"You're blood lucky you didn't get yourself killed!" Polly shouted as I appeared in the kitchen with Finn, a popping sound announcing our presence.

I wasn't sure who she was talking to but she sure made the both of us feel guilty.

"Sorry, Aunt Pol," Finn said, the tears he'd shed at the hospital still running down his face.

"You're lucky Romy was were to get you, Finn, it was bloody stupid of you to go off like that when there's a man, a wizard no less, trying to hurt Romy. Don't you think he'd go after you to get to her?" It was clear that Polly was angry, but she didn't know what Finn had witnessed and I felt bad for the boy.

"It's alright, Polly, he understands," I told her, resting my hand on her shoulder and giving her a warning look. She must have sensed that something happened as she gave a firm nod and stepped away. "Finn, why don't you head on upstairs, run yourself a bath and I'll be up to talk to you when you get out."

Finn followed my instructions and once he left the kitchen I cast a silencing charm on the room, knowing that she'd overreact to what I was about to tell her.

"You weren't gone for long but Newt disappeared to get Phineas as soon as you left. Something happened. Finn was crying and you look shaken," Polly said, placing her hands on the back of the chair as she looked at me.

"You were right," I said, pulling a chair out and dropping down into it with a heavy sigh. "Sebastian was going to use Finn to get to me."

"He was there!" Ada shouted, covering her mouth before realising I'd cast a silencing charm.

"He turned up just after I arrived. He was going to hurt Finn to get to me. He didn't even spare me a second before he threw a curse at Finn, I'm damn lucky I have fast reflexes. You know he tried to kill me," I said finally letting the duel sink in. I was so close to possibly dying. To leave Thomas-J without a mother and breaking Tommy's heart by leaving him too, would destroy me. "If Louis hadn't thrown one of his knives it would have been me dead instead of Sebastian."

"So he's dead then?" Polly asked, the relief in her voice clear. At my nod, she gave a small smile before moving away from the table and over to the door. "I'm going to have a word with Finn. Thank you for saving him."

"You don't have to thank me, Polly. Finn is my family too. I'd do anything to protect him."

I had a hard choice to make - did I want to stay here in nineteen-seventeen with Thomas-J and the hopes that Tommy would make it back from the war or did I want to return to twenty-forty-seven where my family was?

In the life I had now, I had a son and a man that was sweet and loved me even through my flaws - I had hope it would last and wasn't based on a hope that he'd make it out of the war alive. There was a family that needed me and I needed them just as much. I had Newt in my life and while I had older brothers in my original timeline, there was something in the relationship I had with Newt that I never really had with my other siblings.

Against the odds, I hadn't really suffered while in this timeline - besides losing Merry - I'd actually gained things I'd never be able to have in the future. I would have no Thomas-J and I would have no Tommy and I wasn't sure I wanted that.

The time turner Sebastian had didn't have the spell Aunt Hermione cast. I was able to travel to whenever I wanted, past or future.

I was tempted to travel back to the future but a year or so further along my timeline to see how my family would cope without me, but the temptation of speaking to them again was too tempting.

Instead, I placed the time turner into a small wooden jewellery box and cast some charms on it to prevent anyone but me from opening it. I didn't want it falling into the wrong hands, not if it could cause damage as it had with Sebastian.

"Newt," I called, tapping on his room as I hovered in the hallway. "Can I ask you to do something for me?"

"I've been looking for a Niffler and I was sure there was one in the garden the other day," he muttered writing away in his journal as I opened the door. He waved me in and flicked his wand at the door, no doubt casting a silencing charm. "What can I help you with?"

"I need you to keep hold of this and only give it back to me if I really need it," I told him, placing the box on the desk next to him.

Newt glanced down at it, his eyebrows raising as he looked down at the tiny box and the powerful charms coming off it.

"Do I want to know what's in it?"

"Something dangerous. I don't want to be responsible for something that can change the world, Newt. I trust that you'll look after it for me."

"That seems a lot to trust someone with," he muttered, giving me a puppy dog look as he glanced back up to me.

"I wouldn't trust anyone but you, Newt," I told him, leaning down and pressing a kiss to his cheek. His cheeks turned pink at the affection, he didn't normally like the physical contact but after knowing him for about a year, I'd managed to slip my way into his heart and into his personal space bubble.

30th October 1917

Dear Thomas,

I'm writing this to you the night before Thomas-J's birthday.

I've recently had a lot to deal with and have had to make a choice that would affect my and Thomas-J's life forever.

I've been given the opportunity to leave Small Heath and with it a safe home for Thomas-J with plenty of opportunities for him in his future. With this choice, it would mean saying goodbye to you. No writing, no possibility to see you when the war ends. Nothing.

I don't think I ever want that in my life.

Although I could have given Thomas-J the future he deserves full of a warm, comfortable home, money to shower him in and the love of a family, I would never leave Small Heath.

This is where my family is.

I have you if you still wish to be mine when the war ends.

I already have a family and so does Thomas-J. Why would we want to leave when we have everything we could want and need here?

I hope that when you return to us safe from the war you will want to create a family with us. I long for you to become the father Thomas-J needs and I hope beyond anything that this is what you wish for too.

If I didn't have Thomas-J in my life I would have thought about leaving but part of me would always be wondering about you.

I've come to the conclusion that petty things such as money and material things don't matter as long as I have you in my life.

They say love makes you do stupid things.

Know that I love you with everything in my heart and I will be dreaming and wishing for your safe return until you are in my arms.

Love you, Thomas Shelby, always and forever,

Andromeda xx

Polly said I wasn't allowed to do anything big for Thomas-J's birthday so we were having a small gathering at the house and a little tea party to celebrate.

I baked him a cake, a victoria sponge with a layer of jam and cream, Ada had been making sandwiches and Newt had gotten a lot of wizard food like pumpkin pasties, cauldron cakes and some pumpkin juice.

We started out the morning with pancakes - the go-to breakfast for any celebration - and the unwrapping of presents, which consisted of each of the children unwrapping their own gifts they got for Thomas-J.

Ada was filming everything, the camera zooming in on everything and trying to capture the smiles on Thomas-J's face as he was presented with each new toy. It was cute that John's children were taking one of their old toys and passing it on to Thomas-J.

I hadn't really gotten him a present, just a photo album which held a couple of photographs of Merry while she was pregnant, something I could show him when I mentioned her to him. There were also copies of the photographs we'd sent to Tommy, John, and Arthur, photographs of our family.

There was also a photograph of Tommy, John, and Arthur, one of the last photographs taken of the three of them.

"Happy birthday to you," I sang, as Polly placed the cake with one candle in front of Thomas-J. I had to laugh as he tried to reach out for the flame and I pulled him back. "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday, Thomas-J, happy birthday to you."

"Yay!" we all called, clapping lightly as I helped him blow out the candle.

"I got you something, Thomas-J," Newt said, fumbling for something in his pocket and pulled out a cute teddy of a Niffler.

"Where did you get this, Newt?" I asked looking at the one of a kind teddy.

"I, umm, had a friend make it for me," he muttered, his cheeks reddening as the attention was drawn to him.

"I have a present too," Phineas said, placing a large box on the table. Polly looked at it with distrust before glaring at Phineas. I hesitantly pulled the box towards us, lifting Thomas-J as I pulled the blue bow from the box, and letting the lid slide off the box and up popped a puppy. It was a pure white puppy, unlike any breed of Jack Russell or Crup I had ever seen. The forked tail was already removed, which would be a plus for us since we lived in a Muggle town.

"No." Polly was completely against it. And I was expecting her to be. While she thought this was a normal puppy, she didn't know that this was actually a Crup.

"Aren't Crups banned in Muggle-inhabited areas?" I asked, lifting the pup from the box and lifting her in the air. "I thought they were ferocious towards Muggles."

"Well, that's true ..." Phin trailed off but gave a laugh at Polly's glare. "Their scents all over the house and they live here, she'll treat them like she treats you." There was something Phineas wasn't telling me. There was this look in his eyes, one that told me he was either avoiding it or didn't want to speak about it with so many people.

"What makes you think buying a puppy is a good idea for a one-year-old? Magical dog or not!" Polly snapped, leaning on the table and glaring at Phineas.

"No, it's alright, Polly," I said, waving her off. I knew Phineas' intentions and it was all good. "Crups are very loyal and protective of their wizards. He only means to find a way to protect Thomas-J."

"I'll train her if you want, Polly," Newt offered, no doubt trying to find a way to keep another creature in the house.

"Does she have a name?" That was Polly's way of agreeing to have her here. Not that she shoudl get the last say, it was my bloody house.

"Not yet, no," Phineas said, rubbing at his chin as Polly gave him that 'you're in my bad books and yet you keep on talking' look.

"Nova," I said, bringing her close and letting Thomas-J see her. "We'll call her Nova."

Nova didn't struggle in my grasp, her head was tilted to the side as she looked at Thomas-J, waiting to see what the baby would do. He peered at her curiously, his hand rising up and reaching out for her. Nova tilted her head forward, her nose touching against his hand which brought out a giggle from him and he pulled his hand back and started clapping.

"Ya ya!" he babbled smiling up at me as he reached out for Nova again.

As the night came upon us, Thomas-J began to grow tired and I thought it best to settle him down to sleep.

After saying good night to everyone and leaving with a small wave from Thomas-J, we headed upstairs where I changed him into his pyjamas and cuddled him to my chest as I rested in the rocking chair in the corner of his room.

"Blackbird singing in the dead of night. Take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life. You were only waiting for this moment to arise," I sang softly, running my fingers over his ear as he snuggled closer to my chest. "Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these sunken eyes and learn to see. All your life. You were only waiting for this moment to be free." I timed my rocking with the tune of the song, hoping it would help him drift off to sleep. "Blackbird fly, blackbird fly. Into the light of a dark black night." I hummed the chorus again, smiling softly at how quickly he'd managed to drop off to sleep.

Rising from the rocking chair, I pressed a kiss to his head before settling him into his bed and covering him with his blanket. I made sure his Niffler teddy was at the bottom of his bed next to his dragon teddy, both gifts from Newt.

"Goodnight, my Little Bird," I whispered, turning on his nightlight and leaving his door slightly ajar.

As I came downstairs, I was surprised to see a pile of presents on the table as everyone was still waiting in the kitchen.

"Why are you still here?" I asked, frowning at them as I joined them at the table.

"We celebrated Thomas-J's birthday but now we're celebrating your's," Ada said in a voice that made me feel like she was talking to a five-year-old.

"Oh." Yes. I had completely forgotten that it was my birthday too. Don't ask me how. I was too focused on Thomas-J to remember that I shared a birthday with him. "I don't need anything, I've got you lot and that's enough for me."

"Don't be daft," Polly said, pushing a box towards me with a smile. "Open your presents."

An hour later, Polly sent the children up to bed and Phineas was talking to Newt who was playing with Nova.

Polly was in her room having retired after a glass too many of firewhiskey and Ada was already asleep having passed out after her first glass.

"Romy," Phineas said, coming and taking my hands in his. Surprisingly he wasn't drunk. It seemed he brought the firewhiskey round to sweeten Polly up. "I've been meaning to tell you something."

"Phineas, I care about you, I really do, but I see you more as a brother," I teased, pushing his shoulder as he glared at me. "You gave me an opening and I was taking it."

"That's not what I'm talking about." He glared down at me before pulling a thick black book from within his coat. "Did you know that your Shelby's are related to the Black family?"