CHAPTER 35

Time moved in slow motion as Tilly was pushed through the hospital on a bed, the doctors rushing to get her into a room. Finn followed close behind, Ada at his side.

"Mr Shelby you cannot come any further," A doctor placed a hand on his chest, stopping him outside the hospital room. "No, i have to be in there, she needs me!" he argued.

"Finn, come on." Ada said calmly, holding his arm. "Let's go get you some food, yeah. And we will call Tommy."

"Fuck Tommy, Ada. Fuck them all," he croaked, shoving his hands into his pockets and storming back the other way. Ada stood, defeated and watched her little brother walk off.

She wasn't alone for long though. David had returned from Liverpool after getting on the next train.

"Where is she?" He asked, looking around. "She's being seen to, you cannot go in. Doctors orders." Ada stopped him. "What happened?"

"Finn found her on the bedroom floor, he said she was freezing cold when he found her. David she looked dead." Ada lowered her voice, the red lipstick that was previously neat, now slightly smudged.

"Finn? Why was he there?" David asked.

"Your girlfriend has just overdosed and you're more worried about why Finn was at the house. Be thankful he was otherwise there'd have been no chance of saving her and you'd have found her dead next Tuesday." Ada snapped at him.

David lowered his head and sat down, his knee bouncing anxiously.

Only minutes later, the rest of the Shelby family stormed through the hospital, Arthur dragging Finn by his sleeve.

"What on earth," Ada muttered. "How'd you all get here so quick?"

"We're the Shelby's, we can do anything." Polly shrugged, earning a scoff from David.

"You got something to say, eh?" John turned his head to David who stared at them all. "Oi, i'm talking to you." John said angrily. "All right, John boy." Arthur scolded, pulling him back by his collar.

John smacked Arthur's arm and Polly stared at them with a cold look. Finn shoved past them all and sat beside Ada who placed her arm around his shoulders.

"She'll be alright, Finn. I'm sure of it. She survived bein with you," Ada teased lightly, trying to make him laugh. He scoffed in a joking way and leaned into his older sister, tiredness falling over him.

David stood, sniffing and taking his coat from the chair beside him. "Someone call me if they get her awake," he said bluntly, knocking into John's shoulder and leaving the room. "Don't like him," Arthur stated, "he's not good for our Tilly. He ain't."

Tommy sighed and paced the room. "How did nobody see this coming?"

"Hold on a minute Tom, you can't blame us for this," John frowned, pointing a finger at him. Polly stopped them. "This is nobody's fault. That girl in there has got depression and a mild case of bipolar, she cannot help her impulsive decisions." Polly told them.

"Let me guess, got them of 'er mother?" Arthur asked.

"She did. And the only thing that we can take the blame for is not helping her earlier. When Janice died. Or even when her father died."

Tommy took out a cigarette and lit it, looking at Finn who'd now fell asleep on Ada's shoulder. "He helped her the most." He nodded toward him. "He tried the most. And unfortunately for Finn, he couldn't do enough. He may of cared for Matilda the most, loved her the most. But that wasn't enough."

"Oh it was enough," Ada said. "It was perfectly enough for her. But she has to live with the guilt of what she did to him. Leaving him. No matter how many times people have told her that Finn is okay. She can't shake the guilt. She has the blood of the Italian man that tried killin her, on her hands." Ada stated. "So it's not about who cared most because at the end of the day, Finn is her beginning, middle and end.  So he could've cared the least and that guilt would still weigh on her shoulders."

Polly nodded in agreement. "Let's just pray to god that she wakes up."

-

Finn, Ada and Polly remained in the hospital overnight incase she woke up. David stayed at home, the white lily's now sat in the bin, Finns peaky cap still on the floor in the bedroom where he found her.

It was Christmas eve. Tilly's favourite day of the year. She loved it more than Christmas. Because everyone was most excited on Christmas eve.

Finn was awoken by Polly who held a bottle of water.

"Come on, wake up." She said quietly. "You can't stay in this hospital any longer, you need to go on a walk." She told him.

Finn shook his head. "I'm not leaving."

"Yes you are. You're going to take a walk, clear ya head. The last thing we need is you blowing up on everyone. Especially not David, he already has his suspicions." Polly said plainly.

"What fuckin suspicions."

"That Tilly is still in love with you."

Finn groaned and took the bottle from her hand, pulling himself to her feet. "The best thing you can do at this moment, is pray that your girl wakes up."

Your girl.

He did what Polly told him to do and took a walk. Counting the cracks in the pavement as he walked along the cobble. He looked up every now and again to glance in the shop windows.

He'd purposely walked into the markets, knowing what he wanted to do. Finn wanted to buy Tilly another necklace, or bracelet. Just something. Although it wasn't certain she'd wake up, he wanted to make up for the Christmas he'd missed whilst she was away.

Finn's eyes were glued to the necklace in the window that held a singular tear-shaped diamond on a chain. She'd love it.

Finn pushed the door open, a bell sounding as he did so.

"Good afternoon," A woman looked up. "Mr Shelby," she smiled politely. "What can i do for you today."

"That necklace in the window, how much?" He asked. The woman went to retrieve the necklace and stared down at it. "She must be special?" She suggested.

"You could say that."

"Mr Shelby, your brother..Thomas, he helped me a while back when I had trouble with Alfie Solomon's." She said. Finn raised an eyebrow, confused. "So..take this as my thank you for your brothers work."

"But he helped you, not me."

"No, I know. But it's the most I can do. Your family is the reason my shop is still open."

Finn swallowed hard, accepting the gift but still sliding her a ten pound note and a few shillings. He left before she could argue. He wasted no time before making his way back to the hospital, hoping that they had news on Matilda.

As he returned, a doctor was stood with Ada and Polly. Polly sat with her fists against her mouth, nodding slowly.

"What's going on, is she okay?"

"Mr Shelby-" The doctor began. Finn looked between them all. Ada stood and smiled slightly. "If it's okay, he'd like to see her," Ada said before Finn could cause an argument as he'd assumed the worst.

His lips parted as the doctor nodded toward the room. He struggled to walk inside but did, seeing Tilly sat with her knees to her chest.

"You're okay," he breathed. Tilly looked over, her hair messy and her lips pale. The sight of him relieved her. "You scared me, Tilly. Fucking petrified me. When I saw you on that floor i thought you were dead."

Her heart dropped. "You found me?"

He nodded, sitting on the end of the bed. "But it's okay, because you're awake. That's all I care about." Finn gently placed his hand over hers, afraid she'd rip it away. But she didn't. "It's the day before Christmas. And I went on a walk, got you something."

"Finn, you didn't have to-"

"But i did." He stopped her,
practically shoving she paper bag into her hand. Her hands were still shaky as she opened it up, pulling out the silver chain with a diamond hanging from it. "Finn," she whispered, "thank you..it's beautiful."

Finn smiled slightly and was shocked when she aggressively pulled him into a hug despite her weak state. His arms rested around her waist. "I'm sorry that I scared you..it all happened so quick. I shouldn't of done that, it was so stupid of me."

He shook his head, keeping ahold of her. "It's not you're fault. But I want you to let me help you this time. I can't lose you."

She nodded in agreement.

"Come back to Birmingham, things have changed. Tommy lived in a house with Grace. Business is booming. I even have my own office!" He said. "Finn, but David-"

"Tilly. Who is it, me or David? Be honest."

"Finn, why would you ask that, you know it's always been you." She said as if she was ashamed. "Because I want you to realise that we are your home. Me and my brothers. We can help you be happy again,"

"Finn, I don't know."

"Tommy knows someone. We can help you set up something for your business. Fuck, Tilly if you really wanted i'd run off with you to America!" He rambled? just wanting her to agree with him.

"America?"

"Yes. America. New York, anywhere."

"I like America. But I think i'd prefer Small Heath," Tilly whispered, her voice scratchy.

All Finn wanted was to have her back. Deep down, he wanted her back. If he could do everything again, he would. Finn knew that there'd never be anyone else, it'd only ever be her.

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The reason this chapter and the next is all over the place is because this was originally supposed to be the ending and Tilly was supposed to die. But i couldn't do that without giving her and Finn another chance together.