Please review! I have been thinking about this chapter since before I even started writing!

Chapter 5

My sleep is broken by the sounds of the front door being broken into. Yells and shouts from downstairs resonates through the floorboards. Immediately, I pull on a robe to cover my nightgown and then move into my mums room. She is groggy with sleep and isn't sure what is going on.

"Get your robe on." I quickly say as I assist her in standing up and help her cover up.

"Who is here?" I didn't get to answer as two uniform coppers push their way into the room.

"Hands up! You are coming downstairs." Mum immediately does what they say and I follow suit.

The two men guided us down stairs where more men were searching the rooms. All of them seem to be searching for something so i spoke up and said, "If you tell me what you are looking for I may be able to point it out."

"I am sorry Miss and Mrs. Krane. The Inspector requested that we search the home for any type of stolen items." A local man, Charlie, said as he kept eye over us.

"Don't apologize Charlie. We know you are just following orders." Mum replies in her soft voice giving him that welcoming smile.

"I am actually shock. I would of bet Shelby's whore would be hiding something." One of the newest Irish specialist said as he walked pass.

"Oi, show some respect when you are in someone's house uninvited. I am no ones whore." I shoot back barely registering what I am actually saying.

"Don't need to show respect with some catholic whore. Bet you make extra coins being that Pub's whore. What exactly do you cost?" He stood tall as he puffed out his chest as if to be intimidating. It didn't work.

My hand slapped his cheek as hard as I could muster. It wasn't even a breathe later that his hand wrapped itself into my hair and dragged me out on the street. The pain stung and I tried to claw away his hand. Catching some skin in the process.

Once on the street he pushed me face first against the wall to take control over my body. I tried to fight but there could be no hope of winning. His breath smells foul as he whispered, "You are too pretty to ruin that face. Just remember where you belong."

All of Watery Lane stood around and watched the scene unfold. Coppers tried to pass this off as if they had gotten permission from the Blinders. No one was believing it. Thomas would never allow for this type of violence.

Polly's POV

The boys had returned and their eyes seemed wide-open at this Inspector's actions. I explained about the different pubs and how the coppers were trying to pawn this off on them. Arthur of course said nothing of sort and we all knew it was the truth.

"No one is believing anything they are saying. The coppers went after Eveline and her mom. They know Thomas would never allow that to happen." I added to give them some relief to them.

"Is she alright?" Arthur and John both asked while Tommy stayed silent.

"I assume a bit shaken up. Apparently a copper drug her out onto the street and kept calling her whore. Wasn't pleased that she slapped him across the face." I could feel the smile grow on my cheeks. She had spirit.

"Stupid girl, that mouth will get her killed." Tommy muttered before finishing off the beer and listening as I sent them group of them out on their save face campaign.

I explained to him that his actions had made the events this morning occur. This inspector is banking on a revolution and we did not want to get caught in the cross hairs. He then threw back some fighting comparison and asked about Ada. I briefly brushed that off knowing that would only add wood the fire.

"You should see Eveline. Your choice to hide these guns puts her in danger. She will be his next target." I push the button and wait.

"Nothing will happen to her. I promise." He taps the ash from his cigarette into the tray and walks out to take care of his horse.

Those two will be the death of each other.

Eveline POV

I could still feel the hands of the man on my lower back when I walked into the pub the next day. My tasks were simple as Harry manned the bar. Just ask I was dumping a flat bucket of beer, I saw the magical creature. His dark eyes popped against the whitish gray fur. He is a beautiful horse but there is something else there. Standing right next to him, leading him, is Thomas.

"Beautiful horse you have there." I smile at him before turning my attention to the animal.

He seems shaken from all of the noise. I let my hand run over his neck; staying on the opposite side from Thomas. "Hello there Love. How is Birmingham treating your sensitive ears."

The horse reacts with a slight huff but allows me to continue. "You are stunning. I might just have to put a bit of coin on you if you get to race."

"We shall see if he can even deal with the box. Doesn't really handle noise well though." Thomas chimes in as I feel him staring at me.

"All animals are scared of the city. The country is a lot quieter." I reply with an airiness in my voice remembering my time spent in the silence. There is a stillness that a city cannot reproduce.

"Polly told me what happened this morning. I did not give them permission to search. I promise. If you see that man let one of us know. I can take care of him." His vow is genuine but I will not being cashing that offer in.

"Thanks. I must get back to work." I nod my head and head back inside.

I never actually finish my shift. Ms. Ada Shelby came into the Garrison and quickly pulls me out. States we are going to see a picture to disappear from our own troubles. The words are ominous.

"I'm pregnant." Her voice is as soft as a whisper as we pull away from the other patrons to the center of the seat. "And Freddie is gone. Aunt Pol wants me to get rid of it but i don't know if I can."

"Oh Ada, is it what you want to do?" I asked as take our seats and wait for the screen to light up.

"If Freddie were here I would say no. That I want to raise the baby with him but if he isn't I don't know if I can." Her voice trembles and I wait a moment to reply.

"Does anyone know?" If Thomas knew, Freddie's head would have price. It is no secret that the war created a divide between the two. Hell, Thomas had almost joined the communist party before the fighting started.

"Polly just found out and I am sure she will be telling Tommy as soon as possible." Her voice quivers and I let her rest her head on my shoulder.

The movie is just getting good when I can hear the footsteps approaching. Both of us look and watch as he approaches. He avoids me completely and asks Ada the question of the hour. I stay silent. I am here for Ada and no one else.

The siblings squabble as usual and after clearing out the theatre, Thomas gets his answer. Ada, ever the lady, demands the movie to continue. Her and I sit in silence as tears fall down her face. After I walk her home and hand her off to Polly. With a knowing look the two of us say goodbye.

I head back to the Garrison and tell Harry to go see a picture. I offer to close up and enjoy the noise of the men. It silences all the thoughts in my head.

I had just about started cleaning when a knock sounds at the door. Thomas Shelby brushed past and asks for a drink. I can tell that he is trouble. No one had died but even that wouldn't make him like this.

"I will leave you alone. Just let me know when you are leaving…" I don't get to finish.

"If I wanted to be alone I wouldn't of come here. Get us both a drink and sit down." He pulls a chair for me and I grab a bottle of Irish whiskey. The kind we both like.

"You seemed to have had a hard night." Nothing. Silence. That's all I get in reply so I pick another topic. "How is your beautiful horse?"

"I put a bullet in his head." And that explains everything. Horses are a soft spot for Thomas.

"Was he lame?" Thomas Shelby does not kill a horse if he doesn't have too.

"He gave me the wrong look. It's not a good idea to look at Tommy Shelby the wrong way. Except if it is you." I can see the gears churning behind his eyes. His mind is catching up to what he did. "Never you."

"I have looked at you wrong on multiple occasions. What did the look tell you?" I asked trying to help him uncover the motivation of what he had done. He is so smart and cunning that sometimes I think when instinct takes over, he needs his mind to catch up.

"He's cursed. The Lee's curse him and I had to kill it. God, I got so use to seeing men die but horses are the worst. They die badly." I can see the slight shiver in his he pulls his cigarettes and matches out.

I take the offered one and he leans forward to light it for me. It is closest we have been physically since I have been back. "You must want to put a bullet in my brain. I sound mad."

"Not mad, it is just your gypsy blood." I reply before continuing, "Uncle Charlie really rubbed off on you."

"Yes he did." There is a silence between us but he is the first to break it by saying, "You were suppose to get better. I thought you died and then you weren't. You were suppose to come back. I waited for you to come back."

"Tommy not tonight." I plead with him but his eyes tell that it is useless.

"No, you were so sick and you left. Your mum said that you would most likely not make it. You were sick and they were sending you to the country for fresh air. I volunteered the next day because I thought you had been given a death sentence. I spent five years mourning you and then I hear you are perfectly healthy. Living London as a bookkeeper. I deserve to know." His voice is laced with venom and anger.

"It will break your heart." I look at him knowing he has no idea how much this will hurt him.

"Already broken." He pauses to take a puff of smoke and then proclaims, "It's time for you to tell me the truth."

"I wrote to you during the war. I explained everything but I guess you never received it." I paused for a moment and then said the words I never thought I could mutter again, "They couldn't figure out what had been happening because it was severe morning sickness. I couldn't keep anything down and my body was withering away because of it."

"Morning sickness as in you were pregnant?" His voice is shallow and I can tell he shocked. "How did you not know?"

"I was so sick and all the doctors kept saying that it had to be a fever or an infection causing the constant throwing up. I never thought I could be pregnant." I tried to reason with him but I could feel it was worthless.

"Where is the baby now?" I knew what he wanted me to say.

"I miscarried the night you left. I had been around four months at the time." I kept the tears at bay but the memories flooded my mind. "I lost a lot of blood. I had even been given last rights. The Priest came in and told me that my sickness was probably due to the baby being a bastard and that their soul would live in purgatory for eternity."

"Eve…" Tommy reached his hand for mine and gave it a light squeeze. "... that is not true. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I could barely get through the day. They said I was dealing with baby blues. Nothing changed though. I have and still do have nightmares of that night but it is getting easier to manage. I just didn't want to put that on you." I ramble on and feel the tears start to come. They feel it is coming from relief rather than pain.

"I am having nightmares too. I hear shovels against the wall night after night." He confesses as he pushes his chair closer to mine. Our cups and cigarettes forgotten. "Want to know what kept me going through the trenches?"

"What?" I look in his eyes and am shocked to see a smile.

"Your voice. The night you came back and I heard you singing I thought I was back in France. It's why I got so angry. I was waiting for the veil to lifted and be sleeping on the cold mud." His hands gripped my face and suddenly his lips pressed against mine. "I will not lose you again."