Tommy stormed into the house, taking off his cap and throwing it at the table in the kitchen. Pol looked up and over to Tommy, lowering the letter she was holding in her fingertips. She dropped it down onto the table and was about to tell Tommy how Ada had locked herself away and refused to come out of her flat because of what had happened to Freddie. She held her tongue as Tommy placed his own hands down on the table and leant over, looking at Pol with a narrowed gaze, sweat dropping down his forehead as he did so.

"Do you know about this?" he demanded from her.

Pol had been keen for him to get rid of the guns, but he never suspected that she would stoop to such a level. He knew how she detested Liz. She hated the fact that she was a Kimber, and nothing more than the brother of a traitor. She did not appreciate the danger the girl had placed Tommy in, nor did she particularly like her. She thought that she was upper class and better than everyone else.

"About what?" Pol answered, not snapping at Tommy or giving in to his questioning.

"Campbell," Tommy sneered his name. "He 'as Liz. He found 'er when she left 'ere and he 'as her until I give him back the guns."

Pol sighed and Tommy shook his head. She may not want him to have the guns, but she didn't know about what had happened. Tommy could see that by the way her eyes widened as he gave her the information. Standing up straight, Tommy moved his hands to the back of his head and leant forwards, struggling to gasp for breath.

"What will you do?" Pol demanded from Tommy. "And 'ow does he know of the Kimber girl?"

"From a mutual friend," Tommy mumbled. "But I never told anyone about 'er…"

Trailing off, Tommy remembered what had happened the previous morning. He remembered sitting in The Garrison. He remembered Liz coming in, bags under her eyes and her clothes askew on her body as she moved with haste towards him. She had been happy to see him. She had smiled. She had been keen for his touch. But she had not been the only woman in the pub.

Realisation hit Tommy like a tonne of bricks. Picking his cap back up, he pushed it into his pocket and left the house. Pol called after him, but he didn't answer her. She could see that this was the most emotion Tommy had felt in ages. He was scared for Elizabeth Kimber. And Pol knew that he would give the guns up. He had denied her initially. Pol had heard them arguing, but Tommy had been reluctant to give the guns up.

But that was before they held Elizabeth Kimber hostage.

Storming down the street, Tommy came to stand outside The Garrison before he pushed both doors open with his hands, allowing them to ricochet behind him as he stormed into the half empty pub. Looking to the bar, he saw her stood there. Her hands were busy drying glasses and she was humming a soft tune as she went about her business. Her blonde hair hung in soft waves down her back, a contrast with the red cardigan she wore.

Moving to the bar, Tommy rocked back and forth on his heels before she turned around to look at him, a smile on her face as she did so. It faltered when her eyes met his, but she remained stood up straight, looking at Tommy with a cocked brow.

"What is it, Tommy?" she wondered from him.

Tommy had no time for her games. He would like to watch her squirm, of course he would, but he had the guns to go and dig up and put in a safe place before he went to Campbell. The sooner he got to Campbell the better, but he needed to know why. He had to know why Grace would do this to him.

"You told 'im," Tommy stated matter of factly and nodded his head to Grace as she continued to look puzzled.

"I have no idea-"

"-Don't lie to me," Tommy interrupted her. "You are the only one who knows about 'er. My family know…and aye…they 'ate 'er…but they 'ate Campbell more. Is it a coincidence that both of you come from Ireland? He told me, Grace, said a mutual friend told 'im about Elizabeth."

Grace inhaled a sharp breath and looked away from Tommy. She stared at the floor and Tommy knew instantly. There was no more hiding this lie she had been telling. How could she deny it anymore when it was blatantly obvious? Tommy shook his head, his hand moving through his hair as he glowered at Grace.

"He 'as her locked up," Tommy said and Grace's eyes widened. "He 'as her locked up in a basement…and God only knows what he is doin' to 'er. Why, Grace? Why did you do this? Because I want 'er?"

"Yes," Grace admitted and Tommy had to admit that he was shocked she would agree with him. She looked almost hurt as she shook her head and Tommy wondered what was running through her mind. "I told him. He…I never expected any of this to happen, Tommy. I came here to help him, but I…I met you…and things changed…but then she came back. She…the way you looked at her when her brother hit her…"

Grace trailed off, moving to place the towel she had been holding down onto the bar as she closed her eyes for a few brief moments.

"I realised you would never look at me like that."

Looking to the stained wood underneath him, Tommy avoided Grace's stare. He hated this. He hated how he could have been so foolish to trust Grace.

"Campbell said that he would just take her until you gave him the guns," Grace whispered and Tommy chuckled, wondering how this girl could have been so foolish as to believe him. "He never said that he would hurt her."

"Well, it is too late now," Tommy said. "He gets the guns and what do I get?"

"He just wants the guns, Tommy," Grace assured him. "He won't hurt you."

"And how do you know that?" Tommy demanded. "You don't know anythin', Grace…you've done this…"

Grace glowered then. "Because you didn't bring this on yourself, Tommy?" She demanded from him. "You took those guns, Tommy. You put her in danger as much as I did."

Tommy didn't even bother to disagree as he quickly spun on his heel and rushed from The Garrison, preparing himself fully for what was about to happen.

…..

The sun was slowly setting before Tommy found himself stood beside the rest of the Shelby clan by the fake grave of Danny Whizz-Bang. The guns were clear as the grave was empty. The soil rested to the side of the bed and Tommy stood on the mud, waiting for Campbell to fulfil his end of the bargain.

"Are you sure he will come?" Arthur was the one to ask.

"And what if he doesn't bring the Kimber-"

John was silenced from finishing his sentence with an intense stare from Tommy. His blue eyes glimmered with annoyance as he did his best to remain calm. He hardly wanted to admit that his heart was beating ten to the dozen as he waited for Campbell to make an appearance.

Tommy was prepared for whatever Campbell intended to throw in his direction. He knew that there was no chance of being left alone by Campbell. The deal would be completed, but Tommy knew that there was little chance of Campbell leaving him alone. Then again, Tommy had no intention of allowing Campbell to get away with what he had done to Elizabeth.

He had contained himself with Billy long enough. He had dreamed of placing a bullet through his head and the relief he felt when it happened was immeasurable. He didn't appreciate anyone hurting Liz, regardless of how much she didn't want to be with him.

But it wasn't Campbell who appeared over the hill first. Her blonde hair was a distinct giveaway and Tommy narrowed his eyes, wondering what more damage she could cause to him. She was running, her cheeks tinted red as she moved with haste.

"What are you doin' 'ere?" Tommy demanded, his voice loud and authoritative as she stood before him and his brothers looked concerned.

"He knows," she spoke, "he is coming here now, but he has sent her back to her house. He doesn't have her."

Tommy's brow furrowed as Arthur moved to stand beside him, crowding Grace as she gasped for breath.

"He doesn't have Elizabeth," Grace spoke clearly. "He intends to come here and arrest you, Tommy. There is no deal. There is no getting away from this. He has twenty men following him. You need to run and you need to run now."

"How do you know this?" Arthur demanded.

"I just do," Grace whispered, peering up to look at Tommy as he tried to weigh up her words. "I know what I have done is…I am trying to make amends. I am trying to make this right."

Tommy didn't know whether to trust her or not. He had always deemed himself on being a good judge of character, but he was struggling right now. He had so much to lose if she was lying. Yet he had so much to lose if she was telling the truth. As he watched her, he gulped and she moved to brush his cheek with her hand.

"I know how much she means to you," she whispered in a hushed tone. "Go to her. Run."

"Tommy, what the 'ell is 'appening?" John demanded and Tommy shook his head, taking a few steps backwards and away from them all.

"Get out of 'ere," he demanded from them. "Go 'ome and say nothin'."

Turning around, Tommy began to move away from the graveyard, pushing his body down the grass as his brothers demanded to know where he was going. No doubt Grace would fill them in with that information. Moving to the car he had parked at the end of the lane, he climbed into it and drove. He urged for the machine to go faster than usual, but it went at its normal speed.

A sweat broke out on his forehead as he went away from Birmingham and to the Manor where he knew Liz would be.

….

Elizabeth had changed into a simple white nightgown after bathing and removing all the grime and dirt from her body. She had stared at her reflection for a while, looking at the bruises and cuts which marred her body. Her cheeks were still tinted purple after being hit and there was some swelling on her lip.

She had cried for hours on end, even after Campbell had released her. His men had done nothing but taunt her in the darkness, pressing their bodies against hers and kissing her chastely. They had groped, but they had not lifted her skirt. They had clawed and pinched and Elizabeth was struggling to get the feeling of their grubby hands off of her mind.

Now, laying on her bed, all Elizabeth could do was let her wet hair dampen her pillow as she lay with the light on, covered in her duvet tightly. Mary had tried to talk to her, but Elizabeth had said as little as possible. She said that she wanted to clean up and rest before she gave her the full story.

"You cannot go in there, she is resting," Mary's shrill voice came from the hallway.

Liz propped herself up onto her elbows as the door opened wide and she saw him. He ran into her room and Elizabeth blinked profusely. He looked dishevelled as he saw her in her four post bed, wearing only a nightgown on her thin frame.

"Liz," Tommy whispered and Mary pursed her lips.

"Get out," Liz demanded from Tommy and he looked surprised at her words.

Sitting up fully, Elizabeth picked a book from her nightstand and threw it towards him, missing as he moved to the side to avoid it.

"I said get out!" Elizabeth roared, her hair knotted around her face as she struggled to look at him. "Get out!"

"You heard her," Mary snapped, her hand wrapping around Tommy's arm as he pushed his coat from his arms and shrugged her off, moving to the bed as Elizabeth tried to stand up.

Tommy was quicker, his hands grabbing hold of her wrists before she could hit him away from her.

"Liz," Tommy hissed. "Listen to me…Liz…please…just listen to me…"

"Do you know what he did to me?" Liz demanded as Mary stood still and Liz stopped her struggling, her gaze now fully intent on Thomas Shelby. "Do you have any idea what he did? What he said?"

"No," Tommy shook his head. "I never meant for yer to get involved, Liz. I swear…I never meant for this to 'appen…not to you…Liz…believe me…"

And she did believe him. She hated herself for believing him, but she knew full well that he was telling the truth. She didn't want to believe him, but she had to. Closing her eyes and turning away, she flinched as Tommy moved a hand to her cheek and soothed her skin with his thumb.

"Grace told 'im about you. As soon as I found out I did what I 'ad to. He…I ran before he could arrest me, Liz, but he will come after me soon…he 'as what he wants…but I never meant to see you 'urt by 'im…Liz…look at me…"

Pushing her cheek with a tender touch, Tommy soon found her gaze meeting his as he moved to rest his forehead against hers, his other hand moving tenderly down her side as Mary shook her head at what she was seeing.

"I want London."

He repeated her words and Liz continued to stare at him, her eyes roaming over his face whilst he did his best to remain calm and not check the clock in his pocket to see the time. He knew that it would not be long before Campbell guessed where he was.

"I want to run, Liz," he promised her. "I want you…"

Pushing him away, Liz moved his hands from her body and she leant against the headboard.

"You want London because you cannot have Birmingham," Elizabeth whispered. "You failed here and now you want to run. You did not want to run earlier, Tommy…you chose guns over me…you did that…and now you come here and say that you want me? Do you think I believe that?"

Inhaling a sharp breath, Tommy bent slightly and moved his hands to grab hold of Liz's, his fingers entangling in hers as he shook his head, gulping loudly and doing his best not to let his emotions take over.

"I'm sorry," Tommy told her. "I know what I should 'ave done, Liz," he said. "I was stubborn…thought I could 'ave everything…but then I 'eard that he 'ad taken you and I knew what an idiot I had been, Liz. I knew as soon as you walked out that door. I am not 'appy, Liz…not without you…you are more than enough."

His hands desperately moved up her arms to cup her swollen face tenderly and he could see the tears she was trying to hold back from him. But Tommy didn't want her to hold back. He wanted her to tell him exactly how she felt, no matter how badly it hurt.

"But I was not," Elizabeth said. "You should have said that yesterday, Tommy…"

"And I know that," Tommy spoke. "But you need to know that I 'ave to go. I cannot stay 'ere and tell you how much…how much I love you, Elizabeth Kimber."

The words felt foreign on his lips, but he meant them. He knew that this had to be love.

"But come with me. I will give you London…I will give you everyhin' I can…keep you safe…'appy…just me and you…as we planned," Tommy said in a small voice.

Mary rolled her eyes, wondering if Elizabeth was truly considering this. She was about to speak before she heard the yells of men from the gravelled front of the Manor. Tommy and Elizabeth looked to the window as Mary glanced down.

"Police," she spoke in a hushed tone.

She rushed from the room and Tommy knew that he had to leave. He stood up and grabbed his coat with one hand, but with the other hand he held it out to Liz, urging for her to take it and run with him.

"I will spend every day until I die regretting what I did yesterday, Liz," Tommy whispered. "But I know that I will regret it even more if I leave you 'ere…alone and miserable…with your brother's memories…I want you to come with me, Liz. I want to give us the life we deserve…I want you, Liz."

Elizabeth continued to stare at his hand as the yells and bangs on the front door grew louder. Tommy remained still and silently counted in his head. He would give her to five and then he had to go. He had to leave. Staring at her, Tommy's palm continued to sweat as a bead dropped down his forehead.

It was only on the fifth count did her small palm engulf his large one.

...

A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who is reviewing this story and I hope that you are still enjoying it! Once again, I welcome any comments or ideas!