A/N: I know I listed Carson and Hughes as characters in this story and I promise they will play a big role in here and that I will be including some flirting between them (possibly more). I am already nearly three chapters ahead so I should be able to post fairly regularly, I haven't forgotten about "Make You Feel My Love", this idea just sort of grabbed me and hasn't let go yet. So I'm able to write this one more quickly at the moment. Due to the fact that I am further ahead in the writing and already have an outline it will be harder to include any ideas or suggestion you may have, but I am still open to suggestions :) A big thanks to my editor, motivator, and think tank extraordinaire, A-Lady-To-Me. Without her this story would have never got off the ground and would have turned out completely differently. So I thank her from the bottom of my heart. Okay everyone, enjoy the story and please review!

Chapter 1

John checked his watch again for what seemed like the millionth time fearing he would be late to meet up with Robert. His first day at his new job and he was going to be late meeting up for breakfast with his new boss. Thankfully he had worked with Robert once before, but still his stomach turned at the impression this must be making with his new employer and long time friend. He ran a nervous hand through his styled hair, which must have looked a mess by now as he tried following Robert's instructions on the piece of paper that Robert scribbled out the day before. He hadn't realized Robert didn't include a number for the address and was wandering up and down the cross streets Robert provided, trying to find a restaurant that would be open this early. Robert insisted it would be easy to find, but John had to disagree as he glanced back in the direction he just came from. His brows furrowed as he became increasingly frustrated and felt like he was travelling in circles. While he was busy staring at the piece of paper and looking up at the names of the business signs that lined the street he accidentally stepped off the curb and into a puddle. "Oh, come on!" he cursed himself as he attempted to clean himself up.

He finally gave in and pulled his cell phone from his pocket to dial Robert's number. As the phone rang he continued to berate himself, "Way to go, John."

"Hello," Robert's warm voice responded from the other end of the line.

"Robert, its John. I'm sorry to inconvenience you mate, but I'm running late. I'm close though…or at least I think so. I was at the cross street and couldn't find the place you described. I tried to look up the address, but twenty years on and I still can't read your chicken scratch writing."

"No worries, you have time, I'm actually running late myself," Robert confessed. John heard his voice begin to cut out as the reception bars began to dwindle. John tried moving back to where he was originally standing hoping to get a better signal but all he could hear Robert say was, "-around the corner."

"Around the corner from what?" John asked as it began to rain and he made an effort to stand under an awning provided by a local business.

"The shop-…" Robert repeated but again the signal cut out. The call dropped and John was back at square one again.

John looked around as he tried to look for a shop, but he had no idea what kind of shop or where it might be. "An address number to accompany the street name would have been nice, Robert," John sighed to himself. He was becoming more soaked by the minute; John was lucky he had been smart enough to grab his London Fog trench coat on his way out the door that morning. He buttoned up and popped the collar of the coat to shield his face from the rain.

Just then a young woman began to pull back the curtains and lifted the blinds in one of the store windows to unveil her products. Seeing no one else available on the street that looked familiar with the area, John lightly tapped on the window and spoke through the glass as he tried to keep himself dry, "Excuse me."

The young woman barely looked up as she pointed to the hours on the sign fixed to the window and said, "We aren't open yet."

"Would you maybe know of a diner or a restaurant around here? Perhaps on a corner?" he asked kindly.

She looked him over for a moment, he was older than she was, but he wasn't completely hopeless in the looks department. He had chestnut hair and hazel eyes and he was certainly dressed well in a dark grey suit and navy blue tie. She hesitated as he clearly didn't look like a potential customer, but she took pity on the man who was slowly becoming soaked to the bone. "Are you looking for a place that serves breakfast?" she asked.

Her voice was muffled through the window but John was still able to make it out, "Yes."

She took a moment to make an adjustment to one of the pieces featured on a stand by the window. "Go down another block, that way," she pointed in the direction John was already travelling in. "Make a right at the light; I can't remember the address but it's The Shop Around the Corner," she said with a gentle smile.

"Thank you, miss…"

"Ivy," the young lady with dark brown hair and fair skin replied sounding a little irritated as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Ivy, you've been a great help. But what's it called?" he asked.

She finally made her way to the door and unlocked it for a moment and poked her head out. "I already told you. 'The Shop Around the Corner'. You know like the film," she said.

"What film?" he asked looking perplexed and he could tell she was equally confused by his question. "Oh never mind," he said shaking his head, "I best be going. Thanks again."

"You're welcome!" she called out as he took off in the direction she had told him to go.

A few minutes later John stood in front of 'The Shop Around the Corner' staring at a giant neon sign shaped like a coffee cup that emitted a low buzz as it alternated colors. He rolled his eyes now as he contemplated the confusion the name must have caused other customers but laughed softly to himself as he thought back on the rough morning. He took a quick peak in the window and saw that most of the lights were still off but a small sign in the window indicated they were open so he placed his hand on the handle and gently pushed in. The small ring of the bell above the door gave a small cry as he stepped inside and saw the coat rack to the right for him to hang his wet garments. He doubted the coat would dry before heading into the office with Robert, but this would have to do. John surveyed the dining area and noticed it was pretty empty, but it was still early in the morning. The place had a very homey feel to it and judging by the structure and some of the décor it had been around for quite some time.

"It's open seating," a sweet voice called from somewhere behind the counter.

John was momentarily confused as he tried to pin point where the voice was coming from, he stepped forward towards the counter and replied back softly, "Thanks."

"You're welcome," the voice came back and John couldn't help but smile. He had to admit he was rather intrigued to see what face would accompany such a warm and gentle tone so early in the morning.

Then a small blonde head bobbed up behind the counter and slid a menu to him. He stopped it with his hand but kept his eyes transfixed on the shiny golden locks that had him captivated until she emerged. She had a smile unlike any other, her eyes shone like blue diamonds, and her petite but strong features were something to behold. The woman looked to be in her late twenties but seemed to be wise beyond her years; dressed smartly in a light blue woven top that made her eyes sparkle and a simple beige skirt with a white apron tied neatly around her waist. She smelled of lavender and mint tea, a gentle but intoxicating smell that drew him in like bees to honey or a moth to a flame. "I'll be right with you. I don't usually open by myself and I have to get the register sorted," she said with a smile as she pulled her hair back and tied it up into a loose bun.

John silently gulped, trying hard not to stare as her neck and collar bone were now exposed.

"Would you like anything to drink? Coffee? Tea? Orange juice?" she offered.

John was almost too far gone to answer her question, as he continued to drink in the sight of her. "Ummm…t—t—tea would be lovely," he managed to get out.

"Any particular flavor?" she asked. "We have all sorts: Early Grey, Black, Mint, Jasmine…I could sit here all day," she said playfully and followed it with a small laugh.

"Mint, would smell nice," he said in a voice no louder than a whisper.

"What?"

"I mean, um…mint tea is fine," he corrected himself as he tried to regain his bearings.

The young woman took a glimpse at the bottom of his pant legs that were soaked. She pursed her lips as she tried to determine if he had wasn't quite right in the head or was just having a stroke of bad luck. Either way she couldn't help but feel compassion for him. Before she walked off she had to stop and ask, "Are you alright?"

"I can manage," he replied quickly in a steadfast voice. "I'll just be in the restroom," he said and immediately regretted it the moment the words flew out of his mouth. "I mean, I'll be right back I just want to try to clean up a bit," he corrected himself.

She smiled at him sweetly and the look on her face seemed as though her heart was breaking for him with every word that came tumbling out.

When she walked off he let out a deep breath he hadn't realized he was holding in and loosened his tie and shirt collar a bit as he attempted to get his nerves under control. John headed to the restroom and did the best he could to clean his pant legs off and use the small hand dryer to dry them along with the rest of his ensemble. He splashed some cool water on his face and patted the water on the back of his neck. He pulled a small comb from the pocket of his suit and smoothed his hair back into place as he rearranged the little bit of pomade that had still held up before giving himself a pep talk to keep him from giving up completely on this mess of a morning. 'Except for her", he thought to himself. She was just as lovely as watching the sun come up and the way she was so concerned for him had melted his heart. He would have to be sure to catch her name and thank her personally before he left, maybe even leave her a nice tip. What was he thinking? She probably thought he was just released from the loony bin. After the way he acted, he would be lucky if she was still willing to take his order.

As he stepped back out into the dining area he checked his watch and glanced out the window to see if he could catch a glimpse of Robert. Still nothing. He looked back to the counter and saw the waitress from before holding a pot of tea in one hand as she spoke to a young redhead and eyed him. John immediately looked down toward the ground and sunk his hands into his pockets wishing he were invisible. He meandered over to the row of booths and was about to sit in the first one he came across until he noticed a small jacket in the corner and a handful of toys spread out on the worn, wooden table top. He assumed the table was occupied and proceeded to sit in the adjacent booth. John unbuttoned his suit jacket so that he could catch his breath and had just settled into his chair before he heard a small voice say, "Excuse me."

John's brows creased together as he followed the voice and looked underneath the table to find a little boy staring back at him. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize this table was taken," he said kindly as he offered the young lad a sincere smile.

"It's not," the child answered back sweetly. "I dropped one of my army men down here."

Still hunched over so that he could lean under the table, John asked in a voice filled with concern, "Were you able to find him?"

"Yes," he sat up straight and looked up so that his eyes met John's. "You're stepping on him," he answered back matter-of-factly.

"Sorry about that mate," John replied. He scrambled to move his foot and scooted back into the aisle so the boy could crawl out from underneath the table. He offered the boy his hand so he could help him up, but the boy simply rose to his feet on his own and held the toy up with pride. The child couldn't have been more than four years old; he barely reached John's hip even when he stood at attention. He had a fair complexion and sandy, blond hair that hung just a little over his eye brows; nearly masking the biggest, dark blue eyes John had ever seen. His mouth was covered in something sticky. 'Probably something sweet,' John thought to himself. Rather than shy away or send the child off on his merry way, John couldn't help but smile at the lad.

John was just about to ask the boy his name when the redhead made her way over and pulled the young boy aside. "What does mommy tell you about talking to strangers?" she asked as she smoothed his hair and zipped up his little green hoodie.

The boy let out a huff and rolled his eyes a bit. He was clearly more interested in his toy as he twirled the army man in his hands and mumbled, "Not to talk to them."

"That's right, now get back to your seat and go finish your oatmeal," she ordered as she guided him back to his chair.

"But it needs more sugar," he protested.

"You've got enough sugar in you to keep you going all day, Danno. You'll be lucky if you make it until naptime without having a sugar crash." Turning her attention back to John, she smiled before apologizing. "I'm sorry. I hope he wasn't a bother."

"No bother at all," John said as he took a peek over her shoulder and saw the boy scoop a spoonful of oatmeal in his mouth before resuming playing with the army men along the partition that adjoined their booths. As soon as the child noticed he was being watch he ducked below the partition before venturing a quick look over the back of the chair. "I enjoyed the company and he was very well behaved," John commented.

"Thanks, but I can't take credit for it," she stated with a cheerful smile.

"Oh?" John sounded intrigued as his eye brows lifted.

"Tick tock, tick tock, the clock says it's seven o'clock," the little boy said as he pointed to his wrist watch.

"Oh my gosh, it is!" she exclaimed as she looked at his watch. "We have to get going, Danno," she said as she reached around to grab his little back pack and put his toys away. "Go wash your hands like a big boy and I'll meet you by the register," she said as he skipped off to the bathroom.

Just then the blonde waitress from before came by to bring John his tea, "Are you ready to order?"

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't even get a chance to look over the menu I was just making friends with your smaller patrons," John joked. His eyes crinkled in the corners as he smiled and lit up when he noticed her name tag 'Anna'.

Anna looked mortified, "Was he bothering you?"

"No, no, I was just telling um…" he pointed back to the redhead, "I'm sorry I didn't catch your name."

"Gwen," the redhead filled in.

"Right. I was just telling Gwen here that he was a perfect angel," he said.

Anna let out a sigh of relief and couldn't help but stare at the man standing before her. His dark brown hair and burly features caused her breath to hitch in her throat for a moment. He was taller than she was by a good foot at least and his legs seemed to go on for days. Although she tried not to judge based off appearances she had to admit that there was something about a man in a suit that she just couldn't resist. Anna had noticed that since returning from the restroom his hair didn't look nearly as disheveled as before and he seemed to be more relaxed. Now that he was closer to her than before she caught a whiff of his after shave that was intoxicatingly delicious. She was lost in his hazel eyes for what seemed like hours before Gwen nudged her in the rib, "Anna, I need to pay so we can get going."

"Right. Sorry, Gwen," she stammered.

"Tell you what, just eggs and bacon is fine. Nothing too heavy. I'm sort of running on nerves and adrenaline as it is and I wouldn't want to throw my stomach into a complete upheaval," he said.

"Got it," she said as she scribbled it down on her pad of paper as she made her way towards the kitchen. Before walking out of sight she threw a lingering look over her shoulder and a subtle smile at John.

She began to ring Gwen up when Robert Crawley walked in. He looked just as drenched as John had been when he walked in. He quickly removed his coat so as not to catch a cold and placed his umbrella into the umbrella stand. Although, he didn't see the point in it anymore since the wind was practically blowing sideways now. Anna acknowledged him and greeted him warmly, "Hello Mr. Crawley. Do you need a menu?"

"No, the usual will be fine. Feel free to bring my plate over there, I'll just be joining my friend," Robert said as he pointed John out.

Anna made a mental note that he was a friend of Mr. Crawley as she rung up Gwen. "Five dollars," Anna said to Gwen.

"Anna, that can't be it. I ordered a plate for myself," Gwen pointed out.

"I know but you are doing me a favor. I couldn't ask for a better friend," she said as she came around the counter to give Gwen a hug.

As Gwen pulled away she asked, "Wont you be short on the till?"

"No, I'll cover the difference. It's the least I can do," Anna said.

John rose from his seat to greet his old friend with a hand shake but was immediately pulled in for a hug by his old comrade in arms. "The usual huh? Come here often then?" John asked as they pulled away from one another.

Robert patted him on the back as he said, "Cora's got me on this new diet that's basically reduced my food options to that of a squirrel. I'm only allowed fruit and nuts for breakfast and a man can't survive on that alone." They shared a laugh and John had to nod in agreement. "I've been sneaking off here every chance I get."

There was a small bang from the back of the restaurant as the bathroom door flew open and the little boy from earlier came bursting out like an explosion as he pretended to be an airplane charging toward Gwen and Anna.

John chuckled softly and returned to his conversation with Robert. "And Cora hasn't noticed that you haven't lost any weight yet?"

"Oh believe me she's noticed, she just hasn't quite figured out how I'm cheating. Thankfully, Anna over there is sweet enough to keep my secret," Robert said as he gestured to her with a nod of his head.

"Yes, she certainly seems like something special," John murmured under his breath as he went to take a sip of his tea.

"What's that?" Robert asked as he filled his own cup with some tea from the small kettle that had been left at their table.

"Mmmm, nothing. Just thinking to myself is all."

"Knowing you, that could be a good or a bad thing," Robert teased.

He was a little older than John, but he hadn't aged as well. John supposed that came with the territory of having three beautiful daughters. He had known Robert since they were both in their early twenties having served in the army together. Robert's eldest daughter, Mary, had barely turned five at the time. John had been married to a real piece of work named, Vera. Sure she was gorgeous, but that was no secret, and John quickly found out how many others thought so when he caught her sleeping around. He had at one time hoped to have children of his own, but when the marriage crumbled he didn't see the point in attempting marriage again and with it the prospect of children and a family had vanished.

John watched on as Anna leaned down to pick up the boy, who he assumed was named, Danny. She gave him a big hug and told him to have a good day at school before he left with Gwen. He couldn't help but be moved by the gesture; she seemed like such a kind and sweet person to go out of her way for her customers.

A few moments later she returned to the table with their order and placed it down in front of them, "Alright, I have Mr. Crawley's usual of steak and eggs. And for you I have bacon and eggs, with a side of toast."

"But I didn't order toast," John said.

"I know, but it's good for your stomach if you are having a case of nerves. Also I have some fresh ginger tea on the way that should help you too," she said with a wink.

"See. What did I tell you? She's an angel," Robert praised as he dug into his plate.

"Can I get you guys anything else?" she inquired.

"No. That will be all, Anna," Robert said with a smile.

Anna awaited John's response but was distracted by the small knock at the window and saw the little boy pressing his face against the window and making silly faces before screaming out, "Bye!" She laughed softly as she watched Gwen gently grab his hand and pull him away and he waved to her once more. Anna gave a small wave to the boy before he was out of sight and then smiled back at the two men seated in front of her.

"I take it he's a regular here?" John guessed. He was completely smitten with her and the way she carried herself.

She let out a heavy sigh, almost like her heart was filled with pride, and nodded in agreement. "He is. You might say that he's my favorite customer," Anna added. The ding of the bell at the door shook her from her reverie as she excused herself to address another customer.

The restaurant had filled up a bit since John had entered. As he and Robert prepared to leave he insisted that he pay for the meal since Robert was helping him out with this new job. Secretly, he wanted a private moment with Anna, so he encouraged Robert to go ahead and warm the car up. John slowly shrugged his coat on as he worked up the courage to talk to the lovely, flaxen waitress whom had so completely infatuated him. He cleared his throat as she finished ringing up the customer ahead of her. "Anna, I…" he began to speak and then she looked up with a grin as she peered up at him over the rim of her reading glasses. John stepped forward to give her a smile that, unbeknownst to him sent a thrill shooting straight through her. As he made to pass her the tab with the cash their hands collided into one another and she grazed it again once more as she began to pull her hand away. It was as if something beyond them—something almost electric, was pushing them together like a force of nature. John felt the hairs on his arm stand up as every nerve in his body cried out with joy. He began to speak but felt the words slowly slipping away as he tried to grasp at any thought that was running through his mind, "I…um….I wanted to thank you."

"You're welcome. Did you enjoy your meal?"

"Yes, but that's not what I meant. I…," he took a deep breath again and knew if he didn't say it now he'd never get it out. "I wanted to thank you for going out of your way to help me out this morning. I'm new in town and it's my first day at a new job. You probably didn't know it, or realize it, but it put my mind at ease," he stated simply as he shifted his brief case back and forth nervously. "The tea and toast helped too," he said with a smile that nearly reached his eyes and she felt herself go weak in the knees for a moment.

"It was no trouble at all. I've been in your shoes before. Good luck with the new job today," she said in a voiced laced with sincerity as she put the cash in the register and went to hand him his change.

"No, that's quite alright. Please keep the change."

"But that's more than fifteen percent," she said as she held nearly four pounds in her hand.

"Yes and you deserve every penny," he said as he braced himself for the stormy weather outside. "I hope to see you around again."

"Hey wait," she nearly shouted and he stood frozen in place. "I don't know your name," she said as she held out her hand in friendship.

"I'm John Bates," he said as he came back to meet her hand with his own.

"I'm Anna Smith," she replied as they shook hands. "It's lovely to meet you Mr. Bates."

Something about the way she enunciated the letters of his surname drove him wild and made his stomach do a somersault. He swallowed hard before replying, "You can call me, John."

She bit down on her lower lip for a moment before she smiled back at him, "Welcome to Downton, John."