Thank you for taking the time to read the first chapter of this story.

This story will contain several one shots of pregnancies, births and family moments of the Crawleys.
I'd like to ask you to please write a review so I can read what people think of the story as far as I have written it. Thank you.

Summary: AU: Matthew and Mary stay home while the family goes to Duneagle. While staying at home Mary unexpectantly goes into labour, leaving a very anxious Matthew waiting outside the door of their bedroom.

'Why don't I promise to rest for a couple of hours every afternoon?'

'Mary we are not going and that is final, I won't allow it. Not in your condition!'

'I'm not in any condition, I am having a baby I am perfectly able of knowing when to rest'

Matthew let out a heavy sigh as he argued with his wife about whether or not they could go visit the Flintshires at Duneagle castle. It had been decided weeks ago that him and Mary should not go with the baby due in a month but she had not stopped complaining since. She knew it was what was best but she hated the fact that she would miss out on all the fun.

Letting out a sigh of defeat she carefully caressed her babybump and looked at her husband

'Fine, have it your way. We are not going, but be prepared for an endless amount of whining' she said as she sat down at her vanity for Anna to do her hair. Matthew dropped a quick kiss on the crown of her head before heading downstairs for breakfast.

Mary joined them a short while later and as she put her napkin on her lap Edith walked in with a rather satisfied smile on her face.

'Who was it?' asked Cora

'My editor, Michael Gregson. He's realised he's going to be in Scotland at the same time as us'

'Don't tell me he'll be near Duneagle' Mary commented and Edith gave her a look.

'Apparently'

'What a coinsidence' she saw the soft grin her husband sent her and she replied with a sweet smirk in return. Now she was even more sorry she was not going. She would have loved to make this Mr. Gregson as uncomfortable as possible.

'Yes, isn't it...' her sister shot back at her.

'Are you alright with staying home?' Robert asked his eldest daughter who was sitting at his left hand Mary shot him a look.

'Don't start papa, you know I am not. I would much rather dance until dawn at the Gillies ball' she said and she saw the look Matthew gave her 'but my husband disapproves, so it appears I have no say in the matter'

'We all just want what is best for you and the baby' Robert assured her as he took a last sip from his coffee and announced it was time for them to leave. After saying goodbye to the family it was just her, Matthew, Tom and little Sybbie left to fill the enormous house. As she waddled back into the house she placed a hand on her lower back, trying not to seem too uncomfortable because she did not want her husband to worry. He had been the definition of an anxious father ever since she had announced her pregnancy to him. He seemed to devote every waking moment to ensure Mary and the baby were alright. It was sweet at first but the past few months it had started to get on her nerves, especially since being pregnant was starting to bother her more each day.

Within seconds Matthew had rushed to her side and he had to hold back a groan.

'Are you alright my dear? Is it the baby?'

'I am perfectly fine, my back just aches' she told him as she continued to walk upstairs. She was in desperate need of a bath and she wanted it now. She hoped her husband would leave her for a moment. However much she loved him was a little too much for her at the moment. Once she had entered the bedroom she shared with Matthew she pulled the cord for Anna to draw her a bath.

About fifteen minutes later she lowered herself into the tub with some help from Anna and she could help but let out a soft groan when she sat down. Her left hand found her enlarged stomach and she softly stroked the spot where the baby was kicking as she closed her eyes. She heard Anna leave her to her own devices and she relaxed. She had been in the tub for about ten minutes when she felt a large hand cover hers over her swollen stomach. She opened her eyes and looked right into her husbands bright blue ones.

'I'll have you know it is very inappropriate to visit your wife when she is naked and taking a bath' she scolded him and Matthew chuckled softly.

'I'm afraid that seeing you naked was what got us in this situation in the first place' he said as he eyed her stomach. 'he is kicking quite a lot today'

'No rest for mama' she chuckled and Matthew pressed a soft kiss onto her temple 'I have decided something'

'What did you decide?'

'I want a private sittingroom for us, now that we are having our own family. I want to stay here at the abbey but I want some private rooms for us and our children' she told him and a bright smile appeared on Matthews face.

'I'll get started on that as soon as your father has returned' he promised his stunning wife. He was falling more in love with her every day especially now that she was carrying his child. Their child, their very first child. He prayed to God it would not be their last but he had been so relieved when he had heard the news about her pregnancy. They had tried for many months and after her small surgery she had gotten pregnant within a month.

'Are you alright darling?' his wife pulled him out of his thoughts and he nodded with a smile

'I'm perfect' he told her before placing a soft kiss on her lips. In that moment she forgave him all of his annoying habbits and everything that had irritated her lately.

Over the next few days Matthew spent finishing the nursery which he had insisted on. Sybbie was already sleeping in the nursery but Mary had wanted to redecorate and put in some new furniture and Matthew had insisted he would do it himself. He had just finished repainting the doorpost when Mary appeared. Her hands supporting her babybump as she watched her husband paint.

'Decorating your own nursery is very middle class' she teased and Matthew down at her.

'Well you did marry a middle class man, so you will have to get used to it darling' he said and he pecked her lips before he continued to paint. Mary watched him for a moment before bending down and picking up a paintbrush herself. Matthew watched her with a surprised look on her face but just before she let her brush hit the doorpost she turned around and brushed the paintbrush over is face, leaving a white mark on his cheek.

She giggled madly when she saw the dumbfounded expression on his face. He touched his cheek with the back of his hand and saw the white paint on his hand.

'Oh it's on' he said and without hasitating he painted her nose white

'Matthew! I am a lady, you cannot..-' before she could continue he gave her a white cheek as well.

Then the bomb truly burst and before they knew it they had lost themselves in a paint fight. When Matthew decided it was enough he wrapped his arms around his wife from behind and grabbed her wrists.

'Now that is quite enough lady Mary Crawley, although you do not look that much like a lady now' he teased and Mary laughed as she looked at herself and at him.

'Anna is going to kill me, we should sneak into our room and make ourselves a bath before she or Mrs. Hughes finds us' she said and she grabbed his hand. Giggling like two naughty children running from their nanny they sneaked back into their room and Matthew prepared them a bath.

He got up and helped his wife out of her clothes. Mary let out a soft sigh as she placed her hand on her bare stomach

'I don't think I should have done that, but I couldn't resist' she said as she let out a soft groan when she felt the baby kick hard. She felt a little out of breath and she saw the concerned look in Matthews eyes.

'This is exactly what I was afraid of'

'Calm down, everything is fine' she told him and she squeezed his hand softly to ensure him she was fine. He eyed her for a moment as she undressed himself and he got into the tub. He grabbed her hand and led her into the warm water with him. He sat her down between his legs and let her lean against his chest.

'But I was wondering if we could have dinner in bed tonight' she said softly as she painted little pictures on her babybump with her fingertips.

'Of course we can my darling, I'll let Mrs, Patmore know as soon as we are clean and tidy' he grabbed a cloth and carefully washed the paint from her face and arms.

After a nice hot bath Mary let Anna dress her in her nightgown and braid her long hair as she apologized for the ruined dress. Anna promised her to do her best to get the paint from her dress. Mr. Molesley had changed Matthew into a fresh pair of clothes and he knocked before walking into their room. Mary had put on her silk dressing gown over her cream colored nightgown and she crawled into bed when he entered their room.

'I hate being on bedrest' she mumbled as she put some pillows against the headboard to make herself more comfortable. She leaned against the pillows and sighed.

'Darling I know but it is what is best for you and the baby' Matthew told her as he sat down on his side of the bed 'are you still sure you want to give birth at home?'

'I refuse to give birth at a dirty, smelly hospital when I will be perfectly fine and comfortable in my own bed' she told him and he knew there was no use in fighting her on this.

'Alright if you're certain...' he said before placing a soft kiss on her cheek before they heard a knock and Anna brought in their dinner. After enjoying their dinner with just the two of them Matthew went downstairs to have a drink with Tom on Mary's insistance. She fell asleep fairly soon after he had left the room. She was exhausted from the day when she had not done a whole lot except the playfight with Matthew. She had enjoyed just having fun with her husband for a moment. It was something that rarely occured and she knew that with them having children it would happen even less so she cherished these moments.

Somewhere around two a.m Matthew was violently shaken awake by his anxious wife who was holding her stomach and looked at him with wide eyes.

'It's started Matthew, get the doctor and your mother' she told him shortly before she closed her eyes and groaned when she felt a contraction. Matthew sat in bed frozen for a moment before Mary basically pushed him out of their bed and he had to get a move on. He quickly ran downstairs in his pajamas and warned Carson that it was time. Carson rang the doctor and Mrs. Crawley and woke Mrs. Hughes and Anna as Matthew woke Tom.

Matthew was sure he had never been so excited and frightened at the same time as that moment. He stayed with Mary until the doctor came in with a nurse followed by his mother who immediately sent him away.

'I'm not letting her out of my sight mother, I don't care what the doctor says'

'We need to examine her Mr. Crawley, please let us do our job' the doctor said but Matthew could not be persuaded by his words.

Mary groaned loudly when she felt another contraction and gave Matthew a hard push 'just go please, I just want to get this over with!'

With his wife's wishes he left the room but instead of going down he was outside the door pacing up and down the hallway, trying to listen to the conversation through the door. Tom was standing in the hallway with him for support.

'it could take hours' he said as he tried to calm Matthew down 'I know exactly how you feel but worrying is not going to do you or Mary any good' he told his brother in law.

'I just wish I could be in there with her, i hate seeing her like this' he said in a frustrated tone 'I wish I could take all of her pain away'

'Look Matthew, women are made a lot stronger than men for I do not think I would be able to go through such pain but... Mary knows she will probably have to do this more than once so she has prepared herself for that. You know Mary' Tom said and both men chuckled, Mary was probably less upset than her husband was and she was the one giving birth.

Before he could say anything else the doctor walked out of the room 'well her labour has definitely started, but it will be a couple more hours before she is able to push. You can go in and see her for now' before the doctor had finished his scentence Matthew had already rushed into the room where Isobel was making sure Mary was comfortable.

'Are you alright my daring? How are you feeling?'

'Very sore and tired already' she told him as she laid back against the pillows while Matthew kissed her knuckles as he held her hand tight.

'Well I am not leaving you' he promised her and Mary shook her head.

'Please do leave, I will not have you see me give birth' she told him strictly and from the look in her eyes he knew better than to argue with her.

It took ten hours until Mary was allowed to push and by that point she was already thoroughly exhausted. When it was time Isobel had shooed him out of the room and Tom had managed to get him downstairs to eat something that looked like breakfast or luncheon. After just a few bites the first scream ripped through the house and within minutes Matthew was back by the door of their bedroom. It took him everything not to burst through the door and hold his wife as she was suffering. Every scream he heard he got more anxious. What if this was not normal? What if they lost the baby? What if she would not make it?

It seemed to go on for hours and one scream was more agonizing than the other until finally the screaming stopped and it was silent for a few moments. Every possible thought ran through Matthews head until he heard a loud cry from a newborn child. Letting out a sigh of relief Tom shook his hand and pat his shoulder in a way brothers would. A few minutes later the crying had stopped and the door opened.

Isobel peeked outside and smiled at Matthew 'everything is perfectly fine, they both are'

'Thank the heavens!' he exclaimed as tears burned in his eyes and he walked into the room.

Mary was sitting in bed looking completely exhasuted but incredibly happy and relieved. The nurse carefully whiped her sweaty forehead with a wet cloth as Mary craddled a little bundle in her arms. She looked up when she saw her husband walk in and a smile broke out on her face.

'Say hello to your son and heir' she told him sweetly as Matthew walked closer to the bed and a tear ran down his cheek as he laid eyes upon his son for the first time. It was like something out of a novel. Never had he felt such joy as he felt when Mary handed him the small bundle, his son. They had a son. He carefully held the baby close and he looked at Mary.

'He is... I just... oh my darling you are absolutely marvelous, you have done so very very well' he told her as he sat down on the side of the bed next to her and they looked at their newborn son. Two small bright blue eyes like his fathers stared back at them as the small baby curiously gazed upon his parents.

'We ought to name him after a family member' Mary said as she took their son from her husband again.

'Please don't name him Reginald after my father' he said and Mary looked up at him surprised

'Why not?'

'Because no one likes that name, he did not even liket he name he told me so on several occasions' he said and Mary chuckled as she looked own at their perfect little baby.

'He does not look like a Robert, and I do not want your heir to be named after my father... we can name our next son Robert... should we have another' she said and Matthew grinned.

'Already thinking about the next one?'

'Don't get any ideas Mr. Crawley, I am quite content with our little one over here' she said sweetly as the baby made a sweet noise.

'How about George?' Mary suggested and she looked up at Matthew 'one of my fathers second counsins was named George... George Matthew Crawley'

Matthew felt as if his heart was about to explode when he heard his wife wanting to name their child after him. He nodded and reached out to stroke the baby's tiny hand with his finger.

'I think it sounds perfect' he said as he looked down at his son

'Welcome to downton, George Matthew Crawley'