Delilah frowned as Ada grabbed her arm, dragging her through the house.
"Ada what the fuck are we doing" she asked.
"Stopping this madness" she said, placing Karl in his pram.
"What are you talking about" Delilah frowned. "Ada i'm not getting in the way of this" she shook her head. "My dad will kill me"
"Fine" she shrugged, "stay here, but i'm going"
Delilah rolled her eyes. "Fine but if i die, my blood is on your hands" she warned.
She mumbled to herself as she held onto the moving pram, approaching the large crowd of men.
"Move" Ada hissed, pushing through them. Delilah avoided each of their gazes. Karl began crying.
"What are you doing" Freddie shouted, lowering his gun. "Delilah?" Reggie spoke. Lilah looked up, her stomach dropping when she saw the dark haired boy amongst the group.
"Ada what the fuck are you doing bringing my daughter here" Tommy scolded. "I believe you boys call this no man's land" she stated.
"Ada" Freddie repeated.
"Shut up and listen"
"Lilah move before you get hurt" Reggie shouted.
"Have you lost your mind" Freddie asked. "I said shut up"
Kimber looked around, confused.
"Now most of you were in France" she reminded. "So you all know what happens next, i've got brothers and a husband up there, my niece beside me"
"But you've all got somebody waiting for you." she shouted. "Fucking hell Ada" John muttered.
"Now i'm wearing black in preparation" she nodded, holding her hat. "I want you to look at me" she hissed, "i want you all to look at me"
Delilah caught the eyes of John.
"Who'll be wearing black for you" Ada shouted. "Think about them"
"Alright Ada, I think they get it" She placed a hand on her arm. "Think about them right now"
"And fight if you want to, but we aren't moving anywhere"
Reggie lifted his head. "Fucking what" he asked. "Ada don't be stupid" John warned. "Delilah move"
"She's right you know" Kimber interrupted, "why should all you men die, it should just be them who caused it"
He pointed his gun toward Tommy, firing it. Delilah screamed as she saw Tommy stumble backwards, "Dad" she shouted, running forward. Despite the anger she had for him over the past few weeks, she couldn't afford to lose another parent. As she did so, a bullet flew into her stomach causing her to tumble down.
Multiple shots fired and she looked down, her hands covered in blood. Her breath quickened as she leaned her head back, tears forming in her eyes.
Danny Whizz-Bang ran forward, bullets firing into his chest. "Delilah" Reggie shouted, dropping his gun to the floor and kneeling beside her.
Everything began moving in slow motion, Ada rushed to her side.
"Ada move away" Freddie shouted. "You shot her, you fucking shot her" John shouted.
Tommy stood straight, firing his gun, a bullet landing in between Billy Kimber's eyes.
She noticed John running over, kneeling beside her. Reggie placed his hand on her face, his other over her blood covered hands, applying pressure to her stomach.
"Enough" Tommy shouted as Billy Kimber fell to the floor.
"John" Delilah whispered, grabbing his hand, tears rolling from her eyes. "Ada move Karl out the way" he sent her away.
"Kimber and me fought this battle one on one" Tommy shouted.
John lifted the younger girl into his arms, holding his hand on her wound. "It's over" Thomas shouted. "Go home to your families"
"Tommy" John shouted. Both Arthur and Tommy looked over. "Fuck" they whispered.
"Fucking help us" Ada screamed.
Delilah shook her head, leaning on John.
Tommy appeared at her side, pushing John and Reggie away.
He stood up, carrying her into the Garrison. "Get a fucking ambulance" he shouted, his voice cracking.
Delilah's hand was tightly wrapped around Tommys arm as he lay her on the table.
Tommy pressed a cloth onto the bullet wound.
"Save your breath, you'll be fine" He wiped the girls forehead.
Reggie held her shoulder, his eyes wide.
"Ada what were you fucking thinking" John shouted. "I'm sorry," she said, tears rolling down her face.
Lilah looked at the people surrounding her, watching as they ran around in slow motion. "Reg" she whispered. "I'm okay" she nodded.
He smiled weakly at her efforts.
Tommy stepped backwards, feeling ill as the night Francis died replayed in his head. "Tommy?" Arthur asked. "Tom" he repeated.
He looked at Arthur.
-
A loud scream left Delilah's mouth as the doctor removed the bullet from her wound and cleaned it. She covered her mouth to quiet the sobs.
John and Tommy paced the waiting room.
"What was Ada thinking" he repeated his question from earlier.
Arthur placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know what's going through your head, brother, but that's not what's happened, Delilah is fine"
Their heads turned toward Reggie who had appeared before them. "Reggie?" Tommy asked.
"Is she okay?" he asked.
The family had their suspicions about the two, and his appearance confirmed them. Tommy squinted, not liking the boy who stood there.
"We uh, we don't know yet" Arthur nodded.
Delilah's eyes closed slowly as the doctors left the room.
"We got the bullet out, cleaned her up, she should be fine" the man nodded, looking at the brothers.
"Can we see her" John asked, standing up. Tommy placed a hand on his chest, pushing him back down and pushing past the doctor before he could respond.
Tommy walked in, looking at his pale daughter, swallowing the lump in his throat. "Scared the shit out of me you did" he whispered.
She looked up at him with tired eyes. "I'm okay, dad" she assured him, knowing what he would be thinking about. "I'm okay" she repeated, reaching for his hand.
He sniffed, nodding and holding her hand.
"Scared i was going to lose you too" he whispered. "But you didn't" she said.
"That Smith boy is here" he changed the subject. "I'll see him in a minute" she winced as she sat up.
"Did Danny die?" she asked. Tommy nodded, keeping his head down.
Delilah sighed.
"He died twice" she let out a laugh, causing him to smile. "Yeah, he did"