Tommy made his way out of his office, and up the stairs. He didn't know whether his brother would still be awake, would still be compos mentis enough to really understand what he was going to tell him; but Tommy had to try something.

It was true that he could have just come out and told the former school teacher the whole truth; that the reason that he had called her grandparents; the reason that he had offered to ensure that the old couple had the help that they needed, and to pay for the feed, was nothing to do with Arthur; it was because he needed her there. That he had feelings for her; that he could see her as the mother that Charlie needed. That even if she could not trust, could not love Arthur, he would show her that she could trust and love him. But how could he tell her all that? Tommy only able to imagine what such a declaration would do to his relationship with his older brother. And he most certainly didn't want to think about what Arthur would do, if he were to see he and (Y/n) together. The head of the Shelby family firm, having an awful feeling that it would be the last straw, and that he might just end up losing Arthur. That the animal that lived inside the oldest son of Arthur Shelby senior, would come out to claim its latest, and final victim. So, Tommy knew that there was only one thing that he could do; that he had to speak to Arthur and try and get him to talk to (Y/n) again. The notion of having her at least return to Small Heath and be part of his life, a part of Charlie's life, even if he couldn't be with her, was better than nothing.

Finally, he reached Arthur's room. Tommy stopping as he saw that the door was a jar. His hand reaching out to slowly push the ingress open the rest of the way. What he saw before him in the dimly lit room, was a mess. The room stank of booze, there were shards of broken bottle and glass all over the floor, and stains down the wall. It obvious that Arthur had allowed his anger to overflow. That the bottle, the glass and the wall had been taken the brunt of this anger; yet where Arthur was in all of this...........

"Arthur..........?" Tommy called out, as he made his way to the little bathroom. His brows furrowing, as not a hide nor hair of his brother could be found. Though given the state that he could imagine Arthur might be in, he knew that he had to find him; but where? It was true that most places in town had barred Arthur, even though they knew he was a Shelby; but then..........Tommy quickly making his way over to where he knew that his brother kept his old revolver. His heart beginning to beat at a pace, as he found it was gone. Tommy quickly making his way back through the door, running down the corridor and then the stairs, before throwing open that door to the front of the house. The ex-sapper just hoping that he was in time.

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

(Y/n) and Arthur sat in the hay; her arms wrapped around him, as he lay his head on her chest. (Y/n) combing her fingers through his hair and doing her best to calm the distraught man. Seeing Arthur like this, so vulnerable; to finally see how truly damaged he was, just made her heart want him all the more. The former teacher just wanting to be there for him. To help him. To show him that punishing himself, punishing himself for what had happened in the war; for what had happened at any other time, was not what he should do. That what he was, had been created by circumstances beyond his control. And that despite what he might believe, he was a good man. A man that deserved to know love. A man that deserved to be cared for. And even though her mind was still telling her to step with care, all her heart wanted to do was sing; for she had Arthur in her arms. The man that she had loved for so long, was in her arms.

"My.........my hands, (Y/n); they belong to tha fuckin devil. I do nothing but bad things with them. I should just chop tha bastards off............." Arthur finally managed to say, as he pulled his head from her chest; his eyes red and swollen, as he looked down at the offending appendages, before banging them against his head. (Y/n) quickly stopping him; taking his hands and pulling them to her lips.

"No, Arthur. Your hands, these hands, belong to me now, not the devil. That blackness in your soul, I will fight it with you, if that is what you want. The animal in your mind, I will do my best to tame it, if you will let me. I love you, Arthur Shelby; I know that you are the only one that I will ever love. Just let me in. Let me help you, and I will love you until my dying day." The teacher told him, before gently kissing his knuckles.

"Don't leave me, (Y/n). Please don't go away again..........." Arthur begged. The look in his eyes reminding her of a lost and scared little boy, that just needed someone to cling to. Someone that he knew would protect him from all the wickedness of the world; that would love him, even though he felt he didn't deserve it.

"I won't............I'm not going anywhere." (Y/n) promised, before placing a kiss to his forehead. Arthur burying his head back into her chest, as they both lay down in the pile of straw. The oldest Shelby boy clinging to her for dear life; as if fearing that if he were to loosen his grip even a little, she would vanish into thin air. The pair quickly succumbing to the exhaustion that was consuming them. The stresses and overwhelming emotions, having taken more than a toll on the both of them.