The city was just coming awake as Tom made his way from the dock to his mother's house. It had been just over four years since he had made the reverse journey going to England seeking a better job prospect. On that journey Tom was full of hope and possibilities.

On this return trip, he was feeling anxious and a bit apprehensive. Although he was looking forward to finally seeing his family after what seemed an eternity, he was fearful of being jobless. He knew that jobs were scarce and that his family would sorely miss his income. The money he made in England was far more than he had ever made in Ireland and allowed him to generously provide for his mother and sisters while living a comfortable life himself.

Although Tom had left Downton with a heavy heart he knew that maybe it was the push he needed to change his life. The push to make something of his life as he had promised Sybil that day in York.

I'll make something of myself, I promise.

I know you will.

Then bet on me.

After all, he had only stayed at Downton because of Sybil. Tom felt as long as he had a chance with her he had to stay at Downton. He would only leave when she had finally made her decision whatever that was. But all that changed when Lord Grantham had unexpectedly called him into the library that fateful day.

He could tell that Lord Grantham was angry as soon as he entered the room.

"I am very disappointed in you Branson. I never expected you to betray my trust" he bellowed before Tom had even realized the enormity of this meeting.

"I entrusted my family to you. I did not expect you to take advantage of my youngest daughter and try to seduce her"

"I have not seduced any of your daughters"

"Are you saying you have not asked my youngest daughter to run away with you?"

Tom felt trapped. In his mind he had not seduced Sybil. Yes, he was in love with her but he had not seduced her. Yet what could he say to her father. He couldn't discuss that he and Sybil had become friends and that friendship led to love.

"I will not tolerate such behavior from one of my employees. You will leave at once. You return to your cottage and immediately pack your belongings and leave these premises. Under no circumstances are you to try and see Lady Sybil."

With that Carson nodded to his lordship and held the door open for Branson to leave. Tom was surprised to find one of the footmen standing in the hall.

"Arnold will accompany you to your cottage while you pack. He will then walk you to the gates of the estate. I will have someone bring you the pay that you are owed." Carson stonily informed Tom.

As he approached the small white clapboard house, Tom felt a sudden rush of apprehension. He had dreamt of coming back to Ireland for so long but the reality of his situation was now hitting him with full force. Would his mother be disappointed in him for losing his job? How would she react when . . . if . . . she found out the reason he had lost his job? He wasn't ashamed of loving Sybil but his family, especially his mother, may not see it as he did.

Opening the front door was like walking back in time. Nothing seemed to have changed in the front parlor which was as neat and clean as always with all the same well-worn but lovingly cared for furniture which gave the room a faint smell of lemon from the polish his mother regularly used. A glance around the parlor provided that sense of comfort, a sense of home. It was only as Tom studied the room more carefully that he realized the small changes of new throw pillows on the dark blue couch and the picture of him in his Downton chauffeur uniform prominently displayed on the fireplace mantel.

Voices emanating from the kitchen brought Tom out of his reverie. He walked through the dining room to the kitchen threshold where he stopped to soak in the sight of his mother, Ellen, standing at the sink with her back to him and his younger sisters sitting opposite each other at the small kitchen table eating their breakfast. He could hardly believe how much his sisters had grown. Maeve, now 14, had little resemblance to the ten year old tomboy of his memory. But it was Rosie who took his breath away. The quiet and somewhat awkward girl had grown into a beautiful young lady of 16. Tom stood listening to the banter between his mother and his sisters until finally Maeve sensed his presence.

"Tommy" squealed Maeve as she jumped up and ran to hug him. Her squeal had caused both Rosie and his mother to look up at him and soon both sisters were hugging him tightly.

Ellen, after wiping her hands on a dish towel, patted her hair before walking towards her son. Both sisters, still holding on to Tom, turned to face their mother. It was only when she was within a foot of Tom that the girls let go of their brother.

"Mam" Tom said taking a step forward to embrace his mother.

Ellen had waited for this moment since Tom had left for England. While she understood his reasons for going to England she had prayed that he would come back. And now with her beloved son within reach, the tears welled up in her eyes.

"Mam" was all Tom could manage as he took his mother in his arms and hugged her tightly.

It wasn't until the girls had left for school that Tom and his mother were able to finally talk. Sitting at the kitchen table with a steaming mug of tea and some of his mother's warm homemade bread in front of him, Tom dreaded the conversation he knew she wanted to have.

"Are you visiting or back for good?" his mother had asked hesitantly.

"With the war raging on and the price of gasoline, there just wasn't that great of a need for a chauffeur any longer. They could no longer keep me on." Tom had quickly decided that his mother didn't need to know the real reason for his dismissal. "I'm lucky they kept me on as long as they did."

The look his mother gave him told Tom she wasn't sure she believed this story but she asked no further on it.

"I'll look for work here. I do have quite a bit of money saved so I can manage for a little while" Tom hurriedly changed the subject.

Thanks to the money Tom had sent home from Downton, Rosie and Maeve were able to stay in school. Luckily their schools fees for this year had already been paid so he didn't have to worry about that. Tom wanted Rosie and Maeve to have the opportunity to decide for themselves what career path they would take. He didn't want them to have to leave school for a job in service or unskilled factory work to help put food on the table for the family.

The first week back at home flew by. It was a whirlwind of catching up with all of his family. His eldest sister Kate, who was only a year older than Tom, had married and had a child while Tom was in England. The family celebrated his nephew's first birthday only a few days after Tom arrived. Sean, his oldest brother, was now a father of three only one of whom Tom had ever met, and had a good job at a printing company. The black sheep was, as always, his older brother Michael. No one seemed to know what or how he spent his days. While his mother and all his other siblings seemed genuinely pleased to have Tom back, Michael displayed little interest in him.

Although it was wonderful to see his family again and to meet his new nephews and nieces, Tom deeply missed Sybil.

Arnold had accompanied Tom to the entrance gates of Downton and then watched as he walked towards the railway station. As soon as Tom was out of sight from Arnold, he veered off to the Downton Hospital. He knew Sybil was working there today and despite what his lordship had said, Tom couldn't leave Downton without saying goodbye to her.

Sybil was surprised, and at first annoyed to see Tom at the hospital. "What plan does mama have for me now" was Sybil's first thought at seeing him. Then realizing Tom was carrying his two small suitcases, Sybil's thoughts turned from annoyance to apprehension.

"Your father has fired me for, in his words, seducing his youngest daughter" Tom quietly spoke.

A stunned Sybil murmured, "oh no."

"It had to be Mary. He knew I had asked you to run away with me."

"But Mary promised. She wouldn't betray me" stammered Sybil.

"No one else knew."

Sybil nodded her head in agreement as tears began to form. The realization of Mary's betrayal was like a punch to her stomach.

Tom could recite their last conversation at the hospital that day almost word for word, but it was Sybil's declaration of her love for him that he constantly played over and over in his head.

"I know I haven't said it before. I haven't been willing to acknowledge what I know is in my heart. I do love you Tom Branson."

With that declaration, Sybil had then surprised Tom even more by kissing him, a kiss that started sweetly but ended up a passionate representation of that declaration.

After a week home, Tom began in earnest to look for work. He knew he had to take some kind of job just to earn money while deciding on his long term goals. Through a cousin's friend of a friend, which is how things usually happened in Dublin, Tom got a job as a driver for the Shelbourne Hotel. When he had left Downton, Tom never dreamed he would ever again wear livery and be driving around English aristocrats. But the job ended up giving Tom a surprising opportunity that he would never have dreamed possible and a path that he thought, hoped, would lead back to Sybil.