Thank you for all the lovely reviews. I can't believe how hard it was to write this chapter but I hope you'll find the effort worth it!

Tom still couldn't believe what he was seeing or rather who he was seeing. It had to be a mirage. It couldn't be her. What would Sybil be doing alone in this somewhat shabby kabob shop in the wee hours of New Year's Eve?

"Sir your order is ready" the owner called out but Tom remained steadfast, standing there his back to the counter as he continued to stare dumbfounded at the woman sitting at the small square Formica table. His reporter mind had kicked in and he noted that she was indeed alone for there was no evidence of someone who might have stepped away from the table for a moment; there was only the one coat draped over the back of the plastic chair on Sybil's right, only the one tea pot and cup on the table, and only the one plate holding a half-eaten kabob.

For her part, Sybil was just as dumbfounded as Tom as she stared back at him with a look of pure astonishment on her face. Finally she broke off eye contact and dropped her eyes to the table thinking that when she looked up again, she'd see the man wasn't her Tom. She even thought that she'd look up again and there wouldn't even be a man there. He had just been a figment of her imagination.

But the man was real there was no mistaking that when she looked up again nor was there any mistaking that it was Tom. If pressed she would admit that over the years she had watched and listened to the BBC hoping for a glimpse of him or to hear his lovely Irish lilt and she had been such rewarded on a couple of occasions. But she had never imagined she'd see actually meet him again and as he stood there now, not five feet away, she had no idea what to say to him.

"SIR" this time the owner spoke a little louder and when that brought no response he barked "SIR" causing Sybil to tilt her head towards the man.

Quickly looking back at Tom she quietly spoke in that husky voice that Tom had loved and thought he would never tire of hearing "I think your dinner is ready" as she nodded towards the counter before breaking out in a big grin.

Tom blinked his eyes and then chuckled. He turned and took a couple of steps towards the counter where the man was eyeing him carefully. "Thanks mate" he chirped as he lifted his soda and kabob from the top of the counter. Remembering that it was only minutes past the beginning of the new year he cheerfully said "Happy New Year" to the man and woman behind the counter.

Standing at the counter waiting for his order had given Tom some time to collect his thoughts and lessen his racing heart. Although he had thought of her through the years he had never given any thought to what he would say or do if he actually met Sybil again. And now looking at her sitting five feet away, looking as beautiful as he remembered, he wasn't sure what to say.

He turned back towards Sybil, slightly lifting the hand holding the soda as he quirked his eyebrow and asked "May I?"

"Of course" she responded making room for his plate by shifting hers to the side of the small table.

His eyes were on his kabob as he set the paper plate on the table and then took a sip of his soda before setting the cup on the table. Neither spoke as Tom carefully removed his coat and folded it over the back of the chair directly across the table from Sybil before settling into the chair on her left.

Sybil's eyes focused on the tea pot and she lifted it to refill her cup before realizing her cup was already full. With her eyes staring intently at her cup, she wrapped her hands around the sturdy tea cup as if trying to get them warm. After several seconds she picked up the cup and took a deep sip of the hot fragrant dark tea. Setting the cup back on the table she finally turned her head and looked at Tom and found him staring at her, his face unreadable.

For the first time she realized he was formally dressed in black tie. Raising her eyebrow, a sly smile spread slowly across her face. "That's a pretty fancy outfit for a place like this."

Tom looked down at his chest and then shrugged his shoulders. "This … this is my usual attire for an evening out on the town" he started before grinning cheekily "I'm in my James Bond phase."

Sybil broke out in a deep laugh and Tom joined her. But as their laughter died the awkwardness of the situation took over and again each retreated into silence with Sybil looking at her tea cup as if it was the most interesting thing in the world and Tom looking at her.

Stalling for time, Tom took a couple of bites of his kabob finding it surprisingly good or maybe it was just that he was quite hungry since he hadn't had dinner thinking that he'd get his fill at Dave's party.

"I …" Tom began just as Sybil blurted "Why …"

Both stopped waiting for the other to go on which meant once again they were engulfed in silence. Finally, Tom nodded at Sybil "you go on."

She took a deep breath. "I wouldn't have thought that James Bond would be in a place like here" Tom could hear the lightheartedness in her voice "especially not on a night like tonight."

Before Tom could reply she leaned in closer to him, her face was only inches away and he could smell the faint scent of her lilac soap, and whispered "But if you're here because you're following someone don't you think you stand out a bit much?"

Tom looked around the restaurant as if he was casing the place. He and Sybil were now the only two people in the restaurant other than the man and woman working behind the counter.

"If I was following someone I think I need to go back to spy school because it's just us here" he whispered back causing Sybil to once again laugh.

He straighten up, took another bit of his kabob, and then said "Actually I'm running away from a party I never really wanted to go to where a woman I went out with twice months ago and hoped to never see again was there and followed me around like she was my puppy."

Sybil, who had leaned back in her chair, now straightened herself up with her arms crossed and elbows resting on the table. "Oh that must have been just terrible for you" the seriousness of her voice belied by the smirk on her face.

"Oh it was. If you had ever met her you'd know how bad it was." Tom took another sip of his soda. He scowled as he set the cup back on the table. "And to make matters even worse there was no ale or even whiskey being served only those horrible apple martinis or pink cosmos or some such silly stuff."

He shuddered as if to emphasize his displeasure. "I ask you what true Irish man would serve such bile?"

Looking at the seriousness of Tom's face, it took all of Sybil's willpower not to burst out laughing. "My my … this evening has been just horrible for you."

Tom nodded in agreement. Then, in an utterly serious voice, he added "It has been" he paused looking directly into her eyes "that is until I walked into here and saw …" Sybil felt her face going crimson "saw … those kabobs."

And to emphasize his point he took another bite of his rapidly disappearing kabob before looking at Sybil once again with that cheeky grin she had always found so endearing.

He ate the final bit of his kabob, wiped his mouth with the paper napkin, and pronounced it delicious and that he thought he'd order another one.

"Didn't that party have food to satisfy an Irish man or were you too busy running from your former date to eat?" she wisecracked causing Tom to chuckle.

"Unfortunately I was at the buffet table when she first cornered me and in my zeal to get away from her I left my plate there" he uttered as he patted his chest and shook his head.

Although he was still a bit hungry the fact was he didn't want to leave and thought ordering more food would be an excuse for staying.

"Can I order you anything?"

"Maybe some chips" she answered realizing she was still a bit hungry plus it would give her something to concentrate on during any more awkward silences and, even more importantly, it would give her a reason to remain sitting at the table.

As Tom walked over to the counter to place their order, Sybil couldn't help but notice how handsome he looked and how well he filled out his tux. Suddenly she recalled that New Year's Eve so long ago, the first one they had spent together at Downton, when she had to coax him into a tux that had been borrowed from Matthew. It was a bit ill-fitting on Tom but regardless of the fit he had looked so handsome even if a bit unsure of himself. That had been one change in the intervening years she quickly thought for the man before her now looked totally comfortable in his tux.

While they had broken the ice, if only for a moment or two, discussing his dress, neither had contrasted his formal wear with hers. Tom had noticed that she was wearing an unbuttoned soft-looking light blue jumper, probably angora wool since it looked a bit heavy for cashmere but which only emphasized those lovely blue eyes of hers, and underneath her jumper was a dark blue tee shirt looking top which didn't look at all like something one would normally wear under such a jumper.

During the last ten years he had honed his skill for quickly noting his surroundings and when he first saw her sitting at the table he noticed that she was wearing pants that matched her top and stylish just above the ankle leather boots with a barely raised heel that was compatible with the jumper but certainly seemed too classy for her top and pants. Now that he thought about it, it almost looked like she was wearing scrubs like doctors wear.

As he stood by the counter waiting for his order, Tom thought about how truly strange this evening had been. He glanced again at Sybil who was looking at him but quickly diverted her eyes to the table when she realized he was looking at her.

Over the years when he had thought of her he had mostly thought of their past, remembering their times together. They hadn't broken up because of a fight or disagreement that escalated until there was no turning back, there had been no angry confrontation but rather it had been a slow realization that their lives had moved in two different directions. He had been left with many good memories, and maybe a bit of a broken heart, but certainly no bitterness.

When he had first realized their relationship was over it seemed natural to compare the women he met with her. For a while he couldn't date a woman with dark hair and blue eyes because it was too heartbreaking when he realized she wasn't Sybil.

He had wondered what she was doing now but had never really thought of their meeting again for that had just seemed so unlikely. They didn't really have any mutual friends and they certainly traveled in different social circles. Even after he had seen her father and began looking at the society pages of the newspapers, he never truly made an attempt to find her which in these days of the internet would probably have been rather easy. Maybe he had been afraid of what he would have found out.

Returning to the table with their new order, both Tom and Sybil dug into the food as a way of avoiding conversation. It was after three or four bites of his kabob and several of Sybil's chips, that Tom's curiosity finally won out.

"So I've told you my story of woe" Tom dramatically sighed but the twinkle in his eyes confirmed it was just an act "and I must say I'm a bit hurt that you don't seem too sympathetic" to which Sybil just rolled her eyes "but you haven't said how you ended up here tonight."

"Well my story is nothing dramatic like yours" she paused as she took another bite of a chip. "But I just got off work and was walking home when I passed by here I realized I was hungry so …" Sybil shrugged her shoulders "so here I am."

"Walking home from work at this hour?" Tom couldn't conceal his surprise. "What is that you do?"

"I'm an emergency room nurse at St. Michael's Hospital." Tom noted there was no mistaking the pride in her voice.

"Wow … a nurse … I'm" Tom was surprised of the change in Sybil's career. "When … how … how did that happen?"

For the next two hours the conversation between the two flowed so naturally, so smoothly, that anyone watching them would think they were old friends which indeed they were if one didn't count that ten year gap. Sybil was delighted that Tom was so complimentary about the new direction her life had taken for even after three years of working as a nurse her family seemed puzzled and even embarrassed at her career choice.

Although they covered much of what each had been doing during the past ten years, both avoided any discussion of their mutual past. There was no reminiscing of their university days nor their romance that had consumed so much of that time.

The two were so engrossed in their conversation that they paid scant attention to their surroundings. Neither noticed that the kabob shop had become quite busy, especially with takeaway orders, or that the tables around them were filled with diners and that as one party moved on their table was quickly taken by new diners.

The crowd of diners had finally diminished around three in the morning and the owners decided to close up shop. The owner was quite surprised to find that the only remaining customers were the man in the tux, something that looked quite incongruous in this shop, and the young woman much more casually dressed, who had come in separately but had now been talking for hours.

"I think he wants us to leave Sybil" Tom stated as he noted the man had finished wiping down all the tables except theirs and now stood beside their table. Taking a glance at his watch he was surprised to see the time.

Both Sybil and Tom nodded at the man as they stood to retrieve their coats and brace themselves for the early morning cold air. As she reached the front door Sybil turned around and cheerily cried out "Happy New Year" and received smiles from the man and his wife.

It was much colder than when either had arrived had the kabob shop and both wrapped their scarves around their necks to ward off the chill. They stood outside the shop, a sudden silence enveloping them as each seemed to wonder what to do next. They were still standing there when the interior lights of the kabob shop went out leaving only the street lamps at the corner and the neon signs of several closed shops shedding faint light on the deserted street.

It was Sybil that broke the silence. "My flat is only about five minutes away."

"I'll walk you home then" Tom replied as he reached for Sybil's arm. They walked in silence with each seemingly lost in their own thoughts although they walked companionably with Sybil's arm wrapped around Tom's.

As they neared the corner, the area became strictly residential with attached tall Georgian buildings that had probably at one time been single family homes but now divided into several flats lining both sides of the road. Sybil steered him left at the corner and the tall Georgian buildings gave way to a tree lined street with three and four story houses most of which were semi-attached with the occasional detached home interspersed among them. All had small front gardens walled off from the sidewalk and a few had converted their garden into a car park. It was a prosperous looking area and definitely a step up from Tom's neighborhood.

Sybil stopped about half way down the block in front of a large semi-attached house. She had told Tom she had used some of her trust money to buy a property with a large two bedroom flat that took up all of the basement and the first floor which she lived in and that she rented out the flats on the two upper floors. The left half of the small front garden and been paved over and a small SUV was parked in the space.

"I think you used your trust money quite wisely" Tom stated as he looked at the building Sybil owned. He had to admit to himself he was impressed with her choice of house and its location and he thought it was a wise investment.

Sybil nodded as she looked at her building and smiled as if she was quite pleased with herself. It wasn't the type of place her parents had thought she should buy, they had tried to steer her into a posh building with a doorman and 24 hour concierge services but she had wanted her own place with a back garden. She loved that her living room with it large French windows opened up into the back garden. She had spent many hours during her nursing student days sitting in that garden studying.

Sybil tried to stifle a yawn, after all it had been a very long day and she had worked a ten hour shift, yet Tom was still quick to notice it. He was disappointed because he feared it meant she wanted to end their evening although realistically it was now very early morning. However, the one thing he was sure of was that he wanted to see her again.

"I guess I …" Tom started.

"Why don't you drive my car home" Sybil interrupted him and catching him off guard with her suggestion.

He faced her with a look of puzzlement plainly written on his face.

She shyly smiled at his puzzlement. "You can return it this evening when you come back for dinner."

One Year Later – New Year's Eve

For the first time in years Tom was looking forward to New Year's Eve for he was a man with a plan. He had made sure the place would be open, he had checked the route, he was ready. It hadn't escaped his notice that Sybil seemed a bit disappointed that he had seemed rather nonchalant about her having to work on New Year's Eve. Although family and friends could remind her that she always said New Year's Eve was no big deal, she was feeling a bit different this year. We'll go for a late supper, somewhere casual he had told her.

The chilly and cloudy skies that had threaten rain all day had finally given way to a cold rain in the early evening. This caused Tom to make a slight change in his plans for he had wanted to meet Sybil at the hospital after her shift and walk her to his surprise. Instead he was now waiting in a taxi for Sybil to emerge from the hospital.

When he spotted her coming through the hospital's front glass doors he felt his heart quicken. He was amazed that after all this time she still had that effect on him. She had her raincoat tightly bundled around her to ward off the cold wetness but he knew that she had changed out of her scrubs. He had thought to tell her not to change, that her scrubs would be perfect, maybe she'd just want to put on a jumper especially that lovely blue one, but he thought that might give away the game.

He opened the taxi door and she made a dash for it.

"Sorry I'm so late" she began before Tom quieted her with a kiss.

"It's okay, we'll still get there before midnight" he said confidently causing her to quirk her eyebrow in the way she had of showing when she was baffled or bemused by something he said.

Her bafflement only increased when the taxi stopped just a few minutes later. What casual place is here she thought before spying the neon sign Amoo's Kabobs.

When she realized this was indeed the casual place she had to laugh.

"Well you've certainly surprised me Tom. It's not exactly what, or where, I had in mind but"

"You love the food here"

"But it's New Year's Eve … usually a night for a place a little bit special."

"Ah" he purred. "This is a special place or have you forgotten?"

Sybil giggled. "You mean last New Year's Eve?" She turned her head towards him, looking directly in his eyes as she softly whispered "I haven't forgotten."

"Good. Now let's get in there before we're soaked."

If Sybil was surprised by the where she was even more surprised when Tom took off his coat revealing his outfit.

"Back in your James Bond phase?" she teased as she ran her eyes up and down Tom's well-toned body that was only accented by his tux causing Tom to laugh and Sybil to join him in laughter.

"Sybil" Tom called softly as he reached for her hand. "Last year at this time I walked into this place and my life changed."

Sybil nodded and could feel small tears welling up in her eyes.

"I love you Sybil. I love you more than anyone I've ever met. In some ways I don't regret those ten years we were apart because it made us who we are today. But one thing I know, with all my heart, I never want to be apart again. Marry me Sybil."

Three Years Later

She had been restless all day. Nothing made her comfortable whether she was walking or sitting or lying down. Tom seemed just as restless as he paced around asking what he could do, did she want something to eat, something to drink, did she want him to rub her back or her feet.

She wondered how she was going to get through the next three weeks. But her thoughts on that were suddenly shattered when she felt pain and she cried out for Tom.

Once again Sybil was spending New Year's Eve at the hospital. Only this time she wasn't there as a nurse but as a patient.

It had taken all night but now at 5 am on New Year's Day the doctor proclaimed "You have a son."