Tommy made his way back into the house, slamming the door behind him before heading for the kitchen. After he had left (Y/n)'s house, he had made his way to the only place that he thought she might be headed at an early hour with a suitcase; Tommy able to talk to one of the porters at the train station, and find out that a young woman meeting the school teachers description, had indeed been waiting for the first train of the day. That it had been heading for Sheffield, but other than that...........Tommy knowing that she could have gone on to anywhere after that, the north a big place.

In the car on the way home, he had thought about going and finding her. Thought about heading north and seeing if he could get to her and persuade her to come home; but then.........then he had thought better of it. The head of the family firm deciding that (Y/n) deserved more. That she deserved better. She was a good, sweet and kind woman that didn't need to be brought into their world. That didn't need to be corrupted by the likes of his brother. Whose innocence should not be sullied by drugs, murder and prostitution. Two of those things already having caused her all manner of heartache. No, wherever she had gone, all he could hope was that she would be safe and happy. Though he knew that Charlie would miss her. That even he, well.........even he would miss her.

The door slammed against the wall, as Tommy burst into the kitchen, grabbing an empty pail before going to the sink and filling it with cold water. It was about time that Arthur woke up, about time he was informed of what he had done. About how he had taken something that could have been wonderful and destroyed it. Tommy throwing open the refrigerator and grabbing every last piece of ice that was there. The frozen cubes hitting the water and causing it to splash over the top of the bucket and onto his shoes.

"Tommy? What the..................?" John called out, as his older brother made his way passed him, leaving a trail of cold water across the well varnished floorboard and heavy, handwoven rugs. John and Finn looking at one another for a moment, before rushing up the stairs after their brother, to find out what Tommy was up to.

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

Tommy stopped for a moment, as he got to the door of his brother's rooms. The boys that had dragged Arthur home and thrown him onto the bed, had returned to the Garrison to let him know that his brother was now safe and fast asleep. That as they had walked the stumbling older Shelby to a nearby car, Arthur had tried to pull away, asking about (Y/n), saying that he had to get back to her. It obvious that the older man had as quickly forgotten about the whores in the backroom when he was finished with them, as he had about his date, when he had been lured with the promise of sex and drugs. Tommy taking a deep breath, before opening the door and making his way inside.

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

Arthur suddenly sat bolt upright gasping for air. The freezing cold water that had just hit him, taking his breath away. The oldest Shelby boy staring at Tommy, who glared back at him angrily. John and Finn in the doorway to the room, simply watching the goings on.

The last thing that Arthur could really remember, was that he had been dancing with (Y/n). She had looked so beautiful; her smile had lit up the room. It was true that he had had a little more to drink than he had intended, but the beautiful woman in his arms hadn't seemed to care; she had just laughed and held him a little closer to her, as he swayed. So, how he had got to bed, he didn't know. Nor did he know why he was wet through and freezing.

"What tha fuck, Tom...................?" Arthur began angrily, as he dragged himself out of his wet bed. His head throbbing violently as he moved. His question tailing off, as he found something else thrown in his face.

"What's this..............?" The older Shelby continued, as he looked down at the material that he had just pulled from his head.

"What's it look like..........?" Tommy growled back, as he let the now empty pail drop with a clatter to the floor.

"It............it looks like the dress that (Y/n) was wearing last night.........Ere, is she alright................?"

"Oh, so you remember the woman that you brought with you to the pub then..............?"

"Of course, I remem................."

"You didn't last night. Especially not when you had those two women in the back fuckin room." Tommy hissed in reply. Arthur's eyes suddenly growing wide, as the last evening's events came flooding back. As he remembered what he had done.

"I got to go and find her.................explain............"

"She's gone................" Tommy quickly interjected, as Arthur tried to push passed him.

"She's what...........how do you............?" Arthur continued, grabbing the piece of paper that his brother had just pushed into his chest. Arthur dropping back onto the bed, as he began to read the words that were written in an elegant hand.

"I went to her house, she left on the first train outta town this morning, and she's not coming back. And we aren't gonna go find her either. She deserves better than the likes of you, Arthur. A good woman like her, should have a man that will love her, and only her; not one that goes fuckin whores at the drop of a hat. You know, she even told Pol and Ada, that she thought you had only asked her to the pub last night, out of pity. That a dull little school teacher like her, could never compete with the women that you seem to have a preference for. Looks like she was right." Tommy explained, giving his brother one last angry look before turning and making his way out of the room.

"Now.........I've got to go and explain to Charlie, why his teacher has gone.........." Tommy added, as he made his way out of the corridor. John and Finn looking at each other, looking at a silent and stunned Arthur, before they too left him, sitting by himself on his soaked bed.