𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔𝟐

Maeve watched from the corner of the Garrison whilst Arthur poured a glass, sitting opposite a man she'd never seen before. "Really meaningful, you know, a heartfelt song." Arthur rambled.

"I like it, i really do." Arthur nodded. "Boys—" He paused when he seen Maeve approach the table. "And Maeve, this here is Billy Grade, the man i was telling you about," he said. "Billy, this here is my kid brother, Finn." he tapped Finn. "Hey". Billy whispered.

"And this is my daughter Maeve." Arthur said, staring Billy directly in the eye.

Billy cautiously looked over his shoulder at the ginger girl who was stood directly behind him with her arms crossed.

"I'd be careful, she bites." Isiah said, earning half a grin from her.

Maeve leaned forward, pushing Arthur's glass toward him. "Have a drink, Billy." She instructed.

"I can't, my voice is.." He began.

"Drink, Bill." Arthur cut him off, more demanding him rather than suggesting. Billy nodded, hesitantly drinking. "You boys won't remember but i remember when Billy here made a living on the football pitch."

Billy laughed. "Yeah that was a long time ago Mr Shelby."

"What a left foot, eh?" Arthur said. "Yeah." Billy chuckled. Maeve and Isiah shared a glance. "And then what, manager, right?" Arthur hummed.

"Yeah, and now i'm a singer."

"A singer." Maeve hummed in amazement, moving round to stand behind Isiah, leaning her elbows on his shoulders.

"Are ya?" Arthur joked. "Every football team in England..knows Billy Grade, and he knows a few people too don't you Bill, hm?"

"One or two." Billy agreed quietly.

"Useful," Arthur told Finn. "Very useful. But what do you do Bill, eh? You're in here singing or whatever you call it, in shithole pubs in Birmingham." Arthur tutted.

Maeve gasped dramatically. "Do never speak down on our Garrison like that." She jokingly scolded. Arthur smiled and put his hands up in defence.

"That's no way to make a living, boys. Degrading." Arthur added.

"I love it," Billy said. "I really do, i love it. And thank you by the way for inviting me here tonight i really appreciate it—"

"Don't thank me. I didn't invite you here to sing. I wanna listen to music i'll buy a record. That's what i do. Real singer, you know, melody, tune." Arthur rambled.

"So what is it that you want, exactly?" Billy questioned.

Maeve, Finn and Isiah watched, amused. "Finn will explain the nature of my proposition, you'll listen to him won't you Bill? Cause if you don't, my Maeve has no problem taking your eyes, or tongue, or even shooting you. I know she's only little but.." he shrugged, half joking with his last comment.

"Yeah of course." Billy seemed slightly frightened at the sudden mention of violence.

Maeve couldn't help but smile, nodding at Billy.

Arthur stood. "I'll leave you with the bottle, hm." he said, nodding at Maeve to walk with him. Maeve followed after her father and sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"So we're going back to using terror to recruit people, eh? Just like old times." Maeve spoke up. Arthur sighed and sniffed. "That's correct, my girl."

Maeve stifled a laugh. "I thought times were changing, dad. What happened to that? Tom's a bloody politician now. We can't be doing this." She said.

Arthur shrugged. "Who cares? It's not like anybody is going to stop us any time soon." He grinned. Maeve shook her head at his cockiness but remained quiet.

-

Maeve lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. She was recounting the cracks in the ceiling over and over again like she did every time she found herself trying to sleep in the room of Polly's old home.

Finn and Isiah were downstairs drinking but it wouldn't be long until they called it a night.

She let out a frustrated breath and dragged her hands across her face. All she wanted was sleep. Maeve felt as though she hadn't slept properly in weeks. Recently, she was lucky to get a full few hours rest.

After what felt like hours, Maeve heard light chatter outside the door but decided to ignore it.

"She'll be awake. Maeve don't sleep anymore." Finn whispered, trying to encourage his best friend to go in and talk to her. Isiah stared at the closed door for a while and eventually, Finn decided to push him toward it.

"You're a dickhead, mate. An actual fucking dickhead." Isiah pointed a finger at him angrily.

Finn waved him away and went off to his own bedroom.

Isiah's hand hovered at the door handle for a few moments. "I'm awake." He heard Maeve mutter from the other side. Isiah let out a breath that he didn't know he was holding in and gently pushed the door open.

Isiah was met with the face that gave him strange comfort. She was laying underneath the thin, white sheet whilst the bedside lamp dimly lit the room.

"Can I come in?" Isiah asked. Maeve hummed and moved over slightly. He closed the door over and joined her, just sitting there and looking forward.

They stayed quiet. "Can I help you with something?" She finally asked. Isiah frowned and tried to think, realising he didn't know why he'd come to see her. "No— er i'm not actually sure." Isiah said, slightly embarrassed.

She just nodding slowly and closed her eyes, moving her head to rest on his shoulder. Isiah then wrapped his arm around her, the warmth of her skin calming him.

"Finn said you don't sleep anymore." He whispered, his thumb drawing circles on her skin. Maeve sighed. "He's right. And when I do sleep it's never properly."

A silence fell over them again but Maeve didn't care, she enjoyed his company.

"I still love you, Maeve. I miss you." Isiah blurted out. Maeve didn't know what to say. She could smell the alcohol on his breath. "So why did you let me go so easily."

"Because I thought that if I let you go without fighting, it wouldn't hurt as much when you moved on." He admitted.

Maeve opened her eyes and reached for his hand, intertwining their fingers. "So you believed that i'd move on." She asked. "Well you did, didn't you?" Isiah reminded her.

"Only because I didn't think i'd ever return." Maeve told him. "And because I thought you hated me. God— Isiah is believed you had somebody else." Maeve said.

Isiah bit his bottom lip and leaned his chin on her head, kissing the top of it. "There could never be anybody else, Maeve. I was miserable when I found out you were engaged. I couldn't imagine myself with anybody else but you and it killed me."

Maeve felt a lump gather in her throat. "Please stop." She whispered, not sure if she wanted to have a conversation like this again.

Maeve could count on one hand how many times they'd had a conversation like that — even before she moved to America.

And it always ended the same way: with them in each others arms in some way or another.

-

Maeve sat on an old stool with her elbows leaning on her knees as the cold consumed her. Finn stepped forward when their Aunt finally arrived, "happy birthday, Pol." He spoke, handing her a single red rose and leaning in for her to kiss his cheek.

Maeve stared down at her feet, breathing heavily and trying to stay as warm as she could.

"Looking grand in the horse shit, Pol." Curly nodded.

Maeve snorted and looked up. "Don't lie to her, Curly. We all know Polly don't like liars." She grinned. Polly turned to look at her and smirked at her playful persona was slowly returning.

"Curly, pour some beer eh—" Tommy lit a cigarette and immediately handed it to Maeve before retrieving another and lighting that one too. "The train for London leaves in an hour. Arthur, Micheal— you're coming with me."

Maeve frowned and sat up.

"Tommy, I have to take Gina to the hospital today." Micheal spoke.

"A week ago, once of our most trusted men was killed by Jimmy McCavern. The man we're going to speak to in London is establishing a relationship with Jimmy McCavern. So cancel your appointments and Ada can take Gina to the hospital."

"That's what women do." Arthur grumbled.

Isiah smirked and Maeve looked at him with disgust, shoving her heel into his shoe. He winced and looked down at her.

"Clean that shit off your shoes before you get in my car, eh?" Tommy said bluntly.

"Micheal, they will give it and give it and give it until the case is proven and then they'll take it from you but mainly from me." Polly assured.

"Oh give over, Polly." Maeve rolled her eyes, returning to hugging herself in hopes of warmth.

Maeve began ignoring Tommy as he started giving orders to Polly about going to the hospital to visit Aberama Gold. It was only when Isiah placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it in a reassuring manner that she started listening again.

"Wipe your fucking shoes Micheal— can smell that shit from here. I can smell your bullshit from here." Maeve finally stood, snatching the keys from Micheal's hands.

Tommy and Arthur shared a glance. "Where you going?" Arthur asked.

"I'm coming with you." Maeve said plainly, picking up an old cloth and shoving it into Micheal's chest as she passed him.

"Maeve I didn't tell you to do anything so sit back down." Tommy instructed. Maeve didn't stop, instead she pulled the door of the car open and paused. "When have I ever cared about what I wasn't supposed to do?" She asked.

"Are you forgetting who ya talking to?" John chimed in, speaking for the first time. "It's our Maeve you're talking to, Tom. Dont forget that."

Tommy looked at her sternly. "We don't need protecting, Maeve." Tommy said. Maeve's face dropped. "Who said I would protect you, Thomas? I'm not your mad dog." Maeve stared directly at Polly. "Isn't that right, Polly?"

Polly looked down and avoided her eyes.

"Didn't think so. Get in the fucking car." Maeve huffed, climbing into the passenger seat and staring at them all through the glass.

"You asked for this when you started involving her in all your shit at the ripe age of fourteen." Polly hissed at Tommy.

"She's got you there, Tom. She's bloody got you there." John chuckled, tapping the door on Maeve's side of the car as he walked past, giving her a proud wink and walking back off toward Watery Lane.

-

"So, whats the strategy?" Micheal asked as they walked up the stairs. "You can smile. And you, dont smile." He said to both him and Arthur.

"And what about me?" Maeve asked, her heels echoing whilst they walked. Tommy pushed the door open. "Do what you do best and just stare at him."

"Do what i do best— how is staring at people what i do best?" Maeve asked confused.

"Because you've got an intimidating look in those cold eyes Maeve. There's fuck all behind them." Tommy sighed, allowing them inside the office. Maeve felt insulted at the back handed complimented but said nothing.

"Nice— very nice, Tom. Although i must say, i thought your office would be bigger than this." Arthur grunted. "It will be," Tommy sighed, "Micheal you sit, Arthur you stand by the window. Maeve you stand wherever the fuck you want— I don't care."

"Why does my uncle have more attitude than me?" Maeve muttered under her breath. "What was in your cup of tea this morning? You're acting different." She commented.

He ignored her.

Arthur walked, stopping beside the curtain. "So, who are we meeting?"

"The man we're about to meet, is the minister for the Duchy of Lancaster. He is also deputy to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and cabinet advisor to the Primnister of Great Britain. You've met bad men before, the man we're about to meet is the devil."

"I thought the devil was in the room with us already?" Micheal said, his eyes landing on Maeve.

She crossed her arms and let out a pathetic laugh. "See, Micheal— that would've been funny if it was all those years ago when we actually liked you and you were actually tolerable. But unfortunately for you, times have changed." She said.

The phone rang, cutting them both off before they could begin arguing."Yep, send him in." Tommy exhaled, placing the phone down. Arthur and Micheal's heads turned to the door, watching as a dark haired man walked in.

"I never seem to get to meet you without your family." He spoke, sitting beside Micheal.

Maeve moved slowly, leaning against the wall behind Thomas' chair. Her arms remained crossed as she looked the man up and down.

"I understand you know a man called Jimmy McCavern." Tommy began.

"May i take a cigarette?" he asked Tommy. He nodded. "Who on earth is Jimmy McCavern?"

"Over the last 12 months, you've been making approaches to various men across the country who you think might be able to help you in your cause, McCavern is one of these men. He runs the East Glasgow shipyards. He killed an associate  of mine, i want to know what your strategy is."

"That ones your brother, yes?" he nodded toward Arthur. "Yes." Tommy replied bluntly.

"And im his business advisor," Micheal said. "We would like to talk business."

"Micheal." he said. "Micheal Gray, you lost all your cousins money in America playing the fool," he tutted, "a night club in Detroit called Gladiator is your regular. You lost the money and found a wife there. And poor old Arthur Shelby standing there at the window is afraid his wife will never return."

Arthur gripped the wood of the chair and Maeve had perked up at the mention of her father.

"My spies tell me shes been seen with another man." he continued. "Arthur— Arthur." Tommy warned, watching as the wood broke underneath his hand. "His time will come." Tommy said in Romani.

"What happens within this family, behind closed doors is none of your business, Mr Mosley." Maeve joined in, staring at Oswald intently.

All heads turned to her and Oswald raised a brow. "And you are?"

"You don't need to know who she is." Tommy started. "All you need to know about her is that you should be worried about her." He added. "So from one man to another, if you'd like to keep your body unharmed— keeping quiet about Arthur would be smart."

Oswald's mouth parted and he pointed a finger at her. "His daughter. Arthur Shelby's infamous daughter. Yes i've heard about you. You and your vicious acts." He grinned. "Not heard about you in a while though I must say. Not since Max Montgomery."

Her face dropped and the room fell completely silent. "You know what i've done but not the reasons behind it." She said lowly. "From what i'm guessing, Oswald, you grew up fairly lucky. With a mother and father and in some fucking rich school. We didn't. I didn't. I grew up with my family slowly climbing their way to the top. You wouldn't know how that feels."

"Alright." Tommy quickly said when she had pushed herself off the wall to get in Oswald's face.

"Mr Shelby i do have plans, i will have need of men like you. Except of course, there is no other man like you. You, in particular, i need. But please, dont imagine i would trouble myself with turf wars. You have many enemies. Shuffle the pack and pick another card" he stood, placing an envelope on the table. "That investigation of the dead journalist, the queer..i made that go away. Read it and er, come back to me. Next time bring only an open mind and a cigar to celebrate our union."

He threw his cigarette to the floor and turned, standing and walking out. Tommy let out a breath, opening the envelope.

"What the fuck was that all about, Tom?" Micheal asked. "Fuck." Tommy whispered. Arthur shook his head, pushing the chair to the floor, breathing heavily.

"Arthur! Do not let them get inside your head. Thats exactly how these people work." Tommy shouted.

"Who the fuck are these people, hm? Who the fuck are they?"

"Ive just been invited, to become the deputy leader of a brand new political party. These people say they are the future."

During this, Maeve had began walking to the door, a switch blade appearing in her hand. Tommy mumbled a few angry words and grabbed her by her shoulder, spinning her around and holding her by her shirt.

"You are proving the exact point he was inferring if you go out into that hall with a knife, Maeve. This isn't Watery Lane, this is a place full of important people that help run the country. So the last thing you want right now is to be locked away for attempted murder." He hissed.

Maeve's chest heaved up and down as she breathed heavily.

"You've gotten away with it every time but once— do not get in trouble for it now or everything you have ever done— everything I have ever done for you would have all been a waste."

"I don't need you to protect me." Maeve gritted through her teeth, clutching the knife tightly and holding it up to his chest.

"Maeve." Arthur warned.

Tommy slowly let go of her. "The only fucking thing you need protecting from is yourself, Maeve. I really wanted to accept the fact you'd gotten better but if anything you're just the same." Tommy whispered.

Maeve flipped the blade outward and shoved Tommy back into the wall, holding the blade up to his neck.

"Maeve— right fucking stop it." Arthur ran forward. "Dad don't fucking touch me." She said loudly. Micheal stood up from his seat. "Maeve stop."

"I swear to god, Thomas. One of these days you'll regret everything you've ever said to me. You'll regret letting me become the person who sat on a throne with you. I hold you in such a high respect, Thomas. But maybe now i'm starting to realise why everyone in this family hates you so much."

Tommy had tilted his head upward, breathing through his nose and genuinely afraid she was going to cut his throat open.

Arthur cautiously stepped forward. "Alright my girl, give me the bloody knife, eh?" Arthur asked, holding his hand out. Maeve stared Tommy dead in the eye and slowly lowered it, gently placing it into Arthur's hand.

Tommy wasted no time to leave the room and Micheal stood awkwardly with his hands in his pockets. After a few seconds he followed behind Tommy.

"One day i'll end up hurting him, Dad. He's placed himself of a pedestal that's too high for him." She whispered, staring at the open door. "And one day it'll be me on the throne he sits on."

Arthur stared at her, a slight twinkle of fear in his eyes. "I'm starting to think you've been there for a few years and that's his problem. He's afraid he's losing his power, Maeve."

She nodded slightly and sniffed, getting herself together again. "Linda is stupid too. When she married a Shelby man, she forgot the power that our family holds. No lawyer will agree to being apart of a divorce with a Shelby man. She's stuck."

"Fuck Linda." Arthur huffed.

Maeve smiled. "Yeah, fuck Linda."

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