A/N: A little one shot I wrote for Christmas on Tumblr. Hope you enjoy :)

Disclaimer: Downton Abbey and its characters belong to Julian Fellowes.

The morning was crisp that Christmas. Outside the wind rolled against the windows, whistling madly. Snow had begun to fall with the first signs of daylight, and not one single soul dared to walk in the streets.

We see the scene before us from the parent's eyes. Two small children, a boy and a baby girl in a cot. The time is nearly ten o'clock in the morning. The couple of adults, Anna and John, admiring them from the bedroom door, not wanting to spoil the delicacy of such moment.

Simon, four years old, was trying to place a Christmasy headband atop his little sister's head, but Louise wouldn't have it. The reindeer antlers like object was too big and she was more interested in playing with it than wearing it.

'Lo, stay still,' Simon begged, trying to straighten the headpiece, only for the girl to shake her head in hopes to understand what that strange object was. Her little pink tongue poking from between her lips, wetting the sides of her mouth. 'Lo!'

'Aren't they the sweetest?' Anna whispered to her husband as he wrapped both of his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder. The children were oblivious of this admiring.

'We made a good job with them, didn't we? Good performances…' she felt him smile against the skin of her neck while he kissed her there with every word he spoke. Soft and slow, his eyes never leaving the sight of the little ones.

'Indeed, Mr Bates. So good it's about to be repeated,' she said, mysteriously, leaning her head back on his chest.

'To be repeated?' he asked, confused, turning her around to face him. 'What do you mean by that?'

'Merry Christmas, Mr Bates.' She gave him a quick kiss on the lips, then turned to walk into the room, glancing at her husband teasingly one last time before breaking the children's spell. 'And what's this, you monkeys? Awake and without a word about it?'

'Lo didn't cry today,' Simon explained, still trying to place the antlers atop of his sister's round head, while the girl smiled at her mother, showing two of her new teeth. 'She was just a bit sad to be alone.'

'And you hopped in here to keep her company…' John added as he joined them, leaning onto the cot and running a hand through the boy's brown hair.

'Yeah. She likes when I hop in here,' the boy said.

'Although you barely fit in there anymore,' Anna giggled. Her son the spitting image of his father; dark hair, hazel eyes, strong and quiet personality. Always thinking, always wondering, a lover of books and good stories. The little girl was still too young to tell, but she had taken after Anna in her fair complexion and big blue eyes, and her once dark hair was turning lighter by the day.

'All right, my loves. What do you say if we go down to open our presents?' John suggested and Simon's eyes grew big as he stretched out his arms to be helped out of the cot. 'Come on, lad.'

The father lifted the boy and placed him on the floor while the mother took the girl in her arms. They walked down the stairs to the living room, Simon running ahead. A big sparkly tree sat in one corner between the two sofas, the fireplace dead since last night.

Anna handed John the girl, and she went willingly, flailing her chubby limbs in her father's arms. It didn't take him too long to kiss her cheek and explain that the most excited time of the year was about to happen, but Louise was more interested in one of the buttons of his pyjamas top.

'Come here, Simon, let's hand out the presents.' Anna called her son as she kneeled on the floor next to the tree, the presents all in order of size. The boy sat down, ready for the task, while John took the place on the sofa closer to them, Louise now chewing on his thumb.

'This one is for...Lo!' Anna gave the present to Simon for him to hand out.

'Here, Lo. This one's for you,' the brother offered and the girl took it excitedly, trying her best to rip the paper with her daddy's help. The wrapping covered a small gummy toy, a proper one for teething seven months old like Louise.

'Oh good! Before she eats my thumb off,' John laughed, winking at her son, and giving the girl the little toy. She took it right away, chewing on it, as satisfied as she could be.

'Now, this one here…' Anna took a big present from under the tree. 'This one is from mummy and daddy to Simon.'

'Yes!' the boy cheered taking his gift; a Star Wars Lego package, to build with daddy after breakfast, for sure the one he had been asking for months on end. 'The one I wanted!' Simon exclaimed eyeing the box. 'Can I open it?'

'Only after we eat. We don't want to lose any pieces, right?' John advised while his wife nodded. The boy understood and placed his present to the side for later.

'Now…' Anna smiled, biting her lower lip. 'This one is from me to daddy. I hope you like it.'

'I like everything that comes from you,' John told her tenderly taking the little package in his free hand. The other still held the chewing baby.

'Literally,' Anna added, rubbing her hands together in enthusiasm. 'Open it!'

Her husband nodded, trying to bounce the baby while opening a small box. Expectation building. He had told her all he wanted was a night of burning candles and passion after the children were asleep. 'What's this?' he asked, taken aback. Little boots. Little white boots, too small for Louise, and a card that read: 'For baby number three.'

'God Anna! Are you sure?' John looked at her, tears beginning to form in his eyes.

'I took four tests. All positive,' she giggled. 'I wanted to be really sure. Two months or so.'

'Oh, love, come here!'

Anna rose from the floor and sat next to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him as tenderly as she could. Lo, in his arms, was looking up at the scene in awe, and Simon was too absorbed in admiring his Star Wars Lego box.

'I can't believe it. Three children?!' John was overjoyed. One of his arms was around Anna's middle, the other holding Louise against his chest. He kissed the top of the baby's head. 'I never thought we would have more than one!'

'Me neither,' Anna sighed, pleased. 'But then, I never thought I could be so happy as I am now. And then...it's too hard to resist you.'

'And too hard to remember to take your pills, I can tell.' John laughed.

'I only forgot once...it was enough I suppose. But,I'm glad I did. I couldn't be happier!'

'Me too, my love. You always surprise me with the best things.' He placed a kiss on her temple.

'Next year we will have another one here with us.'

'Indeed we will. Lo is still so little, she'll have to learn how to share.' He smiled down at the girl.

'Oh, she will.' Anna caressed Lo's cheek. The chewing toy fell onto the floor, the baby wasn't too happy now. 'She will be a good middle sister.'

'The best. Just like Simon is the best big brother.' John smiled at his son. 'I feel guilty now that I don't have a present for you. I shouldn't have given you the necklace last night.'

'Sshh you. I love your present! And then this is a present for both of us anyway. We made this little one together, remember?' Anna whispered in his ear, nibbling on it softly.

'And it was so good,' he growled in a low voice. Lo began to fuss.

'All right. It's time for breakfast now,' Anna announced, standing from the sofa. 'Let's go and eat so we can all build Simon's lego together.'

'Not Lo, mummy! She'll eat the pieces,' the boy pleaded.

'No, not Lo. But she can watch,' John said, smiling. 'Come, lad. We have something to tell you, don't we, love?'

'Indeed, we do,' Anna winked.

'Is it another present?! Is it a lightsaber? Or a Darth Vader mask and cape? Is it?!' Simon jumped up and down as they walked to the kitchen.

'Well...not quite,' she laughed, shooting a knowing look at her husband as he sat the girl in the high chair.

Breakfast was bacon, eggs and waffles, coffee and tea, and for Lo a bowl of porridge. When the news was shared with Simon, there were bets on a boy or a girl. The excitement had been heartfelt, and plans were made for this new life as they all built the Lego together; little Lo occupied with the wrappings and her new chewing toy.

It had been a happy Christmas. Quiet, in family, humble as the people they were, but it couldn't have fit them better. Next year, a little Sarah would join them. Lo would be talking and walking around. Simon would be handling his sisters wonderfully well, and Anna and John would be overjoyed. Their happiness could only grow. Their Christmas would always be merry ones.

Thank you for reading :)