A/N: Once again, thanks to everyone for your wonderful reviews. I can't tell you how much they are appreciated! I replied to them all again, and even got some responses back, which was so exciting for me!

Anywho, next chapter. I'm sure you can guess from the year what's going to happen. Hopefully you guys like it…more of a transition chapter than anything.

1939

On his eighteenth birthday, George enlisted in his royal highness's army. He knew his mother would hate it. For several years now, and especially since the king had announced that England and Germany were at war, she had told him here and there about the first war and how horrible it was. He knew it was something she hated to even think about. She spoke of how Europe had wanted the war but didn't know what they were getting into, and of convalescent homes, and injuries, and, of course, his father.

So he had expected his mother to be angry or upset when she found out. That's why he hadn't told her.

She was walking down the main staircase when the butler let him through the front door, and there was a knowing look in her eyes when she saw him, as though she had been expecting him to do exactly what he had just done: wake early and enlist without telling her, while he knew she would be shut away in her room and didn't want to be disturbed.

Mary approached him, took him into her arms, kissed his cheek, murmured "Happy birthday," in his ear, and then stepped back and held him at arms' length for a few seconds.

He was tall, taller than either of his parents, and very skinny. He was the spitting image of his father – blonde hair, blue eyes, and that smile that women couldn't resist.

"You've done it then, have you?" She asked him, and he knew he couldn't hide it from her.

"Yes," he replied simply, looking at the ground to avoid her eyes. But he knew it was futile. She would stand there in silence until he explained himself. He knew the tactic well – she had used it often, and he caved under the pressure every time. So he looked up, and the moment he made eye contact, he launched into what he was sure would be a very guilty-sounding explanation. "Mama, I know – "

But Mary held up her hand to silence him and he stopped at once. "When do you leave?" she asked, and he realized that she didn't sound angry or upset, but rather like she was asking him when his friend had asked him for tea.

"You seem very nonchalant about this," he responded, avoiding her question.

"Getting angry won't do me any good now, will it?" She had a point. "Now, when do you leave?"

He knew his mother was terrified. His father had almost died in the Great War, and after the reports coming from London that England may soon be under attack, she was more terrified than ever. She had even telephoned her sister (a rare feat in itself) and insisted that Edith and her family come back to Downton, Aunt Edith had sent Cecilia and Emily ahead of her a few weeks ago with the promise that she and Michael would follow before the new year. Sybbie had left last year to train as a nurse (and though his mother denied it, George knew he had seen a tear in the corner of her eye as they waved his cousin off). George suddenly felt very guilty for worrying her more.

"A week from today."

"And you're sure this is what you want?"

He thought a moment, but said, "I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

"Then, here," she pulled a small toy dog out of her pocket and gave it to him. "I gave this to your father before he left. It kept him safe. So, you had better take good care of it."

"You knew I was going this morning, didn't you?" How else would she have known to bring the toy?

"I've known you since before you were born. Of course I knew what you were up to. But maybe it's best not to mention it to your Uncle Tom until tomorrow," Mary added good naturedly, then kissed him again on the cheek and started walking away, calling over her shoulder, "There's tea in the library whenever you're ready."

And they didn't speak of it again for the rest of the day. George knew he hadn't heard the end of it from his mother, but he also knew he had her support.

What he didn't know was that exactly four years later, he would see his mother for the first time since he left for training in a hospital near London.

A/N: All-righty! That's it for now…more next week! But in the meantime in between time, do you see the review space at the bottom of this page? I triple-dog dare you to fill it in and press the post button :P! You would seriously make my week!