Letters and a photograph, that was all he had had for the last four years. Letters and a photograph, that were what had kept him going, even when he had been through the worst of the worst. But now, as he stood, packed into the train with his brothers and hundreds of other men; he knew that it would not be much longer before he got to see the woman, whose letters and photograph had given him a reason to keep fighting, to keep living.

No one had been able to believe that Arthur had managed to snag himself a girl that was so, well, well to do. He was a tearaway, a gypsy brawler, a troublemaker; a young man that was always up to no good, and always ready to fight. Whereas she, (Y/n), was from one of the better families from the outskirts of Small Heath. A proper lady, as Arthur would call her. She, never known to shout or fight; to do anything that she shouldn't. Tommy, John and Polly always joking that he must have used a little gypsy magic to enchant her. But whatever the case, and no matter what it was that (Y/n) saw in him, he was glad that she did. She was his girl; his and his alone. And after four long years of only having a now tattered photograph; after four long years of only being able to imagine her beautiful voice as he read the words in her letters; he was now only moments away from getting to see her again, in person. Of being able to hear her say his name, as only she could. Of being able to hold her close and kiss her lips. Arthur not only hoping that she would be on the train station platform, waiting for him; but that she would be able to accept the man that he was now. The man that the war had turned him into.

"She'll be there........." Tommy said. Placing his hand on his brother's shoulder as Arthur looked down at the dog eared, and slightly torn photograph. A photograph that (Y/n) had given him, as they said goodbye, four years ago. It, and the letters that would finally get to him, going with him wherever he went; tucked neatly in his kit bag, so that it felt as though she was always with him.

Tommy had seen the effect that (Y/n)'s letters had had on his brother. How his face would light up when his name was called for the post. John always teasing him, by saying that he would go all 'lovey dovey' when he would write (Y/n), back. Yet both Tommy and John knew that it was her stories about what was happening back at home; about the simple, everyday things that had been taken from the men that had gone to war, that had kept Arthur as sane as any man could be, when death was a constant threat. That, and how she would always tell him how much she loved him, and how proud she was of him for being so brave.

"I know........but do ya think............I'm not the same........"

"There's not one of us that's tha same, Arthur. (Y/n) loves ya, and she'll love ya no matter what. She has always understood ya, better than any of us; and she'll understand now........" Tommy assured. Arthur just nodding in agreement, hoping that his brother was right. Giving the photograph one last look, before pushing it back into his pocket, as the train finally came to a halt.

                                                   >>-------------------------------------<<

(Y/n) stood on the packed platform with Polly, Ada and little Finn. Four years she had been waiting for this. Four years of nothing but worry and fear that any day Polly might turn up on her doorstep, with a telegram in her hand, to tell her that her Arthur; her beloved Arthur was dead. Leaving her with nothing but the photograph of him in his uniform and the letters that he had sent her during their time apart. Letters that she had read a thousand times, going over every last little detail, and hearing his voice in the back of her mind, as if he were right there, reading them out to her, himself.

"Now come on.........." Polly suddenly said. Her attention turning from the train that had come into view, to the woman by her side.

"No tears. Last thing he will need ta see is you crying........" She continued, as she passed (Y/n) a handkerchief. (Y/n) taking it with a smile before wiping away the tears from her cheeks that she had not realised had made their way from her eyes.

"I know. I just........I just never thought that this moment would come. Yet now it has, I find that I am scared. What if he doesn't want me, anymore. What if he doesn't love me............."

"Stop with that foolishness. Arthur luvs ya. Never seen a man as in love as Arthur is with you. All ya have ta do is look at his letters ta see that. So, stop worrying and dry ya eyes. Our boys have come back ta us............" Polly continued, before taking her hand. The woman both holding one another, as the train packed with men, finally stopped in front of them.

                                                    >>-------------------------------------<<

The platform was packed with people; with wives and children, with mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers, all there to welcome their loved ones, home. And in all that chaos, Arthur knew that she would be waiting; probably hand in hand with his Aunt Pol. His heart threatening to beat from his chest, as he thought about being able to hold (Y/n) again; of being able to breath in her scent and kiss her soft lips. Part of him worrying that all this might be a dream, and that at any moment he would wake to find himself back in the trenches.

"You comin, or what............?" Arthur shaking the dark thoughts from his mind, at the sound of John's voice. Arthur just rolling his eyes at him, as John gave him one of his usual shit eating grins. The oldest of the Shelby boys straightening his uniform out, before he, Tommy and John, stepped foot onto the platform.

                                                  >>------------------------------------<<

There he was..........(Y/n) slowly pulling her hand from Polly's as she saw Arthur and his brothers, step out of the train. (Y/n) knowing that she should wait with the others; that Polly, Ada and Finn wanted to see Arthur, just as much as she did; but she couldn't. It as if there was an invisible force pulling her to him; (Y/n) pushing her way through the throng as best she could and calling out his name as she got closer and closer to him. Her heart threatening to burst out of her chest, as she finally came to stand in front of him. (Y/n) forcing herself not to cry, as she looked into his tired eyes, as she looked at the man who was far thinner than before he had left.

"Arthur............"

"Aye, its me, luv..........." Arthur replied, before dropping the kit bag from his shoulder and opening up his arms. (Y/n) running into them, holding onto him as Arthur pulled her close. His nose buried into her hair so that he could take in her scent; remembering all the wonderful times they had spent together before they had been forced apart, and hoping that now he was home, there would be more of those times to come. For as much as the letters and photograph had sustained him, all he had wanted, was this; the woman that he loved, back in his arms. Arthur determined to never leave her, again. To never have to rely on just letters and a photograph.