━━𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 [𝐓.𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐁𝐘]

𝘹𝘪𝘷. -𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘻𝘦

"Tommy." Polly confirmed, watching as the brunette handed her son over to Dawn, a toothy grin radiating from the blonde.

As the Thorne(née Shelby) girl pulled away, she sent a scrutinise look to the women in the room, "What about him?"

Her aunt chuckled, shaking and pointing her head to the blondes direction, "Ask Dawn over there, she'll be able to tell you."

Disgust passed through Ada, grimacing at the realisation of her friend and her brother. Not at all wanting to ask what was going on between the unlikely pair. Instead motioning over to her son who was rocking in Dawns arms, changing the subject hand, "His names Karl. After Karl Marx."

Her eyes looked up from the blabbering baby in her arms, his small body moulding into the plush of her skin, "The famous communist?" Dawn grinned earning one straight back, confirming what she had guessed. Of course she would.

Minutes swept by with the woman chattering and a bored Theo tugging on the material of his mothers skirt until they had to leave. A 'family meeting' they called it, leaving Dawn to begrudgingly hand over the infant and bid goodbye to her friends.

It left a small puncture in her heart, deflating her. Her maternal instincts scurrying through her like the way wind carried a paper bag, weaving its way through the streets. The feeling of holding such a small life in her hands, the way she did five years ago, and it was funny how time replayed on itself, for how a war was days away from starting on the twenty third of July 1914, and just around the corner the Birmingham gangs were about be face to face with only one thing in mind. Death.

♕

Loyalty was a fickle thing.

To choose between right or wrong, it really puts to test where real loyalties lie. Which is why Polly Gray sat in the corner of the room, locking onto the eyes of a liar.

"Going for good?"

"I heard there was trouble." The woman caught red handed replied. Fidgeting with the strap of her purse as it laid on her shoulder.

Polly ignored her, "Funny thing, instinct. See, I can normally tell about a person, but with you-" Though rudely interrupted by the barmaid who had now dropped her facade, itching to get out of Small Heath as quick as possible.

"-Look. There's fighting about to begin, we should get out of here."

Polly scoffed, "We know who you are." Blunt and straight to the point. Freezing the golden haired, "I know..Tommy knows, about your dirty little secret. Turned out that copper as good as told him this morning." Reaching back and extracting a large needle from the back of her bun, it's metallic glint snapping the gloomy room into one of thick tension, "But I wanted to hear it from your own lips."

The Irish barmaid reacted, pulling her gun defiantly to the older woman, "I'm an agent of the Crown. I have the power to arrest and the right to use force. So please. Step out of my way."

The Gray woman didn't step down, stalking forward with her words, "Like I said instincts a funny thing." Cocking her head mocking the woman, "You fell for Tommy for real, didn't you?"

Graces voice trembled, betraying her fierce persona, "This gun is loaded, I am not afraid of you."

"I feel sorry for you. Slip of a thing."