Barrow's Boy - A Downton Abbey Fanfiction

But Don't Fly Too Close to the Sun

     The first day of striking at the Abbey brought Teddy a great sense of triumph. The heads of Lord Grantham and Mr. Carson had appeared at the window not long after the group had arrived, staring at them with mouths agape. The two men had exchanged a few words, though Teddy would never know what they had said. Then, Carson had disappeared, and Teddy had turned back to his fellow youth, chanting random rhymes that someone had come up with earlier that week. 

     They were on day four, and, finally, Teddy had a sense that this was going somewhere. He leaned toward Abi, who had not left his side, to tell her so.

     "You are the most brilliant person I know," he said, trying to be heard over all of the noise. "Coming here was the best idea."

      "I am on your side, Teddy. I hope you know that."

     "I never doubted it. Not once."

     For a brief moment, Abi leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. Teddy glanced at her head, still adorned with his hat and just as he was about to speak, the moment ended.

     "Hey, Barrow! Is that your dad?" Lewis called out. Teddy turned and, sure enough, Thomas stood in the window. They locked eyes, and Thomas smirked, then winked. Theodore smiled back, standing a bit taller. 

     Next to him, Abi waved at Thomas, who subtly waved back. He then raised his eyebrows at Theodore, who scowled, causing the man to seemingly laugh. Then, he quickly returned to work, eyes going down to the tray in his hand. Teddy assumed that someone else had walked into the room, and he was soon proven right, Lady Mary and Mr. Branson joining Robert at the window. As Teddy looked at Branson, who stared elsewhere out the window, he could swear that the man was trying to keep his face blank. Teddy couldn't remember much from when the man was the chauffeur, but he did know that his servant's blank had always been lacking. 

      The rest of that first day continued similarly, with the group continuing their strike and various people appearing at windows to see them. 

     At one point, Teddy and Abi ended up between Lewis, Simon and Jonathan Tramell, Lewis' long-time friend. 

     "Why can't we just go in there and fight them?" Jonathan complained, hitting his fist into the palm of his hand. "I bet they'd given in pretty fast."

     "Patience and peaceful protests, Tramell. That's our best chance," Teddy replied, eyes fixed on the Abbey. He didn't know what, exactly, he was waiting for. All he knew was that he kept looking back at it. 

     "Isn't that what we've been doing, though? It would be easier to just-"

     "Listen to him, Johnny-boy," Lewis replied, Tramell scowling at him over the nickname. "Last thing we need is the coppers coming after us."

     "We won't start a fight," Abi added, looking up at the boys around her. "But, if they start it, then we better be the ones to finish it."

     "How long do you think it's going to go on?" Hazel asked that night, sitting in the land agent's cottage with Teddy. Teddy shrugged, taking a bit from the food she had brought for him. 

     "I don't know, to be honest. I think us moving to the Abbey just sped it up, though."

      "That's good," Hazel replied, staring out of the window. Teddy watched her, trying to get a sense of what she was looking for. Then again, what were any of them looking for?

     "Hazel?" The girl hummed in recognition, then turned to look at him. "Why are you here?"

     Hazel sighed, then stood, walking to where her coat was hanging and reaching into the pocket. She pulled out an envelope, already opened, and pulled a letter out of it.