𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐓𝐨 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤
-𝟎𝟐𝟏-

Valerie exhaled sharply as John was brought in by Finn. "One afternoon, John. One fucking afternoon that i'm not here and this is what you do?" She scolded him, quietly. He avoided her eyes.

Polly was glaring at him from across the table. Arthur had his head down. Finn didn't know where to look. Valerie was waiting for her husband to look her in the eye. But he was too ashamed to.

Not only had he threatened Angel Changretta, he had gone and cut him too.

The sound of Tommy's footsteps echoed and the room was completely silent. "Sit down, John. Sit down." He said. "John, you cut Angel Changretta." He announced. "Even though Arthur told you to apologise and Polly told you to compromise."

Valerie's eyes burned into his back and she crossed her arms.

"You decided not to listen to Mr Apologise or Mrs Compromise and now I have an Italian walking around my back yard saying he's going to kill my brother. So what do we do John? Do we apologise or compromise?"

John said nothing.

"Oh, it was just something John said as a joke." Arthur excused.

Valerie shot her eyes toward him. "He's your brother as well, Arthur." Tommy said. "Yeah.. didn't want to start a war over something John said without meaning it." Arthur added. Tommy looked at Valerie and she just shook her head.

"So should he apologise in Italian or in English? Or should we ask them which fucking language they'd prefer, i'm not clear." Tommy snapped.

Valerie huffed and shook her head whilst Polly began talking about rebellion or.. something like that. Valerie didn't care. She just ran a hand through her hair and spun on her heels. "Where are you going?" Polly called out to her.

"To get my daughter and go home." She hissed, not looking back.

"Valerie— Val.." John tried but Tommy shoved him back into his chair. "Sit down, John."

-

John stood in front of the mirror whilst he tried to do up his tie. Valerie was busy fixing her jewellery when he turned to her and took a deep breath. She paused and waited for him to say something. "Are you sure Francesca will be alright.. you know with us being out tonight?" He asked, trying to make conversation since she hadn't spoken to him much since he had cut Angel Changretta.

Valerie forced a smile at his concern. "I know you're worried John but she'll be fine." She said sternly.

"Yeah but we don't usually do this." He said. Valerie turned toward him and placed her hands onto his chest, deciding that being off with him was going to get them nowhere. "Which? Go out and have fun?" She joked. John raised his brows in slight agreement and she began fixing his tie. "Francesca will be perfect. She sleeps through the night and we won't be gone too long." Valerie reminded him.

John pushed her hair over her shoulder and nodded. "Alright." He said.

The rain was pattering lightly on the window and the sky outside was pitch black.

"The car will be waiting for us." She told him before walking out the room to give their daughter a kiss goodnight. John took another look at himself in the mirror and shrugged his suit jacket over his shoulders. It wasn't often he wore a proper suit.

By the time he got downstairs, Valerie was already waiting for him and ready to leave. He placed a hand on her back and they got into the back of the car.

"If you'd have told me three years ago that my brother would be holding a charity dinner, i'd have laughed in your face." John mumbled to himself.

-

The hall was packed with hundreds of people who neither John or Valerie were familiar with. Despite this, they smiled at anyone who looked their way or attempted to begin conversation. Well.. Valerie did. John just looked the other way.

"Valerie!" Grace called out as she caught the dark haired woman in passing. Valerie smiled widely. "Grace, you look amazing." She complimented almost automatically. John was quick to walk elsewhere. "Oh, that necklace.. it's gorgeous." Valerie gasped.

Grace looked down at the blue sapphire that sat on her chest. "You don't think it's a bit much for a charity dinner?"

Valerie shook her head. "Those who can afford sapphire's give themselves the luxury of wearing them." She assured, a hand on Grace's arm. The blonde nodded and looked over her shoulder. "I don't know half of these people.. Tommy makes the guest list. And it seems that he has disappeared with a few men who I can't say I recognise." She tutted. "Even when he promised me no business."

"Grace, I thought you'd have learnt by now that no matter how genuine their promises are toward no business at such a large event is, it's never going to be kept." Valerie whispered with a roll of her eyes.

Grace chuckled in agreement.

"Anyway.. i'll catch up with you later. I need to go and find John before he lands himself in some trouble." Valerie joked and departed from the other Shelby woman to find her own husband. He wasn't hard to spot. He stood with Arthur and Finn either side of him. They were unknowingly stood in height order.

Valerie tapped his shoulder and he looked backward, his harsh expression softening at her appearance. "Did Grace have anything interesting to say?"

Valerie shrugged. "Not particularly."

"Nothing new then." He sighed, swiping a drink from a server who passed them. He consumed the whole of the contents in one big sip and Valerie gave him a look of disappointment. He swallowed it slowly and almost laughed. "What?"

"This isn't some pub re-opening. Behave." She whispered.

John hummed and looked away, avoiding the eye contact from Arthur who had a big grin on his face.

Her eyes wandered back toward Grace who was now speaking with a dark haired woman and Tommy. "John," she grabbed his arm and he jumped. "Jesus Christ, what." He whispered and looked where she was looking. "What?" He didn't understand.

"That's the Duchess." Valerie explained.

John frowned. "What the fuck is a duchess doing here?" He laughed.

She laughed quietly, "it seems that it's a question Tommy has an answer to.." she nodded toward Tommy who seemed to have been dragged into conversation with Grace and the Duchess. John shrugged, "yeah, that wouldn't surprise me. He turned away, sneaking a drink from a passing server and swallowing it in one, managing to place the empty glass back on the tray before Valerie saw.

"Do you think Francesca is okay?" She asked John.

He cupped the side of her neck. "You told me yourself that she'd be fine. Don't be a hypocrite." He said with raised eyebrows.

Valerie sighed and leaned into his touch slightly, offering him a small smile which he gladly took. John placed a quick kiss on her lips and ushered her off to the side where Arthur had disappeared to.

Valerie was in her own world whilst everybody discussed around her. It was only when spotting a man who did not seem like he belonged there, that she tapped John's arm. "John.." she said, grabbing his attention as she watched Polly get pushed out of the way.

Arthur turned too at the sound of uncertainty in Valerie's voice.

"For Angel!" He rang out.

Arthur was quick to run forward when seeing the gun directly pointed at Tommy. John pushed himself and Valerie backward slightly, trying to avoid any harm. She grabbed his arm and closed her eyes as the bang echoed around the hall.

Arthur had gotten to him but not in time.

The shot had fired but, instead of hitting its target, it hit Grace instead.

As Valerie looked up, relaxing slightly, her heart fell at the sight that had been presented before them. Screams erupted around the room as people ran out in a panic. John and Arthur had wasted no time before taking matters into their own hands whilst Valerie stood there, frozen, face full of horror whilst time moved around her.

Tommy was shouting out for help as Grace bled out in his arms.

Valerie began moving toward them, time moving slowly. Tommy looked up at Valerie, a look of pure helplessness and fear in his eyes.

She dropped to her knees and began trying to talk to Grace. Her responses were weak and almost inaudible. Valerie was using her hands to attempt the blood seeping out to slow. Tommy was rocking his wife back and forth as her body grew limp.

He was begging her to keep going.

It was no use.

No word or plea that left his mouth would save her life. The ambulance arrived quickly but Grace was already dead. There was no saving her. Her blood had stained the floor. Grace's body was taken into the ambulance and driven off to a hospital per Tommy's begging.

Tommy remained on the floor, his eyes empty, his face pale. His eyes shifted to Valerie who was looking at him with complete and utter sympathy. He looked down, his head hanging low as he brought his hand up to shield his eyes from anybody who could see him. He squeezed them closed in attempt to keep the tears from falling.

Valerie didn't hesitate to wrap an arm around him, pulling him in and cradling his head. She said nothing. No words would help. No words would bring back Grace Shelby. She was dead. Completely dead.

And Tommy knew that.

That was what hurt him the most: there was no bringing her back, no hope for it.

John, Finn and Arthur had practically killed the man who fired the gun. He was left, face unrecognisable and blood staining his clothes whilst Valerie consoled Tommy.

John watched from afar, his heart pounding from the adrenaline that flooded throughout him. Arthur ran hands through his hair. John stumbled over to his brother and stared at the floor, Grace's blood creating an image that would keep them all up that night. He ran a hand over his mouth, disbelief filling him.

Valerie helped Tommy up and onto his feet. He leaned on her for support. No matter how hard he fought to avoid this from happening, his body simply was unable to function properly.

John helped keep him up straight and the moment he did that, Tommy collapsed into his arms, gripping at John's suit tightly. "She's gone." He whispered.

John bit down on his tongue and didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. There was nothing he could say to make it better. He just held him.

They all stood there, not knowing what to do.

They all knew she was dead. God, it would be a miracle if she had survived. But miracles didn't exist — at least not in Tommy Shelby's world. No, not in his mind.

And suddenly, something snapped in him. He pressed his palms into his eyes and shoved away from John. "I have.." he paused, turning away from them all, "I have business to do." He pointed at John.

John's mouth was parted and Tommy stumbled away from them.

Valerie turned to him. "This is what happens John— do you see, this is what happens!" She cried out, "because of you selfish, stupid men. Tommy's wife has died!" She shouted at him, hitting his chest.

John closed his eyes in frustration.

"That was because of what you did." She accused.

She was right, really. And John knew that.

"That could've been me—" she croaked, "they could've killed me, John. They might still kill me." She told him. John grabbed her wrists. "They ain't coming near you." He hissed, his face close to hers. His tone scared her. "They won't get a chance to come near you because they'll be dead before they get close."

"You're scaring me." She said, inhaling sharply.

John stared at her and sighed, letting her go. "Go get in the car." Was all he said.

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Authors Note:
- Short chapter
-I didn't proof read this chapter
- Updates will be slow

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