Author's note: been on hiatus for ages, fanfiction wise, sorry about that! But this is my first Downton Abbey fic although I've loved the show since the very beginning! Hope you enjoy!

"Tom! Tom!"

Sybil Branson hung up her coat in the hallway before going off to hunt more thoroughly for her husband.

"I'm in here m'darling" came a faint reply from upstairs and Sybil smiled and ran up the steps two at a time, just as she used to as a child.

He was leaning against the doorway of what he rather impressively (if inaccurately) called his study and watching her with surprise, humour twinkling in his blue-green eyes.

"And what, may I ask, is the big occasion?"

She nearly told him right then, but she didn't want the news just blurted out, it wouldn't be right, so she simply raised her eyebrows slightly and said:

"Do I need an occasion to be happy to see my husband after working all day?"

He laughed and reached out to take her hands, pulling her towards him for a kiss. It still fascinated Sybil that even after nearly a year and a half of marriage, the slightest touch from him could still make her feel so warm and complete, that something as simple as a kiss could still make her skin tingle so . She smiled against his lips.

"So…." He straightened up and led her into the sunny little room "How was your day?"

Sybil groaned and sank into a chair.

"Rather…busy, really. And I do wish they'd all stop treating me like I was such, such a lady."

Tom caught her eye challengingly.

"Well forgive me if I'm wrong Lady Sybil, but-"

"Oh…hush!" she shot him a look that was torn between amusement and irritation. "You know I gave all that up when I married you."

He held her gaze, grin widening.

"I never forget it."

There was a silence in which they both looked away, suddenly shy, and then:

"Tom…"

"Yes?"

"I'm….well I'm almost sure I'm…pregnant."

Branson looked up as if to see whether she was joking or not, before his face turned white and then red again with shock….Sybil waited in silence, fear suddenly creeping up her spine: what if he wasn't pleased?

"Sybil…" His voice broke and he tried again "Darling, that's….wonderful!" His usually calmly guarded expression melted into one of radiant happiness that she had only seen on their wedding day and he burst into exhilarated laughter before gathering her up in his arms and spinning her round and round, causing several articles of furniture to go clattering to the floor around them. When they finally pulled apart, both of them were beaming and Tom's eyes looked suspiciously watery.

"We're going to have a child" he croaked.

Sybil laughed a little. "I'm afraid we are."

"And your father is going to murder me."

"Like he doesn't want to already… but I suppose I am going to have to write to Mama and Papa."

"They might come and visit now?"

"Possibly…" She grimaced doubtfully, fiddling with the hem of her blouse and looking suddenly downcast. "Mama anyway, with some luck."

Tom bit his lip and tried not to say what he was thinking but, as always, the words spilled out anyway, the old insecurities.

"So there's no going back for you now, is there?"

Sybil's face softened as she looked at him and, as she had once before in a garage a thousand years or more ago, she brought up a hand to softly lay against his cheek so that she forced his eyes to meet hers.

"There never was, Tom."