'Come back to me.........' That was what she said every time he left the house.

'Come back to me.........' It was a simple enough request, yet one that was always filled with so much unspoken emotion.

'Come back to me.........' A plea that if he thought about it too much, might make him never want to leave the house again.

'Come back to me.........' It was what she had told him before he had left for war; and up until now, Arthur; admittedly in varying states of disrepair, had always returned to her. Returned to the woman that truly loved him, that had always been there for him. The woman that fought back the demons in his mind; that slayed the monsters. But this time.......this time he couldn't go back to her; not yet anyway. Arthur not wanting to think what she might be going through. How his 'death' had hurt her. The oldest Shelby hoping that when it was eventually revealed that he was not dead, she would not hate him. That she would be able to understand why it had been done.

(Y/n) had not been at the fight that night, between Bonnie Gold and Alfie Solomons nephew, Goliath. Joking with Arthur that she was not averse to watching two half naked men, just that, as he knew, she was not a fan of the pugilistic arts. Arthur taking her into his arms, as she laughed at the look on his face, about her comment. The oldest Shelby more than happy that his girl would be waiting for him at home, and not be being distracted by the younger Gold, or the hulking Goliath. Arthur kissing her before he left, promising her as he always did when she made her request, that he would be back with her before she knew it. But he had made the promise without knowing what was to come.

He had taken some pills before the fight, something he knew (Y/n) hated. She had fought tooth and nail to keep him on the straight and narrow; to keep him away from the drugs. But that night he had relapsed. The pills causing him to get angry at two of the oppositions, cornermen. Arthur not listening to Tommy as he called for him to sit back down, choosing instead to follow after one of the men, making his way through the venue, his gun drawn. The drugs in his system making his paranoid, hypersensitive, as he inched his way across the changing rooms. Doing his best to steady himself, before making his way into the steam. But then......then, he had found himself with a wire around his throat. The thin line of metal cutting into the flesh of his fingers as he tried to stop it from reaching his throat, completely. Arthur able to get a shot off, before his gun was knocked from his hand. The oldest Shelby doing all he could to fight, until he slid to the floor. His attacker letting him go and grabbing Arthur's gun; about to make sure that the job was done. But the shot that was taken did not kill him. It instead killed the man that had tried to end his life.

"How is she........?" Arthur asked apprehensively, as Tommy took a seat across from him. His brother there for one of his secret visits.

"Polly is looking after her..........." Tommy replied. Wishing he could tell Arthur that the woman he loved, was fine; but he couldn't.

"Tommy...........what aren't ya tellin me........?" Arthur interrupted, as he got to his feet and grabbed hold of Tommy's jacket collar and pulled him to his feet. His anger getting the better of him. Being away from (Y/n) for so long, much more difficult than he thought it might be.

"She fainted at ya funeral........" Tommy replied, as he pulled his brother's hands from his clothes.

"She's barely eaten since, and she's getting sicker and sicker. Pol has had the doctor at tha house a number of times; they said that its nothing physically wrong.......she just........she just doesn't want ta live any more............." He continued. Arthur quickly making his way over to where his coat hung on the coat stand, before the front door was thrown open.

"ARTHUR!" Tommy shouted out. Chasing after his brother.

"I'm goin to her. Fuck ya plan........" Arthur called back. Pushing Tommy away as he grabbed hold of his arm. The older Shelby ready to do whatever it took to get back to the woman whose sorrow was seemingly killing her.

"I know ya want ta see her. Ta tell her that ya not dead. But ya do this now, and she won't be safe. Luca Changretta is still out there, still a threat. Ya follow tha plan and we will be rid of him. (Y/n).....all of us will be safe. Then you two can be together; ya can go anywhere ya want, and I won't stop ya. But ya need ta stay here. We need ta see this through..........." Tommy replied. The two brothers glaring at one another. Part of Arthur knowing that he was right; that with Luca gone, and all this fucking vendetta shit out of the way, things would be much safer. But from what Tommy was saying, (Y/n) might not be alive by the time they could see to the Italian.

"Then tell her. Tell her that I'm alive. That all she has ta do is wait........"

"I can't and ya know it............" Tommy retorted.

"If (Y/n) knew that ya were alive, she wouldn't be mourning for ya any longer. It would get back ta Luca Changretta and he would know something was wrong. She has ta keep thinkin ya dead, Arthur. We will look after her, I swear; but we can't stop this now..........." He continued. Arthur gripping at his head and pulling at his hair, sure that at any minute he would lose his mind; and if he lost (Y/n)........well, he didn't even want to contemplate that.........

"If anythin happens ta her, then I promise ya, that ya'll be wishin that fucker had killed me........." Arthur warned, as he pointed at Tommy. Tommy nodding before placing a reassuring hand on his brother's shoulder.

"I promise ya, we will keep her alive.........." Tommy assured, the two turning and making their way back to where Arthur was hiding out. (Y/n)'s voice, the words 'come back to me' filling his mind as they walked. The older Shelby promising himself that when this was all over; when Luca Changretta was dead, she would never have to say it again, because he would never leave her side.