𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟒
𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬

Rory sat at Tommy's desk in the office building, her feet resting upon his desk. She played with a lighter and only looked up when he walked in. "Hello Tom." She beamed. He frowned. "The fuck are you doing here?" He asked, "and why are you in my fucking chair. Get your feet down—" he scolded, shoving her feet off the desk.

She smiled and sighed. "Finn had a lot of work to do so I thought i'd come and sit in here. Your office is a lot nicer." She complimented.

"Thank you Rory." He sighed, "but you need to get out of my chair." He raised his brows and scratched the side of his head.

With a groan, she got up and moved to the chair opposite.

He began rooting through the drawers and she just watched. "For Christmas, can I have a house?" Aurora asked. Tommy hummed. "It doesn't have to be big. I just want a house. My own place— a responsibility. Maybe a dog too. I like dogs, Tommy." She rambled.

"What d'ya need a house for?" He asked as he took a gun and a ring case and placed them before him.

She furrowed her brows together slowly. "To live in... what do you need a ring box for?"

Tommy opened it and showed her the bullet that rested inside it. The name Hughes carved into the gold. "That's why, Rory." He replied.

The name meant nothing to her. She shrugged and leaned back in the chair. "So you're killing someone then. Nothing new. But— to answer your question properly. I need a house because i'm sick of being stuck in Polly's house. Do you know what it feels like to be woken up at seven o'clock in the morning by the sound of that bloody betting den?" She asked.

Tommy stared at her blankly.

"No, you don't. It's bloody awful. I'm almost eighteen now. I think it's time I get my own place, no? I'll get out of everybody's way."

"You're not in anybody's way." He assured. "But, yes, i'll see what I can do. If anyone deserves a house it'll be you, Aurora." He said seriously, placing the bullet into the gun and tucking it into his jacket. "But in the meantime— I need you to look after yourself and keep both you and Finn away from trouble. Something going to happen today—"

She rolled her eyes.

"People are going to get hurt."

She rolled her eyes again.

"Rory stop rolling your eyes." Tommy said sternly. "Sorry.." she whispered, hands up in defence. He tutted and raised his brows. "People are going to get hurt and I don't want you and Finn getting caught up in the mix, alright?"

She nodded. "Yes sir."

-

Isiah walked down Garrison Lane with Aurora at his side, his cap tilted downward and shielding his eyes. "I don't need to be escorted everywhere you know." She complained.

"I know." Isiah responded.

She sighed and continued walking. "Is Charlotte home?" She asked. Isiah shrugged. "I hope so because that's where i'm taking you." He replied with a cheeky smile. She hummed and poked his side. Isiah laughed at her and threw an arm over her shoulders.

"So— eighteen in a few months. What do you wish for?" He asked.

She thought for a moment. A part of her wished to meet her mother, ask her one hundred questions. Another part of her wished for peace. She didn't really know.

"I don't have a birthday wish.. not yet anyway. It'll come to me though." Aurora responded. "I hope.." she trailed off.

Isiah stopped outside Charlotte's house and didn't even knock, he just opened the door, assuming that all of their friends would already be there. And, thankfully, they were.

"Here they are." Alfie sighed. "It's about time." Harvey added, a teasing look in his eyes. Rory sat down beside Mikey and groaned out of exhaustion. "Where's Finn?" The blonde boy asked her. She shrugged. "Working." She said.

Mikey could've guessed.

"Tommy says there's going to be trouble, again." She said, "doesn't want me and Finn getting caught up in it."

Around half an hour had passed before Finn had finally arrived and, once he did, the room was soon to fill with laughter and bright smiles. The group were speaking about anything they could talk of. Aurora, on the other hand, was practically asleep whilst Finn had his arm around her.

She just leaned with her eyes closed, listening to the conversation when she felt it was necessary.

Charlotte noticed the girl's state and smiled slightly. Finn followed her gaze and looked down, finally noticing Aurora. He hummed in amusement and looked back toward the conversation.

Slight time had passed when Aurora woke again. She sat, rubbing her eyes for a moment before glancing outside. It was dark out. "Can we go home?" She whispered to Finn, he frowned but nodded.

They said their goodbyes and Charlotte walked them to the door, waving as they left.

"Something feels wrong," she said to him as she held his arm. "What do you mean?" Finn asked. Aurora shrugged and frowned to herself. "I don't know— something just feels.. off." She said.

Thankfully, the walk home wasn't too long. Finn unlocked the door and they were the only ones in the house. John was with Esme, Arthur with Linda and Polly with Michael. The light had been left on in the betting den but that always happened.

Finn sat down for a moment whilst Rory poured herself a glass of water.

The phone rang.

With a frown, she went to answer it. Nobody ever called. She held it to her ear. "Hello?" She asked. "Aurora— Rory, is that you?" Michael asked from the other side. "It's me." The confirmed. "Tommy's hurt.. badly. He's in the hospital." He said in a rush, "they almost killed him."

Her eyes widened. "Who, Michael? Who almost killed him?"

Finn heard her words and looked toward her.

"That priest— the one he tried to kill today." Michael said. Aurora lowered the phone from her ear and could hear Michael's muffled talking. She put the phone down. Finn stood. "What's wrong?"

"They've tried to kill Tommy. That's what he meant earlier today— he was going after some priest or something. Michael says he's in the hospital." She said, her eyes stuck on the phone.

"Are you sure?" Finn asked.

"Why would Michael lie?" She asked him. Finn pursed his lips into a line and Aurora ran a hand through her hair. "Should we go to the hospital?" He asked. She shrugged. "I don't know which one he is in." She said. "Finn, what if he's going to die."

Finn walked to her and placed his hands on the side of her arms. "Rory, he isn't going to die. Don't stress." He said to her, lifting her chin slightly with his hand. She bit down on the inside of her cheek. "He'll be fine. He's Tommy Shelby," he joked. She smiled slightly and nodded, trying to reassure herself.

Thoughts began rushing through her mind but she was quick to force her eyes closed and stop herself from thinking too much. With a deep breath, Aurora looked at Finn.

"I'll find out what hospital he is in. I'll get Ada to check the one near her and then i'll check the one near us." She said but she was more telling herself rather than Finn.

-

Rory's legs moved quicker than she could comprehend as she ran down a hospital hallway. She didn't stop to regain her breath or to make sure she was going the correct way. She just ran. Despite Finn's reassurance that Tommy would be okay, she didn't want to risk it.

Aurora collided with a doctor. "My apologies—" she said quickly, stumbling slightly before speeding up. "Excuse me!" She called at the nurse who stood talking with another. "Thomas Shelby. I've been told he is here— could you tell me where he is?"

The nurse looked down the hallway sheepishly. "He is in a bad way.." she said cautiously.

"I don't care." Aurora breathed, "please tell me where he is." She said.

The thought of not being able to say goodbye to him knocked her sick. She couldn't go through that. Not again. Not the same way it happened when she lost Freddie.

After some begging, Aurora was finally told where Tommy was. She reached for the handle, hesitating ever so slightly as she twisted it. Her heart dropped at the sight of Tommy who lay, completely still. His eyes were closed, face cut and bloody.

His face looked different. Things were broken. There was no doubt about that.

"Tom?" She whispered, edging closer. No response, obviously. "Oh my god—" Rory whispered to herself, sickened by the sight of him. "What did they do to you.." muttered Rory as she examined him from a slight distance.

She brought a hand up to her mouth slowly, picking at the skin on her lips.

She looked at the chair in the corner. It held all of his belongings. She glanced at the door and once she was sure nobody was there, Aurora walked toward the chair and reached into the pocket of Tommy's black jacket.

And, as she expected, his gun sat in there.

Aurora checked the cylinder. The bullet still sat there. One singular bullet. He was certain he'd have killed Father Hughes with one bullet. She removed it and it fell into her hand.

Rory let it roll, revealing the carved name she had seen earlier that day. Whilst biting the inside of her cheek, she shoved it into her pocket.

"Tommy, I know you usually have everything under control," she began, "but I think, this time, they were one step ahead of you. But— that's okay. I'll sort it out." Aurora said whilst staring at him. "I'll do something, I promise."

Whether she would kill the priest herself or have somebody else do it, she was unsure. She just knew that she wouldn't allow Father Hughes to get away with this.

Aurora stood there for a few moments.

A doctor came in.

"Will he be okay?" She asked before the doctor could mutter a single word.

"With the correct care, yes. He is in good hands here." He spoke to her. She nodded slowly. "Are his injuries.. bad?" Her tone was laced with worry. The doctor began explaining Tommy's injuries and they were far from light.

Her eyes grew glossy and she looked down. "How long until he's—" Aurora paused, unsure what to say as she had never done this before, "able to come back home?"

"Months."

Rory nodded slowly and backed toward the door. "Thank you." Was all she said before disappearing. Her head was spinning, the lights burned her eyes and her legs ached. She kept her head down as she walked.

Her driver was still outside waiting for her, thankfully.

"Where to?"

"Arrow House." She replied bluntly.

this chapter is all over the place so I apologise for that.