the great war.... 06x01
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HER HEART WAS RACING.
rosalie sat quietly watching as polly held little karl in her arms. ada sighed, "your so much better with him than me" the woman spoke painfully.
"he settles quicker with me because he can't smell the milk" polly quickly explained, looking to ada and noticing the dark circles that rounded her eyes.
"your tired" she noted, "let's put him down."
she placed the baby in his cot, before returning to sit with her nieces. "mine were terrors for the tit. the both of them, well you two never knew my children, did you?" polly asked.
"we we're children ourselves" ada reminded.
"you don't talk about them" rosalie observed quietly.
"i've no reason to... heart breaks when i even think about them but today, i do" polly sighed, looking at the two young women she raised infront of her.
"they were three and five. sally was three and micheal was five — well two weeks away from being six. it was sunday morning and i was at church, 'your not forgiven' this pinch faced bitch said to me, 'your not forgiven'. you see, i had some sheets i'd washed hung on the line with the name of some hotel" polly began, pain stricken.
"they'd been stolen in a robbery, and they said some porter at the hotel had been coached. a woman from around here told the police about the sheets — jealous, you see, about the sheets. and when the police came, they found a spirits still, making a few drops of gin" polly paused as tears dropped down her cheeks.
"and for that, they took my children from me and never told me where they took them. they did it 'cause they could and 'cause i was weak" polly paused again, bringing a tissue to her eyes as she wiped her tears.
she stared at ada. "they will never take your baby from you, do you know why?" ada shook her head, "because tommy won't let them, 'cause tommy won't let them walk all over us. 'cause he knows... you have to be badder than them to survive" polly spoke proudly.
she raised a finger and pointed it both at ada and rosalie, "i'm telling you both this now, because i want you to forgive him."
"how can i? when my freddie's sitting in jail" ada scoffed.
rosalie didn't respond, he had done the worst. how could she, she loved her brother but he willingly employed and struck a deal with a person she thought she could once trust.
sighing, rosalie looked at ada and grabbed her hand. the woman smiled at her sadly, squeezing her hand tightly.
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rosalie stood beside polly as she watched thomas. she hadn't spoke to him yet, scared for the outcome. "we've brought you all here today 'cause this is the day we replace billy kimber" thomas announced to the room.
"this is the day we become respectable. this is the day we join the official national association of racecourse bookmakers. but first we do the dirty work, now you've all known this day was coming — i just haven't told anyone the date." the man explained.
"we're going to wocrester races. track opens at one, we get there at two. now the kimber thinks we're going there to help him fight the lee brothers. thanks to the effort of our john and his lovely wife esme, the lees are now our kin" thomas continued on.
rosalies eyes trained to james' figure. he wasn't focused on tommy, his eyes stared at the back of billy treasures head like daggers. if looks could kill, he'd be six feet under.
"so any questions?" thomas asked as he looked around the room.
"yes" polly spoke up, stepping forwards. "does anyone object if i bring a newcomer into the meeting?" she asked, as no one replied she walked to the door letting ada and baby karl into the room. "i'd like to introduce the newest member of the shelby clan."
people radiated towards her as they clapped, desperate to get a look at the baby. "welcome home, ada" thomas smiled.
the woman didn't asnwer, "we named him karl, after karl marx" she announced.
"karl bloody marx!" arthur laughed, making his way over to his sister. "let me get a look at him" he said, taking the baby from her arms and holding him up.
"look, he looks just like me" the man smiled.
"that's his arse that looks like you, arthur" john teased.
"he's alright, he's a shelby."
rosalie was content. her family was — relatively back together, and karl was home.
"well ada, am i forgiven?" thomas asked, staring at ada.
the woman nodded, "if what aunt polly says is true, you are."
"it's true" the man confirmed.
ada let out a sigh of relief as she pulled her brother into a tight hug. rosalie stared at the ground smiling softly. "thank you, tommy" she spoke softly, pulling away.
thomas stared at rosalie, who had pushed herself up to sit on the table as the non family members filtered out of the room.
"i'll assume i won't be getting a name" thomas stated, looking at his sister who continued to stare at her swinging legs. she shook her head softly, looking at him.
"no, tommy. you won't" rosalie replied softly.
"is it still going on?" he asked. rosalie stood quietly.
"i'm not angry you found out, tommy. i'm angry you used one of my best fucking friends and then let him join us" rosalie spoke, looking up at him.
thomas shook his head, pulling out a cigarette tin and offering the girl one. "he came to me, said he had information on you. he betrayed you, i'm only keeping him close because if he did that to someone he's supposedly friends with, we don't know what he'd do to all of us — as a whole" thomas explained, a sympathetic smile carved into his cheeks as he looked down at the girl.
rosalie nearly cried, she'd swallowed the lump in her throat, as well as her pride as she hooked her arms around his neck. thomas placed an arm around her shoulder as his other came to her head.
"your my right hand, rosie. i'd be lost within a world if you were not there to guide me through it" he whispered softly into her ear.
the family smiled at the sight of the pair. it felt off without ada, but it was if the world had completely done a one-eighty and flipped when thomas and rosalie weren't talking.
"appreciate you, tommy"
"you too, love, you too"
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rosalie sat in the kitchen with a drowsy karl in her arms as ada snored peacefully away in her arm chair. karl was the epitome of perfect, his nose was small and his chubby cheeks were always flushed crimson. he was truly a gorgeous child.
the door slammed open and closed, causing karl to stifle a small cry but fall back into blissful peace as rosalie comforted him with small rocks and humming.
"ada! wake up!" thomas spoke roughly, "you, rosie and the baby get in the bullring where there's lots of people" thomas ordered, ada rushed to a stand, taking karl from rosalies hands as polly walked in.
"what's going on?" the woman asked with worry as thomas leant against the mantle piece.
"we've been fucking betrayed" he spat, worry overtaking his tone.
rosalie turned her head to ada as she stood, "get the baby ready, we'll leave soon" rosalie stated, watching as the woman sped up the stairs quickly.
"somone let slip, kimbers men are on the way here" thomas explained.
"yeah but you can handle it, tommy" polly nodded, yet thomas shook his head.
"all the lees are on the way to worcester, we're outnumbered" he stressed, his hand coming against the wood, "fuck" he exclaimed loudly.
"tommy, i know how to use a gun" rosalie spoke as she stepped forward, yet the man shook his head.
"no, you could get hurt."
"who else knew today was the day you were moving on kimber? you said it was a secret, who else did you tell ey?" polly quizzed yet stopped when the man became quiet and hurt and rage filled his eyes.
"you didn't, tommy" rosalie spoke as she let out a frustrated sigh.
"there's only one thing that can blind a man like you, tommy. love" polly remarked, "it's that barmaid. i'll deal with grace, if you set eyes on her now you might kill her" the woman sighed as she grabbed her coat.
rosalie walked forward, resting a hand on thomas' arm. "you die, i'll pull some gypsy shit to kill you again" she proclaimed, thomas placed a hand atop of hers, gently squeezing it before kissing her temple and rushing out the door.
ada walked down the stairs calmly, she wore all black as she gently placed karl in his pram. turning to her sister, she tossed her a black dress. "get changed" ada stated.
"we're not going to the bull ring are we?" rosalie quizzed with a smirk.
"when the men want to play like dogs, it's up to us women to knock a bit of sense into their thick brains" ada remarked proudly.
"your truly an inspiration" rosalie laughed, quickly rushing up the stairs.
she changed into the black dress, leaning under her bed to find the small handgun she had used on the lee brothers once before. lifting up her dress, she girly snug the gun into her stockings before pulling it down and walking down to her sister.
"thorne or not, your every bit of a shelby."
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rosalie furiously knocked on the flourist door. connie opened it, not looking pleased. rosalie threw her arms around the girl, which caused connie to take a step back by the force. her arms slowly wrapped around her. rosalie was never big on physical touch with anyone that wasn't her family, so the situation was foreign.
pulling away rosalie brushed a few fallen pieces of hair from her face as she looked worriedly at her friend. "one, we're no longer friends with billy treasure; i'll explain later. two, stay fucking inside — we got fucking betrayed, so lock the door, and stay fucking inside" rosalie rushed out, a hand on her chest as she heaved heavy breaths.
"what the fuck?" connie near whispered, confused on the whole situation. "so why did you hug me?" connie asked, she wasn't complaining although.
"my family are the peaky blinders. i'm thomas shelby's weak spot so i've heard and this is a man who hates him. a lot."
connie's face dropped, she grasped rosalies arm attempting to pull her inside. with a harsh pull, rosalies arm became free. "listen, i'll be fine." the girl assured, patting her thigh.
"how are you so calm?!"
rosalie shook her head, a hand coming to the lower part of her abdomen. "i'm not, i'm riddled with anxiety. have a pain here an all" the girl chuckled.
connie's eyes began to gloss over, pulling her friend into a tight hug once again, "i love you" connie whispered.
as she left her friends warm embrace, she smiled "ditto" her fingers saluting her as she turned and neared a corner.
ada joined her, the two woman walking through the cobbled streets of small heath ad family's rushed into their homes in fear of the whispers that spread along the streets.
"are you nervous?" rosalie piped up.
"i'm nervous for our men" ada responded, her pace quickening as they came to the group infront of them.
ada barged through kimbers men, "move!" the woman yelled.
kimbers men looked at the two woman as if they were loony's, walking into a battle field. rosalie agreed with them, they were fucking mad but she'd follow her family anywhere. she'd take a bullet for each and every one of them.
"what are ye' doing?!" freddie yelled, lowering his weapon slightly.
"rosalie!" billy called out, reviving a peircing glare from james who quickly looked back at rosalie.
"i believe you boys call this 'no man's land'" ada called out, pushing the pram to the middle of the 'land' as she came to a stop.
"ada!" freddie yelled again, but was quickly cut off by ada.
"shut up and listen!" the woman spat.
"have you lost your mind?" freddie then asked again.
"she said shut up!" rosalie fired, her hand over her thigh as she waited to slip the gun out.
"now most of you were in france, so you all know what happens next" ada bellowed as she looked around at the men.
she pointed from rosalie then back to herself as she continued, "we, have brothers and i have a husband here but you've all got somebody waiting for you! now we are wearing black in preparation" she stopped walking as she stared at freddie.
"i want you to look at me.. i want you all to look at me! who'll be wearing black for you? think about them. think about them right now. fight if you want to, but us three? we will not be moving" ada finished.
"inspiring truly" rosalie murmured, she truly loved ada and although her speech was empowering the girl couldn't help feel slightly embarrassed.
"she's right you know" kimber spoke up, "why should all you men die, it should just be them who's caused it" kimber pulled out a gun pointing at thomas.
rosalie twisted her body, billy's hands coming to grasp her dress to pull her out of the way yet the sight of a gun placed at thomas caused the boy to fumble. his foot slipped under her foot, causing the girl to stumble forward. as she regained her balance a peircing pain shot through her abdomen.
rosalies flesh teared as a searing hot peice of metal ripped through her. the force of it caused the girl to stumble back as a hand came to rest atop of the pain source.
another shot rang out. thomas fell to the floor.
yells where heard throughout the gang, guns firing up to shoot at the man.
james felt his whole world too apart as he watched a tear roll down her face and her legs crumble beneath her.
he came up behind her, pulling her to the side as he ripped his jacket off. she slouched in his arms, a yell searing through the air as gun shots fired. danny's body dropped to the ground.
rosalie yelled as james pressed the jacket tightly on her wound. "tommy!" she screamed, gripping onto james arm.
thomas stumbled up, rushing forward with his gun raised an echoing bang shot through the air. billy kimber stumbled, before his body hit the ground with a crash.
"go home! all of you!" he yelled, quickly stumbling over to rosalie.
"your alright, love. i'm here, i've got you" james mumbled through teary eyes, his hands stained with her blood.
"rosie! rosie!" thomas painfully called as he watched her eyelids droop.
"call an ambulance for 'er!" thomas beckoned loudly, he himself pulling off his own jacket as james' was quickly soaked by her blood.
arthur rushed to his sister, "we need to get her in the pub!" he ordered, bending down he slipping his hands under her back and knees. she cried out, the sudden move making the pain in her abdomen shoot through her body.
"your gonna be alright, petal" arthur hushed, the men quickly rushing behind him.
john kicked open the doors, running to clear the bar as they set her body on top of it.
Jeremiah had sat thomas down, a spoon two inches deep inside his shoulder as he popped the bullet out with a yell from thomas.
"rosie, help her" thomas ordered breathlessly.
"someone needs to get pol' now" john stated as his voice wavered.
james rested his head atop of rosalies, her eyes boring into his. he couldn't care for the stares that surrounded them, only attempting to calm the girl.
her face became sickly pale and a sweat covered her entire skin.
the doors opened with a bang as a tearful polly tan through the doors.
"oh my sweet girl" the woman cried, slapping away johns grip as she took her hand.
finn buried his head into ada's side, sobbing into the woman's jacket.
a car rumbled outside. the doors opening once again as paramedics flooded the pub.
the shelbys stood lost as they transferred her onto a stretcher. her limp hand falling to the side, polly still gripping the other as she ran beside her.
thomas shelby blinked away tears as he sat defeated on a stool. grabbing two glasses he laid one i front of james and himself. pouring whiskey into both he clinked them together.
"so your the poor bastard that's sleeping with my sister" thomas stated blandly. he hadn't excepted a response, but the tears that leaked down james' face were enough of an answer.
thomas nodded.
within seconds sadness had been turned to anger, swiping the gun that was left on the bar stool james rushed towards billy. he grabbed his collar, slamming his body against the wall. james pressed the gun under his jaw. he felt hands clawing at his back but he shoved them off.
"think it's fucking funny to betray your best bloody mate? think it's fucking funny to push her towards a moving bullet, hm? think i give a fuck who you are? i will blow your fucking brains out!" the man yelled, billy looked purely terrified.
"that's enough, james. ay? that's enough" arthur called, finally removing his grip.
"get the fuck out!" he yelled at billy, watching the boy scramble out the door.
"it's alright" arthur spoke calmly, "it's alright."
yet nothing was alright. rosalie shelby was in the back of an ambulance with a hole in her stomach, a bullet wound. they sat in the pub for the rest of the night, all except thomas who had left shortly after.
they drank their sorrows away looking for comfort in empty bottles of whiskey.
if rosalie shelby did not survive this, then neither would the family.
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thomas shelby stood in a feild filled with caravans as the lee family walked him to zilphas. the woman walked out calmly, a raised eyebrow as she spoke. "i wasn't expecting you this soon, thomas" the woman spoke calmly.
"what we talked about at the wedding, needs to be done now."
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polly sat with a cup of tea watching her, she was covered in a large bandage as the hospital room became dim as the sun set.
she could hear soft groans coming from the girl. her eyes blinking open, "what the fuck."
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"you are not to do this thomas shelby!" polly roared as she picked up a glass tray, throwing it at him which narrowly missed his head.
"it's already been done, polly"
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"why can't i fucking see her!?" james bellowed through the small pub.
"she hasn't asked for you" thomas shrugged, it was a lie. the girl had cried and begged for polly to convince him to come, the woman couldn't do anything but hold her hand and whisper sweet promises that were soon to be failed.
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"she is a shelby, you are a peaky blinder, james. there is nothing in this world, let alone love.. that will change that" polly spoke softly.
james shook his head as tears brimmed in his eyes.
"but i love her" he admitted.
"if you love her, you'll let her go."
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AUTHORS NOTE
act one has come to an end in the worst way possible. i am so sorry..
act two wont be out in a while i haven't written a lot for it and i'd rather prewrite that throw out random chapters so please bare with me here <3
i hope you enjoyed act one, the shit show has only started