Crown of a Prince (Finn Shelby)

55.

“Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow” Ailbhe promised Arthur, shutting the car door and turning to face the beautiful house she had lived in once. It seemed a long time ago when she had arrived at the house, eager to leave the Shelby family behind her and yet here she stood, more in than anything.
 
Ada’s house hadn’t changed at all, she wasn’t sure why she had expected it to. She had only been gone for a few months but she had a bad feeling that a  lot had changed.
 
The housekeeper let her in, asking her to wait in the drawing room while she fetched tea and Ailbhe could wait for Ada there. But she heard voices, groans and the noise of shattering glass coming from the library. It was the noise of chaos so, of course she followed. Ignoring the housekeeper’s requests for her to stay put, she followed the noises and pushed open the door of the library.
 
She wasn’t easily shocked anymore but she hadn’t expected to see Aberama Gold cutting a bullet out of Finn’s arm while Isiah pinned him down to stay still. Their job in Chinatown clearly hadn’t gone to plan and Finn had taken a bullet to the arm.
 
They also hadn’t expected Ailbhe Kennedy to stand at the door, a hand on her hip as she looked between the three men. She looked the same and yet different, more freckles on her face and her skin had a golden glow from the Summer months in New York. She wore a green dress, the same shade as her eyes that made them stand out and her hair was tucked up around the nape of her neck but Finn knew if he pulled the pins out, it would fall down her back and tempt him to wrap the curls around his fingers. Finn shook the idea frm his head, distracted again by the shooting pain of his arm, glad of the distraction.
 
“Well, this is a lovely welcome home” She stated, tilting her head and looking between them with the big green eyes she had always been known for.
 
Her eyes caught on Finn’s of course, realising that his wound wasn’t too serious and they just needed to extract the bullet. His hair was different, the curls on top of his head a complete contrast to the bald skin of his head around the rest of his scalp and he looked bigger, taller and broader than she remembered. He was looking back at her, his eyes wide and for a moment she saw a flash of something soft, something familiar in his eyes that looked almost like relief when he saw her.
 
Ailbhe tore her eyes away as she realised that flash of relief and happiness to see her disappeared as fast as it came. She had been dying to see him for months but he hadn’t written back to her, hadn’t telephoned in months and despite his promises, despite the fierce way he had loved her and promised her nothing would change. It hadn't been true. She had been frightened he would decide that out of sight, out of mind and life could go on without her quite easily.
 
He hadn’t expected to see her for months. He had almost given up on the idea that one day she would just walk back into their lives, as if she had never left. Ailbhe hadn't been gone twenty four hours when Finn had arrived at Tommy's office, demanding to know what they would do to get her home. Tommy didn't have the time nor the patience for Finn's questions and constant hassling about what they were doing to get Ailbhe's name cleared. Eventually, Finn stopped asking, knowing that Tommy was coming close to boiling point with him. Tommy had told him nothing about the process to get Ailbhe home, nor did he tell her she would be coming home so soon but if only she knew he had been doing within his power to make it happen.
 
“Welcome back Alv, nothing’s changed” Isiah laughed, taking a swig from the bottle in Finn’s hand and keeping him still with the other.
 
Aberama Gold looked from the bullet hole in Finn’s arm and back at Ailbhe, glad to see the young woman back from New York. Things hadn’t been the same without her, Small Heath and the Company lacked a certain vibrancy without her. She brought a certain brightness, an air of youth and hope to the family and they had sorely missed it. Some more than others.
 
“Miss Kennedy, perhaps we could wait for the touching reunions until Mr Shelby here isn’t about to bleed out on his sister’s furniture” Aberama called her over, gesturing for her to rip a blade out of Finn’s cap that had been cast to the floor.
 
She dropped her handbag to the floor, kneeling beside Aberama and ripping the blade free. Finn saw her pause for just a second, realising Finn still wore her pendant in his cap the pendant she had sown there years ago to remind him that he had someone in his corner forever. She pushed that sentiment aside and yanked the blade free, passing it into Aberama’s open palm. She tipped the bottle of alcohol over it, hoping it would sanitise it enough.
 
“You know what you’re doing?” Isiah asked Mr Gold, looking apprehensively between Ailbhe and Aberama. Finn had his eyes squeezed shut breathing through the pain.
 
“I’ve done this a thousand times” Aberama said casually, pushing aside the fabric of Finn’s shirt “I once took a bullet from between two ribs, one inch from the heart”
 
Ailbhe felt a little better about letting Aberama Gold slice into Finn’s arm but that feeling quickly faded.
 
“Mind you it was a horse, and the horse did die” he added and for some bizarre reason, the boys started laughing.
 
Isiah gripped onto Finn around the shoulders, holding him still and Ailbhe held Finn’s arm. She hadn’t thought this would be the first touch they would have after so long but she tried not to react. But it wasn’t easy. She had missed the warmth of his skin and the way things seemed almost electrical between them, how a touch or a look could be enough to calm her nerves or excite her to no end.
 
She held back the skin as Aberama dug in. The shouts and groans from Finn were enough to make Ailbhe’s stomach turn, she hated him being caused pain but he took it. He clenched his jaw and breathed sharply through his nose, his other fist clenched
 
“Ailbhe, show me your hands” Aberama ordered, looking over at her.