Note: This one shot is set between my other stories, 'Dark Clouds And Silver Linings' and 'A Light Left on'.

Thomas slouched down against the cold stone wall inside a room that was part of some of Downton Abbey's many outhouses that he hadn't been in for years. The room was nothing special, in fact Thomas wasn't even sure it was large enough to warrant calling it a room. If it were inside the house it would be a cupboard, he reckoned as he glanced through weary eyes at his surroundings. But out here, with the wind from the gale outside that had been whipping itself up all day, whistling through every gap in the doorframe and stonework, Thomas thought it couldn't possibly be called a cupboard. Cupboards were warm and dry, not almost as cold as being outside. In the gloom, despite the day having many hours left yet, he struck up another cigarette and shuffled in his seated position. He must have been here for a while as his legs were going numb from lack of movement. Either that or he was getting old. Richard would tease him, and say he was, Thomas smirked to himself. He was meeting Richard later, after he'd got away from Downton they were going for a short evening walk. It had been Richard's idea but Thomas had insisted, as they discussed the notion at breakfast earlier in the day, that it must be short. He didn't want Richard to exert himself too much, even though his wound had healed. Richard had tried to reassure him that he was fine, and not about to fall apart in front of him. Thomas knew he was right. Richard had been back working full time like before for around two weeks now, but after almost losing him to the hands of an evil man with a gun almost two months previous, it was hard not to worry.

Thomas's worries about Richard were not the reason he was out smoking through another cigarette in a shed. He was just fed up with small stressful incidents building up over the past couple of days. On their own, he could handle them, but he felt like he must have been cursed because everything had gone wrong. It began on Sunday morning. Like Richard, he had been stuck in a church service all morning. He only attended due to keeping his reputation as agreeable as he could and because of his position at Downton. He usually spent the time daydreaming, or in this case, recalling how he and Richard had shagged against the wall of a greenhouse the night previous. He enjoyed the small feel of rebellion that he was thinking such things in a church. But it had been hard to drown out the drone of a visiting vicar who's sermon on the sanctity of marriage had brought up some unwelcome bitterness. Richard had told him, as they walked in the direction of Downton afterwards, to ignore it, and remember how good they have it. For a while that had worked until the visiting Viscount and Viscountess of Bath had decided to grace Downton with their presence. The Viscount had spent all evening boring everyone to death at dinner over his hunting trophies. As for the Viscountess, she had decided she cound not possibly leave her small and yappy white pekingese downstairs, so Thomas had found himself being followed around by the stupid animal throughout the whole meal. It had tested his skills to maintain some sort of professional dignity whilst having a dog literally sit on his feet. He had spent the best part of the little free time he had left, picking tiny white hairs off his clothing. He had arrived home in a bad mood, snapped at both Richard and their cat Wilde, and had slept restlessly as a result.

Today had not been much better. Thomas had thought as he'd muttered a silent good riddance when the Viscount and Viscountess had left later that morning. Later though, as the weather began to worsen, as though he had a black cloud of misfortune following him around, Downton had a power cut. Every single room, light, appliance, everything. Thomas flicked the flame of his lighter on and off. They had resorted to living in the dark ages. The newly acquired refridgetaror of course failed, so all contents that were safe enough not to give everyone a case of food poisoning, was stored in the old ice boxes they used before. What didn't help was that he had Carson tell him not to worry about it as when he started at Downton they didn't have any electricity at all, so they could manage for a few hours. His former superior had a way about him to make comments like that sound patronising. Thomas hated being patronised, hence the reason he found himself alone smoking more than he had done for weeks.

Thomas held his breath as he listened. He could have swore he heard someone. He had left the door ajar, but the creaking and groaning of the tattered old thing made it hard to be sure. He put his lighter in his pocket. There it was again. Footsteps. Uneven footsteps. He sighed. "Suppose they'd come to find me eventually," he muttered as he waited for his peace to be shattered.

The door creaked open. "Oh there you are Thomas. I volunteered to look for you." Mr Bates walked in, closing the door against the gale outside, silencing the room from its howls but loudening the whistling.

"Oh well done Mr Bates, that was good of you to find someone who doesn't want to be found." Sarcasm dripped off Thomas's words as he made no effort to get up.

"Well Carson has gone home and the power is back on, so you can stop hiding now."

Thomas huffed. "I wasn't hiding Mr Bates, I was trying to get a moment's peace. There wasn't much I could do to fix it anyway. Bet Carson wasn't the one to fix it either was he?"

"No, but he was the one to call the electrician."

"So did I!" Thomas retorted, wishing that anyone, literally anyone else could have come to find him other than Mr Bates. Whilst they didn't hate each other like they did years ago, he still had a unique talent for annoying Thomas without even trying. "It was hardly my fault that the one I called broke down on his way over here!"

"Suppose not Thomas—"

"Mr Barrow." Thomas let out an exasperated sigh as he corrected him for the thousandth time in his life.

"We should go back then, Mr Barrow." Mr Bates seemed to be enjoying Thomas's foul mood too much.

"Best thing you've said all this time," Thomas said as he stood. Mr Bates rattled the door as he tried the handle again. "Haven't got all day Mr Bates."

"Seems jammed," Mr Bates said as he gave the door a shove. "Did you lock it before you came in here?"

"No, the door was open."

"I know, but if it were locked whilst it was open, the catch on the door could have clicked shut when I closed it.

"Well I didn't lock it okay? I don't think it can be locked anyway."

Mr Bates pointed to the keyhole and gave him a poignant look. "It can."

"Right. Well I didn't lock it."

"Well it's locked now. Where's the key?"

"How am I supposed to know since I did not lock it!" Thomas fung his hands into the air in frustration. "Look, you've probably just haven't tried the latch properly. Let me have a go." Thomas gave the latch a swift tug. He tried turning it, gently pulling it. Nothing worked. He hit the door with his hand, a loud bang and an aching wrist was all he had to show for his efforts. "Great. Well if this isn't just the icing on the cake. After everything, and now I get to be stuck in a cold damp room, with you." Thomas turned around to see Mr Bates, lowering himself with the assistance of his cane to sit on top of a stone ledge. "What are you doing? You can't just sit there, we need to get that door open!"

"It's locked Mr Barrow. Must have locked itself when I shut it—"

"Yeah, when you shut it," Thomas spat.

"Look, not much we can do about that now. But I was only supposed to be gone a few minutes to find you. Someone will wonder where I am and come looking in no time."

Thomas found Mr Bates's positive outlook on the situation they had found themselves in irritating. "Did you tell anyone where you were going?"

"No. Not precisely since I was looking for you and had no idea where you might be. Did you tell anyone?"

"No, I didn't plan on where I went, I just did." Thomas sat down on the hard floor, not fancying siding up next to Mr Bates. He buried his head in his hands. "Maybe this is my punishment for my thoughts in church on Sunday."

"What thoughts?"

"None of your business," Thomas snapped, glad for the dim light for once as it meant Mr Bates couldn't see the blush in his face. He hadn't meant to say that out loud. Thomas looked down at the floor, the awkward silence broken only by the loud whistling wind through cracks in the door, teasing them.

"We all have those days Mr Barrow where everything seems to go wrong. It will pass."

"Yeah well the thing is Mr Bates, things didn't seem to go wrong, they actually did. First chruch then the damn Viscountess and her stupid dog." Thomas groaned into his hands again, but looked up suddenly surprised to hear Mr Bates chuckle. "What?"

"I know in our line of work we encounter many of the aristocracy we'd rather not meet, it comes with the job, but I have to say I am glad to see the back of them all, including the dog."

"Seems we agree on something Mr Bates. But you were spared the worst of it. You weren't present at dinner. You didn't have that little thing follow you around all evening."

"No, but I dressed the Viscount and the dog refused to leave the room. Stupid thing stole the lint brush. Ran off with it, I still have no idea where it is, I had to fetch another one."

Thomas smirked in spite of himself. "Don't mind dogs generally, just never want to see that one again." They fell silent once more. Thomas felt around for his pocket watch, before remembering he left it on his desk to wind it later. "No idea what the time is. I can't be stuck here forever Ri—" Thomas stopped himself out of habit.

"Mr Ellis will wonder where you are?" Mr Bates read his mind.

"Don't know what you mean," Thomas mumbled unconvincingly.

"Thomas, Mr Barrow, you really shouldn't bother pretending around me. I know you, and it's been how long with Mr Ellis? Four, five years? You live together. You have a cat. You're more domestic than Anna and myself in that way."

Five and a half years give or take, Thomas thought to himself. It was silly to even bother with him. Mr Bates knew more than Thomas cared to admit. "You have a family. I don't."

"You do in a way. But you want children?"

"Silly to even think on it. It's not exactly an option is it?" Thomas snapped to cover his honesty.

"Sorry." Mr Bates stretched his leg out, in a way that Thomas had seen Chris do when he was getting stiff. Thomas knew that Chris found a massage helpful in this situation. He'd done that for him before.. Thomas glanced sideways at Mr Bates. That was Chris though, he thought. No way in hell would he ever offer to give Mr Bates a massage.

"I'm supposed to be meeting Richard later. We were going for a walk. He's been insistent on the fact that he's recovered enough to take more exercise. Won't be the time before it gets dark soon if I don't get out of here." Thomas was surprised with his honesty, as was Mr Bates by the way he didn't answer straight away. He just frowned with curiosity and Thomas worried he would ask him more questions.

"You'll have the time. It won't be that long until someone finds us."

"Suppose at least we're not lost out in the woods or something." Thomas tried to lighten his mood, but those words just brought flashes of memories wished forgotten of himself kneeling in the mud in the dark woods with Richard bleeding out in his arms.

"We could see if there is anything in here to help us push the door open," Mr Bates suggested looking around them both.

"Wait." Thomas held up his hand to silence him.

"What?"

"Did you hear that?"

"No, what?"

"Outside. Thought I heard someone." Thomas stood and crept over to the door, ears straining for any further indication that he was right.

"Thomas?" A voice called out from beyond the door.

Thomas's heart leapt. "Richard? Richard, I'm over here!"

Running footsteps approached the door. "Thomas, what on earth are you doing in there?"

"Having a party," Thomas said dryly. "Door's stuck. Mr Bates shut it and it locked.

"Oh Mr Bates is with you? We were wondering where he went as well. Good evening Mr Bates," Richard greeted Thomas's current room mate with his usual charming politeness which seemed out of place in their situation, but it made Thomas smile.

"Hello Mr Ellis," Mr Bates replied.

"How did you know to go and find me?" Thomas asked Richard.

"I came to Downton to meet you. They said you'd gone off in a huff, and they explained why and that Mr Bates had gone to find you but had not returned. I volunteered to see if I could find you both." Thomas heard Richard try the handle of the door. "It's locked then?"

"Seems so. No key in here obviously. Anything out there?"

"Um...hang on." Thomas heard Richard reach up to the top of the door frame, presumably hoping to find a key on the top. There were the sounds of more scrambling around as Richard searched. "Not that I can see. Do you have the key with the rest of them back in your office?"

"No. I know what all the keys on that ring are for, and I'd recognise it if it was. Hate to say it Richard, but you might need to break this door down."

"Hmm...no I think I know how to open the lock."

"You can pick a lock Mr Ellis?" Mr Bates asked.

"No, afraid not, never had the reason to try."

"Can you pick one Mr Bates?" Thomas asked.

"Picked up a few skills in prison, but not that one Mr Barrow, I would have tried otherwise."

"Thomas, Mr Bates. If you two can hang on for a few minutes I'll get you out of there. Just need to run back to the servants hall. Chris is there you see. He's sitting in your chair."

"What's Mr Webster got to do with it?" Mr Bates asked Thomas as they both heard Richard run off.

Thomas grinned as he shook his head. "Of course," he said to himself as he realised. He turned to Mr Bates. "Mr Webster, he's got a few useful skills too."

"Would be good if I had a hair pin. Those come in handy for the tight tricky locks." Chris was speaking through the keyhole as he fiddled with something Thomas couldn't see, but that sounded metallic on the outside of the door. Richard had returned not long after with Chris who, after having a bit of a laugh at their expense, set to putting his underhand skills to good use.

"Unfortunately I didn't bring mine with me," Thomas sarcastically joked with an added eye roll.

"Don't worry Thomas, I've got this." Chris knelt down, gravel crunching under his knees, which couldn't have been comfortable. "Now let me see..." Silence followed as Thomas assumed Chris was inspecting the task in hand. "Hmm..."

"Can you do it?" Thomas asked.

"Should be able to. It's a bit rusty inside, worn out, might be why you two got locked in there. But it's a big space, for a keyhole anyway." Something metal fell to the floor with a clang onto the stone step outside the shed. "Dammit" Chris cursed. "Bit out of practice."

"How much practice has he had with this, Mr Barrow?" Mr Bates asked.

"Not sure, but trust me, he's good at this." Thomas referred in his memory to when he'd found Chris drunk in his office. Chris had broken into Downton and his office through this method, and considering how drunk he was at the time, Thomas couldn't help but be a little impressed.

"Gimme a sec," Chris's words were muffled by him holding something in his mouth. "I once unlocked a draw with a letter knife, those are handy things." A grating sound came from within the door as the rusted locking mechanism complained at being tampered with. "You know if this doesn't work Thomas, we could prize the door open with something or just knock it down. I could get David to help, he's got the arm muscles, trust me."

"I'm not alone in here Chris, remember," Thomas warned, stifling his smirk as best he could. He threw a cautious glance in Mr Bates's direction who, to his credit, was doing a good job of pretending not to notice Chris's remark about his boyfriend.

"Hold on...almost got..." Chris placed something in the lock. Shortly after the lock clicked. "Yes! Got it!"

Thomas tried the latch and pulled it across, the door swung open to reveal Richard and Chris who was rightly looking very pleased with himself. "Chris, you're a genius." Thomas patted him on the shoulder. "Thank you.

"Any time Thomas. Knew I still had it."

"I'm tempted to ask how you learnt to do that Mr Webster, but I don't expect I'll get an answer. But it doesn't matter at the end of the day so I won't ask," Mr Bates emerged from the shed after Thomas.

"I appreciate that Mr Bates. I've got to have some secrets," Chris smirked.

"Now I've got you back Thomas, we should get back. We'll have to see if we can put an end to your bad luck won't we?" Richard asked.

"I should thank you for finding me, for knowing where to look, Richard. But I'm afraid our walk will have to be later than we planned now." Thomas walked next to Richard a few paces behind Mr Bates and Chris.

"We don't have to rush. I'll meet you in a few hours. If we walk in the dark it's okay. I'm easy either way."

Thomas gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks." Their hands brushed as they stepped closer to each other, footsteps synchronised. Richard gave him a heart tugging smile as the string wind messed with his hair.

"Sorry you were stuck in there with him though," Richard lowered his voice.

"Don't tell anyone this, it will ruin my reputation, but it wasn't so bad in the end."

"Of course not," Richard winked. "Did you talk about anything, you know, to pass the time?" Richard asked.

"Some things, yes. Our mutual dislike of pekingese dogs for one."

Richard nodded knowingly. "Oh of course, you told me"

"Some other things too. Things that I'll have to make him swear to keep to himself."

Richard's forehead crinkled with concern. "What things?"

Thomas found his mouth unusually dry all of a sudden and he wondered if he should even tell him. "I'll tell you later on our walk. Right now, I want to get back inside." Richard nodded, clearly curious but not pushing for answers. Thomas looked skyward. Dark clouds. It looked like rain.

Note: I am still working on 'A Light Left On' but I've been itching to write this idea for a while so I'm indulging in a one shot. I got this idea whilst away on holiday recently. My hotel had a lift and I hate lifts cause I'm always scared I'll get stuck inside one. It got me thinking, what would happen if Thomas got locked in a small space with someone he doesn't always get on well with? This was my answer.