Driving up the long driveway towards the mansion, Elizabeth felt a sense of apprehension. She hadn't asked Tommy where they were going as the sun slowly set, only allowed him to drive with a stern expression on his face. She had kept quiet because she honestly didn't know what to say. By tomorrow the Changretta family will no longer be an issue. They will be able to return home. They will be able to move on. But could they move on? Could they truly move on from the horrors that they had seen?

Looking to Tommy, Elizabeth knew the answer to that question. Tommy would never truly move on. He would fill his time with something else. He would look to expand the empire and make it bigger than ever before. He didn't do settling, not anymore. There had been a time when she thought that he might. When they had ran off to London, she thought that he would be happy with her and only her. He didn't need the business. Of course, she knew that if push came to shove he would give it all up for his family. But that wasn't the point. The point was that he enjoyed it. He enjoyed being the head of the business.

As he parked the car, Elizabeth climbed down from it, Tommy moving to take hold of her hand as they wandered to the front door. Unlocking it, Tommy opened the doors and they stepped inside. It was almost as though nothing had changed. Everything looked exactly as it had done when they had fled.

"I 'ad a maid come by and keep it clean," Tommy informed his wife.

"And we can come back tomorrow?" she checked with him.

"If it all goes to plan," he nodded, pulling his cap from his head and placing it on the table in the hallway. "Come on, I need to show yer this."

Moving up the staircase, Elizabeth wondered where they were going as they took a right turn past their bedroom. Tommy stood in front of the open door, switching the light switch on as he looked into the room that Elizabeth had simply used for storage. Looking into the room, Elizabeth saw a fresh carpet in it, new wallpaper and new curtains. There was a bookshelf in one corner with a chair next to it, while a cot sat in the other corner. She turned to look to Tommy as he shrugged.

"When yer told me about the baby I 'ad some men come out 'ere and do this in a week," he said to her. "I wanted it to be a surprise for when we came 'ome."

Elizabeth let go of his hand and moved into the decorated nursery, tears forming in her eyes as she struggled to remain composed. How could she when Tommy was showing her this? She stood by the cot, her fingers wrapping around the wooden bars as she turned her head over her shoulder to look to Tommy.

"I didn't want yer to see it when we brought Charlotte back," Tommy told her. "I…wanted to show yer before then."

"Tommy, I don't know what to say," Elizabeth admitted to her husband as Tommy shrugged and moved into the room, looking around it for a few brief moments before his eyes landed on his wife.

"Yer don't need to say anythin'," he promised her.

"But you had all of this done," Elizabeth whispered. "You had this all done and I couldn't even give you…I couldn't give you another child."

"Eh," Tommy said, his voice harsh as he saw tears roll down his wife's cheeks. He took hold of her face in his palms, holding it softly as he looked her in the eye, trying to make her see that none of it was her fault. "Liz, don't do that, alright? Don't do that. It's not yer fault what 'appened. None of it is yer fault. We both lost that baby. It was an accident. It was a tragic accident."

"But one that could have been avoided if…maybe if I had done something different."

"No," Tommy told her, his voice stern and demanding. "You did nothing wrong, do you 'ear me? The doctor said that it was just one of those things. It 'appens, Liz. Things 'appen."

Tommy moved to wrap his arms around his wife, knowing that she wasn't okay. She wasn't going to be okay for a while. Truth be told, Tommy didn't particularly feel like himself. So much had happened and he didn't know how he could get through it. All he knew was that they had to stay together. They had to be strong for each other, but Tommy, at that moment as he cradled his wife, was more than happy to be the strong one for that time.

….

Elizabeth didn't particularly like the fact that Tommy had brought Finn to the meeting, but she knew why he had done it. He was one of the last remaining Shelby family. He wanted to go too. Finn was slowly growing into a strong young man and Elizabeth longed for the days when he had been just a teenager trying to find his place in the world. He had been as courteous as ever though as Tommy spoke with Pol, the four of them waiting for Changretta to arrive. He had spoken with Liz, asking her how she was and telling her, ever so sweetly, that Tommy had asked him to look out for her.

She had placed a hand to his arm then, squeezing it tenderly as she told him that meant a lot to her.

The Changretta clan were almost ten minutes late as Tommy checked the time, tucking his watch back into his waistcoat.

"It's a power play," Pol declared.

"I don't like it," Tommy snapped. "I don't like the fact they demanded I bring Liz, either."

"You know why they did that," Pol said to him. "She is insurance to make sure yer do as yer told."

Tommy chuckled as he looked back to his wife who was still speaking with Finn. "And when 'ave I ever done as I'm told?"

"Very rarely," Pol responded. "But yer tend to do as yer asked when she's the one asking. She is the only soft spot yer 'ave. Her and Charlotte, anyway."

"Aye," Tommy agreed with her.

Elizabeth felt a self of foreboding as Tommy pulled at his top button just as the door opened wide. In walked Changretta, flanked by his men carrying guns, dressed in smart grey suits ad long dark coats. Elizabeth moved then, standing next to Finn as he moved to stand slightly in front of her, taking on a protective roll.

"All that's left of the Peaky Blinders," Changretta said as he stood on the other side of the table to them.

Tommy remained silent, hands going into his pockets as he remained stoic. Changretta moved around the table, standing face to face with Tommy before beckoning for one of his men to come closer. He did so, opening a black leather bag and dropping a collection of papers onto the table. Luca moved back to the table, looking down to the papers and removing his gloves from his fingers.

"I had my lawyer draw up the contracts," he informed them. "They cover every enterprise you own, Mr Shelby…bars…restaurants…factories…everything you've built will become mine."

He moved back to stand opposite Tommy then, but his gaze went over Tommy's shoulder and settled on Elizabeth as Finn's jaw clenched and he knew that he had to protect her. He wouldn't let Tommy down. Of course, Finn had no idea that Tommy would never let Changretta lay a hand on Elizabeth.

"You're going to sign them over," he said. "Or I am going to kill you in front of your wife."

Tommy remained still, knowing that he couldn't give in to Luca. He couldn't show emotion. He couldn't show him any sign of weakness. He had to stay strong for his family.

"I would've killed you all," Changretta said. "I would've left your wife and daughter…but now…now I'm not so sure. Maybe it would hurt you more to see her die, knowing that you could do nothing to save her."

Changretta proceeded to search Tommy, taking his gun from him before he motioned for a man to come forwards. "Search them all."

Elizabeth stood still as she lifted her arms up and felt a man search her, his hands brushing against her as Tommy's jaw tightened then and he turned around to look at his wife. He gave her a soft nod, hoping that she was okay. The man seemed to grope at her for a moment before pulling back and she managed a nod back to Tommy.

Luca returned to the table, picking up the pen that had been put down with the papers. He tossed it off to the side, letting it roll to the floor.

"So you're going to sign them," he informed Tommy. "And you can sign them on your knees on the floor."

Changretta tossed the papers to the floor before rage got the better of him. He tossed the table out of the way, throwing it to its side. His teeth ground together as he advanced forwards, his gaze harsh and settled on Tommy, who still remained impassive.

"Get on your fucking knees and sign," he demanded.

Tommy looked at him for another second before holding a finger up. He moved to his knees then and Elizabeth watched him as he began to speak.

"A friend once told me that big fucks small," Tommy said. "So I just had to find someone bigger than you. You know there are two families in Brooklyn who want to take over the monopoly in New York importing liqueur."

"But if they move against you there, then they will start a war between families." Pol chimed in.

"But if you were to die in Birmingham at the hands of some lowly bookmaker who fixes a few races…they could take the business without war," Tommy continued.

"We also spoke to someone in Chicago who is interested," Pol said.

"A man named Alphonse Capone," Tommy continued and Luca's anger grew with each passing moment. "All the blood relatives you brought from New York are all dead, Mr Changretta. The men here work for the highest bidder and they now have new orders."

"Is that right?" Luca asked, turning to look to the man as Elizabeth struggled to breath normally. "Is that right?" he asked the men again.

He then turned slowly to look to Tommy. "You little fucker…" he said and then reached for his gun.

But Tommy was quick. He reached for a metal pole by the side of him, grabbing it and leaping to his feet. He jumped back as Luca lunged for him, the two men tussling together as Elizabeth shrieked. Pol remained stood on the spot as Finn kept hold of Elizabeth's arm, stopping her from interrupting as Tommy pushed Luca against the table at the back of the room, smashing his face into the bottles of gin. Elizabeth placed a hand to her mouth as she saw the door open and Tommy stood up, holding Changretta by the scruff of his neck.

Tommy stepped back after a moment as Arthur walked in, making his presence known. Finn gasped and Elizabeth looked to him with concern.

"It's him," she whispered to the boy. "He's alive."

Raising his gun, Arthur aimed at Changretta and the man knew he was defeated then. Tommy stood back and nodded to his brother as Arthur pulled the trigger and shot. Turning to look back to his wife, Tommy moved to her side as Changretta fell to the floor and she took hold of his lower arms, looking him in the eye.

"Did he hurt you?" she demanded from him as Arthur told the men in the room to leave and tell their boss what they saw.

"Nah," Tommy promised his wife. "I'm fine."

"Thank God," Elizabeth said and Tommy bent down to kiss her chastely.

"We're goin' 'ome, Liz. We're goin' 'ome."

Elizabeth nodded as Tommy took hold of her hand and led her from the room as Finn embraced Arthur. Pol looked to the family, her eyes darting around them as they left the distillery room for the cars outside. She could only wonder what was going to happen now.

….

Elizabeth didn't like parties, but Tommy had insisted they celebrate the end of Changretta's vendetta against them. Elizabeth had listened to conversations going on around her before she saw her husband lurking in the hallway, a cigarette in his mouth. She had left Charlotte sat with Pol. The little girl perched in Pol's lap, telling her stories as Pol listened intently. Elizabeth had walked by Lizzie Starke, the woman glaring at her as went by.

Finding Tommy in the hallway, Elizabeth shut the door to the sitting room and smiled to her husband. "You insisted on having this party and now you neglect your guests," she said, arms folding over her chest.

"I know," Tommy said.

"I know what is on your mind," Elizabeth informed her husband. "Alfie."

"He betrayed me," Tommy said to her. "He betrayed me again and I need to know why. He did it for a reason, Liz. I know that he did."

"I suspect so," Elizabeth nodded her head. "I trust you are going to find out."

"I'll find 'im," Tommy confirmed. "Then it'll be over."

"I'll come with you," Elizabeth said, moving to take hold of his hand. "But for tonight…come back inside. You know that I cannot face your family and friends without you by my side."

Tommy chuckled and nodded, a thumb sweeping over Elizabeth's jawbone as he looked at his wife. "I know," he said to her. "Been married all these years and they still scare yer."

Elizabeth scoffed. "I might be married to you, Tommy, but I know that there is only Pol and Finn who see me as a member of this family."

"Yer my wife," Tommy told her. "Fuck what anyone thinks. I know what we are…I know that I love yer and that's enough. No one else matters."

Elizabeth smiled then, kissing her husband chastely before dragging him back into the party, completely ignoring the letter addressed to her on the table in the hallway.

….

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