Till Death Do Us Part

~Chapter six~

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~living up to a Shelby~

!TW! !Strong Language and Violence!

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Ivy was now stood outside the Garrison. And to her surprise the doors weren't wide open with drunk men pouring out the pub singing. It was almost silent.
Ivy thought that was strange, so walked over to by the pub window, being cautious of her surroundings. She could just about see that there were people inside.

Ivy slipped through the first set of double doors, being as quiet as she could. She crouched down onto the floor so that nobody would see her behind the next double set of doors. She slowly pulled herself up to see what was happening inside, only In sight was Thomas and two men sat around a table. In the distance by the back room she could see a shadow, Ivy couldn't make out who or what it was.
This was clearly a business meeting. Thomas then looked over to by the door, Ivy quickly ducked back down. Whatever this business was, it escalated very quickly. All was to hear now were shouting men. Ivy looked over the door once again and they were all fighting. One man already knocked out and the other Tom was fighting.

Ivy pulled her gun from the side of her dress. She shot a bullet at the lock. Kicking the doors open. Ivy held the gun up, holding it tight. Her knuckles turned white. Her heart felt it was in her throat. Tommy was on the floor being strangled and there was no way he was getting out unless Ivy pulled the trigger. Each second that ticked by Tom was even more desperate to break through. Each breath he took, his life was slowly but surely slipping away.

BANG...

The trigger was pulled. The room became violently quite with the sound of Thomas catching his breath. Tommy panted heavily pulling himself up from the floor.
The person Ivy thought she could see In the distance walked into the room, the woman's face was shocked. Ivy looked Grace up and down, in her hand she held a gun to.
"Don't try anything," Ivy snapped holding the gun up once again. Her breathing was a little shaky. She didn't trust Grace one bit.
"I'm- I'm not." Grace said In a feared voice.
She let her hands in the air dropping the gun as she did so Ivy held her gun down. She begun staring at the man she just killed; he laid stone cold on the floor. She didn't feel anything, she didn't feel sorry for what she just did. She felt nothing.

"Why did you shoot?" Thomas panted.
"Why did you shoot, Ivy?" He said once again but this time raising his voice.
"We had a fuckin' plan and now you've fucked it." Thomas yelled pointing his hands at Ivy.
Tears streamed down Grace's face, she was In fear and shock.
"She wasn't even in the room, I just fuckin' saved you," Ivy yelled back.
Thomas laughed. "You think I needed saving?"
Tom glared at Ivy. She only scoffed and shook her head back.
"The police will be here any minute, so you need to go." Thomas announced as he wrapped his arms around Grace. He was doing this to reassure her. Ivy smiled and let out a sarcastic laugh.
"Oh Grace, you haven't got a clue what you're getting yourself into," Grace looked up at Thomas and pulled an unsettling face. Like she was hiding something.
"So what is it? Your in it for the sex because you're a whore or you're up to something?" Ivy snapped, glaring at Grace. Grace shook her head holding onto Tom's arm. Like a little child, hoping he would protect her. Tommy could see that she was unsettled.
"Give it a fuckin' rest Ivy. Go home."
"She will betray you and don't I say I didn't warn ya'" She hoped that he would listen, but he didn't. He clearly had some sort of love for her, love makes you go blind.
"You're lucky the police are even on our side tonight. Go home, now." Thomas yelled not caring at the way he spoke to her. Ivy had other words she wanted to say but she knew damn well Tommy wouldn't have listened.
He never likes what other people have to say unless there's a family meeting, but in the end you have to do it Thomas Shelbys way anyway. If not, hell will break loose.

Ivy proceeded to leave the Garrison. Her feet just about dragging herself home. The night was cold, just like Thomas's heart. Ever since after the wedding he's turned a cold shoulder towards Ivy. He picks and chooses when he wants to be nice.
Before Ivy left all them years ago, Tommy had a smile that would light up a whole room. Polly says hes been like this ever since coming back from the war, It made sense in a way because Ivys brothers were like that to. However, they never shook hands with the devil and became one, but Thomas? He most certainly did. Tommy became the walking devil himself.

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Ivy was now stood in the street of Watery Lane. Taking deeps breaths and preparing for what type of John she would get tonight. Had he drunk or had he not?
She opened the frount door and locked it after her. She took another deep breath realizing the lights were on. Which meant John was home. As soon as Ivy set foot in the room, John spoke.

"Where the fuck have ya' been?" He asked curiously. Arthur was sat next to him trying not laugh at how serious John was being.
Ivy didn't say anything but walked over to the dining table and chucked the gun she had tooken onto the table.
Arthur's smile slowly faded.
"Bloody hell, she's killed someone." Arthur remarked. There was blood on her but it wasn't enough to make her look like she actually murdered someone.
"Shut up." John snapped as he stood from his seat. Arthur threw his hands in the air dramatically.
"I show up to Polly's and ya' not there. She says 'Ivy went home.' I come home, you're not 'ere. So what the fuck were you doin' walkin' 'round with a gun?" John asked in a blunt tone.
Ivy felt she was in an interrogation room. Both boys staring at her like a criminal.
"I went to the Garrison." Ivy replied. She looked down, scratching her eyelid.
She didn't know how she was going to say the next part. But she knows John prefers when she says stuff how it really is and not sugar coat it.
"Tommy had business there tonight," Arthur announced as he necked a glass of whiskey.
John looked over at Arthur and pulled a face. One to say shut the hell up.
"What were ya' thinking?" He asked while peering at Ivy. She looked up at John and sighed.
"Tommy he was in trouble," Ivy explained. She looked over at Arthur who's face was as concerned as John's.
"Ya' bloody what." John hurried over grabbing his suit jacket. He was ready to go and fuck whoever the hell needed it up.
"John- just stop." Ivy snapped in frustration. He paused.
"Arthur was right, I did kill someone. But he had Tommy on the floor, he couldn't breath." Ivy rushed, who then took a moment to catch her breath.
John didn't say anything but only stared at her. Arthur pulled a smile and nodded at Ivy.
"Say something for God sake,"
"Did Tommy make you do business with him?" John questioned. He moved closer to Ivy, not looking away.
"No, I went looking for you. You said you'd be back tonight, I didn't think ya' meant almost midnight," Ivy explained, in a soft like tone.
John sniffed, then placed a hand onto
Ivys face. His hand cupped her cheek.
"Don't ya' ever go walking those streets alone again,"
"Or what?" Ivy Joked. She had a big smile on her face. John smiled back and shook his head. Ivy tried pulling away but John pulled her back. He held her waist, not tight enough to hurt but tight enough to have a good grip of her.
"I mean it, I said I'd look after ya' I can't do that of your putting yourself in danger like that," Ivy nodded as a response. John slowly let go of her waist.
"Good," John nodded back.

"She's been here for five bloody minutes and she's already living to her last name," Arthur joked as he grabbed a glass from beside of him. Pouring whisky into it, he held the glass out offering it to Ivy. She took it willingly and downed it, she pulled a sour face. "No matter how much I drink this shit, i'll never get used to it." Ivy spoke still pulling a sour face. Both the boys laughed at her.
"Come 'ere you," John smiled. He held his arms out, indicating for her to sit on his lap. Ivy climbed over John, she lay her legs across him and buried her head into his chest. John held her tight, and she felt nothing but safe.

Ivy didn't know what she wanted but she adored the way John looked after her. John didn't agree with the arranged marriage anymore than Ivy did. But he wanted with everything inside of him for them to work. He wanted to protect her, even if it meant destroying the whole world for her. He would.
John loved her all them years ago, he believed he could fall in love with her all over again. Ivy however wasn't sure if she ever even loved him. It obviously hurt her the day she left, she walked away from him and her whole life she built in Small Heath.
The longer Ivy stayed the more she realised there was nothing left here for her, until she married John of course.
John and Ivy knew they were going through a rocky road, but each night they still lay beside each other only wanting one another to hold.