Liz was unsure of how she should escape the Manor that evening. She had heard Billy roar in a rage of anger, unable to contain himself. Liz had been silent, sitting in her chamber and thinking of the way Tommy had looked. He had aged, she could see that much. He looked weathered and much more mature than he had done. He looked as though he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, yet Liz couldn't help but think of the way she felt as soon as she saw him.

It was ridiculous. He still had that effect on her and she didn't hate him for it. How could she hate him? He had no idea where she had been, she had seen that much. But how did he not know? Liz couldn't quite answer that question, but the look on his face had been genuine. The fact that he had been willing to drag her from the Manor there and then was another pointer. He really would do anything for her, and she had told him to leave her alone for fear of his safety. She supposed that reaffirmed her belief that she, in turn, would do anything for him.

Mary had come to speak with her or what had happened, but Liz had kept quiet. She didn't want Billy to know anything. She trusted Mary, but she also knew what Billy was like. He was deceitful and he had suspicions already that Liz knew who Tommy was.

She couldn't, and wouldn't, risk anything.

So that was why she left in the dead of the night. The clock had struck one in the morning and Liz snuck out of the Manor, knowing that there may be no going back from this point. And she didn't want to go back.

….

Tommy hadn't slept one wink. He had sat awake in his bedroom, his hands holding his head as he thought of Liz and what he had just seen. She wasn't the girl he had been with. She was beaten. She was damaged. She had no fire inside of her. There was no determination. Billy had well and truly destroyed her.

As soon as he had walked into the home he had demanded to see Pol. He demanded answers and she finally told him everything. She told him how she had lied to protect him. She had told him that it had been for the best. Elizabeth Kimber was dangerous and Tommy had already seen so much danger. He didn't need anymore. Tommy hated her for that. What right did she have? Who did she truly think she was?

He had stormed to his own privacy, his fists hitting the wall. Everyone had shouted and argued, but Tommy wanted no part of it. He wanted Liz back. He needed Liz back. He needed to sit her down and tell her that it was all a mistake. He needed to plead with her to see that he had not left her there intentionally.

It was only as the clock struck two did Tommy hear a faint slam on his window. Furrowing his brow, he moved over to it, pulling the curtains back and lifting the net curtain. Looking down, he saw the familiar sight of Elizabeth Kimber, small stones in her hand as she narrowed her gaze to look up to him.

Tommy took his movements with haste, rushing down the stairs to answer the door. He didn't care if he woke anyone up with the noise. He unlocked the front door and saw Elizabeth stood on the step. His hand instantly reached out to grab hers and pull her into safety. He locked the door again and moved without thinking, refusing to give her time to say anything to him. In that moment his lips were on hers, his hands cupping her cheeks as his lips bruised hers with brute force.

Tommy had forgotten what this had felt like. He had forgotten the feel of her soft skin under his callused hands; the way her soft lips melded against his. He missed her. He would have laughed. If anyone could see him now, what would they say? He'd gone soft? He was weak? Possibly.

Elizabeth was about to speak when Tommy literally pushed her against the door again, his hands caressing her cheeks whilst his lips worked against hers. Her eyes screwed shut and she felt relief course through her veins. Everything had been forgotten. Tommy still wanted her. The urgency of his kiss was enough to tell her that. She closed her eyes and the fear inside of her slowly dissolved.

Only when he needed air did he move back from her, his forehead resting on hers as she moved her hands, tracing his high cheekbones all the way to his flat chin. He still wore the smart suit he had been dressed in earlier, but the top button was undone, showing how his neck moved with each gasp of air.

"I never knew," was all that Tommy could say to her, his hands still holding her waist. "Liz…Pol…she told me that you had gone…she said you couldn't wait…"

Liz almost felt the tears flow freely again, but she kept them contained. She couldn't cry anymore. She needed to speak, not sob.

"And did you believe her?" Liz wondered, searching his gaze.

"Initially, no," Tommy whispered. "I couldn't believe 'er…but then…I never 'eard from you during the war. Not a word. I…I didn't want to believe it…nor could I…but then I saw you today."

"I wrote every day," Liz whispered, small drops of water moving down her pale cheeks. "I wrote a letter every day, but I could not send them. Billy has me locked away, Tommy. He found me the night you went…someone noticed me and they told him. I…when the war ended I cam back and…outside The Garrison…"

Tommy tried to piece her words together, his brow furrowing and his nose wrinkling as he did so. And then it all made sense. She had been there. Tommy hadn't imagined it.

"You saw me," Tommy said. "I knew it was you."

"How?" Liz wondered. "I went before you could see me."

Shaking his head, Tommy moved his hands up her sides, finally coming back to her cheeks. "I 'eard a noise and ran after you, Liz. You'd gone by the time I caught up."

Elizabeth shook her head. They had missed each other by a fraction of a second.

"Why did you run, Liz?"

"Because I thought that you didn't want me, Tommy," Elizabeth whispered. "I saw you with her and I thought that you had forgotten me. Why would you remember me? It had been four years, Tommy."

"Five now," Tommy said and Liz was shocked he had remembered." How can I want anyone else, Liz? I gave you my mother's ring."

"I have it," Liz promised him. "It is safe in the Manor. I could barely wear it around Billy."

Nodding, Tommy gulped. They had gotten everything mixed up. Everything had been a lie and only they knew the truth. Other people did nothing but try to tear them apart, but they failed. Hell, a bloody world war couldn't keep Tommy from her.

"And now?" Tommy asked from her.

"I do not know," Liz whispered. "I want to know why you were at the Manor in the first place. What are you doing with Billy? You know how dangerous he is."

Tommy nodded. He moved away from her and led her to the small couch by the fire. He sat down and she sat next to him. Tommy turned his upper body to face her, watching her with intrigue as he did so. Liz remained silent, daring to move and take hold of his hand, almost too scared not to touch him in case he disappeared from her again. She had no idea how she would cope with that.

"I came back 'ere and 'eard about your brother controlling all the races," Tommy told her. "I promised I would work with 'im, but I'm not…well…I am, but there will come a time when I double cross him. I need him for a licence for the races, but that's it. I…I wanted to betray 'im, Liz. I want to see 'im suffer for what he did to you…has done to you…look at you."

Liz shook her head as Tommy saw a purple bruise from where Billy had previously slapped her near her eye. She moved to brush her thumb over Tommy's knuckle.

"I want you nowhere near him," Liz spoke in a hushed tone. "I want to go, Tommy. I want London. I want what we were supposed to have."

Tommy shook his head. He couldn't promise her that, not now. He had business that needed to be done. He couldn't run away, not like she wanted him to. He had to stay for the time being. Perhaps he would consider it then.

"I 'ave the business, Liz. Besides, do you think that Billy will let you go?" Tommy asked from her.

"Do you think he will let you live if he knows what you have done?" Elizabeth retorted. "My brother can hit me as much as he likes, Tommy, but he will never put a bullet between my eyes."

"He won't touch you," Tommy said with determination. "You can't go back, Liz. You 'ave to stay 'ere."

"I do not want to go back," Elizabeth promised him. "But we both know that I have to. There are things there that I need…your mother's ring…and Mary. God only knows what Billy will do if he finds out she knows about us. You have to understand that, Tommy."

"And how much longer will it be before he does something else, Liz?" Tommy asked her, managing to pull the wide brimmed hat she wore from her head, revealing her face in full light. "I saw the bruises you hide under that coat. Do you think it will be bruises for much longer? Or broken bones?"

Liz's stomach churned, but she pushed that thought aside. It had been five years and Billy had done nothing like that. Tommy had to trust her that she knew what she was doing.

"I put you in danger so long as I stay here," Liz spoke in a hushed tone.

"I've seen war, Liz," Tommy replied. "I've done 'orrible things to men who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I've killed…I've lied…I'm not the same man I was. I can handle Billy Kimber. Everything has changed…everything but the way I feel for you. Don't you get it, Liz? I will do anything to keep you safe."

Welling up, Elizabeth looked down to the material beneath her before Tommy moved his free hand, his finger curling underneath her chin and drawing her gaze back to him. The question now was whether Liz would want him. Everything about her was so pure. Yes, she had seen horrors, but she still held that innocent aura around her. How could Tommy taint that with his ways?

"I can only imagine what you have seen," Liz whispered, struggling to contain her gasps as she tried not to sob. "But you need to understand that I'm not the same person either, Tommy. Everything felt numb until I saw you…I…I tried to leave, but he always found me…and I gave up. I have felt nothing but longing since you left. That died when I saw you outside The Garrison, but it came back when I realised you never knew where I was. You need to believe me, Tommy. I can cope with Billy, but you know that can not be together whilst he is here."

Tommy gave a soft nod in her direction. "I know," he promised her. "So what do we do, Liz? I can't leave now…too much is 'appening."

"Then we leave when we can," Elizabeth said. "As long as I know there is hope, Tommy."

"I am not missing another five years together, Liz," Tommy said, the determination echoing through his voice. "Do you get it? I am not doing it."

"I get it," Liz said, knowing full well that Tommy had no intention of letting her leave without a fight. Not that she could blame him. She didn't want to go, but she knew that she had to.

"Good," Tommy said, relief coursing through him as Liz moved towards him, nestling against his side as he lifted his arm up to wrap around her. "You're still the only girl for me, Liz," Tommy promised, his chin resting on the top of her head before he kissed her softly on her curls, lifting slightly as she moved her hands to hold his.

"And you're the only one for me, Thomas Shelby. No one else."

Tommy fell asleep not long after their initial talk. It had been an exhausting day for both of them. Liz remained awake, listening as his breath turned shallow and his grip slackened on her. She only stood when she was certain that he was awake. Standing up, she picked her hat up and looked at him sprawled out on the couch, his limbs in an ungraceful manner as he slept. She smiled gently and knew what she had to do.

She had to protect Tommy. Billy would find her missing and be mad. She had to get back before then. There was no chance that Billy could find her with Tommy. She refused to let that happen. She had to leave Tommy for the time being, only for a little while.

She had him back. She would be damned if Billy Kimber would take him from her. No. Liz would deal with her brother. She was twenty-two years old. She had endured his abuse for too long.

A/N: Thanks to anyone reading and do let me know what you think. We're coming up to the prologue, I promise! Hope this was a nice enough reunion for you.