𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟓

"Coppers have lifted ten of our men in Camden Town. The rest of them are on the run." John explained to Tommy. "Tom, they've taken Micheal." Finn said with worry.

"Business first." Tommy stopped him.

Polly stormed over. "They took my son! They—"

"Polly I said business first!" Tommy cut in sharply. She lowered her head. "John." Tommy looked back toward his brother.

"They took all our whiskey. So no doubt they'll be sipping that for Christmas. They impounded all our vans.. put their own locks on the warehouse. The Eden Club and all our pubs have been raided by the coppers and handed back to Sabini and Solomons. The Black Country boys think it was Arthur that killed Billy cause that's what the coppers told them. So there'll be no more free passes for our whiskey boats."

"I don't give a fuck about whiskey. I don't give a fuck about Billy Kitchen. I want my son out of prison now!" Polly snapped.

"Thomas I spoke to Johnny Doggs—" Madeline spoke up.

"This meeting should just be family!" Polly shouted. Madeline furrowed her eyebrows together. "I can help!" She argued. "Family only! She's not blood Tommy!" Polly said full of rage.

"Let her speak." Tommy shook his head.

"Or this business— have you forgotten.." Polly continued. "Enough!" Tommy roared. "Enough Polly. Madeline." He let her continue.

"I spoke to Johnny Doggs. The Lee's are kin." She offered.

Polly slammed a hand on the table. "The bloody Lee's?" She shouted. "They can give us men!" Madeline raised her voice. "We don't need more fucking men. It's men that have done the damage... it's men fighting like cockerels that put us here in the first place!" Polly said.

"Madeline, we will take the men." Tommy opposed his aunt and she looked away. "If Micheal ever gets out of prison I am taking him away from this family for good. This life is bad." Polly threatened, walking to Finn and grabbing his arm. "This life is all bad."

Finn looked at Madeline with weary and confused eyes. "Aunt Pol, what're you doing?"

"Shut up and walk."

Tommy stepped forward and placed his hands on the table. Madeline walked forward. "Thomas." She began. John looked up at her from his chair. "Should I go and speak to Queen Mary-Lee at the Black Patch?" She offered. Tommy thought for a moment. "Yes."

"She can give us soldiers for a few nights."

Tommy hummed. "Good."

"John. Go bring up the car." She instructed, not looking him in the eye. John looked between the two for a moment but sniffed and took his hat, standing and walking off.

Madeline leaned down. "Imagine riding away Thomas— living the real life you know. Your gypsy half is stronger. You just want to ride away. France— a new place for us they say. A lot of metal lying around still. Guns and trucks and shells and things. Then you go South. San Mari where the Black Madonna is. My cousins go sometimes for the fair. It's like a home for us. They still let you get lost there."

Tommy leaned closer. "I've been to France, Madeline. So has John. Now get your coat and go with your husband." He whispered. He grabbed her face. "If you ever talk about getting lost again.. i'll cut you— from this family." He threatened.

Madeline looked around slowly. "What family?" She asked.

Tommy looked up at her with dark eyes and watched as she stood straight. Only seconds later, she slapped him. Tommy kept his head to the side and let out a breath. Madeline grabbed his face like he had done moments before and forced him to look at her.

She tauntingly ran her thumb across his cheek. "Oh, Tommy." She muttered. "This big man facade that you have is starting to wear. You don't scare me. You never have. You might scare John and he may fall at your feet when you ask but I will never. And it'll be your blood on my hands. Never the other way around." She threatened.

Tommy didn't get a chance to say any more because she spun on her heels and left.

-

Madeline folded clean washing onto the table when suddenly a pain shot throughout her lower stomach. She frowned and placed a hand over the skin. It happened again. Each time it got worse. "Shit.." She whispered to herself.

Carefully, Madeline went to the phone and called the only number she knew. The Garrison. But she was unsure who would pick up. John was down at the prison talking to Arthur. Tommy was god knows where. "Hello?" She asked with panic when somebody finally answered.

"Harry— Harry is that you?" She asked. "It is. Who's speaking?" The barman said in the same cheery voice as usual. Her chest heaved up and down. "Is there any man there who is a Peaky Blinder?" Madeline questioned.

Harry glanced over his shoulder. 

"It's Madeline— Johns wife!" She grew impatient. Harry breathed out. "Yeah. Isiah and George are here with a few others." He said. Madeline nodded although he couldn't see her. "Send George over. Tell him it's an emergency."

Harry put the phone down. "George!" He said. George sipped from his glass and turned around. "Yeah, mate?!" He asked. Harry leaned against the bar. "Madeline called. She said you need to go over. Says it's an emergency."

George harshly swallowed his drink and got up from the chair — practically running from the pub. He was unsure what type of emergency it could be so it panicked him slightly.

He was over at the house within less than five minutes. George stormed in and found Madeline sat in hunched over a chair with a pained expression across her features. "What's going on?" George rushed to her side and placed a hand on her upper back.

"The baby's coming." She looked down at the pool of water at her feet.

"Fuck.." George's eyes widened. "Where's John?"

Madeline breathed heavily. "Doing a job for Tommy.." She winced. George grabbed the phone and called up for Isiah — telling him he needed to get a hold of John and send him to the house as soon as possible because Madeline was having the baby.

"Right..er— okay." George gently put an arm under her shoulders to help her up the stairs and into her bedroom. With caution, she got on the bed and threw her head back.

"Towels- we need towels." She breathed heavily.

"Towels— right." He looked around frantically. Madeline shook her head. "They're in the bathroom." She told him. George went to retrieve the towels and returned momentarily. "Where's John?" Madeline asked with worry.

"I've sent for him." George assured her.

"I need John." She panicked. George nodded. "I know." He said and kneeled beside the bed to take her hand in his.

After what felt like hours — twenty minutes — John finally got to the house. They knew because of his heavy footsteps as he climbed the stairs. Madeline was now crying through pain and wanted it to be over.

"I'm here— did I miss it? Tell me I didn't miss it!" He said as he rushed in. George shook his head. "You ain't missed it."

John sat beside her on the bed and moved her hair from her forehead, placing a kiss on it. "You can do it, sweetheart." He whispered. Madeline leaned into his hand and closed her eyes. "Ada is on the way. She was at Polly's when I called."

"I'm scared.." Madeline whispered shakily.

Despite knowing her mother hadn't died from childbirth, she knew what it felt like when believing she had. It scared the shit out of her and she didn't want to die before getting to hold her baby.

"John i'm really scared." She repeated.

John and George shared a sad glance with each other and John stroked Madeline's hair. "You'll be okay. I promise." He nodded and continued stroking her hair. Madeline pushed her head into the pillows.

A scream left her mouth when she got the urge to push again. The screams soon turned into painful sobs as pain shot throughout her body.

"It's alright." John reassured her over and over again.

George stood to the side for a moment but Madeline looked to him with pleading eyes and he returned to his spot. She grabbed his hand and began squeezing it. John kissed the knuckles on her other hand.

Eventually, Ada turned up to help birth the baby and it went quickly.

"Come on.. just one more push, Maddie. You can do it." Ada said. Madeline pushed again and a final scream left her mouth before they were replaced with the screams of the little boy.

John let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and Ada wrapped the baby in a soft blanket. Madeline breathed with relief and let out a tired laugh.

"He's beautiful." Ada whispered when handing him over.

The pair looked down at their son in awe. "James.." John whispered. Maddie's heart jumped and she smiled at John. "James Shelby.." Madeline hummed.

George and Ada shared a knowing look that they were to leave the new parents for a moment. So they did.

John kissed Maddie's shoulder and looked at his son. He had light freckles across his nose like John and the little amount of hair on his head had a slight ginger tinge like John's.

"He's beautiful." John whispered. Madeline smiled and watched the sleeping boy.

Whilst downstairs, a confused Katie came skipping over to George as he sat on the couch. "Hello!" She greeted. George looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Hello?" He nodded. Katie climbed up and sat beside him. "What's your name?"

"George."

"I'm Katie." She held her hand out like she had seen her uncle Tommy doing when meeting new people. George looked down at her hand and took it. "Hello, Katie." George shook her hand gently.

"Who're you?" She asked.

Ada spun around. "Katie!" She scolded. Katie looked at her aunt. "What— there's a strange man in my house, Auntie Ada. Am i not supposed to ask who he is?" She threw her arms up dramatically.

Ada shook his head and George chuckled.

"It's alright." George assured Ada. "I'm your dad's friend." He explained to the little girl. Katie's mouth fell open into an 'o' shape. "Do you know Maddie?"

George nodded once. "I do. I grew up with her."

Katie clasped a hand over her mouth. "You did?!" Katie's eyes widened.

Katie moved closer to George and grabbed his wrist and started pulling at his arm. "That's amazing!! Where did you live?" She asked. Ada watched from the table. George stifled a laugh. "We lived on a camp." He said. "With horses and campfires."

Katie nodded along. "Do you have a horse now?"

George shook his head. "Not anymore. But when I lived at the camp, I had a horse called Whiskey." He said. Katie seemed completely in awe at the older boy. "What happened to him?"

"Katie stop asking him so many questions." Ada sighed.

George thought for a moment, wondering if he should tell the girl the truth or not. "I gave him to Madeline." He said. Ada quirked up an eyebrow whilst listening. "Katie." She spoke up. "Do you want to come and meet your new little brother?"

A loud and dramatic gasp escaped Katie's mouth. "Really?! Oh— oh please!"

Ada held her hand out for the girl to take and led her up the stairs. She gently pushed the door open and Katie walked inside. Both John and Maddie looked at her.

"Oh my god!" She squealed.

John quietly hushed her and she climbed onto the bed. She practically climbed onto John to see the new baby and gasped. "Hello.." Katie said under her breath and carefully touched James' face.

"Say hello, James." Madeline joked.

Their family was complete. Katie finally had a little brother. John finally had a son. Madeline finally had a baby.