The Queen Of Birmingham

17.

17. Everlong
'I wonder, when I sing along with you, if everything could ever feel this real forever.'
~

A day or two passed with no word from Tommy, not that Ivy was expecting it. They had both exposed their vulnerability, something which neither ever wanted to do.

Sat in her office, Ivy found herself gazing out of the window, getting lost following the countless people that walked past. In that moment, she felt normal, like she was just another person walking along the streets of Birmingham. But of course, she wasn't. The harsh shriek of the phone ringing snapped her out of it and reminded her of that.

"Hello, Iviana Thorne speaking." She answered, rubbing her eyes to try regain her composure.

"Ivy." Tommy's voice sounded frantic, causing her heart to drop.

"What is it, Tom?" She panicked.

"I need you to meet me. Right now."

"Where?"

"You know where." And with that, he hung up.

Without knowing where she was going, she put on her coat and hat before leaving the building. As she walked in the vague direction of Small Heath, her mind raced through years of memories to try figure out where Tommy could possible mean. As she approached the Garrison, it suddenly clicked.

Rushing back in the opposite direction, passers by stopped to watch on as the woman darted past, clearly flustered.

When they were young, before the war, the couple would meet in an old boat shed. It was quiet, the only privacy they ever got in a town where everyone knew who they were.

As Ivy hopped down to where it was, she saw a familiar figure pacing around in the shadows.

Hearing footsteps, he span around, breathing a sigh of relief when he saw who was approaching

"I thought you weren't coming."

"I would've been here faster if the message wasn't so encrypted."

"Had to be, they might be listening on the phones."

"Who? What's going on Tom?" Ivy was growing increasingly worried seeing the man was clearly on edge and frantically looking in all directions instead of at her.

"I'm gonna have to lie low for a while." He whispered when his eyes finally met Ivy's again.

"Why?"

"I've lost my bargaining power. The copper, it's just me and him now."

"But you've got me. This is what I came back for, to help you."

"This isn't your battle." Tommy rubbed his face, exhausted and close to giving up. "You should've never gotten involved, I couldn't live with myself if you got hurt."

"She gave you up." Ivy felt a pit of anger growing in her stomach as Sven figured out what Tommy was talking about.

"I don't know that."

"She did!" Ivy practically shouted.

"Shh." Tom pulled her further into the shadows.

"Where are you going to go?"

"I don't know."

"Come with me." She insisted after a moment of silence.

"What?"

"Sleeping in enemy territory? Sounds perfect to me, they won't suspect a thing." Even in these circumstances, the two managed to share a small smile. "Come on." Ivy whispered, grabbing his hand and leading him to safety.

~

"Iviana? Is that you, love?" Her father called out upon hearing the front door open.

"Yeah dad."

"I made you some-" the man stopped in his tracks. "Thomas Michael Shelby."

"Hello again sir." Tommy offered the man a smile, reaching a hand out as he approached the couple.

Mr Thorne paused for a second before refusing his hand but pulling the man before him into a hug.

"It's been a long time, my boy."

"It has indeed. Good to see you again."

"And you son, have you eaten? I've made enough to go around." Tommy glanced at Ivy who simply smiled back at him.

The two enjoyed an evening of reminiscing over good food and drink. The topic of business, legal or otherwise, never even came up.

"Well I think it's time for me to retire to my bed." Mr Thorne claimed, reaching for the plates to put in the sink.

"Let me get that, dad." Ivy insisted, moving over to the sink.

"Very well, I'll say goodnight to you both." Before leaving the room, the man leaned down to Tommy. "You look after her son, she needs you more than she's willing to admit." He whispered before patting the gentleman on the back and heading out of the room.

"Sorry about that." Ivy apologised, turning back towards Thomas.

"Don't worry about it, it was nice."

"I don't think I've seen him smiling that much in years."

"Well he always loved me." Tommy joked, earning a smile from Ivy.

"That's true. Shall we go upstairs then?" She suggested, something which Tommy kindly agreed to.

Following her to her large bedroom, he was impressed with the furnishings, particularly the gramophone in the corner of the room.

"That thing's broken." Ivy informed him upon noticing him looking.

"We could still dance."

"You want to dance?" Her face scrunched up in confusion. For years she forced him to dance with her knowing how much he hated it. It was beyond belief to her for him to offer.

"For old time's sake." Moving over to her, he placed a hand on her waist with the other in hers as she placed her hand over his shoulder. Ivy felt a bit silly slowly moving around the silent room but a smile never left her face.

Tommy bowed his head, kissing her gently at first but things inevitably got heated quickly. Within a matter of minutes they were undressed on her bed, far larger than the one they once shared. In the middle of it all, he stopped.

He sat on his heels, staring down at the woman with a soft expression. Ivy couldn't help but thinking as she looked up at him that this wasn't Tommy the ruthless killer, feared by all of Birmingham. This was her Tommy, an innocent man who's never seen the likes of war and death

"Are you okay?" Her voice came out just above a whisper.

"I don't hear the shovels against the wall."

"What shovels?"

"Will you help me?" He asked, ignoring her question.

"Help you with what?"

"With everything. The whole fucking thing. Fucking life, business. I had you, I lost you and now I've found you again. And you found me. We can help eachother."

Ivy smiled in response, pulling the man down into an embrace which answered his question without saying a word.