"Kez, I need your help," Polly says, "Freddie is back, he and Ada are planning on getting married."
"Told you he'd come back," Kezia responds.
"Not the time," Polly warns, "Tommy made a deal."
"I'm aware of the deal," Kezia sighs.
"Then you know that Freddie can't be here," Polly states, "Ada's tried to get him to leave, she's tried to leave with him, but he's refusing, says he's unafraid of Thomas Shelby."
"What'd you expect me to do, Pol?" Kezia asks.
"Speak to Freddie, he won't listen to me," Polly says.
"Then why'd you think he's going to listen to me?" Kezia shrugs.
"Because you didn't tell Ada to get rid of the child," Polly replies, "Freddie isn't too happy to know that I thought she should abort it.... Tommy still doesn't know about Freddie and Ada. He just wants Freddie gone."
"Well if they're getting married he's going to find out pretty fucking soon, that news will travel like a bloody wildfire," Kezia laughs.
"Nothing about this is funny," Polly states, "please, just try to convince Freddie it's for the best, he won't believe me."
"Where is he?" Kezia asks.
"With one of his comrades, you'll need to go with Ada, you won't get to him otherwise," Polly says.
"Where's Ada?" Kezia queries.
"She was still at home when I came here, I don't know if she'll have left by now," Polly replies.
-
"What's she doing here, Ada?" Freddie asks, seeing his soon-to-be wife walk into their 'apartment' with her older sister.
"This place really is a shithole," Kezia hums, "reminds me of a shoebox."
"Are you just here to insult my place? Or are you here to finish what Polly started?" Freddie questions.
"You want what's best for my sister, don't you, Fred?" Kezia replies.
"Of course I do," Freddie scoffs.
"Good, we're on the same page," Kez says, "you've got three options."
"You Shelby's and your ultimatums," Freddie jests.
"You can leave the city with Ada," Kezia states, "you can stay and get arrested, or you can give me a name. It's you they want, but you give me a better name, they'll keep off your case for a while. Make the right choice."
"I believe in this movement, you're not going to unravel it," Freddie remarks, "this is my home, I deserve to be here."
"You call this a home?" Kezia asks, "get out, Fred, get out whilst you still can, and probably before Tommy finds out you knocked up his sister, because he won't be as supportive as I've been."
"I'm not scared of him, Kez, and I'm not scared of you either," Freddie says.
"Then you're a fool," Kezia states, "get my sister out of this fucking shoebox, Freddie, she's pregnant for crying out loud. Do right by my sister and make the right choice."
"Kez," Ada scolds.
"It's alright, Ada," Freddie replies.
"I've never had a problem with you before," Kezia says, "however, if you think this is the life my sister deserves to live, I might begin to. Are you seriously debating this? I'm trying to help you. You left before, I'm sure you can do it again."
"Why should I have to leave?" Freddie asks.
"Oh, you don't have to," Kezia says, "I'm just saying that it would be a fucking wise decision."
"No," Freddie shrugs, "the coppers can come for me, Thomas can come for me. I'm not leaving."
"And I thought you were a smart man," Kezia responds.
"You don't get to come here, insult my home, insult me, and try to force me to leave," Freddie says, "the fucking audacity."
"This isn't a home, you know it's not," Kezia states, "you're living in dreamland, Freddie. Be realistic for fucks sake. You will not win this. You know you won't. So be fucking sensible."
"Get out, Kezia," Freddie orders.
"Happily," Kezia says, "nice catch up, Fred."
"I'm staying here, I'm not going to be at home when Tommy finds out," Ada states, "I know you want what's best for me, Kez, but I'm not leaving Freddie. Whatever he chooses, I'll stay by his side."
"Well, you know where to find me if you need me," Kezia sighs.
"And you know where to find me if you need me," Ada says, and Kez shakes her head, "I'm not welcome here, Ada, we both know I won't be coming back here."
"Don't shut me out," Ada whispers pleadingly, "I'm still your sister. I'm still here for you, whatever you need."
"I know," Kez nods, "take care of yourself, Chakano, take care of the baby. I'll see you soon."
"Kezia," Ada says, hugging her older sister, "I love you."
"This isn't going to end well," Kezia states, "you know that, don't you?"
"You were supportive earlier on," Ada says.
"I still am, but some things have changed, it's dangerous for Freddie to be in the city, and that makes it dangerous for you," Kezia sighs, "try and get through to him. I've tried. It's not my fault if he doesn't listen."
-
Kezia was walking back towards the blacksmiths when she hears a distinct male Irish voice shout, "proddy bitch." Followed by a thud and a feminine grunt.
She reaches for her revolver, the noise was coming from a couple of houses in front of her. But the voices weren't in the house. It wasn't a domestic. These were just two people on the street.
"I am taking you in for interrogation on behalf of the Irish Free State."
Kezia gets to the commotion, and sees Grace pinned against a wall by a man waving a pistol in front of her face.
"I don't think you are," Kezia states, aiming her gun at the man, "let her go."
The man chuckles, taunting Grace by shoving the gun beneath her chin, "you got lucky this time; but I'll find you. I'll hunt you down, and I'll get you."
Kezia steps forwards, pressing the barrel of her gun into the side of the man's head, "that wasn't the smartest thing to say, was it? Drop the gun."
Begrudgingly, the man lowers his weapon, before dropping it on the floor. Kez pushes him up against the wall, freeing Grace from his hold.
"Doesn't feel so great, does it? Your life in the palm of another's hands? Do you like the feeling of a gun pressed to your head?" Kezia questions.
"N-no," he stutters.
"N-no," Kez mocks, "not so brave now, are you? Are you scared?"
"Of you? Never," he says, taking deep breaths.
"I thought so, I mean who would be scared of me? I'm just a woman, right?" Kezia says.
"E-exactly."
"A woman with a fucking gun to your head," Kezia smiles, "apologise to her, and perhaps I consider not pulling the trigger."
"I'm sorry, ma'am," he says.
"I didn't hear you," Kezia laughs.
"I'm sorry, ma'am," he exclaims.
"Grace, do you accept his apology?" Kezia asks, watching Grace nervously look between them, wiping the blood from her cheek, "what will you do if I say no?"
"I'd tell you turn around, cover your ears and walk away," Kezia says.
Grace nods, turning her back to them, lifting her hands to her ears and walking up the lane.
"She doesn't accept your apology, how sad?" Kezia states.
"You don't have to-"
He was cut off by Kez forcing her gun into his mouth, "there's nothing you can say that is going to change my mind, make your peace with your deity, I'll give you a few seconds."
The man shuts his eyes, Kezia counts down from five before pulling the trigger, the man's body slumping against her, as she removes her gun, wiping it on her shirt before putting it back in its holster, and taking a step back.
"Kez," Grace says.
"I thought you left," Kezia states.
"I wasn't going to leave you, what if something happened?" Grace reasons.
"To me? That's cute," Kezia laughs.
"We're near my apartment, we can get you cleaned up, I imagine you might not want to go home and explain this," Grace states.
"Well, you'd be correct," Kezia says, feeling extremely guilty that she didn't pull her arm away when Grace latches onto it to lead her towards her apartment.
"Grace, you know that wasn't for you, right? I mean in this instance it was, but-"
"You would've done it for anyone that was in my position, I know," Grace nods, "you needn't worry about me getting the wrong idea."
-
"You need to take your shirt off if you want it to be cleaned," Grace states, "it's nothing I haven't seen before, and it's not like we're doing anything wrong. Nothing is happening. We're just getting you cleaned up."
"You're awfully calm," Kezia comments, beginning to unbutton her shirt, "you're... strangely calm given the fact you know I've just shot someone dead."
"Yes, well, I believed you. That night at the fire. What you said about trust, and not being scared. I believed you. You wouldn't hurt me, you wouldn't hurt anyone that didn't deserve it. I'm not scared of you, Kez." Grace says, "it was that night where I realised what I was getting into, I decided to stay. I could have left. I didn't want to, I also, expected this would happen at some point. I'm on your side. I won't tell, and it won't alter anything about our dynamic."
"We have a dynamic, eh?" Kezia teases, shrugging her shirt off.
"I'd say so," Grace nods, "now give me that to soak and go wash your hands."
Kezia smirks, "never knew you were so bossy, Miss Burgess."
"It's not the first time you've listened, Miss Shelby," Grace responds, taking the shirt from Kez's outstretched hand. She didn't miss the amused look on Kez's face as she turns to walk to the sink.
"Wash your face aswell," Grace calls after her.
"Got it, boss," Kezia replies.