May seem a tad quick after only just finishing my first FF, but I wrote this with a friend weeks ago. Mr Bates is free and looking forward to life in their cottage with Anna. However, one thing he does not want is a lot of fuss...

John Bates stepped outside the entrance to the prison and took a sharp intake of breath.

'All the best for the future, Bates. If only all inmates could display such decorum as you have.' John was interrupted from his moment of peace and turned around to take in Mr Barker, the prison officer who had dictated how he should live his days for the past nine months. They had got on well however John was not sorry that this would be the last time they would see each other.

'Thank you, Mr Barker. Your kindness has made my time in here bearable,' John replied. Barker nodded and shut the doors.

John closed his eyes as the doors shut behind him. Free at last. Free to be with his Anna. Slowly making his way away from the prison, he saw a familiar face in the distance. Lord Grantham was waiting for him, his face beaming once he had noticed John walking towards him. Although disappointed Anna wasn't waiting for him, he was nonetheless happy to see a friendly face.

'Bates,' Lord Grantham walked towards him. 'Justice has been done.' John smiled at his employer.

'I don't know how to thank you, M'Lord.'

'Oh, it's not me you have to thank. Matthew did all the ground work. I just used my position in any way I could to ensure an innocent man wasn't left to rot in prison.'

'Well still, if you didn't care I would still be in that place.' John said, cautiously looking back at the dark, grey building that had been his home for far too long.

'Bates, of course I care. If you hadn't cared all those years ago I'd be dead.' John and Lord Grantham shared a look before shaking hands. 'I owe you my life, this is the least I could do.'

'Well I really can't thank you….'

'Now Bates,' Lord Grantham interrupted. 'I'm not afraid to give my old comrade in arms a hug and to admit I've rather missed him.' Lord Grantham threw his arms around his valet. Although responding to it awkwardly, John welcomed it as contact with another human meant he was free, it wasn't a fantasy. Pulling away, John could resist no longer.

'How is Anna?' he asked. Lord Grantham smiled.

'Longing to see her husband.' he replied. 'Let's get back home, shall we?'

'Really Bates, come in through the front doors.' Lord Grantham pleaded.

'Honestly M'lord, I'd prefer to slip in unnoticed.' They were interrupted by Isis bounding up to them. 'Hello old girl,' John leant down and made a fuss of the dog. 'It's funny, the little things that you miss.'

'Indeed,' Lord Grantham smiled. 'Although I'm sure the dog isn't the particular reunion you are waiting for.' John stood up and smiled. 'Now go, I won't hold you back any longer.' Lord Grantham nodded in the direction of the servants entrance.

Walking through the back doors, John looked around as the familiar sounds and smells hit him. Mrs Patmore hollering at Daisy in the kitchen, Thomas reading excerpts from the paper to Miss O Brien. Taking in these things he thought he'd never experience again, his eyes were blessed with the sweetest sight of them all, his dear Anna walking from the servants hall. She felt a presence down the hallway and instinct made her look towards the door. Looking back at her was her smiling husband.

'Mr Bates..' She gasped, not believing it was really her husband standing just a few feet from her. Returning the smile, she dropped the gowns she had just repaired and ran towards him. The only thing John wanted to do in that moment was hold his wife in his arms, so dropping his coat and cane he swept her off her feet as she reached him. Realising he was feeling a little unsteady without his cane he moved both of them back towards the wall and held her close to him, smelling her hair and enjoying the sensation of being close to her once again.

'You know,' he began breaking the silence. 'you can call me John.' They both laughed, a tear running down Anna's cheek. She snuggled into his neck and John sighed contentedly as he enjoyed holding his wife close to him.

'Sorry. John.' They pulled away from each other. 'Don't ever let me go.'

'I don't intend to.' John smiled before leaning in closer. 'Now, how about a kiss. I'm sure I owe you one or two.' Their lips met before being interrupted by Mr Carson clearing his throat. Anna pulled away, startled, causing John to lose his balance. He put an arm out against the wall to stop himself falling over.

'Sorry to interrupt, but we heard the a clatter and wondered what the commotion was.' Carson explained. John straightened himself up as Anna gathered up his cane and handed it to him. They exchanged a smile before turning to their audience.

'Sorry Mr Carson, we got caught up in the emotions of it all.' John explained as he and Anna walked in the direction of the others.

'Mr Bates, you are a sight for sore eyes.' Mrs Hughes exclaimed walking towards them.

'Hello Mrs…' John held out a hand but was shocked as Mrs Hughes embraced him with almost as much enthusiasm as Anna just had. She kissed him on the cheek before pulling away. 'It's lovely to see you.'

'So I see,' John laughed, turning to Anna, wanting to take her in all over again. He had never thought it was possible to love anyone or anything as much as he loved the housemaid standing beside him.

'Daisy, a cup of tea for Mr Bates please,'

'Yes Mrs Patmore.' John laughed, relieved to be hearing Mrs Patmore's orders for Daisy once more.

'Now come on everyone, lets not crowd Mr Bates. Let him sit down.' Mr Carson said. The servants cleared the way for John to walk into the servants hall. He hadn't been in here since he was arrested. He froze, staring at the spot where the two men had handcuffed him. Noticing his discomfort, he was granted relief from an unusual source.

'Mr Bates,' Thomas said standing up, 'your normal seat I believe?' John smiled and Thomas nodded at him as John walked towards his chair. John sat down and the rest of the servants followed, Anna taking her usual place beside him.

'There, back to normal.' Miss O Brien said, smiling weakly as she sat opposite John. Reciprocating her smile, it was an indication to them both that they were making some kind of peace between each other.

'Your tea, Mr Bates,' Daisy put down the tray in the middle of the table and John went to make himself a cup.

'Oh no you don't' Anna said, grabbing his hand. 'I want to make my husband a cup of tea.'

'I keep forgetting you're married.' Miss O Brien said.

'Well it's something we'll all have to get used to.' Mr Carson explained.

'That's if I get my old job back.' John said cynically, nodding in thanks to his wife for pouring him a cup of tea.

'I didn't want to bring this up straight away,' Lord Grantham appeared at the door, causing all the servants to rise to their feet. 'Please sit. I wanted to call Carson, Thomas and you to a meeting tonight, before dinner. Say six?'

'Yes M'lord,' Carson replied.

'But before all that,' Lord Grantham replied, walking around to stand behind Anna and John. 'I'd like to grant Anna the afternoon off to show Bates the cottage I have had prepared for them.' John looked up at Lord Grantham before looking at Anna.

'Our own cottage?' He whispered. Anna nodded, her face shining.

'With Mary being on honeymoon and the other girls visiting their aunt in London, His Lordship gave myself and a few of the other maids time to go and get it ready in time for your release.' Anna explained.

'And a fine job they made of it too.' Lord Grantham chipped in. John stood up and shook his friends hand.

'Thank you, M'Lord. You have no idea how much this means to me.' John took Anna's hand in his and looked at her. 'To us.'

'Stop thanking me, it's the least I could do.' He handed the keys to John. 'Now finish your tea and get that wife of yours over the threshold.'

Walking arm in arm through the tiny Downton village, John thought life couldn't get much better than this. Here he was, a free man being led by his beautiful wife to see their home for the first time. His and Anna's home. This was a day he never thought he would see. He lived for the weekly visits he would receive from his wife in prison, now here they were, together. Even being able to touch her was amazing. They were walking down a quiet lane, without anyone or anything around. Noticing Anna was picking up the pace, he tried to slow her down.

'Hey, what's the hurry?' he laughed, pulling her back and into his embrace. She giggled, taken by surprise by his forthrightness. She buried her face into his shoulder and they stood in silence, realising this was the first time they had been alone since his return.

'I haven't had the chance to say it yet,' John said, 'But I do love you.' Anna lifted her head and looked into John's eyes.

' I love you too. Like you wouldn't believe.' John stroked Anna's face, delicately took hold of her chin and lifted her lips towards his. They shared another kiss before John opened his eyes and noticed something behind his wife's back. A look of mischief covered his face. Anna still had her eyes closed, revelling in her husband being that close to her once more that she didn't notice him reach behind her and detach a rose from it's bush. Anna didn't have a clue what he was doing as he quickly brought the rose around her and hid it behind his back.

'Mr Bates… what are you doing?' Anna laughed, intrigued as to what her husband was hiding.

'Well you see Mrs Bates,' John began. 'I have decided that seeing as we have got a second chance to live this married life of ours I am not going to take it for granted. So each day from now on, for as long as we live, I am going to make a romantic gesture that will leave you in no doubt as to how much I love you and need you in my life.'

'Oh John,' Anna sighed. 'I know how much…'

'Sssh, ' John put his finger on Anna's lips and produced the rose he had picked from behind her. She took it from him and put it up to her nose to smell.

'Thank you,' Anna smiled. 'But Mr Molesley won't be happy you picked one of his prize roses for me.' A look of mischief turned to horror on John's face.

'This is… is… Mr Molesley's house?' John stuttered, pointing at a modest little cottage with a beautifully turned out garden. Anna nodded and smiled at her husbands panic. He grabbed her arm and began pulling her along the path. 'Quick, lets get to the cottage before he notices. He probably knows the exact number of Roses he has in that garden.'