And Never Come Back
By: knockedoveralamp (Miss Phyllis Baxter)
Ship: Cora x Robert (one-sided Bricker x Cora on Bricker's side)
Word Count: 1796
Summary: What if Robert hadn't been away when Mr Bricker went to visit Cora in her room? And what if their conversation was longer once Robert had come into her room. And what if their reconciliation was much quicker and easier.
Author's Note: Bricker may have deserved that backhand, but Cora did not deserve that level of anger from Robert. I wanted to fix their marriage faster than Fellowes did, but (spoilers) good riddance that the della Francesca is going to be sold. Now Robert won't need to feel guilty and sad every time he looks at it. I LOVED THAT SCENE. Also, the title comes from Gollum's scene in the Two Towers, where he's like "Leave now and never come back!" because he totally reminds me of Robert wanting to get rid of Bricker.
Cora heard the door opening behind her and she sighed lightly at the thought of Robert coming in without knocking again. She didn't really mind, she loved him, but if she was in a state of undress when he entered, it might not be seen as exactly proper. Again, not that she really cared. "Robert, I really wish you'd knock, what if-," she started as she turned around, cutting off her words when she saw not Robert in her room, but Mr. Bricker. "Mr Bricker, what are you doing in here?"
"I've come to see you," he replied, striding towards her. "I wanted to see you, I wanted to spend tonight with you." He smiled at her, trying to charm her, continuing striding towards her.
"Mr. Bricker, I would ask you to leave. If anyone were to find out that you were ever in here, I'd be ruined and I'd probably end up losing my husband as well," she said, backing up against the wall. "As it is, he might hear us right now. You have absolutely no reason to be in here. I have not invited you here, and I do wish for you to leave."
"You have nothing to fear from me, Lady Grantham. Cora," he said, stepping closer and closer to her, not stopping until he was mere inches from her. "You know what I want, and you know I won't hurt you. You're very special to me Cora. Don't you see that we are special to each other? We share ideas with each other, we listen to each other. When was the last time that your husband paid you any mind? Or cared about what you had to say?"
"Robert cares, I know he does. We've been married for 34 years and it works between us. We're happy together," Cora said. "He's my husband and we take care of each other. Things aren't always perfect, and they're not right now, but we love each other, and so I am asking you again to leave my room at once."
"You can't seriously mean that Lord Grantham keeps you happy, I've seen the way he treats you. I can only imagine how horrible he is when it's just the two of you and he doesn't need to keep up appearances," he said.
"Are you suggesting that my husband is abusive?" Cora asked, her anger rising. She pushed Mr Bricker away from her with as much force as she could muster, but he barely budged. "Mr Bricker, I do wish that you would leave. And I also wish for you to stop these horrible accusations against Lord Grantham, especially when you are a guest in our home." She continued trying to push against him, until he pushed her back against the wall and pressed his lips to her's.
Cora struggled with everything she had against the man who currently had her pinned against her own wall and was trying to put his tongue in her mouth. She wished for a moment that she was wearing her shoes, so that stepping on his feet would get him off of her, but alas, she didn't. She felt the tears forming in her eyes as she fought him. Robert had been right, Mr Bricker didn't care about what she thought, didn't care about her, he only wanted to have his way with her. She felt like a fool, and a small part of her hoped that Robert would come in, set Mr Bricker straight and defend the honour of his wife. Yet, the other half of her prayed that Robert wouldn't come in, else he'd see this and he'd be angry with her and there was no doubt in her mind that he would never want to see her again, which would ruin her life entirely.
"What is going on in here?" she heard right before Mr Bricker pulled his lips away from her's. She couldn't see with her tear filled eyes, but she knew it was Robert standing in the doorway. That's it, she thought. I'm ruined now, aren't I? "I hope that I'm not interrupting something."
"You're not Robert, I was asking Mr Bricker to leave and he wasn't respecting my wishes is all. Trust me. Nothing happened," Cora said.
"You were kissing when I came in Cora. Are you lying to me?" Robert asked, and she could hear the anger in his voice. He had every right to be angry with her, didn't he? Was this not her doing? No, she thought. It's Robert's fault. If he paid more attention to me then I wouldn't have paid any mind to Mr Bricker. And I'm doing nothing wrong, just asking Mr Bricker to leave my room since he has no reason to be in here. I didn't ask him here. But it is nice that there is someone valuing my input- no, stop Cora. Robert does value your input, and you know it. He loves you and you know it. You're being silly right now. You've known all along what Mr Bricker wanted.
"No, Robert I am not lying. You know that I'd never invite a man in here except for you, right? Or after 34 years of marriage and 34 years of me being faithful to you, do you have doubts?" she asked, looking around Mr Bricker to Robert, whose face was red. "Robert, I know you believe me. You know I'm telling the truth, I'd never lie to you about something like this. I'd never lie to you. I never have. Robert please, I love you."
Mr Bricker moved closer to her and touched her hand, taking it before she could pull it away. Looking at Robert for help, but all she could see was a disgusted look on his face. She pulled back with all the force she could, but he was too strong for her. She looked at Robert with a pleading look in her eyes, practically begging him to help her as he took a deep breath, realizing that she was being honest with him. She didn't want Mr Bricker, she never did, he hadn't been invited into her room. How could I ever doubt my darling Cora, he asked himself, before approaching the two of them, and taking Cora's other hand before turning to Mr Bricker. Robert knew his face must be about the same shade as a perfect tomato, but he prayed that it would help him get his point across to Mr Bricker better.
"Let go of my wife," Robert half-growled. "She doesn't want you in here, doesn't want you in her bed. She doesn't want you holding her hand or speaking to her in this way. I demand that you let go of her hand this instant and leave this room. Please show her some respect. In fact, why don't you just leave this house and never come back, because that would make me so very happy. No proper man enters another man's home and flirts with his wife and his dog, let alone disrespecting the wishes of the Lady of the House. Show my wife the respect she deserves or I will make you pay for it."
Mr Bricker glared at Robert, setting his jaw before he let go of Cora's hand with quite a quantity of reluctance. The greatest possible reluctance, if he was honest with himself. "If you really did love her and respect her, like you're telling me right now, perhaps you could tell her once in a while. What kind of man doesn't show his wife that she is the most beautiful woman he and many other men have ever laid eyes on. You just expect her to remain true without giving her any reason to do so. I could make her happy. I listen, I let her know how special she is. When's the last time you made her smile? A while ago, I'd guess, but you seem more of a cause of darling Cora's tears than happiness. And just because you ignore her, doesn't mean that all other men should be expected to be blind," Bricker said, walking towards the door, Robert letting go of Cora's hand to stop Mr Bricker from leaving. "Don't you want me gone?"
"Not until I've given you a parting gift," Robert said before his knuckles collided with Mr Bricker's face and he fell to the ground. Cora stood there in shock. Mr Bricker tried to stand but Robert go down on the ground and held him there, grabbing the other man's dressing gown and shaking him. "Don't you ever assume to know the intimate aspects of Cora's life, our marriage. Cora is everything to me and I know that I can never deserve a woman as perfect as her, but I strive to be worthy of such a beautiful woman. Robert punched the man one more time before pulling him off the floor and half-dragging him to the door, opening it so roughly that it hit the wall before chucking Mr Bricker out and slamming the door behind him.
Cora looked at Robert in amazement, torn between being upset with him over assaulting a man in their bedroom (even though the scoundrel deserved it) and extreme lust over him for defending her honour. "I'm sorry for shocking you Cora, but he needed to be taught a lesson; no man comes into this house and behaves like that. It was very disrespectful to barge in here without being invited. I'm sorry for doubting you for that moment, I know that you would never invite another man in here, you're faithful, true and wonderful; and I was speaking the truth that I could never deserve you. I'm sorry for every wrong I've ever done to you, and I'm sorry for every time that you've ever cried since becoming my wife," he said, approaching her, wiggling his fingers lightly, looking at his knuckles which were beginning to bruise. "Can you ever forgive me?"
"There's nothing to forgive, but your hand needs ice, my darling," she said. "Sit on our bed and I'll go down and get you some. No use ringing for Baxter, I don't want to have to explain Mr Bricker's rudeness. You were right about him, I should have listened."
"Unless given a proper reason, you're determined to see the good in people my love," Robert said. "It's one of the reasons I love you so very much. I'll never give you reason to find another man to make you smile ever again. I promise."
Cora stopped and turned around and went back to her husband who opened his arms to her and the two shared a soft kiss, and the ice Robert needed for his hand, as well as the pain, were long forgotten.