A/N: For the S/T Secret Valentine's Day exchange I got Sybbelle! :) Her prompt was: Tom tries to plan the perfect valentines day but nothing goes right.

So when I got this prompt of course I thought of this fun story! I got a real kick out of writing it!

So this chapter takes place two months after Sybil and Tom's first date and four months before they get engaged.

I hope you like it and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!


"Oi Tom can you take table five?"

Tom shook his head and he swiped his last table's credit card. "No way Alfred I'm cut."

The tall ginger smirked at him, "Lucky bastard! Getting early out on Valentine's day!"

Tom smirked as the receipts finally printed, "I'm be lucky if I'm not late picking up Sybil."

Alfred chuckled and patted him on the back as Tom walked back to his table.

Dropping off his last check Tom rushed back to the back so he could do his closing.

"Branson what are you doing?"

He looked up to see the head waitress, Anna. "Doing sauces what you think?"

Anna gave him an amused look. "Go."

"But-"

Taking the sauce bottles from his hands she replied, "No buts Branson, it's your last day and it's Valentine's Day. Go see your girlfriend."

Tom grinned and pulled Anna into a hug. "I owe you one Anna!"

Grabbing his coat Tom rushed out to his car and checked the time. He had thirty minutes to get home, take a shower, and change before he had to pick-up Sybil.

Sending her a quick text that he may be a little late, Sybil replied almost instantly.

No worries ;) You know Valentine's isn't a big deal to me.

Tom sighed. He remembered the conversation well.

They were sitting on the couch at her place watching Girls (Sybil's favorite show) when a commercial for Valentine's Day jewelry came on.

"Soo is it too early in the relationship to talk about Valentine's Day?" Tom half-joked. They had only been dating for a month.

Sybil smirked, "Oh?" She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him forwards her and cheekily asked, "Do you want be my Valentine's?"

Tom however, in this moment felt too much swirling around in his heart to joke. He looked at her softly as he whispered, "If you let me."

Sybil felt her heart warm at smiled brightly at him. "Of course I want you to. I couldn't imagine a better Valentine's."

Sybil pulled him closer and kissed him slowly. It was several minutes later when they finally moved away, when she added, "And just to let you know you told have to go all out. I'd be perfecting happy just getting takeout and hanging out here."

Sybil went on to tell him that she's never really cared for the day citing the fact that it was just a day the greeting cards companies promoted and commercialized to sale more days.

While it wasn't a big deal to her, it was their first Valentine's Day and he wanted to make it perfect. She teased him about being such a romantic but he could tell she was rather touched by his efforts. At his promise to make this Valentine's Day one to remember.


By the time he had gone to his flat, showered, changed, and got to Sybil's flat he was thirty minutes late.

"What no chocolates?" Sybil teased.

Tom laughed with a sheepish smile. "I did send you flowers." Lending over to press a small kiss on her lips he asked, "You got them right?"

Sybil laughed as she let him in. "Funny story, somehow the card left off and one of my patients got it."

"You're kidding me."

She grinned, "Nope." Chuckling at the shocked expression on his face. "It was actually rather perfect, Ms. Carter's got a divorce last month and the mysterious flowers made her day."

Tom smiled, "Well I'm glad those flowers could do some good." Moving his hand to her waist he couldn't help but smile at her. "You look gorgeous." And she did, the way her hair was curled, the light makeup on her face focusing on her stunning eyes, and her long sleeve dress that shined and how it faded from a caramel brown to a milk chocolate brown.

Sybil blushed, wrapping her arms around his neck loosely. "You don't look too shabby yourself."


Sybil sided eyed him and grinned, letting out a whistle as they got to the restaurant. "Fancy."

"Well I am dating an Earl's daughter."

Sybil rolled her eyes and shoved him.

There was a bit of a line, but neither of them minded.

"So are you excited for Monday?" Sybil asked grinning ear to ear.

"I still can't believe it actually," and he couldn't. Starting Monday morning he would be one the new journalist for a small paper. Sure it was part-time but it meant that he could give up his job at the restaurant. He'd still need to work at the garage but it was a step forward.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by Sybil squeezing his arm. With a glowing smile she said, "I can."

"Next!"

Looking up Sybil and Tom found that they were next and went up to the stand. "Hi I made a reservation for seven, it should be under Branson."

The man quickly scanned the list and frowned. "I'm sorry but I don't see anything under Branson. Could you have possibly have the time wrong or have it under a different name?"

Tom frowned. "Um maybe Tom B. or Crawley?"

The host looked again and shook his head. "I'm sorry sir but I do not see anything under any of those names."

Tom groaned. This could not be happening!

He was getting frustrated when Sybil placed a calming hand on his arm. "How long is the wait without the reservation?"

"I'm afraid its two hours miss."

"Two hours?!" Tom growled.

Sybil gave him a look, "Thank you for your help." Sybil pulled him to the side and gave him the look again.

He sighed, "I know I know. I'm sorry." Rubbing his hands over his face he looked at her through his fingers. "Forgive me?"

She grinned, "Of course." Tugging at his hand they walked out of the restaurant. "Come on let's find somewhere to eat."


After looking at all the restaurants on the street (which were all deemed too expensive or too long a wait) Sybil suggested they go back to her place and order takeout. Tom agreed but insisted that instead of takeout he cook dinner.

Sybil and her flat mate Gwen had yet to go to the grocer's so they decided to make a quick stop.

They both laugh at some of the odd looks they got as they looked around both rather dressed up for the grocer's.

Walking around they decided to do something simple. After some debating they decided on a chicken dish.

They had almost everything they needed when they saw an employee giving out pasta samples.

Sybil sighed happily, "Mmmm, maybe we should have pasta inste-"

Tom was about to reply when someone bumped into him and knocked his sample (with extra sauce) onto Sybil's dress.


After a few minutes in the loo trying to get the sauce out before it stained. Sybil and Tom headed for the car.

"Your dress alright?" Tom asked as he loaded the bags into the car.

Scratching at the stain she sighed, "It'll be once I soak it."

Tom nodded, hiking the bag higher in his arm they walked to the car.

Pulling on his seat belt Tom glanced at Sybil and couldn't help but smile as she played around with the radio. Her face scrunching up as she went through the stations. Shaking his head he turned his attention back to the task at hand, starting the car.

They had only moved an inch when the wheels made a grinding sound. "What the?"

Stepping out of the car Tom started swearing in Irish.

Looking away from radio she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Someone slashed my tires!"


Tom sighed. "Sybil love, why don't you go set the table?"

After taking a taxi back to Sybil's flat Tom was cooking them some grilled Chicken with lemon. Sybil, now changed into a nice blouse and a pair of slacks, picked up her wine glass and moved to rest her head on his shoulder. Perking him on the cheek she teased, "Am I distracting you?"

For the last ten minutes while Tom was trying to cook Sybil had seem to have other ideas.

Tom bit the inside of his cheek as Sybil's left hand squeezed his arse. His honest reply was, "Yes."

Sybil grinned and replied, "Oh?" Before pressing down the collar of his shirt and leaving long kisses on his neck. Nibbling a bit of skin between her teeth. As she moved up his neck she asked in between kisses "Is this too distracting?"

With his eyes closed Tom groaned, "Oh god y-FUCK!"

Tom's hand jumped from the stove where, his fingers had accidentally touched the flame! "Bloody Christ!"

"What happened?!" Sybil pulled him towards him to get a better look.

"I burned my hand." He swore.

"It looks like a minor burn." Moving quickly Sybil moved to the sink and turned the water on. Checking to make sure it was cool and not too cold she grabbed his hand and stuck it into the water.

"We need to cool it before we bandage it," Sybil explained.

Leaving the room to get the proper bandages she came back a few minutes later. Taking his hand in her she gave his hand another look over. "My poor darling."

Brushing her fingers over the side of his pinkie to the side of his palm. He hissed and he nearly jumped away.

Giving him a look of sympathy she told him, "Come on and sit down while I bandage your hand."

Tom nodded and did as told, nursing his hand as he did so.

After wrapping his hand with care she pulled his hand up to her lips.

Tom smiled and lightly teased, "Thanks for taking care of me Doc."

"My pleasure Mr. Branson." She whispered moving closer so that her face was only an inch apart before closing in the last of the distance.

It was several minutes later when Sybil jerked away. Her nose scrunched up as she asked, "Is something burning?"

At this moment Tom remembered that he never turned off the stove. He jumped to his feet and moved back to the stove shouting, "FECK!"


After throwing out the black chicken breasts and banishing Sybil from kitchen until dinner was ready, Tom made a new batch of chicken along with some rice and chopped vegetables. It wasn't exactly the most romantic meal but he suppose it would have to do.

"Dinner's ready love!"

Sybil grinned like the Cheshire cat. "Finally! I'm starve!"

Putting her plate in on the table in front of her Tom pecked on the head. "Happy Valentine's Day Sybil."

Sybil beamed at Tom as he took his seat. "Happy Valentine's Day Tom."

Cutting her chicken she took a bite. "Mmm I love terayuki chicken!"

Tom grinned, "I'm glad. I know I said I was going to make the lemon chicken but I used my all the lemons on the first batch."

"Hmmm," Sybil mumbled after taking another bite. "It has a rather sweet taste to it…" Her hand moved to her throat as she cleared her throat. Her face paled, "Is there pineapples in this?"

Tom frowned, "Yea I found them in the fridge. Why…?" It was then that Tom noticed her pale face. "Sybil?"

Her hands were on her chest. She was breathing hard but was able to get out, "Quick!" She gasped, "Get my EpiPen!" Another grasp, "It's in my-" she gasped. "PURSE!"

Tom tore off of the room. Knocking over his chair and running towards her coat rack where she put there purse when they came in. Grabbing it he rummaged through swearing loudly until he found it.

Throwing her purse on the ground Tom run back into the room and kneeled down next to Sybil. Putting the injection onto her outer thigh. Silently thankful for his childhood mate's little sister being allergic to peanuts and the lad's Ma teaching them what to do in case something happened when she wasn't around.

After a few minutes of deep breathing Sybil turned to Tom and asked, still a bit out of breath, "Who puts pineapple in Teriyaki chicken?"

Tom laughed with some bitterness. "My old roommate in uni. He was Hawaiian."

"I thought William was from Brighton."

Tom chuckled. "William was my second roommate. My first roommate was an exchange student."

Sybil laughed weakly. "Oh god just my luck."

Placing his hand on her cheek he sighed. "Why didn't you tell me you were allergic to pineapple?"

She shrugged. "It never came up."

They both laughed. Tom was about to get off the floor when a thought occurred to him. "Wait if you're allergic why do you have bloody pineapples in the fridge?!"

"It's Gwen favorite food."

Tom gave her a look. "Isn't that a bit dangerous?"

Sybil shook her head. "She always puts in a dispose container and then wraps in plastic wrap."

"I guess I should have realized there was something odd about that."

Sybil smiled sweetly and kissed him lightly. "You're such a daft boy."

It was then agreed that while Tom threw off the food (and scrubbed anything that had pineapple on it) Sybil would order Chinese.

Thirty minutes later when their food Sybil grinned as she cheekily told him. "You were right though, this has certainly been a Valentine's Day to remember!"