April Snowdrop (Thomas Shelby)

𝒯𝑒𝓃

"Hey, Deb, I was joking." Tommy whispered, turning her around to face him.

"Tommy, we need more mild!" John yelled, after banging on the door.

"Just help yourselves." Tommy called back, before turning back to Deborah.

"Tommy, there's something you need to know." Deborah sniffed, looking down at her hands. "It's about the time I was away for those few weeks, after the Kimber incident."

"What are you talking about?" Tommy questioned, furrowing his eyebrows. He sighed and grasped both of her shaking hands. "All right, look. Deb, I know you're hesitant about us, about being with me again. But I'm turning things around, myself included. And when I get back here tonight I will have one of the biggest legal racetrack syndicates in the country. And I'm going to close down some of that illegal stuff. Maybe open a club, hey?" He suggested, making her smile.  "Like in London. I can finally bring you back to your home. We'll create new memories, happy memories, together."

Deborah's breath hitched at the mention of London. He didn't notice and instead grasped her chin between his thumb and index finger. "Tommy..." She tried to speak, but he cut her off.

"I am going to make a success of this. I am going to make a success of it. I am." He assured her.

"I know." Deborah whispered, placing a hand on his cheek and slowly reached down to run her thumb along her bottom lip. "I know."

"I once asked you to marry me." He reminded her, while grasping her hands once again. "This time around, we will get married and carry on our adventures, together. We are honest with each other. We know each other."

"I know Tommy." Deborah sighed. "That's why I need to tell you something."

Just as Deborah was about to tell Tommy everything, the door slammed open. Arthur and Jeremiah Jesus walked in, both looking equally stressed and panicked.

"Right, tell him what you just told me." Arthur ordered the preacher.

"Just heard there's two vans driving up the Stratford Road. An old corporal of mine said he recognised some of the men." Jeremiah revealed. "He said it's Kimber boys, and they're heading this way."

Tommy stayed silent and grabbed Deborah's hand, pulling her out of the back room and to the main part of the pub. They both threw on their jackets and coats, before rushing to the Shelby home.

"Ada, wake up." Tommy shook his sister awake, when him and Deborah were in the house. "You and the baby get into the Bull Ring, where there's lots of people."

Hearing the panic in Tommy's voice, Polly rushed into the room. "What's going on?"

"We've been fucking betrayed." Tommy announced, pacing the floor. "Someone let slip. Kimber's men are on their way here."

"Yeah, but you can handle them, Tommy?" Polly asked her nephew.

"It's just us. All the Lees are on their way to Worcester. We're outnumbered. Fuck!" The stressed man exclaimed.

"Who else knew today was the day you were moving on Kimber?" Polly questioned. "You said the only other person who knew was Deb."

"I sure as hell didn't say anything." Deborah spoke up from where she stood by the fireplace.

"Deb's right. Who else did you tell?" Polly urged, staring down her nephew.

Tommy's eyes suddenly widened and he turned to look at Deborah. "The only other person who knew was -"

"Grace." Deborah finished and her teeth clenched. "I fucking knew she up to something. All those questions she asked Arthur!"

"I'll deal with Grace." Polly told them. "If either of you set eyes on her again, you might kill her."