Chapter 3
Bessy looks up from the piece of paper she had been working on watching as Finn rushes over to Arthur and Tommy, following him with her eyes, frowning as they grab their coats and hats, rushing towards the doors of the shop.
"Tom?" She calls, rising from the desk, hands gripping on to the table to steady herself. "Tom? What's going on?"
"Elijah's been shot." Finn calls over his shoulder as he follows their brothers out of the shop. "He's at the Garrison." Bessy curses under her breath, knocking a pot of pencils off the side as she rushes to get her coat and bag. She freezes as the jar hits the floor, staring down at the pencils strewn across the floor, jumping as Esme touches her hand to her shoulder.
"Go." Esme states, giving her a gentle push towards the door, Bessy giving her a grateful smile, rushing out of the door after her brothers, and down the lane towards the Garrison. The second Bessy pushes through the doors of the Garrison, she can hear the groans of pain coming from her boyfriend, tucked away in the snug.
"Hold him still." She hears Arthur growl as she takes a deep breath, pushing open the doors to the snug.
"Oh God." She moans, clutching her hand to her chest as she takes in the sight before her, Elijah's eyes flicking over to meet hers. Bessy takes a step back, her back hitting the wall of the snug as she watches Elijah drop his head back onto the wall he was leaning against, sweat dripping off of his face as he pants, Finn and John pinning him to the wall.
"Bessy. Get out." Arthur states, pointing to the door, Tommy immediately spinning around to face his sister.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" He growls, taking two big strides to stand in front of Bessy, taking her by the arm. "Out. Now."
"Stop it. Get off me." Bessy snaps, shaking her arm free. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Bessy." Elijah calls, shaking his head at her. "Go, Bess."
"I'm not going anywhere." She repeats, pushing past Tommy to crouch down in front of Elijah, running her hand through his hair to push it back off of his forehead. "Fuck 'em." She whispers, repeating his own words back to him as she rises on to her knees, pressing her lips to his. "Now get this fucking bullet out of him." Tommy grabs Bessy by the arm again, pulling her up from the floor.
"We'll talk about this later." He states, Bessy scowling up at him as she shakes him off again, moving to sit beside Elijah, taking his hand in hers, avoiding eye contact with her furious brothers. She winces as Elijah huffs out short breaths, preparing for his father to dig the bullet out of his shoulder. Bessy brings his hand up to her face, resting her lips there, pressing light kisses to the back of his hand. She flinches again, holding her breath, eyes clenched shut as Elijah let's out a scream of pain as Jeremiah digs around for the bullet.
"Fuck! Stop! Stop!" Elijah shouts, attempting to move away from his father, struggling under Finn and John's hold. Bessy meets Jeremiah's eye as he pauses briefly, dragging her chair closer to Elijah's cupping one hand on the back of his head, the other on his cheek, pressing her forehead to his temple, her lips resting on his uncovered cheek. Jeremiah continues his work, Elijah letting out another yell of pain as Bessy whispers soothing words to him, brushing them onto his cheek.
"Got it!" Jeremiah exclaims, lifting the bullet into the air as Elijah lets out one more cry of pain, his head dropping against Bessy's shoulder.
"You're ok." She whispers running her hand up and down the back of his head, pressing kisses to the exposed skin above his ear. "I've got you."
"Fuck." Elijah breathes out, taking deep breaths, his body relaxing against Bessy's unaware that Arthur had taken a bottle of alcohol and was about to press it against the bullet wound. His body tenses as Arthur presses the bottle to Elijah's shoulder, the younger man letting out another scream of pain, Bessy immediately pulling him back into her arms as his body jolts upright, running her hand up and down his back.
"Fucking hell Arthur. A bit of warning would have been good." Bessy snaps, glaring up at her brother who responds with a glare of his own, his anger evident in his eyes. "Give me that." She reaches up, snatching the bottle of whiskey from her brother's hand, rubbing her hand down Elijah's neck. "Take a sip." She says, her tone softening as she guides the bottle to his lips. "What are you all standing there for?" Bessy looks up at her brothers rolling her eyes at the sight of them stood around. "Get some fucking bandages then!" Finn jumps into action first, taking the roll of bandages from the other side of the room, passing them to Bessy who looks between her brothers again. "You're still just standing there." She comments, waving her hand at the door. "Go and do something. Get drunk for fuck sake. Anything."
"Come on, you heard the girl. Out you go." Comes a call from the doorway, the Shelby siblings all turning to find Polly stood in the doorway, hands on her hips. She steps forward, pressing her hands to the backs of her nephews, ushering them out of the room, the three older men grumbling under their breath as she does so. Once the room had cleared, Polly pauses in the doorway again, throwing Bessy a wink as she shuts the door behind her.
"Let's get you sorted out, eh?" Bessy whispers gently, taking Elijah's face in her hands, pressing a kiss to his lips.
"You're fucking mad Bessy-Jo Shelby." Elijah mutters, resting his forehead on hers with a smile. "I fucking love you." Bessy lets out a laugh, pressing another kiss to his lips.
"I love you." She states, rubbing her nose against his. "So much. Now. I need to get you sorted. Then, let's get you home. Cleaned up. Sown up. And safe from the wrath of my fucking brothers." Elijah let's out a nervous chuckle, letting out a groan as Bessy reluctantly lifts the whiskey bottle again.
"I'm sorry, love. One more time." She presses the soaked rag to his shoulder, Elijah gritting his teeth, letting out a yell of pain. "I'm sorry." She groans, tucking his head into her neck. She places the bottle back on to the side, taking the roll of bandages and wrapping them around his exposed torso. Once she had secured the bandage in place, she leans her head forwards, pressing a feather light kiss on the injured shoulder, kissing her way up his shoulder, to his neck and on to his cheek. "Let's get you home, eh?" Elijah gives her a nod, his exhaustion evident in his eyes as Bessy takes his suit jacket, slipping it over his shoulders before giving him her hand, leading him out of the Garrison.
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Half an hour later Bessy lugs the final bucket of water up the stairs, filling the bath tub in her room. She lets out a sigh of relief, leaning against the door to her bedroom as she locks it behind her, Elijah smiling over at her from his position on the bed.
"You didn't have to do that, love," he says softly, Bessy moving over to perch on the bed beside him.
"Shh," she hums, pressing her lips to his. "Come on. In you get. Let's get you cleaned up." Elijah complies, allowing Bessy to pull him upright and to the edge of the bed.
"You picked your fucking time to tell your brothers about us." He jokes once he had settled in the tub, Bessy sat beside him, skimming her fingers over the top of the water, humming in response.
"They're going to fucking kill me." She whispers, resting her head on her arm, on the edge of the tub. "But I love you Eli. And I don't want to hide it anymore. I can't. I'm so fucking done with feeling scared that they're going to lose their shit because I have a boyfriend."
"Hey, look at me," Elijah states softly, tilting Bessy's head up to look up at him. "It's done. You've told them. You were brave. They're not going to scare me off."
"No but they might kill you off." Bessy jokes, leaning forward to kiss him. "Let's not think about that now." She cups her hand, pouring water over his chest, running her wet hand over his hair.
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Later that evening, John comes stomping down the stairs, Polly rubbing at her forehead, rolling her eyes at him as he re-enters the kitchen.
"She's locked herself in her fucking bedroom." He grounds out, standing behind a chair, clutching at the top of it.
"With that fucking..." Arthur begins, only to be cut off by Polly.
"Shut up Arthur." She snaps, pushing back from the table and standing up.
"John, the whole fucking neighbourhood can probably hear you stomping up and down those bloody stairs." Bessy calls from the doorway, leaning against the frame. "Elijah's asleep. So keep it down, would you?" She shuffles through the room, running her hand through her hair as she moves to fill the kettle, oblivious to the stares of her brothers until she sets the kettle on the stove, turning to face them. "What?"
"How long has that been going on?" Arthur asks, pointing to the stairs.
"'That'" Bessy repeats sarcastically. "Has been going on for nearly a year." She crosses her arms over her chest, leaning against the counter, waiting for the next comment from one of her brothers.
"I knew it." Finn mutters, earning a slap on the back of the head from Arthur. "Oi! What was that for? Bessy's the one that's been sleeping with him behind your backs for nearly a year!" He protests. Bessy rubs at her eyes with a groan as Polly rolls her eyes at the young boy.
"Not quite the wording I would have used Finn..." Bessy mutters, letting out a sigh. "Look. We didn't tell you because we've just been figuring things out on our own, without the three of you looming over us, breathing down our necks with threats to Elijah's life."
"As if-"
"You would have, John." Bessy cuts her twin off, raising her hand to stop him. "Anything you want to add, Thomas?" She questions, turning to face him. Tommy raises his eyebrows, taking a drag of his cigarette as he shakes his head. "Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm getting back into bed, with my book and a cup of tea, because it's bloody freezing down here. Ok?" She doesn't wait for a response, filling a teapot with hot water, placing everything she needed on to a tray to carry upstairs, her brothers and aunt watching silently as she does so. Just as she reaches the stairs, John calls her name, pushing his way past their brothers to meet her at the bottom of the stairs.
"I uh, I just wanted to say, I would have supported you." He says, lowering his voice to a whisper. Bessy gives him a smile, placing the tray on the sideboard to rest her hand on his arm. "You've always supported me so..."
"I know you would have." She whispers in reply, leaning up on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek. "Thank you."
"I figured something was going on, ya know. You've been happier these past few months. More relaxed." John comments.
"I guess that's what happens when you find the one you love, eh John Boy?" John lets out a chuckle, nodding before motioning you the stairs.
"Go on, get back to lover boy." Bessy scoffs at this, rolling her eyes at her twin as she lifts the tray again, carrying it upstairs to her room.