A/N: This was the hardest chapter of this story to write because I kept changing my mind. In the end, this is not what I originally planned when I outlined the story in either time frame or content. No reason why I finally went with this; however, I do hope you like it. Once again, I'd like to thank all those who have taken the time to review.

One Year Later

In Sybil's mind last night's dinner had been a disaster. What was she thinking that her father would ever come around to approve of her marriage to Tom or for that matter that he would approve of her lifestyle. As she waited for the water in the kettle to boil, Sybil relived last night.

Although she had seen her mother on several occasions when Cora was in London, this was first time both her parents had been to her home. Her home … from her place at the table she could look out the large bay window to the garden out back. Maybe if it had been spring time when the greenery of the large maple tree was the perfect backdrop for the two lilac bushes her father would have seen a garden and not a small bleak yard walled in on three sides. They could have had coffee sitting on the small terrace with the sweet smell of lilacs in the air.

Sybil smiled as she looked around the large airy combination sitting and dining room. Of course the furniture wasn't up to Downton standards, it hadn't been passed from generation to generation. But the mahogany dining table was beautiful as were the six matching chairs with the seats covered in a lovely green flowered brocade fabric. Seat covers that went so well with the curtains that covered the two bay windows that faced opposite each other. Her mother-in-law had made the seat covers, curtains, and throw pillows that adorned the couch. Sybil had been delighted to go with Ma, as she now called Mrs. Branson, to pick out the fabrics.

It was a lovely room but of course her father didn't see that. He only saw what it wasn't. It wasn't a room in a grand building on Eaton Square or some other posh London address. It wasn't a room in the house of an Earl or even a lowly Baron. It wasn't a room in a house fit for his daughter the former Lady Sybil Crawley.

That was really the problem. She was now Lady Sybil Branson the wife of a lowly newspaper journalist.

Since their wedding almost nine months ago, Sybil and Tom had entertained many guests. Except for Annabella, who had married an Army officer and was now living in Nairobi, all of Sybil's close friends from the hospital were still in London. Tom had made friends with two of his office mates as well as few other journalists who worked for other newspapers. One of his journalist friends was now courting Louise and Sybil thought there would be a marriage soon. They had met at a garden party Sybil land Tom had hosted back in the summer.

Thanks to her mother-in-law Sybil had become a good cook. While she would never turn out the haute cuisine of Mrs. Patmore, her roasts and stews were definitely good enough for dinner guests. So Sybil had settled on a roast of beef with potatoes, onions and carrots for the first meal she ever cooked for her parents. While her mother was complimentary and impressed that Sybil could prepare such a meal, her father had only murmured a quick "how tasty." Even the cake she had baked didn't earn her praise from him.

Her parents had arrived sharply at seven, the time Sybil had set, and left exactly one and a half hours later. During that time while her mother engaged both Sybil and Tom in conversation her father barely uttered a word while looking uncomfortable and taking in the room around him with a look of distain. The after dinner coffee hadn't even been ready when her father suddenly announced that it was time for them to leave. At least he had given her a quick peck on the check and shaken Tom's hand when he left. Of course he couldn't bring himself to say Tom's name.

Both her parents had made their unhappiness with Sybil's choice of husband apparent when they refused to attend their wedding. The first difficult decision Tom and Sybil had to make was where to get married. Deciding to get married had been easy but the where and how had proved much more difficult. Sybil had been willing to go to the civil registrar's office since her family wouldn't be attending and Tom's family were in Dublin. But while Tom only occasionally attended church, he wanted a real wedding in a church and preferably a Catholic church. They had briefly considered going to Dublin for such a wedding but with the need for the banns to be read, it would take far more time than either could take from their jobs.

In the end they had decided on a small Catholic church in London. Even if family wouldn't be there, they'd have their friends. The chapel was small enough that the twenty or so wedding guests wouldn't seem lost in a much larger church.

To their utter surprise, Tom's mother and all three of his sisters came to the wedding. They actually arrived a full week before the nuptials took place. Although Sybil felt she knew her soon to be in-laws through their letters, she was so glad to finally meet then in person. It was their first time in London, in fact in England, and Sybil was happy to show them around. They also happily pitched in to help with decorating the chapel for the wedding.

But the Branson women were not the only surprises for the wedding. Sybil knew that Isobel and Matthew would come but she was ecstatic that Mary came with Matthew. Mary had finally broken up with Sir Richard Carlisle and it appeared that she and Matthew were going to give it a try once again. Edith also came to the wedding much to Sybil's delight.

Sybil had sent invitations to all of her family including Granny, Aunt Rosamund and her Grandmama Martha in New York. While Granny sent her regrets, she did send a gift, a lovely crystal vase, and a sizeable check. Aunt Rosamund not only attended the wedding but hosted the wedding breakfast at her house as her gift to the young couple. When Sybil had expressed some reservations since this would upset her father, Aunt Rosamund had replied that she had been upsetting Robert since they were children. She also confided to Sybil that although Marmaduke had not been titled, she had loved him deeply and never once regretted her marriage, and she thought that Sybil should also have the chance of a happy marriage based on love.

If any of her family would readily accept Tom, Sybil thought it would be her Grandmama Martha and Martha did not disappoint her. Of course she could not make the wedding with such short notice but she was impressed that her granddaughter was making her own decisions for her life first as a nurse and now this marriage. Sybil had sent a photograph of her and Tom with the invitation and Martha had commended Sybil for her excellent taste based on looks alone.

But it was the size of Martha's gift that had overwhelmed Sybil. It came in time that they were able to use some of that money to pay for the Branson family to stay in a hotel in London. Even more importantly, it enabled Tom and Sybil to buy their own two bedroom flat. The very flat that Sybil was now sitting in.

Martha had also reminded Sybil that with her marriage she was now able to get the inheritance her grandfather Levinson had provided for her. The terms of his will had provided for Sybil and each of her sisters at the time of their marriage or when they turned 25 whichever came first. Sybil hadn't even thought of this inheritance so she was over the moon.

Tom at first was reluctant to take any of this money saying that it was for Sybil only. He knew that in his lifetime he would never be able to earn this much and felt that the Crawleys, who did not accept him or respect him, would be paying for his lifestyle. But Sybil pointed out that it was not Crawley money but the Levinson's and furthermore, her grandfather was a self made man.

Most of this money was still in the bank since they preferred to live off of their own earnings. They had used a little of it to furnish their new flat. They had also made an investment with Tom's brother and owned half of his garage business in Liverpool. This had turned out to be an excellent decision because the garage had done quite well. While most of the profits were put back into the garage, Tom and Sybil did receive a good check each year that supplemented their incomes quite nicely.

Sybil wasn't the only one upset with Robert's behavior. When they arrived back at Grantham House, Cora had confronted him about it. She had told him that unless he wanted to lose his daughter forever, he had to accept her for who she was and the choices she had made. Cora told him he could think about it while he slept in his dressing room.

As Sybil drank her tea, her reverie was broken by an unexpected knock on the front door. To her utter surprise, when she opened the door Sybil found her father.

Looking rather sheepish, Robert asked "Sybil may I come in to talk to you?"

"If you are here to further insult me or Tom you are wasting your time" Sybil replied defiantly.

"Please Sybil, may I come in"

"You didn't seem too happy to be here last night …"

Robert interrupted her "Please Sybil. I want to talk to you."

"I was just having a cup of tea would you like some?" Sybil offered.

"That would be nice."

As Sybil went into the kitchen to put the kettle on, Robert looked around the sitting room. Spying her tea cup on the dining table, Robert took a seat at the table.

Clearing his throat, Robert broke the silence. "You were such a success during your season. I thought I'd have to fight the suitors off but then the war came and everything changed. You became a nurse … and then the move to London."

"When the war ended, I thought everything would go back to how it was before. But it didn't. You didn't."

Sybil laid the tea tray on the table. She watched silently as her father served himself and waited for him to continue.

"When you were a child, in so many ways you were different from your sisters. You were so much more curious about the world around you. So much more adventurous. I don't think there's a spot in all of the house that you didn't explore. While they were content to play ladies of the manor, you wanted to run and climb."

"Papa" Sybil interrupted Robert. "I had a wonderful childhood. Downton, the house as well as the grounds were a child's delight."

For the first time since entering her flat, Robert smiled, a real genuine smile. "It's good to hear you say that."

"Last night I looked around this room and I wondered how, after Downton and all that you had, could you be so content here? But I realize now that you are still on an adventure, you are still exploring the world."

"I'll admit Sybil that I don't understand it all. But I do love you and I would like to be a part of your life."

"And Tom?" Sybil asked.

"Tom too. I judged him on what he was and not who he was. Most importantly, I can see that he makes you happy. As a father, my only wish for my children is that they be happy."

"Papa, I am happy." Sybil held back the tears that welled in her eyes. "Do you truly mean it Papa?"

"I do. Tom and I may never see eye to eye on a lot of things … especially politics … or even have much in common but there is no doubt that he loves you … and that we do have in common."

"Oh Papa, I can't tell you how much that makes me happy." Sybil beamed as she reached for her father's hand.

"So, to go with my tea, do you think I could have some of that delicious cake you baked last night?"