It's always been you- Tommy Shelby

18 - it's always been you

It had been eight hours since Lydia had gone into emergency surgery, the whole Shelby family had been and gone, yet Tommy remained. In the meantime, Ada had given birth to a baby boy, which Tommy hadn't even had the chance to process. His eyes were fixed on the doors that lead to the surgical rooms for the entire time since he had sat down, aside from the occasional pace of the corridor and running of his hands through his hair for the fiftieth time. 

The waiting room had emptied and filled many times as Tommy waited to hear the news on Lydia. Finally a tall doctor strutted into the waiting area with the news Tommy had been waiting to hear.

"Family of Miss Lydia Thorne?" The doctor asked. 

"Yes that's me!" Tommy blurted out.

"And you are?" The doctor questioned.

"...err... her husband" Tommy replied, knowing he wouldn't be allowed to see her if he wasn't family. "How is she?" Tommy asked impatiently.

"She lost a lot of blood, and we nearly lost her, but she's okay. The woman is lucky to be alive, I'll tell you that for sure, she's certainly a fighter." The doctor explained.

"That she is" Tommy nodded as he agreed and sighed in complete relief. "So can I see her?" He asked. 

"Yes, but she may still be drowsy from the anaesthetic, you're wife is in room fourteen." He replied. Tommy liked hearing Lydia being referred to as his wife.

As Tommy entered Lydia's hospital room he was able to breathe again, although she had a gash on her head that was stitched together, and her wrists were bandaged up and her cheek bone had a prominent bruise, Tommy no longer had to worry about losing the love of his life.

Her eyes were shut peacefully as she lay under a blanket, Tommy immediately sat in the chair beside her bed and held her frail hand. 

"You're safe now Lydia, I'll never let anyone hurt you again- I promise. I love you Lydia. I always have, it's always been you." Tommy whispered as he admired Lydia's beauty. 

Tommy sat for another hour, in which a nurse had come to change the bandages on Lydia's thigh, it was then when he saw the full extent of her injuries, and promised himself he'd protect her from harm.

Lydia groaned as she woke and shuffled in the hospital bed, Tommy's eyes immediately met hers, a subtle smile appeared on her face as she saw him. 

"You're awake? Are you okay? I'm so sorry Lydia, it was all my fault." He blurted out.

"I'm fine Tommy, your the reason I'm still alive." She replied.

"No, I'm the reason your in here." He argued. 

"Are you really trying to argue with me, just come here and kiss me." Lydia shook her head at him, almost laughing. Tommy smiled and stood, he gently kissed her lips. 

"I've got news." Tommy announced as he sat down, with Lydia's gently in his. "Ada had the baby, it's a boy." He explained. Lydia's face lit up at the announcement. 

"You're an aunt." Tommy added. 

"And you're an uncle." Lydia replied.

"Yes I suppose I am." 

Much to Tommy's dismay, Lydia had the doctor agree for her to be aloud home that evening as she was a nurse herself and claimed she could take of herself. Tommy refused to let Lydia walk, he didn't want her stitches on her leg to rip, he wheeled her in a wheelchair to the car; much to Lydia's embarrassment. As they drove they didn't speak much, yet Tommy had many questions he just didn't want to overwhelm her. 

Finally, they arrived on Watery Lane Lydia went to open her car door to step out, but Tommy was quick to pick her up instead, still not allowing her to walk.

"Tommy this is really unnecessary." Lydia groaned as she was carried into the house.

"You heard the doctor, you need to be on bed rest for the next three days." Tommy argued as he immediately started walking up the stairs with Lydia. 

"Yes, but they say that to everyone, it's just for precaution." She explained. 

"You promised you'd look after yourself if you were allowed home Miss Thorne, and it's my job to make sure you do so." He joked as he placed Lydia down on his double bed, she didn't question not being in her own bedroom, she wasn't going to complain about sharing a bed with him. 

"You need to rest now, can you at least not argue with me about that?" Tommy asked as he helped her dress into comfier clothes.

"Fine, but only if you stay with me?" Lydia requested as he placed one of his jumpers over her head.

"I can certainly do that." Tommy replied as he started to unbutton his shirt eventually leaving him in just his vest and boxer shorts. He climbed into the bed and allowed Lydia to curl into him.

He gently kissed her forehead, avoiding the stitches, allowing her to fall asleep in his arms. 

Lydia's woke to the other side of the bed empty and decided not to wait until Tommy came back to the bedroom to get up. The pain was immediate as she placed her feet on the floor, but that wasn't unexpected. 

She winced at the pain from her thigh as she stood up, as Lydia walked she had to hold the door frames and bannisters to keep her balance. Lydia gingerly made her way down the stairs and was exhausted by the time she got to the bottom. 

Walking into the kitchen, Tommy was quick to hear her footsteps and groans of pain. His eyes widened at the sight of her as he wished he had stayed upstairs with Lydia.

"What the bloody hell are you doing are you doing down here?" Tommy questioned, raising his voice slightly. 

"Thomas I'm fine I can handle myself, I'm a nurse for goodness sake, I can handle myself!" Lydia argued.