Fawn was tired, so tired. She hadn't stopped to think about how much she's dealt with but the next day when she woke, her body felt a million stones heavier. The feeling of this kind of desperate need for rest reminded Fawnie Rose of her childhood when they'd go days without food because they were robbed or Arthur Senior would return to scam Arthur Junior out of the family's little savings.

The pangs in her stomach would make her topple over in pain before forcing herself to sleep. Even when they tried to get food from neighbors, they were turned away. She and Finn resorted to thievery, they'd find unsuspecting strangers and steal while the other caused a ruckus elsewhere. It worked nicely for a time until everyone began to recognize the children.

Luckily by the time the war rolled around, Tommy had made the betting business worth something. Fawnie was only six when the boys left, but she remembered it as though it was yesterday. John had promised he'd be back, and told her to watch after his wife and kids. She liked her cousins well enough, even if they were older than her.

Despite everyone believing Fawnie was their aunt, John's eldest, Katie would call Fawn their "little auntie" due to Katie being a few years older than Fawn. They never really acted like Fawnie was their elder by title, treating her like one of their own. But she didn't see them much after the war, schooling and working in-between kept her on her own. Spending most of her time with Finn, Winnie, and Aunt Polly.

Katie went off to marry a nice lad from Watery Lane a few years after the war before moving away to some city that Fawn couldn't remember the name of. Letters came here and there, some with photos but most of Katie's contact was with John, of course. But with him gone, it was like she died with him.

Fawnie couldn't decide what bothered her more... the fact that Tommy never lended more than was needed to his nieces and nephews... or the fact that Fawn practically forgot about them once her life became the slightest more complicated than before.

With that thought, Fawn rolled over in bed, shoving her face into the pillow.

She couldn't breathe but she didn't care. It felt nice to just lay in bed, unbothered by the outside world. But Fawnie knew that it would come knocking soon enough. She got comfortable and soon drifted back off to sleep.

━━━━

Ever since she was young, Fawnie has been a light sleeper (for the most part). She'd always been on edge despite always being safe inside the Watery Lane house. But staying in Arrow House was no different, when she heard the door open, she'd assumed Bonnie was coming to shower or something. That was until weight pressed down on the side of the bed and she finally lifted her head to see Tommy.

He sat there quietly, looking at the mirror across from him before looking at Fawn. "You awake?" She nodded. "Pol's out of her mind, you slept nearly all day."

This prompted Fawnie to glance out the window and sure enough, the sun was setting. "Bloody hell, why didn't anyone wake me?" She pushed herself against the headboard in order to properly talk to Tommy.

"The boy tried, said you nearly strangled him in your sleep." Despite the negative connotations, Thomas nearly chuckled at himself.

She rolled her eyes at him, "What do you want?"

"We need to talk. About a lot of things."

Fawnie nodded, "Yea, okay, about what?" She just wanted to lay back down under the warm covers, away from Tommy, away from her family, away from it all. It was awkward for Fawnie to be around Thomas. Even with all the time for them to bond, she still felt that lingering resentment for him boiling beneath the surface.

He'd been a dick for most of her life, it wasn't easy to forgive the man. But a part of Fawnie felt for him, both of them had been lied to by the most trusted person in their lives. Someone who had raised them both, turned them into the stoic arseholes they are today.

Tommy tilted his head at Fawn, "You know what, Fawnie."

She took a deep breath, "What are we supposed to say?" Fawn lifted her shoulders before dropping them, not knowing what else to ask.

"I," He paused, "haven't a bloody clue." It was oddly satisfying hearing Tommy admit to being confused about it all.

Though it's been weeks since finding out he was her father, she still couldn't really cope. Even after telling everyone, they took it strangely well. While Fawnie managed to make jokes about the situation, she didn't know how to handle it.

Tommy, the man she hated for years, the person who managed to turn something as sacred as John's funeral into some fucking game, was her father.

He was the reason she was even alive. How was Fawn supposed to react? She'd spent ages seeing him as the villain of her story and suddenly he was supposed to be this... saviour? That was a stretch toward delusion, Fawnie had never known a "good" father. The man she believed to be her father was a liar and a cheat.

And to be quite honest, Thomas wasn't much better than the likes of Arthur Shelby Senior. Two men who'd done horrible things, completely different crimes but crimes nonetheless. Tommy didn't ruin lives, he completely erased them. Arthur Senior, however, ruined lives like it was fun for him. (Fawnie suspected he enjoyed being a class-A cunt)

If anything, her expectations for a father figure were never all too good. When all one knows is shit, how can they dream of anything better than shit? Fawnie Rose didn't want to settle for shit, but hating Tommy is like a pot calling the kettle black. They were too similar for their own good.

Aunt Pol would tell her she was far too smart for their world, that her niece's eyes were too keen for Fawn to live a happy life. Fawnie would see the horrors in front of her and understand what they are without being told anything. According to Polly, Fawn understood the world around her too well.

"I get things will be different now, but I hope you know that you don't have to be a father to me," Fawnie said, glancing down at her chewed fingernails.

Tommy nodded, "I didn't think you'd want that."

"Did you plan on being a dad to me?"

"No, I just wanted to..." Fawnie wanted to press him, make him answer quicker, but she held back on the urge. Thomas rubbed his eyes harshly and she cringed at the sight, knowing it must have hurt. "Fucking hell, why's it so hard to talk to you?"

She laughed at Tom's question, "You should be askin' yourself that question," A flicker of humor flashed in his eyes, "Talking to you is like talking at a brick wall."

"Alright, I get it." He didn't sound bothered, just wanting to say his piece. Another wipe to his face, this time his chin before he took a deep breath and turned to look at Fawnie. "I know I haven't been," Tommy spoke so slowly it nearly annoyed her, "A good brother, hell even a good man... but I want to do better. For you, Lizzie, Charlie, and... the baby."

Hearing that out loud felt almost... illegal. Tommy wanted to change? It didn't make any sense to her, Fawnie couldn't comprehend it. She stared at him, bewildered beyond belief.

"You know, I've never heard you say you want to change. It's weird." She thought out loud. "Are you, okay?"

Thomas nodded, "Yea, I'm alright," She tilted her head at him, knowing better. "Fawnie, I'm okay."

"I don't believe you, but fine. How are you gonna do better by them and me?"

"I was hoping you'd tell me,"

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

Thank you all so much for 100K+ reads, it's... so hard for me to imagine such a big number for my silly little Bonnie Gold story. Now, I know most of it is strictly about Fawnie and her arc and the reason for that is because I honestly hate it when stories are all about Person A and Person B getting together. I like it when the main character goes through a lot WHILE finding someone to be with, ya know?

Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I struggled a lot with writing Tommy and Fawn being civil, I'm not the best at argument scenes but writing these two fighting is WAY easier than writing them getting along. I know they have a long road to being friends and eventually close family, but trust I'll do my best to have the people around Fawnie all change by the time the story ends.

I don't know how I'm going to end the story, but I feel it coming to a close soon. Hopefully, I'll end it on a satisfying way, maybe I'll make a sequel because I love Fawnie so much.