Sitting in the kitchen, Elizabeth looked around as Tommy continued opening cupboard doors. She had watched him for a few moments after he had dismissed the staff from the kitchen. They had been shocked to see the couple walk in, dressed in finery. They rarely came into the kitchen. Tommy never entered the kitchen unless he was searching for more alcohol. Elizabeth had sat down at the table while Tommy had pulled a glass out for his whiskey and had then tried to find the orange juice.

He placed the glass down in front of his wife and then sat down next to his wife. He held onto his glass of whiskey as she took a sip of her orange juice. Shrugging out of her coat, she let it drape over the back of her chair, her eyes downcast into her lap as she folded one leg over the other.

"Where do we start?" Tommy asked his wife, looking over to her as she did her best to think of how to answer his question. She didn't even know where they would begin. None of this made any sense to her, despite the amount of time that had passed.

"I don't know," Elizabeth answered him honestly, shrugging her shoulders. "I really don't know."

"Neither do I," Tommy admitted and Elizabeth let her lips arch upwards for a brief second and Tommy continued to watch her. The smile wasn't one of disbelief. It wasn't one of sarcasm. It was genuine.

"You never don't have a plan," she said and Tommy let himself smile at that.

"I know," he said, "but recently I've been lost more than usual…so lost, Liz."

"So have I," Elizabeth said to him.

There was silence between both of them then as Tommy watched his wife pull her gloves from her fingertips. She tossed them off to the side on the table and leaned back in her seat. Closing her eyes, she folded her hands onto the table as Tommy looked to her hand, acknowledging where her wedding band and engagement ring used to sit. It took him a few seconds before he dared to lean across the table, his fingers pressing against hers softly. Opening her eyes, she looked over to the contact as his fingers continued to tickle hers.

"You never smile like you used to," Elizabeth suddenly said to her husband as she dared to take his hand into hers. She let her thumb roam along his knuckles. Both of them didn't bother to look at each other. It felt easier to talk when they weren't staring at one another. "I mean…you smile…but it…not as much as you used to."

"I've been stressed, Liz," Tommy said to his wife, voice deep and low. "And when I'm stressed, yer know what I'm like. I go into my own 'ead and I bottle things up. I try not to take it on yer…try not to let yer see what is 'appenin'…"

"But I do."

"You always do," Tommy confirmed to her. "Yer can see through me."

"I know," she said, a soft sigh escaping her lips before she dared to look up and peer over to her husband. He was still looking down, clearly trying to think about what he should say.

"I came back from the war and I wasn't the same, Liz. Yer know that."

"I know," she whispered. "I remember you before the war, Tommy…but you…you are still the man I fell in love with. I know that."

"Only when I'm with you," Tommy said to his wife. "I came back and thought that I 'ad nothin', Liz. I thought that I had nothin' and it was then when nothin' scared me. I wasn't scared of death or goin' against yer brother. I'm not scared for me, Liz. I'm…I'm only scared for you and Charlotte and what could 'appen to yer. That's why I try to keep yer out of business. It's why I try to keep yer away."

"And me and Charlotte?" Elizabeth wondered from her husband, moving to his side and crouching down next to him. Tommy looked down to her as she rested a hand on his thigh to balance herself. "You might not care about your own life, but you have a family who need you. We need you to stop taking these ridiculous risks and just be with us."

"And I want that," Tommy said to his wife, nodding his head once. "I want that so much, Liz, but it scares me…it scares me not to be in charge…not to have power…because when I'm in control then I know what is goin' to 'appen. It keeps my mind from runnin' away."

"That's what scares me," Elizabeth admitted to him. "It isn't healthy, Tommy. That attitude isn't healthy."

"But I don't know what to do," Tommy said to her. "I can only try, Liz. I can only try to be a better man for yer and Charlotte."

"And I want you to try," Elizabeth said to her husband, squeezing his thigh as he moved to pick her up from crouching. She wondered what he was doing before she felt his hands guide her to perch in his lap, his arm wrapping around her waist as he buried his head against her chest, his cheek pressing against her dress as she moved a hand into his hair and held him there.

"Then let me," Tommy pleaded from her. "Let me try and be the 'usband yer deserve…the father Charlotte needs."

"You know why I left, Tommy," she said to him, stroking his hair softly as his arms tightened around her. "I left because Charlotte has to come first. She needs to be safe and your business isn't safe."

"And if I make it safe?"

"You told me that you would do that before."

"I know," Tommy said, "but I mean it this time, alright?"

"But is safe the same as legal?"

Tommy said nothing in response to that as Elizabeth felt her stomach sink slightly. Trying to push him from her, she struggled to escape from his grip, her hands on his arms and trying to prise them from her. Tommy was persistent, however, keeping her firmly in his hold as he looked up to her.

"Safe is safe, Liz."

"Illegal is never safe," Elizabeth responded. "I should go home."

"No," Tommy said to his wife. "Liz, don't."

"I made it simple, Tommy. I gave you the ultimatum."

"But I will keep yer safe. I swear to yer. I will keep a distance from the business," he said to her, swearing to her. "Just don't give up on me. Let me show yer that everythin' will be fine, alright? Let me show yer that we'll be okay."

"But we won't be," she replied. "We never will be."

Elizabeth moved to her feet then, managing to slip out of his grip. She reached for her gloves and tried to pull them onto her fingers, but Tommy reached for her arm to stop her. It was another moment before Elizabeth turned to look back up to him. She managed a soft glance in his direction as Tommy brushed her hair behind her ear, looking at her as she watched him from over her shoulder.

"We will be," he said to her. "Just let me show you. Come back to me, Liz. Come back and I will keep us safe. We will be safe. We can be a family."

"Tommy," Elizabeth complained to him with a shake of her head as he continued stroking her hair back behind her ear.

"Please," Tommy said to her. "It's a compromise, Liz. I'll keep my distance…I'll do that."

"And will you be able to?"

"I will try. I am willin' to try for yer and Charlotte," he said to her. "Please, just let us try, alright?"

"A compromise?"

"A compromise," he echoed back to her.

She said nothing then. She didn't know what to say. Was it possible? Could Tommy be involved, yet keep a distance? She didn't know. She doubted he knew. Tommy was a man who liked to be involved and in charge. He would struggle not to be involved, but he said he would try. She maybe owed him that much.

"This does not mean that things can go back to how they were," Elizabeth said to her husband. "I mean it, Tommy. We…we take it slow, okay?"

"Anythin' yer want," Tommy promised his wife and she nodded her head.

He leaned forwards and pressed his lips to hers, the motion soft and slow. Closing her eyes as the back of Tommy's hand ran down her cheek, she slowly turned around to face him. She let her hands move to rest on his shoulders as he took hold of her waist, holding her tightly as he continued to move his lips softly against hers.

Pressing a hand to Tommy's chest, Elizabeth leaned back from him. "That is not taking things slowly."

"Maybe not," he mumbled. "But yer my wife, Liz, and I missed yer and I need yer."

"Tommy-"

"-Don't tell me yer 'aven't thought about me," Tommy whispered, voice low and dark as he whispered into her ear. "Because I think about yer every night…how yer feel against me…how yer moan whenever I 'ave yer underneath me…it drives me mad, Liz…the thought of never 'avin' yer again."

Biting down on her lip, Tommy watched her make the motion and he struggled to keep his breathing even as Elizabeth looked to him, her gaze slightly narrow and her lips parting as she let out a shaky breath.

"To reiterate," she said, trying to keep a clear head, "this does not mean that things go back to how they were."

"Got it," Tommy mumbled, not wanting to get into conversation as he leant forwards once more and captured her mouth against his.

Moaning into the kiss, Elizabeth was almost lost as she felt Tommy grab hold of the material of her dress, pulling it up her thighs. She pulled back once again, taking hold of his hands as he almost had the dress around her waist.

"Not here," she said, looking around.

"Right," Tommy mumbled and grabbed hold of his wife under her thighs. Elizabeth squeaked loudly as she wrapped her legs around his waist and he carried her out of the kitchen. Her dress was still at the top of her thighs, showing her stockings and garter as Tommy climbed up the steps.

"Tommy," Elizabeth complained to her husband. "You can't carry me to the bedroom."

"Oh, I can," he responded. "And I fully intend to."

….

Waking up the following morning, Elizabeth felt as though things had gone back to normal. This was where she wanted to be. It was where she belonged. The sheet was pulled up to her chin and she was laid on her side of the bed. She could feel the weight of Tommy's arm around her waist, his breath tickling her neck. He had a hand underneath the pillow she laid on. She said nothing, choosing to keep quiet. Tommy was awake, she knew that when he moved a hand to her hair and brushed it behind her shoulder.

"Yer 'airs grown," Tommy said to her in a husky voice as she closed her eyes once more.

"I know," she responded. "I've been meaning to get it cut again."

"It looks nice either way," Tommy said and it was almost like before. They would make small talk in the morning, but that always felt natural. This didn't feel as natural. It felt odd and forced.

"What did Finn say last night?" Elizabeth asked her husband. Finn had been looking after Charlotte and Elizabeth had demanded that, before they went to sleep, he called Finn and told him that everything was fine. Finn had promised to stay with Charlotte for the night and look after her, his voice full of optimism that this meant that Tommy and Liz would get back together.

"Not much," Tommy mumbled, still stroking his wife's hair. "He just said that Charlotte was sleepin' and that he would take the guest room."

"You know," Elizabeth said, rolling over to face her husband as she pulled the cover up to her chin as Tommy let it remain just covering his waist, "he is not a bad kid."

"He ain't a kid, Liz."

"Yes he is," Elizabeth said. "I refuse to think of him as a man. He is still that boy who we looked after to me."

Tommy chuckled and shook his head. "Yeah," he agreed in a small voice.

"Anyway, we should talk," Elizabeth said. "If you intend to keep your distance then I need to know what that entails…what is going to happen…and what is happening with Mosley."

"Mosley is keepin' 'is cards close to 'is chest," Tommy muttered. "There is somethin' goin'on and he knows it. We're both keepin' our distance for the time bein' and I intend to keep it that way. I want 'im nowhere near yer, Liz."

"I can agree with that," Elizabeth said to him. "He always made me feel uneasy. He is…well…obnoxious…but I can see why he has charmed people. He is charismatic."

"He never charmed you though, did he?"

Elizabeth scoffed. "I have met his type many times before when I was younger," she said. "I grew immune to them while the girls I grew up with swooned over them…I know some who even became mistresses."

"Mistresses?"

"Oh yes," Elizabeth said. She hadn't gossiped about this in years. Her mother used to come and sneak into her room and gossip with her when she was a young woman. Elizabeth and her would laugh and be happy in each other's company. "You know, it would not surprise me if Mosley had some mistress."

"He 'as affairs," Tommy said.

"I know," Elizabeth replied.

"A part of me thinks he would 'ave yer if he could," Tommy said.

Elizabeth's brows knitted together and Tommy shrugged.

"Why would he not think that? Yer beautiful, Liz, and the way he talks about yer and looks at yer…like yer some kind of challenge."

"I don't think so," Elizabeth said, moving her hand underneath her pillow as a strand of hair fell into her eyes. Tommy moved to sweep it back behind her ear. "Regardless, I still find him repulsive."

"I don't like it," Tommy admitted to her. "I don't like it whenever he talks about yer or looks at yer…because yer my wife, Liz. The idea of any other man-"

"-You do not need to do that," Elizabeth interrupted. "No other man interests me. You know that."

"I love you, Liz," Tommy said to his wife, voice earnest.

"I love you too, Tommy," Elizabeth mumbled back and kissed him on the lips. "But I need to go back to Charlotte and not stay here all morning. She will be wondering what is going on."

Tommy didn't have time to protest as his wife moved to her feet and reached for her robe, shrugging into it. He watched the back of her move into the bathroom and he went to lay on his back, hands behind his head as he felt a moment of peace for a second.

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