August

Mary sat silent in the tea room, staring out the window at the empty grounds of Downton. Edith and Cora were making arrangements for her departure to Corpus Christi College at Oxford. She would have been joining Mary at Christ Church, but Edith had wanted to study Classics, which Corpus Christi was known for.

"Mary, don't be mute on the last day for both your sisters. Contribute to the conversation for once," Cora said, sipping her tea.

"I'm sorry. What was the question?"

"Edith asked if you would be sharing your flat with anyone,"

"Yes. Anna is going to Christ Church as well this year and I invited her,"

"You're going to share your flat with Anna, but not me, your sister?" Edith asked, offended. Mary shrugged and continued to stare at the horizon, Cora pursing her lips. Sybil knew she had been upset when Matthew had called off their engagement at the garden party. But when he had brought his new girlfriend Lavinia to dinner the previous day, Mary had shut down. The Mary sitting in front of them was not the Mary they knew.

"Are you excited to go to the States, Sybil?" Cora asked. Sybil nodded, not glancing up from her book. She would be attending a program in Cincinnati, where Grandma-ma Martha lived, for two years to get a head start on her job. Sybil's declaration of wanting to join the program and be a nurse caused a debacle with Robert, but Cora convinced him to let her do it. She could always go to Christ Church later if the nurse phase ended, and they could spare the money. He agreed, but only if Sybil stayed with Martha instead of living in a dorm. Sybil was ecstatic she would be in the same country as Gwen, where they could spend time together as equals, not as employer and employee.

"Well, I'll let you girls get to what you want to do," Cora stood up, leaving, and Edith glanced out at where Mary was staring, then back at Mary.

"Could I at least share the flat with you and Anna?" she quietly asked. "I know I'm going to Oxford early with Aunt Rosamund, but it would be nice to stay somewhere with someone I know during the year,"

"I suppose. It's got two bedrooms… I'll share with Anna and you'll get your own," Mary said, standing up like it pained her to do so. Sybil knew what she was going to do: take a walk. Mary always took a walk when she was in a bad mood, or needed to think.

Sybil preferred to go somewhere else- the garage.

"I'm telling you Tom, they can't all be like that!"

"And why not? Every American I've seen is a bloody idiot!"

"Have you been to America itself?"

"No."

"I rest my case," Sybil sighed and rolled her eyes.

"You wish for equality yet you're so prejudiced!" Tom raised his eyebrows at her comment and began to laugh.

"So tell me how this is going to work,"

"Well, we get up at four in the morning, or at least I do, and you drive me to the airport at five. My flight is at seven-"

"Are you flying first class?"

"I don't know, actually. Why does that matter?"

"Just wondering. Carry on,"

"Anyways, my flight is at seven and goes to the JFK Airport. Since the flight is almost eight hours, I should get there at eleven. Then my connecting flight is at noon, and is a bit over two hours, so I should get off around two thirty in the afternoon in Cincinnati, due to the time change. My Grandma-ma should be waiting there and then I'm there for two years!"

She sounded so excited, but Tom was surprised at the length of the program- two years? Yes, Sybil would be a qualified nurse in half the amount of time someone else might take, but he wouldn't get to see her for that long. Tom would never admit it, but he was upset to see her go.

"Shoot, I need to go so I can get ready for dinner in time,"

"Don't forget to take a picture for me!" Tom said as she rushed out of the garage. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, deciding what he would do the next day. To tell her, or to see if the feelings would go away over two years. Tom doubted they would, seeing how he felt completely different about her than he had about any other woman.

Sybil finished buttoning her blazer and turned to Anna, who was suppressing a full grin.

"Do I look alright?" she asked, and Anna nodded, handing her a pair of red heels. Sybil slipped them on and glanced at her clock.

"I'm already twenty minutes late, they've probably started without me… better hurry!" after Anna took a picture on Sybil's mobile she was out the door in seconds, and Anna let out a low chuckle.

Sybil raced down the hall, the stairs, down more halls, until she reached the dining room. She could hear them inside, already starting the first course, and took a deep breath, then marched in with a huge grin plastered on her face.

Violet, Robert, Carson, and Mary were staring at her in horror, Edith, Lavinia, and Matthew looked amused, Isobel looked pleased, and Cora had a mixture of pride and surprise on her face.

"Well?" Sybil asked after a minute.

"I love it," Cora said, smiling. She pulled the chair next to her, which was empty, out for Sybil, and she sat down at it.

"What are you wearing, exactly?" Mary asked after a few minutes of quiet besides the clinking of silverware against plates.

"A pantsuit. They're actually quite fashionable this season,"

"That was last season," Mary corrected, and Sybil rolled her eyes.

"I still think it's cute!" she received a supportive look from Edith and returned it.

"You know, I could show you the store where I got it-"

"I'd love to go sometime," Edith said. Sybil's bold entrance was soon forgotten and the focus was on Matthew and Lavinia- more on how they met, how they were able to get engaged so soon, etc, etc. Mary left quickly after dinner started, claiming a headache, though everyone knew she was faking.

Sybil walked away from the desk over to Tom, her ticket in hand.

"Not many people here, so it shouldn't take too much time to get through security. I've still got a few minutes," she said, yawning.

"You never showed me the picture," Tom said, motioning to her mobile. She quickly produced the photo and handed him her mobile.

Sybil looked happy, excited, and most of all, she looked beautiful to him in this picture. Tom took a breath and-

"You know, I could send it to you, if you want," she interrupted.

"That would be nice,"

She programmed his number into her phone and sent it. Tom felt his mobile buzz in his pocket seconds later, and smiled. They'd be able to contact each other.

"I suppose I should be going," Sybil pulled the handles on her suitcases up and took her backpack from Tom, slinging it over her shoulder. "I'll miss you." She held out her arms for a hug and he obliged, stepping forward and hugging her back.

She turned to go, but Tom called out.

"You know, Sybil, I…" he paused, and she motioned for him to go on. "I really feel like you're more than a friend to me."

"In what way?"

"I feel it's out of place to say, but I- I fancy you," Tom turned bright red, but forced himself to continue. "I know it's not right- I've told myself that many, many times. You're underage, and your father employs me. But I've been taking courses. I'm taking a side job as a journalist, I'm making something of myself-"

"That's wonderful!" he noticed she only paid attention to him getting another job.

"You only care about the job, not my feelings, don't you?"

"I do, I'm flattered, but-"

"Don't say that, Sybil."

"Why can't I say that?"

"Flattered is a word posh people use before they say no."

"Now you're sounding much more like yourself!"

"It's taken all I've got to say this, don't make fun of me, please,"

"I'm not, Tom, but I really do have to go,"

"Then think about it, could you?"

"Are you expecting me to make a decision right here, right now? Because I cannot think of something that fast, I have no inkling of how I feel about this-"

"No, not at all, just… don't think of me differently."

"How could I do that? You're still the same!"

"Tell your parents if you want, get me fired, it's fine."

"I could never tell them. Your secret is safe with me, Tom. Tell my family I say goodbye, please," she walked away towards the security area, and Tom's heart fell.

Tom put his chauffeur's cap back on and left as soon as Sybil was out of sight, trying to mask the pain on his face. He hadn't been outright rejected, but was close to it. It still stung, and he knew that tonight he would be sneaking out to the bar for some Guinness.

Sybil wasn't sure what to make of what Tom had said. She felt something for him- that was for sure. But she had never been focused on by boys, and never really had crushes on them like her friends. So what was she feeling?

Being around Tom was wonderful. He loved a good argument, and was far more interesting than her friends from school. She felt at ease around him, like she could be herself, instead of the proper yet bold Lady Sybil.

Sitting back in her seat and glancing out the window at the clouds, Sybil smiled. Nobody in the States would know that she was a Lady, and she could just be plain old Sybil to them. It would be much less restricting, and she had a feeling she was going to like this much more than she had thought in the beginning.

A/N: So we've finished all the Season One events and started into Season Two! :D Now for a question... do you want some chapters with Sybil at school in the U.S. or just a time skip two years forward to when she gets back home? Tom would be included somehow either way.. please answer and I can do either! :)