XII. A boy.

Polly and Maude arrived first at the house with Ada, leading her into the living room and preparing her, grabbing a bowl of water and keeping it close by as they got Ada onto her back. Esme arrived soon after, while the rest of the men went off to drink at the Garrison. Right before they left, Tommy had promised to continue the truce until midnight so that Freddie could come meet his baby.

Esme held Ada's hand while Polly assisted Maude in delivering the baby. "Keep going. That's right." Maude coaxed, nodding her head at Ada. "Push!" She instructed and Ada screamed as she pushed with what little strength she had left in her body.

Esme reached out, feeling around Ada's stomach before looking at Maude. "I think it might be the wrong way around." She said, her gaze darting between Polly and Maude.

Maude reached out, feeling around Ada's stomach and nodding her head as she looked at Esme. "Yeah, you're right." She confirmed before looking at Polly. "We should move her forward." She insisted and they helped Ada onto her hands and knees. "Come on, Ada. Alright, come on." She urged the girl.

"It's not long to go now, darling," Polly assured her as Esme rubbed her back.

It was at least twenty more minutes before Ada gave birth to a baby boy and five minutes later came her afterbirth. Maude took good care of the girl, assuring everything was alright before giving her alone time with her newborn.

The fireplace in the kitchen was started and Ada and the baby were moved in front of it to warm them both up while Maude prepared tea for everyone while Polly fanned over the baby. Then Freddie Thorn banged on the front door of the house and Esme opened for him.

Maude watched for a second as Freddie met his son, carefully taking him into his arms and welcoming him into the world. She joined Esme in the living room, talking about the wedding while the new family in the kitchen rejoiced at the little one they created.

It was a sweet moment that quickly grew bitter as another bang came to the front door. "Open up, Police!" A stern man's voice called out.

Maude and Esme shared cautious and confused looks with each other before Esme got up to approach the door. Once she had unlocked the door, it burst open and coppers stormed in.
"You can't come in here! There's a baby that's just been born." Maude yelled at them, following after them as they rushed into the kitchen.

"Freddie!" Ada panicked as she stared at her husband with wide eyes, cradling her screaming baby close to her chest.

"Don't do this here." Freddie pleaded as the copper yanked him up from his chair and threw him against the wall.

"Don't hurt him!" Ada pleaded with them, watching as they roughly cuffed Freddie. " Freddie!" She called out as a soft cry slipped from her lips and Maude rushed to her side, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You're hurting him! Leave him alone!" She screamed at the coppers.

"You're taking me away from my baby." Freddie cried out as the coppers dragged him out of the house, leaving the woman in the kitchen with the newborn baby.

Maude looked at Polly with wide eyes, her eyebrows furrowed and her heart harshly pounding in her chest. Polly looked back at a sobbing Ada before looking back at Maude. "What just happened? "Maude asked as she glanced over at Ada, Esme trying her best to soothe the new mother as she held her.

"Thomas." Polly spat venomously as her lips turned into a snarl. Maude's eyebrows furrowed. She didn't believe it. She couldn't. She'd not believe the man that she has seen so much kindness from, could do something so cruelly. "You still have your brother's keys?" Polly asked as she looked at Maude with a quirked eyebrow.

Maude slowly nodded her head. "Yes." She replied softly, feeling distraught and confused as she stared at Polly, her eyebrows deeply furrowed and her lips tugged into a frown.

"Go start the car." She demanded as she pointed towards the front door before turning towards Esme who held Ada in her arms. "Esme, you stay here with her." She instructed as she pointed towards Ada before following Maude out of the house.

"Where are we going?" Maude asked as she opened her car door while looking back at Polly with raised eyebrows.

"Garrison," Polly replied as she ripped open the passenger side door and climbed in, slamming the door so hard the car ever so slightly shook

"Christ," Maude whispered as a deep sigh slipped from her lips before she got into the car, silently praying that it truly was not Tommy that would do something so cruel, especially not to his own sister, not when she is just given birth.

Maude truly could not believe in her heart, that it was him. He'd have to tell her himself, that it was him before she'd believe it. But the fuming woman next to her did not share the same kind-hearted feelings as Maude did towards Thomas Shelby.

Polly barely gave Maude time to stop the car before she was out, slamming the door again before storming towards the Garrison. Maude fumbled around to shut off the car's engine and get out, running after Polly.

Tommy was sat at the bar, drinking on his own as the rest of the men drank inside the snug. "It's a boy," Polly called out as she glared at Tommy and a small smile tugged at his lips as he stood up. His smile quickly got wiped off his face as his aunt rushed towards him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" He called out, grabbing Polly's wrist as she attacked him, trying to hit and scratch at him.

The two Shelby brothers and two Felton brothers came rushing out of the snug, grabbing Polly and pulling her off Tommy. "But the police came and took his father away!" She yelled at Tommy and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Don't you dare look at me like that!" She snapped at him as she ripped free from the boy's hold. She glared at Tommy before turning around, but then she spun towards him again, spitting at his feet. "You liar!" She spat before storming out of the Garrison, leaving everyone shocked and confused.

"Here are your keys, get her back home," Maude demanded as she grabbed Henry's hand and gave him the keys, turning to her youngest brother. "Daniel, go with him." She demanded and the two hurried after Polly without a word. Maude turned to John, resting a hand on his arm. "Your wife is at the house as well, go to her." She insisted before glancing between him and Arthur. "And be with your sister." She insisted. The two nodded in agreement, shooting Tommy confused looks before leaving the Garrison as well.

Maude turned to Tommy, glancing at Grace behind the bar who had watched everything go down with a close eye. Before Maude could say a single word, Tommy grabbed her arm and dragged her into the snug, slamming the door behind him. He turned to Maude with raised eyebrows, his body extremely close to her, still holding onto her arm. "What happened?" He asked as he inhaled sharply to calm himself.

"You don't know?" She asked softly as she looked up at him with furrowed eyebrows and when he shook his head, it silently confirmed her suspicions. It confirmed what she knew. Thomas Shelby may have been a bad man, but he wasn't a monster, and he never broke his word.

"I didn't call the coppers on Freddie." He insisted as he shook his head again, remaining firm eye contact with her because he needed someone to believe him. And he needed it to be her. Because at this point, it was still too easy to lose her forever, as she was not his yet. Not officially.

"Well someone did, Tommy." She insisted as she raised her left arm halfway into the air and shrugged her shoulders.

Tommy let go of her, slamming his hands down on the table. "Well, it wasn't fucking me!" He screamed as he firmly placed his palms on the table and leaned over, lowering his head as he inhaled sharply in an attempt to calm himself.

"Who else knew that Freddie would be there tonight?" She asked as she turned towards Tommy, her eyebrows furrowing as her eyes darted around, her mind thinking of everyone who knew. "Could it have been Esme?" She asked.

Tommy hummed as he shook his head, pushing himself off the table as he ran a hand over his face. "She's a Shelby now, no matter what, neither she nor her family will betray us now." He explained.

Maude's eyebrows furrowed even further as she sat on the edge of the table, arms crossing over her chest. As her eyes darted around, her gaze landed on the snug window leading to the bar. "Tommy, drunk men talk." She muttered softly as she stared at the window.

"They do." He confirmed as he nodded his head, sitting down on one of the chairs and throwing his head back as he closed his eyes.

"And barmaids listen." She added softly as her gaze shot towards Tommy, her lips slightly parting as she stared at him.

Tommy's eyes flew open and his head shot up, meeting Maude's gaze as he quirked an eyebrow. "You think it was Grace?" He asked her.

"She just showed up one day, asking lots of questions and lying about everything...it's a possibility, no?" She asked as she raised her eyebrows at him, her gaze briefly flicking towards the snug window before returning to Tommy.

"But why?" He asked as he looked ahead of him with squinted eyes, his eyebrows furrowing as he shook his head. "What does she want?" He asked.

"Freddie is a commie, no?" She asked as her arms fell by her sides as she gripped onto the edge of the table on either side of her body, her eyebrows quirking when Tommy's gaze flicked towards her.

"So she's after communists, why get close to us, ey?"He asked, pressing his hands onto his thighs as he leaned forward, raising his eyebrows in return.

Maude let out a soft sigh as her gaze diverted for a second, nibbling on her bottom lip before she looked back at Tommy. "Could she be from another gang?" She as she raised her eyebrows again.

Tommy's eyebrows furrowed, his head tilting to the side as he considered her suggestion. "Why do you think that?" He asked, his gaze darting around for a second before returning to her again.

"Because to me, it looks like she painted the perfect picture to turn your family against you," Maude muttered as she pointed a finger at Tommy, and he grunted in response as he sat back in his chair again. "You're only strong enough against your enemies when your family stands behind you." She insisted.

"So she works for Kimber?" He asked, eyebrows furrowing as his eyes darted around again, trying to make sense of everything, searching for all the possible answers in his head.

Maude's eyebrows furrowed, her head tilting to the side as she slowly shook it. "Wouldn't she rather call him with news of John marrying a Lee, instead of Freddie going to see Ada?" She asked, quirking an eyebrow when Tommy froze, his gaze flicking towards her.

He nibbled on the inside of his cheek, running a hand over his face before shaking his head. "So what does she want then?" He asked as he spread his arms out by his side, looking at Maude for answers. Looking towards her for guidance.

She slowly shook her head, silently telling him she didn't have the answers, and a deep sigh slipped from Tommy's lips as he threw his head back and closed his eyes. "Will you confront her?" She asked softly as she glanced towards the snug window.

"Not yet." He replied as he lifted his head and opened his eyes, looking over at her. "Not until I know what her business here is." He insisted and Maude slowly nodded in understanding.

Days went by, and Tommy's family ignored him. All of them were upset to the point of only sparing him a nasty glare when they passed him. Polly's was the worst, nearly spitting at his feet and praying for his downfall every time she laid her eyes on him. Ada went into hiding with her baby boy. She didn't open her door for anyone, she didn't talk or speak to any member of her family. But still, Polly tried every day to coax Ada out of her tiny apartment. She went by every day, and came back every day, with no luck of getting through to the grieving girl.

On the sixth day of Tommy's family strike against him, Maude found Polly sitting in the kitchen, as she bitterly stared at Tommy's office, hoping somehow she could set the man inside on fire.

"Morning Pol," Maude called out as she stepped into the kitchen, giving the older woman a sweet smile, pulling her soft blue gloves from her hands and setting them down on the table along with her purse.

"Morning dear," Polly spoke over the ear-piercing whistle of the tea kettle. Polly got up to her feet, preparing two cups of tea while Maude sat down by the table. "Have some tea," Polly said as she placed a cup in front of Maude before returning to her seat with her own cup.

"You went to see Ada again today?" Maude asked as she quirked a knowing eyebrow at Polly, picking up her tea cup and lightly blowing over the tea before taking a small sip.

Polly sighed as she nodded her head, staring down at her tea as her lips pursed. "I did, took her and the baby a few things." She replied softly.

"Did she open this time?" Maude asked softly as she tilted her head to the side, slowly setting her cup down on the table.

"No," Polly replied as her sharp gaze shot towards Maude. "She doesn't want to see anyone." She muttered as she shook her head, her gaze slowly drifting towards Tommy inside his office. "Especially not her fucked up family."

"She's still hurting," Maude muttered softly as she reached across the table and took hold of Polly's hand, giving a squeeze that made the woman's attention turn to her. "She'll come around eventually." She assured.

"She a stubborn one that girl," Polly muttered with a soft huff as her lips pursed again. The two silently drank their tea for a second before Polly looked at Maude with a quirked eyebrow. "Have you spoken to Thomas again?"

Maude was silent for a long second before she nodded her head. "Yes." She admitted as she looked at Polly.

Polly hummed knowingly as she nodded her head, giving the girl a pointed look. "Of course, you two have been joined by the hip recently." She insisted.

"We have not," Maude argued softly as her eyebrows furrowed and Polly shot quirked an eyebrow that made Maude go silent. Recently, Tommy saw more of the girl across the street, Than Henry and Daniel did of their sister across the hall. Maude's gaze lowered for a second, taking a deep breath before turning to Polly again. "Pol, he swears he didn't call the coppers."

"Well someone bloody did." Polly insisted, looking back over at Tommy's office with an extremely bitter look, her jaw clenched and her grip on her teacup tight.

"It wasn't Tommy," Maude said softly as she stood up, slinging her purse over her shoulder and grabbing her gloves as well as her tea cup. Polly's gaze followed Maude as she walked out of the kitchen and made her way over to her table in the betting shop. When Polly's gaze turned to Tommy, she found him watching Maude as well, with a look in his eyes she could only describe as love.

It only took Maude two hours in the busy betting shop before she was fed up with all the screaming and swearing. To add to her annoyance, she found the Garrison's stock written down in the betting shops' dairy, Arthur's handwriting as clear as day on the pages.

With a huff, she grabbed her things, as well as the dairy, and made her way over to the Garrison. When Tommy found her, she was sitting in the snug with a bottle of whiskey and both the betting shop and the Garrison's dairies in front of her, sorting out the mess Arthur has made of both.

"What are you doing?" He asked as he stepped into the snug, shrugging off his coat and laying it over the back of a chair before taking a stand behind her, peering over her shoulder with furrowed eyebrows.

"Organizing the dairy." She muttered with a soft sigh as she reached out and grabbed her half-empty glass of whiskey, finishing it before putting the empty glass back down with a thud. "Arthur got hold of it again." She informed him as she tilted her head back to look up at him."He's been writing down stock for the Garrison in this one instead." She explained as she pointed at the betting shop dairy. "I'd ask how the stock runs out so fast, but I think I know." She muttered and Tommy let out a soft chuckle. He gently took her pen from her, making one of the dates with a black star. Maude stared down at the mar with furrowed eyebrows. "Black star." She muttered before looking back up at Tommy. "What does that mean?"

"Black Star day is the day we take out Billy Kimber and his men," he informed her as he handed back the pen before taking a seat next to her, grabbing her whiskey glass, and pouring himself a drink.

"No one knows this." He said as took a deep breath before drinking his whiskey.

Maude's eyebrows furrowed as she stared at him. "Not even your family?" She asked softly as her gaze slowly returned to the black star in the dairy.

"Maude..." Tommy muttered, drawing her name out in a way that send a shiver down her spine. "Everyone in my family hates me." he insisted with a hint of bitterness to his voice as he reached out and poured another glass of whiskey, handing it to her this time. "Why would I tell them?" He asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"They don't hate you, Tommy." She insisted with a shake of her head as she took the glass from him, finishing the whiskey in a few sips before handing the glass back again.

"They don't fucking believe me either." He snapped, not at her, but in general frustration for the situation he found himself in. Tommy's family was his strength, and now he had none, because of something he truly did not do. "No one ever does." He huffed with a shake of his head as he poured himself another glass of whiskey. "Why are you doing your work in the Garrison?" He asked as he pointed towards the books in front of her.

"Believe it or not, it's a lot quieter than the shop."She muttered softly as she sighed heavily, her gaze slowly drifting toward the books in front of her.

"If the shop gets too loud, you can take your work to my office," Tommy informed her as he finished his whiskey, setting the glass down and wiping off his lips before turning his attention to her.

Maude smiled softly as she turned to him, silently staring into his deep blue eyes for a second. "Tommy...why are you always so kind to me?" She asked softly, her lips gently parting as her head tilted to the side. "I don't understand it. You treat me differently than everyone else."

Tommy was silent for a second as he stared back at her, caught in her adoring gaze. He reached a hand out, cupping her cheek, his thumb softly brushing over her skin. "Because when I look into your eyes, I know you see me as more than my money, my status, my wrongdoings." He explained. "You've seen many sides of me and not judged me for one."

"I'd never judge you." She assured him softly as she leaned into his touch.

"That is why I treat you kindly, sweetheart." He informed her before pulling her face closer. Maude stared at him with doe-like eyes, her lips parted as his nose brushed against hers. Maude's heart fluttered, her stomach twisting deeply inside her.

Tommy waited for her to pull away from him, waited for her to berate him for even thinking of touching her so intimately But then her hand ran up to his chest, pressing over his heart as she stared up into his eyes, her breathing growing shallow as she leaned more into his touch.

Tommy closed the small gap between them, feeling Maude's breath hitch when his soft lips pressed against hers. Her eyes fluttered shut as her hand moved from Tommy's chest, running up to the back of his head as her lips worked against his, the fluttering in her chest growing bigger.

When Tommy pulled away, both of them were out of breath, Maude's lipstick staining Tommy's own lips. Her eyes fluttered open, meeting Tommy's blue eyes. He silently stared at her for a second, his heart beating too fast in his chest. He pressed another kiss to her lips before pulling away again, resting his forehead against hers as he closed his eyes, holding her as close as he could with the restriction of their chairs.