This story popped into my mind at the early hours of last night and I just had to write it down. Involving the best couple alive =)

xXx

Packing up the remains of the hospital at Downton was no easy task. But just as quickly as it had arrived, it was gone.

Anna was in the process of restoring all the different rooms to their original state, as if no soldier had ever been there. Once al the extra beds, tables, chairs and even the table tennis table had been removed from the house, Anna felt that her job was nearly done. All but one task was complete.

It was madness really. Once John had taken the ever so brief time to grieve for his wife, he and Anna started to make plans again. It was as if Vera had never returned, almost perfect once more. The quick purchase of a ring and they were married within days.

It might have been a bit unorthodox, but it was real enough for them. And tonight, they will be together, alone at last.

With a new glittering wedding ring on her finger, Anna reluctantly left her place in the servants hall, naturally next to John, and began her journey up the stairs. She was intercepted by Daisy, eager for any excuse to escape for the clutches of Mrs. Patmore.

"What yer doin' Anna?" she asked innocently.

Anna hesitated a moment before answering. "I'm going to set up one of the guest rooms for tonight."

"Oh," Daisy replied, "I didn't realize we had anyone staying, not so soon after the hospital is gone."

"Neither did I, which is why I must hurry and get the bed made." She turned away to make a hasty retreat, hoping that Daisy wouldn't ask any more questions. Her wish was denied.

"Do yer want a hand?"

Obviously Anna wanted as little amount of people as possible to know the real plans her and John had for that room. But she didn't like the idea of all the work she would have to catch up on, after wasting time making their bed for the evening. Reluctantly, she agreed.

"Come on then, it takes 'alf the time with two."

Smiling, Daisy set off with Anna to fetch the linen before heading to the guest wing.

xXx

As usual, daisy awoke the next morning at an inhumane hour. She dragged herself from the comfort of her bad and hastily dressed to avoid the chill of the morning air.

As quietly as humanly possible, Daisy went to lay all the fires of the Crawley family. Once they were all lit and burning nicely, she slowly started to make her way back down the servant stairwell, when she suddenly remembered yesterday's task with Anna.

Daisy quietly chided herself for her forgetfulness, and climbed back up stairs. She headed towards the room that held the bed she had made with Anna.

Silently she opened the door and shut it behind her. Daisy noticed it was a couple in the bed and tried her best not to disturb the pair. The woman stirred slightly before becoming still again. Releasing a breath she didn't know she was holding, Daisy continued to build the fire.

xXx

Anna was alerted to Daisy's presence at the click of the door shut.

Groggily, she slowly stretched her body, annoyed at the interruption of her peaceful slumber. Once fully awake, Anna took in her surroundings and was reminded of the previous night's activities. Smiling to herself, she felt an arm held protectively around her slim waist. She turned to face the warmth of her husband resting behind her.

As she moved, Anna saw movement out of the corner of her eye. Movement that shouldn't have been there. Cautiously, she peered around and caught sight of Daisy, crouched over the fireplace.

Her heart started to pound wildly at the thought of being discovered. Desperately trying to assess the situation, Anna was at loss to what to do.

She felt John begin to stir behind her, and quickly turned to cover his mouth with her palm.

John started, confused by Anna's actions. He opened his eyes and looked at his wife's stern expression. With her free hand, Anna motioned for him to be quiet and slowly pointed to the other side of the room.

As Daisy came into view, John could feel the corners of his mouth beginning to twitch into a broad smile. He could scarcely contain the laughter threatening to bubble up his throat.

Turning to look back at Anna, he saw that she did not find this quite so amusing. He tried his best, he really did. But he couldn't help it.

At first Anna was shocked to see John so relaxed by daisy's intrusion. But his laughter was infectious and Anna was soon fighting her own grin. Together they tried to stifle their growing voices, begging inwardly that Daisy would leave.

What felt like an eternity later, Daisy started to gather up her things and quietly quit the room, absolutely oblivious to the scene unfolding at her exit.

Free to make louder noises now, Anna and John began to laugh openly. Still conscious of being discovered further, they attempted to do so quietly.

"Can you believe how close that was?" Anna asked incredulously.

"No, I knew she wasn't the brightest blub in the box but I thought she might recognize us. Thank god she didn't," he chuckled beside her. Abruptly, his laughter stopped in confusion. "Why did she think she needed to make a fire in here?"

Realization dawning on her, Anna groaned in annoyance. "I let her help me yesterday, when I came to make the bed. I had so much other work to attend to, I was grateful for the help," she said, trying to slightly defend herself in the situation. "Daisy must've remembered that a um . . . 'guest' was staying."

John arched his eyebrows up with a bemused expression on his face. "And who, exactly, was this 'guest'?"

"Well I could hardly say that I was making a bed in an empty room for nothing. And I wasn't exactly going to tell the truth, was I?" Anna could feel a blush creeping up her neck.

Her embarrassment only amused John further. He started to gather up his wife in his arms and couldn't help teasing her further. "And what, pray tell, is the truth of this matter?" he asked oh so innocently.

Anna smirked at his teasing and leaned in to softly kiss him. "That I wanted to finally spend an evening," kiss, "with my amazing," kiss, "loving," kiss, "husband."

As they continued to kiss passionately, Anna could feel a familiar ache in her core starting to build again. His mouth against hers was intoxicating. He began to tease at her lips with his tongue and she unabashedly granted him entrance.

They were grateful for no further interruptions that morning.

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