Barrow's Boy - A Downton Abbey Fanfiction

Tell Me Everything

     "Morning Teddy." Theodore jumped at Everett's voice, turning to look at him. Everett walked in his direction, tying his tie as he approached. "You alright?"

    "Yeah, sorry," Teddy responded, running a hand through his hair. "I had an odd dream last night. It's messing with my head, that's all."

    "Oh?" As Everett finished with his tie, he turned his full attention to his friend. "What was it?"

     "It was about my mum," Teddy responded, having an unexpected feeling that Everett would understand. "And the day she died. The Knightons were the ones who started the fire because they thought that they would get the inheritance if we died."

     "We?"

     "Yeah, it seemed like I was in the building too," Theodore looked out of the flat's window. "I don't know, exactly. The dream didn't make much sense. They just kept saying something about 'it's in the will. They'll leave it in the will.' But it was unsettling, nonetheless."

    "Of course it was," Everett replied, leaning on the wall next to Teddy. "The whole Knighton business is. But I wouldn't look too much into it if I were you. It's probably just because of us running into your uncle yesterday."

     "You're probably right," Theodore replied, giving his friend a grateful smile. "Come on, let's get breakfast before we head home."

     The walk to the train station was interrupted by none other than one of the subjects of Teddy's dream. 

    "Theodore?" Teddy turned at the sound of his name to see Sydney walking toward him. Everett and Hazel, the latter having insisted on joining them for the walk, both stepped closer to Teddy as the man approached. 

     "I have a train to catch-"

     "That's alright. I just have a question," Sydney replied, holding up a hand. Theodore stared up at him, waiting for some sort of ignorant sentence to leave the man's mouth. What he asked instead brought him surprise. 

     "Are you free on Friday evening?" Teddy furrowed his brow. "Only, I thought I could come to Downton, and we could have dinner together in one of the pubs. I could get to know you."

     "Since when did you care about getting to know me?"

    Sydney sighed, looking down the street before turning back to Teddy. 

     "Since I realized that I never really got to know your mother. My sister. All I ask is one dinner, Theodore."

     Teddy stared at the man, trying to wrap his head around this. Could Sydney really only want to get to know him?

    "And it'll be after school?"

    "Of course. We can make it any time that suits you."

    "Let's say six, at the Grantham Arms. I'll meet you at the pub. Don't come to the Abbey."

    "The Grantham Arms at six," Sydney repeated, then nodded. "I can do that. I'll see you then."

     As Sydney walked away, Everett turned to Theodore, whispering to him. 

     "You are far too nice, Theodore."

     "It's one dinner. I can survive."

     Standing at the train station, Everett and Hazel had started to discuss a new Guy Dexter film that they had both seen. Theodore himself couldn't care less about the actor, so he sat quietly as they discussed, watching people walk off of the train that had just arrived. Their train would take Theodore and Everett to a few other stations before heading to Downton, but it would still get them there sooner than their other options. Besides, Teddy had a feeling that Everett would keep him entertained.