The Shelby family was finally together after so long scattered across England. Fawn stood behind the couch Tommy sat on in order to hear Lizzie. Bonnie was beside Fawn talking to Isiah. There was music playing on a record player as conversations could be heard all over the sitting room.

"Well, I think it's nice that you invited more than just family," Lizzie comments.

"I think that was aunt Pol," Fawnie butts in, interrupting Tommy's response. But he nods in agreement with Fawn, knowing all too well it was Polly who invited one half of the Gold duo.

"It was you who brought him along, no?" Tommy said aloud, not really asking Fawn.

Fawn rolled her eyes at him, "Same difference, he's the only reason I even came."

Lizzie smirked as the pair stared each other down calmly. "Alright, calm down, no fights tonight."

Someone turned the music off as Tommy stood up to address the group, "Nice, hey!" Fawn found herself leaning into Bonnie's side as her father began to speak.

He cleared his throat, drink in hand, "Listen up, Um, Before we go and eat, I'd like to say a few words. Last time we were all here, it ended badly."

"Yea," Arthur mumbled and Fawn felt a grimace grow on her face.

Tommy looked at Fawnie for a second before staring into his glass, "And now, we're in a happier place." Their eyes met once again, she didn't understand why he kept looking toward her. Maybe for some safety? In case he fucked this up too? "I've also got something to tell you all, about the family..."

The silence felt louder than ever as Thomas beckoned Fawn toward him. She glanced at Bonnie for some kind of reassurance and he offered a squeeze of her hand before nodding toward Tommy. God, why'd Tommy have to rope me in too?

"It was recently revealed that uh... Fawnie and I aren't so different after all. We've never been close, she loved John far too much to save room for everyone else." His siblings chuckled at the thought of how much Fawnie adored John Shelby. "And I know we've always loved little Fawnie Rose, I'd say a bit too much from the looks of it," Tommy joked awkwardly before coughing loudly.

"What I wanted to say is that--"

Fawnie cut him off, wanting to end the awkward silence and get over the fact that he was her father, "Tommy's my dad... and aunt Polly knew all this time, never said a word." The glass in Finn's hand fell onto the rug, somehow, not breaking. He looked as pale as a corpse.

"What the actual fuck?" He asked loudly which made Fawnie snort. Finn stared at her with wide eyes. "Nobody tells me shite, don't fucking laugh at me!"

"I'm sorry-- it's not funny but wasn't it obvious?" She asks everyone, "We're practically the same person, but I'm just less of an arsehole." This makes Ada laugh before Polly sighs at Fawnie's casual announcement.

Tommy sighed, "I thought it better you all know rather than... me ignoring this chance to do right by our family and by Fawnie."

She offered him a smile, "Maybe after all these years, our dear Tommy has grown a heart, eh?" Fawnie raised her glass, "What're we toasting to... Dad?"

Calling Tommy "dad" felt odd, he didn't seem like a dad to her. Even though his son was nearing four years old, she hasn't seen him as the most fatherlike. Maybe in another life, he could have been a kind father to her. Perhaps if the war never turned him sour... Before his kindness was snubbed out by the horrors of violence and death. But she knew she ought to get used to it now rather than later.

Thomas raised his glass, eyeing Fawnie as he did so. "To new beginnings." It felt like a promise to her, one she would definitely hold him to.

━━━━

Fawnie apologized to Finn about a hundred times that night, "I couldn't have told you! I hardly knew how to handle the information."

"So you met your mum?" He asked, not remembering his mother at all.

She nodded, "She's beautiful, Finn. A few years older than Tommy." A bittersweet smile grew on his face as she explained what Victoria looked like. "You know this makes you my uncle, right?"

Slowly, his eyes lit up, "You're right, little sis- niece?"

"Nope, call me sister, that word feels wrong--" He agreed with a nervous chuckle.

Fawnie looked around the big room, the fireplace made for a warm atmosphere but the people inside the room only made her feel safer. It took a long time for her to feel comfortable around Tommy, but now she was glad they had more reason to reconcile.

"Doe! Come here," Arthur's gravelly voice drew Fawnie Rose across the room toward him and Linda. On her lap sat their son, Billy. "Linda had a question for you," She fought back a grimace and forced a smile as Fawn turned to Linda.

"Are you and the boy gonna get married any time soon?"

The question caught Fawnie off guard, "Uh-- well--" She glanced over her shoulder toward where Bonnie stood, laughing with Isiah and Jeremiah. Almost as if he felt her eyes on him he grinned at Fawnie before turning back to the Jesus family. "We haven't talked about that yet, we've only been together a few months, I mean it's a possibility but--"

Linda nodded, "Just... let me know, I'd love to help plan it." Fawnie was taken aback at Linda's kind tone and the lack of malice in the blonde's eyes.

"Yea, I'll do that. Thanks," Once again, a maid nearly toppled Fawnie.

"Sorry, Miss Shelby," The formality threw her off, especially after hearing Linda's offer.

Isiah made a ruckus when he saw Fawnie coming toward them, "Well if it isn't little deer," She groaned hearing the nickname Bonnie used for her come out of Isiah's mouth. "That's unbecoming, Fawnie."

"You're unbecoming, 'Siah," He hugged her tightly, "I missed you too, you oaf." Once Isiah let go, she hugged Jeremiah. "So nice to see you."

Jeremiah was far gentler than his son, "I'm glad you're okay, Fawnie Rose." Jeremiah excused himself as the old friends spoke.

"You've gotta come back to Small Heath soon, Tommy gave Finn the old family car so we can drive around town now," Isiah's excitement was contagious, she found herself grinning at the thought of running around town like headless chickens again.

"I've got a better idea, we steal the Bentley for a few days, I'll drive so it won't get blown to bits." Isiah's face lit up upon hearing Fawnie agree immediately.

"Finn's going to lose it once he hears this," Isiah wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "Happy you're alright, Doe. It woulda been a shame to lose my favorite friend so soon."

She pushed him off of her, "As if, you're closer to Michael in age than any of us,"

"Michael's a mini-Tommy, he's no fun-- Oi! Finn come here!"

Fawnie used Isiah's moment of distraction to say hi to Bonnie who stood beside her, watching Isiah and Fawnie talk. "You okay?" She asked curiously.

"I'm okay, are you?" She nodded up at him and settled into his side once more.

Finn looked extremely suspicious once he made it over to them, "Wanna go for a ride, sister? I've got your favorite." It took Fawnie a second to understand what he meant before she nodded with a smirk.

"Finny, you didn't."

"I bloody did," He opened his jacket to display an opium pipe and some cigars. "Bring Bonnie too."

She looked at Bon, "Wanna smoke?" He agreed with a nod, "Finally some teenage fun for us, am I right?"