Riples and Waves

Collision

Sorry, it takes me a while to write things.

But I haven't given up guys.

I wrote you guys a long one this time though, I hope you can forgive me.

Recomended songs of the chapter:
Not about angels - slowed (https://youtu.be/DXmyikAfYvg)
All I want by Kodaline (https://youtu.be/IdROcOGwqQ0)

Anna's POV

Tommy Shelby's manor was filled with people to the brim. Jesse Eden's happiness could be felt across the room and it made Anna smile to see that level of unadulterated excitement for the increasing rights of the working class.

Anna expected to see the sullen faces of other factory owners upset over the concept of slightly more humane work conditions for their employees, she expected Lizzie's eager expression while greeting all the guests, she was even numbed to the drugs making the rounds around the room with barely any attempt of discretion.

The surprising part was Tommy's face.

"I'm impressed." Said Polly behind her. As Anna had come to expect from the Shelby family's matriarch, Polly looked immaculate. Earrings dangling from her earlobes shimmered in silver to compliment her gorgeous dropped-waisted black gown.

"With...?" Anna raised an eyebrow at her.

"Oh don't pretend you don't know what a miracle that is." Polly pointed with her wine glass-filled hand to the man across the hall. "I would like to know your secret." Her dark eyes were stony, in contrast to her smile.

She couldn't say: oh, nothing much, I helped the man through a panic attack a few weeks ago and now he doesn't automatically throw all of my ideas out the window. So she went with a very unconvincing: "I don't have a secret"

Tommy did look remarkably non-murderous on the other side of the ballroom, escorted by Ms. Eden. He wasn't relaxed, of course, Tommy Shelby was religiously against such demonstrations of human nature; but he hadn't antagonized anyone yet and was generally acknowledging Lizzie's existence so... yeah, Anna was just as impressed as Polly was suspicious.

"I told you, when we first met, not to lie to me girl."

Oh crap. For all of the Academy's virtues, Anna would never forgive them for underestimating how fucking hard it was to not cause huge waves in the river of time when the people you were supposed to interact with, were also literal criminal masterminds raised to pick up on bullshit.

"I remember..." She said cautiously. Maybe she could be honest without telling the truth? Anna held Polly's gaze and took hold of her right wrist, squeezing it gently. "Please don't make me lie to you, Ms. Gray. Please."

Before Polly could say anything at all, Tommy motioned Anna to come over. She gave Polly a last look of pleading and walked over to the man. She was absolutely not fleeing from that difficult conversation. Of course not!

Except that, yes she fucking was, and as soon as she could smell Tommy's expensive cologne Anna wanted to keep running, this time out the door. Not because the cologne was bad but because by the time she could smell it on him she could also see his companions.

Tommy was surrounded by a group of people and he introduced all of them to her but Anna could only absorb one name. Mr. Joseph Goebbels. The same man who had once said "Think of the press as a great keyboard on which the government can play." and then subsequently demonstrated such a theory all too well.

Up to that second, he was just another name on her strike list and she really never had too many feelings for the guy but history can't really show your personality. Though she knew that that is usually how it works, it still seemed utterly bizarre to see one of Hitler's best friends charm the group around her.