Author Note: *Spoilers for the new Downton Abbey movie and seasons 2,3 and 5 of the TV series* I was very moved by Thomas' story in the movie, so I had to continue it a little. Not much of a plot, but a nice amount of fluff is intended. I was a bit nervous about publishing this story as I'm not sure how realistic it is, but after so much disappointment for Thomas in the past I wanted this to be happy. Hope you enjoy xx

"Anyone seen Mr Barrow recently?" Phyllis Baxter asked as she walked into the servants hall, in the evening. It had been a busy day after the royal family and servants had left, a lot of work now had to be done to get everything back to normal for when the family returned from the ball. Phyllis had noticed how distracted Thomas had been for the rest of the day, but hadn't seen him for several hours. She knew he was in a happier place now, she still worried about him sometimes, and even though she knew him more now, he was still a very hard person to read.

"Not for a while, last I saw of him was him going into his office" Andy replied, from across the room. He had noticed something different about Mr Barrow recently, he thought, catching a look in Miss Baxter's eye that only a few of the staff would understand.

"Right, thanks Andy." She turned and walked out of the servants hall, towards what was formally Mr Carson's office, knocked and entered.

To be honest, she didn't expect what she saw. Thomas was sitting there in his chair, feet on the table. He seemed a world away, looking intently at a silver pendant, its chain running absent-mindedly through his fingers. He didn't notice her for a moment, but looked up after a while, with a glow of a smile on his face, that she'd never seen on him before.

"Anything the matter, Miss Baxter?" Thomas asked, straightening up and taking his feet off the table.

"Nothing now I see." Phyllis smiled. "I was just wondering where you were, you've been quiet all day, and no one had seen you for a while, so..."

"Everything is okay, thank you. I'm fine. I'm just-" Thomas paused, trying to think of the right thing to say, "yes, I'm good. You've nothing to worry about" Thomas answered, without asking, where Miss Baxter was coming from.

"That's a lovely piece of jewellery" Phyllis said, looking at the pendant wrapped around Thomas' fingers.

"Yes, it was a gift from Rich-" Thomas stopped himself, "from a friend. So I don't forget him."

"Well, you must be very special to him, to give you such a wonderful gift. I doubt he'll forget you, or you him." Phyllis smiled, everything about all this told her that this man, and she had an idea as to who, was more than a friend to Thomas. Thomas is a hard person to read sometimes, he had a talent for hiding his emotions, but this was plastered all over his face. Turning to leave the room, she said, "I hope you two meet again soon."

"Me too, Miss Baxter, me too", Thomas replied as she left his office. Looking around the room, he thought about everything that had happened since that day he had almost thrown it all away. He didn't want to say it out loud, but maybe things were turning for the better for him, finally, after so many years. It was hard to imagine, when he stood in the same room several years ago before Mr Carson, faced with losing everything after making a mistake with Jimmy; that he would be here now, sitting in his chair. It's what he always wanted if he was honest. But more that just a few hours ago Richard had kissed him and subsequently stunned him to silence! Thomas laughed to himself. He had been sitting here for hours because he couldn't think straight. No one had ever had the power to do that to him before and it was a strange, but good feeling. It was strange to enjoy feeling so powerless to control these emotions, a feeling he usually hated. He had lost hope in finding anyone who would be more than a friend to him, but Richard wanted to be more. Thomas found that just the most amazing thing ever.