Okay so this one is a little longer than intended, think I went a little crazy trying to get everything in as I've got a Christmas chapter coming up in about 2 chapters and I'm trying to actually get it done in time for Christmas so I'm writing at any given moment! As usual, I hope you enjoy it and please feel free to review with any feedback as parts of this story are full of things that I'm using for an actual book I'm hoping to publish one day - if I'm lucky!

Love Kel xx

1914

Mary pulled back slightly and Bert began to think he'd made a horrible mistake. "What?" She gasped.

"Will you marry me, Mary Poppins?" Bert gulped trying to force down the huge lump in his throat. He hadn't meant to push her but he desperately wanted to start a life with her, he only hoped that she wouldn't withdraw from him. To his surprise, she reached out and caressed his cheek.

"Do you mean that?"

"I do… I love you and I wanna spend the rest of my life with you as 'usband and wife. But Mary, don't feel like ya have to. I completely understand if you want things to stay as they are… Don't say yes unless it's what you really want." Mary looked up at him with adoration swimming in her eyes, she had never loved anyone this and it terrified her. Regardless of this she leaned in and said: "Yes, I do."

Bert's eyes widened in shock, his heart was pounding in his ears. "Y' what?" He asked in disbelief.

"I want to marry you Bert." Mary replied with a grin.

"You do?"

"Of course I do. Did you think I'd say no?" Bert stifled a laugh while he tried to comprehend what was happening.

"So, we're getting married?"

"Yes… If you still want to that is." Suddenly Bert lifted Mary off the ground and twirled her around.

"We're getting married!" He yelled. Mary giggled as he planted kisses along her neck.

"Bert! Put me down!" She shrieked. He settled her back on to the ground and cupped her face.

"I love you my darlin' girl." He sighed. Mary beamed up at him before leaning in to gently kiss him on the lips. In that moment, nothing else existed. No war, no suffering, they were the only thing that mattered. Bert smiled into the kiss, the same smile that made her heart melt every time she saw him. Mary pulled away slightly, she ran her hands up the back of his neck and stroked the ends of his hair.

"Oh I love you too Bert Alfred!" They stayed wrapped up in each other's embrace.

"Mrs Mary Alfred… That has a nice ring to it."

The wedding was a simple affair – it had to be with how quick they wanted to marry. Somehow they had managed to find a small church that would marry them in just over two weeks. It was a small ceremony with less than twenty people attending including the two of them, Uncle Albert, some of Bert's fellow sweeps and of course the Banks'. Mary didn't have many friends of her own, her schedule simply didn't allow it. She had no bridesmaids and had asked Winnifred Banks and Jane to help her get ready. Jane sat in the chair facing Mary while her mother fastened the buttons on the back of her dress. She gazed up at her as she was an angel who had fallen right out of heaven.

"You look lovely Mary Poppins!" She exclaimed. Mary smiled at her reflection in the mirror, she couldn't help but agree with the young girl. She wore a simple yet elegant white, cotton dress with chiffon sleeves. It was well fitted as she simply couldn't stand big fluffy dresses with hundreds of underskirts. Her hair had been pulled up into a pretty updo and she did not wear a veil or tiara but had antique bun pin that she had clipped at the back of her head. Winnifred was fastening the buttons at the back of the bodice while Mary finished her makeup with a little bit of lipstick.

"Are you nervous dear?" Winnifred asked her as she fastened the last few buttons.

"Not at all, we've been together for so long and we love each other very much… It's almost like we have been married all this time." Mary replied.

"He has such a big heart. You're very lucky."

"I know."

"With all due respect Missus Banks but I think you'll find that I'm the lucky one." Said a voice from the other side of the room. Mary turned around to see her husband to be.

The way Bert looked at her when he entered the little dressing room erased any questions Mary had in her mind about him. The wonder and amazement in his eyes like he was seeing her for the first time - really, truly seeing her. "Wow." He sighed. There was a hint of sadness in his voice but his smile never faltered, the realisation that he would be leaving her in less than 24 hours hit him like the artillery from the weapons that were currently destroying Europe.

"Bert! It's bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress before the wedding." Jane remarked indignantly. Bert's eyes stayed fixed on his wife-to-be.

"It's worth the risk." He grinned.

"Darling, let's give Mary Poppins and Bert a minute to themselves." Winnifred said as she escorted Jane from the room. Mary spun slowly, showing off all the features of her dress.

"Well, what do you think?" She asked.

"Mary Poppins, you look be-au-tiful!"

"Do you really think so?"

"Cross me 'eart ya do! Like the day I met ya!"

"You look fine too… Your tie's not right though." Bert raised an eyebrow as he watched Mary readjust his tie. "Much better."

"Not bad… You're gonna make some bloke really happy one day." He teased.

"Cheeky!" Mary slapped his chest and made to move away from him when he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back.

"Where d'ya think you're going? Don't you know a kiss from a sweep is lucky?" He gently brushed his lips against hers.

"True, but you're not a sweep anymore, you're a soldier."

A deafening silence washed over the room, the very thing that had been unspoken of since Bert's proposal had resurfaced, it always did. Bert stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. "I'll be back before you can miss me…Besides, Jane and Michael will keep you plenty busy in the meantime." He whispered.

"You should go darling, Uncle Albert will have a fit if he catches you here." She turned her back to him, afraid she might cry. Bert wrapped his arms around her small frame, planting gentle kisses on her neck.

"Why did you decide to return to the Banks'? Why not go to a new family?"

"I never explain anything Bert, you know that." He smirked as he leaned in to give her another kiss, which was how Uncle Albert found them not a moment later.

"What on earth are you doing here my dear boy?! It's bad luck to see her in a dress before the wedding!" Uncle Albert exclaimed as he tried to shoo Bert from the room.

"Uncle Albert, the wedding is in five minutes!" Bert replied with a huff as Uncle Albert pulled him away from his fiancé.

"Exactly! You should be at the front of the altar."

"Alright, I'm going." Bert rushed back over to Mary and embraced her once more before leaving. "I love you, my darlin' girl!"

"I love you too Bert."

"Out!" Uncle Albert cried.

"Love you Uncle Albert!" Bert flashed his trademark cheeky grin and Mary giggled at her foolish husband to be as he left the room.

Uncle Albert took his niece's hands in his own. "Are you ready, my dear?" He asked.

Mary took a deep breath, it was really happening. In just minutes she would be Mrs Alfred, she began to tremble but nodded her head boldly. Uncle Albert's eye began to fill with tears.

"You look so beautiful, my dear." He cried happy, proud tears while Mary searched for a handkerchief to dry his eyes.

"Oh Uncle Albert! Please don't cry."

"I'm sorry dear, I'm just so very proud of you… As would your parents be if they were here." Mary felt herself well up at the mention of dear parents, she forced the tears back.

"Well, it can't be helped. As much as I would like them here to give me away, they'd be very happy that I have you here." She kissed her uncle's cheek as he wiped away his tears.

"Exactly! So let's get this show on the road!" Mary took Uncle Albert's arm as they prepared to leave the dressing room and head out into the church as they heard their introduction being played on the piano.

Later that evening, Bert sat up in bed twisting the gold ring around his finger as he waited for his wife to return from the bathroom… His wife… He loved saying it! Mary was now his wife, he admittedly thought it would never happen but now it had he was understandably nervous about their first night together – and their last for a long time! Mary slid back into their bedroom shyly and shut the door behind her. She wore a long, silky undergarment that clung to her curves of her body as she floated into the room He drank in her appearance like it was a fine wine, craving more and more of her. He gulped forcefully, trying to swallow the lump in his throat that had formed quite suddenly.

"Hello…" She smiled as climbed into bed next to him.

"Hello." He croaked in reply. They sat in an awkward silence for a moment, while some of their

recent encounters had left them quite flushed and breathless, this was unchartered territory – or at least it was while they had been together. Bert turned towards and began to stroke her bare skin.

"Are you nervous?" He whispered.

"A little… what about you?" Mary asked. Bert nodded in response, he moved closer to her, placed on hand on her hip and leant into kiss her softly.

"Is this ok?" He asked. Mary nodded. He continued moving his kisses down her neck all the way down to the top of her breast.

"Is this ok?"

"Bert, you don't need to keep asking if it's ok." She pulled his lips to hers for a tender kiss and felt a wave of lust wash over her. She deepened the kiss and pulled him down on top of her. Bert shifted above her, careful not to put his entire weight on her. He placed a hand on either side of her head.

"Oh, my hair." Mary whispered as she wriggled loose. Bert apologised and repositioned himself. Mary let her fingertips trace the muscles of his back. His mouth crashed down on her once more and they lost themselves in a passionate kiss that left them trembling and aching for more. Mary moaned as Bert began to move down her neck. He made a move to go back up to her lips, slipped and smacked his head against hers. "Ow!" They both said in union before giggling. Bert sighed and rolled off her.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going? You finally get to have your wicked way with me." Mary giggled as she rolled over to him and started planting gentle kisses on his chest. Bert rested his hand on his wife's hip.

"I know, I want to but I keep slipping on your nightdress."

"That's ok darling, I'll take it off." Bert tried to protest but Mary had already slipped the thin material off and discarded it on the floor. Bert gulped as he gawped at his completely nude wife and tried to hide his very obvious arousal. Even after all the years together, he felt guilty for desiring her like this. Even before their relationship when he was with other women, he would think of her. Imagining it was her that he was undressing and taking to bed. He imagined how her skin would taste, how it would feel to be buried deep inside her and being the one to make her gasp. While she was most definitely the woman of his fantasies, he couldn't help but worry that he was not the man of hers.

Mary tried to make eye contact with her husband but he seemed fascinated by his hands that lay across his lap. "Bert look at me." She said as she tilted his face towards her. "I am not a nun… You don't need to treat one."

"I know love… but I've been waiting for this for so long and now it's here – I just don't wanna do anything to mess it up… I want it to be perfect." Mary gazed at him momentarily before climbing on to his lap.

"Bert we don't need to be perfect, in fact I don't want us to be. I love you, you're my husband. I know it's not going to be all sunshine and daisies and I know it's going to take a while for us to figure out what works for us, but there's no one else I want to spend time figuring it out with." Bert grinned and kissed her lips.

"Y'know that is possibly the most romantic thing you've ever said to me." He smirked. Mary giggled as she repositioned herself in his lap so that she was straddling him.

"Well in that case, I would like to make love to my husband on our wedding night, if you don't mind." Mary leant in and kissed him for all she was worth. Her hands reached for his hair, shoulders, face, anything she could hold onto as Bert rolled on top of her. The world around them began to fade away and almost at once they were among the stars.

Afterwards, Bert fell asleep, safe in the knowledge that his wife was in his arms. She lay upon him, their legs still entwined, her hair cascading over his chest and she looked up at his sleeping face trying to memorize every feature. She let her fingers gently stroke the fine hairs on his chest as she woke him up with feather light. Bert groaned and wrapped his arms tighter around Mary.

"It's 2 o'clock in the mornin' love, go to sleep." He mumbled.

"I need to tell you something." Mary replied.

"I have to be up in 3 hours, can it wait?" Mary shook her head.

"No… Before when you asked me why I was returning to the Banks', I didn't tell you but I want you to know." Bert wiped the sleep out of his eyes and noticed for the first time that Mary had been crying.

"When I was away with different families all over the world, you stayed in London despite never knowing when or even if I would return."

"It didn't matter, I wanted you to know I was always there for ya when ya came home."

"I know, Bert. You were always there… So I'm going to do the same for you. I'll wait for you, so you know I'll be there for you when you return." She took Bert's hand and kissed it before letting it rest against her slightly damp cheek.

"I love you, Mary." He whispered. She allowed him to make love to her once more before finally succumbing to sleep and when she woke up the next morning, she found his side of the bed empty except a note that promised his love and that he would see her again very soon.

6 months prior to the present day

Mary had been in hospital for over 3 weeks now and the doctors had confirmed everyone's worst fears, the cancer had spread to her lungs and there was nothing they could do to stop it from taking over her body like a demon. Her youngest granddaughter, Lucy, had only just found out the seriousness of her grandmother's hospitalisation after reading a text to Liz from her aunt Rose, proving it to be true. She hadn't wanted to sneak around them but she knew they had been keeping something from her. As soon as she spotted the offending text message, she headed straight to hospital to see her nana.

"Hello darling... What are you doing here? I thought you were going out tonight." Mary murmured sleepily as she spotted Lucy making her way over to her bed.

"Hi Nana." Lucy smiled. She leant down and gave Mary a hug and kiss, it took all the strength she had to let go as she didn't know many more chances she had to cuddle her nana.

"Well as happy as I am to see you, this is not a great place to be on your birthday. You should be out enjoying yourself."

"There's no one else I'd rather spend my birthday with." Lucy kissed her grandmother's forehead again and squeezed her hand in her own.

"What about your friends? Or a boyfriend?"

"Please Nana, I've no time or patience for a boyfriend." Lucy snorted. "Oh! I managed to sneak this past the nurses." She pulled a tupperware box out of her bag and opened it up to reveal a large slice of gingerbread cake.

"Oh you naughty girl! How did you get that in?" Mary sat up carefully as Lucy began to dish the cake onto two paper plates.

"The nurses never check... Look what else I managed to sneak in." She pulled out a flask. "Just a touch of rum punch." Mary's eyes widened and she smiled widely.

"Right then, you better close that curtain so no one catches us."

After polishing off the gingerbread cake and a cup of rum punch each, the two women were in high spirits and giggling behind the curtain. "You did not put Grandad's clothes on the roof!" Lucy giggled perching on the end of Mary's bed. She was swaying gently as the rum punch left her with a pleasant hum.

"I did! I asked him to put his dirty clothes in the wash 3 times and I came home from work to find that they were still on the bedroom floor... so I put them on the roof... I tell you what he always put them in the wash from then on!"

"See that's why I can't be bothered with men."

"Ahh, it's all worth it for the right one… Promise me something darling."

"Of course Nana."

"When the right man comes along, you won't shy away from him… You'll be brave and take the leap... Don't take as long as I did."

"Okay, I promise."

"Good girl… And bonk his brains out!" Lucy's eyes widened in pure horror! Mary laughed at the face her granddaughter was pulling.

"Ohhh Nana! I can't believe you just said that!" Mary just giggled until Lucy joined her. Eventually Lucy's laughter died away and she sighed deeply before saying:

"Grandad was a good man?" There was a twinge of sadness in the young woman's voice when she spoke about the grandfather she never knew and now she was about to lose the only grandparent she had.

"Yes darling, he was." Mary took her granddaughter's hand in her own. "Are you ok sweetheart?"

"I know about the cancer Nana." Her eyes were filled with unshed tears.

"How did you find out?" Mary asked and she held Lucy while she sobbed.

"Saw a text on Mum's phone from Aunt Rose." Lucy replied.

"You know, spying is very unbecoming for a young lady." Lucy let out a wet laugh through her tears. She looked up at her grandmother and gave her a weak smile. "Oh darling, death is just a natural part of life… It happens to us all one day as much as we wish we could live forever."

"I don't want to lose you!" Mary placed a wrinkled hand on Lucy's cheek and briefly wondered when they had appeared, had it been before or after she lost her husband? Finally she spoke the words that Bert had said to her many years before: "You will never lose me, darling. If you keep a small place for me in your heart, you'll never be without me." Lucy rested her head on Mary's heart and continued to cry out her anguish.