Watching Elizabeth, Tommy didn't know what more he could say to her. He felt as though he had said all that he could. He had watched her tell him how she would leave and take their daughter. Tommy didn't want that. He didn't want her to go. He didn't know if he could handle it. After everything they had been through, he couldn't let her go.

"I'll give it up," Tommy said in a small voice as soon as they returned to Birmingham.

Michael had left the car, going back into the offices. Elizabeth remained sat in the car, her head buried in her hands as she let her elbows rest on her thighs. Looking over to her, Tommy moved to take hold of her by the arms, pulling her hands from her face as he watched her.

"Do yer 'ear me, Liz?" he demanded from her. "I'm not losin' yer or Charlotte. I couldn't bear it."

"I just want you to be safe," she whispered to him, her cheeks still red and her eyes permanently wet and wide. She watched her husband as he moved forwards and his hand cupped the back of her head, pulling her towards him, her head resting on his shoulder.

"I want you to be safe, Tommy," she said. "And if that means giving all of this up and going legitimate…doing something else…then you have to do it. This is it. I don't know how much more we can go through."

"Nothin'," Tommy responded with a firm shake of his head, bending down to kiss her on the top of her head. "We're goin' to get through this and then we're goin' away. I'm takin' yer and Charlotte away from all of this."

Pulling back after a moment, Elizabeth pressed her lips against Tommy's and he clung onto her, clung onto the moment. He had to keep holding her because he was scared of losing her. He was scared of her leaving. Tommy was not a man who often showed fear. He didn't let his feelings get the better of him, but when it came to Elizabeth and Charlotte, he was always scared.

"What are we going to do?" Elizabeth wondered, her forehead pressing against his and he closed his eyes.

"I'm goin' to the Georgians and goin' to 'elp dig the tunnel," Tommy said to her. "I want yer to stay in Birmingham with Pol. Michael is goin' to with Arthur to find the man who Alfie left off the list. He might know where Father Hughes is with Charlotte," Tommy said.

"Then I need to go with them."

"No," Tommy said with a firm shake of his head. "No, you are goin' nowhere near 'im. They'll get 'er back."

"Tommy, I have to go," Elizabeth continued to protest. "If they have her then I need to go."

"And get 'urt?" Tommy wondered, gripping hold of her arms in his hands as he looked at her, his eyes darting around her face, almost drinking in every last detail of her. She watched him back, doing the same, her lips parted as she struggled to catch her breath.

"She needs us," Elizabeth said. "She needs both of us."

"Aye, and she needs yer safe and alive," Tommy said. "Now, come on. I need to go and yer need to stay 'ere."

Climbing from the car, Tommy walked around and helped his wife from the vehicle. Taking hold of her hands, he helped her onto the path before wrapping his arm around her waist, his hand on her back as he urged her into the offices. Opening the door, Tommy looked inside in time to see Ada and Polly stood in the middle of the office.

"Michael and Arthur ran off," Ada said. "What's going on, Tommy?"

"They are lookin' for Charlotte," Tommy said. "I need yer to stay 'ere with Lizzie."

"No," Elizabeth continued to protest.

"Yes," Tommy spoke with a nod of his head, looking over to Pol. "Make sure she stays 'ere."

"Will do," Pol agreed.

Before Elizabeth could continue to argue anymore, Tommy grabbed hold of his wife's waist, spinning her to face him. Kissing her brashly, Tommy fisted his hand into her hair before letting go of her. He gave her a final glance before leaving again. Elizabeth watched him go, her hands wrapping around her waist as Pol came towards her and took hold of her by the waist, leading her towards Thomas's office where they would have more privacy.

"There's nothin' yer can do, Liz," Pol continued to speak. "Arthur and Michael will bring her 'ome."

"But I want to help," Elizabeth said as they entered Tommy's office and Elizabeth collapsed into his chair. Pol remained stood on the other side, grabbing hold of the whiskey that he had on the corner of his desk. "I need to help."

"If yer go anywhere near these men then they'll not 'eistate to 'urt yer," Pol said.

"Because I am not a man," Elizabeth scoffed. "The last time I checked it was men who had gotten us into this mess in the first place."

"Yer not wrong," Pol said, handing Liz a glass of the alcohol, despite the fact that she hardly drank. She drained the liquid before looking to Pol and remember what her son had done. Michael had shot Alfie's man. He had killed. He had done the one thing that Pol didn't want him to do.

Chewing down on her lip, Elizabeth kept silent. She wasn't going to bring that up now. She couldn't bring it up. She had other things to worry and occupy her mind. Biting down on her cheek, Elizabeth placed the glass down before looking to Pol.

"I need her back," Elizabeth whispered. "I need them both back."

"The boys will get 'er," Pol said.

"And until then she is with that man," Elizabeth said, moving to her feet once more, hands on her hips as she began to pace. "That man who did those things to your son. That man who…that twisted man."

"No," Pol said quickly, moving to take hold of Elizabeth by the arms, stopping her from going any further. "Don't yer dare think like that, do yer understand me?"

"How can I not?" Elizabeth demanded. "It is all that I have thought about. Tommy…everything is impossible for him. Father Hughes has him bent over a barrel. The jewels and the train…"

"Tommy'll do it," Pol said, her voice full of determination as she nodded her head and watched Elizabeth. "He'll do it for Charlotte. He'd do anythin' for 'er."

Elizabeth had been told by Pol that it would be best for her to return home. Elizabeth had agreed with that as the night fell and Pol drove her back. She had stood in the foyer all night, the sky darkening as she waited for morning. It was just gone three a.m. when she saw car headlights beaming into the house.

Pulling the front door open, she stepped out, squinting into the darkness as the car stopped. Stumbling forwards with Pol behind her, Elizabeth moved with haste as she saw Michael climb from the vehicle before he went to the passenger's side and opened the door.

Gasping in relief at the sight of her daughter, Elizabeth grabbed hold of Charlotte as Michael held her out towards her. Cradling her tightly as the little girl wrapped her arms around her mother's neck, Elizabeth breathed out a deep sigh of relief as Michael nodded.

"Thank you," she spoke to him, noting the blood on his collar as he managed a small smile and then looked to his mother.

Polly didn't say anything. She remained silent and still as he walked over to her and Elizabeth turned to go back inside with Charlotte in her hold. Moving into the foyer, Elizabeth only made it as far as the staircase before slumping down onto the staircase and resting Charlotte in her lap, pushing her hair from the top of her head as her daughter looked none the wiser about what had happened.

"I've got you," Elizabeth whispered to the small girl. "I will always have you, Charlotte, do you understand? Nothing will ever hurt you again…no one will ever hurt you…not so long as I am here."

Closing the door to the mansion, Pol looked on as Michael stood in the foyer and she moved closer to him. He shook his head at her.

"Don't," was all he managed to say.

"We will discuss this," she warned him.

"No, we won't," Michael responded. "There is nothing to discuss. I did what I had to do. I did what needed to be done to bring Charlotte home. Tommy and Liz's daughter is worth more than his life."

"No," Pol said. "I tried to protect yer from this, Michael. I tried to protect yer and I couldn't do it."

"I don't need protecting," Michael responded. "He made sure of that when I was a child."

Moving off, Elizabeth watched as Michael walked towards the kitchens, no doubt seeking out some kind of alcohol. Pol didn't go after him. Instead she looked to Elizabeth. She let her eyes roam over her as the young woman held onto her daughter in a tight grip. Charlotte still wore the soft blue dress she had been in the previous day, her eyes were closed as she sat in her mother's lap.

"Is she alright?" Pol wondered.

"I think so," Elizabeth nodded. "She is back home. She is back with us…back where she belongs. I need to tell Tommy."

"How are we goin' to get 'old of 'im?" Pol wondered.

"I do not know," Elizabeth responded. "I…he needs to come home. I need him to come back. I said some things to him…I…I meant what I said, but I said some horrible things."

"Nothin' that I'm sure he didn't deserve," Pol assured her. "How many times 'ave yer told 'im not to be foolish? He's 'ad chances, Elizabeth. He's 'ad as many chances as I'm goin' to give 'im."

Elizabeth let her brows knit together as she looked to Pol, her hands still running up and down her daughter's back. Pol sat down next to Elizabeth, hands in her lap as she longed for a cigarette. She could do with one to take the edge off.

"What does that mean?" Elizabeth wondered.

"It means that I warned 'im," Pol said. "I told 'im that I would make him pay if he ever made my boy do anythin' like…be…he was innocent. He deserved to stay innocent. I need to take 'im away."

"Pol-"

"-No," Pol interrupted with a shake of her head. "I've 'ad it this time Yer…do yer remember the mistake he made before, Liz. All those years ago?"

Looking away, Elizabeth did her best not to try to recall. She bit down on her lip as Pol watched her. She rested her chin on her daughter's head as Pol continued to speak.

"When he came back from the war and he saw yer…he changed," Pol said. "He thought that yer 'ad left 'im and I know I did that to 'im and I was wrong. But then he hurt yer, didn't he? He went and told yer that he wouldn't run away back to London with yer. He only went back for yer after he heard yer 'ad been 'urt."

"No," Elizabeth said quickly. "He came back because he loved me. He made a mistake. He told me that."

"And how many more mistakes is he goin' to make?" Pol demanded. "How many more times is he goin' to risk yer or Charlotte? I told 'im this business with the Russians was bad. Double crossing everyone…he can't keep doin' it."

"Pol, please," Elizabeth urged her.

"You need to 'ear it," Pol said with haste. "Tommy loves you and he loves Charlotte. I know that. He loves yer both terribly, but is it enough?"

"He said that he would come away with us," Elizabeth said. "He promised me that nothing like this would happen again."

"And how many times 'as he made promises?" Pol enquired.

Charlotte began to drift off to sleep as the phone began to ring. That was enough to stir her and it was enough for her to get away from Pol and the conversation they were having. She stood up, still holding onto her daughter as she moved towards the phone.

"Hello?"

"Liz," his familiar voice was clear down the line as Elizabeth closed her eyes and exhaled a sharp breath.

"Tommy," she responded. "I have her. She is here. She is home. Michael found her."

"Thank God," Tommy muttered in a whisper. "I need yer to stay 'ome, Liz. I need yer to stay there and I'll be 'ome as soon as possible. I'll come back for both of yer."

"I know," Elizabeth gulped.

Hanging up, she didn't know if she could say anything further to her husband. Moving over to the staircase, she walked up the steps as Pol stood on the bottom step. She watched her go and considered saying something further, but she didn't. She kept silent as Elizabeth wandered off and into her bedroom. No doubt Elizabeth had enough to think about, just as Pol did.

Tommy found his wife and daughter laid on their bed. She was holding onto Charlotte as the little girl slept soundly. Elizabeth was awake, laid on her side as one hand ran up and down Charlotte's cheek. Walking into the room, Tommy saw her turn her head over her shoulder to look to him. He kept silent, as did she.

He moved to sit on the edge of the bed and kick his shoes off. He rolled onto his side and wrapped both his arms around his wife's waist. He felt her tense slightly as he let his hands rest on her stomach and he pressed his lips against the nape of her neck. The movement was tender and soft, his breath warm and his body smelt of sweat.

"I couldn't stop the train," Tommy whispered. "They blew it up."

"What does that mean?" Elizabeth wondered.

"I don't know yet," Tommy said. "But tomorrow I'm meetin' the Grand Duchess. She's payin' me for the jewels I stole from her family's vault."

Elizabeth's lips curled into a sarcastic smile. "I see that she is not too bothered about family then."

"Not my issue," Tommy said.

"And where did she get the money from?"

"None of my business," Tommy said.

"No," Elizabeth mused, realising that she struggled to care. "So what do we do now? You sell the jewels and we leave?"

Biting down on his lip, Tommy let out a deep breath. He didn't know how he could tell his wife the things he had found out. He didn't entirely know how she would react or if she would believe anything that he was going to tell her. Truth be told, he still doubted himself. He doubted that he would be able to help his family once the police arrested them.

"We leave as soon as business is done," Tommy told her. "That is if yer still want to leave with me."

"I said some things to you that were horrible," Elizabeth said. "And I apologise for them, Tommy, but what I can't apologise for is the way I feel…and what Pol said to me…she…was she right?"

"What did she say?"

"How you have done this before," Elizabeth said. "Remember? It was a lot of years ago now when you told me that business would come before me. It was that night when Campbell took me and the next day you came and told me that you had made a mistake."

"Because I 'ad," Tommy said. "And yer forgave me, Liz."

"Yes, I did," Elizabeth said. "I forgave you and I married you. I never regretted that decision, but now there is not only me to think about, is there? There is Charlotte."

"I told yer that I would go," Tommy said.

"And you said that all those years ago, but look what happened," Elizabeth responded. "We got pushed back into this life…we got thrust back into it. Can you ever escape? Can you ever get out? But…do you want to? Do you want to get out?"

"Liz-"

"-No," Elizabeth interrupted him with haste, shaking her head as she closed her eyes. "I don't want to talk about it, Tommy. I don't want to talk about this tonight. I…I just don't know what to do. I don't know what to do because I need to think about Charlotte now. We both need to think about her because she is the only thing that matters, isn't she?"

"Not the only thing," Tommy told her. "Not to me."

"I know," Elizabeth whispered. "And you have no idea how much I love you, Tommy. I love you so much and I don't want to lose you."

Tommy only wondered if she would feel the same way the following day when he brought his whole world crashing down around him.

...

A/N: Do let me know what you think!