Nurse Smith (A Tommy Shelby Fan Fic) (On Hold)

Chapter 1

Warning mature content

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(Before season 1)

Small Heath wasnt the best of places to live before the war and the war didn't change it too much. That was her home, a place that she still hasn't been able to return to just yet. To some, the loudness and smoke of the factories in Birmingham had helped people get back to a somewhat normal life after the war. But for some it was like reliving the war every day. However, for her the fear of not returning the same girl she used to be kept her away. No one came back the same that much she was certain of. But they still all returned home unlike her. Emily Smith, or Nurse Smith, stayed working the hospital in London when she returned from war. She couldn't bare the thought of going home as if nothing happened. Especially when the horrors of war still plagued her mind. So instead she stayed to help those men who physically returned but they had left their minds in the smoke and mud in the trenches. Herself understanding the horrors they had faced was more capable of helping the soldiers more than any posh doctor who hadn't been present in the war. It was clear that quite a few of the wounded appreciated her being around. She had witnessed the war so she understood that even the smallest sound would bring back memories. She herself still has nightmares of war. There had been some traumatising sights that Emily just had to push through and overcome.

"Em, the doctor wants to see you. Something about needing you to talk to patient." Sarah said coming into the office where Emily had sat sorting through patient files to see who was ready to be discharged.

"I'll be right there, thank you Sarah." Emily said softly with a small smile as she looked up at her friend. Sarah hadn't gone to war like Emily did and it showed. Sarah never knew how to calm the men down from their panic attacks, nor did she understand why some didnt want to go home. But Emily did. It was exactly why she hadn't gone back home herself and stayed at the hospital her house staying untouched since before the war. If you looked closely enough you could tell the war had taken a toll on the young nurse. Compared to Sarah, Emilys eyes had lost that spark that every woman had. The one that showed people that they were content with life. It wasn't that Emily wasn't thankful for surviving all she had. It was the long nights and constant need for nicotine and alcohol to chase away the fear that at any moment she could die. Whereas Sarah didn't have all of that hidden pain behind her eyes. She didn't have the look of a lost soul, no, she was always smiling no matter what. And that was one thing that Emily was envious of.

Emily gathered herself together and followed Sarah into the wards where the discharged solder could be heard screaming from. A loud bang erupted from the place causing Emily to break into a run. Entering the ward, she was met with the sight on a utensils trolley over turned and the doctors staring in fear at the solder holding a surgical knife to his throat.

"Nurse Smith stay back hes erratic." One of the doctors said trying to keep her from the soldier. "And do what exactly? Doctor Jones sent for me so move out of my way." Emily said sternly shoving the doctor out of her way and approaching the solder who she soon managed to identify as Chris.

"Chris? Chris, its me. You remember me, don't you?" Emily asked softly as to not startle him. Gaining his attention, he turned to look at her smiling softly.

"Nurse Smith." Chris shakily answered giving a small nod and a sad smile. Emily saw this as his invitation to come closer to him.

"What are you doing Chris? Hey, talk to me okay? I know you are struggling now, and I cant promise it will get better but please Chris, please don't do anything now. You've come so far." Emily cooed stepping within reaching distance of him. "Put the knife down please. I can help you okay just talk to me."

"It's too late nurse, their sending me home. Their sending me fucking home! I can't go home." He whispered with tears streaming down his face. "Im sorry to disappoint you Nurse Smith. Thank you for helping me find some sort of peace." And that's when he did it. Screams could be heard from the surrounding nurses and solders as they watched on as their comrade had cut his throat. Emily had run forward in an attempt to help. Her hands were placed firmly on his neck to try and stop the bleeding but there was so much blood. And in Chris last moments he looked into Emilys eyes and gave her a strained smile as to tell her he was finally at peace.

"He's a bloody coward." One of the onlooking doctors tutted as he turned away from the scene. Emily hearing this rose up, after closing Chris eyes and placing his head gently on the floor, turned to look at the ignorant doctor.

"What did you say?" She seethed slowly walking towards the doctor she didn't know the name of with the knife Chris had just used in her hand.

"You heard me nurse. A bloody coward he is." The doctor pointedly spoke again getting in Emilys face. At this Emily raised the knife as if she was going to strike him. The doctor coward back in fear of being injured as everyone else stood back and watched, letting Emily say her piece knowing she wasn't going to hurt the man. Well not severely anyways.

"This is what a coward looks like" She seethed, "This is what a man who know nothing about what these men have been through looks like! Don't you dare stand there and tell me that that man is a coward because I can tell you sir, the only coward in this room is the pathetic excuse of a man I'm looking at right now." She continued as she brought the knife down and slammed it into his hand hoping it caused him a fraction of pain most in that room where feeling. The doctor, she still didn't know the name of, ran out of the room to tend to his hand and to get away from the death glares he was receiving from the solders in the room and the 5ft4 nurse in front of him.

"Nurse Smith." A soft voice broke through the inner battle she was having causing her to turn her attention to her good friend Doctor Terry Jones. "Go home love. You haven't been home since the war ended. And with Doctor Hears being here for a while I think it's best you don't see him. Please Emily I'm telling you to go home. As a professional and as your friend." Terry said softly as he put his arm around her shoulders taking her out of the room.

"I can't go home you know this Terry." Emily said pleadingly as Terry guided her away from another fallen soldier. Terry, unlike the other doctors, understood Emilys occasional breakdown or the odd show of aggressive behaviour. He was the only person she spoke to about the war. Granted she had only told him a fraction of what happened, but she had told him enough for him to understand.

"I know. But listen to me Em, please. You need rest. God knows you deserve peace, you've had enough war to last any man. Go back to Birmingham, go home." Terry tried again but the look on his friends face was enough of an answer. She wasn't going anywhere.

"He's right you know." Came the voice of lieutenant James Brooks. Unbeknownst to them he had gotten out of bed and followed the two medical professionals to check up on his saving grace. "Being here, it's not doing you any good shorty." James said jokingly as he limped his way over to the woman who had saved his life more times than he could count.

"You should be in bed James. Putting pressure on that leg of yours isn't going to hep it get better." Emily said disapprovingly looking up at the soldier as he came to stand in front of her. James stood a good foot taller than Emily and most would find the man intimidating. But not her.

"Emily Rose Smith. I'm ordering you to look after yourself. Go home. You've done enough for us, more than most. Don't kill yourself by working yourself to the bone. Chris was a troubled soul, always had been even before the war. You've helped me more times than I'd care to admit. Now let us look after you. Go home. We'll survive without you, I promise." James started off stern but by the end of his speech his voice turned soft and his stance relaxed as if he was talking to his little sister.

Emily still looked conflicted but after looking into the eyes of someone she considered a brother, she agreed to leaving. "I'll miss you." Emily said as a stray tear fell from her eye. James, having not seen her cry since the beginning of the war, pulled her into a comforting embrace. "I'll check in on you once I'm out shorty, maybe I'll bring Annie and the kids. I'm sure she'd love to see you." James said softly as he released Emily. "Look after yourself, Nurse Smith."

And with that Emily put a small smile on her face and started towards the doors. "Say goodbye to the boys for me Lieutenant!" She shouted behind her knowing full well that this wasn't the last time she would see them.

Nurse Smith was going home.