So I'm back! Soooo sorry for the long wait & I have no idea if there's still interest, but thank you for all the reviews of the last chapter, especially istoleyourshoe's lovely feedback :)

& apologies in advance if some characters get a little OOC

Enjoy & please review so I can see if anyone's still reading :)

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"It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped"

- Anthony Robbins

April 1915

"Mama?"

Cora was looking at her with an expression she couldn't quite decipher. Was it surprise? Shock? Confusion? Whatever it was, Sybil concluded, it wasn't good.

Sybil blushed furiously and found it near impossible to look her mother in the eyes. She was grateful, although perhaps slightly annoyed, when Tom immediately dropped her hand. She hadn't realised they'd still been clasped together, and she supposed her mother wouldn't appreciate it, so he was really doing her a favour.

She hoped she hadn't witnessed anything, though by the look on Cora's face her luck had finally run out.

Sybil, not usually at a loss for words, could not think of what to say. All that was running through her mind was that this was how her family would find out. It was all too likely Cora would tell her father about what she had seen. Although, she quickly surmised, she could, with a lot of pleading, perhaps persuade her mother to keep quiet until the war was over and she got home.

She'd managed to persuade Mary, how hard would her mother be, really? The answer was much more difficult.

She plastered an all-too-enthusiastic smile on her face, this didn't have to be as bad as she expected. "What are you doing here Mama? I wasn't expecting you."

It wasn't as if she was unhappy to see her mother, quite the opposite in fact, it was rather that she had come at the worst possible time.

Cora sighed and met her daughter's reluctant gaze; "I came to see how my youngest daughter was doing, you haven't written in weeks," she gave a glance towards Branson, then back towards her daughter, "though I can see why," she added, almost as an afterthought.

Cora thought she perhaps sounded too accusatory towards her youngest, but to be honest she was slightly shocked. Sybil was the one daughter she thought she was beginning to understand, but now she was acting like Mary, and she didn't know if that was a good or bad thing.

Sybil detected the obvious hint of disapproval in her voice and it only served to make her irritated. Unsure how to reply, she glanced briefly to the side and was met with Branson's reassuring smile, though inside his thoughts were racing. His concern was not for himself, but rather for Sybil. Would her mother tell the rest of her family? How would her father react? The latter question brought him up short, he'd never really thought about it before. But how would Lord Grantham react? He wouldn't allow it, Branson quickly concluded. Plain and simple. But he couldn't just let her go. It would kill him. Yet would it be the right thing to do for Sybil?

"Branson" Cora began, cutting though the uncomfortable silence, "I'm glad to see you are well."

Branson inclined his head slightly, "Thank you, milady."

A short period of silence followed before Tom turned to Sybil, "I think it would be best if I go, I need to check in with the hospital and you can spend some time with her Ladyship."

Sybil nodded gratefully and gave him a small smile before watching him as he turned and left, but not before acknowledging Cora with a nod of his head.

Branson had been reluctant to leave her there, but knew it was for the best. Cora would undoubtedly have something to say to her daughter about the uncompromising position she had caught them in, and he figured his presence would only make matters worse for Sybil. He decided he would visit her later to see if everything worked out alright.

Upon Branson's departure Cora rounded on Sybil, clearly concerned; "Sybil, what are you thinking?"

Sybil, initially surprised, tried to explain, "Mama, please just listen-"

"No! This has to stop right now, I'm only thinking about what's best for you-"

"No" Sybil interrupted, growing increasingly annoyed; "you're doing what's best for you. If you were thinking about what's best for me you'd let it go, we're happy-"

Cora sighed, finding these new developments hard to process, "And I want you to be happy darling, more than anything, but you have to think about things in a wider perspective, your father's reaction for one. It was hard enough persuading him to let you come here, never mind allowing you to marry outside your class!" Cora did a double take, looking her daughter in the eye, "You haven't married already have-"

"No! No, of course not Mama, but that's not the point. Why can we not get married one day? I mean who cares about family reputations? I've played the perfect daughter all my life, it's about time I got a chance to do what I want, be who I want to be, without having to change for our reputation's sake!"

"I'm sorry Sybil, but I just can't allow-"

"I love him Mama" Sybil cut in, needing her mother to see what he meant to her, what she was asking her to give up, but it didn't garner the response she had hoped for.

"Love?" Cora looked incredulous, "You're just a child, you don't know what you're feeling."

Sybil was growing increasingly desperate for her to understand, but she didn't know what else she could say. She took a deep breath and tried one last time, looking her mother in the eyes, "Please, Mama. I'm asking you to just let me be happy."

Her words made Cora pause and she waited anxiously for a response. Sybil's heart dropped as her mother shook her head slightly, "I'm sorry but I just can't give you my consent, and as much as I love you and want to see you happy, you have gone too far this time."

Sybil felt her throat tighten and she tried to blink away the tears stinging her eyes, threatening to fall. No. She wouldn't just give up. Give him up.

"You have to decide Sybil. Branson, or your family."

Sybil couldn't hold back the look of shock that materialized on her face. Of course she expected her mother to be angry, but to threaten to disown her?

"But Mama, you can't mean-"

"I'm sorry my dear" and Sybil noted she at least looked sincere, "but I can't let this happen."

Sybil flinched as Cora reached out a hand to her, taking a small step back away from her mother.

"There's a high chance he won't even make it back."

This was the last straw for Sybil. She felt anger welling up inside her, a determination she had never felt before overcame her and she stood up straight, looking her mother directly in the eyes.

"You want me to be happy, but you won't let me be happy. You wanted me to decide? Well I have. I choose him Mama, I choose Tom because he would never, never make me choose."

Sybil took a breath, attempting to reign in her emotions, "I don't even care if you tell Papa, seeing as I am no longer a part of this family." She paused, throwing her mother a cold look before turning towards the hospital doors in a bid to leave as soon as possible. She wasn't sure how much longer she could keep her emotions in check so wanted to get out of Cora's sight immediately, Sybil didn't want her mother to see her look weak, to look like she needed her.

Cora had not believed for a second her youngest daughter would choose him over her own family. She had assumed it was just an infatuation, nothing more, and giving her the choice would be the easiest way to stop this before it went too far. She had obviously underestimated Sybil's affections and now her daughter was on the verge of being lost to her forever. Realising her terrible mistake Cora called her back.

"No Sybil, wait!"

Sybil glanced back, halfway through the hospital doors, tears she couldn't hold back leaving a trail down her cheeks. "Goodbye Mama" Sybil stated coldly, "I do not wish to see you again" and with that she closed the door behind her, leaving her mother standing outside alone, a sense of guilt and regret etched on her face.