Chapter Text
“You’re absolutely sure about this?” Robert asks Cora as she comes to sit beside him on the sofa.
“I am,” Cora says, taking his hand, “we have the means to help, so I believe we should.”
Robert smiles, “Carson is bringing him down now. I hope he’ll be pleased.”
“I should think he’ll be thrilled,” Mary cuts in, “joining the family he’s been serving must be quite a dream come true for someone of his class.”
“Mary,” Sybil chastises, “that’s rather harsh.”
“Well, wouldn’t it be?” Mary scoffs, “to go from serving our dinner to eating at the very same table? Sounds like a fairy story to me.”
“Fairy story or not, we’re helping someone,” Sybil says, “and I for one am glad about it.”
“I still find it hard to believe there was nowhere else for him to go,” Edith murmurs.
“Well there wasn’t,” Cora says firmly, “you girls may disagree with the plan, but I do not want you treating Thomas unfairly, he’s doing us a favour as well if he agrees to be Sybil’s companion.”
Mary and Edith share a look, but nod, “yes Mama.”
There’s a knock at the door, and Robert calls for them to enter.
“You asked to see Thomas, m’lord,” Carson says as he leads the boy in.
“Yes, very good, thank you Carson,” Robert stands, “Thomas please come in and take a seat.”
Thomas glances at Carson, confused, and Carson nods his head at the place on the sofa Robert had gestured to. He turns to Robert, “can I ask what this is about, m’lord?”
“We have a solution to your… predicament, as it were,” Robert explains, “if you’d be so good as to join us, we can explain more thoroughly.”
“I see,” Thomas still looks confused, but he takes the open seat on the sofa between Sybil and Edith.
“Carson, may we have some tea?” Cora calls to the butler, and he dips his head and leaves.
Robert takes a moment to assess Thomas, he looks less pale than when they’d last spoken, but the confusion has turned to worry and he’s fidgeting with the end of his sleeve.
“What is your solution, m’lord?” Thomas asks, voice shaky.
“We thought,” Robert says, gesturing at his wife and daughters, “that you might join us, be a member of this family.”
Thomas’s jaw drops and he stares wide-eyed at Robert, “pardon me?” he gasps.
“We’d like you to be Sybil’s companion,” Cora explains, “she’ll need a guiding hand now that she’s presented, and you can’t stay in service or go back to your father, so we had hoped you’d be willing to help us help you.”
“I don’t know what to say m’lady,” Thomas murmurs, “are you sure?”
“Quite sure, aren’t we Robert?”
“Certainly we are,” Robert smiles gently at the boy, “we’d be glad to have you.”
A nervous smile crosses Thomas’s face, and he looks to Mary, “what do you make of all this?”
Mary hums, “I think it mad, but I’d be interested to see you prove me wrong.”
Thomas laughs quietly, then turns to Edith, “and you?”
“For once, I agree with Mary, but also with Sybil; it would be nice to help someone who really needs it.”
“So I’m a charity case?”
“Yes, and no; you need a home and we need a suitable companion for Sybil,” Edith looks thoughtful, “so we’re killing two birds with one stone.”
Thomas lets out another burst of shocked laughter.
“Please say you’ll stay?” Sybil chimes in, taking Thomas’s hand, “I hate to think of where you might end up otherwise.”
Thomas glances down at their linked hands, then into Sybil’s eyes, then turns back towards Robert and Cora, “I think I would like to accept your offer, m’lady, m’lord.”
“Good lad,” Robert chuffs, “welcome to the family Crawley.”
Sybil throws her arms around Thomas’s shoulders, and he bursts into tears.
--
They’ve managed to stop Thomas crying by the time Carson returns with the tea tray, but his eyes are red and his hands are shaking.
Carson gives Thomas a disapproving look as he pours the tea, but Sybil leads him across the library to spare him, and Robert pulls Carson aside once the ladies have their cups.
“We’re taking Thomas in, Carson,” Robert explains, “he’ll be treated as a member of the family from now on.”
“Are you quite sure, m’lord?” Carson looks aghast.
“Very sure,” Robert assures, “I know you haven’t always liked the boy, but he seems a decent sort to me, and Lady Grantham and Lady Sybil are already quite taken with him.”
“As you wish, m’lord,” Carson sighs.
“Thank you Carson, now, can you ask Mrs Hughes to prepare Stanhope for him?”
“Of course, m’lord,” Carson says with a bow, and leaves the library.
“He’s not pleased,” Mary says from the sofa, “he’s never liked Thomas.”
Robert picks up his cup and returns to the sofa, glancing at where Sybil is showing Thomas a book on the other side of the room. He sits down next to his wife and sighs, “no, he hasn’t, but whether he approves or not, Thomas is here to stay now and I will not allow him to be treated poorly by the butler.”
“Or by anyone else, I hope,” Cora smiles into her teacup, looking at her two alpha daughters.
“We’ve promised to behave Mama, don’t worry,” Edith smiles, “and besides, I must admit that the sadness in his scent is making me feel quite protective already.”
“I hate to agree with Edith, but she has a point,” Mary says, “part of me wants to wrap him in cotton wool and make sure he never gets hurt again. A very small part, but it’s there all the same. Do we know why he was disowned?”
“His father had rather old-fashioned views on the rights of omegas,” Robert confesses, “he wouldn’t let Thomas be his heir.”
“What did Thomas stand to inherit that his father thought he couldn’t handle?” Mary wonders, “he’s always seemed pretty industrious to me.”
“I’ll admit, I haven’t asked,” Robert runs a hand over his face, “the poor boy could only handle so much in one conversation.”
“Perhaps we should leave discussions of his father alone for the time being,” Cora suggests, “he’ll have enough to deal with joining us, it won’t help if we dig up his past too.”
“Very well, but I’ll find out one day,” Mary sighs.
--
“Papa has had them make up Stanhope for you,” Sybil says as she leads Thomas up the main staircase, he’s never been allowed up this way before.
“That’s in your wing, right?” Thomas asks, “I’d’ve expected them to put me alone in the bachelor’s corridor.”
“We couldn’t do that, not now that you’re family,” Sybil smiles, “besides, you’re to be my companion, that means we should be near each other always.”
“I see,” Thomas laughs, astounded at how genuine Sybil is, “what exactly is expected of your companion?”
“Well,” she starts, pulling him into a bedroom, “you’re to make sure that I’m safe, really. At parties, and gatherings, and the like. Make sure that nothing untoward happens, especially before I’m officially out.”
“So once you’re presented at court, untoward things can happen?”
Sybil bats his arm and laughs, “of course not, but before then I’m hardly allowed to be in the same room as a man, let alone an alpha.”
“But how much protection can I be? I’m still just an omega,” Thomas frowns.
“You’re a man, aren’t you?” Sybil asserts, “most people will see me on the arm of a man and think we’re betrothed or something, and those that learn otherwise will know that we’re protecting each other. Omegas are dangerous when those they love are threatened, you know.”
“You love me?” Thomas grins, hoping a joke will hide the worry he feels.
“I think I could learn to,” Sybil responds sincerely, and Thomas can’t help but blush.
“You might not want to once you get to know me,” Thomas says to the floor.
Sybil hooks a finger under his chin and guides him to look her in the eye, “I’ll take that as a challenge.”
Thomas laughs, but there are tears in his eyes, and Sybil pulls him into a hug. He buries his nose in her hair and breathes in the comforting scent of another omega.
--
Robert descends the steps into the servant’s hall just as Carson gestures for them all to sit down to their lunch.
“Excuse me,” he calls as he enters and they all rise again, “I’m sorry to disturb you just as you’re sitting down.”
“Not at all, m’lord,” Carson says as they heed Robert’s gesture to retake their seats, “how can we help?”
“I’ve come down to make a small announcement,” he says, “you have probably noticed that Thomas is no longer among your number. We’ve found out that he is an omega, hiding his designation to keep himself safe, and that he has no family to take him in. As such, we’ve decided to take him in to the family here as our ward and Lady Sybil’s companion.”
The hall is silent as he speaks, but the moment he finishes the servants erupt into chatter.
“You’re adopting Thomas, m’lord?” Bates splutters.
“Essentially, yes.”
“He’s been an omega this whole time?” Miss O’Brien cries.
“That is generally how it works,” Mrs Hughes reprimands her.
“How did we not know?” O’Brien demands, “someone would’ve smelt it surely? He’s been here two years!”
“I don’t know the details, but I don’t want anyone thinking this is a reason to treat him harshly,” Robert says firmly.
“We wouldn’t dream of it,” Carson says slowly, sounding rather like he’s grinding his teeth together.
“Good,” Robert nods, “he’s to be called Mr Thomas, and treated with the same respect the rest of the family receive from you all. Lady Grantham and I are very grateful for your understanding.”
A round of nodding and murmurs of assent rise from the table.
Robert claps his hands together, “right, thank you, I’ll leave you to your meal now.”
They all stand again as he leaves the room.
--
“Which was your room?” Sybil asks as Thomas leads her through the attic corridors to the servant’s quarters.
She hasn’t left him alone for a moment and Thomas finds himself exceptionally grateful for her company. He’s going to be a mess the moment he has some time to process what happened this morning in the library.
“This one,” he says, pushing open the door and leading her into the little bedroom that was his safe haven for the last two years.
“I’m glad to see you had your creature comforts,” Sybil smiles as she takes in the armchair he found in a forgotten part of the attics, “I often worry that we don’t give you all enough.”
“It’s all I needed,” Thomas smiles sadly, “I was really just grateful to have a roof over my head at first.”
“Well you’ll always have one now,” Sybil comes over to where he’s standing at the foot of the bed and rubs his arm.
“Thank you,” Thomas whispers, “for taking this all in your stride.”
“I’d be a useless omega if I didn’t look out for others,” she grins, “and if you could smell yourself you’d feel desperate to help you too.”
Thomas huffs a laugh, “well, I’m grateful.”
“I know,” her wicked grin turns to a soft smile, “now, let’s get your things together so you can make your new room feel like home.”
He manages to smile back, then turns to his wardrobe. He pulls the suitcase down from the top, then opens the wardrobe proper.
“Is that really all of your clothes?” Sybil asks curiously.
Thomas stifles a laugh, she might be adaptable but she’s still a young lady and is used to the spoils of her father’s estate.
“Yes, it really is,” he says as he carefully folds his second day suit and then his Sunday best, “I’ve spent most of the last two years wearing livery, if you can believe it.”
Sybil slaps at his arm, “alright alright, I know nothing about the life of a servant. Now what can I do to help?”
“Do you think you can manage stacking my books into the suitcase?” he teases, “or is that too much for your delicate sensibilities?”
She smacks his arm and turns to the collection of books on his dressing table. Thomas laughs softly.