WARNINGS: MENTIONS OF WAR

1914

THE Shelby family home was a mess to put it lightly, the kitchen was packed, and the brothers were stuffing their faces, as had been ever since they'd enlisted, leaving little Finn to follow in their footsteps even though his stomach couldn't take it. Ada and Polly were whispering to each other, leaving Eden and Martha to worry whether the men were going to choke on their food.

Martha seemed to recognise the changes in Eden's body, and so did John surprisingly, the Shelby wife threatened her husband a few times so he wouldn't spill the beans.

"God, slow down would ya? The rest of us have to eat somethin'," Ada murmured, sitting down next to her brothers, "some more than others."

"What's that supposed to mean? We're soldiers at war," Arthur's voice was muffled by the toast in his mouth.

"Not yet you ain't," Eden retorted, wiping the crumbs from Finn's face.

"Exactly and I weren't talkin' 'bout you," Ada continued, missing the alertness on the women's faces, "pregnant women need more food than most."

"Ada!" Polly and Martha warned, just as the men's forks clattered against the table.

Eden tensed up, instantly feeling Tommy's eyes on her.

"What does pregnant mean?" Finn's innocent voice broke the silence.

Arthur snapped his head towards John, and cheered, "You and Martha 'avin' another one? well done."

"She ain't talkin' 'bout –" One glare from Martha, silenced John.

"Drop it." Martha snapped.

"What are you sayin'?" Tommy got up, just as Eden did, "Eden what's she sayin'?"

Eden sighed, "Nothin'."

Polly scolded her niece, "Adelaide, you and that bloody gob."

"What did you just say? Ada, you've never had a problem speakin' before," Tommy demanded, not taking his eyes off his woman, only to glance at her stomach.

Arthur and John each exchanged looks, but the latter continued to eat.

Ada frowned at his tone, "Pol said somethin' about a girl on a horse and Eden –"

"Ada!" Martha exclaimed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"What? Was it supposed to be a secret?" the Shelby girl went back to eating, now that her brothers stopped.

"What 'bout Edie?" Finn asked, very worried, "And whose horse was it? Not mine, Eros's gonna be alright —"

"— Finn, go upstairs," Polly ushered the pouting boy out.

Eden's breaths quickened, she needed to get out of the house, and the pressure was getting to her.

"Fuckin' 'ell, when I said Edie would 'ave his balls I knew it was a matter of time" Arthur chuckled, alongside John, both were quick to get a smack to the back of their heads from Martha.

"Fuck!" Eden raced out of the room, then out of the house, faintly hearing the sounds of Polly reprimanding her nephews, neglecting to see Tommy chasing after her.

The warm weather slapping against her face did nothing to cease the dread she felt.

"Eden, darlin' stop, runnin' in your state  —stop would ya?" even in heels he was stunned by how quickly she could escape his grasp.

"Just get it over with Thomas," she rushed out, senselessly palming her flat stomach. She couldn't turn around and look at him, worried about the expression on his face.

His brows pinched together, "Thomas? Fuck, is puttin' a baby in you so fuckin' awful that you're mad at me, takes two to make one, and you weren't complainin' about a bloody thing last time I checked."

He was still reeling from the news, he was gonna be a dad, a father, and have a child to protect love, feed, and provide for. It was happening and it was real and Eden wouldn't stop walking away, fuck.

"Would you just stop – come here Eden," he pulled her under a tunnel, away from prying eyes.

The eyes of small heath were everywhere.

He watched as she avoided his gaze, nervously playing with her fingers, whilst thinking of what to say. It was then he realized all the times she pulled away from him, the sensitivity of her body, how she flinched away when his hands caressed her breasts, her thickening hips and the glow kissing her skin, how she would throw up if the stench of booze was too much for her it all made sense and he was kidding himself before. Even when she allowed him to regift his mother's pendant, it was to protect the baby.

"Just tell me that you're done with me," she threw her hands up in the air.

"I'm what?"

"That you want me to get rid of it," she reiterated, panting slightly.

His face contorted from confusion to hurt, "What... you think..."

Her shoulder slumped, "What, it's not like you want to be a child now, you said it yourself last week."

"Have you not listened to a word I said? I want a family with you," he exacerbated.

"Those are just words, Tom," Eden's mind was drowning in a pool of dread, she missed the frown taking over his face.

Tommy scoffed, "Comin' from the wanna-be writer, seems a bit rich. I tell you I want to have a future with you and you think it's all lies? That's my baby in there too you know, I want you to have it, why on Earth do you think I would tell you to get rid of it?"

Eden shuffled back, "Because..."

"Because what? You jump to conclusions faster than I pull out a smoke, which you can't do for a while," he rushed out, trying to deduce how far along she was.

Fuck she needed a cigarette, "You want this, you sure?"

Tommy sighed, knowing it was her insecurities and anxiousness plaguing her brain, but it didn't hurt any less. He wanted her, the baby and nothing else.

So he gently pulled her against him, grabbing her chin, so she could see that truth floating in his eyes.

"Unclog your bloody ears, I want this baby, do you not want it? Is that why you're so up in arms about it."

She pouted, "I'm not up in arms."

He gestured all around them, "You ran out onto the fuckin' street."

"For exercise," she mumbled, accidentally inhaling his aftershave and surprisingly it didn't affect her.

A chuckle escaped him, "Liar."

"No, it's good for the pregnancy," she argued, despite wanting to smile.

"Is that what Pol's feeding you eh? I guess you told her before everyone else includin' the father of this little troublemaker?" she detected the slight irritation in his voice and felt worse.

"She just knew, my mum too," she meekly informed him, before he let out a deep sigh.

The realisation hit him, "Shit. You're mum knows, means your dad..."

"Won't kill you," she promised, settling her hands on his chest.

He clicked his tongue, "Not yet, but do you want this baby," he asked, silently curing himself for never doing it before.

And when Eden nodded he smiled.

"'Course I want the baby, I wouldn't 'ave been stressin' 'about ways to tell you if I didn't," she retorted, though she was happy he knew, it didn't settle the nervousness she felt.

"Thankin' Ada and her loud mouth for that one," he tried making light of the situation.

"But Tom, you're not gonna be here, all of you are leavin'. What am I gonna do?" she stressed, blinking rapidly.

"It's only until Christmas, come 'ere," his arms settled around her waist, "I'm gonna be there. For the both of you, no war will stop me from gettin' back to you. We'll 'ave that house, with the horses, ponds and studies. I'm gonna make it happen, y'know that alright?" he needed to her to have faith in not just him, them as a couple, their future, their family.

Eden hummed, looking down at her abdomen, "In the vardo, given' birth in the vardo."

"Yeah, the vardo, pushin' out our baby, fuck." His hands ran over her stomach as if to feel the baby growing beneath his fingertips, the feeling inside of him was indescribable, everything in that moment changed for him.

"Havin' a little me, that's what Polly says," she whispered, loving how in awe he looked.

Tommy couldn't stop smiling. He was going to have a daughter with the woman who owned his heart for years, it was all coming to plan. Now, he envisioned more babies in their future, his daughters wouldn't be married until they were thirty, and his sons, he wouldn't care as much but would protect them all the same.

If their daughter was anything like Eden, he'd be beating boys off with a club.

"Suppose we need more Shelby woman eh?" he murmured, keeping his hand on her.

"Too many men 'round 'ere," she joked and gradually her stress was fading.

"I'll make my way back to the two of you," he spoke low, pressing his forehead against hers, "but I need you to do somethin' for me."

"What is it?" She asked, quietly

"Next time, tell me first alright?" I wanna be the first to know.

She immediately understood his silent plea, "Alright."

Tommy's smile morphed into a grin, he didn't hesitate to pull her in for a kiss, pouring his love into it as his hand cupped the back of her head. Actions were louder than words, for the both of them, so Eden couldn't deny the indescribable feeling she felt as their lips moulded and tongues grazed each other. I love you, it was like every fibre of their beings absorbed the unspoken words.

Daring to pull back, Tommy was breathing deeply, "I need you to put your feet up, don't want you standin' until this little one's out, no doubt the rest of 'em are plannin' somethin' so I want you restin', next to me until they call on us'' she nodded rapidly, still dazed from the breathtaking kiss. "Eden, wanna know somethin'?"

"What?"

"You've made me the happiest man in the world, that's what."

"I know that," confidence took over her, it'd been missing for a while.

He raised a teasing brow, "Do you?"

A smile took over her face, matching his, "I do, now, let's get goin', unless you want to see Mrs. Granberry "

"Ah, that bloody woman."

That was another thing he was grateful for, he wouldn't have to see that woman for months if he was lucky.

So gathering Eden in his arms, he walked back to the Shelby family home, Eden, Tommy and their child-to-be.

—

The Shelbys piled into the Garrison, each as joyous and cheerful as the next.

The room was packed, but they would soon make themselves at home in the snug.

"What will it be?" Harry asked from behind the bar, as Arthur and John approached him.

"Whiskey, lots of it, keep 'em comin'." the eldest Shelby brother exclaimed, nodding to his aunt and sister-in-law as they disappeared into the snug.

"You lot celebratin'?"

"Yeah, we're celebratin' a big one," John wore a shit-eating grin, turning to his older brother, who stood behind Eden and softly rubbed her stomach, much to her amusement, "Our Tommy put a baby in there Harry."

"Holy Jesus," Harry's eyes widened, "Congratulations Mr Shelby, you too Miss Eden, no usual then?"

Eden shook her head, looking up at her boyfriend who smirked.

"Don't serve her for the next eight months, unless it's a clear glass of water," Tommy's tone was light-hearted, but they all knew he was serious.

"Yeah, yeah, come on," she dragged him into the snug, where the rest of the family were.

It wasn't long before more friends of the family entered, Freddie greeted them all, pressing a kiss to Eden's cheek, before laughing and hugging his best friend, overjoyed by the news. The Jesus' were next to join, Jeremiah made sure to whisper a small blessing to the happy couple, whilst Isaiah sat next to Finn, giggling about their plans to steal a pint of beer.

Eden knew Tommy wished that Greta was there, just like Freddie, the two men had a look in their eyes whenever they talked and it never went away. It didn't quite match hers, considering her closest friends were alive, only one didn't speak to her.

"'Ello Mr Dawkins, ya hear the news?" John laughed, slightly slurring his words as the Dawkins Patriarch walked in with his wife in his arms.

"I'm to be a grandfather, yes Jonathan I'm aware," Cecil received a few laughs, some nervous, the other drunk. He embraced his daughter, smiling down at the joy on her face.

Celestine was quick to pull her daughter in for a hug, even shedding a tear even though she knew her condition all along, and then sat on the stool next to Polly.

Tommy stood up and apprehensively approached Cecil, everyone watched the tense exchange.

Cecil rolled his shoulders back and eyed the man, before begrudgingly holding out his hand for Tommy to shake, which he did, allowing everyone else to exhale and continue the festivities.

"No threats from me Thomas, you know she'll ruin your life if you fuck her over."

"That she will!" John yelled, making them laugh.

Judging from the look on Eden's face, they were right with that assessment. Tommy saw Eden for who she was, some days she was his haven, but if he got on her bad side, she could be his worst nightmare.

"C'mon Tommy, put a ring on her finger," Arthur nudged his brother, once he sat down again.

"Once you Marry a Shelby, you stay fuckin' married," John drunkenly added, believing to be quieter than he was.

"Boys!" Celestine rolled her eyes at their language.

"You've said worse love," Cecil quickly raised his hands at the glare she sent him.

"He's not bloody wrong," Polly stated, remembering how her friend could curse at the wind if it got on her bad side.

Martha made sure to monitor the six-year-olds, luckily baby Katie was with her mother for the weekend.

"Mum drank with most of you" Arthur commented, looking at Eden who rested her head on Tommy's shoulder, "Mainly with John Boy."

"Explains a lot," Eden laughed, even when the man in question scowled.

John gasped, "Oi."

"Love ya."

"And what did she drink when she was 'avin' me?" Ada wondered aloud, leaning forward hoping to get a coherent response from her eldest brother.

"Smoked with you, must've what gave ya such a big mouth," Arthur joked, earning a few laughs.

"Oi," Ada bashfully smiled at her future sister-in-law, "and sorry Eden, I didn't know."

"It's alright," Eden would get back to her one day.

"Thought Tommy had bigger brains than that y'know?" that response caused the room to erupt into laughter.

"Watch it," Tommy playfully warned, snaking his arm around Eden's shoulder.

John clapped a hand on his brother's shoulder, "Tom's joined the Shelby dad's club."

"'Bout time you did," Arthur nodded, smiling at his younger brother as if to tell him he was going to be a good dad. Tommy smiled back, nodding in appreciation.

"Don't mess 'er about like John does me," Martha quipped, moving the pints away from the six-year-old menaces.

John pouted, "Leave it out Mar, I'm tryin'"

"Yeah, I know," she pressed a small kiss to his cheek, before getting up from her seat.

"We'll be feedin' an army with the Shelby sperm count," Arthur joked, then reeled back at the scolding looks he received from Polly and Celestine, who nodded to the children who were surprisingly paying attention.

"What's sperm Dad?" Isaiah questioned rather loudly, drawing snickering from Freddie and John.

"Nothin' son," Jeremiah tried hushing his boy, but he knew it wouldn't work.

Finn tilted his head to the side, "But what is it?"

"Boys, wanna play a game?" Eden interrupted, pulling their attention, "Whoever can count how many drinks your Uncle John has tonight wins."

"What?!" John suddenly realised what was happening, "I'm not gonna have that many."

"Okay," The two boys agreed, ignoring the world around them and just stared at John much to his annoyance.

Tommy smiled at how quickly Eden handled them, it made him wonder what type of mother she would be, but all he did know was that she wouldn't ruin their child, she was too perfect to do that.

He pulled away from Eden and decided to chat with Freddie, leaving her to talk to his sister.

"Jimmy let's go for a smoke, been itchin' for one a minute now," Cecil patted Jeremiah's back after they both sent appreciative looks to Eden for managing the boys.

The two men exited the room.

As Eden chatted away, Tommy's eyes tended to drift back to her stomach, almost like he would miss it swell if he looked away.

Polly approached him, nodding to Freddie and he knew to leave.

"You're gonna be better than your father," Polly stated definitively, following his gaze to where Eden was sitting.

"You can see that yeah?" Tommy's heart pounded in his chest, his aunt's praise meant a lot to him.

"Don't need tea leaves or dreams for that one," Polly pressed a kiss to his cheek, then patted over it," I'm proud of ya, you and your brother chose good ones."

Tommy couldn't help but grin, "We did."

"Christ, men and their drinks," Eden grimaced at how quickly Arthur could down a pint. She was never much of a drinker, because of the lightweight she was.

"Couldn't imagine workin' 'ere," Martha murmured, wondering how Harry did it.

"And you won't 'ave to love," John retorted, wiping his mouth.

"A woman workin' in the Garrison, that'll be the bloody day," Ada joked, sounding much like her aunt.

"Only women who would work 'ere are insane or spies," Eden added as Tommy came over to sit next to her.

"That's what you think love?" he teased, eyes dropping to her stomach once more.

She nodded, "That's what's what."

Throughout the night, singing began and ended, and the two six-year-olds drifted off to sleep, resting their heads on Ada's lap before being woken up by the banging of Arthur's hand. Polly didn't bother scolding him, she knew he wouldn't comprehend a bloody word she spoke.

Harry pulled open the hatch every so often, asking if more drinks were needed and obviously no one said no.

"I see you lookin' at Freddie," Eden whispered to the Shelby girl, whose eyes doubled in size.

Ada shook her head, "What, I wouldn't – I never."

She even glanced around, hoping no one could hear the exchange, luckily most of the men had vacated the space and the boys had drifted back to sleep.

"Calm down, I won't say anythin' 'bout your crush," Eden hoped that's all it was.

Ada swallowed the lump in her throat, "Promise?"

"Promise."

Tommy re-entered, immediately noticing the blush taking over his sister's face, he shot Eden a look, to which she mouth, don't worry. He held out his hand for Eden to take and she carefully manoeuvred herself around the table.

Taking them to the room in the bar of the back, Tommy didn't take his eyes off of her, watching the frown take over her face.

"What ya thinkin'?" he asked, his palms met her cheeks.

She leaned into his touch, "That I wish I could tell Enzo 'bout our daughter, I know Dotty could just let 'im know, but it won't be the same."

He nodded understandably, "'Ave you told her yet?"

"Not yet, been thinkin' 'bout how to do that and all," she didn't know how Dorris was going to react. "it won't take long, but with Enzo, it'll be a shot in the dark."

"And you can't shoot to save ya life," he mused, then winced at the pinch she gave him.

"But I can use a knife so watch it."

"Yeah, I know better than anyone what you can wield." he pinched her cheeks, making her laugh, "But just leave that to me, I'll make sure Changretta hears the good news."

Tommy would find a way to get the information to the youngest Changretta and only him, for Eden's sake.

She eyed him warily, "You sure?"

"There's a truce, my love, he'll know," he didn't say more on the matter.

She slowly nodded, "Alright."

"Y'know, there's somethin' I've been meaning to ask you," he said, smiling widely.

She mirrored his expression, "Oh really? And what's that?"

"You'll find out soon Mrs Dawkins." oh how he wanted to say, Mrs Shelby.

"Okay, Mr Shelby," she joked as their lips met again.

Back in the snug, it seemed the room was packed once more, everyone returned, but only some seemed to continue drinking, whereas the youngest members of the blended family were having a debate.

"It was sixty," Isaiah argued with his best friend.

"No it was fourteen," Finn tried holding up his fingers.

"Sixty? Fourteen? It's nine boys," Freddie was so confused about where they got their numbers from, "your uncle would die if he had that many."

"No drink is killin' me," John slurred, raising his head from the table as everyone else returned to their seats. "Not even a bullet can do that."

Arthur agreed, "Got that right John boy."

His loud voice caught his aunt's attention, "Settle down you two, like bloody kids."

"And ones got a bloody kid."

"For now," Ada teased the woman after Polly shot her an unreadable look.

The snug door opened, revealing a flustered Eden and Tommy.

John and Freddie cheered at the sight of them before getting hushed by Polly.

Tommy tugged Eden close and held up a drink, gesturing for everyone else to do so.

"Not one for speeches," he started.

"Liar," Ada scoffed, making the room laugh.

"Go on Tom," Freddie nodded to his best friend.

"Alright, here's to, expanding the Shelby family," everyone raised their drinks, and Arthur started clapping, clearly gone out of his mind, John banged on the table as he whistled, "And my Edie, she may be known as the delight of Small heath, that she is, but she's also the mother of our child and my future wife, so let's raise a glass to her, to Edie."

They all cheered, "to Edie."

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a/n:

the war apparently didn't start for the brits until august when they declared war on germany, however, i will send the boys off to war a bit earlier, I'm pretty sure that was normal.

also, i'm going to be doing double updates until the end because by the time this book is finished... another fan favourite one will be ready to update...