The Bluebelle of Dublin Town

Summary : Sybil and Branson are settled in Ireland, but their world is about to crash and burn when the Crawley family comes to visit. When the lads go out on the town and bring a fight home with them, Sybil is knocked down the stairs. Will she and the baby survive?

Disclaimer : All characters belong to ITV and Julian Fellowes. All plot-lines belong to me (except that Sybil is pregnant and married to Tom and Mary married to Matthew).

Chapter One

Things were finally perfect. It had taken six years and several burnt and rebuilt bridges, but Sybil Penelope Crawley finally had a wedding ring on her right hand. She and Tom were happy living in Dublin. He had got his job at the DublinTimes, no less, and was earning more than enough to keep them living comfortably. They were living almost in luxury, by Dublin standards, in a four-up, three-down townhouse on the edge of the city centre, where Tom could reach his office with ease and Sybil's nursing job at Dublin Infirmary was only a ten minute stroll away. They couldn't be happier, especially as they were expecting their first-born child the following September. It was now mid-July and the warm weather was really beginning to kick in, to the point where Tom had actually gone out shirtless to fetch his morning paper, leading a number of sarcastic wolf whistles from the young boys across the street, riding out on their bicycles every morning, laughing at people and throwing stones at the other young boys from a neighbouring street. Every morning, one of the rough young lads would soften up and pick a bunch of pansies, which they would hand to Sybil herself. She had had many conversations with the lads, all consisting of the same things, mainly telling them fiestily to back off and leave her husband alone, while they laughed goodnaturedly and backed off, cycling down to harass someone else.

One hot summer's day, Sybil arrived home from her nursing job at Dublin Infirmary to find an elegantly scripted letter on her doormat. Instantly recognising her mother's writing, Sybil picked it up, ran to an armchair in the sitting room and opened the letter. She relaxed back into the soft cushions and began to read;

My dearest Sybil,

I so hope you are well, as we all are here. Mary and Matthew are extremely happy and Edith has bought Haxby Park from Sir Richard and is settling down with Sir Anthony. Papa and I are constantly worried about you, in case Tom is away at work and you have no one to help you when you go into labour. It happened to me and I would not wish it on you. Of course, the baby was fine, as she was you.

I hope you will forgive Tom for mentioning this to me before you, but we both agreed that it was for the best. We want you home, darling, so this situation could not occur. You will be boarding the ferry on the third of August and you will stay with us until the baby is born. Tom will come down as soon as is possible for him to do so as well.

I hope to see you soon, my darling,

All my love,

Mama.

'The third of August?' thought Sybil. 'That's only four days from now!'

She kept anxiously rereading the line about Tom until the man himself turned the key in the lock and popped his face round the living room door.

"Hello love. How was your day?"

"I got a letter from my mother, telling me that I am going to be going up to Downton to have my child, were you going to mention this?"

"You don't have to go if you don't want to, you know."

"Good. I have spent the best part of six years trying to escape my family and I am not going back now. They will just try to seperate us again. I am not going. If they want to come here, that is perfectly fine."

"I was hoping you'd say that. I'll relay the reply, shall I?"

"If you could, that would be wonderful, thank you, darling."

She reached up to give him a peck on the cheek, while he turned his face so that his lips met hers and pulled away with a mischeivious grin on his face.

Half an hour later, Tom returned from the telephone to impart his news to Sybil.

"Mary and Matthew are coming down."

"Oh, God(!)"

A/N: Please review so I know how I'm doing!