"Keep on chasing down that rainbow
You'll never know what you might find
Over the sunset on the horizon
Maybe you dream but it tastes like poison"
Noel Gallagher - AKA... What a life
Robert stood motionless in front of the fireplace trying to take in what was happening. Mary was sat on the chaise lounge speechless, for what seemed like the first time in her existence, Matthew and Lavinia sat next to her looking bewildered as to what had overcome the Crawley family. Edith was staring at the door whilst her mother, Cora, was sat in the chair with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes. Grandma Violet, again not one to be left dumbstruck, was readjusting her glasses to see if her aging eyes were playing tricks on her. They weren't. The figure that was attracting so much attention was a young man of the age of 30. He had short red hair, slightly spiked up and dressed head to toe in a smart army uniform. If only slightly more eye catching than his red hair were his beautiful sapphire eyes and the broad smile attached to his face. After 6 long years, he had finally made it. However, the reaction he had received was not the one he'd been looking for.
"I… I don't understand" said Robert, furrowing his brow.
"Neither do I" stated Matthew, "Would somebody please explain what is going on?"
Mary spoke, not taking her eyes off the man stood in the doorway, "This is… This is… Tom…"
Now it was Matthew's turn to look shocked, "But, I thought he went down with the Titanic…", questioned Matthew.
"Aye, I did" said the soft Irish voice of the man in the doorway, "I was lucky to survive… It's a long story" he smiled. They were all taken aback. To here this voice after so long, it sounded so strange…
- Tom was the elder brother of Mary and Edith Crawley. He had been the heir to Downton and therefore, his parents refused to take any chances. As much as it pained them to do so, Tom was sent away to Ireland to be educated and raised as a Lord, to find his independence and to return to Downton in the summer. It had necessarily worked as they had wished. Tom had always been somewhat of a free spirit. He was the sweetest person that you could ever meet and had a heart of gold. He was never sad, he would always comfort and advise others, but he no way had the making to be an earl. He didn't believe in the class system. He didn't like the fact that the servants waited on them hand and foot. That is why he had always strived to make friends with them and as a child would spend most of his time in the kitchen, much to the annoyance of his father. -
The room was silent again and all of the faces were looking at him. Nobody had dared to approach him but Cora could no longer contain her excitement.
"My baby" she croaked through her tears, "I have may baby boy back!"
She was so happy. The house had never particularly been the same since they'd lost Tom. Be it the family or the servants, they were always choked up whenever they thought about him. But now he was back. There gorgeous baby boy was back. Not everyone was as happy as Cora.
"Cora" said Robert, he gave her a look and she stepped back from hugging her son, "What is your purpose here?" he demanded.
Tom's smile faded, "What do you mean?"
"What is your purpose here?" Robert repeated, his face not softening.
"I… I came to see my family"
Robert was angry now. "Then where the hell have you been for the last 6 years?" he yelled.
Tom backed away slightly. He had wondered whether or not this had been a mistake and at the moment it was proving to be so…
Tom woke from his restless slumber, that moment of rejection still haunting his dreams. He wondered if his father had yet fully come to terms with his return to Downton. The rest of the household had welcomed him back with open arms, but it seemed his father was still in shock. He pulled the covers around himself tighter and laid on his side sighing. At least he was home now. Back in Downton. It was time for his new life to begin.