Disclaimer: I do not own Downton Abbey.

Chapter 1 – The Vote

She had rejected him. Mary Crawley had rejected his marriage proposal. Honestly Matthew wasn't sure what to think. He liked Mary but love was a stretch. She'd often been condescending and sometimes downright rude in the near two years he'd known her. It was to be expected in the beginning of course, given he had come to Downton as the new heir, taking Mary's rightful inheritance as the eldest child of Lord Grantham, regardless that the law said she could not inherit because she was a woman. However, he had thought that after some time had passed their antagonistic relationship would ease, and it had in some ways, they undeniably cared about each other as family, but love? Matthew knew it was expected that he marry Mary, as the previous heir Patrick had been set to do, and he had become quite resigned to it. That was indeed the correct term, he realized, for having been rejected and knowing he would not marry her he could see that although they would undoubtedly be comfortable together, happy was another matter. Of course her rejection proved a complication. He was expected to become Robert's son-in-law, not simply remain his third cousin once removed who became heir because he was their closed living male relative. As the Dowager Countess had put it, 'honour would have been satisfied' had he married Mary, making her the new Countess upon Robert's death and their son, Robert's grandson, the next heir as it should be. Now he could not see how honour was to be satisfied. Of course Mary had two sisters, Edith and Sybil. One of whom was in love with another man, the other being eighteen and barely out of the schoolroom, and neither of whom he'd ever thought of as a potential wife.

~/~

He was leaving work late one day when he heard the crowds. He'd forgotten that tonight was the vote and was cursing himself for leaving so late today of all days, until he saw the car. With a sinking feeling he quickly made his way towards where the results of the vote were being read and nearly felt his heart stop when he saw her.

"Sybil! What on earth are you doing here?" He demanded after he'd pushed his way to her side. Branson, the Crawley's chauffer, was with her and seemed to be relieved that he was there.

"I couldn't miss this!" She was completely enraptured by the proceedings, completely unaware of the danger surrounding them as the crowd got more and more rowdy.

"Couldn't you? I could." He replied distractedly as he looked for the best way out.

"I don't like the look of this, my lady." Branson too tried to convince her to leave as a group of men, all looking ready for a fight, arrived and began pushing their way to the front. Matthew saw them too and had had enough.

"We're leaving." He instructed, grabbing Sybil's arm and beginning to pull her through the crowds.

"Matthew stop! I can't leave now!"

"You can and you are." His voice brooked no argument and he was preparing to throw her over his shoulder like a sack of grain if he had to, but it was too late, the group of men had reached them, and though they weren't the target, the men didn't care who they barrelled over to reach the podium.

"Look, I'm on your side, don't cause any trouble!" Branson put himself between the men and the Crawleys, while Matthew too had moved to act as another barrier to Sybil.

"What's your problem Mr. La-di-da?" One of the men asked snidely.

"My problem is you." Matthew replied and found himself having to block a punch before dishing out his own. It happened in mere moments, too fast for either he or Branson to react, but no matter their precautions Sybil was still caught up in the scuffle and ended up being pushed hard. She fell, hitting her head as she went and remained unmoving on the ground.

"Sybil!" Matthew cried as both he and Branson fell to their knees beside her. Matthew moved to tilt her head up, hoping to wake her, when he felt something wet on his fingers. They were smeared in blood, much to his horror.

"Oh no. Oh please god, no." Branson said and immediately moved to pick her up. With Matthew's help they made it to the car and Matthew sat with Sybil while Branson drove them back home. They daren't go to Downton, Robert would likely blow a gasket while Cora would have a fit seeing their youngest daughter like this, so they took her to Crawley House where Matthew's mother could tend to her. Branson was sent to Downton to retrieve Mary, knowing they needed someone to come, while Matthew stayed by Sybil's side, trying not to get in his mother's way.

"My god!" Mary gasped as she laid eyes on Sybil. "Oh, my darling." She knelt by Sybil's side and grasped her hand. Sybil had come round but was quite groggy and kept her eyes closed against the light, though she squeezed her sister's hand in an attempt at a comforting gesture.

"I didn't know what to, so I had Branson bring her here." Matthew explained.

"Quite right, Mama would have fainted had she seen her like this," Mary replied. "As for Papa…"

"This will sting a bit, but it's stopped bleeding." Isobel said as she used some alcohol to disinfect the wound. "Did you know she was planning this?" Isobel directed to her son, sounding quite disapproving.

"Of course not." He sounded offended, though his mother didn't seem to notice.

"Well then what were you doing there?"

"I was working late. I'd forgotten it was election night, or I wouldn't have stayed."

"I'm so grateful you did." Sybil whispered, looking up at him.

"Oh, I could wring Branson's neck." Mary muttered.

"What was he thinking? I'm afraid it'll cost him his job." Matthew agreed.

"No. I told him he was taking me to a committee meeting." Sybil defended Branson. "When he realized what it was, he wanted to come straight back."

"You'll have to stick up for him, because Papa will skin him alive." Mary warned, relieved that her youngest sister looked a little better.

"Are you feeling strong enough to go home?" Matthew asked as he came to kneel beside Sybil as well.

"I think so." She said, looking up at him through her lashes. "If you'll take me." Matthew smiled and nodded, offering her his hand. She stood slowly with his help and looked at him with complete and utter gratitude, which had him smiling softly, trying to convey her thanks wasn't necessary.

"Here, wear my coat to cover the blood." Mary said as she draped her black coat over Sybil's shoulders. "You'll look more normal."

"Lean on me." Matthew felt Sybil shaking and offered her more support. The two were unaware of Mary's eyes following them.

~/~

"How dare you? How dare you disobey me in this way?!" Robert roared at his youngest daughter after she'd been brought home. He, Cora and the three girls were gathered in Sybil's room for the ranting and raving to take place.

"Robert, I'm sure-" Cora tried to intervene, but Robert wouldn't have it.

"Are you so knowledgeable about the great world that my instructions are to be set as nothing?!"

"Papa, I'm sorry I disobeyed you." Sybil said sincerely, though she still would defend her actions. "But I'm interested! I'm political! I have opinions!"

"Of course I blame Branson."

"I don't think that's fair." Mary imputed.

"We had none of this. None of it, until he set food in our house! I supposed I should give thanks he hasn't burnt the place down over our heads!"

"Branson didn't know anything about it until we arrived there." Argued Sybil.

"He leaves tonight." Robert's tone was final.

"If you punish Branson, I'll never speak to you again. Never!"

"I don't believe this is Branson's fault. Truly, Papa." Mary tried once again.

"Blame me."

"I do blame you!" Her father yelled.

"Robert, can we do this in the morning? Sybil needs rest." The mother in her had seen the blood covering her youngest child's clothes and wanted nothing more than to put her to bed and ensure her health.

"If I find tomorrow that Branson is missing, I'll run away. I warn you." Sybil was getting as worked up at her father, proving as stubborn as he was.

"Oh?" Robert scoffed. "And where would you go?"

"Well I can't think now." She replied after a moment. "But I will go, and you'll be sorry." Within a moment her father's expression changed from angry to resigned, though she could see the anger, disappointment, and even love in his eyes.

"I should be sorry. Very sorry, indeed." He paused and looked at his youngest child, wondering what he was going to do with her. "Get some rest, we'll talk more in the morning. I'm going to go and see to Matthew."

"I'll come." Sybil said.

"You need rest!" Cora tried to insist.

"I can rest in a few minutes, Mama. Matthew saved me, I should thank him properly." There was no changing her mind and she even led the way downstairs to where Matthew waited.

"Sybil!" He cried, coming forwards upon seeing. "Should you not be resting?" He was worried.

"I'm fine, Matthew, and I'll go up shortly, I promise."

"I gather you're the shining knight in all this." Robert clapped his cousin on the shoulder in thanks.

"Not really." He said embarrassed. "But I'm glad I was there."

"So am I, by heaven. If it had been left to that bloody fool Branson…"

"Papa!" Sybil scolded and Robert wisely stayed quiet, though they knew the topic was not exhausted and would be revisited tomorrow. "Matthew I wanted to thank you properly for saving me."

"Please, it's not necessary-"

"No, it really is. So thank you." She took a few steps forward and leaned up, kissing him on the cheek. Both of them blushed without knowing it, though Robert was certainly aware. Anything he might have said though was cut off as Mrs. Hughes came in and announced that sandwiches awaited Mr. Crawley in the dining room.

"You really didn't have to." He said.

"Well we couldn't let you starve. Besides, I haven't eaten myself." Sybil said with a smile.

"What happened to resting?" Matthew raised an eyebrow.

"I said I would go up shortly and I shall. After we've both had something to eat." He looked uncertain but Robert saw his daughter's stubbornness.

"I'm afraid there's no arguing with her when she's like this." He informed Matthew. "Best to give in." He did so with good grace, and though Robert was willing not to argue about Sybil staying down to eat, he made it clear it was to be a quick meal. "I'll go up and revive you mother. You better not still be here when I come back down." Sybil nodded and led Matthew into the dining room.

"I don't think a little wine would hurt, after a night like this." Matthew poured them both a glass after they were seated.

"You're not very fastidious about doing things properly, are you?" She asked, for he'd poured his own wine into a water glass as only one place had been set for him, Mrs. Hughes having been told Sybil would take a tray in her room.

"And this surprises you?" He asked amused. "You, who often circumvents propriety. Though sometimes, like tonight, completely just throws it out the window." Sybil laughed.

"True. And no, it doesn't surprise me that you don't exactly follow the rule book." They ate in silence fore a bit until Sybil felt the need to end it.

"I can't thank you enough for being there today."

"It's really not necessary."

"You knocked a man down to protect me."

"Well…I hope I did my duty."

"And are you a creature of duty?"

"Not entirely." He admitted abashedly. "But certainly in some things."

"Like what?"

"My duty to this family, for instance. I may not have known you all very long, but blood relation aside, you have truly become my family these last years. Downton as well. It took awhile, but eventually I came to care for this place. Not on the same level as Cousin Robert, of course, but I like to think I care enough to not run it into the ground."

"It must have been hard for you." She said, taking a strawberry from the bowl. "To so suddenly have your life changed and be practically forced here to a place you don't know simply because by law you'll be the next Earl of Grantham."

"It was hard. I barely knew I was even related to an earl, then the next thing I know I'm his heir. You know, I didn't want it at first. I was quite happy with my life as a middle class lawyer."

"I do not think Papa could even begin to think that someone wouldn't want the title." She said with a small smile. "In fact, most of the people we're acquainted with couldn't begin to understand either."

"But you can?"

"Have you met me?" It was a rhetoric question that had him smiling. "I may be a Lady by birth, but for awhile I've felt like I haven't really belonged. I fear I'm too opinionated and outspoken for this life. The people in our circle, Papa included, would tell me that I'm not entitled to an opinion until I'm married and then my husband would tell me what my opinions were."

"Well that is absolute rubbish." He was incensed on her behalf.

"Rubbish or not, it is the law."

"Perhaps, but I've no doubt you will find a man who is not only of similar opinions as you, but likes that you have your own opinions and aren't afraid to make them known."

"Hmm…a rare breed I fear."

"You will find him, Sybil. You cannot be with a man who would stifle you and snuff out that fire within you, I won't allow it."

"You won't allow it?" That surprised her. "And what do you suppose you could do about it?"

"Well…" He was embarrassed, having not known he was going to say that until he had said it.

"Perhaps you'll just have to marry me yourself." She was amused now and couldn't help but tease him. "That is the only way to guarantee I will not be stifled, isn't it?"

"And what makes you think I don't want some simpering, obedient wife? A proper lady prone to the vapours?" They stared at each other a moment before both bursting out laughing.

"I think such a wife would drive you absolutely insane within the first week." He couldn't deny that and so merely nodded. Their laughter was interrupted then by Robert's arrival. He seemed unsure what to make of the scene before him, but decided not to think on it and so settled a scolding gaze on his daughter.

"I do believe you were to be abed."

"Yes. Sorry, Papa, I just didn't want to leave Matthew alone." She stood quickly and moved to the door, Matthew rising with her.

"Well…go on now. Your mother is waiting for you. I'm afraid I could not convince her to seek her own bed without seeing you once more tonight." Sybil nodded.

"Goodnight, Papa. Goodnight, Matthew."

A/N - My first, and likely only, Downton Abbey story. I read online that Matthew was originally supposed to end up with Sybil, and whether or not that's true, this is the result of a plot bunny that wouldn't go away.

Review please!