𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲:
endless problems

MARGARET CROSSED HER LEGS as she released the smoke from her mouth, lightly tapping the cigarette above the ashtrays as she watched the ashes fell into it.  Tommy checked his clock, Polly nervously bounced her leg up and  down as Arthur paced back and forth in the pub.  After picking up Michael and Gina, his new wife, Arthur didn't waste a second on calling Thomas who after told Margaret.  The woman thought it was only fair for them to be mad at Michael— first he crashed Wall Street, then he got arrested by the IRA because he had been seen with men who wanted bad things for Thomas Shelby. So, she knew there was nothing she could to calm the brothers down. . . and would do nothing to calm them, because she was barely able to hold everything in.

"Will you please consider putting your weapons behind the bar, in case feelings begin to run high?" Spoke Polly as Tommy was leaned against it and Arthur let out a scoff.

"Behind the bar, Pol, eh?" He exclaimed. "Behind my own bar, yeah?" He repeated, pulling out his gun as he took out all the bullets and slammed it against the table, slightly moving Maggie's drink. "I prefer it there."

Maggie groaned, "Oi! Be fucking careful, Arthur. Almost spilled me drink." Loudly said the woman as he apologised.

Polly gave Thomas a look as he rolled his eyes, but put his gun behind the bar, she then looked down at Maggie who was peacefully smoking, "Maggie, you too."

"I'd never shoot Michael, you know that." Shockingly spoke Margaret, a grey cloud surrounded her.

The aunt smiled, "I know, love. But, you might shoot someone else."

It was Margaret's turn to roll her eyes as she stood up, took her gun and put it next to Tom's one.  He glanced at Margaret, he hadn't talked to her ever since he had discovered about the Wall Crash, too busy in his own thoughts and meetings.  He had talked to Charlie and Elliot a little, but he couldn't catch her as Arthur stated she was with Linda.  Maggie stayed next to her husband, giving him a smile to show him it was going to be okay—and that they were okay.

"Had a dream. . ." Started Thomas, clearing his throat. "about a black cat last night, Pol. A black cat dream means there is a traitor close by. It was you who taught me that."

Polly seemed quite surprised as she gulped, her cigarette between her two fingers, "Black cat can means a lot of things. It can mean you're hurting yourself, betraying yourself. Are you seeing things, Thomas?"

From Thomas' face, Margaret knew exactly who the black cat was, wasn't hard to guess it was Michael, either way he wouldn't have brought it up today.  A few years back, when she came back to Small Heath, she probably would have called him crazy and said that a family member would never betray another; yet Michael had proven her wrong by choosing his mother.  Maggie walked behind the bar, poured herself a drink as Tommy pulled out a cigarette, lighted it.  He turned toward Margaret as he heard the car stopping outside, suddenly feeling the need to look at her to ease his nerves before seeing his cousin.  He didn't give her a smile but his eyes talked for him as he turned on his heels again, back against the wooden bar.

"Tommy." Michael's voice echoed through the bar as Maggie looked up, her eyes widening at the sight of the blonde behind him.

Rich, American and probably an ass by the way she looked at them, "Who's that?" Chuckled Margaret, holding her glass of Irish Whiskey in her hand. She walked back between Tommy and Arthur.

"I'd like to introduce you to my wife." Nervously told the Gray and carried on. "I would also like to, er, say something."

Tommy bowed his head toward the chair, "Sit down, Michael."

"I betrayed you." His words made Polly's head snap toward her son.

"Michael." She warned him.

Margaret quietly laughed to herself, "Holy fuck, this is going to be good, right Arthur?" The oldest chuckled, humming. "God."

"But only in my heart." He finished as the aunt sat back down. "There was a time, in America, when there was a lot of money in that bank. And I wondered, I could. . . I could leave, move to California. Someone said I should invest in pictures. Hollywood."

Maggie and Arthur shared a scoff as Tom stayed stoic, "But Gina stoped me." He told him, somehow trying to make his wife look good in front of everyone's eyes. "Gina said that—"

"I told you to sit down, Michael." Tom cut him off as he forcedly pulled out a chair, and took a seat next to his mother. "Now tell me. . . what happened on that ship in Belfast harbour?"

Michael let out a breath, glancing up at Tommy, "On the journey back from New York, we got married. But we needed to find a witness, a purser. He was from Belfast. We got friendly."

He told us the story as Margaret's eyes darted towards Gina, his wife, who stood behind him. Squinting her eyes, she took a moment to analyse her—Gina had everything from the typical American woman, the accent, the clothes, the arrogance. She had it all. Margaret continued to sip on her drink, glancing at everyone in the room but avoided Michael. Family or not, Maggie despised him—he had been mean towards her for no reasons, doubted her even when the whole family trusted her and now he had fucked up the business.

"Fucking Billy Boys." Muttered Arthur as he listened to his cousin.

"I don't know who the fuck Billy Boys are." Answered Michael, rather calmly.

"They run every man in every coal mine, on every shipyard east of Glasgow. Ties with Belfast, UVF. Protestant razor gang. They also dabble in politics." Arthur explained, describing them.

Of course, Maggie had taken interest in street gangs around Birmingham, not for her own amusement but because she sometimes felt it was her duty to keep tabs on people who could hurt her family and her little boys. And, lately the Billy Boys were being talked about 'round the country. With a sigh, she tilted her head to the side looking at Michael.

"Billy Boys will cut you if you get in the way of their business, Michael." Warned the brunette, lighting her cigarette as she inhaled the smoke before puffing it away.

Polly meaningly glanced at the three Shelbys against the bar, "But you did no deal, Michael." Notified the aunt. "And you didn't know who they were, right?"

"I was too busy looking forward to giving you the good news." He softly told his mom. Gina smirked, lightly moving behind her husband, if Maggie dared to say. "The reason Gina and I got married on the ship was because Gina is pregnant."

Silence seemed to reign upon the family as Polly's mouth was lightly gaped at the news, even Margaret was a little taken back by the confession. The woman glanced at Thomas who stared at his cousin, his face hadn't moved an inch, he held a stone cold face unbothered by Michael's sayings.

"Okay, Michael. I believe you." He said, releasing a breath. "Welcome home and congratulations." Michael nodded as Polly frowned, "Just remember. . .your unborn child has witnessed what you said. . ."

Margaret snapped her head towards her husband, "Thomas." She sternly said.

He ignored her, continuing, ". . .and it will be born accordingly."

"You fuck." Loudly exclaimed Michael, raising on his feet as Arthur immediately put himself between his brother and his cousin. "Threatening my unborn child! Imagine if I was threatening Elliot, eh?"

"Michael." Said Polly, warning her son.

Thomas lightly frowned as Margaret arched an eyebrow at the mention of her son, taking a step towards the man, "Take my boy's name out of your fucking mouth. Are you fucking mad?" Muttered the brunette.

"You are free to fucking leave, Michael." Said Arthur as he let out a grunt, looking straight at Thomas.

"You fucking bastard."

Thomas rolled his eyes, "But you're not free, Michael, are you? You lost this company a lot of money. I told you to sell, but you held on. And now, I want you to pay me back what you owe me." He explained. "There is work you can do, there are risks you can take. We were close before. Now, I want you closer still."

Before the cousin could answer, Gina stepped closer, "Michael, honey, look at your cousin. He's in trouble. Huh? He needs you. Let's go."

The footsteps receded, but as they were about to step out of the pub, Thomas cleared his throat, catching their attentions, "And Michael, don't you dare talking about my son again."

Arthur waited for Polly to be out of the pub as he locked the doors, Margaret let out a scoff not believing this whole meeting as she took back her gun, "Family or not, I'd put a bullet right through his brain. He's lucky, he's Polly's son."

Thomas hummed, "I know, Mag."

He wasn't sure if he hated Michael because he had lost everything in America or if he had threatened his son, right in front of him. He watched Maggie as she nervously paced around the pub, she was mad and frustrated. He let out a sigh, going over his wife as he stood in front of her making her bump into his chest. She quickly apologised as Tommy laid his hands on her shoulders, then slightly moved them to her neck so he could cup her face.

"It's gonna be ok, Maggie." He sweetly reassured. "I promise ya."

Arthur hummed from behind, "Trust Tom, Maggie. Michael won't do anything. I won't let him."

"Thank you." Softly replied Margaret, knowing deep inside that none of them would let someone hurt the family in any way. "Arthur, do you think I could talk to Tom alone?"

The eldest nodded his head before walking in the other room, Thomas raised an eyebrow as she let out a breath, "What's going on?"

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for not being here when you needed me." Quietly said Maggie, honestly she hadn't realised how hard it must had been for him. "Is it ok if we come home?"

Thomas gave her a small smile, his hands still cupping her face, "Of course, Mag." He leaned down, pecking her lips. "I miss you and the boys." He confessed.

"We miss you too, Tom."

Margaret could have lied, she could have said the kids didn't miss him, that she didn't miss him and that she wanted to stay longer with Arthur and Linda. But, maybe it'd be for the better if they actually came back to the Arrow house. Perhaps he did miss them. . .

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AUTHORS NOTE, i love mag and tom too much to even break them up...... like yeah..

anyways, we don't like michael in this house 🙄😖 and he had the audacity to talk ab elliot?!?! HELLO SIR

also also how do we feel about anothet thomas shelby fic since this one is coming to an end?? tell me 😋😋😋

i love you and thank you for 700+ votes and 6k+ reads, y'all are the best 💘💓💞