HERE IT IS! The final chapter!

Wow, it's always surreal to finish a multi-chapter fic, and in some ways I can't believe that this story (even though it's only eight chapters) is finished, but yes! So here you go, the "epilogue" after all the mayham of the sister's very different date nights! And thus finally, finishing my STEAMM 2013 story!

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE who has read, reviewed, followed, and favorited this story! Thank you to my fellow Sybil/Tom shippers, as well to the Andith and M/M shippers who stuck by me and helped encourage me; I hope I have done a decent job in representing your favs alongside my own :o)

I hope you enjoy this last final chapter...and who knows? Maybe something will come from it for 2014's STEAMM day? ;o) THANK YOU AGAIN and enjoy!


Epilogue
"Sunday Brunch"

Edith stood in the doorway of her townhouse, her terrycloth bathrobe the same shade as her fuzzy slippers. She was blushing deeply, but smiling as she looked at Sir Anthony who was standing and bashfully smiling back one step below her. "Sorry again, about…"

"Oh, well, it could have been worse," he chuckled and Edith, despite her embarrassment, giggled in return. "May I telephone you later?"

The words sounded wonderfully old-fashioned, but they just made Edith smile. "I would love that," she grinned. Unlike some other men (especially men her age or younger) Edith had a feeling that Sir Anthony Strallan wasn't the sort to promise to ring someone, and then never follow through. She knew that when he said "later", he meant "tonight". And who knows? Maybe we'll see each other again before this upcoming weekend…

"I am looking forward to this weekend," she murmured, blushing all the more, especially when she thought about everything they had done during the night, and how they would have an entire weekend to themselves for that…as well as other things.

"So am I," he replied, smiling and…feeling rather bold despite his bashfulness, leaned forward to which Edith happily closed the distance, their lips meeting once again in a soft, tender kiss that was filled with both memories and impending promises. They parted, slowly, and Anthony whispered, "Farewell, my sweet," which caused Edith's toes to curl in her slippers.

"Goodbye," she murmured, smiling back at him as he slowly eased away.

"Goodbye, Sir Anthony!" Sybil called from inside the house, her voice filled with mirth, and despite the glare Edith shot her younger sister, she just threw her head back and laughed.

Sir Anthony blushed, but cleared his throat and answered, "And a good day to you, Lady Sybil," before smiling once more and Edith, bowing his head in an elegant manner, and forcing himself to turn away and move down the steps to the cab that was waiting for him. Edith remained where she was, watching the cab pull away, and did not go back into the house until it had rounded the corner and she could no longer see it.

With a wistful sigh, she turned and shut the door at last.

"Awww," Sybil cooed, which caused Edith to turn and glare once again at her sister.

"None of that," she muttered, pushing herself away from the wall she was leaning against.

Sybil tried, but it just wasn't working; the giggles came too naturally. "I think it's wonderful," she stated, grinning up at her sister from where she sat. "You deserve to be happy, and if Sir Anthony Strallan makes you feel that way, then he has my approval! Not that you need anyone's approval, of course."

"Indeed," Edith mumbled, taking the offered coffee mug that Sybil had passed to her and joining her on the sofa, though in all fairness, she couldn't be upset with her sister or her cheek; she wasn't even that upset with what her sister had…interrupted (annoyed, perhaps, but not upset).

"So, clearly everything went well," Sybil giggled, which naturally made Edith blush all the more. "And what's this that I heard about the two of you going away somewhere next weekend?"

Edith waved her hands in the air. "Oh enough about me—let's talk about YOUR date! How did it go with the journalist?"

Sybil blushed, but she couldn't contain her smile. "Oh, it was a night full of surprises, I cannot deny," she sighed.

Edith bit her lip. "Good surprises, I hope?"

"Some," Sybil murmured, and then seeing Edith's concern was quick to reassure, "Most—in fact everything with Tom was wonderful, though Larry Grey did try to ruin the evening."

"No!" Edith gasped, putting her mug down and turning to face her sister. "What happened!?"

Sybil rolled her eyes, and then dug her mobile out of her purse. "Well, let me just reassure you that if you're worried about your night with Sir Anthony making the tabloids, you won't be the only Crawley sister featured."

Edith stared in wide-eyed horror as Sybil showed her the video of the pub fight at The Golden Unicorn. "Larry started it," Sybil muttered. "He attacked me while I was on my way to the toilets, and then attacked Tom and this happened."

"Oh my God!" Edith looked at her sister. "Are you alright? Is Tom alright? Is that prick in jail?"

Despite the situation, Sybil couldn't help but laugh at Edith's frantic questions. "I'm fine, Tom, sadly, suffered a broken jaw, and no, I'm afraid Larry isn't in jail, but Papa knows the truth and is already on top of things to make sure that the public learn the true story, and not whatever tale Larry fabricates."

"Good heavens!" Edith sat back as if in a daze. "Well…I think it's safe to say that out of the three of us, you had the most eventful evening."

"Oh I don't know about that," Sybil grinned. "I won't deny that I would have loved for my date to have ended the way yours had…" Edith blushed deeply, but smiled quite happily. "…And we haven't heard from Mary yet! We don't know how her date with Matthew went!"

Edith looked over her shoulder at the clock above the fireplace. "I doubt she'll be here before ten; we did say we would have brunch after ten."

Sybil made a face. "That's too long," she groaned. "I want to know how everything went with Matthew! Are they getting back together or not?"

Edith's eyebrows rose at this. "Do you really think that will happen? You know how stubborn Mary can be…"

"I know, but…Matthew's the love of her life! I've never seen her happier than when they were together, and I'm still convinced that she's in love with him."

"Are you?"

Both Edith and Sybil turned at the voice and gasped, "Mary!" as there stood their eldest sister, looking shower fresh and lovely as always.

Mary eyed them both, taking note of both their states (Edith in her bathrobe and slippers, while Sybil was still in the clothes she had worn last night). "I know I'm early and it's just brunch, but I thought you two would be a little more formally attired."

Sybil leapt from the sofa and practically bounded across the room to her sister, throwing her arms around her and hugging her tight. "I'm so glad you're here!" Sybil gasped, to which Mary simply tried not to stumble backwards from the force of her little sister's hug.

"Thank you, darling—ow—Sybil, don't make me regret coming here," Mary muttered, patting her sister's shoulder, but trying to free herself from Sybil's embrace.

Sybil giggled and kissed Mary's cheek, before finally releasing her…to a point. Her hands still firmly gripped Mary's shoulders, and it was clear she was trying to guide her sister over to the sofa. "Tell us EVERYTHING!" Sybil insisted.

"Everything?" Mary repeated, lifting a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "I don't know if everything would be appropriate."

Sybil gasped, her eyes wide and her mouth falling open (and her hands dropping from Mary's shoulders), which had been her sister's plan all along, as Mary chuckled to herself, before dodging her sister's hands before they could get hold of her again.

"Oh, you're a horrible tease," Sybil muttered, rolling her eyes.

"And you're adoringly gullible," Mary giggled, before blowing a kiss at her sister, and moving into the kitchen to help herself to her own cup of coffee. "So? Were your evenings really that boring that you had to depend on me to entertain you?"

Edith rolled her eyes and Sybil simply smirked, before announcing, "Edith shagged Sir Anthony."

"Sybil!" Edith hissed, which was followed by the sound of a spoon hitting the floor and Mary gasping, "WHAT!?"

Sybil just grinned. "Yes, and I walked in on them—sorry about that, again."

Poor Edith's face was redder than an English post box.

Mary looked at her middle sister for confirmation. "Is this true?"

Edith couldn't stop blushing. "I…" she swallowed. "Well…yes, but I'm not ashamed! Not in the slightest!"

"Good!" Sybil grinned, even turning and clapping her hands. "Nor should you be, he seemed very nice and the perfect gentleman, at least for the few minutes that I met him," she giggled.

Mary rolled her eyes, more so at Sybil's words than at Edith's actions. "So long as you know what you're getting into," Mary mumbled, ever the picture of "oldest sibling".

Edith frowned and folded her arms across her chest. "Of course I know what I'm getting into, I'm not a child—and don't start that whole 'he's too old' lecture, because Sybil's right, he is a gentleman, and we had a wonderful night and we're going to go away next weekend to York!"

Both sisters stared at Edith, Mary's eyes wide with surprise and Sybil's face filled with glee. "Splendid!" Sybil grinned, while Mary shot her little sister a look, before turning back to her middle one and giving her a look that…one could almost describe as…impressed.

"Well, things certainly seem to be moving along at a 'brisk pace'," she murmured, before lifting her mug to her lips. "But…despite what you may think, Edith, I do trust your judgment, and if you say that Sir Anthony Strallan, despite his age and position in Parliament, is a good, honorable gentleman who isn't playing the part of Lothario in trying to seduce a younger woman—"

"He's not," Edith groaned.

"Then that's all that matters," Mary concluded, smiling at her sister before taking another sip. "And that he makes you happy, of course," she added.

Edith lifted her chin. "He does."

"Good!" Mary smiled, and lifted her mug towards Edith, who likewise, lifted hers in return. It was a rare moment, when both Mary and Edith weren't at odds with each other, but right now, there certainly seemed to be respect reflected in the older Crawley sister's eyes for her younger sister, and vice versa.

Edith then turned, looked at the youngest Crawley sister, and announced, "Sybil got into a pub fight."

Mary practically spat her coffee. "WHAT!?"

"Edith!" Sybil hissed.

"Well, not her, per se, but her date."

"EDITH!"

"What on earth is she talking about!?" Mary demanded, her eyes only on Sybil.

Sybil groaned. "It's not Tom's fault!"

"That is true," Edith defended. "Apparently Larry Grey is a very sore loser, and decided to stalk poor Sybil on her date this evening which led to the pub fight that is now all over the internet."

Mary's mouth fell open and she looked back and forth between both her sisters, one smirking while the other had her head lowered and was rubbing her temples.

Indeed, it seemed that none of the Crawley girls had a "dull" moment.

After Sybil was able to reassure Mary that she was alright, and after she went into a very long, detailed description of what had happened, did the older Crawley sister finally calm down (though she looked quite murderous whenever Larry's name was spoken).

"And despite that one little incident," Edith added, looking sweetly at her baby sister, "I do think our dear Sybil is in love with Mr. Branson."

Sybil turned bright red, however she did not argue otherwise, which wasn't missed on either of her sisters.

"Well…" Mary straightened herself. "I'm not even going to bother saying what I said to Edith because I know you'll not listen—"

"Ah, my reputation precedes me," Sybil sighed, though she didn't look apologetic in the slightest.

Mary rolled her eyes, though there was some tenderness in her smile as she looked at her little sister. "I will admit, he does sound like a decent man…even if he is a leftist journalist—"

"Mary…"

Mary held up her hands in a sign of peaceful surrender, letting the subject drop…and in doing so, her left hand just happened to catch the sunlight, causing a dazzling array of colors to splash upon the wall, drawing both Edith and Sybil's eyes to the very source.

"OH MY GOD!" they both gasped, pointing at once to Mary's finger.

Mary blushed. "Now let's not get ahead of ourselves—"

"A BIT LATE FOR THAT!" Sybil squealed, leaping forward and throwing her arms around her sister. "WHEN WERE YOU GOING TO TELL US!?"

"All in good time!" Mary assured. "And please, darling, not so loud—"

"I can't believe it!" Edith gasped, grabbing hold of Mary's hand to stare at the diamond properly. "I mean…I am glad, please don't misunderstand! But…gracious, this is unexpected!" she dropped Mary's hand and fixed her with a look. "And what were you saying just now about 'moving at a brisk pace'?"

Mary rolled her eyes. "This is hardly the same, seeing as how Matthew and I were once a couple," she mumbled.

"ARE a couple, I think you mean!" Sybil grinned. "Did he have it on him? Did he bring it to dinner tonight? OH! HOW DID HE PROPOSE? TELL US EVERYTHING!"

"Sybil, please, your tone," Mary begged.

"I don't think coffee is the proper drink for such news," Edith announced. She didn't have champagne, but she did break out another bottle of wine and poured all of them a glass. "Well…it sounds like, despite any mishaps that may have occurred during the evening, that all in all…everyone's date was a success!"

Sybil nodded, her heart beating just a little faster as she thought about Tom and how yes, Edith wasn't wrong, as strange as it may seem, especially after only knowing him for a single evening, she was indeed, falling in love with him.

Mary smiled and accepted the wine, lifting her glass in cheers and once again, catching sight of the ring on her finger, her own heart beating just a little faster at how wonderful and right it felt…and at what the future held for herself and Matthew. It was frightening in some ways, they both could be terribly stubborn and thick at times, but…she found that she had faith. This was going to work; she trusted her heart.

Edith grinned and lifted her glass likewise, and as they all toasted one another and sipped their wine, she thought about her evening with Sir Anthony, and about the upcoming weekend…and all the weekends that would follow. It was only one night, and yet much like her younger sister, she believed that she too was falling in love, and maybe…just maybe…a diamond like Mary's would be in her future as well.

"Alright!" Sybil demanded, after putting down her glass. "DETAILS!"

Mary sighed, knowing her sister wasn't going to be satisfied until she told her everything (well, not everything, she blushed, but nearly).

Even though the three of them were supposed to be having brunch, food was soon forgotten in favor of listening and sharing one another's retellings of their dates. Mary went first, mentioning how Granny had tricked her and changed the restaurant, to the argument she and Matthew had had, to her almost making the same mistake twice, before she came to her senses and stopped him from leaving his hotel, to where she got down on one knee and started proposing, to which he wonderfully finished, before revealing that he had been holding onto that ring for five years.

After several more hugs (and passing a box of tissues around), Edith lightened things up with her retelling, talking first about how the paparazzi had interrupted their date at The Ritz, which led them back to her place, and the spontaneous picnic on her living room floor, which was followed by dancing and finally, kissing (as well as other things, but there was no need to go into details about that!) Mary smiled sweetly, while Sybil's hands clutched at her heart, looking ready to melt from emotion.

It was now Sybil's turn, and her story earned several displeasured mutterings as Larry Grey's name popped up, but both her sisters exchanged a knowing look as Sybil talked about the grand time she and Tom had at The Golden Unicorn, because of course, such a place (much like Mr. Branson it seemed) was really more to their sister's taste and liking than any place posh. Sybil's story started to wrap up when she told them about how she took poor Tom back to his flat and helped him into bed…when her voice began to trail off, and her brow started to furrow into what looked like a troubled frown, and then suddenly she burst, "I can't believe it!"

Both Mary and Edith sat up. "What?" they asked, looking suddenly worried.

Sybil looked back and forth between them. "YOU!" she said, almost sounding accusing as she pointed at both of them.

"What?" Edith asked, looking at Mary and then back at Sybil. "What did we do?"

"EXACTLY!" Sybil leapt to her feet.

Mary and Edith just looked more confused. "Sybil?" Mary asked, noticing how her sister was grabbing her purse and jacket. "Darling, where are you going?"

"Back to my place to take a quick shower, clean myself up, and then to Tom's!"

"What?" Mary looked at Edith and then back at Sybil. "I know you like the man, but…why the sudden need to go?"

Sybil groaned and looked back at her sisters. "Because I'm the only one who didn't get to shag her date!"

THE END
...for now