Roguish Women- Tommy Shelby

What These Dreams Mean

            Kate couldn't fall asleep in the car on the way to Birmingham. Even though Tommy told her to relax.

"Arthur knows. Ada knows. Polly and Michael know. They're trying to get in contact with John and Esme." He explained as they pulled out of the drive of Arrow House.

"Do you think they sent people to every person?" She asked.

He nodded with a grim face. "That's how they would operate. We should've come together sooner. Before they came. I should've listened to you."

Kate took his hand in hers. "That's not what's important right now. What's important is we're safe right now. Michael will get to John in time. It'll be alright." Even as the words left her mouth, she felt as if she was lying to herself. There was no telling what might happen. But she knew that the odds were already stacked against them. It was only lucky that Tommy realized the assassin was already in their house. "Just promise me this."

"Hm?" He glanced over at her, his mind a million miles away.

"Try not to hold grudges with them. If they're still angry, you know that they have reason to be. But it won't help anyone if you're all just fighting."

He didn't seem too optimistic about it. "Well, at least we'll have you, Ada, and Michael to try and keep the peace."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Watery Lane was already lined with men all armed. Tommy helped Kate out of the car and waved over a young man to take their bags inside.

"Tommy." Finn came out the front door of the betting shop looking anxious. "Polly's called. She said she hasn't heard from John or Michael yet."

"Fuck." Tommy whispered under his breath. "Come on." He placed a hand on Kate's shoulder to walk with her inside.

~~~~~~~~~

The call came early in the morning when the sun had just started to rise. Kate was upstairs getting settled. She had a feeling they were going to be there for a while. At least until well after things were all cleared up. And no one knew how long that would take. She heard the phone ring so she left the bedroom to see if there was news.

Halfway down the stairs, she saw Tommy slowly lower the phone. The look on his face made her chest tighten in fear.

"Tom."

He didn't look up to acknowledge her. His stare was fixed on the phone receiver in front of him. He was completely frozen. "John's dead."

A vendetta was scary. The threat of death was frightening of course. But this was the final nail in the coffin. One of their own had been killed. Kate slowly sat down on the stairs, a hand over her mouth.

She knew how ruthless the Changrettas were. Paired with Santo's men, they were hellbent on revenge. No one held grudges like Luca.

~~~~~~~~~

It was all a blur. Suddenly, Kate was back in the company of people she hadn't seen in ages. But this was no happy occasion. They were suddenly thrust into a jarring state of mourning.

Esme came down the hall as John's body was being moved to the morgue. Kate was there to comfort her. She was standing out in the hospital waiting room as Tommy and Arthur were following Polly to where Michael was.

"Es-" Kate tried to hold her arms open to the women she had once considered a good friend.

"Fuck off!" John's widow shouted. "I know you're back with Tommy. You let him do whatever the fuck he pleases. Don't care who he steps on, who he hurts!" She shoved Kate back. "You're just as bad as he is!"