Author's Note: I apologise for not updating this fic yesterday, I completely forgot! I hope that you all enjoy this little chapter, however, even though it's not much of a continuation... :) x
Season 6 Episode 2
John ran the backs of his fingers down Anna's flushed cheek as he laid in silence beside her sleeping form on the night of her return from London, a smile fixed on his lips as he watched her sleep with her head pillowed by his shoulder. Her eyelashes were lying flat against her cheeks, her golden hair still glued to the areas of her face where sweat had formed during their lovemaking. He didn't understand how – even when she was sleeping – she could still be the most perfect woman living. She was just naturally breath-taking.
He had to admit, the last thing he had expected when the two of them had gotten home from Downton earlier that evening was to be pressed against the front door and kissed. It hadn't been an unpleasant experience – being so intimate with his wife could never be anything but pleasant – but her sudden change in mood had surprised him a bit. She had been so down before she and Lady Mary had left for London the previous morning. Ever since the two of them had returned, however, she had been so bouncy and quite playful.
When the two of them had been up at Downton she had teased him all evening. She had found him in the boot room after dinner and walked up behind him, wrapped both of her arms around his middle and left a trail of kisses over his upper back through his jacket. Then, when she had been helping him into his coat before they had begun to walk home, she had risen up onto her tiptoes and nuzzled her nose against the thin hair at the nape of his neck. He had always known that he'd married a temptress, but that had proved it.
She had been the one in control since their return to the cottage that evening. She had been the one to deepen their kisses in the hall. She had been the one to lead him up the stairs to their room. She had been the one to undress him and take him to bed after he had undressed her so that he could make love to her. In the afterglow she had rolled to him and pressed her lips to his cheek before whispering a gentle 'thank you' into his ear. The two of them had then shared one more kiss before she had calmed and drifted off.
As he held her in his arms now, her soft and warm skin pressed against his, he caressed her hipbone with the thumb of one hand and used the fingers on his free hand to stroke her hair. He had always loved the way that the strands slid through the spaces between his fingers with ease. When she shivered he drew the covers further over her and gave the centre of her forehead a lingering kiss, his hold of her tightening before he settled down again and let her snuggle into his warmth. He cherished how affectionate she was.
Even though he knew that she was still hurting over the loss of another of their babies, he also knew that she wasn't allowing her mourning to take over. The Anna that he knew and loved – the Anna that he had come home to at Christmas last year – had come back to Downton with her that afternoon and knowing that made him feel happier than words could express. He just hoped that her happiness lasted this time and that nothing came along to rob her of it. She deserved nothing but happiness for all she had been through.
When he felt the subtle sting of fatigue in the back of his eyes he knew that he had to get some sleep so that he didn't arrive at Downton in the morning looking half-dead and so he turned over a little in order to turn off the lamp on his nightstand, a sigh escaping him when he turned back to his wife and kissed her on the forehead. 'John?' He ran the palm of his hand up and down his wife's bare back when she mumbled his Christian name.
'Yes, sweetheart?' He whispered into the darkness.
'I love you.' She told him before wrapping her leg around his and kissing his neck lightly.
He couldn't help but smile. 'I love you too, Anna. So much.'
'John?' She whispered again after a few minutes had passed.
He chuckled. 'Yes, Anna?'
'Night, night.' She draped her arm over his stomach and settled beneath their covers.
'Night, night, my darling,' He settled down with her and closed his eyes. 'Sweet dreams.'
Author's Note: Thank you all for reading this chapter and I promise you that the next chapter will be more of a continuation than this one! I would be so grateful if you would leave a review to let me know what you thought and I'll see you all next Monday! x
