𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟎
𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐀 𝐆𝐮𝐧

Grief was a terrible thing. It was a murderer. It could overtake your life if you allowed it to. It was strange, really, how quick things could change. How quickly somebody's life could change. One moment, somebody is smiling and laughing with their family and then the next they're.... dead.

Aurora paced the hospital, her head spinning and eyes burning. Every single possibility that she could think of, passed her mind. She bit at her nails and tugged at her hair.

"Aurora—" Tommy's voice came from down the hall as he rushed toward her. He grabbed the sides of her arms, "where is he?" He asked her. She just looked at him, eyes blank and frightening. "I think he's dead." She said, not a flicker of emotion in her eyes.

Tommy's face fell and he dropped his hands from her arms as he backed away slightly. "What happened Aurora?"

She raised her eyebrows and looked down when feeling herself go slightly dizzy. "They came to John's house. Four of them. And they shot him." She said very bluntly as if it were obvious. Tommy nodded slowly. "Right.." he whispered, taking off his cap.

Rory leaned her back against the wall and felt herself slide down it. One sat, she pulled her knees up to her chest and leaned her head on them. "Gone. All gone. All fucking gone!" She slowly raised her voice and kicked her leg forward, knocking over a bin.

Tommy looked at her with fright. He didn't mention another word to her. He went to find his brother.

Strangely, tears were not falling from Aurora's eyes like she thought they would've. She just felt cold, scared. She felt it was all just a bad dream and that none of it was real. But she knew it was real. Oh, it was very real. She sat, staring at the white wall for minutes.

People passed her.

The world kept moving around her as her world seemed to freeze. It seemed to stop.

Her hair was messy and skin was red raw from her scratching at it. It was only then when she realised she had John's blood on her. She let out a sharp exhale and stared at her hands. Her eyes flickered and she just forced her hands into fists.

And then, without thinking, sent it into the hard floor. Pain shot throughout her but she didn't seem to care. She did it again.

And again.

And again.

Until Tommy had returned, a look of concern all over his face. "Rory— Rory.." He said as he knelt down, grabbing her wrist as she was about to do it again. He had horror written across his features when seeing the blood. "Is that.."

"Johns." She answered plainly, ripping her hand away from him.

Tommy let out a breath and looked down, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Is he dead?" She asked. Tommy locked eyes with her. "Tommy, is he dead?" She asked again. No answer. "Tommy." She warned, standing up and so did he. "Tommy, answer me." She said again. "Tommy!" She screamed, "is John dead? Tell me!" She begged, her voice shaking.

Tommy said nothing and just sighed, hesitantly wrapping an arm around her to pull her in. She fought his attempt but he still won.

Dread filled her. "Is he.. he— he's gone isn't he?" She asked, eyes wide. She looked up at Tommy. "Isn't he?" She repeated. No answer. It was then that Rory realised that she didn't want an answer.

If she got an answer, that would be when it all became real. When she would have to accept that he wasn't coming back. And she didn't want to do that. Not yet.

"Tommy, please.." she whispered as her voice broke. She felt her knees go weak. Tommy held her up, and closed his eyes, kissing her head. "Come on.. come here." He whispered, wrapping both arms around her.

She gave in and fell into him, tears escaping her eyes. "No— no." She shook her head, "he isn't. No." She gasped for air.

Rory fought against Tommy and tried to rip away from him, attempting to go down the hall where John would be but Tommy wouldn't let go of her. "Tommy— no!" She pleaded, tears streaming down her face. "John?" She asked, "John!" She called out, begging to see his face and smile one last time. "John!"

Her voice broke Tommy. He held her tighter and she just gripped onto his clothes. He hushed her in a comforting way and she just sobbed, unable to breathe.

-

Rory sat at the betting den table and didn't look at anybody. She could feel their eyes on her as they looked at her pale face and sickly eyes. Finn sat beside her and took her hand. She didn't fight him.

Tommy was talking, explaining to them all what had happened.

But she didn't listen, she drowned it out. She didn't need to listen. She was there.

The only words she had heard was, "John is dead."

And then after that she stopped listening and just stared. A single tear rolled down her face and she bit down on her tongue. Ada looked at the girl sadly and shook her head.

The sound of Rory's chair being pushed against the floor interrupted Tommy. They all looked at her. "Angel?" Arthur whispered. She shook her head and her eyes shifted to Tommy's gun that hung in his holster that he had on show. And then to the golden bullet that sat on the table.

She walked round to Arthur's side and picked up the bullet, reading the engraving.

Luca.

She laughed. "Of course.." she whispered. She then turned and looked at Tommy in the eye. He frowned and before he could even blink, she had snatched his gun from his holster and backed away from them all.

Polly gasped.

Tommy turned to her cautiously. "Give me the gun." He said, afraid of what she would do with it.

She shook her head. "It was my father that did this—" Aurora told them all, "mine." She said. They all looked around. "Luca Changretta." She confirmed. Arthur's eyes widened and Tommy looked down. Finn and Ada looked at each other.
"It'll be me who puts this bullet in his head."

"Rory." Polly warned, "you are not fit to be pulling any stunts." She said, referring to the baby that sat inside of her.

Aurora shrugged. "And John was not fit to die." She said.

Rory tucked the gun away and turned for the door, only stopping when Finn called her name. But he didn't say anything after that. He had hoped that it was enough to make her stay. But it wasn't.

The next thing they heard was the sound of the door slamming.

Few eyes turned to Finn and he exhaled. "Did you know?" Arthur asked his little brother, "that Luca Changretta is her fucking dad!" He hit his fist against the table. Finn jumped. "Arthur." Ada scolded.

Finn stared at Arthur but before he could speak, Polly interrupted.

"Thomas you better go after that girl before she gets herself killed." She said seriously.

-

Rory stormed through Small Heath, her heart racing and a gun ripped tightly in her hand. She didn't bother hiding it. Mothers held their children close when seeing the weapon, gasps of fear escaping their lips.

She had a tear stained face and tired eyes as she walked. Aurora didn't know where she was going exactly. She was just going.. somewhere.

Aurora's feet just kept moving and, eventually, she got to the alley way beside the Shelby offices and she placed a hand on the wall before placing the other on her chest. Her heart was beating rapidly. She squeezed her eyes closed as a pain shot through her chest.

Rory couldn't breathe. Something that hadn't happened in so long, something that she thought she had escaped.

She inhaled sharply in attempts to regain her breath but it did nothing. Tears began falling from her eyes and she placed her back against the wall. She stared at the gun in her hand and bit down on her lip. Aurora carefully placed it into her pocket and closed her eyes again.

It felt like the world was spinning around her.

-

"Have you found her?" asked Finn as he entered the betting den, his voice laced with distress. Ada looked at her younger brother with uncertainty. "I'm sorry." She shook her head. Finn pursed his lips into a line and turned to see who had opened the door. "Tommy— anything?"

Tommy nodded as he walked through. "I found her." He confirmed. He stopped Finn with his hand. "Leave her— ay, leave her." Tommy demanded.

Finn looked at him with shock and backed away. "She's my fiance, Tommy. Let me see her." Finn said sharply, stood straight. Tommy squinted and shook his head slowly. "I said no."

"And I fucking said yes. Get out of my way— let me go and check on her." He said to Tommy seriously.

Tommy glanced to Ada and she just nodded. Tommy hung his head and sighed. "Finn." He said. "Tommy." warned Finn in the same tone. Tommy bit his tongue and just stepped to the side. Finn shoved past his older brother and went up the stairs, noticing Rory's closed door.

He hovered his hand over the door handle for a few seconds before opening it. She didn't move when he did so. She just lay there in her bed, knees hugged to her chest.

Finn watched her for a few moments. "Aurora?" He asked. She didn't respond. Finn sat on the edge of her bed and moved her hair from her face. She looked at him.

And they just sat, looking at each other, not saying a single thing. He ran his thumb along her cheek as she looked at him sadly. "Is he really gone?" She whispered. His breath hitched. "I don't want to believe it, Finn. I don't want to." She said with a trembling voice.

"I know." was all he could say.

"Finn.." Aurora began as she sat up with hesitance. He listened. "There's something I need to tell you." She said with doubt.

He frowned. "You can tell me anything."

"I'm going to have a baby, Finn. We're going to have a baby.." her eyes filled with tears and his lips parted as shock filled him. He looked down toward her stomach. "A baby?" He asked. Slight panic arose within her. "You'll stay, won't you?" She asked.

Finn let out a breath and cracked a smile. "Are you mad? Of course i'll stay." He said whilst taking her hand.

"A boy— that's what Polly said." She whispered as he held her face. Finn smiled. "That's wonderful, Rory. It really is." He said. Then it finally hit him and he gasped. "I'm going to be a dad.." he said with wide eyes. "I'm going to be a dad!" He repeated. His uncertainty had turned into excitement.

Rory nodded, a tear rolling down her face.

"What.. are you not— happy?"

Rory shook her head. "I am, trust me. I'm just scared that's all." She admitted. "I'm just scared."

-

Rory woke up, noticing Finn still laying beside her. She sat up and got from the bed to go downstairs. When hearing voices in the living room, she made sure to be quiet as she crept into the kitchen.

Rory took a glass and filled it with water, frowning when hearing the conversation.

"We have to tell her, Polly." Tommy spoke. Polly sighed as she stood beside the fire. Aurora leaned against the wall, holding the glass close to her chest. "Her father is the bastard that is out to get us, Thomas. What if she tells somebody who isn't supposed to know?" Polly suggested.

"She wouldn't do that." Tommy defended. "Rory needs to know or else it'll kill her." Tommy said. It was more of a demand rather than a suggestion.

"Why do you feel the need to protect her from everything Thomas?"

Goosebumps scattered across Rory's skin due to the coldness of the room and she looked through the gap in the door.

Bang.

She had dropped the glass, causing it to smash on the floor. She cupped a hand over her mouth and froze. Tommy and Polly shifted their gaze toward the girl and Polly was quick to rush to the door and open it fully. "What are you doing?" She asked sternly.

Rory looked at the glass beneath her feet and kneeled in attempts to begin picking it up.

Tommy, when realising that Polly wasn't going to help the girl, shook his head and took a few steps forward. "No— no, leave that." He stopped her. She let go of the shards of glass and thankfully had managed to avoid cutting her skin.

Polly glared at Tommy when realising she had been stood there listening.

"I'm sorry.." She apologised but was shut down with a shake of Tommy's head. "That's alright. You go to bed." He spoke. She hesitated slightly. "You think i'd tell somebody about our business? You see me differently now that we know who my father is.." she said with a hint of betrayal in her voice.

Polly looked away.

"Of course you do.." She scoffed. "I don't understand, Polly. You seem to find any excuse to go against me." She said. "Sometimes you act like my mother and the next you think i'm going to betray you.."

Tommy watched them carefully.

"I'm carrying the baby of a Shelby and you think i'd do that? You think i'd do that to Finn? God, Polly, you really don't know me at all." Aurora said with hurt.

"You're having a kid?" Tommy asked.

She looked at him and realised what had came out of her mouth. "Surprise.." she shrugged, not even cracking a smile. So many emotions were rushing through her.

"Does Finn know?" He asked.

"Jesus Christ— what do you people take me for? Of course he bloody knows." Aurora snapped. "It's a boy.. if you're interested." Her tone changed lightly when giving the detail, unable to remain angry when talking about the subject.

But that was all they heard of her before she disappeared back up the stairs.

Tommy looked at Polly. "Aurora is having a child?" He asked. Polly nodded slowly. "I told her on Christmas day.." she said, turning away to stand beside the fire.

Once returning upstairs, Rory climbed back beside Finn in the bed and he stirred, wrapping an arm around her. "Are you okay?" He whispered, not opening his eyes. Rory hummed and turned the lamp off. "Somethings going on." She whispered to him with furrowed brows.

Finn just hummed. "What do you mean?"

"Polly and Tommy were talking about something and Polly didn't want me to know about whatever it was incase I told somebody who didn't need to know— y'know, someone who could bring risk to the family."

Finn still kept his eyes closed, hoping that he didn't lose his need for sleep. "I'm sure it's nothing. We can talk about it tomorrow." He kissed her forehead and she nodded in agreement, too closing her eyes.

Aurora couldn't shake the feeling that had filled her chest. Something was going on that they didn't know about.

gracessecretshelby