Growing Up Downton

May 1928

Sybbie kicked the ground in frustration. Angry tears rolled down her cheeks as she stood in front of the grave. Mary, Robert and Edith all cried.

Marigold and George stood with the nanny near Sybbie, but neither showed any emotion. Both had blank faces; neither could really quite understand why this had happened.

Sybbie couldn't take it anymore. She turned and whispered into her fathers ear.

"I need to go on a walk." She said, With edge to her trembling voice.

Tom nodded and let her pass through the crowd.

Sybbie ran down the gravel path, tears now pouring down her face. She threw herself down on the grass beside a large oak tree and began to sob.

"Miss Sybbie?" A gentle voice called out.

Sybbie looked up and wiped her face violently.

"Please, Anna, go away." She pouted.

Anna sat down beside her and looked at her sympathetically.

"I know this is very hard, but you've got to be strong Miss. Isn't that what she used to tell you?" Anna said quietly.

"Well now she's gone!" Sybbie yelled angrily.

Anna sighed.

"She loved you very, very much. I'm sure she wouldn't approve of your tone, now would she Miss?"

Sybbie looked at her. She pouted again, but picked herself back up. They walked back to the grave together, Sybbie picking flowers as they went.

When they got back to the cemetery, the guests and family had spread apart. She had missed the service. Sybbie slowly moved towards the tall grey stone and laid down the flowers.

As she fought tears, she thought of her special friend. The one that always made her laugh. Her beloved great-Grannie, the Dowager Countess Violet. Gone, but never forgotten.

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Tom slowly approached his grieving daughter. She sat on her knees, staring at the sky.

"Sybbie?" He said very softly.

"Oh, papa! I miss Grannie!" She cried.

"My girl. She's not gone, you know. She's still very much with us, just floating around, being her usual self. Oh! No slouching! She shall hit your back with her cane!" He said.

Sybbie giggled lightly.

"I suppose she is." She said sadly.

"Come on. I want to show you a special grave." Tom said.

The two walked hand in hand to a small, cracked stone, that read a name as clear as day: Sybil Crawley.

Sybbie looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Is this her?" She said, barely audible.

Tom nodded slightly. He had never taken her to see the grave.

"Oh." Was all she could manage to get out.

Sybbie left her crying father for a walk in the garden. She came back with bright blooming roses in her hands. Tom hadn't moved.

She laid them down gently beside the gravestone, and said something quietly to the bright blue sky.

"Now your both together. Both happy."
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Ahh! That was a really short chapter! I'm so sorry!!! But there's still much much more to come! :)