I've realised today that I forgot to post this drabble written for Sybil/Tom Romance Week on tumblr also here. Prompt was simply "dance" and I wanted to combine it with our monthly theme on tumblr, which in June was "Rock the Wedding AU".


Dancing with Daidi's*/Mommy's Little Girl


Dublin, 1944

Sybbie couldn't believe her luck. She was getting married to the love of her life in Dublin and all of her family, including relations from Downton, were present.

Sometimes dreams do come true. While her mother loved Dublin as her own home and it was the place where she found happiness and freedom, part of her still felt disappointed that she couldn't be married from her childhood home. While Sybil did not want to live at that house forever or adhere to its rules, it was still the place where she was born and spent the first years of her life and most importantly - where her familial roots were.

Sybbie initially always thought that she would have similar feelings connected with her own wedding when the big day finally came. After all, they left Ireland when she was just four, when her parents decided that post-Civil War Ireland is too dangerous for a family with little children, especially since both parents were politically involved.

But here they were. At this moment, she was having her special wedding dance with her Daidi. Her brave Daidi, who gave up everything he achieved in Ireland to secure a safe future for his children in America. Over her father's shoulder, Sybbie spotted also her Mommy, about whom she could say exactly the same. She loved both of them dearly and she knew that they also felt such love towards her and her siblings. And towards each other, still, after twenty five years of marriage.

Suddenly, Sybbie had an idea.

"Daidi, Mommy, now it's time for your dance!"

"Our dance?" The Bransons exclaimed, completely taken by a surprise.

"Yes, your dance. A wedding reception is a celebration of love and if it hadn't been for your deep love, I wouldn't be here today!"

Sybil and Tom looked at each other, tears in their eyes. It wasn't only Sybbie's beautiful words, they also felt overhwhelmed with love for their daughter, who never ceased to amaze them.

"I guess that Sybbie's right," Tom whispered into his wife's ears and extended a hand to her, which Sybil immediately took, all the while smiling at her beloved radiantly.

They went to the centre of the room accompanied by a cheer of applause from everyone gathered and when music started they began moving swiftly to the tune in each other's arms.

After a moment of pleasant silence between the spouses when only music was to be heard, Sybil addressed her husband, "Who would've thought when we first met that we would dance together at our eldest child's wedding after twenty five years of marriage!"

Tom chuckled quietly, "Maybe I didn't think that immediately after we met, but after some time, even before I proposed to you…I dreamed about this when I attended my cousin's wedding and saw her parents together, still so deeply enamoured with each other… maybe not about dancing with you a special dance, but attending our child's wedding together after so many years together, still as much in love as when we got married…"

Now it was Sybil's turn to laugh. "Only a special dance is a surprise, isn'it? But leave it always to our little girl to surprise us!"


*Daidi - Daddy in Irish