The next morning Ekaterina sat at the kitchen table when Tommy came down, looking clean and sharp. She was drinking tea and reading one of her favorite books: vojna i mir, war and peace by Lew Tolstoi in the Cyrillic original. It wasn't an easy piece and all of the people written about were, in some way, unhappy with their lives . But she was in the mood for some heartache. Tommy came down the stairs, handsome as always in his three piece suit and freshly shaven. He smiled at her when he saw her. "Morning." He greeted. She barely looked up. "Good morning, Mr. Shelby." She mumbled and Tommy frowned. "I have to go to Cheltenham today." he announced. "But maybe we can go for a ride tomorrow if the good weather holds, aye?" She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know if I can. But have fun at Cheltenham, Mr. Shelby."

Suddenly the book before her eyes vanished. "What are you reading that is so interesting that you can't even look at me when I speak to you, huh?" He looked at the book - but couldn't read it. "Give it back." The blonde demanded, reaching up to take it but he easily held it out of her reach. "What is with you today?" He asked irritated. "Ignoring me and speaking so formally again. This behavior wouldn't fly with me if it was anybody else, you know." She huffed and then turned around. "Fine. I have to go now anyway. Please put the book on the table when you're finished." She leaned down to take her bag but Tommy grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. He took hold of her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "What's with you?" He demanded. "You are angry with me. Why?"

Ekaterina looked into his eyes for a long moment, but then she looked down. "It's nothing. Just didn't sleep well tonight." It wasn't even a lie. She hadn't been able to sleep at all, for some reason always picturing Tommy and Grace in some kind of passionate embrace when she closed her eyes. She didn't understand why but it hurt to think about that. Tommy didn't believe her for a second and he wanted to know what exactly her problem with him suddenly was, but the clock told him he had to go. Damn Cheltenham and damn Grace. He let go of her chin and put his cap on his head. "Fine. But when I return we will talk about that." He promised and went out.

20 minutes later Ekaterina saw Tommy and Grace drive away in his automobile. The woman looked beautiful in her bright red dress. Ekaterinas chest hurt.

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At noon she was already finished with her work for the day and gloomily walked down the street. She didn't know what to do with her day and missed Ada terribly. How she would love to go with her to the pictures now or to a cafe for a piece of cake and just talk. She stopped before the window of a clothes shop. A dress was displayed. Maybe she should buy some new clothes? She did have some savings she didn't know what to do with. But then her mind went to the beautiful red dress Grace had been wearing and she lost the desire to shop. An automobile drove by and she automatically turned around. But of course it wasn't Tommy. What had she been thinking? What was wrong with her? Why did she suddenly want to see him so much?

She sighed and continued to walk when something squeaked and a car door was thrown open. "Katya!" A male voice yelled and turned around. Her expression shifted to shock and she let her bag fall to the floor. "A-Andrusha?" She stuttered. Was she... was she dreaming? Or... was her older brother really standing before her? He was older than she remembered him, obviously. The war had left his marks on him as well. He wore an eyepatch over his right eye and he limped when he walked up to her, using a walking stick because he actually needed it, not like her. He came to a halt before her. His visible eye and his smile were just as she remembered. "Is that you, my little Katyusha?" he breathed and Ekaterina felt tears shoot into her eyes. "Andrew!" She threw her arms around his neck, standing on her tip-toes to reach him better. He grabbed her waist and head, pulling her to his chest with all his might and making her hat fall to the floor as well. Both siblings cried freely while they embraced each other.

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Tommy went with his brothers and a couple other Blinders to the Garrison. He was not in a good mood. All in all their mission had been a success but he had tripped up at the end and now had to hope this didn't have consequences with Billie Kimber. He had fully intended to use Grace Burgess for the purpose he had brought her with him: to whore her out to Kimber and so make him more willing to work with him. Grace was more than likely a spy and using him for her own purposes as well, so what did he care if she was raped or not?

But, as he sat in his car with Kimbers wife, he had to think about Ekaterina. How she had told him and Polly about Campbells attempt to rape her. "Never in my life before have I felt so scared and alone." she had said. And suddenly, in his mind, it was not Grace Burgess trapped with Billie Kimber in his mansion, but Ekaterina. He pictured her small, petite body writhing in agony as Kimber plowed into her, disregarding her tears and cries of pain. Before he knew what he was doing he had already been halfway back to the mansion.

So he had rescued Grace from Kimbers grasp with some bullshit excuse of her having Syphilis. He could slap himself. That had not been like him. And when they returned home, the small girl was, of course, nowhere to be found, what didn't lift his mood at all. They entered the Garrison, immediately going for the snug, when John grabbed his arm. "Tommy." He pointed to a table at the back of the pub. Sitting there was the very girl responsible for the disastrous end - but she was not alone. Before her sat a tall man he had never seen before. They were holding hands and Ekaterina was smiling more than he had ever seen her doing. When the man took one of her hands to place a gentle kiss on it something in him snapped and he walked over to them. His brothers exchanged a worried glance. This could end very badly.

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"I almost can't believe you're really back." she whispered in Russian for a bit more privacy. "I thought I had lost you forever." He pulled her hand, which he was already holding, to his mouth and placed a light kiss on her knuckles. "I'm sorry my little Katyusha." He apologized. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. To everything you had to go through because I was not there to protect you." She shook her head. "I'm just glad that you are back. Everything else is-"

"Ekaterina." A, by now, well known voice interrupted her. She looked up in surprise. "Tommy. Welcome back." He regarded her with cold eyes and then shifted them to the man. "And who is that?" He demanded to know. Ekaterina hurriedly got to her feet. "Ah, right." She smiled brightly up at him, what irritated him. "Tommy, this is Andrew... my brother." His face fell. He had not expected that. She turned to her brother. "Andrew, this is Mr. Thomas Shelby, my employer." It wasn't technically a lie, right? Even though her contract was with Polly, it was Tommy, now, who paid her. Andrew got up to his feet as well, stretching out his hand towards him. "Mr. Shelby, Andrew Chetwynd-Talbot." He introduced himself. "Thank you so much for taking care of my sister."

Tommy took his hand and shook it. "It's a pleasure, Mr. Chetwynd-Talbot." Only now did he notice the eyepatch Andrew was wearing. But aside from that - there were some resemblances. He was taller than Ekaterina and his hair was a bit darker. But they had the same piercing green eyes and they smiled the same way. Mentally, he was sighing in relief and he realized with slight surprise that he had actually been ready to rip the guy a new one for putting his hands on Ekaterina had he not been her brother. "I'm sorry for asking so bluntly, but Ekaterina said you had been lost in the war." Tommy wanted to know and Andrew nodded. "I got hurt pretty badly in a battle in early 1916 and subsequently became a prisoner of war for quite some time, I'm afraid." He explained. "I'm actually back for only a couple months now."

They spoke for a few minutes, then Tommy left the siblings alone again, though he left the door to the snug open. The two blondes continued to talk for a while more until Andrew announced it was time to go back to his hotel. Ekaterina followed him outside to his car. "I'm sorry, I would invite you into my home, but I don't live alone." She apologized, but her brother just shook his head. "It's okay, I understand." He was silent for a moment and then began: "Katya, won't you come home with me?" She looked at him questioningly. "I actually have to drive home again tomorrow and... I didn't tell you, but - father died two months ago." She looked down at the ground, unsure what to feel. To say that she had loved her strict, dominant father that had always disregarded her wishes simply for being born a woman was maybe a bit much. However, she had always respected him. But the incident with Campbell had been such a huge betrayal for her. And there were so many little things she was still angry at him for.

"That means you're the Earl now." Ekaterina mumbled and he nodded. "That's why I want you to come." He took her hands. "I know that you have a life here now, and I really think you can be proud of what you have built for yourself here... even though I wish you had ended up somewhere more upscale." He looked around the dirty street. "But you're not meant to be here. You belong at home with your family. And I promise I will not force you into a marriage like father did. I just want you home, safe and sound."

She looked at him conflicted. "Andrusha... I... I can't. Not yet." She pulled her hands out of his grip. "Father may be dead now, but... mother is still there. And I can't forgive them yet for what they did." He took hold of her cheek. "Katya-" but she didn't let him talk. "Andrew, they were willing to give me to a man who was openly trying to hurt me. And they didn't care at all when I told them and begged them to reconsider the engagement. For father I was nothing but a vessel to give him a heir, should you not return. He didn't leave me a choice but to run away. And I can't forgive that. Not now."

Tommy came out of the pub, halting when he spotted the siblings and lightening a cigarette. "Also, I really am proud of my life here." The girl continued, smiling up at her brother. "Everything here I built myself. I have real friends here and I'm a trained nurse. I help people. I feel useful. I want to stay here and continue my work... at least for some time more." She looked to the side. "But, of course, I would like to visit some time. Pay my respect at father's grave and see how mama is fairing." Andrew looked down at his little sister. He was disappointed for sure, but he could see that her mind was set. She had grown up over all these years he had been away. Sure, he could force her to come back. As her brother and now the head of the family no one would be able to do anything if he did. But he loved and respected her too much for that.

"I understand." He conceded. "And of course, you're always welcome at home. Also, whenever you feel ready to return for good we will welcome you with open arms. And write to me from time to time or call when you can, okay? I don't want to loose you again." She nodded. "Of course." Andrew leaned down and gave his sister a kiss on her forehead. "I love you, little Katyusha." Then he got into his car and drove away.

As she stared after his disappearing car she could hear Tommy approach her from behind. "And here I thought I had to come out and fight your brother to prevent him from taking you back." She looked up at him, shaking her head. "Andrew isn't like that... never has been. He had always been my only friend and ally at home." Tommy took a drag from his cigarette. "So, how did he find you?" The girl huffed. "I told you Campbell would tell them as soon as he found out about me. Phoned directly home. Though, apparently, he didn't tell them exactly where I am, only that it's Birmingham. Andrew has searched for me for some time already." He frowned. "Why didn't he tell them you're in Small Heath?" She shrugged. "Campbell is still salty about the busted engagement, I would think... also, he seems to delight in other people's struggles."

"Bastard." Tommy muttered, imagining himself in her brothers situation. Then he looked down at her. "So... you wanna tell me what this was about this morning?" She made a face. "I was just in a bad mood, okay? As I said, I didn't sleep well." He took a long drag from his cigarette and then threw the stub on the street, stepping on it. "That so?" He drawled. "Because I think there is more behind it." She rolled her eyes and for a moment no one said anything. "So... how was your date with Grace?" She then asked hesitantly. He looked at her questioningly and she elaborated. "I saw you together in your automobile. So I'm assuming you took her to Cheltenham. She looked beautiful in that red dress." Tommy scoffed. "That was no Date. That was business for the Peaky Blinders." She blinked. "Really?" He shook his head. "I told you already, didn't I? Stop worrying about useless things and just ask me next time." Ekaterina put a hand on her chest. Somehow, she could breath easier.

Tommy put a hand on her cheek, gently forcing her to meet his gaze. "If I had wanted this to be a date, I'd have rather asked someone else, you know." He said, fully knowing that he would have never asked her to go to Cheltenham with him, not for this. For one, she had still been trying to lay low to not get found by her family. Also, he didn't want Kimber to lay his eyes on her. Because he knew he'd want her; as he wanted all beautiful women. That slick bastard thought himself a playboy, after all. Ekaterina blushed, her heart pounding wildly. She broke away from his grip, avoiding his gaze.

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Ekaterina sat in her room, for once having time to write in the journal she used to protocol her patients in. The Shelby brothers and Polly should be at the Garrison by now. John wanted to speak to his family about something. She had an inkling what this was about. She knew that John had been seeing Lizzie Stark for a while now - not as a client, but as serious lovers. The next logical step would be to marry her. The girl knew that his family would more than likely be against it. Lizzie Stark had been a prostitute for almost all of her adult life. Personally, she didn't think too much about that. She knew that life could be hard and cruel for women and some had to do hard and cruel things to survive. Rather, she admired Lizzie for not letting life beat her down. She just hoped she would stop working when she and John got married.

John was a good man, who she really loved in a sisterly way. But he was a lousy father. More than once had she caught his four little children running through the streets barefoot and only scarcely clothed, scuffling with stray dogs. He was hopelessly overwhelmed with his children. They needed a mother and if Lizzie was willing to take that position Ekaterina would not complain. Even in case that he didn't love her as much as he had once Martha, who she had sadly never gotten to know, Ekaterina knew that John would at least treat her with respect and care.

Suddenly, there was a loud noise coming from downstairs, what startled her and she immediately ran down. Scudboat should be alone in the shop now until John came back, and maybe something had happened. She ran to the kitchen and into the shop, yelling "Scudboat, is everything-!" as she ran right into a group of men. Two of them were holding down Scudboat and hitting and kicking him repeatedly. The others were literally tearing apart the shop. Her eyes widened and for a moment everything stopped. Then she turned around, trying to run out and yell for help; when someone painfully grabbed her hair. She was whirled around again and something hit her face like a train, making her hit the floor and for a moment her gaze was blurry as she groaned from pain.

"Shut up, you whore!" Someone screamed at her. Ekaterina was scared and hurt, yet she was too numb to react accordingly. "Look at that pretty little thing!" Someone with bandages on his head drawled. The man grabbed her hair again, painfully tugging on it to make her stand up. She yelped. "Say boys, if we're here to take back what's ours, I think we should take some interests as well." He took her chin between his fingers. "What'd you say, doll? You want to have a good time?" She spat in his face, her eyes furious, and muttered "take your filthy hands from me." through painfully throbbing lips. The man wiped away her saliva. "Filthy hands, huh."

The next moment she was thrown on a table. Scudboat screamed as the other men surrounded it, though he couldn't get up as the two man were still holding him down. Ekaterina was terrified and yet totally calm. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as her blouse was ripped open, the buttons flying in all directions and revealing the thin camisole she was wearing underneath. Someone held down her wrists. "I hope you scream nice and loud." A man drawled with an ugly grin, pushing up her long skirt, higher and higher-

Suddenly Finn appeared in the door to the shop, seeing the state it was in and the unknown men in it, screaming "Tommy!" and running out again, as fast has his little legs would carry him. The man with the bandage made a sound with his tongue. "Let's go back, boys. We got what we came for." They let go of her and Scudboat and, one after one, shuffled out of the shop. For a few moments, everything was silent. Then Scudboat spoke up, inquiring "Katy, are you okay?" while holding his hurting and bleeding head. She didn't say anything, so he got up and limped over to her. Ekaterina was still lying on the table, her blouse ripped apart and her skirt pulled up precariously. Breathing heavily and tears falling freely. Then she leaned over the tables edge and vomited.

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When the Shelbys and Polly hurried into the shop they could hear belching and Scudboat mumbling "There, that's a good girl. Let it all out. Everything is okay, they didn't do anything. You're alright." When they finally saw the two people sitting between what was left of the shops interior, Tommy thought his heart would stop. There was Scudboat, obviously, bleeding from a head wound. He sat on the floor, next to Ekaterina and soothingly rubbing her back. She was vomiting into a pot, a puddle of sickness already next to her. One side of her face was just starting to swell and she had a bleeding cut on her bottom lip. Her blouse was ripped open, revealing a tight camisole and her nipples were visibly poking through the thin fabric. Immediately he knelt down before her, taking her face between his hands. "Did they do something to you?" He demanded to know. If they had so much as touched her in any way intimately, he would hunt down whoever had done it and put a bullet right between their eyes. She looked at him with bloodshot eyes and for a moment, his heart stopped beating. Then she shook her head.

"Bastards tried to rape her!" Scudboat, who was now sitting on a chair and holding his bleeding head, announced. "Who? What the bloody hell happened here?" Arthur demanded to know as Tommy shrugged out of his suit jacket and put it around Ekaterina, helping her stand up and sit down in a chair as well. She was thankful for that. His jacket felt like a shield in that moment and she pulled it tightly around her. "The Lees." Scudboat answered. "All of them. Cousins, nephews, even their bastards..." Tommy rounded on him. "And you just sat there and let it happen, or what?" He accused angrily. "Tommy." Ekaterina spoke up meekly. "He- he didn't. They were holding him down. He tried... he really tried, but..." Fresh tears shot into her eyes and she closed her mouth, to prevent a sob coming out.

Tommy pulled a hand through his hair, looking around the shop and the kitchen next to it. "They've taken anything they could lay their hands on." Polly announced just as he had spotted something interesting sitting on the fireplace. "Four cash boxes." Tommy came back into the room. "They left these" He mumbled, holding up a tool. "Wire cutters. Why would they leave that?" Polly asked confused. "Nobody move." Arthur immediately ordered. Everyone froze. "I think our friends are playing the game." Polly sighed and walked to one of the offices. "What game?" John stopped her. "Aunt Pol! Don't. Touch. Anything."

"W-what's the matter?" Ekaterina asked insecurely, not understanding why the men were suddenly so on edge. Tommy looked over to her. "Erasmus Lee was in France." He said and Scudboat cussed. Still, that didn't explain much to her, so Tommy continued. "Whenever we gave up ground to the Germans, we'd leave behind booby traps, set up with wires. We'd leave wire cutters as part of the joke." John continued "so in here there's a hand grenade." Ekaterina lost all color in her face and Polly exclaimed "Holy Jesus."

The men carefully looked around and Arthur mumbled "attached to a wire... don't move any chairs or open any doors." Ekaterina looked down at her lap with wide eyes, trying to be as still as possible. She was sitting on a chair. "No." Tommy suddenly said. "Boys, no. It's not in here. If it was in here, it would have blown by now. It was my name on that bullet Erasmus sent." The blonde looked at him in shock. What bullet? "He's set up a trap all right." Tommy continued. "But he's set it up just for me." He looked around again and then went outside.

A minute later there was a loud bang and Ekaterina jumped up and ran outside. She didn't even do it consciously, just sprung up and ran, the thought of a possibly hurt Tommy making her almost go crazy. She arrived at the garage Tommy was usually parking his automobile in and saw him kneeling before Finn. "That's why you should never pretend to be me, okay?" He urged, the boy nodding vigorously. "Finn!" She yelped and said boy immediately ran up to her and buried his face in her chest, crying and sobbing more from shock than anything else. Ekaterina embraced him affectionately, gently petting his back to calm him down.

Tommy watched them as the realization hit him with full force that he had to do something about this ongoing war with the Lee's. He didn't care about himself but two very precious people could have been hurt very badly today and he would not allow a situation like this ever again. He had to go make peace with the Lees before it escalated even more. And maybe... maybe he could even use them somehow.

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AN: Thank you again dear guest and to Ashmo21 for commenting!

So I took a little longer to update this time because I have spring break. Though I'm not partying or anything (what would be next to impossible anyway with Covid and everything) but working. Sadly, I have to finance my university education mostly myself ;O I'm also in the process of changing my major, as I discovered again this semester I'm totally shit at math, what is unfortunate for my current major :X Anyway, I hope you continue to enjoy my story and please leave a comment if you like it or a constructive critique if you think I could do better.

xoxo Lulu