Description: A chronological journey through the highs and lows of the Bates and Anna storyline, with the edition of a very special ingredient...

Warnings: Set Series 2, Episode 1 with minor spoilers up to and including the episode.

A/N: I hope this instalment is slightly easier to read, after all, who doesn't love seeing our couple happy? I'm not completely happy with this chapter so I'd love to hear your opinion on it, good or bad. I'm so sorry for the massive amount of time it took me to update, hopefully the next chapter will be up sooner.

Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: Anna, Bates and Downton Abbey all belong to Julian Fellows and are not my intellectual property. I'm only borrowing them for a bit and I fully intend to give them back!

Chapter 3

All the years of waiting had finally paid off: they were engaged to be married! The happy couple were sitting next to each other in the servant's hall and were, luckily, alone. To any observer, it would be obvious they were in love. Despite their perfectly respectable distance from one another and lack of physical connection, love shone from both Anna and John's eyes. A bubble of excitement and joy surrounded them and, when Mrs Hughes walked past the servant's hall, she chose to leave them alone together rather than interrupt the intimate scene.

Anna listened to Mr Bates talk about their future together and felt like her heart might burst with joy. With every movement of Mr Bates' mouth, Anna felt the desire to cover it with hers become stronger. She wondered whether she would dare to do so again but the risk of someone walking on them was too great. Memories would have to surface – for now. Memories of last night: proposals, hopes, dreams and finally, a kiss were fresh in her mind, stored safely away for her to relish and relive each precious moment.

John began to talk of their future together. He hesitated when the topic of children arose, not wanting to push Anna into anything she didn't want to do, but was thrilled when she offered his unspoken words "if we want to start a family". Her eagerness encouraged him to continue and they slowly devised a plan. A little hotel, hopefully near Downton, that they could manage together. Maybe their children could help them too, when they were old enough. Anna, with her liking for having everything 'just so' would ensure the bedsheets were always neat and the flowers fresh. John himself would organise the financial side while ensuring the place had a well-stocked library.

Alarm flared within John as he noticed Anna had tears in her eyes. Faltering he asked "What is it?" terrified that he'd scared her away. Maybe she was regretting her decision. Maybe she didn't want to marry him at all. John wasn't surprised: after all, who would want to marry an old cripple like him? Dreams that had scarcely begun to take proper shape began to fade into non-existence, a life of cold reality taking their place.

Anna almost laughed to see the sudden concern in Mr Bates' eyes. How could he believe that there was anything wrong when she was so exquisitely happy? "Nothing" she hastened to assure him "It's just… in my whole life, I never thought I could be as happy as I am at this moment."

The flickering lighting was reflected in the tears that shone in Anna's eyes and John thought that, like her, he'd never felt more content. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a wrapped package and broke the chocolate into two. John pressed a square into Anna's hands and, taking his own, placed it into his mouth.

A sweetness, improved only by her present company, covered Anna's tongue and she thanked God for this man who would soon be hers. Any little fear in her mind had been driven away by her heart's love, and Mr Bates' steadfast presence.