1924

"WHERE'S TOMMY? ARTHUUUR!"

John's voice bellowed through the prison cells. He could remember it as clear as day. Only two months had passed since they had been locked up…all because of Tommy's scheming. Now the guards had pulled them out of these cells and forcefully pushed them down the halls.

He struggled as much as he could but John was overpowered, leaving him no choice but to use his feet to bang against the other cells and call out, "I'M JOHN SHELBY!" Even if death was waiting, he was not afraid. Why would he be? Everything had gone to shit this past year and Tommy's betrayal hit John harder than he thought possible. Betrayal. Yes, that's how he saw it. This was not one of his plan's to get the family on top. This was betrayal.

"JOHN!" John looked up to see Michael and Arthur being dragged in the same direction by the guards. Arthur was angry as shit, spitting and calling out his brother's name as he wrestled the two guards holding him down. Michael, on the other hand, stood perfectly still, but ready to wet him, as he whimpered, "Where's Tommy?"

The three men were pulled together in the same room, filled with white light. Three nooses hanging there, ready to be used.

"Mum." Michael whispered, as he was the first pushed forward, the noose put around his neck. Arthur followed and finally, John, after putting up another fight for his life, got his neck wrapped up in one of those nooses too. This was it. They were all going to hell. All except Tommy. John growled a little at the thought. His older brother tucked safe and sound in his mansion in London, his son safe by his side. How could he do this to them? He may be the great Tommy Shelby, but he was nothing without his family. He would have never gotten this far without them.

"In the bleak midwinter." Arthur whispered and John snapped out of his trance, when hearing that. They had promised. But he could not form the words. This wasn't how he was supposed to meet his end. He wanted to feel love the love of a woman before he went. He wanted to know that his children would be safe in her care. All six of them. His four treasures by Martha: Katherine (Katie), Mildred, Anne and John Jr. And of course, his two strong sons by Esme: Henry and David.

John breathed in deeply, closed his eyes and remembered Martha's face. A young and beautiful brunette, who died too early. Too early, leaving him with a broken heart and four children to raise on his own. A deadly sickness took her away from him. In a way, John considered it a blessing. She was too sweet for the world he lived in. Too kind. Her face revealed a lovely smile every time he walked in the room.

Esme…Esme was different. She had been loyal to him, yes. He couldn't ignore that. Loyalty was important. And they got along just fine. Better than expected, since their marriage was arranged to get the Lee family to side with them when needed. She took care of his four children from his previous marriage and never complained.

But she was not warm. There would always be contempt in her eyes whenever he told her about some business he was handling. He felt no true support. She spewed out her criticism until he had enough and would leave just so he wouldn't have to hear her voice. She was just like Linda, trying to force him to do her bidding.

The warmth that radiated from Martha everyday was something John needed to feel. He missed what his first wife represented. For theirs was true love. It was not a marriage arranged by Tommy. It was his choice. Esme, as great as she had been, was not. And even if she were here, John knew that she was not the woman he wanted to see before he left this world.

"WAAAAAIT!" a voice called out from the door.

John gasped and opened his eyes, suddenly aware once more that he had a noose around his neck and was seconds away from meeting his end next to his brother and cousin. A guard pushed inside, waving some papers. He could not hear anything else that had been said. All he realized was that the hanging had been stopped and he was now free, as the noose was no longer around his neck.

"Tommy came through. Tommy came through." Michael was whispering, shaking like a leaf. Arthur said nothing, as he moved forward to where the guards were now escorting them. The wailing of a woman could be heard at the far end of the corridor.

Polly pushed away the guard that was holding her, tears streaming down her face, as she ran towards them and pulled Michael into her arms. John and Arthur stood there, shocked at the display. Polly had never shown before them such a display of desperation, anguish and fear. She was always a strong woman, the woman they had all been depending on since their father abandoned them. But now, she seemed lost.

They gathered their stuff and walked out through the prison doors to freedom, after two torturous months. Blinking, John saw who was standing there. Ada, their younger sister, smiled in a sorrowful way, as she held the sixteen year-old Finn by her side. Behind them, stood the man himself: Tommy Shelby.

Finn rushed forward and pulled John and Arthur into a hug. The two older brothers held onto the lad for dear life, but their eyes were on the black-cloaked figure behind their sister. Polly was trying to contain her sobs, as she was holding Michael tightly in her arms.

A sigh was heard, as Tommy stepped from behind his sister's shield and revealed himself to his other family members. He pulled his spectacles from his eyes and gently placed them in his pocket, eying them all firmly, but apologetically.

Nobody was said a word. They were all eyeing each other, unsure of what to say. There were three cars behind Tommy, waiting to take the Shelby family wherever they needed to go. Finn had finally stopped hugging his brothers and was looking at Tommy, expectantly.

Michael was the first to break the ice. "You got glasses." He stated, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Tommy raised his eyebrows slightly, as he nodded, surprised that this was the only statement coming out of Michael's mouth. "Yes, I did." He responded.

"Tommy!" Curly called out from one of the cars, indicating that they had best get moving, somehow afraid that the king might change his mind and hang them all for their scheming. Tommy looked back at him and nodded, before clearing his throat and looking at his brothers.

"I told you that I would get you out. You may hate me for what I did but it was all for the good of the family business and our future. I made a promise to Arthur Bigge and therefore to the king himself that I would burn those criminating documents and I will, in exchange for the safety of my family…and for an OBE."

"OBE?" Polly spat out, seeming disgusted at her nephew's behavior.

It was the first time Tommy eyed her, as he nodded. "Yes, Polly. OBE."

"You had no right to do this to us, Tommy. No right!" Arthur finally got the courage to speak up. "You used us and you betrayed us!" Polly exclaimed.

John was not saying anything, just eying his older brother. Tommy was beginning to notice, so he stepped forward and courageously put his hand on John's shoulder. "It will never happen again, brother. I assure you."

"I am going home, packing, taking Esme and the kids and we are leaving." John finally whispered, pushing past Tommy to get in one of the cars. Arthur, stepped forward and before he could say something, Ada told him, "Linda is due to give birth, Arthur. If you are thinking of leaving too…"

"We are leaving. Sorry, Tom." Arthur stated, pushing past his brother and getting in the car with John. Finn rushed to get in with them.

Polly eyed Tommy darkly, and said, "You may ride alone. Come, Ada!" The older woman took her son and got in the second car, expecting Ava to join them.

Ada looked at her brother in a sympathetic way and said, "This was expected, Tommy." She disagreed with his ways of doing business and the way in which he used his family to get what he wanted, but Ada would always love her brother and would always feel sorry for him.

Clearing his throat, Tommy nodded and said, "I know, Ada. They will be angry for a couple of days and then…we can get back to work."

"Work?! Leave them alone, Tommy. You have caused them enough trouble. They have their own family problems to deal with." Ada argued.

"And I have to deal with the family problems as a whole, Ada. This is what I do."

"Yes, I know. The great Tommy Shelby is in charge of his family. Using them however he pleases…until one day he may wake up without them. Just remember that." Ada told him, before turning around to get in the car with Polly and Michael.

Curly and Uncle Charlie were waiting for Tommy to get in the last car. "Come on, Tommy! We stay here much longer and these guards might get new orders!" Uncle Charlie called out.

Tommy took his time though, watching the three guards who remained outside, looking at him, disgusted, just as much as his family was. He pulled out a cigarette, wetted it against his lips and lit it up. Smoking peacefully, his eyes challenged the guards to do something about it.

After a few minutes, he threw the cigarette on the cold ground and said, "Don't mind, me, lads. Have a meeting with the king's personal fool.", referring to Arthur Bigge, the private secretary.

"Good day, gentlemen." Tommy nodded before stepping on the burning the cigarette and getting into the final car, driving off.

…

By the time John got home, Esme was already packed, the kids running around the house, excited to have their father back. "Papa!" the girls called out, jumping into John's arms. John smiled hugging all three of them, before picking up John Jr. and ruffling up his hair. The boy laughed out loud and hugged his father tightly.

Esme was in their bedroom, handling Henry and David, her own, smaller children. John was expecting Esme to jump with joy at seeing him. But he got none of that. Instead, Esme was scowling, taking in his appearance and hissed, "Do bathe! You smell like a horse's ass!"

Smirking, John shook his head and whispered, "Alright. No bloody sentiment from my fuckin' wife."

"No! No bloody sentiment! Now, get packing! We are moving to the country where I don't have to hear the name Tommy Shelby or listen to any dealings of Shelby Company Limited!"

John raised his eyebrows, surprised to see that his wife had the same thought as him.

"Tommy is OBE." He said, deep in thought.

"I don't give a fuck what he is. We are leaving!" Esme called out of their kitchen.

John rolled his eyes and walked over to their hall, expecting to get the mail. An envelope caught his attention. It was not addressed to anyone. It was just there. Picking it up, John hesitated before ripping it open and picking up the card that was inside.

"Fuck." Was all he said before dropping the card and the picking up the phone to call Arthur.