𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟔

"What the fuck is a charity dinner anyway?" Maeve asked Finn, linking her arm around his as they walked through the large hall. Finn shrugged, "there's Isiah." He pointed, keeping her close as they walked through the crowd.

She uncomfortably tugged at her dress and pushed her curled hair behind her shoulders. "Isiah, what're you doing here?" Finn asked, greeting the boy with a smile.

"I'm apart of Peaky Blinder protection ain't i, kinda have to be here." Isiah said, sipping a whiskey glass.

Maeve had to admit, she much preferred him in a suit and tie rather than Blinder attire. Dare she say he looked handsome. "I er..heard what happened."

Maeve snapped her head toward him. "You did?"

"I did." Isiah nodded. Finn watched the boy carefully, ready to swing for him if he said anything out of order. "And I just hope you've done the right thing." Isiah said, his voice rather cold.

She breathed heavily, digging her nails into her palms. "I'm not getting into this tonight, Isiah." She refused, searching the crowd for a friendly face.

Isiah went to speak again but Finn placed a hand on Isiah's arm, stopping him. "Leave it, mate. She's struggling enough with the family kicking off at her. Doesn't need you joining in too.

"Oi, you." John shouted, placing an empty glass down onto a table and calling over the ginger girl. Maeve lifted her dress from her floor and joined him, ignoring the fact Arthur looked away from her. "You stay close, yeah?" He said, handing her a drink.

"Yeah.." she whispered, watching Tommy walk over to Grace and some brunette woman.

"I've got a feeling John.." she whispered, tugging on his sleeve, "i can feel it." She repeated. Her back was crawling with goosebumps and her skin had gone cold despite the warmth of the room. Maeve could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

It had been a whilst since she felt like this, it had been a while since she got a warning this severe. Something wasn't right. She could just sense it.

"John please listen to me." She begged, her heart pounding.

"You're just being paranoid, alright?" Arthur said, fixing his collar. "Shut up," she hissed, shaking. her head and crossing her arms. "I'm telling you, something isn't right. We need to go."

"Maeve, don't ruin our fun just because ya angry with yourself." Arthur said plainly, taking a drink off a passing man who weld a tray in his hand.

Once she realised they weren't taking any notice of what she was saying, she walked off, trying to find someone else to talk to.  But it was practically impossible, she knew hardly any faces in the room. And she certainly didn't want to talk to Isiah in that moment in time.

It was only when a bracelet fell from her wrist, she stopped and knelt down. A sudden coldness washed over her and she stood slowly, turning at the shouts of a man.

"For Angel!" He had a gun pointed toward her. Everything began moving in slow motion and the shot echoed.

Isiah and John were the first to run forward toward her, Arthur tackling the man who'd shot her, sending off another shot which then fired into Grace's chest.

Maeve's eyes went blurry as she gripped onto John's arm whilst she fell to the floor. Isiah placed his hands underneath her head and panicked. Maeve was struggling to breath and she closed her eyes, her breath rapid.

John suddenly stood and ran toward Arthur, Finn and the man, sending his fist into the man's face and shouting things that were completely inaudible.

"Maeve," Isiah said, grabbing her face and pulling her into his lap. "Maeve open ya eyes for me," he whispered, moving her hair from her face. She slowly opened her eyes and held onto him. "Yeah..yeah come on. You'll be alright." He assured her. "Maeve come on."

Ada rushed to her side and knelt to the floor, pressing her hand over the wound that began bleeding. "Am i going to die?" Maeve croaked, searching for Ada's hand and once she found it, intertwining their fingers.

"No, you're not going to die, Maeve." Ada forced a smile, pushing back her tears.

"I can't breath-" It sounded as if she was choking. "Where's my dad?" She asked, trying to sit up and look but only to be held down by both Isiah and Ada.

"Artha!" Isiah called out, "Artha!" He shouted. Isiah looked down and used his thumb to wipe the tears that were falling from the corners of her eyes.

Arthur slowly looked over and his heart dropped at the sight. He almost tripped over his own feet as he ran over, falling to his knees. "Maeve? What's happened, eh?" He asked in a hurry, taking his suit jacket and replacing Ada's hand with it.

"Get a fucking ambulance!" Tommy's voice rang out as he held Grace's limp body.

"Dad- dad you need to help me." A single tear slid down the side of her face. "I can't breath," panic set in and her chest rose rapidly. "Please help me, i don't want to die."

Arthur repeatedly looked around in hopes for help but there was nothing. "Isiah go get an ambulance or something." Arthur demanded, "Isiah go."

Isiah scrambled to his feet and went elsewhere.

Arthur pulled Maeve to sit upright and held her tightly. "You'll be okay, you always are. You're my daughter, Maeve." He whispered, squeezing his eyes closed as he held her. "And ya can't fucking leave me now, eh? Not now."

At this point, John had beaten the man to death. There was no way he was alive, blood had covered the floor and John still continued kicking him.

"Alright, John. That's enough." Finn panted, pulling him back. John looked down at his knuckles and looked over his shoulder at Maeve. "Is she dead? Finn, she ain't dead is she? Tell me she ain't dead." He begged, struggling to walk over to his niece.

"Finn, tell me she ain't dead."

Finn held John back as he began shouting whilst doctors ran about, some seeing to Grace and the others seeing to Maeve.

Ada had to hold Arthur back whilst they carried the girl out. "Get off her!" John shouted, "you hurt her and i'll kill you! D'ya hear me?" He shouted, "i'll fucking kill you!"

Tommy stood with his hands at his side, completely distraught at the fact his wife had just died in his arms. "John come on, we need to go." Finn muttered.

Ada stood and consoled Arthur for a good few minutes. "Artha is she dead?" John pushed away from Finn and grabbed Arthur's shoulders. "Tell me she's not dead, man."

"I don't know, John." Arthur stuttered, leaning his forehead on John's shoulder. "I don't fucking know." He sobbed, taking a fistful of John's shirt as he tried to remain standing.

"Fucking hell." John sniffed, running a hand across his face as tears began to well in his eyes. "She's a kid!" He spat, "a kid! That's all she is. And she was protecting us. Arthur, she tried to tell us something was wrong and we didn't listen to her."

"John, stop." Ada said. "If you don't stop, there's no finding out what has happened to our girl."

Isiah returned, a completely distraught look on his face. "Where'd she go?" He asked, his voice shaking, "Where've you taken her- tell me she's alright!"

Finn grabbed Isiah by the arms, a hand on the side of his neck and leaning his forehead on his in attempt to calm him down. "Isiah, you need to breath. They've taken Maeve to hospital, and if you calm down, we can go see her." Finn whispered.

Isiah held Finn's shoulders and breathed heavily, staring him straight in the eye, nodding quickly. "The hospital- yeah."

And with that, she whole of the Shelby family were making their way over to the hospital, praying that Maeve was alive. Praying she'd made it. Tommy on the other hand couldn't even think about Maeve. He had just held Grace whilst she died in his arms, completely helpless. He couldn't do anything but hold her and tell her it's all be fine.

But it was indeed not fine.

And for once in her life, Maeve Shelby was afraid of death.

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sorry for short chapter, this was a good place to leave it.