Hellooo!

This is the last chapter of this part of the story :(

But that means new story :D

Thank you again to everyone who reviewed and subscribed and I hope you read the other part that I will soon make :)

Enjoy!

After the eventful dinner, Sybil and Tom retreated back upstairs, the huge stresses and weights on their shoulders completely gone. She rested her head on his shoulder as they turned the corner out of sight of the others. He kissed her hair and neither of them said a word; they were content in the silence.

But one thing still bothered her. Her father's handshake had been some sort of a party ploy; He and Tom had shaken hands in reconciliation before but it was all lies. Was now any different?

"Tom?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think my father meant the handshake? I mean, last time, I thought he did but he didn't," She sighed.

He stopped them, looking at her properly.

He noticed that, even though there were faded black circles under her eyes and little red specks dotted around her face, she was different. He could see that since having Christopher and coming back here, it had changed her only slightly. Though her eyes were soft, they held a new authority behind them and her mouth had a conviction that, if something needed to be said, she wouldn't hesitate. He then wondered if her slight changed had occurred much earlier.

What he didn't notice was that he had been staring at her for quite some time.

"What?" she giggled. He chuckled too, stroking her cheek.

"I-Just looking at you then, I noticed. You changed, you look different. You're still beautiful, of course, but I can see it. You're different,"

She smiled; taking the hand that stroked her face and placed it flat against her cheek, holding it there.

"Ireland's changed me. You've changed me. I don't think you're the only one to notice either." She said back, leaning her head into his hand. He brought up his other hand to gently hold her head between his hands, kissing her soundly on the lips. She grasped his shoulders, kissing him back with the same force and passion.

It had been a rather long time since either of them felt like this, and though they were at her parent's house and their new friendship was still on shaky ground for now, the temptation was just irresistible. When they pulled away, Tom gave her a little wink, making her giggle quietly and go to nibble on the soft skin of his neck. He groaned, unwillingly detaching himself and opening their bedroom door in haste, kissing her again and trailing kisses down her neck as he pulled her into their bedroom.

"Ahem," a voice came from behind them. A woman's voice laughed as the couple went completely red faced, Sybil hiding hers away in Tom's chest.

"Sorry Anna, I forgot you were here," he mumbled, embarrassed. She laughed again, shaking her head. Anna had never seen the pair of them speechless and she savoured the moment; they always had witty ploys for everyone's questions.

"Christopher's asleep," she said, still a humoured smile on her lips. "He's in the other room; I left it open a crack so you can hear him. Goodnight," She was chuckling by the end of her sentence.

She walked over to leave and whispered quietly, "I won't tell, don't worry,"

They both chuckled uneasily, nodding and murmuring thank you. After she left, they burst out laughing, flopping onto the bed, cuddling each other closely.

"I can't believe we forgot Anna," Sybil whispered.

"I know, poor lass!" he chuckled.

Though they didn't see Anna's reaction to their obvious intention, they knew that she would have been shocked before her laughter. Tom felt his wife, stroking and dragging her nails lightly down his neck; she was over the embarrassment then, he thought. It tickled him lightly and he started to laugh, suddenly turning, making her give a surprise yelp and kissed her, feeling his jacket and shirt being pushed off him.

Lord and Lady Grantham readied for bed, Cora sat at her dressing table and Robert reading a book in bed.

"I can't believe they're leaving tomorrow, it's certainly been an eventful visit. Hopefully they'll come again, do you think so Robert?"

He scoffed, putting down his book and saw his wife's smirk,

"My dear, please stop treading on eggshells, just say it-most of it was my fault, I know," He sighed, picking up his book again, hoping to distract himself from her scolding. He already knew what was coming; she would tell him that he should have been nicer and that he should have put his petty quarrels aside and welcomed them like he should.

"You're right; it is your fault for all of this. I don't understand why you couldn't just be honourable and try to befriend him? You speak about honour but it comes down to it you never give Robert," she sighed, standing to get into bed.

There was silence for a while as Robert considered what she said. It was exactly what Tom said in the inn when he tried to bribe him to leave. Robert believed that he was honourable but maybe they were right; he just spoke and never took action.

"However, what you didn't tonight shocked me. Did you mean it Robert? Have you finally accepted it?" Cora begged. She had been hoping this whole visit that he would accept their youngest daughter's marriage.

Of course, she was a little resistant at first but when she came around and got to know him properly, she liked Tom. She liked the idea of them being together; it reminded her of her sister in America. She married for love and though they aren't as rich as she is, they are happy in their marriage that no-one or nothing could keep them apart.

"Yes, I didn't mean it. You were right. Tom was right, as always it seems. You know more than I do but, does he care for her? Is she happy?"

Cora looked up at him with raised eyebrows and chuckled.

"Do I really need to answer the question?" she smiled and he shook his head and sighed, putting his book back on the side table next to him and held his wifes hand.

"No, you don't. Are they really leaving in the morning?" he asked.

"Yes, I suppose they need to take Christopher back home, fins their house, get his job set up, goodness, their life is so busy." She said surprised at the amount her daughter and son in law had to do. How on earth did they have the tome to come here? Robert turned of the switch of the lamp n his side and said,

"No wonder she loves him. She's always loved excitement."

Cora laughed, thinking of some memories from Sybil's childhood.

"Our jumpy child,"

Robert laughed and asked her to turn out the other light to go to sleep. They would be up early in the morning.

All the arrangements were settled and Tom, Sybil and their son were getting the 10 o'clock train from Downton to Holyhead. The train ride was longer but the boat was much shorter, making it more comfortable for Christopher. Tom made two trips up the stairs, bringing down the suitcases to the car to be packed up and placed on the back. He helped Bates, who insisted that he could do it but Tom knew better.

"John, you know that you'll put out your knee. Just let me help you out, you never minded before."

Bates chuckled and said lowly, "You were the chauffer then and this one is completely useless. Couldn't lift a feather if he tried," Bates nodded toward the new chauffer.

They both laughed a little and continued placing the suitcases on the car. Tom had missed John since returning home; even during the visit he didn't see him a lot.

"Will you return soon?" Bates asked him, pausing slightly to speak. Tom pondered this thought. He would have to talk to Sybil about returning but he was positive that they would. He was almost certain that the others would come and visit them, but he wasn't sure.

"Hopefully, maybe we will. I'll have to ask my lass over there but I'm sure she'll be fine with it. Let's just hope that you're still here," Tom said, loading the last of the suitcases down with them onto the car. He sighed, leant against them.

"Done," he smiled. He was about to go and get Sybil, to say their last goodbyes when he remembered another suitcase was in Sybil's room.

"No not done, there's one more. Go inside, I'll get it; I think you need a rest,"

"Thank you Tom, safe journey back lad," he smiled and patted his shoulder. "Will you miss this place?"

Tom chuckled, putting his hands in his pockets and rocked on his heels slightly.

"The people more than the place; if they lived anywhere else it'd still be the same," he sighed. They both looked at the large house, admiring it and wondering what would the future bring for them.

Sybil, meanwhile, was upstairs with her mother, sisters and Granny. They all had mournful faces and their voices were fleeting; they were all sad to see her go again.

"Do you have everything?" Cora asked her as Sybil was pacing around the room, double checking for anything that could have been dropped or left behind. She would coo over her son, gurgling happily in the crib with a rattle that Granny had given her to give to him. The bells on it jangled and pealed, making him make little happy noises.

"Yes, I think so. He likes this, don't you? Thank you, Granny." she asked, stroking his little head.

"It appears so and you're quite welcome dear. He'll need something to entertain himself on that horridly long journey." She said, sighing sadly.

There was a moment of silence and Sybil closed the last suitcase. She smiled, huffing out a satisfied breath with finishing her task. She sat down on the bed for a moment, looking around her bedroom one more time.

"Will you come and visit us?" Sybil asked. She knew that this time she may have more chance of a positive answer and she knew how much her in laws wanted to meet her parents. Mrs Branson was quite insistent.

"Of course, darling. We will all come and we'll be able to see your new house," Cora smiled and the others nodded. Violet was quite resistant.

"What's wrong Granny?" Sybil asked a little hurt by her grandmother's look of discomfort.

"My dear, it's a long way for me to go and I'm old. If there was some way for me to fly over there by some miracle, I would come but alas dear, age is a horrid thing. It stops you from doing what you want. I'm afraid I cannot." Violet sighed, patting her youngest granddaughter's hand. Sybil smiled and understood her grandmother predicament.

They did live a long way away but it was home.

"When we, if we, move into our house, I'll send you a letter and pictures. Tom will be able to borrow a camera from work so it'll be no problem," Sybil said. "I'll talk to Tom about visits- I know that his mother wants to meet you," she said to her mother. Cora laughed, "Goodness! What is she like?"

Sybil chuckled along with Mary and Edith. They knew exactly what Rosaleen was like.

"She's like, well, you Granny." Sybil smiled and they all began to laugh.

"Then I am in trouble. I must make sure to be nice." Cora sighed, still laughing.

A knock came at the door and it was Tom, wondering whether he could collect the last suitcase and tell his wife that it was time to go.

"I'll see you in a minute," she said quietly, kissing his cheek.

The others followed Tom outside to the car as Sybil hung back a little, looking around her room again. She remembered everything that had happened in their visit; her father bursting into the room, shouting at her and Tom for sleeping in the same room – thank goodness he didn't know what they did last night- she remembered giving birth to her son, though the pain wasn't exactly the best of the times.

Though there had been some very bad times during their visit, their son coming along and their father finally accepting her marriage made it all worth it. She picked up her son, still holding his rattle, and pulled on his tiny bonnet to keep him warm, and went downstairs to leave.

"Have a safe trip, the both of you and call us when you get to Holyhead so we know where you are," Cora begged and hugged her daughter one more time. Tom was talking to Lord Grantham and Matthew, promising to write to them and tell them of updates from their own home and anything political. It surprised Tom to hear Lord Grantham telling him that he and Lady Grantham would come and visit them soon. He even gave them a date in September. Something about after the season, Tom didn't really know.

"Tell us of what's going on over there. I think it'll help us to understand it better, having someone on the inside." Matthew said and Tom nodded, shaking his hand.

"Goodbye sir," Tom said, extending his hand. Robert nodded once and smiled,

"Goodbye Tom, have a safe trip and good luck,"

The shook hands once again in goodbye and Tom left to retrieve his wife and son.

They both got into the car, Sybil taking a last look behind her at her family and her house. She placed her son properly on her knee so he was sat, the rattle still grasped tightly in his fist. She wrapped her arms and a blanket around him, keeping him warm and secure.

She looked out to the looming house towering over the car and wondered when she would be back again. She hoped that Christopher would be much older and maybe have a little girl to join them. But the one thing she hoped for the most was that her husband would still be around. With things worsening in Ireland, and his strong mind wanting to fight, she knew that he may get himself into trouble sooner or later; she hoped he wouldn't.

The door opened in front and, to their surprise, Edith got into the drivers seat; Tom widened his eyes and subtly grasped onto the chair.

"Are you driving us?" Sybil asked, masking her worry.

"Yes, I said I would and Mary's coming too," She said, checking all the pedals and leavers. Tom saw Mary come out of the house and sit in the front seat; a sight he has never seen in his life.

"Do you want to sit in the back, Mary?" he asked, wary for her safety and putting her nose out by having to sit in the front.

"No, I'm fine," Mary smiled. "I've sat in the front of a car before you know, with Matthew,"

Tom nodded, smirking slightly at Sybil; this was Edith driving not Matthew. Though he had never driven in a car with Matthew, he trusted that he could drive safely, whereas Lady Edith was a different matter. He had taught her; he knew that places she struggled and, frankly, he was terrified of her driving.

Sybil took his hand for a moment and smiled at him, trying not to laugh.

"Very well, then," he said, wary of what was to come.

"Are you ready to go?" Edith asked, smiling at them. She had the car poised and ready; the rest of the family just outside the car.

"I think we'd better had, else we'll miss our train," Sybil said and the car pulled away, jittering slightly before purring constantly, the jittering making Tom wince and Mary squeak in fear.

Lady Grantham waved as the car pulled away, something she rarely did. Tears began to fall and she was the last to enter Downton again as the car vanished into the distance.

"Edith? Are you sure you can manage?" Sybil asked. Being the only man there, and having only two hands, Tom couldn't carry all of the suitcases to the car and Edith said that she would carry some as Mary would never lift a heavy thing and Sybil was carrying Christopher.

"I'm fine Sybil," She said, a little breathless. Edith, in truth, was struggling a little. She knew that she would have been bright red in face and the strain visible. One case was heavier then the other and it pulled mightily at her shoulder. She watched as Tom effortlessly picked up the heaviest suitcase from her, leaving her with one and him with three, and carried them to the train as if they were feather light.

"Really? Are you sure you're well?" Mary asked, not reaching out to help her, just staying still.

"Yes Mary, I'm fine," Edith said through her teeth. "Though I don't see you helping."

"They don't need my help; they have you," she retorted, and Edith rolled her eyes and walked away from her sister, who smirked and cover her mouth to disguise her chuckles.

Mary walked up to her youngest sister, wrapping her arms around her, rather forcefully.

"Goodbye Sybil." She choked, squeezing her tightly whilst being wary of her precious nephew wedged between them. "And such good luck,"

Sybil kissed her sisters cheek in goodbye and sighed sadly. She was going to miss her sisters. This time leaving felt different than before; it felt that this time there was more hope that her family would visit, whereas before, it may have been goodbye forever.

"Goodbye Mary, I'll miss you. I'll call when we get to Holyhead." She said quietly through her tears.

Mary kissed Christopher on his head and whispered her goodbyes to him. When Sybil walked toward Edith, Mary pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed away some fallen tears. Tom came over then, pulling her into a silent hug, which she gracefully took.

"Be careful for goodness sake," Mary hissed to him and he chuckled, nodding.

Edith's goodbye was, too, tearful and Sybil had a steady stream of tears by the time they boarded the train. Tom wrapped his arm around her, letting her rest her head on his shoulder.

"Don't cry, love, you'll see them again. Sooner than expected I'll bet," he said, soothing her. Christopher was laid, sleeping, all wrapped up warmly in a basket that the train managed to give them for him.

The whistle blew sharply and loudly, making steam billow over the sides of the train, telling them that the train was about to pull away. She waved out the window as the train crawled out of the station, letting Downton disappear and their long journey home to Ireland began.

A/N: First part over :( I hope you all enjoyed it!

Sorry of the baby basket wasn't accurate; I looked and looked and I couldn't find anything - Google isn't that great :(

I will be writing another part to this- I said I would- I may have it in this story or I may make a completely new one, i don't know yet.

Thank you for reading again! :D and you'll be hearing from me soon

J xxxx

OTHER REVIEWS-

Duchess: Yeah I know, everything had to be okay before they left. They needed more of a reason to leave early than just going home - you may eat your words .. will it be good news? I hope you'll read the other part :) J x