Hello! This is my first Downton Abbey story and I'm extremely nervous about posting it. I got into DA at the end of last year (and by that I mean this show quickly took over my life) and I instantly fell in love with the absolute angel that is Anna and the wonderful Mr Bates. I love Banna so much that I'm a little worried I won't do them justice, but I just couldn't resist trying. I hope you all enjoy :)
Anna woke, for the first time in weeks, to a conspicuous silence. Her sleep-hazed brain refused to function properly and she spent a good minute or two blinking dopily at the clock on her nightstand, barely registering that it was two in the morning even once her vision had adjusted to the darkness.
Eyes slipping shut of their own accord, Anna sleepily stretched out, a large yawn overtaking her as she rolled over and her arm came to rest on the other side of the bed. She gave a small frown, eyebrows drawing together slightly, as her hand slid across the vacant surface, subconsciously searching for the warm presence of her sleeping husband.
It wasn't unusual for John Bates to have trouble sleeping – Anna had woken countless times to see him reading, or slipping back under the covers after fetching himself a drink of water, or sometimes even just staring at the ceiling lost in thought. It was unusual, however, for him to be gone long enough for her to miss him, and Anna had the vague impression that there was something distinctly odd about the situation. It took few seconds for the pieces to fall into place in her foggy mind. The sheets, which were rarely abandoned for too long, were cold.
Once again opening her eyes, and this time gaining a semblance of awareness, Anna raised her head as if to confirm that he really wasn't there before propping herself up on her elbows. Concerned, but not yet anxious, she lifted the covers off and swung herself around to sit on the edge of the bed, sucking in a sharp breath when her bare feet came into contact with the cold floor. She padded over to the open entryway, unhooking her robe from the back of the door as she went. She tugged it tightly around her waist as she walked into the hallway, tying it off just as she reached the next room.
The sight that greeted her was enough to melt her heart. Anna leant against the doorframe, one hand pressed to her smiling lips as she gazed at the scene before her.
Her husband, illuminated by the soft, yellow glow of candlelight, fast asleep in the reclining chair that was gifted to them by Lady Mary as a housewarming present. He was in a plain white top with long pyjama pants, and his cane had been hooked over the armrest. On the same armrest a hand was laying face-up, looking precariously close to tumbling due to the open book he had balancing between his fingers, while his other had come up to cradle the tiny figure resting on his chest.
Their newborn daughter, barely three weeks old, seemed elfin in her father's embrace. His large hand, held protectively over his baby girl, covered her back almost completely, while her tiny digits were curled into a fist that snagged her father's shirt. It was a picture perfect moment, and Anna marvelled at how lucky she was to be here with her beautiful family.
She watched as John inhaled deeply in his sleep, mouth dropping open with the hint of a snore, which caused their little girl to wrinkle her nose and let out a yawn without opening her eyes. Anna's heart swelled at the sight and she very nearly giggled at their matching slack-jawed expressions, but she bit her lip in an effort to avoid waking them.
It evidently wasn't to be, as only a few seconds later the book in John's hand finally slipped from his fingers, landing on the floor with a muffled thump. He was awake almost immediately, head glancing to the floor either side of him for the source of the noise before his gaze settled on the bundle nestled on his chest, who was still slumbering peacefully.
Even in the low light, Anna could still see the way his eyes softened and the small smile that pulled up his lips as he observed their sleeping daughter. He pressed a feather-light kiss to the top of her head and got slowly to his feet, evidently doing his utmost not to jostle his charge. It was only once he was upright that he noticed the presence of his wife lingering by the doorway. One of his eyebrows quirked in amusement and Anna felt herself instinctively beam, which he returned with a crinkle-eyed smile.
Taking slow, steady steps, he made his way to the cot by the wall, clearly hyper-aware of the need to be cautious while holding his little girl without the support of his cane.
Anna joined him as he placed the baby gently into her crib. When he straightened himself up again she leant her head against his shoulder and he immediately wrapped an arm around her waist.
"May I ask what you were doing lurking in the shadows, my dear?" He asked in a teasing but hushed tone.
Anna reached down to tenderly trace a line down her daughter's nose before twisting her head to meet her husband's eyes.
"Just wondering how I came to be so blessed," she whispered back, "with such a perfect family."
He pressed a kiss to her forehead and the pair went back to watching over their sleeping child. Anna couldn't help the contented smile at the wonder of it all, and she knew that she would cherish the memory of finding her husband asleep with their beautiful daughter for as long as she drew breath.
After a silent moment curiosity got the better of her, and Anna had to ask, "What were you reading?"
To her surprise, there was no immediate response. She looked up inquisitively and was stunned to see that her husband appeared to be blushing and avoiding her gaze.
"John?" She questioned, voice betraying her surprise. The baby stirred slightly in her bed of blankets at the sound, but relaxed as soon as her mother began to rub soothing circles on her back.
With the baby at peace, Anna was free to once again turn her curious gaze towards her husband.
He cleared his throat quietly under her scrutiny, and admitted sheepishly: "It's a book of children's stories; 'The Jungle Book'. I bought it the other day while we were in Ripon. I didn't like to wake you, and I thought she might settle if I read to her."
"Ah, I see," Anna replied sagely, tilting her head as she looked up at him with eyes that were incapable of hiding her affection. "So I'm not the only one who's blessed, then."
He gave a hum of confusion. "No?"
"Well it seems to me like our little girl couldn't have asked for a sweeter Daddy than the one she's got."
Her words drew a smile from Mr Bates, exactly as she'd hoped they would, and his eyes twinkled as they gazed back at her.
"She certainly is luckier than most," he acquiesced. "She does have the most beautiful Mum in the world, after all."
"Charmer," Anna accused, but she couldn't hide the smile that blossomed at his words.
In her crib their daughter was wriggling, eyes opening and closing half a dozen times as she began to wake up. She scrunched up her nose and yawned, rubbing one tiny fist to her eyes, before blinking blearily up at her parents.
"And look," John chuckled, "It takes her a good few minutes to wake up. Now who does that remind you of?"
"I don't know what you're taking about, John Bates," Anna replied with an air of mock haughtiness.
"Of course not," he responded with obvious humour. "My girls are clearly both morning people."
The baby let out a small whimper, the one that Anna had begun to recognise as her hungry cry, and she immediately leant down to pick the little girl up.
"What do you think, darling?" Anna cooed as she carefully lifted the bundle to her shoulder. "Is your Daddy teasing us?"
She made her way to the chair that she'd found the pair of them fast asleep in earlier and settled herself in a comfortable position. Her husband was leaning on the cot, watching the pair of them with a small smile.
It was only once the baby had began to feed, after some affectionate encouragement from her mother, that he spoke.
"Thank you.'"
Anna looked up at him, surprised. "What on earth for?"
"For being you. For bringing light into my life when I thought I was lost. For being a brilliant mother, and for giving me the most wonderful daughter a man could ask for."
"What's brought this on?" She wondered.
John simply shrugged. "I couldn't have done it without you, you know. Not any of it. I'd still be stuck in prison for a crime I didn't commit if it wasn't for my amazing wife."
He limped over to where she sat with the baby, pulling up the spare stool as he did. "I love you, Anna May Bates, and I love our little lady just as much."
Anna swallowed past the lump in her throat to say, "I love you too. More than words."
His face split into the smile she so adored, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "We've been through so much, my love, but your light is the reason we always make it through."
"You don't give yourself nearly enough credit, Mr Bates," Anna said affectionately. "We might have braved our share of storms, but we did it together."
She met his eyes, filled with wonder and love, and they shared a smile.
"That we did," he finally agreed. "And now it's our chance to be happy. No more storms to weather."
"Well, like my mother always said," Anna began, looking down at the newest addition to their family and smiling in utter joy. "It can't rain forever."
So I know it's not perfect (and I may have gone a little overboard on the fluff, I freely admit) but I hope you enjoyed it all the same.
I recently discovered a song called "It can't rain forever" by Oh Honey, and the lyrics are insanely Banna ("This pain, these problems / you know they're not forever / My love, my sweetheart / we're on to better weather / It can't rain forever / Some days it will poor / Love is the best umbrella / It can't rain forever") So that certainly inspired the ending and the title.
Please let me know what you think, or if there's any way I can improve - I'd honestly love to hear from you