Summary: Lord Grantham gets a puppy, and Bates learns to adjust to the new addition. Spoilers through S5E8.

Disclaimer: I don't own Downton Abbey.

A/N: Here's a bit of fluff, as specifically requested. :) Of course, it is Eady-style fluff, for what that is worth. Spoilers through S5E8. Beyond that is mere speculation. Reviews are always appreciated.

Bates missed Isis. He did not have the same attachment to the dog as Lord Grantham, of course, but over the years he and the canine were often close companions. He took to sneaking her treats early on so that she might show a liking to him but discontinued the practice when Isis began betraying more of a preference for her master's valet than her master. Bates had no wish to make his employer jealous by ingratiating himself too much with the man's faithful dog and after that kept a respectful distance.

The months that followed the burial of the old girl were quiet. Unfortunately, he had other things on his mind than the lonely way the Earl would look about for Isis when he entered a room, her name on the tip of his tongue. With Anna still in jail in London, his thoughts were rarely anywhere than with her, even as he moved about his work.

But when they let his wife out shortly before Christmas, clearing her of all charges, color quickly crept back into Bates' world. His eyes could once again see the lights on the large tree at Downton, decorated so brightly that it inspired awe in all who observed it. He noticed how a buzz of romance seemed to permeate the servants' hall as Molesley and Baxter sat closer together than ever before and Mrs. Hughes and Mr. Carson were often found discussing their joint business venture.

And while he was upstairs, Bates noticed Lord Grantham's sadness in being without a faithful shadow of the four-legged variety.

"One of the breeders has a female which is about to give birth," the Earl told him one day, with rather more mechanics in the information than any real interest.

"Perhaps you can get one of the pups," Bates suggested.

The man inclined his head without enthusiasm. "Perhaps. Although it seems too soon. I wouldn't want Isis to ever think she was so easily replaced."

Despite his words, it was clear Lord Grantham needed a distraction, especially going into Christmas. He recounted to his valet that the children missed having a dog to play with, even though Isis' interactions towards the end of her life were more accurately termed as 'enduring' such attentions from the little ones.

He told Bates, "Little Sybbie asked if Isis was in heaven with her mother and George's father."

The question had obviously gotten the Earl thinking, stirring up the memories of those in his life he had lost. Bates said nothing but went about undressing his employer, content to listen as the other man spoke and reminisced.

"I told her that's exactly where Isis is now," he went on, seeming to take some comfort from the statement. "I hadn't the heart to tell her I don't know for certain."

Bates ventured, "She had a good long life, milord. Few dogs could want for more."

Lord Grantham sighed deeply but nodded in agreement. "I know. But I do miss her."

"We all miss her."

The valet did not truly realize how much he missed Isis until a few weeks later when the Earl returned to Downton with a wiggling yellow puppy newly removed from his mother. The tiny retriever still had fur as soft as down and large paws to match his inevitable size once he'd grown up.

"I've named him Tut, after King Tutankhamun," Lord Grantham informed him, even though the vivacious little dog had no decorum to mach his royal name. He was particularly infatuated with the bottom of Bates' cane which he regarded as both a chew toy and a steady place to lean against when his puppy energy waned into a sudden nap.

"Excellent choice, milord," Bates noted even as he attempted to save his stick from the inevitable scars the pup was likely to inflict upon it.

Having got used to the well trained and sedate form of Isis, always in the background but never one to step out of her place, Bates found the new dog much more of a trial.

"He is still being house trained," he told Anna one night as they drank tea at the cottage.

"I'm sure that takes time," she said.

"Yes, but in the mean while, there are... accidents."

Naturally, the hall boys took care of the worst of it, but Bates was often the one to find the messes. For the life of him, he could not remember the process of training Isis as being so difficult.

"For one thing, you were younger back then," Anna pointed out with a smile. "And still very eager to prove to everyone you deserved your place here."

He nodded, accepting his wife's wisdom. But neither the messes or the dog chewing on his cane were the worst aspects of the puppy's youthful exuberance. He could endure those well enough if it wasn't for something else.

"His Lordship takes twice as long to dress now as he's always playing with the dog."

What had once been a refined and seamless ritual between the two men had of late become an awkward, drawn out process as Lord Grantham was practically reduced to boyhood again by the young pup.

"I'm sure it isn't as bad as all that," Anna teased him.

Part of him wanted to tell her exactly how many minutes he had to wait for his Lordship's attention to wander back to the task at hand or how many times he'd been left standing there with some piece of garb in his grasp while politely clearing his throat and saying expectantly, "Milord..."

His wife smiled at him. "And puppies are only young once. Better for him to enjoy this time now as it won't come round again."

Bates supposed that she was right, but the young canine's tendency to hold court as though he were the embodiment of his namesake still left him annoyed and irritable. Everyone else regarded the tornado of fluff with a chorus of "awww," as though just the sight of the animal turned their insides to liquid and brought genuine smiles to their faces. The puppy showed no understanding of how his behavior made life more complicated, and both the family and staff forgave every instance of puppy mischief. All but Bates. He quickly grew to dislike Tut and his feelings became apparent to his employer.

"He's just settling into things, Bates," Lord Grantham told him.

"Of course, milord."

"He's already getting better."

They both looked down at the miniature yellow lab who was in the midst of some puppy game which involved pouncing on the bed post and tugging on the edge of the comforter which hung over the edge of the mattress. The maids would have to straighten the rarely used bed in the morning.

"As you say, milord."

As amused by his valet's disapproval as he was at the dog's antics, Lord Grantham laughed aloud.

Weeks passed and the puppy grew bigger. His training took hold more and more with fewer accidents and more commands being applied, but he was still very much a puppy. The children adored him, spending most of their hour with the family rolling around on the library floor with the dog rather than conversing with their parents. Often times his Lordship would be in the midst of the squirming pile of children and blurred fur, although somehow the Earl still managed to maintain an air of dignity.

Isis was still missed, but King Tut did an admirable job in taking her place among the household. For the children, it was a fun treat to have an adorable baby dog with so much excitement and energy. But they quickly learned that the puppy was not as forgiving of pulled ears and tail as sweet Isis had been, and his tiny puppy teeth were sharp as they nipped warnings.

"But Donk, Isis never bit me," young Sybbie complained to her grandfather. For a moment, he was at a loss for words at the reminder of his lost companion.

"Isis knew better, but Tut is still learning," Tom cut in, explaining to his daughter, "You have to be patient with him and remember that he's even younger than you are. How would you like it if someone pulled on your hair? And look there, you don't even have a scratch. Go on and play with George."

For his part, Bates' patience with the puppy was growing thin. When left alone for too long, Tut would get himself into all sorts of trouble. He managed to find his way into a drawer full of clean shirts and pull them all out onto the ground of his Lordship's room, forcing Bates to have them all re-laundered and ironed. He chewed on nearly everything, including Bates' shoes when he wasn't paying attention. And for some reason, the dog tended to follow the valet whenever he was upstairs.

"He's like a shadow," he complained to Anna, coming late to luncheon because he'd spent so much time coaxing the animal to stay upstairs rather than follow him down to the servants' hall.

With a wistful smile she said, "He sounds adorable."

He frowned at her response and let the matter drop.

Lord and Lady Grantham were in London for the day attending to matters and in their time away, Bates took the opportunity to catch up on some chores, sorting garments and shoes to recommend retiring. Like so many from his era, the Earl was quick to replace clothes even before they'd begun to wear out, leaving a valuable wardrobe for his valet to inherit as well as plenty left to go to charity. As he entered his Lordship's dressing room, he was surprised to spot the young dog all on its own. He had once again gotten into trouble, managing to procure a lone shoe and chew at it for a good long while. Luckily Tut seemed to have only damaged the laces which Bates felt certain he could fix.

But the state he found the dog in belied his initial reaction of anger. Having obviously been hit by an overwhelming wave of fatigue in the midst of his destruction, the pup had fallen asleep on top of the shoe with one of the laces still in his mouth. Shaking his head at the animal, Bates stooped to remove the shoe from its grasp.

Tut rolled over onto the floor, for once giving up his prize without argument. He looked up at the valet with listless eyes and made a whimpering sound. Curious, Bates petted the dog's coat and rubbed his ears, attempting to elicit a more typical reaction of enthusiastic tail wagging and excitement. But the dog simply laid on its side and moved his nose so that it was under Bates' hand.

With sudden understanding, Bates glanced at the shoe. While the dog had not chewed the leather, it had obviously licked rather voraciously at the polished surface.

"Have you made yourself sick?" he asked the dog, his concern tempered by the fact that the dog had not vomited and still seemed responsive. The puppy looked up at him with droopy eyes before settling his head back onto his front paws.

Leaving the dog where it was, Bates descended to the bottom floor of the house to find Mr. Carson and explain his predicament. They quickly sent a messenger to the kennels to consult with one of the grooms, who returned with instructions. In all likelihood, the bit of shoe polish had only unsettled the puppy's stomach. Water and rest were prescribed for the ailing dog. Feeling responsible, Bates personally took up water for Tut and made up a bed for him in the corner of Lord Grantham's dressing room out of a folded blanket Isis used to prefer.

He checked on the animal throughout the day, popping in at odd times to make sure the puppy was drinking the water left for him. Tut seemed to improve with each hour. By late afternoon, the young dog had recovered enough to knock over the water bowl left for him and drag the folded blanket halfway across the floor in a rambunctious mess before falling back asleep. But as Bates opened the door to the dressing room, Tut livened up and barked a greeting.

"You seem much better," the valet observed, stooping to pet the puppy. Tut gave another bark in answer and began wagging his tail excitedly. "Hush now," Bates said, and the dog immediately quieted.

As he went to pick up the blanket, the puppy grabbed a corner in his teeth and tugged. "Give that back now," Bates warned, but Tut was eager to keep hold of his latest acquisition.

Bates pulled gently on the blanket, trying to retrieve it from the dog, but Tut took the tugging as a challenge and put the entirety of his tiny weight into pulling the blanket from Bates' hand. Chuckling at the antics, Bates let go of the blanket lest it be ripped, and the puppy stumbled backward, managing to pull a substantial portion of the fabric onto his own head. For a moment, only a wriggling lump could be seen under the blanket, and Bates smiled down at the happy dog. Soon his nose appeared out from one edge of the covering. By the time Tut had managed to extract himself, Bates had reached down to remove the blanket from the floor. Tut barked once more at its loss but quickly turned his attention to Bates' cane.

Sensing the dog would begin chewing on the wood as he had a tendency to attempt, Bates moved a step away. Tut followed, his tail wagging furiously as he stared up at the man towering over him. His tongue lolled out of his open mouth, giving him the appearance of smiling eagerly.

"You can be very charming," Bates admitted to the dog. "I see why his Lordship is so fond of you."

He reached down to pet Tut and the puppy reacted with enthusiasm, running around in a circle and pressing his head up into the palm of Bates' hand. Without any prompting, the puppy dropped to his side and rolled onto his back, presenting his belly for Bates to rub.

From behind him there came a noise and Bates turned to see Lord Grantham standing in the doorway, watching the other man play with the puppy.

"My lord," he said, standing straight. Below him, Tut did not notice that he and the valet were no longer alone and he gave out a small bark of disapproval at suddenly being ignored.

The Earl's attention quickly went to Tut and he walked over and picked up the puppy. "Carson said he wasn't feeling well earlier and you've been taking good care of him."

"As much a I can, milord. He found one of your shoes and got a belly ache, likely from the polish, I think. I've made sure he cannot get into the shoes again."

Tut writhed in his master's arms, desperate to either be put down or to lick Lord Grantham's face - his desires seemed to change second by second even as his entire body vibrated with youthful enthusiasm.

"He seems to have got over it if that was the case," Lord Grantham stated with a grin, not taking his eyes from the dog. "I take it you two have been getting along then, Bates?"

The valet colored before allowing a small smile of his own. "We have, milord."

Setting down the puppy on the ground, the Earl said nothing more, although his knowing look caused Bates' cheeks to tinge slightly red. Later that evening, as he described the situation to Anna, she found great pleasure in teasing him over his new-found attachment to the household's newest and youngest member.

"I think it is sweet you were so worried about him."

He shook his head. "I just didn't want anything to happen to him, not because of my carelessness."

Sensing something deeper within her husband than worry over a dog, Anna began, "It wasn't your fault..."

"But it was. The shoe that made him sick- I should have made sure that never happened."

His body was suddenly ripe with tension, and for once Anna's gentle touch on his arm did little to lessen the tightness of his muscles. He kept picturing that little puppy looking up at him adoringly, with so much trust in its tiny face.

"You mustn't take the entire weight of the world onto your shoulders," she scolded him, peeling off his jacket as she spoke. With the heavy cloth gone, her palms fit better against him, her tiny hands sliding across the solid planes of his back, working and massaging against the tightness she found there. Like a soothing balm, her warm touch managed to help with the pressure, to lessen the frustration which had been building within him all day as he traveled up and down the stairs to look in on little King Tut.

As Anna worked her magic on his tense muscles, Bates permitted himself to simply enjoy the feelings she elicited. She hummed quietly as she rubbed at the knots in his back, slowly and steadily forcing his flesh to give up under her deliberate ministrations. And with each passing minute, the stress of the day slowly melted away along with doubts and recriminations which seemed to fill his daytime hours.

"I don't know what I'd do without you," he told her, his voice rough like water over stones not yet worn smooth by the ravages of time. "Truly, I don't."

"Well, for tonight at least, you don't have to find out," Anna responded brightly, obviously not wanting to broach the subject of her arrest yet again. They both knew that the future would always be uncertain. But for a time, they could allow themselves the luxury of planning and enjoying life.

"Perhaps when we buy our hotel, we should think about getting a dog of our own," Bates mused. His wife grinned at his unexpected suggestion.

"Really? I didn't think you were keen on dogs."

"Oh, I'm not. But some of them are better disposed than others. Tut is rather rambunctious, but he has a good heart, I think."

Feigning a pout, Anna inquired, "Well then, when are you going to bring him down to the servants' hall so the rest of us can form an acquaintance? It seems selfish to hoard him all to yourself upstairs."

Bates' lip quirked, and with amusement he said, "So the pup can get under Mister Carson's feet and wreak havoc in Mrs. Patmore's kitchen? I think he needs a bit more training before his Lordship will give him the run of the house."

They walked up to their bedroom and Anna hung his jacket in the closet. The day's work had been long for both of them and he wanted nothing more than to fall into bed and sleep for an age. Anna slipped in beside them and he pulled her into his arms. While they had not always slept so entangled with one another, since she had returned, Bates had been unable to get any rest unless she was securely within the circle of his embrace. Anna gave no complaints about the situation but settled herself against him, finding her place as though it were where she was meant to be.

"We can have a dog at the hotel," Anna said sleepily as she drifted off. "It would be fun for the children."

Bates closed his eyes, one hand gently rubbing his wife's gently curved stomach, as he pictured their child playing on the floor with his own squirming puppy.

fin