Come Back To Me - A Thomas Barrow fanfiction

-Don't worry about him-

"Gabrielle, I will show you around before bed, for now, I need to help Mrs. Patmore and Daisy for the supper. Oh, and Thomas? Could you please fetch Gabrielle the maid uniform and be sure that it's her size please ?" Anna was running around, she really seemed to be in a hurry.

"Of course." Thomas left the room and came back a few minutes after, with what seemed to be a blue dress and a white apron.

"Thank you, Thomas. It's very kind of you." I grinned up to him. His neutral expression changed and his eyebrows knitted together.

"Do you ever stop smiling, Gabrielle ?"

"I'm going to bathe, then change into my new clothes, thank you." With those words, I went up the stairs that went to the maid's rooms. After my bath, I realized that I forgot my comb at home, and I didn't dare to look into Anna's belongings.

Making my way down to the kitchen, I saw William leaning against the doorframe, talking with Daisy.

"Excuse me, does any of you have a comb to lend me? I don't have any..."

"No, Gabrielle, I'm sorry. William ?" He shook his head.

"Gabrielle? Mine is on the staff table ! You can borrow it." I heard someone shout from the other room, although I didn't know who it was until I picked up the comb from the table.

"Excuse me ?! What makes you think that you have the right to pick up and use everything here ? It's not yours, it's Thomas' !" Miss O'Brien hissed at me with a stare full of venom.

"I'm sorry, Miss O'Brien, but Thomas..." I started to explain myself just to be cut by a deep voice coming from the door. I turned around to find Thomas standing there with a silver platter in his hand, full of dirty dishes.

"It's alright, I gave her the permission." He told her, and then gave me a small smile.

I ran the comb through my long blonde locks, trying to handle it as carefully as I could. I mean... it's not mine, it's Thomas'. When I was finished, I tried to put it back on the table, but Miss O'Brien took it and launched it on the ground, breaking it in two halves.

I gasped and benched down to gather all of the pieces. Why was she doing this ? Why didn't she like me ? I did nothing wrong ! I sighed as Thomas returned back in the room, looking at the broken comb in the palm of my hands.

"Thomas !" Said Miss O'Brien." Look what she's done ! I knew you couldn't trust her ! She-"

"Miss O'Brien, it's alright." He replied, with a stern face. He didn't blame me ? Why ?

"But she broke that-"

"Enough !" He raised his voice. "I've heard enough. Gabrielle did nothing wrong, accidents always happen."

O'Brien left the servant's hall, an unamused look on her face.

"Gabrielle? You okay ?" Thomas looked at me as I started to wash the dishes in the sink. The meal was already served, so he had time to rest. He sat on a chair near to the sink.

"Yes... thank you. I'm very sorry for your comb. I'll try to buy you a new one when I get more money." I felt his eyes burning the back of my head, I turned to face him.

"How old are you, Gabrielle ?" He asked casually. "You don't look very old to me."

"You neither. I give you an 18. What age do I look like ?"

"You seem to be... 15 or 16. And you're almost right, I'm seventeen. "

"Actually, I'm fourteen."I paused, taking a deep breath. "Thomas, can I ask you a question ?" He nodded, a questioning look on his face as his features seemed to soften. "When you first arrived at Downtown, did you find it difficult to adjust to your knew life, and to get along with the others?"

He stared at me, with a surprised look on his face. He motioned me to sit down next to him, and I did. He put a firm, yep soft hand on my knee and responded slowly.

"You know... I've never gotten along with anyone here. They all think that I am cruel, capable of no emotions, but... I'm not like that, and I think you understood that. You're special, Gabrielle. And I like it."

I felt my cheeks burning as he removed his hand, getting ready to help serving the servant's meal. I got up to help, but he just pushed me back down and winked at me. Mr. Carson was sitting at the end of the table, next to Miss O'Brien and Miss Hugues. Anna was sitting between me and Banes.I couldn't help but notice an attraction between the two of them. On my other side was Thomas.

Mr. Carson told us a story, and Thomas couldn't help but caricature him, making faces at me. We both chuckled under our breath, under the severe eye of O'Brien.

"It's great to see you smile like that, Thomas." Pointed out Mrs. Hugues. "You haven't seemed happy like that since Christmas of last year."

A murmur of acquiescence broke the silence.

Looking at me, Thomas added :
"And it's all because of our new maid, Gabie !"

"Since what time do you call me that way ?" I chuckled, looking away as I blushed at his compliment.

A gong echoed in the room, making me jump. Anna grabbed my hand and whispered:
"Come on Gabie ! We must clean the ladies rooms before they go to bed !"

We cleaned two of the ladies room -Lady Sybil and Edith-. I haven't met them yet, but I knew that I would soon.
"How was he, Thomas, before I arrived ?" I asked Anna.
"He was... I don't know if I should tell you, it would only hurt you. But don't worry about him."

As we were cleaning lady Mary's room, she entered and looked at us.

"Excuse me, but what are you still doing here ? I'm ready for bed, and I hate waiting. And who's that thing ?" She asked, looking at me.

"I'm Gabrielle Bildert, the new housemaid, milady. "

"Get out of my room !"

Looking at Anna only to see that she wasn't looking at me, I left the room silently . Heading to the servant's hall to grab a glass of water before bed, I bumped into Thomas.

"Oops ! Sorry Gabie, I didn't see you arrive ! Are you alright ? You seem quite shaken." He asked me, coming closer. And raising my head with his gloved hand.

"It's just that... nobody likes me here ! Made Mary treats me like garbage, Miss O'Brien seems to hate me, and Anna doesn't seem to care about me. Maybe I should have stayed in my whole life." Silent tears started to run over my cheek, but Thomas swiped them away with his thumb and embraced me with his strong arms. I felt protected, I felt appreciated in those arms.

"Thank you, Thomas. For being so kind with me."

"It's a pleasure. Now go to sleep, you have to wake up early tomorrow morning."

"Goodnight, Thomas."

"Goodnight, Gabie." He put a soft kiss on my cheek and walked away.