So this is totally different and slightly out of my comfort zone, but hey, there is a first time for everything! And this did, as usual, end up much longer than I originally intended. Hope you like it all the same!

Christmas Eve, Midnight, 1889

"Merry Christmas!" Lord Grantham lifted his glass in the air and grinned.

Robert and Cora smiled in return and raised their glasses, letting them clink with Violet, Rosamund, and Marmaduke.

Robert leaned over and kissed his wife on the cheek and Cora smiled at him, blushing slightly.

She took his arm and they sat on the couch, across from Rosamund and Marmaduke who were speaking in low voices.

"We none of us keep secrets around here!" Violet scolded somewhat playfully as she walked past them with her glass in her hand.

"We've decided that we want the gift exchange to be public this year," Rosamund announced.

"Rosamund…" Violet rolled her eyes. "You know that the tradition…"

Rosamund waved her hand at her mother nonchalantly and turned beside her, grabbing onto a small envelope. She handed it to Cora, her face eager.

Cora looked at Rosamund, questioning, and then over at her husband before opening the small envelope. She pulled out two steamer tickets to New York for the spring. Her face lighting up instantly, she turned to Robert before turning to Rosamund. "Tickets!" was all she managed in an excited tone.

Rosamund grinned and nodded. Cora virtually threw herself at her sister-in-law in a tight hug. Robert smiled, happy to see Cora so happy.

"I'm not sure that this would be a good idea…" Violet started but her husband silenced her. "Look how happy she is, darling" Patrick muttered. "I'm sure she is very homesick."

"I can't wait to see Mama," Cora grinned from ear to ear as she sat back down at her chair. She turned to Robert. "Darling aren't these wonderful?" Cora handed them to Robert.

Robert took them and placed them in his pocket. "Thank you Rosamund, Marmaduke. These will be quite treasured."

Cora walked over near the fireplace and returned with two small packages, handing it to Rosamund and her husband. "From Robert and myself."

"Thank you!" Marmaduke stated, but Rosamund had already torn into the paper excitedly. She emerged with a small bottle of perfume.

"It's the finest. I had it shipped in from Boston." Cora said proudly. Rosamund sniffed it and grinned. "It's beautiful, Cora, Robert, thank you!"

Marmaduke was eyeing his new book on hunting appreciably. "The bounding is exquisite!"

"Now, now that is quite enough gift giving!" Violet protested.

"Your Mama is quite right, I think" Patrick interjected. "We may finish the rest at a time that is more…"

He was interrupted by Cora who handed her mother-in-law a small package. "Merry Christmas."

Violet looked at her daughter-in-law suspiciously before taking the package from her and opening it slowly. It was a small music box. One she had given Robert and Rosamund as kids.

"I found it amongst Robert's old things," Cora said shyly. "It no longer worked so I took it into the village and found someone that could fix it. Thought you might want to have it."

Violet twisted the knob and the music began to play, bringing her back to days past. Her mind went back to the nursery, of Robert's big blue eyes staring up at her expectantly, in his little suit, and Rosamund sitting cross-legged, her pretty red hair in tight little curls.

"Thank you," Violet spoke quietly, with feeling. She cleared her throat. "I think I shall retire now."

"We all should I suppose. There will be over ten people in the house tomorrow," Robert stood up slowly, depositing his glass on the table. He offered his arm to Cora who took it.

DA

There was a knock at Cora's door. "Come in!"

Robert poked his head in. "Oh, good. I'm glad you are not asleep yet."

She turned around on her vanity. She was putting lotion on her hands.

"I just…I wanted to give you your Christmas present," Robert stated sheepishly.

Cora smiled. "You read my mind, dear." She reached into the drawer of her vanity and brought out small package. "Merry Christmas, Robert." She walked over and handed it to him, looking rather shy.

He opened the present and found himself holding a brand new pocket watch. His eyed opened wide he looked down at it and then back at her. "Cora this is…this is wonderful!"

She grinned. "I saw you admiring it the other week down in the village."

"It's lovely," his blue eyes sparkled and it made her knees weak. He reached into the pocket of his robe and withdrew a small box. He opened it to reveal a beautiful gold bracelet embedded with rubies.

Cora gasped and put a hand to her mouth. "Robert…."

He took it out of the box and she held her arm out wordlessly as he clasped it around her wrist. "It's beautiful," she whispered. "You didn't have to…." She trailed off, overcome by the beautiful bracelet.

"Of course I did. But even you outshine the bracelet," he smiled down at her. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Have you been happy with me? These 7 months?" He whispered into her neck.

She pulled back and held his face in her hands. "Have you been happy with me?" She returned the question.

He leaned down, kissed her purposefully, and re-surfaced. "Does that answer your question?"

Taken slightly aback by his forwardness she nodded slightly, staring at his lips. "Yes," she breathed. She looked up at him and then back at his lips again.

"Cora…" he started but she interrupted him. Throwing her arms around his neck she pressed her lips to his. He wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her closer to him.

He leaned down and placed soft kisses on her neck. She tilted her neck up, allowing him access and murmured appreciably before giggling and gripping onto him tighter.

His lips returned hungrily to her mouth and she felt like she would lose her breath. Her heartbeat had quickened considerably and she could feel her entire body tingling.

"Robert…." She groaned breaking free to take a breath. He continued to place tiny kisses on her cheek and her ears. She felt her knees buckling beneath her and gripped tighter to his robe to keep her legs steady.

His hands moved to untie her robe and she matched his movement. Their robes fell in a heap on the floor.

"Darling what are we doing?" She whispered into his ear. But his lips silenced her again and she felt a haze of pleasure begin to envelop her. He began to back up towards the bed and she followed him, stumbling slightly.

She reached down and began fiddling with the buttons on his shirt and he her nightgown. After a couple moments they pulled apart sheepishly.

"I don't…" he said in a rather frustrated voice.

Cora didn't care anymore. An unquenchable heat had overcome her that she'd never experienced. She grabbed at the ties and undid them quickly, lifting her nightgown over her head and throwing it in the corner. She stood in front of her husband, stark naked.

He merely gaped at her for a moment before looking down and quickly pulling apart the buttons on his nightshirt and slipping out of his pants. He grabbed her and she, not expecting his firmness, lost her footing. They fell onto the bed, Cora atop of him and she giggled. He leaned up slightly to kiss her and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

He rolled over then and paused. She lay on her back now, her hair sprawled out on the bed. She wore nothing save the bracelet that glistened in the moonlight streaming through the window. He leaned forward and trailed kisses down her neck, her chest, and to her stomach. Her back arched slightly.

"Robert please…" she murmured, her body beginning to write with anticipation. Her hands reached up and entangled themselves in his hair.

Robert, still a young man with little control, felt himself beginning to lose it. Her perfume wafted into his nostrils. His lips returned to hers, hungrier than before.

"Cora?" He questioned softly.

"Yes" she replied firmly.

Confused slightly, he spoke again. "Cora, I…."

"YES," her voice came out so forceful that Robert withdrew and stared into her eyes. Her cheeks were flushed pink and she was breathing heavily. She had never behaved this way when they had….But then again, this was the first time that THIS….

She grasped at him, trying to pull him towards her. Acting on instinct, he leaned forward and thrust. She let out an immediate elicited moan and her back arched a bit more forcefully this time. She moaned a little louder and he realized…she was actually enjoying this. He thrust into her again. And again. She clawed at his back and pulled him closer towards her.

They developed a rhythm, a slow moving one that began to pick up speed, which neither of them seemed to notice. She continued to attempt to pull him closer to her, closer in her. She had lost total control, groaning, gasping, and groaning into his neck.

Robert could feel himself coming, he knew it. They began to move at a frenzied speed, unlike anything they had ever done before.

He felt the haze overcoming him and he cried out in pleasure, realizing that she had done so at the same time. He finished then, and nearly collapsed on top of her, suddenly feeling quite exhausted. He was sweating slightly, as was she. They lay for there a couple moments before Robert rolled over on his back next to her.

"That was…." He started.

"Nice."

"Naughty."

They spoke over one another. They turned their heads, Robert's face one of shock but Cora's held a big mischevious grin.

"You didn't think that was nice?" He asked, his face registering hurt.

"Of course I did!" She scooted over and draped her arm across his chest, resting her head in the crook of his neck. "I've just never…." She trailed off as she drew circles on his chest with her fingers.

She didn't finish and Robert began to grow nervous suddenly. He started to shift himself away but was interrupted.

"Is this what love-making is supposed to feel like?" Her voice came out softly, questioning.

He stopped, frowning. "I don't….I don't know."

"Because if it is, I enjoyed it very much," she looked up at him, tears glistening in her eyes. "I didn't think I could ever…" she stopped again and laughed a little bit wiping at her eyes with her arm. "It was very nice."

Robert leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips before pulling away and giving her that boyish grin that she loved. "I suppose it was rather naughty too."

"Naughty AND nice," she grinned.

"Naughty and nice," Robert affirmed.