𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔𝟎

Maeve looked over to the door as it creaked open, her eyes landing on a small black cat. She furrowed her brows and sat up, squinting to try and get a better look at it.

A cat? In Tommys house? Surely not.

It just sat. It sat and stared at her straight in the eye as if it were trying to protect something— or warn her. Maeve looked around. It was still dark outside.

The cat just remained still, its back straight and its ears up. Maeve stared right back at it.

That's when she woke up, the sun shining through the curtains as it began to rise. She groaned and dragged a hand over her face. The cat was gone.

Maeve sat up and tucked her hair behind her ears. She knew the meaning of a black cat and she remembered what happened the last time one had appeared in her dreams.

She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. When would this family ever get a bit of peace?

After sitting there for a few minutes, Maeve finally decided to drag herself from the bed and change into more appropriate clothes before she went down to greet Tommy and any other potential visitors.

"Morning." Tommy sighed as he passed Maeve on the stairs. She frowned and stopped walking, watching him walk up the steps. "Morning?" She replied in a somewhat confused tone.

Tommy raised an eyebrow and looked at her. "What's wrong now, Maeve? It's only—" he paused and checked his watch, "ten in the morning and you already sound confused."

Maeve's mouth parted and she shifted her weight to one foot. "I'll have you know that i'm perfectly fine thank you." She scoffed, turning to continue walking.

Tommy mumbled a few things under his breath and she decided to ignore him.

"Good morning Mary." She greeted politely, slowly looking over to the door as it opened. Her heart dropped at the sight of Isiah and Finn. Maeve and Isiah just looked at each other.

"Maeve!" Finn said excitedly, sounding like a child on Christmas morning. Maeve ignored the sinking feeling in her chest and smiled widely at her uncle, accepting his hug. "Hello Finny." Maeve let out a breath.

Finn hugged her tightly. "Didn't give you a proper greeting the last time I saw you." He said in an apologetic way.

"That's okay. You don't owe me anything after I picked up and left." She laughed half heartedly. Maeve pulled away and jokingly grabbed his face. "You're still taller than me, eh?" Maeve grinned.

Finn smirked and shook his head. "Yeah but you just don't grow very much."

Maeve glanced over Finn's shoulder at Isiah who had remained by the door with his hands in his pockets, looking around the room. He was purposely looking anywhere but her.

She refrained from saying something to him and instead took a step back.

"So are you excited for the party then?" Finn asked. Isiah quickly shoved his foot into the back of Finn's knee and Finn groaned, doubling over and grabbing his leg.

"Isiah, you bastard!" He exclaimed. Isiah cleared his throat and checked his time piece.

Maeve looked between the two with concern on her face. "What party?" She asked. Isiah bit his tongue, not wanting to talk to her but knowing he had to. "Nothing— no party. Finn is getting confused.. aren't you Finn?" Isiah asked sternly as he discreetly grabbed the back of Finn's shirt.

Finn shrugged Isiah's hands off him and nodded. "Yeah. My apologies." He said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

"How's your fiancé, Maeve?" Isiah asked. She forced a smile onto her lips. "He's great actually— perfect." She taunted.

"Not getting back with Siah then?" Finn blurted out, causing the pair to glare at him. "Right..sorry. Sore subject."

"I'd never get back with him unless he was the last man on earth. Only then would I allow myself to do such a thing." Maeve admitted. Isiah frowned, trying to understand if it was an insult or a compliment.

"You both have only became stranger over the years." She insulted, shaking her head and spinning on her heels to continue doing what she was doing.

Once Maeve had disappeared up the hall, Isiah smacked Finn round the back of the head. "What're you playing at?! Tommy specifically said not to tell Maeve about the engagement party." Isiah scolded.

Finn winced. "Will you stop fucking hitting me!" Finn shouted, shoving Isiah backward whilst holding his own head. "And I don't know why you're so bothered. It's not like you're happy about her getting married anyway." He trailed off.

Isiah just stared at him. "Shut up Finn. You don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes I do. You haven't stopped loving her and you regret saying what you said the day she left." Finn shrugged, walking quickly before Isiah could hit him again.

Isiah would've argued with the boy if he hadn't have been so correct. Isiah regretted everything — it kept him awake at night, knowing what they could have been if he'd have respected her wishes or begged for her to stay.

But he didn't do either of those things and now she was due to be married to another man.

He watched Finn walk away sheepishly before pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fucks sake." He muttered to himself.

"Can I help you, Isiah?" Tommy appeared before the boy, giving him a fright. "Sorry, Tom. I brought Finn with me. You said you wanted to speak to him about a few last minute things."

Tommy nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Yeah I do. And I need you to go and pick Jonathan up from the hotel he stayed at last night." Tommy checked his time piece.

Isiah's mouth fell open. "Jonathan?"

"Jonathon Davies. Maeve's fiancé." Tommy raised an eyebrow. Isiah knew who he was talking about. Isiah bit his tongue and breathed through his nose. "And when is it that you want me to do that, Tom?" He tried his best to remain calm.

"Within the next few hours. We need him here for the party but we can't have him here too early. It almost eleven in the morning so you can do the rest of the thinking." Tommy said plainly, patting Isiah on the shoulder, understanding that it wasn't a nice task for Isiah to be completing.

"Got to be fucking kidding me." Isiah groaned, shaking his head.

-

Maeve sat at the window in her current bedroom, staring out at the driveway. She watched as Isiah's car pulled away from the house with both him and Finn inside.

The door creaked open and Charles appeared with a grin on his face.

"Hello, Auntie Maeve." He greeted her despite the fact she wasn't his Aunt. Maeve smiled softly at him. "Hello, Charlie. What can I help you with?" She took a calm approach toward the young boy.

Charles shrugged and rocked back and forth on his heels. "I'm waiting for my music lessons." He said happily.

"Oh are you?" Maeve replied enthusiastically. Charles nodded eagerly and went to sit beside her. "What're you looking out there for? There's nobody there." He hummed with a raised eyebrow.

Maeve smiled down at him. "I'm not looking for anything, Charles. Simply just looking I suppose. Where's ya father?"

"He's went outside. I think he's gone to check on his horse." He said. Maeve nodded. "And Lizzie?"

"She's with Ruby." Charlie said in a fed up tone. "I wish my mum was still here. I can't really remember her." He said quietly. His words send a wave of sadness through Maeve at the memory of Grace's death. "I don't remember her but sometimes I see her in my dreams."

Maeve's eyes widened slightly at what he'd said. He could see Grace? In his dreams? Charles was a true Shelby.

"She comes and talks to me. Sometimes she will read me a bedtime story like how Lizzie does with Ruby. But then I wake up and it makes me sad." Charlie admitted.

Maeve placed a hand on his shoulder. "Well i'm sure she's very proud of you, Charles. And she's probably looking down on you all the time."

He nodded a few times and took a deep breath. For how young he was, he could speak incredibly.

Charlie didn't remain by Maeve's side for long. He soon got bored and went back downstairs to the drawing room with his sister and Lizzie.

After some time had passed, Maeve herself decided to go down to Tommys office to look over some contracts he'd given her the night before. But when she got inside, the phone began ringing.

"Hello— i'm sorry but Mr Shelby isn't here at the moment. Can i pass on a message?" She asked. "Okay please wait for a moment." Maeve placed the phone down on the table and called for Charles.

"Charlie can you go and tell your father there's a phone call for him?" She asked. The blonde boy nodded and sped off through the door, wasting no time to get to his dad out on the field.

Maeve kept her eyes on the clock and frowned at how much time was passing.

Something wasn't right.

Maeve made her way out onto the field and frowned at the fog that was gathering. "Charlie?" She shouted. "Charlie are you there?" She repeated, walking onto the grass.

She spotted Tommy pointing at Charles and telling him to go back inside.

"You alright Uncle Tom?" Maeve frowned at him as he sat on the grass, out of breath. He took out a cigarette and lit it.

"Yeah. Yeah fine." He breathed.

Tommy said no more but got back on his feet and practically ran through the gate and onto the mud. "Jesus Tom. What's gotten into you?" Maeve followed after him.

He was a lot quicker than she was. Maeve flinched and covered her ears at the loud and sudden gunshots that Tommy had began firing not too far ahead of her.

She closed her eyes and kneeled, ensuring her ears were covered. "What the bloody hell are you doing Thomas!" She screamed.

He couldn't hear her shouts and continued shooting what looked like a scarecrow.

"Tommy stop!" Maeve shouted loudly, carefully walking to him. He was acting like a mad man, hardly moving as he fired his gun. "Maeve don't move." He said as he reloaded the gun.

She froze and looked down at her feet. Not too far in front of her was what looked like some sort of land mine.

"Maeve I said don't move." Tommy pointed a finger at her. Her breath was shaky and she clenched her hands into fists. "I'm not moving." She stuttered.

Tommy began shooting again,  most of the landmines exploding before them. Maeve closed her eyes tightly and tried not to move. "Maeve." Tommy said. "Maeve i need you to slowly take a step backward."

Maeve looked at him. "You're sure this won't kill me?"

Tommy shook his head. "Fuck." Maeve muttered, gently lifting her foot and taking a breath of relief when nothing happened.

"Go back to the house. If Lizzie asks about the noise, tell her you don't know what she's talking about." He instructed, ensuring she was safely away from the field before shooting up the floor once more.

"When will this family ever get peace." She sighed.

-

Arthur paced the hallway upstairs, tapping the sides of his legs as he did so. He couldn't take his eyes off the door that led to Maeve's old bedroom.

He was supposed to be angry with her. But oh how he missed his little girl.

He took a deep breath and gently opened the door, a familiar feeling filling him. The bed hadn't been touched in years. Linda had tried making it into a room for Billy but Arthur refused.

Arthur stood beside the window and picked up the old teddy bear that sat on the windowsill. He pursed his lips into a straight line before smiling slightly. A breathy laugh left his mouth as he did so.

Arthur sighed and sat down for a moment.

"Arthur?" Linda's god awful voice rang out. "Arthur we need to leave soon!" She shouted. Arthur groaned quietly and kept hold of the teddy bear whilst he returned downstairs.

"What are you doing with that? Is it Billy's?" She asked whilst buttoning up the little boys coat.

Arthur shook his head. "No. No it's er— it was Maeve's from when she was a kid." He admitted. "Thought she might of wanted it. Y'know? It's from her childhood."

"You don't owe her anything, Arthur." Linda hissed.

"Yeah— yeah i know that. But she's my daughter ain't she.." He said quietly. Linda glared at him. "She left, Arthur. She abandoned you."

Arthur shook his head quickly and pointed a finger at Linda, trying to say something but no words left his mouth. She raised her eyebrows at him and scoffed.

"Arthur, Maeve is nothing but—"

"No." He cut her off quickly. "You kept me from her. Tommy would have told me how she was doing if I had asked. If I wanted to— i don't know, write her a letter? He would send it off for me." Arthur said.

Linda raised her eyebrows in shock. "So you're saying this is my doing?"

"Yes. It is. Maeve went to America, so what? We were going to do that before Tommy got me locked up. And god, Linda, i didn't even fucking tell her. She found out the day we were set to sail. And why— because you told me it was best we didn't give her notice. You said she'd only flip out on us."

Linda was offended. "I was trying to help, Arthur. Everybody around here knows how out of hand she can get."

Arthur ignored Linda and walked out the door, slamming the door behind him and not waiting for her before getting into the car and driving off.

Nobody was going to try and tell Arthur about his daughter's insanity. Because he knew that children become the same monster that their parents are. He was the monster, not her. And he knew she was doing better.

-

Maeve walked around the house which was strangely quiet. "Uncle Tommy?" She shouted, fixing the pearls that sat on her neck. "You said the dinner was at five? I'm ready!" Maeve called out.

Nothing.

Maeve groaned loudly and opened the door to the drawing room, jumping at the sight of her whole family. "Surprise!" John screamed, throwing his arms up into the air.

Maeve placed a hand on her chest and breathed heavily. "Jesus— what is this?"

"It's a party to celebrate your engagement." Polly grinned, looking over to Jonathon who was stood in the corner. Maeve smiled slightly, an awkward feeling washing over her.

"Evening." He greeted, handing her a glass of champagne and placing a kiss on her cheek. Maeve couldn't help but look at Isiah as he did so. And as she expected, he was stood by the couches, his jaw clenched and his hands in fists at his sides.

Maeve looked down quickly. "How did you get here?" She chuckled. "I thought you were working."

"Yeah well. Tommy Shelby sure does know how to pull a few strings." He laughed, sipping from the whiskey glass. Maeve nodded slightly and let out a breath of relief when John approached them.

"Maeve! My favourite daughter who's not really my daughter!" He grinned, pulling her into a hug and squeezing her.

"Hello John." Maeve sighed into his shoulder.

"It's nice to finally meet your fiancé then, eh?" John teased, giving Jonathon a once over. Maeve smacked his arm lightly and cleared her throat.

"Where's my dad?"

Jonathon decided to go mingle elsewhere to allow them to have a conversation.

"He's over with Finn." John nodded toward Arthur. Maeve took a shaky breath and furrowed her brows. "He still angry with me?"

John hummed. "He's your dad. He won't stay angry for long. Besides, have you not noticed that Linda isn't here tonight? She was invited." John whispered.

Maeve raised an eyebrow and grinned. "No I hadn't noticed. But thank you John." She grinned wider.

"Listen." John placed a hand on the side of her neck. "You need to have fun tonight. I think the family have gotten over it a lot quicker than you think. Polly and Ada are delighted that you're back. Finn's missed his niece. Your dad has missed his daughter," John assured her.

She smiled and nodded. "Thank you, John. I hope you're doing okay." She said, referring to the absence of Esme and his children.

"I'll be fine. I've got you ain't I." He joked. Maeve nodded in agreement and looked around the room.

The night consisted of food and Maeve drinking way too much. Why? Nobody knew. But deep down she did. She felt guilty. Not just because she'd been away from Arthur for so long. But because Isiah was having to watch Maeve be with somebody else.

"Alright, Maeve love." Polly laughed, holding the girl by her arms and helping her sit down. "Oh, I love you Aunt Polly!" Maeve shouted.

Polly nodded and waved Finn over to sit with the girl for a few moments. "Don't let her have any more to drink," she instructed. Maeve gasped dramatically. "I'm an adult now!!" Maeve exclaimed.

"We know you are," Finn assured her, ensuring she remained sat.

"Where's Isiah?" Maeve looked around frantically to find the boy. Finn hushed her and she slapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes growing wide.

"I can't say that anymore can I? I'm not allowed to be worried where he is." She whispered, resting her head in her hands. "Please don't tell Jonathon."

Finn rubbed her back. "It's alright, Maeve." He told her. "Jonathon is with Tommy in the office and Isiah is—"

"Here. Isiah is here." Isiah's voice sounded from behind them. Maeve shot up and looked over her shoulder at him. "Shit." She grumbled. "Hello Isiah," her words were blending together ever so slightly.

Finn just nodded at Isiah.

"Hello Maeve. Have you enjoyed your night?" He asked, clutching his glass tightly. Maeve groaned and leaned back into the couch, looking up at him from there.

"I'm exhausted." She admitted.

Finn and Isiah shared a glance. "Exhausted?" Finn asked.

"Of pretending." Maeve muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose and forcing her eyes closed as the lights began feeling too bright.

"I'm not sure we understand, Maeve." Isiah carefully sat on the edge of the couch.

Maeve sat up once more and looked him straight in the eye. Isiah could only see hurt inside her eyes. Hurt and guilt.

"I can't pretend anymore, Isiah. I can't pretend that I love him because I don't." Maeve's voice was slightly shaky. Finn looked around to make sure nobody had came into the room, keeping it just them in there.

"Yes he's lovely and he cares for me but he isn't you and I hate that." Maeve said. "Oh my god what am i saying. I'm awful— completely awful." She quickly got up onto her feet and rushed to the door before drunken tears could escape her eyes.

The door slammed and Finn stared at Isiah who was focused on where she'd just left from.

"Isiah this is your chance. You love her, i know you do. Go after her before she decides to lie and tell you she means none of it." Finn encouraged. Isiah thought for a few moments but Finn snatched his glass and shoved him toward the door.

Isiah walked as quickly as he could without seeming too concerned whilst he went to find her. It didn't take long. She was in her bedroom.

"Maeve." He began, pushing the door open. She looked at him with pure embarrassment. "Maeve it's okay," he assured her as he watched her eyes fill with tears and her lip tremble.

"No it's not okay!" Maeve snapped. Isiah cautiously went to her, sitting on the bed beside her. "Because he loves me and I don't love him back. I'm supposed to be getting married to him," she stared at the ring on her finger. "But I can't even do that." Maeve aggressively pulled at the ring but failed in removing it.

Isiah shook his head. "Maeve— Maeve stop it, you'll hurt yourself." Isiah demanded, grabbing her hand and stopping her. Maeve stared at him, her cheeks stained with tears. He carefully opened up her hand and slowly removed the ring from her finger, setting it down on the desk beside them.

Maeve was a drunken mess. And she felt ever so vulnerable but there was a strange comfort she felt by being with him — being with him alone.

"Maeve i've never stopped loving you. Not even when you picked up and left. How could I stop loving someone who has been the centre of my world ever since I was young?" Isiah asked her seriously.

Maeve shook her head and looked away. "We can't do this, Isiah. We can't."

"Why not? Tell me why we can't do it, Maeve. Sweetheart, you know what's right so do the right thing. Don't marry Jonathon— he's not the one for you, Maeve. I swear."

Tears were uncontrollably leaving her eyes and he lifted his hand to cup her face, leaning forward and putting his forehead on hers.

"If you love me why did you make me feel like I had to leave?" She croaked.

"Because I was afraid that if you left, you'd never come back. So i chose to be selfish." Isiah said honestly. "But I love you, Maeve Shelby. Please believe me."

"Isiah please don't do this." Maeve shook her head.

"Do what? Tell you the truth? Maeve i can no longer lie to you— i can't wait around and see you be happy with him."

"Neither can I." Maeve said somewhat angrily. "He's the one that wants all of this, not me. Every time I look at him, all I see is you. All i want is you. But Jonathon isn't you— not even close."

Jonathon was a good man. He was kind. He took Maeve's best interest to heart— unlike many. Jonathon had money, knew how to run the business. So the decision Maeve needed to make would be terribly difficult no matter which way it went.

Yes, he was a good man. But he wasn't Isiah. He wasn't her Isiah. Isiah would drop everything to be with her— to make sure Maeve was okay. And letting her go was the biggest mistake he ever made.

Maeve once said to Isiah that she'd never let herself go back to him unless he was the only man left on earth. And it was only in this situation she realised that it always seemed to be him who was around when it felt like her world was ending, crumbling to pieces. Which did in fact make him the last man on earth— even if it was just for a few minutes.

And Maeve couldn't see herself without him anymore. She needed him more than ever.

"I'm sorry, Isiah." Maeve whispered, closing her eyes and taking a shaky breath. Isiah shook his head and pulled back, using his thumbs to wipe the tears from underneath her eyes. "Don't apologise, Maeve."

She shook her head quickly and looked up, feeling pathetic for crying in front of him.

Isiah took this as his chance to pull her into his embrace, rubbing her back and hushing her. "You'll be okay Maeve. I'll make sure of it." He said.

"I want my dad." Maeve's voice cracked as the words left her mouth. Isiah was in shock at what she'd said. Her and Arthur hadn't had a civil conversation since she'd been home.

Isiah nodded hesitantly. "I'll go and find him."

Isiah left Maeve in the room and descended the stairs. "Isiah, good for you to finally join us." John said as Isiah entered the drawing room where the whole family and Jonathon sat.

He nodded. "Arthur— Maeve's upstairs and she's quite upset. She's asked for you." Isiah tried to say it quietly but somehow everyone still heard him which caused panic to arise.

"What's happened?" Ada asked quickly. John stood to his feet. "Is she alright?" He asked. Arthur just stood, looking around.

"How do you know that she's upset?" Jonathon raised an eyebrow. Isiah stared him straight in the eye. "Because I know everything." He said cockily. "Just like how I know—"

"Alright you two, sit down." Arthur huffed, patting Isiah's shoulder before leaving the room. He walked past the large mirror that hung beside the stairs and backtracked, scooping up the teddy bear he brought with him.

Arthur was extremely hesitant to open the door and finally talk to his daughter. But eventually he did.

The moment Maeve looked at him, everything came back and all the anger he felt toward her disappeared. She was no longer sat on the bed but instead against the wall beside the window. "Oh my little girl," Arthur let out a breath, sadness consuming him at the sight of his daughter being upset.

Arthur sat beside her and sighed, looking at the teddy bear in his hands.

"Talk to me. What is it that's gotten you so upset, eh?" Arthur asked. Maeve sniffed, placing her chin on her knees as they rested in front of her chest.

"I can't marry Jonathon, dad. I just can't do it."

"It's because you still love him, ain't it? You still love Isiah." Arthur said plainly. Maeve frowned. "How did you know?" She asked. Arthur grinned. "I'm ya father, I can tell."

Maeve let out a breathy laugh and looked back at the floor. "Why do you have that?" She asked, referring to the teddy bear.

"It's yours from when you were little. I thought it was only right to give it to ya." Arthur said, handing it to her. She smiled slightly and took it from his hands, noticing how one of the button eyes were beginning to fall off.

"Thank you, dad." Her voice was trembling again and she didn't know why. But Arthur didn't ask her why. Instead he just pulled her in, cradling her head gently. "Oh my girl. It'll all be okay."

"I'm so sorry, dad. I'm so so sorry." Maeve apologised. "I shouldn't have left. I should've heard you out and tried to understand that you still needed me. I should've realised I still needed you. I'll always need you, dad." Maeve said, crying like a child.

Arthur bit his tongue when he felt his eyes sting slightly. It had been so long since he held her in his arms. "Listen i'll speak to Tommy about this whole thing. And when you're ready, you'll call off the engagement and we will all make sure that Jonathon doesn't do anything he'll regret."

Maeve hadn't felt like this in a long time. And she didn't know how much she'd missed her dad until now.

"I'm going to be better, Maeve." He whispered, "i'll stop drinking. I'll stop drinking for you." He said. Maeve wanted to believe that. She really did. But she wasn't sure if Arthur was capable of doing that.

"That would be good dad, it would be really good." She agreed.

"You get some sleep, my girl. It's late now anyway. I'll tell Jonathon everything is fine— he didn't seem too impressed that Isiah had came to find me. But we will get him a car and get him taken to the hotel." Arthur helped her up from the floor.

Maeve smiled slightly at Arthur when he cupped her face and kissed her forehead. "I love ya, Maeve. Don't forget that." Arthur reassured her.

"I love you too, dad."

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