𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐍𝐓 𝐆𝐎
chapter 7

Harvey rolled over, stretching and groaning at the pain in his face. Ada, who had been awake and reading an old book, looked over to him. "What time is it?" he asked. "Time for you to bloody get up. Tommy wants you for business, remember?" She reminded him.

Harvey leaned up on his elbows and looked at her. "Yeah— yeah whatever." He rubbed his good eye and climbed out of bed to get on his suit. "What do you think Tommy's plan is?" He asked as he slipped on his dress shirt. Ada shrugged. "Could be anything. Tommy is unpredictable these days." She said. Harvey pulled his trousers over his legs and buttoned them before folding his collar over his tie.

"You should dress like that more often," Ada said teasingly.

Harvey stopped for a moment and dropped his arms to his side. "Do I not dress like this every day?" He raised a brow. Ada placed her book face down in her lap and hummed. "Perhaps today you just look more handsome." She suggested.

His mouth twisted into a smirk. "Do I not look handsome every day?"

Ada teased him with a simple shrug of her shoulders and went back to reading her book. Harvey sighed to himself and glanced in the mirror, shoving his arms through his suit jacket. "Right then— i'll see you later?"

"See you later." Ada nodded, tilting her chin up as he leaned down to peck a quick kiss up on her cheek.

Harvey quickly descended the stairs where Tommy stood with John. "Here he is," Tommy spoke. Harvey stopped and waited for one of them to say something else. "Yeah, only kept us waiting half an hour." John gently pushed his friend's head. Harvey scowled and stepped away. "He's alright." Tommy assured.

—

The group walked up the hill that seemed to lead them toward the Lee Camp. Harvey pulled his cap onto his head and took a deep breath. "Ready boys?" Tommy asked them all. "John, ready?"

"Yeah— yeah I'm fine." John said with slight confusion. Arthur offered his flask to his younger brother. "Here, have a drink." Harvey looked at his friend, sharing his confusion as everyone was acting strange. "What? What you all staring at me for? What?!" John snapped.

"Good. Let's go." Tommy urged them along. Harvey kept his eyes on the Lee boys that stood a distance from him. They were close and could shoot them down at any moment.

"Tommy, what you playing at? We're in shotgun range." John whispered to him. "Tommy we can't get any closer—" Harvey agreed. Tommy turned to them. "John, before you go into battle, there's something you're going to need." He pulled a small, white flower and began pinning it to John's suit.

"What you bloody doing, Tommy?"

Harvey's eyes grew wide. Tommy Shelby didn't plan on ending the war by fighting. He planned on marrying John off to one of them. "Shit—" Harvey whispered.

Tommy held John's face. "Smile, John. It's a wedding."

"Who's bloody wedding?" John panicked. "Now if we told you, you wouldn't have come. There's a girl in the Lee family who has gone a bit wild and she needs marrying off—" before Tommy could continue, John shoved away from him and began swearing.

Harvey was quick to grab the boy and restrain him. "Did you bloody know?" John spat. Harvey shook his head. "I didn't know a thing, swear it." He said.

"John!" Tommy shouted.

"You have no bloody right, Tommy." John said shakily.

"Listen to me. Listen to me. A girl who needs a husband, a man who needs a wife." He whispered. "Tom, i'm not bloody marrying some fucking mushroom picker." He said angrily. "John boy, listen. I've already betrothed you. So if you back out now there will be one might war breaking out here that will make the Somme look like a fucking tea party. But if you marry her, our family and the Lee family will be united forever and this war will be over. It's up to you, John. War or peace."

John nodded angrily.

They continued walking and Harvey patted John's shoulder in a reassuring way.

"Right, you should see the size of her dowry." Arthur said. "Her what?" John asked. "Her dad's giving you a car." Tommy explained.

"Will he do?" Tommy asked the dark haired woman. She looked him up and down. "He'll do." She said with a slight grin and everyone cheered.

"You'll be alright, lad." Harvey assured his friend once they walked to the makeshift alter. "I know you will be." He whispered. John nodded and looked at Harvey. "We'll both be married men, eh?" He grinned. Harvey nodded. "Seems like it," Harvey laughed.

John was took up to the front whilst Harvey stood in the crowd.

The girl finally joined his side.

Harvey heard light footsteps from behind him and looked to see Ada with Polly, a soft smile on her lips. Harvey stepped aside so she could stand to his right and they both looked forward. Tommy stood behind them. "You look well." Tommy complimented.

Harvey felt Ada snake her arm around his own, linking them.

"I now pronounce you man and wife! Well done, go on John, kiss the bride will you?"

—

The party was traditional on the Lee's behalf and full of noise. People were dancing and singing, clapping their hands together happily. Harvey had his arm around John and they watched as people danced.

"Come one— come on, come dance with him," Harvey helped the girl up from her chair. She smiled with slight embarrassment and Harvey guided her to John. John laughed and took her hands to begin dancing.

It was only when Harvey felt a tap on his back that he turned. "Tell Ada to slow down." Tommy said. Harvey frowned and his eyes landed on the heavily pregnant girl who was dancing like mad. "Why can't you do it?" Harvey asked. "You think she'll listen to me?" Tommy scoffed. Harvey threw his cigarette to the floor and went toward Ada. "Ada, why don't we sit down?" He asked.

Ada pulled away from the man she had been dancing with and grabbed Harvey's hands. "Dance with me!"

"Ada—" he tried to warn. "It isn't safe for you to be doing this— think about the baby." He said. She rolled her eyes and grabbed his face with two hands. "Shut up!" She laughed, kissing him quickly. He was surprised and pulled back. "Ada.."

Tommy then intervened and Ada pulled away from them both. "Come and look, Esme. Come and look at the family you've joined— the man who runs it." She spat. "He chooses his brother's wives and hunts his own sister down like a rat!" She shouted angrily and started hitting Tommy's arms.

Polly tried to hush her and Tommy tried to calm her down.

"He forces his brothers best mate to marry me!" She hissed.

Harvey's face dropped and he furrowed his brows together.

"Ada that's enough." Arthur warned. "Ada, come on." Polly urged. "Now he won't even let me have a fucking dance— not even at a fucking wedding!" Ada carried on. John had now came away from Esme and stood beside Harvey, trying to get him to come away after the comment Ada had made about their marriage.

"Ada stop." Tommy said.

"Sit her down." John hissed at Polly angrily, annoyed that his sister was ruining his wedding for him.

"Calm down, Ada. Calm down." Polly tried.

"Ada, just bloody sit down, will you?" Harvey said angrily, also annoyed at her behaviour on John's day. She glared at him and was breathing heavily. "Holy shit. Water." Polly whispered.

"Not now, Ada. Bloody hell— you do pick your times!" Arthur shouted. John had anger written all over his face and he went to Esme to get her in the car.

—

"Come on," Arthur helped Esme from the car. Harvey's heart was beating like crazy and Polly had her arms crossed whilst she looked at him. "Are you going to go inside or what?" Polly asked. Harvey shoved his hands into his pockets. "Go on." Tommy whispered to him.

John nodded and Harvey hesitantly walked inside the house where Ada was crying in pain.

Esme had tried helping and Harvey couldn't watch. Polly looked over at him, shaking her head. "One more, love." Polly urged Ada. Harvey stayed beside the window and tried to look at Ada but couldn't. Not whilst she was in pain.

Then the room filled with cries and the tension that filled Harvey disappeared. Ada laughed in relief and he turned, inching closer. "It's a boy," Ada breathed. Harvey's eyes widened and he kneeled beside her, a hand on her shoulder. Ada tilted the baby toward him. He was wrapped in an old blanket.

Harvey swallowed hard. "A boy?"

Polly smiled happily and Ada found herself leaning into Harvey with exhaustion. "He's beautiful." Harvey whispered, still unsure how to feel. "A beautiful baby boy." He said. Ada carefully placed the baby in his arms and Harvey automatically felt responsibility.

He held the baby close to his chest and placed a gentle kiss on his head. "Welcome to the world, son." He whispered. Harvey had a lump in his throat and he looked at Ada. She placed her hand over his and smiled.

Suddenly, there was a bang on the door. "Open up— Police!"

They looked at each other with confusion and Esme went to open the door. "Harvey?" She asked. He handed the baby back to her just incase and he stood, standing in front of her. "You can't come here there's a baby just been born!" Esme shouted.

"Harvey—" Ada panicked.

The noise caused the little baby to begin screeching and Ada began panicking further.

The coppers grabbed Harvey by his upper arms and he shook his head. "What's going on?" He asked quickly. He looked back at Ada and she had horror in his eyes. "Don't hurt him— he's done nothing wrong! Harvey!" She cried out.

Harvey was pushed up against the wall and he groaned in pain.

"Please, you're hurting him!" Ada screamed. Polly urged her to sit back down and Harvey kept his eyes on her. "Leave him alone!"

"You're taking me away from my baby— Ada! Stop, you're taking me away from my son! Let go of me— Ada!" He kicked and fought against them. Ada was crying and Esme tried to pull Harvey from the coppers but it was no use. "Ada!" He shouted, "let me go!"

—

Polly swung the door open to the Garrison and glared at Tommy. "It's a boy." She said. A light smile made its way to Tommy's face but soon faded when his Aunt charged at him. John and Arthur rushed from the snug to try and grab her. "Polly—"

"But the police came and took his father away! Don't you dare look at me like that— you liar!" She shouted. John's heart dropped.

"Harvey—" he whispered, "Tom, what's going on?" John asked, ignoring Polly who had stormed out. Tommy looked at him with not a single clue. "I haven't gone to the police about anything. There's nothing to go to them about— why the fuck would I get my sister's husband thrown in jail?" He hissed at John.

John grabbed him by the collar. "You get him out and you get him out now!"

John knew how sensitive Harvey was. He didn't seem it but he was vulnerable in situations as harsh as these. Like the night he was beaten up by his father, he gave up trying to fight back. He gave up. He gave up because he knew his father was bigger than him, stronger.

His father.

Harvey's father.

Not Tommy.

Him.

Leyland.

John slowly let go of Tommy and stared at him. "What, John?" He asked, "John, what is it?" he asked. Johns troped away. "Leyland—" was all he said before practically running from the Garrison and down to Harvey's house — old house.

He didn't care to knock. He kicked the door open. "Where the fuck are you, eh? Where are you, you sick bastard?" He shouted, his voice bouncing off the walls. He heard the creak in the floorboards as Leyland got up from the couch in the living room.

"Who the fuck do you think you are comin' into my home 'n shouting like that?" Leyland bellowed.

John punched him before he could step any closer. Leyland stumbled backward, surprised at the boy's actions.

"What did you do? What did you say to the police for them to arrest Harvey? He's a good lad— you know that. You know he wouldn't do anything worthy of being arrested. So tell me— tell me before I fucking kill you!" John's voice was shaking with anger. Leyland stood straight and he wiped his bloodied nose.

"They're after the communists, they are. After each of them— any they can find." A sly grin sat on Leyland's lips. "So when I heard you lot were back from your family outing— and the word of Ada's Shelby's labour, I called up the coppers. Told them that Harvey Ellis had been attending communist rallies. They didn't ask anything after that. They didn't care about details, that was enough." His grin was now wide.

John breathed and shook his head. "You sick fuck." he spat. "Taking a man away from his newborn son." John inched closer. "Your wife was lucky to get away from you when she did."

"It's a shame Harvey didn't go the same way she did, eh? Y'know— I almost reported him for being a homosexual.." the word homosexual was like poison when it left Leyland's mouth. "You and him both."

"What.." John whispered.

"Please.." Leyland scoffed, "you and my lad look at each other like you've just realised what love is."

John swallowed hard. It felt as if his heart had stopped. He gripped Leyland's clothes tighter and shook his head.

John punched him again, this time sending him to the floor. "Did you lack affection from your mum as a kid, eh? Did you?! Cause if you did, I can fucking see why! No one could ever love a man like you." John insulted. "To call you a man is too much of a compliment— you're a fucking rodent, mate." He pointed. "Harvey will get out. I can tell you that for free. And he will get home to his little boy and wife." John spat at Leyland's feet. "And if you ever interfere with Harvey's life or family again, i'll kill you. I've let you go free one too many times. This is the last."

And that was that. John then stormed out, leaving the bruised man to pick himself up. He didn't give him time to think of something to say back.

He left him the way he would leave Harvey all those times he beat him.

If John Shelby was one thing, it wasn't a coward. He wasn't going to let his friend be put away from something he hadn't done.

chapter 7
[ gracessecretshelby ]

- what do u think about John defending Harvey in this chapter? Are you ready for the complications that wait for Harvey in s2?