Six months later

"I can't cope with this heat anymore," Ada grumbled, unbuttoning the front of her blouse to allow some cool air down it.

Not that there was any cool air to be found. Britain was in the midst of a heatwave and there had not been a drop of rain in weeks. Glorious sunshine coated the dreary streets of Small Heath, bringing smiles to the faces of everyone it touched. It was hard to be unhappy when the weather was so beautiful. Well, at first it had been anyway. But now, after twenty-nine days of soaring temperatures the heat had become insufferable. It was hard to go about daily life when one's clothes stuck to them and sweat poured from them constantly.

"If you're uncomfortable how do you think poor Saoirse feels?" Polly commented.

"Poor Saoirse feels like an elephant."

"Morning love," Polly smiled as Saoirse waddled into the room dressed in a thin cotton dress that was stretched tightly over her protruding stomach. " How'd you sleep? "

"About as well as anyone can when they have a small human kicking their bladder all night," Saoirse sat with a sigh of relief.

"I remember those days well," Polly chuckled. " Not long and he or she'll be here keeping you awake with crying and feeding for hours on end without stopping. "

"Super," Saoirse said sarcastically, spreading jam on a piece of toast. " You're really selling motherhood, Pol. "

The truth was that even without Polly's 'helpful' advice, Saoirse was already dreading being a mother. Almost every day she wondered if she had made the right decision in not going through with the abortion. But then she remembered Polly's words and knew that she couldn't have had the procedure without regretting it for her entire life. It was a strange sort of limbo she had found herself living in over the last six months. One where she wanted to be happy and indulge in the feelings of love and excitement that stirred inside of her whenever she felt the baby move. Then another side of her felt sick at the thought of carrying a baby that she wasn't certain she could ever love or want when she eventually laid eyes upon it.

Tommy, of course, was overjoyed, and she couldn't deny that her pregnancy had brought them ever closer. The baby wasn't even here yet Tommy couldn't have doted on it any more than he did already. He did his best to cut back on working late and left it to one of the others so that he could curl up in bed beside her and talk to his child. And it was his child. He had made that perfectly clear to her from the second she had wavered in her ability to follow through with the abortion. He didn't care whose baby it was because in his mind it was his regardless and nothing would ever change that. Saoirse often found herself feeling such awe that Tommy could be so unwavering in his love for their unborn child, given that it might be another man's. After the awe came the guilt that she, the person growing this very child, couldn't even be that sure she loved it. She was going to be a terrible mother, wasn't she?

"Whatever Polly tells you, don't listen," Tommy appeared, interrupting her thoughts.

He bent down to kiss her and she caught the scent of his aftershave and she cupped his newly shaved cheek. She always loved it when he was clean shaven because his skin was so unnaturally soft for a man beneath that prickly hair. His large hand caressed her stomach and he grinned when he was rewarded with a great big kick against his palm.

"I'll have you know I'm a fountain of knowledge," Polly narrowed her eyes playfully.

"Yeah and you're also a scaremonger," Tommy smirked, taking the seat beside Saoirse. " I'm not having you filling my wife ' s head with all sorts of crap. "

"I would do no such thing," Polly said curtly. " And there ' s a difference between scaremongering and informing someone about the reality of the situation they're about to find themselves in."

"What time's your meeting in Manchester?" Saoirse asked, changing the conversation before something that was light-hearted banter could become a fully blown argument as was common with the Shelbys.

"I'm not going," Tommy answered, lighting up a cigarette and stirring sugar into his dark tea. " Arthur and John are going instead. "

"Christ on a bike," Polly rolled her eyes. " You're going to let your brothers attend a business meeting without you? Quick someone phone the newspapers because Tommy Shelby's lost his fucking mind."

"Yep," Tommy nodded calmly. " The meeting can't be rearranged and I'm not going to Manchester because it's too far to go when Saoirse is due any day."

"Tommy, I told you last night that I would be fine if you went," Saoirse sighed.

"And she will be fine because she'll be here with Ada and me," Polly agreed. " First babies take forever and a day to come, so even if she did go into labour while you were gone, you would be back in plenty of time. And it's not as though you'll be in the room anyway so what does it matter?"

"What does it matter?" Tommy frowned. " I don't want to be up at the other end of the country while my wife is giving birth to our child. I want to be sitting right at this table waiting."

"You want to be sat right at this table fretting more like," Polly sighed and shook her head. " And Manchester is hardly the other end of the country; it's a few hours away in the car at the most."

"Tommy, I really think you should go," Saoirse tried, resting her head against his shoulder briefly. " I'll be absolutely fine and like Polly says, if anything happens you can be back in plenty of time. And if you go, then there's no chance that Arthur will be able to get himself into trouble, which would ease my mind, and Polly's, greatly because I would really like to not have to take my child to meet their uncle in prison if possible."

"She does have a point," Arthur appeared with a grin, planting a sloppy kiss on Niamh's cheek. "If it was anyone else talking so fucking highly of me, I might be offended."

"Ha, you know I mean it with love, Arthur," Saoirse smiled.

Tommy stiffened slightly but refrained from saying anything. He trusted Arthur implicitly and knew the affection between him and Saoirse was completely innocent, but it still niggled at him sometimes to witness it. He glanced at Polly, but she didn't seem put out in the slightest.

"Where are you going?" he looked up as Saoirse pushed her chair back and stood.

"To make some more toast."

"Sit down and I'll get it," Tommy went to stand up.

"I'm perfectly capable of getting some toast," Saoirse pulled a face at him. "And besides, I can't sit for too long anyway otherwise my legs go numb."

"Well, if you're sure," Tommy frowned, and she could tell he was itching to get her back into her seat.

"Oh, for goodness sakes, Tommy," Polly sighed. " She's not a bloody invalid. "

"What she said," Saoirse chuckled as she made it over to the other side of the kitchen. " What are you doing today, Ada? "

"Probably spending my money," Tommy muttered.

"I would if I had any," Ada grinned.

"What happened to the money I gave you yesterday?" Tommy narrowed his eyes at her.

"I spent it."

"And what about the money I gave you?" Arthur asked.

"What can I say?" Ada shrugged. "Looking this good doesn't come cheap."

"Tell me about it," Tommy smirked.

"So Tommy boy, what time are we making tracks then?" Arthur swallowed his toast and washed it down with a drink of tea.

"As soon as John gets here, I suppose," Tommy decided, realising that he was going to Manchester whether he liked it or not. " I'll give him another fifteen minutes then you can go and knock for him."

"Want me to pack you up something to eat for the journey?" Polly asked, stubbing out her cigarette.

"Did anyone ever tell you what a godsend you are, Pol?" Arthur grinned.

"Just make sure you pack Arthur extra so that he doesn't try and eat all of ours too. Last time you made us one of your famous packed lunches, I was lucky to inhale the crumbs at the bottom of the basket," Tommy smirked playfully.

"I'll make plenty, don't worry," Polly smiled. " Would hate for poor Thomas to starve on the perilously long drive. "

"I don't think that'll be a problem," Arthur chortled.

"I don't think so either," Saoirse spoke, turning round to face them with a face that had suddenly paled dramatically. "Because I don't think Tommy's gonna be going to Manchester after all."

"Oh shit," Polly hissed, when her gaze fell to the puddle of liquid on the floor.

"Is that what I think it is?" Tommy jumped up from his chair and was by Saoirse's side in an instant.

"Either that or she's pissed herself," Arthur muttered.

"I don't think now's the time for jokes, Arthur," Tommy glared at him. " Saoirse, are you alright? "

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," she nodded. " I feel …"

She grimaced as she felt a sharp stabbing pain around her stomach and in her back and she couldn't speak for a moment. It was painful but nowhere near as bad as what she had imagined it would be. If this was how labour was going to go then perhaps it wouldn't be too much of an ordeal. When she repeated this to Polly, the older woman burst out into gentle laughter, promising that this was only the beginning.

"Fuck this, I'm not doing it anymore," Saoirse gritted her teeth as another pain overwhelmed her tired body less than two minutes after the last one.

"I'm afraid you've got no choice in the matter, love," Polly smirked as Ada wiped the sweat from Saoirse's forehead.

Sixteen hours. Sixteen long hours and there was still no baby. Arthur and John had been to Manchester and back and there was still no baby. Tommy was bedside himself, chain-smoking outside on the landing and wearing a hole in the carpet, while Arthur and John kept him well supplied with cigarettes and whiskey. Every so often he would peek his head round the door only to be shooed out by Esme who was as adamant as Polly that men were neither needed nor wanted in the birthing room.

"She'll be alright, Tommy," Arthur patted his shoulder as they heard Saoirse crying out again.

"What if she's not?" Tommy couldn't help but think the worst. Women died in childbirth; it was a fact of life, and he prayed with all of his might that his wife wouldn't be one of them. "I should have taken her to the hospital where there are doctors and things."

"You know as well as I do that Polly may as well be a midwife, what with the amount of little ones she's delivered, and even bloody Esme knows what she's doing I'd wager. There's no need for doctors," Arthur smiled, although his own attempt at calmness was feigned. There was no one in the world that understood him the way Saoirse did. She cared for him and loved him throughout his struggles. She might not be his sister by blood, but they shared a bond that went far beyond that, and every noise of pain that escaped the room made Arthur wish he could take it from her instead.

"I know," Tommy nodded shakily. "I just… I can't lose her, Arthur."

"You won't, brother," Arthur promised. " You won't. "

In the bedroom, Saoirse was done. She could no longer decide what was worse; the pain or the exhaustion. Day had turned into night and she felt like she would never know peace again. If this was what it took to bring a child into the world, she truly wondered why women would put themselves through it over and over again.

"Polly, I can't do it anymore," she groaned.

"You can. You're doing so well, love."

"Ada, don't ever get pregnant," Saoirse writhed in agony. " Become a nun instead. "

"They wouldn't have me now," Ada grinned. " I ' m damaged goods. "

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," Polly raised an eyebrow at her niece. "Saoirse, come on, you need to give me another push."

"No," she croaked. " I'm too tired. "

But even as she said those words, nature took over and she pushed involuntarily, her eyes squeezed shut as she bore down with all her might.

"Good girl," Polly patted her leg. " You're doing so well. Keep going. "

From the angle she was standing at, Ada couldn't help but see as the baby's head was birthed and she swallowed the bile that rose in her throat.

"That's fucking disgusting," she muttered to herself.

"Fuck off, Ada," Saoirse gritted her teeth and carried on pushing with Polly's animated encouragements.

"That's it, that's it, good girl."

Saoirse's head flopped back against the pillow as the baby was finally delivered and she closed her eyes, listening to the high-pitched wail that filled the air. Every single part of her body was tired and glistening with sweat and she just wanted to sleep.

"It's a boy," she heard Esme's smile. " And he ' s beautiful, aren't you little man?"

"Beautiful indeed," Polly agreed, wrapping the baby up in a soft blanket. "Do you want to meet your Mummy? "

Saoirse felt the weight of the wriggling child, her wriggling child, on her chest as Polly placed him there, but she found herself unable to open her eyes and look at him or to even put her arms around him. She just couldn't do it. She was terrified of what she would see staring back at her.

"Saoirse, open your eyes, love," Polly murmured. " Look at your son and see how beautiful he is. "

"I don't think I can, Polly," she whispered.

"That's what you said when you were having him and you did that. You can do this too." Polly reassured her.

Saoirse did the bravest thing she thought she had ever done in her life and opened her eyes. She felt her bottom lip tremble as a hundred different emotions surged through her. One look at that tiny scrunched up bawling face and she didn't know how she could have ever doubted how much she would have loved him. He was perfect and he was hers.

"Well, there's no denying his father, is there?" Ada grinned, grimacing suddenly when Polly smacked her on the arm. "Sorry Saoirse, I didn't mean it like that."

"I know," Saoirse smiled, unable to tear her gaze away from her new-born son. His hair was dark and everything about him screamed Tommy. Full, pouting lips, an adorable button nose and even eyelashes that were so obscenely long that they were wasted on a boy.

A tear dripped onto the baby's head and Saoirse wiped it away gently, wondering how it was possible to love someone so much that it physically hurt. Her love for Tommy consumed her but this was an entirely different feeling altogether. This was raw and primal. This was nothing that could ever be explained with words.

"Is he really mine?" she looked up at Polly finally.

"For the rest of your life," Polly smiled, blinking away her own tears. " Ada, go outside and let Tommy know he's got a son. No doubt he'll want to get down to the pub and wet the baby's head with the boys. "

But wetting the baby's head was the last thing Tommy wanted to do. From the second he heard the baby's first cries all he wanted was to see his wife and child and not leave their sides for even a moment. The second Ada opened the door he was in the bedroom, rushing to Saoirse's side.

"We didn't say you could come in yet," Esme tutted. " She's still got to deliver the afterbirth. "

Tommy didn't care about the afterbirth or the blood or anything. All he could focus on was his tired looking wife and the baby cradled in her arms.

"We have a son," Saoirse gave him a tired smile. " He looks just like you, Tommy. "

When she burst into tears, Tommy kissed her softly. He knew what those tears were for because he could have cried his own for the very same reason. The words he had spoken over the last few months, the promises to love the baby whether it was his or not were words that came from his heart and he had meant every one of them. But nothing had prepared him for seeing his mirror image staring back at him in the form of his son. Knowing without a shadow of a doubt that the child was his was something he had not even realised he needed to know.

"Do you want to hold him?" Saoirse asked him.

He nodded, swallowing down the thick lump in his throat as he held his son for the first time. He had held wads of money in his hands; more than most people could ever dream of holding in a lifetime, but this tiny human was more precious than anything a person could buy. Sitting down in the chair beside Saoirse, he found himself marvelling at how his life had suddenly changed and how he had wanted to protect and nurture another person so much. He closed his eyes for a moment, thinking about all those times back in the war. All those times when he had lost friends and comrades and nearly lost his own life. All those times he had wondered what it was all for, but now he knew for certain the reason.

"I love you so much," he blinked, leaning over to kiss Saoirse's head.

"I love you too." Saoirse smiled, stroking the baby's cheek.

Leaning his forehead against hers, Tommy kissed her once more. "I promise you that everything is going to be alright for us from now on."