Okay, so we skip forward to May/June. Baby Bates is almost due and John is working at Downton Sands, Anna on maternity leave. Lots of fluff, not too serious and you may have needed to read Downton Sands and Donton Sands: A Christmas Wedding to get any of this. Enjoy :)

John's POV

Quietly creeping out of the room, I look back to check Anna is still sound asleep before shutting the door softly shut. Breathing a sigh of relief I make my way carefully downstairs into the living room. Now eight and half months pregnant, she hasn't been sleeping well, meaning mood swings which result in me getting it in the neck for still being able to fall into a state of slumber. Deciding to use this 'quiet time' to catch up on some television I had missed since my wonderful wife was now asleep, and woe betide anyone who takes the remote control from her, I settle into down on the sofa. It was my night off from Downton Sands and although planning to spend it with Anna, she was tired and decided she wanted us to have an early night.

'Ahhh,' I sigh, smiling as the credits to my favourite crime drama begin. It's barely one exchange between hero and villain in before I hear footsteps coming down the stairs.

'John Bates,' I hear coming from the hallway. 'Where are you?' Looking to the heavens, well the ceiling, I close my eyes before answering.

'In here, my love,' I reply. More quickly that you would expect a woman in her condition to be able to move, she was standing at the door, nightgown barely covering her as her bump was now huge.

'Why did you come down here?' she questions, like I have committed the worst crime of the century and not only come downstairs to watch TV.

'Well, I couldn't sleep and I only get one night off so thought I'd leave you to sleep and catch up on some television.' I reply.

Plonking herself down beside me, I am relieved when she rests her head on my shoulder. 'I hate you.'

Chuckling, I put an arm around her shoulder. 'I know you do.' I have got used to this sort of language from her recently, I am the person who put her in this state so I must suffer as much as her.

'Mum and Sophie are coming to stay next week until the baby is born, I told you that didn't I? She says, wrapping an arm around my waist.

'Ahh, yet more punishment,' I joke, turning the television off as I can tell she is in the mood for a chat. 'I'm glad there will be someone here with you whilst I'm off being Mikey, or Perry.'

'Hmm...' she replied and I could tell she wasn't really listening to what I was saying. 'Do you know what I really fancy?'

'Me?' I asked, kissing her head.

'No...'

'Oh thanks...'

'A strawberry milkshake. From McDonalds.' she continued. 'And a double cheeseburger with extra gherkins.'

'Darling, I'm in my pyja...'

'And a large fries. No salt.' Looking at me, she flashed me one of her smiles that she knew I couldn't resist.

'I'll get the car keys, shall I?' I sighed, standing up.

'Yeah, and if you go to the drive thru you'll only need a coat.' she pointed out.

'Thanks for the tip.'

Anna's POV

With it now being June, Downton Sands is in it's high season and John is there at least ten hours a day. I miss him when he's not here so am relieved Mum and Sophie are moving in for the final weeks of my pregnancy. Dad was going on his annual golfing holiday, mum still hadn't forgiven him for going away when his daughter was about to give birth. I just can't work out why you would go on holiday to play golf.

We are busy unpacking their things into the spare room they will be sharing when John walks in. 'Ladies,' he says, leaning against the door frame.

'John,' Mum says, eyeing my husband up and down in his work uniform. 'Do they make you wear that too?'

'Good day?' I ask, approaching him and trying to reach up to give him a kiss. Realising I can't, Sophie and Mum laughing at this awkward situation, he bends down to allow me to kiss his cheek.

'Not bad, Thomas dropped a whole crate of cider over Branson's foot, that was quite amusing.' John replied. 'How are you two settling in?'

'I'll be fine once I know where the iron is and have put my toothbrush in the bathroom,' mum said, folding up her now empty holdall and putting it in the bottom of the wardrobe.

I rolled my eyes at Sophie as John smiled. 'I'll never understand women,' he announced, shaking his head.

'And I'll never understand why you're wife is about to give birth and you still haven't built the furniture in that nursery.' Mum said.

'Well, we only just finished painting it because it's mother couldn't decide on the colour she wanted..'

'Stop right there, John Bates..' I protest. 'I am a pregnant woman, I am therefore entitled to take my time in many things, making decisions included.'

'Besides, what does having to wait to paint it have to do with building furniture?' Sophie chipped in. 'Couldn't you have built the furniture, put it in the middle of the room and covered it?'

John looked at our expectant faces, waiting for an explanation before shaking his head. 'I'm going to make a cup of tea.'

'Sounds lovely, no sugar, I'm sweet enough.' Mum called after John. 'And you're cooking dinner!'

After I had decided what I could stomach, the four of us ate our McDonalds outside on the decking John, Robert, Branson and William had fitted in the back garden which overlooked the beacj myself and John had shared our many romantic walks on.

'Have you decided on names yet, then? Last time we asked you had narrowed it down to twenty for each sex.' Mum asked, tucking into her chicken nuggets.

'Well, we've gone off India for a girl,' I say, screwing my nose up at the very thought of calling my daughter that.

'And Tarquin for a boy,' John said.

'Thank God,' Sophie laughed. 'So what have you kept?'

'Well,' I say, reaching across the table and squeezing John's hand. 'John chose Lily May for a girl, I chose Archie John for a boy.'

'Aww, that's lovely,' Mum cooed, clutching my free hand. 'Lovely choices.'

After finishing our meals, if you can call a McDonald's that, Mum and Sophie offered me and John some time alone whilst they went inside. Sitting in the hammock outside, safely wrapped in my husbands arms, I allowed my mind to wander to life after the baby had been born. However, I couldn't get past the birth. I had been anxious, but now it was getting closer, it was becoming more real and I'm not ashamed to admit I was scared.

'Are you alright?' John whispered, his fingers fiddling with my hair. 'You haven't said a word since they went inside.'

I sit up to look at him. 'Okay, don't laugh.'

'Me, laugh at you? Never...' John said sarcastically. Playfully slapping him on the arm my face turns serious. 'What is it?'

'I'm scared,' I say weakly.

'That's only natural Anna. Why would I laugh at that? Becoming a mother, hell even I'm scared that the tiny thing you are going to bring into the world will one day call me Dad. Dependant on us...'

'No, that's fine, although thanks for reminding me about the dependant on us thing.' I interrupt, sighing. 'It's the actual giving birth that I'm scared of.' Sitting forward to be beside me, he clasps my hands in his.

'Anna, I can't tell you it's not going to hurt. You know that. It's going to kill me to see you in that much pain.'

'Way to make me feel better, John.' I shake my head.

'What I can guarantee is I'll be there every step of the way. We're in this together, me and you.' Smiling, I let my lips meet his for a kiss before he pulls away. 'Unless the football is on, then I'll be in the bar.'

'Very funny,' I laugh as I settle back against him on the hammock. 'I do love you, I'm sorry for being so rotten to you for the past few weeks.'

'Well, I'll let you off.' He laughed. 'Just this once. And I love you too.'

Bates POV

'I tell you Rob, it's my fault the toast got burnt. It's even my fault she stubbed her toe on the doorframe.' I moan as myself and Robert reach the chip shop for lunch.

'How so?' Robert asks, opening the door for me.

'Apparently when I bought the house I should have insisted the doorframes were wider.' My reply is met by Robert's confused looking face. 'I know.'

'Cod and chips twice, please Mrs Patmore.' Robert orders before contemplating something. 'In the last stages of all three of her pregnancies, all I remember is being insatiable to Cora.'

'That's six fifty please Mr Crawley,' Mrs Patmore smiled.

'Seriously?' I reply, although my surprise is misread.

'Thanks mate,' Robert said as he handed a ten pound note to Mrs Patmore.

'No, I don't mean that. I mean, I'm lucky if I get so much as a handshake from Anna these past few days, let alone that.' Suddenly my phone begins to ring. Fumbling in my pocket, I pull out the phone and see that it's Sophie.

'It's Sophie.' I say before answering. 'Hello Soph..'

'She's in labour, well early stages. Hang on...' the line goes quiet as I stand there. 'John. Come home. Her waters have broken.'

'I'll be there in five.' I reply without hesitation. 'I've got to go, Anna's waters have broken.'

'God speed,' Robert replies as I open the door to the chip shop. 'John, your chips.'

'You have them,' I shout back as I run towards my car.

'Thanks pal, good luck!'