Walking around the manor house, Tommy was doing his best not to cling onto it. He needed to let it go. He needed to let it all go. For his children's sake, he had to get rid of the house because of the secrets it kept and the history it held. He knew that it had to happen, but it didn't make it any easier. This was the house where Charlotte had grown up. It was the house that him and his wife had turned into a home. He moved towards the bedroom and looked around. Elizabeth's clothes were still strewn around and in the wardrobe and her nightgown still remained at the end of the bed. Tommy hadn't been able to move it.

He went to sit down at the end of the bed and he looked around, remembering all of the times that they'd had in the house together.

"Were you going to tell me?"

Tommy looked up and saw her sat there on the stool. She was dressed in a red dress that came down to her knees and was capped at her elbows. She had her legs crossed and her wide eyes were set on him. She drank in her husband's appearance, seeing how he wore his three-piece suit with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows after he'd moved more boxes into a car, Charlotte pleading with him to bring back some books she'd forgotten.

"I didn't know 'ow," Tommy said to his wife. And that was the truth. He didn't know how.

"How long do you have?" she asked him and he knew once more that this was all in his mind, but he didn't care. So long as he kept seeing his wife then he didn't care if none of it wasn't real. It felt real to him and that was all he cared about.

"Not long," he answered back honestly. "Months…at best…and yer know why I'm doin' it, don't yer? Yer know that I can't stay 'ere."

"I understand why you feel you have to leave. You don't want them to see you get ill and I understand that. I understand because I…when I was laid in that hospital bed…I felt the same…but I was glad that they were there, Tommy. I wanted them with me in my final moments."

"I just can't, Liz," Tommy said with a firm shake of his head. He'd made his mind up. "You were taken from us suddenly. This won't be sudden. It'll be slow and painful. I can't let Charlotte watch me like that…James…I can't do that to either of 'em."

"You're going to break their hearts, Tommy. Charlotte and James adore you. You're their father. I just…there has to be another way…some kind of treatment…something to stop this from happening. They can't lose you too."

"But they're going to," Tommy whispered. "And I want them not to see me get ill. I can't let 'em see me like that."

"And I know that nothing I say will make you change your mind because you're the most stubborn man I know," Elizabeth said and Tommy's lips turned up slightly at that. He nodded, not bothering to disagree with her on that point. He knew that he was stubborn. It was the one trait that had been his downfall in some circumstances.

"And yer weren't exactly a push-over, Liz," he replied to his wife and she shot him a glare, but there was a softness in her gaze and her lip curled upwards slightly. "Yer know, I keep hopin' that…I just…I know that if I touch yer then everythin' will go. And these moments, when yer are 'ere with me, I never want 'em to end."

Elizabeth stood up slowly then and moved towards her husband. Tommy watched her as she settled down next to him, the mattress seeming to dip under his weight. And then her hand fell on top of his and it all felt so familiar. It felt like she was there with him and he thanked his mind for playing this trick on him. He moved quicker, reaching for her and enveloping her into his arms, his hands splaying on her back. He sniffed as his eyes watered and he swore he smelt her perfume.

"I miss yer so much," Tommy whispered, choking the words out.

"I miss you too, Tommy," she whispered into his ear.

"Yer know I'd do anythin' to 'ave yer back. Anythin'," Tommy said to her and she knew that was true. She would do the same if their roles were reversed. "And what 'appened with Michael…"

"I know," she said to him. "I know you tried to stop him. I…I just know that things could have been different. But things could have been so different in so many respects, but we're here. We are where we are and we can't change that. That's why I need to know…Tommy…Charlotte and James…what will happen to them."

"James will be Charlotte's legal guardian," Tommy said. "But I want 'em to go and live with Ada. I want 'em there. The business all goes to James…the legal side…and the charities…with Ada's 'elp, he will run 'em and Charlotte…I want 'er to go to university. I want 'er to make her own way. She's clever, Liz. She's so clever."

"Not sure who she takes after," Elizabeth said with a smirk on her face and Tommy chuckled at that. He agreed with her on that to a certain extent. Neither him or Elizabeth had been particularly academic, but they were smart in other ways.

"Definitely you," Tommy said. "Whenever I look at 'er, all I see is you."

"That's funny because all I see is you," Elizabeth said. "Both of them are our kids and I'm so proud of them. I'm so proud of how they're growing up."

"Me too," Tommy concurred there. "And they 'ave each other. They love each other so much and I'm glad for that."

"And Duke?" Elizabeth questioned from her husband.

"He's still my son, Liz," Tommy said.

"I know, but you need to know that it's not easy for them. For so long it has been us four and then they have a new sibling and without you…I worry about them. I worry what might happen. You know James. He can be impulsive and I think he feels threatened. I just want them both to be happy. I want them to stay together."

"They will," Tommy said confidently. "And we both know why I keep James out of some things. Yer know why I do that. I 'ave to protect 'im."

"And I love you for it," Elizabeth promised her husband. "I just…it all just feels so unfair for them to have to grow up without their parents. I know we both lost our parents and I wanted everything to be different for them. I wanted them to have the childhood we never had."

"And they did," Tommy promised her. "They know how much we love 'em. They know it."

"And you know how much I love you, don't you?" Elizabeth checked with her husband and he moved his hand to her cheek, stroking it gently. She leaned into his touch and closed her eyes. Tommy leant forwards and pressed his forehead against hers.

"I 'aven't been scared of dyin' for a long time," Tommy confessed. "Since France."

"What are you scared of?"

"Never seeing yer or the kids again," Tommy confessed. "That's what scares me. Seeing yer again…I don't want to lose yer again."

"I know, but you know that I'm always here, don't you? I'm a part of you, Tommy. I always will be."

Tommy leaned in then and he kissed her softly, his lips pressing against hers and his eyes closing as he relished in the feeling of his wife being pressed so tightly against his side. That was all he wanted. All he longed for was to have her by his side. But then when he opened his eyes she was gone again and he was alone once more.

Tommy had urged for his entire family to be present at a meal in the grounds outside of the house. James was the only one who knew about his condition and why he was insisting on a family meeting. Tommy had told his siblings that he was going away for a little while. He claimed that since Elizabeth had died, he hadn't had time to process his grief with his children and he needed that time. And it was true, in a sense. He hadn't been given any time to rest since his wife had died and that hurt him because he realised time had been wasted.

But now, business was finished. He was done with it all and he was content that once he had died, his children would be safe.

"Dad."

Tommy was snapped out of his thoughts as he turned to look to Charlotte. She was sat to his right-hand side with James next to her. Tommy was at the head of the table, Frances then next to him. She had been through everything with them and Tommy had insisted that she was well looked after.

"Yeah?" Tommy spoke and looked at his daughter.

"You do know that Uncle Finn isn't here?" she checked.

Charlotte had to admit that it was rare for the entire family to get together. There would be some meetings, but never with everyone. Charlotte had even spotted Duke sat at the end of the table alongside Linda who had come with Arthur.

"Yeah," Tommy said and he knew why that was. Finn was off somewhere, seething silently with what had happened. He had heard all about how Finn had taken his friend's side over his family's. Tommy knew that he should go and try to make amends with his little brother, but Finn hadn't been returning any of his calls and his wife had simply asked for him to be left alone. "Your Uncle Finn isn't exactly feeling well."

Charlotte wrinkled her nose at that and then moved to tuck her hair behind her ears. She reached for her glass of water and took a sip of it. She sat up straight and then began picking into her chicken.

"And Uncle Arthur?" she murmured under her breath, shooting her father a knowing look.

Arthur had turned up, but he was once again not entirely coherent. He hadn't been for a long time and Tommy knew that he hadn't helped him. He regretted that, but in a way, he knew Arthur would never listen to him. He had hoped that bringing Linda back into his life might make him better, but so far that hadn't happened. He closed his eyes for a moment and nodded.

"I know," was all he said to his daughter. "Anyway, are yer ready to go tonight?"

"I've left most of my things in the hotel," she replied. "But James has my case in the back of his car."

Tommy nodded. He was glad about that. He knew that Charlotte was well aware that when they returned to Birmingham they wouldn't be going back home. Tommy had a plan. His plan was to spend a few weeks away with his children and when he returned, he would set them up in a new home somewhere. He would insist that they live with Ada until they were old enough and could move into a new house by themselves. His sister had her own life down in London and Tommy wasn't entirely convinced that was where Charlotte or James would want to be in the future. Tommy knew that James was old enough to live by himself and look after himself, but he wanted him to stay with Charlotte until she was settled. He wanted, ideally, the two of them to stick together if he wasn't going to be around. He didn't know if, practically, they was going to work, but he had to have faith. He found that somewhat ironic. Tommy had never really had faith before. He always thought that he made his own luck.

Plus, Tommy had to return because he had things to finish off. He needed to see if Finn could come round to his way of thinking. He also needed to say goodbye to Arthur too. He wasn't intending on telling him it would be a goodbye forever. He wasn't intending on doing that to anyone except for his children at the very last moment.

"You know that James hasn't stopped glaring at him, right?"

Charlotte whispered to her father so her brother couldn't hear her. Frances was talking to Charlie while James was conversing with Ada about politics. Tommy glanced to his two sons and suspected that there was some resentment there. He knew that it was likely to happen. When he'd gone, he hoped that they would be able to work it out because, come what may, they'd have to work together at some point.

"Spotted it," Tommy said and moved to his feet. "Come on, we need to talk, yeah?"

Truth be told, Tommy wasn't one for sitting around idly. He hadn't done that in such a long time and he was getting restless. He was worried that if he sat there for so long then someone would spot something was off. Tommy moved to James, standing behind his seat and clasping his shoulders.

"I'm takin' yer sister down to the lake. We'll be back soon, alright?" Tommy said and James turned his head over his shoulder to look up to him, his questioning gaze asking Tommy if he was intending on telling her the truth, but Tommy just gave a subtle shake of his head.

Reaching for Charlotte, Tommy offered her his hand and she took hold of it, not complaining that she was too old. Tommy wandered by her side, leaves crunching under their footsteps. Her red coat was buttoned up to her chin and she had thick stockings on under her pleated skirt. Her brogues were shiny but were slowly getting scuffed with the amount of times she was kicking her toes into the ground.

"What's goin' on then?" Tommy asked from her as they wandered along the path towards the lake.

"We went back to the house when you were in Canada," Charlotte said to her father, her hand swinging in his. "Duke was there and he said something to James. I don't know what because I couldn't hear, but I don't think it was nice. James was in a foul mood after that and…we were at the hotel…and I thought that he was going to go back to the house and do something. I told him not to. I think he's…I just don't think he likes him. I think it's because he knows he's not your son by blood."

Tommy let out a deep breath. "I told 'im I didn't care about that."

Charlotte shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think he does care about it, but other people seem to."

"He's a Shelby. He shouldn't be concernin' 'imself with what other people think."

"The problem is that Duke is a Shelby too, dad," Charlotte deadpanned with her father as he climbed over a fallen tree trunk. He helped Charlotte scramble over it, hands holding both of hers as she jumped up and then off of it. "Can you not talk to him? Can you not just ask him to leave James alone?"

Tommy let out a low whistle at that. "The issue there, Charlotte, is that Duke…he's different to both yer and James. He was raised differently. He isn't exactly someone who listens to me."

"He's still your son," Charlotte retorted. "I just don't like seeing James upset."

"I know yer don't," Tommy assured his daughter. "I'll see what I can do when we get back from our trip."

"Promise?"

"Promise," Tommy responded and Charlotte guessed that was as good as she was going to get.

They came to the lake and Tommy bent down and picked a stone up. He tossed it onto the water and it skimmed a few times. Charlotte searched for her own stone and did the same thing.

"Yer mother taught me how to do that," Tommy said. "Just like she taught yer."

"She taught you it too?"

"Aye," Tommy said. "Never enough room to skim one on the canal. Yer mother grew up in a huge house with lots of lakes…when we first bought our 'ouse…she came down 'ere sometimes when she was pregnant and I'd find her just throwing stones into the water. She taught me how to do it too."

"Mum never spoke about her childhood," Charlotte said and then looked to her father. "Neither do you."

Tommy sighed and wondered how he was going to avoid this question. He sat down on one of the larger stones, pushing his coat behind him. Perching there, he looked on as Charlotte turned her head over her shoulder to glance at him as she fiddled with a stone in her fingertips.

"I didn't 'ave a childhood like yer do," Tommy said to his daughter. "My mam died when I was young…too young to remember…and my dad…he was never anywhere to be seen. He was never any use. All I 'ad were my brothers, Ada and Aunt Pol," Tommy said, his voice catching on her name. "But it wasn't bad. I loved 'em all very much and we…we had fun. We laughed together. I met yer mother."

"She was young when you met her though," Charlotte said.

"Yeah, young and far too classy for a boy like me," Tommy said. "But none of that mattered because we loved each other…we just…the war 'appened and it took us apart for a while."

"Mum said we should never talk about the war in front of you," Charlotte mused.

Tommy exhaled a sharp breath. "Yer 'ave to understand that we saw things no one should 'ave to see, Charlotte. We did things we 'ad to do to survive," he said and he held his hands out to her. She dropped her stone and let her father grasp hold of her arms gently. "We did things that we didn't want to do…and we were young…and everyone back 'ere. They thought we were heroes. They made it seem like it was all a big movie…a spectacle…but war isn't like that. It's never like that and I only 'ope yer never have to know what it was like…yer and James."

Charlotte just nodded her head once, not entirely sure what more she could say to her father. She watched as he lifted the back of a hand up to wipe away moisture in his eye. He had told his wife snippets of what had happened, but she had never pushed him. She had held him when he woke up from his nightmares, but she never demanded to know what they had been about. She just stayed silently by his side and let him cling to her, silently assuring him that he was safe and he was home.

"It'll never be how it was, will it?" Charlotte asked from her father and Tommy felt his jaw tighten. He shook his head once. He wasn't going to tell her that it could be. He wasn't going to lie to her.

"Come 'ere," he urged and he wrapped his arms around her, letting her burrow against him and fling her own arms around his neck. He buried his cheek into the curls at the top of her head and longed to freeze that moment for as long as possible.

"If I 'ave to talk to Duke then I will."

They had left Birmingham and headed to the coast. It had taken then into the early hours of the morning and they'd checked into a hotel on the cliff at Scarborough. Charlotte had fallen asleep in the car on the backseat. James had sat in the front next to Tommy, silently stewing. Once they'd arrived, Tommy had woken Charlotte up and guided her inside, arms around her shoulders.

Somehow, he had managed to sleep until late the following morning and then they'd gone for a long walk along the beach. It was quiet considering it was rather windy and cold, but Tommy didn't care about that. If anything, he preferred it. Charlotte had gone rushing ahead, crouching down in the sand and observing rocks, searching for shells. Tommy and James ambled behind. Tommy had a cigarette in his hands and occasionally took a drag of it.

"Why would yer do that?" James questioned.

"I'm not an idiot, son," Tommy said to him.

James exhaled a sharp, pained breath and rolled his eyes to the sky. "I'm not bothered."

"Yeah, well, I am," Tommy retorted. "Yer a Shelby and don't yer ever let anyone tell yer any different. Yer my son."

"And I need to stand on my own two feet," James said. "I can 'andle myself, dad. I need to be able to, don't I?"

Tommy knew that much was true. He knew that his son would need to stand on his own two feet, but he also knew that he wanted to look out for him. He loved him more than anything.

"I'm just sayin' that I can sort it before I go."

"And yer still goin' to go?" James checked with him.

"When we get back to Birmingham," Tommy nodded his confirmation. "Ada…I want yer to be with 'er, alright? I know she's down in London and the business is in Birmingham, but it'll only be for a few years until yer can take over. I know yer can take over now. Yer nearly old enough…but Charlotte…I don't want yer two separated until yer both alright. Yer her brother."

"I know," James said. "But are yer goin' to tell 'er? She…it's all I can think about, dad. All I can think about is how she's goin' to be in pieces and we're keepin' this from 'er."

"Because we 'ave to," Tommy replied. "I want us to 'ave just two more weeks of normality…that's all, James. It's all I want."

James just remained tight lipped. He knew that he would do it because he would do anything his father wanted. He also knew that this was the least he could give him after everything that Tommy had given him. He had taken him in. He had adopted him. He had raised him as his son. He had given him a better life than he could ever have hoped for.

"She's yer sister and I need yer to promise me that you'll always look after 'er," Tommy said. "No matter what 'appens, yer always 'ave to be there for 'er."

"I will. I promise."

A/N: So I think we have 2 more chapters and then that is it! I will have finally wrapped up the story! It going to be a sad one, but maybe if a film comes out we might return...?