𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋𝐒 ᶠⁱⁿⁿ ˢʰᵉˡᵇʸ

𝟎𝟐𝟓: 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐬

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟓
𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐬

It had been three months since Tommy's attack. Three months since Aurora had seen the state he was left in. Three months of her living at Arrow House, looking after Charles.

She sat, watching Finn lift him into the air. She had a certain look in her eye as she watched the interaction. Finn hadn't noticed. She smiled slightly, hearing the laughs escape Charlie's mouth.

"You're good with him, Finn." She said genuinely.

Finn hummed and placed the boy on the couch beside her and she fixed Charlie's hair carefully.

The door opened and in came Mary, Tommy's maid. "Miss Thorne.." She began, "Mr Shelby has returned home." She told the pair.

Rory's eyes widened and she looked at Finn. She lifted Charles from the couch and walked out into the hall, afraid that Mary was referring to Arthur or John rather than Tommy. But, she had indeed been referring to Tommy.

"Oh my.." Aurora whispered, her mouth open. Tommy stood, a tired look in his eyes. "You're home?" She asked.

Tommy shook his head slowly. "What are you doing here?" He asked. But, his voice was full of relief. He was glad she was there. He needed a familiar face. It also calmed him to know that she had been there for Charlie. "I did what you'd have asked me to do if you were conscious when I visited you." She told him.

"My boy.." Tommy whispered.

Aurora carefully handed the boy over to him, sure not to hurt Tommy as she didn't know how stable he was.

Tommy stared down at Charlie who had reached up to touch his dad's face. Tommy felt a lump in his throat. It was the first time in three months that he had been able to hold his boy.

Finn appeared beside Aurora and he nodded at Tommy. "How are you, brother?" He asked Tommy.

Tommy nodded slowly. "Alive."

"Good, Tom. It's good to see you back home." He said honestly. He glanced at Rory. "We can get out of your way if you'd like. We wouldn't want to annoy you whilst you're home resting."

Tommy shook his head. "You can stay. I can't expect you to leave at this hour, not after looking after my son."

Rory smiled. "He's missed his father. He asked for you of a night."

-

That next morning, Rory and Finn headed back to Small Heath. They didn't mind it though. They knew that Tommy would need time to fully recover now that he was back at home.

But, seeing Tommy's face was a complete relief for the pair of them.

It would only be a matter of time before he was back finishing off business.

Speaking of business, Rory walked through the offices, stopping when Michael stood abruptly. His office door was open. "Rory," he called out to her. She turned to face him. "Tommy says that you have something— the bullet with Hughes' name on it."

She stepped into his office and reached into her pocket, pulling out the bullet that was now back in the ring box. "What business do you have with it?"