Viola nervously adjusted her hat as she stared up at the Birmingham Royal School of Nursing, the building seemed to loom over her in a mocking challenge that she wasn't sure she'd be able to meet.
She shook her head and firmed her shoulders; Viola could do this! Surely it couldn't be any harder than learning Latin.
"Are you alright?" a woman with a faint accent asked her, she was in good shape. Of a average-height with brown skin, brown hair and black eyes.
"Yes, I'm quite alright, thank you, just" Viola waved a hand vaguely "feeling a little overwhelmed"
"Oh, I understand, I'm the same" she smiled brightening her face to look rather lovely "I'm Kathy Thomas"
"Viola Crawley" Viola replied, shaking her hand
"Would you want to walk together?" Kathy asked her and Viola nodded
"Please" she smiled and the two hooked arms and headed into the building.
Viola got to know Kathy very well over the day, the two shared all their classes together and she was a chatty and friendly woman, if a bit rude and somewhat dull. She enjoyed bargain hunting, worship, gossiping and going to the pictures.
She grew up in a working-class neighbourhood. Her parents worked hard to provide her with a good life. Kathy had gone to the local school and loved her teacher Miss Burton but hates Mr Blair who apparently spoke in a really annoying voice. The impression was really rather funny,
She was in a relationship with Franklin Lindsay. Ashley is the same age as her and worked at the docks, they got along well but Kathy only dated him because she thought he could provide a good life. Her best friend is Lydia Rice. She has four siblings Ross, Vinnie, Alysha and Freddie.
In between learning ever facet of the woman's life Viola managed to figure out her own schedule and she was excited to learn. Her schedule was half academic at the college and half working at a clinic practice:
Dr. Jameson Lam- anatomy
Dr. Ivan Goudy- Introduction to clinical care, Planning patient care
Dr. Malik Bystron- Complex care, Critical care
Dr. Ben Stancombe- Public health
And she would be interning under Dr. Winifred Stoyle at the Small Heath clinic. Monday, Wednesday she was at the college and Tuesday, Thursday was at the clinic, occasionally on a Friday she might be at the college or the practice or even have a day off.
She was stepping out with Kathy into the afternoon air when the woman let out a little squeal, bouncing on her toes. Viola had always considered herself a friendly but Kathy really was extroverted.
"What is it?" Viola asked her, looking around in concern
"Oh! who is he?! Ain't he handsome?!" Kathy whispered to her tugging on her arm and not at all subtly pointing at a familiar figure.
"That's Tommy" Viola murmured unsure as to why he was here, but he looked very handsome, leant against the wall with his cap pulled down low and smoking a cigarette.
"Tommy? Oh, is he your Tommy?" Kathy asked her, eyes sparkling at the thought of gossip.
"Not quite" Viola brushed off, her cheeks flushing.
"Well! Let's go say hi!" Kathy said without waiting for an answer she dragged Viola over to Tommy whose head snapped up when he noticed them, eyes focused solely on her.
"Viola" Tommy greeted her in his raspy voice, eyes trailing over her carefully, want to affirm her condition.
"Tommy" Viola greeted him fondly, eyes soft and warm.
"Mr Shelby!" Kathy squeaked eyes wide and Tommy nodded to her.
"Miss Thomas, how's your Ma? And your Da?" Tommy asked her "I hear he's working at the factories now"
"Do you two know each other?" Viola asked curious
"Went to school together, didn't we Kat?" Tommy asked her with a smirk
"Uh, Yes! We went to school together, but haven't seen each other much since" Kathy agreed
"I'll have to rectify that if you're going to be around Viola, it's been so long and I'm eager to help Vi find herself a lot of friends" Tommy added on "But for now, I have to steal her away, you don't mind, do you?"
"No! no, not at all" Kathy said and Tommy nodded
"Good, shall we stailc tintreach?" Tommy offered her his arm and Viola took it happily
"What does that mean? stailc tintreach?" Viola asked curiously, fumbling over the twisty words slightly.
"Lightning Strike" Tommy said in amusement with a fond tilt to his mouth.
"Hmm" Viola glanced up at him through her lashes "I think you're going to hold that over my head for a long time but, how come you're here?"
Tommy shrugged "I called the school; saw you were going to get out late afternoon and figured you'd need an escort"
"Well, aren't you sweet" Viola teased and Tommy huffed flicking his eyes away from her as his cheeks-tinged pink.
"Don't tell, it'll ruin my reputation" Tommy told her amused "how was your day?"
"It was okay" Viola told him "A lot of information but it was more a beginning and getting to know the place, I have a schedule and I met Kathy who's a very friendly woman"
"And your teachers? What are they like?" Tommy asked her as they headed towards the bus stop, he'd been looking into getting a car but this was another incentive. Buses could be dangerous and it would be a boon to his reputation to own a car.
"They're okay" Viola shrugged "Men teaching women, it's...well, they aren't best pleased about it, I hope the Doctor I'm interning under is at least amenable to me"
"Who's that?" Tommy wondered, eyes narrowed at the distance, he'd have to speak to her teachers.
"Dr. Winifred Stoyle" Viola said pulling out her schedule to double check, following Tommy and completely oblivious when Tommy jerked his head at some men, making them jump out of their seats, he quickly offered the window seat to her.
"Ohh, Doc Stoyle, I know him, he's a good man" Tommy nodded, eyeing her schedule and committing it to memory.
"I'm glad then" Viola smiled up at him, tucking her schedule back into her purse "How was your day?"
Tommy thought back to the fights, the men he had cut, the squabble at the Garrison, sending his men to intimidate the Irish, spreading the word about Viola. Going with John and Arthur to the races...oh and getting that engagement ring. Shame he had to burn down the store but at least he's now got pretty jewels and gems to rain down on Viola whenever he pleased. The man simply couldn't accept that he got what he wanted for free or else, the place burnt down.
Bastard was beating his wife anyways; Tommy should have done worse. He just might.
"It was alright, a bit busy" he rasped "a lot of idiots I had to sort out"
"Oh? what were they being stupid about?" Viola asked him
He huffed "Seems everyone around me is unable to figure out the common path, the next logical step they just stand around expecting me to fuckin' figure it out"
"I imagine that can be quite awful" Viola commiserated with him, running her thumb over his knuckles when she saw the stress lines in the corner of his eyes.
Tommy smiled down at her, shoulders relaxing "it's apart of leading a business and I like being in charge, I like going further in the world building up the Shelby name"
"It's nice to see a man with ambition" Viola smiled up at him "most of the men I know, live of inherited wealth never doing much to improve themselves, they already think they're at the top"
"The top is always moving" Tommy replied "but I want to see it one day, I'm sure the views are marvellous, but speaking of marvellous Lickey Hills Country Park, it has some pretty sunset views, I sent Arthur to drop off a basket if, if your interested but you might be too tired after today"
"Already set up our next date?" Viola asked with a bit of surprise
Tommy shrugged as he pulled out a cigarette "I never do anything without a plan, especially something important and you are very important"
Probably best not to tell her he'd already gotten the ring and was trying to pick out names for their kids. Six was a good number, but she had such pretty eyes surely, he was depriving the world if they didn't have at least eight. Or ten, maybe twelve? You bought eggs by the dozen why not kids?
Something to think about.
Viola giggled "I can't believe you got Arthur to set up a picnic for us"
Tommy smirked in triumph "it took some bargaining but he's a soft touch really"
Arthur had grumbled and complained about doing grunt work but then when Tommy had suggested getting one of the grunts to do it, he had snatched the basket away and stalked off muttering about how they couldn't be trust to tie their own laces let alone set up his date.
"I'm not really dressed for a date" Viola said feeling a little self-conscious.
"You look lovely" Tommy assured her before glancing up "C'mon, this is our stop"
Tommy led her off the bus and towards the entrance of the country park, taking her arm to escort her. The place was rather busy but he could easily spot Arthur lounging by the gates entrances and giving a vicious glare to whoever stepped close to him.
"Arthur" Tommy called out, getting his brother's attention when it looked like he was about to take his cap off and start slashing.
"Tommy! Fuckin' idiots, lot of 'em why can't they leave a man alone?!" Arthur complained loudly uncaring of the shocked looks of women or the reprimanding glares of the men.
"Because it looks like you're about to restart highway robbery" Tommy said with a snort of amusement.
"As if any of em have anything I want, they just don't like me cuz I'm gypsy!" Arthur argued passionately and Tommy offered him a graceful lackadaisical shrug, how could he argue that?
"Hello, Arthur. I am grateful that you helped Tommy out with this" Viola smiled up at the man who glanced away bashfully, tips of his ears turning pink.
"Well, it ain't anything Vi! Just putting down a blanket and basket is all, not 'ard to figure out" he tried to brush off unused to the praise.
"But you still did it" Viola pointed out gently
"And I'm grateful" Tommy added on seriously, he was so grateful for his family, helping him with this.
"Ah, Tommy, you know I'd do anything for you" Arthur reaffirmed his loyalty to his brother, heart warming. Ever since his Ma and Da had gone Tommy had really stepped up and so quickly got them a reputation and comfortable life and he just wanted to help his brother any way he could, and he liked Viola. She didn't treat him like he was thick and she'd been nice to him.
"Just as I would" Tommy promised his brother, feeling slightly choked up "where is the picnic?"
"It's by that little pond, I left Tim to guard the spot" Arthur told him and Tommy nodded "so I'll head off, you two have fun, eh? But not too much!"
Chuckling to himself at the blushing kids he walked off, Tommy might be twenty now but he was like a little boy with a school crush around Viola, it was adorable.
"He's an idiot, ignore everything he says" Tommy told Viola with a hint of desperation forget everything he said! He was going to throttle his brother! So embarrassing, he scratched the back of his neck.
"Well, not everything" Viola told him coyly "I hear there's a wonderful spot for a picnic waiting for us?"
Tommy let out a loud, bright laugh and nodded "Yes, shall we?"
"We shall" Viola grinned brightly up at him and he led the way down a side path, trees overheard were starting to turn different colours as autumn came calling but it was a warm enough afternoon and Tommy radiated heat that she gleefully stole.
Eventually they came across the pond, where a tall, think man in a cap and suit was leaning against a tall oak tree nervously chewing a toothpick was waiting.
"Mr Shelby, no one's disturbed the picnic" Tim told him nervously fumbling with his cap before tipping it to Viola who gave him a soft smile.
"You didn't smoke, did you?" Tommy asked with a frown, the smoke would ruin the scent of the flowers and the cigarette butts would ruin the area.
"N-no, Mr Shelby, just had my toothpicks" Tim assured him
"Hmm, Tim the toothpick, go on, hop it, I'm here now" Tommy rasped and Tim nodded his head, tipped his cap once more to Viola and scrammed. Tommy Shelby was a terrifying man with the devil's eyes, why such a gentlewoman would want to be around him, Tim would never know.
"This place really is lovely however did you find it?" Viola mused as she soaked in the warm atmosphere of the afternoon turning evening. Flowers were blooming randomly around the little pond, a checkered blanket sat beneath a willow tree, giving them a veil of privacy, some swans swam lazily at the other end of the pond.
"I ran away once" Tommy admitted to Viola, as he pulled out the food he'd made earlier. "I don't know if can be classed as that though, can it be running away if no one comes to find you? Da was doing his usual, stealing horses and using his gypsy powers to tell the future, usually it was that their horse was going to get stolen. They were always so amazed. But one man found out, got his horse back and spread the word. Da skipped town so they couldn't take out their anger on him decided the sins of the father should be put on the son, on me." Tommy took a deep breath and shrugged.
"I ran away, figured that if I was a true Gypsy, I'd have no problem living of the land, I'd been taught some things and I wound up here, at this spot" He waved a hand at the little glade he had found so long ago.
"Surely, someone came" Viola said drawn in by Tommy's story telling
Tommy blinked the memories away and nodded at Viola "Yea, Arthur after three days he found me sleeping under this willow, he yelled at me was scared stiff apparently that I'd drowned in the cut, been arrested or something when I confessed what happened, Arthur told me 'There's a reason you have an older brother' and then the kids all ended up in the hospital the next day"
"Well, that is somewhat sweet of him" Viola giggled "Mary once kicked a man between the knees because she thought he was being too forward with me and Sybbie"
Tommy snorted "Now that's just pure viciousness"
"It was funny to see all the colours he turned" Viola admitted "Papa was furious though, berated Mary something awful for being unladylike, she always seemed to bear the brunt of not being born a boy"
"I guess it can be rough" Tommy said thoughtfully "Da, bastard though he is always celebrated having another child, another branch to his legacy of Shelby and Ma well, she was from a big family, always wanted one of her own"
"The draw back of being a woman, when I marry, I leave behind my name and take my husband's and his legacy, I just become a part...no legacy of my own" Viola mused thoughtfully taking a sip of the tea that had been packed.
"Polly still calls herself Shelby though she's technically a Gray" Tommy told her, "You might take my name but you'll always be a Crawley and your legacy will be our children, they'll have your eyes or your laugh and they'll be a blessing boy or girl."
Viola laughed in delight, enjoying his confidence that they would marry "Must be a curse" she said slyly "to be so certain of the future"
"Gypsy, I'm good at them" Tommy smirked slyly before it became a coy thing "I also know how to get rid of them"
"Oh, and how's that?" Viola asked, thoroughly enjoying how playful he was being.
"A kiss from a Gypsy Prince washes away curses and brings good luck" Tommy told her seriously, tilting his head down to be close to her lips, but giving her room to deny him if she wanted.
"Not a king?" Viola asked breathlessly, Tommy smelt of smoke, wood, gun powder and whisky. It was intoxicating.
"King needs to marry himself a Queen first and build her a kingdom" Tommy replied finally leaning in and capturing her lips with his own. Oh, she tasted like lightning and salvation.
"So when can we meet again?" Tommy asked her as he stood at her doorway, wanting to reach out and kiss her again, but he resisted. Barely. He was playing the long game here.
"Eager, aren't you?" Viola teased him, eyes sparkling in delight.
"If you think I'm being subtle clearly I need to step up my game" Tommy said dryly making her collapse in a fit of giggles.
"Hmm, well I have clinic tomorrow" Viola told him "And I need to go grocery shopping and stop by Polly's for tea, I did promise"
"I feel like tomorrow I will have gotten an awful disease or been stabbed or shot" Tommy listed off thoughtfully, he could goad John into punching him...or bribe Finn to start crying. He'd been whining about wanting to see Viola as well.
"Make sure it isn't contagious and if you were stabbed or shot, you'd be taken to the hospital not a clinic" Viola admonished him playfully
"Well, I'm not the nurse practitioner so I don't know but thanks for the tips" Tommy grinned
"You terrible man" Viola laughed at him, pushing at his chest gently.
"If only you knew" Tommy murmured softly, crowding her gently against the doorframe "I'm the devil, stailc tintreach, and I've fallen for an angel"
"Looking for redemption?" Viola asked in a breathless whisper, her heart pounding as those ice-blue eyes focused on her as if she was the centre of the world, how electrifying as if she been struck by lightning, the sparks dancing around her body deliciously.
"Redemption or damnation, so long as I have you, I'll pay the price" Tommy informed her seriously
"A kiss" Viola said firmly
"Oh? just a kiss?" Tommy questioned her with a smirk
"For now," Viola told him boldly reaching out and pulling him down by his tie into a kiss that made his mind blank.
'Dear Sybbie,
(For your eyes only! Don't you DARE tell anyone else! ESPECIALLY PAPA!)
I have been gone but a few days and I feel as if my world has spun and changed to something unrecognisable but oh so delightful. I am Alice, I followed the white rabbit and I fell down, down, down to this strange and new world that feels so much like home.
Perhaps it's not the world, but a man, oh I feel so silly, like a school girl but Sybil there is no other recourse for me. You are my twin and while I adore our sisters I know in my heart, only you can be trusted with this.
I have met a man. It has only been a few days and how I used to scoff at the romances we would read into the night but I have been served justice, justice in the form of a tall, lean man with the most wonderful ice-blue eyes and calloused hands.
He's so...bold Sybbie! Tommy is his name and he's told me that he wishes to court and has taken me on a wonderful picnic, he is funny and courteous, charming and witty...I know you would encourage this, wonderful sister of mine that you are and if Mary were to know (and you better NOT tell her! Sybbie, she'd have kittens!) she would warn me to harden my heart and be careful as men are dangerous creatures and not to be trusted even after marriage. And well, you know how Edith is.
Tommy is a business man but he's not, he's only starting out Sybil he is ambitious and wanting to do well in this world but Papa would look to his past not to his present or his future. I will confess, I think Thomas is my future. I want to see if he will be, Sybbie, please don't tell anyone yet. I'm begging Papa will be furious, they all will. A lady and a Gypsy? It's ridiculous but I want to see and maybe, maybe I can ease Papa into it.
(The next pages you can show everyone)
Everyone, I miss you truly and dearly but I am having a wonderful time in Birmingham. It is, indeed a complete difference to our village. The air is smoggy and the people always bustling to and fro, it is not like our sleepy village and I do miss it to a degree but I am having fun in the fast-paced Birmingham. I've met some very kind people as well, locals who have shown me around Small Heath and I'll be attending Tea with an older woman named Polly, she's truly taken me under her wings and her niece and nephews have been lovely. Finn is her youngest nephew at two years old and he's simply adorable!
My teachers are all learned men who take their job seriously and seem to be knowledgeable, I have met a lovely woman named Kathy who has been kind and friendly to me. I have also managed to cook by myself as well, I know I will never reach the heights of Mrs's Patmore but I haven't poisoned myself or blown up the oven so I take that as a win.
I miss Anna and Gwen as well as Barrow and Carson, do give them my regards. How is William and Daisy? How is the manor? How is Grandmama? And Biscuit? Does he miss me as much as I miss him? I think I'll be quite busy for the foreseeable future; I do want to give my all to the course I'm on at the moment but I'm eagerly looking forward to visiting during the holidays and such, will the Christmas ball still be on? I hope so, the manor looks so beautiful during winter.
I miss you all,
Lady Viola Crawley.
AN/
Fair warning I'm not a nurse, and I've just googled nursing courses and doing a bit of research? I've also simplified things to try and align with the times, it is 1910s and she's a woman, soooo bandages and bed pans is all she's going to be taught at school HOWEVER, I want to make the Doctor a badass 'who cares if your a woman, I'm going to teach you anyways'
But in the 1910's medicine was further back then it is now, there were stigmas, conditions weren't as sterile etc etc. So I'll sort of be skating over the nursing that she learns.
The war is going to be sad :( also Violet Crawley is somehow team Tommy? like I've written some parts and she's absolutely thrilled with the man her granddaughters picked out like 'hell fucking yea, my granddaughter's got herself a gangster.' she's 1000% team Shelby.
Tommy Shelby is a complete and utter Simp, it'll change his character a bit but I like it. My man is weaving daisy chains, looking at houses and naming their children and grandchildren. He's totally in, hooked his cart to her horse and is totally done for.
I like writing utter love stories. Viola and Tommy, Doctor and Morgana. 😂
I'm giving the fluff now, to lure you in, becuase it's going to get...rough, they're going to go through a war etc etc it's going to be bad but I'm excited for big brother Arthur, I've got some cute scenes written.
Also they kinda need a ship name?
Tola? Vimmy? lol I need to think bout it.