I was thinking about how we could have been spared all the S4 misery and this is what I came up with. No spoilers really, just me wanting to write a bit of fluff. I took the first few lines from the show, to set the scene, but it goes AU from there. This is the first time I wrote something in the actual Downton time-setting.
Thank you pussycatwithattitude, first reader and best editor. :)
Disclaimer: Obviously not mine or this would have happened.
All day long she had been looking forward to this evening, to hear the famous opera singer Dame Nellie, but now it was finally here she couldn't enjoy it as much as she wanted to. Her head had started playing up after the game in the servants' hall and it hadn't abated since.
She leaned in a bit closer to her husband, keeping her eyes on the singer, trying to make sure no one but him could hear her, "I've got a bit of a headache."
"Because of the singing?"
Out of the corner of her eye she could see his amused smile and she had to resist rolling her eyes.
"Well, it's not making it any better."
She paused, letting Dame Nellie belt out another note.
"It's probably all that shouting in the game." She could feel his eyes on her and she knew what he was thinking. She turned towards him and caught his gaze, "And I'll thank you not to comment." She suppressed the slight smile forming on her lips, "I'll pop down and get something."
"I'll come with you." He knew he still had to apologise for his outburst earlier in the servants' hall and figured this to be the right moment. He didn't want to wait until they were back at the cottage.
"No it's all right, I'll be fine. You enjoy the singing." She offered him a grateful smile.
As Dame Nellie sang her final note she stood up applauding, making her way to the door that separated upstairs from downstairs. Just as she was about to close the door she felt someone pushing in behind her, her husband had followed her after all.
He had a shy smile on his face as he closed the door behind him, separating them from the on-goings in the hall and to give them some privacy in the staircase.
She rolled her eyes good-naturedly, "I told you, I'll be fine."
"I know, but as your husband I'm allowed to worry."
She narrowed her eyes at him, a smile on her lips, "You just don't like the singing, do you?"
He chuckled and he was glad to hear her giggles filling the empty staircase, warming his heart. Perhaps she wasn't really mad at him. She turned around to descend the stairs and he stepped closer, placing his hand on the small of her back, "Let your husband take care of you."
She smiled up at him, enjoying the twinkle in his eyes.
Together they walked down the stairs in a comfortable silence, sharing smiles as he softly caressed her back. Once down he sent her to the servants' hall as he went to the kitchen to make them a cup of tea and prepare a powder for Anna. He arranged a tray with two cups, a few biscuits he had stolen from Mrs Patmore and Anna's powder. He looked quite pleased as he regarded the tray, knowing only one thing could make it even better. He quickly stepped outside, picked a few flowers and arranged them in a small vase before taking up the tray and walking back to his wife.
She looked up as he entered the servants' hall, a smile forming on her lips as she noticed the flowers, taking her back to that night all those years ago when she was too ill to go to the fair with the other servants. The moment she realised he loved her too.
He sat down next to her and offered her the powder, before placing a cup of tea in front of her.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome, love."
His smile took her breath away and she felt her heart flutter at the boyish look in his eyes.
He noticed a blush on her cheeks and frowned, "You're not having a fever, are you?" He placed his hand tenderly on her forehead, trying to feel if she was warmer than usual, but it wasn't out of the ordinary.
He withdrew his hand and smiled, "I don't think so. How's your headache?"
"Better, thank you." She watched him sipping his tea slowly, her eyes following his every movement.
He turned his gaze back to hers, a worried crease in his forehead, "Is something wrong?"
She shook her head, "Not at all, I'm just glad you came down with me."
He took her hand in his and placed a soft kiss in her palm before entwining their fingers, "You're my wife, I'm finally allowed to worry about you without being frowned upon."
The adoring look in his eyes made her forget all propriety as she leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his lips.
A small, confused smile graced his features as she pulled back, "What was that for?"
"Am I not allowed to thank my husband for taking care of me?" She raised her eyebrows playfully and squeezed his hand softly.
"Well, Mrs Bates..." The smile forming on both their lips came just as easy as the first time he called her by that name, "I guess you are."
He looked around quickly, but seeing that they were truly alone he leant in and pressed his lips against hers again, cupping her cheek as he gently caressed her lips with his own.
He pulled back too soon for her liking and she held her eyes closed as she felt his lips placing another tender kiss on her forehead. She opened her eyes slowly to be greeted by his half-smile and a lazy smile formed on her lips.
He turned in his chair and took both her hands in his, taking a deep breath as he looked into her eyes, "I'm sorry for shouting at you earlier, I shouldn't have done that."
She shook her head, "It's all right, John."
"No, it's not, you deserve better. That's not us, we don't shout at each other. It's just..." He hesitated, a feeling of jealousy settling in the pit of his stomach as he thought about the other valet. "Green..."
"What about him?"
"Come on, Anna, don't pretend you don't know. He's been flirting with you ever since he came here."
She smiled at her husband, "Are you trying to tell me that my husband is jealous?"
He avoided her gaze, knowing she would scold him for his thoughts. "It's just... He's so much younger than me, and you are..."
"Stop right there, John."
The sternness in her voice made him turn his head back to her.
"I know what you're going to say, but I don't want to hear it." She sighed, "After all we've been through, you still doubt."
She moved a bit closer to him and cupped his cheeks with both her hands, "Do you doubt when I kiss you?"
He shook his head a bit awkwardly, constrained by her hands on his cheeks.
She pressed her lips briefly against his, "Do you doubt when I hold you?"
Again he shook his head.
She stood up and crawled on his lap, placing herself on his good knee and wrapping her arms around his neck. She quickly looked over her shoulder to see if they were still alone, before she moved her gaze back to her husband. "Did you doubt when I first told you I loved you?"
She rested her forehead against his as he murmured a soft apology.
"Did you doubt when I did everything in my power to get you out of prison?"
He cupped her cheek tenderly, tears in his eyes, his voice strained by emotions, "Never, Anna."
She pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, moving closer to his ear, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Do you doubt when we're alone in our cottage, up in our bed in each other's arms?"
He felt a thrill going through him as she pressed her body closer to his, her hand moving over his chest as she placed another kiss on the corner of his mouth. He looked up in her eyes, shaking his head.
"Then, my dear husband, I believe you have no reason at all to think I'm going to run off with the first man who tries to give me some attention." She gave him a sweet smile, "I am taken."
He pressed his lips against hers, taking her by surprise as his hands pulled her even closer to him. She smiled against his lips while her hands wandered to his hair. She loved the dishevelled state of her husband when his hair was all messed up, a thrill going through her every time she remembered what caused it.
He reluctantly broke their kiss when the need for air arose, but he kept his head close to her, "I'm sorry, Anna."
She entwined their fingers and looked down in his eyes, "Never doubt, John. I love you, and I will keep on loving you for the rest of my life. No one will come between us."
He pressed a soft kiss above her wedding ring, the symbol of their unbreakable bond, showing her he agreed with everything she said. "I'm a fool."
She let out a laugh and shook her head, his sheepish smile making her heart swell. Her arms found their way around his neck as she rested her forehead against his, lowering her voice to a husky whisper, "Yes, but you're my fool."
He grinned, "That I am, Mrs Bates."
Just as she was about to lean in again, they heard a noise on the stairs. Anna quickly jumped of his knee to sit back in her chair, just in time before Mrs Hughes rounded the corner.
The housekeeper smiled at the couple who seemed to be just sipping their tea, "There you are. Are you feeling better, Anna?"
"I am, thank you. Is there anything I can do?" She could feel she still had a blush on her cheeks, but she was glad to see Mrs Hughes didn't seem to notice.
"We're fine for now. The concert is done, so I guess you'll just have to wait until they're ready to go up."
In the meantime the other servants had come down from the concert and started seeping into the servants' hall. Some were talking about Dame Nellie in admiration, others were merely saying it was better than sitting in the servants' hall all night. When Green entered the servants' hall Anna reached for John's hand under the table, giving it a soft, reassuring squeeze and he smiled in response.
"Anyone up for another game?" Green looked around to the servants, a few jumped up immediately, but his eyes settled on Anna. "Anna, how about you?"
He smiled at her, but she shook her head, "Not for me, Mr Gillingham, I've had enough for today."
John turned towards her, lowering his voice so only she could hear him, "If you want to play, you can. I don't mind."
"Mr Bates…" He still loved the way she would prolong his name and he couldn't help but smile at the twinkle in her eyes, "I prefer spending my time talking to you while we wait than playing another game."
They shared a smile and he felt his heart nearly beating out of his chest as she placed her hand on his thigh for a brief moment, before Daisy caught her attention. He spent his time watching his wife, and the thought about taking her home that night made a smile form on his lips.
It didn't take more than an hour before the first bells started ringing. They both looked up to see it was Lord Grantham who rang first. John stood up and smiled down at Anna, "I'll wait for you."
She watched him walking out of the servants' hall and as if he knew he was being watched he turned around one last time and threw her a wink. She covered her mouth to stifle her giggles. He truly was everything she desired. It wasn't long before Lady Mary rang as well and she left quickly, eager to get it done and go back home with her husband.
Like he told her, he was already waiting downstairs for her, putting on his coat and hat before he turned around to catch her gaze. They smiled as their eyes met and he held out her coat for her, which she gladly accepted. He turned her around to face him and stopped her hands when she moved to close the buttons on her coat, his eyes never leaving hers as he closed them himself. She felt a need rising inside her and the darkening of his eyes told her he felt exactly the same.
They said their goodbyes to Mrs Hughes and Mr Carson, before they started their walk home, her hand clasped tightly in his.
The conversation they had shared before everyone came back down hadn't left his mind. She was right of course about everything, why would he doubt after everything they'd been through? If there was one thing he should have been sure about, it was their love. Hers, always so consistent, never faltering, always fighting for them, for him and his familiar doubts still couldn't leave him alone. He should make it up to her, show her that he would never doubt again.
"You're awfully quiet this evening."
"Just thinking, that's all."
"Good things I hope."
He smiled down at her, "Of course."
They came to a stop in front of their cottage and he searched his pocket for the key, his eyes never leaving hers as he unlocked the door. He let her walk past him, locking the door behind him once he stepped in as well.
He made her turn around to face him again as he slowly unbuttoned her coat, his eyes piercing through hers and she could feel immediately that there was a change in him. He walked around her to slide her coat from her shoulders as he quickly removed his own and hung them up by the door, leaving their hats above the hallstand. He took her hand in his, guiding her in their home. Neither spoke a word, afraid they might break the spell he had brought upon them since entering their cottage. He bent down slowly and placed a kiss on her knuckles, smiling up in her eyes and he enjoyed seeing a blush creeping up her cheeks.
The cottage was dark apart from the moonlight shining in through the windows, casting a beautiful light over her skin and she simply took his breath away. He slowly pulled her to him, resting her back against his chest as he moved his hands to her hips, pulling her flush against him. He placed a trail of kisses in her neck, gently sucking and teething her skin, eliciting a moan from her lips.
She turned her head towards him urging his lips to find her own, but he stopped before he reached them, instead teasingly working his lips around hers while his hands moved over her body, causing a fire inside her. He enjoyed the sounds she was making and he could feel his own body responding to hers. He slowly guided her up the stairs, her back still pressed against his chest and she tangled her hand in his hair, keeping his lips on her neck while his hand moved up slowly to cup her breast. The moans spilling from her mouth as he teased her body through her clothes set his body on fire and he groaned in her ear.
She desperately wanted his lips on hers, but he kept moving away when she guided him, a wicked smile on his lips as she became more frustrated.
He slowed them down when they came to the bedroom and he let her go to stand in front of her. His hands started caressing her neck, his thumb traced her lips and she stuck her tongue out to lick her lips teasingly, knowing what it did to him. She saw his eyes darkening when he noticed her little movement and for a moment she thought he would give in, but still he didn't. His lips found her cheek and trailed towards her ear, gently sucking her earlobe before he whispered the first words of that evening, "I never doubted you, my love."
His words struck something inside her, now she knew what brought this all on. She pulled back and looked into his eyes, her hands cupping his cheeks and she couldn't help the tears forming in her eyes.
He only smiled at her as he leant forward to place several soft kisses over her face, "Nor will I ever doubt you, or our love." He rested his forehead on hers, locking his eyes with hers. Their arms were around each other, wrapped up in the other's embrace in a world of their own. "I love you Mrs Bates, every day a little more."
He took her hand in his and guided her to the bed, where he laid her down, before he settled himself next to her, resting on his elbow as he looked down at her. He tenderly cupped her cheek, his lips only inches away from hers as he spoke, "I will never forget what you did for me, my love." He lowered his lips to hers, but he still didn't close the gap immediately. His lips brushed hers as he spoke again, "My Anna."
She pulled his lips to hers, not able to resist him any longer, and surrendered completely to his loving embrace.
They made love slowly that night, both taking the time to convince the other of their love. Doubts were long gone as they lay together in the aftermath of their exertions, silly smiles on their faces as they realised they only had four hours left before they had to be up at Downton again. As she regarded her beautiful husband she couldn't regret it, times like these were the reason she kept herself going when he was away. She huddled a bit closer to him and he automatically wrapped his arms around her, pressing a soft kiss on her crown. Sleep overwhelmed her in the warmth of her husband's embrace and she allowed herself to drift off in his arms.