Silence...........again, nothing but silence. Tommy and John had managed to carry their brother back to the car, the pair throwing him into the back seat. John shoving his limp limbs over so that he could squeeze in next to him; Tommy sitting in the driver's seat next to the former school teacher and driving the car back home.

Tommy couldn't help but occasionally look over at his passenger. He could sense that she was no longer nervous; no longer apprehensive. But what those feelings had been replaced by, he wasn't sure. And what she was thinking, as the four of them drove along the streets, was anyone's guess.

In part, it was good that she had seen Arthur like this. Seen how far he had fallen since she had departed Small Heath. It wasn't that he blamed her for any of this, Arthur was a grown man, capable of making his own decisions and choosing his own course; it was that now she could see that all that he had told her was the truth. That if she was intelligent enough to put two and two together, which he knew she was, she would realise that his brother's decline, was because Arthur's stupidity had pushed the one good, decent and sweet thing in his life, away. And that that was her.

"Is it always like this..............?" (Y/n) suddenly asked, as the car got closer to the house. Tommy looking through the rearview mirror at John. His younger brother taking the toothpick from his mouth.

"Most of the time...........sometimes its worse.............."

"Worse............? How can it be worse? Look at him.........." (Y/n) asked in disbelief, as she turned and looked at John; looked at the unconscious Arthur.

"Sometimes we find him in tha gutter after he's been thrown out tha pubs. Sometimes he's covered in his own puke, his own piss, his own.............."

"We get it.............." Tommy interjected, thinking that (Y/n) had already got the picture as far as Arthur's lack of control of his bodily functions was concerned.

"He never sobers up, never looks after himself, never seems to eat, just goes back out and gets legless again..............." John added, before placing the toothpick back between his teeth. A heavy sigh leaving (Y/n)'s lips, as she looked at Arthur's features.

She supposed that that had to explain it, his slightly sunken eyes, sallow skin; his unkempt hair, dirty clothes and the awful smell that was still coming from him. It was awful to see him like that. Before that night, she had never seen him looking anything but dapper. Never seen him without his hair brushed back neatly over his head, his shoes polished and smelling of cologne. To her eyes, the most handsome man in Small Heath...........the most handsome man that she had seen. The former school teacher quickly turning away, so that neither John, nor Tommy, would see the tear that was slowly making its way down her cheek.

She couldn't be weak. This was no time for her to let down her guard. This was not her problem, or her fault. She was really here to see Charles and hopefully the other children as well; and if she could somehow aid Arthur while she remained in Birmingham, then she would do that too. The Shelby's, including Arthur, had been good to her, to her little school, so she did owe them; and speaking to an eventually sober Arthur, was the least she could do.

Slowly, the car pulled up outside of the house. Other figures rushing from the door, as Tommy got out of the car.

"We couldn't find him................." Finn began to explain, as he, Isaiah, Michael and a couple of other men stopped at the side of the automobile. A sigh of relief leaving him, as John got out of the back of the car, and Tommy helped him drag out Arthur's unconscious body.

"What about Miss (Y/n)............Isaiah added, as he and Finn took Arthur from his brothers.

"Tommy found her too...........hello Isaiah, Mister Shelby. Mister Gray........" A voice came, the boys looking to see the missing school teacher come around from the other side of the car.

"Now, I think that we should really get him inside and to his room. And perhaps...........perhaps I should sit with him. He should have someone there, just in case something happens." (Y/n) continued. Tommy giving her a small smile and a nod, before gesturing for the boys to take Arthur inside.

"Shall we.............?" Tommy asked, as he grabbed the school teachers bag. (Y/n) taking her turn to smile and nod, as they and John followed the others into the house.

                                                        >>------------------------------------<<

Finn and Isaiah dropped Arthur onto the bed, Tommy motioning for them to leave, as (Y/n) took off her large coat and pulled a chair up to the side of the oldest Shelby. She didn't really know what she was going to do, she wasn't a nurse or anything, so doubted that she would be any good, if something serious happen; but being there felt better than not being there. The school teacher sure that she wouldn't have been able to sleep, if she had gone to the room that Tommy had offered. That she would have only been able to think of Arthur. And when he did wake, perhaps it would stop him from going out and getting drunk again, if he saw her face.

"Are ya sure that ya want to sit here.............." Tommy asked, as he came to stand behind her.

"Yes..........I'm sure. Maybe you could bring me some hot water, soap and a face cloth. I would like to clean him up a little. Doesn't do for a man to be like this." (Y/n) replied, as she reached over and brushed some of Arthur's hair away from his face.

"I'll get it now............." Tommy replied, placing his hand on her shoulder and squeezing it tightly, before leaving the room. (Y/n) waiting for the door to close, before she moved and took a seat on the bed.

"Well Arthur..........what am I going to do with you............?"