make sure you've read 21 and 22 before you read this chapter!!!

The colour black is a symbol of many things. It hides sins, it makes deals with the devil and it clothes the grim reaper when the time comes. It's a colour awash with death, no matter how hard one may try to scrub it clean. As Florence stood beside her husband, both of them dressed head to toe in black, that's all she felt crawling across her skin, death.

Over a week had passed since Imelda's death, and Florence had experienced every emotion imaginable. She was understandably sad most days, and then some days she was angry, she'd go into the woods to hunt alone, and return with few words. Elijah could see the pain, he just didn't know how to make it better, all he wanted was to make it better.

Daisy was blissfully unaware, as a tiny newborn she didn't have the ability to comprehend what had happened. It would just be a tale that would one day be told when she asked why the other children at school had grandparents on both sides of the family, but she didn't.

Florence and Elijah stood at the gates to the chapel with baby Daisy in her pram, just outside of the Harrington estate, welcoming guests to Imelda's funeral. Florence had contemplated the idea of giving her mother a gypsy funeral, given that she had grown up around the culture. But in her heart she believed her mother deserved to be laid to rest in a place where angels came to rest, because that is exactly what Imelda was.

Half the guests were customers of Imelda, who thought of her fondly and adored her gentle temperament, there were of course the Harringtons, who appeared devastated yet eager to step in and help with Daisy when they heard the news.

"The car's taking us straight from the church, isn't it?" Florence asked as the pair waited for the next few guests to arrive.

"That's right," Elijah nodded, "We should be in London by the evening."

"That's good," Florence nodded, interlocking her hand with his.

"She'd be proud of you, for putting yourself first," Elijah assured her.

"I suppose," Florence whispered, gripping Elijah's hand as she spotted the Shelby contingent making their way towards the chapel.

"Florence," Polly sighed as she reached the girl, wrapping her in an embrace, "I am so sorry."

"Thank you, Pol," Florence muttered, reminded of what Imelda had said as she died, hoping Polly could provide some insight, "Can we talk after the service?"

"Of course," Polly nodded, before letting go of the girl and turning to Elijah.

The truth was, Florence and Elijah hadn't told many people about their plans to leave Birmingham. Margaret and Richard knew, given that it was their house the couple planned to live in. Florence just hadn't managed to tell Polly or anyone else from the Shelby family, knowing the efforts they would go to in order to change her mind.

"Hello, Ada," Florence whispered, wrapping the girl in a hug, "Thank you for coming."

"It's okay, and I hope you're okay," Ada replied, unsure of what else to say before letting go.

John and Esme came next, both hugging the girl and wishing her well before turning their attention to Daisy and then Elijah. It was obvious that despite how much they all loved Imelda, none of them knew what to say, because anything they had to say about how great the woman was, Florence already knew.

"Flo," Arthur smiled nervously as he hugged the girl, "She was an incredible woman."

"Thank you, Arthur," Florence whispered as she clung to him, "Don't tell the others, but you were always her favourite."

The pair shared a small laugh and a smile as they pulled apart, leaving just one person, the person Florence had dreaded laying eyes on, knowing how much it would ache to see him. She had few words for the man, because she still blamed him for his part in the events that caused her mother's death. She had considered banning him from the funeral, but she thought better, because she knew that it would raise questions, and above all, Imelda would've wanted him there.

"Florence." Tommy nodded, not wanting to make a fuss, but aware of the prying eyes that surrounded them both.

"Tommy." Florence replied, glancing at Elijah who was talking to Polly.

"Thank you for coming," Florence muttered, with not much else to say.

"Flo, are you ready?" Elijah came to her side as Tommy moved on to join the rest of his family, "It seems that everyone is here."

"I'm not sure if ready is the right word, but I just want this all to be over," Florence replied as he took ahold of her hand and squeezed it as she noticed the absence of Daisy's pram, "Where's Daisy?"

"Polly's looking after her," Elijah gestured up the path towards the members of the Shelby family walking into the chapel, Polly pushing Daisy's pram, "She offered so that I could focus on you."

"Thank you," Florence smiled half heartedly as the pair strolled up the path towards the chapel.

As they reached the open double doors Florence felt her heartbeat quickening. Each side of the aisle was filled with people Florence knew, and people who adored Imelda. At the front of the small church was Imelda's light wood coffin, which was covered in bouquets of yellow and white flowers, with daisy chains scattered across.

"If you need anything, you just squeeze my hand, alright?" Elijah assured the girl as they walked down the aisle, the weight of the gazes that surrounded them were heavy.

"Good morning," The priest spoke as he stood at the altar once everyone was seated, "Thank you for joining us today to celebrate the life of Imelda Dawson, a mother, best friend and grandmother, now to start our service we will be singing one of Imelda's favourite hymns, Abide With Me."

Once the hymn had been sung, everyone sat down and Florence knew that it was time for her to give her eulogy. She had been assured that she didn't have to speak at the funeral if she thought that it would make her emotional. But after dwelling on it, she concluded that the world deserved to know just how wonderful her mother was.

As Florence approached the altar, she felt her hands tremble when her eyes found her mother's coffin before she quickly returned to looking at the people who were sitting in the pews, wishing the ground would swallow her up.

She took out the piece of paper from her left pocket, keeping the envelope that sat in her right pocket safe, knowing she'd need it later before she began to read, "Many of you know Imelda for different reasons, she might have been your neighbour, your dressmaker, your friend, but to me she was my mother, and that makes me the luckiest person in the world."

Florence could feel a lump forming in her throat as she searched the crowd for a reassuring smile, only to be met with Tommy's piercing blue eyes. She quickly returned her attention to the paper in her hand, hoping to finish talking as swiftly as she could.

"My mother had it tougher than most, becoming a mother at fourteen alone, with no sense of what the world had to offer her, but she wasn't truly alone," Florence continued, looking up from her page and finding Polly in the crowd, "Because she had her best friend by her side through it all. To be raised by one strong woman is a privilege, to be raised by two strong women, that's my strength."

Florence's eyes began to well up as the memories of her childhood ran through her mind while she attempted to focus on the eulogy, "We didn't have much when we were growing up, but we had love. My mother was more of a big sister than anything, she helped me see the world for what it is, while showing me the parts of it to avoid."

Polly was already in tears as she gazed down at little Daisy asleep in the pram, touched by Florence's words, still devastated by the loss of her best friend.

"There aren't enough words to express just how incredible my mother was. Everyone keeps telling me how proud she was of me, the truth is, I was proud to be her daughter. She was the best woman I've ever known, and if I could be half the mother she was to me to my little girl, I'll be doing something right," Florence spoke as tears began to escape her eyes, "I'll see her in the way Daisy smiles, I'll see her in the way Polly keeps the boys in line, I'll see her in the way that the boys think before doing something stupid."

Florence smiled through her tears, looking up to see Arthur, John and Tommy, all with bittersweet smiles, "I'll see her in the way she taught our Finn to treat women, I'll see her in the way Elijah cares for our little girl."

"But most importantly," Florence muttered, taking a large breath as tears stained her cheeks, "I'll see her in the way I raise my daughter to be just as fearless, resilient, and brave as she taught me to be."

Without another word to offer the room, Florence made her way back to her seat, sitting beside Elijah as he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into his side as he whispered, "I'm so proud of you."

The service continued as expected, some more hymns were sung, George did a reading, the priest said some poignant words and then it was time for Imelda's coffin to be buried. Elijah, George, Tommy, Freddie, John and Arthur carried the coffin out of the church on their shoulders, while Florence clung to Polly as she pushed Daisy's pram.

As everyone surrounded the grave, with Imelda's coffin positioned beside it, Elijah returned to his wife's side as Polly prepared to say a few words. The priest gave her the nod and she made her way forward to stand beside Imelda's coffin.

"The world lost one of its best souls when we lost Imelda, and I mean that with every ounce of my being. She was the best friend I could've asked for, when we met I was the young gypsy girl who no one wanted to talk to, but she saw me, and by asking me to be her friend she gave me so much more love than she ever knew," Polly said as she held back the tears, trying her best to appear composed, "She was the best thing that ever happened to me, and I will never forget the laughs we shared and the tears we cried."

"I don't know where you are, Imelda, but I know it'll be someplace good," Polly continued as Florence felt her eyes welling up again at Polly's beautiful words, "Because you were the best of all of us, and I know you'll be looking over us, proud of Florence, proud of Daisy, and I hope you'll be proud of me in the way that I've always been proud of you."

Polly glanced at Florence, both women overcome with tears before crouching down beside the coffin, kissing her fingertips and pressing them against the wood before whispering, "Sleep tight darling girl."

The priest stepped forward as the ushers began to lower the coffin into the ground, "We now commit Imelda's body to the grave, and we pray that her soul will continue to live eternally, amen."

"Amen." The group answered back before slowly dispersing, most people seeming ready to retreat to the nearest pub.

"Will you watch Daisy for a moment?" Florence looked up at Elijah, before glancing down at the little girl who was wide awake in the pram, "I need to speak to Polly."

"Of course," Elijah smiled, kissing the top of her head, "Take as long as you need."

Florence's her way through the cemetery towards the bench that Polly had already retreated to, the woman offering Florence a cigarette as she sat down.

"Thank you," Florence smiled as she took the cigarette and allowed Polly to light it.

"That was a beautiful service," Polly told her, squeezing the girl's hand.

"I'm leaving, Pol," Florence muttered, knowing that if she didn't say it then, she probably never would, "Elijah, Daisy and I."

"Where will you go?" Polly asked as Florence glanced across the cemetery, finding Tommy in amongst the crowd.

"London," Florence answered, preparing to drop the second bombshell, "To find my brother."

"So, she told you?" Polly remarked, having spent the last week wondering whether it would've been something Imelda might have told the girl.

"As she was dying, she told me I had a brother in London, that's all," Florence explained.

"You do have a brother, he lives in London, his father died in France," Polly told the girl, "The truth is, Florence, your grandparents were reluctant enough to let your mother keep you when you were born, so when she got pregnant two and a half years later, she had to make a choice. They told her she could keep you or the unborn child. She chose you and when he was tiny your brother was sent to live in London."

"Was he adopted?" Florence asked.

"Yes, by a middle class family who were unable to have children of their own," Polly explained, "Your mother called him James, but I don't know if he'd have kept that name, or even if he's still in London."

"But it's worth a try," Florence whispered, "He's my family."

"He is."

"So what does everyone think happened?" Florence asked.

"Your grandparents told everyone he died during childbirth," Polly explained, "You were only little, but I'm sure the boys remember your mother being pregnant, but because they believe he died they never dared to mention it."

"I'll find him, Pol," Florence smiled, "It's what Mum would've wanted."

"I'm sure she'd be so proud of you, Flossie," Polly smiled, taking the girl's hand in hers, "Just don't be a stranger."

"I could never," Florence whispered, wrapping her arms around Polly, "I'll write to you, and we'll visit."

"I wouldn't blame you if you never wanted to see Tommy again," Polly sighed as she held onto the girl.

"In the days that followed my mother's death I've thought about what I'd say to him, but words failed me," Florence whispered, pulling away as she retrieved the envelope from her pocket that had been burning a hole in the fabric since she placed it there, "I can't face the idea of telling him that we're leaving, would you give him this for me?"

"Of course, my darling," Polly nodded as she took the envelope from Florence's hands.

"I'll see you soon, Pol," Florence whispered, wrapping her arms around Polly once again, "She was proud of you, and she loved you so much, Pol."

Without another word, Florence stubbed out her cigarette and returned to Elijah's side before the pair made their exit quietly from the cemetery, just as Tommy joined Polly at the bench.

"How is she?" Tommy asked as he sat beside Polly on the bench.

"She's well, all things considered," Polly answered, blaming Grace for Imelda's death, but also Tommy for trusting Grace.

"Is Daisy alright?" Tommy replied.

"I believe so," Polly told him before handing over the sealed envelope, "She gave me this, for you."

"What is it?" Tommy asked.

"Well, I'd argue that it's a letter," Polly sighed as she stood up, "Just read it."

Tommy watched Polly walk away from him, returning to John, Arthur and Ada. He could ignore the letter, that'd be easier and probably less painful, but he knew that he needed to know what it said. He needed to know what Florence thought, he didn't want her to hate him. So he carefully tore the envelope open and unfolded the sheet of paper, covered in her delicate handwriting, and her familiar scent of perfume even lingered on it.

Dearest Thomas,
You know better than anyone that I hate goodbyes, and I've had enough of them to last me a lifetime. It's been over a year since you returned from France and on that first night back at the Garrison when we kissed, I vowed that I'd never lose you again, but I was so wrong.

We clearly want different things from the world, and the things that I want don't exist in Birmingham anymore. I do believe if we had tried we could've been happy together, raising Daisy as a proper little family, but perhaps I should've listened when people would say Tommy Shelby isn't the marrying type. I've found my own place to call home with Elijah, who I care for deeply, and perhaps one day I will love him the way he loves me.

I can't stay in Birmingham, which is why I've written you this letter, because seeing the look on your face when we said goodbye before you left for France lives in my mind eternally, and I can't see that again. I also know you and I know you would try and convince me to stay, but now that my mother is gone, there is nothing to keep me in this city.

Loving you was never a mistake, but I'm still trying to decide whether losing you was a mistake. We are two halves when we're apart, but perhaps that's better for us both.

You will always mean the world to me, regardless of the hurt you've caused me. I just think it's time for me to do the one thing that neither of us have been brave enough to do.

All my love,
Your Florence x

author's note: the end of volume one!
but it's not where this story ends...in fact it's just begun. our next volume won't start the way you expect it to, in fact there'll be a time jump to another season...want to make a guess?