𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟔

"Where are we going, Tom?" Maeve squinted, still trying to shake the tiredness that consumed her. Tommy ignored her and continued walking past the graves on the field.

They stopped at one with the name Daniel Owen. Or better known as Danny Whizz Bang. Maeve frowned and looked up at him.

"Danny's grave? Why are we here?" She asked. Tommy took out a cigarette and lit it. "You see, Maeve. You said you wanted to become apart of things."

"No i never. John said I need to understand what goes on around here, you're twisting his words." Maeve corrected.

"I hate when you speak like that, you actually sound smart for once." He muttered, staring down at the grave. "It isn't Danny's body in there, Maeve. There's no body in there at all."

"So why the fuck have you done all this?" She waved her arms around, "did you just wake up one day and think it'd be fun to decorate a graveyard with the grave of someone who isn't dead?"

"No, Maeve." He hissed, "i woke up one day and realised i'd fucked up. I'm sure you know about the robbery- your dad can't keep his mouth shut."

"Careful." She warned, crossing her arms. He cleared his throat. "Anyway..we needed to store the things somewhere. And what better place than a grave, eh? The police are too thick in the head to even began searching here." He grinned to himself.

"But i don't understand why I have to see this grave. You could've just told me."

"Because, John also said we need to stop treating you like a child. So here you are, Maeve. Welcome to the real world," Tommy sighed.

"All right, bit dramatic." Maeve rolled her eyes, spinning on her heels. "I'm going back to the car, can't believe you dragged me out of bed at seven in the morning for this." She paused, "but uncle Tom, what's in there?"

Tommy thought for a moment. His niece would never tell, right?

"Guns, Maeve. A lot of them. Guns from a BSA factory." He said, staring at the grass. Maeve raised her eyebrows and walked backward, not wanting to ask anymore questions.

Although Arthur had told her about the stolen guns, he was drunk half the time so she never really believed him. But she certainly believed him now.

-

Tommy walked into the back room of the Garrison where Grace sat calculating bills, forcing Maeve to sit at the bar alone in the empty pub.

Where of course she would not
stay.

"There's tea," Grace spoke. He went over to the desk and leaned over her shoulder. "A new system, everything in the diary eh?" He asked, staring down at the diary she wrote in. Grace hummed.

Maeve eventually snuck over to the slightly open door and listened in.

Tommy pulled out a black pen and scribbled a black star onto the page. She frowned, "A black star? What does that mean?"

"Black star day is the day we take out Billy Kimber and his men. No one knows this," he said, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Not even your family?" She asked. He scoffed and turned to the door, "Grace, everyone in my family hates me. Why would I tell them."

Maeve scoffed, "your fault, nobody else's." She whispered before returning to her chair and taking her cap. "I'm going home, Tom!" Maeve called out, not waiting for a response.

Of course this time she was actually going home. She didn't want to risk extending her grounding especially now that her birthday was approaching.

-

Maeve opened the door, revealing a room full of the remains of the family. An all too familiar face sat at the table. A face that sent shivers up her spine.

"Thank you, you're a good boy," he spoke, accepting the food off Arthur.

"Grandad?" Maeve muttered, dropping her hands to her sides. The older man looked up at her and practically gasped. "Oh, Maeve Lillian. Oh how you've grown," he spoke.

Maeve frowned, examining his face. John stood beside her, his arms folded and a sour look on his face, almost mirroring Polly who stood opposite him.

"Why're you back?" Maeve asked. Arthur Sr laughed, "that's one way to greet someone you've not seen in years, isn't it?" he joked.

"Well..you did leave us. And i was all but..four?" She questioned.

Arthur stood silently in the corner, watching the interaction. He'd never seen his daughter so calm. Calm in a disturbing way. She wasn't throwing sarcastic remarks about, or making jokes. Or threatening to snap someone's fingers. She was staring at the man she called her grandad, the burning feel of betrayal returning to her.

"Bless thee, Father, for these bounties we are about to receive." He mutters to himself.

Maeve took a seat opposite him, just in front of her father. "Jesus christ." Polly muttered, looking away. "Please, woman, not in vain."

"Finish your sandwich and sling your hook," Polly stared at him. "Pollyanna, i'm the guest of the head of this family."

"The head of the family ain't here." John corrected, "Tommy-" Arthur whispered. "He sometimes helps me with..with business, Dad."

"You promised me you'd come back for me..for us." Maeve whispered, her fists underneath her chin as she scowled at him. The night he left replayed in her head. She was only a child when it happened yet she remembered it clearly.

Polly, as well as Arthur, grew slightly uncomfortable at the girls calm behaviour. "Why did you lie?" Maeve asked.

"Well..Maeve. You see-"

"No, i don't see anything. I see a coward." She hissed, "a coward who promised to come back for me." Her voice grew louder, more anger filling it.

"There she is.." John whispered, "the Maeve we all know."

The door opened, Tommy entering seconds later, saving the possibilities of Maeve lashing out.

"Aye well, speak of the devil," Everyone looked at him. Tommy froze, looking at the older man. "How are you son?"

"Get out." He hissed. "Come on, son," he tilted his head, "i'm a changed man." Arthur Sr raised his arms in the air.

"This family needed you ten years ago. And you walked out on us. Not now." Tommy said lowly.

"Tommy, he's different." Arthur pleaded, staring at the table. "Shut up." Tommy spat. Maeve turned in her chair, "you shut up." She retorted.

"It's all right son, Arthur Shelby never stays where he's not welcome." he picked up his coat from the chair. "Quite something you've become." he nodded to Tommy. "Bye son." he rubbed Finn's hair. "You've grown to be quite the beauty, Maeve." He nodded slightly and walked away.

Finn's head followed his dad who was walking away. John pulled his shoulder back.

"He's our dad," Arthur whisper. Tommy scoffed. "He's a selfish bastard."

"You calling someone a selfish bastard?" Arthur asked. "that's a bit rich Tommy. I mean, thanks to you, we're already down a bloody sister." he said, referring to Ada.

"You want to see him Arthur? You want to see him?" Tom pointed at the door. "You go with him,"

Arthur got out of his chair, walking to the door, slamming it behind him.

"Thomas." Maeve said coldly, "you really do know how to be a horrible bastard, don't you?" She shook her head, quickly following after her dad.

-

Maeve held Finn's hand as they followed both the Arthur's through the gym. "The boy needs a good hiding if you ask me," her grandfather said, referring to Tommy.

"Yeah well, Aunt Polly's close to giving him one." Her dad agreed.

"John and Ada too, it sounds like." He added. Arthur Jr shook his head, "no John moans on bloody principle- but if you saw his Mrs."

"You have a girl yourself, son?" He asked, all of them taking a seat. Arthur looked over at his daughter and shook his head. "No.."

"Perhaps when it suits Tommy, eh?" Arthur Sr suggested.

"Yeah, well. He's been different, since the war." Arthur said nervously. Arthur Sr looked down at Finn, "war can change a man. Speaking from experience anyways."

"Where did you fight, dad?" Finn asked.

"In the bedroom with women," Maeve whispered, kicking a stone. Another thing Maeve remembered from when she was a child was the beatings he'd give his wife, Arthur's mother. She remembered the way her father would lock her away in the bedroom so he couldn't get to her.

"Er..all over son. All over." Arthur said, ignoring his granddaughters comments. "And then Jesus Christ spread his light over me. As a pilgrim i come to visit the new world."

"America," Arthur Jr smiled.

"Casinos, money factories son. Look, i've been studying a competition," he pulled out paper, "their schemes, their systems. Look, all there. I'm an old man and my hearts a battered vessel but within there still beats a pulse of a dream. Shelby Casino and Hotel. People will come flocking from all corners. At the Shelby where i can stand proudly with my children at my side."

Maeve began drowning out the rest of the conversation, even the parts where her father began offering money to him. And the part where Arthur said he was sick of taking orders from Tommy.

-

The doors of the Garrison swung open and Arthur walked round the side of the bar. "Grace, i'm taking five pounds in petty cash, alright?"

Maeve stayed beside the door, not wanting to go any further.

Grace turned in her seat. "We don't have five pounds in petty cash,"

"Then i'll take what we've got," he grumbled, digging through the cash register. Grace let out a breath and turned back toward the table. "Count it and leave a receipt- Arthur there are things in these books i don't understand."

"Can you actually do anything?" Maeve huffed. "Like what?" He asked, completely uninterested.

"Every week we pay one pound, ten shilling by postal order to a Daniel Owen in London." Grace looked over to him. "Danny Whizz Bang, hangs round the pubs in Camden Town, he keeps his ears open for business. He's a good man."

Maeve winced, cringing at the fact Arthur had basically ratted them out and Grace would soon begin asking questions.

"I thought Danny Whizz Bang was dead?" The cogs began turning in her head as she put the pieces together.

Bingo. Not even ten seconds and she'd asked a question.

"Well you thought wrong didn't ya?"

"Dad..just shut up and take the cash and we'll go," Maeve urged, knowing exactly what was about to happen.

"But i've seen his grave, he was shot." Grace tilted her head. "Yeah that was a show to satisfy the Wops. Tommy just shot some sheep's brain at him," Arthur shrugged, counting the money in his hands.

"Who's buried in his grave?"

Arthur slowly looked up, not liking the amount of questions she was asking. "Now look, Grace, you know what's good for ya, you don't ask questions about things that don't concern you. Never, right. That's for you," he placed a coin onto the table. "And don't tell Tommy I took this!" He called out as he walked away.

-

"Hello son," Arthur Shelby Sr. spoke as his son appeared in the ally way, peering over Arthur He's shoulder and locking eyes with Maeve who stood uncomfortably. "It's all there," Arthur Jr. shoved the stacks of money into his hands. "It is indeed, we're gonna do something with this son, something magnificent."

"When do we start, dad?"

"Hungry for work, are ya?" Arthur Sr. grinned. Arthur Jr. nodded. "Ship sails Friday, meet me at the boxing ring at eight."

"Friday," Arthur Jr. repeated, feeling proud that he had managed to make his father happy.

"Dad, i'm not too sure about this," Maeve whispered as the pair walked back the way they came.

"What's the worst that can happen, eh?"

"He can rob you of your money and leave you in the dirt. He left us once, he'll do it again. Dad, i know you think he's changed but people don't change." Maeve tried convincing him.

"We'll see then eh?"

"Dad, you know what Tommy will do if he finds out you took that much money." She spoke lowly, a slight shake in her voice. Arthur threw his arm around her shoulders, "well I ain't taking orders from him no more, my girl." He smirked.

Maeve bit her bottom lip and looked away. She, once again, could feel trouble. And it was going to play out exactly how she thought.

"Dad," Maeve spoke up. He looked down at her and waited for her to continue. "Could you give me a pass on my grounding- just for tonight, you see, Thea and Max want to see me before my birthday." Maeve said with pleading eyes.

Arthur clicked his tongue, "eh, well i suppose so. Just don't tell Aunt Pol."

-

Maeve couldn't help but smile when Max had picked her up, engulfing her in a suffocating embrace. A smile that made her feel strange. It felt wrong to be so happy in his presence.

"Maeve Shelby, i've missed ya! I never imagined that id ever say such a thing to you but it's true!" He huffed, holding her tightly.

"It's only been a week, Max." She chuckled, her head against his shoulder. Max finally placed her back on her feet and smiled. "A week is too long though ain't it."

"I wouldn't know." She grinned, "i thought it was quite peaceful without you."

His face dropped and she snorted, "only kidding, Montgomery." She assured him, pushing past to walk up the stairs, "where's Theadosia? She coming?"

"Er yeah, should be. Said she'd be coming a bit later on though." Max followed her up, sighing when she purposefully took up the whole bed. "Maeve come on now."

"What? Can't hear you." She mumbled, rolling onto her front and shoving her head into a pillow.

Max threw his head back in annoyance and leaned over her, jabbing his fingers either side of her and causing her whole body to jolt. "Max Montgomery!" She squealed, quickly turning onto her back and pulling her knees to her chest in attempt to stop him.

"Move." He huffed.

"Max that hurt- what the fuck!" Maeve shouted, throwing her foot forward and kicking him in the stomach. Max doubled over and coughed, automatically grabbing her leg and pulling her forward, a laugh mixed with a scream falling from her mouth. "Max- Max let go, i'll move. Please let go!" She panicked, trying to wriggle out of his grip.

Suddenly Maeve's back collided into the floor, causing a loud bang. There was silence for a few moments and Max grew worried that he'd hurt her.

Maeve was curled into a ball, on hand on her back, the other over her face. "Maeve?" He asked, kneeling down and placing a hand on her upper back. "I didn't mean to do that, I swear."

Maeve took a deep breath before bursting into laughter, grabbing onto his upper arm for support. Max sighed out of relief and helped her to her feet. "Your face- should've seen it!" She pointed at him.

"Shut up, Shelby." He tried his best to hide his smile but failed miserably.

It felt like forever until Theadosia finally turned up. But once she did, they drank and smoke a lot more than they should of. Max was asleep in Maeve's arms and she'd began rambling on about the family drama's to Thea.

"So..Tom was speaking to that barmaid about something called black star day and apparently that's the day he plans on betraying Billy Kimber- which i think is totally ridiculous." She paused.

"And then he decided to tell me that they stole BSA guns and they're buried in Danny Whizz Bang's grave who, might i add, isn't even dead. He's very much alive and living in London." Maeve leaned against the headboard, her fingers gently grazing back and forth of Max's arms whilst he slept.

Theadosia carefully took in every word, trying to memorise it the best she could. This was all she needed, the missing pieces of her puzzle. If she could get this to Grace who could get it to the inspector, it'd all be over. The Shelby's would be over.

Maeve hadn't even noticed the different look in her best friends eyes whilst they spoke. She no longer looked at the Shelby girl in awe but instead she looked at her maliciously, knowing that the more Maeve spoke, the more she was feeding Theadosia's antics. The bigger downfall she was creating for Tommy and the family.

If only she'd realised, maybe she'd have stopped talking. Maybe she'd have told Thea she was lying about the whole thing.

Although Maeve had a hunch since the first time she saw Theadosia talking with Grace. She had a suspicion that it was her own best friend who was contributing to the strange chills she would get up her spine. The chills that warned her about the trouble. But yet she refused to believe it as she had no proof.

And Maeve Shelby hated being wrong. She hated being made to look like a fool. So she said nothing, didn't accuse the Roberts girl of anything.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Maeve suddenly stopped talking, her mind still foggy. Thea hummed, "like what?"

"Like you're doing an incredibly hard maths equation." Maeve slowly sipped from the liquor bottle and continued observing the girl. The look in her eyes didn't change once. "You aren't passing information are you?" Maeve asked jokingly.

"No, of course not." Theadosia replied coldly, not an ounce of regret in her voice whilst she spoke. Silence. "I have to go though, mum didn't really want me out tonight."

"That's fine, i'm assuming you're alright going by yourself as i probably can't get up," Maeve referred to the Montgomery boy who was extremely comfortable in her embrace. Thea raised her eyebrows in agreement and slipped on her shoes, saying nothing and leaving.

Maeve began pondering about the whole situation. What if Thea was passing on information? Would Maeve get in trouble with Tommy or Arthur for sharing the family business? How would she react if Theadosia was a traitor?

"What you thinking about Maeve?" Max mumbled, keeping his eyes closed but keeping still, his back still against her chest, his hands on her outer thighs.

"I think Theadosia is up to something.." Maeve huffed, wincing at the sharp pain in her forehead and the sudden wave of shivers up her body. "Care to elaborate?" He asked, his thumbs drawing circles against her skin.

"When we saw her in the Garrison talking to Grace, and I thought i knew something. Well i think i was right. Ever since that copper arrived, she started acting weird." She began. Max eventually sat forward and turned to face her.

"And Thea only returned when he arrived, strange no? And he was here about my family. I tell you and her things about my family. This copper suddenly knew things he shouldn't. But how? How did he know these things. He could only have gotten this type of information from somebody in the families inner circle. For example Theadosia and Grace."

"Why both of them?" Max leaned against his fist.

"Well Theadosia is my close friend, Grace works for Tommy. And by doing that she's automatically in. Last week i caught her listening in to one of Tommy's meetings, the other day she was asking far too many questions than she needed to. Questions that didn't concern her." Maeve stared at the wall, trying to think.

"Tonight i told Thea something i found out earlier, what's the bet Tommy gets stitched up for something. If i've been able to set her up, i can confirm she's the rat." Maeve ran a finger over her bottom lip.

"And you had the suspicion yet you still gave her information, why?" He asked. Maeve took a deep breath, "because i thought I could trust her."

"And what are you going to do if you were right?"

"I'm going to kill her." Maeve whispered, her eyes completely cold. Max's lips parted and he didn't know what to say, "you're going to..kill her?"

"Maybe. Maybe not, it's what my family usually do with people who snitch, so why should she get a pass? I've known her my whole life. She had no excuse to do this to me, to us."

Max nodded along, for once thinking her reason for violence was somewhat reasonable.

"Can we stop talking about that though..it's stressing me out." Maeve admitted, tucking her hair behind her ears.

Max agreed and moved beside her, letting her take a similar position as to what he had before. She was sat between his legs, her back against his chest, his arms over the front of her shoulders. Maeve placed her hands over his arms and leaned back. Of course she didn't think anything of the way they had been with each other that night, she was just grateful Arthur had allowed her to leave the house.

"Tommy will kill me if he knew it was me who told someone." Maeve whispered, begging herself to let the situation go. Max placed a kiss on the top of her head, "you'll be okay, you always are."

"Where's Cameron?" She suddenly said, for whatever reason realising his absence over the week.

"He's gone down to Wales for something, he didn't say much. Just said bye to mum and left." He shrugged, looking out of the window.

"Did i overreact with everything.. y'know between me and him." Maeve asked the older boy.

Max thought for a moment. "Maybe. But he did something he knew you hated, he knows how much you love your dad so speaking about him the way he did..i'd say he was asking for it."

"He tried to make me out to be a whore, Max. Said 'so what, cause i don't want you, you're trying it with my brother?' i felt ashamed." Maeve said, trying her best to repeat something similar to what he'd said to her.

Max was shocked. Not only at the fact his brother had said that to her but at the fact she'd admitted to being ashamed of herself.

"You've got nothing to be ashamed of."

"I have," she whispered, her mind going back to the multiple moments her and Thea shared together. Moments she was regretting because she wasn't even certain she felt anything toward her in that way.

"Arthur Sr came back," she finally spoke again, "has practically robbed my dad blindly. Everything's going to shit, Max."

He refrained from laughing at the fact the alcohol she'd consumed was beginning to make her emotional. "Don't get upset, Shelby." He smiled to himself, jokingly rocking her side to side.

"Stop, you'll make me sick." She said groggily.

Max knew what was coming next, the heart to heart or the one where she began doubting her whole existence. He wasn't sure which one he'd prefer.

"I can't believe i'd let myself do something so stupid! I've let the whole family down, haven't i? I can't seem to do anything right. Aunt Pol is always on my case about something fucking ridiculous, Tom is always giving me shit for nothing. Finn is just..Finn. My dad is a drunk who doesn't know what he's doing and Ada is absent. Only really John who thinks i'm half normal." She ranted.

Max took a deep breath, "well you're perfect in my eyes, Shelby."

"Don't be ridiculous, Max. I don't need you to pity me." She scoffed, leaning into him and looking up at him. "I'm being serious," he chuckled, moving her hair away from her face.

"What?" She whispered.

"I think you're normal. You might have a temper but it doesn't make you not normal. You don't do everything wrong, you make mistakes but so do I. You're Maeve Shelby. You're our Maeve Shelby." He said quietly.

Maeve quickly turned around to face him and frowned. "And if you weren't Maeve Shelby, life would be a bit boring wouldn't it?" He grinned, grabbing her chin with his finger and thumb.

"Yeah probably," she let out a breathy laugh.

And before she knew it, Max had kissed her. It was soft and gentle. She didn't pull away, she closed her eyes and kissed him back. Max was so careful with her, almost like she was a piece of glass.

Max carefully cupped her jaw, his other hand on her lower back. Maeve didn't want to pull away, this kiss was completely different to the ones she shared with Thea. This one didn't feel wrong or forced. She actually wanted to kiss him. She felt something.

Max pulled away for a moment, ensuring everything was okay and she didn't want him to stop. Maeve just looked at him, her lips burning. Max placed one more quick kiss onto her lips before pulling back.

"You're my Maeve Shelby." He said with the intent to make her cringe. And she did cringe. She jokingly gagged and covered her month. "I mean..thanks but no thanks."

"Yeah okay, Shelby." He scoffed, pushing her gently. "But whatever happens with this whole Grace and Thea thing, i'll be here. I'm not going anywhere."

╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝

I apologise to anyone who wanted a
girl x girl love interest but it was kinda difficult to write as i'm straight. I didn't want to offend anyone if i wrote something wrong or anything. But i tried my best.

And it isn't 100% certain that Max will be Maeve's definite love interest.