Anna and Bates are sitting at the table in the servant's hall downstairs, talking and mending clothes before they are needed again. Mary's bell rings and Anna starts to get up. "Are you alright? Don't tire yourself out too much." Bates says. "Don't worry my love" Anna replies as she stands up and reveals her pregnant belly. "Lady Crawley knows just as well as I what my limits are." "But she never had to work like you, remember she still danced at 8 months pregnant." "She knows that wasn't the best idea, besides we are going to discuss today when my replacement will start, so don't you worry too much Mr. Bates. Now I better go up before it's too late." With these words Anna leaves the room and Bates continues his work.

Upstairs Anna is doing Mary's hair as there is a knock on the door and the nursery maid enters with little Matthew on her arm. "Milady, sorry to bother you but Matthew has just said his first word and I wouldn't have you delay hearing it." "How wonderful" Lady Mary replies as she stretches her arms to the little boy. "Mamma" says the boy as soon as he is in his mothers' arms. Mary squeals and kisses him on his forehead.

Anna stands aside with her hand on her belly, only 2 more months and she will hold her own little baby in her arms. She smiles wide at this thought and stares at Mary with little Matthew, until Mary breaks the spell by calling Anna's name. "Could you finish my hair please so I have time to bring him to bed myself before I go to dinner." "Of course Milady", and Anna continues while Matthew sits on his mothers lap.

As Anna is finished Mary gets up and realises it is time to go downstairs. "Would you mind taking him to bed?" Mary asks. "No problem, gives me time to practice" and she takes the boy from his mother. "Give your mother a night kiss and I'll bring you to bed".

Anna follows Mary out and walks towards the nursery. She sees Bates in the corridor "You are such a natural mother already", he tells her. They smile and he holds the door open to the nursery. Anna puts the baby to bed and as she turns around she sees Bates looking at her from the door opening. She gives him a little kiss and they walk arm in arm downstairs. "Did you manage to speak to Lady Mary today?" He asks. "I'm afraid not, as I was about to bring it up the maid came in with little Matthew. He said his first word today 'mamma'." They smiled. "Such a shame he will not be able to say papa." "No, but lets hope our little one will be able to say both, there has been enough misery around birth in this house." She said and he wrapped his arm around her. "We have had quite our deal of trouble in the past, it's now time for joy."

The next morning Anna wakes up early, John is still asleep next to her. He is normally the one up first, but then she realises what woke her up, the baby inside her wildly kicks around. Even before its birth it already knows to keep her awake at night. She wraps her arms over her belly and tries to sleep again.

It feels like she had only been asleep for 5 minutes when her husband woke her up, this was going to be a long day.

After breakfast they walk to the house together. Anna is still holding her belly. "Are you feeling well my love? You look awfully pale and didn't have much to eat." Bate asks his wife. "Not very to be honest, the baby has been kicking all night. I'll take it slow today." "Please do, and tell Ms. Hughes if you don't feel well at all." "I will, I should be fine after Lady Mary is dressed and I can sit for a moment." As they enter the servants' hall the bell for his lordship begins to ring. Bates kisses his wife and goes upstairs.

"Do you feel well?" Lady Mary asks looking at Anna in the mirror. "You look rather pale." "Sorry Milady, I haven't had much sleep tonight with the baby kicking", "Oh I'm glad those sleepless nights are over." Anna smiles softly, after her baby is born there will be plenty more sleepless nights to come; she won't have a nanny to take care of that like Mary.

"Talking about the baby, I was wondering if you had any successful applicants to replace me." "Actually, I selected the letters and someone is coming tomorrow, would you mind sitting in with the interview? I depend on your view of the person and you will have to work together." "Of course, as much as I enjoy this work I feel I can't continue much longer before the baby comes." "Naturally, that trip up to the highlands had taken too much of my energy at 8 months. Besides you do much more physical work. How is your nursery getting along?" "Almost finished. Fortunately we had painted the spare room in a basic colour when we moved in and Mr. Bates has found some lovely furniture in town. I am nearly finished knitting a blanket, a couple more evenings and we are ready." "Wonderful, once it is born I'll make sure to visit you, reverse the roles." They both laughed. Anna had sat down and was clutching her belly again. "Anna, why don't you go home, I'll ask Edith's ladies maid to dress me for dinner, we don't expect any guests today. You may finish that blanket and go to bed early." "Thank you milady, I much appreciate that and I should hopefully feel better to see the new maid tomorrow."

On her way out Anna walks into Mrs. Hughes. "Lady Mary has signed me off for the day as I am not feeling well, would you let Mr. Bates know I have gone home but not to worry." "Well of course Anna, anything I can do for you?" "No thank you, I just need some rest."

After hearing his wife has gone home John Bates walks home in his afternoon break. Inside he finds her asleep on the sofa, the half knitted blanket balancing on her belly. What an angel she is. Carefully he takes away the knitting and wakes her. "What time is it?" She asks sleepy. "Around 3 in the afternoon, I just came to check on you and brought you some lunch," He shows her a packet of sandwiches. "You should eat something." "Thank you" she replies with a kiss, and sits up on the sofa. "Thank god that food has given some colour in your cheeks, you were starting to look like a ghost." John says after she has eaten her sandwiches. "They did me good, however I'd still like to lie down in bed for a little while". Slowly he helps Anna up and supports her up the stairs to their bedroom. "Now go back to work before both of us are out of service" Anna says jokingly as she is settled in bed. "I'll be back to the good old me tomorrow." He kisses her goodbye and goes back to the house.

"Is everything in order with Anna?" Lord Grantham asks Mr. Bates, as he gets dressed for dinner, "Mary told me she had send her home this morning." "Yes thank you my Lord, she didn't have much sleep last night, but I believe she has been sleeping a great deal today to catch up on it." "I'm glad, it can be such a ghastly business seeing your wife suffer and there is nothing you can do." "Oh yes my lord, and I'm afraid the worst is yet to come." "Anna is a strong woman, you don't need to worry about that. But if there is anything you like advice on at some point, I'm quite the expert." "Thank you, I'll keep that in mind." Bates collected the clothes and Lord Grantham made his way out to the dining room.