Downton Abbey: All Is Fair In Love And War

There Is No God In War

The Great War,
June 1915

Matthew saw Thomas sitting in his own dugout, a strange sight since the Corporal would spend most of his free time in Matthew's dugout. Then again, he had been on leave and it would be rather strange if an army medic made himself comfortable in a Lieutenants dugout without him being there. Even so, just the sight of his unlikely friend brought a comfort not even his leave had granted him. Thomas was reading letters, no doubt they were from O'Brien since he had no one else writing him — outside or inside of Downton. It saddened Matthew slightly, but they didn't know Thomas like he did, they didn't know the soldier that was saving lives nor his kind smile.

A cigarette was carelessly hanging from Thomas' lips and his army jacket was unbuttoned in the summer heat that finally had grazed the trenches of France.

"Dignify yourself, Corporal!" Matthew said in a stern and deep voice. With a jolt Thomas stood up, buttoned his jacket and saluted before realising who it was. Thomas tried to hide a grin and ran his tongue along the inside of his lips. Matthew had returned from London and Downton; and Thomas' entire soul sang with happiness to see him.

"Yes, Lieutenant Crawley, Sorry sir!" He replied and saw the smile upon Matthew's face as he made his way past Thomas' and towards his own dugout. Thomas Barrow knew very well to follow him and so he did after tossing the letters aside and grabbing his box of cigarettes.

When Thomas closed the dugout door behind him Matthew embraced him with a heartwarming hug and laughter "My dear friend, I missed you when I was on leave; it was too bad you could not join me."

Thomas hugged the future Lordship back and caught a whiff of his clean hair and skin. It didn't smell like the trenches; it smelled like a different world. They pulled away after a while and looked at each other with cherished eyes, letting them linger a moment too long.

"It would seem rather odd, would it not? Thomas Barrow travelling with Matthew Crawley, and what would his Lordship have said?" Thomas adjusted the lopsided knot on Matthew's tie, a habit from his former profession; but in reality it was nothing but an excuse to keep his hands on Matthew.

"You are not in service of Lord Grantham any more, if I wish to invite a friend from the front then I shall." Matthew said with a smile as his eyes threw a glance upon the hands adjusting his tie.

"It's different here, Matthew, at Downton the rules would still apply — rules that do not exist here." Thomas finally let go of the tie and looked up at Matthew "It's like they say, all is fair in love and war, so in war our friendship is fair"

Matthew blinked for a second. All is fair in love and war he repeated to himself. Rules don't apply here. He stood there quietly with those words stuck in his mind.

"I have a shift coming up, until late in the evening," Thomas said with his eyebrow cocked at Matthew's thoughtful expression.

Matthew shook his head gently, bringing himself back, and then gave Thomas a nod followed by a smile "And I have patrol, but will you come and meet me here after your shift? I have a surprise for you"

"Most certainly, sir." Thomas said and saluted his friend with a smirk before turning his heel and returning to the trench and the brightness of the sun — leaving Matthew Crawley and their world hidden behind the dugout door.

Sickness was more common than battle wounds these days, for no man's land had laid quiet for some time with neither side advancing. It was a cruel wait, but rather a cruel wait than bloodied bodies and lost limbs. Though, the sickness claimed many lives as well and the stench had not disappeared. Thomas had a cloth wrapped around his face and mouth to try and block out the worst of it. But that didn't help nearly as much as the thought of Lieutenant Crawley having a surprise for him in the night. Even if his mind was confused, and had been since April by the question if it was all due to the war, he would cherish a friendship and keep his feelings at bay. Regardless of what Thomas' heart felt he, for the first time, had a friend without malice intent.