Only Time Will Tell - A Peaky Blinders Story

Chapter 17 - Side effects

Cass's heart pounds with every step she takes. The sky is pitch black with smoke. It might as well be night-time with how she can barely see. Her and few other nurses have been sent onto the battlefield to rescue injured soldiers who are worth saving. She takes each step slowly, never knowing when there might be a ready and waiting grenade to blow her to pieces. This is the scariest part of her job.

"Please. You have to help me. I have no legs." Someone says in a strained voice as they grasp at her ankle. She looks down to see a pale, muddy soldier clinging on for dear life. "I'll see what I can do." She says as she kneels beside him. She tears her eyes away from his face to see that he only has half a thigh on each leg left. She wraps some bandages around them tightly to stop the bleeding, but he has already lost too much.

BANG

Cass screams as one of the nurses she was with steps on a bomb. Dirt, blood, and limbs fly into the air, shocking both her and the man she's trying to help. Adrenaline is suddenly flowing through Cass's veins, making her work triple time. But it's too late. The shock from the explosion caused the soldier's heart to stop beating. She feels horrible for not being surprised.

She slowly stands, being even more careful of her surroundings. She can hear voices in the distance, unsure of who's side they're on. She waits a moment, before recognising the enemy grey and red uniforms and running for dear life back to where she came from. God knows what they would do to her if they caught her. She's rather die than become a spy for them, that's if they didn't torture her for information.

On the way back to the safety of the hospital, sprinting like there's no tomorrow, her mind focuses on searching for anything that could help her in a fight. That's when she trips. She lands face first in the mud, trying to catch the wind that has been knocked out of her. The voices are getting louder as she tries to scramble away.

Her fear is suddenly muted as rapid gunfire comes towards her from all directions. She brings her knees into her chest and covers her head with her arms, making herself as small as possible. A harder target. Her lungs burn as she screams, the sound being drowned out by the bullets and yelling of soldiers. That's when she is trodden on.

"Casandra!" Polly yells, shaking her niece violently to wake her up. Cass quite literally screams as she is pulled from her slumber. "Cass, you're alright. It's just me." Polly says, her voice now calmer as she sees the panic on Cass's face.

Cass's hands start to shake manically as her breathing quickens. Polly immediately takes her niece's face in her hands in an attempt to get her to focus. She speaks soothing words in Romani, resting their foreheads together. Cass slowly starts to calm down, accepting the help from her aunt which she has been refusing for all these months.

"Is everything alright?" John says with Katie and Ben in tow, slightly worried after hearing Cassie scream. "Everything's fine, John. The kids don't need to see this. Go downstairs." Polly replies sternly, yet quiet enough to avoid worrying Cass any further. John nods his head quickly before leading the kids back to where they came from.

"I'm sorry, Pol. I'm sorry." Cass whispers as tears spring to her eyes. "Shh, you're alright. It's alright. I'm here." Polly says, hugging Cass and rocking her from side to side. Cass starts to sob as she repeats her apologies to her aunt, her hands still shaking in between them.

~

I took at least half an hour for Cassie to calm down. Polly forced her into a bath to calm her nerves and she is now sat in the kitchen. Her eyes watch the fire as Polly paces around the room while she waits for Tommy.

"Do you want some tea, love?" Polly says gently, now crouching in front of her niece to break her out of her daydream. "If tea is code for whiskey, then yes please." Cass tries to joke in reply. Polly can see how her smile doesn't reach her eyes but gets her the drink anyway.

Polly soon goes back to pacing, whilst Cass changes her line of sight to watch the door as if she's waiting for an attack. The pair of them flinch when the door opens to reveal Tommy as he stuff his hat into his pocket. He stands by the door for a moment, taking in the strange atmosphere that has fallen upon the room.

"Everything alright?" he asks, furrowing his brows towards his sister who is nursing her whiskey. She never drinks during the day. "Are you armed?" Polly asks him, instantly gaining his attention. "No." Tommy replies plainly. "Good. Then I'll tell you." Polly says, nervously biting her lip in preparation for her next sentence. "Ada and Freddie were married today. They defied your orders and haven't left the city." She says. Cass reacts to this internally. She's not in the mood to get involved with all of this today.

Tommy is now the one who's started pacing as he lights a cigarette. He lets out a deep sigh as he rests his hands on the dining table. "I'll deal with it." Polly says strongly, walking past Cass and towards Tommy instead. "Thomas. I'll deal with it." She repeats herself, trying to get her nephew to believe her. "Where are they?" he asks lowly, barely looking up from the table. "Freddie's comrades have safe houses. Why?" Polly answers, taking a long smoke from her cigarette. "I want to send them fucking flowers. Why do you think?" Tommy retorts, his sudden volume shocking Cass out of her haze.

"Would it be so bad if they stayed?" Polly says after a beat of quiet. "I promised I'd run Freddie out of town." Tommy whispers in reply, almost threateningly. "Promised who?" Polly says in shock. Tommy stands to his full height and looks towards the betting den suspiciously, prompting Polly to walk past him and close the doors.

"I told the coppers that Freddie wouldn't come back. It was part of our deal." Tommy reiterates once he knows no one else is listening. "What bloody deal?" Cass says from the corner of the room, her interest now peaked. "What happened to family votes? What happened to meetings?" Polly says angrily. "Let me deal with Freddie and Ada. If I do it it'll end in peace. Christ knows you pair have had your fill of war. Let someone else fight for a change." She then says, making Cass bow her head in shame as she remembers the events from a few hours ago.

"You get Freddie out of town, Pol. Or I'll deal with him myself." Tommy threatens in a low voice, stepping closer to his aunt and dropping his head to her level. Cass's eyes widen. He's never spoken to Polly like that before. He's playing with fire. The two women watch as he walks away before sharing a worried look. If Tommy deals with Freddie, Ada will end up alone. Neither of them are going to let that happen.