David walked up to Downton Abbey with a spring in his step and a smile on his face. Perhaps he got a few odd looks from other people as it was not that normal to walk around with a stupid grin on one's face, but he was too happy and relieved to care what anyone might think about him. Finally something was going right for him, he had worried that despite all this talk and confidence in intending to stay in Downton, he might have been too unrealistic or set the bar too high and that he would have to move on again. This morning he had woken without a job and a home, and by late morning he now had both. Farming was a bit of a change from what he was used to. He had never done anything of the sort before but if Mr Tomlinson thought he was capable enough to be hired on the spot then who was he to argue?

David approached the river and the bridge that crosses it. All his work this morning and the walk in the ever increasing temperatures of the day was making him hot, and the cool gently flowing shallow river looked incredibly tempting. So instead of crossing the bridge he took off his shoes and socks and walked across the river in the shallows. He just stood there in the middle of the river, the water glinting in the sun and on the surface, and the refreshing flow of the water pleasantly tickling between his toes and around his ankles. He crossed to the other side and sat down with his feet in the water still. He breathed in and out slowly and listened. There was not much to be heard except the trickling of the river water, some birds in the trees behind him and the distant sound of a tractor. He felt cooler now, but his face still couldn't escape the sun's rays so before getting up to continue on his way, he dipped his hands in the river and splashed some water over his face and head a few times. He then put on his socks and shoes again and made his way back to the road, and as he did so he found himself thinking, I can stay. I won't have to say goodbye to him.

...

"Miss Baxter!" Charlotte called from the hallway. "Any idea where Mr Barrow is? Someone is here to see him apparently and he looks like he's been for a swim!" David stood inside the back door, now looking slightly embarrassed at the young woman's remarks on his appearance. He hadn't considered the fact that his clothes were on the damp side and he was looking a bit worse for wear. He was too focused on telling Thomas his news.

"Upstairs still, you could show him to his office and I'm sure-," Phyllis entered the hallway and recognised the person Charlotte had been talking about. "Oh it's you Mr Mortimer! Mr Barrow is upstairs but I'm sure he won't be long. Can you wait?"

"I can. I have some news and I wanted to tell him as soon as possible," David said. The young woman who had answered the door when he knocked was still looking at him curiously.

"This is David Mortimer, he's a friend of Mr Barrow," Phyllis said, making the introductions so that Charlotte's curiosity could be satisfied. "And this is Charlotte, one of the maids who works here."

"Good morning," David said to Charlotte.

"Good morning Mr Mortimer," Charlotte said. "Shall I fetch you a towel for your hair?" she asked, failing to hide the smirk on her face.

"Oh, it's fine. I'll dry off, but thank you," David said before Charlotte left for the kitchen.

"Can't blame her for being curious," Phyllis said. "Did you go for a swim before coming here if you don't mind me asking?"

"No! I have been working in the sun for a few hours and combined with walking up here, I was beginning to overheat. I just paddled in the river a bit and splashed my face with water after," David said. "I hope Tommy won't mind."

"I don't think he will, at least, if he does he will make an exception for you," Phyllis said. "Can I ask what has happened to make you look cheerful?"

"Maybe that's just my normal expression?" David joked. "Only kidding, no I have found myself a job and a place of my own all in one morning."

"Oh that's great. Here in Downton?" Phyllis asked. Thomas had kept quiet about the recent visitor to Downton but she knew he would be pleased to hear that David could stay.

"Yes. Well technically outside of Downton, but close enough. Mr Tomlinson offered me a job working with him on his farm and the use of the annex that he says is currently uninhabited. Best news I've had in a long while as it means I don't have to leave," David said.

"Thomas will be delighted you can stay. I know how close you were once," Phyllis said.

David nodded. "To be honest, I never thought I'd see him again. It had been so long and it got to the point where I thought any reunion was impossible."

"But here you are," Phyllis said.

"Yes, here I am," David agreed.

"David?" Thomas said as he heard him and Phyllis talking. "Everything alright?"

"Yes," David said, pleased to see Thomas at last. "I need to tell you something. Good news I promise!"

"I gathered that by how you were speaking," Thomas said. He smirked as he looked his friend up and down. "Though what happened to your clothes and your hair, did one of my staff pour a bucket of water over you or something?"

"No! I just cooled myself down in the river on the way up here. I've been busy this morning," David said.

"Shall we talk in my office?" Thomas asked.

"I'll leave you to it," Phyllis said as David followed Thomas.

"Nice talking to you again," David said to her.

Thomas pulled the door slightly closed as he and David sat down. "So what's happened?" Thomas couldn't help but notice his friend's cheerful expression.

"I got myself a job and a place of my own at the same time," David answered.

"You've only been here a few days and you've already managed that! How? When I was job searching it took me months and I never really got anywhere," Thomas said.

"Ah, but Tommy you are not me!" David grinned.

Thomas rolled his eyes. "I gathered that. So really what did you do? You must have done something impressive."

"Not really. Just in the right place at the right time-"

"-Steps ahead of me already there," Thomas remarked dryly.

"Oh Tommy, can you stop being grumpy and let me explain?" David joked.

Thomas huffed. "I'm not grumpy, and I was waiting for you to explain. You just haven't actually answered my original question yet or told me what job you have now."

"Fine. Keep your hair on!," David joked again. Thomas groaned. "Sorry. Anyway, I went for a walk and I ended up helping someone fixing a fence on the edge of their field. We started talking and I explained how I was new to the area and looking for work, and he asked me to work with him on his farm. He has an annex attached to the farm house that is uninhabited currently and offered that to me as well!"

"All that because you fixed a fence, well I'm impressed. But seriously? You, a farmer? You've been in the city most of your life," Thomas queried.

"I reckon it was my wonderful personality that did it, and he said he liked my work ethic," David grinned again.

"Of course that must have been it," Thomas said sarcastically. "Who are you working for then?"

"Oh a friend of yours-"

"-I don't have any farming friends, unless you mean Andy?" Thomas asked.

"Who?"

"Someone else who is a farmer, most of the time anyway. Who?" Thomas asked.

"Mathew Tomlinson. He seems to think highly of you. Sings for praises about how he thinks you are better than Downton's previous butler. Says you're more willing to move with the times and he likes that approach," David said. Judging by Thomas's reaction, how he showed a small smile, that was the right thing to say.

"Mr Tomlinson is a good person. You can trust him, he's an ally to people like us," Thomas said. It was not often that Thomas heard people praise him in his job. Usually people still seemed to favour Carson so Mr Tomlinson's words mattered.

"Well, that's even better."

"You've had a rather decent throw of luck then. Well done, I take it then you are staying?" Thomas asked, although he didn't really need to know the answer. Of course he is staying.

"Of course. It's a relief I'll say that!" David leaned back in his chair.

"Have you told Chris?" Thomas asked. "That you can stay?"

"Not yet, just you and Phyllis. You can tell Richard if you like," David said.

"You should tell him soon. He will be very happy to hear your news I'm sure," Thomas said. If Thomas was not so much mistaken, he could swear that his friend's face had gone a deeper shade of pink.

"I'll do that now. Any idea where he will be around now?" David asked.

Thomas looked at his pocket watch, the one Richard had bought him when they had spent some days in London. "Um, probably at the shop still although by the time you get back there he may have gone out for lunch."

David stood up. "Well I better get going then, I'll find him. I'll see you around then Tommy?"

Thomas stood up also and opened the door. "Suppose you will."

...

Chris walked slowly along the narrow lane, lined with trees and casting a cooling dappled shade over him, that eventually took him home. He had an hour left for lunch until he had to get back to the shop. Richard had told him to take a longer break as he had noticed that he had looked tired. Tiredness is not something that is easy to hide. No matter how hard you try, it always shows in the end. Chris hadn't slept well. He had a dream. He couldn't even remember what it was about, only that it made him uneasy so it was best not to try and figure out what it may have been about. There was a large choice of things that it could have been about. His leg was not the best today and so he had decided to take a walk to attempt to clear his mind and relieve any pain. Sometimes that worked, other times it didn't, but he thought he may as well.

He didn't really know where he was going, and was considering turning back before he got too far away from the village, when he heard someone call his name.

"Chris!"

Chris turned around and felt his heart skip a beat when he saw David at the other end of the road running towards him. "Its you," Chris said as David approached. Of course it's him, why did I say that? David slowed down as he reached him, his loose blonde hair bobbing up and down as he ran before coming to a untidy rest on his head when he stopped in front of him as he caught his breath. David smiled. Chris noticed now that he wasn't just smiling, he was beaming. Something's changed, he thought. Chris wasn't sure why that made him nervous.

"It's me," David said. "I'm very glad to have found you. I've been looking everywhere for you Chris." His current mood was only improved when he saw the effect of his words on Chris. His whole demeanor seemed to change. His whole body relaxed and the frown on his face before he reached him had disappeared.

"What is it? You look different," Chris said.

Chris was surprised by what David did next. He stepped closer to him, less than an arms length away, and placed both his hands on each of Chris's shoulders. If David was to step closer still it would have turned into an embrace. David looked him in the eye and spoke with sincerity. "I'm staying."

Becoming slightly overwhelmed by this new found contact and closeness with David, as well as the worry in the back of his mind that if someone should come along the road that they are both standing in the middle of right now that they would be done for, Chris wasn't sure what David said at first. He heard the words but the meaning didn't seem to register. "What?" he asked, his voice unusually quiet.

David smiled again. "I'm staying. Not going anywhere. I won't have to say goodbye to anyone here. Or to you."

The way David spoke those last three words sounded different to him, as though they were meant only for him. Am I reading too much into this? I don't know. "You should let me go," Chris said. David's smile fell away and Chris realised suddenly that David interpreted his words differently to how he intended them, which only gave him more hope that he wasn't wrong. "I mean, should someone come along right now, it might not end well for either of us if you have your hands on me." David understood and immediately looked relieved.

"Oh, right. Sorry. You're right," David stepped back, although somewhat reluctantly.

"How are you staying?" Chris asked.

"Got a job and a place to live, all in one. Do you know Mathew Tomlinson?" David asked.

"I do. Thomas and Richard speak highly of him and he came to visit me when I was recovering," Chris said.

"Recovering from what?" David asked with concern.

"Oh of course you don't know. I got beaten up good and proper in York early last month. I was out of action for a while," Chris said.

David frowned. "I hope those who hurt you got what they deserve," David said, feeling a flicker of anger within him at the thought of anyone hurting him.

"No, they probably got away with it. Couldn't report it, it would have ended worse for me," Chris said. David nodded. "But anyway, you were talking about Mr Tomlinson?"

"Yeah, I helped him with fixing a fence and long story short, he offered me a job helping him with the day to day running for his farm," David said.

"You're a farmer now?" Chris asked.

"Yeah I am. Tommy seemed to think that strange too when I told him," David said.

"No it's not strange at all. Mr Tomlinson wouldn't hire someone who he didn't think was capable so obviously you will be great," Chris said.

"Thank you. I suppose I will have to learn a lot but that's part of life. He also offered me the annex attached to the farm house, so I'll be there in a few days time when it's all sorted out," David explained.

"Well I'm happy for you," Chris said before adding, "and I am glad you can stay here. I was hoping you would."

"We seem to get on okay don't we?" David asked. "I suppose I can call you a friend now?"

"I was thinking the same," Chris said. "Though I won't want to get in the way of you and Thomas. He was your friend first."

"You won't. Plenty of room for you both," David said. They had both started walking, neither of them had made the decision to do so, but they were now leaving the road and walking into the woods. "As long as there is room for me."

Chris faltered. "Not sure what you mean."

"I think you do. You pretty much told me yesterday. I'm not pushing the subject, okay? Tell me to shut up if you like, but don't beat yourself up over something out of your control alright?"

Chris looked down as they walked. His mind was all over the place. This was not something he ever talked about. But he wanted too and despite having only recently met David, Chris wanted to tell him. "There is not much I can say. Thomas and I aren't anything. I wanted it to be, and maybe it might have been but it wasn't."

"I think you are something. He does care about you."

"As a friend. Not more than that," Chris said.

"It's not an easy situation. But I admire you," David said.

"You do?" Chris asked, surprised at his response.

"Yeah. I think you are brave. I don't think I would have been able to stick around if Tommy was with someone else when I loved him."

"I've thought about running. But I've got something here. I'd be a fool to throw it away when he and Richard have been so keen to help me," Chris said. He was saying too much, the subject would turn to his prison time soon if he didn't stop it, but he didn't seem to want to stop. It felt good to talk.

David didn't know what Chris was referring to. Chris was someone with a lot of past, that was clear. What was also clear, is that his past was something he wanted to escape. David knew that feeling all too well, it was after all, why he was even in Downton. He didn't want to push Chris for more until he wanted to tell him. He did want to ask one thing though. "Can I ask?" he began cautiously. "How did you hurt your leg?" Chris stopped walking. The sound of a fresh breeze above them in the trees was probably the only thing preventing total silence. Chris turned away from him and looked up in the direction of the canopy above them.

"You ask a lot of questions don't you?" Chris said.

"I never insist on an answer though. But if I don't ask then how else am I supposed to get to know you?"

Chris turned back around again. "You really want to know me?"

David wondered why Chris sounded so full of disbelief. "Of course I do."

Chris hesitated. He didn't want to push him away and such news about himself might do that. "I got it when I was in prison-"

"-What? Why were you in prison? You don't strike me as a criminal, I know what they are like all too well," David asked shocked. He honestly was expecting him to say it was the war.

"Well technically, in the eyes of the law we both are," Chris said. David felt an uneasy feeling within him. "Thomas and I, we got arrested in York, that's how we met."

David really didn't expect that. "Tommy was in prison?"

"No, he never got that far. It wasn't his fault, it was mine. I took him there. It was only right he got away." David's mind was in a whirl. Chris still hadn't explained clearly. "Richard got him out. Flashed his royal calling card in front of the desk sergeant in the police station and used all his usual charm. Thomas had been waiting in a pub for him and left with me. We went to a place I knew of where we could be ourselves if you know what I mean?"

"Yeah I know."

"I chose the wrong night to go there. The police raided it, too quickly for anyone to get out. I got three years in York jail. The injury is a permanent reminder of my time there."

Chris wasn't looking at him. David didn't think he was ashamed. There was no sound of shame in his voice when he spoke. But his body language, mainly indicated by how he was fiddling with his trouser pocket in order to hide the fact that his hands were shaking, suggested he was nervous about telling him. "Sit down," David said.

"What? I tell you this and that's all you can say?" Chris asked in disbelief. David's reaction had not been what he expected.

"You're shaking," David said.

Chris looked vulnerable. "I'm not."

David touched his arm. Chris jumped at the unexpected contact. "Come with me."

Chris thought about resisting David's kindness but he was tired of fighting. David led him to a fallen tree, where the trunk provided a makeshift seat. They sat down and Chris hung his head as he felt himself give in. "I would never have forgiven myself if Thomas had been jailed too. I took one look at him in the pub and I just thought-." He didn't need to finish the sentence. He was with someone here who knew what it was like to love Thomas Barrow. "We danced, Thomas danced very well. He was with me for a few glorious hours and I treasure those memories but at the same time, I wish it never happened or that I could forget."

David could relate. Not to the prison and arrest part, he'd been lucky enough to avoid that, but he knew how it was to think of Thomas Barrow knowing he is not with him anymore. Especially in the first few days and months that he and Thomas were apart, it was hard and every good memory was tainted by the fact that all they were was just that- just memories of something that couldn't be again. He had a very strong desire now to make it his mission to make Chris Webster happy. "Can I buy you a drink?"

"Um, I don't think so. I'll have to be back at the shop soon," Chris spoke, rather automatically. He then woke up a bit more. "When I said I want to forget, that won't work okay?"

"Oh I know, trust me. But I thought I'd ask. I know you can't now but maybe later? Let me buy you one or a few, just us. You know, so we can get to know each other more," David offered.

"I don't think much of what I can say can be said in a crowded pub. Or you perhaps?" Chris said.

He's still hesitating. "No, but we can drink, talk about normal stuff, then when the subject gets more delicate, then we can leave and go elsewhere? It's fine if you don't want to. But I- I would like it very much," David said honestly. It was his turn to feel nervous now.

"I suppose since you can't stop asking me questions now, then we will have to pick this up some other time. I'll go with you, and you can buy me a drink. But I'm not getting drunk. It's not my thing anymore," Chris said. He was wondering if David was asking him out as a friend or something else?

"Deal. I can manage that," David said happily.

"I should go. Richard will be wondering where I am soon," Chris said. He stood up and winced. David was immediately standing by him, his hand on his arm once more.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, just a bit stiff," Chris said. He found himself leaning on David slightly. It was nice to have someone to lean on.

Note: Sorry for the slight delay in this chapter. Had a very busy week.