Charlotte had spent quite a lot of her life holed up in the Midland Hotel. Her father claimed it was the one place where he felt they were completely safe and she never argued with him on that. She had no idea if they were safe there or, more importantly, who they had to be safe from. She might just be a girl, but she knew her father had enemies and she knew that what he did was not entirely above board. Living in the Shelby household meant that she'd heard things regular kids didn't hear. She also knew that her father loved her, despite how she'd been feeling recently. He loved her and he'd adored her mother. She also knew that he loved James too, but she knew James felt threatened.

"You know you're still his son, right?" Charlotte checked with James.

They were sat on the floor of their regular suite in the living area. The fire was roaring, the flames crackling and spitting. The lamps were dimly lit and their things were strewn around the room. A chessboard was in between them and Charlotte had just moved her rook, waiting for James to make his move in retaliation.

"What?" James asked from his sister and she rolled her eyes at him.

"I'm not an idiot," she said to him. "I know that Duke said something to you. You were fine and then he turned up at the house and you've been moody ever since."

"Moody?" he checked with her.

"Yes, moody," she retorted and he shook his head slowly. He didn't think he had been particularly moody, but then again, perhaps he had been. He wasn't going to pretend that Duke's words hadn't impacted him. "Whatever he said to you, it doesn't matter. Dad loves you. You're still his son."

"Not by blood," James said, unable to stop himself. He didn't want to burden Charlotte with any of his worries. She was young and he was supposed to be the one who protected her. Without Elizabeth, he felt that there were times he had no one to lean on. He saw Tommy as his father. It had taken more time to warm up to him than it had for him to warm up to Elizabeth, but he'd gotten there. He just didn't like burdening Tommy with things. He wanted Tommy to see him as responsible. He wanted him to see that he was worthy of carrying the Shelby name.

"Does that matter? He loves you the same as he does me," Charlotte said. "If Duke said something to upset you then you should ignore him. He's…I know he's my dad's son…but he…I don't know if I trust him."

"Why would you say that?"

"Because he's clearly upset you," Charlotte said. "And you're my brother."

"So is Duke."

"Not like you are," Charlotte said with a shake of her head and James looked to his sister and felt an ache in his chest as she looked at him with her wide eyes that so resembled her father's and a concerned expression that so resembled her mother. She was a mixture of the two of them and she was the closest thing he had to a real family. He knew he was going to do everything to protect her. He would do anything for her.

"Yer know I love yer, right?" James said to her and he moved his own pawn forward.

"I know," Charlotte said. "I love you too and that's why I don't want him to upset you."

"He 'asn't," James assured her, not wanting to dwell on it any longer.

He wasn't going to let Duke upset him. He couldn't let him get to him because he knew that he was still a Shelby. He was still a part of the family and Tommy trusted him. He had trusted him enough to tell him the plan. He trusted him enough to look after Charlotte and she was the most precious thing in the world to him. But James didn't want to be left out. He didn't want to be pushed out. He knew Tommy sheltered him from the dark side of the business and he knew why. He knew he did it because of Elizabeth and his promise to her. But he trusted Duke to deal with it.

What would happen in the future? Would Duke become more involved in the fold? Would Tommy end up trust him more? These were all the thoughts that went round in James's mind. He was worried. He wasn't going to pretend he wasn't. And that was why he made his decision.

"Yer stay 'ere," James said and moved to his feet, grabbing hold of his suit jacket from the sofa. "I'll 'ave Frances come in 'ere and look after yer."

"Where are you going?" Charlotte asked from her brother and she moved to her feet too, arms folding over her chest.

"I just need to do somethin', alright?"

"What?" Charlotte asked from her brother. "You're not going back to the house, are you?"

"Charlotte-"

"-No!" Charlotte interrupted, snapping at her brother. She sensed that something was off. She had a good instinct after growing up around her father. She moved over to him, knocking pieces off the chess board as she grabbed hold of his arm. "James, whatever you're thinking, stop it."

"I'm not goin' to do anythin' bad."

"Then what are you going to do?" Charlotte questioned.

"I just…he's over there…doin' something dad wants 'im to do…and he asked 'im, Charlotte. He asked 'im…not me," James said, well aware that he wasn't making much sense because he didn't want to tell him the truth. He didn't want to tell her exactly what was going on at the house and how it was going to be blown up and Finn expected to make a choice.

He felt sorry for Finn in a way. He felt sorry for what he was going to go through because James suspected Finn wasn't a killer and Tommy wanted Billy Grade dead for spying on the Shelby's. Finn, no doubt, had no idea that Grade was a spy. But he had gotten cocky in recent years. He was uncontrollable and James had heard Elizabeth talk about him with Tommy, concerned about the young man he was becoming. But they hadn't been able to stop him. Family came first and Finn needed to make that choice tonight, but James wasn't sure if he would be able to.

"I know something is going on that you're not telling me," Charlotte said to her brother. "I know that you're keeping secrets and I know that something is going on at the house…do you think I didn't notice the boxes in the cars?"

James gulped. They had been explosives. He'd spotted them too, but he'd hoped Charlotte hadn't. Then again, he should have known she would be observant. She always was.

"James, just don't go," Charlotte pleaded with him, still holding onto his arm.

He looked down to her and he saw the desperation there. She was so scared of losing him. She was scared he was going to do something reckless and a part of him thought that he might. He thought that he might not be able to stop himself. But what was he going to do? He couldn't save Billy Grade and he couldn't save Finn. He had to make his own choice: family or friend.

"Alright," he relented.

He knew that going back to the house would achieve nothing, not really. He might end up fighting with Duke, but he couldn't do anything, not really. And so he relented. He would do as Tommy asked him. He would stay with Charlotte. Besides, he always did what Tommy wanted.

Tommy sat in the bar after sweeping the glass from the wooden surface. The windows had all blown in from the explosion outside. The room was dark, the lamps burning so low that Tommy could just about see in front of him. Sitting down on the stool he had occupied earlier, he picked up his whiskey and downed it in one gulp. Shooting Michael had been harder than he had expected it to be. He had silently pleaded with the young man to change his mind and tell him that there was a bomb under the car. He wanted him to tell him that it had all been a mistaken and he understood that Tommy hadn't been the one who had killed his mother.

But that never came and Tommy just had to live with that. He had to live with what he had done because it had been in the interests of his family.

Placing the glass down on the bar top, Tommy reached into his pocket for his cigarettes, lighting one up and letting it dangle from his mouth as he heard rustling come from behind him before a loud, booming voice.

"I smell the smell of roasting Irishmen," he called out and Tommy just remained silent. "Oh yes, I also smell the smell of tobacco which is forbidden in my presence for all except one…my new wife, Edna."

Tommy didn't turn to watch as Alfie moved towards him, standing to his left-hand side and leaning back against the bar, still talking. "The Irish being rendered to smoke and fat, I now own half of Boston, so, out of respect for my restored authority…put the fucking cigarette out, Tommy."

Tommy didn't. He took another long drag of the cigarette before pulling it from his mouth. "Hello, Alfie," he finally greeted the man. "I heard it was a good wedding."

"Yeah, it was, actually," Alfie said. "Thank you. Edna's from a family circus. So, after the ketubah and the old swapping of rings and the smashing of glass, we left aboard elephants. It was quite the thing. They had to shut down Camden High Street."

Tommy reached over the bar for the bottle of whiskey and poured himself another glass as Alfie kept on talking, wandering around the bar and towards the window, talking about Michael and how he was ascending to heaven. Tommy had to confess that his mind was elsewhere. He was back at home. He was back with his daughter and son, watching the two of them playing chess and arguing over who was the better player. It was only when Alfie addressed him directly did he snap out of his thoughts.

"All right, Tommy? How you keeping?"

And he sounded genuinely concerned.

"You know, Alfie, so many people, so many times 'ave gone to so much trouble to kill me," Tommy declared, flicking some ash off of the end of his cigarette. "And I'm fucking dyin' anyway."

"We're all dying, Tommy," Alfie replied, standing to his side.

"No," Tommy drawled. "Not a bullet, not a bomb, not a knife."

"What are you trying to say?" Alfie asked him, leaning in closer. "I'm about to sign over half of Camden Town to you as part of this deal and you're just going to die in bed? Then again, only good people die in their bed and you're not a good person…your wife on the other hand…she was."

Tommy wondered how long it would be before Alfie brought Elizabeth up. He closed his eyes for a moment. In one respect, he was in constant pain because he knew that he would be leaving his children and he didn't want that. On the other hand, a part of him hoped that maybe he'd be reunited with his wife when he died. Maybe he'd be back with his Elizabeth.

"She was good," Tommy agreed with him on that point. "She was far too good for a bastard like me."

"Yeah, not going to disagree with you on that one, mate," Alfie promised him with a shake of his head. "Still remember first time I met her. She had one hell of a temper. Trust it was worse when you pissed her off, right?"

Tommy's lips arched up only slightly and he had to tell himself not to cry. He longed to. There were times when all he wanted to do was lock himself in a room and sob for her. But he knew that he couldn't. He knew that he had to be strong.

"I…everythin' I've done…I crossed a line and that's why she was taken from me. She was taken from me because of everythin' I did," Tommy said and he stubbed his cigarette out. He slipped from the stool and he knew that it was time for him to go. "And now I 'ave to go 'ome and set things right."

"You know, Tommy, as someone who has died before, I can heartily recommend it," Alfie informed him. "But Liz…I was sorry to hear about her. I truly was and you know I'm not one for expressing emotion."

"I know that," Tommy promised him. "But right now, I need to go. Your opera is complete, Alfie."

"And yours is coming to an end, ain't it, Tommy?"

Tommy adjusted the cap on his head as he walked towards the door. "Finally is," he confirmed.

Returning back to Birmingham, Tommy knew that his days were limited. He had a plan, of course. He was going to go away with Charlotte and James for a couple of weeks before he went away on his own. He would tell them the truth towards the end of their holiday, but no one else needed to know until he was gone. He wasn't intending on telling Arthur, Ada or Finn. He knew that they would try and talk him out of it. Then again, Finn might not. From what Tommy had heard when he returned home, Finn had made his choice and he had chosen Billy Grade over his family.

"You know, it's normal, right?"

Tommy was trying not to eavesdrop but he was finding it difficult. He was back in the Midland. His house was ready to be blown up and Tommy just wanted to go back for one last look around before it happened. He was sat on the sofa in the hotel, going through final pieces of paperwork that he had to sort out for the business. He had put plans in place and now they just required his signature.

The business was being signed over to James and Charlotte. He had expressed that James was the one to take over. Charlotte had a trust fund. She would have enough money for her to live comfortably for the rest of her life, but Ada was going to be in charge of the trust fund that would only be released to Charlotte when she turned twenty-one and, hopefully, graduated university. Her education would be paid for. She truly would want for nothing.

"And if I don't want to?" Charlotte asked from Ada.

The two of them were sat together in the bedroom Charlotte had taken for her own, boxes piled up inside of it with everything she had taken from the house.

"Then you don't have to," Ada assured her and Tommy wondered what they were talking about. "It's just boys being boys. You're young. These things will pass. Schoolground gossip…just ignore it."

"I just…all the girls in my year fancy him and I don't get it," Charlotte muttered and Tommy's eyes widened. "They said he likes me, but I…I don't know…is there something wrong with me?"

"No," Ada said, her tone soft and gentle and Tommy didn't dare move in case they heard him and realised he was listening. Clearly something was going on at school that was bothering Charlotte. "There is nothing wrong with you. You're still young and if you don't fancy this boy back then you don't have to. In time, you'll find someone who is right for you, but that's not something you need to worry about, sweetheart. You're still so young."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure," Ada said. "I thought that boys were gross until I was about sixteen…and now I still think they're gross," Ada said and that caused a chuckle to come from Charlotte. There was a moment of silence and Ada wrapped her arms around Charlotte, holding onto her tightly. "I know that I'm not your mother, Charlotte, but I'm here for you, okay? I'm here and you can tell me about things you'd rather not tell your dad."

"Promise you won't tell him," Charlotte said.

"Cross my heart," Ada said. "Now, why don't you go and brush your teeth and we can go shopping? I've heard there's a new bookstore in the Bullring."

Tommy heard footsteps and shuffling from the room before his sister came out from the bedroom and closed the door behind her. Ada straightened out the grey skirt she wore as she sniffed and spotted the back of Tommy's head sat on the sofa. He quickly placed his papers back into a folder.

"I take it you heard all of that?" Ada checked.

"Yeah," Tommy said.

"I didn't hear you come in here," Ada said and she sat across from her brother in the armchair. "I came in to see you and James said Charlotte was upset about something at school and she wouldn't tell him. I figured I would try and talk to her."

"And she told yer," Tommy said.

"Sometimes there are things men can't handle, Tommy," Ada said to him and he chuckled at that. "Besides, I imagine this twelve-year-old boy would prefer to live a quiet life. I don't want you chasing him down and threatening him. I suspect in the future you're going to have to do your fair share of batting boys away from your daughter."

"Reckon I could lock 'er in a convent?"

"Not sure that would work," she said. "Besides, your daughter is more concerned with reading and studying. She definitely doesn't take after you."

"Thank God for that, eh?" Tommy said with a dark chuckle. "But yer know that…in the future…there'll be things she won't want to talk about with…" Tommy trailed off. He wanted to say 'me' but he knew that his days were numbered. "There'll be things she'd rather talk about with a woman," he settled on saying to Ada. "And yer the only one who I trust with 'er. Do yer 'ear me? Yer the only one who I trust."

"I know," Ada promised him but she noted him tearing up.

He quickly hid it, wiping his eyes. She suspected it would be over Elizabeth, but then again, she had no idea of what was going on with him. She reached for him, taking his hand inside of her own.

"It's alright, Tommy," Ada promised him. "She's your daughter. You're doing a good job with her, you know that? She's a credit to you and Liz."

"Not sure I can take all the credit," Tommy said. "Liz…Charlotte is all Liz."

"No, there's some of you inside of her," Ada said confidently. "Anyway, I said I'd take her shopping if that's alright? It's Friday night and the shops are open a bit later than normal. We'll be back for dinner."

"That's fine," Tommy said. "I need to go to work for an hour or so. James is there sortin' the books out and I said I'd go and 'elp 'im."

"Dad…when did you come back from work?"

Charlotte was leaving her room, shrugging her coat onto her shoulders and moving into the living room. Tommy stood up and looked at her. He held his arms out to her and she stepped into his embrace. He held her tightly and she hugged him back.

"Just a few minutes ago," he said, not wanting her to know that he'd heard everything. "I needed to come and get some paperwork before I meet yer brother. Ada 'ere tells me yer goin' shoppin'."

"Is that okay?" Charlotte asked, pulling back and looking up at him.

"Of course, sweetheart," he whispered down to her. "I'll be back for dinner, alright?"

"Yes," Charlotte said.

"Alright," Tommy sniffed and then looked to his sister. "Buy 'er what she wants. I'll pay…but it's a treat."

"Someone is feeling generous," Ada said, picking her own coat up along with her bag. "Come on, Charlotte, let's go before your father withdraws his offer."

Ada quickly wrapped an arm around Charlotte's shoulders and led her from the suite, Tommy just watching after them.

James worked with Tommy in his office. The two of them had their own desks at either end of the room. James was pouring over the accounts and ensuring that the books balanced. He had spent years learning the business even while he had been at school. He would sit with Tommy and he would do the work. Even Elizabeth would sometimes help with the books. There were the charitable foundations that Tommy ran and they were now considered to be one of his most important endeavours, namely because his wife had set things up. The school she had opened with Andrew was still thriving, but Andrew handled most of the business. He only came in occasionally to give Tommy an update.

There had been a time when Tommy had felt jealous of Andrew. He thought that he perhaps had a fancy for his wife, not that Tommy could blame him. But the two of them had been good friends and nothing more. Andrew had lost his wife and he had never truly moved on. Tommy only understood how he felt now.

"Where's dad?"

James looked up from the paperwork he had been pouring over. He saw Duke walk into the office, shirt sleeves rolled up and top button undone. He looked completely different to James who had dressed smartly with his three-piece suit and crimson red tie. He'd even polished his shoes before leaving for the office that morning.

"He's comin' in soon," James simply said to him.

"When's soon?" Duke questioned and he went to Tommy's desk and sat down in the chair across from Tommy's own leather seat.

"I don't know," James retorted. "Yer welcome to wait outside for 'im though."

"I'm alright 'ere," Duke said, hands lacing together over his stomach as he sat back in his seat. "I take it yer know?"

"I am tryin' to work," James said in exasperation, tossing his pen down onto the papers he had been signing.

"Being a good boy and sitting behind yer desk," Duke retorted. "But you know about Finn, don't you? Heard how he took Grade's side and tried to shoot me? He's kicked out of the family and he's a real Shelby."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what yer think it means," Duke retorted at the same time the door opened and Tommy stepped in, wearing his own three-piece suit with his black overcoat. He pulled his cap off his head and shoved it into his pocket. He looked between his two sons and sniffed.

"Alright?" he asked from them.

"The books should be done in an hour," James said to him. "I need yer signature on some of 'em though."

"We'll go through 'em," Tommy said. "Yer sister is with Ada for the evening. Said we'd go back and 'ave dinner with 'em when we're done 'ere."

"Sounds good," James retorted and Tommy shrugged out of his coat and hung it on the rack before looking to Duke. "And yer did it, did yer?"

"It's done," Duke said and James gritted his teeth. He hated it when Tommy spoke cryptically in front of him. "I think he's upset with yer though."

"Should've thought about that before betrayin' me," Tommy said and James knew they were talking about Finn. Tommy went to sit behind his desk, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it up. "Liz tried to talk sense into 'im so many times, but he went off the rails. He never listened to 'er or me."

"He threatened to come after me," Duke said. "But I can 'andle 'im if he does."

Tommy shook his head. "I'll see if I can talk to 'im before I leave," he said. "And yer up to speed with what needs to be done while I'm away, ain't yer?"

James ears pricked up then and his hands held his thighs tightly.

"The business will be in safe hands," Duke promised him.

"The business?" James questioned, unable to help himself. "What do yer mean?"

"Duke 'ere will be runnin' things while we're gone. Arthur will be 'ere too, but we both know he's been strugglin' recently," Tommy declared.

"And so yer leavin' it to 'im?" James checked with Tommy, unable to believe what he was hearing. "I could stay 'ere and run it. Yer know I could."

"No, I need yer with me."

"Because yer don't trust me?" James wondered.

"James," Tommy warned and Duke's eyes seemed to light up with a smirk playing on his face.

"What is it?" James asked from him.

"Duke, can yer give us a minute?" Tommy asked from his other son.

Duke nodded and moved to his feet, sweeping from the room. Glaring at him as he went, James moved from behind his desk and headed towards Tommy's own desk. He waited until the door had closed before laying his palms flat on the desk and bending over slightly.

"Yer know what he's been sayin' to me? He reckons yer goin' to cut me out and maybe he's right. Is that it? Yer want 'im in charge because he's yer real son and I'm not?"

Tommy stood up and faced James, face showing nothing but hurt and anger. "Don't yer dare say that to me!" he snapped at him. "I love yer like yer my own and I've never done anythin' to prove otherwise. Yer know why I keep yer away from some of the business. I do it because I want to keep yer safe and Liz…she wanted that."

"Then why am I bein' pushed out?"

"Yer not," Tommy promised him. "I need yer to come with me and Charlotte…the business can wait for a little while…I just…I need yer with us because…"

"Because what?" James questioned him. "What is so important that yer need to leave 'im in charge instead of me?"

"Because I'm not coming back, James," Tommy finally cracked, telling his son exactly what was going on. He needed to tell him. He needed him to know precisely what was going on because it was the only way he'd understand the choices that Tommy was making. "When we leave then I'm not comin' back to any of it."

James blinked profusely and stood up straight, cocking his head to one side. "What do you mean?" he questioned from him. "Dad…I don't…"

"Sit down, son," Tommy urged from him and he also sat down across from him. He hadn't wanted to do this until he had both his children together, but he supposed that at least this way James would know and he could be there for when Charlotte found out. "I've known for a while, but I've 'ad to make sure the business was in order before I did anythin' or told anyone."

"You've known what for a while?" James asked.

Tommy gulped. "I'm dyin', James," he confessed to him, trying to keep his voice from wavering. "Tuberculoma."

James felt everything inside of him break then and he shook his head, eyes watering and head shaking back and forth. "No," he breathed out.

"The doctor said I 'ad a year at most to live," Tommy said, trying not to let emotion break him. He had accepted his fate, but what he had not accepted was telling his children. "I'm not goin' to sit around and let yer and Charlotte see me deteriorate in front of yer. I can't do that to yer…that's why I need to go…once we've 'ad time away then I need to go and I need to do this."

"No," James said a bit louder this time.

"I've made my mind up," Tommy told his son. "And I know it hurts. I know it's painful and a shock. But I'm not waitin' for it to take me. I'm not puttin' yer and Charlotte through that."

"And you'd put us through this?" James questioned him. "You still 'ave time, dad. There is still time…yer not even sick now…yer still you…yer can't rob us of time with yer. Charlotte…yer can't take that from 'er. Please."

"I know," Tommy said and he moved to his feet, finding that his hands were shaking slightly. He settled down next to his son and reached for his arm, holding onto it tightly. "I know that it 'urts, James, but it's 'own it 'as to be, alright? It's 'own it 'as to be because whether or not we 'ave one week…four weeks…six months…the time will never be right and it'll 'urt just as much whenever it is. Yer think I want to do this, eh? Yer think I wanted to sit yer down and tell yer this? Yer think I'm ready to tell Charlotte? I 'ave no idea 'ow to tell 'er…my little girl…because I'm not ready either. I'm not ready to let yer go."

"Then don't," James said, now openly sobbing, cheeks blotched and eyes bloodshot. "Dad, please…don't run away from us. Please."

"I can't let yer watch me like this," Tommy said, sniffing loudly and shaking his head. He gasped for a deep breath. "It's not fair on either of yer."

"It's not fair that yer would run away," James said.

"I'm not runnin' away. I'm protectin' yer both," Tommy promised him. "And I need yer to look after Charlotte, alright? I need yer to be strong for 'er and look after 'er because she…she's still a little girl and she needs yer and yer need 'er."

"I'll always look after 'er," James said.

"I know, son," Tommy promised and James looked over his face, sobs growing louder. "But I'm not pushin' yer out. Once I'm gone this is all yours. But right now…I need yer by my side. I want to spend whatever time I 'ave left with both of yer because…because I love yer both so much."

James broke down then and Tommy reached for him and enveloped him into his arms. His son clung onto him tightly and cried loudly and all Tommy could do was hold him as his own tears fell down his cheeks as he knew that he'd never be ready to let go of his son.

...

A/N: So the truth (?) is coming out...not many more chapters left of this before I wrap up. As always, would love to know your thoughts!