A/N- Thanks for all your reviews, I appreciate each and every one.

In this chapter, parents are met, ice creams are eaten and surnames are discussed. This chapter is a bit busy and dialogue heavy, but I hope it reads okay.

Disclaimer: All things Downton belong to Julian Fellowes/ ITV/ Carnival

'You're not wearing that, are you?'

John stopped dead in his tracks in the kitchen doorway, immediately looking down as Mary's critical tone filled his ears. Looking up, he saw Mary and her parents sitting around the table, their youngest daughter Sybil leaning against the counter.

'What?' John put his hands in his pockets. 'I'm only going to Anna's parents for Sunday lunch. It's not like I'm marrying her.'

'No, you just got their only daughter pregnant when you aren't even in a relationship,' Cora replied, 'I don't know what's worse.'

'Come on, mate,' Robert's tone was patronising although John decided to ignore that fact and listen to what he had to say. 'The jeans are smart enough, the boots look good but you cannot wear that T- shirt.'

'It's just a joke,' John shrugged, straightening out his shirt. 'To break the ice.'

'Who's The Daddy?' Sybil read out loud, chuckling as she did so. 'That's inspired.'

'See, I knew my little Goddaughter would be on my side,' John walked to Sybil and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

'You can't wear that, John,' Mary reiterated her earlier statement before rising to her feet. 'Come on, I'll help you pick a new one.'

Mary took hold of John's hand and began to pull him in the direction he had just come from. No words were exchanged as John followed reluctantly behind her. Once in his room, Mary preceded to his wardrobe and swung it's doors open.

'Don't mind me,' John sat on the edge of his bed, watching as Mary flicked through his clothes collection. 'Really. Please don't.'

She didn't afford him a look as she continued to rifle through his wardrobe. 'John, you knew you wouldn't get out of this house in that T shirt, didn't you?'

'I didn't know you were here,' John replied, leaning back on the bed. 'If I had I would have snuck out the front door.'

Sighing deeply, Mary turned to look at him, folding her arms. Her features softened as she regarded him. 'Anna has had to talk you up to her parents as it is. A one night stand resulting in a pregnancy.'

'She's a grown woman, capable of making her own decisions,' was John's rebuttal as he met Mary's gaze. She didn't reply, choosing to remain silent as her eyes bored into him. 'What?'

'Okay John, put it this way,' Mary began, taking a couple of steps closer to the bed. 'Let's imagine your baby is a girl. Said girl comes to you in thirty years and says, 'Hi Dad, I had a one night stand, never intended to meet the bloke again but now I have to because he has impregnated me.''

John tilted his head to the side whilst he mulled Mary's scenario over in his head. 'I have a light blue polo shirt in their somewhere.'

Joining Mary at the wardrobe, John pulled out the item he suggested, holding it up in front of him. Mary's lips upturned into a smile, she nodding her head slightly.

'Much better.' She turned to leave the room, allowing John some privacy to change. As her hand came into contact with the door handle, she heard John speak.

'Truth is, Mary, I'm scared stiff,' He admitted, sinking back onto the bed once more. 'I haven't been this nervous in my life, not even when on missions in my deployments. This is huge and I feel like I am completely out of my depth. And hearing you say Anna has had to talk me up when in the company of her parents, it makes it even worse. It doesn't help I have all the charm of a.. a...'

'Cucumber?'

John exhaled deeply before looking up at Mary. 'Random but not far off the mark.'

'I'm joking,' Mary chuckled, sitting beside John on his bed. 'For as long as I have known you John, you have been one of the nicest blokes I have ever met. Yes, your taste in clothing leaves a lot to be desired but your heart is in the right place. You'd be the first to admit you lost your way a little with the divorce and everything, but you've promised you'll change for Anna and the baby and I truly believe you are doing a great job in supporting my best friend.'

'Thank you.' John acknowledged Mary's comment by tapping her hand. 'Any advice on how to face Anna's parents? You must know them quite well.'

'Yeah, don't tell any of your jokes, and I use the term jokes lightly...'

'Hey..'

'Dad may find them funny but that's because he has all the intellect of a cactus.' Mary continued, rising from the bed to walk towards the door once more. Upon reaching it, she turned to look at John. 'They are excited to be becoming Grandparents. Just leave them in doubt as to your intentions to be a hands on Dad, and to offer Anna all the support you can. It is a tricky situation, but what else can you do.' Mary began to chuckle once more before adding, 'unless you marry her of course.' Mary's laughter died down abruptly as John didn't see the funny side in her remark. It appeared he was taking her suggestion seriously. 'Oh God, don't propose. That will make things a million times worse.'

'It's lucky for you that the thought of committing myself to one person for the rest of my life makes me sick to my stomach,' John replied, although his voice lacked conviction. It seemed Anna had changed his mind on so many things he believed, or thought he believed. 'Now leave, so I can change. I don't want to scar you for life with images of my naked torso engrained on your memory.'

As they arrived outside Anna's parents house in John's Range Rover, Anna was very aware of the face John hadn't said more than two words since he had picked her up. It wasn't like him, especially recently when they had been so comfortable in each others company. John turned off the ignition before turning to look at the house. Anna's gaze was trained in on his face, he almost looked grey as he took in the sight of her childhood home. She startled John a little as she wrapped her fingers around his. Moving his head to look at her, Anna smiled sympathetically before squeezing his hand.

'Before we go in, are you alright?' Anna asked, John shifting uncomfortably as he considered her question.

'Honestly? I can't remember a time in my life when I was as nervous as I am right now.'

'Oh John, there's really no need to be...'

'Well I think there is,' he interrupted, meeting her gaze. 'I have got their only daughter pregnant, with no intention of making an honest woman of her, hell we aren't even together.' John let go of her hand and rested his head on the steering wheel before continuing. 'I'm despicable. Mary ran a scenario over in my mind earlier, that what if the baby came home one day and told me what you had to tell you're parents. I was horrified.'

'Look at me, John.'

'I can't,' he almost wailed, Anna ashamed to admit she was finding the a little amusement in the situation.

'John,' her voice was sterner now as John lifted his head to be met with her beautiful smile. He tried to mirror her expression, but attempts to do so were futile. 'Mum and Dad were not overly impressed when I originally told them. That was because you hadn't informed me of your intentions yet. Now they know, they are thrilled they are to become grandparents and they admire you for doing what you are. Because believe me, most men would have run a mile.'

'Really? Mary said...'

'Don't listen to Mary,' Anna interrupted. 'They are looking forward to meeting you. The real you. You are usually so confident. Relax, it will all be fine.'

Anna got out of the car then, John doing the same before locking the car. Anna stood beside him, looking up into his face as he took one final deep breath. Reaching for his hand, she took it in hers once more before leading him down the garden path. John hadn't realised until now, so caught up in his own world that Anna was really showing today. They hadn't seen each other for a week or so, Anna's work commitments meaning a meeting wasn't possible but it seemed she had suddenly bloomed in the time they had been apart.

'You're showing an adorable little bump in that dress, Miss Smith,' John informed her with a shaky voice.

Anna's eyes immediately met his as they reached the front door. 'I know, Mr Bates. It's all stretch marks and looking unattractive from hereon in.'

'On the contrary, the look suits you,' John replied with all the sincerity he could muster.

'There we go, there's the confident man I know.' Anna's voice was almost sing-song as she rang the doorbell. 'You know that pale blue really suits you.'

'Good afternoon, darling.'

The door burst open and a woman, John guessed to be Anna's mother, threw her arms around her daughter, kissing her on the cheek. She was the same build as Anna, had the same blonde hair although it was cut into a bob. She was basically Anna in thirty years time. They looked so similar John almost couldn't believe it. He stood back as she enquired to Anna's well being, before her gaze moved on to him.

'So this is the father of my first grandchild, is it?'

'No, I just brought some other random over, Mother,' Anna joked although John didn't really appreciate it at this very moment. 'Yes, this is John.'

'John Bates,' he announced, holding out his hand. Anna's mother accepted his hand, shaking it briefly.

'Nice to meet you John. My name is Linda.' She smiled, her voice friendly. 'I'm Anna's mum.'

'Yeah, I think he got that,' Anna said with a laugh, looking up at John who was smiling as well.

'Do come in, Anna's Dad and her brother are in front of the telly watching the football,' Linda stepped aside to allow Anna and John to walk in.

'Darren is here too?' Anna asked as her mum shut the door.

'Yes love, he's fallen out with Poppy again.'

'Again?' Anna rolled her eyes.

As they continued to chat amongst themselves in the hallway, John's eyes were immediately drawn to pictures on the wall of Anna in her childhood. She was joined in most of them by a small boy, who John know knew must be her little brother, Darren. She really was the most adorable little girl, John couldn't help but smile as he studied each picture in turn. Linda had continued into the living room, but Anna stopped when she realised John wasn't beside her. Looking back, she saw him staring intently at one of Anna's school pictures.

'Are you coming to meet everyone?' Anna asked him, before walking towards where he was standing and looking at the picture he was studying. 'I was fifteen in that picture.'

'You haven't changed a bit. I know one thing, I hope our child gets your looks.' John admitted, before looking down at Anna. 'You look really pretty today.'

'Thank you,' Anna blushed at his words before leading him to the living room.

Although a little strange to note at a time like this, the first thing John noticed was the size of the television. It was huge, and a man who must be Anna's Dad was sitting in an armchair not two metres away from it. John then looked to the sofa and saw a younger man, short blonde hair the same colour as Anna's staring intently at the screen.

'Trevor, Darren, John is here.' Linda announced, moving forwards to pick up the television remote and pressing mute. Both men stood to look at John, Anna standing beside him with her arm linked through his.

Trevor was of a similar build to John, although he displayed a head full of white hair. Darren was stocky, tall and John decided there and then someone he wouldn't like to get on the wrong side of. Both men wore unreadable expressions as the elder of the two moved towards John.

'So you're John?' Trevor asked as he stopped in front of him.

'Yes, John Bates,' John replied, feeling slightly uncomfortable although Anna's fingers squeezing his arm were most welcome, making him feel slightly less uneasy.

'Can I just say...' He paused for a moment, John's heart beating so fast he could hear it thundering in his ears. Trevor raised his hand, John unsure what he was going to do until he rested his hand on John's shoulder. 'How much I am grateful for you not turning your back on Anna. So many men would have done but you haven't, and that is admirable.'

'Thank you sir,' John replied, letting out a breath before Anna's brother approached him as well.

'Alright mate, I'm Darren,' Anna's brother shook John's hand before pointing in the direction of the television. 'You a football fan?'

'Erm, yeah as it happens. I am.' John nodded, looking at the TV.

'Take a seat,' Trevor offered, pointing at the sofa as he moved back to his armchair. 'Let the ladies catch up in the kitchen and join me and Dazza in here.'

'Alright,' John replied, looking down at Anna who was beaming. John couldn't believe he had felt so nervous, he had been foolish to be. He should have known if Anna was anything to go by, her family would have been equally as charming, as they had been as soon as he had walked through the front door.

'Linda, love,' Trevor called to his wife. 'Three beers please?'

'Yes dear, you just sit there and relax,' her tone was sarcastic but Trevor didn't seem to notice.

'Thanks love,' he called back as he restored sound to the television. Anna followed her mother into the kitchen as John sat beside Darren on the sofa. 'Who do you support then, John?'

'Ahh,' John replied, rather reluctant to reveal his team when sitting beside two men from Yorkshire. 'You tell me who you support then I'll let you know.'

'Leeds,' Darren replied as Anna and Linda returned with three glasses and three cans of beer.

'Well then, maybe it's best I keep my team to myself,' John replied as he met Anna's gaze, winking as he took a glass from her.

'Lunch should be half an hour or so,' Linda informed the boys, John looking at her to acknowledge her remark as Trevor continued to talk. She was smiling warmly in his direction.

'Come on, John. You have to tell us now,' Trevor insisted, pouring his beer into the glass. 'We need to know what team you are going to inflict on the little one to find out if myself and Darrem should draw up plans to interject.'

'Oh for goodness sake,' Linda exclaimed, John chuckling away as filled his own glass, Anna perched on the arm of the sofa beside him. 'It's only a game.' She turned her attentions to Anna. 'Anna, I need you to make the gravy.'

'Yes Mum,' Anna sighed, squeezing John's shoulder before she walked away. Once in the kitchen, Linda closed the door behind them.

'You're in love with him, aren't you?'

Anna was taken aback by her mother's remark, moving her lips to protest but no sound was forthcoming. Her mother was leant back against the kitchen counter, her arms folded. She knew she had called this correctly, no one knew Anna like she did.

'What makes you say that?' Anna asked sheepishly, moving to the cupboard and pulling out a jar containing the gravy granules.

'We're having beef, not chicken. You'll need the red lidded one.' Linda advised her daughter. 'And I've seen the little touches, the way you look at him.'

'Firstly, how many different gravies does one woman need?' Anna exclaimed, pulling out a green lidded one, then a blue before finding the one with a red a lid. 'And secondly, we get on well. Doesn't mean I am in love with him.'

'Put the others back first, please,' Linda requested as Anna began to fill a saucepan with water. Anna sighed as she put the jars back in their rightful place. 'Anna, I know you.' Placing the saucepan on the hob to allow the water to boil, Anna remained focussed on her task as he mother continued to speak. 'You do know you can make that by just boiling the kettle?'

Anna looked at her mum, the understanding she found in her expression making Anna realise if there was one person she could never fool, it was her mother. She began to fill the kettle with water now, leaving the saucepan boiling on the hob. Linda stepped forward and turned it off, still waiting for her daughter to respond.

'He'll never be anything more to me than the father of my child. He's said as much. After his divorce, he never wants anything serious again.'

'Hmmm,' Linda's tone was cynical as she opened the oven to check on the status of her potatoes.

'What do you mean, hmmm?'

'Nothing darling,' Linda replied, closing the oven door once more.

'Come off it, Mum,' Anna groaned. 'You saying hmmm like that can only mean one of two things. You aren't really listening, or you disagree with what I am saying.'

'All I know, is that I have been in the company of the two of you for ten minutes at best, and if I didn't know better I'd have thought you were together. The way he looks at you, well if a man ever looked at me like that I'd be putty in his hands. He's gorgeous, isn't he?'

Their conversation was interrupted with a cheer coming from the living room. Linda opened the one side of the serving hatch and saw the three men laughing, Anna looking over her mother's shoulder at the situation as well. She felt a pang of longing in her stomach as she looked at John, the smile on his face illuminating his features.

'Boys, lunch will be ten minutes,' Linda called through to them before shutting the hatch. She turned to her daughter, Anna seemingly frozen in time as she stared at the now closed serving hatch. 'Anna, the kettle's boiled.'

When lunch was devoured and the football watched, Anna, her family and John sat in the living room. She had feared this, yet Anna had forgotten until she saw her mother carrying the box. Baby photo albums. For a whole hour, she had spoken John through every one. He was either a really good actor, or actually interested as he had hung on Linda's every word. Anna watched him, glasses resting on the end of his nose as he inspected every photograph closely, occasionally affording Anna a glance over his shoulder. Now, as they sat in Anna's kitchen, she was curious to know what John thought of her family.

'Darren is a great lad,' John remarked, before taking a sip of his tea. 'And your Mum and Dad seem wonderful. They are obviously very proud of you.'

'Yeah, once they got their head around this.' She placed a hand on her stomach, rubbing the bulge forming there softly.

'They came across as very excited,' John replied, gazing at Anna's stomach with a small smile. 'As am I.'

'Really?' Anna looked up to meet his gaze, he taking another swig from his drink as she did so. 'What are you most looking forward to?'

'I don't know,' John shrugged, placing his mug back down on the table. 'I seem to think about the little things. I like to imagine the little tag they wear when in the hospital, Baby Bates written on it...'

'Hang on a minute,' Anna interrupted, 'Baby Smith.'

'What?'

'Well, we have no intention of marrying and it will be living with me...'

'But the baby always takes the father's name,' John argued, sitting forward.

'Come on, John. This is the twenty first century.' Anna argued back.

'Alright, how about double barrelling it? Bates- Smith.' John suggested, Anna's grimace causing him to then change it around. 'Smith- Bates?'

'Sounds like an Estate Agents,' Anna laughed, meeting John's gaze who was laughing too.

'Well, you have a week to change your mind,' John advised. 'My mother is coming to stay and she'll be horrified if Bates isn't in there somewhere.'

'Your Mum?'

'Yeah,' John nodded, 'she's dying to meet you.'

'And now it's my turn to be nervous,' Anna sighed, locking John's eyes with her own. 'Thank you. For today. It meant a lot.'

'My pleasure. It's another obstacle out of the way. One of many I'm sure we're going to endure over the next eighteen or so years.'

'As long as I'm facing them with you, they don't seem so frightening.'

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Anna regretted them although the way John was looking at her right now told Anna he didn't feel uncomfortable with her admission, quite the opposite. As their eye contact remained, their silent link was broken by the doorbell.

'Oh, that will be Mary,' Anna sighed, looking beyond John and down the hall.

'That's my cue to leave,' John replied, standing up.

'Oh you don't have to,' Anna was quick to say, placing a hand on John's forearm. 'Please, stay.'

'I've got a gig this evening,' John looked down at Anna's hand placed upon his arm. He put his own hand over the top of hers. 'I'll call you when I get in tonight. It won't be late. I'll let Her Majesty in on my way out.'

Mary's knocking on the door startled them both, Anna removing her hand from John's arm immediately. With a small nod of the head, John walked out of the kitchen and down the hall.

'The beach?' Iris exclaimed, looking at each house in turn down the street they were driving along until John bought the car to a stop outside Anna's. 'Johnny, when have me and beaches ever got along?'

'Come on, Mam. I wanted us all to do something nice together. Anna's nervous, so I chose somewhere neutral so we could all feel comfortable.'

'She's meeting me, not the Queen,' Iris shook her head as John exited the car, moving around to his mother's side and opening the door. Holding out his hand, John took it before helping her down to the pavement.

'Mammy, you know you are my Queen.'

'Flattery will get you nowhere, John Bates.' Iris replied sharply, shutting the door behind her. No more words were exchanged as John lead his mother up the path to Anna's front door. Ringing the doorbell, John shifted nervously from foot to foot. 'Don't fidget, John.'

In the next moment, Anna opened the door. She was smiling, although John could tell she looked a little nervous. 'Hello Anna.'

'John,' Anna answered, before looking at Iris.

'This is my mam, Iris,' John replied, gesturing towards the lady standing beside him. 'Mam, this is Anna.'

'Hello there, Anna.' Iris said cheerfully.

'Hello Iris, it's lovely to meet you.'

'Well, you're the first person to say that to me and no mistake,' Iris chuckled. 'We thought we might come in for some tea before setting off. If that's alright?'

'Of course,' Anna stepped aside as Iris made her way into her house. John arched his eyebrows in Anna's direction before placing a reassuring hand on her upper arm.

'It will be fine,' he whispered, closing the door behind him. Iris had already found her way into the kitchen, the kettle already boiling. Anna smiled as she looked up at John rolling his eyes. 'She's not backwards in coming forwards, maybe I should have warned you about that before now.'

'It's fine, honestly...'

'Are you two young people going to join me in here?' Iris called from the kitchen. 'Well, when I say young I mean the young lady and John.'

Bursting out laughing, Anna raised a hand to her mouth as she regarded the look on John's face. She could tell this day was going to be harder for him, than it would be for herself.

'I haven't told you how wonderful you look today,' John remarked, returning to the car with a car parking ticket.

'Thank you, Johnny,' Iris replied, taking John by surprise.

'I was actually talking to Anna...'

'I know, you great big lummox,' Iris chided before looking at Anna who was giggling.

Conversation in the car on the way to the beach, Scarborough to be exact, had been free flowing as Iris asked Anna what she did for a living and about her family. Anna found Iris to be charming, as well as possessing a wicked sense of humour. On numerous occasions, she had apologised for her son's behaviour, assuring Anna she would make sure herself that John lived up to all the promises he had made to her.

The weather was glorious, the sun beating down on the three of them as they began to leave the car park. Holding out both his arms for the ladies to latch on to, both accepted his request as they explored their surroundings.

'Are you going to be able to walk around in all this heat, my dear?' Iris asked as they made their way down to the beach.

'I'll be alright, mam. The heat doesn't affect me as much as it did when I was younger.'

'That's good to know son, but I was addressing Anna.' Iris remarked, causing Anna to start giggling once again. 'Perhaps we could find a pub on the sea front.'

'That sounds nice,' Anna agreed.

Within a few minutes of walking, they had found a nice bar overlooking the sea. Sitting outside, John was sent inside to fetch some drinks as Anna and Iris sat together, locked in conversation.

'He's a good lad, his heart is in the right place,' Iris commented. 'What happened with Vera, it shook him up. Made him change his whole outlook on life. He's almost back to normal, but he was such a carefree creature in his early years.'

'What did he used to get up to?' Anna asked, intrigued to hear about John's childhood.

'Football, mostly. We lived in Dublin, most of the lads were into the Gaelic football, but not John. He always had to be different. And he'd always manage to get his clothes filthy, no matter what he did.' Iris began to laugh to herself. 'He was always singing. But he was happy, he was my whole world in fact. Still is.'

'John told me his father left when he was in his teens?' Anna said tentatively, Iris nodding in response although not meeting Anna's gaze.

'Yeah. Gordon was his name. Went to work one morning, never came home,' Iris revealed before letting out a small, cynical chuckle. 'Been seeing another woman for the last ten years of our marriage, he had taken me for the fool that I was. It near on destroyed me, I don't know what I would have done without my John. It was he who suggested we needed to break free. So we moved to London, changed our surnames and went on as if he had never existed.'

'Your surnames?' Anna asked, a puzzled look on her face.

'Yes, well mine changed when I divorced my husband. John insisted his did too. He was John Robertson until he turned fourteen.'

Iris's words struck a chord with Anna. She now understood why it was important to John the child's surname was Bates. He was carrying on a name that would no doubt have stopped with John if he hadn't had children of his own. It obviously meant a lot to him if he changed it to completely detach himself from a man who caused himself and his mother so much pain. Besides, Darren would carry the Smith name on.

'But I just wanted to thank you, Anna,' Iris announced, placing her hand over the top of Anna's. 'The hope in John's voice whenever he speaks about you and the baby, well it's been lacking since that shrew of an ex wife of his did what she did. You've given him something to live for, given him back his sparkle and I'll always be grateful to you for that. And also, I'm going to be a grandmother which I never thought would happen.'

'Here we go,' John made himself known as he returned to Anna and his mother carrying three drinks. 'A Coke for the beautiful lady and a cider for my beautiful mam. What have you been talking about?'

'Well, I was about to tell Anna about the time you put on that Bay City Rollers concert for me and friends when you were twelve, but I thought I'd wait until you arrived back. Embarrass you a little.'

As Anna decided she needed an ice cream, she insisted she leave John and his Mum to catch up a little whilst she went to find a kiosk. John watched as she walked away, a smile on his face as he became lost in his thoughts. Iris noticed, nudging him gently to bring him out of his thoughts.

'She's lovely, isn't she?'

'Yeah,' John agreed. 'She is.'

'Is there something between the two of ye?' Iris questioned, looking at Anna as she became smaller, moving further into the distance.

'What do you mean?' John asked, averting his gaze from Anna and looking at Iris.

'Come on, John. You can't fool me. I've noticed all the little glances, the touches. You never treated Vera that way and you were married to her.'

'Yeah, well we both know now Vera was a mistake,' John replied, sighing deeply. 'Anything you have seen today mam, is because she is carrying my child. We get on well, and we're going to be great friends and support each other in bringing up our child, but nothing more.'

'I just can't help but thinking you've built up these walls after that harlot hurt you As a result, now you feel safe being alone. I just don't want you to miss out on something that could be really good for you. I've lived a lot, John. It's clear to me Anna feels something for you as well.'

'She's far too good for me, Mam. Far too good.'

'It's all excuses, John.' Iris shook her head, John listening intently to his mother's advice. 'I think you've built these walls believing you'd never fall in love again, and are scared because you know, deep down, Anna is more than likely the perfect woman to tear them down.'

'Mam, she is the mother of my child, obviously...'

'More excuses.' Iris interrupted John. 'Maybe it's fate. The baby is fate, it was meant to bring the two of ye together.'

'An extra quid for a flake,' Anna exclaimed, approaching to two of them once more. 'Ridiculous.'

'But you paid it anyway?' John laughed, noting the large chocolate flake perched at the top of her ice cream.

'It's chocolate,' Anna shrugged.

'I had a great day today,' John said, walking Anna home.

Iris had stayed back at John's, exhausted after their trip to the seaside today, he and Anna choosing to walk to her house after being stuck in traffic on the way home. It seemed natural for Anna to link her arm through John's as they walked. She had never felt so comfortable in a man's company.

'Me too, your mum is a wonderful woman. And she clearly thinks the world of you.'

'Well obviously, I'm great,' John joked as they reached the bottom of Anna's street. 'I meant it when I said you are looking wonderful. Not just today, but in general. Pregnancy really suits you.'

'That's very kind,' Anna replied, running a hand over her stomach. 'Now the sickness seems to have subsided, I have to admit I am enjoying being pregnant. Nearly four months gone, I can't believe it.'

'He or she will be here before we know it. Baby Bates- Smith. Or Smith- Bates if you'd prefer.'

'Oh, I wanted to talk to you about that,' Anna said as they reached her house and walked up the path. They reached the door as Anna continued. 'I spoke to your mum today, about when your Dad left.'

'Yeah.' John said weakly, running a hand through his hair as Anna turned to face him.

'You never told me you changed your surname to Bates. I thought you were born a Bates.'

'Well, it's not something that I choose to think about a lot,' John replied, placing his hands in his pockets.

'Well, it's convinced me that I am carrying a Baby Bates.' Anna announced, John instantly raising his head to look at Anna. 'How can I refuse when you changed your surname is such circumstances? Darren can carry on the Smith name, if he ever gets his life in order, that is.'

'Anna, you have no idea how much that means to me,' John said, his voice shaky as he took Anna's hand in his. 'Thank you.'

He leant forward then, Anna a mere spectator as he pressed his lips to her cheek. As he lingered beside her, Anna shuddered as she felt his warm breath flutter against her cheek. In this moment, she longed to kiss him properly yet as soon as it had began, it was over. John took a couple of steps away from her, slowly letting go of her hand.

'I best get back, to mam.' John said, turning his body away from Anna slightly. 'I'll see you on Tuesday?'

'Yep,' Anna nodded, her voice still weak, John's presence being that close to her still having an effect. 'The cinema.'

'I'll look forward to it.'

John smiled before placing a hand on her stomach. He would sometimes do this, especially if he wasn't going to see Anna for a few days. It melted Anna's heart, the look of sheer joy on John's face as he made as much contact as he could at this early stage with his child.

'Goodnight little one. Be good for mummy.'

With those words, and one last glance at Anna, John began to make his way home.