please remember that scenes may be slightly out of order to fit this story better however the book still follows the plot of season 1-6 <3
-
Later on that night, Charlotte had spent the entirety of the evening with her brother, john and Arthur. Rinsing the garrison of their drink supply as they reminisced.
It was something she found herself doing frequently, she couldn't deny that she didn't miss the way life was before the war, spending every minute with millie and the Shelby boys simply enjoying every day as it came, however times had changed and they were simply distant memories now.
Sipping her drink, charlotte laughed alongside the boys as they breezed over different stories of their childhood,of course the conversation had fell onto a particular memory,a personal favourite of charlottes.
Summer 1906
The Shelby's, Windsors and Millie made their way towards the meadow they frequently visited during the summer, polly's picnic blanket under Arthur's arm, Alexandra's sandwich basket in charlottes hand, her other in tommy's. It was the hottest day Birmingham had seen in many summers, meaning the girls could work on the tan their sixteen year old self's were obsessing about and the boys could fuck about in the river that run throughout the meadow.
The teenagers often opted to escape small heath's pollution and take the short walk to "Millie's Meadow" as they called it ,due to her grandfather owning the land. The water was almost sparkling, drastically contrasting from the cut that ran through small heath, the grass was a vibrant green, often reminding tommy of his girlfriends eyes.
The birds sang as if there was no tomorrow, bringing a certain peace to charlotte as she lay alongside millie in hopes of improving their tans.
"i heard what happened with beth court yesterday" millie laughed an amused look on her face
"well she shouldn't of tried it on with my tommy then" charlotte scoffed, almost in disbelief that a girl would even try it
"I'm telling you now lottie, you'll be together forever" the blonde suddenly saddened, a straight look on her face
"oh i dont know, i hope so" lottie blushed glancing over to tommy who only had his shorts on, a tan accompanying his upper body as he laughed at john attempting to drown jordan. "excuse me" millie coughed extracting lottie from her daydream.
"sorry" charlotte blushed, before double looking her bestfriend
"what's the straight face for?" she wearily asked, afraid she might of upset her
"I want what you two have" she muttered avoiding charlottes eye in slight embarrassment
"oh don't give me that" the brunette laughed "tell me about harry court then, that beth's brother" she added.
Before Millie could continue, the pair laughed as they watched tommy run up the slight hill, dripping from head to toe, his hair pushed back. Charlottes face dropped as it dawned on her what he was about to do, soaking wet tommy threw himself on top of charlotte, shaking his hair in hopes to get the girl drenched.
Gasping loudly at the sudden temperature change, she instinctively tried to push tommy off her unfortunately for lottie he didn't move even a centimetre. "Tommyyy" she giggled still attempting to get him off of her, however his arms were still locked behind her head holding his weight as he scanned her up and down, laughing she winked at him eager to wind him up, she could recognise that look anyday.
"Get a room" John laughed as he appeared above the hill, picking up the picnic basket and running back towards the water. Although he didn't quite make it, stacking it right over his own feet causing the group to fall into deep laughter. "Way up john,on your feet" charlotte laughed "what id tell you about falling for my lottie" tommy added only causing the pair to fall into another set of uncontrollable laughter.
Millie glanced at the couple, amused they found themselves so funny before looking back over to john "will you two stop taking the piss out of me" he laughed, getting back on his feet descending towards the water.
Tommy lifted his head from charlottes chest, as he layed in-between her legs
"Oi what you doing with that" he bellowed referring to the picnic basket
"You'll see" johns voiced died out as he got further away from them.
Tommy sat in the same position, secretly invested in the girls gossip as he sat and listened about who and what. "Can't you stay away from your girlfriend for two minutes?" Arthur questioned approaching the group, before tommy could think twice Arthur had dumped the entirety of the water that had filled the picnic basket over Tommy's head, half of it landing over charlotte.
Dramatically gasping, charlotte grabbed the basket from Arthur running towards the river, filling its entire contents up with water. Expecting Arthur to be behind her she launched the water at his face, only laughing more when she saw the feigned offended look on her boyfriends face instead. Tutting tommy shook his head,
"tommy i thought it was ya brother" charlotte spoke inbetween her laughs, unable to hold his laughter as he watched his girl, tommy ran towards her effortlessly throwing her over his shoulder before sending the pair straight underneath the water. Rising to the surface, charlotte glanced at everyone who now joined them, evidently in a water fight of their own, breaking away from tommy charlotte increased the space between them. "come on then tommo" she playfully laughed, watching as he descended towards her.
Smiling to herself at the vivid memory, she rose from the table not failing to notice how the room had began to spin.
"i'm going to go see tommy" she voiced to the boys, who were just as drunk as she was. "you still ain't spoke to him?" john questioned the brunette, lighting up a cigarette as he also rose from his seat. "Not really"she spoke through slightly hazy eyes before nicking the cigarette off him "well i'll walk ya, i'll be off home now anyway" john stumbled to the door earning a laugh from their paraletic brothers.
"See you tomorrow harry" charlotte smiled, as harry's eyes lingered over her for slightly longer then usual, her hair was a tad more ruffled in contrast to her usual perfectly styled locks and her eyes glistened a slight bit more then usual, working well with the red tint that had appeared within them due to the alcohol. Strangely she looked beautiful, clearing his throat he wandered his eyes everywhere else as he noticed john's face held a slight glare. "Goodbye lotts" he nodded his head before continuing to wipe down the bar.
Linking Johns arm, the best-mates stumbled down watery lane in direction of the Shelby household.
"Everyone fancies you,y'know?" john muttered as they exited the garrison
"eh?" she chuckled placing the cigarette in-between her lips
"bsa factory, betting den, the garrison, the bloody suit shop. Everyone talks about Charlotte Windsor eh?
The Shelby Princess"
amusement was written all over the girls face, slowly subsiding as she took notice of how serious john really was
"you can't be serious" she laughed "Ada takes that crown, I'm afraid" smiling at the thought of her basically little sister.
"yea yea, well she doesn't have a certain place in tommy Shelby's heart like you do does she? nor does she fucking own it at this rate" genuinely laughing at her best friend she shoved him playfully
"I can promise you i don't own tommy Shelby's heart anymore johnny boy" she giggled, the gin being the only reason she's finding this so amusing.
Frowning he pulled her underneath his arm "don't be silly Lottie, and if he does lose ya he'll be a wiser man for it"scoffing lightly she slightly snuggled into her best-friend, not appreciating the cold breeze that had plagued the night.
Glancing up at the picture Polly had of the family the same summers day charlotte was just thinking of,she swallowed the sadness that tried to consume her. Straightening herself up slightly she looked up at clock, 23:51
knowing exactly where tommy would be at this time she headed towards his office door,not bothering to knock.
Quietly opening the door she glanced over to tommy, not missing how his face lit up,threatening a smile.
"Hello tom" she smiled walking towards his desk so she was stood directly in-front of it "Lottie" tommy smiled slightly before shaking his head and gesturing towards his lap. "come here" he demanded his voice slightly hoarse, concern taking form within charlotte. Placing herself on his lap, she frowned slightly as tommy sighed as if the weight of the world had been taken off his shoulders. "Are you okay tommy?" the brunette questioned before glancing over to his desk, an old photograph of the pair sat on the surface. "I need you to realise i can't do this without you lottie" he sighed caressing her cheek "maybe you need to realise tom that you've never known a life without me, and this is just attachment not love" instantly frowning he gently pulled her face towards him by her chin "i don't know where you've got this from lotts, but i love you the same as i always have" he exhaled, almost becoming stressed she even thought otherwise.
"really?" she replied, sarcastically
"have i ever lied to you?" groaning she rested her head on his shoulder
"do you remember that day in the meadow we used to go to tom?" smiling slightly at the reference, tommy pulled her towards him kissing her forehead.
"course i do, think about it often an all"
genuinely smiling, she glanced over to tommy who held an amused look in his eye. "fuck off, i can't stay pissed off at you" she half laughed, playfully pushing him away from her. Lifting her up, he carried her bridal style effortlessly chuckling as she placed a kiss on his cheek "can always tell when you've had a drink" he knowingly muttered, grinning to himself.
The next day, Charlotte was in the garrison speaking with a polite gentleman who happened to be a local and a kind man. "How is your wife, Mr Godfrey?" she smiled however she subtly diverted her attention to whoever had just walked in, very frantically to say the least. Only when she noticed it was their Ada held up with grace she excused herself heading straight over to the girl "omg lottie" ada sighed, seeming over the moon to see her face. "What's the matter?"charlotte questioned pulling the brunette into her "im so sorry about what i said, i love you like a sister and i miss you" she rushed out, wincing at the pain in her stomach. "don't be silly ada, we are fine and i miss you more" she lovingly smiled, but with one more glance over her she could tell their was more.
"Ada" charlotte slightly scolded, prolonging her name to encourage her to carry on. "It's your tommy and my Freddie" she gasped throwing her hand over her mouth, worry consumed charlotte who carefully eyed the Shelby girl. "what do you mean?" ada only clenched her stomach once more, gripping onto charlottes arm "i'm afraid there going to kill each other" ada stated, catching graces attention. "Thomas bloody Shelby" the Windsor girl firmly muttered out of disapproval, under her breath.
"Come on you,let's get you a drink"
"Talk to me about the guns" Freddie demanded, holding a gun to Tommy's head. "Do ya remember we used to jump in here and see who could swim across..." tommy began before Freddie swiftly cut him off "I'm here to talk business, Tommy" he was completely ignored instead "do you reckon we could still do it?" before Freddie could reply tommy kicked the gun out of his hand, pulling his out instead, except Freddie held onto his own and now the ex best-friends stood ridiculously aiming a gun at each others heads. "You loaded ada with your bastard, because she's a Shelby" tommy exclaimed not breaking eye contact with the man. " I won't let you fuck up my sisters life, for your cause" sarcastically laughing in disbelief Freddie dropped his gun "My god. you actually believe that" "I love her, tommy. I've loved her since she was nine and i was twelve" he rose from the ground, keeping eye contact with the Shelby man.
"Do you even know the word" earning a scowl from tommy, as Freddie was well aware of charlotte,they did grow up with each-other after all.
"Women talk y'know? Your Charlotte talks to ada like a sister, heard word of a new barmaid" Freddie voiced confidently ,watching as tommy tightened his grip on the gun.
"You might be playing a game tommy, but i'm not i love her and i'm not going bloody anywhere" not giving tommy a chance to reply, the Shelby man watched as he left throwing his gun with frustration.
What was everyone seeing with him and this barmaid that he wasn't, he didn't love grace and that was final,right?