This is simply superb. What a totally original idea and so well executed. I can really see Mary living to a great age, beyond that of her contemporaries. I love that her granddaughter is called Isobel and that she is in engaged to a Napier. The recollection of quotes from canon, Mary talking to Tom, Sybil, and of course Matthew. Her finally joining them. Just beautiful.

Waaaaaah! So, so lovely! I love Mary's relationship with Tom - that line about "the things they missed" was heart-wrenching. Beautiful wee revision.

too beautiful. I loved the juxtaposition of Isobel's happy news, the impatience to share it and start her life, with Mary who's on the slow walk back to her own happiness. It seems she and Tom found a way to bear it, to brave the storm, but it was never the same. I liked their inside joke about M/S being self-righteous- it made me think that M/S died white, having never lived long enough to acquire moral grayness. I love that the story starts with Mary's thought about Sybil- it just gives the sense that M/S lived on, always close at hand.

The ending and Mary's retreat from consciousness and living was very effectively written- I felt pulled in both directions.

And upon re-reading, the first line that got to me was "nothing will change"- because, oh, would that it were true. screw fellowes, decision 79 is canon :(

With all due respect (as I type this crying) this is the AU, Decision 79 is what is canon. Matthew lives to 1970, Sybil and Mary live at Downton, and they have several grandchildren, including a lovely girl who had the important task of finding books to read to her grandfather.

You have a rare and beautiful gift. I stopped watching the show after Sybil was taken away and finding out about Matthew (I wish both actors nothing but the best), I knew I made the right call. It was nice that Mary had no other love. I will read that as she never married. It was beautiful how Matthew came for her. I will not comment on the Tom flashback.

You should keep writing. You have a lovely talent. But I will say goodbye here, to you and Downton Abbey fanfiction. God be with you forever and may all your endeavors be blessed with His light.

Absolutely beautiful :)

Just having a bit of a teary after that...

I cried...well done that was amazing xxx

Oh god, the sheer amount of tears coming out... So sad, and yet totally cathartic.

This was wonderful. I'm sitting here, bawling now, but this was so well done.

I hate you so much but also love you so much and this was the most perfect post CS fic I've read.

You want to know how good you are? You make canon beautiful, that's how good you are. As sad as the canon deaths were, you made the story and the love all the stronger for the deaths having happened. I'm not sure I can explain it because I can't even wrap my head around it.

The ending took away all the sting and regret of those death scenes. And Sybil's line *sigh* no one, not even Julian Fellowes, had made me feel like crying but you did with that last line, bringing into reality the image of Mary joining Matthew, Sybil, and Tom.

On a practical note (enough with the gushing) I like the story's slight ambiguity of saying that Mary never loved again and never had another child, which is not saying she didn't marry again. Your story doesn't distract by clashing with all the speculation about what will happen with Mary's story in S4 etc. I don't know if you meant it to work like that, but it helped the story flow for me. And I allowed myself a warm fuzzy notion that Mary could marry Tom; a mutual alliance of affection that didn't try to duplicate their loves.

:( Oh, Mary! I liked the other way better...:'( but exemplary writing as always.

Ahh, this is so beautiful! So sad for the years missed, but happy to see her reunited with them both. Thanks for sharing!

(this is April too lazy to log in because she's on her phone)
This just absolutely killed me and is so beautiful and very cathartic I think. I can't say it enough: you have such a way with words. Mary is just perfect here and her family and life all those years suits her very well. Loved the cameo of Napier too!
You're the best :)

I did not cry when I finally watched the Special, but you got me.