ONLY REQUEST | Thomas Shelby

THREE

Tommy walks down the streets of Small Heath and as he does so people are sure to move out of his way. A sign of respect but also a sign of fear.

"Oi, Finn!" He calls over the hyper boy that's running around the road. His short legs make his way over to his older brother.

"Have you seen Sadie?" A question that surprises even the young boy, not seeing Tommy and Sadie spend more than a few minutes together over the past year.

"She's down at the Garrison with John." Tommy pats the boys shoulder and sends him away as he starts to make his way towards the pub.

As soon as he walks through the doors he scans the building looking for the blue eyed girl.

The sound of a laugh he's not heard since the night they returned home snatches his attention and there he see's John and Sadie sat at the bar.

He watches as she laughs at whatever silly comment his brother probably made and he can't help but notice the smile doesn't quite reach her eyes.

After taking a deep breath he begins to make his way towards the pair but is abruptly halted by a young Finn running straight past him and heading for the same table as he is.

"Sadie! We need you! Arthur's been done over!" Quickly Sadie gets up out her seat, taking hold of Finn's hand and letting him lead the way. John follows right behind them and double looks when he sees Tommy at the door.

"I'll get the rum." he says to John before the pair are already gone, rushing down the road to be at Arthur's aid.

As Sadie wraps Arthur's thumb up in a make shift stunt, John and Ada watch on as they recall back on the many times Sadie had helped clean up the boys during their childhood.

"John wipe the blood out of his eye." Ada demands as she makes herself busy in the kitchen, probably being more of a bother than a help to Sadie but she'd never say that out loud.

"Since when did you give orders?" An amused John teases while he plays with the tooth pick between his teeth. "I'm a trained nurse." Ada responds and that earns a true laugh from everyone, including Sadie.

"Don't make me laugh, it hurts my face." Arthur speaks. "I bloody am!" Ada argues.

"You went to one first aid class in the church hall and got thrown out for giggling." Sadie remarks, letting out a laugh before she even finishes her sentence.

Ada's heart warms at Sadie chiming in on the conversation, even if it was to poke fun at her.

"Not before I learned to stop somebody from choking." Ada says as she grabs the kettle full of boiled water.

"I'm not bloody choking am I?" Arthur says and just as quickly Ada whips back by saying, "You will be when I wrap this cloth round your neck."

Right after Tommy and James make their way into the room. "Let me see him." Tommy says through a cigarette sitting between his teeth while holding a bottle of rum in one hand.

He passes the bottle to Arthur for him to take a swig while he soaks a cloth in the boiled water. He quickly takes the alcohol back before pouring it onto the cloth and pressing it against the wounds on his older brother's face.

As soon as Sadie's done wrapping up the man's thumb he grabs Tommy by the arm.

"He said Mr. Churchill sent him to Birmingham." The room goes quiet as they all listen to what Arthur has to say. "National interest, he said."

Sadie reads Tommy's expression as Arthur speaks and she quickly comes to the conclusion that he's got something to hide.

"Something about a robbery." She watches as Tommy takes a step back and notices the way her brother glances over at him. It's clear he's suspicious too.