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~The Smilers~

!TW! !Strong Language, Violence and Kidnap!

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It was the next morning. The sun shon bright through the white draped curtains in Arthur's living room. Ivy squinted her eyes open looking around the living room. Her head pounding, clearly hung over from last night. She turned her head seeing John and Arthur stood in the kitchen. Ivy sighed rubbing her eyes, forcing her head back down onto the pillow.
She stayed laying down for a while, staring into nothing trying to listen in on Arthur and John's conversation.
She couldn't hear a word they were saying.
Eventually she got up. Forcing the thin fleeced blanket of herself, she stood up. Her head began to spin, she held her arms out keeping her balance. Then making her way into the kitchen.

As Ivy set foot into the kitchen both boys became quite. Arthur began to laugh, covering his mouth with his hand.
"What?" Ivy snapped.
John looked at Arthur and started smirking.
"If it's my fuckin' bed head, go fuck yourselfs." Ivy remarked trying to brush her fingers through her messy hair.
"Can we talk?" John asked nervously, twirling a tooth pick around his mouth.
Ivy pulled a face at him as she turned the kitchen tap on.
She put her mouth around the water, allowing herself to drink it.
"Ivy- ugh you need to talk to John. He ugh- he's sorry." Arthur announced looking at the both of them.
Ivy pulled away turning the tap off, she began to smirk.
Wiping her face and hands she turned to Arthur.
"This soft talk Arthur, drop it. It don't suit ya'."
Ivy grabbed a slice of toast from Arthur's plate taking a bit. Quickly putting it back on the plate, pulling an unpleasant face.
"You wanna talk let's talk," Ivy said as she swallowed the toast.
Before leaving the Kitchen she shouted out at Arthur.
"Your toast tast like shit, add more butter."
"Yeah, yeah." Arthur replied rolling his eyes.

John tagged behind Ivy, she sat at the sofa she slept on pulling the blanket over her legs. John stayed stood with his hands in his pocket.
"I just wanted to say sorry, I mean it. Truly." John nodded nervously.
"Sorry this, sorry that." Ivy rushed pausing, taking a breath.
John only stood uncomfortable, wondering what Ivy was going to say next.
"We share a house together, we share a bed together and we now share money. I changed my lifestyle because I had to marry you, but what for? Oh yeah for you to hit it on with my sister, I mean what the fuck were you thinking John?" Ivy snapped. Her voice was raised a little.
"I don't know what I was thinking Ivy, it meant nothing to me." John explained as he got onto his knees to face Ivy.
He looked her in the eyes but she only looked away. Ivy shook her head in disbelief.
"Did you know how scared I was that day? Being the sister to marry, I thought it was one of Tommy's hench men." Ivy scoffed.
John let out a small laugh.
"I said I wasn't marrying no mushroom picker," John smikered, hoping Ivy would look back at him.
A small smile curled on her lips, she tried not to laugh.
"You're lucky I love you." This time Ivy looked at John while saying it.

His look softened as a lump formed in his throat.
"I um- I've gotta go." John explained standing up.
Before he got the chance to leave Ivy stood herself and spoke out.
"You don't believe me do you?" She questioned.
She picked at her nails nervously, she truly did love him. She was in denial about it but it was the truth.
"Let's not talk about this now, yeah?" John explained walking closer to the girl.
"John these are feelings we need to talk about. " Ivy eyes wondered over Johns face.
Her blood began to feel warm. John stood closer, pulling her in. He brushed his fingers across her shoulders, then placing a hand to her face.
John nodded.
"Maybe," he said placing a kiss on her lips.
The Kiss quickly became more intense until Arthur walked into the room.
"Bloody hell, go home and get a room." He joked, trying to not look at the both of them.
Ivy and John laughed as John rested his head on hers.
John pulled Ivy into a hug, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist. Ivy rested her head on his chest with her arms around his neck.
They stayed there for a moment, mainly because Ivy was at comfort from his present. John there and then knew he loved her too.

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A few days past by, Ivy had left making her way to the Garrison. She walked through the street of Watery Lane, her heals clanking on the cobbled stone ground. A rather posh looking carrage had pulled up next to her, one that wouldn't usually be seen around this area of Small Heath. Ivy didn't think anything of it but only kept on walking.
Until an unfamiliar voice called out.
"Excuse me, can- can you help me?" Her posh London accent shon through.
She clearly wasn't from around here.
Ivy turned and pulled an unpleasant face huffing.
"I have somewhere to be so if yo-" Ivy was cut off by the mysterious brown haired girl.
"It'll only take a moment, I'm looking for my sisters." She said clenching onto her purse.
Hoping Ivy would have the answers for her. Ivy only rolled her eyes in frustration.
"What makes you think I know them?" Ivy replied bluntly.
"I was told she was relocated to live in this street after leaving her family behind, their gypsies you see. I went to one of my sisters old apartment, it was empty and up for sale, so the workers sent me here." The brunette girl explained, she kept her posture high and her tone ferm.
"What was their names?" Ivy questioned, she walked closer to the girl so she was able to get a better look at her.
Before the girl could answer John had left the house calling Ivy from down the street.
Ivy tried to walk on but the girl had grabbed her arm. Ivy looked up at her, felling disrespected by her clinging to her arm.
"Ivy-Rose?" The girl asked happily.
"That's my name, don't wear it out!" Ivy snapped pulling her arm back.
"I'm Elizabeth." The brunette announced.
Ivys eyes widened. A strange familiar feeling washed over her, feeling it began to drown her each breath she took.
"Elizabeth-Marie?" Ivy stood in shock, realisation filling her face.
"Oh my, you've grown so much." Ivy pulled her younger sister into a hug.
It was a bitter sweet moment for her.
"Who's this?" John asked, looking between the both girls as they pulled away from eachother.
"This- this is Elizabeth," Ivy voice broke as she blinked the tears away in which glassed over her eyes.
"Oh- yeah right. You look so different." John rushed putting an arms around Ivy.
She wiped her face and smiled.
"Let's go in and talk," she smiled grabbing her sisters arm.

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Ivy and Elizabeth spoke inside for a while. Elizabeth had told Ivy about a gang back in London she had escaped from, they were nicked named 'The Smilers'. O.F.B was the professional name, it stands for Ollies Family Business. But it was no where near a legitimate business. Ollie himself owned a fake orphanage where he kept girls from young ages, to ensure when they're older they're trained to work and help run the business. They made the women do the dirty work, so either way Ollies hands would be clean. The women who worked in the orphanage would get fair pay for 'looking after' the girls.
Their nickname 'The smilers' had come from Ollie himself, he would cut a smile on anyone or fucked with him or his business.
The bad thing was Ivy already knew what she was talking about but she couldn't tell just Elizabeth herself, she needed to tell the rest of the Shelby family to. It was a secret she kept from everyone, she swore to her mother she would never tell a soul. Unfortunately, all their life's would be at risk if she didn't tell them. So Ivy demanded John to call an emergency family meeting.

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Ivy dragged Elizabeth to Pollys house in a hurry, John tagged right behind them. As they walked in Finn and one of his friends came running down the stairs chasing each other. Ivy huffed shaking her head still dragging Elizabeth inside. Polly stood from her chair while everyone looked right at Ivy.
"We know Ivy, you're pregnant." Arthur announced as he necked back his glass of whisky.
John hit Arthur in the arm indicating him to shut up. Polly shut the betting shop doors to ensure everyone who was working wouldn't hear. Ivy and Elizabeth sat around the kitchen table, everyone keeping their eyes on both girls. Ivy gulped before talking.
"I made you all come here today because-," Ivy was cut off by Tommy coming in through the back door. "What've I missed?" Tommy asked, taking his peaky hat off.
"Ivys pregnant," Arthur smiled.
"For fuck sake Arthur I'm not pregnant, if you shut up and listen I'll be able to explain!" Ivy snapped, her cheeks tingling with fragments of anger.
Arthur threw his hands up dramatically.
"Elizabeth escaped the smilers," Ivy spat out. Fear seeping in and out of her.
Everyone's faces slowly became concerned.
"Whatever it is we ain't hiding her." Tommy said bluntly shrugging his shoulders.
"The night she was took away, who do you all think took her?" Ivy asked, sharing looks at everyone.
"The police because your mother was on snow," Ada said.
"Thats what my mother told you," Ivy paused preparing herself for what she was about to say next.
"That night it was Ollie and his men who took Elizabeth, my mother six and a half years prior escaped them herself. By the help of my father, he soon faced the consequences. He was cut a smile and shot dead. She was a maid working in the Orphanage, she only worked there because she married my father." Ivy tried to continue but Elizabeth spoke out.
"Whats the orphanage got to do with him?" She asked.
"He owns it, that's what the marking on your neck represents." Ivy pulled back her sisters neck, it revelled the markings 'O.F.B' tattooed in her skin.
"I had one to, but its practically gone." Ivy then pulled her hair back, revealing her neck. It was the same marking as her sisters but faded and smaller. It was well hidden from anyone, it wasn't particularly big. It had to be hid, otherwise people would know.
"That summer of 1902 both me and Esme stayed here, not because she wanted to work on her relationship," Ivy was cut off again but this time by Polly.
"Because she was hiding, I told her the man she was dating was dangerous. He hit you girls but she could never get out." Polly announced, she looked up at Ivy shaking her head.
"That man she was with Poll, was one of Ollies men. That's how they found her." Ivy replied.
Silence filled the room for a moment. "We're fine if Liz didn't tell anyone." John said in a firm voice.
Elizabeth looked down not saying anything.
"Who'd you tell?" Thomas asked walking beside the girl.
"A maid that worked in the Orphanage." Ivy curled her lips in fear, burying her head into her hands.
"What did ya' say?" Ivy rushed lifting her head up.
"I told her I was coming here, I didn't say Small Heath though." Elizabeth replied staring into her sisters eyes. "Their still gonna' know, they have your papers." Ivy snapped raising her voice a little.
"No, no I have them in my bag at yours." Ivy exhaled out in relief.
"What are we gonna do now, they'll find her one way or another." Ada asked while she rocked Karl in her arms. "We'll need to tell the lees and the rest of the peaky blinders, but either way we'll still be out numbered. Ada's right, there'll be only a matter of time before they find you." Thomas explained, he rubbed his hand over his mouth thinking of a plan.
"For now we'll shut the shop and stay in with all doors locked." Polly said standing to her feet.
"No. People will know somethings up, we run as usual but keep a good eye out. I'll speak to the Lees tonight, some of them can go to London. We need to get Ollie here, in Birmingham." Tommy still stood thinking of a plan.
"If we get him here, he'll be easier to kill?" Ivy asked.
Her sister pulled a face at the thought of murder.
"When you say kill him, do you mean actually kill him?" Elizabeth asked pulling a face.
"Yes 'cause we're the Peaky fuckin' Blinders. Anyways, If they come for us we'll go for them. We'll cut them a fuckin' smile each, see how they like it." "That isn't gonna' always work John, besides we haven't got a plan yet." Ivy joked.
She looked over at John and smiled who then smiled back.

Day had quickly turned into night. Tommy and Arthur were finishing up in the betting shop. Ada had gone out with Freddie. So that left Polly, Ivy and Elizabeth sat in the kitchen. Also Finn and his friend but they were running around doing their own thing. Doing what kids should be doing.

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A/N

Hello, i hope your all enjoying my story so far :). If you have any recommendations of topics you'd like to read in the future, feel free to leave them in the comments. The face claim of Elizabeth will be played by Millie Bobby Brown and the face claim for Ollie will be played by Johnny Depp.

Thanks,
Elise 💋 xoxo