As soon as Olivia's head had hit her pillow she was out like a light. As she dreamed she saw visions of blood, cold pale skin and the sound of a breathing machine but it was nothing new.
After four hours sleep she woke suddenly, her body aching from standing for hours in the operating room as she assisted on the second surgery of Thomas Shelby.
Not having a single moment to relax she had to get up and prepare for a new day. Instead of completing her rounds her sole responsibility would be Thomas Shelby as requested by his family.
It had been said that Polly Grey had paid the hospital a large sum of money to keep Mr Shelby's condition and care under tight wraps. Olivia knew that his family were trying to protect his reputation but she thought it was futile.
Olivia Heart was pretty certain Mr Shelby wouldn't make it.
—-
Slipping in his room she saw that he had been placed near the window, his head bandaged and the sheet tucked in at his chest. As she touched his chest she realised that his temperature was back to normal.
A good sign.
Looking over the notes from the night nurse she saw that his output had steadied and he was adapting to his medication.
Scribbling down her entry she wondered how bad the damage to his head was. Would he wake but remember nothing of who he was and all the things he had done?
Just as she was about to check his head dressing she saw movement in the corner of her eye. Looking down she saw his fingers twitch.
"Mr Shelby?" She whispered as she placed a soothing hand on his naked arm.
Slowly his long lashes fluttered open, his bright blue eyes hazily trying to adapt to the sudden light change.
"Mr Shelby you're in the hospital" she started slowly as she swallowed "My name is nurse Heart" she breathed but could see he was having trouble swallowing.
Quickly pouring him a cup of water she bought it to his lips but before she could help him sip he thrust his head back and scrunched his eyes closed.
A low growl of pain slipped by his tightly closed lips and she knew the pain in his skull was becoming to much to bare.
Moving quickly she opened up the draw at his bedside and began preparing a needle.
"This will help" she said as she tapped the side of the needle, trying to ignore the gut wrenching feeling in her stomach when he groaned in pain.
Sticking the needle in his arm she gave him the full dose and watched as his body began to relax, his breathing beginning to steady.
"Don't try and talk" she whispered as he opened his mouth. Grabbing the cup she helped him sip the water, all while she began assessing his condition.
Unbeknownst to her Mr Shelby was also assessing her. As he watched her care for him he saw the focus she had and envied her calm nature as he remained frozen in his body.
"Do you know where you are?" She asked him as she took a seat next to him.
Tommy blinked and nodded, his jaw flexing with frustration.
Olivia smiled softly "I'm the nurse assigned to your care Mr Shelby. You've kept me on my toes the past few days...." she stopped talking, suddenly unaware of what to say next.
"How bad?" He croaked as his eyes began to flutter.
"Mr Shelby, your condition is ongoing. We're assessing you every day but you've so far made it out of the woods. I just need you to relax and let me take care of you. Your head can't withstand any trauma or stress right now"
He suddenly looked at her and she froze against the chair, his eyes trying to decipher information from her but she looked away.
"Do you want me to call your family?" She asked gently as she stood up.
"No" he said rather abruptly "I need to sleep"
Nodding to herself she leaned over and checked his head dressing. As she peaked under the dressing he began to close his eyes, feeling the effects of the medication she had given him.
——
Having told the night nurse that she would stay Olivia had stayed by her patients side and watched him carefully. It was hours later that she had fallen asleep in the chair.
The sound of water hitting the floor woke her up. Wide eyed she looked over to see Mr Shelby leaning over the side of the bed, throwing up.
Holding him by the shoulders she supported his weight as he wretched.
"Is the pain back?" She said once he stopped.
Nodding he let her move him back, not caring that he was relying on a woman to help him. Olivia was quick as she moved to the draw and began to dose him up again.
"It won't be like this forever" she said as she placed her hand on his head.
Tommy eyed her carefully and wondered if she knew who he was. Most people he met couldn't look him in the eye nor touch him but she was here, in his space, nursing him from the brink of death.
"What's your name?" He asked her.
"Miss Heart" she replied as she fixed the oxygen back to his face, her fingers gentle against his skin.
"First name" he mumbled as he began to search for his cigarettes.
Olivia looked at him once before going to the door, her head disappearing as she called to someone down the hall.
"Olivia" she replied as she poured him a cup of water and held it out to him, testing his motor skills without him knowing.
With great frustration he managed to grip the cup and take it from her but he realised quickly that his grip was weaker.
As he sipped the tepid water he watched as a man entered the room and began to clear the mess that he had made only five minutes ago. The man was heavily scarred across his lower face and neck.
"Thanks Jackson" she beamed at him as he began to leave the room.
Jackson nodded quickly to her before closing the door after himself.
"How long will I be in here?" He asked her, watching her as she took her seat.
"At least a few months" she said with slight hesitation.
It was obvious that it wasn't what he wanted to hear. As she watched him react to the news she could see that he had a lot of questions.
"I'll be heading up your care. I've been made aware by your Aunt that your treatment is to be kept private" she said in hopes to soothe him.
"You know who I am?" He asked her with a slight eyebrow raise, his bandages moving with him.
Olivia looked away and pretended to read over his notes "Im aware of you"
"It doesn't bother you?"
"Good or bad Mr Shelby I took an oath" she replied quickly, wanting out of the sudden awkward conversation.
Usually she would talk to her patients about their families or their lives but Tommy didn't seem the talking type.
Closing his eyes he rested his head back after realising for the moment he was safe, his aunt had taken care of it all.
"Can I smoke?"
"No" she replied "Not until your oxygen levels are up"
Tommy knew there was no point in arguing with her. Olivia Heart struck him as the type of woman who could not be persuaded so easily
——
Polly had asked for privacy later on that evening and Olivia was happy to oblige.
As soon as she left the room Polly rounded on Tommy and made him, even when he was struggling to concentrate fill her in on how exactly the priest had got to him.
Just as she was about to fill him in on everything outside of the hospital, Tommy's surgeon stepped into the room.
"Ah! Nice to see you awake Mr Shelby" he said as he ignored Polly's scowl.
Tommy nodded "I hear you're the one who worked on me"
"That's right. You had us on the ropes for a while" he grinned.
Tommy instantly didn't like him, he was too forward and loud. Right now Tommy couldn't handle loud.
"If it wasn't for nurse Heart you might not be ere' Tommy" Polly butted in as she eyed the surgeon.
Tommy was suddenly intrigued as Dr Sailes blushed with anger. Clearly the man infront of him had a ego.
"That right?" He asked her.
Polly smirked "Yeah spotted blood from your ear after your first surgery. Made Dr Sailes here take you back down because you were still bleeding"
Polly wanted Tommy to know that Dr Sailes hadn't done a good enough job to start with and if it wasn't for his nurse he wouldn't be with them today.
Tommy raised an eyebrow "Looks like you've got some good staff ere"
Dr Sailes let out a deep breath before plastering a smile across his tight face "That we do Mr Shelby. Well now I know that you're doing okay I best be off. I'll check on you tomorrow okay?"
Tommy simply nodded before sharing a look with Polly. Communicating with his eyes that he realised his life had been in that idiots hands and he was lucky to be alive.
"The arrogance!" Polly hissed as soon as Dr Sailes had left the room.
——-
"I said no smoking!" Olivia hissed as she walked back into his room later that evening, hands on her hips as she watched him.
"It helps relax me" he lied.
Rolling her eyes she grabbed the cigarette from his mouth and stubbed it out before throwing him a dirty look.
"I know you're used to getting your own way Mr Shelby but under my watch that won't be happening" she chided as she opened the window to let fresh air in.
"Even under this roof I can get my own way" he warned her, his tone dipping deliciously low.
"I suppose that would of worked on someone else" she hit back before taking her seat "I don't care if you're god himself, you either follow my instructions or leave this room but trust me you won't make it three steps with your injuries"
Olivia didn't falter under his gaze and he could see why her colleagues around her looked to her, why she had managed to save his life against the sexist hierarchy of this hospital.
Even though it was him under her scrutiny he couldn't help but find her intriguing. If he wasn't in pain he would of pushed her further.
"Do you treat all your patients this way?" He demanded.
"I do and the majority of them walk out here alive Mr Shelby"
"Polly told me you saved my life"
Olivia ignored him, letting her eyes wander to the window as she watched the rain drizzle down the glass.
"Don't ignore me Miss Heart" he snapped which bought her attention right back to him, their eyes meeting "To me that's a big deal"
Olivia first hand could see why he was so notorious, as soon as he wanted your attention he had it. As she took in a steady breath she wondered if she could look after him for the next three months.
"I was just doing my job"
"You went up against your superior"
"I did"
Tommy nodded "Will it have repercussions?"
"I doubt it" she started as she sat up and placed her fingers on his pulse "It wouldn't of looked good on him if you died after he had just operated on you"
"My family would of killed him" he said and watched as she flinched away, her eyes filling with questions she didn't dare ask.
"Oh" and she took a step back, panicking. Would she be killed if he died in her care? Suddenly she felt trapped, she was assigned to his care for the next few months and it was a lot of pressure to be under.
Tommy was satisfied with her reaction. This would be the test to see if he could trust her, if she was to be by his side he needed this to be able to relax.
Having so many enemies he wouldn't put it passed one of them to pay a beautiful nurse to try and kill him.