Author's note -

This story was originally written as a one shot - thank you so much to everyone who read, reviewed and favourited! I had quite a few people ask me for more, and I had an idea for a new chapter themed around the EAST Alliance on Tumblr, so this update includes some bonus Edith and Anthony. As an S/T writer, I've not really written for these two before so I hope you find my portrayal of the Andith ship rings true for you. As always, I look forward to hearing what you think!

About 48 hours later

Sybil looked at the clock – "Oh bollocks, I'm late."

Tom raised an eyebrow – "I'm meant to be Skyping with my sister in a minute – we usually catch up about this time. I better put some clothes on first!"

"Oh no, Sybil, please – can't you put her off?" He put on the most adorable little boy face, and she almost felt tempted to text Edith and postpone. Looking at him and feeling his hands start to move on her body again, the very last thing she wanted at that moment was to get up – they had barely left the bed for the last two days and she was in no hurry to do so now. But she also didn't want to let her sister down...

"It won't take long – why don't you just chill out in here and I will do it on the balcony."

"OK," he pretended to sulk, meeting her eyes with a look she had come to know over the last couple of days – "I'll be waiting for you."

She stepped out of bed, pulling on a t-shirt and jeans – "I'll be back soon – maybe you can get some work done?"

Tom realised she had a point there – he had done no work at all yet on his article, and although he had some time he knew he wanted to get at least a first draft of his article ready by next week, before he had to meet his editor.

He grabbed his iPad and propped himself up against the head of the bed, firing up his dictation app and starting to listen to the discussions he had already had with Sybil to help him frame the article in his mind. But hearing her voice just made him drift away into a daydream so hot, his heart began to race. I've got two hopes of getting any work done tonight – no hope, and Bob Hope, he thought. He fought off a yawn, remembering he'd had virtually no sleep for the last two nights, and decided to take a quick nap...

"So what's your news, Sybil?" Sybil found herself blushing, her skin tingling with the memory of Tom's touch, and shifted in her chair.

Edith could see very clearly there was something out of the ordinary going on for her sister -"Go on, tell!"

Sybil looked down, and then back up - "Well, there's this guy..."

"I knew it! Tell me everything. Come on Anthony, come and listen to this – Sybil's met someone!"

Sybil groaned inwardly – although she got on with her brother in law really well, this was one conversation she would have preferred to keep between her and Edith. However, she also knew that Edith told her husband just about everything anyway, so it didn't really matter whether Anthony heard this story now, or later.

"Where do I begin? He's a writer, he came over to Hawaii to work on an article with me. Did I tell you about that? National Geographic approached me about contributing to an article about turtles and this guy was assigned to write it. Anyway, let's just say we had a bit of a connection..."

Sybil found it hard to say any more – what could she tell her sister about what had happened when she hadn't even made sense of it in her own mind yet? Luckily, Edith knew her well enough to understand what she was driving at, and winked at her.

"You got lucky, then? Good for you, Sybil – it's been too long since you broke up with that guy in Plymouth – what was his name, Tom Bellasis? About time you found someone else to float your boat." Edith's smile was broad as she sat back from the screen, rubbing her belly – she was in her last trimester and the baby was kicking like a Premier League footballer today. Sybil saw her do it and couldn't help smiling in return. Edith and Anthony had been married for three years now and they were getting ready to welcome baby number two – their first child, Edward, was 18 months old now and Sybil's godson.

"How are you doing, sis?"

"Pretty good this time, actually. Remember how sick I was with Edward? Thank God, I've been much better this time – and of course Anthony takes such good care of me, I hardly need to lift a finger."

Anthony tightened his arm around Edith's shoulders, pressing a kiss into her hair – "Anything for you, my love."

Sybil watched as Edith turned to look at her husband, sharing a loving glance with him and touching his cheek – "I'm so lucky to have you, darling."

"Hem, hem!" Sybil pretended to clear her throat - the love Edith and Anthony felt for each other shone through so clearly, even from thousands of miles away. "I would say get a room but it's probably a bit late for that! What's the news from home?"

They chatted about the rest of the Crawley family, and Sybil learned that Matthew had just made partner at his law firm – "That's brilliant! I must send him an email. Maybe he will brief you one day, Anthony?"

Her brother in law, a respected QC, smiled at the thought – "Probably not, Sybil – his area is family law, whereas I'm more on the corporate side of things. Still, you never know, the legal scene in London is pretty small. We might be able to put some business each others' way – after all, we both married Crawley sisters, so we need to stick together!"

After a bit more chat, Sybil felt it was time to wrap up - "Lovely speaking with you both, and stay well, Edith. I'd better go – speak again in a couple of weeks, OK? I've got some papers to mark."

Edith blew a kiss – "Bye, Sybil, love you lots." Anthony waved as he closed down their screen, leaving it blank.

Sybil came back inside and saw Tom, sprawled on his stomach on the bed, arms flung out, bed covers randomly twisted around his naked body. She almost felt herself let out a purr as she looked at him – his muscular arms and back, his tight arse, his tousled hair... "Mmmmm." She pulled off her clothes and slid back into the bed beside him, running her fingers along his spine, enjoying the feel of his smooth skin before she moved her hand down his side and started to tickle him.

He immediately erupted out of his doze, protesting – "Hey!" Then, he realised where he was and rolled towards her – "Well hello, Dr Crawley – who's been a naughty girl, then? I think you are in big trouble ..." Putting his arm across her body, he flipped her onto her back and was on top of her in a moment, kneeling up and gently pinning her hands above her head with one of his, while his other hand ran slowly down from her lips, to her chin, to her collarbone, and beyond..."I think I have you at my mercy now."

"Well, what are you going to do with me?" Sybil pouted and bit her lower lip, her eyes gleaming as she looked up at him through her long eyelashes.

"I'll have to think about an appropriate punishment, won't I..."

Tom's hand continued its slow journey down her body, trailing across her breasts and teasing her nipples till they were erect and aching. He adored the way she looked but her full, firm breasts in particular made him almost insane with lust – he had already spent more than a couple of hours kissing and caressing them over the last couple of days and he couldn't see any reason not to continue. His hand slipped further down her body, running across her stomach from hipbone to hipbone and feeling her tremble under his touch.

"Ah, you like that, do you Doctor? Perhaps I will give you a bit more, if you ask nicely?"

His fingers moved still lower, brushing against her core, and he heard her gasp. "What was that?"

"Please, Tom..." she moaned, her hips starting to buck under his hand as he began stroking her clit.

"Sorry, I couldn't quite hear you..." he teased, slipping a finger inside her – God, she was so wet already! "Is this what you were asking for?"

"Yes, yes, oh please Tom, you know what I want!" she whispered, naked desire written across her flushed face.

His cock was already rock hard and he wanted to be inside her so much as he let go of her hands and grabbed her around her waist to pull her onto all fours, pulling on a condom quickly. Her ripe arse pressing onto his stomach almost made him come as soon as he entered her but he managed to restrain himself, pushing hard inside her and keeping his fingers moving on her clit, while the other hand pressed onto the bed to hold them steady as he started to thrust into her slick, tight core.

She pushed back against him, deepening his penetration still further. The sensations were overwhelming for both of them now, and they quickened their pace, lost in their private world of mutual desire as the bed started to rock, slamming the headboard against the wall as she took hold of it and braced herself.

Tom could feel Sybil's knees starting to buckle beneath him as her orgasm came close, and he wrapped his other arm around her, lifting her upright against his body, holding her as they moved together towards a climax that was inevitable. She could feel his hard chest and abs against her back, and as she started to come she threw her head back onto his shoulder, her long, wavy hair trailing around them as she screwed her eyes closed and let out a scream – "TOM – OH MY GOD!"

He felt her convulse around him and kept teasing her clit for a few moments more, drawing out her ecstasy to fever pitch in a way he had learned to do with her over the last couple of days. His other arm was tight around her waist, holding their bodies as close together as he could as they knelt on the bed, skin clinging to skin in the tropical air. It didn't take long for him to find himself tumbling into the void with her – "Ahhh, holy feck, Sybil!"

They fell sideways onto the bed, Tom's arms tight around Sybil as he slowly slid out of her, and their breathing started to return to normal. She wriggled around to face him, and put her swollen lips to his, wrapping her arms around his neck and aligning her body with his all along its length, wanting to touch him everywhere she could. He tightened his arms around her, running one hand up and down her back slowly as his tongue moved into her mouth, deepening their kiss...

Wrapped in each others' arms, they fell into an exhausted sleep not long before dawn, limbs entwined, lips within a breath of each other. When Tom awoke after a few hours, he reached out for Sybil and found she wasn't there. He noticed the balcony door was ajar, so he got up and went outside to a sight that made his knees weak. She had obviously woken up earlier and decided to catch some rays as the dawn broke – she was lying in a lounge chair naked, her skin gleaming, her eyes closed as she soaked up the sun.

He didn't say a word, feeling himself growing hard just looking at her as she lifted her hand lazily, running it over her breasts to brush away a buzzing insect. She heard him catch his breath and lifted her head – from the look on his face it was plain to see what was on his mind!

She beckoned him over and he stepped towards the lounge chair, lying down next to her. His lips immediately went to her breasts and Sybil arched her back, lifting herself towards him. She let out a sigh of pleasure as Tom's mouth ravaged her, feeling her whole body light up as the neverending arousal that had become so familiar swept over her again, stronger than ever.

His lips travelled down her body, tasting her skin as he moved over her ribcage and down her stomach, and she found herself holding her breath in excitement as she felt him take possession of her body again. What had come to life between them the moment they met had a life of its own now, and they were nearly helpless before its power. All they could do was ride the tide together, and hope to land safely on the shore afterwards...

His tongue traced a path down to her core, and his hands pushed her legs apart as he settled himself between them, licking and sucking her clit in a way that quickly sent her towards that peak of pleasure she had already reached so many times in the last few days. He felt her hands tangling in his hair and he slipped one hand under her arse, grasping her firmly as his tongue continued to move. He felt her begin to quake against his lips and he knew she was approaching orgasm, fast. First one finger, then another slipped inside her as she began to writhe against him. He felt her start to come, so hard she lifted herself off the chair entirely, twisting and gasping as the sensations he loved to evoke in her raced through her body like a prairie fire...

He stayed where he was for a moment before sliding up the lounge chair and wrapping her in his arms. He could see a tear on her cheek as she looked at him - "Tom, my God, what you do to me..." Tom felt his heart lift and turn over in his chest as he stared deep into Sybil's beautiful eyes. He knew in that moment that the overwhelming desire which had begun for them both the moment he had knocked on her door had bloomed into so much more ...

"Sybil – I have to tell you – I think I'm in love with you. I know it's totally crazy, and we hardly know each other. All I know is that the last three days we've spent together have been the most amazing days of my life, and not just for the phenomenal sex! We've talked so much too, I can't remember the last time I talked to anyone like that, and there is just something about you that seems to fit with me, you know? I want so, so much more with you... something real, something that might last." He broke off, unable to read her emotions from her face – did she think he was nuts, saying this so quickly?

"Tom, darling, darling, Tom – oh I feel the same way! I think I love you too, and I want this to be something real – not just a one night stand... well, three nights actually..." Another tear stole down her cheek as he pulled her face towards him, and their lips met in a kiss that let them say what they could not quite find the words for, not just yet ...

A/N -

I think there may be a bit more to come of this story... love to hear what you think.