it's Tommy. We both sigh with relief.

"Shh, I'll get it" John says, looking at me making his way outside. I'm still wrapt up in blankets, too afraid to move myself. I hear John opening the lock of the front door, followed by a lot of stumbling noises.

"Bring him in, bring him in" Tommy says. A second later he, John and Arthur appear in the living room. Arthur walks bend over and leans on both Johns and Tommy's shoulders.

"What the fuck happened?!"

"Put him on a chair, come'on" Tommy says grabbing the nearest chair he can find. As they both put Arthur on it he groans a little. There's blood dripping over his forehead I notice, not being able to see the complete damage real clear from my point of view.

"The fuck happened to him Tom?" John tries a second time.

While looking all the drawers in Johns kitchen for alcohol and a medical kit, Tommy mumbles back.

"The bastards held 'em , questioned him about the guns. I hadn't told him about the fucking guns cause I hardly saw him this week so he didn't had a clue what they were walking about."

John's looking frowned at Tommy while holding Arthur to the back of the chair with one hand.

"I found him in an alley near a police station." He continues while walking back to Arthur holding a bottle and a bandage.

"I'm gonna kill each one of them" Arthur groans under his breath.

Tommy takes place on the chair in front of Arthur and takes a look at the wound on his forehead.

"Hm. Doesn't need stitches brother."

They all still haven't noticed me I think. I'm still frozen in the corner of the couch observing the situation from a safe distance. I slowly pull away the blanket from my body and walk towards them. Tommy is clearly shocked my the sound coming from behind him. His head shoots my way as he lets out a sigh looking me in the eyes.

"God, you scared me. Please, go upstairs, I'll be with you in a sec." He gestures to the door. I'm not giving him a look.

I ignore his demand and walk up to Arthur and I stand by his side, now seeing the wound clearly on his head, wrapping one arm over his shoulder looking at him. All I feel is guilt. If I hadn't been the coward I was, I maybe could have prevent all of this. I want to apologize so badly but I feel this is not the situation nor the moment to do that.

"I'm so glad you're back" is all I can bring out.

"I'm fine, I'm fine" he says looking up at me. Knowing I'm worried about him.

In the corner of my eye I see Tommy and John stare at me both, not really knowing what to do or say to me. As they see I'm not planning on making my way upstairs they continue to take care of Arthurs wounds.

I see him looking at the alcohol as Tommy opens the bottle.

"It's not that bad." I lie.

He gives me a little grin, "well, if you say so, I don't have to worry do I?" he whispers.

Tommy empties half a bottle of whiskey on a cloth and immediately presses it against Arthurs wound. Just as Polly did when she helped me. Luckily for Tom it's way less dramatic now he has to deal with his elder brother and not with me. Arthur doesn't really respond to the pain, I just see he's raised up and angry because of the whole situation. The pain is only distracting him from what he really wants to do right now. Kill.

"What's with the guns Tom?" he now asks. "The coppers asked me about some fucking stolen guns I know nothing about oi?"

Tommy gets the cloth off Arthurs head, not looking him in the eyes, but switching his look at me.

"Vive, go upstairs will ya?" He asks softly. However much I want to argue against this, I do as he tells me. Knowing he won't tell Arthur about the guns with me in the room. I let go of Arthur and walk up the stairs. I go into Johns bedroom and take his bed for now as I don't want to wake up my nephews and nieces. He has a big room and his bed is placed under a large window. I see it is dusk outside and it's starting to get morning finally.

I crawl under the sheets and try to overhear the conversation downstairs. I hear Tommy and John mumble but can't make out what they're saying. I'm so extremely relieved Arthur is back home. Even though he's a little hurt, he'll be fine eventually. I hope Tommy will end this thing with the guns as soon as possible. I don't want to be mad at him, but in the end this is his fault, again. I feel like he's the one who's always protecting us, but he's also the one that puts us in danger the first time. Can't lose another brother.

I do my best to fall asleep but I'm too busy in my head. After a little while I hear noise coming from downstairs. I hear someone going out of the house and two people are going upstairs. A second later Tommy appears in Johns room. He looks at me, checking if I'm awake or asleep. I turn my head to him and he gestures me to come.

"We're going home Viv, come." He sticks out his arm, meaning he wants me to get out of the bed. I hear John entering the other bedrooms, checking on his kids. I get out of the bed and go downstairs not giving Tommy a look. I put on my shoes and coat and make my way outside, not waiting on my brother. I hear him saying goodbye to John as he follows me.