It's always been you- Tommy Shelby

3 - love birds

"Hey kids, how was school? Didn't get in too much trouble did ya?" Lydia asked bending down to hug them all and picking up Harry. 

"Auntie Lydia?" Harry questions. "Yes darlin'" Lydia replies. "Finn punched a boy in the face!" Harry exclaimed to Lydia, she gasped looking down at the youngest Shelby brother.

"Finn Shelby!" Lydia scolded the boy. "Why did you do that?" She questioned. 

"He looked at me the wrong way." Finn replied shoving his niece Katie playfully.

"Now you're sounding more and more like your brother Tommy." Lydia chuckled at the similarities. Within the next ten minutes; Lydia had given a lesson to Finn that he can't just go around punching people because they look at him the wrong way, and they had also arrived at Polly's house without any of the children hurting one another.

"Right you messy lot, Aunt Pol is in there, bugger off and behave for her!" Lydia dismissed the children and guided them through Polly's door. Lydia quickly reached the Garrison and headed into the private room to find Tommy, John, Arthur playing cards, and Grace who was bringing in a bucket of beer. 

"Did you want whiskey as well?" The barmaid asked, placing the bucket on the table and looking up coldly at Lydia.

"No. Just beer." Tommy simply stated. His eyes discretely glanced at Lydia.

"Why no whiskey Tommy? You expecting trouble?" Lydia asked taking a seat next to John looking at his set of cards. John swung his arm over her shoulder brought her closer to him, he placed a peck on her temple. Tommy ignored the question. 

"Alright twenty is the play, come on." Arthur said hiding his cards from Lydia, knowing she'd tell John what he's got. As Grace left John nudged Tommy with his elbow. 

"Barmaid eh? It's about bloody time." John said chuckling. 

"Time for what?" Tommy questioned taking a drag of his cigarette. 

"Time you took yourself a woman." John laughed shoving his older brother. Tommy and Lydia's eyes met and quickly diverted. Lydia could have lost herself in his ocean eyes if she had looked any longer.

"Just play the bloody hands." Tommy replied, not wanting to speak about Grace, especially as he didn't even care for the girl, he knew she's a liar. After Lydia displayed her distaste for the barmaid he went looking and found she never worked in Dublin. 

"You stay the way you are Tommy. Remember what Dad used to say? Fast women and slow horses..." Arthur said. 

"...Will ruin your life!" John and Arthur said in sync. On the other side of the door, the room fell silent, the Shelby brothers were blissfully unaware. 

"Lads, lads! Shut up. Something is going on out there." Lydia said shushing the men and pointing to the other side of the door. 

"Is there any man here named Shelby?" A voice announced to the pub, his stance and the two men beside him make him seem important. Billy Kimber fired a gunshot through the ceiling. 

"Shit!" Lydia said.

"Bollocks!" John announced.

"Fucking 'ell" Arthur said, as everyone left the private room following Tommy, who remained calm.

"Harry get these men a drink. Everyone else, go home!" Tommy announced to the pub. Kimber and his men took a seat opposite the Shelby brothers and Lydia hovered behind. 

"Lydia go home." Tommy sternly said and she quickly obliged making her way towards Kimber and his men towards the door. Lydia's wrist was grabbed by Kimber's hand aggressively.