"Why aren't you dead............?"

"It's nice ta see you too, (Y/n). And I am not dead, cos your fuckin brother, yeah; can't shoot fuckin straight." Alfie retorted, as he brushed his hand over his beard. Not sure whether to be hurt or not by the question.

"I should probably have got that mad bastard older brother a yours ta do it instead. All he would need was half a chance and I'd be a fuckin corpse.............."

"Don't you dare talk about Arthur like that. If Arthur wants to kill you, you only have yourself to blame. I could have killed you myself for what you did to him. Not only did you have him tied up and left for the coppers to take for a murder that you committed; but those Italian bastards that you smuggled into the boxing match, strangled him. God only knows how he survived.........I don't know what I would have done if I had lost both of you. Its bad enough that John was taken from us..............." (Y/n) interrupted harshly, quickly swinging her legs over the large hound that refused to move from her side. Her back facing the man that she was still struggling to believe was alive, as the tears rolled down her cheeks. The female Shelby still wanting to be angry at Alfie. Refusing to give into the urge that she had to take his, in spite of everything, still beautiful face in her hands, and kiss it all over. The urge that she was having to pull him into the bed and show him just how much she had missed him.

"Fuckin hell.......I didn't mean it like that. And he's not dead, is he; and nor am I............you haven't lost either of us............."

"Yes, but that is no thanks to you, is it..........? And, that brings me back to my original question........why aren't you dead.........?" (Y/n) interrupted again. Her tone still harsh, despite the tears. The oldest female Shelby, quickly wiping the tears from her cheeks, as she turned her head to glared at Alfie. Cyril deciding that it was his turn to join in, as he quickly got up, throwing (Y/n) backwards into Alfie's arms, before letting out a loud bark and then sitting down to look at the pair.

"Don't cry, alright............." Alfie said, as he took the opportunity to pull (Y/n) into his arms. The Londoner promising himself that he would have to get Cyril a bone for this, later.

"I don't know why I ain't dead; apart from the fact that Tommy couldn't hit tha side of a fuckin barn..............."

"Alfie..........!"

"Alright............No one was more surprised than me when I woke up on that fuckin beach; the incoming tide lapping at me. I remember thinkin that if this is hell........then it looks a lot like Margate............."

"Don't joke, Alfie. Not about this.........Why would you betray Tommy? Why did you want him to shoot you? I loved you Alfie...........I.......I still do. Why would you put that between us...........?"

"I did it fa you, alright............"

"For me................?" (Y/n) asked in disbelief, as she pulled away, and looked up at him. Unable to believe that a remark like that, would come from her lover's lips. Not sure how he could possibly think that his death would be something that might benefit her.

"Look at me, yeah.........I wanted ta die on my own fuckin terms; not because of tha Italians, or this fuckin cancer. I knew Tommy would kill me if I gave him an honourable reason ta pull tha trigger. I wanted ta die while I was still me, not some bastard that couldn't do anythin for himself. I didn't want ta put ya through having ta watch me die. Having ta wipe my arse or feed me cos I couldn't do it my fuckin self..............."

"Wasn't that choice, mine............?" (Y/n) quickly interjected. Carefully placing her hand on the scared side of his face.

"When you asked me to marry you, I knew what that meant......it meant, for better or worse, in sickness and in health. And I couldn't give a shit about having to look after you. When you told me about the cancer, I knew that it would be hard; but I thought that you and I would do all we could to beat it. To prove that no one and nothing could kill Alfie Solomons. Yet you took that away from me. You have taken all this time away from me. When I could have been with you, looking after you, loving you; I was instead crying, and wishing I could join you. I turned my back on my own twin because I believed that he had taken the man that I loved, from me. You are a selfish fucking prick, Alfie Solomons, and I will never forgive you for this. And I am looking at you........and believe me, you are still as ugly as you ever were..........." The female Shelby explained, before beginning to sob. Alfie knowing that she was right; that things would have been much different if he hadn't done what he had done. But all he could do now, was apologise, and hope that he could spend whatever was left of the rest of his life, making it up to the woman that he still adored.

"Ya right, I am a selfish prick. But I am still your selfish prick..........if ya still want me........." The Londoner said. Smiling slightly, as a teary eyed (Y/n) looked up at him.

"Of course, I still want you.........you stupid man............" (Y/n) replied. Burying her head deeper into his chest; her hands gripping tightly to his waistcoat. Cyril breaking the moment, letting out another bark, as the door to the bedroom opened; Tommy peering into the room, suddenly finding himself holding onto his weeping twin, as she moved away from Alfie. Doing all he could to calm her, as she did her best to ask for his forgiveness, through the tears and hiccups.