Cross my heart - Tommy Shelby

•11•

Warnings: swearing

John felt good for once, he felt relieved that drop off at school went smoothly and he felt ready to have a productive day at the betting shop.

He and Arthur were planning on meeting with Eliza later on after the Garrison had shut it's doors.

John supposed that was a benefit from having his best friend live in the flat above their favourite pub.

He parked up outside the curb on watery lane and flung his keys in the air only to catch them again.

He leaped up the front steps and walked through the door.

John was used to the busy loudness that the betting shop brought- but dear God this was different.

It was silent- and the silence was unsettling.

He loitered outside of the kitchen doorway, hand ready on his pistol.

That's when he heard two voices, one very obviously Polly and by the sounds of it the other person was Tommy.

They talked of a file full of confidential information that belonged to the government- of a woman who accused the Shelby's of nicking it.

John was positive that the "woman" was Grace, and it only fuelled his suspicions around Grace being a spy of some sorts.

Tommy was strangely quite quiet around the whole subject though.

Answering only in simple words and muffled murmurs.

John wasn't sure how long he was stood eavesdropping for, but when he heard them mention Eliza, he could barely hold himself back as the urge to barge in grew stronger.

"I did something bad Polly- I hurt someone. Someone who means a lot to me." John heard his brothers say those words and his anger grew.

John's impulsiveness would be the death of him, he knew that for sure.

So when he barged in on the conversation only to glared at by Polly, he knew had dug his grave.

How dare his older brother say that he cared for Eliza?

After all of the shit he had put her through.

He didn't seem to care for her when he was screwing Grace over the barrels in the garrison and yet still accused Eliza of being a whore.

He didn't seem to care when Eliza tried to explain what he had barged in on, only to storm off like an over dramatic prick.

He didn't seem to care when he ignored her for 2 weeks straight or made snarky comments.

John just couldn't understand- Tommy couldn't give less of a shit about Eliza Fenton and his actions made that clear.

"You've spewed some absolute bullshit in your years Tommy, but this." John shook his head, "This takes the fucking cake."

"John let me expl-"

"Explain!" John shouted, jabbing a finger at Tommy's chest, "Explain? That's rich coming from someone who took something out of context and refused an explanation from the girl you so 'dearly care about'"

"John." Polly was trying to hold him back now.

"No Pol! He hurt her in the worst possible way." It was a full on shouting match now.

The room was alive with the shouts from both sides. As Polly tried her best to defend the older nephew and John continued to shout.

"That is enough!" Tommy had obviously had enough of the shouts that echoed around the kitchens vicinity.

He ran a hand through his hair and huffed with frustration, "John I understand that I've upset you with my actions."

John huffed and shook his head as he rolled his eyes, that didn't even begin to explain what he was feeling, "You 'ave some bloody nerve Tommy, tryin' to tell me how I fuckin' feel-"

"I know I caused half of yer pissy attitude if that's what you're referring to." Tommy sat on a vacant chair, "Would you let me explain."

The younger of the two, clenched his jaw. He wasn't normally one for listening to reason and waiting for trial before punishment. But in this instance, it was his brother.

"You have 5 minutes."

//

20 minutes later, the kitchen had finally been rendered silent.

Tommy had finished his side of the story and John had long finished his rant on Tommy's actions and behaviour.

Polly simply watched and sipped tea as the pair attempted to communicate.

"You still haven't answered my question Thomas." The older woman spoke up from behind the rim of the teacup in her hand, "Where did you get that file, and who is the information about?"

Tommy looked down, seemingly ashamed.

He weighed the possible outcomes on whether it was a good idea to tell the truth- or simply better to spin a lie.

He took a deep breath, "I found it in Grace's apartment- it's all Eliza's documents and personal information."

Tommy waited for the outburst, but the prolonged silence spoke louder than the shouts previous moments ago.

"What do you mean Eliza's information?" John spoke up, his arms folded over his chest.

"'Er birth certificate and personal records, medical records even 'er fuckin' military records. Everything."

Tommy felt a harsh slap to the back of his skull, "What the fuck Pol?"

"Have I taught you nothing!" She fumed, "And you found this fucking government file all about John's mate at some whores apartment?"

"She's not a whore- she my girl."

John looked as if he could take a pistol and shoot to kill, "what do you mean it was at Grace's apartment?" He gritted out.

"It was in a drawer." Tommy replied simply, it probably sounded as if Grace was guilty- but there was still hope that she had nothing to do with it. That she was being framed, "But she had nothing to do with it."

Polly just groaned into her hands, "Men and their cocks, never cease to amaze me." She spoke to herself, "So you're telling me- that an Irish girl turns up miraculously in Small Heath at the same time that Irish copper does, who by the way wants to take our family down does and works with Winston Fucking Churchill. You find a British intelligence file that is confidential in her apartment and you're still trying to see her as innocent?"

Tommy didn't know at this point if he wanted Grace to be innocent because he genuinely cared about her, or if he just didn't want to be wrong- and have his pride hurt.

Polly continued her rambling, "You've been blinded by lust Tommy, and it's hazed your perception of common sense- your pride is the least important thing on the line right now. So pull yourself together and act like a man and sort the fucking issue."