Heaven On Hold | Peaky Blinders

Stop Shooting Seagulls

It had been multiple long years choosing sides and I was finally done with that.

I wouldn't choose.

I couldn't choose.

They stayed family and he stayed my lover so I did what was best, retreating myself from the fight.... from everything that had influenced me in the past few years and hide in the familiar shadows so I could think about the best thing to do.

~~~

Alfie and I had left our empire behind after all those rough years of leading it. Of course I kept my mansion in London just in case something would happen back there or here and we had to go, but all my important stuff was moved into the messy and cozy home, leaving my former home empty and cold.

The chill breeze coming from the ocean side blew my hair in front of my face and two hands gently restrained my hair into a loose ponytail.

I looked up to see Alfie joining me onto the small white balcony and he entangled his hand in mine.

Together we started looking into the horizon, lost in our own minds, and I leaned my head on his broad shoulder.

I was such a heartless and untrustworthy woman.... never thinking I would ever learn or earn to find love in any form in my life. It had felt uncomfortable and unfamiliar to me at first, especially since my family wasn't as cold and distant as me. However months went by and I was taught to love by multiple important people along the way ever since I had joined Tommy on that boat back in London.

I was so grateful for my family and for Alfie.

After I left Tommy at the boxing fight, I had encountered him once more and honestly it was a surprise for us all. Even after all these years I could still remember his tired feet dragging himself up our old fashioned balcony and his clenched fist patiently knocking on our door only to find it open already. His shaking hand then opened it slowly, stepping foot inside our little home and checking out the place before Alfie and I appeared in front of him and greeted him joyfully. He didn't seem so joyful and controlled as he normally was though, he rather came over as nervous and stressed while he dropped himself onto our red couch with his hands folded.

After I offered him something to drink, it didn't take long before we started to get to the real business.

Alfie had casually cut off the conversation about how my family was doing and asked why Tommy was really visiting us after everything that happened. Tommy simply revealed that he needed to organise a riot to cover up Mosley's assassination and to be honest it had taken a moment for Alfie and I to agree with whether we had to help Tommy or not. Eventually he offered up some of his Jewish men at a price of £25 for each man and £10,000 for himself. 

That had been our last contact with the criminal world and it gave us both a relieved feeling.

I didn't have the need for it anymore.

I was too worn out and scarred by it which left me with the urge for a normal life, spending it alongside my lover and Alfie had the same feeling.... plus a secret that he wasn't able to hide anymore.

I had suspected it over the time I saw him change, but never had he told me he was suffering from skin cancer until I questioned him about it. He was afraid I would start to see him differently or leave him because he didn't have much time left, but I assured him I would stay with him until the end because I love that man with whole my heart.

"Alfie?"

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

"Please stop shooting those seagulls, the postboy is arriving." I chuckled as I placed my hand on top of his revolver and pushed it down so he couldn't aim properly anymore. He laughed with me and instead of holding onto my hand he grabbed a hold of my hip as he let the pistol slide in its holster again.

"Good morning." Alfie waved at the young boy in a friendly manner and the boy enthusiastically walked up to us as we walked down the stairs. "What do you have for us today?"

"Some new letters from Polly Gray and Aberama Gold and a few other unfamiliar letters." He smiled and handed it to me.

"Thank you." I patted the kid on his back gently and let my fingers glide over the different letters.

"Well, have a nice day the both of you." He bowed his head a little and I did the same.

"You too kid." I replied and waved at him as he was on his way again. Normally we would've offered him something to drink because we knew how long he worked and how many streets and places he had to go to at such a young age, but it appeared he was very busy today and didn't have any time for a break.

"More letters than normal...." Alfie furrowed his eyebrows, holding his hand open so I could hand them to him.

"Yeah." I nodded.

He was right, it was a bit confusing and suspicious we had more letters than we usually received and where they came from were unfamiliar. Normally my mom and Aberama were always the only ones to write us a letter about what was going on back home. We knew they missed me and I missed them too, especially after I heard that Aberama almost died in a stabbing incident, but luckily he survived. 

"Um.... Rio, love, we have a problem." I bit my lip, seeing that he had opened an unknown letter and I instantly hugged him from the side as he turned pale, his bottom lip trembling.

I myself began reading the letter and couldn't even finish it as my eyes turned bloodshot.

~~~

'Department Of Labour And National Service.'

'Dear Sir Solomons, I am writing to inform you, in relation to your liability to call-up for national service, that you are required to present yourself on Monday, 10 September 1939, at 10 a.m., or as early as possible-.....'

~~~

A/N: To be honest, this fan fiction was one hell of a ride. I can't believe so many people actually read this and I'm so happy many of the readers enjoyed it as well. I don't think I had an ending like this in mind in the beginning, but I'm proud of how it turned out to be and I hope it didn't disappoint you all either. I found that it was good to bring back some important history, especially since they live in between both World Wars, and I thought it was nice to not always end my fics with a closed ending. I'm so thankful for all of you dear readers and I hope you all loved it as much as I did! ♥️