Sullivan opened her eyes suddenly, her green eyes blurred until they focused on the window, showing a light blue sky. The sun didn't seem raised yet, or maybe he was still hiding behind grey clouds, though the sight of the clear sky delighting her.

She sat up slowly, trying to assess the extent of the damages the alcohol had left in her body. Firstly, she had a deadly headache, every breath she took resonating in her skull. Her entire body was craving for water, her mouth and throat were dry. She cleared her throat, yawning and stretching a little, feeling the exhaustion running through her.

"You're up," Tommy noticed as he leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed on his bare chest.

"Up, not fully awake though," she replied with a slight smile, her voice making her ears burn a little. She turned her head to look at him fully. "You're not dressed yet?"

"It's still early," he explained, moving towards the bed. He sat down, his chin resting on her shoulder. "Besides, I just woke up."

"What time is it?" Sullivan asked in a low tone, her eyes focused on the sky again.

Tommy hummed, kissing her neck softly. "Around seven," he answered, getting up again. "Get dressed," he demanded before exiting the room, grabbing his shirt while he left.

Sully took her time to stand up, walking slowly to the windows she opened to let some fresh air floating inside the bedroom. She got dressed as slowly, tying her hair into a high ponytail. Choosing a simple dress, she got dressed, watching her in the little mirror on her bedside table before leaving the bedroom, walking down the stairs slowly.

Sullivan found Tommy in the kitchen, looking outside from the little window. The blonde glanced at the front door, finding her high heels laying on the ground alongside her brother's shoes. "He'll be late, you know," she said softly, brushing past him to grab an apple, the only thing she was able to swallow, and an empty cup.

"I'll ask Arthur to wake him up," the male responded, which brought a laugh into the blonde's throat.

"Good luck with that," she wished, filling the cup with tea. She extended her arm, pushing Tommy's stomach slightly as she grabbed a bottle of whiskey that rested on the counter. Tommy glared at her, which made her chuckle slightly. "Polly gave me the trick," she shushed as if revealing a huge secret, pouring a bit of whiskey into the cup, and sitting down when it was done.

"The trick is not to be drunk, love," he argued, smiling as he took the seat in front of her.

"Okay, next time I'll be more careful, Mr.Shelby," she replied, the mockery slight in her voice. They stayed in a comfortable silence for a moment with Sullivan sipping on her boozy tea. She was looking at the hair falling on her shoulders, playing with them subconsciously, humming softly under her breath. Sully was starting to feel better as the whiskey was settling in her system.

"Are we still allowed to sing on Saturdays?" she suddenly asked, startling Tommy out of his thoughts.

Tommy raised an eyebrow, grabbing his pack of cigarettes on the counter. "We're not Saturday," he responded casually, giving a cigarette to his girl. "If you want to sing on Saturdays, please do it," he agreed. She laughed, standing up to put the whiskey back on the counter and her cup in the sink, then hugged Tommy from behind.

They left the house shortly after, Sullivan slamming the door with all her strength and waiting under her window, staring at the open space. "You're gonna be late," Tommy spoke rationally, which only made her raise a finger, a smile on her face.

"Fuck you!" Carl's sleepy voice screamed from the open window, his hands gripping the wooden edge tightly.

"It was either me or Arthur, brother!" she exclaimed, shrugging her shoulders. "Make sure to close this window!" Carl groaned, slamming the window close harshly. Sullivan turned towards Tommy, who was still looking up at the window. "We can go now," she spoke with a chuckle, Tommy blinking down at her.

"You two sure are the craziest fucking siblings I ever met," he said while Sullivan only rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, the craziest, as if," she scoffed, walking to the Garrison.

When she stepped in for the second time in less than twenty-four hours, she felt the admiration settling in her stomach once more. There weren't as many waitresses as the previous nights, a few probably being serving only for the evening, though she was happy to see Lauren's face behind the counter, cleaning some glasses.

"We almost waited," Arthur's rough voice exclaimed from the inside of the private room, the door opening quickly to reveal his strong frame. "If you can't take the mornings love, you should just stop drinking."

"Yeah, okay, thanks for the advice Arthur," Sullivan sarcastically answered, waving his words with the back for hand. "Bounce to your real work, mate."

"Which is?" the eldest Shelby asked, raising an eyebrow at the girl.

Sully sighed, raising her arms in the air. "I dunno, fucking hell, find something!" With that said, she turned her back to a giggling Arthur, facing Tommy. "By the way, I'm meeting your new secretary today."

"Where?" he instantly demanded, raising a doubtful eyebrow at the blonde.

"Probably the sidewalk," she admitted, laughing quietly.

Tommy laughed, eyeing his brothers behind her, motioning for them to get out. "So Lizzie Stark, eh?"

"Times are hard," Sullivan responded, shrugging her shoulders.

-----

As soon as she slid behind the bar again, Sullivan found herself become again the barmaid she had once been. Her habits in serving cocktails and alcohol to people, even in the rush, made her feel complete. Lauren appeared to be a quite nice person, as well as a good barmaid. It instantly clicked between them, and they spent a good part of the first hours speaking to one another, mostly about the pub.

However, Sullivan knew that wouldn't last long, since the Garrison wasn't an exciting subject.

"You're not from here, are you?" Lauren asked, though she already knew the response.

"I'm from America," Sullivan answered, smiling kindly. "I built all my life here, but I guess some things never change."

Lauren laughed as the Shelby boys entered the pub again, this time with her brother by their sides. She waved at him, the Miller sibling separating from the group to approach the counter. "This version of the Garrison suits you, Big girl from America," Arthur joked while he followed her brother towards her.

"That sweet talk of yours is lighting up my heart, Arthur," she joked, laughing along with her brother. "What're you up to?"

"Business," Arthur vaguely answered, which specified she didn't have to bother and ask questions, because she wouldn't have an answer. "So whiskey for us, in the private room," he ordered.

"Okay, lad," she replied, turning around to grab a bottle of whiskey. "How many glasses?" she then demanded while Arthur and Carl were already entering the private room.

"Four," was Arthur's response, and with that, Sully hurried to prepare their order since she had other things to do than serve them.

She served them quickly, leaving them at their business, winking at Tommy when she left the room, leaving the door open as Tommy asked her to. She joined Lauren's side behind the counter again, sighing loudly when it seemed like they were having a little break.

"You're involved with the Shelby then," Lauren stated when Sully exited a cigarette from the pack that was resting behind the counter, offering one to the other barmaid.

"I didn't have much choice in my crowd," she joked, lighting up her and Lauren's cigarette. "They're my bloody family, but you should stay away."

"From them or from you?" Lauren asked.

Sullivan laughed, waving at some men exiting the pub. "That's up to you," she replied.

Lauren stayed quiet for a second, observing the blonde beside her. "I saw you yesterday, with Thomas Shelby," she said quietly.

"Ask your questions," Sullivan replied with a small smile, not liking the way the brunette was beating around the bush. Facing Lauren's hesitation, she smiled again. "I don't bite," she added with a laugh.

Lauren inhaled sharply, gathering all the courage she found in herself. "It's not really questions, it's just, y'know, I lived here all my life," she began, struggling to find her words. "We may not be of the same age, but I heard stories about him, we all do. The head of the Peaky Blinders, that strong entity. Still, you stole his heart," the brunette sighed, as if amazed. "It's just, I just wanted to tell you how lucky you are. So many women tried before, and he chose you."

They didn't talk after that. Mostly because Sullivan was too far gone in her thoughts to maintain a decent conversation, but also because Lauren was busy speaking with someone she seemed to know.

Lauren was right. She was so lucky and she somehow had forgot it with time. Their relationship had probably been a disaster at the very beginning, maybe they had doubted their feelings towards each other; here they were, balancing each other, living the littlest moments like they were the lasts, just in case they really were. Since the beginning of this thing they had managed to build, she had never voiced her feelings, neither did he. Sullivan had never dared to spoke the words because she had always felt like they weren't needed. But what if they were, finally? What if everything she had to say must be said before something happen?

A hard slam against the wooden counter distracted her from her thoughts. She lifted to meet Arthur's concerned gaze on her. "We're leaving," he informed.

Sullivan frowned, wondering why Arthur would tell her this. "Okay, well, you have my blessing, just go," she replied, crushing her cigarette in the only ashtray behind her.

"No, you're coming," Tommy affirmed from behind Arthur.

Sully snorted, sharing a glance with Lauren, "I have work to do," she argued, watching Arthur cross his arms on his large chest.

"That wasn't a question, but if you insist," he spoke loudly, "as you boss, I order you to leave the Garrison with the rest of us."

"My boss?" she repeated in disbelief, staring at Tommy behind his brother. "My fucking boss?"

"If he says so," Tommy only retorted, shrugging his shoulders.

"Fine, then," she spoke in a low tone, motioning for them to hold on. The blonde caught her coat, swinging it around her shoulders, waving at her new friend. Maybe this time, her colleague wouldn't be a spy of some sort. The thought made her snort, earning herself some weirds glances from the boys.

"Where are we going?" Sully demanded as they exited the pub, her voice tensed.

"Pol's," Tommy simply answered, looking right in front of him, probably thinking about some business of his. Nobody dared to comment on her silence.

However, Arthur being the stubborn bitch she had always known, he grabbed her by the arm, gently pushing her in front of all of them. "Come on, lighten up already!" he exclaimed, watching her roll her eyes. "What's the matter with you? It's not your birthday, is it?"

Even Tommy chuckled at his brother's assumptions. "Thank you to remember that my bloody birthday is on November, Arthur, I love you too," she replied while raising her middle finger in his face.

"I told you it wasn't your birthday, I was right," he defended, pushing her hand away from his face. "Alright, I guess we'll just have to cheer you up ourselves," he affirmed, outstretching his arm to catch the blonde's, whom of which stepped back enough for him to fail.

"Arthur," she warned while the man stepped towards her, smiling widely. Arthur raised an eyebrow, sharing a glance with the boys that weren't Tommy and ran after her. "Arthur!" she exclaimed, hiding herself behind her boyfriend, who wasn't nothing but annoyed by his brothers.

The blonde sprinted in the street, checking behind her shoulder if the boys were still following, and of course they were. When she took a corner, Arthur appeared on her right, trapping her between his body and a wall. "No, Arthur, I swear," she began but didn't have time to finish since the man grabbed her shoulders, slamming her on his shoulders quickly.

The woman hit Arthur's back repeatedly, screaming his names alongside slurs, which only entertained the eldest Shelby. He marched towards the rest of the family, the only serious persons being Tommy and Carlisle, not impressed by their game. "Holy fuck, he has the princess!" John exclaimed, mimicking a gun with his hands.

"Sing, woman," Arthur required, bouncing her on his shoulder when she didn't answer. "Sing or you'll never get free!"

Sullivan hit his back again. "I'm not a fucking bird!" she exclaimed, though a smile was working his way on her lips.

"It saddens me to tell you that Sullivan Miller is now the victim of a kidnapping," Arthur spoke, turning around to face his brothers again.

"If you're courageous enough to keep her," Tommy spoke with a shrug, smirking when Sullivan managed to watch them on Arthur's shoulder.

"Arthur, I swear to God I'll kill you if you're not putting me back on Earth!" Sullivan groaned. "And I'll kill you anyway, Thomas."

Thomas snorted as John stepped in front of Arthur, holding his hands in front of him as if he had a gun again. "Put the princess down!" he ordered, his face scrunched in a serious frown though his lips were smiling.

"Make me," the eldest challenged as he started to run again, Sully's body banging against Arthur's shoulder every time he took a step. The brothers challenged each other for at least five minutes until Arthur pulled a giggling Sullivan on the ground, raising her hands in a gun manner just like John had previously did.

"You're a dead man, Arthur W. Shelby Junior," she spoke, enumerating his full name playfully.

"Not until ya catch me, bitches!" the man exclaimed, running away as John and Sullivan chased him until Polly's house, where Arthur was waiting for them in the kitchen.

"We should be careful," John whispered, his hands still outstretched in front of him as he spoke to her. Sullivan turned around to spot her brother and boyfriend walking quietly, both of them looking at her a few meters away.

"Wait -"

"GO!" John screamed, entering the house loudly, his footsteps echoing loudly into the home. "Sully, you were supposed to fucking follow me!"

The blonde stepped into the house just in time to spot John's serious face, trying by every means to soothe Arthur down. "You're fucking dead, John, on the ground!" he screamed.

Polly cleared her throat, catching the man's full attention. Sullivan shared an amused though embarrassed glance with Polly, whom of which turned her eyes towards the young man by her side. The blonde heard Thomas and Carlisle before she saw them stepping into the kitchen, the latest bumping his shoulder in hers intentionally. "Who's this?" Sully asked with a soft smile.

"Gentlemen -" Tommy began, his eyes turning to John when the man cut him off.

"And the woman," he added, pointing Sullivan.

Sullivan raised her middle finger towards John, who responded to her the exact same way, the both of them stuck out their tongues. "Gentlemen, and Sully," Tommy resumed, glaring at both his brother and the blonde, "this is your cousin, Polly's son, Michael."

Sullivan smiled brightly to the woman, trying to silently share her happiness with her. Michael scanned all of their faces, excitement and astonishment mixed on his face. "Pleased to meet you," he affirmed while looking at all of them.

"Likewise," Carlisle and Sullivan replied at the same time, glaring at one another while the words left both their mouths.

An awkward silence glided around them, the whole family looking at one another to decide who would take the plunge. Finally, Arthur cleared his throat. "I'm Arthur. You've already met me. I used to throw you out of the window so John could catch you," he introduced, which only made the Miller siblings laugh.

"I used to put you in a shoebox and kick you down Watery Lane," John added, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

Michael's eyes settled on the only silent members of the family, the blondes siblings staring at each other before turning back to Michael. "Don't look at us," Sully spoke with a chuckle, elbowing her brother, "we're not that savage."

John glared at her, mouthing threats as Tommy talked again, "I bet you're glad to be back," he joked, the corners of his lips quirking upwards slightly.

Sullivan scoffed, raising an eyebrow towards Arthur. "I don't remember any of it. All I remember is the day they took me away," Michael revealed in a low tone, which made Polly's shoulders tense.

The blonde's heart ached at the words, though she didn't say anything, giving the task of speaking to Tommy, who would probably speak their minds with more diplomacy than she would. "You're here now, son," Tommy stated while Sullivan nodded happily, "welcome to the Shelby family."

They said another thing about showing something to Michael, but Sullivan didn't pay attention. As Arthur and John started to leave the kitchen, Sully motioned for Thomas to wait for her outside. "We're Sullivan and Carlisle, by the way," she introduced quickly before waving at them, leaving the mother and son at their reunion. She exited the house, welcomed by Tommy's serious face looking down at her.

"Why so serious, now?" she asked, frowning slightly as they walked away, following the other boys' steps.

"I'll have to go back to London," he announced. Sullivan lifted, her eyes darkened a little.

"Sure you will," she affirmed with a scoff, raising a hand in the air. Tommy sighed next to her, watching her careful movement as she tied up her hair in a ponytail, letting them fall in her back. "Tom," Sully called, coming to a sudden stop.

"What's the matter with you?" he demanded, frowning as he turned on his heels, watching her intently. She hesitated for a second before placing both her hands on his cheeks, pulling him close enough to kiss him. As they lost themselves into the kiss, he wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her even closer than she already was.

"What was that for?" Tommy asked when they parted, keeping their foreheads against each other.

"I just love you is all," she answered, closing her eyes when he kissed her again.

"I love you too, Sullivan."

With that said, she felt her heart race in her chest, smiling for the rest of the way towards the Garrison. Lauren was right, Sullivan Miller was the fucking luckiest girl in the world.