A/N: Everyone can thank the outdated TextEdit for finally creating a file that was compatible for me to upload. A giant panic attack later, and this was allowed? I don't know. All I know is I'm tired and clearly need a life if my inability to update my fanfic was the greatest stress of my day. I hope you all enjoy this. I think I spent more time trying to get it to upload than I did actually writing it. Ayah.

Song: Babe I'm Gonna Leave You - Led Zeppelin

"There's something you may want to see in there, Tom," Robert said, handing his paper down to his son-in-law.

Tom looked up, unsure of what to make of such a comment. Robert had been fair lately, and even pleasant when it came to the men's small talk over the morning meal. But this was different, shown by both Matthew and Robert waiting for Tom to pick up the paper and read it.

His own newspaper was up in the bedroom where he had left it. He and Sybil liked to read it in bed and requested that it was delivered with their wake up call each morning. This morning, however, Tom was out of bed early to deal with a teething Madeleine. He let Sybil sleep as he rocked the child back to sleep and then laid her in bed next to her mother so he could watch both of them sleep. It was like this lately, and just as he always swore to Sybil, he really didn't mind. In fact, he even found himself wondering if these were the moments he'd miss when Maddie was older and life got truly crazy.

Mary came down into the dining room with Edith trailing behind. The atmosphere between the two eldest Crawley girls had softened considerably since Mary had announced her pregnancy just a week ago. The two girls sat down, and were quickly acclimated to the tension at the table as Tom read.

He couldn't believe his eyes. "So they've accepted it then? It's official?"

Robert smiled, placing his mug back down on the table. "It appears that way."

"Oh god," Tom managed, closing the paper to stand. He looked around the room and covered his mouth, not wanting all of the irrational things he was thinking to escape without his own warranty.

He started for the door but was stopped when he heard Sybil bounding down the hall, her black heels clicking on the hardwood floor as she ran for the dining room. "Tom!" He heard her call out. "Tom! Look!" She ran into the dining room with their Irish newspaper in hand. "Tom! It's happened!" She beamed, showing him the headline. "Did you know?"

He didn't respond and instead picked her up, spinning her around. She was wearing pants today and a simple cotton blouse. They kissed, briefly, not caring if anyone saw. And they did, also seeing how such an idea, Ireland as a free state, delighted these two so much.

Sybil let out an exuberant laugh, holding her stomach as if the happiness inside of her was paining her the more she kept it in. "When can we leave?"

"I'll go as soon as I can."

"You? What about me?"

Tom softened, his glance dropping from her eyes to the floor. "Sybil, you can't-"

Sybil's eyes furrowed and she looked out the window then back to her husband. "What are you saying? What? Will you go and leave me here?"

"Sybil it is not like that! Yes, I will go back and I will go soon. Very soon, if I can get a ticket. But I'm going back to sort out everything we left behind. I'm going back to make sure my family is okay and that the flat is fine and-"

"What about your family here? What about me and Madeleine and-?"

"Sybil," he tried, reaching out to touch her. She stepped back and bit at her lip, finding herself with no other options. She always swore to herself that she'd make the choices and direct her own life, but after meeting Tom and falling in love, it was made all too clear that life wasn't always her decision to make.

Finally, Sybil moved into him. Her arms were crossed over her chest now, and although her family couldn't see it, Tom could tell she was crying. "Tom, please don't do this again…" she shook her head, allowing one, then another tear to fall slowly down her cheek. She wiped it away, tossing her hand away as if to dismiss such an emotion.

"No, Sybil, I will not be made to feel sorry for this," Tom raised his voice and stood his ground. "It's a free state. That doesn't mean it's safe. It's a disaster over there. I will not have you and Madeleine be put in danger like that."

And this new baby, Sybil thought, biting down hard on her lip. She was going to tell him. That was what her trip down here was originally about. Now, they were so far past that, and even a child couldn't mollify the words they were spitting back and forth to one another.

"I'm sorry but the answer is no."

"You are not my owner, Tom Branson!" Sybil yelled out, her hands in tiny little fists at her side. She stood tall and steady, but she was the same girl he had fallen in love with all those years ago and loved so ardently now. He wanted to pull her in and kiss her hairline and whisper words that only she could understand but Tom knew she would never accept such an offer.

"No I most certainly am not but I'm sure your father will agree with me…"

"Sybil," Robert began, standing up from the table to walk closer to where his daughter and son-in-law stood. "Tom is right. I can't forbid you to go anywhere but if it is as bad as he says and as bad as I have heard, I would really hope you wouldn't go. Maybe take the time before the Holiday to let Tom sort everything out."

"You are infuriating! You both are absolutely infuriating men! Both my husband and father telling me what to do? HA!" Sybil managed, pushing past them.

"Sybil!" Tom called after his wife. "I am protecting you, love! The fight is not over! We can't-"

It was then that she finally turned back to him. She was at the door now, ready to take off in a dead sprint. "No, but this one is. If you will not let me go then I won't go but I swear to god Tom if-" She stopped, choking back a sob. She walked to him again, pushing at his chest so that he was sent stumbling backward. "What about you? What if something happens to you?"

Tom stepped into his wife and immediately swiped at her tears with both of his thumbs. She pushed at him again. She fought and fought before finally giving in, allowing his body to bring her in, as his mouth sung soothing words into her hair.

Sybil separated from him, just long enough for her red eyes to catch on his. "I know you need to go back and I get why you don't want me to go but that is my home too. And you are my husband," she reminded as another tear strolled down her cheek, out of his grasp. "I need you to be safe too."

Tom grasped at the back of her neck and pulled her in so that he could kiss her forehead. They lingered for a bit too long and when they finally detached from one another, Tom walked away and Sybil followed.

"You're going to let him go?" Mary asked.

"He's not my child," Robert said in response.

A silence settled over the dining room, telling all that this conversation was finished. Somewhere upstairs, Sybil and Tom hated that the rest of the family was there to witness it in the first place.

Just as they were about to move on, Robert set down his paper, and stood up. "But no, if it were up to me, he wouldn't be going back either."

Without another word, he left the room.

~!~

"How long are you going to be gone?"

"Just a week, love."

Tom was packing his suitcase now, with Sybil sitting on the edge of their bed with her hands underneath her while her feet swayed down toward the ground. "And you promise you won't stay longer?"

Tom stopped his movements and went to stand before his wife. "I promise. I just need to go and make sure all is cleared. This will help us to decide when we want to move back."

"A year maybe?"

Tom nodded. "We'll see."

"And you promise to call as soon as you get there? Well, as soon as you get to your mother's. I don't want to be worrying about you being arrested or...just please call me," she finished.

He was back at the armoire now, pulling his favorite suit jacket from behind one of Sybil's dresses. He left the hanger on and folded that within the suitcase, putting it on top of trousers and a jumper Sybil had insisted he bring. "Love, I'm going to be fine."

Sybil ignored him though. Her eyes had been watching him, darting back and forth from the armoire to where his suitcase remained open on the edge of the bed. She stood up beside him, quickly doing her best to rearrange the inside of his bag. He had done it all wrong, and she wanted to make sure that even if she wasn't with him, that he was well taken care of until he arrived at his mother's.

"Sybil, darling, would you calm down please? We have plenty of time before my train leaves."

"Maddie and I are going to ride with you to the station. I want to see you off."

Tom collapsed back against the bed. "Okay." Then he began to laugh and Sybil, unamused by all of this, cocked her eyebrow as if immediately asking for an explanation, one he was all too willing to provide her with. "This is just odd, s'all. The last time I went back to Dublin, you were with me, and we were about to have Madeleine and now...I guess I just can't believe that the life I used to have has led me here."

Sybil must have been content with the state of Tom's suitcase, because she clicked the worn leather locks and then picked it up and placed it by the door, next to where his briefcase full of tenant paperwork sat. Then, she sat down on the bed, taking place of the baggage Tom would be bringing to Dublin with him. She curled into him, immediately resting her head on his shoulder. He was right, they did have time before his train left, but not time in the way that either of them craved. It seemed they were always waiting for something, and then when it finally happened, they found themselves wondering how many ways it could be done again.

"I love you," she whispered after placing a lingering kiss to her husband's neck.

He didn't respond with words but instead kissed her, bringing her lips into his with a force she hadn't felt in quite some time. It was all he wanted to say but was unable to, out of fear that such truths would cause him to cry. Tom had always seen himself much in the way the rest of the world did; brave and strong willed. Sybil changed him though, making him feel things he would have never imagined when he first accepted the job at Downton. Now, he found himself feeling too much, things that broke his heart and shattered his thoughts, leaving nothing but time and space for her to repair them.

"It's only a week," he reminded.

"I know." Sybil sighed, wrapping her arms around his shoulders to bring him closer to her. She reveled in these last few moments, where she could hold him like this without any questions asked. "Make sure you tell your mother and Katherine and everyone else how much I miss them."

"Of course."

"And I put the pictures of Maddie-"

"In the bottom of my briefcase. I know," he said, finishing her sentence. "Thank you," he added, hoping she wasn't finding him to be as agitated as he was. He was sick of being here, only because he had just learned to accept that he would be without her for a week. "You'll be back soon."

"I know."

"I'm going to look at cottages while I'm there. And talk to a few newspapers about getting me another job. It might be a year, but I want to be prepared."

"Good," Sybil whispered, her voice as hoarse as ever.

"I'm not abandoning you. Please don't think that."

Sybil's eyes shot up to her husbands. It was blue on blue, and suddenly such a familiar look made her want to cry. "Never," she managed, before returning her eyes to their position staring at the way Tom held her hands in his lap.

"This isn't like before," he began. "It's just not safe."

"You have to be safe," she whispered. "God, if I ever lost you, Tom."

"But you won't. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere." Quickly, he realized what he said and picked up her knuckles to kiss at her wedding ring, so simple and yet so heavy, resting on her finger. He knew that they were both thinking back to that night so many months ago when he had left her behind in Dublin, feeling alone and scared and very much pregnant. Now, as he was about to venture back to the same place that meant so much to them, he wondered if she felt the same way he did, and if she'd resent him leaving her behind at Downton: the place she used to call home.

"We should go," she said, being sensible, but not ever believing her own words. She stood, and he joined her, both of them grabbing their coats from the rack by the door. As she buttoned her light jacket and placed her hat atop her head, she stared out at their bed. She thought of sleeping alone tonight and how sleep would undoubtedly run from her as she tossed and turned and thought of him so far away. Deciding not to let her mind linger too much, she followed Tom out, not even bothering to shut the door to the room she was sure she'd return too soon.

At the end of the hall they stopped in the nursery. On the floor by the window, Mary and Matthew sat with Maddie, watching the child walk back and forth with the help of the windowsill. They smiled at Tom and wished him the best and then watched as the young family disappeared out the door.

When they were gone, Matthew wrapped an arm around Mary and brought her close into him. He kissed her temple and she smiled as she felt his lips leave her skin. They had watched Sybil and Tom prove themselves to this house and found that they were quite protective of the young couple. They knew what it was like to fight to keep something so pure alive and they wondered how they got through it all, all the while knowing that they would get through this stage in their lives too, and end up just the way they had always been: stronger and more beautiful than they were before. A very small part of them were jealous of the resilience shared between Tom and Sybil. It was something Mary and Matthew sought, but could never quite capture in the way they had.

On the ride to the station, Tom did his best to keep Sybil from thinking all of the things he was sure were fluttering around in her mind. In a solid attempt, he asked he about when she'd be working this week, and then, with a cheeky smile, he asked her what she'd do to pass the time without him. This earned him a swat to the shoulder and the two laughed, allowing their minds to wander at such a prospect.

They didn't allow silence to overtake them. Every moment was spent filled with words and kisses they were sure they'd never get back. Sybil wanted to cry but instead found herself snuggling closer into Tom so he had a solid grip on both her and their daughter. Every so often he'd kiss her hairline and tell her how much he loved her and she'd smile because there was no other action that could express what she was feeling and she feared such attempts would just ruin all of this.

When it came time for him to depart, they stood staring at one another while the train hummed loudly next to them. The boarding whistle sounded, pulling Tom out of the conversation he was having with Madeleine. Unable to articulate a proper goodbye, both he and Sybil hugged, and then passed a promise in the form of a chaste kiss from lip to lip.

Sybil watched him get on the train, and she picked up Maddie's hand causing the little girl to wave at her father and speak a simple "Da-da bye bye!"

She listened to her daughter laugh as the train pulled away, and Sybil wanted to join her. She couldn't shake the feeling she had though, as if sending Tom back to Dublin was like sending a man off to war. The thought brought back memories that both soothed and shook her to her core. It wasn't until Sybil was back in the car that she let the tears fall, thankful that Maddie was fast asleep by then, and not awake to see her mother's weakness. Sybil knew that a child couldn't even decipher such an emotion and attach it to people and places. She was also sure Maddie was unaware that her own father had just gotten on a train to return to a place they called home, a place that Sybil and Tom hoped Madeleine and all of their other children would soon call home as well. It was just a week, she thought.

Reading this over I'm not too sure how I feel about it. Maybe you all could tell me what you thought? (See what I did there?)

x. Elle