Lucille

The warm, morning sun seeped through between the curtains, washing the room in a golden glow. Lucille stretched out an arm, slipping it from beneath her daughter, who was sprawled out in between the two of them, feet digging everywhere. She'd woken in the middle of the night, beginning her father to be allowed into their room- anywhere away from the darkness of her own. Tommy, of course, had let her.

Now, Lucille's arm was numb. She stretched it, letting the sun's rays smooth over her fingers as she dipped them into the pool of honey-coloured light that traced delicate patterns on the floor. Sighing, she brushed her hair from her face, turning to glance at Tommy and Adds as she waited for them to wake.

When she turned, Tommy's eyes were flickering open, landing on her face with a soft smile to his lips. He smiled wider, seeing Adds shuffled amongst the piles of blankets, his own feet uncovered.

"Good morning," she whispered.

"Morning," he hummed, pushing himself up on one arm. Then his face dropped and he sighed, running a hand over his face.

"What is it?"

"It's today."

"Today," she murmured, letting the word truly sink in. Her eyes flickered up, eyebrows rising pointedly. "Remember your promise."

The promise he'd made the other night.

"You're awake," Tommy's voice floated through the room.

Lucille almost thought she was dreaming. His voice was so, sounding as if it was said from a far distance. She blinked, concentrating on the outline of the flower on the wallpaper next to the bed. There was a sound of a breath being released, and Lucille pushed herself up, spinning around swiftly. Not a dream.

"I was worried," she said, her own voice small.

Abruptly, she stood, moving closer to pull him closer by the jacket. He was soaked, the material of his coat feeling limp and cold in her hands. But she pulled him in, wrapping arms around his neck and letting him melt until they were dropping to sit by the bed, backs against the cool metal frame.

"The police. They came tearing through searching every corner of the house. It took us the whole evening to fix everything. I've never seen Adds cry so much. But Finn, bless him, he held her through it all," Lucille rambled, eyes wide.

"Everything's alright now," Tommy calmed her.

She shook her head. "But when I saw it, Tommy. When I saw how eager they were... I thought that was you done for," she said. "What happened?"

"I'm still not quite sure. I hid at Grace's and watched them just abandon it halfway through. I don't know why." He stared at the floor, bothered by the fact that he didn't know something.

"You didn't promise me. So this time I need you to promise, okay? Promise me you'll always come back," Lucille whispered.

"I promise."

"Tell me you love me."

Tommy smirked, letting his hand feel its ay to her neck until he was pulling her in, kissing her hard and with a passion she'd missed.

"I love you."

Tommy smiled, watching as she slipped from the bed, pulling on a dressing gown. "I could never forget."

By nine o'clock in the morning, Tommy had already rounded everyone up, knocking on doors and shouting for them to gather at the betting den. Lucille hurried around the house, Adds balanced on her hip, Finn running circles around her feet.

"Lucille!"

Lucille sighed, brushing the hair back on her head as she noticed Dawson standing in the doorway by the bottom of the stairs. She handed Adds over for a moment, pulling on a jacket. She hadn't even had a chance to brush her hair.

"Dawson, I was looking for you."

"What's going on?" he said. "Polly's been praying since this morning."

"Something is happening. Tommy and the boys- they're going against a man named Billy Kimber," she said, moving to pull Finn's jackets onto his arms.

"Kimber? Yeah, I've heard of him. I know who he is," he said, face suddenly getting worried. "I can't hold a gun again. I don't know what I'll do. But I'll help. I don't want you to think less of me because of it."

She stopped, placing a comforting hand on his cheek. "I could never, Dawson. There's more to being a man than holding a gun," she said. "Now come on, were wanted in the den."

Tommy

"Right, I've got you all here today because this is the day that we replace Billy Kimber. This is the day we become respectable. The day we join the official National Association of Race Course Bookmakers," Tommy said as he looked out across the room.

John stood to his right, slumped casually against the wall, Esme fitting fine beside him. Polly actually smiled as she took a drag from her cigarette in the middle of the room. But it was Lucille who he was looking at. She looked at home. One of us, he thought.

"But first we do the dirty work. We've all known this day's been coming. I just haven't told anybody the date," he said, turning to the black chalkboard behind him that was scribble with dates and times and the odd price. "We're going to the Worcester races. The track opens at one. We'll get there at two. Now Kimber thinks we're going there to help him fight the Lee brothers. But thanks to the efforts of our john and his lovely new wife Esme, the Lees are now our kin. I interrupted those efforts this morning and- but I can assure you all, John is making great sacrifices for the cause of peace. "

A sharp whistle and clapping wavered around the room, and John actually blushed. He pushed his hand away, shrugging them off. "Yeah alright."

"So it'll be us and the Lees against Kimber's boys. We take them out but leave the bookies. I expect a swift victory which will send a signal all the way to London, that we believe in letting legitimate businesses run peacefully."

"And what about Kimber himself?" John asked.

"I'll deal with Kimber," Tommy said, specifically not looking at Lucille. He would keep his promise, but that didn't mean he couldn't go after Kimber while doing it. "Any other questions?"

"Yes," Polly smirked as she stumped out her cigarette, moving across the room to the doors at the back. "Does anybody object if I bring a newcomer to the meeting?"

No one said anything.

"Come on," Polly murmured, prying the person through the door. "I'd like to introduce you to the newest member of the Shelby clan."

A collection of happy shouts rang around the room as Ada stepped in, holding a baby wrapped in a blanket in her arms. Ada looked tired, but she smiled, eyes trailing soothly across each face of her family. As Finn came closer, a grin on his face, she bent down, showing him the face of his cousin.

"Welcome home Ada," John shouted, clapping his hands together.

"We named him Karl. After Karl Marx."

Arthur let out a barking laugh. "Karl bloody Marx." He shuffled over, holding his arms out wide. "Let me take a look at him."

Ada handed the baby over, watching as Arthur cooed and awed, turning his face so others could see.

"He looks just like me!" he shouted.

"That's the arse you're looking at Arthur," John cackled.

"Well, Ada? Am I forgiven?"

Ada smiled softly. "If what Aunt Polly says is true, you are."

"It's true."

Tommy felt Lucille near his side. She tucked her arm around his, squeezing it.

"Well done," she whispered, glancing at him once before reaching for Ada and wrapping her in a tight hug. "Come on Ada."

Tommy sighed happily as he gazed out upon the room once more. The Shelby clan were together again. It was all happening, everything he'd planned. And it would work out right, he knew, because they were prepared. And the Peaky Blinders were only the Peaky Blinders when they were together. And now they were heading toward the battle.

Unedited