Disclaimer: I don't own Tale of Two Cities. This is a rewrite of a story I wrote on another pen name Princess Dogooder. I have changed a lot of things from it.
Sydney never pretended to be perfect. He knew his flaws and he was honest about them both with himself and with his family. Lucie, Charles, Alexander and the little one became his family. Where he was weak his friend was strong. Where his friend was weak HE was strong. This was both a good thing and a bad thing.
It all started one cold winter night. Sydney had been coming home from a walk to find that his lodgings had caught fire. He had no recourse but to watch it burn to the ground. To be honest, he really didn't care. There was nothing of sentiment in the lodging. Sentiment had gone out the door with the death of his first love, Lady Sarah seven years ago. He knew it was late as he started to walk but he decided he would sleep in the shed of his friend's home. At this hour nobody would likely be occupying it and it would give him warmth.
Charles and Lucie saw him and came out to greet him. He explained the situation to them.
"Sydney," Lucie said, "You aren't a dog. There is no need for you to sleep in a shed. You are welcome in our home."
"I quite agree," Charles replied smiling, "Come on in. We're just about to start dinner."
Lucie was about four months into her first pregnancy. They were eating later since she had gotten hungry at that point.
"Thank you so much," Sydney said, "You have no idea how much this means to me all things considering... my imperfections and all."
Charles smiled.
"I wouldn't say imperfection my friend. I would instead call it a unique wonder."
Charles and Sydney sat up late speaking as Sydney settled himself in.
"How do you do it," Sydney asked, "I find it amazing that you're always so positive."
"Negative is dangerous," Charles said.
"Is it really," Sydney asked, "I didn't know that."
"It damages relationships," Charles explained, "It destroys trust and it causes more problems then it resolves."
"Does it resolve any problems," Sydney asked laughing.
"Not so far as I can see," Charles said.
They both laughed.
"You know a friend of mine put it this way. You cannot control what happens to you but you can control how you respond to it"