Insipired by a gifset of Downton as a modern ensemble drama, I've decided to make it into a fanfic. It's a massive undertaking involving almost every single character in the ensemble so I hope that you all will give me LOTS of feedback, advice, and ideas to help me keep it going. A lot of this will seem very familiar, and some of it is brand new. I, of course, have certain character and ship biases but I will do my absolute best to balance everything out as I move through the chapters. So without further ado, enjoy Downton Place!
*BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEEEEPPPPPPPPPP.*
"Ahhhh. Gdgsgdgkjefe." Robert Crawley swung his arm over and shut off the alarm clock. He rubbed his eyes and turned over in bed to see his wife already awake, staring up at the ceiling.
"Cora?" He asked, confused.
"Today's the day, Robert," she said sadly. She lifted her hand up to finger her necklace delicately.
"Darling," Robert stated sympathetically. He sat up and leaned on his elbow, facing her from an angle. "We're sending Sybil off to university, not to war."
"But we're empty nesters now," she said again, looking up at him. "We'll be alone."
"I see nothing wrong with that." His eyes sparkled with mischief.
"Well I do!" She frowned and rolled over on her side, her back to him.
"Darling Sybil and Edith go to school only half an hour away. They are getting one of the best educations in this country. And now we have more time to spend together!" He leaned over and nuzzled her neck playfully.
"We are getting old, Robert," she said quietly her back still to him.
"I take offense to that statement!" He stated, his voice mocking hurt. "I am still quite fit!"
She half rolled over, raising an eyebrow. "Prove it."
He gave her a large boyish grin before descending on her and pelting her with kisses. Cora's giggles carried into the hall.
DP
Mary Crawley sipped her tea and closed her eyes briefly before opening them again. She loved mornings. Something about the sunrise, the serene nature of the trees and the plants as they swayed in the wind….she sighed, contented, before picking her book back up.
Hearing footsteps, she looked up to see her grandmother treading into the kitchen, using her cane for support.
"Grandmama what are you doing up this early?"
"Couldn't sleep," she grumbled. "Your parents are making a racket."
Mary choked on her tea as Violet threw the pantry open. "What's for breakfast?"
"I…I…I think Mum planned on making family breakfast this morning as a send off for Sybil." Mary grabbed a napkin and attempted to wipe up the tea she had spilled all over the table.
Violet grunted and plopped a cereal box down on the island. "Well I'm starved. I will make a bowl of cereal if you don't mind."
Mary put her hands up in defeat and turned back to her book. Violet sat down gingerly across from her. "What are you reading?"
"A book on Margaret Thatcher. I'm assigning my students an essay on her this week," Mary replied.
"Margaret Thatcher. Now that was a woman who knew how to run the government," Violet slammed her fist on the table with emphasis. "Not like that pansy Tony Blair."
Mary rolled her eyes. "Yes, of course Grandmama."
"Why, in the good old days we didn't just give anything to people on the streets! They had to work hard for their money," Violet stated. She took a bite of cereal and swallowed it nearly whole. "You be sure to teach your students that."
"Yes of course, Grandmama" Mary replied again hiding her smirk behind her book.
DP
"THOMAS!" Anna shouted up the steps. "Breakfast is WAITING!"
"I'm coming, MUM," Thomas shouted back sarcastically. Anna rolled her eyes and walked back into the kitchen. "He is going to make us late for work," she said, frustrated.
"Then we will just have to leave him behind," Elsie Hughes stated before taking a sip of tea.
Thomas walked in a moment later. "For goodness' sake! The building is only half an hour away! We aren't commuting to London."
"You could have a little respect and show up to breakfast on time," William retorted.
"Did I ask for your opinion?" Thomas snarled as he walked past, sitting down at the table. "That would be no."
"Can you lot stop screaming at each other for THREE minutes!" Elsie spoke sharply, her Scottish lilt coming through. "You'd think I raised a bunch of baboons!"
Thomas opened his mouth but Anna shot him a look. He thought better of it at the last second and dug into his pancakes angrily.
"Today is Sybil's first day at University," Anna piped up. "We should be sure to wish her good luck if we see her."
"Yes, of course! I'd nearly forgotten," Elsie stated, clanging her teacup as she placed it into the saucer. "William if you run into her during classes you should send her our well wishes!"
William smiled and nodded taking another bite of his food.
"We better get going," Elsie stood up. "We have the Board of Directors meeting and Mr. Crawley will be quite annoyed if we are late."
"Mum…do you think Mr. Crawley plans on replacing Mr. Lang today?" Thomas asked carefully, pushing his chair in.
"Yes, I…I'm sure he has," Elsie replied quickly downing her tea in one cup. "We better hurry or we will be late. Have a good day at classes, William," Elsie placed a kiss on his head before grabbing her purse and heading out.
"Could you be any more obvious?" Anna hissed to her brother as they followed Elsie out to the car.
DP
"Mum? MUM! Have you seen my notebook?!" Sybil exclaimed as she screeched to a halt in the kitchen. "I can't find it anywhere!"
"Darling I'm not sure how you can find anything in that room of yours," Cora rolled her eyes. "Do you have anything packed at all?"
"Most of it's packed," Sybil stated as she picked up a couch cushion and threw it back.
"If by packed you mean thrown together in a heap on the floor…" Mary teased from her place at the breakfast table.
"Sybil!" Cora threw her hands in the air. "What are you…and what are you wearing?!"
Sybil looked down at her attire and then back up at her mom. "What?"
Cora gaped at her daughter's shirt. It looked as if it had been cut in half. Her midriff was exposed and a belly button ring flashed in the sunlight coming through the window.
"Your father is going to KILL you."
"Mum, I'm 18," Sybil groaned walking past Cora. "You would think that I could wear what I wanted by now."
"Just don't tell her about your tattoo," Mary muttered in passing. Sybil whirled around and gave her sister a look but Mary's face was still one of amusement.
"Sybbie is this yours?" Edith walked into the kitchen holding up a spiral notebook with the venus symbol across the front.
"Oh thank GOD Edith you're a lifesaver!" Sybil kissed her sister on the cheek.
"Mum, I'm going to catch the public bus into school today," Edith sat down across from her sister. "I'm meeting Evelyn early. We have got to get the newspaper draft in early or else…"
"Is that my blouse?" Mary asked, lowering her book.
"No!"
"Yes, yes it is! Edith I wish you would stop taking my things!" Mary groaned and slammed her book down on the table. "Really now, how old are you going to be before you learn how to dress yourself without my help?"
"Excuse ME!" Edith shouted standing up abruptly. "I bought this the other day! Maybe instead of accusing me of stealing you could compliment me on it!"
"It doesn't look nice, it looks horrid."
"Mary!" Cora exclaimed, looking over at her daughter in shock. "What a terrible thing to say."
"Well it's true," Mary sniffed and picked her book back up.
"You're such a bitch," Edith snarled before turning on her heel and marching out of the room.
"Now really, Mary," Violet stated gingerly. "Is it entirely necessary to talk to her like that?"
"Why am I always the bad guy?" Mary asked, looking between her mother and grandmother. "She has no right to parade around in the clothes that I bought with MY salary…"
"Darling we really must eat now, I'm running dreadfully late for work," Robert interrupted as he walked briskly into the kitchen, fiddling around with his cuff links.
Cora sighed. "EDITH!" She called up. "BREAKFAST!" She placed a plate of food down on the table. Sybil reappeared a moment later, taking a seat next to her sister.
"Good God!" Robert exclaimed. "What on EARTH are you wearing?"
"It's fine, Dad," Sybil stated avoiding his eyes.
"No daughter of mine who has any respect…"
"Can we not right now, Robert?" Cora said crossly as she heaped a stack of French toast onto her plate.
Edith appeared a moment later in a new top.
"Edith why did you change? You looked really nice," Sybil said.
"Mary said I looked horrid. So I changed."
Mary sighed. "Edith….."
"It's fine," she said, not looking up and spooning eggs onto her plate.
"I didn't mean to…." Mary tried again.
"I said, it's fine." Edith looked up briefly before going back to her breakfast.
Mary slammed her fork down at the table and stood up. "And now that you've officially made me feel like a prized asshole I've completely lost my appetite." She stalked off towards the steps.
Cora stood up, but Violet placed a hand on her arm. "Let her be, let her be."
Edith took a swig of juice and placed her cup on the table. "I really must get to school. Good luck today, Sybil," she smiled at her sister who smiled back. Edith left the table too followed almost immediately by Robert.
"I'm late. I'm SO late…" He walked over and kissed his wife on the cheek. "Sybil. Please would you…would you consider putting on something more appropriate?"
"Robert!"
He kissed his daughter on the cheek. She gave him "the smile." "I love you Daddy."
She knew he couldn't resist that smile. Backing off, he grabbed his briefcase and shut the door behind him.
DP
"He's running late," Charles Carson stated, looking down at his watch nervously.
"It's Sybil's first day at university," Matthew Crawley replied as he signed another paper. "I'm sure that he was just seeing her off."
"But if the Board meeting starts late, then he will set a precedent…"
Matthew placed his pen down on his desk and folded his hands together, his face one of stern amusement. "I think it will be quite alright, old man. Just….chill out."
Carson sighed and crossed his arms, tapping his foot impatiently.
"Here. Make yourself useful. Go give these to Anna." He handed a stack of papers to Carson who took them brusquely and marched out of the office over to Anna's desk. "These are from Mr. Crawley."
"Which one?" Anna asked as she took them from him.
Carson started huffing and Anna laughed. "Relax, Mr. Carson. I know they're from Mr. Matthew." She smiled. "You really should chill out." She placed a friendly hand on his arm before turning back to her computer.
Just then, the door opened and Robert walked in quickly, right past Carson. "I'm here, I'm here," he stated. Opening the door to his office, he let it slam behind him as he plopped his stuff down and sat at his seat.
Matthew followed him in and crossed his arms in amusement. "You know, you nearly gave poor Carson a heart attack."
Robert stopped and sighed, putting his head in his hands. "This morning went rather badly."
"Why? What happened?"
"Oh you know, the usual. Sybil wearing something entirely too inappropriate, Cora defending her, Mary and Edith at each other's throats…"
Matthew rolled his eyes. "Leave it to Mary to start the fight…"
"How do you know it was her?" Robert looked up at him, his face rather defensive.
"She always starts the fights," Matthew stated, picking up another stack of papers on Robert's desk. "The woman has a tongue that could slay millions."
Robert tilted his head in acknowledgement and accepted the pile of papers that Matthew handed him. "Now please sign these, return them to Anna, and meet us in the conference room before Carson goes into cardiac arrest." He turned to leave and then stopped.
"Oh. Did you promote someone to Lang's position?"
"Of course!" Robert smacked a hand to his forehead. Matthew shook his head as he walked out of the room. Robert picked up his phone. "Hi. Yeah. Can you ask John Bates to come upstairs please? Thanks."
DP
"Hey!" Thomas intercepted Sarah O'Brien walking towards the conference room. "Well?"
"Well what?" She asked him.
"Did he decide who he was promoting?" Thomas hissed.
O'Brien looked around for a moment. "Not yet, but I'm sure it's you. I told Cora the other night what a hard worker you were and she said she'd say something to her husband."
"But what if it's not ME?" Thomas asked again.
"Then we re-group," O'Brien responded. "There are ways of getting people to resign."
"Let me know the MOMENT you get out of that meeting," Thomas stated before turning around and heading back to his desk. O'Brien nearly ran into Elsie on her way into the conference room.
"Ms. O'Brien."
"Ms. Hughes." O'Brien nodded at Elsie as she followed her in and took a seat.
"Good morning, Mr. Carson," Elsie stated affectionately as she took her seat next to her friend at the conference table.
"Good morning, Ms. Hughes," he smiled at her in return and then glanced again at his watch.
"You really should settle down, you know," she whispered to him.
"I wish everyone would stop telling me to settle down!" He spoke gruffly but in a hushed voice. "I am quite alright. I just like to stick to a schedule."
She merely chuckled as she opened her file.
Matthew and Robert entered the room a moment later, Matthew sitting at Robert's right.
"Right. Good morning everyone," Robert spoke crisply. "We have a lot to talk about, but first we have to settle the matter of Lang's replacement." Robert picked up the phone by his seat. "Send him in please."
A couple moments later, a gentleman a few years younger than Robert hobbled into the conference room. Supporting himself on a cane, he stood awkwardly at the entrance.
"Bates, my good man." Robert stood up and offered his hand to shake it. "Everyone, allow me to introduce you to John Bates. He is a very dear friend of mine, and I know that he will fill well the hole that Lang left."
There was a brief silence.
"Welcome, my dear man," Richard Clarkson spoke from the end of the table in a friendly tone.
"Thank you," Bates responded. He took a seat beside O'Brien at the end of the table across from Clarkson. O'Brien sneered at him before turning back to look at Robert.
"Ah yes. Now that…." A young woman opened the door to the conference room, interrupting Robert. "Excuse, Mr. Crawley? These just came in from accounting."
"Thank you, Jane," Robert took them from her and handed them over to Elsie. "Perhaps you can start with the finances, Ms. Hughes?"
She nodded and took the papers.
DP
"Who the FUCK is John Bates?" Thomas exclaimed angrily. He kicked the wall. "That should have been MY job."
"He's just an old cripple," O'Brien muttered. "He won't be around for long, mark my words."
Thomas placed his hands on the countertop of the staff kitchen, breathing heavily. "I've worked here twice as long as he has. He has NO right…"
"It's nepotism is what it is. Good old fashioned nepotism," her voice was dripping with sarcasm.
"My mum is in there!" Thomas stated, looking up at her. "My mum is in there and she didn't stick up for me. She didn't even say one word…"
"Look," O'Brien stated matter-o-factly. "The battle isn't over. It is never over. I have a plan. If we can just…" She stopped abruptly as Bates walked into the room and stopped over at the water fountain.
"I have to go," Thomas snarled, a little too loudly. He stalked out, followed a couple moments later by O'Brien after shooting Bates another death glare. They nearly ran into Anna who entered the room a moment later.
"What was that all about?" She asked, looking over at Bates. He shook his head and turned from her back to the water fountain.
"Are you…are you the new board member?" She asked again, looking at him curiously. "I don't recognize you."
"John Bates. I came in from accounting," he said quietly.
"Well John Bates, my name is Anna. It's very nice to meet you," she stuck her hand out and he shook it cautiously.
He gave her a brief smile. "I uh…I better get back to work," he said.
"You'll find that not all of us in this office are so unkind," she smiled at him warmly. He watched her as she exited the kitchen.
DP
"Are you absolutely sure you've got EVERYTHING?"
"Yes, Mum" Sybil rolled her eyes playfully as she stood in the middle of her dormitory. "Everything is here, safe and sound. Now would you please stop worrying?"
"My beauty. My baby, all grown up." Cora kissed her on the head and hugged her tightly.
"Mum you're suffocating me," Sybil whined.
"Yes, yes." Cora kissed her again and then let go. "If you need anything at all, please call!"
"I will, Mum." Sybil smiled and then kissed her mother on the cheek before gently pushing her mother into the hallway and shutting the door, leaning against it and sighing. Finally. FREEDOM.
She no sooner walked over and sat on her bed then the door opened again. "I said anything!"
"MUM!" Sybil picked up her pillow and threw it at the door, Cora ducking out just in time. Sybil rolled her eyes playfully and opened a magazine.
The door re-opened. "MUM!" Sybil cried, picking up another pillow. She looked up just in time to see a red-headed girl raising her eyebrow and staring at her strangely.
Sybil turned bright red. "Oh! I'm sorry! I thought you were my mother."
"Because naturally we look alike," the girl grinned playfully and sat her bag down. "Well looks like I'm your roommmate. I'm Gwen."
"Sybil." She grinned. "Nice to meet you."
Gwen walked back over and opened her door and dragged another duffel in.
"Here, I'll help." Sybil walked out into the hallway and nearly collided with a young guy. "Oh! Sorry."
"It's fine," the young man smiled at her and handed her a sheet of paper. "Here."
"What's this?" Sybil questioned, taking it from him.
"We are staging a protest tomorrow evening," he said simply. "A few of us on campus are very unhappy with Parliament's recent treatment of Northern Ireland."
"A protest?" Sybil questioned, her face one of awe.
The young man smiled at her again. "I uh….hope that you can come." His Irish accent sounded like music to Sybil's ears.
"I'll be sure to. Ummm...?"
"Tom," he shook her hand.
"Sybil." She smiled back. "It's very nice to meet you."
"Well, then. I'll be sure to see you tomorrow night, Sybil" his eyes twinkled at her as he walked down the hallway towards another group moving in.
Sybil smiled to herself. Yeah. She was going to like University.