A/N: Here goes. The first part may seem just a bit familiar... All characters and quotes belong to Downton Abbey, not me :)

Missing Pieces

"Thank you for coming to Sybil's rescue," Mary spoke warmly, gratefully. "You were very brave!" she added after a moment's pause. Matthew looked up at the note of admiration in her voice. "She told me you knocked a man down!"

Matthew dipped his head bashfully, unable to help a smile at her praise.

"I hope I did my duty," he said, raising his eyebrows. He did not consider himself a brave man, nor a hero of any kind. He had simply acted as he believed he should, in order to protect the young girl from violence. He took a sip of his drink, self-conscious under Mary's gaze.

"Are you a creature of duty?" she asked. She did admire him, the way he had taken on his duties and responsibilities as heir to her father's estate. After all, they had hardly made it easy for him, and she had been reluctantly impressed by his resilience.

"Not entirely," he met her gaze again, puzzled by the question.

"When you laugh with me, or flirt with me... Is that a duty?" He stared in open surprise at her directness. "Are you conforming to the fitness of things, doing what's expected?"

Emboldened by her playful smile, and the light dancing in her eyes, he narrowed his eyes teasingly. What was she playing at? How he wished he could see inside her mind, unravel the marvellous complexity of her character.

"Don't play with me," his lips quirked upwards as he replied. "I don't deserve it, not from you." His loaded words left Mary's heart fluttering as he deliberately turned his attention away again. A moment passed.

"You must be careful not to break Sybil's heart," she changed tack now, challenging his affections. "I think she has a crush on you."

"Well that's something no-one could accuse you of," Matthew responded playfully, holding her gaze intensely. Her breath caught in her throat as he turned fully towards her, leaning in closely.

"Oh I don't know..." Suddenly coy, Mary toyed with her necklace, her heart hammering in her chest. Did she dare to admit it? Could she possibly? A flash of disbelief, confusion, flickered across Matthew's eyes. Had she really said what he just thought she said? He had begun to hope beyond belief that she may have been more fond of him than she would allow anyone to believe, but could she possibly have some deeper affection for him?

"I assume you speak in a spirit of mockery," he said heavily, testing her. His eyes were dark with suppressed passion; he could not tear his gaze from her. She met his stare equally, confidently.

"You should have more faith," she encouraged him, her eyes willing him to take her unspoken admission seriously. In response, he dipped his head, moving closer towards her, closer than they both knew was appropriate.

"Shall I remind you of some of the choicest remarks you made about me when I arrived here?" His mischievous smile and teasing tone belied the accusation in his words. Still, she lowered her head and her eyes to the table. In all truth, she was ashamed now of the way she had treated Matthew when he first came into their lives. "Because they live in my memory, as fresh as the day they were spoken." His words, heavily laden with unspoken meaning, made her heart swell. She was extremely aware of his eyes upon her, challenging her, willing her to look up and see his passion reflected in their depths. He swallowed thickly in anticipation of her response.

"Oh Matthew, what am I always telling you," Mary smiled suggestively, finding the will to boldly meet his gaze."You must pay no attention to the things I say." She encouraged him with her eyes.

Matthew's eyes widened imperceptibly, his mouth slightly open in disbelief. Could he really dare to believe her? That her feelings towards him were now so wholly altered that she could feel for him a fraction of what he felt for her? The world seemed to suddenly stop around him. There was nothing else, nothing but her, filling his whole vision and being. His eyes moved down unconsciously to her lips, and back up to her eyes, finding assurance in her smile.

She was not even aware of how it happened. One moment they were bantering, flirting, as they normally did. At once the atmosphere had changed, thickened, become electric. Before she knew what was happening, before any conscious thought or decision, she found herself yielding to his kiss wholeheartedly. Her hand, without thought, reached up to caress his cheek. The touch of his cool skin beneath her fingers thrilled her.

Neither of them was aware of how much time passed in their sweet, shared bliss. All else was beyond thought or comprehension, they were only aware of the other, and the heated connection between them. Finally, slowly, reluctantly, as though it were a dream that would shatter in an instant, they separated.

"Oh Matthew..." His heart leapt at the sound of his name breathed softly through her lips, her eyes still closed in blissful delight. His own fluttered slowly open, drinking her in, hardly daring to believe that he had not imagined her kiss.

"Mary." His voice trembled with feeling. She met his intense gaze, her heart catching for a moment as she felt him tenderly clasp her hands between his own. There were but inches separating them, the air between seeming cold in sharp contrast to the warmth of his proximity. "Mary, you must answer me plainly, can it be possible that you care for me?" He held his breath as he awaited her response.

"Yes," she replied tentatively, after a moment's thought. "Yes, I rather think I might!" She seemed herself surprised at her own admission. Matthew's breath caught in fresh hope; he grasped her soft hands a little more tightly.

"Because I care for you," his head bowed in sincerity, looking intently up at her from under his brows. "I care very deeply for you, Mary." She felt a small shudder of delight at his heartfelt words, and rewarded him a dip of her head in acknowledgment, her cheeks tinting with a delicate blush. She could not help but smile in her pleasure; it was all she could do to remind herself to breathe.

Matthew watched her carefully, observing her reaction. He was stunned and heartened by her admission. He had often marvelled at the brief glimpses she had allowed him into her thoughts; he knew that she was a guarded soul, and he was not unaware of the significance of her openness with him. He could not believe that she could have conjured or created the passion he had felt in her kiss, had seen in her eyes, had heard in the way she spoke his name.

Smiling tentatively, he spoke again.

"Or, do you consider me to be but a hideous sea monster still?"

Mary chuckled softly at the recollection of their dinner conversation, glad that he did not hold it against her. She smiled gently up at him, a shade of light-heartedness in the thick atmosphere. "I must admit not," she spoke softly, tenderly. "I am ashamed to admit that my initial assessment of your character was wholly unjustified. I must confess that you are rather more a Perseus to me, now."

Matthew's heart sang in delight at her response. For the first time, he was acutely aware that he did not just hold Mary in great affection. He was thoroughly, deeply, in love with her. Serious once more, he breathed deeply, speaking carefully.

"Mary..." Her body trembled in response to the warmth and affection clear in his expression. "Mary; could you... Would you marry me?"

A/N: Much more to come :) Thank you for taking the time to read, please let me know what you thought!