1914

WHEN FLORENCE SHELBY WAS first born, Thomas swore that he was never going to leave her, not if he could help it — the girl quickly became his whole life, and he never wanted to disappoint her, not in a million years. He remember the first time he set eyes on her, and the first time he held her, a bright smile on his face as he did so; which is when he promised himself that he would do everything for his little girl. When Greta passed away, she took a piece of Florence with her, and the little girl had changed, further adding to the fathers reasons not to disappoint her, but the War was calling, and he had no way to stay behind with her, no matter how much he wanted to. Thomas didn't even know if he would return, he didn't know if he would ever set eyes on his little girl again, and that thought alone, sent him into a world of panic — he knew that the other parents must be feeling the same way, but this was different.. Greta had passed away just a few months ago, and now, he would be leaving his daughter, too, leaving the young girl alone, truly alone, and he hated himself for it.

When Florence was first born, everyone around Thomas and Greta had told them that they couldn't successfully bring the little girl up by themselves, that they were far too young to do so; they didn't listen, and because of that, the Shelby's had another beautiful addition to the family, loved and adored by all. Thomas was actually happy with Greta and Florence, but a few months ago, that all changed, and the man didn't know how he could look after his daughter anymore, how he could fill the hole Greta left behind, how he could do any of it. Greta and Florence were the only things holding him together, but now, a part of that was gone, and he truly didn't know what to do anymore. The thoughts riddled with his mind as he held Florence's tiny hand in his own, walking through the train station that was filled to the brim with people; families saying goodbye to the men of the family, those old enough to leave, the whole sight bringing a sadness that swept through the station, the thought that half of these men wouldn't be returning home. Thomas held onto Florence's hand like his life depended on it, knowing that once he got onto that train, nothing inside of him would be the same ever again.

He held almost no emotion emotion on his face as he walked through the station with the rest of his family trailing behind, Florence was absentmindedly fiddling with her fathers fingers as they trailed onwards, the girl not knowing that this would be the last time she saw her father whole. Her father had always been brilliant at hiding his feelings away from those who loved him, and today was one of those days, the man blocking his family out from seeing the grief inside of him, the overwhelming pain of loosing Greta and having to leave behind Florence eating him alive. The little girl didn't know what was going on, as well as little Finn, the two children being far too young to understand why the men of the family were leaving them behind, they simply believed that they were going away on holiday, and will be back soon — but that was far from it, and the two children would be broken when they realised that it wasn't the case at all, and they would not see Thomas, John and Arthur for a while..

Florence and Finn were very close in age, with Finn being only a year younger, and Thomas was glad that the two of them were so close, they acted like brother and sister, and the sight always warmed his heart; he hoped that whilst he would be gone, the two would find comfort in each other, but knowing Florence, she was going to suffer without him.. Thomas looked down at his daughter as they finally came to a stop, the others already beginning to say their goodbyes as he just couldn't bring himself to do so; Florence kept his hands locked in her own, the little girl building up fear on what was happening around her, seeing the men say goodbye to their families, and she just didn't want to see the same thing with her father. "Dad? Are you leaving?" The seven year old asked, tugging on his hand to get him to look down at her, her big blue eyes looking up at him and breaking his heart even more at the sight of her saddened facial expression.

Thomas frowned at her words, hating that he had to finally have this conversation with her; he had held off from it, not wanting to spend his last weeks with her knowing he would be leaving. "Me and your uncles are going away for a while." The man eventually told his little girl, knowing that he couldn't tell her the truth.

"Is Uncle Finny going, too?" Florence asked, knowing that her best friend was also her uncle. She may not understand how he was her uncle, since her other two uncles were much older than she was, but her father had explained it over many times, to the point where Florence finally understood and no longer questioned it.

Thomas sighed sadly, shaking his head as he crouched down to her level, keeping hold of her tiny hand that still gripped his, "Just John and Arthur, bear." He explained, his heart breaking at the fact that he had to say this to her, that he had to tell her he wouldn't be back for a while, or maybe even ever again..

Florence frowned, then eventually nodded slowly, still not understanding the whole situation that was going on, "I don't understand, why can't me and Finny go with you?" She asked, knowing that she didn't want to spend time away from her father, not since her mother wasn't around anymore, either.

"Because it's just for the adults." Thomas explained further, shaking his head as he pushed away the numb feeling creeping up again, "You'll understand when your older, you just have to know that there isn't much choice in this matter, and we'll be back soon, okay?" He asked her, as the girl shyly nodded, looking down at her fathers feet, the man lifting his fingers up to her chin and pulling her face up to meet his eyes again, "And know that I love you." Thomas told her, his heart cracking in two at the saddened look on his daughters face.

Florence nodded as her father pulled her hand towards his again, "But when will you be back?" She asked, ignoring the fact that he was telling her she would understand when she's older, because she wants to understand now, she wants to know why her father was leaving her so soon after her mother had, too.

"Soon." Is all he could tell her, knowing that he couldn't carry on lying to her like he could, the girl was heartbroken we it was, and he couldn't stand the thought of her hating him when he eventually comes home (if he comes home). "When it's all over." He added.

Florence tilted her head to the side in confusion, "When what's all over?" She asked, not having a single clue as to what her father was talking about, this whole situation was just confusing as she had no idea about the War, with the girl being too young to need to know this.

Thomas shook his head at her question, knowing that she just wouldn't understand anything about this situation, and he didn't want to take her innocence away by explaining the situation, either. "You don't need to know, you just have to know that your daddy and uncles will be home before you know it, okay?" He asked, cupping her cheek as he saw Arthur approaching from behind, a bright smile on his face as he looked down at his niece.

Arthur lifted the girl up, spinning her around as she giggled, Thomas standing up and looking at the two of them with a ghost of a smile, still unable to find true happiness knowing that he didn't know how long he would have to suffer without seeing his girl again. "I'm gonna miss you, lil' bug." Arthur told Florence, finally setting her down as he ruffled her hair, the girl scowling as she looked up at him. Arthur had always been the playful uncle with her, the same with John — the two adored Tommy's daughter, and they were just as upset as their brother about having to leave Florence behind, along with John's kids, too.

Florence didn't exactly understand why her father and uncles were being so sentimental about leaving for just a while, if they were going to be home so soon like her father told her, why were they all acting so strange? None the less, the girl leaned in and wrapped her small arms around Arthur's waist, burying her face into his chest as the man's heart warmed at her actions, hugging her back. Then John came and said goodbye to his niece, after saying goodbye to his own children, before eventually leaving Thomas and Florence alone; the man sighed, crouching down again so he was at the same sight as her, before pulling her small frame into his, closing his eyes as he held her close. "I'll miss you, daddy." Florence whispered, tears welling in her eyes as she squeezed them shut, just like he was.

Thomas kept it hidden, but he was scared deep down, he didn't want to get on that train and ride away from his home, not sure if he would ever return again; he was afraid that when he returned, he wouldn't be the same man his daughter had grown to love, and he was afraid that she wouldn't love him anymore. He knew that when he let go, he would have to leave her, and he just couldn't bring himself to do so, that is, until Arthur gently placed his hand on his brothers back, indicating that they had to get on the train, and as much as he didn't want to leave his nieces and nephews behind, it was something they all had to do. He sighed, pulling back from the hug as his daughter looked up at him again with those blue eyes that looked just like his; for the past few months, he had found it hard to look at his daughter without the grief of loosing Greta hitting him again, since the little girl had the same facial features as her mother's. And looking down at her, now, all he could see was a younger version of Greta, and the sight made his chest ache. "I'll miss you too." He almost whispered back, knowing that Arthur was stood behind them, waiting.

Thomas looked over at John, who still had his two children in his arms as he smiled sadly at Martha who tried her hardest to hold in her tears — the two men exchanged a brief nod, knowing that this may be the last time they see their little family again, and it was heartbreaking.. Polly grabbed Florence's hand with her free hand, the other holding Finn's as the woman was also having trouble keeping her own tears in, knowing all to well what was happening today, something the young children were lucky didn't have a clue about, all too young and innocent to even comprehend it. The girl simply sighed, knowing that her goodbye with her father had ended as she watched him say goodbye to Finn, then Ada, then towards John's kids and Martha; Polly held her tight, with Finn on her other side, trying her hardest to comfort the two children who were clearly distraught over this whole situation.
But Thomas came back over, pressing a gentle kiss to his daughter, tightly smiling down at her as she just gazed up at him in curiosity, not knowing why everyone was so sad and why everyone was near crying.. But none the less, she wrapped her arms around him one last time, squeezing him tight as the man was using up all of his energy to keeping his distraught feeling in. When he looked up at Polly, the woman nodded, "They're all safe with me." She told the man, giving him an encouraging smile.

Thomas knew that he could trust Polly with his life, which included the woman looking after his daughter now that her mother wasn't around, but it didn't hurt any less to leave her here without him. "Thankyou." He told the older woman, who smiled back at him, taking his hand in hers and giving it a small squeeze. Polly was no stranger to being apart from her children, and she understood the pain that Thomas was going through; she wouldn't wish it upon her worst enemy..

And from that moment on, the only thing that kept Thomas Shelby sane, was the memory of him holding his daughter for the first time..

1918

HE LIED. WHEN FLORENCE was told that her father wouldn't be gone for that long, they all lied to her. Four years. Four straight years without her father, without her two uncles, and without a fatherly figure in her life — eleven years old, and she was starting to loose the memory of her fathers facial features, and if it wasn't for the many photo frames lingering around the house, she wouldn't even recognise the man if he just so happened to walk through the front door at any moment in time. The past four years hadn't been bad, to say the least, with Polly and Ada looking  after them all, even Martha, who was even struggling with her own two kids. Florence and Finn had become even closer to each other during those four years, the two of them having confided in each other since Tommy, John and Arthur were no longer around; they got into lots of trouble together, their aunt Pol always telling them off because of it, but she knew that the war was hard on everyone, especially the little ones.

They had all coped with the men gone at War, with Polly taking Thomas's role and leading the family; it had been hard, guiding everyone, but she prayed every single day for the Shelby men to return from the War safely, her heart stopping every time a knock at the door echoed throughout the house, afraid that she would be informed on the men's deaths. But, at the moment in time as the woman stood in the train station with Finn, Florence and Ada by her sided along with an unwell Martha and her kids, she couldn't help but feel happy about them returning home, but nervous that they would be returning as different men completely.
Florence, on the other hand, was just scared; she was scared that her father may have forgotten about her, that maybe he had lost his love for her, or maybe he just didn't care. No matter how many times Finn had informed her that Tommy would still love her, and that he will be thrilled to see her, she still couldn't shake the feeling and fear away.. She was a smart girl for eleven years old, and Polly couldn't wait for Thomas to finally see the girl again; he will be so proud on the girl she had turned into.

So, as they all waited for the train to pull up, everyone had different emotions on their faces as they waited for the Shelby men to return on that train. Amongst them were others in the same predicament, all nervous at what men were going to step off of that train and come back home — the only difference between them all was, that Shelby's were strong, and they could get through anything if they tried hard enough. That's what was going through Florence's mind as she watched the train pull up to the station, her father, and two uncles present on it; she was a Shelby, and Shelby's were strong. She gripped Finn's hand very tightly as the train finally came to a stop in front of them all, the girls heart speeding up every single second that went by, and her hands growing clammy as she awaited her father to step off of the train. She didn't know how the reunion was going to go, after having spent four whole years away from her father, she didn't know what kind of man he was going to be, now, but either way, she was terrified.

When she first saw his head bob off of the train, alongside Arthur and John, Florence felt her panic rise, gripping Finn's hand so hard that the boy felt like the girl would break the bones in his hand, but still kept quiet, knowing that she was incredibly nervous about seeing her father again after four years. He didn't blame her, he was nervous too, especially when he found out the real reason the men had gone away; but they were back now, and everything was going to be okay. "Remember what I told you, kids." Polly told the two kids, "Don't coddle them too much, give them time." She informed them, not knowing how the Shelby men would act.

Florence and Finn merely nodded, before Finn bombed off to his brothers, launching into their arms as Florence watched, shifting awkwardly on her feet as she watched her father approach her, the only face in the crowd he saw, being hers. He had gone through so many years with just a locket with her face in, unable to hear her voice or hold her right to help him get through the days where he truly didn't want to live anymore, but when he had finally set eyes on her face again in person, so clearly grown up over the years, she clearly wasn't seven anymore, growing into a strong young woman he knew she would become. The man didn't think twice before walking in the direction of his daughter, her bright blue eyes standing out from the whole crowd around her, and her blonde hair falling past her shoulders already, making her look much older than she really was.. Once he reached her, the duo spent a few seconds staring, neither of them making the first move, Tommy unsure if the girl would even want to see him, and Florence wondering the exact same, but when the little girl launched herself in her fathers arms, the man practically fell down to the floor as he held Florence in his arms, finally at ease again.

But what Florence didn't realise, was that her father had come back a completely different man, and she didn't know that the father she once knew, was gone, and he was never coming back.