Happy New Year, lovely readers! I hope you had a good one. After a nice break, I didn't want to leave it too long before posting the next chapter, especially as this one involves someone we all know and love and have missed. Please enjoy!

Rose spent most of the day in bed. She felt even worse than the previous day. The withdrawal from the barbiturates ravaged her body, causing her to shake uncontrollably, sweating and shivering, feeling nauseous. Her whole body was in pain, like a million needles were piercing her all over. Her insides hurt, her head pounded and her stomach cramped. She wanted to die.

Tommy had called Ada to sit with Rose for the day. He had an appointment he didn't want to miss. May Carleton was arriving in Small Heath to update him on his horse and he was hopeful. He'd booked her a suite at The Midland and had a story ready to keep her in Birmingham. He felt somewhat bad about leaving Rose, but taking care of poorly children was woman's work after all, which is why he'd asked Ada to come.

Ada looked at Rose as she writhed on the bed and wished Tommy was there. She thought Rose needed to see a doctor but Polly, who was running the shop, told her that Rose just needed to get through the worst of it. Ada shook her head as she wiped Rose's face with a wet flannel. Just for once, she wished life wasn't so complicated, that she didn't have to worry about her family so much.

Rose fell in and out of reality. Visions and images swirled around her and she couldn't tell what was real or not. She saw her mother and John and Ada and Polly but she couldn't make out what they were saying to her or if they were even there at all. She found it impossible to latch onto each face and voice, the pain and discomfort pulling her away. She was disorientated and scared. Eventually, she fell into a fitful sleep, her body exhausted from the effort it was making to recover. Ada breathed a sigh of relief.

When Rose woke up a few hours later, she felt drained and weak, but also less ill. The pain had eased, the shaking had stopped and although she still felt nauseous, her stomach had stopped cramping. She looked around the empty room and wondered what time it was, what day it was. It was dark outside but that didn't help her much. She turned to look at the door as it opened and Ada came in.

"Oh, you're awake. Finally! How are you feeling? You look awful but better."

Rose had to clear her throat before she spoke. Her mouth was dry. "I'm ok, I think. But yes, better. My head is killing me though."

"You need to drink something. Wait there, I'll get you some water."

Ada disappeared to get her a drink and Rose made an effort to sit up. She welcomed the glass of water that Ada brought to her and asked for more. She was even able to eat a small bowl of stew. By the time Tommy returned later that evening, Rose had had a bath with Ada's help and was sitting curled up on an armchair in the front room with a cup of sweet tea feeling more like herself than she had for the past few days.

Tommy could immediately see that she was better and was pleased. He crossed over to her, bent down and kissed her on her head. She smiled at him, glad he was home. He tucked her hair behind her ear and then went into the kitchen to talk to Ada. They talked for a while in hushed tones then Ada swept through the front room and put her coat on at the door. Tommy followed her in and leant against the wall, hands in pockets. Ada looked at him.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Tommy. Jessie Eden is smart, she might not fall for your charms."

Tommy shrugged. "Just give her the message, Ada."

Ada rolled her eyes as she tied the belt of her coat. She nodded at Rose. "Try and get her to eat something. She needs to build up her strength now. And you, Rose, be good for your brother."

Tommy looked at Rose as she looked at him. Looking back at Ada, he raised an eyebrow. "I don't think she's going to be any trouble."

Rose nodded in agreement. "I won't be any trouble, Ada. I promise."

Ada laughed and shook her head. "Well, I'm glad to hear it." She looked at Rose with fondness. "I'm glad you're feeling better, Rosie."

Rose smiled at her sister. "Me too."

After Ada had left, Tommy took off his jacket, as well as his collar and tie and undid his top button. He poured himself a drink and sat down on the sofa. Taking a sip, he looked at Rose who was watching the flames dance in the fire. He took in her flushed face, the purple rings under her eyes, the slight frown on her face.

"Was it bad, Mouse?"

She glanced at him and then back at the fire. "Yeah."

"But the worst is over?"

"Hope so."

So did he, though he knew she'd be dealing with the fallout of this for a while yet. He joined her in watching the fire until he'd finished his drink, then he stood up to make her some food. It wasn't long before she could smell bacon frying. She was surprised to find her stomach growling and realised that she was hungry. In fact, she was starving. When Tommy returned with a bacon sandwich, she devoured it. It was the most delicious food she had ever tasted. Tommy watched her gobble it down, amused. She finished the whole thing in minutes and, licking her fingers, held her plate out to Tommy.

"Can I have another?"

He took the plate but shook his head. "No. Your stomach's still delicate. See how you get on with that first."

She scowled at him but knew he was right. He smiled at her annoyance, pleased to see she was getting back to normal.

"Cup of tea?"

"A brandy?" She looked at him hopefully.

He scoffed. "Nope."

He went to brew the tea and she helped herself to a cigarette from the case which he'd left on the table. She inhaled the tobacco and welcomed the familiar effects. She laid her head back on the chair. She was tired but knew she was physically on the mend. Closing her eyes, she was happy the worst was over, but a feeling of unease was settling within her. What now? How would she cope now? This cocoon of safety in number six wouldn't last forever. Tommy wouldn't always be there to soothe her nightmares. There wouldn't always be a family member at her side.

When Tommy returned with a cup of tea for them both, he caught her staring into the distance, lost in her thoughts. He thought she looked old beyond her years and, not for the first time, was flooded with guilt about how she had ended up in this predicament. She wasn't even fifteen and was already a drug addict. His mother would have been furious. She had spoken with him about how things needed to be better for the young ones, that it was up to him and Arthur to improve things for the family. And he had fully intended to do that. Everything he did was for the family, to make things better for them, to provide for them, to give them security. Yet somehow, things had got worse – the only thing they couldn't escape, no matter how much money or power they had, was themselves. But he had a plan, a way to really move ahead – just as soon as the Italian problem was solved.

He handed her the cup of tea and sat down to drink his.

"I can sleep on my own tonight."

"What?"

"I can sleep on my own tonight. You don't need to stay with me."

He shook his head. "No, I'll be there."

"Tommy…"

"Mouse, you need me still."

"Maybe, but you can't stay with me forever."

"No, but I can stay with you tonight."

She sighed. She didn't have the energy to argue.

So, that night, Tommy slept in Ada's bed, ready to be there for Rose when she woke up scared and shaking. But Rose didn't wake up scared and shaking that night. She did wake up a few times, a nightmare brewing, a shot ringing out in her dreams. More often than not though, the shot came from a gun that was in her hands. And rather than scared, she felt powerful, strong, in control.

When Tommy woke the next morning, it took him a few moments to figure out where he was. He sat up and looked at Rose's bed which was empty. He grabbed his pocket watch from beside the bed and swore when he saw how late it was. He was expecting a visitor and the last thing he wanted was for Rose to answer the door. He jumped up and got dressed as quickly as he could. He grabbed his jacket and ran down the stairs as a car horn blared in front of the house. The horn sounded again as he entered the kitchen.

Rose was at the table, dressed and eating some bread and jam when her brother appeared rather quickly, putting his jacket on. She'd woken up hungry and left Tommy sleeping to come downstairs and get something to eat. She heard the car horn at the same time he did and looked towards the front door frowning, her mouth full of food. Looking back at Tommy, who by now was putting his cap on. She nodded towards the street then spoke through her mouthful of bread and jam.

"Who's that? Is it for you?"

She stood up and was walking across the room to go and look out of the front room window when Tommy stood in her way.

"Yes, it's for me. It's just Arthur picking me up to go to the office. We've got business. Go and sit back down and finish your food. You need to rest today. Polly will be over in five minutes."

Rose shrugged and sat back down. The horn blasted again, this time for much longer time. Tommy shook his head.

"Bloody Arthur, always impatient."

He hurried to the shop door, grabbed his coat and shrugged it over his shoulders as he headed out, closing the door firmly behind him. Rose watched him go, as did Fred – staring at the door, ears pricked, alert to something outside. She frowned as she looked as the dog. Why would Arthur be picking Tommy up in his car when he was only staying a couple of doors down? And why had Tommy seemed just a bit flustered? She looked at the door and decided to find out.

"Come on, Fred. Let's go and see what's out there."

Fred was more than happy to find out what was causing the unfamiliar smell outside. Rose reached the shop door and pulled it open. Fred rushed past her, barking at the new people in his territory and, as Rose took in the scene in front of her, she froze.

Both Alfie and Tommy turned at the sound of Fred barking and saw Rose step onto the pavement and stare at them in shock. Tommy closed his eyes and knew it had been wishful thinking on his part to think he could keep Rose away from Alfie. Alfie looked across the street at the young girl who was staring at him like she'd seen a ghost and his face broke into a grin. He had been hoping to see her even as he knew that Tommy wouldn't have wanted him to. If he was honest, that was part of the reason why he had leaned on the horn for so long, hoping she'd come out to see what was going on.

Alfie walked past Tommy and headed across the street towards Rose who still hadn't moved, her eyes locked on his face, her mouth still open. He was intercepted by Fred who jumped up at him, wanted to know who he was and why he was approaching his mistress. Alfie stopped and looked down at Fred.

"Well, you've grown a lot since I last saw you, Fred, haven't you? Hmmm?"

He held his hand out to Fred who had a good sniff of this man who seemed friendly enough. There was something about his scent which seemed familiar to Fred, a hint of something he hadn't smelt in a long time. Alfie scratched the dog's ears and patted his rump.

"You've turned into a fine dog – yes, you have. And doing your job well, I see. Looking after your young mistress."

He stood up and looked at Rose who hadn't moved a muscle.

"Well, my Petal, ain't you a sight for sore eyes."

Rose blinked at him and cast a glance at Tommy who was watching them, his hands in his pockets, his face unreadable. Alfie threw his arms open.

"Well, come and say hello to an old friend then, eh? I've come halfway across the country to see you, I reckon you can cross the street."

Rose stared at him for a beat, then ran across the road and into his arms. She put her arms around him and held tight. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. He leant his head forward and laid his cheek on the top of her head. She had grown slightly in the year and a half since he'd last seen her. But he could still feel her ribs through her back and his arms could have encircled her twice. He could tell by the way she hugged him that she wasn't very strong and had noticed the minute he saw her that she wasn't well – her face pale, her eyes puffy with dark circles underneath, her hair lank and lifeless. He wondered, with a sinking heart, what was wrong with her.

Rose buried her face in Alfie's shirt and took a few seconds to assure herself that he was real. The firm hold of his arms around her and his familiar scent of rum and dog convinced her that he must be real and not a vision. Her eyes filled with tears as she stood in his embrace. She had longed to see him so often in the past year and now he was finally with her. She didn't want to let go, forgetting where she was, stood in the middle of Watery Lane. She clung to her friend, her rescuer, and wanted the moment to last forever.

Taking hold of her arms gently, he pushed her away to look at her face, the surprise at his presence still etched on it. He smiled and spoke softly.

"Well, Petal, you haven't changed a bit, have you?"

She laughed and sniffed her tears away. He always said that to her. She knew for a fact that she had changed and not just by growing another couple of inches. She gripped his arms as he still held onto hers.

"It's so good to see you, Alfie. I can't believe you're here."

"Well, believe it. Because I am indeed stood in this place you call home." Alfie looked round at the street and couldn't help but wrinkle his nose. Rose laughed again.

"Yeah, it's home for now."

Tommy, who had been watching their reunion with unease, cleared his throat. He was eager to move on with the business at hand and he was also very aware of the curtains which had been twitching in the surrounding houses. He stepped towards them.

"Rose, go on back indoors now. It's cold. Alfie, shall we continue with business?" He held his arm out in the direction he wanted to go.

Alfie caught the look of disappointment cross Rose's face at Tommy's words. Never one to pass up an opportunity to annoy Tommy, he turned to face him .

"Contrary to what you may think, Tommy, I did not come all the way from the glittering capital of England to the back of beyond here just to see your ugly mug. Right? I came all this way to see my dear friend, Rose here, and I can see no reason why she can't come with us as we conduct our business. It would make a change to have someone present who at least smiles once in a while."

Tommy glared at him, knowing exactly what he was doing. Now he would have an expectant and persistent young sister to deal with when all he wanted to do was get to work. Sure enough, Rose turned to him and spoke excitedly.

"Can I, Tommy? I won't get in the way, I promise. And I can learn about the business too, which will be good for me."

"Go back inside, Rose. You're not well, you need to rest. Polly will be here any minute."

"Please, Tommy? I can't stay cooped up in that house a minute longer. I need some air. I'm fine, I really am."

Alfie grinned at Tommy. "See, she's fine, she really is. And she could use some air – not that it's going to be very fresh given the poisonous industrial fumes we are currently inhaling, but air it is just the same."

Tommy knew he was fighting a losing battle and the last thing he wanted was to make a scene in the middle of the road. He sighed.

"Fine! Rose, go and get a coat."

Rose's face lit up and she jumped a little off the ground. She turned to do as she was told, grinning at Alfie as she did so. Tommy called after her.

"And a hat and scarf."

She waved a hand to show she'd heard him.

"And leave a note for Pol."

She was in inside by now and shouted back. "I will."

The grin dropped from Alfie's face as he turned back to Tommy.

"What's wrong with her, Tommy? She looks like she's been through hell."

Tommy was about to tell Alfie to mind his own business when he caught a look of genuine concern in Alfie's eyes. As much as it irked him, he knew that Alfie cared a lot about Rose and he had, of course, saved her life. So, in as few words as possible, he filled Alfie in on Rose's struggle with the pills and her recent withdrawal. Alfie listened with a frown on his face. He'd been concerned about her taking the pills back when the doctor had first prescribed them but had been powerless to do anything about it. He wanted to ask why Tommy had allowed her addiction to go on for so long but knew it wouldn't go down well. Instead he said nothing, just nodded his head, frowning even more. Tommy knew what he was thinking, however, and turned away from him to avoid his gaze.

Inside the house, Rose rushed upstairs to get her scarf and hat but had barely reached the bedroom before she had to sit down, a wave of dizziness hitting her. She swore and sat on the bed, impatient for the feeling to pass. She was desperate to spend as much time with Alfie as possible and she was frustrated that she didn't feel as well as she wanted. As soon as she was able, she grabbed her scarf and hat and looked out of the window to make sure Alfie was still there. She frowned as she saw him and Tommy standing close together, Alfie leaning in to listen to something that Tommy was telling him. Alfie looked concerned and Tommy glanced at the house every now and again. She knew they were talking about her and suspected Tommy was telling him about why she wasn't well. She frowned as she turned away. It wasn't that she minded Alfie knowing, it was that it was her story to tell, not Tommy's.

She made her way downstairs, scribbled a note to Polly – Gone with Tommy. Rose – shrugged her coat on and, putting on her hat and scarf, rejoined the men outside, closing the door behind her. Alfie grinned at her and approached with his arm held out to her, bent at the elbow.

"There she is, all wrapped up and ready to go. Allow me to escort you."

Rose smiled and reached out her hand to take his arm when Tommy called to her.

"Rose"

She looked at him and saw he was holding out his hand to her. Her smile faded. She knew Tommy was making a statement to Alfie, who dropped his arm when he saw Tommy and stepped aside with a gracious smile to let Rose pass. She rolled her eyes at the power play but said nothing as she walked over to Tommy and took his hand. He set off with the strange little group towards his gin distillery.

They met Finn and Isiah at the distillery. Finn's eyes widened when he saw Rose. He'd been staying out of the way in the past few days, he didn't know how to handle Rose's struggle. And Arthur had moved him into Artillery Square, so he hadn't even been sleeping at number six. But he'd heard about how ill she'd been and was surprised to see her walking with Tommy as he approached with Alfie Solomons and the biggest man he had ever seen. She grinned at him and stood up straighter as she walked past him, feeling important that she was with Tommy as he was conducting business whereas Finn had to keep watch at the door. He glared at her but that just made her smile wider.

As she stepped down into the room, she was amazed at what she saw. She knew Tommy had been making gin but she'd never been to the distillery. It was impressive, she thought. Tommy led her to a table at the end of the room and pulled out a chair. He leaned in close to her.

"Sit down there and don't interrupt."

She nodded. She was glad to sit down - the walk over had taken more out of her than she'd thought and she was grateful to sit and watch as Alfie and Tommy talked. As they did, she noted how unique their relationship was. They talked like friends, or at least business partners, yet she sensed that neither of them fully trusted the other, even if Alfie did take umbrage when Tommy asked him what side he was on. She was worried to hear how strong the Italians were, that they had enough men to kill Tommy. She closed her eyes when Alfie described how the starlings would peck his blue eyes out and the jackdaws would take his gold and it would be like he'd never even existed. She tried not to think of the image it caused in her head and shifted in her seat as the anxiety rose within her. She opened her eyes as Finn appeared to announce the arrival of some men. Telling him to let them pass, Tommy leant forward in his chair and warned Alfie that the Italians were there to stay and that they would come for him soon enough. Rose eyed the glass of gin on the table that Alfie had put down and wondered if she could get it without anyone noticing. She needed something – she was feeling agitated and fidgety.

Aberama and Bonnie Gold entered the room and as they did, Tommy reached over and moved the glass she was eyeing out of her reach. She glared at him but he ignored her, watching Alfie and Aberama squaring off against each other. Her eyes moved over to where Bonnie was stood, leaning against a pillar. He was watching her and winked when he caught her eye. She looked quickly away and lifted her chin up. She wasn't interested in his games – he was cocky and smug and far too happy to be a Peaky Blinder.

Alfie, meanwhile, was waxing lyrical about the super-human powers and ungodly nature of his nephew. Rose glanced at Tommy who was leaning on his hand and enjoying every minute. She rolled her eyes inwardly and wondered what choice words Polly would have about these men puffing out their chests and trying to one-up each other. She sat back in her chair and wondered how long this would take. She really wanted to get out of the room, she was feeling more and more agitated, and on edge.

After more discussions and aggressive words and threats, the men had made all the arrangements surrounding the fight and the Golds left, Aberama throwing one last look of condescension at Alfie who returned it admirably. Rose ignored Bonnie who she knew was trying to catch her eye as he left.

Hearing the door close, Alfie turned to Tommy and grinned.

"That lad will be torn limb from limb, you know that?"

"Which lad are you talking about?"

Alfie chuckled then turned his attention to Rose.

"Right then, Petal, I don't know about you but I'm starving. Is there anywhere in this soot-blackened place to get a decent lunch? You and I have a lot of catching up to do, don't we? I say we do that over a plate of whatever delicacies this fine city of Birmingham has to offer. What do you say?"

Rose's face broke into a grin. Tommy put his head in his hand and rued the day when his little sister had met Alfie Solomons.

Lunch with Alfie? Yes, please!

I may have taken some liberties in how quickly Rose recovered from her withdrawal, so I apologise for that. It's not something I would want to make light of or misrepresent. I just needed Rose well enough to go out and meet Alfie on Watery Lane that morning. Please leave me a comment or review to let me know how you found this chapter. I'd love to know your thoughts.