I plan to come back at some point when I'm at a proper keyboard & review in more detail. For now I will just say that, to me, this is by FAR the most realistic fic I've read about Tom & Sybil. I absolutely LOVE the details you have chosen to include. So many fics present an overly rosy picture of what their life together would be like... Their love story is so compelling, yet sketchily depicted on DA that we shippers just want them to be happy.

But, in reality, they would have faced so many prejudices on both sides of the Irish Sea. You showed that so well, leavened with enough acceptance that the story didn't become depressing. I thought you were particularly astute in the things you selected for their guilty & fears. Like when back at DA, Tom felt guilty that he couldn't afford to keep his wife WARM in their home.

This was a beautifully written piece. I hope you write more. I'll be watching for you!

I followed this story from the beginning, but just recently created an account of my own so thought I would comment. Beautifully written, very true to their characters, and I wish the show had completed their story as you did. You have a wonderful writing style and I encourage you to keep at it.

A lovely conclusion! i'll be watching carefully to see whether they have a baby girl in the series too!

hahahahaha.

1. loved the story.
2. beautiful relationship between Tom and Sybil

just the irony of your cliffnote - "I hope all of us will be happy in the end.". i am so sorry that i am laughing, but that is just soooooooo ironic.

still crying like a baby about the episode.

Beautiful ending to what has been a wonderful story. Thank you so much for writing it for us Sybil and Tom devotees. I am a great fan of your work and hope it won't be too long before you delight us with another great story.

Wow Anna, really! I can't put into words how perfect and beautiful this ending was. I'm actually close to tears which takes alot for me.
"I love you, too," Sybil replied softly, and Tom felt reminded of that first night after their wedding, when she had been sleeping in his arms, breathing evenly, and he had felt so protective of her, yet so eager to show her the world, to help her make her dreams come true.
This was my favourite line, so spot on for Tom, wanting to show her everything but sometimes never getting the chance and children change everything.
Truly beautiful, I don't know what else I can say, much love xx

There you go again...you made me cry. It is a beautiful, hopeful, yet realistic "ending" to this part of their story. Love the description of the emotions Tom was experiencing throughout. And the opening and closing quotes were brilliant. Thank you for sharing this with us.

What a lovely ending. Thank you ever so much for sharing.

I hate that its over but I must admit that it was a beautiful ending. It ended with so much hope for the future it was just perfect.

This was just perfection. The whole story is just beautiful and I was delighted when I got an alert through saying this final chapter had been put up! It certainly lived up to the anticipation, you portrayed so many emotions in the characters with so little dialogue, the nuances and little actions of all of them seemed so real. Stunning, absolutely stunning. It was a beautiful ending but I was so sad it was finished! I await your next story!

The best thing about this chapter Anna is it's mirrors to the important scenes in s/b's history ;
Sybil found herself looking up at her husband, surprised and stunned by the confidence that reflected off his features, a confidence she knew had grown from the weeks of resentment.'
I can just see her looking at him in the drawing room from 2x08, holding his hand whilst her father found out the truth, it's beautiful to read it again but this time after the marriage and with a baby on the way, some much has changed, but yet...
Also "You'll let me know if anything changes, won't you?" he asked, less tentatively now than before." a reminder of 'you'll let me know how she gets on' his professionalism gone, the way he speaks about her is different now because she belongs to him.
That wonderful tension between Robert and Tom, almost diffused by the end.
can't believe there's only one chapter left :(

I'm so late coming to this party but someone recommended this to me and it is so lovely. You do such a terrific and heartbreaking job of showing all the tensions: of being English in Ireland, of being Irish in England, of being a daughter and a wife, of leaving your family, of coming home, of being an inlaw etc etc. I could go on and on. Brilliant job in this chapter paralleling Cora and her mother with Sybil's choice to leave. Ah. I live your prose and storytelling.

So tense. So emotional. Your story has a darkness to it yet, that darkness really makes the little glimmer of hope shine. I cannot wait for the next chapter!

Don't worry - this update was certainly worth the wait! You are so good at dissecting and describing emotions. Brilliant too at dialogue - and throughout it all is this wonderful strain of melancholy. There is real depth to your writing!

here i am!
great story, well great begining!
a bit hard to understand, as i'm french, but however i managed ;)
love to see how they live everyday's life, and not only big events ;)