Tom sat in the Abbey kitchen wondering how his life had reached the point that he now found himself at. He ran the years events through his mind almost as quickly as he felt they had happened.

First he'd arrived in a bundle of nerves for his new job. Then he'd fallen in love with his employers famous daughter. After that, he'd spent months convincing her that she should do the same for him. When it finally looked as though all could be going well, things took a turn for the worst and he couldn't take the waiting. He then spent days at home in a depressed state of heartbreak before his beautiful Sybil had returned to him and promised she would reveal her decision to be with him in time. Now his unknown face was spread across every paper in print and all he could do to keep his cool was to sit back with a cup of tea.

What a bloody year.

He was brought out of thought when one of the Downton maids, Ethel, put on the small kitchen television. Tom heard the name 'Sybil' and looked up at the screen. Some celebrity channel was showing the photo of him and her kissing along with shots of various celebrity men who appeared to be the latest guesses. He felt a stupid pang of jealousy at this. Urgh, that bloody photo had haunted him for too long now.

"Well I bet it's that newspaper mogul, that Richard Carlisle." Sighed Jane, another of the Downton maids, as she sat down at the table with Tom and Mrs. Patmore.

The chef considered her guess. "No, he always wanted Miss. Mary. I bet it's that man she was spotted with last time, that Mr. Kemal Pumuk."

"Ha! Are you forgetting she punched him in the face?" Even Tom had to smirk with Ethel on this one.

"Oh yeh, well who else has she been connected with?" Pondered Jane.

Outwardly sighing at having to be present for another guessing session of Sybil's new interest, Tom turned to the maids. "Why does he have to be someone famous?"

Ethel rolled her eyes, "Of course he has to be famous. Or a multi-millionaire at least! A girl like that could have anyone she wanted, you really think she's going to take her pick outside the selection of gorgeous models and amazing actors on offer?"

"Stranger things have happened." Was all he could reply as he got up to pace his frustration about the room.

He grit his teeth with the realisation that it was not only celebrity stalkers and Sybil's family that would disapprove of him and her as a couple. Anyone who heard of the story, whether they cared about the Crawley daughters or not, would judge him as a fortune hunter, someone out to get his five minutes of fame.

Taking the last swig of his tea, Tom took his chauffeur jacket from the back of his chair and walked out into the hall. He paused briefly to fist bump a photo of William hung in the corridor, as had become his morning ritual, then made his way to the Downton with the expectation of fighting through a crowd of paparazzi to clock in.

o o o

Tom fell against the Bentley as he took a stupefied step backward. Sybil was walking down the Downton steps towards him and he just couldn't understand how such a beautiful, perfect woman wanted him.

"You look stunning." He breathed as she paused before getting in the car. He was taking the sisters to a Gucci fashion show, but Sybil had come outside early, so could risk a second to talk. Thankfully the paparazzi were engaged elsewhere, for the moment at least.

She gave him a shy smile, peering down at her black dress swirled with gold. "Everything I own is from last fashion season, I'm trying to wear them out." He looked her up and down in awe as she continued. "Where have you been all day? I tried calling you earlier but you didn't answer?"

"No where, I've just been busy. Your dads had me checking that all the car trackers are working, in case you're kidnapped or something. All the attention caused by your mystery man definitely has your parents worried." He winked at her and placed his hand next to hers on the car door, their thumbs touching enough to stir a hunger for further contact within him.

"I envy you. I feel so flat after the rush and bustle of the last few months of meetings. They were sighing for the old days at dinner, glad we have the hotel to ourselves again, but all I could do was think about how much more I want from life now than I did, well, than I did before you showed up." He looked around nervously as she placed her hand over his.

"Does this mean that you've made up your mind? You're going to tell them at last?" He knew it was dangerous with people walking in and out of the hotel but Tom could not help edging closer to her.

His pulse quickening in anticipation, he felt nervous as she held his gaze. Her voice was timid as she replied. "Not quite, but almost."

Tom's pulse regained its natural pace as he looked down at the pavement. Of course, she still needed time, but maybe this was his chance to explain to her the plan he had been creating since the photo was revealed. As he considered this, he felt Sybil reach out to touch his face. He was surprised at the daring gesture, out in the open as they where, but the street was momentarily quiet and it clearly hadn't escaped her attention. Placing his hand over hers he took it and opened the car door, indicating that she should get in. She raised her eyebrows in curiosity but got in just the same. He peered around and waited for a couple who had seen Sybil get into the car to pass, then once he was sure a man who had left the Downton for a cigarette thought he was simply a waiting chauffeur, he slipped into the back with her.

o o o

"Tom?" Sybil gasped edging over to give him space.

He shut the door with one arm and swept her onto his lap with the other. "I have a proposition for you."

Ever since the evening spent in Tom's bed, Sybil had been craving alone time like this. Being back at the hotel had meant reverting back to their usual routine of secret meetings and snatched moments together. Even the usual casual nature of their car journeys had been limited now that the paparazzi where so intent on discovering her with someone. This was highly unfortunate as their reunion night had sparked something in Sybil. She had developed a stronger desire for Tom, as well her previous craving for the love and comfort brought by his presence. She now wanted him in different ways, having had a taste of what it was like to be so physically intimate with him.

So, putting on a flirtatious tone she spoke before leaning forward to kiss his jaw. "Is that so?"

She gained the reaction she wanted instantly as Tom quickly kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and knowing that they didn't have long, deepend her kiss instantly. As she pressed her tongue against his own she felt him run a hand down her back and felt sufficiently disheartened when he pulled away. "What is that?"

Giggling, she answered as she tried to initiate another kiss. "A corset."

"Why in the world are you-?" He murmured against her lips.

"It's a vintage dress, there was no way I was squeezing into this little number without it!" She laughed, trying to kiss him again. Tom however leant back to stop her from doing so.

"My proposition?" Sybil put on her best pout but nodded at him to speak. "Right, well I've been thinking and maybe- maybe we should leave? Like leave here, leave the hotel, just go. You're worried about all the media attention once you tell your family and I'm worried about what that could do to us. So, say you don't tell your family and we leave for Ireland for a while. If we just go, then it's done, no going back. Your family will get to find out but we don't have to worry about anything they may say against us because we won't be around. And as for the press, I doubt your family will admit you left without telling them and they won't get any photos of you and your family to twist tales from. How can they make up stories and create a big scandal if all the shots they get are of me and you wandering around in Ireland. Not exactly family war material. The best they can say is that you're in a relationship with a hotel employee, they don't have to know your dad doesn't approve." He paused for a moment, but Sybil could tell he had more to say. "I don't want you to decide right now, but think about it. I'll be ready to leave whenever, just in case you do want to go through with it."

Sybil bit her lip considering his offer; he had made some very good points. It stuck her as dramatic to just leave, but then again maybe it was what they needed to do to finally come clean. She still hadn't found the perfect moment to tell her family and she was becoming desperate to be with Tom properly. If they left for Ireland without telling her family, they would find out for themselves. Neither her nor Tom could be talked out of being together and her parents would be forced into coming around to the idea once they saw how serious they were about one another. "Mr. Branson, I never knew you were such a romantic. Are you really asking me to elope with you?"

Tom grinned at her words, running his thumb over her smudged, glossy lips and looking deep into her eyes. "I think I might be."

Please Review ^^