Happy. Charlotte was Happy. There was no ultimatum she felt she had to give herself, there was no niggling thought in the back of her head, one equivalent to an ant bite. An Irritatingly bothersome thought that was always negative, and always made her feel as if she was constantly making the wrong decision. There was none of that.
Now a genuine smile laced her face, as she stood with her arm linked in Tommy's, her head rested on his shoulder as she gradually let her exhaustion creep up on her.
As Tommy spoke with his brothers, she let her mind grace to the hours that had just passed. One thing that was certainly not missed was the constant looks the pair were receiving from the Shelby's. They were expression's that could only be described as relief, and pure joy. As well as a hint of nostalgia, undeniably though,after all it had been a while since they had witnessed Tommy and Charlotte like this, but nethertheless they were more then pleased. His Aunt Polly already claimed she's noticed the difference in him, for the good of course.
At that simple thought, Charlotte held the small smile on her face that never faltered, glancing up to Tommy as he spoke.
Tapping him gently, she fought an even wider smile at how she had caught his full attention within a fraction of a second. "I forgot i was meant to pop into see Mrs Davis today, i'm going to go do that quickly and i'll meet you back here?" she prospered, reminding herself of the elder lady she treasured.
"Alright sweetheart, i'll pick you up though, don't want you walking back in the dark." he spoke with certainty, brushing his hand over hers.
"Okay" she smiled sweetly, rising on her toes to place a tender kiss on his lips, caressing her cheek he sent her a wink as she pulled away.
"go on then you" he chuckled lovingly, his eyes not leaving her frame until she was completely out of sight.
"You got your girl back,brother." Arthur smiled, a somewhat proud smile at that. "She's a good girl, but you already know that" Arthur attempted to advise. "So don't fuck it up again" John shouted with the raise of his glass from the other side of the bar, sparing Tommy from his drunk brother's speech.
Rising his glass to his mouth, Tommy hid his smile behind it.
Warmth, Thomas felt Warmth.
"Hi Mrs Davis" Charlotte sweetly called out as she opened the elder woman's door, instantly noticing the comforting smell of her home. "Charlotte, My sweet girl" she smiled, rising from her seat and pulling the girl into a warm hug.
Charlotte couldn't exactly pin point how she knew Mrs Davis, being most certain she was probably acquaintances with her mother. However she did know that Mrs Davis had lived on watery lane for Charlotte's whole life,or at-least for as-long as she could remember. Evidently Charlotte had kept in touch with her, popping in every now and then to check how she was. "How are you, My dear?" Mrs Davis questioned, taking her seat once again. "I'm very well thank you" Charlotte smiled, watching as the woman scanned her.
"you look much better, you have that glow back of yours since i last saw you" she sighed, seemingly relieved.
On the other hand, Charlotte fought a wince as she recalled when she had last returned to see Mrs Davis, it had been in the midst of her mid life crisis you could say, when she was adamant that following her head rather then her heart was the rightful thing. However, she was simply miserable, and quite evidently as-well.
"Am i right in thinking this has something to do with the soldier?" she questioned, a small smile on her face.
Biting her lip slightly, Charlotte's cheeks turnt rosy at the mention, widening Mrs Davis smile.
"Yes it does" she chuckled, glancing down to the floor.
"you forgave him?" she perplexed, keeping the continuous small smile on her face.
Swallowing lightly, Charlotte met the woman's gaze. "i did, he's changed" she nodded, fortunately not feeling like she had to reassure Mrs Davis, if anything she looked overjoyed for the Windsor girl. "And is he sorry?" she frowned, brushing her hand over charlotte's.
Smiling lightly, she nodded once more.
"He is, he definitely is" she spoke confidently, picking at her freshly painted nails.
"It's clear he loves you, especially after all that time" the elder reassured, watching with a warm look in her eyes at how Charlotte's eyes beamed at the comment.
"Charlotte" Mrs Davis spoke, earning a curious look from her. "Yes?" she gently replied.
"I lost my soldier and i'd do anything to have him back, go and get yours." she voiced, watching Charlotte's eyes fill with emotion.
"That'll be him" she giggled, referencing to the knock at the door.
"i haven't been here long, i can tell him to go back-?" she rushed out, before being swiftly cut off.
"No my dear" she simply shook her head. "go and get your soldier" she repeated once more, now just above a whisper. She followed her out to the door, where Tommy stood.
"Tommy" charlotte smiled as she opened the door, Mrs Davis in view.
"This is Mrs Davis,i'm sure you'll remember her" she spoke sweetly, watching as the elderly woman's eye's danced all over him.
"Hello Mrs Davis" he nodded his head towards her. "lovely to see you again"
"Ah so your her soldier" she muttered, as tommy sent charlotte an amused smile. "I suppose i am" his eyes danced with amusement,charlotte chuckling in addition. "You look after her Thomas" Mrs Davis smiled, watching as Charlotte grabbed his hand.
"you have my word" he spoke, subconsciously stroking his thumb over her hand in his. "Goodbye Mrs Davis, it was lovely to see you." Charlotte smiled for the nth time in her company.
"Goodbye my Dear." she smiled, sweetly watching them both disappear into the night, hand in hand.
"She's lovely isn't she?" Charlotte spoke gently. "she is" Tommy replied through a small smile. The Rain unsystematically slashed down, bouncing harshly off the floor. The sudden downpour caught Charlotte by surprise, "Fuck sake" she muttered. A look of amusement took over Tommy's face, as he gently pulled her under shelter, heading towards his car.
The pair stopped dead in their tracks when a gun was raised at Tommy, within a matter of a second he had grabbed her waist, placing her behind him. Instinctively Tommy grabbed the gun, smacking it round the man's head harsh fully before a surge of men jumped out from their respective places, all gunning for Tommy.
Charlotte helplessly watched as they outnumbered him, it was undeniable he was giving them a run for their money, however eventually his efforts remained defeated. She winced as they kicked and kicked him, doing whatever they possibly could to harm him.
"Get the fuck off him!" she bellowed, squinting her eyes as she watched him take yet another hit.
"What the fuck are you doing! Get the fuck off of him!" she repeated, not missing tommy's incoherent mutters that were basically telling her to shut the fuck up.
"You here to save the day, darlin?" a familiar voice caught her attention, before a grimace involuntary followed.
"Sabini" Tommy struggled, displaying the pain he was enduring.
"Don't say my name." he shook his head in disapproval. "Franco, take my name out of his mouth" he ordered, Charlotte frowned before she let out a scream at what they were doing. "Are you fucking crazy?" she bellowed, darting for tommy.
However before she could reach him, a strong force pulled her back by her hair. The girl instantly releasing a hiss of pain. "Get the fuck off me" she reiterated, forcefully elbowing him to release his grip on her hair.
Heading for Tommy once more, she winced as her body was slammed against the wall, taking hit after hit after hit. Tommy squirmed as he attempted to get to his girl,
"Charlotte Stop" he managed to let out, desperate for her to get the fuck out of this situation.
All she did was look up to the man through cold eyes, spitting the blood out her mouth as she did so.
"She's a tough one to crack, this one" he sickly chuckled.
"Well fucking try harder then!" Sabini snapped, wiping the smile off of his face. Within seconds, he had began kicking her with all this might, listening to her attempt to withhold her screams of pain with a smug smile on his face.
Sick Bastard.
"Make her fucking watch!" Sabini ordered, watching as she got dragged over forcefully. Her eyes widening as she watched a gun get raised directly towards tommy.
"Him first." he sinisterly laughed. "No!" she screamed, tears streaming from her eyes, her hair now highlighted with her own blood.
She closed her eyes tightly at the sound that ricocheted throughout the night, rather poetically tuning in with the sound of the rain slashing.
However before she could process anything, she felt the world go quiet, and her surroundings go dark.
Lights out.
Opening her eye's steadily, Charlotte winced at the instant pain that surged throughout her. An instant frown was prominently plastered on her face as she attempted to come to term's with where she really was. "Lottie darling" Polly's voice echoed through the room, as she watched the pure confusion leave charlotte as it was swiftly replaced with concern.
Shooting her eyes open, she attempted to rise from the bed she layed in, however she was unsuccessful,the pain in her ribs overpowering all.
"Where's Tommy?" she blurted out, her voice huskier then usual.
"he's in another room Lottie, he's going to be fine" she reassured her, squeezing her hand in her own.
"How long have you been sat here?" Charlotte questioned, noticing how her eye bags were more prominent then usual. "Practically since you arrived, a couple nights ago" she told her.
"A couple nights ago?" she furrowed her eyebrows deeply. "you've been in and out, your on medication so you most likely won't remember" she smiled lightly towards the girl.
"M'fine pol, please go and get some proper sleep" she ordered, not to happy she had barely been home.
"you have to promise me you won't go and try find lover boy? you need to rest" she spoke half amused. "I won't, now go i'll be fine" she smiled, listening to how her heels descended out of the hallway before ringing the bell rapidly.
"Yes Miss Windsor?" the nurse arrived
"where's Tommy Shelby?" she abruptly questioned. "Miss Windsor you need to rest-."
"where is he?" she added once more,listening to where the nurse directed her.
Wincing in pain, she stumbled towards where Tommy was, her hand placed over her ribs. Opening the door to where Tommy lay, charlotte's mouth dropped subtly at the sight of him. He really was beaten to a pulp. At the sound of presence in his room, his eyes shot open, softening rapidly when they met Charlotte. "Lottie" he spoke gently
"your meant to be resting" he rasped, concern overtaking him when he saw the state of her face.
She had one nasty black eye, a busted lip, bruising down her cheek, bruises and small cuts down her arms. Aswell as three broken ribs, and fuck me were they painful. "Tommy I'm fine, i should be worrying about you" she spoke just above a whisper, gently running a hand down his cheek. "Charlotte"
"Hm?" she responded, confused by the use of her full name.
"i need to go to London." he abruptly voiced. "What?" she whisper shouted, disapproval written all over her.
"i need to go see solomon's" he added, watching as her mind ran.
"Well i can ask Alfie if he'll come down here, Tommy you can't go to London like this" she furrowed her eyebrows, biting her lip in stress.
"i'm a sitting duck in here Lottie" "i'm coming with you." she cut him off.
"no your not you need to rest" he adamantly spoke. "Tommy, i am coming with you" she reiterated.
"Alright." he nodded, watching as even she grew confused at his approval.
"Alright?" she perplexed.
"Will it make you happy?" he questioned, letting charlotte's mind wander to how she didn't want to be anywhere but his side right now.
"Yes."
"Well like i told you,i would choose your happiness over mine every-time."
Well, they're certainly back after all.
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thank you so much for 100k reads!💓
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