A/N: Happy EAST Alliance Day! So this chapter is basically all S/T but necessary for the next chapter which will be all about E/A :)

Also un-beta'd!

Shimmering the key into the door, Sybil turned the door handle before she rammed it. Coming inside her senses attacked her with a delicious aroma and the radio blasting.

Sybil dropped her things onto the sofa before moving into the kitchen. Pressing her head against the wall she grinned at the sight before her, Tom rocking his head and mouthing lyrics from the radio as he cut up some onions.

Finishing he slid the onions into the pot. Stirring the pot Sybil couldn't help but laugh as he shook his hips.

Tom turned and gave her a cheeky smile, "Something funny?"

"Just you're dancing," She smirked.

He placed his hand over his heart as if her words had wounded him. "Oh!" Staggering forward he reached for her.

She giggled as Tom swept her into his arms, wrapping his left arm loosely around her waist as a new song started to play.

So this is love, hmm

"Isn't this from Cinderella?" Sybil giggled.

Tom shrugged, "Doesn't make it any less romantic." Lifting her right hand up the two slowly danced in place.

My heart has wings, hmm And I can fly

Laying her head on his shoulder she closed her eyes. It was moments like she when she was truly grateful for her sister Edith setting them up.

-5 MONTHS BEFORE-

"It'll just take a minute Sybil I promise!" Edith declared as she looked through her bag.

Taking off her seatbelt Sybil smiled. "It's fine Edith, really."

Edith bit her lip but nodded before adding on, "I know I just can't believe I took my article home! I'm lucky that the new editor is such an easy-going guy."

Grabbing a few papers Edith shuffled them into a folder from the bag and grabbed her purse. She was halfway out the door when she turned to Sybil. "You've never seen the inside of my work have you?"

Sybil nodded. Seeing the excitement in her sister's eye Sybil let back her groan.

It's not that she didn't think a newspaper office wouldn't be interesting, she had a love term love affair with the news and politics and a great affection for her sister's beat even before she took up writing, the arts. The problem was that she was tired and wanted nothing more than a fine glass of wine at the moment.

Still, looking into Edith's face she couldn't say no.

Not even five minutes later Edith was walking her through the newsroom pointing out the different departments.

Edith placed her hand on a doorknob and grinned. "And this," she said pushing the door open. "It my office."

The door, wide open, revealed a man leaning over the desk.

With his broad shoulders and tousled hair that just begged to have fingers run through it, it was easy to say that he was desperately handsome.

For a moment he tensed before his shoulders dropped in relief. He smiled before he began speaking in a rather wonderful Irish brogue, "Oh good I was just about to call you. I know you said that you'd leave it on your desk but I can't seem to fin- Oh."

He was looking at her now, not realizing she was there until then. A strange expression on his face that caused Sybil's cheeks to turn a light shade of pink.

Sybil wasn't sure how long they would have stood there if Edith hadn't stepped in. Handing him the folder Edith apologized, "I know, sorry I accidentally took it home with me. I only realized it when my sister and I were on our way to dinner."

Taking this as her time to introduce herself she stepped forward. "Sybil Crawley hi."

He reached out his hand to shake hers, "Tom Branson pleasure to meet you."

Their hands touched for a bit longer than necessary and Sybil swore she would have drowned in his blue eyes if Edith hadn't chosen this moment to interrupt. "Tom's the editor for politics but since the editor for Arts is on her honeymoon Tom's filling in for the week."

"How nice of you." Sybil said as their hands fell apart trying her best to keep the blush at bay.

"Yes well gotta pay for the rent somehow." He joked.

Smiling he opened the folder as he said. "Anyways sorry about making you came all the way over here though. You know you could've just emailed to me right?"

Sybil smirked as she remember bringing up the exact same point to Edith on the car ride over.

"Oh don't worry about it Tom, it was on the way."

Tom nodded as he skimmed the article. He frowned. "Edith I think I'm missing a page."

Edith walked over and sighed, "I must have left it in the car."

Moving to the door she called out over her shoulder that she'd be back in a minute.

The room was quiet, neither knowing what to say now that their only link had left. Sybil looked down at her hands. She didn't know why she felt so nervous, she'd attractive men before but Tom seemed different.

Taking a second to collect herself she looked up and caught himself staring at her. His snapped his head away, his cheeks turning red before he said, "Sod it." And looked back at her. He smiled sheepishly as he leaned against the desk. "I'm sorry that I was staring but you're just so beautiful it rather catch me off guard." He winced as he registered how that sounded. "Christ that sounded like I was trying to pick you up didn't it?"

She laughed as a large smile grew on her face as she teased, "A bit."

"It's a good thing your boyfriend isn't another then!" Tom joked as he grinned back.

Sybil's heart jumped a bit. Is he asking me if I'm single? "I don't have a boyfriend."

"Girlfriend?"

She shook her head. He grinned, "Brilliant."

Sybil bit her lip hoping her blush wasn't so obvious. Not knowing what to say she decided to ask about his job. "Editor of politics, what's that like?"

"Grand, I've always wanted to work in politics. When I was a kid I wanted to be a politician. I wanted to change the world and makes people's lives so much better."

She liked how his eyes seem to shine as he spoke about it. "So what make you go into writing instead?"

He smiled, "Have you ever read the book All the Kings Men by Robert Penn Warren?" Sybil shook her head.

"It's a political fiction novel that takes place during the 1930's in the States about this idealistic lawyer Willie Stark. He wanted to become Governor so that he could do some good but as time goes on he becomes corrupted with power and by the end of the story he does the exact same thing that originally join the campaign to stop." He shrugged his shoulders, "I didn't want to be another Willie Stark."

There was something about him that made her heart flutter. "I'm an idealist too, it's the reason why I decided to be a doctor."

"Trying to save the world, eh?" Tom said with a soft smile.

She stared into his eyes and said softly, "One heart at a time."

They stood there smiling at each other until the tension became too much and they both had to look away.

Tom looked at the clock and frowned. "It's been nearly ten minutes, shouldn't your sister be back by now?"

Sybil frowned. What could be taking Edith so- When it hit her, "Oh she couldn't have!"

Moving to the door Sybil rushed out of the office with Tom close behind asking her what was going on. She ignored his questions as a raced through the building to the spot where Edith had parked the car.

The spot was empty.

Sybil groaned. "I can't believe I didn't realize this sooner! Edith never forgets anything!"

Tom looked from the empty parking space back to her clearly missing something. "What are you talking about?" Two dings went off. Pulling out their phones Tom found an email and a text from Edith. The email contained her article she had given him a few moments ago with the missing page, the text asking him to do her a favor.

Sybil shook her head as she read the text out loud. "Emergency! Had to go. Ask Tom for ride home!" Laughing Sybil couldn't believe her sister and said as much. "Oh I can't believe her!"

Tom looked at her curiously. "What do you mean?"

Sybil looked down at the ground as her cheeks turned a deep shade of red. "Edith forgot the paper on purpose so that she could have an excuse to introduce us."

"Oh," Tom said. Not knowing quite else what to say.

"I'm really sorry about this- I had no idea."

Tom smiled shyly, "Its fine."

Sybil nodded, she bite her lip before asking, "Do you know where the nearest bus stop is?"

"I don't mind giving you a ride."

Sybil shook her head, "I live on the other side of town I couldn't ask you to do that."

"I insist. Besides I think you're sister will kill me if I didn't." Smirking he read off his phone, "Tom please give Sybil a ride home. No matter what she says don't take no for an answer!"

They both laughed. After another minute Sybil agreed to the lift.

They talked the whole ride home and by the time they reached her house all she could do was think about kissing him, so she did.

-PRESENT-

Sooo this is looove

The song stopped but Sybil and Tom stayed still. Opening her eyes Sybil leaned up and brushed her lips against his.

Yes Sybil was thankful but more than that she wanted her sister to be happy too.