Hello! I'm back with another chapter. I obviously adore DA and how it's written, but I'm upset about how Julian chose to write Henry's absence in a kind of negative light when Matthew Goode couldn't come back for the 2nd movie. I hope for the third movie, even though I don't think Goode is coming back, that JF doesn't make Mary and Henry separate. So this is kind of my imagination's hope for them. I guess that's why this ended up being a kind of long chapter.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy!

While Sybbie had always been very emotionally intelligent, her Aunt Mary often confused her.

There were times Mary was kind and gentle, then there were times she was cold and spiteful.

Sybbie had learned with time how to read her aunt, with the help and insight of her dad and Granny Cora.

She knew that despite Mary's often hard exterior, she felt things deeply, like Sybbie herself did, and that allowed her to empathize, even when her aunt seemed mean.

Her love for her aunt and then her uncle as well was as strong as her love for the rest of the family, even if she wasn't as close to them as some of the others.

Like Aunt Mary herself, her and Uncle Henry's love often left Sybbie contemplating and in deep thought. She knew within her heart that they loved each other very much, but it was more difficult to observe than the others because her uncle was often away for work and races.

But just because they were apart, didn't mean Sybbie was unable to see the true strength of their love and relationship.

1933

Sybbie smiled at her cousins and brother as she quietly exited the library and made her way to where the telephone sat.

Aunt Mary had left the room over ten minutes ago after telling the children she would be back in only a moment, and Sybbie found herself needing to make sure she was all right.

"Aunt Mary?" she asked into the hall as she ventured closer to where the phone was stationed.

She stopped just out of view as she caught sight of her aunt's furrowed brows and creased forehead as she held the phone up to her face.

"You told me you would be home next weekend, Henry. George and Caroline are expecting to see you." she told her husband.

Sybbie wished she could hear both sides of the conversation, but she would have to fill in the rest with her imagination and of course what she already knew about how her uncle spoke and reacted.

"You've done this too many times, and I always have to be the one to tell the kids that "Dad had to work more than he thought. Don't worry, you'll see him soon." But they never see you soon. They need you, Henry. They need their father." she said, her voice trickling down to a whisper.

Whatever Uncle Henry had said must have been very moving because Sybbie hardly ever witnessed what she was seeing now as Mary's dark eyes filled with tears.

Her aunt shook her head and swiped at her tears. "Please, come home."

Sybbie's heart broke as she saw her aunt's desperate and useless attempts to keep herself together.

"I need you."

It was so quiet that Sybbie had barely caught it. She couldn't remember ever seeing Mary in such a vulnerable state as a strangled sob escaped her throat.

She slammed the phone down on the receiver and stood there, hiding her face in her hands as she shook with her long overdo sobs.

Sybbie felt her body unfreeze as she rushed over to her and held onto her in a comforting hug.

Mary startled as she felt the sudden touch and looked down in surprise at her niece. "S-Sybbie- how long, were you standing here?"

Her niece looked up. "I'm sorry, Aunt Mary." she was first of all, apologizing for her obvious eavesdropping, but she mostly apologized for her aunt's lack of quality time with her husband.

Mary sniffled, and gave into the comfort as she wrapped her arms around her. "There's nothing to apologize for, my dear."

Sybbie gave her an unconvinced look. "Even if I didn't cause it, I still feel sorry for the pain you have to go through." she hesitantly laid her head on Mary's shoulder. "I know you love Uncle Henry, and that you just want to see him more. It's quite a reasonable request for a wife to ask of her husband."

Mary, despite her grief and frustration, chuckled a little. "You're right about that." her smile faded away as fast as it came. "I shouldn't be discussing this with you."

"Why not? Thirteen is a perfectly reasonable age to know about adult matters."

She sighed. "When I was your age, my biggest problem was what I was going to wear and how I was going to reply to Edith and her quite pathetic jabs."

Sybbie raised a brow. "Well, I suppose times have changed."

"Or maybe the world simply has." she breathed, gazing down at her niece. "Besides, you and I are nothing alike, Sybbie. You're much too like your parents for us to be similar."

Sybbie smiled a little sadly. "I think we're more alike than even you realize, Aunt Mary."

Mary loosened the hug so she could meet her eyes. "What do you mean?"

The younger glanced around, making sure they were entirely alone and finding the courage to speak to her like this. "I know when you become cold or mean with people, it's simply a way to keep your guard up." she informed her quietly. "I can tell you feel things deeply, deeper than most people, like I do."

Mary swallowed as fresh tears pooled in her eyes. "Sybbie,"

She took that as a sign to keep talking, even though it probably was a sign for the opposite. "You tend to hold in your emotions, and while this is something the whole English upper-class does, you do it more than everyone else seems to. You hold them in until they overflow in one moment of- usually- anger. Or in this case, tears. While it may seem I let my emotions out, I don't let out my negative emotions as much as I should." Sybbie looked to the floor as she admitted this aloud for the first time in her life.

Mary gently reached out and titled her chin upwards. Tears were slowly dripping down her fair cheeks. "I want you to know that you can come to me, okay? Even if I seem upset or angry or cold, it's never because of you. I will always have time for you. To listen to you and talk with you. I know it cannot be easy growing up without your mom, but I want you to know you're doing an excellent job." she smiled softly. "I love you, Sybbie, and I'm so proud of you."

Sybbie smiled back and nodded. "I love you too, Aunt Mary."

Sybbie couldn't contain her joy when her father had informed them at breakfast the next morning that Henry had arrived on the late train after the Bransons had left Downton the previous afternoon.

She could feel her aunt's joy without having seen or heard her. She knew Uncle Henry had come back as soon as he'd heard his wife's crying voice and whispered "I need you".

Sybbie knew he needed her too, even if it was his choice to constantly be away.

In the end, Mary was what mattered most to him.

She was his home, the main thing that drew him back to shore when he was out in the vast, wild sea. Losing her wasn't an option, and this confirmed that by his quick reappearance at Downton.

Caroline's 10th Birthday, 1936

Sybbie gave her cousin a long hug. "Happy Birthday, Carrie." she kissed her light brown curls. "I'm so glad to be your cousin."

Caroline smiled widely. "Me too, Sybbie." she glanced over at her parents and sighed. "They're being all affectionate again."

Her cousin chuckled, and squeezed her a little tighter. "I think they're cute."

"Well that's because they aren't your parents. You wouldn't say that about Uncle Tom and Auntie Lucy."

"I would, actually." Sybbie grinned, and let her cousin go so she could play with Peter and Bobby.

Sybbie stood there quietly, watching her large, currently cheery family from her spot on the great lawn. Her eyes particularly focused on Mary and Henry.

Only three years ago, it seemed as though their relationship would end in separation, but apparently it only took Mary being more vulnerable for Henry to drop everything and return home. He still traveled, but when he had to, it wasn't for long and he often made it a family affair, bringing the Mary and the kids along. Other times, he and Mary went by themselves to have alone time while he still was getting work done.

Sybbie found it more than cute when she saw them acting affectionately towards one another. She felt hopefully when she saw them. She was grateful that they were still standing and that they were able to work through and overcome the trials of their marriage.

So what Caroline found nose-crinkling, Sybbie found heartwarming.

Their love showed her that love can overcome so many difficult things, and end up so much stronger because of it.

She prayed that if she was ever married and things seemed like they would never get better that she would preserver like her aunt and uncle.