Chelsea sat across Tommys lap, her head resting on his chest, her eyes closed shut as she tried her hardest to not cry out in pain.
Tommy saw the pale girl, and shook his head, sighing loudly.
"I'm sorry," croaked Chelsea, "I'm sorry for believing them. They lied about everything. You aren't evil-"
"I am a bad person."
"No, dad, they lied-"
"No Chelsea, I am." said Tommy, Chelsea sat up slowly and looked at her dad in confusion, "I'm a bad person and I do bad things. But don't think, for one second, that I would every try to hurt you. I would rather be killed, burned at the stake then ever hurt you. When you told me what William did to you, I completely lost it. I went around and I was so close to killing him but then I realised, if I did that, it would hurt you. Chelsea, no matter what, you're my daughter and your my first priority."
"In my eyes, you're not a bad person." Chelsea said, shaking her head, "But, dad, I think I am."
"Don't say that," Tommy whispered, pulling his daughter back to his chest, "why would you think that?"
"Because as soon as someone had a bad opinion on you, I believed them. After everything you've done for me, and I threw it straight back in your face. I was selfish."
Tommy laughed, "Chelsea, you are everything but selfish. I mean, you just took a bullet for me for god sakes."
"And I killed that man." Chelsea whispered, tears rolling down her face, "I killed him, and then blamed it on you. But deep down, somethings wrong with me."
"Nothings wrong with you, Princess." said Tommy, "You're my daughter which means your protect those you love. Why did you kill that man?"
"Because he was going to kill you?"
"Why did you run in front of the bullet that Kimber shot?"
"Because it was going to hit you."
"Exactly," Tommy shrugged, "Every 'bad thing' that you've done, was just to protect me. Which is exactly what I do, I live the life I do and do the things I do so I can give you the life I never had. I do bad things, just to protect you. There are bad people out there, people way worse than me-"
"Kimber." Chelsea interrupted.
"Yes." Tommy nodded, "People like Kimber who wouldn't care about hurting you. It's my job to protect you from those people."
"But, it's also my job to protect you." Chelsea said, "So, you might not want me to, but as soon as you're put in danger, I will try everything in my power to stop it."
"But Chelsea-"
"No." Chelsea said, "That's the deal from now on. If you do anything to protect me, then you've got to let me protect you. And think, we'll both be okay if we both won't let each other die. I think we both need each other."
"You think? Ah, I'm not to sure." Tommy laughed.
"Shut up." Chelsea said, feeling her eyes getting heavier, "You love me."
"And you know it."
Tommy noticed the girl had stopped talking and suddenly, her breathing was a lot calmer and heavier. She kept his ear close to her, to make sure he could still hear her breathing, but allowed the girl to sleep.
When Chelsea awoke, she was curled up in the corner of the booth, a large blazer covering her cold body.
"Dad?" Chelsea croaked, she looked around and saw the pub full of people, all of them drinking and celebrating.
She stood up and soon enough, Polly came running over to her, "Oh, my darling."
"Poll." Chelsea winced, "Ow."
"Sorry. Sorry." Polly apologised, "I thought you wouldn't come back to us."
"Don't be so silly." Chelsea said, shaking her head, "How could I ever leave these lot."
"CHELSEA!"
Chelsea turned around, cursed under her breath before she fell to the floor, Finn lying on top of her, "YOU'RE BACK!"
"Finn!" John roared, pulling his brother up by his collar before helping Chelsea up, "Your niece got shot, you need to be more careful, God damn it!"
"How you feeling, Princess?" Said Tommy, arriving behind Chelsea.
"Sore." Chelsea whispered, "Very sore. I could use one of Grace's hugs right about now."
"She doesn't know?" Polly said, turning to look at Tommy, "You haven't told her? For fucks sake Tommy!"
"No, Aunt Pol, I haven't had time to tell her because she just got shot!"
"Tell me what?"
Tommy crouched down and took his daughters hand, "Chelsea, you won't be seeing Grace anymore, she's in the past."
"What do you mean?"
"Chelsea, she betrayed us." Tommy said, shaking his head in sorrow, "She was the one who told the coppers about our plan tonight. She sold us out."
"She wouldn't do that," Chelsea refused, "Grace wouldn't do that to me. She wouldn't do that to you. She wouldn't do that to us. She loved us. . .she-she said she loved me."
"Come here-"
Chelsea pushed past Tommy and out the door. Both John and Polly stared at him as he allowed her to go.
"Tommy, go after her for fuck sake!" John shouted.
"I know where she's going." Tommy sighed, "She'll be back."
"She better not be going to her house, Thomas." Polly said, "If she is, you better go and stop her before I do."
"You may not like Grace, Pol." Tommy said, turning to his Aunt, "But Grace and Chelsea love each other like mother and daughter. You can't get in the way of that."
Chelsea ran through Small Heath, crying and sobbing as she went, her gun wound aching beneath the bandage.
She finally arrived at Grace's house, she ran up the stairs and pushed the door open.
She saw Grace standing by the window, her suitcases next to her.
"Chelsea-" Grace said, shocked to see the girl, "Your-you're back? What happened? Did they get you? Your shoulder-"
"Tell me it's not true." Chelsea cried, "Tell me it's all just some stupid joke! Did you tell them? Did you sell us out?"
Grace waited for a few moments before slowly nodding.
"Why?" Chelsea shouted, "Why would you do that!? I thought me, you and dad were going to be a family. I thought you loved me."
"Chelsea, I do love you!"
"No! No you don't! Because you told them, I got shot! Billy Kimber knew where we was and he shot me because you told him!"
"Kimber did that-"
"Don't act like you care!" Chelsea cried, "If you cared you wouldn't have done it. You know what's sad, Grace? My dad loved you. He still does."
"I love him."
"You're leaving then?" Chelsea asked, pointing at her suitcase, "That's it? You're leaving?"
"Yes, I'll write you letters Chelsea and you can come visit me whenever you need to."
"I-ehm- I think it's best I go." Chelsea said, holding her arm, feeling the throbbing pain coming back, "My dad will be worrying."
"I love you, Chelsea." Grace said.
Chelsea stated at Grace for a few moments, who looked broken. Chelsea ran forward and hugged her closely.
"I love you mom."
Grace froze and so did Chelsea.
Chelsea soon pulled away from Grace, shaking her head and stepping back, "I-I didn't mean to."
"It's okay, sweetheart." said Grace, "It's perfectly fine."
Chelsea looked from Grace, to the suitcases and back to Grace, "You're leaving me. You're just leaving."
"I'm not leaving you, Chelsea. You can still come and see me."
"I can't Grace!" Chelsea shouted angrily, suddenly loosing control of her emotions, "You've betrayed my whole family! My dad could've been killed today! You've hurt him! You hurt my dad!"
"It was never my intention-"
"I don't believe you." said Chelsea, shocked by her realisation, "I don't believe you and I don't trust you. Don't come back Grace, don't ever come back."
Chelsea took off in a run, sprinting down the stairs and out of the building. She could hear Grace shouting from her window but Chelsea ignored her.
How could she do this? How could she completely betray both her and her dad?
Chelsea didn't stop running, the rain was pouring down on her, soaking her clothes inside and out but she still didn't stop running until she got inside her house.
She slammed the door shut behind her and slowly broke into tears. She ran through the betting shop, into the living room, up the stairs and finally into her dads room.
The house was completely empty.
It was just her. No one heard her sobs, her wails as she tried to come up with a reason as to why Grace would do such a thing.
But nothing came to her mind.
Absolutely nothing.