Inspired by the song 'Die with a smile' by Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga.

There were not many people that would think that Alfie Solomons would ever doubt himself; ever second guessed himself. Not many that would believe that he had moments of weakness. Moments when he questioned why he had survived the war and everything else he had been through, while so many others hadn't. But he did. Not that really anyone was allowed to see those moments; after all, the baker had a fearsome reputation to uphold, and he had his pride. He was Alfie fucking Solomons and he wasn't about to allow others, especially those that worked for him, with him, or against him, to think that he was anything less than the repute that he had built up. Yet she saw it. She had seen all those moments; been there to hold him when he had a nightmare like so many other men would, after what they had faced during the war. When he let down his guard and showed that he was no superhuman being, just a simple, imperfect, and flawed man like any other. And tonight........tonight was one of those times. Tonight, he had had one of those dreams. Dreams that, even though he would never tell her properly about then, she was sure were about the trenches; about all the men that he watched, die. Alfie now sat in the bed, his head in his hands, his hair damp with sweat.

Slowly she moved. She knew that it was best to not make a loud noise or shift too quickly at times like this. She had experienced Alfie striking out when still in those moments; the big man apologising over and over again, when he had nearly hit her once. Her hand coming to rest delicately on his shoulder. Her heart breaking as she felt her beloved Alfie tremble, as if he were a scared child.

"Alfie............."

"Why do ya fuckin bother with me, (Y/n)..........? Ya should get out while ya can. Ya deserve better. Ain't no fuckin lovin a man like me. I'm a fuckin monster......." The man from Camden Town, shoving her hand from his shoulder. (Y/n) letting out a heavy sigh, hoping that she wouldn't have to go through this again; but it appeared that whatever he had dreamt, had not only made him question himself, but her love for him too. Yet this time, this time she was not going to let him push her away for weeks on end; she was not going to let him ignore her, until he came to his senses. No, this time she was going to set him straight. And woe betide if he didn't listen.

"Now, you listen to me, Alfred Solomons, and you listen well........" (Y/n) began, as she moved from his side and straddled his lap, pulling his hands from his face and forcing him to look up at her.

"You are not the only one here that has nightmares. When you are working late, gone up to Birmingham to deal with the Shelby's, or anywhere else I can't be with you, I have dreams where you die; where I lose the man I love, and there is nothing I can do to stop it. Nothing I can do but watch as you bleed to death, while some invisible force holds me back; ignoring as I beg, as I scream for it to let me go. And then, when I wake and realise that it was nothing more than an awful dream, I swear to whatever god may be listening, that nothing, and no one will ever keep us apart in this world. That wherever you go, I will be right by your side; because none of us knows when our last day on earth will be, so I want to spend as much time as I can with you, while I can. I will lay with you in this bed and love you as long and as hard as I can so that if I wake in front of my maker, instead of in your arms; I will at least have died in the most wonderful way possible.........." (Y/n) continued. Alfie looking up at her, wide-eyed. The big Londoner having no idea that she so feared losing him. Her finger touching his lips, as he went to say something.

"No, Alfie. This is my moment, and I need you to hear me. I don't want anyone else, and I could never love anyone else like I love you. If I found out tomorrow that the world was going to end, that all this would be over; all I would want is to spend those last moments, in your arms; feeling your warmth, hearing your voice. For if it all became nothing; if it all turned to dust, at least I would die with a smile on my face and love in my heart; and who can ask for more than that. You are everything to me, Alfie. Whatever happened in your dream, it is not real; this is real, me and you, here and now, this is real. The love that I have for you, is real; me putting up with all your bullshit, is real. Me worrying about you, every damn time that you step out of that front door, is real, you silly, silly man. And I am still here, because there is no one else in this world, that I want. And even if you are a monster, you are my fucking monster. So, get this through your thick skull, Solomons, you are stuck with me; for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health; I will stand by my vows, and by you no matter what this world throws at us........." Alfie's mouth now agog at her words; able to tell that his beautiful wife was doing all she could to not let the tears that were filling her eyes, fall. That she was doing her best to be strong for him. And as she moved her hands to let her fingers softly touch his face, Alfie knew that there were no words that could adequately express how much he loved her; how grateful he was to God, that she was in his life and had no intention of leaving him. The Londoner letting his actions speak for him, as he pulled her close and kissed her. Slowly turning them both, so that he was now over her; a deep growl leaving his lips, as she wrapped her legs around his waist, and he pulled the nightgown from her shoulders. Alfie determined that if this was to be their last night on earth, then they were both going to die with that smile on their face.