Impossibly Possible

Fandom: Downton Abbey

Pairing: Sybil/Branson

Disclaimer: I don't own the show or characters.

Summary: Starting sometime before the war starts, leading from there as Sybil and Branson become closer.

A/N- Reviews are appreciated, loved and encouraged. I feel awful about taking so long to update this, I've been distracted lately with other writing projects (Including a novel which I hope to have published to kindle within the next couple of months.) So as a sorry, I am going to try and upload another part today, I am about to work on it now.

May 1914

'I do hope you're not mad at me, I assure you that Branson won't break our confidence, I can rely on him completely.' Sybil watches as Gwen nervously moves her hand to her head, fiddling with a loose strand of hair, trying to get it back in place.

'It's not that I don't trust him milady, I think he'll keep it quiet, it's only I feel rather foolish, having someone else know that I'm going after something like this, what if he thinks I'm a fool.'

'Oh Gwen you don't have to worry about that! Branson isn't like that at all, he admires people who try to better themselves, neither of us believe that class should stop people getting what they want, he's a great believer in levelling the social gap, as am I.'

'If you're sure milady.' Gwen seems to relax for a minute.

'I am sure.' Sybil smiles brightly.

'What are you sure of?' Mary asks stepping into the room, without so much as a knock.

'This frock, I wasn't sure at first but I've made up my mind, I think it'll do nicely.' Sybil thinks on her feet.

'Where were you today?' Mary sits idly on the edge of Sybil's bed, eyeing her with a subtle curiosity.

'You know where I was, I had a meeting of one of my charities.' Sybil places her scent bottle back on her dressing table. 'That's all for now Gwen, go on down and have something to eat.'

Gwen excuses herself from the room politely, and Sybil turns in her seat to look at her sister.

'Funny thing is, I was in Ripon today.' Mary looks directly at Sybil, and it's all Sybil can do to try and not look guilty.

'Were you? How odd you didn't mention your trip, you could have come with me in the motor.'

'Oh it was rather spur of the moment, you'd already left so I was lent a driver and motor from one of papa's friends.'

'What brought you to Ripon?' Sybil knew that any minute the conversation would lead back to her whereabouts, and she was desperate to postpone the moment.

'Cousin Matthew if you'll believe it, I had to pay him a visit at his office, to talk about the entail, while I was there I thought I would look in on you, see if you wanted to join me and Matthew for lunch, only you weren't at your meeting.'

'No, well…'

'There's not point hiding it Sybil, we saw you going into the square, Matthew thought it best to leave you be, if it were up to me I would have marched you straight back home.'

'Well I'm glad you didn't. It was incredibly important to me.' Sybil states confidently, 'Will you tell mama and papa?'

'I wanted to, but no.' Mary shakes her head, 'I don't understand you, I know you've always had your ideas, you've spoken about politics before, but now…'

'Now what?'

'Well, now that we have an Irish socialist for a chauffeur, you seem to be taking a far more active role. I wonder if he isn't a bad influence on you.' Mary rubs her hands together.

'Please! This has nothing to do with Branson, I'm political! I can't help that and he's not a bad influence.'

'But he encourages you! Goodness, he even snuck you off to a rally behind papa's back.'

'He agrees with me about women's rights, that's all.'

'Very well, only do be careful Sybil, honestly places like that aren't suitable.'

'Cousin Isobel was there.'

'Why doesn't that surprise me.' Mary rolls her eyes.

'For someone who is fighting the entail so much, you don't think much of women's rights do you?'

'Don't mistake me darling, I think women should have the vote, but I'm not prepared to go traipsing into riots to make a point, you have to be sensible, if women don't get the vote, you'll need a husband to support you, goodness even if they do! You'll need to make a suitable match, and no man would want to marry someone who ties themselves to railings.'

'Is that really all you think about? Getting a suitable match?' Sybil stand abruptly from her chair, almost knock it over.

'I have to darling, and so should you, you are to be presented next month, how do you think it'll look? Presented for your first season in June, after having attended suffragist rallies in May!'

'Gosh you sound just like granny, I'd hope for more from you.'

'I just want to make sure you know what you're doing.'

'Well I do, so don't worry about me.' Sybil marches out of her room.

'Branson, I just wanted to thank you.' Gwen goes up to him in the courtyard; he's alone leaning against a wall, looking out over the extensive grounds of the Downton estate.

'You're welcome, whatever it is I've done.' He smiles easily.

'Lady Sybil told me that you'd agreed, well to help me get to an interview, if I should get one.'

'When you get one.' He reprimands her lightly.

'You sound just as confident as Lady Sybil.'

'So should you be, if it's something you really want, then there's nothing stopping you.' Branson eases himself off the wall at the sight of Lady Sybil storming out of the house and towards them.

'She really is frightfully incorrigible sometimes.' Sybil says frustration seeping into her voice as she stops in front of her two closest friends at Downton.

'Which one this time?' Branson jokes, bringing a smile to her delicate features, while Gwen is shocked by his easy informal manner with her.

'Mary! She knows where we were today, and she just about read me the riot act about not getting too involved with politics, really she should be on my side!'

'Not everyone can be as determined as you.' Branson leans back against the wall.

'I know you're right.' Sybil sighs, 'I only wish they'd all understand, even if they don't agree with it themselves.'

'I'm sure they mean well milady, they just want to protect you.' Gwen smiles sweetly, even though she's still not entirely sure where Lady Sybil had gone that day.

'Well I golly well wish they'd stop, I'm not a child anymore.' Sybil leans herself against the wall, next to Branson.

'Milady, won't your family wonder where you are?' Gwen asks quietly, after hearing the commotion in the kitchen, of Mrs Patmore yelling because she'd been told to hold off on dinner, on account of the Lady Sybil's absence.

'I suppose you're right.' She pushes herself away from the wall, and with one last smile at them both, heads back to the house.

'Don't you think you were a little…friendly with Lady Sybil?' Gwen watches for Branson's reaction, but he simply gives her a charming smile and walks back towards his cottage.

'This one is for you Sybil.' Lord Grantham hands Sybil a letter, she takes the silver knife and slides it open, scanning the contents, she conceals a smile before tucking it back into the envelope, and leaving it on her lap.

'Anything interesting?' Edith looks up from her plate with a somewhat interested smile.

'Nothing much, just a letter from a friend.' Sybil dismisses it, 'May I be excused?'

'Of course, are you alright?' Lord Grantham nods

'I'm fine papa, it's just such a nice day I thought I'd go for a little walk.' Before anyone else can question her, she gets up, concealing the letter behind her back, and walks quickly out to the courtyard which leads into the kitchen. To her surprise, she sees a little girl standing there, wearing scruffy dirty clothes, her blonde curls messy and knotted, and her face lined with dirt. She doesn't look more than four years old. She stands looking up at Sybil with wide eyes, her thumb in her mouth.

'Are you a princess?' The little girl speaks in a Irish accent not unlike Branson's, no sooner are the words out, than her thumb is replaced in her mouth, and her other hand is playing with a knotted strand of blonde hair. Sybil smiles and crouches down to her level.

'No I'm not a princess, I am a lady though. Do you know what that is?' Sybil smiles encouragingly at the shy little girl.

'Do you mean like Lords and Ladies? From fairy books?' The little girls excitement is evident in her green eyes.

'I do, my father is a Lord, and he owns this house. Now… I'm Sybil, who are you?'

'Evie.'

'That's a lovely name, and who do you belong to Evie?'

'I'm here to see Tom.' She says quietly.

'Do you mean Thomas? The footman?' Sybil's brow knits together, the little girl shakes her head.

'No, Tom drives motors.' Evie states very matter of fact.

'Ah Branson!'

'That's my name too, Evie Branson.' She states it proudly.

'Now then I know him very well.'

'He's my brother, one of them anyhow.' Evie seems brighter now, less shy by the minute.

'Is he, well I'm sure he'll be happy to see you, did you come here alone?' Sybil is worried, the girl is so little.

'No, Liam brought me, he's my other brother.'

'And how old is Liam?'

'Fourteen.' Evie yawns as she speaks.

'Do you know where he went?' Sybil asks.

'To find Tom, he went inside and told me to stay here.' Evie states.

'Right well, shall we see if we can find one of your brothers.' Sybil stands up again.

'Yes please!' Evie reaches her hands up, and Sybil smiles lightly before scooping the child into her arms, resting her on her hip.

'Milady!' Carson's voice is shocked as she walks in through the servant's entrance, everyone at the table stands up to greet her.

'Carson, I wondered if a boy had been in here, about fourteen years old.' Sybil smiles at him.

'Why I don't know milady.' Carson's eyes flit between Lady Sybil and the child snuggled against her shoulder.

'There was a lad, looked frightened out of his wits milady, Anna had him sit in Mrs Hughes parlour while she fetched Mrs Hughes.' Gwen offers up the information.

'Excellent, would you bring him out here please.' Sybil speaks clearly, and Gwen hurries off to fetch the boy. As soon as he appears, Sybil takes not of how tired the boy looks.

'You must be Liam.' Sybil smiles.

'I am miss, she hasn't been trouble has she?' Liam looks worried at the sight of Evie in Sybil's arms.

'Oh no, we've become fast friends, now I gather you're looking for your brother, I could take you if you'd like.'

'Yes please miss.'

'That's Lady Sybil or Milady to you.' Carson reprimands.

'It's quite alright Carson, now would you have something prepared for the two of them to eat, they both look half starved, they'll come back over in a little while to eat.'

'Very good milady.' Carson nods as Sybil turns to leave, Liam following behind.

They walk down the path which leads to the garage, and soon enough they reach it, Branson is under the car doing some work when they approach.

'Branson, I think I found something that belongs to you.' Sybil smiles as he rolls out from under the car, looking at her and the little girl in her arms, and the child next to her, who has his cap in hand and a relieved look on his face.

'Liam? Evie? What on earth are the two of you doing here?' Branson bursts out.

A/N- Hope you like it. Please review.