A/N: I wrote Chapters 1 and 2 together. It's up now. Review please! I need inspiration. I've been up since 3 a.m. watching Downton and it's 8am now. There might be mistakes. Forgive me.
Mary can hear people talking to each other and for a moment she was annoyed for she thought that she was still at Downton in her room and her own bed and that the silly maids were disturbing her sleep. Then she heard someone say Matthew's name and she remembered Marcus and where she was and her annoyance faded away. She smiled.
She then heard Edith say "Oh but look, Mary is smiling in her sleep."
"I'm not sleeping my dear sister" Mary said sarcastically and opened her eyes. She was rewarded with the face of a shocked Edith. She turned to see her Mama sitting by her bed and her Papa standing behind, touching her shoulder.
"Have you seen Marcus yet, Mama?" Mary asked.
"Marcus?" "Who's Marcus?" her parents looked confused and alarmed. She smiled even wider.
"Marcus is my son Papa. That's his name. Have you seen him? Where is he?" She suddenly felt worried. She needed to see her son. She wanted to hold him.
"Oh Mary you scared me for a second there." her Mama reached out and touched her hand. "Marcus is in the nursery, we saw him for a moment when we came in but I wanted to come and see you first." Cora smiled at her eldest daughter, her eyes welling up.
"That's right Mary, we wanted to see how you were. You weren't supposed to have the baby… Marcus, for another three weeks, we were so worried when we heard." Robert said.
"Don't worry Papa. I am fine. Just slightly tired that is all. As one would be with all this noise and no time to rest." She said, with a warm smile in her Papa's direction. "But I just need to see Marcus now. Can someone get him for me? And where is Matthew? Why isn't my husband sitting by my bed side keeping vigil?" Mary smiled inwardly at her own joke. She saw her family exchange looks but didn't think much of it. They often did that when she made her sarcastic remarks or when they didn't understand her humour. She missed Matthew. He and Carson, the family's butler, were the only few who understood her fully. Where WAS Matthew?
"I'll go get Baby Marcus." Edith said. Mary nodded thanks at her younger and only sister left on this world as she and left the room, closing the door behind her.
Her papa walked to the windows and looked out, seemingly deep in thought. The day was still bright, she had only been resting for a short while she realised. Mrs. Crawley couldn't hold them off any longer I suppose, Mary thought to herself. Her Mama squeezed her hand and Mary focused on her Mama's face. She looked sad. She must've been thinking of Sybil. Mary clenched her teeth and pushed all thoughts of Sybil aside as Cora started to speak. "Darling, I need to tell you something very important. Please listen to me. Matthew… Matthew has…"
"Matthewhaswork!" Her papa cleared his throat a few times and turned away from the window to face her, "I'm sorry, what I meant to say is that Matthew has URGENT work to attend to on Downton. He can't be here. He sends his love and regards. I'm sorry darling." He had cut into what her Mama was trying to tell her. Mary just stared at her parents.
She started to feel uneasy. It was unlike the Matthew she knew to not be here with her regardless of the work he might have. She knew something was wrong and her Papa was trying to keep it from her. The thoughts running around in her mind scared her. It was giving her a headache. But just at the moment the door opened and Edith walked in with Marcus in her arms, a wary nurse trailing behind. All her worries faded away, albeit temporarily, as Mary held up her arms to receive her baby. She said a silent prayer while looking at Marcus' sleeping face. She could not do this without her husband.