Elizabeth struggled to want to move, but she knew that she had to. She had to get up and go with Tommy. It was the day of Arthur's pretend funeral and Elizabeth knew that there were pretences to uphold. Despite everything that had happened, there was still business to conduct. Elizabeth could see that Tommy's mind was on anything but business, but he kept trying to focus. She would sometimes catch him vacantly staring into the distance, his gaze wide and his cigarette between his fingers, smoke blowing from it as he failed to take a drag.

She would often find herself feeling the same way. Her mind would wander as she wondered exactly what was going to happen now. She wondered what the future held and she also wondered what the future could have held. Charlotte would have had a little sister. She would have had a little sibling to play with. Pressing her hand to her stomach, Elizabeth felt a sense of emptiness. She felt numb. She would then go on to blame herself for what had happened.

"Eh," Tommy whispered into her ear, bending down behind his wife as she sat at the stool of the dresser. He moved his hands along her shoulders as she remained in her robe, not having dressed yet. Elizabeth turned her gaze behind her, looking to her husband as his eyes caught hers. Bowing down, he dropped his forehead to hers, not saying anything.

They had found that they didn't speak much. They would simply stay close to each other, the intimacy seeming to speak enough for them.

"I know," was all that Elizabeth could offer her husband, nodding her head as she chewed down on her tongue. Moving to kiss her on the cheek, Tommy pulled back before adjusting the tie against his shirt.

"I've got Frances lookin' after Charlotte today," Tommy informed his wife. "I didn't think she should come today…in case there is trouble."

Elizabeth shifted on the stool to look to Tommy as he took a seat at the end of the bed, hands clasped in between his spread legs as he bent forwards.

"Do you think that there will be trouble?" she enquired from her husband and he shrugged his shoulders, closing his eyes for a second.

"I don't know anymore," he whispered to his wife. "I just don't know."

Elizabeth let out a sigh then and nodded. Tommy was tired. She could see that he was exhausted. He was drained. Everything had piled on top of him and Elizabeth knew there were things that he was keeping from her. She knew that he was harbouring some secrets, despite her telling him that she didn't want any secrets between the two of them. She wanted them to be honest. But she knew why he was keeping them from her. He thought that she didn't need it. She didn't need it on top of everything that had happened.

"Tommy," Elizabeth spoke his name, dragging his gaze back to her as she sat forwards, folding one leg over the other, her gaze firmly set on her husband. "You know that you can tell me anything. We promised each other that much, didn't we? We promised each other never to keep secrets."

"Aye," Tommy responded to her, knowing full well the arguments they had previous had because of the secrets he had kept. "I know, Liz."

"Then what are you keeping from me?" she asked of her husband.

"There are things that I didn't want to tell yer," Tommy admitted to her. "I didn't want to burden yer with them, not after everythin' that 'as 'appened."

Elizabeth nodded once and moved to her feet, walking to sit down besides her husband. Taking hold of his hand inside of hers, she looked him in the eye as he moved a hand to adjust the pocket watch in his waistcoat before moving his fingers to rest on top of her other hand.

"This is a burden we share, Tommy," Elizabeth told her husband in a soft voice. "We both lost a child. We are both hurting, but I am your wife still. I am still me…and I still want to help. I want to help you."

"I know," Tommy said. "But yer don't drink to get through problems."

Elizabeth did managed a soft smile despite everything and Tommy wondered when he had last seen her smile. It had been so long. He remained stoic, but he moved to wrap his arms around his wife, holding her to him as she rested her cheek onto his shoulder, her eyes closing firmly for a second.

"I sent Michael to New York on business," Tommy began. "I told 'im that I wanted 'im there to talk to some of the big boss's over there. I know what Changretta's plan is. He thinks he 'as taken Arthur…he's taken two of our family members and we 'ave taken two of 'is. But he wants my business to crumble. He will want to take away everythin' that I 'ave."

"All of the businesses?" Elizabeth enquired.

"I'd imagine so," Tommy nodded. "But I 'ave a plan. Michael is meetin' with some of the bigger families in Brooklyn who want to take over the Changretta empire in New York importin' alcohol. But if they move against Changretta…well…it'll create a war between the families…but if Changretta died here in Birmingham then they could take over the business without the need for war. There's someone else in Chicago who's interested too."

"So that helps your business too?" Elizabeth asked and pulled back to look up to Tommy. "You work with them to kill Changretta and then import your alcohol into New York for them. It's business."

"Aye," Tommy nodded his head. "And the men Changretta brought with him from New York can be bought. They work for money, Liz. I can pay 'em off. He 'as no one."

Elizabeth slowly began to understand what she was hearing. "So he is alone?" she checked with her husband.

"All alone," Tommy confirmed to her. "And then Arthur can 'ave his revenge."

"I applaud the plan," Elizabeth said dryly. "Even if I don't entirely approve of it. Then again, when have I ever approved of any of your plans?"

Tommy did let himself chuckle at that. "Yer got a point," he nodded his head. "But it will all be over then, Liz. It will all be over and we'll be safe. We can go back home and we can move, eh?"

Elizabeth nodded her head. "I like the sound of that," she whispered.

"There's somethin' else though," Tommy admitted to her, knowing that she wouldn't entirely like what he was going to tell her. He didn't entirely like it. He didn't want to do it, but he knew what he had to do. "Arthur betrayed us. He was the one who managed to sneak in Changretta's men. He was the one who did that to us."

Elizabeth did look shocked then. Looking to her husband, she shook her head as Tommy moved a hand to her cheek, letting his thumb run along her cheekbone as his gaze remained settled on her pale features.

"I know," Tommy told her in a whisper. "I know it makes no sense, but he betrayed us."

"What are you going to do?" Elizabeth enquired from her husband. "If you don't go kill him then I might kill him myself this time."

"I'm goin' to go and see 'im when this is all done," Tommy admitted. "He's livin' in Margate now…sold everythin'. I'm goin' to deal with 'im and get to the bottom of it."

"I am coming with you," Elizabeth said. "Do not even argue with me, Tommy. I want to know what is happening. I want to know why."

"Alright," Tommy said, not bothering to argue with her on that matter. He wouldn't keep Elizabeth away from this if she didn't want to be kept away. He knew better than to do that to his wife. There were times when he had to insist on keeping her back, but there were other times when he knew when he was beat. This was one of those times. Liz knew Alfie as well as Tommy did, that's to say, he was an enigma to the both of them.

"I need to get dressed," Elizabeth commented to her husband, kissing him on the cheek. "I don't want to be late."

Tommy nodded and reluctantly let her go from his grip, watching as she moved around the room and feeling as though a slight burden had been lifted from him. He had told Elizabeth everything. Somehow, just doing that, made him feel slightly better, despite everything that had happened.

Standing by the empty cart, Elizabeth looked at the people that had come to the funeral. All of the Shelby family was there alongside some of Tommy's men that Elizabeth had never truly met. She knew that Tommy tried to keep her separate from his business. He liked knowing that there was a different life for him at home. There was something else to take his mind from work. There was his daughter and his wife.

As Elizabeth stood by Tommy's side, her arm tucked into his, she looked over to the side, the sight of an approaching figure catching her way. She moved her hand to rest on Tommy's arm, gaining his attention as he moved his gaze to her. She pointed her chin in the direction of the approaching woman and Tommy looked over to the distance.

"I'll deal with 'er," Tommy said, knowing full well that it was Changretta's mother. She came holding a white flag, her eyes narrowed and set on Tommy.

Tommy moved away from his wife as the woman stopped walking and looked to him. Holding his hands up, Tommy shook his head as Elizabeth watched the back of him.

"She 'as a nerve," Pol whispered and Ada grunted in agreement.

"Wait until we've finished, please,' Tommy urged from the woman and she gave a solemn nod of her head.

She stood there throughout the entire ceremony, as the match was lit and the cart was burnt. Tommy remained stood by his wife's side, his eyes fixed on the burning wood. He looked over to Pol who nodded once, knowing what was going to happen. She was part of the plan too. She looked down to Elizabeth who seemed lost in her own world and then back to Tommy, silently asking if his wife knew. Tommy also inclined his head and Pol smirked. She had no doubt that Elizabeth would know. Tommy seemed incapable from keeping anything from his wife nowadays.

Stepping into a small sitting room, Elizabeth looked around as Audrey Changretta sat down in a chair. Tommy also took a seat on a chair across from her, Pol to one side and Elizabeth to the other side. Elizabeth had insisted on coming with him, not wanting to leave him alone during everything. Finn was stood to her side. She had given the boy a small pat on the shoulder and an encouraging smile as he had entered the house of Audrey Changretta, the room surrounded by her men who, little did she know, had already been bought by Tommy.

"You took my husband and son," Audrey said. "We took two of your brothers. Your note says you wanted peace."

"Aye," Tommy nodded, hands laced together on his lap as Elizabeth folded her hands into the skirts of her dress. "The vendetta is done."

"No," Audrey said. "The vendetta is ours to win. We will take everything that you have. We will take all of your businesses. If you agree to this then we will leave you all alone. If you do not then we will kill you all," Audrey said, her eyes darting to Elizabeth as Tommy followed her gaze, "one by one."

Tommy did his best to remain composed. The woman would never carry out her threat, but the thought of anyone even daring to threaten his wife did not sit well with Tommy. He nodded his head.

"Then the vendetta has been won," he said and Audrey turned to look back to Tommy.

She pursed her lips and nodded her head once, her beady glare intense as Tommy moved to his feet, offering his hand to his wife. She took hold of it, moving to her feet while Tommy squeezed her hands, silently assuring her everything was fine.

"Who do you think you are, Thomas Shelby?" Audrey demanded.

Tommy said nothing in response to her. Instead he turned his back on her and left the room, followed by his family. Once in the car, he looked to Elizabeth as Pol and Finn sat in the back.

"Yer alright?" he checked with her.

"Are you?" she deflected and Tommy's lips quirked.

"I don't know," Tommy admitted to his wife. "I 'ave somethin' to show yer tonight…I don't know…I just need to show yer it."

Elizabeth nodded her head, seeing that there was something in his eyes that looked like sorrow. He looked so miserable. She had never seen him like this. There was something else. There was something deep. She knew that her husband wasn't okay. He would hardly admit it, but he wasn't alright. He began to drive off and Elizabeth dared to reach across, moving to hold onto his hand that he had resting on the gear stick.

She said nothing, only looked at him, silently promising him that she would make sure he would be alright. She just wanted him to know that he wasn't alone. She would never leave him alone.

….

A/N: Nearing the end of season 4. Do let me know what you think!