Wear Iron//Thomas Shelby

five

Having finally gotten Archer to bed I head next door to see Tommy. I don't bother to knock on the front door having a key. I head upstairs to Tommy's room. I don't knock on his door either, instead just walking right in.

"Helena," Tommy says.

I close the door behind me. "Wanted to see how the meeting with Inspector Campbell went."

"It's almost midnight," Tommy tells me.

I nod my head as I sit in a chair across from Tommy. "I wanted to come sooner but Archie wouldn't go to bed. He kept crying out for me every time I tried to leave."

"They found a prescription of Ada's in the bedroom of a known communist," Tommy tells me.

"Freddie," I say.

"The Inspector and I made a deal," Tommy tells me.

"What kind of a deal?" I ask.

"Him and his Specials leave me to my business. No more raids into our territory, no more smashing up pubs and no more lifting my runners. They will turn a blind eye to all my gambling operations. And when I make my expansion into race tracks the Chief Inspector at Gloucestershire and his men will leave me alone," Tommy explains.

"And what did he ask for in return?" I question. 

"The guns," Tommy tells me.

"That simple?" I ask.

"I have left word with men I trust that if I am taken into police custody for whatever reason, those guns will be shipped to Liverpool. From there they will be sent directly to Belfast and sold to the Irish Republican Army. All the Inspector's good work in Ireland would be undone. If those guns reach Belfast, his life in the force is over," Tommy tells me.

"Once again Thomas Shelby has it all figured out." I gesture to the opium pipe on the side table. "Or at least that's what he wants everyone to believe."

"It helps me sleep," Tommy confesses. "Clears my mind."

I nod my head as I stand up. I move to sit down next to Tommy on his bed.

"Tommy nothing is ever going to get better unless you talk about it," I reason.

Tommy shakes his head. "I don't want to talk about it."

"You're not the only one who suffers. Arthur, John, Theo, Jeremiah, Danny, they were all there. They saw what you saw," I remind him.

"I'm not going to make them relive their worst days," Tommy tells me.

"If you ever want to talk I will listen," I assure him. Tommy nods. "Will you at least tell me one thing?" Tommy looks at me curiously. I gesture to the pipe with my head. "What does it feel like?"

Tommy takes a hit from the pipe. "Like I'm floating."

I nod my head slightly. I take the pipe from Tommy's hand.

"You really shouldn't, Hel," Tommy tells me.

"Maybe I've got some things I'd like to forget about for a while too," I reason.

Tommy doesn't try to stop me this time as I bring the pipe to my mouth. He's right it isn't long before I feel like I'm floating. I kick off my shoes and lay down on Tommy's bed. Tommy lays down beside me and I wrap my arms around him tightly.

"I'm tired now, Tom," I confess.

"Close your eyes, love. Let the sleep take hold," Tommy tells me. 

I wake up when I hear a pounding on the front door. "Tom. Tom! Tom, you better come quick. Tom!"

Tommy gets out of bed and opens the curtain. I can see Curly standing in the pouring rain lantern in hand. Tommy and I rush to get shoes and a jacket on before rushing out the front door.