Tommys POV
I sit next to the hospital bed that Aurora lays on, still unconscious. The doctors managed to stitch her wound and get the bullet out without any problems, thankfully. But, that was six hours ago. She should have woken up by now.
"Tommy." I hear Polly call but I don't look away from Aurora. I'm to scared too, thinking she's going to slip away again. "Tommy." She calls again placing her hand on my shoulder. "You need to get changed. Can't have her seeing you with blood on you." She tells me and I sigh.
"I can't leave." I say roughly, my voice hoarse from lack of sleep. "You need to. Look, the worst is over. She'll wake up but you can't have her blood on you when she does. I'll stay with her till you get back." Polly says more firmly and I stand up slowly.
"I'm just changing, checking in on Charlie then I'm coming back." I tell her before pressing a kiss to Aurora's cheek, reluctantly letting go of her hand before I leave the hospital. My heart beats furiously as I make my way to Polly's old house, feeling anxious that I'm not with my girl.
******
"She's still not awake?" I ask Polly as I walk back into the private room Aurora is in. "No. The doctor said it could be the anaesthetic." Polly says as she gets out of the chair which I quickly sit in, taking my girls hand in mine.
"I'm going to get some coffee. You want some?" She asks and I just shake my head, hearing her leave. "Baby, please. Please wake up. I need you. And Charlie needs you. Hell, everyone one of us needs you. So, please. I need my wife. My girl." I beg, pressing my hand as I feel her fingers twitch.
I look up and see her eyes start to flutter open making breath out a sigh of relief. "Baby?" I question as I stand up, brushing her hair away from her face. "W- w-at-ter." She stutters, her voice hoarse. I pick the water from the table beside her and help her sip some, as I lift her head with one hand.
"Better?" I ask and she nods as I place the glass down. "Are you okay?" I question, still worried and guilty. "Yeah. Just tired." She says smiling softly as tears slip down my cheeks. "Why're you crying?" She asks, reaching up to cup my cheek as I lean into her hand.
"I almost lost you. All because of me." I say sadly. "Tommy. I'm right here. You didn't do anything wrong." She tells me but I'm still not convinced. "Baby, look at me." She says firmly and my blue eyes meet her green ones. "I promise you that it was not you're fault. I don't blame you. I would be telling you to fuck off if I thought you did this, wouldn't I?" She questions.
"Yeah, you would." I say, pressing soft kisses to the inside of her wrist. "I love you. More than anything. You're the love of my life, you know that?" I tell her and she nods. "I know, because you're mine." She tells me and I stand up, pressing my lips to hers softly, missing the feel of her lips.
******
Auroras POV
A week later.
I walk into Tommys office, groaning in pain as he looks up at me. He has dark circles around his eyes, his eyes bloodshot from crying. "You okay, baby?" He asks me as I sit down, waving him off with my hand. "I've been shot before, I'm fine." I tell him and he sighs.
"I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry, Ror. This is all my fault." He tells me and now I sigh. "Tommy, you didn't know a man was gonna run in and shoot me." I tell him but he shakes his head, banging his hands on the table. "It was my fucking fault, Aurora!" He yells.
I stand up quickly, ignoring the protest in my stomach as I walk around his desk. I grab his chin, forcing him to look at me. "Tommy Shelby, it was. Not. Your. Fault." I tell him firmly, emphasising my words. "You got shot. I almost lost you and Charles almost lost his mum." He says sadly.
"You didn't know this was going to happen, Tommy. Stop blaming yourself and spend some time with your son. He needs his father." I tell him firmly and he nods. "Everyone's in the kitchen. Go and see them." He tells me and I go to walk away but he grabs my wrist and pulls me back into him.
He wraps his arms around me gently, burying his head in my neck, as he leaves soft kisses on my skin. I wrap my arms around him, feeling comfort. "I'm sorry, baby." He whispers in my ear before letting me go, pecking my head. I give him a soft smile before I walk out of his office and walk into the kitchen.
I take a seat beside John, leaning against him as he wraps his arm around me and Polly puts some buttered bread in front of me and I pick at it. Polly scolds me and she hits me on the back of my head as she walks past. "Eat Aurora. You need your strength and you're losing weight again." She instructs.
I let out a low grumble of curse words making John snigger. Sitting Karl down in front of the fire, Ada walks towards the wooden table. "The thing is we all naturally came in here where the servants eat." She says to us, walking past me and John. "It's nothing to do with politics, Ada. It's fucking freezing in the big room." John tells her, sipping loudly on his tea.
"John, mind you language in front of Karl." Polly scolds him, taking a tray of cheese and moving it to the table. I snigger at this as John looks down at me and smirks playfully. "Ada, we're in the servants quarters because it's where the fucking booze is kept." Arthur exclaims. Polly closes her eyes and throws her hands up into the air in frustration as John stands up and nudges past Arthur. "Arthur, find better words!" Polly tells him.
"Yes." Arthur grumbles. "Eh, Pol? Does swearing in Gypsy count?" I ask her tiredly, a grin on my face as John laughs. Polly walks past John, a large knife in her hand as she glares towards him. "There's no reason for us to be speaking Rocker or Shelta in any case." She spat. Arthur and John let out a loud cheer and I can't contain my laughter. "I'm just saying there is no need!" Polly finishes. "When my wife is drunk, she can't speak fucking English. I'm sure Rory speaks it in her sleep sometimes." John says, winking at me.
Polly's eyes widen as she points the knife at his back. "John!" She exclaims as he picks up a bottle of whiskey. "Fucking right!" Arthur courses, winking at me as I sip on my tea and I chuckle and Finn lets out a laugh. "Here, drink something stronger to wake you up." Arthur mumbles, leaning over and pours some whiskey into my tea. I grin and wink at him.
John goes to walk but Michael enters at the same time causing John to step back. "You dealt with it?" Polly asks him. "Incentives, no threats. Implied consequences without specific reference to physical harm." Michael gables as he pours himself a cup of tea.
"That's why your Michael is the boss. He knows better words, eh Pol?" Arthur spat, staring into his drink. "Since when was I your boss, Arthur?" Michael asks him. "First the boss meets you. Then the workers meet you." John adds, placing his hand on my shoulder as he glares at Michael. "When did either of you two do a days work?" Finn teases earning a laugh from Ada and Polly.
"I'm the old days, Finn." Arthur says. "Family meetings used to be all of us together." He continues, pouring himself a drink. "Arthur, shut up." Polly tells him. "Now me, and John, we're just fucking bin men who's duty it is to obey. Hmm? And god knows what Tommy's doing with Aurora. Making her obey too." Arthur continues, glancing at me.
Polly walks towards him. "Arthur, shut up. Finn, go and get us cigars." She demands. "So what are we going to do all night, eh? Climb fucking trees?" John asks. "John, stop swearing in front of the kids." Polly scolds, once again. "Yeah and who said you're staying the night?" Ada asks. "Who said you are?" I reply and she glares at me. "I know what we can do! We get the guns out, John. We go outside and shoot some fucking pheasants. That's what the bosses do, innit?" Arthur suggests.
I shake my head tiredly, standing up and downing a gulp of whiskey. "Fuck off, Arthur." Michael spat as my eyes widen in amusement. "The fuck did you just say to me?" Arthur questions as Michael puts his cup down and Arthur quickly stands up with anger written on his face. "No, no, what the fuck did you just say? Cause I didn't fucking hear you!" He spat, getting into Michaels face. Johns moves quickly as do I, as we both push Michael and Arthur away from each other.
"I didn't ask for separate meetings today, alright?" Michael says and I open my mouth to say something but Karl beats me to it as he stands at the table, a toy car in his hand. "Fucking pheasant!" He says making Ada's face pale, her eyes wide and she instantly grabs him in her arms. Me and John nearly topple over in laughter as I hold my stomach. "Karl, you can't say things like that!" Ada says, trying to hold in her laughter. "Now look what you've done." Polly spat. I try to stay serious for a moment but I snort, laughing again.
Arthur chuckles and grabs Michael and John by their shoulders. "Alright brothers. It's just the fucking whiskey talking." He grins. "I don't ask to be protected, alright?" Michael grumbles. "Right shut up. The pair of you. Sit down." Polly demands before she turns to me and John. "Sit!" She demands and I scoff, sliding into a chair. "She's getting mean in her old age." I grumble to John who sniggers.
"Look around you. Look at this house. Look how far we've come. I think it's about time we all started acting in a way more appropriate to our station. We're none of his bin men anymore, Arthur. Tommy needs us all together and so does Aurora. I'd like to propose a toast." Polly begins, as I pick up my glass, the rest of the table following even Karl who picks up a mug. "It's a family united that shall never be defeated." She says as Finn comes running in.
"Aurora, Tommy's gone! Swear to god, he's in a wagon with Johnny dogs!" He exclaims, looking at me. I shoot up, ignoring my pain as I run to the front door and look out. I see Tommy holding our boy and he nods to me as I nod back, happy he took my advice.