1919 - Thomas Shelby x Reader

Chapter 57 ~ It begins

Thomas's P.o.v.

1:00am 

After telling the family that Annabelle and I would be fast tracking the wedding to in a few days I was summoned down to the stables where my uncle had some news to tell me. The rain poured down like shards of glass and the clouds were black as they covered the night sky. I walked into the stables sheltering myself and gently stroking the white horse in the stable beside me. "Why the urgency?" I asked as my uncle approached me. "I heard your getting married very soon" he looked down at the floor trying to muster up the courage to tell me whatever it was that he really called me here for.

"I am, In a few days" I looked at him suspecting there was more to this pleasant conversation than discussing wedding dates. "Tom im really sorry" he hung his head low covering his face saddened by something I was yet to understand. "Tom you have three days" I stared at him unable to look away "I don't understand" I stated unable to wrap my head around what he was talking about. A sigh escaped his mouth and he adjusted his hat "There's another war" I felt the lump in my throat begin to ache as my chest pounded.

"What does it mean?" I asked a thousand thoughts rushing through my mind at once. "It means you have to make these next couple of days count and be prepared to say goodbye to your family". I felt paralysed as a perplexed feeling of helplessness and trepidation spread through my body bringing on a tremble. I was in a state of Solicitude. "I cant just leave her here!" I paced in small circles racking my brain for some idea of how I could stay and protect her and the baby. 

The baby... It's going to be born during the middle of a war and not know its father. I cant leave. There has to be another way or a mistake. "Are you sure this isn't a mistake" my uncle shook his head and I felt my stomach drop as a deeply sickening feeling erupted inside it. "We have had officials come and announce it whilst you were gone" I held my head in my hands trying to consolidate everything. "Your three days don't include today Tommy. You have some time don't waste it" A deep breathe exhaled from me and I watched as my hot breath became visible.

"what do I tell her? I can't leave her again. I promised her I wouldn't not after last night" My uncle raised an eyebrow unknowing what had transpired the night before. "Tom go home" he pat me on the back as I stood in a state of new found depression. In what was only minutes my entire world felt as if it had been ripped away from me. I was not going to be there to help Annabelle deliver her fist child and I wasn't going to be there to see them grow up. 

I ran my hands through my hair and took one more deep breath taking in my surroundings before heading off home again. The entire walk home I was stuck invisioning my family without me and all the things that could go wrong to both them and me. I could die going back out there a second time. Annabelle will have to raise a child on her own whilst working a full time job. And the baby is going to be subjected to difficulties and not have any idea who I am.

Daylight had broken as I reached the house and I could see the sun slowly rising up into the morning sky. Upon arrival at the house the door was opened by Polly and a look of confusion laced with expectation was held within my eyes. "You found out?" she asked. I could have slapped her. "You knew?" I asked her my blood coming to a boil "I didn't tell you because you needed to be happy and I couldn't ruin that for you" she stated walking away "Go see her". I ran up the stairs and walked into the bedroom to fetch some new clothes.

After getting dressed and making myself more presentable I walked back into the bedroom and sat beside Annabelle on her side of the bed and stroked her hair. I just wanted to make sure I remembered this feeling of the sublime love. Her eyes crinkled as she squeezed them tight before fluttering them open to gaze up at me. "Morning Beautiful" I said in a hushed voice. Her smile was enough to send butterflies through me and make me forget momentarily that in the near future this bliss could be all a memory. 

"Hey" she my hand that I was stroking her hair with and planted a soft delicate kiss on atop it. "Time to get dressed, we need to have a chat about something" She sighed struggling to get out of bed and I made my way out to my office where I pulled out a smoke and tried to calm myself before I spoke with her about what was about to happen. I could already see the tears streaming down her face as she figured out the effects of what could happen in the time to come. A few minutes passed and she stood in the doorway.

"Let's go somewhere nice" I put out my cigarette and linked arms with her before strolling down the stair and out to the car. I was going to take her to a restaurant that the Blinders had recently taken over. We took the finest seats available and I could see the amazement twinkle in her eyes as we took out seats. "Whats this all about?" she asked making me dread the words about to come out of my mouth. "That promise I made to you about leaving..." she put both arms on the table and looked at me waiting for me to finish my sentence.

"Im going to have to break it. Not by my choice" all she could do was stare and hope that there was something else I had to say that provided her a reason for me to stay. "A war has been announced and all the men have to go fight" I watched as she bit on her lip trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes. "I know" she whispered in pain. "How?" I asked her unsure of how she found out "Its going to be bigger than the first, its the biggest in history".

Of course she knew, she's from the future. she looked down at the table "How many days?" I took her hand in mine and cleared my throat trying not to show that I was afraid of loosing her. I needed to stay strong. I needed her to stay strong. "Three".

"I will come home".