Devil's Backbone (A Peaky Blinders Fanfiction)

Chapter 21

Tommy, Arthur and John had all gathered in the side office at the Garrison. It was a 'family' meeting.

Polly and Esme arrived shortly after afterwards "Sorry we're late we had to wait for Maggie to come and watch the children, what's this about?"

"Alright I'll keep it brief" Tommy's voice was deep and coarse "Earlier this afternoon Luca came to see us, he came to my house to tell me that Ana is in danger. There has been an order of her death...3 men have been hired and I want to find out who by and why" Polly looked deeply concerned.

"She'll be heading back to London then?" Arthur wondered and to his surprise Tommy shook his head.

"Not this time brother no" he replied "And there is reason for that, a reason why I need to keep her close to me"

No-one spoke for a few moments, it was obvious they were trying to figure out the reason. Polly was the first to guess "My god, is it the reason I think it is?"

"Let's just say Ana is hiding more under her dress than just petticoats" Tommy hesitated as he watched his brothers faces twitch, they were still trying to figure it out "A baby...Ana's pregnant" he put them out of there misery "4 months"

"Oh Tommy that's great news" Polly grinned and was just about to hug Tommy.

"Is it Poll...? Right now my wife has a price on her head of fifteen thousand pounds...They want her dead or alive, now tell me her being pregnant on top of that is a good thing? I've just made her a million times more valuable to them" Tommy exhaled deeply "My most prized possession, my whole world...by getting Ana pregnant, I have just started the biggest fucking witch hunt in Birmingham..."

"Tommy..." Polly tried but was interrupted.

"No Tommy's right, once the word gets out every man and his dog is going to come looking for her" Esme looked at Tommy.

"Yeah alright that's enough Esme..." John scolded and Tommy held his hand up.

"No John let her speak" Tommy snapped and Esme jumped a little before standing up.

"Perhaps we should give them what they want..." Esme continued.

"ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY?" Arthur yelled furiously, he was horrified by Esme's suggestion.

"Let her finish Arthur" Tommy guessed Esme hadn't finished speaking.

"Of course I don't mean let them kill her, but perhaps if they think she's dead? Maybe that will..." Esme looked at Tommy who hesitated before speaking.

"So we tell them she's dead and then what?" Tommy frowned "She goes to live somewhere where she can be safe? Alone?" Esme doesn't respond to Tommy's questions "And I will never be able to see her or my child again? On what fucking planet do you think I would ever allow that to happen? Huh?" Tommy's voice was raised as he processed Esme's idea.

"Alright I'm sorry" Esme shook as an enraged Tommy approached her "It was a stupid idea, I don't know what I was thinking"

"Oh I know what you were thinking, you thought if I sent Ana away then you could step in...offer me words of comfort...maybe even lay with me for the night?" Tommy snarled.

"Tom that's enough" John felt sick as Tommy spoke, making suggestions he couldn't even begin to consider.

"You're disgusting" Tommy sniffed and turned away "Know this all of you..." Tommy spun and pointed to each person in the room "Anything could happen to any one of you, anything at all and I wouldn't bat an eyelid...but you take her...you take my wife away from me and you might as well put me in a box in the ground...NOTHING and I mean nothing will ever mean to me as much as her...so don't yo ever think you can replace her right...FUCKING RIGHT!!!?"

Esme regretted her suggestion, she nodded her head and looked at John "So tell us what we need to do Brother" Arthur finally spoke up "What can we do to make her safe?"

"I need informatio" Tommy sighed "Keep your ears to the ground boys"

John and Arthur nodded at Tommy's request "Polly I need you to free up some money...three hundred pounds should be enough. I need to buy a house"

"Another one?" Polly frowned and Tommy glared back "Alright I'll have it for you tomorrow first thing"

Xxxxxxxxx

Ana sat by the fire in the drawing room "So do you think he's told them?" Bear half smiled and Ana turned to face him with a confused expression "About the child your with Ana?"

"Possibly" Ana replied half heartedly "Bear what have I done that is so terrible? Why does he hate me so much?"

"Because he can't beat you, because you have a good man by your side and a good family behind you" Bear spoke sincerely "Tommy would give his life to keep you safe and so would I"

"I know" Ana smiled and reached forwards to touch Bears forearm "Guy...do you ever think about...you know the night we got them?...'

Bear took a cigarette from the packet Ana had opened for him, they both lit them "Sometimes, not as much now...you say the open air in Spain is very healing for the soul..." he noticed the expression on Ana's face "It's harder for me to think about what they did to you..."

"It's in the past..." Ana frowned and Bear looked sternly at her "Is it? Then why haven't you told him..."

"What happened to me before I met Thomas is nothing he needs to be concerned with..." Ana seemed defensive "It's better he doesn't know"

"Better for who? Him or you...Ana what are you so scared of..." Bear hesitated to assess Ana's reaction.

"Now you're being ridiculous" Ana laughed nervously and Bear just stared sternly.

"Am I? You're forgetting one thing Anastasia..." Bear continued to look at Ana as he spoke "I know you and I know what happened...I was there"

"What you think I've forgotten? You don't think I don't know what you did for me?" Ana snapped slightly "You're right I am scared...but not of what they did, do you really want to know what I'm scared of. Why I can't tell Tommy...?"

Ana's eyes were filled with tears of frustration, Bear simply nodded "Because I know the second Tommy finds out what happened he will no longer look at me in the same way, I'm scared he won't see me as his Ana anymore...out of everybody I've ever had in my life, I swear if I ever look into that man's eyes and see pity then it'll kill me..."

"Ana..." Bear watched as Ana broke down in front of him.

"Not to mention what he would do to all the men that ever...I can't live in the past Guy, I have to move forwards" Ana sighed "Tommy can never know torture I suffered...or the..."

"Rape" Bear said and Ana looked horrified "Yeah I know Ana, I know what happened at your father's poker matches, I know what he promised them, I know they used to make you do things to them. I know that he used to come into your bedroom at night...and the night I heard you crying and saw him lashing you with his belt...I knew I wasn't going to let anyone hurt you ever again..."

AN

Sorry for the horrible ending, the next chapter will see Ana finally opening up about her past to her brother, so I warn it will be a little upsetting. But then after that there is alot of happy times to come :)