(Y/n) slowly made her way down the stairs. The house seemed as quiet as the grave, yet she still noted a light coming from under a door. The former teacher stopping as she stepped off the stairs. She knew that the light was coming from Tommy's office; that he must be burning the midnight oil, catching up on whatever work he needed to. (Y/n) making her way over to the door; the grumble from her belly, that had pushed her to leave her room in the first place, long gone, as she rested on her hand on the handle.

It was only right that she told him that she had every intention of going back to her grandparent's farm, the next day. That she believed that her presence had already caused more harm than good, and not just for Arthur. (Y/n) believing that despite her best intentions, her coming back to Small Heath, had just resulted in a feeling that salt had been thrown onto some still very open wounds.

Slowly, she reached up. Knocking just loud enough, so that the person on the other side of the door could hear. The breath catching in her chest, as she heard Tommy call out. (Y/n) swallowing at the large lump, that had instantly formed in her throat, before she pushed her way into the room. Doing her best to smile, as she saw the head of the family firm, sitting on the other side of his desk.

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

Tommy looked at the door, as he heard a knock. He hadn't realised that it had got so late. That he had been sat, alone, in his office for so long; but given that the sky outside was now dark, it was obvious that he had been lost in thought for some time. Tommy reaching for a cigarette, before calling out for the late night visitor to enter.

"(Y/n)..............?" He said, as she made her way into the room. The former school teacher holding up her hand, before he could say anything else.

"Please.............I just want to say sorry for what happened earlier. I should never have let my temper get the better of me. I should never have raised my voice and let Charles hear what I said. I have just found myself confused since I got here, as if I can no longer think straight. And I just wanted to let you know that I will be leaving tomorrow. I will say goodbye to Charles in the morning, and then I will be off to catch the first train out of Small Heath. I'm sorry, Tommy. But I can't stay............." The teacher explained, as she slowly raised her head to look at him. (Y/n) giving him a slight smile, before she headed back to the door.

"I spoke to your grandparents this morning." Tommy suddenly announced. (Y/n) turning back to look at him.

"What......why...........?"

"I called them to let them know that you wouldn't be back until after the New Year................."

"Why would you do that..............?" (Y/n) enquired. Her brows furrowed, as she moved to stand in front of the large desk.

"You are needed here................."

"I'm needed up at the farm too, Tommy. Do you know how old my grandparents are? They only have me.......they can't do all the things..........."

"I've offered to help them pay for any extra help that they might need. I told them that I will pay for all the feed that the animals will need................"

"That's not the point. You can't just take it upon yourself to do that. I told you when we were up in Cumbria, that I had no intention of staying long. That I would be going home before Christmas. That was the deal. You have no right to go behind my back and do such things. You can't control my life, Tommy. It is up to me to make those calls. Up to me to decide whether I want to stay or not. Will I miss Charles, yes......will I regret not getting to see Polly and Ada, yes............will I miss you..........of course. Will........will I miss Arthur............yes, with every fibre of my being. Lord knows I want to think that he would never do what he did, again; but I don't know if your brother has it in him to be with just one woman. Whether he could forget about all those women that he seems to like, and settle for just one, ordinary, boring school teacher. But that is what I need. So, I don't care whether you have called my grandparents or not. I am going home................" (Y/n) retorted angrily. Pushing the tears from her cheeks with the heels of her palms, before quicky making her way out of the room. Tommy not sure if there was anything that he could do to make her change her mind. The sound of the front door closing with a loud bang, telling him that (Y/n) had made her way out into the night. The head of the Shelby firm deciding that he should perhaps see if he could talk to his brother. Sure, that Arthur was the only one that would be able to get her to remain in Small Heath, now.

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

(Y/n) made her way out of the house, pulling on her coat as her covered feet hit the snow. Now she was angry at not only Arthur, but also Tommy. And in truth, she wanted to be angry at neither. It was good of Tommy to offer to pay for help, for the animals feed; but as she said, he had no right to make these decisions behind her back. He couldn't just play with her life like this, it wasn't fair. None of this was fair, but when had life ever been fair. No, life was what you made it. And she had to make something of hers...........

Slowly she made her way out into the night. Her surrounding brightened slight, by the deep snow that lay all around her. She didn't know where she was going; she knew that it probably wasn't safe, but she needed time to calm her anger. To try and quiet this battle that was raging between her heart and mind. The voices that were not only screaming at her to go, but also to stay.

As she pulled her coat a little tighter around her, she noticed something........another light. But not one in a room of the house, no; this one was in one of the outbuildings. Somewhere that a light shouldn't be, especially at that late hour. (Y/n) looking back for a moment, wondering whether it would be best to go back and tell Tommy. But something inside her, told her to push on alone. To go and investigate without Tommy. (Y/n) trusting her instincts and making her way down to the old structure.