Welcome to another chapter!

Thanks to all who commented, favorited and followed the story. I will do my best to keep you entertained!

I present:

Chapter 5: Sweetheart

Tommy was surprised to see that the address provided to him was actually a hotel. A proper, working hotel. At the reception desk a short Asian girl greeted him politely. When she looked up at him, a smile lit up her face.

"Mr. Shelby," she said, nodding. "I'll take you up to Anna's room." She called for her coworker to cover the reception as she personally led him to the elevator. He wondered how she knew his name without him having to introduce himself. "Anna spoke fondly of you, sir," the girl said, smiling up at him as she closed the iron gate of the elevator. "She mentioned that you were incredibly handsome, and I can see now why. It's the eyes." Tommy didn't know how to respond to that. Part of him was glad that Anna had spoken of him to her colleague in such a manner. Another part of him didn't want to be known in the guild, in any way. "Definitely her favorite client," the receptionist added with a giggle.

"I feel incredibly objectified," Tommy scoffed. The girl giggled more.

"Just a bit of praise, sir," she said. "Your business is the exemplary kind of work we're impressed by."

"How is Anna?" He didn't want to talk about his business with the receptionist. Something about her careful movements made him think that she was more of an active agent of the guild than a passive receptionist.

"She's doing well," the girl said somberly. "She should bounce right back with a few weeks of care." They reached the floor and the receptionist took him to room 913. She knocked and then unlocked the door. "Here you go, sir. Have a pleasant stay." Then, she left him there, placing the key into his hand. Tommy entered the small hotel room. It was emptier than his bedroom, no personal touches. On the bed, he spotted a figure, lying still.

"Anna?" Tommy called out. The figure's head moved.

"I'd get up to greet you, but I'm currently incapacitated," her voice was small, hoarse. "Get the light, would you, sweetheart?" Tommy flicked the switch and managed to school his face not to show his emotions. Anna lay on her bed, face bruised, lip busted. There was a cut above her eyebrow. She had an arm bound in bandages and her leg was on a pillow, leading him to believe it was injured, too. She was a mess.

"What happened?" Tommy asked, pulling the desk chair out and sitting next to Anna's bed. She shook her head.

"No can do," she replied. "I can't share the details of a mission with you."

"Did someone do this to you?" Tommy asked. Her silence was telling.

"I took a spill out the window, no biggie," she shrugged and then winced. "I'll bounce right back." No biggie. That was the phrase she'd used with him, too. Tommy didn't show that he took note of it. Whatever had happened was big.

"Aren't we acquaintances turned friends in these recent days?" He dug through his coat for his cigarettes and lighter. "Ashtray?" Tommy stood from the chair, slipping off his cap, his coat and vest. He tossed them on the empty desk next to the window. His pocket watch clinked as it hit the surface.

"In the wardrobe," Anna's eyes darted to it then settled back on him. "My room will stink for days on end." Tommy ignored the statement, just like she'd ignored his question.

"What kind of a psychotic woman are you, keeping an ashtray in your wardrobe?" Tommy asked, opening the wooden drawers of the wardrobe until he found the ashtray. It sat with just a few pieces of jewelry that didn't look like they were worth much. For good measure, he opened the wing, too, looking at the single coat and one black bag at the bottom of the tall part of the wardrobe. It really was an impersonal room.

"What kind of a snoopy man are you, searching through a lady's knickers?" Anna giggled, but then coughed. Tommy turned around quickly. He tossed his cigarettes and the ashtray on the bed next to her and left. He heard her call out after him, but paid it no mind. He went to the lobby, taking the stairs. He needed the time to calm down. He was well aware that his hand was shaking. She looked like she'd been beaten to a pulp. Had someone thrown her out a window? Tommy shook his head, taking deep breaths to compose himself. He entered the lobby and sought out the receptionist he recognized.

"What is she allowed to eat and drink?" He asked, making her put a finger up.

"One pet I see," the Asian woman spoke into the telephone and Tommy realized that she was booking a job. He stood, waiting calmly. Slowly, he managed to relax his hands and make them stop trembling. "The room will be ready in a week for you, ma'am. Pleasure doing business with you." The woman put the receiver down and turned to Tommy. "Tea is fine, but if you can get her to drink water, it would be best. She refuses to listen to me. No salty food, no heavy food. Fruits and vegetables are the best."

"Can you get us room service? Tea and biscuits, also Irish whiskey." The woman nodded.

"Is she talking to you?" She asked just as he was about to leave.

"As much as she does about the important things," he sighed, leaving the reception desk with a tap of his finger on it. When he came back to Anna's room via the elevator, he found her sitting up in bed, legs swung over the side. "And where are you going, trouble?"

"Bathroom," she grunted, grabbing onto the side of her bed to get up. Tommy rushed over, his hands catching her above the elbows, helping her up. She steadied herself against him. "I'm fine, just need my crutch." After he raised an eyebrow she sighed, letting him help her. He allowed her to use the crutch on one side, where she didn't have an injury to her arm, and he supported her on the other. They left the room together, slowly, Anna limping. She pointed him towards the end of the hall to the communal bathroom. "I'm mostly good, I promise," she said when he wouldn't let go of her even as they entered the ladies' room.

"I'll believe it when you can stand on your own two feet," he huffed. "Give me a shout if you need help." He stayed outside the stall, not daring to venture inside with her this time. He remembered well how their last time in the ladies' room together had gone. Soon enough, Anna was limping back out, stopping him from helping by holding her hand up. She washed her hands and face, then they left the bathroom. "Inspector Campbell has been a nightmare," Tommy began conversationally, closing the door behind the two of them. He sat down on the chair after helping Anna back into bed, grabbing his cigarettes. "Everywhere I turn, he's sniffing around. Like a dog with a bone."

"That's because he's a bloodhound," Anna giggled, shaking her head. "You should just give him what he wants."

"And lose the upper hand?" Tommy took a breath of smoke into his lungs.

"Sometimes you need to sacrifice your pawn to take a queen," she told him.

"This isn't chess," Tommy replied. "I gave his men information that ran them in circles for a while. Should last a bit. Still don't know who else is keeping an eye out for him."

"I'll find out," she promised, patting his knee. "I'll be up and running reconnaissance in no time."

"You just stay away from windows," Tommy teased, making her glower at him.

"You know, where I'm from, it's rude to visit a patient without a gift for them," she gave him that coy smile that drove him mad.

"And where would that be?" He made a mental note to bring her something next time. When she didn't reply, he continued. "Besides, from what I've heard from your colleague downstairs, I'm present enough as it is."

"She didn't!" Anna gasped.

"Something about my eyes and handsomeness," he smirked at her horror. For once, her cheeks flushed at the dig, and Tommy felt incredibly proud of himself. Finally, the roles were reversed. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were sweet on me, trouble."

"In your dreams, sweetheart," Anna huffed, turning away. A knock came from the door and Tommy called the server in. The young boy brought his order, setting it onto the nightstand. Tommy tipped him a shilling and he left, with a bow and thanks. "I can't drink."

"Water's for you, whiskey's for me," Tommy gave her an amused look, pouring. "Your friend at the reception desk said you've been avoiding drinking enough water." Anna glared, but accepted the glass.

"Don't you have work at home?" She asked after taking a sip.

"It can wait," Tommy shrugged. Anna smirked at him.

"Sweet on me, are you?"

"Aye, I'm sweet on you," he said, enjoying the way she flushed at his admission. Tommy was quickly learning what was Anna's weak spot. Honesty in expressing feelings. He wasn't too good at it, but he could do it. He enjoyed the way she shyly looked down at her hands.

"It's not nice to play with a girl's heart," she mumbled.

"You started it, sweetheart," he shrugged. Her head shot up, outrage on her face.

"No, no, you can't switch them on me!" Finally, she sounded like the Anna he'd come to know and enjoy.

"Switch what?" Tommy played dumb. She slapped his knee with her healthy hand.

"I'm trouble, you're sweetheart!"

"Is that written somewhere?" He was smiling uncontrollably at her adorable outrage. Like a little hissing kitten or something.

"It ought to be!"

"Maybe I'd like to be trouble sometimes," he tilted his head, watching as she fumed.

"You're trouble enough, as is." Anna sipped her water. "You don't need it in spoken form."

"Is this about my eyes again?"

"And the cute butt," she giggled.

"Aye, who could forget the bum," Tommy laughed, shaking his head.

True to her word, Anna bounced back quickly. Tommy had gone to see her twice more, without even booking an appointment. The second time he'd arrived, she'd been doing sit ups in her bed, beautifully flushed from the workout. The third time he'd come, she'd almost gutted him with a wicked-looking dagger. St Nicholas, she'd called it. Her weapon of choice. Then, the following week, he'd booked her for a job.

"Good morning, Shelby household," Anna announced, entering the full kitchen. She got all of the eyes to turn to her successfully, which made Tommy sigh.

"Who's she?" Arthur asked, pointing to the girl with the largest grin on her face, his cigarette between his fingers.

"Tommy's new whore," Polly said at the same time Tommy answered.

"Trouble."

"Ain't that the girl who robbed you?" John wanted to know. Anna smiled at them all and bowed theatrically.

"At your service," she said gallantly. Tommy, however, was already on his way. He grabbed her elbow and pulled her out of the kitchen, heading for his office.

"Oi, Tommy, don't hide her away!" Arthur laughed after them.

"I like your family," Anna commented conversationally, ignoring the tight grip he had on her and the obvious annoyance on his face. "They're loud and rowdy. We'll get along just peachy, I bet."

"You're," Tommy let go of her, his finger pointing at her face so close that she went a bit cross-eyed in order to follow it. "More trouble than I thought."

"Glad we've cleared that one up, sweetheart," she coyly smirked and Tommy raked his fingers through his hair. He wanted to yell at the crazy girl, but there would be no point. She would just get even more vexing.

"Let's get to work," he ordered and Anna mock saluted, following obediently.

Tommy found Anna in the living room of his house, sitting on the floor with Finn, yelling just as loud as the boy was. They were playing cards, squabbling over who won the hand.

"No, you cheated!" Finn yelled in outrage.

"I did no such thing!" Anna retorted. "You've just got the reflexes of a drunken old man!"

"Take that back! I'm Finn Shelby!" The boy argued as they both grabbed for the prize on the side, a bunch of candy thrown together in a pile.

"I see we've acquired yet another child in the family," Tommy calmly commented from the doorway, making Finn's face light up and Anna blush before pouting. "Emotional age of a ten-year-old, Anna? Really?" He blew out smoke from his cigarette. She blew him a raspberry, giving up her loot to his brother.

"I won!" Finn exclaimed in joy, picking up the stray candy that had fallen out in their squabble.

"This time, I'll yield," Anna ruffled the kid's hair, getting up. "I'll get you next time, baby boy!" She pointed to her eyes, then his, making him laugh merrily.

"I'll let it slide that you called me a baby, then," Finn grinned. He seemed sad to see Anna leave with Tommy, but laughed when she stuck her tongue out at him as she was leaving.

"You've got kids?" Tommy asked as they walked to the Garrison.

"Nah, just had a younger brother," she elaborated. Tommy noticed the past tense she used, but didn't comment. "He was a bit older than Finn, but the traits are there. We always had a blast."

"Finn's been lonely since the War," Tommy said. "Too young to serve, too old to be ignorant to what had happened. He lost his brothers, in a sense."

"The War changed everyone," she agreed. "Made men of boys who had no business being men that early." She paused for a second as they walked and then recited. "Where has the horse gone? Where are my kindred? Where is the giver of treasure? Where are the benches to bear us? Joys of the hall to bring us together? No more, the bright goblet! All gone, the mailed warrior! Lost for good, the pride of princes!" She smiled at his confusion. "The Wanderer, it's a loose translation from Old English."

"Never pegged you for an educated woman," Tommy answered honestly.

"I'm a mystery wrapped in an enigma," Anna giggled. "The most expensive one you'll ever see." He didn't ask about that. She'd said it before, and he'd thought she'd been referring to the guild rates. But, more and more, he was thinking that it was something else. She always smiled like it was an internal joke he was missing when she said it. "Chivalry's not dead," Anna grinned as Tommy held the door of the pub open for her. She waltzed it, turning around to see him come in.

"You keep insulting my manners, yet don't find a fault in them," he shook his head. Anna shrugged.

"I find it easy to irritate you," she cheekily replied. "Always wonder just how much it would take to make you snap. My father always said, great men hold in their anger, their emotion. They stay steadfast in the face of their enemies and allies alike. No matter how harsh the winter, how cold the wind, how terrible the storm, the mountain never bows to it," she told him, accepting his invitation to the private room of the pub. "But, you've got a tell, sweetheart." She pointed to her jaw, just under her cheek. "A muscle right there jumps every time I hit a nerve."

"You're awfully talkative today," Tommy chose not to rise to her baiting. He saw the way his retort made Anna look down, before she shrugged.

"Ain't we friends? It's good to talk sometimes to a friend, you know?" She sat down like she owned the pub, spreading her arms along the armrest of the long seat and crossing her legs.

"I was told you were supposed to talk to a barmaid," Tommy knocked on the window to order their drinks.

"Oh, your blonde girl?" Anna waggled her eyebrows in an unladylike manner. "How's that been going for you?"

"Mr. Shelby," Grace opened the window, smiling faintly when she saw him. Then, she spotted Anna. "Miss…" There was a lingering question asking for Anna's name, but the girl just smiled enigmatically. Tommy saw the look of dislike which Grace directed at his thief. Suspicion and dislike.

"Whiskey, Irish," Tommy ordered, then turned to Anna with a raised eyebrow.

"Ah, what the hell, I'll drink your booze," the girl shrugged.

"Soda for the lady," Tommy said with a smile to Grace, making Anna fume and stick her tongue out at him. Grace seemed shocked by the boldness of the girl's behavior, but didn't comment. She went to fetch their drinks.

"Stop patronizing me," Anna huffed.

"A kid's drink for a kid," he chuckled.

"You sure didn't see me as a kid when I sucked your-" Tommy shot her a glare that shut her up just as Grace came to the window. Still, Anna gave him a coy smirk when he took the drinks to the table. "Are you ashamed of it?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"Then nothing," Tommy rolled out a cigarette and lit it.

"Fine, keep your secrets, old man," she shrugged. "Or, keep your girlfriend, mm?"

"My brother has decided he wants to marry a whore," Tommy had had enough of her teasing the living soul out of him. So, he did what he knew best, threw her a juicy bone. By the widening of Anna's eyes and the grin on her face, she was all over the new topic.

"You're kidding?"

"I wish I were," he groaned, his hand going over his face. "Lizzie bloody Stark."

"Well, if a woman wants to stop working and if your brother's keen on her, I see no issue," Anna shrugged, reaching for her soda.

"You see no issue?" Tommy asked, leaning forward. "You see no problem in a Shelby man wedding a woman who has serviced half of Small Heath? Who has been servicing me for the past two years?" Anna's eyes shot up to him. For a second, she looked hurt. Then, she shrugged again.

"If she's wanting to change, I see no problem," she replied. "Best see if she would change, though. You need me on it?" Tommy shook his head.

"I'll deal with it myself," he said. "I need you to check out the woman I'm planning on having John marry." Anna's eyebrow rose up and she leaned back in her seat.

"You're like a meddlesome old woman, you know? Marrying your brother off without his say so."

"I'll add it to my list of offenses," Tommy shrugged. "Her name's Esme Martha Lee, I need you to see why she's being offered as a peace token." Anna nodded.

"Anything in particular? If she's in the family way or if she's been wed before?" She sipped her drink.

"Yes," Tommy said. "I want to know if there's a reason for this quick marriage, or if she's just getting too old. Anything will do. See how flexible her allegiance to the Lees is, also."

"Gotcha," Anna nodded. "So, we're trucing with the Lees and ganging up on Kimber?" Tommy nodded. "I'll get you his schedule for the next few weeks. Find out where he's soft. Anything else?"

"Will you come to the wedding?" Tommy suddenly asked. He hadn't planned on saying that, but the words ended up leaving his mouth. Anna gave him a curious look.

"You need a date?"

"It's just an invitation, nothing more," he replied, drinking more whiskey. It was the whiskey that'd made him say it. Definitely the whiskey.

"Sure," she nodded, standing up. "If there's nothing else?" Tommy shook his head and watched as Anna downed her drink and then picked up his glass, taking a long sip. "One for the road," she smiled and waved, leaving. Tommy sat there, smoking, looking at the glass where she'd placed it. There was a faint mark of her lips on the rim of the glass. The next time he picked it up, he drank from the same spot.

Tommy heard a creak and his gun was up instantly in the dark. Then, he stood still, eyes wide, watching the shocked pair of blue eyes locked with his.

"Fucking hell!" Anna cursed and Tommy lowered his gun. She climbed into his room further, hopping inside through the window. "You almost took my head off." She sat on his bed and took her hat off.

"I told you not to sneak in anymore," Tommy said in a calm manner, but he was anything but calm. The whispering was back. It had been there ever since Campbell had threatened to put Finn in prison after killing the rest of them. The German whispers. The walls closing in. His hand was shaking.

"But I like being your dirty little secret," Anna either didn't notice it, or pretended not to notice it. Tommy put his gun away before he carelessly fired it. He'd done it once, by accident, but only once. Since then, Polly had been a nightmare whenever she saw a pistol in the house. "It's exciting." A giggle in the dark. Anna quickly gave her report, before turning to him. Tommy hadn't heard half of it. Something about Kimber having a meeting with the top brass from the track at some time. He didn't know. Something about the Lee girl. He didn't know. He was too focused on the fact that Finn could end up in prison, raped, because of him. Innocent little Finn, who hadn't seen the War. A boy. "Thomas?"

It wasn't the sound of his name, but the touch of her hand that make him look up, away from the floor and the thought of his little brother being violated. Anna's fingers intertwined with his and she pulled his arm towards her. Her hand was small compared to his. Her fingers so slim. She was pale, like she hadn't worked a day in her life, his hands were tan from the sun and he had callouses from working with horses. She was gentle, while he gripped a gun. She was a thief who wielded a knife and worked for him, Tommy forced himself to remember, despite there being no trace of that cunning or violence in the gentle caress of her fingers on his hand.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?" He tried to pull away, but she didn't let him.

"Whatever's haunting you so bad you can't listen to me." Tommy looked at her in the dark, seeing that there was no smile, no joking manner, no deviousness, like there usually was to Anna. She was just looking at him. Looking at him, holding his hand and she seemed like she understood. Not all of it, not nearly enough of it, but some, at least. More than Polly. More than Arthur or John. More than Grace. She seemed like she understood, and she didn't fear him nor pity him. Just offered to listen.

"I'll talk if you do," he said, finally managing to pull his hand back from hers. Her fingers slid against his as she let him go.

"About what?"

"Whatever's on your mind," he pulled out a cigarette from the pack on his nightstand. A spark of a match illuminated Anna's expression, something between apprehension and relief. Pain. She looked so sad at that moment, under the light of that match. Then, Tommy pulled in a breath of smoke into his lungs.

"Are you serious?" It was a tentative question. Vulnerable. When he didn't break their eye contact, she slowly nodded. "We need some rules then." Anna stood, tossing her hat over his suit in the corner. She took off her coat and threw it on the pile, as well. Then, she got her shoes and socks off and unbuttoned her vest, which left her in a dark brown blouse and pants. At Tommy's raised eyebrow, she shrugged. "If I'm going to be baring my soul to you, I'm gonna be comfortable," she said, hopping back onto his bed, angling herself to rest against the foot of it. "Give me one of those and that bottle," she ordered, pointing to his cigarette. Tommy offered her the one he was smoking and she didn't even blink before wrapping her lips around it and pulling smoke into her lungs.

That's all for now folks!

On the side note, my dad died the other day, so updates might be slower from now on. We need to deal with the funeral arrangements and all, so it'll take a while. I'm not sure how busy I will be with all that. I've always used writing as an outlet for emotions, because I'm crap with dealing with that stuff, so might go into overwriting mode, too.

Regarding Grace: I'm aware that she isn't a well-liked character, and I'm also on the fence about her. Somehow there was something missing in her relationship with Tommy, to be honest. First time I watched the show, I saw the chemistry until the end of season one. I really didn't see any later on. It was a bit of a sad conclusion to their story to have her marry him and die… Soooo I will be adding some changes later on, I suppose.

All my best to you!

Guest review – L23:

Thanks so much for leaving a review!
There will definitely be more about Anna, but the guild will remain more of a mystery, I'm afraid. It's best to leave some things which go bump in the night in the darkness of the night, I think :P
My focus is shamelessly on Tommy and Anna, so, Grace will just be a plot-mover mostly. I've decided after a while that I can't really be bothered with changing too much about the original story to work her out… But, she won't be as big of a ghost in Tommy's life as she was on the show.
I hope that you will keep enjoying the story :D All my best!