The Cross

Disclaimer- I know it was a hard watch. It will be a hard read too. And I know you know what I mean just by the title. But Bonnie Gold will live through this scene! So be brave!

"You are so brave and quiet I forget you are suffering" - Ernest Hemingway

• Adriana •

"It's been a while" I said
"What are you doing here?" He asked
"Charming" I said back
"Did Tommy send you?"

"Can't I want to see my own brother? Fucking hell Michael" I said, heaving myself up
"Did he?" He asked sterner, making me look at him
"No, no he fucking didn't. I came here because I wanted to see you, because I missed you" I said

"Really? Because everyone else seems to think I'm a traitor? That I sold everyone out" he snapped
"And did you?" I asked simply, earning hard eyes and a tense jaw

"Get out" he said
"Micha-"
"Excuse me" I cut Gina off
"If Tommy sent you, tell him I'm not a fucking traitor. That I didn't betray the precious fucking family" he said

"He didn't send me Michael" I shouted
"But you ask if I did it? You think I would do that?" He accused
"I don't know. Because the brother I know, has barely spoke to me in the last two years!" I shouted

"If you think I would do that, you don't know me at all" he said
"No. I don't think I do. You don't call, you don't care. You have a nephew and a niece you don't see, you don't ask about. You've never met!" I exploded

"I don't know why I even came. Why did I fucking bother?" I said defeated, heading for the door
"Michael" Gina said again, having not moved once from her position on the sofa
"Anna... Anna I didn't mean t-"
I shut the door

There wasn't much storming away I could do as I waddled down the hallway
But he didn't chase me
So I got my getaway.

• Polly •

He better not fuck this up
He better tell the fucking truth
And Thomas and Arthur better keep their fucking heads
"I had a dream last night Pol, a dream about a black cat" Tommy said from the bar

Fuck.

I heard the car outside. I heard Michael and Gina get out
This is it. Thomas will decide if Michael is to be trusted or not.
I just hope he picks wisely.

I wonder if Adriana and Michael have spoken yet.

• Adriana •

"God he's such a fucking obnoxious prick" I said angrily
"Hey, calm down" Bonnie chuckled, grasping my arms
I looked at the kids sleeping behind him, sighing
"He just winds me up Bon. Telling me to get out? That I'm working for Tommy" I said angrily quiet

"He'll come to his sense. He'll realise he's being stupid princess. He's your brother" he assured me
"Yeah, I hope so, he just winds m-"
I stopped
Both mine and Bonnie's heads snapping to the window as we heard a gunshot ring out

Then looking at each other
"What the-"
"I'll go" Bonnie said, pulling a gun from under the bed
"Stay here" he said, moving past me
"Bonnie" I said, stopping him as I kissed him softly

He gave me a reassuring look, before he opened the door, stepping out
And men began to... sing?
"Hello, hello, we are the Billy boys..."
What the fuck?

I moved quickly over to the kids, picking them up and putting them underneath the bed gently, out of sight
"Mum?"
"Ssh, baby, just go back to sleep" I said, reaching under to pull the shotgun out from the cupboard beneath

"Drop the pea shooter son" I heard someone say
Bonnie...

I peeked behind the curtain, looking outside
Men. A lot of fucking men.

Two men were hauling a big piece of wood?
Bonnie was stood, gun lowered
As Aberama lay on the floor. Shot in the shoulder
Fuck.
"A broken broom stops all gypsy curses Mr Gold" the man said, breaking it over Aberama's body
His cry of pain hurt something inside my chest
And stirred the kids

He began to step on his face
"Who the fuck are you?" Bonnie asked
"Did you not hear my song? These gentleman are the Billy boys. And me? I'm Jimmy" he said, picking up Bonnie's gun and hitting him in the face

No. Fucking no
"Good. Mouth broke so you can't talk" he said as I threw the door open, pointing my gun at him
This... Jimmy looked my way, surprised
"Put the gun down Mrs Gold" he said

I stayed strong
He aimed the gun in his hand at Bonnie
"Put the gun down or I'll have to set an example" he said
I didn't move, my eyes flickering to Bonnie's. His eyes telling me not to move

But all Jimmy did was cock the gun
And mine lowered instantly
"Good lass" he said

Before abruptly shooting Bonnie in the shoulder too.
I raised it back up
"Next ones in the head" he warned. My arms falling slack.

"Now. You work in a particular capacity for Thomas Shelby OBE, am I right?" He asked towards Bonnie
Who couldn't reply.

"I heard you're a fighter. The best. But your fighting days are over" he said, hitting Bonnie in the face again

I moved down the steps, grabbing him before someone could grab me
He shoved me away, so I swung for him
And he grabbed my arm, punching me in the nose

I cried out
As Bonnie made a sound of anguish
I tried to control my breathing as my nose began to bleed
"I need Mr Shelby to understand-" he began, as I pulled my gun up again

Only for him to use his to hit me in the side of the head, knocking me to the floor
"Ah" I let out, gritting my teeth, grabbing my stomach

He walked towards Bonnie again, kicking him in the face when he tried to get up
"That the best... is not... good enough" he went on
As Aberama struggled
And I tried to get up
Two men grabbed Bonnie

As I struggled to my feet
"No Mrs Gold" Jimmy said, knocking me back down
"No, today... Thomas Shelby learns a lesson. And you two... you two are that lesson" he said, kicking me swiftly in the back
I cried out again, my hands grabbing at the leaves desperately as pain ripped through my spine

Up to my head where my nose throbbed
As much gathered in my hands, into my skin, onto my dress
Bonnie was lain on a cross, tied to it with ropes

"No" I shouted out, trying to move
Jimmy fixed his hat, as the man let Aberama go and he also struggled towards Bonnie
"You will be a lesson boy. Hanging there, a prized fighter... bleeding, crying" Jimmy goaded

"The father. The son and..." he looked towards me
"You must be the Holy Spirit darling, hm?" He mused, grabbing my hair
As Bonnie struggled to breath and Aberama began to drag himself towards him

"Leave her" Aberama warned. Begged? I wasn't sure
"Or maybe the Holy Spirit is in there huh?" He asked, ghosting his hand over my stomach
I spat at him, before he slapped me, rising back to his height and kicking me in the back again

"I never like to hit women darling. But you... you and the young fighter here, you tell Thomas Shelby, that the Billy boys are coming... and it's time to fucking share" he said, tucking a note into Bonnie's pocket

His head had dipped. He must have passed out
Bonnie...

"We'll take all the tracks out as far as Nottingham. We'll take Cheltenham as well. Otherwise, it will be Thomas Shelby who's crucified" he said

"And there will be no resurrection" he said, kicking Aberama down when he tried to get at him.
"Mum?"

"Get back inside" I shouted, unable to see Kaven
"Get back inside now!" I shouted
"Yeah go on lad. Back to bed now" Jimmy said
"Come on boys" he announced, men following him as they slowly walked away.

It was silent. Silent and dim before Aberama began to cry on the floor
Further away than me from Bonnie
I cried silently in pain.
From my spine. My stomach. My face
The look of Bonnie hanging there on that cross.

"Aberama" I said, my voice unrecognisable in my head
He continued to cry
"Aberama... we need... we need to get him down" I said as he cried harder at my words

"Ab-"
I stopped. Watching him begin to drag himself towards Bonnie again, sounds of pain leaving him and stabbing my heart as I watched on
"Mum" Kaven said behind me again

"Go back to bed baby. I'll be there in a second" I assured, squeezing my eyes shut
He eventually made it to Bonnie, dragging himself up the cross and pulling Bonnie's knife out of his pocket to cut the ropes
Bonnie fell into his arms, both of them falling to the ground like scarecrows... like... they were lifeless

"Tell me he's breathing" I begged
Silence

"Aberama tell me he's breathing!" I demanded
"He is" he said, pulling himself up again, leaning against the cross

"I'm going to... get help" he said breathlessly, holding his shoulder
Before he staggered over to me, dropping to his knees before me
"Are you alright?" He asked

I shook my head, eyes closed as I cradled my stomach
"Get help" I said simply
He nodded, slowly but worryingly making his way to the car.

Before I heard it drive away.
I craned my head, looking to Bonnie, reaching my arm out for him
He was too far away. I knew he was too far away

Yet I reached for him anyway.
"Bonnie" I said in pain.

Vote and Comment
Thoughts???

•