What a beautiful story. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. Your writing is top-notch. Your insight into Matthew's psyche and your exploration of his inner struggles are so eloquent and profound. I have read so many interpretations of this theme, yet yours is my favorite. You have added another layer of depth and complexity to this beautiful story, and even introduced a new perspective on certain aspects. Once again, thank you so much for this!

Brilliant! Bravo! You should write more an epilogue, sequel, follow-on?

Oh wow... This is utterly gorgeous. Thanks so much for posting it. You write with beautiful precision and attention to detail, and I love the way you take the time to let emotions play out and reach a natural resolution. Excellent characterisation and pacing, and a lovely inner monologue for Matthew. His thoughts on mortality are bittersweet, especially in the wake of the CS, but somehow this helps to make me feel better about it.

You've done an excellent job of taking a transition that seemed rushed through in the series and making it a real development of real characters. It does an excellent job of making their relationship more constant, and making Matthew's decision to propose less haphazard and spur of the moment than it seemed in canon.

I look forward to reading more of your writings. :-)

"but she was so damned good at being alright, at being shaken to the core but visibly fine that he resented her for it."

Oooh. I hadn't really thought of this before - brilliant insight. Well done!

I love the idea of putting these two on a train and in the middle of rainy London! Being away from Downton and in a world where it is just Matthew and Mary, not the heir and the Lady, for a while gives everything a whole new perspective.

You are doing a wonderful job of showing how Matthew is coming back and healing and finally looking outside himself, recognizing other's pain.

Looking forward to another chapter!

Wonderful.

I love that your Matthew acknowledges what an insensitive bastard he was, parading Lavinia around Downton-"it'll be your home one day," indeed. The git.

I wish canon Matthew had ever said as much. As it was, he cared more about Lavinia than Mary even after their marriage. :-/

Such a great chapter one. Looking forward to the part two of this two-parter! (just in case you forgot!)

:)

I love this. I can't even tell you how much. Matthew's journey back to Mary between S2 and the S2 Christmas Special is one of my favorite bits of Downton to explore. There's so much to explore and to feel - I've even tried to write it. But you've done it so well, better than I could, and almost everything about this feels true to them and how I imagine their friendship would begin to re-form. Thank you.

It was good, but I wish they would have kissed again. Let them go a little further. Love how she really wanted to see his scars and his back, and how she kissed his scars. Take them further next time.

Can't wait for the next part.
I always find the show lacking in enough Mary and Matthew scenes so I love any additional canon-based scenes. Love your in depth exploration of their thoughts and actions.

Great story. Plausible scene. It does fill a void in canon. In the Christmas Special, they were on such better terms compared to S2E8. Definately want to see a second chapter!

For a long time after that blame game scene at the cemetery I thought some very unkind things about our Matthew ("snap out of it", "drama queen"). Through this story, I can now see it as part of a larger, years-long trauma. The rocky transition and relocation to Downton, the lost romance, the adjustment to the military, the replacement romance, the terror of warfare, his injuries, the loss of mobility and hope, the recovery, the loss of Lavinia-all mixed up with duty and suppressed emotions. What an on-going mess. He can be forgiven for striking out, cruel that it was. Good to read some self-reflection and acceptance. Mary is almost too good for him at this stage perhaps because she is painfully aware of her own failings. Like him, had had a lapse she cannot get past.

I read this - no gulped down this story. Every word is perfect. Your Matthew point of view voice in this fascinating time is so well drawn. I have oceans more compliments to give you for this was completly original and wonderful. But I shall contain them to the PM I will send you.
But marvelous! Simply brilliant writing. Please write more from this time period.
*hugs*

Absolutely loved this and it has been missing in canon. But one meeting would not be enough to restore their friendship? Please give us some more..