Hey guys so I obviously feel incredibly bad for leaving you hanging. Hope you all have been doing well. I don't want it to seem like I'm losing inspiration, because I'm not. I'm just a very lazy writer. This story should be finished by the end of the summer though so do not worry! I haven't been up to much and I doubt I'll become very busy in the coming weeks. The song for this chapter is a really beautiful, older song. The one I have in mind is actually a cover that was done on season 6 of The Voice. It's different then the pop songs I have been using, but it's a good change for the change this story is going to take in this chapter. Hope you all enjoy.

Like a river flows surely to the sea, darling so it goes, some things are meant to be

As Mary Crawley sat at the round dinner table she couldn't help but wonder what she would be doing if she were at Downton instead? The party was rather large and plenty of men had come up to talk to her and plenty had asked her to dance, to which she politely declined.

"Lady Mary Crawley."

"Evelyn," said Mary in surprise. Her aunt had mentioned Evelyn Napier would be at the party but she had not seen him up till that point. "Where have you been?"

"I actually arrived late and I was bombarded by a group of gents I know. How have you been Mary?"

"Better I suppose. Better with each day. It's been far too long since you have visited Downton."

"I know, but so much has happened and I wouldn't want to be an interference. I've also become quite a busy man, Mary," he said with a sigh.

"How has Edith been? And the rest of your family?" he asked. Mary's nose shriveled as she thought of her sister but smiled as she replied,

"Edith has met someone and is the happiest I have seen her in a while. Mama and Papa—well—they're doing as well as possible considering they have lost a child. They too are doing better though as well as Tom."

"Tom Branson?"

"Whom else?"

"Well I did not think I'd live to see the day the mighty Mary Crawley would consider him as family," said Evelyn with a chuckle.

"Of course Tom is family. Sybil would not want me to be cruel hearted towards him."

"Does he live there?"

"Yes, Mama and Papa wanted Sybbie to live close." Evelyn hummed in reply.

"Would you care for something to drink?"

"No thank you."

"Would you dance with me?" Mary frowned and said,

"I'm sorry Evelyn but you are not—"Tom.

"Matthew Crawley, which I am not. I'll leave you be Mary," and with that said he was gone. Mary could not even get her brain to form a response before he was walking away and all she could see was the back of his suit. She was more alarmed at the name her brain had thought of when Evelyn had suggested dancing. She knew who she was supposed to think of, yet her mind was filled of the Irish man who had charmed her.

She needed sleep. She had not quite been here a full day and already she was wishing to be back home. She rose and headed towards the door, trying her best to ignore the leering look from men.

"Where are you going Mary?" Mary turned to face her aunt and grimaced. She knew the whole point of this party was for her to mingle and possibly find a new suitable husband, but she didn't want it. She didn't want to even be in the room anymore.

"I'm sorry Aunt Rosamund but I'm going to sleep early tonight."

"Why? You cannot have possibly talked to all the fine men here."

"Don't you see Auntie? I do not want to."

"She what?" screeched Cora into the phone. Tom looked up from the newspaper, vaguely wondering what had the Countess of Grantham in a huff. He sat across from Robert, with Isis in the middle now that Tom was chosen as her second favorite. Edith and Mr. Gregson were quietly talking in the corner and Violet had headed home almost ten minutes ago.

"You will never believe our daughter, Robert," cried Cora as she entered the room. Tom saw Edith's head shoot up for a minute, wondering if they meant her. "The whole reason we sent her to London was so she could get acquainted with men and instead she tells Rosamund she does not want to!"

Tom's heart raced, and Edith's head lowered as they both came to the realization Cora meant Mary.

"What do you mean darling?" asked Robert in boredom.

"Mary was going to bed early and said to Rosamund that she did not want to mingle with any men. Rosamund tried to get her to stay but Mary would have none of it."

"Perhaps her reason for going to London was to visit Rosamund," suggested Robert.

"Or perhaps she wanted to get away because she is hiding something," said Edith.

"Enough Edith," hissed Cora.

Tom stood up suddenly causing Cora to jump back as he headed towards the desk on the other side of the room.

Mary sat, sipping her tea as her aunt ate in silence. She was clearly in trouble.

"The mail for today m'lady." The silence was interrupted as Mary was handed a letter. She didn't recognize the handwriting. She curiously opened it and her heart stopped.

Dear Mary,

I know the sole reason for your visit to London was to avoid me. To avoid the accusations I'd made and the realization that I might be right. I was starting to think you'd spend the rest of your life avoiding everything to do with me. Then I overheard your mother on the phone. She was quite upset to say the least. We all heard as she went on about how you refused to mingle with any of the men at the party you were attending. My first impression was that you thought you were superior over all of them there, though they were invited by your aunt so I cannot imagine why you would have. Then Edith said something that struck me. You didn't care at all about the party of even some man all of you know that would be there. You just wanted to be as far away from me as you could be and still know people. The fact you did not want to be there surprised me. It didn't surprise me if that's what you are thinking, it gave me hope. For the first time since I, we, lost Sybil I have hope. I know you continuously say you have no romantic feelings towards me but I refuse to believe that. I have accepted that you have me in your grasp Mary Crawley, if you want me. Some things are meant to be, and I believe we are one of those things. You have to take a chance, you can't mourn the rest of your life because that is no life. Not a life Matthew would have wanted for you.

Tom Branson

Mary reread the letter twice more before leaving the room, ignoring her aunt's protests. She grabbed her things and headed to the front door.

"I need to be taken to the train station, immediately."

She had no idea what she was going to do, what she should do. How could one possibly ignore a letter like that? He was right about one thing, Matthew wouldn't have wanted this. For either of them.

I just had to leave this on a cliff hanger. This is significantly shorter than recent chapters, which I'm sorry about. I promise the next chapter will be intense, can you feel it all coming to a close? I realize Mary seems a little OOC at the end, but I'm writing her as she will be, not as how she was so it is going to be a little different. Again, I love this song, so check it out! I own nothing Downton Abbey related.

The song: Can't Help Falling in Love by Christina Grimmie

(Originally by Elvis Presley.)