XI. a few days before, 1919

    After stepping out the Garrison, her mind ran wild. Her brother had not only employed a random woman but a random woman who is working for the enemy. Vivian had no intention of walking through those doors to listen in on the blonde's phone call. She just wanted some liquor.

"Expect the unexpected" her mother would say. It's something her aunt would say from time to time too. Those words stuck with her everyday. Every morning. You can expect anything to go a certain way when you have the Shelby name.

She knew Grace was someone not to trust, but she never expected that. But it made sense as she put the pieces together. The inspector and her. Both Irish and arrived at the same time. She was keen on getting the job at the Garrison, and what better place to be to get close to the Peaky Blinders.

On the phone call, they spoke of her family and the guns. As well as Vivian herself. The warrant. Grace had ask if it was handled and wondering if Vivian would go around telling the truth of the events. But it hurt as so much more when she spoke of her brother. How he trusted her and how she is getting closer. Tom trusted her and she was using him.

They arranged a meeting and ended the call. Vivian was by the door when she exited the back room. Grace and Vivian were both wide-eyed, looking at each other. She had left without a words from either of them. Vivian planned to follow her to their meeting. She was still shocked. And felt pity for her brother.

Carrying the bottles, she made her to the Golden to see who was there. It wasn't her plan but she also didn't plan to hear that the barmaid was a traitor.

—

"Vivian!" Ryan yelled from the bar. She put on a smile, ignoring the new information and planned on enjoying her evening with her boys. The boy was stumbling out of his chair, as the Gilbert boy laughed from beside him. He walked toward her — bumping into many people in the process — with open arms. She was suffocating as he squeezed her.

"Stop, stop, stop." She said, laughing slightly. He pulled away wrapping his arm around her, dragging her toward the bar.

"Look Scotty, it's your girlfriend." He laughed, mouthing the last word. He was to drunk and carefree to realise what he was saying.

"How about you seat down?" Scott laughed, looking at Ryan's state. Vivian pushed him toward the barstool he sat on before.

"How about I seat over there with them nice ladies?" He said, already making his way over to their table.

The Shelby girl went to follow him, but she was stopped "Let's just watch and let him make a fool of himself." He said. She took Ryan's old seat at the bar, "why'd you bring your own whiskey. This is a pub." He smiled.

"It's always good to have extra." She smiled back, looking around the crowded pub, " why is it so busy anyway?"

Scott shrugged in response, "You okay? You seem . . . off." Watching as she turned back, he saw the slight change in her stance before she returned back to normal.

"I'm good. Just Tom making lives harder." She lied, sort of. She had seen Ada before going to the Garrison, and realised how much she actually missed her sister. She didn't planned on telling anyone she went to see her.

"Then lets get you some booze." He said, turning to the barman, and ordering for her. The glass was placed in front of them and she took it, "now lets watch this fool." He smiled, as they both turned to the Jones boy.

—

present, 1919 | Birmingham

    The Shelby girl rushed through the doors of the Garrison after getting a bit fresh air and some alone time with her thoughts. She quickly composed herself, pulling herself together to appear less frantic and shocked, at the sight of the barmaid, appearing from the back room.

Ryan had ran to find Freddie and tell him the news but he had to made do with telling one of Fred's comrades the news to pass on. He had no idea whether he'd make it in time to be there for Ada. He called Waterly Lane, letting Polly know the situation. The situation being that Freddie might not be here until tomorrow.

The two chatted, trying to keep the conversation light. He found her staring into space and it took a few calls of her name to get her attention. But Ryan ended up questioning her further about the warrant. Vivian had given up telling anyone the fact that it was the barmaid, even her best friends. Most knew it was not her and that Vivian herself didn't know who it was. Tommy and Pol knew of her theory. But her theory was more than a theory now. She knew the truth

"Hello." Vivian greeted quietly. She was now leaning against the bar, in front of the well known barmaid. She heard the chaos — probably from Arthur and John — coming from the private room, not too far away. "Whiskey." She asked. Grace hesitated, looking toward the snug, but got the bottle anyway.

"Heard you're an aunt now." Grace smiled, although it didn't seem genuine. It was just a conversation starter but Vivian wasn't in the mood to speak to the woman who got more suspicious everyday.

"No, well yes. John has his own pack. Been an aunt for a long while now." Vivian said, watching as the glass filled with the amber liquid, "I thought you would know that. John talks a lot or maybe you heard it from someone else." Vivian said, looking up at the woman, but Grace ignored it although she could tell she was uneasy about it.

There was no words between the two for a minute, "Why did you come to Birmingham?" Vivian asked, continuing to stare at her, not touching the glass. Grace stared back. Vivian saw the way her lips parted ever so slightly, but the Shelby cut in again. "'Cause there must have been better places to go?"

Vivian waited a moment before changing the question, "Or why did you choose to work here?" She spoke, leaning forward, "I was here. You were very eager. Kept pushing. Why would you want to work here?" She spoke slowly, as Grace listened and watched her, while she started cleaning the counter.

"I saw the advert in the paper, needed money." She answered smartly, yet she kept the innocent look.

"You and my brother seem to be getting on." She asked, looking but not taking the whiskey from the bar. Grace nodded slightly, waiting for the girl to go on, "You got him to allow singing." Grace replied with a simply 'yes'.

"When I saw your resumé, you worked in a few pubs in Dublin." Vivian said, looking up as she continued, "yet you didn't." She finally took a sip from her glass, staring back at the woman who cleaned the exact same spot the entire time.

The brunette continued, "At first, I thought you were alright. You played innocent and sweet, but you played the act too well."

"You don't fit in, even though you try. I thought for someone so sweet and innocent you ask a lot of questions about the Shelby's. And the amount of times you have lied, my brother may see them as little fibs that don't matter, but a lie is a lie."

Vivian listed, she didn't know what she expected the blonde to say. After a moment, "You are right. I do lie to fit in. I also like to know the regulars and your brother come here pretty regularly." Grace said, "And I deserve my privacy, everyone does."

Vivian noticed how she kept her answers short and sweet. Much like her brother, but for a different reason. She didn't speak much, so she wouldn't let anything slip.

"All True. Everyone deserves privacy but not anyone in Small Heath. No one cares about privacy. You think that man, passed out drunk, has privacy? No. You think I have privacy, — with my family? Hell no. The only privacy Tommy cares about is his own." Vivian said, muttering the last bit to herself. "From the gossip between neighbours to the Shelby's, you have no privacy."

"But privacy is another thing, you have secrets."

Grace spoke, "So what if I do, it's no one's business but my own."

"Again, true. But it is my business when your secrets effect my family."

Grace looked down at the bar again before glancing over at the snug where the Shelby brothers laughed and drank and joked. Vivian yawned loudly, pulling Grace's attention back on her.

"Sorry, I'm wrecked." Vivian excused herself. Grace cleaned up a bit, watching the girl as she quieted down, but the girl was too lost in thought.

Tommy's main enemies were; Kimber and the inspector, as of right now. The Lees and Shelbys had a truce. Kimber wasn't as smart enough. So it could have been the inspector. Not the coppers, but the inspector himself. He hated her family and he had Arthur beaten.

There is no connect between him and Grace apart from arriving at the same time. And they're both Irish.

She still would have no clue if she didn't sneak behind the bar a few days ago, only to hear a hushed phone call coming from the back. As she listened she heard Grace's voice speak about her family, and the guns. And it all made sense by the time she ended the call.

She had tried to speak to Tom but she couldn't seem to get him to listen to her when she brought up Grace's name. She could barely get the truth out before she was shoved out the room.

Growing tired, Vivian spoke up after a few moments, "you are a very pretty woman," Grace smiled at the comment, "people wouldn't suspect you." Her eyes landing on the blonde's.

"What?" Grace asked simply, confusion spread across her face, as well as slight fear.

"No one would suspect you of being a spy." Vivian said and Grace froze, "My brother wouldn't have because he's a man and lets be honest, they think with their cocks." She knew her brother was smart but it was the truth.

When there was no word from Grace, she went on, "I do have to say, it was smart putting the blame on me for the murder of Ryan Farrelly, it was. It made sense, easy to put the blame on the sister of Thomas Shelby." Grace's face went pale but went on cleaning along the bar counter.

"You will leave." Vivian said simply, straightening up a bit, "and if you don't, I can arrange for you to leave in a wooden box. But either way Tommy will know what you are, either you tell him or me."

Vivian watched as the woman looked in her eyes, with a now strong glare, "You aren't going to tell him. If you wanted to, you would have already." And just then, the man himself emerged from the snug.

"Impeccably timing." The brunette uttered into her glass, before taking a sip. Tom's smirk disappeared from his face seeing his sister with the blonde. All as were on the girl, Tom walking over to the two and Grace waiting for Vivian to tell Thomas.

She had a chance to tell Tom and with Grace there, he would see the guilty look on her face. He'd see a traitor. She'd be gone. But deep down Vivian knew he wouldn't see just a traitor, he would see a woman he fell for and trusted. She couldn't break his heart, but it was going to be broken soon enough. He deserved some kind of happiness, especially tonight. She couldn't ruin it.

"Vivian." He greeted and she raised her head, "How's Ada? She alright?" He asked and just then the Garrison doors swung open.

She nodded, "As alright as someone can be after childbirth." She mumbled, "She's good." Vivian answered louder. He nodded toward the snug slightly — basically sending her away. She sighed loudly, pushing herself up.

Slowly dragging her legs across the floor, she was stopped by the Garrison doors being slammed open. Polly raced past her and ran at her brother. Vivian watched as her aunt pushed and shoved him. Soon, John and Arthur rushed out, holding Polly back.

"But the police came and took his father away." Polly hissed at the man. Vivian watched from the sidelines, mush like Grace. Vivian saw the way Tom step back ever so slightly, mouth agape. It was often you saw it but, Thomas Shelby was stunned. The man who had everything planned out and was always three steps ahead, was stunned.

"Don't you dare look at me like that." Polly was shaken with anger as she glared at her nephew. Vivian looked at the boys seeing them slowly release Pol and step back.

As she glanced at her brother, she saw Grace standing behind the bar, eyes glued on Tom. Her face was pale and she was fidgeting with her glass in her hand.you could see Tom was lost in thought, trying to figure out what happened.

Polly spat at his feet, "you liar." Giving him one last look before walking out. With the silence in the room, Arthur and John stared at their brother, who was yet to meet their gaze. John sighed, disappointed, and left. Arthur followed behind him. He tried to look at his brother for answers but was met with silence.

Tom didn't look at either of them as the three were stood in silence. Vivian stared at Grace, nodding her head to the exit. Grace looked back at her glancing to the back of Tommy's head. She walked out the back door. Vivian walked past Tom and went to locked the back door, before coming back into the main area.

"Anything to say?" Vivian asked, and finally, he looked at her.

"I didn't shop Freddie." He shook his head, slowly.

"Then who did, Mr. Know-it-all?" She asked. He shrugged, turning to the bar, "who else would know Freddie was gonna be there?" She questioned, following him.

"Polly, Esme, Ada — I was with them the whole time and what reason would any of them have. Ryan too — what reason? John and Arthur — they'd probably be too drunk, and again — why hurt their own sister? And its not like Freddie is their ex-best friend." Vivian listed for him, "The coppers were at the door barely three minutes after he arrived, so they wouldn't have followed him there or been waiting outside. They were given a tip-off."

"You with your feud with Freddie, or the fact you were supposed to run him out of the city." He looked her way, but not looking her in the eye, " But . . . I don't believe you would do that. You wouldn't do that to your family. So who else knew?"

He sipped his whiskey in silence as her gaze burned into his skin. She took the glass from his hand, throwing it on the ground, "You better find out before you lose Ada, if you haven't already." She finished, calmly walking out.

As she walked, she began to speed up, until she was running. She hoped Ada was still there. She wasn't even there to comfort her sister after giving birth before she left.

—

The Gray woman walked down the street, umbrella in one hand, a basket of fresh food in the other. The rain beating down heavily as, not far behind, was Vivian Shelby following the woman.

When she returned home from the Garrison, Ada was gone and so was Polly. Vivian had waited with Esme for a while and by the time Polly got home it was just Vivian. Tom hadn't come home. Polly refused to tell her where her sister was, wanting to give Ada some space. Her aunt was in an awful mood with everyone, and all because of Tom.

She didn't believe Tom would do something like that, taking a father away from his newborn son, especially his own sister. No one believed him. Although she didn't believe he shopped Freddie, she did believe he had something to do with it, whether it was an accident or not.

The boys were very drunk so they wouldn't even know or care what was going on in the private snug. And with that she thought; if they didn't know what was going on, they probably didn't know what they were saying, or the importance of what was said. If they let it slip, and Grace heard, she could call the coppers, tell them were he would be.

After her epiphany, she told Polly, rushing through the information, but she didn't believe her. Because of her sour mood, and her hatred for Thomas at this time, she didn't want to listen to her niece, try and defend him. And her aunt was getting tired of the accusations against the barmaid. Usually Pol would humour her, listen to her but she snapped.

Although, Polly was tired and angry, Vivian saw the pain. She saw the pain her aunt had seeing her oldest niece breakdown. While Ada lost her husband, Polly watched as she lost her niece. She blamed Tommy.

As Polly walked into the building, Vivian waited outside, around the corner. It was barely two minutes before Polly left, now carrying and old, rotten basket food. Vivian slipped in as her aunt went back home.

She walked down the hallway, looking for the basket, and found the door. The paint on the door peeled and the handle was slightly rusted. She stepped down each step. She reached the door and knocked.

"Ada." She spoke through the door. She couldn't hear anything, so she press her ear right her against the door, trying to hear anything. It was silent until she heard the baby cry softly. "Ada, just say anything. Just to know you're alright. It's just me." She said. It had only been a few days, but she missed her so much. She was worried for her sister and her nephew.

"Please, just a word. One word." Vivian pleaded, "even knock once to let me know you're listening." She waited for a word or a knock but nothing came. She knew she was there, she could hear her shushing the baby and the floorboards creeping beneath her.

"Look, I'm not asking you to come home, or to forgive and forget and all that shit, but coulda please just eat the stuff Polly brings. No one will be waiting outside to drag you home the moment to the door opens. Just- please." She pleaded one more. There was silence but it was interrupted with a small knock. It came from inside, and Vivian only hoped it wasn't an accidental knock.

"I'll leave you be but I'll be back later. . . around nine, to check that you took the basket." Vivian smiled a little, "bye Ada, and bye little Throne." And with that, she left.

That night, the basket disappeared and Vivian left some of Ada's clothes that she had left, having left in a rush, as well as some of John's kid's hand-me-downs for the baby.

—

"No, no, no, no, no." She repeated, "what the fuck is this shit?" There was Arthur Sr. Shelby, the man who abandoned he rand her siblings. What the fuck? John leant against the doorframe, Polly against the cabinet on the other side of the room, Finn stood between John and Arthur Sr., looking between the adults that actually raised him.

"Vivian, my daughter." He greeted, with a wicked smile and open arms.

"No thanks." She grimaced at him, before turning to Pol, "w-what is this?" Gesturing to the man at the table. Polly simply sighed, so she turned to John who nodded to Arthur Jr.

And now, her brother was giving this piece of shit a fucking sandwich, "thank you, you are a good boy." Arthur Sr. thanked the eldest.

"Why hasn't he been kicked out yet?" Vivian asked the room, ignoring his presence.

"Bless thee, Father, for these bounties we are about to receive-" He began to say before Polly interrupted.

"Jesus Christ." Polly, much like most people in the room, was tired of his shit already.

"Please, woman, not in vain." He flashed his wicked smile again, before blessing himself.

"Finish your sandwich and sling your hook." Polly said.

All Vivian did was stare around the room, wondering why he wasn't kicked out the fucking city yet. She couldn't remember one good thing about the man. She remembered the bad. She only saw the bad growing up. She hated him coming home drunk, ready to hit anything in his way. Or when he'd lie or cheat, or break promises. What he did didn't hurt her, it only hurt when he would cause her siblings pain, especially Arthur and Ada.

She was young when he left but she remembered the tears, the bruises, the shattered glass and the yelling. Arthur always looked up to their dad, so every time Arthur Sr. let down the kids, Arthur Jr. always saw the best in him and was ready to give him another chance. No matter the abuse and disloyalty, he always forgave him.

Ada was his first daughter. Growing up, Ada would tell her about the good times, when he was a good father. She couldn't remember a single story she was told. Behind closed doors, her sister tried to hide her tears and pain but Vivian was a wall away and heard it all.

John and Tommy would disagree, saying there were never good times, nor was he ever a good father. The two would be left to pick up the pieces, as well as Pol. They tried to keep Vivian and Finn away from their dad.

Over time, Ada's stories became more vague with less detail and less love. And then around the time he left, the stories stopped completely and Arthur Sr.'s name never left her sister's mouth in a pleasant manner.

"Pollyanna, I'm the guest of the head of the family, so why don't you maybe tend to your mangle or your scuttle"

"why don't you get off your high horse and fuck off ." Vivian snapped, earning a glare from him, to which she stared right back.

"The head of the family ain't here." John spoke from beside Finn.

"Tommy, he sometimes helps me with . . . with business, Dad." Arthur replied timidly, to their dad.

"Sometimes?" Vivian spoke under her breath, sarcastically.

And right on time, "Aye, well, speak of the devil." He stood up, greeting his second son. Tom stood there behind her, dumbfounded, much like the other day, but with a lot more anger coursing through his veins. "How are ya, son?" Arthur Sr. spoke.

Shaking his head slightly, "Get out." He said, calmly.

"Come on, son. I'm a changed man"

"This family needed you ten years ago, and you walked out on us." It all came back to her now. Finn's crying, Arthur and Polly shouting at each other, John and Tom trying to break them up, and Ada who was crying, anger or sadness, she couldn't remember. The realisation that he wasn't coming back hit the family hard.

"Not now. Get out of this house."

"Tommy, he's different-" Arthur tried but was cut off.

"Shut up."

"It's alright, son. Arthur Shelby never stays where he's not welcome." He gathered his coat, looking around the kitchen, the kids he had no right to call his. His eyes landed on Thomas, "Quite something you've become."

He left, walking past Finn. He scuffed up his hair and when Finn watched him leave, John pulled him back in. The kitchen was silent as the front down slammed shut.

"He's our dad." Arthur said. His eyes stuck to the table.

Thomas sighed heavily at his words, "He's a selfish bastard."

"You calling someone a selfish bastard, that's a bit rich. I mean, thank to you, we're already down a bloody sister." Arthur said.

"You want to see him, Arthur? You want to see him?" Tom asked, pointing at the door, "You go with him." And with that Arthur shot up and left. And then the all too familiar silence too over the room again.

"What a day it has been. And its only twelve o clock." Vivian said. She hadn't notice Finn had inched closer to her since Arthur Sr. left. "Well I'm off to the Garrison." She said walking out the back door, past Tom. She glared at him as she pulled the handle, and softened her gaze when it landed on Finn, giving him a small smile of reassurance.

—

NOTES

    It has been way too long but hi. It has been way over a month and i have no real excuse. This is unedited and I will come back to it later rather than sooner but it will do.

    I have posted on Tiktok and instagram a bit since chapter 10 and I have two books, one is gonna be release soon and im so excited. There will be edits of both unpublished books and i have lots of edits of them so enjoy them.

    True Hate, starring Evelyn "Evie" Williams as Phoebe Tonkin ( Tommy shelby fanfic ) set in pre PB series + My Girl, starring Margaret "Maggie" Gray as Emma Mc Kay ( Polly's daughter and oc fanfic ) set in S2 PB series.

    Study and exams are coming up and im not gonna make promises i cant keep, so chapter 12 will be published at some point soon (hopefully). I can't wait for summer, and time off. Hope everyone is okay and doing good. Tiktok and insta is vvioletneklace.wp. I love to hear feedback (good and bad) xx