Author's note
Thank you so much to everyone who has read/followed/reviewed/favourited this collection so far! I always love to hear from you.
This S/T drabble is my version of a missing moment from season 2. It was inspired by a lovely Tom Branson post on Tumblr created by repmet, and also by a conversation I had with babageneush about it. Thank you both again! I decided I wanted to find a home for it here in this collection - another little milestone along the way to Sybil and Tom's life together in Ireland.
Yearning
"Jaysus, it's cold!" Tom Branson hunched his shoulders against the chilly night air as he headed home. He had just finished his last drive of a long and exhausting day, dropping the Dowager Countess back to the Dower House. And he hadn't seen Sybil all day …
Lady Sybil Crawley - his mind began to follow a well worn track as he thought about her. Ever since he'd arrived at Downton Abbey, he had known she was someone special, different from every girl he had ever met, with her kindness, her thoughtful opinions on the world around her and her interest in the big issues of the day such as women's rights. Thanks to his passion for Irish independence and for confronting the inequality he saw between the classes (as a working class boy who grew up in Dublin, he understood both causes first hand) they had enjoyed some lively discussions over the last few years.
And then there was the count at Ripon - he remembered it with a shudder even now. He knew how close he had come to something terrible that day, but he had also discovered something wonderful - that he loved Sybil, had loved her almost from their first meeting. He wondered if she felt the same way about him - she came to visit him in the garage often to talk about all kinds of things, and she had held his hand at the garden party just before the War…
He felt a hand touch his shoulder as he reached his front door - who was it? He turned around - "Good evening, Mr Branson. Mr Carson sent me - Lady Sybil needs the car tomorrow morning - she's going to York to start her nurse training course," William told him. "Of course, thank you - now get back inside man, it's cold out here!" "You're right there - good night," William called back as he ran towards his dinner, which was waiting for him on the kitchen table.
Tom had been ready for this but he hadn't realised it was happening so soon. Sybil - gone tomorrow, for months! How could he bear to be without her for so long? He opened his front door and stepped inside, allowing himself to dream for a minute of what it might be like if she were there waiting for him…
She looked up from her chair by the fire, smiling her beautiful smile and stretching out her hand to him. Her long hair was pulled over her shoulder in an untidy braid and she was wearing the warm crimson cardigan he loved. "How was your day, my darling? You're home now - just relax and let me look after you for a bit." She kissed him lovingly, putting her hand to his cold cheek as he leaned down to her.
Getting to her feet, she started bustling round, putting on the kettle and stirring the pot of stew on the stove for later, when he was ready to eat. She helped him take off his boots and jacket and gave him his cup of tea as he sat down. Then, carrying her own cup, she sat on his lap, settling her head on his chest as he put his arm around her, cuddling her close.
This nightly ritual by the fireside was an essential part of their marriage that both of them looked forward to all day. Many times they talked long into the night, solving the problems of the world, sharing their hopes and dreams and planning for their future in equal measure …
The beautiful vision faded as Tom looked around his dark and empty living room. Although his mind knew it had only been a dream, his heart and his arms ached for Sybil as if she had really been there, and the knowledge that she was leaving Downton Abbey the next day made him feel even more alone …
He sighed - "That's it - I have to say something to her! I might lose my chance forever if I don't. She could meet some handsome young officer at the hospital and that would be curtains for me." Tom started to think about what he wanted to say the next day when he dropped her off in York, and wondered … what would be her answer?