They had all been shocked by her passing. They had all been unable to say or think anything other than the utter unfairness that was her death. They had all loved her dearly, her free thinking, loving and compassionate spirit.
They had known her in the good days, but he had also known her in the worst.
They had found solace in each other when they were the only remembrance of home close by. They held each other when their friend had taken his own life. They had laughed together despite the horror that was the war and the injuries of the soldiers they had to tend to.
And now she was gone. It was unfair, so utterly unfair. Thomas knew he wasn't the one most affected by her death, but he was still affected nonetheless. He had lost a friend just as much as Lady Mary and Lady Edith had lost a sister, Lord and Lady Crawley a daughter and Tom Branson a wife.
And the little crying bundle in his arms a mother.
Thomas could still hear Sybil's laughter echo through the high halls of Downton Abbey. And it would hopefully always be remembered. Maybe her daughter would bring the joy back into the old building that had been lost with the loss of her mother.
Thomas promised that night, to himself and to his dear friend Sybil Branson, that he would look over her daughter. He would look after her and bring her joy, so that her laughter would echo through the high halls of the abbey, just as hers had all the years before.
I hope you liked this so far. It is only a prologue of sorts and is definitely going to be the darkest of the chapters. What's to follow is going to be much lighter and a lot of fun at times.
I don't know why, but ever since Sybbie was born I had wanted Thomas to become to her what Carson is to Mary, a friend,a guardian, someone who looks out for her. I feel like Thomas would have a reason to look after Sybbie. After what he had gone through with Sybil at his side during the war, he might feel like he owed it to his passed friend to look out for her daughter. I hope you know what I mean...