𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟐

John sat with his arms around Madeline whilst she slept. He gently kissed her shoulder and closed his eyes. The events of the night prior replayed in his head. He didn't know Maddie was capable of doing such a thing. Shooting a gun, yeah sure. But killing a man with her hands? John didn't expect that one bit.

John held Madeline like she was going to slip right through his arms. He loved her dearly — Polly was beginning to believe that he was the only Shelby man who could truly love a woman.

After a while, John carefully climbed out of the bed and left the girl sleeping peacefully whilst he went to go check on Katie. "Hello, my girl." John smiled to his daughter who was sat on the floor playing with an old doll. Katie looked up and flashed a smile at her father. "Where's Maddie?" Katie asked.

John took a breath and sat on the couch opposite Katie. "She's still sleeping." He told her. "Have you had breakfast?" He asked.

Katie nodded once and gently brushed the dolls hair. "How is uncle Arthur's pub, Dad? Is it all new?" She asked curiously. John leaned back. "It is. It's all gold— you'd love it." John explained.

Katie's head shot up and smiled widely. "Gold?! Please can you take me, dad? Oh please!" She begged.

John chuckled at her and stood, scooping her up and sighing. "You can come another day when it won't be so busy." He promised. Katie rolled her eyes with a groan. "Fine!" She huffed.

-

"Where's ya wife, John boy?" Arthur asked, breaking the awkward silence that lingered over everybody in the betting den. John looked up for a moment from the betting book and looked at his brother before returning his gaze down to the book. "She's alright." He sniffed.

Arthur's hands were resting in his pockets and he leaned back on the wall. "Is she.. coping— y'know after.. er, after last night." He continued.

John took a breath and placed the book down. "Yeah— yeah she's fine, Arthur. She's resting at home I think." John said, blinking hard. Before Arthur could say any more, Finn came in with Katie on his hip.

"John, what do you bloody feed her for breakfast?" Finn sighed, putting the girl back on her feet.

"You best not be annoying your uncle, Katie." John warned. Katie grinned at him and held her hands behind her back, rocking back and forth on her feet.

"Shouldn't she be in school?" Finn asked.

John and Arthur shared a glance and both frowned. "Finn.. it's saturday."

Finn's mouth fell into an 'o' shape and he winced, feeling slightly embarrassed. Arthur shook his head with a chuckle and patted Finn's shoulder before leaving the room.

"Katie— Katie, come 'ere." John called his daughter over. "Listen," he kneeled to meet her eyes, "i'll be going over to the Garrison with your uncles today. We have a bit of work to do. But Maddie will be over here so you can stay here at Aunt Pol's house or you can go back home and play with Maria."

Katie looked up, thinking. "I'll think about it," she hummed.

John bit back his sigh and just nodded at Katie. "Alright then. But you just let Aunt Pol know, yeah? You let her know and she'll walk you over if you want to go home." He said, moving her hair out of her face.

Katie nodded and moved away from her father to climb up onto a chair. "Uncle Finn," she began, "will you draw with me?" She asked, standing on the chair to reach the paper and pencil that was further away on the table before sitting again.

Finn let out a breath but just nodded, not wanting to upset his niece.

-

Madeline sat at the kitchen table in Polly's home with a cup of tea in hand. She was deep in thought when Polly opened the door, a brunette boy behind her.

"Madeline, love, how are you today?" She asked, referring to both the event that occurred the night previous and the pregnancy.

"I'm good, Polly. Thank you." She responded softly.

Maddie's hair wasn't in its usual neat up-do but instead down and resting on her back. The boy stood with his hands in his pockets. He wore a brown suit and had a hat in his hand.

"This is— my son.. Micheal." Polly turned, placing a hand on Micheal's arm. Madeline tilted her head and stood to her feet. "It's nice to meet you, Micheal." She greeted. Madeline didn't know Polly had kids. "I'm Madeline."

"Madeline," Micheal smiled, "it's nice to meet you too." He nodded once.

The two joined her at the table because they'd already had a conversation where they tried to get somewhat familiar with each other. "Madeline's my nephew's wife." Polly explained. "She grew up with horses too, didn't you?" Polly stated.

Madeline replied with a slight nod in agreement.

Micheal understood and sat beside Polly. "When will I meet them?" He asked, referring to John, Arthur and Tommy.

And just like it was planned, John and Arthur burst in through the front door.

"Run for the hills, it's Digbeth Kid!" Arthur burst in, running after his younger brother. "Get out of town kid or i will shoot your fucking head off!" John pointed his gun.

Arthur pretended to shoot him and Johns eyes landed on Micheal and he was quick to put his gun away, clearing his throat.

"You didn't go down John.." Arthur said, then turning to what John was looking at.

"This is Micheal," Tommy said as his brothers hid their laughs, putting the guns away. "Your cousin, Polly's son. "

Micheal stepped forward, putting his hand out for them to shake. "Pleased to meet you."

"I'm Arthur you won't remember, you've met me. I used to throw you out the window so John could catch you." he said plainly.

"I used to put you in a shoe box and kick you down Watery Lane," John added.

"I bet you're glad to be back." Tommy said.

John made his way to Maddie and wrapped an arm across her front, kissing the top of her head. "Ya alright?" He whispered. She hummed and leaned back into him.

"Your Katie went home," Polly told her nephew, briefly standing to get the kettle. John nodded and squeezed Maddie's shoulders. He could tell something was off with her. And he could guess that it was the fact she had murdered a man not even twenty four hours earlier.

"I'm going to.. to go down to the markets." Madeline spoke quietly, "there's a few things we need in the house." She added. John took a step back and pushed his hands into his pockets. "Yeah.. yeah alright. D'ya want me to come with you?"

"No." She answered quickly, realising how harsh her tone had been. "No thank you." She corrected herself.

John swallowed hard and chose not to say anything else.

"Sorry," Madeline muttered quickly, grabbing her coat and slipping away from the house. Her heart pounded against her chest and she shook her head, whispering a few things to herself.

Maddie hugged her coat to her body and began feeling incredibly cautious as she roamed Small Heath.

The moment she arrived at the markets, she wanted to turn back and go home. To be in the comfort of Johns arms and forget about everything that had happened.

"Thank you," She was quick to pay and turn back on her heels, the basket of fruits and bread inside. Being so engrossed in her thoughts, Madeline found herself colliding with somebody.

"Fuck— sorry sweetheart." A young boy held a hand up, quickly kneeling to gather her food and place it back in the basket. Madeline's eyes were wide and she shook her head. "I'm sorry— so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." She stuttered.

He slowly stood and frowned, handing the stuff back to her. "It's fine, honestly. My fault completely." He assured her.

Her eyes turned to the cap that sat on his head. "Are you a blinder?" The words fell from her mouth. He looked at her for a moment. "What's it to you?" He asked, trying his best not to seem rude.

"The cap.. it's the same they wear, isn't it? I'm married to one of them." She said, unsure why she was speaking to him at all.

"George," He held a hand out. Madeline cautiously took it and shook it. "Madeline." She said slowly. He squinted slightly and thought. "Madeline Lee-Shelby."

His mouth fell open upon realising. "John's wife, no?"

"You'd be correct," she laughed out of politeness.

"I've heard about you," George told her, hands now in his pockets. "I've never seen John talk about someone so genuinely."

"How do you know him?" She asked.

"Grew up with him, we went to school together." He said.

"Well it's lovely to meet you, George but I best get going." She finally said. George gave her a smile and stepped out of her way. "Tell John I said 'ello." He said.

"Of course," Madeline told him, walking back toward Watery Lane with her shoulders feeling lighter than when she left the house.

John never spoke about his friends. Only ever his family. Madeline found George to be very similar to a Lee boy she once knew. A Lee boy who had one day disappeared from the camp. He had always been kind to her. He was like the friend she never got to have since she had only ever been around Esme and some of the Lee boys who were complete and utter bastards.

She could remember the boy very clearly. He had never once crossed her mind after a year of his absence.

"I'm back," Madeline called out, placing the basket on the table in her and John's home. "John?" She shouted.

"Yeah— in here!" He finally replied, his voice coming from their bedroom. When entering, she was greeted with John's usual smile. John was taken by surprise when she wasted no time to wrap her arms around him, leaning her head against his chest.

"Everything alright?" John asked with slight panic.

Madeline hummed quietly and closed her eyes for a moment. John gently snaked his arms around her and leaned his chin on her head. "Were the markets busy?" He asked.

"Hardly." Madeline replied. "I bumped into a boy— George he said his name was. Said he went to school with you." She said.

John automatically knew who she was referring to. "George Brenton." John laughed lightly. "Yeah..yeah first met him when I was thirteen. Came from nowhere really. Never tried to ask about where he came from cause at first he seemed very.. private?" He questioned his choice of words.

"Funny," She said to herself. "Do you know anything about him?"

"You interested, Mads?" He joked and pulled away from her. She shook her head quickly. "No it's just.. he reminds me of somebody I used to know. And one day he just left the camp. Nobody knew where he went or what had happened to him."

John listened to her whilst he fixed the bedsheets that he had put clean on only moments before Madeline arrived home.

"It's not often I see him to be honest, Mads. Only when we're at the Garrison." He said.

There was a silence that lingered for a minute.

"If you're interested, Tommy has sorted everything. Nobody will know a thing about what happened last night. And if they do, nobody will make the connection between you and him." John assured her and changed the topic. "We have spoken to Johnny Dogs and Theo returned to the camp—"

"Does he know? That his dad is dead?"

"Yeah, yeah he does. But they've told him that he slipped into the canal drunk and hit his head.. everyone knows that the roads and stuff go slippy of a night."

"So he'll believe?" Madeline asked.

John nodded. "He does believe." He said. "So I don't want you to worry no more, yeah? It's me and you. Me, you, Katie and that baby of ours," He walked to her again and placed his hands on her arms.

Madeline looked up at him and nodded. "I love you, John."

John cupped her face and leaned his forehead against hers. "I know you do." He whispered. "I love you." He added.

No matter how many times he would mutter those words to her, every time it made her feel nervous. Again and again it felt like she was hearing it for the first time all over again. Madeline had never felt the love of somebody like John. A love like John gave her.

To see how John was with his daughter seemed to comfort the young version of herself that lacked the love of her own parents. Seeing as they were both stolen from her in a cruel way, to see John give Katie a love she never truly experienced herself made her nothing but excited to know they were expecting a child of their own together.

A little boy. A little version of John that they would get to love forever. Katie was going to get a brother. And one thing Madeline wouldn't allow to happen was for them to end up like Theo and herself. She made a promise to herself that the moment that little boy was born, she'd do nothing but love him. And Katie, of course, but that promise was made the moment she met the little girl.

But Madeline knew that those two children would never know the feeling of an absent parent. Not in the way Madeline or John had.