Calm before the storm

The Shelby Boys

*Before the war*

At just the age of 6 Catherine Martin was running through the coal covered streets of Small Heath with her dress trailing in the mud and her hair flying behind her in a tatted mess. The only time her wide smile was not present on her face was when she had to go home. From this young age Catherine knew she'd always have a spot in her heart for the Shelby's, as she was an only child the Shelby boys acted as brothers towards her and Ada Shelby was her best friend.

John slowly crawled towards the kitchen doors whilst Ada and Catherine tried to hide their giggles behind their small hands. "Shut up or she'll hear us" john hissed quietly as the two girls immediately stopped giggling. "I'm so hungry, john better get them buns," Catherine whispered to Ada as she silently watched her older brother. John gestured for the girls to follow him as he pushed the kitchen door open, "come on quickly, she just went to get her smokes I think" John rushed as he made a dash for the basket on the table. As the children took their first bite, someone cleared their throat from the door way. Catherine slowly set her bun on the table and made a dash for the door, she was always the fastest and had beat all the boys on her street numerous times in races. As she reached the door she could hear Ada and John trailing behind her as Aunt Polly shouted, "Get back here! little monsters, don't you leave this house" Catherine ran out onto the front street and made a dash for the alley at the end of the street, Ada ran for the back alley and John ran towards the pub.

Catherine ran as fast as her little legs would carry her through the alley, as she rounded the corner at the end of the alley she ran straight into a larger frame. Just as she was about to fall two hands wrapped around her small wrists and hoisted her back up. Catherine slowly looked up to see who she had ran into, hoping it would be no one she'd get in trouble with. "What are you doing running down alleys Cat" tommy asked as his friends laughed at the shocked young girl, "Nothin' just playing with Ada" she smiled weakly as the older boys looked her up and down, Tommy noticed the young girls discomfort and whispered "Don't worry, I wont let them touch you. Now go back up to the house and wait for Ada there" she smiled and turned to go back up the alley shouting behind her "I know they wouldn't touch me because I'd cut them myself" Tommy laughed with the boys and shook his head "she really is something," Arthur chuckled "she's hanging around us Shelby's too much"

From that moment on Tommy knew he'd look out for the young girl no matter what.