𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟐
𝐃𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬, 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧. 𝐃𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭, 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧

Aurora sat beside Charles' crib as he looked up at her, completely innocent and unknowing. His lips twisted into a smile. "Hello, Charlie." She whispered, leaning down to touch his hand. Charlie said nothing, of course. He just stared at her.

Rory still couldn't get her head around Grace's death. Her funeral had been a week ago and even then it was hard to believe that Grace had truly died.

Aurora couldn't get the image out of her head. The image of her bloodied hands and Grace's pale face. It was painted perfectly in her head.

Tommy wasn't saying much. He would go off on his horse and come back in the mornings to feed them and see Charlie before riding off again. Nobody knew what he was thinking — if he was thinking anything at all. Rory missed him. Everyone missed him.

She heard the door close and wished a quick goodbye to the young Shelby boy before practically running down the stairs.

Tommy stood in the hall, just staring up at the portrait of Grace that hung on the wall. 

Rory came to a stop. "Tom.." she breathed. He didn't even look at her. He turned and went into his office, slamming the door behind him. Rory swallowed hard and walked into the dining room where everybody was waiting for him.

Everyone but John and Arthur who seemed to be late.

"He wants to see you and Michael first, Polly." Ada said, nodding toward the door. Michael cleared his throat and stood up to go into Tommy's office.

"He doesn't want to see everybody at once?" Aurora asked, taking a seat next to Finn. "It's alright— he doesn't even want to see me." He sighed. She pursed her lips into a line and stared into the fire.

"How's the baby?" Ada asked.

"He asks for his mum." She explained. Ada tutted and looked out of the window.

"Poor thing. Hasn't got a clue." Ada said.

Rory played with the hem on her sleeve and Finn just leaned back in his chair. The door opened and then closed. "Alright," John walked in, "where is he?"

"In his office." Rory answered.

John hummed and stood beside Arthur. Nobody knew what to say. Nobody knew what to think or where to look. It was like they were stepping on somebody's grave when they walked in that house. It felt wrong.

Finn and Ada shared a weary glance as they waited for Polly and Michael to come from the office.

"Right— let's go." Arthur stood quickly. Polly slowed. "We've already seen him." Polly told them. John's face fell and he looked around the room. "He wanted to see people in a particular order.." Ada mumbled.

Polly took a breath. "I can normally read him but he's difficult to read so be careful."

"I thought it was a fucking family meeting." John hissed. Arthur hummed in agreement. "All of us together."

"John he's grieving." Polly scolded. "To see everyone together would be too much." She explained. Arthur breathed, "yeah, well.." he trailed off. "Come on, John." He said.

Rory shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

"Arthur we need him back." Polly announced. He ignored her. "Sabini and Solomons have already sent condolences and flowers so it won't be long until they come trotting up the A1 like wolves."

"Go on." Ada urged them. "There's a timetable."

The pair walked off after John scowled at Michael.

"Is he okay?" Finn asked Polly. "His wife just died, Finn. He isn't okay." Michael fired at him. Aurora snapped her head toward Michael. "He only asked a question, Michael. Watch your fucking tone.." she said, "remember your place." She trailed off.

Finn held back his grin and watched Michael scowl at Aurora.

There was sudden shouting from the office and they all looked toward the office. "Since my wife— took a bullet meant for me!" Tommy's voice cracked as he shouted. They all lowered their heads and held their breath. It wasn't long until John's voice followed. "Do this John— do that John.. kill your fuckin' teacher John!" John's voice rang out.

Silence.

All they could hear was the clock.

The door opened and slammed, John stormed back into the room. "Rory— he wants you." He huffed, walking past them all and disappearing into the kitchen.

She swallowed hard and walked into the office, passing Arthur on his way out.

Tommy gave her a once over. "You're not wearing black." He said. She nodded. "I would've thought you'd be sick of seeing the colour." She said honestly. Tommy nodded slowly. "You thought right." He confirmed and nodded toward the chair opposite him.

She sat cautiously and waited for him to talk. But he stared at the table for a few moments. "Tom— I don't get it.. what is it you need to talk to me about because the last time I checked.. Finn has more right to be sat here than I do."

Tommy cleared his throat. He pulled the drawer open and placed a gun on the table.

"What's that?"

"It's yours." He said. She furrowed her eyebrows together. "Things are changing. Things are going to happen and you need to protect yourself. You've got a gun, I know. But it's time you have your own. I know that you know how to shoot because I taught you when you were fifteen."

She reached for it and felt the cold metal against her palm. "Are we in trouble, Tom?"

He let out a breathy laugh. "We're always in fucking trouble." He said. "But i'm trying to keep you away from the trouble, Rory."

"Why?"

Tommy locked eyes with her. "Because if I owe Freddie anything— it's to keep his little sister safe. And.. you're like a daughter to me, Rory." He said with a sharp breath. Her breath hitched and she looked back at the gun. "How's my boy been?"

"He misses you, Tommy." Aurora admitted. "It's you he asks for when he wakes up in the middle of the night."

Tommy stared at the desk. "You know, I don't think anybody has ever made our Finn smile the way you do." He moved on, "he needs you more than the rest of us do. I can see it in his eyes, Rory. Dont let such a good thing slip from your grasp." He looked at her sadly.

Aurora stood. "I won't, Tom. I promise." She nodded. "Is that all?"

"That's all." He confirmed and she turned to leave, the gun tucked away into her bag. She paused at the door. "Are you leaving, Tommy?" She asked.

He looked up at her. "What?"

"You're leaving, aren't you?" She pressed. Tommy frowned slightly. "You don't have to lie to me. I can see straight through you. And I think you should go— even if it's just for a little while." She said. Aurora then left without allowing him to say any more.

-

Aurora's eyes darted between Michael and Arthur as the pair bickered over the meeting that had taken place earlier that day. She held a cigarette loosely between her fingers and didn't move an inch.

Ada and Finn shared an occasional glance whilst their brothers ignored to scolding from their Aunt Polly to stop acting like children.

With a sigh, Aurora put her feet up onto the table and cleared her throat. John looked at her for a moment and she shrugged. "Carry on." She nodded, taking a drag of her cigarette. With a roll of her eyes, Polly turned to Finn. "Go and get us more cigars." She ordered.

Finn rolled his eyes and with a huff, walked out to do as she had instructed.

Rory leaned her head back through boredom and listened to the weary laughs that came from Arthur as he tried to ease the tensions. It was only moments before Finn practically ran back through the room.

"Tom's gone—" he breathed, holding up a piece of paper. Rory didn't flinch, didn't react. She just watched for everybody else's reactions. Ada looked around and jumped up to grab the paper. Polly stood with a very prominent frown whilst John and Arthur looked to each other.

"He'll be back." Aurora told them. "He always comes back."

Polly looked at her. "Did you know, did you? Did he tell you that he was leaving?" She asked harshly. Rory calmly shook her head. "No. But in those years that you all spent your days hating him for every breath he took, I spent them learning his ways." She hummed. "I figured him out earlier today.." she admitted.

"And you didn't say anything?" Polly asked.

"Didn't have a reason too. He's not running off forever.." Rory sighed with slight frustration that she was getting the backlash for Tommy's decision. "He'll be back before the week's out. I can bet my life on it."

Finn furrowed his eyebrows together. "What does it matter—"

"Shut up Finn." Arthur interrupted.

Rory bit the inside her cheek and shoved her chair away from the table, the screeching of it against the floor causing them to cringe. It frustrated her how often they dismissed Finn.

"Come on," she held his arm and walked out into the hallway. Nobody called after them. Nobody cared. Finn huffed and watched his feet as they walked. "Why do they always do that to me? I can never say anything without being told to be quiet." He ranted. Rory stood close to him. "It's the curse of being the youngest child.." she said with a slight smile in hopes to ease him.

The corners of his lips turned upward and she laughed to herself, leaning up and kissing his cheek.

"It's alright, though. At least you can't get in trouble for something you have said.." she shrugged.

Finn grinned. "Yeah, I suppose." He nodded. They sat on the stairs, Rory a step lower than he was and her elbow leaning against his knee. She pulled the photograph of her mother from her pocket and stared at it.

"Is that your mum?" He asked, an arm draped around her. She hummed and leaned into him. "You really do look like her." He said softly, staring at the dark haired woman on the photograph. "Is that a good thing?" She asked. He was quick to nod. "It's a good thing." He assured, playing with the ends of her hair.

"What if she comes back?" She asked him.

Finn looked down at her. "That's a something you need to face when it comes along. Don't let it stress you now." He said.

"Yeah... but. What if she does come back." Aurora asked again.

"Well— would you want to talk to her?" Finn continued to play with the ends of her hair. She leaned her chin against her palm. "I think I'd want to ask her why she left us. I'd want an explanation." She explained, "and then i'd tell her how much I hate her."

"But?" He asked, her tone suggested there was something else she had to say.

"But i'd want to sit and tell her about everything she has missed. Maybe give her a hug too." She said with some sort of doubt as if it wouldn't be the right thing to do. "I hardly remember her but I do miss her.. I think."

"It's not wrong to miss the thought of somebody rather than missing them as a person." He said.

"How are you so good at this?" She groaned. He frowned. "At what?" He laughed. "Being so reasonable." Aurora breathed, looking up at him. Finn shrugged. "I suppose it's something I had to grow to be good at since my brothers are the men that they are."

"Yet you don't act like any of them." She whispered, playing with one of his shirt buttons. "Which I find rather attractive." She teased. Finn rolled his eyes and shook his head. She grinned and kissed his cheek again. "Shut up," he laughed.

Aurora couldn't help but grin as she leaned back. "Happily." She sighed.