Elizabeth held onto Finn's arm as she walked into the house in Small Heath. Tommy carried Charlotte while Finn remained ever the gentleman, holding his arm out and letting Elizabeth take hold of it. She walked forwards and back into the house, her mind going to her daughter and what might happen in the future to her. Tommy had his hand cupping the back of Charlotte's head, holding her face against his shoulder, her cheek pressed there. She had her hand by her cheek, her small fingers on his shoulder and gripping him tightly.

Tommy had made a phone call before they had left, asking Michael to go and get John and tell him that Changretta was making his moves. He had managed to get hold of Arthur who had said that he was making his move back to Small Heath. Tommy was the first on the back at the house and he was already carrying Charlotte up to bed. Their daughter was still dressed in her nightgown and she was scared. Elizabeth could see that.

She had been dragged from her bed on Christmas Eve and forced into hiding. She had bitten down on her lip and said nothing, not wanting to upset her mummy and daddy, but she was scared and Elizabeth knew it. Elizabeth picked up the kettle and poured water into it before placing it on the stove to heat up.

"I think whiskey is more appropriate," Tommy's voice entered her ears and he opened up a bottle, pouring a glass as Elizabeth took the kettle off the stove and looked to him. Folding her arms over her chest, she noted Finn stood there awkwardly, his arms folded over his chest.

"So we wait for them to return?" Elizabeth asked from her husband and he nodded.

"Nothin' else we can do, is there?" he responded and she recognised his snappy tone. He was stressed. He wasn't thinking about anything other than getting his family back to him. He didn't mean to take it on Elizabeth and she wasn't going to hound him. She had done that too often in the past.

"Finn, sweetheart, will you go and sit with Charlotte for a while? I will be there soon."

"Yeah, course," Finn said and moved up the steps towards Tommy's old room.

Taking a seat at the table, Tommy held his glass in one hand and his whiskey bottle in the other. Elizabeth moved to sit besides him, her hand going to rest on his arm as she bowed her head. Tommy moved to peck her on the top of her head, his chin then moving to rest there as they waited with patience.

"We need to check the staff at the 'ouse," Tommy informed his wife in a soft voice. "I don't know who we can trust and who we can't."

"Frances is fine," Elizabeth said. "I told her to tell the rest of the staff to take the day off and go home. I don't…they shouldn't be there after what happened. I want them to go home until we go back there."

"Of course," Tommy agreed with her.

It was then when Elizabeth heard the phone begin to ring. Tommy leapt to his feet and moved over to it, picking it up from the table. He pressed it to his ear and Elizabeth struggled to hear what he was saying. But he soon slammed it down and rushed to grab his coat, shrugging into it as he looked to his wife.

"Michael and John 'ave been shot," Tommy said. "Changretta got to them."

"What? How?" Elizabeth asked, well aware that it had been over two years since she had seen them. Looking to Tommy as he grabbed the car keys, she saw him shrug his shoulders.

Moving to her, he took hold of her shoulders, looking her in the eye. "Stay in 'ere with Finn and Charlotte. I 'ave men watchin' the 'ouse. Just stay 'ere, alright?"

"Of course," Elizabeth agreed and Tommy kissed her quickly, his hand stroking her cheek once before he left her alone in the kitchen, the silence eerie around her as she placed her hands over her mouth and struggled to comprehend what might happen next.

Tommy had phoned ahead to tell her the news, but Elizabeth didn't know how she could tell Finn. The young boy had read a bedtime story to Charlotte and Elizabeth had stood in the doorway watching him. She felt tears threaten to spill from her eyes for him. She had known John, of course she had. But she had never really seen eye to eye with him. The same went for Arthur. She knew that they were Tommy's brothers, but she kept her distance. The same had been true with Pol for a while, but she had to admit that she had grown rather fond of the matriarch of the family.

"Finn, darling, I need to talk with you," Elizabeth said once he had walked down the steps and into the living area.

He sat down on the sofa and looked to her, waiting for her to speak. She had asked Tommy if he was certain that she should tell him and he had said that she was the best one to do it. In a sense, she had grown close to the young man, often mothering him when she had the chance. She had taken him under her wing while the rest of his family seemed to loiter in a jail cell.

"What is it?" he asked from her.

"Finn…it…it's John," Elizabeth said in a soft voice. "They…the mafia…they got to him before he could escape his house. He…they tried to save him, Finn, but it was too late."

It took a moment before Finn seemed to understand what she was saying. She saw his eyes widen and tears threaten to spill over. Moving with haste, she swept him into her arms, taking hold of him tightly as he began to sob, his body shaking as she held onto him. He moved his own arms around her, clinging onto her as she stroked his hair slowly and softly, whispering soft hushes into his ear.

It had been the longest night of Elizabeth's life. She knew that it was now Christmas, but there would be nothing to celebrate. No one would want to open presents or laugh and joke. No one would want to do anything but sit and drink whiskey before devising a plan to make sure that Changretta couldn't get to them again. The morning was cold and a soft dew had settled over the street. Elizabeth had looked out of the window, waiting for her husband to return. He had done so with some of the family in tow.

Pol had remained in the hospital with Michael while Esme had left to be with her own family. Arthur and Linda had returned with Tommy, their little baby with him too. Ada had remained with Pol. Elizabeth had offered Arthur a solemn nod while Linda had glowered over at her. She had ignored her and taken hold of her husband by the upper arms. Tommy's gaze met hers and in that moment she knew that he wasn't as strong as he thought he was. He had weaknesses. Of course he did. His one main weakness had always been his family.

Elizabeth had led Tommy upstairs and towards the bedroom that Pol had once used. Opening the door, she pulled Tommy inside and moved her hands into his coat, pulling it from his body, feeling the red silk of the inside of it brush against her fingers. She draped it over the chair in the corner before tugging on his leather gloves and throwing them on top of it. Tommy remained stoic, seemingly unable to move as she fussed around him.

Unbuttoning the top button of his shirt, she loosened his tie and moved it from the collar and tossed it onto his clothes. She took hold of him by the hand once more and sat down on the bed besides him, keeping hold of her hand inside of his.

"What do you need?" Elizabeth wondered from him, her tone soft and gentle as she looked to him and his eyes met hers, a moment of confusing taking hold of him as her words echoed in his head. Elizabeth hadn't known what else to ask of him. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know what to say. And so she would let him take the lead.

He moved to pull his pocket watch out of his pocket and checked the time before returning it. Moving to unbutton his waistcoat, he pulled it off with his suit jacket, slipping his shoes from his feet before throwing his clothing to the floor. Lying down on the bed, he moved his arm around Elizabeth's waist, pulling her down until she was resting by his side.

"You," was all that Tommy managed to speak to her.

Nodding, Elizabeth suspected that was enough as she saw a tear fall down his cheek. Wiping it away with her thumb, she kissed him chastely and felt him burrow his face against the crook of her neck as she let her hand move over his waist and up his back, cupping the back of his head tenderly.

"You will always have me, Tommy…always…"

Elizabeth had held her husband until the sun broke. She had left him to sleep before roaming over to find Charlotte. She was still sleeping and Elizabeth had watched her for a few moments before she stirred. Explaining to her that her uncle had died had been tricky. Charlotte didn't remember John. She didn't remember who he was. She had nodded dutifully before asking about Tommy.

"Is daddy sad?" she enquired and Elizabeth nodded her head.

"He is," she responded. "Daddy loved his brother, just as daddy loves you."

"Can I see him?" Charlotte wondered.

"I think he would like that," Elizabeth said.

Taking hold of Charlotte by the hand, she led her to Pol's room. Opening the door, she let go of Charlotte as the little girl moved to the bed and climbed on it. She knelt before Tommy as he woke up slowly and saw his daughter sat before him. Reaching his arms out, he invited her into them and took hold of her, cradling her by his side and kissing her on the top of her head. She said nothing. She only lay in his grip, her arms around him as he looked to his wife and she managed a soft smile for him.

Tommy couldn't return it. He remained stoic before closing his eyes and letting his daughter offer him comfort.

Elizabeth left the two of them alone, closing the door quietly before walking downstairs. She almost jumped back at the sight of a familiar woman sat at the table, smoking slowly. Elizabeth moved towards her as she stood up and continued to drag on her cigarette.

"Liz," she spoke her name.

"Pol," she responded. "How is he?"

"Alive," Pol said the word. "He's alive…he's lucky, really…very lucky…not like John."

"I'm sorry," Elizabeth said to her. "I don't know what else to say."

Pol shrugged her shoulders. "Nothin' else to say, is there?" she responded to her. "I'm only 'ere because Tommy called a family meetin' for tomorrow. I'm goin' back to the hospital soon."

"Of course," Elizabeth said with a nod of her head. "Charlotte is upstairs with Tommy. I can go and fetch her."

"Later," Pol said and both of the women took a seat. "Besides, it seems like there's another one on the way, eh?"

Elizabeth's brows furrowed as she looked to Pol and the woman let out a dark chuckle, stubbing his cigarette out before looking to Elizabeth with an almost disbelieving and condescending stare.

"So I told yer nearly six years ago and I 'ave to tell yer again?" Pol asked from her and Elizabeth wondered what she was talking about before she understood. Moving a hand to her stomach, she shook her head as Pol continued to smile darkly. "Yer 'ad no idea, did yer?"

"I…I don't know," Elizabeth said, confusion taking hold of her. "I can't be…not now."

"There's never a convenient time, Liz," Pol reminded her. "But yer are pregnant. I can see it from 'ere."

Elizabeth bit down on her lip and kept her hands on her stomach before she heard voices enter the kitchen. Charlotte shrieked at the sight of Pol and rushed towards her as Pol took her into her arms, chuckling softly. She had always had a soft spot for the little girl. She had looked after her as a babe and she had helped Elizabeth to understand how to care for a baby.

Pol continued to fuss around Charlotte as Elizabeth stood up and wandered towards the living room, her hands still cradling her stomach as she saw Tommy wander down the staircase and he caught her eye. Looking to him, she wondered how he would react if it was true. He had never mentioned having another child nor had she broached the subject with him. Tommy continued to watch her before he stood close to her, closing the space between them as he kissed her tenderly.

Elizabeth said nothing as he pulled back and she moved her hands to his arms and leant against him for a moment, her eyes closing as she thought about how best to broach the subject with him after he had just lost his brother.

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