A/N: I've been watching to write this ever since I watched the movie two weeks ago! I love the film & thought it might be fun to do Anna & Bates & Sybil & Tom as the couples. My goal is to finish this fic by New Years.
You guys should also read magfreak's version of The Holiday. It's really great & she actually does all the main characters pov's which is super cool!
You guys should also read magfreak's version of The Holiday. It's really great & she actually does all the main characters pov's which is super cool!
Anna looked through her notes, fingers posed on her keyboard ready to write when she found her quote. Biting her lip she looked at the door and sighed. Only she would be stuck writing an article on during a family gathering. That's what you get for waiting for the last second.
She had finally found the quote when the door opened. Not wanting to lose the quote she quickly typed it in before spinning around in her chair, "Oh hey Molesley."
He smiled, "Hello Anna. Are you ever going to call me my name?"
She shook her head and laughed. "No definitely not. It'd be weird to call you Joe, besides I've always called you Molesley ever since we were kids."
Molesley stood up straight and said shakily, "Anna… we not kids anymore…"
Her eyes widen, Shit! Shit shit shit! Don't say it Molesley!Don't say it! She closed her eyes hoping the earth would swallow her whole.
"Anna would you- Oh! Am I interrupting anything?"
Anna shook her head at her mother grinning widely. "Nah mum we were just talking about old times. Weren't we Molesley?"
Molesley frowned a bit but nodded. "Right, how's Mr. Carson doing by the way Mrs. Hughes?"
Elsie rolled her eyes, "You know my husband Joseph, stubborn has a mule!"
Anna laughed and looped her arm through her mother's. "Do you need anything mum?"
"Aye a helping hand in the kitchen, your cousin had to leave earlier and I could use some help in the kitchen."
"Sure no problem mum," Anna stepped out of the room and then said "Talk to you later yea?"
Molesley nodded.
As soon as they reached the stairs Anna squeezed her mother's arm. "You are a lifesaver mum."
Elsie gave her a pointed look, "Why because I walked in right before Joseph Molesley declared his undying love for you and you broke his poor heart?"
"Mum!"
Heading straight to the turkey Elsie shrugged her shoulders. "What? You know me and your father's feelings on the matter."
Anna groaned, her parents had made it clear on multiple occasions how much they liked Molesley and how she was not getting any younger. "I'll admit Molesley is a great guy and any girl would be more thanlucky to have him but-"
"But?" Her mother said in that stern yet loving tone that only she could pull off.
"But" Anna said as she began cutting the vegetables, "I don't love him. And at the end of the day it wouldn't be fair to him. To have a relationship with a man who clearly loves me when I don't feel the same."
Elsie sighed, she loved her daughter dearly but sometimes she wished she wasn't so stubborn. Charles and her were getting older and she just didn't want her daughter to end up alone. Turning to look at her daughter properly she said, "Just think about it alright? It can't hurt to consider."
"You RAT FACE BASTARD!" Sybil shouted as she grabbed anything in sight throwing at the man in front of her.
Said man tried to cover his face while he dodged an incoming shoe. "Sybil it's not what you think!"
Sybil laughed hauntingly, "Right because you didn't shag your assistant Larry."
Larry jumped back as a lamp came crashing down on the spot he was just standing in. "I didn't! I swear Sybil I didn't!"
"Really?" She said with a tight smile. "Then what are these" she then pulled out a pink lacy thong out of his briefcase. "Doing in your bag?"
Larry frowned, "I don't know, maybe- maybe they fell in yesterday as I was getting ready for work. You do have a tendency to throw your things everywhere you know."
Sybil wanted to scream so she did, "You bloody prick! These aren't mine! These are someone else's you wanker!"
He growled, "Stop calling me a wanker! This isn't England babe! This is America! No one uses the word wanker!"
She threw the knickers and the briefcase at him and glared at him. "Yea well I'm British if you hadn't noticed and if I want to call you a wanker I will! And you're a wanker. Wanker, wanker, WANKER!"
He threw his hands up in the air, "Fine I admit it! I shagged her! I shagged the living daylight out of her. Happy?"
Sybil put her hands on her hips and growled, "Did you just ask if I was happy?"
Larry groaned. "Of course I'm not happy you wanker! I just found out my bloody boyfriend of over a year just cheated on me! Now get out of my loft!" She screamed, pushing him out the door as she said it.
"Wait-" Not giving him the moment to talk she slammed the door in his face and locked it.
Sybil closed her eyes. The moment she met Larry Grey she knew he was a prick, a bastard, a wanker but she didn't want to be rude when her mother introduced them. He was nice enough at the time but there was something off about him but he had been persistent. Sending her gift-baskets during her first couple weeks back at uni, showing unexpectedly at her work or her dorm room during college with flowers, the cute text messages, and long conversations of the phone, convincing her that maybe her gut was wrong about him, that maybe he was a good guy after all. She snorted, oh how right and wrong she had been.
It was right around ten months that he showed his true colors. She probably would have realized it sooner if most of their relationship hadn't been during her last year of uni.
Hearing a knock at the door she groaned. Ripping the door open she shouted, "Go Away!"
Gwen stood wide-eyed at her boss. Sybil groaned.
"Sorry, sorry, I thought- I figured you were Larry." She said rubbing her face as she kicked the door open wide enough for her to get in.
Anna sighed into her wine glass. As much as she hated to admit it her mother was right. She was thirty and her last boyfriend had been well over a year ago.
Anna had always believed in soul mates, that one day she would walk down the street and there would be her prince. But she was starting to think that Prince Charming was never coming. She ran her hand through her hair. She needed to get away, far away. To forgot her lack of boyfriend problems and just have some fun.
Pulling out her computer she tried looking for somewhere to spend the holiday. Anna bite her lip when she noticed the prices for the trips. Why was everything so expensive?
Suddenly Anna remembered house-swapping. Her friends William and Daisy had done it last summer and had said it was a blast. Finding a site Anna made an account and put her house information. Now all she had to do was wait.
"Well what do you think?" Sybil stared at the design for the book cover for a good minute before looking up at Thomas.
"I love it! It's brilliant Thomas. Really you've outdone yourself this time." She gushed; Thomas let out a breath and then smirked.
"What can I say, I'm a genius." Sybil and Gwen shared a look before bursting out laughing.
Thomas pretended to be offended but he was chuckling as well. After finally calming down, Sybil took a breath before saying, "Right we're done here. Gwen is there any other projects we got coming?"
Gwen checked her clipboard and shook her head. "No I think we're good, in fact we're ahead of schedule."
Sybil bobbed her head at this and suddenly an idea popped into her head. "Let's take the next few weeks off."
Thomas chuckled until he looked at her face. "Are you serious Syb?"
She nodded, "Yea I mean you're always complaining that you and Eddie never have another time together right?"
"Yea…"
Quickly turning in her seat Sybil, "And Gwen! You have finals coming up right?"
"Yea but I'll only part-time."
"So? Uni is tough regardless if you're there full-time or part-time! You should spend these weeks studying!"
Thomas eyed her suspiciously, "You're serious. You really want us to go on vacation?"
"Yes! Think about it!" She stood behind Thomas putting her arm around him, "You and Eddie at some beach. Eddie shirtless coming out of the ocean, water dripping down his broad chest and running down his abs…"
Thomas coughed and then jumped out of his seat, "Right I'm going to call Eddie now."
Sybil laughed, if she didn't know any better she would think he was skipping. Turning her attention back to her ginger hair friend, she asked, "So?"
Gwen nibbled on her fingernails. "I don't know… I need the money after all."
"Paid vacation then," Sybil said shrugging.
Gwen gasped, "You can't do that!"
"Of course I can, you're my secretary, and anyways you work so hard as it is, you deserve a break."
Gwen shook her head, "I don't know…"
Sybil raised an eyebrow, "If you don't take the vacation I'll telling that guy from accounting about your massive crush on him."
"You wouldn't!"
"Try me."
The two stared at each other until Gwen looked away. "Alright, alright I'll take the vacation." Sybil grinned she knew she'd win.
Anna was brushing her teeth when she heard the ping on her computer. Spitting out the toothpaste she ran to her computer.
Sybil: I'm interested in renting your house.
Sybil: I'm wondering if it is available this Christmas because if it is I'm very interested!
Anna grinned stretched her arms before replying back.
Anna: Yes! Are you interesting in exchanging?
She waited; she was just about to get up back Sybil responded back.
Sybil: Exchanging?
Anna: Yes my home is only available for exchange.
Sybil: What's a house exchange?
Anna: We swap houses, cars, everything. I haven't done it before but my friends have.
Anna: Where are you?
Sybil: NYC
Anna squealed she had always wanted to go to New York City.
Anna: Always wanted to go there. I'm Anna by the way. I don't smoke, very neat, and single.
Sybil: I'm Sybil. Hi.
Sybil: You house looks lovely, very idyllic. Just what I've been looking for.
Anna: Really? Thanks. What does your place look like?
Sybil: It's nice—Its a loft so it isn't too big.
Anna: You have a loft in NYC? Lucky!
Sybil: Can I ask you one thing?
Anna: Sure.
Sybil: Are there any men in your town?
Anna: Zero.
Sybil: When can I come?