Three gunshots and a crowd of screaming people flooded the silence Ela and Tommy had only filled with pleasure sounds.

In a second they both incorporated into their positions facing the entrance, fear overflowing Ela's mind, and a mix of rage and diligence washing over Tommy's.

There was a loud knock on the door and they both stayed silent, Ela grabbed Tommy's arm seeking refuge and he put his hand over the gun hostler while standing in front of her guarding her figure from whatever was on the outside.

-"Tommy! Tommy! It's Jhonny" Tommy took out his gun but they both calmed down while he walked toward the door "Tommy the American went crazy you have to come out" Without opening the door Tommy replied telling Jhonny to get the family to safety, he'd solve the rest.

Before he walked out he motioned for Ela to get close, she complied and he took her lightly by the shoulders in a sweet motion.

-"Ela, stay here a few minutes, open the windows, then go to your room and don't lock the door," he said and the second she nodded he went outside to face the stampede of people fleeing and guns being fired.

Ela walked quickly to the study's windows and opened them, feeling the turmoil of her heart collide with her reason. The wind on her face helped to calm her quicker than she thought possible, but still, it proved to be more than difficult to believe what had just happened, what she had allowed to transpire within those walls.

When it all came back to her in rapid flashes and still feeling the touch of Tommy's hands on her body, she felt breathless and confused and knew it was time to find solace in the safety of her room.

The screams had ceased and before leaving the room she tried to unwrinkle the mess the front of her dress had become without much success, but made it out of the office in a swift motion. She was about to make it to the stairs when Ada and her locked widened eyes with one another and froze in place.

Ada didn't understand what she was seeing, Ela's mascara had run a bit off her lashes; her cheeks couldn't look more blushed; she had clearly been sweating, the forever hazel eyes were barely visible from the blackness of her gaze, the delicate fabric from her dress had become a rumpled mess, and the front was stained from something; when Ada took a step in her direction she sensed it, the strong smell of arousal coming from the study, it was definitely Ela's but it was mixed with someone's and although it took her a second to recognize it her eyes widened even more when she realized it was Tommy's.

Ada attempted to take a second step in Ela's direction, but at the sight, the woman ran up the stairs and banged the door loudly behind her, leaving Ada speechless, but the more she thought about it, she decided it was not the time to talk about whatever might had happened. Ada exited the house in a trance knowing she would put her brother through an interrogation soon.

Ela stepped into her room gasping for air as the adrenaline washed her over, she removed her shoes and dress quickly; tracing her fingers lightly over the crumpled fabric but when the recent memories of being restless, touched, and willingly submitting to the man who was supposed to be her employer even after having promised to herself she would remain distant she let go of the dress as if it was electrifying her, she walked to the bathroom and looking in the mirror she could barely recognize the woman in the reflection, her soft features had been replaced by a flushed needy version of herself.

She let go of her remaining garments and opened the tabs of the tub stepping inside the cold water that chilled her to the bone, and as she lay there she felt the sudden rush to punish herself as many times in the past she had felt the need to. She hated herself for it, for considering that as the ultimate resolution, whenever she felt she had failed, even knowing it was irrational and no good would come out of it. She still wanted to race to the kitchen, grab any utensil she could get her hands on, put it to the fire, and take it to her feet. Damn her parents for making her believe that was the way to go whenever she was less than perfect. Damn her for not being able to resist the thoughts and the urge to hurt herself.

After washing over the sins from her skin Ela changed into her nightgown and got to bed hugging her knees and burying her face in the pillows thinking what a disgrace she was, how easy she had made it for the man she loved to notice how she really felt and let him enjoy her body playing games she would never win or gain anything from other than a broken heart. That man she loved but who would only be interested in her Omega nature because she didn't hold the courage and background of the women he would actually take seriously, women he would choose as a wife. She had behaved like a common whore giving into her desires. The tears started running and she sobbed uncontrollably, and once more as if the weather conspired with her feelings, it started raining outside.

Tommy had managed to resolve the crisis and no one had been hurt from the outburst of that fucking childish excuse of a man that had grown jealous enough and driven by his pointless rage at his father's dismissal started shooting at the ceiling to obtain the attention he so desperately had grown accustomed to in his life, until he was taken from the room and dragged out of the house through the muddy entrance by John and the Lee brothers, not letting him leave without he got a few blows to the head. Even under those circumstances, Jack Nelson didn't have any other remedy than to apologize to Tommy and the family before leaving embarrassed by the son he had produced.

After everything was over and done with the Shelbys parted ways but the look of angry contempt Ada gave Tommy as she made the way to her car without saying a word didn't escape him. Somehow she knew what had happened between him and Ela. Ada would bring him hell, but it was a discussion for another day, right now he wanted to care for the woman upstairs.

As he made his way to her room, he tried to turn the knob but the lock was on, and just when he was about to knock calling out her name, he heard her crying and stopped in his tracks with his own heart plummeting. If she was feeling that way could only be because of him and he felt like a true bastard, she was surely regretting their encounter. Most likely she had been raised to believe a woman should only do that with her husband and although she didn't agree with most of her upbringing, holding to the romance of a single partner she could submit and give everything to was surely a dream of hers.

It was clear she wanted him, but it didn't mean that she wanted to share her life with him, a criminal, one that was involved in such gruesome deeds, one that alike the scenario he had narrated about the other men in that room tonight had incarcerated her in a room to feel her body and make her submit, it was not against her will, and he was sure she had liked it, but he wondered if he had dismissed her in favor of the Omega from her nature. Was that not the exact reason she had run away from her parents that only showed interest in that side of her?

He couldn't deny their natures crashing together was too difficult not to act on it, but he would give it away just to get time with the woman behind that. The reality was that he had not let her see that, instead, he had cornered her into an impossible situation with no consideration of what she may really want. What if what she really wanted was to settle down with a man who didn't hold the complications of his life? form a family that would not face the dangers he would surely run into for the rest of his life? She might not be interested in a wealthy candidate, but what if she desired a man raised in a conservative household with a decent education and not a man born in a caravan around gypsies who had made their way into the world through violence? All the things he had already considered but had decided to ignore in the light of wanting her for himself.

Tommy took a step back from the door and walked to his own room with a renewed perspective in mind, but feeling more of a monster when even after everything he had considered, as the dawn started to settle on the horizon every time he attempted to close his eyes to get some rest, images of Ela and the way she had surrendered beautifully to him, obeying his command without hesitation to his movements; he pictured what he could have done with her in his desk, on the fancy carpet of the study, against the walls, everyone could have heard the symphony of her screams knowing he was the one producing them, fantasizing about ripping her neck apart to taste the blood from her glands, scenting her with his own pheromones, marking her as his, and chaining her to his knot never letting her leave his side.

How had that woman managed to make him crazy for her? how was it that she was the one that made him both calm and frantic? that not having her close made him feral? That a day without her laughter sunken his spirit?

Hours went by and he couldn't doze off feeling restless in his room, then out of nowhere, he heard the rumbling downstairs.

Ela cried until her eyes had become completely swollen. By the time she stopped, the sun was rising and although the rain had not subsided she could not oblige herself to stay crouched in bed feeling bad about herself. she put on her slippers and tossed a coat on making her way out of the house to the back gardens not caring whatsoever if she would once away look like a maniac, this time she felt on the edge of becoming one.

Walking around did make her feel lighter even when she was freezing cold, but just when she was starting to feel like herself, she heard some grumble nearby. Thinking it may have been an aminal from the grounds that made its way around the house she followed the noise to investigate, and behind the south wall she found Arthur and got startled seeing his condition, he had been out in the rain all night it seemed, his suit was smugged with mud and spattered with vomit.

Ela ran to him and kneeled by his side shaking him lightly praying for him to wake up.

-"Arthur! Arthur! please please wake up"

He moved slightly and opened his eyes, Ela sighed in relief putting a hand on her chest thanking god.

-"Arthur can you hear me? are you alright?"

He regained consciousness and rubbed his eyes with a dirty hand

-"Hello love"

-"Oh thank god you're okay, give me a second I'll get Frances to help me get you inside," she said getting up to get the other woman to assist her.

-"No! No." his voice was rugged and it had a hint of panic. Ela stopped her motions looking at him in confusion. "Tommy can't know I'm like this, I rather fucking die, leave me here". His eyes reflected the pure disdain he felt for himself and the shame he felt for his younger brother finding out how bad in shape he actually was.

-"I won't leave you. I'll carry you inside myself, c'mon put your arm around my shoulder" Ela stated with conviction in her voice, she wouldn't leave this man outside, she cared too much for him, he was a dear friend, but he still looked hesitant probably still believing Tommy would see him "we won't make any noise Arthur, it'll be like you slept on the couch and he won't notice the difference, I promise" Ela said almost pleading him to take the offer and seeing the pain in her eyes he agreed and let her help him.

Even when her clothes got tainted with his dirt and sick, she didn't flinch and guided him inside the house.

She went around the house finding some spare clothes for him to change and towels for both of them to dry up. When he looked less of a mess, even when she was still soaked wet, she brought over a thick blanket to put it around his shoulders, and boiled water to make them both tea. When she returned with it Arthur truly came out of his trance and noticed the bags under her swollen eyes.

It was evident she had not slept and had been crying. But he decided not to comment on it, she had just saved him from a terrible fate; it was not the time to make her self-conscious. But then she spoke.

-"How are you feeling?"

-"Like I was run over by a fucking train love" he groaned while trying to straighten his back "I'm sorry Ela, that you had to see me like this".

-"Don't apologize, Arthur. Sure, I don't want to see you like this" It pained her to know he had been lying on the ground with heavy rain pouring and they had not noticed his absence. His disappearances had become more and more common, but she felt so guilty taking him for granted.

"but I'll always help you if I see you're in trouble, you're my friend, you just have to let me know" It's true she had gone through her own emotional journey that same night, and although from now on she would keep more of an eye out for him, she couldn't do much more if he didn't open up.

-"I just don't know why I keep doing this to meself" Arthur looked at Ela feeling embarrassed and weak; his mind beating him up for not even being able to take care of himself when he was a grown man with children to look out for and a wife who wanted him home safe "It's costing me Linda, me family, me life".

-"Maybe you feel the memories are more painful than the continuous nights in the rain?" She knew it too well, just hours ago she had been wanting to burn and cut herself to stop the pain in her heart from consuming her.

-"Aye, it feels that way" he was surprised Ela could articulate so easily what he had been feeling, almost as if she had felt it crawl her own skill.

-"Arthur please talk to me, maybe you're having trouble getting people to understand" She knew it had been a journey of her own to disclose to Effy at first what it had been like to live in that hell, and even more difficult to admit what she had done to cope with the pain in her solitude "but I'll listen, I care for you, let me help please" but then she also felt liberated from the burden when her friend listened and loved her pulling her out of her painful maneuvers into the light.

Arthur felt the sincerity from Ela's words pinch his heart, and although in the past he had been wary to reveal his true feelings, with her it felt so easy that he opened the pandora box his head had become.

-"Since we came back from France I've never felt like meself, you know, the one from before the war" It ached him to vaguely remember what he had been like, how easy life had felt back then.

"One minute I'm normal, the next I'm hearing the screams, the gunshots, I see the faces of soldiers around a battlefield, and I'm there again, in my uniform, surrounded by death, and the fucking fear and smell of dry blood make me sweat" he shut his eyes when the memories felt too fresh in his mind.

"The drinking, the fucking drugs, it's the only thing that makes me forget, makes the memories go away from me brain; when I stop they come back; we all know there's only so much a body can take, I'm aware if I keep going I'll drop dead, but I've been dead for years now, if it happens, I' won't go to heaven but even a hell without this will bring me peace" tears gather at the corner of his eyes not believing he had finally said what he had only dared to think before, it felt freeing even when the admission hurt more than he would have thought.

-"Please Arthur, let us help you," Ela said grabbing his hand in hers recognizing very well the pain he felt, having felt a measure of it herself, knowing how desperate a person can become "You don't have to keep living like this, I know we can find a way out of this situation for you" it may be very different situations they had experienced, but they had its similarities and if she had moved on so much, there was definite hope for him.

"You have a family that loves you; you have your kids, I can imagine it must not be easy with Linda, but I do know she loves you, don't keep going down this route" It was true, he was a beloved man, but in his mind he was not recognizing it, and he was letting his despair drag him down

"We would all miss you more than you can imagine".

Arthur wanted to believe Ela, he wanted nothing more than to trust her, but he knew he was a liability, he was a disappointment, he knew he had become reckless and ruthless and nobody had the patience to deal with him anymore.

-"If I die, I'll finally liberate you all from the burden I've become"

-"Don't say that please, is not true, you're not a burden, we need you"

He had been fighting alone for so long that he had convinced himself he was worthless when it was not close to the truth, and it would take a lot of love for him to see it differently, and if she was the first person to show him he was wrong in his thinking she would spend her life trying because she knew there was life after trauma.

-"Nobody needs me, I'm fucking useless, I'm sick in me head, I'm an embarrassment" Too many times he had felt that way, like his family would rather him stay hidden or die than have to bring him to meetings, show him in public, afraid he may lash out in one of the episodes he could no longer control.

-"You're not Arthur, you are loved, you are so loved, I know you try, you try really hard every day to live your life as if demons were not haunting you, and you try to be a great father, a great husband; you're funny, your jokes always make us laugh, and I know many times your efforts may have been taken from granted, you're expected to act normal, and go about your day and your tasks normally" Ela had moved to seat closer to him on the couch squeezing his hand to get through to him.

"you're expected to act like the rest as if nothing had happened, even when you have to take care of deals and people in the most terrible ways possible that may make you relieve the horrors from the war; you're expected to show no emotion, to be a man of incredible strength and always act like a beast, and many times you pull it off, you don't show a sign of remorse or hesitation" she had seen it, he had almost fooled her many times laughing and joking about the things they had to do, but at some point, the mask would falter and the sadness from his eyes could not stay hidden anymore.

"and doing it all with this type of weight above your shoulders is really courageous, trying to be brave for everybody shows how much you care for the people around you attempting to not make them worry about you" He could clearly recall all the times he had to bottle up his pain to make everyone believe he was stable, and how much it had costed him to stay put, even when his hands shook with rage and fear.

"But we all love you, Arthur, we want to be okay, not just look okay, and I for one don't want you to pretend anymore to maintain any appearances because if it's all a ruse from the drugs and the liquor; if it's not real, then I don't want it, I don't want your heart to sink to the farthest depths of darkness" She looked him dead in the eye, not letting his gaze falter because she needed to get her message across making him understand that she too understood at least partially his pain.

"I care for you enough to do something about it, to walk the line by your side and keep you from falling into the abyss you've been staring at for so long" She hugged him, with all the strength she could manage, and he trembled in her arms sobbing while she continued.

"Listen to me. Your trauma and your emotions don't make you weak, they make you human, and learning to overcome the pain will get you to the other side becoming more of a man than the rest; let them keep pretending they're so brave and tough when it's in fact eating them inside, let's get you to conquer your past. You hear me? fuck them all! fuck the world! I won't have my friend suffer anymore" he cried on her shoulder, and although he thought he would feel affected by her top-rated scent having her so close, it felt like being close to Ada, Ela was his sister in equal measure, he loved her, how could a creature like her exist? how could she understand so well everything that he had felt? and how was she so candid and blunt in caring for him?

He pulled back with red eyes and a runny nose, wiping the tears away and finally letting a genuine smile run through his face.

-"Ela Dawson. Polly and Ada have always been right, there's more to you than a pretty face," he said rubbing her hand in his, appreciating more than she could ever know everything she had told him, she had breathed hope back into him, her strength was like nothing he had seen, and suddenly he realized where it came from, her past sometimes slipped his mind because she almost never acted as someone who had been through something as horrific as she had "Being in this line of work I've come across many strong women, but I think you might be the strongest of them all"

-"What makes you say that?" She was suddenly taken aback by his words, not having expected him to describe her as anything remotely close to strong.

-"Your history. You have every reason to believe that the world is a cruel and cursed place, it would be more than understandable for you to not trust anyone after what your parents had the disdain to do to you" Ela became shy at the mention, but at the same time she thought he may be at least a bit right, it would have been easier to let the dark consume her heart "but you always find the good in people, you're sweet and gentle, you're charming and caring; always smiling, always seeing the bright side of life; your heart was hurt deeply, and you still find reasons to smile".

Ela considered it for a second and knew it was her chance to give hope to Arthur because it was true, even amongst all those terrible things she had lived through, she had not only escaped her captivity and the tortures, but she had also found joy on the outside, and had been lucky enough to meet people to make her believe life was worth living.

-"I am wounded you're right, body and soul torn apart by the people who gave life to me, the people who educated me too, and in no way will I compare it to what you lived in the fields of France," Ela thought Arthur also had to know it all hadn't happened suddenly, without help and without her making her own mistakes. If she was asking him to open up, she would do it too.

"I don't feel strong often, if anything I just feel grateful I'm still alive because apart from the people who harmed me, many times I thought a swift motion at my own will would end my life to escape from the torture I was put through" Ela took off her slippers slowly and showed Arthur her feet and although it was one of the hardest things for her to do, she pointed at some of the burns on the back of her heels that were different from the deeper larger ones that marked her soles in layers upon layers of scars.

"The smallest I did myself, It started with burning sowing needles, and then I didn't realize how much I had escalated until I was scoarching myself with the fireplace pokers' tips" She traced her fingers over the skin remembering the times she had done it, how she had hidden them, and how no one had noticed because they were already inflicting so much pain in her that a smaller mark would just go by unnoticed.

"You can't know how much I've hated myself over time for recurring to the same methods they all used on me to keep me obedient; but back then, when I discovered inflicting that physical pain on me made my mind feel lighter I just kept on doing, and it was a relief, but just like the drugs you use, the doses keep increasing and the effect it's temporary until you're haunted again" Arthur wanted to cry, now he knew in full measure how she could relate to his pain so much, they had lived similar pains, and his heart ached for her. such a kind soul has brought hell upon herself too. He looked at her with compassion and endearment hugging her back.

"Arthur many times I was not strong; I'm still not sometimes, I can't tell you how close I came to ending my life just to escape the fortress that held me prisoner until my family would find a man for me that suited their ambitions in what felt like a bidding in a closed auction for my life, and I was sure whoever won would surely treat me the same because he'd know I wouldn't matter if my family didn't care, he'd toss me aside after being done with me" Even when heavy tears were escaping Ela's eyes as she spoke she continued wanting him to hear that he was not alone in his struggle "even now out of fear, I think about it, sometimes I can feel so lonely that the thoughts return, but I have found all of you, and you've made me feel that I can keep going".

It had been a long time since she had been so open and candid about her experiences, and somehow talking about them made them too real for her, but it also made her notice how much she had grown, and how proud she was of her progress.

-"Love, you are a woman like no other I've met, and I'm sure I'll never come across any other that resembles you, Ela. Thank you, for caring, for listening, for sharing your stories with me, just thank you love. And I want you to know how happy I am that even when it's so hard, you have been overcoming your fears, your past, your demons" Arthur said feeling not only pride in calling Ela her friend when she was indeed the strongest woman he had come across, but also because because she had managed to insert the seed of hope for his own case. Maybe he could recuperate at least to make his life bearable "and doing it with such grace, while your heart is so pure, I admire you love"

Ela smiled, and they hugged again, this time none of them letting go, feeling as if they had reached family status from the conversation.

-"Arthur please promise me you'll come to me when you're hurting, or if it's not me then Ada or Polly, I know you're closer with your brothers but I also reckon it can be more difficult to be vulnerable with them. Just know we will always welcome you with open arms" She thought for a second how nerve-racking it must be for him to come with his problems to someone like Tommy who would rarely let the persona he had created show his true emotions.

Arthur nodded into their embrace.

-"I'll accept if you promise me the same".

She furrowed her brows not exactly understanding him.

-"What do you mean?"

-"You said it, this is evidently a never-ending feeling love, and no one knows more than me that anything can pull the trigger in your mind. If you ever feel like hurting yourself again you'll tell me" he let her go but took both her hands into his and looked her very seriously "if any of us is getting close, we'll be honest and we'll talk".

Ela smiled broadly even when she wanted to cry her eyes out, because just the night before she had felt the urge to begin her cycle of self-harm, but now she knew she could get through it somehow. She had found even more purpose in her life with this pact they were building.

-"I promise".

-"Then we have a deal" Arthur shook her hand in a business-like fashion.

Ela chuckled at the action.

-"My first deal with a gangster, who would have thought it possible?"

-"And not your only interaction, eh? You know, all the men from that ball would have given their right arm for the hugs I've received today," he said wiggling his eyebrows jokingly but certainly feeling pride in it.

Ela laughed and slapped his arm lightly.

-"Oh please".

She was too used to underestimating herself, how and why she did that was something Arthur would never understand.

-"C'mon love, you know you were the most beautiful woman in that room".

She shrugged her shoulders not really caring about it. Beauty could come and go, and in her life, it had not brought her many recompenses, it had actually brought penalties because that combined with her nature was a disaster mix for her not to be taken seriously, and instead, be considered as a possession.

-"Either way, I barely interacted with any of them, it was only that crazy American whose name I can't even remember, the rest of the night it was you, John, Alfie"

-"And Tommy..."

She had deliberately left the most recognizable name off her list, but Arthur thought it was time she discussed it with someone, and what better time than this?

Ela looked down at her hands, averting her eyes from the man in front of her, not wanting him to see the guilt and pain she was actually experiencing in that regard.

-"Yes, Mr. Shelby too"

She was barely able to reply in a low voice.

Her inability to refer to him by his name caught his attention, she was indeed in need to open up about that subject that was clearly eating her alive.

-"So we're Arthur, John, and Alfie, but he's Mr. Shelby?"

She crossed her arms around her chest suddenly feeling protective of herself and crossed about the topic, and although she tried to remain calm, she was wearing her heart on her sleeve.

-"Arthur, he's my boss, the relationship is different".

Arthur felt even more confused by her defensive posture and tone, maybe with his help she would resolve a little of what was actually troubling her, but he would have to be blunt.

-"Is he the reason why you've been crying love?" Ela looked away and fell silent not knowing what to say, she would never tell a soul what had happened in the study the night before, but anyone could see how much she was hurting and that it was related to the man in question.

"Remember, honesty when we're hurt is the promise we just made," Arthur said with soft eyes trying to get her to look back at him.

Ela sighed; if she was going to ensure he kept the promise, then she would have to lead by example and keep her end of the deal as well, but she would be careful not to reveal anything from the encounter that had taken place with Tommy.

-"He is my employer, and last night, things seemed to take a turn, many people saw a display that should have never happened".

-"Why do I feel that's not entirely true?" Arthur looked at her quizzically feeling there was more to the story, but he went down another route that seemed to be more important "I think you don't really believe that it shouldn't have happened, what is really hurting you?"

The tears started rolling down her cheeks again without a warning. The events were so recent that the impact was still too close to her heart and although she cleaned her face quickly, her cracked voice gave away how she really felt. There was no point in lying.

-"I'm not the woman for him Arthur" He looked at her even more confused, from seeing them dance it was clear his brother reciprocated the feelings he was discovering she also had, Arthur couldn't understand her reaction.

"He's strong, and incredibly bright, loyal, hardworking, he has a heart like no other. Don't get me wrong, I can see all his faults too, but above all I..." She stopped herself not sure she could get the words out, instead, she continued with something else "The truth is, he's the type of man that would want a very specific kind of woman. Arthur, people have been telling me my whole life I'm beautiful and sweet and the perfect top-rated Omega" she said in a low voice talking slowly so as not to get caught up with her crying.

"I can't help but notice that the women he's been interested in the past have been so much more than that, they were more like him, with great businesses, skilled in things I would never dream to master, complex and interesting. I'm none of that, and what everyone got the see last night, was just him being captivated by my nature, not by me".

Shock could not begin to describe Arthur's reaction, how could she not see the way she was diminishing herself, believing she was little and next to nothing, when in fact she was the reason the house they were at right now had come back to life because of her, as well as its occupants and the family around them. Sure, his brother and every man would always gravitate to her first because of her nature, but beyond that, she was her own shining light. He was sure Tommy had been enchanted by her far more than because of her pheromones.

Arthur felt he needed to intervene and although they would need to figure out for themselves their feelings, he could not let her walk through life believing she was anything less than the marvel she actually was.

-"Now you hear me eh love" Ela forced herself to look up to Arthur even if she felt childish and embarrassed about the confession he was hearing. When he was sure she was listening carefully he continued "You're right, you're not like the women he's been with in the past. You're better" She saw the honesty in his eyes, but she wanted to disregard it knowing he could feel like that because it might be the first time he was actually friends with a woman who liked his brother, perhaps with the others he had maintained a distant relationship.

"Believe me, because I loved Grace, she was the best woman I had seen him with until you came along, you changed the game forever," he said with a shining smile "But you have to believe it first. You have to see it in yourself. Ada keeps saying you're the greatest catch a man could get, that nobody will ever be good enough, and I don't disagree" Ela laughed even with the tears still rolling remembering the times she had heard Ada say that completely believing it was true; it had been flattering even when she had not given it much thought.

"No bloke, not even my brother would ever deserve you, so you stop feeling less than anyone he might have liked in the past, feeling like you're not as good because it's true you're not, you're above them all, and Tommy or whoever it is that you decide to be with would be the luckiest man on earth" Arthur finished and Ela felt that if she could see the good in him that he couldn't, maybe she had to start believing that others were truthful about the nice things they recognized in her and stop thinking they were all lies.

Ela smiled broadly at him and thanked him with a calm and sincere look in her eyes for making her feel better. She stood up from the couch telling him they should both get some rest now, and also feeling that leaving her wet clothes on had not been the greatest idea. But before she walked away she smiled and spoke once more.

-"Hey Arthur, don't tell the family, they'd all kill me for choosing. But you're my favorite".

Arthur smiled and raised one hand in the air placing the other above his chest in a swearing motion.

-"Aye, I won't. But be sure I'll tell that fucking man who thinks he's the best baker in the British empire".

Ela laughed and thanked him for the chat again. Unaware that because of all the emotion and lack of sleep Arthur and Ela had experienced neither of them noticed the wolf-eyed man who had been lurking in the hall listening to their entire conversation.