Well... fancy seeing you here. You're witness into my first foray into a full chaptered story, so congrats and warnings at the same time. For those who don't know me, I'm photo41, previously forayer into the world of Class of the Titans, but time, as it does, passed and I fell in love with Downton, then grew to despise it as it changed from a period piece with a hint of soap to a Soapy mess set in previous years. I only legit liked 2 episodes from season 3 and am very disappointed with the plot development as well as the character development and really was never fond of the Matthew and Mary show. My other love, scifi, at least only kills off redshirts and not the best, important, and well rounded characters. F U Fellowes. F U. So my anger and epic procrastination combined to create the perfect storm, so I give you my story which I hope isn't as soapy as the last season.

Who am I kidding? That's impossible. Anyways, no copyright infringement intended, etc. Shit would not be the way it is if I was in charge, lemme tell you. I hope they end it at the Christmas special.

*SPOLIERS BE AHEAD* just to warn you. This is also very slow burn too, so if this fist chapter bores you, just skim, it's mostly just set up. we get into the nitty gritty next chapter!

It was about 24 hours since the unthinkable happened, and Tom Branson slowly surveyed the grandiose grounds of Downton. Realizing (not for the first time) that his life would never be the same again.

Dawne Brooks sighed and put down her book, glancing out her kitchen window into the warm summer light. She usually loved reading, but even having finished exams a couple months ago, she still felt so saturated with words and ideas that overconsumption was nigh if she continued with her present course. She glanced around her small kitchen to hear keys jingle in the lock down the hall- her mother was home with the groceries. Eager for something to do Dawn leapt off her chair and opened the door for her mother, who was –rather precariously- balancing a couple boxes of food items whilst trying to figure out how to open the door and not drop her keys. Smiling gratefully at her daughter, she handed Dawne a box and they went to put away the spoils from her trip.

"I got a letter from your Aunt today" began Dawne's mother, as she stretched to put away a can of soup, "She's doing well and is excited for the warm weather"

"What, you mean the old rich one who normally doesn't want anything todo with us peasants? Why on earth is she contacting us?"

"Lonely I expect, I don't think she has much company in that hotel she lives in. She wants us to visit"

"Well she shouldn't have treated Gran like dirt when she went off and became a trophy wife, and there's no way Dad would ever want to go up North, especially not to see her."

"Darling, she was young and foolish. I'll admit she is a bit miserly, but she needs all her money if she insists on going on living in that dastardly hotel. And she doesn't want to see your father, not after what he called her during the last visit"

"Served her right too"

"She wants you to go see her, she knows you're on holiday now, and she wants you to stay for a couple months. We're the only family she's got left now"

"When hell freezes over"

"Darling, you're almost a third through your gap year and you haven't done anything with yourself. Best get a move on before you go to school" Dawne gave her mother a pointed look "IF you want to go to school that is. Who knows, some time up in the country might help you decided things"

"We'll see Mum. I'll see you in a bit, I'm expecting a call from Alaina, I'll be down in time for dinner.

With that, Dawne quickly escaped upstairs and hid in her room, thankful she had escaped the talk, for now. She wasn't really expecting a call from her friend, but after graduating High School, Dawne was still unsure what she wanted to do with her life. Being raised by two Cambridge grads, they had always primed her to go to their Alma Mater and study liberal arts; just like them. Dawne, on the other hand, wasn't sure she wanted to do that. In fact, she knew she didn't want to do that, yet she didn't know what she wanted to do either, so she had no choice but to go. Maybe it was the fact she was expected to do well with arts and language etc etc, but she felt she had a higher calling than that. When she tried to explain this feeling that she was someone else, that her destiny was beyond history or language lectures, it often led to arguments. Her friends were no help either; many jealous of her acceptance would just huff and tell her to not look a gift horse in the mouth, no matter, she never felt like she belonged with them anyway.

Maybe sometime in the country where she could escape the random gifts of Oxford memorabilia would be a good idea after all.

"Oi Mate, guess what we're doing next week!"

Colin Donalds looked up from his work to his best friend, rather apprehensively. Ned's schemes were never thought through and often (always) led to disaster.

"what?"

"Backpacking! Walking right across the top of England! Isn't that fantastic?!"

"Walking. Across the top of England. How long will that take exactly?"

"Four weeks I expect, but come on mate, you can take whatever time off you want, you're you're own boss, you lucky bastard. How often do you come across an adventure like this?!"

"With you, everyday. And I'm not a bastard, thank you, my parents were married a year before I was born. Where does one sleep when they are walking across the top of England?"

"B&B's, or course, walk between them, send your luggage ahead of you, jolly way to see the Green Isle innit?" (A/N is it England or Ireland that's the green Isle?)

"For you maybe. I have work to do."

"aw come on? Please? I was originally going to go with Mark, but he had to go and get himself engaged. She won't let 'im go. You haven't had a break in years, It'll be fun"

"I wonder why. I'll think about it ned, but please, leave me alone for now, I'm busy" Colin ran his hand tiredly down his face as he went back to work. The more the 26 year old though about it, oddly enough, the more it appealed to him. He'd spent the last four years building up this business after he graduated, and well, didn't he deserve a break? Granted, England wasn't his first destination for backpacking, mainland Europe sounded much better, but he wouldn't have to worry about arrangements... much. In the back of his mind, the other reason for going even though his conscience was very much against the idea, was that there was nothing but sheep in the north; he could clear his mind and get some thinking done; he was pro at drowning out Ned's incessant chatter. He had hoped starting his own business would fill the void of lack of accomplishment that graduating University had left him, but yet he still felt unfulfilled.

Who knows, maybe amid the lush green countryside, he'd find himself.

So there you have it! Our two main characters! How will their paths cross? What does this have to do with Downton? We shall see in the next instalment! I apologize for mistakes, I'm to lazy to edit beyond spell check. I got the idea from backpacking across the top of England whilst staying at B&B's and sending your luggage ahead to them from my friend, who actually did it. Walked from sea to sea. Epic huh? Well, thanks for reading, and Live Long & Prosper!

Photo41 (And yes, Dawne with an E. It's my sister's middle name, OK?!)