"Aunt Pol?" Amelia asked, looking for her aunt around the house only to find her in the living room. "I need you to brush my hair. Please?" Polly sighed, leaving the living room and returning a little later with a brush in her hands.
"When're you going to learn to do it on your own, Lia? You're fifteen." Polly spoke as she ran the brush delicately through the youngest's curly hair.
"I know how to do it, I'm just lazy." Her comment made Polly hit the top of her head with the brush. The youngest hissed, glaring at her aunt. "The fuck was that for?" She hit her again. "Pol!"
"The first one was for being so cocky. The other one was for swearing." Polly tried not to smile, but the hint of a smirk appeared on her lips.
Amelia sighed at the sight of her hair in a braid, rolling her eyes. She started to leave the room, but Polly stopped her.
"What?" She asked, glancing at her aunt with a frown.
"Thanks, Aunt Pol. You're welcome, niece." Polly mocked, rolling her eyes.
"Aye, whatever." Amelia stuck out her tongue at Polly before leaving the room, putting on her coat and walking out of the house. As she walked down the street she met up with Cassandra, who smiled at her and linked her arm with Amelia's.
"Theo's at the Garrison. Fancy going?" The redhead asked and Amelia nodded with a smirk. They headed to the pub together, seeing Theodore there when they entered.
"Ted!" Amelia smiled, sitting beside him and hugging her friend.
"Hi, girls." Theodore was smiling, kissing Amelia's temple. "I like your new hairdo." He said to Amelia who just snorted.
"Have you ordered anything to drink? I fancy a glass of gin." She asked looking at the bar where Grace was, cleaning it.
"I haven't ordered anything yet. I was waiting for ya." Theodore answered. Amelia stood up with a nod and walked to the bar, sitting down on a stool.
"Hello, Grace. Serve me..." She looked at her friends before speaking again. "Two gins and a glass of whiskey, please." Grace laughed, setting the cloth aside.
"Your brothers won't let me serve you, Amelia. I'm sorry." She said shaking her head.
"But they aren't here, are they?" Amelia raised her eyebrows at her making the woman sigh. Grace started to prepare her order, leaving three glasses in front of the youngest. "Thanks, Grace. I'm beginning to like you." Amelia smiled. She placed the glasses on a tray and grabbed it, heading to her table where her friends were waiting.
"You made it." Theodoroe said with a grin. Amelia nodded, sitting down next to him and taking a sip from her glass of gin.
Her face paled when she saw Arthur walk in next to Tommy and she moved her glass to the table next to her, clearing her throat. She walked towards them with an innocent smile.
"What ya doing in 'ere?" Arthur asked and Amelia shrugged, clasping her hands behind her back.
"Came to greet Harry and Grace. What're ya doing here?" She asked back.
"Tommy's got a surprise for me." Arthur answered with a grin. Amelia looked at Thomas who was smiling as well.
"Enjoy it, then." Amelia smiled again, looking at her friends with wide eyes and indicating the exit of the pub. The three of them went out, Theodore complaining because he couldn't finish his whiskey and the two girls laughing at him.
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It was dark outside. Amelia and Finn were lying in the sofa as they rested their heads on their aunt Polly's lap. They looked comfortably relaxed, their minds clearly settled on something else as they stared into empty space. Polly gently ran her fingers through their hair, providing an extra touch of comfort for them during the quiet moment.
Finn eventually fell asleep, his head leaning against his big sister's chest. His breathing became steady and peaceful as he slept. Meanwhile, Amelia closed her eyes as she saw Tommy walking in. Polly shushed, her fingers still running through her nephew and niece's hair.
"Freddie didn't want your money." Amelia heard Tommy's whisper. "And now coppers are saying if we don't turn Freddie in, they'll put Ada on the arrest warrant as well." The girl tried to remain static, forcing her breathing to be calm. "That's where your compassion gets you, Pol. From now on, we do it my way."
"Or what?" Polly whispered back. Her tone was serious, defiant. Amelia heard the door close and assumed Thomas was gone.
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She had been quiet and distracted all day since she woke up, her mind seemingly occupied with other thoughts. She joined her friends under the bridge. Theodore had a cigarette between his lips and Cassandra had her eyes closed, her back resting against the wall.
"What took you so long?" Theo asked as Amelia sat next to him, lighting a cigarette of her own.
"I've been busy. Family issues." She shrugged letting Cassandra rest her head on her lap. She ran her fingers through her red hair, hearing the girl let out a sigh.
"What kind of issues?" Theo asked once more as he exhaled the smoke.
"I think Ada's in trouble. Big trouble." She sighed, closing her eyes.
"What's wrong?" Cassandra asked this time, opening her eyes so she could look at her best friend.
"Where to begin." Amelia let out a scoff before speaking again, "Tom has stashed weapons in the empty grave of Danny Owen, who turns out not to be dead, but in London. The weapons are robbed. Coppers are chasing Freddie Thorne, and my sister refuses to stay away from him. They have threatened to arrest her too." She finished speaking with a sigh, rubbing her closed eyes.
Cassandra looked at her with compassion, stroking her arm. Theodore let out a laugh, tossing the cigarette butt aside.
"It would be strange if your family wasn't in trouble, to be honest." He spoke while crossing his arms. Amelia nodded in agreement.
They spent hours talking and trying to make the Shelby girl laugh. Cassandra eventually had to leave, leaving Theodore and Amelia alone. Amelia sighed, positioning herself between the boy's legs with her back pressed against his chest.
"They don't even let me enter the business." Amelia complained as she closed her eyes.
"Is that bad? I don't think it would be in your best interest to follow in their footsteps." Theodore commented, wrapping his arms around Amelia's torso.
"What the hell d'ya know about what it's right for me, eh?" Amelia teased with a smile, turning around so she could look at the green-eyed boy.
"Oh, I know a lot, actually." Theodore smiled back. "I know who's best for you, for example." He spoke near her lips.
"Do you?" Amelia whispered, her eyes traveling from Theodore's eyes to his lips.
"I do." Their lips were inching closer and closer to eachother, the tension between them growing. Amelia felt her heart pounding a little faster, her nerves getting to her as she waited for the final moment when their lips ultimately met.
Amelia and Theodore's lips finally made contact, and they kissed. A wave of excitement and nervousness washed over her, a mixture of feelings flooding her body. Her heart was racing, and she couldn't keep the blush away from her face as she leaned into the kiss.
Eventually, the kiss broke and Amelia pulled away, her cheeks still flushed with excitement. She felt like she was on cloud nine, but she knew she had to leave now.
"I'm sorry, Theodore, but I have something important I have to do with my family now." She lied stuttering and slightly out of breath as she began running away from there.
When she reached Watery Lane, John grabbed her arm making her stop in her tracks. She was out of breath, her cheeks red.
"You're right on time." He said, turning her around to make her walk alongside him. "We're gonna have fun with the Lees." John had a wicked smile on his lips. Amelia's eyes lit up, for an instant she forgot what had just happened.
"You gonna let me be part of it?" She asked excitedly as they approached Arthur. She almost let out a scream when John nodded, still smiling. Arthur stood on a small wooden bench, the Peaky Blinders organizing themselves in front of him.
"Attention! This what's known as your final briefing before going over the top. Sixty miles down that road is Cheltenham racetrack." Arthur spoke. "Johnny, what's our mission, boy?"
"To stick it to the Lee family, Arthur!" John hummed making his sister laugh.
"That's right. The Lees are skimming money off the legal bookies. Running chalk, selling rafflers, then beating up them as won't buy. But today we're gonna stop them." Arthur paced around with a small grin on his face.
"What about Kimber's men?" John spoke with his hand raised. "Thought he had his own protection."
"Kimber's let his troops go rotten." Arthur spoke once again. "They're on the lake from the Lees to look the other way. We're gonna show Kimber how it should be done. Now take what you're good at. Those of you with guns, keep them out of it unless a gun is pulled on you. We want this done quietly." He opened a box and everyone started grabbing weapons. Amelia smiled, seeing the knife in her hand.
"I thought Tommy was taking me to the races." Amelia spoke making Arthur laugh.
"Right. Not today, girl." He ruffled her hair and she frowned, putting the knife on her pocket.
"So when do we share out the cash?" John asked, giving something sharp to Finn.
"We don't. We're not keeping the cash. You're in Tommy's army now, boys. Trust only kin." Arthur answered, starting to walk. "Let's go." They climbed into the van, Amelia letting Finn sit on top of her. She carefully touched Finn's weapon, pursing her lips.
"Why can he touch that at 11 and I can barely hold a knife at 15?" She asked, huffing when she heard John's laughter.
"Stop complaining and enjoy yourself." He responded by tapping his finger on her forehead.
When they arrived at their destination, everyone got off little by little. Arthur and John walked into a bathroom with Blinder men next to them. Amelia stood outside with Finn, huffing and puffing. She heard screams and saw a couple of men come out of the place with a frightened look on their faces.
She looked around her before daring to enter, watching as Arthur cut off a piece of the Lee's ear. She smiled, although deep down she felt like throwing up. She ignored the bile rising in her throat and walked over to them, smiling when John let her land a couple of punches on the man.
"I commandeer this stolen money by order of the Peaky Blinders!" Arthur shouted stealing the bag full of money from the Lee man. He extended it to Amelia and she left the place with the bag.
She walked over to Finn with a long sigh, ruffling his hair. Finn smiled as he saw the blood on her knuckles.
"They let you be part of the Peaky Blinders?" The boy asked and his sister nodded with a huge smile.
"I'm a Peaky fucking Blinder."