••Ocean Eyes•• Thomas Shelby

World gone mad.

It was as if my entire world had stopped spinning and I was stuck in their moment of surprise and sheer horror on an endless loop.

"Tess?" the voice sounded again, it was in that moment I knew this must be real, and it wasn't the copious amount of alcohol I had consumed.

"How...?" I managed to mutter.

"Same way as you I suppose. I was in the attic coming to find you and you weren't there and then, nothing, I woke up here."

"How long have you been here?"

"A few weeks?"

He looked confused. "I've been here for a few months."

Now he looked shocked. "Really? Shit I have no clue how this all works then."

"You sent me the letter, didn't you? Asking me to meet at the docks."

"Yes, and you didn't show, I stood there for an hour waiting."

"When you woke up where were you?"

"So many questions Tess." He laughed. "I was with my family, who I of course didn't know. They told me I had passed out at a works meeting and that was it, I started life over again."

"How did you find me?"

"You are seriously making me sound like a stalker, and here I was hoping you would be happy to see a friendly face."

"Look, Luca..."

"Oh, there you go, you've got your serious face on Tess."

"I knew we didn't have long before the Shelby's noticed my prolonged absence.

"I'm happy here, I've finally found who I really am."

"You don't need to preach at me Tess, I feel the same way."

I was just about to ask about his family, or many his time here when I heard a gunshot ring out from the bar. I froze to the spot.

Luca moved towards me quickly. "Come on."

Without thinking, I followed Luca out of the swinging doors and back into the light of the bar, the gunshot still ringing in my ears. We entered without anyone batting an eyelid their eyes fixed on the 3 men with their guns in hand. Tommy's eyes were darting around the room and I knew he was looking for me. I moved past Luca and further into the bar, Tommy's eyes fell on me and he signalled for me to stay put.

"Sorry to intrude on your party Mr Shelby, but we have been trying to get your attention for a few weeks now and to no avail."

"If you leave now gentlemen, I will happily see you tomorrow in my office, now isn't a good time."

The tension in the air was thick with his words. The wide-eyed party goers muttered to each other and some even smirked, they knew they had nothing to fear from the 3 men as long as Tommy stood his ground, which he always did.

"Sorry Mr. Shelby, tomorrow is too late." The man with the thick Italian accent pulled his gun and turned it towards little Finn. "I'll shoot your brother Mr Shelby."

Then there was another clink of metal and suddenly a gun was pointed at me.

"And my friend here will shoot your wife."

I didn't have to time even react, and neither did Tommy, there was a loud bang from next to my head and I was pushed to the floor where I fell hard against the tiles. A high-pitched ringing ran through my head and I could barely see through the fuzzy veil that had clouded my eyes. There was a large amount of screaming and scuffling and then a deathly silence, I didn't dare look up.