I wandered downstairs as Tommy and Pol walked in. "Where are the lads?" Polly asked as Tommy placed Charles by the fire with his toys. "Finn and Isaiah went out early this morning and I haven't seen Michael since last night. Why? What's happened?" I asked, looking at Tommy as I sat on the sofa. He was sitting in his chair, staring at Charles with an unlit cigarette in his mouth. "One of them should've stayed with you." Polly told me but I ignored her comment. "What's happened?" I asked again, looking up at Polly. "Tommy was ambushed by Changretta and his men." she told me, biting her fingers. I narrowed my eyes at the woman, remembering her deal with Luca. She looked at me for a moment before turning and pouring a drink, Tommy still in his own world. She then turned and took the lighter from his hand, causing him to look up as she lit the cigarette hanging from his mouth.

"Do you know, I remember the very first time you head-butted a policeman. It was because Ada and Evie got themselves in trouble and they were trying to take them down the station. But after you got your OBE from the King, I didn't think there would be a next time." Polly told him. "Policeman?" I asked, drawing my eyes to Tommy. "Moss and his men got involved." Tommy told me, eventually bringing his eyes to mine as Polly crossed the room to the window. "What do you think you're going to tell Arthur?" Polly asked, not turning around. "I will tell him the truth." Tommy replied, clearing his throat. "They are here." she told us as a car pulled up, Tommy taking a sip from the whiskey beside him. Polly went to the kitchen as Tommy stood, he offered me his hand which I took, standing next to him. He looked at me for a long moment, brushing his thumb along my cheek before leaning down and pressing his lips gently to mine. It was over in a second and then he was leading me into the kitchen.

I smiled politely as Linda, Finn and Arthur filed in, all sitting around the table as Lizzie, Johnny Dogs and Uncle Charlie came through the back door. "So, what the fuck happened today, Tom?" Arthur asked once we were all settled as he half emptied a vial of snow on the table. I looked down into the teacup in front of me, feeling the craving for the drug although I had only just taken some myself. "We all heard. Shooting in Artillery Square." Arthur added, looking at Tommy. "Yeah, there was. Today I killed three men. Now our enemies will have to wait." Tommy told us and Johnny shot me a look.

Arthur looked down at the table. "I suppose they, uh.. I suppose they took you by surprise, did they?" Arthur asked and my eyes flickered to him, unsure where he was going with his questioning. "No. I knew they were coming." Tommy told us, I turned my head to look at Tommy. "Just after Christmas I received a letter from Luca Changretta, offering to spare my son if I gave up Tommy." Polly told us and my blood ran cold as I looked back at my tea. "And I gave Tommy up." she added. "Because that was the plan that Polly and I agreed on. I knew that Luca would want to pull the trigger himself so I used the set up as bait to bring him in." Tommy explained, his voice level as Arthur inhaled the white powder off the table.

"You are a fucking idiot, Tom." Arthur told him, glaring at his brother. "Look, I didn't get Luca, but I got three. All right? That's it. That's what happened." Tommy told us, his voice rising as Charles came to the doorway. I turned to see Tommy picking him up in his arms. "Come here, you." Tommy told the lad. "Aye, but he's right, huh? I mean I thought you'd gone soft." Johnny chuckled, standing up. "So, you got three?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. "Yeah, I got three." Tommy confirmed. "Well, I drink to you, Tom, you mad bastard." Uncle Charlie said, sending laughs around the room. My mind was still reeling from the news that Tommy knew about the deal with Luca and I wondered how much he knew of my involvement.

I looked up at Arthur as he stood from the table, crossing the room to his brother. I couldn't hear what he said to Tommy over the chatter of the others but I did hear Charles clearly. "Dad, you got three what?" he asked, a smile on his face as he spoke to his father. I didn't give Tommy a chance to answer as I stood, walking over to him and taking Charles from his arms. "Come on, little man, come with Auntie Evie." I whispered, kissing the boys head and shooting a glare at Tommy before leaving the room.

I stood in the middle of the living room, rocking the boy gently on my hip as he laughed at our reflection in the mirror. "Auntie Evie, what did dad get three of?" he asked, finding it amusing to talk into the mirror than look at me. The door shut quietly behind us. "I got three shillings for a two shilling horse." Tommy said, coming up behind us. He placed a hand on my waist and the other on his son's back. He took Charles from my arms, placing him on the floor before turning me to face him. I looked up at him with steely eyes that soon melted as he wrapped his arms around me, linking his fingers at my back. "I can't sit there and laugh and cheer at how many you got when you could've been seriously hurt." I told him, resting my hands against his chest.

He cleared his throat. "I know it's difficult but we've got to keep our heads up, Eves." he told me, looking at me with intense eyes. "I got three and I am fine." he added, squeezing me slightly. "Why didn't you tell me about the plan?" I asked, searching his face for an inclination that he knew of my involvement in the deal. "Because I didn't want to worry you or for you to do anything stupid." he told me, raising a teasing eyebrow. I slapped his chest lightly and fought a smile. He brought his head down to mine. "No more stupid moves." I told him, emotion in my voice. "I promise." he whispered before pressing his lips against mine. It was a sweet kiss that was quickly interrupted by the boy at our feet. "Dad, why are you kissing Auntie Evie?" Charles asked and when we looked down at him, he was looking up at us with wide eyes. "Because she was sad, my boy, and now she feels better." he told him, pressing a kiss to my lips before releasing me. "Come on, let's go find those uncles of yours." Tommy added, swooping Charles up into his arms and taking him from the room.

My eyes went to the door as I heard glass shattering downstairs followed by a loud bang. I closed my book, went over to the door and opened it, listening intently. Finn popped his head out his door a moment later, I had heard him come in a couple of hours ago and his appearance confirmed that he wasn't making the noise. "Did you hear that?" he asked and I nodded, bringing my finger to my lips and signalling for him to be quiet. He followed me closely down the stairs and I mentally cursed Tom for not leaving a gun. Finn stayed close to me as we walked through the living room and kitchen, heading to the shop where the noise had come from. The double doors were already open and I relaxed when I recognised the figure hunched over a table. "Go back to bed, Finn. I'll deal with this." I told him, turning to the teenager. "Are you sure?" he asked, looking over my head and I nodded. "Yeah, go on." I told him before making my way into the shop.

"You scared the life out of me." I told the man as I walked closer. Arthur looked up, his eyes looking at me but I could tell he wasn't seeing me as I saw the large pile of white powder on the table. Then he recognised me. "Evie girl! My little Evie girl! Come sit on my knee." he boomed, patting his leg and I laughed lightly. "I think I'm a bit old for that, Arth." I smiled as I sat in the chair next to him. I looked up into his sad eyes and brought my hand to his cheek. "What's going on, big brother?" I whispered, searching his face. "He's gone, Evie." he whispered, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. My heart called out for my dead husband as I looked into Arthur's eyes for a long moment. "I know. I know he is." I whispered after a long silence, my eyes going to the powder on the table.

I removed my hand from Arthur's face, licking my finger before dipping it in the powder, bringing it back up to my mouth and rubbing it along my gums. I looked back at Arthur who was looking at me in horror. "What the fuck are you doing?" he asked and I raised my eyebrows at him. "You are not the only one that needs help to get through the day, brother." I told him, sadness in my face as I finally let the strong facade fall. Arthur and I had never been particularly close but he was like my big brother, a sanctuary wrapped in a damaged man. His face softened and he placed his hand on my knee in comfort. "I miss him so much, Arth." I told him, closing my eyes against the pooling tears.

"You're a good girl, Evie. Doesn't matter what Tommy and Polly say, you've always been a good girl." he told me, his rough hand coming to my cheek. I leant against it, opening my eyes to see him watching me. "The Gold boy seems to be making you happy." he slurred, no judgement in his voice. "He's a good person, reminds me of John." I smiled, sadly. "You deserve happy, Eve." he told me before pulling me in to press a kiss to my forehead. "I best get home to fucking Linda." he muttered, turning his head slightly as if he heard someone. "Do you need a hand?" I asked as he stood, sending his chair tumbling. "No, no, no. My little Evie girl. Get yourself to bed." he told me and I watched him stagger from the house.

I sat for a few minutes, feeling the loneliness of the house, before letting out a sigh and tidying up after the eldest Shelby. I pocketed the three full vials on the table before putting everything else back in its rightful place. I quickly swept up the broken glass and closed the safe before locking the door and going back up stairs. I knocked lightly on Finn's door and opened it slowly when instructed. "Arthurs gone home, alright? Get some sleep." I told the teenager. "Are you alright?" he asked, concern in his voice and face. "Yeah, I'm fine, Finn. Good night." I replied, giving him a small smile before closing the door and retreating into my own room.