love knows no bounds | thomas shelby

devastation

as the family hurriedly said their goodbyes, the urgency in their movements left little room for explanation. eveline, still unsure of what was exactly happening, followed suit, with her mind racing as they quickly piled into their cars. she found herself in the backseat of the car with thomas and polly, and her heart thudded with unease. she had overheard something about the garrison, but that was all she knew.

the car darted through the cobblestone streets. the wheels rattled over the uneven ground.

when they finally arrived, the sight before them sent a cold wave through eveline.

the garrison was completely destroyed.

the glass windows were shattered, shards glittering across the pavement, and the once warm and welcoming lights that had illuminated the pub were now extinguished, leaving only a dark and hollow shell of what it had once been.

thomas immediately leapt out of the car and his jaw clenched in silent fury as he walked toward the wreckage. polly followed slowly with her eyes wide with disbelief, taking in the devastation. eveline, in shock, hesitated for a moment before stepping out herself. her eyes scanned the remnants of the place she had come to love. the garrison was more than just a pub--it was home to memories, both bitter and sweet.

she thought about how she'd stood behind that bar, serving drinks to customers who shared their war stories, needing someone to listen when the world around them didn't. this was where she and the shelbys often held family meetings, where plans were made, and where, once the pub was closed and the night was quiet, thomas had let himself be vulnerable with her. they'd spent countless evenings talking through the madness, with the rain tapping softly on the windows as they drank together, finding solace in each other.

it was here where thomas, after brutal fights, would rest his head on her for support. it was their space to toast away the chaos of their lives, to breathe, if only for a moment.

now, it was all gone. the place that had been a symbol of resilience, of family, of comfort--it lay in ruins.

eveline felt a sinking weight in her chest as grief and shock crashed over her.

how could this happen?

the place where so much life had taken place was now cold, lifeless. it felt like a punch to the gut, a reminder that nothing in their world was safe. not even the garrison.

she stood there, staring at the wreckage, feeling the loss of not just a building, but of the memories and moments they had built within its walls. it was gone, just like that, and the reality of their dangerous lives settled even deeper into her bones.

an officer approached the family members as he delivered the grim news.

"it happened at exactly seven a.m. nobody saw anything. our patrols weren't in the area."

as they stood there, still processing the sight before them, the full scale of the damage became clearer with every step closer.

glass shards glittered like sinister stars in the early morning light, the wood of the door frames scorched and splintered, debris scattered everywhere.

thomas, with his face unreadable, took in the wreckage with a slow, burning fury behind his eyes.

the officer's voice cut through the silence once again, directed at thomas this time.

"mr. shelby, have you got any idea who might've done it?"

thomas shook his head, though the wheels turned in his mind as he weighed his words carefully. "i'd say it was something to do with the gas. it's just been fitted."