Starting Forever

A/N- This is an AU Sybil/Branson story, it'll start sometime during the first season, but it will not follow the storyline of the show. I hope you like it.

A/N 2: DON'T READ THIS A/N IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN 3X05 – I started this fanfic because I love Sybil and Branson so much, but now I am so much more determined to write it, because of what happened last night. I am still in shock that Sybil is gone, and so as far as I am concerned she is still very much alive, so long as we all keep writing stories.

'Gwen?' Sybil whispers, carefully pushing open the door to the room which Gwen shares with Anna. Sybil creeps inside, careful not to wake Anna as she moves to Gwen's bed. 'Gwen?' She whispers again, gently shaking the young maids shoulder.

'Is everything alright milady?' Gwen rubs the sleep from her eyes, there's still another hour before she has to get up, so she's surprised to see Lady Sybil standing by her bed, dressed in her night clothes, with her hair loose around her shoulders.

'Quite alright,' Sybil smiles still whispering, 'I'm sorry to wake you but I had a favour to ask.'

'Of course milady, what do you need?'

'I'd rather hoped I could borrow some clothes.' Sybil says lightly.

'I'm sorry milady I don't understand; you want to borrow something of mine?'

'If I could, just something simple, a skirt and blouse and a jacket, possibly a hat.' Sybil starts to head to the small wardrobe where the clothes are kept, hesitating before opening the door. 'Do you mind?'

'No of course not, but why on earth do you need my clothes?'

'Everything I own is so fussy, it would give me away in an instant.' Sybil replies, opening the wooden door and looking through Gwen's few items.

'Give you away where milady?'

'I shouldn't say really,' Sybil smiles brightly, picking out a dark brown wool skirt, a cream blouse and a fitted jacket which matches the skirt, 'this will do nicely.' Sybil smiles again. 'May I change in here?'

'I – well yes of course milady, do you need help?' Gwen stands up but Sybil shakes her head.

'I can manage; perhaps you could find me some shoes. I think we're about the same size.' Sybil begins to dress herself carefully, while Gwen pulls out some brown shoes which will match the outfit.

'Are you sure you're quite alright milady?' Gwen asks once Sybil is fully dressed, having decided on a whim to leave her hair down, with just a strand from either side clipped back in a simple clip.

'Can you keep a secret?' Sybil whispers, Gwen nods in response and steps a little closer, so she can hear Sybil better, 'I'm going out this morning, to York.'

'Whatever for and why would you need my clothes?'

'There's a meeting of sorts, a gathering of supporters of woman's rights, only it's a working class meeting being held in a pub. A lot of socialist will be there so I'm told, and Branson was concerned that if I turned up in my own clothes, I wouldn't be received favourably. Hence why I'm borrowing something of yours to wear, so that I look more as if I belong.'

'Branson? What does he have to do with it?'

'Oh didn't I say? I'm going with him, he has the day off and I heard him mention his plans to Mr Bates, and so I begged him to allow me to go with him, in fact I should be meeting him about now in the kitchen.' Sybil smiles again, quickly hugging her friend. 'Could you see my night clothes get back to my room? Oh and if anyone asks, I've gone for a long country walk, and I don't intend to be home much before dinner.'

Sybil hurries from the room and rushes towards the kitchens, silently running through the quiet sleeping house. She steps into the kitchen where Branson is looking out the window; she clears her throat to get his attention, smiling shyly.

'Do I look alright Branson?' Sybil asks nervously.

'You look –' the words get stuck in his throat, he's never seen her look so beautiful before, her hair loose, her clothes simple, her cheeks flushes and the spark of excitement in her eyes, 'perfect, you look perfect.'

'So you'll not be ashamed to be seen with me?' Sybil asks with mock seriousness.

'I could never be ashamed of you.' He replies seriously, she smiles at him and steps forward.

'Well then, should we head out?'

'We should, it's a fair walk to the station and the train leaves soon.' He hesitates, wanting to reach out and hold her hand, or at the very least offer her his arm, but he knows he isn't allowed. She takes things into her own hands though, closing the gap and slipping her arm through his, he smiles at her gesture and they set out together.

From the stairs Gwen watches them, convinced now that Branson has feelings for Sybil, but now also fairly sure that Sybil returns those feelings.

'I desperately want to be taken seriously, but whenever I try to bring up an important conversation with my family, they just think I'm a little girl playing.' Sybil walks through the crowded pub as if she'd been doing it all her life, and it wasn't her first time. Branson watches in admiration, as she steers them towards a table in the corner, which is already occupied by a young woman and a young man, but there are two seats left.

'Well you'll be taken seriously here.' Branson smiles reassuringly.

'Hello,' Sybil smiles at the two people sat at the table, 'are those seats spare?'

'They are,' the girl nods and Sybil takes a seat, Branson silently following and taking the one beside her. 'I'm Laura Hopkins, and this is my brother Jimmy.'

Jimmy extends his hand to Branson, who takes it and politely shakes his hand.

'I'm Tom Branson.' He nods, looking to Sybil who seems right at home.

'And I'm Sybil Cr- uh Branson, I'm Sybil Branson.'

'You're Sybil Cr-Branson?' Laura eyes her with mild amusement.

'No just Branson,' Sybil blushes wildly, 'I was Sybil Crew, we're newly married and it's still taking some getting used to.'

Branson stares at her in shock, so she takes his hand to try and snap him out of it, and sell her story to them.

'How long have you been married?' Jimmy asks.

'Two weeks.' Sybil smiles warmly at Branson.

'And do you work?' Jimmy asks curiously, Branson is still too shocked to talk, so Sybil answers.

'Tom's a chauffeur currently, but that's just for now, really he'd like to get into politics. I was a housemaid, but I've given that up now I'm married.'

'I figured he was political, being here.' Jimmy nods his approval, 'and what about your Mrs? Is she political?'

'She is,' Branson finally snaps out of it, playing along, 'it's one of the main reasons I fell in love with her, because she wasn't afraid to speak her mind.'

The group continue talking until the main talks start and then any conversation is blocked out by the noise of the crowd and the speakers.

Several hours later Branson and Sybil are walking through a park together, waiting until it's time to catch the train back, but both of them wanting to extend the day. All too soon though they're heading back to Downton, they walk as far as the outskirts of the estate together, but they don't dare get any closer to the house together, not now that everyone is awake and bustling around preparing for dinner, which will be served soon. Sybil pauses and looks up at Branson, very aware that her parents will be wondering where she is, and that she still needs to sneak back into the house and change, but not wanting to head back to the house just yet.

'Thank you for today; I had such a wonderful time.' She smiles at him shyly.

'You didn't feel too out of place, in my world?' He asks her seriously.

'I felt right at home, I think you forget Tom that you and I very much occupy the same world, and if there are two – well I'm very comfortable in yours.' She looks up at him, and subconsciously starts leaning towards him.

'I'm glad,' he looks into her eyes, 'Mrs Branson.'

She blushes furiously and looks down at the ground in embarrassment.

'I hope you didn't mind, when she asked my name I just froze, I couldn't think of anything else to say, and then it just sort of came out.'

'Of course I don't mind.' He takes her hand, 'I don't mind one bit.'

'You're very sweet,' Sybil breathes in deeply, she can feel herself losing grip again, and she quickly pulls her hand from his, 'I ought to go, they'll be wondering where I am.'

'Alright, goodnight Sybil.' He smiles as her name passes through his lips, all day with Jimmy and Laura he'd been calling her Sybil and she'd called him Tom, and yet still each time he heard it, it made him smile.

'Goodnight Tom.' She smiles warmly and walks back to the house.

A/N – as always reviews are appreciated. I love getting your feedback.