I'm interupting my self imposed posting strike to post this, although it's super short, it is complete. I got the idea for this from a deleted scene from season 3, where Mary and Sybil are talking and Mary promises Sybil that she'll be the first to know if/when Mary got pregnant.
Mary Crawley could feel happy tears brimming as she left Doctor Clarkson's office. It had finally happened! She brushed the tears away and ignored Anna's questioning look.
"M'Lady?" Anna sounded concerned but Mary knew she had to go somewhere first, before telling Anna what she'd found out.
"I'll tell you soon Anna." Mary said, they got into the car and Mary told the driver "Drive to the church please." Anna's eyes widened and Mary realized she could have picked a better way to word her request. Anna probably thought that she'd received news about an illness and wanted to make sure she was straight with God before death came knocking. When they reached the church, Mary hurried from the car and around the church, heading directly to the cemetery. She found Sybil's grave and knelt in front of it, not caring that she was getting it dirty. Anna wouldn't complain about getting it clean after she heard the news.
"I promised I'd be here, Sybil." Mary could feel her throat closing and she let a few tears fall. It had been months since Sybil's passing but it still hurt that her baby sister wasn't there.
"I promised you I'd tell you first, but..." She shook her head, hating her tears. "I thought I would be able to tell you in person." She gave a laugh that held no humor. "I guess today is the day that I finally realize you're not going to walk through the door." More tears fell. "I wish you would, though. I'd love a friend through this. Mother is wonderful, but you've been through this recently."
She let a hand fall to her abdomen, she wasn't showing yet, had just found out about the baby. She hadn't even told Matthew yet, but before Sybil had died she'd promised that Sybil would be the first to know about any baby they had.
"I hope Sybbie and my baby will grow up as siblings." Mary said. "Tom is doing wonderfully with her. I hope we're doing wonderfully with them." She felt another tear fall. "Having Sybbie has been a gift since you..." She choked up again, a noise made her turn.
"Is everything alright?" It was Cousin Isobel and Mary nodded, but another tear fell.
"I miss her." Isobel seemed to understand and she placed a hand on Mary's shoulder.
"She was a wonderful woman, I greatly admired her and I miss her as well." Isobel said. "Of course nothing like you do."
"Before..." Mary couldn't force herself to say anything about Sybil dying. "We had talked of, what if we had children close in age?" Her lip trembled. "We would have done our best to make sure they grew up together." She took in a breath. "I suppose I just realized today that may not happen. Tom doesn't want to stay at Downton and any child Matthew and I have may not know Sybbie. Sybil was my best friend, if I ever have any right to call her that."
"She was everybody's best friend." Isobel said.
Mary nodded, "Yes, she was." Mary stood carefully, not wanting to get the dress any dirtier than it already was.
"Does it ever get easier?" Mary asked, "losing someone you love?"
"Time may heal all wounds, it sometimes takes longer than you'd like."
Mary turned to leave the cemetery, Isobel walked beside her for a moment. "When are you planning on telling Matthew?"
"Tonight." Mary said, but then it hit, what Isobel had said. "How did you..."
"I am a mother, and a nurse. I know the symptoms." Isobel said, "I'll keep quiet though, until you tell the family."
"Thank you." Mary said, "I wouldn't have even come here, but I promised Sybil I'd tell her first."
"Promises to Sybil are the ones you should keep." Isobel smiled at Mary and they separated. Mary took in a deep breath and went back to the car. Time to go home to Matthew.
Please review!