Disclaimer: I own nothing, zilch, nada.

A/N: PLEASE READ! This is my first multi-fic so I don't know when I will update next. It is very dark and unlike other DA fanfics. I have twisted characters to suit my plot and drastically changed some plot lines. There is subtle hints at rape in this chapter so be warned and Robert is darker and more bad-ass. Italic sentences are Robert's thoughts. That said I hope you enjoy it and please leave a review, I would love to hear what you think.

"Let me get this straight? The Great Lord Grantham has failed to do the only thing that was ever required of him and now he must destroy MY life to save both the estate AND his sorry ass!"

"Robert!"

"How dare you speak to me like that in my own home and swear in front of your mother! You were NOT raised on a farm, and God help me there will be hell to pay if you start to act like it! Now sit down, keep quiet and listen to me!"

"Forgive me father if I am somewhat angry and hesitant to hear about the plan, that will not only damn me but also an innocent girl, to a loveless and stunted marriage." Robert's cool tone of voice and easy attitude screamed sarcasm at his father while he sat down on the plush scarlet couch opposite his parents. It only served to irritate Patrick Crawley even more and he sucked in a breath to berate his son again, but unsurprisingly his wife was quicker to respond with just as much sarcasm; Robert had learned from the best after all.

"Well what marriage isn't loveless and stunted nowadays? It's almost a trend lately. Don't you want to fit in?"

"Please do not insult my intelligence by comparing me to those witless sheep that populate your balls every month Mother."

"Well, since you said please. Praise God you seemed to have regained both your vast vocabulary and your manners; I was afraid I would have to start sending you down to the servants to keep out of sight at the monthly gathering of my sheep." Violet raised her eyebrow in a silent challenge to her son and changed her tone from playful to serious. "Now, have you finished your tantrum? Good, your father made a mistake, Robert it happens; life moves on. It moves on with the next generation which happens to be you at present time. Downton needs you. You can sit there ranting and raving about how your father hurt you, or you can go out and win an heiress to save our home."

Robert sighed slowly, his calm façade dropping when he realised the magnitude of the state that Downton was in and the life-changing choice he was going to have to make. His shoulders suddenly felt heavy with every request his parents had ever made of him for the good of 'our home'. But to Robert this wide and half empty castle was not a home; it was a rusty cage wrapped in the finest silk that was slowly suffocating the life out of him. Every stiff and emotionless conversation was another tug on the rope around his throat. Even now, his heart will have to be sacrificed to maintain the jail that crushed him.

"I can see that your decision has been made. I have no choice. But then again, did I ever?" He rose from the couch before his mother could reply and walked out of the library hearing his father whisper the word 'finally'.

Three weeks later, Lord Rookwood's Ball.

"Well, brother dear have you seen anyone you like?"

"Honestly Rosamund, you sound as if we're shopping for a horse rather than my future wife." Robert snapped at his younger sister and grabbed a glass of champagne from the nearest footman, while looking out over the crowd of people assembled in Lord Rookwood's ballroom. Bright, vibrant colours of Ladies dresses blurred his vision stirring the beginning of a headache.

"Well from what I hear there isn't much difference now is there? When you won't be riding her, she'll only be there for show and affect." Robert gasped at her insinuation and the alcohol he drank earlier went down the wrong way causing him to splutter and cough. Rosamund hid her smirk behind her dance card and strolled off to find her next partner before her brother recovered.

The young Lord put the glass down on the window sill he was next to and ran onto the balcony so he wouldn't cause a scene while trying to breathe again. His mother always said that causing a scene at a ball was the height of indecency and that he would be 'down with the servants', if she ever heard gossip about him making scenes from her friends. God forbid the Grantham's to actually be gossiped about. He grabbed the stone banister and took deliberate slow, raspy breathes while looking out on the moonlit gardens.

"Are you alright?"

The strange feminine voice startled him and he pivoted to his right to face the woman who had walked in on his embarrassment, who was offering up a white satin handkerchief with her pale arm extended out to him. Robert's brow furrowed as he looked at the fabric her hands and followed the path of her skin slowly. Light blue sleeves draped over her arms and at the base her neck was a cascading shower of ebony curls that tempted Robert to wind around his finger, only to see if it would bounce back again when released. Her lips were a pale red but not quite pink as she was biting her bottom lip somewhat nervously, and her eyes. A hiss escaped the young man as he looked into the stranger's eyes, if they could even be called that. To Robert they looked like shining sapphires filled with the ocean and invited him to dive straight into her very soul, the moon was reflecting back on their glossy surface and for a while he could not speak. This woman with the strange voice was by far the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.

"You have champagne on your chin, are you alright?" She asked again seemingly concerned by his immobility and shook the handkerchief at him again.

"Oh, right yes. Yes I'm fine, thank you." The young lord tried to hide his blush by wiping his face with the proffered item which he tried not to notice smelled like jasmine and tea, although he couldn't seem to stop looking into her eyes. He suddenly realised that they were quite alone on the balcony and searched his mind for something to say.

"Do you not have an escort?" Oh yes Robert, that's great; open the conversation with talk of her suitors. Stupid!

"Yes my brother is inside the card room with the other men and my mother is dancing at the moment. I was feeling a bit hot so I came outside and found you."

"Found me?" The way this girl spoke was incredible, so open and giving with information and the way she said it. She found him. Oh God, she was the first person to realise that he was even lost. Get a grip on yourself man and stop staring at her like daft ninny.

"Are you not afraid to be alone with a strange man at night?"

"Should I be? I wasn't under the impression you were all that strange to be honest."

"No, you shouldn't be; I promise to be a perfect gentleman." His brow furrowed further as he looked at her face, "I was under the impression that to be honest was frowned upon nowadays." She looked slightly offended by his statement and raised her head in defiance.

"It seems that your impression of behaving like a gentleman is also incorrect as I personally never classed sarcasm under chivalry." She crossed her arms and averted her gaze away from him, twisting her body to face towards the garden.

"Please, you misunderstand me. That wasn't sarcasm it was curiosity; no-one I've ever met before has been... honest with me. But you're right; I'm not behaving like a gentleman, allow me to introduce myself, Viscount Downton, at your service." He gave a stiff bow as was customary even though it was directed at her side and then joined her to look out over the moonlit landscape.

"Cora Levinson. Pleasure to meet you, m'Lord." She whispered but still avoided his eyes.

"I can assure you Miss Levinson, the pleasure is all mine. You're visiting England?" Robert was impressed that she knew the proper form of address, he didn't recognise her name or accent but was fairly sure she wasn't from Britain.

"Yes."

"And what do you think of it so far?"

"Well, it's different. Back home in America even at the formal get togethers it wasn't so..." She trailed off searching for the right word. Ahh, American. An heiress perhaps? Come on Robert help her out ol' boy you know exactly what word she needs.

"Suffocating?"

"I was going to say different but yes, suffocating is an appropriate substitute for how I would describe English conversation. I don't mean to be insulting but every conversation is spoken in the same clipped tone, the same words are used, the same pinched face when talking to me. They just remind me of... well, sheep. No-one I've met yet has anything to say to me that I haven't heard before"

"Indeed. I myself find mindless bleating rather annoying, I've learned to treat it as white noise." He gave her a small smile after she snorted with amusement in a rather unladylike manner. "So how long will you be staying In England?"

"Oh, that depends who you ask really. According to mother we're staying as long as it takes but if my brother had his way we'd be gone by tomorrow."

Definitely an heiress. Interesting. "What about you? How long would you stay?" He smiled inwardly as she looked at him with curious surprise.

"Me? I would, I don't know. The end of the Season perhaps. But it's not up to me."

"Don't you have a choice?"

"Oh, no, I do. As long as I choose what mother chooses. She's rather a force to be reckoned with."

"Indeed, well I know what that's like." I wonder if her mother is shipping her of to buy a title just as my mother is selling me to the highest bidder. Well, well, well, great minds do think alike after all.

"Hmm, can I ask you something?"

"You just did."

"My, my Lord Downton, I hate to disappoint you but snarkiness is also a quality that gentlemen are supposed to lack."

"My sincerest apologies Miss Levinson. As a gift you may ask a second question." He smirked at her while she glared and obviously bit her tongue to keep herself from insulting him.

"Why was a Viscount hunched over his host's balcony with alcohol all over his face?" It was Cora's turn to smirk as he narrowed his eyes at her for exaggerating the condition he was found in.

"My sister pulled a horribly ugly face and my champagne went down the wrong way so I came out here to recover, to find a beautiful woman waiting for me."

"Flattery will get you nowhere m'Lord. I suggest flowers; carnations are my favourite but I wouldn't say no to roses either."

"Well look at who's so familiar with a lowly sheep." He noticed her shiver while they laughed, "speaking of sheep, I would hate to keep you from all the rams waiting to dance with you."

"I'm not much of a dancer but I did a few turns with Lord Rookwood and his cousin, Mr Painswick I believe. But I doubt anyone is desperate for me to rejoin the frivolity."

"I don't believe that for a second Miss Levinson you just need the right partner. It would be my pleasure to have this dance with you seeing as there aren't any carnations around and I would never force you to settle for a rose."

"Oh, um, alright then." She made eye contact with him as he clasped her small cold hand in his large one and led her into the warm ballroom just as a waltz was coming on. Placing his other hand on her waist he put a respectable ammount of distance between their bodies as much as he was loathe to do it.

"I hope I've earned a few more points than Rookwood."

"Well he was never sarcastic but yes, you've earned far more points than anyone tonight."

"You didn't like our host?"

"He was... strangely distant while being overly familiar at the same time, if that makes a lick of sense."

"He didn't do anything forward did he?"

"No, he just. No he didn't."

Robert wanted to tell her that she could tell him if Rookwood did do anything. That he would take care of it, take care of her. But then reality crashed and he realised that maybe if he did something like that then he would be being forward. Everything about their conversation tonight was far too forward; too fast, but at the same time not being fast enough. It was then that the idea struck him. Mid way through a lucid waltz amid the rest of the flock. An idea that he could grow to love, that would save Downton, that his mother would hate, an absolutely ingenious idea.

Why hello Miss Levinson.

The only outwards sign of Robert's inner thought's was his hand slowly tightening around his partner's waist.

Three months later, Grantham House.

"But she is an American! A commoner hunting for a title! I won't allow it, you may NOT marry her Robert!"

"It's too late Mama. Papa already gave his blessing and has met Cora. The ring is bought and I will ask her to marry me tomorrow, and you can sit there ranting and raving about an American being the next Lady Grantham or can support me in my decision to save our home."

His mother glared at him for a while before getting up and retiring to her room leaving Robert and his father in the drawing-room alone.

"She'll come around son, Cora is a beautiful young woman who will make a fine Countess."

"There is more to being a Countess than looks Papa. She is neither a horse nor a sheep which is why I will marry her."

"I agree son she's more of a lamb, isn't she? Innocent, young and free." Lord Grantham had a dangerous glint in his eyes while sipping on his brandy and winking at Robert, "but not for long, eh?"

One minute his father was sitting on the couch licking his lips, the next he was on the floor with his only son's fingers wrapped around his throat and the abandoned glass rolling on the rug. Robert's weight pressed on the old man's abdomen cutting off his breathing effectively and asserting his dominance over the fool.

"Don't you ever speak of my future wife like that again. Ever!" After Patrick half nodded half gurgled his answer, the young Lord shoved his body away from him and sat back on his heels, watching his father grab at his throat trying to massage the aggravated muscles.

"Where did you learn to move that fast?"

Robert contemplated telling him but decided against it; it wouldn't be good for anyone involved to discover what Robert was truly capable of. "Let's just say that there's a lot you don't know about me. There's also a lot I don't know about you Lord Grantham but I promise you that I will figure it out. I will find out exactly what 'mistake' caused you to lose Downton and you better pray to God that it was a legal one. Because if I find out that you were involved in anything underhand and dragged this family into it, let's just say that even God wouldn't be able to help you there."

He stood and straightened his white waistcoat while his father's face drained of colour, and strode out of the room leaving a terrified Lord and a rolling brandy glass in his wake.

Three days later, Hyde Park.

"Don't worry, Cora; Mama will come around and see you the way I do. It will just take a bit of time for her to get used to it. She just isn't overly fond of change." Robert touched her glove clad hand that was trapped in the crook of his elbow, trying to comfort his fiancée while they walked around the fountain.

"I know that and I am looking forward to the day when she will able to see past the 'unbearable accent' but I'm a little confused at the moment Robert. Not only concerning your mother and proper English etiquette but also us. You have admitted to being a fortune hunter but that is all. Then you confuse my feelings by saying things like that. How exactly do you see me Robert?" Her voice sounded almost strained to his ears and he sighed deeply before leading her to sit at a bench a few feet away taking her hand in both of his.

"There's something you should probably know before everything becomes public and the dates are set. I never wanted this Cora, my parents left me no choice in the matter and I had to marry an heiress to save Downton. My biggest fear was that I would be saddled with a wife that couldn't hold an interesting conversation or make up her own mind, but with you I'm interested. This will sound cliché but I told you before that I treat the rest of the flock like white noise. But with you; I can hear you Cora and I like what I hear, I like what I see. I don't know now if I will ever love you but I can sense an opportunity for love and I want to take it. I want this chance that I have with you. I want to marry you."

"Oh, Robert I want to marry you as well. With the boys back home they were just that; boys. But you, you're a man. You're mysterious and secretive and you confuse me to no end. Most of all you actually talk to me like my opinion matters to you and that means much more to me than sentiments of the heart."

"I'm glad you feel that way but, there's more. I don't know how Papa lost all our money but I intend to find out and it might get... messy. I'm not an average Viscount, Cora, as you have pointed out I have secrets. Eventually I will tell you about my... extracurricular activities but not today. What you need to know is that I'm not exactly normal in private life, I'm not what you would call a gentle man and my father is far far worse. He's up to something and I'm going to find out what it is but I don't want you to be afraid, I will always protect you. I just thought you needed to be aware that something is going on and all the dirty laundry will most likely be revealed when we are well and truly married." His face was a stony mask as he waited for her response with bated breath.

"I don't want normal or gentle, I want passion and excitement and you. I don't care what your father has done or what you like to do in your spare time as long as you stay faithful and talk to me. I want to be kept in the loop and I want you to be able to tell anything and everything. Everyone goes down the aisle with half the story hidden Robert, I don't care about the plot twists, only the main character." She smiled at him then and the world seemed a little less bleak for a moment, like someone had lifted up the silk cover of his cage and the world was beautiful beyond the bars of his prison. She would probably never understand what it meant for him to have someone that would be by his side without wanting anything in return. In that moment it was only them in the whole world, only blue siren singing eyes and a delectable lower lip that was currently trapped between white teeth. He wondered briefly if she would ever let him bite it someday but until then he would have to make do with a kiss.

His head lowered to hers in almost slow motion and captured her full lips with his own. It was simple and short yet demanding and strong at the same time. His thin lips demanded her every attention while his large hand palmed the side of her face with an urgency she had never felt before. His lips were warm, moist and tasted of spearmint and tobacco, Cora could have stayed like that with him forever but unfortunately prolonged displays of affection was generally frowned upon in public; it wasn't long before he slowly pulled back but left his hand where it was.

"I'm afraid I'm a bad influence on you Miss Levinson." He breathed out in a husky voice she had never heard him use before.

"That's quite alright, I find myself rather partial to trying new things with you, even if they are frowned upon." His response was to smile at her and ask how the wedding plans were coming along.

Three weeks later, Downton Abbey.

"I think I shall retire brother dearest, as should you. One only gets one wedding night Robert and all the guests are gone apart from the man Papa is in the library with."

"I think I'll just finish my port and go up then, goodnight Rosamund." Robert waited until his sister was upstairs until making his way to door that connected the library with the drawing-room and straining his ears to listen to the fragments of conversation coming from the room.

"It's only one night, Grantham and it's not as if you have a choice. After this I promise to leave you and your family alone."

"Like I could ever trust your word! First you take my entire fortune, my dignity and now you want to sleep in my bed!"

"If the problem is that you need a bed then I now someone who be more than accommodating - "

"NO! I don't want anymore of your services Rookwood. Fine; your man can stay in the club but only one night mind you and that's it! I don't want to hear from you again; leave Robert and I alone. If you have a problem in the future sort it out by yourself I don't want to be involved." Robert could hear his father pacing and wondered what Rookwood could possibly have over him. Should have known it was Rookwood; he was acting very strange the whole night.

"Whether you like it or not Patrick you are well and truly involved. I should take my leave. You'll thank your beautiful wife for her hospitality won't you? I'd hate to be rude."

"You are the worst kind of scum Rookwood! Don't you dare go near my wife!"

"Yes, I believe you're right. I do prefer them younger after all."

Robert couldn't believe what he was hearing and stayed leaning against the door long after they were both gone, He push away from the door frame with one thought in his head. I need to speak to Carson, but first, my wife is waiting for me. Despite the disturbing conversation he had just overheard the thought of Cora upstairs waiting for him seemed to melt all other thoughts like chocolate in the sun.